One of the dumbest lines in professional sports has to be this one:  ”Let the players decide the game.”

We heard this twice over the weekend.  First, it was in the Louisville-Wichita State game when the refs blew a quick whistle on a late scramble for a loose ball.  In the other semi-final, there was a charge called on Syracuse with 19.2 seconds left that easily could have been called a blocking foul.

Then we heard it:  ”Let the players decide the game.”

Oh, OK, you mean don’t call fouls at the end?  Yeah, that makes sense.  ”Hey, guys, I know we’ve been calling fouls for the first 37 minutes or so, but in the final three minutes, you guys have free reign to do whatever you want and we’ll swallow the whistle.”

It was obvious to just about everyone that the quick whistle in the Wichita State-Louisville game was just a bad call.  The refs lost sight of the ball for a nano-second and they blew the play dead.  It was a bad call, that’s all.

The much-discussed charge in the Syracuse-Michigan game could have been called either way.  So, do BOTH ways count as “I hate it when the refs take over the game”?  If he calls Michigan for a block there, do we still say, “Let the players decide the game”?

If it’s a foul, call it.

That should be all there is to it.

Granted, not all the calls are good, or right, but NOT calling fouls down the stretch wouldn’t be the answer, either.

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I’ll have Joe Unitas on Monday’s D&L Window Tinting Morning Reaction to discuss the family feud involving the selection of Joe Flacco to play Johnny Unitas in parts of the upcoming movie “Unitas We Stand”.  Maybe I’m in the minority, but the use of Flacco is curious, to me at least, although I can’t imagine he was selected in some attempt to jab at John Unitas, Jr., who called Joe “a goofball” and claimed him unfit to portray his late father in the film.

I’m assuming Flacco was chosen to give the film some much needed box office push, if the whole project even gets to the finish line.  A smart marketing person would probably give the move a thumbs-up, since people going to the movie is one of the only ways the project becomes profitable.

Family money (and this coming from someone who has zero wealth in his extended family) must be a terrible thing to fight over…we’ve all seen it cause great strife amongst people that should know better.

It’s a shame that money has created this chasm between the two Unitas boys.

Flacco might be smart to just say, “I don’t know…maybe I shouldn’t involve myself in this thing.”

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The Astros are off to a 1-5 start, which begs the ONLY question that matters right now as it relates to Houston.

“How on earth did they win one?”

If you found $100 under your mattress and you were forced to bet on the Astros and their win total on June 1, would you say they’ll have more than 12.5 wins or less?

I’d take under 12.5.  They might not have double digits by then.

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Another nice win for the Capitals last night at home over Tampa Bay.

This is the best Ovechkin has looked in two or three years.  He’s actually trying now.

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Everyone is making a big deal that Adam Jones lost a ball in the sun on Sunday in the loss to Minnesota.

That’s better than losing his glove in Fells Point.

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I’ll be in Augusta later tonight and will wake up bright and early Tuesday morning ready to walk the storied grounds of Augusta National Golf Club.  I’m staying through Wednesday.

I’m going with Matt Kuchar to win this year.  I think he’ll turn back a spirited Sunday charge from the likes of Tiger Woods and Dustin Johnson.  I have a feeling Graeme McDowell might even be in the mix too.  But, Kuchar is my pick to win his first major championship.

I know what you’re thinking:  ”Drew, what do you know?”

Yeah, you’re right.  After all, I’m the clown who picked Louis Oosthuizen last year and we all know how that turned out for him.  He lost in a playoff after Bubba Watson hit the luckiest shot in the history of golf on the first playoff hole.

Have a great couple of days with Nestor and I’ll be back on Thursday morning.

DF

United States Ryder Cup captain Davis Love III added experience, length and birdie potential on Tuesday by announcing his four selections for this month’s bi-annual competition between the U.S. and Europe.

As expected, Love III went with established veterans Steve Stricker and Jim Furyk with two of his four captain’s picks.  Both are experienced in Ryder Cup and President’s Cup play and each player has successfully partnered with Tiger Woods on several occasions.

Dustin Johnson played his way on to the team with outstanding play over the last month.  After missing nearly three months earlier in the season due to injury, Johnson recovered in time to impress Love III with his health and his putting.  Johnson, one of the longest hitters on the PGA TOUR, is also one of the circuit’s best birdie-makers when his putter is on.

Brandt Snedeker, like Johnson, also played his way on after challenging at the British Open and following that with strong play in the month thereafter.  He’s also a player capable of making birdies in bunches, which bodes well in a team-event like the Ryder Cup where pars generally don’t do you much good.

All four picks seem reasonable to me.  While Stricker and Furyk make complete sense, it’s not like they have to prop up Tiger Woods anymore.  In year’s past, Woods needed a partner who could put the ball in play off the tee in both the better-ball and alternate-shot formats, but that’s not the case now.  The Great One has flirted with the top 5 in the TOUR’s “total driving” stat all year (the combination of where you rank in driving distance and driving accuracy) and is swinging the golf club as well as he ever has heading into next week’s BMW Championship in Indiana.  His putter?  That’s a different story.  But for once, Woods won’t be a liability off the tee in the Ryder Cup.

Johnson and Snedeker come in with the hot hand, assuming their current form continues for another three weeks.  The only player I hoped might make it that didn’t was Bo Van Pelt.  He finished 17th in the standings, but he’s a birdie machine and would probably give his left arm to make the team.

It’s hard to find fault with the captain’s picks.  They feature a major champion (Furyk) and three other players who have all sniffed around at majors throughout their careers.  And, as most players will tell you, the Ryder Cup produces as much angst and nervous tension as a major championship.