Here come (yawn) the storylines you can't miss
Heels lift the cup after the NCAA Elite Eight game at the FedExForum in Memphis, TN, Sunday March 29, 2009. Heels beat Sooners 72 to 60 to move on to the Final Four in Detroit. Photo by Todd Melet
Apr 2, 2009
Every major sporting event hosts hordes of media members who — try as they might to be different — seem to come up with the same stories. The Final Four is no exception.
Here are a few of the many storylines that will crop up from our self-titled “Showdown in Motown.” Some are good. Some are obvious. Some will be repeated ad nauseum. When you see them on the air or in your newspaper, don’t be surprised.
1) One last chance for UNC.
This is one I actually do like. By “last chance,” I mean this is the final title shot for this group of Carolina players. Hansbrough, Green and Frasor joined the team right after the UNC mass exodus after the 2005 national championship. They were thrown into that proverbial fire (aka “played a lot of minutes”) immediately as freshmen.
This group, along with Lawson and Ellington, has had a career that is far from a failure no matter how you spin it.
Others don’t agree with me. Apparently two ACC Tournament championships, three ACC regular-season championships and two Final Fours aren’t enough. Sure, it will be unfinished business if UNC doesn’t win the title after entering the NCAA tournament as the favorite for three straight years.
But a failure? No way.
The seniors and (most likely, at least) Lawson are likely gone after the year. Roy Williams will have the Heels back in the Final Four again. Maybe not next year, but soon. This is a tight group of players and Williams’ first true group of his own UNC recruits. A championship will mean volumes to everyone in light blue.
Go ahead and post that I’m a Carolina lover now because I know it’s coming.
2) Villanova: 1985 revisited
Here it comes. Shots of Rollie Massimino and his comb-over celebrating on the sidelines. Ed Pinckney hitting impossible flailing heaves over Patrick Ewing. Gary McLain raising the championship trophy (a lot better moment for him than his infamous Sports Illustrated interview two years later).
This is the Wildcats’ first trip to the Final Four since the so-called “perfect game” against Georgetown for the 1985 NCAA title. Villanova — as an 8 seed — is the lowest (or is it “highest”?) seed to win a championship. This year’s Wildcats are a 3 seed. Still, if Nova beats UNC in the semifinals, don’t put it past a few quick-triggered media members to compare that upset to the 1985 game. Either way, you WILL see that file video during the game broadcast. Guaranteed.
By the way, who did Villanova beat in the Elite Eight in 1985?
North Carolina.
3) Where will Jay Cutler play next year?
Oh, wait, this is a Final Four blog. Sometimes I am led to believe the NFL permeates through all sports. I’ll try again.
3a) Michigan State close to home.
The drive from the Michigan State campus in East Lansing to Detroit takes only 90 minutes.
No doubt, this will be a Michigan State home crowd.
Of course, this didn’t make a difference when Carolina crushed the Spartans 98-63 at Ford Field (the Final Four site) back in back in December.
Oh, and if we have a UNC-Michigan State rematch for the national title game, that December video will be shown repeatedly. Then we’ll hear both coaches say, “Well, we are different teams than we were back then.” Then the “but Michigan State didn’t have Goran Suton that game” storyline will start. Hey, Goran Suton may have the best name in the Final Four, but I doubt he makes up for 35 points.
I’m just looking forward to cutaways of Tom Izzo’s wife, Lupe, looking like she wants to be anywhere other than watching a basketball game.
4) The economic impact of the Final Four in Detroit.
I should have put this as No. 1 because there is no storyline I can guarantee that is coming more than this one.
Our hotel is connected to the GM headquarters. I haven’t seen a lot of smiling faces.
With the auto industry tanking, Detroit is hoping this Final Four will be of some help. I have read estimates that the event will generate $30 million to $50 million for the city. Now, those vague and widely-ranged estimates sound all happy and good. But when GM requests $16 billion in bailouts, how much of an affect will the Final Four have on the city? Not enough for the weather to become bearable, I can tell you that.
The city better pray Michigan State makes it to Monday because in an arena that holds 70,000 people, a possible Villanova-UConn championship matchup could be an easy ticket to land when the Spartan fans leave town.
5) Thirty years since Magic vs. Bird
The talk of the 1979 NCAA championship game between Magic Johnson’s Michigan State team and Larry Bird’s Indiana State squad has started already.
It will only increase.
Prepare for more Magic Johnson cutaways during Michigan State games. Bird and Magic will both be in town for a press conference this weekend, so that will spark the NCAA’s well-placed plant for a feel-good story.
The 1979 clash supposedly changed the game of basketball. It definitely affected the NBA because it was the first matchup between two players who would take part in eight of the next nine NBA titles.
How it changed the college game? That’s debatable.
There will be more storylines this week. Those are just a few.
Well, off to work. Hmm, I wonder what I should do a story on. Does anyone have the phone number for a local Detroit economist?
