The Final Four will be determined on the floor in New Orleans but the guys on the benches will have their say.
John Calipari says the blood feud between Kentucky and Louisville will be decided by the players and not his relationship (or lack there of) with the Cardinals' Rick Pitino.
But it will be a little about Calipari vs. Pitino.
Just as Ohio State-Kansas will be a little about Thad Matta and Bill Self.
RICK PITINO: Coach takes Louisville on wild ride
JOHN CALIPARI: Coach makes Kentucky the team to beat
The Final Four is a not a pickup game where everybody calls their own fouls and runs their own offense. The four teams are going to New Orleans because they are playing better than anyone else in the country right now.
And the same can be said for the coaches. The four teams have mirrored the personalities of their coaches and now have a chance to stand Monday as No. 1.
We will admit that all four coaches have done a masterful job. But if you had the top draft pick, which coach would you take to win a title?
While we wait the pep talk, here is some good work by some good people that we might have missed while sleeping or how the U.S. soccer team failed in its Olympic bid.
Once again, dinner is on Nick Saban. And what would you have thought about Nick Saban High?
Austin Rivers is leaving Duke for the NBA. And while we're at it Dion Waiters is leaving Syracuse and Renardo Sidney is leaving Mississippi.
USA TODAY NFL writer Jarrett Bell talks about the Tebow-Sanchez rivalry.
Big money busts hoping for MLB redemption.
Take his wife please....but it will cost you Final Four tickets.
Shabazz Muhammad wins the Powerade Jam Fest.
$28 million or best offer for David Beckham's home.
British bookies are betting on Tiger Woods.
Video: Chris Paul to Blake Griffin is always worth a second look.
Get my wallet, a Honus Wagner card is up for sale.
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar has a children's book on the market.
Bleacher Report has the top coach-killers of all-time.
Nate McMillan is a class act.
Roger Goodell has Jeremy Shockey's back.
About Reid and Mike
Reid Cherner has been with USA TODAY since 1982 and written Game On! since March 2008.
He has covered everything from high schools to horse racing to the college and the pros. The only thing he likes more than his own voice is the sound of readers telling him when he's right and wrong.
Michael Hiestand has covered sports media and marketing for USA TODAY, tackling the sports biz ranging from what's behind mega-events such as the Olympics and Super Bowl to the sometimes-hidden numbers behind the sports world's bottom line.
