First 2009 March Madness thread

SniperSB23 · #1 02-27-2009, 01:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by miraja2

I keep hearing people talk about how wide open it is this year....but I don't really see it that way. Anything can happen in the tournament, but at this point I think UNC will be a strong and deserving favorite.

Isn't that what everyone says every year? And come tournament time, more often than not, they are bounced before the Final Four.

King Glorious · #2 02-27-2009, 02:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SniperSB23

Isn't that what everyone says every year? And come tournament time, more often than not, they are bounced before the Final Four.

Doesn't mean it's not true though. Often, they are the deserving favorite but everyone knows that the favorite doesn't always win. That doesn't mean that they shouldn't be favored this year if they are the best team.

SniperSB23 · #3 02-27-2009, 02:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by King Glorious

Doesn't mean it's not true though. Often, they are the deserving favorite but everyone knows that the favorite doesn't always win. That doesn't mean that they shouldn't be favored this year if they are the best team.

Deserving favorite and strong favorite are very different though. They are the deserving favorite cause of Lawson. They aren't a strong favorite though cause their second best player, Hansborough, isn't that great.

King Glorious · #4 02-27-2009, 02:16 PM

How great he is is certainly up for debate. I've never been convinced of how good he is either and don't expect him to make a great pro. But that doesn't take away from what he's been able to do in college. To put up the numbers he does night and night out for four year in the toughest conference in the country....he's earned my respect. He might not be great but as long as he's productive enough to get you 15-20 and 10+ boards a night, I'll take it.

I don't think they should be odds-on or anything but I think that they have a much better chance than anyone else.

SniperSB23 · #5 02-27-2009, 02:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by King Glorious

How great he is is certainly up for debate. I've never been convinced of how good he is either and don't expect him to make a great pro. But that doesn't take away from what he's been able to do in college. To put up the numbers he does night and night out for four year in the toughest conference in the country....he's earned my respect. He might not be great but as long as he's productive enough to get you 15-20 and 10+ boards a night, I'll take it.

I don't think they should be odds-on or anything but I think that they have a much better chance than anyone else.

That's the thing though. He only was throwing up 10+ boards a night his junior year. The other three seasons he's been under 8. I'll take Blair inside with Fields and his absurd 4 to 1 assist to turnover ratio at the point over anybody. And that doesn't even include their leading scorer.

King Glorious · #6 02-27-2009, 02:33 PM

Pitt is definitely going to be a tough team to beat. I think with UConn losing their point guard, it makes Pitt the second best team in the country. Blair is more than a handful inside. I don't think they have the depth and overall athleticism to stay with UNC for 40 minutes though. And it's kind of trouble how well they've handled prosperity this year, losing immediately after becoming number one both times. Neither were necessarily bad losses but it makes me a little concerned.

ateamstupid · #7 02-27-2009, 02:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by King Glorious

Pitt is definitely going to be a tough team to beat. I think with UConn losing their point guard, it makes Pitt the second best team in the country. Blair is more than a handful inside. I don't think they have the depth and overall athleticism to stay with UNC for 40 minutes though. And it's kind of trouble how well they've handled prosperity this year, losing immediately after becoming number one both times. Neither were necessarily bad losses but it makes me a little concerned.

Jerome Dyson wasn't UConn's point guard.

#8 03-01-2009, 02:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by King Glorious

How great he is is certainly up for debate. I've never been convinced of how good he is either and don't expect him to make a great pro. But that doesn't take away from what he's been able to do in college. To put up the numbers he does night and night out for four year in the toughest conference in the country....he's earned my respect. He might not be great but as long as he's productive enough to get you 15-20 and 10+ boards a night, I'll take it.

I don't think they should be odds-on or anything but I think that they have a much better chance than anyone else.

He will probably make a solid junkman.
You cannot run an offense through him obviously,
but he does clean up a lot of misses and there
are not many guys I would rather have going
to the floor gathering loose balls.

Thabeet is a guy I find very interesting.
Could make a Mutombo type player.
He was such a dork last year. Huge improvement.
Griffin is a very good athlete that has
very good hands and good post moves.
I dont see how he does not go number one
unless their is some foreign player that pops up.

Cannon Shell · #9 03-01-2009, 04:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pgardn

He will probably make a solid junkman.
You cannot run an offense through him obviously,
but he does clean up a lot of misses and there
are not many guys I would rather have going
to the floor gathering loose balls.

Thabeet is a guy I find very interesting.
Could make a Mutombo type player.
He was such a dork last year. Huge improvement.
Griffin is a very good athlete that has
very good hands and good post moves.
I dont see how he does not go number one
unless their is some foreign player that pops up.

Griffin is a lock to go number 1 unless the Clippers get the pick. He will be very good at the next level. Hanborough's lack of foot speed will kill him in the NBA. Havent seen enough of Thabeet to make a judgement though the Pitt game makes him look weak.

phystech · #10 03-01-2009, 05:33 PM

Don't like UNC - if they can't beat MD, they will hit a bump in the tourney.

It's UConn-OK in the final, with UConn winning it all.

miraja2 · #11 02-27-2009, 03:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SniperSB23

Isn't that what everyone says every year? And come tournament time, more often than not, they are bounced before the Final Four.

Are you saying that North Carolina is the favorite every year and then they get bounced before they make the Final Four? If so, I have no idea what you are basing that on.
The last five years:
2004: They were a #6 seed....so I somehow doubt they were the favorite.
2005: They WERE the favorites this year....and they won it all.
2006: They were a #3 seed....so again, hardly the favorites.
2007: They were a #1 seed this year, but with defending champion and eventual winner Florida also in the field as a #1 seed, the Heels were certainly not the favorites.
2008: They were a #1 seed last year and DID make it to the final four.

So....in none of the last five years did UNC fail to make the Final Four when entering as a Tourney favorite.
But even if they had....what would it have to do with this year?

#12 02-28-2009, 09:25 AM

North Carolina is the most talented team
imo. Their D is really bad at critical points in games, a big concern.
Its hard to tell if they lose focus because they
are so intent on opening it up offensively or what...
It seems like they just want to outscore other
teams, and when the other teams create pace
problems for them its trouble. They also seem
to let the opposition's guards penetrate way too much.

This is a very interesting year.