49ers over Vols (Stewart Mandel,SI.com)

#2
#2
I'll be perfectly honest -- I didn't know a thing about this team prior to a few days ago.
Click to expand...

Pretty much shot his credibility on the issue straight to hell...He admits he knows only as much about the matter as every other Tom, Dick, and Jane with a bracket in the country..
 
#3
#3
This seems to be a 5-12 upset that a lot of people think are possible. A couple of the talking heads on ESPN the other day said that they thought that there was a very good chance that LBSU could pull off the upset.
 
#4
#4
He's right, though. We obviously were a questionable #2 last year. However, I think this year we win at least two games in the tourney.
 
#5
#5
history is not on our side, remember....we have a history of flaming out in the tourney....and a sr laden team against a young team like us, it's not out of the realm of possibilities for the upset to occur.

but on the same token, we are the better team and the better team should win. i think our defensive pressure will be something that htey are not used to and they are already comitting something like 14 turnovers a game......i would like to think that if all things stay the same we could get 20 plus out of this team tomorrow. and for once we actually have a size advantage so we should be able to win the battle at the boards. give us the edge at the boards and double digit turnovers, and i'll show you a TN win by double digits....
 
#6
#6
we have the advantage in talent, they have it in senior leadership. I think talent wins out in this match-up, what scares me is our losing tournement mentality.
 
#7
#7
these guys all think they need to pick a 5/12 upset. my bet is all the 5 seeds win. The real question is does the 12th seeds records against 5 seeds really mean anything? Or is it just a statistical anomaly.
 
#8
#8
there is some merit to the 5 v 12 upset arguement, but I just dont see it happening in this game
 
#9
#9
It isn't sexy to pick all the favored teams win ....so the talking heads shoot in the dark for upsets and if they're wrong nobody remembers, and if they are you don't have the option of reminding them. If they're correct...they absolutely will take up air time reminding you that they are masters of the universe for guessing right.
 
#10
#10
Well that, and the 5/12 happens every year. I picked the Vols in this one, but I would not be suprised to see Long Beach take this game.
 
#12
#12
No fricken way the vols lose this game. I agree witht he above poster. Vols by 15+.

edit: I do remember, though, that on his interview on the Jim Rome show, he compared LBSU to his Milwaukee teams in the gamestyle that they play and that he's scared to hell of them. That said, he understands what's at stake and he WILL have your vols ready to play.
 
#13
#13
IMO Mandel is simply looking at UT's road record thinks UT can't win on the road and is predicting a loss.

I was tempted to do the same thing, but when you look at Long Beach St's schedule and who they have played and beaten, they haven't played many good teams and lost to all of them, usually big. They are not particulary big or good in the low post, UT's big weakness. A 12 seed seems high for them. A nice draw for UT.
 
#14
#14
As was posted in Forde's article

(LBS) Team that beat nobody -- repeat, nobody -- ranked higher than 140th in the RPI
Click to expand...

I just don't see them getting it done.
 
#17
#17
From what I've seen, while some do pick this as the (or one of) possible 5/12 upset, most are calling it the least likely 5/12 upset on the board.
 
#18
#18
tidwell said:
From what I've seen, while some do pick this as the (or one of) possible 5/12 upset, most are calling it the least likely 5/12 upset on the board.
Click to expand...
Yep. Namely because two of the other 5/12's, the 12's aren't small-time schools, and everybody is picking the other one. Logically, it has to be the least probable 5/12 upset. You never know, though. March Madness got its name for a reason. If Lofton doesn't play well, LBSU gives Tennessee one hell of a scare, possible OT. If Lofton does play well, the game is over by the start of the 4th quarter.
 
#19
#19
When does the 4th quarter start? :)

That Butler/Old Dominion 5/12 looks like a 12/12 game. :lol: I dunno how much of an upset that would be, other than seeding, of course.
 
#21
#21
jakez4ut said:
history is not on our side, remember....we have a history of flaming out in the tourney....and a sr laden team against a young team like us, it's not out of the realm of possibilities for the upset to occur.
Click to expand...

Bingo. If I weren't a Tennessee man, these two factors would've strongly tempted me to take LBSU in the upset. Seniors against freshman. Terrible tournament history for UT. If you're looking for an upset to pick, that might be one you'd think about. And indeed, in the pool I'm running, that's a pretty popular first-round upset.

NOT GONNA HAPPEN THOUGH!
 
New posts
You must log in or register to reply here.
Advertisement



Back
Top