If you’ve followed this podcast you know that – or at least I think that – Spencer crushed our intro. Sound editing with great clips that demonstrate moments (IT’S MARCH AND WE LOVE MOMENTS) in Pac-12 basketball. It’s fantastic. To open this Pod, he crushes (different use) the Pac-12 right during that very intro. It’s also fantastic.
And then I also crush the Pac and explain why no, right now, I don’t #BackThePac.
A historic number of Pac-12 teams are dancing which is what Spencer and I discuss on a day that also saw Johnny Dawkins and Yann Hufnagel fired (which is unequivocally a distraction no matter what he says and especially if he says this).
By tuning in you’re exposing yourself to: a Vegas breakdown (it was a straight forward tournament but Spencer makes a hygiene admission) and team-by-team big dance thoughts.
Listen and also subscribe and review:
You can’t do a season ending, superlative awarding, off season teasing, Las Vegas previewing, Westwood questioning, NCAA forecasting podcast without going like 90-minutes deep. We did it. We did it with Will Whelan of BSN Denver – who you need to Twitter follow – and doesn’t that make sense? We’re at peak college basketball and consequently at peak Podcast.
I’ve given an outline of topics below that we capture in a fashion that roughly resembles the aggregate season rankings I compiled. Which isn’t to say we’re disjointed but rather so deeply in with this season that – yes – we call UCLA the biggest disappointment and also worth putting a few bucks on to win Vegas. The classic sleeping-disappointment. Oxymoron isn’t for the faint of listening. Beware. Good pod. Subscribe and review (please).
Topics overview:
Although I’m not entirely convinced things will be calm this weekend, we’re here, it is now, March. Sure that narrative gets blown up but even on Monday without any posts to this blog, pageviews spiked. The people demand college hoops this month and it’s my (un)expert opinion that we’re about to get it. Wildest tournament ever? I’m predicting chalk.
Alas, this is the one where Spencer and I run through a few of the scenarios playing out as it pertains to Conference championships and there’s even a shoutout to WSU.
Pod:
Throughout this episode, Spencer is going to knock our mid-season awards but we’ve got some good nuggets in there. Zack Rosenblatt of the Arizona Daily Star joins us (he’s a friend of the friends). The Tucson-local writer is knee deep in college football recruiting (today is National Signing Day) and so – being the topical fellows that we are – we discuss a touch of that. We also dive into Pac-12 awards because we’re at the conference season’s mid-way point. Makes sense.
Enjoy the pod:
Our favorite team – the Arizona Wildcats – is making its annual (or mostly annual) trip to the Bay Area. This also marks Spencer and my friend-iversary and a lot of great Cal-Arizona games. Of note, Cal has also lost to ASU on the weeknight before playing Arizona for two consecutive years.
Alas, this week’s pod isn’t all about us: USC had another statement win (how many schools have beat AZ and UCLA in back-to-back games, ever?); Washington garnered a road win; Oregon looked nice in Utah; Colorado got a home hold; Spencer promises to write about Stanford. Listen and subscribe on iTunes.
And if you’ve made it this far, I’m going to offer up a new section/experiment. Have something Spencer and I might be able to answer? Discuss? Throw me a question comment or anything via tweet. Thanks.
If you missed Spencer, this week he’s back. In our conversation he laments not being in attendance but recognizes that the show had to go on. He also recognizes that he didn’t see UCLA-Kentucky in its entirety and that no one really understands the Gonzaga-Arizona game. There’s an awkward moment when discussing Sonny Dykes and how many jobs his name was floated around. Spencer also throws out the words “All,” “American,” “Bryce,” and “Alford.” Listen for more.
Also, if you’re so inclined, give us an iTunes review.
Firsts are often celebrated and so, for the first time in PacHoops Podcast history, Spencer Smith did not join us. But the show had to go and this week I got to talk all types of sports with David Piper and Matt – both formerly of the fantastic Oregon blog, Addicted to Quack. David is in fact the ATQ founder and Matt was there with Spencer and I for the first Pac-12 tournament in Vegas. There are a few stories.
To synopsize our discussion: football hiring, a great transition back to hoops, Oregon talk and Tyler Dorsey love, rules changes and the flow of the game, Matt rips Bryce, more on the rules and general style of play discussions, fandom, Oregon, fandom, and a promise that we’ll do it all again. Missed ya Spence. Continue reading
Friend of the blog, podcast, and an indoctrinated Pac-12 socialite, Zack Rosenblatt, makes his second appearance on the Podcast of Champions (an All-Time guest record). In fairness to listeners and in my lifelong commitment to transparency, this is an Arizona heavy podcast. Rosenblatt – who’s a terrific reporter for the Arizona Daily Star – had just left his floor seats at McKale (Arizona 90, Bradley 60) and is in the heat of college hoops and football coverage. He had plenty to share while Spencer and I streamed an evening’s worth of the CBB marathon. Stick around for Rosenblatt’s account of Sean Miller talking to an official.
Of note: This isn’t all Arizona everything. We absolutely discuss Luke Falk as First Team QB and his concussion, Bryce Alford, possible bowl scenarios, and other round ball topics.
And remember: Subscribe on iTunes!
Early in this episode (S3:E1), Spencer and I promise a rebrand. It wasn’t a significant one but here’s the first edition of Spencer and me speaking as the Podcast of Champions. But you might also still find us as WANE. let’s leave the branding for another time, we’ve got hoops to discuss. Here’s the first podcast of the 2015-16 season:
And here’s what you need to know about this podcast.
I wanted to guide our conversation, use some parameters to determine how we’d discuss each team. We talk about it in the podcast but I thought some literature might assist. We took the KenPom predicted rankings (which admittedly don’t include certain metrics like transfers and most recruits) and let an over/under thought drive the discussion. We paid no heed to whether we tracked too many overs and too few unders. I think, by my rough re-listening math, everyone in the conference is going to finish above 10-wins. Nevertheless, every team discussed. Enjoy.
Logistics and requests: