NCAA Tourney Losers Thread (No Gloating Winners Allowed!)

I have the distinct misfoutune of having occasion to start this thread, as my beloved Wildcats just fell to Marquette in the 2008 NCAA Basketball Tournament. The very nature of the tournament indicates that there should be other folks in need of consolation dropping by over the weekend and the next couple of weeks.

So, welcome. Feel free to tell us about your team's successes this year , your pride in graduating players, and, of course, your hope for next year's team!

I'll start. After Tubby Smith's departure and an infamous loss to Gardiner-Webb early in the season, it seemed for a while as though this would be Kentucky's first non-tournament year in quite some time. I'm thrilled with the way new coach Billy Gillespie has hit the recruiting trail hard and quickly transitioned the team to a more team-oriented style of basketball. Seniors Ramel Bradley and Joe Crawford finally started to show their potential as the season wore on (Crawford had 35 points today!), and will be missed next year. For the future, I can't wait to see an injury-free Patrick Patterson with another year of experience under his belt. Stevenson and Harris gained a lot of maturity this year, as well. With all that and a healthy Jodie Meeks, the Cats should be back in the top 25 next year!

Your turn!

I have a feeling I will be joining you tomorrow in the future looking and drinking.




I dont see UTA making it but I can hope.

mhdagley said:

I have a feeling I will be joining you tomorrow in the future looking and drinking.

I dont see UTA making it but I can hope.

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I'd be happy to root for your team (since my dog's left this fight!), but I'm afraid I'm a Memphis alum. My other glimmer of hope for the tournament: I teach at George Mason... Ain't this weekend great?!

Still, I'll knock one back in UTA's honor tonight.

And Mason goes down...d*#n! Oh well, nice to get the last of the 2006 team another shot at the dance.

Gruder said:

And Mason goes down...d*#n! Oh well, nice to get the last of the 2006 team another shot at the dance.

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I went to Michigan State. Would you do me a favor and hold a spot for me on the couch (with the other losers) where I can catch up with you in about a week or two? I'm getting used to it.

Thanks!

Well, my Dogs hung with an excellent Xavier team for most of the game, and even led for a little while, but in the end got outplayed a bigger, more physical bunch who can really shoot. I gotta give it up to Xavier, nailing virtually everything from the line the whole game. I am excited about their performance & play as a team here at the end of the season, and looking forward to next season. Go Dawgs!

/sob

Pass the chips

Pretty weak showing from the New England teams this year. At least my man from the last UMASS glory days is making magic in Memphis. Coach Cal might deliver the goods this year; we'll see. I cannot remember the last time I was holding down first place in a 100 person pool after round 1. I am not going to jinx myself by saying more at this point.

-Scott

My alma mater, UConn, continues to pay the price for selling its soul to the devil to win the 2004 National Championship by bowing out in the first round for the first time ever under Calhoun, to a freaking 13 seed.

Sadness has only just started to replace fury this morning.

All you guys need to can it. I am a Maryland fan/alum and after years of NCAAs and a national championship, it seems we have a perennial trip to the NIT and a first or second round bow out. It is time we step up recruiting and get more of the area players. It is tough watching guys from the DC area playing for all our opponents.

Ugh. All I have to say is that the Gonzaga, U Conn and Vandy losses WERE NOT good for my bracket.

Ouch.

My bracket is alright so far. UConn hurt as did USC as I had them both in the Elite 8.

Just checking back in after a weekend away -- great basketball weekend (except for those of us whose teams are out, I suppose). It's definitely nice to see that there are some underdogs to root for in the Sweet 16, though. My personal favorite among the Cinderellas: W Kentucky.

As for the big losses, Duke didn't surprise me much, but Georgetown was a shock (I had them in the Final Four).

(And hey Mr. Gillette -- your Spartans aren't out of this thing yet!)

I haven't been able to watch the tournamnet since Friday. The Tigers had a disappointing loss against Villanova. I swear I'm going to have an early death because of Clemson sports. As for my bracket, I was on spring break when the games started and forgot to fill one out. I doubt I'll watch any basketball until the sweet 16 or even Final 4 though.

If Georgetown wasn't in Kansas' bracket I would have put them in the final 4. I guess they were kinda overrated this year.

I have UNC, Texas, Kansas, UCLA----->Kansas, UCLA------>Kansas
I still feel good about UNC, Kansas, and Texas, not so much with UCLA. I think Xavier will take that bracket

When I tuned in, my Aggies were leading #1 seed UCLA by 10 points or so in a fairly low-scoring game. I watched the rest of the game, standing as Aggies tend to do, peeking between the fingers covering my face - again, as Aggies tend to do - and when I tuned out I was disappointed in the score but still proud that they hung with the #1 seed as they did.

Had they won, odds are that they would have peaked during that game, and been thrashed in the next game.

My Spartans are still in it! Thank you, Pitt!

Clemson screwed up my bracket. I was expecting them to have a breakout game against Kansas.

Howard Newell said:

Clemson screwed up my bracket. I was expecting them to have a breakout game against Kansas.

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That would have been great...

As a New Yorker, I've heard that Southern women are beautiful and I suppose from the few I know, I wouldn't argue. One thing though: if those shorts the Texas cheerleaders are wearing were any shorter/tighter, they'd have to do their cheers with a towel wrapped around their wastes.