Cougar Basketball

I've heard Sampson make comments about how lucky Jamal was to have such amazing parents. That's just awesome!

 

Good point. Just that game alone has: Akeem Olajuwon, Clyde Drexler, and Rodney McCray.

 

Yeah, back then it was big news if a junior left school early. Like Clyde did. You're welcome, Georgetown.

 

Every time I hear Kelvin talk I look for the brick wall to run through. I love that man

 

He was previously recruited in 21' by UH and received an offer. One of his final teams of consideration but ultimately committed to Mississippi State

 

No he didn't. He had UH in the Final Four.

Every Selection Sunday, our overworked and underpaid staff hurriedly hands each of the blathering, bloviating gasbags on the "Bracketology" show a blank bracket that has just been revealed to us and to you, the masses.

With no time to deliberate or consider factors that may affect a prediction, we, the oversized ego-toting "talking heads" are asked ... no, wait ... commanded under penalty of termination to fill out the bracket (in pen) in five minutes or less. That way, our thoughtless picks made while holding our eyelids open with toothpicks can be put onto television graphics and put out to you, the viewing public.

While we, the "talent," have been down on bended knee for decades to beseech our bosses for a little bit more time to contemplate our picks, we are viewed as a group of Oliver Twists begging for more gruel from the tyrant Mr. Bumble. Of course, any resemblance of the ESPN cafeteria to the orphanage dining facility is purely coincidental. The answer we get is less delicately delivered than Mr. Bumble's relatively polite denial to Oliver.

The draconian working conditions of Championship Week and Selection Sunday ... wait, "draconian" is a little strong. The byzantine working conditions can sometimes lead to less-than-ideal decisions on the part of the "talent" -- which led my bosses to decree that I write this article annually to reflect more thoughtful selections for your benefit, and to punish me for daring to ask for a reasonable accommodation.

This carefully executed wisdom that is put together between midnight and roosters crowing after Selection Sunday provides you, a member of the masses, the tools and information you need to execute a winning bracket in whatever bracket challenge you choose to enter.

One may take some or all of these suggestions, or go all George Costanza on me and do the opposite of what I do. Your choice. But you will have the suggested picks from the most powerful and influential basketball brain on planet Earth. As always, you're welcome.

Sweet 16:

UNC, Baylor (oops), Alabama, Arizona

Purdue, Creighton, Tennessee, Gonzaga

Houston, Marquette, Wisconsin (oops), Kentucky (oops)

UConn, Iowa State, Auburn (oops), Illinois

Final 4: UConn, Arizona, Houston, Purdue

 

UH is going to roll over the Dukies.

 

How can I buy one of those "Taking It to the S(U/)HEAD" tees?

 

Yes he did. I literally watched there broadcast at the time. The good thing about missing live shows is he’s able to play both sides by posting articles after the fact when folks miss live discussions. His “bracketology” doesn’t take away from what he threw out there during the post live selection Sunday discussion

 

No he didn't. I just quite literally quoted you his exact words.

 

Yes he did. That’s not even from selection Sunday and the live espn broadcast that happened right after. You obviously didn’t watch it so you wouldnt know what he said.

 

OK, whatever, you win. UH is horribly put upon by the galactic powers of basketball.

Quit with the persecution complex. Just Win.

 

Oh dramatic here it comes

 

Get some. Just win.

 

I have been waiting for this match up for years. My cousins grew up less than a mile from the east campus in Durham. My aunt one of the greatest head nurses and human beings still lives there taking care of my uncle. So I grew with my cousins being my introduction to Duke Blue Devils. They went to the camps as kids, wore the Blue Devils tshirts. Once Phil Slama Jama came on to the after scene, my uncle in Houston, that was my basketball youth league coach sent them some shirts to help cheer us on vs. NC State. Too bad that didn't pan out.

I took an early interest in Duke, watched them with more enjoyment that many others. They have been the basketball program that I and many aspire to compete with and beat. My favorite all time Rocket besides Dream is bloody Shane Battier.

Other than the privately held practice game I know of no time in history UH and Duke have squared off in basketball. When I saw we had them in the south bracket I was hoping this would be the match up. The toughest team in America vs the team everybody loves to hate. I'm hoping for all the Duke haters to tune in and witness Sampson's junkyard dogs smoother Duke.

I'm fired up for this one. It has been a long wait and couldn't happen on a much bigger stage.

Go Coogs!

 

3 out of 4 dogs not only covered but won SU yesterday. Go Cooogs

Fact of the Day: Jon Scheyer was 14 years old when Kelvin Sampson led Oklahoma to the Final Four in 2002. Tonight, the two will go head-to-head in the Sweet 16 when Duke faces Houston in Dallas.