Tattoos and the Sweet 16
Did you see where the families of some of the Venezuelans deported to El Salvador said that they were not gang members but just had face tattoos? Huh? Maybe it is just a cultural thing in Venezuela, much like wearing pants below the butt like convicts in the US. But why would anyone have their face tattooed if it is a symbol of gang membership?
Speaking of tattoos, they are prevalent enough amongst the college basketball players but I was watching highlights of an NBA game while on the treadmill. It was unwatchable because of the all the wild hair (which we used to call girlie hair) and abundant tattoos (again the convict influence on today’s culture). It looked like a pickup game between Venezuelan gang members – albeit absent the face tattoos. OK maybe I am old fashioned but all that excess body paint is off putting. I tell my students that I will not write a letter of recommendation for anyone who has a visible tattoo, regardless of their grade. One very good student asked me if I was serious. I was and still am. I told him that when the CEOs of the S&P 500 started tattooing their arms and necks, then I might consider revising my policy. Not!
We are now on to the Sweet 16. First off there are no Cinderellas this year. The only double digit seed is Arkansas, a 10th seed. But no mid majors this year. All four number 1’s and three of the number 2’s are still alive, The only number 2 to lose was St John’s which lost to Arkansas. I hope UT gets to the Final Four and Rick Barnes finally wins a national championship. He is the coach with the most victories that does not have a championship. That was why Texas let him go to Tennessee’s everlasting gratitude. I don’t understand the Texas ADs. They keep firing coaches that get to the tournament but fall short of winning it all. They fired Barnes and hired Shaka Smart who was fired and they hired Chris Beard who they fired to hire Rodney Terry who they fired to replace him with Sean Miller who was at Xavier after being at Arizona where he had incredible talent but always fell short. Expect Texas to fire Miller after 2-3 years.
Maybe, just maybe, winning a basketball championship is hard. Barnes could not win with TJ Ford and Kevin Durrant! In this year’s tournament, of the 68 coaches only 6 had won a championship – John Calipari, Tom Izzo (who I think is the best coach coaching), Bill Self, Scott Drew, Dan Hurley and Rick Pitino. Drew’s Baylor team was the only non-bluebood in the group. Only Hurley and Calipari have won two even though Calipari had one vacated. So shouldn’t an AD just be happy with having a successful season and making the tournament? This year only Calipari and Izzo made it to the Sweet 16 and it is doubtful that Arkansas or Michigan State will hoist the trophy. If Barnes doesn’t win then I am pulling for Kelvin Samson who like Barnes has never won a championship. Barnes has only been to one Final Four. Samson has been to two.
The SEC coach of the year is Bruce Pearl – who has cheated everywhere he has been. Now since players can be paid, Pearl no longer has to cheat sub rosa. However, the coach of the year should have been Mark Pope at Kentucky. Pope inherited the mess that left by Calipari, had no returning starters and yet beat Tennessee twice and is now in the Sweet 16. Pope should have been the choice not Pearl.
Speaking of Pope, his old school BYU is in the Sweet 16 and is a very dangerous team. Watch out Alabama! BYU presents the NCAA tournament committee with an interesting challenge. Since BYU will not play on Sundays, the committee has to put them in a bracket that never plays on Sundays. I am sure that wreaks havoc with the seeding and placement of teams.
Connecticut is the only school to have both the men and the women win in the same year. This year their women are in the Sweet 16 but the men fell short losing to Florida. Now Maryland, Tennessee, Duke and Ole Miss are the schools with the chance to hoist both trophies. Fat chance. Duke is men’s favorite and South Carolina is the women’s favorite especially given the injury to USCs JuJu Watkins. I hope beyond hope that UT gets by the other UT. But if not, I am pulling for Duke’s women because of Kara Lawson.
haroldblackphd.com 