He learned the technique from Greg Gumbel, and when asked if he could have a CBS researcher do the work for him, Johnson said he didn't even know.

"You have to do your own work," he said. "I'll tell you, if I'd studied in high school like I do for these games, I would have gone to Princeton."

With the basics down, Johnson dove below the surface Wednesday. He attended the 45-minute practices for all eight teams and met with assistant coaches and sports information directors to troll for anecdotes.

"I'll say: Give me an interesting story," Johnson said. "Who has a crazy python? Who has a 3.9 GPA in astrophysics? Who is playing for his dad?"

A long day then gives way to a longer night. Johnson planned to study film from every team--at least one half of a game--via DVDs supplied by CBS.

"I'll stay up till about 5," said Johnson, who joined CBS Sports in 1995.

His first game--Michigan State-Temple--will tip off Thursday at 10:30 a.m. Mountain time.

Coffee will fuel Johnson, but he swears it's only because he likes the taste.

"I can't sleep anyway," he said. "It's the NCAA tournament."

Johnson won't leave his hotel room before one final task: ironing his shirt, pants and CBS blazer. Why the hands-on approach when the hotel could do it for him?

"I don't trust them getting it done in time," he said. "That's an extra stress I don't need."

Did you watch that amazing two-point Texas win over UCLA on Dec. 2? Wouldn't it have been sweet if the Bruins had been forced to play for the next three and-a-half months with the knowledge that their chances of winning national title No. 12 had already been crushed?

Don't you love the laid-back postseason atmosphere of a three-quarters empty stadium in mid-to-late December?

Is Memphis one of the two best teams in the country even though they play in a weak conference? There's only one way to find out: a single game against another team that also may or may not be one of the two best in the country.

Shouldn't Davidson have to go through more to win a national championship than teams like Duke, North Carolina and Kentucky simply because those three schools have won more championships and made more money for the NCAA in the past?

Didn't you hate that Boise State Fiesta Bowl game a couple of Januarys ago? Aren't you glad that they didn't get to play another, more important game afterwards?