Cameron Crazies love Harrison Barnes, Ed Podolak looks great, Drake's in what?

• Glad to be wrong. UNI made it to the NCAA Tournament. But Portland? Against Purdue? Thanks NCAA Selection Committee.
• I understand Drake playing another game, in whatever tournament comes after the NIT, but don't try to sell us on "first time Drake's received back-to-back post-season bids in decades". Come on. Use the game at Idaho to get better for next year, but don't pull alongside Iowa's football press release in 2007 for being "bowl eligible" even though no one invited the Hawks.
• I am one of the "Chumps" in KIIC Radio's "Stump The Chumps" bracket contest. It's free, there's a nice prize (flat screen TV), and the radio station donates a dollar for each entry to the Southeast Iowa Race for the Cure. Go to www.kiicradio.com to enter
• The Cyclone women get a 4 seed. Yeah! Only to find out the 5 is Tennessee. Ouch. And they're playing near Nashville (Bowling Green, KY). Goodness.
• Iowa hosts. It would be nice to see something usually missing from Carver-Hawkeye Arena lately: fans.
• Harrison Barnes is the total package: unlimited talent, bright student, engaging personality. On SoundOFF, he showed off his polished interview skills, though he's not ready to reveal much. Harrison also showed a willingness to have fun, especially when the red light wasn't on. He's a great kid, and after spending some time with his mother, Shirley, it's easy to see why.
• Harrison says he hasn't eliminated any schools from consideration, but there's no doubt Duke made quite an impression on him. As Harrison told me, sitting court side at the Carolina-Duke game and having the Cameron Crazies chant his name was unbelievable. The rest of us can only imagine.
• A friend who ran into Iowa icon Ed Podolak says Ed looks like a million bucks and says he feels the same way. That's great to hear, and I'll be shocked if Ed's not back in the booth in September.
• The World Baseball Classic is a cool idea, but I just can't get into it. I'd rather watch a Cubs spring training game.
• Gosh it's frustrating being behind a person who refuses to stop talking and texting on a cell phone even though it's slowing the line down. At Kum & Go earlier this week, I finally offered to pay. I got the Stink Eye.
• Steve Alford, conference coach of the year, but still Not In Tournament. Or NIT for short.
• Andy Fales brings me a fresh batch of homemade pickled eggs each year, and no one else at work eats them but me. I mean, I work in a newsroom! You can put down a plate of burned cookies baked without sugar, flour or eggs, and they'll be gone in five minutes. The pickled eggs? No takers. Ever.
• I'm geeked that Coldplay is coming to Des Moines. I can take the 40 Year Old Virgin jokes. Coldplay rocks, and I can't wait to see U2's heir apparent in person. Huge pull for the Iowa Events Center.
• Since I sent out a Twitter (keithmurphy13) that I'll go see Journey at the State Fair just as soon as Steve Perry rejoins the band, dozens of people emailed me to say the new guy "sounds just like Perry". I understand but that doesn't make Creed-Pearl Jam or Adam Duritz-Van Morrison.
• Why is a comedian doing the best job of holding national news-makers accountable for what they say? Jon Stewart's TKO of CNBC's Jim Cramer was riveting television, even if Stewart did hit below the belt a time or two.
• "Here comes the Funcooker!"
• The return of ER's old cast has been nostalgic fun, and a reminder of how great the show once was. First class move by George Clooney. Nice when a big star remembers how he became so famous. Most don't.
• "Kings" is like nothing else on television. Definite potential.
• Nicolas Cage is starting to look scary.
• I was nearly hit by a car while playing Wiffle Ball with the kids. A nice, cautious neighbor who drives a Prius slowed down to about 5 miles an hour, and I never heard the car creeping up on us. I don't think it was making any sound. Good for the environment, bad for hearing.
• If you have kids who like basketball, take them to see the Globetrotters. They won't be disappointed. My grandma took me for my ninth birthday and I'll never forget it.
• Who's a bigger mess: Denise Richards or Paula Abdul?