Go Rockets! and ready for March Madness! (1 Viewer)

[Joker]

I have to say, I am impressed. I'm not a huge basketball fan, but I do enjoy a few Rockets games a year. I just lost most interest once Hakeem Olajuwon and Clyde quit playing and 3 months ago the current team wasnt that good. 20 wins a row later, I think they deserve some applause. And without Yao Ming to boot the last 5. Now granted I dont think they will do anything in the playoffs and they really havent beat any strong teams other than the Mavs during this 20-0 stretch but I thought I'd show them some love. I'm going to the game tomorrow night so I will probably curse them but I hope to leave to the tune of 21-0.

I'm ready for March Madness though. Who are yall pulling for?

 

[Bullard Anderson]

With ya there chief on the Rockets. Always been a sentimental team for me. Being a UVA guy, Ralph Sampson was the first and last name in basketball to me in the 80's. Akeem and Ralph made a great duo.

 

[none]

Akeem and Ralph made a great duo.

Too bad they only had about three good years together, I saw them play together against Portland in `85. Sampsons career was cut short way early due to a bum knee.
I like UCLA in the tourney....just like I pick `em every year!

 

[The Swegian]

With there chief on the Rockets. Always been a sentimental team for me. Being a UVA guy, Ralph Sampson was the first and last name in basketball to me in the 80's. Akeem and Ralph made a great duo.

Speaking of Ralph, his son, Ralph Sampson III, was a highly recruited high school senior and he's coming to the University of Minnesota next year. Our new guy, Tubby Smith, has already turned this program around.

 

[The Swegian]

Oh, and I think I'm going with North Carolina to win it all. UCLA should fare well in the tourney too. Can't wait for the 1st Round of the tourney. I watch about 5 minutes of college buckets all season until tourney time, then I'm glued to the chair in front of the tube!

 

[Mike]

Justin the dream will come to a end on sunday

 

[vegasnitro]

Our new guy, Tubby Smith, has already turned this program around.

As a University of Kentucky fan ... you got a good guy in Tubby Smith. It was time for him to go at Kentucky, but that doesn't mean that I still don't have love for the guy. With that being said, I think it is a little bit early to pat him on the back in Minnesota just yet. You guys played a very soft schedule and didn't have a very good conference record.

As for this year's tourney ... I think it boils down to 4 teams, North Carolina, UCLA, Kansas, and Georgetown ... in that order. I will pick UNC to win it all ... and I think 2 teams to bet against in tourney will be Indiana and Louisville. Indiana will be seeded way to high for the turmoil they have had to endure lately and Louisville is just too streaky. Mid-majors to make some noise are no surprise to anyone who has been paying attention ... watch out for Drake, Davidson and Butler. Possible upset special ... Winthrop will be a very LIVE 14 or 15 seed. Lastly, let me get a hometown plug in ... don't sleep on UNLV ... almost all starters were on last year's Sweet 16 team ... and they are flying way under the radar ...

 

[The Swegian]

As a University of Kentucky fan ... you got a good guy in Tubby Smith. It was time for him to go at Kentucky, but that doesn't mean that I still don't have love for the guy. With that being said, I think it is a little bit early to pat him on the back in Minnesota just yet. You guys played a very soft schedule and didn't have a very good conference record.

Considering Minnesota was 9-22 overall, 3-13 in the conference last year, going 19-12 (8-10 conference) this year with essentially last year's players (and the previous regime's recruitments), this is definitely a step in the right direction. Of course, next year should tell the real story when Tubby's first real recruits are playing. And yeah, they need to step up the non-conference schedule and stop playing the Santa Claras, UC Riverside, Kennesaw, et al.

 

[Bullard Anderson]

Speaking of Ralph, his son, Ralph Sampson III, was a highly recruited high school senior and he's coming to the University of Minnesota next year. Our new guy, Tubby Smith, has already turned this program around.

Absolutely. I saw a youtube deal on Ralph III. I'll be watching the Gophers next season.

 

[sharkman]

As for this year's tourney ... I think it boils down to 4 teams, North Carolina, UCLA, Kansas, and Georgetown ... in that order. I will pick UNC to win it all ... and I think 2 teams to bet against in tourney will be Indiana and Louisville. Indiana will be seeded way to high for the turmoil they have had to endure lately and Louisville is just too streaky. Mid-majors to make some noise are no surprise to anyone who has been paying attention ... watch out for Drake, Davidson and Butler. Possible upset special ... Winthrop will be a very LIVE 14 or 15 seed. Lastly, let me get a hometown plug in ... don't sleep on UNLV ... almost all starters were on last year's Sweet 16 team ... and they are flying way under the radar ...[/QUOTE]

You've been watching too much "sports center" this week.....North Carolina all the way baby!!!!

 

[vegasnitro]

Considering Minnesota was 9-22 overall, 3-13 in the conference last year, going 19-12 (8-10 conference) this year with essentially last year's players (and the previous regime's recruitments), this is definitely a step in the right direction.

How 'bout that miracle shot to knock off Indiana last night?? I have NEVER seen Tubby that excited. Your point about Tubby's first year is well taken, but consider he won the National Championship his first year at UK (inherited players) ... then never got back to the Final 4 (his players).

In other news, UK crapped the bed against a very bad Georgia team this morning. Granted, the tornado really screwed things up and the venue change certainly favored Georgia ... but I think UK played their way out of the big dance today ...

 

[Four Kalitta]

Justin the dream will come to a end on sunday

The dream is still alive!!!! The Rockets win 104-92!!!!!

 

[Joker]

The game Fri was really good. They started out great, then fell dead and then the last quarter and a half they came alive again. What amazed me was halfway thru the 3rd quarter the score was only 45 to 40 and I was like there not even going to score 70, 75 pts. It wound up 89 to 80 somehow.

I didnt watch the game today as I was traveling home but I am glad to see them beat the Lakers. Now if they can beat the Celtics we will see how long the streak can go.

 

[The Swegian]

How 'bout that miracle shot to knock off Indiana last night?? I have NEVER seen Tubby that excited. Your point about Tubby's first year is well taken, but consider he won the National Championship his first year at UK (inherited players) ... then never got back to the Final 4 (his players).

In other news, UK crapped the bed against a very bad Georgia team this morning. Granted, the tornado really screwed things up and the venue change certainly favored Georgia ... but I think UK played their way out of the big dance today ...

Chris, when was it that Tubby became head coach at UK? Did he replace Pitino?

 

[Mike]

The dream is still alive!!!! The Rockets win 104-92!!!!!

And the Lakers had to play with a 3rd string center BUT the Rockets won.

 

[vegasnitro]

Chris, when was it that Tubby became head coach at UK? Did he replace Pitino?

Yeah, Tubby's first year at UK was '97-'98 and he was indeed Pitino's successor.

Don't get me wrong, I am not hating on Tubby, he is a VERY GOOD basketball coach and he should thrive in a low expectation environment like Minnesota. He is going to get you 20+ wins most every year and he is going to get you to the big dance more often than not. What remains to be seen is if he can get over that hump and get to Final 4's and hang banners ... both of which are expected EVERY YEAR at UK.

How about the committee screwing Indiana ... 2 weeks ago they were a SOLID 2 or 3 seed ... now they are an 8. Don't tell me their impending NCAA sanctions had nothing to do with that. They finished second in the Big 10 and have a top 20 RPI and were ranked most of the season, yet they barely squeak into the top half of the dance? The NCAA is going to HAMMER Indiana over this Kelvin Sampson deal, their seeding in the tourney is just the first part of that ...

 

[The Swegian]

Yeah, Tubby's first year at UK was '97-'98 and he was indeed Pitino's successor.

Don't get me wrong, I am not hating on Tubby, he is a VERY GOOD basketball coach and he should thrive in a low expectation environment like Minnesota. He is going to get you 20+ wins most every year and he is going to get you to the big dance more often than not. What remains to be seen is if he can get over that hump and get to Final 4's and hang banners ... both of which are expected EVERY YEAR at UK.

How about the committee screwing Indiana ... 2 weeks ago they were a SOLID 2 or 3 seed ... now they are an 8. Don't tell me their impending NCAA sanctions had nothing to do with that. They finished second in the Big 10 and have a top 20 RPI and were ranked most of the season, yet they barely squeak into the top half of the dance? The NCAA is going to HAMMER Indiana over this Kelvin Sampson deal, their seeding in the tourney is just the first part of that ...

You're so right, Minnesota being such a low expectation environment. The last regime with Dan Munson was initially met with high hopes because he had coached at Gonzaga and led them to a couple impressive runs deep in the NCAA tourney. But apparently he was overmatched and underprepared to deal with the Big Ten, and that's not to say the Big Ten is as top shelf as the SEC or ACC.

I agree with you on the Indiana deal. And that finish Friday night with Minnesota hitting a buzzer beater to win by one! Good stuff.

 

[none]

Justin the dream will come to a end on sunday

The DREAM lives on.........