NCAA Tourney Preview

Well, we are hours away from the Big Dance (that is if you don’t consider the NIT the Big Dance as I enjoy a quite tight contest between New Mexico and Cal), so I better get out my preview.  Now this could be your traditional preview with predictions, however, those are easily available at www.si.com or www.espn.com or many other sites.  Plus, I am not a licensed Bracketologiest and I don’t want to be held responsible for you losing your child’s tuition in your NCAA pool (if gambling were legal).

So here are my random thoughts.

1) Academics.  So it turns out that of the four #1 ranked teams, only UNC actually graduates over 50% of its players. 86%.  Memphis, UCLA and Kansas are all around 40-45%.  Rather shocking.  No, not that those three are so low, but that UNC is so high.  Schools that are higher are Notre Dame, Xavier, Butler, etc.

2) Easiest Bracket. UCLA.  Duke, Xavier and Connecticut are ranked 9th, 12th and 16th — total of 37 if you add them up.  The other three #1’s face a 2, 3 and 4 that total for Memphis is 34; for Kansas 33, and for UNC 39.  Wait you say, 39 is greater than 37, so UNC has the easiest bracket.  But this is where my amateur bracketology degree comes in.  UNC faces Tennessee as the #2.  What?  They should have been a #1 anyway.  UCLA faces Duke.  Duke stinks.  Totally unathletic and if they do not hit threes, forget it.  Admittedly UNC faces a weak Washington State, but all the UCLA teams are playing poorly down the stretch.  Disagree if you want, but it is my blog!

3) Games to watch.  Only handling the first round (Thursday and Friday).  [Reminder, if you are not spending your day at a sportsbar, go to cbs.sportsline.com and watch online.]  My choices are based on either Fab Freshman, or interesting, in my opinion, matchups.

a) USC-KSU: Beasley-Mayo.  Last game for one of them; I predict Beasley.  Need I say more?

b) Gonzaga-Davidson: Dell Curry’s son — look for the Davidson upset.

c) Butler-South Alabama: Butler coach is 12 years old and they play great team ball.

d) IU-Arkansas: Eric Gordon, fab frosh

e) Marquette-UK: Just figure this will be super competitive and fun to watch.  Plus, most either love or hate Kentucky.

f) Drake-Western Kentucky:  Drake is a good team oriented mid-major, and Western Kentucky graduates 100% of its players.  Yes, 100% over the 4 years of the study.  Sure, they may have majors in Horseracing, the film Deliverance, and Ashley Judd appreciation, but 100% is 100%.

4) Other observations:

- Wisconsin is good but soooooo boring; hope they lose

- Hope Notre Dame loses too; not because I don’t like Luke Harangody, but I don’t like Charlie Weis

- Cannot root for Louisville as Pitino is too slick

- Pull for Tennessee as Bruce Pearl is Jewish (if that is important to you) and he was once blackballed for turning in another program for cheating in recruiting.  Wait, let me get this straight.  He is in competition for a recruit; the other side noticeably cheats; he reports it; he is the bad guy?  C’mon, this is not the Mafia; there is no Omerta.  Someone was trying to get an illegal edge and got caught. Good for Pearl.  he is like the Elliot Spitzer  David Paterson Larry Craig Marion Barry  (To be named) of College Basketball

- Kansas, in my opinion, is the most athletic all around team that should win it all, so they will not. 

- Get an early look at ‘Nova as Jay Wright will only be the best dressed coach in round one

- You CANNOT root for Memphis.  Watch them for Derrick Rose and the other talented players, but Calipari (along with Floyd at USC) seems so unethical that I think he should be coaching the Riker’s Island 5; in fact, maybe he is.

- Pitt.  I have always had a soft spot for Pitt.  No idea why, but pulling for them.  Bobby Knight picked them to win it all.  Agree? No, but I like the General’s boldness.

- Stanford - Cornell.  <Insert SAT joke here>

- Texas.  I cannot stand UT but that is a Mack Brown carryover.   They take this bracket.

- UCLA.  Good players.  Standup citizens.  Great coach.  So why do I despise their success?

- Baylor.  Nice to see them in the tournament as the last time their basketball team made the news was when one player shot and killed another

- Connecticut.  Like Calipari, Floyd and Pitino, not a big Calhoun fan, although a good coach (even if suspensions of players are inversely proportional to importance to the team).  Check out Hasheem Thabeet — 7′ 3″ swatter

- Again, I say check out the mid majors even if you (and I) have no idea where Drake, Butler, Western Kentucky (the city smart a$$), and the others are

Lastly, one goal was to have my 2 year old pick my bracket.  However, I got home too late to have him pay attention long enough to pick 63 games.  He will do it later; and remember, even if after the first round or two, it is not like he is going to cheat

Hope you win your pools!