With LeBron, Wade hitting stride, Heat might be better off without Bosh LeBron James and Dwyane Wade are superb again, and the Heat are headed to the East finals. Gregg Doyel says now that his team has been eliminated, Frank Vogel feels free to say the Heat are better off without Chris Bosh. Florida State was supposed to save ACC, but instead it's killing it The ACC is mediocre because Florida State has been mediocre, and now the Seminoles want to bolt to the Big 12 because the ACC isn't good enough. Gregg Doyel says the logic is twisted, but make no mistake: FSU leaving will be a death blow. LeBron, Wade dominate Game 4 -- why don't they do it more often? LeBron and Wade go to another level in Game 4, scoring 71 of the Heat's 101 points. Gregg Doyel wonders why they don't do it more often. Wade does Heat no favors with bad act, terrible game Time to blame LeBron for Miami's latest loss, right? Not this time. Gregg Doyel says Dwyane Wade singlehandedly loses Game 3 for the reeling Heat, while also finding plenty of ways to tarnish his once-respected brand. Team USA will win gold (again) with Coach K, not much without him Massaging the egos, managing the entitled, manipulating the famous -- Mike Krzyzewski has mastered the art. Gregg Doyel says Coach K is the perfect U.S. Olympic hoops coach, and we will miss him when he's gone. If lost lawsuits start piling up, NFL could some day face end game Players often say they've made the NFL what it is. They also could be very close to breaking it. Gregg Doyel says if former players start winning the mounting waves of concussion lawsuits, the NFL could be in trouble. Political correctness doesn't make a boy wanting to play against girls right It's hard to find any winners in a story about a teenage boy in New York politicking to keep playing field hockey against girls. Gregg Doyel says political correctness has its limits, and in this case, Keeling Pilaro doesn't belong on the field. NFL players choose to play, so choosing to watch isn't fans' fault You can't look away from the health issues surrounding NFL players. But as the injuries and fatalities mount, Gregg Doyel says he has no problem watching as long as the players know what they're getting into. Video of Seau's grieving mother is agonizing, but we all need to see it The video of Junior Seau's mother after she learned of her son's death is painful to watch, but Gregg Doyel says watch it we must, because everyone needs to see what suicide does to the living. We're the ones who have to keep dealing with the pain. Wait just a minute, folks -- Harbaugh's right, Pats' titles ARE tainted To argue that the Pats' Spygate-era Super Bowl titles aren't 'stained,' as John Harbaugh articulates, is lunacy. Gregg Doyel says if Harbaugh's wrong, we soon should start accepting the fact water boils at 32 degrees. Jordan hasn't just failed as an exec, he's the greatest failure ever Michael Jordan might be the greatest basketball player of all time, but as an NBA exec, Gregg Doyel says there's no debate: He's the worst ever. From drafting Kwame Brown No. 1 overall to the Bobcats' 7-59 season, no one's failed like Mike.
April
SMU hires Brown to win, for attention -- but not the right kind You wanted everybody to look, SMU? In hiring Larry Brown, you got it. Gregg Doyel says be careful what you ask for. A 71-year-old coach who prefers veteran players but won't be there long isn't what the Ponies need. Arkansas hire of Smith so bad, a vacation is torn asunder The antics of Meta World Peace didn't stir him, but Arkansas hiring John L. Smith as interim coach to replace Bobby Petrino? Gregg Doyel takes time off from his time off for thoughts on replacing one miscreant with another. Running backs aren't worth a top-five pick? Trent Richardson is NFL backs are seen as replaceable parts in the passing era, unworthy of top-10 picks. But Gregg Doyel says Trent Richardson is the best to hit the NFL in a decade, and wonders if the Vikings (drafting No. 3) are listening. Brees is only good thing going for Saints, so pay the man already Drew Brees is a hero in New Orleans, and the one ray of hope left in an organization tainted by Bountygate. So why have his contract demands been unmet? Gregg Doyel says it's real simple for the Saints: pay Brees what he's asking -- and now. What Payton wants is obvious, but why would Saints want it, too? Sean Payton wanted 70-year-old rent-a-coach Bill Parcells to take over the Saints, and when that didn't work, he got an interim who'll need an interim. Gregg Doyel is on to Payton's game: Set up a hero's welcome when he returns. Kemp's 50-50 prediction not so ridiculous as it first seemed Hours after losing the MVP race to Ryan Braun, Matt Kemp predicted 50 homers and 50 steals in 2012. Ridiculous? Perhaps at first glance. But Gregg Doyel says a 50-50 campaign is possible for the Dodgers star. Goodell ruled correctly on Saints, but he can't be only judge Roger Goodell denying the Saints' appeals is no surprise, since he's the one who prosecuted and ruled on the case initially. Gregg Doyel says even if Goodell got it right on Bountygate, there's nothing fair in such a flawed system. Firing Petrino, Kelly is right, but then dollar figures don't add up Bobby Petrino and Chip Kelly deserve to be fired in the real word. But big-time college football plays by different rules. Gregg Doyel says the huge sums Kelly and Petrino generate for their universities makes them mostly untouchable. Petrino firing offense? Not adultery or lie, but putting Arkansas at risk It's not that he's cheating on his wife. It's not even that he lied about his mistress being involved in his motorcycle accident. Gregg Doyel says Bobby Petrino should be fired for the way he put his university at risk. Publisher, leaker the ones who failed Claiborne's Wonderlic test By now, many have heard about the low Wonderlic test score of LSU CB Morris Claiborne. Gregg Doyel wishes he hadn't and says the only people who massively failed this test are those who put it out there in the first place. Kentucky's run to title, much like the season, was all about Kentucky Kentucky finishes the season as the best team in college hoops. Gregg Doyel says this shouldn't come as a shock to anyone since the Wildcats were the story even when they were losing. One-and-done? Wish that were the case with tiresome anti-Cal argument With Kentucky one game from a national title -- and the end of the brief college career of several stars -- Gregg Doyel says the only reason so many yap about John Calipari is because their teams don't work the system as well. Withey sets up camp in Sullinger's head, propels Jayhawks to title game Ignore the box score and take a peek inside Jared Sullinger's head. Gregg Doyel says you'll find Kansas' Jeff Withey in there after the seven-footer completely dominates the Buckeyes' big man in the national semis.
March
Even on an off day, Kentucky shows why it's playing for the title How good is Kentucky? The Wildcats didn't play their best game against Louisville and it didn't matter in the end. Gregg Doyel says even when these 'Cats are bad, they're scary good. Intriguing Kansas-Ohio State overshadowed by other semifinal Everyone's talking about Louisville-Kentucky. Gregg Doyel? He's acknowledging the other semifinal, the one between Ohio State and Kansas that's loaded with storylines and would have been the story most years. Heaven help the losing side in this Louisville-Kentucky grudge match Lots of fans are looking forward to Louisville vs. Kentucky on Saturday. Not Gregg Doyel, who fears for fans who might get caught up in any hostility, and knows the losing side will be cast into despair. Kansas doing its best Butler impression winning close games Kansas has a stud: Thomas Robinson. After that? Not much. KU, this year's Butler, overachieves to make it into the Final Four. Gregg Doyel explains. Facing beatable foes, pressure's on for Kansas, North Carolina North Carolina is a No. 1 seed, Kansas No. 2. Great teams, right? Gregg Doyel doesn't see it, and says there would be nothing worse for North Carolina or Kansas than to lose to Kansas or North Carolina on Sunday. N.C. State's future bright after surprising run to Sweet 16 Sure, North Carolina State came up a little short of making the Elite Eight after losing to Kansas. Gregg Doyel says the Wolfpack is loaded for future Sweet 16 runs and beyond. Top-seeded North Carolina takes care of Ohio in unimpressive fashion No. 1 seeds like UNC are now 134-0 against low-seeded teams like Ohio. But don't expect Gregg Doyel to congratulate the Heels for keeping the streak alive. He says the Tar Heels have no business losing this one, but nearly do. Marshall a big question for Heels, but one-handed PG may be only answer In the matter of Kendall Marshall, Gregg Doyel asked anybody who cared to listen whether we would see the UNC point guard with the broken wrist Friday vs. Ohio. The answers said no, but what Doyel saw hinted at something else. Long seen as their enemy, Goodell comes down decisively for players Roger Goodell is known as a tough disciplinarian, but NFL players' perception has been that it applies mostly only when it comes to them. Gregg Doyel says that changed considerably when he came down with full force on the Saints. Reaction to foul on UNC's Marshall latest example of fans abusing loyalty Ethan Wragge's foul on Kendall Marshall is no dirty play. But it is to some Tar Heels fans, who threaten him via Twitter. Gregg Doyel wonders why (some) fans expect much more from athletes than from themselves. Hummel's departure from college basketball is college basketball's loss Robbie Hummel is lights out in his final game, but it ends on a somber note. Gregg Doyel says Purdue and college basketball will miss the player that can't be replaced. Norfolk State's dream turns into nightmare against scary Florida Norfolk State to the Sweet 16? It sounds nice, but Florida squashes it. In fact, the Gators end that dream in a hurry. Gregg Doyel says Florida is scary when it's playing like it played Sunday. Final moments of St. Mary's season tough to watch Jorden Page buries a 3-pointer with just 44 seconds left to give St. Mary's hope -- and the lead. But the Gaels wouldn't score again against Purdue. Gregg Doyel says the final seconds of the Gaels' season is tough to watch. Good Florida wrecks Virginia, but bad Gators? A loss waiting to happen While watching thorough thrashing of Virginia, Gregg Doyel sees a Florida team that could go to the Final Four. The team that lost 10 games, that he saw for eight minutes Friday? That team would be done after Sunday. Nebraska must ante up for coach to get in power hoops game Nebraska is an athletic powerhouse with a notable exception: men's hoops. AD Tom Osborne appears intent on finally changing that. Gregg Doyel says the Huskers must pay big for a coach who can get them in the big-time. Midwest Regional: UNC, Kansas figure to lock horns in KU's back yard Even with big man John Henson (wrist) questionable, North Carolina figures to make the Regional final. That's the good news. Gregg Doyel says the bad news is Kansas is the likely foe only hours from KU's campus.
