Detroit ? Editor’s note: Journal-World Sports Editor Tom Keegan, or should I say the March Madman, will be writing a blog throughout his coverage of the NCAA Tourney about the crazy moments that standout from his favorite annual sporting event.
The nice thing about an airport layover is it gives you a chance to stretch your legs. You get plenty of exercise trying (and failing) to find somewhere you can’t hear the looped recording that every eight seconds advises, “Caution: The walkway is ending.”
Since the layover lasted 86 minutes, I heard it play exactly 645 times. Nothing I tried to do to distract myself from the “Caution: The walkway is ending,” worked. Not even watching the Maury Show. I heard something on the nearby TV about a woman accidentally shooting herself with a nail gun.
Based on the picture of her that was used to tease the upcoming segment, I assumed she shot herself in the teeth. Turns out it was the heart. They never did explain the missing teeth.
The last 150 or so replays of the “Caution: The walkway is ending” recordings at Chicago’s Midway Airport mid-day Wednesday were my fault. I saw the gate that said Kansas City and reflexively sat down waiting for the boarding for that flight to be called. It wasn’t until I received a call from assitant sports editor/traveling secretary Gary Bedore, who minutes before the doors closed, wondered where I was since our flight to Detroit was about to depart. Just in the nick of time, Gary made me realize I was going somewhere, not returning.
What’s that you say, you never noticed the “Caution: The walkway is ending” recordings? Bet you will from now on.
Since nothing is ever anybody’s fault anymore, I decided to invent a syndrome that caused my brain cramp. It’s called the Sleep/Coffee Deficit Syndrome, an affliction dogging millions of Americans. I’m going to get SCDS certified by shrinks and drug companies with the stipulation I get a percentage of their profits. With the millions, I’ll buy a private jet so I don’t have to wait at any more airport gates.
*If you’re into look-alikes, check out University of Wisconsin guard Kammron Taylor and see if one look at him doesn’t make you crack up. It’s not that he’s funny or funny looking. It’s just that he’s a dead ringer for one of the funniest comics alive, Chris Rock.
*By my quick count, no fewer than eight head coaches in this year’s tourney played in the NBA: Iowa’s Steve Alford, Florida’s Billy Donovan, Montana’s Larry Krystkowiak, Bradley’s Jim Les, Seton Hall’s Louie Orr, Washington’s Lorenzo Romar, Iona’s Jeff Ruland, and Boston College’s Al Skinner. Krystkowiak, Les, Orr, Romar, and Ruland coach at the schools where they starred as players.
Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim didn’t play in the NBA, but his Orange backcourt mate was Hall of Famer Dave Bing.
*The best of the computer rankings is sagarin.com. Specifically, the “predictor” column that is the last one on the right. If you need to fill out your brackets at the last minute and don’t have time to study matchups and pick major upsets, just fill in the team with the higher predictor ranking. Based on that, here are the first-round winners:
Washington regional: UConn, Kentucky, Washington, Illinois, George Mason, North Carolina, Wichita State, Tennessee.
Minneapolis regional: Villanova, Arizona, Nevada, Boston College, Oklahoma, Florida, Georgetown, Ohio State.
Oakland regional: Memphis, Arkansas, Pittsburgh, Kansas, Indiana, Gonzaga, Marquette, UCLA.
Atlanta regional: Duke, George Washington, Texas A&M, LSU, West Virginia, Iowa, North Carolina State, Texas.
Sweet 16: UConn, Illinois, North Carolina, Tennessee, Villanova, Boston College, Florida, Ohio State, Memphis, Kansas, Indiana, UCLA, Duke, LSU, Iowa, Texas.
Elite Eight: UConn, North Carolina, Villanova, Florida, Kansas, UCLA, Duke, Texas.
Final Four: UConn, Villanova, Kansas, Duke.
Title game: Duke over UConn.