Raftery's schtick had its day ... and I'm pretty sure that day was sometime last century

^
Oftentimes, Jay Bilas is the sharpest analyst in college basketball. Sometimes, Sean McDonough is among the best play-by-play guys.

Those times are most likely to happen when Bill Raftery is elsewhere.

It isn't bad enough that the way-past-his-use-by-date Raftery brings little to a broadcast. What's worse is his effect on McDonough and Bilas when ESPN or CBS foolishly decides to go to three in the booth.

Separately, two of the three (and we've already discussed which two) actually sound like they know what they're talking about. When Raftery brings his schtick -- dopey catchphrases, dopier inside jokes and dopiest puns -- the trio cackles and giggles and talks nonsense.

How insufferable have they been during the Big East tourney? Well, I've had to use the mute button during the telecast and bring back the volume for the commercials.

Hey, Heckle, Jeckle and the other Jeckle: We don't care which of you is least likely to pick up the dinner check. (As if you're not doing New York on expense account, anyway.)

If ever there was a case for addition by subtraction, this is it.

Bill Raftery had a nice run. It's time to hide his microphone. Or at least stick him back with Verne Lundquist on the 3rd or 4th team.
^

Don't stifle dese memories, Edith

^
Forty years ago tonight, All in the Family made its network debut. I loved that show, and to this very day Carroll O'Connor's Archie Bunker remains my choice as the greatest character in television history.

Whenever I happen to catch an episode on Nick at Nite or whatever network shows such stuff these days, I remain amazed at the quality of the acting, writing and directing that made All in the Family so great way back when.

And I especially remain amazed at how relevant the show still is.

Sure, Watergate and Nixon and Vietnam and all the other things Archie and Meathead argued about now are ancient history. But the way the show dealt with subjects such as race relations, gay rights, abortion, sex, recessionary times, human emotions, family issues, job insecurity and patriotism ... well, let's just say today's TV honchos could learn a thing or three about how to effectively put on a show that really matters. Not to mention a show capable of making the viewer laugh hysterically five or six times every half hour.

As Archie and Edith sang before every episode, "Those were the days."
^

Hats off to victors (Mizzou) - and even to victims (Marquette)

^

Sunday's final four:

1. Because Michigan State somehow was chosen as Chicago's "home" team - even though Marquette has a massive alumni base here and is only an hour and a half away - I had to watch most of the Marquette-Missouri game on a laptop computer while Michigan State-USC droned on in the background on my beautiful HDTV. CBS's feed repeatedly froze and the network experienced a couple of long stretches of outages due to its own technical difficulties. It was like the Dark Ages, man, so ... so ... so ... 2006!

2. My lads fought valiantly but couldn't quite pull off the upset. I'd love to blame the refs or injuries or sunspots for the 83-79 loss, but Missouri earned the victory by playing extraordinarily well in the first half and then coming through in the clutch. Even though Marquette's season is over, I really enjoyed this edition of the Golden Warrior Eagles. The class of Jerel McNeal, Dominic James and Wes Matthews played hard and well for four years. As a fan, I never felt cheated, and there's not much more we can ask for from our athletes. 

3. Between Wisconsin's hack-first defense, the Badgers' slow-mo offense and the refs calling a foul every time a player on either team breathed on an opponent, the Wisconsin-Xavier game had all the pace and entertainment value of somebody changing a flat tire. I'm still trying to figure out how Wisconsin made the tourney, how the Badgers beat Florida State in the first round and how Xavier merited a No. 4 seed. I'd say that Xavier's stay in the tournament from here on in will be a short one, but its next opponent, Pitt, hasn't exactly been playing like the team so many folks (including this folk) picked to win it all.

4. How's your bracket? I'm not going to set any records, but I'm 37-11 after the first two rounds and still have seven of my final eight alive. (West Virginia? Oy! What was I thinking?) I'm looking forward to next weekend, when the stars really will shine. Who will emerge as the one transcendant star - the guy who, like Stephen Curry in 2008 - everybody will be talking about? Terrence Williams? Blake Griffin? Ty Lawson? Hasheem Thabeet? Gerald Henderson? DeJuan Blair? JaJuan Johnson? Tyreke Evans? Jonny Flynn? I'm thinking Griffin is really going to put on a show in carrying Oklahoma past Lawson, Tyler Hansbrough and the rest of the Tar Heels. Regardless of what happens, it will be fun watching it unfold.

NCAA tourney delivers - as usual

^

Friday's final four:

1. If you don't love the NCAA basketball tournament, why even bother loving sports? Those who were a little disappointed that the first-day action didn't produce more thrills needed to wait only a few hours. Friday included victories by the 13th-seeded Cinderfellas of Cleveland State, classic 12/5 upsets pulled off by Wisconsin and Arizona, and a month's worth of late-game heroics. There is nothing - nothing! - better than this. It is the one major sporting event that never fails to live up to the hype.

2. The only thing more stunning than Cleveland State's victory over No. 4 Wake Forest was the ease in which it occurred. The Vikings were in control from the opening tip to the final horn in knocking out a team many thought could sneak into the Final Four. Another popular choice as a possible Final Four crasher, fifth-seeded Florida State, was victimized by Wisconsin. As I watched the game, I was thinking: "Remember when Trevon Hughes was going to be the Badgers' next great player? What ever happened to that?" Well, it was Hughes who came through with the huge, old-fashioned, drive-and-a-foul 3-point play to give Wisconsin an amazing triumph. I still don't think Wisconsin deserved a bid ... but as long as they were invited to the party, they are to be praised for showing up ready to rock and roll.

3. Kudos to CBS for the spectacular way it handled the tense moments in two OT games that were unfolding simultaneously: Wisconsin-Florida State and Siena-Ohio State. The network slickly provided every big play live for its audience, and the announcing teams (Craig Bolerjack/Bob Wenzel for UW-FSU and Verne Lundquist/Bill Raftery for Siena-OSU) were spot-on in capturing the drama. The time I spent watching the endings of both games was about as much fun as a guy can have sitting alone in his recliner.

4. After the first round, my prognostication record stands at 26-6. Not great, for sure, but more than twice as good as Hoopster in Chief Barack Obama. Really, Mr. President? 19-13? Here's hoping you're better at fixing the economy than you are at filling out a bracket.