21-day Rewind!

And we are back to blogging. Here is an extreme rewind of the last three weeks, broken down by segment:

The Game

Is this the year the Missouri Valley Conference gets national respect as at least the 7th best conference?

I have a proposal on how to name the ACC-Big 10 challenge. The winner of each annual challenge goes first in the next year's challenge. So calling it ACC-Big10 challenge was correct the last few years. The Big 11 has to win one before they can whine about it not being "Big10-ACC challenge".

As if two lossess were not bad enough for Texas, Dion Dowell decided to transfer

Many teams are looking forward to the new semester. So many talented players becoming eligible: Marcus Williams @ UConn, Jawann McClelland @ Arizona, Sean Williams @ Boston College

Seven footers are not all that. Kentucky has three of them but they rarely produce proportionately to their size. Little Saint Mary's of California has two seven-footers, but they rarely produce. UCLA has the two Lavin 7-footers but they have fallen in the depth chart behind two true freshmen, and a wild sophomore. So having 7-footers, as rare as it may be, it's not all that!

Six year seniors are increasing in numbers. Andrew Wilson of Florida State, Adam Boone of Minnessssootttta, and quite a few more

Random prediction: Jamal Boykin will transfer back to the west coast by July 2007 because of lack of PT. He doesn't play now and they are without Demarcus Nelson.

Was the Oklahoma at Villanova game the battle of the overrated? Oklahoma does not seem to be a top 10 team, while we have yet to see how Nova does when their guards are overmatched with talented bigger players.

How about the preseason experimental rule changes? I like the longer 3, I like the block/charge semi-circle, and I have no problems with a wider lane.



The Coaches

Recruiting Violations? Coach K is blatantly recruting future Dookies in his American Express TV commercial. Yet no one cares. TV analysts keep repeating that Bob Knight was the only coach in the gym watching Martin Zeno at a basketball camp when Zeno was in high school. Violations perhaps? The NCAA doesn't seem to care :)

Jim Harrick resurfaces! The former Pepperdine coach was actually the analyst for the Pepperdine home game on the SoCal FSN, but also broadcast nationally on FCS-Pacific. He is back!

Tubby's recruiting is a constant whine in the bluegrass state. And the whining is not without merit. Take the 2006 class for instance. One of the deepest classes of recent years, and what does Tubby have? Apart from very underrated Derrick Jasper, what else?

Rick Pitino needed some carbs, so he scheduled a lot of cupcakes. Obviously it is not his fault his team was ranked so high, but at the moment they are definately a work in progress. On the other hand, the bad rep they got from the loss at Kentucky is unfair, since Padgett played only 2 minutes in the first half, and that's when they got 0wned by Rajon Rondo and KY. Do you think Rondo forgot about being left waiting while Pitino hopelessly waited for Telfair not go to the NBA?


The Analysts and Broadcasters

CSTV should add more Memphis Tigers basketball games to their national schedule. This team is fun to watch when they are clicking on all cylinders! And Carney is a highlight show on his own.

Memo to Seth Davis: Penn State @ Pittsburgh is not a conference game. He seemed puzzled a couple of Saturdays ago doing highlights during a CBS Saturday broadcast: "Why PennSt and Pitt would play a conference game so early?". Perhaps because they are not in the same conference? They are just in the same state, Seth!

TV Basketball analysts seem to have a poor understanding of prep schools and the difference between a freshman straight out of high school, and a freshman "hiding" at a prep school, coming in as a 19/20+ year old.

It is only a matter of time before Rick Majerus gets ESPN in trouble. Last year's classic moment was "peeing in the shower". His biggest "violation" this year is probably rating Josh McRobert's mom and grand-ma as 10s. While Dick Vitale can get away with just about anything he says, no matter how inappropriate or self-promotional, I don't think Majerus or anybody else can get away with it.

Another violation: Jimmy Dykes considers his wife and kids as "possessions"? At least that's how it comes out when he tells his story from a coaches perspective of "besides my wife and kids, the ball is my most valuable possession". Ouch!

Someone please teach Fran Fraschilla and Dick Vitale the meaning of the word "dilemma". They seem to think it's a synonym to "problem" or "trouble". They dont' seem to know about its binary nature!

Speaking of Dick Vitale, his persistent prediction that Cincy will fail to make the NCAA tournament is more of an homage to Bob Huggins than anything else. But "Adam" Kennedy, the interim Cincy coach is using this to motivate his team before every game.

I have nothing against Bob Carpenter, but his voice is very very annoying

The CoachSpeak segment on the FSN ACC and SEC season previews was a great idea. Three coaches (Bobby Cremins, Perry Clark and Eddie Fogler) breaking down each team was a brilliant idea at FSN! On the other hand, FSN seems to insist on the idea of "ACC Sunday Night hoops" on Fridays or Saturdays. The last time I checked Sunday was not Saturday!

Bill Raftery doing a game on Tuesday, and the next day, he is doing a live NBA TV show. He is everywhere! Of course it does help that the NBA TV studio and his residence are in the same state!