Monday, March 28, 2011

MERCIFULLY, IT'S OVER

***THE NCAA TOURNAMENT CONTINUES***

..but without Chad Picasner. Annie-O beat me like I'd never seen a basketball game before. However, I can write whatever I want about her, since her nose is so high in the air, she won't be able to read this. I can't believe that I actually lost more games than I won. "Big Surprise" (VCU), takes on "Little Surprise" (Butler) in one semi-final. In the 'underdog' bracket, Kentucky and UCONN go at it. I used to say that in college basketball, anybody can win, but I never saw this coming. I think the reason might be that a school with an enrollment of 3000 students, can only suit up 15 players and can only put 5 of them on the floor at once. Whereas, a school with a 100,000 enrollment can put...well, the same thing: 15 and 5. Perhaps that's the big equalizer.

John Calipari of Kentucky has been here before. Once with UMass...but those victories were voided because of recruiting violations. He also made it to the Final Four with Memphis...but those victories were voided because of recruiting violations. Now he's back with Kentucky, but these victories will be voided...wait, that hasn't been announced yet. Probably this summer.


As I watched Jimmer Fredette play, I noticed that he played a lot of 'Oh-Lay' defense, waving at opponents as they ran by him. It seemed strange that the announcers never mentioned it, yet it was very evident.

At least Rick Reilly noticed: "He committed six turnovers and wandered aimlessly through the lane on defense like Moses in the desert," Reilly wrote at ESPN.com, referring to BYU's season-ending loss to Florida. "I've seen dead people play better defense. At least they occasionally trip people. "If his last college game is what he's bringing to the NBA, then I'd say, in five years, he's got a really good chance to be your Provo-area Isuzu dealer." I agree with Rick. The only way he gets into the NBA is with a ticket.


***BACK TO BASEBALL***

It's official: Freddy Garcia starts for the Yanks, Bartolo Colon goes to the bullpen and Sergio Mitre goes to Siberia. According to Girardi & Cashman, this was the plan all along. I'll bet that comes as a bit of a surprise to Colon, who thought he was fighting for a starting role. This is the Yankees, Bartolo. Not only does the right hand not know what the left hand is doing, sometimes the right hand doesn't even KNOW there's a left hand.

Bob "W-W" Matthews is making his pre-season predictions this week. He's got Boston-New York as 1-2. Safe bet there, but he's got Baltimore finishing last again. Last year, they were a team with some good young talent that hadn't jelled yet. I think they will surprise some people this year and maybe finish as high as third. "Wrong-Way" doesn't like to go out on a limb.

Dwight Perry has no such fear: "The Yankees just signed a third pitching retread, Kevin Millwood, to go along with Bartolo Colon and Freddy Garcia. Oddsmakers immediately installed the Yankees as morning-line favorites to re-capture the 1999 World Series."

CP-


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