College Basketball Thread

“Bama Basketball GOD - 3045
cocoa - 3034
arclite - 3021
chili - 3020
arky - 2968
Dunadan - 2915”

“I feel your pain dunny.”

“FYI - Here are last years results.

Arcboy- 2944
Dunk- 2942
Chili- 2929
Dayhiker- 2899
Dunadan- 2861

Oh, the times they are a changin, well, except for one thing. Look who came in last.”

“At least Dunadan and I are consistent.”

“We must've learned a good bit from last year. All of our scores are higher, yet we had the usual crazy tourney.”

“You're not going to settle for a low end surround sound system are you lizs? I'm pretty sure that a home entertainment system includes at least a 42" plasma screen TV.”

“(I didn't post this on the "Hawks go to the finals" thread because it was getting a little contentious over there.)
First of all, congratulations to Jim Boeheim. I am not too enamored with his star player, but I am genuinely glad that he won the championship on his third try. He seems like a good man.
Second of all, congratulations to Lizzy. It couldn't happen to a better Iowan. Iowa is a great state, for anyone who hasn't been there, and there is a shortage of home entertainment centers. So, I'm glad Lizzy can help to bring the standard of living up in her home state. Friends? Heck, yes little missy. Someday we might get together for a meal and a brew in either Lawrence or we could meet in Iowa City and you could show me around.
Uncle Dunny screwed up by not predicting a Syracuse win. What has gotten into me?
No, Arky, no tears from me, at least. I was massively bummed out, but I thought every victory after the first two in the tournament were divine gifts. I think this team played above its talent level.
Chili, my man, I am glad you don't stink at predictions the way your old buddy does. I was protecting the cellar for all of you. (It's dark down here.) If I hadn't have missed my free throws, Arky would be down here, LOL....
Dayhiker has begun his reign as basketball god in a classy way. I appreciate the regard. I hope you have a wonderful year, because next year the Jayhawk Fan will rise from the ashes to vanquish all of you pretenders.
How did I do, Violin? Did you catch any blatant attempts at Haiku? Go, Scarlet Knights!
Anyway, I know this is waayyy too long, but I wanted to tell all of you this: I just returned from a gathering in Allen Field House where we welcomed the team back home and gave them numerous standing ovations. I love this place because there are still many classy fans here. We love to cheer for the positive things about our players, the coaches, and the program. Of all of the Final Four teams, Kansas had the best graduation rate. Kansas fans are anticipating a great season again, next year. I could go on, but I won't.
Except to say.....
ROCK
CHALK
JAYHAWK
KAAAYYYYY
UUUUUUUUUU!!!!!!!!!”

“Glad yall had a good turnout at the Field House. You want class after a loss, check out a bama football website. it's awful.

I think you can tell that we were all living vicariously through you. That's easy to do when the team you're pulling for plays with class. Had you been a Florida, I mean, you get the picture. Just kidding Arc.”

“That was funny..... I guess you are playing the odds that Arc won't be checking this thread any time soon.....LOL @ Dayhiker the Divine.”

“One of my big Auburn fan clients called yesterday. To preface it, Auburn won 2 out of 3 in baseball this past weekend over Bama. I picked up the phone and the first thing I said was, helluva game this past Saturday wasn't it? He asked if that was the one that we won. I said yes. He said that our basketball coach, Mark Gottfried has been on his mind lately. Gottfried made the statement that our team was bulding for the tourney, and then watch out(I never heard him say this). That reminded my client of the Iraqi Minister of Information since Iraq was just getting warmed and the US had better watch out. I had to give him props for that one, it was pretty good. After every Auburn triumph I get a phone call from this guy. He even called two Mondays ago when AU won the swimming NC. I countered with, when did you last win a NC that actually meant something to people who weren't actually participants. It's great to have someone you can jab at and nobody gets their feelings hurt!”

“Dunny, cool about your team's play and the reception. Takes me back to 1981, I believe (EGADS!!) Well, maybe it was a different year, maybe when I was a junior at Iowa.

Anyyyyyyywayyyyyyy... the men's bball team was in the Final Four. I believe they lost in the semi finals. Meanwhile, the wrestling team AGAIN won the national title.

There was a huge reception for both teams at the old fieldhouse (the one where you had some seats that cost less due to the vertical beams blocking your view of the court). It was around midnight and the floor was packed. Everyone loved it!!

So you just got to experience that. Very coooooooool!!”

“Of course I need to check this thread, Dun.

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE SUPREME SPORTS GOD!!!

I totally agree with Dayhiker, Dunadan. Bama's site is awful; their teams are no-class, while Florida and their fans are extremely classy. What's not to agree on?

Dayhiker's just envious because Florida always wins the SEC sports title. Try as they might, Bama always...chokes...gag...sputter.

Can't y'all just wait to see how Bama plays football next year?...not. Maybe they can beat Vanderbilt but they can't beat the NCAA.

The Florida State Criminoles have more trouble. Maybe Bama can hire one of their coaches.

My suggestion is to stay away from the 'shine next football season, Day. It could get real ugly. I mean, losing to both Tennessee and Auburn, in the same year, would be brutal. You don't want to break off any more teeth chasing those sheep after a night around the still, listening to Bama LOSE once again. At least we'll be spared Bama's ugly appearance in a bowl game.



See, the departing basketball god is one extremely classy guy. Sort of like a monkey with a gun.”

“Lizzy. 1981, as I recall was the year that Wichita State knocked Iowa out of the tournament. That was back when Lute Olson was your coach. I was at that game, and it is still THE most exciting game I have been at. I'll tell you about it when we get together.
Arc, you are at rare form this AM. It's good to laugh first thing in the morning. Thankyou.
Now, it's off to work.”

“Is it just me, or are arclite's posts all instant classics?”

“I'll bet you did enjoy that chili. Sometimes I feel like I'm shooting a cap gun and he has an elephant gun. It's that right brain left brain and engineer/architect thing.

The problem is, that we did hire a Criminole as recruiting coordinator and look what it got us.

I would like to put on some cut offs and go to a Florida game sometime. I'll have to grow my beer belly back out so that it can hang over the cutoffs and I'll fit in when they show me on TV at the game.

Your suggestion needs to be to drink more shine. It may be the only thing that gets me through the upcoming season. At least we get to play a bowl game in Hawaii. Enjoy Shreveport, that's where Zook is gonna take you.”

“I would like to point out that the both the men's and women's NCAA champs are Big East teams. It would appear that reports of our demise have been greatly exaggerated.”

“Well, Syracuse did have a pretty easy time breezing through 4 or 5 Big 12 teams to get there.”

“Ouch! I can feel dunadan's pain on that one, dayhiker.”

“A client just called talking about how Auburn was #2 in the country. I said that I thought KU was #2 and he said that Auburn played them the closest. I asked what about the teams that beat Syracuse during the season. He countered that pre-tourney games didn't matter. I said that I forgot that I was talking to an Auburn grad. They make up rules as they go along. He actually refered back to two years ago when Auburn lost 3 straight at the end of the football season to wind up tying LSU for the West and LSU went on to beat UT in the championship. Tuberville had Co SEC West Championship rings made. They lost 3 straight to tie. All they had to do was win one and go to the Championship game. Because of all that, Tubby is referred to as "The Lord of the Rings" on Bama boards. He didn't know what I meant when I called Tubby the Lord, but now he does.”

“Well, I'm just not any good. I couldn't get Dunadan his NC and now his coach is pulling a Franphonie. Your deity for the year is pulling a Steward Smalley. Evidently, I'm not big enough, or powerful enough, or...”

“It is with a heavy heart that we say goodbye to Roy Williams. He gave us BBall fans some great memories and brought some wonderful young men to our state. He will be missed.
However, life will go on. Kansas will get another top-flight coach. North Carolina will have to choke on its pride a little bit to keep from chewing up Roy Williams the way they have done their last two coaches.
Rock,
Chalk,
Jayhawk,
Kaaaayyyyy,
Uuuuuuuuuuuu!”

“Sorry to hear about the demise of the KU basketball program, Dunadan.

Just like Florida football will rise from the ashes (in about 50 years) after the departure of Steve Spurrier, so will KU basketball. I mean, what a draw Kansas has. Who wouldn't want to live in Kansas?”

“Sorry, Dunny. Just heard the news this morning.”

“I am sorry to hear it too! Word on the street in Memphis is that Calapari might be the front runner.

Say it aint so, Joe.”

“Someone living in Florida putting down Kansas?

Why that's almost as bad as a New Jerseyan having any comment at all.”

“I wouldn't think of putting down Kansas. I've never lived there so I have no objective evidence for the disrespect of some one who choses to live there.

I have however lived in NJ and can say without doubt that anyone who chooses to live there is a flaming idiot!!! A person living in NJ should learn this maxim:

"Blessed is the man who, having nothing to say, abstains from giving us worthy evidence of the fact."

George Eliot”

“yeah...Coach Roy is gone. He'll be missed, but not for long because so many people here are pissed at him for how he left. He broke several promises to his players and fans, and obliterated everything he ever said about the Hawks being a family that he wiould never leave. anyhooo...blah, blah, blah.

maybe we'll win a championship now.”

“Iowa fans still hold grudges about Lute Olson's departure, lo, all these years later. >8-O”

“So there are already ideas for T-Shirts about Roy's leaving. here are some:

Ruck Foy. (not too clever)

I don't give a $hit about Roy Williams. (form his quote about UNC)

Roy "Benedict" Williams.

i'll let you know if any more come up.”

“not that you care, i suppose...”

“I care. I will really care if Calapari hops the next plane to Kansas.”

“i'm just glad that all our boys are staying. They got together yesterday and called all of the recruits. that kicks a$$.

now that is what a class act looks like!

Phil Jackson for Kansas Coach. (please)”

“I don't think Phil's Zen teachings would fly here in the old home state, Punkjumper.
Also, I don't recommend being angry for too long at Roy Williams. He gave KU 15 great years.
Now, Dean Smith, on the other hand can stay away from Kansas for the rest of his life......”

“i am pretty sure that i will be mad at Roy for a very long time. you're right, Dunadan, he did give us 15 great years, but he should still be here according to his promises and such. he could have been the next Dean Smith had he stayed. Now he will only live in Smith's shadow for ever. To each their own, i suppose. as for me...i'll hold a grudge...”

“I will assume that you have been reading all of the angry letters to the editor here in the old hometown. Enough people are so angry that it makes me want to rescind my earlier statement about Kansas and their classy fans.
The mistake Roy Williams made is telling Kansas fans that he wanted to retire in Lawrence. He assumed then, as did we all, that Matt Doherty would have a long and successful carreer at NC. (Had the school and the fans been a little more patient, I think he would have been a great coach for them.)
So, Roy Williams mentor, the guy who gave him many shots at achieving his dream, prevailed upon him to come rescue NC's program. I think it was all above-board, except by the manipulation of NC and their former Kansan, Dean so-and-so.
For fans of any team with a long and storied past to dwell on the negatives and continue to harbor ill-will toward a coach that did nothing other than his best while at their school, makes them look small and definitely un-classy. Might I suggest that we thank Roy Williams for 15 years of fantastically great basketball, and move on, with enthusiasm, to the future with our new coach?
What other school can say that it has over 105 years of basketball history, that began with the inventor of the game?????? I don't know about anyone else, but I want to be associated with a team where the vast majority of the fans show class, tolerance, and understanding along with their enthusiastic support.
It ain't just about winning and losing, my friend.”

“The Jayhawk, a mysterious bird with magical powers, has again risen from the ashes just like its cousin the phoenix.
Bill Self will be only the eighth coach in KU's 105 year basketball history.
Welcome aboard, Bill. I gotta say, I love my Self.
However, I was feeling that we robbed someone else's nest to get him, and I would have preferred to hire somebody from "in-house".
Be that as it may, I hope this is a long and prosperous relationship. Bill Self already knows and loves Lawrence, and is steeped in the tradition.
Rock, Chalk, Jayhawk, K! U!”

“I too like Self. he'll be a great match i believe. Especially if he brings his 6'9" Forward-that-almost-went-to-the-NBA with him!!!!

About Roy:

It IS all about winning and losing, my friend. That is college basketball. that is any college sport! you win...you stay...you lose...you leave...except for Roy. Now...let's get on thing out in the open. Roy left because of many factors within the mucked-up KU athletics department. i am sure we do not even know all of the crap that was going on. However...i am upset with him, not for leaving or why he left, but for HOW he left. No apologies to his boys, broken promises to his recruits, and thrashing his "loyalty" speach from years ago. Roy's leaving was not a class act, however, he made up for that at the banquet. that was cool of him, and shame on those who booed him and shouted "traitor".

Now Billy boy will come in and do us some good. how 'bout an UNC/KU final next year, eh?!?!?!”

“Same things happened here in Gainesville, after Steve left, Dunadan. You really can tell who's classy and who ain't by their reactions.

Fingers can be pointed in many directions. But the fact of the matter is, there isn't much loyalty in sports these days. What first turned me off to pro sports was the players and coaches moving from team to team depending on the money. In college sports now, many A.D's and fans have short attention spans. They want to win, and they want to win NOW. And if you can't win it all, some folks just aren't satisfied. And once you win it all, you're expected to keep winning it all.

Sounds as if management issues played a part in Roy's decision. But who knows? The people in sports are very fickel these days. It's just a sign of the times in a society that wants immediate gratification.

I hope the tradition continues at KU, Dunadan.”

“I am just glad Memphis hasn't lost their coach......yet.”

“Substitute the name Bubba for Punkjumper and Earl for Dunadan and you have the same discussion that has appread on every Bama board since Dec. I feel/live your pain. Fran might have been an egomaniac, but he's a helluva coach. I hate hearing these rednecks that call in the radio shows saying how they never thought he was that good and we were lucky to win 10 games, and then the radio hosts slams them. At least that part is good.”

“I think you are treading dangerously close to becoming a "spoiled" fan if you think you can demand your program to win it all, and classify them as a failure if they don't. There is still some amount of pure luck in winning championships, and no program can stay on the top forever. It just isn't the way the world turns.
However, you can take pride in the team of your choice through thick and thin, and even enjoy the sport for what it is in spite of not having the best team on the field, (or court).
If it is only about winning and losing, then I guess everyone should be a Syracuse fan, huh?”

“no...you have me wrong. i DO appreciate these guys and am so proud of them, and will always be a 'Hawks fan...until i die...i remember laying on my stomach with my chin in my hands watching those guys win in '88. I have been glued to this team since i can remember, and no matter the record, i will always cheer them on. i am not part of the "wine and cheeze club" as Roy said a few years ago.
if being disappointed in Roy for HOW he left is being a spoiled fan, then i figure there is not ONE non-spoiled fan of the 'Hawks right now. my humble opinion.
but i'd bet you alot, that if we watched a game together there would be nothing but love for the game and those Jayhawks on the court.”

“Sounds good to me. That last post wasn't personal. I was trying to wax philosophic about something as non-philosophic as sports.
I was watching the '88 championship from CA. Wish I could have been in town then....”

“yeah, dood...sports and philosophy...funny...let's hope that this is a Self-Fulfilling prophecy.”

“The University of Memphis drew 266,283 in paid attendance for an average of 16,643 fans per game during the 2002-03 season to rank seventh according to national collegiate basketball attendance figures released by the NCAA Monday.

Kentucky led the national in paid attendance, averaging 22,271 per game this season. Syracuse ranked second, averaging 20,921 while Louisville was third with an average of 19,037. Rounding out the top 10 were North Carolina (18,688), Maryland (17,566), Wisconsin (16,930), Memphis, Indiana (16,527), Kansas (16,300) and Ohio State (15,533).”

“Interesting statistics, Chili. Allen Fieldhouse, home of the Kansas Jayhawks, holds 16,300 people. 100% sold-out all the time. If any of you basketball fans get a chance to see a game there, don't miss the opportunity. However, don't ask me for tickets. I buy mine from scalpers. Scalping is legal in Kansas and it's the only way that I've managed to get tickets, so far.
BTW, have you read where the FBI is investigating Missouri's star player, Ricky Clemons? I think Quin the Eskimo Snyder is gonna get hurt by some of the allegations that are flying around.”

“Kentucky led the national in paid attendance, averaging 22,271 per game this season.

That's right baybee!!
UT built Thompson Bowling just big enough to top Rupp Arena, but the only time they can fill it completely is when the Cats come to town.”

“By the way, don't ask me why the only time they fill the arena is when they are sure to get their guts stomped out!”

“Harsh talk, my man. I hope KU and UK get to play each other this year. It could be a good game.”

“You're right Dun. It's all in good fun though. But I get excited about UK bball--after all , I have all of football season to look forward to it!

Yeah, I'd like to see a big UK-KU matchup. My brother in law is from Kansas, and his brother, for some dumb reason, turned down a scholarship offer from them. Had he taken it, he would have been on the champ team his senior year.”