Hello Houston! This year's final four has a Texas twist... in another football stadium for the sports most important games (could you imagine baseball moving inside a dome for the world series? Or hockey players having to climb ladders?). Now I know that domes have housed NCAA Final Fours for years-- but the recent shifting of the court and raising it takes what was a minor adjustment and makes it a major minor adjustment (not major yet-- that would be when the NCAA adds a lazy river around the court).
How did we get here? My bracket imploded not once but twice. First, my Bold, Fold and Gold picks turned into mold... although Florida and North Carolina were in position to make me proud. In my sheet I also had Kansas (whom I was never sold on after last year's collapse to Northern Iowa) and Duke... so an optimistic Saturday afternoon turned into a "wha happened?" Sunday night.
Credit VCU with putting a major chip on their shoulder and playing its way through a scheduling (5 games in 12 days) and seeding gauntlet... Shaka Smart the clear-cut emerging star of this tournament. One can wonder how long he'll stay in the CAA as the former Florida assistant will be a hot commodity in the coaching carousel... especially with his big-time experience on the recruiting trail (something Brad Stevens doesn't have).
The Rams represent one half of the underdog undercard... as Butler is back thanks to two last-second wins, an overtime victory and a Wisconsin wilt (thanks offensively challenged Big Ten for participating). While Stevens led the Bulldogs to their first ever final four last year, the school is familiar with March-- as former coaches Barry Collier, Thad Matta and Todd Lickliter each piloted the program successfully. Does this make Butler the "established upstarts"? One thing is certain-- the Butler job is better than more than a few BCS conference gigs when one looks big picture. Just ask Barry Collier (a blast at Butler and a bust at Nebraska), Dan Monson (success at Gonzaga and a much less at Minnesota) or Keno Davis (up and coming at Drake and down and out at Providence). Which is why bigger isn't necessary better on the college coaching carousel. And if Stevens or Smart eventually jump-- make sure it's a somewhat safe landing.
While the two mid-major little engines that could are on a collision course in the early game, a Blue Blood Battle Royale is expected to yield the favorite in Monday's championship game. Both Kentucky and Connecticut have enjoyed plenty of success-- the Wildcats boast 7 national titles while the Huskies have won two championships since 1998 (Kentucky's last banner). While there's been success on the court with both schools, both have run into more than a little trouble with the NCAA. Jim Calhoun and John Calipari are phenomenal program builders, but neither is as pure as the driven snow-- or even the snow you get on the side of the road in New Jersey. Each have vacated tournament runs... although with Calhoun it's just a top seed, while Calipari has two vacated Final Fours to his credit. And surprise!--even this year there are shenanigans surrounding both programs.
This is the aftertaste we get as we prepare to watch two markedly different mindsets and matchups-- one between schoools that in theory represent all is good about college hoops and another that is Exhibit A for the excesses. The game has long been a murky marriage between competition and commerce... as coaches who leave programs placed on probations under a cloud to the tune of "who was that masked man" (Tim Floyd) only to get hired immediately elsewhere-- while others who don't push the envelope on the recruiting rules are accused of mailing it in (Gary Williams).
Thank goodness the college game is a stage that supersedes the seedyness. A world comprised of 94 feet-- no matter how configured inside a football stadium. Five players coming together to form a unit-- no matter how many illegal text messages they received before their junior year. Coaches with a gameplan to get it done-- even if a longterm plan means packing for a more productive paycheck. Forty minutes to get it done-- even if there's twice as many minutes of commercials. And hopefully a magical moment or two-- because even if a banner gets vacated... the moment still means something.
UConn over Kentucky... VCU over Butler... and the Huskies ending the Rams run Monday night. For one shining moment, at least.
1 comment:
Sorry about Florida. They were clearly a better team but when all was said and done, the decisions about how to play the final seconds on the clock cost them the series. Really crappy management. Well, how does one get a seat next to a handsome radio sportscaster at one of these games? Do I need to serenade you?
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