No Fear shirts from the early 1990s taught us “Second Place is First Loser.”
The Butler Bulldogs can attest to that this week.
For the second straight year, the perennial underdog lost in the NCAA men’s basketball championship game – 53-41 to the Connecticut Huskies on April 4 in Houston.
You can’t help but feel bad for the small university (around 4,000 students) from Indianapolis, as it got a second shot at the title, following last year’s devastating last-second loss to the Duke Blue Devils.
They weren’t expected to make it that far either year.
But this year’s March Madness finale was hardly a fitting end. In fact, it was one of the worst basketball games I’ve ever seen.
The Bulldogs made only 12 shots out of the 64 it attempted, which is an 18.8 shooting percentage for the game – and the worst-ever in an NCAA championship game (insert joke here). It really was painful to watch at times.
Arguably the craziest tournament in its history, where no No. 1 or No. 2 seeds made it to the Final Four for the first time ever, came to a terrible conclusion – making me glad I only watch college basketball for three weeks of the year.
Phil Mickelson enters Augusta as the favourite to win his second consecutive Masters and fourth overall (2004, 2006, 2010).
He won last weekend’s Shell Houston Open and always seems to save his best for the famed Georgia golf course.
But don’t count out former golf god Tiger Woods.
Sure, he hasn’t won a tournament in 17 months and isn’t the same golfer he once was.
I’m going to avoid making a joke about him, because it’s been beaten to death, but rather side with those who believe him regaining prominence by winning a Major again would be great for the game.
It’s true. Personal affairs aside, Woods is golf’s main draw and it’s more interesting to watch (insert joke here) when he’s on top of his game (insert joke here) and challenging on Sunday. Check the ratings.
I’d love for him to make a real comeback by winning the 2011 Masters. I don’t think he will, as I’m taking youngster Rory McIllroy in my pool, but it would be what the sport needs to regain a mainstream audience.
The Calgary Flames (insert joke here).
