Issue # 11.4.3 “What Happened?” (F4 Preview + FF Recap)

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2023 NCAA FINAL FOUR @ Houston, Texas 4th Final Four (’71 (Astrodome), ’11 (Reliant Stadium), ’16 (NRG Stadium))  –  –  –  Hosted by U. of Houston (American Athletic Conf) (3rd Final Four), Rice U. (Conf USA) (4th Final Four), Houston Christian U. (Southland Conf) (1st Final Four), and Texas Southern U. (Southwestern Athletic Conf) (2nd Final Four)  – The Floor
First Semifinal	Second Semifinal
#5-South (Seed #17, NET #14, AP #18) Louisville, Kentucky (7th Regional) Hosted by U. of Louisville	#9-East (Seed #33, NET #13, AP #25) New York City, New York (12th Regional) – Hosted by Big East Conf and St. John’s U.	#5-Midwest (Seed #20, NET #35, AP #16) Kansas City, Missouri (16th Regional) Hosted by Big 12 Conf	#4-West (Seed #13, NET #8, AP #10) Las Vegas, Nevada (1st Regional) Hosted by U. of Nevada, Las Vegas
San Diego State University Aztecs (31-6)	Florida Atlantic University Owls (35-3)	University of Miami Hurricanes (29-7)	University of Connecticut Huskies (29-8)
Mountain West Conference – Regular Season and Tourney Champs San Diego, California 1st Final Four def #12 College of Charleston 63-57 #13 Furman 75-52 #1 Alabama 71-64 #6 Creighton 57-56	Conference USA – Regular Season and Tourney Champs Boca Raton, Florida 1st Final Four  def #8 Memphis 66-65 #16 Fairleigh Dickinson 78-70 #4 Tennessee 62-55 #3 Kansas St 79-76	Atlantic Coast Conference – Regular Season Co-Champs Coral Gables, Florida 1st Final Four def #12 Drake 63-56 #4 Indiana 85-69 #1 Houston 89-75 #2 Texas 88-81	Big East Conference (4th Place) Storrs, Connecticut 6th Final Four (’99, ’04, ’09, ’11, ’14) def #13 Iona 87-63 #5 Saint Mary’s 70-55 #8 Arkansas 88-65 #3 Gonzaga 82-54

Thursday, March 30, 2023 

UCONN JOINS 3 NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK
At least $1,332 will be donated to American Lung Association; over $4,470 donated over 13 years

HOME, CA (smt) – Whereas last year we had four teams with a combined 61 Final Fours and 17 championships (20 including pre-NCAA) and each with at least 3 titles, this year we have 3 newbies joining #4W-UConn, who have 4 titles but all won in the past 24 years (this, its 6th Final Four).  Joining the Big East’s UConn is a member from the ACC, but not Duke, UNC, or Virginia, but #5MW-Miami (of Florida, not Ohio). Mid-majors join the fun as the Mountain West has #5S-San Diego St and Conference USA (who just won the NIT with North Texas beating fellow CUSA member UAB taking the title Wednesday in not-NYC) has #9E-Florida Atlantic.  Who would’ve thought the local team would be San Diego St and that two teams from Florida would be in the Final Four?

Seems like a long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away that we were talking about defending champion #1W-Kansas not getting the Kansas City regional (they lost in the 2nd round), #1S-Alabama leading a strong SEC contingent (they lost in the Sweet 16 and the SEC had 9 wins after the first weekend but then went 0-3 in the Sweet 16), #1MW-Houston becoming the second team to play in their home city (Butler in Indy in 2010) since 1972 (they lost in Sweet 16), and #2W-UCLA succumbing to injuries (they did, losing to #3W-Gonzaga in another classic in Sweet 16).

Issue # 8.3.2 “Texas Stands Alone” [Pub: March 29]

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Friday, March 24, 2023 

FINAL TWO #1S FALL, TEXAS LONE TOP 8 TEAM
Samurai Jack retakes the lead with 97 pts; Just 31 entries still alive

STEVESTON, BC (smt) – #5S-San Diego St ended the game on a 32-16 run to erase an 11 point deficit to beat #1S-Alabama, 71-64, to reach their first Elite 8.  #5MW-Miami’s Nijel Pack hit 7 three-pointers to lead them to an easy 89-75 win over #1MW-Houston.  Miami is the only team to make back-to-back Elite 8s this year and this is just their second Elite 8.  This was the first time all four #1 seeds did not make the Elite 8 and the Cougars missed a chance to play the Final Four in their home city. 

#6S-Creighton ended #15S-Princeton’s Cinderella run by shooting 71% from inside the 3-point arc in winning 86-75 and making their first Elite 8.  #2MW-Texas’s bench outscored #3MW-Xavier’s 33-5 in making their first Elite 8 since 2008 (83-71 win).  Texas is the lone #1 or #2 seed left and the last team from Texas (started with a tournament high of 7), home of the Final Four.  

The top two predicted champions were eliminated today with 42 losing Houston and 37 Alabama.  Three also lost Xavier.  EMAW (2nd, 95 pts) is the only entry that still can get 3 Final Four teams correct while 80 will go 0-for-the-Final-Four.

Issue # 10.4.2 “This is the Final Four?”

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Sunday, March 26, 2023 

TWO #5 SEEDS MAKE FINAL FOUR
Samurai Jack remains at 103 points; 12 entries still alive

SEATAC, WA (smt) – Thanks to Delta Airlines, I was able to catch the ending of the #6S-Creighton and #5S-San Diego St game on the plane.  The last SoCal team standing, SDSU benefited from a controversial foul with a 1.2 seconds left in a tie game and managed to hit the 2nd of 2 free throws to win 57-56 to advance to their first Final Four.  It did look like a foul as the defender was beat and the left arm grabbed the shooter while he was in the air.  But was this how the refs were calling the game?  If so, then it’s a valid whistle.  The CBS post-game show was a mess trying to describe this and the end of the game (tip out of bounds).

Meanwhile, hot three-point shooting #5MW-Miami only shot 8 (made 2) and yet still rallied from a 13-point deficit with 13 minutes left to shock #2MW-Texas by 7 points (78-71).  Texas shot 50% but Miami shot 59.2% and hit 28/32 (87.5%) free throws.  It’s Miami’s (of Florida) first Final Four and the Final Four does not have a #1, #2, or #3 seed with three first-timers (plus #9E-Florida Atlantic) and #4W-UConn going for its 5th title.

Issue # 10.4.2 “In the End, Blue Bloods Advance” (3/27)

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FAMILIAR TEAMS KANSAS AND UNC IN FINAL FOUR
Mia Culpa lead cut to 4 as Tarheel Blue Balls Gets All 4 Teams; 18 still alive

PLAYING TENNIS WITH MY KIDS IN OUR CUL-DE-SAC, CA (smt) – As the lone #1 seed, MW-Kansas struggled in the first half trailing by 6 at the break (35-29) but came on strong in the second half, outscoring #10MW-Miami (FL) 47-15 to win easily, 76-50.  Kansas shot 50% en route to winning the Midwest Regional for the 13th time.  In the destroyed East Regional, #8E-UNC jumped to a 9-0 lead and never looked back in routing Cinderella #15E-St. Peter’s, 69-49 for their record 21st trip to the Final Four.  Unlike in other sports, playing on a court means that a Gator-fetti bucket was dumped on the players and coaches instead of Gatorade (I guess in this case, the sponsor is Powerade).

Both underdogs suffered from relentless defense as Miami missed 36 shots but only got 5 offensive rebounds and St. Peter’s missed 42 shots but only got 7 offensive rebounds.  This sets up a first that doesn’t sound like a first, the first tournament match-up between ACC rivals #2W-Duke and UNC.  For two teams that have reached the Final Four a total of 38 times, never have they met.  The other semifinal will be Kansas and #2S-Villanova, a team that has eliminated Kansas in the past two times they met (’18 Final Four and ’16 Elite 8).  In the end, with all the upsets and teams that disappointed, it’s three Blue Bloods (UNC, Kansas, Duke) and one wannabe Blue Blood (Villanova) in the Final Four.

Issue # 8.3.2 “Love Conquers All” (3/25)

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ST PETER’S DOES IT, ACC ROLLS IN
Mia Culpa lead by 13, clinches at least 4th; 33 still alive

3.5 HOUR LONG DRIVE GOLETA TO HOME, CA (smt) – In the city of brother love, #4E-UCLA had a three-point lead under 2 minutes and UNC clanked a bad shot but a hustle play to save the ball created a UNC three-point opportunity by Caleb Love (who had a jaw-dropping 27 points in the 2nd half – UCLA had 35 total in the 2nd half) to tie and later allowed another offensive rebound that UNC tipped in to go up by 5.  UNC hit their free throws to win 73-66, outscoring the Bruins 12-2 to end the game.  The west coast is toasted, once again.  UCLA played well committing just 6 turnovers but it was two hustle plays that doomed them.  I also blame the telecast using UCLA in ugly yellow background for the scoreline.

#15E-St Peter’s played well and didn’t panic when #3E-Purdue went up 56-52 and went on a 9-1 run, hit 19/21 free throws, and their defense made Purdue miss their first 10 threes of the 2nd half in winning 67-64.  In a rare one possession game, Purdue actually had a very decent look to tie as the buzzer-beater just missed.  St Peter’s is the first team to win twice as double-digit underdogs and becomes the first 13/14/15/16 seed to make the Elite 8.

Issue # 3.1.2 “Not the Expected Upsets” (3/18)

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3 MORE DOUBLE-DIGIT SEEDS WIN; BIG 12 PERFECT
Shepwick leads as 3 most popular upset picks fizzle out

POST-FUNERAL WITH STAY AT HOMIE , ROSEMEAD, CA (smt) – There were three near-shoo-ins of a double-digit seed winning and all three lost today.  Getting outpicked must have been locker room motivation for their opponents as Sweet 16 darling #10S-Loyola Chicago and ACC champ #11E-Virginia Tech crashed hard while #10W-Davidson blew a late 5-point lead.  But three double-digit seeds did win as #10MW-Miami (FL), #11W-Notre Dame (making it 10 out of 11 years a First Four team has won at least two games), and #11MW-Iowa St (against #6MW-LSU who fired their coach) advanced. 

No Sister Jean magic this time as the 102-year old had to witness her Loyola Chicago shoot 26.8% from the field, 28.6% from three, and at one time were 1 of 8 from the free throw line in their loss to #7S-Ohio St, giving the Big Ten a confidence boost that would see the Big Ten go 5-0 today (not to be outdone, the Big 12 went 6-0 in the first round).  The Ramblers had made the Sweet 16 in their past two appearances.  Miami committed just 3 turnovers to #7MW-USC’s 18 but had to survive a mid-court go-ahead 3 by USC that just banked off the rim (missing a true buzzer beater), a la Butler’s last shot vs Duke in the ’10 Final.  USC had a chance to go up but missed the front end of a one-and-one late (there were 12 second half lead changes) and Miami then rolled six straight points.

Issue # 8.3.1 “No Hoosier-Hurricane Matchup” + Young London!

Wow, what a bracket busting day.. .and it wasn’t even close.  Luckily 85 entries can still win money and 35 can still win 1st, so not all is lost.  My The Fabone XIX is out, done in by Colin Cowherd who said Indiana and Miami were the two best teams he’d seen.  Sigh… but for a positive message, Poolraider (Paul T), who helps promote unknown bands, has touted Young London (also his nickname for his 2nd entry) as an up-and-comer, and after listening to their YouTube video, it’s very catchy; and I hope this is a compliment, but I can imagine hearing it performed on Glee… So please take a listen and Like them!

Read on or read original…

 Call My Name (Tonight) – Young London

Thursday, March 28, 2013 
Issue # 8.3.1 "No Hoosier-Hurricane Matchup"
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