I've got 99 problems, but basketball aint one

Today is a day to relax a bit after marathons of college hoops, but yesterday (Friday) felt like we already started. Honestly, Thursday's first round games were tremendous. It was hard to really get into the games the way you would want on Friday, mainly because the afternoon was really boring. Closest game: Wisconsin winning ugly against Wofford. Most exciting: Probably Xavier over Minnesota in a battle of "Whose head is bigger than a basketball." I meant that figuratively.

Night games were just aight. Yes, I used the word aight. Why? Because I am going to the Jay-Z concert tonight. I brought this up while volunteering at a 5K race this morning and the shocked high school and college students working with me asked if I was joking. Twice. Okay, I'm lying... Three times. Then I asked, "Is an argyle sweater and sports jacket appropriate attire?" They had the sarcasm detector off. Seriously?! Do I look that old? I thought I was cool enough to pass for a Jay-Z show. He did songs with U2 and Coldplay. I could go to their shows.

I am digressing...

What we learned from Friday night games:

1) Gonzaga was underseeded

2) Georgia Tech and Wake are mirror image teams to me. More raw talent than almost every school, but the basketball exists for about 10 total minutes a game

3) Michigan State is vulnerable to really good teams from New Mexico (that information could still be useful; How awesome would that be if MSU played New Mexico in the final game - instant blog credibility)

4) The Cuse appear to be okay without the big fella

5) I think Ohio State has my favorite starting lineup in the country

6) I also think Ohio State has my least favorite bench in the country (kinda important)

[Editors Note: By bench, by no means am I referring to Thad Matta (love him), Brandon Miller (love is too weak of a word) and Club Trillion. They do not make a bench.

On to round two. Let the record show (I've let it be shown a million times to unimpressed people) that I went 28 for 32 in picking first round games, in a year where I didn't enter one pool with a prize waiting at the end. Sweet, nothing like sweet satisfaction that leaves your wallet as empty as the Big East Conference's NCAA take this year. (too easy)

Foreshadowing...

As I write this, Nova is making Saint Mary's look like, well, um... Robert Morris, only without some bad officiating. So, one Final Four team down the drain with 15 more games to go. So long 99.97% on ESPN.com.

Butler Nation seems to be a little nervous today, probably because Butler is now a favorite to make the Sweet 16. I just don't have the butterflies. I feel like a player should: Got the nerves out of the way after the first game and am ready to battle. Plus, call me old school, but I still think an NCAA Tourney win (1) is enough to make a successful season for a program at a school with less than 4,000 students, Bob Cratchet finances and average annual attendance less than 7,000. Let the good times roll...

Holla

- Will