THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Monday, February 19, 1996 TAG: 9602190130
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C1 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Column
SOURCE: Bob Molinaro
LENGTH: Medium: 70 lines
Over the weekend, I heard somebody on television utter the two silliest words in college basketball: ``Bubble team.''
The introduction of such arcane jargon is a clear sign that the NCAA tournament is coming into view.
Soon it will be time to identify the teams to watch. You know who they are, don't you?
Teams that have been there before.
Teams with something to prove.
Teams that finish the regular season on a roll.
Maybe a team that has played itself back into it.
In college hoops, it's almost never too late to play yourself back into it.
The conference tournaments might change a few perceptions and resurrect somebody's season (Virginia better hope), but the big picture is a lot clearer than it was the last time I let fly some opinions and observations from behind the 3-point line.
And so:
In December, I wrote that the word ``upset'' should not be used this season to characterize the outcome of an ACC game. This holds for the ACC tournament, as well.
Lately, Old Dominion appears to be playing down to the level of its CAA competition. February will do that to a team.
Marcus Camby should be national player of the year, but UMass' junior center is too skinny right now to dominate the pro game.
With Kentucky introducing denim blue uniforms, how long will it be before Rick Pitino coaches in bib overalls.
If I had to pick an All-ACC team, I'd go with Tim Duncan, Wake Forest; Todd Fuller, N.C. State; James Collins, Florida State; Johnny Rhodes, Maryland; and Stephon Marbury, Georgia Tech. After Duncan and Fuller, though, it's a wide-open field for the next three spots.
Disregard the power ratings that put the ACC on top of the nation's conference heap. The Big East is the best league.
The 1995-96 college hoops All-Name team is led by San Diego State freshman guard Circus King. Filling out the team are: Providence freshman God Shammgod; Boston College's Scoonie Penn; and Boubacar Aw and Ya Ya Dia of Georgetown.
Except for March, college basketball remains very much a regional fascination. If you don't think so, ask yourself what you know about Utah and Eastern Michigan, a couple of Top 25 teams.
Taking into account the season's well-publicized talent recession, fans should anticipate more than the usual number of low-scoring tournament games.
With UMass taking root at No. 1, it's been a few years since the Top 25 poll generated less conversation.
Anybody who pretends to know how Bobby Cremins' flaky Georgia Tech team will respond to March should jump into the deep end of the office pool.
It's amazing that Chris Collins hasn't put a Duke teammate in the hospital with one of his flying hugs.
Dick Vitale says that the three areas of the game where college players are weakest are: blocking out under the backboards, moving without the basketball, and shooting the basketball. So what, exactly, do coaches have players working on these days?
This is Kentucky's championship to win or lose.
What do you call a Final Four played in the New Jersey Meadowlands, ``The Road to Jimmy Hoffa's Gravesite''?
I look forward to the day when players show off tattoos of their SAT scores. by CNB