The Lazy Fan’s Guide to the National Championship

Welcome back to the series that takes more time off than...well people who take time off I suppose. Europeans maybe? Yeah, let’s go with my friends in Europe, all praise the #13thmonth! Yes, please blame the French, who make everything sound so pretty and eloquent and that’s why we have “big red pumpkins” sitting around. (Editor’s note: do not hand over a seed catalog to your spouse who’s been drinking.)

Anyway, this past Saturday we previewed the final four and we were right on one game and wrong on the other. We had Bulldogs of Gonzaga taking down Frank Martin’s South Carolina Gamecocks, though at times it looked dicey, but we had the Ducks downing the Heels in the night cap. I bet both of us were picking more with our hearts than our heads at that point however.

Tonight however, the college basketball season officially comes to a close before the calendar turns to Major League Soccer (or baseball, your choice) season, or I suppose Football season if you live in Alabama. (Ahem, or golf with the Masters.) But before we can get to those other sports, we’ve got to put a nice Gonzaga navy blue bow on this season.

The Game: #1 Gonzaga vs #1 UNC at 9:20 PM ET 8:30 PM CT, on CBS, America’s Most Watched Network for some odd reason...are people still that down with Survivor?

Chris’ Thoughts

Looking at this matc-hup of top seeds (BO-RING) I like Gonzaga for the following reasons:

1) They’re quite tall and they rebound well. UNC is tall as well, but they’re just ok tall, not good tall, like Gonzaga. Gonzaga is able to body up without getting into silly foul trouble and they don’t give up easy shots.

2) UNC has looked very fragile this entire tournament. They’ve not looked great in most games, sure they’re winning but it’s taken a little bit of luck to get there. If Arkansas, Kentucky or Oregon just get their S together just a bit they’re here and we’re all making jokes about all the fake classes the UNC players fake missed in March.

3) JW3! Our guy, once a Tiger, always a Tiger. He’s had an excellent tournament and he will always have a special place in our hearts after giving us two great years and we can spend this game wondering what if he had stayed at Mizzou.

My prediction: Gonzaga 75 - UNC 68

kristina’s Thoughts

Both UNC as a team and its current coach have won a championship before. So no. Let one of the new guys have some fun. Plus the JW3 factor. As I had ‘Nova winning it all, my bracket’s been “done for” for quite some time, so I really have no reason to pull for UNC. Then again, the odds I make it through this game awake are extremely low barring it’s a really good game. Then again, if it tops last year, I’ll suffer tomorrow morning. Last year’s easily was one of my faves.

(And of course when we’re in it a few years, that’ll be on the list as well.) My prediction is Gonzaga scores more points. But seriously, can I be paid to mention bold points like “well, to win this game, they’re going to need some more points.” You don’t say?

Now, to some other business. At the end of the NCAA Tournament, we get to enjoy the greatest highlight package of all time, One Shining Moment. There is no denying this, it is fact.

However, with the package coming to be in 1986, there is one question, that being who sang it best? For my money, it’s Luther and there’s no question in my mind. Second would be Teddy P, followed by , and the ever forgettable Jennifer Hudson. The Hudson one is not only not great because she’s no Luther, but because for some reason in her version, CBS elected to insert clips of her in the montage which makes no sense. I suppose it’s appropriate following a Duke national title however...

Anyway, enjoy the game and please feel free to share your thoughts on who did it best for OSM.

Savor the game all, because the next time we’re talking basketball, it’s going to be in a whole new world, a world of a Cuonzo Martin led Mizzou team led on the court by MPJr...
November 10th can’t get here soon enough! Hell, the next selection show!