NCAA MEN'S BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT: Cardinals have what it takes ajc.com

In that there were a grand complete of four Louisville backers in my hometown of Maysville, Ky. Father and Mom and my brother and me -- we learned to amass a low profile. On the contrary we rooted in our own stealthy way.

There were times early in my efficient life, such as it is, that adhering to the edict of no cheering in the press box came harder, nevertheless in this foregone decade I can honestly claim I've gotten so decrepit and laid back I indeed don't pull for anything apart from blue streak games.

So please lap up me when I assert this is future from the tendency and not the heart: Louisville's going to achievement it all. When this season began I never idea I'd be picking anyone on the other hand North Carolina. I figured these Heels would be the greatest band on account of (another Bluegrass reference) the 1996 Kentucky Wildcats provided not the 1976 Indiana Hoosiers.

However they haven't been. They've at sea four games, which is four exceeding than I figured they'd lose, and yet whether there was no disgrace in falling to Florida Governance in the ACC tournament -- and, without Ty Lawson, there wasn't -- the consciousness persists that there's something a hair off. They don't defend the method I'd commensurate a squad to defend. They can score in bunches, but at some end over these adjacent six games the champion-to-be testament hold to be able to point shots as right as constitute them.

And I conjecture Louisville is exceptional suited to doing both. I don't credit Pittsburgh or Connecticut, the third- and fourth-best teams, will sweep it all for the antipodean reason: They can defend but there will come a time, as there has come a lifetime for so various Awash East teams in the Barn door Dance, that they won't be able to treasure a basket.

The exceptions -- Syracuse in 2003, UConn in 1999 and 2004 -- gain had a Carmelo Anthony or a Rip Hamilton or a Ben Gordon. I don't contemplate that guy on Pitt or UConn now. I examine him on Louisville. His nickname is Earl Clark. And if his designation isn't Earl Clark, it's Terrence Williams. Louisville will share the Midwest without undue stress.

Boston College, which plays everybody tough, will eliminate Michigan Native land in Round 2 and advance to the Elite Eight. Cleveland Government will apprehensive Wake Forest, which has extensive ability but tiny direction, in Round 1. Dayton will knock off West Virginia and then Kansas. And Arizona, which doesn't belong, will lose to Utah, which does. I deliberation Memphis deserved a No.

1 seed over UConn, but I've never seen these Tigers as a Ending Four team. I behold them losing to Maryland in Round 2. Scrutinize for the Terps to distance the limited final before falling to UConn, which has no competition in its half. And Northern Iowa will free the track much as well by picking off Purdue. The East will gawk upheaval all around. Florida Authority and Toney Douglas will haft Xavier and then Pitt.

Nobody has augmented extensive bodies to pitch at DeJuan Blair than the & 8216;Noles.) VCU will whip UCLA, which is a shadow of itself, before losing to Villanova, which will beat Duke -- all the more with an ACC title, I don't gaze these Dookies as vintage -- and then FSU to stretch the Final Four. Still with my doubts approximately Carolina, I can't beam anyone beating the Heels before the NCAA championship game. Western Kentucky, always a cohesive out, will beat Illinois and then Gonzaga.

Temple will beat Syracuse, which has had its run, in Round 2 and then Michigan, which will hold frustrated Clemson and Oklahoma, in the community semis. Yes, this is the softest region by far. So there's your (or at least my) Final Four: Three Copious Easterners and the Heels.

To me, the Carolina-Louisville East resident final was the finest pastime of the 2008 Capacious Dance, and it took all the Heels had to prevail in Charlotte. This extent they'll right for the NCAA term in Detroit. And Louisville is bigger than it was then, and Carolina isn't as good. And that's not a fan speaking. That's a completely site know onions opinion.

I swear. Deeper on ajc.com Trudge Madness, indeed! No unrestrained favourite in NCAAs (03 16 2009) We're what?