Friday, March 16, 2007

Those that forgot the past...probably lost money on this game

Kentucky 67, Villanova 58.

The AP summary of the game can be found here.

I'd like to thank CBS for forcing me to suffer through USC/Arkansas (which hasn't been closer than 10 since EARLY in the second half) instead of switching to this game, or even the Saluki/Holy Cross game, which was also competitive until Southern Illinois pulled away late. Thanks again, asshats.

I'm not a smart man, but I'd like to point out the following things that I predicted happening:

- Nova started fast, leading 18-13.
- Nova then didn't score for 6 minutes, turning a 5 point lead into a 3 point deficit.
- Additional scoring droughts pushed UK's lead to 10.
- Furious comeback saw the Wildcats close to within 5 late.
- Nardi misses a wide OPEN 3 that would have cut the lead to 2.
- Nova loses by 9.

Two other truths bore themselves out tonight: Kentucky hasn't lost a first-round game in 16 years; Villanova nas never advanced to the Sweet 16 in 3 consecutive years (People who didn't know the history of these programs, or did and chose to ignore it, lost money tonight).

Yet I still picked my alma mater to win this game in my pool. Sentiment will kill you every time. I did have tonight's winner going out to Kansas on Sunday, though. Reality had to set in somewhere.

For the first two days of the tournament, my record is 25-7. Pretty good. What's more amazing is all my Sweet 16 selections are still alive after the first round. That's never happened.

So now I'm reduced to rooting vicariously for the Xavier Musketeers. My brother has a passing interest in them (class of 2004). They only play one of the heavy favorites to win the whole thing: Ohio State. I might lose interest in this tournament entirely after tomorrow.

Speaking of tomorrow: Let me close with an old Irish Blessing:

May the road rise to meet you;
May the wind always be at your back;
May the sun shine warm upon your face;
May you stop doing Car Bombs when the horizon starts to blur;
May your Corned Beef and Cabbage hit the spot;
May the Uberhot redhead at the bar actually talk to you.

And some appropriately themed Irish attire:


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