2007 March Madness Pick 'Em Pool

[RedFusion]

HUGE Rumor going around campus today at Ohio State, that being that Greg ODEN will announce he is COMING BACK next year at the team rally tomorrow evening.

 

[Red Door]

ESPN Insider is reporting he'll probably go, and frankly I believe them more than the OSU student body. But I wouldn't be surprised if he stays.

 

[Darkness]

CBS reports that Durant is going pro...

 

[RedFusion]

ESPN Insider is reporting he'll probably go, and frankly I believe them more than the OSU student body. But I wouldn't be surprised if he stays.

I don't see why. ESPN Insider has probably less to go off of it's report than the OSU students (pure speculation). Especially when many are in classes with him (he's been going to his classes this spring quarter). Add to that that all the people that I know that are well connected with the OSU basketball team are saying that he's coming back. Maybe he's leading them on, I really doubt that, but we won't know for certain until he announces he's coming back.

 

[Azale]

No reason to go, but dang....it would make watching the NBA Draft more exciting.

 

[downtown]

I don't see why. ESPN Insider has probably less to go off of it's report than the OSU students (pure speculation). Especially when many are in classes with him (he's been going to his classes this spring quarter). Add to that that all the people that I know that are well connected with the OSU basketball team are saying that he's coming back. Maybe he's leading them on, I really doubt that, but we won't know for certain until he announces he's coming back.

I've heard the exact same thing at OSU myself. The man wants to win a title (and have a full year of having two hands, so he can add a mid-range jumper)

I've also heard that Connley is back, but Cook is gone. Oh well.

 

[RedFusion]

Matt, are you going to the rally tomorrow at the schott? I know I'm hoping to go if I can get outta work down at the Med Center early enough.

Conley was pretty straightforward that he was coming back. But with Cook, I know he's got a tough family situation (high medical bills) which is forcing him to make the jump early even though he's clearly not ready.

 

[downtown]

Matt, are you going to the rally tomorrow at the schott? I know I'm hoping to go if I can get outta work down at the Med Center early enough.

Conley was pretty straightforward that he was coming back. But with Cook, I know he's got a tough family situation (high medical bills) which is forcing him to make the jump early even though he's clearly not ready.

I'm not, but my buddies are. People at the branch still gotta eat, so I have to work. (thursday is the banquet the school gives for student employees, where they all give us free food and door prizes. I have to work through that too!)

I dont think Cook is ready either, but we all know thats not how NBA GMs work out.

If Oden comes back, with our sick nasty freshman class, we might not lose more than one regular season game. Plus, we get Florida at home!

I can't wait.

 

[Azale]

Yea, and you play in the worst of the big conferences...your only competition will be Illinois (maybe) now that Tucker is gone.

Next year is UNC's year IMO.

 

[Red Door]

Next year is UNC's year IMO.

If Wright comes back, it's guranteed, if he doesn't, it's likely.

 

[downtown]

Yea, and you play in the worst of the big conferences...your only competition will be Illinois (maybe) now that Tucker is gone.

Next year is UNC's year IMO.

Indiana and MSU will be pretty good too.

If Oden and Conley come back, OSU will lose maybe 1 game all year. If they both leave, we're a competitive 4 seed.

 

[Azale]

I'm not a huge fan of Kelvin Sampson personally, so I have a low opinion of IU's chances. MSU maybe, is Neitzel leaving?

 

[downtown]

Dayton News says that OSU's 3 freshman are all declaring for the draft

The players themselves have yet to make it offical though

 

[Red Door]

I hear that Mike Conley Sr. wants to be their agent too?!

 

[Azale]

I heard about that, but I really think Oden has nothing to gain from going now. Even if he had his right leg amputated next year he could probably go 1 overall. He said it best, he has more things to work on with his game and he was just really starting to get into a groove near the end of the year.

 

[RedFusion]

Darn rumors, getting my hopes up like that! Just announce a decision already!!!!

 

[Azale]

ESPN said yesterday that they were going...

 

[RedFusion]

They based that off an Indianapolis Star article that quoted his father saying he would enter the draft. However, what ESPN failed to report was that his mother (who isn't with his father anymore) was also quoted in the article as saying that he hasn't made a decision yet.

Here's an article from the Columbus Dispatch today that explains the story completely. It includes a quote from Conley's dad saying they haven't decided.

THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
Father says Oden to enter NBA draft
Mike Conley Sr. said today that he is "100 percent confident" that Greg Oden, Mike Conley Jr. and Daequan Cook have not decided whether to leave Ohio State for the NBA, but he indicated that all three freshmen could at least enter the draft to give themselves more time to assess their status.

"To me, the decision at this point is not necessarily 'Do I want to go pro' as much as 'Do I want to put my name in and buy myself some more time to decide?' " said Conley Sr., the father of Mike Jr. and the would-be agent for all three players should they decide to stay in the draft.

College underclassmen have until April 29 to enter the draft and until June 18 to withdraw. The draft is June 28.

The Indianapolis Star reported today that Oden's father, Greg Sr., said his son would enter the draft, in which he is the presumptive No.1 pick. The story did not say, however, whether Greg Sr., who lives in Buffalo, was told that by his son or how else he came by the information.

Conley Sr. questioned the veracity of the comment.

"Greg's dad truly believes Greg Oden needs to go pro; that's a fact. Greg has not talked to (his mother) Zoe about what he wants to do; that's a fact," Conley Sr. said.

"If somebody quotes Greg as saying something ... that's fine. But I don't believe he's done that."

Zoe Oden did not return a call to her pager today. She neither confirmed nor denied her ex-husband's statement when reached by the Star. "Greg told me he wasn't ready to talk about it just yet," she said.

Greg Oden declined to answer questions about his future after the Buckeyes' loss in the NCAA championship game April 2, and Ohio State has not made him available to the media since.

The three players and their parents are meeting Sunday in Indianapolis, where Oden's mother and Conley's parents live, to discuss the pros and cons of an early departure from Ohio State. The players plan to meet with OSU coach Thad Matta next week, Conley Sr. said, before announcing their decisions.