The ball has been tipped, and here we are. After a month's worth of bractetology, snubs, and sleepers, the Final Four is on center stage this weekend in Atlanta's Georgia Dome. What makes this year's foursome so interesting are the teams, which seem like they are out of a Back to the Future movie (anybody seen Biff Tannen's Sports Almanac?) Here are a few reasons this year's event has sparked up more nostalga than the smell from Will Smith's charcoal grill in Summertime:

• The second straight Final Four appearance for UCLA. For the baby boomer basketball fans, this must just feel right. Like the Yankees in the World Series, the Celtics in the NBA Finals, or the Canadiens in the Stanley Cup Finals.
• The re-emergence of Georgetown as the beast of the Big East. And the fact that the Hoyas are coached by a Thompson (John III) and a Ewing (Patrick J.) runs the court brings back the days of Hoya paranoia.
• The realization that this Final Four will create a matchup of two legitimate, 7-foot, first round draft choice, back to the basket big men, in Ohio State's Greg Oden and Georgetown's Roy Hibbert.
• Ohio State being back on top. Yeah, Scoonie Penn and Michael Redd took them to the show in 1999, but this the first juggernaut Ohio State Final Four team since the days of Lucas, Knight, and Havlicek (there were no Foot Lockers back then....right John?)
• And most importantly, the defense of the throne by a Florida team that has returned ALL FIVE STARTERS, which is an absolute anolomy in 2007, especially considering three of the five starters (Corey Brewer, Joakim Noah, and Al Horford) would have been first round draftees in 2006 and will in 2007. Heck, PG Taurean Green has progressed so nicely that the Gators may have four first-rounders in this draft.

OK, enough about nostalga. Let's talk about the matchups:

UCLA vs Florida

The rematch of last year's National Title game is a contrast of styles. UCLA is the best defensive team in America, bar none. The way that they get back and challenge you in the half court in a testament to the toughness Coach Ben Howland has brought back to Westwood. Guard Darren Collison and wing men Aaron Afflalo and Josh Shipp are marvelous players that have the ability to score when necessary. The Gators, on the other hand, play a free-wheeling offensive style that is buoyed by Green's ability to push, Noah and Horford's ability to block shots and fill lanes, Brewer's ability to finish, and Lee Humphrey's knack to find the open spots and drain long distance shots. I just think the Gators have too many ways they can win, whereas, UCLA can only win this game by slowing the pace and holding the game in the 50's and 60's. Usually, in dome semifinal games, I like the better defensive teams, but since the Georgia Dome is Florida's home away from home (the SEC Tourney was in the dome three weeks ago), I'm betting on Humphrey finding the range and breaking open a tight game late.

Florida 74  UCLA 66

Ohio State vs Georgetown

Both of these teams fit into the Destiny's Child role so well in this tourney that you would think Beyonce Knowles and Kelly Rowland were playing the wings in this matchup. Both of these teams narrowly avoided the Tennessee Trap (Ohio State's coming from 20 down to beat the Vols and Georgetown narrowly escaping Vanderbilt's death grip after Jeff Green got away with a pretty blatent travel on his game winning shot). The Hoyas are very well coached and very talented. Jeff Green is the most versatile offensive player in College Hoops and Roy Hibbert has become what John Thompson III envisioned when he took a flier on a raw big man project three years ago. And to be honest, I don't know if freshman phenom DeJuan Summers may not be the best future NBA player out of the bunch. Jessie Sapp and Jonathan Wallace are solid, but not spectacular in the backcourt, but when you have a front court as good as the Hoyas have, the guards just need to not get you beat. Thad Matta's Buckeyes are the youngest, but most talented team out of the four. Oden is an absolute beast defensively. His activity at his size defensively  and his ability to catch feeds clean and power his way to the cup is just overwhelming. Mike Conley has become the best PG in America in about thirty college games. His uncanny knack to hit tough shots in traffic must make him the best 6'0" 36-player on the planet. Ron Lewis is the best clutch shooter in college hoops. Ivan Harris is a face the bucket four man who hits open shots when teams decide to double Oden. David Lighty is a poor man's Corey Brewer. He makes the athletic hustle plays and his ability to slash and hit open shots give the Buckeyes a potent fifth wheel. This matchup really comes down the X's and O's. To be honest, I think Thompson can coach circles around Matta, but I think Matta may have a better hand at the poker table. I look for Thompson to go to a 2-3 zone like he did late against North Carolina (call timeout Roy) and hope that OSU is cold outside. If Lewis and sixth man Daequan Cook are shooting well, it could be a long night for the Hoyas. Green will have a big night because Lighty is too small and Harris is too slow, but I look for the Buckeyes to get Hibbert in foul trouble and win fairly comfortably.

Ohio State 83  Georgetown 71

All in all, I look for an exciting Saturday of basketball and check back with me on Sunday as we'll preview the National Title game.

Let me go on record as saying that I, personally, was rooting for the enigmatic, yet immensly talented Adam "Pacman" Jones to make it as a success in the National Football League. He's the short in stature, but big in bravado Tennesse Titans cornerback who overcame a tough childhood in the rough and tumble neighborhood of College Park, GA. His dad was murdered when he a youth, his mother battled personal demons, and he was raised primarily by his grandmother. Adam Jones has the type of life story that makes you just want to root for the kid. He's the guy who flew just straight enough, despite not hanging around the best influences, at Westlake High School to earn a scholarship to West Virginia University. He was the spitfire cornerback that never saw another player he was in awe of. His performance in 2004 on Thursday Night football against the University of Miami and their brash tight end, Kellen Winslow, made it known to all that Adam Jones was a football player to be reckoned with.

After his exploits in Morgantown, he was drafted with the sixth overall pick in the 2005 NFL Draft by the Tennessee Titans. After a rocky first year in Nashville, Jones played at a Pro Bowl level in the 2006 season. This past year, Jones registered 50 tackles, 4 interceptions, all the while leading the NFL in punt return average and scoring 4 touchdowns. However, like many misguided youths in the daily grind of inner-city hustling and flowing, Pacman has shown to be a man short of social graces. There were issues that led to a probationary period in Morgantown. There were many instances of Jones running into trouble with the Nashville PD. However, what is most disturbing to me is Jones' disrespect of women. There have been multiple accusations of him spitting on women and his disrespect of females allegedly set off the wild chain of events that led to three people being shot at the Minxx Gentlemen's Club in Las Vegas last weekend. Is that the kind of activity his beloved late grandmother would approve of?

Like I said, I have always been in the "let's give Pacman a break" crowd. As a fairly young African American male, I understand some of the Napoleonic complex that many inner-city youths have. Its that attitude and defiance that actually has made a guy like Pacman Jones the Alpha Dog athlete he is. However, at some point in your life, you have to put away childish things and act like a man, no matter what odds you've come back from. As a native Nashvillian and a Titans season ticket holder this is tough to say, because you see the talent, you see the underdog epitomized in the undersized fella with the big heart that this city's musical culture is derived from............................ But.......................... if you are Coach Jeff Fisher, GM Mike Reinfeldt, and team owner Bud Adams, you may just have to let this talented young man walk. Mr. Jones and his crew have proven to be menaces to society and this is not an image that you want this franchise to project. So, let's just get behind the Vince Young's and Keith Bulluck's of the world who handle themselves with class and dignity, and let Pacman eat up his own dots somewhere else!

Last Monday, Tennessee Titans star QB Steve McNair left his suburban Nashville home to trek up I-65 to work out in the Titans' voluntary offseason training program. When he arrived at Titans headquarters, he was greeted by Titans trainer Brad Brown. This would not be considered strange, as McNair and Brown have spent lots of time over the years together nursing the QB's myriad of injuries. However, on this unseasonably cool April day in America's Music City, the coldest breeze of all was blown in old #9's face. Brown, in the absense of GM Floyd Reese, head coach Jeff Fisher, and offensive coordinator Norm Chow, who ironically, were all in Los Angeles working out USC QB Matt Leinart that day, was apparently instructed by Titans owner K.S. (Bud) Adams to bar McNair from the practice facility. The team and McNair have been in negotiations along with the player's agent, Bus Cook, to renegotiate his contract, which has an obcene cap charge of nearly $24 million, due to the numerous restructurings that have been administered over the years.  So, when McNair walked in the door, Brown delivered the former NFL MVP the news that he was no longer allowed to participate in the team's offseason program until his contract situation was worked out or the player was granted his release. This move has sent shockwaves through NFL circles when a guy as productive, consistent , and handled himself with class (sans one DUI incident) as McNair gets treated like this by his front office. Its amazing how people criticize a guy like Terrell Owens for wanting a new contract, when the franchises can throw a team icon like McNair out like yesterday's trash. Something is not equal about this system. Steve McNair has gone out and simply won games for the Titans organization over the last decade. He took a team with Kevin Dyson and Issac Byrd as their starting receivers to within a yard of a Super Bowl title in 1999, and piggybacked a team that started off 1-4 in 2002 to the AFC Championship Game. McNair has never publically moaned about the lack of a supporting cast he was given, while contemporaries like Peyton Manning and Daunte Culpepper were surrounded by talented offensive personnel. Doesn't a guy like that deserve a phone call of a face-to-face meeting to discuss this issue and avoid a trainer having to give him the news? Steve McNair has always just done what he was supposed to do to make the Tennessee Titans a better football team.  I just wish that the Titans owner would show the same amount of pride and respect his soon-to-be former QB did on the field over the years, when dealing with this situation.

A lot of fans and observers of the National Football League had been critical of the lack of excitement in the Wild Card playoff games. Well, us football fans got our wish for excitement as we were treated to as compelling a weekend of Divisional Playoff games as there has been since the 12 team format was incepted. Here are some of the things we learned this weekend.

1. Steve Smith is the best player in the NFL and possibly the best big game receiver in this generation. His two playoff performances have been the stuff of legends and if he and Jake Delhomme can will Carolina to a win at Seattle, he will become the unquestioned best receiver in the league.
2. Peyton Manning still has happy feet when he gets hit. Look, let's not blame it all on him, but he gets a little sheepish when he gets hit....... doesn't he. Some guys bite their lip and almost make you think they enjoy getting hit (Simms, Elway, Brady, McNair), all the while, completing passes. Peyton seems to not be that type of guy, which makes blitz pickup all the more important.
3. Tom Brady is human. Was that Tom Brady I saw out there overshooting open receivers in Denver?? Yes, it was him and he proved that he is not infallible in a big spot. I would still take him over any QB in a big game, but Saturday night was not his best effort, and he will tell you that. The crucial interception thrown to Champ Bailey may have been the worst decision Brady has made as a pro. You just can't throw THAT pass in Bailey's direction. Throw the ball away and take the three points and the score is 10-9. I would have like to have seen how Jake Plummer would have responded to that situation.
4. Matt Hasselbeck has STONES. I have always been a little bit skeptical of Matt Hasselbeck because he can be skittish at times. He certainly started out the game that way. After a 43 yard first drive completion to Darrell Jackson, Hasselbeck made some poor throws throughout the first half and if Carlos Rogers holds on to a late throw out in the flat, Seattle could have been down 10-0. But, late in the first half, Hasselbeck stood in there and threw some great balls to get Seattle the lead going into the break. He has this Brett Favre-type thing going where he drives you crazy at times, but he's gutsy and his teammates seem to really enjoy playing with him. Winning that game with Shaun Alexander concussed has to be a huge confidence boost for the Seahawks.
5. Jake Delhomme is a winner, plain and simple. The Cajun kid from Louisiana just gets the job done. He may not be the flashiest QB in the league and he forces some throws from time-to-time. But when the game is on the line, he has this Tom Brady karma going on. It also doesn't hurt that he gets to throw the ball to Steve Smith.
6. Along the same lines, Dan Henning is a heck of an offensive coordinator. I know, the guy has seemingly been around since the Eisenhower administration and was a failure as a head coach, but he can sure implement a game plan. Henning is not a Mike Martz, Charlie Weis mad scientist. As a matter of fact, he's kind of dull in his approach. But he understands one thing, GET THE BALL TO YOUR PLAYMAKER............A BUNCH. He gets the ball to Steve Smith outside, down the field, in the slot, in the screen game, on reverses......heck, I'm waiting for Smith to take the snap this week. Some of these guys try to be too smart, not Henning. He just gets the ball to the guy that can win the game for you.
7. Seattle's defense is pretty solid. They are not a great unit, but they play well together and have two good corners when they are healthy (Andre Dyson and Marcus Trufant). Lofa Tatupu is an impact rookie who will only get better as time goes along. Plus, the advantage they get playing at home in noisy Qwest Field helps that unit out tremendously. The crowd noise allows Grant Wistrom, Bryce Fisher, Chuck Darby, and company the ability to get off the ball quicker than the guys blocking them. They will be a tough out at home.
8. Mike Vanderjagt...................Ugggghhhhhh. Dude, that looked like that zany Adam Vinatieri, David Akers, made for TV kicking competition that was staged last year in Hawaii. It almost looked like he was kicking toward a goal post in South Bend or in Columbus. I think you just may get deported back to Canada after that one. Not the fact that you missed, but you missed it B....A....D.
9. Note to Washington, you have to have some semblance of an offense to win in the playoffs. Mark Brunell, despite his solid season, looked really old Saturday and Clinton Portis was awful beat up. I think Joe Gibbs may have to take a small step back in 2006 and start Jason Campbell at QB. This could pay off in 2007, as the Redskin stars, Portis, Sean Taylor, and Santana Moss are all still fairly young. They just need a young QB to get them there.
10. The officiating is horrid. There were more blown calls this round than I ever remember seeing. The Troy Polamalu overturned interception takes the cake (I can't stand Joey Porter, but the conspiracy theorist did not have to reach far to suggest that someone at NFL headquarters got on those headsets at the replay box), but the Asante Samuel phantom "interference" call was absolutely bogus. Anyone who thinks that play was not a huge momentum swing obviously has never played much football. Another play that bothered me was the Thomas Jones overruled TD/facemask/touchback. The replay booth got the call right, but did anyone notice how out of position the side judge was on that play to make the initial ruling? That just can't happen in these huge games. The officials have to be at a playoff level too.

 

The Divisional playoff round featured it all; huge upsets, the champs being dethroned, bad calls, and untimely injuries that will be huge in the next round (Shaun Alexander, DeShaun Foster, and Julius Peppers). However, we now have a four team free-for-all where any of the team still alive can win it. Hopefully, the officiating will get better and we will have two more great games this weekend.

 

Vince Young put on a show for the ages on Wednesday night at the Rose Bowl for the second straight year. The local Hollywood producers, nor the two Heisman Trophy winners on the other sideline, could compete with what #10 did in the BCS National Title Game in Pasadena. Young's performance, not only ended the 35 year national title drought for the Texas Longhorns, but it has potentially altered the entire 2006 NFL Draft board. Just last weekend, we had what was billed the "Reggie Bush Bowl" between San Francisco and Houston. The Texans overtime loss at Candlestick Park ensured them the No. 1 overall pick in this year's draft. Until late Wednesday night, that pick seemed to be a lock for Bush, the Heisman winning USC tailback. After Young's jaw dropping performance and Bush's less than stellar showing in a big spot, Houston could potentially have yet another problem, albeit a potentially good problem.......on deciding who to pick between Bush and Young.

At press time, Vince Young has not decided if he will forego his senior year in Austin to declare for the NFL Draft, but you could make the argument that his stock will never be higher. He has done everything a collegiate QB can do except win the Heisman Trophy (Vince, ask Peyton Manning if he really regrets not winning the Heisman....C Wood winning that trophy probably Andre Ware-proofed Peyton).With Young's style of play, he's always one play away from an injury, that would do nothing but hurt his stock in the NFL scouts eyes. Plus, he has the allure of three pretty interesting storylines that could transpire if he goes to any of the three teams atop the draft board. Young is a Houston guy, through and through. He was born and raised in H-Town and would probably be more loved than Scarface, Mike Jones, Slim Thug, Paul Wall, Bun-B, Pimp C, and Chamillionaire if the hometown Texans make him their No. 1 pick. Texans GM Charley Casserly has reiterated in recent days that Houston is committed to the development of former No. 1 overall pick David Carr, which makes picking Reggie Bush very likely, but the clamoring for the hometown boy has already started on Houston sports talk airwaves.

New Orleans has the second pick in the draft and is, by far, the least desirous place for Vince Young to land on the surface. However, New Orleans is just a short drive from his hometown, and has some weaponry on offense with Deuce McAllister, Joe Horn, and Donte Stallworth. Also, the Saints have expressed a desire to permanently be relocated in San Antonio (where they relocated and played most of 2005 after the Hurricane Katrina disaster), which is only about a 90 minute drive down I-35 from Young's current stomping grounds of Austin and still very close to Houston. And then, if Tom Benson does what most are thinking, and try to become the team that moves to Los Angeles, you can figure out how much potential money Vince Young could make in Hollywood with his talent level.

The final of the Top 3 teams on the draft board is the Tennessee Titans. This once proud franchise has fallen on salary cap-induced hard times and needs to find an eventual successor to all-time iron man Steve McNair. What makes this potential scenario so unique is that Steve McNair is like a father figure to Young. Young's father has been in and out of the penal system since he was a kid and McNair was a teammate of Young's uncle at Alcorn State. Young's uncle introduced the two when Young was in Junior High and the two have been extremely close since. Young works McNair's camp every year and McNair is a regular in Austin when he has free time and was seen at the Rose Bowl on Wednesday rooting his buddy on. Young calls McNair "Big Papa" for the father-like role Steve has played in his life and this would be a golden opportunity for Young to learn from one of the best (and one of his best friends) before he ascends on his quest for greatness. Having a former NFL MVP as a resource could be exactly what Young needs to refine his skills and become an All-Pro. Also, having a coach with a track record as good as Jeff Fisher is a luxury that he may not have in Houston or New Orleans.

Vince Young proved to America on Wednesday night that he is the "it" factor that NFL teams want from their star player. As Santana Moss once said after a Miami - Florida State game a few years ago "Big time players make big time plays in big games." To say Vince Young did that a couple of nights ago would be an understatement. Now, all Young has to do is decide if he wants to return to school or turn pro. If Young chooses the latter, he has some intriguing options ahead.