Coming out of the woodwork

By Mark Buckets

The College Football season is over. The NFL is winding into a vortex of boredom with the Patriots and Giants in the Super Bowl. The NBA and NHL seasons are embarking on their agonizingly long stretch runs. So therewith lies a question: What's a sportscaster/headline producer/self-proclaimed sports nut supposed to do with his or her spare time?

That's right, college basketball - or NCAA Basketball as Myles Brand would like it to be coined 100% of the time - takes center stage. As you might suspect, we here at Drive & Dish couldn't be happier. This isn't the time for Ken Pomeroy or Joe Lunardi to take center stage. It isn't about Andy Katz's Weekly Watch or Jay Bilas' Weekend Preview. Andy Glockner's Bubble Watch? Give it a few weeks. No, they will take their turns soapboxing - Take that, Dr.Brand! - as postseason play nears.

The spotlight will be front and center on those who don't do cover this sport year round.

David Lloyd, would you please stand up?

As much as it pains me to say, this is the time of year for the talking heads. Michael Wilbon claims to know as much about college hoops - and we use the knowledge reference lightly - as any full-timer out there. For further proof, check out PTI's "Five Good Minutes" bit when Jay Bilas (Stay with me) or another ESPN anaylst is sent in to speak. It'd be nice to hear the "expert" put his two cents in, instead of the schtick spewed from Wilbon's cake hole. Sure, Wilbon has enjoyed a long and storied career as a journalist going back to his days as Chicago high school scholar.

That is just one small illustration of the profound lack of substance found in the sports media these days. Truth is, those of you who read this blog - and a lot of you do! - are probably more in-tuned with college basketball as any of the buffoons paid to do so.

Andy, Jay, Fran and others - your time will come. For right now, the podium belongs to those who don't know what they're saying.