That’s Why They Call It a Team Sport

The Florida Gators are the 2006 NCAA mens college basketball champions after a convincing 73-57 thrashing of the UCLA Bruins. With four starters in double figures and another reserve with nine points, the Gators feasted on a little bear and demonstrated definitively that it takes a full team to run the gauntlet to an NCAA title, not one or two consensus All Americans. Congrats to Donovan and crew (I guess). I know I should be more excited about an SEC team taking home the title, but we’re talking Florida here folks. I just can’t seem to get the bad taste of Steve Spurrier out of my mouth even after all these years. I was so bummed that I didn’t even stay up to watch “One Shining Moment.”
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All right, let’s get the rest of the unpleasantness over with. Here are the final Ocular Fusion Gang pool standings. Congrats to itakeupspace (care to ID yourself?) for being the best of the worst and Jason Bybee for a nice comeback (should have stuck with those Gators all the way–just think of what could have been):

1. itakeupspace 76 pts. 37 correct
2. Number One Son 70 pts. 38 correct
3. jasonbybee 64.5 pts 35 correct
4. House of Orange 62 pts 36 correct
5. Number Three Son 57.5 34 correct
6. Mike the Eyeguy 50.5 32 correct
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They seem to have a lot of Player of the Year Awards nowadays. J.J. Redick had already won the AP award and even split one with Adam Morrison, but he took home perhaps the biggest of all recently in receiving the Naismith Player of the Year Award. Shelden Williams also won a Defensive Player of the Year Award. I’m quite sure that both would trade their entire collection of hardware for one tiny national championship ring.

For the first time in memory, I will actually be paying attention to the NBA draft this year and planning a pilgrimage to either Atlanta or Memphis.
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Duke takes on Maryland for the women’s title tonight. I expect a closer game than the men’s final, and now that Ivory “Throw Her Down” Latta has limped back to Chapel Hill, one that is characterized by fine basketball rather than cheap wrestling moves.
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Go Cardinals–please, make this the year.

7 Comments

  1. Ed

    I thought the Final Four and the title games were a little disappointing. I was hoping for closer games, towel-chewing suspense, and scream-at-the-top-of-your-lungs excitement. Unfortunately, think all that energy was channeled over on CNN’s Nancy Grace show.

    I also find it interesting that itakeupspace had less correct answers than No 1 Son, but still won. itakeupspace is a fig newton of somebody’s imagination.

  2. DJG

    Finally a sport I can chime in on…but it is going to be Go Braves for me!! They tried to lose yesterday but pulled it out!

    Maybe this will be our year…..

  3. mike the eyeguy

    Ed–

    So what’s next for you, a gig on SportCenter? You would be a nice contrast to Vitale’s hypermanic hyperbole.

    Yes, all the towel-biting karma was used up in the early rounds and what little left over was sapped up by Nancy.

    djg–
    I’ve lived in the South all my life but have never caught Braves Fever. I grew up a Big Red Machine fan but married into the Cardinal Way when I snatched up a St. Louis gal.

    Pujols and company got off to a good start with with at 13-5 pummeling of the Phillies. Easy boys, save a few of those runs for October.

  4. Ed

    I think we ought to grab a big group of folks and head over to St Louis sometime this summer and checkout the new stadium. I weaned myself off the Braves when they couldn’t do anything in post-season. Became a dedicated cardinal fan when Big Mac was going for the record.

  5. mike the eyeguy

    Ed–

    We’ve checked the Cardinal ticket office, and you wouldn’t believe how sold out they are–except for the $100 tickets of course.

    We were pretty discouraged, but we did hear about a service through which Cardinal season ticket holders will sell their seats on certain nights for “discount” prices, so maybe there’s hope.

    Jason, any advice? I bet you keep a clerical collar in your glove compartment and show up at the gate and they just let you in, don’t they?!

    “Excuse me, I’m Father Bybee and Sir Albert has asked to pray with me.”

  6. greg

    hey, mike, did you see this?

  7. mike the eyeguy

    Greg–
    Yes, I had heard the rumor that he might leave VCU, so now it’s official. I hope Capel has a better time at OU than Quin Snyder had at Mizzou!

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