Censored by Laurie

Thats is awesomeness. I may've gone with the insanity plea...I mean he thought that the flying of a FedEx Plane into FedEx headquaters could possibly be viewed as accidental. Also...I think Spearguns are good. And he's in jail for being an air pirate...bet he's been introduced to some angry pirates in his time in jail...glad he has company.

Ah...obscure airplane humor...I think you'll be able to out do us on that JayDub

They're headlining Bonnaroo in 2008

Two hours of whats on Mike's mind and talkin baseball...because baseball is a talking sport (see non-unt sports)

I take it Juan got a hold of you with 2 girls one cup...he sent it to me as well and I knew better...sorry man. Things to watch for in 2008 - -If Miguel Cabrerra can get that big in a tropical climate, imagine what he's going to balloon to as he tries to keep warm in Detroit this winter. -You will read the Mitchell Report and the little leaguer inside of all baseball fans will die...and it will later be proven that said little leaguer was the only thing that has prevented us from lynching Barry Bonds. He will be kidknapped and treated ala the kidknapping scene from "Thank You For Smoking" but with steroid needles rather than nicotine patches. -The Yankees will still suck

So wait...Tiki wasn't a flask?

The newbies have already expressed disdain towards us old folk...so I'm definently in if for no other reason than to antogonize them as well as wearing my "Free Ernest Little" shirt to the South Alabama game. Should've been "Spirits Officer"

"Corbett said one man ran toward Horn, but had angled away from him toward the street when he was shot in the back just before reaching the curb." Oh yeah...and does somebody want to explain the physics of this to me?

None of your "four strikes" are the issue. Joe Horn (possible former Saints reciever?) didn't ask for proof of residency...he didn't find evidence of cocaine...and he didn't analyze their tats and come to the conclusion that they were members of a Bogota cartel...you're using the same flawed reasoning that our government uses in indefinently detaining any Muslim they run across for suspected "terrorism"...the possibility that another crime will be committed is not a crime in and of itself. Mr. Horn took not just the law into his own hands, but the entire justice system...and you cannot have a civilized society with this sort of Old West justice mentaliy. I'm not for the death penelty in any situation, but even the most ardent supporters that I've come across wouldn't say that buglary would fall under the heading of capital crime. And before I read the most ridiculous "I'm defending the actions of criminals" retort...let me head you off...I'M NOT...and our world is just that little bit safer b/c these two men are out of it...but it would be even safer if Horn was where he should be as well, behind bars.

Spirit Officer?

The "big" conference don't have a set number of at large bids...in theory its the next best 31 teams after the 34 automatic bids (I think I have those numbers right...though i'm sure i will be corrected if I don't). Thats the purpose of the RPI, although very flawed, the RPI is an attempt to balance the confernce discrepencies and determine the best 65 teams. Oklahoma St will probably prove to be a bubble team this year with about 16-18 wins...if we have a successful conference season we should end up with 22-24 wins, and a head-to head victory over OSU...it would be hard to make a case that OSu is more deserving, especially if the SBC ends up with3 or 4 20 win teams, as is quite likely. Also, I think your arguement held more merit 5-10 years ago. Now the you have more 2-3 bid conferences like the A-10, Missouri Valley and West Coast and there has been a push away from loading up the tourney with ACC, SEC Big 10, 12 and East programs. I think we're a step or two away right now, big wins like OSU, NCST, Nebraska ect. have been offset by losses to UTA, Nichols St. and Northern Arizona...consistancy is the key.

Doesn't have to be...if WKU, USA, ULM, UNO and UNT can maintain the level of success we've had thus far this season...add a few more nice OOC wins and we'll be looking at 2 bids within the next 2 years.

If I wanted to make the NCAA's without any adversity I'd be pushing UNT to join the SWAC and go beat up on Grambling every season for a bid...it'd be a 16 seed every year and we'd lose by 40 to North Carolina in Raleigh. Our team gets better by playing better compition. Our conference gets better, and subsequently our national recognition improves, if every team plays to its potential. thats why I hope Banks and Bullock return...in the eyes of the NCAA selection committee right now we are only as good as our conference...I think we're creeping back up to being thought of as a multiple bid conference however, but in order for that to happen every team in the league needs to play well.

Well...he's kinda right...not about players stepping up...I think without Dennis or Wooden to hang a hundred points on anybody is impressive, nice to see McCoy and Willingham putting up solid games...and a career high from Tristan is really nice as well But we would've lost to a better team...I was on, in the famous words of Steve Zissou, an overnight drunk in NYC when I was informed that we gave up 97 points to Hartford...I promptly ordered a Jameson and toasted Ron Mendoza. We played their game...rather than attack their zone we jacked up 23 three pointers. Rather than pressure their mediocre ballhandlers we forced just 11 turnovers...and rather than force them to try to score inside where we have a distinct advantage even without Keith, we allowed them to play into their strength and score 53% of their points from behind the arc. I'll take Travis's pessimism a step further...most nights you don't shoot 60% from the field...if we didn't Saturday wel lose to THIS team. There are positives to be taken away from this game, without a doubt. And I don't believe Travis is curled up in a ball wondering what happened to his team...they won, he knows it and is happy. All he was doing was pointing out...and I agree...that there is still a lot of work to be done. I think at this point we've played two complete games that we can step back and be happy with: OSU and ISU. It isn't doom and gloom...just realism.

Angry ones

The only violent crime committed was the one by Mr. Horn...these robbers made off with some electronics and jewlery and in your opinion their death is justified...yet the Enron folk stole millions and ruined the lives of thousands of employees and you think the comparrison is trivial?

Tyler Bullock, a 6'1" 180 lb scoring guard for Denver has reportedly left the team to be closer to his family in Lincoln, Nebraska...no word on whether or not he will return. Bullock was struggling in his sophomore campaign, averaging just 5.5 points per game thus far, half of his freshman per game average. Bullock joins an alarmingly growing list of talented SBC players either leaving, being kicked off or, in one case, being incarcerated. Bullock would be a good sixth man for this starting five: USA forward Ernest Little was arrested for armed robbery last summer. ASU forward Isaac Wells decided to persue a pro basketball career in Europe. MTSU guard Adam Vogelsburg considered returning to the Raiders after sitting out all of the 06-07 campaign complaining of fatigue and burnout, but opted not to return. FAU guard Paul Graham III has been a constant disipline problem for head coach Rex Walters, and was kicked of the team in late November. ASU guard Adrian Banks has been indefinently suspended pending charges relating to Banks firing a gun in the city limits of Jonesboro. Thats a hell of a lineup...Banks would have to run the point, Graham slashing from the wing and Vogelsburg spotting up on the perimeter with Little and Wells cleaning up inside. Hopefully Bullock and Banks return soon.

I think 6-7 years ago there was a better chance of making this work when TCU and SMU had solid programs and UNT and UTA were the dregs of the area. Now both UTA and UNT are CONSIDERABLY better programs and Orsini and whoever is AD at TCU now recognize that prestige and perception have a lot more to do with their program's success than does reality. Your average area resident would think SMU and TCU's basketball programs would have hit rock bottom if they cant even beat the likes of North Texas State and UTA...hell they didn't even think Asians could play basketball.

We committed 21 turnovers, against a press which consisted of maybe the best three guard backcourt in the country...a lot of people made bad passes. The pass your referencing: We cut the lead to 11 and Rick Barnes called time out. During the timeout Rick put the press which UT had run to a great level of success in the first half back on. They missed, we scored to cut it to 9...they missed but were able to set up the press and Ben had it broken but sailed a pass to I believe Q...it was a key moment but credit UT's press as much as you would blame Ben's pass

it seems from what I've seen, listened to and interpreted that Johnny is trying to play Ben at the scoring guard spot...Ben showed offensive flashes in the SBC tourney and late against Memphis...and I hope that this move is just an early season expirement to see how Ben would adapt to the role at the 2 and not a season long plan. Ben should be viewed as a fourth or fifth scroing option, not your primary or even secondary and i believe thats how Johnny has tried to utilize him thus far. Ben is a solid ball handler and distributor and an above average defender and rebounder for his size...he is definently in a shooting slump however. For most shooters, you tell them to shoot themselves out of a slump...I don't think that would be the best move for Bell...he needs to see how he scored last season: penetration and mid-range jump shots and go back to that.

I saw this years bracket buster schedule posted somewhere on Hilltopper Haven during my travels over there...I looked for the link but couldn't find it...the Sun Belt is not involved again if memory serves...I remember reading an explination as to why, but I've got no specifics and really nothing to back up this post except my sketchy, Jameson-logged memory.

anytime. what white basketball player is referenced on this board by the two of us more than any other? I can't believe you would turn your back on both UNT and the Mavs and make that card...shame man.

Quinnipiac - 85 Hartford - 79 (2OT) Hartford really was the better team last night...one QU shooter got hot late in the second half and basically carried QU to the end...but the is absolutly no reason for UNT to not win by 20. Hartford is a very small team...nobody on the roster is taller than 6'7"...starting center Warren McClendon is 6'6" 250...hes very strong and has range out to the 3pt line. Behind McClendon is Fabrice Tafo (6'7" 225 Jr.) is very active, but not very skilled...Morgan Sabia (6'7" 200 Fr.) is a wing who won't help on the block and Kevin Estes (6'7" 230 Fr.) will see minutes if foul trouble becomes a problem. Michael Turner (6'5" 215 Jr.) essentially starts at the four...he is very gritty and is the vocal leader of the team...Hartford also lacks a true PG and Turner handles those responsiblities frequently. Their guard rotation is solid: Joe Zeglinski (6'1" 185 Soph.) is a very fluid scoring guard...Rich Baker (6'1" 180 Sr.) is the teams best shooter and either Zeglinski or Baker or both are always on the floor. The other starter is a freshamn, Anthony Minor (6'6" 200) and he provides the teams only real athleticism. Off the bench...Brian Growiak (6'3" 180 Sr.) is another solid combo guard, as is Jaret Von Rosenburg who scored 7 in the teams first game...but didn't play against QU. UH stayed in a 1-3-1 zone the entire game...and with their lack of height will probably be forced into the same against UNT...which means Collin Dennis and Adam McCoy may have career nights shooting over the zone... Overall: UH gets its scoring from McClendon, Baker and Zeglinski - I think McClendon will pose a bit of a match up problem...but Zeglinski and Baker simply arent athletic enough to get the shots they got yesterday against our athletic guards. UH is very patient though...and UNT will have to play defense for all 35 seconds of each possession...but we should be able to run off of misses and find holes in their zone in the half court. This is a pretty major step down in level of compition for us and should be a relativly easy win. Since 11/11 - Jaret von Rosenburg, who DNP in the game I watched but who I felt would be a contributor has been playing well, giving Hartford a solid guard rotation with Zeglinski and Baker, von Rosenburg leads the team with a 44% 3pt percentage. Morgan Sabia, whose physical charcteristics could best be compared to Micah Bracey...a 6'7" frail forward, has been playing well of late and has moved to third on the team in scoring. The have two main scoring threats; Zeglinski and McClendon and four secondary threats; Baker, Turner, Sabia and von Rosenburg. I believe Tafo, who gave Harold Stewart-like contributions for the Hawks is injured as he has not played since the QU game. This is the ideal game for us at this point in the season. We have struggled against a zone...Hartford will be in a 1-3-1 or 1-2-2 all game. We have struggled with on the ball perimeter defense...Hartford has talented guards, but not at the level of athletecism as our guards and the defense should be much improved. This is not a team to overlook...but one we should be able to fine tune some of our shortcomings

Justin!