The moment of truth is just over 12 hours away. It will be nearly midnight in Atlanta when tonight's national champion is crowned. Two of the most storied programs will lock horns, hoping to end a long title drought for each. Michigan has the best player, while Louisville, in my opinion, has the better team. Perhaps the most intriguing storyline is this — at what pace will the game be played. Will Louisville speed the game up and try to force turnovers against a Michigan offense that can handle the pressure? Or will the Wolverines dictate the flow, forcing the Cards into a deliberate halfcourt response? In The Meantime Today we will have plenty of time to burn with an extremely late 9:23 p.m. start (EST). My guess is Chris Webber is also counting down the hours in anticipation of his haunting legend being overshadowed by a possible Wolverines win. Twenty years ago, Webber called a timeout that Michigan didn't have available, ultimately costing his team the title. This will be the Wolverines first opportunity since to put those memories behind. Louisville, on the other hand, has unfinished business that is far more fresh. Last year's semifinal loss to Kentucky probably could not have come in a more painful form. The Cardinals lost the chance to play for the national title to their extremely hated in-state rival. A year later, the Wildcats, who failed to make the tournament, are sitting at home while their little sister vies for the crown tonight. My guess is that most of America will be rooting for the underdog. The intrigue of Kevin Ware getting to hoist the trophy didn't seem to have swept the nation as much as I expected. In fact, I have been surprised that, for whatever reason, most of the fans here seem to have a deep hatred toward Louisville. I don't get it. Lost Opportunity I would be a lot more excited about tonight's games if I were filing this story from about 2.5 hours to the east. My most anticipated part of this trip was going to be attending The Masters practice round in Augusta before going to the title game this evening. But with the surge of Tiger back to the top, tickets sky-rocketed. A month ago you could have purchased a day pass for $300. Tiger's move bounced prices to $500 in a matter of days, and buying a ticket this weekend would require $800.  It's a disappointing fact and frustrating to miss out on one of the nation's most coveted sporting events. Next time I will have to bite earlier and not let the opportunity pass again.

Tonight the NCAA Champion will be crowned at the Georgia Dome.

Derrick Forsythe Photo.