Don't you think it's time for the 2005 MARCH MADNESS THREAD? FFS?

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UW Milwaukee all the way!

― The Obligatory Sourpuss (Begs2Differ), Tuesday, 8 March 2005 15:58 (twenty years ago)

Clearly Carolina will win it all!

― quincie, Tuesday, 8 March 2005 16:24 (twenty years ago)

never bet against roy williams in march!

― j blount (papa la bas), Tuesday, 8 March 2005 21:25 (twenty years ago)

haha

― phil-two (phil-two), Tuesday, 8 March 2005 21:26 (twenty years ago)

Wake me up when Kansas doesn't get upset. Again.

― David R. (popshots75`), Tuesday, 8 March 2005 22:22 (twenty years ago)

Is Illinois still undefeated?

― jaymc (jaymc), Tuesday, 8 March 2005 22:22 (twenty years ago)

no they lost 65-64 i the last game of the regular season a few days ago. to ohio state

― phil-two (phil-two), Tuesday, 8 March 2005 22:24 (twenty years ago)

Oh man. That's gotta hurt.

― jaymc (jaymc), Tuesday, 8 March 2005 22:24 (twenty years ago)

well going 29-1 sure beats going 1-29

― phil-two (phil-two), Tuesday, 8 March 2005 22:26 (twenty years ago)

I know, but I bet they were disappointed. I would've been.

― jaymc (jaymc), Tuesday, 8 March 2005 23:10 (twenty years ago)

Oakland's going dancing! Michigan reprazent! man I'm so psyched for the tourney this year. There have been some amazing games the last couple weeks.

― Stormy Davis (diamond), Wednesday, 9 March 2005 01:56 (twenty years ago)

ST LOUIS REPRAZENT

as the host city anyway.

You can come stay in the spare room if you want.

The tourney is the weekend before election day, I will be so busy. :(

― teeeny, Wednesday, 9 March 2005 15:32 (twenty years ago)

FWIW - I would not pick against Connecticut. Yes, I'm biased (homestate pride wooooo), but they've been playing out of their gourd the last couple of weeks. Their soph point guard (Marcus Williams, NOT "Maurice" as Billy Packer referred to him during last weekend's Duke / Tarheel game) is doing a great job (leading the nation - !!! - in apg w/ 8.8 & also averaging double figures in ppg) (probably a better point than Taliek Brown ever was) (as if that's hard) (ungh), their front court (Charlie Villanueva / Josh Boone) is still monstrous even w/out Okafor (I'm pretty sure they're Top 5 nationwide in blocks), their scoring distribution is balanced, they've solid depth AND they've been missing one of their top scorers (Rashard Anderson) these past two weeks w/ a staph infection! And Rudy Gay - the kid with the condor-like wingspan and decent shooting touch - he's OK, too.

If someone can keep Sean May from getting the ball down low (or, more likely, if the point guards forget that Sean May is on their team), UNC is SOL.

― David R. (popshots75`), Wednesday, 9 March 2005 15:45 (twenty years ago)

For the record, the only other team I've watched this year for a full game that's probably going to do something ("something" = "not one-&-out") in the tourney = Duke. (Haven't seen BC or 'Nova; Syracuse doesn't look all that tuff, tho that's because McNamara goes AWOL against UConn.) (Also, for a "good shooter", his numbers look crappy - McNamara's only hitting 30-35% of his shots!)

Can I still brag about picking the 'Cuse 2 years ago? & how about picking Georgia Tech to make the final last year?

― David R. (popshots75`), Wednesday, 9 March 2005 15:57 (twenty years ago)

Saluki fever commence!

― zaxxon25 (zaxxon25), Wednesday, 9 March 2005 16:51 (twenty years ago)

I've watched about half their games, and Illinois will definitely be hard to beat. It's their championship to lose.

― andrew s (andrew s), Wednesday, 9 March 2005 16:54 (twenty years ago)

Florida finally beat Kentucky last sunday in a squeaker. Should be a good loss going into the SEC tourney and make them a little more hungry than they have been. I'm hoping for no upsets and a final four appearance (for Tubby's sake).

Also EKU is making an appearance this year! Bracketology has them going first round against Duke.

― Zebra, Alpha Go! (cprek), Wednesday, 9 March 2005 17:00 (twenty years ago)

That EKU/Duke matchup would be a 14-3, I'm guessing? (Depending on how Duke fares in the ACC tourney, obviously.)

― David R. (popshots75`), Wednesday, 9 March 2005 17:02 (twenty years ago)

Illnois has been simply stunning all season.

― Zebra, Alpha Go! (cprek), Wednesday, 9 March 2005 17:03 (twenty years ago)

(xpost) I think it's 15-2 currently.

― Zebra, Alpha Go! (cprek), Wednesday, 9 March 2005 17:03 (twenty years ago)

UK/Louisville/EKU hurrah!

― Zebra, Alpha Go! (cprek), Wednesday, 9 March 2005 17:04 (twenty years ago)

I want to see a UK/Louisville elite eight matchup shut down the state.

― Zebra, Alpha Go! (cprek), Wednesday, 9 March 2005 17:07 (twenty years ago)

Do you really think NC is still the team to beat considering Rashad McCant's health? Without McCants playing or at least playing as well as he was around the beginning of the year, their back court is a bit questionable and would be overmatched against Illinois.

The Illni backcourt is really, really tough and will tear apart any club whose point guard is not on the ball. I like Duke or Wake matching up against them more than NC, as they have a better back court. If Duke shoots the lights out behind the 3 line, they can beat anyone.

The tourney will probably be won by Arizona or Louisville, a team that is good that no body is picking to win it all.

It won't be Kentucky. Tubby Smith has done a great job getting that much defensive hustle and wins out of that club, but they don't have a single player that can drive to the hoop and they can be a fugly shooting squad. They win by getting other teams to turnover the ball.

― earlnash, Wednesday, 9 March 2005 17:10 (twenty years ago)

concerns:
1- illinois plays in indianapolis, chicago and st. louis. i do not want my alma mater to win, but playing all games within 3 hours of your zipcode is as close to home court advantage as you can get.

2- all of carolina's losses came on the road. their only big wins on the road were against schizoid maryland and an injured connecticut. i want carolina to win, but can they pull it off?

― john'n'chicago, Wednesday, 9 March 2005 17:11 (twenty years ago)

wake should be formidable. i watched them nearly melt down at home against duke (winning by 2 after being up big) and play like they didn't want to be there at illinois. when they are on, they are phenomenal. eric williams is outstanding. but i just don't know if they can come together as a team to play a full game of defense to get to the final four.

― john'n'chicago, Wednesday, 9 March 2005 17:17 (twenty years ago)

The Kentucky squad has some really streaky perimeter shooting. I'm thinking of starter Sparks specifically. When Sparks and/or Azibuke get hot it spreads the defense and the penetration goes nicely. When the perimeter is cold it gets *really* ugly and have to rely on turnovers. It's been a tale of two ball clubs most of the season.

― Zebra, Alpha Go! (cprek), Wednesday, 9 March 2005 17:19 (twenty years ago)

that should be read as:
wake *should* be formidable. *but*, i watched them...

(xpost)

― john'n'chicago, Wednesday, 9 March 2005 17:21 (twenty years ago)

John - technically, UConn was short a guy (maybe two), but IIRC they also turned the ball over 198 times, in every way possible (via UNC pressing, via telegraphed passes, via brain farts), & that went a loooong way towards UNC whuppin' them.

― David R. (popshots75`), Wednesday, 9 March 2005 17:22 (twenty years ago)

ucon had 22 turnovers, 13 forced. they also 16 (!) blocked shots in that game. i don't mean to talk down your boys, more to raise the question about mine. UNC is a great team whom i love love love to watch. but their road sched makes me wonder how far they will go.

― john'n'chicago, Wednesday, 9 March 2005 17:35 (twenty years ago)

Nine unforced turnovers is a buttload! (Isn't it?)

Yeah, UNC is fun to watch - I loved the Duke game on Sunday, but they looked very lost @ times, esp. in regards to recognizing how they were getting it done (INSIDE INSIDE INSIDE) & settling for questionable jumpers during a 5-6 minute stretch beginning the 2nd half. Esp. with Duke's Randolph starting off the half w/ 3 fouls - eff a jumper! Feed the big fella(s) inside, let them work on Shavlick (sic?), & get his dead ass out of the paint ASAP.

Of course, the more memorable UNC WTF? moment this year was the OTHER Duke game, where they seemingly dribbled out the clock down 1 or 2 w/ over 18 seconds left.

Also, can I bitch about the "rushing the court" thing again? UNC beating Duke = big whoop, even if Matt Doherty torpedoed Chapel Hill & this was their "big comeback", ESPECIALLY when the beating happens @ the Dean Dome & the home team has the higher rank. Get off the court, get back to drinking, & get over yrselves, plz. (I am lord of the NO FUN ZONE.)

― David R. (popshots75`), Wednesday, 9 March 2005 17:55 (twenty years ago)

agreed on the court rush. but what do you expect when fucking ESPN hands these kids pre-made signs promoting fucking TILT or (more insidiously) whatever game is next!?! they wanna be on tv, they'll do whatever it takes.

that duke loss was brutal. BRUTAL. 18 seconds and no shot. ugh. made me sick.

― john'n'chicago, Wednesday, 9 March 2005 18:09 (twenty years ago)

are we doing brackets?

― hstencil (hstencil), Wednesday, 9 March 2005 18:18 (twenty years ago)

yes!

i hope illinois wins.
but i especially hope: KANSAS, duke, unc, uconn, syracuse DONT win.

― phil-two (phil-two), Wednesday, 9 March 2005 21:06 (twenty years ago)

Phil is now lord of the NO FUN ZONE.

Is Monmouth in it? I hope so.

― David R. (popshots75`), Wednesday, 9 March 2005 21:15 (twenty years ago)

yeah, those guys can suck my dick. especially kansas because their head coach is so cute! even though he fat bitch for leaving illinois.

― phil-two (phil-two), Wednesday, 9 March 2005 21:20 (twenty years ago)

i want duke to lose in first round. jj redick is fat bitch too, but also cute.

― phil-two (phil-two), Wednesday, 9 March 2005 21:21 (twenty years ago)

One of those bitches is not fat like the other...

― David R. (popshots75`), Wednesday, 9 March 2005 21:26 (twenty years ago)

i hope illinois LOSES cuz they let a guy caught breaking into and stealing stuff from a student's apartment go unpunished. my alma mater -- class act.

i hope jj redick is so fucking tired from all the time he's going to have to play that he throws up airball after airball after airball.

― john'n'chicago, Wednesday, 9 March 2005 21:30 (twenty years ago)

what about oklahoma state who took that guy jameson curry who got arrested for moving like 10 tons of pot in north carolina? anyways, luther head said he was sorry and see look he's doing so well and staying out of trouble, and what about second chances, and hes from manley high school in chicago and then move to champaign with a bunch of farmboys who prolly leave their dorm rooms unlocked? shit bitch i would have done the same thing. and anyways luther head is kinda cute too.

― phil-two (phil-two), Wednesday, 9 March 2005 21:33 (twenty years ago)

illinois ain't gonna win it - last one loss team to win it all: david thompson and nc state in 1974

― j blount (papa la bas), Wednesday, 9 March 2005 21:38 (twenty years ago)

indianapolis, chicago, st.louis - they're practically playing at home the entire tournament!

― phil-two (phil-two), Wednesday, 9 March 2005 21:45 (twenty years ago)

even spookier trend though (i am giving away my supercrafty 2005 bracket strategy i fear): the majority of one-loss teams to go to the dance post-74 lost to the eventual champion.

― j blount (papa la bas), Wednesday, 9 March 2005 21:48 (twenty years ago)

i just hope illinois doesn't get georgia tech or maryland in the 8/9 spot. that would suck.

otherwise i'll cry like in 1989. fucking glen rice. and sean higgins

― phil-two (phil-two), Wednesday, 9 March 2005 21:52 (twenty years ago)

Yay 1989! Rumeal Robinson iz my hero! I think Illinois looks real real tough. Real tough. I'd like to think this is finally the year for Eddie Sutton, and I'll be rooting for the Cowboys, but I've seen them disappear in too many games this year. Something odd about that team. Who will be this year's Weber State? who will be this year's Harold Arceneaux?? I'm rooting for NIAGRA. Don't ask me why. I just want to root for NIAGRA. and Oakland of course. Detroit really blew it last night, poor dude couldn't make a free throw. Good game though.

― Stormy Davis (diamond), Wednesday, 9 March 2005 21:53 (twenty years ago)

old dominion! i like their name

― phil-two (phil-two), Wednesday, 9 March 2005 21:56 (twenty years ago)

also, i hope michigan state loses in the first round. usually i try to support big-10 schools come tournament time, but i want them to be exposed for the giant fraud they are. have they beaten a ranked team in the last 2 years??

― phil-two (phil-two), Wednesday, 9 March 2005 21:57 (twenty years ago)

and how are people even talking about indiana making the tournament? they have 13 losses!

― phil-two (phil-two), Wednesday, 9 March 2005 22:01 (twenty years ago)

well, they annihilated Wisconsin a couple weeks ago but that doesn't really count. I dunno, I don't see them going very far but they have definitely improved as the season's progressed. They had an absolutely brutal schedule early on.

― Stormy Davis (diamond), Wednesday, 9 March 2005 22:01 (twenty years ago)

x-post re msu

― Stormy Davis (diamond), Wednesday, 9 March 2005 22:01 (twenty years ago)

Go Terps Go. Please god, let them make the tourney.

I like Louisville and Wake and obv Illinois, and I agree the UCONN is playing great basketball going into the Tourney. I think Arizona will play well. We will see. There are several teams from the ACC and Big East that can beat anyone that have also lost some games, so look out. I'm going to the Big East tourney tomorrow - 4 games in a row. The perfect day!

― mcd (mcd), Wednesday, 9 March 2005 22:10 (twenty years ago)

Skipping 570 messages at this point... Click here if you want to load them all.

when i was a kid and pitino was at providence, i sat near their bench when they came to town to play pitt. and he came across as a real prick. i suppose you could say this about a lot of coaches, but still...

via the transitive property, i also hate billy donovan (as a coach)

― mookieproof (mookieproof), Monday, 28 March 2005 18:07 (twenty years ago)

chuck hayes shouldn't feel nearly as bad as the arizona wildcats!

― mookieproof (mookieproof), Monday, 28 March 2005 18:08 (twenty years ago)

I was torn up when all the seeds below 8 were eliminated. On the bright side, Duke and Kentucky have been eliminated, so life has its little consolations. MSU v Illinois in the finals.

― Aimless (Aimless), Monday, 28 March 2005 18:25 (twenty years ago)

I think any of the four remaining teams can win it all. I'm pulling for Illinois to win it all beating Michigan State.

I want to see another Roy Williams tear filled angst press conference. I will never get enough of those. Patino has enough of an ego without winning another national title, his hair however is bulletproof. I like the fact that Bruce Weber seems half punch drunk and giggly through every interview. It is a nice change of pace to some of these coaches. Tom Izzo seems like a class act, but I fear MSU turning into a superpower and upsetting the balence of basketball in the midwest if he wins another title.

UK is going to be freakin' loaded next year. They will probably the pre-season #1, as I figure a couple of those NC players will turn pro.

― earlnash, Monday, 28 March 2005 18:34 (twenty years ago)

Izzo is a class act. Front page of the Herald today has a photo of Izzo consoling Chuck Hayes.

― Zebra, Alpha Go! (cprek), Monday, 28 March 2005 18:36 (twenty years ago)

I can hardly speak ill of these 4 teams, and this tournament. Am pulling for the Spartans because of familiarity and proximity, but I'm honestly just getting a major kick outta how exciting the games are.

...but my pre-tourney pick (Louisville) is still my pick to win it all.

― peepee (peepee), Monday, 28 March 2005 19:14 (twenty years ago)

AHEM I'd just like to point out my predictions at the very beginning of this thread THANK YOU VERY MUCH GO HEELS!!!

― quincie, Monday, 28 March 2005 19:44 (twenty years ago)

fandom is so driven by hatred!

so true! kansas losing in the first round, while Illinois going to the final four is the best scenario i could have imagined. i wonder what bill self is thinking right now. sucka.

and duke losing to a big-10 team in the sweet16 was nice as well. and the big east = sucking again. and the ACC sucking too. Ha!

― phil-two (phil-two), Monday, 28 March 2005 20:19 (twenty years ago)

Ha - that'd be funny if the defending NCAA Champion came from the Big East AGAIN next year. (Go Pitino's hair!)

― David R. (popshots75`), Monday, 28 March 2005 20:27 (twenty years ago)

pwned. :(

― phil-two (phil-two), Monday, 28 March 2005 21:08 (twenty years ago)

Phil, don't frown - the Big East loves you!

― David R. (popshots75`), Monday, 28 March 2005 21:11 (twenty years ago)

last night, i dreamt MSU lost (to whom, i dunno) when a desperation three bounced off paul davis' flat head and went straight into the bucket at the buzzer. i think the ball had rolled down the court and hit someone's clown-sized shoe before caromming off davis or something...

― john'n'chicago, Tuesday, 29 March 2005 13:21 (twenty years ago)

fuck! i just bought my non-refundable non-changeable ticket from nyc to chicago... on april 4th at 9pm.. which is the same time as the national championship game!!! FUCK :(

― phil-two (phil-two), Wednesday, 30 March 2005 10:25 (twenty years ago)

UGH. my wife just informed me her friend is having a wedding party saturday night at 6:00 Central Time. she tells me this whilst i'm staring at her slack jawed with my 16 year old Carolina baseball cap sitting on my head. she doesn't even much like this person!! aaargghhh.

― john'n'chicago, Thursday, 31 March 2005 03:34 (twenty years ago)

OMG I just walked into someone's office and they have final four tickets JUST SCATTERED ACROSS THEIR DESK.

― teeny (teeny), Thursday, 31 March 2005 18:40 (twenty years ago)

I live like six blocks from the arena.

― teeny (teeny), Thursday, 31 March 2005 18:45 (twenty years ago)

goddamn teeny! scanning for st. lou fares now.

― hstencil (hstencil), Thursday, 31 March 2005 18:50 (twenty years ago)

wait a second, i'm broke, nevermind. pls cheer for louisville for me, thx.

― hstencil (hstencil), Thursday, 31 March 2005 18:56 (twenty years ago)

unfortunately I'm working all weekend. It was so tempting to just scoop all those tickets up and go running down the street though.

― teeny (teeny), Thursday, 31 March 2005 19:34 (twenty years ago)

oh man, that sucks. gonna be some good games saturday.

weirdly enough, i'm working on a story right now about the illinois basketball team, for the white sox web site (wtf?!?).

― hstencil (hstencil), Thursday, 31 March 2005 19:42 (twenty years ago)

Holy cow, the end of the NIT championship game was amazing! both teams trade three pointers in the last 10 seconds. crazy.

― Stormy Davis (diamond), Friday, 1 April 2005 01:08 (twenty years ago)

Um, its 3:14PM. The Road to the Final Four is supposed to be on CBS now. But it's not.

― phil-two (phil-two), Saturday, 2 April 2005 19:15 (twenty years ago)

anybody else think they should move the 3pt line back?

― ()ops (()()ps), Saturday, 2 April 2005 23:46 (twenty years ago)

YAY ILLINI.

― phil-two (phil-two), Sunday, 3 April 2005 00:10 (twenty years ago)

ILLINOIS KICKED FUCKING ASS. Suck it, Louisville.

― n/a (Nick A.), Sunday, 3 April 2005 00:21 (twenty years ago)

Yeah, suck it hstencil!!

― phil-two (phil-two), Sunday, 3 April 2005 00:25 (twenty years ago)

dude phil, you suck for not coming to my house and watching the game.

oh well, at least louisville put up a good fight (and probably had phil shaking in his jockeys for a bit). more than i can say for michigan state. next year.

tomorrow, opening day of baseball! five weeks, kentucky derby! i love spring.

― hstencil (hstencil), Sunday, 3 April 2005 06:11 (twenty years ago)

i only saw the first half of each game, which looks like it would have been the correct decision had it been an actual choice.

― andrew s (andrew s), Sunday, 3 April 2005 15:56 (twenty years ago)

i am so ready for this game to begin. i'm gonna be pacing the floor in front of the TV cartoon stylee wearing a groove in the wood, til it starts... then i'm gonna sit on the coffee table and lose my mind.

― john'n'chicago, Monday, 4 April 2005 19:07 (twenty years ago)

I'M GOING TO BE ON AN AIRPLANE!!!! UGH

maybe they'll be playing it in the sports bar at o'hare.

― phil-two (phil-two), Monday, 4 April 2005 19:22 (twenty years ago)

I was in Chapel Hill over the weekend and bought me and my mom Tarheels shirts because they are a pretty shade of blue. What ever happened to Dean Smith? Who is the Roy fellow?

― Mary (Mary), Monday, 4 April 2005 21:25 (twenty years ago)

73-70, Illinois ball, 25 seconds left. Oh, man.

― Daniel Cohen (dayan), Tuesday, 5 April 2005 02:23 (twenty years ago)

― phil-two (phil-two), Tuesday, 5 April 2005 02:29 (twenty years ago)

guh

― andrew s (andrew s), Tuesday, 5 April 2005 02:34 (twenty years ago)

oh well... it was a great season.. can't be too disappointed. hope dee brown comes back

― phil-two (phil-two), Tuesday, 5 April 2005 02:50 (twenty years ago)

quincie's prediction came through?

― hstencil (hstencil), Tuesday, 5 April 2005 02:58 (twenty years ago)

W000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000!
(gasp)
WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
(GASP)
WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

― john'n'chicago, Tuesday, 5 April 2005 03:10 (twenty years ago)

it's that much sweeter that UNC took down in succession Wisconsin, Michigan State and Illinois. Fuck the Big Ten.

― john'n'chicago, Tuesday, 5 April 2005 03:17 (twenty years ago)

you're gonna make phil cry.

― hstencil (hstencil), Tuesday, 5 April 2005 03:25 (twenty years ago)

john'n'chicago,
you're the kind of sports fan that
makes sports all UGLY

― Haikunym (Haikunym), Tuesday, 5 April 2005 03:27 (twenty years ago)

poor luther head. he looked so sad in the press conference, after the TO and the two missed threes. oh well. hope he gets drafted somewhere. even though the illini lost, thi still was the best tournament i can remember in a long time! cant wait for the official dvd to come out. or something.

― phil-two (phil-two), Tuesday, 5 April 2005 04:18 (twenty years ago)

wait wait wait, your name is joshnchicago and you're cheering an illini loss???

― ()ops (()()ps), Tuesday, 5 April 2005 04:26 (twenty years ago)

So...the Cubs and the White Sox won yesterday...

― n/a (Nick A.), Tuesday, 5 April 2005 13:46 (twenty years ago)

That last game felt like someone punching me in the arm over and over and I'm not even a sportsfan! I felt like I just KNEW UNC was going to win from the first minute or so of the game. It's all my fault!!

― Sarah McLusky (coco), Tuesday, 5 April 2005 13:51 (twenty years ago)

This was a great tournament!

― Zebra, Alpha Go! (cprek), Tuesday, 5 April 2005 13:56 (twenty years ago)

BOW DOWN TO ME FOR I AM THE SUPREME TAR HEELED GODDESS!!!!

― quincie, Tuesday, 5 April 2005 16:02 (twenty years ago)

That said, McCants can just fuck right off.

― quincie, Tuesday, 5 April 2005 16:03 (twenty years ago)

PUT YOUR SHIRT ON JACKASS!

― quincie, Tuesday, 5 April 2005 16:04 (twenty years ago)

take sides: james augustine vs steve bartman

― mookieproof (mookieproof), Tuesday, 5 April 2005 18:04 (twenty years ago)

i'm number two! i'm number two!

― Sym Sym (sym), Tuesday, 5 April 2005 20:27 (twenty years ago)

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