I can't think of a good headline...

George Vescey looks at an Alabama man who campaigned for girls sports.


John Feinstein said that while the quality of college basketball may be down watching it is every bit as good.


Ian O'Connor's column about Rick Pitino has been much discussed on the Around the Horns and PTIs of the world. I'm just now getting around to posting it.

Jerry Izenburg has a nice look at Dwayne Lee

Phil Sheridan writes about Pat Carroll and John Bryant


Kevin Scarbinsky said there is a simple formula to getting a better job for a mid-major coach.

I liked the first page of Tony Kornheiser's anticipation of a home game story, but the second page is classic Tony jumping topics and trying too hard to be funny.

Bob Kravitz said the Pistons home games against the Paces should be played with no fans.

Some Final Four lead up...

The Dallas Morning News has a nice piece on the friendship between Louisville's Francisco Garcia and Taquan Dean

Cowlishaw doesn't think MSU is an underdog

Dick Jerardi looks at the Calipari-Martelli history leading up to tonight's NIT meeting.

Bob Ryan says the 3-point line is too close.

The Casey blog is updated.

An amazing weekend

Has there ever been an elite with three better games in the regional finals?

Jerry Brewer on Louisville's comeback.

Mariotti on the Illinois win.

Washington Post's story on fading black ball player.

I'm willing to concede that race is a factor is some of America's hatred of Barry Bonds, but I don't buy all of Whitlock's argument that the reason we're rooting against Bonds is because we don't want him to break Ruth's record. It's not about Ruth anymore and it hasn't been since Aaron broke his record.

I don't want Barry Bonds to break Hank Aaron's record. Not because of steroids, although that has become another reason. Aaron represents dignity and class, Bonds is a jerk.
Consider too that Bonds would still get into the Hall of Fame according to a survey of hall voters. McGwire would not.

Stunningly Dan LeBetard is pro athlete and still voting for McGwire.

The Bobby Fischer story is just odd. The New York Daily News piece on him is interesting.

The Sweet Five?

I had planned on having 16 links today for the Sweet Sixteen, but the chance to leave the office early was tood good to pass up.

Give Jason Whitlock credit. He makes you look at things in ways you never expected to. This column on Bob Knight seems intentionally contrarian by nature, but most of his points are hard to argue with.

Pat Forde calls this the year of Utah and Louisville.

Today's Plimpton is Philly's Jim Salisbury who catches Billy Wagner's bullpen session.

Bob Ryan is enjoying the Bruce Pearl story.

Friend, competitor, and often traveling companion Ron Chimelis wrote a funny column about UMass' coaching search.

Fenway forever

Looks like Fenway is hanging around long term.
Shaughnessy approves.

So do the players...

Two legends

The Tennessean looks back at Pat Summit's unusual start to her historic journey.


Jay Mariotti wishes Bob Knight could forget the past and stop ruining what would be a good story.

Simple, sad, brilliant

In its Sunday edition, the Washington Post ran a story headlined "A Portrait of Fallen Neighbors".

In it, the writer, DeNeen L. Brown, provides short glimpses of the 70 members of the armed forces from Greater D.C., who died during the current conflict in Iraq. It's written simply and without agenda. It's really well done.

Don't read it if you can't handle a downer or are someplace you don't want to be seen with moist eyes.


Thanks to Brian Moritz for alerting me to this.

Vermont's ride ends, two great weekends still coming

Jackie MacMullen wrote a nice farewell to Vermont piece. It included several good lines including:

"You live in a special place when your realities outweigh your dreams," the coach mused yesterday.
"If I wasn't playing them," Michigan State coach Tom Izzo confessed, "I might have been pulling harder for them than anybody."

Bill Reynolds recaps T.J. Sorrentine's career.

Bob Kravitz did a nice job capturing Bob Knight, who is back in the Sweet Sixteen.

Bernie Miklasz is expecting Louisville to be in St. Louis.

Vermont Madness

"The magic of the tournament is a night just like tonight. We'll never forget it, and I'll never forget it."

Vermont coach Tom Brennan

I don't know that I've ever been to a game where there was so little media cynicism. Watching Vermont upset Syracuse and watching their fans revel in the moment had even the crustiest media in Worcester smiling. Moments like that make the NCAA Tournament what it is. I'm glad I was there.


Feinstein on the Catamounts.

Jackie MacMullen isn't sick of Brennan yet.

Jim Donaldson on T.J. Sorrentine

Mark Blaudschun sums it up.

John Feinstein's column before the game had some good quotes including.

"Actually the only tape I see after a game is whatever highlights come on the TV set in the bar I'm in," Brennan said.

"It suddenly hit me that unless lightning strikes twice the next few days, the next time I walk in here, I won't be a coach anymore," he said. "That got to me. I know there will be other moments, but I'm okay with it. I've always said that with space, comes peace. I've always had space at Vermont, even when we were losing. Now, I'm completely at peace."

NY Post's Lenn Robbins' game story under the headline

Steve Serby's column on the game.

Andy Katz chimes in too.

The Burlington Free Press is undercovering the biggest sports story in its history.

Jeff Pinkham column

They're talking Sweet Sixteen now.

NY Times Pete Thamel's take on the game.

Bernie Miklasz is a little late to the Vermont story, but its not a bad column.

Saturday NCAA stories

I liked this picture as Ronald Ross took time out of his celebration to try to console Ronny Turiaf.

Sites and sounds from Vegas during the tournament.

Willam Rhoden's column is making me dizzy.


Eric Prisbell on Bruce Pearl.

Woj on Hoosierland.




Bucknell over Kansas

Tournament Thursday

Bob Ryan on Bruce Pearl

Jim Pignatiello, a regular good reads contributor takes his shots at the bracket on his blog.

Bill Simmons on the tournament . In truth I haven't read this yet, so don't blame me if it isn't good. I'm printing now to take with me while I'm viewing.

Tony Kornheiser's bracket is pretty funny.

The Bracket According to Me

I’m having almost as much trouble filling out the Albuquerque bracket as I am spelling it.
Louisville could lose in the second round or make it to the Final Four.
The last time I was this unsure of my bracket heading into the tournament, I won my pool.
Good luck.

Syracuse

Roy Williams and Kansas are in the same bracket – who says the committee doesn’t have a sense of humor?
Early upsets: New Mexico over an inconsistent Villanova team. Northern Iowa over Wisconsin.
Player who could single-handedly create an upset: Danny Granger of New Mexico won’t be unknown after this tournament. The 6-foot-8 big man is averaging 18.3 points and 8.5 rebounds per game.
One and done: Oakland, Minnesota, Villanova, Ohio University, Wisconsin, Bucknell, N.C. State, Central Florida
Out after the second round: Iowa State, New Mexico, Northern Iowa, Charlotte
Sweet 16 teams: UConn and Kansas will play a classic, with the Jayhawks surviving, while North Carolina rolls past Florida.
Regional final: In a great game between outstanding programs, Carolina has more talent and Williams’ present outlasts his past, sending the Tar Heels to the Final Four.

Austin

Eight of the schools in this region have won national championships and two more have been to the Final Four, which should promise plenty of over-the-top nostalgia on CBS.
Early upset: Niagara over Oklahoma. I like to take one long shot every year. This is it.
Players who could single-handedly create an upset: Niagara 6-foot-8 senior forward Juan Mendez averaged 23.4 points and 10.4 rebounds during the regular season. Oklahoma should be at least a little concerned. And Vermont big man Taylor Coppenrath might be the best mid-major player in America.
One and done: Delaware State, Mississippi State, Old Dominion, UTEP, Oklahoma, Cincinnati, Eastern Kentucky, Vermont
Out after the second round: Iowa, Niagara, Michigan State, Stanford
Sweet 16 teams: Duke and Syracuse could be epic, but the Orange will prevail. Kentucky is too good for Utah.
Regional final: This Syracuse team’s experience can take it a long away, including to St. Louis.

Chicago

Has any No. 1 team in the nation gotten less respect come bracket time than Illinois? The Illini are the unanimous No. 1 team in the nation, but it seems like everyone has somebody else winning the title and quite a few people have them losing their region as well, including me.
Early upsets: Wisconsin-Milwaukee over Alabama. Last year’s mini-run aside, the Tide is traditionally a bad tournament team.
UAB over LSU. The Tigers have been double-digit losers to lower seeds the last two times they made the tourney.
Player who could single-handedly create an upset: Ed McCants of Wisconsin-Milwaukee – the cousin of Carolina guard Rashard McCants – is one of those guys who shoots his team into an upset.
One and done: Fairleigh-Dickinson, Texas, Alabama, Penn, LSU, Utah State, St. Mary’s, Southeastern Louisiana
Out after the second round: Southern Illinois, UAB, Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Nevada
Sweet 16 teams: Illinois may have the best guards in the nation. Boston College has the worst of any top-four seed. The Illini roll here. Up-and-down Arizona can’t hang with an underrated Cowboy team.
Regional final: The parallels with Saint Joseph’s in 2004 continue for Illinois. It lost its perfect season to a Thad Matta-coached team and will end its season against the Cowboys.

Albuquerque

No bracket has better individual talents than this one. A session ticket in New Mexico could give a fan a chance to see Chris Paul, Francisco Garcia (or Jarrett Jack), Ronny Turiaf and Nate Robinson. That’s worth whatever the scalpers are asking.
It’s awfully trendy to pick against Washington in the second round especially if the Huskies have to face Pitt.
The Panthers have struggled at times, but they have wins over UConn, Syracuse (twice) and Boston College. Wake, the No. 2 seed, has a much easier draw than Washington does.
Early upset: I don’t see a seed below 10 winning here, but Winthrop, which plays a tricky slowdown style like Princeton, could scare Gonzaga. No. 10 Creighton will knock off West Virginia in an upset, albeit a mild one.
Player who could single-handedly create an upset: Tiras Wade of Louisiana-Lafayette. I’m not picking the Ragin’ Cajuns to beat the Cardinals, but if they do, this junior sharpshooter is probably why.
One and done: Montana, Pacific, George Washington, Louisiana-Lafayette, UCLA, Winthrop, West Virginia, Chattanooga
Out after the second round: Creighton, Texas Tech, Georgia Tech, Washington
Sweet 16 teams: Pitt and Louisville will be a must-watch if Pitt comes to play, but Rick Pitino’s best Cardinals squad will prevail. Wake’s superior guards will hold off Gonzaga.
Regional final: The Demon Deacons and the Cardinals might be the most fun-to-watch regional final. Wake will outlast Louisville.

Final Four

Oklahoma State’s experience makes the difference over Wake, while Carolina holds off ‘Cuse.
Roy Williams’ long agonizing wait ends April 4 in St. Louis. The Tar Heels will be wielding scissors.

Ready for tip-off

Bernie Miklasz says the NCAA Tournament is the greatest event in sports.

Plaschke says we're not rooting for teams, we're rooting for our brackets.

Rosenberg on the bracket

Rosenberg and Gary Shelton both write about on Oakland.

NCAAniticpation

Two things I look foward to every year before the NCAA Tournament is this Sports Illustrated Cover:



and Dan Wetzel's first day of the tournament column.


Nice Bob Hohler story in the Globe today on Taylor Coppenrath and his tiny hometown.

Jerry Izenberg on Phil Martelli.

This is ridiculous.

All Americans, Postseason awards and final poll

These are the All-America teams and postseason awards that I sent to the Associated Press today, as well as my final poll.
Player of the Year and first team All-American: Andrew Bogut, Utah


Hakim Warrick, Syracuse


Dee Brown, Illinois


Chris Paul, Wake Forest


Ike Diogu, Arizona State


Second team: Francisco Garcia, Louisville, Salim Stoudamire, Arizona, J.J. Redick, Duke, Wayne Simien, Kansas, Luther Head, Illinois
Third team: Joey Graham, Oklahoma State, Sean May, North Carolina, John Lucas Jr., Oklahoma State, Craig Smith, Boston College, Ray Felton, North Carolina

Coach of the Year: Bruce Weber, Illinois



Al Skinner was my coach of the year for most of the season, but the Eagles' recent collapse pushed me toward Weber. I strongly considered Seth Greenburg, whose Virginia Tech team exceded all expectations.

My Final Poll looks like this:

1. Illinois

2. Oklahoma State
3. North Carolina
4. Duke
5. Louisville
6. Wake Forest
7. Kentucky
8. Syracuse
9. Washington
10. Gonzaga
11. Arizona
12. Connecticut
13. Michigan State
14. Utah
15. Oklahoma
16. Kansas
17 Wisconsin
18. Charlotte
19. Alabama
20. Villanova
21. Cincy
22. Florida
23. Boston College
24. Texas Tech
25. Georgia Tech

Burlington Jubilation

"Until the day I die, I will never forget today. When we did it the first time, I thought, `Man, this is neat.' When we did it the second time, I thought, `This is unbelievable.' The third time, I'm thinking, `God almighty, how does this keep happening?' "

Vermont coach Tom Brennan

Burlington Free Press game story.

Seniors, Brennan go out on top
Boston Globe story

...Memphis heartbreak

Darius Washington's heartbreak will provide enduring images from a classic basketball game

Memphis Commercial Appeal game story

Geoff Calkins wrote a nice column.

The C-A called it a legendary game.

Jerry Brewer looks at it from the otherside.

Championship week...

Today is all college hoops...
As promised all columns in Tom Brennan will appear here.

Wetzel and the Portland Press Herald look at the retiring Vermont coach, whose team will play for the America East title tomorrow.

The Cleveland Plain Dealer's Bud Shaw wrote a nice piece on Ohio University assistant coach Kevin Kuwik, who is stationed in Iraq, but made it back for the MAC Tourmanent. Cleveland.com' s omission of the link to Kuwick's Blog is borderline inexcusable.

Ken Pomeroy says ESPN's RPI formula is wrong.

Bob Kravitz on Gene Keady's last night as a coach

Good Views





Jay Mariotti has a nice piece on Jeff Jordan of the Chicago Illinois Jordans.

Lasme going big time?

Marty Dobrow has a nice piece on UMass forward Stephane Lasme.

First Matt-free Good Reads!

Niagara is in!

Shaughnessy has been pretty good lately. Today's column on McHale included.

Gordon Edes wades through the Giambi mess.

"Pops" gets the Washington Post treatment.

Dick Vitale hands out his awards. We here at Good Reads are shocked (SHOCKED!) that he named Duke's J.J. Redick as his national player of the year.

Rushed Links

Here are some rushed links before I depart for Cincinnati for the Atlantic 10 Tournament. Jim Pignatiello will (hopefully) post some good stuff in my absence.


Greg Cote on Woods v. Lefty

Les Carpenter's final column for Seattle on his way to DC

Mariotti on Illinois losing

Duke-Carolina story from Raleigh

Net Barrett says these Heels are making their own history

Dennis Erickson is having a had time grasping the concept of a football-free fall

Art Thiel has Pokey Reese reflecting on Sox run as a Mariner


Caulton Tudor says Wake-NC State was ugly


Official Rick Hartsell has been in the middle of a stupid controversy.

Every couple years someone has this idea. It's a bad one.
I actually read this whole column on women's basketball

Jeff Sullivan at BostonSportsMedia.com rips the Globe

Rush the court kids...

I'm hoping to have a handful of links from Sunday's upsets, but here are some images why this is the best month of the year.


In a year that finds the Buckeyes on sanctions this might as well be the national championship for them.


Missouri won't be dancing, so this will have to do.




Florida is peaking at the right time.


Tom Brennan is never lacking things to be happy about.

Shaughnessy at his best

I've often thought that memorializing a special life is one of the greatest things we get to do as writers. It is an awesome responsibility to try to capture a person, especially if we didn't know them. Those stories will be cut out and cherished by loved ones and often passed a long to other mourners. When the story comes out right, it is something special to be a part of, something I think most of us take great honor in.

Dan Shaughnessy should take great honor in his column today about beloved Sutton High School basketball coach Stephen Romasco, who died suddenly last month.

Gonzo Conspiracy?

I usually ignore this stuff , but the Hunter Thompson and the conspiracy stuff is interesting

Here's the RMN story mentioned in the Post's story.

A google search unearthed this. I'm done spending time on this topic now...

Calhoun, Colorado, the NHL etc.

Tom Boswell is genuinely giddy about Nationals baseball. It's kind of refreshing actually.

Woj takes aim at Colorado


This NHL solution would be interesting.
Ike Diogu goes to bat for Rob Evans.

Caulton Tudor said it turns out the ACC is overrated. He may be right, but no high seed wants to play Georgia Tech in the second round.

Jeff Jacobs did a nice column on Jim Calhoun after his 700th win.

Idiots in Washington

I debated several headlines here. Idiots meet the Idiot, Idiots and the Moron...



Stories from:
The Boston Globe
The Boston Herald
The Hartford Courant
ESPN

Emptying out the leftovers

Couple days worth of stuff I haven't had time to post. Hoping to do more later.
Dick Weiss on Tom Brennan


Woj hammers Marv Albert

Colorado needs to can Gary Barnett and put this episode behind them once and for all.

Kevin Blackistone on Chaney
Bob Ford said its time to let it die.
Pat Forde said the punishment is getting closer to right
Woj on Chaney

Telander on Chaney

Ian O'Connor on Chaney

Stephen A. weighs in.

John Feinstein on Travis Diener

Plaschke on Bonds

He had a good one on Adrian Beltre too.


1. Illinois
2. North Carolina
3. Kentucky
4. Wake Forest
5. Boston College
6. Oklahoma State
7. Duke
8. Michigan State
9. Louisville
10. Syracuse
11. Arizona
12. Kansas
13. Gonzaga
14. Charlotte
15. Washington
16 Utah
17. Connecticut
18. Oklahoma
19. Pacific
20. Alabama
21. Villanova
22. Cincy
23. Wisconsin
24. Nevada
25. Pitt