Lots of things to cover, including something relatively close to "life news." But, first, sports crap. (A warning that this post is, officially, never-ending. Consider this an apology in advance.)

Basketball first.
I think it's pretty safe to say that this is the greatest NCAA Tournament in the history of the world, this despite the fact that this weekend's string of upsets took me completely out of the running in any NCAA tournament pools. I was right there for a bit but, alas, it was not to be.

Comments (mostly on UConn, it turns out):
Jim Calhoun pretty clearly did the worst coaching job of his career with this UConn team. There's no doubt in my mind that they're the most talented team in the country, and there was no reason that they didn't win each of their first four games by double figures; they were actually that much more talented than anybody else, I thought.

A lot of it falls on Rudy Gay and Josh Boone, their supposed top players. Neither plays with much in the way of intensity. Tough to win when your best players don't care.

Marcus Williams is an NBA star in the making, although I hope he plays another year of college ball. I doubt he will, though.

UConn's probably the best-paid team in the country. I can't imagine how else that crew could wind up in Storrs.

UConn's top two post players represent the opposite ends of the attractiveness spectrum. Josh Boone's nose is wider than his lips, making him odd-looking. Hilton Armstrong, meanwhile, is a fox. Long, lean, and a winning smile. I was real happy when he didn't tap in that final lay-in from Denham Brown. Would've sucked if it ended on an offensive goaltending.

Big Baby was caught dropping two f-bombs on CBS television yesterday, but that's cool; after all, he's Big Baby, and that's enough for me.

Big Baby also said the line of the century - twice: "We've got tapeworm. We still hungry, baby." How cool is that line?

Jay Bilas is a fantastic, fantastic game analyst.

Not unlike Winston Blake hitting his first three-pointer and continuing to chuck 'em (I think seven straight misses) as a freshman in the Big Ten-ACC challenge against FSU at Welsh-Ryan (I dreamed about shooting him that night), the worst thing that could happen to Texas on Saturday was Brad Buckman hitting his early three-point attempts. Took him away from the basket, got him shot happy. I think Texas might have been better than LSU, although I'm not sure; they'd've been better off with him dishing off and doing the dirty work.

I still don't buy Joakim Noah as NBA star. I buy LaMarcus Aldridge as potential star far less now than I did on Thursday night. If I were asked today, I'd still like the Bulls to spend the Knicks' pick on Noah, I guess. Mostly because of his hair. Shelden Williams sucks. Aldridge might be a wuss. I don't want an Italian named Andrea on the Bulls roster, even if he is "the next Dirk."

I no longer want the Bulls to trade Deng for a big guy, and then draft Morrison. Deng's a better pro now than Morrison ever will be. 13.6 points, 6.6 boards, 1.8 assists, and he's only now figuring things out. Get a legitimate post presence as center, let Tyson come off the bench and fly around like a madman, and the Bulls will be in the thick of things with their current backcourt combination. Turns out, Deng's the true star of the Gordon-Hinrich-Deng triumvirate.

Mark Few blew the Gonzaga-UCLA game, not Adam Morrison. The stall-ball tactic down the stretch was the wrong strategy which such a smooth-scoring team. Also, J.P. Batista is a bum.

I felt for Morrison when he cried on-court. I wanted to slap that bitch Redick, however, when he cried. Toughen up, slappy.

My brother tells me that George Mason University has the highest average pool score at facebook.com. Interesting, eh? I've never seen facebook.com, although I'm okay with that.

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The reason that I'm enjoying this NCAA Tournament so much is because it's the first time in almost a decade that I've been able to devote my full attention to it. A rundown:

2002-2005: At the stadium, always, designing our program and doing odd jobs
2001: Headed to Austin for TTV assignment
2000: Spring break in Ft. Lauderdale; Sports director stuff
1999: Houston
1998: High school senior - Nothing to do but watch hoops. I have no idea who was in the Final Four, but I was surely fully-absorbed.

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Now, I'll indulge myself by gloating about my Fantasy Baseball team. First time I've drafted in-person since 1998, as well. Online the previous eight years. The draft itself was surprisingly efficient, with 15 rounds of 12 teams completed in a tad more than two hours. I had three second-round picks, owing to trades of stiffs for draft picks while digging my own grave last August. (My team was terrible.)

I started with:
3B/OF Miguel Cabrera
LHP Johan Santana
OF Juan Pierre
as keepers.

We're a head-to-head league, with the most retarded scoring system in the world. Position players get OBP, HR, RBI, Runs, SBs, and Total Bases scored. Pitchers get Wins, Saves, ERA, and WHIP scored. (That's right, no strikeouts anywhere to be seen.) We start nine position players, three starting pitchers, two relief pitchers. Position players, due to the scoring system, are more important than the pitchers.

I continued with:
SS Michael Young, the (arguably) top SS, with the second pick of the day.

Then, three second-round picks:
1B Travis Hafner, who I don't completely buy but who is in the middle of what might be the best lineup in the AL
SP Roy Halladay, too good to pass up
CL Billy Wagner, because I think this is the year the free agency-built Mets make it back to the playoffs, mostly on the account of homegrown products Reyes and Wright

now, one pick per round the rest of the way:
C Joe Mauer - at this point, I had eight players on my roster while several other had four. That's an advantage
3B Troy Glaus, bumping Cabrera to the outfield
OF Coco Crisp, who may just be Damon-like this year (or better)
2B Rickie Weeks, power and speed threat
OF Brian Giles, whose power is down but who drew 100+ walks
CL Flasherino Gordon, closing for a strong (seems to me) Philly team
UT IF Bill Hall, who provided numbers better than Weeks last year and can back up at every infield position but first base
OF/1B Nick Swisher; I overdrafted him, but there's a bundle of potential there, and he backs up at two spots
SP Danny Haren, because I like the A's (and rounding out my starting lineup)
C Kenji Johijima, who was first discussed among "owners" in the fourth or fifth round; only a backup for me, and a good one
SP Jeff Weaver, who is great at times and makes a nice fill-in

I promise that this will be my only mention of fantasy baseball until at least Opening Day. But hopefully longer.

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I brought a fantastic and hilarious reference to the draft today, The Baseball Prospectus 2006 Handbook. A book of stat projections and player analysis, the meat of the book is a 40-man roster-by-40-man roster (actually, deeper than that, it turns out) rundown of every major league team, according to their 2005 teams.

A sampling of its player summaries, for Houston Astros reliever Chad Qualls:
"One of the class of pitchers that throws approximately one pitch - something that sinks - at three different velocities. This, in turn, causes hitters to beat the ball into the turf for dozens of 6-3 putouts, even after repeating to themselves the mantra "Make this bastard bring the ball up" 40 times during the walk from the on-deck circle to the batters' box. Qualls throws hard enough that even the occasional mistake isn't a complete cookie. He's likely to have a solid career as a setup guy, with the occasional year where three or four extra balls leafv the yard when he throws a spinner."

It also refers to young KC reliever Ambiorix Burgos as "challenging Bobby Jenks for the title of best young close in the division before long. Keep in mind, he's three years younger than Jenks and not shaped like a beer bottle."

And Reggie Sanders, now with KC: "Despite moving around, Sanders has played in the postseason in five of the last six years. Having signed a two-year deal, he will now get to spend the rest of his career seeing how the other half lives."

Yes, I think this stuff is hilarious.

Downside: Players are organized by 2005 roster, though stats projections are made for the 2006 team (where the move happened early enough - by February, I think. Pierre's projections are for the Cubs: .297/.348/102 runs/49-65 on stolen bases). This makes it cumbersome.

Upside: Everything else, it seems. A book that'll keep me up for hours at a time for the next few weeks. I strongly think that Pete Nemo would greatly enjoy it, perhaps not as much as me, but close. The rest of you? I don't know, you can borrow it if I see you in the near future.

I only bought the book because Amazon suggested it to me with the purchase of The Baseball America Prospect Handbook, which used to be my favorite baseball annual. (I've had - at one time - the previous five. Those dog-eared copies now reside at the old office. This is the first time its not been company-bought.)

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"Life things:" Apparently, my former boss talked really, really nicely about me to the people in Michigan. I'd place my chances at being there for the summer and at least a bit beyond at 92 percent. I'd hope to go the second weekend of April. I'd really like to see Silver Jews play on April 12 in Chicago, delaying my desired start date. Priorities, after all.

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What's embarrassing is that Harps' visit here this week has been dropped to sixth-billing. That's terrible, because he's much higher on my list than that. Our trivia game was strong, the company was good, and Ben had no allergic reactions that I recall. I doubt that three individuals have enjoyed their Chili's hamburgers as much as Jenny, Harps and myself did on Thursday night. Pretty good trip, and an efficient one.

I would have loved to have seen him again on Saturday but, alas, the Iksnesor-Gurs visit went far too well. Ik remained on his game, although we left his Japanese gifts at the bar. Goddamn you half-Japanese girls. You do it to me every time.