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Is it just me, or can you feel IT in the air? The feeling you get when you see upsets galore, bubbles burst, and a whole lot of screaming from Dicky V. Now that it is March, the countdown may begin to arguably the most exciting event in sports every year. After a dreadful February of zero football or baseball, the sports world has re-found it’s glory every March in the form of a 64-team all-or-nothing tournament where children are exposed and men are made. Every March we are graced with clips of Christian Laettner’s brilliance and Chris Webber’s stupidity, and every year another clip is added to the timeline of immortality for NCAA athletes. And with David Stern adding a new rule legislating all high-school athletes must be one-year removed from graduating high-school to jump to the NBA, some of the most elite basketball players in the world will be showcased on a national stage come tourney time.


Last year was dubbed the “Year of the Freshmen”. We had Kevin Durant, Greg Oden, Gerald Henderson, Tywon Lawson, Brandan Wright, and plenty of other true froshes that took college basketball back to the days where legends were made before they hit the NBA. For the first time in years, the best high-school basketball players were forced to play for a college team, effectively bringing more attention to these teams lucky enough to acquire these fine athletes. If that was last year, then what would they call this year? The year of the…..uhhhh….sup…..super freshmen? Last year marked the first time ever a Freshman received the AP Player Of The Year Award when Kevin Durant ran away with the prize, and this year’s award will probably go to another fabolous freshman in Michael Beasley. Don’t get me wrong though; there’s plenty of other freshmen that are just as deserving of the title “super”. Indiana’s Eric Gordon is averaging 21 points and leads a talented Indiana team into the tourney as a sleeper team poised to do damage on opposing higher seeds.

Derrick Rose, projected as a top 5 pick in this year’s upcoming draft, is the speedy point-guard leader behind an extremely talented Memphis team. Already leading Memphis to a near perfect regular season, his game has elevated to a level rarely seen by true freshmen. Able to run the offense in John Capilari’s dribble-drive oriented scheme, Rose has adapted and proved his athleticism can translate to a more serious level come draft time. Granted he has some incredible recruits to help him win games, there will be no difference in the NBA when he is playing at an even faster pace with more talented shooters to balance his style of play.

Then there is O.J. Mayo. Once dubbed the “next” Jordan, or “next” LeBron, he has excelled at the college level well enough to be considered a lottery pick. Now that he is not overwhelmed with the media trying to hype up his ability, Mayo has relaxed in his role in USC and has proved to scouts he isn’t just a highlight reel. While his defense may need tp improve, his solid play still al’ows me to call him “super” in this class of freshmen.

Now I have a personal vendetta against Donte Greene. As a Syracuse fan, waching Donte play is extremely frustrating as he is unable to use his 6″10 frame on the boards and in his post game. Tossing up 10 3’s a game and shooting zero free throws in his last two games is just unacceptable for a person his size and skill. Now regardless of my personal (sigh), mild hatred, for his playing style, most scouts believe he has the ability to translate his game to the NBA level. If he wants to leave school early, he can leave without many missing him. But if he stays, Syracuse has a chance at making another run at the title.

Back to Michael Beasley, he is by far the most talented freshman in the country. Coming in as the number 1 ranked recruit by many sources, he has only exceeded expectations in breaking the Big 12 rebounding record in his first NCAA game, and then breaking the Big 12 points record, once held shortly ago by another fantastic freshman, Kevin Durant. Beasley is poised to be the number 1 overall pick in the upcoming draft, proving that freshmen truly are taking over the game.

As Dicky V would say, these diaper dandies are big P.T.P’ers that can Slam, Bam, Jam AND dish the rock.

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