Tuesday, March 14, 2006
2006 NCAA TOURNAMENT THOUGHTS...
First of all, if you're expecting insane NCAA Tournament coverage from us this year, well, it's not happening. That's what happens when a) Jeremy is busy as hell with school and b) David is busy as hell with work.
But I'm not THAT busy where I can't at least comment on this year's NCAA Tournament.
Consider this a "Free Ramble" on the NCAA Tournament.
2006 NCAA TOURNAMENT
ATLANTA REGION (SOUTHEAST)
---Hey, Duke has an easy road once again. They could lose 10 games one year and still get a #1 seed. The joys of being a Dukie, I guess.
---Congratulations, George Washington. Two losses gets this team...a #8 seed and a date with UNC-Wilmington...in Greensboro, North Carolina? There's no justice here. (For the record, I'm picking UNCW; they're the Seahawks, after all.)
---As much as I want to pick against Syracuse in the first round, I can't do it. I blame it on religious reasons. Yes, my Seahawks fandom extends to the NCAA Tournament. I would have picked Texas A&M two months ago...until they bitched and moaned about the whole 12th Man deal. Too bad, so sad.
---Lock of the region: Cal over Texas in the 2nd Round. Leon Powe, baby.
OAKLAND REGION (WEST)
---Memphis is by far the worst of the #1 seeds. Since I'm only an hour away from Memphis, I have to hear about the Tigers day in and day out. There isn't a team I'd love to see go out early than the Memphis Tigers. Please make this happen, basketball gods. (That being said, I love the city of Memphis.)
---Kent State over Pittsburgh is my only 5/12 upset.
---If there ever was a year for Gonzaga to get to the Final Four, it's this year.
---UCLA as a 2 seed? I don't know what to think about that.
WASHINGTON, D.C. REGION (EAST)
---Connecticut is the best team in the country. So tell me why they didn't earn the overall #1 seed? They should be the ones playing the winner of the "play-in" game.
---Washington-Illinois may be the best potential second-round matchup.
---So shock me! Wichita State over Tennessee in the second round. Tennessee as a 2 seed? Now I REALLY don't know what to think about that. At least UCLA won their conference tournament. The Vols couldn't even win one stinking game...in Nashville!
---How in the hell did Seton Hall and Air Force make it into the tournament?
MINNEAPOLIS REGION (MIDWEST)
---Villanova gets to play their first two games in Philadelphia. Hello, Sweet 16 (at least).
---Maybe it's just me, but I think that the tournament committee was banking on Northern Arizona winning the Big Sky Tournament. If NAU had won the Big Sky, then I could live with the Lumberjacks being a 12 seed. Montana as a 12 seed? I don't think so.
---Pacific has defeated two Big East teams in the last two years of the tournament. 2004 Providence (Miah Davis, baby!) and 2005 Pittsburgh. And guess what? The Tigers get another Big East 1st round opponent in Boston College. BC always flames out early. That's not going to change this year.
---South Alabama can play, folks. I saw them at the Sun Belt Conference Tournament in Murfreesboro, Tenn. and I was impressed by the Jaguars and John Pelphrey. They're my Cinderella for a reason. Speaking of Pelphrey, he will be a hot commodity in the offseason. Don't be surprised if he ends up at Ole Miss.
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I'll have my bracket up before 9 a.m. Pacific Thursday morning.
This is a hard bracket, let me tell ya.
But I'm not THAT busy where I can't at least comment on this year's NCAA Tournament.
Consider this a "Free Ramble" on the NCAA Tournament.
2006 NCAA TOURNAMENT
ATLANTA REGION (SOUTHEAST)
---Hey, Duke has an easy road once again. They could lose 10 games one year and still get a #1 seed. The joys of being a Dukie, I guess.
---Congratulations, George Washington. Two losses gets this team...a #8 seed and a date with UNC-Wilmington...in Greensboro, North Carolina? There's no justice here. (For the record, I'm picking UNCW; they're the Seahawks, after all.)
---As much as I want to pick against Syracuse in the first round, I can't do it. I blame it on religious reasons. Yes, my Seahawks fandom extends to the NCAA Tournament. I would have picked Texas A&M two months ago...until they bitched and moaned about the whole 12th Man deal. Too bad, so sad.
---Lock of the region: Cal over Texas in the 2nd Round. Leon Powe, baby.
OAKLAND REGION (WEST)
---Memphis is by far the worst of the #1 seeds. Since I'm only an hour away from Memphis, I have to hear about the Tigers day in and day out. There isn't a team I'd love to see go out early than the Memphis Tigers. Please make this happen, basketball gods. (That being said, I love the city of Memphis.)
---Kent State over Pittsburgh is my only 5/12 upset.
---If there ever was a year for Gonzaga to get to the Final Four, it's this year.
---UCLA as a 2 seed? I don't know what to think about that.
WASHINGTON, D.C. REGION (EAST)
---Connecticut is the best team in the country. So tell me why they didn't earn the overall #1 seed? They should be the ones playing the winner of the "play-in" game.
---Washington-Illinois may be the best potential second-round matchup.
---So shock me! Wichita State over Tennessee in the second round. Tennessee as a 2 seed? Now I REALLY don't know what to think about that. At least UCLA won their conference tournament. The Vols couldn't even win one stinking game...in Nashville!
---How in the hell did Seton Hall and Air Force make it into the tournament?
MINNEAPOLIS REGION (MIDWEST)
---Villanova gets to play their first two games in Philadelphia. Hello, Sweet 16 (at least).
---Maybe it's just me, but I think that the tournament committee was banking on Northern Arizona winning the Big Sky Tournament. If NAU had won the Big Sky, then I could live with the Lumberjacks being a 12 seed. Montana as a 12 seed? I don't think so.
---Pacific has defeated two Big East teams in the last two years of the tournament. 2004 Providence (Miah Davis, baby!) and 2005 Pittsburgh. And guess what? The Tigers get another Big East 1st round opponent in Boston College. BC always flames out early. That's not going to change this year.
---South Alabama can play, folks. I saw them at the Sun Belt Conference Tournament in Murfreesboro, Tenn. and I was impressed by the Jaguars and John Pelphrey. They're my Cinderella for a reason. Speaking of Pelphrey, he will be a hot commodity in the offseason. Don't be surprised if he ends up at Ole Miss.
--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---
I'll have my bracket up before 9 a.m. Pacific Thursday morning.
This is a hard bracket, let me tell ya.
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