This Week in the ACC: 2/12-2/18

[arnie]

There are several key games today in the fight for position in the conference standings and tournament seeding. For starters, the three teams at 7-6 (Miami/Virginia Tech/N.C. State) all play games they should win but two of the three (Virginia Tech/N.C. State) will have to win on the road and that has been a big challenge in the ACC this season. Whichever of the three win and improve to 8-6 will find themselves tied in the standings (5th place) with the loser of the Louisville vs. North Carolina game.* While I desire to avoid the "must win game" moniker, the point in the season where teams must win to secure a double bye in the ACCT has arrived.

* North Carolina will have a half game lead at 9-6 if they lose.

I'm looking forward to another full day of ACC basketball.

Vegas not on the Pack train. Wake favored slightly over NCSU.

[devildeac]

Am I allowed to cheer for Yum, Hurricane or Yum, Flood today instead of Ymm, Beer and hope for a double forfeit?

[Troublemaker]

With regard to football schools. FSU. Miami. Clemson. VTech. I would say FSU recruits the best (they have had several MCD AA guys - sometimes as many as UNC ) but does the least w talent relatively. Clemson and VT coach better than FSU but have less talent/recruiting . And Miami does the best overall w combining talent and coaching

That's not a big slam on Hamilton. He has a lock job as FSU is happy making the tourney every year and he recruits so well I think it overcomes his coaching a little bit. And that's ok. Half the battle is recruiting. And he wins that ... I think FSU had 3 pro level guys last year or so? Bacon , XRM and the forward

Actually, before last season, FSU had missed the NCAAT four consecutive years. His seat was probably starting to get hot, and if I were him, I'd make the tourney this season, too. They are in as of today but have work to do.

That said, I'm not sure I agree that Hamilton underperforms his talent. He pretty much always has great size and good athleticism on the roster, true, but the players are generally very raw. For example, he likes to take in uncoordinated 7'2"+ human beings and make decent basketball players out of about half of them. It's an interesting niche to carve out, and when Hamilton retires, I'm not sure where the Christ Koumadjes and Boris Bojanovskies of the world will go.

[PackMan97]

Vegas not on the Pack train. Wake favored slightly over NCSU.

@wake has been a thorn in State's side for a very long time. Both BB and FB.

[DU82]

Am I allowed to cheer for Yum, Hurricane or Yum, Flood today instead of Ymm, Beer and hope for a double forfeit?

Pimps over Cheaters.

[devildeac]

Pimps over Cheaters.

Yea, that's the ultimate decision. ABc. That match-up still disgusts me however.

[richardjackson199]

Vegas not on the Pack train. Wake favored slightly over NCSU.

I would be inclined to say Vegas is wrong. Danny Manning is by far the worst coach in the ACC, and his end-of-game coaching is um, unbelievable. Kevin Keatts Kan Koach. So I picked State over Wake on the Degenerate gambler fake money contest. It seemed like an easy decision.

I never bet real money on these games (pie or beer, now that's a different story), because Vegas often just knows something. But the Joe Q in me says this comes down to koaching, and that State wins even if Wake's shooters get hot. (Yes after the GOAT retires, the spelling should be changed to Koaching as a tribute).

And yes, my annual performance in the Degenerate gamblers contest proves that the Joe Q Bettor instinct in me is strong (not sharp). So make of my picks what you will!

[HereBeforeCoachK]

That said, I'm not sure I agree that Hamilton underperforms his talent.

I think I would totally make that case. Last year they had awesome talent, and their performance in the NCAA was embarrassing. They got routed early. I think part of FSU's post season problem in hoops is kind of like Miami's, State's, Va Techs, etc - they look at Duke games as their Super Bowl, and they are demonstrably not as intense or animated in any other setting, including the NCAAs. Thus they either miss the NCAAs because they lost 4 absurd games, or they get flamed early in the NCAA.

The eye test tells me playing Duke is more important to some of these schools than even NCAA success. Makes no sense, but it sure looks that way.

[duketaylor]

About to start snowing in Loserville, so should be wintery for tonight's game, not good news for the cheats, IMO. Hate to, but will be pulling for Cardinals, duh.

[JasonEvans]

Hey, Miami... you do know that winning at home against middling teams like Syracuse is really important when you are sorta close to the bubble, right?

Sheesh!

-Jason "OTOH, maybe this is how the ACC gets 10 teams into the dance... by having the middle just beat up on each other so everyone gets to .500" Evans

[CDu]

Hey, Miami... you do know that winning at home against middling teams like Syracuse is really important when you are sorta close to the bubble, right?

Sheesh!

-Jason "OTOH, maybe this is how the ACC gets 10 teams into the dance... by having the middle just beat up on each other so everyone gets to .500" Evans

Miami hasn’t been the same since losing Bruce Brown.

[PackMan97]

Hey, Miami... you do know that winning at home against middling teams like Syracuse is really important when you are sorta close to the bubble, right?

Sheesh!

-Jason "OTOH, maybe this is how the ACC gets 10 teams into the dance... by having the middle just beat up on each other so everyone gets to .500" Evans

Miami beating Syracuse is not nearly as important as Syracuse beating Miami.

The team that needs a win in the biggest way is Louisville.

[devildeac]

Miami beating Syracuse is not nearly as important as Syracuse beating Miami.

The team that needs a win in the biggest way is Louisville.

I'm all in for UL's foe tonight to embark on a drain swirl. Unlikely to happen but I'm cheering for that scenario.

[PackMan97]

Four games are final four today. Four road wins. The home team is due to win a game today.

[Troublemaker]

I think I would totally make that case. Last year they had awesome talent, and their performance in the NCAA was embarrassing. They got routed early. I think part of FSU's post season problem in hoops is kind of like Miami's, State's, Va Techs, etc - they look at Duke games as their Super Bowl, and they are demonstrably not as intense or animated in any other setting, including the NCAAs. Thus they either miss the NCAAs because they lost 4 absurd games, or they get flamed early in the NCAA.

The eye test tells me playing Duke is more important to some of these schools than even NCAA success. Makes no sense, but it sure looks that way.

Every ACC team besides UNC got wrecked in the tournament last season. So unless all ACC coaches stink except Roy Williams...

But, more to the point, FSU's talent wasn't "awesome." XRM was an inefficient/inconsistent PG, and Bacon was a shooting specialist who couldn't shoot. Jonathan Isaac was awesome indeed, but that's not enough.

[HereBeforeCoachK]

Every ACC team besides UNC got wrecked in the tournament last season. So unless all ACC coaches stink except Roy Williams...

But, more to the point, FSU's talent wasn't "awesome." XRM was an inefficient/inconsistent PG, and Bacon was a shooting specialist who couldn't shoot. Jonathan Isaac was awesome indeed, but that's not enough.

Dude, not just talking about last year. Perhaps you can point to the big NCAA runs that Miami, FSU, Clemson, have EVER had? Or the last time NC State did. Please. You are a troublmaker. That's twice you've jumped ugly on me for no reason. If that floats your boat...knock yourself out.

[Troublemaker]

Dude, not just talking about last year. Perhaps you can point to the big NCAA runs that Miami, FSU, Clemson, have EVER had? Or the last time NC State did. Please. You are a troublmaker. That's twice you've jumped ugly on me for no reason. If that floats your boat...knock yourself out.

Don't be so paranoid. I'm allowed to disagree with you civilly, which is what I did. (And you are allowed to disagree with me civilly, which is what you did.) It's just discussion. And I just don't think FSU's talent was "awesome."

[Dr. Rosenrosen]

Four games are final four today. Four road wins. The home team is due to win a game today.

Damn you, PackMan! Why did you have to go and jinx the outcome of this year’s Cheater Classic?

[ipatent]

Still early, but put a fork in Louisville.

[PackMan97]

Damn you, PackMan! Why did you have to go and jinx the outcome of this year’s Cheater Classic?

I assure you, I have very little effect on what Carolina does... Otherwise things would be far different in orange county