You have to live in Kentucky/Indiana (or maybe the Triangle area in NC) to understand the kind of passion for college hoops that exists here. It’s pretty crazy – men and women of all ages just eat this stuff up every year, but this year it is especially pervasive. Louisville has cruised through the NCAA tournament thus far, after being seeded way too low, and appears a good bet to make the Final Four after dismantling top-seeded Washington tonight. Kentucky has not looked as good but is still verymuch alive for a Final Four run. I cannot imagine what this town will be like if both make it that far.
By the way, I need to point something out about the Big Ten. Some people may argue that it’s a great conference because of the fact that, at the moment, three teams are still playing. I hasten to point out, though, that none of those three teams has beaten a team any higher than a 9 seed to date in the tournament. I expect that their number will shrink tomorrow.
IMPORTANT NOTE: In the midst of all the hoops, don’t forget to tune in to a great match in World Cup qualifying on Sunday. The US team, ranked 10th in the latest FIFA rankings, will play Mexico in a very VERY hostile crowd in Mexico City. The match, for some reason, is relegated to ESPN2 at 1 pm (at least it’s on!). Should be a lot of fun. The World Cup, the one sporting event I like better than March Madness, is only a year away!