OK now down to binness..as I see it we currently have 28 teams that are current locks and those teams are from a combined 8 conferences. There are 31 conferences that receive an automatic bid to the canteen. We will assume that one of the locks will win the conference tournaments from the so-called major conferences. So that means 23 bids will be taken up by teams that would otherwise not make it. So 28 locks plus 23 conference tourney winners still leaves 17 spots for the rest of the slop.
Locks by Conference
ACC - (2) DUKE, NORTH CAROLINA
BIG EAST - (9) GEORGETOWN, PITT, NOTRE DAME, ST.JOHN'S, UCONN, CUSE, VILLANOVA, WEST VIRGINIA, LULLVILLE
BIG TEN - (3) OHIO STATE, PURDUE, WISKY
BIG 12 - (4) KANSAS, TEXAS, GIG EM, MIZZOU
PAC-10 - (2) ARIZONA, UCLA
SEC - (3) FLORIDA, VANDY, KENTUCKY
MWC - (3) BYU, SAN DIEGO STATE, UNLV
A-10 - (2) TEMPLE, XAVIER
So now with that out of the way I have my top 25ish remaining teams and instead of going conferences by conference I will just rank them how I see their chances of getting in, this doesn't necesarrily mean I think they will do well mind you. For example, I see teams as locks right now like North Carolina in Florida which I think are fraudulent as Pam Anderson's rack, however my blind eye test is the deciding vote so chances are the teams I like more will be higher on the list.
Yeah Mick I love you too1. Cincy - With yesterday's impressive win at Georgetown the Cats are all but safe. The only reason I didn't put them in lock status is they close with Uconn, Georgetown, @Marquette and Mick Cronin is the best in the nation at outcoaching himself. Last night the Cats finally played their best lineup (Gates, Kilpatrick, Jackson, Bishop, Dixon) major minutes and what do you know they rolled the Hoyas in DC.. It's all good I expect to see Ibrahima Thomas and Larry Davis play 30 minutes a piece next game and see the Cats right back in bubble trouble next week.
2. Washington - If only this team played any defense...but this is the Pac-10 after all the home of matador defense since 19... whatever you get the point. Fact is this is a very talented team and noone will want to see them in the first or second round. This team is almost there...never has a Derrick Williams' blocked shot been such a perfect metaphor for a teams bubble chances
3. Sparty - Izzo, Izzo, Izzo, Izzo Yes I feel like I am back in 3rd grade getting scolded for passing notes in class. Write Izzo on the chalkboard 500 times to remind you of your ignorance son. You should have known BD, WE should have known! As Tiger says, "It's a process" and like usual Izzo has taken a team with alot of flaws and slowly ironed them out just in time for his favorite annual dance.
4. Florida State - This is another dangerous team, they have serious issues finding the basket at times but they always defend hard. Their semi annual Duke win packs a major punch for their resume. I will ignore their 16 point drubbing to a quasi mediocre Terps squad for now, and partly because I am just relieved I can spend a year not trying to hear Terp fans validate Gary Williams and their tournament resume which are equally in decline every year.
5. Georgia - Thompkins and Leslie are a quality 1-2 punch and both have big time NBA potential which begs the question, "What are you doing here?" It is what it is as every famous athlete says
6. Kansas State - If it were not for Baylor this team would win the 2011 Vince Carter Leadership Award. The talent is there but it is clear Pullen and Kelly are knuckleheads just reference their 2002 FSU Dillards esque spending spree. When your two best players have questionable character it usually means problems BUT the good news is they seemed to have righted the ship just in time. A win over Rock Chalk goes a long way and a huge win over fellow bubblies Nebraska yesterday also helps show this team may finally have gotten it.
7. Tennessee - Watching Tennessee basketball is like watching an episode of Eastbound & Down it is captivating the lead character/coach looks and acts like a dirtbag and you feel like you need a shower immediately after. This program is in shambles, Pearl is in all likelihood in lame duck mode but the team still has talent and I have to give dap to the kids there who have played fairly well considering the circus their Kenny Powers has put them through. They have enough quality wins they should be in barring new violation revelations. (not out of question)
8. Illinois - This team is very soft and I can't imagine a team saying oh $h&^ we got the Illini first round but this is the Bosh bubble and these teams look goodish right now. Dmitri McCamey is the newest victim of Chris Thomas disease (This refers to a player who starts his college career strong then inexplicably digresses as the career moves along; Chris Thomas was a highly touted PG who had a marginal career at Notre Dame in the early 00's)
9. George Mason - (Jim Calhoun shudders every time he hears this name, oh wait no he is an arrogant prick who makes and spends Patrick Ewing money he is over it..i kid i kid) 8-4 vs top 100 RPI and several quality wins over fellow bubblers mean Mason is all but in.
10. Alabama - Anthony Grant is an up and coming star in the coaching world and he has done wonders with the Tide. Look 11-2 league record in any major conference is tourney good by me, I don't care if Bushwood CC beat you in November non conference play.
11. Utah State - The gamblers favorite March money line tease is back again bitches, beating St. Mary's on the road might have infuriated hoops fans down under but it all but locked up a bid for the Aggies even if they do lose the WAC tourney
12. Old Dominion - Xavier and Georgia wins looking better and better and if you beat MY Cleveland State Vikings and look impressing doing so I will give you even more credit because they are a top 40 RPI win don't you know? look it up go...ok now I am pissed speaking of teams that abuse CSU...
13. Butler - So Matt Howard spends more time on his back than Jenna Jameson it doesn't take away from the 7 straight victories and the ever improving Bulldogs. So maybe it was a hangover after that rimmed out championship banner but whatever the bulldogs have sipped a few bloody marys and turned the corner..fun times again
14. Marquette - The 2011 Cleveland Sports Acheivement award goes to the Golden Eagles, always close but no cigar. Sure they can't beat anybody good but they look good losing and in this bubble fray my friends that is good enough. As long as they keep beating the teams they are supposed to it should be enough barely...
15. Richmond - So I am a noted A-10 honk but this team has legitimate scary talent espceially guard Kevin Anderson. 9-3 mark in A-10 is good enough imho but they may want to win a few in the A-10 tourney to make sure
16. St. Mary's - AUSSIE AUSSIE OY OY OY. They lookd a lock a few weeks ago but losses to teams like San Diego and getting punked by fellow bubbler Utah State at home has them in dangerous territory. At this point they need to beat Gonzaga tomorrow or win the WCC tourney OR BOTH to feel safe.
17. Colorado State - There isn't a whole lot to brag about a nice win at UNLV than decent wins vs. Southern Miss, New Mexico and Ole Miss but they have won alot of games and the MWC is getting alot of computer love.
(Insert NIT bound jokes here)
18. UAB - Decent team no quality wins CONF USA weak like
19. Virginia Tech - I am sure there is some way to incorporate a new sitcom revolving around Seth Greenberg and the Hokies annual heartbreak of bubbledom insert a Vick or two and ratings will soar
20. Virginia Commonwealth - Asking too much to get 3 Colonial teams even though they probably deserve it more than a few others above them
21. Boston College - This team has decent numbers but I have had the displeasure of watching them a number of times this year. This is NOT a good team well coached and play hard but the cupboard is bare in Chetsnut Hill and in the ACC
22. Memphis - So Josh Pastner is all the rage, he pulled in that sick class this year! Well half those kids either never made it to Memphis have been suspended or a combo of both. Also when you lose by 17 to Rice I hate to be a jerk but I have to ask "Can you really coach?" I mean paying er...getting the kids to your school is only half the equation ask John Calipari
23. Gonzaga - They played a tough schedule, but they didn't beat anybody and trhe WCC was not the usual cakewalk it usually is for them.
24. Southern Miss - Shameless Larry Eustachy plug..
"If you need a smooth water tasting ale to pour down young coeds throats you want Natural Light!"
25. Michigan - Young team just can't get that big win.
The rest of you try harder!! That is it for this time I am off to go meet B Diddy Davis at Bally's we are on the same workout plan.
