Guess the Guard

[96warrior]

"Here's the thing about ___: throughout his entire career, all anyone has ever talked about is what he isn't. He's not a great shooter. He's not big enough to be a superstar in the NBA. He makes dumb decisions and he gets into too much foul trouble and he turns the ball over too much."

[jesmu84]

Siva?

[96warrior]

Okay, that was a lot easier than I thought it would be. I was surprised to see that...he had a bit of a slump earlier this season but on the whole, I thought he has had a stellar career. I'd have thought that quote came straight from MUScoop about Junior or Vander.

[MerrittsMustache]

Who's that quote from? If anything, Siva has always gotten way too much credit, IMO.

[GGGG]

Okay, that was a lot easier than I thought it would be. I was surprised to see that...he had a bit of a slump earlier this season but on the whole, I thought he has had a stellar career. I'd have thought that quote came straight from MUScoop about Junior or Vander.

Siva was the victim of outsized expectations...just like Blue was early in his career.  When Pitino calls him one of the best he has ever coached, then I'm not going to argue with him.

[jesmu84]

I thought Siva was the best player on the court tonight. I don't think anyone can match his defensive energy/pressure and he creates lots of turnovers by himself (not to mention the many transition/breakaway shots he stopped by catching the MI players from behind). As well, he was the only person on Ville attacking the basket. He knows he's not a shooter, so doesn't take it if not wide open. And he made some jaw-dropping passes last night (alley-oop, bounce pass to russ smith in transition). And his own alley-oop was very impressive.

[96warrior]

Merritt, here is the link to the full article:
http://collegebasketballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/04/08/louisville-beats-michigan-82-76-wins-the-national-title/related/

But for a few games in late Jan/early Feb when he had a bit of a slump, I've been utterly amazed at Siva this season. He's like the energizer bunny. He was playing out of his mind last night. I must have watched that alley oop to Harrell about 100 times over.

[MU82]

Siva reminds me of Rajon Rondo. Not a great shooter but can knock some down, fearless driver in land of giants, very good finisher, completely tireless. Might actually be a better defender.

[avid1010]

Okay, that was a lot easier than I thought it would be. I was surprised to see that...he had a bit of a slump earlier this season but on the whole, I thought he has had a stellar career. I'd have thought that quote came straight from MUScoop about Junior or Vander.

you can't tell the difference between siva and junior?

[96warrior]

you can't tell the difference between siva and junior?

Yes, I can tell the difference. Siva owns Junior. As an MU fan, I can say that honestly. That is why I was surprised to see a quote about Siva that sounded much more like something I would see here about Junior.

[avid1010]

Yes, I can tell the difference. Siva owns Junior. As an MU fan, I can say that honestly. That is why I was surprised to see a quote about Siva that sounded much more like something I would see here about Junior.

mu is close to having all the pieces...a pg like siva and a little better 3pt shooting would have done it this year.  i worry that lack of pg production and the loss of otule and/or vander, will keep us from being an final four team next year as well. 

[GGGG]

I believe that Junior was Pitino's back up plan should Siva have gone elsewhere.  Siva committed to Louisville in May '08...Junior to MU in July.

[Jay Bee]

Great defender, but can't shoot from the perimeter and turns it over a ton. That's all true.

This was his best year offensively because he brought his turnovers down to just under a rate of 25%.

On his KenPom comparables for this season is Dominic James - Dom's SENIOR year.

Last year Siva's top comparable was Junior's Jr. season.

38/130 from 3FG (29.2%) this year.  80/291 3FG (27.5%) over past three seasons. Siva is Marquette.

[MU82]

I don't need Kenpom numbers to tell me that Siva was a championship-caliber PG down the stretch this season.

I also don't need Kenpom numbers to tell me that Wisconsin is the No. 1 team in the nation.

[Henry Sugar]

I don't need Kenpom numbers to tell me that Siva was a championship-caliber PG down the stretch this season.

I also don't need Kenpom numbers to tell me that Wisconsin is the No. 1 team in the nation.

Since you brought this up, I just wanted to say that last night's championship game was between the #1 Pomeroy team and the #5 Pomeroy team. The #1 Pomeroy team (with the #5 Adj Offense and the #1 Adj Defense) beat the #5 Pomeroy team (with the #1 Adj Offense and the #39 Adj Defense)

For as much as (some) people like to bag on the Pomeroy rankings, there's a pretty clear correlation between being a top 5 Pomeroy team and being in the National Championship game.

[Dawson Rental]

Siva gets away with traveling quite a bit... which should just continue in the NBA.

[96warrior]

I believe that Junior was Pitino's back up plan should Siva have gone elsewhere.  Siva committed to Louisville in May '08...Junior to MU in July.

While in a head-to-head situation Siva takes Junior, I'm very glad we had Junior these past four years. Gonna miss him a ton next year.

[keefe]

I believe that Junior was Pitino's back up plan should Siva have gone elsewhere.  Siva committed to Louisville in May '08...Junior to MU in July.

This is correct. Had Pitino offered I think he would have been a Card.

[Lennys Tap]

Since you brought this up, I just wanted to say that last night's championship game was between the #1 Pomeroy team and the #5 Pomeroy team. The #1 Pomeroy team (with the #5 Adj Offense and the #1 Adj Defense) beat the #5 Pomeroy team (with the #1 Adj Offense and the #39 Adj Defense)

For as much as (some) people like to bag on the Pomeroy rankings, there's a pretty clear correlation between being a top 5 Pomeroy team and being in the National Championship game.

So the NCAA tournament is not the crapshoot some claim it is.

[jesmu84]

So the NCAA tournament is not the crapshoot some claim it is.

Matchups bro... it's all matchups and luck. But, you do have to use how far you get in the NCAAs as a barometer of coaching performance.

[MU82]

Since you brought this up, I just wanted to say that last night's championship game was between the #1 Pomeroy team and the #5 Pomeroy team. The #1 Pomeroy team (with the #5 Adj Offense and the #1 Adj Defense) beat the #5 Pomeroy team (with the #1 Adj Offense and the #39 Adj Defense)

For as much as (some) people like to bag on the Pomeroy rankings, there's a pretty clear correlation between being a top 5 Pomeroy team and being in the National Championship game.

Lots of folks -- including a mope like me -- had Louisville winning the title.

On the other hand, I never had Wisconsin rated as the best team in the history of mankind.

Oh, and Michigan wasn't exactly a crazy stretch for the Final Four.

[ChicosBailBonds]

So the NCAA tournament is not the crapshoot some claim it is.

Are you serious?  Last I checked there are 68 teams in the tournament, it's a crapshoot for most of them, often even the champion.  This year, the best team won, that doesn't always happen.  Many years, the best team doesn't win....or are you really going to suggest the best team in the country wins the national championship every year?

Some serious experts would disagree with you., don't take my word for it.  Coach K, Jay Bilas, John Wooden, John Thompson, Jim Valvano, CM Newton, Bob Knight, Jim Boeheim, etc, etc....all have said the same thing.  Best team doesn't always win, far be it from me to ignore their intellect on this.



http://msn.foxsports.com/collegebasketball/lists/ncaa-tournament-best-teams-that-failed-to-win-championship-031913#tab=photo-title=Even+the+best+fall+short&photo=31646446

http://www.athlonsports.com/college-basketball/15-best-teams-never-won-ncaa-tournament

[MU82]

Are you serious?  Last I checked there are 68 teams in the tournament, it's a crapshoot for most of them, often even the champion.  This year, the best team won, that doesn't always happen.  Many years, the best team doesn't win....or are you really going to suggest the best team in the country wins the national championship every year?

Some serious experts would disagree with you., don't take my word for it.  Coach K, Jay Bilas, John Wooden, John Thompson, Jim Valvano, CM Newton, Bob Knight, Jim Boeheim, etc, etc....all have said the same thing.  Best team doesn't always win, far be it from me to ignore their intellect on this.



http://msn.foxsports.com/collegebasketball/lists/ncaa-tournament-best-teams-that-failed-to-win-championship-031913#tab=photo-title=Even+the+best+fall+short&photo=31646446

http://www.athlonsports.com/college-basketball/15-best-teams-never-won-ncaa-tournament

The beautiful thing about the NCAA hoops tournament -- as opposed to the BCS -- is that the tourney makes the "best team" have to survive a true gauntlet of competition to prove that it is, indeed, the best team.

[ChicosBailBonds]

The beautiful thing about the NCAA hoops tournament -- as opposed to the BCS -- is that the tourney makes the "best team" have to survive a true gauntlet of competition to prove that it is, indeed, the best team.

People here might want to read or listen to what Al McGuire said about it...he was dead right.  The best team doesn't always win the NCAA tournament. 

And, many experts disagree with you.  Simply put, the road is different for everyone.  One team's "path" can be much easier than another team's path based on action that has nothing to do with them...a higher seed is knocked off, etc, etc.   Point is, in a 1 game elimination, the best team doesn't always win.  When the Bulls won the NBA title, they lost playoff games...yet they were clearly the best team.  The Lakers, the same.  Yankees, same.  Etc, etc.  You have one bad day, you're done.

So no, it doesn't mean you are the best team.  It means you won the tournament, perhaps got a little luck in who you played, or more importantly who you didn't play, but ti doesn't always means you are the best team. Some years it does, many years it doesn't.

[Henry Sugar]

Lots of folks -- including a mope like me -- had Louisville winning the title.

On the other hand, I never had Wisconsin rated as the best team in the history of mankind.

Oh, and Michigan wasn't exactly a crazy stretch for the Final Four.

Hyperbole weakens your argument. Wisconsin was ranked #12.



Just because there is a result you disagree with in the ranking system does not invalidate the entire approach. I'd rather be a top ranked Pomeroy team than not.