The Olympics are all about sport and competition and nothing to do with politics.  I am appalled by the protesting and scuffles that have broken out thus far during the Olympic torch run.      With all the police and security surrounding the torch runners, you would think the President of the United States is walking through town.   What a shame.

Memphis lost the NCAA Championship game for one reason and that is bad coaching.  How does your team blow a 9 point lead with 2 minutes to go in a championship game?    The stupidest coaching move of all came at the very end of regulation.  Up by 3 points after a made free throw by Memphis with 10 seconds left, Kansas drove down the court and Mario Chammers swished a 3-pointer to tie the game with 2 seconds left and send it to overtime.

What went wrong……..  Why did John Calipari not call a time out after the made free throw to setup Memphis’ defense and discuss strategy?    I clearly expected Bill Self, not John Calipari to do something as stupid as this!!!  I am just appalled by this.  Maybe Calipari should replace Self in my top 3 most overrated college basketball coaches.  STUPID! STUPID! STUPID!

Memphis was completely confused on defense.  There were Memphis players guarding their men inside the 3-point line and right under the basket.  Why???  Who cares if they score 2 points.  All the players should have been around the 3-point area.  Instead, Chammers had a really good look at the basket and made the clutch 3-pointer.

Why did Memphis not foul Kansas and send them to the free throw line?  They would have to make one free throw, then get the rebound on a missed free throw (which rarely happens), then still make a basket to tie.  This should have been discussed in a Memphis timeout. 

 Instead, Kansas Jayhawks bring down the nets.  Memphis goes home losers….  What might have been?  Maybe next year, but I doubt it.  No Derrick Rose, no Joey Dorsey…  good luck!

After the embarrassment of Kelvin Sampson, what does Indiana University do to fix it?  They go and hire one of the most overrated coaches in America in Marquette’s Tom Crean.  

The Asiansportsfanatic’s take is this….  What a horrible decision by IU.  There plenty of better coaches available and they chose Crean.  Tom Crean is a horrible coach.   Crean had one lucky NCAA Tourney run to the Final Four with Dwayne Wade and all of a sudden everyone (except me)  thinks Crean is one of the best coaches in America.    Crean has not proven that he can recruit or coach at the highest level.   Crean is not the type of coach a McDonald’s All-American high school player is going to want to play for.    IU will NEVER make it to the Final Four with Tom Crean as head coach.

Crean has had minimal success at Marquette and look for him to be just as unsuccessful at IU.  Indiana University would be better of re-hiring Bob Knight.  Let the mediocrity continue!

Go Hoosiers!

East Region

#1 UNC vs. #4 Washington State - Despite #1 UNC’s lack of defense, they simply make it up with their offensive firepower.  Eventually that will catch up to them, but not in this game.  UNC rolls easily.  WINNER = UNC

#2 Tennessee vs.  #3 Louisville - Tennessee can only go so far with their lack of talent and overrated coach in Bruce Pearl.  Their luck ends against #3 Louisville.  WINNER = LOUISVILLE

 West Region

#3 Xavier vs.  #7 West Virginia - Coming off a great upset victory against #3 Duke, #7 West Virginia will have their hands full against a very talented #3 Xavier team.  I see the game close, but #3 Xavier pulling away in the 2nd half for the victory.  WINNER = XAVIER

#1 UCLA vs.  #12 Western Kentucky - Western Kentucky has had a great run, but it will end against #1 UCLA.  UCLA looked awful offensively against Texas A&M and they had better get their act together if they want to make a run at the championship.  This is their game to get their offense back in sync.  WINNER = UCLA

Midwest Region

#3 Wisconsin vs. #10 Davidson - Stephen Curry has been red-hot in the first two tourneament games.  They will need other players to step up as Wisconsin will do everything to shut Curry down.  #3 Wisconsin is solid and look for them to take advantage of their size inside.  WINNER = WISCONSIN

#1 Kansas vs.  #12 Villanova - Kansas has looked strong ans I do not see Villanova having any chance to beat this super-talented Kansas team.  WINNER = KANSAS

South Region

#2 Texas vs.  #3 Stanford - The Lopez twins are the real deal.  Brook Lopez carried the Cardinal to victory with 28 2nd-half points against Marquette.  Do not look for #2 Texas to allow Lopez to get the ball in the low post so easily in this game.   The Texas guards must step up offensively.  This will be the best game of this round and look for it to be close.  I am calling this upset if you call it that base on the seeding.  WINNER = STANFORD

#1 Memphis vs.  #5 Michigan State - Tom Izzo simply knows how to win in the NCAA Tourney and this year is no different.  #1 Memphis like UNC, are not good defensively because both teams are so explosive on offensive.   This game will be close as look for Michigan State to slow the game down and force Memphis to execute in the half-court offensive.   Memphis will simply be too strong in the end and there will be no upset in this game.  WINNER = MEMPHIS

This move does not come as much of a surprise.  Webber has been out with an injured left knee that has been giving him problems in recent years.  I thought Webber could help them make a run in the playoffs with his ability to score in the low post, but it was apparent that Webber’s lack of speed did not fit well with the Warriors’ up-tempo style of play.

Webber was at his best and one of the best players in the NBA while playing for the Sacramento Kings.  After signing a maximum guaranteed contract, Webber had microfracture knee surgery and he was never the same player. 

Now in retirement, Webber can go back to his first love, smoking pot.  Now, he does not have to worry about any of those annoying drug tests.