Preparing myself to be pissed off.

[UncannyNanny]

ESPN just spent 5 minutes straight talking about Obi Toppin and now people are comparing him to Zion. They covered him more in 1 segment than they have covered Luka Garza all year...and he’s breaking national records in one of the best conferences the NCAA has ever had. Dayton now being a 1 seed will solidify him winning National player of the year..he’s a good player and freak athlete..but there’s no way a player in that conference should win NPOTY all because he can do fancy dunks. Sexy ALWAYS wins...sigh.

 

[jwardelt]

It helps to play on a team that has few losses as well. Who was the last NPOY on a team with double digit losses?

 

[CuttyDoesIt]

It helps to play on a team that has few losses as well. Who was the last NPOY on a team with double digit losses?

2018. Also we arent playing in the A10

 

[chuck285]

We'd all love to see Garza win the Player of the Year but truthfully it might be the best thing that doesn't happen. He might just come back next year

 

[JerseyCityHawki]

We'd all love to see Garza win the Player of the Year but truthfully it might be the best thing that doesn't happen. He might just come back next year

He’s coming back next year count on it

 

[Capital1Hawk]

He’s coming back next year count on it

If he comes back we better take it all! Injuries be damned.

 

[JerseyCityHawki]

If he comes back we better take it all! Injuries be damned.

Amen! I truly hope that’s the case!

 

[ROCKY MOUNTAIN HAWK]

If he comes back we better take it all! Injuries be damned.

I think this is the year more so than next imo.

 

[TheTruthTheWholeTruth]

2018. Also we arent playing in the A10

Didn’t Brunson win it in 2018?

 

[TheTruthTheWholeTruth]

It helps to play on a team that has few losses as well. Who was the last NPOY on a team with double digit losses?

I’m going with Durant in 2007

I think it’s best to prepare oneself for the inevitability that Toppin will win the reward UNLESS Iowa wins the BTT and ends up a top 4 seed.

 

[jwardelt]

Didn’t Brunson win it in 2018?

He did.

 

[jwardelt]

I’m going with Durant in 2007

I think it’s best to prepare oneself for the inevitability that Toppin will win the reward UNLESS Iowa wins the BTT and ends up a top 4 seed.

Believe this is true. Tucker was great that year and was runner up I believe.

 

[MAXIMUSHAWKEYE]

ESPN just spent 5 minutes straight talking about Obi Toppin and now people are comparing him to Zion. They covered him more in 1 segment than they have covered Luka Garza all year...and he’s breaking national records in one of the best conferences the NCAA has ever had. Dayton now being a 1 seed will solidify him winning National player of the year..he’s a good player and freak athlete..but there’s no way a player in that conference should win NPOTY all because he can do fancy dunks. Sexy ALWAYS wins...sigh.

What else is new. ESPN tipping the scales in favor of their favorite flavor.

 

[ChuckBarkley]

When do they vote on POY. As Dayton faces power 5 teams, Obi May come back to earth

 

[kceasthawk]

When do they vote on POY. As Dayton faces power 5 teams, Obi May come back to earth

Yep. Garza in 11 games against the AP top 25 has averaged 26.5pts and 11 rebounds. Toppin has played 1 ranked team 18pts and 9 boards.

 

[markfromj]

The thirst of many Hawk fans for victim status knows no bounds.

 

[kceasthawk]

The thirst of many Hawk fans for victim status knows no bounds.

I've certainly never said that Luka would be a victim or that it would be some type of travesty. Still think what he's done and against whom he has done it should make him the leader for this award. There's a reason what he's done hasn't been done by hardly anyone in decades. And quite frankly this isn't supposed to be an award only for guys on top ranked teams either, although it generally ends up that way....

 

[HawkIDrummer]

The thirst of many Hawk fans for victim status knows no bounds.

Take big leaps much? I don't see "victim" anywhere in here.

I do see fans standing up for their guy, (which is what fans do) as he's deserving. There's also no denying that ESPN has a well-established pattern of favoring teams/players they prefer. Since the inception of the BTN, their subtle pattern of bias has been pretty evident.

 

[paladinhawk]

When do they vote on POY. As Dayton faces power 5 teams, Obi May come back to earth

Found this on the Kansas website:

Voting will take place from March 16th to March 23rd, and voters take into consideration a player’s entire season of play, as well as the opening rounds of the NCAA Tournament.

I bet a lot of voters will cast their votes before the Round 2 games. Hopefully Luka can have an awesome Big10 tourny

 

[LaQuintaHawkeye]

Putting up 30+/10+ in a win tonight against Illinois would go a long way in solidifying Luka as NPoY ...especially if he follows it up with strong performances in 2-3 wins in the BTT.

 

[KuwaitHawk]

Who was the last team to hold him under 20 points for the game?

 

[CleteyColgate]

ESPN just spent 5 minutes straight talking about Obi Toppin and now people are comparing him to Zion. They covered him more in 1 segment than they have covered Luka Garza all year...and he’s breaking national records in one of the best conferences the NCAA has ever had. Dayton now being a 1 seed will solidify him winning National player of the year..he’s a good player and freak athlete..but there’s no way a player in that conference should win NPOTY all because he can do fancy dunks. Sexy ALWAYS wins...sigh.

I'm a Hawkeye fan so I always feel like a winner, win or lose

 

[TheTruthTheWholeTruth]

Who was the last team to hold him under 20 points for the game?

Luka? I believe it was @ Nebraska.

 

[ClearwaterHawkI]

The Wooden award will go down much like the Groza award. Jay Bilas said yesterday that Toppin was the clear cut favorite to win. Can we hit up Bilas Twitter with some facts and shut his pie hole up, the guy has gum disease and his breath smells like shit

 

[And1Hawk]

Who was the last team to hold him under 20 points for the game?

kiss of death...

 

[truehawkfan45]

A windmill dunk and a between the legs dunk against George Washington seems to somehow made him the clear front runner...

Those moves would have been impressive 10-15 years ago, but you have your avg. HS recruit doing that nowadays.. it's utterly a joke Obi is above Garza, kid has a broke jumper.. I cannot wait for Dayton to get exposed before the Sweet 16.

 

[kceasthawk]

Putting up 30+/10+ in a win tonight against Illinois would go a long way in solidifying Luka as NPoY ...especially if he follows it up with strong performances in 2-3 wins in the BTT.

Maybe, but if he's not the front runner now, its probably too late. The guys been averaging almost 27 points and 10 boards for the entire conference season. As Hummel said the other day its become pretty much expected that he's going to do that every game. Its amazing. Iowa has played 11 teams ranked in the top 25 in the AP and he's AVERAGED 26.5 pts and 11 boards a game, and those games are all on TV and reported on ESPN because there between two ranked teams, and yet he seems to be an afterthought in the voting. Absolutely ridiculous.

 

[ROCKY MOUNTAIN HAWK]

A windmill dunk and a between the legs dunk against George Washington seems to somehow made him the clear front runner...

Those moves would have been impressive 10-15 years ago, but you have your avg. HS recruit doing that nowadays.. it's utterly a joke Obi is above Garza, kid has a broke jumper.. I cannot wait for Dayton to get exposed before the Sweet 16.

It is kind of an insult to say Obi’s even in the discussion with Luka.

It’s like people are purposely ignoring Dayton’s opponents every night they take the floor as compared to Garza’s opponents & opposing players guarding him every single game.

 

[LaQuintaHawkeye]

Maybe, but if he's not the front runner now, its probably too late. The guys been averaging almost 27 points and 10 boards for the entire conference season. As Hummel said the other day its become pretty much expected that he's going to do that every game. Its amazing. Iowa has played 11 teams ranked in the top 25 in the AP and he's AVERAGED 26.5 pts and 11 boards a game, and those games are all on TV and reported on ESPN because there between two ranked teams, and yet he seems to be an afterthought in the voting. Absolutely ridiculous.

Some of those were in bad losses, and like it or not, winning matters. Throw up some more wins and it will be hard to rob him of what should be his.

 

[markfromj]

...ESPN has a well-established pattern of favoring teams/players they prefer.

But do they prefer players they favor?

 

[HawkIDrummer]

But do they prefer players they favor?

4 out of 5 dentists...

 

[Rustys Dad]

Not much different than what happens in football re: the Heisman … Rarely do you see a guy win the Heisman from a team outside the Top 5 or so in the country.

 

[Underscore2]

Got notice on ESPN top headlines this morning. Doesn't change the narrative of this thread, but nothing can take away from his performance this year.
https://www.espn.com/mens-college-b...res-20-points-more-16th-straight-big-ten-game

 

[goldiewilson]

A windmill dunk and a between the legs dunk against George Washington seems to somehow made him the clear front runner...

Those moves would have been impressive 10-15 years ago, but you have your avg. HS recruit doing that nowadays.. it's utterly a joke Obi is above Garza, kid has a broke jumper.. I cannot wait for Dayton to get exposed before the Sweet 16.

Toppin shooting 39% from 3, Garza is shooting 35%. I guess Obi's broke jumper is doing okay.

By the way, can you provide some video links to all the guys in college basketball this year that have done a between-the-legs dunk?
I can't seem to find any. Thanks in advance!

 

[goldiewilson]

ESPN just spent 5 minutes straight talking about Obi Toppin and now people are comparing him to Zion. They covered him more in 1 segment than they have covered Luka Garza all year...and he’s breaking national records in one of the best conferences the NCAA has ever had. Dayton now being a 1 seed will solidify him winning National player of the year..he’s a good player and freak athlete..but there’s no way a player in that conference should win NPOTY all because he can do fancy dunks. Sexy ALWAYS wins...sigh.

Lol Toppin is shooting 39% from 3, which is better then everybody on Iowa's team except for CJ Fredrick.

 

[anon_i8nzeu2gbf0ba]

The thirst of many Hawk fans for victim status knows no bounds.

Some people's inability to recognize facts apparently knows no bounds. What the OP and others have said is fact. ESPN is promoting one player at the expense of another. Hell, Dayton would be lucky to finish ahead of Minnesota in the Big Ten. And what do you think Garza's numbers would look like if he played in Dayton's conference? He'd average 40 points and 20 rebounds a game, at least.

If ESPN had a shred of integrity, they would give Garza equal time and point out the FACT that he's played brilliantly in the best conference in the country and against 11 ranked teams while the Dayton kid plays in an inferior conference and has played ONE freakin' ranked team ALL SEASON. And those, my friend, are the FACTS. Deal with them.

 

[Hawkatheart]

If we get a 8/9 seed, I would love to be in Dayton's bracket. Will find out soon what they are made of.

 

[anon_i8nzeu2gbf0ba]

If we get a 8/9 seed, I would love to be in Dayton's bracket. Will find out soon what they are made of.

Hell yes. I would LOVE for the Hawkeyes to play Dayton and see just how damn good that ESPN POY really is. Yes, sir, I'd love for Iowa to throw down the Big Ten welcome mat for Dayton. Please, make that happen.

 

[markfromj]

Some people's inability to recognize facts apparently knows no bounds. What the OP and others have said is fact.

No, it is not. It is a judgement.

 

[markfromj]

Also: https://iowa.forums.rivals.com/threads/garza-getting-some-love-by-espn.307175/