Feb. 1

Q: A challenge for the "guru of college hoops" -- if you could choose from all the college players over the past 25 years, name your starting five and their bench backups. My blood runs "Carolina Blue" and I enjoy your commentary as much as the game (almost). -- Ron Tate, Jamestown, N.C.
VITALE: Wow. Going back 25 years, I would say Magic Johnson and Larry Bird would be on my team. Patrick Ewing would be my guy in the middle. Isiah Thomas would be in the backcourt with Magic. Oh, yeah, and that guy from North Carolina who wore that jersey No. 23, Michael the Magnificent! For my reserves, I would like Ralph Sampson and Hakeem Olajuwon in the middle, Chris Mullin to shoot the ball and provide instant offense. David Robinson and Tim Duncan couldn't hurt. Wow, this is a pretty solid team. I think I would enjoy coaching these guys, baby! When can I start?

	Denny Crum has felt the heat from Lousiville fans and the media this season.

Q: I think it would be a huge mistake to get rid of coach Denny Crum. What do you think? Don't you think Louisville owes the coach something? -- Scott Jackson, Louisville, Ky.
VITALE: I've said all along that a Hall of Fame coach like Denny Crum has earned the right to make a decision whether he wants to continue coaching. Any time you achieve his status and success, you earn that right. He has said he plans to be back at Louisville next year. His situation right now would improve immensely if he had a good recruiting class with some inside players. They have been a perimeter-oriented team all year long.

Q: Your preseason pick for a national championship was Duke. Are the Blue Devils still your favorite for a national championship? -- Joseph S. Appignani, Columbia, S.C.
VITALE: We are proud of the picks made in my preseason magazine. The higher-ranked clubs these days are all in the Top 10 now. It's not easy because we had to go to print in early September. We formulated our concepts and our ideas back in July and August. I think Arizona and Maryland, teams ranked in our magazine in the Top 10, are both playing very well right now. I'm very confident Duke will be in the hunt all year. I don't think much has changed to go away from them being a serious contender. They shoot the ball well and they have a unique mental toughness, as shown in their win against Maryland.

Q: How many teams do you see the Big East sending to the Dance, and does the recent collapse of UConn hurt the validity of the Big East? Are these schools just going to beat each other up when all is said and done? -- A fan from Boston

VITALE: I don't know that it hurts the validity of the Big East at all. Connecticut is just going through one of those tough stages. Remember, this is a young team. For them to get untracked, Albert Mouring really has to hit the trifecta. Soulemayne Wane has to give them the experience they count on in the lane. The freshmen have to contribute consistently. I have a lot of respect for Jim Calhoun; what he has done for that program is amazing. To build it to the stature that he has, as one of the elite programs in America, is incredible. The Big East stands on more merits than just what Connecticut does. When it is all said and done, I think five will come out of the Big East, maybe even six.

Q: What do you think about Georgia right now? They have been hot and are high up in the RPI. -- Justin Grant, Washington, D.C.
VITALE: Jim Harrick has to be considered for SEC Coach of the Year. It has been an amazing turnaround there at Georgia. The Bulldogs were 7-6 in their non-conference schedule, but what a tough schedule it was. Playing Stanford, Fresno State, Wake Forest, Georgia Tech and on and on, it prepared them big-time. What looked like a struggle early got them ready for the SEC.

Q: First of all, I am a big-time fan of yours. Those of us who love the game really appreciate your analysis and enthusiasm! Now, my question: How can big man Michael Bradley of the Villanova Wildcats not be a candidate for your Player of the Year poll? No doubt he's in good company with those great players named in the poll, but he's clearly better than some named. Your thoughts/reasons? Thanks. -- Michael Hubner, Pompton Plains, N.J.
VITALE: Bradley is deserving of great honors. We were only able to list a certain number of candidates. I think he is one of the top 10-15 in the nation this season.

Q: I am getting quite sick and tired of hearing all about Creighton and how they're "the team to beat" in the MVC. Excuse me, but if I last recall, Indiana State has won 21 in a row at home and is 7-2 in conference play, garnering or at least sharing the top spot in the conference after they were picked to finish third. What's your take on the Sycamores, Dickie V? I really think they can repeat as conference champs. -- Jason Hiddle, Terre Haute, Ind.
VITALE: The MVC is wide open. It is so difficult to win at home and there are some places where you really have to lace them up to get away with a big-time W. Balance has been a trademark in that league. In the postseason, you never know what will happen. Indiana State has the big win over Indiana. Royce Waltman has done a tremendous job there. Jim Molinari at Bradley has been an outstanding coach for years. You have guys like Dana Altman and Jim Crews in the league as well. This is an underrated league and I believe it will come down to the conference tournament to see which team goes to the Big Dance. Indiana State is certainly right there as a contender. This league plays outstanding basketball but doesn't get as much notoriety and publicity.

Q: I now get every ESPN Channel there is, and I still cannot understand why ESPN does not report on the mid-major conferences on at least ONE of them. There should be a regular show that shows highlights of games not in the power conferences. Why report the same news on three or four ESPN channels? It's bad enough the majors won't give a mid-major a home game, but ESPN used to champion the little guy and now it all but ignores them! -- Mike O'Reilly, Albany, N.Y.
VITALE: I know the mid-majors get a lot of respect from me. People in the Mid-American always thank me for the publicity I give them. When you are a mid-major, obviously you don't get as much ink and exposure as some of the other bigger, well-known leagues. That's a reason that the big schools like Duke, North Carolina, Kansas and Kentucky are wanted for TV games. Anyone who knows the game realizes we give recognition to the mid-major schools.

Q: I'm an avid reader of books on sports ... which books do you feel are the best on the game of college basketball? -- Steve Gillaspie
VITALE: There have been so many books. John Feinstein has been an outstanding writer. There are so many books out there on the different coaches and players, the history of the game, techniques of playing. Hey, you might want to go out there and pick up a copy of "Campus Chaos" by Dick Weiss and Dick Vitale. That's available for purchase on my Web site and I'll tell you what, Steve -- you can buy one and I will autograph it for you. I had a great time writing that with "Hoops" Weiss and I think we have a lot of great ideas about the game. Just click on the V-Gear section on my Web site and you can find it.

	Saul Smith and Kentucky have had reasons to celebrate this season, but not as often as they would like.

Q: I want to start by saying that you are my favorite sports announcer and one of the best things going in college basketball, baby! My question concerns this year's "All-Mystique" team, the Kentucky Wildcats. This has become a disappointing season for UK. Just a couple of seasons ago UK was Duke, rated high and blowing people out, and now there is no guarantee that UK will even make the NCAA tournament. I don't think there is a lack of talent or coaching, so what do you think is wrong with the 'Cats and what do you think it is going to take for UK to get back to the top? -- David Elswick, Louisville, Ky.
VITALE: Thanks for the nice words. I don't know about calling Kentucky an "All-Mystique" team. They have had their moments, blowing out Carolina at Chapel Hill, beating Tennessee at home. It is a good basketball team, but obviously not one of the best Kentucky squads. The personnel is a little bit limited, not what existed there in 1996-98 with three national-championship game appearances. They don't have a genuine, top-10 player who really gets you out of tough situations, like against Alabama. They have several very good players, but they lack the super, super player.

Q: Who are your top five power forwards? I feel there is nobody better then Reggie Evans of Iowa. Do you agree? -- Paul Evans, Ames, Iowa
VITALE: That's a tough one. Reggie Evans was Mr. Double-Double early on and he's the top impact JUCO transfer in America. When you talk about the top power forwards, it also depends on how you categorize some players. For example, is Troy Murphy of Notre Dame considered a forward or a center, and then in turn, Ryan Humphrey ends up in which category? Michael Wright of Arizona gives you good inside productivity and should be on the list. If Andre Hutson is a power forward and not in the middle, which is a question, he would be there. You would look at Shane Battier at Duke, even though a lot of his production is on the perimeter. David West of Xavier plays big. Reggie Evans has had a great year and should be up there.

Q: Do you think Wyoming can pull off another road win in the conference? I really wish that you could get to a Wyoming Cowboy game up in Laramie, the atmosphere is totally awesome and it rivals my other love, which is Duke. -- Michele Ikola, Ogden, Utah
VITALE: Wyoming has a lot of talent, including Josh Davis. Steve McClain has done a very good job with the Cowboys. If they win the league, look back at what happened when Wyoming rallied over BYU. Road success will be a factor in determining the top teams in that league.

Q: On your All-Point Guard Team, you leave off the best TRUE point guard in the nation! I'm talking about Kirk Hinrich here in Lawrence. You left him off your list. Jason Williams might be the best GUARD in the nation, but there is no way that he is the best POINT guard in the nation. The No. 1 thing that a point guard is supposed to do is give up the rock. And Kirk is easily the best passer if not in the Big 12, then in the entire nation. Why do you think that KU has six guys averaging double figures? He also shoots the 3-ball over 50 percent from outside. So Williams might be the best player, but the best point guard is definitely Hinrich. Maybe I was taught wrong in high school when I played what a point guard was supposed to do. Am I wrong Dickie? -- KU fan
VITALE: You can only pick so many guys. Kirk has done a great job for Kansas. In college basketball today, there are a lot of quality point guards. He's perfect for the system at Kansas; he knows what Roy Williams wants. Hinrich is a great team player and for their system, he is perfect.