Hello friends, here's Jim Nantz calling the final hectic seconds in UK's bracket-busting upset of the Buckeyes. Yep, I'm surprised as you he's not speaking in his patented Masters whispering voice. The win puts Calipari one win away from the Final Four...let's see if he can make this one stick.

[Video via Bubbaprog]

(Photo Credit: @bubbaprog... again.)

Charles Barkley is a studio analyst for the NCAA Tournament coverage on CBS and TBS tonight. There's been multiple occasions tonight where he's seen reaching under the desk, grabbing a drink, and sipping on the drink.

Is the drink booze? It's pretty much impossible to tell, but with Chuck, we're to assume it is, right? He sure sounds like he's had a few drinks tonight.

And I'm not hating; I'm laughing. I mean, I'd be doing the same thing in his position. He's sitting back, watching the NCAA Tournament, and having a good time. It's not like we take most of what he says seriously anyway. He's there for entertainment. We just want him to say something outrageous or speak the truth, both things booze will only help with.

Anyway, here's video of Charles sipping on his drink, via @yankeemeginphl:

So I have on the Kansas-Richmond game, and Craig Sager came on for a sideline report. As is the case frequently, Sager has on an "easter egg" purple sportcoat. Just Sages being Sages.

But even with all of the crazy suits Sager's had, I don't know if I've seen a worse tie(or better depending on how you look at it) than this one:

What do you think: Is this Sager's worst tie yet? I'd love to see some other pictures/videos to prove otherwise, so feel free to post them away in the comments.

H/T: @bubbaprog

The live cut ins on Pardon The Interruption have always been a good source for laughs from time to time. Today provided a classic as the brief 10 second look into what happens when the show is technically on break shows Kornheiser singing the new viral sensation "Friday" by Rebecca black.

 

Right before the break they were talking about Youtube.  During the first commercial I'm sure Kornheiser continued on that tangent leading him to here. This song seems to be driving lots of folks crazy as it's poised to reach 50 million views in the coming day or so. 

  

If you haven't subjected yourself to this modern day classic, hit play below but only if you are not near any sharp objects or in a tall building with access to a roof. 

There are some stories throughout the week that we may have missed, but are interesting enough to bring to AA.  These are some quick takes from around the AA universe.  This week's stories include a couple of additions at ESPN, a former coach ripping an ESPN analyst, and the curious case of a major analyst and his relationship with his alma mater...

*ESPN adds Bill Parcells...  again (ESPN)
-For the third time,  Bill Parcells will rejoin the self-proclaimed leader as an analyst.  Parcells will tape some sort of 90 minute draft special for the network, although few other details are clear at the time.  Big Tuna also worked for Bristol in 2001-2002 and 2007, so this could start his third go-round with ESPN, after a mysteriously quiet departure from the Dolphins organization.  I've never been a big fan of Parcells as an analyst, especially how Berman would bow down to his feet on Countdown.  ESPN is already oversaturated so much with NFL analysts, that I doubt we'll notice his presence one way or the other.

*Rick Pitino dominates the airwaves (Fang's Bites)
-First, Rick Pitino joined the CBS studio to talk about the NCAA Tournament.  In his second act, Pitino has joined ESPN to talk about the Madness as their star guest analyst for the tourney.  Well, I should take that back.  Pitino's first act was to get knocked out in the first round thanks to Morehead State.  I give credit to Pitino for being a good sport about the loss when ribbed by Charles Barkley, but shouldn't Louisville fans wonder about Pitino being so eager to get on television right after an embarrassing first round loss?  Furthermore, isn't it a little awkward to see Pitino chum it up with the folks at ESPN while totally turning a blind eye to the scandal that has rocked the coach.  Why are Dick Vitale and many others so keen to criticize players who get in trouble, but completely ignore it when it's their buddies who get on set in Bristol?

*Jay Bilas vs VCU and America (SportsGrid)
-One of the stories of the tournament has been VCU's three victories to get to the Sweet 16.  Unfortunately, the story of Jay Bilas has clung to VCU like a piece of used toilet paper.  Ever since Bilas destroyed VCU on Selection Sunday, the analyst has become part of the story.  Bilas has defended his criticism of VCU & UAB getting into the tournament over mediocre major conference schools.  What Bilas doesn't get is that it was the way he criticized and demeaned the schools that got in, which made his analysis a story.  It's been a needless distraction to the real story of VCU's tournament run, and it comes off as the lawyer in Bilas needing to have his day in court to defend his attacks on the Rams.  Former Houston coach Tom Penders had to say about Bilas and his analysis.  I'm generally a fan of Bilas, but this is pretty accurate...

"Takes himself and his opinion far too seriously. I know he works hard and knows the game as a former player, but he goes over the top when he tries to demonstrate a play or gets too technical...  He rarely gives credit to the mid-major teams, and when one of them makes the NCAA Tournament as an at-large entrant he throws a fit... He works the Maui Classic every year with Raftery and Sean McDonough and tries to dominate the telecast with his academic ‘know it all’ approach to basketball... He needs to lighten up and let the game flow once in awhile... I wonder if he’s given any thought to becoming a professor."

Oh no.  It's the moment that all Gus fans have dreaded.  "Rise and Fire" himself botched a call at the end of a Tournament game...... GASP!!!  At the end of regulation during the BYU-Florida game this evening, Gus asked his partners if BYU should foul.  This would have been fine if the game wasn't knotted up at the time...

"If you're BYU, do you foul here.... at all?"- Gus Johnson "NO!!!"- declared Reggie Miller.  Obviously Gus thought BYU was still down one, which is an honest mistake, but come on....YOU'RE BETTER THAN THAT, Johnson!!! I mean Reggie Miller had to call you out.  Geez.  In other news, Florida just officially destroyed my already destroyed bracket.

The internet can do wonderful things. We had Jeopardy's Alex Trebek calling highlights of a 2010 college football game just days ago and now this morning Funny or Die released a video of Gus Johnson calling some of the more memorable moments in our wide, wide world's history. So, if you ever wondered what it would sound like if Gus Johnson was there to announce the first moonwalk, the fall of the Berlin wall, the rise and firing first flight, trojan horse, MJ's moonwalk, O.J.'s getting-away-from-the-cops speed, iPhone release, and Neo dodging bullets in The Matrix, this is for you!

I get that ESPN is moving away from having an independent Ombudsman, and I know what the Poynter Institute is, but I'm still not quite sure what they're doing with these monthly articles.  And their first column didn't help me in that regard.  The duo of McCombs and McBride (sounds like a law firm) decided to tackle President Obama's plug of a charity during his annual bracket discussion with Andy Katz, and here's what we learned....

Even before ESPN filmed what has become its annual installment of Barack-etology, Obama's critics chimed in, suggesting that the leader of the free world had better things to do, given the civil unrest throughout Middle East and North Africa, and the earthquake/tsunami/nuclear meltdown in Japan.

Katz and the rest of ESPN's crew were not surprised when the president's staffers informed them that Obama planned first to plug the relief site. Katz said he never felt pressured by the White House to leave the president's remarks intact as a condition of the interview......

....Sources, guests and partners will always try to influence ESPN content. Everyone wants to plug their favorite charity, Doria said. Although it seems innocuous, most of the time ESPN cuts the material because it isn't central to the story.

Those are tough choices to make. Aid to Japan had nothing to do with the president's NCAA picks. But Katz went into the story thinking it was relevant, so the charity plug made the cut. Ultimately the ESPN staff directly involved in the story had a lot of independence....

....Will that make it harder for the next producer to say no to a source who wants to plug a charity? That's going to be a constant battle no matter what, one that the front-line professionals at ESPN are accustomed to tackling

I'm so confused.  So the article is on whether or not ESPN lets every guest plug something?  Because if that's the case, I'm pretty sure First Take and Mike & Mike gave someone plugging something every five seconds.  Or is it that the President shouldn't be doing a bracket when there are so many problems in the world?  Also, is anyone really pissed that the President would plug relief for a country that is facing one of the biggest tragedies of our lifetime??? 

Maybe it was a slow news month for controversies at ESPN, but I would hope they could come up with something better for their next installment.

Straight to the point (ESPN)

In case you can't get to a television for the Sweet 16, here are the announcing assignments for Westwood One's radio coverage of the NCAA Tournament.  You can check out the TV announcing teams for CBS & Turner that we posted earlier in the week here.  

Thursday, March 24

7:15PM, Anaheim I,  (2) San Diego St. vs. (3) UCONN,  Wayne Larrivee and Bill Frieder

7:27PM, New Orleans I,  (2) Florida vs. (3) BYU,  Kevin Kugler and Pete Gillen

9:45PM, Anaheim II,  (1) Duke vs. (5) Arizona,  Wayne Larrivee and Bill Frieder

9:57PM, New Orleans II,  (4) Wisconsin vs. (8) Butler,  Kevin Kugler and Pete Gillen

Friday, March 25

7:15PM, Newark I,  (2) UNC vs. (11) Marquette,  Ian Eagle and John Thompson

7:27PM, San Antonio I,  (1) Kansas vs. (12) Richmond,  Kevin Harlan and Kevin Grevey

9:45PM, Newark II,  (1) Ohio State vs. (4) Kentucky,  Ian Eagle and John Thompson

9:57PM, San Antonio II,  (10) Florida State vs. (11) VCU,  Kevin Harlan and Kevin Grevey

If you've ever wondered what it would sound like to have the soothing voice of Jeopardy's Alex Trebek announce a football game or run down some game highlights during a post-game show, the folks at The Solid Verbal have given us a small taste, as they graciously dubbed in Trebek over these 2010 Stanford/Oregon college football highlights. Let's listen in, shall we?

Random French. Integrating Johnny Cash lyrics. "The hinged barrier at the entrance" -- I heard Keith Olbermann in that one. And a very refined Stuart Scott-like "this young looking brute seen here, daddio." ESPN's interested, Alex.

[H/T Cosby Sweaters]