Enough of this BCS, bring on the Roundball!

Monday night, I am not sure who I felt worse for, Jimmy the Sweater Vest who got blown up by the SEC for the second straight year or my buddy Richard who got aced out by Jerry the Mouth in the numbers pool when OSU scored that last touchdown with 40 seconds to go. Actually, I felt worse for Richard, Jim Tressel has eighteen returning starters but Ricardo could already taste that $60. He hosted a nice party and it would have been nice to see him win some cake.

It is amazing the impact that “The Yard” is having in our brief tenure. There have been several prescient proclamations within our hallowed halls. From the Red Sox to Tim Tebow, Joe McKnight, and Barriod, we have established ourselves as unparalleled prognosticators, at least within those same hallowed halls. I implored UCLA to hire Rick Neuhiesel and retain DeWayne Walker and the University did. I wish Dan Guerrero had contacted me directly before he made these decisions but I have it on good authority he visits the Yard before any major sports decisions are final…so I got that going for me…which is kind of nice.

I did make a bold prediction on Michigan getting trounced by Florida. We missed on that one for sure. I ordered my legions of interns to research all of the bowl games and no one reported back to his Yardness that ex-Michigan Coach Lloyd Carr was going to coach his last game against Florida. Bad JuJu to bet against that. I had to let someone go in the ensuing Yard shake-up. It is not always fun and games at the Yard.

College Basketball began in earnest this past weekend. The BCS Bowl Series still cried for relevance but I have been on to College hoops since 12/22/07. Sorry Buckeyes, it was nice that you got 10 on the board this year before the dam broke but the dam still broke. Enough said, how about those Bruins?! Sweeping Cal and Stanford on the road in the first weekend of the Pac-10 Season is huge. USC should also get their due for sweeping Cal and Stanford last weekend although it was at home and it was well the SC ladies that pulled those upsets.

OJ Mayo did say he would “consider” returning for his sophomore year if the Trojans got close to winning the NCAA Championship his freshman year! Big words for our local budding superstar. The Trojans have opened PAC-10 play 0-2 and undefeated 4th ranked Washington State is coming in on Thursday night. He might have meant that he would return if the Trojans don’t make the tournament this year. They should but don’t let the hole get too deep, OJ. The Pac-10 is tough, this is not football and Pete Carroll is not the coach. I like Pete Carroll but Tim Floyd is a bit unsettling on the sidelines. He looks like he is having a colonoscopy during games and I do not think he really owns a sport coat to go with that rumpled shirt and tie. I am sure he is fine coach but lighten up, Timster, only Pete gets the keys to the University Limo.

Keep an eye on Josh Shipp, UCLA swingman. He is playing great defense and he is ice when the Bruins need a tough trey over a zone defense. If the Bruins make it back to the Final Four this year, he will be a difference maker

I did encourage the Lakers to be patient with this team and not trade the Kobester. They have so far listened to my always sage counsel. The Lakers are winning 14 out of 17 and two games behind the Suns in the West. Kobe is having a Kobe Season, Lamar is still playing like he smoked a blunt on the way to the game but Andrew Bynum is showing his worth. Mitch Kupchak should be applauded for his patience. These Purple and Gold piece parts made no sense three months ago and every pundit in the LA sports media was bagging on Mitch. Now, he looks absolutely brilliant although they have a long ways to go. They are not a Championship Team but they will get to the second round. And of course, Dr. Jerry is hanging with Paris Hilton, Jeannie is still banging the head coach and Jim Buss is a charter member and Scribe for the lucky DNA club. WTF, who is going to argue the synergy created with the doctor, the stripper and the chief knucklehead in this all in the family trifecta?

Last thought: We all have to ask ourselves, with troops deployed overseas at enormous expense, with Presidential Candidates in our face every day imploring us to understand why they will correct the country’s problems if elected, with gas approaching $4 a gallon, why is Roger Clemens being called to appear before congress to discuss his…alleged.. steroid use? Do our elected officials have better things to do than try to investigate why athletes who are making $10-20 Million per year would try to chemically enhance their bodies to prolong a career that pays them $10-20 Million per year? I think I know the answer to that one. Do we really need $150,000 a year politicians spending even ten minutes getting to the bottom of this issue? The only cost I can see to the taxpayer for the Rocket sticking ah, er, allegedly sticking goop in his buttocks is the cost of this panel of politicians trying to get to the bottom of what Roger put in his bottom.

“Patriotism is supporting your country all the time, and your government when it deserves it.” Mark Twain