You knew it was happening with Love. I thought Westbrook would be a little more intelligent about it all. The news they want everyone to know up front: They’re not signing with agents!

Here’s my little retrospective on Love:

In my humble opinion, this beast of a kid had a chance to be a Top 10 all-time college player (in a dream world where he stayed all four years). I specifically chose the picture above because Love was mauled in Shaq-like ways during games this year; he was that good, yet I still think not nearly appreciated.

So Love’s doing the one-and-done thing and making a faint impression upon UCLA’s history and the game of college basketball. He was fun to watch because it almost made you uncomfortable while sitting on your couch: Love looked like he bruised people, and he scored in very ugly ways at times. If you rooted against UCLA at times this year (not hard to do) it was frustrating to see Love get his 18 and 14 in such a workman like way, you couldn’t help but respect his raw ability to get things done the dirty way.

It was astounding how a player with such limited agility and hops was able to get so many rebounds, avoid from being blocked or blocked out (thank the parents for the posterior) and probably account for at least four of UCLA’s wins this year.

Great player with a great name that’s probably leaving one year too early (in terms of long-term benefits). If he Westbrook and Collison (still awaiting word there) were to come back, UCLA would be the preseason No. 1 or No. 2, undoubtedly.

UCLA’s Love, Westbrook Intend to Enter NBA Draft {Los Angeles Times}

It’s a great storyline, one that should be on the frontal lobe of your noodle as the game unfolds before us tonight. I’m all about history, themes, patterns, jinxes, etc. Consider:

»No Big XII/Big 8  team has won a national championship since Kansas did it against Oklahoma in ‘88.

»Bill Self, much like Roy Williams in ‘03, is coaching in a national title game against a stud freshman who will be a top 3 draft pick in the following draft.

»Like Williams, there are rumors about Self’s employment at his alma mater despite the fact that he, like Williams, is coaching at a historical, proud college hoops program in Kansas.

»Kansas has lost in just two title games (Duke, ‘91, was the other). Seems like more, right?

»Memphis is very much like UNLV in 1990: A team from a non-Big 6 conference that has tons of athletic ability, a coach with a bit of a bad rep to his name amongst the coaching fraternity and plenty of future pros. Plus, it’s a team (Memphis) that’s going against another—Kansas is much like Duke in this respect—with great team play, a coach on the rise that’s making a name for himself and a few smooth players. (Don’t tell me Rush doesn’t kind of remind you of Grant Hill. Yes I’m also referencing the hair.)

»In the ‘Hawks’ favre: Not including Vegas, the last team that won a title that wasn’t from a Big 6: Marquette in ‘77.

Here’s one reader’s take on the games this weekend… 

This Weekend’s Final Bore Four Will Be a Snore

I love college hoops and have my whole life. Larry Bird has been my hero for more than 20 years. Before I take the extended dirt nap, in fact, I want to hang out and eat Lucky Charms for at least one night at the Larry Bird Hotel in French Lick, Indiana. (more…)

Rather than dissect each team and tell you why any squad can win … I’m going to go the opposite way. Let’s have some fun.

1) Because Roy Williams is a phony. He also says the word “crap” too much. It’s unsettling. How great would a loss to Kansas feel for all of us after his rant to Bonnie Bernstein in ‘03.

2) Because Ty Lawson, to Williams’ own admission, turned his ankle again at the end of the Louisville game. Lawson, you are no Ray Felton! Plus, Danny Green will finally sprain his ankle during his pregame dance routine.

3) Because Hansbrough will outwork everyone in practice, leaving them to their own devices and staring them down with his frog eyes. Can’t get your team up in that fashion.

4) Because a title from this team would give Billy Packer and Dick Vitale a reason to continue in their professions for the next decade.

5) Because the games require them to hop on a plane in order to play them.

One reason why they will: Eve Carson.

Four 1-seeds is boring? Anything but, dude!

I could understand the argument if this Final Four had your casually placed batch of two 1-seeds, a 2 and and even a 3 thrown in there. But this one is different. This one gives us the four best teams throughout the season. We should be thankful. (more…)

(Update: Curry has announced that he’ll return to Davidson for his junior year. Seemed like a no-brainer to me.) 

Specifically, of course, Stephen Curry did his job. And then some.

I know we all are upset/let down because of the fact that the guy who was lights out for the better part of four Tournament games GAVE UP the ball in the final seconds, but I don’t go to bed with a sense of deprecation tonight.

Perhaps the one good thing (all Jayhawk-mindedness aside) about the Davidson loss was that it makes us cherish that George Mason team that much more; I think we were already starting to take that run for granted. Seriously: Can we all grasp how truly tough it is for a mid-major school to win four games in this Tournament?

Davidson made it seem so casual that I think we all got swept up in the lanky arms of Stephen Curry. This wasn’t the dramatic, hold-you-by-the-neck drama that Mason’s run embodied. No, Davidson played the part like they’d been paid for this type of role a few times before.

Plus, they’ll be back. This team won’t be forgotten; Stephen Curry is about as memorable of a March character as we’ve had in the past 10-plus years.

Memphis-Texas tips in less than two hours, so let’s address the question.

When the brackets were released and a lot of prognosticators were taking all the Top Dogs to get to San Antonio, some agreed, thinking that this year’s set of teams was facing an inferior field. Others thought it was uncreative and a cop-out. A lot of people liked Pitt to beat Michigan State … then Pitt to beat Memphis. That didn’t happen.

Then a lot of people liked Michigan State to beat Memphis. That didn’t happen.

Now, a lot of people are thinking Texas will take down Memphis.

Since when has a one-loss team been so vulnerable? A lot of people like the prospect of Abrams and Augustin to dictate the game, but Rose and Anderson aren’t so bad, you know. I wouldn’t be shocked if Memphis lost, but they seem to be playing with more dedication than anyone left in the field. Given that we’re talking about Memphis, I think that’s pretty amazing.

As for the Kansas-Davidson game, I chance jinxing everything … so let’s stop for now. Do I think we’re going to have four 1s? Yes. And I wouldn’t be upset if it did. (I had three 1s and Xavier going.)

I think I’m going to go ahead and post my first retraction on this little site of mine.

A few days ago, I put up this video of Wesley Matthews seemingly giving the finger to some fans in the stands during the Stanford-Marquette game. Many people have e-mailed me (some who claim to have been there) to tell me I’m wrong, just all wrong about the whole thing. I’ll eat the crow and say that I rescind the statement, but it appears on the video (and I caught it live) that CBS blurred out Matthews’ hand in an attempt to prevent anything from slipping through the airwaves.

Some of you thought I was a Stanford fan. I assure you, this is not the case. Though I do consider myself an environmentalist. Apologies on my behalf, and I hope you continue to hang around these parts in the future.

Just for fun, now that we’ve seen everyone play 80 (some 80-plus) minutes of ball, how would you realign The Tournament? I’ll stick with the NCAA rule that no teams from the same conferences can play each other before the Elite Eight.

EAST:

No. 1 North Carolina vs. No. 4 Western Kentucky
No. 2 Louisville vs. No. 3 Davidson
MIDWEST

No. 1 Kansas vs. No. 4 Villanova
No. 2 Wisconsin vs. No. 3 Xavier

SOUTH

No. 1 Memphis vs. No. 4 Michigan State
No. 2 UCLA vs. No. 3 West Virginia

WEST

No. 1 Texas vs. No. 4 Tennessee
No. 2 Stanford vs. No. 3 Xavier

Whaaaat’s the deal with that 7-seed Butler? We’re all unsure about so many things. Here some minutiae that I keep bouncing around my skull as The Tournament begins tomorrow…

… Will Duke just shock us all and make a Final Four run?

… No one likes Memphis … I think I have my national champion.

… Small schools aside, there isn’t a more anonymous team in this field than Miami.

… I just can’t wait for Gus Johnson on my television.

… Will the Tournament keep its shape, seedwise? Everyone thinks the 1s, 2s and 3s are significantly more capable than others. I think it’s time we get shocked. Seriously shocked. Three double-digit seeds in the Elite Eight shocked.

… Can Indiana upset UNC, a la their ‘02 win over Duke?

… How great would another Mason run be? Try and picture it.

… I’ve almost finished my bracket. I’ve picked Arizona to win their first round game again. This is like going back to the same girl who keeps breaking your heart. West Virginia’s going to f’ing win, I know it.

… Will Clark Kellogg get back on track with his picks? If you hadn’t noticed, this guy used to pick upsets at an alarmingly consistent rate. In recent years, he’s faulted.

… I’d love to get these matchups in later rounds: Arizona-Duke; Louisville-Tennessee; USC-Gonzaga.

… Will CBS successfully get us in and out of games? Thankfully, we’ve got Internet access to watch more than just one, but everyone loves their HD cocoon these days.

… Reasonable upset I’d most like to see but probably won’t happen: St. Mary’s over Texas.

… An upset that no one’s taking, but now I’m tempted: Cal State Fullerton over Wisconsin.

… Raftery! Mantoman!

… The 7/10s are so much more intriguing than the 8/9s that it’s astounding. This is the driest set of 8/9s that I can remember.