What’s the big deal about ‘the final 64’?? Christ, like I could care less if Fartblower University is meeting Turdburglar State in the Mid-South-Eastern-Northwestern-Pacific-Gulf Division quarter-semi-finals to determine if they can get a chance to play some other unknown team from some other unknown state for a chance to play…ad nauseum.
Personally, I hate men’s basketball anyway (they just don’t look like they’re trying…dribble dribble dunk…yawn…if they can score 40+ times a game, how hard can it be?), so this is just salt in the wound. I could be watching a good hockey game, that might determine if someone goes to the Stanley Cup playoffs (North America’s oldest professional sports trophy, thankyouverymuch), but it’s basketball, basketball, basketball! Who cares!!! At least wait until all the chaff teams are gone before you broadcast basketball 24/7 on ESPN!
Whew, thanks.
-sb
“This is going to take a special blend of psychology and extreme violence.”
Well, for one thing, the games are being shown on CBS, not ESPN. Also, the boring dribble, dribble, dunk, slam version of basketball to which you refer is a symptom of the Professional game, which I admit, is about as exciting as watching paint dry. A bunch of bored, overpaid professionals who don’t seem to care whether they win or lose.
However, the college game, IMO, is much more entertaining. This tournament may be one of the most exciting things to happen to many of these kids, and it shows in their attitudes on the court. The emotions, the ups and downs of the game, are obvious and infectious.
Did you see the Florida 1 point win over Butler in the last second? How about the look on Indiana’s and Bob Knight’s faces when they realized that lightly regarded Pepperdine was going to roll right over them?
Just an opinion from someone lovin’ every minute of ‘March Madness.’
Ok, if the final 64 games aren’t being shown on ESPN, what are all those basketball games they are showing? Some sort of “loser’s tournament” with all the folks that didn’t make it? Last week, it was almost 24-hour basketball. Man, and they had some great games going on that I could have seen-sigh.
Worst part is, it’s not like I could change the channel-all that roundball pre-empted all the hockey. I guess that’s what I’m most bitter about. If I could flip over to ESPN-8 or ESPN-9 and get hockey, I’d be a happy guy.
-sb
“This is going to take a special blend of psychology and extreme violence.”
What an idiot you are. How can you rant about “64 teams” when you are backing a sport where 2/3rds of the teams go the the playoffs ?? I mean give me a freakin break - what the hell IS the point of the regular season in hockey anyway ?? Aside from the fact that the only interesting thing about ice lacrosse is when there are fights, why should anyone care about what happens in the first 8 months (or something) of the season ? Can you name another real sport where 2/3rds of the teams make the play-offs ? Its pointless really. So turn the channel if NCAA is on - some of us love it and find it greatly more exciting than the National Boring Association (NBA) and certainly far more interesting than figure skating with sticks.
While you are right that too many damn teams go to the playoffs, I think you can make that argument for any sport. Hell, look at the NFL-with all the weird ‘wildcard’ rules, no one can explain who might be going to the playoffs and who won’t.
Hehe-‘ice lacrosse’. Good analogy, except I never got to run someone into the boards when I was playing lacrosse.
Maybe 16 teams out of 30 is a couple too many, but that’s still 1/4 of the teams that are in the MM first round. And, with each playoff round being a ‘best of xx’ series, you don’t have to worry about fluky wins by crappy teams knocking off legitimate contenders with one lucky basket. So, using that as rule, then the entire college hoops season up until the playoffs is moot if the better team can be defeated in one game.
-sb
“This is going to take a special blend of psychology and extreme violence.”
“No way, dude! My sport rocks the ages! Yoor sport is for dumbies!”
Ooooh, this looks like fun. Let me join.
Please, if you don’t like the choices offered on TV, then unhook you’re LaBatt’s IV, get off you’re ass and go play that sport that you love so much. If you want to recreate that authentic NHL feel, then make sure to knock three of your teeth out first and leave all sense of sportsmanship at home. You may not like the enthusiasm and agility of college basketball, that’s you’re prerogative. Until I see a Blue Devil pick up a stick and assault an opponent in the final seconds of an out-of-reach game, I’ll take the NCAA finals over the NHL felons any day.
The best lack all conviction
The worst are full of passionate intensity.
*
BTW – final 64 teams == 63 games to pick a winner. I guess either repetetive cranial concussions have left you unable to perform simple tasks like basic arithmatic and changing channels.
The best lack all conviction
The worst are full of passionate intensity.
*
Yeah, I have always sucked at math, but at least I can spell ‘Arithmetic’. Way to prove yer argument. Sheesh. grin
Oh, and if we’re going to start throwing around generalizations like all hockey players are missing teeth and attack each other with sticks, how about our buddy Latrell Sprewell <sp>? Let’s see-attack your coach, run a chop-shop for stolen cars in L.A., sue the league for suspending you for physically attacking your coach, and get reinstated as if nothing had happened? If all hockey players are dentally-challenged mindless thugs by association, I guess all basketball players are violent street hoodlum gangsters then?
Heck, I don’t even think NCAA finals are even broadcast nationally for hockey or baseball. I guess the crux of my dismay is why does basketball have the big edge where they can have the majority of 64 playoff games aired? While I understand college hockey isn’t a big draw in the US (which explains the sporadic coverage), why isn’t there ‘October Madness’ or something like that for college baseball?
“This is going to take a special blend of psychology and extreme violence.”
I had Stanford over St. Johns in the final. I friggin hate this tournament. It’s a sad state of affairs when my two final teams get bounced by a number 8 seed and a number 10 seed.
Or maybe that’s why it’s the greatest sporting event in America.
“History will be kind to me, for I intend to write it.” -Winston Churchill
well, I suppose it is a good thing I have been moving when this thread popped up, because I probably would have gone into full rant mode regarding the asinine initial post.
I probably would have asked anyone to watch any 2nd round game (except UCLA-Maryland) and fail to get excited by the ups and downs, emotion, and excitement of close games where seeding didn’t matter. You could see every player give their all just to win. You could hear the fans hearts stop and start with each possession. You could see the joy and pain on each senior’s face based on how their team did.
I defy anyone to not get a little excited at the prospect of a small school like Gonzaga knocking of traditional powers. Number 1 seed? Who cares? Anyone is vulnerable, which makes this a roller coaster ride of ultimate watchability. There is a reason the tournament is talked about so much more than hockey (or most other sports.) Equal parts of school pride, total effort by players, and seeing kids give their all when this is likely their last shot at the big time in a sport they have spent their life playing.
But then, I likely would have ranted a whole lot more obnoxiously. Watch the NCAA tournament, and then watch the playoffs of any other sport, and the point of this post will be pretty darn clear.
We went right out there and refused to do accoustical versions of the electrical songs that we had refused to record in the first place.
The brackets aren’t divided up by georgraphy. They try to keep #1 seeds close to home. After that, the committee would rank the teams from 1 to 64, so the #1 overall seed (probably Duke this year) would have the 4th best 2 seed, 3 seed, etc.
If St John’s is viewed as the 2nd best #2 seed, they would be sent to the bracket with the 3rd best #1 seed.
And then, there are all of the rules that disallow a team from playing on a home court, playing a conference opponent right away, etc.
