Anyone that followed the big east already knew mike rice was a douchebag. The video out today doesnt help.
Rice's behavior was inexcusable but I have a real problem with ESPN grilling Pernetti (Rutgers AD)over the way he disciplined Rice. 3 weeks without pay, 3 game suspension and no basketball activities for the time he was suspended plus a 30K fine or whatever it was. I don't mind objective journalism because certainly if Rutgers was covering something up they should get grilled but when Bobby Knight is on your payroll you have absolutely no business grilling anybody on getting physical with players... Knight arguabley did something worse than what Rice did like oh choke a player. My guess is ESPN never thought about grilling Myles Brand (who went on to the NCAA prez) while he allowed Knight to run the Indiana campus. To be fair I think Rice should have been fired and watching those videos show why he should have been but I think ESPN loses all cred while they employ Bobby Knight.
Rice is a bully like Knight. Bobby Knight was a real scumbag, as is well known. I was just reading about what he did to Lawrence Funderburke in the '90s. Made his life hell and tried to prevent him from going to any other colleges on scholarship. The difference between Knight and Rice is that Knight got a long leash because his teams were successful. Rice is a scumbag AND his teams suck. Mind-boggling that he hasn't been fired, really.
I agree, UL is the best team right now. Ul is great at both offense and defense. The other 3 are great at one or the other.
Congrats on SU making it, I think we'll see UL-Mich for the title but anything can happen Sat & Mon. You have a shot so good luck and enjoy the ride.
Nice curtain call for the Big East - Two of the final four, and a chance at an all Big East title game.
you mean an all ACC title game. On that note assuming Louisville wins it b/c I believe they will let's recap the ACC vs. the Big East 1980-2013. ACC 12 total teams that played 320 seasons 1980-2013: UNC, duke, Clemson, MD, State, Wake, UVa, GT 1992-2013: FSU 2005-2013: VT, Miami 2006-2013: BC BE 19 teams, 404 total seasons. 1980-2013: UConn, SU, GU, SJU, Providence, SH 1980-2005: BC 1981-2013: Villanova 1983-2013: Pitt 1992-2004: Miami 1996-2012: WVU 1996-2013: Rutgers, ND 2001-2004: VT 2006-2013: UL, Cincy, DePaul, Marquette, USF ACC: 82 sweet 16 apps 48 Elite 8 apps 28 Final Fours apps 10 National Championships BE: 78 Sweet 16 apps 43 Elite 8 apps 18 Final Four apps 7 National Titles(including UL this year, I will edit later if I have to) # of different teams in FF: ACC: 6 of 12 teams(50%). UNC, duke, Ga tech, NC State, MD, UVa BE: 9 of 19 teams(47%)UConn, SU, GU, SH, SJU, 'Nova, Prov, UL, WVU # of champions: ACC: 4 of 12(33%) UNC, duke, NC State, MD BE: 5 of 19(26%) GU, SU, UConn, 'Nova, UL Every longtime member of the ACC made at least an elite 8(prior to expansion in '00s) and every member made the Tourney at least once. 3 BE schools didn't even make the Tourney as members of the BE(VT, DePaul & Rutgers) Most consecutive years w/ FF team: ACC: 8 years. 1988-1995 BE: 5. 2009-2013 Most consecutive years missing FF: ACC: 3. 2011-2013 BE: 6. 1990-1995 years w/ multiple teams reaching FF: ACC: 5. '81, '90, '91, '01, '04 BE: 4. '85, '87, '09, '13 This one is no contest.
Eh, Hackett. I would have rather seen Marquette and Gtown make it over UL and Cuse. I have a huge hatred for Cuse.
Nothing, I just had that info ready to go and was going to post it after UL won but I saw an opportunity to post it now:jets:
Fair enough: Just wanted to make sure it was possible to compliment the Big East without insulting the ACC
Cuse better win it now before they get their wrists slapped for multiple infractions by the NCAA... and become perpetual bottom feeders of the ACC. Maybe Boeheim will retire now while he's still riding high... that's just the type of guy he is.
On another note, and I might get people angry with this, but this has been the worst NCAA tournament in recent memory. Just some awful performances out there. I have no problems with upsets, in fact I like them, but only when the underdog plays great basketball and knocks them off. Not when both teams look like crap, shot terribly and the underdog just happens to finish with the lead. Never have I seen such truly awful shooting performances, and rash of turnovers in an NCAA tournament than I saw this year... couple that with no real "stars" and no really impressive teams and it equals a terrible tournament year. Some games were really borderline un-watchable with the amount of unforced turnovers and more bricks than a 3 story church. I'm hoping for Michigan - Louisville because those 2 teams have played the best basketball overall and would make for an entertaining game, but it still won't change the fact that this was a forgettable tournament.
it's not going to be the same, there will still be some good programs like GU and 'Nova but the marquee programs are leaving.
Would like to see a Big East team win it all. A nice farewell to the conference. As for the ACC vs. Big East, the arguments were not over the history. The arguments were on a year by year basis. In recent years, the Big East has been the better conference. That's not to say they were better in the '80s and '90s, just that they were better in the current season. I've seen the arguments over the last five seasons, I believe, and the BE has been better than the ACC during that span.