News out of Chapel Hill today states the AP Player of the Year Tyler Hansbrough will return for his senior season with the UNC Tarheels. I give two thumbs up to Tyler for returning when he is without a doubt a guaranteed lottery pick and his stock is probably as high as it will ever be as a collge player.

On another note, Ty Lawson and Wayne Ellington have both made themselves available for the draft, but haven’t hired agents. Lawson is close to being ready for the next level, but Wayne Ellington is so far away it’s scary. The only thing I can say is I’m glad you went the non-agent route.

Did anyone see Roy Williams wearing a frickin Kansas sticker on his sweater last night at the National Championship game? Excuse me if you feel I’m off base, but when you are the head coach for a university all your focus and support should revolve around that team and that team only. I understand he was the coach for Kansas previously and had a very hard time leaving the Jayhawks, but he did leave. If you were retired Roy I would give you a pass, but you were playing against this Kansas team just two nights before and if I was a Carolina fan (and I’m not) I would be PISSED at you for giving them props two days later. This is just my opinion and if you disagree with me I would love to hear your thoughts.

Tyler Hansbrough led all scorers last night in the UNC 83-73 victory over Louisville in the Elite Eight bout. Louisville gave UNC all they wanted, but in the end Tyler hit big shot after big shot to will his team to victory. Hansbrough ended up with 28 points and 13 rebounds, but most importantly a Final Four berth for his Tarheels. I am having a hard time thinking of another player in college basketball over the last 20 years who plays with as much passion and desire as Hansbrough does for 40 minutes every game.

“We just lost to Maryland…at home…are you kidding me?”
- Roy Williams

It’s under two weeks until the college basketball season kicks off which means we need to talk some hoops. I’m not sure about you, but I can’t wait for Memphis vs Tennessee-Martin (I wonder what the line will be in this gam?) and Maine vs Richmond on November 5th. Here is our preseason Top 5 college basketball poll and if you have feedback don’t forget to register and tell us what you think!

1 - UCLA - The Bruins have made the Final Four the last two years and this year should be no different with all the fire power they bring back. UCLA returns Darren Collison, Luc Richard Mbah a Moute, Josh Shipp, Michael Roll, Alfred Aboya and Lorenzo Mata-Real. They also welcome Parade, Gatorade, McDonald’s, you f##in name it high school player of the year Kevin Love. Look for Ben Howland to lead this extremely talented team to the promise land even without the leading scorer from the last two years Aaron Afflalo.

2 - UNC - Roy Williams lost Brandan Wright to the NBA lottery last year, but this team has boat loads of talent coming back. Tyler Hansbrough, Ty Lawson and Wayne Ellington are the three main guns with Hansbrough up for a national player of the year award. The Heels will win the ACC this year if role players like Marcus Ginyard and Danny Green step up their games up in conjunction with a solid contribution from freshman star William Graves. ACC should be in the bag and a Final Four is very possible for the boys in baby blue.

3 - Kansas - Rock Chalk Jayhawk will be ring loud and clear this year in Lawrence, Kansas with all-everything Brandon Rush leading the way. Mario Chalmers, Russell Robinson and Sasha Kaun are the other returning starters from last year with only Julius Wright jumping to the big pond from an Elite Eight team just last year. Bill Self also has new addition 6-11 center Cole Adrich who should provide some help down low. If Rush stays focused the ceiling is the limit for this team.

4 - Memphis - John Calipari has decided for now Memphis is home and he has turned this University into a national college basketball powerhouse. They return 5 of their top 6 players from last year’s squad and the Tigers have made the Elite Eight in back-to-back seasons. Don’t forget Memphis has the best point guard recruit in the nation Derrick Rose along with another star freshman in Justin Robinson. The schedule is in their favor due to home or neutral court games against Tennessee, Georgetown, Arizona, Gonzaga and Southern California with no road games harder than UAB. Look out!

5 - Louisville - We are leaving Georgetown out of our top five simply for the fact Jeff Green is gone and that means Lousiville will win the Big East. The Cardinals return 7 of their top 8 and are lead by one of the best coaches in the land in Rick Pitino. Terrence Williams, Edgar Sosa, David Padgett, Juan Palacios, and Derrick Caracter are the big guns and I’m sure they want to avenge their 1 point loss in the round of 32 last year against Texas A&M.

UCLA covers -7 against Indiana

Michigan State covers +9.5 against UNC

OVERALL RECORD:

College Basketball 47-37-2

NBA 3-1

NFL 12-5-1

College Football: 10-8

UNC covers over 140.5 against Eastern Kentucky

OVERALL RECORD:

College Basketball 41-29-1

NBA 3-1

NFL 12-5-1

College Football: 10-8

Oklahoma covers +10.5 against Kansas in Big Twelve Conference Championship

UNC Tarheels cover -11 against Florida State in ACC Conference Championship

OVERALL RECORD:

College Basketball 33-23-1

NBA 3-1

NFL 12-5-1

College Football: 10-8

UNC covers -4 at Clemson

OVERALL RECORD:

NFL 10-5-1

College Basketball 16-5-1

NBA 1-1

College Football: 10-8

Oh yeah! The college basketball season is upon us and that means preseason predictions on who has the best squad. Below is the AP preseason top 25 poll with our thoughts beside each team. Tell us what you think!

1. Florida (63) 0-0 1,788 - too much pressure and too many teams gunning for them. The Gators could make the Final Four again, but that is where it ends.

2. North Carolina (9)0-0 1,704 Loaded, loaded, loaded. If there are no major injuries and the young nucleus gels then this is your National Champion.

3. Kansas 0-0 1,636 Top seven scorers returning and two new blue chip prospects. Bill Self will give it his all, but I think this team is still too young.

4. Pittsburgh 0-0 1,407 Aaron Gray and Ronald Ramon are back, but the Panthers will really miss Carl Krauser at the point position. I don’t see this team finishing in the top 10.

5. LSU 0-0 1,399 “Big Baby” is fun to watch, but the departure of Tyrus Thomas and Darrel Mitchell is huge! SEC competitors will be ready to knock this team down the poll

6. UCLA 0-0 1,394 Howland is one heck of a coach and even though they lost Farmar, Bozeman, and Hollins the Bruins are still loaded.

7. Ohio State 0-0 1,391 The Buckeyes were neck and neck with the Tarheels for the best recruiting class, but in my mind there is no doubt 7-footer Greg Oden is the best in the country. It is such a shame he is out till January coming off wrist surgery. Look for this team struggle a bit early on, but once Oden is inserted in the lineup and meshes with the team…watch out!

8. Georgetown 0-0 1,271 Jeff Green and Roy Hibbert are key returners to the team and will make the Hoyas contenders in the Big East.

9. Wisconsin 0-0 1,197 The Badgers are led by Alando Tucker, but also return 91.2 percent of their scoring from last year. This team will be rock solid, but are an Elite Eight team at best.

10. Arizona 0-0 1,157 I think this team is underrated. Hassan Adams and Chris Rodgers are gone and that is a good thing for Arizona because they were bad influences. Mustafa Shakur, Marcus Williams and Ivan Radenovic should lead the Wildcats far this year.

11. Alabama 0-0 1,106 They always seem to have all the hopes in the world, but quickly they come crashing down. They do return Ron Steele, Jermareo Davidson and Alonzo Gee.

12. Duke 0-0 1,051 The Blue Devils will be a solid squad, but you do not recover in one year from losing the likes of J.J. Redick, Shelden Williams and Sean Dockery.

13. Texas A&M 0-0 868 Coach Billy Gillespie returns his top six scorers including Acie Law and Joseph Jones. The Aggies will be in the mix, but a Sweet Sixteen is a long shot.

14. Memphis 0-0 811 Calipari has the Tigers competing every year and they will be fun to watch again this year. His players tend to leave early because of their talent, but it only takes one year for the stars to align.

15. Boston College 0-0 772 Craig Smith where are you? Jared Dudley and Tyrese Rice will be big, but the Eagles will can only hope for third place in the ACC.

16. Marquette 0-0 554 Tom Crean is an excellent coach and even though they lost Steve Novak the Golden Eagles will be a top 25 team all year.

17. Washington 0-0 487 I’m sorry, but without Brandon Roy I just don’t see the Huskies as a top 25 team. I hope Ryan Appleby and gang prove me wrong.

18. Connecticut 0-0 399 They lose Rudy Gay, Rashad Anderson, Marcus Williams, Denham Brown, Josh Brown and Hilton Armstrong so it should be over right? Well, they have 7′3 Hasheem Thabeet, A.J. Price and a solid freshman class so you just never know.

19. Creighton 0-0 384 Nate Funk returns after only playing six games last year and many think he is the best in the MVC. The Bluejays also return four other solid players so they look to be the Bradley of this year.

20. Syracuse 0-0 367 Roberts, Watkins, and Nichols return, but they will miss McNamara so bad!

21. Texas 0-0 366 I don’t think they will be a Top 25 team, because they are too inexperienced. The Longhorns lost Aldridge, Tucker, Gibson, Buckman and Paulino along with two other transfers.

22. Kentucky 0-0 332 Randolph Morris could be good and they have other solid players, but this isn’t your Kentucky of old!

23. Georgia Tech 0-0 262 I guess they are going to improve this much over last year, but I still have to see it to believe it.

24. Nevada 0-0 212 Fazekas is a stud and they also return Marcelus Kemp, but they won’t make alot of noise this year.

25. Tennessee 0-0 203 Sharp shooting Chris Lofton along with Major Wingate and Dane Bradshaw will compliement one of the top recruiting classes this year. I see the Volunteers at least playing better then the Kentucky Wildcats