March Madness! The St. Patrick's Day Blog

First of all I'd like to send out a Happy Birthday to my old buddy Pat...let that sink in for a second. Yeah, I always thought that was pretty cool too.

I'm starting out at Halftime of Xavier vs THE Ohio St. University. Lots of storylines here. The OSU coach, Thad Matta, left Xavier after promising he would stay. He was replaced at Xavier by his best friend. Xavier fans have been claiming that OSU has been ducking them for 23 years as the two Ohio schools are less than two hours apart. Xavier also is probably the only team that wanted to play OSU heading into the tournament. It's better than most WWE angles. As someone who hates the Big Ten and a former Cin-town resident I'm definitely rooting for Xavier.


11:19 Xavier comes out swinging after the break and leads 30-29. Of course, the second I start this diary thingy, I have the overwhelming urge to poop. Be right back.

11:33 We're tied at 35. It's weird watching this game played at Rupp Arena. This game is missing something. Oh yeah, half the fans aren't suicidal.

11:38 Greatest 30 yr old freshman ever Greg Oden finishes a fast break and looks really awkward during the fall. I gasp for a second. It looks the type of fall where he could have smashed a wrist. He's okay though. He didn't break a hip or anything.

11:41 I really don't get the Kevin Bacon and Michael Jordan Haynes commercial. There's quite a disparity on the fame meter there. Maybe it's just because Kevin Bacon doesn't yell "Let's DANNNNNCE" while his head shakes violently.

11:46 Oden is still on the court with three fouls with 9:08 to play. I think that's going to soften up OSU's D and Xavier has a chance to get on a run. I'd always defer to giving him a few minutes on the bench and send someone in who can keep the intensity up on defense

11:49 Man the place is starting to rock and the announcers are getting excited. it's 52-44 Xavier. Xavier is abusing OSU zone which is designed to protect 3 foul Oden.

11:53 Xavier's Lavender hits a fall away last second three and Xavier is up 11. I really smell upset here. Of course I said the same thing with the Texas A and M Corpus Cristi game which they ended up losing to Wisconsin by 13.


11:56 Oden picks up his fourth foul with 5 minutes to go. If he had been taken out earlier he would have been able to play these last five minutes with two fouls to give. Matta is leaving him in. It doesn't look good for THE Ohio State.

12:07 Ohio State has this sequence parking lot three-steal-lay up for a traditional three point play in the span of 30 seconds. The nine point lead is now 59-58. Gus Johnson, may have a heart attack if this comes down to the last shot.

12:09 Oden misses one of two at the line...it's Xavier by two. Xavier calls time out with 43 seconds left. I have to stand up to watch this. This is why the March Madness kicks the Super Bowl's ass.

12:12 Apparently the referees left early. I counted 87 fouls on both sides in the last 20 seconds and in a scrum Xavier ends up at the line with a two point lead with 9.3 seconds left.

Applebee's commercials aren't annoying this year...there goes half my material.

12:15 Xavier missed a free throw that could have put it out of reach.

Holy Crap! OSU's Ron Lewis hits a 3 pointer with 2 seconds left to tie.

Gus Johnson lets out a satisfactory "Heeehh HAAAAAHH" which I want as my ringtone. Oden has fouled out but OSU has a ton of momentum.

12:19 Mike Conley Jr. scores an immediate seven points and OSU is up by 5. Two fiddy remaining.

12:22 All-American Center fouls out and somehow Xavier is still soft on perimeter D. OSU hits a three and leads by 8.

12:28 Ohio State is up by nine with 29 seconds left. This is the type of win that OSU can take to the Final Four. Helluva game.

The Louisville-Texas A and M game is next. I'm gonna abstain from comment here. I might pop in with updates throughout the day.