Monday, April 5, 2010

Over the past 20 years, only four teams from outside the Big Six conferences have made it to the national basketball title game. UNLV won it in 1990 by beating Duke, Utah lost to Kentucky in 1998, Memphis lost to Kansas in 2008 and now Butler gets to take on the Blue Devils..
And by the way, Butler didn’t just fall off the turnip truck as far as the NCAA championships are concerned. The Bulldogs are 13-9 since 1962.

The NCAA powers seem intent on expanding the Big Dance, March Madness, National Basketball Championships, whatever you call it, from its present size of 65 teams to an amazing 96. And they’re going to do it come hell or high water, whether you like it or not. Not one person I’ve spoken with or one article I’m seen is in favor of the expansion. So why do it? Money, money, money and the fact that the NCAA doesn’t care what its patrons think or want.

Of the 12 early entrants into the NBA draft, three are from the ACC - Sylven Landesberg, Virginia, Gani Lawal, Georgia Tech and Malcolm Delaney, Virginia Tech. No SEC player has declared yet, but we’re all waiting for the three shoes to fall in Kentucky, and maybe more.
Jeff Demps ran the fastest 100 meters in the world this year in the Florida Relays over the weekend, logging in with a 10.11. Demps, a running back on the University of Florida football team, broke the record set by Nesta Carter of Jamaica in January of 10.15.
 

And just so you’ll know, the two supposed leading candidates for the Boston College basketball coaching job say they’re not interested. Bruce Pearl of Tennessee and Tommy Amaker of Harvard say they’re staying put.
 

Just a note but Johnny Dawkins, the rumored heir apparent to Mike Krzyzewski’s throne at Duke, has compiled a 34-32 record as the head coach at Stanford.

Looking a little bit ahead, Georgia Tech’s football schedule is no walk in the park this year. The Yellow Jackets play three of their first five games on the road (at Kansas, North Carolina and Wake Forest) and then have away games later in the year at Clemson, Virginia Tech and Georgia.
This is Norman Arey and I think Kentucky is going to lose four starters to the NBA.