ROSWELL, Ga. – As the 2006 NCAA Tournament enters its second week of competition, I will be in Atlanta, somewhere neither of “my teams” – the Kansas Jayhawks and Syracuse Orange – will be: the Sweet Sixteen and Elite Eight. In the Atlanta bracket, a superior #12 Texas A&M team defeated Syracuse, an overrated 5 seed that only made the tournament because of its unlikely run in the Big East Tournament. Meanwhile, #4 Kansas was in early-season form, looking like a shadow of the Jayhawks that won the Big 12 Tournament the week before, losing to Missouri Valley runners up Bradley, an at-large 13 seed triumphant in the opening weekend. Bradley will play top-seeded Memphis in the Oakland regional semifinal tomorrow night. The early departure for the Jayhawks and Orange marks the second straight year that both 2003 finalists have failed to win their first round games.

Filed under:
Opinion/Editorial, Sports TV, Television by Scott A. Winer

ROSWELL, Ga. – During the chaotic first round of the NCAA Tournament, details are likely to fall through the cracks. Such was the case on CBS Sports’ broadcast of the Kansas-Bradley game Friday night when a graphic, identifying legendary Kansas broadcaster Max Falkenstien, contained an incorrect spelling of Falkenstien’s last name. While it’s an easy mistake, and one that I made on a graphic promoting Falkenstien’s appearance on Jayhawk Sports Talk: Monday, the error is just as inexcusable on KUJH as it is on CBS. Falkenstien, who has been calling KU football and basketball games since 1946, ended his 60-year career as the voice of the Jayhawks when Kansas lost to the Bradley Braves, 77-73, in their opening round game at The Palace of Auburn Hills. On February 27, he was a guest on Jayhawk Sports Talk: Monday two days before calling his final home game at Allen Fieldhouse. The first-round broadcast was produced by Mark Wolff and directed by Suzanne Smith.

Filed under:
College, Opinion/Editorial, Sports TV, Television by Scott A. Winer