Monday Digest

Hello NIT: UConn, Illinois

While this blog doesn't cover the NBA, I have to mention something when it is FREE!: One week free NBA League Pass preview for this week, 1/22 thru 1/28, on cable/satellite systems where the NBA League Pass package is available. Check local listings or the NBA website for details.

Who could be this year's George Mason? How about Air Force? They have already played and won a number of close games (the latest on Saturday vs San Diego State), which usually bodes well for a team in the tourney where the games are closer and the pace slows down a bit.

Unanswered QuestionsCBS's play by play guy is Ian Eagle but pronounced I-o-n. Why?

The Derrick Caracter Soap Opera continues: As you may recall he played a bit against Marquette last Monday, then he got suspended over the weekend and missed the DePaul game, but he may return to active status for today's game (UConn).

Bilas was not dunked on this time in his on-court segment. Tyler Hansborough was nice to a Dookie? WoW! But the ESPN crew was not nice to Bilas as they showed a highlight of clips from Bilas's playing days where he got dunked on over and over and over.

Speaking of Bilas, he was brave enough to eat the chocolate pudding from the North Carolina cafeteria live on the air. I wouldn't...

What happened to the Missouri Valley and Fox College Sports? Last year they had at least 2 games per week on FCS. This year, there's nothing! Did they sign a contract with another network? Or???

College Gameday did a feature on what is an upset. And then they proceeded reading the teleprompter that usually defines an upset as everytime a ranked team loses. Who writes these things? ESPN are you listening? :)

Error Correction Segment: Joe Lunardi, Tony Bennett's dad is Dick Bennett, not Tony Senior :-) And ESPN-News-anchor-du-jour, all ten Pac-10 teams go to the Pac-10 tourney, not the top 8.

Is the Cal-Tech story (winning their first game after almost 300 losses) an inspirational story or just irrelevantly silly? You Decide!


Coaches Spotlight

Bob Knight tried to block his own college students from storming the court. But Mr Tough Bob Knight left the court surrounded by security guard protectors. You are not in Indiana anymore. And your record is not that of the 80s, Mr Tough Guy.

Roy's Coke habbit is back on national TV. The Coca Cola commercial aired again during the CBS college basketball broadcast on Saturday. It also airs during his coaches show on Fox College Sports.

If you go to a game at the new USC Arena in LA make sure you check under your chair - you may find Tim Floyd's gum!. The FSN cameras caught him red-handed sticking his gum under the chair.

Lute Olson is the silver fox, he is in the hall of fame, but how could he not predict that playing his five starters almost non-stop would burn them out? I mean, this is common sense! It's not like he doesn't/didn't have players on the bench. He fell into the trap of falling in love with the high level of play of the starting five and forgot that they may wear down, or get in foul trouble, or have bad nights - which is what gave them their three-game losing streak.

Retired Coaches Radio Shows: John Thompson (Big John), and Jerry Tarkanian. And let's not forget Tom Brennan who had a radio show even before he retired. And yes, Coach Amex has a radio show too where you get a concentrated burst of his BS-ology. Radio includes the satellite (XM, Sirius) "radio" services.

Rick Pitino and Tubby Smith together, promoting Kentucky Farm products on a TV spot. And Louisville fans please stop sending Pitino Starbucks gift cards: He has given up coffee. The things you see/learn when you watch the Coache's shows :-) Speaking of which, Pitino's show may be of interest to basketball fans in general as he actually breaks down opposing teams and players (at a high level). It airs nationally on Saturdays on CSTV at 830am PT/1130am ET.


Recruiting Segment

This week's Sports Stars of Tomorrow featured their first Top 20, and features on Solon's Dallas Lauderdale and Winter Park's Nick Calathes. They are going to Ohio State and Florida respectively. They also had a flashback feature on Illinois's Deron Williams. For more details, visit their website.