March Meh-ness Update

So much for doing my bracket cold...

I entered the Sweet Sixteen with only six teams remaining. I am down to 454th place out of 467 entrants in my pool. The person who comes in last gets their $5 back, and I am left hoping to snag that fin away from a two-year-old. (Yes, the person currently last is a child. There are several OTHER children kicking my ass).

March Meh-ness

For the first time in I can't remember how long, I am not doing an NCAA bracket. I haven't watched a single game all year, and don't have a clue about college hoops this season beyond the fact that Bob Knight* retired.

On the one hand that puts me at the advantage of ignorance enjoyed by receptionists and accounting nerds everywhere who win office pools by picking games by mascots or random chance—but I can't even summon the energy to do anything close to due diligence to fill out a bracket. And I can't rightly enter into a pool with the competitive likes of Toast's Crew or my long-time traditional pool populated by actual ESPN professionals and other sports-obsessed maniacs without making an effort to protect my pride and hard-earned reputation.

Better to lay low...

* an event marked here, but unacknowledged in the comments despite the hilarious video [link]...

UPDATE: Fuck it. I relented. Here's my bracket I got into the pool just in time.

General, Motors

Coach Bob Knight abruptly retired from coaching last night. Always classy, Knight bailed on his Texas Tech team in midseason right at a crucial stretch heading towards the tournament.

The winningest coach in history, Knight is credited with developing the motion offense and is acknowledged as one of the great coaches of all time. Oh, and he was a hall of fame asshole as well.

Watch out for flying chairs, clubs and obcenities if you're on the golf course in Indiana...



Deadspin's Will Leitch has a good "tribute."

John Feinstein on Knight on NPR this morning.

The Year in Review Review

Because Mr. Furious can never get enough hatred and harsh judgement...

• Bill Maher compiles his "Dickheads of the Year" in a Rolling Stone photo-essay. Best line? "We had a pretty nice house when this Cat in the Hat of presidents came in and made the mess of all time"

• The Beast has a brilliant, hysterical and hard-hitting list of "The 50 Most Loathsome People in America, 2007"

• I only did six "Dick of the Week" posts this past year—and certainly not due to lack of Dicks—you can review them here and vote in the comments for who deserves the top spot.

More traditional "Best/Worst" and "Top 10"-style lists...

• Peter Travers' Best and Worst Movies of 2007 Of course, I haven't seen any of them (Best or Worst) but I want desperately to see every one of his "Best" picks except "Sweeney Todd" and "I'm Not There."

• Slate.com's Good Riddance 2007 includes the usually excellent Dahlia Lithwick with a disapppointing review of The Bush administration's dumbest legal arguments of the year."

• More of a "Before and After" or "I told you so," here are two columns from the incomparable Charles P. Pierce. The first, when he explains in September why "the enraged Patriots will go undefeated," and the second when he tells you "The Patriots are great. Deal with it." Even if you are sick to death of the Patriots, Pierce is one of the finest sports, political, or just plain writers around. Read.

I'll add more as I find them...