San Diego Union-Tribune (Sunday)
Nothing lucky about this magic March
Twitter was all atwitter. The Aztecs got screwed.
Actually, San Diego State’s men’s basketball team did not.
A bit of luck finally found them, and they haven’t had much of the stuff in this thing lately. But being good, being mature, being strong defensively and on the boards had nothing to do with good fortune.
The Aztecs, seeded No. 5 in the NCAA Tournament’s South Regional, winners of the Mountain West regular-season title and three conference tournament games, had to travel to Orlando, Fla., to play a firstround affair Thursday vs. No. 12 College of Charleston.
And, let’s be frank. A whole lot of national experts picked Charleston. State did not play well, but well enough to win and advance to Saturday’s round of 32 vs. No. 4 Virgin … oh, wait, not Virginia, but — tah-dah! — Furman. Twelfth-of-never-seed Furman, the Paladins, pulled a great upset over the stunned Cavaliers.
There’s some luck. The Aztecs were going to beat Furman, which wasn’t good enough to come down from the grind and emotion of upsetting the Cavs.
And so, playing their best overall game of the year, the Aztecs rolled to their first Sweet 16 since 2014, beating Furman into South Carolina grits 75-52.
Now they go Sixteening, and will get either Alabama or Maryland (that game was played long after my column deadline) Friday in the South Regional semis in Louisville.
If they play their game — as they played Saturday — they can beat Alabama. They can beat Maryland. No team in the tournament is invulnerable. We saw it with No. 1 seed Purdue losing to No. 16 Fairleigh Dickinson and No. 15 Princeton beating No. 2 Arizona.
This has gone beyond parity, even with the NIL and the transfer portal. More than 1,000 college athletes already have entered this year’s portal.
And luck — and they deserve all they can get — came from the Portal, which has affected the college game like nothing in its history.
More in basketball than football, because hoops doesn’t require many players to turn things around.
The transfer portal wasn’t supposed to be Ellis Island.
It wasn’t meant as a dock for ships carrying hundreds of dissatisfied collegiate athletes — “Bring me your sick and tired of your schools and your lack of playing time and coaching changes and bad teams, yearning to be free.”
But it has become the great bracket ripper. SDSU has transfers, and they might not be going to Louisville without them.
No mortal is filling out a perfect bracket. If you do, you:
• Did wonders with loaves and fishes and walked on water to heal the sick, raise the dead and give sight to the blind.
• Turned the Nile crimson with your staff, parted the Red Sea, and led 600,000 Israelites out of Egypt.
• Went to the mountain when it wouldn’t come to you.
• Were the goalie on the 1980 U.S. Olympic hockey team.
The blackboard is clean. There is no chalk here. Some teams are better than others. But not that many.
Jay Bilas, who outside of Bobby Knight knows more about this game than we will ever know, picked Arizona, a No. 2 seed that easily could have been a 1, to win the title.
The Aztecs? To borrow from G.B. Shaw and RFK: There are those who look at things the way they are and ask, “Why?” I dream of things that never were, and ask, “Why not?” ...
More luck needed? Among the top eight seeds in the history of the Tournament, a No. 5 never has won it. … Purdue purdon’t. As usual. … Pardon my all-caps: SOMETHING MUST BE DONE ABOUT THE FINAL, INTERMINABLE MINUTES OF COLLEGE BASKETBALL GAMES. …
It easily could have been said. I haven’t heard it, but somebody had to say: “Nobody believed in us,” or, “Nobody thought we’d be here.”? …
Aaron Rodgers says he wants to play for the Jets this fall, that he seriously thought of retirement after he slipped into a few days of darkness. He’s even given New York a wish list.
I’m Green Bay’s GM, I wait until the Jets crawl over broken glass and many sharp instruments before trading him. …
Jimmy Garoppolo to Vegas looks like a good thing. He wins games — when his team plays defense — which the Raiders do not. But I’m betting he damages his arm throwing craps. …
Does anybody believe Al Davis would have traded Darren Waller after signing a QB? Al’s spinning like a roulette wheel. …
Austin Ekeler wants to escape the Fredoville Judases for more than 30 pieces of silver. He’s a fine back who for whatever reason sits out too many series. There’s something there we do not understand. …
Ekeler and the great Lenny Moore are the only two backs with 25 rushing and 25 receiving touchdowns in their first six seasons. …
Odell Beckham Jr. is said to be asking for $20 million — but $40 million if his coach wants him to catch with both hands. …
Among all the college quarterbacks who’ve come to the NFL in recent years, Sam Darnold’s lack of success has surprised me the most. …
The Rams’ trade of Jalen Ramsey to the Dolphins was not a “blockbuster.” The corner allowed seven touchdowns in 2022. Only one gave up more. …
Sorry, I’d have to seriously question any of my players who would take winning the WBC over the World Series. I know there are many golfers who would rather win the Ryder Cup than the Masters. …
Trivia: Which host has been axed from Syracuse ESPN Radio for his negative thoughts on the Orange? …
Answer: Brent Axe. Who’d you expect? …
I truly wish Ja Morant the best. A magical player. …
RIP, Dick Fosbury, the great high jumper whose flop was not a flop, but a revelation. …
If La Jolla becomes its own city, it will be interesting to see how its boundaries are mapped out — in that people miles east of Interstate 5 consider themselves a part of the big-name community. Property in Descanso could quadruple. …
If it happens, will La Jollans say they’re from San Diego? …
Edwin Diaz’s season-ending injury can’t be blamed on the WBC. Athletes should celebrate by sitting down and blowing out the candles. …
But, stop saying he could have been hurt during a spring training game. There is no celebrating after exhibitions. …
I love it when people say they’re driving a used car. Of course they are. …
Warriors of the Weekend return and bone doctors rejoice. What hockey is to dentists, pickleball is to orthopedists. …
Attn. Ham & Eggers: Driving down Florida Street the other day, I was thinking it should be named Juan Vargas Parkway. The new bike lanes, complete with pylons, are magnificent. Perfect for those who aren’t using them. …
Just read another Quincy Jones interview. He couldn’t fit his life into 100 thick books. Brilliant and totally unafraid. …
Just a thought. If The Rock had emceed the Academy Awards, Will Smith wasn’t leaving his seat. …
I usually change my routine on quasi-holidays. But last Monday was National Napping Day. So, no.