Bob Knight on ESPN

As I have stated so many times in the last two weeks, I love this time of the year. It’s March Madness, baby.

But this year’s tournament has been especially fun, not only because the Tar Heels are doing so well, but because Bob Knight has offered pithy comments on every game from behind a desk at ESPN.

When the network first announced that he would do this, I had my doubts. After all, he has never been a huge fan of us in the media (“a profession that is two steps above prostitution,” he called us once). I have expected him to rip up a chair and beat Dickie V with it on air.

But he has added so much to the broadcasts this month. He looks at games so much differently than Digger Phelps and Dickie V do, and I have looked forward to each of his analyses. Of course, what do you expect from a coach with 900+ wins.

If you get a chance this weekend, or throughout the week, turn over and watch at least one segment with The General. I couldn’t find a youtube clip, so instead I attached this Top 10 list of his all-time best sound bites. Enjoy.

A night at the Tiki, or not

This may come as a complete shock to you, but I am not a very good dancer. I don’t hate dancing, but I don’t exactly love it either. With a few beverages under my belt, I have been known to make a fool of myself, though.

Saturday night I had a bad feeling that I was going to have to dance sober. Now that is hard. My girlfriend, Joellen, and I were invited to a birthday party at the Tiki Club, a meat-market, er, I mean, dance club in Jonesboro. I really didn’t want to go, but her friend is also a good friend of mine, so I had to.

An aside: I do like The Flame and have been known to bug my friends all night about going there. But the Tiki Club — not so much.

The only stipulation I had was that the Heels were playing at 9 p.m., so we could not leave Joe’s, my regular watering hole, until it ended. She was fine with that because the birthday party was not planned to start until after the game anyway (the celebrant is also a huge Heels fan.)

So the game ended with the Heels headed to San Antonio, and I am feeling pretty good. Sober, but good. I was the DD, which even further added to my desire not to go to the club. After a little more socializing at the bar, we head over to the Tiki around midnight.

Another aside: Let me tell you a little of what I know about the Tiki Club. It has shut down several times recently, I think, and it has a reputation as one of the rougher places in town. There’s about all I care to know about it…

Anyway, we get to the club, and the girl at the front door DENIES us entrance because we didn’t have a membership. After a few minutes of haggling, in which several people walked right in who looked much more unsavory than us, we finally walked back to the car sheepishly.

Amazing. Maybe we didn’t have enough hair gel in or were actually wearing shoes. Honestly, though, even though Joellen was mad, all in all, it was the best night I’ve ever had at the Tiki Club, because it lasted about five minutes.

At first, though, even I was a little mad. This is Sanford, after all, isn’t it. And the Tiki is not a strip club, though it has seemed that way on prior visits. Come on…

But the more I thought about it, the more I see the club owner’s point. The club is obviously trying to clean up its act, and I applaud them for it. I don’t see exactly why we were denied, but hey. You can’t let everyone in.

So, thank you, Tiki Club, for not letting us in Saturday, and good luck in cleaning up your club to the point that good people can go and dance without the riff-raff… Not I, mind you, but other good people in town…

Trick Question: Answer

The largest University in the world, strictly in terms of enrollment, is the University of Phoenix online campus, with more than 115,000 students.

I thought about this after hearing ESPN talking heads blather on about how Wisconsin is one of the largest schools in the country and Davidson is one of the smallest. So I Googled it, and was shocked to find out that Phoenix is the largest — a place you can go to class in your birthday suit. I bet they wouldn’t have great athletics teams, though. Just a bunch of old, fat people in their underwear.

I was also surprised that the second-largest is a community college in Miami. Read the rest of the Top 10 here:

http://encarta.msn.com/encnet/departments/elearning/?article=top10biggestcolleges

Trick question of the day

Without googling, tell me what the largest college in the country is (by enrollment.)

 Answer, along with in-depth analysis, will follow later today.

NCAA Tournament: Weekend two predictions

OK, so all my first and second round predictions were not correct. But really, who would have predicted that Siena and Western Kentucky would become juggernauts? Or that we would have two 12-13 match-ups in the second round? Therein lies the beauty of the first weekend of the tournament. 

Keep in mind, though, that I did call the Davidson run correctly. So I at least know a little something about what I am doing here. And how ’bout them Blue Devils?! I knew they were vastly overrated this year, but I figured they would make it past the first weekend. I’m glad I was wrong.

The second weekend is usually the one that separates the men from the boys. It is almost impossible to pull off a major upset in the Sweet 16 or Final 8, because the great teams have already shaken the nerves of the tournament and are firing on all cylinders. Here is how I see the weekend playing out and the four teams that will head to San Antonio:

East Region
Nobody ever promised the Tar Heels it would be easy. But as Kansas and UCLA enjoy a Sweet 16 match-up with 12 seeds, UNC may have the toughest game they’ll face in the tournament so far. Which is probably good news, since the Heels breezed through the first two rounds. We need a test.I feel like Washington St.’s slowdown style and strong big men may give us trouble, at least for 30 minutes. The key will be staying out of foul trouble and not allowing a big lead early, so when they finally do wear down we can take over. I’ll say that happens, and the Heels survive a scare to move on.

Louisville is playing inspired basketball right now, and I see them having little trouble with Tennessee in the second match-up in Charlotte, setting up a Roy Williams-Rick Pitino showdown in the Elite 8.

In that game, as with most Elite 8 games, all bets are off, though I think the Heels are just playing far too well right now not to make it to San Antonio. To be honest, there were times during the season when I thought we wouldn’t lose a game, but right now, with Lawson back at full speed, we are playing our best ball yet. Guard play wins tourney games. Just ask Davidson. And I think the Heels have three of the best guards in the country right now and will head to the Final Four with them.

Midwest Region

Like the Midwest itself, this region will likely be pretty boring. Though Davidson could make a bid to keep their magic going, I think they are going to run into something in Wisconsin that they have not seen yet — a well-coached team that knows how to defend. The magic ends for Stephen Curry in the Sweet 16, and Kansas will have little trouble with Villanova, setting up Kansas vs. Wisconsin in the Elite 8.

I am hoping that Wisconsin wins, just so Roy doesn’t have to put up with a week’s worth of Kansas questions before the Final Four. But I doubt it will happen. I think Kansas is a great defensive team that is just as potent on offense, and will coast to San Antonio.

South Region

And just like the South itself, this region is pretty backward. No one in the country is picking Memphis to hold on to its top seed and win out. I actually think Michigan State will knock off the Tigers, and the best team in this region is the two-seed, Texas, and will head home to San Antonio after getting tested by Stanford. 

West Region

I think UCLA may be the second-weakest 1 seed right now, but I don’t see anyone in their bracket to knock them off. The Bruins will end the Hilltoppers’ (Western Kentucky) Cinderella run in the Sweet 16 to face Xavier in the Elite 8.

The Bruins may face trouble in the game, but I can’t see Xavier in the final four. But then again, I never predicted Geo. Mason in the Final Four either…

Anything can happen this weekend, but usually the best teams win. That’s why I see UNC, Kansas, Texas and UCLA in the Final Four. More predictions to follow…

A miracle

The most amazing thing just happened to me. I just went to Dr. Moretz for my annual teeth cleaning, and for the first time in my whole life I HAD NO CAVITIES!!! 

 

Honest. I have never left the dentist happy. Beit a pending root canal or even a pulling, my cleanings have always resulted in dread of a pending procedure. Not today, though. I am good for at least another six months!!!

 

Of course, that may be because all my teeth already have fillings…

 

Anyway, I’m working on a story about miracles in advance of the Easter holiday, and Billy has been on me to find someone who has experienced one. I offered my visit to the dentist, but he said no. If you have a story of your own, e-mail me at owens@sanfordherald.com or just comment on this blog. I would love to talk to you!!!

To me it look like a leprechaun to me

In honor of St. Patty’s Day, here is an old classic. Pay close attention to the amateur sketch.  

NCAA Tournament: First and second round predictions

For a printable 2008 NCAA bracket to follow along with, click here

Sunday was one of the best days I have had in a while. Not only was it my birthday, where I got a very generous gift from my mom that will hopefully keep me afloat for a few weeks (thanks, mama), but Carolina also won the ACC tournament and was named the top seed in the NCAA tournament.

March Madness is my favorite time of the year, especially that first weekend. It’s so exciting. I figure I’ll get in at least a couple of pools this year, as will most of you. Here are my thoughts on the first two rounds, which can and will almost certainly separate good brackets from the bad.

Charlotte Bracket

Let’s start with the Heels. Though they are the top seed in the tournament, the selection committee didn’t do them any favors. I would expect them to get out of the first game, but by the second round the trouble could start. Indiana is a team with a whole lot to prove. Yes they lost their coach and have all but fell apart, but this is a talented squad nonetheless that was ranked as high as 12th in the regular season. And Arkansas was in the SEC tourney’s final game and could make some noise as well.

I expect Notre Dame and Winthrop to win, setting up a good second round game. And Louisville will meet Oklahoma in the second round, though neither of those teams excite me. Butler will win the 7-10 wash, and Tennessee will breeze through as well

As for the teams making it to Charlotte, I think the Heels will face Notre Dame and Oklahoma will play Tennessee.

Detroit Bracket

Kansas will have little trouble making it to Detroit, with an easy first two rounds. They’ll handle their 16, whoever Portland St. is, and UNLV.

As for who they’ll face there, though, that is a little tougher. I like the way Clemson is playing, but Villanova is also a dangerous team, as all Big East teams are. I think the Tigers will win, though, and face Vandy in the second round. And I am going to go out on a limb and say Clemson makes it to Detroit, too, and could test Kansas (more on that next week. Maybe.)

USC-Kansas St. may be the best first round game of the tourney, with two of the biggest stars in the country going head to head. I’m going to go out on a limb and say Michael Beasley, err, KSU, wins. Any star, if he is the true player of the year, can carry his team through one game against anyone. I’m betting that Beasley is a little better than O.J. Mayo.

They’ll face Wisconsin in the second round. The Badgers will stop Beasley and go to Detroit.

As for the bottom of the bracket, let me preface this by saying that every tournament has some major upsets. And the Davidson Wildcats took the Heels to the wire earlier this year. I think Davidson will beat Gonzaga, which I don’t see as much of an upset, and then beat Georgetown and go to Detroit. There, I said it. They are a very good team and Stephen Curry is as good a player as there is in the country.

Houston Bracket

Memphis has a cakewalk in the first two rounds as well and should have no trouble with their 16 or Mississippi St.

Wow, Temple made the tournament? Good for them. Too bad it will likely be a short trip. Mich. St. will win, but lose to Pitt in the second round.

Kentucky made it too? And Va. Tech is at home? Travesty. But I think maybe the Wildcats will win a couple of games in this thing, against Marquette and Stanford, and Billy Gillespie’s new job will be safe for a year.

Try as I might, I just can’t make myself think Miami wins a game. The committee didn’t do them any favors with St. Mary’s a good basketball team from a good mid-major conference. I think St. Mary’s will win, but it doesn’t matter because Texas is the best team in this region and will coast to Houston.

Phoenix Bracket

This may be the only region harder than the Charlotte one. And thank God Duke is in it. UCLA will beat their 16, but may have some trouble against Texas A&M, though I think they’ll win.

And I think Drake will win, too, making it the first year in a long time that a 12 has not beaten a 5. (I think Villanova might have the best chance to prove me wrong on that one.) Drake will beat Connecticut as well in the second round.

Baylor will pull of the upset of this region, beating Purdue. They’ll also likely play Xavier well, but lose a hard-fought game. There’s just something about the Drew family and tourney time. I can’t explain it.

West Virginia will havev no problem against an Arizona team that got in solely on name recognition, but (and this hurts to say,) Duke will coast to Phoenix.

On Thursday, after the pools have been set, I will post my entire bracket. See you then.

Drive-By Truckers on Conan

Here’s something to listen to as you read my rather long review of Into the Wild. It is my favorite band, Drive-By Truckers, on Conan O’Brien’s show Tuesday night. The quality isn’t great, but it is a great song by an even better band. Enjoy!!!

The song is a tribute to the Harvey family of Richmond, Va. all of whom were brutally murdered on New Year’s Eve, 2006. 
Bryan Harvey was a well-known musician in the area. It’s a sad story that draws parallels to today’s headlines, wherein a 17 year-old was charged not only with Eve Carson’s murder but that of a Duke grad student as well.

What’s wrong with people? 

Into the Wild: A Review

Watching the previews of this movie, you would think it was a remake of Call of the Wild, the old movie I grew up watching based on Jack London’s masterpiece.

 

It is anything but that. I recalled hearing some things about the story of Christopher McCandless, a vagabond whose plight was self-imposed when he decided to skip out on all the obligations of everyday life for a life on the road and, inevitably, in the woods of Alaska. 

 

SPOILER ALERT!!! If you don’t know the story, stop reading here. 

 

But I didn’t recall that he died in the end. So I watched the whole movie hoping that Chris, or Alexander Supertramp, as he called himself, would find himself. Find that truth we all seek. Then go back home, or at least return to society, a better person, teaching other what he had learned.

 

That didn’t happen. Moose hunters found his starved body in the bus he lived in for more than three months soon after he died, leaving us to only speculate on what happened and the truths he uncovered.

 

But back to the movie itself. I enjoyed it, and I found myself wanting to learn more about McCandless after watching it. Superb acting by Emile Hursh, who up until now was known more for his role in The Girl Next Door than anything else, and the rest of the ensemble cast that included Vince Vaughn (playing his same Vince Vaughn character, mind you) and Hal Holbrook. And the scenery was breath-taking.

 

But I do think the whole thing was over-romanticized by Sean Penn, who adapted Jon Krakauer’s book for the movie. In fact, I think Krakauer did a little romanticizing himself.

 

McCandless can be a hero to those who see only the ills of society, but if you really think about it, it was the richness of the world he lived in that allowed him to assume the life of a hermit in the first place.

 

It all seems a bit hypocritical. We all should be so lucky to have a trust fund to donate to charity, which he does right before he leaves on his “journey.” It was that money that gave him four years at one of the top universities in the country, which opened his eyes to the world’s excess. Nevermind that tuition to that college, Emory University, is more than many people make in a year.

 

If McCandless wanted to “rough it,” he should have spent a day as a single mother with three kids trying to make a paycheck last for a month. You can’t really pass judgment on the excesses of society when all you’ve seen all your life are the excesses. For most people, the world is not fake, as he sees his parents’ lives together. It is very real. The bills are due every month, and the world don’t slow down for anyone.

 

A hermit dies in a bus in Alaska and we call him a hero. Penn makes a movie about him. A hermit sends pipe bombs through the mail and we call him the Unabomber. He’s lucky to have such a lack of responsibilities that he could move out to a bus in the first place. 

 

Still, I would recommend the movie. Just don’t take it too seriously.