March 30, 2005

Today's Final Four Thoughts

Rumor has it that Illinois and Michigan State fans are going to be bringing orange and green shirts to the Edward Jones Dome on Saturday and rooting wildly for an all Big 10 Final. (Link via Big Ten Wonk's United Colors of the Big 10). If Illinois wins, that's some pressure on Michigan State. Hmm..., so will the theme for Saturday be Ireland or Cote D'Ivoire? I know which the patrons of McGurk's would choose.

ireland.jpg cotedivorie.jpg

Given the play that Tom Izzo's destruction of the game tapes has got, I hope the folks at The ED get a copy of Peter Gabriel's Sledgehammer to play before the North Carolina - Michigan State game. Man, it would be cool to hear that flute intro in a quiet stadium and then here the crowd erupt when the horns start up. This could become a theme song for the Spartans in years to come. Of course, they can follow it with a live link of Dick Cheney lip-synching Peter Gabriel's Big Time.

Gee, how is it that North Carolina can have four or five NBA first round picks on their roster, and most of them juniors and seniors, since the influx of high school kids straight to the NBA was supposed to kill the college game?

The four coaches in the Final Four: Tom Izzo, Rick Pitino, Bruce Weber, and Roy Williams, have, respectively, the first, third, fourth, and fifth highest winning percentages in the NCAA Tournement amongst all active coaches with at least ten games played. There's gotta be some deep meaning there somewhere.

Who's Hot: Deron Williams
Who's Not: Chris Paul (Player of the year from day 1, though, surprisingly, he doesn't play for Duke.)

Who's Hot: Bruce Weber
Who's Not: Bill Self (As Hannibal Lecter once said, "Look inside yourself.")

Who's Hot: Bill Murray
Who's Not: Ashley Judd (... system error ...)

Maybe if Illinois wins the national championship, the #1 Google hit for "Bruce Weber" will no longer be this guy.

Due to the tremendous and total lack of response to my blogospheric queries regarding tickets for the Final Four, I am forced to pull out the heavy artillery. Illinois will beat Louisville if I attend the game but they will lose to Louisville unless I am present. There. I said it. Now, who's going to help insure the Fighting Illini's success and get me into the game? I mean, you don't want to be the one responsible for Illinois losing to Louisville, do you?

Posted by Charles Austin at March 30, 2005 01:44 PM
Comments

you don't want to be the one responsible for Illinois losing to Louisville, do you?

Um, yes. :-P

Posted by: Dodd at 10:34 AM

Looks like you're going to have to wear your orange Illini shirt and your Illini cap to a sportsbar and lead a few CHIEF cheers. As for me, I get to supervise my son's 7th birthday party at the roller rink. Tough choice, but the Illini will live to see another game. I wouldn't if I missed the party.

That Big Time song is one where I get an uncontrollable urge to crank the volume to maximum, in spite of my wife's protests if she happens to be there.

Posted by: MarcV at 01:37 PM

You don't really expect me to believe that if noone gets you tickets by Saturday morning, you will not be outside the Edward Jones Dome that afternoon talking to "ticket entrepreneurs". Hey, you're a successful professional. I'm sure you can afford the scratch for a Final 4 ticket.

Cheers

Posted by: Jon at 01:57 PM

For those that don't know, Dodd is a friend from Louisville who happens to be a Louisville fan and will be driving from Louisville to see Louisville lose this weekend.

Marc - that's why they make small radios and earphones. Maybe even the little glasses with the built in TV screeen.

Jon - I've got the itch, but the scratch is getting way out of hand. I was offered an opportunity to buy a ticket for just Saturday for $1,000 today.

This thing is getting to be bigger than the Super Bowl right now. It's going to be insane near the stadium with about twice as many peope in the area as for a typical Rams game, but only 2/3's getting in the stadium. If I don't vacate the area about 2 hours before tip off, I'm not sure I'll beable to get anywhere to actually see the game.

Posted by: charles austin at 02:47 PM

I will personally pay anyone with Final Four tickets $50 not to sell them to Mr. Austin, if it guarantees an Illinois loss.

Posted by: Fred at 04:56 PM

For those that don't know, Dodd is a friend from Louisville who happens to be a Louisville fan and will be driving from Louisville to see Louisville lose this weekend.

Such a shame. You were really on a roll there until the third to last word. :-P

Posted by: Dodd at 02:18 PM

So you haven't got a ticket yet either, eh Dodd? That's ok, you can just think back on the last time Illinois and Louisville played in the NCAA tournament in 1989, or not.

Posted by: charles austin at 04:06 PM

So you managed to get a ticket?

Poor Dodd. It could be worse - it could be football season...

Posted by: J Bowen at 12:00 AM