It Ain’t Easy Being #1

Listening to ESPN Radio and watching the experts dissect men’s college basketball this season many have put the idea into the average sports fan’s mind that collegiate basketball is having a “down year”.  That because there is no dominant team that has been ranked number one throughout the season, then college basketball is suffering. I, along with true basketball fans, refuse to believe that.  In fact, we would argue quite the opposite; college basketball is stronger than ever because there is no dominant team.

Rankings have never looked so scattered before.  Indiana, Louisville, Duke and Michigan have all rotated the number one spot.  It seems as though once one school emerges to the top they are quickly beaten back down that same week.  Don’t forget about Kansas, Ohio State, Florida and Michigan State as they have been hovering the top spot.  To many people, this means that the college basketball is weakened and that there are no stand-out teams in the country.  To me, it means one thing…March Madness will be as mad as ever, and fun to watch.

I was watching the Joe Lunardi and Andy Katz breakdown on the “Who’s In and Who’s Out” and just like many analysts they had Miami and Gonzaga to get 1-seeds in the tournament. How crazy is it not having UConn, UNC, Duke and Kentucky dominating the polls and running through the tournament. No, not this year (they might be lucky to even make the NCAA tourney)! This year teams like SLU and Minnesota are going to be taking out the big time teams. Maybe this year we see a 16-seed upset a 1-seed? If I were a betting man, I’d be putting my lunch money on that bet. Statistically, it’s bound to happen within the next five years. There’s one thing I do know for sure; I cannot wait for March Madness.

Super Bowl Recap

Last night was everything I wanted in a Super Bowl.  Between the game, the story between the Harbaugh brothers and Beyonce, I’d have to say I was pleased with what I witnessed last night.

Leading into the Super Bowl, the scene was already set for an epic storyline. John and Jim Harbaugh, blood brothers, were leading their teams into the NFL Championship.  It’s strange enough to have two brothers coach in the NFL, but to have those brothers face each other in the Super Bowl?  I mean, that’s something you only see in Disney movies! And speaking of movies, The Blind Side’s Michael Oher went from sleeping in laundry mats to winning Super Bowl rings, (seemed like people forgot about him)! The new, New Orleans, LA was hosting the Super Bowl this year and it did not disappoint…right? Up until the entire Superdome blacked out leaving everyone in the Dome thinking, “Oh, no here we go again!” And everyone at home wondering, “Is Bane coming out of that tunnel soon?”

As far as the entertainment side of the Super Bowl, I was very pleased. Bringing out the Sandy Hook choir to sing with skinny Jennifer Hudson and then Alicia Keyes setting the tone with the National Anthem was a classy move.  It even brought those big, ol’ football players to tears! But, the highly anticipated halftime show did not disappoint. Beyonce may have caught some criticism for lip syncing at the Inauguration, but she was saving her vocals for something far more important; last night.  Post-Janet Jackson’s wardrobe malfunction, the last few halftime shows have been pretty boring, and appealed to the 50-70 year old viewers.  Last night, Beyonce went hard in the paint, giving every booty-shakin’, hair-whip move she had 100%.  Oh, and her vocals were stellar!  Name someone else who can move like that, sound like an angel and still not sound out of breath?  Go ahead, I’ll wait…

I must say, if I was let down with anything last night it was the commercials.  Too many commercials now-a-days are trying to have the “Old Spice, what?!” factor.  They try too hard to be weird, strange and have absolutely nothing to do with the product.  They seem to go for the “Wow” factor and shock the audience.  I feel as though we should expect better than that. Out of all the commercials last night, I’d have to say the Budweiser Clydesdale and the Amy Poehler Best Buy commercial win the best commercials.

As for the game itself; it was everything I wanted.  All I asked for was a close, hard-fought game.  I think we can all agree that it was.  At first, it looked like the Ravens were going to run away with it, but the 49ers did what they normally do and found their way out of a hole. I think the 3^rd quarter was one of the craziest quarters in Super Bowl history.  I mean, record-tying 108 yard kickoff return, a 34-minute blackout, and a 17-point unanswered comeback was pretty awesome to watch.  In the end, the young quarterback threw an awkward, incomplete pass to a young receiver and lost the game.  Was it a holding penalty, that’s up for debate, but the refs (not replacement refs, thank goodness) did not call it and the 49ers lost possession.  The mean machine, turned reverend, Ray Lewis won the Super Bowl in his last game ever, which was cool to see. And the Harbaugh brothers met at the 50-yard line and embraced each other as competitive brothers do. What a great night for sports and entertainment! Now, back to work…