2010 NL East Preview: IT'S GOING TO PHILLY!!!

The two time defending NL Champs are the definite favorite in the NL East. They still have a great hitting staff with Ryan Howard and Chase Utley leading the pack. The pitching may have improved with getting Halladay though they did trade Cliff Lee away. Cole Hamels, though, would have to have a much better starter this year than last if they want to go back to the World Series. As for Brad Lidge, the team says he is much healthier than last year and he should be back to his form of 2008. I also see the Phillies as the best team for the NL Title. The Cards could contend but they have to get by round one first.

It is worth it, though, to talk about the rest of the division as I see the NL Wild Card team coming from the NL East. I think the Marlins might be the favorite in this year what with Hanley Ramirez and a good (not great) pitching staff. I do see the Braves, though, as a Darkhorse candidate for this spot or even the division what with the potential of Jason Heyward and their star pitching staff including Derek Lowe and Jair Jurrjens. The Mets are not a great contender this year as their hitting staff is alright but their only good pitcher is still Johan Santana. Lastly, do I really need to say anything about the Natinals?

P.S. Still the funniest jersey mistake ever. I wonder if they are now collector's items?

2010 NL Central Preview: Pujols, Pujols, Pujols

Who do you think is the favorite in the NL Central? Pujols and the Cardinals. Pujols is a hitting machine and with support like Matt Holliday, that isn't likely to change. The Cards also have Adam Wainwright and Chris Carpenter who are two of the best pitchers in the NL (Timmy still #1).

As to who is most likely to be a thorn in the Cards side, Cubs may be the best bet but they haven't really done much to compete with the Cards. The rest of the division doesn't have much of a chance though look to the Pirates for noticeable improvement. It seems like they are on the rise. Also Aroldis Chapman is one to watch to see if he will play for the Reds this year or if he will stay in the Minors.

P.S. I also wouldn't bet the NL Wild Card winner would be in the NL Central. A good amount of talent is spread out to damage the entire division.

Nets Avoid Worst Record Ever

Though it has been a awful season for the New Jersey Nets, it will not be the worst season ever. In front of their home crowd, they won their tenth game of the year by beating the San Antonio Spurs 90-84. As a result, they will not tie the worst record ever in NBA History which is held by the 1972-73 76ers (9-73). The Nets organization must be relieve to know they won't sink that low. It's also good as to impress their new eventual owner, Mikhail Prokhorov. They'll probably all get fired anyway but at least they are trying to keep their jobs.

P.S. I wonder if this sudden spark was inspired by the Fan with the Bag.

MLB 2010 Preview: NL West

Since the 2010 MLB Season starts Sunday, I will do the same thing I did for the NFL and look at each division and try to guess who will win it.

The first one I will look at is the NL West. That's right, we're starting in the West. The Dodgers right now seem like the obvious favorite. They have a good pitching staff with Clayton Kershaw, Chad Billingsley, and Hiroki Kuroda included. But they will most likely lean on the batting portion with Manny and their upstart Andre Ethier. The Giants though could upset the reigning division champs. They have one of the best pitching staffs in the majors with Two Time NL Cy Young leader Tim Lincecum leading the way. The addition of Mark De Rosa might help their offense but it is still pretty much the same as last year in terms of effectiveness.

The rest of the division seems to be lacking behind but teams like the D'Backs or the Rockies could make a run for the Wild Card. After the last few years, I wouldn't take my eyes off the Rockies. Meanwhile, the Padres will likely finish last in the division. The only time they will receive attention is with Adrian Gonzalez possibly being traded in the middle of the year.

P.S. LET'S GO GIANTS, LET GO!!!

The Final Four is Set

Last day of the Elite 8 had two games in which the winners would go to the Final Four. The Midwest Regional Final had #6 Tennessee vs. #5 Michigan State. The Spartans cut it a little too close as they won by one point, 70-69. The Spartans are going to their second Final Four in a row hoping to get back to the Title Game. The second game was the South Regional Final in which #1 Duke beat #3 Baylor 78-71. Baylor played a close game throughout but just couldn't keep pace with Duke at the end.

As the weekend closes, we are down to the Final Four. The semifinal will be Butler vs. Michigan State and Duke vs. West Virginia. Each of these teams have a unique situation that I and the media will discuss in order to get ratings. Butler has practically home field advantage being in Indianapolis and it being in Lucas Oil Stadium, Michigan State has another bite at the apple for the second year in a row, Duke is the only #1 team to make it to the Final Four, and of course West Virginia hasn't won the National title ever (neither has Butler but I'm already using the home field advantage story). As to who will win it all? I don't know but I'm rooting for the Spartans.

P.S. We are so close to baseball, I can smell the Steroids.

Butler Headed Home to the Final Four and Only One #1 Left

The Elite 8 began today with the West final featuring #5 Butler vs. #2 Kansas State. It was the Butler Bulldogs hanging on for the win 63-56. They have won the West bracket and are going to their first Final Four in school history. Not to mention that this Final Four will be in their hometown of Indianapolis. Talk about home court advantage.

Meanwhile, the East Region was also decided featuring #2 West Virginia vs. #1 Kentucky. It got nerve racking near the end when the game slowed way down and Kentucky was trying to mount a comeback (ironically against the Mountaineers). But West Virginia prevailed 73-66. They have won the East and will go to the Final Four for the first time since 1959. With the elimination of Kentucky, Duke is the only remaining #1 team as they will face #3 Baylor in the Southern Regional Final tomorrow.

P.S. So I was wrong about Kentucky winning the whole thing. At least they lasted longer than Kansas.

2nd Day of the Sweet 16: Death of Cinderella, Duke Moves On, and Midwest Gets Crazier

Once upon a time in the Sweet 16, the last of the Cinderella teams were eliminated. In a far away place called the South, beloved Saint Mary was killed by a Bear of Baylor in the woods (72-49). Not only was she killed, she was brutalized beyond all recognition. Meanwhile in the wild Midwest, an unproven Spartan managed to slay the Panther of Northern Iowa (59-52). It was the same Panther who had eaten the golden Jayhawk of Kansas. And it was at this time, the last glass slippers was broken.

Back to the real world, #1 Duke of the south beats #4 Purdue 70-57. Duke did a great job of holding back the Boilermakers late in the game and they move on to the Elite 8 to face #3 Baylor. Meanwhile, the Midwest does get crazier as #2 Ohio State has lost #6 Tennessee 76-73. This is the Volunteers first ever trip to the Elite 8 where they will face #5 Michigan State.

P.S. SEE!!! Writing a children's book isn't that hard. A little depressing but not hard.

Bitter Sweet 16: Big Orange Toppled, Double OT Madness and More

The Sweet 16 began yesterday and another number one team bites the dust. Number one of the West, Syracuse, lost to #5 Butler 63-59. A combination of turnovers and good play of Butler caused this upset. Meanwhile the other game in the West had #2 Kansas State beating #6 Xavier 101-96 in double OT. Xavier fought hard in this won pushing it to 2 OT's but just couldn't get ahead to win. Kansas State will play Butler for the West's spot in the Final Four.

Meanwhile in the East, #12 Cornell was finally stopped by #1 Kentucky, 62-45. The nerds were bullied for the first half and couldn't make a comeback in the second. It was a nice run but at least now they can study for Midterms. The East also had #2 West Virginia beating #11 Washington, 69-56. The Mountaineers took over the second half and advance to face Kentucky in the Elite 8.

Don't miss today's action as the Midwest and South Conferences will be played. Can #1 Duke of the South stay alive against #4 Purdue and can #9 Northern Iowa continue their Cinderella run through the Midwest. Well watch it and find out. I'm no fortune teller.

One Team, Too Many QBs

The Eagles have a dilemma on their hands: they have three QB that could be their starter. The QB who is the starter is Donovan McNabb who has had a good career as the Eagles QB and has a few years left in him. The next is Kevin Kolb who has the potential to be the next good starter. Last is Michael Vick who was a good PLAYER for the Falcons that was able to win games. The problem is that all of their contracts are up at the end of this coming season. It would only make sense for the Eagles to trade at least one of them for something.

So who do you trade if you are the Eagles management. Donovan McNabb and, if the price is right, Michael Vick as well. The Eagles right now are in no position to win the Superbowl. They can get to the playoffs and that's it. It's not because McNabb isn't good enough. It's that he has no support from a stable wide receiver or a reliable defense. You need one or the other to support that QB. The Eagles need to take a chance on Kolb (who will probably cost a little less) and build around him. As for Vick, you would have to change the entire offense to use him properly. Seems like too much of a drastic change.

P.S. That's right Philly. You're not a Superbowl contender. Especially now that Brian Westbrook is gone. Now who is McNabb going to dump off his passes to?

Paper Bag Fan Gets Yelled At... By Nets CEO

During another loss for the New Jersey Nets (this time to the Heat 99-89), a man in the stands by the name of Chris Lisi wore a paper bag over his head. Brett Yormark, CEO of the Nets, passed the fan and apparently had a loud confrontation with him. Lisi claims it started when Yormark asked him why he had a bag over his head and then he replied in a sarcastic manner "because the Nets are so good."

First thing is simple and a basic rule that all management of a sports team should know by now: DON'T EVER YELL AT A FAN!!! Also don't do it in the middle of a game with the press around. It looks bad on you and the entire organization. Just be happy that a fan is even there considering that the Nets are close to getting the worst record in NBA History. Second thing is that a fan should be always allowed to show their displeasure with their team, especially at the games. It's every fans right to boo, to yell and (WTF) even curse (though it is probably not allowed at many venues). If you don't want you team to get more criticism, then do better and improve your team. I hear there are a few players available this off season.

P.S. Last thing is that I hope this trend catches on and fans start wearing bags again. This team is that bad.

GM McCloughan Gone From 49ers

I myself am a true 49ers fan and hope they do well every year. However this recent announcement has made me a little uneasy. Scot McCloughan is no longer the GM of the 49ers. I don't know a thing about running a team or whether or not this is a good move but I do think it is a little late. The draft is next month and it seems like the wrong time to change management. I would've welcomed this change in January where a new GM would've had the whole off season to plan for the draft. This so called "personal matter" has affected a professional football team.

P.S. Please don't screw this up Niners. We have a great chance to get the division this year. Well better than the last few years.

Day Two of Round Two: Duke and Syracuse Move On, Spartans Survive a Wild ending, Xavier Upsets Pitt and More

The last day for round 2 saw some good games. First, #1 Duke of the South and #1 Syracuse of the West did not want to fall like #1 Overall Kansas and didn't. Duke beat #8 Cal 68-53 and Syracuse beat #8 Gonzaga 87-65. These teams seem to be showing their strength along with #1 of the East, Kentucky. I think two for these teams will make the Final Four. But I think this is a year for the lower ranked teams.

In another game in the unstable Midwest, #5 Michigan State barely beats #4 Maryland 85-83. After Maryland scored a basket to go up by one with about 6 seconds left, The Spartans took it up court quickly and Korie Lucious made a three pointer, as time expired, giving Michigan State the win. What a finish. However in the same region, #2 Ohio State Beat #10 Georgia Tech, 75-66. With Kansas out, Ohio State may be the favorite now in the Midwest.

A couple of upsets were made today, one in the West region. #6 Xavier beat #3 Pitt, 71-68. They move on to face #2 Kansas State. In the East, #12 Cornell beat #4 Wisconsin 87-69. The nerds move on and will try their formulas on against #1 Kentucky in the Sweet 16. Though not an upset, in the same region, #2 West Virginia beat #10 Missouri, 68-59. The Mountaineers tamed the zoo long enough to beat them and advance to face #11 Washington in the Sweet 16.

A great weekend to start off the madness. Sweet 16 and Elite 8 are next week. Let's see some more upsets.

Good News and Bad News for the Twins

The good news is that Joe Mauer is not leaving the team at the end of the year. Mauer gets an 8 year extension with the Twins that is worth #184 Million. I didn't know the Twins got a bailout. Also their is a No Trade clause in that extension. Mauer won't be going anywhere during that tenure unless he waives the clause (I assume considering Halladay did the same thing). Mauer will stay home and get a lot of money at the same time.

It's not all good news though for the Twins however. The bad news is that Joe Nathan, the closer, will have surgery on his elbow that will cause him to miss the entire 2010 Season. He had a great year last year with 47 saves and a 2.10 ERA. That is a big spot that needs to filled. It is hard to find a good closer in the Majors and the Twins will most likely struggle because of it. Despite keeping Mauer, the Twins will have a difficult time repeating as AL Central champions.

First Day of Round 2: The Biggest Upset of the Tournament, Villanova's Luck Runs Out and More

#1 overall, Kansas, entered Round 2 as the favorite facing #9 of the Midwest Northern Iowa (UNI). UNI though didn't get the message as they managed the upset of the Tournament beating #1 Kansas 69-67. Ali Farokhmanesh made a crucial three for UNI near the end of the game to help seal the deal. Kansas already goes home failing to make the Sweet 16. UNI takes a spot in the Sweet 16 as they will face the winner of #5 Michigan vs. #4 Maryland.

Other games included #2 of the South region, Villanova, being beaten by #10 Saint Mary's, 75-68. They didn't get enough of the referee's love this time around. Still feel sorry for Robert Morris. The other #1 team that played today, Kentucky, continued their journey through the East region as they destroyed #9 Wake Forest, 90-60. Kentucky's not such a bad pick now, is it? In the same region, #11 Washington upsets #3 New Mexico 82-64. As for the West, #2 Kansas State beat #7 BYU after a slow start, 84-72. BYU just couldn't stay hot for very long.

Day 2 of Round 2 is tomorrow. I'd watch out for the other #1's. I'm talking to you Duke and Syracuse.

P.S. This is my 200th post on my blog. MAN AM I BORED!!!

Part Two of Round 1: All Number Ones Go On, Some Ivy Gets Through, and a Look at Round 2

The first round of the Dance Off is over. On Thursday, Midwest's #1 Kansas and East's #1 Kentucky passed their test but what about the West's #1 Syracuse and the South's #1 Duke? They passed as well. Duke beat #16 Arkansas Pine-Bluff 73-44 while Syracuse beat #16 Vermont 79-56. So now all number one's go one as usual. How boring and predictable.

However their was some Revenge of the nerds yesterday as Cornell of the Ivy League beat Temple 78-65. It is the first win by a Ivy League team in the tournament since 1998. Who says that rich, preppy nerds can't play something other than squash or polo? Other noticeable games were #3 Pitt beating #14 Oakland 89-66 in the West, #5 Michigan State beats New Mexico State 70-67 in the Midwest, and #2 West Virginia beating #15 Morgan State in the East.

Now how about round 2. #1 Syracuse of the West will face #8 Gonzaga who have been fielding a good team for a few years now. Midwest's #1 Kansas will face #9 Northern Iowa with Kansas being the obvious favorite. #1 of the East, Kentucky, will crush (I mean) face #9 Wake Forest. And of course the South's #1 Duke will play against #8 Cal. Who will I root for? Anyone who is not #1.

P.S. I like rooting for the underdog, I have a soft spot for the Spartans, and okay: rich, preppy nerds do play other sports as well. I forgot to mention Croquet.

Let the Dance Dance Revolution Begin... or the NCAA Tournament

The NCAA Tournament began yesterday with 16 games to kick off round one. Among the games was number one overall Kansas beating Lehigh 90-74 to advance to the next round in the Midwest region. They will face Northern Iowa tomorrow in the second round. Meanwhile the East's number one, Kentucky, also gets by their opponent, East Tennessee State, beating them 100-71. They will face Wake Forest in the second round.

There were a few shockers today. In the Midwest region, #14 Ohio beat #3 Georgetown 97-83. This was Ohio's first tournament win in 27 years. In the West region, #13Murray State beat #4 Vanderbilt by one point getting their first Tournament win since 1988. Cutting it a little close though, huh? In the South region, The Fighting Irish are already KO'd as they are upset by #11 Old Dominion. Many had some high hopes for Notre Dame but they fell short in this one, 51-50. In the East Region, #6 Marquette was upset by #11 Washington 80-78. Pondexter made a great layup at the end to get the win for Washington.

Day two of the first round will be good as the South Region's #1 Duke will face #16 Arkansas Pine-Bluff and the West's #1 Syracuse will face #16 Vermont. Any chance for the #16 seeds? No.

P.S. How is Syracuse #1 of the West when they are in the State of New York? Better yet, how is a game of the West Region played in Buffalo?

P.P.S. I know how, I just like pointing out the irony. So hard to convey tone in text form.

Ron Washington Tested Positive for Cocaine

The manager of the Texas Rangers, Ron Washington, tested positive for cocaine last year. Washington apologized yesterday and offered to resign his post. The Rangers refused that though and said that they were convinced that he only did it once. Washington has also said that he will voluntarily submit himself to more drug testing in the future. It is sad to see a manager have a drug problem no matter how big or small it might be. I hope Washington doesn't lose any control over his team. Authority might be overlooked with a guy that has made a significant mistake. Either way, I'm sure he'll be fine.

Tiger to Return at the Masters

Golf has been about one story so far this year (decade for that matter): When will Tiger Woods return? The media can't help but wonder when will Tiger come back to the sport and make it relevant again. Well the question has been answered in a statement by Woods yesterday saying his return will be at the Masters in Augusta, Georgia.

THERE, ARE YOU HAPPY NOW MEDIA EXECUTIVES?!?! Ever since this scandal has broken out, the media has been all over it like bees with a Honeycomb. I am tired of hearing about this story and I'm glad that it is nearly over. I'm happy that Tiger is returning mainly so that sports casters can just shut up and stop guessing when he will make his return. Now can we move on to other Golf News? (though there has been no new golf news since the 90's)

P.S. The reason I'm commenting on this story now is that it is more sports related for my taste. I myself don't like to comment on athletes (or celebrities) personal lives. The only exception is legal cases like Big Ben's rape accusations or Gilbert Areanas' gun charge in which the justice department is brought into question along with a prominent sports figure. Otherwise keep personal lives personal.

Brady Quinn Wants Orton's Spot and L.T. Goes to the Jets

It has only been a couple of days since Brady Quinn was traded to the Broncos and Quinn is already saying he wants to be the Broncos starting QB. While Quinn is younger and in great shape, he still needs to learn a few more things and is not ready for the job. As for Orton, he didn't do too bad last year as he threw 21 TDs, only 12 INTS and had a QB rating of 86.8. While I don't think Orton will ever be on a level like Brady or Manning, he is still a pretty safe bet. Many though think that Quinn has that great QB potential. Hard choice, huh.

Meanwhile in the same weekend, Ladanian Tomlinson has been signed by the New York Jets. L.T. will most likely be the team's Third Down back and number two HB. He just isn't good enough anymore to carry the ball over 300 times a season and the Jets have Shonn Greene who looks great if he can stay healthy. L.T. though will likely be used more in New York than Minnesota (other team who looked at him) considering Rex Ryan is obsessed with running the ball down the opponents throats. Good fit for L.T.

March Madness is Here. CALL THE MEN IN WHITE COATS, PLEASE!!!!

It is time to go mad folks. The NCAA Tournament has returned and 65 teams have been selected. Let the dance begin. The number one seed teams this year are Kansas, Kentucky, Duke, and Syracuse. Kansas is the number one overall seed as the Jayhawks went 32-2 and won the Big 12 Tournament. I myself can't make an informed guess as to who will be crowned champions in Indianapolis this year but I will give it a guess. I going to have to say Kentucky but from what I can tell there aren't really any strong favorites to win it all this year.

Of course when the Tournament comes so does the question that really makes everyone go mad: Should the NCAA expand the Tournament at all? No they shouldn't. The regular season already is unbearable. The reason I like the tournament is that NCAA Basketball is almost over. Adding more teams would just degrade both the value of the regular season and even the Tournament itself. Leave it the way it is. Besides it not like any teams they would add would ever win the whole thing.

P.S. I don't hate basketball. I just hate watching it. I wouldn't mind playing myself and seeing how many times I can come close to scoring.

DAMN YOU ACHILLES!!!

Recently in the world of Football (the internationally acclaimed one), David Beckham went back on loan to AC Milan. He played earlier today with the team against Chievo Verona in a Italian league game and tore his left Achilles Tendon near the end of regulation. It always sucks to get injured and miss a lot of the season but what is worse is that Beckham will now miss the World Cup coming up in June. This has to be the most depressing thing for David Beckham right now considering he is 34 and near the end of his career. Considering the circumstances, there is a good chance that Beckham will never play in the World Cup again.

Brady Quinn Traded to Denver

Okay, NOW Delhomme is the clear favorite to be the Browns starting QB. Today the Browns traded 25 year old Brady Quinn for Peyton Hillis (FB) and a couple of Draft Picks beyond this year. Quinn was a 1st round pick for the Browns back in 2007 and was expected to be a great QB for them. That never happened as Quinn just couldn't get beyond being good occasionally. Now he's been traded to Denver who sort of has a established QB already in Kyle Orton. Though after another disappointing collapse, Orton's job might be in jeopardy. Orton better start 2010 with a few wins if he wants to keep his starting position.

Jake Finds a New Home and Pacquiao Keeping Boxing Alive?

The Browns are now guaranteed to suck in 2010. Yesterday the Browns signed Jake 'needs a new home' Delhomme to a two year deal. While Delhomme is not their starter for sure, it is clear that he is the favorite. That is sad when a QB competition has Delhomme (who threw 18 INTS in 11 games last year)as the favorite. Then again the other competitors are Seneca Wallace and Brady Quinn who have done nothing at best.

Meanwhile in the world of the undead or Boxing, Manny Pacquiao beat Joshua Clottey in front of nearly 51,000 people in Cowboys Stadium, which was the biggest crowd for a boxing match in the US in 17 years. Pacquiao would win by unanimous decision as he destroyed his opponent like the Death Star destroyed Alderaan. It doesn't make any difference to the sport of boxing itself as it has been dead for a while, especially since it went to PPV only. The only thing keeping it "alive" is the doctor in the ER refusing to call time of death. True this was a huge crowd but Pacquiao vs. Mayweather would've been the better fight and might have actually helped the sport in the long run. This is nothing but another stop for Boxing on the way to the funeral home.

P.S. What happened to the Heavyweight Divisions? Where are all the stars? Oh right, in the NFL.

L.T. Can't Find a Home and Big Ben in Big Trouble?

Ever since L.T. left the Chargers, he has been having some trouble finding a new team. This last week he went to the Vikings for a bit and then after that went to the Jets for a while. After his visits, neither team were able to signed him. I thought he would be a good fit as a RB for the Jets considering how much they like to run the ball but apparently the Jets wants a back in better shape. It is sad to start thinking that L.T. may have to be signed in the middle of the next season if a RB from a team gets injured. I'm sure some team will give him a shot before that though.

Meanwhile the Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger has been accused of another incident of sexual assault. Apparently a women from Milledgevile, Georgia is claiming Big Ben did this in a night club bathroom that was near Georgia College & State University. Big Ben has said that he did have contact with this woman but they weren't intimate and she just fell and hurt her head. Look if this were the first sexual assault incident involving Big Ben, I would just brush it off. However this is the second one brought up in as many years. Big Ben better watch what he's doing from now on.

P.S. Also he should ask Kobe Bryant for some advice. I haven't forgotten Kobe.

Thank You Nomar

Today was a sad day for me personally as one of my favorite players has retired from baseball. Nomar Garciaparra, known for his tenure with the Boston Red Sox, has retired as he signed a one day contract in order to do this as a member of the Red Sox. I always enjoyed his hitting style and his contributions to the team and the sport. Even when he was traded, I always rooted for him and hoped things would work out for him.

It was never as good as it was in Boston, however. There he was the Red Sox best player until Manny Ramirez was signed. Nomar continued to play well with Manny on the team and got close to a World Series appearance in 2003. When 2004 came, Nomar was struck with injury again and eventually was traded in a three team deal in which the Red Sox got Orlando Cabrera, who was another Short Stop. It worked out for the Sox as they won a World Series.

Nomar would never really recover as he would be plagued with injuries for the rest for his career. He never played a full season again and his stats would drop. He would retire because of this and it was too much work to try and play ball again. Plus he was considering his family. I will miss Nomar very much and I hope he has a great life.

P.S. He's working for ESPN? ALRIGHT!!!

Strasburg Makes his Spring Debut

Stephen Strasburg, who was the number one overall draft pick in 2009, made his spring and Nationals debut yesterday. He pitched 2 scoreless innings in the loss to the Tigers and impressed many with his high 90's fastball. He did allow 2 hits but he did get 2 strikeouts as well. He looked great but is he ready for the Show when April comes?

NO!!! He won't be in the Majors right away (like all new prospects) and he will have to earn his way to the top. However he may get there sooner than most. True he is good and has great potential but he may be called up too fast for other reasons. Mainly for his contract, his great expectations, and the attention he has gotten. They will use his appeal and attention to put fans in the seats and make money. This may hurt Strasburg, however, as his development may be rushed too much.

Uconn Women Pass Their Own Record

In the semifinals of the Big East Tournament for women, Uconn beat Notre Dame 59-44. This is significant as they now have the longest winning streak in women's college basketball history with 71 wins. They just passed their own program which had 70 straight wins which ended in 2003. This is nothing but sheer dominance as they have crushed every opponent they have faced. If they keep this streak up, they can have the most consecutive wins in college basketball history which is currently held by the men of UCLA at 88 straight wins back in the early 70's. Let's go Ladies.

Springtime for Baseball

March is here and that means two things: March Madness (in due time) and Baseball's return. The Spring Leagues started this last week and a couple of big stories came with it. Roy Halladay was impressive when he pitched against the Yankees in his Philly spring debut. Then again Sabathia looked good as well. Joe Nathan, meanwhile, may have hurt his surgically repaired elbow while playing against the Red Sox. He will be examined back in Minnesota though he is optimistic that it is nothing serious. Then there is Aroldis Chapman, who was the buzz around the Caribbean, who will pitch tomorrow against the Royals. The 22 year old will be trying for a spot in the Reds rotation.

The regular season of course will start in April. This year has another new ballpark with Target Field for the Twins. It's first game with the Twins is to be an exhibition game on April 2. It's regular season debut is scheduled for April 12.

P.S. Is it opening day yet? I can't stand all this College Basketball. I have no idea what's going on.

Boldin Flies East, Cromartie Goes to New York, Marshall's Possible Exit, and More NFL Off Season News

Anquan Boldin will finally be getting the money he's been craving since last off season. He was traded to the Baltimore Ravens for a 3rd and 4th round pick and then Boldin agreed to a 3 year contract extension with the Ravens for $25 Million. The Ravens, who got into the playoffs in each of the last two seasons already, has now gotten a bump to help them secure the AFC North. Thanks to this deal, the Ravens seem like a good bet to get back to the playoffs at least as a Wild Card team.

Antonio Cromartie is changing time zones going from San Diego to New York for a Draft Pick in 2011. The Jets may now have the best pass defense in the game thanks to this add on. Another big possible trade involving the AFC West could be for Brandon Marshall. Marshall is a restricted free agent who will visit the Seahawks today and could be signed. If Seattle offers Marshall a contract that he signs, Denver would have a week to respond or they get the 6th overall pick in the NFL Draft. A win for Denver unless they're stuck with Marshall.

As for other news, Antrel Rolle goes to the New York Giants signing with them for five years worth $37 Million Dollars. This definitely helps the Giants passing defense and may help them not to choke in the middle of season. The Lions actually make a move this off season signing Kyle Vanden Bosch who was previously a Titan. His deal is 4 years totaling $26 million. Last, the Patriots actually spend some money as they and Vince Wilfork agree to a 5 Year extension worth $40 million. Wilfork is now the highest paid Nose Tackle in the NFL.

Not a bad start to the NFL Free Agency period of 2010. Still waiting for a move, Niners.

Spice is Added to Chicago

The hottest free agent out there has been signed and almost right away. Julius Peppers, who has been on the Panthers since 2002, is going to Chicago as part of a six year deal worth $91 million in which $42 million is guaranteed. Peppers has a career total of 81 sacks and 6 INTS. Peppers will definitely help the Chicago defense which has been hurting for the past couple of years, literally.

Chicago also signed Chester Taylor (HB), who previously played for the Minnesota, and Brandon Manumaleuna (TE), who previously played for the San Diego Chargers. Whats with all the moves? Well for one, it is an uncapped year thanks to labor and NFL contracts. That means teams can spend all they want. But Chicago itself needed to make some big signings because they don't have a 1st or a 2nd round pick in this years draft thanks to the Jay Cutler deal last year. I don't think these signings will get them into the playoffs for sure but perhaps a late running for the Wild Card at best.

Panthers Ditch Delhomme

After Seven years with the Panthers, Delhomme is cut. After a great first season with the team (which was a Super Bowl season), it has been just okay. But he has fallen apart lately and the Panthers decided to cut him (FINALLY). He just wasn't himself lately (what with all the picks). Also the Panthers still have Matt Moore if they don't like anyone in the draft. Moore actually impressed me and might be a pretty good if you give him some time. I think the Panthers will be alright. As for Delhomme, his starting days are over. He will likely be a quality backup for a team with a shaky QB situation.

P.S. Please Niners, DON'T SIGN DELHOMME!!!

Has the US Soccer Team Lost Momentum?

Ever since the big win in the Confederations Cup against Spain, the US Soccer team has been quiet. The US got into the World Cup and that's pretty much it. However they recently lost to the Netherlands in a international friendly 2-1. The US looked awful against this European powerhouse. True it was a friendly but the US needs every bit of momentum heading into the World Cup as we have England in our grouping. I do think we can go on to the next round anyway but a loss to England and someone else and will be done already.

Lebron To Get a New Number

A while ago, Lebron James said that Michael Jordon's number 23 should be retired league wide for the impact he had on the game. He would follow suit with this statement by filing papers with the league to have his number changed next season. He will go from 23 to 6 which is his Olympic number. At least Lebron is making good on his statement.

But could this mean something else? Technically Lebron only has to file these papers if he is staying with the team for next year. If he signs with a new team, he can choose any number he wants there. This might be a sign that he will stay in Cleveland or at least wants to. However it could be a sign that he hasn't made up his mind yet and just wants to change his number with the Cavs just in case. At least he has respect for the NBA's History.

P.S. Then again Bill Russel's number is 6 and he has more NBA Titles than MJ. Okay. More respect for recent history.

Is A.I. Done?

Allen Iverson has been gone from the 76ers for a month because of an illness with his daughter. There was uncertainty if Iverson would return this year until the 76ers announced yesterday that he would not come back this season. Now there is something else to guess at: is this the end of Allen Iverson's career?

Yes...

OH YOU WANT AN ANSWER FOR THE ANSWER? FINE!!! He was barely wanted by anyone this year. He was a last minute deal with the Grizzlies and then had another stint with his old team. The way his season has gone, it doesn't seem like teams will ever be really interested in Iverson again. I think retirement is just around the corner for him.