February 7th

Joel’s Monday Mailbag

Each Monday, Joel Welser will be bringing you his Monday Mailbag.  If you have a question which you'd like Joel to answer, email jwelser_chn@ameritech.net.  He’ll post and answer as many questions as possible.  Please include your first name and home state when contacting Joel. 

One question each week is chosen as the "Question of the Week", and is answered by a few CHN staffers.  At the end of each Monday Mailbag, Joel presents his "Team of the Week" and his "Thoughts of the Week."  Visit the Mailbag Archive for past installments.

Question of the Week

 - The question of the week is answered by multiple CHN staffers -

Joel,

North Carolina has the most talented team in the nation, do the Tarheels deserve the #1 spot in the polls over Illinois?

From Steven,

North Carolina

Shawn Siegel

I still think Illinois deserves the #1 spot in the poll.  Granted, UNC lost when Felton was out, but until the Illini lose a game, they rightfully deserve to remain in the top spot.  I don’t think there’s anyone who would disagree that UNC has more talent then Illinois, but that doesn’t mean UNC is any better of a team.  If these two teams played 10 times in a row on a neutral court right now, I’ll bet each team would win 5 times.. 

Joel Welser

You used the key word ‘deserve.’  Illinois deserves it more, they are undefeated.  It goes back to the old Phil Martelli and Billy Packer argument.  St. Joe’s deserved #1 seed last year, but were they one of the four best teams in the nation?  Nope.  I actually had to side with Martelli on that one.  It’s a long season and everything counts.  Could UNC beat Illinois?  Maybe, you’ll see arguments on both sides for that, but there is no doubt that Illinois, at this point, deserves the #1 spot for what they have done all season long. 

Have a question?  Email Joel at jwelser_chn@ameritech.net, and please include your first name and home state. We’ll post and answer as many as possible.  All questions may be published or edited unless requested otherwise.

Joel’s Team of the Week

Minnesota Golden Gophers

The Gophers were in dire need of a quality win to have a real chance at an at-large bid and the Big Ten was only giving Dan Monson’s squad so many opportunities for that type of win.  They didn’t get it early in the week by slaughtering Michigan, the Big Ten whipping boy, 71-54.  With the Badgers coming into town, Minnesota finally got a real chance to rack up a huge win.  Vincent Grier wouldn’t disappoint, scoring 26 of his career high 32 points in the second half, leading the Gophers to a 60-50 victory.  The Gophers are now 6-3 in the Big Ten and 16-6 overall and poised for a surprising berth in the big dance.  With a relatively easy non-conference schedule, Minnesota needs to continue winning the games they are supposed to, in order to avoid a nervous Selection Sunday. 

Joel’s Thoughts of the Week

One guy in the “Laku Crew” took my advice from last week (http://www.collegehoopsnet.com/specials/mail/050131.htm) and wore aluminum foil to the Western Michigan / Eastern Michigan game.  Quite frankly I was surprised to see any aluminum foil up in the “Laku Crew,” but I had to pay the poor guy a visit so he’d know his efforts wouldn’t go unappreciated.  One guy wearing aluminum foil is weird (yet great), the entire crew sporting the garb is festive and a true Silver Laku cheering section.  I hope for an increase in numbers of aluminum foil wearing Laku fans next week.  Keep the dream alive!  I’m sure Silver would be proud.

Kudos

-My local cable company…for giving us Fox HD five days before the Super Bowl.

-Harvard…for finally winning a close game against Princeton and snapping a ten game losing streak at the hands of the Tigers.

-Bruce Pearl and Jimmy Collins…coaches of UW-Milwaukee and Illinois-Chicago for making it through a season without receiving a technical foul when facing each other for the first time in four years.  Yet, this may be premature if they meet again in the conference tournament. 

For Shame

-Indiana…for almost losing at home to a Marlon Smith-less Penn State.  I don’t care if Bracey got hurt or not.

-Atlanta and Pittsburgh…for losing and making it yet another Super Bowl I couldn’t care less about.

-Wisconsin…for wasting time practicing how to fall off Minnesota’s elevated court without getting hurt and not practicing how to defend Vincent Grier.

Have a question?  Email Joel at jwelser_chn@ameritech.net, and please include your first name and home state. We’ll post and answer as many as possible.  All questions may be published or edited unless requested otherwise.