Bracketology Time
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@kjayhawks How does me saying Texas Tech was the only B12 team I would pick to make a deep run the same as saying the B12 is a great league this year. The B12 was damn good last year sending 3 to the E8. This year outside of KU when healthy, the B12 was severely lacking in quality nonconference wins this year.
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@Fightsongwriter Come on, man … Villanova beat G’town in ‘85. Who was going to guard Ewing? And Zion is no Ewing. Duke is not invincible. We might beat Duke one out of ten times. But we’d only play them once. You’ve heard of upsets? Right? Duke lost a 2/15 deal once. We lost to freaking Northern Iowa
Hope! Faith! Even if it seems impossible.
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@HighEliteMajor You did not answer the question.
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@Texas-Hawk-10 ok, and I also said repeatedly that Tech “could” make a deep run. Just said I’m not expecting much from the conference. Then you referenced last year which I agree and haven’t disputed was a solid year for the B12. Heck Vermont could make a run, not even Sister Jean had Loyola to FF last year lol. Maybe I just took it the wrong way no biggie my friend.
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@Fightsongwriter No one on this team is capable of guarding Zion effectively. So I concede that point. We’d have to try to try to flash double him. Make him pass. Step in his lane. Push him from the basket. Team concept. Hope he gets 18 not 30. Great players also have off nights. Do I sound as stupid as I think I sound? Ok – it’s the NCAA tourney. Big upsets happen. That might be better.
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HighEliteMajor said:
@Fightsongwriter No one on this team is capable of guarding Zion effectively. So I concede that point. We’d have to try to try to flash double him. Make him pass. Step in his lane. Push him from the basket. Team concept. Hope he gets 18 not 30. Great players also have off nights. Do I sound as stupid as I think I sound? Ok – it’s the NCAA tourney. Big upsets happen. That might be better.
only thing is ok - we can flash double down low - -what about when he takes you out on the floor - -he can hit the outside J too dribbles like a point guard. - using a Ewing – Williamson comparison isn’t that close - -totally type of player.
You would never see Ewing take the ball out as far in the open space - ball handling skills - -Zion runs circles around Ewing with ball handling skills - the things that Zion can do - is crazy complete all around player. - -Ewing played a lot more inside - -sur he could step out some and hit the J - but Zion is just a much better complete overall skilledplayer
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If Self goes to Chicago, who is your #1 target ?
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Will Wade
Maybe a really good attorney? At least for the next few years.
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I’ve seen two final brackets from People that have KU as the 4 in the MW with UNC as the 1. Boy would Roy bitch and moan about that.
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Woodrow said:
I’ve seen two final brackets from People that have KU as the 4 in the MW with UNC as the 1. Boy would Roy bitch and moan about that.
Ya I saw us as a 4 in the Midwest playing St Louis that’s insane -the Other I saw I think it was in the East as a 4
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WHOA! Lunardi got 23% right this year. Including all four obvious #1s. (minus those #1s he was a whopping 18.75% correct. Give him a bonus, ESPN, or hire a random fan off the street who could probably predict a more accurate bracket.
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Brain of a KSU fan
Alternative look
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Also note, Lunardi picked (at best) 1 of 32 first round matchups if NC Central gets past Iona. That’s useless. This guy should be selling used cars.
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@DanR at least they could find a good lookin guy! Maybe an ex coach or past player, anyone besides him! Was he a coach?
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@Crimsonorblue22 Hey, I ain’t sayin’ anything about the way he looks. In fact, I’ll give him some serious props for getting his ugly ass mug on TV from January to March.
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Just FYI “bracketologist” are graded on how many teams out of the 68 they get right and if they get them within 1 seed line.
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So does he have a bracketology degree?
what did qualify him? I’m serious.
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@Woodrow what is considered good for that? I figured him to be at about 64%
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http://bracketmatrix.com/rankings.html
This is a link ranking bracketologists over the past 3 years. Lunardi is not good, but he’s better than Jerry Palm at CBS.
As far as mainstream media figures go, Brad Evans at Yahoo is the best, but he’s not even top 30.
Lunardi isn’t even the best at ESPN as that honor goes to Jeff Borzello who was ranked 34th.
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Lunardi is 63% for seeding. (cough big deal) O% for first round matchups.
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@Texas-Hawk-10 thanks for that link. I was curious about how other people graded the prognosticators. I’m basing my opinions about how often I saw Lunardi (and his followers/ESPN) discussing possible first and second round matchups–in February. I know there’s nothing else to talk about except Zion’s breakfast, but…
Using the final results from past matrices, each site was graded based on a scoring system made by Paymon at PHSports. This rubric awards 3 points for each team correctly picked, 3 points for each team correctly seeded, and 1 point for each team not seeded correctly but within one seed line. With 68 teams, a perfect score is 408. The variance section of the data table below lists the absolute deviation between each score and the mean for that particular year. Thus, a 10 point variance means that site’s bracket scored 10 points higher than the average bracket that year.
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@DanR Unfortunately, Zion has been having other teams for breakfast, so ESPN’s review will continue.
For all of our whining about their focus on Zion, he is one of the most amazing college players I have ever seen. Let’s face it: We gripe so much that, if he were at KU, and if they gave him the same level of attention as they do now, we would probably still complain that ESPN was not giving us our due.
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@mayjay The thing is, if he were at KU, he wouldn’t be getting this much attention. It wouldn’t be the non-stop Zion-fest. I’m not a great complainer on this topic when I see ESPN promote the ACC so vigorously. I understand that ESPN is a money making venture, so they gear their marketing to what might be most attractive to the bigger markets. Middle America is not the bigger markets.
But the Zion-fest, the focus on one player, is out of control.
A great example was Michael Beasley. He was a better college player than Zion. He absolutely dominated. There wasn’t 1/4 of this crap we see on ESPN now.
And I don’t think the point is that Zion is or isn’t “amazing.” We all agree that he is amazing. But what appears to be the singular focus on one player is ridiculous. Men’s CBB is much more than Zion Williamson, or any one player.
I just turn the channel.
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@BeddieKU23 “We could beat Duke without Zion”
Says every team in the country. Lol.
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IDK Wiggins mania was a bit ridiculous and he wasn’t nearly as good as Zion.
Zion is amazing; the coverage is too much. The kid is amazing and didn’t ask to be over exposed, so I’m trying not to hold that against him. ESPN on the other hand is a bunch of douche nozzles for thinking we all care about Duke that much. It’s just Zion the casual fans want to see.
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@nuleafjhawk How about KU with Doke, DeSousa, and a Vick with his head on straight? What ifs, of course. But I think we’d be the favorite. Like Dee Ford lining up offside. What could have been.
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Wigs didn’t get anywhere near the hype throughout the season as Zion has. Maybe it’s because Zion is better than him but Dook is always getting more media attention than anyone else.
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I rate Zion as the #2 college player I have ever seen, behind KD. KD wasn’t near the presence down low or the rebounder Zion is but Zion ain’t hitting 30 footers with guys in his face.
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ESPN ran the hype train with Trae Young last year but this years darling is on a much deeper level. Zion is easier to like I think as well and his dunks are exciting so I think fans of CBB, casual fans have an easier time staying in awe over his plays.
We couldn’t even hide from the Zion train during our own games this past week. Zion updates, Zion features, Zion promo’s, Zion scoring updates, color announcers talking about Zion during our game. Seems like an all out company initiative where their paychecks depend on it
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nuleafjhawk said:
@BeddieKU23 “We could beat Duke without Zion”
Says every team in the country. Lol.
tou·ché
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@kjayhawks I don’t know how old you are, but KU used to have a fairly decent guy named Danny Manning.
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@HighEliteMajor I totally agree. If we had those guys (maybe even without De sousa) we have #15 in hand, we’re a #1 seed - probably THE number one seed and we’re all making travel plans to Minnesota.
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Pat Forde at his best. Never a dull moment for the IDIOT
Bill Self (50), Kansas. Better make some hay before the posse arrives. As successful as he’s been, Self’s future would seem to be in doubt going forward.
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@nuleafjhawk Imagine the hype Wilt would have gotten if there was an ESPN back then! Danny was great but Wilt was a once in a lifetime game changer.
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BeddieKU23 said:
Pat Forde at his best. Never a dull moment for the IDIOT
Bill Self (50), Kansas. Better make some hay before the posse arrives. As successful as he’s been, Self’s future would seem to be in doubt going forward.
Is he saying the school might fire him?
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@wissox Can you imagine what it would have been like if they had ESPN and he played for DUKE ???
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Woodrow said:
BeddieKU23 said:
Pat Forde at his best. Never a dull moment for the IDIOT
Bill Self (50), Kansas. Better make some hay before the posse arrives. As successful as he’s been, Self’s future would seem to be in doubt going forward.
Is he saying the school might fire him?
Missouri grad. Enough said!
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@nuleafjhawk I was born the last year Danny was was here aka Danny and the Miracles he’s great but Idk if he’s the best.
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@BeddieKU23 I was just making sure I was reading it correctly without the context of the article. Pat is a load of garbage
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The same Pat Forde that was butt buddies with Rick Pitino? LMAO since when does that fool have a clue.
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@kjayhawks The best is all pretty subjective. For me, Wilt was the best ever - EVER.
But, Danny was one of the best at KU for several reasons:
He was a great scorer.
He was a great rebounder.
He was a very good free throw shooter.
He was a good passer.
He had a great attitude.
He was smart.
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@nuleafjhawk team player, humble, stayed around, not a brotherhood guy
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@Crimsonorblue22 YES!!
I’m at work and got busy, but the 4 year thing was going to be one of my main points. Thank you.
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kjayhawks said:
The same Pat Forde that was butt buddies with Rick Pitino? LMAO since when does that fool have a clue.
He has no clue but CBS keeps giving him a platform so its our duty to call him out for it every single time. He’s straight garbage
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@nuleafjhawk No question Danny would be in my 25 of all time great NCAA players. I think Wilt is the GOAT in the NBA, both guys are top 3 KU greats with Clyde Lovellette IMO. Crazy to imagine how much Wilt could’ve done with a shot clock.
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Danny Manning has been described as the greatest college basketball player ever. He’s certainly in the conversation, because of all the characteristics mentioned above. But he’s certainly better than any player in the current era because nobody even close to his skill set stays in college 4 years. He was phenomenally skilled, smart, and by the 1988 tournament he had 4 years of playing experience under a hall of fame coach (Larry Brown). We won’t find anybody that skilled and well-developed in the NCAA again, until the NBA bumps its age minimum to 21 (which it would never do).
Danny may be less well known than others whose NBA careers were not cut short by injury. But as a college player in his 4th year, he’s hard to beat.
Greatness is a function of both skill and experience. The older I get, the more I value experience (as my skills in everything fade!).
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@tundrahok u r getting wiser my friend! Stay humble!
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Zion the greatest ever? Hardly. He’s good…but Durant is, and was, by far a better player and more exciting to watch. If Zion did what Durant did in the following, ESPN would be talking about it…FOREVER.
Also…if you go to 1:32:13 … merely a preview to “the shot” of 2008.
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I just watched 2 replays of Northeastern and I’m not impressed. A 2/3 zone defense that’s easily penetrated with a drive. #12 shoots the ball quickly and only 3’s. #22 launches it from everywhere on his side of the court. #30 is the “big” guy who’s responsible for rebounds and doesn’t block out. The other big does the same every time he tries score…get ball in middle of paint…spin left and push in to lay it in with right hand. They’ll shoot 35 3’s…if they make 20…they have their one shining moment. I change my prediction. 23 point win.
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Little trivia time guys - now without looking it up - can anyone tell us – how many 3’s has AUBURN attempted this yr? - -your just gonna have to take a guess DO NOT CHEAT - - lol.- -ROK CHALK ALL DAY LONG BABY
