**NCAA Basketball Thread**

[UNC41]

Originally Posted by dontburnthe_pig

it's not talk, it's fact.

[seekupig]

Originally Posted by UNC41

Kansas is a very slight underdog. It's funny that Jayhawk fans are talking themselves into the team being underestimated.

I'm not talking Vegas lines, just perception from everything i've read and heard so far this week.

[UNC41]

Originally Posted by seekupig

I'm not talking Vegas lines, just perception from everything i've read and heard so far this week.

More people are picking Ohio St., but I haven't seen a single person who has said that Kansas is a big dog or at a severe disadvantage.

[rconverse]

Originally Posted by thebridge15

No. I've heard from a lot of people (sportswriters and just fans) that it's great. Of course, I've never been so I would have no idea.

Yeah, the FF is amazing. I highly recommend people attend given the opportunity.

[vaxarado]

Originally Posted by UNC41

More people are picking Ohio St., but I haven't seen a single person who has said that Kansas is a big dog or at a severe disadvantage.

That is certainly not the sentiment here in Columbus.

[seekupig]

Originally Posted by UNC41

More people are picking Ohio St., but I haven't seen a single person who has said that Kansas is a big dog or at a severe disadvantage.

I agree, but in a game as evenly matched as this one appears to be you tend to look for any mental advantage you can gain. If being the "underdog" no matter how slim the margin is gives you that mental edge, then you might as well use it.

[vaxarado]

Originally Posted by seekupig

I agree, but in a game as evenly matched as this one appears to be you tend to look for any mental advantage you can gain. If being the "underdog" no matter how slim the margin is gives you that mental edge, then you might as well use it.

If you need the mental edge at this point, you probably shouldn't be playing. Just saying.

[seekupig]

Originally Posted by vaxarado

If you need the mental edge at this point, you probably shouldn't be playing. Just saying.

considering that not having the mental edge is probably the reason Kansas lost to VCU & N. Iowa, you'll have to forgive me if i disagree with your post.

[Lee3691]

Sullinger is not a finesse player

Robinson is more of a typical big guy, and is better defensively
Sully is more of an offensive player

Both are great

[vaxarado]

Originally Posted by seekupig

considering that not having the mental edge is probably the reason Kansas lost to VCU & N. Iowa, you'll have to forgive me if i disagree with your post.

But those are both weaker opponents that KU probably walked in figuring they didn't have to try. Once you get to the Final Four, you shouldn't have those mental lapses.

[UNC41]

Barnes, Henson and Marshall have all met with Roy and plan to enter the draft. No decision for McAdoo yet.

[seekupig]

Originally Posted by UNC41

Barnes, Henson and Marshall have all met with Roy and plan to enter the draft. No decision for McAdoo yet.

which is funny because i think he might have the most NBA potential of any of them.

[Rodey]

I hope some other guys announce where they're going tonight. I know Tony Parker is.

[seekupig]

Originally Posted by Rodey

I hope some other guys announce where they're going tonight. I know Tony Parker is.

Shabazz is announcing on April 10th. Not sure who else is undecided.

[UNC41]

Originally Posted by seekupig

which is funny because i think he might have the most NBA potential of any of them.

I agree. His potential is becoming the next Blake Griffin. His dad said his plan is to come back, but they are going to discuss things this weekend to finalize the decision.

[thebridge15]

Originally Posted by UNC41

Barnes, Henson and Marshall have all met with Roy and plan to enter the draft. No decision for McAdoo yet.

Henson - Good for him. Right choice.

Marshall - Makes sense. I'll miss him more than any of the others leaving but his stock really can't get any higher.

Barnes - Good riddance. Enjoy your fucking brand

[Rebecca De Mornay]

Had no idea UNC fans dislike Barnes so much. Reminds me of OSU fans with Buford

[Rodey]

Originally Posted by seekupig

Shabazz is announcing on April 10th. Not sure who else is undecided.

Ah, didn't know that about Bazz. Amile Jefferson is still undecided too.

Originally Posted by schreiber89

Had no idea UNC fans dislike Barnes so much. Reminds me of OSU fans with Buford

Me either

[seekupig]

Originally Posted by schreiber89

Had no idea UNC fans dislike Barnes so much. Reminds me of OSU fans with Buford

expectations vs. actual results.

[Rodey]

Originally Posted by seekupig

expectations vs. actual results.

Us Duke fans are used to that.

[thebridge15]

Originally Posted by schreiber89

Had no idea UNC fans dislike Barnes so much. Reminds me of OSU fans with Buford

It's probably just me. He's just so frustrating.

He's very, very skilled and has been a clutch player at the college level. His weaknesses were known - not a great ballhandler, not very strong, not agile. Coming back signified that he wasn't done, that he hadn't accomplished enough, and also wanted to improve his game.

So he comes back and all offseason we hear about how he's bulked up, worked on getting to the line more and has an insane work ethic. Ok, let's see what happens. But then this year he proceeded to add less value to the team besides scoring more. He remained unemotional, he stopped having games where he took over, he got lazy on defense, didn’t work within the offense, had costly fouls and turnovers caused by mental mistakes and frustration.

Essentially, he isn’t the player he was made out to be. This isn’t his fault entirely, it’s the hype’s, but he certainly wasn’t the player he wanted to be. And it didn’t look like he wanted to do anything about it. He was the same player at the end of the year as he was at the beginning. Yet he gets on The Atlantic and talks about his brand, how he sees basketball as a business, and how if he doesn’t get a National Championship who knows what could happen.

And then proceeds to not do what he can to accomplish these goals. I never got it. When he had that putback against Kentucky last year, he got pumped up and so did everyone else, because he was playing with passion – he was playing as if he truly loved the game. This year he played like basketball was the most entertaining thing to do at the moment and no more.

It was a failed experiment basically. It was impossible for Harrison to match up with his expectations. But he somehow refused to match up his game with how his game could be. If he wasn’t coming back to win a National Championship, I don’t know why he was coming back.

All in all, you can’t get disappointed. Players don’t always pan out. And I’m only angry because it’s frustrating and sad at the same time – we were let down by Harrison. He essentially used Carolina. In the end, when I see games in the Smith Center with my kids in the future, I’ll talk to them about how I went to school and had class with Zeller, how he was a hard worker, how he grew on me as a player so much throughout his career. And I’ll ignore Harrison’s jersey hanging next to his.

[UNC41]

Originally Posted by thebridge15

It's probably just me. He's just so frustrating.

He's very, very skilled and has been a clutch player at the college level. His weaknesses were known - not a great ballhandler, not very strong, not agile. Coming back signified that he wasn't done, that he hadn't accomplished enough, and also wanted to improve his game.

So he comes back and all offseason we hear about how he's bulked up, worked on getting to the line more and has an insane work ethic. Ok, let's see what happens. But then this year he proceeded to add less value to the team besides scoring more. He remained unemotional, he stopped having games where he took over, he got lazy on defense, didn’t work within the offense, had costly fouls and turnovers caused by mental mistakes and frustration.

Essentially, he isn’t the player he was made out to be. This isn’t his fault entirely, it’s the hype’s, but he certainly wasn’t the player he wanted to be. And it didn’t look like he wanted to do anything about it. He was the same player at the end of the year as he was at the beginning. Yet he gets on The Atlantic and talks about his brand, how he sees basketball as a business, and how if he doesn’t get a National Championship who knows what could happen.

And then proceeds to not do what he can to accomplish these goals. I never got it. When he had that putback against Kentucky last year, he got pumped up and so did everyone else, because he was playing with passion – he was playing as if he truly loved the game. This year he played like basketball was the most entertaining thing to do at the moment and no more.

It was a failed experiment basically. It was impossible for Harrison to match up with his expectations. But he somehow refused to match up his game with how his game could be. If he wasn’t coming back to win a National Championship, I don’t know why he was coming back.

All in all, you can’t get disappointed. Players don’t always pan out. And I’m only angry because it’s frustrating and sad at the same time – we were let down by Harrison. He essentially used Carolina. In the end, when I see games in the Smith Center with my kids in the future, I’ll talk to them about how I went to school and had class with Zeller, how he was a hard worker, how he grew on me as a player so much throughout his career. And I’ll ignore Harrison’s jersey hanging next to his.

I agree with a lot, although not all, of what you wrote, but the bolded is flat out ridiculous and tainted by your bias.

[kydmb99]

I understand where UNC fans are coming from. I've felt the same for much of Terrence Jones career. I used to dog him so much but he has really come on the last few weeks. He isn't necessarily scoring a lot but he's doing things to help UK win. Barnes has never really done that, at least from what I've seen.

[seekupig]

Originally Posted by thebridge15

And I’ll ignore Harrison’s jersey hanging next to his.

What is the criteria for having your jersey in the rafters at UNC?

[clayj41]

Originally Posted by seekupig

What is the criteria for having your jersey in the rafters at UNC?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honored...etball_players

[seekupig]

Originally Posted by clayj41

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honored_North_Carolina_Tar_Heels_men's_basketball_ players

2nd Team All-American is enough to qualify? that's surprising.

[Proudest Bonzai]

http://www.grantland.com/story/_/id/...ege-basketball

I don't really expect anyone here to agree with the thesis of this piece, but I think it does a good job explaining why many people dislike Cal and the way he goes about things at Kentucky.

[kydmb99]

Originally Posted by Proudest Bonzai

http://www.grantland.com/story/_/id/...ege-basketball

I don't really expect anyone here to agree with the thesis of this piece, but I think it does a good job explaining why many people dislike Cal and the way he goes about things at Kentucky.

You do realize all that article does is criticize Calipari for getting the best possible players and then them going pro based on a rule he has nothing to do with? I would imagine you'd sing a different tune if Anthony Davis or MKG wanted to play for Tom Izzo for a season and then went on to be millionaires doing something they've worked their entire life for.

There are plenty of reasons you can dislike Cal but his use of the one and done shouldn't be one of them. If you don't like that, blame the NBA, not Cal.

[canes101190]

The NCAA and NBA can't have their cake and eat it too. You either want these kids to be STUDENT-athletes, or you don't. In reality, it all comes down to money, and the NCAA loves making money off these kids even for a year before they ship them off to the NBA. Jay Bilas has a great take on the whole issue.

[kydmb99]

Originally Posted by canes101190

The NCAA and NBA can't have their cake and eat it too. You either want these kids to be STUDENT-athletes, or you don't. In reality, it all comes down to money, and the NCAA loves making money off these kids even for a year before they ship them off to the NBA. Jay Bilas has a great take on the whole issue.

The NCAA really has nothing to do with it to my knowledge. It's the NBA's rule.