If your memory’s good, this should be more than enough to go on.
As CBS play-by-play man came on the air March 20, 2010, he welcomed viewers to snowy Oklahoma City, OK.
It was, perhaps, apt that there was a quasi-blizzard raging outside when 9th-seeded Northern Iowa played top-seeded Kansas in the Round of 32 for a spot in the Sweet 16.
The upstart Panthers fairly well snowed in the Jayhawks, jumping to an 8-point halftime lead, forcing 15 Kansas turnovers for the game, and clinging to a 1-point lead with 35 seconds left.
That’s when the subject of this week’s Fan Teaser, Ali Farokhmanesh, drained a deep three to give the Panthers a two possession lead which they turned into a 69-67 upset victory. Farokhmanesh just completed his first year as head coach of the Colorado State Rams who qualified for the NIT this season with a 21-12 record.
Will (or has it already!?!) similar March Madness occur during this year’s tournament? I guess we’ll just need to wait and see.
Northern Iowa’s Ali Farokhmanesh celebrates after his 3-pointer with 35 seconds remaining gave the 9th seeded Northern Iowa Panthers a 4-point leader over top-seeded Kansas in the NCAA Men’s Tournament’s Round of 32 back in 2010. UNI went on to win, 69-67. (Photo by Ronald Martinez)
Farokhmanesh hits the open three.
Just to review, The Fan Teaser was the creation of former Ann Arbor News Sports Editor Geoff Larcom. Longtime friend and fellow Ann Arbor News alum, Pat Schutte, took it to heights previously unknown. We aim to keep it alive here at The Sports Fan Project. The cropped photo and the accompanying clue give you an idea as to who or what the image is of. We invite you to use the Comment option to take a crack at solving the Teaser and, if you’re so inclined, participate in some good-spirited banter with your fellow sports fans. The Fan Teaser will appear each Friday morning with the reveal coming to you Sunday.
Vanderbilt’s Tyler Tanner’s last-second shot was this close to clinching a Commodore victory and a clean sweep for our wagers on that game.(Photo from a CBS Sports Screen Grab)
And on the third day, the “2017 South Point Sports Book Customer Service Agent of the Year,” Therese, pulled out a roll of Scotch Tape from behind the counter and re-assembled my torn winning betting slip from Friday’s Alabama-Hofstra game and I was $19.10 better off.
Of course, Therese’s turn as miracle worker came afterGeno Auriema and his UConn women’s basketball team couldn’t ever find their rhythm during its first-round match up with Texas-San Antonio and merely won by 38 points and not the 55 the oddsmakers thought it would.
Hubris, thy name is Doug for laying 55 points.
Our day ended in fantastic fashion sitting at the Steak ‘n Shake in South Point gnoshing on burgers and shakes and fries while watching the end of the Vanderbilt-Nebraska game on a phone screen. A game in which three of us had some interest😉
One of our group had the first-half Over which was set at 68.5 points. His palms were sweaty and his knees weak – though there was no sign of mom’s spaghetti;-) – as the teams slogged their way to 71 first-half points.
I had the Nebraska getting two points in the game while another had Vanderbilt giving those same two points.
A scenario did exist where all three of us could be winners: The combined 71 first-half points followed by a Vanderbilt 1-point win.
Vanderbilt’s Tyler Tanner nearly delivered just that at the buzzer with his shot that was that close (see image above) from going in and giving the Commodores a 75-74victory. (Check out the shot below.)
Instead we had to settle for 2-for-3.
Here’s what transpired Saturday:
South Point’s Saint Therese rescued my accidentally torn betting slip from the trash heap and turned my stupidity into a victory (Win! Payout $19.10)
$10 wagered on UConn women -55 points against Texas-San Antonio – Final Score: UConn 90, UTSA 52. (Loss!)
$10 wagered on Nebraska +2 points against Vanderbilt – Final Score: Nebraska 74, Vanderbilt 72. Win! Payout $19.10)
So, as I type this early Sunday morning (praying to Saint Therese, of course) I am currently up $17.50 for the three days.
The fantastic finish to the Nebraska-Vanderbilt game.
Day 2 embracing the madness that is March in Las Vegas was a tale of wins, wonton disregard for reading comprehension, and a bad beat as part of Event No. 49 of the Around the World in 80 Sporting Events project.
My dad watches a lot of mid-major men’s basketball thanks to ESPN+ and he provided me with two schools to keep an eye on before I headed here: High Point University (Big South) and Wright State University (Horizon League).
If you recall from my Day 1 Ledger, High Point won its game outright and me a whopping $9.10. I figured, who am I to disregard my father’s advice at this point.
Of course, dear old dad would have encouraged me to read the final scores of games for content carefully before decided to rip up a betting slip (see above). I still swear I saw the Alabama-Hofstra final score on the ticker as 90-80. Imagine my shock when I noticed that 80 was really a 70. I wonder if my six pieces will get me paid? I think I already know the answer to that question but it must be asked.
And then there was the St. John’s-Northern Iowa game. Convinced Coach Rick Pitino would not endure another early exit like he did a year ago when his group didn’t escape opening weekend, I took the Over of 132.5. The final total … 132!!! All I needed was one of those 13 combined missed free throws to get made!
Here’s what transpired Friday:
$10 wagered on Wright State +17 points against Virginia – Final Score: Virginia 82, Wright State 73 (Win! Payout of $19.10)
$10 wagered on Alabama -12 points against Hofstra – Final Score: Alabama 90, Hofstra 70 (Win! But I tore my ticket up:-( Payout TBD)
$10 wagered on the Over of 132.5 in the St. John’s-Northern Iowa game – Final Score: St. John’s 79, Northern Iowa 53 (Loss!)
So, as I type this early Saturday morning I am down $2.70 pending the outcome turning in my torn betting slip.
With this knowledge, I fully understand the other shoe is about to drop, but for at least one day my bottom line during Event No. 49 of the Around the World in 80 Sporting Events is a positive.
Subscribers of the Project will recall from Inside Baseball – March Edition that I’d allocated myself one $100 bill to wager on NCAA Men’s and Women’s Basketball Tournament action here in Las Vegas.
Here’s what went transpired:
$10 wagered on High Point +10.5 points against Wisconsin – Final score: High Point 83, Wisconsin 82 (Win! Payout of $19.10)
$10 wagered on McNeese State +12 points against Vanderbilt – Final score: Vanderbilt 78, McNeese State 68 (Win! Payout of $19.10)
$10 wagered on Gonzaga -20.5 points against Kennesaw State – Final score: Gonzaga 73, Kennesaw State 69 (Loss!)
So, as I type this early Friday morning I am up $8.20.
Let’s see what today brings:-)
Part of my winnings from Day 1 of the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament.
What will become of my friend Ben once I introduce him to sports books in Las Vegas?
(Reminder: You’re receiving this edition of Inside Baseball because you’re a subscriber to The Sports Fan Project. It’s just my way providing a behind-the-scenes glimpse as to what’s happening [and being planned] here and at our podcast, Conversations with Sports Fans. If you know of others who might enjoy our content, please invite them to subscribe. The link to do so is found along the righthand column on the website.)
Channeling my inner-founding fathers: I cannot tell a lie, the last five weeks have been an absolute whirlwind.
Venice, Cortina, Milan, Rome, Los Angeles, San Juan (via New York City), Phoenix, and – as of tomorrow – Las Vegas. All since February 6th!
Events Nos. 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, and 50 (maybe!) of the Around the World in 80 Sporting Events project will have all been attended by late Sunday which means I’m firmly – I believe – on track to get to 80 by my self-imposed deadline of June 30, 2027.
In this edition of Inside Baseball I’m looking for some assistance and provide our valued subscribers an opportunity to compete in The Sports Fan Project’s now annual Bracket Challenge.
Your Assistance Welcome … and Needed!
A look at the Westgate Super Book in Las Vegas from 2018. (Photo by John Locher/Associated Press)
Full disclosure, I am not a gambler.
I’ve always been of the belief I’d just as soon light my currency on fire rather than play games of chance because I’m, well, terrible at games of chance!
That said, on the Around the World in 80 Sporting Events list is spending time in Las Vegas for the opening week of the NCAA Men’s and Women’s Basketball Tournaments.
I’ve done it once before on purpose (2017) and again by accident (2018). It was a crazy environment with a lot of (mainly) middle-aged men wandering form sports book to sports book looking for an extra half-point or the best possible parlay to turn their wager into big winnings.
I was not among the winners.
Still, I’m heading back with a group of five buddies and we’re going to have a blast I’m sure, but I’ve set a limit for myself.
The image of Ben Franklin above is all that I’m permitting myself to play with while I’m in Sin City. It will all be wagered on basketball games (no craps, no slots, no blackjack … only the tourney).
So what say you, TSFP subscribers?
Do you have any sure things? Any hunches? Is there a game I should throw $5 on and see how it plays out? Should I put the entirety of my hundy down on a game early Thursday and either play with house money the rest of the week or wallow in my liberation from wagering?
Please let me know either by commenting below or by emailing me directly at hilldouglast@gmail.com.
Brackets are Back
Who’s going to cut down The Sports Fan Project Bracket Challenge nets this year?
We’re competing soley for bragging rights, but I might have something in the prize bin this year to send along to the ultimate winner. Those bragging rights for the past year have belonged to my wife, Carol, who finished six points clear of longtime supporter Michael O’Connell. Oddly, Carol hardly bragged at all which was welcome for this sixth place finisher.
You may need to reactivate your NCAA account and/or start a new one. Please note that we’re doing the men’s bracket not the women’s bracket (though I’m thinking about adding that for next year:-).
A reminder the first games begin later today (6:40 p.m. EDT) so if you’re looking to nab a point for these First Four Games you’ll want to get your bracket submitted yet today. If that’s not so important to you and you’d rather have the Field of 64 set, then you’ll need to have submitted by noon EDT, Thursday.
Upcoming Conversations
As I’m a bit pressed for time, I’ll not go deep into the details of each of these, but here’s what’s in the queue:
Joe Grezlik – Freshmen dormitory floor buddy who’s retired from a career working in the Michigan Department of Corrections, is a massive golf fan and an employee at Whitmore Lake Golf Links. He’s pursuing his PGA of America Membership so you know that’ll be a topic of our Conversation.
Joe Flynn – A longtime employee in the non-profit sector, Joe capped his executive certificate class at George Washington University with the creation of the Fantasy Football for Good Draft Guide that documented the foundations and charitable work for 180 NFL players in one spot to, as Joe says, “Highlights the humans under the helmet.”
Sports Fans at AZ Sports Cards in Phoenix – Thanks to owner John Gola III, I was able to spend a couple hours at his AZ Sports Card store recently and talk to sports fans and hobbyists of all stripes and from around the country who are in town for Cactus League baseball. It’ll test my editing capabilities, but I think this will be a fun listen.
University of Washington Men’s Soccer Fans – Part of my ongoing effort to highlight the fans oof the so-called non-revenue college athletic programs, I’m delighted to share this second installment, featuring a quartet of Huskies fans following their national championship.
For 25 consecutive years Greg Gumbel was a part of college basketball fans’ annual march to madness.
As CBS Sports’ studio host of the Men’s NCAA Basketball Tournament each spring, I dare say he was as much a part of the action as the players and coaches themselves. His cool and steady hand navigating the studio team and – during his early years – handling the cutaway coverage of fantastic finishes that inevitably popped up.
Broadcaster Greg Gumbel was as much a part of the CBS coverage of the Men’s NCAA Tournament as the madness itself. He died in December 2024. (Photo by Kyle Terada/Imagn Images)
Gumbel missed the 2024 Tournament when he was away for what was described as “family health issues.”
He died on December 27, 2024 at 78-years-old from pancreatic cancer.
The past two NCAA Tournaments were the first he was not a part of since taking the reins of the studio in 1998, a remarkable 25-year stretch.
In later years, CBS and Turner Sports have teamed to televise the tournament and Ernie Johnson (a cancer survivor himself), Charles Barkley, Clark Kellogg, and Kenny Smith paid tribute to Gumbel at the beginning of the 2025 NCAA Tournament.
The field of 68 will be revealed later today and, no doubt, some teams will be missing.
There will be something else missing as well:-(
Ernie Johnson and company kick off this year's NCAA Tournament with a moving tribute to longtime host Greg Gumbel. pic.twitter.com/ktizs9RDST
Just to review, The Fan Teaser was the creation of former Ann Arbor News Sports Editor Geoff Larcom. Longtime friend and fellow Ann Arbor News alum, Pat Schutte, took it to heights previously unknown. We aim to keep it alive here at The Sports Fan Project. The cropped photo and the accompanying clue give you an idea as to who or what the image is of. We invite you to use the Comment option to take a crack at solving the Teaser and, if you’re so inclined, participate in some good-spirited banter with your fellow sports fans. The Fan Teaser will appear each Friday morning with the reveal coming to you Sunday.
Yes, came his answer as a proud Hope alum. He then began to regale me with data about how competitive the rivalry is (Hope currently leads the all-time series 111-105), how the New York Times featured the game over a decade ago while the New York Knicks were struggling, mightily. ESPN’s given it some publicity (see this 2007 story) and even ranked it as the fourth best college basketball rivalry in the country behind only Duke-North Carolina, UConn-Tennessee women, and Kentucky-Louisville.
Known simply as The Rivalry, the game’s been played since the 1920-21 season and, entering the first meeting this season, the teams are separated by one point all time. Yes, just one point separates the cumulative scoring for the two schools through 216 all-time games (Calvin leads it 14,637 to 14,636).
Later tonight I’ll be in the stands at Hope’s DeVos Fieldhouse thanks to a ticket Todd helped secure.
But before attending the game, I decided it’d be a good idea to learn a bit more about The Rivalry. The two schools’ athletic directors – Dr. Jim Timmer Jr. from Calvin and Tim Schoonveld from Hope – were kind enough to join me on this special bonus episode of Conversations with Sports Fans to discuss the schools, their history, and, of course, The Rivalry.
Dr. Jim Timmer Jr. and Tim Schoonveld discuss the Calvin-Hope rivalry.
Former Eastern Michigan University Coach Ben Braun is photographed with his family, wife Jessica, son Joshua, and daughter Eliza, during the dedication of Ben Braun Court in 2023. (Photo by Jonathan Knight/The Eastern Echo)
Nearly 40 years ago, I was was the beat writer for the ascendant Eastern Michigan University men’s basketball for EMU’s student newspaper, The Eastern Echo. The head coach, his first as without the interim title, was Ben Braun.
My second – and final – season on the beat ended in Lincoln, NE, of all places, where the 15th-seeded Hurons met 2nd-seeded and regular-season Big East Champion, Pitt, in the first round of the 1988 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament.
The Panthers won that game, 108-90, but I’m not sure I cared too much. I was covering an NCAA Tournament game! And playing that night on the University of Nebraska’s campus was Kansas and a certain star named Danny Manning. The Jayhawks wound up winning it all in 1988.
I saw Coach Braun around in the coming years before I moved to Alaska and he to the University of California Berkeley, but our interactions were limited to, perhaps, a head nod or a hello.
So it was quite a bit of fun to – thanks to social media – reconnect and invite him onto Conversations with Sports Fans for a long overdue catch up. We talk about all things you’d expect a pair of fellas who haven’t spoken in going on 40 years talk about.
Here’s hoping you enjoy the Conversation as much as I did.
