Memphis has motivational tool

[txramsfan]

From The Commercial Appeal in Memphis


The cameras zoomed in and the players tried to look excited and some things you just can't fake.

"They seem a little subdued," said Greg Anthony, the CBS analyst, back in the studio in New York.


The party atmosphere was dampened Sunday when John Calipari's Tigers were seeded second in the West Region. The U of M opens against Cal State Northridge.

Despite their obvious disappointment, the tournament draw broke encouragingly for Calipari's squad.


The NCAA Tournament Selection Committee made the Memphis Tigers the No. 2 seed in the West Region Sunday.

The Tigers reacted as if the committee had made them clean up its trash.

"Act excited, everybody go, 'Yea!'" said Memphis coach John Calipari, during the commercial break, after the four No. 1 seeds had been handed out to teams other than his own.

Let the record show: Everybody did not go "Yea!"

They slouched lower in their chairs and their couches. They soaked in the unmistakable insult.

CBS showed the Cal State Northridge team, which Memphis will play Thursday in Kansas City, celebrating its invitation to the big tournament.

"I wouldn't even clap if I were them," said Memphis freshman Wesley Witherspoon.

Because the Tigers are ticked off now. Pay no mind to the we-respect-the-committee's-decision talk that you may hear.

Note the silence, instead. The silence in Calipari's living room when the four No. 1 seeds were unveiled.

"We're not so excited," said Calipari, looking around the room.

Not so excited.

Also, ticked off.

Never mind that UConn -- the Big East team that beat out Memphis for the fourth No. 1 seed -- actually does have a better resume than the Tigers. Never mind that UConn has four more top 50 wins.

The Tigers are No. 2 in the ESPN Coaches poll that was released Sunday and they're a No. 2 seed in the tournament. It's clear evidence of a conspiracy, darn it.

Or at least it will be in the masterful hands of Calipari, who has to be giddy over Sunday's developments.

The man figured out a way to cast Memphis as an underdog in the tournament last year, when the Tigers had three pros and a No. 1 seed.

Imagine what he'll be able to accomplish now that he has material.

And he does have material. He gets more of it every time CBS's Seth Davis or ESPN's Doug Gottleib open their mouths.

"Memphis simply did not have the profile of a No. 1 seed," said Davis.

Them's fighting words!

As for Gottleib, he picked Memphis to lose to Missouri in the Sweet 16. Of course, Gottleib also picked Memphis to lose to UAB the last time they played.

The fact is, underneath the injured feelings, Memphis had another good day Sunday.

The Tigers open with Cal State Northridge, which is just happy to be there.

Then they get the winner of California and Maryland. Neither team has an inside game.

Then they'll likely get Missouri and old friend Mike Anderson, who has experience losing to Memphis from his years at UAB.

Then comes UConn. UConn's a really good team. But imagine the fun that Calipari could have before that particular matchup.

"This is the team the committee thought was better than you. Nobody thinks you can beat this team. I don't know. Maybe they're right. But if you think you should have been a No. 1 seed, you can prove it tonight."

It's delicious just to think about, isn't it? And, yes, it's wildly premature.

When Davis -- of all people -- said Memphis had a clear path to the Elite Eight, Calipari shook his head.

"Yeah, it should be easy," he said.

By which he meant: Not.

But don't fret for your Tigers. They're exactly where you'd want them to be.

They're back in the tournament as a No. 2 seed. They can still find reason to be -- what was Anthony's word for it? -- subdued.

"We respect the decision of the committee," said Calipari.

Now, get out of the way.

[laram0]

This year I'm in 2 brackets. Last year I had about a dozen of them going.

1 of the 2 brackets is for money. I have Memphis winning it all in that bracket.
There are a handful of teams that are going to be tough but I do like Memphis to pull it off.

Teams that scare me:
Duke
UNC
Louisville
Gonzaga
Pittsburgh
UConn
Oklahoma


C'mon Memphis.....

[r8rh8rmike]

Hmm. After getting all they could handle from Bobby Braswell and his CSUN Matadors, it looks like the selection commitee put Memphis right where they belonged.

[laram0]

Hmm. After getting all they could handle from Bobby Braswell and his CSUN Matadors, it looks like the selection commitee put Memphis right where they belonged.

The first bullett has been fired!!!!

Seems like a direct hit too.

[txramsfan]

Oh please.....first round is survive after that you conquer. Yesterday had no bearing whatsoever on the talent of Memphis.

Quit watching SportsCenter, especially Mike and Mike. That Mike and Mike show will rot your brain and cause severe losses of IQ points. Jerry Springer is more relevant than Mike and Mike.

You watch. Memphis will beat Maryland from the all mighty ACC and proceed to their next victim.

[txramsfan]

Calipari was just on the Jim Rome show. Here comes some jungle karma baby. Look out Maryland.

[r8rh8rmike]

Oh please.....first round is survive after that you conquer. Yesterday had no bearing whatsoever on the talent of Memphis.

Quit watching SportsCenter, especially Mike and Mike. That Mike and Mike show will rot your brain and cause severe losses of IQ points. Jerry Springer is more relevant than Mike and Mike.

You watch. Memphis will beat Maryland from the all mighty ACC and proceed to their next victim.

I don't watch Mike and Mike. All I know is that Memphis, a 2 seed, struggled to beat CSUN, a 15 seed. Sorry Tx, IMO Memphis got a reality check, especially for a team that was "ticked off" and motivated. It will be interesting to see how they respond.

[txramsfan]

Almost every year there's always a team that struggles in the first round, wins, and then advances to the Final Four. Memphis will be that team.

[txramsfan]

Oh my....Pitt struggled against East Tennessee State. They only took the lead with 4 minutes left to win by 10. Did we overestimate how good they are? They should really be scared the next time they play. They need a reality check huh?

[r8rh8rmike]

Oh my....Pitt struggled against East Tennessee State. They only took the lead with 4 minutes left to win by 10. Did we overestimate how good they are? They should really be scared the next time they play. They need a reality check huh?

I think they just got a reality check.

[laram0]

Oh my....Pitt struggled against East Tennessee State. They only took the lead with 4 minutes left to win by 10. Did we overestimate how good they are? They should really be scared the next time they play. They need a reality check huh?

tx shoots back and it's a direct hit!

[r8rh8rmike]

Almost every year there's always a team that struggles in the first round, wins, and then advances to the Final Four. Memphis will be that team.

Then again, maybe Pitt is that one team.

[txramsfan]

72-50 Memphis at the 12 minute mark of the second half over a Maryland team that beat UNC.

I think they responded just fine. Memphis has tendency to play up to the name on the other teams jersey. From now on, that name iwll mean something. WAtch out, here come the MEMPHIS TIGERS.

[txramsfan]

Anybody. We'll play anybody, anytime, anywhere. This team is special. Way to go Tigers.

[r8rh8rmike]

You couldn't even wait untill the game was over to pound your chest could you?

Well, at least you didn't give me a hard time about my Bruins and how bad they looked today.

Last year Tx, if you remember, I was behind Memphis all the way AFTER they took apart UCLA. I've always been a big Calipari fan going back to his days at UMass, but this year it's a different story for me. I think their whining and crying about the number 2 seed was beneath them and the belittling of a jubilant CSUN team celebrating their tournament bid by Wesley Witherspoon was classless. I'll be rooting against them this year, unless of course they meet USC in the final four.