SPORTS/BASKETBALL: MARCH MADNESS 2016—FINAL FOUR

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MARCH MADNESS 2016—FINAL FOUR

I’m mad about March Madness! Here are some of my (random) thoughts on the NCAA basketball tournament so far, just in time for tomorrow’s Final Four:

Here's one of my favorite stories of the tourney--Villanova's Kris Jenkins and UNC's Nate Britt, who are virtually brothers, (look up that story,) celebrating that they both made the Final Four. Photo by Karen Salkin.

Here’s one of my favorite stories of the tourney–Villanova’s Kris Jenkins and UNC’s Nate Britt, who are virtually brothers, (look up that story,) celebrating that they both made the Final Four. Photo by Karen Salkin.

–As fabulous as the athletic talent is, and the strategizing and the sportsmanship are, it’s the human interest stories that always get me.

–Former Vanderbilt coach Kevin Stallings said that Duke’s Coach Mike Krzyzewski, is in a class by himself, an assessment I whole-heartedly agree with. [I wrote that sentence before he lied about what he said to Oregon player Dillon Brooks after Duke’s loss to his team. Now I have to re-think my whole take on Coach K. Not only did he lecture another coach’s player, but he then lied about it, essentially branding Dillon the liar, when it was really the other way around. Shame on him.]

–I actually enjoyed Stallings as in in-studio analyst.  He didn’t try to be funny, and was basically nice about everyone. [And right after I wrote all that, he flat-left Vandy for Pitt!]

–I’m going to have one team I love in the Final Four, and one I don’t care about.  So, as much as the game tomorrow of Oklahoma versus Villanova will hurt me when one of them loses, I’ll  have one of them to really root for on Monday night!  So, that glass is half-full.

–Analyst Kenny Smith, who’s actually getting a tad amusing this year, mis-speaks so much. I love that he said that his alma mater, UNC, is “the cream of de la creme.”

Tony Bennett.  Can you tell if he's winning or losing here? Photo by Karen Salkin.

Tony Bennett. Can you tell if he’s winning or losing here? Photo by Karen Salkin.

–I felt bad for poor, handsome coach Tony Bennett when Virginia had that horrible loss last week. He appears to be so even-tempered that you can never tell if he’s winning or losing! (Mr. X actually said the same thing about his opposing coach in that game, Jim Boeheim.)

–I still don’t understand how Syracuse beat Virginia.  With under ten minutes to go, Virginia was leading by 15!  I know that 9:20 is considered a really long time in basketball, (heck, even a minute and a half is considered long!,) but I cannot believe what I saw.   In the next three minutes, they had cut it down to just a one point deficit, and took the lead in under four!  Syracuse went on a 23-4 run in the last “quarter” of the game!  With 25 seconds to go, and Syracuse up by 2, we still had no idea who would be the victor.

Jim Boeheim.  Same with him (as above.)  He was actually about to win. Photo by Karen Salkin.

Jim Boeheim. Same with him (as above.) He was actually about to win. Photo by Karen Salkin.

–There have been more crazy endings this season than I’ve seen in years.  The craziest was Texas A&M beating Northern Iowa when they were down by 12 with 40 seconds to go.  But somehow, the Virginia loss in the Elite Eight stymied me the most.  Maybe that’s because I was watching that game in its entirety, as opposed to having to switch around from game to game in earlier rounds.  Or perhaps because all the analysts, most notably Charles Barkley, said from the beginning that Syracuse should not even have made the tourney to begin with!

–Virginia just lost it’s composure.

The always hilarious Charles Barkley. Photo by Karen Salkin.

The always hilarious Charles Barkley. Photo by Karen Salkin.

–And, while we’re still on Syracuse, if any of you commentators are reading this, please learn how to pronounce that word!  It’s sI-ra-cue, (as in “mirror,”) not se-racuse!  You all sound like morons!  (Except for Charles, who gets it right.)

–Speaking of Charles, he’s the reason I listen to the pre-games and halftime shows. That guy is always a riot. (Years ago, before he was a commentator, a studio was trying to put together a talk show for me. When I told them I wanted Charles Barkley as my co-host, because I knew how funny he was even back then, they thought I was nuts! I guess the joke’s on them, but also on me because my show fell through.)

Buddy Hield, creatively rocking the part of the net that he cut down.  (All the guys did it after that, so I don't know if he started the trend, or if that's just what they do these days.) Photo by Karen Salkin.

Buddy Hield, creatively rocking the part of the net that he cut down. (All the guys did it after that, so I don’t know if he started the trend, or if that’s just what they do these days.) Photo by Karen Salkin.

–At this point in the tournament, the day before the Final Four, I usually have a favorite team.  (Of course, it’s UCLA, if they’re still in it, which they have not been since 2008.)  But I don’t have a solid fave this year.  When a pal asked, pre-tourney, for whom I’m rooting, (only not in that grammatically correct syntax,) I answered that I suppose Oklahoma because of Buddy Hield.  I told him that I have to watch the proceedings, and decide along the way.  (Some of my criteria are:  who has good sportsmanship, who’s fun to watch, and which coach is classier, more handsome, or better dressed!)

Well, I still like Buddy and the Sooners.  (Sounds like a rock band, doesn’t it?)  If you haven’t seen him play, even if you know nothing about college basketball, you should really check him out tomorrow.

Villanova coach, Jay Wright, celebrating with his favorite player of all time, Ryan Arcidiacono, (who he says is practically himself!)  I'm really happy for those two.  Mr. X always says that Jay looks like George Clooney, and then one of the commentators said it, too!  Photo by Karen Salkin.

Villanova coach, Jay Wright, celebrating with his favorite player of all time, Ryan Arcidiacono, (who he says is practically himself!) I’m really happy for those two. Mr. X always says that Jay looks like George Clooney, and then one of the commentators said it, too! Photo by Karen Salkin.

That being said, I’m also a fan of Villanova, the Sooners’ opponents tomorrow.  So, I’ll wind up sad, either way.  But I feel the pull for Oklahoma more.

In the other match-up, I don’t really like either team.  I’m rooting for UNC, (over Syracuse,) though, since they’re the only #1 seed left, and you know how I believe in fairness.  And coach Roy Williams really loves this incarnation of his team. (And—I’ve never been a fan of the color orange.)

–Sidebar: Oklahoma’s back-up center, Akolda Manyang, hasn’t played since their first game of the tournament because his brother committed suicide. Horrible story. Besides that suicide is always considered selfish, (which I’m not quite sure it is, but that’s another topic for another day,) in this case it really was. The brother deprived Akolda of what could have been the most wonderful experience of his life! I can’t stand it. So, maybe seeing his team win, even without him, will lift his spirits a bit. Better yet, I hope he makes it back there on time to play in the Final Four tomorrow! (And maybe even beyond, knock on wood.)

And now forward Khadeem Lattin’s grandmother just passed on Wednesday night. And, since the game is in his hometown of Houston, she was planning on being there! All this sadness. How can I not root for them?!

So, you know I’ll be watching tomorrow, and on Monday night, too, of course, for the Championship game. I’ll weigh-in again after that one, and hope the whole thing isn’t too painful for the non-winners. (That last word is because no one who makes it to the tourney is a “loser,” in my book.)

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2 Comments

  1. I think you should have discussed the dirtiness of the UNC and Syracuse programs. What a terrible example for the NCAA. Boeheim said a few days ago that “rules were broken but Syracuse never cheated.” What?! And UNC’s record of lying and academic fraud can be traced over 18 years but Williams insists he knew nothing about it. I watched a few minutes and realized I didn’t care who won but hoped somehow, both would lose.

    • Karen Salkin on

      I will be addressing that issue this week, in my NCAA Championship column.

      And, I think you join me in saying tonight: Go ‘Nova!!!

      Karen

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