College basketball isn't all equal

Men’s and women’s college basketball are straying further apart, by the day, like buoys on rough seas.

When seemingly every player with a semi-, partial-legitimate shot to make the jump to the NBA does so. (Even I was thinking about trying my hand last night after scoring 65 points in my intramural game.) It’s a free for all; they’re going all-in on a pair of 6’s.

Yet on the women’s side, is actually standing for something. They show valor, of giving a scholarship back to the university because they did not win Oklahoma a National Championship, and in their minds they “did not earn” it.  (http://sports.espn.go.com/ncw/news/story?id=4045542) They demonstrate grit, the kind that comes in the form of playing before empty stadiums and long road trips that don’t encompass the luxuries that other teams enjoy.  And they illustrate fortitude, when Brittany Griner decides, with “no doubt” in her mind, to finish her education at Baylor to play out her senior season. (http://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/colleges/baylor-star-brittney-griner-says-shell-be-back-next-year/2012/04/03/gIQAfupOtS_story.html)

“I made a commitment. When I make a commitment, I keep my word,” said Griner.

A different game, a different mentality.

Taylor is college basketball

If there is one player that epitomizes college basketball then you’d have to look no further than the Final Four in New Orleans. Kansas Jayhawks senior guard Tyshawn Taylor is; he’s the good and, at times, the bad.

Taylor graduated high school as one of the top recruits in the nation. He had his choices of colleges, and locations to enhance his skills for the NBA. Bill Self and the reigning National Champions in Lawrence, Kansas seemed to fit the bill.

The year prior Mario Chalmers made the game-winning three pointer to bring the title to KU. He graduated and moved on into the league, leaving behind a legacy that leaves some at Fogg Allen Arena misty in the eyes.

So when Taylor made his way to Kansas, he chose #15, the same number as Chalmers. The invincible highly touted freshman, thinking the slipper will fit right away. Bad.

He played well as a freshman and earned a unanimous selection to the Big-12 All-Rookie team. Taylor averaged 9 points a couple rebounds and assists on a growing Jayhawks team.

Taylor could have bounced to the NBA. Finding a team that would give him a chance, or even select him in the Draft wouldn’t have been hard to find for such a young talented player. He didn’t, he came back to Kansas. Good.

Over the next two years, he refined his game. He became a more all-around player, a leader and a constant for the program. Taylor was one of those players that it felt like he was at Kansas for an eternity. The Jayhawks were good, but they just couldn’t find a way to reach their true potential.

Then at the end of his junior year, Taylor was suspended for a “team violation”, and KU would not disclose the reason. He was forced to sit out several contests heading into the NCAA Tournament. Bad.

Now as a senior, sticking out a career that, looking back, is as good as any player in the recent past. Taylor is in the career record book for games played (1^st), minutes played (2^nd), assists (6^th), steals (20^th) and wins in one of the most competitive conference in the countries.

Taylor leads Kansas into the Final Four with a singular goal. He’s the Mateen Cleaves of this generation. Taylor is college hoops, and all that comes with it.

Colorado has a date with "destiny"

The beat goes on for the CU men’s basketball team, and it sounds awfully like a heartbeat.

“If you believe in destiny, you believe in the Colorado Buffaloes because it was meant to be,” head coach Tad Boyle said after the Buffaloes’ win.

CU came out of seemingly nowhere to win the Pac-12 Championship that automatically qualifies the Buffs for the NCAA Tournament with a 53-51 win over the University of Arizona Wildcats.

In the last four seasons, the Buffs basketball program has seen the lowest of lows and, now, the highest of highs. Almost a year ago, Colorado had nearly assured themselves a spot in the Big Dance despite not winning their conference tournament. Colorado was confident they were in, then the rug was pulled right from under their feet.

“We dedicated this game beforehand to Cory Higgins, Levi Knutson, Marcus Relphorde, Trent Beckley, Javon Coney and Alec Burks,” Boyle said about the day that was one of the most traumatic events in his coaching career. “These six sat in my home last year on Selection Sunday for their last opportunity to go to the NCAA Tournament, and they were snubbed. That inspired us.”

Whether it was inspiration, revenge or just plain unfinished business, the Buffs will be going to their first NCAA Tournament since the 2002-2003 season. But for the four seniors, Austin Dufault and Nate Tomlinson in particular, who played significant minutes as freshman on a nine win team, this win is beyond gratifying.

“It’s hard to explain in words what it means,” Dufault, the all-time leader in games played at Colorado, said. “There have been so many ups and downs for the last four years. But I’ve just treasured every moment at CU for the last four years. The tough ones have only made me a better person along with my teammates. We couldn’t have gotten to this point without going through ups and downs. We just came together today and played through the ups and downs again, and got it done.”

Colorado didn’t make it easy on themselves. The Buffs were forced to win four games in four nights. Each win wore on CU, but in the end, did not hinder their ability to make the plays when they needed to.
“Guys were making plays,” tournament MVP Carlon Brown said. “Guys were making the right reads whether it was passing, scoring and getting in the passing lane. Just a credit to all of my teammates. We just really wanted this and we weren’t going to be denied.”

Murray State loses, but it's a long race

Don’t these Racers know it’s actually a marathon?

What’s worse than getting picked in March to win it all is, as a mid-major, getting picked to go to the Final Four, like Cinderella RSVPing to the Castle, in early February. There are a lot of ways to lose, but the worst way is when everyone picked you because you were the rabbit in the race.

Murray State now sits an awful, atrocious, even ghastly 23-1 on the season. They’re last of the unbeaten to fall, and the symbolic cork-bottle popper for the 1975-76 Indiana Hoosiers team. The Racers looked beaten down, both on the scoreboard and across the faces of numerous players, as they lost to Tennessee State 72-68. (The TSU Tigers are a respectable 16-10 by the way.)

But this is what they should want at this point of the season.

The Racers will drop to about #20 in the rankings, but their popular stock will fall even further down the list, possibly into glorious obscurity. Staying under the radar, even while possibly cruising to their Ohio Valley Conference title and easily getting into the NCAA Tournament. You just don’t want to be the team the middle school teachers and mechanics pick as their sleeper.

Murray State can’t play the same type of game as the big name schools; they’ll have to take a different route. It’s journey that will lead them away from the hype and hoopla that could be their downfall. Losing ground now isn’t the end; it’s a reposition of sorts that could fundamentally assist in their travels amid madness in March.

The Racers can make a run but they don’t want to be looking back and realizing that sneaking up from the back of the field, from the rear of the pack so to speak, might have been the best strategy the whole time.

“I don’t want to be that guy mumbling into his drink at the bar,” as famously spoken by, none other than, Billy Murray.

College basketball revolving door

Does it really still count as the Glass Slipper if what Cinderella's searching for in March is more like a worn bowling shoe?

In the first 10 weeks of the college basketball season (There's been over 2 months of college basketball?!?) there were three teams that have accompanied the top spot in the polls. North Carolina was toppled, Kentucky nipped and now Syracuse is trying to remain as the #1 team as it heads into Big East Conference play. Not to mention seven total teams have recieved votes for the number-one spot. And this is just the beginning of a revolving door in college basketball.

This is by no means a resurgance of the little school, the Patriot league team that makes a miraculous run into March past the high-heel, highly touted one-and-done school. This is the overall ambiguity of top-class, top-tier talent.

The Big 6 Conferences, soon to be widdled down, seeing to more and more conference opponents will inevitably face of in the Sweet-Sixteen and beyond.

Conferences and the teams that reside in them will only get stronger. They will swivel on top of each other forcing the overall strength of the league to increase. Smaller schools without the visibility of ESPN or upcoming conference networks won't be able to get the looks, and respect of outsiders. At-large bids will go to schools in-large conferences.

Some big schools will still topple like an cruiseliner in a bubble bath when the drain is pulled, yes, but that is due to a lack of maturity that seems to becontagious throughout the NCAA. Smaller schools don't have as many opportunities as they once had, theirs only so many 'Magic Beans' to sell to the Jacks of the college basketball realm.

College basketball is big business, it's "this town ain't big enough of the two of us" country western. So, little schools I wish you luck in the near future, tighten those neon velcro straps and just try to sqeeze in the swiveling front door.

Classic ‘Carrier Classic’

America’s pastime is baseball on a chilly October night. It’s traditional and elegant; it’s Joe Buck and the St Louis Cardinals. But America’s present-time is most definitely college basketball. It’s innovative and eloquent; it’s Gus Johnson and the North Carolina Tar Heels.

Where else would you expect the most influential man in the free world, President Barack Obama, watching the biggest game on the opening weekend of college basketball? As only Andy Samberg can put it; on a boat.

The first-ever, ironically named ‘Carrier Classic’ could not have been better.

It pitted two of the most successful programs, Michigan State and North Carolina, led by two of the best coaches in the game, Tom Izzo and Roy Williams, on the flight deck of the ship that accomplished the most successful mission in the US’s fight against terrorism.

The USS Carl Vinson was the ship that took Osama Bin Laden’s body out to sea. It showed genuine creativity and a good-hearted spirit. The 4.5 acre top of the flight deck hosted just 7,500 fans, most of who continue to serve this country. The referees of the game all had a military background. And the players were wearing camouflage-like jersey to smooth out the icing on the top.

The game, although not very close on the scoreboard, but like every other college game it kept you hooked until the very last buzzer. It honored some of the most distinguished and unselfish people the only way they knew how; with a game and what a beautiful game it is.

International Game? Not quite.

If you can pronounce the names of the first 7 picks in the 2011 NBA Draft you either (a) cheated or (b) should take up something more productive, like croqueting or Frisbee golf, to do with your time.

The first heptad went a little like this:

#1- Kyrie Irving (DUKE)

#2- Derrick Williams (ARIZONA)

#3- Enes Kanter (TURKEY)

#4- Tristan Thompson (TEXAS)

#5- Jonas Valanciunas (LITHUANIA)

#6- Jan Vesley (CZECH RUPUBLIC)

#7- Bismack Biyombo (DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO)

This is a whose-who of who knows. And the fact that 4 of these top 7 are from outside the continent is rather disturbing.

Is American college basketball down as a whole? Not really; Harrison Barnes, Jared Sullinger will be bidding to hit the #1 spot in 2012. Or are NBA General Managers losing it upstairs?

I point heavily toward the latter.

Lottery teams don’t pick player to fill holes. They don’t find the long term athletes that can mesh with a well-defined team. They pick the best athletes, All-Star hopefuls; the ones that the people in the front office think can turn the franchise around.

In the last 4 All-Star games, only 5 different International players have made the team. Yao Ming, Dirk Nowitzki, Tony Parker, Pau Gasol and Mehmet Okur make up the grisly handful. And on the other side there have been a strong contingent of notable International busts.

We see the difference in numerous Worldwide competitions; the American basketballer is far the superior.

The NBA just won’t buy American made. They should.

Alec Burks a 'Potential' Top Five Pick

The 2011 NBA Draft could force Mock Boards to become supervised, it could make numerous Executives explain their pick reasoning via team website and, ultimately, it could be a historically unusual one. 

This Draft is not deep, it’s not a new format, and there will be plenty of David Stern jokes. 

But teams may have to be drafting for the future, and not the imminent future, some could be drafting for 2012 NBA season. And that looks to be mighty promising for the Colorado standout Alec Burks. 

An NBA lockout is no sure thing, but it’s also slightly more likely than the NFL Lockout. 

So as teams look for players to build around, for the 2012 season, they will be looking at upside. (Even more than usual.) The frightening word ‘potential’ will be used more frequently than ‘like’ at a sorority house. Players will be judged based on work ethic and what they should be able to contribute in only the somewhat near future.

For the 6’ 6” long armed, penetrating, athletic, raw talent Alec Burks this could go better than he dreamed it. His upside is practically limitless in the eyes of some. 

Burks averaged 20 points, 6 rebounds and 3 assists in one of the best conferences in America. As a sophomore he almost carried a team to the NCAA Tournament. He did this all the while being too skinny, not a good enough shooter, and limited talent around him. Two or three years down the road Burks could ‘potentially’ be a reigning Rookie of the Year and All-Pro.

Most analysts have the CU guard going #11 to Golden State, but it be wouldn’t be surprising to see him go as high at #5 to Toronto.

Coverage of the 2011 NBA Draft Starts at 5 PM Mountain Time.

Bye Bye Burksie

He's not going to stay.

It's like building a couch cushion fort, you cannot do it alone. (Or defending one for that matter.) The Buffs are graduating the likes of Cory Higgins, Levi Knutson, Marcus Relphorde, and Trent Beckley (again). Their leading scorer returning, besides possibly Alec Burks, is Andre Roberson.

He WOULD have more pressure on him than Snooki's poof bobbypin. (I can't believe I just made that reference, ugh.) But do not expect another freshman to step up the way Burks did 2 seasons ago with Higgins.

His raw talent and size WILL translate to the NBA, and we all know the GM's in the lottery are all looking for the next big thing to make their small market team marketable. Someone is going to be smart/(stupid) enough to take a chance on the kid in the top-15 picks.

And if you think he is back in Grandview, Missour this weekend talking with his moms about 'their' decision to turn pro you're mistaken. He's at Men's Warehouse as we speak picking out the most ridiculous suit he can find to wear on the biggest day of his life.

THIS ISN'T SO HARD

ESPN’s March Madness guru Joe Lunardi teaches a class at St. Johns University called (and I couldn’t make this up) Bracketology 101. All the protégés learn the ways of ‘The Bracket’ in hope of one day beating their receptionists in the $4 buy-in office pool. (While they will base their selections on FG% and PPG, their receptionists make them with colors, mascots and point guard handsomeness in mind; yet it’s usually a pretty even matchup.)

But this year, even without the receptionist to brag to, I sit atop the mountain of sports geek’s brackets in the 99.9^th percentile on ESPN.com.

Have I figured out the secret code to college basketball? Am I the next Schwab? Can Dr. Pure continue to pull these names out of a hat only to gain untold amounts of pride? Or will I fall from grace? Will my bracket dismantle much like my little cousins at a Chucky Cheese birthday party (especially Elizabeth)?

Oh, you’ll never know.