"Sports. Media and Entertainment. Unfiltered."
Big Ten Media Days start tomorrow, as the season is now a month and change away. The league actually does it much later than the other power conferences, so if you think this is too early, than you must really think the other leagues are insanely early. Over the weekend, the Big Ten released its preseason poll, and the usual favorite in Columbus, is once again expected to win it all. However, Michigan State is right up there as well.
Follow paulmbanks
Now that the 2014 NBA Draft is in the books, draft nets like myself can look ahead to next year’s class. Here is The Sports Bank’s extremely premature 2015 NBA Mock Draft where team needs and outstanding trades have NOT been taken into account. Click on the player’s name for an in-depth draft profile. By the way, The Sports Bank had the most accurate NBA Mock Draft in both 2011 and 2012 along with the second most accurate mock in 2013.
Follow paulmbanks
College basketball transfers are becoming a growing trend. Here is a list of players from the marquee conferences who are transferring out of their respective programs after this past season and a list of college basketball transfers who will be eligible to play at their new school for the 2014-15 season. Bookmark this page as we will continue to update the list as the off-season progresses.
UPDATED: 6/3/14
Follow paulmbanks
Now that we know which college basketball players have declared for the NBA Draft and top 2014 recruit Myles Turner has made his college decision, it is time to update my insanely early 2014-15 Top 25 college basketball rankings. Here is a list of which players have already announced they are transferring and entering the draft. Leave a comment below if you think a team is too high, too low, not getting enough respect, or if you notice an error in a projected roster. (Click here to see how my 2013-14 way too early preseason college basketball rankings turned out.)
Allow me to present to you my way too early 2014-2015 preseason Top 25 college basketball rankings. (Check out The Sports Bank’s 2015 NCAA Tournament Bracketology.)
Follow paulmbanks
Yes, as frustrating and inconsistent as A.J. Hammons has been, he’ll probably be drafted. Likely even in the first round in ’15. This year…no chance. Sports Illustrated claims that 17% of the population which is 7 feet or taller play in the NBA. H/T to my Twitter follow/er @coloradojimw
So he made the correct decision to stay in school yesterday. As you watch teams play the “Hack-a- A.J. Hammonds ” defense on Purdue next year, and maybe you don’t find that brand of basketball aesthetically pleasing (you wouldn’t be the only one) remember that A.J. is likely going to handsomely paid one day soon.
Follow paulmbanks
Yes, I know the 2014 NCAA Tournament just ended but I’m already thinking ahead to next March. Here is an extremely early projection of the 2015 NCAA Tournament Bracketology. You will notice on the Bracket Matrix grades that The Sports Bank’s bracketology has been more accurate than ESPN’s Joe Lunardi four of the past five years.
Click here for The Sports Bank’s 2014-15 preseason Top 25 rankings
Follow paulmbanks
Happy Selection Sunday! The NCAA Tournament brackets will be revealed at 5:00 PM CST today. Here is a projection of the 2014 NCAA Tournament Bracketology. You will notice on the Bracket Matrix grades that The Sports Bank’s bracketology has been more accurate than ESPN’s Joe Lunardi three of the past four years.
UPDATED: 3/16/14 4:45 PM CST
Follow paulmbanks
As we head into the 2014 Big Ten Tournament, every coach’s job is safe. That’s the first time I’ve ever been able to say that during the past five years. I’ve been covering the BTT every year since 2010, and “Championship Week” has meant “Pink Slip Week” as one coach has gotten fired during each tournament in every year since 2011.
On top of job security, the 2014 Big Ten Tournament promises to be wild and unpredictable. They league’s results made no sense all season long, so I’m predicting this conference tourney will be the same. Seeding almost doesn’t matter here.
Match-ups are what matters in the 2014 Big Ten Tournament.
Follow paulmbanks
The 2014 Big Ten Tourney is here. Not in Chicago like last year, but moved back to Indianapolis. And the league is nowhere near as strong this year as it was last year. However, it promises to be very unpredictable and interesting. Anything can happen. Here’s our preview and predictions.
Let’s move on to the storylines. The stories within the story.
Follow paulmbanks
Illinois is a state that’s certainly synonymous with the great sport of basketball. Say that you’re from Chicago when traveling abroad, and the first thing people will say is Michael Jordan. Which replaced Al Capone. Before the 1990s, people on planet Earth first associated gangsterdom with the second city. Now it’s the Chicago Bulls.
The state of Indiana is right up there with North Carolina, Kentucky and Kansas as places where hoops rules. Yes, even in this great nation where the NFL slaughters everything, roundball comes first these specific states.
Yet this March will be the first instance in my lifetime where both the Land of Lincoln and the Crossroads of America are shut out of the NCAA Tournament. I turn 36 on Thursday. It’s been 42 years since this last occurred.
It was a really rough go for the Purdue Boilermakers and first year coach Darrell Hazell. The 1-11 record accurately tells the story of the season. However, we have some good news for a couple of Boilers, specifically, the two selected to play in the East-West Shrine game.
Cornerback Ricardo Allen and DT Bruce Gaston were picked for the college football All-Star game and they are the two Purdue Boilermakers likely to make an NFL roster next fall.
Follow paulmbanks
Here is The Sports Bank’s extremely premature 2015 NBA Mock Draft where team needs and outstanding trades have NOT been taken into account. Click on the player’s name for an in-depth draft profile. By the way, The Sports Bank had the most accurate NBA Mock Draft in both 2011 and 2012 along with the second most accurate mock in 2013.
Click here for The Sports Bank’s 2014 NBA Mock Draft.
Follow paulmbanks
