Record Flooding Along Mississippi

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Midwesterners are witnessing a slow-motion disaster that could break flood records dating to the 1920s, thousands of people from Illinois to Louisiana have already been forced from their homes, and anxiety is rising along with the mighty river, even though it could be a week or two before some of the most severe flooding hits.

"I've never seen it this bad," said 78-year-old Joe Harrison, who has lived in the same house in Hickman, KY since he was 11 months old.

Floodwaters turned his house into an island — dry but surrounded by water. He has been using a boat to get to his car, parked on dry ground along a highway that runs by his house.

Forecasters and emergency officials said some of the high-water records set during the great floods of 1927 and 1937 could fall. On Wednesday, for example, the Mississippi eclipsed the 46-foot mark set in 1937 in Caruthersville, Mo., and the water was still rising, with a crest of 49.5 feet forecast for Sunday.

Tom Salem, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Memphis, said flooding is extreme this year in part because of drenching rain over the past two weeks. In some areas, Wednesday was the first day without rain since April 25.

"It's been a massive amount of rain for a long period of time. And we're still getting snowmelt from Montana," Salem said.

President Barack Obama on Wednesday declared parts of Tennessee, Mississippi and Kentucky disasters, making the states eligible for federal help with relief efforts. It does not cover individual assistance.

Sunday Elite 8 Play of the Day

North Carolina

Let's see if I can keep this up.  2-0 yesterday with Arizona and Butler.

I'm not sure why North Carolina is getting 1.5 points from Kentucky, but I'll take it.  After all, the Tar Heels are 11-3 ATS in their last 14 NCAA Tournament games.  UNC beat Kentucky back in December and their only loss in their last 13 games was to Duke.  Harrison Barnes is proving to be a force and a team leader here down the stretch.

It has to be the Tar Heels day.

As far as Kansas and VCU.  I like Kansas to win the game, but based on how this tournament is going I like VCU getting the 11 points.

VCU's run will come to an end, but they will cover with the 11.

College Bowl Play of the Day: BBVA Compass Bowl

A noon start today for the BBVA Compass Bowl.  You can call this a little appetizer of football before the NFL playoff games get underway.

Here we have Kentucky getting 4 points from a Pitt teams that does or does not have a head coach.  Actually the Panthers will have interim coach Phil Bennett at the helm, Pitt's third head coach in a month.

The Panthers are a strong defensive team. Senior defensive end Jabaal Sheard was named the Big East Defensive Player of the Year, the third straight year a Panther has earned the award.

Kentucky wants to score and score a lot of points.  Kentucky's starting quarterback Mike Hartline has been suspended, but sophomore quarterback Morgan Newton will step in for Hartline, and expect Joker Phillips to take advantage of his athletic ability.

Kentucky is getting 4 pts at last look and I think they will cover with the 4.

Take Kentucky.