On Bobcats and Ty Lawson

2 quick thoughts on a sunny April Saturday:

1. I went to the Bobcats' home game last night against Miami. Once they blew that 16-point first-quarter lead, this one had a feel of inevitability to it. Charlotte just didn't seem ready to win this game (and the referees didn't help -- Miami shot 16 FTs in final quarter to Bobcats' zero). The Bobcats have made incremental (not exponential) improvement in Year Five, but they're not going to make the playoffs -- as I wrote today. If they do -- they technically won't be out of the race for another week or two -- I promise to embarrass myself publicly in the newspaper and you're welcome to help.

2. Ty Lawson's $250. A bit of news will rush in to fill a void, which is what has happened in UNC point guard Ty Lawson's admission that he (legally, and with Roy Williams' permission) went to a casino in Detroit and won $250 playing craps Wednesday night. With not much else happening prior to the Final Four, this somehow became a big deal. To me, it isn't.

A far bigger deal: Connecticut and the alleged major NCAA violations in its own basketball program. Appearances matter, certainly, but this is hardly the Michael Phelps photograph at the South Carolina party. Much ado about not much, I'd say.