2012 March Madness thread

[nats2playoffs]

Brady Heslip of Baylor has SIX 3 pt goals in the 1st half = 18 pts on the TNT channel

[Kevrock]

I should have made a backed with a more conservative Final Four. I only have one Elite 8 team eliminated in each of my Brackets (Duke). I have FSU going to the Final Four in both brackets, though.

I hope Colorado wins and screws everyone up (I had UNLV upsetting Baylor).

[DPMOmaha]

This Colorado/Baylor game has been every bit as good as the Norfolk St/Mizzou game yesterday.

[mitlen]

and no local teams since Georgetown lost.

Georgetown isn't local.   They're in DC.       How 'bout them Bruins?

[spidernat]

Kentucky is the most talented team in the field. If they don't win the whole thing it's a failure for Calipari.

[HalfSmokes]

Kentucky is the most talented team in the field. If they don't win the whole thing it's a failure for Calipari.

That's every Calipari team- most talented, least experienced. Not that any of his victories last for long

[mitlen]

Kentucky is the most talented team in the field. If they don't win the whole thing it's a failure for Calipari.

It was the first time I've seen KY this year.   I agree with your Calipari comment.    He's a Pittsburgh area boy but I don't seen me rootin' for KY.   I don't particularly like UNC either.   I guess it's the VCU depression settin' in.

[Kevrock]

Calipari is damn impressive. Every year he takes a bunch of one-and-dones and gets them to buy in and play selfless team basketball. That's not easy.

I hated dude after the Memphis fiasco... but he can coach his ass off.

[HalfSmokes]

He has multiple lottery picks on every team- they should be winning (he can recruit his ass off, and lower banners with the best of them), but even at umass he had Marcus Camby (and if you look at the record books he didn't exactly win there)- I'd like to see him with average talent

[mitlen]

I'd like to see him with average talent.

That's the Phil Jackson argument.    I'd like to see him coach with average talent as well.   They have who they have.   

[HalfSmokes]

Technically Calipari has never won before Kentucky even with Rose (officially I don't think they even made the tourney)

[DPMOmaha]

He has multiple lottery picks on every team- they should be winning (he can recruit his ass off, and lower banners with the best of them), but even at umass he had Marcus Camby (and if you look at the record books he didn't exactly win there)- I'd like to see him with average talent

Part of his job is to get well above average talent.  Getting it is just as important is what he does with it.

[mitlen]

Technically Calipari has never won before Kentucky even with Rose (officially I don't think they even made the tourney)

I don't disagree with you necessarily.   I'm just sayin' those "arguments" can be made about Shannahan without Elway, Noll without Bradshaw, et. al.,  Jackson without Jordan and Kobe, etc.   I can't think of any college coaches like that though I'm sure there are some.    It's like sayin' Bill Gates would't be crap if he hadn't thought up Microsoft but he did.    Calipari does what he does well.   There's a reason he's at KY and not Duke.    KY is the pros.    Calipari does what he does as well and anybody within a system he didn't create.   It was created by the collusion between the NBA and NCAA.

[HalfSmokes]

Part of his job is to get well above average talent.  Getting it is just as important is what he does with it.

Getting it is part of the problem since he tends to leave schools facing NCAA sanctions (but I guess he's legit now)

[DPMOmaha]

Which of his programs did he leave on probation?

[Minty Fresh]

Which of his programs did he leave on probation?

All of them?

[mitlen]

Which of his programs did he leave on probation?

Not to be cynical but who cares?    You think Memphis State is gonna give back the money they made?    How about UMASS?    KY should have been given the death penalty long before Calipari got there.

[HalfSmokes]

Which of his programs did he leave on probation?

I said sanctions and every head coaching job he's had prior to kentucky  has ended in sanctions

[DPMOmaha]

All of them?

How about none.  I know they had to vacate a season at Umass and Memphis, but he left every program in a better place than when he got there.  College basketball recruiting is a filthy mess that needs an overhaul, and I'm sure he, like most coaches are not afraid to wade deep into that murkiness, but he's been able to avoid the big mess, so until he does, the notion that he's bad for a program is silly.  You can not like the guy, I can accept that, but he knows what he has to do and he does it very well. 

[mitlen]

How about none.  I know they had to vacate a season at Umass and Memphis, but he left every program in a better place than when he got there.  College basketball recruiting is a filthy mess that needs an overhaul, and I'm sure he, like most coaches are not afraid to wade deep into that murkiness, but he's been able to avoid the big mess, so until he does, the notion that he's bad for a program is silly.  You can not like the guy, I can accept that, but he knows what he has to do and he does it very well. 

Thanks DPM for sayin' what I was tryin' to say better.   

[DPMOmaha]

I said sanctions and every head coaching job he's had prior to kentucky  has ended in sanctions

Actually, Cal's never been accused of anything by anyone other than fans that don't like the guy.  NCAA's never implicated him in any of the incidents at UMass or Memphis. 

[Kevrock]

He has multiple lottery picks on every team- they should be winning (he can recruit his ass off, and lower banners with the best of them), but even at umass he had Marcus Camby (and if you look at the record books he didn't exactly win there)- I'd like to see him with average talent

Technically Calipari has never won before Kentucky even with Rose (officially I don't think they even made the tourney)

wat. He won at UMass (5 straight A-10 titles) where he was constantly praised for getting his team to outperform their talent. He won also won at Memphis. I'm too lazy to research it but I doubt the program was stacked when he took over.

Dude is a great coach, quit hating.

[mitlen]

wat. He won at UMass (5 straight A-10 titles) where he was constantly praised for getting his team to outperform their talent. He won also won at Memphis. I'm too lazy to research it but I doubt the program was stacked when he took over.

Dude is a great coach, quit hating.

He can't be all bad.   Chaney hated him.    LOL

[spidernat]

Belmont breaking down at the end of the half.

[mitlen]

Belmont breaking down at the end of the half.