Shit Beating Saturday

Well, it's 10 pm in the UK and there's been three Tournament games so far, all three of them beatings. Shit beatings.

One thing I can state categorically after watching the American television feed of these games is that in five some odd years over in England, I've never missed watching commercials for shitty watery beer like Bud Lite every 60 seconds. In fact, commercials altogether. It's shocking how often there's a commercial. And not only commercials, but the same bloody commercials over and over again. It's like being beaten over and over again with a bludgeon of stupidity.


punished, every way imaginable.

First you had Villanova beating the shit out of UCLA by 20, which quite frankly, I hate to say I told you so (because I didn't, I only meekly scribbled 'Nova into the bracket slot here fully believing UCLA are a cleverly disguised team that is actually a collective of crappy individual basketball players.) Destiny, you see. The last time the Big East emptied the contents of their league in its virtual entirety into March Madness, Nova beat Georgetown in that still-impossible-to-believe-to-this-day final. Not that I have them going all the way, but I certainly had them this far.


Maybe next time, Mr Venezuela keeps a lid on his gob?

Then you had shit beatings almost in stereo with Memphis humiliating Maryland, whose star Greivis Vasquez had idiotically taunted Memphis by being quoted as saying "Their conference is pretty much questionable. They don't have tough games." Result? The Twerps spent most of the afternoon struggling to stay within 30 of Memphis. Not that it was any element of genius to sort it out, but after watching Memphis today, I'm feeling happy I've got them down as National Champs. They were an impressive sort of machine.

And then, of little surprise, U-Conn stomped Texas A&M by 26 points.


U-Conn have crushed all oncomers to date - impressive but...impressive enough?

All matches excruciating to watch.

*****beyond Midnight Magic*****

So, given the selection of live matches, I thought I'd take a gander at the UNC-LSU match up given that I've made a point of ignoring both Duke and UNC for the Final Four.

It looked like just before the half, UNC were going to coast in another blowout but LSU came out in the 2nd half like a new team and for awhile, had me convinced they could pull off the upset. But gradually, Ty Lawson took the game over, scoring 21 of his 23 points in the 2nd half; bombs from the three point line, drives to the hoop, an impressive display. Apparently not such a bad toe after all.

Duke, whose annoying supporters cheered on LSU's every positive move throughout the match, won their match up against Texas mostly pretty much by default. The Longhorns had more than enough chances for an exiting upset, shot a miserable 64% from the charity stripe, which is amazing considering they shot 50% from the field, and in the end, lost their nerve. Now it's up to Villanova to do the business on Duke.

In UNC's bracket, the #2 seed Oklahoma were carried by Blake Griffin, much like UNC were carried by Ty Lawson and the result? 33 points and 17 rebounds in a 73-63 victory over Michigan. He's first player since Nick Collison in 2003 to have 30 points and 15 rebounds in a tournament game. Impressive, but the fact the guards didn't have to face a full court press was really the determining factor. Their guard play will break them in this bracket eventually.

BY FAR the most exciting match of the day was Gonzaga's wild last second victory over Western Kentucky. Although they held what seemed like a convincing 4 point lead with with just under a minute remaining, with the ball before a quick turnover cut it to 2 and then before you knew it, the score was tied.



But then Demetri Goodson went the length of the court and made the game-winning layup with 0.9 seconds. I mean sweet jaysus, this one had you squirming, regardless of who you were rooting for and Western Kentucky, lads, well done, valiantly fought, I'd almost had them winning this game smelling an upset but Gonzaga survived in a fashion which I believe somewhat downgrades their chances against UNC. West Kentucky screwed themselves from the free throw line - get this, only five for fourteen. If they'd have even hit 50% from the line...

The other winners, advancing to the Sweet Sixteen: Purdue, but only just.

Obama was perfect on Saturday, 8 for 8.

I wasn't so fortunate. Hell, I had Mississippi State beating Purdue in the SN bracket, but got all the others right. And in the NYT bracket, I missed only this game as well. It's not in shreds like my Midwest brackets are with Wake and West Virginia out, but it's a real piss-taker.