Awkward high-fives, everyone! Tiger Woods is back.



























Boy, it was really easy to watch sports today. The Cavs won, and LeBron ran over a ref and then fell on the court and acted like he was dead.



Then I had a 1-2-4 finish in Fantasy NASCAR.

Then Tom Izzo proved he is a great coach once again. As Michigan State humbled Louisville. Izzo's teams always play tough defense and his teams always rebound well. And he'll play you anywhere, anytime.

Later on, it's dark out and Tiger does his thing. Still the only athlete around who can move the needle. When he's on, people watch. And more often than not, he delivers.



Meal of Links

Stem cells for larger breasts. Hey, now!

How does a gas pump know your tank is full. It's science.

The government forces the CEO of GM to resign. Are we on the hook for that $1 salary or what did we really pay to get rid of him?

Exercise Yard
















Well, the alma mater finally came through. After years of coming up short, Miami finally makes the Frozen Four. And that is pretty cool, as Miami does not compete for many national titles.

Visitor

None, a rainy Sunday.

That was another thrilling episode of Polka Happy Hour at the Happy Dog last night. They have excellent perch and tater tots there. Tots are cool.

This morning, I had the perfect crossword. I always do mine in pen. But, for a Saturday, zero mistakes in not too much time is really good. I usually don't start to do anything until I have that done and today, by God, I knew everything right off the bat. Even the answer "prescience". I know it was relatively easy for a weekend because we had no mythology, no saints, only one Russian composer, and very little geography. But still, I was very pleased.

Then, it was off to see "Knowing", where I counted 6 who attended the 10:30 show at the Regal in Middleburg. Thank you "Monsters vs. Aliens in 3D", that means early morning shows for the rest of us. I thought this was gonna be another chance to see Nicky Cage overact. I think he reined it in on this one. And I didn't recognize anyone else in the movie. But this story morphed from a pedestrian thriller into some otherworldly/religious statement (turn your pages to the Book of Ezekiel) I don't think I was prepared of. Mildly interesting. The lesson, I guess? Either go to church or we are not alone.

Today, there was a birthday party for my niece, who is now 7. We had this exchange the other day:

Niece: "Why does it say "Parma" on your glasses?"
Me: "That's Prada, not Parma." (I wanted to add, "My pretty!" at this point)
Niece: "Yeah, I didn't think anyone would have Parma on their glasses."

And, finally, another choice rerun of "Deal Or No Deal". I tend to stumble upon the CNBC reruns. Classic episode where they talk about how great this guy is, the phrase "life changing amount of money" comes up several times, but the dude is delusional into thinking his case has $500,000. He has slowly eliminated the left half of the board and is down to three cases: $10,000, $75,000 and $500,000. The offer is $129,000 and, of course, he rejects it, citing the number on his case and how lucky it has been for him. Next case he picks has....$500,000 in it. I then laugh my ass off. he must keep the case he has after that whole buildup and his contains....$10,000. I laugh even more.

Meal of Links

Oh, man. The ShamWow! guy slap chopped a hooker. Allegedly.

Why are these foreigners taking all of our TV acting jobs? "Yeah, they're takin' our jobs!"

Kids do the darnedest things.

This guy doesn't like spectator sports. I spectate 'em and I'm not sure I like 'em either.

Words To Live By

Keith David absolutely kills me in the movie, "Men At Work". Charlie Sheen with an appropriate response. The first hour of that movie still makes me laugh hard. Even harder then "Deal Or No Deal".



Exercise Yard

A pretty fair list of the greatest Formula One drivers ever. I think Schumacher, even with his faults, should have been higher. Never took a podium finish for granted, it seemed.

Visitor

44 Across: Speaker in Cooperstown (4 letters) Answer: Tris

OK, brackets are officially done. Seth Davis with the bad news.

Meal of Links

Christopher Walken is on Twitter. Not really. But like him, I am still not on Twitter.

Joe McGinniss writes about Palin's Folly. The Alaska natural gas pipeline. Good stuff. More on Palin's wishy-washy stand on the stimulus package.

Some quotes about the 1999 repeal of the Glass-Steagall Act ring true today. "I think we will look back in 10 years' time and say we should not have done this but we did because we forgot the lessons of the past, and that that which is true in the 1930's is true in 2010." said Senator Byron L. Dorgan, Democrat of North Dakota.

Wonder why the interest rates went up on your credit cards? Ask Sioux Falls!

Virtually everyone reported that new housing sales improved last month. But they didn't.

Penn? Carrey? Del Toro? What epic could this be? "The Three Stooges"? WTF? I can't imagine any of these guys saying, "Look at the grouse!" The real Stooges.

Exercise Yard

Lord Football wants to add two regular season games. I'm all for that. Nothing like paying full fare for games that don't count. However, will the games be held in the division or would they be out of conference games. Methinks they'll add two with some sort of catch, perhaps eliminating the bye week, closer games for travel costs, etc.

Visitor

1 Down: "I Kid You Not" author (4 letters) Answer: Paar

Time to catch up:

It never fails to amaze me when I hear folks actually wanting the PD to close down. the fall of Sheriff McFaul is Exhibit A on how the press is very much needed in this town. OK, it's years late, but the mood is right for more of this.

Joe Klein talks about Populist Rage.

If you find yourself traveling internationally, you can call and text. On the cheap

Last night's Obama presser? He did good.

The Top 10 SNL ads. Recent ones, that is.

2010 Oscars? Back to March. First time since '06.

Matt Groening talks.

Woody Allen writes.

Of course, they lip-synch on "Idol". Blame Janet Jackson.

This is probably it for U2.

Meal of Links

26 great shows that were cancelled quickly. And with "Andy Richter Controls the Universe" out on DVD, it was rightly included in this list.

The New York Dolls are still going and have a new album. Always a good time when one of their records is played.

GM still offers company cars to managers. And pays for gas.

Exercise Yard

Don Banks thinks major changes are coming to the NFL. Capless in 2010 probably leads to lock out in 2011. And that would end my ticket participation.

Visitor

34 Down: 2008 Libertarian presidential candidate (4 letters) Answer: Barr

My brackets are like Obama's bowling, if you catch my drift. Final 4 intact, but not much else happening.

But, lemme say some stuff about Cleveland State's effort today.

The fatal flaw of the Vikings is consistent outside shooting. Oh, did that show up today. But they did have that one run when they cut it to 4 points in the second half and I thought they might overcome that. But, no-o-o-o.

In comparing the two games this weekend, it was obvious that mid-level Horizon League teams played better defense against CSU than Wake. Today, they played a team that actually played defense. Early open looks did not fall for CSU and then Arizona's zone really kicked in. By the time CSU figured it out halfway through the second half and got close, their shooting took another nosedive.

After hitting their first three 3's for a 9-0 lead on Friday, CSU shot only 3-12 the rest of the way on threes. Plus, they allowed Wake to shoot over 50% for the game. Today, Arizona shot 50%.

Today's assist total was (gulp!) three! OK, a function of poor shooting but a lot of their scoring today was guys having to create shots on their own. That Arizona zone defense presented them with many issues.

The two areas that CSU actually did well at Miami were rebounding and turnovers. Today, the deficit was only 3 at 33-30 with CSU doubling Arizona's offensive rebounds, 12-6. Against Arizona, CSU only turned it over 11 times. Against Wake, they trailed in rebounds 33-32 and they only turned it over 6 times. Even points in the paint totals were a wash in both games.

So, it's on to next season! Arizona beats CSU, , concluding a most fun year following the Vikings.

Meal of Links

This may turn out to be a great time for cheaper dining. New dining ideas seem to be the rage.

Most controversial films of all time. Yep, the ones you'd thought would be on here, are on here. (Probably NSFW).

Why advertising is failing on the Internet. I know I rarely click on an ad. Mostly by mistake when it does happen.

Exercise Yard

The NFL is considering moving the timing of the NFL Draft. Well, not only that, but the timing of the entire offseason schedule. Combine, Senior Bowl, Free Agency, etc.

Visitor

None. It's March Madness, baby!

I was at Quicken Loans Arena for a rare Saturday afternoon game with the Cavs. I was there with an old college friend who gave me some choices for games. I told him, "Atlanta", the Hawks having won seven in a row. So, there we were.

We happened to be seated in Loudville. As a matter of fact, I put my seat snobbery away as we were in Row Last. Unfortunately, we were surrounded by Fat Albert to our left and Super Fan to our right. Thankfully, the Cavs were in control from the start and won a game where the game was a lot worse than the score would indicate. But I was able to go to Alesci's fore and aft.

Alesci's? Why, the last time I was there, it was St. Patrick's Day. You may remember St. Patrick's Day. it was one of the bestest March 17ths for weather ever. Upwards of 70 degrees. Unfortunately, I had to work.

But I caught up on drinking as best as I could. I'm pretty sure Best Friend had called me a "lame-o" earlier in the day for not being Downtown. And then, under the spotlight of prosecutorial glare, I admitted U2's new record wasn't very good. I also didn't eat anything. I believe Fun Frank revealed he once drove a car into the Niagara River. And I saw Danny at the end of the day, but did not sing "Danny Boy". And the following day, corned beef that was promised to me was given elsewhere without so much as a warning.

Meal of Links

Matt Taibbi thinks we're fucked. Royally.

One of my favorite movies is "Paris, Texas". I have to see this one again. It's been a while.

Are these people nuts? BTW, after March madness last night, Charlie Rose ran an interview with Natasha Richardson with some prophecy near the end.



Exercise Yard

Every time a lower seed wins in March Madness (a la Cleveland State), I can't help remembering my favorite scene from "Hoosiers".

"Ten Feet"



The first thought after CSU's win last night? "There goes my coat chair."

But what an ass-thumping they put on Wake last night. WF becomes WTF. Typically, when a 13 seed beats a 4, they tend to be tight games or buzzer beaters. But this was as front-running of a game that they could possibly deliver.

Given the opponent and setting, the first half was the best half of basketball they played all season and without doubt, the team's finest hour all year. There were two others this year that were comparable. The first half against Kent and the first half against Loyola.

CSU hit their first three 3-pointers, then hit only three the rest of the game. But the stage was set. Each player who entered the game contributed. Cedric Jackson staying in control. Norris Cole, unflappable as usual. Chris Moore, with CSU rediscovering its high-low game, repeatedly beating the defense down the floor. J'Nathan Bullock with a perfect example of settling into a game, then delivering. George Tandy hustling like I've never seen him. Even Renard Fields, who brain cramped later, drew two offensive fouls. The freshman, Tre Harmon and Jeremy Montgomery delivering solid minutes, as well. As total a team effort as you'll find anywhere.

Don't want to look too critically at the numbers, but CSU hung with Wake on rebounding, with only a 33-32 deficit. 15 assists to Wake's 10. Beautiful floor game with only 6 turnovers. Wake had 18. Wake shot 52% for the game to CSU's 47%. Not too concerned about that number yet, because that was a lot of garbage time last night. Might be the red flag in all of this hoopla, however.

Next up, Arizona tomorrow. The Basket Cats are the team universally derided as not belonging in the tournament. CSU is the lowest seed remaining. And even though it's now a 13-12 matchup, everyone loves the underdog.

Visitor

16 Down: Cuthbert of "24" (6 letters) Answer: Elisha

Since, March Madness has returned, so has March Madness on Demand. The video quality is superb this year. I mean, scary superb.

The hatred of Duke. And homophobia, if you've got it.

Kind of a so-so day picking today. The Upset Special of American over Villanova lasted 35 minutes before falling apart. And I lost BYU and Clemson for down the road, both with really poor efforts. But I did have Western Kentucky and UCLA escaping with wins.

And this is how Memphis planned for their game.

Remember, CSU is on Channel 43 Friday about 9:40 p.m. at the earliest.

Friday's Winners:

Syracuse, Tennessee, Utah State, North Dakota State

Temple, Pittsburgh, Missouri, West Virginia

Louisville, Utah, USC, Portland State

Ohio State, Wake Forest, Michigan State, Florida State

Meal of Links

This series on Nashville is pretty good. It's starting with Johnny Cash. And lookee here. "Behind the Music" returns.

To be Shakespeare or not to be Shakespeare. That is the question.

A superb story on the decline of the Jigsaw Saloon. Very good local reporting, I thought.

Exercise Yard

Finally, this guy has 7 things to hate about this year's March Madness. Even North Dakota State gets a mention.

Visitor

9 Down: San Diego State athletes (6 letters) Answer: Aztecs

Well, it happened. Yes, I was published in the PD this a.m. Sort of. Gale and I had a conversation over the weekend about "Monday Moaning" and "Thankful Thursday" on page A-2. Seemingly, how everyone moans about being thankful. So, we decided to start calling in with bon mots and see if we get any of them picked up.

Tuesday's question was some nonsense about the CSU and OSU game conflicts on Friday. Which one would you watch and why. Of course, this was right up my alley. So, if you read this in the Wednesday PD, you now know where it came from. And, it was on my first attempt!

"To paraphrase Sam Wyche: "You don't live in Columbus, you live in Cleveland!". CSU all the way!"

I feel very humbled at the moment. And don't tell me that's not funny.

Meal of Links

The death of Natasha Richardson is one of the oddest celebrity stories to come along in quite a while. Dying from an accident on a bunny hill is hard to fathom.

Pictures from the recession. This "Big Picture" series from the Boston Globe is always good.

Bob Dylan's port-a-potty stinks. Really bad, apparently.

NBC is starting to defend CNBC. This may be the frontrunner for most backlashes of the year, so far. Springsteen heads to "The Daily Show".

Exercise Yard

The Madness (with Gus Johnson) starts tomorrow.

Thursday's Winners:

Memphis, Purdue, Connecticut

BYU, California, Washington

Texas, Duke

American, UCLA

Butler, Clemson, Oklahoma

North Carolina, Gonzaga, Western Kentucky

Visitor

40 Across: Actor ____ Ray known for macho roles (4 letters) Answer: Aldo

I have been listening more and more to Underground Garage on XM. This is the Little Steven-influenced channel. I had forgot that Kid Leo was spinning records on this channel. He sounds like an older Kid Leo. I know, hard to imagine.

But here's what I heard on the way home today:

"Please No Squeeza Da Banana"/Louis Prima
"Orgasm Addict"/Buzzcocks
"Raw Power"/The Stooges
"St. Valentine's D"/Cocktail Slipper
"Cathy's Clown"/The Everly Brothers
"Lucy in the Sky (with Diamonds)"/The Beatles
"Here Comes Mary"/Raveonettes
"I Wanna Be With You"/The Raspberries

That makes for a solid mix. Hard to figure you'd find that anywhere on terrestrial radio.

Meal of Links

They showed some footage of "Bruno" at South by Southwest over the weekend. Twitter comments. I like that it makes "Borat" look like Kids TV. Uh, I'm there early.

Hey, here's something we haven't heard in what, a week or so? Should "The Office" dump Michael Scott?

You can order bees on the Internets. Bees, I tell ya. for $20.

How some TV shows morphed into something different. Some for the better and some, not so good. "Mannix" and "Dark Shadows" are two oldies mentioned.

Exercise Yard

Another reason why I hate Columbus. The start times for Round One of March Madness came out overnight. BTW, the fastest ever. Anyhow, Ohio State plays Siena in Dayton at the very same time CSU plays Wake Forest in Miami, which is 9:40 on Friday.

So, the bitching and whining has started. Actually, the comments seem to be favoring CSU. But this is really all wasted effort.

Look, CSU is the HOME TEAM here in Cleveland. Channel 19 will be required to show it. End of story. They may put OSU on 43, but CSU will be shown.

I did call CSU this morning. I could have bought tickets. Flights and hotel in Florida without much notice, especially in March, doesn't really work from a financial angle. I'll go to Indy next week, if they get that far.

Visitor

44 Across: Poet Whitman (4 letters) Answer: Walt

This morning, I was watching the FOX outlets, News and Business News. Why watch FOX? For crap like this.

On a FOX Business News rerun:

Obama Supporter: "It's all on the Internet. You can find any earmark in the bill."

FOX Host: "You can't expect anyone to go through 9,000 pages of the bill."

First they complain about not knowing what's in the bill, then when it's pointed out to them that you can find out, they turn the argument to it's too cumbersome or not everyone has access to the Internets. Aaaargh! It pays to know how these doofuses (doofi?) operate.

Then on FOX News this a.m., Mike West, the CEO of BioTime, comes on and talks about stem cells and how you don't need embryonic cells for research, you can use adult cells combined with 4 molecules in some sort of cellular time machine, in effect, bypassing the embryonic stem cell issue. Totally flummoxing the host who wanted to pursue the embryo angle immediately. West hijacked the angle and delivered a monologue on the benefits of stem cells and how precious time was wasted with the previous ban. On FOX News!!! So the host got owned and will be fired soon, I'm sure.

Meal of Links

If you are a city dweller and a Catholic, this weekend was D-Day as the diocese started announcing parish closings yesterday. I understand why some of these parishes had to close. Operating costs, declining neighborhoods, negligible attendance, etc. My old church, Our Lady of Good Counsel, is going to be merged with Corpus Christi, which is just up the road a piece. It has to get a new name though as Our Lady Christi of Good Corpus Counsel won't cut it. I wonder if they'll have a naming rights contest? Perhaps booking your passage to heaven if you win.

But, all kidding aside, it's really torturous to see some of the churches that were picked for closing. These are churches you may not have attended, but have known about or seen all of your life. St. Colman's down on 65th. Never been in it, but even I know on St. Patrick's, it's a big deal there. And when you come home using 65th as your route, it is magnificent to see that beautiful structure lit up on a summer night. A shining beacon in the night. Very sad.

Same with St. Ignatius on Lorain and West Boulevard, another one of those lit up at night. Truly stunning that it will close, as it seemed to be thriving. Man, St. Procop's down on 41st is 145 years old!! Gone. It looks like Downtown, they are funneling everyone to St. John's, eschewing St. Peter's, a popular parish, and a second one. While St. Malachi's made the cut, one other Downtown location should have survived. St. Patrick's in West Park. Gone. But St. Pat's on Bridge, another fine structure, will stay open. Maybe that's where the Irish can relocate. Slavic Village seems to be in turmoil over their closings. Have they given up on that neighborhood? And all the Hungarians now have to go to Buckeye? Really?

Let's hope when they close, the city can protect these buildings from the vandals. That's a lot of property to just sit there. Here is the list.

Social networking is the new e-mail. And, no, I am not on Twitter.

Joe Biden can now take Amtrak to Home Depot. Not really, but Amtrak gets a a bunch of cash.

Two funny things I've seen recently: "South Park"--"She's a notorious whore...". And Will Farrell's George Bush stage play. BTW, I think Edward Norton was sitting next to that Shakespearean scholar in the nickname portion.

Exercise Yard

I was down at CSU for the March Madness Selection Party. CBS wasted no time with CSU, as they were in one of the first brackets revealed. They drew a #13 seed against #4 Wake Forest. The game will be Friday in Miami. Wake was ranked Number One at least once this year, maybe twice.

Early thoughts:

If CSU can play a zone, they have a shot. Much like CSU, Wake's fatal flaw is their inconsistent outside shooting. Maryland slapped a zone on Wake in the ACC Tournament and defeated them, as Wake shot 29% on 22 of 74 for the game, and hit only 3-25 on threes.

If Wake can run or get us in the man-to-man with better shooting, it may be a short run for the Vikings. Depth inside will play a big role, as Wake is probably going to try and jam it inside and that's where that zone can help. Another plus is that Wake is a young team.

On paper, it looks like a not-so-good matchup. Between the lines, it's a winnable game.

BTW, I still haven't been contacted about tickets. I guess that's my responsibility to find out or maybe I'm not even close on the priority list. Besides, CSU wins two and they play in Indy next week.

At the gathering, Coach Waters assured us that winning the Horizon League Tournament was not their goal. He also had each team member and coach introduce themselves and say where they were from. If you watched STO, you saw what a fine group of guys are on the team.

The brackets are here.

Visitor

None, it's a sunny Selection Sunday.

Happy Pi Day!

I went to the CSU Bookstore this morning and try and navigate that coming from East 30th. You have to avoid a bus lane, do a legal U-turn, then make sure you get in the correct unmarked lot. If you screw up like I did, you have to go back up to Prospect, over the highway, then back down 22nd to Euclid again. And then park in the correct lot.

BTW, I realize it's the weekend, but I didn't see too many people waiting for buses on Euclid.

There is some good local stuff though. I cooked a brisket today from Dave's Mercado that I had layin' around. Bueno!

Good fish fry at the Parma Tavern last night. Perch for $9.95 and Cod for $6.95. Tried the Union House, but they were way crowded.

Meal of Links

Time to catch up on some items:

Jack White has a new band, The Dead Weather that has an All-Star feel to it. The Kills, Queens of the Stone Age and The Raconteurs all represented. I love that Gary Numan cover, "Are Friends Electric?"

How long can McFaul still be Sheriff? I say by next Friday, he's out.

An interesting take on Jim Cramer vs. Jon Stewart. That was unbelievable television.

The current newspaper model is broken. And will not be fixed, but be replaced.

Another article on what has happened to the Food Network? This stuff started when Mario and Sara Moulton got the boot.

"How to Buy A New Car...For The Best Price"



A look at the inside of abandoned schools in Detroit. It just makes you sick.

TV spies and secret agents. Obviously, "The Avengers" is here. And "The Equalizer"! I loved that show and we get the opening credits in the included clip. And "The Prisoner (not the Caviezel one)" takes No. 1.

Exercise Yard

The New York Times revisits the 1986 CSU basketball team. It's a trip down memory lane.

Visitor

20 Across: Legendary track star (10 letters) Answer: Seabiscuit

Well, it's a day later and I still cannot get over how CSU kept fighting in last night's win over Butler. It's a great feeling to at least have some sort of rooting interest here. Oh, and if it's doable, meaning a venue nearby (or maybe somewhat nearby), I would not mind getting a ticket. Right now, all signs point to Boise.

My Dad and I spent some time earlier in the day watching the MAC Tournament at Quicken. Early round matchups meaning no bands and no cheerleaders. Pretty sterile environment. We saw mainly the Kent-Northern Illinois game. Wow, how that league has deteriorated. Especially when the champ is projected to be a 16 seed. Gulp!

Meal of Links

The real story behind St. Patrick's Day. Of course, it was started by Guinness.

It's a portion planner. What type of food, how many eating, how much you'll need.

Some people insist Led Zeppelin played a concert in Wheaton, MD in 1969. Others call bullshit.

CBS might cut some familiar shows. That means "Cold Case" and "Without A Trace". I have never watched "Cold Case". I saw Anthony LaPaglia throw a chair through an office window in an episode of "Trace" about his divorce. And one where Martin Landau was his Dad. I think. Maybe it was the same one.

Funny Mitch Hedberg quotes.

This is why you go to university-sponsored lectures and panels. Seymour Hersh tells an audience at the University of Minnesota that Dick Cheney ran an executive assassination ring. Can you imagine sitting there, checking your watch, counting ceiling tiles and then that bombshell drops in and says, "Hey you, wake up!".

This guy figured it out. Soccer is ruining America. And I was watching Barcelona-Lyon in the Champions League tonight.

Exercise Yard

The demise of Peter Pocklington. I think he was known as "Peter Puck" for a while.

Visitor

24 Across: Mathis classic (5 letters) Answer: "Misty"

"Misty"/Johnny Mathis

Finally! We haven't raised many trophies around here lately, have we?

So, I'm watchin' "Family Guy" last night. The title of the episode is "Family Gay" and you can imagine what happened next. Or maybe not. You see, Peter got injected with the "Gay Gene". This was after he got also injected with the "Squirrel Gene" and then the "Seth Rogen Gene". Anyhow, I laughed a lot during this episode and now the gay community is kinda up in arms about it. Remember, it's only a cartoon.

Here's Peter at "Straight Camp":



Meal of Links

A report that appeared on time.com lists 10 newspapers that are endangered. The Plain Dealer is predicted to fail by the end of 2010. Their publisher says, "Poppycock!".

Esquire has another list. This one is 75 albums you must own. I'll show you my copy of "Imperial Bedroom" someday, a classic. Even "True Stories' made the cut and I agree, very underrated. Oddly enough, I listened to Townes Van Zandt playing "Pancho and Lefty" just yesterday. And, at one time, I had memorized "Look Sharp" by Joe Jackson and I bet I could still sing along with 75% of it today. And 30 glaring omissions from the list.

More Twitter celebrities. And, no, I am still not on it.

I saw something on NBC Nightly News this evening about a place in Denver called the Same Cafe. What an uplifting story.

Denver's Same Cafe from NBC

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Exercise Yard

Stephen Curry in this year's March Madness? Think again.

Visitor

34 Down: Rock guitarist Mann (5 letters) Answer: TEXT

Last night, CSU beat Wisconsin-Green Bay to set up a return match against Butler in the Horizon League Championship Game on Tuesday night. You wanna look smart watching that game and impress your friends and neighbors. The game will be played at Hinkle Fieldhouse, you know, where they filmed "Hoosiers". Since, the bandwagon will be filling up with a win, here's your handy-dandy guide to CSU basketball.

Coach Gary Waters: Waters was the guy who put Kent State basketball on the map starting in 1996. Kent had two NCAA appearances and an NIT visit to the quarters before he left in 2001. Then he went to Rutgers where he had three NIT bids, one where they got to the title game. This is his third year at CSU winning 10, then 22 (with an NIT bid) and now 25 games this season.

CSU plays a fairly deliberate style of basketball, where mental fitness coupled with superior physical conditioning helps win ballgames. At times, it can be pretty ugly to watch. I've seen them described as the "Julio Cesar Chavez of college basketball" and I think that's an apt term for the grinding style they play. This is a far cry from Kevin Mackey's Run-n-Stun teams of the late '80s.

They usually go only 8 or 9 deep, so I'll describe the guys who will see playing time Tuesday.

J'Nathan Bullock, Senior Forward: Bullock is the "guy with the dreads" and an all-league selection. He has started virtually every game since he arrived at CSU four years ago. A hard worker, who can score from most places on the floor. A very good rebounder and is the team's heart and soul. Although he has had some trouble lately from the foul line, he is vastly improved from his freshman year where he shot 58% from the line. A for-certain CSU Hall of Famer down the road and I would not be opposed to seeing his number retired, especially if future CSU success is plotted back to his tenure here. Not sure about his hoops future, but may become the next Antonio Gates of the NFL.

Cedric Jackson, Senior Guard: A transfer from St. John's, Jackson has played only two seasons at CSU. He is the Defensive Player of the Year in the Horizon League. He has an uncanny ability to steal the basketball and is known as a "stat sheet stuffer". But it's been a frustrating year to watch him this season, although he has been turning it on down the stretch. His assists and rebounding were up this year and his turnovers down. But all of his shooting stats (threes, foul shooting and overall shooting percentage) were down significantly. Although during the Horizon League Tournament, his foul shooting has been money. Be aware that he can make some really poor decisions while running the team. Mainly bad passes or giving a teammate the ball where he can do absolutely nothing with it.

Norris Cole, Sophomore Guard: I absolutely love this guy. Has the right temperament, never seems to get down and is probably the most consistent player on the team. From venerable Dayton Dunbar. This year has developed into a solid scoring option with a nice floater. Can play inside or out and handles the ball nicely. CSU was the only Division I school to offer him a scholarship and he was getting significant minutes early on as a freshman. A real find for the team.

D'Aundray Brown, Sophomore Guard: Not the Defensive Player of the Year, but is easily the team's best defender. The guy who can score the best on the other team is his defensive assignment and he usually shuts him down. Currently out with a hyperextended knee, he's a very important piece to the puzzle. He was out for several games midseason and CSU stunk while he was gone. Has also developed into a decent scoring option. Most definitely my favorite player on the team.

Chris Moore, Senior Center: Moore is a St. Ed's player who transferred from UC-Santa Barbara and has played two seasons. He was always a step slow last year and was threatening to leave the program after last season. But he shed some pounds this year and seems to be enjoying himself this year. Commits some fairly obvious fouls at times, has a nice shot, but doesn't shoot all that much.

George Tandy, Senior Forward: George was my favorite whipping boy last year. He had some athletic ability, but just didn't seem to care all that much, and he's a pretty quiet guy. He has developed into a player, when right, can make some very good contributions to the cause. Not a great rebounder, but the ball seems to end up in his hands quite a bit. Had an awesome dunk on a putback in Saturday's game. Both his father, who attends all the games, and his mother have cancer.

Renard Fields, Senior Center: Doesn't get much playing time, but another favorite of mine. Injured quite often, but I believe he is the hardest worker on the team. Always plays tough, draws fouls, shoots foul shots horribly but never fails to go all out. If he had been healthy all these years, it may have been different for him.

Tre Harmon, Freshman Guard: Harmon is from California and has benefited from playing some decent minutes this year. As soon as he was eligible in December, he got minutes right away. Mainly known as a scorer coming in, his defense has picked up over the last six weeks. You can tell he is a gymrat from the way he handles the ball and carries himself on the court. It's obvious he has logged many hours with a basketball.

Jeremy Montgomery, Freshman Guard: Another freshman, he is from Chicago. Early on, he got some significant minutes and had a great game against Syracuse. Since then, he has had inconsistent minutes. Can shoot and handles the ball reasonably well. Probably the only guy on the team who smiles a lot while he is playing. Future looks good for him and his brother is transferring in next year, as well.

What CSU Does Well:

Excellent floor game.
Superior defense.
Physical conditioning.
Mental toughness.
Won't quit.

Fatal Flaws:

Outside shooting.
Foul shooting.

The Butler Matchup:

I give the Vikings a fairly good shot at winning on Tuesday. Butler is in March Madness, regardless of the outcome, and CSU has lost twice to them this season. The first was on a three-pointer at the buzzer way back in December at the Bart. The second, just 8 days ago, at Butler by 2 points. It is very difficult to beat a team three times in one season at any sport, but that's what Butler faces this week.

There should be no surprises as these two teams have played very tight games the last two seasons, with CSU winning only one of five. But this is the 4th game CSU will have played at Butler in the last 11 days, even more than Butler in the same time period. So, I believe the familiar surroundings (hotel, floor, locker room, Hinkle Fieldhouse environment) will help immensely with game preparation.

I think CSU will prevail in a tight one. And then I get to go dancin'.

Meal of Links

The publicist for the OctoMom has had an epiphany. "This woman is nuts."

"You've got to want the president to succeed. You're irrational if you don't want the president to succeed. Because if he doesn't succeed the country doesn't succeed...". The person who said that? Newt Gingrich.

Big Music will finally give up the ghost. But not for a few years.

Exercise Yard

I still love Manny Ramirez.

Upon seeing outfielder Matt Kemp appear in the clubhouse at 8:30 a.m., according to MLB.com, Ramirez called out, "You're late. I was here at 6:30."

"I was here three weeks ago," Kemp retorted.

Now, that's funny!

In case you missed the ESPN article on Shin-Soo Choo.

Visitor

None, on a rainy Sunday.

You know the guy who, the day after the Celtics beat the Cavs in a big game, wears his Celtics jersey the following day? I hate that guy.

Let's catch up:

There is going to be a Marmaduke movie. Pssst! Here's the plot, he's a big dog. I just saved you the price of a ticket.

The Flaming Lips and Arcade Fire seem to be at odds.

The Economist says legalize drugs again.

Keep the kids out of the effin' kitchen!

Sports editors consider sharing content.

Alec Baldwin starts co-hosting "The Essentials" on Turner Classic.

How to get strength like Bruce Lee.

Robert Reich says blaming Obama for the decline of Wall Street is absurd.

The health risks of Daylight Savings Time.

"Frank TV" got cancelled.

This dude has mad skills in his hands:

World Builder


World Builder from Bruce Branit on Vimeo.

Meal of Links

I always got a kick from "Femme Fatale". I actually watched it again a few weeks ago. DePalma movies are always fun to look at. And Rebecca Romijn looks very good here.

Check out the new HD channels coming to Time Warner soon. ESPNews, CNBC, MLB, Animal Planet, Sci-Fi, USA, Discovery, Bravo, TLC, Disney, Palladia (MTV) and ABC Family.

How Art Garfunkel landed on "Flight of the Conchords". "Garfunkling". Tee hee.

Exercise Yard

No one breaks down hoops like Charley Rosen. Here's his Celtics-Cavs wrapup.

Visitor

38 Across: Familiar pointer (8 letters) Answer: Uncle Sam

"The Uncler"

This woman took a foul ball to the face at yesterday's Tribe game:







































That's gotta hurt.

Meal of Links

You can study The Beatles and get a degree. Peace and love.

One of my all-time favorite shows returns. So incredibly stupid, but so funny at the same time. It's "Super Dave Osborne".

Super Dave's Fast Food Joint



One thing about The New Yorker is they can run some long articles. Get ready. Here's a brilliant tome on David Foster Wallace.

It's Michael Lewis again. This time on Iceland.

Exercise Yard

The story of the NFL players lost at sea is pretty gutwrenching. They allegedly just gave up all hope.

Visitor

25 Down: Jessica of "7th Heaven" (4 letters) Answer: Biel

Today is the 71st birthday of the Sausage Shoppe. I was just there this past Saturday. After not going there for a while, I have been visiting about once a month for the last few. Two things I noticed quickly. Not as crowded as it once was and prices have clearly gone up. But the quality of the food there is still superb.

We gotta support the locals.

Meal of Links

Vanity Fair profiles "Comedy's New Legends". Danny McBride who was so good in "Pineapple Express" and "Tropic Thunder" makes an appearance.

Will Shortz talks about, what else?, puzzles. Including KenKen.

What is the ideal number of friends? Average number is about 150.

David Simon talks about covering the police in Baltimore. Things have changed since he had that beat.

Calling Tim Geitner.

Hey, was that an asteroid? Yep, without much warning, too.

What do you think about that new Pepsi logo? I'm not sure yet, just bring on those Throwbacks.

Maurice Clarett has a blog. Seriously. It sounds like his new job will be preaching.

Exercise Yard

We actually had a Horizon League tournament in town tonight, sponsored by the good folks at Speedway. My Dad and I were part of a crowd of 1988 who watched Cleveland State take on the Titans of Detroit. And since it was the post-season, Detroit brought the full compliment of band (in the section next to us), dance team and cheerleader squad

And since it was Detroit, that called for another ugly game. In two previous games, CSU kept them in the 40s, and that was the case again tonight. It's just a struggle to play them because of their walk-it-up style of play on offense and physical defense. But they are extremely offensively-challenged. In the first half, Detroit had no three-pointers nor any offensive rebounds, but they outshot CSU 41% to 31% and only trailed by 2.

In the second half, Cleveland State shot much better at 48% and that was really the difference. Detroit had 1 three, 3 offensive rebounds and 0 fast break points for the game and shot 36% for the game.

There you have it. CSU wins, 56-43 in what may be the last home game this season. On to Indy to continue league tournament play this weekend.

Visitor

41 Across: Immortal slugger Hank (5 letters) Answer: Aaron

Paul Harvey died yesterday. I gotta say, I didn't like his politics, but I was a fan of the old coot. He used to be on at 8:25 or 8:30 in the a.m and had a longer 15-minute read around Noon, I believe. And, of course, there was "The Rest of the Story". It's really quite weird that he was probably one of the few voices you heard as a kid that was still on the radio this century.

I know he was still on several stations nationally, but 1100 put him out to pasture a few years ago when they switched to Fox Radio. Syndicated radio programs made it difficult to find a spot for him. But I always liked the way he read his commercials for Wal-Mart "You couldn't ask for a better neighbor." and Citracal "The cit is for citrus, the cal is for calcium. Ci...tra-cal." And, of course, "True-Value."

“Paul Harvey......Good Day!”

Meal of Links

They have found the Garden of Eden. Well, maybe. Regardless, a great archaeological find.

Why hair goes gray. And it has nothing to do with local sports.

Here is a free Allstate-sponsored one-day pass to Sam's Club. And they'll waive the normal non-member 10% surcharge. Might be worth checking out.

How Obama is framing the narrative of the reforms he wants to promote. Everyone is on notice.

Exercise Yard

I was seeking out some Indians tickets yesterday. What surprised me is the best seats in the house are actually half price for 12 games (including the Boston series) in April and May. I think they finally got the message that a filled seat at any price is better than an empty one.

Visitor

None, it's Sunday.