The Schuylkill 16 2010-11: Week 16

There are some very upset Villanova fans out there, in case you haven't heard...

1. Temple, 25 points (11 first-place votes)
- "They deserve it and got shafted in the national rankings. A clear dis of Philadelphia basketball, not to be taken lying down." (Patrick Flannery)

2. Villanova, 70 points (2 first-place votes)
- "I take no pride at all in saying 'I told you so' to all the 'Nova fans who gave me grief the months ago when I saw the lack of heart in the players and the fan base of this team. It has now been chronicled by every newspaper and blog in the country." Nick Catrambone)
- "Bold prediction: This week I won't be the only voter to put Villanova dead last." (Brian Ewart)

That prediction turned out to be incorrect. Brian was the only voter who ranked Villanova 16th, though two voters did rank the Wildcats 15th.

3. Penn State, 71 points
- "Talor Battle is like Kemba Walker, except without the supporting cast." (Brian Ewart)

Kemba Walker has a supporting cast?

4. Drexel, 74 points (2 first-place votes)
- "The Dragons have beat 3 of the 4 teams ahead of them in the CAA. Mario the Magnificent might be dancing next week." (Nick Catrambone)

5. Princeton, 88 points
- "Every day Princeton looks more like a team that will knock 'Nova out in the first round." (Jeff Shafer)

6. Rutgers, 94 points

7. Bucknell, 105 points
- "Bucknell keeps rolling. Kansas is not amused." (Tim AumAn)

8. Rider, 113 points
- "The Broncs have the 19th highest effective FG% in the nation and the 303rd best FT%. I don't even think Pomeroy could explain that." (Nick Catrambone)

9. La Salle, 126 points
- "Is anyone as irrelevant as La Salle? Even La Salle grads are writing them off. Right, Gonzo?" (Patrick Flannery)

10. Penn, 137 points
- "It was nice to see a crowded Palestra last Friday against Columbia. It's a good vital sign for the Big 5 when Penn students show up to watch a middle of the road Ivy League tilt." (Nick Catrambone)

I still wonder what the crowds would be like if the team was actually good.

11. Delaware, 160 points

12. Lehigh, 161 points

13. Lafayette, 184 points

14. Saint Joseph's, 203 points
- "As hard as it is for most 'Nova fans to grasp the concept that they are not, in fact, better than everyone, Hawk fans need to come to understand that they aren't going to compete with Temple, Xavier, UMass and Dayton every year in the A10." (Nick Catrambone)
- "Once again Langston Hughes - I mean Langston Galloway - wrote beautiful poetry on the hardwood against the Bonnies and their beautiful brown uniforms. Also, congrats to Idris and Charoy on Senior Night, they stuck with the prgram and didn't jump ship, and for that I thank you." (Carl Minniti)

That might be the first time I've ever seen someone compliment St. Bonaventure's uniforms.

15. Monmouth, 212 points
- "Since Monmouth is the only school in the Schuylkill 16 without a head coach, means they're 16th in my ballot." (Stephen Goldsmith)
- "I bumped Monmouth up a few spots for getting rid of a struggling coach and because the end of conference play has put them out of their misery until next season." (Brian Ewart)

16. Delaware State, 217 points

1. Notre Dame
- "I am Irish and it is almost St Patrick's day. What did you expect?" (Patrick Flannery)

15. Cornell
- "They have more wins vs. the S-16 than St. Joe's, and they drew more people to the Palestra to watch them beat Penn than Villanova did." (Jeff Shafer)

16. Charlie Sheen
- "With the week he is having he may work his way to No. 1." (Patrick Flannery)

He is a winner, after all.

Cabrini, no rank given
- "The Cabrini men's basketball team won the CSAC League last Friday night and qualified for the DIII March Madness. There actually is a college on the Main Line that hasn't gagged on the apple. Way to go Cavaliers!" (Ralph Manoppello)

Herb Magee, no rank given
- "For helping Evan 'The Villain' Turner with his jump shot... only good things coming from that." (Carl Minniti)

No doubt. But I would argue that Magee deserves a proper ranking.

I am disgusted, disappointed, angry, pissed, embarrassed and any other adjective I can use to describe my team. But after last night's sheer demolition at the hands of Notre Dame, I am mostly SICK.

I have defended Jay and the Cats for a long time. Lived through Girlfriend Gate last year, Pot Gate, Cell Phone Gate, Pinkston Gate. But any true blue supporter of Nova Nation cannot sit back and make excuses any more, watching our point guard shoot 0-fer February from Trey range, watching Mouf display hands of stone, watching Maalik miss clutch free throws and watching Cheek become a non-McDonald's All-American.

I found myself cheering for the Irish last night, whom I hate, just to see if they could continue to hit threes, with no defense whatsoever. Villanova does not deserve to be in the Top 25. Nova has exactly three games left in the season, Pitt, a first round BE loss and a first round Big Dance loss.

Spit the apple out Jay. Yes you are limited. Yes Sutton will probably be transferring out because he doesn't play, yes, you have a good recruiting class coming in, yes, you are a snappy dresser, but this team has gagged when the games are on the line. Coaching? talent? depth? Today is a sad day for Nova Nation!