Weekend NCAA update: On the move like Jeff Green

March 24th, 2007 | Posted by PostmanE

Since it’s the veritable halfway point of this weekend’s action, let’s take a look at some of what we’ve learned:

– Jeff Green really, really traveled. I mean, this isn’t even close, people. Sure, as the only non-No. 1 seed in my completely unimaginative Final Four, I cheered when the shot went in … but that doesn’t change the fact that Jeff Green took an entire extra step visibly and unabashedly, and that Vanderbilt was eliminated because of an obvious blown call.

– Billy Packer does not see the same things we see. He isn’t even watching the same game sometimes. For example, after the 800th replay CBS showed off Green’s travel, Packer decided to make the dubious argument that the refs couldn’t have called the travel then, since it was toward the end of the game and a travel call would have effectively ended Georgetown’s chances. This is, of course, a dumb argument; it doesn’t matter when a travel takes place, if it gains an opponent’s advantage, you call it. Pretty simple stuff.

Anyway, Packer went on for a bit before Nantz hopped in and said (I’m paraphrasing):

Nantz: “Well, Billy, it certainly looked like he picked up his pivot foot slightly there.”

Packer: “I don’t know if he did, Jim. I don’t think it was a travel.”

Nantz: (Quietly incredulous) … “Well … that right foot certainly is moving around.”

Packer: “I don’t think it was a travel, Jim. I’d have to see it again. We might have to talk to (our producer; head of officials; some dude whose name I can’t remember) to see it again.”

To review: not only did Packer argue that if it was a travel, the refs should not have called it, but he didn’t actually believe Green’s hopstep cha-cha heave was a travel, even after cameras repeatedly showed it was, and blatantly so. Packer was somehow wrong, like, six times in the matter of 30 seconds. Unbelievable.

– There seem to be two schools of thought on Ohio State right now. One: their close wins are sure to catch up with them soon, perhaps tonight vs. Memphis. Two: with close wins under their belt, they’re looking more and more like the proverbial “team of destiny.”

I’m with the former. I think Memphis outruns OSU tonight and displaces Oden just enough to keep him on his heels … and Memphis wins and moves on. (Also, Calipari for Kentucky? Derrick Rose to Indiana? Hey, it could happen …)

– The rest of the picks: Kansas, who withstood So. Ill’s absolute best shot, beats UCLA, who haven’t really taken anyone’s best shot yet … Florida, easy, over Oregon … Georgetown takes down UNC in a close, close game. Hopefully Jeff Green watches his feet this time, because the refs obviously won’t do it for him.

Revisiting Hansbrough-gate

March 5th, 2007 | Posted by PostmanE

At the risk of posting yet another video on this already pixel-bloated front page, here’s the somewhat brutal footage of Tyler Hansbrough taking a major facial from Gerald Henderson in the closing minutes of yesterday’s UNC win, courtesy of Loser with Socks.

Besides Billy Packer’s denialist nonsense, what most impressed me about the whole thing is how much Hansbrough would have destroyed three or four Duke players given the chance. I know that seems childish, but that dude is a haus, and he looked about as mad as anyone’s ever seen him.

Anyway, as for the “intentional or not question,” I think it’s pretty clear Henderson didn’t try to do exactly what he did. That’s convoluted; what I mean is that the guy didn’t necessarily intend to clock Psycho T in the nose, but he did try to foul the guy really hard, probably harder than he needed to, and this is what happened. In that case, the ejection is probably fair.

My favorite part of the whole last few minutes, though, was this: Roy Williams and Mike Kryzewski huddled by the sideline, both waiting to hear the referee’s verdict. It seemed clear that Williams was doing all of the talking, and Coach K was just standing there, looking furious, thinking he should say something but not wanting to escalate a shouting match with a guy in a tweed suit. Funny stuff. Anyway, he fired his shot after the game:

“The game was over before that,” he said. “I mean the outcome of the game, let’s put it that way. That’s unfortunate, too, that those people were in the game in that play. Maybe this wouldn’t have happened.”

The rivalry game slogan on ESPN should now read: Duke-UNC - Even more fun when Duke’s losing!

UPDATE: Apparently Hansbrough’s nose is broken. Considering the Carrie-esque fountain of blood, that seems about right.