Web Idiocy and Incredible Depth
Let me first note that ESPN is run by a pack of idiots. Not only have they felt it necessary to start a crappy morning show, but they've been pushing this "Silver Anniversary Team" business incessantly for the last week or two of college hoops games, while there's not one word about it on their Web page. In fact, the phrase "silver anniversary team" is one of the top searches at their site right now, and it turns up nothing relevant.
What's the deal, guys? Are the computer systems run by an Ivy League grad who's bitter that they didn't rate a team? Is Jay Bilas having an affair with the webmaster's wife, and he refuses to update the college basketball section? This is what the Internet is for, dammit...
Anyway, during the Duke-Maryland game the other night, they announced their ACC team. It's a little harder to comment intelligently on this one, because, as noted in my previous post on this, I spent most of the 80's following the Big East closely, and only got interested in the ACC when I got to Maryland for grad school. I remember Michael Jordan only from the NCAA Tournament, Ralph Sampson only as a frequently-injured NBA player, and Len Bias only as a cautionary tale.
Anyway, their selections:
- Ralph Sampson (Virginia)
- Christian Laettner (Duke)
- Len Bias (Maryland)
- Michael Jordan (North Carolina)
- Mark Price (Georgia Tech)
It's really much harder to argue about any of these. I disliked Laettner intensely, but he was on back-to-back title teams, and Michael Jordan wasn't Michael Jordan when he was in college, so I think that's been skewed by his pro career, but he was a very good player on a title team. I'd've liked to see Tim Duncan make the list, as he's one of the best big men I've ever seen play the game, but he did grow into that over his four years at Wake Forest, while Sampson was better early in his career. (I also think Duncan gets underrated for not being a flashy small forward, or a showboating asshole, but that's a problem that afflicts all sports. See also "Harrison, Marvin.") Price's spot I might've given to Bob Hurley, who ran those Duke title teams as well as any point guard I've ever seen. He didn't score like Price did, but scoring is overrated in a point guard (see also "Blake, Steven").
The really striking thing about this team, though, is the unbelievable quality of the players that have to be left off. Danny Ferry, Grant Hill, Jason Williams, Shane Battier, James Worthy, Rasheed Wallace, Antawn Jamison, Jerry Stackhouse, Vince Carter, Joe Smith, Juan Dixon, Steve Blake-- these are all great players, and none of them have a shot at the first team. And the chief criterion for the list (players within the 25 years of ESPN's coverage) excludes a whole slew of other great players from the 70's-- Len Elmore, David Thompson, etc. And this doesn't even touch a lot of the second-tier guys, who were excellent basketball players, and are fondly remembered, but just not quite on the top level-- Keith Booth, Rodney Elliott, Harold Deane, Randolph Childress, Greg Buckner.
The ACC really has been an incredible basketball conference over the years. Of course, they're going to fuck the whole thing up for the sake of football money, but that's a rant of a different color...
Posted at 8:18 AM | link | follow-ups |