Tournament proves once again they set up games for tv

[Russ Smith]

I mean can anybody say with a straight face the USC/Kansas St. game wasn't so obvious that you just knew it would happen?

Mayo and Walker grow up together friends in WV, play together in youth league, junior high, and highschool and AAU ball. They're both close friends with Beasley they openly talked about all 3 signing at the same college before Mayo split off.

Then you add in the Walker sucker punching Daniel Hackett in AAU ball a few years ago followed this year by Mayo busting Hackett's jaw. Add in the Jefferson and Walker famous matchups from AAU that ended with them having to be separated by teammates. You couldn't write a better script.
The only thing they missed was having the winner play West Virginia with Huggins.

 

[Skkorpion]

Sorry, Russ. This is nonsense. 99.99999% of the people in the free world don't know that minutiae and wouldn't care anyway.

 

[Southpaw]

The whole tournament is set up for TV interest. Not sure about this example, but moving teams around geographically is a sure indication. A few of these seedings and bracket loading also indicate a sense of persuading the sweet 16 entries and beyond. i.e. Butler got screwed big time with their bracket and seeding. I would love it if they beat out Tennessee and then UNC.

 

[Russ Smith]

Sorry, Russ. This is nonsense. 99.99999% of the people in the free world don't know that minutiae and wouldn't care anyway.

Well I guess the fact that this matchup has been discussed as "what a great matchup that would be" the entire season in the meda wsa written by the small % that does know about Mayo and Walker and Beasley?

With all due respect I've yet to watch a single analysis of the first round games that doesn't point out the friendship angle. ESPN even asked one of the committee members point blank if it was intentional and they said we don't do that sort of thing.

I realize not everyone knows about them being friends but I would say a pretty significant % of the people who watch the tournament were at least casually aware of Mayo and Walker and Beasley all being friends.

CBS certainly was did you notice how long their cameras lingered on Mayo when they announced the game hoping for a reaction when he realized who he was playing?

 

[Russ Smith]

The whole tournament is set up for TV interest. Not sure about this example, but moving teams around geographically is a sure indication. A few of these seedings and bracket loading also indicate a sense of persuading the sweet 16 entries and beyond. i.e. Butler got screwed big time with their bracket and seeding. I would love it if they beat out Tennessee and then UNC.

The weird thing in the game I mention is they play so close to K State's home it's a large advantage for an 11 seed.

Jon Wilner talked about this matchup months ago when K State played Cal in the OOC he said of course the guys who made the Pac 10/Big 12 challenge should have pit K State against USC but they're probably saving that for the NCAA's.

 

[Southpaw]

The weird thing in the game I mention is they play so close to K State's home it's a large advantage for an 11 seed.

Jon Wilner talked about this matchup months ago when K State played Cal in the OOC he said of course the guys who made the Pac 10/Big 12 challenge should have pit K State against USC but they're probably saving that for the NCAA's.

.... locale was evened out by being placed as an 11 seed. Sort of negates the home cooking when one has to play a 6 seed.

West coast teams do seem to get a screwing when they have to travel. Gonzaga is in the Midwest, yet their 1st game , against Davidson, is in Raleigh , NC. Last time I checked Raleigh was quite East.

 

[Russ Smith]

.... locale was evened out by being placed as an 11 seed. Sort of negates the home cooking when one has to play a 6 seed.

West coast teams do seem to get a screwing when they have to travel. Gonzaga is in the Midwest, yet their 1st game , against Davidson, is in Raleigh , NC. Last time I checked Raleigh was quite East.

And a virtual home game for Davidson who is one of my sleepers Stephen Curry is legit.

The main issue going east is of course the time change, if it's an early start lookout.

I guess my point was you don't often see an 11 seed get a first round game that close to home. But I realize the whole process is difficult with all the things they try to avoid.

I have Texas beating Memphis almost entirely because the game is played in houston.

 

[Southpaw]

And a virtual home game for Davidson who is one of my sleepers Stephen Curry is legit.

The main issue going east is of course the time change, if it's an early start lookout.

I guess my point was you don't often see an 11 seed get a first round game that close to home. But I realize the whole process is difficult with all the things they try to avoid.

I have Texas beating Memphis almost entirely because the game is played in houston.

I set up a Yahoo Tournament Pick'em on this site. Are you going in?

 

[Russ Smith]

I set up a Yahoo Tournament Pick'em on this site. Are you going in?

I will I thought BIM set one up on Yahoo but then I couldn't find the password so I'll join yours soon.

 

[Russ Smith]

note the bolded text where Mayo suggests the matchup was done for money and he predicted it.

http://www.latimes.com/sports/college/usc/la-sp-uscopp17mar17,1,2919516.story

USC's Mayo gets first-round reunion with old friend

By Ben Bolch, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer
March 17, 2008
When USC's opponent in the NCAA tournament was announced on the video board at the Galen Center on Sunday, O.J. Mayo smiled and reached for his cellphone.

The Trojans' freshman guard had good news to share with an old friend.

Mayo and Kansas State freshman Bill Walker, former high school teammates who have known each other since age 3, will be reunited Thursday when the sixth-seeded Trojans play the 11th-seeded Wildcats in a Midwest Region first-round game in Omaha.

Mayo said he had predicted his team's opponent and destination after Kansas State lost to Texas A&M in a Big 12 Conference tournament quarterfinal.

"They lost pretty early in their conference tournament, and Omaha seemed like a good place for us to play," Mayo said. "At the same time, it's pretty much always kind of about money. I think we'll draw a pretty good crowd in Omaha, and Kansas State will also."

Apparently, close friends think alike.

"I was thinking the same thing he was -- wouldn't that be something? -- and it just happened like that," Walker said in a telephone interview.

Walker and Mayo grew up together in Huntington, W.Va., before leaving to lead Cincinnati North College Hill High to two state titles. When the Ohio High School Athletic Assn. ruled in the summer of 2006 that Walker had exhausted his athletic eligibility, Mayo departed for his hometown Huntington High and Walker left for Kansas State, a year earlier than expected.

Walker played in only six games as a freshman before rupturing a knee ligament and sitting out the remainder of the season. But the 6-foot-6 forward has averaged 15.8 points and 6.4 rebounds this season while combining with standout freshman Michael Beasley to give Kansas State one of the top duos in the country.

Mayo quickly emerged as USC's best player, averaging 20.8 points while leading the Trojans back to the NCAA tournament one season after they advanced to the Sweet 16.

Mayo described Walker as "my best friend in the world" and said they spoke two to three times a week.

"It's like we can't get rid of each other," Walker joked of the first-round matchup. "We're inseparable. I wouldn't want to have it any other way."

[email protected]

 

[Southpaw]

I will I thought BIM set one up on Yahoo but then I couldn't find the password so I'll join yours soon.

I did the same thing. I couldn't get on. I will take mine down if his works, but I also questioned the thread and received no response.