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March Madness: Rounds one and two recap. Sweet Sixteen preview.

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By Erich R Pilcher

My picks. Red equals wrong, sadly for me. Grahpic Courtesy: Yahoo Sports

We are one weekend into the tournament and I have good news and bad news. The good, I still have three of my Final Four teams left. The bad news is my bracket is a battlefield of red. I’m sitting in ninth place out of fifteen in my bracket contest. So, I return a broken and defeated man to give some analysis and predictions that will, no doubt, blow up in my face.

ANALYSIS OF ROUNDS ONE AND TWO

Saint Peters Peacocks after upsetting college basketball blue bloods Kentucky in the first round.
Photo Courtesy: Getty Images

The East Region: If there was ever anything that led to the chaos of this tournament it is this region. Gone are seeds one (Baylor) and two (Kentucky, to upset darlings Saint Peter’s). I picked Kentucky to win this region and they are gone. This region is wide open. North Carolina looked impressive, UCLA appears to have found their mojo from last season at around this time, and Purdue, with the most explosive player in the country Jaden Ivey. This region is up for grabs and will be the most entertaining this week. 

Kansas Jayhawks guard Remy Martin celebrates fater a big play against the Creighton BlueJays
Photo Courtesy: Google Images

Toughness and resolve: These two words are required to win this tournament and two college basketball blue-bloods, showed they have it in their second-round contests. The Kansas Jayhawks were in a battle with the Creighton BlueJays. Creighton was vastly undermanned and it looked like another disappointing end for Kansas. But through Remy Martin and David McCormick, they found that toughness needed to thwart Creighton and move on. 

For the Duke Blue Devils, they were playing for more than to advance. They were playing to keep the career of their legendary coach Mike Krzyzewski going (he is retiring when this season ends). Michigan State showed they were up to the task of battling the very talented Blue Devils matching them blow for blow throughout the game. I called Duke immature in my preview and felt they were too inconsistent. But they, like Kansas, showed they are ready for March and can officially be called a threat to cut down the nets. 

Big Ten shows up small: When the Big Ten had nine of the 12 teams make the field, people thought that they would be assured of one or two teams making a run to the Final Four. After the first two rounds, only two teams remain (Michigan and Purdue). I have always believed that conferences that get a majority of their teams into the dance are ripe to be picked off early. That is because they are in a dogfight every game of their conference season. Then they have the conference tourney and finally make it to the NCAA tournament where they could be up against a team that has had an easier go of it, more reset, and have had more time to prepare. That is what has happened here. The Big Ten might have been the best conference this season, but that does not translate to success in March. 

LOOKING AHEAD TO THE SWEET SIXTEEN AND POSSIBLE ELITE EIGHT MATCHUPS

Best Game: Duke Blue Devils against Texas Tech Red Raiders is going to be a contrast of differences. Texas Tech relies on a lockdown defense and Duke relies on scoring and hot shooting to win games. Can Duke use the resolve and experience gained from the Michigan State game to take out one of the top defenses in the country? A better question is can Texas Tech win a shootout against the Blue Devils and handle the depth they present? I feel talent will win out here and give Duke the edge. However, this Wis going to be the most entertaining game of the Sweet Sixteen.

North Carolina’s Armando Bacot drives the lane against the Baylor Bears in the Tar Heels upset victory in the scond round of the NCAA Tournament. Photo Courtesy: Getty Images

Upset Special:  I have been very impressed with North Carolina so far in this tournament. I know they blew a twenty-five-point lead to Baylor (worst Flagrant 2 foul call I have ever seen) but they did end up winning and seem to be meshing at the right time. UCLA is a tough match-up but I look at Armando Bacot and Leaky Black to push the tempo and do just enough defensively to propel the Tar Heels into the Elite Eight. 

THURSDAY SWEET SIXTEEN GAMES (picks are in bold):

(1W)Gonzaga Bulldogs vs (4W) Arkansas Razorbacks 6:09 PM CST

(11S)Michigan Wolverines vs (2S)Villanova Wildcats 6:29 PM CST 

(3W) Texas Tech vs (2W) Duke Blue Devils 8:39 PM CST

(5S) Houston Cougars vs (1S) Arizona Wildcats 8:59 PM CST

FRIDAY SWEET SIXTEEN GAMES (picks are in bold):

(15E)Saint Peters vs (3E) Purdue Boilermakers 6:09 PM CST

(1MW) Kansas Jayhawks vs (4MW) Providence Friars 6:29 PM CST 

(8E) North Carolina vs (4E) UCLA 8:39 PM CST

(11MW) Iowa State vs (10MW) Miami Hurricanes 8:59 PM CST 

I hope everyone enjoys the games this week. I will be back next Monday with my Final Four preview.

What is Greatness Without K?

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By: Erich R Pilcher

Goat in American English: (goʊt) NOUN

1. Word forms: plural goats or goat

a. any of a genus (Capra) of wild or domesticated bovid ruminants with hollow horns

b. US Rocky Mountain goat

2. a lecherous man

3. US, Informal a person forced to take the blame or punishment for others; scapegoat

That is the technical definition of Goat. Sadly the acronym for Greatest of All Time (G.O.A.T) is not listed. The world of sports who is the greatest is often debated. Michael Jordan, Babe Ruth, Pele, Wayne Gretzky are usually at the forefront of this debate. However, coaching is one aspect that is not as definitive.

I’m here to say the debate is over. There is a clear-cut and definitive choice. It is Duke University Men’s Basketball Coach Mike Krzyzewski, and the debate is not even close. 

Mike Krzyzewski at his introductory press conference in March 1980.
Image: Google Images

Krzyzewski took over the head coaching job at Duke in 1980 following a five-year stint as the head coach for Army (Where he went 73-59 with one National Invitational Tournament berth). Since then, Duke has been the preeminent program in college basketball. Duke has made the NCAA Tournament 37 out of 40 years (They missed in 2021 due to COVID and will make the tournament this season), he holds the record for both most wins and most tournament wins (1,195 wins overall and 97 in the tournament), he has an astounding 12 Regular season and 15 conference tournament titles in arguably the toughest basketball conference, the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC).

Coach K cutting the nets following his first national title in 1991.
He has since won four more across three different decades.
Image: Google Images

Finally, he has won a national title in three different decades and five overall (1991, 1992, 2001, 2010, and 2015), led his team to 12 Final Four and he rejuvenated United States basketball on the global stage, leading the team to three consecutive gold medals in 2008, 2012 and 2016 (following the unmitigated disaster and near-catastrophic showing in the 2004 Summer Games). 

Coach K with the United States Men’s Basketball team following winning the Gold Medal at the 2008 Summer Games.
This team was dubbed the “redeem team” after the disaster that was the 2004 team.
Coach K would lead the team to two more gold medals in 2012 and 2016
Courtesy: Google Images

Those stats alone would justify his lofty standing. Then we ignore the intangibles. This is where he truly shows his greatness. He has done most of this from a private university in Durham, North Carolina. A school was known as the “Ivy League of the South”. He has outlasted his rivals. When he started he had to combat Dean Smith and Bobby Knight (who he eventually passed in most measurable categories) throughout his career he has had wars with Rick Pitino, Roy Williams, Jim Calhoun, Jim Boeheim, Tom Izzo, and many more. Not only has he thwarted them, but he has also lapped them. Krzyzewski has also done so by running a clean program, with no major infractions or controversies. Something not many of his foes can say. 

In this debate, people will throw out other names such as Green Bay Packers coach Vince Lombardi, New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick, former Iowa Wrestling coach Dan Gable, or pro basketball coach Phil Jackson. In regards to the professional coaches, they often have a say in what players they get and ultimately how long they stay. Krzyzewski does not. 

Early in his career, Krzyzewski would only get kids that would stay for four years and graduate. Once “one and done” became common, many thought Duke would be finished. Not only has Krzyzewski evolved, but he also succeeded. He embraced the one-and-done and has modified his program’s approach to getting kids ready for the pros. His offense and defense are less basic and more fluid. It is based on the players he has not the scheme he wants. 

His control is limited to his recruiting pitch. After that the decision is the kids, how long they stay, and if they venture to Durham. Pro coaches can offer, or get management to offer, long-term deals, re-negotiate contacts and get more money. This is a luxury not afforded to Coach K and he has won despite it.

Then, some will point to the championships won by Lombardi and Gable. To that point, competition has to be debated. Lombardi won most of his championships in an eight-team league and to be fair it was a glorified YMCA dad league. Gable also had limited competition and Iowa is a wrestling-rich state. So not only did he have limited competition, he had his pick of the top-tier talent. 

Most impressive is the fact that Coach K was able to get NBA players to believe in him as he led them for 12 years across three Olympic Games. When he was first hired, many felt that he could not do this. There were egos, such as Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony and others. The thought was his approach would not be accepted by NBA players. But not only did he get them to buy in, the players often shower adulation and praise on the legend. Something that shows he transcends levels and can get anyone to believe in him and his approach. 

Anyone is welcome to debate me on this. But the stats and intangibles do not lie. What Krzyzewski has done is something we have never seen before and will never see again. Nearly 40 years of consistent dominance from a small campus, shrouded in Gothic decor and high academic standards. He succeeded despite a constantly changing environment. 

Coach K arguing with an official at his last game in Chapel Hill against rival North Carolina earlier this season
Courtesy: Google Images

This Saturday night “The Man” coaches his final game, in front of his people, The Cameron Crazies. A fan base he cultivated by his success. I would advise any sports fan to watch and see because it is something we will never see again.