The Hiking Writer

First time ever that ALL #1 seeds made the Final 4.

And rightfully so since UCLA, Kansas, UNC and Memphis have shown themselves to be the best all year long for the most part.

I predict the Tar Heels beat UCLA in the final.

Well, Louisiville gave North Carolina a run for their money, but in the end, it boiled down to Tyler Hansbrough. That kid was just amazing. Offensive rebounds, sticking every shot he needed to make and then some. Just a dominating performance from that kid.

And wow, were they FAST. UNC has a great collection of speed and talent. There is a reason they are the overall #1 seed.

For Louisville fans, that can take solace in the fact that we never gave up and we overcame a 12 pt halftime lead to tie the ball game late. We just had too many turnovers and not enough muscle inside.

Great roller coaster season though. So Long David Padgett, Juan Palacios, and most likely Derrick Caracter.

WOOHOO!

Quite the nerve racking game, but Louisville overcame a very sloppy performance to advance to a Saturday game against North Carolina.

Should be great game.

Video proof  ;^)

It was the 1983 NCAA Tournament that saw the rekindling of the in-state rivalry between the University of Kentucky and the University of Louisville. Joe B. Hall, who will spend an eternity in lowest bowels of the infernal plane for coining the phrase "Little Brother", was the coach at UK, and Denny Crum was in his prime at UL, midway between his first and second National Championship seasons. Whoever won the game would meet the brothers of Phi Slamma Jamma, otherwise known as the Houston Cougars.

I was in my only year at Eastern Kentucky University, watching the game from the recreation lobby of Dupree Hall where I lived.  Thanks to the wonders of YouTube, you can watch some of the game here. Unfoturnately, all of the clips are linkable only.

This first clip is the intro the game, which includes the infamous Joe Hall interview where he refuses to answer questions about why he won't play Louisville in the regular season.

This clip is the glorious overtime, where Louisville runs Kentucky out of the gym like the junior varsity.

There are two more clips of the game on YouTube that include the end of regulation and some 2nd half action, you can find them in the related links for the clips I've linked if you have to see them.

Enjoy.

The Democratic presidential primary race is becoming bogged down with all kinds of idiot goodness.

Here's Hillary's quote of the day:

Sen. Hillary Clinton said she "misspoke" last week when she gave a dramatic description of her arrival in Bosnia 12 years ago, recounting a landing under sniper fire.

"I say a lot of things -- millions of words a day -- so if I misspoke, that was just a misstatement," she said.

In a foreign policy speech last week at George Washington University, Clinton used the description of the dangerous arrival to bolster her argument that she has the foreign policy experience needed to be commander in chief.

Gee, when I make shit up, they call me a liar.

I just watched "No Country for Old Men" for the very first time and I'm vexed.

Let me say for the record, I'm a huge Coen Brothers fan. I have almost all of their movies on DVD and I think they have far more great movies that bad. For the bad ones, see Intolerable Cruelty or The Ladykillers. Their most recent critical success "No Country" is by far the most violent and bleak movie I've ever seen.

It is a visceral film without hope. I just don't understand what the message is and I want to.

Just wow. I've never been struck dumb like this before.

For what it is worth, Javier Bardem deserved his Oscar. I can't remember a villain quite so evil and remorseless.

I love this picture. Good times in the Ville.

Should be a good game, tip off in about 15 minutes.

The winner goes to the Sweet 16.

Haltime UPDATE

Not a lot to say about a dominant half for Louisville topped off by a buzzer beating heave for three from Wil Scott.

Everything is just clicking after starting a little slow. Louisville 44, Oklahoma 22.

And it was close for almost 8 minutes. OU really has no point guard and we match up well underneath. They made their first 4 three point shots to lead 12-9 and I thought "OH NO" but we ran off a 21-4 run and haven't looked back.

Final UPDATE

It is a rare game when I can't find a single fault with a Louisville performance. This was one of the best games we've played al year. Total domination in the second half and the Oklahoma players really could do nothing about it.

Unselfish, confident, maybe a little erratic from the free throw line, but they made enough for it to not really matter.

Louisville 78, Oklahoma 48.

UP NEXT: Tennessee

When we shoot lights out, we are a tough team.

57% from the field and 57% from 3 (8 of 14). Boise is scary from behind the arc though, so we need to clean up our sloppy play.

Padgett got 2 fouls quickly and sat for most of the first half.

44-31 Louisville

UPDATE: Still up 13, but we seem to be in a hurry to much. Slow down!

UPDATE 2: Hard to lose when you shoot 10-17 threes so far. Up 19.

FINAL: 78- 61 Louisville.  Next up: Oklahoma.