The game. Well? The game sucked. It was one of the most painful things to have to sit through. The team that I have been saying all along didn't really belong and was playing way above their heads, finally showed up and at the worst possible time. UCLA was thoroughly dominated. Hats off to Florida for outplaying the Bruins at every phase of the game. I never really thought UCLA should have made it this far. They should have beaten by Gonzaga at the very least. Amazingly, they scored the last 11 points of the game and pulled it out. There was a point in the second half when they canned 2 straight 3 that there was a glimmer of hope for another stellar comeback but it just wasn't to be. Every time UCLA got it within 10 points, Florida slammed the door by breaking the press and slamming it home or outhustling UCLA to the loose ball.

The real diffence in the game was inside. UCLA "big" men were clearly intimidated by Florida's shot blockers. It seemed refs were too, not calling what seemed to me to be some obvious fouls and clear traveling violations, not that it would have made difference. It hurts to lose. It hurts even more to lose to godforsaken Florida. The only silver lining for me is that I'm a huge Billy Donovan fan. I have been since he was a player alongside Delray Brooks under Rick Pitino for the Providence team that made an improbable and incredibly exciting run to the Final Four back in 87 when I was in high school. He's a class guy and well deserving of this national title.

UCLA will be back. They are very young team. We'll lose Hollins, but he was no great shakes despite being the MOP of the regional. He was too timid and too weak to go up against quality competition. Bozeman will be gone, but his career was beset by injuries and all he did was disappoint. So much promise. So little delivery. However, the core of the team, the guards Farmar and Afflalo are only sophomores. Most of the rest of the players are freshmen. And Ben Howland who has brought UCLA back from the brink of oblivion after intolerable losing seasons seems locked in, bringing east coast toughness and solid defense to a program that desparately needed it. Hopefully he will be around for 20 years or more.

Again, congratulations to Billy Donovan and Florida on a well deserved win.