Bears maul Hawkeyes — Ms. Mary’s team wins and sends my far-sighted Hawks flying home for spring. The Baylor Bears of Waco, Texas prevailed Thursday night over the Ioway Hawkeyes of Iowa City, Iowa in the final of the NIT tourney in New York City. Growling and clawing, swiping and batting, those Bears blocked the shots of my normally accurate frontiersmen from Iowa, controlling the field of play. Another day will dawn, another court will beckon, but for now my hat is off to the Bears of Baylor. Sic ‘Em Bears!!!

Here come the Louisville Cardinals.

This afternoon at 5:07 PM CST US, the red-bird Cardinal men of Louisville fly and swoop, swish and zoom to shock and topple the Shockers of Wichita State University. Afterward, at 7:47 PM, the snarling and tenacious Michigan Wolverines pull and shake to topple the Orangemen of Syracuse who will be stepping and shaking to loosen those pesky wolverines and jump free to victory. Both games are too close to call, so run to your sets to watch and cheer. I will say that I saw a cardinal on the snow some seconds ago, and it is still cold in the north country of the Great Lakes. Do these sightings and feelings presage the outcomes for the Final Four? Only time will tell, as it does so well. Tomorrow the Championship Game contenders will be known.

For the women, the NCAA Tournament Final Four are: Louisville versus California on Sunday at 5:30 PM CST US, and Connecticut versus Notre Dame at 8:30 PM. For the Lady Cardinals of Lousiville, Kentucky against the Lady Golden Bears of Berkely, California, my observation is that yesterday the guest signing before us was from Lousiville. For the Lady Huskies of the University of Connecticut in their challenge to the Fighting Irish colleens of Nortre Dame and their pet leprechaun, all I can say is that in the Alaskan Iditarod Huskie Dog Sled Race, Aliy Zirkle came in second, just missing the chance to be the first woman to win the 1,000 mile race across the snow from Anchorage to Nome.  As I am quick to say, these are not prognostications but observations, not predictions but reflections. The real test is that of the participants, and the laurel is theirs to lift. Good luck to all, and to all a good game.

Whatever the outcomes, the fun is for the fans and the applause is for the players.

Keep waiting, watching, and wishing,

Grandpa Jim