It's Over for Nova...And It's Starting For The WFC.

Villanova's "Cinderella" run ended last night in the most sloppily way possible.  Happening in the remants of the biggest audience to watch an NCAA National Semifinal doubleheader (many of whom were rooting for Michigan State, a three-hour drive away), The Cats fell to North Carolina to the tune of 83-69 before what was left of 72,456 fans.

What was the main cause? The three-point line was not friendly to Villanova, as it had been to previous UNC oppoents like Oklahoma, and Heel out trey'd the entire team.  The pressure defense didn't show up, and Carolina were in track meet mode all night long thanks to Tyler "Beaker" Hansbrough and that Lawson kid.  Still in all, the Cats have a Regional Championship trophy to show for their efforts, and can hold their heads high in spite of their efforts.

Meanwhile, after 161 days since the last time they played a game that had meaning in their home, the World F. Champion Philadelphia Phillies will wear gold-trimmed uniforms tonight as they begin their defense of their title at home against the Atlanta Braves (Derek Lowe vs. Brett Myers, ESPN2, 8 PM US EDT).  Holding the honors of a Sunday only package gave me an opportunity to be in a lottery for the right to buy a ticket to Opening Night (adjective, not a brand name) which I won.  I also entered for non-season ticket holders, but I lost out, but that's different.  I will be there in person to watch a flag rise above Citizens Bank "Chan Ho" Park in person with the words "2008 WORLD CHAMPIONS" on it.

Hopefully, live blogging resumes tomorrow.  And BTW, because JFein didn't get his cance to fill in for that, I've given him the April 13th show to do.  The WWE's "Draft" is that night. Hey, I have to watch that, i can't do this gig full time as you know.

SWEET MOTHER OF JESUS! VILLANOVA'S DANCIN' IN MOTOWN!!!

Break out the Boyz II Men references. Motown Philly is indeed back again.

For the first time since 1985, on the 17th anniversary of the greatest regional final ever and the 30th anniversary of the Three Mile Island meltdown, the Villanova University Wildcats are going to the Final Four, a brand name mind you, not an adjective.

They had to survive the wildest finish in Boston since the Tea Party as they beat the Pittsburgh Panthers, 76-74 and punch their ticket to Ford Field next weekend. However, this will not be easy as A-B-C, 1-2-3 baby, you and me mind you. They'll have to come see about the winner of tomorrow's (3/29) South Regional final between North Carolina and Oklahoma. Reach out, Cats, we'll all be at Ford Field in spirit as they will spin a Ball of Confusion. I guess you say, what could make me feel this way? Winning, my girls and boys.

It's Selection Sunday...Do You Know Where Your Brackets Are?

Yes, BYOB: Bring Your Own Bracket sheets. It's time to unveil the brackets for The Road to Motown and the whole ball of cheese covered with nuts known as the NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament.

6:00 PM US EDT: And the top overall seed is... Louisville. First time they have been #1 since 1983. And they're in the Midwest, Pitt will be #1 in the East, UNC will be #1 in the South and #1 in the West is UConn. That is a major surprise. Considering that Memphis will be likely the top ranked team in the polls before this tourney starts, that sucks. Three Big East teams? Man, Johnny Calipari must be extremely pissed off to see that.

6:10 PM US EDT: And here's the Midwest Pairings for you to chew upon and fill in.

(1) Louisville vs. (16) Alabama State/Morehead State; (8) Ohio State vs. (9) Siena Fri/Sun @ Dayton

(13) Cleveland State vs. (4) Wake Forest; (5) Utah vs. (12) Arizona Fri/Sun @ Miami, FL

(6) West Virginia vs. (11) Dayton; (3) Kansas vs. (14) North Dakota State Fri/Sun @ Minneapolis

(2) Michigan State vs. (15) Robert Morris; (7) Boston College vs. (10) Southern California Fri/Sun @ Minneapolis

6:16 PM US EDT: Let's go West, young men and women...

(1) UConn vs. (16) Chattanooga; (8) Brigham Young vs. (9) Texas A&M Thur/Sat @ Philadelphia

(13) Mississippi State vs. (4) Washington; (5) Purdue vs. (12) Northern Iowa Thur/Sat @ Portland, OR

(14) Cornell vs. (3) Missouri; (11) Utah State vs. (6) Marquette Fri/Sun @ Boise, ID

(2) Memphis vs. (15) Cal State-Northridge; (7) California vs. (10) Maryland Thur/Sat @ Kansas City

6:25 PM US EDT: Here's the East Region for you.

(1) Pittsburgh vs. (16) East Tennessee State; (8) Oklahoma State vs. (9) Tennessee Fri/Sun @ Dayton

(4) Xavier vs. (13) Portland (OR) State; (5) Florida State vs. (12) Wisconsin-Madison Fri/Sun @ Boise

(6) UCLA vs. (11) Virginia Commonwealth; (3) Villanova vs. (14) Amrican Thur/Sat @ Philadelphia

(2) Duke vs. (15) Binghampton; (7) Texas Austin vs. (10) Minnesota Thur/Sun @ Greensboro

6:34 PM US EDT: And last but not least, grab your mint julips 'cause it's time to go down South, y'all...

(1) North Carolina vs. (16) Radford; (8) Louisiana State vs. (9) Butler Thur/Sat @ Greensboro

(4) Gonzaga vs. (13) Akron; (5) Illinois vs. (12) Western Kentucky Thur/Sat @ Portland, OR

(3) Syracuse vs. (14) Stephen F. Austin; (6) Arizona State vs. (11) Temple Fri/Sun @ Miami, FL

(2) Oklahoma vs. (15) Morgan State; (7) Clemson vs. (10) Michigan Thur/Sat @ Kansas City

And for SDSU, Creighton, St. Mary's, Penn State and Virginia Tech among others, can you spell NIT? Well, I'm hungry, so I'll go out and have dinner, and see you for the Live Blog with Keith tomorrow.

Just Your Typical 127-117 Six OT Game...

So what can you do in three and forty-six minutes hours you ask? Well, you can watch seven straight episodes of Rachael Ray's 30 Minute Meals on Food Network with sixteen minutes to spare, or watch Sean "Puff Diddy run the New York Marathon for 23 miles, or if you were lucky enough, watch what will now be considered an ESPN Classic Instant Classic as Syracuse survived UConn, 127-117 in six overtimes.

No, that was not a typo. Let me repeat that for you. Syracuse 127, UConn 117 in the Big East Tournament quarterfinals at Madison Square Garden, the World's Mst Famous Arena in the USA's version of the middle of the fecking universe, New York City.

This even topped Villanova's 76-75 thriller over Marquette earlier in the day. How many college basketball games you know of actually have six overtimes? Only a 1981 game between Cincinnati and Bradley went one extra stanza longer.