Sports' Deep Thoughts: NCAA Tournament, Tiger Woods and Other Happenings

Being a huge Saturday Night Live since the show first began, I once got the chance to meet Jack Handey, SNL’s famous author of the “Deep Thoughts” segment. The next day, Jack brought me in an autographed book, and his “Deep Thoughts” work has inspired me to write my column called Deep Thoughts.

First of all, why is college basketball so much more exciting than the NBA game? I find the NBA boring, watching three or four players stand around while the one or two stars play one-on-one does not do it for me.

Give me Jimmer, Kemba, Scoop, Brandon Knight and the gang anytime over LeBron and Kobe. College ball has an intensity that can not be rivaled, and every possession can have a huge magnitude on the end result of the game. Nobody cares about the NBA until the Finals.

Seeds, seeds and more seeds; that is all we have heard about since the NCAA tournament began. VCU does not belong in the tournament, mid majors don’t belong, yada yada. I guess two of the participants in the Final Four might beg to differ. How do the proponents of the BCS feel now? Leaves you wanting a playoff system, doesn’t it?

Why is it that Kansas chokes every year in the Big Dance? Abysmal shooting  including 52 percent from the line out of a No. 1 seed? Does the blame lie with the coaches or the players?   

Big-name coaches in the NCAA are way overrated in my opinion. Give me Brad Stevens and Shaka Smart anytime. It's refreshing to see how they can get their kids to run through a wall for them. These two coaches do not get the high school All-Americans handed to them every year. They win with good ole hard-nosed basketball. I find it quite refreshing.

I almost jumped out of my chair last Thursday night when Hulk Hogan made an appearance on American Idol. Yes, I was watching American Idol. The Hulkster looks great at 57, and the crowd loved it. Maybe we will see a tag team match in the near future with Hogan teaming up with Ryan Seacrest. That would make for an interesting pair.    

Anyone as tired as I am of listening to billionaires fight with millionaires over who gets what cut of the revenues the NFL generates? Seriously guys, you are at the top of the world right now, and you are throwing it all away. We fans don’t care what happens; we just want football. Can it get any simpler than that?     

The Yankees finally unloaded Sergio Mitre last week, and I could not be any happier as a diehard pinstripes fan. Why in the world they were so enamored with him surely is beyond me. How does a 13-29 career W-L record sound with a 5.27 ERA? Mitre also gave up over a hit an inning while posting a 1.49 WHIP.  Maybe one of Cashman’s moves he did not want to let go of?     

Tiger Woods is finished, plain and simple. What I can't figure out is why a little woman trouble can throw off the best golf game in the last 20 years? I realize he is a moneymaker for the networks, but why do we have to watch another interview, although I must admit it won't hurt my feelings if you never win another tournament again. You make it quite easy for us non-golf fans to dislike you.

Here is to Andy Roddick getting healthy. Andy struggled last weekend in the Miami Masters tournament playing with an injury as well as being sick. Andy, U.S. tennis needs you and look on the bright side, you always have Brooklyn waiting for you when you get done.