Dead Week Blues

This is my least favorite week of the year. I see no, besides the irrelevant NIT, college basketball, baseball, or football, heck there is no golf, or even auto racing. If you have got the blues like me it leaves a person with a lot of time to ponder about the future, especially because no ACC teams are left to get excited about. So who should be left next year in the NCAA tournament come dead week? I can think of a few.

The University of North Carolina should be headed to Atlanta. They return every significant player besides David Noel, and have the best recruiting class, ever. All-American Tyler Hansbrough should stay for his sophomore campaign to lead a good mix of youth and experience on to the Final Four. They will without a doubt have the most talent and the most expectations.

UCLA should continue to be the west coast force. They have a real talent in James Keefe and they return all of their core players, minus Bozeman and Hollins. Ben Howland should have another run to the Final Four.

Ohio State is already the darling of 2006. OSU has the rare opportunity to replace all their key losses next year. Greg Oden, who could be a freshman POY, will replace Dials, Conley replaces Foster and, stud, Daequan Cook will replace J.J Sullinger. Thad Matta is an excellent coach who did a lot with a little this year and could be headed to Georgia if his freshman come to play.