Basketball figure madness - Pick the winners of the 1st round for the "NORTHEAST REGION"

Since the NCAA tournament is about to end this week, I just wanted to put 64 basketball figures together (not necessarily my 64 favorites or who I think are the 64 best) and have some madness as to which figure you guys like the most. I mixed up college folks, pro players, coaches, owners, and even some broadcasters so no one group completely dominates (I wouldn't have 50 NBA related individuals for example). It wasn't really easy to seed anybody, and to be honest, I didn't care too much about seed numbers. I have four regions (NE, NW, SE, and SW) and 16 individuals for each region, and I put up matches between a 1 and 16, 2 and 15 etc. In the Final Four, the NW regional winner is against the SW regional winner, and the NE regional winner is against the SE regional winner.

So here we go with the 1st region, which is the NORTHEAST REGION

HERE ARE THE MATCHUPS FOR THE UPPER HALF OF THE BRACKET
#1 Geno Auriemma vs #16 Doris Burke
#8 Cappie Pondexter vs #9 Jared Sullinger
#5 John Wall vs #12 Tamika Catchings
#4 Sue Bird vs. #13 Debbie Ryan

MATCHUPS FOR THE LOWER HALF OF THE BRACKET

#6 Ricky Rubio vs. #11 Rick Pitino
#3 David Stern vs. #14 Joey Rodriguez
#7 Marv Albert vs. #10 Bruce Pearl
#2 John Calipari vs. #15 Kevin Garnett

ABOUT THE SEEDS

#1 Geno Auriemma, UConn women’s basketball coach and USA women's basketball coach

He led UConn to its 2^nd straight title last year, and the Huskies got to their 4^th straight Final Four this year. In addition, the US won the Gold Medal in the 2010 FIBA World Championships in the Czech Republic.

#2 John Calipari, Kentucky men’s basketball coach
In two years at UK he got them to two straight Elite Eights with
completely different cores. This year’s team one upped last year’s team by getting to the Final Four.

#3 David Stern, NBA Commissioner
I need a Coach K “evil man” figure. But he is a big player with everything going on in the NBA and its two subsidiary leagues.

#4 Sue Bird, G for the Seattle Storm
Led the Storm to the 2010 WNBA Championship and won a Gold Medal for the FIBA World Championship team. She made back to back game winners in the playoffs this year and is considered to be one of the best closers in the WNBA.

#5 John Wall, G for the Washington Wizards
He was the 1^st pick in the 2010 NBA Draft, and is among the league leaders in assists. I’m also a homer so therefore he gets a bid because he’s here in DC.

#6 Ricky Rubio, G, FC Barcelona and 5^th pick of the 2009 NBA Draft for Minnesota
I put him here since he’s an international player that still has a lot
of buzz and anticipation though he has disappointed me more often than not since the 2008 Olympics.

#7 Marv Albert, NJ Nets and TNT Play by Play Announcer
He is one of the most recognizable voices in the NBA when it’s on TV. Basketball isn’t basketball if I don’t hear his voice.

#8 Cappie Pondexter, G for the NY Liberty
Cappie was a vital piece for the Phoenix Mercury where she helped lead them to the 2009 WNBA championship. This past year, she led the NY Liberty to the #2 seed in the Eastern Conference and the Conference Finals, while also gaining 1^st team All WNBA honors.

#9 Jared Sullinger, F/C for Ohio State
He averaged 17 ppg and 10 rpg in his freshman season, while helping the Buckeyes get to their 2^nd straight Sweet 16 appearance as well as a final AP #1 ranking. His performance also got him 1^st team All American honors. Given that Ohio State football is expected to take a big step back in the near future, Sullinger is now in line to become the Big Man on Campus over Sweatervest.

#10 Bruce Pearl, former head coach of the Tennessee men’s basketball team
He did get fired for violating NCAA rules and lying about it more or
less, but the man got the Vols to their best six year stretch ever when it comes to wins and losses, and he got them to an Elite Eight last year. He'll get another job sooner than some guys may think.

#11 Rick Pitino, Louisville men’s basketball coach
Pitino consistently leads his teams to Top 25 finishes and NCAA tourney runs though he fell victim to the upset bug this year. He also had that embarrassing sex scandal too at Porcini Italian Restaurant that led to criminal charges against the lady he lasted 15 seconds with.

#12 Tamika Catchings, F, Indiana Fever
She averaged 18 ppg, 7 rpg, 4 apg, and well over 2 steals a game last season, good enough for being named the Defensive MVP last year (in fact, she won it four times). She’s also the head of the WNBA Players Association and is one of the league’s most notable
community service leaders as well. Her dad, Harvey Catchings was a 12 year NBA veteran for the Sixers, Clips, and the Bucks.

#13 Debbie Ryan, former Virginia women’s basketball coach
She won 739 games at the University of Virginia, led them to 12 Sweet 16 appearances including 11 straight from the 80’s to the ‘90’s. A number of women’s basketball’s biggest figures have come from the UVA program as players like Dawn Staley (South Carolina head coach) and Geno Auriemma was an assistant for her as well back in the day. Her recent performance isn’t great, but since
she just retired, and I’m a Virginian, she gets a bid.

#14 Joey Rodriguez, G for VCU
Averaged a superb 7.6 assists to 2 turnovers during the Rams’ five game NCAA Tournament run. He’s also only 5’10” in shoes and America loves “short” guys who can play ball.

#15 Kevin Garnett, F for the Boston Celtics
KG may not be Franchise Player #1 for the Celtics, but he is their most vocal leader and he continues to put up solid numbers this year. His seed here may be low, but I would take most seed numbers here with a grain of salt except for the #1 seeds pretty
much.

#16 Doris Burke, Color Analyst for ESPN NBA, WNBA, and college
She is one of the most knowledgeable analysts in the game of basketball and one of the most recognized voices during nationally televised games. It could be a college game or a pro game, and there’s a good chance she’ll be behind the mic. Unlike most analysts who generally like to stay with just the pros, or just college, she has the knowledge of all the leagues to do her job more than half decently.

My pick

#1 Geno Auriemma vs #16 Doris Burke - Geno. No question for me.
#8 Cappie Pondexter vs #9 Jared Sullinger - Jared, I don't like Cappie that much.
#5 John Wall vs #12 Tamika Catchings - Tamik.... never mind. JOHN WALL!!!!
#4 Sue Bird vs. #13 Debbie Ryan - Sue

MATCHUPS FOR THE LOWER HALF OF THE BRACKET

#6 Ricky Rubio vs. #11 Rick Pitino - Ricky Rubio
#3 David Stern vs. #14 Joey Rodriguez - Stern has more power but Rodriguez is the floor general of America's Cinderella team. Going with Rodriguez
#7 Marv Albert vs. #10 Bruce Pearl - Bruce Pearl
#2 John Calipari vs. #15 Kevin Garnett - KG!!!!

#1 Geno Auriemma vs #16 Doris Burke - Burke. Auriemma's a scumbag.
#8 Cappie Pondexter vs #9 Jared Sullinger - Sullinger
#5 John Wall vs #12 Tamika Catchings - Wall
#4 Sue Bird vs. #13 Debbie Ryan - Bird
#6 Ricky Rubio vs. #11 Rick Pitino - Rubio
#3 David Stern vs. #14 Joey Rodriguez - Stern.
#7 Marv Albert vs. #10 Bruce Pearl - Bruce Pearl
#2 John Calipari vs. #15 Kevin Garnett - KG. He's a scumbag too, but not on Calipari's level.

CAguyofftoUNC wrote:

#1 Geno Auriemma vs #16 Doris Burke - Burke. Auriemma's a scumbag.

+1

I have no idea how nearly all his players have been classy and professional, while he has been an arrogant SOB from calling Tennessee the evil empire, saying we have Diana and you don't, and calling his own fans spoiled. Don't know any other coach in college hoops who will do this.

HERE ARE THE MATCHUPS FOR THE UPPER HALF OF THE BRACKET
#1 Geno Auriemma vs #16 Doris Burke- Geno
#8 Cappie Pondexter vs #9 Jared Sullinger- Sullinger
#5 John Wall vs #12 Tamika Catchings- Wall
#4 Sue Bird vs. #13 Debbie Ryan- Bird

MATCHUPS FOR THE LOWER HALF OF THE BRACKET

#6 Ricky Rubio vs. #11 Rick Pitino- Pitino
#3 David Stern vs. #14 Joey Rodriguez- Stern
#7 Marv Albert vs. #10 Bruce Pearl- Pearl
#2 John Calipari vs. #15 Kevin Garnett- KG