Now that was one I dare say most folks, including yours truly, wouldn't have predicted. Wisconsin just knocked off #1 seed Arizona in the western regional final and punched their ticket to the Final Four.
Sure, the Badgers were a #2 seed themselves, but I further dare say many thought they weren't worthy of such status. After all, they didn't come close to winning the regular season title or tourney even within their own Big 10 conference. By making them a #2 seed, basically the NCAA selection committee was saying they were somewhere between the fifth and eighth best team in the entire country. And how many of us really believed that? Not I.
It could certainly be argued Wisconsin had the easiest road to arrive in the Elite 8. Even after dusting off patsy American U, Oregon and Baylor weren't exactly murderer's row. But the Arizona Wildcats were a whole different animal. To boot, the game was played in Anaheim, a suburb of LA. Home of the original Disney Land and all that. Also, not far from Pasadena, home of the Rose Bowl.
Where am I going with this? In effect, Wisconsin taking on Arizona in Anaheim was much like a Big 10 team taking on a Pac 10 team in the Rose Bowl. Even though it's technically a neutral site, guess who basically has home court/field advantage with the fans in attendance?
So for those reasons, yours truly gave the Cheesers little chance of moving on. Every time Arizona would go on a bit of a run to get ahead by a few points, I thought -- that's it. It's time for Wisconsin to finally fold up their overrated tent and go home. They can't hang with these guys. Boy, was I ever wrong. They not only kept coming back and hung in there during crunch time but, even despite a few terrible calls that went against them, found a way to prevail in the end. Hats off to the Badgers for a well earned victory indeed. As their own fight song goes -- On Wisconsin -- to the Final Four.
Elsewhere in the tourney, Dayton made quite a splash this year. As an #11 seed, they defeated #6 Ohio State, #3 Syracuse, and fellow surprising #10 Stanford. Impressive stuff, but though they put up a valiant fight in the regional finals, nobody really expected the Flyers to get past overall #1 Florida. And they didn't. The Gators validated their pass to Arlington as well.
#4 seed Michigan State was, and remains a trendy pick to win it all. They narrowly edged #1 seed Virginia in their bracket. Not a great surprise. Next up, the Spartans get #7 seed UConn, quite a surprise themselves, for a berth in the Final Four. While Geno Auriemma's Lady Huskies continue to march on, it's highly doubtful their male counterparts will get past the Spartans.
Probably the most interesting game features Michigan and Kentucky. That's a very hard game to pick. Besides the above-mentioned Michigan State, the other trendy #4 seed picked to reach the finals was defending champion Louisville. But in the Battle of the Bluegrassers, Kentucky claimed bragging rights. They're on a roll and seemingly getting stronger every game. Michigan's a quirky team. They've definitely got some lights out shooters, and if most of those 3s are finding the bottom of the net, they can run and gun with the best of them, and are capable of beating anybody. On the other hand, they're not particularly big or physical, and teams that have the personnel to play up in their faces all over the court have exposed them as being vulnerable. That, and the occasional brain fart the Wolverines typically feature during any game. They had the Tennessee game well in hand, only to go into mind-freeze, and almost let it get away at the end.
Yet for the sake of argument (though I think they're going down) let's assume UM defeats UK in the regional final.
Besides Florida, we could be looking at three Big 10 teams in the Final Four. And who would have thought that remotely possible when the tournament started?
John, the following is just my opinion, so don't get a big head.
ReplyDeleteAs you know, I have been reading and amused by your blog for quite a while. There are some subjects we disagree on and I feel your bias diminishes your point. However, there are many things we do agree on. I like your cynical nature (I have one too), your self-deprecation and your knack of valuing differing opinions.
I have come to be impressed at your ability to come up with something to write every day, I don't think I could do that. I have appreciated from day one how you, a non-journalist, have demonstrated that you have a better command of the English language and are more qualified to be a journalist than many of those on this paper's staff.
I would not mind seeing your blog in the printed version of the OP, at least once or twice a week. God knows they are not printing enough articles and op-eds to make it worth while to buy the paper. Maybe you could be run on a day they have about half a page of news. (Mondays, Tuesdays). It is almost a waste of my time to walk out to the street to get the paper most mornings.
Anyhow, thanks for your entertainment.
Al. For once, count your blessings, I'm speechless. But let me try. First, thanks for the compliment(s), and an even bigger thanks for reading and continuing to read my nonsense. As for ideas, I never know what's going to pop into my feeble head. Most times something I see or read will jump out at me and what starts off with a couple sentences somehow turns into a paragraph or three. I think the proper word for it is "rant". As for the print version of the OP, I used to submit an occasional sports blurb or editorial. One thing led to another, I wound up having lunch with the sports editor (Jeff Kuehn -- who I still report to), and that's how I got in this mess in the first place. LOL. Though I would certainly relish once again throwing something in print once in a while, it's my understanding "space" is pretty tight these days. Perhaps that something you yourself could suggest to the above-mentioned Boss, either by forwarding your above comment to him (Jeff.kuehn@oakpress.com) or calling him ( 248 745-4682). At circumstances would have it -- I'm having lunch with him again this Wednesday. Even his turn to buy. Your comment would certainly be food for conversation -- or is it the other way around? At any rate, he's the massuh while I remain a lowly serf on the plantation. It's his call. Regardless, thanks again for tolerating my insanity in this forum and hanging in there. I appreciate it more than you know. Have a great one.
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