NCAA Tournament Running Diary Day 2

8:05- Anyone else find it strange that #5 seed Florida State has to go to Boise for the 1st (and possibly 2nd) round? Perhaps it's the NCAA's way of punishing FSU for appealing the academic sanctions.

8:03- Guys like Tyrese Rice may seem like a dime a dozen, but its his ability to score in a hurry that will make him a pro.

8:00- Morehead State and ETSU continue to reinforce the belief that eventually a 16 will beat 1. Hey, there were people who never thought a mid-major would make the Final 4, right?

7:54- The only interesting thing about this BC-USC game is the eternally pissed off look Tim Floyd has.

7:37- Credit to Arziona, they've played with redass to start this one and it's the Utes who look like the last team in.

7:27- Not to sound like a contrarian, but is there a team with more pressure than Arizona to prove its merit? You don't wanna end up looking like Seton Hall did in 2006.

5:23- Good 2nd set, aside from Pitt's near chokejob, not quite as exciting as the 12:00 set. Back in an hour and a half.

5:09- There's the dagger. But don't worry Pitt fans or those with them going deep in the bracket, it's not like the last #1 seed from the Big East that struggled mightily in Round One lost unexpectedly later on.

5:08- For a team that prides itself on being physical and intimidating, Pitt sure looks timid for a 1 seed right now.

5:04- Do you think Truck Bryant ever walks into a club and says "Who wants to get trucked?" or "baby, you just got trucked!" or anything of the like.

5:01- The issue with Dayton has been that instead of being the aggressors (which they've been most of the way), they've now developed a bend don't break mentality.

4:58- Pizza run on the first Friday of the NCAA Tournament. What's better than that? Well, nothing printable.

4:21- Pitt still looking lacksadisical into the 2nd half.

4:19- Alex Ruoff picks up a huuuuuuuuuuuuuge 4th foul less than 2 minutes into the 2nd half. This could be the swing stretch for Dayton.

4:17- A questionable foul call against Christmas allows Ian Eagle to gleefully give us a "Christmas gift" blast. What? You expected Temple to play in the tourney and NOT have that happen?

4:13- Dionte Christmas doing what he's done all season. I'm pretty sure if he was in the ACC, he'd be a player of the year candidate, he's in the A-10 so America's just learning about him now.

4:00- In related news, Carrie Underwood can still get it.

3:58- OMIGODIT'STAYLOR!

3:55- Cornell's deliberate style should play right into the hands of the new 40 minutes of hell from Missouri and yet there they are down 4 at half.

3:53- The one thing that makes you think with Pitt is they haven't established themselves yet, they almost seem content to play ETSU's game. First 7-10 minutes of the 2nd half could be telling

3:48- A first for everything in the ETSU-Pitt game: Sam Young bumps into an ETSU guard who then bumps into his teammate who was going for the layup. The first billiards foul in history. ETSU only down 1 with 80 seconds left in the 1st half.

3:43- Bob Huggins was a 2-time academic all-american? That would be like A.C. Green having 6 kids.....with his wife.

3:40- If the Jordan brand ever wants to those fan victim ads for baseball.....they know who to call.

3:25- Dayton's D taking West Virginia out of its game and dictating the tempo. ASU daring Temple to take away the perimeter and the Owls have yet to do so. Still trying to get a feel for the other two mid-afternoon games.

3:11- Fun fact: Dayton did training with the school's ROTC before the season to build strength and unity. Gotta like that in a team, certainly re-affirms my belief in them in a way.

Miami football allegedly did the same thing a few years back. In fact, the Bucs new tight end really got into it.

3:06- You think Sergio Olmos ever gets any pockmark jokes? No one? It's just me?

2:58- I can name the one non-AIG employee who's making money right now: Rockwell.....he's gotta be the happiest guy alive, right?

2:48- Underrated player: Arizona State's Rihards Kuksiks. I've watched this kid since he played at my high school's archrival a few years ago. Great perimeter threat who isn't afraid to slash. Be sure to watch him after James Harden leaves.

2:40- Didn't have a chance to get to this earlier at the end of Kansas-NDSU, but there isn't more a poignant yet sad camera shot than the bench/fans of a mid-major in the last minute when the game has just become out of reach.

2:39- Is it a bad sign to be shocked that someone MAKES a big free throw at the end of a game now?

2:38- Good observation by Bob Wenzel, if Utah State's big goes straight up with that 3, tie game.

2:35- Toss-up: Whose end of game execution was worse? Clemson last night or Tennessee just now? Give me 7 seconds to screw this up.

2:30- We've got a tie game with Bill and Verne locked and loaded. This is as good as it gets right here.

2:26- Kansas by 6, OKST-UT tied, Utah State by 1, all under 3 to play. Here's what we've been waiting for.

2:24- Classic Gus as Cole Aldrich may have just put North Dakota State to sleep.

2:16- Another beauty of March Madness: Picking Kansas and yet hoping North Dakota State shocks the world.

2:14- Buzzer-beater potential in Dayton, unfortunately, it's crunch time for NDSU. They need to reel off 6 or 7 unanswered here to have any shot.

2:09- Thank you for attending, Stephen F. Austin, see you in 9 years.

2:03- Lundquist and Raftery hit on this before, but the committee got this one right with OK State and the Vols. Two evenly-matched teams and you get the sense that this game is going to come down to a crucial mistake in the final minute.

2:01- Anybody else get the feeling that should Obama win the White House pool, he'll have to give all the cash to AIG? Thank you, I'll be here all week.

1:57- Hell, I'll hit the Coke Zero guys for free without a taste test.

1:55- Gus Johnson starting to come alive. Ben Woodside as co-pilot.

1:54- Sherron Collins is going to be an outstanding 6th man someday and I mean that with the utmost respect. Love what he does on the floor.

1:51- Mellencamp? NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! NOT MELLENCAMP!

1:49- Marquette and Utah State were slated to play this afternoon, but a JV game took place instead. Good lord.

1:40- Kansas starting to flex its msucle. Cole Aldrich has become much more impressive as the year has gone on. Definitely needs at least one more year of experience however.

The issue for NDSU has been absolutely no support for Ben Woodside. Even Davidson had Richards for the occasional 3-ball last year.

1:38- Tennessee's fatal flaw is starting to rear its head as they're becoming too impatient on the offensive end. 7 seconds or less works in the pros, not in the tourney. Well, not since 1990 anyway.

1:32- Here's a drinking game of sorts for you: Every time you see a commercial for the Country Music Awards, imitate your best 13 year old girl voice and shout "omigod it's taylor!".....just in case you needed to be remind of how insufferable she is.

1:30- Another favorite of mine: The sonic ad with the guy using the clipboard as a distraction.

1:15- Kansas ends the half on a 15-7 run, but NDSU has been able to withstand every Jayhawk charge so far.

1:04- Not a big fan of the drinkability campaign, but the ad where they throw the guy out the window for suggesting cutting Bud Light from the budget is money.

1:02- What do you call 12 guys watching the tournament? Florida.

12:56- Call me cynical, but why do I get the feeling a kid whose last name is Morningstar is probably soft?

12:52- There's something endearing about the intramural-style speed and recklessness of this game.

12:42- In essence a home game for NDSU, the factors I mentioned before AND Gus Johnson is on the call? Smells like an upset to me.

12:37- Boat race developing for Syracuse. OSU's Terrel Harris picks up his 2nd foul, Cowboys go 2-3 zone, let's see if the pace considerably slows.

12:32- Gotta love the end to end track meet developing in this one. Though OSU's Eaton just picked up his 2nd foul so that may put a stop to that.

12:29- In the first 3 minutes of the the OK State-Tennessee game, we've got a "MANTAMAN!" and "a little lingerie on the deck!" from Bill Raftery. March....it's a beautiful thing.

12:23- Props to Cheddar Bob from 8 Mile for overcoming his injuries and mental deficincies to become the senior leader for Syracuse. Not to mention, when did Geraldo become the coach of Stephen F. Austin?

12:10- TV feed starts with Syracuse-Stephen F. Austin, then over to Okie State- Tennessee. Best early game looks like Utah State-Marquette. Upset potential also with North Dakota State against Kansas. Bison have one of the best scorers in the country in Ben Woodside and the defending champs have lost a few games down the stretch that they have no business losing.

12:00 P.M.- Should be a full set today, ended up meeting a friend of mine last night to watch the 2nd set of the night games. Didn't miss too much other than WKU's near meltdown and UCLA beating a group of kids from Florida 2 years too late (look it up). Thank you Ben Howland for nothing.