2005-06 College Basketball Thread

[rawaction]

And as for Dee Brown:

 

2004-2005 Junior: 2005 Consensus First-Team All-American ... Wooden Award All-America Team and finalist for the John R. Wooden Award, finishing third in voting for the prestigious Wooden Player of the Year Award ...National Player of the Year and First-Team All-American by The Sporting News ...USBWA First-Team All-American ...Sports Illustrated.com and CBS Sportsline.com First-Team All-American ... Associated Press Second-Team All-American ...NABC Second-Team All-American ...Basketball Times Second-Team All-American ...Just the sixth Consensus First-Team All-American in UI school history, and the first since Rod Fletcher in 1952 ... Big Ten Player of the Year and First-Team All-Big Ten selection by both league coaches and media ... Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year ... Oscar Robertson (USBWA) Player of the Year finalist

 

2003-2004 Sophomore: Second-Team All-Big Ten selection by coaches and media ...Honorable mention All-American by Associated Press ... Big Ten All-Tournament Team ...USBWA All-District 5 selection

 

2002-2003 Freshman: Second-Team All-Big Ten selection by the media and Third-Team All-Big Ten by league coaches ...Named to first-ever Big Ten All-Freshman Team ...Named All-Freshman Team by CollegeInsider.com

 

 

And now he is going to struggle against the best players? He never has, so why would he start now? Sure he lost Head and Deron, but now he has an inside game to work with, plus Randle. Don't hold your breath waiting for Dee's demise.

 

The TEAM, not Dee himself.

 

I addressed THE TEAM in the first half of my post. You say Illinois is untested, but other than Gonzaga, all the other teams that MSU has played have proven to be overrated. Arizona isn't even in the top 25 anymore. BC isn't in the top 10. Even the Zags are just squeaking by teams. One of your losses was a really bad one. Don't even say it was because of the cramps, because the Hawaii starter played as few minutes as the MSU starters. IU was beaten by the oly really goodteam they played (UK is mediocre until Morris comes back), and lost to Indiana State. UNC has proven to be better than Arizona and in my estimation, UK. The Illini brike their home wining streak while playing a piss poor game.

 

MSU hasn't played a team with the caliber of defense that Illinois is going to bring, nor have they defended nearly well enough to win a defensive dogfight. IMO, MSU is vulnerable to any team with a really good defense. IU is inconsistent. Iowa just isn't that good.

 

Illinois has traded an outside game for an inside game, and while weaker in some ways, in a lot of ways they are even stronger than last year. They won't live and die by the three, and can handle the post much better than they have been able to in years. Their offense hasn't gelled yet, but the shooting is still there with Dee, Jamar and McBride, Randle is as athletic as they come and will only get better as the season goes on. Augie is a bit better, and now he will be helped out by the rotation of Pruitt, Arnold and Carter, so he won't be as alone defensively in the post.

 

Last year, the Illini really only had one big guy, and few fouls to give in the post. Now the Illini are very big, and have a ton of fouls to give. Guys like Davis and Killingsworth will have a much harder time with this year's Illini than pevious years. Now the Illini have been vulnerable to a good zone, but their defense is good enough to hold teams down and keep them in every game.

 

As an Illini fan, I have heard every year how the Illini have been less talented than MSU, or how we are untested every time we get off to a hot start. It's getting kind of cliche. Every year it's "We'll se how good the Illini are when the play the good teams", and at the end of the year, we are always at or near the top of the conference.

 

I guess we'll just have to wait and see if history repeats itself.

 

How is IU inconsistent? They've played 1 bad game this year, and that was on the road with an instate rival. And I'll take the kind of inconsistency that leads to 85 PPG and the nation's leading FG and 3PT%s. Throw in the fact that they lead the conference in Ast/TO ratio, and just held their last 2 opponents to under 55 points, and I'm cool with that.

 

And how come every team gets put down while Illinois and their opponents get put up? Arizona, UK, Gonzaga, BC are not very good, but UNC is? I know you didn't say that, but Sully basically did. Aren't those teams considered "not very good" partly because of the way MSU and IU beat them?

 

And why does U of I get a pass for not playing it's best basketball yet, but IU is called inconsistent despite missing their BEST player for all but 1 game, Indiana's 2004 Mr. Basketball playing 100% in 2 games, and having role players like Kline and Calloway miss time or play less than 100%?

 

 

That being said, Butler will probably beat IU tonight.

[XZero771679666304]

 

How is IU inconsistent? They've played 1 bad game this year, and that was on the road with an instate rival. And I'll take the kind of inconsistency that leads to 85 PPG and the nation's leading FG and 3PT%s. Throw in the fact that they lead the conference in Ast/TO ratio, and just held their last 2 opponents to under 55 points, and I'm cool with that.

 

And how come every team gets put down while Illinois and their opponents get put up? Arizona, UK, Gonzaga, BC are not very good, but UNC is? I know you didn't say that, but Sully basically did. Aren't those teams considered "not very good" partly because of the way MSU and IU beat them?

 

And why does U of I get a pass for not playing it's best basketball yet, but IU is called inconsistent despite missing their BEST player for all but 1 game, Indiana's 2004 Mr. Basketball playing 100% in 2 games, and having role players like Kline and Calloway miss time or play less than 100%?

 

 

That being said, Butler will probably beat IU tonight.

 

It seems to me that Cpatt has been trying to denegrate the Illini's competition at every turn.

 

After Illini beats Mizzou by 32 he says: "Welcome to the same plane as powerhouses Sam Houston State and Davidson." Now Mizou isn't a pwerhouse by any stretch, but Mizzou's previous three losses were by a combined total of 15 points. Insinuating hat Illinois is on the same plane as SHS and Davidson is just inciteful. Questioning the Illini's level of competition is one thing, but statements like that are just stupid.

 

And UNC is better than Zona and UK. Gonzaga and BC are better, but not elite. I say UK isn't that good because of their total losses and that they just aren't that impressive without Morris. Zona started out in the top 10 and now isn't in the top 25. A lot more went into that fall than a squeaker loss to MSU.

 

As for IU, I guess my main complaint is Mike Davis. I just don't expect much with him at the helm.

[Magnetic Curses]

I like how everyone talks about IU's inside game, but nobody talks about the outside. Granted, they've only had Killer so far in the middle, but IU is the best shooting team in the country. 54% from the field, and if you think it's due to Marco getting easy baskets on the interior......the team is also leading America in 3pt percentage. And if that wasn't enough, they are 1 assist behind Washington for the best passing team in the country. And now they have started to rebound, play defense, and not turn the ball over.

 

illinois is great at defending the perimeter.

 

IU's percentages will come down, it's just common logic. davis's huck-it-and-chuck-it offense will shine through.

 

Agreed. Illinois does have a better perimeter D than anyone IU has played, and maybe will play this year. But who said anything about Illinois? I was just responding to your post that IU would be tough with their 2 big men. And I went on because every publication says IU has a great interior tandem that can lead them far in the tourney, but that's not what's making them a good team. The Charlotte game was a blueprint of what to expect if teams want to double down on Killer or DJ. IU has Strickland, Vaden, Ratliff, Wilmont, Suhr, and Allen who can knock down shots.

 

I just think it's more of a pick your poison against IU, than "they are gonna be tough inside".

 

And to reiterate CP's point....why would either of us like Illinois? They are rivals, and is the team that dominated the world last year. For the record, I hate Iowa more.

 

this is to you and cp.

 

my paranoia stems from illinois never receiving any kind of respect for anything they do.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

It seems to me that Cpatt has been trying to denegrate the Illini's competition at every turn.

 

After Illini beats Mizzou by 32 he says: "Welcome to the same plane as powerhouses Sam Houston State and Davidson." Now Mizou isn't a pwerhouse by any stretch, but Mizzou's previous three losses were by a combined total of 15 points. Insinuating hat Illinois is on the same plane as SHS and Davidson is just inciteful. Questioning the Illini's level of competition is one thing, but statements like that are just stupid.

 

And UNC is better than Zona and UK. Gonzaga and BC are better, but not elite. I say UK isn't that good because of their total losses and that they just aren't that impressive without Morris. Zona started out in the top 10 and now isn't in the top 25. A lot more went into that fall than a squeaker loss to MSU.

 

As for IU, I guess my main complaint is Mike Davis. I just don't expect much with him at the helm.

 

Seriously? I go to Mizzou, I was making fun of how pathetic they are this year(or the state of the program, whatever). I can't believe you thought I was saying that they were equivalent ot SHS and Davidson.

 

And for the gazillionth time, it's not the teams they've played, I only raised the question wondering how they will fare when they play the best players in the conference/country, and if Brown will bounce back to last year's production. If that means I'm bashing their competition at every turn, then I don't know what else I can say.

[gflore34]

Sulley: Don't know if you listen to Boers and Berstein much but, apparently, without a doubt and most definitively, MSU and IU are head and shoulders above the Illini. IU has with Killingsworth a true "black man"(whatever the hell that means) in the middle and of course, MSU has Paul Davis in the middle. The Illini on the other hand are soft in the middle and are going to get chewed up and spit out by IU and MSU. Boers and Berstein follow the same MO of Mariotti, regardless of what the Illini have done or will do the other guy is always better.

 

I'm cautiously optimistic about the Illini. I believe they're going to better than people thought and will be right there with MSU and IU for the Big Ten title.

[burnt out cubbie fan]

For the record, I hate Iowa more.

I agree with you there. :D

[illiniguy]

And as for Dee Brown:

 

2004-2005 Junior: 2005 Consensus First-Team All-American ... Wooden Award All-America Team and finalist for the John R. Wooden Award, finishing third in voting for the prestigious Wooden Player of the Year Award ...National Player of the Year and First-Team All-American by The Sporting News ...USBWA First-Team All-American ...Sports Illustrated.com and CBS Sportsline.com First-Team All-American ... Associated Press Second-Team All-American ...NABC Second-Team All-American ...Basketball Times Second-Team All-American ...Just the sixth Consensus First-Team All-American in UI school history, and the first since Rod Fletcher in 1952 ... Big Ten Player of the Year and First-Team All-Big Ten selection by both league coaches and media ... Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year ... Oscar Robertson (USBWA) Player of the Year finalist

 

2003-2004 Sophomore: Second-Team All-Big Ten selection by coaches and media ...Honorable mention All-American by Associated Press ... Big Ten All-Tournament Team ...USBWA All-District 5 selection

 

2002-2003 Freshman: Second-Team All-Big Ten selection by the media and Third-Team All-Big Ten by league coaches ...Named to first-ever Big Ten All-Freshman Team ...Named All-Freshman Team by CollegeInsider.com

 

 

And now he is going to struggle against the best players? He never has, so why would he start now? Sure he lost Head and Deron, but now he has an inside game to work with, plus Randle. Don't hold your breath waiting for Dee's demise.

 

The TEAM, not Dee himself.

 

is illinois THAT unlikelable of a team that everyone has to hope against hope for their downfall?

 

they are the kings until supplanted, and i really don't think that MSU has the ability to beat them.

 

indiana, granted, will offer more of a challenge with white and killingsworth down low, but it remains to be seen.

 

I'm a Michigan State fan, am I not supposed to hope that they win? No one has responded to the point that they haven't played anyone on Ager or Davis or Killingsworth's level, and we don't know how they will fare against the best players without their losses from last year. IU has played Duke(Redick and Williams) and to a lesser extent Kentucky(Sparks and co.). MSU has played BC(Smith and Dudley), Gonzaga(Morrison and friends), and to a lesser extent Arizona(Adams and co.). All I'm trying to say is that Illinois is untested yet in that fashion. I've said multiple times that they may not have a problem with it, and may or probably will win the conference. The other point is that Brown hasn't performed to last year's level to date, and he may not return to last year's level because of the talent lost. It's a valid concern, just like MSU's defense thus far. I've been able to talk about MSU's lack of defense previously without getting super defensive, why can't it go both ways?

 

are you forgetting that they beat UNC fairly easily in chapel hill?

 

Fairly easily? I can't get the flowchart thing to come up, but they were tied at halftime and won by 4. That's irrelevant anyways, because Noel or Hansbrough aren't on the same plane as all the players mentioned in the previous post. That's the point. Good teams with star players, not just a borderline top 25 team.

Right, you guys and your stars. Hansborough is a much better player than Patrick Sparks who you have listed. Hariston from Oregon is a pro. Good teams aren't always made of stars anyways. Last year we didn't have a star and we did alright with a bunch of really good players. Every year you guys are gonna snap us back to reality and every year we beat you guys pretty handily. The last time you guys were better than us was when Cleaves and MoPete were in school. I like Shannon Brown and Maurice Ager a lot, but they haven't had to show it yet against an All American like Dee Brown. Paul Davis hasn't been tested yet like James Augustine reigning Bit Ten Tournament MVP will do. I think Paul actually has nightmares about James. In seriousness I think Randle will more than hold his own defensively against Ager or Brown. McBride will be ok as long as he gets back on D in transition. Dee will eat Neitzel alive.

[snoodmonger]

And as for Dee Brown:

 

2004-2005 Junior: 2005 Consensus First-Team All-American ... Wooden Award All-America Team and finalist for the John R. Wooden Award, finishing third in voting for the prestigious Wooden Player of the Year Award ...National Player of the Year and First-Team All-American by The Sporting News ...USBWA First-Team All-American ...Sports Illustrated.com and CBS Sportsline.com First-Team All-American ... Associated Press Second-Team All-American ...NABC Second-Team All-American ...Basketball Times Second-Team All-American ...Just the sixth Consensus First-Team All-American in UI school history, and the first since Rod Fletcher in 1952 ... Big Ten Player of the Year and First-Team All-Big Ten selection by both league coaches and media ... Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year ... Oscar Robertson (USBWA) Player of the Year finalist

 

2003-2004 Sophomore: Second-Team All-Big Ten selection by coaches and media ...Honorable mention All-American by Associated Press ... Big Ten All-Tournament Team ...USBWA All-District 5 selection

 

2002-2003 Freshman: Second-Team All-Big Ten selection by the media and Third-Team All-Big Ten by league coaches ...Named to first-ever Big Ten All-Freshman Team ...Named All-Freshman Team by CollegeInsider.com

 

 

And now he is going to struggle against the best players? He never has, so why would he start now? Sure he lost Head and Deron, but now he has an inside game to work with, plus Randle. Don't hold your breath waiting for Dee's demise.

 

The TEAM, not Dee himself.

 

is illinois THAT unlikelable of a team that everyone has to hope against hope for their downfall?

 

they are the kings until supplanted, and i really don't think that MSU has the ability to beat them.

 

indiana, granted, will offer more of a challenge with white and killingsworth down low, but it remains to be seen.

 

I'm a Michigan State fan, am I not supposed to hope that they win? No one has responded to the point that they haven't played anyone on Ager or Davis or Killingsworth's level, and we don't know how they will fare against the best players without their losses from last year. IU has played Duke(Redick and Williams) and to a lesser extent Kentucky(Sparks and co.). MSU has played BC(Smith and Dudley), Gonzaga(Morrison and friends), and to a lesser extent Arizona(Adams and co.). All I'm trying to say is that Illinois is untested yet in that fashion. I've said multiple times that they may not have a problem with it, and may or probably will win the conference. The other point is that Brown hasn't performed to last year's level to date, and he may not return to last year's level because of the talent lost. It's a valid concern, just like MSU's defense thus far. I've been able to talk about MSU's lack of defense previously without getting super defensive, why can't it go both ways?

 

are you forgetting that they beat UNC fairly easily in chapel hill?

 

Fairly easily? I can't get the flowchart thing to come up, but they were tied at halftime and won by 4. That's irrelevant anyways, because Noel or Hansbrough aren't on the same plane as all the players mentioned in the previous post. That's the point. Good teams with star players, not just a borderline top 25 team.

Right, you guys and your stars. Hansborough is a much better player than Patrick Sparks who you have listed. Hariston from Oregon is a pro. Good teams aren't always made of stars anyways. Last year we didn't have a star and we did alright with a bunch of really good players. Every year you guys are gonna snap us back to reality and every year we beat you guys pretty handily. The last time you guys were better than us was when Cleaves and MoPete were in school. I like Shannon Brown and Maurice Ager a lot, but they haven't had to show it yet against an All American like Dee Brown. Paul Davis hasn't been tested yet like James Augustine reigning Bit Ten Tournament MVP will do. I think Paul actually has nightmares about James. In seriousness I think Randle will more than hold his own defensively against Ager or Brown. McBride will be ok as long as he gets back on D in transition. Dee will eat Neitzel alive.

 

The idea that last year's UI team didn't have stars is preposterous (and part of the continuing UI propaganda blitz pumping Weber as basketball jesus.). If you don't consider Dee and Luther stars, fine (though I disagree). Deron, however, was a lotto pick and a bonafide star player.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

Right, you guys and your stars. Hansborough is a much better player than Patrick Sparks who you have listed. Hariston from Oregon is a pro. Good teams aren't always made of stars anyways. Last year we didn't have a star and we did alright with a bunch of really good players. Every year you guys are gonna snap us back to reality and every year we beat you guys pretty handily. The last time you guys were better than us was when Cleaves and MoPete were in school. I like Shannon Brown and Maurice Ager a lot, but they haven't had to show it yet against an All American like Dee Brown. Paul Davis hasn't been tested yet like James Augustine reigning Bit Ten Tournament MVP will do. I think Paul actually has nightmares about James. In seriousness I think Randle will more than hold his own defensively against Ager or Brown. McBride will be ok as long as he gets back on D in transition. Dee will eat Neitzel alive.

 

This is exactly what I'm talking about. MSU has been tested. They've had to chase around Morrison all game, they've been guarded by Adams, Shakur and those athletic guards at Zona. Davis has been challenged with Batista from Gonzaga, Smith and Dudley from BC. Illinois hasn't faced that competition yet. Ager and Davis are All-Americans at this juncture in the season, and some people feel like Davis is right there for National POY. Brown has struggled in the abscence of Head and Williams. Will he improve? Will the Illini struggle with better competition in the form of more talented individuals? I don't know. I'm not saying that Brown will continue to struggle or that the Illini will finish middle of the pack in the B10, I'm raising the questions for discussion. Why can't anyone tackle the argument without going in a different direction?

[illiniguy]

Right, you guys and your stars. Hansborough is a much better player than Patrick Sparks who you have listed. Hariston from Oregon is a pro. Good teams aren't always made of stars anyways. Last year we didn't have a star and we did alright with a bunch of really good players. Every year you guys are gonna snap us back to reality and every year we beat you guys pretty handily. The last time you guys were better than us was when Cleaves and MoPete were in school. I like Shannon Brown and Maurice Ager a lot, but they haven't had to show it yet against an All American like Dee Brown. Paul Davis hasn't been tested yet like James Augustine reigning Bit Ten Tournament MVP will do. I think Paul actually has nightmares about James. In seriousness I think Randle will more than hold his own defensively against Ager or Brown. McBride will be ok as long as he gets back on D in transition. Dee will eat Neitzel alive.

 

This is exactly what I'm talking about. MSU has been tested. They've had to chase around Morrison all game, they've been guarded by Adams, Shakur and those athletic guards at Zona. Davis has been challenged with Batista from Gonzaga, Smith and Dudley from BC. Illinois hasn't faced that competition yet. Ager and Davis are All-Americans at this juncture in the season, and some people feel like Davis is right there for National POY. Brown has struggled in the abscence of Head and Williams. Will he improve? Will the Illini struggle with better competition in the form of more talented individuals? I don't know. I'm not saying that Brown will continue to struggle or that the Illini will finish middle of the pack in the B10, I'm raising the questions for discussion. Why can't anyone tackle the argument without going in a different direction?

no dee has struggled because he missed all summer. his last two games he has found his shot. deron williams was a star yet was never player of the week even in the big ten, interesting. as of right now there are two contenders for npoty and paul davis isn't one of them they would be morrison and redick. as a matter of fact davis has no shot to wijn that award, but dee could if we would happen to run off 20 in a row or so and be the last remaining undefeated team or something. Arizona tested you guys, but now isn't even ranked, so in away I guess that game wasn't as impressive as beating unc in chapel hill. we will find out one way or another on january 5th and if recent history has anything to say about the game I like our chances a hell of a lot better than I do yours.

[MPrior]

Um, I know I'm a bit late here, but I'd just like to chime in...

 

As a life-long fan of Tar Heel basketball, I can honestly say I appreciate all the respect that's been given UNC in this thread, but I think some people here are overevaluating them. Hansbrough is a great player who was serious star potential, but he's not there yet. And other than David Noel, who isn't as good as his averages this year suggest, the team is basically a bunch of freshmen. Good freshmen, yes, but freshmen nonetheless. They can play a good game of basketball, but they're also capable of playing some pretty bad ones, too (see their recent stomping at the hands of USC).

 

Anyway, I guess the point is that citing them as an example of a very good team, or Hansbrough as a star is a bit premature - they should be a monster in a year or two, but right now, I don't expect that much of them. I'll be pretty happy if they get to the tournament (and REALLY happy if they make it to the second round).

[XZero771679666304]

UConn goes down to Marquette, 94-79.

 

Overrateds UK and OK win squeakers.

[Andy]

Ball State got crushed in the big IU game, 80-56, to fall to 4-4. Peyton Stovall continues to be missed.

 

ND hasn't lost since the Michigan game in early December (now 9-2 going into the Pitt game tomorrow), but apart from Alabama none of those wins has been against anyone good, and two of them (a two-point win over IPFW and a three-point win over Wofford) have been downright frightening.

[CuseCubFan69]

UConn goes down to Marquette, 94-79.

 

Overrateds UK and OK win squeakers.

 

Oh God each win in this conference is going to be tough. Going to one of those Midwestern schools is going to be a tough place to win.

[Ding Dong Johnson]

For the record, I hate Iowa more.

I agree with you there. :D

 

How? I could understand if they've been a thorn in the side of teams (other than Penn State and Purdue lately), but they have consistently sucked in the Big Ten for years. How can you hate them for that? I hate every Big Ten team because they keep kicking our asses in b-ball every season. Sure, we occasionally pull off an upset or 2 in the tournament, but we never do a damn thing throughout the regular season.

[Magnetic Curses]

For the record, I hate Iowa more.

I agree with you there. :D

 

How? I could understand if they've been a thorn in the side of teams (other than Penn State and Purdue lately), but they have consistently sucked in the Big Ten for years. How can you hate them for that? I hate every Big Ten team because they keep kicking our asses in b-ball every season. Sure, we occasionally pull off an upset or 2 in the tournament, but we never do a damn thing throughout the regular season.

 

i hate iowa because i grew up on the illinois side of the quad cities.

[Ding Dong Johnson]

i hate iowa because i grew up on the illinois side of the quad cities.

 

Quad citites, huh? You should probably hate Illinois too then... :P

[RockTheIvy]

I hate Uconnvict and was thrilled to see Marquette beat them. That Novak guy absolutely went crazy!

[Magnetic Curses]

i hate iowa because i grew up on the illinois side of the quad cities.

 

Quad citites, huh? You should probably hate Illinois too then... :P

 

yeah, let's not talk about it.....

[wastra]

 

i can't think of how sparks is any more of a star than hansbrough. he's older, i'll give him that, and has been around since forever but that doesn't mean he's better.

 

 

 

As a UK grad and rabid fan, I should point out that if ANYONE thinks Sparks is a star, they're fools. Really. he couldn't guard a man if you sewed his face to the player's jersey. he's a good shooter, a poor defender, and he's slow.

 

That's from a Rabid fan.

 

He's also about to lose his starting job to sophomore Ramel Bradley.

 

 

I would trade Sparks for Hansbrough RIGHT NOW and never think twice about it (and I hate UNC).

 

And for the record, he hasn't been around UK forever. This is only his second season with the Wildcats. (he tansferred as a junior).

[illiniguy]

 

i can't think of how sparks is any more of a star than hansbrough. he's older, i'll give him that, and has been around since forever but that doesn't mean he's better.

 

 

 

As a UK grad and rabid fan, I should point out that if ANYONE thinks Sparks is a star, they're fools. Really. he couldn't guard a man if you sewed his face to the player's jersey. he's a good shooter, a poor defender, and he's slow.

 

That's from a Rabid fan.

 

He's also about to lose his starting job to sophomore Ramel Bradley.

 

 

I would trade Sparks for Hansbrough RIGHT NOW and never think twice about it (and I hate UNC).

 

And for the record, he hasn't been around UK forever. This is only his second season with the Wildcats. (he tansferred as a junior).

Yeah Hansborough is a star. There is no doubt about it.

[Mark_R]

There's also no doubt about Patrick Sparks sucking.

 

He's truly awful.

[wastra]

There's also no doubt about Patrick Sparks sucking.

 

He's truly awful.

 

He's as good as his shooting. when he hits his shots early, he plays more within himself and more under control. he doesn't TRY to do things beyond his abilities. When he's off, he tries to make up for it by trying things he just can't do.

 

Assuming Rondo retuns next year, UK should be better by attrition. They'll add 4 star guards Jasper and Meeks, and will have Morris all year.

[Jon]

Surprisingly controlled the whole game and won easily. Vedran dropping 20 on Purdue in the first half was pretty nice. He was within four points of Purdue as late as the early second half.

[XZero771679666304]

For the record, I hate Iowa more.

I agree with you there. :D

 

How? I could understand if they've been a thorn in the side of teams (other than Penn State and Purdue lately), but they have consistently sucked in the Big Ten for years. How can you hate them for that? I hate every Big Ten team because they keep kicking our asses in b-ball every season. Sure, we occasionally pull off an upset or 2 in the tournament, but we never do a damn thing throughout the regular season.

 

OK, I'll bite.

 

I lived 15 minutes outside of Iowa City for most of my life, am going to attend Iowa in the fall, and I can honestly say there is no entity in sports I despise more than Hawkeye basketball.

 

It hasn't always been that way. Heck, when I was kid I didn't mind the Hawks at all. I don't like to generalize, but Hawk fans are the worst excuse makers and whiners I have ever had to deal with. Most of them can't accept that their team sucks, but whine and blame injuries and officiating all season long. At least when the Illini were bad, I could accept it. And when the Illini suck again, I will accept that. But if's, and's and but's are the mantra of most Hawk bball fans. When they win, it's because they are great, but when they lose it is always because of some outside influence.

 

If I sound bitter, that's because I am. Whenever the Illini (or other teams) would beat the Hawks, it would be because: "(Insert Hawk name here) was injured." or "The refs were out to get us." or "You guys were lucky." Hell, even the local news media were that way. I know that basic homerism is to be expected, especially in the heart of a team's territory, but I have lived in a lot of places in my life and nowhere I have I seen it as blatant and unfailing as in Eastern Iowa.

 

But it's not all bad. I made a killing in bets with Hawk fans. :P