Basketball

Today the Cager-in-Chief offered his picks for the NCAA Tournament which begins tomorrow at arenas around the country.  President Barack Obama was as calculating with his selections for the Final Four as he was with his cabinet picks suggesting at one point that he liked the University of Maryland but just not to get to the Sweet Sixteen.  Let's just hope the Memphis Tigers don't have any tax issues.  One of his "nominees" for the Final Four is sure to attract some attention here at NDN as he selected DeJuan Blair and the Pittsburgh Panthers to advance to Detroit after beating second seed Duke. To see the president make his selections check out the video from Andy Katz of ESPN.

It is only fitting that during the heat of the NBA playoffs that the nation's two most basketball rich states, Indiana and North Carolina, head to the polls today to continue the Democratic nomination process. 

Voters in North Carolina, home to Michael Jordan, Cameron Indoor Arena, and North Carolina State's memorable run in the NCAA Tournament in 1983, head to the polls today from 6:30am to 7:30pm.  Polls in the Tar Heel State have Senator Obama up slightly in the contest for the state's 115 pledged delegates.

In Indiana, home to Larry Joe Bird, Assembly Hall on the Campus of Indiana University, and Milan High School's improbable run in the 1954 state basketball championships, voters will head to the polls from 6:00am until 6:00pm.  (Note: These times will vary because certain areas in Western Indiana operate on Central Daylight Time from March until November.)  Senator Clinton holds a slight advantage in Indiana where voters will decide how its 72 pledged delegates are split up.

Perhaps coach Norman Dale might be best to fire up the volunteers in the Hoosier State to Get Out The Vote today.

In North Carolina, Jim Valvano, the legendary coach of North Carolina State who knew how to get a crowd fired up should be the campaign's choice to rally the troops: Never Give Up!