MEYER: Lessons Learned From the Month That Was

The world of sports and everything that it encompasses is far from being permanent, and anybody who visits ESPN.com a few times a day knows this all too well. It seems like every hour, something happens that is worthy of a ‘Breaking News’ title, whether it be a trade, updated score or (too many times) an arrest.

Even the most minor changes cause a domino effect that can change our perceptions and beliefs, and from these occurrences we learn lessons, some more valuable than others.

With the busy month of March having come to a close, we’re given a time to reflect on these very things that may or may not make the front page of the sports section. I can’t speak for everyone else, but here are some valuable lessons this sports fan and others across the country learned, both on BU’s campus and abroad:

– Last week I wrote that I believe that possible postseason failures should not denigrate things that were accomplished during the regular season for a given team. While I still believe this to be true, sometimes cruel, blatant realities contradict this train of thought. The BU women’s basketball team pieced together the most impressive season in the program’s history, going undefeated in America East play and compiling over 20 wins.

However, all of this was virtually undone when the Terriers fell in the conference championship game to Vermont, losing out on a bid to play in the NCAA Tournament. Obviously, the BU women’s team had a successful season, but when it came time to really validate everything they had accomplished, the Terriers fell short.

– I love the idea of the World Baseball Classic. I really do. Uniting even the most distant of countries together through the Great American Pastime is a commendable effort that even Bud Selig should get a pat on the back for.

That being said, changes need to be made to it. With its current configuration, not only has the annual rite of spring training been diminished, but people just don’t care about it. The TV ratings and attendance figures for the majority of the event signal that the way things are now, the WBC’s popularity is about on par with the XFL. To channel ‘Field of Dreams,’ rework it and they will come.

– Despite its preseason accolades, BU women’s lacrosse has a way to go if it wants to win a national championship. One not need look further than the blowout losses to Syracuse and Penn to see this. I’m not saying that it can’t be done (far from it), but we need to have some perspective here and come to terms with the fact that there is a sizable gap between the Terriers and the upper echelon of the sport.

– Even legendary figures like Duke basketball coach Mike Krzyzewski need to learn to keep their mouths shut sometimes. Don’t get me wrong, I love it when people in the sports world speak their mind. In an age where multi-million dollar endorsement deals have implications on athletes voicing their opinions, the likes of Jim Brown and Charles Barkley have given way to Michael Jordan and Peyton Manning. But when you make bold proclamations, make sure they don’t make you look like an idiot when all is said and done, something Coach K has definitely learned over the past 30 days.

When he consistently tried to pimp the ACC as being a better conference than the Big East during the regular season, his logic seemed a little flawed. After what has transpired in the NCAA Tournament, he now looks downright delusional. Then it was criticizing President Obama over not picking Duke to win it all in his bracket. This isn’t a case of Obama being wrong, Coach K. If anything, Barack understands what everyone outside of Durham, N.C. seems to know, and lo and behold the Dukies bowed out in a Sweet 16 runaway.

– One thing that I’ve always liked about the NCAA Tournament is seeing the players’ respective majors flash on the screen when they’re shooting free throws. This year, I’ve found the crown jewel of them all in Gonzaga forward Josh Heytvelt’s concentration of choice: Organizational Leadership. People like to rag on CGS, but I don’t think anything says ‘Damn, I hope I make it in the NBA’ more than that.

– BU is now showing that it really wants to take the men’s basketball program more seriously, and I for one couldn’t be happier. Mike Lynch took a financial and PR blow when he fired Dennis Wolff, but it was a bold and effective move that will pay dividends, rest assured. I’m just crossing my fingers that he makes the right hire.

– What happens when you combine a prima donna quarterback and an overzealous first-time head coach? You get the Denver Broncos.

– A key reason that March has become associated with madness is because of the upsets and unexpected runs that some teams make in the NCAA Tournament. Such has not been the case this year ‘-‘- the tourney has been devoid of the charming underdogs that have come to define it. Think about it. Is Villanova over Pittsburgh that big of a shocker (other than the way it ended)? Was Michigan State’s win over Louisville really awe-inspiring?

When the anointed Cinderella of the Big Dance is a program with a national championship and 25 consecutive tournament appearances (Arizona), you’re really digging deep. However, any drama that has been absent from men’s basketball has been more than made up for by the men’s hockey tournament. How about this for surprises ‘-‘- a Frozen Four that includes a three-seed and two four-seeds, one of them being a Bemidji State team most people ‘-‘- myself included ‘-‘- expected to be humiliated in the first round. With all the unexpected results the tournament has provided us so far, BU’s road to a national championship is now anything but a certainty.

Here’s to you, April: I’m sure our sports psyche will be drastically altered by the time you’re over as well.