Listen to J.P. Giglio on WPTF-680 every Saturday at 1 p.m. on "The Big Tailgate Show" with Taylor Zarzour.
UNC: Not for beating Duke, the eight straight ACC wins or even sole possession of first place but for losing to Boston College and Wake Forest.
It's obvious now in a cunning stroke of deception, the Tar Heels threw those first two games. It was a brilliant tactic really, even going as far to make the Boston College loss so convincing. The "0-2" start — using quotations because Foul Shots is on to the devious plot — threw everyone off the scent, alleviated pressure and humbled Ty Lawson.
Foul Shots stands in awe at the price Ol' Roy's willing to pay for glory.
Florida State: The Seminoles could have cashed in after the last-second loss to UNC on Jan. 28 but instead they have won three straight and are in the national rankings for the first time since 1998. With two more ACC wins, the Noles (6-3) are headed back to the NCAA Tournament, also for the first time since '98.
Maybe that contract extension in Nov. 2007 for Leonard Hamilton wasn't so stupid after all. Maybe.
Wake Forest: Ha ha, very funny, Deacs we get it. You're not the No. 1 team in the country. Since achieving top status, Wake's 2-4 with inexplicable losses to Georgia Tech and N.C. State.
Somehow, the Deacs are 2-0 against Duke and Carolina and 3-4 against everybody else. Good news, the Deacs get Duke again. Bad news, they also have to play State, GT and Virginia.
Cameron conspiracies:In addition to being the master of man-to-man defense, Mike Krzyzewski's apparently fluent in BTUs. The anti-Duke crowd is claiming Coach K masterminded "Operation Schvitz" for Wednesday's game in an attempt to sweat out the Tar Heels.
In between scheming to stop Tyler Hansbrough and sharpening Gerald Henderson's elbows (or is that one in the same?), K was allegedly busy rigging Cameron's air conditioning unit in the off position.
News flash: It was hot in Cameron.
And in other news: baseball players did steroids, Brett Favre retired and Tori Spelling is having trouble finding work since her dad died.
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Go Saints! ... and Aggies! ... and Bulldogs! and ...
The ACC should get more than the four teams it got in the NCAA Tournament last year. As many as eight (not so fast, Maryland) are harboring hopes of padding the ACC's financial pockets.
A winning conference record, a top 35 RPI and 20-wins are all admirable goals but what the ACC really needs are upset-free conference tournaments.
Georgia, the surprise SEC winner, kept Virginia Tech out of the 2008 NCAA Tournament as much as any other factor. With that in mind, the Hokies, Hurricanes, Eagles and even Seminoles need to root for the following teams — Memphis, Butler, Siena, Utah State and Davidson — in their respective conference tournaments, otherwise, one-bid leagues turn into two and the ACC's pool shrinks to five.
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Ranking the ACC
Three worst coaches from the 2000s:
3. Larry Shyatt, Clemson: Never won more than five ACC games in a season.
2. Dave Leitao, UVa: On pace to become the first 15-loss ACC team.
1. Matt Doherty, UNC: Seriously, how did he go 8-20?
Comments
Deacs
Mon, 02/16/2009 - 09:28 — wdeacsI presume the Florida State / Wake arrows were assigned before Saturday afternoon's game?
Doherty?
Sat, 02/14/2009 - 19:18 — UNC1998Who was he again? That's right! a player from the short shorts era.
OMG!!!
Sat, 02/14/2009 - 12:57 — rtarnowskiI can't believe you mentioned Coach Doh!!!! You are just "poking the bear"!!!1!1! Stop instigating!
How'd I do, State fans?
classic!
Sat, 02/14/2009 - 17:45 — gvillegatrnailed it.
Discussing worst coaches is
Sat, 02/14/2009 - 12:39 — Worz4UNCDiscussing worst coaches is REALLY a WASTE of time. Hopefully, you did NOT get paid for this article!!!!!
Doherty
Sat, 02/14/2009 - 12:10 — GGillenIt's all about the talent on the floor. Remember, Doherty was named national coach of the year as well. After Forte, Curry, Peppers, etc., chose not to return, Doh was left with a lot of unexceptional Guthridge recruits. If your criteria includes off-the-court behavior, then Doherty's in. I'd add Pete Gillen and Leonard Hamilton to the list, despite FSU's record this year.
Gaudet was from the
Sat, 02/14/2009 - 11:03 — rbl1944Gaudet was from the Nineties. Furthermore, I don't think we should classify a coach based on less than one full season of coaching under very difficult circumstances.
Even though I am a Carolina fan, I can't disagree with making Doherty the worst coach during this decade. Nevertheless, his third, and final, season was impacted by the season-ending injury to Sean May. Three years may not be a statistically significant sample, either, but the results in those three years weren't good, putting it euphemistically.
On a more positive note, you clearly have to place Roy Williams and Coach K among the best. Clemson's Oliver Purnell is making a strong case, and, if you limit it to three, these are your guys. Sorry, Maryland, one championship, followed by mediocrity, doesn't earn you the best of anything.
How about the women? For the best Sylvia Hatchell of Carolina and Goestenkors of Duke clearly belong. I suppose we have to put Brenda Frese, Maryland's female version of Gary Williams with her Tar Heel State angst, up there. In her case a national championship does earn some kudos, since she didn't fall off a cliff afterwards.
How about the most courageous, men and women? Hands down, number one is State's Kay Yow.
what about the great
Sat, 02/14/2009 - 08:47 — gvillegatrPete Gaudet or whatever his name was?? you know Krushekov changed DUIke basketball records and gave Gaudet the season record for the 95-96 season. surely, thats worth a vote for worse coach! lol