This could be Billy Donovan on Monday night

March 29th, 2007 | Posted by PostmanR

Let’s go back to 2003. You remember, right? Roy Williams and his Kansas squad had just faltered against mighty ‘Melo and Syracuse in the National Title game. Rumors swirled before the game that Williams might jump ship to North Carolina. Observe this amazingly awkward interview between a peeved Roy and a just-doing-my-job Bonnie Bernstein postgame:

Now, I know the latest news is that Billy Donovan is telling recruits he’s staying at Florida and not going after the Kentucky job, but, to me, it’s still quite within the realm of possibility. I mean, what’s left for him at Florida? If they win it all again this weekend, how do you top two national titles in a row?

You don’t. Why not try it all over again somewhere else and get paid a ballsload in the process?

Ballsload. I like that word. I think I just made it up.

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.

Bob Knight is really enjoying himself: A look at last night’s college hoops

February 14th, 2007 | Posted by PostmanE

Yahoo! Sports’ resident Bob Knight apologist had a fantastic opportunity to flex some RMK love today: Knight’s Texas Tech squad took a win away from No. 6 Texas A&M at A&M. (In case you didn’t see the highlights, Tech won on a full-court-navigating last second shot from the continually underrated Jarrius Jackson.)

Of course, Knight used his postgame to take a quick shot at the gathered media, who were more likely there to write a coronation of Billy Gillespie’s impressive Aggies.

Bob Knight had a floppy hat on his head and a look of satisfaction on his face, a bit of joy even.

Not so much because his Texas Tech team had finally figured out how to finish, ending a five game losing streak – one of the longest of his long career. But because he had ruined things for a bunch of national media who had descended here to hype up white-hot Texas A&M.

“You came here to write a big story about A&M and we just (expletive) you,” smiled Knight outside the Tech locker room as he prepared to head for the team bus.

Ah, a feeling of joy. Not because his team won, mind you, but because he got to stick it to the national media. Really showed them, Bobby. (I wonder what it’s like to live in such a joyless, angry and yes, brilliant mind.)

A&M’s unlikely loss wasn’t the only one of the night. In a (arguably) eerie coincidence, and perhaps an even bigger upset, No. 25 Virginia Tech knocked off No. 4 North Carolina in Chapel Hill. Apparently, it was “Lose to mediocre technical school” promotional night for UNC and A&M.

The question, as Dan Shanoff poses this morning in his Quickie: What do you make of the top-ranked squads after these losses? What do you make of both Techs getting the tough road wins?

First, Texas Tech. It’s easy to try to apply a win like this to the NCAA tournament, but that discussion might be irrevelant; the Red Raiders are still only 5-6 in the conference and 16-10 overall. If they pull it together and get in the tourney, I’d be deathly afraid to see them as a 10 or 11 seed. That could get ugly for whoever is in their side of the bracket. Or they could flame out again. That was a long way of saying: who knows?

UNC is UNC; no worries there. Roy Williams might need to step in and coach close games more tightly, but they’ll be fine. Still a Final Four team, I think.

Same with A&M. No worries. Still a sweet 16 team, as long as they’re shooting well.

Virginia Tech is perhaps the most interesting of the four, yeah? I mean, this team has wins at Duke (which, I suppose, don’t mean as much this year) and two over UNC, including last night’s in Chapel Hill. Talk about being afraid of a team in the tournament. Every game I see Va. Tech play, they look more and more appealing as that lower-seed Elite Eight team that always emerges. If you don’t have the horses to match up, stay away from those ultra-athletic Hokies. They will jump you into submission. Don’t believe me? Ask Greg Paulus.

One more college hoops note: I’ve just bought John Feinstein’s Last Dance: Behind the Scenes at the Final Four. Needless to say, I’m excited, and will report back with a full, ahem, report, sometime in the near future. (See my review of Blind Side to see what you’ll be breathlessly awaiting.)