Showing posts with label college basketball. Show all posts
Showing posts with label college basketball. Show all posts
Monday, July 14, 2008
Friday, May 30, 2008
Go pro or stay in school?
Andy Katz has a nice article about Gonzaga guard Jeremy Pargo's chances of being a first-round pick in this year's NBA draft. Jeremy's brother is former Bull and current Hornet Jeremy Pargo. This part struck me:
But the Zags coach did want to caution Pargo that the moment he does sign with an agent, the fun of being on a college team is over. It's a business from that point forward. The feedback he has received from former Zags Morrison, Ronny Turiaf, Dan Dickau, Blake Stepp and Richie Frahm is that the collegial experience is missed.
It is indeed a business, but this made me feel a mini-rant coming on. Here goes.
Yes, for many (or maybe most) people, college is a great time. The basketball part is also good, as practice time is limited by NCAA rules and the season lasts no longer than about 40 games.
However, college isn't for everyone. There are lots of otherwise smart and motivated people who do not want to sit through school. They would rather be out doing things, getting paid, and gaining experience.
There are also lots of people (athletes especially) who are wasting their time in college. They aren't very bright to begin with, so they have to get some useless, lame, and easy major, like Communications. An athlete is at least getting some exposure and practice time for what he hopes to be a career playing a sport, but most don't have that as a realistic hope. Why would some people who have no business being in college and don't like school want to spend time there?
This brings me to the guy who metasizes these arguments most often, or so far as I can tell: Dick Vitale. He is always ranting here and there about how college is the best time of people's lives and how athletes should stay in school unless they are no-brainer top draft picks.
Well, Dick, college isn't for everyone. I didn't especially like it, for example, so I graduated early in hopes of working sooner and making money. There are lots of athletes who, for whatever reason, don't want to do it. It may mean they play overseas or in the developmental league, but they are willing to do so to make some money while they can and to not be in school. Everyone has that choice, and your one-size fits all attitude does not, in fact, fit all.
It just really grinds my gears (thanks, Peter Griffin) to hear people talk like that about college and the college experience. So to end, those former Zags who say that the college experience will be missed should really just say that they miss it, not that everyone does or will.
But the Zags coach did want to caution Pargo that the moment he does sign with an agent, the fun of being on a college team is over. It's a business from that point forward. The feedback he has received from former Zags Morrison, Ronny Turiaf, Dan Dickau, Blake Stepp and Richie Frahm is that the collegial experience is missed.
It is indeed a business, but this made me feel a mini-rant coming on. Here goes.
Yes, for many (or maybe most) people, college is a great time. The basketball part is also good, as practice time is limited by NCAA rules and the season lasts no longer than about 40 games.
However, college isn't for everyone. There are lots of otherwise smart and motivated people who do not want to sit through school. They would rather be out doing things, getting paid, and gaining experience.
There are also lots of people (athletes especially) who are wasting their time in college. They aren't very bright to begin with, so they have to get some useless, lame, and easy major, like Communications. An athlete is at least getting some exposure and practice time for what he hopes to be a career playing a sport, but most don't have that as a realistic hope. Why would some people who have no business being in college and don't like school want to spend time there?
This brings me to the guy who metasizes these arguments most often, or so far as I can tell: Dick Vitale. He is always ranting here and there about how college is the best time of people's lives and how athletes should stay in school unless they are no-brainer top draft picks.
Well, Dick, college isn't for everyone. I didn't especially like it, for example, so I graduated early in hopes of working sooner and making money. There are lots of athletes who, for whatever reason, don't want to do it. It may mean they play overseas or in the developmental league, but they are willing to do so to make some money while they can and to not be in school. Everyone has that choice, and your one-size fits all attitude does not, in fact, fit all.
It just really grinds my gears (thanks, Peter Griffin) to hear people talk like that about college and the college experience. So to end, those former Zags who say that the college experience will be missed should really just say that they miss it, not that everyone does or will.
Saturday, April 5, 2008
Best Final Four ever
There, I said it.
Four #1 seeds, and they are clearly the top 4 teams in the country this year. It's a total toss-up as to who is going to win this thing out of them all.
I'd love to see Memphis do it, and it would also be fun for Kansas just so Bill Self can win one. I don't want UNC, since if they do then they will have 5 titles, matching Indiana for third-most all-time.
The first 14 minutes of the Memphis-UCLA game are certainly living up to the hype.
Four #1 seeds, and they are clearly the top 4 teams in the country this year. It's a total toss-up as to who is going to win this thing out of them all.
I'd love to see Memphis do it, and it would also be fun for Kansas just so Bill Self can win one. I don't want UNC, since if they do then they will have 5 titles, matching Indiana for third-most all-time.
The first 14 minutes of the Memphis-UCLA game are certainly living up to the hype.
Kevin Love vs. expectations
Expectations, that is, to rescue basketball from the hip-hop culture. That's the theme of this article on Slate.
I find Slate interesting because even though it's fairly liberal, the articles and columns usually look at things from a unique perspective. I think the author here takes things a little far (People really think these things about Love? There is really that much angst about showboating? It's not 1975.), but then I also don't pay much attention to the mainstream sports media, so he may be right.
The quotes from unnamed NBA scouts were what I liked best:
"He is really unique," he said. "You don't find that combination of brute force, passing, shooting, and nondefense." The scout keeps a record of players to whom Love has been compared by other hoops observers. None, he found, was particularly satisfying: Unseld, David West, Sean May, Shelden Williams, Bill Walton, Jason Collins.
"He is a freak," the scout said, adding that Love's uniqueness makes him extraordinarily difficult to project as a pro.
I find Slate interesting because even though it's fairly liberal, the articles and columns usually look at things from a unique perspective. I think the author here takes things a little far (People really think these things about Love? There is really that much angst about showboating? It's not 1975.), but then I also don't pay much attention to the mainstream sports media, so he may be right.
The quotes from unnamed NBA scouts were what I liked best:
"He is really unique," he said. "You don't find that combination of brute force, passing, shooting, and nondefense." The scout keeps a record of players to whom Love has been compared by other hoops observers. None, he found, was particularly satisfying: Unseld, David West, Sean May, Shelden Williams, Bill Walton, Jason Collins.
"He is a freak," the scout said, adding that Love's uniqueness makes him extraordinarily difficult to project as a pro.
Thursday, March 27, 2008
Friday, March 21, 2008
NCAA Friday
Not a liveblog today, just notes of certain things that occur as I am home. I'll attempt to chronicle important things that occur, such as first beer, first shot, and the arrival of guests.
10:50 Arrival of Andy Reuter, who is sick today.
1:45 First Jagerbomb to celebrate a double-digit seed victory when Davidson (10) beat Gonzaga (7).
2:10 Second Jagerbomb to celebrate Western Kentucky's (12) win over Drake (5). Reuter sent celebratory text messages to his wife's cousin, who is the only Hilltopper (or "Top") alumnus we know.
Also, we cleared a layer of snow for the first time today. There will be more the way it's coming down.
3:30 Plothow shows up. He also christened the PBR 30-pack. Plothow = champion (except that he missed the Duke game last night due to a fancy dinner).
10:50 Arrival of Andy Reuter, who is sick today.
1:45 First Jagerbomb to celebrate a double-digit seed victory when Davidson (10) beat Gonzaga (7).
2:10 Second Jagerbomb to celebrate Western Kentucky's (12) win over Drake (5). Reuter sent celebratory text messages to his wife's cousin, who is the only Hilltopper (or "Top") alumnus we know.
Also, we cleared a layer of snow for the first time today. There will be more the way it's coming down.
3:30 Plothow shows up. He also christened the PBR 30-pack. Plothow = champion (except that he missed the Duke game last night due to a fancy dinner).
Thursday, March 20, 2008
NCAA Tournament vacation
So what have I been doing besides antagonizing Barack Obama fans, you ask?
Why, I'm on a four-day weekend to watch basketball. After realizing a few years ago that when I was at work for the first round of the NCAA tournament I didn't do anything, I decided to just take these two days off and get DirecTV's package to watch any game I want. With my usual 3-TV setup, I've been watching games today.
The first 8 games today were pretty boring, with only 2 of them having any drama at all. I have high hopes for this evening's games, though, as already Belmont is playing Duke tough and Winthrop is tied with Washington State at the half.
So you think I've been a big slug today, right? On the contrary. I've studied for 3 hours for my actuarial exam. I also cleaned my apartment (including putting away my snow shovel, just in time to have to break it out for tomorrow for the last time). I did 5 loads of laundry. I went to the store to buy an antenna for my TV setup. Finally, I ripped a whole crapload of CD's to my PC.
In your face, people who worked!
Why, I'm on a four-day weekend to watch basketball. After realizing a few years ago that when I was at work for the first round of the NCAA tournament I didn't do anything, I decided to just take these two days off and get DirecTV's package to watch any game I want. With my usual 3-TV setup, I've been watching games today.
The first 8 games today were pretty boring, with only 2 of them having any drama at all. I have high hopes for this evening's games, though, as already Belmont is playing Duke tough and Winthrop is tied with Washington State at the half.
So you think I've been a big slug today, right? On the contrary. I've studied for 3 hours for my actuarial exam. I also cleaned my apartment (including putting away my snow shovel, just in time to have to break it out for tomorrow for the last time). I did 5 loads of laundry. I went to the store to buy an antenna for my TV setup. Finally, I ripped a whole crapload of CD's to my PC.
In your face, people who worked!
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
Saturday, March 1, 2008
Lame studying
Exam season is upon me once again, and I am starting extra early this time. If I pass it's the last one I ever take, so postimg will be light around here for the next couple of months.
Anyway, I found some time to watch sports today, too. The highlights:
In EPL action, Arsenal scored with a minutes left in injury time to get out with a 1-1 tie against Aston Villa.
Wright State pushed Valpo into OT, but the Crusaders eked out the win.
Georgetown also went into overtime in Milwaukee against Marquette, but the Hoyas won.
Texas Tech knocked off #5 Texas in Lubbock for Pat Knight's biggest win yet.
Anyway, I found some time to watch sports today, too. The highlights:
In EPL action, Arsenal scored with a minutes left in injury time to get out with a 1-1 tie against Aston Villa.
Wright State pushed Valpo into OT, but the Crusaders eked out the win.
Georgetown also went into overtime in Milwaukee against Marquette, but the Hoyas won.
Texas Tech knocked off #5 Texas in Lubbock for Pat Knight's biggest win yet.
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
Classic Coach Knight
Tonight's huge IU-Purdue game has me nostalgic for the late 1980's-early 1990's, when Purdue and IU were both pretty good. It really has been since about 1994 when both teams were this good.
It also has me thinking about the greatest Bob Knight clip of all time. (It's full of profanity, so be warned.) It's from the 1991 season, when they actually had a good year. In the rant he's referring to the 8-10 record the year before when the team had the great freshman class led by Calbert Cheaney and Greg Graham (and the year after Jay Edwards led them to a Big Ten title when two of the other top teams were national champ Michigan and Final Four participant Illinois). Here's a bunch more background on it.
Enjoy.
It also has me thinking about the greatest Bob Knight clip of all time. (It's full of profanity, so be warned.) It's from the 1991 season, when they actually had a good year. In the rant he's referring to the 8-10 record the year before when the team had the great freshman class led by Calbert Cheaney and Greg Graham (and the year after Jay Edwards led them to a Big Ten title when two of the other top teams were national champ Michigan and Final Four participant Illinois). Here's a bunch more background on it.
Enjoy.
Thursday, February 14, 2008
Big weekend
This weekend will be bigger than most for me for a few reasons.
- Unlike the rest of you people who hate our country's greatest presidents, my employer has decided to give me Monday off to celebrate them. (I always think of Calvin Coolidge, who was perhaps our most underrated president.)
- Friday, I have a pub crawl in my neighborhood. This is extremely rare for me, but I'm very excited. It starts at The Mutiny at 7 PM if anyone wants to show up.
- Saturday night the Hoosiers try to come back and post a win against the Spartans in Bloomington.
- Sunday, bowling has been put off for a week, so those of us that don't have to work on Monday are going to drink all night at my Regal Beagle.
- I finally (no thanks to Netflix) have finished season 4 of The Wire on DVD, so I can get to the six episodes of the penultimate season 5 I have recorded at home (with an additional new episode on Monday making it seven total).
- Huge Netflix movie weekend: Transformers, Hostel II, and Superbad. My head is about to explode thinking about it.
- Unlike the rest of you people who hate our country's greatest presidents, my employer has decided to give me Monday off to celebrate them. (I always think of Calvin Coolidge, who was perhaps our most underrated president.)
- Friday, I have a pub crawl in my neighborhood. This is extremely rare for me, but I'm very excited. It starts at The Mutiny at 7 PM if anyone wants to show up.
- Saturday night the Hoosiers try to come back and post a win against the Spartans in Bloomington.
- Sunday, bowling has been put off for a week, so those of us that don't have to work on Monday are going to drink all night at my Regal Beagle.
- I finally (no thanks to Netflix) have finished season 4 of The Wire on DVD, so I can get to the six episodes of the penultimate season 5 I have recorded at home (with an additional new episode on Monday making it seven total).
- Huge Netflix movie weekend: Transformers, Hostel II, and Superbad. My head is about to explode thinking about it.
Thursday, February 7, 2008
Bracket Buster matchups
Here is the full list. Loyola travels to William and Mary, which I think is a really old school. It's so crappy, they needed two names to make it cool. The big matchup is clearly Drake and Butler, with both ranked in the top 15.
Tuesday, February 5, 2008
Coach Knight retires
The real big news this morning is that Bob Knight, the long-time Hoosiers coach who guided them to 3 national titles, retired last night.
He was obviously a great coach, regardless of what you think of his personality. The game will miss him.
He was obviously a great coach, regardless of what you think of his personality. The game will miss him.
Here's a good picture. Unfortunately, I can't find my all-time favorite, that of him holding a bull whip over Calbert Cheaney before an NCAA tournament game in the early 1990's:
Saturday, December 22, 2007
Plans for the night
Now, we all know Festivus is about family. Airing of grievances and feats of strength and whatnot. Anyway, I am spending the night alone (surprise). But, I am doing three things: drinking beer, watching college hoops, and listening to music.
Anyway, as Motley Crue tells me now, it's the same old situation.
By the way, I just watched a great game between Stanford and the General's Texas Tech Red Raiders, won by Stanford. College hoops is so much better than lame-ass college football that I don't even know how anyone can argue any differently.
Anyway, as Motley Crue tells me now, it's the same old situation.
By the way, I just watched a great game between Stanford and the General's Texas Tech Red Raiders, won by Stanford. College hoops is so much better than lame-ass college football that I don't even know how anyone can argue any differently.
Saturday, November 17, 2007
Reuter HATES Western Michigan
First, last night they come into the Joe and beat the Ramblers. Now they are 2 minutes (and a field goal) attempt from going into Iowa at Kinnick Stadium or whatnot and winning in football.
While I'm watching this spectacle, by the way, I'm listening to Metallica's ...And Justice For All. That's some musical range I've got, from N.W.A to Styx to Metallica.
As an aside, what happens to Ferentz? Does he have enough goodwill built up to survive two crappy years in a row? I'm not suggesting they fire him; I'm just curious. My guess is that Iowa's expectations aren't so high that they'd dump him.
Game over, and good night, Hawkeyes.
While I'm watching this spectacle, by the way, I'm listening to Metallica's ...And Justice For All. That's some musical range I've got, from N.W.A to Styx to Metallica.
As an aside, what happens to Ferentz? Does he have enough goodwill built up to survive two crappy years in a row? I'm not suggesting they fire him; I'm just curious. My guess is that Iowa's expectations aren't so high that they'd dump him.
Game over, and good night, Hawkeyes.
Tuesday, November 13, 2007
Big Ten Preview by Basketball Prospectus
In honor of the Hoosiers kicking off the season with a second-half thrashing of Chattanooga (led by super-freshman Eric Gordon), here is the three-part Big Ten preview by the fellas at Basketball Prospectus:
Overview
Part 1 of the team-by-team breakdowns
Part 2 of the team-by-team breakdowns
Suffice to say that if you're a Gopher fan, it's going to continue to be a long year after football ends.
Overview
Part 1 of the team-by-team breakdowns
Part 2 of the team-by-team breakdowns
Suffice to say that if you're a Gopher fan, it's going to continue to be a long year after football ends.
Thursday, November 8, 2007
IU poll
I can't believe that anyone besides me voted in my stupid poll. The question (and answers) is the kind of thing I would have found funny in high school, but now it's just dumb. Oh well, I am fired up for some hoops.
Friday, October 26, 2007
Indiana's ranked 9th in the preseason coach's poll
Oh my, I almost pooped myself. I've been waiting SO LONG for a good team again! Meaning, 15 years since the 1993 team that lost in the regional final due to their best big guy (Alan Henderson) getting hurt at the end of the season.
UPDATE: To answer A-How's question in the comments, I do not consider 2002 a great year. They were a 5-seed with double-digit losses that had a lucky run in the NCAA tournament. It was fun, but I want a stud team that pounds on the competition all year. Call me spoiled, I guess.
Friday, October 12, 2007
Just because you're at Ball State doesn't mean you have to re-create Hoosiers, Coach
New Ball State coach Billy Taylor has just kicked a couple of guys off the team. That's not a big surprise by itself, as a new coach often has to clean house to get his kind of guys on board.
No, the issue is that they are the fifth and sixth scholarship players to leave since he was hired in August. With only 13 or so players to begin with, the Cardinals are looking very thin right now. Unless they have one or two stud players I don't know about, they look now like they are going to finish last in the MAC. They may as well have some open tryouts to fill out the roster, as a big state school in Indiana is going to have some talent floating around.
No, the issue is that they are the fifth and sixth scholarship players to leave since he was hired in August. With only 13 or so players to begin with, the Cardinals are looking very thin right now. Unless they have one or two stud players I don't know about, they look now like they are going to finish last in the MAC. They may as well have some open tryouts to fill out the roster, as a big state school in Indiana is going to have some talent floating around.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)