We’re all Gator Bait
Khalid Salaam on the Final 4, tonight’s game, and the future.
By Khalid Salaam
Neither semifinal game offered much in the way of excitement. Ohio State was just too deep for Georgetown and kept bringing guys off the bench who could play. The Buckeyes really should have blown them out, but give JT3 credit for designing a defensive game plan that kept the game within reach. At least now Roy Hibbert can get a shape-up. The Hoyas were hurt by Jeff Green’s absence. Yeah he was in the game but he was nonexistent, playing this Final Four game like it was the first game of the season. I mean that’s how you play your last collegiate game? That’s your last audition? Pretty sure he’s going pro but he might have lost a shot at the lottery with that BS game. He only scored 9 points and without him it was no contest. His draft stock certainly dropped, didn’t it? I mean that was one game but what a game to flake out on. Yeah, the Buckeyes weakside defense was good, but not THAT good. Green took himself out of the game. Who feels good about using a high pick on him? Not me.
The real question that occurred to me while watching that game was if Mike Conley Jr. declared for the draft after the season, how high could he go? 7? 5? No joke, dude can play. He’s a top 10 pick right now. If Oden goes, I can’t see Conley coming back. And yeah, Oden has to leave, right? Even if I can’t recall watching a dude who is worse at drawing fouls. I mean its like he’s doing it on purpose. The trendy thing to say is that now he’s not ready. He’s not on Tim Duncan’s level so he should wait another year. To that I say, of course he’s probably not as ready as we want him to be but he’s still very much worth a number 1 pick. He’s young and in many ways untested. In the L he’ll get eaten up by the Dwight Howards of the world, but give him time and he’ll be a factor. Dude got ability but he’s 19 or something. Just because he looks like Father Time doesn’t mean he ready. Give him time.
The other game was much worse of course. I’m not saying the refs should look the other way when there is a foul but for sake of the game, have some discretion. The third foul on Afflalo was barely worth it and as soon as he sat I knew it was over. As it was, UCLA was gonna have a hard time with the Gators but now you take their best player away? Great. Now we have to sit through an entire half of watching the crowd do that gator bite thing. Which, I used to think was cool but is now greatly annoying. The Gators are good though and they’ll probably win tonight because Oden will get in early foul trouble and they go inside to Horford and pass out to all those perimeter guys and find a way to win. They’re an interesting team aren’t they?
First off, Noah is a funny looking dude. He makes Mike Bibby look like Djimon Hounsou. And Taurean Green has that discoloration thing going on in his face; I mean that’s motivation. He was probably like I’m never gonna get laid looking like this, I better make the basketball team then it won’t matter. More power to you Taurean, that’s what I say. Then there’s the confederate-like named sharpshooter Lee Humphrey. Damn he can shoot but I just can’t get by his name. Wasn’t there a Lee Humphrey who worked under Jefferson Davis? Horford is the man though, easily the guy with the most upside. He’s a top 5 pick no doubt. I was also amused by the constant news that Fla coach Billy Donovan was being mentioned for the Kentucky job. Why would he want to take that? Kentucky is one of those programs that lives in the past. Much like Alabama and Notre Dame in football nobody cares about Kentucky except for the people who live in the state.
So here’s my prediction for tonight: Florida 77, Gator Bait 71.
20 Responses to “We’re all Gator Bait”
Apr.2 at 1:20 pm
galo says:
first.
Apr.2 at 1:22 pm
H to the izzo says:
I’m gonna say it before Ryan does,Greg Oden will not be in the draft this year
Apr.2 at 1:39 pm
Konate says:
i was very disapointed in green. after i was campaigning for him made hard he played like a scared broad! that just showed how Green Jeff really is.
Apr.2 at 1:46 pm
LazyLew says:
there’s an old guy at my YMCA - has a great jumpshot and they call him coach- who’s about in his mid fifties but could pass for greg oden’s little brother
Apr.2 at 2:03 pm
Chris says:
“He makes Mike Bibby look like Djimon Hounsou” I will be stealing that. I’ll have everybody cracking up during the game tonight.
Apr.2 at 2:41 pm
Matthew says:
When Kentucky is good, ala Notre Dame football, everybody talks about them. The thing about Florida is, after they win the National Chip again tonight, they’ll all go home and celebrate for two or three days and then everybody is gonna be asking how that Tim Tebow is looking in spring practice. At UK, they’d celebrate that shit all year round.
Apr.2 at 3:13 pm
Khalid Salaam says:
Yeah but i doubt that kids care about going there as oppossed to unc or uconn or now fla. even if football is king in gainesville do you think they show donovan blatant disrespect? i’m sure the money is good and recruting wise i think kids would rather go to fla as oppossed to kentucky. the cats have legacy but the gators have relevency.
Apr.2 at 3:25 pm
Sam Rubenstein says:
TEBOW!!!!
Apr.2 at 3:51 pm
Matthew says:
Based on salary alone, you know they don’t disrespect Billy. However, I don’t think they adore him like they do Urban Meyer. He’ll always be second fiddle there no matter what. And you said so yourself, football is king in florida so whatever the basketball team does is just like icing on the cake. It’s the complete opposite at Kentucky. Also, I’ve read that Florida, the defending and getting ready to be, two time national champs only sold out one non-conferece home game in b-ball and only took 500 fans for the opening round games in Nawlins. What up Toney Blare? At UK, they sell out practice. We talkin bout practice man?!?! 23 grand to watch practice. Fan support and the chance to be THE man I think would be very enticing to someone who likes the spotlight. Billy is in a win-win no matter what and but if he is at UK, he makes the Cats relevant again and adds to that legacy.
Apr.2 at 4:05 pm
ballin boy says:
Can somebody please go punch Billy Packer in the face during this game. Does anyone actually agree with anything he says? and if so may i punch you in the face? Dicky V needs to be doing the final four i dont care if he’s with espn and if they cant get him then have Bill Raftery. I would much rather listen to a series of catch phrases than another insane comment that Packer makes. Seriously that Jeff Green buzzer beater was no doubt a travel, it was a good no call, but theres no argueing that that was a travel, which is a play that only Packer would argue.
Apr.2 at 5:27 pm
Ryan Jones says:
Thanks for taking care of that, H… the funny thing is that my Oden argument is/was heavily based on the assumption that Ohio State wouldn’t win the title. I’m not backing off, just saying, that kills about 63 percent of my case if they win tonight. And since I like being right… Go Gators.
Apr.2 at 5:29 pm
Ryan Jones says:
Also, Khalid: In your second-to-last paragraph, were you implying that being a good basketball player will make girls want to have sex with you? And that this is an actual motivating factor for some guys? Because honestly, I thought everybody just played for the love of the game. You know, like Mike.
Apr.2 at 7:33 pm
AP says:
Oden is mos def coming out he is only taking two classes this semester
Apr.2 at 10:06 pm
Drolfe says:
I only WATCH basketball so chicks think I’m fly.
Apr.3 at 2:32 am
Lang Whitaker says:
After the way he played tonight, they’re going to add Lee Humphrey to the sculpture on Stone Mountain.
Apr.3 at 9:01 am
Ryan Jones says:
Well played, Drolfe. Also: Greg Oden will not be in the 2007 NBA Draft.
Apr.3 at 9:55 am
AyVee says:
corey brewer a BAD BOY. how high u think he’ll go? would u choose him or durant
Apr.3 at 10:47 am
H to the izzo says:
AyVee that was a joke right?I mean how could you overlook Lee Humphrey for the first overall pick
Apr.3 at 2:28 pm
Ben Osborne says:
Greg Oden=1st pick.
Apr.4 at 10:34 am
AyVee says:
i wasnt talking about the first overall pick. i just said would you shoose him or durant or not. but your joking