THE BIG QUESTION
PAGE 2
MIKE & MIKE
IN THE MAGAZINE
The Big Question
WHY DOESNT AMERICAS LOVE AFFAIR WITH THE NCAA TOURNEY
GRADUATE TO THE NBA PLAYOFFS? THE MIKES PICK-AND-ROLL
GREENY March Madness is everything that American society wants. The lose-and-go-home format and compressed schedule mean the gratification is almost immediate. Plus, theres the possibility of winning your bracket, which gets everyone involved. The NBA playoffs have none of that.
GOLIC Exactly. The NCAA Tourney is quick yet drawn out enough that after the first two rounds you want more. But they make you wait four days until the Sweet 16, then six more until the Final Four. Its genius the way they tease you. And the whole thing is over in three weeks. There are first-round series in the NBA that seem that long.
GREENY I love the NBA playoffs. Its the greatest players in the world playing the game at its highest level. But I have two suggestions for the NBA, since they didnt ask. First, cut the field from 16 to eight. Its a joke that sub-.500 teams are battling for playoff spots. Second, make each series the best three out of five, and the team with the better regular-season record gets to play every game at home.
GOLIC Bottom line, the NBA playoffs are way too long. But theres no way the league will change the format because of all the money involved. Thats why there will never be a question about which event is more popular. March Madness will always win, hands down.
GREENY I have to agree. As an American sports and cultural institution, the NBA playoffs just cant compare with the NCAA Tournament. Only one sports event has more resonance than March Madness: the Super Bowl.
GOLIC When do minicamps start? STONE COLD LEAD PIPE LOCKS
GREENY Blades of Glory will be No.1 at the box office after its first weekend and rekindle our love affair with figure skating.Or not.
GOLIC There is NO chance on God's green earth that Greg Oden and Kevin Durant will be in college next year. They will be wearing NBA uniforms.
MANLY/METRO TIP
WEARING THE
GREEN JACKET
GOLIC Dont. Show it off like you show off a trophy, but dont put it on and ask, Does this look good on me? Because it doesnt. It looks ridiculous.
GREENY Hes right. No one but the Notre Dame Leprechaun looks good in a Green Jacket. Augusta should change it to a skinny, navy, two-button blazer. Maybe something by Paul Smith.
THE
MIKES ON
MLB OPENING DAY
GREENY As a fan who has lived all his life in cold weather cities, Opening Day has always meant winter is over. Its also part of the best week in sportsbar nonewith the NCAA final and the Masters.
GOLIC Honestly, I find the start of spring training more refreshing than Opening Day. I hated training camp when I was playing, but there was something about reporting and seeing your teammates again. For players, thats really when the fun starts.
PAGE 2 CONTRIBUTORS
JAMIE AGIN, MORTY AIN, SAM
ALIPOUR, CHRISTOPHER BEREND,
AMIR BLUMENFELD, JOHN BRODER,
LIAM P. CHAPMAN, LOUISE K.
CORNETTA, CHARLES CURTIS,
ANUJ DESAI, LAURA DOWNHOUR,
BRIAN FRAZER, D.J. GALLO, KEITH
HAWKINS, HALI HELFGOTT, BRIAN
HILL, KAYLEE HULTGREN, NEIL
JANOWITZ, ANDY KAMENETZKY,
BRIAN KAMENETZKY, PAUL KIX,
KEITH KNIGHT, MOLLY KNIGHT,
MIKE LYNCH, TIMOTHY MANSFIELD,
LIAM MCHUGH, DOUG MCINTYRE,
ALISON OVERHOLT, DAN REILLY,
JON ROBINSON, LANE STRAUSS,
ETHAN TREX, SARAH TURCOTTE,
ARI YOLKUT, BRETT ZARDA
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: ANDY LYONS/GETTY IMAGES; STREETER LECKA/GETTY IMAGES; ROSS DETTMAN; JONATHAN FERREY/GETTY IMAGES; COURTESY NOTRE DAME UNIVERSITY; DAVID CANNON/GETTY IMAGES; DAVID BERGMAN/CORBIS
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