"The Stack" 3-20-18
The Stack is back on this Tuesday and there was just too much going on Sunday to get a blog out on Monday. My apologies for that. I don't really have a whole lot in store today and we won't have a blog tomorrow, but we'll be back on Thursday with previews and predictions for the Sweet 16 games, but first let's get right to it and see what's in "the stack" for today, Tuesday, March 20th:
NCAA Tournament Sunday reaction
Well if your bracket wasn't blown up by what Virginia did on Friday night, it almost surely is done now following head scratching defeats by Michigan State (#3 seed in the Midwest Region), Cincinnati (#2 seed in the South Region) and Xavier (#1 seed in the West Region). Sparty is clearly more talented than Syracuse, but their failure to figure out the 2-3 zone and not knock down shots was alarming. Sparty missed thirteen shots to end the game as Syracuse pulled out a 55-53 victory. While that was bad, it wasn't nearly as perplexing as Cincinnati blowing a 22 point second half lead against #7 seeded Nevada. Cincinnati is one of the best defensive teams in the country. For them to blow that lead, take the foot off the gas pedal, it's stunning. While Xavier didn't outdo Cincinnati, they were fairly close. They inexplicably gave up an 18-4 run in route to losing to Florida State. How does that happen? Xavier is one of the best teams in the country. Florida State is not that good. And yet here we are.
The South Region does not have any of the top four seeds in the Sweet 16. #9 Kansas State vs. #5 Kentucky. #11 Loyola-Chicago vs. #7 Nevada. What a crazy NCAA Tournament. There were other interesting games on Sunday, but West Virginia dominated Marshall. Oh yeah and how could I forget about the awful performance #2 seed UNC gave against #7 seed Texas A&M in the West Region? What was that. Texas A&M looks pretty strong. Purdue survived against Butler. Clemson destroyed Auburn in a battle of the Tigers and the Cinderella story UMBC Retrievers lost to Kansas State 50-43. What an amazing story they provided us that first weekend of the NCAA Tournament. This is why March Madness is great. Can't wait for Thursday.
Trae Young declares for NBA Draft
College basketball's most electric player this year is one-and-done at Oklahoma. Trae Young has declared for the NBA Draft. Young was the Big 12 Freshman of the Year and is the likely Wooden award winner. While Oklahoma faltered down the stretch there is no denying Young's skill set. He has to cut down on the turnovers, but his upside is immense.
Young's not the only Big freshman to leave school early for the NBA Draft. Texas freshman big man Mo Bamba also has left school and declared for the NBA Draft. You can't teach size and Bamba has size. He's seven feet tall. He averaged double figures in points and rebounds. He's a definite lottery pick.
In college basketball coaching news, Memphis has a new head coach. Tubby Smith is out and Penny Hardaway is in. Hardaway has no college basketball head coaching experience, but he has coached an AAU team. While Smith got a raw deal in my opinion, Hardaway is the latest former NBA star to coach at his alma mater. Patrick Ewing is doing it at Georgetown. Joe Mullen is doing it at St. John's. Heck, former NBA head coach Avery Johnson is doing good things at Alabama. We'll see how Hardaway does at his. There certainly will be pressure.
Opening NFL game set?
The full NFL schedule is still a month away, but Philadelphia radio personality Howard Eskin says he knows who the Super Bowl champion Eagles will play that opening Thursday night. They'll be playing the Minnesota Vikings. While nothing is set in stone and we won't know for sure until April, this makes sense for the opening game. It's a rematch of the NFC Championship game, one that the Eagles thoroughly whooped and embarrassed the Vikings. Add to that Kirk Cousins' first game as a Viking and playing an old division rival and this seems like a good option for the NFL to go with. Again, we won't know for sure until April, but I'm near positive this is the game the NFL will go with. Really, the Eagles home slate is absolutely great. In addition to the Vikings and the NFC East rivals, the Eagles play the Panthers, Falcons, Texans and Colts. Talk about a stellar eight home games. Eagles fans are going to have fun at the Linc this year when they aren't throwing unopened beer cans or hurling insults like savages against the opposing team's fans.
Coming up Thursday: Sweet 16 preview and predictions plus reaction to other headlines and stories.
