West Virginia see Huggs as one of their own.

The following article is by Andy Katz of ESPN.com.

SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- No one could have foreseen the love affair between Bob Huggins and Mountaineers fans being to this degree.

Huggins' transformation from a controversial figure at Cincinnati to the beloved West Virginian has been one of the most impressive turnarounds in college basketball.

Long gone are any of the problems he had at Cincinnati, including an embarrassing public video of a DUI arrest, a battle with then-president Nancy Zimpher and a hostile firing.

West Virginia fans have embraced coach Bob Huggins and his team.

The celebration of Huggins and West Virginia was hard to project. Even when Huggins was close to signing with the Mountaineers in 2002 (but couldn't leave the Bearcats at the time), there was no indication that he would be celebrated as much as he has been in the past three seasons.

North Carolina hired back alumnus Roy Williams, and he led the Tar Heels to national titles in 2005 and 2009.

Syracuse never really had to say goodbye to alumnus Jim Boeheim.

But there is a thread running quite deep with Huggins and the people of West Virginia, and it seems unrivaled by any other coach currently working at his alma mater. The Mountaineers fans milling about in Syracuse couldn't say enough about how much Huggins is theirs, a regular guy, a person whom they can relate to regardless of the situation.

Huggins' nonconformist attitude -- with his black windbreaker, the passion he exudes for the state, his tears when John Denver's "Take Me Home, Country Roads" was piped into Madison Square Garden upon winning the Big East tournament and then the Carrier Dome after winning the East Regional -- doesn't get lost among the faithful.

There have been other West Virginia natives or coaches who have strong ties to the state. They include John Beilein, Gale Catlett and Fred Schaus. But Huggs is so much more a regular guy, someone who doesn't hesitate to hoist a beer and chat up just about anyone. He has had his issues, from the DUI to a heart attack to being fired. He's experienced just about everything a traditional working man has dealt with in the highs and lows of a job. He may be paid more than most, but he has experienced similar workplace issues -- from making mistakes, stress from a boss, getting fired and hired again.

"He means a lot to a lot of people,'' said West Virginia sports information director Bryan Messerly, a native of the state as well. "It means a lot the way he talks about the coal miners like he has done. The day we had his press conference on the floor of the coliseum, there were thousands of people on a Good Friday during spring break [in 2007] to see him introduced.

"What he has said about growing up in the state of West Virginia and what it means to him is dead-on,'' Messerly said. "We don't have professional teams, and the state has embraced him and this team. It has been a tremendous feeling.''

Ed Pastilong is the athletic director who tried to hire Huggins in 2002 and then finally did so in 2007. He was also at West Virginia in 1975 when Huggins played.

Huggins wants to let his players, and fans, bask in all of the Final Four glory this weekend.

As the final 13 seconds ticked away during West Virginia's win over Kentucky on Saturday night, Pastilong thought back to his conversation with Huggins in 2007. "I never thought this would work out,'' Pastilong said. "I always thought he would stay at his previous institution [Cincinnati] for a long time. And then all of a sudden the stars lined up and the opening occurred, and I asked him if he wanted to come home.''

Huggins had just been given a second chance at Kansas State. One year wasn't enough for the Wildcats, but this was West Virginia. This was his last shot to coach the Mountaineers.

"I knew if we could bring him back that he would have so much pride, not just for the university but for the 1.8 million in West Virginia,'' Pastilong said. "Kentucky loves its team, but West Virginians love their team. They're in love with this basketball team. Bobby is a man of his word and an honorable person. I knew Bobby didn't want to be at Kansas State for just one year, but he knew that this was his last chance to come back to West Virginia.''

Pastilong said as soon as Huggins arrived in 2007, he knew a Final Four was possible. "He has a magic when he talks to basketball players,'' Pastilong said. "They respond to him. He works them hard, but they walk off that court and they love him.''

You can hear that in Joe Mazzulla's voice. He has been with Huggs for three years and calls him "Huggs," not "Coach." He is a classic Huggins player -- a hard-working overachiever with a skill set that needed to be developed.

Assistant Larry Harrison was with Huggins when the Bearcats went to the Final Four in 1992. When Huggins got the West Virginia job, he called Harrison and asked him if he thought they could win a national championship in Morgantown.

"I said you can do it,'' Harrison said. "West Virginia has always had a good influx of New York guys. We're in the Big East and [with] you as a coach, we can recruit players from anywhere. He said, 'Do you want to do it again?' I said, 'Let's go.'''

Huggins, who might be the lowest talker in the business and rarely changes his expression aside from when he barks at officials, hasn't mellowed much since his heart attack or from his time at Cincinnati in the '90s. "It's the same intensity and drive,'' Harrison said. "But let's say in a 40-minute game or a three-hour practice he's probably in the face of the players for 30 minutes instead of 38 and the same [percentage] is true in practice. I think a lot of things bounce off him now that maybe didn't before.''

He' the type of guy that made some mistakes in his life, but he doesn't look back on it. … He's a regular guy. He's comfortable in this environment and this situation.

Huggins' college friends used to come up and hang out with him after Bearcats games. Now they're hanging around more often.

"He' the type of guy that made some mistakes in his life, but he doesn't look back on it,'' Harrison said. "He's around people who accept him for who he is, not just as a basketball coach, but as a person. He does a lot of charity work in the community. He goes out with his buddies. He's a regular guy. He's comfortable in this environment and this situation.''

Huggins deferred all enjoyment after the East Regional victory to his players and to the people of West Virginia. "I've been through this and I don't need all of this, I don't, I don't,'' Huggins said of all the attention. "I'd be very happy without it.''

There is internal pressure that he put on himself to win, but nothing has been hounding him from the exterior since he arrived at West Virginia. "I have no outside pressure whatsoever,'' Huggins said.

That's exactly why he's allowed to be comfortable in his clothing. Huggins said he once sweat through his suit so badly that he put on a windbreaker at Cincinnati. Then-AD Bob Goin was OK with the look, but new president Zimpher didn't appreciate it. "Whoever started saying coaches had to wear suits?'' Huggins said.

Huggins scoffs at the notion that the team and he are on a redemption tour, saying that is something the media have created. Huggins said injuries along the way prevented the Bearcats from getting back to the Final Four from 1992 to 2005.

So getting back for the first time in 18 years hasn't moved him much. Sitting in the locker room at Syracuse, I asked the glum-looking coach how excited he was. His response was "Can't you tell?'' "I'm happy for them,'' Huggins said of his players.

If the Mountaineers win the title, Huggins plans on taking the trophy around the state in a bus. He might try a pickup truck with no rearview mirror since he loves that story of being in a truck without one when he was a boy. The moral? Never look back.

"We'll pick some spots and we'll just drive around in the bus and take it to different places,'' Huggins said. "Understand they piped the games into the mines, piped into the work places. Everybody didn't want to go to work. They wanted to watch the game. That's how important it is to the state. It would be neat to go to them and reach out to them and let them touch the trophy.''

If his team does win the championship, don't doubt Huggins would do this. He is a man of the people now, a Mountaineer-bred man who loves representing them as their coach in every way possible.

Andy Katz is a senior writer at ESPN.com.

The Final 4: Almost heaven, but not quite yet.

Well, it's here. The Final Four. The Holy Grail of college basketball. We have a #1 Seed, a #2 Seed, and a couple of #5 seeds that crashed the party. Me? I can't wait. I'm (hopefully) heading out on Friday, and if all goes well I'll witness two good friends get exactly what they deserve - a National Championship. But my allegiances are well known and I won't bore you to tears with all that. Instead, some random thoughts about this weekend:

• Did the NCAA Selection Committee grease the rails for a Duke trip to the Final 4 or not? They were given maybe the weakest #2 seed ever (Villanova, losers of 5 of 7 going in), an upstart #3 in Baylor and a #4 seed without it's best player in Purdue. By far the easiest road to Indy. They've won every game by a large margin, but that ain't the Arkansas- Pine Bluff Golden Lions waiting for you this Saturday, boys.
• Sticking with Duke and their "advantages", I was in Minneapolis in 2001 when Maryland was up 17 at the half only to see the Dookies come storming back due to some very questionable officiating. Arizona and Michigan State were also there, and everybody except Duke fans were burying the zebras.
• How the hell does Tom Izzo get the Final 4 as often as he does? Do you realize that every player he's recruited has been to a Final 4? How's that for a recruiting tool? Six in 12 years? Mercy. Plus, he got there without Kalin Lucas. Of course, he only had to outwit nitwit Bruce Pearl in the Regional Finals, which is no big challenge . . . unless you're Thad Matta.
• Speaking of Matta, just a few things. First of all, save me the garbage about Evan Turner being fouled on that last shot. He wasn't touched. I'm sorry to say it, but it was all ball. Did I wish it would've gone in? Hell yes. But he wasn't touched. In addition, for the life of me I can't figure out why Matta never subbed this year. He can say that "my guys are conditioned to roll" but the fact is they were gassed at the end of that game. It seems so simple to me. Send a guy in for a minute 2-3 times during each half. How could that hurt you? It gets everybody involved and helps team chemistry. Thad was forced to insert Jeremie Simmons into the lineup last Friday, and what does he do? Hits 3 of 4 treys. Second half he doesn't see the floor as Jon Diebler was going 1 for whatever for the game. Sigh. And the Buck's inside game? Don't get me started.
• Butler is a pretty good story, no? A mid-major making the Final 4 only 7-miles from their hometown, blah-blah-blah. And Lucas Oil Arena is a great name huh? Sounds like someplace a minor league hockey team would play. Anyway, something tells me they're going to have their hands full with The Izzos this weekend.
• And finally . . . West Virginia. I know, I promised I wouldn't bore you with my Mountaineer loyalties. But now that I have you reeled in, I must be homest. I lied. Nobody, but nobody, deserves a National Championship more than Bob Huggins and Billy Hahn. Billy has been through more adversity in the last 6-years than anybody I know. From the whole Lasalle fiasco to his wife Kathi's health problems, he's perservered and fought through it all with his head held high. I'm sure basketball doesn't seem as important as it once did to him, but you'd never know it by his work ethic. Billy Hahn is as good a person as I've ever known. I can't put it any clearer. And Huggs? He was screwed at Cincinnati, pure and simple. Nobody cares about his players more than Huggs, and it's taken him just 3-years to get his alma mater, the school, the state and the town he loves to the pinnacle of college basketball. Unbelievable job by he and his staff at West Virginia.

Well, I guess you know who I'll be cheering for on Saturday. It sure as hell won't be Coach K's Dookies. Hey, Izzo's had his titles, Butler's Brad Stevens (what is he, 33?) will surely get other chances when he bolts for a bigger school, which he surely will. That leaves Bob Huggins and Billy Hahn, two guys who, as much or more than anybody, deserve this.

Man, I can't tell you how badly I want it to happen.

Almost Heaven . . .

SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- Country road, take me home.

Or better yet, Indianapolis.

It's almost heaven, West Virginia. Da'Sean Butler and the Mountaineers are off to the Final Four for the first time since 1959.

Injury replacement Joe Mazzulla scored a career-high 17 points in his first start this season and West Virginia handled a cold-shooting Kentucky team stocked with future NBA players almost from the opening tip for a 73-66 victory in the East Regional final Saturday night.

Mountaineers coach Bob Huggins, back with his alma mater, is in the Final Four for the first time since taking Cincinnati in 1992. It's an even longer stretch for West Virginia -- Jerry West was the star of the team 51 years ago, and not yet a Hall of Famer or NBA logo.

For freshman sensation John Wall and the young Wildcats, a scintillating season ended with a clang.

They were awful from 3-point range, missing their first 20 attempts and finishing a stunning 4 of 32 (12.5 percent). DeAndre Liggins finally hit a 3 with 3:29 left to end the drought, but by then it was too late.

West Virginia went the other way, making eight 3s in the first half without a 2-point basket.

Kentucky coach John Calipari led his talented team to the regional final in his first season, restoring the Wildcats among basketball's elite after several underachieving seasons.

But they showed their inexperience in this one, misfiring all night after using a swarming defense to beat tournament darling Cornell in the round of 16.

Calipari was left staring at the Carrier Dome roof, wondering what he could do. Now, his focus shifts to which Wildcats are coming back.

Wall, who scored 19 points, might be the No. 1 overall pick in the NBA draft if he decides he's one-and-done at UK. DeMarcus Cousins, another fab freshman, and Patrick Patterson also could bolt the Bluegrass for the NBA. Cousins scored 15 points.

DB41's First Round Mock

1. St. Louis (1-15) - Sam Bradford, QB, Oklahoma- Despite the fact that Suh is the best overall player in the NFL Draft, the St. Louis Rams are in a position offensively where they are a franchise quarterback away from becoming solid at the very least. With Steven Jackson running the ball, young receivers with potential, and bookend tackles to look forward to, the Rams simply cannot pass up on Bradford who is extremely accurate and smart.

2. Detroit (2-14) - Ndamukong Suh, DT, Nebraska- This is a no-brainer for Detroit. Suh is the best overall player in the draft, and while they may not want to pay top dollar for yet another top 5 pick, he’s just a can’t miss prospect. They need a lot of help on the defensive line and Suh is their guy.

3. Tampa Bay (3-13) - Gerald McCoy, DT, Oklahoma- Like the Lions, this is another no-brainer considering McCoy is just about on the same level as Suh. With the Buccaneers finishing 2009 being 5th worst in the NFL in sacks, and worst against the run, they need a big time presence in the trenches.

4. Washington (4-12) - Russell Okung, OT, Oklahoma State- The Redskins were tied for 4th most in the league in sacks given up to young quarterback Jason Campbell. On top of that former Pro-Bowl left tackle Chris Samuels is being forced into retirement due to a neck injury. The athletic, and quick footed Okung is the right fit in the nation’s capitol.

5. Kansas City (4-12) - Bryan Bulaga, OT, Iowa- Kansas City’s biggest problem offensively was the fact that they just couldn’t keep their 60 million dollar man on his feet. Scott Pioli’s ties to Kirk Ferentz and the dominance of Bulaga make him a prized possession and the franchise left tackle of the Kansas City Chiefs.

6. Seattle (5-11) - C.J. Spiller, RB, Clemson- Despite the emergence of 3rd year pro Justin Forsett, Seattle still averaged a measly 97.9 yards per game on the ground. With new Executive VP/Head Coach Pete Carroll at the helm, one should know how you can never have too many good tailbacks. Spiller is a quick runner who’s also very effective between the tackles and out of the backfield. While Forsett may be in the same mold to an extent, the NFL is becoming a league in which you almost need to have 2 good backs to succeed, and being an offensive guy, Pete Carroll pulls the trigger on Spiller.

7. Cleveland (5-11) - Eric Berry, S, Tennesse- Cleveland needs help all over the place, but the fact that they had a wide receiver playing safety for most of the season goes to show just how desperate they are in need of a true safety, especially a play maker and game changer like Berry. Berry is thought to be in the mold of Ed Reed, and certainly didn’t disappoint anybody with his combine performance. Berry could go sooner, but safeties aren’t usually coveted in the top 5, and sometimes not even the top 10, but he’s the real deal.

8. Oakland (5-11) - Bruce Campbell, OT, Maryland- This really is an obvious pick considering Raider quarterbacks were sacked 3rd most in the league with 49. Campbell is a physical freak, who displayed his athleticism in the combine. As long as Al Davis is running the show, you can always bank on him reaching on a physical specimen like Campbell. With the failure of Robert Gallery who was a former top pick, the Raiders are in dire need for a true stud at left tackle.

9. Buffalo (6-10) - Jimmy Clausen, QB, Notre Dame- Buffalo’s quarterback problems just never seem to go away. They’ve plugged in numerous starters over the years, and none of them seem to pan out. While they could use a lot of help on the offensive line, they just can’t pass up on a potential franchise quarterback in Jimmy Clausen who did a fantastic job in combine interviews and really pushed the “maturity” issues aside. Clausen comes from a pro-style offense in Notre Dame in which he put up big numbers without a lot of help.

10. Jacksonville (7-9) – Dez Bryant, WR, Oklahoma State- The Jaguars really need a receiver that can make plays like Bryant can. Despite not playing much in 2009, Bryant’s physical skills are ideal for a true #1 wide receiver in the NFL. Any quarterback would love to have a strong, physical receiver like Bryant who can also make plays after the catch. Jacksonville gets their future stud wide receiver here.

An Admitted Biased Ranking of the Sweet 16

Let's do this. Keep in mind I'm hopelessly biased and pathetically sentimental.

1. Kentucky. The Wildcats haven't been tested yet, and a lot of people are wondering what will happen when they are. Will we find out this weekend? We just might. Couldn't you just picture John Wall and DeMarcus Cousins turning on each other when things got hot? Yelling at Coach Cal and disintegrating before our very eyes? I can. Still, the most talent left in The Dance.

2. Syracuse. Man, these cats are playing great and are still, somehow, under the radar. Quick -  name their best player. That's what I thought. It's Wes Johnson, the most underappreciated player in the tournament. For some reason that 2-3 zone just perplexes the bejesus out of people, almost as much as wondering how Boeheim landed a wife that hot. It's just a mystery. Oh wait, I remember. He's rich.

3. Duke. God, I hate Duke. They got a gift from the committee with their draw. That said, their Big 3 of Singler, Smith and Scheyer are going to be hard to handle this weekend. I know, people say their inside game is lacking, but I think their serviceable enough to carry them through. But God, I hate Duke. Then again, 13-years of working summer camps in College Park will permanently alter your view of the Dookies, and not in a good way.

4. West Virginia. Lord knows I'm biased here, 'cause I love Billy and Huggs. The only thing that worries me is their perimeter shooting (the team, not the coaches. Billy can still shoot lights out with that one-hander). They're the best defensive and offensive rebounding team left though, and that could carry them. I would LOVE a Kentucky-West Virginia regional final. Butler vs. Wall and Cousins & Co. vs. WV's bigs would be epic. Plus, I'll take the Mountaineers coaches and bench over UK's any day. Again, biased.

5. Ohio State. I might be underrating the Buckeyes, but Evan Turner just hasn't looked right to me lately. Sure, the stats are good, but he's turning the ball over a lot. Hope that, and the lack of Buckeye depth, doesn't catch up to them. Bonus: Diebler has been money from beyond the arc thus far. But man, if only our boy Dallas "The Fort" Lauderdale had a post up game. If he did they'd be the favorite. I still got 'em in the Final 4 however.

6. Kansas State. They play great defense, but can that carry them? They can be really shaky on the O end, but they may be just scared enough of Frank Martin to keep advancing.

7. Baylor. The Bears are big, athletic, and well coached. Quite possibly the most underrated NCAA team from start to finish. If Duke meets these fellows it could be curtains for Coach K and his band of dipshits. Have I mentioned I hate Duke?

8. Xavier. Jordan Crawford takes some bad shots, but he seems to hit them when it counts. They may be overmatched in the post soon, though. Sidenote: Please, coach, let Dante shoot the ball more!

9. Butler. Butler is in Indianapolis. The Final Four is in Indianapolis.  What a great story that would be, no? These guys are playing with a ton of confidence and think they can beat anybody right now. Lots of experience too. I like Butler a lot.

10. Cornell. Seriously, Kentucky had better be ready to play. This senior-laden team can flat out play. They all live together in one house on campus, and none of them are on a scholarship. It'll be Good vs. Evil when they play the Wildcats, and I can't wait. Maybe the aforementioned Wildcat Meltdown happens in their next game. Hey, a guy can dream, right?

11. Tennessee. I gotta tell ya, I'm completely torn where these guys are concerned. One minute I think they have no chance and the next I can see them making the Final 4. I just don't think they can outscore the Buckeyes. In addition, Bruce Pearl is a dick.

12. Saint Mary's. Omar Samhan, my friends, is a load. He is a true center with great, fundamental post moves, and if you double him he'll destroy you with his passing. If Dallas Lauderdale had his post moves he'd be Moses Malone, except with, you know, a post 4th grade education.

13. Northern Iowa. Question - why haven't Rush Limbaugh and Glen Beck been complaining about Ali Farokhmanesh's name? Seriously, I think the (what the hell are they, the Panthers?) have a really good shot at the Izzos.

14. Washington. Way better than anticipated, and they're representing the much maligned Pac-10 so they're on a mission. They're scary, but I think the Mountaineers handle them with their suffocating defense.

15. Purdue. Nobody gave these guys a chance after they lost Hummel. They're playing with a chip on their shoulder, play good defense, but can't match up with the Dookies. The road ends here.

16. Michigan State. Just too decimated to go much farther. They might, just might, sneak past Northern Iowa, but the Buckeyes or Vols await. Ruh-roh.

My Final 4? I've got Ohio State, West Virginia, Syracuse, and . . . Duke. Damn, I almost said Baylor. Please God, let it be Baylor.

Billy Hahn, Matt Hahn at the center of a very happy family reunion in NCAA tournament

The following article was written by Zach Berman for the Washington Post.

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- Only four people understand what the past five years have been like for the Hahn family, and they will all be here on Friday. That, within itself, is an achievement.

"Five years ago, after everything that happened, I never would have fathomed this," said West Virginia assistant coach Billy Hahn, a former Maryland assistant. "I never would have bet any money that this would happen."

Hahn was once a basketball pariah following a controversial exit after coaching La Salle from 2001 to 2004. His wife, Kathi, is healthy enough to travel after overcoming ovarian cancer in June 2008 and recovering from a bone marrow transplant following a leukemia diagnosis two months later.

Their son, Vermont assistant coach Matt Hahn, is blossoming on his own after spending his basketball career with his father -- first as a player at Maryland, and then as an assistant at La Salle. And their daughter, Ashley, is a teacher at Galway Elementary School in Silver Spring; she held the family together while Kathi underwent treatment and Billy and Matt coached. Ashley planned to take the first flight to Buffalo out of Baltimore on Friday morning.

Both West Virginia and Vermont reached the NCAA tournament. They could have gone to any of eight destinations, but they were both sent to Buffalo. They could have been timed to play back-to-back, which would have been taxing for Kathi, who becomes fatigued. Instead, the second-seeded Mountaineers play No. 15 Morgan State at 12:15 p.m. on Friday, while the 16th-seeded Catamounts face No. 1 seed Syracuse at 9:40 p.m.

Kathi and Ashley can both go to the same site, wear blue and gold at noon and green and gold in the evening. The Hahns can come together in the same place, united by basketball and family and second chances.

"It could not have worked out better for us to get them both in the same spot," Kathi said. "It's just a miracle."

Kathi would know.

Both Billy and Kathi are on their second lease in life on entirely different levels. Billy was in the process of rebuilding the program at La Salle when three of his players were accused of sexual assault. Although two were acquitted and charges were dropped against the third, Hahn was forced to resign and the stigma kept schools from hiring him.

He finally received an opportunity at West Virginia in 2007. One year into Billy's tenure at West Virginia, Kathi learned she had ovarian cancer. When she overcame that, the family celebrated, but the high was short-lived. She learned she had leukemia in August 2008. On Feb. 6, 2009, she received a bone marrow transplant and has been recovering since.

Billy and Matt kept coaching. Ashley took a leave from her job and moved to Morgantown, W. Va., to care for Kathi, only getting back to Maryland once a month to see her fiance.

The hardest part for her was "knowing that I was the daughter taking care of my mom. I'm so used to her taking care of me."

Billy called her "the rock" of the family.

"It's really just too hard to explain to anybody what [Kathi's] been through, and unless you're there day in and day out basis, no one could really explain . . . what [Ashley] did and what [Ashley] went through and what [Ashley] sacrificed," Billy said.

"If we weren't a close family, it could have really destroyed us," Kathi said. "But we've always been very close."

That is especially the case with Billy and Matt, who consider each other best friends. Kathi said they're the same person. They talk every day, and have an esoteric empathy rare between a father and son. A lost recruit, a zone to attack, another road trip -- it is all part of the same language.

"I had so many people through the years come up to me and say: 'How do you have that relationship with your son? How do you do that?' " Billy said.

Growing up, Matt was always Billy's kid. He remembers being teased in school when Georgetown thrived and Maryland was beginning to rebuild under Coach Gary Williams, and he experienced the excitement of watching the Terrapins when they returned to national prominence. But Matt embraced this label, calling it a "badge of honor."

He played at Maryland from 1996 to 2000 while his father was an assistant coach, and joined his father's staff when Billy coached La Salle. He said he can never shake the label as Billy's son, but after five years at Vermont, he's at least carving his own niche -- even though among the veteran grinders on the recruiting trail, he's still "Matty Hahn."

"I'm beginning to establish my own identity, and I think I had to get out from under his wings to do it," Matt said. "But I've been able to do it from the lessons I learned from being his son, working for him, playing for him. I'm starting to take what he taught me and I observed and apply it to my job here."

Matt said he works even harder after witnessing when his mother endured. Whenever Billy complains, he stops himself and thinks about Kathi's fight.

When Kathi spoke about the past five years, she emphasized that the family has made it out on the other side. Billy fought tears, crediting the "basketball gods" for looking over the family and making a weekend in Buffalo that existed only in their dreams a reality.

"I've always had faith in the family and in the principles and everything we're all about," Matt said. "But I can tell you now that it's here, it's a dream come true."

Current Cleveland Browns Off-Season Summary

The 2010 Cleveland Browns off-season has taken a huge turn in the last few weeks. The Browns got started immediately by giving up the rights to wide receiver Donte Stallworth. Stallworth missed the 2009 season after being suspended by Commissioner Goodell for a drunk driving incident in which a pedestrian was killed. Shortly after Stallworth was released, Holmgren sent defensive end Corey Williams to the Lions for a 5th round pick in 2010. Williams will go back to his undertackle position in which he succeeded in Green Bay in a short time as a situational pass rusher.

A few days later the Browns made a surprising release of veteran Hank Fraley, who served as a viable option playing center and some guard since 2006. Following the Fraley release, we witnessed the inevitable departure of Derek Anderson, who was due a roster bonus of 2 million dollars on March 19th, to go with a 7.45 million dollar salary in 2010 had he stayed. To make up for the loss of Derek Anderson, we traded a conditional 2011 NFL Draft pick for quarterback Seneca Wallace who is a 7 year year veteran out of Iowa State who's spent his career in Seattle, most of it under Holmgren. The following move was the releasing of tight end Steve Heiden, who's had a quietly productive career with Cleveland since 2002.

Throw in the signings of Scott Fujita, who's brought in more for his experience and leadership abilities, as well as mauling right tackle Tony Pashos, and you've got a pretty boring off-season involving mostly average players. With the exception of Fraley getting released, there were no true surprises. Seneca Wallace was a small surprise, but being a Holmgren guy who's filled in nicely for Hasselbeck when injured, it wasn't a huge deal. However, it's a question whether or not Holmgren thinks that Wallace can be a 16 game quality starter. The most exciting signing has been tight end Ben Watson, who can catch the ball well (despite a mediocre 2009 season), and has enough speed to do damage in the middle of the field. Watson is like a poor man's Kellen Winslow.

Here's where things started to get interesting. Jake Delhomme was brought in to Cleveland last Wednesday to work out and show the management that he could still throw the ball well, and has gas in the tank. Coming off of an 11 start, 18 interception performance in Carolina, which he was recently released, teams were a bit skeptical on the 35 year old veteran who's best year came in 2004. Delhomme passed the workout, but left Cleveland without a deal in place, stating that he would be visiting the New Orleans Saints to try out for a backup role behind Super Bowl winner Drew Brees. Delhomme also left New Orleans without a contract, in which Holmgren jumped on and signed him to a deal for a base salary of 900,000 with 7 million dollars available in incentives, providing he starts and hits the escalators.

NCAA Caves to Pressure, Goes Easy on Duke

Here's Jason Whitlock's take on the NCAA Selection Committee and the pairings they announced on Sunday. Great stuff.

The experts on CBS and ESPN were not at liberty Sunday night to explain to you why the NCAA Tournament selection committee treated Duke like the No. 1 overall seed rather than Kansas, the nation’s best basketball team.

The explanation is simple: Duke is television ratings gold, and the NCAA is in the process of negotiating a new TV contract for its prized tournament.

CBS, the current rights holder, and ESPN, America’s 24-hour national sports network — along with several other networks — are currently participating in the contract negotiations. It’s a high-stakes affair. CBS paid $6 billion to exclusively broadcast the event for the last 11 years.

In an effort to hoodwink a TV network into again overpaying for the Big Dance, the NCAA is considering expanding the tourney to 96 teams.

So it’s only logical that the selection committee provided the Blue Devils — tournament-chokers for most of the last decade — a relative cakewalk to the Final Four. Duke, the alleged third No. 1 seed, is in the bracket with the weakest No. 2 (Villanova) and No. 3 (Baylor) and No. 4 (Purdue).

Meanwhile, the Jayhawks draw No. 2 seed Ohio State, the team many believe deserved a No. 1, and No. 3 Georgetown and No. 4 Maryland. Every expert I heard Sunday stated the obvious: Kansas is in the toughest bracket in the tournament, and Duke is in the easiest.

Why?

“Duke and (North) Carolina bring big built-in audiences to TV sets,” CBS programmer Mike Aresco told a USA Today reporter last year in explaining CBS’s 2009 tournament ratings bump.

The NCAA needs another bump.

Over the last 15 years, the NBA has stripped the college game of name-brand, ratings-generating players to showcase. Kevin Garnett, Kobe Bryant and LeBron James skipped college ball altogether.

Kevin Durant, Greg Oden, Derrick Rose, Michael Beasley and Stephen Curry — to name just a few — could all conceivably still be looking for one last shining moment in front of Jim Nantz and Clark Kellogg. Instead, they’re NBA millionaires, leaving the NCAA to promote legendary coaches and tradition-rich programs.

No coach and no team move the needle better than Mike Krzyzewski and the Duke Blue Devils.

They’re the Tiger Woods of hoops, a squeaky-clean fantasy that sports fans love and love to hate.

Short of Magic Johnson and Larry Bird, Coach K and his All-American Boys have been the NCAA’s best box-office draw. Duke’s 1992 victory over Michigan is the second-most-watched championship game after Magic-Bird. Duke’s loss to Arkansas in 1994 is fourth.

I know. Around here, we’re quite proud of Kansas’ rich tradition. The Jayhawks produced Dr. Naismith, Wilt Chamberlain and Danny Manning. Kansas owns three NCAA titles. And just about everyone agrees Bill Self is as good a coach as there is.

Kansas fails the squeaky-clean charade.

Larry Brown hired Danny Manning’s dad and left the program on probation. We still don’t know for sure how Darrell Arthur passed 10th-grade algebra. And then there’s that whole thing about Kansas being the favorite team of porn stars.

On a more serious note, Duke (and North Carolina to a lesser degree) score higher on the old “eyeball” test. Fewer tattoos and more white guys.

I just made many of you uncomfortable. Sorry. But it’s a fact.

It’s no different from Tiger Woods’ brown skin in a traditionally white-skin sport sending golf ratings (and sponsorship dollars) skyrocketing. Coach K and his band of Boys Next Door are the Great White Hopes of Hoops. Three of Duke’s five starters are white. Their top two scorers are white.

I’m not complaining. I’m not anti-Duke at all. I would love to have a son play for Coach K. It would mean that my son excelled athletically and academically. Plus, I respect Coach K.

But let’s deal with the reality of why Duke was given a favorable draw. The NCAA is desperate for television ratings. The $6 billion CBS paid over 11 years financed a lot of things the NCAA likes to do — stuff like propping up nonrevenue sports.

Honestly, it wouldn’t surprise me if the NCAA mandated that Christian Laettner, Grant Hill and Shane Battier referee all of the Blue Devils’ tournament games.

This is the price of television being in total control of the sports world. At contract time, the NCAA Tournament isn’t much different from “American Idol.”

Butler Does It Again as West Virginia Wins Big East Tourney

By John Antonik for MSNsportsNET.com

NEW YORK – The Butler did it one more time! Da’Sean Butler’s running jumper with four seconds left lifted sixth-ranked West Virginia to a 60-58 victory over Georgetown to capture the 2010 Big East basketball championship at Madison Square Garden in New York City.

Big East Tournament MVP Da'Sean Butler kisses the championship trophy after leading West Virginia to a 60-58 victory over Georgetown Saturday at Madison Square Garden in New York City.

Butler, who scored 20 points on 7 of 19 shooting, was named tournament most valuable player immediately after the game. This was West Virginia’s first conference tournament victory since claiming the Atlantic 10 championship on its home floor in 1984.

"We ran the same play that we set up for the Cincinnati game," Butler explained. "I waited for Casey (Mitchell) to come off. They kind of overplayed one side and went the other way.

"I came to the top of the key and I had to come get the ball and they kind of switched. I think Monroe was on me and I think he had a feeling I was going to shoot a 3. I had a little hesitation, went around him, Freeman stepped up, and had a little hop step and scooped a layup off the glass."

It seemed the Mountaineers were almost destined to win their first Big East title with an all-New York City starting lineup of Butler, Wellington Smith, Kevin Jones, Devin Ebanks and Truck Bryant. Including reserve forward Danny Jennings, West Virginia has six players on its roster from the New York City metropolitan area.

Smith, another New Yorker, played a fantastic first half, scoring 9 of his tournament-best 11 points while grabbing a team-best 10 rebounds.

As it has done all year, West Virginia (27-6) won this game with great defense, tough rebounding and the clutch playmaking of Butler, who joined Mr. Clutch himself, Jerry West, and Hot Rod Hundley in the school’s prestigious 2,000-point club.

Butler’s 2,000th point came late in the first half when his three-point play put the Mountaineers up 24-20.

Georgetown had two four-minute stretches in both halves without scoring baskets, and finished the game shooting just 42.6 percent after carving up top-seeded Syracuse and Marquette earlier in the tournament.

But West Virginia could never quite shake the determined Hoyas, the Mountaineers building leads of six in the first half and then later nine with 12:22 remaining on a Casey Mitchell 3-point basket.

That’s when Georgetown went to work, getting a 3 from Hollis Thompson and then back-to-back baskets by Austin Freeman and Chris Wright to cut the Mountaineers’ lead to two, 43-41, with 10:38 left.

Butler stopped the run with a 3, and added a jumper at 9:02 to take the lead back to seven, 48-41.

But as it did two nights before against Cincinnati and again last night against Notre Dame, West Virginia had to hold on for dear life. Two Greg Monroe free throws with 3:27 left cut Georgetown’s deficit to one, 52-51, and the Hoyas eventually tied it at 56 when Freeman nailed a 3 with 54 seconds left.

Mitchell unknotted the score with a pair of free throws, and Mazzulla added two more from the line with 27 seconds left to give West Virginia a 58-56 advantage.

Chris Wright answered with a basket for Georgetown with 17 seconds left to set the scene for Butler’s game-winning heroics.

"I wish we would make some shots, you know," said West Virginia coach Bob Huggins. "I think it would be a little easier. But we talk about it all of the time - we are what we are. We're just going to keep competing. If the day comes and we're going to lose in the next few weeks, we're going to go down swinging."

Butler has now made the deciding basket in six games this season, keying victories over Cleveland State, Marquette, Louisville, Villanova, Cincinnati and now Georgetown.

"It feels good - our familes and our friends are here," said Butler of winning the tournament near his hometown of nearby Newark, N.J. "But we kind of wanted to win for our state first, because the people there love us so much and they support us so much. And I definitely know it means the world to them."

Jones added 12 points and four rebounds for West Virginia, which now has to be considered for one of the four No. 1 seeds awarded to the top teams in the NCAA Tournament. West Virginia has won six straight and eight of its last nine heading into postseason play.

Huggins made his case for a No. 1 seed after the game.

"We have 18 Top 100 wins. We have nine Top 50 wins. The 18 is the most of any team in the country," Huggins said. "Our non-league RPI was second. Our strength of schedule is going to be one. We're going to end up in the top two or three in the RPI. They say, 'Do those things' and we've done those things.

"That being said, we're going to enjoy this. We're going to get together tomorrow and watch the selection show, find out where we're going to go and who we're going to play."

Wright finished with 20 points for Georgetown, now 23-10. Georgetown coach John Thompson, III was asked after the game if he thought playing four games in four days played a factor in tonight's outcome.

"You have to give credit to them and their ability to contest shots," said Thompson, III. "We got some looks we normally make that didn't go in - long guys running at you. But I don't think it was a question of fatigue."

After the game, West Virginia fans were treated to Country Roads on the Madison Square Garden public address system, a tradition at WVU home games following victories.

Huggins, a WVU graduate who returned to his alma mater wanting to win championships and hang banners for his alma mater, could be seen fighting back tears as he embraced his players on the floor after the game.

The school’s first men’s basketball title was also fitting for retiring Director of Athletics Ed Pastilong, who played an instrumental role in getting the Mountaineers into the conference as a full-fledged member 15 years ago.

Butler's 3 Buries Cincy, 'Neers Advance

From MSNsportsnet.com:

NEW YORK – Da’Sean Butler’s bank-shot 3 from beyond the top of the key with 1.3 seconds left gave sixth-ranked West Virginia a 54-51 victory over Cincinnati Thursday night in the Big East Tournament quarterfinals at Madison Square Garden in New York City.

West Virginia players jump on Da'Sean Butler's back in celebration of his last-second 3-point basket to defeat Cincinnati 54-51 in the Big East Tournament quarterfinals at Madison Square Garden in New York City Thursday night.

“He’s a winner,” said West Virginia coach Bob Huggins of Butler. “He’s going to have the ball at the end of games, he’s done it time and time again.”

It's the fifth time this year Butler has hit the winning shot for West Virginia. He also did it in wins against Cleveland State, Marquette, Louisville and Villanova.

The third-seeded Mountaineers were the only team with a double bye to advance in the Big East Tournament on Thursday. Top-seeded Syracuse was defeated by Georgetown, fourth-seeded Villanova lost to Marquette and second-seeded Pitt was downed by Notre Dame.

"I'm not a fan of the double bye, but I don't know that that had that much to do with it," said Huggins.

Cincinnati, playing its third game in as many days, was looking to pull off another late-game victory. On Tuesday night, the 11th-seeded Bearcats got free throws from Lance Stephenson to beat Rutgers and last night, Deonta Vaughn preserved the Bearcats’ 69-66 win over Louisville by stripping Edgar Sosa before he was able to get off a game-tying 3.

Tonight’s game featured a combination of great defense and some bad offense. Cincinnati missed its first 10 shots of the game and did not score its first field goal until 9:21 when Stephenson made a reverse layup.

West Virginia (25-6) which led by as many as 14 points, 18-4, with 10:57 left in the first half, couldn’t throw it in the ocean for the rest of the half, going scoreless for a five-minute stretch until Butler’s 3 from the top of the key ended the dry spell.

"We were just standing still a lot," said Butler. "When they went man we just didn't pass the ball. Instead of passing the ball and doing the things that got us the lead, we kind of strayed away from that and were making two passes and taking quick shots."

Cincinnati (18-15) made it a one-point game on Darnell Wilks’ fast-break dunk that was made possible by Joe Mazzulla’s missed 3 from the wing.

After Casey Mitchell's jumper made it 23-20, Cincinnati’s Larry Davis answered by drilling a 3 from the corner with 39 seconds to tie the game at 23.

West Virginia untied it just ahead of the halftime horn when Jonnie West hit a contested 3 from the top of the key.

Early in the second half West Virginia once again appeared to be taking control of the game, getting baskets from Truck Bryant, Kevin Jones and a 3 from Butler to take an eight-point lead at 36-28 with 13:09 to go.

Cincinnati cut it to two, 36-34, on a pair of Yancy Gates baskets and free throws by Stephenson.

But back to back baskets by Devin Ebanks and Jones got West Virginia’s lead back to nine, 47-38, with 5:42 to play. Then buckets by Gates and Stephenson and a 3 by Vaughn with 3:36 left pulled the Bearcats to within two, 47-45.

“When they started to come back it really didn’t rattle us,” said Butler. “We just tried to stay focused, listen to coach and a little luck helps.”

West Virginia helped Cincinnati’s run by missing a pair of 3s and then Kevin Jones missing one close. But the sophomore responded with two clutch baskets, the second with 1:09 left, to give West Virginia a 51-48 lead. Butler made a pretty assist on the play, fighting for a loose ball in the lane and then flipping it from his knees to a wide open Jones underneath the basket.

Stephenson tied it at 51 with a tough 3 from the wing with 47 seconds left.

Huggins called timeout with 30 seconds on the clock to design a game-winning play, but with the shot clock winding down, Ebanks’ drive and wild shot at the basket didn’t draw iron and Jones’ stick-back attempt was deflected out of bounds underneath West Virginia’s basket as the shot clock expired.

After a Bearcat timeout, Dion Dixon was called for traveling near West Virginia’s bench with three seconds left, allowing Butler enough time to bank in a 3 from well beyond the top of the key to win the game for the Mountaineers.

“I drew it up to get him a shot at the top of the key, not necessarily a bank shot,” said Huggins.

“I was really trying to get it inside the 3-point line, but (Stephenson) kind of over played and knocked me off balance so I only had time to get one dribble off,” said Butler. “I looked up, took my one-two step and just put it up there and it just fell. Thank God.”

Butler scored 15, two short of Jones’ team-high 17 for West Virginia. Ebanks added 10 points and six rebounds.

"I thought we would make more shots than we did, honestly," said Huggins.

Stephenson scored a game-high 19 for the Bearcats.

Cincinnati finished the game 17 of 52 from the field for 32.7 percent.

"They're a great defensive team because of their length and they way they denied everybody, they don't let you run an offense," said Cincinnati coach Mick Cronin.

Among the celebrities in a star-studded crowd watching tonight's games were former President Bill Clinton, actor Denzel Washington and singer Nick Lachey.

West Virginia advances to the Big East Tournament semifinals for the fourth time in the last six years and has now won nine of its last 14 conference tournament games.

Notre Dame, which is 3-0 against the remaining teams in the Big East Tournament this year, is making its first semifinal appearance since Luke Harangody’s freshman year in 2007.

The Irish knocked off Pitt 50-45 earlier tonight to run its record to 23-10. Notre Dame has won six straight heading into Friday night’s semifinal to solidify its status in the NCAA Tournament.

West Virginia lost 70-68 to Notre Dame on Jan. 9 in South Bend when the Mountaineers nearly erased a 22-point first-half deficit. Last year, West Virginia knocked Notre Dame out of the Big East Tournament in the first round with a 74-62 victory.

The West Virginia-Notre Dame game will follow the first Big East semifinal featuring eighth-seeded Georgetown and fifth-seeded Marquette ast 7 p.m. Both games will be televised on ESPN.

POY: Evan Turner vs. John Wall. Who Ya Got?

The phenom, or the do-it-all kid that has worked his tail off over the past 3 years? I'm a bit biased of course...I hate Kentucky almost as much as I love Ohio State. However, I'm not drinker of the Thad Matta Kool-Aid and have been skeptical over his recruiting in the past...but he sure did fall into a winner with Evan Turner. When this kid came to Columbus 3 years ago, I dismissed him from the outset. He was skinny & frail. Could not finish. He was not hyped like his fellow freshmen Kosta Koufos, Jon Diebler, and Dallas Lauderdale were coming out of high school. But, in a short amount of time he's become a man, pulling far & away ahead and rightfully deserving POY honors for taking an otherwise average-at-best Buckeye squad to a Top 10 ranking, a Big 10 Championship, and possible #1 seed in the Big Dance. The guy's a modern-day Oscar Robertson...a difference maker in every facet of the game. Turner's even contemplating returning for his senior season, which is huge in my book in this day of one & done divas. Oh, did I mention the kid BROKE HIS BACK this season too, came back & never missed a beat? C'mon Andy Staples...get yer head of Wall's ass. Here's the counterpoint from SI's Stewart Mandel, obviously a more level-headed, mature individual without propensity for man/boy crushes. Wall might be a better pro, just like Derrick Rose, but Turner is the 2009/2010 COLLEGE Player of the Year!

Random Musings: NCAA Hoops, the Combine, and Giant Beavers

Some musings as I sit here watching Bruce Pearl blather on about something on PTI. I hate Bruce Pearl. Bruce Pearl is a phony and a snitch.

Alright, I have to say this up front. I wanted to post a picture of one of those giant inflatable beavers they had at the closing ceremonies in Vancouver last night, and well . . . let me just say that you don't want to go to Google Images and type "Giant Inflatable Beavers" into the search box. Sweet Mother of God, I'm traumatized. Good thing I'm drinking.

Anyway, the Winter Olympics are over, the NFL Combine is in progress, and March Madness is just around the corner. What does this mean? I have no idea. It's 6:21 PM and I'm on my third Goose & 7, so cut me some slack.

But back to the olympics and those beavers. I swear I can't get excited about the Winter Olympics. These people that are saying that hockey has been "rejuvenated" by the game last night are out of their minds. Yeah, I get the whole patriotic fervor thing, the underdog overcoming the odds, blah-blah-blah. Still, let's see a show of hands. Whose going to watch the big Detroit - Colorado hockey game tonight? Bueller? Bueller? That's what I thought. It's just another example of the ESPN talking heads blowing a story way out of proportion.

Did I like anything about the winter olympics? Sure. A couple of those women figure skaters were pretty hot. Nothing as nice as that Cohen girl (up top) from a few years back though. Meow. The men made me a little uncomfortable. Too many feathers and too much glitter. You know that box they go to and wait for their scores? They used to give them flowers while they waited. Pretty gay right? No way they could get any gayer? Wrong. Now they give them Teddy Bears. Not that there's anything wrong with that.

I watched a little bit of the cat with the red hair flying around on his snowboard. Shawn White was it? He was pretty good. Ah, who am I kidding? I couldn't watch any of it.

Anybody watching the NFL Combine? Seriously? And I thought I had no life. I saw where everyone's heart was a flutter because Timmy Tebow had a 38" vertical. And this helps him become a good NFL quarterback how? I doubt that little jump pass he used in college will work in the league, but hey, I could be wrong. My point is I think the NFL Combine is a joke. See Tom Brady, Akili Smith, etc etc etc.

As I mentioned, March Madness is rapidly approaching. I can't remember a year where there wasn't a clear cut favorite. Kansas, Kentucky, and Syracuse are probably the favorites. I heard a couple people saying that the Widcats loss to Tennessee was a "good" one, whatever that means. Newsflash - there are no good losses. End of discussion. And this is neither here nor there, but I have it on good authority that John Wall is an assclown and a tool. Just sayin'.

I can't get excited about the Dukies at all. Sure, they're 25-4 but the ACC is really bad this year, cheapening their record in my opinion. I'm obviously rooting for West Virginia and Maryland, but they both have the kind of team that could make a deep run or be out in the 1st Round. Same for Ohio State. I'm so confused.

Note: WVU is dismantling #20 G-Town as I write this.When they're playing well they're scary.

I will say that Da'Sean Butler of West Virginia may be the most underrated player in the country. He's a 6'7" guard who can shoot, defend, and play four positions well. Think Jon Diebler except the exact opposite.

Oh, I got a text from Jimmy Patsos, head coach at Loyola-Maryland. He's an old friend who was at Maryland for years. He once got me home from Bentley's in College Park by laying me across the back trunk of his little sports car and driving me home. Long story. That's him in the picture, calmly giving instructions. Anywho, he's pissed he wasn't included in our tournament. Here's his take on the matchups so far:

"Jamie Dixon is a real wild card…in real life I do not have him getting out of first round! Gary if he was younger…….the champ is Huggins…and I want him in the steel cage match!"

Careful what you wish for Jimmy. And hey, who knew Jamie Dixon was such a pussy?

Speaking of the tourney, I think I know Gary Williams pretty well and there's no way I'd ever bet against him in any fight, anywhere. Dude is wired differently than most of us, and by "wired differently" I mean "batshit crazy."

One more thing. Did anybody see Jason Kidd "accidentally" run into Mike Woodson the other night? What a dick. Kidd loves to body slam people though. Just ask his ex-wife.

I got nuthin' else here. See ya on down the road, jack.