# March Madness thread **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [March 19, 2014, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/march-madness-thread/684045 "2014-03-19T00:49:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 7
**Author:** ![Kiros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/439d5e/32.png) [@Kiros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kiros)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2014, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/march-madness-thread/684045/121 "2014-04-08T01:20:40Z")
I… already really miss the “home team” broadcasts that we had on Saturday night. Not because I particularly desire a homer UConn feed, but because it was blessedly Nantz-free. Is there any way we can take up a donation to send him on a humanitarian mission to Africa for, say, the next couple of decades? It fixes the NFL broadcasts, too - it’s a two-for-one! ---
**Author:** ![Human\_Action](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ac91a4/32.png) [@Human\_Action](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Human_Action)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2014, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/march-madness-thread/684045/122 "2014-04-08T01:22:49Z")
Let’s go Cats! ---
**Author:** ![Human\_Action](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ac91a4/32.png) [@Human\_Action](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Human_Action)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2014, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/march-madness-thread/684045/123 "2014-04-08T01:30:30Z")
Kentucky looks like they have cement shoes…they’re going to have to get a ton of rebounds, hold UConn to one shot possessions and get two or three shots on theirs. ---
**Author:** ![Lamar\_Mundane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/85f322/32.png) [@Lamar\_Mundane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamar_Mundane)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2014, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/march-madness-thread/684045/124 "2014-04-08T01:35:54Z")
> [@Stink Fish Pot](#): > > To pick Kentucky and UConn, based on how they played all season is like seeing into the future. I could believe it if one random person picked this, but 5? That is truly remarkable. I only looked at the top 5. There may be a lot more that have it correct. It’s not that amazing when you realize there’s something like 8 million people entered. ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2014, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/march-madness-thread/684045/125 "2014-04-08T01:57:24Z")
> [@Kiros](#): > > I… already really miss the “home team” broadcasts that we had on Saturday night. Not because I particularly desire a homer UConn feed, but because it was blessedly Nantz-free. Is there any way we can take up a donation to send him on a humanitarian mission to Africa for, say, the next couple of decades? It fixes the NFL broadcasts, too - it’s a two-for-one! Can he take Joe Buck with him? ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2014, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/march-madness-thread/684045/126 "2014-04-08T02:39:34Z")
This game’s killing me. Eta: a foul? Lovely. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![KittenKat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kittenkat/32/306_2.png) [@KittenKat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KittenKat)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2014, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/march-madness-thread/684045/127 "2014-04-08T03:19:34Z")
Woo hoo! One national championship down, one to go! Go Huskies! ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2014, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/march-madness-thread/684045/128 "2014-04-08T03:19:53Z")
Grats Huskies! GGA! ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2014, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/march-madness-thread/684045/129 "2014-04-08T03:21:18Z")
Good win UCONN, but Lordy Bagordy UK couldn’t hit a free throw to save their lives. What were they, 10-25? That’s pitiful. ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2014, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/march-madness-thread/684045/130 "2014-04-08T03:24:07Z")
Wahoo! Now, the women! Go Huskies! ---
**Author:** ![Kiros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/439d5e/32.png) [@Kiros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kiros)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2014, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/march-madness-thread/684045/131 "2014-04-08T03:32:08Z")
10 years since the last time they did it… go UCONN! ---
**Author:** ![etv78](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d78d45/32.png) [@etv78](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/etv78)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2014, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/march-madness-thread/684045/132 "2014-04-08T03:39:53Z")
My TV was messed up tonight! Will Luther be on YouTube tomorrow? ---
**Author:** ![Human\_Action](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ac91a4/32.png) [@Human\_Action](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Human_Action)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2014, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/march-madness-thread/684045/133 "2014-04-08T03:41:35Z")
> [@FoieGrasIsEvil](#): > > Good win UCONN, but Lordy Bagordy UK couldn’t hit a free throw to save their lives. What were they, 10-25? That’s pitiful. 13-for-24, thank you very much (.542). That, combined with being outrebounded by 1, pretty well sealed their fate. This Kentucky team was built to get the line and destroy the other team on the boards…take that away, and it’s just a collection of guys who don’t shoot very well and can’t contain quick guards (though, they did a pretty well job once they starting showing hard instead of switching). Spot the other team an early 15 point lead on top of all that, and it’s remarkable they were able to twice get within 1, and only lost by 6. Hell of a run for an unlikely David. Now, to see who stays and who declares for the draft. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2014, 4:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/march-madness-thread/684045/134 "2014-04-08T04:32:22Z")
The game has been over for mere minutes and already I have a [basketball jones](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JIbp5C-5WXM). 😉 ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2014, 4:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/march-madness-thread/684045/135 "2014-04-08T04:35:14Z")
> [@Human\_Action](#): > > 13-for-24, thank you very much (.542). That, combined with being outrebounded by 1, pretty well sealed their fate. This Kentucky team was built to get the line and destroy the other team on the boards…take that away, and it’s just a collection of guys who don’t shoot very well and can’t contain quick guards (though, they did a pretty well job once they starting showing hard instead of switching). Spot the other team an early 15 point lead on top of all that, and it’s remarkable they were able to twice get within 1, and only lost by 6. Hell of a run for an unlikely David. > > Now, to see who stays and who declares for the draft. Who do you realistically see staying? Not Randle. Not Cauley Stein. At least one of the Harrison brothers will be gone. Young is probably gone, Poythress as well. ---
**Author:** ![magnusblitz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b4bc9f/32.png) [@magnusblitz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/magnusblitz)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2014, 5:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/march-madness-thread/684045/136 "2014-04-08T05:05:44Z")
> [@Human\_Action](#): > > Hell of a run for an unlikely David. Unlikely David? I know they were an 8 seed, but they started the season as the pre-season #1. And were playing a 7 seed. That’s not an unlikely David. ---
**Author:** ![etv78](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d78d45/32.png) [@etv78](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/etv78)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2014, 6:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/march-madness-thread/684045/137 "2014-04-08T06:05:24Z")
> [@etv78](#): > > My TV was messed up tonight! Will Luther be on YouTube tomorrow? What, 2 and half hours after I post, up on YouTube. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Human\_Action](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ac91a4/32.png) [@Human\_Action](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Human_Action)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2014, 12:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/march-madness-thread/684045/138 "2014-04-08T12:07:15Z")
> [@FoieGrasIsEvil](#): > > Who do you realistically see staying? Not Randle. Not Cauley Stein. At least one of the Harrison brothers will be gone. Young is probably gone, Poythress as well. Tough to say for sure, of course…I figure Randle and Cauley-Stein are gone, they are the best pro prospects on the team. Poythress has an NBA body and NBA athleticism, but not an NBA skill set…he’s also a 4.0 student, so staying in school to learn some skills might not be the onerous chore for him that it is for other guys. The Harrisons would worry me if I were an NBA GM with a mid-to-late round pick, college-level point guards can blow by them, which means NBA point guards will score at will against them. They can’t shoot, and their size advantage (especially for Aaron) will largely disappear at the NBA level. I could see taking them in the 20s, but no higher. Young is also pretty raw, he’s a _horrific_ passer. With any luck, Calipari will use the example of his 2011 team - Final Four loss to UConn, Terrence Jones, Darius Miller, and Doron Lamb return for another year and win the title as sophomores - to convince a few to stay. His system has always been to encourage guys to leave when they are ready, and right now that’s just Randle and Cauley-Stein. If I were him, I’d point to Marquis Teague and Archie Goodwin - yes, they’re in the league, but they’re hanging by a thread, playing limited minutes and shuttling back and forth to the D-league. Their NBA careers could be over very soon, because they aren’t good enough to play, which means they aren’t improving much. Realistically, though, we’re talking millions of dollars…I figure Randle, Cauley-Stein, and the Harrisons leave, Young, Poythress, Lee, and Johnson stay. > [@magnusblitz](#): > > Unlikely David? I know they were an 8 seed, but they started the season as the pre-season #1. And were playing a 7 seed. That’s not an unlikely David. That’s what makes them an unlikely David: they should have been Goliath, based on their haul of All-Americans and pre-season hype. They were not that, rather they were a collection of good-natured, fun-loving, raw, freshmen, each with a pretty limited game, that happened to complement each other well enough that when they finally started to figure out their basic schemes (and hit some lucky threes), they made the final. I know they were favored by 2 or 2 and half in the final, but they shouldn’t have been, after Kentucky pulled another win out of their ass in the final seconds against Wisconsin, and UConn coldly destroyed Florida. And by God, if Cauley-Stein was healthy, they’d have most likely won last night. His ability to defend guards at the perimeter would have given them a much better shot at stopping UConn’s pick and roll through switching. Randle looked hobbled as well, worse the luck. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2014, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/march-madness-thread/684045/139 "2014-04-08T14:18:59Z")
I hope Kentucky can keep their freshmen for another year. That team could be unstoppable next season. Inexperience and nerves got the better of them in the final. It would be a mistake to jump to the NBA now. They all need more experience in pressure situations. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2014, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/march-madness-thread/684045/140 "2014-04-08T14:45:57Z")
Come on. You all know what Kentucky’s business model is. But in any case it was a really good game and a fitting end to a crazy tournament. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/march-madness-thread/684045.md?page=6) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/march-madness-thread/684045.md?page=8)