Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

“But what about the lurkers?”

Republicans don’t want a speaker to lead them; they want a hostage.

Putting aside our relentless self-interest because the moral imperative is crystal clear.

Following reporting rules is only for the little people, apparently.

Imperialist aggressors must be defeated, or the whole world loses.

Republicans: slavery is when you own me. freedom is when I own you.

Whatever happens next week, the fight doesn’t end.

When your entire life is steeped in white supremacy, equality feels like discrimination.

“Until such time as the world ends, we will act as though it intends to spin on.”

Everybody saw this coming.

Let’s not be the monsters we hate.

I’d hate to be the candidate who lost to this guy.

Text STOP to opt out of updates on war plans.

I have other things to bitch about but those will have to wait.

This blog will pay for itself.

Too often we hand the biggest microphones to the cynics and the critics who delight in declaring failure.

All hail the time of the bunny!

They want us to be overwhelmed and exhausted. Focus. Resist. Oppose.

Never entrust democracy to any process that requires republicans to act in good faith.

Our job is not to persuade republicans but to defeat them.

Too often we confuse noise with substance. too often we confuse setbacks with defeat.

They are lying in pursuit of an agenda.

So many bastards, so little time.

Conservatism: there are people the law protects but does not bind and others who the law binds but does not protect.

You are here: Home / Sports / Final Four Open Thread, Round 2

Reader Interactions

143Comments

  3. 3.

    KRK

    Better luck next year, Spartans. You’ll be older and hopefully less injured. Go Green, Go White!

  11. 11.

    madmommy

    Go Butler! I didn’t pick them in my brackets, but they’ve played a hell of a tourney thus far. Now WV can make me some points by beating Duke. Go Mountaineers!!!

  14. 14.

    Sentient Puddle

    The only team I have left in my bracket survives. Good enough for me, so I’ll say go WV!

    Need more iPad impressions, by the way. Preferably from people who have them.

  16. 16.

    james hare

    DUCK FUKE!
    (irrational enough for ya?)
    Go Mountaineers! I wish my Terps were in it, but WVU can beat Duke and be a good second best.

  24. 24.

    jl

    danimal @17:

    “Do we have to separate the rational hatred for Duke out from the irrational hatred for Duke?”

    I do not understand that concept, ‘irrational hatred of Duke’. All hatred of Duke when they get to the final four is rational.

    I was hoping that Cole, being WVer, would let his faithful minions on the secret weapon WV would use to defeat Duke (Ramps?).

    But previous thread said he was ‘pre-gaming’ which I interpret to mean he is so nervous he drank himself into a stupor. Not the sign I was hoping for. Amirite?

  27. 27.

    jl

    james hare @20

    Damrite.

    But I do not hate on Duke fans. I see them as poor deluded victims of the cult, who need help, and deserving sympathy (but only when they lose, so fortunately we do not have to give it often).

  28. 28.

    geg6

    It is as all American as apple pie and hating on the Yankees to hate Duke. And though it gives me some real pain to say this as a proud Pitt alum, go Mountaineers! John Cole, I’m cheering loudly for your team tonight.

  30. 30.

    stuckinred

    When you really care, and I mean REALLY care it’s incredible. I have been an Illini fan all my life and the two times we have been in the final four in the last 20 years have been magic and the letdown when we didn’t win it all was overwhelming. That’s what makes this all so great. . .the chance.

  31. 31.

    Comrade Jake

    It is as all American as apple pie and hating on the Yankees to hate Duke.

    Nah, it’s just getting the hater on for the sake of it really.

    Here’s to a good game, no matter what.

  32. 32.

    J. Michael Neal

    I got into a political argument last night with someone who is at least a teabag sympathizer. After a while, he made the comment that, for someone with just a high school education, he was hanging in the debate pretty well. I was too polite to point out that:

    1) if you declare that HCR was passed in ways that violated tradition and then agree with me when I say that the only example you give (lots of giveaways and vote buying) is, in fact, the most important tradition in world political history, and

    2) simply declare that all testimony as to bad behavior on the part of teabaggers, including video of someone spitting on Jim Clyburn, is just the fraudulent creation of the liberal media,

    then you aren’t hanging in at all. Really, you’re surrendering abjectly without realizing it.

    We did better discussing the upcoming baseball season.

  33. 33.

    Blue Raven

    The exec who ordered me laid off at my most recent job is a Duke grad.

    One of my closest friends was born in WV, even if he calls VA home nowadays and is an alum of VA Tech.

    The math is clear. GO MOUNTAINEERS!

  34. 34.

    John Cole

    Too early for flapjacks?

    Win!

    Brietbart pre-spins

    Not in my sports thread. At least not this one.

    I suspect that Cole is probably at about +6 by now.

    Lies!

  36. 36.

    jl

    Comrade Jake @31:

    Yeah… ohhhhkaayyy… here’s to a good game, good old college try. I’ll try to have the right attitude, and be good, and

    Hope WV wins by 50! Yeah!

  37. 37.

    jl

    I guess +6 is fading out of the rear veiw mirror by now,
    that’s what it sounds like.

  38. 38.

    Yutsano

    @ geg6:

    A to the fucking men sistah! Especially the Evil Empire part.

    No Pac-10 team = no dog in this hunt for me. So I guess I’m malleable when it comes to my rooting loyalties. In other words, I can be paid off.

  40. 40.

    Comrade Jake

    I understand the Yankee hatred, I really do. And would’ve understood the Duke hatred about ten years ago. Those teams were always getting the best players available.

    Now? Duke routinely loses the top-top recruits to other colleges (hello UNC fans). Don’t get me wrong, they’ve still got their share of all-Americans, but this Duke team certainly doesn’t have any future NBA studs on it.

  41. 41.

    fucen tarmal

    @angulimala

    not just future racial epithets by teabaggers, but racial epithets and themes, then become a symbol of the defiance itself!

    so they aren’t racists being racial, they are merely expressing their opinion of being thought of as racists…

    and they are sticking it to the man and their media, by using their racist tendency to look for racists, by promoting themselves through racism.

  43. 43.

    leinie

    Typing this on my iPad, Sentinent Puddle. Couldn’t figure out how to reply to you comment the reply seems to be missing..

    So far, no buyers remorse at all. It’s really easy to use, brought over all my iPhone apps seamlessly. The display is gorgeous. Watched some Doctor Who video, been playing music all day and surfing around.

    It’s really easy to hold, but can get heavy. Typing with one finger is super easy like the iPhone is but trying to actually touch type on it is awkward because you can’t really get it at a good angle to do that. Laying it flat kind of works but isn’t optimal either. I’m finding that 2 touch typing with it propped against my knees is working best.

    The way the way the email clients show mail is taking some getting used to but I think I’m really going to like it. I have three different accounts on there Nd they were a breeze to set up.

    The biggest issue I’m having at the moment is with my existing library of ebooks. I use the ereader app and the don’t have a version for the iPad yet. So I’m reading books in a little square in the middle of the screen. The new apple ebook app is gorgeous and easy to use but I have that existing library so I hope there is an iPad version of that app soon.

  45. 45.

    Blue Raven

    @Comrade Jake

    Now? Duke routinely loses the top-top recruits to other colleges (hello UNC fans). Don’t get me wrong, they’ve still got their share of all-Americans, but this Duke team certainly doesn’t even have any future NBA studs on it.

    And yet they keep making the playoffs. The hatred of Duke will only be irrational once they spend a few years during which their players can focus on studying for their classes in March.

  46. 46.

    MikeJ

    Typing this on my iPad, Sentinent Puddle.
    So far, no buyers remorse at all.

    Pop the case and show us some pics! Let us know when you’ve hacked something really cool that we can all run.

  47. 47.

    J. Michael Neal

    stuckinred: For me, it really depends upon how I expected my team to do, and the way that a loss happens. In 1987, I knew perfectly well that Michigan State and the Gophers were playing for the right to get blown out by North Dakota in the final, so losing didn’t hurt too bad, though the ridiculous bounce that led to the GWG was frustrating. In 1989, I really expected to win, and losing in overtime to Harvard hurt; I can still hear the sound of Randy Skarda hitting the post in the OT. In 1994 and 1995, the Gophers overachieved just making the final four, so getting hammered by BU both years was okay. In 1997, The Gophers lost to #1 Michigan in the regional final, and that might have hurt the most, because I thought we really had a chance to beat them; seven Wolverine goals later, I had to concede that we really didn’t. In both 2002 and 2003, I wouldn’t have taken it too hard if we had lost to Michigan in the semis, because they were a very good team, but I would have taken it hard losing to Maine or New Hampshire in the final, since neither of them were nearly as good as either us or the Wolverines; fortunately, we won both of them, so it was all good. Losing to North Dakota in the semis in 2005 hurt, but only because it was North Dakota; had we played either Colorado College or Denver in the semis, I would have been happy just to be there.

  48. 48.

    Comrade Jake

    And yet they keep making the playoffs. The hatred of Duke will only be irrational once they spend a few years during which their players can focus on studying for their classes in March.-Blue Raven

    This really doesn’t make a damn bit of sense. Playoffs?

    Where’s the comparable hatred for Kentucky? Kansas? Carolina (before this year)?

  49. 49.

    Gwangung

    And yet they keep making the playoffs. The hatred of Duke will only be irrational once they spend a few years during which their players can focus on studying for their classes in March

    Well the hatred is that they can handle their studies while going to the Final Four unlike 99% of the other schools’ players.

  50. 50.

    Linkmeister

    @ leinie, I heard Mossberg of the WSJ and David somebody from the NYT talking about the iPad on Charlie Rose and they suggested that if you hit the “2X” button that will expand your small reading area to full-screen. Not having one, I can’t swear to it, but you might look for that function and try it.

  53. 53.

    leinie

    J Michael hockey! Pulling for the Badgers now since my Sioux are out of it. I just need Miami to win one more game now so Boston goes home. I hate them and Jerry York more than I do the gophers!

  55. 55.

    leinie

    MikeJ popping the case ain’t happening.

    Linkmaster the 2x works but the text gets fuzzy so ive stuck with the smaller window.

    BBC has a gorgeous app for it. Nice and clean, easy to use, fast.

    Have to watch the cats-they stay off the MacBook but seem to think this is like a book on the desk and will walk on it.

  56. 56.

    jl

    Blue Raven @33

    “The exec who ordered me laid off at my most recent job is a Duke grad”

    OK, see, peoples. Evil Empire. Period. The End.

  57. 57.

    Libby

    My personal history would lead to me cheer for Duke but this year I’m cheering for Cole’s team. Go eers.

  59. 59.

    J. Michael Neal

    leinie:

    Until the last couple of years, I’d have said the same thing in reverse. However, the Sioux have taken one (well, a lot, really) cheap shot too many. North Dakota is now the only team in the country I won’t root for when they play BC. I’m sorry, but your team is despicable. The extent to which they are trying to hurt their opponents is appalling.

  60. 60.

    comrade scott's agenda of rage

    If there is an Old Testament god who likes to get medieval on various asses, Duke will lose.

  61. 61.

    comrade scott's agenda of rage

    This really doesn’t make a damn bit of sense. Playoffs?
    Where’s the comparable hatred for Kentucky? Kansas? Carolina (before this year)?

    Every KU alum I’ve met isn’t a total dickhead.

    Every Duke alum is.

  62. 62.

    John O

    I cannot hate sustained excellence and good graduation rates.

    I’m just tired of them.

    After 4 minutes, I am pretty sure Duke will win. Better shooters.

    Still, I don’t have a favorite yet. One will emerge.

  63. 63.

    fucen tarmal

    i probably should root for wvu, i have an MBA from there.

    the funny thing is, i don’t remember sending away for it, but one day it was sent certified mail.

  64. 64.

    comrade scott's agenda of rage

    I must say that compared to the first game, the players on both sides are beasts.

    This doesn’t bode well for Butler Monday night regardless of who wins this game.

  65. 65.

    schooner

    Is it irrational to hate the team with the bullshit myths that keep getting repeated? Scholastics? Please google Maggete, Shelden Williams and that retard from Canada a few years ago, Greg something.

    And as for Ratface K, how many All Americans has he turned into NBA star? The list beyond Hill and Brand is very thin not to mention leveraging the Lakers offer to boost his contract at Duke.

    FUCK DUKE with a rusty rake.

  66. 66.

    TuiMel

    Rooting for West VA

    Re: IPad – What about the “you cannot multi-task” knock on it?

  67. 67.

    Montysano

    As someone who spent some memorable afternoons at the venerable Hinkle Fieldhouse at Butler (during high school state finals), I have a soft spot for the Bulldogs. And, as noted in the previous thread, I’m always happy to see the high-graduation-rate schools do well in the FF.

    My sis, damn her eyes, is at the game…..

    Monty +4

  71. 71.

    John O

    Well, sure, you can pick out morons from any program, but I did some searching and you’re basically right w/r/t graduation rates.

    I’m from Notre Dame land. Nobody’s alumni can be worse than theirs, and they suck at everything for many years, at least relative to their expectations.

    I’m tired of the dunk and the bull-accomplished low-post move, and love the precision of making a three, so I’m biased towards Duke, but I’m starting to root for WV.

    Sometimes it’s fun to have no hunting dog.

  72. 72.

    Mark S.

    This doesn’t bode well for Butler Monday night regardless of who wins this game.

    I agree. I don’t think you want to go five minutes without scoring against either of these teams.

  73. 73.

    comrade scott's agenda of rage

    My oh my, this is a totally different game than the first one. Butler is dooooomed. Although I do remember when KU played Okalahom in the final game waaaay back in the day and everybody thought the same thing and look who won. Hope springs eternal.

    And it’s always fun to see the dickhead Doook alum come out of the woodwork.

    Oh wait, “dickhead Dook alum” is redundant.

  74. 74.

    Mark S.

    John O @ 71

    Nobody, and I mean nobody, has whinier fans than Notre Dame. My favorite is when they whine about what a tough schedule they play. Besides USC and some Big 10 teams that are hit or miss, they usually play a bunch of service academies and Rice. They also have their own goddamn network.

  75. 75.

    John O

    Butler is NOT “doomed.” Ridiculous.

    Every basketball game has its own deal, and you just don’t know how it will work out in a single game. They may lose, but to say it is inevitable is to not understand a single game in a sport where no way either team goes 10-0 against the other.

    But Duke shoots it way better.

  76. 76.

    burnspbesq

    Most teams bump cutters. West Virginia is doing a lot of grabbing.

    I like how this game is unfolding so far.

  77. 77.

    schooner

    Way to answer the questions guys. Any comment on. scholastics? And please list all those Duke All Stars in the NBA or even the top players of all time. I did forget Boozer though, great player, also likes to rob blind men.and Duke gave his daddy a job.

  79. 79.

    Montysano

    @comrade scott:

    My oh my, this is a totally different game than the first one. Butler is dooooomed.

    Is this your first Final Four, young feller?

  80. 80.

    comrade scott's agenda of rage

    Butler is NOT “doomed.”

    I hope I’m wrong.

    Given that Duke has a laser sight from three-point land and is now up by 10, I’m doubly hopeful I’m wrong.

  81. 81.

    leinie

    @tuimel

    Well, it plays music from the iPod with another app running, and the email comes in with other apps open. The stupid Facebook app just interrupted me about someone commenting on something (gotta find how to turn that shit off) but I don’t think that’s what people who knock the multi tasking limitations mean.

    I think that comes down to what you’re doing on it. If I’m watching a movie, I’m not multitasking. If I’m reading a book I’m not multitasking.

    I don’t see it as a laptop replacement for *productivity* purposes. If I’m going to work on serious hardcore paper or spreadsheet here comes the MacBook. However, as an entertainment device, books, movies, music, web surfing, it’s really really nice. When I’m doing that, I don’t want to multitask. I love how light it is, how easy to use, and how freaking LONG this battery lasts.

  83. 83.

    schooner

    To clarify, I have no dog in this hunt, I just can’t stand bullshit myths. Its also tough to root for WV since Huggins isn’t exactly Mr. Integrity.(Sorry John). Go Butler I guess.

  86. 86.

    morzer

    Do some of you people realize how impotent and pathetic you seem?

    Who are you calling John McCain?

  87. 87.

    The Dangerman

    Duke hater here (and, for good measure, FUCK THE YANKEES).

    Oh wait, “dickhead Dook alum” is redundant.

    Department of Redundancy Department

    No dog in the hunt, but if WVU keeps giving up wide open looks from the arc, it will be a Blue Devil and Bulldog final.

  88. 88.

    TuiMel

    @leinie
    Thanks for info. I am curious about what one can and cannot do while listening to music.

  91. 91.

    burnspbesq

    If West Virginia can’t get Butler going, there will be garbage time. So far, Duke’s defense is getting it done.

  92. 92.

    comrade scott's agenda of rage

    Duke hater here (and, for good measure, FUCK THE YANKEES).

    To quote the late Steve Gilliard:

    Fuck the fucking Yankees.

    Sums things up nicely.

  93. 93.

    donnah

    I’m a WV fan (we’ve got family there) and this game makes me nervous. The Threes are falling for Duke and now WV looks shaken. I wish the Mountaineers could slow the pace down, but Duke is on fire.

  95. 95.

    John O

    Yeah, Duke’s relative lack of NBA studs makes me like them more.

    Excellent job of offensive rebounding by the Devils. But some of that is luck, too.

  96. 96.

    leinie

    @TuiMel

    I’ve got headphones plugged in and the only thing that stops the music is going to a video.

    The netflix app is way awesome, btw. Watching instantly without having to go though browser or installing silverlight or anything. Can manage the queue too, but the watch instantly is just excellent.

  98. 98.

    comrade scott's agenda of rage

    This thread has the potential to turn ugly very quickly. I can’t wait.

    I’m guessing if we can tie Jane Hamsher and Glenn Greenwald to Duke, yeah, it’ll get fugly.

    Duke hate notwithstanding, they’ve played really well in the first half. And they did it without the refs.

  103. 103.

    leinie

    @stockinged
    Not out of the box but I’ve got to wonder if there is some kind of adapter (haven’t looked) because there is a video output part in the settings where you configure things.

  104. 104.

    comrade scott's agenda of rage

    Well, it’s halftime so back to The Ten Commandments. Anne Baxter’s gowns are gorgeous.

    And note the Hittite helmets on the Egyptians. What’s really cool is earlier when Moses is brought before Seti, the black guards in the background are adorned with pretty accurate Sea Peoples helmets. Okay, the Sea People’s invasions aren’t for about another 100-150 years *if* the account of the Exodus are dated as they currently are. So, DeMille mixed his historical accoutraments. Nonetheless, he clearly went back to the period and used just about everything.

    And the chariots? Spot on.

  106. 106.

    burnspbesq

    @Comrade Scott’s Agenda of Rage:

    Please don’t tell me you’ve bought into the “Duke gets all the calls” meme. That’s the death panels of basketball. I thought you were smarter than that.

  110. 110.

    comrade scott's agenda of rage

    @burnspbesq:

    John Feinstein has an interesting column in today’s WaPo on this and other Duke-related subjects.

    Clearly I am not alone.

    But please note that I didn’t say the refs were in the bag for Duke in the first half of this game. It was a refreshing half from that perspective. Of course when you drain 3-pointers like that, well, refs, shmefs.

    Now, how is it that Moses was able to walk right into Pharoah’s presence and call down plagues? Clearly Pharoah’s security detail needed some training.

  111. 111.

    Comrade Jake

    All the calls: WVU has 4 fouls, Nolan Smith has 3.

    The NCAA is just trying to make it look good. Everyone knows this game is rigged for Duke.

  119. 119.

    Maxwel

    Yes you’re not alone comrade scott, Feinstein also hates Duke.
    He’s been down on Duke ever since his buddy wasn’t chosen AD.

  120. 120.

    comrade scott's agenda of rage

    “You lost him when he went to find his god, I lost him when he found his god”.

    Great movie.

    Pharoah went to Duke.

  122. 122.

    dwight meredith

    Duke players in the NBA include the following (from memory in no particular order)

    Carlos Boozer

    Grant Hill

    Mike Dunleavy

    Dontay Jones

    Elton Brand

    Josh McRoberts

    JJ Reddick

    Sheldon Williams

    Corey Maggette

    Lual Deng

    Chris Duhon

    Gerald Henderson

  123. 123.

    John O

    Nixon clearly had the seed of the demon in him before he got to Duke.

    I’m indifferent to Duke. WV, too.

    Would love to see a WV 3 right here now, though.

    Long deuce…

  125. 125.

    Splitting Image

    Well, it’s halftime so back to The Ten Commandments. Anne Baxter’s gowns are gorgeous.
    __
    And note the Hittite helmets on the Egyptians. What’s really cool is earlier when Moses is brought before Seti, the black guards in the background are adorned with pretty accurate Sea Peoples helmets. Okay, the Sea People’s invasions aren’t for about another 100-150 years if the account of the Exodus are dated as they currently are. So, DeMille mixed his historical accoutraments. Nonetheless, he clearly went back to the period and used just about everything.
    __
    And the chariots? Spot on.

    I haven’t seen that movie in ages. I’ll have to do a DeMille marathon sometime. I love movies where you can see thousands of people on the screen at the same time and know that they were all actually there.

    Plus, the old-school Bible movies tended to push the limits in how much skin it was acceptable for ladies to show on the silver screen at the time. Also.

  129. 129.

    John O

    Duke will win by double-digits.

    Sorry, John. But it was a good run.

    GO BULLDOGS! I think they’ll match up OK if everyone can play.

  130. 130.

    Svensker

    What is stronger than scotch?

    Well, unless you’re doing a medieval song riddle, my answer would be Everclear.

    Which is the only frigging thing I understood on this entire thread. Are you guys speaking Aramaic or something? Apparently teams and a game of some sort are involved, but my Rosetta Stone is not working here.

    Ah well. All set for malted milk Easter eggs tomorrow, so that’s good.

  132. 132.

    Montysano

    Dammit, ‘Eers, you can’t let Duke shoot uncontested 3-pointers and hope to win.

  135. 135.

    burnspbesq

    That’s two Duke guys who have gotten whacked in the nuts.

    Doesn’t seem to be helping WV, though.

  136. 136.

    Dee Loralei

    You forgot Shane Battier in your list of Duke grads in the NBA. A decent workhorse of a player and one of the nicest human beings around. I hated when the Grizzlies sold him.

  137. 137.

    stuckinred

    burnspbesq

    When asked by a reporter after a game “how could you play with your face bloody and beaten”? Ya Tiddle said “I don’t throw with my face”. Maybe that applies here? Duke doesn’t shoot with their nuts.

  139. 139.

    comrade scott's agenda of rage

    @ Dee Loralei:

    On the flip side, there was Christian Laettner: poison in every locker room during his NBA career.

    Oh man, another 3 pointer from Duke. Impressive shooting display.

  140. 140.

    Svensker

    Stuckinred

    It da hoop.

    Had actually figured that part out. I’m just amazed that anyone actually follows college teams (except their own schools, of course), knows the players, and gives a crap about any of it.

    But apparently anyone does.

    Not a hoop girl.

    Carry on.

  141. 141.

    flukebucket

    Say what you will about Duke they are strong everywhere with no weakness. They will definitely win it all. A damn shame about Butler. Just a damn shame.

  142. 142.

    Comrade Jake

    That really sucks for Butler. That pretty much took all the air out of the game.

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