Plan B

Louisville vs Michigan; Kevin Ware vs. the Fab Five- so many reasons to watch the NCAA National Championship game.

Even if your bracket is busted, the story lines leading up the NCAA Championship game made it a game worth watching. And what a game it was. This was definitely one of the best National Championship games I’ve ever seen.

The Fab Five just can’t let go of that famous timeout that continues to haunt Chris Webber. ESPN Films story of the Fab Five was a great insight, history and understanding of how they changed the game. But the one element missing was Webber himself. Fab Five member Jalen Rose pleaded to get Webber in Atlanta with the rest of the crew to support the efforts to “free the fab five”, break the curse, and win a National Championship. As the starting line for up Michigan was being announced, in walked Webber. I wasn’t ready to see him in a UM hat rooting to break the curse- I personally love to hear Jalen Rose rant every year about Michigan winning the Championship. As he stood tall, clapping I knew this was going to be a battle.

But this game was all about Plan B.: Mr. Cool Hand Luke Hancock. Maybe he was playing the game as a backup for injured Ware, but he was playing to win in front of his ill father who made the trip from Roanoke, VA to see him be crowned as the Most Outstanding Player. As Louisville was down by 12 points in the first half Pitino sent in Hancock. He made two free throws and then boom, boom, boooom, BOOM! Four straight 3-pointers and 14 straight for Louisville on a 16-3 run gave the Cardinals a one-point lead. This wasn’t the first time the Cardinals came back from double digits to win in Atlanta. As Louisville’s best scorer, Russ Smith went 3-16 in the final and an ugly 9-33 in the Final Four, Pitino knew how to play his Cards right. Hancock ended the game with the team high 22-points and will be a legend in Louisville. Siva shined with 18 points and had enough energy to play another 40 minutes. Behanan also put 15 points on the board for the Cardinals.

This wasn’t the week to rain on Louisville Coach Pitino’s parade. The same day he was cutting down the nets he found out he would be a member of the Hall of Fame, became the first coach to win a National Championship with two schools, and his son was named the head coach at Minnesota.

Michigan was left feeling the blues as Webber is still settling his pay-to-play days from Michigan; Louisville used plan B to ri5e to the occasion and giving Kevin Ware the chance to cut down the nets was priceless.

Louisville girls play to the championship Tuesday night against UConn- and seriously, anybody but Geno!