Tuesday, March 15, 2005

Hoops Notes

Who's next at UVA???

Should, and will, race play a role?


The short answer regarding money is: whatever it takes. If Tubby Smith demands $2.5 million a year, pay him. If Texas' Rick Barnes wants $1.5 million, do it ASAP.


Sure, those numbers will torque off some faculty and offend most purists. Too bad. That's the going rate for a marquee coach - in the ACC, Duke's Mike Krzyzewski, Maryland's Gary Williams, Georgia Tech's Paul Hewitt and North Carolina's Roy Williams all earn $1 million-plus, and Gillen was raking in better than 900K.


This writer gives GT a backhanded slap when discussing the UVA job.

They've (UVA) resided in the second division 14 times over the past 22 years. For one fleeting moment, they were North Carolina, they were Duke - and their rooters have pined for that sort of status ever since. Better the Cavs should try to measure up against, say, Georgia Tech for openers. Better they first remember who they are and where they've been.




Cliff Warren is still a name being considered for the Sienna job, but the list is getting longer, and I would think it is a longshot for him to leave.


Is Coach Cremins a candidate for the East Carolina head coaching job? That would be interesting - remember that Tommy Hammonds Jr. plays for ECU. Coach the father, coach the son. Sounds almost biblical.


By the numbers..... and more numbers.


Luke a "dreamboat"? That's what Betsy Golomski thinks, a UW-Madison student.

Studying even had to wait after that game because next up was Georgia Tech versus North Carolina. Who could resist a UNC loss, or even Tech's dreamboat Luke Schenscher for that matter?


On the recruiting front, Will Bynum's Crane Tech prep has another PG star - Sherron Collins, and there is some interest in GT by the way. He's buds with Will Bynum........ More on Collins.


Rick Pitino not happy with his #4 seed.......... This LV writer thinks GT is a sham at #5 and a beatable team.

That brings us to the region's five-seed -- Georgia Tech, the team U of L could play Sunday. I know Tech played in the national final last season, but the Yellow Jackets are a faux five, not a fab five.


Ten days ago there was speculation Tech might not make the tournament. Now they're a five-seed, simply because they upset North Carolina and pushed Duke in the Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament?


I think not. I think I remember Tech lost twice to North Carolina State and once to Virginia Tech.


Tech has holes
Tech has more losses (11) than any five, six or seven seed. Tech has won three consecutive games once since mid-December. Better to play Tech than other five-seeds, such as Alabama, Villanova or Michigan State.