As I watched Oakland University pull off the biggest upset so far of the March Madness NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament, my thoughts drifted to California. The city of Oakland getting their sports teams ripped away from them in front of their eyes. The Raiders already being established in Sin City for the last few years. The city’s baseball team the Athletics will be following the Raiders to Las Vegas as they will most likely play their last season in Oakland this season. I thought of all the people in the town of Oakland, California being represented by a small University. A number 14 seed taking it to a college basketball factory like Kentucky. Then I find out the Golden Grizzlies from Oakland University are located in Rochester, Michigan. Did Oakland University leave Oakland, California and relocate? Not quite. I’m sure the citizens and sports fans of Oakland, California couldn’t resist rooting for a smaller school with the same name of their town. They need something to avert their attention away from the cesspool owners that have ripped their hearts and souls away from the teams they invested all their time into over the years as an outlet to distract from life in general. That’s the greatest thing about the March Madness Tournament, watching games unfold where the underdog is the small town. The school no one ever heard of beats the mighty Wild Cats. The town of Rochester, Michigan has to be excited to see the town’s University, Oakland, win their first ever tournament game in their basketball history that was not a play-in game.

When it comes to March Madness, we love to see the Cinderella teams thrive. The Golden Grizzlies team checks all those boxes for a University that everyone thought was from the West Coast, but is actually in the Midwest. Oakland University has the longest tenured Head Coach in Men’s college basketball. Since Jim Boeheim of Syracuse University retired last year after 47 seasons, now the title belongs to Greg Kampe who’s 68 years old. Kampe has been the Head Coach at Oakland University since 1984 and has 40 years on the job. He transitioned the Golden Grizzlies basketball program from Division II to Division I. Kampe brought the Golden Grizzlies to their first March Madness tournament back in 2005. The Golden Grizzlies would beat Alabama A&M in the first four play in round in a battle of two 16 seeds. Then the Golden Grizzlies would lose in the first round of 64 teams to North Carolina. The Golden Grizzlies had back to back years in 2009 and 2010 where they came away with losses in the first round. The last three tournament appearances for the Golden Grizzlies resulted in losses until last night Kampe’s squad made all kinds of history for the University, his own self, and one of his players – Jack Gohlke. Kampe has a winning record in 40 years as the Head Coach at Oakland University. He is 699-536. That is a lot of games at one place. That is a lot of games as a coach in basketball.

This is not the first time the Kentucky Wildcats were ousted in the first round by a team that has never won a tournament game. St. Peter’s on March 18,2022 was the 15th seed and Kentucky was the number 2 seed. St. Peter’s prevailed in overtime 85-79. Kentucky yesterday came into the tournament as a number 3 seed and Oakland University from the start of the game looked like the top seed instead of the 14th seed. The Golden Grizzlies had the lead on the Wild Cats at half time, 38-35. This happens all the time where the power houses will dance around the ring with these nobodies exchanging baskets and then in the second half beat them like a red headed step child. No one told the script to Jack Gohlke because he became the 5th player in NCAA tournament history to make 10 or more three pointers in one game. Gohlke finished 10-20 at the down town range. He ended up having 32 points which is a career high for Gohlke. Out of those 32 points, he did not have a 2 point basket. All three pointers and two free throws. He tied a record for most points in NCAA history without making a 2 point basket.

John Calipari is a snake oil salesman dressed up as a college coach. With the loss in the first round, Calipari’s Wildcats are now 1-4 in the last 5 tournament games. Calipari gets the talented players from all over the country every year. Every year most of these players are one year and done and head to the NBA. The smaller university played defense last night and the mighty Wildcats’ flaw in their game was they did not play good defense. The Golden Grizzlies got the shots they desired. They went 15-31 from down town as a team. The Wildcats came into the tournament as one of the best 3 pointer shooting teams in the entire tournament. The Golden Grizzlies play defense making every three the Wildcats shot much more difficult. It was a close game throughout the second half. Whatever big lead Oakland University would have, sudden disappeared as the Wildcats came right back. Most teams facing a big college basketball factory would crumble under the pressure to keep the lead intact. The Golden Grizzlies kept playing solid defense and making their shots off the offense. The game was still back and forth at the 5 minute mark. Then at the 3 minute mark, the Golden Grizzlies were building a lead and not backing down. Eventually some key free throws in the last minute of the game kept the two score game which the Wildcats could not overcome as time was up. The Golden Grizzlies are moving on. While Calpari will be heading to the factory and will have his new starting line up built for next year.

Calipari’s present starters will be of off to the NBA. While Head Coach Greg Kampe, win or lose in the next round, will be happy the way things went for the University this go around over the past times. If his team loses, he will not jump ship for the better job because of the upset to Kentucky. He will be back at the drawing board hitting the pavement recruiting in efforts of trying to improve the team he has. Trying to figure out how to replace key seniors. This is his livelihood. I hope he knocks out a few more basketball power houses and I want to see the University of Oakland become those bracket busters the rest of the way.While Calipari will be purchasing a new set of snake skin dress shoes so his university can continue to kiss his arse and pay him all the money as a slime in the college basketball racket. Go Golden Grizzlies!!!Every Oakland town is rooting for you, as we live through your team, as you give these basketball factories a taste of their own medicine. Doing things the right way. Hard work.