Gary Williams nearly hit for the cycle last night at Comcast Center after finally reaching the top of the Maryland basketball victory list. He got choked up on TV, then on radio, then in front of the writers. He just needs to do it on the Internet now, maybe on a podcast.

Later that night, I mentioned to a friend who lives out West that Williams now had more wins than Lefty Driesell. "Williams passed Lefty?'' the friend said, obviously shocked. "How long has Gary Williams been there?'' Seventeen years, I said, not willing to believe it myself. "We're so old,'' was the reply.

Honestly, if you can clearly remember the N.C. State overtime game in the ACC tournament, with Len Elmore and John Lucas and Mo Howard, then you do have to feel old today, because that was 1974. Williams' first year here, 1989, was really a long time ago and not just yesterday, like it seems. You young whippersnappers who think Walt "The Wizard" Williams was ancient history, what do you know? Someone oughtta smack you, ya fresh kid.

Speaking of Williams, that was one of the topics that made Gary Williams pause while reflecting on his career here - saying, again, that if the Wizard had left back in the bad ol' days, the coach might not have made it to this milestone, much less to the national championship. "I'll always remember those first three years,'' he said, swallowing hard. "We were kind of left hanging those first three years. We weren't getting much support at the time. It was the players and coaches, and that was it.''

Walt has been out of the NBA for three years now. Joe Smith is in his 11th season - yes, 11th. You know Keith Booth is sitting next to Gary Williams on the bench. Man, time really, really flies.

Whew, now I'm feeling a little misty. So much that I can't quite bring myself to ridicule the NHL gambling mess, even though it includes Wayne Gretzky's wife and, apparently, some South Jersey mobsters. Can't break off any cracks about NHL deputy commissioner Paulie Walnuts. Not right now. I have to compose myself.