Let me go ahead and get this out of the way:
There it is. I'm sure this video will be shown a time or two this week. I am also sure that I am going to be sick of it all by...about noon today.
It only matters to Kansas fans. They are the bitter people who can't believe that anyone would leave Kansas. Mostly because it's Kansas.
Everyone knows the story by now. Bill Guthridge retires, UNC tries to get Roy from Kansas, and he turns them down. In the process, he states rather plainly that he will never leave Kansas. That comment actually shows his belief in Matt Doherty more than anything else, because Roy thinks that he has turned down the only opportunity he would have to be UNC's head coach.
Who knew Doherty was only a three year guy? No one, especially not Roy Williams. The second time around, 'ol Roy couldn't say no.
No one was surprised. Well, no one who isn't a Jayhawk. Every person associated with UNC basketball remains associated with UNC basketball. It truly is a family. Doherty's reign of terror splintered the family, and Dean Smith wanted Roy to come back to "fix things."
That Roy turned down the Tar Heels once was a miracle, a true testament to his love for Kansas. Despite that, there was no way he was saying no a second time. Zero chance.
Now, we've got to hear about it all week. Kansas fans will curse Roy for leaving, and then in the same breath tell you all the reasons they are better off with Bill Self. Sort of an odd combination, if you ask me.
Most people agree that Roy's decision the second time around was made easier because of a rocky relationship with athletic director Al Bohl. Bohl was hired in 2001 to replace Bob Frederick, a longtime friend of Williams, and the didn't see eye to eye with Williams. After Williams criticized Bohl for firing KU football coach Terry Allen with 3 games left in the season, Bohl said this about Williams to the Kansas City Star:
"I'm running this program. I'm not asking Roy for permission to do things. It's a new era here. I'm going to run this program like a CEO would run a company. There's going to be no confusion over who's in charge."
Between the time that the above video was recorded, and Roy's acceptance of the UNC job, Bohl was fired. It was an attempt to make Roy happy enough to stay, but it was too late. As he cleaned out his office, I bet he realized who actually was in charge.
So, Kansas fans, just be happy for your team, and your coach. If you spend all week talking about Roy Williams, it won't be fair to Bill Self and his players. Roy Williams is coaching the team he should be coaching, and Kansas is doing just fine without him.
Let it go.
Monday, March 31, 2008
Sunday, March 30, 2008
Davidson's Run Ends
I almost used "magical" to describe Davidson's run. I contemplated the use of "Cinderella."
I decided against both options.
Davidson just lost a game. Nothing more, nothing less.
They weren't embarrassed, like Texas and many other teams in this year's NCAA Tournament. As the clock expired, the ball was in the air, and the Wildcats had a chance to advance.
It just wasn't meant to be.
They were the feel-good story of this tournament, but only because they hadn't advanced this far since 1969. They seemingly came out of nowhere, but only because they came up a few points short in each of their early season games against major-conference teams. They played UNC, UCLA, Duke and NC State to close games, all on the road (or neutral sites). Once conference play started, they embarked on what would become the nation's longest winning streak.
Davidson had an outstanding season, and they don't deserve to have it belittled by being called Cinderella.
Stephen Curry established himself as a top-level college basketball player. And, even in the season-ender to Kansas, Davidson showed that they aren't a one-man show. The team shot 38.6%, and Curry had 25 points on 9-25 shooting. Before the game, if those two statistics were somehow available, no one would have given Davidson a chance. However, Curry's teammates all chipped in, scrapping for loose balls, making big shots, and Davidson had a chance at the end to win the game.
That's all any coach ever asks for...a chance at the end.
I decided against both options.
Davidson just lost a game. Nothing more, nothing less.
They weren't embarrassed, like Texas and many other teams in this year's NCAA Tournament. As the clock expired, the ball was in the air, and the Wildcats had a chance to advance.
It just wasn't meant to be.
They were the feel-good story of this tournament, but only because they hadn't advanced this far since 1969. They seemingly came out of nowhere, but only because they came up a few points short in each of their early season games against major-conference teams. They played UNC, UCLA, Duke and NC State to close games, all on the road (or neutral sites). Once conference play started, they embarked on what would become the nation's longest winning streak.
Davidson had an outstanding season, and they don't deserve to have it belittled by being called Cinderella.
Stephen Curry established himself as a top-level college basketball player. And, even in the season-ender to Kansas, Davidson showed that they aren't a one-man show. The team shot 38.6%, and Curry had 25 points on 9-25 shooting. Before the game, if those two statistics were somehow available, no one would have given Davidson a chance. However, Curry's teammates all chipped in, scrapping for loose balls, making big shots, and Davidson had a chance at the end to win the game.
That's all any coach ever asks for...a chance at the end.
Sunday, March 23, 2008
8 McDonald's All-Americans. Oh. My. God.
5 Stars. McDonald's All-American.
Must be some kind of player, right?
Maybe, maybe not. Duke's 2nd round loss to West Virginia in the NCAA Tournament prompted discussion about Duke's 8 McDonald's All-Americans, to West Virginia's zero.
With that in mind, I thought I'd take a little closer look at Duke's burger boys. I don't mean a statistical breakdown. I'm going to find each one on the Rivals150 from their days as a recruit, and see where they measure up. Not a scientific experiment, I understand. But it could be interesting.
DeMarcus Nelson has been solid for four years. He's a very good defender, and streaky on offense. If I were going to rank him today, however, I don't think I'd rate him a 5 star prospect. DeMarcus was 17th in the 2004 Rivals150. If you were to rank those players now, Nelson would likely drop. A quick sampling of some of the guys behind him: Al Horford (36th), Sean Singletary (56th), JamesOn Curry (72nd), Joakim Noah (75th), Chris Lofton (146th).
Greg Paulus was 11th on the 2005 Rivals150. One spot behind Tyler Hansbrough. Chris Douglas-Roberts, who is probably a better all-around player than Paulus, was 75th. Paulus was hyped because he was also a top quarterback recruit, so his basketball skills may have been embellished just a little.
Gerald Henderson was 11th in 2006, and I'm not going to argue with his spot. He is an amazing athlete, and has improved during both of his seasons at Duke. He doesn't have the jumpshot that I'd expect from a 5 star prospect who plays on the perimeter, but his shot does seem to be improving.
Jon Scheyer was 71st in 2006. That may actually be a little low for him, as he has been a very consistent player for Duke. His ranking does make me wonder exactly what the criteria is for selecting the McDonald's teams. There were 70 guys ranked higher than him, yet he was selected. Duke mystique??
Lance Thomas was 42nd in 2006. Based on what he's done at Duke, he should swap places with Scheyer. Thomas is the latest in a long line of failed attempts by Coach K to find a post player. Coach K tends to do that by recruiting a 6'8" wing player and sending him to Wojo's big man camp. That philosophy doesn't seem to work very well. Ask Shavlik Randolph and Josh McRoberts.
Taylor King was 37th in 2007.
Nolan Smith was 39th in 2007.
I will let the following comments count for both players: Jeff Teague was 57th and James Johnson was 62nd. I doubt that Wake Forest would want to trade. Daniel Hackett (66th) was a starter for USC. Also, I wonder how the 37th and 39th players end up in the McDonald's game. If recruiting rankings were always right, wouldn't the top 24 players be in the game?
Kyle Singler was 5th in 2007. He had a very good season, but he's ranked one spot ahead of Kevin Love (6th). I don't see how that happened. Singler seemed to hit the wall pretty hard at the end of the season, but prior to that he was playing at a high level. I'm not going to knock his ranking. I will question the quote that accompanies his profile, however: "Perhaps the most complete player in the 2007 class." Hmmm...the number one player from last year, a young man named Michael Beasley (have you heard of him?), would probably like to have a little talk with the author of that statement.
Basically, I would say that these 8 guys prove two things:
One, when it comes to ranking high school players, beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
Two, McDonald's likes players who commit to Duke. How else does the 71st player in the country get selected for the game?
Must be some kind of player, right?
Maybe, maybe not. Duke's 2nd round loss to West Virginia in the NCAA Tournament prompted discussion about Duke's 8 McDonald's All-Americans, to West Virginia's zero.
With that in mind, I thought I'd take a little closer look at Duke's burger boys. I don't mean a statistical breakdown. I'm going to find each one on the Rivals150 from their days as a recruit, and see where they measure up. Not a scientific experiment, I understand. But it could be interesting.
DeMarcus Nelson has been solid for four years. He's a very good defender, and streaky on offense. If I were going to rank him today, however, I don't think I'd rate him a 5 star prospect. DeMarcus was 17th in the 2004 Rivals150. If you were to rank those players now, Nelson would likely drop. A quick sampling of some of the guys behind him: Al Horford (36th), Sean Singletary (56th), JamesOn Curry (72nd), Joakim Noah (75th), Chris Lofton (146th).
Greg Paulus was 11th on the 2005 Rivals150. One spot behind Tyler Hansbrough. Chris Douglas-Roberts, who is probably a better all-around player than Paulus, was 75th. Paulus was hyped because he was also a top quarterback recruit, so his basketball skills may have been embellished just a little.
Gerald Henderson was 11th in 2006, and I'm not going to argue with his spot. He is an amazing athlete, and has improved during both of his seasons at Duke. He doesn't have the jumpshot that I'd expect from a 5 star prospect who plays on the perimeter, but his shot does seem to be improving.
Jon Scheyer was 71st in 2006. That may actually be a little low for him, as he has been a very consistent player for Duke. His ranking does make me wonder exactly what the criteria is for selecting the McDonald's teams. There were 70 guys ranked higher than him, yet he was selected. Duke mystique??
Lance Thomas was 42nd in 2006. Based on what he's done at Duke, he should swap places with Scheyer. Thomas is the latest in a long line of failed attempts by Coach K to find a post player. Coach K tends to do that by recruiting a 6'8" wing player and sending him to Wojo's big man camp. That philosophy doesn't seem to work very well. Ask Shavlik Randolph and Josh McRoberts.
Taylor King was 37th in 2007.
Nolan Smith was 39th in 2007.
I will let the following comments count for both players: Jeff Teague was 57th and James Johnson was 62nd. I doubt that Wake Forest would want to trade. Daniel Hackett (66th) was a starter for USC. Also, I wonder how the 37th and 39th players end up in the McDonald's game. If recruiting rankings were always right, wouldn't the top 24 players be in the game?
Kyle Singler was 5th in 2007. He had a very good season, but he's ranked one spot ahead of Kevin Love (6th). I don't see how that happened. Singler seemed to hit the wall pretty hard at the end of the season, but prior to that he was playing at a high level. I'm not going to knock his ranking. I will question the quote that accompanies his profile, however: "Perhaps the most complete player in the 2007 class." Hmmm...the number one player from last year, a young man named Michael Beasley (have you heard of him?), would probably like to have a little talk with the author of that statement.
Basically, I would say that these 8 guys prove two things:
One, when it comes to ranking high school players, beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
Two, McDonald's likes players who commit to Duke. How else does the 71st player in the country get selected for the game?
Another Early Exit Prompts Duke Discussion
The Duke Blue Devils were beaten by the West Virginia Mountaineers in the 2nd round of the NCAA Tournament. On paper, it's an upset. Duke was a 2 seed, WVU was a 7. In the real world, the game was probably a toss-up. Duke struggled the last few weeks of the season, and barely survived their first round opponent, Belmont.
Duke has lost the swagger. Well, that probably not true. Duke and it's fans still have the swagger. What they don't have is the aura that they used to have. Teams are not afraid of the jersey, as they may have been in the past.
Belmont's players were upset at the loss. They had watched the Devils on film, and knew exactly what to do to win. They executed their game plan very well, but fell just one point short. In years past, you'd hear players happy to have kept it close. Belmont felt that they had let Duke off the hook.
The Mountaineers of West Virginia didn't let the Devils off the hook. And, they weren't even impressed about their accomplishment.
WVU's Joe Alexander in the NY Times: “We knew that coming in that they were just going to stand around and not rebound, so we were ready to exploit that.”
WVU reserve Cam Thoroughman, from the same article: “Oh my God. Are you kidding?”
This was his response to finding out that Greg Paulus was one of the eight McDonald's All-Americans on Duke's roster. West Virginia has eight fewer than Duke. That's right...zero. This difference was not ignored by the Mounaineers in post-game comments.
“We don’t have any McDonald’s all-Americans and we don’t have any guys who were the No. 1 player in their state,” West Virginia center Jamie Smalligan said. “But I think that Coach K would love to have Joe Alexander on his team right now,” he added, referring to Duke Coach Mike Krzyzewski.
It will be very interesting to find out what Duke fans are thinking about their team. Will they be confident that Coach K can turn it around? Why? Are they concerned that Coach K has lost his recruiting touch? There will be questions that Duke fans haven't asked in quite some time, but that are always asked when a traditional power has two consecutive early exits from the NCAA Tournament.
Duke has lost the swagger. Well, that probably not true. Duke and it's fans still have the swagger. What they don't have is the aura that they used to have. Teams are not afraid of the jersey, as they may have been in the past.
Belmont's players were upset at the loss. They had watched the Devils on film, and knew exactly what to do to win. They executed their game plan very well, but fell just one point short. In years past, you'd hear players happy to have kept it close. Belmont felt that they had let Duke off the hook.
The Mountaineers of West Virginia didn't let the Devils off the hook. And, they weren't even impressed about their accomplishment.
WVU's Joe Alexander in the NY Times: “We knew that coming in that they were just going to stand around and not rebound, so we were ready to exploit that.”
WVU reserve Cam Thoroughman, from the same article: “Oh my God. Are you kidding?”
This was his response to finding out that Greg Paulus was one of the eight McDonald's All-Americans on Duke's roster. West Virginia has eight fewer than Duke. That's right...zero. This difference was not ignored by the Mounaineers in post-game comments.
“We don’t have any McDonald’s all-Americans and we don’t have any guys who were the No. 1 player in their state,” West Virginia center Jamie Smalligan said. “But I think that Coach K would love to have Joe Alexander on his team right now,” he added, referring to Duke Coach Mike Krzyzewski.
It will be very interesting to find out what Duke fans are thinking about their team. Will they be confident that Coach K can turn it around? Why? Are they concerned that Coach K has lost his recruiting touch? There will be questions that Duke fans haven't asked in quite some time, but that are always asked when a traditional power has two consecutive early exits from the NCAA Tournament.
Play-In Comment
I've been meaning to write this ever since Selection Sunday, but haven't had the time.
The teams chosen for the play-in game of the NCAA Tournament get shafted. This year, Coppin State and Mount St. Mary's played in the game, which was played in Dayton, Ohio, as it is every year. Technically, MSM got their first NCAA Tournament win, defeating Coppin State 69-60. However, the Mount also lost a first round matchup against the North Carolina Tar Heels.
How, exactly, do you have a win and a first round loss? Because the NCAA calls the Tuesday special the "Opening Round." Everyone who doesn't work for the NCAA (or one of the schools assigned to the game) calls it the play-in game.
The NCAA Tournament really begins on a Thursday, and arenas across the country host four games each. There is electricity in the air, and it is an event that every sports fan looks forward to watching. The play-in game is not, which is why Coppin State and Mount St. Mary's were cheated.
Coppin State won the MEAC Conference tournament. Mount St. Mary's won the NEC Conference tournament. The MEAC is the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference. The NEC is the Northeast Conference. They probably don't even qualify as mid-majors. In my opinion, that shouldn't matter. Both of these teams earned their way into the NCAA Tournament. They are champions. They aren't "bubble teams," and no one spent the day after Selection Sunday debating whether or not they should be in the tournament.
There are 34 at-large NCAA Tournament bids handed out on Selection Sunday. The last two teams in should be the teams in the play-in game. They are barely in the tournament, and every TV talking head debates which teams should be in their places. This year, Arizona and South Alabama would have been prime candidates. Since they are questionable tournament teams anyway, send them to Dayton, and let the winner be a 12-seed somewhere.
Even if Coppin State and Mount St. Mary's both get beaten in their opening game, at least they would have gotten to experience the excitement of the NCAA Tournament. I have a hard time believing they get that experience in Dayton.
The teams chosen for the play-in game of the NCAA Tournament get shafted. This year, Coppin State and Mount St. Mary's played in the game, which was played in Dayton, Ohio, as it is every year. Technically, MSM got their first NCAA Tournament win, defeating Coppin State 69-60. However, the Mount also lost a first round matchup against the North Carolina Tar Heels.
How, exactly, do you have a win and a first round loss? Because the NCAA calls the Tuesday special the "Opening Round." Everyone who doesn't work for the NCAA (or one of the schools assigned to the game) calls it the play-in game.
The NCAA Tournament really begins on a Thursday, and arenas across the country host four games each. There is electricity in the air, and it is an event that every sports fan looks forward to watching. The play-in game is not, which is why Coppin State and Mount St. Mary's were cheated.
Coppin State won the MEAC Conference tournament. Mount St. Mary's won the NEC Conference tournament. The MEAC is the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference. The NEC is the Northeast Conference. They probably don't even qualify as mid-majors. In my opinion, that shouldn't matter. Both of these teams earned their way into the NCAA Tournament. They are champions. They aren't "bubble teams," and no one spent the day after Selection Sunday debating whether or not they should be in the tournament.
There are 34 at-large NCAA Tournament bids handed out on Selection Sunday. The last two teams in should be the teams in the play-in game. They are barely in the tournament, and every TV talking head debates which teams should be in their places. This year, Arizona and South Alabama would have been prime candidates. Since they are questionable tournament teams anyway, send them to Dayton, and let the winner be a 12-seed somewhere.
Even if Coppin State and Mount St. Mary's both get beaten in their opening game, at least they would have gotten to experience the excitement of the NCAA Tournament. I have a hard time believing they get that experience in Dayton.
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
Hickson To NBA? Possibly.
North Carolina State C/F JJ Hickson has decided to enter his name into the NBA Draft, head coach Sidney Lowe said on his final radio show of the season. Hickson will not hire an agent, but will show his wares at pre-draft camps and workouts. After determining where he is likely to be drafted, Hickson would then determine whether he stays in the draft or returns to NC State for another season.
Hickson's current draft status is unclear. Collegehoopsnet.com does not have him listed in their two round mock draft at all, but lists him as a potential first round pick. Draftexpress.com has Hickson projected to go 26th overall. Insidehoops.com projects JJ at 27th overall.
The assessment of Hickson's draft potential will be up in the air until the April 27th early entry deadline has passed. Up until that point, there are several players whose decisions about leaving college early for the NBA will affect where Hickson ends up in the draft.
Ultimately, the decision will most likely come down to Hickson's willingness to risk his future.
At the current projected draft positions, he would be going to playoff teams. Those teams are usually not as "needy" when it comes to rookies, so JJ could end up in the NBA Development League for long stretches. Also, rookie contracts are guaranteed for two year, with two more years as team options. If JJ is unable to crack the roster of the team that drafts him in two years, he may not get an immediate chance anywhere else. He'd then be faced with going overseas to try to work his way back to the NBA. Foreign basketball leagues are littered with U.S. players who thought they were more prepared for the NBA than they actually proved to be.
The only real risk in returning to NC State is injury. The work ethic that Hickson displayed as a freshman makes it likely that he would further develop his skills if he spent another year at NCSU. If he could improve his defense, and become better at recognizing double teams in the post on offense, Hickson would stand a good chance of improving his draft position considerably.
There really is no clear-cut right or wrong answer. It is entirely up to JJ. As a State fan, I'd like to see him spend another year in college, but I can't blame him for chasing his dreams, if that's what he ultimately decides to do. I wish him the best of luck, no matter what he decides.
Panthers Add DJ Hackett
The Carolina Panthers signed free agent wide receiver DJ Hackett to a two-year contract on Monday. The signing brings the number of actual living, breathing NFL wide receivers on the roster to three, up from one last year. Hackett joins the Panthers as the #2 wideout, according to his agent, Kevin Robinson.
Earlier this offseason, the Panthers welcomed back Muhsin Muhammad, a long time Panther who spent several years with the Chicago Bears. General manager Marty Hurney and head coach John Fox are hopeful that Hackett and Muhammad can open things up for All-Pro wideout Steve Smith.
Also, having more proven veterans on the roster should provide more tutelage for 2nd-year player Dwayne Jarrett, who had trouble learning the playbook and barely saw the field as a rookie. Jarrett faces potential disciplinary action after a recent DWI arrest.
The two additions should more than make up for the departures of Keary Colbert and Drew Carter, neither of whom could develop into consistent performers. Colbert has signed a free agent contract with the Denver Broncos, and Carter recently joined the Oakland Raiders.
Earlier this offseason, the Panthers welcomed back Muhsin Muhammad, a long time Panther who spent several years with the Chicago Bears. General manager Marty Hurney and head coach John Fox are hopeful that Hackett and Muhammad can open things up for All-Pro wideout Steve Smith.
Also, having more proven veterans on the roster should provide more tutelage for 2nd-year player Dwayne Jarrett, who had trouble learning the playbook and barely saw the field as a rookie. Jarrett faces potential disciplinary action after a recent DWI arrest.
The two additions should more than make up for the departures of Keary Colbert and Drew Carter, neither of whom could develop into consistent performers. Colbert has signed a free agent contract with the Denver Broncos, and Carter recently joined the Oakland Raiders.
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