Sunday, March 26, 2017

North vs. South

What a tournament uh? Man I do love me some b-ball but hey, I'm from THE hot-bed of the game. That's right, that's what I said. North Carolina produced the greatest player of all time, Michael Jordan, who throughout high school had planned to attend NCSU because he so much admired David Thompson, who was unquestionably the greatest player in ACC history and arguably the NCAA (my money is on Lew Alcindor but certainly Thompson is top ten).

Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, New York City, we appreciate you, we do, but you're just filling out the card. The State of North Carolina is the King Fish, the Big Kuhana, the Mac-Daddy of college hoops...and God-damn-it don't you forget it. Alright, got that out of the way so let's talk some 2017 tourney action.

I have to say the Oregon Ducks look AWESOME! I mentioned in a previous post I haven't seen them all year but someone, somewhere, at one of the 37 sports bars I regularly frequent on a weekly basis said something about "Oregon lost their best player", so I dismissed them early. WRONG! These guys are quick as lightening, aggressive and can score. Jordan Bell is a beast. The only weakness I've seen is their coach kinda pulls them back a bit. Let 'em go coach. These dudes are having a blast, don't "Dean Smith" them out of a championship.

Zags are looking good too and I can't believe this is Gonzaga's first Final Four. Talk about a team knocking on the door, these boys are good enough to kick it in (to paraphrase Bum Phillips). And how about seven footer Przemek Karnowski? I hate to have to feed that dude but he sure would be handy around the house. Sidebar: I knew a guy like that in high school. A buddy had a flat in his Vega (remember those?) and had no jack. This kid held up the back while we changed the tire. True story.

Now comes Kentucky North Carolina. The good thing here is one of these filthy, rotten, spawn-of-Satan teams is going home. These two are the most arrogant, entitled, win at all cost and to hell with you programs in the history of college athletics. They break more rules than the Cook County Board of Elections, with much the same consequence. The best possible outcome is they BOTH lose, but actually I don't want that to happen as I have an ulterior motive. I'm backing the Heels. WHAT? Yes that's right I'm all in for the Tar Heel scum today. Not out of state pride or conference loyalty, but because there's bigger fish to fry...and that fish is South Carolina.

MY team this tournament is South Carolina. Now I'm not a Gamecock fan, but I've always believed they were family. SC was once a league team and many years ago a basketball POWER. They left the ACC in the early 70s but almost immediately tried to get back in. UNC blocked those efforts as they got their asses reamed out a little too often by the Cocks. They are OURS, not the SEC's. There is no greater rivalry in college athletics than SC vs. Clemson. SC versus State, UNC, Duke were great and I very much miss those days. We hated each other so bad as often as not we'd meet them on neutral ground in Charlotte. The thing is they belong with us, but instead we have fuqing BC and Pitt and Syracuse. Why don't we all just turn into a bunch of Damn Yankees and wear socks with sandals and Bermuda shorts? Jesus, I can't handle this shit. HAS EVERYBODY GONE CRAZY!


So, I want to see a South Carolina, North Carolina final and I want to remember the days of John Roche, Tom Owens and Kevin Joyce. I want to see the Heels bleed that Carolina Blue blood they're always harping about. I want the Old Well to burn, burn, BURN BABY BURN!!! I want the ghost of Frank McGuire to strike a righteous blow for truth and justice that will bring down the mighty Dean Dome and the corruption that built it. I want Chapel Hillians in funeral garb for the foreseeable future. I want UNC athletics to pay the price for their 18 years of bogus classes the cowardly NCAA refused to make them pay. I want the evil empire expunged from the annals of basketball history and Carolina forever remembered as UNC-CHeats!

Well, got that off my chest. Enjoy your weekend.


3 comments:

  1. The Tar Heels are evil, huh? Who knew? Like everybody.

    I agree about David Thompson, that guy could jump. Of course, his team mates were a pretty good supporting cast: tiny Monte Towe, towering Tom Burleson, Tim Stoddard (a pitcher?) and another guy who's name doesn't come to mind right now, and too lazy to Google it. And Jimmy V, a great team for the ages. I'm old enough to remember those guys, and their Cinderella march through the NCAA tourney in 1974, I believe.

    Ducks: grew up in Eugene, I bleed green and yellow. Or at least, those used to be the standard colors, now they are all over the place. Got a sheepskin from the place. Yes, I want them to win.

    Will they? Who knows. They are cat quick, and their 'best player' that they lost was IMO their third best player. The 6th man stepped up into the paint in his place, the guy who had 8 blocks and 13 rebounds against Kansas; Jordan Bell. A beast. The guy should have started over Chris Boucher (the hurt 'best player' guy). Tallest player, yes. But height doesn't seem to win championships anymore. The 3 point shot is now the new slam dunk. Every guy on Oregon can bomb from 40 feet pretty regularly.

    Don't count the Ducks out, Hammer. I wouldn't, they are the quickest team in the Final 4. By far. The 'bigs' from Kansas will look like lumbering oafs compared to the cat quick Ducks. And their D holding Kansas to 60 when they are used to slamming in a 100. Nobody seems to notice the Duck D.

    The days of Wilt Chamberlain, Kareem and Shaq dominating games are probably over.

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  2. Mo Rivers is the name you're looking for. But I agree, the Ducks are da bomb! I only wish Phil had gone to State.

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  3. Yeah, Uncle Phil's money is nice. New uniforms every game, maybe 2 Million dollars worth of gear each year, just for football uniforms. Most Div I teams have this much money for the entire university sports program.

    And the Ducks blow it on uniforms. Ugly ones, at that. It's nice.

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