After helping to lead his Northern Iowa team to the Sweet Sixteen with the biggest win in that school's history, Ben Jacobson has been awarded a new 10-year contract as the program's head basketball coach. The new deal will pay him $450K/season starting next year, with an automatic $25K bump per year. This contract replaces his old one that ran through 2016, and payed him $289,300/year.

Now, that's more like what a college coach SHOULD get, dont'cha think? Hey, if they want NBA-sized contracts they should go to the freakin' NBA, right?
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Don't forget about Robbie Hummel from Purdue being out. A lot of the pundits had Purdue going out in rounds 1 and 2 without their best player, but they still came out on top. Purdue with Hummel in their lineup is in my opinion just as good as any other team left. Duke will certainly be a challenge though.
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Just got the call that I have a ticket to the SLC Regionals and where to meet for beers after work(pre game)..... YES!!!!

LOVE having friends in the biz.....!!!

(can you tell I am excited)
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Thanks, though I have mentioned Hummel's absence several times earlier, and only overlooked him due to the fact that he's been out for a month or more now. The Boilermakers have had enough time to adjust to his absence, or at least as well as they are able. With him in the line-up, I could see them taking Dook to the wire, at the least. However, with the defensive pressure the Blue Devils can put on their opponent, Hummel's loss as a ballhandler will make it more difficult for Purdue, without a doubt, and they need now count on the failure on Dook on the other end of the court . . . and, at times, they do just that, and can struggle to score if the iron is unkind.

We'll know better about midnight tomorrow. :-)
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To follow up on that report 2 days ago: Paul Hewitt has declined St. John's offer to become their new head coach, and will stay with Georgia Tech . . . this week, anyway. :-)

Maybe you didn't realize it, but there are a few basketball games scheduled for tonight. In order of tip-offs, we have:

Syracuse vs. Butler = I have less faith in the efficacy of the zone defense than does the loyal Orange fans, as I can name a handful of ways it can be beaten. I have even less faith that Butler can manage to accomplish this, however, and see the 'Cuse advancing with relative ease.

West Virginia vs. Washington = The loss of Darryl Bryant has put a crimp in the Mountaineers' game plan, though they do have a capable back-up at the point in Joe Mazzulla. However, he is more a ballhandler and passer than a scorer, so WVA will need more points from someone else . . . like Da'Sean Butler, for instance. As for the Huskies, they have played better in the Tourney than they have all year, and have looked nearly as good as they were suppsed to be. This one's a tough call, both because of the injury and because I don't know which Washington team will show up tonight. But since Butler's the best player on the court, I'll give WVA the nod.

Kansas State vs. Xavier = And this one's not easy for me either. Imprimis, I have not seen K-State too much, and by general impression and history have little faith in their ability to win big games. That's my prejudice, admittedly, but that's what I'm dealt, so tough. As for the X-Men, they have been as consistent as lumpy gravy all season, with smooth creamy play full of "Nots". So, as I must pick one, I'll give K-State one more win this year . . . but only one.

Kentucky vs. Cornell = A no-brainer, you say? Well, OK, I'll grant you that. Yet I've been told I have no brain so many times that once more ain't gonna hurt. The Wildcats have as much talent and athletic ability on their bench as Big Red has had, in toto, in the last 50 years . . . and then there is the UK starters! For many of these kids, their next loss will be their last college game, so they may not want to end their brief visit to Lexington tonight. But the next loss for Cornell will also be the last in their careers, for entirely different reasons . . . they are loaded with seniors. We know the advantage Kentucky has. Cornell, on the other hand, is a much more experienced, more disciplined, and more controlled team, due to their age, their time together, their intellect, and their coach's own abilities. Will that be enough? I can't see it. However, if they can keep it within a few baskets until the final 5 minutes or so, there is the possibility that UK will blink first. Kentucky can win by a ton. Cornell can hold on and edge them at the end. Will they? No.
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LETS GO 'CUSE!

Would really like to see another NY school in Cornell win tonight. Should be two good games to enjoy tonight.
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Could even be four, or at least three.
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'Cuse/Butler has had an interesting start. Butler is not laying down by any means, and this could be pretty good.

I'm very interested to see which UK shows up tonight...I only hope I can stay awake, as I usually am in bed by 9:30 :-).

I really hate to see these young guys get hit with injuries and miss such an awesome opportunity. I like to see a team's best play, even if against the team I root for.
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Oops...you forgot to mention Butler.
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Syracuse played like absolute **** and by no means deserved to win. God damn I see this time and time again, typical Syracuse basketball in March.
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wasn't a basketball game, that was a mugging, :-)
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well for an unranked team at the beginning of the season, not too bad of a year, albeit a disappointing ending.

At least the team has integrity and class, unlike other schools who are constantly under sanction and threat of sanction by the Powers that Be, coached by an asshat with the ethics of a lawyer, :-)

Did I say lawyer? I meant a sewer worm:-)
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There you go insulting sewer worms. I would love to see Cornell win not because I like Cornell, I don't since I went to Dartmouth, but because I hate the Kentucky coach. He has left 2 programs after they got dirty.
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:-)

'Cuse me...
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C-A-T-S

Keep on haters!
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Well, at least since he's where he is at now there's no chance of him GETTING a third program dirty, they've always been right down there in the mud with him. :-)


Excellent article here Paul:

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1...uld-be-ashamed
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:-)

Go CATS--Frank Martin is doing a great job coaching this year..:-)











:-)
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"Camby took $28,000 from an agent while in college"-- JC had nothing to do with this.
"player cheat on his SAT and making payments to an associate of a Memphis player of over $2,000 for travel to road games, all during the 2007-2008 basketball season." --JC did not do this.

And as far as him bolting for UK...UK is the best job in basketball (7 NCs, the most wins of all time), and Memphis is hardly "one of the most prestigious" schools in basketball. Anyone with any sense can figure out that when you get the best recruits in basketball, there is a better chance that they were approached by agents or had extra help in HS.

Anyone who blames JC for UMass or Memphis is ignorant or greeeeeeeeeeen with envy. He is a coach who successfully recruits the best players, wins basketball games, and coaches the best team in basketball. Get over it, or get used to being mad about him winning, cause its gonna keep on keepin on.
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Frank Martin is a great coach and I like KSU...but they are the 2nd best Cats in this tourney!
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Hell of a game last night KSU vs Xavier.
I wanted to shoot Crawford for hitting those 3s!
But the Cats prevail, what a ride this year has been!!!!
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