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  1. #1
    Roy Hibbert Super Star InspiredLebowski's Avatar
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    Default 2011/12 Observation Deck

    That time of year.

    Start it off with 3 of St. John's 2nd in the nation ranked recruiting class being ruled academically ineligible. Jakarr Sampson, Amir Garrett, and Norvel Pelle will all miss at least the first 10 games of the year.

  2. #2
    7-time NBA All-Star KG215's Avatar
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    Default Re: 2011/12 Observation Deck

    Meh, like the article says, they probably were going to be a long-shot NCAA Tournament team anyway. They would have had a pretty good collection of talent, but it was going to be VERY young and inexperienced talent. And it's not like all of their recruits coming in were top 10-15 five-stars ala Kentucky.

    They should be there next year, and Lavin should have more depth and experience.

    On a different note, this is the most excited I've been about a college basketball season in three years. Not just because UNC entered the season three years ago as national title favorites as they do this year but, for the first time in four years, there is a group of three or four teams that have the potential to be VERY good. And another group just behind them with the potential to be better than the last couple of national champions (UConn and Duke).

  3. #3
    Roy Hibbert Super Star InspiredLebowski's Avatar
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    Default Re: 2011/12 Observation Deck

    Sampson and Garrett both spent their senior years at "prep schools." This isn't anything 99% of the posters here don't know (diploma mills), but it's just kinda gross. Indiana's got their own with La Lumiere, Bowman, Culver, etc.

    The US has their own Euro-style training academies, they just keep disguising them as actual schools.

  4. #4
    Roy Hibbert Super Star InspiredLebowski's Avatar
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    Default Re: 2011/12 Observation Deck

    ESPN says Pittsburgh and Syracuse have applied to join the ACC

  5. #5
    Roy Hibbert Super Star InspiredLebowski's Avatar
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    Default Re: 2011/12 Observation Deck

    Long time Providence coach and founding father of the Big East Dave Gavitt passed away today.

  6. #6
    7-time NBA All-Star KG215's Avatar
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    Default Re: 2011/12 Observation Deck

    Quote Originally Posted by InspiredLebowski
    ESPN says Pittsburgh and Syracuse have applied to join the ACC
    Wow, this just hit me from a completely different perspective. All along I have been seeing all of these conference re-alignment rumors and thinking of their impact on college football, only. Seeing you post this in the basketball college basketball forum, though, makes this particular change hit me a lot harder.

    You're talking about adding two premiere basketball programs to mix it up with UNC and Duke. I like it from a basketball view-point and I'm pretty indifferent about it when it comes to football. Neither brings much to the table football wise (Pitt does on occasion) except two new big markets. I've heard UConn and Rutgers to the ACC if they expand to a 16 team super-conference, which would easily make the ACC the SEC of college basketball.

    I figure the ACC will eventually add two more teams, too. The SEC has already essentially added Texas A&M and word has it West Virginia would be team #14 in the SEC. After that it seems like the two teams I'm hearing the most about joining the SEC as teams #15 and #16 are Missouri and Florida State.
    Last edited by KG215; 09-20-2011 at 11:39 AM.

  7. #7
    Roy Hibbert Super Star InspiredLebowski's Avatar
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    Default Re: 2011/12 Observation Deck

    Right, the ACC just became in effect unquestionably the best basketball conference in the nation. I know football's driving all this and for obvious reasons, but my first thought every time a move happens is about hoops because I really don't care all that much about NCAA football. I watch, it's enjoyable, but don't really care.

    I'm sure Pitt and Cuse will and are catching a lot of flak for this, and I understand it from the lesser (meant in the most polite way possible) BE members, but I salute them for being proactive. You can't be left out in the cold. Well done by the ACC too. Remember how AWESOME the Big East tournament at the Garden is (was?)? The ACC just opened up that venue to their tourney, complete with UNC and Duke.

    I don't want to predict who goes where now, but it really does seem inevitable to me that there's going to be 4 16 team super leagues sooner or later. I just know I want the Big Ten to add Kansas, Mizzou, Maryland, and Virginia. Virginia doesn't want to leave the ACC (and why would they) then I guess Rutgers would be OK. UVA'd give the B1G a monopoly on every major research institution in the Eastern half of the US, Ivy's not withstanding. That means nothing to most, but I'd be proud of it.

    Weirdest part about all this? Villanova and Georgetown basketball are probably "mid-majors" by 2014.

  8. #8
    I rule the local playground ukfan22's Avatar
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    Default Re: 2011/12 Observation Deck

    Nova, Marquette, Georgetown, St Johns, Depaul, Seton Hall and Providence are certainly in quite the pickle. Perhaps they could pick some from the A-10 to keep it a viable (and actually pretty decent) basketball conference. Something like:

    Nova
    Marquette
    Georgetown
    St Johns
    Depaul
    Seton Hall
    Providence
    Xavier
    Temple
    Dayton
    UMass
    St Josephs


    That would be pretty solid. I've also read that basically the leftovers of the Big 12 and Big East would merge, but that makes little sense geographically.
    Last edited by ukfan22; 09-20-2011 at 07:43 AM.

  9. #9
    Roy Hibbert Super Star InspiredLebowski's Avatar
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    Default Re: 2011/12 Observation Deck

    Y'know that hypothetical A10 is a REALLY good hoops conference, and makes a lot of sense on the surface to me, without knowing what each school wants and all that in terms of sports besides hoops and football.

  10. #10
    I rule the local playground ukfan22's Avatar
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    Default Re: 2011/12 Observation Deck

    Yeah, I have no idea if it's practical at all, but logically it makes a lot of sense.

  11. #11
    Roy Hibbert Super Star InspiredLebowski's Avatar
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    Default Re: 2011/12 Observation Deck

    Ohio State's heralded freshman wing LaQuinton Ross ruled an academic non-qualifier. There's questions about his transcripts, grades being inflated.

    Non-qualifiers, if they stay at the school, lose a year of eligibility, can't get a scholarship for a year, and can't practice/play for a year. Apparently Ross plans to leave OSU for prep school and try and get his grades and scores in order. If he does he could be eligible for the second semester.

  12. #12
    7-time NBA All-Star KG215's Avatar
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    Default Re: 2011/12 Observation Deck

    Why are they just getting that figured out? It's nearly October. Is he going to have time to find a prep school and get his grades sorted out by second semester?

  13. #13
    Sixers|Eagles|Phillies StateProperty's Avatar
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    Default Re: 2011/12 Observation Deck

    Quote Originally Posted by KG215
    Why are they just getting that figured out? It's nearly October. Is he going to have time to find a prep school and get his grades sorted out by second semester?
    I'm not sure why so late, but my stepbro just left for Ohio State as a freshman and freshmen there didn't even move in until Sept. 21st. Really late to start the year. Maybe that played a part.

  14. #14
    Sixers|Eagles|Phillies StateProperty's Avatar
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    Default Re: 2011/12 Observation Deck

    Rick Pitino wants Temple in the Big East:

    [QUOTE]

  15. #15
    Roy Hibbert Super Star InspiredLebowski's Avatar
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    Default Re: 2011/12 Observation Deck

    With the Big East tourney leaving the Garden, the A10 tourney's moving to the new Barclay's Center in Brooklyn.

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