3/19/2012 11:50:06 AM

Bleacher Report is weak: they earlier stated that we were making it to the Final Four (See http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1100635-ncaa-tournament-2012-bracket-10-facts-you-must-know-to-ace-your-picks) and now they are saying we aren't going to beat Kansas (See http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1109723-nc-state-basketball-wolfpacks-wild-ride-will-come-to-a-halt-in-sweet-16). Weak sauce!

I'll be in Atlantic City for this game...outside of the casino bar, any particularly good place to watch a game there? Never been to AC.

3/19/2012 12:03:50 PM

Why is it weak? Their Final Four picks are terrible and two peaced out early. It sounds like they don't know what they're talking about, so I'd bank on that...

3/19/2012 12:11:46 PM

Apologies if this has been posted already, but Myron Medcalf had the following to say at http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/tournament/2012/story/_/id/7705819/lasting-impressions-opening-weekend:

Quote :

"2. I like North Carolina State's potential to upset Kansas in the Sweet 16. The Wolfpack are long, athletic, talented and motivated. C.J. Leslie has always been an elite prospect, but he's been a consistent catalyst for Mark Gottfried's squad during the NCAA tournament. NC State has finally realized how good it can be if its energy level is consistent. Watch out for the Pack."

3/19/2012 12:13:53 PM

Quote :

"WATCH OUT FOR THE PACK"

3/19/2012 12:22:38 PM

This KU team is so fucking overrated. Self is a hack.

3/19/2012 12:36:37 PM

Quote :

"Self is a hack."

wut

3/19/2012 12:38:11 PM

Quote :

"This KU team is so fucking a little bit overrated. Self is a hack really good coach."

ftfy

[Edited on March 19, 2012 at 12:40 PM. Reason : don't worry though, we're still winning this game]

3/19/2012 12:40:04 PM

3/19/2012 12:53:51 PM

Quote :

"Why is it weak? Their Final Four picks are terrible and two peaced out early. It sounds like they don't know what they're talking about, so I'd bank on that..."

I'm just saying they aren't consistent with their own predictions. It's weak to make a prediction; back off that prediction; and then go with the complete opposite. That's a politician level flip-flop. Bleacher Report should continue the love for NCSU.

Speaking of media love for NCSU, anyone else concerned that all the national attention for NCSU (and more specifically Brown and Leslie) only makes Leslie's NBA jump more possible?

3/19/2012 12:54:58 PM

Quote :

"don't worry though, we're still winning this game"

3/19/2012 12:55:54 PM

Quote :

"Speaking of media love for NCSU, anyone else concerned that all the national attention for NCSU (and more specifically Brown and Leslie) only makes Leslie's NBA jump more possible?"

super concerned. would much rather play like shit and keep underperforming players for 4 years at a time.

[Edited on March 19, 2012 at 12:56 PM. Reason : the only thing to worry about is gottfried to ucla.]

3/19/2012 12:56:13 PM

can we have face back? i don't like changing things up in the middle of a winning streak, no matter how annoying he is.

3/19/2012 12:58:48 PM

hahaha

3/19/2012 1:02:29 PM

who the fuck intentionally reads bleacher report?

3/19/2012 1:07:27 PM

Quote :

"super concerned. would much rather play like shit and keep underperforming players for 4 years at a time."

Easy killa...I never said that I didn't want us to win or that I wanted us to underperform. Obviously, Leslie is one of our key players, and I think everyone would agree that we'd like for him to stick around instead of leave early for the NBA. I was simply pointing out that all the national media love for Leslie (while great for Leslie, the university, our basketball program, and recruiting) could make him jump to the NBA. I don't know about you, but I'd much rather see him stick around for four years versus leaving after two for the NBA.

Quote :

"who the fuck intentionally reads bleacher report?"

Good questions, I got those links from TWW posts.

3/19/2012 1:15:08 PM

Quote :

"I was simply pointing out that all the national media love for Leslie (while great for Leslie, the university, our basketball program, and recruiting) could make him jump to the NBA. I don't know about you, but I'd much rather see him stick around for four years versus leaving after two for the NBA."

i would rather be a bigtime program than somehow win under the radar, b/c that's not possible.

3/19/2012 1:16:56 PM

Why did face get suspended? I am not reading back through all the thread pages from this weekend. I like his basketball trolling.

3/19/2012 1:18:27 PM

Quote :

"i would rather be a bigtime program than somehow win under the radar, b/c that's not possible."

Troll much?

All State fan's want us to be a big time program. Thank you for stating the obvious. What's not obvious is Leslie's chance of going pro at the end of this year - anyone know any details about this?

(Note to simonn - notice how I narrowly tailored this question for you? don't be a troll)

3/19/2012 1:32:12 PM

Olivia, you bitch

3/19/2012 1:41:16 PM

i guess you could consider pointing out how stupid your post is as trolling.

hey guys, i'm worried that if we play unc in the elite eight then they won't overlook us and it might be a difficult game. does this scare anyone else?? let me know in the comments.

3/19/2012 1:42:11 PM

^^ Oh shit. Our good luck charm is a Kansas fan. We're fucked.


In other news:

MUST WIN TO PROVE BARACK H. OBAMA WRONG!!!!!!!!!!

3/19/2012 1:43:06 PM

NO FUCK THAT. WE HAVE TAKEN SOMETHING THAT IS THEIRS AND MADE IT OURS. THEY CAN NEVER DEFEAT US.

3/19/2012 1:47:19 PM

our other good luck charm's initials are k.u. so that doesn't help either. it's an omen.

3/19/2012 1:48:21 PM

^i disagree. I think it's a good sign. It just means this was written in the stars all along. With this team, playing with the heart and confidence that they are now... no team scares me. Yes, we're underdogs and KU is better than us in every statistical category, but this team has me believing that anything is possible. Probable, no, but possible. GO PACK!

3/19/2012 2:09:51 PM

So they have 2 big guys Robinson (6-10) and and Withey (7-0) Withey has 3.3 block a game and 5 blocks against Detroit.

not sure how quick he is maybe we can get him in foul trouble. Withey isn't a scorer (9 points a game) just a rebounder and shot blocker



***wrote this 2 hrs ago then the internet went out**

3/19/2012 2:12:10 PM

3/19/2012 2:13:35 PM

http://www.hoopsworld.com/2-kansas-vs-11-n-c-state-preview

Quote :

"HOOPSWORLD’s pick: N.C. State. The Wolfpack’s confidence is at an all-time high. We expect their balanced play to get them the upset victory over Kansas."

3/19/2012 2:19:18 PM

haha, what a coincidence about olivia's fandom and kate upton's initials. i think it's a good sign.

3/19/2012 2:22:08 PM

I like Kansas. I've watched a lot of their games this year and they've got a solid squad.

I really like Robinson. He's a tough player and you can't but be empathetic to his story and what he's gone through. That being said, he's not a dominant player...skill-wise or physically I mean, he's athletic, but he's not a 7-footer and he's not exactly Olajuwon in the post). He's got good size (I'm probably wrong, but he looks 6'8", not 6'10"), but isn't towering. Him and Howell will be a good matchup. Robinson is an overall better player and has been more consistent this year, but I think Howell can hold his own and then some, especially the way he's been playing recently. And Howell has a little more bulk on him. That being said...I can easily see Robinson getting Howell in foul trouble. The guy has a motor and we know how Howell can pick up the easy fouls. This will be an interesting matchup to watch.

Howell will also probably play Withey a lot...which I'm worried about. He reminds me of Len from Maryland, with more experience and a little more skill. He's also a legit 7-footer that can cause problems. Hopefully the refs will allow Howell and Painter to be physical with him without calling the touch fouls. If they can manage that, then he can be limited. But he'll get some buckets regardless because of height, just hope there won't be too many of them.

Taylor is good, but Brown is just as good and has the size edge. Taylor is an above average point guard that doesn't do anything spectacular. He can score points, hit his share of threes, and handle the ball decently. But he's not the best passer and turns the ball over a lot (has a pretty crappy ass/to ratio). Brown has a few inches on him and better length, so hopefully he can do a good job of containing him all game. I can see him abusing Alex Johnson though.

They are almost identical to us in the depth category. They have one decent backup in the post and one in the backcourt. I almost feel like whoever gets the other teams big men in foul trouble will win the game. Which I worry about because of Howell and CJL's propensity to get in foul trouble (I don't know how often Kansas' big men have this problem). If its called even, then I think the game is a toss-up. They don't have a shooter like Wood or a guy who can penetrate and has the size that Brown does. And other than Henson, Robinson will be CJL's toughest matchup to date on offense. And CJL will also have a very tough time defending Robinson in the paint. I think we should pack it in on Robinson and force their guards to make shots...if only because it will hopefully keep Calvin out of foul trouble. They've got good size/length and are athletic, so we'll have to hit our open shots and run the offense well...there won't be many easy baskets against this team.

Should be a great game. I was initially really worried about the game, but the more I reflect on watching Kansas this year and thinking about how well we've been playing of late, I'm very confident in our team. I think it's 50/50. Whatever team plays the hardest and/or catches some breaks will be playing on Sunday.

3/19/2012 2:22:50 PM

Olivia was just a undercover agent the entire time, scoping out KU for her Pack. We got this

3/19/2012 2:23:02 PM

Jason Sudeikis is the Kansas fan, Olivia was just using that Hat to tap dat and move on.

3/19/2012 2:23:22 PM

Olivia's just an advance scout

I'll get her report later after we're done having a lot of sex

3/19/2012 2:28:20 PM

18. North Carolina State is no Cinderella

Based on their seed, it's easy to label NC State a Cinderella team, but Cinderella teams typically look out of place and win because of luck, uncharacteristically hot shooting, or uncharacteristically cold shooting from the opposition. NC State, on the other hand, looks every bit like a 4- or 5-seed and is a legitimate threat to make it to New Orleans. The phrase "peaking at the right time" is beaten to death this time of year, but if there was ever a team that that phrase described perfectly, it's the Wolfpack.

3/19/2012 2:32:17 PM

^http://www.grantland.com/story/_/id/7708269/twenty-vital-observations-ncaa-tournament-first-weekend-including-lehigh-upsetting-duke-end-robbie-hummel-era-purdue-more

3/19/2012 2:32:53 PM

Quote :

"I'm about to crank up the Sunshine Sidney Squad Glorified Gottfried Gang here with some motherfucking optimism blowing out your asshole. ... We beat Clyde Drexler and Akeem Olajuwon. Why can't we beat Austin Rivers Tyshawn Taylor and John Henson Thomas Robinson? "

[Edited on March 19, 2012 at 2:34 PM. Reason : well that didn't work at all]

3/19/2012 2:34:07 PM

You all are aware that the bleacher report articles have different authors and the site is just a blog site that allows anyone to post an article?

3/19/2012 2:39:59 PM

Obviously they don't, which is understandable since only retards read Bleacher Report

3/19/2012 2:45:10 PM

Quote :

"20. The Buick Verano commercial featuring the band whose name I don't care to know is my own personal hell If you would've told me on Thursday that the Buick Verano commercial with the tour buses following a girl to the dry cleaners would run away with the title of "most annoying commercial of the 2012 tournament," I would've considered it an upset. But in retrospect, it was the obvious choice all along because the overall premise of the commercial is ridiculous, and it features a song that gets stuck in your head and a guy whose face is just asking to be punched. I'm not sure who the band in the commercial is, but I do know that while it may have started with a whisper, it's going to end with me putting car bombs in all those buses if that commercial continues violating my ears."

a fucking men

fuck that stupid commercial

3/19/2012 2:50:32 PM

Neon Trees

3/19/2012 2:56:12 PM

Olivia Wilde..what a beautiful, beautiful spy....by the powers of her enlarged titties, we will advance. kate upton will fart in the pool and harrison ford will tell us we may die, but they gotta guard us too, pal

3/19/2012 2:59:46 PM

I don't even know what Bleacher Report is. I was merely commenting on what was posted.

3/19/2012 3:00:33 PM

IT STARTED WITH A WHISPERRRRRRR




i'll always know that part now (and only part) b'c of march madness

3/19/2012 3:06:33 PM

3/19/2012 3:08:39 PM

so if we're playing KU because Kate Upton's initials are KU, does that mean we're destined to beat Kentucky in the finals?

[Edited on March 19, 2012 at 3:09 PM. Reason : Upton, Kate]

3/19/2012 3:09:10 PM

Quote :

"they gotta guard us too, pal"

3/19/2012 3:10:16 PM

^3 that guy was my second favorite.

[Edited on March 19, 2012 at 3:10 PM. Reason : slow]

3/19/2012 3:10:35 PM

Quote :

"As if that's not bad enough, there were handfuls of other terrible calls that weren't directly responsible for deciding games, such as all of the technicals called for hanging on the rim, and every single call Ted Valentine has made."

haha

3/19/2012 3:12:05 PM

Just got back from Columbus.

Boy am I glad the team held itself to high standards and achieved more than just finishing in the top half of the ACC or just making the tournament. We always have to guard against loser-level expectations if we want to get back to where we have been in the past.

We should be trying to beat Kansas rather than just be happy that we made the sweet 16. They have already lost to bad teams such as Duke and Missouri, so there's definitely a chance we can win.

From the games this weekend, we can expect Kansas to double and triple team Leslie and Brown's penetration, so we have to get better at having guys fill in open spots and getting them the ball. We did this occasionally in the GT game (first play second half), but not consistently and not well. We had some really sloppy turnovers as a result.

Props to the staff for scouting the GT offense well. We got some timely turnovers that helped us win the game. This team last year was completely befuddled by the GT offense.

We need Leslie and Howell out there all the time. The offense stagnates without Leslie, and Howell is just so much better at rebounding and defense than the bench. If these guys have to play longer in foul trouble, so be it.

Lorenzo needs to be even more aggressive, especially when they are denying Leslie the ball. Both Leslie and Brown can be first team all-acc players, and they'll get there as long as they continue to assert themselves. The rest of the team feeds off their confidence. If we become confident enough, we'll start playing better in end-of-game situations (FTs).

3/19/2012 3:27:01 PM

Ladies and gentlemen, our guitar player is sick, don't worry we found a replacement... Mr. Peter Frampton... dum dum dum dum du dum, dum dum dum dum du dum...

3/19/2012 3:29:55 PM