Getting Ready for March

It still feels like it was yesterday. The floor pulsating. Vibrations, picked up by my feet, riding up my spine. Bands battling. The audience humming. Basketballs bouncing. All grew louder as I made my way down the tunnel toward the main event. I felt like a tree branch floating along in a tributary that spit you out into a vast ocean. When I entered the Palace at Auburn Hills, my life was forever changed. I was overwhelmed with so many emotions.

It was the first time I'd ever covered an NCAA Tournament. To this day, that moment stands as the happiest I've ever been in my life.

So you can see why I'm amped up for March 2010. Just like every year since my childhood, March is my favorite month. The frenzied pace at which college basketball's regular season ends and spills into the postseason just fills me with joy. You know what else makes me happy? Bracketology.

If the Tournament was today, this is how I think it would look ...

1 seeds: Kansas, Kentucky, Syracuse, Duke

2s: Kansas State, West Virginia, Villanova, Purdue

3s: Ohio State, New Mexico, Michigan State, Pitt

4s: Wisconsin, Temple, Vanderbilt, Tennessee

5s: Gonzaga, Texas A&M, Butler, Xavier

6s: Baylor, BYU, Texas, Georgetown

7s: Maryland, Northern Iowa, Missouri, Richmond

8s: Wake Forest, Clemson, Oklahoma State, California

9s: Florida State, Louisville, Marquette, Georgia Tech

10s: Notre Dame, Illinois, UNLV, Florida

11s: UConn, Old Dominion, UTEP, Utah State

12s: Mississippi State, UAB, Minnesota, Saint Mary's

13s: Kent State, Murray State, Siena, Cornell

14s: Weber State, UC-Santa Barbara, College of Charleston, Oakland

15s: Stony Brook, Coastal Carolina, Morgan State, Sam Houston State

16s: Lipscomb, Robert Morris, Lehigh, Jackson State, Troy

What Makes a Coach of the Year?

It's been a while. Too long, even. But nothing gets you thinking about blogging like a Chipotle burrito for lunch, coffee for dinner and a burning question that eats away at your mind: What makes a coach of the year? (I understand that normal people don't fret about these things.)

There are so many stances to take. You can be a numbers guy or gal -- the coach of the best team should be the coach of the year (Bill Self). You can go by the most miraculous -- see: Martin, Frank. You can side with the How Do They Do It? folks who love to see coaches win and win again despite losing huge numbers of impact players -- looking at you, Jim Boeheim and Jamie Dixon. Or you can even saddle up on a feel-good pony, like someone who might like BYU's Dave Rose or New Mexico's Steve Alford.

Or you can go the John Calipari route. It's hard to argue with these folks -- because they're in your camp, whichever tent you sleep in. He's a numbers guy -- 25-1 through Friday night. He's a miracle worker -- the man basically infused Kentucky's roster with a veritable McDonald's All-America team and turned an NIT team into a national title contender in a matter of months. (Seriously, say NIT in Kentucky and they think it's a new government stimulus program.) He's a How Do They Do It guy with an asterisk, but not because he juiced up like Big Bad Barry Bonds, more because he has done the whole reloading-not-rebuilding thing at every program he's coached. He's the feel-good pony for roughly 3 million people, which, for those counting at home, is about 3/4 of the estimated population of the state of Kentucky. (The other quarter roots for Louisville, Western or Eastern Kentucky, Murray State and/or some kind of miracle.)

Now I think I just argued that Calipari should be coach of the year. It's not decided -- I think Boeheim is right there with him, along with Martin -- but how can he not win it? Dude left a cushy job for a high-intensity one, a relatively relaxed, if-he-wins-it's-great-if-he-loses-whatever atmosphere for a he-better-win-every-game-or-we'll-run-him-out-of-town one. Lots of pressure. And he has done nothing short of blow it out of the water.

On a side note: Imagine the expectations for Calipari after this season, regardless of how far the Cats go. If they win a title, Cal will never sleep again. Call it the reverse championship bonus, like winning the presidency or a lifetime supply of Popeye's. Normally when you win (or eat, if you're still tagging along with the Popeye's joke), you pass out from celebrating. But at Kentucky, you wake up the next day, put your title ring on and go recruit the next class of champs. At least that's what the section under "job responsibilities" said when Cal saw the opening on coachingjobs.com (not a real site, people). But that's a topic for for another time.

Anyway, I'm not saying pressure -- or handling the pressure -- only affects Coach Cal. It's a pretty intense hoops community in Syracuse and Lawrence, too. But the coaches there are established, comfortable in their seats. Boeheim would have to lose like 100 recruiting battles to Tim O'Shea, Bryant's intrepid coach who inexplicably left Ohio to coach a transitional D-I school that is a whopping 0-8,000 this year (they're actually 1-28). And Bill Self would probably have to tell the local paper that he loves K-State or Missouri to get the locals to even think about heating up his seat.

Throw in Cal's incredible recruiting job and his handling of the 37 egos crammed into the 13 heads that look at the coach during film sessions and it's hard to not give him the coach of the year award.

The point is this, you can be in any camp you want, observe any coach-of-the-year mantra you want, but if one guy plays to every crowd, it's hard to deny him that honor.

Now watch Kentucky become the first-ever No. 1 seed to lose to a 16.

5 Huge Disappointments So Far

It's only the first week of January and conference play is just starting up, but it's hard to ignore the teams that have failed to live up to expectations so far. Let's run down a list of five teams that have been huge disappointments so far. And I want to mention the caveat that these teams could easily improve with about half of a season to play still.

OK, so here's the list. It's based on preseason ranks and expectations. The AP preseason rank is listed first, coaches' poll second.

5. North Carolina (6, 4): The Tar Heels (11-4) are returning champs and stacked with talent. Yes, there have been some injuries to key players (Marcus Ginyard, Will Graves). And it's not like UNC has lost four terrible games -- only one ... at College of Charleston -- but it'd be nice for the Heels to win a big game or two to make us feel warm and fuzzy.

You can't play down the early-season struggles of a team that features one of the top NBA prospects in America (Ed Davis) and a veritable who's who list of former McDonald's All-Americans. I can only assume the Heels will get it together for conference play. But for now, it's been a pretty disappointing start for the defending champs.

4. Illinois (23, NR): These days, the Fighting Illini are usually good for 20 wins, maybe a third- or fourth-place finish in the Big Ten and a first- or second-round loss in the NCAAs. That's not exactly a bad thing. But once again, there's plenty of talent on Bruce Weber's roster.

And that's why it's disappointing that Illinois (10-5) is off to just an OK start. Losses to Utah, Bradley, Georgia, Missouri and Gonzaga have the Illini in a tough spot. Weber's crew has three solid wins: Clemson, Vanderbilt and Northwestern. But five nonconference losses prior to a rugged Big Ten slate means that Illinois has to try to get to at least 11 wins in the conference to stay in a good spot.

3. California (13, 12): Cal was supposed to be the best team in the Pac-10. And it's not like the 9-5 Bears are terrible. But Mike Montgomery has a team that should be at the top of heap in the conference and in the running for a nice seed and favorable region in March. Instead, the Bears have whiffed on four chances for great resume wins (Syracuse, Ohio State, New Mexico, Kansas).

And then there's the loss to UCLA. Seriously? UCLA? I know there have been some injury problems and size was always going to be an issue for Cal, but even after three straight blowouts (including one against Stanford), losing to UCLA this year is not a good sign.

2. Oklahoma (17, 16): The Sooners have the talent (notice the running theme?). We were ready to commit to Oklahoma as the third wheel in the Big 12. Then, a few things happened: The Sooners lost to VCU, San Diego and Houston in a five-day span. And then Kansas State, Texas Tech and Texas A&M started playing well.

And here we are: Oklahoma is probably, at best, going to finish sixth in the Big 12. With Willie Warren back and Tiny Gallon coming in, and several other solid players on the roster, it looked like Oklahoma would be fine. But the post-Griffin brother era in Norman is not going as well as planned.

Bonus: UCLA (NR): No, the Bruins weren't ranked in either poll to start the season (although they were receiving votes). No, they weren't expected to be anything overly exciting. But they are UCLA. And there's no shortage of talent on Ben Howland's bench. So, where's the beef?

The Bruins are 7-8, albeit 2-1 in the Pac-10, with losses to ... drumroll please ... Cal State Fullerton, Portland, Butler, Long Beach State, Kansas, Mississippi State, Notre Dame and Arizona. Couple of bad apples in there, huh? But wins over Arizona State and (as we already covered) Cal have Howland's crew thinking positive.

1. Michigan (15, 15): The No. 15 team in both preseason polls, Michigan is 7-6 and in a lot of trouble. The Wolverines have to finish in the top four of the conference -- meaning 12 wins or so -- to even have a prayer at making the NCAAs as an at-large team. Losing to Kansas and Marquette isn't exactly terrible, but Utah, BC, Alabama and Indiana? Not ideal.

And it doesn't get any easier. There's a four-game stretch starting January 17 where Michigan plays UConn, at Wisconsin, at Purdue and then Michigan State. As Jerry Seinfeld says, good luck with all that.

How Bobby Gonzalez Is on the Hot Seat

During the buildup to the 2009-2010 college hoops season, I saw Seton Hall mentioned in several places as a "team to watch." It wasn't unwarranted: The Pirates are a bit of a wild card in a wide-open Big East, where slots No. 4 through 12 could be filled by any combination of teams.

Just look at the roster and, if you follow college hoops recruiting in any way, shape or form, you'll recognize a lot of guys on it: Keon Lawrence, Herb Pope, Eugene Harvey, Jeff Robinson. And though they weren't necessarily big-time recruits out of high school, Jeremy Hazell, John Garcia and Robert Mitchell have made an impact on the Big East (in the cases of Hazell and Mitchell, more than just an impact). Plus, Jordan Theodore is expected to take on a bigger role after a solid freshman season.

And yet, without the Pirates playing a game, Bobby Gonzalez is on the hot seat already, even with his brand-new contract extension. (I've said it before, I'll say it again, extensions rarely mean much in college sports. They are props to use for recruits.)

He came to Seton Hall with a reputation as a fiery coach, one who could recruit with the big boys and turn the sagging SHU program around. But he's had three consecutive mediocre seasons with medicore talent, and he hasn't snagged a single big-name recruit from Seton Hall's backyard. If Seton Hall's previous methods of handling coaches (see Orr, Louis) is any indication, Bobby doesn't have much more time to turn things around.

All that said, if there's a season where Bobby can produce a really competitive Seton Hall, it's this year. This is the first season that I haven't looked at Seton Hall and automatically marked a W on the schedule for any of the good Big East teams. Because of all that talent.

But with the talent that Gonzalez has acquired for the upcoming campaign comes great responsibility. You see, Bobby, who gets himself into trouble from time to time with his own mouth, brought in Herb "I'm just tired, officer" Pope, who will spend all season trying to exorcise the demons of his checkered past, to use a cliche. Unfortunately for Pope, his name immediately raises eyebrows. That's just the reputation he has. And Gonzalez, especially if his team struggles at all this year, would bear the brunt of the problem if Pope gets in any form of trouble this year.

Which is exactly why Keon Lawrence, who recently registered a DWI while driving in the wrong direction on the Garden State Parkway, has really put Bobby in a bind. Suddenly, Seton Hall has made national news for all the wrong reasons.

It's certainly not fair to Pope to say that something will go wrong this year, but you can't say it's entirely unfounded to be prepared for it. So, the fact that someone other than Pope has gotten in a lot of trouble is not good.

Now, not only does Gonzalez have to do a lot better than he has in first three seasons, he has to smooth over a rough patch to start the season.

As my mother used to say, everyone needs to be on their best behavior now. Bobby, no complaining about the refs or any other verbal implosions that draw the ire of administration officials. Herb, stick to your word about improving your rep. Keon, just ... stay out of any more trouble.

Otherwise, four consecutive seasons of middling finishes in the Big East plus way too many headaches for one program will probably not be good for Bobby's future at Seton Hall. Let's hope one of the most entertaining coaches in hoops can get his team focused on the season and, like I said before, smooth over this rocky start. If he doesn't, I have a hard time seeing Bobby patrolling the sidelines for Seton Hall past 2010.

Where can you get more J. Greer?

Follow me on Twitter. There's plenty of stuff on there that I don't cover in the blog. And it's far more open to conversation with friends of JGWS.

ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll

There were no surprises this morning when the ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll came out. The top five looks about right: Kansas, Michigan State, Texas, North Carolina and Kentucky, in that order.

You've got the teams with the most returning talent at 1 and 2; two teams (Texas and UNC) with the combination of uber-talented newcomers and big-time youngsters ready to fill bigger roles; and perhaps the biggest wild card in college basketball this season (Kentucky) rounding out the group. I am a little surprised that Kentucky didn't move to No. 3 like they did in the AP Poll -- I fully expect the media to fawn over the super freshmen that John Calipari trots out in Wildcats blue.

Furthermore, what does the top five say about the Big 12? Texas and Kansas play one epic showdown at Texas later this season. Oklahoma may have a say in the Big 12 title before all's said and done. And Oklahoma State and Missouri, while they probably won't challenge for a conference crown, can certainly make some noise and challenge the Big Three.

Now, last year, it was the Big East that easily took the cake as the best conference. This year, not so much. And being the type that likes titles and grandiose names for inconsequential things, I'd like to name this year's "It" conference right now: the Big Ten. And it's only by a hair, because the Big East is solid (again) from 1 through about 11, the Big 12 has some great teams and the ACC still exists.

Yes, it pains me to say it because the Big Ten plays the worst style of basketball anyone could ever see. But this year's group is pretty damn good, from legitimate national title and Final Four contenders Michigan State and Purdue to the really, really good groups at Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio State and maybe even Illinois. That's six teams already, and Northwestern, Penn State and Wisconsin aren't exactly light years behind the top six. By my count, that's nine solid, competitive schools.

So, what gives the Big Ten the edge over the Big East for me? I just think the overall clout of Michigan State and Purdue outweights the clout of 'Nova and West Virginia. That could change, but starting out this season, I'd say those two teams have a better shot at No. 1 seeds and/or Final Four appearances than anyone in the Big East.

But anyway, the rich get richer. Here's a breakdown of teams in the Top 25 by conference. Oh, and before I list them, just remember: I use the AP Top 25 all year, so this is as much (digital) ink I'll give the ESPN poll this year.

Teams in the Top 25
ACC: 4
Big East: 6
Big Ten: 5
Big 12: 3
Pac 10: 2
SEC: 3

Team of the Decade?

ESPN.com's Jerry Crasnick has a story up today about deciphering the Team of the Decade. He says the 2009 World Series will go a long way toward deciding things. If the Yankees win, he says there's no doubt they are the Team. But then he goes on to talk about the Phillies having a shot if they win.

That's where he gets a little lost.

Look, the Phillies are a great team. If they win this year, they'll have won back-to-back World Series for the first time since the Yanks won three in a row to end the 90s and start 00s. But seriously, before last year's run, the Phillies were a middling team that nobody cared about. They were just one of the teams fighting for the NL East division title like all the other 86-win teams that play in that division.

There, I said it. Don't deny it. It's true.

But let's back up a second and talk about what it takes to be the Team of the Decade. I even thought about this the other night, so I'm glad that Crasnick took it on.

I used the following criteria for my inner discussion: World Series titles, championship series appearances, playoff appearances and overall wins.

Titles. So, whoever wins this World Series ties with the Red Sox, who, in case you forgot, swept the World Series in 2004 and 2007. And, as much as I want this year's World Series to just be canceled, there has to be a winner.

World Series appearances. I'm counting years in which that team won it, and years in which they lost it. Yanks have been there three times. Sox, Phils and Cards twice. No one else more than once. That takes us to the next tiebreaker: Championship series appearances. That silence you hear is from Philadelphia (shocking that they're quiet, I know) because the Phillies' argument for Team of the Decade just ended.

LCS appearances. In college hoops, making the Final Four is enough of an accomplishment that it (almost) doesn't matter how you do there -- as long as you aren't embarrassed (looking at YOU, 2003 Marquette Golden Eagles). I'm not entirely sure that teams feel that way in baseball, but it's a similar feeling. It's a sign of accomplishment.

In the 00s, the Yankees made five league championship series. That's the most of anyone. That's the tiebreaker for the Yanks if they win the '09 World Series and tie up the BoSox. The Red Sox have made four league championship series, and split two of them with the Yankees.

The only other team that has a shot at winning this tiebreaker would be the Cardinals, the team I thought would be in the World Series this year representing the National League. St. Louis made four NLCS trips this decade. If they won another World Series this decade, they'd be right there with the Red Sox and Yankees (assuming the Yankees win in 2009).

Playoff appearances. We'll continue the tiebreaking even though we know the answers. The Yanks have made every postseason except for one from 2000 to 2009. The Cardinals have made seven. The Red Sox, Braves and Angels have made six appearances. The Twins and Athletics finish the decade with five. The Phillies have made three postseasons since 2000.

Overall wins. Mr. Crasnick gives us the win totals for 2000-2009. Yanks have the most; BoSox second; Cards third.

The bottom line here is simple: The Phillies are a great team this year. They were last year, too. But they don't deserve Team of the Decade status. They've had some above average teams that barely made the playoffs (2007) and a lot of average teams that didn't. Crasnick brings up a fine point -- the Phils have won 80 games more times in the 2000-2009 span than any other NL team. But still, as Crasnick writes, the Phils are 11th in baseball in overall wins since 2000.

Look, it's safe to say that they are the premier powerhouse in the NL now. That's fine. If the Phillies win back-to-back World Series, they enter the discussion for Team of the Decade. But even still, once you step back from the consecutive titles and think about it, they just don't stack up over the whole decade.