Jared Max

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2014 NCAA Hoops Chat with Mike Hall

Mar 26, 2014·93 visitors

mike hall

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Stage· 128 messages

Mar 26, 2014

Jared Max is chatting about the 2014 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament with Mike Hall of The Big Ten Network

Jared Max · 7:01 PM

Hey Mike - Whats the good word?

mike hall · 7:02 PM

Hi there

Jared Max · 7:02 PM

Got your dancing shoes on? Some fantastic games these next couple of days

Jared Max · 7:02 PM

LET’S CUT TO THE CHASE RIGHT OUT OF THE GATE.nFROM WHAT YOU’VE WATCHED IN THE FIRST FEW ROUNDS, ALONG WITH WHAT YOU WITNESSED ALL SEASON, FORGETTING ABOUT SEED NUMBERS, WHO ARE THE THREE MOST DANGEROUS TEAMS STILL STANDING?

mike hall · 7:02 PM

yeah, the bar has been raised after this past weekend - that was the best weekend I can remember in March

mike hall · 7:02 PM

3 most dangerous...

mike hall · 7:03 PM

Florida, Michigan State and probably kentucky

mike hall · 7:03 PM

now that doens't mean I like those 3 the most

mike hall · 7:03 PM

cause I dont really like kentucky all that much

mike hall · 7:03 PM

but they are as dangerous as anyone

Jared Max · 7:04 PM

Florida, Mich St and Kentucky are no strangers to late March hoops ... Interesting how the heavyweights will always shine through

mike hall · 7:05 PM

yeah, the first weekend (and often the 2nd) are much more for the smaller teams. historically the 3rd weekend is for the big boys

Jared Max · 7:05 PM

Kentucky/Louisville matchup has the Bluegrass State abuzz ...

mike hall · 7:06 PM

its a fascinating game. Kentucky really wasn't that good all year. But they always have had the talent. They seem to be putting it all together right now

Jared Max · 7:06 PM

Sweet 16 begins tomorrow, continues Friday. Elite 8 is Sat and Sun. When we get through the weekend, which smaller school do you think has the best chance at playing for the big prize?

mike hall · 7:07 PM

based on talent of the roster... san diego state is probably the most likely small school to maek the final 4. But their road is tough. dont think they can win 1 more, let alone 2

mike hall · 7:07 PM

but i could easily see dayton moving on to the elite 8

mike hall · 7:07 PM

and from there, who know

Jared Max · 7:07 PM

Interesting that you mention SD St

mike hall · 7:08 PM

oh?

Jared Max · 7:08 PM

I noticed that there are three games featuring #1 seeds vs #4's

Jared Max · 7:08 PM

San Diego State/Arizona is one of these

Jared Max · 7:08 PM

Of the 8 games to be played in the next two days, this game has the largest point spread of any

mike hall · 7:08 PM

sure

Jared Max · 7:08 PM

Arizona is favored by 7 over the 4th seed

Jared Max · 7:09 PM

Yet, a 2 vs 11 game (Mich/Tenn) is only a 2-point line.... Makes me wonder if these disparities are a result of Vegas being more in the know than the selection committee

Jared Max · 7:09 PM

Vegas always knows... :)

mike hall · 7:09 PM

well, i dont know... do you want me to go into my perosnal rant on Vegas?

mike hall · 7:10 PM

personal

Jared Max · 7:10 PM

Yeah, lets hear it

mike hall · 7:10 PM

The long and short of it is.... Vegas is in this fascinating/bizarre situation...

mike hall · 7:10 PM

They are basically anti-officials/referees

mike hall · 7:10 PM

No matter what, a referee/official can not win.

Jared Max · 7:10 PM

Particularly since March Madness has reached soaring madness in the USA because of gambling -- everyone does a bracket - we become part of a community

mike hall · 7:11 PM

if they ahve a good game, nobody notices it. If they have a screwup, everyone talks about it

mike hall · 7:11 PM

Vegas is the reverse

mike hall · 7:11 PM

When Vegas is way off on a game, people say "wow, what a wild game" Never - "man Vegas really screwed up"

Jared Max · 7:11 PM

How do you mean?

Jared Max · 7:11 PM

ahhhhhhh

mike hall · 7:11 PM

But... when vegas gets it within a point or two right, we all Praise vegas for being brilliant!

mike hall · 7:12 PM

They can do no wrong. its fascinating to me

Jared Max · 7:12 PM

it's like when stock prices suddenly jump or drop to significant measures, and we can assume that the strings are pulled by others more powerful than us

mike hall · 7:12 PM

They get a lot right. But they also get a lot wrong... they just dont seem to ever recieve blame or scorn when theyre not right

Jared Max · 7:12 PM

Vegas answers to nobody

Jared Max · 7:12 PM

No need to

mike hall · 7:12 PM

ha, right

Jared Max · 7:13 PM

And now... a question in ALL CAPS which I wrote earlier:

Jared Max · 7:13 PM

WHEN PERFORMERS TAKE TO STAGES LARGER THAN ANYPLACE THEY’VE PLAYED, THERE TENDS TO BE A VOLATILITY IN ABILITY TO PERFORM AS WELL AS ONE IS USED TO. THOSE WHO ARE BEST PREPARED DO WHAT COACH DALE TOLD THE KIDS HOW TO BEST BE IN POSITION TO WIN IN

mike hall · 7:14 PM

so back to your question originally.... the 2-11 game very well might be a closer game than the 1-4 matchup. But also, those seeds were created before the first two games (or 3 for TENN) were played, so they cant change their seed #s, but Vegas

mike hall · 7:14 PM

vegas can adapt

Jared Max · 7:14 PM

“HOOSIERS” — “FORGET ABOUT THE CROWD… THE SIZE OF THE SCHOOL … THE FANCY UNIFORMS, ETC” … TODAY’S NY POST FEATURES A SWEET 16 BRACKET OF THE HEAD COACHES, DECLARING TOM IZZO THE CHAMP.

Jared Max · 7:14 PM

HOW CRITICAL IS IT TO HAVE AN EXPERIENCED COACH AT THIS STAGE OF THE GAME? NOT ONLY IS THERE THE GAME TO MANAGE, BUT ALSO THE PREPARTION TO KEEP THE TEAM GROUNDED AND FOCUSED?

mike hall · 7:14 PM

oh sure, thats huge

mike hall · 7:14 PM

more than anything, because these are kids

mike hall · 7:14 PM

18 year olds, 19 year olds, 20 year olds

mike hall · 7:15 PM

Tom Izzo always tells his team, "you win the first game, I'll win the second"

mike hall · 7:15 PM

It basically means, he wants his team to be in charge of being ready for that first game of the weekend in the NCAATourney, and he'll take care of being prepared for the 2nd game

Jared Max · 7:15 PM

One friend who plays and was knocked out in the first round despite being a higher seed told me that his team was like deer in headlights - feel behind big early, only got worse

mike hall · 7:15 PM

pretty brilliant. Why he's a top 5 coach

mike hall · 7:16 PM

sure. And thats what the pressure can do. the pressure of the moment, of hte crowd, the building, the attention they recieved all week at school, from friends, etc

Jared Max · 7:16 PM

"You win the first game, I'll win the second" -- great mentality ... QUESTION: Is Tom Izzo best suited for college ball? USA Today said he's going to be pursued by the Pistons...

mike hall · 7:16 PM

yeah, I dont really buy that

mike hall · 7:16 PM

I mean, he's said he'll never say never. But I highly doubt he's leaving

mike hall · 7:17 PM

a couple years ago he almost left MSU for the Cavaliers job

mike hall · 7:17 PM

he was very close

mike hall · 7:17 PM

but he did a LOT of soul searching and realized MSU was for him

mike hall · 7:17 PM

I dont think he goes. Plus, he's done multiple interviews today saying as such

mike hall · 7:17 PM

including one where he said he doesnt even Know the Pistons owner, let alone never even met him

mike hall · 7:17 PM

(debunking the rumors that the Pistons owner and he are tight, as he's an MSU grad)

Jared Max · 7:17 PM

The success rate of prominent college coaches thriving at the pro level is miniscule.. Took Pete Carroll a long way to get there ... Most bow out, it seems before becoming great in the pros

mike hall · 7:18 PM

Right. Its a different game

mike hall · 7:18 PM

its possible to be good at both, just not easy. There's an adjustment to the lifestyle, the competition, the relationships with the players, etc

Jared Max · 7:19 PM

UConn is playing at Mad.Sq.Garden Friday vs Iowa St ... the local train, Metro North is having an extra train leaving from New Haven, CT to get to Manhattan ... Wondering if MSG will be like Storrs

mike hall · 7:20 PM

intersting

mike hall · 7:20 PM

well they say 85-90% of the tickets are sold before selection sunday

Jared Max · 7:20 PM

If Izzo leaves for the NBA, I imagine he will find success. But, I think it takes most many years to learn the new game. It is a different art'

mike hall · 7:21 PM

but Uconn is used to playing in that building, historically speaking. so that could help

Jared Max · 7:22 PM

Along the same lines, Mike -- it seems that for every superstar who takes the nation by storm in a Final Four or NCAA tourney, there are a few whose star loses its light after college. What do you think are some determining factors in great college

Jared Max · 7:22 PM

players becoming great pro players?

mike hall · 7:23 PM

interesting

mike hall · 7:24 PM

its tough to tell

mike hall · 7:25 PM

honestly, Ive never been good at being able to determine which college star will be a pro star

mike hall · 7:25 PM

in baskeball or football

Jared Max · 7:26 PM

Lets share some picks ... In the East, I'm going with UCONN by 4, VIRGINIA by 1 .... In the South, I got STANFORD by 11 and Florida by 2 .... In the Midwest, I like MICHIGAN by 2 and L'VILLE by 8 ... In the West, BAYLOR by 10 and ARIZONA by 13

mike hall · 7:26 PM

ok... I like Iowa State over Uconn. Even though Iowa State lost a star player to injury. But I agree on the Cavs

mike hall · 7:27 PM

I picked dayton over stanford (but for no real reason!) and florida too

mike hall · 7:27 PM

I like michigan and louisville, and i like arizona and wisconsin

Jared Max · 7:27 PM

Baylor is STRONG

mike hall · 7:28 PM

My final four is (and actually has been the same from the get go) MICH, MSU, ZONA, FLA

Jared Max · 7:28 PM

Something about this team ... They might not have the name "Kentucky" but in recent years they've been near the top, time and time again ....

mike hall · 7:28 PM

they are, but undisciplined. WISC doesnt foul and doesnt turn the ball over.

Jared Max · 7:28 PM

Last 6 seasons Baylor is 17-3 in postseason

mike hall · 7:28 PM

very good. 2 elite 8s already

mike hall · 7:28 PM

they're not a bad pick. Just not mine

Jared Max · 7:29 PM

Oh, so you're still hanging onto a bracket?

mike hall · 7:29 PM

locked in the wallet, as we speak

Jared Max · 7:29 PM

Baylor is like a blue chip stock the last several years -- only they don't trade at Google prices -- more like an AT&T ... LOL

mike hall · 7:30 PM

you like the stock market analogies!

Jared Max · 7:30 PM

I'm a product of my environment

mike hall · 7:30 PM

nothin wrong with that

Jared Max · 7:31 PM

been playing the market for the last several weeks ... getting my arse handed to me

mike hall · 7:31 PM

well, comes with the territory, right?

Jared Max · 7:31 PM

I am aware that I've been making many references in conversations to the market -- but, it's good because it's easy to understand -- almost like politicians making sports analogies

mike hall · 7:31 PM

sure

Jared Max · 7:32 PM

Sports to Politics = Stocks to Sports

Jared Max · 7:32 PM

So said Issaic Newton

Jared Max · 7:32 PM

LOL ... not really

mike hall · 7:32 PM

he was a wise man

mike hall · 7:32 PM

and a huge sports nut

Jared Max · 7:33 PM

So, if the NCAA teams who are still left were stocks ... and you had limited funds to invest, which do you think would provide the best return?

Jared Max · 7:33 PM

Remember, you have limited funds

mike hall · 7:33 PM

hmmmm

Jared Max · 7:33 PM

I'm not talking about betting on a team

Jared Max · 7:33 PM

I'm thinking in terms of solidarity

mike hall · 7:33 PM

then I'd say anyone from the west

mike hall · 7:33 PM

all 4 of those teams are under-talked about

Jared Max · 7:33 PM

wise investment, not a penny stock

mike hall · 7:33 PM

nationally speaking

Jared Max · 7:34 PM

Interesting

Jared Max · 7:34 PM

Didn't Jim Morrison say THE WEST IS THE BEST?

mike hall · 7:34 PM

if not, then he should have

mike hall · 7:34 PM

alright, my real job is callin me away. So I gotta run. But this was fun! thanks for having me on.

Jared Max · 7:34 PM

Mike, a pleasure chatting with you

mike hall · 7:34 PM

you too

mike hall · 7:34 PM

talk soon

Jared Max · 7:34 PM

See you in Dallas (if you'll be there)

mike hall · 7:34 PM

or rather... Tawk soon

Jared Max · 7:34 PM

Tawkin the Tawk, you know it