BRACKETOLOGY: All Hail the General

It appears that Bobby Knight has coached his final college basketball game and that saddens me. Now I know the majority of people in America are not fans of him or the things he's done (much of which, I can't defend), but there's no denying his brilliance as a coach. We should all wish to be as good at what we do as Bob Knight was at coaching.

I know a lot of folks trumpet Dean Smith, John Wooden and Coach K, but me, I think Bob Knight is the greatest coach in the history of basketball. Not just college and not just in this country...he's the greatest coach PERIOD. Now his demeanor probably turned many a player away from Indiana and Texas Tech in his later years, but that just only further illustrates his mastery of his craft. I want you to go through the NBA and find one player that has played for Bob Knight in the past 10 years. If there's one, there definitely isn't 2. He had some teams that had no business being good with the talent he was given, but he got it done. Proving to me, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that he could do it like no other.

There are some interesting things happening in Baltimore. Charm City boasts three quality mid-majors in Morgan St, UMBC and Loyola College. Morgan and UMBC are in great shape to win their conferences. Loyola is in the MAAC and it's going to be tough, but right now, it's playing like the MAAC champion I thought they'd be in the preseason.

On to the bracket:

UMass is the Missouri St of 2008. That would be the team with the inflated RPI, but you don't know why it's inflated. We can see through the numbers so the Minutemen better start winning games.

BYU and Clemson are flip-flopped in the bracket because BYU restricts it's student athletes from competing on Sundays and the Birmingham site is a Friday/Sunday venue.

The number one seeds rank in this order: 1. Memphis 2. North Carolina 3. Duke 4. Kansas.

Last Four In: Maryland, Syracuse, NC State, Mississippi St
Last Four Out: Seton Hall, George Mason, Oregon, UMass

This bracket is good for games through Sunday February 3, 2008.

SOUTH
1.Memphis16.Lamar/Alabama St Little Rock, AR
8.Florida9.BYU
5.Indiana12.South Alabama Tampa, FL
4.Marquette13.Virginia Commonwealth
6.Oklahoma11.Ohio St Anaheim, CA
3.Stanford14.Cal St. Northridge
7.Arkansas10.Pittsburgh Washington, DC
2.Xavier15.UMBC
WEST
1.Kansas16.Morgan St Omaha, NE
8.Vanderbilt9.Dayton
5.UConn12.Maryland Tampa, FL
4.Butler13.UNC-Asheville
6.Notre Dame11.NC State Washington, DC
3.Michigan St14.Oral Roberts
7.Mississippi10.Baylor Anaheim, CA
2.UCLA15.Lafayette
MIDWEST
1.Duke16.Sacred Heart Raleigh, NC
8.UNLV9.Gonzaga
5.Texas A&M12.Syracuse Denver, CO
4.Washington St13.Davidson
6.Kansas St11.West Virginia Omaha, NE
3.Wisconsin14.Cornell
7.Arizona10.St. Josephs Birmingham, AL
2.Tennessee15.Austin Peay
EAST
1. North Carolina16.Jacksonville Raleigh, NC
8.Louisville9.USC
5.Rhode Island12.Kent St Denver, CO
4.Drake13.Utah St
6.Purdue11.Mississippi St Little Rock, AR
3.Texas14.Rider
7.St. Mary’s10.Clemson Birmingham, AL
2.Georgetown15.Portland St