Author: mjmadaio

I don’t have anything against Gonzaga, in fact I generally root for them. Some people don’t consider them to be a mid-major anymore, but the fact is that they will always be an underdog while they play in the WCC — that conference schedule simply does not compare them for the big dance. Therefore, like so many other sports fans, I’ll continue to pull for them as they remain the underdog.

That being said, there was something very satisfying about watching Adam Morrison cry like a little chienne alone in the middle of the court last night after the ‘Zags pulled an ’04 Yankees in the last few minutes of that game. Frankly, I just don’t like Morrison’s game and I don’t understand the hubub around him. (Ok, I understand it, but I don’t think it is warranted.) As you might expect from a Celts fan, I tend to get quite defensive when people throw around Larry Bird comparisons, but in this case the comparison is truly absurd. Bird was a phenomenal all-around player who made everyone on the court better. Morrison is a me-first gunner who does little else. The only times Morrison makes a good pass is when he doesn’t have any sort of shot, and even then it is a stretch. Take the last shot he took in the game last night — a fadeaway 18 footer with the game on the line? That’s the best you can come up with? Don’t get me wrong, being a top scorer and also finding the open man consistently is one of the toughest things to do in basketball (and I suppose I’ve been called a gunner a time or two in my day), but that’s what made Bird so special, and what makes Morrison not.

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I’ve been quite critical of Texas and their inconsistency, but I now think about other sweet 16 close calls — UNC over ‘Nova in ’05 on a very dubious travel, Syracuse over Auburn by 1 in ’03… not to mention Maryland’s buzzer-beater against UNCW (in round one) the year they won it.

Almost every champion has one super close call… could this be it for the ’06 winner?

Its trendy to pick BC over ‘Nova or Gonzaga over UCLA, but frankly neither would be a monumental upset. Many people expect it to happen. So I’ll stay away from those.

I have both G’Town and WVa winning their next games in my pool this year, but that’s not my pick either. I love the way the Hoyas are playing, but after watching Florida twice, I’m not all that confident — The Gators are playing as well as anyone. I do still like the Mountaineers chances against Texas — if only because Daniel Gibson is still incredibly inconsistent and John Beilein can out-coach anyone — but that’s not my big pick either.

No, I’m going out even further on a limb. I’m picking the U-Dub Huskies to shock the world and take down those other Huskies. Brandon Roy will be the best player on the court, and I haven’t been impressed with everyone’s favorite in the first two rounds. Obviously it is not all that smart to pick against Calhoun, but this team seems ripe for the upset. If anything should have been a wake-up call, it was their first round escape against the game Great Danes of Albany. Still, their second-round performance was rather unspectacular. Lastly, their regional final would be against George Mason or Wichita State, thus the “looking ahead to the Final Four” syndrome could rear its ugly head.

If we take my pool results after two rounds into consideration, I’m freakin’ crazy. But I say it isn’t too late to redeem myself.

1) Adam Morrison is Annoying
And overrated. Ok, so perhaps I haven’t seen him play all that much, but I expect better things when I hear the “Larry Bird” comparision being thrown around. Morrison is a baby, and he plays more like Dirk than Larry, meaning he’s a gunner who can really score, but I’ve yet to see him pass, play D, and make other players better like Basketball Jesus.

2) Brandon Roy is the Best Player in the Tournament
I’m still kicking myself for not believing in U-Dub this year. I wasn’t sure Roy was tough enough to prove himself on a national stage, but he proved me wrong in the first two games. Like Morrison, Roy can score from anywhere on the court, but unlike AM, he passes superbly and generally makes the rest of his team better every trip. If you haven’t seen him yet, make it a point.

3) Memphis is Playing Better than any #1
I was sure that the Tigers would be the first top seed ousted, but they played the best of any in the 2nd round. (Just stifling defense.) I loathe Calipari and everything he stands for, but his team seems ready to play. They may, however be held back by the lack of a true star to carry them through the tough times. Most great teams have that. (Go Braves!)

4) Upset Bonus is Key in your Pool
It isn’t really helping my pitiful effort, but it makes it much more fun!

5) Deadspin is Key for Tourney Coverage
My new favorite site.

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