Where Chester Lives

Do you smell that? That's the smell of a composite material orange sphere filled with air. In other words, Basketball.

I love this time of year. College basketball at its finest, and Opening Day is just around the corner. And, this year is extra special.

For the first time ever I predicted every team in the Final Four. And I have proof! I will have to link it later because of our content filter at work.

So, let's talk basketball for a few. First and foremost, I hate the NBA as much as I love college hoops. The travelling, carrying, un-called fouls...it really bugs the tar out of me. More emphasis is placed on individual talent than team play and the league is populated by thugs and arrogant jerks. I know that every sport has their share of thugs and arrogant jerks...it just seems to me that the NBA is the most prominent. There have been some recent rule changes to try and foster team play, like allowing zone defense and actually calling carries and walks...but it isn't enough. And there are statements made by influential coaches saying that players should never foul out of a game. Huh? Exactly how is that going to make things better?

Oh, I'm not naive enough to think that college basketball is the purest form of the sport...but it is strikingly dissimilar to the NBA. For example, take the Southern Illinois University Salukis. This team was a handful of points away from knocking off one of the hottest teams in the country (Kansas), and I bet you can't name a single player on that team. You see, schools like SIU can't afford to recruit the stars coming out of high school, so they have to rely on a system. SIU relied on tough defense and an offensive system that was greater than any one piece. They recruit players based on their ability to play unselfishly within that system. And they are successful. It's true that their likelihood of winning a championship is still slim because of the money differential between them and say...Duke (Duke Stinks!). But how far did Duke go this year? Hmm? Can you say, "Defeated in the first round?" You can? Fantastic! THAT'S why I love college ball, and a single elimination tournament. You better be ready to play every night, or you can join Duke, Kansas, Kentucky (sadly), and North Carolina at home watching.

So, this year's Final Four is Florida, UCLA, Georgetown, and Ohio State. My pick to win it all is Georgetown. We'll see how I do.

Oh...can't forget Opening Day. Go A's!

I can barely stand it.