Hair Band Friday - 4/26/19

1.  "Gambler" by Whitesnake


2.  "Wild In the Streets" by Bon Jovi


3.  "Pretty Tied Up (The Perils of Rock & Roll Decadence)" by Guns N' Roses


4.  "Sex Drive" by W.A.S.P.


5.  "The Threat" by Skid Row


6.  "Fractured Love" by Def Leppard


7.  "That Time of Year" by Vinnie Vincent Invasion


8.  "Lost Behind The Wall" by Dokken


9.  "She Loves My Cock" by Jackyl


10.  "Yeah, You Want It!" by Danger Danger

New Book: Chuck Klosterman X: A Highly Specific, Defiantly Incomplete History of the Early 21st Century by Chuck Klosterman

Just before my jaunt across the pond, I finished reading Room Full of Mirrors: A Biography of Jimi Hendrix by Charles R. Cross.  Whilst in London, I did not force the family to go on a pilgrimage to Hendrix's death site, though I should have.  The book was very good.  As I mentioned before, while I have a ton -- one might even say a shit ton -- of Hendrix music, I didn't really know a lot about his upbringing or personal life.  He grew up in abject poverty in Seattle, fell in love with the guitar, and busted his ass to become the best there ever was.  Cross interviewed many of Hendrix's family members, friends, and acquaintances to paint a picture of a prolific but tormented genius who left Earth too soon.  I definitely recommend this for any Hendrix fan or anyone who wants to know more about Hendrix.


Earlier this week, I started reading Chuck Klosterman X: A Highly Specific, Defiantly Incomplete History of the Early 21st Century by Chuck Klosterman.  As you may know, Klosterman is one of my favorite authors/writers.  This is a collection of essays and articles he has written over the past 19 years on various pop culture and sports-related topics.  Thus far, articles have includes such subjects as a North Dakota junior college basketball game from 1988, zombies, and Charlie Brown.

Books Read in 2019:
-The Anatomy of Evil by Michael H. Stone, M.D.
-The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon by Stephen King
-Room Full of Mirrors: A Biography of Jimi Hendrix by Charles R. Cross

Retro Video of the Week: "Satisfied" by Richard Marx

In recent years, I've joined the fan clubs of certain bands (GNR, Def Leppard, among others) to get certain perks, such as first crack at concert tickets and the like.  However, a little publicized fact about me is that the first musician/band's fan club I ever joined was, in fact, that of Richard Marx.

It was 1988 or 1989, and Marx was one of the Top 40's biggest stars.  His second album, Repeat Offender, was released thirty years ago this Friday.  The album hit #1 on the Billboard album charts and eventually went quadruple platinum in the U.S.  With the first three singles from the album hitting the Top 5 of the Billboard Hot 100 -- "Satisfied" (#1), "Right Here Waiting" (#1), and "Angelia" (#4) -- Marx became the first solo artist to have his first seven singles hit the Top 5 of the Billboard Hot 100.  And Repeat Offender's next two singles were both Top 15 ("Too Late To Say Goodbye" (#12) and "Children of the Night (#13)).  Not too shabby.  

Marx has also been a super successful songwriter for other artists, writing hits across genres for the likes of Kenny Rogers, Vixen, Luther Vandross, N Sync, and Keith Urban, among many others.  And, of course, he's now married to former MTV VJ Daisy Fuentes.

The song I'm choosing is "Satisfied" because it's a little more rocking than Repeat Offender's other #1 song, the ballad "Right Here Waiting."  "Satisfied" is really a great example of late '80s pop rock, and Marx's hair in the video is spectacular.  The song hit #1 in the summer of 1989, just as I was getting ready to enter sixth grade.  It served as a reminder that, no matter what, I shouldn't give up until I'm satisfied, and I think I lived that mantra in sixth grade -- the only year of my preteen youth in which I had two girlfriends.

Midwestern Eavesdropping

Uber passenger to male driver:  "Do you have any kids?"
Driver:  "Nah.  My pull-out game is strong."
--Indianapolis
Eavesdropper:  Kazda

As always, if you overhear something funny or ridiculous (or that can be taken completely out of context), email it to gmyhblog@yahoo.com, along with the location you heard it and your preferred eavesdropping handle, for inclusion in the next exciting edition of Midwestern Eavesdropping.

Hair Band Friday - 4/12/19

I have to return some videotapes at several undisclosed European locales over the next week, so don't fret if you don't hear from me.  In the meantime, here's some sweet hair band music to keep things on the level while I'm gone.

1.  "Move to the City" (demo) by Guns N' Roses


2.  "Headed for a Heartbreak" by Winger


3.  "Action" by Def Leppard


4.  "The Stroke" by Billy Squier


5.  "Mr. Gone" by Mr. Big


6.  "Hot Dog and a Shake" by David Lee Roth


7.  "Raise Your Hands" by Bon Jovi


8.  "Plenty of Love" by Britny Fox


9.  "Nobody Rides for Free" by Ratt


10.  "The Zoo" by Scorpions

Retro Video of the Week: "Fire Woman" by The Cult

Yesterday was the 30th anniversary of the release of British rockers The Cult's fourth studio album, Sonic Temple.  The Cult is an underrated band that kind of got lost in the shuffle in the mid to late '80s because they were a straightforward rock and roll band.  They weren't a hair band.  They weren't metal.  They certainly weren't synth rock.  But they did, in fact, rock.  

Sonic Temple is a great album, and it was the highest charting album they had in the U.S., reaching #10 on the Billboard album charts.  It had had three of the band's most popular songs, "Fire Woman," "Edie (Ciao Baby)," and "Sweet Soul Sister."  I'm going with "Fire Woman" because it was the band's highest-charting single in the U.S. (#46 on the Billboard Hot 100; #2 on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart), not to mention #15 in the UK and #1 in New Zealand.  It's also a great, driving rock song that I think is pretty indicative of the band's sound.  Just very aurally enjoyable.

NCAA Championship Game Thoughts and Facts

After an Elite Eight for the ages, the Final Four didn't disappoint either.  In Saturday's first game, South 1-seed Virginia won a nail-biting 63-62 game over Midwest 5-seed Auburn, after UVa's Kyle Guy was fouled shooting a 3 with less than 2 seconds left.  He calmly and coolly made all three free throws, leading the Cavaliers to their first-ever NCAA title game.

In the second game, West 3-seed Texas Tech used its stifling defense to top East 2-seed Michigan State, 61-51, giving the Red Raiders their first-ever trip to the championship game.

The championship tips off tonight at 9:20 Eastern on CBS.  Virginia is a 1-point favorite.  Both teams rely on their great defensive play, as both rank in the top three in defensive efficiency -- so it's no surprise the over/under is a mere 118 points.

Here are some fun facts for you to ponder as you're watching these two teams beat each other up.

6.  No matter who wins, it will be the first national title for either head coach, Virginia's Tony Bennett and Texas Tech's Chris Beard.  It will be the 26th time that a first-time Final Four coach will have won the championship.  Of course, those numbers are heavily skewed towards the beginning decades of the NCAA Tournament.  Since the tournament expanded to 64 teams in 1985, it has only happened 7 times.  Here is everyone (including before 1985), in reverse chronological order:

-Kevin Ollie (UConn, 2014)

-Bill Self (Kansas, 2008)

-Jim Calhoun (UConn, 1999)

-Tubby Smith (Kentucky, 1998)

-Jim Harrick (UCLA, 1995)

-Steve Fisher (Michigan, 1989)

-Rollie Massimino (Villanova, 1985)

-Jim Valvano (NC State, 1983)

-Jud Heathcote (Michigan State, 1979)

-Norm Sloan (NC State, 1974)

-Don Haskins (Texas Western, 1966)

-George Ireland (Loyola (Ill.), 1963)

-Ed Jucker (Cincinnati, 1961)

-Fred Taylor (Ohio State, 1960)

-Pete Newell (California, 1959)

-Phil Woolpert (San Francisco, 1955)

-Ken Loeffler (LaSalle, 1954)

-Doggie Julian (Holy Cross, 1947)

-Henry Iba (Oklahoma A&M, 1945)

-Vadal Peterson (Utah, 1944)

-Everett Shelton (Wyoming, 1943)

-Everett Dean (Stanford, 1942)

-Harold E. Foster (Wisconsin, 1941)

-Branch McCracken (Indiana, 1940)

-Howard Hobson (Oregon, 1939)

5.  As we all know, last year, Virginia became the first 1-seed to lose to a 16-seed in NCAA Tournament history, when they were blown out by UMBC.  And now the Cavaliers have a chance to become the 6th team ever to win a national title the year after losing their first game of the NCAA Tournament.  Here are the others who have done it:

2015:  Duke

1995:  UCLA

1987:  Indiana

1983:  NC State

1964:  UCLA

Other than the 1964 UCLA team (since seeding didn't begin until 1979), all of those teams lost to double-digit seeds the year before winning the title. 

4.  This is the first time since 1990 that two teams without a previous national championship will be playing for the title, and the first time since 1979 that two teams will play for the championship without ever having played in the championship game before.  Here are the years in which both teams meeting in the championship game had not previously won an NCAA title (excluding the first tournament in 1939), with an asterisk for years in which both teams played in the title game for the first time:

-1990:  UNLV over Duke

-1989:  Michigan over Seton Hall

-1984:  Georgetown over Houston

-1979*:  Michigan State over Indiana State

-1974*:  NC State over Marquette

-1964*:  UCLA over Duke

-1959*:  Cal over West Virginia

-1954:  LaSalle over Bradley

-1952:  Kansas over St. John's

-1950*:  CCNY over Bradley

-1948*:  Kentucky over Baylor

-1947*:  Holy Cross over Oklahoma

-1945*:  Oklahoma A&M over NYU

-1944:  Utah over Dartmouth

-1943*:  Wyoming over Georgetown

-1942*:  Stanford over Dartmouth

-1941*:  Wisconsin over Washington State

-1940*:  Indiana over Kansas

3.  If Texas Tech wins, it will become the 13th school to win the national title in its first-ever trip to the Final Four -- and the first in 20 years and only second since JFK died to do so.  Here are the other ones who have done it.
-1999:  UConn
-1966:  Texas Western
-1963:  Loyola (IL)
-1955:  San Francisco
-1954:  LaSalle
-1947:  Holy Cross
-1945:  Oklahoma A&M
-1944:  Utah
-1943:  Wyoming
-1942:  Stanford
-1941:  Wisconsin
-1940:  Indiana
-1939:  Oregon

2.  If Texas Tech wins, it will be the first school west of the Mississippi River since Kansas in 2008 to win the NCAA title.  Of the 35 prior champs, 13 have been located west of the Mississippi.  Here are the schools west of the Mississippi that have won it all:
-UCLA (11):  1964-1965, 1967-1973, 1975, 1995
-Kansas (3):  1952, 1988, 2008
-Oklahoma A&M (now Oklahoma State) (2):  1945-1946
-San Francisco (2):  1955-1956
-Arizona (1):  1997
-Arkansas (1):  1994
-California (1):  1959
-Oregon (1):  1939
-Stanford (1):  1942
-Texas Western (now UTEP) (1):  1966
-UNLV (1):  1990
-Utah (1):  1944
-Wyoming (1):  1943

1.  Virginia is a 1-seed, and Texas Tech is a 3-seed.  For the second year in a row, we have a 1-seed vs. a 3-seed in the championship game.  This is the third time this has happened since seeding began in 1979, with the 1-seed owning a 2-0 advantage over 3-seeds (Villanova over Michigan last year and UNLV over Duke in 1990).  Overall, 1-seeds are 22-15 in the championship game, while 3-seeds are 5-6.  When playing higher-seeded teams in the championship game, 1-seeds are 14-6.  Here is the breakdown, in reverse chronological order:

1-seed winners
2018:  Villanova
2017:  North Carolina
2015:  Duke
2013:  Louisville
2012:  Kentucky
2010:  Duke
2009:  North Carolina
2008:  Kansas
2007:  Florida
2005:  North Carolina
2002:  Maryland
2001:  Duke
2000:  Michigan State
1999:  UConn
1996:  Kentucky
1995:  UCLA
1994:  Arkansas
1993:  North Carolina
1992:  Duke
1990:  UNLV
1987:  Indiana
1984:  Georgetown
1982:  North Carolina

1-seed losers

2017:  Gonzaga

2016:  North Carolina

2015:  Wisconsin

2008:  Memphis

2007:  Ohio State

2005:  Illinois

1999:  Duke

1997:  Kentucky

1993:  Michigan

1988:  Oklahoma

1986:  Duke

1985:  Georgetown

1983:  Houston

1982:  Georgetown

1979:  Indiana State

3-seed winners

2011:  UConn

2006:  Florida

2003:  Syracuse

1989:  Michigan

1981:  Indiana

3-seed losers

2018:  Michigan

2004:  Georgia Tech

1998:  Utah

1991:  Kansas

1990:  Duke

1989:  Seton Hall

Hair Band Friday - 4/5/19

1.  "Heaven's Trail (No Way Out)" by Tesla


2.  "Back Home Again" by Cinderella


3.  "Psycho Love" by Skid Row


4.  "Come Back" by Bon Jovi


5.  "Poison Angel" by Winger


6.  "Breaking the Silence" by Queensrÿche


7.  "I Don't Know" by Ozzy Osbourne


8.  "Back to the Cave" by Lita Ford


9.  "Anything Goes" by Guns N' Roses


10.  "Rock the Night" by Europe

Retro Video of the Week: "Sexual Healing" by Marvin Gaye

Monday marked the 35th anniversary of the tragic death of Marvin Gaye, who was shot to death by his own father during an argument, a day short of his 45th birthday.  Gaye had one of the sweetest voices you've ever heard, and he was a true soul icon.  With a career spanning 20 years, he went from Motown crooner to singing about serious sociopolitical issues to singing about, well, sex.  The last of his 41 Top 40 hit in the U.S. before his death was 1982's classic bang track, "Sexual Healing," which hit #3 on the Billboard Hot 100. Gaye is one of the legends of American music, and he would have turned 80 yesterday. Get some in his honor.

Tuesday Top Ten: Fun Facts About This Year's Final Four

Now that was an Elite Eight.  After a very chalky first two rounds left us with 14 of the top 16 remaining, the Sweet 16 saw a 1-seed (UNC) and two 2-seeds (Michigan and Tennessee) bow out.  Then the Elite Eight came and wrecked us all, for better or for worse.  

In the West Region, 3-seed Texas Tech and 1-seed Gonzaga had a dog fight, and Gonzaga was still within 2 points in the final minute before the Red Raiders pulled away (after an untimely technical foul by Gonzaga) for a 75-69 win.  That tied for the widest margin of victory of the Elite Eight.  With the win, the Red Raiders will be playing in their first-ever Final Four.

In the South Region, 3-seed Purdue looked to be in control over 1-seed Virginia for most of the game, behind Carsen Edwards's unconscious shooting.  But the Hoos battled back, and in a wild last five seconds of regulation, missed a free throw on purpose and batted the ball back into Purdue's half, before a miracle pass to the right wing and a last-second shot by Mamadi Diakite sent the game into overtime.  In OT, Virginia held on for an 80-75 win, clinching the Cavaliers's first Final Four since 1984 (and third overall), and sending the hapless Boilers back to West Lafayette dreaming of Joe Barry Carroll.

Sunday picked up where Saturday left off.  In the Midwest region, two SEC foes battled for a third time this season.  2-seed Kentucky had beaten 5-seed Auburn the previous two times, but the Tigers would not be denied a third time.  After botching the last possession in regulation with the game tied, Auburn got it together in OT for a 77-71 win.  It is also Auburn's first-ever Final Four.

Finally, the East Region ended up being the only region where the top two seeds advanced -- 1-seed Duke and 2-seed Michigan State.  Many thought MSU deserved a 1-seed, and they were out to prove it.  It was a back-and-forth slugfest, but a late three game Sparty the 68-67 win, destroying many a bracket.  MSU will be playing in its 10th Final Four (8th of the Izzo era) and first since 2015.

Here are the Final Four game times this Saturday (Eastern).  Both games are on CBS:

(S1) Virginia vs. (MW5) Auburn – 6:09 p.m.

(E2) Michigan State vs. (W3) Texas Tech – 8:49 p.m.

As I do this time of year, I'm going to drop some Final Four statistical knowledge on you.  Get ready for it.

14.  With Virginia's win over Purdue, Tony Bennett advances to his first Final Four, just as his father did with Wisconsin in 2000.  The Bennetts join John Thompson, Jr. and John Thompson III as the only father-son duos to be the head coach of Final Four teams.  The Thompsons both did it with Georgetown, with the elder taking the Hoyas to three Final Fours in 1982, 1984, and 1985, and the younger taking the Hoyas to the Final Four in 2007.

13.  As we all know, last year, Virginia became the first 1-seed to lose to a 16-seed in NCAA Tournament history, when they were blown out by UMBC.  And now the Cavaliers are making up for it by going to the Final Four.  They join a list of now 49 teams who made the Final Four the year after losing their first game of the NCAA Tournament.  17 of those teams have went onto the title game, with 5 winning it all.  Here are the others who have done it (this does not include teams that made the Final Four a year after not participating in the NCAA Tournament):

2019:  Virginia

2015:  Duke*

2014:  Wisconsin

2013:  Michigan**, Wichita State

2012:  Louisville

2010:  Butler**, West Virginia

2009:  UConn

2006:  UCLA**, LSU

2005:  Louisville, Michigan State

2003:  Marquette

2002:  Indiana**, Oklahoma

2000:  North Carolina, Wisconsin

1995:  UCLA*

1994:  Arizona

1990:  Georgia Tech

1988:  Arizona

1987:  Indiana*

1986:  LSU

1985:  St. John's

1983:  NC State*

1982:  Georgetown**, Louisville, Houston

1981:  North Carolina**

1980:  Iowa

1978:  Arkansas

1977:  North Carolina**

1976:  Michigan**, Rutgers

1975:  Louisville, Syracuse

1974:  Marquette**

1973:  Providence

1971:  Western Kentucky

1964:  UCLA*

1961:  St. Joseph's, Utah

1959:  West Virginia**, Cincinnati

1956:  SMU

1955:  Colorado

1944:  Dartmouth**

1942:  Dartmouth**

*Champions

**Advanced to championship game

12.  For the second time in three years -- and only the fourth time since seeding began in 1979 -- there are two teams playing in their first-ever Final Four (Auburn and Texas Tech).  Here are the other years in which at least two teams were playing their first Final Four in the same year (excluding tournaments prior to 1950, since all of them would be included in this group):

2019:  Auburn, Texas Tech

2017:  Gonzaga**, South Carolina

1996:  Massachusetts, Mississippi State

1979:  Indiana State**, Pennsylvania

1977:  UNLV, UNC Charlotte

1973:  Memphis State**, Providence

1970:  Jacksonville**, New Mexico State, St. Bonaventure

1969:  Purdue**, Drake

1967:  Dayton**, Houston

1965:  Princeton, Wichita State

1963:  Loyola (IL)*, Duke

1962:  UCLA, Wake Forest

1959:  West Virginia**, Cincinnati, Louisville

1956:  SMU, Temple

1955:  San Francisco*, Iowa

1954:  LaSalle*, Penn State

1953:  LSU, Washington

1952:  St. John's**, Santa Clara

1950:  Bradley**, NC State

*Champions

**Advanced to championship game

If Texas Tech and Auburn win Saturday, it will be the first time since 1990 that two teams without a previous national championship will be playing for the title, and the first time since 1979 that two teams will play for the championship without ever having played in the championship game before.  Here are the years in which both teams meeting in the championship game had not previously won an NCAA title (excluding the first tournament in 1939), with an asterisk for years in which both teams played in the title game for the first time:

-1990:  UNLV over Duke

-1989:  Michigan over Seton Hall

-1984:  Georgetown over Houston

-1979*:  Michigan State over Indiana State

-1974*:  NC State over Marquette

-1964*:  UCLA over Duke

-1959*:  Cal over West Virginia

-1954:  LaSalle over Bradley

-1952:  Kansas over St. John's

-1950*:  CCNY over Bradley

-1948*:  Kentucky over Baylor

-1947*:  Holy Cross over Oklahoma

-1945*:  Oklahoma A&M over NYU

-1944:  Utah over Dartmouth

-1943*:  Wyoming over Georgetown

-1942*:  Stanford over Dartmouth

-1941*:  Wisconsin over Washington State

-1940*:  Indiana over Kansas

11.  Auburn is the first team from Alabama to go to the Final Four.  Of the states (and DC) that have Division 1 teams, here are the only ones left that haven't had a school go to the Final Four (with the D-1 institutions in that state listed):

1.  Delaware (2):  Delaware, Delaware State

2.  Hawaii (1):  Hawaii

3.  Idaho (3):  Boise State, Idaho, Idaho State

4.  Maine (1):  Maine

5.  Missouri (5):  Missouri, Missouri-Kansas City, Missouri State, Saint Louis, Southeast Missouri State

6.  Montana (2):  Montana, Montana State

7.  Nebraska (3):  Creighton, Nebraska, Nebraska-Omaha

8.  North Dakota (2):  North Dakota, North Dakota State

9.  South Dakota (2):  South Dakota, South Dakota State

10.  Vermont (1):  Vermont

10.  Since 2000, the Big Ten has sent a representative to the Final Four 16 times, the most of any conference in that span.

1.  Big Ten – 16 (Michigan State (7), Wisconsin (3), Michigan (2), Ohio State (2), Indiana (1), Illinois (1))

2.  ACC – 15 (North Carolina (6), Duke (4), Maryland (2), Georgia Tech (1), Syracuse (1), Virginia (1))

3.  Big East – 12 (Connecticut (3), Villanova (3), Louisville (2), Syracuse (2), Georgetown (1), West Virginia (1))

4.  SEC – 11 (Florida (4), Kentucky (4), Auburn (1), LSU (1), South Carolina (1))

5.  Big 12 – 10 (Kansas (5), Oklahoma (2), Oklahoma State (1), Texas (1), Texas Tech (1))

6.  Pac-10/Pac-12 - 5 (UCLA (3), Arizona (1), Oregon (1))

7.  Conference USA – 3 (Louisville (1), Marquette (1), Memphis (1)

8 (tie).  Colonial – 2 (George Mason, VCU)

8 (tie).  Horizon – 2 (Butler (2))

8 (tie).  Missouri Valley – 2 (Loyola (1), Wichita State (1))

9.  With Michigan State's win Sunday, Tom Izzo is coaching in his 8th Final Four, moving him into sole possession of fifth place on the list of head coaching Final Four appearances.  Here are the coaches who have been to 5 or more Final Fours (John Calipari is not on this list because 2 of his 6 Final Four appearances have been vacated by the NCAA):

1 (tie).  Mike Krzyzewski - Duke (12)

1 (tie).  John Wooden - UCLA (12)

3.  Dean Smith - North Carolina (11)

4.  Roy Williams - Kansas, North Carolina (9)

5.  Tom Izzo - Michigan State (8)

6.  Rick Pitino - Providence, Kentucky, Louisville (7)

6 (tie).  Denny Crum – Louisville (6)

6 (tie).  Adolph Rupp – Kentucky (6)

8 (tie).  Jim Boeheim – Syracuse (5)

8 (tie).  Bob Knight – Indiana (5)

8 (tie).  Guy Lewis – Houston (5)

8 (tie).  Lute Olson – Iowa, Arizona (5)

8.  Michigan State going to its 10th Final Four.  There are 10 schools with 8 or more Final Fours:  North Carolina (20), UCLA (18), Kentucky (17), Duke (16), Kansas (15), Ohio State (11), Louisville (10), Michigan State (9), Indiana (8), and Michigan (8).  This is the 34th year in a row and the 62nd year out of the last 63 that at least one of those ten teams has been in the Final Four.  In fact, one of those teams has been in all but 8 of 80 Final Fours (1941, 1943, 1947, 1950, 1954, 1955, 1956, and 1985).

7.  As discussed above, both Auburn and Texas Tech are playing in their respective First Final Fours ever.  This leaves only 16 schools from the six "power" conferences -- ACC, Big 12, Big East, Big Ten, Pac-12, and SEC -- that have never been to a Final Four.  Here are the remaining teams, as well as the furthest they've ever gotten in the NCAA Tournament and the year(s) they got the furthest:

ACC

-Boston College (Elite Eight in 1967, 1982, 1994)

-Clemson (Elite Eight in 1980)

-Miami (Sweet 16 in 2000, 2013, 2016)

-Virginia Tech (Elite Eight in 1967)

Big 12

-TCU (Elite Eight in 1968)

Big East

-Creighton (Elite Eight in 1941)

-Xavier (Elite Eight in 2004, 2008, 2017)

Big Ten

-Nebraska (Round of 64 in 1986, 1991-1994, 1998, 2014)

-Northwestern (Round of 32 in 2017)

Pac-12

-Arizona State (Elite Eight in 1961, 1963, 1975)

SEC

-Alabama (Elite Eight in 2004)

-Missouri (Elite Eight in 1944, 1976, 1994, 2002, 2009)

-Mississippi (Sweet 16 in 2001)

-Tennessee (Elite Eight in 2010)

-Texas A&M (Sweet 16 in 1951, 1969, 1980, 2007, 2016, 2018)

-Vanderbilt (Elite Eight in 1965)

6.  While it will be tough to top Oregon's 78-year span between Final Fours (1939-2017), Virginia has managed the eleventh-longest span between Final Four appearances.  The Cavaliers have not been to the Final Four since 1984.  Here are both the longest current Final Four droughts and longest all-time droughts between appearances.

Here are the longest current Final Four droughts for teams that have previously played in at least one Final Four (and are currently Division 1 schools –- sorry CCNY fans).  I was surprised that half of them are "major" conference teams.  I'm adding a year, since the earliest these teams could make the Final Four would be 2019:

1.  Duquesne:  80 years (1940)

2 (tie).  Pittsburgh and Washington State:  79 years (1941)

4.  Wyoming:  77 years (1943)

5 (tie).  Dartmouth and Iowa State:  76 years (1944)

7.  Holy Cross:  72 years (1948)

8.  Baylor:  70 years (1950)

9.  Santa Clara:  68 years (1952)

10.  Washington:  67 years (1953)

Here are the all-time droughts between Final Four appearances 35 years or longer:

1.  Oregon:  78 years (1939-2017)

2.  Wisconsin:  59 years (1941-2000)

3 (tie).  Stanford:  56 years (1942-1998)

3 (tie).  Texas:  56 years (1947-2003)

5.  Loyola (IL):  55 years (1963-2018)

6.  West Virginia:  51 years (1959-2010)

7.  Wichita State:  48 years (1965-2013)

8.  Oklahoma State:  44 years (1951-1995)

9.  Oklahoma:  41 years (1947-1988)

10.  Georgetown:  39 years (1943-1982)

11.  Illinois:  37 years (1952-1989)

12.  DePaul:  36 years (1943-1979)

13.  Virginia:  35 years (1984-2019)

5.  This year's Final Four features three coaches who are coaching in their first-ever Final Fours:  Texas Tech's Chris Beard, Virginia's Tony Bennett, and Auburn's Bruce Pearl.  This is a relatively rare occurrence, as it has happened only 6 times since seeding was instituted in 1979, and 16 times since 1944 (all of the five Final Fours before that featured four first-time coaches).  Here are the years since 1944 in which three or more coaches made their Final Four debut:

2019:  3:  Chris Beard (Texas Tech), Tony Bennett (Virginia), Bruce Pearl (Auburn)

2017:  3:  Mark Few (Gonzaga)**, Dana Altman (Oregon), Frank Martin (South Carolina)

2006:  3:  Ben Howland (UCLA)**, John Brady (UCLA), Jim Larranaga (George Mason)

1999:  3:  Jim Calhoun (UConn)*, Tom Izzo (Michigan State), Jim O'Brien (Ohio State)

1998:  4:  Tubby Smith (Kentucky)*, Rick Majerus (Utah)**, Bill Guthridge (North Carolina), Mike Montgomery (Stanford)

1985:  3:  Rollie Massimino (Villanova)*, Lou Carnesecca (St. John's), Dana Kirk (Memphis State)

1979:  3:  Jud Heathcote (Michigan State)*, Bill Hodges (Indiana State)**, Bob Wienhauer (Penn)

1978:  3:  Bill Foster (Duke)**, Digger Phelps (Notre Dame), Eddie Sutton (Arkansas)

1973:  3:  Gene Bartow (Memphis State)**, Dave Gavitt (Providence), Bob Knight (Indiana)

1971:  3:  Jack Kraft (Villanova)**, Johnny Oldham (Western Kentucky), Ted Owens (Kansas)

1970:  3:  Joe Williams (Jacksonville)**, Lou Henson (New Mexico State), Larry Weise (St. Bonaventure)

1967:  3:  Bob Donoher (Dayton)**, Guy Lewis (Houston), Dean Smith (North Carolina)

1959:  4:  Pete Newell (California)*, Fred Schaus (West Virginia)**, Peck Hickman (Louisville), George Smith (Cincinnati)

1955:  3:  Phil Woolpert (San Francisco)*, Bebe Lee (Colorado), Bucky O'Connor (Iowa)

1954:  3:  Ken Loeffler (LaSalle)*, Elmer Gross (Penn State), Forrest Twogood (USC)

1947:  3:  Doggie Julian (Holy Cross)*, Nat Holman (CCNY), Jack Gray (Texas)

1945:  3:  Henry Iba (Oklahoma A&M)*, Howard Cann (NYU)**, Eugene Lambert (Arkansas)

1944:  3:  Vadal Peterson (Utah)*, Earl Brown (Dartmouth)**, Louis Menze (Iowa State)

*Won NCAA championship

**Advanced to title game

On a similar note, if anyone but Michigan State wins the national title, it will be the 26th time that a first-time Final Four coach will have won the championship.  Of course, those numbers are heavily skewed towards the beginning decades of the NCAA Tournament.  Since the tournament expanded to 64 teams in 1985, it has only happened 7 times.  Here is everyone (including before 1985), in reverse chronological order:

-Kevin Ollie (UConn, 2014)

-Bill Self (Kansas, 2008)

-Jim Calhoun (UConn, 1999)

-Tubby Smith (Kentucky, 1998)

-Jim Harrick (UCLA, 1995)

-Steve Fisher (Michigan, 1989)

-Rollie Massimino (Villanova, 1985)

-Jim Valvano (NC State, 1983)

-Jud Heathcote (Michigan State, 1979)

-Norm Sloan (NC State, 1974)

-Don Haskins (Texas Western, 1966)

-George Ireland (Loyola (Ill.), 1963)

-Ed Jucker (Cincinnati, 1961)

-Fred Taylor (Ohio State, 1960)

-Pete Newell (California, 1959)

-Phil Woolpert (San Francisco, 1955)

-Ken Loeffler (LaSalle, 1954)

-Doggie Julian (Holy Cross, 1947)

-Henry Iba (Oklahoma A&M, 1945)

-Vadal Peterson (Utah, 1944)

-Everett Shelton (Wyoming, 1943)

-Everett Dean (Stanford, 1942)

-Harold E. Foster (Wisconsin, 1941)

-Branch McCracken (Indiana, 1940)

-Howard Hobson (Oregon, 1939)

4.  All four schools in the Final Four are public schools.  That has happened 22 other times.  Here they are (winner listed first, runner-up second, other two after):

-2014:  UConn, Kentucky, Florida, Wisconsin

-2012:  Kentucky, Kansas, Ohio State, Louisville

-2008:  Kansas, Memphis, UCLA, North Carolina

-2006:  Florida, UCLA, LSU, George Mason

-2005:  North Carolina, Illinois, Louisville, Michigan State

-2002:  Maryland, Indiana, Kansas, Oklahoma

-2000:  Michigan State, Florida, North Carolina, Wisconsin

-1997:  Arizona, Kentucky, Minnesota, North Carolina

-1995:  UCLA, Arkansas, North Carolina, Oklahoma State

-1993:  North Carolina, Michigan, Kentucky, Kansas

-1983:  NC State, Houston, Louisville, Georgia

-1981:  Indiana, North Carolina, Virginia, LSU

-1980:  Louisville, UCLA, Purdue, Iowa

-1976:  Indiana, Michigan, UCLA, Rutgers

-1972:  UCLA, Florida State, North Carolina, Louisville

-1968:  UCLA, North Carolina, Ohio State, Houston

-1959:  California, West Virginia, Cincinnati, Louisville

-1953:  Indiana, Kansas, Washington, LSU

-1951:  Kentucky, Kansas State, Illinois, Oklahoma A&M

-1949:  Kentucky, Oklahoma A&M, Illinois, Oregon State

-1946:  Oklahoma A&M, North Carolina, Ohio State, California

-1941:  Wisconsin, Washington State, Arkansas, Pittsburgh

3.  After all that chalkiness in the first two rounds, there are is only one 1-seed in the Final Four (Virginia).  Here is a breakdown of how many #1 seeds have advanced to the Final Four each year since 1979.

2019:  1 (Virginia)

2018:  2 (Villanova, Kansas)

2017:  2 (North Carolina*, Gonzaga**)

2016: 1 (North Carolina**)

2015: 3 (Duke*, Wisconsin**, Kentucky)

2014: 1 (Florida)

2013: 1 (Louisville*)

2012: 1 (Kentucky*)

2011: 0

2010: 1 (Duke*)

2009: 2 (North Carolina*, Connecticut)

2008: 4 (Kansas*, Memphis**, North Carolina, UCLA)

2007: 2 (Florida*, Ohio State**)

2006: 0

2005: 2 (North Carolina*, Illinois**)

2004: 1 (Duke)

2003: 1 (Texas)

2002: 2 (Maryland*, Kansas)

2001: 2 (Duke*, Michigan State)

2000: 1 (Michigan State*)

1999: 3 (Connecticut*, Duke**, Michigan State)

1998: 1 (North Carolina)

1997: 3 (Kentucky**, North Carolina, Minnesota)

1996: 2 (Kentucky*, Massachusetts)

1995: 1 (UCLA*)

1994: 1 (Arkansas*)

1993: 3 (North Carolina*, Michigan**, Kentucky)

1992: 1 (Duke*)

1991: 2 (UNLV, North Carolina)

1990: 1 (UNLV*)

1989: 1 (Illinois)

1988: 2 (Oklahoma**, Arizona)

1987: 2 (Indiana*, UNLV)

1986: 2 (Duke**, Kansas)

1985: 2 (Georgetown**, St. John's)

1984: 2 (Georgetown*, Kentucky)

1983: 2 (Houston**, Louisville)

1982: 2 (North Carolina*, Georgetown**)

1981: 2 (LSU, Virginia)

1980: 0

1979: 1 (Indiana State**)

*Champions

**Advanced to championship game

2.  The average seed for this year's Final Four is 2.75, which is right around in the middle of where the average seed number usually is.  Here are the average seeds for the Final Four since 1979:

2019:  2.75

2018:  4

2017:  3

2016: 3.75

2015: 2.5

2014: 4.5

2013: 4.5

2012: 2.25

2011: 6.5

2010: 3.25

2009: 1.75

2008: 1

2007: 1.5

2006: 5

2005: 2.75

2004: 2

2003: 2.25

2002: 2.25

2001: 1.75

2000: 5.5

1999: 1.75

1998: 2.25

1997: 1.75

1996: 2.75

1995: 2.25

1994: 2

1993: 1.25

1992: 3.25

1991: 1.75

1990: 3

1989: 2.25

1988: 2.5

1987: 2.5

1986: 3.75

1985: 3

1984: 2.75

1983: 3

1982: 2.75

1981: 1.75

1980: 5.25

1979: 3.5

1.  Auburn has advanced to the Final Four as a 5-seed.  This is the 7th year in a row a team seeded 5 or higher has made it to the Final Four.  Of the prior 30 teams seeded 5 or higher, only 4 have won it all, another 7 have been runners up, and the remaining 19 have lost in the semis.  Here are the years in which there have been any teams seeded 5 or higher in the Final Four since 1979:

2019:  1:  5-seed Auburn

2018:  1:  11-seed Loyola (IL)

2017:  1:  7-seed South Carolina

2016:  1: 10-seed Syracuse

2015:  1: 7-seed Michigan State

2014:  2: 7-seed UConn* and 8-seed Kentucky**

2013:  1: 9-seed Wichita State

2011:  2: 8-seed Butler** and 11-seed VCU

2010:  2: 5-seeds Butler** and Michigan State

2006:  1: 11-seed George Mason

2005:  1: 5-seed Michigan State

2002:  1: 5-seed Indiana**

2000:  3: 5-seed Florida**, 8-seeds North Carolina and Wisconsin

1996:  1: 5-seed Mississippi State

1992:  1: 6-seed Michigan**

1988:  1: 6-seed Kansas*

1987:  1: 6-seed Providence

1986:  1: 11-seed LSU

1985:  1: 8-seed Villanova*

1984:  1: 7-seed Virginia

1983:  1: 6-seed NC State*

1982:  1: 6-seed Houston

1980:  3: 5-seed Purdue, 6-seed Iowa, 8-seed UCLA**

1979:  1: 9-seed Penn

*Champions

**Advanced to championship game