Villanova_templeThese are the words of Matt Nakey, every now and then, he will give us his time.

College Basketball is Back… Thank God

As the writer of Nakey Time, I am versed in other sports besides hockey.  Since the NBA is where this happens; I now get all geeked up for the college game.

Here is what we call The Nakey Nine: Nine lists about a particular sport or topic. In the first edition, I am writing about college basketball to (hopefully) get you excited for the beginning of the season. Before the “Nine” are unveiled, I will give you a background list about myself so you know where my thought process is coming from.

  1. Even though I graduated from Villanova, and am a self-proclaimed Jay Wright apologist, I root for each of the City Six schools when they aren’t playing my Wildcats.
  2. I grew up a UNC fan, therefore making Duke my defacto Devil (not a blue Devil, just the real Devil)
  3. I despise everything John Calipari.

So without further ado, here is the 2010 College Basketball Nakey Nine:


Top Rivalries – In Conference

  1. Duke/UNC – This is the mother of all rivalry games, a must watch twice a year.
  2. UConn/Syracuse – Two Hall of Fame coaches, who are also good friends, with over 700 wins each. These fans detest each other.
  3. Ohio State/Michigan State – Two powerhouse programs, the winner always seems to win the Big Ten.

 Top Rivalries – Out of Conference

  1. Louisville/Kentucky – These two intrastate rivals hate each other, and so do their coaches.
  2. Memphis/Tennessee – Another intrastate rivalry that has been extremely heated since Bruce Pearl came to town.
  3. Xavier/Cincinnati – The pride of Ohio square off every year. If you’ve ever been to Cincinnati, there is nothing more to do then hate Xavier.

 Top Rivalries That Should Happen

  1. UCLA/Kentucky – The two most storied programs should be facing off yearly.
  2. Kansas/UNC – These two schools housed numerous NBA superstars and are only 1 game apart in total wins.
  3. Gonzaga/Butler – The two best “Mid-Majors” should square off to see who reigns supreme.

 Best Jerseys

  1. UCLA Away’s – It’s not even close, the Powder Blue and Gold is the gold standard (no pun intended).
  2. Texas Away’s – The Burnt Orange jerseys have grown on me a ton over the years.
  3. Duke Home’s – As much as I loathe this program, I can’t hate on the White and Blue jersey. 

 Top Men I Can’t Stand

  1. John Calipari – The man cheated at UMASS. He cheated at Memphis. And he will (if he hasn’t already) cheat at Kentucky.
  2. Kyle Singler – He is the next in line of hated Duke players. It’s just his time.
  3. Jim Calhoun – Presently under NCAA compliance scrutiny, the man always looks like he’s having a horrible time even during blowout wins.

 Student Sections I would Love To Play In front Of

  1. Michigan State Izzone – This rabid fan base brings it night in and night out.
  2. Pitt’s Oakland Zoo – This is relatively new considering the Petersen Events Center opened in 2002; but these fans are constantly jumping around.
  3. Kansas State Octagon of Doom – Any home court with the nickname “Octagon of Doom” will always make my list.

 *Nakey Note – Notice that the Cameron Crazies did not make the cut. No fans that use Jazz Hands will ever make my list.

 Coaches I Would Love To Play For

  1. Frank Martin/Kansas State – Let’s be serious, Frank Martin could be #1 #2 and #3.  He looks more military sergeant then basketball coach. I will watch KSU games for him alone.
  2. Bo Ryan/Wisconsin – The Chester product doesn’t get the best talent; but he always gets the most out of that talent.
  3. Fran Dunphy/Temple – This is a sentimental pick. I remember when I was younger always rooting for the underdog Penn teams in March. He now has Temple back on the right track.

 Top Broadcasters/Analysts

  1. Gus Johnson – I used to ref 2nd and 3rd grade games in High School and I am convinced he could make those games seem like the National Championship.
  2. Jay Bilas – He did the unthinkable; he forced me to like him with his wit and overall knowledge of the game, even though he played at Duke.
  3. Dan Shulman – Nothing special about his call, he lets the game do the talking.

 Top Stadiums I would Love To Play In

  1. The Palestra/Penn – This is a homer pick; but I truly believe that if basketball fans traveled to watch a game there they would be hooked. It’s my favorite stadium that I have ever watched a sporting event in.
  2. Rupp Arena/Kentucky – Even though Coach Calipari soiled this place, it still holds 23,500 people per game. It is the largest stadium built for basketball in the United States.
  3. Allen Fieldhouse/Kansas – This stadium opened in 1955 and seats 16,300. It was just voted as the loudest stadium in college basketball.

There you have it, the first Nakey Nine.  Hopefully it got you a little more pumped up for what looks to be another great season of College Basketball. Let the Madness begin!