Out With the Old...

So long, Mike Rice.

I wish I could have listened in to Mike Rice's exit interview.  Since I couldn't, I prefer to imagine it going something like this:

"Tim, what's up?"

"I'm sorry, Mike, but I have to let you go."

"What? Why?"
"Come on, Mike.  You know.  The video."

"Yeah but so what?  I thought we resolved all that?"

"That was before it showed up on SportsCenter."

"Oh."

What else could Rutgers A.D. Tim Pernetti say?  Clearly, if ESPN hadn't broadcast Rice's "antics", the coach's job would be secure today.  Instead, the video was seen in several million homes, making us all reminisce over the Bob Knight-Neil Reed video. And everyone concluded Rice was much, much worse.

What choice did Pernetti have?  He had to fire Rice, and fire him quickly, because he's square in the cross hairs himself.

The moral to the story is, Rice was fired not for what he did, but because what he did was leaked on television and all over the internet.

In With the New.

Welcome aboard, Tubby and Pitino Jr.!

I'm not sure what to make of these hires.  What does Texas Tech want with Tubby?  Smith was just North of mediocre in his tenure at Minnesota.  Now he's supposed to turn Texas Tech around?  Good luck with that.  If they just want a nice guy who won't get into any trouble with the NCAA, it's a big win for the Red Raiders.

As for Minnesota, I really don't know what they're doing.  Pitino Jr. hasn't proven much.  Yes, he did turn around Florida International, but it's not like he made it to the Sweet 16.  Maybe Pitino Jr. will turn out as the second coming of Pitino Sr. and the Gophers are banking on that.  I just figured, since they dumped Tubby they must have bigger ambitions.

Maybe they finally did figure out they're Minnesota and learned their place.

Two Scandals, One Day

Reports of corruption in the officiating ranks of the PAC-12.  And a video tape of what looks like player abuse at Rutgers.  What do these two scandals have in common?

Until the media shined its bright light on them, both Rutgers and the PAC-12 were prepared to brush it all under the carpet.  Isn't that always the way, in college sports?

Unfortunately for both organizations, the media found out, and now the real pressure is on.  The Rutgers A.D. is already re-evaluating his cowardly decision to suspend Rice, mostly trying to save his own bacon.  In a just world, his pink slip would arrive quicker than Ed Rush's.

I don't get how people at Rutgers could look at the video tape from practice and not want to fire Rice.  Does the chase for basketball legitimacy overshadow all reason?  But in the end, it's the Paterno Effect.  Keep everything quiet and hope the story doesn't get out.  Unfortunately for Rutgers, the story got out.

As for Ed Rush, the PAC-12 kind of deserves what they are getting for bringing in an NBA referee.  Rush offered prizes you'd expect in the Showcase Showdown to whoever T-ed up Sean Miller.  The PAC-12 can spin the story any way they want, but if Rush is still in charge next Fall, the legitimacy of the league's officiating will be compromised.  Who watches the watchmen?

NCAA Feel Good Story

Florida Gulf Coast was everyone's plucky little favorite team for two weeks.  But they got eliminated from the Tournament, so now it's time to cash in.  Andy Enfield moved on to USC, bucking the trend of other mid-major sensations like Shaka Smart, Mark Few, and Brad Stevens.  Will Enfield find happiness in La-La Land?  He'll certainly find wealth.

Meanwhile, his feel-good story players are left behind at FGCU, wondering what happened.  Unfortunately for the players, they can't cash in like their coach.  But at least the players helped their former coach make millions!

What About Louisville-Duke?

Few anticipated a complete Duke blowout. In fact, a narrative was floating around that Duke was going to dominate from the free-throw line late and pull out a close one.  I think in the end, Louisville's guards, Siva and Smith, had too much speed in getting to the basket and scoring almost at will during a key stretch in the second half, blowing the game wide open.  Dieng's long jumpers were the final blow.  Duke had no counter once Louisville turned up their defensive pressure, and the Blue Devils failed to score for several minutes.

Worst Injury I've Ever Seen in Basketball.

I'm sorry I watched the replay.  The image of Kevin Ware's dangling lower leg will stay with me for a while.  I happened to check the UK board right after the injury, and it came as no surprise to me to see 99.9% of UK fans hoping Ware has a speedy recovery.  No decent fan of the game could think differently.

It sounds like the surgery went well, and hopefully Ware will recover enough to join the team in Atlanta next Saturday.

You Can Talk About the Threes...

Stauskas was amazing, without question.  But Florida's downfall was getting their heads kicked in on the boards early in the game.  Once again, the Gators proved to be a soft team, and they couldn't match Michigan's Big 10 style physical play for 40 minutes.

Just one more question.  Eric Murphy, 0-11?

During the off-season, Donovan needs to re-tool his logistics.