Welcome Back!

I haven't posted on this blog in 2 years, but on the eve of ESPN's college basketball kick off, I decided it just wasn't as much fun without a forum for truth in basketball world. Ready for me to lay down the knowledge?

Presenting the Bigger, Faster, Stronger, (with Limited Commercial Interruption) College Basketball Etc.

What better way to start then by introducing the sheep in wolves' clothing?

The Top 5 OVERrated teams of the 2008-2009 season (In no order):

#21 Davidson: It may not be trendy to take on the media darling and the new (baby)face of college basketball, Stephen Curry, but I will try to explain this mid major mirage. First, here is the name you should hear more this season than Curry, Jason Richards. Davidson's cagy veteran point guard who graduated last year was the catalyst for all things Curry. He had a nearly 3 to 1 turnover ratio and averaged 12.7 points for the Wildcats last year. This year Davidson moves Curry to point guard, we will see how much easier it is to contain Curry when the reliable Richards isn't running next to him.

#5 Duke: The Blue Devils have been singing the blues early in March the past two seasons, will that trend continue? I expect to see the Devils bounced again on the first weekend. Coach K brings in more man power to the post, which has been devoid of a real presence since Sheldon Williams graduated. This new Post by committee is intriguing, but at the most it will give them 20 fouls to throw at ACC bigs. Lance Thomas and Brian Zoubek have proven they can't handle major minutes and adding freshman Olek Czyz and Miles Plumlee does little to improve my confidence in them. Both freshman may be key contributors in years to come, but not this year. The positives at Duke? Gerald Henderson looks poised for a All American campaign, and Nolan Smith gives a new athleticism handling the ball. This should remind you of the Duke basketball of recent memory, a good outside shooting team without a consistent force in the lane.

#4 UCLA: I hate betting against this team. Ben Howland is a fantastic coach. His teams are always smart and tenacious on defense. They return the Darren Collison and have a monster freshman class, but I can't see them past the sweet 16 this year.
The problem is the youth. Howland has a knack for turning his teams into disciplined machines, but it must take time. The bruins lost Russell Westbrook, Kevin Love and Luc Richard Mbah a Moute to the NBA. It takes time replace 3 first round picks. I love Jrue Holiday and Malcolm Lee but great freshman have proven to not preform in March, think Kevin Durant, Michael Beasley, O.J. Mayo...

Thats it, I'm excited to be back.

Mark Your calendars and Get Your Tickets Now

Every year there are important games that will have big impact when Selection Sunday rolls around, think Georgetown's upset at Duke last year. As the Hoyas know, one win can take your seed up a couple notches. This year, these games are plentiful and will decide who's a 1, 2, or 3 come March.

(In the order they occur)

1. Florida vs. Kansas (Nov. 25): This is the game that could tip the scales for the overall number one seed. The selection committee will love this game because it is truly neutral. This game is in Las Vegas, and will pit two of the most talented teams in the country. Brandon Rush, Joakim Noah, and Al Horford are all potential Wooden Award winners, and they will all be on the court, watch it. (Kansas hits the jackpot in Vegas)

2. Georgetown vs. Duke (Dec. 2): Remember Georgetown from the opening? Reverse roles and play it back. If Josh McRoberts and Co. can battle the Hoyas' big men, they can may make another run at a top seed. This is no easy task, Jeff Green, Roy Hibbert and Patrick Ewing Jr. will make a dominant and deep front line which may make it difficult for Duke to combat. Duke will need to have a solid perimeter game established in a month. (Duke takes back Cameron)

3. Pittsburgh vs. Wisconsin (Dec. 16) Another matchup for out of conference Final Four contenders, how could you not be excited? This game is a battle of the unknowns. We all know that Aaron Gray and Alando Tucker will put on a show, but it will be the play of the counterparts, Brian Butch and ECU transfer Mike Cook will determine this game. The game will be between Butch's improvement and how well Cook lives up to his high preseason praise. (Cook raised Pitt to the occasion)

4. North Carolina vs. Arizona ( Jan. 27) In the meat of conference season, we get another potential Final Four matchup. This game will be the most electrifying game of the year. Think, McDonald's All American Game 2006. Chase Budinger, Jawann McClellan and Mustafa Shakur will try to push the pace right along with Ty Lawson, Wayne Ellington, and Reyshawn Terry. Don't be surprised if this game ends 120-119. (Arizona gets the extra point from the home crowd)

My last prediction for this segment is you will see one, if not more, of these games again in March, possibly in Atlanta.

Welcome Back, You Ready?

Woo Hoo! ACC, Big East, and Big 12 Fans rejoice! While none of your teams will be competing for a BCS championship, you can bank they will be there for the NCAA Tournament! Yes, with the glow of pumpkins and leaves beneath your feet, college gyms are a buzz with practice and anticipation. You don't need me, yet, to tell you what traditional teams are thinking national championship, Kansas, Carolina, Florida, but you may want to know who else is and who's thinking like George Mason.

Major Conference Teams Making the Turn Towards National Contention:

1. Texas A&M: Gasp! Billy Gillispie has turned this program around so quickly you may still be penciling in a W next to that game. "Not so fast my friends!" Acie Law and Joseph Jones bring their 30 plus points back along with nearly every major contributor. The same team that should have ended LSU's run last year will certainly finish this year, barring they can find just enough offense to go along with their stifling D.

2. Alabama: Mark Gotfried has got to be excited about having the point guard in the country. Ronald Steele is the most exciting, versatile, guard who has the potential to win games by himself. The Tide will need that with teams like Florida, Villanova, and LSU on their schedule. 'Bama must lock up enough big victories in the tough SEC to give themselves a favorable road in the tournament.

Future GMU:

1. Creighton: The program that is one big run away from being considered with Gonzaga, should have that run in them this year. The key for the Jays this year, keep prospective Wooden Award winner Nate "Super" Funk healthy. Funk brings back his 20 points per and is the best player you've never heard of. They play in the always dangerous MVC, but they should out match most every team on their schedule.

2006-2007 One Seeds

Now that the early NBA entry deadline has come and gone, it is now time to check how the coveted 1 seeds should look.

1. Florida Gators- The National Champion gators return...everyone that played a serious role in last season's title run. We could very easily see a repeat champion in March. Joakim Noah will be the preseason player of the year in every major publication and Florida returns their top 7 in an 8 man rotation from last year, how could they not be number one?

2. Kansas Jayhawks- The Jayhawks only get stronger next year, after their torrid late season push. Late Signee Darell Arthur and stud point guard Sharron Collins only bolster KU's title hopes. Most of those hopes ride on the backs of backcourt mates Brandon Rush, one of the most physically gifted athletes in the country, and Mario Chalmers. Did I forget to mention that the 'Hawks top 7 scorers were all freshman or sophomores? This team will be deep and much more experienced than their ages suggest.

3. North Carolina Tar Heels- They were number 2 until Kansas signed Darell Arthur, not to mention that KU should roll through the weak Big 12 with much more ease than the Heels in the ACC. That said, it is easy to see how these Heels could easily bring a second title in three years to Chapel Hill. National Coach of the Year Roy Williams returns everyone from last year's surprising top 10 team sans David Noel. FOY Tyler Hansbrough will lead his ACC tested class of Danny Green, Marcus Ginyard, and Bobby Frasor, who all show flashes of former Tar Heel legends. Oh yeah, that freshman crop is okay too! Okay as in the best class in the history of basketball recruiting. Brandan Wright, Tywon Lawson, and Wayne Ellington all rank first in their class at their position. The real key to the season will be the play of Senior Reyshawn Terry. Terry has the potential to be the ACC player of the year and has shown flashes of leadership and clutch shooting, all will be needed if the Tar Heels hope to get their sixth championship.

4. Ohio State Buckeyes- The best player in College resides in Columbus, not Gainsville. He hasn't even played yet. Greg Oden is the most physically gifted basketball player since LeBron James, and is well on his way to being mentioned with Shaq as one of the most dominant centers ever. Oden automatically catapults any program to contender status, but what gives the Buckeyes the edge is the rest of the team. Ron Lewis and Jamar Butler will lead this classic mix of talent and experience. Oden also brings Mike Conley and Daequan Cook, All-Americans, to OSU. This team is super talented and tough to stop.

Final 4 Preview:
Ohio State @ UNC- Big 10/ACC Challenge

The "Etc." Part of the Title

A little baseball commentary. It does not matter one bit if Barry Bonds breaks the home run record. I don't even believe he will because of his mental and physical state, but if he does it will last oh, less than 10 years. Then when it is broken we will have a real battle for history's greatest slugger title. The debate will rage over two names, Alex Rodriguez and Albert Pujols. A-Rod will be at 500 homers next season and is well on his way to bulldozing Hammerin' Hank's 755. Alex will reach that plateau around 37, which is 5 years ahead of when ole' Bonds may do it. That is assuming Alex continues in great health and is producing around 40 HR/Year, which is not a stretch for him. If we assume that Rodriguez plays until 40, which may be underestimating, he will end with a grand total of around 850. That is amazing, but Albert Pujols will put his name right up there too. The man is a masterpiece. Pujols is 26, had 200 home runs in 5 years, and is rolling early this year. At this pace, Pujols will be arriving at 800 around 40 years of age. So this historic race which may all happen within 5 years of each other, will come down to injuries, longevity, and a lot of luck. So Bonds doubters do not need to worry, because A-Rod and Albert will eat up whatever home run record is in their way.

John's Gone, Who's Next?

Now that John Calipari has withdrawn his name from the NC State coaching search it is time to move on. This was disappointing but not a devastating blow to the NCSU head coaching search. If any of the Wolfpack fans banked on pulling a top tier coach away from their schools, you were out of your mind. It was worth trying because of course Rick Barnes and John Calipari were the best available, but there are more great coaches.

1. John Brady- John has done a marvelous job rebuilding LSU. He is great at local recruiting and he is in the same situation at LSU that he would be at NCSU. At LSU he had to find the good hidden talent around the south because the great players were going elsewhere in the SEC. He could do wonders because he really has not developed a style of play and seems to coach to the strengths of his players, such was the case with Glen Davis and Tyrus Thomas when he built a very deliberate offense.

2. Billy Gillespie- Texas A&M head coach could be a great long term solution at NC State. He has quickly built A&M into a respectable Big 12 team and has also worked around his schools inability to recruit. Gillespie runs a guard oriented offense which suits the present team here. Billy could become the face of NCSU for years to come.

3. Gregg Marshall- Marshall knows how to get the most out of his players. He pushes his team harder than most coaches I have seen and has a great ability to motivate his team. If it wasn't for a miracle shot by Chris Lofton of Tennessee, Winthrop would have made a lot of noise in the NCAA's.

Calipari Could Signal A Wolf Resurgence

It is said, and is as close to fact as possible, that John Calipari and his staff will be coming to Raleigh in the next 24 hours to tour the basketball facilities and possibly accept the job. Some people say that John may be using the situation for leverage with his own contract at Memphis. I accepted the sentiment until I heard he was coming for a tour, which seems extreme for leverage. Memphis news radio is also reporting that he is all but gone. They are debating new coaches and who is to blame for the loss of Calipari. John Calipari's arrival at NC State could mark a shift in power around the Triangle. That is not to say NC State will suddenly win the ACC next year over vastly more talented UNC and Duke teams, but Calipari has a history of winning quickly and if his success continues, the ACC and the entire country may be seeing the revival of Wolfpack nation. All Cal needs are a few recruits and to maintain that charisma that will have donors dropping a ton of cash in the sleeping giant that is NC State basketball. I firmly disagree with those who argue NC State will never compete with the rest of the state because they have in the past, and with John Calipari at the helm, there is no reason to think they can't return.