UCLA for #12

I'm sick simply writing this, but I expect UCLA to beat Ohio St. to win the National Championship. There are too many people picking Florida, thereby giving UCLA the dreaded chip on their shoulder and lockeroom peg board material. I just believe they are missing one key thing. Each team is one year wiser, and usually the loser from the year before has more to prove, and feels a greater sense of urgency.

I'm disappointed that this will happen, mainly because I like Florida, and they are SEC family.

Ohio St. will beat Georgetown, because they are straight up better. Everyone is talking about Ohio St.'s close calls, but Georgetown had to rally to beat Vandy and really were in the right place at the right time to beat UNC. They are good, very good, but Ohio St. seems to have 9 lives with a couple left to spend. I actually don't think this game will be close, and when the championship rolls around, look for it to be played in the fifties. The 1950's and a score in the 50's. Lots of defense, Arron Afflalo can shut down Mike Conley Jr if he has to guard him, which I figure he will have too. Collison, might get burned for a little while.

Anyway UCLA wins 56-51.

UGLY.

It's Almost Here

I haven't posted in some time and now guilt has set in. So this is a contrived post to make me feel a little bit better.

My favorite two weeks in sports starts this weekend. Here's what's on tap.

-Cooper River Bridge Run...a local 10k that has 30,000 runners most of which are there to party, and exercise...great event.

-Final Four...obviously the basketball weekend of the year...Go Gators...ugh.

-Opening of the Major League Baseball season. I do love opening day, and really the whole month, then I get back into the pennant races circa August. Watch out for those Twins. Every trendy pick seems to have the Indians, Tigers and White Sox as the top three in the Central. Twins have always responded to adversity with someone you've never heard of...I will not count them out.

-The Masters, and really the following week's Heriatige Golf Event on Hilton Head. This will carry the best week into three weeks but seriously not that many people are reading, and even more truthfully I could careless for the rules I've applied. The Master's to me is the beginning of the golf season. It is the official beginning of spring and the best Sunday of any Sunday that isn't Super Bowl Sunday. And I contend if America treated the final round at the Masters the way we treat the Super Bowl, it would be the best day of the year. I'd buy gifts for my family and friends and bake a turkey. LOVE Masters' Sunday.

-Also Spring Football and the NFL Draft...okay so its really a month...April is my favorite sports month. Until September, when college football starts...and baseball is in fever mode, and every two years the Ryder Cup gets contested...oh good stuff

Snuggle Soft McCreamy

Josh McRoberts will be an absolute failure in the NBA. This guy is horrible in college, so why not "take his game to the next level". I hate that phrase. McRoberts has a ton of speculated talent, and potential, but I've never seen it. Don't tell me you have. If you have, seriously seen some quality in McRoberts, I beg you to tell me when you saw it. He never lived up to the hype for Duke. Matter of fact, I think he might be the biggest bust Coach K has recruited. Chris Burgess was a stiff that needed to do some morman missions so he left. At least he left with dignity, McRoberts is leaving having done nothing.

Did Josh McRoberts make the second team All ACC? If he did its only because he's the most recognizable player for one of the two most popular teams. He didn't deserve it. At least not during the 20 games I watched. McRoberts would be better off on Grey's Anatomy. He would make a great McCreamy.

See you later Josh, enjoy the D-League.

Houston, We Have The Answer?

Hoops start back in earnest tomorrow. I need Vanderbilt, and UNLV. Oh do I need that to happen.

I actually haven't much to say, except that I love that the Falcons finally traded Matt Schaub, and especially to the Texans. I laugh at these moves. First it will hurt the Falcons. Mike Vick can't stay healthy, are you serious. He'll miss two games a year the rest of his career.

Second, the Texans are essentially giving up on David Carr. Good move in one sense. He's not going to have a very long career with the protection offered in Houston, so he becomes a liability. The other thought though is...is Matt Schaub that much better, even potentially than David Carr?

I guess though, the 49er's did get Steve Young from Tampa Bay.

I'm ready for baseball too though. I just want to see Barry Zito snapping off knee bucklers for the Giants. Excited. Finally a player on the Giants I like. I miss JT Snow.

For Us By Us

Bruce Springsteen sang I'm on Fire, whoa, whoa, I'm on fire....he was talking about sex. Whoa, Whoa I'm on fire...I'm talking about the Black Coaches Association.

First some backstory. I'm a Southern White Male. I am a University of South Carolina Alumni. I am a USC football fan and appologist.

Now the problem. USC received a failing grade from the Black Coaches Association..heretofor recognized as the BCA. The failing grade was for not conducting a minority based or at least equal search when seeking a football coach to replace Lou Holtz. Now as we all know USC is the flagship university for the state of South Carolina, a state the BCA, NAACP, and what ever else groups despise.

USC received an F for not interviewing a minority candidate, not hiring a minority and I guess generally for its attitude toward the process of finding a head football coach.

What the BCA does is find examples in hot button states and pursues them. You mean to tell me that UCLA didn't interview a minority for its basketball job, and the BCA pounced and set up shop in Westwood. NOT A CHANCE. They want this to happen for publicities sake. I'm sure the same garbage is happening in Tuscalosa...So the BCA already with it's satelitte office set up just a few miles from the Confederate Flag, decides to embarass USC, and publicly slam us for not conducting a "proper search".

Well BCA, when you are in your position you open yourself up for criticism. I'd like to know how often a school should interview a black coach for its position before it becomes a feeble attempt at passifying you? If a school like USC has its top choice and gets it, should we conduct silly token interviews? Probably wouldn't be a bad idea for the experience. But you are John Smith, quarterback coach Toledo Rockets. USC has a coach in place, would you like to come to Columbia for an interview? If I'm John Smith I'd ask for what position, knowing full well that no coach is going to be hired, even as a part of the cabinet.

The BCA can go national with this and probably gain some points, unfortunately the mother in Ames, Iowa or the steelworker in Allentown, PA might not understand that Lou Holtz while he was at USC had a deal in place to have his son succeed him. After that fell through, when Skip pursued another job, Lou put one of his best friends in the coaching business and National Championship winner, and multi SEC champion Steve Spurrier in the job. Spurrier had been interested since October, and patiently waited for the year to end. Holtz resigned and alluded to his successor, which was the worst kept secret in the southeast. The next day the top candidate in America was a Gamecock.

Now I ask and I do this with all due respect. Doesn't Robert Johnson owner of the Charlotte Bobcats have every right to hire any coach he wants for his team when Bernie Bickerstaff finishes the season? Or should he be forced to interview Larry Brown? I ask you NAACP does Russell Simmons not have the right to name any CEO he wants for FUBU? College is a business, it should be more proactive in minority promotion, and hiring. It should not do that at the cost of its success.

Ides of March

Its here, the ides of March are upon us. Luckily it shouldn't mean we are about to be stabbed in the back by our closest ally.

It means today we tip it off. And actually the first game for me is one of the most important. Maryland vs. Davidson. I have Maryland in the Final Four for one of my entries. I'll be upfront and honest. I do multiple brackets. I have my #1 official bracket that tends to be conservative, in a pool of my closest friends. My other brackets are more extreme, and I post those on websites like espn.com or cbssportsline.com. I only enter those to win TV's and what not. I have an official bracket that will be of most concern, because believe it or not I'd rather beat my friends than win a TV. Bragging rights are very valuable.

Anyway Maryland was a team I had in my official bracket but have sinced backed off of, Florida is just too much. Anther game to be leary of in the Midwest is Arizona and Purdue. I have no doubts that this is a bad mix of Arizona players, but five of them might be drafted this coming draft, so there's talent there. I'd hate to see them jell against Florida on Sunday or whenever.

Another critical game, same region is UNLV and Georgia Tech. I have UNLV in my elite eight in every bracket. I believe strongly in this team. I saw them play Texas Tech when Bobby Knight was going for 890. The slaughtered TTU for 32 minutes. Tech made it close late, but couldn't get it done. They are pissed about only having a 7 seed, and maybe they play like they have something to prove. Plus GIT only won 3 road games this year...I don't like that.

Boston College is playing a bunch of critical games also. I've got them as an elite eight team...and I'm worried. If they lose today, with UNLV, I'm as good as done. But the most important game of the weekend is Louisville and Texas A&M. If they both make the weekend, I must have Louisville win. I've got them in the Final Four and need them to make it happen.

Three teams to watch...desperately.

One non tournament related note. I watched highlights of Jamarcus Russell....he looked really good. Mechanics were much much better than what I've seen in the past. I still don't know about him making a great qb, which is what you expect from a #1 pick. But wow he looked good.

Old Man Take a Look at Your Life

Okay I promised some lock and an upset. Here's what I'll do. I'm still feeling a little funny about throwing out some picks when I haven't finalized my stuff.

I'll tell you this. This tournament is like all the others even though I at first thought there was no way the four 1s or at least some 1s and some 2s would make the final four. I can see each 1 losing, but only to the 2 in that bracket. Well I've changed my tune. I say this is like the other tourney's in that you can lock it up, the 1s advance on Thursday and Friday, but not necessarily past Sunday. I think this year one can lose during the weekend.

I'll also say I'm sure a 12 will take a 5. Don't know who, but it'll probably happen.

I'll give you the upset I think is a certain thing. Creighton over Nevada. I'll also tell you I expect whole heartedly that UNLV knocks out Wisconsin this weekend.

That is more than I'd give my mother.

I'll tell you this also. I think UNC hangs on two guys out of the dozen they play. Ty Lawson and Tyler Hansborough. If they struggle, this team might slip. They are too young. They don't feel an urgency I'd expect if they were Seniors and Juniors....just a thought....

I feel I've given too much....

One more thing. Forget about Greg Oden....he's already gone...