Kentucky's Victory: As If There Was Ever Any Doubt

The Kentucky Wildcats topped Louisville 69-61 last night in a battle to see who was going to the NCAA finals. Rick Pitino and his team are true fighters, but as if there was ever any doubt. I mean, John Calipari was even asked if his starting lineup of freshmen and sophomores could beat an NBA team if given the opportunity for such an intriguing game. Of course, his modest and very vocal "no" has shut down that operation down, but the question is very valid. Now that Kansas has beaten Ohio State, this Kentucky team knows who will be standing in their way during Monday's championship game. They won't be left standing for long.

Kentucky will be going for another NCAA championship, and it makes me remember those days back in the Bluegrass State. You either wore blue or red, depending on if it was Wildcat basketball season or St. Louis Cardinals baseball season. That covered the whole year in sports, and it was a period of time featuring Ozzie Smith at shortstop for the Cards and Rick Pitino as head coach of the Wildcats. Much has changed over the years, but there are those things that stay the same. Kentucky fans expect nothing less than another NCAA championship banner adorning Rupp Arena, and the team is ready to carry forward tradition and bring it back home.

With Kentucky's starting lineup so young, you would think they would have a solid team for the next few years. UK recruiting will have to get that job done by securing new players, as some of the current players won't be around for long at all. At least a few of them are expected to go pro already at the end of this season. I don't blame them because the rules surrounding college players entering the NBA, and at what age, just really don't cut it. Whichever view you take concerning the situation, it's the NCAA way, and I'm just ready to see UK rise to the top yet again. The Wildcats are ready for Kansas, and tradition is ready for the Wildcats.

Final Four 2012: Ultimate Showdown Set For Saturday

This year's NCAA Final Four packs quite a punch, as there is not an underdog in sight. Kentucky is the #1 seeded team in the tournament, and their starting lineup is made up entirely of freshman and sophomores. Louisville wasn't necessarily expected to make it this far, but after putting away Florida, they have arrived and look like they belong. Kentucky is still favored to beat them, and Kansas is expected to send Ohio State home as well. Last year's title game was the fourth lowest in history for ratings as Butler took on Connecticut, but this year's showdown is going to be quite the opposite.

As a kid growing up in Kentucky, I still remember watching what many say is the greatest NCAA game ever played. The Wildcats were playing against Duke to see who would advance to the Final Four. With the game in overtime, Kentucky up by 1 point, and 2.1 seconds remaining on the clock, Christian Laettner takes a pass from the opposite side of the court, spins, and swishes a shot at the buzzer that will never be forgotten. Duke went on to win the NCAA championship game, and I measured everything basketball that I've seen since then against that moment.

With four strong teams vying for the title, there are high expectations. The action starts Saturday night on CBS, and my interest lies mostly with the Louisville vs. Kentucky game. Many Kentucky fans have never forgiven Rick Pitino for leaving to coach the Boston Celtics, only to turn around a few years later to come back and coach Lousiville. The stage is now set for the two rivals, as John Calipari's Kentucky Wildcats take on Rick Pitino's Louisville Cardinals. It could be another game for the ages. They call it March Madness for a reason.

Country Music Pioneer And Bluegrass Legend Earl Scruggs Dies

During the early 1960's, millions of television viewers throughout the country tuned in to Beverly Hillbillies, and it was the first taste of country music for many of them. The duo of Lester Flatt and Earl Scruggs was responsible for the catchy theme song, as well as "Foggy Mountain Breakdown" from the 1967 movie "Bonnie and Clyde." Scruggs brought a unique three-finger banjo picking style to the stage, and his technique is now estimated as the favored style of 75 percent of the world's banjo players.

Earl Scruggs is known for popularizing a regional sound and helping it blossom into a national pastime. Undeniably a legend, Scruggs won 4 Grammy Awards, a Lifetime Achievement Award, was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame, has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and was still giving occasional performances close to the time of his death. At 88, the Bluegrass legend died of natural causes, and his music and influence will continue to mold the industry and American culture.

In many ways, Earl Scruggs is credited with helping create modern country music, and his instantly recognizable sound was definitely a powerful marketing tool. After his split with Flatt, he continued introducing different innovations within the country music and bluegrass genre. His popularization of the banjo spread throughout the world, and his memory is anchored in the culture of country music. Hearing how Earl Scruggs finished his story creates a warm feeling of respect for a person that truly was a legend.

Jetblue Pilot Faces Federal Charges After Tirade

Imagine the pilot of your next flight running through the aisle shouting scripture and screaming about a bomb and Iraq and Afghanistan as he commands you to recite The Lord's Prayer. What caused Captain Clayton Osbon to lose his mental capacity and create such a security threat? That is precisely what happened as the 12 year veteran was apprehended by the passengers while his co-pilot made an emergency landing in Amarillo, Texas. Luckily, no one on board was injured during this incident.

Dave Berger, CEO of JetBlue, backs his captain saying that he has known him for years, and that he has been a "consummate professional." It is understood that there was a medical situation going on with Osbon prior to the flight, and it evidently wasn't completely addressed. He is now at a facility at the Northwest Texas Healthcare System in Amarillo under evaluation. Who knows what they will find out, but it is certain that the pilot faces federal charges involving interfering with the flight crew.

What really could've been an even more serious situation was rectified by the co-pilot as well as the passengers. The co-pilot, after realizing his captain was not all there, locked him out of the cockpit and landed the plane himself while telling the passengers to subdue Osbon. Pilots throughout the industry are withholding their judgment because of the bizarre nature and uncertainty of the circumstances and the unresolved question of why? Personally, I agree with their stance, and I hope that Captain Clayton Osbon gets the help he needs.

An Injured Chris Carpenter Puts The Cardinals Back In The Hot Seat

When the subject is baseball, there is always more than meets the eye. After a storied World Series Championship, the St. Louis Cardinals have had a very perplexing offseason. Before the celebration had even died down, the departure of both Albert Pujols and Tony LaRussa hit the press. Now, just as the Cardinals felt like they were ready for Opening day, their ace pitcher Chris Carpenter has been placed on the disabled list with a nerve ailment that has significantly weakened his throwing shoulder.

Last season, Carpenter was less than stellar, yet he went 4-0 during the postseason to help boost the Cardinals to their second World Series Championship in six seasons. He has been their long-time ace and an invigorating presence. Before the issue is even completely addressed, months-old wounds are resurfacing. How can you lose both the best skipper and arguably the best player in Cardinals history, and then turn around and try to replace your best pitcher?

While the Cardinals are optimistic about Carpenter's return at some point during the season, there is no timetable just yet. Therefore, this leaves the ball club scrambling for a replacement. Three names that surfaced quickly are Roy Oswalt, Javier Vazquez, and Brandon Webb. All three have something different to offer the club, with Oswalt being the veteran ace, Vazquez bringing consistent mediocrity, and Webb being the former Cy Young winner in 2006 who hasn't pitched since 2009.

One thing this Cardinals fan takes solace in is belief in the club, and belief in one of the best Cardinals catchers ever as the team manager. Mike Matheny knows what the Cardinals are about, and at a time when it feels as though the face of the team has been ripped off, everything is going to be just fine. Baseball is an unpredictable game, but the Cardinals have a history of rising to any occasion. It is Cardinals Nation, where the team is what wins the hearts of the fans.

Hunger Games Continues Fantasy Movie Trend

Hunger Games set the opening day record for a non-sequel with slightly over 68 million in box office receipts yesterday. Throw into the competition Harry Potter sequels and the Twilight series, and Hunger Games served up the fifth-best opening day ever. With such a strong showing, this movie has been receiving quite the appropriate buzz. Lionsgate, the company that released the film, has never had a box office hit take in over 120 million overall, and Hunger Games is prepared to do that in one weekend for them. Not only that, but the movie had a relatively low budget, so the film company should net a nice revenue.

Hunger Games is based on the best-selling trilogy of books by author Suzanne Collins. Jennifer Lawrence stars as a teen, who along with other teens, is facing a televised fight to the death. They live in a society where all the power resides with the people of the capital city, and there are twelve other outlying districts full of the oppressed working class. The movie also stars Josh Hutcherson and Stanley Tucci and is directed by Gary Ross.

In the past several years, there has been a continued upward trend of fantasy movies taking over the box office. While this is not a new concept, it has definitely served up accelerated results. I remember several years ago when The Lord of The Rings Trilogy took over the box office and the Academy Awards. While I'm not a major fantasy film fan, I definitely respect those who are, and they have spoken. I haven't seen Hunger Games yet, but I can tell you that I am definitely going to find out what the excitement is all about.

An Injured Joba Chamberlain In Limbo

Relief pitcher Joba Chamberlain of the New York Yankees has sustained a severe ankle injury while playing on a trampoline with his five year old son. He has already missed Spring Training due to having still been in recovery for Tommy John surgery. Chamberlain's injury is officially an open dislocation of his right ankle, with the bone protruding through the skin, causing him to lose a significant amount of blood during the incident.

While this is a major loss for the Yankees, they will just throw an unholy amount of money at someone else who is smiling from ear to ear to wear the old pinstripes. The real loss here is obviously for Joba Chamberlain, whose injury has him wondering if he will ever pitch again. It is still too early to determine the official timeframe for his recovery, as this type of injury has a wide array of possibilities when it comes to the healing process.

Chamberlain came up with the Yankees in 2007 as a fast-throwing relief pitcher whom the Yankees had slated to replace Mariano Rivera. Unfortunately, various pitching injuries have plagued his time in the Major Leagues, and now an unrelated injury has jeopardized his career. While visiting Chamberlain in the hospital, Girardi told him a story about his landing on the disabled list near the end of his career due to a back injury sustained while playfully throwing his daughter up in the air. Perhaps Girardi said it best when he told him afterward that "fathers are fathers."