Usually on SportsCenter after the national championship game Dick Vitale gives his prediction for who he thinks will win the title the following year. Who did he pick for 2008?
Usually on SportsCenter after the national championship game Dick Vitale gives his prediction for who he thinks will win the title the following year. Who did he pick for 2008?
He is waiting until Greg Oden decides on going pro or not. If he comes back Dickie V. (who was stiffed for the hall of fame again)has said Ohio State is hands down his pick.
If Oden leaves, it will be up to 7'0" high school all american Kosta Koufos to take his place. The following year, 7'2" B.J. Mullins wil join the Buckeyes. I am guessing Matta didn't think Oden would be around long when he recruited these players to Ohio State.
rippy cripple wrote:
He is waiting until Greg Oden decides on going pro or not.
At the risk of stating the obvious, a LOT depends upon who decides to go pro (or not).
For example, the UCLA Bruins don't have any seniors in their starting lineup, and they have the top-rated HS center (Kevin Love) coming in next year. If everybody returns for Ben Howland, then Ohio State certainly isn't a "hands down" pick.
i would guess: ucla or unc.
Indiana Hoosiers
He listed his preseason top 5 earlier today. He had North Carolina at number 1, and Kansas at number two. I can't remember the order of his other three but I'm pretty sure they were UCLA, Georgetown, and Memphis.
Added Perspective wrote:
rippy cripple wrote:He is waiting until Greg Oden decides on going pro or not.
At the risk of stating the obvious, a LOT depends upon who decides to go pro (or not).
then Ohio State certainly isn't a "hands down" pick.
That is just what they reported on the radio today but it is pretty obvious that Vitale doesn't think Oden will be back. (And he shouldn't, even though I am a Buckeye fan)
UCLA is by far the best team. They play excellent defense and if we learned anything by watching the Ravens super bowl victory is just that....
Ohio State couldn't hold a candle to UCLA and they were lucky that they weren't on the same side of the bracket. Ohio state was overrated in football and they are in basketball as well.
gratias de deus
I don't know what football has to do with basketball but I do know that UCLA looked very poor against Florida.
rippy cripple wrote:
I don't know what football has to do with basketball but I do know that UCLA looked very poor against Florida.
Yes, they did... and I seem to recall the Buckeyes being embarrassed by Florida this season, too.
Even after the semi-final loss, the Bruins still finished the season with the best W/L record in the nation against the other teams ranked with Sagarin's top 50... 14-3.
The Buckeyes enjoyed a banner year, but there's a good chance that UCLA was actually the second-best team in the nation this season.
Duke
Added Perspective wrote:
Even after the semi-final loss, the Bruins still finished the season with the best W/L record in the nation against the other teams ranked with Sagarin's top 50... 14-3.
You can spin records anyway you want. Why don't you tell us how many losses they had against teams NOT in the top 50?
Ohio State had ZERO. Actually, Ohio State only lost to teams ranked in the top 5 in the country at the time they played.
Unless they play each other, there is no way to tell who is better. It is safe to say that right now they are two of the best programs in the country.
Hoosiers have the top class in the nation coming in next year headlined by Ben Gordan. They graduate only one starter, Earl Calloway their point guard. They'll make it to the Final Four with Ohio State, UCLA and Louisville. UCLA won't win it all until it figured out how to score points. Ohio State and UCLA in the final game. Ohio State wins regardless of Oden decision.
Alan
rippy cripple wrote:
Unless they play each other, there is no way to tell who is better. It is safe to say that right now they are two of the best programs in the country.
Even if they play each other, you can argue the "better" team isn't conclusively determined. Basketball teams have bad days and lose games. That's why in the NBA they have a series to determine the better team.
rippy cripple wrote:
You can spin records anyway you want. Why don't you tell us how many losses they had against teams NOT in the top 50?
Ohio State had ZERO. Actually, Ohio State only lost to teams ranked in the top 5 in the country at the time they played.
Unless they play each other, there is no way to tell who is better. It is safe to say that right now they are two of the best programs in the country.
Put another way, Ohio State had no significant wins outside of conference in the regular season. They lost badly to all marquee teams. In fact, the best team they beat all year was Georgetown in the tournament. Memphis, as usual, was very overrated, also having beaten no one significant outside of the weak conference USA before the tournament.
Sac State...
Check that... OSU did beat #20 Tennessee by a basket at home back in January, but that's it. Definitely no good road wins.
"Yes, they did... and I seem to recall the Buckeyes being embarrassed by Florida this season, too."
Obviously you don't know much about college basketball. It was early in the season, Oden's first game back from injury, AND it was AT Florida, who was skidding at the time. Ohio St. - as the tournament results PROVED - was NOT overrated. Give credit where credit is due.
Need I remind you that they were also embarrassed in the championship, nevermind that regular season road blip? They certainly deserved to be in the championship game, but Florida did to them precisely what they did to everyone else. Florida's best competition in the tournament was actually Purdue.
Georgetown will win next year.