The March to Madness

Rick Pitino's Project Runway

Rick Pitino knows that in the high-pressure world of college basketball fashion, one day you're in, the next you're out.

It's more than Xs and O's for the Louisville coach. On the college basketball catwalk, he's regarded as the most fashionable coach around.

Pitino talked about his zest for style with Joseph Lord of the Louisville Courier-Journal. For you slobs looking for a few fashion tips, here's what Pitino has to say:

"I look for more of a Wall Street, classic-type suit. Back in the '80s, when Wall Street was at a high, that's the type of dress I've always liked. Very colorful, strong ties with fashionable shirts and pinstripe suits.

"I've never liked the Hollywood look. That's ultra-casual. It's an unkempt look. To me, it's not professional."

And he notices what other coaches are wearing.

Pat Knight Would Like to Issue an Apology

What goes around comes around. A month after his Texas Tech Red Raiders bullied East Central in a 167-115 victory, Pat Knight got to feel what it's like to be on the other end.

Stanford rolled Texas Tech, 111-66, Sunday night at Maples Pavilion, the second-worst defeat in team history, surpassed only by a 58-point rout at Kansas last March.

Knight is taking the blame for this one.

"I thought we really laid down. We didn't compete at all. … We didn’t push the ball up, we didn't guard anybody. We just didn’t show up. That’s my fault.

"Kids don’t play bad on purpose. It's my job, I have to figure out why. The game was over in the first five minutes. Stanford’s too good of a team … when you get a start like that from a team in one of these power conferences, you can’t come back like that.

"It's my fault. I have to figure out why we get off to starts like that, why we have problems on the road, why we just don’t want to guard anybody. I don’t blame the kids, per se, because it's not like they came out here and said, 'We’re just going to play bad.' It's up to me to figure things out."

Where Are All the Good Freshmen?

A year ago there was Michael Beasley and Derek Rose. This season? The leading scorer among freshmen is Liberty's Seth Curry at 19.7 points a game. And he's far from ready for the NBA.

This season's freshmen crop has been a disappointment. One of the top players, Brandon Jennings, isn't even playing college ball. He decided to play professionally in Rome instead of college at Arizona.

Pete Thamel of the New York Times examines this season's freshmen, a year after 12 players took the one-and-done route from college to the NBA.

Snapshots of the Week

An abbreviated holiday week look at what you might have missed from the terrific TV Tan Line.

Hansbrough Still Not a Tar Heel Legend

Joel Huerto is managing editor of One Man Fastbreak.net and a sports consultant with Opposing Views.com. He has been a member of the sports media for almost 20 years, which included nine years as a news editor at the Los Angeles Times. He will cover a variety of topics, from coach and player profiles to hot-button issues. Joel is also known as "maniLA ice" for his cool demeanor in the friendly confines of the YMCA hardwood. He loves to shoot the "tear drop" and prefers to play zone to hide his deficiencies on defense.

Tyler Hansbrough recently became the greatest scorer in North Carolina history. What does it mean for Hansbrough's place among Tar Heel legends? Nothing. Absolutely, nothing.

Hansbrough may be the No. 1 scorer in team history, but he has a ways to go before he becomes a member of Tar Heel royalty. Heck, I have a hard time putting Hansbrough on my all-time North Carolina squad. To be on a member of the Tar Heel Supreme Court, you have to have a complete resume, meaning a stellar college career as well as a successful NBA career.

Huskies Win Battle of the Dogs

Connecticut rallied from an 11-point deficit in the second half against Gonzaga and forced overtime on a dramatic three-point shot by A.J. Price. The Huskies went of to beat the Bulldogs, 88-83, in overtime at Seattle's Key Arena. Hartford Courant columnist Jeff Jacobs writes that this could be the defining moment for not only Price, but the Huskies.