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This and that
Dick VitaleSPECIAL TO ESPN.COM
The NFL has its Elite Eight set as the Seahawks, Giants, Chargers and Jaguars have moved on. Jimmy Valvano used to call it "survive and advance" and that really tells you what the playoffs are about. Look at San Diego for example; the Chargers had to struggle before the offense came to life in the second half against the Titans. The Jaguars were way ahead before the Steelers came back and took a 29-28 lead. Jacksonville got a clutch fourth down performance from quarterback David Garrard as his 32-yard run set up the game-winning field goal. Seattle put an end to the great run by the Redskins. Washington had an incredibly emotional rollercoaster ride following the death of Sean Taylor. Eli Manning quieted some of his critics with a solid showing against the Bucs.
Moving ahead, there are interesting storylines in the next round. Everyone will look at the Patriots and talk about the 16-0 regular season, but there will be some pressure against the physical Jaguars. In the other AFC showdown, Peyton Manning will go up against a Charger team that recorded six interceptions in their regular-season meeting. This time out, the teams meet in Indianapolis, which will be a more friendly confine. The Packers and Seahawks meet as Brett Favre goes up against his former mentor Mike Holmgren. The Giants and Cowboys have a great rivalry already in the NFC East. It should be an awesome football weekend with a capital A!
Bill Parcells wasted no time in making changes down in Miami. He brought in Jeff Ireland to be the team's general manager It makes sense for Parcells to bring in someone he is familiar with. Then coach Cam Cameron was given a pink slip after one season and a 1-15 record. Cameron will land on his feet as an offensive coordinator in the near future. You can tell Parcells will get things done with the Dolphins.
It came as no surprise that Tom Brady was named NFL MVP. The stunning part came when Brady was not a unanimous selection. Are you kidding me? He threw for a record 50 touchdown passes while throwing just eight interceptions. Brady averaged over 300 passing yards per game. He led the Patriots to a perfect regular season. What more could you ask from the guy?
Congratulations to Bob Knight on career win number 899. My friends, he just continues to do amazing things. Knight loves to teach the game of basketball and he enjoys seeing his players make progress. The milestone number 900 is right around the corner. Of course he will say that it is only a number.
UCLA continues to show why it is an elite program. The Bruins went on the road and swept Stanford and California. Kevin Love is one of the nation's premier diaper dandies, averaging a double-double in those two victories. I can't wait for this weekend, when Tony Bennett's Washington State Cougars face off when Ben Howland's Bruins. It should be a special game. The Pac-10 is the best conference in America.
Do you think Xavier coach Sean Miller had a special week? His Musketeers beat Kansas State and Michael Beasley, Virginia and its star guard Sean Singletary, then won at Auburn. The average margin of victory in those three games was close to 30 points! The A-10 is having a special year with Dayton, Rhode Island and Xavier playing great basketball. Look at the quality of wins already in non-league play as you know the NCAA selection committee will be like Santa Claus come March.
OK, how many people thought Mississippi and Vanderbilt would be undefeated as conference play heated up? Come on, be real ... Andy Kennedy and Kevin Stallings deserve a lot of credit. The Rebels showed this is not a fluke by beating a tough Clemson team on a neutral court. Mississippi is off to its best start ever. The Commodores are 15-0 and have put together a nice resume as well. The addition of AJ Ogilvy, a diaper dandy from Australia, has been a major factor. It is Shan Foster, who scored 32 points and nailed eight trifectas against Massachusetts, who sits as the team's MVP.
It is sad to see Roger Clemens is on a PR campaign right now. His appearance on 60 Minutes was an attempt to clear his name, but who knows whether he or former trainer Brian McNamee is telling the truth. A great career has been tarnished in the court of public opinion no matter what comes of this. It is a shame that baseball fans have to listen to steroids, HGH and stuff like that all the time instead of enjoying the Hot Stove League, talking about potential trades and other exciting tidbits.
Dick Vitale coached the Pistons and the University of Detroit before broadcasting ESPN's first college basketball game in December 1979. Send him a question for possible use on ESPNEWS.
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