V-MAIL: Jan. 10

Q: Mr. Vitale, are you forgetting something? In your top three conferences you left out the Big Ten. This has to be one of the strongest years for this conference. Indiana over Michigan St. in a thriller (this was a conference opener!), not to mention that any game on the road is going to be a toss-up! There are a lot of sleepers here! -- Tony, Des Moines, Iowa
VITALE: The Big Ten is a very good conference with Michigan State and Illinois on top this season. Wisconsin is a good team as well. There are a lot of clubs in the league that are not as deep as they were in the past. For that reason, the other three I mentioned (ACC, SEC and Big East, not necessarily in that order), would get an edge. That doesn't mean the Big Ten is not a good conference. Every year, the Big Ten is a solid league, one of the super six in America. It runs in cycles.

	Fans can expect Roy Williams' passion to remain on the Kansas bench for years to come.

Q: Do you think this year's Kansas team will finally get over the hump of being knocked out of the second round in the NCAA Tourney and make it to the Final Four, a place they have not been to in a while? --Scott Braithwaite, Kansas
VITALE: I know people talk about "over the hump," but a lot of programs wish they had half the success that the Jayhawks have enjoyed. What happens in the case of a Roy Williams is that you spoil people. With the winning that has taken place, averaging around 25 victories a season, winning league and tournament championships, that spoils people. Everything we put as a standard of excellence is based on the Final Four and I don't look at it that way. I look at consistency in a program year in and year out, Top-15 quality.

Q: Why do you consistently find negative things to say about the Seton Hall program? If not the players, then the fans. Against Notre Dame, nearly 14,000 people paid their way into the arena on a snowy night with an early 7 p.m. start when students weren't around because of semester break and the only way to get to the arena was by driving congested (snowy) roads. How many schools would celebrate for an attendance like that? -- Jim Adamczyk, Hillsborough, N.J.
VITALE: Jim, I guess you weren't at the game because there was absolutely no way in the world there were close to that many people in the crowd. Second of all, I have said nothing but positive things about Seton Hall. Tommy Amaker is someone I respect. Eddie Griffin is my Diaper Dandy of the Year so far. People hear what they want to hear and the bottom line is I tell the truth. The truth is simple: If Seton Hall wants to be recognized as one of the elite programs in America -- and they have a quality coach I love, admire and respect -- the crowds should be better. I don't think you can just go by the number of tickets sold, but also judge by the number of people in the house. In defense of what you are saying, Jim, I didn't mean it in a negative fashion. I meant it from a point of view that I have a passion and love for what I am doing. I analyze things, and there are so many seats in that building, you are right, on many college campuses, that would be a good crowd. Trust me, there weren't 14,000 in that building that night. Believe me, go Pirates. I graduated from there and I am very proud of what Tommy has done. I'm just simply saying keep him, man, keep him. Do it by showing a lot of love. Get out to that arena.

Q: In the story about Seton Hall's Eddie Griffin striking another player, it seems like you thought Ty Shine was to blame. I believe Griffin's suspension should have been two or three games. Some programs would have kicked him off the team for striking a teammate. What would happen to you if you were to strike a coworker? I know I would get more than a day's vacation. -- Justin, Chicago
VITALE: Justin, my comments about Ty Shine had nothing to do with the incident with Griffin. I made it clear that nobody has the right to lay a hand on anyone, and Griffin was absolutely wrong in every shape or form. What I was talking about was team chemistry, and when you look for that, you can't have a player of the quality of Shine constantly harping on his playing time and not starting. He's putting himself over the team. If you want excellence, as a veteran and a key player, which he is, he needs to do his best and perform in the role coach Amaker has designed for him. It has nothing to do, if you listened to my comments on the air, with the incident. My comments were basically constructive and related to the situation of playing time. According to everyone involved, or anyone close to the locker room scene at the time, Shine was an innocent person in the matter.

Q: What's the scoop on your diaper dandies heading to the pros next year? Are any of them ready? Caron Butler looks like he can't be stopped; I know he was talking about going straight to the pros last year but decided against it. Eddie Griffin looks like he needs three years of college ball to become the next Tim Duncan with a 3-point shot. Isn't it amazing to think how awesome college basketball could be if somehow the NBA could set an age limit of 21? -- Rob Racino, Chicago
VITALE: I think these diaper dandies have to stay in college and learn how to play. There have been so many in the past who have not grasped how to win in the game of basketball. In fact, I just was with Gary Williams and a few reporters discussing this. Players aren't learning habits and fundamentals that are essential for winning basketball. There are a lot of talented youngsters out there, but are they all ready?

Q: I am back once again to ask you to answer for the basketball establishment. Why is Stanford not the featured article on your site? What do we have to do to get some respect with the basketball establishment? Why did four coaches choose to vote for Duke or Michigan State as No. 1 instead of us? -- Greg Vosganian, Washington, D.C.
VITALE: Stanford certainly doesn't have to fight for notoriety or publicity. The Cardinal has earned the right to be ranked No. 1 right now. They have great balance in their lineup. I have sung the praises of Stanford on a consistent basis and I will continue to do so. Mike Montgomery was my midseason co-Coach of the Year (along with Wake Forest's Dave Odom) and he has done a good job every year that he has been there. There is no question that he has a quality team. Casey Jacobsen was on my midseason All-America team. They have a superb starting five and we have given them their share of PR.

Q: Mr.Vitale, no swords, no arrests, no rehab, no probation officers, no Mike Wallace, just a bunch of good kids at 13-2 Fresno State. The Bulldogs have a solid inside and outside game and an outstanding point guard in Tito Maddox. Do you think this will be the year coach Tark makes some noise at the Big Dance? Thank you for your time. -- Dave Wymore, Merced, Calif.
VITALE: They deserve more PR and I am going to take a real deep look. They have been impressive and the arrival of Maddox has given them a solid point guard. Jerry has them playing exceptionally well and he has to be excited about the composition of this team. They had an impressive win over Tulsa. Melvin Ely gives them that shot blocker. Chris Jefferies gives them an explosive wing player. Maddox has been the glue that keeps the club together. They look like they are heading forward in a positive way.

Q: Why hasn't Hoya Kevin Braswell received more attention for the Wooden Award or your All-Rolls Royce team? -- Terence Kane, Salisbury, Md.
VITALE: He has been very unselfish. He has worked on distributing the basketball. They have a few key wins, beating College of Charleston, Minnesota, at West Virginia, over Seton Hall. This club is a legitimate Top 20 basketball team. Not seeing them in person makes it difficult to give them the notoriety on my end of it, though I have seen them on the tube. Studying their team, looking at the stats and hearing comments from other people, Braswell has really stepped up his game in a positive way. His numbers may not reflect that, but he is getting everyone else involved in the offense. They have a balanced and deep basketball team.

Q: Do you think that Illinois has a legitimate chance of winning the national title? And I was just wondering why it seems that they don't get much respect as compared to some of the other top 10 teams in the nation. -- Andy Goeckner, Effingham, Ill.
VITALE: Everywhere I go, everybody wants more respect. Immediately, you hear the cries that they don't get respect, that we talk about the same teams. The bottom line is, if you study Illinois and its notoriety and publicity, all the guys at ESPN have given them their due. They are a very good basketball team with a legitimate shot at winning the national championship. They have quality players and quality coaches. They have people off the bench who help them. This is a very good team that will be right up there in the battle of the Big Ten all season.

Q: When Dan Dickau gets back from injury, what do you think of Gonzaga's chances of winning the WCC? Do you think they can make a run in the tournament like the last two years? -- Dane, Spokane, Wash.
VITALE: His injury was a big loss for Gonzaga. Here's a kid who had loads of experience, first playing in the Pac-10 at Washington, then with the Zags. He was counted on to be a key factor. Mark Few's team has talent, but it will be tough to match the accomplishments of the past two years.

Q: Why was Boston College, with an undefeated record and after their big win over Connecticut, left out of the Top 25 rankings, while teams like Notre Dame and Iowa, with no big wins and multiple losses, are still there? -- Rob Fox, Needham, Mass.
VITALE: That's a mystery to me. Being unblemished at this time of the year, blowing away Vanderbilt and Connecticut while also winning on the road at Miami, they certainly are a Top 25 team. I voted them in my Top 25 last week. They are out there, Al Skinner and his gang, proving that they are legitimate. They don't get the kind of respect that they deserve. Troy Bell is underrated and Xavier Singletary has made big shots all season.