Mornin Mates...
Today's Topic = Looking for Answers
Our Sun Devil swimming and diving team isn't looking for any answers as they just won a national championship for ASU...
The UConn basketball team sure doesn't look like it is looking for any answers as it's continuing to dominate in the NCAA tournament...
However, the AU basketball team is looking for answers after losing in the Sweet 16 to Clemson, that lost last night to Alabama...
Greg Hansen's theory is this in his newspaper column this morning...
He puts the blame for the Cats tournament failures onto a lousy PAC 12 conference, that doesn't prepare the Cats for what's ahead in March Madness...
Since the PAC added both Colorado and Utah, here are some stats he puts out there (he doesn't count Covid season)...
No. 1 Seeds...the PAC has had three of 44 available during that time period
Sweet 16 Berths...the PAC has had 17 of 176 available
Elite Eight Berths...the PAC has four of 88 available
Final Four Berths...the PAC has one of 40 available
Additionally, this season, the average NET ranking for the PAC was #89 compared to #47 for the Big 12...
He concludes by saying that the Cats will become more "battle tested" in the Big 12 than they have been in the PAC this past decade...
It will also be interesting to see if McKale continues to be as friendly to the Cats in the Big 12 as it has been in the PAC...
That aside, what does this all have to say about Bobby's Sun Devil efforts in, perhaps, the worst P-5 basketball conference in the country during the past decade..??
Is there anything positive in there for us to consider, especially since we are moving to the much more difficult Big 12 starting next season..??
Speaking of positives, our Sun Devils have had a good week by winning a national championship in swimming and diving, got a much needed baseball sweep against Cal in baseball, and watched as the Cats found a way to lose to Clemson on Thursday night in LA...
It would be more fun if we actually had a basketball program that could compete on a equal basis with the Cats but, we haven't for decades, so we take pleasure in their demise in the tournament, whenever it occurs, which it did again this March Madness...
It's pretty funny when their fans are grumpy because they only made it to the Sweet 16 while we get excited if we make it occasionally to a bubble berth in the tournament...
When it comes to coaching it isn't easy to find the "right stuff" when it comes to a head coach in any sport, especially in the Big 3 sports, but I'm hopeful that our next AD may have that ability when it comes to coaching hires in the future...
I'm also hoping that Dilly and Willie will turn out to have the "right stuff" moving forward but time will tell, as always...
Well, I hope the Easter bunny is good to all of you this cold and cloudy day in the desert...
Have a good one and stay safe out there...
G'day Mates and Go Devils!!!
Today's Topic = Looking for Answers
Our Sun Devil swimming and diving team isn't looking for any answers as they just won a national championship for ASU...
The UConn basketball team sure doesn't look like it is looking for any answers as it's continuing to dominate in the NCAA tournament...
However, the AU basketball team is looking for answers after losing in the Sweet 16 to Clemson, that lost last night to Alabama...
Greg Hansen's theory is this in his newspaper column this morning...
He puts the blame for the Cats tournament failures onto a lousy PAC 12 conference, that doesn't prepare the Cats for what's ahead in March Madness...
Since the PAC added both Colorado and Utah, here are some stats he puts out there (he doesn't count Covid season)...
No. 1 Seeds...the PAC has had three of 44 available during that time period
Sweet 16 Berths...the PAC has had 17 of 176 available
Elite Eight Berths...the PAC has four of 88 available
Final Four Berths...the PAC has one of 40 available
Additionally, this season, the average NET ranking for the PAC was #89 compared to #47 for the Big 12...
He concludes by saying that the Cats will become more "battle tested" in the Big 12 than they have been in the PAC this past decade...
It will also be interesting to see if McKale continues to be as friendly to the Cats in the Big 12 as it has been in the PAC...
That aside, what does this all have to say about Bobby's Sun Devil efforts in, perhaps, the worst P-5 basketball conference in the country during the past decade..??
Is there anything positive in there for us to consider, especially since we are moving to the much more difficult Big 12 starting next season..??
Speaking of positives, our Sun Devils have had a good week by winning a national championship in swimming and diving, got a much needed baseball sweep against Cal in baseball, and watched as the Cats found a way to lose to Clemson on Thursday night in LA...
It would be more fun if we actually had a basketball program that could compete on a equal basis with the Cats but, we haven't for decades, so we take pleasure in their demise in the tournament, whenever it occurs, which it did again this March Madness...
It's pretty funny when their fans are grumpy because they only made it to the Sweet 16 while we get excited if we make it occasionally to a bubble berth in the tournament...
When it comes to coaching it isn't easy to find the "right stuff" when it comes to a head coach in any sport, especially in the Big 3 sports, but I'm hopeful that our next AD may have that ability when it comes to coaching hires in the future...
I'm also hoping that Dilly and Willie will turn out to have the "right stuff" moving forward but time will tell, as always...
Well, I hope the Easter bunny is good to all of you this cold and cloudy day in the desert...
Have a good one and stay safe out there...
G'day Mates and Go Devils!!!
