Looks like the Pac-10 is wide open

by donkeyjon12 on Nov 20, 2008 9:21 PM PST Comment 16 comments

Funny how 2 weeks can change things. 2 weeks ago we had no clue what WSU basketball was going to bring to the table. I personally was excited to be able to just cheer my team on after expecting a W everytime we played. Then a funny thing happened. We dominated. ASU and Pitt were unable to show the same domination we did. And expectations grew quickly.

Over that same half month UCLA, USC, UW, and Arizona have all lost to unranked teams. ASU has looked anything but dominate. The bottom half of the conference has looked weaker than the WCC. It is fair to say this conference is wide open. With our style of play, and rompus home court ,we should expect to be in every game this year. I know its early, but i'm excited....and all Coug Hoop fan should be.

"it's better to expect great things and be disapointed than to expect the status quo and be a loser"

Wade Boggs 1991 after he drank 74 beers on a flight from NY to Seattle

This is a FanPost and does not necessarily reflect the views of CougCenter's writers or editors. It does reflect the views of this particular fan though, which is as important as the views of CougCenter's writers or editors.

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Patience, patience, patience

No, it’s not good for the conference overall, and might yet bode well for us, but it’s soooooo early. These teams have newcomers that need to gel. Remember when USC lost to Siena last year? Those Trojans turned out to be pretty good by the end of the year. I am concerned a little about UCLA, though. A closer than comfortable win against Miami (OH) and a loss to Michigan, all while playing pretty poor defense by their standards? Not sure what the problem is there.

Honestly, the best thing for the Cougs would be for the conference to dominate in the non-conference schedule. Then, wins look better in the eyes of the committee — that’s how we got our 3 seed last year, despite some prognosticators forecasting us as low as a 5 seed.

CougCenter

by Nuss on Nov 21, 2008 11:11 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

We were a 4 seed last year

3 the year before

by Dancing Football on Nov 23, 2008 6:34 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Yup, sorry about that

Thanks. Mixed it up in my head.

CougCenter

by Nuss on Nov 24, 2008 8:28 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

It's a fine line between

Rooting for the rest of the conference, or against it. If UW, AZ, USC, and UCLA drop a few non-conference games, its a good sign for us. However, with the collective losses, the Pac-10 looks weak, meaning only 5 teams are getting in, which could hurt us, as a team potentially on the bubble. But if the other teams streak into conference play playing well with confidence, then it will mean tougher games for us. Pick your poison.

by peaty411s on Nov 21, 2008 12:27 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

I choose everyone winning

Except UW. I never hope they win. Never.

CougCenter

by Nuss on Nov 21, 2008 12:40 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Replace UW with Oregon for me.

I take some enjoyment in UW winning, but I can find happiness in their winning or losing.

Oregon, though. . . their fans around the interwebs drive me crazy. And Phil Knight. And Aaron Brooks. And those ugly colors. And the Luke Ridnour billboard. And ARGH they drive me nuts. They’re the only Pac-10 team I want to lose every game.

And That Happened: Sports with a Hint of Sarcasm

by philkid3 on Nov 21, 2008 7:44 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

I should have said I take some enjoyment in UW losing.

I don’t want any Pac-10 team to lose but Oregon and UW I can be happy either way.

And That Happened: Sports with a Hint of Sarcasm

by philkid3 on Nov 21, 2008 7:45 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Aaron Brooks and Luke Ridnour?

What could you have against them?

Haven't you people ever heard of closing the goddamn Shufelt?

by qrsouther on Nov 22, 2008 1:05 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Aaron Brooks was so annoying.

This little midget running around hitting shots to kill my team made me rage. And the way Oregon fans pumped him up repeatedly as the best player in the nation (not kididng) was incredibly annoying.

And Ridnour had the afforementioned billboard.

And That Happened: Sports with a Hint of Sarcasm

by philkid3 on Nov 22, 2008 1:12 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Plus he flipped us (the students) in 06

after taking 3 steps and dishing the ball to malik hairston for the winner.

by Dancing Football on Nov 23, 2008 6:36 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Small sample size

But it makes me feel a little better about our chances.

And I’m not ready to put much stock into the UCLA loss – remember, this is the same team school that keeps inexplicably losing games at Hec Ed.

by Grady. on Nov 21, 2008 12:50 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

Do you desire a conference championship?

Or a higher seed in the big dance? I would prefer both, but third place in a great conference is much better than first place in a crappy one.

74 beers is a lot. Even for a Cougs standards.

by Jo-Jo on Nov 21, 2008 3:23 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

wins

You win the Pac-10 and at worst you’re getting a 2 seed. My point was there doesn’t look to be a clear cut favorite like last year. It feels, and obviously it is early, like we can compete with every team ranked ahead of us in the pre-season poll. You couldn’t say that 2 weeks ago. No one wants the conference to suck. It just looks like the guys at the top might be a little weaker than thought, and we are going to be a little stronger. You can shake it anyway you want, but 3rd is better than 6th regardless of the conferences strength. Plus with our non conference schedule we are going to have a shot at getting plenty of quality wins. Go Gougs.

by donkeyjon12 on Nov 21, 2008 4:54 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

boggs

http://stevemasonsmog.typepad.com/710_espns_smog_steve_maso/2007/09/wade-boggs-can-.html

by donkeyjon12 on Nov 21, 2008 4:56 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

Let em win now, lose later

I have many family ties to UW, so I can’t say I want to cut the achilies of everyone who roots for them, but I can say when they lose to portland, I laugh out loud. I usually root for the Pac-10 schools otherwise.

by peaty411s on Nov 22, 2008 12:05 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

UPDATED

USC has now lost again, and we can only presume UW loses tonight. UCLA shouldn’t have lost to Michigan but I didn’t see TOO much in that game that concerns me for them – mostly it’s just that freshmen need to step up, and in all likelihood they will by conference play. ASU still hasn’t convinced me they are legit. I think 2nd in the Pac 10 is a legitimate goal for us, but more because the whole league is down than because I think we’ll blow by everyone.

7 in a row, baby!

by johnnycougar on Nov 24, 2008 4:36 PM PST reply actions 0 recs