Monday, April 07, 2008

KU Wins; Somewhere Roy Williams Cries Softly

I can't even imagine what it feels like to see your school win a national title... so congrats Kansas fans. This must be amazing, especially to win such a terrific championship game.

I've always liked Kansas personally, and I think I've picked them to win it all about a half-dozen times (at least) over the last ten years. Their a consistently solid program that just isn't as inherently hate-able as Duke, UNC, UCLA, etc. Sure, there are those who hate them, but I think it's generally harder to. Maybe that's just me.

I have never liked Memphis, however, especially since the day back in about -- what? -- '96 or so, when Lorenzen Wright ghetto-balled the Tigers way past the Boilers in the tourney.

Still, as much as I've never liked Memphis, as this game got down to the final minutes, I really did find myself feeling bad that somebody had to lose. The game -- and the Final Four, really -- had what we all want: Exciting games between the best teams in the country. Can't ask for much more... unless you root for Memphis, that is.

Memphis' free-throw shooting finally did do them in, though I think it was more that Kansas was just a very resilient team. Either way, good show. Put Dickie V, Digger and Old Man Knight back into their formaldehyde jars now.

Midnight Madness in just seven months.

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

I feel sorry for my co-worker who is a Kansas grad and a big fan. We were on a plane during the game. He hard to hear about it second hand when we touched down.

Tim said...

I'd rather be the guy that lands and hears his team won as opposed to the guy who roots for Memphis but gets on the plane with 2 minutes left and thinks they've won the national championship for the next several hours and then lands and is crushed upon learning of their defeat.

Anonymous said...

While only one team lost on the court, we were all losers for having to endure Billy "Fudge" Packer's drivel.

Purdue Matt said...

Memphis deserved their fate. I imagine them in practice working on their dunks and half court shots more than free throws. Like you said....ghetto ball.

Row Boilers said...

How can you make fun of a man "calling" his 34th Final Four? Let us count the ways:

1) Early in the game making the comment that nobody is talking about Memphis free throws now. Of course, the comments were that they are vulnerable to losing a close game because they don't shoot free throws well. They haven't had a close game for a while so Billy quit talking about it.
2) He did not like the strategy of shooting a 3 towards the end of OT for Memphis when they were down 5 and needed a 3 at least once assuming Kansas would score no more points. So when CD-R got a good look at a 3 and missed Billy said both that it was a good 3 but they didn't need it. So his strategy is get a 2 now and take a bad 3 on the next trip and also hope Kansas misses both free throws.
3) His Bozo hair do.
4) His riveting post game interview
5) Not talking at the end of regulation about Memphis fouling before Kansas could shoot a 3.

J Money said...

How about Packer repeatedly saying it was a good "no-call" by the officials not to issue a technical in the final minute or so to whoever it was (CDR, maybe?) on Memphis who slammed the ball down... Packer said it was because the thug -- er player -- was mad at himself and not a call. Oh, okay... so if I punch you in the head b/c I'm mad at "myself," is that okay, too? That shoulda been a tech right there. Why should the rules be different in the national title game?

boilerdowd said...

Hightower's an idiot, that's why it's different.

Anonymous said...

Billy Packer still calls games as if it was 1960, when the jump shot "revolutionized" the game.

If I wanted to listen to someone for two hours justifying and analyzing every minute detail of a sporting event, I'd spend it with someone who is a combo IU basketball/ND football fan.

On second thought...

Anonymous said...

How can you talk about Pilly Packer's
genius without mentioning his brilliant comment about how Kansas was prepared for overtime because they had history in NCAA Championship games going into overtime. The 1959 NCAA Championship game that went to triple overtime. I'm not sure how much help that was since none of the Kansas coaches or the players' PARENTS were alive for that game. Thanks Mr. Packer for that great insight!!!

Anonymous said...

He is so bad... Jim Nance hates him too.

Row Boilers said...

Hey big dumb! Great call, that comment was so bad it flew out of my head as soon as he said it. But I do recall thinking at that moment that none of the players or coaches were born yet so unless they were channeling Phog Allen that experience would not be of much value.

I consider that remark to be the result of USA Today factoid journalism. while technically true it is totally irrelevant and who gives a shit anyway.

Anonymous said...

As testiment to Billy Boy's comment, I heard that in the huddle, Bill Self reminded his players of a time when leather belts were standard issue with all team uniforms. This was the key point in his heroic speech to put them over the top.

Never mind the fact that the oldest players were barely out of diapers during Kansas's last championship run in 1988 (with sincere apologies to Troy Lewis, Everette Stephens, and Todd Mitchell).