Starting Five

1. State Champs!

Notre Dame outlasts Butler in overtime for the unofficial Indiana state championship in the NCAA tournament (for the record, the tourney began with five teams from the Hoosier state and the Irish are the last ones left) in what was the most thrilling game of the weekend.

And Wichita State, meeting Kansas for the first time in 24 years, runs away from the Jayhawks for the Sunflower state championship. Wonderfully, the Fighting Irish will face the Shockers on Thursday in Cleveland in a Sweet 16 matchup. Winner, most likely, draws Kentucky.

I want a good game, of course. But I want the Irish to win just so that for the second time in one academic year the school can take on a heavily favored unbeaten team and then lose at the end due to an arcane illegal pick violation. I’m a fan of irony.

Also, even with relatively crappy squads Michigan State, Louisville and West Virginia advance to Sweet 16. You can’t discount Izzo, Pitino or Huggy Bear in March.

2. Last Chance Ranch

They held an NFL veterans combine at the Arizona Cardinals training facility on Sunday and Michael Sam was present. Here’s the song that was should’ve been playing in the background.

3. Scent of a Pop Star

Al Pacino as an aging (isn’t everyone?) pop star who finds inspiration from a letter John Lennon wrote to him more than 40 years ago. With Annette Bening as the love interest. Also starring Jennifer Garner, Christopher Plummer and Bobby Cannavale. The film is titled Danny Collins and it looks promising. Al Pacino is one of those people who is far more comfortable acting than he is being.

4. Yemeni Are Called, But Few Are Chosen

Greeeeaaaaaat. Another Arabic nation in disarray.

5. Addiction

Okay, laugh now, but I find this game addictive. It’s only Solitaire, the game you may not have played ever since you were 10 on a family trip to a cabin, but it’s so easy to play game after game. MAJOR time suck. I warned you.

Music 101

Runnin’ With The Devil

I’ve been lucky enough to see two truly bombastic front men live: Freddie Mercury and “Diamond” David Lee Roth. Van Halen’s lead singer was a mix of sex god-rock god-Steve Martin. He had one of the best wails, and best senses of humor, in the history of rock and roll. And this classic from Van Halen’s eponymous 1978 debut album was one of the anthems of our adolescent years.

Remote Patrol

Late, Late Show

12:35 p.m. CBS

 

Three or four years ago I saw James Corden in a Broadway farce called One Man, Two Guvnors, in a role for which he won the Tony Award. He was pretty fantastic, as was the show. Tonight he makes his debut as a late-night television “presenter” with guests Tom Hanks, Mila Kunis, and the duo from Get Hard. And if you cannot stay up this late –Who can besides bartenders?–don’t forget to catch Better Call Saul (AMC, 10 p.m.)