2017-18 Smack Talk

[SHOCKvalue]

What do people do in Connecticut? Tour ESPN studios? Travel out of state?

Enjoy living someplace with trees and hills, plus summers that aren't reminiscent of the Sahara.

[1972Shocker]

No, he's wrong there too. There is a **** ton to do in South Dakota. Ever hear of Mt Rushmore? Black Hills, Badlands National Park? Sturgis? I could go on...

Right on. Not sure I would want to live there but one of my all-time favorite vacations was in the Black Hills area. Deadwood if you like gambling. Don't forget Crazy Horse. The Mammoth Site is pretty cool. Jewel Cave and Wind Cave. Great hiking. Needles Highway and Iron Mountain Road (Rock Tunnels & Pigtail Bridges). Spearfish Canyon. Custer State Park. The Devil's Tower is close by in Wyoming.

You can even have a lot fun getting there if you know how to do it and where to look although it all depends on what you like.

Now outside of the Black Hills area the not much to do no doubt holds true. But the Black Hills are a very nice vacation spot for sure.

[Shoxcity]

What do people do in Connecticut? Tour ESPN studios? Travel out of state?

Sit around and wish Jim Calhoun was back.

[1972Shocker]

Enjoy living someplace with trees and hills, plus summers that aren't reminiscent of the Sahara.

This summer wasn't too bad overall other than the latter half of July. However, trees or not exactly a Kansas specialty. In fact, I believe that Kansas is the only state that does not have a designated National Forest. Perhaps the National Park Service felt sorry for us and that's why we got the National Tallgrass Prairie Preserve in the Flint Hills. Actually, I think it is a public/private partnership between the Nature Conservancy and the National Park Service.

If you're in the mood for some good old Kansas wind this is a good spot to find it. The Grand Central Hotel in Cottonwood Falls just south of the Preserve has a really good restaurant.

[Wuchalk]

Right on. Not sure I would want to live there but one of my all-time favorite vacations was in the Black Hills area. Deadwood if you like gambling. Don't forget Crazy Horse. The Mammoth Site is pretty cool. Jewel Cave and Wind Cave. Great hiking. Needles Highway and Iron Mountain Road (Rock Tunnels & Pigtail Bridges). Spearfish Canyon. Custer State Park. The Devil's Tower is close by in Wyoming.

You can even have a lot fun getting there if you know how to do it and where to look although it all depends on what you like.

Now outside of the Black Hills area the not much to do no doubt holds true. But the Black Hills are a very nice vacation spot for sure.

You forgot about the Corn Palace in Mitchell. South Dakota is a beautiful place with lots to do.

[1972Shocker]

You forgot about the Corn Palace in Mitchell. South Dakota is a beautiful place with lots to do.

Heard of the Corn Palace. Never had the opportunity to stop there though.

[Aargh]

This summer wasn't too bad overall other than the latter half of July. However, trees or not exactly a Kansas specialty. In fact, I believe that Kansas is the only state that does not have a designated National Forest. Perhaps the National Park Service felt sorry for us and that's why we got the National Tallgrass Prairie Preserve in the Flint Hills. Actually, I think it is a public/private partnership between the Nature Conservancy and the National Park Service.

If you're in the mood for some good old Kansas wind this is a good spot to find it. The Grand Central Hotel in Cottonwood Falls just south of the Preserve has a really good restaurant.

Kansas doesn't have a national forest. At one time it had a state forest, but the tree died.

No, I didn't make that up as a joke. The nation's largest elm tree used to be in Kansas, and it was designated as a state forest. The tree has since died and been cut down. "Died" is a bit misleading. In 1998 someone stuck a pipe bomb in its' crotch (that can be quite painful) and blew it to pieces.

[SHOCKvalue]

Nebraska has a state forest. Huge, and completely human-planted too. It's kinda crazy.

The more you know...

[UCONN_Husky]

The article was scattered with "funny ha-ha's". Some pointed at UConn itself, others at their competitors. I'm pretty sure this was a "greeting welcome" from the writer.

It was added as a "haha" moment. I know at least a few ADimeBack writers/bloggers check out The-Boneyard (UCONN forum) and CSNBBS for fan perspective/input. I think there were multiple threads on both those sites jokingly questioning Wichita's geography.

As far as the list is concerned, I'd say its pretty accurate. An old rival at MSG is always gonna be #1. Playing an old rival at home who we haven't seen in quite some time is definitely #2. The PK80 competition alone puts it number 3. A top 5 WSU at home for the conference opener is a top quality #4. And I can't argue with a program like Arizona for #5. Both Cincinnati games are also high up for me as a result of them being our biggest conference rival and having played a lot of good, close games.

I'd probably have these as my Top 10:

1. Syracuse (MSG)
2. Nova
3. Oregon (PK80)
4. Wichita State
5. @ Arizona
6. Cincinnati
7. SMU
8. @ Cincinnait
9. @ Wichita State
10. UCF

[WuShock Reaper]

"10 Can't-Miss Nonconference Games in the 2017-18 College Basketball Season" - Bleacher Report

by Kerry Miller
Posted: October 10, 2017

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2737659-10-cant-miss-nonconference-games-in-the-2017-18-college-basketball-season

"10. Miami at Minnesota
9. Alabama at Arizona
8. Villanova vs. Gonzaga
7. Kentucky at West Virginia
6. Notre Dame at Michigan State
5. Louisville at Kentucky
4. Cincinnati at Xavier
3. Kentucky vs. UCLA
2. Kansas vs. Kentucky
1. Duke vs. Michigan State

Honorable Mentions Games:
Wichita State at Baylor (Dec. 2)

Prior to late-season games against Cincinnati, there's not a lot on Wichita State's schedule to get excited about. This game against Baylor is the exception. The Bears have a little bit of rebuilding to do after losing Johnathan Motley and several other key players, but they still have more than enough talent to give the Shockers a run for their money...."

[SHOCKvalue]

Prior to late-season games against Cincinnati, there's not a lot on Wichita State's schedule to get excited about.

Lolwut!?

[Cdizzle]

"10 Can't-Miss Nonconference Games in the 2017-18 College Basketball Season" - Bleacher Report

by Kerry Miller
Posted: October 10, 2017

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2737659-10-cant-miss-nonconference-games-in-the-2017-18-college-basketball-season

"10. Miami at Minnesota
9. Alabama at Arizona
8. Villanova vs. Gonzaga
7. Kentucky at West Virginia
6. Notre Dame at Michigan State
5. Louisville at Kentucky
4. Cincinnati at Xavier
3. Kentucky vs. UCLA
2. Kansas vs. Kentucky
1. Duke vs. Michigan State

Honorable Mentions Games:
Wichita State at Baylor (Dec. 2)

Prior to late-season games against Cincinnati, there's not a lot on Wichita State's schedule to get excited about. This game against Baylor is the exception. The Bears have a little bit of rebuilding to do after losing Johnathan Motley and several other key players, but they still have more than enough talent to give the Shockers a run for their money...."

I guess that means there aren't very many B12 games to get excited about this year.

[UCONN_Husky]

"It turns out that, by my lights, there are still six major conferences. “Power 5” is a football term that should be banished from your basketball vocabulary. Say “major-conference basketball,” and people will know you’re referring to the ACC, Big 12, Big East, Big Ten, Pac-12, and SEC."

https://johngasaway.com/2017/10/09/t...r-conferences/

[Cdizzle]

"It turns out that, by my lights, there are still six major conferences. “Power 5” is a football term that should be banished from your basketball vocabulary. Say “major-conference basketball,” and people will know you’re referring to the ACC, Big 12, Big East, Big Ten, Pac-12, and SEC."

https://johngasaway.com/2017/10/09/t...r-conferences/

I think the AAC has a chance to be consistently better than the SEC going forward.

[ShockTalk]

[FONT="]"It turns out that, by my lights, there are still six major conferences. “Power 5” is a football term that should be banished from your basketball vocabulary. Say “major-conference basketball,” and people will know you’re referring to the ACC, Big 12, Big East, Big Ten, Pac-12, and SEC."[/FONT]

https://johngasaway.com/2017/10/09/t...r-conferences/

I think the AAC has a chance to be consistently better than the SEC going forward.

So, if I understand his analysis correctly, he did not include what WSU had done over those 4 years because they were not in the American.

Would have been interesting to see what WSU numbers if added to the AAC would have done to those scores.

For starters, he can throw out "Seeds". No way that can be relevant when you compare seeds to victories, especially when considering the AAC is fighting from a seed deficient with the other 5.

Another problem is to look at the Big 12 and their #1 ranking in KemPom and Seeding, yet they have only 25 tournament wins with better seeding.

Now add in WSU on victories to the AAC and the conference is at 22 and tied with the Big East and only 3 behind the Big 12. All the while having lower seeding and fewer teams in the tourney.

Feel free to correct me if I'm wrong on any of this. It's pretty much off the cuff.