NCAA Basketball 2014-2015 (This may help ease the pain)

[Berkut]

I've never seen anything like that in college basketball.

Yeah that was pretty incredible.  Everything was going in in the second half.  When he hit last rainbow with a hand in his face, instead of "Great shot" it felt more like "Of course he made it."

Yeah, it wasn't even disappointing at that point...just inevitable.

[Admiral Yi]

Great Sparty/Cards game going on right now.

[Admiral Yi]

Crazy pace.

[Admiral Yi]

And the big Sudanese 50% FT shooter makes 1 of 2 to send it to OT.  Perfect.

[Admiral Yi]

Zags coach looks like Kevin Bacon.

[alfred russel]

There is a dude in my pool that nailed the final four and has only missed 6 games in his whole bracket.

[jimmy olsen]

Ugh, Duke. As longs as anyone but them wins, I will be satisfied.

[Valmy]

It sure will be magical when Coach K is cutting down the nets again.

[jimmy olsen]

It sure will be magical when Coach K is cutting down the nets again.

Nate Silver says there's only a 22% chance of that happening, so let's hope he's right.

[sbr]

There are 4 teams left.  If someone drew a winner blindly Duke would have a 25% chance of winning.  Is that 3% difference really that meaningful?

[jimmy olsen]

There are 4 teams left.  If someone drew a winner blindly Duke would have a 25% chance of winning.  Is that 3% difference really that meaningful?

Kentucky had a 53% chance IIRC, Wisconsin 17% and Michigan State 7%

[jimmy olsen]

 

http://www.slate.com/blogs/browbeat/2015/03/16/john_oliver_on_march_madness_last_week_tonight_takes_on_the_ncaa_and_the.html

[grumbler]

http://www.slate.com/blogs/browbeat/2015/03/16/john_oliver_on_march_madness_last_week_tonight_takes_on_the_ncaa_and_the.html

Oliver has got it down pat:  if the NCAA says that players are not employees, the players must be employees, because only people who employ students say that students are not employees.  Brilliant stuff.  It is silly to take it seriously, but it is great stuff.

I also like the argument that there must be something wrong if the NCAA basketball postseason makes a substantial percentage of the income that comes from the NFL postseason.  Again, it doesn't stand one second of scrutiny, but it sounds great.

[Valmy]

Oliver really is awesome the way he turns up the absurdity of situations to 11. Obviously not a very balanced presentation but hilarious. And he also does get people to think about things.

I did think it was stupid the NCAA could make money off of people AFTER they graduated (particularly if they became a pro in that field), I thought there were reforms that took care of that, or maybe they were just talked about. Not sure.

And the poor Pirate will forever be the model for the abusive head coach thanks Craig James!

[grumbler]

Oliver really is awesome the way he turns up the absurdity of situations to 11. Obviously not a very balanced presentation but hilarious. And he also does get people to think about things.

Exactly.  He moans about the big NCAA rule book, and then moans about universities like UNC who are trying to get around the NCAA rule book.  Can't have it both ways; rules are either bad, or they are not.

I did think it was stupid the NCAA could make money off of people AFTER they graduated (particularly if they became a pro in that field), I thought there were reforms that took care of that, or maybe they were just talked about. Not sure.

NCAA licensing was marginally illegal, I think, and I believe a lawsuit settlement fixed that.