TTP March Madness 2005 Pool

[bertrum]

Mail from Calgary takes time. I ask for lenience and consideration from my fellow posters.

 

[Sandman]

Oh well.....I'm Gandhi.

Coach K actually recruited Shavlik Randolph

Billy Packer can single handedly destroy an other wise good broadcast

Had my first and last experience with on-line betting

Sandman

PS Go Villanova

 

[sensei_hanson]

JJ Redick's penchant for disappearing in the NCAA tournament continues. Either he's entirely overrated (possible), freezes up when the team needs him most (probable) or too one-dimensional (harsh, but he really hasn't proven he can adapt when threes aren't falling).

Melchionni did more in 18 minutes than what Randolph and Dockery did in their combined 45. There is no way you advance past the sweet 16 when two of your starters do not register a single point.

I think everybody knew that Duke's depth (or lackthereof) would be tested at some point during the tournament. Izzo had the benefit of rolling out 10 guys tonight, and got points from eight of them.

On the flip side, Coach K only had eight available players (that's with the generous inclusion of Reggie "Personal Foul" Love as a rotation-worthy guy), and only had five players register a point tonight.

Duke were dead the moment Williams got into foul trouble. If tonight was any indication, Shelden Williams proved he's Dook's MVP, not Redick. Hell, I'd make a case for Ewing as well. Anyways, I think The Landlord is going to be the best forward in the country if he returns next season (yes, even better than Sean May).

 

[Yoda]

This just in............I'M NOT IN LAST ANYMORE!!!!!!!!!!

Carry on.

 

[BlazeArmy]

What a slate of games this weekend!!!!!!

The vegas sportsbooks were on fire. Especially in the Lousiville - West Viriginia game. To cover the game Louisville needed one more point and the guy missed a dunk in the last 5 seconds. Funny but serious unhappiness in the book.

 

[sensei_hanson]

ESPN.com is calling it the best Elite Eight in NCAA tournament history. Four games, four total overtimes, no margin of victory larger than six points.

So, where to begin. I believe I got royally Pittsnogled on saturday night playing the "warm shot of gin for each West Virginia three-point make" game at four o'clock in the afternoon. How a collection of guys name Hay-Bear, Bee-Line and Pitts-Nogel put up a 20-point lead, foul Garcia out of the game, blow a 20-point lead and lose in overtime is a great mystery to me. After 18 three-pointers, I was full of mystery. And gin.

Not to be outdone by their Mountaineering counterparts, Arizona saw WV's impressive lead and upped them by blowing it in a more spectacular fashion. How a team can play 39 minutes of tremendous basketball, only to revert to grade eight "B" team status when faced with a minute of the Illinois full-court press, is also a great mystery to me. Hassan Adams failed clock management 101 this semester, I guarantee it. Hard lines for Coach Olson, who definitely didn't draw that one up during the time-out.

Fast foward to Sunday. Patrick Sparks, who looks like he should be lugging around Eminem's DJ's record bag, gets about as close to having a chance with Ashley Judd as he ever will. Yes, he got fouled and it should have been a four-point play. Yes, it took major cojones to attempt the last-second shot after he started the sequence with a major airball. No, this does not qualify him for hero status in Kentucky. Win the game, then become a bluegrass legend. Ask Jeff Sheppard.

And of course, the wonderful week-end was capped with Carolina moving one step further to the NCAA Championship. Extra bit of enjoyment came during the Dook loss to Michigan State, when we finally realized that Shelden Williams is the spitting image of Ken Griffey Jr. in the Simpson's Softball episode, where he drinks too much of Burn's brain tonic and ends up with gigantism. Check it out. You'll see.

 

[Dial 9-1-1]

Agreed Sensei. Some unbelievable basketball the last couple days. The final 16 have been outstanding competitors. Some of the come from behind matches in the final 8 were difficult to fathom. Even though WV blew the big lead, Arizona were the biggest chokers unable to inbound the ball or break the press during the final 2 minutes. Also agreed that Sparks should have gone to the line for a 4 pt play.

I think the refereeing has been outstanding throughout, but if I had to guess, I'm thinking that if Sparks did not make that shot, he would have been on the line shooting 3. The refs had ice water in their veins to hold off on the whistle and wait to see if the ball went in. When it did, the refs decided, we're going to overtime to decide this one. Two refs were on the shooter and the rule of thumb is to protect the shooter on bonefide last second shots. It would have blown up in their faces, however, if the replay determined it was a 2 pointer.

 

[Dapotayto]

Looking at the pool scenarios it seems that it will be either Demolition or Lita taking the money. Demo will win if Illinois takes the title, Lita if it's anyone else winning the tournament. Damn, it was an ugly tournament for me pool-wise but stellar for drama and entertainment. And it ain't over yet. Personally, I'm pulling for Louisville as any university named after a guy named Louey is alright in my books.

 

[Sandman]

McDonalds All Americans

Korvotney Barber PF 6-9 230 (Manchester, GA) Auburn
Eric Boateng C 6-10 240 (London, England) Duke
Andrew Bynum C 7-0 300 (Plainsboro, NJ) Connecticut
Brandon Costner PF 6-9 230 (Montclair, NJ) NC State
Eric Devendorf PG 6-4 175 (Bay City, MI) Syracuse
Danny Green SG 6-6 205 (North Babylon, NY) North Carolina
Gerald Green SF 6-8 200 (Houston, TX) Oklahoma St.
Richard Hendrix PF 6-9 255 (Athens, AL) Alabama
Josh McRoberts PF 6-10 235 (Carmel, IN) Duke
Tasmin Mitchell SF 6-8 235 (Denham Springs, LA) LSU
Greg Paulus PG 6-2 185 (Manlius, NY) Duke
Louis Williams SG 6-3 185 (Snellville, GA) Georgia

BOYS WEST TEAM
Jon Brockman PF 6-8 245 (Snohomish, WA) Washington
Mario Chalmers PG 6-2 180 (Anchorage, AK) Kansas
Micah Downs SF 6-8 192 (Bothell, WA) Kansas
Byron Eaton PG 5-11 200 (Dallas, TX) Oklahoma St.
Monta Ellis SG 6-4 189 (Jackson, MS) Miss. St.
Bobby Frasor SG 6-3 190 (Blue Island, IL) North Carolina
Tyler Hansbrough PF 6-9 225 (Poplar Bluff, MO) North Carolina
Amir Johnson C 6-9 215 (Los Angeles, CA) Louisville
Calvin Miles SF 6-6 207 (Dallas, TX) Texas
Martell Webster SG 6-7 235 (Edmond, WA) Washington
Julian Wright SF 6-9 215 (Chi. Hgts, IL) Kansas
Luke Zeller PF 6-11 245 (Washington, IN) Notre Dame

3 kids from the state of Washington.
3 going to Duke
3 to Carolina
3 to Kansas

The Rich get richer...Hey Sensei, how many will go pro?

Sandman

 

[sensei_hanson]

Probably not as many as previous years. None of the HS players are highly regarded this year, at least in terms of going pro. The names I've heard of possibly going to the NBA are Monta Ellis (arguably the highest-rated HS player), Gerald Green and CJ Miles. The ACC looks to be getting a tre-men-dous crop of freshman talent, so long as a few of them don't go all Shawn Livingston on them at the last minute.

 

[Captain Shamrock]

The game is on tonight at 4:00 I believe on The Score?????

 

[lean]

Look for a very interesting match up with McRoberts(dooke) vs Hansbrough(Carolina). Both are highly rated and will be matched up in the game.

Lean

 

[Yoda]

Was just checking the configurable standings and after spending so long in last place, i have the chance place second if Illinois beats Mich St. in final or third if Illinois beats NC in the final. No chance at first though.

Too bad, i would have looked hot in that Adidas gear i'm sure.

 

[sensei_hanson]

....one shin-ing mom-ent.....

Booya. What a performance. Well, what a first half, anyways. Sean May was on fcuking fire all night. My buddy Matthew kept telling me how Illinois was going to contain him with Augustine...good luck. Weber blew it, shoulda been double-teaming May the whole second half. Ingram couldn't deal with the seperation May got on the bump, and just watched him go glass time after time after time after time.....

Where exactly was Dee Brown all night? He really didn't do anything on the big stage. Outside of May, Deron Williams was the best player on the floor. I love that guy, and I think he's going to be a helluva NBA player.

But really, this is a tre-men-dous victory for the Tar Heel nation. I remember Jawad Williams and Jackie Manuel playing with that brutal Capel/Lang-led 8-20 team and thinking those guys could never contribute to a National Champion. Shows how much I know. Congrats to Coach Williams, who joins Phil Mickleson and the Boston Red Sox as people who FINALLY GOT OVER THE FCUKING HUMP with this one.

War Back-to-Back UNC Titles in 2006,
-sensei.

 

[Dial 9-1-1]

Great job by Illinois to get back into this game, but they just couldn't hit the shots when they needed to, and they had a number of free, open looks down the stretch. I don't know how NC would have reacted if they went down by 3-5 after leading by 10-15 for most of the game.

Augustine was totallly undisciplined and it was proabably better for Illinois tonight that he only played 9 minutes. Stupid, stupid fouls. Especially his fourth which came moments after his third. Ingram did all right, and looked good from the elbow.

 

[Captain Shamrock]

Weber blew it, shoulda been double-teaming May the whole second half.

They couldn't. NC had this sussed out before the game even started. They watched the video and noticed where they had tendencies to double. Usually on the 4 spot, which meant there was a lot of play between the 4 and 5 spot. Ate em' alive with this. Thanks for coming out.


Hail Hail

 

[Yoda]

Congrats to Lita, Walks, and Franz (in that order) for the pool standings.
Too bad for Lita that we don't have more responsible people entering these pools and PAYING UP, or you'd have more money in our pocket.

That is of course unless Regs hasn't updated the "paid" list.

Noticed that 2 of the top 3 aren't on the list, maybe you should only let people who actually paid their money win prizes. Might serve them right.

 

[Regs]

The funny thing is that Lita has not paid up.

A cheque was supposedly to be mailed but if it is not here by tomorrow, Lita will not be collecting anything.

Walks said on Friday that he was putting a cheque in the mail. Again, if it is not here by tomorrow, he will not be collecting anything.

That leaves Franz currently in the driver's seat to win the cash.

One Dart and Blazearmy have not replied to any posts or PMs asking them about the status of their payment. They are currently about to be the first people involved in this pool to be banned from the site.

 

[Yoda]

Looks like Sensei may squeeze into the top 3 by tomorrow.
Well done Sensei. 3rd by default.

 

[Walks]

Just so you know, Walks has put the cheque in the mail. I would assume it would be there tomorrow or by Wednesday at the latest - you do live in fcuking Port Moody after all Regs

Full marks to Lita & son for winning the pool - anyone that takes Michigan State to get to the Final Four deserves to walk away with it.

Fcuking unbelievable tournament ........