brettac1

Here's a little about the TV ratings when the last great cinderella made it deep into the tournament, George Mason two years ago: "The next time somebody tells you that the NCAA tournament is a cultural phenomenon, ask that somebody if he or she actually bothered to watch the Final Four. Because, apparently, Americans don't put their clickers where their mouths are. The TV ratings for the long weekend in Indianapolis are disappointing, if predictable. Saturday's semifinals were the second-lowest-rated ever. The numbers for Florida's resounding victory over UCLA on Monday night flirted with the lowest ever for a title game, down 25 percent from last year's game. Billy Packer will offer an explanation for this. In the meantime, somebody tell me again why it's a good thing when Duke, North Carolina, Kentucky, Kansas or UConn aren't there at the end. A lot of people exult when the powerful, tradition-guzz-ling machines are pushed into a ditch along the road to the Final Four. But these brand-name schools are missed -- at CBS and in America's homes. Everybody loved mid-sized, cuddly George Mason and, to a lesser extent, LSU. But love them enough to watch them play? Guess not. Is this a case of people embracing the romance of the upset, yet being bored by the upstarts? So it seems. " And this: NY Times Florida's victory over George Mason on Saturday rated a 9.1, down 9 percent from the comparable game last year, and U.C.L.A.'s victory over Louisiana State rated an 8.2, down 25 percent. For the 2005-6 season, each rating point equals about 1.1 million TV households. Lower ratings were expected for the tournament after all the Big Ten teams were eliminated and because none of the four top-seeded teams advanced to the Final Four. For all games, CBS recorded a 6.3 rating, down from a 6.9.

Really, don't know what to say, how much time do you spend away from this website? Quite a bit. I guess I thought the Kevin LoveFest was much more annoying than the coverage Davidson got. Davidson deserves slightly more than the average team's coverage since they are the Cinderella or whatever. But I just didn't think it was over the top (at least not anymore than anything else is in the day and age of 24 hour sports). And yeah, it definitely sucked that Hughes got hurt. It's going to be his team next year. But what sucked worse was when Flowers decided that he needed to start jacking up stupid shots every other possession after the injury, and they didn't move the ball near the paint at all. They seriously are in need of some athletes, that was painfully clear after Davidson decided to apply their press.

Then every single medium in the United States is dumb for the coverage this week. And they'll be even more dumb if they happen to beat Kansas. This is college basketball, the NCAA tournament. Ratings don't go down when Cinderellas advance. But Krabbenhoft is a chump and a bust too, right? I guess I didn't see this over the top coverage you're referencing. I think you have this major little man thing with anything involving Badger sports, so that anytime someone doesn't go out of their way to praise them, they are somehow slapping them in the face, and that gets old. They won't beat Kansas, and I don't think the ratings will be very good in that game. And yeah, Krabbenhoft is a disappointment, as far as I'm concerned. He played like garbage tonight, and his lack of aggressiveness is maddening. Just so you know, I had the Badgers in the Elite 8, so it's not like I hate them or something. I'm a fan, I'm not Don, here.

Yeah, the ratings would suck. Guaranteed.

Look guys, the Badgers didn't deserve to win, but if you can't see that the refs at least were calling it real tight on one end, and not on the other, I guess I don't know what game you were watching. Like I said, there was one possession where there were three cheapies called on Davidson that evened it out in the first half. All of them could have easily been let go. I don't have any idea why the NCAA and the officials would conspire against UW. As low as ratings would be with the Badgers playing, they'd be even lower with a 1,700 student school playing (not to mention selling tix to fill these giant stadiums). It'd be a disaster for them.

This whole game just doesn't do the Badgers justice because they were a much better team than this this season and could never get any respect and this just plays right into the national media's hand. Not that it really means anything cause who cares what other people think, but it stinks to get disrespected all the time. Coming into this game, they were ranked #5 and #6 in the polls. They played in a mediocre conference, and that got held against them.

Well if they have the same refs, the Davidson-Kansas game will be close. I honestly have no idea what you're talking about in regards to this. I mean, there was one possession earlier in the game where Davidson had like three nickel and dimers called on them. It's hardly been a preferential treatment type of game, unless you're viewing it with a major inferiority complex.

Well, the way they have played, I think they should be gushed over.

It is a sad thing when DAVIDSON is more athletic than a team from the Big Ten. Ridiculous how slow the Badgers are. Krabbenhoft is such a chump.

Stupid fouls, too.

Not a good sequence for Butch there.

Rooo-D, Rooo-D "This is the most beautiful sight these eyes have ever seen" And I hate Notre Dame. But I cry like a little girl when I watch it.

I agree with Stevo and NDOG. Play Curry man-to-man with Flowers and see what happens. That's of course what Bo's going to do. The Badgers have far more talent, and as long as they execute they'll be fine, just like when they were playing against Beasley State. I said Badgers by 15 when I was discussing the game at work with a friend today, so I'll stick with that.

Yeah, this has been making me furious all week. I almost started a thread on it a couple days ago, but thought better of it. I loved how they said "we did everything we knew to do". If they had heard of doctors (which they of course had, since the daughter had been there before, though not since she was three), then that's certainly a lie. And to clarify what Peavey was saying, it was actually the husband's sister in CA who notified the police, not one of the other children.

Likely true - does that have any bearing on Vargas aside from being one spot he may not have a chance to get? No, just saying that it's not uncommon for guys who suck at pitching to pitch in the big leagues once in a while.

I'm fairly certain Vargas will be starting for someone this season. Well, Jamey Wright's probably going to get a turn or two somewhere, too.

It's about time.

As long as I can still hear O&A and Ron & Fez, I could care less.

Joe Dillon. Every day 2B. Stop the world and let me off before I ever see the day.

I can't quite go for the "gift-wrapped" thing, since Johnson's ejection was really lame. But, I'm not an alum, either.

Great play by Lopez there. That sucks.

MU can't buy a call. This ain't looking pretty right now.

Turns out you need more than one guy to win. Who knew?

Beasley could go for 40 and the Badgers will still win. Cover him man to man, and see what happens. If the Badgers execute their game it won't be a problem.

I think UW and MU both win.