If the government wants the country to go green, they should make everyday St. Patty's Day.

• With all the nonsense talk about expanding the field to 96 teams, how about we find a worthy 65 first?  Memphis, UAB, Arizona St. and Wake Forest could not win a single game against a bad team on a neutral court to ensure a spot in the field.  They should junk the play-in game and take away an at-large spot.  Go back to 64.
• By the way, North Carolina makes it easily if you expand to 96.  Now there's a season that deserves a hefty reward...
• I don't know about you, but I've got Texas and Villanova penciled into my championship game. 
• We don't spend enough time wallowing in the negative.  Since we talk non-stop about all the great coaching jobs, why don't we give notice to the awful work that was done this season?  Paul Hewitt (Georgia Tech), Roy Williams (UNC) and Rick Barnes (Texas) had the rare luxury of coaching NBA front-lines in college this season and did absolutely nothing with them.  In the next two drafts, you won't see many big men taken ahead of Derrick Favors, Gani Lawal, Damion James, Dexter Pittman, John Henson, Tyler Zeller and Deon Thompson.  With all that talent, the three teams combined to go 21-27 in conference play.
• For the record, I don't think they are bad coaches by any stretch.  Obviously, Roy Williams is one of the all-time greats, but they had terrible seasons.
• Will somebody explain to me the DISADVANTAGE of a double-bye in the Big East Tournament?  I understand that three of the top four seeds lost yesterday, but rustiness was not the problem.  Syracuse/Georgetown came down to the final minutes and the Hoyas outplayed them.  Marquette and Notre Dame are better teams right now than Villanova and Pitt.  The teams that play on the first night have to win five games in five days.  How is that an advantage?
• Arizona's streak of reaching the NCAA tournament for 25 consecutive seasons quietly ended yesterday.  Sean Miller has that program on the right track and they'll be back in the "Dance" and dominating the league next year.
• Jimmer Fredette of BYU scored 45 points yesterday.  You don't care about that.  You're just wondering who names their kid Jimmer.
• Baylor and Texas A&M are poised to make noise next week.
• In honor of this weekend, we should all try and pair our Facebook friends down to the top 64.  Bootsy's a lock, but my wife's on the bubble.
• Da'Sean Butler actually called bank on his buzzer-beating game-winning three last night against Cincinnati according to the Bearcats Lance Stephenson.
• While his skills remain open for criticism, Luke Harangody deserves praise for how well he has taken his demotion to the bench.  There's nothing token about it.  Even in crunch time last night, Mike Brey went with his defensive lineup until Carleton Scott fouled out and Gody was forced to come in.  Considering the Irish are bringing a two-time Big East scoring and rebounding champ off their bench, you'd think they were the best team in the nation. 
• With nine Juniors becoming Seniors next season, St. John's fired Norm Roberts at the right time.  If the new coach is worth his salt, he'll get them in the tournament next year and earn some credit with the fans.  I would think about hiring a Pitt, Louisville or Villanova assistant since those teams recruit New York so well.
• Oregon should look at St. Mary's coach Randy Bennett to open their new building next Fall.
• The NCAA should have it written into their next CBS contract that Sean McDonough, Bill Raftery and Jay Bilas call the Final Four.  I like Jim Nantz.  CBS pays him a ton of money, so they would never think about moving him off their top property, but McDonough is the best in the business.  He proves that you can have a sense of humor without being "schticky" and over the top. 
• Princeton disciples Craig Robinson (Oregon St.) and Bill Carmody (Northwestern) play a 1-3-1 zone defense.  Correct me if I'm wrong, but Princeton does not play a 1-3-1.  Robinson uses the "Princeton offense", but Carmody coaches more like John Beilein than Pete Carill.  Carmody took Princeton to two NCAAs, but he cannot get Northwestern to the tournament for the first time in school history.  Just random observations of a mad man...   
• Some people don't like conference tournaments.  To those people I say, "You hate fun."  It's 9 am on a Friday and there are four different games on.  What is more fun than that?

FYI, this is what a Jimmer looks like.

I thought I'd post a reminder that anything is possible this time of year.

I've been looking for these two clips for a long time, but they have to be the greatest buzzer-beating sequences in college basketball history.

Enjoy the madness!

Internet fail!  Happy to be back in the land of the living...

• The best time of year for weekday daytime sports.  On the West Coast, you open your eyes to Syracuse and Georgetown at the Garden.  It's a beautiful sight!
• By the way, Syracuse heads into the tourney with back-to-back losses and a looming question mark over the head of Arinze Onuaku, who left today with a knee injury.  If he cannot go, the Orange are toast.  They don't have the size or depth to make the Final Four without him.  Although, mama just said, "He's fine. He will be back for the NCAA Tournament."
• As Chris Wright goes, Georgetown goes.
• Montana made the "Dance" last night out of the Big Sky.  They also signed two of the best guards in Los Angeles this season because they make early offers and are academically lenient.  Who says the big boys have all the advantages?  Watch out for the Grizzlies in three years when Kareem Jamar (Westchester) and Vaughn Autry (Gardena Serra) are coming into their college primes.  
• Is there a worse ticket in sports than the Pac-10 Tournament opener last night?  Thanks to USC's dismissal, Staples hosted just the #8 vs. #9 game last night.  The Ducks prevailed over the Cougars in front of dozens of spectators.
• Did you see my movie idea on Twitter?  We'll call it The Longest Offseason starring Jeremiah Masoli, LaMichael James and Jamere Holland.  It's directed by Chip Kelly with a special guest appearance from LeGarrette Blount.  Think The Longest Yard meets Mighty Ducks.
• Nomar Garciaparra signed with the Red Sox for one day, so he could retire for his "beloved" team.  Maybe I'm "misremembering," but he was not so beloved when he left.  If I recall correctly, he was sulking in the dugout when Derek Jeter dove head-first into the stands.  Then, the trade that shipped Garciaparra out of town was the catalyst for the Red Sox World Series win.  He had his moments, but we're not exactly talking about Cal Ripken and the Orioles here. 
• Fantasy freaks, keep an eye on the Minnesota Twins closer situation.  They always figure these things out and they'll still win a lot of close games.  If Francisco Liriano gets moved to the back of the bullpen, he could be the steal of the draft.
• I also love Javier Vazquez as a fantasy sleeper.  He'll be going up against other back of the rotation starters, so expect him to get run support, which translates into wins.  Also, Vazquez always sneaks his way to the top of the strikeouts leaderboard.
• Tiger Woods road to recovery did not begin in that robotic press conference and it won't be spurred on by the ridiculous Ari Fleischer hire.  He is a golfer and he needs to play golf.  He'll tee it up in two weeks at Bay Hill and then the Masters in April.  Now, we'll see if the golf throngs can resist cheering on his Sunday charge.
• Mike Holmgren looked at his QB options in Cleveland and asked a simple question, "What's behind door number 3?"  Derek Anderson was cut; Brady Quinn is set to be traded; and Seneca Wallace was signed as a back-up.  According to reports, behind door #3 is Jake Delhomme.  So I'll ask, how about door #4?
• Real Madrid spent 260 million Euros in the offseason to sign a "dream team" of Cristiano Ronaldo, Kaka and Karim Benzema.  However, their recurring nightmare happened again yesterday as they were dumped out of the Champions League in the second round for the 6th straight season.  Ronaldo has been worth every penny, but Kaka is stuck in the Portuguese star's shadow and Benzema is nowhere to be found. 
• Wayne Rooney is the best footballer in the world right now.  He's the hardest working star, on-field that is, in the sport.  While most strikers settle for the glitz and glammer of scoring goals, Rooney revels in sprinting back on defense, only to sprint forward again and cut defenses open.
• I don't buy the Dallas Mavericks as contenders.  They've always been soft in the Dirk Nowitzki/Mark Cuban era.  Caron Butler and Brendan Haywood might get them past Denver, but they are not beating the Lakers in a seven game series.
• The Lakers will not go down as an all-time great team, but they have that kind of talent.  They embrace complacency.  On the one hand, you have to marvel at how many game-winning shots Kobe has taken this season, let alone made.  On the other, don't you have to question why the champions need a baseline fadeaway at the buzzer to beat the Toronto Raptors in the Staples Center to end a three-game losing streak?  The NBA regular season is meaningless, but it'd be nice if the teams pretended like it wasn't.   

Notre Dame alum Zach Hillesland says, "Arinze Onuaku has arms like legs and legs like people."

Last March, CBS TV exec Doug Towey died.  He was the man responsible for putting "One Shining Moment" on the air in 1987.

Just this past January, Teddy Pendergrass succumbed to cancer.  He and Luther Vandross and David Barrett were the three men to voice the immortal lyrics of "One Shining Moment."

Today, the greatest tradition in sports has ended.

To honor these two great Americans, CBS will have "American Idol" 6th runner-up Jennifer Hudson belt out her rendition of this American classic.  Afterward, Simon Cowell will rate the performance.

I gave it 11 seconds of thought and I've decided I'm not happy.  "In the blinking of an eye, my moment's gone." 

Is nothing sacred anymore? 

We eat turkey on Thanksgiving.  We watch fireworks on July 4th.  And dammit, we listen to Luther or Teddy sing us "One Shining Moment" after the National Championship game.

Listen to the words CBS...

"Feel the beat of your heart, feel the wind in your face.  It's more than a contest, it's more than a race."  It's more than a song CBS.  It's our childhood.  

"And when it's done, win or lose, you always did your best because inside you knew..."  Have you done your best?  Would Doug Towey be proud?  Would Teddy Pendergrass and Luther Vandross be content to pass the torch to a reality show contestant/movie star?  

It seems to me that you waited until they were in the grave to trample on their tradition...on my tradition...on our tradition.

Please take a moment to watch last year's "tribute" to Doug Towey before "One Shining Moment."  After the montage, it fittingly says "In Memoriam" because memories are all we have left.

(Note: I might be a little over dramatic on this subject, but this song is really important to me...and my wife...and Bootsy.  Everyone needs a cause!)

How do you know its Tuesday?  You're roused out of bed by a screeching fire alarm...

• I cannot remember HBO Sports making a bad documentary, but Magic vs. Bird is one of their best.  Set the DVR and learn something about basketball history...
• Today's And-1 mix tape generation thinks they play with style.  They have no idea.  Magic Johnson and Larry Bird played with more flare than anyone in the current game.  They never sacrificed an ounce of offensive efficiency, but they still understood their responsibility to entertain and help a dying league. 
• To this day, the NBA has more race issues than any other American league.  The players are mostly black, which was the case in the 80's as well, but the fans are still mostly white.  While Larry Bird was "The Great White Hope," Magic was "The Cosby Show," universally appealing.  He did not transcend racism; he understood commercialism.  After Michael Jordan took commercialism to new levels, the NBA hit a lull.  Allen Iverson's generation was "too black" for the fanbase, so the term "thuggish" became the racist buzz word of today's white fans and journalists.  Now, the NBA's popularity is rising because LeBron James and Kobe Bryant crossover all races and creeds, but Carmelo "Don't Snitch" Anthony, who once threw a punch in a game (gasp!) does not get to be a part of the elite club.
• Speaking of throwing punches, violence was okay in the NBA when Kevin McHale was clothes-lining Kurt Rambis.  They are just gritty, hard-nosed, blue-collar boys.  When J.R. Smith and Nate Robinson square off, they are "thugs from the 'hood." 
• I just missed the Magic/Bird era.  When I saw Larry, he was a broken down shooter.  When I saw Magic, he was a back to the basket point guard.  I grew up on Michael Jordan's NBA, which was great, but it was all about Michael.  He had no peers.  The 80's NBA had star power, but they had great teams, which meant great games.
• The documentary details the split personalities of Earvin "Magic" Johnson.  By some twist of fate, I met both Earvin and "Magic."  When I was a kid, my mother did PR for a toy company that made "Magic Johnson's Double Dunk."  It was one of those games with two little hoops and you both shot until somebody made five.  Toy Fair is an annual event in Manhattan that showcases new toys and I got to play "Double Dunk" against Magic Johnson in front of the media.  The date was February 10th, 1992.  How do I know that?  It was the Monday after the All-Star game when Magic won the MVP in his return to action after announcing that he was HIV-positive. 
• As the game counted down for us to begin, I was convinced that I was going to beat him.  I was nine at the time, but I had played this game many more times than he had.  Sure enough, as we go to take our first shots, "Magic" swats my ball into the cameras to the roar of laughter in the room.  I did not realize that you could play defense, but I also did not know the type of competitor that I was playing against.  "Magic" entertained and won.
• After the game, "Magic" was taken to a separate room.  To this day, I can vividly remember the scene when I walked in.  "Magic" had been left in the other room as Earvin sat exhausted at the table with his head in his hands.  He cordially signed my basketball card, but there was no entertainment.  He understood the gravity of the death sentence he had recently been given and he was preparing for the fight of a lifetime.
• On a list of crazy things that have happened in my lifetime, "Magic" Johnson NOT dying of AIDS ranks right near the top. 
• As for Larry Bird, he was a weird dude, but he owned that, which is the kind of honesty that you do not get from many athletes, who understand how much money there is to be made by presenting a commercial image. 
• You could lose a lot of money betting on Gonzaga this time of year.  For all the publicity that Mark Few gets, he has a terrible track record in March.  Usually, they win the West Coast conference tournament, but last night, they were flattened by St. Mary's.  Do yourself a favor, don't put the Bulldogs past the Sweet 16. 
• Siena and Old Dominion are good enough to win two games, let alone one in the NCAA tourney.  This could be a great year for mid-majors.  Seeds 3-6 will be loaded with overrated, ripe for the upsetting BCS teams.
• The Big East tournament starts today.  It ends sometime around the Sweet 16.
• In case you have not heard the name, Braves OF Jason Heyward is baseball's next superstar.  Yesterday, he hit a ball that has not landed yet.  While Stephen Strasburg is headed to the minors after Spring Training, Heyward looks like he's winning a place in the opening day lineup. 
• Aroldis Chapman hit 100 mph on the gun in his first Spring outing Monday.  The left-handed Cuban defector supposedly lacks control, command and secondary pitches.  Maybe so, but the Reds investment looks sound.  At worst, he'll be Billy Wagner.
• Joe Nathan is out for the season, which opens the door in the AL Central.
• With NASCAR ratings in decline, the execs gave the drivers a license to wreck in the offseason.  Over the weekend, Carl Edwards exacted revenge on Brad Keselowski by crashing him out of the race.  Of course, when cars ram each other at 195 mph, there's no telling what will happen.  What did happen?  Keselowski went airborne.  Now, NASCAR is in a spot where they cannot support this type of behavior, but they're hypocrites if they punish it.      

I did not see or like enough of the movies to do a preview this year, but I'm happy to do a review.

• All I keep hearing this morning are complaints about how long the show was.  Get a DVR people...
• The horror montage included frightening films like Edward Scissorhands (a sad drama), Beetlejuice (a comedy) and Little Shop of Horrors (a musical).  They also included Twilight: New Moon, which was horror-ble, so maybe the theme was wider ranging than I thought.
• "Suck it James Cameron" is actually the name of Katherine Bigelow's post-party.  She is 59!  MILF and cougar don't cover it.  She deserves her own word.
• Meryl Streep is 2-14 in her Oscar career.  She cannot win the big one.
• The Oscars have become a "proof of life" for forgotten and reclusive stars.  Barbara Streisand is apparently still alive and the John Hughes crew led by Molly Ringwald, Ally Sheedy and Judd Nelson did not age well.  Actually, the Hughes montage was my favorite part of the show.
• "The Dude" won an Oscar.  White Russians for everyone!!!    
• Barbara Walters and Mo'Nique got into some crazy $h!t in the aftershow (pre-show for the East coasters).  First, Mo'Nique broke down in hypothetical detail how her brother molested her as a child.  Second, she discussed her open marriage, which apparently is the term she uses to rationalize her husband cheating on her.  I believe Elin Woods calls hers a "Grand Canyon marriage."  Lastly, we got a wonderful shot of Mo'Nique's hairy legs as she proudly described how she does not shave them.  At least we know why her husband cheats on her now...
• 500 Days of Summer and The Hangover were the best two movies that I saw this year.  In their absence, I'm happy The Hurt Locker won the night.
• On to sports, Villanova and West Virginia played the game of the weekend.  I still don't like either team in two weeks.
• Notre Dame welcomed back Luke Harangody in their "Dance" card punching OT win at Marquette.  By welcomed, I mean he played 11 minutes and was told that he'll be coming off the bench the rest of the year.  I know exactly how the Irish season will end.  Harangody will score 20+ in a losing effort in the tournament.  No coach can resist the temptation of an all-time scorer sitting on the pine, while his teammates struggle for baskets.  Mark it down...
• John Wall is shooting just 41% in SEC play, which is hardly the best competition in the nation.  He's had a good season (16.8 ppg, 6.2 apg and 4.0 rpg), but he has not set college aflame like Michael Beasley or Kevin Durant did.  Yet, I think he's the best pro prospect to play college ball since Chris Paul. 
• Syracuse has lost three games all season and two of them were to an average Louisville team.  The Orange have singlehandedly gifted Rick Pitino's squad a spot in the tournament.  I still like Cuse to make the Final Four and cut down the nets if the match-ups are right.
• South Carolina's Devan Downey will be the steal of the 2010 NBA Draft.  Are you listening to me Donnie?
• Texas will head to the postseason out of the Top 25.  Rick Barnes, Coach of the Year!!!
• Landon Donovan is a soccer diplomat.  He marked his Everton bow with a goal and an assist this weekend coming off the bench.  Upon his entry into the game, the crowd chanted "U-S-A!".  When he scored, his teammates lifted him up to the crowd like a trophy.  Even the condescending British broadcasters remarked how far American soccer had come considering three Yanks were on the field at the same time.  Donovan did all this in 10 weeks.  Of course, he'll be hung in effigy if he bags the winner against England this Summer. 
• Ben Roethlisberger is either rough in bed or hanging out with the wrong women.  One or the other is fine, but getting rough with the wrong women will get your name in the police blotter.
• Brandon Marshall is Terrell Owens in his prime.  He'll get you in the end zone, but talk you out of the playoffs.  Is that worth a first round pick?  Maybe for Seattle, which needs to win now under Pete Carroll, but not the Bengals, who discovered the joys of team chemistry last season.
• The Lakers have lost three straight for the first time since Pau Gasol donned the purple and gold.  In other meaningless news...
• My burger quest took me to "Lucky Devil's" Friday night.  They're famous for their Kobe beef, which was delicious, but I was too distracted by the six dudes sitting at the table to our right.  Five of six wore blue blazers, one with a pin on the lapel and I swear to God when they got their drinks one of them said, "Put her there gents!" and they all clinked glasses.  After dinner, they went and sacrificed a virgin at their skull and bones meeting.

You have no idea how happy you are that Northern Iowa made the Dance.  Meet Lucas O'Rear and his sideburns!

Americans love deadlines...

• In the NBA and MLB, most significant moves don't happen until the moment before the trade deadline.  On the opposite end, the deadline to start signing NFL free agents was midnight last night and the fury started at 12:01. 
• Julius Peppers is lined up to go to Chicago.  Peppers is the most talented player in this year's class, but he's an awkward fit for a blue-collar town.  He cannot be the primadonna that he was in Carolina, playing well in spurts.  Aaron Kampman would have filled the same need and been a better fit than Peppers, but the Bears are reaching for the stars.
• The Jets plan is simple.  If you're going to ignore Darrelle Revis, we'll get another top corner and leave you with no options.  So, they traded for Antonio Cromartie.  Athletically, Cromartie is one of the best in the game.  However, the Bolts wanted to jettison him for a reason.  He's known to have some major character question marks.  Will those rise to a head in New York?  Until then, the Jets defense should be the best in the league.
• The Lions are active early.  They are on the brink of signing DE Kyle Vanden Bosch, plus they traded for DT Corey Williams and signed WR Nate Burleson.  Matt Millen really was the problem.  They have a brand new stadium, a franchise QB and an improving team.  Plus, the Rams are going to do them a giant favor by leaving Ndamukong Suh on the table for the #2 pick.
• The Giants appear to have prioritized Antrel Rolle over Karlos Dansby.  I agree that they have needs at both safety and middle linebacker and I love both players.  However, the draft is rich with first round safety talent this year.  Earl Thomas and Taylor Mays should be available when the G-Men pick.  Rolando McClain is the only middle backer with an instant impact grade, so GM Jerry Reese would be taking quite a gamble that he'll still be there at #15.
• The Panthers are paying Jake Delhomme a lot of money to NOT play for them.  What a country!
• Great comment yesterday by someone who claims to be Gary Lineker, but spells his name wrong (Linneker).  I actually agree with everything in the comment.  However, the U.S. team is not realistically expecting to win the World Cup.  If they can match their quarterfinal feat of 2002, everyone will be thrilled.  They don't have the midfield talent to play a possession game, so when they're faced with top competition, they need Tim Howard (one of the best goalies in the world) to play like Ryan Miller.  And, they need to score goals on the break with a hopefully healthy group of wingers and strikers (Jozy Altidore, Landon Donovan, Clint Dempsey, DaMarcus Beasley and Charlie Davies).
• Speaking of Gary Lineker, reminds me of my favorite Clive Owen youtube clip.
• Red Sox Nation has gone back to its roots this Spring and they're rallying around an old battle-cry, "Yankees Suck!".  Check out these two hilarious commercials. 
• By the way, my buddy Tino once wore a "Red Sox Suck" tee-shirt to Yankees Stadium and the security made him turn it inside-out.  He told them that Red Sox fans wear "Yankees Suck" tee-shirts at Fenway all the time.  The security answered, "Exactly."
• On the field, the Yankees biggest debate is over the #2 spot in their lineup.  First, Nick Johnson was basically hand-picked for that role, so there is not much of a debate.  Second, every hitter in the majors would kill for that lineup spot.  Would you like to hit between Derek Jeter and Mark Teixeira?  Yes please.  The bigger concern should be the #5 spot.  Jorge Posada is pencilled in as Alex Rodriguez's protection in the absence of Hideki Matsui, but Posada has age and injury concerns.  At best, he plays 120 games.  Against right-handed pitching, I would put Curtis Granderson in that spot.  He looks like a speed guy, but the numbers say he's a power hitter and that was before the short porch.
• "Roach coach" or mobile dining is all the rage in Los Angeles right now.  Yesterday, I finally tried Kogi BBQ, which is considered the king of truck food.  I'm not a taco connoisseur, but I have to say they were the best I've ever had.  I had a spicy pork taco, a chicken taco and the short rib sliders.  For those that don't know, Kogi is Korean/Mexican fusion. 
• As with anything cool, some people have to take it too far.  The guy in front of me was hyperventilating with excitement when the truck pulled up and then ordered from the cashier like a 16-year-old girl talking to Taylor Swift.  Also, he ordered 11 tacos, sliders and a quesadilla.  I know I'm not one to talk, but that's gluttony.
• "The Office" is the opposite of most successful sitcoms.  While the laughs have slowed down over the years and the storylines have been played up, they are actually doing better with the "moments episodes."  "Friends" fell apart when it became all about babies and weddings, but "The Office" nailed Jim and Pam's wedding and now Pam's baby. 
• As for the weekend, I will be calling four high school championship games tomorrow at the Honda Center (live on iBN if you're interested), but the Madness really heats up Saturday.  The small schools earn their bids into the field and the big schools play for bubbles and seeds. 
• Headliners: Louisville needs a home upset over #1 Syracuse after the Cardinals were blown away by Marquette earlier in the week.  They beat the Orange in the Carrier Dome, but doubling up will be a tall task.  Madison Square Garden will host some desperate teams next week (Louisville, UConn, Notre Dame, Seton Hall and South Florida).  Of course, desperate will be a welcome change from hapless (New York Knicks).
• Also in the Big East, #8 West Virginia will visit #9 Villanova.  I don't like either of these teams right now.  The Mountaineers cannot shoot and the Cats cannot defend.
• #2 Kansas at Missouri is one of the most underrated rivalry games in the country.  At least for this year, North Carolina at #4 Duke is one of the most overrated rivalries.  However, I'd love to see a UNC/Duke quarterfinal at the ACC tournament.  

Roy Williams's team is currently tied for 9th in the ACC with one more loss to come Saturday.

Thoughts...

• To wrap up yesterday's live tweet, U.S. winger Stuart Holden broke his fibula and will be out for six weeks.  The Americans plainly do not have the depth to sustain anymore injuries. 
• The American soccer media has an inferiority complex, which is even bigger than the players'.  They watch the U.S. get dominated in possession against a quality team like the Netherlands and write off their chances of competing at the World Cup.  However, soccer is not like football and basketball; it's more like hockey.  The U.S. hockey team defeated Canada in pool play despite being badly outshot.  They made their chances count, which is what the Americans will need to do in South Africa.  Once more, for all the Dutch possession, how many times did they really threaten Tim Howard?  The goals came on a stupid penalty and a deflected shot.  While the U.S. media is looking for a team that will give them some swagger in the press box, American coach Bob Bradley is playing for results and he almost got one yesterday.
• Enough soccer, it's officially March and it felt like it last night.  For Bootsy's sake, I'm truly impressed by the Notre Dame basketball resurrection.  They packed the lane on UConn and forced inconsistent shooters to make shots.  The Huskies were lucky to draw iron.  Without A.J. Price and Hasheem Thabeet, Jim Calhoun's team has lacked leadership, range and inside scoring the entire season.  In another year, I'd pick them to make an MSG run into the Dance, but they have to win like 13 games to do that this season, so I'll book them for the NIT.
• Oh, Greivis Vasquez, what do we make of you?  His facial hair is unconscionable.  From what I can tell, his beard is two zorro mustaches on his chin.  His antics are often over the top, but he's been doing them for so long that I'm used to them by now.  On the court, he's led an average Maryland team to the top of the ACC and he knocked off the Dukies with two classic shots last night.  The Brian Cardinal points are adding up for the 23-year-old...
• For about 10 game minutes, Duke looked like a Final Four team.  Late in the first half, Coach K went against his mentor Bobby Knight and played zone.  The Terps were caught off guard and Duke stormed back from a 14-point deficit.  Sure enough, the Blue Devils were back in man-to-man down the strecth, so Gary Williams could easily isolate Vasquez on Duke's weakest defender, Jon Scheyer, and Maryland scored on every clutch possession.  With their experience and shooting ability, Duke could be a Final Four team, but not in their defensive scheme that relies on shot-blockers and quickness, which they don't have.
• #5 Kansas St. at #2 Kansas was only shown to people who have MASN.  This is a rivalry game between two top 5 teams.  And I thought the Pac-10 TV deal was bad...
• Play golf Tiger...
• Speaking of Mr. Woods, two great stories.  One, I love the college ex-girlfriend defending young Eldrick as a "good person."  Of course, her evidence included stories of taking "extra benefits" (an NCAA violation) and stealing liquor from his parents, so they could drink underage.  Now, I'm not offended in either case, but I would not exactly call this woman as a character witness.
• Second, Steve Williams is "mad" at Tiger Woods over the sex scandal.  "Of course I'm mad at him, why would you not be?", Williams told "60 Minutes."  Oh, I don't know, maybe because you carried his bag for 11 years and he made you one of the richest people in your country. 
• Williams on loyalty: ""When you're a true friend of somebody, that's when somebody needs your support and need you the most. That's when you don't walk away. Tiger's one of my closest friends and he needs my support right now and I'd never think of walking away."  Sounds good.  Although, he also said, "I'm a straight-up sort of person. If I had known something was going on, the whistle would have been blown."  Good on loyalty, bad on trust.  Vegas should put out odds on which marriage will last longer, Tiger and Elin or Tiger and Stevie. 
• CNNSI.com's Don Banks thinks the Giants will solve their middle linebacking crisis with free agent Karlos Dansby.  I love it.  The Giants are built to win now offensively, so unless they can get Alabama LB Rolando McClain in the draft, they don't have time to wait for a young player to lead their defense in the absence of Antonio Pierce.  Plus, if they get Dansby, GM Jerry Reese can use their top draft pick to fix another part of their defensive spine at tackle or safety.
• Is there any way Julius Peppers signs somewhere OTHER than Washington?  I guess you have to give the Redskins credit for sticking with their plan of signing all the top veterans every offseason.  It's been a decade and they haven't won a thing, but by all means, forge right ahead.
• If broadcast technology is moving to 3-D, when will Ray Ban or Oakley step up and make some cool, comfortable 3-D glasses?  If I'm going to spend my day wearing them, they need to be more comfortable than the Avatar glasses.
• "American Idol" would be so much more fun if I could vote against people.  I already told my wife, if our daughter talks like that second girl from last night (Haeley Vaughn), she's not allowed to eat at the dinner table.
• "Real World: Washington D.C."...you're boring me.  Where's your goodbye letter to drugs?  Why don't any of you have three consecutive i's in your name?  You make me want to go to "the hotel."
• Bootsy found Hurley's "Lost" adventure set to a Miley Cyrus ear-bleeder, but I prefer "Lost" set to the "Full House" credits.  
• Here's the "Funny or Die" Presidential Reunion that went viral yesterday.

Oklahoma State's Keaton Page wins the award for LEAST initimdating player in the country.  Saying he looks like a ball boy is generous...

I'll be live tweeting the USA vs. Netherlands (less play-by-play, more commentary) and I'll post the tweets in here for those that don't follow me. 

As I said last week, Bob Bradley will announce his 23-man roster for South Africa in May, so a few players are under pressure to make an impression in the last friendly.

Eddie Johnson, F, Aris FC - The chronic underachiever has formed a Greek duo with fellow American riddle Freddy Adu, who is not even in the mix for the World Cup.  Charlie Davies was the key to America's stellar play against world heavyweights Spain and Brazil last Summer, but he wrecked his car and his body.  Jozy Altidore needs a pair up front, but the options are limited Brian Ching (MLS ceiling), Conor Casey (slow) and Clint Dempsey (knee injury).  Johnson is healthy and fast, so he can go from outside the 23 and into the starting 11 with a good show today.

DaMarcus Beasley, LW, Glasgow Rangers - The former U.S. star has battled injuries and inconsistency since arriving on the national scene 8 years ago.  However, he's the most dangerous American of his generation with the ball at his feet.  He can draw fouls and set up goals with crosses (like the only legit goal the U.S. scored in World Cup 2006).  Today, he needs to prove he's healthy.

Maurice Edu, M, Glasgow Rangers - Beasley's club teammate has battled injuries since his big move to Rangers, but he's riding the momentum of scoring the winning goal against Celtic (one of the great rivalries in all of European soccer) over the weekend.  The U.S. will play two defensively-minded midfielders in every World Cup game.  Michael Bradley, the coach's son, will fill one of those roles.  Edu and Ricardo Clark will take the other.  Edu is more talented, while Clark is more consistent.

Jonathan Bornstein, LFB, Chivas USA - The MLSer is the best choice at left back for the Americans as long as Carlos Bocanegra is forced to the center to cover for Oguchi Onyewu (knee injury).  While Bornstein has his moments (headed winner to crush Costa Rica), he is so often outclassed by the world's best.  And, he has a terrible habit of fouling when he's beaten, which leads to free kicks and red card susceptibility.  He is the weak link if Onyewu does not make it back by the England game.   

Quick scouting report on the U.S. opponent, the Netherlands:

The Dutch strength is wide play, so fullbacks Bornstein and Jonathan Spector will be under constant pressure.  LW Arjen Robben (Bayern Munich) and RW Dirk Kuyt (Liverpool) can control the game if the U.S. does not force the play through the middle.  Wesley Sneijder (Inter Milan) is a great player to watch in the center of the field if you're looking for examples of world class talent like Frank Lampard and Steven Gerrard, who will lead the England squad against the USA.  

If the U.S. competes in the middle of the field, they'll have opportunities against a non-descript Dutch back four.  

Live tweets...

U.S. lineup: Tim Howard; Jonathan Spector, Jay DeMerit, Carlos Bocanegra, Jonathan Bornstein; Stuart Holden, Jose Torres, Michael Bradley, Landon Donovan; Jozy Altidore, Robbie Findley

So much for my preview, Jose Torres and Robbie Findley get the nod over Maurice Edu and Eddie Johnson.  Torres is a highly-skilled midfielder, who plays in Mexico, but he rarely fits in well with the national team's more direct style.  Findley has speed, but this will be the biggest test of his career.  

JP Dellacamera should be working on his British accent. No American PBP voices on ESPN's World Cup coverage.

Big game for Stuart Holden. If he plays well, Bradley will feel better about pushing Dempsey up to pair w/ Altidore.

Ear-bleeding music greets the games opening kick...

Somebody needs to point Torres in the right direction... U.S. first shot is a good one, but at the wrong goal.

25' U.S. has been good top (Altidore) and bottom (Howard), now the middle needs some sorting out.

Nasty challenge on Holden and he's helped off. Now, Beasley gets his big chance...

Torres now has the best two shots of the game...one on each goal. Feisty start w/ yellow card, hard foul and long shot.

Beasley (left-footed) playing on the right, Donovan (right-footed) playing on the left. Donovan prefers it that way, not Beasley...

Remember my scouting report, when Bornstein gets beat, he panics! The weak link... 1-0 Dutch on silly PK.

Halftime: Bornstein and Findley disasters...Pearce and Johnson should get full 45 after break. Torres=bright spot.

Maurice Edu on for Torres, who was decent in the first half. Bornstein and Findley still living on borrowed time...

Hard to judge the U.S. players when they cannot get a touch on the ball...

62' Findley departs...never to be heard from again...

Sorry Landon, if Beasley's playing, he has to be on the left. Demerit looks solid and Bradley has gained his footing in the 2nd half.

Strange game, the result matches the play, but the goals are weak. 2-0 Dutch as Bornstein deflects shot into his own goal.

Beasley has given the U.S. some life since moving to his natural left side...

2-1...U.S. salvages a goal on a great free kick drawn and taken by Beasley. Boca scores it in the 89th minute.

2-1 Dutch win. Final thoughts: First 70 min were a "get well soon" video for Dempsey, Gooch and Davies. Final 20, Beasley Show.

Sorry I'm late, but I'm ready for a note explosion...

• Shutter Island was legit.  The horror genre has more roman numerals than the Super Bowl with Saw XII and Texas Chainsaw Massacre LXI, so it's a timely reminder that great directors like Stanley Kubrick and Alfred Hitchcock used to spook audiences and make great films at the same time.  The music, angles and lighting keep you at attention for all 140 minutes, plus Leonardo DiCaprio is damn good at what he does.  I have not seen many decent movies recently, so I thought I'd pass along a positive review.  
• Have you seen a preview for Death at a Funeral starring Chris Rock?  I cannot begin to explain how offended I am by the making of this movie.  All the way back in 2007 (generations ago apparently), Frank Oz directed a cool little indie called...wait for it...Death at a Funeral.  Ok, so we've seen rip-offs before, but this is as glaring as any I can remember.  Judging by the preview, the characters are EXACTLY the same and the story is IDENTICAL.  Even more, little man Peter Dinklage plays the SAME PART in both movies.  Literally, the same actor is the same character in the same story.  The only difference between the two movies is that everyone was white and British in the original and they're all black save for Dinklage and James Marsden in the new one.  How is this acceptable? 
• Speaking of not funny movies, I watched Couples Retreat last night.  Like the characters in the movie, I was expecting fun times and I got Revolutionary Road with worse actors.  Funny people are great, but they actually have to tell jokes before I laugh.   
• I liked the world better when we thought Taylor Mays ran a 4.24.  We need heroes!!!  4.43 is save yourself speed; 4.24 is mask and cape kind of stuff.
• Apparently, Jimmy Clausen is too cocky to play quarterback in the NFL.  Tony Romo might argue the point.  The kid showed up at Notre Dame in a Hummer limo, so let's not act like his arrogance came out of nowhere.  As long as Jason Campbell, Derek Anderson and JaMarcus Russell are still quarterbacking NFL teams, I can live with cocky.
• Speaking of Notre Dame, without Luke Harangody, Mike Brey's basketball team has stumbled upon a strange strategy known in the Western world as defense.  The Irish tried to protect their slow-footed, gravity-stricken superstar with the country's worst 2-3 zone.  Without him, they've scrapped their way back onto the bubble.  They won't have enough offense to make the NCAA tourney, but they've successfully tarnished Harangody's legacy, so it's kind of a lose-lose.  Actually, Brey probably saved his job in the process, so does that make it a lose-lose-lose?
• Good luck with UConn or Louisville in the 2nd round as a #8/#9 or #7/#10 winner.
• Kansas and Kentucky made March Madness commercials for CBS Saturday.  They were on a mission to prove that there are no certainties this time of year.
• "And the #29 seed in the Midwest region, with a 6-10 conference record..."  I'm against expanding the NCAA Tournament. 
• 2010 ACC basketball=2009 Pac-10 football.  North Carolina basketball and USC football hold their respective conferences up on the national stage, but when they falter, the teams behind them are not equipped to move up a spot.  I expect the ACC will be the disappointment of the NCAA tourney from a conference perspective (Pac-10 not eligible since it's now a one-bid league like the SWAC and Big Sky).
• Dear Allen Iverson, please retire.
• The Celtics are looking into acquiring Michael Finley.  He's part of their youth movement.
• The great cheeseburger quest sent me to 25 Degrees over the weekend where I treated my belly to the #1: Caramelized onions, gorgonzola, crescenza (creamy cow's milk cheese), bacon, arugula and thousand island with heaping sides of onion rings, fries and sweet potato fries plus a beet salad.  I was going to get a shake, but I'm on a diet!
• Anyway, the burger was delicious, but the story of the night came before dinner.  25 Degrees is inside the Roosevelt Hotel (across the street from Grauman's Chinese Theater).  When we pulled up to the valet, there were approximately 25 women wearing (relative term) nothing but underwear.  We're not talking about a cute little dress from Victoria's Sectret, I'm talking about buttcheeks and crotchless panties.  And, there were about 25 guys wearing black suits and masks.  I wish I had a friend in from out of town, so I could have played it off like every night in L.A. is like this.  As it turned out, they were all taking a shuttle to another shuttle that would eventually drop them at the Playboy Mansion, where they would be willingly date raped.  By date rape, I mean the party poster said they were in for a night of "seduction and mystique" and roofies (why not floories?). 
• I love Drano.  How many products do you use that actually do exactly what they're supposed to do?  When my drain clogs, I pour in Drano and it unclogs.  Brilliant!  I am ready to endorse this product whenever they call me.   

This is now the Moore Sports Blog second unpaid endorsement, can anyone name the first product?

Sequels are rarely as good as the first.  However, the Canada-USA hockey games played out like the Godfather series (which means the next game will be terrible).  The Gold Medal game was less of a sequel and more of a culmination of the first game...of the whole Olympics for that matter.

Athletes play for family, money, fans, celebrity, personal goals, teammates and any number of other reasons that drive them past their physical limits and into the history books.  Rarely, do they play for the shirt. 

The Olympics are different.  While you may not know the names coming in, picking sides is never easier.  We root for the red, white and blue laundry. 

And while many of the olympians are likely cynical about the event, they rarely let it on.  They are all overcome with pride atop the podium when they see the "stars and stripes" raised above the rest of the flags as the anthem blares. 

When an athlete or team exceeds expectations, patriotism (in an athletic context) is often the root cause. 

On paper, the U.S. had no business keeping up with Canada, but they had two things in their favor.  One, hockey is a sport controlled by goalies and Ryan Miller looked like the world's best.  Two, they were playing for the shirt. 

You might be able to fake it in your Bob Costas interview, but you cannot fake it on the ice.  From the start of the tournament to the end, the Americans sacrificed their bodies by blocking shot after shot and delivering blow after blow.  They paid the price against far more talented teams.

Yesterday, for the first time in the tournament, they met a team whose resolved matched theirs.  The Canadians played the tournament carrying the weight of a nation.  While the support pushed them on, the pressure held them back.  

The moment of the Olympics did not happen on the ice yesterday, it happened in the Canadian locker room between the third period and overtime.  I don't know what was said and I don't know who said it, but Coach Taylor ("Friday Night Lights") could not have done it any better.

The Canucks were 25 seconds away from fulfilling their gold medal dreams when Zach Parise stuck a Bucky Dent in their heart.  If they had rolled right into overtime, the Americans would have beaten them within two minutes.  But, they had a break.

As the ice was resurfaced, Team Canada took a moment in the locker room to collect their thoughts.  Despite all the momentum being in the other locker room, despite all the fans chewing on their nails like LeBron James with rabies, they gathered themselves and played a dominant period.  

While the Americans put a few shots on Roberto Luongo's net, the Canadians were driving one way traffic throughout OT.  

Finally, the hero emerged.  He was hiding in plain sight.  

Sidney Crosby is the man everyone would've expected to score the winning goal, except that hockey does not work like that.  The best player rarely takes the game-winning shot, but Sid "The Kid" saw his opening and closed it in style.

I don't care what anyone says.  Sports need heroes.  We keep building them up and knocking them down (or they knock themselves down), but we should not stop trying.  Maybe Crosby will go home and bang 13 women or shoot something into his arm or drink and drive...or maybe not.  Either way, right now, there is no bigger national hero on the planet than Crosby is to Canada.  

After the game, U.S. defenseman Jack Johnson said, "You win a gold.  You win a bronze.  You lose a silver."  Great line.

He's wrong of course.  The U.S. did not lose silver; they were beaten to gold.

No matter what people tell you, there were no "good ol' days" in sports.  Joe DiMaggio played for the paycheck; Babe Ruth played for fame; and athletes have always had the propensity to live in the fast lane off the court and away from the field.

"The good ol' days" are the rare time when you catch a sporting event that is pure at heart.  Yes, Crosby will make millions in endorsements from that goal.  Yes, the organizational bodies are likely corrupt on both and all sides.  Yes, sponsors, ticket brokers and TV executives cashed in on that game.  

But on the ice and in the stands, the motives were pure.  The players played for each other and their prideful fans.  And the fans cheered on their heroes like little kids, who had no understanding of terms like "collective bargaining agreement." 

Together, they created one of the greatest sporting spectacles of my lifetime. 

Tough-sledding this week, especially for the snow shovelers back East.  It's 70 here, but it was still a long week.

• USC scored 12 points last night in the second half at home against a terrible Oregon team with a dead man walking coach.  U-G-L-Y, you ain't got no alibi, you ugly...you ugly.
• Now, the Pac-10 comes down to Arizona State and Cal.  As long as the Sun Devils win their final two homes games against USC and UCLA, they can afford to lose this weekend at Berkeley and still make the tournament.  The Pac-10 always seems to get the benefit of the doubt from the committee, so they'll get two teams in if ASU does not fall apart.  If someone gets hot at Staples, they could be a three-bid league.
• I had an interesting discussion last night about Pac-10 expansion.  The crux of the matter is TV market share because that's what the networks will care about when the conference is renegotiating it's TV deal.  At present, the Pac-10 teams encompass 17% of the TV market.  If they add Utah, which means Salt Lake City, they move from 17% to 17%.  It does nothing for them.  If they add Utah and Colorado, they move to 19%, which is not worth shaking up the entire structure of your league.  So, the real plan should be to match Colorado with Nebraska or Texas.  While that sounds like a pipe dream, they should not settle for anything less.
• The Pac-10's real problems are that current members Oregon St. and Arizona St. do nothing for the conference's academic reputation, while Washington St. and Arizona do nothing for market size.  Of course, they've been there forever, so they won't be removed.
• In comparison, the Big Ten is the national champion in market share.  Of course, outside of Michigan and Ohio State, their schools are so regional that they don't get the same national attention.  To combat that, they've spent the last 20 years trying to reel in Notre Dame.
• Watch out for Vanderbilt as a Sweet 16 team. 
• Even with two healthy shoulders, I would not draft Sam Bradford ahead of Jimmy Clausen.  Bob Stoops has scored a ton of points at Oklahoma, but he has yet to produce anything close to a pro prospect at quarterback.  Bradford won a Heisman without getting touched for an entire season, but he could not last one game of punishment as a Junior behind a revamped offensive line.  Clausen withstood a beating his first two years.  Last season, he played polished football from start to finish under renowned QB tutor and champion competitive eater Charlie Weis.  There's some Alex Smith/Aaron Rodgers to this debate circa 2005.  I expect similar results.
• The Giants need LB Rolando McClain from Alabama.  They NEED him.  If he's in their vicinity on draft day, they need to move up and pull the trigger.  Without him, they don't have the defensive spine to compete in the NFC East. 
• Concussion has really become a euphemism.  I heard a reporter refer to Brian Westbrook as having "a history of brain trauma."  I'm not signing a guy with brain trauma, but a few concussions is commonplace.
• Interesting point by Mike Francesa yesterday, the Yankees are devoid of spring training storylines.  No steroid controversies, no ownership issues, no managerial issues, no hot shot free agents, no chemistry problems, no nothin' for the New York media to sink their teeth into.  Because of that, they are trying to make Derek Jeter's expiring contract into a story, but it has no legs.  The Yankees policy is to let contracts run out, so they are using Jeter as a symbol that they'd do it for anybody.  Nevertheless, both Jeter and management know that "The Captain" is more valuable to the Yankees than any other team, so he's going nowhere in the offseason barring a major injury.
• The Red Sox season will be determined at the trade deadline.  They are one bat away from being the best team in baseball, but they need a big bat.  Miguel Cabrera?  Adrian Gonzalez?  Prince Fielder?  If they don't add a middle of the lineup piece, all their great starting pitching will go to waste losing 4-2 games to the Yankees, who can nearly match them arm for arm, but trump them bat for bat.  Manny might be available...
• The difference between running the Yankees and Red Sox as opposed to the Tampa Bay Rays is that the Yanks and Sawx can make mistakes, while the Rays cannot.  Tampa Bay won the American League and then signed Pat Burrell to a 2-year, $16 million deal.  They don't have the budget to eat that mistake the way the Yankees did with Carl Pavano or the Red Sox did with Julio Lugo.  If they had signed Bobby Abreu instead, the Rays could have won the division and been primed again this season.  Now, they're stuck with Burrell plus they didn't have the budget to sign Johnny Damon, who would have been a great addition to their lineup and locker room.
• The NBA needs to close a loophole in the offseason.  Actually, they should have closed it three years ago.  If you trade a player midseason and the team he goes to buys him out, you cannot re-sign him.  For example, the Cavs traded Zydrunas Ilgauskas to the Wizards in the Antawn Jamison deal, but Washington bought Z out.  Now, he'll go back to the Cavs at the end of the month, which is a big storyline considering Shaq hurt his thumb last night.  It's an easy fix and it's necessary to restore the integrity of the game.
• The Celtics are just a team.  Like the Atlanta Hawks, Chicago Bulls or Miami Heat, they are just another Eastern Conference team.  Rajon Rondo is their best player.  Paul Pierce cannot stay healthy.  Ray Allen is squeezing his body like a tube of toothpaste looking to get the final drops of success out.  Kevin Garnett is on empty.  Bold prediction: Nate Robinson will be their second best player in the playoffs behind Rondo.  With his energy and athleticism, Robinson will stand out next to the "Boston Three Party", who are chugging to the finish line. 
• If LeBron James leaves Cleveland, Mike Brown will be GM Danny Ferry's biggest regret.  Brown is not a bad coach.  Actually, he could be and we would not know.  LeBron is so good that he covers all matter of coaching sins and he wins enough games that firing Brown looks silly.  They've made it to the Eastern Conference Finals for three straight seasons, so how can you fire your coach?  Simple, James needs some help and Brown does not do the trick.  The Knicks best selling point to LeBron this Summer will be Mike D'Antoni, who could have easily been named the Cavs coach two years ago.  The best player in the world has played for Dru Joyce, Paul Silas and Mike Brown since he was a little kid.  Joyce did more to help LeBron flourish than Silas and Brown combined.
• As we close Aziz week, I've decided it is time for me to join the Kogi revolution.  So, I ask my LA friends, what should I order at Kogi BBQ?
• My burger quest will continue this weekend as I try 25 Degrees in the Roosevelt Hotel.
• Finally, here is Aziz on and as R. Kelly...

It was a random sports Wednesday...

• Uh oh.  The Americans might have wanted to save their "Miracle on Ice" part deux for the Gold medal game because the Canadians are pissed.  The Canucks likely caught a break by avoiding Sweden and their star netminder Henrik Lundqvist in the semis.  They'll play Slovakia instead, which should mean a rematch with the U.S. if our boys can get past Finland. 
• Teemu Selanne, Jaromir Jagr and Petr Forsberg all played in these Olympics.  I continue to be struck by the durability of hockey players despite the speed and physicality of the sport. 
• Julia Mancuso...you're a cry baby!  Listen, I get that you wanted to defend your gold medal and you feel the elements conspired against you.  Tough.  Champions persevere.  In case you missed it, the weather was bad yesterday, so they shortened the interval times between racers in the Women's Giant Slalom.  Lindsey Vonn crashed near the bottom, but the next racer, Mancuso, had already been sent from the top.  Halfway down the course, she was yellow flagged to stop and forced to redo her run.  As the conditions worsened, the track got slower and she finished well behind the leaders and then broke down into a sobbing mess.  However, she gets another run today.  She might not be able to win, but I hope she'll defend her GS gold medal from 2006 with dignity.
• By the way, crashing is not necessarily choking in ski racing.  The best racers like Vonn and Bode Miller push their bodies and equipment to the very edge of sanity.  Sometimes, they cross the line and their bodies and equipment give out on them.  In skiing, choking is when racers are too scared to let their skis go and force their bodies down the hill. 
• U.S. Men's Soccer National Team coach Bob Bradley will name his 23-man roster for the World Cup after next Wednesday's friendly in the Netherlands.  Last night, the MLS candidates made their closing arguments in a friendly against El Salvador.  As is the trend, the U.S. is sending more and more talent abroad.  From last night's group, I would only expect Brian Ching, Sacha Kljestan, Jonathan Bornstein and Kyle Beckerman to make Bradley's squad.  Actually, I have not done the math, so it's possible more could be included, but those four are the only American MLS players sans Landon Donovan who have any business on a World Cup field. 
• As for the United States opening opponent, England may not have any defenders left by kickoff.  Left back Ashley Cole broke his ankle and is now mired in his own mini-Tiger sex scandal (Damn these athletes cheat on some beautiful women!!!).  His replacement is the now famous Wayne Bridge, who has turned down the offer to play for England in the wake of teammate and deposed England captain John Terry banging his girlfriend.  The new skipper, centre back (British spelling) Rio Ferdinand, has played one game in 2010 due to back issues, so he'll come into the Cup injured or rusty.  And, right back Glen Johnson is out injured as well.  Basically, the British defenders are either injured or in sex rehab.   
• By the way, the MLS players are on the brink of a work stoppage this month.  While the general media/fan consensus will be "Who cares?" and "That will kill the league!", the issues are actually interesting if you take the time to follow the story.  Basically, MLS players have no rights.  They don't get guaranteed contracts and they cannot negotiate their own transfers to Europe.  Since they focused on soccer only stadiums, the MLS has actually hit a money-making formula and it's time they treated the players like professionals and not servants.
• Potential #1 seed Purdue lost their most famous player Robbie Hummel to a knee injury last night.  I say most famous because his loss will hurt the Boilers, but not kill them.  Hummel gets most of the publicity, but Purdue still has the horses to make the second week of the tourney.
• Kevin Durant's streak of scoring 25+ points for 29 straight games ended last night, but he's officially arrived on the national stage.  In case you don't read Bill Simmons, "The Sports Guy" has a fatal attraction to the Durantula only we're the ones who are dying.  Simmons correctly projected that Durant would be a better pro than Greg Oden, which is a debate that is long since over.  Yet, he continues to make it in nearly every tweet and column.  Can we get Bill an award or something so he feels satisfied?  Does Oden need to release an official statement or maybe Blazers GM Kevin Pritchard can apologize for the pick?  The war is over Bill, you won.
• By the way, the Blazers drafted #1 Mychal Thompson, #2 Sam Bowie and #1 Greg Oden over #6 Larry Bird, #3 Michael Jordan and #2 Kevin Durant.  Awkward... 
• I'm really looking forward to the St. Louis Rams over-thinking the #1 pick and selecting Oklahoma DT Gerald McCoy over Nebraska DT Ndamukong Suh. 
• "American Idol" 2010 is out to prove that they have exhausted the nation's resource of talented singers.  Hence Simon Cowell's exit...
• As Aziz week progresses, we still have not gotten any Twitter love from the man himself, but we shall continue talking food and comedy.  5 Best LA restaurants (that I've tried): 1) Animal 2) Pizzeria Mozza 3) Craft 4) Katsu-Ya 5) A.O.C..  However, I have not tried them all, but I'm expecting a top five meal when I take my wife to Melisse in two weeks for our anniversary.  I've never been, but it's considered the best French restaurant in L.A..
• And your yucks...Aziz Ansari on Coldstone Creamery.

*LOST* talk, food business, funny business and maybe, maybe some sports...

• Claire is really freakin' me out.  I have not been this afraid of a girl since the 3rd grade. 
• Jack has to win the battle of the candidates.  Hugo is a follower, Sawyer is a renegade and the Kwons are much more interested in each other than the island.  Plus, the writers owe Jack's character the chance to come full circle back to the leader that he was in the first two seasons before they sent him on some wayward paths.  Obviously, Locke was the front-runner, but he burned out.
• Ellen Degeneres is pulling a Tony Kornheiser on "American Idol."  Kornheiser was put in the "Monday Night Football" booth for his funny, irreverent takes on sports, but he did not have the courage to stand by his opinions against athletes who had been there before.  Ellen killed it in the informal setting of Hollywood week, but she choked on the big stage last night by caving to the critics, who said she has no right to an opinion since she's not in the music business.  If you have something to say, say it!  Don't qualify it with "I'm just a music fan" or "Who am I to tell you what you did wrong?".  You're an "American Idol" judge.  That's who you are now, so you immediately become qualified.
• Is it me or is Rich Rodriguez not working out at Michigan?
• SI's Jon Heyman says "Albert Pujols is looking big...in a good way."  With Mark McGwire in camp, is it possible to look big in a good way?  Pujols is the last remaining hope of a clean slugger in the steroid era, so it made me throw up in my mouth a little bit to see him goofing around with "Big Mac" on SportsCenter yesterday. 
• There's an interesting power struggle going on with the Lakers, although I'm not entirely sure the journalists are not making it up, so they have something to talk about during the unnecessarily long NBA season.  Pau Gasol, Lamar Odom and Co. used to be chastised by Kobe Bryant when things went wrong because they had never won anything.  Well, now they all have rings.  And, they all played damn well without him.  Basically, they're getting tired of the "you guys are soft glares" that Bryant loves to flash when things don't go the Lakers way.  The Lakers are so good that they're debate is not over IF they'll repeat, it's HOW they'll repeat.  The team wants to repeat as an unselfish team, but Bryant is fine with the status quo. 
• Grizzlies PG Mike Conley must be having the best 10 pts., 5 ast. year ever.  In the offseason, when they signed Zach Randolph and Allen Iverson, Conley was put in a nearly untenable position as the lone distributor to a bunch of ball hogs.  However, they've worked it out to the tune of 28-28.  Are they building a champion in Memphis?  Hardly, but Conley has proven his on-court leadership.
• Deron Williams voiced his displeasure with Utah's salary dump of his buddy Ronnie Brewer at the trade deadline by saying, "That's why I signed a three-year deal."  And now, that's another great point guard who could be available in the Summer of 2011.  Not that I don't love watching puffy T-Mac hobble around MSG Donnie Walsh, but I hope you're gamble pays off because the safe play is looking better by the day.
• Good afternoon sports action with the U.S.-Switzerland hockey quarterfinal at noon pacific and Inter Milan-Chelsea in the Champions League.  Inter's coach is Jose Mourinho ("The Special One") and he led Chelsea back to the top of the English Premier League a few years back. 
• In honor of Aziz week, we are talking food and comedy on the blog.  While I'm on my quest for LA's best burger, I'm also beginning the search for the best BBQ in town.  First stop, Baby Blues with Bootsy and the wife on Monday.  Bootsy and I put on an eating exhibition.  Between us, we sampled chicken wings, fried green tomatoes, hush puppies, cajun shrimp, fried catfish, baby back ribs, brisket, pulled pork, mac and cheese, creamed spinach, sweet potatoes and fried okra.  That's what I call professional eating.  Plus, I'm told Baby Blues is a Yankees bar, so you can trust I'll be back.
• As for comedy, did you see Ricky Gervais on "The Daily Show?"  He kills it every time.  
• I posted this on Twitter, but for those that don't follow me, here is the new "Boom Goes the Dynamite." 
• And of course, our main man Aziz Ansari on hanging out with Kanye West.   

Now that I know Bootsy is also a huge fan, it's officially Aziz Ansari week (more information below) on the blog.

• Men's Curling "skip" John Shuster has really grown in infamy thanks to this social networking world we live in where no embarrassment goes unnoticed.  The good news: I see "Dancing with the Stars" in his future or if he really takes the Olympic choke hard, "Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew."
• Great reality show idea: "Athlete Rehab with Dr. Sports Psychologist."  How has this not happened yet?  I once interviewed Dr. Jim Loehr, co-founder of the Human Performance Institute, who famously helped speed-skater Dan Jansen achieve his gold medal dreams six years after infamously choking them away.  He'd be perfect for this.  How great would it be to see Shuster go through rehab and then win gold in 2014?  You're welcome ESPN...
• The U.S. Women's Hockey team won their semifinal 9-1.  The rest of the world is sexist.
• Gary Bettman is threatening to pull NHL players from the Olympics after this year.  Bettman is one of those people who I assume is always wrong, even though I'm not well-researched on the topic.  Why would we want to make our stars marketable in front of an actaul TV audience with a passionate rooting interest?  Good call commish
• I don't think I'd want my hypothetical son to play for Jim Calhoun.  He seems like a downright irascible person, but he can coach.  I left the Huskies for dead two weeks ago, but sure enough, Calhoun has returned from his health timeout and run off three key wins in a row, including resume builders against top 10 foes Villanova and West Virginia.
• The Oregon Ducks are handling success well.  Yikes!  They're ringing in spring practice by throwing a new kid off the team each day.  At least Chip Kelly means business.  The contrast between Kelly and Urban Meyer is startling.  When LeGarrette Blount punched someone in the face, he was suspended for two/thirds of the season.  When Brandon Spikes gouged an opponent's eye, Meyer came down with a ferocious one half penalty and then caved to A WHOLE GAME under media pressure.  Now, Oregon LB Kiko Alonso was arrested for DUI and has been benched for the season.  Florida's Carlos Dunlap was charged with the same infraction and was dealt the Gators maximum punishment (apparently) ONE WHOLE GAME. 
• Ducks WR Jamere Holland spoke out against the penalty on Facebook and he was thrown off the team by Kelly.  Holland was chucked off USC by Pete Carroll in 2007, so he's now a two-time loser, but he's fast and talented.  So, Kelly deserves some credit for risking a talent drop-off for the sake of values in a win first, second and third college football climate.
• Sadly, without that win-at-all costs mentality, the Pac-10 will never compete with the SEC.  Now, there's a story that gets plenty of coverage.
• Position players report this week and Dodgers camp is off to a swinging start.  Manny Ramirez is already talking his way out of Los Angeles.  L.A. has been a playoff contender the last two seasons, but unless Joe Torre can work some magic, they're headed to the NL West basement with San Diego this season.  The ownership situation is untenable and the pitching staff is too thin.  They can hit as long as Manny shows up, which does not sound good.  "I know I'm not going to be here next year," Ramirez said yesterday.  Can you elaborate?  "I don't know.  I just know I'm not going to be here."  He's so good with words.
• Now that he's on the open market, Julius Peppers is a prime NFC East target.  The Redskins have the cash, the Cowboys love the splash and the Giants and Eagles are built on the pass rush (I'm outta rhymes). 
• The Twitter world dared to question LaDainian Tomlinson's Canton candidacy yesterday.  Are you kidding?  Actually, after the Hall of Fame debacle this season, maybe they are right to be skeptical.  L.(D.)T. was the best back of his generation...end of story.  I could give you a list of stats, but the eye test is more than enough.
• The Chargers need a running back desperately.  Unfortunately, this is a weak draft class for backs.  Cal's Jahvid Best is top of the mocks, but I'd worry about the durability of a Best-Darren Sproles combo going into next season. 
• Back to Aziz Ansari week.  I actually don't watch "Parks and Recreation" (sorry Aziz, but I gave it a shot and the first season started too slow), but I always liked him because we share a food interest on Twitter.  Well, we don't really share it.  I follow him and he talks about good restaurants and then I go eat there.  Speaking of which, I'm on a quest for the best burger in Los Angeles.  Already considered: Umami Burger, 8 Oz. Burger Bar, Father's Office, Apple Pan and of course In N' Out.  Please let me know if you have any suggestions.
• Anyway, Comedy Central is running his stand-up from last year "Intimate Moments for a Sensual Evening" and he kills it.  So, I shall treat you to a clip a day this week from Aziz.  (Warning: Explicit language and yadayadayada...it's funny.)