NCAA Basketball March Madness Discussion

sportdan30 · Post by **sportdan30** » Thu Mar 16, 2006 9:59 pm

Why am I not getting the Illini game in HD? If I look at CBSW and CBSE, it says the game is in HD, but my local channel does not show it in HD. I wonder if it would be if I had the march madness package from directv.

Signed,

Frusturated

Zlax45 · Post by **Zlax45** » Thu Mar 16, 2006 11:34 pm

pk500 wrote:That said, Al Skinner is a good guy. He was an assistant in the early and mid-80s at Marist when I was a student there and worked in Sports Information.

Take care,
PK

ohh...Al is a great guy.

dbdynsty25 · Post by **dbdynsty25** » Thu Mar 16, 2006 11:37 pm

sportdan30 wrote:Why am I not getting the Illini game in HD? If I look at CBSW and CBSE, it says the game is in HD, but my local channel does not show it in HD. I wonder if it would be if I had the march madness package from directv.

Signed,

Frusturated

My DirecTV feed was in HD for the Illinois/Air Force game and I don't have the package. Maybe they just don't like you.

jondiehl · Post by **jondiehl** » Thu Mar 16, 2006 11:52 pm

Dan -

I watched the Illinois game in HD, via over the air on KMOV-DT (4-1) and it came in just fine, looked great. Are you sure you were watching the OTA digital channel and not the SD local channel on D*?

pigpen81 · Post by **pigpen81** » Fri Mar 17, 2006 12:39 am

wohooo!

Go Aztecs!

I hope we don't collapse against IU.

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Fri Mar 17, 2006 1:06 am

Great job by A&M. Congrats, Divot.

SU was in deep trouble from the minute it was evident that McNamara's groin was really hurting him. G-Mac is the engine that drives SU, and with him on the bench, SU went from a V8 to a four-cylinder in a hurry.

A real bummer that G-Mac ended his college career with zero field goals, the first time in his 125-plus consecutive career starts that he didn't score a basket.

Man, the Big East is getting smashed today. I'm really surprised and just bummed that this magical March is over for SU.

I'll pull for A&M against LSU. The Aggies are a plucky, tough team.

Take care,
PK

billharris44 · Post by **billharris44** » Fri Mar 17, 2006 1:36 am

A&M is a nightmare to play. Very physical, relentless, and they seem to get 80% of the loose balls in very single game. That's not going to be an easy game for LSU at all.

I think this was probably the most interesting first day of the tournament I've ever seen. Lots of upsets, and lots more near upsets. Almost every single game was competitive for at least the first 30 minutes.

DivotMaker · Post by **DivotMaker** » Fri Mar 17, 2006 1:40 am

pk500 wrote:Great job by A&M. Congrats, Divot.

SU was in deep trouble from the minute it was evident that McNamara's groin was really hurting him. G-Mac is the engine that drives SU, and with him on the bench, SU went from a V8 to a four-cylinder in a hurry.

A real bummer that G-Mac ended his college career with zero field goals, the first time in his 125-plus consecutive career starts that he didn't score a basket.

Man, the Big East is getting smashed today. I'm really surprised and just bummed that this magical March is over for SU.

I'll pull for A&M against LSU. The Aggies are a plucky, tough team.

Take care,
PK

PK,

Thanks for the comments and my hats off to SU. I wish A&M had played SU with everyone healthy. Might very well have been a different outcome. A&M is not flashy, but they are the poster children for "defense wins". SU has had a great run with an NCAA title 3 years ago. I remember watching that game with Carmelo and wishing A&M could have a program that could compete. At least for one night, I can smile.

DivotMaker · Post by **DivotMaker** » Fri Mar 17, 2006 1:42 am

billharris44 wrote:A&M is a nightmare to play. Very physical, relentless, and they seem to get 80% of the loose balls in very single game. That's not going to be an easy game for LSU at all.

I think this was probably the most interesting first day of the tournament I've ever seen. Lots of upsets, and lots more near upsets. Almost every single game was competitive for at least the first 30 minutes.

Chris Walker is our "bulldog". He is likely the least talented player on the team, but what he lacks in talent, he makes up in desire and hustle. If you stop and think about all the key 3's he made and all of the rebounds and loose balls he retrieved, I think HE was the star for A&M tonight.

dbdynsty25 · Post by **dbdynsty25** » Fri Mar 17, 2006 2:00 am

What did I say about Syracuse and their impending flameout? I thought they should have been able to get to the second round at least. Eeesh. They just spent too much energy GETTING to the tourney.

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Fri Mar 17, 2006 9:41 am

dbdynsty25 wrote:What did I say about Syracuse and their impending flameout? I thought they should have been able to get to the second round at least. Eeesh. They just spent too much energy GETTING to the tourney.

You conveniently overlook that their star player was on one leg last night. I'm not saying SU would have won with a healthy McNamara -- that's not fair to A&M. But the rest of the team played OK last night. It's not like this was DePaul II, a complete flameout.

Four of the five starters were in double figures, which hasn't happened very often this season. Unfortunately, the key starter was not. G-Mac was a shell of himself, and anyone who saw the game and follows SU hoop could see that. This was NOT the same team that played in New York last week.

If you want to say the strain of four games in four nights wrecked G-Mac's groin, fair enough. But to suggest SU shot its figurative wad in New York is wide of the mark.

This wasn't a flameout. It was an injury to the emotional and physical leader of the team. It was a shallow team losing effectively 15 points, leadership and hustle.

Congrats to A&M. I'm pulling for them, for sure. Gutty team.

Take care,
PK

fsquid · Post by **fsquid** » Fri Mar 17, 2006 10:03 am

yup, Billy Packer was right. What we needed was more Big East teams in the tourney.

sportdan30 · Post by **sportdan30** » Fri Mar 17, 2006 10:10 am

While I was pulling for A&M to win because of my Big 12 allegiance, I couldn't help but feel bad for Gerry McNamara. In recent years, KU has had a couple players who were less than 100% going in to the tourney. Kirk Hinrich comes to mind, though they did play in the championship game. And last year, Keith Langford wasn't even 60% when they played Bucknell. It's unfortunate to see any player, especially a senior end his career in that fashion. I hope McNamara experiences much success post NCAA ball.

On a completely different topic, for a guy who doesn't drink like myself very often, I'm getting smashed before the KU/Bradley game. If we're going down in an upset, I hope to be too drunk to care.

sportdan30 · Post by **sportdan30** » Fri Mar 17, 2006 10:16 am

jondiehl wrote:Dan -

I watched the Illinois game in HD, via over the air on KMOV-DT (4-1) and it came in just fine, looked great. Are you sure you were watching the OTA digital channel and not the SD local channel on D*?

I figured out the problem. My zip code does not yet get over the air local channels in HD. However, can't I buy one of those $50-60 antennas at Best Buy that'll give me the local channels in HD? For example:

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp ... 1101854308

Thanks.

Brando70 · Post by **Brando70** » Fri Mar 17, 2006 10:31 am

Nice win by Indiana last night. SDSU put up a good fight but the Hoosiers just didn't give up. The matchup with Gonzaga should be fun.

I was really shocked by the Nevada upset. That was the only game yesterday that really surprised me.

Too bad about Winthrop, I can't believe that shot went in. I think the Shockers stick it to Tennessee next round, though -- they looked more than ready to play.

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Fri Mar 17, 2006 10:58 am

Indiana could go a ways in that regional after that victory, as I think that half of the Oakland bracket is very soft. Indiana, Gonzaga, Alabama and UCLA don't exactly comprise Murderers' Row.

As much as Syracuse depended on G-Mac, Gonzaga is absolutely f*cked if Morrison has a bad game. But will he? Batista is a nice player inside for Gonzaga, too.

Take care,
PK

tjung0831 · Post by **tjung0831** » Fri Mar 17, 2006 11:12 am

sportdan30 wrote:
jondiehl wrote:Dan -

I watched the Illinois game in HD, via over the air on KMOV-DT (4-1) and it came in just fine, looked great. Are you sure you were watching the OTA digital channel and not the SD local channel on D*?
I figured out the problem. My zip code does not yet get over the air local channels in HD. However, can't I buy one of those $50-60 antennas at Best Buy that'll give me the local channels in HD? For example:

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp ... 1101854308

Thanks.

If you have Directv and can wait a few weeks the local St. Louis HDTV channels will be available in April via Directv. Also those amplified antenna's didn't work worth a damn for me and I know you and I live within 15 minutes or so of each other. So your option is probably to get a real antenna installed on the outside of your house, or if you have Directv you will get them here in a few weeks.

rubba19 · Post by **rubba19** » Fri Mar 17, 2006 11:59 am

sportdan30 wrote:While I was pulling for A&M to win because of my Big 12 allegiance, I couldn't help but feel bad for Gerry McNamara. In recent years, KU has had a couple players who were less than 100% going in to the tourney. Kirk Hinrich comes to mind, though they did play in the championship game. And last year, Keith Langford wasn't even 60% when they played Bucknell. It's unfortunate to see any player, especially a senior end his career in that fashion. I hope McNamara experiences much success post NCAA ball.

On a completely different topic, for a guy who doesn't drink like myself very often, I'm getting smashed before the KU/Bradley game. If we're going down in an upset, I hope to be too drunk to care.

It will be just like the old days watching the tourney at the Hawk, Dan....

sportdan30 · Post by **sportdan30** » Fri Mar 17, 2006 12:05 pm

Tim,

In speaking to customer service at Directv a couple weeks ago, they had said the local channels wouldn't be available until around May. Talked to technical support last night, and he didn't even know when they would be available. I'm guessing he doesn't have as much information as customer service. So, either way it'll be sometime in April or May. Directv already promised me when I bought my HD DVR that they would come out free of charge and switch out the old dish and replace it with the new one (Triple LNB?).

The March Madness package through Directv does have some of their games in HD, but I'm not going to pay an additional $57 just to see the first two rounds.

But, what a difference in terms of clarity between the regular season games on ESPNHD and the CBS games in SD.

sportdan30 · Post by **sportdan30** » Fri Mar 17, 2006 12:13 pm

rubba19 wrote:
sportdan30 wrote:While I was pulling for A&M to win because of my Big 12 allegiance, I couldn't help but feel bad for Gerry McNamara. In recent years, KU has had a couple players who were less than 100% going in to the tourney. Kirk Hinrich comes to mind, though they did play in the championship game. And last year, Keith Langford wasn't even 60% when they played Bucknell. It's unfortunate to see any player, especially a senior end his career in that fashion. I hope McNamara experiences much success post NCAA ball.

On a completely different topic, for a guy who doesn't drink like myself very often, I'm getting smashed before the KU/Bradley game. If we're going down in an upset, I hope to be too drunk to care.
It will be just like the old days watching the tourney at the Hawk, Dan....

LOL. I spent many of nights liquored up at the Hawk. I think though that the Hawk was only around for my first two years, and then they changed it to the 5th Amendment, and then something else after that. That bar brings back memories as that's where I was jumped by five frat brothers coming out of the bathroom.

My most vivid memory of being at a bar when KU lost in the tourney was post college. Twice I saw them lose when I was at Kincades in Chicago. Once to Arizona and the other time to maybe Virginia possibly. Great KU bar by the way. And then last year, I was in Chicago because my wife's grandmother was ill, and I watched the game at some bar in Deerfield. I refuse to watch any tournament games at a bar anymore. Though, I was at home when KU lost to Self's Illini team. That hurt pretty bad too.

sportdan30 · Post by **sportdan30** » Fri Mar 17, 2006 1:39 pm

And the the second day of first round games have begun.......

dbdynsty25 · Post by **dbdynsty25** » Fri Mar 17, 2006 2:48 pm

Haha...suckers using OTA Antennas to bring in the local HD feeds. I forgot about that seeing as how I'm in LA and everything is done over the dish. No wonder I was getting that game in HD when others weren't with their OTAs.

sportdan30 · Post by **sportdan30** » Fri Mar 17, 2006 2:54 pm

dbdynsty25 wrote:Haha...suckers using OTA Antennas to bring in the local HD feeds. I forgot about that seeing as how I'm in LA and everything is done over the dish. No wonder I was getting that game in HD when others weren't with their OTAs.

Yeah, it's brutal watching the games in SD. I can't believe how I used to think how great my reception was on my tv before I had HD.

pigpen81 · Post by **pigpen81** » Fri Mar 17, 2006 3:18 pm

I am in mourning over SDSU's loss. My alma mater still has not won a NCAA Tourney game....and I feel they are the better team...but IU deserved the win after our mistakes in the last 2 minutes.

CBS shot of the night had to be Morrison's mug when he was on the foul line during the last 2 minutes. Did you check him out talking trash during his free throws?....I mean...literally while he was shooting. Then SWISH. The guy is a stud and fun top watch.

sportdan30 · Post by **sportdan30** » Fri Mar 17, 2006 3:20 pm

I like Morrison, but he's a little strange if you ask me. Slamming the basketball against his head four times might be classified as a little mental. LOL.

But, damn is he a prime time player.