Bill Simmons blog today

Bill Simmons just mentioned the Huskies and Hawes in his article today: http://http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/blog/index?name=simmons
Here is what he had to say
"The bigger issue: Every time I watch the Bruins, I say to myself, "They're one big guy short." The Huskies were a bad matchup because of seven-foot center Spencer Hawes (13 points, 15 boards) and 260-pound forward Jon Brockman (20 points, 13 boards). UCLA could have handled one of them, but it couldn't handle both at the same time. Now, it's possible for the Bruins to sneak through the entire tournament without facing an opponent that features two talented low-post players ... but I doubt it. Let's say they land in the same bracket with UNC and have to play the Tar Heels to make the Final Four. Is there any way they're stopping Hansbrough AND Brandan Wright? No way. I don't see any way they'd beat the Tar Heels unless their guards shot the lights out.
7. One more note on the Huskies: They're your typical Pac-10 team (good at home, awful on the road, one good player short ... although Arizona is the complete opposite and somehow just as flawed). I don't see Washington doing anything in the tournament (if it even makes it). But Hawes has been growing on me all season.
When Chad Ford tossed him into his top 10 earlier in the season, naturally, I was dubious because we've been burned so many times by white centers: Eric Montross, Chris Mihm, Shawn Bradley, Evan Eschmeyer, Alec Kessler, Greg Ostertag, Todd Fuller, Mike Doleac, Scot Pollard (it's an endless list). ... Best-case scenario, you might end up with someone like Chris Kaman or Joel Przybilla (both of whom were top-10 picks). Still, Hawes has a variety of post-up moves; he can score with either hand; he's a surprisingly good athlete and an excellent passer; he plays with genuine fire; he's a good shot blocker; and he runs the floor well for a big guy. He brings more to the table than any non-black, non-Euro center prospect since Raef LaFrentz in 1998. There's just a lot to like with the Hawes package -- he's like a talented Chris Mihm.
At the same time, Chad just moved Hawes to No. 4 on his top 100, arguably his biggest reach on ESPN.com since he was advocating Pavel Podkolzine for the top five three years ago. Again, I like Hawes as a prospect ... but over Jo Noah and Julian Wright? That's insane. I can't wait to exchange angry e-mails all week with Chad about this. Look, we haven't seen a white, U.S.-born center make the All-Star team since Brad Miller. Before that, it was Mark Eaton in 1989 ... and he was 7-foot-6. Before that, you'd have to go back to Kevin McHale and Bill Laimbeer. Now we're sticking a white center into the top five of the most loaded draft of the decade? I'm going out on a limb and calling this a horrific mistake. "

Ok, so Hawes is amazing. What are the chances that UCLA will run into a team with two great low post players? Besides Washington, who has two lost players as good as Brockman and Hawes? UNC with Wright and Hansbrough, Stanford with Lopez, Lopez, and Finger, and that's it. Kansas has Wright and Kaun, but they're not quite on the same level. Brockman and Hawes are the cream of the crop, and saying that UCLa can't handle big men is unfair. If Brockman were 6'10", Hawes would go in the top 7 and Brockman would go in the top 20.

I like how Hawes is so good that it has Simmons questioning if white centers can ever be good again. Simmons also brings up a good point in that Wright will probably stay one more year to graduate. Also never mentioned is the fact that both Budinger and Lute Olsen have said that Budinger will almost definetley stay another year.
This mock conversation between Oden and Durant if they were in the Princess Bride is hilarious too.
""Greg Oden: You are wonderful."
Kevin Durant: Thank you; I've worked hard to become so."
Greg Oden: I admit it, you are better than I am."
Kevin Durant: Then why are you smiling?"
Greg Oden: Because I know something you don't know."
Kevin Durant: And what is that?"
Greg Oden: I ... am not left-handed.
(Tears the wrist guard off his right hand and immediately takes over the game.)"

At the end of the article, Simmons predicted that Santa Clara, would upset Gonzaga, and he was wrong thank god. If Heytvelt were still playing, I think Gonzaga would be a top 10 team on talent. They have a top 10 pg in the nation in Raivio, a top 20 big man in Heytvelt (top 10 if you count big men as 6'10" or above), and an amazing sf in Micah Downs, not to mention tons of hard working role players like Pendergraft, Pargo, and Sean Mallon.