So I thought Tommy Ammaker liked a challenge when he took over the mess at Michigan but then again he wasn't leaving a major conference coaching gig to take the UM job.
This Indiana job that Marquette coach Tom Crean is taking over in the next few years is a doozey. Your best 2 players are leaving for the NBA, one of your other starters is done with his eligibility and the remaining 2 starters got kicked off the team today for discipline issues.
IU is facing potential sanctions from the NCAA and if that drags on it will mess up 2-3 years of recruiting.
Meanwhile the conference will be stronger over the next couple of years than it has been; Purdue is young, Iowa, Minnesota, Michigan have good new coaches entering their second year, Penn State might actually be over 500 in conference next year...Illinois' recruiting for 09 is looking really good. MSU, Wisconsin and Ohio State should be locks to go to the NCAAs the next few years.
I hope he got a big fat contract and really likes Bloomington more than Milwaukee!
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| Posted by Art Nicholas at | | | |
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Michigan State, Wisconsin and Purdue acquitted themselves well in the tournament.
Hats off to the Badgers who won both the conference standings, the conference tournament and made it to the SWeet 16, all better than originally expected. Davidson wiped the floor with them but otherwise it was a very good season for them.
So our teams were toast before the Elite 8 and now we are down to the Final Four: 1 Pac10, 1 ACC, 1 CUSA and 1 Big12 team.
You can check out my March Madness page for more details on Tuesday evening about the Final Four. I would like to point out that I am pretty close in my brackets to at least scoring in the pool I entered if UNC wins. And if it is the Tarheels, i think I will have done better than all of the people entered into ESPN Radio WMVP's contest of celebs, currently led by none other than Erin Andrews.
To see her picks go here. The WMVP contest page is here. Thanks to Elliott Harris of the Chicago Sun Times who tipped me off to this contest.
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| Posted by Art Nicholas at | | | |
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So far my picks on the Big Ten have gone 100% correct although I wish I was wrong and Purdue had won. The Boilermakers played well. The Hoosiers played as poorly as i feared.
Both MSU and Wisconsin have been more convincing in their wins that I thought they might be in the second round. I have to offer kudos to MSU and give some props to mr. Nietzel. Against Pittsburgh not only did he score 21 points but he ran the Panthers ragged trying to guard him. As a result, late in the game, Pitt's 3 point shooters had no legs and couldn't connect.
Ok so here is where I win by losing. I have MSU losing to Memphis in the next round. I would LOVE to be wrong. It turns out in my bracket pool, the other people who have North Carolina winning the tournament, also have Memphis in the Final Four. If Memphis gets dinged against MSU, I benefit as I have Memphis losing next round anyway..make sense?
More importantly if both MSU and Wisconsin win, we get 2 of the Elite 8 teams and people around the country can get off the Big 10's back about a weak year! Currently we have the best percentage at 5-2 of any conference with more than 2 teams in the tourney!
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| Posted by Art Nicholas at | | | |
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Northwestern has never been the NCAA tournament. Michigan hasn't been there in years and the last time they were, they featured a team full of players who got paid money found in hallowed out cakes.
These 2 fine academic institutions should be ashamed at their lame performance given the results offered by solid academic schools such as Stanford, Cornell and this year Drake.
The Drake point guard has accomplished FOUR degrees at school already. They have 3 starters with GPA's over 3.4. Basketball is a sport where you can recruit decent kids and make a run at the tournament. Even though Drake lost, and messed up my brackets a bit..hats off to them.
To Northwestern and Michigan..no excuses..you should be able to recruit enough talented student-athletes to make it to the Big Dance!
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| Posted by Art Nicholas at | | | |
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So I heard several analysts on ESPN and CBS had picked Temple over MSU...hmm. I know the Spartans haven't lived up to the role of dominant force this season but still.
Purdue looked great, certainly no freshmen jitters and Wisconsin recovered from a slow start to win big over their opponent. I have Indiana losing in my brackets but I would be happy to be wrong. I just think the team is dysfunctional right now and despite the inside-outside game of Erci Gordon and DJ White I don't think they will win today...prove me wrong!
Check out my March Madness page if you have not, some great links and you can check to see if my keys to winning your brackets suggestions are working...
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| Posted by Art Nicholas at | | | |
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Michigan State got off to a good start by beating Temple by 11 points despite the poor shooting and some foul trouble by Drew Nietzel. Unfortunately as the Spartans go farther they will need Drew. Izzo needs to find a way to get him open looks as the kid cannot shoot when other teams defend him...plain and simple.
Purdue is up big over Baylor right now but plenty of time left. Wisconsin plays later tonight and Indiana tomorrow
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| Posted by Art Nicholas at | | | |
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No surprise really, we all knew he was leaning this way. You would think he'd know how to refer to his school choice but hey, he isn't even enrolled yet.
For the Buckeyes, he represents a chance at another National Title in 3 years. I suspect he won't get much playing time this season, he will struggle a bit next year and hit his stride in year 3. That assumes he doesn't get injured, discouraged or turns out to be a bust...the last of which is really doubtful.
For Michigan, the team possibly avoids another Drew Henson situation where a proud school gives the store to a kid with promises of playing time etc. However the lack of signing means not only is UM weak this year at QB, they may be weak for another couple of years in a very key position. Let's hope the defense gets a whole lot better when practicing against its own team because we have flailed over the past 6 years against multi threat QBs.
Ok back to the NCAAs! Check out the March Madness page on the website both now for bracket help and during the tournament.
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| Posted by Art Nicholas at | | | |
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So Michigan's Women's Basketball coach starts a post game press conference with a great rant. You think he might completely explode ala Bobby Knight...this one doesn't quite make the Rant Hall of Fame but it's decent.
Kudos to the improved UM Female Hoops play this year and the passion their coach has for the game.
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| Posted by Art Nicholas at | | | |
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Six Indiana players (more details here via Yahoo Sports) skipped practice in protest of the firing of cheater Kelvin Sampson. Indiana paid him $750,000 to avoid protracted lawsuits and the cloud of sulphur surrounding the IU program.
They should have never hired him and they finally fired him. Some of his players are upset and skipped practice in protest. Three things should have happened right away: 1) Interim coach Dan Dakish and their AD should have contacted the kids and told them, cool off and get ready to play against Northwestern or turn in your jersey. 2) Each of the kids parents should have gotten on the phone with their son and explained that the coach cheated got caught and now it was time to move on 3) Sampson, if he cares one iota for anyone other than himself should have called those kids and thanked them for the support but explained why they need to support the new coach and get back to playing. He should have publicly done this as well once he completed the calls.
If it turns out Sampson didn't have the decency to do so, then I hope he gets booed everywhere he goes, whether it be coaching again or broadcasting or whatever...I'm so sick of seeing his big mouth open on TV during games knowing his behavior.
OK enough ranting
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| Posted by Art Nicholas at | | | |
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How do you measure an over rating or an under rating? Based on recruiting class rankings vs production 3-5 years later? End of year ranking in the polls vs your perceived notion of how tough their schedule was? Or preseason rankings vs end of year performance?
If you believe the latter is a good measure then check out this website as they have done a great job following AP rankings between 1989 to 2007
http://preseason.stassen.com/over-under/all-teams.html
The news isn't the best for Big Ten teams especially one team. By the way the most under-rated team? Washington State.
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| Posted by Art Nicholas at | | | |
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