I didn't see the UCLA game, though, so no words on it. (No one's going to see this post until Monday, but what the heck: how wrong would it be if all the No. 1 seeds make the Final Four?)
I did see the fourth quarter (last ten minutes or so) of North Carolina's win over Louisville, and saw both encouraging and worrisome signs, but mostly encouraging. (UNC is my favorite team and my pick to win it all.) I was worried because at around the ten-minute mark, the game was tied and the Cardinals seemed to be out-hustling the Tar Heels. Indeed, Louisville's defense appeared to force a few travels, though they weren't called. But North Carolina slowly pulled away, figured out the pressure, and hit the shots down the stretch. The Tar Heels took complete control of the game and won.
Also, the game reminded me why I can't stand watching college basketball on TV. Because apparently Tyler Hansbrough is not only the hardest-working AND best player in college basketball, but dominates both categories by such a wide margin that it must be mentioned every 2.3 seconds. Hansbrough hit a few jumpers, including two key ones right near the end of the game. One was dead-on from about 17 feet. He dribbled into it and hit it with a guy coming up to defend, but it still didn't look like that tough of a shot. The second involved a fake three, and then a quick pull-up off a move to his left. Two solid shots for a 6'9" guy (sort of; more on this in a sec), but since he's the star of North Carolina the announcers launch into this whole spiel about his work ethic. They go off for so long, that on two separate occasions during this rant they mention how sometimes his hustle is so impressive it overshadows his skill. They then point out that his skill level is also worthy of adulation. I also learned that not even Michael Jordan out-competes Tyler Hansbrough, which thing I had never before supposed.
Here's the thing. First, this "hardest worker ever" garbage comes up every few years. I seem to remember hearing many of the same lines said about Shane Battier, for example. And second, the simple fact that most 6'9"-and-up guys are way too lazy to practice a jump shot does not make Tyler Hansbrough a special individual. He's doing what they all should be doing, and that's working on his craft. It's cool that he was cool enough to take them, but pretty-open shots of near free-throw length should be gimmes. I hate seeing curve grading infect a competitive stage as important as the Elite Eight. And still, the shots Hansbrough made were pretty easy by NBA standards.
Postscript: After the game, I caught the very end of the Nuggets' win over the Warriors, which put the Nuggets into the eighth and final playoff spot in the West—for now. The Nuggets are on a five-game winning streak and should make the playoffs. I certainly hope they do. But, on the other hand, if as speculated they win 50 games but somehow miss the postseason, I won't weep and wail. Why? Because if you want to make the NBA playoffs, you don't do it by winning 50 games; you do it by having one of the top eight records in your conference. Mostly, though, I'm just trying to be logically consistent: I couldn't stand all the Democrats moaning, "But Al Gore won the popular vote" back in 2000. Neat, guys, but that's not the scoreboard we actually go by, and you knew that going in. Also, a programming note: I plan to be evaluating a few key NBA teams next week, including the Nuggets-Suns game Monday.
I did see the fourth quarter (last ten minutes or so) of North Carolina's win over Louisville, and saw both encouraging and worrisome signs, but mostly encouraging. (UNC is my favorite team and my pick to win it all.) I was worried because at around the ten-minute mark, the game was tied and the Cardinals seemed to be out-hustling the Tar Heels. Indeed, Louisville's defense appeared to force a few travels, though they weren't called. But North Carolina slowly pulled away, figured out the pressure, and hit the shots down the stretch. The Tar Heels took complete control of the game and won.
Also, the game reminded me why I can't stand watching college basketball on TV. Because apparently Tyler Hansbrough is not only the hardest-working AND best player in college basketball, but dominates both categories by such a wide margin that it must be mentioned every 2.3 seconds. Hansbrough hit a few jumpers, including two key ones right near the end of the game. One was dead-on from about 17 feet. He dribbled into it and hit it with a guy coming up to defend, but it still didn't look like that tough of a shot. The second involved a fake three, and then a quick pull-up off a move to his left. Two solid shots for a 6'9" guy (sort of; more on this in a sec), but since he's the star of North Carolina the announcers launch into this whole spiel about his work ethic. They go off for so long, that on two separate occasions during this rant they mention how sometimes his hustle is so impressive it overshadows his skill. They then point out that his skill level is also worthy of adulation. I also learned that not even Michael Jordan out-competes Tyler Hansbrough, which thing I had never before supposed.
Here's the thing. First, this "hardest worker ever" garbage comes up every few years. I seem to remember hearing many of the same lines said about Shane Battier, for example. And second, the simple fact that most 6'9"-and-up guys are way too lazy to practice a jump shot does not make Tyler Hansbrough a special individual. He's doing what they all should be doing, and that's working on his craft. It's cool that he was cool enough to take them, but pretty-open shots of near free-throw length should be gimmes. I hate seeing curve grading infect a competitive stage as important as the Elite Eight. And still, the shots Hansbrough made were pretty easy by NBA standards.
Postscript: After the game, I caught the very end of the Nuggets' win over the Warriors, which put the Nuggets into the eighth and final playoff spot in the West—for now. The Nuggets are on a five-game winning streak and should make the playoffs. I certainly hope they do. But, on the other hand, if as speculated they win 50 games but somehow miss the postseason, I won't weep and wail. Why? Because if you want to make the NBA playoffs, you don't do it by winning 50 games; you do it by having one of the top eight records in your conference. Mostly, though, I'm just trying to be logically consistent: I couldn't stand all the Democrats moaning, "But Al Gore won the popular vote" back in 2000. Neat, guys, but that's not the scoreboard we actually go by, and you knew that going in. Also, a programming note: I plan to be evaluating a few key NBA teams next week, including the Nuggets-Suns game Monday.
Comments
I've had a hard time getting excited about college absketball this year. That's probably because my favorite team is Duke, and as you pointed out earlier, they've had an unquestionable fall from grace the last few years. Also, it seems like the overall quality of play as gotten much worse with all the good players leaving for the NBA after only one year. Maybe it has always been this way, it just seems like before the allstar college players would at least consider playing another year with their school, now it seems like the NBA is the only option to consider. Although, I can't really say I blame them, it would be hard to turn down the millions they are being offered and risk it on even one more year of college ball.
I didn't watch the UNC game for two reasons. First the Nuggets game was on at the same time, and second was for the same reason you mentioned in your post. I recently heard an analyst (I think it was Dicky V.) say that he has never seen another college player that works as hard as Hansbrough. Gimmie a break. No doubt he's a great player, and I think he deserves player of the year for sure, but people are talking about him as if they've never seen another player who plays with some intensity in their lives. America seems to have a love affair with the slightly awkward tall white guy who hustles on every play. Like you said: isn't this what every player should be doing anyways?
I'd be a lot more concerned about the Nuggets' playoff fate if I thought they were actually going to go a couple rounds. But maybe I shouldn't give up this early, because the West is so close. The ninth-best team is six games behind No. 1...in the East, the No. 2 seed is six games behind the No. 1. Just think that's interesting.
Amen on the Tyler Has-bro love. I used to think Jay Bilas was a respectable commentator, but comparing a 6'9" white guy who looks illiterate to the Greates Player Ever is just absurd. I am supposed to be impressed that Hasbro can use his free college education to improve his jump shot?
I really hope we get a UNC/UCLA final so the commentators can contradict themselves every possession. "Tyler Hansbrough is the hardest working player in college basketball." "That Kevin Love - you won't find a harder working player in America." This HAS to happen.
As for the Nuggets, I am glad to see us get it together . . . but we have underperformed at times this year, so if we don't make the postseason, it is ultimately on us.