Q & A With Dr. Hoops.....His Thoughts On the NCAA Tournament and More!

For the last couple of years, I said to myself "I've got to interview the legendary Dr. Hoops". 

Well, I finally caught up with him in Boca Raton, Fl. and I asked him as much as I could, in the hour he  gave me.  We talked mostly about this year's NCAA Tournament.

Before we we started, I asked the Dr. if he wanted another cup of coffee.  He said he didn't and we just started the interview.

Q..Dr. Hoops, I've always wanted to ask how you got the name "Dr. Hoops"

A..Most people think I got the name because I've always been a huge college basketball fan.  That's not the reason. 

Dr. Hoops is my real name and I was a veterinarian for twenty-one years before I got bit by a dog and couldn't practice any more..couldn't perform and kind of surgery since that time.

Q..Dr. Hoops, what is your first recollection of the NCAA Tournament?                          

A..Well, When people ask me this question I immediately think back to the days when the tournament's championship game would be televised on a tape delay.  I think that happened in the early 60's and I remember a game where Cincinnati came back from a 17 point deficit and beat Loyola of Chicago.

I'm not sure if I got the teams right but I certainly do remember a game like that.

I do remember when Texas Western(UTEP) started five black players and defeated Kentucky.  That game was televised sometime around 1966 or 1967. I think it was the first time they televised the championship game live.

Q..Any other recollections you want to share?

A..Yes, I always connected the tournament with the ending of winter.  A great time of the year if you live up north and the winter is finally coming to the end.  I think that's another reason why so many people go a little crazy about this thing.

Q.. What have been some of the biggest changes we've seen in the Tournament?

A.. As I said, television...we went from no television to round-the-clock coverage.  Back then there was no ESPN but we still found ways to keep up on college basketball.

Another difference was the number of teams.  It used to be that you had to win your conference to qualify.  And, Of course, there was no three-point shot.

I never really did like the three point shot very much.  We were always taught to work for a good shot and now they play some kind of "drive and kick out" game.  I don't like it.  In fact, If the three point shot is such a good idea--lets paint a line about five feet further back and have a four point shot.  I just don't like it.  Bobby Knight probably doesn't like it either.

Q..Have you been following this year's tournament?

A.. Yes, very much.  I'm really looking forward to it!

Q..What did you think of the job the selection committee did?

A.  They did a great job.  Of course you're always going to have a couple of teams that feel like they got stiffed but you just can't help that.

Penn State comes to mind because they beat a lot of teams in the Big Ten but they really had nothing to show outside the conference.  You've got to play the big boys and you have to win a couple of those games.  I think they lost to Temple at home.

And, I do agree with Dick Vitale when he said that Arizona doesn't belong.  Vitale is not just blowing smoke here--they really got lucky.  Maybe behind the closed doors, of the selection process, deals were made.  You know, "I give you Arizona if you let Connecticut get the no.1 seed".

Deals..just like they do in the Senate.  No system is going to be free from some kind of tampering...just a thought!

Q..Do you see any upsets in the early rounds?

A. I do see a couple of upsets but not the ones most of the analysts on ESPN are talking about.

They've mentioned VCU over UCLA.  The team I like is Cleveland State.  Cleveland State went to Syracuse early in the season and gave them their first loss and I think they won two out of three over Butler.

I think Cleveland State will upset Wake Forest and also win another game before losing to Louisville.  Go Vikings!  I lived in Cleveland for five years!

Q..Dr. Hoops, can I get you another coffee?

A..Ya, sure, thanks.

Q..Do you like this stuff better than Starbucks?

A..Ya, I can't drink Starbucks coffee..it's too strong.  I'm a Dunkin Donuts man.  Been coming here for years.

Q..  Will the no.1 seeds make it to the final four?

A.  If I was a betting man, and I'm not, I'd definitely so no!  It just won't happen.  Last year was a fluke.

Q.  If all the no.1 seeds do get there, what will that mean to the tournament?

A..That's a really good question.  If the Big East dominates the tournament, like everyone says, it could mean a lot of televisions turning off.  The country likes competition and intersectional match ups. 

It's not good for one conference to dominate but let's just hope the best teams win.

Q..What about North Carolina, can they win without their injured guard?

A..I don't know if it will matter that much because a great team like North Carolina didn't get there without more than one star.

I'll tell you something else..I'm getting tired hearing about this!  Every team gets injuries.  Look at UConn, Marquette and Oklahoma.  Oklahoma had an injury to that forward of theirs...A team is more than five players.  You've got to develop some depth or you're going to run into trouble.

Today, a team can play almost 40 games.  There are going to be injuries and you have to fill those spots with players who are ready. 

This reminds me of Syracuse...they only played seven players in that six-overtime game.  They need more players to get to the final four!

Q..Can Gonzaga beat North Carolina if the Tar Heels aren't healthy?

A.. They can't beat them if  North Carolina plays only four players!  North Carolina will show Gonzaga what it means to play 40 minutes of intense basketball.

Q..Does Memphis have a gripe about not getting the no.1 seed?

A..You know, at first I would say no because they didn't do to well out of their conference but everyone forgets they came within a split-second of winning the whole thing last year.

It doesn't matter whether they are a no.1 or a no.2!

Q..What's wrong with the SEC?

A..Just one of those years where they didn't have a real stand-out team.  Florida was rebuilding and Tennessee showed they can't maintain consistency.  If not for the run Mississippi State made, they would only have two teams in the tournament.

It doesn't really matter to the people who follow the SEC...they play, live and breath football twelve months a year!

Q..But what about Kentucky?

A..Funny isin't it.  Who would believe that Kentucky, Florida, Indiana and Georgetown would all be going to the NIT?

Q..Will Syracuse  ever recover from last week?

A..They are kids.  Remember what you were like when you were 20 years old.  And, wasn't it last year when one team, I think it was Georgia, in the SEC played twice in one day because there was a tornado in Atlanta...Those kids could play seven days a week.

Syracuse won't be worn out mentally or physically, but they are going to need more players in case they get into foul trouble.

Speaking of foul trouble....this could be the Achilles heel for UConn and Pitt.  Look what happened when UConn lost the big man against Syracuse!  Same thing with Pitt...they've got to keep their big man on the floor, and not on the bench!

Q..What do you think about N. Dakota St.?

A..Is that where Mount Rushmore is?

Q..What match-ups are you looking forward to in the third round?

A..All of them, especially Villanova-UCLA and Marquette-Missouri.  I like to watch the great guard play form teams like Villanova and Marquette.  Ucla has a great guard that I'm looking forward to see because we don't get good coverage of the West Coast teams.

I just remembered, speaking of guards, Johnny Flnn!  Unbelievable!

Q.. Dr. Hoops, is there anything about this year's tournament you're not happy about?

A..I'm not crazy about the fact that CBS is doing it.  Three weeks of Clark Kellog and Billy Packard can really make someone want to become a hockey fan.  I like ESPN and wish they would broadcast it.

Q..Do have any predictions before we wrap it up?

A..No, I'm not going to make any predictions this year....except that I don't see that many upsets in this tournament.  I think it will be pretty chalky.

That's the only prediction. I'm just going to sit back and enjoy it and if it's not as exciting as it usually is--I'll be at the beach!

Q..Thanks Dr. Hoops..can we do it again next year?

A..Call me, well see. Hey, How did you get my phone number?  Did you get it off that Internet thing?