Tampa subregional

Braves closer saves the day

He isn't as tall as Tim Duncan or as fast as Bo Jackson.

He can't act like Buddy Ebsen or sing like Kenny Chesney.

Yet, in a search for celebrities at Friday's NCAA first-round games at the St. Pete Times Forum, Braves pitcher John Smoltz had the best ability -- availability.

Seven hours after my star search started, I spotted Smoltz sitting behind the Michigan State bench with another fairly famous Spartan, former coach Jud Heathcote.

"I grew up there a diehard fan," said Smoltz, a Lansing native. "I was signed, sealed and delivered to go there, but at the last hour I signed with the Tigers. But basketball is my first love."

The rest is history. Smoltz eventually would become a Brave and form one-third of one of the best rotations in baseball history. Although Atlanta had an evening spring training game, Bobby Cox was "very kind" to let his closer close out the night by watching Michigan State beat Colorado.

What would I have written if Cox had said no?

Way back when my editor suggested that I spend the tournament day looking for celebrities, I immediately thought, "layup." After all, I had longed for an excuse to talk to Ashley Judd, and with any luck Kentucky would be sent to Tampa and its No. 1 fan would follow.

The first blow to my task occurred six days ago, when the Wildcats were sent to Nashville. Goodbye Ashley, hello Lee Roy Selmon.

Hey, he's got an expressway and a restaurant bearing his name and he's in the Hall of Fame. Of course, he had to be there Friday.

Wade Boggs and Bucs cornerback Dwight Smith reportedly were in the house, and I saw "The Boss," George Steinbrenner taking in the game.

Myles Brand, perhaps a celeb for his role in Bobby Knight's dismissal at Indiana, now heads the NCAA and came to get a firsthand look at the Forum, one of the contenders for a future women's Final Four.

"That's one of the reasons I wanted to look at it," Brand said. "It's first class. It really is."

That's good news for Tampa, but as I began the day, I have to admit I expected more. So what, Judd was looking cute 1,000 miles away. I was sure to find some famous alums rooting for their schools, like Duncan or Chesney or Bo Jackson.

Or was I?

Duncan was busy, and Wake's top golf grads, Arnold Palmer, Curtis Strange and Jay Haas, may have been here if it wasn't for some kind of event Palmer is hosting in Orlando.

Of course, even if they had been there, Smoltz may still have been the best golfer in the arena. After all, he played with Tiger Woods and Annika Sorenstam, and reports say he outshot Sorenstam.

"Playing with Tiger and Annika in the same day, I don't know how you describe it," Smoltz said before sitting down for a radio interview with former NFL center and Colorado radio host Jay Leeuwenberg.

Leeuwenberg was one of the most famous broadcasters present, since Sam Houston State's top alum was unable to attend. I can't question Dan Rather's judgment, but it's not every day Sam Houston State makes the tourney.

East Tennessee State's most famous grad is Chesney, and I did see him -- on a poster in the lobby. Florida can boast of Buddy Ebsen, but I guess Jed has moved away from here.

Despite the absence of former Auburn students Toni Tennille, Bo Jackson and Jimmy Buffett, the school came through where others failed. The Tigers' sports information director said the school's career scoring average leader was in the house.

Yes. Charles Barkley surely will make this column memorable.

"Barkley? No, I'm talking about John Mengelt."

Who?

Truth be told, I ran into some Auburn fans who were more than thrilled to hear Mengelt was sitting among them during the Tigers' win. Maybe you haven't heard of him, but that's only because another Southeastern Conference player overshadowed his college career.

That's what happens when you play in the Pete Maravich era.

"We were friends," said Mengelt, who starred in 1968-70 and played against Maravich. "If Pete was Pete today, with all the visibility, he would have been God-like."

Mengelt, who played 10 years in the NBA, was pretty good, too. Three all-conference years and one All-America senior season, in which he dropped 60 on Alabama in a 121-70 win. That was without a three-point arc, folks.

So if Smoltz is Michigan State's top fan, and Judd is Kentucky's top fan, who wins in a Smoltz-Judd showdown?

"I'm not Michigan State's top fan, that's Magic Johnson's battle," Smoltz said.

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