The college basketball gods smiled on me yesterday when Indiana beat Kentucky. The North Carolina Tarheels and the Kentucky Wildcats were headed for a showdown that the college basketball world had already penciled in and maybe Kentucky was caught looking ahead to that game. That was going to be a classic "good vs. evil" matchup and the Kentucky faithful were already looking forward to that game. Coach John Calipari of Kentucky had been very vocal about how he thought Kentucky deserved a higher seed than a #4. North Carolina held up their end of the bracket by beating Florida Gulf Coast and a good Providence team.
I have never been a fan of Calipari's. He is a good coach and has won everywhere he has been but he always operates in the gray area of the rules in recruiting. Massachusetts and Memphis got busted for recruiting violations as soon as he left those schools. Kentucky's freshman class is probably already filling out the paperwork so they can turn pro. That is the state of college basketball today. Kentucky is just at the head of the class as they regularly have up to six of their freshman turn pro after their freshman year. Kentucky has become the face of the "one and done" college player.
Showing posts with label North Carolina Tarheels. Show all posts
Showing posts with label North Carolina Tarheels. Show all posts
Sunday, March 20, 2016
Saturday, December 3, 2011
"Cluck" Kellogg
I owe Jay Bilas an apology. A big one. I may even invite him out for a beer to prove the sincerity of this apology. I just thought he was one of the crappiest college basketball analysts out there. Clark Kellogg went out and proved me wrong this afternoon during the North Carolina-Kentucky basketball game.
If I can channel Terry Bradshaw for a minute, I need to give a little background here. My Grandaddy had a chicken one time and this chicken clucked all day long. You never knew what she was clucking about, she just clucked to be clucking.
That is my analysis of Clark "Cluck" Kellogg's performance today. His anti-Carolina bias ranks right up there with Billy "Fudge" Packer and "Dumbass" Dan Bonner. He talked the whole game and never said anything of relevance. Anytime Kentucky made a play, he would ramble on for the next 30 seconds about that play. Whenever North Carolina made a play, he was either still talking about Kentucky or he was silent like they had turned his microphone off. The viewers couldn't have gotten that lucky. After the game, I realized a senile Woody Durham would have still been a thousand times better than "Cluck" Kellogg. I also had a hankerin' for some fried chicken. Right, Terry Bradshaw?
If I can channel Terry Bradshaw for a minute, I need to give a little background here. My Grandaddy had a chicken one time and this chicken clucked all day long. You never knew what she was clucking about, she just clucked to be clucking.
That is my analysis of Clark "Cluck" Kellogg's performance today. His anti-Carolina bias ranks right up there with Billy "Fudge" Packer and "Dumbass" Dan Bonner. He talked the whole game and never said anything of relevance. Anytime Kentucky made a play, he would ramble on for the next 30 seconds about that play. Whenever North Carolina made a play, he was either still talking about Kentucky or he was silent like they had turned his microphone off. The viewers couldn't have gotten that lucky. After the game, I realized a senile Woody Durham would have still been a thousand times better than "Cluck" Kellogg. I also had a hankerin' for some fried chicken. Right, Terry Bradshaw?
Saturday, November 26, 2011
Why Do We Need Announcers?
I was watching the North Carolina-South Carolina basketball game last night and Jay Bilas really outdid himself in announcing this game. He kept harping on the fact that South Carolina had 17 first half turnovers and that North Carolina should be ahead by alot more than 13 points. I am not denying it was a valid point but he repeated it over and over and over.
I have always thought Jay Bilas is one of the better college analysts out there especially for an ex- Duke Blue Devil but last night he was really off of his game. Most ex-Dookies are cut out to be clueless announcers or assistants on Coach K's staff but Jay Bilas was always the exception. Maybe he has spent too much time listening to Jay Williams or maybe he should stay in the studio but last night, he was horrible.
I have always thought Jay Bilas is one of the better college analysts out there especially for an ex- Duke Blue Devil but last night he was really off of his game. Most ex-Dookies are cut out to be clueless announcers or assistants on Coach K's staff but Jay Bilas was always the exception. Maybe he has spent too much time listening to Jay Williams or maybe he should stay in the studio but last night, he was horrible.
Friday, March 25, 2011
Duke vs. Arizona
I am a diehard North Carolina Tarheels fan. It doesn't matter what sport, I pull for the 'Heels. That being written, I will never pull for Duke. Ever. When you mention North Carolina vs. Duke, you immediately think basketball. It's natural. Its college basketballs best rivalry. It has been for years especially since ESPN came onto the scene. I am not like most fans because I do pull for North Carolina in football as well. Almost all Duke fans don't even know they have a football team.
I enjoy watching Duke lose. Especially in basketball. I have got every North Carolina victory against Duke on tape or DVD since the early 1990's. I break them out every once in a while when I am depressed and need a pick me up.
I do not like Coach K. I never have and I never will. I will give him credit and say that he is a good (not great) coach and an even better recruiter. He, however, is a public relations machine for himself. When the cameras are on, his whole persona changes (except during a game). I remember one interview he did with ESPN where he allowed the cameras into one of his practices. That "event" was staged more than a Broadway musical. Whenever someone would make a mistake he would pull all of his team together and he would explain things in a very soft spoken voice and even Jay Bilas, an ESPN announcer and former player for Coach K back in the '80's) said I don't remember him being like that. I remember alot more yelling.
I think this self-promotion goes against everything an "amateur" coach should be. I realize that college sports are the farthest thing from being amateur because there is money to be had for everyone but the players. Everytime talk of the NBA comes up, I hope Coach K goes. He would get slaughtered and he would be exposed and the "aura" of Coach K would be gone.
All of this being written, watching Arizona dismantle Duke gave me a great deal of satisfaction. Arizona outrebounded and outplayed Duke and they did not have an answer. I watched ESPN 3 or 4 times this morning so I could watch the highlights over and over. I do believe Coach K made a bad move by bringing Kyrie Irving back this late in the season. Very few second-guessed that move (Jay Bilas was one of them) and at some point and time, he and the select few in the media will feel the wrath of Coach K. It affected the chemistry of the team. I believe Coach K had something up his sleeve with that move. I have read rumors on the internet that Kyrie Irving is potentially the #1 draft pick in the next NBA draft. Coach K will hound him into coming back. He always does for the good of "his" program.
I am afraid the satisfaction will be short-lived because I do not think the 'Heels are strong enough to win it this year. They may not even get by Marquette. At least I had a 24 hour window in which I could enjoy Duke's season going up in flames over and over again.
I enjoy watching Duke lose. Especially in basketball. I have got every North Carolina victory against Duke on tape or DVD since the early 1990's. I break them out every once in a while when I am depressed and need a pick me up.
I do not like Coach K. I never have and I never will. I will give him credit and say that he is a good (not great) coach and an even better recruiter. He, however, is a public relations machine for himself. When the cameras are on, his whole persona changes (except during a game). I remember one interview he did with ESPN where he allowed the cameras into one of his practices. That "event" was staged more than a Broadway musical. Whenever someone would make a mistake he would pull all of his team together and he would explain things in a very soft spoken voice and even Jay Bilas, an ESPN announcer and former player for Coach K back in the '80's) said I don't remember him being like that. I remember alot more yelling.
I think this self-promotion goes against everything an "amateur" coach should be. I realize that college sports are the farthest thing from being amateur because there is money to be had for everyone but the players. Everytime talk of the NBA comes up, I hope Coach K goes. He would get slaughtered and he would be exposed and the "aura" of Coach K would be gone.
All of this being written, watching Arizona dismantle Duke gave me a great deal of satisfaction. Arizona outrebounded and outplayed Duke and they did not have an answer. I watched ESPN 3 or 4 times this morning so I could watch the highlights over and over. I do believe Coach K made a bad move by bringing Kyrie Irving back this late in the season. Very few second-guessed that move (Jay Bilas was one of them) and at some point and time, he and the select few in the media will feel the wrath of Coach K. It affected the chemistry of the team. I believe Coach K had something up his sleeve with that move. I have read rumors on the internet that Kyrie Irving is potentially the #1 draft pick in the next NBA draft. Coach K will hound him into coming back. He always does for the good of "his" program.
I am afraid the satisfaction will be short-lived because I do not think the 'Heels are strong enough to win it this year. They may not even get by Marquette. At least I had a 24 hour window in which I could enjoy Duke's season going up in flames over and over again.
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