ESPN broadcasted 24 straight hours of basketball yesterday in an attempt to let our football crazed country know that the season has indeed started. Upon hearing word of this event Bones contemplated skipping work, watching all 24 hours and satisfying even his most rabid of readers with a running commentary. I was going to let my boss know, that since my production comes nowhere close to outweighing what I cost the company in electricity, I felt the need to be a team player and take Tuesday off. Then I realized women's games would be part of the extravaganza. It pained me to let my readers down. However, I refuse to watch girls basketball unless Brittanny Jackson is given another year of eligibility or they decide to lower the rim a foot so everyone can touch the backboard. Even though I did not get to witness the all day affair it did make me realize that it was time for a Nostradamus like college basketball preview. So here our Bones' answers to the most pressing questions from the amateur basketball world.
Does Kansas have a shot at repeating as champions?
The answer to this question is obviously no. The reason is also obvious. They had six players drafted by the NBA (4 of which were not caught puff puff passing at the NBA's Rookie Transition Program with Michael Beasley). This team will have to cover up an obvious lack of talent, convince themselves they have something they don't and never admit defeat to even make the NCAA tournament. Essestially they must act like Bill Self's hair piece to have a decent season. Call me crazy but Bones does not think having to emulate a toupee is a blue print for success.
Is this the year Duke makes it back to the final four?
Another emphatic No. This team will post a very impressive record and probably finish second in the ACC. However, Gerald Henderson and Nolan Smith are still the team's only explosive players. Blue Devil contributors like Sheyer, Paulus and Singler are very talented but also are slow, weak and have been forced to hide from the sun their entire lives. No team that has that much in common with Bones will win 4 games in a tournament dominated by premier athletes.
Is their a more fun team to watch than Syracuse?
Not for Bones' money. This team is most likely headed for another underachieving season but that will not make their games any less fun to watch. For starters this team is talented. They have two future pros in Eric Devendorf and Johny Flynn to go along with physical specimens Paul Harris and Arinze Onuaku. They also play in a great gym and have a famous coach. However, the reason they are my favorite to watch is because their players act like they are clinically insane on the court. Onuaku screams after every basket, Harris looks and plays like a middle line backer, Devendorf acts as if he is possessed by demons whenever he scores and Flynn, in addition to being 5'10 and trying to dunk anytime he gets in the paint, does not stop talking the entire game. They say a great team takes on the personality of their coach. Unless Syracuse players start taking sedatives and watching "Curb Your Enthusiasm" marathons it looks like another NIT season for the Orange and Bones will be there for every minute of it.
Will UCLA make it a 4th straight Final Four?
I sure hope not. Bones would never knock a succesful coach like Ben Howlen but simply cannot bear to watch the Bruins come up short in a 55-49 Final 4 contest for a fourth straight year. Howlen preaches a tough, effective style of play. However, it is hard to believe they have not been more enertaining to watch with the all the great athletes they have had during their current run. Their style coupled with the departure of Kevin Love's immaculate chin strap has Bones rooting for an early Bruins exit.
Will UNC steam roll to a National Championship?
If Tyler Hansborough is healthy it is hard to fathom anyone beating the Tar Heels. Carolina posseses everything an elite team needs: A great point guard (Lawson), a scoring wing (Ellington), athletic, energetic freshman (Zeller, Davis) and an unstoppable inside force (Hansborough). Hopefully, UNC will win it all so Roy Williams can retire and perform the task he was put on this earth to fulfill. The man is undoubtedly a great coach but there is no denying he was created to own car dealerships. Please tell me Bones is not the only one who pictures him closing deals at Roy Williams Toyota everytime he flashes that salesman's smile, shakes the dangly gold bracelet back inside his suit and inexplicably looks at his watch like it knows something the Jumbotron doesn't.
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