NCAA College Basketball

LuckyLloyd

Just wondering if anyone here watches NCAA College Basketball in the US. For the past five years I have been a huge fan, and more and more games over are avilable over here on a yearly basis due to NASN / NASN 2 (from 12am - 8am on Setanta 1) and ESPN fullcourt (online subscription service that streams a pile of games).

I honestly think I prefer the culiminating March Madness 65 team straight national championship knockout tournament to things like the Fifa World Cup or the Olympic games. :eek:

Am I just crazy!? Or are there any closet fans about?

WHIP IT!

LuckyLloyd wrote: »

Just wondering if anyone here watches NCAA College Basketball in the US. For the past five years I have been a huge fan, and more and more games over are avilable over here on a yearly basis due to NASN / NASN 2 (from 12am - 8am on Setanta 1) and ESPN fullcourt (online subscription service that streams a pile of games).

I honestly think I prefer the culiminating March Madness 65 team straight national championship knockout tournament to things like the Fifa World Cup or the Olympic games. :eek:

Am I just crazy!? Or are there any closet fans about?

I wouldn't be very up to speed with the players and teams etc but anytime I've seen it, March Madness seems to be one of the most spectacular sports events/tournaments in the world...

I've love to travel over for the final four some year...

LuckyLloyd

WHIP IT! wrote: »

I wouldn't be very up to speed with the players and teams etc but anytime I've seen it, March Madness seems to be one of the most spectacular sports events/tournaments in the world...

I've love to travel over for the final four some year...

Ya, going to the final four is on my to do list. And yes, it really is a spectacular sporting event. True David vs Goliath matchups early; plenty of upsets; some cinderella stories; then peeling away to the best v the best in the final two weekends.

That being said, looks like this forum is a little quiet.

Lafortezza

When I was in Vegas in January I watched some NCAA while recovering in the hotel room, it's a nice change from the NBA.
How much is the ESPN fullcourt? Do you need a fast connection and does it use up alot of cap space?

LuckyLloyd

lafortezza wrote: »

When I was in Vegas in January I watched some NCAA while recovering in the hotel room, it's a nice change from the NBA.
How much is the ESPN fullcourt? Do you need a fast connection and does it use up alot of cap space?

I'm not a techie Laf, so you may need to figure out "cap" space yourself. My connection is fairly standard and it works fine. When I was in Drogheda for a few days on a weaker connection it worked fine also. $75 will cover you between now and the end of the season (which is a lot of games). You don't need to watch games live and the 75$ will give you access to every game that they have shown on fullcourt up to this point. So it's a fair amount of basketball for your buck.

Link is here, sorry I can't give you a more techie breakdown (computer noob).

http://proxy.espn.go.com/ncb/fullcourt/index

I have to say that I much, much prefer it to the NBA. In terms of natural passion and pride (playing for the love of the game) it is better hands down, no contest. I also find the game dynamic much more interesting as the level of pure athletic talent is not so high so the tactics and execution of the same take primacy. You also get to see a wider variety of offensive and defensive schemes ran. Come tournament time it is always interesting to see how the input of a good coach plus a high team workrate can close the technical and athletic gap in a once off tie. Plus, watching teams that live or die by the 3 pointer is always fun!!

Mr A.

Ncaa is true basketball. And the fans are just nuts, can you imagine being 20yo and play in front of 30 000 plus people?

Sea Devils

Big Stanford fan here. Be interesting to see how the Lopex twins fare in the NCAA Tournament.

ems_12

NCAA is the best games to watch according to my bf, I agree even tho I don't watch bball much myself. Often have a few nights in with drinks and lots of friends who follow bball, it's gd craic. I'd love to go over and attend some of the games, it'd be crazy!

Kinetic^

Watched Providence vs Conneticut last night, good game.
Big game saturday though NC vs Duke.

LuckyLloyd

Well, the regular season; conference championships and selection Sunday is over and we now have the bracket.

Notre Dame were fairly beaten in their Big East championship game versus Marquette. In theory - given their regular season form - they should progress beyond George Mason in the first round. However, the Washington DC side still have veterans from the improbable final four run of two years ago.

If the Irish do get to round two they will face either a competent Washington State side or the Winthrope team that upset them last year. And then probably UNC in the sweet sixteen.

Oh well, here's hoping that Haroungody and McAlarney can come good when it counts. In any case, the whole thing is going to be great.

phil

A bit OT, but Notre Dame are over here in the summer - http://www.emeraldhoops.com/

Sea Devils

NCAA On Demand

Just giving you guys a headup. In case you didn't know good folks over at the NCAA have ‘March Madness On Demand a free and legal way of watching the NCAA Tournament. All you have to do is sign up:)

Judomad

Sea Devils wrote: »

NCAA On Demand

Just giving you guys a headup. In case you didn't know good folks over at the NCAA have ‘March Madness On Demand a free and legal way of watching the NCAA Tournament. All you have to do is sign up:)

just done it, it was 96% full when i did so i advise anybody else to do it soon....
look forwrd to tomorrow night, not only have we this all starting up but the Celtics end the texas triangle, i know that OT but im just saying its a good nite of bball in general....my girlfriend will dump me for staying up all night watching ball and sleepin all day after work hehe

LuckyLloyd

Bah. Missed that.

ro2

You can also watch it online with Joost:

http://www.joost.com/featured/marchmadness/

LuckyLloyd

ro2 wrote: »

You can also watch it online with Joost:

http://www.joost.com/featured/marchmadness/

tytyty

mc23

We might as well get some predictions. This must be 1 of the toughest comps in the world to call, I'll go with Memphis even though they were beaten at home by Tennessee in regular season. Its also hard to over look Psycho T and the boys from Chapel Hill.

phil

Got my bracket going on facebook! 100% so far, but I rushed into it. picked teams I know over ones I don't without a fair look at them. Anyways, I have NC to win it.

Redsoxfan

A great excuse to gamble. I kicked off by winning on WVU but losing on Kansas State. Was watching WKU beat Drake the other night on a buzzer beater in OT, great stuff. Need to ration my intake unfortunately as I already watch too much College Football, NFL, MLB.....and am due to get married soon (after that I can do as I like :rolleyes:)

LuckyLloyd

God, Notre Dame were crushed today.

The Stanford / Marquette game was epic.

Sea Devils

Tell me about it. Size matters in the tourney so I could see us toppling Texas or Mepmphis. Guards need to start playing Defense though there are times when the Lopez twins just seem to do both. Trent Johnsons ejection was both hilarious and dumb at the same time.

Still anytime Stanford wins and Duke loses it's been a good day at the NCAA Tourney:)

volkswagen8

nothing compares to college ball ,roll on next weekend , suffering from withdrawl symptoms already

giddyup

LuckyLloyd wrote: »

God, Notre Dame were crushed today.

That was big news in my neck of the woods. There's a little bit of antipathy here (home to UW) towards the folks in Wazzu. They were beaten well today by UNC.

I was never really too aware of March Madness before I got here but it is a big big deal. Everyone does brackets.

I love the whole setup of sport here - the seasons overlap nicely and layering college with pro sports there is always something interesting going on. Of course this is somewhat to the detriment of US interest in more global sports, especially team sports but that's another thread.

mc23

A big surprise to see Tennessee go out so easily to Louisville in the sweet 16(79-60). If all the top seeds go through it would leave Kansas, North Carolina, Memphis and UCLA in the final 4....unless there are some more twists left.

LuckyLloyd

Four number one seeds get to the final four.

Davidson took Kansas all the way to the final possession but couldn't get a good look despite having 16 seconds to run an attack. Obviously, next weekend will be epic - but I like the underdogs.

ems_12

Anyone see PTI last night and they April Fools joke they did? lol, my bf missed the Kansas-Davidson game, the PTI guys really had him going

Kansas ftw?

mc23

Replaying the last 16sec of the Kansas-Davidson game because 1 of the Kansas players had picked up 5 fouls and didnt sit out.:eek: They made a convincing argument over it.:D

What time is the championship game on NASN, its going to hard enough staying up to watch UNC and Kansas on sat night.

ems_12

UCLA v Memphis on Sat @ 11pm
Championship @ 2am on Monday (not gonna be fun getting up for work on Tuesday!)

...or at least thats what the NASN website says

mc23

Both semi finals did not disappoint, I thought some of the ball played by Memphis was excellent.... Rose and CDR are superstars. What about UNC going 28 points down to Kansas in the first half.:eek: It should be a great final.

fatgav

no one up watchin the final then?

AckwelFoley

NCAA is massive in the US.


Its like the "All Ireland here"

chips1234

fatgav wrote: »

no one up watchin the final then?

im watching good close game

should be a good second half

Kinetic^

Aye, good game so far, should be close till the end.

Edit: OT. What a shot to force it!!!!!

Edit2: Free throws lost it for Memphis, too many missed in the last few minutes. Great game.

LuckyLloyd

Forgot about this thread! It was a great final, with a thrilling finale. I think the lack of bracket busting upsets early in the tournament hurt the entertainment levels - but no - one can argue that the championship game wasn't a great sporting occasion. Till next year.