Danny Hurley and UConn were an unstoppable force this season and in the NCAA Tournament. Just wasn’t even a contest. They were a Phenom. The big news on Monday that preempted the Championship game John Calipari heading to Arkansas. He signed the contract today and will make plenty of money for the rest of his life. Now we’ll see if he can coach at another place that has great basketball resources, and is close to, but is not Kentucky.

Meanwhile, Kentucky looks for its next coach. Brownie and Derrick were going with Scott Drew of Baylor and he is the odds on favorite. I agree with them. But don’t count out Billy Donovan just yet. He’s the best available now that Hurley is committed to UConn. The question is now: can anybody keep up with the Huskies? Duke is ranked No.1 in the ESPN very early poll for 2024-25 season. Gonzaga is second, Kansas is third and UConn is fourth. If Hurley reloads again, which he will do, he and his team will be cutting down the nets at the Alamodome in San Antone in April, 2025.

What a spectacle the tournament was. The Crimson Tide had an awesome run and I know the Auburn Tiger faithful were disappointed with their result. Bucky McMillan and Andy Kennedy set their programs up for future unlimited potential with their performances this season at Samford and UAB respectively. Next season with the Big Four each reloading, basketball will be a spectacular in this state.

My final ESPN bracket finished at 86.7%. I was ranked 3,562,874 out of approximately 20 Mil entrants. So pretty decent. Had UConn defeating N.C, State in the championship game, so came up a little short there.

In my Sweet 16 to Championship game predictions, I went 11-4 straight up and 11-4 against the spread,

With that said, it’s onto the 88th Masters.

The Masters

Augusta National Golf Club, 7,555 yards, Par 72.

Defending champion: Jon Rahm. Back from the LIV Tour to defend his title.

Rahm shot 12 under par last year and won by 4 shots over FIGJAM, Koepka, and five over Spieth, Patrick Reed (what a guy), and Russell Henley. Cam Young and Hovland finished tied for 7th at six under.

It’ll be interesting again to see how the LIV players fare. Rahm is trying to make that Tour more competitive asking the Saudis to make it a 72 hole format. I think the guy wants back on the PGA Tour. He’s been talking about a merger lately. I’ve come around. I want the LIV guys back. It’s just better for the game. They should face some penalties for defecting because the guys who stuck around should be rewarded. Maybe they need to earn their way into the Signature Events by FedEx Cup Points if there is a unification of the PGA Tour and the LIV Tour. They shouldn’t be allowed to come back without any consequences for leaving.

Anyway, as for this electric Major, where the Back Nine on Sunday is beyond prolific, contenders abound. Here are odds for the 88th edition.

Scottie Scheffler: 4/1. No reason why the 2022 champion can’t repeat. He won the Arnie and the Players back to back. Wow. His putter is the key.

Rory, 10/1. Will he ever complete the career Grand Slam? That’s a question that will loom over him until he wins at Augusta National. He’s got more time, but it’s getting kind of questionable.

Rahm, 11/1. Of course he’ll be a factor this week. He always is.

Xander Schauffele: 14/1. I’m not positive he can get it done at Augusta National. Maybe he’ll surprise.

Koepka: 20/1. Always possible with him. The talent is enoromous.

HIdeki Matsuyama: 20/1. Donned a Green Jacket in 2021. Highly capable.

Jordan Spieth: 22/1. Capable, but I’m not seeing it. He’s got a wrist issue, and he’s loses his composure so easily. Got to be composed out there.

Joaquin Niemann: 28/1. The Chilean is a real factor this week in my opinion. Been doing well on LIV.

Ludvig Aberg: 33/1. Good player, having a good year, but don’t see it yet.

DeChambeau: 35/1. Not seeing this at all. Too much of a head case.

Matt Fitzpatrick: 35/1. Possible. If you’ve won a U.S. Open, you’ve got a shot anywhere. DeChambeau did too in 2020, but I’m liking Fitzpatrick more. Fitz won the Open in 2022 at The Country Club of Brookline just outside of Boston.

Viktor Hovland: 35/1. Ready to win a major. Could happen at Augusta National this week.

Tony Finau: 40/1. If he’s putting well, he definitely has a shot. Awesome ball striker.

Wyndham Clark: 40/1. Another U.S, Open champion from last year at Los Angeles CC, who is certainly in the mix.

Others:

Tommy Fleetwood, 45/1. Theo’s favorite.

Cam Young, Sahith Theegala, Cam Smith, JT, 50/1.

Shane Lowry, 55/1.

Russell Henley, 60/1.

Si Woo Kim, 65/1.

Max Homa, Brian Harmon (Open Champion in 2023), 75/1.

Reed, Jason Day, Sam Burns, 80/1.

Weather:

Thursday: 79, 99% chance of T-storms in the AM, turning to partly cloudy in aft. Wind S 17.

Friday: 73, Sunny, wind W 17.

Saturday: Sunny, Wind WNW 9.

Sunday: Sunny. 85, Woind WSW 8.

There will most likely be a delay Thursday, but after the AM, the weather should be excellent. The wind will wreak havoc Thursday, and Friday is no walk in the park, but Saturday and Sunday are more typical though No.12 is always gut wrenching on Sunday afternoon. Par 3 over water with the wind in your face. Play hard.

No.2, the par 5, has been lengthened 20 yards to 585 yards,. What can be an eagle opportunity, may just be a birdie hole.

Of course, as we all know, the backside on Sunday is an epic. Actually, all 18 are spectacular on Sunday. Can’t wait for that. Thursday-Saturday is pretty strong as well.

TV

Thursday-Friday: 2-6:30 PM CT, ESPN

Saturday: 2-6 PM CT, CBS

Sunday: 1-6 PM CT, CBS.

You can also get more coverage on the ESPN App at much earlier times.

Predictions

Winner

It’s hard to go against Scheffler, really hard, and Rahm, but I’m going to give it a shot. Give me the 32 year old from Matsuyama Ehime, Japan. Pretty cool to seemingly have a town named after your family. But it’s actually named after the Iyo-Matsuyama Domain. Some sort of warrior clan back in the day in Japan. Like the 1600’s days.

He’s won 9 times on tour and is the 2021 Masters champion. He recently won the Genesis Invitational in Pacific Palisades, CA. back in mid-February. I love his ball striking and he’s a fierce competitor. I like him to step up his putting this week and for him to throw on another Green Jacket on Sunday.

Hideki Matsyama

Sleeper:

Give me the 34 year old from Macon, Georgia, by way of the University of Georgia, to have a good shot this week and be right there on Sunday in hopes of throwing on his own Green Jacket.

Russell Henley