That is one angry looking kid on the basketball court. Perhaps he needs a soothing father-son dinner at Crystal City Restaurant to help ease his pain...All right, enough amateur psycho-analysis, let's move on to what is most likely GTB's last Local Hoops Top 10 of the season (try to contain your tears):[Important note: RPIs used are from the fantastic Ken Pomeroy website (as of Sunday night)...and to ensure consistency over the next two weeks, anytime I reference RPI it will be these Ken Pom numbers.]
1. Georgetown (22-5, 12-2, Ken Pom RPI - 16)
The hottest team on the East Coast (11 wins in a row), the Hoyas look like a Final Four team right now (and I apologize to all Georgetown fans if the Curse of GTB now strikes your club in the first weekend). In fact, with the losses by Florida, Wisconsin and North Carolina in the last week, and the ugly win by Ohio State today, I would say Georgetown is the second best team in the country (behind only UCLA). Pretty impressive stuff, given how pedestrian they looked on the morning of December 3rd, after losing to Duke and falling to 4-3 on the year (with the other losses to ODU and Oregon).
2. Virginia Tech (20-8, 10-4, KPR - 22)
Two nice, and necessary, wins last week, most importantly the win over Boston College. Maryland's upset tonight means Va Tech is tied for 1st in the ACC, with games left against UVA and Clemson. As a reminder, Clemson started the season 17-0 (3-0 in the ACC), is now 19-9 (5-9 in the conference), and will be losing in the 1st Round of the NIT, guaranteed. But I'm sure Billy Packer thinks Clemson should make the Dance over ODU.
3. Virginia (19-8, 10-4, KPR - 38)
Tied with in-state rival Va Tech atop the ACC (Coaches Leitao and Greenberg, address those thank yous to Gary Williams), but most definitely below them in this poll. That's what getting pummeled by 27 will do. Plus, who wants to root for UVA anyway?
4. Maryland (22-7, 8-6, KPR - 17)
I was all set to jump Maryland above UVA after that stirring upset of Carolina tonight, until I actually did a little research and realized the Terps lost both games to Virginia this year, and for that reason just couldn't do it. See how easy that was Billy Packer - I got on the ole email machine and used the eBays to find out how teams performed over the course of the season. Try to give it a try in the next two weeks (or at least have an intern do it for your drooling, geriatric ass). Anyway, 5 straight wins for the Terps, who (like Georgetown and ODU) are rolling at just the right time and will be a force in the ACC Tourney (and, depending on their seed, the Big Dance as well).
5. VCU (24-6, 16-2, KPR - 60)
Congrats to the CAA regular season champs...who unfortunately are limping to the finish line (barely beating 10-19 Georgia St to clinch). As you know, I have been pulling for these guys all year, but either they got complacent in the last two weeks or they are more flawed than the 24-6 record would indicate. The CAA tourney should be a doozy, with VCU, ODU, Hofstra and Drexel all capable of taking the title.
6. Old Dominion (23-7, 15-3, KPR - 33)
Winners of 11 straight to end the regular season, they sure look like a viable at-large candidate. And even though VCU won the regular season CAA title, I would have to slightly favor ODU at this point to win the CAA Tournament.
7. George Washington (18-8, 9-5, KPR - 86)
Yeah, I disrespect them every week, but they won both games last week, and honestly, the A-10 seems to be a crapshoot, so why not GW. Unless Karl Hobbs channels that coaching legend Bruiser Flint prior to the A-10 tourney.
8. Loyola (17-12, 12-6, KPR - 187)
They fell to 4th place in the MAAC standings, which it appears Marist or Siena will win (at least based on their second great game of the year Saturday - thank you DVR)...and whoa, did Jack Nicholson shave his head? Wow...sorry, Oscars on in the background, and I really have nothing else to say about Loyola.
9. George Mason (15-14, 9-9, KPR - 136)
Welcome back to the poll Jim Larranaga and company. Unfortunately, that means it was time to say goodbye to Towson and Gary Neal (very tough for me to do). I think Coach Larranaga might even hate Billy Packer more than me (and Phil Martelli).
10. William and Mary (15-14, 8-10, KPR - 185)
Well, I did it again. Put the Tribe on this list, and they shit the bed...again...when will I learn. Obviously not this week...if this really is my last local hoops poll of 2007, the Tribe get to finish in the Ten Spot. And of course lose the 8/9 game in the CAA tourney. Jammin' on the James my ass.
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30 comments:
mason gets drummed by 23 against northeastern and gets back into the top 10? i'd like you to grade my kids' tests once they get into school.
Yep, they finished .500 in the CAA, and that puts them ahead of Towson and the Patriot League chumps (American and Navy).
Certain sportswriters have disappointed or annoyed me with their ignorance over time (SportGuy comes to mind), and now when I read a column of theirs, I find myself biased against even objectively good work, not giving them a chance because, well, they usually suck. And so I promise to read without prejudice.
And then I get as far as the very first segment of the local Norfolk moron's round-up of unwitticisms:
"Getting noticed: Think the Old Dominion men's basketball program hasn't made strides? During Thursday's Duke-Clemson game, an ESPN graphic assessing Clemson's tournament prospects included among the Tigers' "key wins" an early victory at ODU. When's the last time the stock of an ACC team went up by beating a CAA team? I believe that the answer may be... never."
Does he really not remember David Robinson? I mean, I was in high school when Navy was the CAA's Elite Eight representative, and the thought instantly sprang to mind. Meanwhile, this guy was . . . writing for my local paper's sports section.
Jaded Cynicism 1, Naive Optimism 0.
Maybe send that guy a link to this new search engine thingie called google...
And Whit, you and Ms. Chambers went 5-3 last week I believe, with DJ Strawberry and the Terps really sticking it to you.
I know that doesn't make my Aggro-Crag bosses happy, but it certainly pleased me. What is the Terps' record since I wrote on Gheorghe that they were out of it?
I don't feel like actually looking through old posts and comments, but I am willing to bet you gave up on the Terps after the road losses to UVA and Va Tech in mid-January, meaning they are 7-2 since then. GTB, bulletin board material.
I think that's accurate.
And in the same vein, the Tribe is doomed never to make the NCAA tournament. Ever.
well played, whit. i'll be booking my tickets to their first-round game this afternoon.
Georgetown would like to thank you.
Eric Devendorf says hello and wants you to know that contrary to what you have heard, chin strap beards are still the tits in upstate New York.
Let's just say I am very happy the GTB Curse took place last night. Huge fucking win for the Cuse...HUGE. And that McDonough, Raf and Bilas booth is the best in the biz. Praising the seniors who get no time and the walk-ons? And bringing up another senior from the Villanova game? That was a nice touch...you think PackerNantz would do that shit? Hell no.
And Eric Devendorf has to be 2-1 to get arrested this offseason.
Championship Week begins tonight with first round games in the Ohio Valley, Big South and Horizon leagues...best time of the year.
I think, technically, Championship Week doesn't start until next week (when the smaller conferences are finishing up their tourneys) but who really cares. It's still the best time of the year.
I too love the McDonough, Bilas, Raftery booth. I get a special kick out of Bilas' low rent imitations of Raftery. It's like Bilas is his little brother or something.
And, I'm with you on Devendorf's arrest probability if his off-court decision making is even remotely close to the on court decisions.
I refuse to be told by ESPN when Championship Week begins...the day any conference tournament games begin, which happens to be tonight, is the beginning of Championship Week and the Madness.
Did anyone catch Bilas (or was it Raftery) say Andy Rautins dad Leo was as good a passer as Larry Bird?
You can start Championship week whenever you like.
I also caught the mention of Rautins father. Which I found interesting since I'd never heard of him, knee injury or not.
Mark, sorry to hear about your knee injury, and how it affects your hearing.
Thanks Whitney. It's gonna be tough but I'll get through it.
In other news, 14 pts, 16 boards and 5 blocks for the Serbian Gangster last night.
Has he finally secured the starting job?
Tony Battie has been out the last two weeks so he's been starting. I'd imagine that he stays there when Battie returns but we'll see.
So, looking at the NBA's Eastern Conference standings today, I noticed the Knicks are just 2 games back of the 8 seed...wow...
that pains me on so many levels
The Eddy Curry trade doesn't look nearly as awful or one sided as it once did.
So, that deal was Curry, Antonio Davis and a #1 to the Knicks for Mike Sweetney, Tim Thomas, Jermaine Jackson and a #1? Thomas whined and never played for the Bulls right, Sweetney is a bust...yeah, you might be right. Another wow for the Knicks this afternoon.
Knicks sent their 06 #1 (Ty Thomas) and the right for the Bulls to swap 07 #1s.
Nice of British Intelligence Officer MI69 to check in...
I have flipped the page a day early on my super Carolina Panthers calendar - care to guess the two donkeys highlighted in March? Hint: there is one offensive guy and one defensive guy...
Remember when Wesley Walls would score TD's and do an air-guitar celebration dance? There is nothing like a mulleted air-guitar on television that says, "I don't really endorse the Klan . . . but I certainly understand it."
awesome hint. mike rucker and steve smith.
Well, the hint seemed to work for you (partially) - Mike Rucker is one...
brad hoover
Um, do you have this calendar?
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