Don't get me wrong- I wouldn't trade Day 1 of the tourney for my bestest day of work...and I like my job. But, Day 2 is why I love this time of year like a third child that my wife and I don't have- It's not just upsets, it's back-and-fourth basketball, and guys selling out as if they know they might never play anything but church league ball again...and Duke losing. That was the cherry atop a ginormous sundae of college basketball placed in front of me on Friday.
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| Happy Fun Time |
-I had Missouri in my Final Four- good pick, right? But, no part of me was rooting for the tigers as Norfolk State calmly controlled that game as if they'd been there. Sure, three or four of the green-clad NSU players had names that sounded like they came from Dublin, and there's no doubt a little luck of the Irish didn't hurt them so close to St. Pat's Day. But their players were amazingly sportsmanlike, it seemed- I saw those guys helping up Mizzou players after contact time and again. Tough not to like an underdog; let alone one that is amazingly-classy.
A ton of Purdue fans this year thought aloud about how Painter must feel about Mizzou's success. Painter answered that question on Thursday by saying he was happy to see those coaches and players doing well as he knew them and thought of Mizzou's AD as a good guy. Who knows if Matty would have led the Tigers to 30 wins this season...but I bet he wouldn't have let that group bow out in the first round. No matter- a Big12 Championship is a pretty good season- I just wish I hadn't bought into the Tigers on my bracket...must be the colors that blind me- I also have Vandy in the Final Four.
-I sarcastically picked Lehigh to beat Duke during the HH this week...and of course I was right. I don't have much to say about this game other than this wasn't a typical Duke team, and it showed on Friday. The Plumlees are goons (normal Duke type goons), and they have guys that can shoot and D up anyone...but Rivers seemed to play his own game pretty often...so they just weren't that great of a cohesive team. By the way, they never were all season...and the ACC (as a whole) stunk this year, so they fit in nicely.
-There's a new CDW commercial with a guy on it that looks like Hammer and Rail's founder, TMill's fat, dorky red-headed brother.
And speaking of commercials, any commercial with a talking baby or a monkey will get my attention...the rest of them are white noise and reason to turn the station or get a refill- make a note of it, ad execs.
-My Belmont as a darkhorse pick was as bad as Mizzou to the FF...and in a related note, the Big East kind of redeemed itself after a crappy first day. G'Town was dominant, Cincy punched a crappy Texas team in the mouth time and again, and South Florida scored more than 25 points in a half to beat Temple in a rock fight.
UND played in the least-likable game of the tournament thus far...and lost. But really, we all lost for having to pick a side. Scott Martin's heroic 11 points couldn't stop Tu Holloway from zipping up the Irish's season.
-UM pooped on the B1G's perfect first round by doing what Beilein teams do- raise expectations only pulverize them via underwhelming, disappearing play. The florescent yellow and blue were in the top-15 for most of the year. And their Friday foe was a flippin' MAC squad who hovered in the 50s for most of the year and played a schedule that was funny like a clown. Yet, they didn't have many problems with UM. Christian Laettner Novak and Douglass went out with a whimper combining for 7 points, 5 rebounds and 2 assists.
Next year, a new era of disappointment begins next season as Beilein welcomes 5-star recruit PF/C, McGary, Big Dog's son and some other guy.
-I was silly yet again this year as I looked at the bracket. I thought, "Self, that Mountain West Conference is pretty-darned good...give them a few wins." So I did just that. Stupid brain.
At the end of the second real day of the tourney and the first real round, SDSU, UNLV and Colorado State had all gone the way of the Doc Sadler era. The only remaining Mountain Weak West member is pretty Steve Alford's New Mexico squad. I have them beating Louisville...so they'll be out soon as well.
-Day three of the best sports weekend of the year is already underway as "Bitchy" Jim Boeheim's team is already playing K. State. Sadly, this one's going according to seed.
-Tomorrow night, Sunday, the Forces of Good will play the large and talented Jayhawks from KU at 8:40. Tune in and enjoy. Hopefully the team sees this game for what it is- a great chance to gain much and lose little.
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| BS Research shows winning is better than losing. |
Until then, savor the fact that this team just won and did it without barely a whisper from Hummel and a silent game from Smith. Methinks they both are due.