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Let's keep exempt games
Posted: Monday November 13, 2000 1:44 PM
At last, hoopheads, some actual games to talk about.
Could we have gotten off to a better start than with the four games that took place last week at Madison Square Garden during the Coaches vs. Cancer Ikon Classic? I know you were watching (because, like me, you have no life), but I also hope the high-powered conference commissioners were watching, too, especially Jim Delaney (Big Ten), Roy Kramer (SEC) and Mike Tranghese (Big East). Those guys are the driving force behind the proposed NCAA legislation to do away with exempted games. The commishes, you see, would rather have more events at their schools' venues, thereby allowing them to keep more of the loot. (And, yes, it's all about the loot.) Meanwhile, the coaches love the exempted games, the players love them, the TV networks love them. Most of all, hoopheads love them! And what we say matters most.
And now for my heretofore weekly installment of Hoop Thoughts (Coaches vs. Cancer edition). Point-and-click here every Monday from now until April to see what's on my mind. I have only one rule: No deep thinking allowed.
Paging Mr. Prince, Mr. Tayshaun Prince. Love your game, love your name, but James Baker has just asked a federal judge to issue an injunction prohibiting you from taking another three-point shot the rest of the season. In two games at the Garden, you were 2-for-14 from behind the arc. Tay, you're 6-foot-9, you're an athlete, you can handle the rock and you see the court just fine. So instead of bombing away, how's about beating your man off the dribble once in a while?
Come to think of it, whatever did happen to Kentucky's three-point shooting? And what about that vaunted fullcourt pressure? Rick Pitino must be turning over in his grave.
Regarding UCLA, I have been an Earl Watson doubter for three years now, but he made me a believer last week, especially with that nine-assist, no-turnover performance against Kentucky. And there is no better shooter in the country than Jason Kapono, though I'm not sure he can (or wants to) do anything else.
By the by, Dan Gadzuric is going to be this season's Brendan Haywood. That is, unless Brendan Haywood is this season's Brendan Haywood.
You know what I love about college hoops? Unpredictability. You watch an NBA team play back-to-back games, you pretty much see the same thing. In college, a guy like UCLA's T.J. Cummings goes off one night, but the next night he reveals himself to be a freshman. It makes you want to stay tuned to see which one prevails (I'm guessing it will be the first one).
I know Jason Parker got most of the preseason hype in Lexington, but I'll bet that by mid-December sophomore Marquis Estill will move into the starting lineup. Given the Wildcats' scoring problems, I think having Estill out there is better than having Parker and Marvin Stone together because they do essentially the same things. (Estill, incidentally, is a better rebounder at this stage than both of them.)
Kansas certainly looked impressive, though most teams tend to look good when they win. First of all, Drew Gooden will be a lottery pick next June if he keeps improving. (He looks a lot like Derrick Coleman out there, and though he's not as strong an inside force as Coleman was in college, Gooden is far more skilled on the perimeter.) Second of all, get used to hearing about Kirk Hinrich, because he will challenge Iowa State's Jamaal Tinsley for the mantle of best point guard in the Big 12. The Jayhawks will be harder to defend once they get Luke Axtell back in the lineup, but that won't do much to improve their perimeter defense (which needs a lot of work). And as if Kansas doesn't have enough weapons, I was extremely impressed with freshman Mario Kinsey, who will be able to spell both Hinrich and Jeff Boschee in the backcourt.
During Thursday's win over Kentucky, St. John's backup center Donald Emanuel fouled out in just 10 minutes. According to the Associated Press' Jim O'Connell, who is the final authority on all things hoop, the record for quickest DQ is held by Butler's Mike Pflugner, who fouled out in 1 minute, 38 seconds against Illinois-Chicago on March 2, 1996. But you knew that already.
(Oc also had the best line of the night. A guy sitting right behind press row had spent the entire evening calling his buddies on his cell phone and telling them to turn on the game so he could wave at them. Quipped Oc: "I think there's a turnip truck parked out back.")
More than anything, the 2000 Coaches vs. Cancer Ikon Classic will be remembered as Omar Cook's coming-out party. Cook is one of those rare players you just can't take your eyes off of, no matter what's going on. It's hard to pick out what was most impressive about him -- his speed, his vision or his shooting. What's more, Cook appears to really enjoy himself, both on the court and in the interview room, which is more than anyone could say about Erick Barkley.
Incidentally, can you imagine how good North Carolina would be with Omar Cook (not to mention Jason Parker)? Cook wanted to go to Chapel Hill, but Bill Guthridge got impatient when Cook delayed giving his oral commitment. So Guthridge surprised (and disappointed) Cook by offering a scholarship to Minnesota point guard Adam Boone instead. Boone, meanwhile, failed to score in either of North Carolina's two wins last week. If the Tar Heels struggle at that position, you think the question of the Big O will be bandied about on Tobacco Road? Then again, does it really matter with Joseph ("Don't call me Joe") Forte out there?
On a final, sad note, I talked with Rick Majerus by phone late Sunday night. Rick the Pick was calling from Milwaukee, where he was visiting with his former college coach, Al McGuire, who is dying of leukemia. "It was hard," Rick told me. "Both of us knew it was probably the last time we'd see each other." McGuire was the most colorful voice in the game. I know I'll miss having the opportunity to call him every time we're working on some kind of trend or issues story. Here's how one of my last phone calls with Coach Al began:
"Hey, Coach, how you doing?"
"Great. I'm just great."
"Really? It's refreshing to hear someone say that."
"Oh, yeah, I'm bringing it in hand over fist. I gotta drive a truck to the bank."
"What's the secret to staying so happy?"
"I think you just gotta like yourself."
Words to live by.
Sports Illustrated staff writer Seth Davis covers college basketball for the magazine and is a frequent contributor to CNNSI.com.
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