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Item!  We all know of the “Dharma Initiative” and are learning more about it each week – but what I want to know about is the “Greg Initiative” – I wonder what that island is like?

Item!  After broadcasting two games last night with Jay Bilas and Sean McDonough I wonder how many gin and tonics The Raft had to drink just to get the sounds of their insipid chatter out of his head.  At one point Bilas advocated taking the Big East Tournament down to 8 teams, of course in Jay’s mind the NCAA Tourney should be one team – Duke, just Duke playing Duke, that we can dispense with the nonsense of these lesser teams that think they’re as good or better than Duke.

Item!  I don’t know if corndogs were the first food on a stick but for my money they’re the best food on a stick.

Item!  One more from the Big East last night, man am I’m glad that Devendorf never showed up in East Lansing and I still think Boeheim is the kind of guy that yells at a waiter for cold soup.

Item!  Hey gang, if you’re going to see one movie this year make it The Pink Panther 2.

Item!  Dick Vitale will be doing ACC Tournament games this week, at least when Vitale works the ACC all the other things he talks about besides the actual game occurring in front of him might have a chance of being in the same building at some point during the day.

Item!  I think America began to slide down hill when we all got electronic pencil sharpeners – we lost touch with the feel of the blades on the pencil and let the machines take over, it was the first step…

Item!  The bubble has burst for Notre Dame, Georgetown, Cincinnati – I like one of these teams so my heart isn’t too broken but the joy of not having to be subjected to more Notre Dame b.s. is pretty overwhelming right now – I’m as happy as Digger Phelps is sad.

Item!  Louie Anderson’s Las Vegas Comedy Show is top shelf entertainment – the FAT COMEDIAN is back – I repeat the FAT COMEDIAN is back

And now on to the BTT:

Indiana (11): plays Penn State late this afternoon – I expect the Hoosiers will play hard and give Penn State a tough game but PSU knows the Big Dance is on the line and will outlast IU.  You can count me among the many that think IU will be back sooner rather than later under Tom Crean but even he didn’t think this year would be as bad as it was so that will likely delay the process by at least a year.  

Iowa (10): plays Michigan this afternoon.  Man I sure hope the Hawkeye Nation travels well to Indy and supports their Hawks as they battle the rodents that piss on themselves.  I’m not sure that Lickliter is a BT caliber coach or that his style of play will work over the course of a major conference season (especially when you can’t recruit – gee if it weren’t for Beeline he’d be my John L. Smith of BT hoops nominee) – anyway I’ll be rooting for the Hawks to pull one out today and put Beeline and his boys were they naturally belong, the NIT.  Side note, does the Iowa Dance Team travel to the BTT – now that is a team with talent and one superstar.

Northwestern (9): plays Minnesota at noon.  This is the first BTT play-in game (at least for Minny) – the Cats have been so close this year – so damn close.  A win here helps them but I don’t think MSU will be in a mood to give them a second win.  In reality NU’s season rests on two games – home loses to Purdue and Illinois – win those and they’d be dancing no matter what happens versus Minny – but as they say if my aunt had….she’d be my uncle.  Hopefully, the Cats can build on a strong showing in the NIT and make a tourney run next year.

Minnesota (8): plays NU at noon.  It’s simple for my favorite non-MSU associated coach in the Big Ten and his team – beat NU and you’re dance card is punched.  A good season for Minny but to erase that um home loss from the Committee’s mind they need this one against NU – they don’t match-up well against MSU in the quarters but Digger Phelps keeps saying it hard to beat a team three times – well here’s hoping Minny is to MSU this year what Wisconsin was to MSU in 2000.

Michigan (7): plays Iowa this afternoon.  GO HAWKS! The skunkbears and their program are the biggest cheats in the history of college hoops and the whole program belongs in jail but the NIT will do for now. 

Penn State (6): plays IU late this afternoon.  Every dolt on the BTN (that means you Timmy Doyle) picked the Lions as their sleeper BTT team – well here’s a newsflash if you stop Battle or either Cornley or Pringle (how’s the library Stanley?) the Nitany Lions are pretty average – painfully average.  That said I think they beat IU and punch their ticket for sure – I’d be real surprised if they hang with Purdue, the Boilers seem to have their number this year.

Ohio State (5): plays Wisconsin tomorrow.  I think they’re in – so beating Bucky Badger is icing on the cake – c’mon Thad do it for all the little hot dog things out there.

Wisconsin (4) plays Ohio State tomorrow.  In the best of all worlds the team bus never makes it to Conseco, the players all end up on the Lost island and Bo Ryan is sent directly to the 5^th Circle of Hell – that rat faced jerk belongs with the wrathful in the River Styx…okay, I guess that’s even a little harsh for Bo – here’s to them losing and possibly being bounced to the NIT but Bo’s pal and deal partner Mephistopheles probably has already arranged for them to be in the Big Dance.

Pudue (3): plays PSU/IU winner tomorrow.  I think Purdue is the second best team in the league and makes it to the BTT Final – moving up in seeding along the way.  Brokeback Hummel (eat it Rosenberg) seems healthy and ready to go.

Illinois (2): plays Iowa/um winner tomorrow.  Illinois doesn’t score much but neither do the teams they play – I think, despite or maybe inspite of their inferior LIR program, the Fightin’s will make it to the semi’s but I give the Boilers the edge playing in their home state.

Michigan State (1): plays Minny/NU winner tomorrow.  MSU is clearly the best team in the conference – but no one seems to think they’ll win the BTT.  The Spartans have been hit and miss in BTTs of the past but this team is focused and healthy – and that’s bad news for the rest of the Big Ten and NCAA field.  I’m sure Uncle Eddie and has traveling band of whistle blowers won’t make it easy but the Spartans are my pick (big surprise) for the BTT crown – it should be a fun tournament, enjoy it and see you on Selection Sunday.