Updated Dec. 14
My new nickname The Bracket King is catching on fast. As well it should. Meantime, I've been forced to defend Dick Vitale and my use of the term BCS, and I did both while linking a picture of Adriana Lima.
(You're welcome.)
So without further ado, here's the latest Dear Gary.
From: Ryan
Well, Bracket King, I learned four truths from your last mailbag: 1) Old people are silly. 2) The people who enjoy 47-44 basketball games are also the type who think their sisters are hot, and the ONLY time that is enjoyable is if your team has the 47. 3) Adriana Lima is very hot. And, 4) Mailbags just aren't the same without a delusional DePaul fan or The Chad.
That's a helluva solid summary, Ryan. I might have to put you in charge of the Dear Gary CliffsNotes whenever I finalize the publishing deal.
From: Sam
You wrote in your last mailbag that those two old men enjoyed the Louisville-Miami (Ohio) game (with the 47-44 final score) because "old dudes tend to like things they shouldn't because it reminds them of how things used to be." I think you're a snot-nosed punk, and snot-nosed punks tend to tell people how wrong they are because it reminds them of how high a pedestal they've placed themselves upon.
Other people placed me on this pedestal, Sam. I'm just the person exploiting it. And did you see that picture of Adriana Lima?
From: Rob
I just wanted to spread the word that Xavier is much better than last year and a Final Four-caliber team. And, oh yeah, you're a jerk to the elderly.
The elderly started it.
From: Jeff
How was it watching that glorified AAU game between Memphis and USC and some heralded freshmen who couldn't care less about the name on the front of their jerseys?
I've never seen an AAU game at Madison Square Garden. Or with a triangle-and-two defense. Or with that poor shooting. So I have no idea what you're referencing.
From: Scott
Your Top 25 (and one) is a joke. North Carolina would crush Memphis. The USC game was not impressive.
Neither was UNC's win over Davidson. Sometimes good teams play poorly and still win. North Carolina and Memphis have each proved that this season.
From: Matt
Couldn't help but notice that you've got Georgetown as the No. 8 team in your rankings this week. While I think this is absurd, I of course respect your professional opinion. But my question is this: If the Hoyas beat Memphis (on Dec. 22), will you show them the same respect that I have shown you in the preceding sentence and bump them to the top four in the Top 25 (and one)?
Absolutely, 100 percent. You've got yourself a deal, Matt. If the Hoyas win at FedExForum they will be in my top four, without question. And I appreciate you respecting my professional opinion. I wish more old people would try it.
From: Earl
Rick Barnes and John Grisham. Separated at birth?
It's certainly possible, yes.
From: David
I was wondering when you'd get down the road and give us something on Vanderbilt's Andrew Ogilvy. Let the other fab freshmen get the hype, but this guy is as skilled around the basket as any I've seen. And I doubt you'll ever hear of him making it rain in a club in downtown Nashville, either.
Well, then that's one strike against him, far as I'm concerned, because there are few things I enjoy more than watching somebody make it rain.
From: Dan
Did you enjoy your trip to Nashville? Also, what was your opinion of A.J. Ogilvy?
I always enjoy trips to Nashville, except for this one time when I ended up in a bar at 3 a.m. on Christmas night with Jerry Jones' son and his fiancée, of all people. Strange times. Perhaps I'll tell that story one day. But as for Ogilvy, I like him a lot. He's a really skilled and smart big man, one who is going to give Vandy a good chance to make another Sweet 16. My only worry is he lacks the aggressiveness to make it rain, but he's young and I suppose there's still plenty of time to learn.
From: Tim
You may not have caught this, but Patrick Patterson and Bill Walker are both childhood friends of O.J. Mayo and grew up in Huntington.
That's right. The nose-picker and towel-urinator go way back, don't they? Interesting.
From: Gediondo
The pick-and-snack was (done by Patrick Patterson but) perfected by Chase Daniel.
So does this mean Daniel is long lost friends with O.J. Mayo, too? Interesting.
From: Jim
Do you think there will be a time when Dick Vitale will pull his head out of the two top coaches in the ACC and just call a game on its own merit? Also, will he ever shut his mouth long enough just to let fans enjoy the two teams playing?
You know, Dick Vitale catches a lot of hell from fans, but I honestly don't mind the guy. He loves what he does, and that's good enough for me, and I don't think anybody tunes in at this point expecting anything other than what it is he has long provided, which is emotion and an endless stream of positive (if not sometimes misguided) words. So, my suggestion is to give the man a break. If we could all live our lives with the enthusiasm Dick possesses, I'm certain we'd all be better for it. But anyway, the answers to your questions are no and definitely not.
From: Dustin
The whole Alex Legion situation at Kentucky arose because his mom is psychotic. I don't think he ever wanted to leave, but his mom is a nutjob and forced the issue.
By nutjob, do you mean prophet? If so, I hear you.
From: Wade
I would like to know what it will take for Kent State to be in the spotlight?
A spotlight, I reckon.
From: James
(Insert school name here) "has responded nicely since losing to Cleveland State and South Florida." I'm not ragging on Florida State, Gary. But no early December NCAA Tournament projection should ever include a team that can be described as above.
You know, that's actually a reasonable point.
From: Julian
I was watching a game last weekend when one of the announcers ripped into the other for calling one of the basketball teams a BCS team. He explained that BCS is for football and this is basketball. There is no BCS tournament in basketball. It is called major and mid-major in basketball. I see you use the phrase BCS for basketball as well. Correct me if I am wrong, which I am sure you will, but doesn't BCS stand for Bowl Championship Series.
Yes, it does. And yes, it's a football term. But I've found it's much more useful in categorizing basketball schools than the labels high-major and mid-major, which are two terms I absolutely despise because they cannot be accurately defined. What's a high-major? Is it a team from a high-major league? Colorado is from a high-major league, but it's hardly a high-major program on its own merit. Meantime, the WCC is a so-called mid-major league. But that's where Gonzaga plays, and you wouldn't suggest Gonzaga is a mid-major, would you? Is Northwestern (from the Big Ten) a high-major and Memphis (from C-USA) a mid-major? I'd argue the opposite is true. But the point is it's an endless argument because the terms high-major and mid-major are subjective (what's Southern Illinois, by the way?). Consequently, I've opted to use the terms BCS and non-BCS to describe programs because it ends all confusion. Rutgers is from a BCS-affiliated league (the Big East). Creighton is from a non-BCS-affiliated league (the MVC). Those statements are irrefutable, and by using those terms I eliminate all unnecessary debates while also achieving pretty much the same objective, which is to assign labels to the haves and have-nots (with an obvious exception here and there). So that's why I'll continue to use the terms BCS and non-BCS in the context of basketball, and the guys on TV can keep arguing with each other all they want. That's what TV is for anyway, isn't it?
From: John
Gary, great call on the Marquette-Wisconsin game. I'll look for your opinions on my March Madness brackets. You any good at March Madness brackets?
I'm the Bracket King, John. For proof, click this link and scroll to the March 13 entry. But once you're finished with that, scroll back up to the March 29 entry and see the post about how my actual bracket unfolded. In a word, it was awful. I was beaten in the CBS pool by Julie Chen and the Band Camp girl from American Pie, plus just about everybody else who participated. So the lesson is that I'm remarkable when it comes to predicting what the bracket will look like (that's why they call me the Bracket King!), but once the bracket is actually set you're probably better off just filling it out on your own ... unless, of course, you know how to get in touch with Alyson Hannigan.
