Washington State fans lived in fear when coach Tony Bennett was mentioned in connection with recent openings at Indiana and Louisiana State. But Cougars fans had to feel pretty good when Bennett decided to stay in Pullman.
I'm still struggling to figure out which is the most disturbing image from Sunday's NCAA basketball. Bobby Knight flopping around in his underwear. Or Lars Ulrich and Coach K joining forces in a Guitar Hero video.
The Mountain West is as major conference that nobody wants to admit is a major conference. The Mountain West thoroughly embarrassed the Pac-10 in football during the regular season and Utah proved that it was the best team on the field after walloping Alabama in the Sugar Bowl. To make matters worse, the trouble-making conference wants to propose a college football playoff.
You can't blame Jim Calhoun if he's whistling "Route 66" over the next couple of days because he certainly loves to travel west. Both of Calhoun's national championship teams, in 1999 and 2004, came out of the West Region. So Calhoun's probably feeling like a million bucks right now -- or $1.6 million bucks, as we all now know he makes (But he's worth it, just ask him.) -- with Connecticut grabbing the top spot out west.
San Diego State could have spent the night partying on the strip, rolling through the Tropicana, Flamingo and Imperial Palace (hey, they are college students they can't afford the Bellagio) as Mountain West champions. And more importantly, basking in the high-roller status of being automatic tournament qualifiers.One pull of the mustache turns into a fight between New Mexico State mascot Pistol Pete, pictured, and Utah State's Big Blue the bull mascot. After Big Blue ripped off Pistol Pete's fake mustache, the cowboy chased the bull down and tried to choke his rival during conference tournament play. Click through for other cases of mascot misconduct.
New Mexico State University Athletics, AP
Rice University mascot Sammy the Owl was ejected from one of the team's games in late January after getting physical with a referee.
Nelson Chenault, US PRESSWIRE
An actor who played the Diamondbacks' mascot, Baxter, was recently fired after he was pulled over on an Arizona highway and accused of having a blood-alcohol content of nearly twice the legal limit - with the costume in the back seat. Police say he also admitted smoking marijuana earlier in the day.
Nick Doan, WireImage
The Penn State senior who plays the Nittany Lion mascot was suspended after being hit with a DUI charge in November was forced to miss the Rose Bowl.
Elsa, Getty Images
One of the actors who dresses up as the Pittsburgh Steelers' team mascot, Steely McBeam, was arrested and accused of driving under the influence in April.
Michael Fabus, Getty Images
Last March, there was a spectacular brawl between Oral Roberts' Eli the Eagle and IUPUI's Jawz the Jaguar. Watch the Fight
YouTube.com
The Oregon Duck got into a fight with Houston's Cougar in 2007, and earned himself him a suspension and a spot in the YouTube Hall of Fame. Watch the Battle
Rick Bowmer, AP
In August 2007, the Mariners' Moose drew the ire of Boston fans when he hit former Red Sox outfielder Coco Crisp with his ATV during a game in Seattle.
Elaine Thompson, AP
The Dodgers-Giants rivalry is fierce, and that spreads even to San Francisco's mascot Lou Seal. He was caught on tape in 2007 challenging an unruly Dodgers fan to fisticuffs.
Eric Risberg, AP
Benny the Bull got in hot water for shooting a T-shirt gun at two Celtics during an April 2008 game.
Gary Dineen, NBAE / Getty Images
A number of bubble teams won't sleep easy, especially with Southern California finally starting to play up to the potential that landed the team in the preseason Top 25. And doesn't it always seem to happen that way? A talented team underachieves during the regular season, but a light finally goes off during the conference tournament leading to a run to the dance.
San Diego State was on the bubble depending on which bracket projection you wanted to believe, but there is absolutely no denying it now -- the Aztecs are in the NCAA tournament following a huge win over BYU in the semifinals of the Mountain West tournament.
ESPN bracketologist Joe Lunardi has been in love with the Mountain West Conference for most of the season, at one point believing that five teams could get into the NCAA tournament. That's not going to happen now. UNLV looked pathetic on its home court, losing a third game this season to San Diego State and greatly diminishing any hopes that the Rebels had of making a third consecutive NCAA appearance.
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