They're so illogical, irrational, and unpredictable. Very strange creatures indeed. Can I say that without fear of getting sued by somebody or, worse yet, a certain dastardly editor marching my sorry and soon to be aching butt off to the woodshed again? Guess I'll find out.
But credit where credit is due. Though men will never have a clue how they do it, the fairer sex seems to have a method to their madness. In the end, one way or the other, the double X chromosomers have a way of putting things in their proper order.
And so it came to pass in this year's NCAA ladies hoops tournament. All four #1 seeds made it to the Final Four. This has never happened in mens college hoops. Even 3 out of 4 making it this year was quite unusual. The other original #1 seed, Villanova, didn't even make it to the Sweet Sixteen. #7 Michigan State would wind up winning that region. (See previous post about a stepchild).
If there's a comparison to be made between the boys' and girls' respective Final Fours, one could argue it's Kentucky and UConn. UK has been #1 all year and is still undefeated, though they've had a few close calls along the way. Few would doubt they remain the favorite to win it all, but they're certainly beatable by any of the other three teams still left standing. It wouldn't be considered a monumental upset if either Wisconsin, Duke or MSU knocked them off in the next two games. Those teams are really good too.
On the other hand, the UConn Lady Huskies are a more prohibitive favorite to cut down the nets once again. No, they're not undefeated. They lost a game @ Stanford way back in November, by two points -- in overtime. However, since then, Geno's Bambinos have been nothing less than formidable.
They would visit then #2 nationally ranked Notre Dame and blister them to the tune of 18 points.
Besides the Lady Irish, South Carolina has made it to the Final Four. Remember how they were ranked #1 in the country to start the season? That lasted until Feb. 9, when they tangled with, yep, UConn. The Gamecocks got trashed by 25. That's an exclamation point.
After the regional final game was over, it was almost comical to see the spin the talking heads put on it. Their tagline was "UConn 'survives' Dayton". They beat them by 21. A twenty one point margin of victory in most basketball games would be considered a blowout. Yet UConn seems to be held to a different standard. When a team averages defeating opponents by a whopping 47 points throughout the course of a season, maybe 21 can be considered a close game. But it's really not.
So now it's on to Tampa for the ladies' Big Dance. The aforementioned Notre Dame will lock horns with South Carolina in one semi-final. Got a coin?
Maryland outlasted Tennessee to make it into the other semi. Their reward? A date with UConn. Good luck with that.
But you know what? It really is a pleasure to watch lady college hoopsters at the highest levels. These girls have got it going on in a serious way. The superb ball handling, constant movement, crisp passing, rotating defenses, and dead-eye shooting from 3 point land to the free throw line is something to behold indeed. When it comes to the fundamentals of the game, they can do everything their male counterparts can do -- and sometimes do it better. And who cares about a 360, between your legs, backboard rattling dunk? It's still just two points -- same as a layup.
It's a shame these phenomenally talented girls have to eventually grow up and become the illogical, irrational, and unpredictable varmints that will forever confound and frustrate dudes the world over. Damn women.
But I think that's where I came in. That said, this would probably be a good time to head for higher ground. The wrath of an editor is one thing. Hordes of female huns (hunnies?) laying siege to my man cave is another.
And then there's the worst case scenario. The proverbial sum of all fears, as it were. A certain mysterious blonde girl reading this post. A terrifying creature that has haunted me for years, that not even Stephen King could have imagined in his worst nightmares. I don't want THAT thing coming after me with malice aforethought and mayhem on her mind. Horrors!
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