It's a fun time of year for college basketball fans, especially if your team is still in the NCAA tournament. Although an alum of Ball State, Dave still follows his Indiana Hoosiers who are in the Final Four. Not only has the basketball been great, the work of broadcaster Dick Enberg continues to be simply fantastic. Enberg's been around for years and is one of the finest, if not THE finest at what he does. Though not much of a fan of the basketball, Paul adds that Kelly Enberg is quite something, too.

We do it every year. It's become a tradition here at the Late Show. Following one of Barbara Walters celebrity extravaganzas, we take great delight in taking a look at the Barbara Walters Reaction Shot of the Night. It only lasts a second or two but you can tell a lot of what is happening simply from the reaction of Ms. Walters. Tonight was no different. Barbara Walters reaction said to me, "Is that right? How interesting."

Some were surprised that Denzel Washington won for Best Actor at the Academy Awards, none more surprised than Russell Crowe. Dave says he's heard rumors that he didn't take it so well. Perhaps you noticed the same during Denzel's acceptance speech. Listening to it again, you can hear crashing, smashing, and the gnashing of teeth in the background while Denzel spoke. Was it Russell? I think it was. Maybe we should just let him read his poem and be done with it.

ACADEMY AWARD TIMELINE: It's a busy day in Hollywood on Oscar night so it's a good idea to step back and examine just goes on in Tinseltown on that day. For instance at:
8:05 PM - Joan Rivers is detained by security due to years of plastic surgery. The problem is she now looks nothing like Joan Rivers.

Dave is quite surprised at how Joan Rivers looks. We take another look at the photo and she doesn't seem like the same woman Dave remembers. I "Played the Dave" when I thought Dave would say, "Oh, I'm sorry. I was looking at the guy behind Joan." Dave didn't say that exactly buy did say, "She looks more like the guy behind her." Close, but close enough to win at "Play the Dave."
How do you play "Play the Dave"? You have to say what Dave will say before Dave says it - and it can't be a scripted line. It has to be something off the top of his head.

Other events of the day included:

11:00 PM - Show is so long, dead-actor montage is lengthened to include audience members who died of old age.

12:30 AM - After program reaches hour 4, confused Jerry Lewis begs viewers to keep pledging.

3:45 AM - Though she wasn't nominated, Winona Ryder goes home with 3 Academy Awards.

Sent to us just this morning - photos from the United Methodist Church in Yorba Linda, California - a sign in front of the Church reads, "Love One Another - Oprah Call Dave."

ALAN KALTER'S ACADEMY AWARD FASHION RECAP
"The stars were shining brightly outside the Kodak Theater for the 74th Annual Academy Awards. Russell Crowe looked dazzling in a tuxedo! Denzel Washington wore . . . a tuxedo! Robert Redford wore . . . a tuxedo! Hugh Grant wore . . . a tuxedo! All pretty bland choices. But who make Alan Kalter's best-dressed list? Gwyneth Paltrow - look at that - you could almost see 'em!"

We all need support sometimes, something to lift and separate us from the rest. Even big stars who think they can go braless. When in doubt, go for the support.

TOP TEN: SIGNS YOU'VE BEEN WATCHING TOO MUCH BASKETBALL
#10. Your skin has turned orange and bumpy.
#8. You've named your kids Gonzaga and Valparaiso.
#1. After watching 9 hours of basketball on CBS, you swear you saw a show with a talking baby.

ADAM ARKIN: He's the star of "Baby Bob." Dave kidded Adam a bit about the new CBS sensation but was also enthusiastic over its success. To Adam's credit, he took the kidding in stride and had some fun with it himself.
Adam shared a story of attending the Academy Awards years ago when his father was a presenter (1981). Steve Martin hosted that year and Adam was privvy to much of the off-stage side banter by Steve during the event. According to Adam, it was better than the show. I bet it was.
Adam also directed his first film "My Louisiana Sky," made for Showtime cable and he tells us it was recently nominated for a bunch of Emmy Awards.
Dave gets back to "Baby Bob." It seems Dave loves the program but can't quite figure out why. Adam laughs along with Dave, adding, "Oh yeah, you like the show." He then quotes a top ten joke from last week - "Give me the damn remote before I kill you."

AMY SEDARIS: dressed in all black - Amy is on to promote nothing which is good since all we are left with is Amy. Fast, witty, and funny is Amy. Very entertaining. Amy turns 41 this Friday and had a list of how her life has changed since she's entered her 4th decade. For instance, she's getting railings for her bath tub. Amy also had a host of pet stories, she a lover of the critters. One such pet is her duck named Bill Downs. She thinks it's the perfect name for a duck. Bill - - - Downs. Silly and simple, yes, but I laughed anyway. Amy is the sister of author David Sedaris, who has been on our three or so times to read from his books. Always good for much laughter. Each time she is on the show, Amy moves up my list of favorite guests. Hopefully she'll become part of the regular rotation, that is, if we have a regular rotation.

MIDNIGHT OIL: From their new CD, "Capricornia", Midnight Oil sang "Golden Age." I didn't know who Midnight Oil was until I saw them. I like seeing Rock and Rollers who are near my age.

And that was our show for Monday, March 25, 2002. Wahoo Extra!

Before I talk about the Final Four and the Academy Awards, I want to mention someone more deserving than anyone you saw this weekend on the TV. Everything else pales next to what CAEL SANDERSON accomplished on Saturday. Who is Cael Sanderson? From Iowa State University, Cael won his 4th NCAA wrestling championship, finishing his college career UNDEFEATED with a record of 159-0. There is not a more grueling sport than wrestling. This is certainly one of the most outstanding feats in the history of college athletics.
Other honors earned by Cael.
4-Time NCAA Champion
(1 at 197 lbs. & 3 at 184 lbs. )
4-Time NCAA Outstanding Wrestler
2-Time Hodge Award Winner
2-Time Academic All-American

To learn more about Cael Sanderson, check out his website
www.teamsanderson.cc/Cael_Sanderson.htm.
He's my vote for Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year - Years of dedication to his sport without the promise of a pot of gold at the end.

I wrestled in high school but had the misfortune of having a coach that treated me like a mature adult rather than the goofy teen desperately in need of direction that I was. He treated me like a grown-up. Big mistake. His philosophy was if you wanted to goof-off it would show up the day of the match. The embarrassment would be mine, not his. I learned two things from high school wrestling.
1. Success does not come easy. It takes dedication, drive, determination, and hard work.
2. Ramapo Senior High School has 27 lights on its ceiling.

Wahoo reader David Donovan of Dallas, Texas e-mailed me this interesting note about Gene Pitney's "24 Hours From Tulsa" song that Dave has been singing lately.

"About Gene Pitney: If you are 24 hours from Tulsa by car, you could be anywhere in the continental United States."

Hmmmm. 24 hours even from Whiting, Maine?

Why do major league baseball players, some of our greatest athletes, suffer from so many pulled hamstrings? Academy Awards Recap

I was out of the Late Show Oscar Pool after the Supporting Actress category. Jennifer Connelly of "A Beautiful Mind" won. I picked Maggie Smith of Gosford Park because I have a friend named Maggie Smith and I also voted for "Gregor's Greatest Invention" in Live-Action Short Film because I have a friend who married a guy named Gregor. Both picks were wrong. What did I learn from this? I need to find new friends.
Here's something I don't get - The Academy Award for Best Actor? - Kelsey Grammer for "Frasier." The guy's incredible.

During the Academy Awards, I clicked over to HBO just to see what they were showing. I like to do this. I'm curious to see what a pay-cable movie channel is showing when they know the rest of the world's movie audience is busy watching the Oscars. I do the same thing during the Super Bowl. I'll check out ESPN to see what they have on. It's usually a cheerleading competition. Anyway, what was on HBO during the Academy Awards? Steven Seagal in "Exit Wounds." I guess HBO thinks if you aren't interested in good movies, "Exit Wounds" would appeal to you. Well, I have a confession to make. I got hooked by "Exit Wounds." Somehow I was entertained and intrigued by the Seagal vehicle, so much so that I missed most of the Academy Awards. Lots of good fight scenes. In between fights I would quickly switch over to the Oscars but whenever I did, they were showing a circus act or honoring somebody or something. I didn't get to see any of the Awards. Meanwhile, the Seagal fight scenes were interrupted every few minutes by some unimportant dialogue. I guess that's the appeal. It was a lot like an X-Rated movie but instead of sex scenes strung together by simple dialogue, there were fights. (SLMH). Old News: Indiana Defeats Duke

What a finish! 11 seconds left, Indiana up by 4. They have it locked up. Duke comes downcourt, attempts a three and misses. 6 seconds left. No way Indiana can lose. Duke gets the rebound and attempts another 3. But Indiana is leading by 4. Duke is dead. The shot is good AND HE'S FOULED! Duke can tie and send it into overtime. So this is how Duke is going to win! What can be worse for Indiana? Duke is delirious! Duke shoots the free-throw. . . AND MISSES! Indiana wins! Indiana is delirious! But no! Duke gets the rebound! Now they can win outright! Duke is delirious! Up with the shot goes Duke . . . and they miss! Indiana gets the rebound and WINS! Indiana is delirious!
Yowzer.

Let's backtrack. For the final 3 minutes of the game I was screaming at the TV, and long time Wahoo readers should know why. Let's go to the final 11 seconds. Indiana makes two free-throws to go up by 4 points. Duke will have to quickly inbound, rush it up court, make a 3, foul Indiana on their inbound, hope they miss one of their free-throws, and then Duke will try to make a desperation basket to either win or tie. A lot is going to happen and it's all going to start immediately following the Indiana free throw to go up by 4. Indiana makes the free-throw and we see . . . the coach of Indiana. The director decides to show us a shot of the Indiana coach at this most important moment. A game is taking place on the court and we are looking at a coach WHO IS WATCHING THE GAME! WHY CAN'T WE WATCH THE GAME TOO! By the time you read this, the Duke-Indiana game will be 5 days old. I'm bringing it up now because I want you to be aware and to watch for this incredibly stupid camera shot during the Final Four games. It may not happen this year but one of these days America will miss a play that determines a championship because we are seeing a coach, a team on the bench, or a parent cheering in the crowd during a key inbound play. I hope it's soon so this idiotic practice will cease.

From last Monday's Wahoo Gazette:

"Two weeks ago I was in a gymnasium and picked up a basketball. Not having shot a basketball in years, I took two practice shots and then attempted 10 free-throws. I made 7. That same weekend in the Big East semi-finals, the combined free-throw percentage of the 4 teams was 58%. How can you be surrounded by basketball your entire life and shoot only 58% from the foul line?"
In today's New York Post Phil Mushnick's column, he opens with the same wonder. What has happened to the art of the free-throw? Mushnicks points his finger at the decline in free-throw shooting throughout the NCAA as a direct result of players neglecting the finer points of the game in lieu of highlight-grabbing, rim-rocking slam dunks featured nightly on Sports Center.
With the game of basketball changing so much in the past 30 years, it is very difficult to measure the players of one era against another. One thing does remain constant, though - the foul shot - and years ago basketball players were much better at it.

- The Brit lives in a red house.
- The Swede keeps dogs as pets.
- The Dane drinks tea.
- The green house is on the left of the white house.
- The green house owner drinks coffee.
- The person who smokes Pall Mall rears birds.
- The owner of the yellow house smokes Dunhill.
- The man living in the house right in the middle drinks milk.
- The Norwegian lives in the first house.
- The man who smokes Blend lives next door to the one who keeps cats.
- The man who keeps horses lives next door to the man who smokes Dunhill.
- The owner who smokes Blue Master drinks beer.
- The German smokes Prince.
- The Norwegian lives next to the blue house.
- The man who smokes Blend has a neighbor who drinks water.

______________________________

The Answer: I made a 5X5 matrix, numbering 1-5 across the top with the categories down the side.