The Official March Madness thread.....

[Saint John]

Refs took over the UNC-Wa. game....cheating fucks.

I just watched the end. Seemed ok to me.

Exactly....you didn't watch the first half. Washington had an 11 point lead. Then the refs called liked 7 fouls in a row against Washington. The first half foul breakdown was 12-2 in favor of UNC.

Yeah, I didn't watch that, so I can't comment. I did notice that there should have been 1.3 or 1.4 seconds left at the end of the game, but the Washington coach didn't ask for them to review the clock operator's decision. You can't blame the clock operator because he/she is at half court and probably has players in front of them. Bad coaching move. Just a big miss by the coach.

[ScarabGator]

Yo UCLA...what is it now, 0 and 3 vs. Florida?

[S2M]

Refs took over the UNC-Wa. game....cheating fucks.

I just watched the end. Seemed ok to me.

Exactly....you didn't watch the first half. Washington had an 11 point lead. Then the refs called liked 7 fouls in a row against Washington. The first half foul breakdown was 12-2 in favor of UNC.

Yeah, I didn't watch that, so I can't comment. I did notice that there should have been 1.3 or 1.4 seconds left at the end of the game, but the Washington coach didn't ask for them to review the clock operator's decision. You can't blame the clock operator because he/she is at half court and probably has players in front of them. Bad coaching move. Just a big miss by the coach.

Coach DID ask for a review. Was told by the refs that they DID review it....

[Saint John]

Refs took over the UNC-Wa. game....cheating fucks.

I just watched the end. Seemed ok to me.

Exactly....you didn't watch the first half. Washington had an 11 point lead. Then the refs called liked 7 fouls in a row against Washington. The first half foul breakdown was 12-2 in favor of UNC.

Yeah, I didn't watch that, so I can't comment. I did notice that there should have been 1.3 or 1.4 seconds left at the end of the game, but the Washington coach didn't ask for them to review the clock operator's decision. You can't blame the clock operator because he/she is at half court and probably has players in front of them. Bad coaching move. Just a big miss by the coach.

Coach DID ask for a review. Was told by the refs that they DID review it....

I watched the post-game show and Pitino and all of the analysts said that he didn't ask. And I certainly didn't see him asking as it happened live. He is allowed to ask for a review and didn't. At least that's what they said and I think I saw.

[Jonny B]

Just wondering. I don't watch college basketball but I'm still stuck hearing about it all the time. Are they still doing that CBI tournament? (it was one that was proposed a couple years ago. It's the tournament where they look for the 97th...yea, you read that right...97th best team in the nation.) How much of a percentage of college basketball teams are in tournaments now?

[No Surprize]

Just wondering. I don't watch college basketball but I'm still stuck hearing about it all the time. Are they still doing that CBI tournament? (it was one that was proposed a couple years ago. It's the tournament where they look for the 97th...yea, you read that right...97th best team in the nation.) How much of a percentage of college basketball teams are in tournaments now?

To fucking many. It's getting like Pro Hockey & the NBA. Just do away with the regular season and start right in the playoffs. 32 teams is enough for the NCAA

tournament. On the flip side of that, my beloved Marquette Warriors would have never made it in and now their in the sweet 16. Both Florida schools still alive

and in the sweet 16. North Carolina, how does it feel to benefit from gracious officiating? 7 fouls in a row called on Washington to make damn sure the game

didn't get away from you. I hate Roy Williams, what a dickhead! GO WARRIORS!

[kgdjpubs]

North Carolina, how does it feel to benefit from gracious officiating? 7 fouls in a row called on Washington to make damn sure the game

didn't get away from you. I hate Roy Williams, what a dickhead! GO WARRIORS!

How is Roy Williams to blame for that? Not disagreeing that there were some questionable calls, but not sure how the coach is the one at fault.

[conversationpc]

North Carolina, how does it feel to benefit from gracious officiating? 7 fouls in a row called on Washington to make damn sure the game

didn't get away from you. I hate Roy Williams, what a dickhead! GO WARRIORS!

How is Roy Williams to blame for that? Not disagreeing that there were some questionable calls, but not sure how the coach is the one at fault.

As one of the analysts pointed out, there were plenty of opportunities for Washington to have wrapped up the game prior to that. Blaming the officials in this case, or Roy Williams (ridiculous), is just plain dumb.

[kgdjpubs]

North Carolina, how does it feel to benefit from gracious officiating? 7 fouls in a row called on Washington to make damn sure the game

didn't get away from you. I hate Roy Williams, what a dickhead! GO WARRIORS!

How is Roy Williams to blame for that? Not disagreeing that there were some questionable calls, but not sure how the coach is the one at fault.

As one of the analysts pointed out, there were plenty of opportunities for Washington to have wrapped up the game prior to that. Blaming the officials in this case, or Roy Williams (ridiculous), is just plain dumb.

exactly. Washington had plenty of chances, especially when UNC did their best to give the game away in the last couple of minutes. Both teams missed plenty of chances to put the game firmly out of reach. Rather symptomatic of how much college basketball has declined the past few years. One thing you can count on with young teams is plenty of head-scratching mistakes--which is why you seeing all these "upsets" with talented players who make a bunch of mistakes being beaten by experienced mid-major schools that don't defeat themselves.

[S2M]

North Carolina, how does it feel to benefit from gracious officiating? 7 fouls in a row called on Washington to make damn sure the game

didn't get away from you. I hate Roy Williams, what a dickhead! GO WARRIORS!

How is Roy Williams to blame for that? Not disagreeing that there were some questionable calls, but not sure how the coach is the one at fault.

As one of the analysts pointed out, there were plenty of opportunities for Washington to have wrapped up the game prior to that. Blaming the officials in this case, or Roy Williams (ridiculous), is just plain dumb.

Washington did not lose because of that timeclock issue. They lost due to a 12-2 personal foul inequity in the first half.

BTW, Dave....let's look at this logically. Even if the timeclock WAS the reason they lost - it would have been a logical conclusion to cite that as the reason. An endgame scenario does not depend on on the previous 59+ minutes. When analysing endgame scenarios yuo must only take that instance into consideration. It makes no difference if Washington had 55 turnovers. Point is they were in a position to win despite those turnovers, and ONE call would have decided the outcome. You must always look at a team's last chance to win a ball game. Not the previous mistakes that would have made it easier to win.

Using your logic, we should not blame Oabama for the deficit, or the way this country is running because there were plenty of opportunities for Washington to have wrapped this stuff up prior to him.....

[conversationpc]

BTW, Dave....let's look at this logically. Even if the timeclock WAS the reason they lost - it would have been a logical conclusion to cite that as the reason. An endgame scenario does not depend on on the previous 59+ minutes. When analysing endgame scenarios yuo must only take that instance into consideration. It makes no difference if Washington had 55 turnovers. Point is they were in a position to win despite those turnovers, and ONE call would have decided the outcome. You must always look at a team's last chance to win a ball game. Not the previous mistakes that would have made it easier to win.

Using your logic, we should not blame Oabama for the deficit, or the way this country is running because there were plenty of opportunities for Washington to have wrapped this stuff up prior to him.....

Look, we all know you think referees are evil incarnate and out to rob teams of winning whenever they get the chance. The refs can't be blamed for Washington losing. Period.

[S2M]

BTW, Dave....let's look at this logically. Even if the timeclock WAS the reason they lost - it would have been a logical conclusion to cite that as the reason. An endgame scenario does not depend on on the previous 59+ minutes. When analysing endgame scenarios yuo must only take that instance into consideration. It makes no difference if Washington had 55 turnovers. Point is they were in a position to win despite those turnovers, and ONE call would have decided the outcome. You must always look at a team's last chance to win a ball game. Not the previous mistakes that would have made it easier to win.

Using your logic, we should not blame Oabama for the deficit, or the way this country is running because there were plenty of opportunities for Washington to have wrapped this stuff up prior to him.....

Look, we all know you think referees are evil incarnate and out to rob teams of winning whenever they get the chance. The refs can't be blamed for Washington losing. Period.

Can't argue with my logic, so you just regurgitate another ad hominem reply...

referees alter the outcome of games all the time. I guess you don't watch as much sports as I do. No one here does. How about the Arizona-Texas game last night where the refs called a 5-second count on an inbounds play. Referee's hand went 1, 2, 3, 4 - player called TO, and the ref called a 5-second count. Arm never went 5. Arm needs to go to 5 before it can be called 5 seconds. You haven't a clue, Dave....seriously.

Then there was a foul call against Texas in the finals seconds. This is what the Arizona payer said in the post game interview:

"To be honest, I didn't even feel contact at all," Hamilton said. "But the ref made up his mind and called a foul. There's nothing we can do about it now."

Don't ever say referees don't determine the outcome of games....

Watch the video. http://scores.espn.go.com/ncb/recap?gameId=310790251

[kgdjpubs]

BTW, Dave....let's look at this logically. Even if the timeclock WAS the reason they lost - it would have been a logical conclusion to cite that as the reason. An endgame scenario does not depend on on the previous 59+ minutes. When analysing endgame scenarios yuo must only take that instance into consideration. It makes no difference if Washington had 55 turnovers. Point is they were in a position to win despite those turnovers, and ONE call would have decided the outcome. You must always look at a team's last chance to win a ball game. Not the previous mistakes that would have made it easier to win.

Using your logic, we should not blame Oabama for the deficit, or the way this country is running because there were plenty of opportunities for Washington to have wrapped this stuff up prior to him.....

Look, we all know you think referees are evil incarnate and out to rob teams of winning whenever they get the chance. The refs can't be blamed for Washington losing. Period.

Can't argue with my logic, so you just regurgitate another ad hominem reply...

referees alter the outcome of games all the time. I guess you don't watch as much sports as I do. No one here does. How about the Syracuse-Marquette game last night where the refs called a 5-second count on an inbounds play. Referee's hand went 1, 2, 3, 4 - player called TO, and the ref called a 5-second count. Arm never went 5. Arm needs to go to 5 before it can be called 5 seconds. You haven't a clue, Dave....seriously.

That would be the Texas/Arizona game, not Syracuse/Marquette with the timeout. I'm not saying refs can't influence games, but RARELY have I ever seen a call affect the end result of a game that couldn't have been avoided if the team played better. Careless turnovers, sloppy play, poor shot selection, missed point-blank layups, missed free throws....all of these effect who wins way more than any ref call.

[S2M]

^^^^^ Wow, just wow! Totally illogical. Makes no difference if a team should have played better. A foul is a foul. So the refs are walkin around not calling end game fouls because they think said team shouldn't have had 7 turnovers in the first half, and it shouldn't have come down to this?! I don't even know what to say.

[kgdjpubs]

^^^^^ Wow, just wow! Totally illogical. Makes no difference if a team should have played better. A foul is a foul. So the refs are walkin around not calling end game fouls because they think said team shouldn't have had 7 turnovers in the first half, and it shouldn't have come down to this?! I don't even know what to say.

what does that have to do with a foul? A foul in the first 3 seconds of the game should be a foul in the last 3 seconds of a game--and too often, it isn't called. I have a major problem with that, and inconsistency is a problem. Let the players decide who wins, and if players want to do extremely stupid/immature things (ie the Butler/Pitt game), let them suffer the penalties.

[conversationpc]

Can't argue with my logic, so you just regurgitate another ad hominem reply...

referees alter the outcome of games all the time. I guess you don't watch as much sports as I do. No one here does. How about the Arizona-Texas game last night where the refs called a 5-second count on an inbounds play. Referee's hand went 1, 2, 3, 4 - player called TO, and the ref called a 5-second count. Arm never went 5. Arm needs to go to 5 before it can be called 5 seconds. You haven't a clue, Dave....seriously.

Then there was a foul call against Texas in the finals seconds. This is what the Arizona payer said in the post game interview:

"To be honest, I didn't even feel contact at all," Hamilton said. "But the ref made up his mind and called a foul. There's nothing we can do about it now."

Don't ever say referees don't determine the outcome of games....

Watch the video. http://scores.espn.go.com/ncb/recap?gameId=310790251

You have no credibility on this issue.

BTW, it's not logical to say that I said referees don't determine the outcome of games. I didn't even come close to saying nor inferring that.

[S2M]

Can't argue with my logic, so you just regurgitate another ad hominem reply...

referees alter the outcome of games all the time. I guess you don't watch as much sports as I do. No one here does. How about the Arizona-Texas game last night where the refs called a 5-second count on an inbounds play. Referee's hand went 1, 2, 3, 4 - player called TO, and the ref called a 5-second count. Arm never went 5. Arm needs to go to 5 before it can be called 5 seconds. You haven't a clue, Dave....seriously.

Then there was a foul call against Texas in the finals seconds. This is what the Arizona payer said in the post game interview:

"To be honest, I didn't even feel contact at all," Hamilton said. "But the ref made up his mind and called a foul. There's nothing we can do about it now."

Don't ever say referees don't determine the outcome of games....

Watch the video. http://scores.espn.go.com/ncb/recap?gameId=310790251

You have no credibility on this issue.

BTW, it's not logical to say that I said referees don't determine the outcome of games. I didn't even come close to saying nor inferring that.

You didn't say, 'Referees don't determine outcome of games'. But in saying that refs can't be blamed for Washington losing, you said it backhandedly, Dave....

[conversationpc]

Can't argue with my logic, so you just regurgitate another ad hominem reply...

referees alter the outcome of games all the time. I guess you don't watch as much sports as I do. No one here does. How about the Arizona-Texas game last night where the refs called a 5-second count on an inbounds play. Referee's hand went 1, 2, 3, 4 - player called TO, and the ref called a 5-second count. Arm never went 5. Arm needs to go to 5 before it can be called 5 seconds. You haven't a clue, Dave....seriously.

Then there was a foul call against Texas in the finals seconds. This is what the Arizona payer said in the post game interview:

"To be honest, I didn't even feel contact at all," Hamilton said. "But the ref made up his mind and called a foul. There's nothing we can do about it now."

Don't ever say referees don't determine the outcome of games....

Watch the video. http://scores.espn.go.com/ncb/recap?gameId=310790251

You have no credibility on this issue.

BTW, it's not logical to say that I said referees don't determine the outcome of games. I didn't even come close to saying nor inferring that.

Now who's not being logical, hmmm?

You didn't say, 'Referees don't determine outcome of games'. But in saying that refs can't be blamed for Washington losing, you said it backhandedly, Dave....

[No Surprize]

North Carolina, how does it feel to benefit from gracious officiating? 7 fouls in a row called on Washington to make damn sure the game

didn't get away from you. I hate Roy Williams, what a dickhead! GO WARRIORS!

How is Roy Williams to blame for that? Not disagreeing that there were some questionable calls, but not sure how the coach is the one at fault.

I'm not saying Roy Williams had anything to do with the officiating. I'm just saying he's a dickhead(And this is from firsthand knowledge). GO WARRIORS!

[conversationpc]

Had to turn the channel from the UConn/SDSU game. Can't stand listening to Bill "The Talking Hernia" Raftery announcing a game.

[S2M]

Refs taking over in the Duke-AZ game.....

Once Duke got an 11-point lead 31-20 in the first half....the refs decided to cull the blowout. 2 quick fouls on Kyle Singler, 2 on Nolan Smith...and the momentum is gone....then Singler makes an exceptional defense play, dives for the ball....scrapes his elbow, ref makes him leave the game for a few plays..another 2 VERY ticky-tack fouls on Singler, and then AZ takes the lead....the refs should never dictate momentum. The fix is in my friends. College basketball is reaching WWF proportions.....

[Ehwmatt]

My bracket is fuckeddddd

[Peartree12249]

Just wondering. I don't watch college basketball but I'm still stuck hearing about it all the time. Are they still doing that CBI tournament? (it was one that was proposed a couple years ago. It's the tournament where they look for the 97th...yea, you read that right...97th best team in the nation.) How much of a percentage of college basketball teams are in tournaments now?

To fucking many. It's getting like Pro Hockey & the NBA. Just do away with the regular season and start right in the playoffs. 32 teams is enough for the NCAA

tournament. On the flip side of that, my beloved Marquette Warriors would have never made it in and now their in the sweet 16. Both Florida schools still alive

and in the sweet 16. North Carolina, how does it feel to benefit from gracious officiating? 7 fouls in a row called on Washington to make damn sure the game

didn't get away from you. I hate Roy Williams, what a dickhead! GO WARRIORS!

Glad to see you still call them the Warriors and not that PC crap name.

[Seven Wishes2]

Refs taking over in the Duke-AZ game.....

Once Duke got an 11-point lead 31-20 in the first half....the refs decided to cull the blowout. 2 quick fouls on Kyle Singler, 2 on Nolan Smith...and the momentum is gone....then Singler makes an exceptional defense play, dives for the ball....scrapes his elbow, ref makes him leave the game for a few plays..another 2 VERY ticky-tack fouls on Singler, and then AZ takes the lead....the refs should never dictate momentum. The fix is in my friends. College basketball is reaching WWF proportions.....

If you ask any even casual college hoops fan to name ONE team the past 25 years that was the benefit of more questionable or just flat-out ridiculous calls, they would UNANIMOUSLY answer "Duke University". You're suggesting the refs conspired to ELIMINATE Duke? Get the fuck out. This is a funny post, dude.

[S2M]

Refs taking over in the Duke-AZ game.....

Once Duke got an 11-point lead 31-20 in the first half....the refs decided to cull the blowout. 2 quick fouls on Kyle Singler, 2 on Nolan Smith...and the momentum is gone....then Singler makes an exceptional defense play, dives for the ball....scrapes his elbow, ref makes him leave the game for a few plays..another 2 VERY ticky-tack fouls on Singler, and then AZ takes the lead....the refs should never dictate momentum. The fix is in my friends. College basketball is reaching WWF proportions.....

If you ask any even casual college hoops fan to name ONE team the past 25 years that was the benefit of more questionable or just flat-out ridiculous calls, they would UNANIMOUSLY answer "Duke University". You're suggesting the refs conspired to ELIMINATE Duke? Get the fuck out. This is a funny post, dude.

With all due respect, 7. Been following college basketball for 30+ years. I'm very comfortable with what I posted. It only takes ONE or TWO calls to swing momentum. And if you aren't looking, you could miss it. And please with the Duke jealousy vitriol. Great coach, great program, great players. Not great NBA players, mind you...but great college players. Coach K has been offered the Celtic's job, the Laker's job(twice now), and the Portland job. Dude flat-out can coach.

I've watched every Duke game for those 30 years, minus the ones I couldn't watch while in basic training. Stick to making Planet Fitness commercials. And let me comment on the basketball, k?

[Seven Wishes2]

How the fuck did you know I was in those FT commercials?

Anyway, Duke lost by 16. They might have made it close with James and Anthony on the roster.

Good riddance to those 3-point shooting white boys.

[S2M]

How the fuck did you know I was in those FT commercials?

Anyway, Duke lost by 16. They might have made it close with James and Anthony on the roster.

Good riddance to those 3-point shooting white boys.

WOW....what a retort. You're slipping. Wait! perhaps if I mention 'The Won' I'll get a better reply....

[Seven Wishes2]

I wasn't making a retort. I was responding to your post.

Duke lost by 16. They would have lost no matter what.

[S2M]

I wasn't making a retort. I was responding to your post.

Duke lost by 16. They would have lost no matter what.

Did you watch the game?

[kgdjpubs]

Anyway, Duke lost by 16. They might have made it close with James and Anthony on the roster.

Good riddance to those 3-point shooting white boys.

This is probably heresy for a UNC fan to say, but Coach K is one of the best coaches ever, and has taken more abuse from opposing fanbases than he probably deserves. Sure, he's had a few classless jerks over the years to wear the Duke uniform which is where I think a lot of the hatred has come from, but you don't get as successful as he has been without being REALLY good at your job.

Despite the prevailing trend these days, I have always thought the requirements for a college basketball coach are to run a clean program, win and graduate players.

I never thought Duke was the best team this year, but they looked really good at times and had as good of a chance as any because EVERY team had major flaws. Just another symptom of the decline of college basketball. It will be interesting to see who wins this thing now, as I'm not convinced the dominoes have stopped falling just yet. At the rate it's going, it may be the year a mid-major wins it, as all it will take are a couple of superpowers to have an off night.