Kentucky has the talent, but their youth worries me. As much as I hate to admit it, I think Kansas will get it done.
My four would be Kansas, Syracuse, Kentucky, West Virginia. Cuse didn't exactly go into the tournament on fire. But they played a louisville team on the road that was playing for their life. Syracuse has some issues with Louisville too (for some reason). And it didnt matter what Syracuse did. They weren't going to better or worsen their position in the Big East or national picture. Not saying they just laid an egg on purpose, but that mentality will affect you whether you know it or not. Then they run into Gtown who if they have their heads screwed on I think are as talented as any team in the country. They are a final 4 type team IMO. Gtown went on to lose the championship game by a last second shot. I think Syracuse was already looking ahead to the NCAA and didn't care about the conference tournament. They get their heads screwed back on and play like they were all year they will be REALLY tough out in this tournament. Hell it will take a team with little time to prepare most of the game just to figure out how to attack that zone they play. I think people really underestimate what it's like to be a team in the Big East. Night in and night out you are playing really really quality teams that can take you out. Not an easy game out there. I think that gives them an advantage too.
I think Cuse is likely the second best team in the nation as well, but I don't buy this arguement at all. The same could be argued for Kansas and Kentucky, and maybe even WVU and Duke yet they all took care of business to end the season. No team wants to lose and every game is big to the actual players, fans are the ones who are affected by the game not being very important in the grand scheme. As for Kentucky's roster, nope you read me right. What's left over from this year could easily be a top 25 team next year. Eric Bledsoe is already a decent point and when he actually gets to be a pg next year, he will show improvement even over this year. We still have every wing player we play in Dodson, Liggins, and Miller as Juniors. Daniel Orton is a defensive force and finally coming around on offense as a 6'11" center. They already have the pieces to be a good team, and still have Stacey Poole coming in with the possibility of Brandon Knight, Josh Selby, CJ Leslie, Terrence Jones, Terrence Ross, Doron Lamb, Enes Kanter......no two incoming freshman will compare to Cousins/Wall but we will get another solid class to go with an already decent roster.
Scary thing is, Bledsoe's draft stock has been rising throughout the year. He's likely a Top 20 pick and if he performs well in the tournament he could go even higher. But he'd be crazy to make the jump. He should come back and play a full year as the starting point guard, which is what he'd play in the League.
I'm not picking brackets or anything this year. It's going to be a wild bumpy ride. I'm just going to vegetate and watch as much of it as I can. I'll be at the East Regional Finals in Syracuse. My son bought us tickets for last years Fathers Day present.
I've never been there for any event. Where is the general parking(no permit)? How far ahead of time do you need to be there?
The easiest way is to park at manley field house. They run shuttles to the dome from there. They'll drop you off near the gates. About a 10 minute ride. Or there are parking garages and off street parking all around the square within walking distance to the dome. Kind of tough during an SU game when it's packed. Most of those lots and garages are full, traffic and peoples gets crazy and you end up driving around in cirlces and ending up finding someplace with a 20 minute walk.
I'm telling you... this is going to be a wild ride. All sorts of people are going to fall. I said it going in and it's happening with just about every game today. 14 beats 3, 2's on the ropes. That's why they call it March Madness. LOL You got to love it.
