We were sorry to hear of the passing of Wayman Tisdale on Friday.  Tisdale was a force as an Oklahoma Sooner before moving onto a 12 year career in the NBA.  But to just look at that as the mark of a man is selling the world short on a truly diverse individual.  He became a contemporary jazz musician great, making several albums.  Known for his outgoing and kind personality, it is hard to find anyone to say a poor word about him.  He suffered a cruel fate that athletes face, his body betrayed him.  Two years ago he was found to have a cancerous cyst behind a knee after he fell at home and broke his leg.  That eventually led to the amputation of his lower leg.  Perhaps the cruelest fate was that he was only 44 and leaves his wife and three children.  We see athletes only bywhat they do on the court or field.  There is much more to them.

In what would be a tremendous move regionally, financially, and competively, Hofstra University is considering leaving the Colonial Athletic Association and joining the Atlantic 10 Conference.  We say ABSOLUTELY!

In the NCAA world, there are within the Division 1 conferences distinctions of their relative strength, both financially and competitiely.  The ACC, Big-10, Pac-10 and SEC, the so-called "Power Conferences" are also known as High  D-1 conferences.  The Atlantic-10 (A-10) is considered a Mid D-1 Conference, one where there can have a number of competitive schools in each sport each year for a national title.  The Colonial American Association is considered a lower Mid-Major, perhaps to a Low-Major Conference.  When a George Mason comes out and makes the Final Four, its from a tremendous run in the tourney, not from being a competitive or financial equal.

Hofstra joining the A-10 would have them become immediate rivals of Fordham University, both on the fields and courts and off them for the same level of recruits.  They would receive a greater share of television monies, and the strength of their programs would grow to meet the competition.  They may take some early lumps, but the Pride's programs have shown themselves to be highly competitve.  The conference would have a meaningful New York presence (sorry Fordham, but you've been a door mat) with Temple, Xavier, and Rhode Island, among the 14 present members, making their way out to Hempstead, L.I.  The move makes sense for all parties.  You just might have to rename the conference though, to the A-15.

Demonstrating that Madison Square Garden is continuing to put its less successful recent past behind it, the Garden announced today that Steve Mills, the Garden president, will be leaving to join with Magic Johnson Foundation and teach a course, "Dilemmas in Athletics" at his alma mater, Princeton, where he played point guard.  Mills hired Isiah Thomas as coach and GM of the Knicks.  Thomas was recently hired as coach of Florida International University.

Can hardly remember the last time an opening round series in the NBA Playoffs has been so intreging as that of the Celtics - Bulls.  Game 6 just finished after 3-OT's with the Bull's NBA Rookie of the Year Derrick Rose blocking Celt's Rajon Rondo's potential game winner to give the Bull's a 129-127 victory.  That's 4 out of the six games inthis series that has gone into overtime.  We may be showing our grey's but is this the best opening round ever?

There have been great series in the past, Knick's - Celtics of the 70's, Knick's - Bull's of the 90's (and we know it's us looking through our Knick colored glasses, so send in your best remembered series to This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it and help us out) and many others.  But none have gone with 4 overtimes.  You know we are rooting for a 6 overtime "thrilla" for game 7.  Somehow a blow-out just would't be right.

It's being reported that former New York Knick GM and coach Isiah Thomas will be named head coach of Florida International University as early as today.  Other candidates include Ed Pinckney and Tim Hardaway, both former Miami Heat players.

It's an interesting choice for the Miami based school.  Thomas has a cloud of trouble around him that, at the very least, is questionable.  Thomas was convicted of sexual harrasment in 2007 and then alledgely attempted suicide last October.  Thomas has also never coached on the collegiate level.

We want to remind all of you that haven't joined the athlete's social network, www.gameoversportz.com that its not too late (its never too late!).  And for you new viewers that have recently discovered www.gameovernyc.com, we invite you to join. 

The social network for athletes is where you can join your friends and meet new ones.  Specific groups that cover all types of interests are available , such as NBA, NCAA, MLB, your club team or you can create your own.  Forum discussions has the members discuss their views on all types of topics, from who will win the NCAA championship to the use of steroids.  Members include college, high school, and AAU coaches, professional, collegiate, and high school referees, athletes that participate in all types of sports, including basketball, baseball, softball, soccer, football, tennis, lacrosse etc., and fans from all sports.

Click on the link above and take a look.  Best of all, its free!  See you in there.

Here it is, down to North Carolina, who everyone thought would be here, and Michigan State, who fought for respect when they were denied a #1 seed.  Oh, and Big East, where are you?  Making it to the dance's final weekend is nice, especially when all the experts raved how one was as beautiful as the next.  But tonight it will be an ACC or Big Ten team that cuts down the nets.

The nod here has to go to North Carolina.  Too much.  Too much Hansborough, too much Ellington, too much Lawson.  Michigan State was dogged by UNC four months ago, just enough time for someone to get over a rejection.  They don't remember it nor should they.  They have matured tremendously under the tutelege of Coach Izzo and will be fighting to hold the game to a crawl.  Unlike UConn who couldn't hit a free throw, UNC can, and will put the game away at the foul line.  Score it for the ACC.