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.

Here we go again…

April 10th, 2006 | Posted by Matt

Our favorite columnist/wanna be journalist Andy Katz is at it again. Today ESPN’s Katz reported that John Calipari is in “serious negotiations” with N.C. State regarding its head coaching position.

This is not the first time Mr. Katz has made a blunder with a head coaching vacancy. But in this situation, he might just be onto something. He makes a good point in the article, saying that Calipari would be “in the Triangle with Duke’s Mike Krzyzewski and North Carolina’s Roy Williams.” He goes on to call Calipari the “king of Conference USA,” which would be his biggest reason not to leave Memphis.

As usual though, we’ll leave it up to the real journalists in this country to give us the final word on the situation - or at least until we see Calipari at a press conference with an N.C. St. hat on.

(Update: Andy Katz is not the only one reporting this. Gregg Doyle from CBS SportsLine.com also says Calipari is in ’serious negotiations’ with N.C. State.)