The yearly Fly in the Soup March Madness picks

Wow, 4 games in and 3 last minute wins. If this is going to be a trend, I like it. Once again, I'm in the Sexton family grudge match, er tournament challenge. And after winning last year, I'm planning to be the first repeat winner in our history. Here are the picks:

Carolina beating Ohio State to make the final four out of the East.
SDSU (Go Aztecs!) beating Duke to make the final four out of the West.
Kansas beating Notre Dame to make the final four out of the Southwest.
And Michigan State (yes, Michigan State, the 10 seed) beating Pitt to make it out of the Southeast.

From there, I have Carolina beating SDSU and Kansas beating State. Then put me down for Roy Williams and the Heels beating the Jayhawks 65-60.

A Super Bowl update from A Fly in the Soup

Happy Super Sunday people! It's 11:42am, the Super Bowl pre-game show is already on (4 hours before kick-off mind you), I just woke up from the first of several planned naps and by the Lord's mercy it's sunny and 63 degrees today! I'm mulling a lap or two around the neighborhood at halftime.

As for the game, put me down for the Packers rolling the Steelers 35-14. Close first half before the Pack pulls away in the second half. For the record, I will be wishing I was watching the game Riddoiugh-style in Orcutt, CA with a full plate of amazing tri-tip in front of me and the spirit of Beaker bird hovering in the air...

Speaking of the SB, intriguing article here about the small town of Portsmouth, Ohio, a town which once had an NFL team (in the 30s). Interesting to consider how that town's fortunes might be different today had the team (which went on to become the Detroit Lions) stayed.

Enjoy the day! Pack 'em!

Lance Armstrong and the myriad doping allegations

I love Lance Armstrong. I mean, when he got sick with cancer back in the late 1990's, I remember going to some website on some students' dormroom computer and sending a "get well soon" email to Lance as he began his recovery. Then I loved watching him dominate the Tour. Who can forget the famous "look" over his shoulder at Ullrich back in the day? Or his narrow escape from Beloki's crash and subsequent ride across a field at about 40mph? Even today, I'm all about watching him race his last Tour and, heck, I follow him everyday on twitter. Truly, the guy is an amazing athletic specimen and, even better, an amazing and compelling story.

Which is why I hope to the Lord that he's clean. What if it's a sham? Is it? Is there fire? I don't know, but I do know that there is a lot of smoke. Time magazine online has an interesting piece on the topic here.

Not to get all philosophical here, but here's the problem. If he did it and it comes out, it wrecks an amazing story and tarnishes a powerful legacy. If he didn't but the allegations persist, if more former teammates come out of the woodwork with tales of using and abusing, then we get a gradual and painful erosion of confidence in the power of Lance's story. I mean, I already find myself experiencing a growing cynicism and doubt when I hear a good sports tale. I watch Usain Bolt on SportCenter and my first thought is "yeah right." Tonight ARod hit #599 and my first reaction is "how many were clean?" It's really a tragedy and a travesty.

So, Lance, may it be the case that you are a clean. That you are who you say you are. That you are worth my attention, not be mention my devotion. That the amazing things you have accomplished have come as a result of hard work, strict training and a level of drive and intensity that I find to be staggering. May it be so.