Everyone outside of Kansas was heartbroken when Jason Richards clanked his buzzer beating three in the Elite 8, allowing all four number ones to march into the Final Four for the first time, but as a sports fan, you couldn’t ask for much more out of this tournament. We had the drama, the Cinderella’s, the star power, and in the end, it looked like we were going to have three ultra competitive games to close out the tournament.
Then the games were played.
Memphis may have beat UCLA by 15, but it my-as-well have been 30 the way the game was played. Right from the jump it was clear that Chris Douglas-Roberts and Derek Rose were going to run UCLA right back into their locker room. Kevin Love just looked awful. There’s no other way to put it. Hopefully he decides to come back for a second year, otherwise the lasting image of his collegiate career will be the vicious dunk that CDR threw down on him in the second half.
The second game started just like the first ended. Kansas came out running, never allowing UNC to get into their half court offense, going up by as many as 28 with six minutes left in the first half. Even as they became lax at times with the lead, like when they allowed Carolina to score 10 unanswered points before the close of the half, they never really ceded control of the pace and ended up winning by 18.
Even though Saturday wasn’t as fulfilling as we had hoped, there are some bigger issues at play here.
Where Does Memphis Rank Among the Greatest Teams of All-Time?
With their win against UCLA they became the first team in history to exceed 37 in a single season, so they definitely deserve mention in the conversation. Granted, they picked up a good portion of those wins against under-matched Conference USA teams, and the one time they were pitted against an equal opponent during the regular season they lost to number 2 ranked Tennessee, but at this point I think that any and all doubts their legitimacy should be satisfied. Also, is this somewhat of a result of the bloated scheudles? Absolutely, but assuming that they come out victorious Monday night, winning the title in the most stacked Final Four of all-time would also add credence to their candidacy.
Although, I’m not sure how high I would rank them at this point. I certainly don’t think it would be enough to place them in the top five. If they would have beaten Tennessee, I would have said maybe. In that case, they would have been undefeated, maintained a top three ranking throughout the season, and also had the wins record. Without that win they are still a great team, but they aren’t immortal.
There’s just no way that you can place them above any of these teams.
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The 1968 UCLA Bruins
Any of the Lew Alcinder teams of the late 60’s could qualify here, but for arguments sake we’ll go with everyone’s pick for the greatest team of all time. They went 29-1, with their only loss coming at the hands of the Elvin Hayes led Houston Cougars, a game in which the man later known as Kareem Abdul-Jabar was injured. They later avenged the loss in the national semi-final by trouncing Houston 101-69. -
The 1996 Kentuck Wildcats
This was simply the most dominate team in tournament history. Led by six players that would go on to be first round picks in the NBA Draft (Ron Mercer, Tony Delk, Walter McCarthy, Antoine Walker, and Derek Anderson) they won their six tournament games by an astonishing average of 21 points. -
The 1976 Indiana Hosiers
Their 32-0 run was the last time a team finished a season undefeated, which makes it hard to push them down the ranks to number 3, especially considering the year before, with an almost identical roster, they went 31-1. -
The 1992 Duke Blue Devils
Let me preface this by saying that I am a staunch UNC supporter, but to anyone over the age of 20, Christian Latner, Bobby Hurley and Grant Hill are the poster boys of the NCAA tournament. Not only did they maintain the number one ranking throughout the season while going 34-2, they knocked off Michigan’s Fab Five in the final, possibly the most heralded college team of all-time, 71-51. -
The 1982 North Carolina Tar Heels
Led by Michael Jordan, with a little help from James Worth and Sam Perkins, the Heels went 32-2.
Even then, it’d be hard to find a spot for Memphis with all the other great teams that have graced the various college campus’s of America. I haven’t even got to the Bill Walton led ’72 UCLA Bruins that went 30-0, or the 1990 Running Rebels. Then there’s Bill Russell’s undefeated San Francisco Dons, the undefeated ’54 Kentucky team, and the undefeated ’57 Tar Heels.
Time can only tell. You never know, we may one day look back on Rose and Douglas-Roberts as the greatest backcourt of all time, which would help their cause.
Tyler Hansbrough Wins Chevrolet Player of the Year
I hope to god that this isn’t a precursor to the Naismith Award, because this guy just doesn’t deserve the award. I already went over the tale of the tape in my player of the year award article, so I won’t go into much detail here. What boggles my mind, though, is how everyone is quick to cite how Hansbrough carried UNC while Ty Lawson was out. Well, I’d like to take this opportunity to point out that Michael Beasley did the exact same thing, except for the entire season. He also didn’t have Wayne Ellington, Marcus Ginyard, or Danny Green to help him out. Or a brilliant coach like Roy Williams. Beasley shouldn’t be rewarded for going to a little school, he had his choice of any program in the Nation, but at the same time, things need to be kept in perspective.
Oh and one other thing. Can someone please tell ESPN to never air their little segment where ‘Psycho T’ plays ping-pong ever again. Please? I mean, seriously, we get it, the guy is intense. Not just in basketball, in everything he does. But I have to ask, does anyone really care that this guy ‘invented’ a new form of ping-pong where the loser gets the ball smacked at his bare abs? How are we supposed to react to that? “Wow, Psycho T likes welts, he punishes himself when he loses, he must be really good at basketball!” Seriously, Is this what it’s come down too? The whole persona has just gone way too far. I hope he goes pro so we don’t have to be subjected to this anymore. Unfortunately he’ll probably stick around for his senior year because he, and everyone else, knows that he’s just Danny Ferry 2.0.
I found a similar video that CSTV put up a while back.
On a Lighter Note
Can someone please tell me what’s up with Billy Donovan’s eyes when he talks? The guy makes some really weird faces where he pushes his eyebrows up as far as they go, and holds it like that the whole time he’s talking. I searched for some video of this odd phenomenon, but I regret to inform you that I failed to unearth an example. If anyone has evidence of this, please send it my way so I can share it with the world. If not, watch for it on Monday, weirdest booth quark I’ve ever seen.
Edit: At least I’m not alone here, someone else noticed this and sent a photo of the Donovan Face.
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{ 13 comments… read them below or add one }
I hate Hansbrough also. How awesome would it be if someone just ran out of the crowd and clocked him? I dream of that everytime I watch them play. At least we have Gerald Henderon’s elbow.
Wow, that was quick Sean. I know, I’m torn because I’m a UNC supporter. I don’t say fan because I’m not into them enough to be a fan, I like other players, and support other teams, it’s hard to be crazy about a college team unless you go there or are an alumni, but that’s neither here nor there. something about the guy just drives me nuts. I hate to say it, but I can’t stand the guy.
I’d be reluctant to Memphis in the top 5, but I will say that they are criminally underrated. After they lost to Tennessee everyone started sleeping on them, which is ridiculous. CDR and Rose are the scariest backcourt in College Basketball. No one, well hardly anyone, had this team going to the final four. It’s ridiculous. So what, they miss some freethrows, who cares. They can score at will, so that doesn’t really matter which they have proved over and over again. I mean, come on people, wake up. Texas? Pitt? Michigan State? You people are idiots for picking them over memphis. I think they can slide in nicely at around the 8 spot for GREATEST OF ALL TIME. Yes, they are better than everyoen in the nation, they have been all year. The idiots that do the rankings that had Duke ahead of them should be ashamed of themselves.
That dunk was just straight up filthy! Love got Tuberized!
Oh, and thank you for the comments on the Psycho T video. I saw that on ESPN a while back before the Duke game. Me and my friends still laugh about that, and then to my surprise, ESPN thought it was such great footage they brought it back out and plugged it into Sportscenter yesterday. Can’t believe it. The guy gets hyped up for how he plays pingpong. Pathetic.
Why is Donovan in the studio?
Tyler Hansbrough reminds me of Bill Lambieer. He is super aggresive and has very awkward foot movement. If he weren’t as big and strong as he is, he couldn’t do much. He literally pushes his way towards the basket, often travelling, in my opinion, without the refs calling it. Playing against the Kansas big boys, he wasn’t able to force his way in as with other teams. They’ll make mince meat out of him in the NBA, unless he adds the enforcer role like Lambieer.
Bronxilla, haven’t seen you around lately, glad to see you back. Anyways i agree 100% with your assesment, the Bill Lambeer comparison is dead on. The reason I said Danny Ferry 2.0 is because he was the player of the year then flamed out in the NBA. I also agree that he gets preferential treatment from the refs, which I think is driven by the fact that everyone wants a white superstar, but I’ll leave that alone for now.
Mike, “free throws, who cares.” Are you serious, free throws is a very important part of the game. I mean it only cost them a national title, but who cares! Your an idiot for saying that! Rankings are also based off RPI and memphis’s was not that great, not to mention the conference they come out of. I dont even think you can put them in the top ten. Because when it came down to it, they did not get the job done.
Jeff, I think you are getting a little off the beat and path here. Memphis was just in the National Title game, and they easily could have won that game. Now you want to say that they aren’t top ten material. I mean, come on, Duke just lost in the second round, now are you going to suggest that they don’t belong in the top 32? They almost lost to Bellmont, are you going to put them at 65? That’s poor logic. Memphis is the number 2 team in the Nation. Point blank. Period.
Im glad someone is finally trying to talk some sense in to that truitt guy. i heard that he bought a lock of J.J. redicks hair for $900 on E.bay. wow get a life loser!
That’s just wrong…
I am saying that they are not top ten of all time. And the hair was totally worth it, smell it every day i wake up!
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