Favorite College Basketball Teams

I love this sports season. College basketball, to me, is the last pure amateur sport that continues to receive significant TV air time. Just about every night of the week I can tune into a game and see amateur college students putting forth maximum effort. Their only reward is a win, and for a very few, a chance to make it a well paying career. March Madness steps up the intensity. Every shot, pass and steal takes on added meaning since one loss is the end of the dream. I have several favorite teams:

1. Kentucky* - What a rich heritage and tradition this team brings to the court. For a change this year they also bring talent. Freshman John Wall is a pleasure to watch in his only college season before going pro. I am sometimes amazed that Kentucky's opposition doesn't study up on the history of the program and immediately concede defeat. If they did, we might see the first undefeated season by any team since 1975-76 when Indiana went 32-0.
2. Kansas - It is unfair that Bill Self was allowed to bring back his entire starting team from last year, plus add a solid recruiting class. If freshman Xavier Henry can learn to jell with the leadership of Sherrod Collins and Cole Aldridge, this team may be the only obstacle in Kentucky's path to a national title. **
3. Duke's next opponent - Nothing makes me smile as much as a Duke loss. To me it reaffirms that preferential referring is not enough to win every game. I believe that college basketball referees are are a subset of the larger Duke fan and alumni group.
4. Missouri's next opponent - I really don't hate Missouri. The desire to see them lose started when Norm Stewart was the coach. Norm had the knack of taking a group of highly talented players and doing nothing with them. Rarely did they win the Big 8 title/tournament, or make it to the NCAA sweet sixteen. But they did have a knack for spoiling Kansas' season. It was as if Missouri's only goal each season was to beat Kansas. So while my desire to see them lose is now irrational, it still makes me smile. Mike Anderson will turn this team around. It will just take him another year or two.

* Assuming they are cleared in all investigations that may be opened concerning misconduct or NCAA rules violations.

** Well, there is also the NCAA