1) Buzzer beaters

2) Ankle breaking crossovers

3) Gus Johnson "Shake, crossover, step back... coooooooooooooooooooooooooooold blooded!"

LeBron James is arguably the best player under 30 in the NBA, I don't think there is much debate.  So when he announced recently that "out of respect for Michael Jordan" he was going to wear the number 6 next year, there were a few eyebrows raised. There are currently 11 other players in the NBA who sport MJ's digits.  (Most notably Marcus Camby and Kevin Martin, least notably Stephen Graham and Jodie Meeks).  So why is LeBron so concerned about the number?  I think it's because he is already thinking of a change of scenery next year and a little spiffing up for the ole brand. Sure there are huge marketing benefits for changing numbers. You may recall Kobe going from 8 to 24 a few years ago.  That switch pushed him past LeBron in jersey sales.  But in this case, I don't think LeBron is worried about selling gear in the near future.  And with all due respect to both messieurs James and Jordan, it's not about honoring MJ.  If it were, LeBron would realize that Bill Russell, a #6, (11 championships to Jordan's 6) should be honored as well. I like LeBron and think he is great for the NBA.  But let's get real, changing numbers is not about honoring anyone. It's about positioning for next year and marketing.  LeBron is a brand, and every once and awhile, brands need to be freshened up.  So let's not hide the fact that LeBron is a savvy marketer as well as an amazing athlete. One other note... I have decided to change my name in honor of Tom Landry (or maybe Tom Cruise, or Tom's Shoes, or TomTom GPS...).  I'm taking nominations for a new name to begin wearing next year.  It needs to meet two critical criteria... first honor someone famous (but not too famous) and secondly, look good on a jersey :) FKA Tom Cuthbert

I am a fan of competition.  The idea of pitting one team versus another or better yet, one person against another is both entertaining and healthy.  Competition is good for business, good for our economy and  good for sports.  Life lessons can be learned from winning and losing and competition drives success. For me, March Madness is the quintessential competition.  It is a pure and simple format that fairly matches teams against in each, generally on neutral sites.  65 teams in a single elimination,  winner take all format with no consolation games.  31 teams get an automatic bid by winning their conference and the remaining teams are selected based on merit.  There is no ridiculous controversy like, "South Dakota State would have won it all if they had just gotten the 65th spot".  These are the best teams in the country... period. There is no doubt there are problems with college basketball.  Graduation rates are low, gambling is prevalent and players sometimes misbehave.  But generally the sport is clean, the players are committed and the game is fair. After a season lasting months and a tournament lasting weeks, it all comes down to one game... a true championship game (do you hear me BCS?).  There is something pure and honorable about a format that enables the two teams that have made it through the competition to face each other in one final game.  That... is quintessential competition.   March Madness is just around the corner.  So bust out your bracket, sit back and enjoy the ride.  Once again this year, it will be a great spectacle of upsets, buzzer beaters and quintessential competition.  And by the way, the odds of getting your bracket perfect are 9,223,372,036,854,775,808 to 1... good luck with that! Tom

Without question, one of the greatest coaches in my lifetime has been John Wooden.   With ten championships over a twelve year period, no one would question Coach Wooden is among the best.  Ask any player who played for the "Wizard of Westwood" and you will learn they all learned more about life than about basketball.  It was Wooden who said, "Sports do not build character. They reveal it." Character has been revealed through sport in a game played in Dallas where Covenant defeated Dallas Academy 100-0 on Jan. 13.  Leading 59-0 at the half, the team continued to shoot three-point shots and press on defense.  Credit goes to Dallas Academy for never giving up.  I was struck by their attitude and desire to improve shown in this video from the Dallas Morning News. While not a point was scored by the team it's clear to me that there was a point made.  After the fact, the Covenant team players and coaches apologized and offered to forfeit the win.  Lesson learned.  Wooden is right, sports reveal character... in both winning and losing.  The key is learning to apply those lessons to life. Wooden went on to greatness not because of his knowledge of basketball, but because of his perspective on life.  Let me leave you with John Wooden's Seven Point Creed, given to him by his father Joshua upon his graduation:

• Be true to yourself.
• Make each day your masterpiece.
• Help others.
• Drink deeply from good books.
• Make friendship a fine art.
• Build a shelter against a rainy day.
• Pray for guidance and give thanks for your blessings every day.

All good words to live by.  Thanks coach Wooden for 98 years of leadership.  And congrats to the team at Dallas Academy for reminding us that in life, there are more points to be made off the court than on it. Tom