Here's what Yahoo's Pat Forde had to say in his most recent column:
Mississippi, Oregon and Marquette were January fads with a home-stretch expiration date. The Rebels were 6-0 in the SEC before losing at home to Kentucky and being thrashed at Florida. The Ducks got to 7-0 in the Pac-12, then (without injured point guard Dominic Artis) were beaten twice in the Bay Area. The Golden Eagles led the Big East (for a day) before walking into a Louisville buzz saw Sunday. All three teams overachieved to be at the top of their respective leagues. Now comes the market correction and the reality check. All four figure to have multiple losses to come, but Oregon has the most user-friendly schedule (no more meetings with fellow Pac-12 title contenders Arizona and UCLA). Don't expect to see any of the three cutting down nets as conference champs.
Hurts to hear, but hard to argue with it.
Here's the link to the full article for anybody interested:
http://sports.yahoo.com/news/ncaab--forde-minutes--parity-no-1-indiana-ncaa-tournament-seeding-083102727.html
I don't think many MU fans really think that this team is a serious BE title contender. I do think that the remaining schedule gives us a pretty good shot at a first round BET bye and a decent to good seed in the NCAAs. I feel better about every game left on our schedule than I did about Louisville.
I'm grabbing my pitchfork and heading to Twitter!! Who's with me??
I do agree that we have been fortunate. With 4 home games in the remaining 10, 4 of those remaining games are against teams in the top half of the league (as it stands today). We lose 4 of the ten, maybe get a good upset and have a bad one.
We're in good shape, as schizophrenic as this team has been.
I cannot disagree that we won't be cutting down nets as conference champs (unless there's some upsets in the BE tournament that bounce our way). (I might have lost myself in the double-negative there.)
I be happy, if we went 4 & 6. 6 & 4 would be unbelievable.
Quote from: bilsu on February 06, 2013, 01:33:10 PM
I be happy, if we went 4 & 6. 6 & 4 would be unbelievable.
Seriously? I consider 6 & 4 to be attainable. There are two very important games this week. We need both.
You'd be "happy" with 4-6 with one of the 4 being Depaul at home?
So 3-6 in all other games would make you "happy"? Wow.... ::)
We will know in next couple of weeks if we were Jan fad or not. Interesting season for all of college hoops and enjoying watching the excitement. My gut tells me MU might have been more highly regarding than the talent merited. Previously I thought we could upset most top teams a couple times out of ten on neutral floor and now not sure.
2-0 this week is pretty important in my book. Gets us to 8 conference wins with 8 to play, and basically eliminates almost any chance at another "bad loss" off the schedule (@SH the only other real danger there).
We probably performed better than all but a handful of teams in January. MU went from #58 to #25 in Pomeroy's rankings from Jan 1 to before the L'Ville game. It takes some excellent play to make a jump like that. Forde might be extrapolating a bit much from the buzzsaw we ran into at the Yum.
Quote from: akmarq on February 06, 2013, 01:19:54 PM
I don't think many MU fans really think that this team is a serious BE title contender. I do think that the remaining schedule gives us a pretty good shot at a first round BET bye and a decent to good seed in the NCAAs. I feel better about every game left on our schedule than I did about Louisville.
Go back about 1 week and read some posts, some certainly did. Nothing wrong with dreaming and hoping.
Quote from: MU82 on February 06, 2013, 01:16:00 PM
All four figure to have multiple losses to come......
Who is the "fourth" team? Everywhere else he talks about three teams.....and we're supposed to take him seriously? I say 6-4 is very doable.
Quote from: ChicosBailBonds on February 06, 2013, 02:11:14 PM
Go back about 1 week and read some posts, some certainly did. Nothing wrong with dreaming and hoping.
We're still tied for 1st and we still certainly can do it. Just have to win some tough games, but it's still doable. Would I bet on it? No, but it's not like it's a foregone conclusion that we won't.
Quote from: ChicosBailBonds on February 06, 2013, 02:11:14 PM
Go back about 1 week and read some posts, some certainly did. Nothing wrong with dreaming and hoping.
akmarq says not many. You correct him by saying some. Can't that be the the same thing? Brew 77 (solid but very optimistic poster) led the charge, but I don't recall a great deal of support for the idea that we'd win the Big East.
Quote from: Jajuannaman on February 06, 2013, 02:18:54 PM
We're still tied for 1st and we still certainly can do it. Just have to win some tough games, but it's still doable. Would I bet on it? No, but it's not like it's a foregone conclusion that we won't.
In a league where a 5-5 Villanova has beaten your #1 and #3 team, I wouldn't feel too bad about sitting at #2.
Forde isn't wrong but I think we can go 7-3 the rest of the way and get a bye. You really have to admire Buzz and how hard these kids play. I have a lot more confidence in Buzz than his predecessor.
You have to beat the 2 teams coming up! Have to hold service against teams on the lower end of the conference, and you have 2 right now, S. Florida, never easy and
DePaul who should yesterday against Villy that once you get them down there toast. Georgetown will be challenging but beatable, will be a tight low scoring game. When
those games, then it will be hard not to make the tournament.
Quote from: Jajuannaman on February 06, 2013, 02:07:10 PM
We probably performed better than all but a handful of teams in January. MU went from #58 to #25 in Pomeroy's rankings from Jan 1 to before the L'Ville game. It takes some excellent play to make a jump like that. Forde might be extrapolating a bit much from the buzzsaw we ran into at the Yum.
Love that guy's computer rankings. Glad he had Florida giving the points last night for a rollover in Fayetteville. Very relevant.
So by my calulations we have 10 games left and the only one where we will for sure be an underdog is @ Georgetown. Might very well be an underdog against Nova. Certainly home games against Pitt, Syraucse and ND will be difficult but I bet we will be favored against Pitt and ND and close to a toss up against Syracuse. The other road games will be difficult because they are on the road but none fo them are against NCAA tourny teams as things stand today.
If we go 4-6 the rest of the way and finish 10-8 after a 6-1 start that would indeed be disappointing. IMO
Quote from: The Golden Avalanche on February 06, 2013, 02:54:06 PM
Love that guy's computer rankings. Glad he had Florida giving the points last night for a rollover in Fayetteville. Very relevant.
It's an objective measure of relative strength. It's not the be all end all, but speaks to our January performance quite well. Sorry it shows MU in a good light, I know that makes you sad :'(
Quote from: MuMark on February 06, 2013, 03:02:53 PM
So by my calulations we have 10 games left and the only one where we will for sure be an underdog is @ Georgetown. Might very well be an underdog against Nova. Certainly home games against Pitt, Syraucse and ND will be difficult but I bet we will be favored against Pitt and ND and close to a toss up against Syracuse. The other road games will be difficult because they are on the road but none fo them are against NCAA tourny teams as things stand today.
If we go 4-6 the rest of the way and finish 10-8 after a 6-1 start that would indeed be disappointing. IMO
In our last 3 home games we'll be a slight favorite over ND, pick 'em vs Pitt and a slight dog vs Syracuse. We'll be a 5-6 point dog at GTown, and the balance of the eastern (SHall, Rutgers, Nova, St Johns) will be close to pick 'ems. Lots of tough games left.
Pat Forde was a January fad.
If that.
Quote from: BrewCity BallCrusher on February 06, 2013, 04:14:18 PM
Pat Forde was a January fad.
If that.
(http://www.zgeek.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/kelso-burn.jpg)
Quote from: Lennys Tap on February 06, 2013, 03:55:04 PM
In our last 3 home games we'll be a slight favorite over ND, pick 'em vs Pitt and a slight dog vs Syracuse. We'll be a 5-6 point dog at GTown, and the balance of the eastern (SHall, Rutgers, Nova, St Johns) will be close to pick 'ems. Lots of tough games left.
That's why tonight and Saturday are critical. Much like the past 10-15 days, win the 2 you are supposed to and then a road loss at UL didn't really hurt. Beat USF and DePaul and then we're playing with house money against GTown next week. And if by chance we can go 3-0.....
Quote from: bilsu on February 06, 2013, 01:33:10 PM
I be happy, if we went 4 & 6. 6 & 4 would be unbelievable.
According to the poll DenverMU started after the Louisville game, about 65% of posters believe we will go 7-3 the rest of the way. Only about 12% think we'll go 6-4 or worse, for what it's worth.
Get us in the NCAAs and I don't care what anyone thinks of our Januarys!
As Al Davis said, "Just win, Baby!"
If someone can direct me to the counter where you sign up for the 12-6 Big East record, I'll gladly go ahead and do that right now. If they're closed, I'll happily pop next door to the 11-7 window.
Of the remaining schedule games that I think we should win are: @usf, Dep, @Hall, @Rutg. Games I think we have at least a 50% shot of winning: Pitt, @Vill, ND, @Sju. Which leaves just @Gtwn and Cuse. So if we win 3 of the 4 we should win, get 2 of the 4 we could win, and upset Cuse at home that would get us 6 more wins. I think its possible!
All this is good. We should get a bye given our record and remaining schedule. I would be shocked, pleasantly, if we won the BE tourney. Would love to see it, but that sort of jungle doesn't have me thinking we'll be cutting down nets at MSG. Which is what Ford said.
At the beginning of the season we were picked in the lower middle to bottom of the BEast. If we can finish strong and end up with a bye on the tourneym that is just fantastic. Cutting down the nets int he BEast? Not so much, but a bye would be a huge finish in this conference, and a nice set up for the NCAA dance. Our January schedule was wasier that what we have left, but that's not our fault. MU is just trying to win one game at a time, whoever the opponent.
Let's Go Marquette and start our strong finish with a win over DePaul. That is a game we must have.
Quote from: ChicosBailBonds on February 06, 2013, 02:11:14 PM
Go back about 1 week and read some posts, some certainly did. Nothing wrong with dreaming and hoping.
He said "not many" not that there were none. Yes, somewhere on the internet, someone probably said something.
Win your home games and steal at least 1 on the road = 12-6.
Quote from: Goose on February 06, 2013, 01:53:01 PM
We will know in next couple of weeks if we were Jan fad or not. Interesting season for all of college hoops and enjoying watching the excitement. My gut tells me MU might have been more highly regarding than the talent merited. Previously I thought we could upset most top teams a couple times out of ten on neutral floor and now not sure.
We're 0 for 2 so far, but that doesn't mean we couldn't get a couple wins in our next 8 tries.
Quote from: bkooncy on February 06, 2013, 05:54:46 PM
Of the remaining schedule games that I think we should win are: @usf, Dep, @Hall, @Rutg. Games I think we have at least a 50% shot of winning: Pitt, @Vill, ND, @Sju. Which leaves just @Gtwn and Cuse. So if we win 3 of the 4 we should win, get 2 of the 4 we could win, and upset Cuse at home that would get us 6 more wins. I think its possible!
Let's win 4 of the 4 we should win, 2 of the 4 we could win, and 1 of the 2 we might win to get to 13-5 instead. Hell, let's win 3 of the 4 we could win and go 14-4 instead.
I think we have roughly a 98% chance of beating DePaul. I think our chances of winning are between 40 and 60% for each of the last eight games. I think 12-6 is the most likely outcome, but anything between 8-10 and 16-2 is possible and any outcome between 10-8 and 14-4 is equally likely. I think we've got a lot of exciting close games coming up.
Quote from: TJ on February 07, 2013, 03:09:56 PM
Let's win 4 of the 4 we should win, 2 of the 4 we could win, and 1 of the 2 we might win to get to 13-5 instead. Hell, let's win 3 of the 4 we could win and go 14-4 instead.
THIS. A, always, B, be, C, closing. Always be closing. ALWAYS BE CLOSING.
(http://sueunerman.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/alwaysbeclosing1.jpg)
Is there a Shakespearian soliloquy that stands up to Alec Baldwin's in Mamet's Glengary Glen Ross?
Quote from: lab_warrior on February 07, 2013, 03:56:13 PM
THIS. A, always, B, be, C, closing. Always be closing. ALWAYS BE CLOSING.
(http://sueunerman.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/alwaysbeclosing1.jpg)
Nice guy? I don't give a crap. Good father? unnatural carnal knowledge you -- go home and play with your kids!!
Two words: Bulletin Board
Safe to say Buzz sent a thank you email to Forde
I just want to finish in the top 2 or 3 so Buzz can win big east coach of the year...hes definitely the prime candidate after losing a BE POY and a BE POY-contender..
Quote from: CTWarrior on February 07, 2013, 03:47:48 PM
I think we have roughly a 98% chance of beating DePaul. I think our chances of winning are between 40 and 60% for each of the last eight games. I think 12-6 is the most likely outcome, but anything between 8-10 and 16-2 is possible and any outcome between 10-8 and 14-4 is equally likely. I think we've got a lot of exciting close games coming up.
A 1-8 finish is not possible.
Quote from: ChicosBailBonds on February 06, 2013, 02:11:14 PM
Go back about 1 week and read some posts, some certainly did. Nothing wrong with dreaming and hoping.
I don't see why you would say that it is dreaming and hoping. Do I think we will win. No, but is it possible...yes and not even improbable.
Going down the stretch we have 4 really tough match ups (top 25). ND, Syracuse, Pitt and Georgetown.
All except for Georgetown we will be playing at home. Advantage us. Especially because of all those teams the one we matchup best against is Georgetown (the away game).
We have 5 other remaining road games. All are against teams that we legitimately should beat. Will we lose some of them most likely, but it is not unreasonable to expect us to win all/most of them.
So lets look at the top of the standings. We have Syracuse, and Pitt. We play them both at home, win them and we add a loss for both teams and gain the tie-breaker. Georgetown I think we can beat on the road, another loss for them and gain the tie-breaker.
Our big problem is Louisville, who I think has turned the corner and wins the conference.
The only reason I don't think we win the conference is I don't think Louisville loses much more and I think we lose a few games that we should have won. Its part of basketball especially this year.
Quote from: Lennys Tap on February 07, 2013, 04:09:09 PM
Is there a Shakespearian soliloquy that stands up to Alec Baldwin's in Mamet's Glengary Glen Ross?
But man, proud man,
Drest in a little brief authority,
Most ignorant of what he 's most assured,
His glassy essence, like an angry ape,
Plays such fantastic tricks before high heaven
As make the angels weep.
Quote from: karavotsos on February 07, 2013, 09:18:53 PM
But man, proud man,
Drest in a little brief authority,
Most ignorant of what he 's most assured,
His glassy essence, like an angry ape,
Plays such fantastic tricks before high heaven
As make the angels weep.
Is that Bill Shakespeare or Bill Raftery describing TC on the sidelines tonight? Either way, it's awesome.
Used it to upsell a guy in the drive-thru on the apple turnover this afternoon. ABC.
Quote from: karavotsos on February 07, 2013, 09:49:51 PM
Used it to upsell a guy in the drive-thru on the apple turnover this afternoon. ABC.
LOL
I was one that believed we could win the league. I still believe that. No matter how bad Louisville went, it's still just one in the loss column. Look at the remaining schedule:
- DePaul: Win
- @ Georgetown: Tough game. They are playing better without Whittington, but aren't very deep. Winnable.
- Pittsburgh: Tough game, but we beat them on the road. Winnable.
- @ Seton Hall: Road is always tough, but very winnable.
- @ Villanova: Toughest game on the schedule, in my opinion. They beat UL and 'Cuse at home. I think we're the better team, but this one unnerves me a bit.
- Syracuse: They are always tough and play a good zone, but are very thin now. Winnable.
- Notre Dame: Senior Day, we're the better team and at home. Tough, but we should win.
- @ Rutgers: They've been awful in league play. Winnable.
- @ St. John's Really don't know what to make of them. Beat Cincy on the road, then lost to Rutgers. We're the better team. Tough but winnable.
.
I'm not saying we'll win all 9 games. But there isn't a game left we couldn't win. Honestly, Georgetown and Syracuse are probably the only two games we
shouldn't win. I really believe 15-3 would win the league outright. 14-4 would probably get us at least a share of 1st as long as we beat Syracuse. Everyone has been slipping up. We're the only team that really hasn't lost a game they shouldn't have lost. If we continue that, why can't we win the league? Who can't we beat?
Quite simply, we're in first place and have already played our three toughest road games. I'm not saying we will win, but I sure as hell wouldn't write us off because of one loss at Louisville.