Ok, I have confession to make.  I didn’t get to watch much of either game today, though I did watch most of both games yesterday.  From what I’m reading that UNC-Georgetown game must have been a real barn-burner.  I have it on DVR, so maybe I’ll watch it here in a minute.  But I know you all are just dying to get your Final Four awards, so first things first.

Here’s my assessment of the Final Four.

1. Big Ugly – U-G-L-Y you ain’t got no alibi, you ugly…Somehow, I don’t think Joakim Noahcares about gracing the cover of GQ.  The guy with the face only a mother could love (and his mother happens to be a model, by the way), a wierd name, big hair, and an even bigger game is poised to do what no one has done since Christian Laettner stepped on Aminu Timberlake in 1992 – win two consecutive NCAA Championships.  With the likes of Horford and Humphrey backing him up, it’s hard to imagine anyone sinking Noah’s ark.
2. Double A – UCLA is showing up for, what, its 200th Final Four or something like that?  UCLA was winning basketball championships when Washington crossed the Delaware.  This generation of the prodigy of the Wizard of Westwood arrives in Atlanta on the shoulders of one Aaron Afflalo, who in the past has been criticized for not showing up for big games.  Vengeance will be a key motivator when essentially the same Bruins meet essentially the same Gators in a rematch of last year’s championship game.  Can they get it done this year, or will lightning strike twice?
3. The Ogre– He’s 7 foot, 280 pounds of bearded, menacing, monstrous muscle.  He blocks shots with alarming regularity, and changes all the others.  He’s the Beast of the Big Ten, Greg Oden, and he’s got something to prove, namely, that he can get through a game without getting into foul trouble.  If you’ve been payng attention, though, there are these other two guys named Conley and Lewis that look like the second coming of Jordan and Pippen.  These guys are good.  Really good.  It’s scary to think just how good they could be with a mature Greg Oden who can learn to stop hacking down at the shooter and stay out of foul trouble.
4. The Traveling Man– “I’ve…been…to…New York, Hackensack, Buffalo, Pocono…”  By now Georgetown star Jeff Greenhas earned his place in March Madness lore as the guy who got away with a move Patrick Ewing would be proud of, the old double-spin-pick-up-your-pivot-foot-on-the-way-to-the-winning-basket bank shot.  Many of us in the contest will remember 1982 when the Georgetown guard passed to the wrong man and lost the championship.  Revenge is sweet, even if it’s 25 years later.  These guys believe they have some sort of destiny to fulfill.  Question is, will that get them past The Ogre and his band of merry men?

Alright, so here’s my expert opinion, which coupled with 4 bucks will get you a Starbucks.  As good as Oden and Conley are, they are freshmen.  I think Ohio State is good enough to get past Georgetown, who after winning one game on a blown traveling call and another basically because of the Kansas Curse, have run out of magic and out of miracles.  The Georgetown bandwagon falls apart in Atlanta.  That’s not how I picked it, but that’s what I think.

UCLA plays great defense…when the refs let them decapitate their opponents with impunity.  Even so, they are not going to out-physical Big Ugly and the Gators, no matter how the game is called.  A convincing argument could be made that Florida has looked shaky along the way.  I think they’re bored.  But now it’s the Final Four, and it’s time to play, time to make history.  Florida wins this one, and in a blow out, I might add.

So for the championship, as good as Oden and Conley are, they are freshmen.  One only need to remember a certain cadre of five freshmen from the early 90s to understand how important maturity is in comparison to raw talent.  Noah, Horford, and Brewer are all juniors who returned to Florida instead of going pro for one reason, and one reason only – to be the first team to repeat in 15 years.  Add to that Humphrey’s sharp shooting and senior leadership, and you have what it takes to get the job done.  That’s my pick.  Gators do it again.

Final Four Awards

Despite the utter lack of upsets this year, what a great contest this has been!  It seems to me that there has been a lot of movement in the standings, and that is what keeps it interesting.  The outcome, even for first place, is not a foregone conclusion just yet, but let’s not get ahead of ourselves.  It’s time to recognize the worthy and castigate the culpable.

• The Fantastic Four award goes to the surprisingly large group of contestants who correctly picked the Final Four this year with Original Picks: Ben Watkins, Brooke Johnson, Buckey Franz, Caleb Davis, Chuck Sage, Darren Reiner, Fred Cordes, Gary DeLong, Jason Glassley, Jim Burris, Jim Davis, Josh Steiner, Kory Wilcoxson, Matt Chura, Matt Cope, Mike Marietta, Patty Darnall, Ted Badgley, and Toby Risner.  Four of these contestants are in the top 10, and 8 are in the top 25.  On the other hand, 8 didn’t even make the top 50.
• The Mary Poppins Practically Perfect In Every Way award goes to any contestant who picked all 15 games in a regional correctly with Original Picks.
  • East – Jody Albright
  • South – Alan Theile, Brooke Johnson, Caleb Davis, Jonathan Barndt, Kristin Schafer, Patty Darnall (two teens, one kid, three females)
• The Rising Star award goes to those who gained the most ground this weekend: Ted Badgley from 190 to 81, and Clint Ferguson from 58 to 25.
• The Crash and Burn award goes to those who lost the most ground this weekend: Bradley Geiswhite from 44 to 140, and Ben Crone from 25 to 54.
• The Porky Pig award (badeep, badeep, badeep, badeep That’s All, Folks!) goes to the army of contestants with no remaining games they can win.  You know who you are.  Better luck next year.  The really bad news is that as other contestants continue to win games next weekend, your position will continue to go DOWN.  How’s that for insult to injury?
• The You’re Breakin’ My Heart award goes to my brother, Joshua Marshall, who confessed that he doesn’t read the blog this year.  Why in the world would you even play if you’re not going to read the commentary and awards? 
• The Gloom, Despair, and Agony on Me (Waoooh!) award goes to Bryson “The Loveable Loser” Davis.  Bryson is the biggest sports nut in his family, and they are all beating him in the contest…by a lot.
• The You Gotta Be Kidding Me award goes to Patty “Pabby” Darnall.  9th place.  ‘Nuf said.
• Finally, the Don’t Call Me Hillary award goes to Carrrr-ne Asada, aka Brooke Johnson, the clear front runner, and with a comfortable lead, I might add.  She, and I emphasize the SHE, doesn’t have it locked up yet, but she has to like her chances.  I sure do.

Three games to go.  It is worth noting that a championship by UCLA will earn 13 lucky contestants the Ultimate Scategories Bonus of 30 points.  This bonus has never been awarded in 12 years, so wouldn’t that be something?  I must say I am rather disappointed that NO Scategories bonuses were earned this year, but in a year with so few upsets, it’s not surprising. 

See you after the Final Four.  May the best..ahem…man win.