Old Kentucky (sent) Home…. and

John Calipari
BobLee
March21/ 2016

Stephen F AustinIn a wild opening weekend that had much of America asking “what does the F stand for in Stephen F. Austin?” ….. A: “Fuller” ….. we saw the annual arrival (and subsequent departures) of 3-4 Davids.   But….. when the original 64 had been whittled down to 16…. it is now pretty much Johnny Swofford’s ACC and a few Friends moving on….

NOTE: How many clueless college kids think “Stephen F” is “Stone Cold Steve’s” older brother?

Only Pittsburgh among The Swofford Seven failed to survive.  Most folks forget “Pitt” is even in The ACC so who cares.   If Louisville hadn’t done what Rick didn’t know they did, they would probably be there too…. but they did and they aren’t.

I was over on Franklin Street Thursday for lunch and to confirm that, yes indeed, it was unanimous among the locals that UNC was purposely placed in THE hardest bracket in The History of March Madness.   Exactly “why” that was done was unclear but pretty much everyone I talked with was sure that it was indeed the case.  FWIW…. this whining about “we was put in the toughest bracket” is an annual March occurrence on Franklin Street. Remember…. Roy said he is THE most persecuted / maligned coach EVER  !!!

It was even suggested that “it” (being in that Most Difficult bracket EVER) should count as part of the “wrist slap” for supposedly doing “The Scheme”.  FWIW…. it won’t (count).

Regardless, Royz Boyz (and all of Swofford’s guys but Pitt – see above) did manage to get thru Weekend One of March Madness with Two Ws…. and now head to The City of Brotherly Love to face Indiana….

Did ya know that UNC played Indiana in Philadelphia in 1981 in The Final Four in The Spectrum.  That was the Isaiah Thomas Hoosiers and the Al Wood Tar Heels.  Bob Knight bested Dean in that one.

Middle Tennessee has gone back to – one supposes – the “middle of Tennessee” – to savor their brief “shining moment” as a first-round Cinderella along with the afore-mentioned Stephen F’s and some geographical Iowa school and probably several others I’ve already forgotten.  Does it take surviving the entire first weekend to be a “for real” Cinderella”?  Who makes those rules?

….. Prominent among the “dones” of note are, of course, KENTUCKY and Izzo’s Spartans.

A Second Weekend Without Tom Izzo is like “a Masters without azaleas”.   I thought it was “a rule” that Michigan State was always there?   Being touted by some as THE Greatest Upset Ever because some people persist in declaring all sorts of stuff as “EVER” because they have no knowledge of history…. Michigan State being beaten by The Mighty Men of Murfreesboro was traumatic for those who can find East Lansing on a map.   It’s east of West Lansing if that helps.

Murfreesboro Tennessee is indeed in the middle of Tennessee.  Is Tennessee the only state with a “Middle ______” geographical school?   It is the only one I can think of.

Ashley JuddWhich brings us to why Ashley Judd is a very very sad Ashley Judd ….. Her Vaunted ‘Cats were ousted.   “One & Done” John ain’t paid $8,000,000 or whatever to “win one & be done” in March. ….. At least Cal was not outed by a Cinderella Whozit.

John, like his fellow SEC Mega Coach – Nick Saban – makes mega-bucks to Win Natty Championships.  That’s IT! ….. not to “just do the best you can Coach.  We’ll still love ya….”.   No, they won’t (still love him).

“Cal” hasn’t done that (an NC) since Uni-Brow and that was a while ago.  Close don’t count in the rarified air that John Calipari breathes.   Whupping “a bunch of football schools” in January and February ain’t why John Calipari is John Calipari.  He knows that and the Very Very Fat (Wild)Cats around U of K know that.

NOT a very good year for Kentucky-based basketball powerhouses.   Rick had his ho’s and now Cal is “done”.

Did you know….. among The Sweet Sixteen Survivors there are Fourteen different states represented.  Two states have two representatives each.   Can you name those two states?  One is easy.

Of those Sixteen, there is one Mentor / Protégé combo with Coach K and ND’s Mike Brey.   Not Coach K and Johnny Dawkins who was “let go” at Stanford last week.  I’m sure there are those forever tracking the respective “coaching trees” of Dean & K…. keeping careful records of the actives and inactives.

If Royz Boyz can get by The Hoosiers they then play either The Spurs, Phi Slamma Jamma or Auerbach’s Celtics with Russell and Cousy.   YIKES…. maybe they ARE in “the Toughest Bracket EVER!

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WAIT…. THERE’S MORE:

A John Blake (Who?) UPDATE

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