Conferences I Don't Care About Winners
America East: Vermont, their back with more white guys then ever.
Atlantic Sun: Belmont, I love Belmont this year real sleeper.
Big Sky: Montana, The Grizz pound through the Sky.
Big South: Coastal Carolina, Chanticleers fight for Myrtle Beach pride.
Big West: Pacific, A Lock.
Colonial: UNC Wilmington, This conference is weirdly spread out.
Horizon: Butler, With the Bounce back to the Tourny.
Ivy League: Penn, It's always the Quakers.
Metro Atlantic: Marist, the Foxes do Rick Smitts proud.
Mid-American: Akron, Zips move onto the NCAA for first time in memory.
Mid Continent: IUPUI, Too many Vowels to contain.
Mid-Eastern: Coppin St., Should be the Copperheads.
Missouri Valley: Southern Illinois, Saluki power.
Mountain West: UNLV, The Rebels are back.
Northeast: CCSU, Connecticut homer.
Ohio Valley: Samford, And Sons.
Patriot League: Holy Cross, Worcester Homer.
Southern: Davidson, Have a buddy named Davidson, big fella.
Southland: Stephen F. Austin, Stonecold.
Southwestern: Southern, Aptly named.
Sun Belt: Louisiana Lafayette, cause their Ragin Cajuns.
West Coast: Gonzaga, Oooh tough one.
WAC: Utah St., Gotta have something to watch in Utah.
Important Conference Winners
Technically the winner in each of these conferences are the tourny victors however in this I'm going to pick who will win the regular season as the Tourny is more of a crapshoot than a full seasons worth of conference games.
ACC Winner: North Carolina, Michael Jordan isn't walking through that door, Vince Carter isn't walking through that door, Dean Smith isn't walking through that door. But who cares they get 5 McDonald's All-American every year and they kept Tyler Hansbrough and he is the most lethal low post threat in the ACC. Please oh please let Duke not win the ACC.
Atlantic 10 Winner: Xavier, GW was obviously far and away the best team in the A 10 last season but they were lead by several seniors and will take a significant step back towards the pack this season. Xavier however is lead by Wolverine, Beast, Storm, Cyclops and Jean Grey and that is a fantastic starting 5.
Big East Winner: Gerogetown, The return of Georgetown as the class of the BigEast begins now. Last season Georgetown could have defeated eventually national champion Florida, this year with the many questionmarks regarding the perennial powerhouses like Uconn and Syracuse, Georgetown will establish themselves as the most consistent of all the Big East Squads.
Big 10 Winner: Wisconsin, All the hype is their surrounding the Ohio St. Buckeyes and their huge recruiting class. But they lost some valuable senior leadership and will take sometime to mold their squad especially with the injury to Greg Oden and his absence for the first half of the season. Wisconsin on the other hand returns an experienced squad led by Alando Tucker and will navigate its way to the top of the Big 10.
Big 12 Winner: Kansas, Kansas is returning much of their roster which last year was so hot heading into the NCAAs that some "experts" predicted that they would not only advance deep but actually win the NCAA tourny. Well they got bumped in the first round and will be back with a vengeance, much like the recent Rebus.
Conference USA Winner: Memphis, you could argue that the Conference USA after their mass defections to the Big East are no longer a big time conference and really shouldn't be regarded as an Important Conference. But one things for sure, Calipari keeps on recruiting big time athletes and will continue to thrust Memphis into the NCAAs with a chance for the Final 4.
Pac 10 Winner: Arizona, I'm not sure why everyone remains high on UCLA they lost their starting point and starting center and do not appear to have significant fill ins at those positions. The Wildcats will be lead by Mustafa and will work big white dude Chase into the freshman of the year discussions.
SEC Winner: Florida, Come on this ones a tough choice, National Champions return practically their whole roster. Hmm.... Yea I'm gonna go with Florida.
First Team All-America
G Brandon Rush - Helps Jayhawks to Big 12 title.
G Aaron Affalo - Lots of pressure on his and Mbah a Moute's backs.
F Glen Davis - Name Recognition plus big numbers and more team responsibility.
Tyler Hansbrough - Will put up big numbers for UNC.
Joakim Noah - Shot Blocker Defender Energy Hype.
Seasonal Awards
Freshman of the Year: Kevin Durant, Partially because Oden will be out the majority of the season and partially because Durant is most certainly going to want to impress NBA scouts as he is a certainty to bolt after his freshman season at the University of Texas.
Player of the Year: Tyler Hansbrough, he's got the name recognition, he's got the big time conference showcase games, he's got the skills, if Hansbrough averages over 20 which he most likely will he'll be awarded the player of the year come March.
Coach on the Hotseat: Tommy Amaker, there is no reason that Michigan which was a powerhouse and perennial contender during the years of Steve Fischer have fallen so far off the map and seem to be in the NIT final four every season. If Amaker does not right the ship and keep the Wolverines from their typical Big 10 season collapse Tommy will most likely be replaced for the start of the 07/08 season.
Coach of the Year: John Thompson III, When the Hoyas take the title in the Best Conference in the country JT3 will get rained on with praise.
Sleeper Squad to Make Tourny: Virginia Tech, They have been on the precipice and improving every season, I think this is the first season that the Hokie fans get their wish, a loss in the first round in the NCAA tournament.
Final Four
North Carolina - Roy Williams returns his alma matter back to the big time.
Wisconsin - One of these years Wisconsin is going to use their slow tempo to have big time success in the tourny this is the year.
Ohio St. - Greg Oden right now is the best player in college basketball, he is David Robinson, by the time the NCAA Tourny rolls around this team will have gelled.
Florida - When you return everyone on a National Title team you may not repeat as champion but you most likely will get to the Final 4.
National Champion: Ohio St. Buckeyes
The Buckeyes wind up getting exactly what they wanted and what Syracuse got in 2003 a one year rent a player who brings home the big prize. The Buckeyes will even follow a similar path as Syracuse where they will build steam throughout the latter half of the season become the popular sleeper team to win the title because of the Freshman stud, head into the tourny as a 3 or 4 and go on to knock everyone off.
America East: Vermont, their back with more white guys then ever.
Atlantic Sun: Belmont, I love Belmont this year real sleeper.
Big Sky: Montana, The Grizz pound through the Sky.
Big South: Coastal Carolina, Chanticleers fight for Myrtle Beach pride.
Big West: Pacific, A Lock.
Colonial: UNC Wilmington, This conference is weirdly spread out.
Horizon: Butler, With the Bounce back to the Tourny.
Ivy League: Penn, It's always the Quakers.
Metro Atlantic: Marist, the Foxes do Rick Smitts proud.
Mid-American: Akron, Zips move onto the NCAA for first time in memory.
Mid Continent: IUPUI, Too many Vowels to contain.
Mid-Eastern: Coppin St., Should be the Copperheads.
Missouri Valley: Southern Illinois, Saluki power.
Mountain West: UNLV, The Rebels are back.
Northeast: CCSU, Connecticut homer.
Ohio Valley: Samford, And Sons.
Patriot League: Holy Cross, Worcester Homer.
Southern: Davidson, Have a buddy named Davidson, big fella.
Southland: Stephen F. Austin, Stonecold.
Southwestern: Southern, Aptly named.
Sun Belt: Louisiana Lafayette, cause their Ragin Cajuns.
West Coast: Gonzaga, Oooh tough one.
WAC: Utah St., Gotta have something to watch in Utah.
Important Conference Winners
Technically the winner in each of these conferences are the tourny victors however in this I'm going to pick who will win the regular season as the Tourny is more of a crapshoot than a full seasons worth of conference games.
ACC Winner: North Carolina, Michael Jordan isn't walking through that door, Vince Carter isn't walking through that door, Dean Smith isn't walking through that door. But who cares they get 5 McDonald's All-American every year and they kept Tyler Hansbrough and he is the most lethal low post threat in the ACC. Please oh please let Duke not win the ACC.
Atlantic 10 Winner: Xavier, GW was obviously far and away the best team in the A 10 last season but they were lead by several seniors and will take a significant step back towards the pack this season. Xavier however is lead by Wolverine, Beast, Storm, Cyclops and Jean Grey and that is a fantastic starting 5.
Big East Winner: Gerogetown, The return of Georgetown as the class of the BigEast begins now. Last season Georgetown could have defeated eventually national champion Florida, this year with the many questionmarks regarding the perennial powerhouses like Uconn and Syracuse, Georgetown will establish themselves as the most consistent of all the Big East Squads.
Big 10 Winner: Wisconsin, All the hype is their surrounding the Ohio St. Buckeyes and their huge recruiting class. But they lost some valuable senior leadership and will take sometime to mold their squad especially with the injury to Greg Oden and his absence for the first half of the season. Wisconsin on the other hand returns an experienced squad led by Alando Tucker and will navigate its way to the top of the Big 10.
Big 12 Winner: Kansas, Kansas is returning much of their roster which last year was so hot heading into the NCAAs that some "experts" predicted that they would not only advance deep but actually win the NCAA tourny. Well they got bumped in the first round and will be back with a vengeance, much like the recent Rebus.
Conference USA Winner: Memphis, you could argue that the Conference USA after their mass defections to the Big East are no longer a big time conference and really shouldn't be regarded as an Important Conference. But one things for sure, Calipari keeps on recruiting big time athletes and will continue to thrust Memphis into the NCAAs with a chance for the Final 4.
Pac 10 Winner: Arizona, I'm not sure why everyone remains high on UCLA they lost their starting point and starting center and do not appear to have significant fill ins at those positions. The Wildcats will be lead by Mustafa and will work big white dude Chase into the freshman of the year discussions.
SEC Winner: Florida, Come on this ones a tough choice, National Champions return practically their whole roster. Hmm.... Yea I'm gonna go with Florida.
First Team All-America
G Brandon Rush - Helps Jayhawks to Big 12 title.
G Aaron Affalo - Lots of pressure on his and Mbah a Moute's backs.
F Glen Davis - Name Recognition plus big numbers and more team responsibility.
Tyler Hansbrough - Will put up big numbers for UNC.
Joakim Noah - Shot Blocker Defender Energy Hype.
Seasonal Awards
Freshman of the Year: Kevin Durant, Partially because Oden will be out the majority of the season and partially because Durant is most certainly going to want to impress NBA scouts as he is a certainty to bolt after his freshman season at the University of Texas.
Player of the Year: Tyler Hansbrough, he's got the name recognition, he's got the big time conference showcase games, he's got the skills, if Hansbrough averages over 20 which he most likely will he'll be awarded the player of the year come March.
Coach on the Hotseat: Tommy Amaker, there is no reason that Michigan which was a powerhouse and perennial contender during the years of Steve Fischer have fallen so far off the map and seem to be in the NIT final four every season. If Amaker does not right the ship and keep the Wolverines from their typical Big 10 season collapse Tommy will most likely be replaced for the start of the 07/08 season.
Coach of the Year: John Thompson III, When the Hoyas take the title in the Best Conference in the country JT3 will get rained on with praise.
Sleeper Squad to Make Tourny: Virginia Tech, They have been on the precipice and improving every season, I think this is the first season that the Hokie fans get their wish, a loss in the first round in the NCAA tournament.
Final Four
North Carolina - Roy Williams returns his alma matter back to the big time.
Wisconsin - One of these years Wisconsin is going to use their slow tempo to have big time success in the tourny this is the year.
Ohio St. - Greg Oden right now is the best player in college basketball, he is David Robinson, by the time the NCAA Tourny rolls around this team will have gelled.
Florida - When you return everyone on a National Title team you may not repeat as champion but you most likely will get to the Final 4.
National Champion: Ohio St. Buckeyes
The Buckeyes wind up getting exactly what they wanted and what Syracuse got in 2003 a one year rent a player who brings home the big prize. The Buckeyes will even follow a similar path as Syracuse where they will build steam throughout the latter half of the season become the popular sleeper team to win the title because of the Freshman stud, head into the tourny as a 3 or 4 and go on to knock everyone off.
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