Neither here nor there

A couple of musings as I figure out where I went wrong in my NCAA tournament bracket:

- For those who don't think this is going to be a very entertaining Final Four, or for those sour sports columnists who feel that Duke saved it, that's insane. I haven't been this fired up for a national semifinal since George Mason.

I made it quite clear in my Tiger Woods entry (which one reader didn't agree with) that I always root for the underdog. I'll be rooting for Butler and West Virginia. Butler because, although the Bulldogs aren't exactly the little guy, they're not household names, either. I like that.

West Virginia because of Bishop Hendricken graduate Joe Mazzulla, whose sometimes turbulent career as a Mountaineer has eventually led to the pinnacle of college basketball. And judging by his performance in the regional final against Kentucky, he seems up to the challenge.

- Starting on Saturday, sports fans might be treated to the greatest nine days of viewing. It starts with the Final Four on Saturday, Red Sox-Yankees in the season opener on Sunday, the national championship (and the Tiger Woods press conference) on Monday. Red Sox-Yankees on Tuesday and Wednesday and the Masters closes out the week through Sunday.

Tell your wife or girlfriend that you're taking a break, then go out and buy her roses on Monday.

- If you're an aspiring sportswriter, last week's issue of Sports Illustrated has a must-read article by Frank Deford, who is loyalty in this field. It's entitled "Confessions of a Sportswriter," but there aren't too many "confessions."

Instead, Deford talks about some of his most memorable moments on the job in the last 50 years. It's almost amazing how much this industry has changed in half a century, and you almost wish it was still that way, when writers - and not TV, radio and crappy blogs - ruled the roost.

I know I'm only 32 and really should embrace the way of sports media, but I find myself shaking my head.