New Final Four weekend thread

Because I didn't feel like digging for the old one and I thought this story was just a perfect way to get it started:

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/05/sports/ncaabasketball/05brown.html?_r=1&ref=sports&oref=slogin


Paging Starman. Starman please pick up the white courtesy ranting phone.

 

Yes, we need more moronic ranting. Whee.

Memphis and Kansas are each down a player. Andre Allen (Memphis) was suspended for failing a drug test, while the Jayhawks' Rodrick Stewart fractured his kneecap.

 

Pot, kettle.

 

Hey, how was your stick-up-the-ass-ectomy? They get a two by four shoved up there, but good?

 

Listening to all the pregame coverage, I'm starting to wonder if UCLA should even bother showing up. According to most "experts," Memphis is going to run the Bruins off the court. Hell, even the people who have picked UCLA to win are doing so only because they feel compelled to stick to their original pick.
On ESPN's "First & 10," columnist Rob Parker even called UCLA "underachievers" due to their finish the last two years. Nevermind the fact this is the Bruins' third consecutive Final Four appearance and the only team to defeat them was a, well .... pretty decent? ... Florida Gators squad.

Of course, these are the same experts who predicted that Memphis would overwhelm the Bruins two seasons ago, and that Kansas would do the same last season. And, the Bruins' style of play frustrated the Tigers and Jayhawks into their worst performances of the season.
I'm not saying Memphis can't win or won't win. The Tigers have some great talent. I just think UCLA might be able to take a cue from Calipari and play the "no respect" card as added motivation today.

 

Rob Parker is a moron. Plain and simple.

UCLA may not play an up-and-down, atheistically pleasing style of game. But they win. Shouldn't that be what matters?

 

You'd think. But each of the last three seasons has been the same thing. When the Bruins come up against an athletic team, they're barely given a chance to stay in the game. Again, no disrespect to Memphis, cuz if the Tigers are on their game, they're almost impossible to beat. I'd just like to see the Bruins given a little respect for their recent successes. Especially a team that eschews the highlight-reel style of play for a tough, hard-nosed style that wins games.

 

i've actually liked listening to all the sports talk this week simply because of how eveyrone is picking someone different. It's almost sounds like objectivity.

 

I just want the next four hours to pass quickly. I can't remember the last time I was this excited for a Final Four. Both matchups tonight should be really fun to watch.

 

Of course, UCLA played those two games at home, basically -- at San Jose against KU last season and at Anaheim against Memphis two years ago. Not a bad home-court advantage for a No. 2 seed. Those crowds were easily 80-20 Bruins.

 

I can't decide whether to wear the blue Chalmers jersey, blue Rush jersey or red Rush jersey to the barbecue today.

 

I'm just trying to dig up something w/ the right colors. I'm out of town and I didn't bring my KU shirts w/ me. Sort of regretting it.