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Saturday smorgasbord: Depending on how you view things, Michigan’s 87-85 overtime victory against Kansas in a South Regional semifinal was either an incredible Wolverines comeback or an incredible Jayhawks collapse. Top-seeded Kansas adds to the rich (poor?) legacy of coach Bill Self putting together talented teams that somehow at tourney time generally find a way to lose. The editorial staff at elliottharris.com will resist the temptation to make any Self-destruction remarks.
If you scroll down, you will find a video with Candice Keene, Ms. Figure International winner at the 2013 Arnold Classic.
* At some point, someone actually will go onto the court in Arlington, Texas, and measure the spot of Trey Burke’s three-point shot that sent the Michigan game into overtime. In this day and age, no one could figure that out sooner?
* As if being a Michigan fan wasn’t good enough after beating Kansas, almost as good was Michigan State’s 71-61 loss to Duke in a Midwest Regional semifinal at Indianapolis. Of course, the Blue Devils victory means assistant coach Chris Collins will have to wait a little while longer before starting his new job as Northwestern University coach. For some people, Sunday’s Duke-Louisville game will be the first time rooting for Cardinals coach Rick Pitino. Purely for Northwestern’s benefit, of course.
* Florida Gulf Coast University lost to Florida 62-50 in a South Regional semifinal. Even so, the recognition FGCU received should help in recruiting. To put things in perspective (and you know we love to do that around here), FGCU has a beach on campus; so does Northwestern. Academics aside (which they have been known to be with some schools’ athletic programs), which beach do you think as greater appeal — one in Evanston, Ill., or one in Fort Myers, Fla.?
* Speaking of Florida (Gulf Coast and otherwise), former Gators star and current Chicago Bulls center Joakim Noah was interviewed during the game. It should be mandatory that Noah give interviews at any game he attends but is not playing in. Yes, he is that entertaining.
* Any similarity between the contract Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo received Friday (six years, $108 million that includes a $25 million signing bonus) and the one that Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler might receive — from the Bears or any other NFL team – is purely coincidental. Unless perhaps Cutler leads the Bears to a Super Bowl championship in the 2013 season.
Kansas is gone from the NCAA tournament. Here’s what some might consider a consolation prize, Jayhawks fans, courtesy of Playboy Playmate Nikki Leigh.
* Speaking of the Bears, the fine folks at Bovada, (www.Bovada.lv, Twitter: @BovadaLV) have come up with some odd for what team former Bears linebacker Brian Urlacher will end up playing for in 2013:
Baltimore Ravens 9/4
New York Giants 5/2
Cincinnati Bengals 7/2
Denver Broncos 4/1
Minnesota Vikings 6/1
Atlanta Falcons 6/1
Oakland Raiders 8/1
The Windy City Rollers 2013 travel team begins its roller derby season Saturday at the UIC Pavilion against two of Canada’s top derby leagues. The Second Wind take on Toronto Roller Derby’s CN Power at 6 p.m., followed by the Windy City Rollers All-Stars against the Montreal New Skids on the Block.
Performing the national anthem will be the Wicker Park Choral Singers.
There will be an after-party at Jaks Tap, 901 W. Jackson.
About a month ago, the Arnold Sports Festival was being held in Columbus, Ohio. At the event, your humble correspondent was able to conduct some interviews. Among them is one with Candice Keene, the Ms. Figure International winner.
One of the amazing things about The Arnold is one day someone will be on stage competing for the highest honors and the next day that same person can be found at one of the many booths at the Sports Festival. Such was the case with Candice. It is what some of us like to think of as a most pleasant surprise. It’s also what some of us like to think of as work (especially in the event that the Internal Revenue Service might have any questions about deductions taken for the trip to attend The Arnold).
Here is where we go for some video of a non-gratuitous nature (mainly because the editorial and video staffs at elliottharris.com have a tendency not to view much — if anything — as gratuitous):
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