House(d) on Hoops: 2001 Edition

The last time we heard from Conrad "Hoopie" Housed was after UConn's mid-season win over Cincinnati - a win that may have turned around their season and a post that was the fifth most viewed in DomeSite history. Hoopie has been too busy to lay down the basketball truths lately - the man manages to work several jobs each year in between interviews. That was not always the case as this classic conversation from 2001 with fellow DomeSite legend T-Panic demonstrates:

It was actually really nice to see Duke win last night. they have shown the country how to win with class. UConn fans need to stop with the Duke resentment and appreciate the Blue Devils as a team that UConn should strive to be. There is a reason why the best recruits go there. They develop as players and people. They will continue on next year and probably be a contender again. There was no stupid dancing in a circle, yelling acting like they are hanging out in the projects listening to JayZ like UConn did after winning it in 99. I hope Calhoun was taking notes. Now they have kids like Jason Williams, Duhon who are great players, but will also win and lose with class and keep the tradition rolling. You never hear about Duke kids getting arrested for possession of pot, taking plane tickets from agents or complaining that they do not play enough or score enough. For every Rickey Moore, who sacrifices for the team, Duke has 4-5 of those guys on their team every year. UConn fans should quit with the envy and realize that the UConn program is not a legit Top 10 program like everyone thought after being lucky enough to win it in 99.

I did not realize you had become such a big Duke fan.

How Does He Do It? Amazing:
http://www.sportsline.com/u/ce/multi/0,1329,4360291_55,00.html

This is why I keep telling you guys Duke is the best program in all college sports, not just hoops. I only wish UConn conducted business like Duke. A program all should be modeled after. Here's an excerpt:

"Shavlick Randolph is the fifth recruit who ranks among BlueChipHoops.com's top 30 players to commit to the defending national champions. Also in the fold are 6-9 Shelden Williams of Oklahoma (No. 5 nationally), 6-4 J.J. Redick of Virginia (No. 14), 6-10 Michael Thompson of Illinois (No. 17) and 6-2 Sean Dockery of Illinois (No. 30). Duke will also have 6-6 Lee Melchionni of Pennsylvania, a borderline top 100 player, pay his own way to the school and walk on next season."

A top 100 player will walk on??? Amazing. What is Coach K doing to get these guys? This looks like a dynasty in the making. Like the Fab5, except these kids are Duke student-athletes and will always respect the game and play with class. No wonder Coach K is about to be enshrined in the Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, MA.

Your second favorite team UConn isn't doing too bad either. Commitment from SF Denham Brown (usually rated within or near the top 50) and expecting any day now a verbal from SG Rashad Anderson (top 30 in all publications). Now we're going after big men.

Those two guys are supposed to be OK, but could cause a problem since both play the same position. Calhoun has not been able to keep kids happy with playing time in recent years and if you have two somewhat big recruits playing same position there is bound to be a problem. Somehow Coach K manages to get the type of kids who will accept a lesser role in exchange for team success. I am afraid that one of these two kids will be overhyped or a Doug Wrenn type. You just do not see thoise type of problems at Duke.
All of the impact big guys are gone already.

Looks like we have a good shot at Emeka Okafor.

Duke has four recruits (Randolph, Thompson, Redick and Williams) rated higher than him. Too little too late. Uconn just can't compete with Duke.

Stay tuned to the DomeSite for Hoopie's take on this years tournament. His track record shows that he's a man with hoop knowledge that demands respect.