Mad About Hoops

As we prepare for the Big Day, meaning Selection Sunday, we figured to go out and get our own Bracketologist to help us with every nook and cranny that needs exploring. From the high seeds, the low seeds, the bubbles, Ohio State's position and beyond, we check it all out with Jason Carmello. Find his up to date NCAA fields at big-underdog.com or on twitter @BigUnderdogBlog (think this guy likes mid-majors?). And of course the most important question of all - HOW DO I FILL OUT THIS BRACKET? He's got a couple of really good rules of thumb to follow. So sit back, and get prepared for Selection Sunday with this pod. Enjoy.

Can you really believe it? Coach Mike Krzyzewski, (just felt like spelling it out there without checking obviously I'm not an amateur hoops fan) is going to coach his final game at the famed Cameron Indoor Stadium. Evil Bald Colin has the cash for us, but we're still not going to go. You'll hear some comments from K in this pod. We talk about some of the great mid-major conference tournaments that the CBB degenerate must see. And are we the only over-the-hill basketball players that get the itch to find a court and play more this time of year? Sink in and enjoy this pod folks!

Folks. It's almost time. Myself and Evil Bald Colin live in a March mindset 12 months out of the year. So when March actually comes around, we don't know what to do with ourselves. But Colin will prove through Excel spreadsheets and playing games associated with every single conference tournament in America that he might be the biggest college hoops degenerate of them all. We also discuss the race in the Big Ten and The Ohio State Buckeyes huge win over Illinois and what their chances are down the stretch. We of course discuss the rising star Malaki Branham, and hope to god he stays in college for a 2nd season. We even record a segment that will air on The Buckeye Show right here in the podcast. Call it a Mad About Hoops double dribble if you will.

Our guy Evil Bald Colin is fresh off of scratching another college basketball venue off the list. And boy did he see a good one. A Top 25 match-up between two of the best teams out west - USC vs. UCLA. So what did he think about The Galen Center, the home of the Trojans? What's his views about the game and it's popularity and passion out in LA? And what the hell does Bob Marley have do with anything on this podcast? Also the way USC built its basketball arena has Tim and Evil questioning what Ohio State could have and should have done.

Chris Mack is out of a job. What a freaking dumpster fire he was at Louisville. We jump into that conversation before we get to a topic that every college hoops fan can kill several hours with -- Who are the Blue Bloods?? We define it, give you some of the criteria, and give you the small and exclusive group of schools. And last but not least, Evil Bald Colin goes in depth on the Big 12. Have you seen how good Ochai Agbaji is? You should take a look. We hope you enjoy the episode. Bend your knees and follow through.

Folks this is a fun one. There really isn't a more proud and prestigious conference than the ACC (cough, Big Ten!) is there? So why the heck is it trending towards being a 4 bid league? Our man Evil Bald Colin gives his takes. Would UNC want a do-over on the Hubert Davis hire? Colin gets his minutes for a Buckeye breakdown as well (27:01) and then Timmy brings along some of his favorite press conference clips to the table. It ranges from emotional to funny, from under the radar guys to maybe the biggest name in college hoops history. Enjoy!

We spend so much time as college hoops fans discussing K, Roy, Knight and Wooden. And for good reason. But there are so many more great coaches that have had a monumental impact on the game and never get the air time or the recognition. We chose to give it to three guys in particular. Herb Magee, Jim Phelan and Paul Patterson. (25:55) And we get rolling in this pod with Colin's handful of Mid Major flavors. Do yourself a favor and start checking out these teams. Because they will make some noise in March. And could it be the Zags finally have some competition out in the WCC? Maybe.

In this episode, we're just two college basketball nerds talking about whether or not something our sport has done since the 1940s even matters at all. We're talking about your ranking in the AP Top 25 poll. We know coaches like to brush it off, but it's not meaningless to be highly thought of by your peers, right? Tim actually was one and done as an AP pollster which he tells you all about (21:55). Colin actually likes to pay attention to more data driven polls, like ESPN's BPI (26:10). And he's got some shocking numbers to give you. Right before they get into the BPI Tim shares one of his most embarrassing college hoops stories.

Do it LIVE!!! Our bosses at 97.1 The Fan let us take the podcast to the radio for a night, and what a show it was. Longtime college hoops analyst @RickBozich (25:00) from WDRB in L'Ville talked about Big Blue and more, as well as how the sport is stepping up in the tornado relief. We started up on why we are so rabid about this game, and we roll it into Colin's breakdown of No. 15 Ohio State. After we talk to Rick, we look at our Final Four picks and allow a couple redos. Then we get to one of our favorite discussions ever, the best venues in the sport. We even discuss an Internet list's accuracy. And before we go, my courtside chat with sharpshooter Dell Curry at the 2008 NCAA Tournament right after his son Steph dropped 40 on Gonzaga's head.

It's the most wonderful time of the year. Happy Thanksgiving to all of you college basketball lovers, and to Matt Sylvester for hitting one of the biggest shots in Ohio State history. At the end of the podcast you'll hear my network pregame interview with the Big Shot Buckeye Legend. Evil Bald Colin and I are living in the moment. There's so many games on TV in so many different places that its hard to cover. We break down Buckeyes hoops and their run in Fort Myers. We'll talk about that win over Seton Hall and break down the Florida Gators as well. We have a Duke story to look at, and then we feast on Holiday Hoops and talk about our dreams to soak in a full tournament in person one day. Which one though? Please enjoy and have a safe and Happy Thanksgiving!