Off Topic The NBA Playoffs

Well I must say anyone who has been keeping up with the NBA playoffs has been elated with joy or embarrased of the butt whipping that their favorite team has taken. I up until this point have never seen so many blow out games in the playoffs where both teams in the series are getting trashed, it s amazing but a couple of teams are standing head above heals above the rest and they are the MIAMI HEAT, World Champions DETRIOT PISTONS, and coming right up their heals is the Seattle Supersonics and the Phonix Suns.

On another note:
The offical signing period for the NCAA ends on May 15th this is the period of the year where high school athletes who did not sign letters of intent to join a university have another opportunity before the school year ends and make this a nationally recigonized decision.

What's Next?

Now that the tournament is over what are all of these athletes doing?

For those who are returning to school the next year they may take a week off before they start their post season workout. These are workouts that are similar to those of the preseason. Teams also lift and condition. However, for those who are dreaming of going to the next level which is the NBA they are working out feverishly to make the best impression on scouts as well as to improve their stock in the draft.

These are some of the young men who have declared themselves eligible for the draft and their potential place in the draft:

1. Atlanta Hawks -- Andrew Bogut, C, Utah

2. New Orleans Hornets -- Marvin Williams, SF, North Carolina

3. Charlotte Bobcats -- Chris Paul, PG, Wake Forest

4. Utah Jazz -- Deron Williams, PG, Illinois

5. Portland Trailblazers -- Gerald Green, SG/SF, High School

6. Milwaukee Bucks -- Martynas Andriuskevicius, C, Lithuania

7. Toronto Raptors -- Ray Felton, PG, North Carolina

8. New York Knicks -- Johan Petro, C, France

9. Golden State Warriors -- Chris Taft, PF/C, Pittsburgh

10. L.A. Lakers -- Fran Vazquez, PF, Spain

11. Orlando Magic -- Martell Webster, SG, High School

12. L.A. Clippers -- Antoine Wright, SG/SF, Texas A&M

13. Charlotte Bobcats -- Danny Granger, SF, New Mexico
(From Cleveland via Phoenix)

14. Minnesota Timberwolves -- Channing Frye, PF/C, Arizona

15. New Jersey Nets -- Sean May, PF, North Carolina

16. Toronto Raptors -- Tiago Splitter, PF/C, Brazil
(From Philadelphia via New Jersey via Denver)

17. Indiana Pacers -- Nemanja Aleksandrov, SF, Serbia-Montenegro

18. Boston Celtics -- Jarret Jack, PG, Georgia Tech

19. Memphis Grizzlies -- Rashad McCants, SG, North Carolina

20. Denver Nuggets -- Ersan Ilyasova, SF, Turkey
(From Washington via Orlando)

21. Phoenix Suns -- Hakim Warrick, SF/PF, Syracuse
(From Chicago)

22. Denver Nuggets -- Monta Ellis, SG, High School

23. Sacramento Kings -- Charlie Villanueva, PF, Connecticut

24. Houston Rockets -- Wayne Simien, PF, Kansas

25. Seattle Sonics -- Ike Diogu, PF, Arizona St.

26. Detroit Pistons -- Francisco Garcia, SG/SF, Louisville

27. Utah Jazz -- Salim Stoudamire, SG, Arizona
(From Dallas)

28. San Antonio Spurs -- Ronny Turiaf, PF, Gonzaga

29. Miami Heat -- Joey Graham, SF, Oklahoma State

30. New York Knicks -- Andray Blatche, SF/PF, High School
(From Phoenix via San Antonio)

31. Atlanta Hawks -- John Gilchrist, PG, Maryland

32. L.A. Clippers -- Eddie Basden, SG, Charlotte
(From Charlotte Bobcats)

33. New Orleans Hornets -- Eric Williams, PF, Wake Forest

34. Utah Jazz -- Kennedy Winston, SG/SF, Alabama

35. Portland Trailblazers -- Roko Ukic, PG, Croatia

36. Milwaukee Bucks -- Marko Thomas, SG, Croatia

37. L.A. Lakers -- Nate Robinson, PG, Washington
(From New York Knicks via Charlotte via Atlanta)

38. Toronto Raptors -- Louis Williams, SG, High School
(Pick may got to Orlando)

39. L.A. Lakers -- Ryan Gomes, SF/PF, Providence

40. Golden State Warriors -- David Lee, SF/PF, Florida

41. Orlando Magic -- Pops Mensah-Bonsu, PF, George Washington
(Pick may go to Golden State via New Jersey via L.A. Clippers or to Toronto)

42. L.A. Clippers -- Lawrence Roberts, PF, Mississippi State
(Pick may go to Golden State via New Jersey, to Toronto via Orlando or to Orlando)

43. New Jersey Nets -- Luther Head, PG/SG, Illinois

44. Orlando Magic -- Mickael Gelabele, SF, Francis
(From Cleveland Cavaliers)

45. Philadelphia 76ers -- Jason Maxiell, PF, Cincinnati
(Pick may go to Detroit)

46. Indiana Pacers -- Erazem Lorbek, PF, Slovenia

47. Minnesota Timberwolves -- Kelenna Azubuike, SG, Kentucky

48. Seattle Sonics -- Daniel Ewing, PG, Duke
(From Memphis Grizzlies)

49. Washington Wizards -- James White, SG, Cincinnati

50. Boston Celtics -- Linas Kleiza, PF, Missouri

51. Utah Jazz -- Deji Akindele, C, Chicago State
(From Chicago via Houston)

52. Denver Nuggets -- Dwayne Jones, C, Saint Joseph's

53. Boston Celtics -- Dusan Sakota, SF, Greece
(From Sacramento Kings)

54. New York Knicks -- Fili Rivera, PG, UTEP
(From Houston Rockets)

55. Seattle Sonics -- Shawne Williams, SF, High School

56. Detroit Pistons -- Jared Homan, PF, Iowa St.

57. Phoenix Suns -- BJ Elder, SG, Georgia Tech
(From Dallas via New Orleans)

58. Toronto Raptors -- Julius Hodge, SG, North Carolina St.
(From Miami Heat)

59. Atlanta Hawks -- Jawad Williams, SF, North Carolina
(From San Antonio Spurs)

60. Utah Jazz -- Juan Mendez, SF, Niagara
(From Phoenix Suns)

Last 10 Out:

Aaron Miles, PG, Kansas
Chuck Hayes, SF, Kentucky
Sean Banks, SF, Memphis
Vladimir Veremeenko, SF/PF, Belarus
Angelo Gigli, SF/PF, Italy
Rawle Marshall, SG/SF, Oakland
Bracey Wright, SG, Indiana
Dijon Thompson, SG, UCLA
Deng Gai, PF, Fairfield
Carl Krauser, PG, Pittsburgh

There are more people who have declared but this is just a mock draft of the best players this past season.

More Articles on the Draft:

2005 NBA Mock Draft

Tar Heels gutted by NBA draft

2005 NBA Draft Coverage

There Can Be Only One

The ballots are in and we have a winner and it is..................




It was as I predicted the whole way the University of North Carolina won it all on Monday night in what was thought to be convincing fashion in the first half as the Tarheels dominated the Illini in the first half strolling in the lockeroom with a 13 point lead. Rashad McCants had a great first half to pace the Heels but Illinois would not go away without a fight. Coming out of the gates the Fightin' Illini who was shooting a horrible 27% from the field in the first half came out on fire the second hitting on all cylinders and crawling back from 15 down to tie the game a 65 with 4 minutes remaining but Illinois had no answer for the junior center from Bloomington, Indiana Sean May who totally dominated this game with 26 points and nine boards and absolutly picked the opposition's big men apart and definetly earned his tournament MVP honors. The game came down to the missed opportunities for Illinois, they had several chances to tie or even take the lead down the strecth but they could not capitalize on Tarheel mistakes and win the game. I must say however that Illinois deserves a lot of credit at 37 - 2 has one of the most successful seasons in NCAA history and will go down with their heads high they gave a great effort to get back in the game but came up short.

With that the tourney is over but now I will give a deeper insight into what happens after the season is over and what decisons players and coaches make during the offseason and how they affect all of college basketball as a whole. The first block buster is that North Carolina's guard Rashaad McCants declared for the NBA draft at the post game press conference.


MORE TO COME!!!!!









ARTICLES FROM THE CHAMPIONSHIP

Tar Heels topple Illini for national title

Championship Time

Still coming from my vacation in Florida I decided to take a break from sun bathing to catch you up on the action from this past weekend.

Here it is the last two left but only one will survive tonight



Live from St. Louis

The University of North Carolina Tarheels (ACC)
versus
The University of Illinois Fightin' Illini (Big Ten)

This is how they got there..............

Illinois and Carolina both rolled on the competition. Illinois man handled Louiville by seventeen and it was competitive for much of the first half but Illinois dominated the rest of the way cruising to an easy victory. North Carolina was struggling with MSU for all of the first half, and got a STIRRING speech from head coach Roy Williams at the half. They came out the second half and pounded the Spartans but shooting over 60% for the half and scorching Michigan State for over 50 points in the half.

This should be a championship to remember but I am sticking to my prediction that the Tarheels will take it all.

More Articles

Williams can finally relieve the pressure

A national crown elevates Illinois into the elite

The Final Four

Directly from my beautiful spring break in SOUTH BEACH MIAMI let me repeat that MIAMI, but thats all the gloating I will do on that, we will have a recap from the Elite 8 which was one to remember with some down to the wire thrillers and a preview of what will be a Final Four to remember.

1 Illinois 90
def.
3 Arizona 89 Overtime

This back and forth battle between traditional west coast powerhouse Arizona and the best team in the nation this year with one loss Illionis was a great game from the tip but the Wildcats took control in the later stages of the second half. With 3 minutes left in the game and down 15 points the Fightin Illini came roaring back hitting 3 after 3, after 3. It was one of the greatest games in recent memory. With the game being tied and going into overtime Illinois had the momentum but Arizona didn't go down without a fight. It came down to the last shot in which Arizona's star player didn't get the ball, and the shot was wide right and did not even draw iron.


4 Louiville 93
def.
7 West Virginia 88 Overtime

This contest featured one of the most explosive teams in the country, and the only college coach in history to take 3 different teams to a final four in Rick Pitino, verus a Cinderella in West Virginia it was a back and forth battle but that battle didn't begin till the second half because the Mountianeers came out the first half on fire in the first half hitting 10 3's exploiding to a 20 point first half lead. However, Louisville was not to be denied chipping away until the tied the game in the latter stages of the second half. The game was very competitive and went into overtime. But it was all Cardinal down the stretch as Charlie O'Bannon gave a career performance with 24 point to seal the deal for Louisville. They move on to face Illinois in the Final Four.

1 North Carolina 88
def.
6 Wisconsin 82

In a sea-saw battle this game went back and forth the Badgers held tough but their great season came to an end as the buzzer sounded. the largest lead of the game was three until a person who is not known for their defense made the biggest play of the game with a great block and recovery traslated to two free throws for Tarheel bigman Sean May with 2:25 left and the Badgers didn't get any closer than five for the rest of the way.


5 Michigan State 94
def.
2 Kentucky 88 Double Overtime

And the last ticket punched to St. Louis is none other than the Michigan State Spartans who are very familar with these types of games winning it all a couple of years ago. They got some lucky bounces and played some immpecable defense down the stretch to clinch one of the most memorable games of this years tournement. Spartan seniors would not be denied a trip to the Final Four as the down the stretch showed that they were ready and willing to get the job done. So now they will met what is in many people's minds the best team from top to bottom in the country in the Tarheels and my pick to win it all.

The Madness Begins

This past weekend was one of the wildest in recent memories. Two, Three, Four, and Five seeds were dropping like flies in the rain, and the Cinderella story is still building into this weekend with the Sweet 16 on the Horizon. But enough with the mushy stuff lets get you a recap.

Chicago, Illinois
We start in Chicago bracket were a giant killer in the 12 seed University of Wisconsin -Milwaukee who stunned the 5 seed Alabama and then went one to beat a very good Boston College team who won the Big East regular season title. 11th seeded UAB humbled LSU who was given a generous 6 seed, and the Arizona Wildcats a consistent national powerhouse beat Utah St. and UAB to move to the Sweet 16. The 2 seed Oklahoma St. crusied into the Sweet 16 with convincing victories over SE Louisiana and Southern Illinois.

Albuquerque, New Mexico
In Albuquerque 1 seed Washington Huskies(no one who has ever watched them can figure out how they got a 1 seed but that is neither here or there) cruise past Montana and 8th seeded Pacific to face one of the most explosive offensive teams in the nation the Cardinal of The University of Louisville. 4th seeded Louisville strugled to put away a tough 13 seed in La Lafayette and pounded Georiga Tech in a lopsided 18 pt victory. Bobby Knight and his Red Raiders of Texas Tech beat a very tough 3 seed in Gonzaga to face arguably the hottest team in the nation out of the Big East the Mountianeers of West Virgina who two weeks ago was on the bubble not to even make the Big East tournment, beat ACC powerhouse and 2 seed Wake Forest in double overtime with some great big man performances.

Syracuse, New York
Syracyse is probably my favoriate bracket not only because this is where my national champion resides in UNC but the biggest upset of the tournament thust far, but we will start with the 1 seed North Carolina Tarheels who are just hammering everyone they have come in contact with an average margin of victory of about 27 over Okland and Iowa St. The 5 seed and only team in the local of UD that is left in the big dance is Villanova who after 18 years have returned to the Sweet 16 to face UNC. The one game that killed a lot of brackets was the Kansas/Bucknell game in which Bucknell from the Patriot Leauge absolutly neutralized Wayne Simen who is up for a player of the year award and took the game from Kansas and killed anyones dreams of seeing Roy Williams the UNC coach face his former team in the Kansas Jayhawks. The 14th seeded Bucknell gave 6th seeded Wisconsin all they could handle before they gracefully bowed out in a nine point loss. Wisconsin will play another hot team in N.C. State who at a 10 seed beat Charlotte and upset the second seeded and defending national champion Huskies of UConn.

Austin, Texas
In Texas cudos goes out to a very scrappy Delaware State team that gave the 1 seed Duke Blue Devils hell for all forty minutes and only lost by nine points. Duke then went on to beat the nine seed Mississippi State to face a team that is not stranger to national titles in the Michigan State Spartans. They defeated the CAA champion Old Dominion in a very good game. Another 4 seed is humbled as the Big East conference tournament champion Syracuse Orangemen were defeated by America East Champion Vermont and NBA prospects TJ Sorenstene and Taylor Coppinwrath. Vermont then fell short to Michigan State. The 6 seed Utah out of the Mountian West was very convincing in their two victories beating a scrappy UTEP team and the 3 seed Oklahama Sooners to face the Kentucky Wildcats who slid past E. Kentucky and Cinny in the second round.

The Sweet 16 should be great and I will definetly keep you all updated so don't hesitate to comment if you have a question and go to ESPN if you have any bracket questions.

Well now lets get down to business here is who is in and whats going on up to this point:

Conference Champions
Alabama A&M (SWAC)
Bucknell (Patriot)
Central Florida (Atlantic Sun)
UT-Chattanooga (Southern)
Creighton (Missouri Valley)
Delaware St (MEAC)
Duke (ACC)
Eastern Kentucky (Ohio Valley)
Farleigh Dickinson (Northeast)
Florida (SEC)
George Washington (Atlantic 10)
Gonzaga (West Coast)
Illinois (Big Ten)
Louisiana-Lafayette (Sun Belt)
Louisville (CUSA)
Montana (Big Sky)
New Mexico (Mountain West)
Niagara (MAAC)
Oakland (Mid-Con)
Ohio (MAC)
Oklahoma St (Big 12)
Old Dominion (Colonial Athletic)
Pennsylvania (Ivy League)
SE Louisiana (Southland)
Syracuse (BIg East)
UTEP (WAC)
Utah State (Big West)
Vermont (America East)
Washington (Pac-10)
Winthrop (Big South)
Wisconsin-Milwaukee (Horizon)

At Large Bids
Alabama (SEC)
Arizona (Pac-10)
Boston College (Big East)
Cincinnati (CUSA)
Charlotte (CUSA)
Connecticut (Big East)
Georgia Tech (ACC)
Iowa (Big Ten)
Iowa State (Big Ten)
Kansas (Big 12)
Kentucky (SEC)
LSU (SEC)
Michigan State (Big Ten)
Minnesota (Big Ten)
Mississippi State (SEC)
Nevada (WAC)
North Carolina (ACC)
North Carolina St (ACC)
Northern Iowa (MVC)
Oklahoma (Big 12)
Pacific (Big West)
Pittsburgh (Big East)
Saint Mary's (WCC)
Southern Illinois (MVC)
Stanford (Pac-10)
Texas (Big 12)
Texas Tech (Big 12)
UAB (CUSA)
UCLA (Pac-10)
Utah (MWC)
Villanova (Big East)
Wake Forest (ACC)
West Virginia (Big East)
Wisconsin (Big Ten)


These are the teams who made it but lets give a great big BOOOO to the selection comittee for not choosing our lady Hens for their great season they should have gotten an automatic bid so lets make sure we come out and support on Thursday as they prepare to take on the Red Storm of St. John's University at the Bob.

Also congradulations to the Hornets of Delaware State University for making their first ever post season apperance may God have all his angels on their side if they want to have a chance in the game verses the No. 1 Seed Duke Blue Devils.

Oakland beat Alabama A & M Tuesday night to capture the final seed and have earned the right to get thwarted by the Carolina Tarheels. Happy Hunting guys.

Thats it for now but watch out Old Dominion may shock the Spartans on Thursday and Villanova will probably get popped as well.