The Weekend that Was

Some March Madness quick thoughts:

• Really, this bracket is so chalk it's not even funny. I can't remember the last time it was this heavily seeded. A 7 seed is the lowest in the Sweet 16??


• So long, Wisconsin. Looks to me like you were never really that good to begin with. If only Kammron Taylor played as well for 40 minutes as he does in the last 5 minutes of each game.


• I was really sad that VCU lost after such a great comeback, and of course after their upset of Duke. If NBA scouts aren't at least taking a look at Eric Maynor at this point, they're crazy.


• I think not filling out a bracket was a great move this year. I loved being able to root fully for Purdue all game yesterday.


• To that end, is there a more over-hyped, over-rated player in the entire universe than Joakim Noah? He's *maybe* the third-best player on his team (Horford, Brewer), and yet every single media person/commentator (when they're not unaware of being on the air, Dickie V.) strokes him off like he's the best player in the country. Dude can't shoot, he's uglier than sin, and other than yelling each time he gets a rebound (think Moses Scurry, circa 1990-91 UNLV) and blocking an occasional shot, what does he bring to the table? And yet he gets every single call. He's like the Duke of centers (overrated, refs spoil him). I really hope someone kicks him in the nuts in the next game or two.


• I really think that if OSU had played any other #9 seed, that game wouldn't have been close. The Xavier kids really seem(ed) pissed off at Thad Matta. I will be surprised if OSU struggles with Tennessee as much as they did with Xavier.


• Along those lines, Ron Lewis = icewater veins; Greg Oden = lucky as hell that his cross-check wasn't rightfully called a flagrant/intentional foul (all late-game fouls are inherently intentional, of coursr, but usually you don't see people getting away with shoving a guy 15 feet with both arms). Along the lines of Noah, I think that depsite all of the love Oden gets, Conley is by far the best overall player on that team.


• That said, if I have a game-winning shot that needs to be taken in this tournament, I'd want the following guys to take it: 1) Chris Lofton 2) Ron Lewis. Hopefully, Thursday's game comes down to several last shots!


• From what I remember of the end of the Cavs game, the following things happened: 1) LeBron had 17 rebounds. Wow. 2) The Cavs won. 3) Carlos Boozer had a great game, despite all of the booing. Have we learned nothing Cleveland fans? Al Belle, the Ravens, Manny Ramirez... anyone that comes back and you boo, they're going to be motivated to burn you again. 4) Cavs have now won 8 in a row, and coupled with the Pistons' loss on Sunday are now only 1.5 games behind Detroit for the #1 seed. 5) Drew Gooden in a post-game interview with a towel wrapped around his head, coupled with my several-beers-impaired-vision, made him look like Jim Brown's character in "Mars Attacks". Not sure if that's good or bad.


• I did some of the best Black and Tan pouring of my life on Saturday, when the pressure was on. My wife was at the top of her game. She coordinated the production and release of Tostitos Scoops with three dips, two batches of cookies, a frozen pizza, and white pizza cheese dip and French bread with the aplomb of a Top Chef. Thanks, love.


• Our ornery dog, now around 10 years old, has recently figured out how to paw at the closet-style door to our basement and open it while we're not at home, thus meaning we now have to make sure we don't leave any food or doggie-contraband in the basement family room area (whereas we used to be safe). We came home from dinner last night to find he had launched a full-scale offensive: the whole door was off its track and swinging in the proverbial breeze. I am not too proud a man to admit defeat. The door now will stay open when we're gone. He's won the battle. The war rages on!

I think that's it for now. Yep, this is my life.