Three Wild Pitches (Oregon, Bucks, Athletics)

1) DANA ALTMAN AND JOE YOUNG HOLD THE CREDIT

Want to know why Oregon is in the Final Four just three seasons after the rape case that almost tore up this basketball program from the face of the Earth? The ability of Dana Altman putting a quality team together with multiple talented players, and now Indiana Pacer guard Joe Young for carrying the team through the crisis. Yes, rape is bad, I don't condone it, I get that, but this program saw a death sentence and got out within three years thanks to these guys. Literally every player of note from that team outside of Young and Elgin Cook transferred, graduated, or was banned from the team, and the fact that they are in their first Final Four now is unbelievable. They might not have morally earned it yet and should have had to pay their dues for a longer period of time, but this went from disaster in waiting to Final Four in three years.

2) BUCKS NOW 12-4 IN MARCH

Remember when Khris Middleton returned before the All-Star break, Jabari Parker got hurt and people were asking and even begging the Bucks to start tanking for this potentially great draft class? Well, they didn't do that, they did the opposite (which is the total "Bucks" thing to do). Had this been the end of the run that the Bucks will embark on soon, or had they not made a lot of progress yet, tanking would have been a better solution. But you can't start over two years after starting over and expect to succeed. It's why the Orlando Magic keep failing, it's why the Sacramento Kings do, it's why the New York Knicks usually suck. The Bucks need to keep building the team so when Parker returns they will take a bigger step forward.

3) SO NOW WHAT WITH THE OAKLAND ATHLETICS?

After the Oakland Raiders finally move to Las Vegas, the Oakland Athletics will be the last team in the stadium they share. I was in it 14 years ago, and supposedly it is among the worst professional sports stadiums in the country. Plus, it might be too expensive for the low-budgeted A's without help from Mark Davis and the Raiders. So now I guess it is time to start wondering about what is going to happen with the Athletics.

I'm sure Oakland and the Bay Area will try harder now to keep the A's now that the Raiders are gone, but you never really know when it comes to what taxpayers will have to pay. Even if Oakland doesn't pay, that doesn't leave out San Jose or something nearby. Other cities that might pick up the Athletics is unknown at the moment, but you have to assume Las Vegas is among the leaders for them. It's really unclear at the moment, but there has to be a lot of uncertainty in Oakland.