Still maddening!

Finally, someone missed. Xavier's Jordan Crawford missed a three-pointer and then his teammate Brad Redford missed another, and finally it was over. After 50 minutes and 197 points in the most epic battle in this most epic of NCAA tournaments, Kansas State could finally move on to the Elite Eight for the first time since 1988. ~Kelli Anderson/Sports Illustrated

Epic is right. As in so epic, I’m having trouble thinking of any other words to describe it …

For most of last night’s K-State/Xavier game I was only half-watching, working on projects and then talking on Skype with my parents -- for the first time, I should add. They barely had their new toy out of the box when they were ringing me for a face-to-face computer chat.

Then Kates called for our nightly end-of-the-day chat, and I could hardly keep my attention focused on her as K-State and Xavier traded three-pointer after three-pointer after three-pointer.

As the end of regulation neared, and the barrage of points was just beginning, it seemed like everyone put down what they were doing and started to pay closer attention. My Facebook and Twitter accounts began lighting up, and we were all taking great pleasure in the NCAA tournament classic unfolding before our eyes -- commenting, cheering and jeering as if all of us were in the same living room …

My friend Dionna: I am NERVOUS!

Me: Are you kidding me!?!! It's raining threes!!!

My friend Jason: SERIOUSLY!!!!??? they can NOT miss a 3!!!!!!!

My friend Matt: Are you kidding me? You might as well put Pullen and Crawford out there alone and whoever misses first loses.

My friend Lisa: OMG! Andy just woke me up. Figured the games were over long ago - but no at 11:25 I see 2OT and time left on the clock!

Gosh, I love social media!

It was just as fun to hear the excitement in the voices of the guys broadcasting the game on CBS. Oooh! They shouted with every three-pointer that went down.

So many incredible plays were made that exuberant CBS announcer Gus Johnson was bursting out of his midcourt seat between overtimes to celebrate the spectacle. ~Kellis Robinett/Kansas City Star

Here's another good read about Frank Martin and the resurgence of the K-State program.

* * *

Just when I thought Kansas’s loss last weekend had shot my interest in the tournament, last night happened. No. 1 seed Syracuse fell to Butler in a dramatic game; the K-State thriller followed.

I’ll echo what every college basketball fan seems to be saying. This year’s tournament has been one of the most exciting tournaments I can recall -- at the least, since some of the mind-boggling tourneys of the late 90s. Remember Weber State over North Carolina?

And somehow, I’m still hanging around the top of my office pool.

The standings that arrived in my inbox this morning had be sitting in sixth place … And now, after a whole lot of fluctuating in the last week, and with Ohio State falling (good thing I didn’t write them in after all) and Baylor winning tonight, the standings have come full circle. Tonight, I’m ranked right back at No. 3 -- behind the same two guys who were ahead of me after the first day last week.

I’ve benefited by holding on to three of my Final Four teams -- K-State, Kentucky and Baylor, along with West Virginia and Duke. Although I’ve predicted a Duke loss tonight.

And while I’ve got not a single stake left in the midwest bracket, I’ll also be cheering Northern Iowa to the Final Four -- because gosh darn they’ve been fun to watch and that Farokhmanesh kid is pretty dang good.

* * *

Life isn’t nearly as fun if you can’t find laughter in the things that threaten to keep you down …

So it’s been fun to see the outpouring of jokes this week at the expense of KU’s -- ahem -- choke last weekend … (Here's a good read from the KC Star.)

Enjoy.





And finally from Jimmy Fallon …

“Healthcare passed, Tiger did two interviews, and Kansas lost. So if you’re a Republican slut in Topeka…you had a bad weekend.”

Idol talk

Miley Cyrus as the mentor for a night of Billboard No. 1s? Not even going to discuss that ... Yeah. What Slezak said.

Lee Dewyze opened with Joe Cocker’s version (Check out the Kid Rock look-a-like in that video...) of the Box Tops’ “The Letter.” He stamped it and mailed it out! I loved Ellen’s analogy comparing him to a favorite pen that you hope never runs out of ink. And I completely agreed with Kara’s comments about the improvements Mr. Lee has made since the first time he stepped on the stage.

Paige, Paige, Paige. What’re you doing to me!? Every time I pump you up, you shut it down -- and you did it to me again this week, to a realm from which I don’t think you’ll recover. It didn’t matter that “Against All Odds” is a huge song to tackle; her vocals were dull, airy and way pitchy.

Tim Urban. The kid finally delivered a performance that I kind of enjoyed with “Crazy Little Thing Called Love.” It helped that he was singing a song I really like. And I thought the vocals were as good as I've heard from his mouth … That said, I totally got what the judges were saying about his performance being corny and feeling like a “High School Musical” audition. His stage presence felt awkward and forced.

Most surprising performance of the night goes to Aaron Kelly on “Don't Want to Miss a Thing.” I loved his tone and the liberties he took with the melody, and the way he held onto notes … Plus, the puppy love between him and Miley was sort of sweet.

On the other hand, Crystal (look at how I don't even need to use her last name at this point ...) appeared less than pleased to be taking advice from Miley -- although, I think that’s more of a reading on Crystal’s hard shell than of any actual feelings she might have about Miley. Either way, I thought Crystal's slowed-down take of “Me and Bobby McGee” was her most captivating performance yet. The girl was in a world of her own on that stage tonight, smiling and letting go, and it was soooooooo fun to watch. She also looked really good ... I’m with Simon; I wouldn’t change anything.

The footage of Michael Lynche singing to Miley Cyrus made me stop everything I was doing. Based on that footage, I had started to think that perhaps I was about to hear the most beautiful version of “When A Man Loves A Woman” ever recorded … But a minute into his live performance, I was thinking just what the judges said when it was over: too many riffs, I lost my connection with it, I was loving the one scoop of ice cream and then the kid behind the counter gave me nine more scoops, and the ice cream started to make me sick.

I’m so over Andrew Garcia. His performance of “I Heard It Through the Grapevine” couldn’t have been more boring. I stopped paying attention halfway through it to read about Joe Biden supposedly dropping the F-bomb today.

Katie Stevens performed “Big Girls Don’t Cry.” … Ugh. First, it’s Fergie’s song and it’s a one-of-a-kind song that Katie couldn’t possibly have matched. Second, I don’t know where Kara got her pop/R&B vibe because I was totally hearing country twang from Katie tonight. Seriously, I was watching Katie perform and thinking: Tammy Wynette. I’m just saying.

I was surprised at how much I enjoyed Casey James’ “Power of Love.” My only critique -- and it’s kind of a biggie -- he had zip for stage presence.

Didi Benami’s performance of “You’re No Good” was good … not great. I agreed with the judges -- I didn’t get the song choice and it didn’t feel like Didi. Good thing she’s so darn cute.

And believe it or not, Siobhan’s performance (Don't need to say her last name either ...) of “Superstitious” was among my least favorite of the night. I thought her rendition was hokey. And seriously, she’s gotta pull back on the screaming before she starts getting Adam Lambert-style annoying.

Summertime blues

I was afraid this might happen.

In recent years, I’ve gone to Summerfest wondering whether my run might end -- the kind of feeling I suppose an athlete has when his career is in its twilight. … At Summerfest, it’s the notion that the crowds appear to be getting younger and more immature, the music sounds louder and the array of bands less appealing.

Last year, when I went to the magnificent festival for a record-low two nights, I figured maybe the time had come. I figured my youth may have finally escaped me and my concert days were waning.

I prepared myself to move on … And I have. Literally.

Then Summerfest started rolling out its lineup for this summer …

Colbie Caillat. The Moody Blues ... O.A.R.! ... Sheryl Crow!! ... She & Him!!! (... A good read about She & Him in today's Boston Globe.)

A few weeks ago when Cubs tickets went on sale, I was gritting my teeth and doing all I could to hold back on purchasing a couple seats. The mantra “Wait ’til next year” has taken a whole new meaning now.

And then today, the most painful announcement of all. The New Pornographers are playing the Pabst Theater. The announcement via the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel ...

Indie-pop darlings the New Pornographers - made up of some of the best and busiest in the music scene - will play the Pabst Theater at 8:30 p.m. June 12. The eight-member outfit, including mastermind A.C. Newman and songbird Neko Case, releases its fifth album, "Together," in May.

The New Pornographers. Indie-pop darlings. Songbird Neko Case ...

The New Pornographers. A band that’s hovered around the top of my Concert Bucket List for a couple years now -- along with Matchbox Twenty (so close! ), Belle & Sebastian, The Weepies, Dave Matthews Band, Mates of State (whose “For the Actor” I've heard on multiple Royal Carribean commercials lately!) and The Shins (oh, oh, so close!)

Ugh.

Last night, an old friend of mine tweeted, "don't be afraid to give up the good to go for the great."

When I saw her statement, I smiled and thought so true, especially right now ... But it won't keep me from thinking of ways I can still enjoy the great things that came with the good.

The mourning after

Sigh. I’ve written too many of these types of posts over the years.

My beloved Kansas Jayhawks -- the No. 1-ranked Jayhawks and the overwhelming favorite to win it all -- were dethroned by the feisty No. 9-seeded Northern Iowa Panthers yesterday. My tournament bracket, which shimmered with success after all the first round upsets, is dead. And my interest in the rest of the tournament has been blown to bits.

My bracket also lost out on the Villanova, Murray State and New Mexico games. As of this morning, I sit fifth in the office pool, and I still have three Final Four teams playing, but with Kansas -- my national champion -- out, my stock is sure to drop.

After watching Villanova get knocked out of the tournament, I donned my Jayhawk blue and hit the road to my friend Tom’s house for the big game … Kansas didn’t look good from the start, of course, but I was quick to deny that. Nothing to worry about, it’s only the first half, I said.

But the game’s second half wasn’t any better than the first. Tom and I were on our feet in front of the television for the last 12 minutes, bemoaning every ill-advised shot, mishandled rebound and turnover. Even little Kieran was shouting at the TV and beating his toy drum in frustration, “Oh no! Come on!”

Then, then! With the minutes waning, the Jayhawks showed some fight! They stole two consecutive inbound passes! They closed the deficit to one point! Our hearts were pounding! They had a chance!

And then, as fast as the Jayhawks appeared to have turned a corner, they ran into a wall. Sure, I’d celebrated Ali Farokhmanesh on Thursday night for his performance against UNLV and the game-winning three-pointer he drained to beat them, but I was loathing him last night … With about 30 seconds left in the game, Farokhmanesh brought the ball down by himself and had three -- three! -- Jayhawks circling him. And all three of them left him free to take the shot as though he had a force field bubble protecting him. If there was one guy the Jayhawks shouldn’t have given space to shoot, Farokhmanesh was THAT guy!

Season over.

Within seconds, Kates, who had been watching the game in K-Town and texting me throughout, was calling my cell phone. I looked at the caller ID and rolled my eyes. “Doesn’t she know better?” I said to Tom.

“Hello.” I answered the phone as if someone had just died.
“Are you ok?” Kates asked
“Yeah, I’ll be ok.” I should give her credit -- she knows my Jayhawk passion well enough to immediately offer support in these tough times.

In the minutes afterward, Tom and I wandered the room, lamenting the loss and making comparisons to other Kansas bracket busters. Bradley in ’06. Bucknell in ’05. Syracuse in ’03. Rhode Island in ’98. Arizona in ’97 …“That was brutal” … “That may go down as one of the biggest Kansas chokes” … “I feel like going outside and just burying my head in the snow” ... “Hey, 2008 was fun!” ...

The TV analysts discussed and showed the KU miscues over and over and over. My social media pages started lighting up with messages about busted brackets, crushed hopes and teasing from KU-haters. A Jayhawk nation was stunned and left wondering … how?

The thing is, we know how. We’ve watched this scenario play out again and again for Kansas in the tournament, and it makes me pause every year when I begin to fill out my brackets. Looking back on the season, and past defeats, Tom and I came to the realization that this year’s team lacked a killer instinct. They were complacent. They tended to play to the level of their competition. Joe Posnanski also has a great blog post this morning explaining exactly those themes.

We dined on some homemade tacos and watched Kansas State win its game over BYU with glazed eyes. I’ll be cheering for Kansas State in the tournament now, if only to salvage some pride for the state I love.

By 10 last night I was working my way back to The ’Ville, dealing with the cherry on top of our emotionally challenging day -- 8 inches of snow on the first day of spring, not to mention the start of the university’s spring break … We’d heard the weather forecasts but chose to ignore them. Then the white stuff started falling around 4:30 Friday afternoon, and when I heard the snowplow outside my window yesterday morning, I figured the scenery wasn’t to my liking.

Nonetheless, I ventured onto the roads and handled the weather just fine. I’m from Wisconsin after all! … Coming home last night was a little tougher. By then, several more inches had fallen and I had an amusing time pushing my Little Green Machine through it just to get out of Tom’s neighborhood.

When I hit the Interstate it became apparent that the snowfall must’ve made the Missouri plows too nervous to even clear the roads. But again, I handled it, cruising past the less-confident drivers at a steady 40 mph and proudly displaying my Wisconsin license plate on my rear -- if only for a few more months.

Just when my focus on all the snow had nearly helped me forget the shock and sadness of the Kansas loss, Daniel Powter’s “Bad Day” started playing on my iPod and conjured all the images from the game. Ugh.

Oh, but life goes on. Like the others, this loss won’t change my life. And there will be a new season of Kansas basketball to celebrate next year.

Today’s a new day. And baseball’s opening day is just weeks away.

Some good reads about yesterday’s tournament action ...
a Big reason Gaels are moving on
a Kansas, Villanova bust Obama's men's bracket
a Day 3: Kansas Falls, Kentucky Explodes
a Northern Iowa Coolly Upsets No. 1 Seed Kansas