See Red

Won't happen. UConn doesn't get to play practically every game on National Television. UConn doesn't get the respect that Duke gets (Particularly from officials, but that's beside the point) from the National Media, even though ESPN is in CT. If you want to argue that, tell me why ESPn didn't get all over coach K after that Nationally televised Recruiting... err... Mastercard commercial. And I guarentee you that Duke has more McDonalds All-Americans than any other team in the country (edit: with the exception of UNC, maybe) -- more than UConn by, what I imagine, is a pretty large amount. You act like it's my fault that you have the uncanny ability to not recognize when a player is in a system or on a team that benefits them.

No, the reason I bring past Duke players and what they've done in the NBA into this is to prove my very point that "they're a product of the system. They're nothing (bad word to use, though) without the system." At some point you have to look at all the guys that were phenomenal at Duke, that amounted to very little outside of the system and assume that they weren't as talented as they were made out to be because that's more likely to be the case than that they just forgot how to play. I see J.J. Reddick as being no different.

I don't understand why it's so difficult for you to understand what I'm saying. Like almost every other Duke 'star' -- all of which were thought to be among the best players in the country -- they're a product of the system. They're nothing without the system. You want to argue that Morrison wouldn't be as good with the talent that Reddick has around him -- why can't I basically say the same thing about Reddick in that he wouldn't be as good without as much talent around him and without Coach K's system like most Duke players past? That's the argument. It's alright for you to say that Morrison is good because of the situation he's in, but I can't argue the same about Reddick?

I'd take my own team not because they're my own team. I've only picked my team to legitimately compete for the NCAA Championship in 1999 and 2004. Hell, I'd take Villanova and Texas over Duke too -- because like your excuse practically said, J.J. (Or Sheldon, for that matter) get in foul trouble and Duke is done in the tournament. And yes, a tournament which is referred to as one of the best fields ever (NCAA Tournaments obviously excluded) is very overrated. A tournament with 5 top 25 teams, and 4 preseason top 10 teams is very overrated. Basically, your tournament is pretty damn good when you can say that one of the weakest links is Kansas. Which of Duke's wins should impress me? Seton Hall? Seton Hall's been taken to the wire by Marist and Farleigh Dickinson. In other words, they no good. That doesn't seem much different than UConn killing Texas Southern by 64, I'm not going to preorder my 2005-06 NCAA Champions shirt because of it. You say that UConn should've won that tournament as a way to dismiss their accomplishment, then your response to Duke being overrated is that they're undefeated. Duke SHOULD win those games -- so by your logic, they don't matter.

Ray Allen, Rip Hamilton, Emeka Okafor, Ben Gordon, Donyell Marshall, Caron Butler, Charlie Villanueva. The top 4 are stars, and the top 2 are elite players in the League. Yet, my school doesn't have 8 or 9 McDonald's All-Americans at any point in time. Dunleavy was a #3 pick... you don't look for a contributor at #3... feel free to label him as a bust. For every Grant Hill, there's been multiple Christian Laettners. For every Elton Brand there's been a Trajan Langdon. I'm saying judge 'em in the pros when they don't have 7 more All-Americans on their team than anybody else. You say he's the greatest, I say without the talent on Duke, he doesn't get half the looks he gets.

That's how you judge how great a player really is -- how they do against the best of the best. Look at how many McDonalds All-Americans have gone through Duke in recent years. Now... how many turned into great NBA players? 1 or 2? The rest may have the occassional decent year, but even Jay Williams was mediocre as a rookie, even for a rookie's standards. I don't think we can assume that he'd be tearing apart the league -- because i don't think he would. I still don't think Duke is the best team in the country. Duke hasn't looked good to me, so far. Not like the #1 team anyway -- and I find more negatives in that win over VT than positives. Give me the team that, without their starting PG, won a tournament, the Maui Invitational, that consisted of teams like Michigan State, Arizona, Kansas, Maryland, and Gonzaga.

I'm saying what have they done outside of Duke's system? How many Duke 'superstars' have gone on to be successful in the NBA? That's where Trajan Langdon comes in. 3 years in the league, averaging about 5 points. Hell, even Jay Williams was a mediocre NBA player. And no, Redick doesn't face the type of pressure you say he does because of Sheldon Williams downlow. Adam Morrison doesn't have the type of guy that few people in the country and guard 1 on 1 downlow.

Yeah, I don't think it should've been Brady. He's a great QB... the Patriots were a great team... but there's been Patriots over-load -- and I say that from way out here in Colorado.

Without the talent around him, J.J. would also face the defensive pressure that Adam Morrison probably faces. Haven't you learned from Duke busts past? Guys like Trajan Langdon?

What pisses me off is that all but one of Duke's games have been televised this year. I turn on the TV and see Duke vs. Davidson? Who the f*** cares about that game? They haven't looked very impressive to me. A lot of these bad teams have hung around with them at Cameron Indoor. I hope they get UConn in the Final Four... I'd love to see Rudy Gay throw it down over Sheldon Williams ugly ass.

Until Marcus Williams comes back for UConn. Then, the best team in the country will reside in Storrs, CT.

I take that back. It's tough enough to beat the Chiefs in KC... but now the officials are against Denver too.

... what the f***? Broncos have the ball at the Chiefs 34 yardline, Jason Elam on the sideline or at the very least a chance at a Hail Mary and they... run a draw play with 4 seconds left and no timeouts? Does anybody see any logic in this?

That was a hell of a game between Villanova and Oklahoma, last night. I wish Villanova wasn't a Big East team, as I'm a UConn fan, so I didn't have to feel bad about cheering for 'em because I love watching them play. That said, UConn is still taking the Big East... and the National Championship.

But you ain't getting this Denver/KC game.

Yeah, unfortunately I turned it off when it was looking like a blowout. I was able to catch the last drive, though

It has to be, every other game has been a blowout.

I'm hoping Bush does the Heisman pose because he's got that trophy locked up. And if he doesn't win it, he should run on stage and steal it because, well, who's gonna catch him?

24-3... Texas/CU version 2? This is going to be an absolutely amazing National Championship game. ... and ABC just celebrated an illegal play (the push against Notre Dame) as the best Reggie Bush moment of the year. Actually, now that I think of it... you gotta think that the Texas blowout has motivated USC a little bit.

I was thinking that CU was lucky to be within 60, last time they played. So I did predict a huge blowout. I would've bet my car that texas would cover, if I could've

I hate CU... so I'm loving this.

Well, not Shaq, since he's in the East, now... but Yao Ming, since he's got the chinese votes. Ugh... I hate fan voting.

JimBrown, just want to say that that's a pretty sweet avatar. Camby doesn't get enough love. 17 Points, 14 Rebounds, and 3 blocks per game -- he better be an all-star. He was an animal last night against Phoenix with 33 points, 20 rebounds, and 3 blocks. Since we're imagining if Elton Brand was taller... just imagine if Camby was built like Nene.

Vincent Young just made it 21-3. I'm hoping for a 70-3 blowout, personally. I hate CU. By the way, sorry for hi-jacking this thread.

14-0 Texas.