History suggests a UCLA loss

When UCLA and Florida play today, it will be only the fifth time in NCAA men’s basketball history that teams have had a Final Four rematch in consecutive seasons.

It’s a history lesson the Bruins may want to avoid because the record is 3-1 in favor of the previous winner.

1960: California and Cincinnati have a semifinal reunion. The result? Well, the Big O also stands for the number of NCAA titles Oscar Robertson was able to win while at Cincinnati.

1962: Cincinnati beats Ohio State in a final, the consecutive title game black eye for the Buckeyes. The fourth-place finisher was some little beach school coached by some guy named Wooden appearing in its first Final Four. What a fluke.

1968: UCLA sandwiches semifinal victories over Houston in 1967 and 1968 around the Cougars’ regular-season win in the “Game of the Century.” Lew Alcindor had an eye injury for that regular-season game, but the Cougars came up a little Hayes-y in the semis.

1991: Duke got a pound of flesh from Nevada Las Vegas in the semifinals a year after being routed in the title game, though it did require Larry Johnson tossing up a shot only a grandmamma could love. Meanwhile, underdog-loving gamblers worldwide rejoiced.

Trivia time

Who was the first coach to take Florida to the NCAA men’s basketball tournament? And, for bonus points, why is he not the most popular guy around Westwood?

West Virginia hits a bad spell

While winning the National Invitation Tournament may fall in the “almost heaven” bin, the West Virginia basketball team was reminded how special that title has become. The players were given T-shirts proclaiming, “West Virgina” as NIT champions. Apparently, tournament officials forgot to dot their i’s when making their T’s.

Along the way to becoming the 66th-best team in the nation, the Mountaineers defeated Dlwr Stt, UMss, Nrth Crln Stt, Msssspp Stt and Clmsn (the NIT will insert the vowels at a later date.)

The boss’ daughter

Apparently, Jenny Swindal takes after her father, George Steinbrenner. She fired her husband.

What that means is an unusual front-office shake-up, even by Yankees standards. Steve Swindal was the chairman of the board and King George’s anointed successor.

“George is still The Boss,” Howard Rubenstein, Steinbrenner’s spokesman, told Newsday. “The Steinbrenner family will run the Yankees.”

Steve Swindal was voted off that wacky island when his wife filed for divorce this week, citing irreconcilable differences, believed to be the same claim her dad made about Billy Martin.

Still, considering the number of reconciliations Steinbrenner and Martin had, maybe Swindal isn’t completely out of the picture. On the other hand, if the divorce goes through, maybe the Yankees can stick him with A-Rod in the custody battle.

(Cough) Fore! (cough)

The Los Angeles City Council is considering banning smoking from most city parks, with one noticeable exemption: golf courses. Seems a no-brainer. You can’t take strokes out of golf, right?

Trivia answer

Norm Sloan in 1987. Sloan’s North Carolina State team beat UCLA in the 1974 semifinals, ending the Bruins’ seven-year reign as champions.

And finally

Sports by Brooks reported that Frank and Jamie McCourt “will be fielding a Dodgers-themed float in the Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena next year, at a cost well in excess of $1 million.”

And how will you know which one is the Dodgers float? Easy, it’ll be the one that stalls at the parade’s finish.

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