UK Countdown to Coronation - Can Kentucky Wildcats make History?

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America's only Real Reality Show

With the announcement of the NCAA March Madness brackets today America will once again enter the era of peace brought about when college hoops overwhelm political procrastination and all the other nonsense that dominates the nightly news.

Finally, television will be filled with real reality TV, not the manufactured BS fed to us by idiotic television producers, writers, studios, and sponsors.  What you see is what really happened from the tears to the cheers, the Cinderella stories to the last second upsets.  You will see power and prayers compete for dominance as 67 teams set out to derail the mighty Kentucky Wildcats.

UK, America's most dominant and legendary basketball citadel will again make a run for the national championship and along the way will be shattering NCAA records every step.  In fact, this is one year when Kentucky, who many people love to hate, may just win over a few million fans to the legacy of Lexington hoops.

UK secret weapon, Ashley Judd

I am a devoted Wildcat fan, but the Arizona variety not Kentucky.  You see, I played basketball for the University of Arizona of the PAC 12 back when UCLA, our main opponent, was winning national championships every year.  It was not until much later we discovered boosters were paying some of the UCLA players a salary, illegal of course, during that incredible John Wooden run.

For those of you too young to appreciate history, Wooden, the Wizard of Westwood, won ten national championships in 12 years including seven in a row, feats that will never happen again.  Between 1964 and 1975, UCLA won the ten national basketball championships and won again in 1995 for a total of eleven.  Kentucky has won eight.  However, UK wins spanned from 1948 until 2012, and most likely number 11 will come in 2015, spanning 67 years.  Overall Kentucky has the most wins of all schools in history with 2,208.

There are three teams in the top five nicknamed the Wildcats, Kentucky, Arizona, and Villanova.  If Kentucky and Arizona keep winning, they will meet in the final four semi-finals.  All three of these Wildcats could be in the final four, something that has never happened before.  Of course the University of Arizona would have to beat number one seeded Wisconsin to get to the final four.

UK Coach Calipari

 The road to the championship begins Tuesday, St. Patrick's Day, March 17, and ends the day after Easter, April 6, at Indianapolis.  The last team to have a perfect record and win the championship was Indiana in 1976 when they finished 32-0.  UK is already undefeated and 34-0 with six games to win to be champion.  If they do win, it will shatter the 32 game unbeaten- record for the year and UK would be 40-0.

Stay tuned for some of the top games in the early rounds.

Did I mention the only national championship won by Arizona was in 1997 and they beat, guess who, Kentucky.  Arizona prevented UK from winning three in a row.

Goooooo Cats or Kats.

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CPT TWIT - March Madness - Action behind the Action

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Forget the floor and look at the sideline for the NCAA March Madness action you may have missed.

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The Scoopala on the Hoopala - March Madness is Here!!!

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At long last the college basketball season is over and the conference tournaments have left more questions than answers so it must be time for March Madness when men become boys watching the boys become men playing.

Thank God for sports in America and the Super Bowl, Rose Bowl, Orange Bowl, March Madness, World Series and every other athletic showcase that separates the best from the rest.

If we had to live only with the news, politics and current events the suicide rate would be ten times higher in America, the gambling industry would be dead, and guys would have so much more time to spend with their girls the divorce rate would probably double.

Think of the economic impact from sports.  Billions spent in pools, billions more spent on booze, and for the first time we will know the economic impact when potheads try to keep up with the high speed boys in shorts.  We can actually measure the economic impact in Colorado (where it is legal) and also poll the fans to see how many even realize the University of Colorado is in the tournament.

"Hey man, what the hell is a Buffalo doing running up and down the court?  I thought we were watching B-ball not National Geographic."

This will also be the first time in history we have a billion dollar pool thanks to The Sage of Omaha Warren Buffett and speaking of Omaha the Creighton Blue Jays are also in the tourney along with player of the year candidate Doug McDermott.

The last two national champions, Kentucky intra-state rivals the Louisville Cardinals and the University of Kentucky Wildcats are in the same bracket and will have to play in the third round, long before the championship game.

One of the #1 seeds, the University of Arizona, is my alma mater where I played on the Wildcats team long ago and should have a good shot at winning it all but the field is well balanced and any number of teams could win.

From now until April 7 we can forget about the world and join our families and friends in one of the greatest reality shows in the world, the NCAA Basketball championships.  These kids have spent their entire lives working for this moment.

Most world and national championships like the Super Bowl, World Series, World Cup and even the Olympics give the players multiple chances to win since they can always qualify the next year but once your college career is over there will never be another chance to win in your lifetime.

Of course the cheerleaders add glamour and energy to the proceedings and it is their only moment in the national spotlight as well.  Come to think of it there should be a contest for the best cheerleading squad as well.

So here is some of the scoopala...

Watch Doug McDermott of Creighton, the smoothest shooter in the nation, continue to set records.

Will the only unbeaten team in America, Wichita State, survive?  They have to get past Kentucky, St. Louis and Louisville in the first three rounds.

Can #1 Florida keep it up after escaping a loss to Kentucky in the last second of their last game?

What conference will win the most games?  What conferences may not exist next year?

Will there be a Cinderella team this year (San Diego State?)?

Which teams will self-destruct in the closing minutes when a player forgets the team and seeks individual glory?

What better way to end the Winter of our discontent than letting your globes get glued to the radiation generator screen and cheering for the underdogs.  Move over Putin, we got better things to worry about.

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Cheering Our Way to the BCS Championship

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As conference champions take shape and BCS bowl invitations are on the line there are some great match-ups this weekend.  Here is what Mike Huguenin, Rivals.com College Football Editor has to say about the weekend line up.

The SEC East title will be decided when South Carolina visits Florida. Auburn can clinch the SEC West if it beats Georgia. Iowa, Wisconsin and Ohio State can stay tied atop the Big Ten with Michigan State (which is idle) is they win this week. Oklahoma State travels to reeling Texas trying to stay on top of the Big 12 South standings. There are numerous games in the ACC that will impact the division races. Oregon travels to play California, which is unbeaten at home this season. Boise State and TCU bid to remain unbeaten.

Big Ten Conf All

Michigan State (10)  5-1, 9-1
Wisconsin (6)  4-1, 8-1
Ohio State (8)  4-1, 8-1
Iowa (13)  4-1, 7-2
Penn State  3-2, 6-3
Illinois  3-3, 5-4
Purdue  2-3, 4-5
Michigan  2-3, 6-3
Northwestern  2-3, 6-3
Indiana  0-5, 4-5
Minnesota  0-6, 1-9

Iowa (7-2) at Northwestern (6-3), noon, ESPN
THE BUZZ: Iowa was lucky to come away with a win at Indiana last week and plays host to Ohio State next week. Thus, the Hawkeyes better beware of the Wildcats. Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz got his 100th career victory last week.
THE LINE: Iowa by 10. THE PICK: Iowa 28-23

Indiana (4-5) at Wisconsin (8-1), noon, ESPN2
THE BUZZ: The Badgers, who are looking good for a BCS bid, have won 11 of the past 13 in the series. In its past four meetings with Indiana, Wisconsin has averaged 305.8 rushing yards per game.
THE LINE: Wisconsin by 21.5. THE PICK: Wisconsin 44-20

Penn State (6-3) at Ohio State (8-1), 3:30 p.m., ABC regional/ESPN
THE BUZZ: The Buckeyes, who were off last week, begin a difficult final regular-season stretch; they are at Iowa next week and finish up with a home game against archrival Michigan. Buckeyes coach Jim Tressel is 6-3 against Penn State.
THE LINE: Ohio State by 18. THE PICK: Ohio State 33-17

Southeastern Conf All

East
Florida (24)  4-3, 6-3
South Carolina (22)  4-3, 6-3
Georgia  3-4, 5-5
Kentucky  1-5, 5-5
Vanderbilt  1-5, 2-7
Tennessee  0-5, 3-6

West
Auburn (2)  6-0, 10-0
LSU (5)  5-1, 8-1
Alabama (11)  4-2, 7-2
Arkansas (14)  4-2, 7-2
Mississippi State (17)  3-2, 7-2
Mississippi  1-4, 4-5

Georgia (5-5) at Auburn (10-0), 3:30 p.m., CBS
THE BUZZ: This is the 114th meeting in the Deep South's most-played rivalry. Get this: Through 113 games, the teams are separated by just 56 points (Georgia 1,778, Auburn 1,722). Georgia has won on five of its past seven trips to "The Loveliest Village on the Plains." Meanwhile, everyone in that Village is on pins and needles waiting to hear the next report concerning Cameron Newton.
THE LINE: Auburn by 8.5. THE PICK: Auburn 38-27

Mississippi State (7-2) at Alabama (7-2), 7:15 p.m., ESPN2
THE BUZZ: This will be the 94th meeting in the series -- the campuses are just 75 miles apart -- and the Tide leads 73-18-3, including 39-9-1 in Tuscaloosa. The Tide is coming off a loss to LSU that knocked them out of the running for the national title and also for the SEC West crown.
THE LINE: Alabama by 13.5. THE PICK: Alabama 23-14

South Carolina (6-3) at Florida (6-3), 7:15 p.m., ESPN
THE BUZZ: This is for the SEC East title. Florida leads the series 23-4-3, and the Gators are looking to finish 5-0 against division foes for the third season in a row and for the 11th time since the SEC expanded in 1992. The Gators are going for their 12th SEC East title, the Gamecocks their first.
THE LINE: Florida by 6.5. THE PICK: South Carolina 20-17

Louisiana-Monroe (4-5) at LSU (8-1), 7 p.m., ESPN GamePlan

THE BUZZ: This is just the second meeting all-time between the schools, which are about 150 miles apart. LSU is 33-0 all-time against current members of the Sun Belt Conference. This is ULM's third SEC West opponent of the season; it already has lost to Arkansas and Auburn.
THE LINE: LSU by 32.5. THE PICK: LSU 35-7

Big 12 Conf All

North Division
Nebraska (9)  4-1, 8-1
Missouri (20)  3-2, 7-2
Kansas State  3-3, 6-3
Iowa State  3-3, 5-5
Kansas  1-4, 3-6
Colorado  0-5, 3-6

South Division
Oklahoma State (12)  4-1, 8-1
Baylor  4-2, 7-3
Texas A&M (23)  3-2, 6-3
Oklahoma (19)  3-2, 7-2
Texas Tech  3-4, 5-4
Texas  2-4, 4-5

Texas Tech (5-4) at Oklahoma (7-2), 3:30 p.m., ABC regional/ESPN GamePlan
THE BUZZ: The Sooners didn't play well on either side of the ball in losing at Texas A&M last week, and they need to rebound quickly to remain in the hunt for the Big 12 South title. Tech's pass defense has been sieve-like, which should mean a big day for OU QB Landry Jones and WR Ryan Broyles.
THE LINE: Oklahoma by 14.5. THE PICK: Oklahoma 40-24

Kansas (3-6) at Nebraska (8-1), 7 p.m.
THE BUZZ: Nebraska owns KU, holding a 90-23-2 series lead. The Huskers expect starting QB Taylor Martinez to be back in the lineup. Kansas has been bad against the run, which means the Huskers should be able to run wild. This is KU coach Turner Gill's first game against his alma mater.
THE LINE: Nebraska by 35. THE PICK: Nebraska 56-17

Oklahoma State (8-1) at Texas (4-5), 8 p.m., ABC regional/ESPN GamePlan
THE BUZZ: Texas has lost five of its past six, and a dispirited bunch now has to face a high-powered Oklahoma State offense. The Cowboys are in the driver's seat in the Big 12 South, but they are 2-22 against Texas all-time. Oklahoma State QB Brandon Weeden has 26 TD passes and nine picks; Texas QB Garrett Gilbert has seven TD passes and 14 picks.
THE LINE: Oklahoma State by 5.5. THE PICK: Oklahoma State 34-24

Pacific-10 Conf All

Oregon (1)  6-0, 9-0
Stanford (7)  5-1, 8-1
Arizona (18)  4-2, 7-2
Oregon State  3-2, 4-4
USC  3-3, 6-3
California  3-3, 5-4
Arizona State  2-4, 4-5
UCLA  2-4, 4-5
Washington  2-4, 3-6
Washington State  0-7, 1-9

Oregon (9-0) at California (5-4), 7:30 p.m., Versus
THE BUZZ: Cal is 4-0 at home and has played much better in Berkeley than on the road. Oregon has outscored opponents 215-48 in the second half and has allowed just seven fourth-quarter points.
THE LINE: Oregon by 20. THE PICK: Oregon 58-28

Stanford (8-1) at Arizona State (4-5), 7:30 p.m., Fox Sports Arizona/Fox College Sports
THE BUZZ: Stanford has scored at least 30 points in each game this season, the longest such streak in school history. Stanford has outscored foes 226-71 in the first half and hasn't trailed at halftime this season. Arizona State has to win to become bowl-eligible; the Sun Devils have two FCS victories, meaning they need to get to seven to be eligible for a bowl bid.
THE LINE: Stanford by 5.5. THE PICK: Stanford 40-28

USC (6-3) at Arizona (7-2), 8 p.m., ABC regional/ESPN GamePlan
THE BUZZ: The Trojans lead the series 26-7, and Arizona's victory last season snapped USC's seven-game winning streak in the series. USC beat Arizona State last week and now goes for the sweep of the Pac-10's Arizona schools. This is the last Saturday game of the season for Arizona, which has a Friday game and a Thursday game left on the schedule.
THE LINE: Arizona by 4. THE PICK: Arizona 37-31
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