Duke gets it done, CBS doesn’t…

Congrats to Blue Devil nation for winning their 4th National Championship. And congrats to CBS for ruining the greatest song in sport, “One Shining Moment.”

CBS decided 1) it was a good idea to employ Jennifer Hudson to sing the song and 2) actually SHOW Hudson during the highlight montage. Strike 1, Strike 2. And, for the kicker, on the opening line of “The ball is tipped…” CBS chose to show Hudson and not a tip-off. Strike 3. Someone needs to be fired at CBS for that series of decisions. Awful. Just awful.

David Barrett. From Michigan. That’s the original singer/songwriter of “One Shining Moment.”

Take a closer look at http://www.oneshiningmoment.com/. Barrett is a solid guy who corresponded via e-mail a few years ago. I purchased the sheet music for the piano signed by him. Quite a nice memento. And definitely the only version that should be on the air.

After watching one of, if not the best national championship game I have ever seen, CBS dropped a turd in the celebration with that.

Back to the game. Butler was amazing and even though I had picked Duke to win from the beginning of the tournament (largely based on my visit to Cameron Indoor Stadium earlier this season), I found myself rooting for Butler to make a big shot at the end. Gordon Hayward had one great chance and then almost a miracle half court shot.

Overall, fantastic game. Well coached, well played. Brad Stevens has a great career ahead of him. Coach Krzyzewski capped off 30 years with a fourth title putting him in a class with Adolf Rupp and John Wooden. Amazing.

Congrats Duke.

Quick hits of the day:

– Solid opening day for the Motor City Kitties. Scary finish by Valverde, but nice to see Johnny Damon start earning the cash from the get go.

– Thumbs down to Lynn Henning and Rod Allen. Both hometown media men jumped on the Austin Jackson bandwagon for his throw home to get a Kansas City runner.

Let’s be clear. He threw the ball from 150 feet. It was a shallow hit behind second. He charged. It was a short throw. The ball bounced TWICE before it got to the catcher.

Henning said this was a play Granderson could not have made. Allen thought it was so impressive.

I saw a sophomore in high school make that throw on ONE hop a week ago.

Was it a nice play? Yes. Should we be raving over throwing out a runner from 150 feet away. Heck no. Bad day for local media.

– Albert Pujols hit two homers in his first game of the year. Stud.

– Jason Heyward, OF, ATL, hit a home run in his first at-bat. In the major leagues. At 20 years old. Stud.

– Placido Polanco hit a grand slam and had 6 RBI. Maybe he’d still look good in the Olde English D. Maybe. Oops Mr. Dombrowski.

– Crazy stat of last year – the Kansas City Royals were only 17-16 in games started by Zach Grienke in 2009. One game over .500 when a Top 3 pitcher in the league threw. Horrible.

– Drew Carey does not get it done for me on The Price is Right. I’ve gone back more than once lately and I am not impressed. He looks like a guy working for a good paycheck, not getting a paycheck for good work.

– Thank the Lord the Lindsay Lohan lawsuit story has gone away. Does anyone really think Lilo has the single name recognition of Madonna or Cher? There is no way a talking baby commerical really wanted to highlight Lohan. Really Lindsay, get over yourself. And Mrs. Lohan, help your daughter by not buying into the thought that the commercial was about her. You’re as much as of a mess as your daughter.

– Landon Donovan’s loan contract ended with Everton a couple of weeks ago. He delivered amazingly well for the Premier League Toffees. It’s too bad he has to come back and play in the MLS. The best US star of the last decade succeeding in the best league in the world would do more for the American game than bringing him back to play on home soil. That was one lockout/strike I was rooting to occur, if for no other reason than Donovan would have continued playing in Merseyside.

Goodnight and God Bless,

Scott