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Stinks/doesn’t stink: On Trae Young, the Big 12 and Twitter

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It’s that time of week again — stinks/doesn’t stink is back to break down the Big 12, Trae Young and more. Let’s do it.


Big 12

There’s a lot of chatter every year right around this time about which basketball conference is the strongest. It’s little more than a topic for a radio segment, as results – even head-to-head – can be misleading at this early juncture of the season, and can change if the same two teams play in March.

I went on a radio show on Tuesday where the host was talking up the ACC as the best conference in America. It wasn’t up for debate, in his mind. It was a foregone conclusion that the ACC – which boasts Duke, UNC, and Miami as its pillars – is best in the country.

And uh, I kind of think he’s wrong. According to the hoops bible known as KenPom, the Big 12 is ahead of the ACC (and every other conference in America) in net rating with +18.14. This is a ranking of conferences by adjusted metrics of teams that are expected to go .500 in conference play, and it’s not super close.

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Unlike years past where cellar-dwelling TCU was the low team in the conference, the Horned Frogs are unbeaten and have the longest winning streak in the country. Kansas is stacked even though its recent struggles might be cause for concern. West Virginia hasn’t lost since its season-opener. From top to bottom, I don’t think the ACC can hold a candle to the Big 12.

Additionally, no teams have more than three losses. Heck, Texas (!!) is technically in last place with three Ls (to Duke, Michigan and Gonzaga).

Verdict: Doesn’t stink

Trae Young

In a not-so-alternate universe, OU freshman Trae Young would’ve been playing his college career in Stillwater, not Norman. Six months ago, that wouldn’t have been a huge what if that might haunt OSU – many thought he would be stellar, but this stellar? ­– even national prognosticators didn’t see his surge coming.

Not only has Young arguably been the best player in the Big 12 through one month of play, he’s kinda been the best player in college basketball. He’s been more consistent than Marvin Bagley, scored more than, well, everyone, and is single-handedly going to drag OU to the NCAA Tournament after missing it last season.

He’s averaging 28.8 per game and is probably going to hang 40 on OSU. It stinks, but it’s a scenario that could become reality.

Verdict: Watching him crush stinks. But he does not. 

Twitter

On a personal note, I got into a Twitter kerfuffle last week that I’m ashamed of. I let the echo chamber of negative feedback and trolling get the best of me, and if you heard or read about it, I want to apologize.

On a not so personal and generalized note, Twitter stinks. It’s easy to get worked up about instant reactions, it gives loud voices to anonymous Twitter personalities, and, as mentioned previously, it’s truly an echo chamber of (mostly) negative material, especially if you’re a sportswriter.

So my advice to myself (which I hope will help others out there): Don’t take Twitter too seriously. There are always #haters out there and people looking to stir up the pot. I’ve been one of those a time or two, even. But I can tell you that getting bent out of shape about those people’s commentaries isn’t worth it.

If people are offering up constructive criticism on whatever it is you do, take it in stride. But rarely is Twitter a place of rational thinking.

Verdict: Twitter stinks

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