Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, New York City, we appreciate you, we do, but you're just filling out the card. The State of North Carolina is the King Fish, the Big Kuhana, the Mac-Daddy of college hoops...and God-damn-it don't you forget it. Alright, got that out of the way so let's talk some 2017 tourney action.
I have to say the Oregon Ducks look AWESOME! I mentioned in a previous post I haven't seen them all year but someone, somewhere, at one of the 37 sports bars I regularly frequent on a weekly basis said something about "Oregon lost their best player", so I dismissed them early. WRONG! These guys are quick as lightening, aggressive and can score. Jordan Bell is a beast. The only weakness I've seen is their coach kinda pulls them back a bit. Let 'em go coach. These dudes are having a blast, don't "Dean Smith" them out of a championship.
Zags are looking good too and I can't believe this is Gonzaga's first Final Four. Talk about a team knocking on the door, these boys are good enough to kick it in (to paraphrase Bum Phillips). And how about seven footer Przemek Karnowski? I hate to have to feed that dude but he sure would be handy around the house. Sidebar: I knew a guy like that in high school. A buddy had a flat in his Vega (remember those?) and had no jack. This kid held up the back while we changed the tire. True story.
Now comes Kentucky North Carolina. The good thing here is one of these filthy, rotten, spawn-of-Satan teams is going home. These two are the most arrogant, entitled, win at all cost and to hell with you programs in the history of college athletics. They break more rules than the Cook County Board of Elections, with much the same consequence. The best possible outcome is they BOTH lose, but actually I don't want that to happen as I have an ulterior motive. I'm backing the Heels. WHAT? Yes that's right I'm all in for the Tar Heel scum today. Not out of state pride or conference loyalty, but because there's bigger fish to fry...and that fish is South Carolina.
MY team this tournament is South Carolina. Now I'm not a Gamecock fan, but I've always believed they were family. SC was once a league team and many years ago a basketball POWER. They left the ACC in the early 70s but almost immediately tried to get back in. UNC blocked those efforts as they got their asses reamed out a little too often by the Cocks. They are OURS, not the SEC's. There is no greater rivalry in college athletics than SC vs. Clemson. SC versus State, UNC, Duke were great and I very much miss those days. We hated each other so bad as often as not we'd meet them on neutral ground in Charlotte. The thing is they belong with us, but instead we have fuqing BC and Pitt and Syracuse. Why don't we all just turn into a bunch of Damn Yankees and wear socks with sandals and Bermuda shorts? Jesus, I can't handle this shit. HAS EVERYBODY GONE CRAZY!
So, I want to see a South Carolina, North Carolina final and I want to remember the days of John Roche, Tom Owens and Kevin Joyce. I want to see the Heels bleed that Carolina Blue blood they're always harping about. I want the Old Well to burn, burn, BURN BABY BURN!!! I want the ghost of Frank McGuire to strike a righteous blow for truth and justice that will bring down the mighty Dean Dome and the corruption that built it. I want Chapel Hillians in funeral garb for the foreseeable future. I want UNC athletics to pay the price for their 18 years of bogus classes the cowardly NCAA refused to make them pay. I want the evil empire expunged from the annals of basketball history and Carolina forever remembered as UNC-CHeats!
Well, got that off my chest. Enjoy your weekend.