Vince Lombardi said it best...."What the hell is going on out there??"
The NCAA men's Division I basketball tournament continues to defy prediction and strain credulity. Next weekend's Final Four consists of Connecticut, a No. 3 seed; Kentucky, a No. 4; Butler, a No. 8; and Virginia Commonwealth, a No. 11.

No Number 1s. No Number 2s.

Only two of the top 16 seeded teams are still playing. It could be argued that VCU might have missed the postseason altogether had the NCAA field not expanded from 65 to 68 teams this year. The Rams are the first team ever to win five games to reach the Final Four. Whatever happens next weekend, I'll bet those four Tuesday night games in Dayton that open next year's tournament will draw a larger audience than they did this time around.

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Now that Kentucky has reached the Final Four, it's difficult to tell what pleases some UK fans more: the fact the Cats are there, or the fact Louisville isn't. Judging by the amount of trolling being done by the Big Blue-natic fringe, it's a very close call.

Maybe I haven't been paying attention, but in all the hundreds of times I've driven the stretch of Interstate 64 that connects Louisville with Lexington, at no time have I crossed a state line. I don't know why it is that the loudest part of Big Blue Nation seemingly cannot accept that the Commonwealth is big enough for two great Division I men's basketball programs. Whatever the season, in the Cards vs. Cats rivalry, when I take the high road, there never seems to be a lot of traffic. I'd love to see UK cutting down the nets next Monday night; the current group of Wildcats deserves it.

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Speaking of the Cards, I'm disturbed by the clamor for Rick Pitino's head in certain parts of Planet Red. Certainly the season didn't end the way any of us wanted. I was two years old the last time U of L lost to Morehead State, and when I consider that the Cards' last three losses came by a total of six points and all featured end-of-game brain cramps, it gives me indigestion.

But how about a little perspective here?

With no returning starters thanks to Jared Swopshire's groin injury, and a season-long revolving door of wounded players demanding constant tinkering with the rotation, Pitino managed to coax 25 wins and a No. 14 final ranking out of this crew. These Cards were fun to watch, they obviously cared more about winning than anything else, and their coach looked as energized as he has in several years.

While Preston Knowles won't be on the court next season, the team won't lack for upperclass leadership. I expect Kyle Kuric and Terence Jennings to provide a lot of it. And with the recruit class Rick is expecting, the Cards should be loaded. What that will translate to on the floor remains to be seen, but U of L fans have ample cause for optimism.

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The U of L women also should be at least as good, if not better. Only starting center Keshia Hines, among significant contributors, departs, and Cards coach Jeff Walz also has a stellar class coming in, headlined by McDonald's All American and Kentucky Miss Basketball Sara Hammond of Rockcastle County.

The Cards got undressed by Gonzaga, but there's no shame in being unable to corral the Zags' Courtney Vandersloot. That young lady is the real deal, and while she showed a few chinks in her armor during the stretch when U of L whittled its deficit from 20 points down to three, she got her act back together in time to preserve the victory. That team was awfully tough for a No. 11 seed, and with leading scorer Monique Reed sidelined by a groin strain she incurred in warmups, the Cards spent three-fourths of the game looking for answers. Apart from using this disappointment as motivation, I hope the team forgets this performance quickly, particularly Shoni Schimmel. It thrills me to think about how she will improve as she matures -- and she's pretty darned good now.

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Finally, how great has it been to be a college basketball fan in Kentucky this year? With UK returning to the Final Four, Bellarmine and Pikeville claiming national championships, and U of L's men and U of L and UK's women delivering sparkling seasons, it will be a long wait for next November.

Special kudos go out to Josh Harrellson, Preston Knowles, Keshia Hines and Victoria Dunlap for going out with memorable senior campaigns. I'll miss them -- the older I get, the quicker kids become seniors and their careers end.