April Fool

There are certainly a lot of candidates for this prestigious award, and I couldn't decide on the eventual victor until just a few hours ago. Thank God a fool emerged on this day to accept the honor.

Today, April Fool's Day, former Marquette University basketball coach Tom Crean rises above them all. Perhaps I'm biased. Okay, of course I'm biased. A Milwaukee native, I grew up watching Warrior (that's not a typo and doesn't need to be corrected) basketball. I spent my freshman year of college in the Milwaukee area and saw just about every home game that season. Now, it seems, Crean is Big Ten-bound as ESPN has announced he's finalized a deal to make him the new head coach at Indiana.

Crean led the Warriors (er, Golden Eagles) to the Final Four when I was in high school and has remained one of the best coaches in college basketball. Sure, Marquette hasn't had much luck in the NCAA tournament the last few years, but they were literally a shot away from the Sweet 16 this year until one of Stanford's Lopez brothers (who can tell them apart?) hit a last-second shot in overtime to win the game.

The Hoosiers haven't had the best of luck this season. Former coach Kelvin Sampson was removed after multiple violations that rocked the program. From what I'm reading around the web, it doesn't look like Indiana is going to bring a great deal of talent to the floor next year; but if anyone can whip them into shape, it's Tom Crean.

Still, Marquette's a better bet in a better town, even if it's not a better program. More frustrating yet, I was really banking on Marquette for graduate school next spring. No, a coaching change isn't going to keep me away, but I'll be mourning this loss for a while. What kind of year of 2008 shaping up to be? Brett Favre retires, Tom Crean leaves town...seriously, if the Brewers don't deliver soon, I'm going to Boston College.

Ton Crean: April Fool for 2008.