I had a Facebook friend post on Saturday that he thought Buzz Williams was a better coach than Bo Ryan and would take Williams over Ryan anyday. I posted back that he could do that if he wanted but he would lose. Williams has done well in the last few years with Marquette but doesnt come close to what Bo has accomplished at Wisconsin. With the win yesterday the Badgers finished in the Top 4 of the conference again. And they have never finished worse than 4th in Bo Ryan's time in Madison. That kind of consistency over that long a period of time is rare in any sport. And not only that...He has won over 70% of his games at Wisconsin...in fact he has the best winning Percentage in BIG TEN HISTORY! And he has done it with players that weren't always the most talented but bought into a style of hard nosed defense, patient offense and all-the-time hustle.  Plus he does it without a hint of scandal. Like the football program pre-Alvarez, sometimes folks forget or are too young to remember how desolate the basketball program was before Dick Bennett & Bo Ryan came to town. Ryan or Williams? I'll take Bo anyday.

The World Baseball Classic made for some good television over the weekend. We are not used to seeing meaningful baseball in March but thes players and teams were in it for real. The joy of Team Italy beating the big boys and earning a trip to the second round. The ferocity of the Mexico-Canada game descending into a brawl (yes Canadians brawling!)...the chance of Team USA not advancing as they trailed Canada yesterday in the 8th inning before rallying for the win. Like the Olympics, its great to see multi-millionaires playing for the competiton and pride in country and if you think its just an exhibition I would encourage you to check it out this week. Team USA will face Puerto Rico Tuesday night on MLB network.

Team USA managed its rally against Brewer relievers Jim Henderson & John Axford. Hoepfully they got it out of their system.

Congrats to Tom Weinkauf and the Wausau Newman girls basketball team for battling through a string of injuries and early season losses and earning a trip back to the State Tournament. They will face Marawood conference foe Wisconsin Rapids Assumption which could be one of the better games in the tournament on Thursday at 1:35. Newman is 20-7...Assumption is 26-1 with their only loss to the Cardinals.

Neillsville will put their undefeated mark on the line in a D-3 state game on Friday morning vs East Troy.

Two old pros won yesterday in golf and racing. Wisconsin native Matt Kenseth celebrated his 41st birthday with his first win for Joe Gibbs Racing and Tiger Woods stumbled but held off Wisconsin native Steve Stricker by two strokes in the WGC-Cadillac Championship. Stricker gave his good friend Woods a putting lesson earlier that might have cost him the tournament. Stricker is playing a limited schedule this season because of lingering back issues and also wanting to spend more time with his family.

Lonesome Day-Bruce Springsteen (2002) the opening track from "The Rising", Springsteens album in response to 9-11.

Long Black Limousine-Flying Burrito Brothers(1969) an old tune done by Elvis and any number of country artists. Here is a live version from Gram Parsons, Chris Hillman and the Burritos who melded country harmonies with hippie sensibility and "founded" country-rock. Sneaky Pete Kleinow's pedal steel shines through.