Mike Check Monday

Now that most of the smoke has settled from "March Madness", only four teams remain in the tournament: (3)UCONN/(4)Kentucky, and (11)VCU/(8)Butler. As usual,this year's tourney was a bracket-buster and by the time the third round games came along, my bracket's were dinner for the shredder! Because parity is at its pinnacle in mens college basketball, I can't say this has been the best brand of ball I've ever witnessed, but its arguably the most "upsetting."

Upsetting in the sense that we have two "small-schools" featured in the Final Four, headlined by last years runner-up champ Butler and VCU. In fact the highest ranked team remaining, UCONN, is only a 3 seed and they play the next highest seed, #4 Kentucky. This is by far the sexiest game of the Final-Four matchups. For all intent and purposes, this is the championship game! The winner of this contest should recognize it as a possible "trap-game" and not overlook the winner between VCU/Butler (*recall Michigan falling victim to that mentality following their victory over a Jamal Mashburn led Kentucky in the '93 Final Four). Overall, the customary last second, buzzer beater drama that has come to define "March Madness"was apparent, but this year the individual stars left an impression on experts and fans alike.

Arizona forward Derrick Williams' NBA stock dramatically increased with his versatility (3 point shooting, inside presence), athleticism, dazzling dunks, and game-winning defense. Williams proved to be a bonafide "go-to" guy capable of putting a team on his back each game the WildCats advanced. BYU's Jimmer Fredette and Kemba Walker didn't disappoint either. Although Fredette and BYU were eliminated by Florida, Jimmer went out blazing like a true shooter (32 points,29 shots, including 15 three point attempts---are you kidding me?) and Kemba Walker is on a tear that reminds me of Dwayne Wade's domination in the 2006 Finals. Not suggesting he plays like Wade, Im merely suggesting his "take-over" impact is comparable (26 ppg as Big East Tourney MVP/two 30 point games in the NCAA tourney). I think NBA-TV/ChrisWebber.com's Kevin Cottrell is spot on with the Vinnie Johnson/Ben Gordon comparison, only Kemba's ball control is slightly better. Chauncey Billups and Derron Williams come to mind if I had to compare Jimmer, based on their upper body strength and jump-shooting ability. He may not be the "Great White Hype" in the pro's or come close to Billups/Williams in ability, but I'm predicting he'll be far more effective in the league then Adam Morrison, Gordon Heyward or JJ Redick.

Speaking of potential picks and professional basketball, the NBA's is starting to wind down a grueling season. Right now competitive teams are posturing for position and home-court advantage for the playoffs. One such team that grew accustomed to this routine was the Detroit Pistons. A prominent playoff team and consistent championship contender for most of the 2000s, the last couple of years have been dreadful for the Pistons (26-47 this year). It hurts me to say, but I attribute Piston legend and President of Basketball Operations Joe Dumars for this rebuilding period. It's time someone brings attention to Dumars and the woeful job he has done recently. Actually, let's go back to 2003. Winning the 2004 championship was possibly the greatest mask to one of his biggest blunders. Besides the '84 and '96 Drafts, 2003 was probably the greatest in league history! In a Draft that featured Lebron, Bosh, Wade, Carmelo and even Josh Howard, Joe D decided to draft Darko Milicic (a bust compared to the aforementioned names) with the #2 pick! I love Tayshaun, Rasheed, RIP Hamilton, etc, but if you have the chance to draft a Melo, Bosh, or Wade, you pull the trigger! Okay, so when it happened, I gave Dumars a pass. Besides Lebron, no one really had an inkling of how dominant the players in that Draft would be, fine. Skip four years later to 2008. In the first week of the season Dumars trades the heart and soul of the team, Chauncey Billups, to the Nuggets for Allen Iverson. I can't lie, being the uber Allen Iverson fan that I am, when the trade transpired, I was ecstatic but we all know that movie ended with egg on the Piston's face. Then you rationalize and say, okay, if anything Dumars was trying to free cap space with an expiring contract to make room for the "summer of 2010." But in the "summer of 2009" Dumars blew millions on glorified bench player Ben Gordon and a one-year hit wonder with the Bucks, Charlie Vilanueva. Come on Son! With the slew of underachieving coaches following Larry Brown (Flip Saunders, Michael Curry, and presently John Kuester) I questioned Dumars commitment to the team. With the recent team mutiny against Kuester, I'm now questioning his competency. I'm not leading a witch-hunt to fire Dumars at all. No one is more thankful to Dumars for his on court and off court contributions then me. But as author Toni Morrison asked, "Can't we criticize what we love?"

Finally, catching my attention this weekend were events involving the Barry Bonds case. No, I don't care about testimony, witnesses or accusations. What caught my eye was the blind loyalty by long time Bonds associate and friend Greg Anderson. Anderson was sent back to jail again for not stabbing his friend in the back and testifying against him. I don't know too many brothers who would go to jail for their mothers let alone a (black) friend. I applaud Anderson's 'Death (in this case jail) before dishonor' approach, it's priceless. Bonds just better be sure to have all types of money on his books and take care of him handsomely when he's free.