snoodmonger

When people say a conference is down, you have to look past the two top teams. The Big XII has two teams who could, theoretically, lay claim to a 1 seed. But aside from them and UT, the conference isn't that good. So it's a down year for the Big XII. Same with the B10. Yeah, they may get 5-6 teams in the tourney. That doesn't mean the conference is particularly strong. It's got two great teams, and a bunch of other middling ones.

True, I dislike the Big 12 though for having too many teams. You guys never play the Texas schools twice in a year huh? No. at the beginning of the big XII, when ISU and MU were decent, it wasn't so much a problem. Three good teams in each half (KU, ISU, and MU + UT, OSU, and OU). Now it's KU and nobody in the North. Until KSU and Mizzou get back, it sucks.

it's impossible to dislike acie law iv.

Playing time in college > practice time in the NBA. It's not highly unlikely he won't get much time in the NBA. He's not a very good offensive player right now and he would benefit from playing another year in college. I don't think he will stay, but it would be better for him. Yes, something bad could happen to him, and people always throw this out there, but it's highly unlikely. This isn't football. You're really understating his ability on the offensive end. No, he's not Tim Duncan. But he's probably no worse than Samuel Dalembert, and he gets 30 minutes on a bad team. And bad things don't just happen to football players. (Donnie Boyce?) Besides, wasn't even talking on the court. It could be anything (a la Jay Williams.) Staying in college doesn't make much sense. I didn't know being compared to Samuel Dalembert was a good thing for a guy who is supposed to be the next great center in the league. yeah, because that's the point I was making. You're over here talking like Oden is a quadraplegic Greg Ostertag on offense, when the fact is, he's probably just as refined as half the pro centers out there. The difference is, he's 18, not 24. And he'll get better. And if he's smart, he'll do it playing against the best players in the world, not Northwestern's 6'7" center.

He can play, but honestly, with the talent you guys have coming in seemingly every year I don't know if he ever will. . that's what it sounds like. though if he stroke it, there might be a spot for him.

Playing time in college > practice time in the NBA. It's not highly unlikely he won't get much time in the NBA. He's not a very good offensive player right now and he would benefit from playing another year in college. I don't think he will stay, but it would be better for him. Yes, something bad could happen to him, and people always throw this out there, but it's highly unlikely. This isn't football. You're really understating his ability on the offensive end. No, he's not Tim Duncan. But he's probably no worse than Samuel Dalembert, and he gets 30 minutes on a bad team. And bad things don't just happen to football players. (Donnie Boyce?) Besides, wasn't even talking on the court. It could be anything (a la Jay Williams.) Staying in college doesn't make much sense.

illiniguy-- you follow KC high school hoops, right? Connor Teahan agreed to walk on to KU next year. Any idea what kind of game he has?

development be damned. if oden is a top 3 pick, he'd be insane not to go pro. Just because he could be a top 3 pick doesn't mean he's ready to play in the NBA. They are two completely different things. You are forgetting one big factor: $$$ You obviously didn't read or didn't understand what I wrote. Just because he is projected to go high in the draft and could make a ton of money doesn't mean he is ready to play in the NBA. In baskeball, all you hear about in regards to the draft is "potential" and "upside". You don't hear that anywere close to as much in football (since somebody brought up Matt Leinart). You rarely hear about teams drafting "projects" in the NFL but you hear that many times every single draft in the NBA. I don't think Oden is ready offensively for the NBA. Defensively, he's an animal. I really think staying at OSU for another year will benefit him in the long run. He's going to get good coaching regardless of whether he stays or goes pro. I really don't understand your point. If he's going to get the good coaching regardless of where he is, then why not get paid millions to get the good coaching, rather than only hundreds of thousands.(Yeah it was easy and lame, but somebody was going to follow up with it anyways) Game experience. He won't play all the time at the NBA level and when he does, he won't be be the center of the offense. He'll be better served playing 30-35 minutes per game at OSU and getting the ball regularly than 15-20 in the NBA without getting the ball much. Have you watched OSU play? It's a guard oriented offense, and it's probably going to stay that way. I don't see how staying in college to watch his teammates jack threes is somehow going to enhance his offensive game. And it's highly unlikely he'll only get 15-20 minutes/game in the NBA. He's not a project. He's an instant starter. And even if he did get so few minutes, the NBA would STILL be a better place to develop his game. He'll be practicing with and playing against the best in the world. Besides, one more year of college means one more year where something terrible could happen to him, preventing him from ever playing. I can't think of one good reason for Oden to stay in college.

Maybe KU can slip into a 1 seed. Wiscy has lost twice this week. UNC loses again... First #1 seed to ever lose to a 16? :D only if belmont, butler, or ball st gets in as a 16. aTm probably deserves it over is unyway.

Maybe KU can slip into a 1 seed. Wiscy has lost twice this week. UNC loses again...

what happened?

here's a hilarious clip from that golden era of Big 8 history

I'm curious, too. I assume the answer is "not quite as shot as we'd all like," given the money they threw at him. I hope Marquis pitches well and it's not an issue, but if he doesn't I hope it isn't an Estes situation where he gets to stay in the rotation for no good reason. Help me remember, who should of replaced Estes in the rotation? Would it of been big Z? a young guy, but not Z, who was already starting. I think i was pushing for Juan Cruz at the time. Estes did come up big in that start at the end of the season.

But he's also 2-2 with a double and a run scored.

I'm curious, too. I assume the answer is "not quite as shot as we'd all like," given the money they threw at him. I hope Marquis pitches well and it's not an issue, but if he doesn't I hope it isn't an Estes situation where he gets to stay in the rotation for no good reason.

That's pretty silly to say, though your definition of "that good" needsclarification. regardless... A. the Big XII is only ten years old. B. In that short time, it's posted 5 final four teams. (KU twice, OU, OK State, Texas) C. This year it has two legit FF contenders and one darkhorse. D. Texas and KU look to be consistent FF threats with aTm and KSU on the rise. OU and OSU are always threats to be good teams. That's true-I think the Big XII is at its best point that it has been in quite a while (thinking about the Big XII teams even before they joined the conference). Now, the number of titles that the Big XII teams have won in the last 50 years-that's an amazing statistic for a power conference. Does anybody know how many it is? While I do like where the Big XII is headed now, I'm not sure it's quite as good as the 80s Big 8 with Billy Tubbs's Oklahoma teams, a good K state program under Hartman and Kruger, KU, and Missouri under Norm Stewart.

That's pretty silly to say, though your definition of "that good" needsclarification. regardless... A. the Big XII is only ten years old. B. In that short time, it's posted 5 final four teams. (KU twice, OU, OK State, Texas) C. This year it has two legit FF contenders and one darkhorse. D. Texas and KU look to be consistent FF threats with aTm and KSU on the rise. OU and OSU are always threats to be good teams. That's true-I think the Big XII is at its best point that it has been in quite a while (thinking about the Big XII teams even before they joined the conference). Now, the number of titles that the Big XII teams have won in the last 50 years-that's an amazing statistic for a power conference. Does anybody know how many it is? 1?

That's pretty silly to say, though your definition of "that good" needsclarification. regardless... A. the Big XII is only ten years old. B. In that short time, it's posted 5 final four teams. (KU twice, OU, OK State, Texas) C. This year it has two legit FF contenders and one darkhorse. D. Texas and KU look to be consistent FF threats with aTm and KSU on the rise. OU and OSU are always threats to be good teams.

I saw it too. Do you think it is more amazing because no other conference team has been able to rise up and challenge them? I mean sure 1/2 is awesome, but how does not one school at lesat get in the neighborhood? Other teams have waxed and waned w/ regards to competition. Certainly Oklahoma, K-State, and Mizzou have had stretches with great teams. KU has just been consistent.

Regular season, tournament, or either? good question. didn't specify. I assume it meant whichever counted as th official league champ.

Interesting article in the KC star today. If KU wins the Big XII this year, it will be its 50th conference title in 100 years of conference affiliation. Pretty amazing stat.

Who are your ones then? Please say Kansas. well, KU has a better resume than OSU. But I'd go Fla, UCLA, UNC, Wiscy. aTm or KU have a chance if they win out and one of those teams really stumbles. I think the two upsets the past two years will play a factor in KU's seeding. It shouldn't but I bet it does. I go OSU(Lost to four of the best teams in America on there floors and half without Oden), Florida, UCLA, and UNC losing to good teams shouldn't hurt you too much, but it certainly shouldn't ADD to your resume, either. They've beaten no one of real consequence, aside from a good but not great tennessee team. And they got destroyed by FLA. I might feel differently if that game had been even close.

Who are your ones then? Please say Kansas. well, KU has a better resume than OSU. But I'd go Fla, UCLA, UNC, Wiscy. aTm or KU have a chance if they win out and one of those teams really stumbles.

The idea that the B10 might get two 1-seeds is laughable. OSU, in particular, has one decent win--at Tenn. If they beat Wiscy, they have a better claim, but so far they've lost every game against top competition.

i think you touched a nerve there, Truff.