Starting Five
At 6’10”, Trey Lyles was the fourth-tallest Kentucky player on the court last night. This just in: Goliath was tall.
1. Hello, Kitty!
Kentucky rolls over West Virginia, literally doubling up the Mountaineers, 78-39. And Arizona prevails over Xavier, 68-60.
The lone ‘dog to win last night was Notre Dame. The Fighting Irish played their best game of the tournament, pulling away midway through the second half against Wichita State to win 81-70.
Kentucky has a 37-game win streak. A reminder that the Irish in their history have ended the longest men’s win streak of all time (UCLA, 88 games) as well as San Francisco’s 30-game win streak in 1977.
Like I tweeted last week, I won’t be satisfied until Kentucky edges the Irish late on an illegal pick violation. A great way to circle back to the beginning of the academic year.
2. Parrot Top
It worked. The movie, by the way, earned a 27% rating on Rotten Tomatoes…
The film Get Hard must really blow because Will Ferrell, whom everybody loves with good reason, is lapping the field in terms of gimmicky to promote the film.
Letterman: dressed as a leprechaun.
Fallon: dressed in a Little Debbie costume.
And now, Conan: with a parrot on his shoulder.
3. Would Ye Men Stop Fighting?
O Man, why are Arabs always at each other’s throats? Perhaps a poor choice of words….
Saudi Arabia invades Yemen, which I remember fondly from the 1990s as a punch line to a Chandler Bing joke. But now, apparently, it’s an actual place. As pundit Olivier Knox tweeted, “Saudi Arabia may lead a ground war coalition in Yemen? So now the Middle East may finally get bogged down in the Middle East?”
4. Bale Out?
Driving an ostentatiously expensive British car around Madrid may be too easy a metaphor, Gareth…
An MH favorite in our earlier years, Gareth Bale’s career has gone south ever since the Welsh soccer star left the cozy confined of the EPL and Tottenham for the grand stage of La Liga (Spain) and Real Madrid. Bale, a striking striker, has scored just twice in Real Madrid’s last 12 games –and so what if he scored in extra time when Real Madrid won the UEFA Champions League final last spring!?!– and now, after Real Madrid lost its latest El Clasico (match versus Barcelona), fans actually attacked Bale’s Bentley as he drove away.
If you remember when Jason Giambi joined the New York Yankees, or when Kevin Love joined the Cleveland Cavaliers, it’s a little bit like that. Is there a La Liga version of Brian Windhorst to enlighten us on all of this? Expect Bale to return to England this summer, most likely to Manchester United. Wayne Rooney will have a partner in fan schadenfreude.
5. If You’re Not First…
Abbott
The Iditarod ended last week. Dallas Seavey, 27, defended his title, one that he wrested one year ago from his father, Mitch Seavey, who is also a two-time winner. Dallas mushed from Anchorage to Nome, more than 1,000 miles, in less than nine days.
I’m more interested in the woman who finished in last place and won the Red Lantern. Cindy Abbott, 56, was the last of the 66 finishers, taking 13-plus days to complete the route (sure, the pooches do most of the work; we all know that). Abbott lives in Irvine, Calif., and also took up mountain climbing only eight years ago, but she has already summited Mount Everest. This is a lass who takes “climb every mountain” as both a figurative and literal life mantra.
Music 101
Private Idaho
I wrestled with which song off the B-52’s 1980 sophomore album, Wild Planet, to list here. Give Me Back My Man resonates more with me, but that song only has Cindy Wilson’s vocals. This one gives you Fred Schneider and Kate Pierson as well. And it’s as early B-52’s-ish as you get. Rock Lobster is classic, but overexposed. This is just as good. (Don’t let the fact that there are no microphones in front of the two female singers distract you.)
Remote Patrol
Sweet 16 Hoops
7:15 p.m. CBS & TBS
MSU’s 5’11” Travis Trice
UCLA-Gonzaga: Rematch of December game in which Zags bullied Bruins.
N.C. State-Louisville: Rick, are you still here?
Utah-Duke: Justise Winslow returns to his hometown of Houston.
Oklahoma-Michigan State: Tom, are you still here?
Remote Patrol
I just read that some Arizona state senator is advocating MANDATORY CHURCH ATTENDANCE. What I want to know –
When did she leave Indiana for AZ?
Is she the Reverse Reverse Flash & traveled to this time from 17th century MA?
This woman was elected by actual living people in YOUR home & current state?
And the IRONY that this surfaces the same day as that spurious “religious freedom” law in Indiana.
I advocate the mandatory annual viewing of BRAVEHEART as apparently some people in this country no longer know what “FREEEEEEDOOOOOOMMMM” means.
Even if I don’t watch much on Saturday, I’ll still be rooting for your alma mater.
Of course, I will root for ANYONE over Kentucky but I’ll be happier if ND (known streak killers as you note above) takes the prize. I cried & cried when they beat Walton’s Bruins, they OWE me!