Thursday, January 06, 2005
upset city!
-- Asked if he could win a national title at Gonzaga, Mark Few responded, "I don't know why you can't. It's kind of the premise that's kept us all around." I'd love to see the 'Zags crash the party -- or at least the Final Four -- but what a run it would take. Even in a year of parity.-- Exposed as pretenders, West Virginia fell, hard, to Villanova. The game was never in doubt. Rollie's work as a play-by-play man for ESPN Classic, however, was circumspect from the get-go.
-- Sadly, this intrepid blogger was unable to acquire tickets for yesterday's grudge match between Connecticut and Boston College. (Thanks, however, to Trey for the help). Yet even on TV, I could see that the Huskies aren't much of a team without a true point guard to lead them. Boston College, on the other hand, proved they are more than the Craig Smith show. How do you rank 'em now?
-- Daniel Horton is back, as Iowa learned the hard way. Wolverines 65, Hawkeyes 63. Portending a Big Ten year of parity (and, save Illinois and perhaps Wisconsin, mediocrity).
-- Nobody noticed, but Vanderbilt beat Alabama. How long before Kevin Stallings flies the coop? Only the Indiana administration knows.
-- The spirit of Phi Slamma Jamma found its way back to Houston, where Tom Penders defeated Rick Pitino. Too bad only 4,238 were in attendance to see Louisville go down. The Cardinals, it seems, lack the Blue Devils' magic tough of being able to win with a short bench.
-- Kentucky escaped against South Carolina, suggesting to the News-Enterprise's Chuck Jones that Kelenna Azubuike is the 'Cats new go-to guy. Sure, if Sparks don't fly. As for the Gamecocks? Despite another close loss, Dave Odom continues to earn his keep.
-- The Carl Krauser and Chris Taft show got no help in Pittsburgh as Georgetown announced their imminent return to basketball relevance by upsetting the Panthers. Fool me once at the Petersen Events Center, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. The Panthers aren't a very good team right now. The Pittsburgh faithful have cause for concern.
-- Nobody showed up to watch yesterday's Penn State - Michigan State duel. No worries, Paul Davis was Mr. Invisible. Again.
-- The Denver Post's Tom Kensler finds an awkward time to pen a "Big 12 has arrived" article. Still, with Oklahoma State and Kansas legit Top 10 squads and Texas not as far behind as you might think, it has.
-- John Sleeper suggests Nate Robinson's slump (15 for 50 in his last five games) is no cause for concern. But I disagree. If Nate-Rob loses his mojo, so too might the Huskies. (Who haven't yet).
-- The Louisville Courier-Journal's Rick Bozich, inspired by yesterday's victory, suggests Kentucky will once again dominate the SEC. I don't disagree. Though this time around, the 'Cats success will owe more to others' faults than to their own strengths.