Madness Baby, Madness

That hallowed time of year is upon us: The NCAA tournament. So far, its been routine, with one exception.

DUKE.

First of all, Belmont should have won that game, they outplayed a sluggish Duke down the stretch. The entire nation held its collective breath while Duke avoided a stunning loss as Belmont's last minute half court shot just missed. Coach K's reaction: "We came prepared to play tonight."

Really?? You could already feel Las Vegas's elite starting to shake, because that kind or preparedness clearly would not be enough against West Virginia (their next opponent), let alone someone like UCLA, who also happened to be in their bracket. Way to give credit to Belmont for nearly knocking out a team that a lot of people have going to the Final Four: "We came prepared to play tonight." They didn't come to play against WVU, leaving Coach "K" to explain how his hair(piece) failed to move during all that walking up and down the sideline and yelling.

Of course, nothing could have prepared anyone for UCONN's performance. Make no mistake, I hail from CT, and support UCONN. Why not, they've won two championships this decade - only Florida can say that too. You would think UCONN would easily handle USD, and then the winner of Drake-Western Kentucky. You would think they could make it to the sweet 16. Make no mistake, UCONN has some of the best, Blue-Chip athletes around, thanks to Jim Calhoun's success. Yet, Calhoun is also a victim of his success. He can't put a team together, because players like Rudy Gay and Aaron Boone decide to leave after two years. Look at that rumors swirling around Thabeet. He's only a sophomore, and if he stayed, he would be the best player in the NCAA next year (Don't think so? Look at his stats, and how they increase EVERY game.) Yet, because his father died in Tanzania, and the agents whispering in his ear, he's all but assured to turn pro. The same can be said for Dyson, who despite missing 10 games this season, decided he's good enough to "test the waters." The reason he missed those games - he got caught drinking in a car in the student parking lot. At least he didn't pull a Stephan Marbury outsided of a Walmart in Queens.

UCONN lost because they were sluggish, lazy, and unfocused - thinking they had the game won, and it showed. Congratulations USD, and Western Kentucky.

Aside from that, Cornell was mauled by Stanford, and the Lopez brothers screaming after every basket. These 7 footers think they are the best in the conference, so I hope they run into Joey Dorsey and Memphis, or Texas, because I'm tired of Brook and Robin pounding their own chests and screaming after every basket. Lets not forget they lost to UCLA twice this year. That will be a good Sweet 16 game.

Georgetown blew it, because they couldn't remember that making foul shots is kind of important in the second half. Memphis is lucky the survived Mississippi State, because all three of their big men had four or more fouls. No way they advance beyond Texas.

Sadly, my bracket is finished, an entire winter of watching college basketball down the drains. Even more sadder: within two years Bracketology will be a major at the University of Miami (I can't take credit for that one).

Moving on...John Daly likes to get drunk. No, really??? Still, its amusing when he misses his Tee Time, and Arnold Palmler tried to stage a mock intervention, pleading with him to be a good person. Unlikely, given Daly claims to have gambeled $50 million the last decade.

Did anyone see the HBO Real Sports with Lenny Dykstra. Despite the fact that the man basically admits he's illiterate, he is candid about what kind of player he used to be. He also states that he sold three carwashes for $55 million. This from the guy who used to be the clubhouse alcoholic.