Random Thoughts

Friday night's college basketball was not as exciting as Thursday but there were still four very good games played. Defending champion Florida got past would be Cinderella story Butler (if you saw Butler play this year you would know how good they are) in the Midwest Regional, 65-57. Just like in their second round win against Purdue, Florida struggled into the second half but used their talent and experience to get the victory. Al Horford, the Gator power forward, had 16 points and 7 rebounds and took control in the closing minutes to help his team advance to the Elite Eight. In the other Midwest game, Oregon slipped past upstart UNLV 76-72. Not many will give Oregon a chance against Florida -- I didn't see them advancing past UNLV for that matter -- but Aaron Brooks, Malik Hairston and 5-foot-6 freshman guard Tajuan Porter can play and Ernie Kent can coach. Porter hit an NCAA regioanl record eight 3-pointers and finished with a game high 33 points to lead the Pac-10 tournament champion Ducks to the Elite Eight. Over in the East Regional, top seeded North Carolina outlasted surprising Southern Cal. USC, not known for its basketball, led UNC 49-33 with under 18 minutes to play before the loaded Tar Heels kicked it into gear. Freshman Brandon Wright (21 points, 9 rebounds) and Wayne Ellington (12 points) led Carolina. Keep an eye on USC next year, they will return starters Taj Gibson, Nick Young, Daniel Hackett, and Gabe Pruitt to a recruiting class led by the nation's best prep player, OJ Mayo. Also in the East, Georgetown needed a last second basket by Jeff Green -- who clearly traveled but no call was made -- to sneak past Vanderbilt. Green led the Hoyas with 15 points and 7-foot-2 center Roy Hibbert contributed 12 points and 10 rebounds despite foul trouble. Georgetown will now meet UNC in a rematch of the famous 1982 National Championship game won by then freshman Michael Jordan on a 17-foot jumper. Patrick Ewing, the freshman center at Georgetown in 1982, will be watching his son -- Patrick Ewing Jr. -- try and get revenge for his Hoyas. In todays Regional Finals, I think Ohio State will knock off Memphis in the South to reach the school's 10th Final Four and first since 1999. The '99 team had a Boston connection as it was coached by former Boston College player and coach Jim O'Brien and was led on the floor by Salem product (and BC star under O'Brien) Scoonie Penn. In the West, Kansas should outlast UCLA and their great defense. The Jayhawks should have too many weapons for the Bruins... The big talk around the Red Sox is that new/old closer Jonathan Papelbon will be severly restricted in his use this year due to some lingering concerns about his shoulder. If that really is the case -- and I think if they need him three times against the Yankees on September 14, 15 and 16 they will use him -- then why not move the one-time closer of the future Craig Hansen, starting pitching prospect Kason Gabbard and reserve outfielder Wily Mo Pena to the talent starved Washington Nationals for their closer, Chad Cordero? Cordero could then become the dominant eighth inning setup man this team still lacks as well as the fill-in closer when Paps can't go. In return, Washington gets a potential closer, a much needed starter and an outfielder that their general manager Jim Bowden loves (from their time together in Cincinnati) who can play every day, something he will not do in Boston. Just an idea... Congratulations to UMass-Amherst for knocking off top seeded Clarkson in the East Regional for their first ever NCAA Hockey Tournament victory. The Minutemen will face Hockey East rival Maine for a spot in the Frozen Four... My bit of advice for Danny Ainge and Doc Rivers today is to sit Paul Pierce out for the rest of the season. This has nothing to do with losing to improve the C's chances at landing the No. 1 pick -- although that is an added bonus -- and it isn't to find time to develop Gerald Green -- who I think will be much improved next year. My reasoning for sitting Pierce is to allow his body to recover from whatever is troubling him in a year in which the Celtics are not contending. Give him time now, give him some more talent to play with next year, and hope the Celtics can make some noise...