The Official March Madness Thread

[primushead]

Conference Tournaments this weekend...

FOLLOWED BY THE BEST SPORTING EVENT OF THE YEAR!!!!

I call Pitt to win the Big East Tournament.

Michigan State's got the Big 10.

I'm guessing Kentucky will come up strong in the SEC.

And I'm actually taking Wake to beat Carolina in the finals for the ACC tournament.

Let's get it goin! :D

[Jaimoe]

I'm ready for my Orangemen to go out in the first round once again.

[Crispy]

I'm ready for my Orangemen to go out in the first round once again.

I'll include that one in my first parlay in Vegas.  ;D

[Ruckus]

Illini to run the tables in the Big 10 and get a 3 seed!! :D :D :D

Does anyone else believe that the ACC is iffy after Carolina.  With Memphis and Oklahoma and Mich. St.  being big ???, another wide open tourney it is.

[ycartrob]

Conference Tournaments this weekend...

FOLLOWED BY THE BEST SPORTING EVENT OF THE YEAR!!!!

I call Pitt to win the Big East Tournament.

Michigan State's got the Big 10.

I'm guessing Kentucky will come up strong in the SEC.

And I'm actually taking Wake to beat Carolina in the finals for the ACC tournament.

Let's get it goin! :D

This is not a good Kentucky team. They play Ole Miss tomorrow at noon and we beat then in Oxford (minus our best 2 players who won't be back).

I think Louisville beats Pitt.

And for goodness sakes, how about they split up the Big East? How anyone considers Louisville, Marquette, Depaul, Cincinnati, Notre Dame or Pittsburgh (and even West Virginia and South Florida) "east" schools is beyond me.

Lawson probably won't play in the tourney for NC.

And Memphis State will win the Conference USA

I like Oklahoma in the Big 12 (even though i am rooting for Mizzou)

I got a lot of basketball to watch!

[ManNamedTruth]

Conference Tournaments this weekend...

FOLLOWED BY THE BEST SPORTING EVENT OF THE YEAR!!!!

I call Pitt to win the Big East Tournament.

Michigan State's got the Big 10.

I'm guessing Kentucky will come up strong in the SEC.

And I'm actually taking Wake to beat Carolina in the finals for the ACC tournament.

Let's get it goin! :D

This is not a good Kentucky team. They play Ole Miss tomorrow at noon and we beat then in Oxford (minus our best 2 players who won't be back).

I think Louisville beats Pitt.

And for goodness sakes, how about they split up the Big East? How anyone considers Louisville, Marquette, Depaul, Cincinnati, Notre Dame or Pittsburgh (and even West Virginia and South Florida) "east" schools is beyond me.

Lawson probably won't play in the tourney for NC.

And Memphis State will win the Conference USA

I like Oklahoma in the Big 12 (even though i am rooting for Mizzou)

I got a lot of basketball to watch!

How is Pitt not east? I've always considered this area to be northeast. As you can see on wickipedia here, PA is not part of the midwest (not that you implied that), nor have I ever heard it referred to as that. So if not the east/northeast then what?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Midwest

[ycartrob]

How is Pitt not east? I've always considered this area to be northeast. As you can see on wickipedia here, PA is not part of the midwest (not that you implied that), nor have I ever heard it referred to as that. So if not the east/northeast then what?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Midwest

Ohio is in the midwest and Pittsburgh is about 25 miles east of Ohio...Philly is northeast (and about 260 miles EAST of Pittsburgh).

East should be from states on the east coast, IMO. Especially if you have 16 freaking teams in your conference. I am comparing "east" to UConn, Georgetown, St Johns, Providence, Rutgers, Seton Hall, etc...  teams that are on the east coast (like it used to be).

[ManNamedTruth]

How is Pitt not east? I've always considered this area to be northeast. As you can see on wickipedia here, PA is not part of the midwest (not that you implied that), nor have I ever heard it referred to as that. So if not the east/northeast then what?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Midwest

Ohio is in the midwest and Pittsburgh is about 25 miles east of Ohio...Philly is northeast (and about 260 miles EAST of Pittsburgh).

East should be from states on the east coast, IMO. Especially if you have 16 freaking teams in your conference. I am comparing "east" to UConn, Georgetown, St Johns, Providence, Rutgers, Seton Hall, etc...  teams that are on the east coast (like it used to be).

And Mexico is near Texas but that doesn't make it part of the states, you have to draw the line somewhere. Even with your argument (witch I still don't agree with) it would be silly to break up what has been one of the best conferences in college basketball. I'm not even that much of a basketball fan but I do know that much.

[ycartrob]

How is Pitt not east? I've always considered this area to be northeast. As you can see on wickipedia here, PA is not part of the midwest (not that you implied that), nor have I ever heard it referred to as that. So if not the east/northeast then what?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Midwest

Ohio is in the midwest and Pittsburgh is about 25 miles east of Ohio...Philly is northeast (and about 260 miles EAST of Pittsburgh).

East should be from states on the east coast, IMO. Especially if you have 16 freaking teams in your conference. I am comparing "east" to UConn, Georgetown, St Johns, Providence, Rutgers, Seton Hall, etc...  teams that are on the east coast (like it used to be).

And Mexico is near Texas but that doesn't make it part of the states, you have to draw the line somewhere. Even with your argument (witch I still don't agree with) it would be silly to break up what has been one of the best conferences in college basketball. I'm not even that much of a basketball fan but I do know that much.

wow, you seem a tad bit touchy about my belief that the Big East conference is too big...  :-/

[aMillionDreams]

The SEC only 4 less teams at 12.  They also have a east and west division, so I suppose that means half the teams are in the western southeast.   :-/

[ycartrob]

The SEC only 4 less teams at 12.  They also have a east and west division, so I suppose that means half the teams are in the western southeast.   :-/

I think so. It makes more sense. The greatest distance between 2 SEC West schools is LSU and Auburn (350 miles) and the East it's Kentucky and Florida (600 miles, which is the greatest distance between 2 SEC schools).


The Big East is TOO big and TOO spread out.

Distance between Marquette and South Florida - 1,100 miles
  Marquette and Providence - 950 miles
Providence and South Florida - 1,100 miles

You have entire major conferences (ACC and Big 10) within the width/ range of Big East schools.


And there's 11 teams in the Big 10!

Whacky!

[capt. scotty]

And for goodness sakes, how about they split up the Big East? How anyone considers Louisville, Marquette, Depaul, Cincinnati, Notre Dame or Pittsburgh (and even West Virginia and South Florida) "east" schools is beyond me.

And Memphis State will win the Conference USA

All those other teams you grouped in with Pitt are significantly further west. Now ND and Marquette are in the heart of Big 10 country, so that doesnt make much sense, but what other conference would you put Pitt in exactly?! Putting 1 of those teams I mentioned in the Big 10, or Georgetown in the ACC would make much more sense. South Florida could go somewhere else too, but its not like the Pac10 or ACC dont have the same north-south long distances. A bunch of conferences have weird gerrymandering-esque stuff as to why teams are in a certain conference, no biggie.


...So Memphis State is going to upset Memphis in C-USA, eh?!  :D


..and the Big 10 has 11 teams because Penn State joined the conference 20 or so years ago, and they never changed the name. It would make much more sense for us to be in the Big East and give it another team though  ;D

[capt. scotty]

So whose going to start a tournament pick'em on yahoo or something for the forum??

I can set one up unless someone did last year and cant re-do it easier

[ycartrob]

Did someone leave some fruit uncovered in here?

[ycartrob]

Ho hum, just another Thursday before the tournament starts

Northwestern vs. Minnesota (bubble watch)

Miami vs. Va Tech (bubble watch)

Ole Miss vs. Kentucky

Texas vs. Kansas St (bubble watch)

Providence vs.  5 Louisville  

Saint Louis vs 19 Xavier    

Baylor vs 11 Kansas
 
21 Marquette vs 10 Villanova  

Arizona vs 23 Arizona St.  

West Virginia vs 2 Pittsburgh    

Oklahoma St. vs 6 Oklahoma    

18 Syracuse vs 3 Connecticut  

Texas Tech vs 14 Missouri  

California vs. USC

  Maddness     [smiley=2vrolijk_08.gif]

[BH]

Speaking of screwed up conference teams/locations, how about my "other" team, the St. Louis Billikens playing in the "ATLANTIC" 10.  They aren't even on the atlantic side of the Mississippi!    I thought it was a bad idea when they moved to the conference, however, they are a perfect fit when it comes to school size, school type and the fact that there is no football at any of the A10 schools.  But damn, they have some serious travel.

[ycartrob]

Speaking of screwed up conference teams/locations, how about my "other" team, the St. Louis Billikens playing in the "ATLANTIC" 10.  They aren't even on the atlantic side of the Mississippi!    I thought it was a bad idea when they moved to the conference, however, they are a perfect fit when it comes to school size, school type and the fact that there is no football at any of the A10 schools.  But damn, they have some serious travel.

yep, I know. Doesn't make much sense with the expansion of conferences, since the Presidents of these universities are so concerned about the travel (and subsequent missed classes) of these student atheletes..... right.

[ycartrob]

So I am watching the highlights of the Big Sky Championship where Portland St. beat Montana St. to go the the big dance, and they are showing the celebration and all these streamers are coming down on the players and the ESPN guy says, "That's a lot of confetti."

Confetti?

See, it's bullshit like this, calling streamers confetti, that just makes me want to not watch the tournament this year. In fact, it makes me want to just go up in the woods, with my rifle and enough water for the summer, and hold out for football season.  >:(

[size=18]Confetti ![/size]


[size=18]Streamers ![/size]


[size=20]M[/size] [size=11] a[/size] d [size=18] D[/size] [size=22]n[/size] [size=12]E[/size] S [size=18]s[/size]

[Ruckus]

Speaking of screwed up conference teams/locations, how about my "other" team, the St. Louis Billikens playing in the "ATLANTIC" 10.  They aren't even on the atlantic side of the Mississippi!    I thought it was a bad idea when they moved to the conference, however, they are a perfect fit when it comes to school size, school type and the fact that there is no football at any of the A10 schools.  But damn, they have some serious travel.

yep, I know. Doesn't make much sense with the expansion of conferences, since the Presidents of these universities are so concerned about the travel (and subsequent missed classes) of these student atheletes..... right.

Don't get me started on these Presidents and there athletic departments.  I couldn't agree with you more.  Of course I am one that believes that college athletes, particularly Division I basketball and football players, should be compensated with some form a a living stipend.  What I find aggravating the most is the lack of media criticism that the Presidents face when they bust out their pretextual, obligatory "student athlete, it's all about academics speech."  Additionally, the fans just take it.  

There should be a team cap instituted and the Big East should be dismantled.  Either that or many more super conferences should be created.  This current setup just doesn't make any sense.  Louisville should remain in CUSA or bump into the SEC.  Marquette should be in the Big Ten with Notre Dame and Penn State should be in the Big East.  Miami and FSU should be in the SEC.  Blah blah blah.

Question is..."What do you do with Hawaii?"

[ycartrob]

Question is..."What do you do with Hawaii?"

Hawaii should be an independant and play every game at home. No one would ever complain about either of these ideas.  ;)