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Crane Pool Tournament Challenge 2010

Elster88 Mar 13 2010 02:54 PM Edited 3 time(s), most recently on Mar 13 2010 05:11 PM

My sources at the NCAA tell me that they will most likely cancel the 2010 tournament given that UConn will not be playing. But on the slight chance that the tournament is held anyway, I've set up the usual bracket challenge at yahoo(tournament.fantasysports.yahoo.com). Click "join a group" and then "join group". You'll have to enter a group ID (42827) and password (piazza). Let us know what your bracket name is if it's not obvious. Mine is Elster88. Winner gets 25 cranepoolbucks donated to the forum in their name.

Nymr83 Mar 13 2010 03:05 PM Re: CranePool Tournament Challenge 2010

don't worry uconn, your prestigious program is virtually gauranteed a bid to the Not In Tournament! enjoy!

Nymr83 Mar 13 2010 03:08 PM Re: CranePool Tournament Challenge 2010

it just told me "piazza" is not the password (i tried "Piazza" and "PIAZZA" too)

Elster88 Mar 13 2010 03:28 PM Re: CranePool Tournament Challenge 2010

I had the ID number wrong. It should be 42827. Fixed above too.

Kong76 Mar 13 2010 04:09 PM Re: CranePool Tournament Challenge 2010

Cool, thanks for the prize gesture!

A Boy Named Seo Mar 13 2010 11:08 PM Re: Crane Pool Tournament Challenge 2010

"In". Nice stuff, Elster. Very good gesture, man.

Methead Mar 14 2010 08:25 AM Re: Crane Pool Tournament Challenge 2010

In. I'm Orange Julius.

TransMonk Mar 14 2010 08:28 AM Re: Crane Pool Tournament Challenge 2010

I'm in. I'm not picking Syracuse.

MFS62 Mar 14 2010 09:03 AM Re: Crane Pool Tournament Challenge 2010

Its going to be strange looking at an NCAA tourney that doesn't have UCONN, UCLA or North Carolina. That freaks me out, so I'm not entering. But the only school I'll root for that wears Orange is Tennessee. Later

Swan Swan H Mar 14 2010 09:17 AM Re: Crane Pool Tournament Challenge 2010

Thanks for setting this up. I know nothing about college hoops, which, if the winners of our annual office pools are any indication, may not be much of a disadvantage. I'm in as Basket Case.

Ashie62 Mar 14 2010 09:23 AM Re: Crane Pool Tournament Challenge 2010

Where's Rutgers? Oh yeah, we suck Im Ashie62 Thanks much

Kong76 Mar 14 2010 09:26 AM Re: Crane Pool Tournament Challenge 2010

In = Dribble This

Methead Mar 14 2010 09:38 AM Re: Crane Pool Tournament Challenge 2010

[quote="TransMonk":2rnnnytr] I'm not picking Syracuse.[/quote:2rnnnytr] Heh. As much as I'd like to, I never do.

Fman99 Mar 14 2010 10:13 AM Re: Crane Pool Tournament Challenge 2010

I am in, good stuff Elster.

Edgy DC Mar 14 2010 12:07 PM Re: Crane Pool Tournament Challenge 2010

Momma's Little Hepler is in.

Ashie62 Mar 14 2010 04:05 PM Re: Crane Pool Tournament Challenge 2010

and the Orange and WVU get screwed

metsguyinmichigan Mar 15 2010 08:55 AM Re: Crane Pool Tournament Challenge 2010

I'm in! M-I-Z Z-O-U So you can pretty much dismiss my bracket from the get-go.

soupcan Mar 15 2010 01:25 PM Re: Crane Pool Tournament Challenge 2010

In and thanks!

metirish Mar 15 2010 04:50 PM Re: Crane Pool Tournament Challenge 2010

I'm in , now what?

Number 6 Mar 15 2010 06:25 PM Re: Crane Pool Tournament Challenge 2010

No idea what I'm doing, but what the hell. I'm Gromitology.

seawolf17 Mar 15 2010 06:38 PM Re: Crane Pool Tournament Challenge 2010

Will be in tonight. Are we doing an NIT bracket? Does anyone do NIT brackets? I need to pick Stony Brook to go all the way.

Edgy DC Mar 15 2010 07:46 PM Re: Crane Pool Tournament Challenge 2010

Let me be the first to congratulate Marquette on their national championship, beating a favored Pittsburgh team in the final. It's not the victory that will shock American sports fans, so much as the 86-7 score.

soupcan Mar 16 2010 08:27 AM Re: Crane Pool Tournament Challenge 2010

[quote="Edgy DC":2s0qpbks]Let me be the first to congratulate Marquette on their national championship, beating a favored Pittsburgh team in the final. It's not the victory that will shock American sports fans, so much as the 86-7 score.[/quote:2s0qpbks] Stranger things have happened and that's not really a far-fetched pick. Marquette's been tough all year (3 consecutive in-conference OT road wins for example) and was in the Final Four in '03. The score on the other hand... [quote="seawolf17":2s0qpbks]Are we doing an NIT bracket? Does anyone do NIT brackets? I need to pick Stony Brook to go all the way.[/quote:2s0qpbks] Good luck with that. A few years ago, Syracuse was in the NIT and I had a devil of a time finding just a bracket, much less a 'bracket contest'.

seawolf17 Mar 16 2010 10:46 AM Re: Crane Pool Tournament Challenge 2010

Okay, my bracket is done.

Edgy DC Mar 16 2010 11:36 AM Re: Crane Pool Tournament Challenge 2010

Met picks: David Wright --- Kansas or Kentucky (leaning toward Kentucky) Mike Pelfrey --- Kansas Jayhawks ("without a question") Jason Bay --- Kansas ("My straight up pick...") Barajas --- Duke ("...best coach in college history... except for John Wooden.") Francouer --- Kentucky I think that Francouer has the fever.

Elster88 Mar 16 2010 07:58 PM Re: Crane Pool Tournament Challenge 2010

[quote="seawolf17":2wl6lxw8]Will be in tonight. Are we doing an NIT bracket? Does anyone do NIT brackets? I need to pick Stony Brook to go all the way.[/quote:2wl6lxw8] UConn squeaking out a win today. http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketb ... tournament

Ashie62 Mar 17 2010 04:52 AM Re: Crane Pool Tournament Challenge 2010

K State Georgetown WVU Baylor WVU 62 GTown 61 Good Luck 2 all

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr Mar 17 2010 06:12 AM Re: Crane Pool Tournament Challenge 2010

Kansas Kentucky Pittsburgh... ... and your national champion, Villanova. (Who needs D?)

soupcan Mar 17 2010 07:14 AM Re: Crane Pool Tournament Challenge 2010

No - you both have it wrong. Tennessee Kansas State Kentucky Villanova Unfortunately, Kentucky will be your national champion.

Kong76 Mar 17 2010 07:10 PM Re: Crane Pool Tournament Challenge 2010

I have done just about everything to waste time tonight except fill out my CPF Yahoo and DDad CBS bracket .... dare I wait to see if I'll be up again at four in the morning like usual again?

HahnSolo Mar 17 2010 08:24 PM Re: Crane Pool Tournament Challenge 2010

In. Mostly chalk (Kansas, Cuse, West Virginia), but I thought the Duke region would blow up a bit. I have Baylor beating Texas A&M in the regional final.

Ashie62 Mar 17 2010 09:14 PM Re: Crane Pool Tournament Challenge 2010

[quote="seawolf17":ojaqfn96]Will be in tonight. Are we doing an NIT bracket? Does anyone do NIT brackets? I need to pick Stony Brook to go all the way.[/quote:ojaqfn96] Stony Brook hung with the Big 10 tonight..I know you wanted the win but they played well

Centerfield Mar 18 2010 07:36 AM Re: Crane Pool Tournament Challenge 2010

I'm Otto. I picked Syracuse to win like I do every year. I've also got Cornell in the Sweet 16.

TransMonk Mar 18 2010 07:49 AM Re: Crane Pool Tournament Challenge 2010

Cornell beating Wisconsin?!? Blasphemy! To be honest, I thought long and hard about making that pick as well. But then went with my heart (and the better team). I have Duke over Syracuse in the Finals with Kansas and Marquette also in the Final Four.

Centerfield Mar 18 2010 07:56 AM Re: Crane Pool Tournament Challenge 2010

I pick with my heart every year. It, along with my elbow, thumb, kneecap and spleen, are all smarter than my head.

Frayed Knot Mar 18 2010 08:07 AM Re: Crane Pool Tournament Challenge 2010

Here's my prediction: It's a wide-open tournament this year, more open than any year since ____ as I can easily see any one of ____ teams winning the whole thing. The ____ is definitely the toughest bracket so look for lots of possible upsets. Over in the ____ bracket you can't overlook the _____s of ____ as you know that if you give coach ____ a week to prepare he's going to have his kids ready to play. Guard play is always so huge in this tournament so you can't count out ____ in their sub-regional but they also could have trouble right off the bat going against ____ U. because of their lineup is so long. In the ____ bracket, the experienced senior heavy squad at ____ State is a good bet to go to at least the sweet sixteen but don't be surprised if they run into an upset at the hands of the fighting ____ and coach ____'s team of talented freshmen who just love to wear down the other team by running up and down the court for 40 minutes. In the final analysis, the four #1 seeds are all strong bets to make it deep into the tournament but have to be wary of getting picked off along the way if they're not on top of their game. The best thing about that prediction is not only can you simply re-use it every year but you can fill in just about any school, any coach, any player for the above blanks and have as much chance as anyone to be right or at least to sound smart and insider-ish while you're saying it. And if you've got a job at ESPN or any one of various other networks sports departments they'll pay you 100K/year or more to spout out stuff exactly like that.

Edgy DC Mar 18 2010 08:21 AM Re: Crane Pool Tournament Challenge 2010

Thanks for the $100K job, sucker.

Methead Mar 18 2010 08:22 AM Re: Crane Pool Tournament Challenge 2010

I'm resisting the urge to edit my picks. Going with the gut, which I hope is smarter than CF's spleen.

TransMonk Mar 18 2010 12:22 PM Re: Crane Pool Tournament Challenge 2010

Notre Dame is the first eliminated...and the first to bust my bracket. Dammit.

metirish Mar 18 2010 12:58 PM Re: Crane Pool Tournament Challenge 2010

[quote="TransMonk":30h6mdz2]Notre Dame is the first eliminated...and the first to bust my bracket. Dammit.[/quote:30h6mdz2] I had them winning.......

Edgy DC Mar 18 2010 01:13 PM Re: Crane Pool Tournament Challenge 2010

I'm not sure I can name a single NCAA basketball player --- probably not. But I'm two for two. Both upsets, also.

soupcan Mar 18 2010 01:28 PM Re: Crane Pool Tournament Challenge 2010

The ODU win was an upset but the other two ('Nova and BYU) weren't.

Methead Mar 18 2010 01:29 PM Re: Crane Pool Tournament Challenge 2010

I shouldn't have resisted the urge to edit my picks this morning. Looks like I never picked a winner for my Texas A&M/Siena game in the 2nd round, thus rendering my brackets incomplete. Other than that I'm doing fine.

TransMonk Mar 18 2010 01:33 PM Re: Crane Pool Tournament Challenge 2010

I wondered why you were 3 for 3 but only had 190 possible points instead of 192. I hope you don't lose by 2.

John Cougar Lunchbucket Mar 18 2010 01:54 PM Re: Crane Pool Tournament Challenge 2010

[quote="TransMonk":13akh29w]I wondered why you were 3 for 3 but only had 190 possible points instead of 192. I hope you don't lose by 2.[/quote:13akh29w] Yeah, it would be funnier if he lost by 1.

Elster88 Mar 18 2010 01:58 PM Re: Crane Pool Tournament Challenge 2010

[quote="Methead":1tzudfeh]I shouldn't have resisted the urge to edit my picks this morning. Looks like I never picked a winner for my Texas A&M/Siena game in the 2nd round, thus rendering my brackets incomplete. Other than that I'm doing fine.[/quote:1tzudfeh] Pick one here before either of those teams plays. I don't think I'll be able to adjust but we can always just mentally add two points.

Valadius Mar 18 2010 02:58 PM Re: Crane Pool Tournament Challenge 2010

Yeah Murray State!

Methead Mar 18 2010 03:36 PM Re: Crane Pool Tournament Challenge 2010

[quote="Elster88":2cwrjhx6] Pick one here before either of those teams plays. I don't think I'll be able to adjust but we can always just mentally add two points.[/quote:2cwrjhx6] Thanks. I'm actually not all that sure Siena will beat Purdue, but if they do I'll pick 'em to take out Texas A&M too. I'm not that worried about two points at this stage of the game though.

Edgy DC Mar 18 2010 03:43 PM Re: Crane Pool Tournament Challenge 2010

Well, Murray State kills my run.

Nymr83 Mar 18 2010 04:40 PM Re: Crane Pool Tournament Challenge 2010

Robert Morris almost fucked a bunch of brackets up today, but Nova takes them out in Overtime.

Valadius Mar 18 2010 04:42 PM Re: Crane Pool Tournament Challenge 2010

Yeah, Nova decided to sit their two star players against Robert Morris.

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr Mar 18 2010 04:45 PM Re: Crane Pool Tournament Challenge 2010

But for some really terrible foul calls late, I would have lost my national champs. I'm not sure how to feel.

Ashie62 Mar 18 2010 04:46 PM Re: Crane Pool Tournament Challenge 2010

I did not have Bill Murray State.

Valadius Mar 18 2010 05:23 PM Re: Crane Pool Tournament Challenge 2010

[quote="LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr":19wo2qye]But for some really terrible foul calls late, I would have lost my national champs. I'm not sure how to feel.[/quote:19wo2qye] Irish already lost his.

Ashie62 Mar 18 2010 06:54 PM Re: Crane Pool Tournament Challenge 2010

Georgetown in dutch Not a great few days for some Big East teams

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr Mar 18 2010 07:38 PM Re: Crane Pool Tournament Challenge 2010

Hoya Sucksa. Marquette-Washington's getting fun, though.

Swan Swan H Mar 18 2010 07:43 PM Re: Crane Pool Tournament Challenge 2010

Since I had the Hoyas winning the whole damned thing Elster's generous donation will most likely be in the name of someone other than me.

Ashie62 Mar 18 2010 07:46 PM Re: Crane Pool Tournament Challenge 2010

Georgetown's suckatude knocks me out One of Villanova's kids can't start due to breaking a rule..ND out..Seton Hall more than out Bad day for Jesuit institutions

Ashie62 Mar 18 2010 07:47 PM Re: Crane Pool Tournament Challenge 2010

Georgetown's suckatude knocks me out One of Villanova's kids can't start due to breaking a rule..ND out..Marquette in trouble...Seton Hall more than out Bad day for Jesuit institutions

Elster88 Mar 18 2010 09:06 PM Re: Crane Pool Tournament Challenge 2010

[quote="Valadius":39d2gocv]Yeah, Nova decided to sit their two star players against Robert Morris.[/quote:39d2gocv] Yeah, for about 4 minutes.

Elster88 Mar 18 2010 09:18 PM Re: Crane Pool Tournament Challenge 2010

There's a team called "duck!". Does anyone know who it is? Come forth and claim your team. If they are not claimed by Thursday, should I delete it? It's not like it's doing any harm.

Kong76 Mar 18 2010 09:31 PM Re: Crane Pool Tournament Challenge 2010

I think every year one of my final four picks or two, or a couple of my elite eight picks, gets knocked off in the first round. This year it's my own fault, you can't trust a Hoya.

John Cougar Lunchbucket Mar 18 2010 09:39 PM Re: Crane Pool Tournament Challenge 2010

[quote="Elster88":3oa3550u]There's a team called "duck!". Does anyone know who it is? Come forth and claim your team. If they are not claimed by Thursday, should I delete it? It's not like it's doing any harm.[/quote:3oa3550u] that's metmarathon, I think.

MFS62 Mar 18 2010 09:44 PM Re: Crane Pool Tournament Challenge 2010

What made the Georgetown loss even more fun if you were rooting against them was that John Thompson (Sr.) was doing the game on radio. Later

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr Mar 18 2010 09:58 PM Re: Crane Pool Tournament Challenge 2010

I forgot how fun it is to say "Wayne Chism." "Chism shoots, and it's in!" "Tennessee is bringing the pressure-- Chism is IN YOUR FACE!" "The speed of that Chism is unbelievable! Chism's everywhere!"

Fman99 Mar 18 2010 10:19 PM Re: Crane Pool Tournament Challenge 2010

[quote="LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr":2liemy5j]I forgot how fun it is to say "Wayne Chism." "Chism shoots, and it's in!" "Tennessee is bringing the pressure-- Chism is IN YOUR FACE!" "The speed of that Chism is unbelievable! Chism's everywhere!"[/quote:2liemy5j]

metsmarathon Mar 18 2010 10:22 PM Re: Crane Pool Tournament Challenge 2010

[quote="Elster88":1rw4ympo]There's a team called "duck!". Does anyone know who it is? Come forth and claim your team. If they are not claimed by Thursday, should I delete it? It's not like it's doing any harm.[/quote:1rw4ympo] quack! i figured my avatar might give it away...

Elster88 Mar 18 2010 10:29 PM Re: Crane Pool Tournament Challenge 2010

Cool, thanks.

Elster88 Mar 18 2010 10:30 PM Re: Crane Pool Tournament Challenge 2010

[quote="MFS62":14xj8788]What made the Georgetown loss even more fun if you were rooting against them was that John Thompson (Sr.) was doing the game on radio. Later[/quote:14xj8788] I know Sr won a tournament, but the Thompsons have to be the most underachieving family in the history of the tournament.

Frayed Knot Mar 19 2010 07:12 AM Re: Crane Pool Tournament Challenge 2010

[quote="LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr"]I forgot how fun it is to say "Wayne Chism." "Chism shoots, and it's in!" "Tennessee is bringing the pressure-- Chism is IN YOUR FACE!" "The speed of that Chism is unbelievable! Chism's everywhere!"

Reminds me of listening to a NYRangers game when Ron Duguay was trying to get out of his team's zone with the puck while being guarded by StL Blues forward Mike Zook (or was it Zuke?) described by announcer Jim Gordon as: '... and Duguay breaks out with Zook all over him'. A line which, in turn, prompted partner Bill Chadwick to wonder if 'breaking out with Zook all over you' was some sort of new disease.



At Georgetown, the current coach is actually John Thompson III and the one we think of as "Sr" is actually "Jr".
I don't guess that JT the first was famous for anything in coaching therefore #2 never got know as #2 leading peeps to assume that #3 is actually #2 when he's in fact #3

Hope you got that cuz there'll be a quiz later.

Edgy DC Mar 19 2010 07:34 AM Re: Crane Pool Tournament Challenge 2010

Hate him or lub him, Thompson is one of the most astounding transformative figures in NCAA history. Maybe only wone only one championship, maybe he failed in the Olympics, but that's just where he stands.

Centerfield Mar 19 2010 02:12 PM Re: Crane Pool Tournament Challenge 2010

[quote="Edgy DC":24dki4se]Hate him or lub him, Thompson is one of the most astounding transformative figures in NCAA history. [/quote:24dki4se] What does that mean?

Edgy DC Mar 19 2010 02:31 PM Re: Crane Pool Tournament Challenge 2010

Transfomative: leaving the envirnoment totally different than it was when you came to it.

TransMonk Mar 19 2010 03:08 PM Re: Crane Pool Tournament Challenge 2010

Sconnie squeaks. Way too close for a 4 over a 13.

metsguyinmichigan Mar 19 2010 03:30 PM Re: Crane Pool Tournament Challenge 2010

M-I-Z Z-O-U That's pretty much all I have left, with my bracket is a sea of red and shame.

Ashie62 Mar 19 2010 04:10 PM Re: Crane Pool Tournament Challenge 2010

Sienna may now return to the ghetto formerly know as Schenectady

Valadius Mar 19 2010 08:50 PM Re: Crane Pool Tournament Challenge 2010

Wow, I got 100% of the West region right in the first round.

Ceetar Mar 19 2010 09:05 PM Re: Crane Pool Tournament Challenge 2010

I clicked Pros, for the auto-pick bracket. (tweaked 4-5 games just to mix it up a little) I'm amused that that gets me last place so far.

Methead Mar 20 2010 01:21 PM Re: Crane Pool Tournament Challenge 2010

The Big East is really screwing me.

Edgy DC Mar 20 2010 01:27 PM Re: Crane Pool Tournament Challenge 2010

This was more fun when Peanut's picks were included. I think he beat me two years ago.

MFS62 Mar 20 2010 01:33 PM Re: Crane Pool Tournament Challenge 2010

Can somebody please tell me exactly what Bill Raftery adds (or even brings) to a basketball telecast. He seems like a nice enough guy. But ........ ? Later

Methead Mar 20 2010 02:38 PM Re: Crane Pool Tournament Challenge 2010

ONIONS

seawolf17 Mar 20 2010 06:15 PM Re: Crane Pool Tournament Challenge 2010

Peanut! I knew I forgot something this year. (Of course, I guess he could still make his picks, considering he hasn't watched any of the tournament.)

John Cougar Lunchbucket Mar 20 2010 06:17 PM Re: Crane Pool Tournament Challenge 2010

1) I haven't watched a second of college basketball in years 2) I'm kicking all of your asses

Swan Swan H Mar 20 2010 06:32 PM Re: Crane Pool Tournament Challenge 2010

Kansas is dust in the wind, as are millions of brackets worldwide. I had Kansas losing today. Of course, I had them losing to UNLV, so a fat lot of good it did me.

Methead Mar 20 2010 07:06 PM Re: Crane Pool Tournament Challenge 2010

The way things are going for me, West Virginia's obviously losing to Missouri tomorrow. Bet the farm, the ranch, the Buick, whatever.

Valadius Mar 21 2010 04:22 PM Re: Crane Pool Tournament Challenge 2010

Aside from Kansas, who I had winning it all, I'm doing pretty damn well with my bracket.

Ashie62 Mar 21 2010 06:21 PM Re: Crane Pool Tournament Challenge 2010

[quote="Methead":1lkec8t2]The way things are going for me, West Virginia's obviously losing to Missouri tomorrow. Bet the farm, the ranch, the Buick, whatever.[/quote:1lkec8t2] You no longer have a farm ,a ranch, a Buick, and whatever else.

Kong76 Mar 21 2010 06:39 PM Re: Crane Pool Tournament Challenge 2010

My stock dropped today with a thud.

seawolf17 Mar 21 2010 06:40 PM Re: Crane Pool Tournament Challenge 2010

Incredibly, I'm doing even worse in my NIT brackets.

Centerfield Mar 22 2010 10:46 AM Re: Crane Pool Tournament Challenge 2010

Cornell baby!

Number 6 Mar 22 2010 11:22 AM Re: Crane Pool Tournament Challenge 2010

I'm glad that my bracket is there to make everyone else feel better about their own.

TransMonk Mar 22 2010 11:37 AM Re: Crane Pool Tournament Challenge 2010

[quote="Centerfield"]Cornell baby!

Andy Bernard says: Go Big Red! TransMonk's a douche.

metirish Mar 23 2010 06:45 AM Re: Crane Pool Tournament Challenge 2010

A big shot alum wanted to pay Billy Donovan $3 million plus a year to coach St. John's . I thought wow a college coach can get paid that, then I read more and see that Donovan gets paid that and more in FLA. The big shot alum is the Mike Repole - who built his fortune as co-founder of Vitaminwater maker Glaceau - that was sold to Coca-Cola for several billion a few years ago. His fave teams are the Mets and Broncos.

Fman99 Mar 23 2010 10:07 AM Re: Crane Pool Tournament Challenge 2010

I'm in last. Fuck all y'all.

MFS62 Mar 23 2010 10:11 AM Re: Crane Pool Tournament Challenge 2010

[quote="Fman99":1vj2z77w]I'm in last. Fuck all y'all.[/quote:1vj2z77w] So, what you're telling us is that if you did, you'd be coming from behind? Later

soupcan Mar 23 2010 10:35 AM Re: Crane Pool Tournament Challenge 2010

[quote="MFS62":kic1vd2w]Can somebody please tell me exactly what Bill Raftery adds (or even brings) to a basketball telecast. He seems like a nice enough guy. But ........ ?[/quote:kic1vd2w] I think he's great. 'Onions!! Double Order!!' The other day he said 'There's lingerie on the deck!' Had no idea what he was talking about. Finally figured it out, it was his way of saying that the guy was faked out of his jock. He is a self-deprecating guy that also knows the game.

Frayed Knot Mar 23 2010 11:50 AM Re: Crane Pool Tournament Challenge 2010

[quote="metirish":a9tgwco9]A big shot alum wanted to pay Billy Donovan $3 million plus a year to coach St. John's . I thought wow a college coach can get paid that, then I read more and see that Donovan gets paid that and more in FLA. The big shot alum is the Mike Repole - who built his fortune as co-founder of Vitaminwater maker Glaceau - that was sold to Coca-Cola for several billion a few years ago. His fave teams are the Mets and Broncos.[/quote:a9tgwco9] Anybody else besides me find it disturbing that private citizens are making pledges in an attempt to hire a coach for a college sport? I mean I know that the athletic departments long ago became a kind of semi-autonomous off-shoot from their affiliated school and that "alumni groups" and other "booster clubs" have long had influence in these matters. But this one seems a lot more direct and if this guy's money is footing the bill doesn't that then make the coach dependent on said dude for keeping his job? And why wouldn't he also get a say in who gets recruited, or in who gets playing time and who gets cut?

TransMonk Mar 25 2010 07:07 PM Re: Crane Pool Tournament Challenge 2010

i think 'Cuse losing mathematically eliminated me from winning this Tournament Challenge. Fuckin' Orange!

Methead Mar 25 2010 10:12 PM Re: Crane Pool Tournament Challenge 2010

If you're not watching Xavier / Kansas St right now, you should be. Insanity.

Elster88 Mar 25 2010 10:59 PM Re: Crane Pool Tournament Challenge 2010

With Syracuse knocked out, only 9 out of the 24 entries still have their national champion in the tournament. John Cougar and Transmonk have Duke, Ashie has West Virginia, Gwreck, KC, A Boy Named Seo, Soupcan, and Nymr have Kentucky, and Seawolf has Stony Brook. The default scoring awards 32 points if you select the national champion, so if one of those teams goes all the way then one of those peeps will probably be your winner. (Actually, Seawolf has Kentucky as his national champion, not Stony Brook.) It's been an incredible tournament so far. Just got done watching a double overtime game between Kansas State and Xavier where Xavier came back from down 3 with under 10 seconds left in both regulation and the first overtime.

Edgy DC Mar 26 2010 05:33 AM Re: Crane Pool Tournament Challenge 2010

I'm down to next to last, but not mathematically eliminated. I've got to pick Kong76 at this point. He's locked and loaded.

Valadius Mar 26 2010 05:41 AM Re: Crane Pool Tournament Challenge 2010

Let the record reflect that as of this morning I am in the lead. I've never been in the lead in a tournament pool.

seawolf17 Mar 26 2010 05:47 AM Re: Crane Pool Tournament Challenge 2010

You know, if we'd won our conference tournament, I actually would have picked us to go all the way.

TransMonk Mar 26 2010 07:11 AM Re: Crane Pool Tournament Challenge 2010

Even if the rest of my picks go my way, John Jack and Diane Lunchbucket will still beat me by 2 points. That scenario generator will save me from watching a lot of basketball over the next 3 days.

metirish Mar 26 2010 07:13 AM Re: Crane Pool Tournament Challenge 2010

I'm stubbornly clinging on to last place.

Kong76 Mar 27 2010 04:03 PM Re: Crane Pool Tournament Challenge 2010

Butler is scary ... not that I'm watching ;-)

Kong76 Mar 27 2010 04:41 PM Re: Crane Pool Tournament Challenge 2010

Holy crap!

Methead Mar 27 2010 04:46 PM Re: Crane Pool Tournament Challenge 2010

OK, fine, Butler's pretty good. It must be annoying as hell to play against them.

Methead Mar 27 2010 08:09 PM Re: Crane Pool Tournament Challenge 2010

So, at the beginning of the WV / Kentucky game, Dick Enberg mentioned something about Calipari and his number of 30-win seasons... does that take into account the 38 wins Memphis had to vacate, or not?

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr Mar 27 2010 11:02 PM Re: Crane Pool Tournament Challenge 2010

Make every moment a shining moment-- or at least, a disproportionately exciting one-- with the Gus Johnson soundboard! http://www.gusjohnsongetsbuckets.com/

Frayed Knot Mar 28 2010 06:34 AM Re: Crane Pool Tournament Challenge 2010

[quote="Methead"]So, at the beginning of the WV / Kentucky game, Dick Enberg mentioned something about Calipari and his number of 30-win seasons... does that take into account the 38 wins Memphis had to vacate, or not?

Is it only one season his team(s) had to vacate? I thought there might have been more.

And to the question of whether or not that gets brought up by an announcer, the answer is: Of course not!
College hoops announcers aren't really announcers so much as they are cheerleaders for the sport, to the point where even the notoriously tame golf announcers are jaundiced muckrakers by comparison. And big-school coaches, being the most powerful and stable element in the sport, are the best bet to get kid-gloves treatment.
If Calipari had taken Kentucky to the championship I suspect he could have done so without his past transgressions even getting mentioned, much less discussed on the air.

Methead Mar 28 2010 09:16 AM Re: Crane Pool Tournament Challenge 2010

Yeah, I'd never expect an announcer to bring it up, but it doesn't make sense to me that the wins should remain in Calipari's personal record book if the school had to forfeit them.

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr Mar 28 2010 09:40 AM Re: Crane Pool Tournament Challenge 2010

Derrick Rose only played one year for 'em, so, yeah, just the one year gets stricken. Since NCAA enforcement is so woefully understaffed, the risk/reward balance for players is tilted very heavily in favor of cheating; the risk/reward balance for coaches who can succeed consistently while cheating, even more so.

Frayed Knot Mar 28 2010 11:24 AM Re: Crane Pool Tournament Challenge 2010

I think it's more a case of attitude. The NCAA invalidated the wins and therefore they don't officially exist. But in the minds of the announcers and others who freely refer to him as "Coach Cal", he won those games and so, even if the violations were directly attributable to him, they don't mentally deduct the wins from his record*. Jim Valvano was in much the same boat. His glibness and outgoing demeanor made him so tight and adored by the college hoops media (which later employed him) that the fact that he was forced to vacate his position as both coach and AD at NC State amid scandal and mismanagement was rarely even mentioned as part of his career - and it was that way even before his illness and eventual early death made it seem a bit crass to bring up the subject. Along those same lines, ESPN seems to have mis-placed the Bobby Knight chair-throwing tapes sometime in the last year or so. * The one quote I did hear recently came from John Feinstein who, even though he's one of the bigger supporters of college basketball around, also isn't adverse to shaking the branches over there on a regular basis. Anyway, he was quoting another coach (anonymously of course) who said that Calipari at Kentucky will be really tough to beat over the long haul because: a) he's a great recruiter b) he's a really good floor coach c) he cheats his ass off

Ashie62 Mar 28 2010 01:03 PM Re: Crane Pool Tournament Challenge 2010

Calipari & Bobby Bowden lose some wins Go WVU, my pick to win it. My other picks are toast

Frayed Knot Mar 28 2010 05:26 PM Re: Crane Pool Tournament Challenge 2010

I understand about the final and semi-final games, but they shouldn't play these regional finals in football stadiums. There are a million empty seats and half the people who are there have lousy seats. I mean, what's the point -- so they can brag about record numbers of seats sold?

Gwreck Mar 28 2010 06:33 PM Re: Crane Pool Tournament Challenge 2010

[quote="Frayed Knot":8t7ti9c2]I understand about the final and semi-final games, but they shouldn't play these regional finals in football stadiums. There are a million empty seats and half the people who are there have lousy seats. I mean, what's the point -- so they can brag about record numbers of seats sold?[/quote:8t7ti9c2] Playing in a large indoor stadium doesn't affect playing conditions and while there are a lot more crappy seats there are a similar number of good seats (compared to an arena). There's no benefit to artificially limiting capacity (playing in arena instead of a stadium), and if large numbers of the crappy seats go unsold, it hurts nobody. It of course goes without saying that even in a stadium, they're going to sell at least 20K tickets.

Fman99 Mar 28 2010 06:50 PM Re: Crane Pool Tournament Challenge 2010

[quote="LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr":1ghwi9og]Make every moment a shining moment-- or at least, a disproportionately exciting one-- with the Gus Johnson soundboard! http://www.gusjohnsongetsbuckets.com/[/quote:1ghwi9og] I wish I had had Gus Johnson around to call play by play the very first time I had intercourse. With another person.

Frayed Knot Mar 28 2010 07:38 PM Re: Crane Pool Tournament Challenge 2010

[quote="Gwreck"][quote="Frayed Knot"]I understand about the final and semi-final games, but they shouldn't play these regional finals in football stadiums. There are a million empty seats and half the people who are there have lousy seats. I mean, what's the point -- so they can brag about record numbers of seats sold?

Playing in a large indoor stadium doesn't affect playing conditions and while there are a lot more crappy seats there are a similar number of good seats (compared to an arena).

There's no benefit to artificially limiting capacity (playing in arena instead of a stadium), and if large numbers of the crappy seats go unsold, it hurts nobody. It of course goes without saying that even in a stadium, they're going to sell at least 20K tickets.



Well, there are those who claim it does affect the play - that backdrops a million feet in back of the backboard doesn't give shooters the same depth perception that seats just a short way behind it does. But even if that's true that wasn't what I was thinking about. It's more for the viewing and atmosphere of the fans there. Someone wrote a while back that one of the best things about getting most of the baseball teams out of those overgrown multi-purpose stadiums is that 35K fans in a place designed for 45K have a lot more fun than 40K would in a place designed for 60. Well hoops is even more like that except there it's more like 20 in a 20 vs 30 in a 70 or 80K monstrosity like they're using now. And hey, if folks want to spend all that money for a shitty seat - both in terms of distance and some horrid viewing angles - just so they can say they were there then that's their problem not mine. It just seems to me that the NCAA was anxious to show off how BIG they've become by holding as much as they can on the biggest stages even if it's to no one's particular advantage (except theirs of course).
Personally, even if I were a fan of one of the teams involved, given the choice of seeing the game in a mondo-dome I'd opt to stay home and watch the thing on TV rather than view the game from binocular distance and with a strained neck because the court is 30 yards to the left of whatever seats the non-VIPs have a shot at.

Ashie62 Mar 28 2010 09:33 PM Re: Crane Pool Tournament Challenge 2010

[quote="Fman99":2b3t6atu][quote="LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr":2b3t6atu]Make every moment a shining moment-- or at least, a disproportionately exciting one-- with the Gus Johnson soundboard! http://www.gusjohnsongetsbuckets.com/[/quote:2b3t6atu] I wish I had had Gus Johnson around to call play by play the very first time I had intercourse. With another person.[/quote:2b3t6atu] Think, "Avatar" "Avatar"

Nymr83 Mar 29 2010 01:12 PM Re: Crane Pool Tournament Challenge 2010

This has been the craziest tournament ever, the leader in our pool has only one of the final four correct!

Valadius Mar 29 2010 04:24 PM Re: Crane Pool Tournament Challenge 2010

Yup. At least I got 6 of the Elite Eight correct.

MFS62 Mar 30 2010 07:12 AM Re: Crane Pool Tournament Challenge 2010

So, when all the dust died down, the NCAA and their TV guys got teams from the major basketball conferences: Big East Big 10 ACC WTF Later

Frayed Knot Mar 30 2010 07:30 AM Re: Crane Pool Tournament Challenge 2010

btw, my earlier screed about the conflicts of interest inherent in having some rich guy having a big hand in calling the shots as to the next St Johns coach isn't that unique. U of Oregon is casting a net for a new hoops coach - willing to make several candidates the highest paid coach ever - and no one is even trying to hide the fact that Phil Knight/Nike is supplying the money and has the final word in who's hired, nor is it even remotely disguised that he essentially runs the whole athletic department out there.

Frayed Knot Apr 01 2010 11:56 AM Re: Crane Pool Tournament Challenge 2010

Now that the small and Indianapolis-based Butler is in the final grouping and the comparisons to the Indiana legend of tiny Milan HS knocking off the much bigger Muncie Central are being dusted off by every media outlet in the country, do you start to get the idea that many of these modern-day hoops junkies have so swallowed the 'Hoosiers' story that they've not only incorporated it as if it's part of their life story but that some have almost convinced themselves that they were at that game 56 years ago? And how many do you suppose are aware that, despite the story of a small school knocking off a bigger one for the state championship on a last-second shot being fact, that the movie is otherwise entirely fiction.

Valadius Apr 01 2010 04:12 PM Re: Crane Pool Tournament Challenge 2010

Well, looks like they're on the verge of making it a 96-team tournament, effectively killing the NIT. [url]http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/basketball/news?slug=ap-ncaatournament-expansion All of our brackets in upcoming years are likely screwed.

seawolf17 Apr 01 2010 05:10 PM Re: Crane Pool Tournament Challenge 2010

Yay for the little schools!

Frayed Knot Apr 01 2010 05:29 PM Re: Crane Pool Tournament Challenge 2010

[quote="seawolf17"]Yay for the little schools!

Do you really think they're expanding the tourney for the benefit of the little schools?

Yeah, there'll probably be a handful of non-champ team coming out of a smaller league who will get an invite under the 96-team format based on a great season record that wouldn't have snagged one under the 64-team tourney. But for the most part this is being done to get yet more invites for the also-rans from the majors. The big leagues (esp. the coaches) are the ones who are pushing for this because they're the ones who will get the benefit$ when it happens. It's all a question about how to divide the loot and the leagues who feel that they're the ones generating it aren't going to be anxious to share. I mean - geez - look at the 65th entrant as it is now. That's two different leagues whose champions have been relegated to 'sort-of included' status by being forced to play an extra game just to get an invite to the real games all because they don't want to remove even ONE 5th or 6th or 7th place team from one of the big boys.

seawolf17 Apr 01 2010 08:02 PM Re: Crane Pool Tournament Challenge 2010

No, but if there were 96 teams this year, we'd have been in there as a league champ. (Assuming that the regular season title guaranteed NIT bids now transfer to the big tournament.) So there's a benefit to us also.

Frayed Knot Apr 01 2010 08:30 PM Re: Crane Pool Tournament Challenge 2010

Right, there'll be one or two small conference teams added per year that had good regular seasons but stumbled in their playoffs, and maybe a few more non-winners from the mid-sized leagues. The other twenty-some extras will go to middling teams from the big conferences so that those leagues will control an even bigger slice of a bigger pie and their coaches get better job security by pointing out how they make the tourney every year. Plus, all the talking heads will still have plenty to drone on about in the weeks leading up to the tourney as now the big deal is going to be between those who get a 1st-round bye (1 thru 8 seeds) and those who don't and about how the 97th & 98th teams were robbed. The one thing it will do for the small league winners is not pit them against a top 10 team in the nation right off the bat since the top 32 will all be getting byes. They'll most likely be looking at a 9 or 10 seed instead and then, if they survive, get one of the big boys. Of course even if they win that 1st round it really only gets them as far as where they would have been automatically under the 64-team rules, but I suppose one could look at the win as progress. btw, the plan seems to be to start the tourney at the same time and play rounds 1 & 2 over the 4-day weekend just like now except now it'll only get you to 32 teams instead of 16. Then they'll resume on Tuesday and use Tues & Weds to get down to 16 and themselves back on sked. Thurs & Fri then, as now, reduces things to 8, then the weekend chops it to 4. Good thing these kids don't have to go to class or anything.

cooby Apr 01 2010 09:21 PM Re: Crane Pool Tournament Challenge 2010

I am the only one at work that picked Duke.

Edgy DC Apr 01 2010 10:14 PM Re: Crane Pool Tournament Challenge 2010

I really can't see a reason to not expand it to the entire Division I population.

MFS62 Apr 02 2010 07:17 AM Re: Crane Pool Tournament Challenge 2010

Eliminating the post-season NIT will ensure that CCNY's achievement will remain unequalled forever. It was the only team to win both the NIT and the NCAA championships in the same year. (1950) They used to be held at different times, so it was possible. And back then, the NIT was the most prestigeous tournament. As Casey Stengel said, "You could look it up". Later

Rockin' Doc Apr 02 2010 02:13 PM Re: Crane Pool Tournament Challenge 2010

I didn't get into the brackets this year, but I would likely being doing reasonably well since Duke and WVU are still alive and kicking. It's a shame they have to square off in the semis, rather than the finals.

Ashie62 Apr 04 2010 08:17 AM Re: Crane Pool Tournament Challenge 2010

West Virgin throws up an egg. Please Butler, please beat puke.

John Cougar Lunchbucket Apr 05 2010 09:32 PM Re: Crane Pool Tournament Challenge 2010

Uh, anyone watching? I'd suggest you tune in in the next 13.6 seconds.

Ashie62 Apr 05 2010 09:36 PM Re: Crane Pool Tournament Challenge 2010

3.6

Ashie62 Apr 05 2010 09:36 PM Re: Crane Pool Tournament Challenge 2010

SHITTTTTTTTT

Ashie62 Apr 05 2010 09:37 PM Re: Crane Pool Tournament Challenge 2010

I thought the kid had it

John Cougar Lunchbucket Apr 05 2010 09:38 PM Re: Crane Pool Tournament Challenge 2010

Fuck that would have been something. Nobody's better at getting off crazy shots that just miss than that kid.

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr Apr 05 2010 09:48 PM Re: Crane Pool Tournament Challenge 2010

Duckin' Fuke. The team is great and all, but they work the refs like a 12-year-veteran Jordan. That said, one hell of a ballgame. Maybe the best championship game since the "Phantom Timeout" Michigan-UNC game.

Rockin' Doc Apr 05 2010 10:50 PM Re: Crane Pool Tournament Challenge 2010

It was a tough, competitive championship game, but my boys ultimately pulled it out against a very good Butler team. Congratulations to the Butler Bulldogs on a tremendous season which very nearly garnered them a NCAA Championship. They proved their doubters wrong and were ultimately the toughest opponent in Duke's title run.

Frayed Knot Apr 06 2010 06:23 AM Re: Crane Pool Tournament Challenge 2010

That last-second, half-court heave was exactly on line and about 3 inches too long - which would have made for one of the great endings of all time although, between my Dukie relatives and the endless comparisons to 'Hoosiers' we would be subject to, I was OK that it missed. And, while it was a really good game and all, it would be fine with me if they could actually run one of these games with more than 90 consecutive seconds without then having a break in the action. I mean, is it my imagination or does each team get like 21 time-outs per half? Then there are the TV time-outs, the substitution time-outs, the check the replay to decide whether there were 1.6 or 1.9 seconds burned on the aborted in-bounds pass time-outs, the: 'we haven't plugged our network's shows in 5 minutes' time-outs, yadda, yadda. It really makes for a tough watch and it gets tougher to hang in right around the time it should become more interesting. OK, I'll shut up now.

MFS62 Apr 06 2010 09:40 PM Re: Crane Pool Tournament Challenge 2010

Let's hear it for the UCONN Women, who just completed their second consecutive undefeated NCAA championship season. Later

Elster88 Apr 06 2010 10:21 PM Re: Crane Pool Tournament Challenge 2010

Congratulations to John Cougar Lunchbucket, who along with a strong first round picked two of the Final Four teams (Duke and West Virginia) and had Duke as a finalist and champion to win the prize. A strong second place showing for Transmonk who also had Duke winning it all. A great tournament. It was nice to get a Big East team in the Final Four after every other team arguably got knocked out sooner than they should've/could've. What a final game. It would've never been topped if that half-court shot went down. Thanks to all for playing, I love doing the brackets.

Ashie62 Apr 06 2010 10:39 PM Re: Crane Pool Tournament Challenge 2010

[quote="LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr":3mxply7p]Duckin' Fuke. The team is great and all, but they work the refs like a 12-year-veteran Jordan. That said, one hell of a ballgame. Maybe the best championship game since the "Phantom Timeout" Michigan-UNC game.[/quote:3mxply7p] It was for me

John Cougar Lunchbucket Apr 07 2010 05:05 AM Re: Crane Pool Tournament Challenge 2010

[quote="Elster88":22pvk623]Congratulations to John Cougar Lunchbucket, who along with a strong first round picked two of the Final Four teams (Duke and West Virginia) and had Duke as a finalist and champion to win the prize. A strong second place showing for Transmonk who also had Duke winning it all. A great tournament. It was nice to get a Big East team in the Final Four after every other team arguably got knocked out sooner than they should've/could've. What a final game. It would've never been topped if that half-court shot went down. Thanks to all for playing, I love doing the brackets.[/quote:22pvk623] Holy crap, I won something. I will make a matching cpf donation.