The seasons are changing

We have come to that weekend in April I always dread, the end of the college basketball season and the beginning of major league baseball. Why don't I like baseball, after all, it's America's Pasttime. I've been thinking about it too, so let me explain. Yes, my Little League baseball career doesn't even come close to my Future Bolt basketball career. Yes, basketball came a lot easier to me and I had better basketball coaches growing up. But I think I figured out the main reason why I don't like baseball.

Passion, sense of urgency, raw emotion. These are things that are lacking in baseball in my opinion. If I'm playing or watching, the game doesn't become a "great" game unless you find yourself getting caught up in the emotion and the energy of the moment. I get caught up in basketball, football, playoff hockey, tennis, golf, even cycling, but rarely do I find myself getting caught up in a baseball game. I like seeing the struggle on the players' faces, the constant effort and intensity they give, and the heartbreak/enthusiasm they show after the game. You don't see that in baseball until the playoffs whereas in all of the other sports I listed, you can find it on a more regular basis. I love going to baseball games. You can sit out in the sun, chill with your friends and have a good time, but as far as action goes, baseball lacks. When ESPN did their Top 25 games of the past 25 years, how many were baseball games??? I don't think there were anymore than 3 (correct me if I'm wrong, Mets/Red Sox '86, Dodgers/A's '88, Yankees/Red Sox '03). How many football games? (Cal/Stanford '82, Browns/Broncos '87, Miami/Boston College '84, Bills/Giants '91, Rams/Titans '00, Pats/Panthers '04???)

I respect everyone's opinion on the matter; for me, baseball just lacks in so many areas.

In the Contender, the West won the challenge, giving Anthony Bonsante the chance to pick Brent Carroll, not Jimmy Lange, which didn't follow the plan both teams had hammered out. Anthony went with what's best for him, and he TKO'ed Brent in the 3rd round, the first fight not to go the distance. Although I agree with the decision Anthony made, when you agree to something with your teammates, you've gotta let them know right away you're going in another direction. It's fine to go your own way, but you've gotta be a team player and let them know what you're planning on doing.

Well, there's one more game left to play, let's preview it:

• Illinois has won 37 games, tying the record set by Duke in 1986 and 1999 and UNLV in 1987. Ironically enough, none of those three teams won a national championship (Duke lost in the finals in both years, to Louisville and UConn respectively while UNLV lost to eventual champ Indiana in the Final 4) North Carolina may be the most talented team since that 1999 Duke team with at least 5 potential NBA players, 4 of them being potential lottery picks. This is the first final featuring 2 #1 seeds since Duke/UConn in 1999 and the first time #1 in the polls has played #2 since 1975 when #1 UCLA beat #2 Kentucky in John Wooden's last game. In its storied basketball history, North Carolina has only won 3 National Championships ('57, '82, '93). Illinois, playing its 100th year of college basketball, is in the National Championship for the 1st time in their history.
• Now that you have your history lesson, let's talk more about the game itself.
  
• When Illinois has the ball: If you want to stop Illinois offensively, you must make them become a 1-on-1 team. They want to pass the ball and get people involved. Louisville made it easy on them by playing zone, allowing them to penetrate gaps and kick to open shooters. North Carolina must stop dribble penetration and force Illinois to shoot step-back 3s. The Illini guards, when the possession starts and they get their first touch look to dribble 1st, pass 2nd, shoot 3rd. UNC must make them shoot 1st. If they can stop dribble penetration, UNC effectively takes Roger Powell and James Augustine out of the game. If you're Illinois, you can't settle for 3s like you did in the 1st half last night. Bruce Weber did a great job at halftime of telling his guys to force their way inside the Louisville zone to get better shots. Illinois got layups and mid-range jumpers early in the 2nd half, setting up the 3-point blitz later in the half that put the game away. It is imperative that Powell not get into foul trouble if you're Illinois.
• When Carolina has the ball: I think the biggest tell-tale sign of who will win this game is Raymond Felton's stat line afterward. If he has less than a 2:1 assist/turnover ratio, UNC loses, without a doubt. In big games, as he did in the 1st half, Felton has a tendency to play too fast, which leads to careless turnovers. When he's had to play against physical guards who are just as good as he is (Chris Paul, Daniel Ewing, Jarret Jack), UNC is 2-3. All 3 of Illinois's guards will be able to match up with his quickness, although Dee Brown and Luther Head will guard him more. Felton must take care of the ball, because if he doesn't, the Carolina offense will not get into the kind of flow they had going in the 2nd half last night. Look for Deron Williams to guard Rashard McCants, which should be another great matchup. Williams has shut down Salim Stoudamire and Francisco Garcia, so McCants better bring his A game. The potential lack of production from McCants means Felton, Sean May, and the Williamses must step up their offensive production. The Tar Heels can dominate inside if they want to, but just because they're bigger and stronger than Illinois inside won't automatically hand UNC the inside advantage. The interior of UNC must play like they did in the 2nd half against Michigan St, especially Jawad Williams. If he can knock down some 3s in the secondary break, that will be huge for UNC.
• Final Analysis: What wins national championships? Guard play. Yes, you need someone who can finish and rebound inside, but that finisher doesn't get the ball unless you have guards that can get you the ball. Who has had the best guard play in the nation all year? Illinois. I said it in January after Wake beat UNC, I said it in February after Duke beat UNC, and I'll say it again now, the Illinois guards will control the game and force Raymond Felton to play out-of-control. Illinois will run with UNC, but be smart about it, unlike Michigan St. They won't turn the ball over carelessly, which Carolina has a tendency to do. As good as Carolina is talent-wise, Illinois has won 37 games, and the one they lost was by 1 on an NBA 3 in the final seconds to a team that literally had nothing to lose. Roy Williams is going to have to wait at least one more year. Luther Head will be named Most Outstanding player.
• Illinois 74 N. Carolina 70

It's so sad that basketball is ending and baseball is beginning. At least it's Masters week......