= > Carolina 88 Clemson 56
* Can anyone please explain to me how this was ever scheduled for ABC televsion? I’m NOT using hindsight here…exactly WHO would sit before the season with the ACC’s schedule and decide that Clemson @ Carolina is a game on which ABC Television wants to use one of its ACC broadcasts?
* Whomever the Einstein who picked this classic battle, I wonder if it was the same person that produced Saturday’s broadcast and arranged the endless parade of Carolina alums who were interviewed throughout the day. For the love of Tree Rollins…Carolina’s Sports Information Director does NOT work for ABC. Just because they can find famous faces in the crowd doesn’t mean that they have to interview them. It got pretty obscene.
* Oliver Purnell got a technical just 1 minute and 37 seconds into Clemson’s visit to the Dean Dome. I don’t even think Rick Barnes ever achieved that feat.
* “This is usually kind of a laid back crowd.” – Steve Lavin during Clemson’s visit to Chapel Hill
* NC State graduate and “self-proclaimed HUGE North Carolina fan”, Senator John Edwards was one of the Tarheels interviewed during the game. No further comment.
* Blowouts and a boring games create challenges to fill time for any announcer, but Brent Musburger said some of the most absolutely ridculous statements during Saturday’s broadcast than I have ever heard. He was trying way too hard.
* Steve Lavin predicts that the ACC will probably get no more than six teams in this year’s NCAA Tournament. I’ve heard this statement repeated in various bracket analyses and I don’t much disagree with it unless something significant happens from more than two of the following teams before the end of the year: Georgia Tech, Miami, Virginia Tech, and NC State. Maryland’s squeaker win over Virginia keeps them in the “lock” category for now.
= > Expanding Gannon’s exposure
Terry Gannon replaced John Saunders in ABC’s studio today as Saunders recovers from a car accident.
I found this personally interesting because earlier in the week I was discussing with a friend that I am surprised we don’t see more of Gannon in a nationally prominent, basketball-related role..especially now that ESPN has expanded its college basketball coverage with College Gameday in addition to its nightly College Basketball shows.
Gannon would be a great addition in an enhanced role at ABC/ESPN’s College Basketball coverage.
= > Sunday: Wake vs Duke
Despite what feels like a renewed sense of focus on College Basketball games played on Saturdays, the National Game of the weekend is Wake’s visit to Duke scheduled for Sunday afternoon. The game will be carried on Fox Sports. Earlier in the season I blogged a couple of entries voicing my dislike of Fox’s production. I can’t wait to see and hear this week’s “rap” for these two, expensive, private schools basketball battle. Talk about a disconnect of cultures?
= > Around the Country
* Kentucky Quotes from ESPN’s College Gameday.
* Minnesota’s Don Monson calls Michigan State one of the most underrated teams in the country. I only bring this up because I agree. The Spartan’s haven’t done much against top competition – winless against ranked competition and 0-3 against teams with an RPI better than #25.
* Did you know that Texas Tech has a player named Curtis Marshall on their roster? And he plays guard!! A quick check on the Red Raiders’ roster reveals no Lakista McCuller…but there is a LucQuente White.
* Ashley Judd was amazing on ESPN’s evening installment of College Gameday. No kidding. I was expecting her to provide nothing but typical celebrity-fluff in her appearance, but I was severly mistaken. Too bad that she’s such a big movie star, she could easily succeed as a sports commentator.
* Kudos to Gregg Doyel for his February 20th comments regarding Jim Boeheim. Doyel’s comments begin and end as follows, “Jim Boeheim can be such a jerk…Pettiness is such an ugly trait.”
= > Hokie Pokie
Belated congratulations to Viriginia Tech for a program-altering win over Duke this week. If you missed the game, it was deemed an Instant Classic by ESPN is being replayed on ESPNClassic.
