I'm only watching college basketball

.... this morning because there's no Busch race this week. UConn and Pitt both look really good. Not Oklahoma good but good. I couldn't help but notice that in the latest edition of Joe Lunardi's Bracketology, the Big Ten had the most teams in the NCAA field. Not the Big East, not the ACC, not even the Big 12. The Big Ten gets 8 bids, more than anyone else. Mediocre (at best) seasons from Michigan, Penn State, Wisconsin, Minnesota and Ohio State? What the hell - Let's just let them ALL into the tournament and see how they do! Other than Michigan beating Duke and UCLA, does even one of those teams have a quality non-conference win this season? (I'm really asking. I'm way too lazy to look that up.) Michigan St is the only team in that conference that would definitely finish in the top half of the Big East. Purdue could be the biggest fraud in the country this year. Let's give them a 5 seed. I hate college basketball.

I definitely won't be watching college basketball tomorrow with the Cup series in Atlanta for the Kobalt Tools 500. My goal for that race is not to win money but to have at least one guy I bet finish the race on the lead lap. I don't think that's unreasonable at all but it's basically 'Pick' whether or not I'll be able to pull that off.

I actually went to the Shelby 427 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway last Sunday. Here's what I took away from that debacle:

* Had a bet on Kenseth to win the race. His car blew up on the 7th lap. That was a day after the guy I bet to win the Busch race (Kyle Busch) crashed out on the 22nd lap. Kyle, of course, won the Cup race. At least I got my money's worth for those first 7 laps.

* It appeared as if my favorite driver, Carl Edwards, aka The Cousin, was a lock to win the race when he took a late lead but he had to go back to pit row due to a loose lugnut. Of course he did.

* I did catch one break when that moron Dale Jr. was forced to go a lap down due to a speeding penalty on pit row. However, the guy I had him against ran a terrible race and somehow managed to lose to the 88 car, anyway. Of course he did.

A few more notes from my first race:

* Ross was easily the MVP of the tailgate. Not only did he go out to Wal-Mart the night before the race and buy everything, he assembled the grill and had food cooking before I was done with my first beer. Only questionable decision by him - Refusing suntan lotion. Dude - it's the freakin' desert. They don't call the people at those race's REDnecks because of their Native American ancestry.

* Bennett was the hero of the day for remembering to bring suntan lotion. He also put down several beers, whether he admits it or not. However, he did prove to be the most delicate member of our group (In a shocking upset of The Hoff) when I handed him the bottle and he complained that were was a small amount of lotion on the lid. Instead of just wiping it off and putting it on his legs or arms like a normal person, he handed the bottle back to me and made me clean it off before taking it back. I didn't realize my mom was going to be at the race.

* Our tailgate was briefly graced by the presence of two members of the infamous "Group" who stopped by after their helicopter dropped them off in the parking and before they were carried to their luxury suite by NASCAR officials.

* I may have been the most overdressed person at the race in my outfit of polo shirt and khaki shorts. At least I was the most overdressed person at the race until Metcalf showed up in a sweater.

* Some guy mocked Hoffman for drinking light beer while we were walking into the stadium. (Is that what they call it? Or is it a track? Speedway?) How about - Some guy mocked him on our way into the building where cars turn left at phenomenal speeds and rednecks cheer for reasons that are unclear even to themselves.

* Beers were only $5 at the race. Pretty reasonable when you consider that a beer at a Redskins game costs more than I make in one day at the SuperBook.

* Funny story about Hoffman - He makes little faces and gets very annoyed any time a person repeats the same thing twice in a one month period. But he mentioned to me that the people at the track reminded him of the people from his hometown approximately 8 million times during the 3 hours we were at the race. This is the same kid who once scolded me for accidentally introducing him to the same buddy of mine twice about 6 months apart even though he has "Introduced me" to his friend Courtney (at least) 5 times. I love The Hoff.

* Incidentally, the people at the race didn't remind me of the people from my hometown. At all.

* Bottom line - The race was an experience but if I go again I'm going to want to either go to a night race at a track that allows you to bring in your own booze or, failing that, I'd want to sit in the luxury suite with the big boys. Provided that said luxury suite has an open bar of course.


My dad went to Georgetown and he raised my brother and I on Hoyas basketball from the time we were little kids. My brother Peter takes Georgeown basketball pretty seriously and he was very upset when a high school recruit named DaShonte Riley changed his mind about becoming a Hoya and decided to go to Syracuse. In this age of technology where young kids like my brother (And slightly older people like Scott) are all on Facebook, Pete was able to communicate directly with Riley and let him know how upset he was. Here is their actual exchange:

Peter Murray: Way to go man. Biggest mistake of your life. JT3 turns 7 footers into millionaires Boeheim turns them into convicts. Whatever man. Good Luck. You are going to need it in the Big East

Dashonte Riley: That's cool but you can kiss my ass

Peter Murray: Whatever man. I think you fucked it up. You had it right and you switched. Maybe Boeheim just made a better... offer. I just think you made a mistake.Georgetown is the place big man go to succeed. Cuse you will just be another athlete. I'm sorry for being a dick but you messed up.
Good Luck man.

Dashonte Riley: U know man,I slept on it a lot and I been thinking a lot and I came to the realization after reading this over and over again that......U CAN STILL KISS MY MUTHAFUCKIN ASS!!!!!

Peter Murray: Haha. Alright man sounds good. You definitely aren't Hoya material anyway man. You'll fit right in in Cuse.


What a bastard.

Talking about my brother, of course.



I'm going to go watch the USA-Canadia game.

Enjoy.