Well it is time for a completely superficial post on basketball.  This time of the year gets hoops fans going crazy.  I am going to break this post down into a college section and then an NBA section.  Some of this stuff I have been thinking through for awhile, and some of the other stuff I just landed on this weekend.

College

General Thoughts:

1. Tom Izzo is unbelievable at maximizing talent.  I think he may be the best coach (taking off recruiting) in college basketball.
2. William Buford does not have “it” (I know he made a huge shot against MSU a week back).  He is not a good leader and he is not able to raise his game when you need him too much
3. Thad Matta is not a great game coach.  OSU fans should really be over the throw it into Sullinger and stand around thing
4. Austin Rivers is an unreal offensive player.  He does things that are just special at the offensive end of the floor.
5. I think it is just silly that Bruce Weber lost his job.  The standards for what coaches need to achieve are just silly.
6. Calling the Pac-12 bad this year is an insult to the word bad.  It was a joke.
7. As talented as UNC is, and as much as I love them, I do not think they will win it all.  They do not have anyone on their team that would get in a fight with you in the parking lot.  No one is mentally and physically tough.  Every great team has a guy like that.
8. I would love to see Robbie Hummel have a little tournament run.  That kid has been through a lot.

Who I Am Rooting for in the Tournament:

1. North Carolina – as always, when it comes to college basketball, my first allegiance is the Tarheels
2. Ohio State – this is again my staple, I grew up a Buckeye and live in Columbus.  I want to see the Buckeyes do well
3. Whoever is playing Duke – as a Tarheel fan, it is really hard to support the Blue Devils
4. Whoever is playing Kentucky – I am not a Calipari fan
5. Ohio – love rooting for MAC schools…I also have watched some of the kids on that team from Columbus play throughout high school
6. Murray State – my father-in-law played football there
7. Any Big 10 team – I like this conference and enjoy watching it succeed
8. Creighton – I enjoy watching the McDermott kid play

NBA

1. Kevin Durant can flat out score.  He is so fun to watch at the offensive end.  People do not understand just how gifted he is.
2. Kobe Bryant makes more challenged/ difficult shots than anyone in the NBA.  Of all the players in the NBA, he makes more shots that make me say “stop it.”
3. Kyrie Irving is showing an ability to score when everyone knows he is going to try.  I really think he is going to be special.
4. I continue to be mystified why LeBron is so good during the regular season, but has struggled so much in the playoffs.  It has to be mental, because the physical is just insane.
5. Russell Westbrook is a special athlete.  I am constantly impressed with his explosiveness.
6. Steve Nash may be one of the most underrated shooters the NBA has ever had.  He has done it year end and year out at a really high level.
7. Jeremy Lin is trying to do too much.  The kid can play, but he is attempting to do things he is not ready for.  That bums me out, because it does not change, it will be his demise.
8. The league should fine any player who makes it public he wants to be traded.  This whole thing of the players controlling where they go is just silly.
9. It bums me out to see Michael Jordan failing so miserably at being an owner.  It goes to show that being an amazing player does not correlate for many to the front office stuff.
10. Kevin Love has moved his way into a top 10 player in the league for me.  That guy is flat out a player.