Unlike many sports fans, I don't subscribe to the theory that the NCAA Tournament renders the college basketball season meaningless. For some juggernauts, the early season matchups are relatively worthless, but for the vast majority of teams, quality wins are needed no matter where or when they fall on the schedule.
The University of Florida has presented both sides of this case within the past two seasons. When the Gators went on a late season skid last year, there wasn't a high level of concern amongst Florida faithful. Sure, Gator fans were worried about righting the ship in time for another run at a National Title but they never questioned whether or not Florida would receive anything other than a #1 or 2 seed (to say nothing of the lack of attention that most paid to the out of conference schedule). This year, however, has seen Billy Donovan trot out a new team almost entirely, and that new team needed to stack up wins in the early season in order to be adequately prepared for the struggles that would undoubtedly come in conference play for a team that boasts 4 freshman and 2 sophomores in its top 7. Despite some unexpectedly heady play by freshman guards Nick Calathes and Jai Lucas early in the SEC season, Florida's youngsters have struggled to fight through the fatugue that rough and tumble conference play often brings and, as a result, the losses have stacked up in the last few weeks.
So what does all this mean? Well, to put it succintly, Florida needs another win (or two depending on who you ask) to ensure their inclusion in the NCAA Tournament. For a team this young, the tournament experience cannot be understated with regards to building towards future success and that's why today's game against SEC West leader Mississippi State may be the most important game of any of these young Gator's lives. According to me, if Florida captures a victory today, they're in the tourney. With that in mind, I'll be liveblogging the Florida-Mississippi State game in comments here this afternoon. If you're drunk, bored or absolutely hard up for some quasi-human interaction, join me. I'll be the one with his fingers crossed.
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39 comments:
CBS gets us to the game with MSu up 20-14. I would've actaully been okay with keeping it at OT of the Marquette-Georgetown game.
I see my spelling is already spot on.
Back to Milwaukee, with Marquette up 3...and Wallace banks home a 3 as the shot clock goes off. I hope Gus Johnson doesn't die on us today...
I just realized MSU-Uf features two halves of D-1's most famous active brother tandems. Calathes has a brother who's the leading scorer for St. Joe's and MSU starts Ben Hansbrough in their backcourt.
UF shooting 30%, uggh...
I'd bet my kidneys that Calathes will be the SEC POY by his junior year (calling bookie)
Florida looks like a high school team under the boards against MSU
Wow...Marquette's gonna be kicking themselves for awhile after that loss. Stupid turnovers and stupid fouls...
Huge 3 to get it back to ten by Calathes.
UF needs to get this down to 6 or 7 by half
Mareese Speights is going to drive some NBA fans crazy over the next few years. He has so much ability but it only comes in flashes. It's typical in youn bigs but few have as polished an offensive game as him at this stage.
Down 12 at half...outlook not so good.
Tyrese Rice had 34 (with 8 3's) on UNC in the 1st half...good golly.
And he picks Quentin Thomas clean to start the half...36.
38
One of my friends who went to Aubunr absolutely swears that MSu has the hottest girls (per cap) in the SEC. I find this very hard to believe
UNC is only down 3. Rice needs to start jacking up some shots...
Florida's getting murdered on the boards. Unless they get ridiculously hot from outside there is no way they can win this game.
41-34, Miss State still leading but Florida's showing some life.
UNC now leads..and Tyrese Rice is gonna choke a white bitch in Boston tonight.
I'd like to state, for the record, that I hate watchign Dan Werner play. He brings so little offense.
5 point game...and a turnover by MSU. Here we go...
MSU has a center (last name: Varnardo) who blocks everything within 5 feet of the hoop. Even with zero offensive game he'l find his way into the league.
Oh yeah, 42 for Rice. BC still losing.
If I didn't want to accept that i'm old, the widespread return of shaving lines into one's hair as a fashion statement would've definitively pushed me in that direction...
Lead back to 10. I hate all the Hansbroughs.
Florida can't hit enough outside shots to make up for their lack of beef inside. Down 9 with 9 to go, I can't see how they pull this out.
Make it 11 points.
I'll take Chandler Parsons over Dan Werner all day long. You see, he actually looks at the rim.
As I type that, Parsons bounces a perfect pass to Speights for a dunk and the foul.
I hear Rutgers calling your name Dan.
Ty Lawson is wearing AND1 socks today. I bet Phil Knight just dispatched one of his thugs to Chapel Hill to have a "discussion" with Tywon this evening.
Tyrese Rice drops 46 and still loses to UNC by 10. Ouch.
Jai Lucas is a nice PG and will be better than his brother. however, developing a quick release, consistent 3 pt shot is the key in his ascendancy to elite PG status in the SEC.
Dan Werner: 0 pts, 5 fouls. It's a good thing I don't live in Gainesville anymore.
Every time that the Gators look like they're going to break through they throw the ball away or take a stupid shot.
Such is youth, I guess.
I don't quite understand how CBS is going to air "Dexter". Is it just going to be edited from Showtime (an awful idea) or completely reworked, scripted and shot for network television?
Either way, I'm dubious.
6 point game...
Can I get some Pitt-Cuse magic in here?
Fuck. Hansbrough says no.
Lead back to 11 and Florida's done.
I sincerely hope they beat Tennessee on Wednesday but it goes without saying that I'm skeptical.
I think I see the ghosts of Eddie Shannon and Greg Stoltz spelling out NIT on the locker room blackboard.
Fuck. Me.
I watched Dexter last wk on CBS and it was the one episode I saw on Showtime. It was pretty much the same, w/o language of course.
Joe was here the last couple of days on his way to NY. Thursday was your typical trainwreck. Drink, go to strip club, drink more, close down strip club, end up at gas station b/c we couldn't find a Denny's, come back and drink more until 4am. Friday was a little tamer (take out the strip club). Good times.
The drafts in less than 2 months, hopefully the Browns have some picks left by then.
I just can't see me watching Dexter knowing what I'm missing.
Nice work by you and Joe. I look forward to closing said strip club in April. Whether they have draft picks left or not, you have to like what Cleveland's doing so far, and that includes the Stallworth signing. I think he's wildy overrated (he's was the #4 receiver on NE by year's end) but he'll add a dimension to Cleveland's offense in the slot this season.
Another Stallworth point/question: Has any average receiver ever received so much attention and compensation for his relatively mediocre efforts in the last ten years? He signs a big FA deal every year or so. It's gotta be working out great for him based on signing bonuses and guaranteed $ alone. God, I hate that guy.
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