One Shining Moment

With eight meaningful games left before the official end of football season, college basketball is jumping (<---literally ) at the opportunity to grab the nation's attention. It's no secret the NBA lacks suspense until May. Sure it's fun to watch Lebron, Kobe and CP3 do their thing, but it's missing a certain intensity that only the playoffs create. Meanwhile, college basketball consistently brings entertainment and excitement throughout the season. Intrigue abounds with more glamorous non-conference matchups than ever. Every week pits numerous top 10 showdowns that rarely fail to live up to the hype.

To keep the level of enthusiasm at a fevered pitch, causing men to simultaneously weep, laugh and grow rock-hard nipples with the pure adrenaline rush, WeIsND wanted to highlight the last 22 years of NCAA tournaments with the greatest highlight montages ever created in the history of the planet - One Shining Moment. There's a reason why every viewer stays glued to the chair after the nets have come down. The sweet serenade of Luther Vandross (or Teddy Pendergrass) serves up the perfect encore to three weeks of madness. Reliving the players, coaches, mascots, cheerleaders, celebration, heartbreak, buzzer beaters and timeless moments from a given year's NCAA tournament in a 4 minute montage is the Cadillac of cruises down memory lane. The history of how OSM made its way onto the air and into our hearts is unique. The song writer even launched his own website dedicated to "The Anthem of College Basketball."

A couple years back, I unearthed YouTube clips of every version of OSM, hatching a plan to roll them out every few days to whet our appetite for 2009's One Shining Moment. Today I was horrified to discover that the majority of these precious pieces of sports history were removed due to copyright, a dastardly assault on my acorns. If any of our reader's happens to work for CBS Sports, or whoever owns the rights to OSM, get these back in the public domain where they belong. Or, if anyone has VHS copies of the title game from the last 22 years and wants to record and upload them onto YouTube, you will have the admiration of every man in America and I'd buy you a shot any time you desired. Until that pipedream is realized, the scant remaining OSM's will have to tide us over.

One Shining Moment
-David Barrett

The ball is tipped
and there you are
you're running for your life
you're a shooting star
And all the years
no one knows
just how hard you worked
but now it shows...
(in) ONE SHINING MOMENT, IT'S ALL ON THE LINE
ONE SHINING MOMENT, THERE FROZEN IN TIME

But time is short
and the road is long
in the blinking of an eye
ah that moment's gone
And when it's done
win or lose
you always did your best
cuz inside you knew...
(that) ONE SHINING MOMENT, YOU REACHED DEEP INSIDE
ONE SHINING MOMENT, YOU KNEW YOU WERE ALIVE

Feel the beat of your heart
feel the wind in your face
it's more than a contest
it's more than a race...

And when it's done
win or lose
you always did your best
cuz inside you knew...
(that) ONE SHINING MOMENT, YOU REACHED FOR THE SKY
ONE SHINING MOMENT, YOU KNEW
ONE SHINING MOMENT, YOU WERE WILLING TO TRY
ONE SHINING MOMENT....

The Cradle of Coaches (Part 2)

Here's part 1 of the Big East Coaches breakdown. On with the countdown:

7. Bob Huggins, West Virginia

Vitals: 13-8 (Big East, 1 year); 616-222 (Overall, 25 years); 22-16 NCAAs

Coach Thuggins is a relative newbie to the Big East brand of basketball, but his Bearcat teams of yore (remember the days of the Metro and Great Midwest Conferences?) would have fit right in. In 23 years, including an early successful stint at Akron, Huggins-led teams won 20 or more games 20 times! His overall record is certainly an impressive body of work, except for the unfortunate history of early round flameouts. Out of 14 Bearcat Big Dance recitals, 10 talented teams perished in the first or second round, plaguing Huggins' legacy which started promising with trips to the Final Four and Elite Eight in his 3rd and 4th seasons in the 'Nati. Now he returns to his alma mater to continue building the tradition that John Bielein started. His teams aren't always the most talented, but they get after the ball and make things difficult for the opposition. Let's just hope that this scene doesn't unfold again on the country roads of West Virginia.

6. Mike Brey, Notre Dame

Vitals: 83-58 (Big East, 7 years); 266-138 (Overall, 12 years); 5-7 NCAAs

Man, I wish the two-time defending Big East Coach of the Year could be higher, especially on the heels of a stirring victory over the Hoyas. But I can't in good conscience bump him ahead of Jimmy B. Yes, ND has won the last 3 games vs. 'Cuse, but in the 9 previous meetings, the Irish were victorious once. Brey is still coming into his own in South Bend, establishing a program that excels with offensive fluidity and a healthy reliance on the long ball. Brey's teams traditionally have lacked a consistent lockdown defense, their Achilles heel come BET and NCAA tourney time. For all of the regular season success ND has enjoyed in the Big East, including one regular season championship, Brey is only 3-8 under the lights of Madison Square Garden in the Big East Tournament. At this point, going deeper into the tournament is essential for the program to reach the next level of success. All but one of the coaches ahead of him has taken a team to the Final Four. He learned at the foot of Coach K for 9 years and knows what that kind of success is built on. His penchant for unearthing diamonds in the rough is evident with the resounding success of Luke "The Mongoose" Harangody, as well as Rob Kurz, Chris Quinn, and Russell Carter. Brey is the ultimate player's coach who doesn't ride his guys too hard and expectations are clear. On top of all of this, Mike Brey is the unofficial founder of the CMOB (Coaches for Mocks On the Bench), a movement that saw it's membership swell to at least 2 in 2005. The mock personifies Brey's class and personable demeanor as a man of the people. In the Mock I Trust.

5. Jim Boeheim, Syracuse

Vitals: 342-192 (Big East, 29 years); 771-278 (Overall, 32 years); 40-24 NCAAs

The institution man, Boeheim is a rare breed who married himself to the Orangemen, through good times and bad. Except there haven't really been any "bad" times (well, there was that microphone problem). Boeheim was an overachieving walk-on who became a starter, helping lead the Dave Bing-led Orangemen to the Elite Eight. He joined the bench as an assistant coach in 1972 before taking the reins in 1976, going a ridiculous 100-18 in his first four years on the job. The man has never felt the pangs of a losing season in his 32+ years at Syracuse. He's reached the summit of the basketball world three times, claiming the championship prize in 2003. A stellar 12 combined Big East regular season and tournament championships banners hang in the Carrier Dome. The Big East has bestowed top coach honors three times. He's on his way to his 30th 20-win season. It's no shock that he's the all-time winningest coach in conference history. The man already has a bust in Springfield and the ultimate reward, his home court named after him (Doug still holds out hope that Brey will reach this level of accomplishment. You can help!) Scores of NBA-caliber players harnessed their skills under Boeheim's direction - Pearl Washington, Rony Seikaly, Sherman Douglas, Derrick Coleman, Billy Owens, John Wallace, Lawrence Moten, Etan Thomas, Carmelo Anthony, Hakim Warrick, the "overrated" Gerry McNamara and the illustrious Danny Schayes. His trademark 2-3 matchup zone distinguished Syracuse teams for years. Now, it's growing a little stale. How can a man with this resume fall to 5th? Because this is a snapshot with his recent body of work weighing more heavily on the ranking. In the five seasons since winning the title, 'Cuse made one Sweet 16, two first round exits, and two NIT's. The man has accomplished plenty, but his time is drawing nigh. If Mike Brey comes out of the Carrier Dome with a victory on Jan. 17th, you can bet I'll be swapping their places.

4. John Thompson III, Georgetown

Vitals: 54-23 (Big East, 4 years); 168-78 (Overall, 8 years); 7-5 NCAAs
The successor to his father's powerhouse program, JT3 has quickly asserted himself as a top-notch coach who preaches disciplined defense and the motion offense perfected at Princeton. SI wrote an excellent article on the man finding his way from underneath his father's large shadow. Learning from the Yoda master, Pete Carril, from 1995-2000, Thompson led Princeton to 3 Ivy League titles and two NCAA trips in his four seasons. It's a testament to his coaching prowess that Georgetown has excelled with the same system while Bill Carmody struggles with very little success at Northwestern. Granted, the Hoyas enjoy a higher profile as a basketball school, but Thompson has proven to be a capable teacher of the deliberate style. He wasted no time making a splash in 2004, righting the ship from Craig Esherick's torpedo job. The Hoyas made the Sweet 16 in his second season, giving eventual champs Florida their hardest battle. He followed that up with a BET championship and a run to the Final Four in 2007. The Hoyas dominated the Big East last year, adding a regular season banner before being upset by the tournament's Cinderella, Davidson. Now that JT3 has tasted the sweet nectar of the biggest stage, you can bet he'll have his teams hell bent on returning to that level. He added a major piece for such a run with dominant freshman big man Greg Monroe. JT3 will only get better as his Georgetown roots grow. Get accustomed to the Hoyas churning out quality teams like an Amish butter maid.

3. Jim Calhoun, Connecticut

Vitals: 254-141 (Big East, 21 years); 750-328 (Overall, 35 years); 39-16 NCAAs
Credit belongs to one man for putting Connecticut basketball on the map - James "Montgomery" Calhoun. Starting with his first college job at Northeastern in 1972, he laid the groundwork for his first successful program. 14 seasons later, with 5 NCAA tournament appearances and one NBA All-Star under his belt, he left in 1986 for the opportunity to ply his trade in the best conference. It was a rude awakening, going 9-19, only his fourth losing season in 35 years. It would be the last losing season at UConn. The following year, the Huskies won the NIT. By 1990, UConn had risen to the top of the Big East and advanced to the Elite Eight. Already, Calhoun had transformed an unheard of program in Storrs, CT, and he was just getting started. Since his arrival, Connecticut has won two titles, reached seven Elite Eights, raised a combined 12 Big East regular season and tournament banners, and opened the gates of talent flowing to the NBA. For as much hype as North Carolina and Duke receive, no other school has as many alums currently in the NBA as Calhoun's Connecticut. The list of Calhoun bred professionals reads like an All-Star roster: Reggie Lewis, Cliff Robinson, Donyell Marshall, Ray Allen, Rip Hamilton, Caron Butler, Emeka Okafor, Ben Gordon, Charlie Villanueva and Rudy Gay. That's not even half of the players who made the league. For all of the talent that has passed through the door, UConn has underachieved in recent years, not living up to the lofty expectations that come with a dominant program. Since winning the 2004 championship, UConn has lost in the 2nd round, Elite 8 (when they were everyone's proverbial favorite), missed the postseason for the first time since Calhoun's first year in Storrs, and lost in last year's 1st round to San Diego. Calhoun, like Boeheim, is an institution on campus. He's also been elected to the College Basketball Hall of Fame. But the end is near for this legend, especially in light of his ongoing cancer treatment. Will the Huskies send him away in style or buckle under the hype again?

2. Jamie Dixon, Pittsburgh

Vitals: 66-31 (Big East, 5 years); 131-41 (Overall, 5 years); 6-5 NCAAs

Consider me a Jamie Dixon apologist. I love his style and the way his teams play. I love his fiery disposition, yet he rarely blows a gasket. I love how he does more with the talent on his roster than any other coach in the league, save one. Dixon jumped around assistant coach spots from 1991-1999 before joining Howland's original staff at Pitt, having already shared a bench with Howland at Northern Arizona. In four short years, Howland and Dixon changed the culture of basketball at Pittsburgh, a program with 1 winning season over the 6 previous years. After a transition year, the fruits of their labor were in place as Pitt made the finals of the BET two successive years before winning in 2003, Howland's final year. The fate of the program lay in the hands of a guy who had never been a head coach before. To say he's exceeded expectations is an understatement. Dixon's 105 victories in his first four seasons is the second highest win total ever for a coach to start his career. In five years at the helm, he has won 10 conference games every season, including one regular season and one tournament championship. Regular season consistency is a hallmark of the program, but Pitt truly thrives in the BET, amassing an 11-4 record and playing in the championship game 4 of his 5 years. The biggest feather missing from his cap is guiding the Panthers past the Sweet Sixteen. With their recent ascension to the #1 ranking, this year's team looks primed to accept that challenge.

1. Rick Pitino, Louisville

Vitals: 51-38 (Big East, 5 years); 521-191 (Overall, 22 years); 35-12 NCAAs
If there were a Mount Rushmore of Big East coaches, Pitino wouldn't be on it since his greatest success occurred in Lexington. Yet he's still guided two different Big East schools to the Final Four - the only coach ever to lead three different schools to the sport's promised land. (You may be wondering who my Mt. Rushmore of Big East coaches would be? Without dissecting the numbers, I'd go with Boeheim, Calhoun, Thompson, Sr. and Luigi Carnesecca - the George Washington type figurehead. Apologies to Rollie Masimino as the odd man out). Pitino is the quintessential college coach, having proved that his style isn't conducive to the NBA. His teams make life positively miserable for the opposition with full-court pressure defense. An up-tempo offense spreads the wealth to everyone on the court, epitomizing the adage that the sum is greater than its parts. Try and name 5 players from Pitino's teams with Providence, Kentucky and Louisville who had meaningful careers in the NBA. I'm stuck at Jamal Mashburn, Tony Delk, Ron Mercer and Francisco Garcia. He's unlike Calhoun, who's been blessed with prodigious talent, in that he coaches up hen-picked players to run (and keep running) in his system. A master motivator, he consistently gets his teams to believe in their abilities and accomplish great things. He's only experienced one losing collegiate season out of 22, his 3rd year with Boston University. Providence, of all schools, reached the Final Four in his second year. He bolted to the Knicks and enjoyed success before the allure of restoring to prominence a once proud Kentucky program presented itself. Mind you, this was a program on probation for 2 years. Undaunted, Pitino ripped off 7 seasons of extraordinary success from 1991-1997, never losing more than 7 games. In the six seasons they were eligible for postseason play, the Wildcats reached two Elite Eights and three Final Fours, capturing the crown in 1996. The failed Celtics experiment brought Pitino back to the Big East in 2001, where the Cardinals have won 20+ games six times over seven seasons, including a trip to the 2005 Final Four. Squaring off against Rick Pitino is like playing dice with the devil. The chance to get burned is omnipresent. You know walking out of the locker room that he's the smartest person in the arena and you'll need a monumental effort to pull a victory out. How much longer Pitino will prowl the Louisville sidelines is anyone's guess with his propensity for chasing bigger challenges. But while he's still in the Big East, there isn't a better coach out there.

Georgetown is LEGIT

Color me impressed with Georgetown last night. They completely dominated UConn on the road. I know the consensus was that Georgetown would be rebuilding this year, but I don't see that at all. As far as I'm concerned, Georgetown is still the team to beat in the Big East. They are becoming the Atlanta Braves of the Big East. It doesn't matter who is on their roster. They just reload and win.

Greg Monroe is a stud. I'm pretty sure Jay Bilas would have his babies, but I can see why Bilas loves him. I really like how he plays. I can't believe how polished Monroe is for a true freshman. He shoots well, he passes well, he's an intelligent player, he's 6'10 with big time size, he can move, and he's very unselfish. I thought he was the best player on the floor last night. Why isn't Monroe being discussed as a top 5 NBA pick?? Did he already indicate that he is going to stay at Georgetown for a few years??

The Hoyas also seem to have their usual group of quality wing players and a pretty good point guard in Chris Wright. I really like how Georgetown plays, and John Thompson is an exceptional coach. With their system, they just plug guys in who can play that style.

As for UConn, yesterday only confirms what I have felt about them all year. They are the most overrated team in college basketball and the most overrated team in the Big East by far. I don't even know that UConn is one of the top 5 teams in the Big East this year. They have so many overrated and bad attitude type guys who don't play well as a team, and Hasheem Thabeet is the most overrated player in the league. I don't see it with UConn. I didn't buy into them last year, and I don't really see what the fuss is with them this year. You have to play as a team to win in college basketball, and they have a lot of "me guys."

For now, I'd probably rank Georgetown as the team to beat in the Big East with Pitt nipping at their heels and then teams like Louisville, Notre Dame, Syracuse, UConn, and maybe even West Virginia bunched in behind them. That obviously could change in a hurry, but that's how I'd stack them up for now.

Notre Dame-Ohio State at the Luke

Man, there are some great sporting events this weekend. I couldn't be more excited about the college football and basketball that we'll have at our disposal on Saturday. I'm headed to Indy for the Lucas Oil doubleheader. Should be an outstanding event.

Some quick thoughts on the ND-Ohio State game.

1) No Harangody - How will we respond to playing without our best player on Saturday?? With the announcement that Harangody is not playing on Saturday, it seems like people are starting to worry about the game against the Buckeyes.

Guess I'm just not that worried about how we'll play without Harangody. Luke is obviously a very important part of our team, but Mike Brey coached teams have never shied away from lighting it up on the perimeter. Until Harangody arrived on campus, we were a perimeter-oriented team. As long as guys like McAlarney and Ayers are knocking down shots from the outside, we'll find ways to score plenty of points. Ohio State relies on a zone defense this year, so KMAC and Ayers will get plenty of looks from three point land. Harangody will be missed, but I expect that we'll use a Harangody-by-committee to make up for him.

Harangody is not exactly a premier defender, so we won't suffer much if at all defensively. I am a little worried about our rebounding, but Ohio State is even shakier on the boards than us. I've watched every Buckeye game this year, and they are not a good rebounding team at all. They are starting a 6'4" power forward (David Lighty) who is not exactly a power rebounder. BJ Mullens and Dallas Lauderdale are their other big men, and both those guys are very raw and still learning how to play college basketball.

2) Tory Jackson - Tory is always a key player for the Irish, and he has a great matchup on Saturday. Ohio State is currently starting a junior college transfer, Jeremie Simmons, at the point, and their backup point guard is a highly-touted freshman, Anthony "Noopy" Crater. Simmons is a pretty good shooter, but he's still getting into the flow of the Buckeye offense. He doesn't appear to be a guy who can get to the bucket and distribute. Crater looks like he has some potential, but he hasn't played that many minutes so far.

Either way, Tory Jackson is an experienced, All Big East caliber junior. Big mismatch in favor of the Irish.

3) ND supporting cast - With no Harangody, we are going to need the Zellers and Hilleslands and Nashes to step it up.

Just a hunch, but I have a feeling that Hillesland might have a nice day on Saturday. With his size and skill set, he has a potential mismatch on Lighty if he takes advantage of it.

4) Experience - KEY factor in this game. Ohio State is a VERY young team. Ridiculously young. They start 3 true sophomores, 1 junior, and a JUCO transfer at point guard. Their bench is basically all freshmen. I think they will be much better at the end of the year, but they are going to have some struggles until guys discover their roles on this team.

From what I have seen about Ohio State, they are very streaky. When they get a little confidence, they can get into a rhythm offensively. But on the whole, they have problems scoring. In that Miami game, they could not do anything offensively in the first half, and they had a lot of games like that last year. It just seems like they are going to need some time until they start to gel as a team. In college basketball, you need defined roles, and you need to know who can rely on game in and game out. While I think Ohio State has some big time talent, they've had issues last year and this year with guys being on the same page.

On the other hand, this Notre Dame team seems like it has been together for 10 years. Ayers, Jackson, KMac, Hillesland, and Zeller have been playing together for 3 years. They have experienced just about every situation in every environment. There are very few teams in the country as experienced as this Notre Dame team. The Maui trip was a great way to get our team ready for the season right out of the chute, so we should be in midseason form heading into Saturday.

5) Buckeyes young guns -

I've watched most of the Buckeyes' games so far, so here's my quick rundown on their key players.

Evan Turner - sophomore shooting guard; probably the best all-around player on the team, but he is still very inconsistent. Case in point, he picks up two charges in the first five minutes of the Miami game, sits out for about 18 minutes, and then dominates the last 15 minutes of the game. He's going to be a star if he stays all four years at Ohio State, but he's not ready to be the go-to guy just yet. He's a slasher with a good mid-range game, but probably needs to work on his shot. Turner is a good defender, good passer and playmaker, but he's not quite ready to carr the team at this point.

Jon Diebler - Probably the most controversial player on the Buckeyes team; highly-touted, all time leading scorer in Ohio high school hoops history, but he was turrrrrrible last year. He just didn't seem to be ready physically for D-I hoops, but he has looked much better this year as a sophomore. Very streaky shooter who can absolutely light it up when he's hot. Should be an interesting matchup with Ryan Ayers.

BJ Mullens - Mullens came to Ohio State as a five star recruit and likely NBA lottery pick, but I haven't seen it with this guy yet. He's a legit 7 footer, but I haven't been as impressed with him athletically as I thought I would be. He's still pretty raw, and sort of lumbering. I don't know, maybe he's just not comfortable in D-I hoops yet, but Mullens is a long way from being a big time player. At the moment, he's not even starting for the Buckeyes. His biggest strength at the moment is rebounding, but he's pretty soft defensively and hasn't shown much offensively yet.

Dallas Lauderdale - Yet another sophomore. This dude is a physical freak with a big time body and a 7'3" winspan. Looks like he should be playing tight end for the Buckeyes. He's still very raw though and has limited offensive skills. He's been starting at the center spot, but he's basically splitting time with Mullens. Lauderdale has a bright future if he keeps working on his game.

William Buford - Five star freshman recruit who has not played a whole lot so far. I'll say this about Buford. He might be the most talented player on the team. Honest to god, he has a Lebron type body, and he can jump and shoot. But he also looks like a typical freshman who doesn't know what he's doing. I don't expect to see him much in the game against ND though.

The Buckeyes have some serious talent in the freshman and sophomore classes, but these guys are all really inconsistent. If Thad can actually hang onto some of them, they could be a real good team down the road.

6) Michael Montgomery Brey vs. Thaddeus Montgomery Matta!! -- Two of my favorite coaches in all of sports and two of the classiest guys you will ever see. Should be fun to see those two pacing the sidelines on Saturday. Hopefully Brey will be sporting his trademark mock turtleneck, and hopefully Thad will be chomping on that bubble gum.

Quick Thad update: It seems like his foot still hasn't healed. His limp has been even worse this year. Sounds like the nerve damage in his foot may not ever be fixed, so the talk is that his condition may become permanent. He's been using a cane at times this year. Very sad stuff. I hope for the best for Coach Matt.

Pick: ND 75 Ohio State 65

ND has too much experience for the Buckeyes in this game. We obviously need some people to step up without Harangody, but I feel confident about this game. The Buckeyes could be formidable down the road, but they are still growing up as a team. ND has already grown up, and guys like Tory and KMac have been playing in these types of games for years. We are battled tested, and will be ready to go.

Big East Media Day

Since Wednesday was Big East media day, I wanted to post the preseason Big East coaches standings. Interesting stuff.

1. UConn
2. Louisville
3. Pittsburgh
4. Notre Dame
5. Villanova
6. Marquette
7. Georgetown
8. Syracuse
9. West Virginia
10. Providence
11. Cincinnati
12. Rutgers
13. Seton Hall
14. St. John’s
15. DePaul
16. USF

Some quick thoughts:

-- As far as the Irish are concerned, I can live with 4th even though some folks are talking about us as one of the four best teams in America let alone the Big East. I'm pretty comfortable in my skin with Notre Dame basketball, so I'm not going to get all bent out of shape about media perceptions of this program. I know that we are never going to get a lot of preseason hype because we don't LOOK like your typical great basketball team. We start a lot of white guys who don't jump out of the gym or look like great players when you first see them. I get that, so I am not surprised that we are "only" fourth in the polls even though we have been a better team than UConn in the Big East the last couple years. If anything, I'm ok with a little lower ranking because our guys might use it as motivation and play with a chip on their shoulder. ND hoops has done better when we are flying under the radar, so excess preseason hype doesn't really do anything special for us.

And let's be honest, we probably need to get over the hump and make a Sweet 16 or a run to the BET Finals to really cement our reputation in this league to the point where we would be projected in the preseason to win the Big East. The great thing about college basketball is that we will get that opportunity during the season and in the postseason. You prove it on the court in college hoops unlike college football.

ND has a ton of big nonconference and conference games lined up this year, so we are going to get a chance to see how we do against the "heavyweights" of college basketball. Great work by Coach Brey to line up this schedule. We are a veteran team, so this is the perfect year to challenge ourselves. If we do well, we're in line for a top 2 seed. If we don't, then we weren't going to get there anyway with a weak schedule.

-- UConn at #1 is surprising and not surprising. It's not surprising because UConn has been getting a TON of preseason hype and has been ranked as high as #2 in a lot of national polls. However, it's surprising to me simply because I'm not buying this current version of UConn basketball. That's no knock on Jim Calhoun as a basketball coach, and his record of winning championships speaks for itself. But this group of UConn players has been through the ringer for a couple years, and I still haven't seen anything resembling consistent basketball out of them. Hasheem Thabeet is overrated and not as big of a factor in games as he is made out to be, and the same could be said for guys like Jeff Adrien and AJ Price. I'm not ready to buy in on UConn just yet. Calhoun has done it in the past, but I think his "material" this year is not as good as advertised.

-- I raised an eyebrow when I saw Pitt at #3, but then I saw who they still have on their roster. Sam Young is still on the Pitt roster?? Are you kidding me?? How is that even possible?? I feel like he was playing for Pitt in the Ben Howland era. He needs to be called Sam Young 2.0 this year or something like that.

I have all the respect in the world for Pitt basketball, so it's hard for me to dispute a poll that has them as the #3 team in the league. It's not pretty and they will always have some weaknesses (perimeter shooting), but they win games with defense, toughness, and rebounding. They might never win a national title with that type of formula, but it has won them a lot of games and they pretty much own the Big East Tournament. Between Levance Fields, Sam Young, and DeJuan Blair, they have the foundation to be a typical really good Pitt team.

Jamie Dixon is a class act, and I'm glad to have him in the Big East. I'm also glad he's around because Sean Miller wants his job, and he's not going to have a crack at it unless Dixon leaves. I would love to see Sean Miller stay at Xavier forever.

-- For my money, the best team in the Big East this year is Louisville, and I'd probably put them as my #2 team in America behind North Carolina. With Earl Clark, Terrence Williams, Jerry Smith, Ed Sosa, Andre McGee, and this freshman Samardo Samuels guy, they are absolutely LOADED. Throw in Mr. Richard Pitino pacing the sideline, and the Cards are the class of the Big East if you ask me.

-- Possible overrated team: Marquette - I know they have all their best players back (James, McNeal, Matthews, Hayward), but color me nervous about that coaching change. I don't know anything about Buzz Williams and his reputation as a Crean/Gillespie disciple is probably a good sign, but I feel like I have to put them down as the possible overrated team. It can be a good thing for a new coach to have a veteran team, but it might also morph into a situation where guys like James and McNeal are looking to get "theirs" to get to the next level and not going to rally together with Crean no longer around. I'm assuming that they will be a tournament team, but I'm a little leery of the talk about them as a top 10 team.

Sorry Mike, but my other one is Syracuse. Just call me the Debbie Downer of Syracuse basketball, but I've been on this for a couple years. Jim Boeheim is DONE. I know it's blasphemous and I expect some heated words in the commentary, but he has lost his way with the terrible zone defense and the laziness that it breeds. I just don't trust Boeheim anymore, and I think he's wasting a lot of talent. Unless he pulled a Paterno/Bowden in the offseason and turned over the reins of the Xs and Os to an assistant, I'm not on board with the Cuse.

And I'm saying that as someone who has always liked Syracuse basketball and consider Lawrence Moten one of my favorite college basketball players of all time.

-- Most underrated team: Georgetown - Cmon, I know they lost Roy Hibbert and Wallace and others, but Georgetown at seventh??? Where is the respect??? They still have Dajuan Summers and tons of young guards and now they have the #1 big man in the country coming in, Greg Monrore. JTIII is not letting this program fall to seventh in the Big East. I think Gtown will finish minimum in the top 5 in the Big East, and I would not be surprised if they were were one of the best teams in the league by Big East Tournament time.

And I would be doing you readers a disservice if I didn't put in my annual "NEVER COUNT OUT A BOB HUGGINS COACHED TEAM" paragraph into any preseason college basketball discussions. I honestly don't even know who WVU has back, but Huggins is taking that team to the Big Dance this year. Mark it down. Bob Huggins wins college basketball games. That's what he does.

-- How loaded is the Big East this year?? You could make a real good argument that there are 8 Top 25 caliber teams in the Big East this year.

All you ACC or Big Ten or Big 12 fans out there, BRING IT. The Big East is the best basketball conference in the country. I will not give in. Fire away.

-- Here was their All Big East preseason team

2008-09 BIG EAST Preseason Player of the Year
Luke Harangody, Notre Dame

ALL BIG-EAST TEAM
Luke Harangody, Notre Dame
Deonta Vaughn, Cincinnati
AJ Price, UConn
Hasheem Thabeet, UConn
DaJuan Summers, Georgetown
Terrence Williams, Louisville
Jerel McNeal, Marquette
Kyle McAlarney, Notre Dame
Sam Young, Pittsburgh
Jonny Flynn, Syracuse
Scottie Reynolds, Villanova

HONORABLE MENTION
Jeff Adrien, UConn
Earl Clark, Louisville
Dominic James, Marquette

Can't really argue with too many of those picks. I'd have to sit down and think about some names that may have been omitted, but I like that list. I think Harangody has a great shot to repeat as Big East Player of the Year

That's all I got for now. Stay tuned for more Big East discussion as we head into the college basketball season.

Nobody Stopped the Clock!! Nobody Stopped the Clock!!

In honor of Ravi's pending nuptials this weekend, let's travel back in time to 1987 and relive a classic clip from Indiana sports history. Ravi, I hope you have a box of tissues by your side when you hear "Indiana wins the champioship! Keith Smart is the hero!" Sit back and enjoy one of the greatest final minutes in Final Four history as Brent Musberger and Billy Packer deliver the action.

Lute Olson

I don't want to turn into Stuart Scott here, but if you looked up the word hypocrisy in the dictionary, you get the following definition:

The act of preaching a certain belief or way of life, but not, in fact, holding these same virtues oneself.

Just when I thought I'd seen it all in college sports, Lute Olson comes out the other day all hot and bothered about one-and-dones in college basketball after Brandon Jennings announced he was going to play in Europe and proclaims the following:

"It's a situation where if someone's a one and done, we're not going to pursue them anymore, no way."

Can you spell H-Y-P-O-C-R-I-S-Y?? Where was all this outrage from Coach Olsen when FRESHMAN point guard Mike Bibby was leading him to a national title in 1997?? He didn't seem to have a problem with mercenary players back then even though it was obvious to anyone following high school recruiting that Bibby wasn't going to be at Arizona for his whole college career. People were talking about Bibby's NBA future when he was in high school, and he'll go down as probably the most sought after recruit in the history of Arizona basketball. Olson didn't seem to have a problem with Bibby going to Arizona back then, but now early entry guys are ruining the game?? He's made millions of dollars and had all kinds of success on the backs of 18 and 19 year old players, but now he's decided that the system is corrupt?? Coach, why weren't you as upset about the system two years ago when you originally offered the scholarships to Jerryd Bayless and Brandon Jennings?? It's awfully convenient that he thinks the system is so unfair after getting burnt a couple times.

Olson even went so far as to say that the one-and-done atmosphere in college basketball is a "farce." What a load of nonsense. If Olson wants to stop recruiting one-and-dones, fine by me. Go ahead. I wouldn't blame him for doing something like that when the risk/reward of one-and-dones is often not all that rewarding. But to cry about how unfair it is that kids are leaving college after one or two years (for multi million dollar paychecks by the way ) is the epitome of hypocrisy when you have been using those type of players to succeed for years. Don't cry about changing the system just because you got burnt. I don't see Thad Matta crying about the four one and dones he's lost in the last two seasons (two of whom blindsided Matta every bit as much as Bayless allegedly burnt Olson). Olson comes off as incredibly self-serving with these comments if you ask me. If Olsen genuinely thought he could rely on these guys for a 3-4 year college career, then he's unbelievably naive and probably needs to start paying closer attention to the reality of college sports today. If he's just spewing sour grapes (which is more likely if you ask me), then he needs to stop whining to the press like it was some grave injustice that a couple guys decided to pursue their chosen professions on the professional level.

It's also hilarious that Lute Olson is acting like the college experience is such a valuable experience for a young person like he's some sort of university professor. Meanwhile, Brandon Jennings isn't even NCAA eligible at this point. Clearly this guy had no business being in college in the first place, and yet Olson had no problem offering him a scholarship. Forgive me if I don't feel a lot of pity for a coach who offers scholarships to guys who probably don't belong in college and then complains about it when they leave him high and dry.

Brandon Jennings was all but announcing his intentions long before making this decision to go to Europe. This isn't some sort of shocking development that he was planning to bail as soon as possible. A quote from him a little while back:

"It's made me mad," he said of the college board's decision to flag his second round of standardized test scores, forcing him to retake them in May. "Even if I get the scores this time, there's no guarantee I'm going to college. No one has answers and the NCAA is a different group.

"Besides I was planning on one year at Arizona."

Do I think it would be nice to see college players staying for 3-4 years?? Yes of course, but I don't mind the one-and-dones over the old system where 10 high schoolers would declare for the draft every year and never play a minute in the college game. It hurts my interest in the NBA because I never got a chance to follow these guys in college and become fans of their game. The recent drafts with Oden, Conley, Rose, Mayo, Durant, and Beasley have been much more entertaining for me because I actually saw these guys play in college and want to follow them in the NBA. It also hurts the college game when the best high school talent never even plays college basketball.

One-and-dones are a risky bet, but they can be great for a team that is already close like Memphis from last year, but you're kidding yourself if you think you can count on these guys as building blocks for a few years. Buyer beware.

As far as Brandon Jennings is concerned, am I the only one who thinks this European experiment could end up being a disaster for him?? He's a talented player and may end up doing well over there, but isn't there a significant culture shock for an 18 year old kid from Compton going over to Rome for a year?? He'll be away from his family playing against grown men with totally different styles of play. If he has a shaky season, his draft stock could plummet. Is it worth it to take the risk of being the first high schooler to go to Europe?? Seems like a lot to risk for a payday of what amounts to be around $300,000 playing over there for one year. That's a lot of money for a kid, but chump change for an NBA player.