Fans of first-round draft pick collectibles can head over to eBay right now and bid on an "authentic" scrawling, allegedly made by the former Boston College standout and new Green Bay Packer. There are just a couple of issues with it that either make it more or less valuable depending on your point of view. He didn't sign his name, but instead wrote "Soar Eagles" in tribute to his alma mater. Oh, and he also spelled "Soar" wrong. Oops.

So either it's a clever inside joke about the B.C. football team or B.C.'s academic support unit is the punchline. Either way, go Jesuits! Or is Jesus-suits?

2009 Press Pass B.J. RAJI Inscription AUTO Gold 60/99 [eBay]

Here's a brief primer of the goings-on tonight:
- As far as I can tell, there are three could-be pros among these teams, Demar Derozan and Taj Gibson on USC and Tyrese Rice on BC. Everyone else will be referred to as Reggie Bush and Doug Flutie respectively.
- If there is any reference to Shamari Spears eating something on the court, this is because he is fat. Duh.
- No one blocks shots like Mamadou (Diarra). That is to say no one blocks shots at all (0.1 b/pg)
- USC ran the table in their conference tournament, beating Devon Hardin's Arizona State to take it. Stanford, in between sips of their Chardonnay and pages of Faulkner, beat them three weeks before that. So who the hell knows.
- BC took down #1 North Carolina then lost to Harvard at home, which is like winning the lottery and dying in a jetski accident the next day. (A very smart jetski accident). They also beat up Duke, Maryland and Florida State.
- BC has no upper-classmen. They're like Miley Cyrus a year ago. Is she attractive? Yup. Do you really want to admit this in public? Depends on if you live in Alabama.

Also, please visit SLAMonline.com, the premier website on the Internet to argue with 13-year-olds about the release dates of shoes.

Final

72-55, USC. They could take down Michigan State next round. Thank you, Deadspin folks. You're all so pretty. I hope to see you again sometime at SLAMonline. We'll make fun of other games.

Come visit. It's like the ballpit of the Internet, but you won't be arrested if you go in it.

2nd Half:

0:56 - Addendum: He should not bring a gun.

0:57 - Taj Gibson still hasn't missed. He should pursue attending a nightclub tonight, for it shall be a poon fiesta.

1:40 - Down 65-53 with less than two minutes left, here comes the BC press. Al Skinner makes Tim Floyd look like Deepak Chopra.

2:27 - Anybody remember 4-through-15 point hot spots on NBA Jam/MTV Rock 'N' Jock. 16-seeds should have that shit available in the last two minutes of the first round. Like anyone in the world wouldn't watch that. That would even enthrall the kids in Slumdog Millionaire. And, on last check, those people are dying.

2:27 - Gibson can make this a fifteen point game with 2:27 to play. It's OK, I didn't like my bracket anyway.

3:51 - Dwight Lewis is hitting shots from behind the backboard. This Fred Savage movie is about pirates.
Weird, I had no idea I was drunk. 64-51, USC.

6:20 - Taj Gibson hates missing. 58-48, USC. BC is slowly slipping away. We might see Lil' Romeo and his diamond encrusted arm-sleeve.

6:52 - Wait, sorry, that's also "Bambi." Movies! So confusing!

6:53 - Another timeout! OK, new movie. Fred Savage is in this one. He's worrying about his grandfather. He says he doesn't want him to come because "he always pinches his cheek." He's also afraid he might hurt him with his man parts.

8:01 - Wait, no, sorry, that's "Bambi." My bad.

8:03 - Cusack check: it's snowing. Chick who looks like Sandra Bullock is holding his hand. It sounds like Ray Lamontagne's pubescent borther is singing in the background. They're kissing and there's a lens flare. Now they're in a dining room. Wait, no, that's a Macy's. "Happy Anniversary." He's pouring her wine. He's going to get her drunk and hurt her with his man parts.

9:47 - Rakim Sanders keeps your bracket alive. 52-47 on a Baghdadian chaos transition three.

9:55 - Taj Gibson just dunked his way into the first round of the NBA draft. Sorry, Craig Brackens of Iowa State. 52-44.

10:48 - This game isn't boring enough for me to link to potentially dangerous or offensive websites.

12:49 - Wait, no you wouldn't.

12:50 - DeRozan layup. Gibson jumper. 46-44, USC. You'd figure that Al Skinner would figure out that those are the only two players scoring.

16:00 - Al Skinner permanently stands like someone is always elbowing him in the kidney.

17:34 - Taj Gibson, who hasn't missed, hates rims, so he decides to yell at it and tug on it. 37-37. This game is getting close enough that someone is going to cry when they lose, like Adam Morrison, or John Cusack, currently, on Bravo.

18:26 - Dwight "Orlando Magic Processed Beef" Lewis makes me look incorrect. Counter 3. 37-35, BC.

19:33 - Rakim Sanders opens this up like the gap between not-Gus Johnson's teeth with a 3. 37-32.

- Nice chompers on the guy who isn't Gus Johnson. I wonder what brand of ottoman he is fashioning with his gums?

Halftime:

- Will someone please explain to me what the hell this is on NBC? Is this what purgatory is like?
- Why did she change her name to "Irish Setter?"
- Animal Planet has Kurt Warner's wife on now! Weird!
- Discovery can officially change its name to "Guys in Caves with Glasses on, Except for Cash Cab."
- There's Campbell Brown, making even autism talk sexy.
- Something with John Cusack is on Bravo. It looks like he's only on the second breakup of the movie, so you've got plenty of time.
- What are you folks doing in tonight? Don't be so lonely! Here, look, let's flip channels.

1st Half:

0:07 - Corey Raji, who should combine names with Taj Gibson to create Taj Raji and compete with Iris Macadangdang, drains both free throws. 34-30, Boston College at half. Raji leads all scorers with 13.

0:22 - "I'll tell you, Al Skinner never turns down opportunities." Gus: "Ahahahaha." Really, folks? Do tell! Does this have to do with bumping and grinding again?

2:25 - This analyst just started sounding like Clyde Frazier like twenty seconds ago. He must have several thousand cotton balls in his mouth.

4:05 - SpaceCowgirl01: "Wow did you hear those noisy BC fans shrieking during SC's free throw shots?" Yep. See, here's why BC has a slight home court advantage. When someone from Boston goes to Minnesota in March, it's called "going on vacation." When someone from Los Angeles goes to Minnesota in March, it's called "running from the FBI."

4:53 - Taj Gibson hits a bucket plus the foul. USC has the lead 25-23. What do you mean, "am I fine?" Sure am! Boy, I love basketball.

6:20 - Things are happening but no one is scoring and there is just so much, so much maroon I don't know what to do I can't handle all this maroon the court is maroon the jerseys are maroon the lettering is maroon there are maroon people did you know that and it's probably racist please there will be scoring soon please yes please oh hello.

7:37 - Tim Floyd will not allow the only white guy on the floor to hit a three. Timeout USC. 23-18, Eagles du Chestnut Hill. Huddle: "Tyler Roche? He looks like a golfer! His name sounds like he's in Gwar! This one's on you, Reggie Bushes."

8:19 - Gus: "They are bumpin' and grindin' with each other." "They've gotta be careful." Must... resist... herpes... joke...

9:48 - Mr. October to the hoop for the bucket for the 18-16 lead. No noticeable full-crank, post-home run fistpump. You're such a bad Reggie Jackson.

12:42 - If I thought we'd have fun with Stephen F. Austin jokes, imagine how awesome a week of "Morehead State" jokes would be. Pull it off, Morehead. Pull it off for a surplus of hummers.

12:42 - "I don't have your fucking ball!"

12:42 - Foul counters all those jumpers USC is hitting. 16-13 Troj... HOLY SHIT, BC HAS A GUY NAMED REGGIE JACKSON.

12:48 - Huh-ho!

13:22 - While we have a lull, want to hear a nice, adjustable-for-Tennessee-football Boston College joke? What's the difference between Atlantic City, Las Vegas and a Boston College locker room? (Wait for it...) You can't bet on basketball in Atlantic City.

13:42 - Gibson to Derozan, who truly hates the rim. Ooph. That dunk reminds me of the lesser parts of my childhood. 12-9 USC.

16:09 - Murder me.

16:10 - Dwight Lewis, a veritable hot dog of names from every player on the Orlando Magic, drains his second three. He's hot as a southern California sun!

16:40 - Tyrese Rice will be taking over now, kthx. Three and a layup ties it at 7.

17:18 - USC seems to be running the Layups Are What Created Chlamydia offense, refuse to push the ball past the three point line.

19:06 - Doug Flutie with a noisy follow. He has put on some weight!

Jump - Reggie Bush and Reggie Bush fight over the tip, and it falls out of bounds.

Pregame:

- Tim Floyd sometimes looks like he has no teeth.

- This game has been blessed with Gus Johnson, Warrior of Fine Dining! Should be a fun night, especially if it's not a fun night.

6:30 CBS NEWS GAME NOTES:

- Nice play by wardrobe as Russ Mitchell looks HANDSOME tonight.
- Sweet toss to the story about Chinese boats surrounding an American vessel. Looks like the Navy is overreacting, as someone just ordered a number 4 with egg roll.

- Was anybody else secretly hoping Stephen F. Austin would pull this off today so we could deal with a week's worth of Stone Cold Steve Austin jokes? Me surely!

2) Flexing The BC hoops program blossomed (read: stopped being irrelevant after a few woeful seasons) during head coach Al Skinner's fourth year at the helm. The resurrection began while the school was still a member of the Big East. Back in the days of yore, when men were men and bruises were held in equal esteem to banners, Skinner instituted a deliberate "flex" offense that packs players around the painted area. It's all elbows, knees, hips, shoulders and bounce passes. Skinner brought this offense with him to the prim and proper environs of the ACC. It's physical and intricate (critics say "predictable") and creates a lot of contact amongst opposing players. The offense is predicated on a continuous sequence of precise screens and cuts. Every player needs to be able to execute a bounce pass in a tight spot and players needs to be able to score in the paint when one of the screens frees them up. It requires constant motion and can be maddening to defend as the shot clock wears on. Skinner's variation on this scheme condenses the court as much as possible (unlike Terps coach Gary Williams who uses a more expansive flex that focuses more on the deep shot) and aims for easy buckets. The success of the offense is predicated on timing and five players using one mind. And that mind belongs to Skinner. When the meticulous passing in tight quarters is supplemented by timely three-point shooting it is very difficult to stop. The Eagles can shorten games and limit the possessions of more explosive opponents. On the flip side, the deliberate pace of their game makes them very vulnerable to teams with a high degree of "spurtability." This is not an offense built for quick comebacks (although Tyrese Rice has the freedom to freelance in those instances). Rather it relentlessly chips away, wearing down the will of weaker teams and keeping BC within striking distance of better ones.

3) Diamonds in the Rough If Al Skinner had been running the local AAU squad in Agrabah back in the day then he surely would have scouted Aladdin before Jafar ever caught his scent. The sort of agility that he showed in the marketplace during that early musical number would have surely helped Skinner unearth this diamond in the rough. Skinner's ability to find the underscouted high school hoopsters and to convince them to travel to Chestnut Hill has enabled a school with high academic standards and little cache amongst the ABCD set to compete with the blue bloods. The refurbishing of the BC basketball program began with Troy Bell. He was a lithe and lightly recruited guard from Minnesota. Upon graduating from high school in 1999, he was neglected by the University of Minnesota even though he had been a finalist for the North Star State's Mr. Basketball honor. He was offered a scholarship by Xavier and by Tennessee (although the UT coach opted not to even be on campus for his visit) but the only coach pushing hard for him was Skinner. The rest, as they say, is history. Bell averaged 18.8 points per game as a freshman. And never looked back. He was named Big East Player of Year two times (joining Patrick Ewing, Chris Mullin, Troy Murphy and Richard Hamilton as the only players to accomplish this feat). Bell posted careers numbers of 21.6 points per, 4.0 boards per and set a Big East record his senior season by averaging 27 points per game in conference play. After finding Bell in the wilds of Minneapolis, Skinner lighted out to the West Coast, where he found unheralded players Craig Smith (who he got into a prep school in Worcester, M.A. to get his grades up and his weight down) and Jared Dudley (who had heard only from Creighton during his senior year in high school before a Vegas showcase got him some more attention). Both players, who couldn't get the time of day from Pac-10 schools, are currently in the NBA after decorated collegiate careers. The current BC squad is stocked with such undervalued overachievers, from gunner-turned-superstar Tyrese Rice to sophomores Biko Paris, Corey Raji and Rakim Sanders, transfer (from Vermont) Joe Trapani and standout freshman Reggie Jackson. — Hermes Vandeweghe (What Would Oakley Do?)

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA TROJANS

1) Hold The Mayo Last year, everyone in Los Angeles was talking about the two one-and-done freshman phenoms, Kevin Love of UCLA and, more to the point, OJ Mayo of the USC Trojans. You had to be deaf, dumb and blind not to know that Mayo was destined for the NBA after his one year in NCAA purgatory. Fast-forward a year later and flying under the radar is highly-touted five-star recruit DeMar DeRozan. DeRozan (who came in a package recruiting deal with Percy "Lil Romeo" Miller) started off his freshman campaign somewhat slowly and did not come close to the prolific numbers Mayo put up as a freshman. For the season DeRozan averaged 13.6 ppg and 5.7 rpg, while shooting 52.5 percent from the field. As of late DeRozan has started to peak at the proverbial "right time" and stands poised to help the Trojans make noise at the "big dance." It's been a wild week for DeRozan, who just before the Pac-10 Tournament was named to the All-Pac-10 Freshman Team. Call the Pac-10 Tournament "the awakening" for DeRozan; he mowed down the competition by shooting at a high percentage (57.5 percent) and averaging 21 ppg, an astounding 9 rpg, as well as 2.3 apg for the Trojans during Tournament play. His performance earned him the Most Outstanding Player of the Tournament award. DeRozan now looks to continue his hot play and lead the 10th-seeded USC Trojans over a 7th-seeded Boston College team in upset fashion.

2) Somebody Give Tim Floyd A Hug A lot of noise has been made over the course of the season regarding whether or not Tim Floyd is the right man for the USC job. Well, a hop, skip, and a jump later and what do you know, Floyd has silenced his critics, having put together three consecutive 20-win seasons (with winning the Pac-10 Tournament as his exclamation point). His play-calling has been questioned, his rotations lambasted and he was once referred to as "a pretty good college coach but with the backbone of licorice," by everyone's favorite playmate-ogling PTI host, Michael Wilbon. All Tim Floyd has done is to continue to muzzle his detractors, going about his business and changing the perception of USC men's basketball. Similar to how Rick Neuheisel must feel when he is compared against a certain cross-town rival, it's not an easy thing for a coach when his next door neighbor just made it to three-consecutive Final-Four appearances. However, Floyd is doing and saying all the right things and now, with a healthy rotation, he stands at the brink of bigger and better opportunities.

3) It's A "Team-building" Exercise Earlier in the season, following a 60-51 loss at home to the (then ranked 22nd) Washington Huskies, Dwight Lewis and Daniel Hackett decided to treat some of the kids in the student section to a seminar on conflict resolution. After registering a lackluster performance against the Huskies, Hackett decided to get a little testy with some of the students in attendance as he was leaving the court. Lewis then jumped in the middle of the exchange, in an attempt to defend the students, and moments later he and Hackett began to shove one-another. Even though the two would later downplay the incident, this ugly moment in Trojans' sports history seemed to mark an apparent downfall of the men's basketball team after a solid start to the season. However, while they would lose their next two games (against Cal and Stanford), the incident seemed create a sense of urgency and light a fire under the Men of Troy who would go on to sweep both Oregon schools and run the table in Pac-10 Tournament, getting an automatic bid to the "big dance." — Neal Leitereg

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Notice, I didn't say alma mater because Williams was kicked off the Eagles team back in 2007 and then banned from the campus in May of last year. But I guess the appeal of a Duke game was too much to keep him away. Too bad he never made it inside.

When he was spotted shortly after 4:30 p.m. Sunday, police questioned why he was there and police stated, "He started to act belligerent and walk away," the report reads.

Police warned Williams that if he continued to, "act unruly or resist," he would be pepper-sprayed, according to the report....

Williams is accused by Boston College police of writing "(expletive) you" in place of his name on both a fingerprint card and a trespass warning while being booked.

Awesome. If that wasn't enough, Williams blew off his arraignment today, saying his busy schedule with the Nets prevents him from doing silly things like going to court. Then again, he's only appeared in three games since Dec. 12, so his schedule can't be that full.

Judge nixes warrant for Sean Williams on skipped court date [Boston Herald]

First, there was the whole Jeff Jagodzinski "unpleasantness." Firing your football coach to prove a point is never a fun day. But at least the basketball team was riding high. They skyrocketed from outside the Top 25 up to No. 17 after the UNC win and were pushing a 10-game win streak, so thing were looking pretty good for the remainder of the season. Now what's this about the Harvard game?

Oh. The Cambridge Snobs beat the BC Slobs last night, 82-70, marking the first time in school history that Harvard has beaten a ranked team and their first win over Boston College in 10 years. Point guard Jeremy Lin scored 27 points to lead the Crimson. (A nerdy Asian kid from Palo Alto who can ball. Nice job, Stanford.)

So much for all that. Maybe the Eagles gymnastics team could run over a puppy in their team van just to put a capper on this most excellent week.

Giant-killer Eagles upset by Jeremy Lin, Harvard [Boston Herald]
Men's Basketball Stuns No. 17 Boston College, 82-70 [The Crimson]
Asian Americans remain rare in men's college basketball [SF Chronicle]

It took exactly once ACC conference game for No. 1 North Carolina to be humbled, at home no less, by Boston College. So we won't have our first undefeated team in over 30 years. Unless it's Clemson! (Ha, ha! Can you imagine?)

Actually, losing a home game to an unranked team puts the Tar Heels in a bit of a hole, and with the omnipresent Duke-Bot looming, they'll have their work cut out for them just to win the conference. Oh, they'll still eat your children and kill your cattle on the way to the Final Four, it just won't have the pretty little bow on it anymore

And you officially can't choose Boston College as your "sleeper" in March.

Glad we don’t have to hear that undefeated crap again [Searching For Billy Edelin]
ATB: #1 Goes Down as BC Flies Like an Eagle Over UNC [Rush The Court]

Is his new nickname Mr. Glass? (Sorry, Brian. That does indeed stink.)

Acting! What's more fun than seeing Russert saying, "it's all about the Benjamins" while doing a fist bump? If you haven't seen Luke Russert's interview this morning with "Today," we recommend doing so immediately, but only when no one's around, lest your boss make fun of you for weeping. We still think the Luke Russert tattoo story is one of our favorite father-son stories we've heard.

We still will never forgive Russert for the Red Sox Nation thing, but we still, three days later, can't believe the guy died. Back to sports now.

BOSTON COLLEGE EAGLES

1. Our coach scared "the crap" out of Pitino. Forget the sophomoric jabs against coach Al Skinner. Sure Skinner and 1987 Kentucky Derby winner Alysheba have never been seen in the same place at the same time, and, all right, Skinner has an inexplicable mock turtleneck fetish, but so what? Skinner's a baller. A semi-regular at Rucker Park in Harlem in the '60s and '70s, Skinner recorded the first triple double in UMass history in 1973, two years after someone named Julius Erving left UMass for the ABA. Nicknamed 'Quicksilver,' Skinner was a madman on the court. In an interview last year, Rick Pitino, a UMass teammate, said Skinner "would always scare the crap out of me." Skinner played six seasons of pro ball, including a spot on the 1976 ABA champion New York Nets.

2. What do you do? I'm in construction. Recent seasons have been marred by pot arrests, a counterfeit scam and a player throwing himself out a second story window to flee an assailant who may not have actually existed, but players from BC's 1978-79 season scoff at these so-called scandals. While serving time in federal prison, Henry Hill (later played by Ray Liotta in Goodfellas) hatched a scheme to fix BC basketball games. Hill paid three basketball players about $10,000 each to shave points in games that season. In a Sports Illustrated article Hill claimed that he won between $75,000 to $100,000 in the scam, while his partners made more than $250,000.

3. Pretty Boy Troy. Jared Dudley, the loud-mouthed, cornrowed workhorse forward who was only recruited by three Division 1 schools, is on pace to become BC's sixth-leading scorer. However, he'll still fall about 600 points short of Troy Bell, the most prolific scorer in school history (2,632 points) and the impetus behind the program's recent turnaround. The season before Bell arrived on campus, BC won just six games, the worst record since the 1945-46 season. His sophomore year, Bell led BC to a shocking three-seed in the NCAA tournament. Drafted by the Celtics and traded to the Grizzlies, Bell played in just six NBA games before a recurrent knee injury ruined his career. Unwanted by even the developmental league, Bell now lives in Minnesota and is training as a boxer. He may end up a mere footnote in basketball history, but the dude was absolutely transcendent inside Conte Forum. — Brian Scheid

TEXAS TECH RED RAIDERS

1. Nic Cage Likes Them Out of the East. The "Masked Rider" mascot of Texas Tech began unofficially in 1936 as "The Ghost Rider," as unknown groups of students would circle the field on horses at home football games, then depart the stadium. At the 1954 Gator Bowl, The Masked Rider became the official mascot and the first horse-ridden mascot in major college sports. Tech's other mascot, Raider Red, so developed because of an old Southwestern Conference Law preventing live animal mascots at away games, is played by a student who cannot reveal his identity during the entire duration of his tenure as "Raider Red."

2. Awkward Dinner Conversation. Texas Tech's greatest basketball success came in 1993, when a Sheryl Swoopes-led team captured the NCAA championship. Of course, in October 2005, Swoopes came out publicly. You have to wonder what alumni fundraising dinners might be like in Lubbock with Knight and Swoopes in the same room, given that Knight has proven himself truly understanding of female issues over the years, including throwing vases at secretaries and once commenting, "I say, if you know rape is inevitable, just sit back and enjoy it."

3. Getting Shouts from the Jam Man. The Jam Man (!!), who can be found at http://www.thejamman.com/bio.html, has been involved in the "hip hop scence (sic) almost from the very beginning," and helped bring hip hop into the main stream, according to him. Funny, we had no idea. He shouts out the Texas Tech Men's team on his webpage, specifically Martin Zeno, Jarrius Jackson, Michael Prince and Darryl Dora, only one of whom has been hit in the face by Knight this season (to our knowledge). — Ted Bauer

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I promised you more Kirk Herbstreit vitriol, and here it is. During Thursday night's Virginia Tech/Boston College game, Herbie delights in verbally lighting up Virginia Tech linebacker Brenden Hill.

Hill's the guy on the field dancing to music being played by the Boston College band in celebration of BC's 20-3 lead at that point. I guess Kirk Herbstreit would prefer that he ran immediately to the locker room when Boston College took the lead, and hung himself from a light fixture.

Herbstreit really seems to be enjoying himself there. It feels like Herbstreit is just aching to use profanity. If this had taken place on HBO, he'd have probably called the guy a pussy.

Who doesn't rock out to Neil Diamond? [Eagle in Atlanta]

VILLANOVA

1. Dude, Call Collect. Villanova was embroiled, with plenty of other schools, in a silly phone card scandal that damaged a 15-10 start after 12 team members were suspended in 2002-03. 'Nova played with a seven-player team - mostly compiled of freshman - and nearly upset a top-ranked Pitt team anyway. But what s strange about that team s controversy was that it was the same one that Nova class of '96 had a problem with, when then-All-American Kerry Kittles was suspended for the final three games after racking up close to $3,000 in unauthorized phone calls from a stolen phone card code.

2. Celebrity Crap. Most people know Maria Bello from this year s A History Of Violence, but when she showed her backside in The Cooler it may have been recognized by many on the Main Line from her days as a 'Nova undergraduate. Another completely random Villanova graduate was singer/songwriter/giant mustache-wearer, Jim Croce, who supposedly wrote his hit song "Bad Bad Leroy Brown" in Villanova s fabled Grotto area on campus.

3. First Jobs Suck Basketball wasn t Jay Wright's first career choice. In 1984, Wright held a corporate marketing job for the USFL's Philadelphia Stars (coached by a pre-diddly-poo Jim Mora), the last Philadelphia football team to ever win a championship. — A.J. Daulerio

BOSTON COLLEGE

1. When Push Comes To Shove. Despite being new to the ACC, BC has some longish animosity towards Duke (and it has nothing to do with the seemingly vast majority of both student bodies hailing from New Jersey). Towards the end of a close fought game at Cameron in 2001, perfect angel Jason Williams decided to taunt Kenny Walls with some ball fakes to his head. Kenny responded by pushing Williams over the curb scorer s table. Of course Coach K, et al, ignored Williams' provocation and labeled BC thuggish. Fast forward to this year s ACC Tournament: Exuberant Duke frosh Greg Paulus celebrated a deflection (yes, a deflection) with a fist pump to Louis Hinnant s chest. Hinnant responded by pushing Paulus right back into the Duke bench. Based on the two incidents BC is considering changing its motto from "Ever to Excel" to "We don t take shit from Duke."

2. Bald Wins. In a show of unity, the entire team (except Jared Dudley) shaved their heads before their opening game against Pacific. Dudley provided a series of excuses as to why he avoided the Mr. Clean look, including the years he has put into getting his 'rows just right. He also argued that cutting his hair would've messed up his game. Dudley s 43 points in two games backed up his stand. Making up for Dudley s refusal, former BC quarterback Matt Hasselbeck has vowed to stay bald for life.

3. Washington s Footsteps. BC beat Pacific and Montana to advance to the Sweet 16. In 2005, Washington beat Pacific and Montana to advance to the Sweet 16. Washington s road to the Final Four ended shortly thereafter as the Huskies lost their next game to Louisville. BC will try to avoid this potential jinx with solid fundamentals and a sound game plan ... and if that doesn t work they may shave Jared Dudley s head at halftime of the Villanova game. — Bill Maloney

Villanova Wildcats: First Three Tiny Tidbits [Deadspin]
Boston College Eagles: First Three Tiny Tidbits [Deadspin]

Elsewhere, Boston College went on to thump the Montana Grizzlies, eventually winning by 13. Craig Smith finished with 22 and 15. You just don't see a lot of guys who look like Craig Smith walking around Montana.

And LSU and Texas A&M are probably going down to the wire. It's a 3-point game right now with about four minutes to play. I think you should find a television and watch it. And enjoy the late games, too. I'm back with you tomorrow.

And Boston College leads Montana at the half by two. BC's Craig Smith would be the sworn enemy of the guy in Grizzly Man, because he's just mauling the Grizzlies. Montana's playing well, don't get me wrong but BC's Craig Smith against their frontcourt is kinda like watching an actual grizzly bear fight Johnny Weir's poodle. Smith had 16 points and 10 rebounds at the half.

Looks like we might have three close games this afternoon. Which would be a nice change of pace.

BOSTON COLLEGE

1. All The News That Is Fit To Print. Think you're going out on a limb by picking BC as your dark horse? The New York Times already beat you to the punch. The Old Grey Lady picked BC to win it all back last fall. Good news since the Times' Midas Touch worked so well on past winners like John Kerry, Martha Burk and Jayson Blair.

2. Sowing Oats Leads To Oates Starting. Despite being arguably the least-talented big man in coach Al Skinner s rotation, John Oates started at center for all of BC's regular season games this year. Oates' best attribute was his ability to stay out of trouble this offseason ... something his counterparts Akida McLain and Sean Williams couldn't do. While all are individually limited, together they combine to form a serviceable center, averaging approximately nine points, eight rebounds, two blocks and 426 fouls a game.

3. Don't Hate BC Because Of The Sports Reporters. On a blog dedicated to exposing jerky columnists, BC must be viewed like one of those Al Qaeda training camps. The Jesuit school is the alma mater of Bob Ryan and Mike Lupica. If BC does well this March, both will surely jump on the bandwagon in time for their Sunday morning chat fest. Don t worry, though; by April they ll be ready to steer ESPN's focus back to 24/7 Yankees-Red Sox talk. — Bill Maloney

PACIFIC

1. They Have An Award-Winning Swede. Sweden's Christian Maraker is the latest international player who has contributed to the recent success of Pacific's basketball program. Maraker was selected as the Big West player of the year after averaging 17 points and nine rebounds this season. Maraker also was selected as a Mid-Major All-America. But that might pale in comparison to Maraker winning the "Astrid Lindgren Award," which is bestowed upon the Swede who best represents his country. Former winners include the rock band Europe and actor Peter Koch, who portrayed "The Swede" in the movie Heartbreak Ridge.

2. The Kandi Man? Not So Bright. The most famous former Pacific basketball player is another international player, Michael Olowakandi. The Celtics bench warmer wanted to play on a campus near the beach, so he opened a book and picked the University of Pacific because he figured it would be on the Pacific Ocean. The University of Pacific is in Stockton, Calif., some 100 miles away from the ocean. Stockton does have the furthest inland port in the world, but probably not what he was looking for. This was just one of many bad choices by Olowakandi which seemed to start a trend.

3. Actually, It's Kind Of A Baseball Town. The Pacific baseball team is coached by Ed Sprague. And his Tigers baseball team is also as bland and indiscriminant as his playing career. But there is a lot of baseball history in Stockton. The minor league baseball team, the Ports, briefly changed their name to the Mudville Nine (2000-01). But even that seemed too hokey, even for minor league baseball. — The Hater Nation

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2. Sowing Oats Leads To Oates Starting. Despite being arguably the least-talented big man in coach Al Skinner s rotation, John Oates started at center for all of BC's regular season games this year. Oates' best attribute was his ability to stay out of trouble this offseason ... something his counterparts Akida McLain and Sean Williams couldn't do. While all are individually limited, together they combine to form a serviceable center, averaging approximately nine points, eight rebounds, two blocks and 426 fouls a game.

3. Don't Hate BC Because Of The Sports Reporters. On a blog dedicated to exposing jerky columnists, BC must be viewed like one of those Al Qaeda training camps. The Jesuit school is the alma mater of Bob Ryan and Mike Lupica. If BC does well this March, both will surely jump on the bandwagon in time for their Sunday morning chat fest. Don t worry, though; by April they ll be ready to steer ESPN's focus back to 24/7 Yankees-Red Sox talk. — Bill Maloney