On The Plate ... 1/20/06

Who Are These People?

OK, now I can operate…after being operated on. For those folks who jumped on the CSG train in 2005, buckle in because this is my first hoops season since I was released from my personal nightmare last year. In other words, I'm going old school, circa 2004. Translation: columns, columns, and more columns. Other translation: two mediocre games on ESPN had me enthralled.

North Carolina (68) at Virginia (72)

Did Dave Leitao just outclass Roy Williams? I believe he did. And I'm not only talking about the money grey pin stripe suit Leitao was kicking. His Cavs also came to play. And I have no idea who any of them are. To be honest, I only recognized a total of 5 players on the court, four of which were Heels. To the observatory…

1. I love Mike Patrick on the ACC hoops mic. Him and his snaggled-teeth.
2. UVA's new suits are straight up classy. (Note: they are the exact same as 'Nova's suits.)
3. UVA could have started the "Last Ball in U-Hall" slogan when they hired Pete Gillen. I always thought University Hall looked like a place built for operas, symphonies and wine & cheese compared to hoops. The stands are so GD far away from the floor. On the other hand, the new arena, aka the John Paul Jones Arena, looks dope. Yes, it is named after Led Zeppelin's bassist.
4. UVA isn't afraid of getting aggressive during a TV timeout. Why? They were kicking Eric Prydz's "Call on Me" techno remix over the PA. Now, if only they had the video on the jumbotron, or even better…a remake by the Cavalierettes at half court. That's wrong, I'm sorry. No, that's very right. I'm not sorry.
5. The one Cav I know, Sean Singletary, is insane, but made some huge shots down the stretch. However, the key Cav that I didn't know was Laurynas Mikalauskas. Can you blame me? Anyway, once Leitao switched this Lithuanian beast onto Heel frosh Tyler Hansbrough on the defensive end in the second half, the game changed. The Heels lost their inside-out game, and their rhythm, as Mika kept Hansbrough off the low blocks. And yea, I now call him Mika…he's my boy.
6. The fact that UNC is ranked is mind-boggling. They really have no one. Sure, Hansbrough is money and Noel got minutes on last year's squad. But being ranked with Reyshawn Terry and Quentin Thomas in the backcourt is phenomenal. I actually think that the three best players on UNC are three freshman: Hansbrough, Danny Green and Marcus Ginyard.
7. This was a huge W for Leitao and the Cavs. Did you know that the Cavs haven't had a winning record in the ACC, at any point, since the 2001 season? With this W, the Cavs move to 3-2 in the conference. Yea, you could say this was a big win in Charlottesville.
8. Mark my words…Leitao is going to put UVA hoops back on the map. Just give him some time.

For the record, "Dibs on the drumstick, old man" is one of the more brilliant lines in commercial history.

Cincinnati (71) at Xavier (73)

You know your rivalry carries a big stick when ESPN renames its Thursday coverage "Throwdown Thursday" and Jay Bilas gets the nod to call the game. That's 'Nati/Musketeers for you.

1. If Eric Hicks is only 6'6", then I'm 5'5". That dude is a glass-eating punisher. He also may top my "Please don't run into this dude in a dark alley" list. He's frightening.
2. Two things eat very badly for the Bearcats…first, leading scorer Armein Kirkland tore his ACL against UConn; second, with Kirkland down, the Bearcats only have 8 scholarship players. Remember that the Huggy Bear controversy cost the Bearcats two freshman recruits and one JUCO transfer. 8 players in uniform? F'ing brutal.
3. How bizarre is it that Huggins was at this game? To his credit, his interview with Stacey Shulman was solid, although I'm convinced that he'd already drank a fifth of Johnny Walker Black before he got a mic jammed in his face. Initially I thought he was going to punch Shulman. I'm glad for everyone's sake that he didn't.
4. I always forget about Xavier, and I'm never sure why. It was only two years ago that current players Dedrick Finn, Justin Cage and Justin Doellman took Duke to the wire in the Elite 8. Don't forget that that Duke team's starting five was Sheldon Williams, Luol Deng, JJ Redick, Daniel Ewing and Chris Duhon. In other words, a pretty good team.
5. The flowing locks on the Bearcats are really quite impressive…Jihad Muhammad, Eric Hicks and Cedric McGowan.
6. If there was ever a guy to make a last second three pointer to send the Crosstown Shootout into overtime, it's Jihad Muhammad. Do I need to explain this. OK, good.
7. Have coaches stopped drawing up last second full court plays? Where the F are the plays that made Tate George, Christian Laettner and Bryce Drew? UC's effort was weak. It looked just like the pathetic effort 'Nova employed at the end of the Texas game. Come on coaches! Let's draw some plays up, picket-fence style. For God's sake if drunk-ass Dennis Hopper can draw it up, so can Jay Wright or Andy Kennedy. Right? Right. I am adamant about this.
8. Did you know that 'Nati has been to 14 straight big dances? Do you know what I would sacrifice to have 'Nova be in that class? Try an arm.
9. Don't look now but the Musketeers just moved to 12-2 with the W. And somewhere Duke is nervous.

On Saturday, tune in or tune out…the block is hot…noon - Iowa at Michigan State ; 1:30 - Duke at Georgetown ; 3:45 - West Virginia at UCLA ; 6:00 - Syracuse at Villanova ; 7:00 - Florida at Tennessee ; 9:00 - UConn at Louisville. And it all kicks off with the first College Gameday hoops-style at 11:00. Money ding ding.