The Final Four: Pre-Game Media Thread

[RenoZag]

From the NCAA web site, Mike Lopresti does a nice job of touching all the bases from a human interest angle. Good, quick read:

Videos also included at the link : http://www.ncaa.com/news/basketball-...nce-redemption

It is a Final Four of successful coaches who have been finally made it up the ladder. Gonzaga’s Mark Few, South Carolina’s Frank Martin, Oregon’s Dana Altman all there for the first time, with legacies now more brightly lit than ever.

Except Few said going to the Final Four is not what he envisions as a proper legacy, but pointed toward his father, the Presbyterian minister for 54 years.

“He’s saved thousands of souls. He’s helped hundreds and thousands of people though all their tough times, and that’s the kind of legacy that I’m looking at. I’ve got a long ways to go to get to first base living up to that guy’s standard.”

[RenoZag]

John Blanchette: 5 Steps That Made GU a Final Four Program

Link: http://www.spokesman.com/stories/201...ga-basketball/

The castle

Spitzer has his own story – how on a trip with Few to Salt Lake City to approach brothers Phil and Tom McCarthey for money to build up GU’s athletic endowment, the coach pressed him to float a new basketball arena instead. And that when the school had come up $2.3 million short of the 80 percent that had to be raised to start the $26 million project, Spitzer had to go back to the McCartheys – which he did, after the Zags’ 2003 NCAA Tournament loss to Arizona.

Not that it was a surprise to the McCartheys.

“They had intel from somebody,” Spitzer said back in 2009. “All they wanted to do was make me make the ask, but I’m sure they knew every penny I needed.”

The 6,000-seat McCarthey Athletic Center opened for the 2004-05 season, and only once – against Montana that year – has attendance not been announced as a sellout.

“It changed our program,” said Roth, “not just visually on TV or in the stands, but more importantly in the eyes of recruits. They no longer came into a gym and saw a gym.”

[RenoZag]

Final Four Attire Flying Off the Shelves : http://www.spokesman.com/stories/201...-out-at-campu/

On Sunday, the Zag Shop at Gonzaga welcomed a shipment of more than 1,000 new shirts that celebrated the Zags going to the Final Four.

On Monday, the new shirts were completely sold out.

“It’s quiet now, but it’s been crazy,” one employee said Monday afternoon.

Zag shop employees said during the first two hours of opening their doors Monday morning, the store was flooded with Zag fans wanting the shirt that commemorated Gonzaga’s historical achievement in the NCAA Tournament.

[former1dog]

Dan Dickau interview.

http://www.midmajormadness.com/2017/3/28/15081510/interview-dan-dickau-gonzaga-bulldogs-zags-final-four-nba

CS: One more question before you go. What’s your prediction for this weekend? Are they cutting down the nets?
DD: Yes they are! I don’t have plans to come back to Spokane until Tuesday when they’re National Champs. I’m going to be getting down there on Friday and I’m pretty excited about it.

[thespywhozaggedme]

Bud Withers was just on XM College Sports

With Rick Neuheisel and Chris Childers. I had never heard Withers before, but he was amazing, they gave him 20 minutes of airtime and it was basically a North American infomercial for Gonzaga and Few, it was awesome. The publicity that the FF has garnered us is invaluable. Great interview!

[Zagger]

Started a separate thread on some FF news before seeing this one ..... Here are a couple of links from it:

"Gonzaga is a huge favorite to win the Final Four"

http://www.businessinsider.com/gonza...al-four-2017-3

And one from Philly ....
Makes sense
"Why you can put the NCAA Championship in the book now"

http://nypost.com/2017/03/28/why-you...-the-book-now/

I'm leery of reading about much that references anything past Saturday. My mind is on how the Zags will handle South Carolina. Sure hope the Zags are having fun week! Can't wait to see more TV news on the whole FF affair

[RenoZag]

From the Slipper Still Fits: http://www.slipperstillfits.com/2017...ut-the-hell-up

Gonzaga may have played the No. 11 seed in the Elite Eight, but Xavier had to earn its way there by beating “better” teams. By picking such a generic argument and lobbying all your hatred behind it really detracts from the teams that Gonzaga has, and maybe will, beat.

If Gonzaga lands in the NCAA Tournament title game by beating South Carolina, be my guest and lob your complaints. You can go ahead and tell Frank Martin and the rest of the Gamecocks they aren’t a good team. You can tell Chris Mack and the rest of the Musketeers they shouldn’t have been in the Elite 8. Hell, while you are at it, tell Huggy Bear and the Mountaineers they are a pile of garbage for merely being a No. 4 seed. Then report back to me with all your bruises.

[Zags_Fanatic]

Withers is our retired Seattle Media Mole who has been fantastic for the program from the beginning. If you haven't heard of him you absolutely owe it to yourself to read his new book, Glory Hounds. His blog is linked on here as well every time he makes a new post.

[DZ]

It is very hard for me to wrap my mind around why we'd be heavy favorites to win it all when UNC is out there.

I suspect that part of it is others' (not us) disrespect for South Carolina, they feel like we have a fairly easy game to the Final, whereas they expect UNC and Oregon to be more of a 50-50 game. Therefore, if the "belief" is that the Zags WILL BE in the final and others "might be" - it makes us favorites. That's my best explanation.

That and we're pretty damn good.

[Hoopaholic]

It is very hard for me to wrap my mind around why we'd be heavy favorites to win it all when UNC is out there.

I suspect that part of it is others' (not us) disrespect for South Carolina, they feel like we have a fairly easy game to the Final, whereas they expect UNC and Oregon to be more of a 50-50 game. Therefore, if the "belief" is that the Zags WILL BE in the final and others "might be" - it makes us favorites. That's my best explanation.

That and we're pretty damn good.

Its because we are very very good, very balanced, have one of the best offense and the best defense in nation

[Zagger]

Final Four Preview ....

http://www.sbnation.com/a/2017-ncaa-final-four-oregon-gonzaga-north-carolina-south-carolina

What I 'like' about a lot of the stuff I'm reading on the Zags is what I don't read. In many of the pieces they mention this Zag and that Zag but they often do not mention Zags who have, and will be making a difference on Saturday. It may all lead up to many, especially those E of the Mississippi River, who are pretty darn surprised at how well GU can play and who they see on the floor. Even South Carolina could be caught off guard by Zag depth and defense - as well as offense. Guess it all depends on how the Zags play in Phoenix ..... April Madness? ..... I personally feel the Zags are on a roll and now also have a bit of a burden lifted by reaching the FF. Saturday can't come soon enough for me

[TexasZagFan]

Final Four Preview ....

http://www.sbnation.com/a/2017-ncaa-final-four-oregon-gonzaga-north-carolina-south-carolina

What I 'like' about a lot of the stuff I'm reading on the Zags is what I don't read. In many of the pieces they mention this Zag and that Zag but they often do not mention Zags who have, and will be making a difference on Saturday. It may all lead up to many, especially those E of the Mississippi River, who are pretty darn surprised at how well GU can play and who they see on the floor. Even South Carolina could be caught off guard by Zag depth and defense - as well as offense. Guess it all depends on how the Zags play in Phoenix ..... April Madness? ..... I personally feel the Zags are on a roll and now also have a bit of a burden lifted by reaching the FF. Saturday can't come soon enough for me

I'm getting a case of the jaws over the plaudits given to SC for their #2 ranked defense in the country. No mention of the Zags defense, and how Xavier was shut DOWN in the second half, specifically being limited to SIX points in the final ten minutes of the game.

[sittingon50]

With Rick Neuheisel and Chris Childers. I had never heard Withers before, but he was amazing, they gave him 20 minutes of airtime and it was basically a North American infomercial for Gonzaga and Few, it was awesome. The publicity that the FF has garnered us is invaluable. Great interview!

Bud is a good dude. He had a son run cross country @ GU, so he's a bit invested.

[RenoZag]

Withers is our retired Seattle Media Mole who has been fantastic for the program from the beginning. If you haven't heard of him you absolutely owe it to yourself to read his new book, Glory Hounds. His blog is linked on here as well every time he makes a new post.

His first Zags book: BraveHearts is a must read also.

[zagzilla]

Withers is our retired Seattle Media Mole who has been fantastic for the program from the beginning. If you haven't heard of him you absolutely owe it to yourself to read his new book, Glory Hounds. His blog is linked on here as well every time he makes a new post.

Bud Withers also wrote the original Zags history, "Bravehearts". Equally essential for all Zags fans. Withers is a treasure and I miss his writing for the Seattle Times all the more when I see his replacement Matt Calkins offer up junk basketball coverage like he did today.

"Why Huskies fans should root for a Gonzaga-Oregon NCAA tournament final"

http://www.seattletimes.com/sports/gonzaga-bulldogs/huskies-fans-should-root-for-a-gonzaga-oregon-ncaa-tournament-final/

Go Zags!

ZZ