Game One: Matrim55 vs. Aburks41 ***Winner: Matrim55***

[jleves]

34 to 33 with a little over four hours to go. This was the type of excitement I was hoping for.

I also have no idea what to do in the case of a tie. Anybody?

Everybody gets two votes and run it again.

 

[whaler11]

34 to 33 with a little over four hours to go. This was the type of excitement I was hoping for.

I also have no idea what to do in the case of a tie. Anybody?

If you have a tie in this matchup.... I'd probably question the point of it.

Those teams aren't even close to evenly matched.

 

[ColoradoUCFan]

I also have no idea what to do in the case of a tie. Anybody?

I vote for a drinking contest

 

[champs99and04]

If you have a tie in this matchup.... I'd probably question the point of it.

Those teams aren't even close to evenly matched.

The problem with the exercise is that there is a major age disparity on this board. Half of the people voting are probably college-aged or close to it and unaware of how good some of the players on matrim's team were. Frankly, that's probably going to be the downfall of his team.

And, while I agree Matrim's team is better, I don't think it's the landslide some are making it out to be. Smith and Butler were two of the best players in the history of this program.

 

[Matrim55]

And, while I agree Matrim's team is better, I don't think it's the landslide some are making it out to be. Smith and Butler were two of the best players in the history of this program.

They really were. Until Kemba's 2011, nobody did more in a single season/tourney run to single-handedly carry a UConn team than Caron in '02, and until Gordon showed up, Smitty was the best combo guard we've ever had.

It's funny, though, that Drummond is the one who is likely to carry the torch as UConn's superstar in the NBA. I love the kid, and would love to see him end up with a real point guard and some floor spaces to play with in Detroit, but he was a tire fire on both ends in his lone season here.

 

[tzznandrew]

It's funny, though, that Drummond is the one who is likely to carry the torch as UConn's superstar in the NBA. I love the kid, and would love to see him end up with a real point guard and some floor spaces to play with in Detroit, but he was a tire fire on both ends in his lone season here.

This. He got 10 and 10 in the Big East, which is hard to do. But it was on pure athleticism. His defensive breakdowns were devastating to the 2012 team. And while he showed flashes of offense, he wasn't nearly as accomplished as a number of big men that came through UConn. And Center isn't really UConn's strongest position.

 

[PcketknfNiels]

This. He got 10 and 10 in the Big East, which is hard to do. But it was on pure athleticism. His defensive breakdowns were devastating to the 2012 team. And while he showed flashes of offense, he wasn't nearly as accomplished as a number of big men that came through UConn. And Center isn't really UConn's strongest position.

Welcome to 95% of college freshman. Clean it up guys.

 

[hoophuskee]

I, too, think Travis is being overrated. Nice player, but he's not who you are taking if you are looking for toughness.

I agree with you. But in this matchup I see that Dyson or Smith can bust Sheffer off the dribble. The only thing Drummond was able to do was offensive rebound. He is vastly overrated as a college player but his strength is offensive rebounding. As Dyson or Smith penetrate on Sheffer - there would be no Donyell to block shots. Thus you are asking Travis to help on defense then recover enough to fight off Drummond from collecting offensive rebounds. And Travis is the only center on this team. IMO it's too much for him.

I'd love to see this team with John Thomas instead of Lyman DePriest. Just one more backup as a big.

 

[tzznandrew]

I agree with you. But in this matchup I see that Dyson or Smith can bust Sheffer off the dribble. The only thing Drummond was able to do was offensive rebound. He is vastly overrated as a college player but his strength is offensive rebounding. As Dyson or Smith penetrate on Sheffer - there would be no Donyell to block shots. Thus you are asking Travis to help on defense then recover enough to fight off Drummond from collecting offensive rebounds. And Travis is the only center on this team. IMO it's too much for him.

I'd love to see this team with John Thomas instead of Lyman DePriest. Just one more backup as a big.

I think that's fair. I just think aburks team lacks a true distributor. His team sort of has to play the dribble drive, which I guess he can do 1-3.

But defense has to be taken into consideration on how Matrim can slow down aburks. Ricky is going to really bother Smitty, and make him work to get into the paint, and Lyman can really bother Caron. You can't stop either of them, but their lives will be difficult, and, while Dyson may have near free-range into the paint, he may not be a good enough decision maker to make them pay. It's just as likely he'll get a silly charge or two.

 

[PcketknfNiels]

I think that's fair. I just think aburks team lacks a true distributor. His team sort of has to play the dribble drive, which I guess he can do 1-3.

But defense has to be taken into consideration on how Matrim can slow down aburks. Ricky is going to really both Smitty, and make him work to get into the paint, and Lyman can really bother Caron. You can't stop either of them, but their lives will be difficult, and, while Dyson may have near free-range into the paint, he may not be a good enough decision maker to make them pay. It's just as likely he'll get a silly charge or two.

I find it funny that you're attempting to draw parallels between this game and our game to kind of put it into people's minds for Wednesday. This is a tied matchup and I have a better team and Aburkds and you have a worse defensive team than matrim.

But seriously, can we have one thread where you just be quiet for awhile? Ya already posted your thoughts, anything more and it becomes clear you're just trying to politic for votes.

 

[tzznandrew]

I find it funny that you're attempting to draw parallels between this game and our game to kind of put it into people's minds for Wednesday. This is a tied matchup and I have a better team and Aburkds and you have a worse defensive team than matrim.

But seriously, can we have one thread where you just be quiet for awhile? Ya already posted your thoughts, anything more and it becomes clear you're just trying to politic for votes.

???

The whole overlap is Smitty and Giffey, and unlike aburks you do have a PG, regardless of how I feel about him. Mitigates that comparison. And you'll notice what I said about the player you have. I also said nothing about the one player I have.

It has nothing to do with you. It has nothing to do with politics.

I simply think Matrim has a much better team.

I'll refrain from talking about our teams match up because I said I would.

 

[PcketknfNiels]

???

The whole overlap is Smitty and Giffey, and unlike aburks you do have a PG, regardless of how I feel about him. Mitigates that comparison. And you'll notice what I said about the player you have. I also said nothing about the one player I have.

It has nothing to do with you. It has nothing to do with politics.

I simply think Matrim has a much better team.

I'll refrain from talking about our teams match up because I said I would.

Lmfao you're saying almost word for word the same stuff here that ya were saying earlier. And you insist on repeatedly posting here, you put in your 2 cents already multiple times, I don't want to have to police you because you're out here trying to make the same argument that you'll be making Wednesday and convince people that it's right.

I feel like I'm recruiting against squid here.

 

[hoophuskee]

I agree this team lacks a distributor. But dribble drive can win. I just don't think there is a "significant" defensive difference between Burrell and DePriest in terms of these fantsay games. I don;'t think anyone believes Burrell would get wiped off the court. But no way DePriest is shutting him down. DePries would do better on the ball. But how much? Butler is a beast. It's too much imo to say he'd do significantly better than Burrell. I jut don't remember anyone player stopping Butler at the end of his soph year. He may have had a game he just missed.

And I agree Dyosn is a bad decsion maker at times. So he commits two offensive fouls. He'll also get Travis sometimes and on his misses Drummond will follow with Dunks or get fouls by Travis helping out. Then you'd have occasionally Butler breaking through and on a less occasion Smith breaking through. It's not like Ricky will stop Smith the whole game.

And a weakness of Drummond is his awful ft shooting. Travis can't go wild with the fouls because of the consistent threat of penetration along with having no backup.

I will say this- Donyell would be a beast in this game.

 

[intlzncster]

I will say this- Donyell would be a beast in this game.

Donyell would be a beast in every game.

 

[Mike Honcho]

My vote counted!!!!

 

[tzznandrew]

Lmfao you're saying almost word for word the same stuff here that ya were saying earlier. And you insist on repeatedly posting here, you put in your 2 cents already multiple times, I don't want to have to police you because you're out here trying to make the same argument that you'll be making Wednesday and convince people that it's right.

I feel like I'm recruiting against squid here.

Again, your reading into something just not there. As you have a number of times. You should chill. I'd like to participate in these discussions, and, if you like, I guess, you can always see some ulterior motive that wasn't intended. Let it go. You don't want to read my posts, don't: put me on ignore.

And if you are so confident that your team is so much better than mine, which you've made incredibly clear, you should be terrified that this vote was so close: Matrim's team is filled with mid-90s stars, whereas aburks is filled with solid post-2000 players. I mean, the teams weren't even close.

But your main mistake is thinking that people on the Boneyard would remember something Wednesday that was said on Sunday night. Half of them are drunk.

 

[Walker11]

I find it funny that you're attempting to draw parallels between this game and our game to kind of put it into people's minds for Wednesday. This is a tied matchup and I have a better team and Aburkds and you have a worse defensive team than matrim.

But seriously, can we have one thread where you just be quiet for awhile? Ya already posted your thoughts, anything more and it becomes clear you're just trying to politic for votes.

This is a funny complaint because I felt you were doing the same thing with all your talk about how 2 PG's or at least ball handlers are unnecessary.

 

[61cygni]

But your main mistake is thinking that people on the Boneyard would remember something Wednesday that was said on Sunday night. Half of them are drunk.

Only half? You must be drunk.

 

[tzznandrew]

This is a funny complaint because I felt you were doing the same thing with all your talk about how 2 PG's or at least ball handlers are unnecessary.

Taliek wasn't a great PG (and played terribly in the final 4) and 04 was our best team. Williams was our best pure passer ever and his team...well, we know what happened there.

The Taliek point had no "politics" behind it...

 

[PcketknfNiels]

This is a funny complaint because I felt you were doing the same thing with all your talk about how 2 PG's or at least ball handlers are unnecessary.

Disproving a ridiculous notion (that people don't look at in context) in a conversation I was holding with another person is entirely different than replying to every person's post in a thread that isn't even my matchup trying to get my guys over.

 

[PcketknfNiels]

Again, your reading into something just not there. As you have a number of times. You should chill. I'd like to participate in these discussions, and, if you like, I guess, you can always see some ulterior motive that wasn't intended. Let it go. You don't want to read my posts, don't: put me on ignore.

And if you are so confident that your team is so much better than mine, which you've made incredibly clear, you should be terrified that this vote was so close: Matrim's team is filled with mid-90s stars, whereas aburks is filled with solid post-2000 players. I mean, the teams weren't even close.

But your main mistake is thinking that people on the Boneyard would remember something Wednesday that was said on Sunday night. Half of them are drunk.

Nah, I'd rather just call ya on your childish bs. If you want to go super try-hard, I'll be right here with ya.

My entire team is made up of modernized players, whereas you have 2 (arguably 3) guys that don't fit that mold. Besides that, a better version of the team that you have beat a worse version of the team that I have by 1 vote.

 

[PcketknfNiels]

The Taliek point had no "politics" behind it...

Being in the context of a conversation I was already involved in (rather than belligerently pestering everyone), no, it didn't. If anything I was just stopping you from vastly overrating Taliek.

But really, clearly you're always going to have a response, so I hope you clear your Wednesday schedule