More craziness

The brackets are in and... meh?  I mean, I think this year -- as with every year -- they got some things right and some things wrong (Indiana State is out, UVa is in key among them) but the main thing is that there is never any sort of serious pushback from anyone about this.  I realize the NCAA Selection Committee is as thankless a task as any (like being a District President, snark) but... someone be able to call them out on this.  I mean, they are getting on teams for poor strength of schedule, but... this really affects the mid-majors, who NEVER get a power conference to come to them, and God forbid they want to play a home game.  Anyways... as for Duke, I think the Committee got them largely right, and while I think they can handle Vermont and Wisconsin if they play well... therein lies the rub.  I guess no one has much confidence in Greg Gard.

The games today were interesting; Brown really pissed away the game against Yale, though you do want the higher seed to win in these mid-majors.  Then, in the A-10 Championship, It was Duquesne -- with Keith Dambrot, formerly of Akron (and SVSM), versus VCU... coached by Ryan Odom.  I was like, wasn't he the guy from UMBC, and wasn't he at Utah State?  He had been there for two years and came back east...I guess that works, but for everyone who complains that players move too much....

Somewhat amusing to me was the butthurt shown by St. Johns -- and that paragon of moral virtue, Rick Pitino -- and other teams, like Oklahoma and Pitt, who squawked about being left out of the tourney and thus are NOT going to the NIT (thus freeing up spots for some mid-majors).  I don't doubt that they have serious beefs (see above) but not playing seems a bit...petulant.  Funny; Tom Crean (of all people) had an impassioned bit about this (as if he ever does anything without passion) and it was...well, I hate to say I agree with the man, but....  In other news, tOSU to the NIT and CSU to the CBI.  This is good; I wish more people paid attention to these games, but I guess it is like a bowl game on December 20; something to watch if that.  Alas.

In on the Joke: The Comedic Trick Trump Uses to Normalize His Behavior - POLITICO
Largely true?

Mike Krzyzewski Implores People To Stop Complaining About NIL And The Transfer Portal (outkick.com)
I realize there are some of you who I think I am too slavish in my devotion to the man, but I think he is...wistfully correct here?