Four Corners

I have been doing some traveling, not scouting, so I am a bit out of touch with college basketball, but never that far that I still can’t lend my expertise. At this point, my mind is occupied with traveling thoughts. Peter King of Sports Illustrated writes a column and he notes a section of travel annoyances. I found a huge one. Carry on luggage. By definition, this is something that a passenger on a plane can easily fit into the 20 inch by 10 inch box outside the gate. It should not be very big or heavy. And it certainly should not need to have WHEELS! I would say one in three people now have carry on bags with wheels. A tiny bag, that for some reason, you can’t carry, now needs wheels. These people don’t know this, but they are impossible to pass. They just stroll along with their little bag on wheels running over your toes and taking up the space of three people. And then they come to an escalator. They make everyone stop, stand back, and watch as they now disassemble the bag, into what else? A carry on bag. Lame

Money’s trip to the Bank: (Money’s Cash cow to date – 9 wins 4 losses)

TEXAS at Oklahoma -3.5 (loser). My favorite team of the moment is playing my favorite top 25 slacker team of the moment.
WICHITA STATE at Creighton +4 (winner). I know Creighton is in Nebraska, and I think Wichita is in the state of Wichita. It doesn’t matter. I know their mascot (Shockers) and their conference (Missouri Valley)
VILLANOVA at Notre Dame -3.5 (loser). A game Notre Dame has to win. They will lose badly.

4 Minutes of Hell

Each Thursday we will look at the AP top 25 with our eye on the prize, the tournament, and examine who is heading in the right direction and who is not. We will also project our top 4 seeds each week, leading up to the Big Dance.

Is it March yet? No? Damn. These games are fun to watch, but ultimately meaningless, except of course for our “bubble” and mid-major teams. But realistically, if you are struggling to get into the tournament or barely capable of winning your unknown conference, you aint going to be a threat in the tournament.

AP Top 25
1) Connecticut – I love this team. They are all playing great, and have very few flaws. I would be shocked if they did not make it to the Final Four.
2) Duke – While I am not a fan (too much Dukie Vitale), they are well coached, and have the best player in the country on their team. J.J. Redick will be a killer in the tournament
3) Memphis – Wildly entertaining team, loaded with talent, and sure to break your heart at some point in the tournament. Teams like these don’t win it all.
4) Texas – They are playing the best basketball in the country right now. But, no team has ever won the national title while losing a game by 30 points or more the same season. They did.
5) Florida – Not a believer
6) Villanova – Great perimeter team. One bad shooting night and their season will be over.
7) Gonzaga – The west coast’s best chance for representation will fail us because they don’t play good defense. I wish I had a moustache (and socks) like Morrison.
8) Illinois – They get credit for competing and doing as well as they have given the number of people they lost (where’s North Carolina?).
9) West Virginia – Great season with quality victories. Didn’t they have their Cinderella run last year? Their inability to defend will be their downfall in the tournament.
10) Washington – Good team doing well in a down year for the Pac 10. They won’t embarrass themselves and they won’t get too far either.
11) Michigan State – Just when I thought they were going to put together a string of victories, they lose to Michigan. They have talent and experience, but they are inconsistent.
12) Pittsburgh – It is tough to knock these guys. They are doing things well, but just not pretty.
13) Indiana – Stumbling a bit recently, but capable of making a good run in the tournament.
14) George Washington – I am waiting for the decline.
15) North Carolina State – Looks about right.
16) Ohio State – These guys were not supposed to be good until next year.
17) UCLA – They have had to deal with a lot of injuries. If they get healthy, they could make a run.
18) Maryland – Always dangerous and a threat.
19) Tennessee – Bruce Pearl has these guys on the fast track of learning. Keep an eye on them; they could be dangerous in the tournament.
20) Boston College – Major disappointment
21) Georgetown – Talented, big and tough. Their Princeton style offense is always a threat to Goliath.
22) Louisville – Yuck. What a disaster. Yes, their point guard is playing hurt, but how much better will they be when he is healthy?
23) Wisconsin – Major wake up call when they lost to the JC team in North Dakota. I would not want to play this team.
24) Oklahoma – They are still in the top 25? Please go away
25) Syracuse – I will never underestimate this team. “It doesn’t mean I want her sitting next to me.”

Where’s LSU? Beware of the tigers!

Seeds Wash. D.C Atlanta Minneapolis Oakland
1 Duke, Memphis, Uconn, Texas
2 Florida, Villanova, Michigan St., Gonzaga
3 Pittsburgh, Illinois, Indiana, Washington
4 Iowa, Tennessee, UCLA, LSU