If you are looking for a side story du jour to go along with tonight's action, check out the mini-feud that has erupted between the Boston Globe's Dan "Canes fans are goobers" Shaughnessy and Kentucky fans in general. Shaughnessy wrote a column in which he declared his rooting interest in Cornell over Kentucky. In doing so he spends most of the piece contrasting the two schools making mention just how smart those Ivy Leaguers are. UK fans have taken offense to the column as illustrated by Kentucky Sports Radio saying that Shaughnessy was donning his "elitist/racist hat" in this one. I will allow you to read both pieces and decide for yourself. I, for one, will be pulling for Cornell because I love the plucky underdog and would immensely enjoy watching UK lose. Yes, I supposed that makes me a hater but the last I checked I was not an elitist or racist. Then again, if Cornell and Duke end up facing each other in the Final Four, I imagine elitists' heads across the country will explode.
In the other games you have underdog Washington facing West Virginia. The Moutaineers lost their starting PG this week to a broken foot setting their national title hopes back. Syracuse gets Butler and Kansas St. will take on Xavier. In other words there are plucky, mostly mid-major underdogs all over the place tonight. Wouldn't it be great if they all won?
Here is the schedule:
#1 Syracuse vs #5 Butler, 7:07 PM
#2 West Virginia vs #11 Washington, 7:27 PM
#2 Kansas St. vs #6 Xavier, 9:37 PM
#1 Kentucky vs #12 Cornell, 9:57 PM
Comments if you have 'em.