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© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
2,326 comments Add your comment
TennesseePaul
February 15th, 2012
12:13 pm
It all starts tomorrow, correct? Are there workouts for a while, then games?
This year they are skipping all that and going straight to the post season.
Hillbilly
February 15th, 2012
12:14 pm
Damn toe put too much street on that knee.
However you want to spell it, the idea remains the same. Journalist Jimmy Smith was not the crazy old man some folks thought he was. Dude was on to something….. TANTBTW.
George
February 15th, 2012
12:16 pm
Don’t think any games till after March 1.
JRW
February 15th, 2012
12:18 pm
George – Could FRANK WREN please sign sign JEREMY LIN to play SS for us this year?
———————————————————————————————————-
And Tim Tebow to platoon in left.
George
February 15th, 2012
12:20 pm
Don’t know about TIM TEBOW, he might be down on his knees to much.
Murph
February 15th, 2012
12:29 pm
Tim Tebow, now Jeremy Lin… this country is desperate for a hero.
The baseball version will be Freddie Freeman, who despite a crippling case of the diddles from eating some bad sushi, will go out and hit 4 HR on the final day of the season to vault the Braves into the playoffs.
He will have his own version of “The Tebow”, but rather than going to one knee in prayer, he will cross home plate with his knees together and his hands holding his butt cheeks closed. Youth all over the world will copy this new HR celebration, and Freeman will be revered by all around the world.
brian
February 15th, 2012
12:31 pm
on a non-baseball note – Wake versus GT tonight. Duke-UNC was a showcase for the ACC. Tonight’s game must be its bizzaro counterpoint. How does Wake’s coach survive up there? How bad is Tech that they are a 2 point underdog to Wake?
brian
February 15th, 2012
12:32 pm
George – if Tebow was a LF he would be taking a knee after rounding the bases for a HR
Roman Gal
February 15th, 2012
12:33 pm
Youth all over the world will copy this new HR celebration, and Freeman will be revered by all around the world.
Too bad Freddie’s not very photogenic.
ChattTownBrian (CTB)
February 15th, 2012
12:50 pm
Jurrjens wants to go back to the Tiggers. I’m tellin ya’ll! He misses them. They want him back too. They got Fielder and I bet JJ and Fielder are friends. They’re friends! DOB needs to investigate this. Something is fishy. I m going crazy with all this!
brian
February 15th, 2012
12:54 pm
nice to see that the Braves are in the top 10 in ESPN futures rankings (for what it is worth). For all the complaining about the last 2 drafts (and there is room to complain about them) the Braves are in great shape with young players. Pitching – Hanson, Teheran, Vizcaino, Delgado, Minor, Gilmartin, Medlen, Kimbrel, venters. Then there is Heyward and Freeman with Pastornicky and Simmons ready to man SS. I do not see McCann going anywhere but it is nice to have a prospect like Bethancourt in the system as another option
ChattTownBrian (CTB)
February 15th, 2012
1:01 pm
I’m going to go do my own investigating on this JJ talking to a Detroit writer situation. Sometimes if you want something done, you got to do it yourself. I’ll be back in a bit.
David O'Brien
February 15th, 2012
1:03 pm
I’m going to go do my own investigating on this JJ talking to a Detroit writer situation. Sometimes if you want something done, you got to do it yourself. I’ll be back in a bit. — ChattTownBrian
It’s really not a mystery at all — Jurrjens came up with the Tigers, his original organization. That’s why Detroit media still has interest in him.
Murph
February 15th, 2012
1:04 pm
I don’t think anyone actually wants to move to Detroit, especially someone who lived there once and was lucky enough to escape.
David O'Brien
February 15th, 2012
1:06 pm
on a non-baseball note – Wake versus GT tonight. Duke-UNC was a showcase for the ACC. Tonight’s game must be its bizzaro counterpoint. — brian
Growing up in N.C., back when ACC Tournament was always in Greensboro and it was like a state holiday, it’s hard to believe the conference is as mediocre as it is now. Used to be hands-down the best basketball conference, year after year after year. Those days are long since over, but ACC still is one of the premier leagues and the best in any given year. This season, however, it’s probably no better than fourth. Certainly behind Big 10 and Big 12, and probably behind Big East overall, too.
ncscoots
February 15th, 2012
1:16 pm
This season, however, [the ACC is] probably no better than fourth [best conference].
That is kindness born of your days living in NC, my friend. This is as feeble as I have ever seen the conference, and I go back a loooong way. This is bad, bad, bad hoops.
beekay
February 15th, 2012
1:23 pm
DOB
Please take the probably off of your sentence comparing Big East vs ACC, it’s not even close. The Big East is a bit down this year but outside of Duke and UNC it’s terrible. FSU, UVA, and Miami are decent but the rest are pitiful. Big East with Cuse,Gtown,Louisville, Marquette,N.D., UCONN can beat anyone on any given day with their talent….Seton Hall and USF are even decent this year…the bottom feeders like Pitt, Rutgers, Depaul etc are way beter than Ga. Tech, Va. Tech,Wake, BC….
ncscoots
February 15th, 2012
1:26 pm
Here’s an example of just how bad. The Tigers are carrying six freshmen, four of them getting minutes; they start a player who has to be the most un-improved McDonald’s All-American in history; their best all-around player (Smith) is probably second off the bench for an excellent team; and can barely break 70 on the best offensive night of their lives. Yet, they’ve lost five road conference games by a total of about a dozen points, and would have won all of them had they shot a measley 70% from the stripe. So, it’s not entirely inconceivable that the Tigers (!) could be atop the conference, with just a tiny little bit of swing in their fortunes. And, as much as I would love such a thing, it would be just…sad.
MFin04
February 15th, 2012
1:30 pm
“Big East with Cuse,Gtown,Louisville, Marquette,N.D., UCONN can beat anyone on any given day with their talent”
Unfortunately, they consistently lose in the tournament as well. Love to watch the Big East get 8 teams in, and then have 1 or 2 left, by the 2nd or 3rd game of the tournament. I’d much rather have the consistency of North Carolina and Duke.
And Pitt and Syracuse are moving to the ACC, probably going to easily be the best conference in America then. Not to mention everyone plays Duke and UNC tough since they are two of the premier schools in America.
MFin04
February 15th, 2012
1:34 pm
“The NCAA selection committee picked a record eleven Big East teams to play in the field of 64. I say 64 because none were involved in the silly ‘first round’ games. However, of those eleven that got into the tournament, only two moved on to the Sweet Sixteen.
Two.
Neither of them were even ranked highly in the Big East.
Gone are No. 1 seeded Pitt (lost to Butler), No. 2 seeded Notre Dame (lost to Florida State), No. 3 seeded Syracuse (lost to Marquette), No. 4 seed Louisville (lost to Morehead St.), No. 5 seeded West Virginia (lost to Kentucky), No. 6 seeded Cincinnati (lost to UConn), No. 6 seeded Georgetown (lost to VCU), and No. 9 seeded Villanova (lost to George Mason).
The pile of wreckage left in the wake of the Big East’s massive ‘choke job’ in the 2011 NCAA tournament stretches from Washington DC to Tulsa, OK.”
2 of 11 got to the Sweet 16, what a conference.
MFin04
February 15th, 2012
1:37 pm
I’d rather talk baseball on here anyways…
From ESPN:
“Perhaps Atlanta Braves outfielder Jason Heyward would be held in higher regard these days, from a real-life and fantasy sense, had he simply stayed on the disabled list when his injured right shoulder clearly wasn’t healed last summer. Instead, the second-year player and future star bowed to public and/or team pressure, including some internally from teammate Chipper Jones, and played through the painful injury, which was sapping strength and even causing numbness in his right hand. Heyward altered his swing and [e] let’s just say he ended up one of fantasy’s bigger disappointments.
However, while we probably don’t know the entire story regarding what Heyward went through, the bottom line is it cannot erase the excitement felt about the guy around this time last season. Assuming health, and currently the Braves and Heyward report all is well, nothing that happened in 2011 should derail a bright future. This guy is, after all, only 22 years old! Add it up and Heyward remains in my top 100 rankings, just as he was a year ago.”
It’s hard to realize that he is still only 22. My goodness, if he can get healthy and use that massive strength of his, he could be a major impact guy in the NL. Gone Prince Fielder and Albert Pujols. Gone Ryan Braun. Heyward has a chance to be REALLY good.
beekay
February 15th, 2012
1:38 pm
MFIN
Who won it all…..that’s all that counts. You can take your 2nd and third and 4th place teams, I want the winner
Murph
February 15th, 2012
1:38 pm
My New Mexico Lobos are going to be the Cinderalla Story of this year’s tournament.
You heard it here first.
Murph
February 15th, 2012
1:41 pm
DOB, have you talked to Heyward recently? I know there’s a lot of attention on him and his shoulder, but… what about his thumb??? Seems everyone is overlooking his thumb injury from 2 years ago and, last I heard about it in 2011, was still bothering him.
beekay
February 15th, 2012
1:42 pm
Cincinnati or WVU would be a third place team in the ACC and I din’t even mention them
ncscoots
February 15th, 2012
1:46 pm
Cincinnati or WVU would be a third place team in the ACC and I din’t even mention them
This year, sure. Most years, middling ACC teams would be the cream in a lot of other conferences, too. And it used to be the ACC-Big East Challenge, because those were the two best hoops conferences in the land. But that’s no longer true of either.
Jake Mastroianni
February 15th, 2012
1:53 pm
Braves Spring Training Preview
http://bravesandmore.mlblogs.com/2012/02/15/braves-spring-training-preview/
raleighbravefan
February 15th, 2012
1:55 pm
DOB – I’m older than you, but the tournament was always at Reynolds Coliseum every year until 1967. Other schools didn’t like it, but Reynolds, and later, Cole Fieldhouse (Maryland) were the only college venues that were big enough at that time to host the event. As you said, the ACC tournament was a major event (I would say equal to the superbowl in acc country), especially when only 1 team in the country could go. In 1974, NCSU, UCLA, and NCSU were clearly the 3 best teams in the country. NCSU won the ACC tournment and the national championship, and Maryland, which lost the conference finals in 3 overtimes, stayed home.
MFin04
February 15th, 2012
1:55 pm
I noticed Francouer’s final line with KC was pretty nice after struggling in the NL for a while.
.285/.329/.476/.805
20HR/87RIB/22SB
MFin04
February 15th, 2012
1:57 pm
87 RIBS? That sounds more like a McCann stat, whoops.
raleighbravefan
February 15th, 2012
1:58 pm
I meant one team per conference could go.
MFin04
February 15th, 2012
1:59 pm
Personally, I hope the NCAA gets rid of March Madness and goes to something far less exciting and more economically lucrative…College Basketball Bowl Games. You could have like one a week for 30 weeks or so. The Final 1 game series could be played at like the end of May, beginning of June. Who in the world would want a tournament to decide the college championship anyways!? Ridiculous.
ncgary
February 15th, 2012
2:04 pm
nolie
you right about the hard drives they have went up a lot haven’t they
last time i checked you could get them about 35 % cheaper than they are now
ncscoots
February 15th, 2012
2:13 pm
NCSU won the ACC tournment and the national championship, and Maryland, which lost the conference finals in 3 overtimes, stayed home.
What about the McGuire Gamecocks with Roche and the rest of those carpetbaggers?
Far and away the best team in the country, got bounced in the conference tourney, and went Dance-less. The story goes that McGuire ws so ticked that it led to USC leaving the conference altogether. Remember that?
Efrim
February 15th, 2012
2:17 pm
So more Jair rumors. I have a hard time believing the Tigers would re-acquire him after trading him to Frank Wren 4.5 years ago because they felt like he couldn’t hold up as a starter(and they were pretty much right).
ncgary
February 15th, 2012
2:20 pm
roche sure could light up the baskets
him and pistol pete
Efrim
February 15th, 2012
2:21 pm
They did not trade for an impact pitcher.
Exactly. Players of real importance don’t get traded in spring training. I think Jurrjens is a Brave for all of 2012.
ncscoots
February 15th, 2012
2:26 pm
roche sure could light up the baskets
I’ve disliked a lot of Duke players, and Tar Heels, too, but never with the fervor delivered to John Roche, LOL.
Big Nick
February 15th, 2012
2:27 pm
2012 bullpen
Kimbrel
Venters
O’Flaherty
Medlen
Martinez
Asencio
Vizcaino
I like Varvaro but with Jairo out of options I think he gets the nod. Fish has a shot but needs a big spring. I personally like the 3 LHers in the bullpen but just don’t see Fish beating out all the other good options the Braves have.
How do you guys think it will shake out???
MFin04
February 15th, 2012
2:37 pm
2012 bullpen
Kimbrel
Venters
O’Flaherty
Medlen
Martinez
Asencio
Vizcaino
Man, watched last year’s season finale last week…and Varvaro was pretty darn great in the game, as well as most games he pitched in. Will be nice to have a bullpen without Proctor, Linebrink, and Sherrill.
nolie
February 15th, 2012
2:39 pm
wasn’t Fish a Rule 5 draft pick? if so he will likely get some benefit of the doubt if things are close
Murph
February 15th, 2012
2:42 pm
I still would rather see Vizcaino in AAA working as a starter… the Braves have 3 semi-high injury risk pitchers in the rotation with Hudson (back), Hanson (shoulder), and JJ (knee). Rather than trying to stretch a guy from being a reliever back into a starter it sure would be nice to be able to bring him up without missing much of a beat.
If Teheran, Delgado, and Vizcaino are starting in AAA then the Braves will be well-covered if they need a spot start… one of those 3 would be able to come up and start on regular rest.
flange1
February 15th, 2012
2:42 pm
Efrim,
I agree that it is rare that pitchers or any decent players are traded in Spring Training.
BUT, things are changing! I have been thinking that FW has the groundwork for a JJ trade in place and that if JJ can come back strong in Spring Training and Hanson and Hudson are OK, he might let JJ go.
Same with Asencio, add JJ and Asencio and you might get a decent return.
I might be wrong, (been wrong a few million times in the past!) but we will see.
ChattTownBrian (CTB)
February 15th, 2012
2:43 pm
DOB, I know. I was just being contumelious.
ncgary
February 15th, 2012
2:43 pm
correct you are nolie rule 5 draft for fish
nolie
February 15th, 2012
2:44 pm
Viz is a total waste in AAA as a starter, they have 8 guys ranked ahead of him as starters. if he can get players out in the pen in Atlanta, putting him in AAA as a totally unneeded starter would be like throwing the year away
nolie
February 15th, 2012
2:45 pm
any GM who gives up much for JJ in ST after the two last seasons is a fool
ncgary
February 15th, 2012
2:45 pm
yeah scoots
gamecocks weren’t my team either
but roche was unstoppable, you got to give the man his due
nolie
February 15th, 2012
2:47 pm
of course that’s not to say that there ain’t a few fools out there
Murph
February 15th, 2012
2:48 pm
Vizcaino is 20 years old. Getting him more starts in AAA hardly seems like a waste.
MFin04
February 15th, 2012
2:51 pm
Starters:
1 Hudson
2 Jurrjens
3 Hanson
4 Beachy
5 Minor
6 Delgado
7 Teheran
8 Medlen
9 Vizcaino
Hudson is out to start the season so probably a rotation of:
1 Jurrjens
2 Hanson
3 Beachy
4 Minor
5 Delgado/Teheran
raleighbravefan
February 15th, 2012
2:51 pm
scoots – yeah, SC was upset that year by NCSU, a good, not great team featuring Van Williford. To make matters worse, SC was hosting the regionals that year in their new arena, and had planned to play there. In those days, teams stayed in their own regieon during the playoffs…One reason UCLA dominated (besides being really good), because most of the best teams were in the east (plus Kansas, of course).
A similar situation occured when Duke (final four team in 1964 and 1966) lost to NCSU in 1965. BTW, in 1968, #3 seed NCSU beat #1 seed Duke in the simi-final 12-10. Obviously NCSU held the ball, and Duke let them.
nolie
February 15th, 2012
2:52 pm
its a waste when there are 7-8 guys ahead of him and he could be productive in the bigs. you could be saying the same thing about Medlen who will also be in the pen. and was mentioned ahead of Viz as a starter IIRC
flange1
February 15th, 2012
2:53 pm
I would like AV in the pen in Atlanta in 2012.
Make the pen 5 deep with Meds and AV, limit all 5’s innings a bit because you are adding more guys to the mix.
While maybe not as valuable as a starter a hard throwing stud reliever with 2 plus pitches has some value too. Even more if he can close. I think AV can be almost as good as Kimbrel could be.
raleighbravefan
February 15th, 2012
2:54 pm
scoots – Roach was a real (explitive deleated). Word was that he beat up another student who was serving food in the school cafateria, because he wouldn’t give Roach extra portions.
nolie
February 15th, 2012
2:58 pm
like any number of teams have done with any number of young pitchers you can stretch the guy out and turn him into a starter any old time that he is projected to be a help in that slot
you Texas boys are talkin’ about doing that this season with Feliz who I guess did not get an out clause in his contract that prevents him from being moved thar.
typical Texas shenanigans…
Murph
February 15th, 2012
2:58 pm
7-8 guys quickly turns into 3-4 guys with injuries and trades. What’s the rush to get Vizcaino to the bigs? Lots of guys around the minors “could be productive in the bigs”, but some are allowed to develop and get experience first.
The Braves have plenty of talent to fill out the bullpen without him. I’d rather see him given the opportunity to develop into the starter some think he could be than rushed to the bullpen. It would be one thing if the pen still had Proctor and the gang, but it’s going to be a good-to-great pen without Vizcaino.
He’s not done yet. Let him cook a bit longer.
ncscoots
February 15th, 2012
2:59 pm
Word was that he beat up another student who was serving food in the school cafateria
Plus a few in pizza joints and other assorted places, LOL. Those suckers were all mean, Owens, Ribock, Riker, Roche, all of ‘em. One of the things that made them so good, I reckon.
Big Nick
February 15th, 2012
2:59 pm
Varvaro has had control issues in the past. Love his stuff but can he be consistent enough for a FULL season and did someone say he could be almost as good as Kimbrel??? Really???
Murph
February 15th, 2012
3:01 pm
Big Nick, I think they were talking about Vizcaino being as good as Kimbrel, not Varvaro.
MFin04
February 15th, 2012
3:01 pm
“He’s not done yet. Let him cook a bit longer.”
I thought the whole purpose of him going to the MLB bullpen was to limit innings, and not throw soo many innings as a starter in the minors?
ncscoots
February 15th, 2012
3:03 pm
any GM who gives up much for JJ in ST after the two last seasons is a fool
Might find one who is blinded by the nu shooz, though. Could happen.
Big Nick
February 15th, 2012
3:04 pm
Murph
Your point is valid about Vizcaino but the Braves have already decided he is a reliever for the time being so what you are saying is just not going to happen!
nolie
February 15th, 2012
3:04 pm
you sure are planning on a passel of injuries in one season that we need to start him now. glass is half empty of kool aid huh?
Murph
February 15th, 2012
3:05 pm
I thought the whole purpose of him going to the MLB bullpen was to limit innings, and not throw soo many innings as a starter in the minors?
With Fredi’s bullpen management skills I don’t see how this could go wrong.
Big Nick
February 15th, 2012
3:05 pm
Now Viizcaino as good as Kimbrel has legs! Makes more sense.
flange1
February 15th, 2012
3:06 pm
Big Nick,
I said AV (Viz) COULD be as good a Kimbrell.
Not Varvaro, Aroyds Vizcaino.
nolie
February 15th, 2012
3:07 pm
the secret to success on the ol’ blog is to pay strict attention to what Murph says, and then do the exact opposite. You will be right most of the time……..
Murph
February 15th, 2012
3:07 pm
you sure are planning on a passel of injuries in one season that we need to start him now. glass is half empty of kool aid huh?
2 pitchers coming off of injuries that shut them down in August, one coming off of back surgery, an unproven Mike Minor starting in the rotation, and knowing that if the Braves want to/need to improve the offense this season the only thing they have to trade from is pitching… yeah, I guess I’m just being negative.
MFin04
February 15th, 2012
3:07 pm
“With Fredi’s bullpen management skills I don’t see how this could go wrong.”
The only problem with his bullpen management skills was putting guys into situations they couldn’t handle, then going to extra innings and overworking all the guys he was trying to not use in the first place.
Hopefully this problem is fixed if the Braves score some runs and blow some teams out once in a while. It seemed like every game was a close game. Would be nice to blow some teams out with a complete offense this year.
nolie
February 15th, 2012
3:08 pm
I guess you are too, but at least you admit it Murph
Big Nick
February 15th, 2012
3:08 pm
In most organizations Vizcaino is no doubt a SP prospect but the Braves need to utilize their talent and Viz best fits the RP role the best of the big 3.
flange1
February 15th, 2012
3:10 pm
AGREE Big Nick!
Murph
February 15th, 2012
3:11 pm
the secret to success on the ol’ blog is to pay strict attention to what Murph says, and then do the exact opposite. You will be right most of the time……..
You can’t get under my skin old man. You try and try and try, but it never works.
One of these days you’re going to wish you had back all the collective hours you spent trying to make me mad. Would be like gold in your hands.
nolie
February 15th, 2012
3:12 pm
maybe, but I’m having so much fun now
nolie
February 15th, 2012
3:13 pm
y’all take care, seeya later
TennesseePaul
February 15th, 2012
3:13 pm
I have a hard time believing the Tigers would re-acquire him after trading him to Frank Wren 4.5 years ago because they felt like he couldn’t hold up as a starter(and they were pretty much right)
The AL just doesn’t care about players. It’s that simple. For years Matt Diaz toiled away over there until he was pawned off on the Braves, who gave him an eye test, found he needed contacts and saw him hit .305/.352/.458/.810 across 6 seasons with the team.
The Tigers, fearing injury of Jurrjens, dished him off for a fading SS. The Braves stuck with him and found a toe joint discrepancy and have purchased an insert for his shoes to correct it.
Why? Because the Braves care.
raleighbravefan
February 15th, 2012
3:13 pm
Mike Minor unproven? How many starts constitutes proven?
brian
February 15th, 2012
3:14 pm
ACC tournament used to be even better than the NCAA tournament. I would like to see less teams in the NCAA tournament not more. Make the conference tournaments bigger again. Can’t stand seeing 6+ teams from a league going to the NCAAs. Make it conference champion plus no more than 3 more with the conference champion getting the only invite. Start with 48 team tournament thus eliminating 16 at large spots
MFin04
February 15th, 2012
3:18 pm
“Mike Minor unproven”
I dunno, he hasn’t impressed me yet. 8-5 with a 4.74 ERA.
nolie
February 15th, 2012
3:20 pm
Atlanta has spent just $7.6 million on DeMacio’s two drafts, which ranks ahead of only the White Sox in bonus spending over the last two years.
jeffrey d
February 15th, 2012
3:21 pm
I like 64 in the tourney. It keeps it exciting. Besides, after 2 days 32 of the teams are gone.
nolie
February 15th, 2012
3:27 pm
I’d say he is unproven too. not saying he will be bad, but certainly not proven yet he will be good, takes a lt more than 13 decisions and an ERA just under 5 to prove anything
Murph
February 15th, 2012
3:29 pm
Looking at Minor’s season last year, there were definitely some problems with consistency. Gives up 5, then gives up 1, gives up 4, gives up 1… Maybe they should just skip him every other time through the rotation.
McFann O O o
February 15th, 2012
3:31 pm
Murph—
Good idea…just make sure they skip the starts where he gives up 4+…
nolie
February 15th, 2012
3:33 pm
knowing Fredi, he would skip the starts where MM gives up just one………..
Soph
February 15th, 2012
3:33 pm
68 now but remember when were talking about over a 100 teams a few years ago? Yuck.
David O'Brien
February 15th, 2012
3:34 pm
DOB – I’m older than you, but the tournament was always at Reynolds Coliseum every year until 1967. — raleighbravesfan
Yes, you are older than me. It was in Greensboro in ‘67, then Charlotte for a few years, then in Greensboro every year but one from 1971 through 1980, back when I was a kid.
David O'Brien
February 15th, 2012
3:36 pm
DOB, have you talked to Heyward recently? I know there’s a lot of attention on him and his shoulder, but… what about his thumb??? Seems everyone is overlooking his thumb injury from 2 years ago and, last I heard about it in 2011, was still bothering him. — Murph
It’s not an issue now. It got aggravated in 2011 because he was getting jammed and also, as Chipper explained, coming around pitches and hitting all those grounders to 1st, instead of staying inside the pitch and using the middle of the field.
David O'Brien
February 15th, 2012
3:37 pm
Beekay, I was trying to be nice and give ACC benefit of doubt. But yes, Big East is better this year IMO. And Big 10 and Big 12 clearly are better.
McFann O O o
February 15th, 2012
3:37 pm
nolie knowing Fredi, he would skip the starts where MM gives up just one…
Haha…
ncscoots
February 15th, 2012
3:39 pm
I like 64 in the tourney. It keeps it exciting.
Trophies for everybody.
Besides, after 2 days 32 of the teams are gone.
We could spend the two days on a tanning bed without the 32, and it would have just about as much impact on the tourney. Or put those 32 back in the NIT, and give it some actual relevance again.
Soph
February 15th, 2012
3:40 pm
I like the round of 64. Get to see some exciting finishes and I love having a bunch of games on at one time.
Murph
February 15th, 2012
3:43 pm
scoots, how many 15-2 upsets have there been in recent years?
Actually… I don’t know. But still, I’d hate to see the tourney altered in any way, shape, or form.
Murph
February 15th, 2012
3:44 pm
Thanks for the info about Heyward DOB.
Now, if only they could teach the kid to slide feet-first…
brian
February 15th, 2012
3:45 pm
nolie – you get what you pay for
Wes Jorga
February 15th, 2012
3:46 pm
Why isn’t Evan Gattis a higher prospect? Argua
ncscoots
February 15th, 2012
3:47 pm
But still, I’d hate to see the tourney altered in any way, shape, or form.
I’m pretty sure the tourney is safe from my dinosaurism. I can’t remember the last time I got a call from a college president asking my opinion on such.
They’ll fer sure ask for a bleepin’ check, though, and my opinions be damned.
Wes Jorga
February 15th, 2012
3:47 pm
sorry, Arguably Evan Gattis had the best offensive stats in the entire system
UKUGA
February 15th, 2012
3:53 pm
Frankly, college basketball just isn’t that strong this year.
Outside of Kentucky, Syracuse, and maybe Ohio State, it’s hard to point to any team as really being “elite”.
UNC has the talent, but seem to lack the heart.
Duke seems to lack talent, but they are well coached, play intelligently, and can nail shots down the stretch (have been doing it since November, not just last Wednesday night).
Kansas is good, but has not stepped up in big games.
Missouri may be really good.
I suspect, though, that there are probably a handful of mid-major teams, and/or, major conference teams ranked outside of the top 15, that will actually be legitimate Final Four threats.
In short, it isn’t just certain conferences being weak. College basketball is pretty weak.
Duke is ranked #5, only one week after losing back 2 back games, including at home to Miami.
Florida was ranked #7, then got blown out by Kentucky, then lost at home to Tennessee.
There is no real top 10 in college basketball this year. Maybe a top 5, or 8.
Go Cats!