How's Fredette going to top his love in Oklahoma?

This is quite a show of attention for Jimmer Fredette here in the West Regional after he dropped 37 on Florida to become the top performer in the NCAA Tournament after one round of games.

For a guy who wasn’t voted the player of the year by my media brethren, he’s getting mobbed for two days here. Network people are starting to use his name as a verb and adjective, as in “That guy Jimmered them,” or “They got Fredetted.” He appeared on the Dan Patrick national radio show Friday morning. He will be a lead feature story in many of the nation’s newspapers and national wire services the next 24 hours leading up to the Kansas State game.

If it were up to CBS, who has rights to the game, they’d put Jimmer in the Final Four right now for ratings. If BYU loses, they’d move him to another team and keep it going.

At locker room interviews today for the Cougars, Fredette had reporters and cameras three and four deep with people jockeying for position. His brother T.J., made an appearance in the restricted media room after Thursday’s game because the demand for more indepth detail of Jimmer’s basketball training was so much in demand by so many reporters.

It was funny to see how his BYU teammates are handling it. They’re giving Fredette the business, teasing him because it has become such a big, big deal behind the scenes in their locker room. Haws and others were laughing and telling folks to watch out, Fredette was coming, he was moving. Brandon Davies acted like he was his body guard and motioned for people to clear the way so Fredette could move down a hall and out a door. His teammates were cracking each other up.

The favorite item by reporters is to ask Fredette to repeat and detail the stories of his brother taking him to a prison in New York when he was in high school and let him play against inmates. They’ve devoured this story, it’s like the stuff legends are made of. Then these reporters race out to write this story about how this BYU guard with the nicest demeanor got his edge by going up against thugs.

Right before the latest of these sessions in the official interview room, I asked a Kansas City radio guy about Kansas State’s defense and penchant for fouling. I think the Wildcats are ranked 17th in fouls. The guy told me and Darnell Dickson of the Daily Herald in Provo that if Fredette is used to playing against prison inmates, that’s what he’ll see come Saturday. “And don’t quote me by name.”

Funny stuff.

I don’t know how BYU and Fredette will fare today. They’ve got as good of a chance as anybody to pull out a win in this crazy affair because it’s happened for two days. BYU is the only No. 7 seed to survive the first round of play.

I do know this, if Fredette puts up another 30, or if BYU wins and he looks decent, this story is going to grow into monster porportions in Salt Lake City next week.

I talked to one MWC voter here covering UNLV’s loss to Northern Iowa. He said he wants his Player of the Year ballot back. He voted for Darington Hobson.