It's raining this morning in Indianapolis, and open practices at the RCA Dome for the four teams at the men's Final Four begin in a little over an hour. George Mason is first, and it's probably not an accident that they're going earliest, since it would be a shock to see any of the other teams get anywhere close to the overall media attention this weekend that George Mason will.

It's also a strong possibility that there are more media following coach Jim Larranaga, the players and school officials this weekend, then actual, real George Mason fans. Walking around downtown Indy - albeit two days before the game, and also on the night of a big Pacers game at which Reggie Miller had his number retired - there was not a strong Mason fan presence. At one bar, UCLA fans were making the most noise, and one observer said that this is the case at the very hotel at which your Sun correspondents are staying. LSU is also out in full force.

Meanwhile, at a team cap store on the concourse of the Indy airport, Final Four hats are on display. for LSU, UCLA and Florida, and hats with all four team logos on them - but no individual Mason hats. Yes, I'll continue to search the city today. It may just have been an oversight, or underestimation, by the one shop.

The plane from BWI was, pretty much, the state coaches' charter. At least two local head coaches (actually, one current and one former) were on board, with plenty of smaller school staffs as well. The NABC holds its annual convention at the Final Four; their meetings began early this morning at the convention center connected to the Dome. The head coaches: Jimmy Patsos of Loyola and Butch Beard, recently let go at Morgan State.

Overheard a couple of times in the boarding area and on the plane: "I wish I could hit both Final Fours and see the Maryland women.''