Nice guys can finish first. Or at least we hope so at Quinnipiac. The Bobcats hired former UConn Assistant Coach Tom Moore to replace Joe DeSantis today. Great guy. Great choice.

First and foremost, Tom is a terrific person. He's humble and all about his family. The people he recognized the most today were his wife and three daughters. That's the way it should be. But don't be fooled by Tom Moore's "nice guy" demeanor. He loves to compete and, like the man he worked for at UConn (Jim Calhoun), has a burning desire to win. And he will win at Quinnipiac.

The program now has top of the line facilities for a school in it's league (Northeast Conference). They have an athletic director and president committed to winning (just look at the Quinnipiac hockey program under my childhood buddy Rand Pecknold). And most important, they (the basketball program) now have a coach who knows how to win.

For 13 years Tom Moore has sat near Jim Calhoun on the UConn bench devising the strategy and recruiting many of the players that resulted in two national titles.
So do not be surprised if over the next few years he lands a UConn transfer or two. I have no sources on this one. But my gut tells me it could happen (remember Rob Garrison and Ben Eaves).

Lastly, I remember Tom Moore leaving the Civic Center about 10 years ago in an old beat up car. Trust me, I could pick it out because I too was driving a car that was one fender bender away from the nearest junkyard. The point is, it is good to see someone who has worked so hard rewarded today. I wish Tom Moore the best. He will do a great job. And he will not be easily replaced at UConn.

I know, I know, I told you not to listen to me when filling out your brackets. I have never won an office pool and in fact this year after the first two rounds I was in third from last place. But heading into this Final 4 weekend I can brag about one thing, I correctly picked this year's National Semi-Finals (don't believe me, just check out the entry for March 11).

Ok, I really didn't go out on a limb by picking two number 1's and two number 2's, but I picked the right 1 and 2 seeds!

Here's my picks for this weekend. I see UCLA learning from their loss against Florida in last year's Championship Game and coming out on top. Florida has had a couple scares this March and it will catch up with them against Ben Howland's Bruins. In the other semi-final, I am picking Georgetown and the new Hoya Destroyas to take down Greg Oden and the Ohio State Buckeyes. Georgetown is playing like a "team of destiny" right now, but it will be fun to see two teams with legitimate centers battle for the right to play on Monday night. I am then sticking with the Hoyas to win the National Championship and be the 4th Big East team to do so since 1999.

Enjoy the games and then get ready for Opening Day!

March Madness turned into March sadness at UConn. The UConn Women joined the men and the rest of us as Final Four couch potatoes. Not to worry. This is a very young team and my guess (I know my predictions are terrible) is that they'll be in the Final Four next year. But let's focus on another positive thing we can all look forward to at UConn: Today's announcement that DJ Hernandez is moving from quarterback to wide receiver.

To me, this is a great move and not because I don't think DJ wouldn't have been successful at Q.B. I know I am in the minority. But I do think DJ had the potential to be a good college, and I emphasize college, quarterback. He has all of the intangibles you want in a leader and is one of the best athletes on the team.

But it really doesn't matter now what kind of quarterback I think DJ could have been. His move to me signifies that the coaching staff is confident that either redshirt sophomore Dennis Brown or Junior College transfer Tyler Lorenzen can get the job at quarterback. It also gives DJ a chance to get on the field at wide out. With all due respect to UConn's receiving corps, which is young and inexperienced, I think that position is the biggest weakness on the team. I predict DJ ends up a starter by mid-season at the very latest.

Remember Keron Henry. He was a q.b. at UConn as well and ended up at wide out and in some NFL camps. Do not forget about DJ Hernandez. Trust me. I saw this kid at Bristol Central as a running q.b. He is a sick athlete. And if UConn can get the ball in his hands, he will make things happen. And when he does, maybe some fans will finally leave him alone. He's a great kid, from a great family and now has a great opportunity to prove what a great football player he is at a position where the Huskies have a great need.

Headed home... I can say I didn't expect this kind of game. Yes, expected big things out of Sylvia Fowles, and she delivered. But like the UConn players said in the locker room afterwards, you wanted to see more out of them, and scratched your head as to why you didn't. They would've rather lost on a buzzer-beater than like this. I asked Coach Geno Auriemma about the mental toughness it takes to advance this time of year, and he talked about the job the coaching staff does starting early in the season. You do your best preparing players -- telling them that the lessons learned in October and November have to carry their way through the regular season and beyond.

If you want a silver lining, you can look to the fact that this team has no seniors -- no one is graduating, and the talent is coming back, with the addition of next year's class as well.

On a personal note, I can't wait to get back to my family. Every time I spoke to my little boy from the road, he'd ask me where I was and then would say, "why don't you come home?"

I'm on my way.

For Connecticut vs NC State, my seat was located right behind the Wolfpack bench. What a tremendous thing -- to see Kay Yow coaching and inspiring her team. This was a game of great momentum shifts -- NC state came out strong but CT came out stronger in the second half. All the while, Yow, one of the greatest women's basketball coaches, was leading the way. There were times when her players looked down, but Yow never did. What was tough to watch were the moments when her staff and players would have to assist her up after timeouts. Tough and completely inspiring. Coach Geno Auriemma has said that what Yow has done will be remembered forever. It will.

Meanwhile, this UConn team continues to look poised, loose and confident. There was no nervous type of anxiety at today's press conference or in the locker room. As for LSU, they had an edge to them in the pressers and when talking to the media. Understandable, I guess, when you have a bit of a chip going into the game after UConn came back from a double-digit deficit to beat them on February 11th. They want this shot at redemption, and that is clear.

Brittany Hunter told me its always an edge when a team wants to get back at you for a loss... Then again, she pointed out, none of these players have ever been to the Final 4, and that, she told me, is UConn's edge.

Thank goodness I'm not a meteorologist. If I was,I would have been fired years ago. Predictions. Forget it. My Doppler sports radar officially broke down three years ago when I said the Yankees would sweep the Red Sox in the ALCS. Four Red Sox wins later I felt like we got a blizzard when I called for a sunny day.

But there is a little sunshine in my world tonight. I actually picked three of the four teams in the Final Four. But I wouldn't exactly say I went out on a limb. I have Florida repeating as National Champs. Boy, that's bold. They only returned the entire team.

I thought UCLA would also make it. Right again. No, this wasn't as obvious as the 10 teams in 12 years that Coach Wooden won titles with, but George Mason they are not. UCLA is a two seed. They play great defense under Ben Howland. And they returned most of their team from a squad that lost in the National Championship game last year.

I also picked Georgetown. That's my Big East bias showing. But the Hoya's backed it up with a gutty comeback Sunday. But again, is Georgetown a bold pick? Of course not. With two lottery picks in Roy Hibbert and Jeff Green, they should be in the Final Four. The one school in the Final Four that I missed is Ohio State. I had Memphis winning. I should have known better than to put John Calipari back in a Final Four. His last one at UMass is wiped out of the books anyway, isn't it?

I have Florida winning the tournament. I covered Billy Donovan when he was hired as a 28 year old Head Coach at Marshall. And Billy's grandparents and my grandparents were best friends on Long Island. So I would like to see Billy the Kid repeat. But now that I've picked the Gators, take your picks elsewhere. If I'm forecasting blue skies in the Sunshine State, bank on a Nor'easter that goes through Columbus or Washington D.C. And with that last prediction, take UCLA.

I hate phonies. Call me Holden Caulfield if you will. (If you don't get that reference, Google it and read the book. I swear it won't make you a serial killer). But that is exactly what the Red Sox are, a bunch of phonies.

Just today we find out that last year's rookie phenom Jonathan Papelbon will be heading back to the bullpen to be their closer. This after months of the Red Sox brass telling everyone that Papelbon will be in the starting rotation, but for health reasons. Terry Francona just in February told Joe D'Ambrosio on NBC 30 that this decision was done for "medical reasons". They felt that his arm would last longer on a set schedule of four days rest between starts instead of pitching an inning maybe 2 or 3 days in a row.

Everybody knew that this was not going to last. Most thought that the Sox would change their mind sometime mid-way through the season when they realized that Timlin, Piniero, and Hansen couldn't get the job done. Seriously what were the Sox thinking anyway? Papelbon struggled a little down the stretch last year but he finished with 35 saves and had an ERA under one! That sounds pretty dominant to me. Why would you take someone who excelled in his position, and move him to a starting role in which he didn't even want to be in? The way I see it, there aren't that many reliable, dominant closers in the game and if you think you have one, leave it alone. Also, if it really was for a "medical reason" you would think they would still want to protect Papelbon. I guess the reason isn't that important.

But the inevitable happened today. Papelbon is back as the closer (a move quickened by the injury to Mike Timlin) and Julian Tavarez is listed now as the team's fifth starter. The kid will probably have a great mental state now that he is where he wants to be.

But back to being phonies, no one took this team serious when they made this initial announcement. It's like last year at the trade deadline when they cried being poor and that they couldn't make any deals because of financial reasons. Theo Epstein said they couldn't keep up with the Yankees spending habits. Hey, I know the Yankees have organizational problems too, but they are who they are. There is no mistaking their motives. The Sox cry poor and then go on a ridiculous spending spree in the off season, shelling out hundreds of millions for Daisuke Matsuzaka and J.D. Drew (I can't wait to face this guy in a big spot at Yankee Stadium!). Once again, wouldn't you say they are being a little phony.

But maybe this will all work for Red Sox Nation (by the way, I hate that moniker, I think Raider Nation existed first...how about a little originality); Matsuzaka looks like he might be the real deal, they have an ace for the 9th inning, and the best 3-4 combo in the game in Manny and Big Papi is still in tact (after not trading Manny Ramirez for like the 4th year in a row). Just don't tell me that you're poor and that Papelbon was going to remain a starter, I am just not buying it and neither is Holden Caulfield.

Don

Thank you Red Sox. You made me look smart. And as my wife and kids can attest, that is not easy to do. For months I've been saying the Red Sox should stick Jonathan Papelbon back in the bullpen. For a year I've been saying they should never consider moving him to the rotation. And for eternity, I think the Red Sox will be rewarded for their move today.

No, Terry Francona isn't going to heaven for making Jonathan Papelbon the closer again. But when big number 58 comes in to finish games this summer it will feel like a piece of heaven is descending on the mound for Red Sox Nation. Paplebon is that good.

The Red Sox decision to move Papelbon to the rotation officially changed with Mike Timlin going on the disabled list. But in my mind, it ended months ago when the Sox didn't land a big time closer in the off-season. The Red Sox have a team that can win the World Series. But not with a bullpen by committee. They've tried that. It doesn't work. And Mike Timlin, solid as he is, was never the answer either. Deep down I think the Red Sox always knew this. And deep down, Papelbon said today, he really wants to close.

So what about his shoulder problems that caused the Sox to move him to the rotation in the first place? Well, take it from this former left handed starter and closer, it makes no difference if Papelbon was a starter or closer. I'm not a doctor. But if the Sox are smart with Papelbon and don't use him too much, he'll be fine. I'm not buying this notion that as a starter his shoulder would be more protected.

Lastly, remember these two things. Papelbon closed games in college at Mississippi State. That is where his career took off. In his heart, he knows he is a closer. He has the stuff and the makeup to be a closer. And just because the guys was light's out of the pen last year (35 saves, .92 era) doesn't guarantee he would have dominated in the rotation.

In the last 30 years, the only guy I can think of who made the transition seamlessly was John Smoltz who went from starter to closer back to starter. Don't tell me Dennis Eckersly. Despite a 20 wins season in I think 1978, Eck was a journeyman before resurrecting his career in Oakland where he became a hall of famer. Jonathon Papelbon can also be a hall of famer. And today's decision by the Red Sox may help him get there. It was a no-brainer and one the Red Sox should never look back on even if Papelbon struggles at times and needs a rest. Just imagine their bullpen without him.

If you know me, I'm an optimist. I believe that most of us are so blessed in this country that we should always look at the proverbial glass as half full. And then there is the future of pro hockey in Hartford. That is where my glass is still half full, but where I am not ready to swallow the kool-aid just yet.

Today's announcement by the CDA to let Northland/AEG run the Civic Center makes some sense. This investment group has a huge stake in Hartford and would like nothing more than to have NHL hockey as the centerpiece of downtown revitalization. MSG, losers in the CDA decision, did a fine job running the Civic Center. Howard Baldwin and Global Spectrum would have been my first choice. But Baldwin did walk away from Hartford once and it's hard to find a group with a more vested interest in the Civic Center and possibly a new arena in Hartford than Northland/AEG.

But this is where the optimist in me hears the realist. Kansas City spent 276 million dollars on a new area and at last check still didn't have an NHL team to play in it. I promise to buy a season ticket package if we get NHL hockey back, but I wouldn't bank on it. NHL expansion is unlikely. And with the Penguins staying in Pittsburgh and other cities lined up with arena's looking to lure the NHL, getting the Whale back in town remains a reach. Still, I credit Northland/AEG for its vision and optimism. I also credit the CDA for taking a chance, a risk. Whatever happens, will take time. Let us all hope it is in the best interests of Hartford, our State and of course the Whalers fan club.

Alright, here goes…Kevin and Don have been blogging successfully without me…time to join in on the fun.

Since I’m headed to the UConn women’s game momentarily against Wisconsin-Green Bay, I figure that’s a great place to start. I know everyone is complaining about it, and I gotta say, I can’t stand it myself. Time to make some changes in these late starts, guys. I know we’re at the mercy of television contracts, but leagues across the board, whether in the collegiate or the professional ranks, have to stand up and say enough is enough. How will their collective fan bases grow? You think I’m letting my son stay up late? I don’t think so.

OK, so the UConn women are loose and confident. In the locker room yesterday, it was palpable. Kalana Greene described it for me as "very cool and nonchalant." And when a team with this much talent feels that good, look out.

UConn Freshman Ben Eaves is transferring. This comes as little surprise. With a recruiting class as large as last fall's, there were bound to be defections. If I'm a kid good enough to play division one, then I would want to play. Ben Eaves will get a shot somewhere else and we hope have a good college career.

What is so baffling to me is the criticism I've been hearing about the 2006-2007 Huskies. Did they underachieve? Perhaps. They had one of the program's most heralded recruiting classes ever. And outside of Jerome Dyson, there's not one kid I can call a definite future star. To be fair though, they did lose 5 players to the NBA draft. Five!

On top of that, I have actually seen people suggest that Coach Calhoun should consider giving some of his salary back after a 17-14 season. Or that he should stop recruiting kids who leave early for the NBA. Are you kidding me? So let's watch State U become a mid-major. Heck, why not opt out of the Big East and join the Patriot League. Is that really what you want? One trip to the NCAA Tournament every five years, one win in the Big Dance every 50 years?

Get a clue Connecticut. When I moved here 11 years ago I constantly heard how Jim Calhoun could not win the big one and get to a Final Four. Then he brings in Rip, Khalid, Emeka and Ben and wins two titles and it's still not good enough? That is not fair. That is not right. Jim Calhoun is one of only two coaches to win multiple national titles in the last 25 years. The other coach you ask? Coack K. at Duke. Let's see...the Blue Devils lost in the first round of the tournament to Virgina Commonwealth, so maybe Coach K. should get canned or at least give back some of his salary.

Keep recruiting the best players, Coach. Who am I to question the level of talent. Coach Calhoun has nearly 800 wins. I have zero. He promised us Ben Gordon would be a star when no one else saw it. 21 points per game later in the NBA and a NCAA title, who was right? Coach Calhoun will sort out the problems of this past season and within two years be back in the hunt for another championship. In the meantime, if UConn fans want to see only four year players who don't leave early for the NBA, go root for another team. We have plenty of schools in the state that would love to take your money. And just think, you'll have plenty of extra cash since travelling to a final four will never be an option.

My mother loves UConn basketball, and she especially loves the UConn women. She never misses a game. It all started when I enrolled at UConn in 1993 and she has had Husky Fever even since.

Now my mother never missed a sporting event of her three kids, but until she found the Huskies she wasn't into watching sports if it didn't involve sitting in the bleachers of a local Ansonia park. Growing up, she never liked us to even watch any sports during dinner, she thought that it was family time and that should not be interrupted by the sounds of a play-by-play announcer yelling. Years later however, she has Husky Fever so bad that she plans her meals and social life around the UConn basketball schedule.

It is amazing what you will do for a Husky-crazed mother. While in college, I had some classes with Jen Rizzotti and Kara Wolters. Do you know how humiliating it is to ask a classmate for an autograph? But she got the 1995 Sports Illustrated with Rizzotti on the cover signed by the UConn star.

Through the years, my mother has even gotten better at understanding the game of basketball. It started with just knowing all the players' names and now she has conversations with me and "breaks-down" the game. She always calls me after a big win or a heart-breaking defeat to talk about her excitement or disappointment. Just tonight we talked about UConn's opening round win over UMBC and how she is looking forward to their second round match-up with Wisconsin-Green Bay. She was even excited to tell me that she had filled out her brackets for the women's NCAA Tournament and wanted to give me her Final 4 picks. So without further ado, here are my mom's picks:

UConn, Duke, Tennessee, and North Carolina

She said she went with all the top seeds because she thinks that these four teams are just too strong right now to get upset. Mom then said she has the Huskies playing the Lady Vols in another classic championship game. You will never meet a more loyal person than my mother, so I didn't even ask who she had winning the whole tourney, but I think we can all assume that she has Geno raising his 6th National Championship trophy on April 3rd in Cleveland.

I hope UConn wins another championship, but not for the trophy case in Storrs, but rather for my mom and the phone call I hope to have with her on April 4th.

Don

I understand the empty seats for the UConn Women last night. Who wants to watch a 9:30 game on a Sunday night against a team (UMBC) that you know UConn will crush. 6,800 fans showed up. True diehards. But for my money, the competition and the start were equally bad. I know why we have late games. It gives the tv execs more programming at all hours of the day. But fans are smart. They know a good game from a bad game, and a good start time from a bad one.

The late start times for all major sports bothers me. I can't tell you how many times I've tried to let one of my kids stay up to watch some major sporting event. But when it's the 2nd inning of the World Series and it's 9:00, it's already well past their bedtime. At some point, this jeopardizes an entire generation of fans.

Here is to day games and early starts. I'm getting old. Even the 11 o'clock news can be late. But it pays the bills for me and I guess at the end of the day a late start for the UConn women pays the bills for someone else.

When the Blue Devils lost last night UConn Nation cheered. Of course I am referring to the Duke Blue Devils. Anyone outside of Buckeye land that rooted against the Central Blue Devils last night should see a doctor immediately. They may be missing a heart.

Heart is something that the CCSU Blue Devils never lacked. They were not talented enough to compete with Ohio State last night. I'm not sure anyone is. After all the Buckeyes sported Mcdonald's All-American Greg Oden and all that Central has is a Mickadee's about a mile from campus.

But the effort Central put forth was amazing last night and all season.
They started 3-9 and then won 19 of 21. As Central Coach Howie Dickenman said last night, his team could have mailed it in. But they kept fighting all season. And against the Buckeyes played the nation's number one team even for a half.

Afterwards last night, all of the emotion of playing so hard for so long for so much came out. I loved it. No, I never want to see someone sad. But these were young men who truly love one another and who were unafraid or ashamed to show emotion. Too many men hold everything inside. It's not good. The Central players shared their pain mixed with pride. It was one of the most emotional locker rooms I've ever seen.

I was once a Red Devil....a Dickinson Red Devil. I, too, cried a lot of tears after both my last college football and baseball games. Not because we lost, but because it was over. I felt the pain the Central players were going through last night. But I loved that they could show emotion. And that is what I will remember about the 2006-2007 Blue Devils. They played with heart, emotion and a genuine love for each other. The Duke Blue Devils can't even match that. And that's why this Red Devil will never forget this Blue Devils team.

I must come clean. I am heading on the road with Central with clean clothes that will last only until Friday. My educated guess is that the reporters covering Ohio State packed enough gear to last until Sunday. So does that mean I am off the Central bandwagon that swept me off my feet last week? No. But I am a realist and who needs clean clothes if Central wins anyway. I will gladly walk around feeling a little grimy after what would go down as the biggest upset in tournament history. Heck, I might just wear a Javier Mojica jersey if the Blue Devils win. Of course a number 16 seed has never knocked off a one seed in the Big Dance. But if Cinderella Central pulls it off, I will deal with dirty socks. After all, the airline will probably lose my bags anyway. There's a better chance of that than a Central win. But we all remember the Miracle on Ice and we've all seen "Hoosiers". Anything is possible.

Lastly, I will miss my wife and kids this week as I always do. Brynn, don't be sad. I will be home Friday. And if I'm not, blame on the Central basketball team because they will have just pulled off one of the greatest upsets in sports history.

Kevin

Well the brackets are out, and so is UConn. Yes, I am disappointed about this year's team, which also did not get an invite to the NIT. However, we have been spoiled with such a great program in Storrs, it is only fair to accept a year of growing pains with a team filled with freshman and sophomores. Now I am not saying that this group of players will win a National Championship, but just remember that in Rip Hamilton's freshman year, UConn was left out of the NCAA Tournament and we all know what happened two years later.

As for Central, we knew they would be playing a number 1 seed, so why not Ohio State? Why not the number 1 team in the country (by the AP Poll)? Why not against big, bad Greg Oden? The Blue Devils of course have their work cut out for them, but it sure will be fun seeing the underdog play the Buckeyes in prime time (7:10 pm) on Thursday. Central had a great season, and was a great story this year no matter what the outcome is. (Blatant NBC 30 plug coming up) Be sure to watch Kevin Nathan as he travels with Central as far as they go in the tournament. Live reports start on Wednesday at 6:00 pm.

Now if you are like everyone else in the country today, everyone is carrying around and studying their brackets, filling them out for office pools, and talking about sleeper picks. Its amazing, but this time of year everyone is an "expert". People who don't even follow sports are talking about whether Wright State can beat Pittsburgh. The funny thing is, when people talk about their picks, they do so with such assurance. "Oh, Winthrop will absolutely beat Notre Dame."

Here's the thing with brackets, no one knows what they are doing. Whether you are working in a cubicle or you are one of the NCAA experts on TV, no one gets these things right. It is always someone's mother who wins because she picks the team based on if she ever visited that city or state before (which was the case for the pool I was in last year). Another example: in an on-line ESPN pool last year, only two people picked George Mason to go to the Final 4, and one of them only made the pick because they thought it was actually George Washington! Legend has it that Mike Francesa of WFAN in New York got his first TV job because he picked every game correctly one year as an intern. Now that's impressive.

I have never won an NCAA pool. One year in college, I picked every game but one in the first two rounds, but then only won a handful of games the rest of the way and finished in the middle of the pack. I have a habit of always picking UConn to win. I just can't go against them for fear of them winning and I did not have them in the final position (I of course was right in '99 and '04!). So this year I will not have that problem. I won't win any pools again this year, even though I will try. So don't look to me for help, I'm just as bad as the next guy.

Final 4 picks: Florida, UCLA, Georgetown, Ohio State

Enjoy the tourney
Don

It's Obie versus Oden. Blue Devils against Buckeyes. CCSU vs. OSU. David vs. Goliath. Anyway that we look at Central's opening round NCAA Tournament matchup Thursday in Lexington, KY, it's going to be almost impossible to win. But talking to Central Coach Howie Dickenman and the Blue Devils tonight left me walking away thinking one thing: These guys will play their tails off...win or lose. Can they do it? Probably not. No #16 seed has ever beaten a one seed in the men's tournament. But eventually there will be a first. And if heart, guts and character matter at all, then why not Central?

I asked a few of the guys if they would watch Hoosiers this week. Obie Nwadike told me that they would need to make a movie about them (Central) if they won. Can I be the reporter running on the court?

I'll be there in Lexington this week and I can't wait.

As for the UConn men being left out of the post-season for the first time since 1987, UConn fans need to wakeup and get a reality check. It is time to appreciate an amazing two decade run and stop whining about one tough season. As long as Jim Calhoun is the coach, this team will be back in the hunt for a title(s).

Lastly, congratulations to all of the state champions this weekend in girls high school hoops, especially Holy Cross Waterbury. They are the state's only unbeaten team and the Brass City's first ever Girls Basketball State Champs. I interviewed the seniors Saturday. Great kids. Great job!

Is there a better story right now in Connecticut than CCSU basketball? The Blue Devils are going to the NCAA tournament with only 9 players. Their star player Javier Mojica is a former walk-on. And their best rebounder is about 6'2". They are in many ways the most unlikely team in the country, regardless of their conference, to have won 19 of 21 games. But what I saw last night will never show up in any stat sheet. These Central players have heart. They simply willed themselves to win against a very gritty Sacred Heart team.

I've been fortunate enough to cover some major sporting events: The World Series, Super Bowl, Final Four and Olympics. But I would put the atmosphere at the Central/Sacred Heart game at the top of the list. Here are some things that stood out.

1) 3000 plus fans made as much noise as 30,000.

2) Bigger isn't always better. Detrick Gymasium rocked!

3) Almost every Central player and Coach I interviewed praised Sacred Heart

4) This was totally about the love of the game...not impressing NBA scouts

5) How can you not love Central Coach Howie Dickenman? He's an old school Coach with that distinctive tough voice. But the man has a huge heart and would do anything for a friend.

6) Central's Sports Information Director Tom Pincince telling me with 20 seconds to
go that this would be his first trip to the NCAA Tournament. Congrats Tom! You deserve it.

7) Tom Pincince and everyone at Central treating us like kings even though it was my first trip there all season. Everyone went above and beyond to make us feel welcome.

8) I was in the middle of a wild celebration and did not get injured! That's a good thing when you have three kids and a wife at home who count on you to take out the trash and change diapers.

9) Seeing Javier Mojica's stepfather embrace his son...both with tears in their eyes.

10) Running into former Central baseball player turned major league pitcher Ricky Bottalico. He could have been anywhere last night, but Ricky knew there was only one place to be in CT.

I could go on and on and probably will next week at the NCAA Tournament. But for me, this Central Basketball team is why I got into this business. Thanks Blue Devils for one of the top 10 moments of my career. It's hard not to root for you.

See you at the NCAA Tournament. You deserve it. And I am pumped to go along for the ride.

Welcome to my first posting on NBC 30's "The Point After". I am excited about the opportunity to give my views and opinions on the wonderful world of sports and also to hear back from you.

Now as a loyal NBC 30 viewer (and I hope that you are!) you may have clicked on this post and wondered, "Who is this Don fellow alongside Kevin Nathan and Persefone Contos?" Good question. My name is Don Laviano and I am the Sports Producer at NBC 30. Next, you probably want to know what that means. Well, to put it simply, I do a little bit of everything behind the scenes in order to help get the sportscasts that you watch at 6:00 and 11:00 pm on the air. I edit video, plan live events, and do a little writing to name a few of my duties. It is a very challenging and at times stressful job, but also it is very fun and rewarding. It is what I always dreamed of as a kid; to get paid to work in the sports industry.

I thought for my first blog, I would just tell you a little bit about myself so you understood where these words were coming from. If you read Kevin's first blog (and I think you should), then you know that he is forever in the 70's. Well, fast forward one decade for me because my friends say I am "stuck in the 80's". I still own a 1989 Firebird; I love "The Karate Kid", Bon Jovi, and Eddie Money; and I think Princess Leia was hot in "Return of the Jedi".

As far as sports go, I am first and foremost a Yankees fan. I will not hide my bias on this blog. So Red Sox fans, if I think that the Yankees need to throw inside on Big Papi, deal with it! Having said that, I am fair. If I think Joe Torre left Carl Pavano (of course let's see if he even makes it out of spring training healthy!) in a game too long, I will call him out on it. Oh yeah, and there are always the Mets to talk about too.

I am also a graduate of the University of Connecticut and lifelong Connecticut resident, so I bleed Husky blue. I remember where I was for "The Shot", "The Perfect Season", and when UConn "shocked the world". If you don't know what events I am talking about, time for you to brush up on your UConn history!

So, to close my first posting on "The Point After", I am looking forward to giving my opinions on the world of sports in Connecticut and more. Hopefully we will all have some fun reading, writing, and sharing as you will also be able to post your opinions with Kevin, Persefone, and myself by posting your own comments about our blogs.

Thanks for reading
Don

1978 meet 2007. After being stuck in some sort of time warp between the Bee Gee's greatest hits and the Miracle on Ice, I am pulling off my own miracle. I am officially joining the new millennium and all of the technology (notice I didn't say advancement) that it brings. Having finally mastered the fine art of signing onto my computer, I am taking the next step (actually about 10 steps) and starting my own blog.

Fortunately I will not be alone. Persefone Contos and NBC 30 Sports Producer Don Laviano will also be blogging with me. Whew! This way when I forget how to sign on I'll have someone to guide me.

The point of my blog will not be to call attention to the fact that I am a "70's guy." Those who know me or who have listened to the cd's in my car know that to be true. Actually the blog will allow me and our sports department to share our opinions and thoughts with you in a different more expanded context than we can in the 3 minutes or so we are allotted on the newscasts.

It is something I very excited about doing. Just like you, I have plenty of opinions about sports. Some of those I am able to share on "Sports Talk" on WTIC Newstalk 1080. But the difference here is that I am not ad libbing. Sure, these are some raw thoughts. But I hope to be able to articulate them for you perhaps better than I can on the radio or on NBC 30.

So I hope you can get to know me better through "The Point After." I am proud of my 70's music taste and proud to be a blogger and officially no longer a technophobe!