Bracketology 2017-18

[What Would Jesus Do?]

As a predictor of actual brackets this is probably way off. But as a predictor of finish in the ACC it may have more merit.

Eight ACC teams in, plus 2 Bubblicious

1 - Duke
2 - Louisville
3 - UNC
3 - Notre Dame
4 - Miami
7 - Va Tech
8 - Virginia
9 - FSU
B - Clemson
B - Ga Tech

http://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/bracketology

 

[What Would Jesus Do?]

I expect Miami to be ahead of Notre Dame and don't think UVa will slip that far. All 3 of those coaches are over-achievers, though, so who knows?

I'll wait another year or 2 to believe Ga Tech. Obviously Pastner did a great job last season, but he won't be surprising anyone this season.

I also suspect NC State will be a good bit better this year. Sure they lost a really talented player in Dennis Smith. But that could turn out to be addition by subtraction, since his addition seemed to cripple the team. The unexpected departure of Rowan may be the nail in the coffin. But I think they still have enough very good talent. So it's up to the new coach.

The team that may be the most fun to watch this season is Va Tech. I still don't think they have enough talent. But Buzz has proved he can craft very dangerous teams without "enough" talent.

Just as long as he doesn't beat us, I will be happy to see Buzz do well.

 

[Steat]

UNC will get a 1 seed. I willl put our top 4 up against any 4 players in the country.

Berry
Pinson
Cam
Bird

 

[imajericho]

UNC will get a 1 seed. I willl put our top 4 up against any 4 players in the country.

Berry
Pinson
Cam
Bird

That's pretty crazy. There is only 1 person on that list who has any claim to being one of the best in the NCAA. Cam hasn't played a minute for UNC and wasn't the best player on a sorry ass Pitt team.

Pinson could be great. Luke would need huge huge strides to be as good as he needs to be to be anywhere near your comment.

Keep reality in check.

 

[What Would Jesus Do?]

That's pretty crazy. There is only 1 person on that list who has any claim to being one of the best in the NCAA. Cam hasn't played a minute for UNC and wasn't the best player on a sorry ass Pitt team.

Pinson could be great. Luke would need huge huge strides to be as good as he needs to be to be anywhere near your comment.

Keep reality in check.

Your reality check is warranted - at least until we see the team in action a few times. But I appreciate Steat's optimism.

 

[dadika13]

That's pretty crazy. There is only 1 person on that list who has any claim to being one of the best in the NCAA. Cam hasn't played a minute for UNC and wasn't the best player on a sorry ass Pitt team.

Pinson could be great. Luke would need huge huge strides to be as good as he needs to be to be anywhere near your comment.

Keep reality in check.

Yeah, that statement was fairly off base. Love the optimism, but it's just homerism at this point.

3 seed sounds about right for us. As a team kinda/sorta rebuilding after back to back natty games, that is all good with me.

 

[What Would Jesus Do?]

Here's that list again with the rest of the conference added and annotations showing how often and where we play each team.

I'm always more worried about Away games, so I've bolded them.

We play all the most likely NCAA teams on the road, except for Miami.

This is not an easy conference schedule.

1 - Duke - Home and Away
2 - Louisville - Away
3 - UNC
3 - Notre Dame - Home and Away
4 - Miami - Home
7 - Va Tech - Away
8 - Virginia - Away
9 - FSU - Away
B - Clemson - Home and Away
B - Ga Tech - Home
X - NC State - Home and Away
X - Syracuse - Away
X - Wake - Home
X - Pitt - Home
X - BC - Home

 

[GoToHeelDook]

Let's go on record saying this is NOT a rebuilding year. We have the best PG in the nation who is a senior, arguably the best "do it all" guy in the country in Theo, a 5 star prospect who can set nets on fire and snap ankles, the reigning South Regional MOP who averaged over 15 and 10 against a 4 and 2 seed on the biggest stage and hit one of the most iconic game winners in program history, a 4th year "junior" who shot 41.5% from 3 last year on a team that had 2 of the top 5 scorers in the ACC...and admittedly, some unknowns. Style of play? Unknown. Starting lineup? Unknown. The 5 spot? Unknown. Yes. We have some questions.

But we are NOT rebuilding. This is just the type of team that wins titles. A perfect blend of experienced and talented upperclassmen (with two great LEADERS) and lower class men who have sky is the limit potential. And let's not forget what trumps all of that...CHEMISTRY.

If this is a rebuilding season, let's "rebuild" every year.

 

[Steat]

That's pretty crazy. There is only 1 person on that list who has any claim to being one of the best in the NCAA. Cam hasn't played a minute for UNC and wasn't the best player on a sorry ass Pitt team.

Pinson could be great. Luke would need huge huge strides to be as good as he needs to be to be anywhere near your comment.

Keep reality in check.

There was thread on this board last season where the question was asked " Who would you want to take the last shot of the game to win the game"? I believe I was the only person on the board to pick the Bird (Luke). Pinson? The kid just has it. You can't describe it, but you know it when you see it. Cam Johnson is a better outside shooter than Justin Jackson. A good argument could be made the Heels will be a better outside shooting team this season than last year. NCAA titles have been won with a slellar backcourt and steady players in the other positions. Recent examples would be Louisvile and Connecticut NCAA titles when both had potent backcourts.

My prediction is based on the group as a whole and the intangibles that the four core players bring to the table. IMO, there is not one team next season that UNC could not beat on a neutral floor. Duke is going to miss Kennard and Tatum. Regardless of their recent commitment of Bagley, they are not a better team without those 2 studs and Amile Olajawon Jefferson. You subsitute Kennard for Tripper on Duke's team they might not lose a game this season. Kennard is going to be the next Jerry West in the NBA. All UNC fans should be happy that kid is no longer at Duke. Also, no one could stop Tatum at the end of last season.

I said at the beginning of the the season last year that anything less than a Final Four for the Heels would be a failure.

 

[Heelswin]

Here's that list again with the rest of the conference added and annotations showing how often and where we play each team.

I'm always more worried about Away games, so I've bolded them.

We play all the most likely NCAA teams on the road, except for Miami.

This is not an easy conference schedule.

1 - Duke - Home and Away
2 - Louisville - Away
3 - UNC
3 - Notre Dame - Home and Away
4 - Miami - Home
7 - Va Tech - Away
8 - Virginia - Away
9 - FSU - Away
B - Clemson - Home and Away
B - Ga Tech - Home
X - NC State - Home and Away
X - Syracuse - Away
X - Wake - Home
X - Pitt - Home
X - BC - Home

Awesome work, wwJd .... all those away games really get your attn. Tough, tough, and tougher! The only answer is to be tougher than they are!!!

 

[dadika13]

There was thread on this board last season where the question was asked " Who would you want to take the last shot of the game to win the game"? I believe I was the only person on the board to pick the Bird (Luke). Pinson? The kid just has it. You can't describe it, but you know it when you see it. Cam Johnson is a better outside shooter than Justin Jackson. A good argument could be made the Heels will be a better outside shooting team this season than last year. NCAA titles have been won with a slellar backcourt and steady players in the other positions. Recent examples would be Louisvile and Connecticut NCAA titles when both had potent backcourts.

My prediction is based on the group as a whole and the intangibles that the four core players bring to the table. IMO, there is not one team next season that UNC could not beat on a neutral floor. Duke is going to miss Kennard and Tatum. Regardless of their recent commitment of Bagley, they are not a better team without those 2 studs and Amile Olajawon Jefferson. You subsitute Kennard for Tripper on Duke's team they might not lose a game this season. Kennard is going to be the next Jerry West in the NBA. All UNC fans should be happy that kid is no longer at Duke. Also, no one could stop Tatum at the end of last season.

I said at the beginning of the the season last year that anything less than a Final Four for the Heels would be a failure.

Comparing last off season and this off season by saying they are the same is just wrong. We all thought anything less than a Final Four would be a disappointment before last year. This year is different. You don't just replace Justin, Hicks, Kennedy, and Tony. Cam is a good player but he isn't Justin Jackson. How do you know any of the freshman front court guys will be "steady"? You haven't seen them play 1 minute.

You say some of the more ridiculous stuff on this board.

Calling Luke Maye Larry Bird. "Kennard is going to be the next Jerry West" is absurd.

 

[Steat]

Comparing last off season and this off season by saying they are the same is just wrong. We all thought anything less than a Final Four would be a disappointment before last year. This year is different. You don't just replace Justin, Hicks, Kennedy, and Tony. Cam is a good player but he isn't Justin Jackson. How do you know any of the freshman front court guys will be "steady"? You haven't seen them play 1 minute.

You say some of the more ridiculous stuff on this board.

Calling Luke Maye Larry Bird. "Kennard is going to be the next Jerry West" is absurd.

Chill out man...Did you not sleep at a Holiday Inn last night? Do my predictions get you that upset?

I think my track record on predictions is pretty darn good. Do some research man. I never said Luke Maye would be another Larry Bird. I did say in another thread that he shoots "set shots" similar to Larry Bird. The "set shot" is a big part of Luke's game. The comparison stops there. I'm calling him "Bird".

As far Luke Kennard, his game is similar to Jerry West. Go to You tude and review some videos. Yes, I do think he will be the second coming of Jerry West.. Hate that he is a Dookie, but the kid in my opinion will be a Hall of Famer.

 

[dadika13]

I think my track record on predictions is pretty darm good.

Really? Just did a 5 min look...here are some classics:

April 2016: "Justin will not be back" (Justin came back)
Nov 2016: "Berry is gone after this season" (Berry came back)
Jan 2016: "Hicks may come back but Meeks is gone" (Meeks came back)

This was a quick look just searching "Justin" "Berry" "Meeks". I'm sure you're littered with these "pretty darm good" predictions with a deeper look.

Do some research man. I never said Luke Maye would be another Larry Bird. I did say in another thread that he shoots "set shots" similar to Larry Bird. The "set shot" is a big part of Luke's game. The comparison stops there.

As far as Luke Kennard, his game is similar to Jerry West. Go to You tude and review some videos. Yes, I do think he will be the second coming of Jerry West.. Hate that he is a Dookie, but the kid will be a Hall of Famer.

Dude you're calling him Bird on every thread.

And calling Luke Kennard a HOF is bat sh*t.

Done with this convo, it's exhausting arguing with you.

 

[Steat]

Really? Just did a 5 min look...here are some classics:

April 2016: "Justin will not be back" (Justin came back)
Nov 2016: "Berry is gone after this season" (Berry came back)
Jan 2016: "Hicks may come back but Meeks is gone" (Meeks came back)

This was a quick look just searching "Justin" "Berry" "Meeks". I'm sure you're littered with these "pretty darm good" predictions with a deeper look.



Dude you're calling him Bird on every thread.

And calling Luke Kennard a HOF is bat sh*t.

Done with this convo, it's exhausting arguing with you.

You get the last word....Hope you feel better.

 

[mikeirbyusa]

Here we go again!

 

[What Would Jesus Do?]

Chill out man...Did you not sleep at a Holiday Inn last night? Do my predictions get you that upset?

I think my track record on predictions is pretty darn good. Do some research man. I never said Luke Maye would be another Larry Bird. I did say in another thread that he shoots "set shots" similar to Larry Bird. The "set shot" is a big part of Luke's game. The comparison stops there. I'm calling him "Bird".

As far Luke Kennard, his game is similar to Jerry West. Go to You tude and review some videos. Yes, I do think he will be the second coming of Jerry West.. Hate that he is a Dookie, but the kid in my opinion will be a Hall of Famer.

We all know that Luke isn't Bird, but calling him that still puts a smile on my face.

Who's to say calling him Bird won't harness some cosmic mojo for him?

Not that I believe in cosmic mojo.

 

[shun1]

SMILE

!!!!!!!!!!!! GO TAR HEELS !!!!!!!!!!!

 

[MCPO_Tarheel]

This is definitely NOT a rebuilding year..... more like a "retooling". I like our Final Four chances with Theo, Luke, and Joel. Two straight trips to the championship game means a great deal.