I still think Duke can win the National Championship this year. It is a tough road, but in a one game scenerio, anything can happen. Coach K has the advantage of being a better coach than any he will face in the tourney. I am not sure, that they will be tested until the Sweet 16 or Elite 8. There seems to be a drop off level after the top 6 teams or so..I really like Michigan St. right now, they are my favorite to win it all. But Cincinnati, Stanford, Arizona, Ohio St., along with Duke, have a great chance to win it. My sleeper this year, is Indiana. They play with great poise. And this year have a legitimate scorer in Guyton. Of course, all this could change in a couple of weeks..
Guthridge and Dean Smith go back long before they coached together at Carolina. Their ties go back to the state of Kansas and their College days, or before. So, I would imagine, Dean is much more loyal to him, than say, Fogler or Williams. I would tend to agree with you. At one time, Fogler was a prime candidate, but I dont think he is now, like 5 years ago. He is a great recruiter. I wouldnt count out Buzz Peterson, who has done a great job at Appalachian St. He was sought after by quite a few upper level schools last season, and turned them down to stay put. Rumors, said, because he wanted to throw his name in the hat for the Carolina vacancy when it becomes available. Another, good, candidate, down the road, could possibly be Jeff Lebo. He is moving up the ranks a bit. But I think when the job comes available, it is Roy Williams' to either accept or pass on. He makes no bones about his strong ties to the program, even now. His son, graduated there last year. I, honestly, wouldnt mind Matt Doherty coaching the team for the next 20 years, though. |
