The Final Four

APRIL 9, 2013

We have come to the conclusion of this year’s  installment of  MARCH MADNESS.  The new Champion is  LOUISVILLE!  From what I could tell from the bits and pieces i was able wake up and catch it seemed to be a truly good competition.   Michigan started out strong.  Then Louisville made their charge.  Nip and tuck til the end.  The game could have gone anyway.  But it was Michigan which found itself on the short end in the closing minutes.  Which meant they were forced to foul to extend the game.  As happens in this situation, more often than not,  The team trying to catch up gets beat,  and that is what happened here.

Per my definition of  being beat or losing.  I see no loser here.  I see a strong team that got    BEAT.  NO LOSERS.  

We should have also learned a valuable lesson.  Kevin Ware,  who proved during the season to be a star player for the Cardinals was unfortunately injured during tournament play, could only supply moral support to his team most of the tournament games.  The players rallyed around his injury.  But as good as Kevin Ware is,  the team from Louisville proved they were not a one man team.  Many teams would have been lost without a player of his caliber.  But they showed that they could all, every player, be a key member to the team.

When I was  coaching I always told the boys ‘Be ready.  We have no set starting team.  It depends on the team we are playing, what skills are needed.  Each player has a different set of skills”.  As a player I preferred not to start.  As this took pressure off me.  (Everyone expects more out of starters than subs).  I usually sat for the first minute.  Then finished the game.   

Great tournament,  many upsets, and the overalll number one seed emerges the victor.

Although not as bad as many the celebrating fans tarnished the schools win with their irresponsible after game behavior.  That is all I have to say about this.  See your newspapers for details.  If they dare to put the story in without whitewashing it.

PROGRAM NOTE: APRIL 8,2013

As Much as we would love to see the game tonight.  We will be unable to BECAUSE of the lateness of the start time.  You see we live in the Central Time Zone.  However our illustrious state leadership has decided in its INFINITE wisdom we must observe ATLANTIC TIME,   They call it Daylight Saving Time.  But there is just so much daylight in a 24 hour day.  So no one has been able to save any.    Putting us TWO hours ahead of the sun.   So The game should be on  at 7 pm instead of 10 pm.   

So to all of you lucky people who get to see the game ENJOY.  4 am comes pretty early when you are two hours ahead of  the sun.

 

UPDATE APRIL 7, 2013

And then there were TWO. 

LOUISVILLE, and  MICHIGAN.

The stage is set..I am looking for a close game.  One that will keep all fans on the edge of their seats.  As you know I have said Michigan will be the new NCAA Basketball Champion.  Good Luck to both teams.

I must hope that the end of this game and season is not marred by in inappropriate action by the ones who consider themselves fan, yet take away from the the pride of their teams by rioting and tearing things up.  Both teams deserve better.  These outlaw demonstrations SUBTRACT. from the dignity of the respected teams.  REJOICE IN THEIR FEATS.

UPDATE: We nearly had another upset.  A well played game by both Witchita St. and Louisville.

Now we must see if Michigan can overcome the Syracuse Press.

Usually I give a lot of trivia here but this year I won’t.  Suffice it to say this has been one heck of a tournament.  So many upsets.  Made a tournament season worthy of watching.  I Still stand by my original conviction that all four final teams should have come from the Big Ten.  Regardless of what my old NEMESIS  Sir Charles thinks. (which was always a little far out).  The Big Ten had its best shot at an ALL FINAL FOUR shootout.  Only team that really let me down was WISCONSIN.  They truly had the best shot bur as noted they also have the spells of non-concentration, of which they fell victim.  Did they get beat by a better team?  NO!  They LOST because they did not give their all.  As I have said before and will say again.  You only get BEAT if you give it all you have and  and still end up on the short end of the score.  But you LOSE if you don’t leave it all on the court.  Granted somedays you may not have as much to give as other days.  But Wisconsin just completely melted down.  I really don’t feel they respected their opponent.  ENOUGH.

Locally I find we have one person who had 4 of  the final 8.  And believe it or not has 2 of the final four.  Some of you may have done better.  I don’t see how.

As much as I would like to see another upset.  Odds are really against it so as it stands I see Louisville Vs Michigan in the final game with MICHIGAN the Champions. Both teams are really good. But it will come to MENTAL and PHYSICAL Toughness.   I think both team are pretty equal in the MENTAL toughness…. But Physical toughness?  Again you have to go back to their conferences.  Big Ten definitely the most physical Conference in the country.  Michigan has proved they have this PHYSICAL toughness throughout the Big Ten season.  Scale tips to Michigan.

RESULTS

FAVORITES

MY PICKS

WHY? Because….  I really don’t know.  Just a glutton for punishment, I guess