Random Observations on the Wonderful World of Sports

In the words of the great San Francisco Chronicle sports columnist Scott Ostler, here are my deep thoughts, cheap shots, and bon mots:

---The Final Four in Detroit is set. Villanova-North Carolina, UConn-Michigan State should deliver scintillating drama on the basketball court.

---North Carolina is the heavy favorite, and I believe that Roy Williams' team will be cutting down the nets come Monday night. However, do not count out Jay Wright's Villanova Wildcats. Coming off a Scottie Reynolds buzzer-beater against Pittsburgh in the elite eight that will go down as one of the greatest finishes in college basketball history, Nova has momentum on their side. The key will be the epic battle at the point guard position between the aforementioned Reynolds and the speedy Ty Lawson, two future NBA stars.

---UConn is expected to advance to the title game, thanks to the clutch play of Stanley Robinson and the intimidating defensive presence of Hasheem Thabeet. Not so fast, my friends. Tom Izzo's Michigan State Spartans, fresh off the heels of a dominant performance against top-ranked Louisville, will feed off the energy from what will be a largely pro-Spartan crowd. If Kalin Lucas and Travis Walton continue their effective game management, and if Goran Suton continues to sink the three-ball, the Spartans will pull off the upset, forcing cranky curmudgeon Jim Calhoun to take the post-game podium in an extra-cantankerous mood.

---So I like North Carolina and Michigan State. Judging by my disastrous NCAA Tournament bracket, that means Villanova and UConn will probably win.

---John Calipari and Tim Floyd were both faced with huge career choices this past week. Calipari left Memphis for Kentucky and $31.5 million, while Floyd opted to return to USC after flirting with the Arizona coaching vacancy. As much as I admire Floyd for ultimately staying loyal to his team and resisting the itch to coach at a renowned program, I can't blame Calipari for taking the Kentucky job. Did he send Memphis back a thousand years and damage their chances of signing coveted recruits? Yes. But he also accepted the most prestigious job in college basketball. UK may have gone through some down years, but it is still a first-rate job that gives Calipari a chance to put his name forever in the college hoops history books. If I were in Cal's shoes, I would have taken the job also.

---After whining his way out of Denver, Jay Cutler is headed to Chicago. This is a win-win deal for both sides. The Broncos needed to eliminate a nauseating distraction, while the Bears were in desperate need of a top-notch quarterback, after years of Rex Grossman awfulness and Kyle Orton mediocrity.

---Meanwhile, Plaxico Burress has been released. As big as these NFL stories are, they do not deserve to completely overshadow what is currently of most pressing importance. In other words, our focus should now be on the Final Four, the playoff push in the NBA, and the start of the baseball season. The Cutler trade and the Burress saga deserve our attention, as the NFL is the most successful sports organization in America, but they should still be secondary in our minds. I'm talking to you, ESPN.

---The NBA playoffs are right around the corner, but there are still several mysteries and unanswered questions in the final weeks of the regular season. Can the Utah Jazz fully realize their championship-level potential and stop looking like walking zombies on the road? Can Dwight Howard and the Magic surpass the Celtics for that enormously important number two seed? Can Ben Gordon, Derrick Rose and the Bulls hold off a late charge by Larry Brown's Bobcats for the final playoff seed in the East? How will the West logjam of Denver, San Antonio, Houston, New Orleans, Portland, Utah, and Dallas play itself out? Can anybody come remotely close to challenging LeBron James in the MVP race? And who will finish with the title of "Most Futile Team", the Kings, the Clippers, or the Wizards? Stay tuned.

---In other NBA news, Allen Iverson is out for the season. This comes days after The Answer revealed that he would rather retire than come off the bench. This is the problem with Iverson, and it's the same reason why I dislike Kobe Bryant. Like Kobe, A.I. is a phenomenal individual talent who fails to grasp the importance of teamwork. Because of this selfish attitude, the Iverson trade ruined the Pistons' chemistry and threw the organization into a total state of disarray.

---As a Warriors fan, I am looking ahead to the NBA Draft Lottery. Please, oh, please, can those ping-pong balls bounce our way?

---And finally, our national pastime is back, and I'm more giddy with excitement than a teenage girl at a Jonas Brothers concert. Look for my MLB season preview on Sunday. GO GIANTS!!!!!!