Tournament Picks and Musings

As I eagerly anticipate the opening tip-off in March Madness, I was suprised and somewhat impressed with the sexual Hijinks of the governors of New York and New Jersey. Hookers, adultery, threesomes and those were just the stories in the New York Post last week. Wow! I am committed to the greater good but those revelations did divert my attention.

It was the outgoing NY Governor getting whistled for and kicked out for hiring hookers. The newly sworn in replacement NY Governor disclosing that he and his spouse cheated on each other. And not to be out done from across the river, the former NJ Governor declared that he and his wife had threesomes. It was shameless one upmanship. Basketball does not seem as much fun and interesting as Northeastern Politics! I am not sure if I would vote for any of them but I think I want to party with all of them on Elliot Spitzer’s expense account!

Sporting greatness is upon us. On March 20, the journey will begin and on April 7, a true champion will rise above the herd and cut down the nets in San Antonio. I hope it is a Bruin but I am most pleased it will not be a Gator. I have grown to despise Florida these past two years not because they absolutely throttled UCLA the last two Final Fours. No it was really about their band wagon, red neck fans who obsessively perform that irritating Gator Chop nonsense.

In Indy 2006, the Gator faithful were like deer in the head lights and they were humble. It could be that the big city lights of Indianapolis were intimidating for the Gainesville contingent. It could be that U of FLA had never won anything significant since Steve Spurrier was head football coach in the 90’s. It could be that that the Keystone Light ran out on Interstate 65 25 miles outside of town. Regardless, by the time the Final Four rolled into Atlanta in 2007, the Gator fan base had doubled, the arrogance had quadrupled and their unique DNA strains had been halved. They were arrogant, ugly, and ugly. Maybe when your school has never won anything and then you win everything, you just do not know how to behave. Behave as you will, you still return to your Gainesville double wide to enjoy your moment. It is nice to see the Gators in the NIT this year and hopefully next year. Billy D, you should have taken the Orlando Magic job.

The Yard constitution requires full disclosure unless I am running and gunning with Elliot Spitzer. Those nights, I follow his rules. With 64 teams playing all over America, running and jumping, miraculous shots are made, free throws are missed, and ankles can be as twisted as the hopes and dreams of many. It is complex and maddening to foretell the fortunes of 18-21 year old athletes. It is also refreshing, amazing and sometimes brilliant.

My Final Four picks are UCLA, UNC, Pittsburgh and Wisconsin. UCLA is the most experienced team in the tournament going 9-2 in the dance the past two years. If Pittsburgh does not, Texas will beat Memphis in Texas in the regional final. Kansas and Bill Self will come up short like they always do and UNC will win a regional in North Carolina like they always do. Pittsburgh is the hottest team in the tournament at the right time. Georgetown was there last year and when you have a 7’2” 270 four year starter named Roy Hibbert, they have a chance. I hope UCLA and UNC meet in the Final because it will be compelling, exciting and the trash talk will be epic.

My ACC Brethren, I like the trash talk that you posted on my blog. The English language does not always require all of the words to make sense and you prove that daily. I beg of you, learn Windows 3.1 and we can all grow from there. Also remember, you can not access the internet through your Betamax.

My early round upsets hopefuls are Davidson, St. Joe’s and St. Mary’s. It is not a thing about Saints although I might need an exorcism to save my chances if they all go down. I am a Pac-10 Homer at this time especially. Stanford should go deep along with the Trojans. USC has OJ Mayo and their first round game against Michael Beasley and K-State is the most compelling match up in the first round.

I do not like Memphis making the Finals and I do not get Coach John Calipari. He argued in an article in USA Today that his team’s poor free throw shooting means nothing and will have no impact in the tournament. Really, John? The Tigers shot 61% from the stripe for the season. In the last ten years, there has never been an NCAA Champion that shot less than 71% from the free throw line. Yes John, as you stated, you did make more free throws than your opponents and you score more points and that is what the goal is. That is clear from your seasonal stats. But you get that you played in freaking Conference USA?! Of course, you took more free throws, you outclassed all of the teams in that conference. It was all they could do to foul you to in games to either keep up or slow you down. Not a bad strategy when you are such a poor free throw shooting team. Johnny C, you will not be playing Tulsa, East Carolina, and Rice in the NCAA. A game will come down to free throws to win it. Your lads will clutch up while half the nation and their entire extended family are watching. Hitting a free throw to beat Pittsburgh in March is difficult when you do it at a 70% clip. Your 60.1% Tigres will be replaying the 20 missed free throws in the February UTEP game while a trip to the Final Four hangs in the balance.

Good luck, John and stop practicing free throws, you are right, that is nonsense! Enjoy your visit in Texas and I might have an extra seat in San Antonio if you want to see real basketball fundamentals. The Alamo is nice this time of year.