Posted by emy1013 on 3/18/2014 3:00:00 AM (view original):
Posted by gillispie1 on 3/17/2014 2:10:00 PM (view original):
Posted by thinair on 3/17/2014 1:59:00 PM (view original):
Louisville and Michigan St might be two of the best #4 seeds ever? I honestly have not watched one florida game all year. I always tend to underestimate them. Why don't you think Florida will win it all?
i agree with the FL comment. they are an exceptionally coached team who works very hard. to me, this allows them to make up for the fact that they aren't the best team, and if one of the dozen or so more talented teams plays a really good game vs them, i'm not sure florida can do anything about it. i think they are like some duke teams of old - they are excellent in terms of consistently performing at the top of their range, which makes them a very good and very consistent team. but in the NT you get a lot of teams' top performances, so i think these exceptionally disciplined hard working teams actually have a disadvantage in the NT, compared to their regular season.
i agree with michigan st and louisville too... both have a great shot at winning the whole thing
I'd sure love to hear this list of a dozen or so more talented teams than Florida.
The Duke example is a pretty bad one also.
is it? it is really meant as a complement - for a team in the regular season to outperform their level of talent, with hard work and dedication, leading to consistent performance... thats not a bad thing. i just think that advantage is lessened in the post season, as compared to the regular season. to me, the biggest complement is to the coach - billy d did a fantastic job this year, getting the most out of his guys game in and game out (or as close as you realistically get to that unachieveable goal). as much as i hate duke, i can't deny coach k is an excellent coach, and i think of him similarly (well, except for the hating him and all the flopping part)... great at getting the most of of his guys, building work ethic and determination, more than just relying on talent. they are both great game coaches too, something i wish i could say about our coach (coach cal). so if you disagree, im curious what specifically do you disagree about - in these instances, are these two coaches not getting the most out of their guys? are they not getting a level of dedication and consistent effort other coaches fail to exact from their players? or are you disagreeing this advantage is more significant in the regular season than the post season? i mean, you can say, "they have the talent, too", but im not really disagreeing, i just don't think its quite of the 1st class nature - just a little lower, with the slack picked up in the areas mentioned (which to me, frankly, is more respectable - winning on talent is still great because you are winning, but if i had my choice, i'd rather win in any other category)
i know most of my posts citing duke are of the negative variety, but this wasn't one. i always thought of coach k as a guy who generally took the smarter players over the more talented players, the guys who worked hard and earned everything they got. he's had plenty of talented guys... obviously... but i always thought his priorities were a little more geared to the smart hard working guys, than other high end coaches. but if i'm wrong, let me know, i'm more than happy to cross off one of the very few reasons i have some respect for that man :)
3/18/2014 4:41 PM (edited)