Thursday, January 20, 2005
king george?
-- Former Auburn coach Sonny Smith yesterday echoed what I've been saying for weeks; the SEC is very, very weak this year.Smith continues to follow the sport closely as the co-host of the popular, Birmingham-based Sonny and Wimp Show. Smith and former Alabama coach Wimp Sanderson also co-host at TV show aired during the basketball season on Charter Sports Southeast.
"The league (SEC) is the worst it's been in 15 years," Smith said. "It's just not good. I think in the end the conference will be ranked maybe the fourth or fifth best in the country. "Now, it's still worth watching and it's still great basketball. But I think you'll have fewer teams going to the NCAA Tournament this year than in other years."
-- The Chicago Daily Herald's Tim Sassone previews DePaul-Marquette as Quemont Greer-Travis Diener. A storyline few would have imagined before Milwaukee native Greer's breakout season. Quemont remains among college basketball's best-kept secrets.
-- "Who's 'The Man' among Muskies?" is the title of Paul Daugherty's must-read on Sean Miller's Xavier squad. A team without an identity is a team bound for the NIT. The Cincinnati Enquirer columnist does a good job -- as always -- considering the buffet of policy options available to the freshman coach.
-- Adam Pruiett of the Hardin County (KY) News-Enterprise -- a small-circulation paper with big-time college basketball coverage -- writes-up 6'8" Otis George's return to Louisville. Much-awaited and much-needed, George's size will enable an already-dangerous Cardinals squad to go further in March than their current record may suggest.
