Altogether now. Let's admit it-
Yes, the So Con is better than the A-Sun. A LOT BETTER!
Yes, this could have been ETSU.
And yes, with the early departures it is now possible for a good mid-major team to go far in the tournament.
Earlier this year Davidson lost by only four points to North Carolina.
I'm now of the opinion they might only be four points below the talent level of the Tar Heels.
All the No. 1 seeds are still alive as I write this. There has never been a Final Four with all No. 1 seeds.
I think if you had to rank them, I'd say that Kansas was the weakest of the four No. 1 seeds.
Not picking the Wildcats to make it, but not picking against them, either.
I would love to see a UNC vs Davidson matchup in the final 4.
Who wouldn't?
By the way, what was with WJCW's morning hosts crying out "Go Lady Vols- GO TAR HEELS?" at the end of their promos today?
Is North Carolina considered to be a home team now?
And really, unless you're Bud or a graduate or something- who would POSSIBLY root against Davidson in a game with UNC?
It is one thing if you are a Pittsburgh radio station and you have a promo that says "Go Steelers," or if you are a Tri-Cities station and say "Go Bucs/Pioneers/Buffaloes, etc."
GO HEELS?
IN JOHNSON CITY, TENNESSEE?
Sounds like WJCW is trying to jump on the Tar Heel bandwagon. By Monday they will probably add Davidson to that promo.
On another note I saw an interesting stat during the Kansas game. Davidson is the first Socon team to make the Elite 8 since VMI made it in 1976! VMI??? So in 30 years the two schools from the Socon to make the final 8 is a Military school and a small private school. Crazy.
I'd like to know more about this VMI team. Know anything about them Pitt?
Yes. The bastards beat Duquesne.
The 1976 VMI team also knocked off Mr. B. King & Mr. E. Grunfeld of the UT Vols in the first round of the 1976 NCAA Tourney. King injured his hand in practice a few days before the game and was unable to play.
Like Pitt said!
I want schnauzer's take on this! I want 02 to explain to me how it doesn't matter. They're both one bid conferences!!!!!
Let's see, that's four teams in the final 8 in my lifetime from the Southern. One (possible another, if Davidson can win) in the final four.
What's the furthest the ASun has gone in the big dance?
Steph Curry, meet Tim Smith.
And so we see why the "sport" of basketball is so distasteful. The star of the team invariably in these situations believes his own clippings and tries to do it all at the end by himself, usually with awful results.
Bob McKillop, after that time out, couldn't possibly have said to Curry- "I want you to waste time taking the ball up the court, then hold the ball at the top of the key, then hand the ball off to a teammate for an NBA 3."
Supposedly, teams actually practice situations like these. I know it's hard to believe after watching that, but they do.
Sadly, the egotistical star then forgets all about how basketball is a team game and strikes out.
Steph Curry, meet Tim Smith.
Smith and Curry are totally different. Curry can lead his team to victory basically by himself. Tim Smith needed Jerald and Zakee. I would take Curry over Smith any day.
And McKillop over you know who.
You're missing the point.
I agree with your analysis of Curry vs. Smith. Curry is a legit NBA prospect whereas Smith's pro stock was a fantasy of the local media.
However, basketball culture today doesn't have a star player whom a play is drawn up to take the game winning shot.
Basketball culture now is the star saying "ME FIRST" and ignoring all four of his teammates- trying to "make something happen" by carrying the load entirely oneself.
Smith did it twice in the NCAAs. Curry did it today.
I expected more out of Curry. But that's basketball in 2008!
So, Pitt. About Pearl going to Indiana....
I guess you can't count Jacksonville's appearance in the final four. No ASUN back then. Talk about falling from grace.
Uhm. No. If we did that, we'd have to count all the schools that used to be in the Southern.
Atleast Curry passed the ball at the end...
PittsburghBucs Wrote:You're missing the point.
I agree with your analysis of Curry vs. Smith. Curry is a legit NBA prospect whereas Smith's pro stock was a fantasy of the local media.
However, basketball culture today doesn't have a star player whom a play is drawn up to take the game winning shot.
Basketball culture now is the star saying "ME FIRST" and ignoring all four of his teammates- trying to "make something happen" by carrying the load entirely oneself.
Smith did it twice in the NCAAs. Curry did it today.
I expected more out of Curry. But that's basketball in 2008!
No McKillop surely didn`t invision that play the way it played out, but I do think he planned on the ball being in Curry's hands from start to finish. Who else from Davidson could you have possibly wanted to take the game winning shot? You certainly don`t want Curry never touching the ball in that situation, had he not brought the ball up the floor Kansas surely would have denied him the ball(probably with more than one player) and forced someone else to win the game.
Who knows what McKillop drew up on the sideline, but I`ll bet it started with Curry handling the ball. It was no accident that Curry was the one bringing the ball up the floor instead of Richards who had done it the entire game. To me that play showed me Curry's lack of confidence in his ability to get to the basket more than anything.
My thing is then why don't you try to set up a pick for Curry, or have him dish the ball out on a wing- or at least take the ball up faster?
Watching Curry in those last 16 seconds was like watching Richard Pryor go to prison with Gene Wilder- "Yeah! That's right! We bad! Tick the time off! We bad!"
McKillop took the blame for not drawing the play up right on the bench. But the final seconds were such an embarassment.
Kev,
Who are the four from the SoCon in your lifetime to make the Great 8? Just curious ... I don't remember anyone from the current membership beside Davidson (that is if we are going on the "current" membership argument as above with the dismissal of Jacksonville's Final Four showing).
And I will in no way take away from what Davidson has accomplished this year. I think whether its George Mason, or whomever, this is great for mid-major basketball. And it's great for the SoCon. However, as of right now they ARE still a one-bid league just like the A-Sun.
I do think Davidson's run was special, Kev. However, I like the fact you never mentioned Belmont's quality showing against Duke. You really have some selective memory when it comes to this argument about the leagues.
Truth is, one more player like Curry on the Belmont team and the Bruins could have made that type of run. Heck, the same is really true of ETSU.
Quote:Truth is, one more player like Curry on the Belmont team and the Bruins could have made that type of run. Heck, the same is really true of ETSU.
Not with Fartow as the Coach.