I'm not going to lie. This year's NCAA Tournament just didn't do it for me. Granted it is the nachos supreme of Final Fours, the early rounds were dismal.
And yeah I know it's not over yet, but I have been disappointed. Due in large part to the fact that my home town Syracuse Orange got the biggest snub in the history of the world and got left out for joke teams like Arkansas, Illinois, BYU, Xavier and Oral freakin' Roberts. (If anyone would like to argue with me, please feel free to e-mail me - my address is at the end) The Tourney just didn't have the kazzam it seems to usually have.
You could basically say that this tournament had no legit upset. UNLV beating Wisconsin is still a maybe for me since Wisconsin was the weakest two seed, was playing without one of their starters and UNLV was a solid seven seed. Duke losing to VCU was predicted. The fact that Duke was even a six seed shocked me, but I guess that's what the New York Yankees of college hoops gets.
Yes, I'll admit there were a few exciting games, but notice I said a few. Ohio State needing overtime to beat Xavier. VCU and Pitt going into a surprising OT and then UNC coming back from down 20 to beat USC. Thank god for this past weeks Sweet 16, it basically saved me from turning off CBS for the rest of the month. If Oden didn't block that game winner and Jeff Green hadn't hit his bank shot there would have been a 10 minute period where I just would have been inconsolable. Overall, the first two rounds were predictable, standard, static, upset free and frankly, a bit bland. Cinderella's stepsisters must have put her to work because I didn't see her this year.
The one thing I will give this tournament is the fact that the same five or six powerhouses from all year had a chance to meet in the regional finals. I remember mid-January saying to myself how much I would like to see UNC play OSU, or Georgetown to play Florida. It is exciting to see teams who were all basically No. 1 in the nation at one point face up for the most important game of the year.
So it is finally here, the Final Four. Florida, G-Town, UCLA and Ohio State. 67.9 percent of the nation's brackets had these teams. Typical. As much as it kills me this is the ultimate Final Four, as all four of these teams were ranked in the top eight on the preseason poll. But since it is here, I should stop whining and break these teams down and announce my champion.
What a battle this will be. The experience and 10 game tournament win streak for Florida against the team they dropped to become National Champions last year. Florida's bid to become the first back-to-back titlist since Duke 1991-92 might get squashed by the Bruins. Not a chance that Florida takes this game as easy as they did last year.
Just like Florida, UCLA is doing the grind a second time now, with more knowledge and talent. It is as easy as balancing out the starting five. 6-foot 11-inch Joakim Noah and 6-foot 10-inch Al Horford, who each average more than 12 points and eight rebounds per game, will be a handful for UCLA's rotating frontcourt. The difference makers will be guard Lee Humphrey who led the SEC and ranked 12th nationally in three-point shooting percentage during the regular season and point guard Taurean Green versus the All-America consideration likes of guard Arron Afflalo and young guard Darren Collison, who was named first-team all-conference in his first season as a starter.
Close call, but I'm taking the Gators 74-67.
The battle of the "man-child," two 7-foot plus center stars clash in this match-up. Arguably the top draft pick if he leaves this summer, Greg Oden is the real deal and has only gotten better since breaking his wrist. On the other side, Roy Hibbert isn't too shabby either taking in over 12 points and six boards a game throughout the tourney.
What's my difference maker in this game? It will be the guys who get their big men the ball. Jonathan Wallace and Jessie Sapp are going to be the movers and shakers for the Hoyas as Oden and Hibbert will cancel each other out underneath the basket. Oh and did I forget to mention a little speedster named Mike Conley Jr. who is scoring just over 10 a game but almost six assists, that means he shares well. Ultimately, it could come down to coaching between John Thompson III and Thad Matta.
Another rough pick but I see the Big East prevailing and the Hoyas taking it 80-77.
Take what I just said and move it here. Tied at 79 with 16 seconds to go Florida botches a backdoor play to Brewer and Jeff Green recovers for the Hoyas. He hits both free throws to make it 81-79. Florida's prayer with 1.6 left on the clock falls short and Georgetown is your 2007 National Champions.
P.S. - If G-town wins then Syracuse will have been the last team to beat them. Suck on that tournament selection committee.
