(I worked as a Sports Editor from late 2004 until the summer of 2006. This is one of the many columns I was able to save that were originally published in The Sun-Times of Heber Springs, Arkansas.)
I bet you thought you were going to open the sports section today and dive unwillingly into another column on the Memphis Tigers. I can only imagine the happiness you’ll feel upon reading that I’m refusing to talk about it.
I’m not even going to fill out a bracket(s) this year. I’m just going to sit back and let the excitement (fear) wash over me as the games (life and death struggles) play out on my TV.
So, if you came here expecting my take on the Tigers being a number one seed and potentially facing the Hogs in the second round; no dice.
But I will talk about the other 63 teams. Like Tennessee. How in the name of ugly orange did they win a two seed? Cincinnati is left out but Air Force flies in? And with Gonzaga being disrespected yet again, look for some mustache feelin’ from Adam Morrison in the Oakland bracket. Coincidentally that’s Memphis’ bracket and that’s all I have to say about that.
The brackets are wide open. So wide open that the only thing I’m predicting is poor officiating.
It seems to be popping up more and more. Like in the World Baseball Classic this weekend when Japan was laid waste by an overturned call on an appeal by America. Japan scored on a sacrifice fly that the third base umpire called safe. The overturn might have been the right call, but it smelled like bad sushi.
Speaking of the right call, Memphis deserved their seeding and…whoa. That was close. Can’t be talking about that so let’s discuss the just recently started high school baseball and softball season.
For you diamond fans, some of the best scholastic baseball and softball is played right here in Cleburne County. A host of teams, led by the Quitman Bulldogs, excelled in postseason play last year and this season figures to be no different.
The only thing missing last season were fans to see it happen. I urge as many people as possible to check out as many games as you can. There’s nothing like home field advantage in baseball.
Oral Roberts and Arkansas will have home court experiences in Dallas during the first two rounds of the NCAAs, and that doesn’t bode well for Memphis…stop the car, we ain’t going there.
Ok. Let’s try not talking about sports. Who else out there thinks Tony Soprano is dead? The season premiere of ‘The Sopranos’ was as good as advertised. I don’t think Tony’s done, but the harmony enjoyed by his crew and his family certainly is.
Jack Bauer from ‘24’ hasn’t enjoyed much harmony since his pregnant wife was killed in the first season’s finale. I’ve said it a million times and I’ll say it just once more: If you’re not watching Bauer redefine kick ace on ‘24’, you’re part of the problem and you should be scheduled for re-education.
Bauer’s killed at least 30 terrorists this year, which as it happens is the same number of wins the Tigers have entering the NCAA tournament…
Categories: Basketball, Memphis Tigers, sports
Mikes Miasma of Miscellany 
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