Now for some musings on a weekend vacationing in the Land of Overinflated Balls.
Otherwise known as the Greatest Weekend in Sports, the opening two rounds of the NCAA tournament.
Have no comments on the testicularity of it all. But can say from a personal standpoint, my eyes are crying for a rest, and my stomach is yelping, “Enough with the popcorn.”
* * * * *
As for the hoops, a significant dialog has been the lament over the demise of Cinderfellas.
Which is, frankly, the foreseeable and inevitable Now of college hoops, given NIL and Transfer Portal machinations.
You think 20-12 Alabama Birmingham might have had a few more dubs and been dancing had one of the Blazers’ starting forwards gone by the name Yaxel Lendeborg?
So, yeah, it’s the way of world these days.
We still had High Point. And VCU coming back from 19 down to beat North Carolina, biggest deficit overcome in 1st round history. And St. Louis turning Georgia over under sideways down.
And Furman and Siena and California Baptist making things interesting.
But, for the second straight year, no 13-15 seed won a game.
Decry if you must, it’s still the greatest show this side of Barnum & Bailey.
* * * * *
Let’s consider Iowa for a second or two.
Not just for taking down the defending champion Gators, and doing so by outcoaching (and outplaying) them at the critical moment.
The Hawkeyes are now mentored by Ben McCollum, who two years ago was at Northwest Missouri State, where he won a quartet of DII championships.
Last season, he moved on to Drake, bringing along his star, Bennett Stirtz. The Bulldogs went 31-4, won the Missouri Valley, and upended Mizzou in the Round of 64.
So, after a lone season of extreme success there, he was snatched up by Iowa, which finally tired of Fran McCaffery’s crankiness.
Stirtz followed him to Iowa City, along with fellow Bulldogs, Cam Manyawu, Tavion Banks and Kael Combs. Smaller college dudes who fashioned the biggest upset of this opening weekend.
Oh yeah, there’s that other guy.
Alvaro Folgueiras. The fellow who made the shot.
He’s a portal mover from Robert Morris, a school still beloved by UK Wildcat dislikers hither and yon.
Yes Iowa is still Iowa, from the Big Ten, the league with the most schools standing, six of 16, but that gang would probably be here if they were Drake.*
*A history lesson for you youngsters. Drake gave UCLA the biggest scare of the Lew Alcindor run to three straight titles. In the ’69 national semi, contested at Freedom Hall. The Bruins survived 85-82. The refs let Drake sub and future world class decathlete Rick Wanamaker batter UCLA’s famous center, who still got 25 and 21. But that allowed Willie Wise and Dolph Pulliam and Willie McCarter to make it a game.
Texas is the other P4 afterthought that still survives, from the First Four actually.
Iowa may be somewhat, arguably cute and lovable.
Texas, uh, no.
* * * * *
Iowa’s next foe is conference pal, neighboring Nebraska.
The Nebrasketballers are a nice story actually.
The Huskers won their first NCAA game ever. Had so much fun, they did it again, surviving a last second halfcourt bounceout heave from Vandy’s Tyler Tanner.*
*Over inflated Wilson Evo NXT conspiracy theorists have at it.
The OKC arena was packed to the gills with Cornhusker fans. Giving Fred Hoiberg’s troops the proverbial home court advantage.
I couldn’t help but think back fondly to Market Square Arena on March 24, 1980.
The Cardinals, with a significant home court advantage in close by Indy, prevailed as we know, 59-54. Freedom Hall North we called the gym.*
*Which was also the site of Elvis Presley’s last concert.
So, Nebraska, if not exactly an underdog, or a Cinderfella, is a pretty neat story too.
* * * * *
My favorite moments from the first weekend:
Watching St. John’s vs. Kansas with my ex-, the Film Babe, a huge RP fangirl. While partaking in some deepdish from Chicago’s famous Lou Malnati’s. (You can get it here in Louisville at Fresh Market.)
The final 10 seconds of regulation of Kentucky vs. Santa Clara. Three lead changes. Three clutch shots, including that midcourt make that sent the game to OT.
Herb Sendek, your players should have known from practice to foul three points up.
* * * * *
A last thought on the whole darling underdog George Mason thing.
When it gets to Weekend II, I like the cream to have arrived at the top.
I want to see the Big Boys slug it out.
And, ladies and gents, that’s what we got coming up.
* * * * *
Especially in Friday’s East Regional.
Where the participants have an estimable 15 national titles (kinda) amongst ’em.
UConn with six crowns faces two-time titleholder Michigan State.
Duke with five championships will battle St. John’s, still looking for their first crown, but coached by Brioni- wearing Rick Pitino, who has a couple and is fully capable and desirous of adding a third at a third school to his resumé.
That regional alone should have hoopaholics on OD alert.
I’m not going to go through the other games. Other than to say there are reasons that very matchup is compelling.
Illinois O vs. Houston D.
Arizona vs. Whatever Calipari and Acuff can pull out of their hat.
Etc, etc.
— c d kaplan
I’ve seen several posts across the Intertubes praising CRP for taking all his teams deep into the Big Dance. My question is, why can’t he keep a job?
Because he isn’t a stable individual, and although slicker, and a schmoozer when he wants to be, he can be a supreme dickhead like Bobby Petrino. Hell of a coach though.
In all fairness he’s only been fired twice that I am aware of. By us, and by the Celtics.
A coach he is and a hall of fame one at that. He has no problem being employed should he wish to be.
He had a problem for a while. At least here in the US he did. Had to go to Greece, where the fans smoke tobacco and literally shoot off bottle rockets in the arena. I thought it was hilarious that he had to deal with that. It’s typical that as time goes by, his bad reputation faded, and his talent got him hired again. At his age, and with college basketball being a free agency now, I don’t see him shitting the bed again like he did here with the mismanagement, lack of oversight, and man whoring around town. He was a scandal machine here, unfortunately. People don’t realize how much he drank. I don’t know about now, but dude was always in the bars up and down Franfort Ave, including mine. Always had an entourage, and a driver. He NEVER drove himself. Smart. Never saw Joanne out. Not once.
Word of warning to the unaware here. Scorp is even less an RP fan than I am. Should you be inclined to “discuss” the matter with him here, he’ll match you comment for comment.
That RP was out and about carousing with his pals and no Joanne is a given. But Gerstles? No offense. It just doesn’t seem like his kind of place. Wow. Plus you had no banquettes there that I recall.
When Nervous Melvin and the Mistakes played. Yep. Pals + 1. He was there quite often, with the young lady in the entourage who obviously tried to hide that she was with him, but didn’t do a very good job of it. I always assumed it was because she liked Nervous Melvin. I don’t know for sure.
Anyway, dude loved to drink and party. Frankfort Avenue was his main hangout. So yeah, Gerstle’s, Deitrich’s, Red Lounge, and of course…Porcini. Probably others.
Pretty much everyone came to Gerstle’s, Seedy. Except you for obvious reasons. The live music brought in alI kinds of people. I saw Denny and Susan in one night. They came to see a guy who was a small time national act. Can’t recall his name. A guy known nationally, but obviously not a big draw. I sponsored WFPK Live Lunch for a while. The program director Dan Reed used to set me up with national acts that would draw and were a good fit for Gerstle’s. Acts like Chip Taylor, Unknown Henson, James McMurtry, Roger Clyne and The Peacemakers, etc. Tom Jurich did two live Sports Talk 84 shows with Tony Cruise. We were HOT. One of THE places in town to be. All ages 21 and over.
Dan Reed was my pal. He’s the guy who got me started doing film reviews and shtick on FPK. Unknown was his buddy. Reed once had him call in while I was on air, and all the guy did was give me shit. Sorry I missed McMurtry, he’s a talent of the highest order. Brilliant stuff, funny, poignant insightful, often kind of dark. Heard a song of his the other day on radio I’d never heard. I was gobsmacked by the lyrics.
Yeah, I pretty much stopped runnin’ the bars in ’82 when I got sober. Headliners every once in awhile to hear a band. Lucinda during her Car Wheels . . . tour. Couple of others. That was it.
I think Dan Reed may have been the first or second PD for WFPK. He was the best, and we haven’t gotten back to that level. He got Non-Comm radio convention programming to Louisville. We had artists playing gigs in small places and popups on downtown streets. As I recall, Old Crow Medicine Show was playing outside somewhere, their first Louisville appearance. Patti Smith did a Headliners Show that certainly exceeded capacity, you couldn’t fit another person in that venue. And yes, we had the Culture Maven on film, and probably concerts too. Then Reed went to WXPN, the home of the Non-Comm convention, and I think that was the end of Non-Comm in Louisville.
Dan is a hell of a great guy. He really helped me out a lot when I was sponsoring Live Lunch. Some of the acts required Headliners. The ones that he knew would fit in Gerstle’s and he knew would draw a live crowd he would feed to me. If they had someone in town playing Live Lunch that the listeners liked, but wouldn’t draw a good live crowd, he would tell me not to book them. He had his hand on the pulse. Had the lay of the land down pat. He knew what was going on for sure. Hated losing him to World Cafe, but happy for him to step up in his career.
Unknown gave shit to everyone. I actually missed that show because I was in California. I returned to an autographed picture of him hanging in my office that said something to the effect of, “You better git yo ass back to Louisville!” – Unknown Henson. My employees thought he was awesome. He would come around at Derby time. The next year I talked with him on the phone (he was business like) and he said he thought he was going to need a bigger place that year. He played the Phoenix Hill rooftop, and I went down to see him.
Hallelujah let us sing the praises of the multi-generational Mecca that was Gerstle’s ❤️❤️❤️
My daughters are now 33 & 30 and living in NYC but they affectionately call your former establishment “ Club G” / it was their go-to place & at the holidays when in from their College of Charleston ( yes that one – Bobby Cremins – Pat Kelsey – Chris Mack). My girls loved getting their Dad out to Club G for cocktails – good on ya Scorpio – when did you sell ?
Speaking of the Patriots of George Mason, Coach Tony Skinn, known for being a star guard on their 2006 Final Four team, might be one the next “hot names” to fill a coaching vacancy.
not that it matters, but if you can rewatch the end of the Florida-Iowa game,
Alvaro Folgueiras takes 3 steps after catching the pass and then shooting his “3” It seems VISA’s have been issued to both college and NBA players with full travel permision
I did not see the play but just looked at the video, and I disagree. He caught the pass with his pivot foot behind the line, didn’t move it once, brought his other foot behind the line and jumped. Clean. I’m normally one that sees uncalled travelling everywhere but not in this case. 🙂
I agree with Mark. I saw no traveling.
I’ve been reading & listening to people chime in on Florida’s shocking loss &! I think the thing that bugged me most was how easy Stirtz got thru Florida’s Swiss cheese defensive set on the last play –
Actually Was worse than I even suspected – Seth Greenberg & others pointing to what horrible defensive set Todd Golden & staff employed
There were like :04+ seconds left – not :02 where you wouldn’t wanna be Christian Laetnered on a long pass & shoot
So instead of putting a defender on the guy taking the ball out they should have fronted & double teamed the guard Stirtz who actually was gonna get the ball – anything to slow him down a bit –
Even Worse than that the only thing that beats you is a 3 pointer / and if Stirtz decides not to just keep the ball and go downhill like the St Johns kid did –
Florida has got to be tight on the wings to avoid exactly what happened &!
Folgueiras had space & swished a wide open 3
Essentially putting a man on the ball being taken out set up a 3 on 2 break
I thought Todd Golden was a better coach than that tbh
Seth Greenberg went viral on Golden’s strategy. Guy and his team made a mistake. It happens. He’s far from the first good coach to do so. Won a natty in his 3d season at top level at age 39.
I too was surprised, but pleasantly so, love the underdog stories. I thought Florida would join Michigan, Arizona and St. John’s in FF.
Players travel only when the refs wish to call it. No objective criteria as I have watched 500 games this year.
I see what you did there…over under sideways down.
Go Yardbirds!
Two things went in Kentucky’s favor: officials managed to ignore Sendeck’s time out signal and the clock operator was a little late with the clicker.
Did I miss it, or did Seedy fail to mention Santa Clara as one of the almost upsets of the slapdicks? Hard to wade through all of that word chicken salad and understand what he trying to say.
You can send off to Seedy K Central Office and order an official Seedy K Decoder Ring. Only $149.95 +$12.50 shipping and handling.
Correct, did fail to mention Santa Clara over UK possible upset. Part oversight, part that it was 7/10 game, close to pick ’em. At least in my mind. Apologies for any consternation my omission might have caused.
Thanks!