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The Dagger

Mon Mar 16, 2009 9:52 am EDT

Watch Jay Bilas and Dick Vitale get very angry with each other

By Eamonn Brennan

If you read The Dagger last night, or this morning, you know that the one team with a minor bone to pick with the NCAA tournament selection committee is St. Mary's. MJD already told you why. On ESPN's post-selection show coverage last night, Dick Vitale agreed, which earned him the wrath of his studio cohorts -- especially Jay Bilas:

The consensus on this video is apparently that Vitale was "owned." MDS at FanHouse says "score one for Bilas and Phelps." The Big Lead writes "Jay Bilas makes Dick Vitale feel old, hopelessly out of touch." Are we watching the same video? Did we watch the same Arizona team?

Vitale's right: Arizona didn't deserve to go to the tournament over the six-loss, without-their-best-player-until-last-week Gaels. What's more, he's sticking up for the little guy, which is what we, college basketball fans, so often pine for in our analysts. Isn't that why we hated Billy Packer? This is one of the worst years ever for mid-majors, and because Vitale sticks up for the lone underdog with a case to make, he gets attacked. Wha?

This is coming from an active Vitale hater here -- I usually find Bilas to be the far more reasonable of the two -- but I'm genuinely confused: Vitale's argument is not only correct, it's pure of heart. Let's cut him some slack.

Oh, and yes, Dick Vitale uses the Duke card on Bilas, which you can tell Bilas hates, and which is officially the first time Dick Vitale has ever effectively used something called "the Duke card." Usually, it's the other way around.

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186 Comments

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  1. Fernando F
    1. Posted by Fernando F Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:56 pm EDT

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    Here are things that St. Mary's should've done to get in to the tourney
    1) Not losing to Gonzaga THREE times (granted the 1st game Mills got hurt, but that doesn't make up for getting blown out by them in the 3rd game)
    2) Not losing to Portland, Santa Clara, and UTEP
    So I don't really want to see the whole "Oh Patty Mills was hurt" argument. We didn't see Davidson complain about not getting a spot due to Stephen Curry being hurt, we didn't see Oklahoma complain about not getting a 1 seed due to Blake Griffin being hurt, so why can't people just move on about this?
  2. joby
    2. Posted by joby Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:45 pm EDT

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    26 games is 26 games.
    19 is 19.
    St. Mary's had a better resume. End of Story
  3. barkleydupont
    3. Posted by barkleydupont Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:02 pm EDT

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    for the record, temple will go to the elite 8. dionte christmas is the new stephon curry
  4. Earl of Funk
    4. Posted by Earl of Funk Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:30 pm EDT

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    Dicky is a god
  5. Frank C.
    5. Posted by Frank C. Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:59 pm EDT

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    @ joby
    SOS
    Arizona: 34th
    St. Mary's: 150th
    Arizona had a better resume. End of story.
  6. Mark H
    6. Posted by Mark H Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:19 pm EDT

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    I agree....Jay Bilas is usually very rational compared to Dick Vitale. But in this case, his argument is sound. Arizona did not deserve a bid, (regardless of who was left out.)
    And yes, if you're going to say who got an unfair deal: Probably St. Mary's.
  7. Double B
    7. Posted by Double B Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:03 pm EDT

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    @2: You are aware Arizona lost to Arizona State 3 times correct? They also lost to UAB, UNLV, and Stanford. It goes both ways.
    I don't have an issue about St. Mary's not going. But the original poster is correct. The egregious error of this process is Arizona's INCLUSION. Lost 5 of their last 6. Went a pathetic 2-9 on the road with wins over the only 2 losing teams in the conference (Oregon and Oregon State). Seriously, who is Arizona blowing to get into the tournament. I can't recall a worse selection by the committee.
    Dicky V may not have explained his case well, but he's correct. Jay Bilas, who I usually like, is dead wrong and frankly the "eye test" is bull [profane]. If we're going to do that, let's just use recruiting rankings and be done with it. Last I saw the idea isn't to look good, but to actually win basketball games. Arizona may have the TALENT to be included among the best 34 at-large teams, but after 32 games it's clear they don't have the TEAM results to be among that group.
  8. Z
    8. Posted by Z Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:28 pm EDT

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    Be ware of dem lsu bengal/tigers. they will surprise in this tournament. They can rebound and block shots with anybody. The only problem with them is they sometimes dont shoot well, but if they shoot well and do their normal things, i will take them against anybody in the country. everybody is down on the sec this year and rightfully so, but lsu will surprise. i GURANTY IT,,....GEAUX TIGRES
  9. vato50
    9. Posted by vato50 Thu Sep 03, 2009 8:44 pm EDT

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    Arizona beat: Gonzaga, Kansas, Washington, UCLA, USC, San Diego ST.
    ST. MARYS beat: no one
    Learn to schedule harder teams ST. MARYS
  10. bendegroot
    10. Posted by bendegroot Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:05 pm EDT

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    the key question to Dicky V was "would St. Mary's beat Arizona head to head." Vitale balked. everyone wants to see overachievers succeed. but sometimes underachievers are still better.
  11. Daniel M
    11. Posted by Daniel M Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:36 pm EDT

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    how about we get rid of the NIT, let the field expand to 96 and then Arizona and St. Mary's would have to play to get into the field of 64? top 32 get a one game bye.
    and dicky v is right ... just try and get a home-and-home with a big 6 conf team ... unless you're Gonzaga. It's always 2-1 or 1 at their home court.
  12. travisf
    12. Posted by travisf Thu Sep 03, 2009 9:54 pm EDT

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    @ mad_2448
    good mid majors can't schedule anyone good for home games.
  13. jeff
    13. Posted by jeff Thu Sep 03, 2009 7:21 pm EDT

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    I very seldom agree with Dick Vitale in fact I usually watch another game if he is doing the color, but if you take Arizona's name off their record and take away their streak of NCAA appearences and examine just the record, they should be NIT bound. Jay Bilas then went on the attack concerning ST. Mary's OOC schedule, Dick Vitale stated that Mid Majors got a raw deal when trying to schedule teams with the big six conferences. Dick Vitale said the majors refuse to schedule the games home one season and away the next with the mid majors. The majors only wanting home games against them. Dick Vitale sighted his expierence as a mid major coach trying to schedule the big teams, to be told by Jay Bilas that was 30 years ago and not true today. Jay Bilas was dead wrong and is not speaking from experience. A quick look at the early season records of the majors back up Dick Vitale. Every year there is always going to be teams that deserve to go that will not get a bid. But this system is head and shoulders above the college football BCS and we only have to listen to complaints untill Thursday when the greatest part of the season begins. God help me, I love this time of year.
  14. vato50
    14. Posted by vato50 Thu Sep 03, 2009 8:44 pm EDT

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    Now you want to turn the field into 96 because of one team? Lets change the tournament name to Pity Madness.
    For the past 25 years Arizona has schedule some of hardest teams to play in the country and have gotten respect for it. Learn from what Lute Olson and you might just get that respect.
  15. EricS
    15. Posted by EricS Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:56 pm EDT

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    St. Mary's did have an excellent record, but they should go out of conf more, little guys are going to have to go to the big guy's houses until the beat people on the road..... not fair, but what else can you do! But Dicky V. is looking at their record. The NCAA selection process still does not recognize the little guys enough. They do have the record.
    Oh Arizona SUCKZ! They will get [profane] slapped in the first ....if lucky 2nd round!
  16. Roscoe23
    16. Posted by Roscoe23 Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:44 pm EDT

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    St. Mary's should have been in. Bulter is a perfect example of a team that loses few games, plays a tough schedule and ALWAYS get a lower seed or lower ranking in the polls. I do like Duke as well, but it sickens me to think of Jay Bilas being an alumni. He is such a know-it-all and unbelievably annoying. Dick Vitale actually loves college basketball more than anyone i know and he is absolutely correct. Hopefully, Arizona gets knocked out the first round. By the way, go BUTLER!!!!
  17. Dave O
    17. Posted by Dave O Thu Sep 03, 2009 7:43 pm EDT

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    You just people just don't get it. Picking the at-large teams has nothing to do with fairness or selecting the most deserving teams. It's 100% about getting teams in the tourney that will draw the biggest arena crowds and the most TV viewers.
    Unfortunately the top priority of the NCAA tourney committee has become to make as much money from the event as they can and the big conference teams simply get more people to tune in and watch the games. It's not east coast or big conference bias. It's money bias. Welcome to 21st century America.
    On the brighter side, at least we can be assured that the 2 or 3 best teams in the country WILL be in the elite 8. Where they go from there will depend on how well they play each game. And in the end the most deserving team WILL take home the championship trophy.
  18. overratedBig10
    18. Posted by overratedBig10 Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:35 pm EDT

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    I totally agree with post 15 (rmad_2448). Teams should be rewarded for sacking up and playing the top 25 teams out of conference. That's why Gonzaga and Memphis are at a totally different level than St Marys or Creighton.
    Come on DukieV, by dropping Davidson's name you shot a huge hole in your argument. in 2008 Davidson played, North Carolina, Duke & UCLA and didn't win any of them. But how did they do in that tourney? Exactly. Stick a fork in DukieV, you just showed everyone it's time to go away.
    Arizona had always taken on all comers. They win some, they lose some, but they would crush St. Marys on a bad day.
  19. Otis is
    19. Posted by Otis is Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:10 pm EDT

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    Dick V, where do they find this old f... in the wind, get ride of him.
  20. BOZZ
    20. Posted by BOZZ Thu Sep 03, 2009 9:31 pm EDT

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    I dont get you guys...what did Dicky V do there that made him seem old? It's a joke that arizona got in and the next best team that shoulve gotten in over them is st marys. so the simple argument is does arizona deserve to be in the tournament? NO...therefore st marys shouldve gotten in.....end of story and argument...arizona will get blasted in the first round anyways...they are very undisciplined team that allows you to do whatever you want on offense.
    my .02
  21. Joel
    21. Posted by Joel Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:45 pm EDT

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    Arizona should not have made it. They are a weak team from a weak conference. St. Mary's should have gotten in.
  22. flyersmikey
    22. Posted by flyersmikey Thu Sep 03, 2009 9:16 pm EDT

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    what makes this tournament great is the upsets by the little guys{Richmond over syracuse,Princeton over UCLA,and George Mason making their final 4 run. Its obvious that the committee is made up of all the major conferences and the little guy is hung out to dry. Bilas is wrong when hes says its easier for the mid majors to schedule the big schools not if the mid major is really good and if they do get lucky and say duke plays you you have to go on the road. Its very tough for mid majors and ofcourse Dicky V. should have played the duke card against Bilas and dickie V. is a Dukie lover. Thats what the tourny needs is another mediocre power conference team that will lose in the first round
  23. J Sizzle
    23. Posted by J Sizzle Thu Sep 03, 2009 9:21 pm EDT

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    Post #9, rmad 2448: all of thos wins by Arizona are at home. And St. Mary's beat San Diego State as well but they did it on the road. Did Arizona beat one good team on the road, maybe Oregon. But wait, SMC also beat Oregon in Oregon. SMC's non-conference RPI: 14. Big school conferences will not go to a small school and play at their place (a. not enough money (small crowd capacity) and b. nothing to gain by win). Losing a PG, who scored 20 points against Chris Paul and Team USA is way more valuable that a team losing a big for two games (aka Blake Griffin), just ask UNC who lost in the ACC tourney without Lawson. Bottom line, I think we'd rather see a team with 14 road wins and one of the best PG in the nation then a lower level PAC 10 team who can't win on the road.
  24. Project P
    24. Posted by Project P Thu Sep 03, 2009 8:20 pm EDT

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    I'm guessing that St. Mary's and it's fans are prolly the biggest Utah fans in the country right about now.
  25. joe b
    25. Posted by joe b Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:49 pm EDT

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    Arizona may win a game or two in the tournament. St. Mary's will not. EOM

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