why do i do this to myself every single year?

Yeah, Wisconsin has joined a short list of schools that I will never root for again in my life.
They fuck me over when I pick against them, and really fuck me over when I think they will do well.
I didn't expect to do all that well this year, since the tournament is a crap shoot with no clear cut favorite.
ESPN and CBS should fire each and everyone of the so called experts who thought New Mexico and Wisconsin could make a run, and who also thought that Syracuse was at risk of being upset by Montana.

I don't think I've ever seen this seeding matchup before: (13) La Salle vs (12) Ole Miss

I'd imagine the odds of a 13 and a 12 in the same regional both winning are pretty small.

Bye bye Ben Howland. Wish you well in your new school. Really, really glad to see you go though.

Pac 12 championship isn't good enough?

George Washington v. Southern in, I think, 93.

YINKA DARE!

Obligatory "go SU" post. My expectations aren't even as high as they were last year, but this year does indeed have an "anything can happen" vibe to it more so than in years past. Also we killed 'em in the first round, so hopefully the momentum will carry us for a while longer.

Not at UCLA, no.

UCLA is the Bammer of college hoops. And they will keep chasing their successor to Wooden just as Bammer did until they got Saban.

Howland's a damn good coach though. He can come coach UGA any old time.

I think of Kentucky as the Bammer of college hoops. UCLA is sort of like Notre Dame and Michigan. They are an old guard team that is chasing a title. Everyone hopes they can be a contender again, but every time get close again they end up getting embarassed.

Still got 7 of my 8 elite 8 in play....
feelin not so shitty....

He won the conference despite losing 2 or 3 players and starting freshmen for much of the season---probably one of his better coaching jobs at UCLA.

I'm actually kind of jealous though. I wish Washington would do the same with Lorenzo Romar. He has turned the program around and made a few runs to the Sweet 16 but has missed the tournament 2 years running due to the same correctable reasons. He has reached his ceiling but is a sacred cow, has 5 years left on his fat contract and will have to really fuck it up to get fired.

Down here this is known as the Mark Richt Paradox.


My bracket collapse is almost fully complete. Ironically, Florida could help me tremendously by making the Final Four. It's one of the few differences I have with folks in my office pool.

The best thing to happen over the weeked for me was La Salle eliminating Ole Miss and asshat Marshall Henderson.

I've got them winning it all, and it's really the only thing setting me apart now. All my upset picks were wrong, and I had Gonzaga in the final. P.H.Uked.

Asshat? That guy is AWESOME.

I think you and I need an understanding. It's become clear that you and I approach hoops from different places.

I need to hate players and teams. Like, they need to die somehow.

Henderson may be an awesome player but he's also why they're going home (Tourney shooting: 8 for 20 and 6 for 21, I think).

He's also the reason they were even there in the first place. Such is the duality of the Streak Shooter.

We'll always have moments like these though:

Bringing in Alford for Howland seems more of a lateral move, at best, to me. His teams at New Mexico have flourished in the Mountain West only to flail in the post season. I can't imagine UCLA fans are too pleased with this hire.

Lateral? I think its a step down. But they couldn't stand the shame of being rejected by Shaka and Brad Stevens and had to act fast.

I like Alford, but I agree. He never led Iowa or New Mexico to an elite eight or final four, and that seems to be what the administration at UCLA expects from their coach. Howland led UCLA to three consecutive final four appearances and a spot in the title game after leading Pitt to two consecutive sweet sixteen appearances.
This reminds me of when my Huskers dumped Solich and settled on Callahan after being spurned by a number of hot mid major coaches including Urban Meyer.

I did say "at best". I was just trying to be kind. Looking forward to hearing Bill Walton and Marques Johnson's reactions. They've both been pretty vocal (especially Walton) during recent Pac 12 broadcasts about the need for a new coach.

UCLA's problem is that it still believes it is the UCLA of the Wooden era and wants to think it can do it "the right way". Whatever that even means anymore.

To further Bloor's comparison, Alabama experienced the exact same thing in football after Gene Stallings left (who won them a title) in 1996. They floundered with great hype, but ultimately mediocre coaches for TEN years when they finally got fed up and paid Saban DOUBLE what the highest paid coach in football made to come there. No one argues with the results now.

UCLA may have to do the same thing in the fast moving sports world. Particularly basketball where more and more coaches are staying, building small programs into successful ones.

The highest paid coaches in the NCAA right now: Calipari, Izzo, Pitino

There is a thread there.

Also echo Bloor's sentiment, I'd take Howland in a heartbeat.

The Right Away includes having Jim Herrick as your coach I guess.

Also, that Ware injury=holy fuck. Sorry I rewinded the DVR.

I think I made the "Gasp" rage comic face.