March madness
I fell asleep on the Carolina game last night. They were up 27 when I dozed off. They were up four when I awakened.
I managed to see most of the second half after that, but it wasn't easy. Yes, I'm complaining again.
One of my colleagues has pegged me as a "glass is half-empty" guy when discussing college basketball. For example, I'm always on a very good UNC team's case for sleepwalking (pardon the pun) through parts of games -- as in nearly blowing that 27-point lead last night to Eastern Kentucky.
But it's hard not to get a little perturbed about an East Coast game (in Winston-Salem, for goodness sakes) that's starts after 10 p.m. But the TV ratings gods must be obeyed.
Or the charade that a lot of college basketball is, with very few of the "student athletes" actually getting college degrees. (A current special edition of "Bob Costas Now" on HBO offers some disturbing insights on this shameful reality.)
Or the preponderance of beer advertising during the tournament even as new statistics report a rising problem in binge drinking on campuses.
But I'll still push a lot of these issues to the back of my mind this weekend, and cozy up in front of the set. And cheer like a madman anyway.
Comments (2)
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Allen, I'll forgive your nanny-state fretting over college student binge drinking--"our precious college students are drinking five beers in one night!" (some binge)--since you apparently have magical powers. Consider the following table.
AJ Awake AJ Asleep
Carolina Point +44 -23
Differential
Apparently, your state of consciousness is worth 67 points in Carolina's favor. Please stay awake for the remainder of Carolina's games!!
For a truly pathological look at rituals perceived to influence Carolina basketball, see Fred Hobson, Off the Rim. He has really wierd rituals that make Carolina opponents miss free throws.
Posted on March 16, 2007 11:57 AM
Allen,
I agree. Apparently you and the UNC team were asleep at the same time.
I don't know if there was points-shaving going on last night but it's really hard to believe that E.K. could have came back if the Tarheels had not let them.
The only thing interesting about the game was Tyler's new mask. A huge improvement.
Posted on March 16, 2007 1:07 PM