By Ty Hildenbrandt

YEAH, THEY TOTALLY DID THAT ON PURPOSE

O.J. Mayo (above) will face off with fellow freshman phenom Michael Beasley ... in the first round! Chris Williams/Icon SMI

All year, we've been tagging both USC and Kansas State as potential sleepers in the NCAA Tournament, eagerly awaiting the brackets before touting their respective chances of wreaking havoc on the field. So, it'd be about right that the selection committee would stick a pitchfork in our backs and pit O.J. Mayo and Michael Beasley against each other ... in the FIRST FREAKING ROUND. Thanks a lot, guys.

With plenty of other teams from which to pick, you have to figure the committee did this intentionally to spice up an otherwise predictable slate of Omaha, Nebraska-based first-and-second round drubbings featuring Wisconsin, Cal State Fullerton, Kansas, and three others that have no chance against Kansas. Heck, it might just be the closest the city of Omaha will ever come to hosting a real NBA event.

BILLY PACKER GOES TO HIS HAPPY PLACE

The biggest first-week upset of the 2008 NCAA Tournament? Try Billy Packer's relatively tranquil line of questioning when put face-to-face with Tom O'Connor, the chairman of this year's selection committee. Seriously, where'd that come from? The man seemed genuinely giddy! As I said on Friday, there were 3-1 odds on Packer's Hidden Agenda (BPHA) taking some subtle jab at a mid-major with an at-large bid. But a repeat of Packer's epic 2006 diatribe against small schools never happened. Instead, Packer was composed, thought-provoking and almost completely lucid while talking with O'Connor, raising few concerns about the committee's decisions and quelling the BPHA -- perhaps through meditation and yoga -- to the point that it was barely noticeable.

GET OFF THE FENCE: 10 QUESTIONS THAT COULD IMPACT YOUR 2008

Two weeks ago, we opened up this section to you, the general public. Feel free to send me your selections, but don't forget to send along your warped rationale as well ...

1. Better party game? Scattergories / Scene It

2. Better No. 7 seed? West Virginia / Butler

3. More frustrating Nintendo game? Q-Bert / Burger Time

4. Easier road to Elite Eight? UCLA / Texas

5. More controversial cartoon? Ren and Stimpy / Beavis and Butthead

6. Better play-in team? Mount St. Mary's / Coppin St.

7. Bigger rip-off? Cell phones / Bottled water

8. More reliable scouting tool? The "Eye Test" / The "Vitale Bald Dome Index"

9. Worse female fashion trend? All-weather scarves / The "Posh" Spice haircut

10. More likely upset victim? Gonzaga / Oklahoma

E-MAIL OF THE WEEK

Two weeks ago, my "Get off the fence" questions elicited several responses, but kudos to John from Florida State for raising a fantastic question in the process of describing his own answers:

"Why aren't there any Weekend Update clips with Norm McDonald as the host [on Saturday Night Live] on YouTube?"

Honestly, I have no idea. In a bizarre "chicken-or-the-egg" way, this question has absolutely no correct answer. But here's an even better question: Why aren't there any clips of Tim Meadows playing O.J. Simpson floating around? You know, the ones with him accidentally confessing while on the stand or burying money in his backyard? These are arguably some of the funniest SNL moments of all-time, and you literally cannot find them ANYWHERE, be it on the Internet, DVD, VHS or laser disc. I've been looking for upwards of 10 years to find these and may finally be on the verge of e-mailing Lorne Michaels to express my discontent.

FINE, IF YOU'RE PUTTING A GUN TO MY HEAD ...

Mark me down for North Carolina, Kansas, Texas, and UCLA in the Final Four with the Tar Heels cutting down the nets in San Antonio.

Ty Hildenbrandt writes Campus Quick Slants every week. E-mail Ty at tyhildenbrandt@gmail.com with your comments, questions, and random observations.