Interesting. Never heard of him. The AP and Coaches poll might put UConn in the top 5.
Parrish is ok...not the best, but certainly not the worst college bball writer.
I'm inclined to believe that those rankings are his final rankings from last year. There are too many teams on that list that lost important players for that to be current (San Diego St, BYU, VCU, Butler). Plus, some of his latest blogs make me think he's going to put UNC and Kentucky in the top 2 spots.
As for AP and coach polls, I think they come out the first or second week of November.
After I posted the link I wondered if it was an old poll, but it had 10/12/11 on it. I thought some of those teams were a little high, too.
Parrish's preseason Top 25 + 1 rankings were published last night/this morning. The rankings page hasn't been updated, but there's a link to it on the college bball home page. UNC is #1, UK is #2, and Newch91, your UConn team is #3. Can't remember any more...
Parrish's preseason Top 25 + 1 rankings were published last night/this morning. The rankings page hasn't been updated, but there's a link to it on the college bball home page. UNC is #1, UK is #2, and Newch91, your UConn team is #3. Can't remember any more...
Awesome! Thanks for the info! I had a feeling they'd be top 5, but wasn't sure if they'd crack the top 3.
Shows: 6.27.08 Hartford, CT/5.15.10 Hartford, CT/6.18.2011 Hartford, CT (EV Solo)/10.19.13 Brooklyn/10.25.13 Hartford
"Becoming a Bruce fan is like hitting puberty as a musical fan. It's inevitable." - dcfaithful
Parrish's preseason Top 25 + 1 rankings were published last night/this morning. The rankings page hasn't been updated, but there's a link to it on the college bball home page. UNC is #1, UK is #2, and Newch91, your UConn team is #3. Can't remember any more...
Awesome! Thanks for the info! I had a feeling they'd be top 5, but wasn't sure if they'd crack the top 3.
No problem. Just keep in mind that this is just one sportswriter's opinion, although I think those three will be highly ranked when the real polls come out next month.
Parrish's preseason Top 25 + 1 rankings were published last night/this morning. The rankings page hasn't been updated, but there's a link to it on the college bball home page. UNC is #1, UK is #2, and Newch91, your UConn team is #3. Can't remember any more...
Awesome! Thanks for the info! I had a feeling they'd be top 5, but wasn't sure if they'd crack the top 3.
No problem. Just keep in mind that this is just one sportswriter's opinion, although I think those three will be highly ranked when the real polls come out next month.
Agree with everything you said.
Shows: 6.27.08 Hartford, CT/5.15.10 Hartford, CT/6.18.2011 Hartford, CT (EV Solo)/10.19.13 Brooklyn/10.25.13 Hartford
"Becoming a Bruce fan is like hitting puberty as a musical fan. It's inevitable." - dcfaithful
First night tonight! I can't wait for the games to start!
Shows: 6.27.08 Hartford, CT/5.15.10 Hartford, CT/6.18.2011 Hartford, CT (EV Solo)/10.19.13 Brooklyn/10.25.13 Hartford
"Becoming a Bruce fan is like hitting puberty as a musical fan. It's inevitable." - dcfaithful
Shows: 6.27.08 Hartford, CT/5.15.10 Hartford, CT/6.18.2011 Hartford, CT (EV Solo)/10.19.13 Brooklyn/10.25.13 Hartford
"Becoming a Bruce fan is like hitting puberty as a musical fan. It's inevitable." - dcfaithful
not a top 40 team this year Juggler. sorry Vitale is way off on that. hell they were barely top 40 last year and lost 3 starters. don't see it. i actually think they might end up 3rd in the city.
not a top 40 team this year Juggler. sorry Vitale is way off on that. hell they were barely top 40 last year and lost 3 starters. don't see it. i actually think they might end up 3rd in the city.
eh, well at least the team he follows the closest wasn't picked to finish 5th....in the Big South Conference (it's tough being a fan of a low/mid-major program sometimes)
not a top 40 team this year Juggler. sorry Vitale is way off on that. hell they were barely top 40 last year and lost 3 starters. don't see it. i actually think they might end up 3rd in the city.
eh, well at least the team he follows the closest wasn't picked to finish 5th....in the Big South Conference (it's tough being a fan of a low/mid-major program sometimes)
my team is picked 7th in the Atlantic 10 so...although I think they end up higher than that. being a fan of a mid-major can be fun sometimes though. at least you don't get a bunch of jackasses claiming to be fans.
and this could be the last year of the Big East anyways. what a cluster fuck that has become. SMU, Houston, Navy, Air Force possibly - awful
my team is picked 7th in the Atlantic 10 so...although I think they end up higher than that. being a fan of a mid-major can be fun sometimes though. at least you don't get a bunch of jackasses claiming to be fans.
and this could be the last year of the Big East anyways. what a cluster fuck that has become. SMU, Houston, Navy, Air Force possibly - awful
Temple fan?
It can definitely be fun. I'm a Winthrop fan and felt on top of the world from 2005-2007. Close losses to Gonzaga and Tennessee in the Big Dance (should have beaten UT, but somehow the refs forget about travelling at the end of the game if you're Chris Lofton, but I'm not bitter about it ). Then in 2007 finally got the W against Notre Dame.
Did have to deal with bandwagon fans though. I grew up going to WU games and remember when there used to be only a couple hundred people in attendance. Then they beat ND and all of a sudden everybody in town is a fan and had been going to games for years. What a load of horsesshit that was!
And you're right about the Big East. Hate to see football cause as much damage to that conference as it did.
the fucking bcs. :x
we've talked about it extensively in the big east thread if you want to check it out.
pjhawk is a st joes fan.
College football's bullshit has caused the collapse of the best conference in college basketball.
Fuck college football and the fuck the BCS.
Shows: 6.27.08 Hartford, CT/5.15.10 Hartford, CT/6.18.2011 Hartford, CT (EV Solo)/10.19.13 Brooklyn/10.25.13 Hartford
"Becoming a Bruce fan is like hitting puberty as a musical fan. It's inevitable." - dcfaithful
we've talked about it extensively in the big east thread if you want to check it out.
pjhawk is a st joes fan.
College football's bullshit has caused the collapse of the best conference in college basketball.
Fuck college football and the fuck the BCS.
The Big East is the best conference in college b'ball? PFFFfft!!
Yes they are. 11 teams sent to the NCAA Tournament last year and a Big East team won it all (UConn). Is there a better conference than the Big East?
Shows: 6.27.08 Hartford, CT/5.15.10 Hartford, CT/6.18.2011 Hartford, CT (EV Solo)/10.19.13 Brooklyn/10.25.13 Hartford
"Becoming a Bruce fan is like hitting puberty as a musical fan. It's inevitable." - dcfaithful
my team is picked 7th in the Atlantic 10 so...although I think they end up higher than that. being a fan of a mid-major can be fun sometimes though. at least you don't get a bunch of jackasses claiming to be fans.
and this could be the last year of the Big East anyways. what a cluster fuck that has become. SMU, Houston, Navy, Air Force possibly - awful
Temple fan?
It can definitely be fun. I'm a Winthrop fan and felt on top of the world from 2005-2007. Close losses to Gonzaga and Tennessee in the Big Dance (should have beaten UT, but somehow the refs forget about travelling at the end of the game if you're Chris Lofton, but I'm not bitter about it ). Then in 2007 finally got the W against Notre Dame.
Did have to deal with bandwagon fans though. I grew up going to WU games and remember when there used to be only a couple hundred people in attendance. Then they beat ND and all of a sudden everybody in town is a fan and had been going to games for years. What a load of horsesshit that was!
True you deal with the bandwagon a bit when you are winning but you end up being more focused on winning than the bandwagon fans. i was talking more about the fans who will say they are North Carolina or Duke fans but couldn't name you 5 guys that played there. i hate that.
Temple picked 2nd in A10. Xavier top choice and a final 4 contender although they just suspended their starting center.
the thing I hate about all this conference expansion and shuffling is less traditional rivalry games. I want to see Syracuse-Georgetown, Kansas-Missouri, Indiana-Ohio State, etc. twice a year - now we are stuck with syracuse playing the likes of DePaul and South Florida and only 3 teams in the league twice a year.
The Big East is the best conference in college b'ball? PFFFfft!!
Yes they are. 11 teams sent to the NCAA Tournament last year and a Big East team won it all (UConn). Is there a better conference than the Big East?
the acc in a year or two :x
This is what I think of the ACC
Shows: 6.27.08 Hartford, CT/5.15.10 Hartford, CT/6.18.2011 Hartford, CT (EV Solo)/10.19.13 Brooklyn/10.25.13 Hartford
"Becoming a Bruce fan is like hitting puberty as a musical fan. It's inevitable." - dcfaithful
Shows: 6.27.08 Hartford, CT/5.15.10 Hartford, CT/6.18.2011 Hartford, CT (EV Solo)/10.19.13 Brooklyn/10.25.13 Hartford
"Becoming a Bruce fan is like hitting puberty as a musical fan. It's inevitable." - dcfaithful
Go Tar Heels. Can't wait for the season to start. Of course, living in Florida now makes it harder to find the games on TV.
I wish I was as fortunate, as fortunate as me.
__________________________________________________________
Shameless beer-related plugs:
Instagram/Twitter/Untappd: FtMyersBeerGuy
First things first: The return of the ESPN/USA Today coaches poll is, like Midnight Madness before it, tremendously exciting not just for what it is but for what it means. And what it means is college basketball is almost back. I can practically taste it.
Second, the Poll Thoughts -- which we wrote last season after each new set of polls was released -- is back in action today. That said, this is sure to be a less acrimonious edition than most. There are two reasons for this. The first is that we haven't seen any of these teams play, so we don't have any real data points to use in arguing why X team should be ranked Y number of spots higher than it is. The second reason? The first coaches poll offers few, if any, real surprises.
Some assorted thoughts:
The top four are exactly what you'd expect. North Carolina is the overwhelming preseason favorite, and the number of first-place votes the Tar Heels received -- all but one, which was probably that of UNC coach Roy Williams -- indicates as much. There are four teams that most believe to be the national title favorites: UNC, Kentucky, Ohio State and Connecticut. Whether those teams fall necessarily in that order is up for debate; UConn has been getting a ton of preseason buzz, and some believe the Huskies to be the second-best (or even the best) team in the country based on sheer talent. We'll see. For now, the delineation of elites is appropriately clear.
The next group of teams is full of questions. Syracuse has top-five talent, but can the Orange's backcourt be consistent enough to utilize it? Duke is obviously talented, too, but this is a reboot season for Coach K, and the Blue Devils will rely heavily on the play of hyper-talented incoming guard Austin Rivers. Vanderbilt at No. 7 is especially interesting. That's a really high ranking for a team that lost 10 games last season; it assumes Vanderbilt -- which returns all five starters from last year's team -- will improve thanks to overall team cohesion and veteran experience. But is that necessarily the case? Then there are Louisville, which has plenty of turnover, and Memphis, which is still a very talented but very young group that showcased a lot of flaws in 2010-11. You get the picture: This group is the "obviously talented, but ..." portion of the poll, and each team's fortunes could diverge wildly before we get to January.
A couple of teams might be ranked a few spots too high. Arizona is one. Sure, the Wildcats are going to be talented -- Josiah Turner and Nick Johnson could be the best freshman-oriented backcourt in the country this season. But the Wildcats have a major hole where Derrick Williams used to be, and after the unfortunate shooting incident Kevin Parrom suffered last month, Sean Miller's frontcourt situation remains very much up in the air.
Another team that might have too many question marks to be in the top 25? Missouri. The Tigers still have a lot of talent, but the loss of forward Laurence Bowers to an ACL injury -- plus the uncertainty of a new coach and a new playing style -- might cause a lot of people to leave Missouri out of the poll as the season begins. One thing you can count on: Florida State (which just barely missed the cut) will be one of the best defensive teams in the country. That could have the Noles in the mix sooner rather than later.
Hey, where's Wichita State? The Shockers dominated the NIT last season and are the favorite by many to win a tough Missouri Valley Conference, but they don't show up here. Fellow MVC rival Creighton is among those receiving votes, but if there is any mid-major team that seems to deserve an early top-25 look, it's Wichita State, right? What gives?
Anyway, those qualms -- in so far as they're even "qualms" -- are all minor. As we get to the thick of the season, ridiculous, indefensible coaches poll votes will come our way, and the Poll Thoughts will be better for it.
But for now, isn't it good to have a real, official list of teams to ponder?
Next stop: actual basketball. Man, I can't wait.
Shows: 6.27.08 Hartford, CT/5.15.10 Hartford, CT/6.18.2011 Hartford, CT (EV Solo)/10.19.13 Brooklyn/10.25.13 Hartford
"Becoming a Bruce fan is like hitting puberty as a musical fan. It's inevitable." - dcfaithful
Shows: 6.27.08 Hartford, CT/5.15.10 Hartford, CT/6.18.2011 Hartford, CT (EV Solo)/10.19.13 Brooklyn/10.25.13 Hartford
"Becoming a Bruce fan is like hitting puberty as a musical fan. It's inevitable." - dcfaithful
Comments
After I posted the link I wondered if it was an old poll, but it had 10/12/11 on it. I thought some of those teams were a little high, too.
"Becoming a Bruce fan is like hitting puberty as a musical fan. It's inevitable." - dcfaithful
"Becoming a Bruce fan is like hitting puberty as a musical fan. It's inevitable." - dcfaithful
"Becoming a Bruce fan is like hitting puberty as a musical fan. It's inevitable." - dcfaithful
http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/dickvita ... son-top-40
"Becoming a Bruce fan is like hitting puberty as a musical fan. It's inevitable." - dcfaithful
not a top 40 team this year Juggler. sorry Vitale is way off on that. hell they were barely top 40 last year and lost 3 starters. don't see it. i actually think they might end up 3rd in the city.
my team is picked 7th in the Atlantic 10 so...although I think they end up higher than that. being a fan of a mid-major can be fun sometimes though. at least you don't get a bunch of jackasses claiming to be fans.
and this could be the last year of the Big East anyways. what a cluster fuck that has become. SMU, Houston, Navy, Air Force possibly - awful
It can definitely be fun. I'm a Winthrop fan and felt on top of the world from 2005-2007. Close losses to Gonzaga and Tennessee in the Big Dance (should have beaten UT, but somehow the refs forget about travelling at the end of the game if you're Chris Lofton, but I'm not bitter about it
Did have to deal with bandwagon fans though. I grew up going to WU games and remember when there used to be only a couple hundred people in attendance. Then they beat ND and all of a sudden everybody in town is a fan and had been going to games for years. What a load of horsesshit that was!
the fucking bcs. :x
we've talked about it extensively in the big east thread if you want to check it out.
pjhawk is a st joes fan.
I read the BE thread from time to time but don't post because I don't follow any teams that closely.
Fuck college football and the fuck the BCS.
"Becoming a Bruce fan is like hitting puberty as a musical fan. It's inevitable." - dcfaithful
The Big East is the best conference in college b'ball? PFFFfft!!
"Becoming a Bruce fan is like hitting puberty as a musical fan. It's inevitable." - dcfaithful
True you deal with the bandwagon a bit when you are winning but you end up being more focused on winning than the bandwagon fans. i was talking more about the fans who will say they are North Carolina or Duke fans but couldn't name you 5 guys that played there. i hate that.
Temple picked 2nd in A10. Xavier top choice and a final 4 contender although they just suspended their starting center.
the thing I hate about all this conference expansion and shuffling is less traditional rivalry games. I want to see Syracuse-Georgetown, Kansas-Missouri, Indiana-Ohio State, etc. twice a year - now we are stuck with syracuse playing the likes of DePaul and South Florida and only 3 teams in the league twice a year.
the acc in a year or two
"Becoming a Bruce fan is like hitting puberty as a musical fan. It's inevitable." - dcfaithful
http://www.usatoday.com/sports/college/mensbasketball/usatpoll.htm
1.North Carolina (30)
2.Kentucky (1)
3.Ohio State
4.Connecticut
5.Syracuse
6.Duke
7.Vanderbilt
8. Louisville
9.Memphis
10.Florida
11.Pittsburgh
12.Baylor
13.Kansas
14.Wisconsin
15.Xavier
16.Arizona
17.Alabama
18.Michigan
19.Texas A&M
20.UCLA
21.Marquette
22.Cincinnati
23.Gonzaga
24.California
25.Missouri
"Becoming a Bruce fan is like hitting puberty as a musical fan. It's inevitable." - dcfaithful
__________________________________________________________
Shameless beer-related plugs:
Instagram/Twitter/Untappd: FtMyersBeerGuy
First things first: The return of the ESPN/USA Today coaches poll is, like Midnight Madness before it, tremendously exciting not just for what it is but for what it means. And what it means is college basketball is almost back. I can practically taste it.
Second, the Poll Thoughts -- which we wrote last season after each new set of polls was released -- is back in action today. That said, this is sure to be a less acrimonious edition than most. There are two reasons for this. The first is that we haven't seen any of these teams play, so we don't have any real data points to use in arguing why X team should be ranked Y number of spots higher than it is. The second reason? The first coaches poll offers few, if any, real surprises.
Some assorted thoughts:
The top four are exactly what you'd expect. North Carolina is the overwhelming preseason favorite, and the number of first-place votes the Tar Heels received -- all but one, which was probably that of UNC coach Roy Williams -- indicates as much. There are four teams that most believe to be the national title favorites: UNC, Kentucky, Ohio State and Connecticut. Whether those teams fall necessarily in that order is up for debate; UConn has been getting a ton of preseason buzz, and some believe the Huskies to be the second-best (or even the best) team in the country based on sheer talent. We'll see. For now, the delineation of elites is appropriately clear.
The next group of teams is full of questions. Syracuse has top-five talent, but can the Orange's backcourt be consistent enough to utilize it? Duke is obviously talented, too, but this is a reboot season for Coach K, and the Blue Devils will rely heavily on the play of hyper-talented incoming guard Austin Rivers. Vanderbilt at No. 7 is especially interesting. That's a really high ranking for a team that lost 10 games last season; it assumes Vanderbilt -- which returns all five starters from last year's team -- will improve thanks to overall team cohesion and veteran experience. But is that necessarily the case? Then there are Louisville, which has plenty of turnover, and Memphis, which is still a very talented but very young group that showcased a lot of flaws in 2010-11. You get the picture: This group is the "obviously talented, but ..." portion of the poll, and each team's fortunes could diverge wildly before we get to January.
A couple of teams might be ranked a few spots too high. Arizona is one. Sure, the Wildcats are going to be talented -- Josiah Turner and Nick Johnson could be the best freshman-oriented backcourt in the country this season. But the Wildcats have a major hole where Derrick Williams used to be, and after the unfortunate shooting incident Kevin Parrom suffered last month, Sean Miller's frontcourt situation remains very much up in the air.
Another team that might have too many question marks to be in the top 25? Missouri. The Tigers still have a lot of talent, but the loss of forward Laurence Bowers to an ACL injury -- plus the uncertainty of a new coach and a new playing style -- might cause a lot of people to leave Missouri out of the poll as the season begins. One thing you can count on: Florida State (which just barely missed the cut) will be one of the best defensive teams in the country. That could have the Noles in the mix sooner rather than later.
Hey, where's Wichita State? The Shockers dominated the NIT last season and are the favorite by many to win a tough Missouri Valley Conference, but they don't show up here. Fellow MVC rival Creighton is among those receiving votes, but if there is any mid-major team that seems to deserve an early top-25 look, it's Wichita State, right? What gives?
Anyway, those qualms -- in so far as they're even "qualms" -- are all minor. As we get to the thick of the season, ridiculous, indefensible coaches poll votes will come our way, and the Poll Thoughts will be better for it.
But for now, isn't it good to have a real, official list of teams to ponder?
Next stop: actual basketball. Man, I can't wait.
"Becoming a Bruce fan is like hitting puberty as a musical fan. It's inevitable." - dcfaithful
Although I do pull for Winthrop over my alma mater, so whatever (and pull for UNC as well)
they could be scary good this year
1 North Carolina
2 Kentucky
3 Ohio State
4 Connecticut
5 Syracuse
6 Duke
7 Vanderbilt
8 Florida
9 Louisville
10 Pittsburgh
11 Memphis
12 Baylor
13 Kansas
14 Xavier
15 Wisconsin
16 Arizona
17 UCLA
18 Michigan
19 Alabama
20 Texas A&M
21 Cincinnati
22 Marquette
23 Gonzaga
24 California
25 Missouri
"Becoming a Bruce fan is like hitting puberty as a musical fan. It's inevitable." - dcfaithful