This blog is not intended as a stand-alone scribble recounting the highlights and lowlights of the Big Dance's second week. Instead, it's a direct sequel to last week's blog, wherein biases against mid-majors, small schools, and Far West schools were discussed. It concerned the officiating: the general policy and game-specific calls and non-calls. It concerned the potential benefactors of such officiating: the television networks, the sponsors-advertisers, the NCAA, and the tournament's largest fan bases, not to mention the East Coast-based sports media monolith.
Admittedly, I watched little of the second weekend games. I preferred the drama of the Tiger Woods triumph at the Arnold Palmer Invitational for sports viewing time. However, I heard how Las Vegas was pleased with the outcomes. Kentucky, the favorite, returns to the Final Four. Ohio State, another favorite, returns for the third weekend. Kansas, a huge legacy program, is no surprise. Louisville, with its wiley, hardened coach Rick Pitino, is the "underdog." The bookies are not displeased. Does this mean big-time gambling meccas have influence over the games' outcomes? Could it involve players being "off" their games as well as the officiating? I don't know, but I'm just saying. . . .
Back to golf: Tiger so crushed the opposition on Sunday that the biggest drama was host/legend Arnold Palmer's sudden blood pressure issue which sent him to the hospital before the trophy presentation on the 18th green. Fortunately, the King recovered and was released the next day from an Orlando hospital. Could it be that Mr. Palmer was staging his own protest of Mr. Woods' lifestyle, divorce, and victory at his own tournament? I don't know, but I'm just saying. . . .
No comments:
Post a Comment