BASKETBALL

Two words:  North Texas.  They have won 10 straight games in college basketball in the Sun Belt conference.  Last night, in the division championship game, North Texas was hoping to nab an automatic bid to the Big Dance.  All they had to do was get through Troy.  Well, it wasn’t an easy task, but behind a big night from a BIG man Eric Tramiel, the North Texas Mean Green (and yes, that’s their real team name) edged Troy for their 11th straight win.  This is important news because North Texas is a popular Cinderella candidate this year.  They might sneak up and win two rounds.  With the unpredictability of this season, that wouldn’t be too much of a surprise.  So perhaps pick North Texas in your office pool and look smart when they pull a first round upset.  North Texas 66, Troy 63.

FOOTBALL

In the NFL, it looks like running back journeyman Thomas Jones has found a new home.  Jones is known around the league as a ‘get-it-done’ back.  He’s not a popular guy to pick in fantasy drafts, but he does put up numbers.  He helped the Bears get to the Super Bowl in the 2006 season, and has been a terrific fit on the NY Jets (who no longer need him because they have second year man Shonn Greene).  But if you need a guy to move the ball down the field, and pick up those crucial ‘3rd down and 2′ situations, Jones is your man.  Now, he will help the Kansas City Chiefs hopefully turn around their offense.  The Chiefs lost Pro Bowl running back Larry Johnson last year, but Jamaal Charles has come on strongly.  This tandem makes for a good one-two punch for the Chiefs.

Elsewhere in the NFL free agency market, some interesting meetings took place. First up, it looks like Terrell Owens is in search of a new home.  He took an interview with the Cincinnati Bengals.  They already have loud mouth Chad Ochocinco, but adding Owens into the mix gives them an interesting option on offense.  Having both of these playmakers could confuse defenses and enable the Bengals to be quite potent next season.  Plus, you would have the Top 2 “Kings of Touchdown Celebrations” on the same team.  Let’s hope this happens for entertainment value if nothing else.

And, in another interesting “talk”, LaDainian Tomlinson is finally meeting with his first suitor.  Sure, Tomlinson is definitely in the twilight of his career (a 9 year storied career that is), but he still has some use on the field because of the image he represents. Even though he’s not what he used to be, he still scares defenses when he’s in the offensive formation.  Well, the Minnesota Vikings know that BIG TIME.  They have Adrian Peterson, the best running back in the league, but they just lost his back-up Chester Taylor.  Adding Tomlinson to the mix gives them another strategic weapon that could be the difference maker if they can make it back to the NFC Championship again.

BASKETBALL

In the NBA, the Dallas Mavericks were looking to extend their win streak to 12 games.  All that stood in their way were the lowly Minnesota Timberwolves.  However, the T-Wolves can be quite… ferocious when facing good teams.  How would the Mavs fare?  Well, they got out to an early lead behind a stellar performance from Shawn Marion (he’s really been coming on lately).  But, in the second half, the T-Wolves made their late surge (as they’ve been known to do). Al Jefferson had an amazing night for the Wolves with 36 points.  In the end, however, the Dirk Nowitzki and the Mavs were just too much and they overpowered Minnesota for their 12th straight win.  This team has been on fire since the trade deadline.  Dallas 125, Minnesota 112.

And in women’s college basketball, the UCONN Huskies had a chance to make history.  They stood at 70 straight victories (dating back to last season) and that tied them for the all-time consecutive win category.  So, last night, the Huskies had to beat #7 Notre Dame to enter the history books.  And they did this handily.  Tina Charles had a great night for UCONN with 16 points, as the Huskies grabbed their 71st victory.  So, the big question is… can UCONN win two straight championships and finish two undefeated seasons in a row?  Anybody who beats UCONN right now would be responsible for one of the biggest upsets ever.  UCONN 59, Notre Dame 44.

Finally, Allen Iverson is going through one hot mess.  Iverson came back mid-season this year to hopefully salvage the last days of his career.  However, it has now come to light that Iverson has some serious family issues right now.  He just filed for divorce, he’s taking care of his sick daughter, and on top of all that it appears he has some serious issues with alcohol and gambling.  In fact, Iverson has been banned from several casinos in the past.  Now, the ONLY person that most people think can HELP Iverson is Iverson’s former coach at Georgetown, John Thompson.  His playing career is almost definitely over, so hopefully he can salvage his post-NBA career.

BASKETBALL

In the NBA, Sunday featured a Pre-Oscars rematch of last year’s NBA Finals:  The Los Angeles Lakers v. Orlando Magic.  The Magic have been playing great as of late, but the Lakers have struggled mightily.  They lost to the Heat this week, and then later were routed by the Charlotte Bobcats (who seem to be the only team in the NBA with the Lakers number).  Apparently, Kobe Bryant gave the Lakers a pep-talk before the game against the Magic telling them to shape up.  Thing is, even Kobe himself is playing pretty poorly.  Could they pull off the victory and get back on track?

The Lakers Ron Artest came out motivated, dying the word “defense” into his hair in three different languages.  It was pretty funny.  Well, the game was basically ruled by Orlando up until the 4th quarter when the Lakers came surging back.  Then, trailing 95-92, Kobe put up a brilliant 3-point shot to tie the game.  But, wait a minute, his foot was on the line and it was ruled a 2-pointer.  95-94 Orlando.  The Lakers fouled Vince Carter, and he missed a free throw.  96-94 Orlando, and the Lakers had one last shot.  Yep, Kobe got the ball, and he’s the best closer in the game.  This time, however, Kobe couldn’t connect, and the Magic held on for the win.  When are the Lakers going to turn it around?  Orlando 96, LA Lakers 94.

FOOTBALL

And in the NFL, the Chicago Bears had big expectations last season, especially after bringing in big name quarterback Jay Cutler.  Well, they underperformed… big time.  So, this off season, they have been very aggressive in the free agent market to show their fans that they’re Super Bowl minded.  Over the weekend, they roped in Pro Bowler Julius Peppers of the Carolina Panthers.  And, with the uncertain value of current running back Matt Forte, they brought in Chester Taylor, a very efficient running back, from the Vikings.  Now they will have the common multiple RB game, which actually makes their team more versatile.

Elsewhere in the NFL, the NY Jets brought in Pro Bowl cornerback Antonio Cromartie from the San Diego Chargers.  Now they will have Darrelle Revis (currently the best cornerback in the NFL) and another strong CB on the other side of the field.  This combo just makes a very tough defense even stronger.  It will be hard for even the best receivers to gain productive yards against the Jets next season.  So, the major question is, can the Jets get back to where they got this season… and take that next step to the Super Bowl?

BASKETBALL

In the NBA, the Los Angeles Lakers headed to Miami to play an unpredictable Heat team.  The Heat have been average as of late, especially since they lost Dwayne Wade for a stretch, but the Heat were confident they would hang with and beat the Lakers.  Earlier this season, when the Heat were in Los Angeles, Kobe Bryant hit an amazing off-balance buzzer beater shot to win the game.

Kobe said it was the luckiest shot he ever took.  Well, last night, the game was neck and neck the entire way.  Kobe went off with 39 points, and Wade wasn’t too bad himself with 27.  And with just 7 seconds left in regulation, and trailing by 2, Kobe did his thing.  He drove past Wade, and launched up a shot from the corner of the key.  Buckets!  And we’re headed to OT.  But that’s when Dwayne Wade and teammate Quentin Richardson really shined.  They hit just enough clutch shots to edge the Lakers.  With the loss, Kobe falls to 7-6 in match-ups against D-Wade.

FOOTBALL

And in the NFL, there were a few movers and shakers.  The Washington Redskins cut almost all of their over 30 players (including familiar names LaDell Betts and Antwaan Randle El).  Plus, their 6 time Pro-Bowler, Chris Samuels, had to retire because of a risky spinal condition.  Samuels knew he was at risk out on that field with every blow to the head.  He even said he recalled colliding with former superstar Simeon Rice and feeling his whole body go numb.  So Samuels is going to play it safe and hang up his helmet.  Congrats to him on a great career.

BASEBALL

Finally, in pre-season baseball, some very good news for Philadelphia Phillie’s fans.  In the off-season, the Phillies had to part ways with Cy Young winner Cliff Lee in order to make room for superstar ace, Roy Halladay.  Well, yesterday, fans got a glimpse at Halladay’s first performance in a Philadelphia uniform and it was described as “filthy”.  And that’s “filthy” as in ‘He was so good it was disgusting to watch’.  With a dominant Halladay in their rotation, Philly fans can expect to be right back in the World Series hunt next season.

BASKETBALL

In college basketball, the #2 Kansas Jayhawks are coming off an embarrassing defeat to Oklahoma State.  They were hoping to turn it around immediately, but that turn around would need to come against in-state rival and #5 in the nation Kansas State.  This was not going to be easy.  Then again, they are the same dominant Jayhawk team and they were ready to prove it.  Their star Xavier Henry gave them an awesome night with 19 points, and senior guard Sherron Collins had 17 points of his own.  And with that, they would cruise past the Kansas State Wildcats, and nab the Big 12 outright title.  Kansas 82, Kansas State 65.

Elsewhere in college basketball, the Maryland Terrapins are back baby!  They have been average the past few seasons (although they made the tourney last year), but they are making a late season name for themselves.  Currently, they’re ranked #23, so it’s no surprise that a home game against visiting #4 Duke was, um, pretty important to them.  This season, Maryland’s senior point guard Greivis Vasquez is having an amazing year.  He has meant so much to this school that they will probably retire his jersey.  Well, last night, Vasquez didn’t disappoint, and put on a show against Duke — scoring 20 points and dishing 5 gorgeous assists.  Maryland could get a lot further than people think during March Madness.  Maryland 79, Duke 72.

FOOTBALL

And in the NFL, the Denver Broncos have put first round pick tender on star wide-receiver Brandon Marshall.  What this means is that if another team decides to sign him, all they would need to do is give up a #1 draft pick.  But, here’s where it gets interesting.  Everyone knows the Broncos were looking to unload Marshall, but they thought it was going to be for a first AND third round pick.  The fact that they took the third round draft pick OFF the table makes it seem like they really want to get rid of the guy.  So if a team is really hurting at wide-receiver, they might think twice about jumping on Marshall.  Apparently, he might be a major headcase.  We’ll see how this transpires.

GOLF

After all the drama, it looks like Tiger Woods is finally ready to focus on his golf game again.  Woods finished his sex rehab sessions in Mississippi, and is reportedly home and practicing his swing.  He was spotted on a golf course by Charles Howell III, and Howell said of Woods, “Honestly, he looked as good as he ever has.  Seriously, he seemed like he was hitting it the same as he ever did.”  Love him or hate him, it’s nice to hear that such an amazing athlete is focusing on what he truly does best.

BASKETBALL

In college basketball, after locking up the #1 spot this week, the Syracuse Orange needed just one win to grab the Big East title.  They would need to beat St. Johns, hoping to avoid being the first #1 team to lose to St. Johns in 25 years. Well, fear not, it didn’t happen.  Syracuse rolled over St. Johns behind a terrific night from Arinze Onuaku.  He had 21 points and 8 rebounds.  Question is — can Syracuse win the Big East tournament and grab a #1 seed in the tourney.  Most likely.  Syracuse 85, St. Johns 66.

FOOTBALL

Finally, in some sad but just news — a ruling came down in the trial of famed Iowa High School football coach Ed Thomas.  Thomas won NFL High School coach of the year, and four of his players made it to the NFL.  Thomas was fatally shot by  Mark Becker last year, and Becker had pleaded insanity in his defense.  Well, yesterday the court ruled that Becker was NOT insane at the time of the murder, and will thus carry out a life sentence by Iowa law.  This is still a very tragic state of affairs, but at least justice was served.

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In the NBA, LeBron may not have decided if he’s staying or leaving Cleveland yet, but he has made up his mind on one thing:  He’s changing uniform numbers.  Up until this point, James has worn #23.  However, everybody knows that #23 belongs to the infamous Michael Jordan.  LeBron said that he wants to let MJ keep the #23 legacy, and he will go with #6 — the number he adorned in the Olympics.  Remember, MJ was LeBron’s hero growing up, and this gesture is out of respect to Jordan.  Then again, LeBron also knows that he could potentially brand the #6 without any MJ references if he went to a big market, endorsement city like New York.

In women’s college basketball, the dominant UCONN Huskies have won their last 69 games.  That goes back to last season, when they finished the season undefeated.  Well, they haven’t lost this season either, and they plan to do the same this time around.  Coach Geno Auriemma has set his mark on finishing undefeated two seasons in a row, but… all the players feel it’s irrelevant if they don’t win a National Championship.

FOOTBALL

Finally, for all you Dancing With the Stars fans out there — you have a treat coming your way.  The show has consistently had a major sports figure on, and the Cowboys’ Emmitt Smith even won the entire contest a few years ago.  Well, now they will have a new NFL star to deal with:  Loudmouth showman Chad Ochocinco of the Cincinnati Bengals.  It’s fitting that the always spontaneous Ochocinco should add ballroom and tango dancing to his resume.  This should be fun to watch.

OLYMPICS

After three exciting weeks, the Olympics finally came to an end.  The main event yesterday was easily the highly anticipated United States v. Canada Gold Medal Hockey Game.  This was an amazing deal for both sides.  Here’s why:  Canada is the best Hockey country in the world.  Playing home to the Olympics was their chance to shine and let the country celebrate.  However, they suffered a surprising loss to the United States last week, which made their route to the Gold much tougher.  They had to beat some strong teams just to get in this match.  For the U.S., it’s a gigantic honor just to be in the game.  The U.S. isn’t even ranked in the top 4 Hockey countries in the world. They had no business (1) beating Canada, and (2) competing for a Gold medal on the Olympics’ final day. To win the game would be absolutely astonishing.  Remember, the US is playing with amateurs essentially and a lot of retired players.

Well, Canada got on the board first with a goal from Jonathan Toews.  In the second period, they got up 2-0 from a goal by Corey Perry and it looked like it would be another Canada blow-out.  But then, USA’s Ryan Kesler put in a goal.  2-1.  And in the third period, with the game winding down to a Canada victory, out of the blue, USA’s Zach Parise scored a goal with just 25 seconds left.  It was simply amazing, and the crowd went nuts.  We were in the middle of the greatest Olympic hockey game ever played, and it was headed to sudden death overtime.  OT went a strong 12 minutes without a score, but then, guess who, Sidney Crosby, the best player in the NHL and Stanley Cup champion hit a beautiful shot for Canada to take home the gold.  How fitting.  Canada got their top spot… and they deserved it.  Canada 3, USA 2.

BASKETBALL

In college basketball, it was a rough weekend for the top teams.  #1 Kansas went into Oklahoma State and got trounced.  OK St. just had their number.  And #2 Kentucky, after avenging their only loss of the season to South Carolina on Thursday, making a statement that the loss was a fluke and they didn’t plan to lose again… got beat by #17 Tennessee.  What happened there? And finally, #3 Purdue got beat on their home floor by #14 Michigan State.  Predicting this year’s NCAA Tournament is going to be quite difficult.  The Top 3 teams in the nation lost to very average teams this weekend.  You can’t rely on them to win anything with ease.  It should be a chaotically fun time.

OLYMPICS

Last night was essentially the main event of the Winter Olympics:  Women’s Figure Skating.  This event has always had a kind of royal mystique to it.  We get to know the profiles of the women involved, and there’s a soap opera to it.  Remember the Nancy Kerrigan?  Remember Tanya Harding?  Kristi Yamaguchi?  Michelle Kwan?  Tara Lipinski?  These skaters become National celebrities for a few weeks.  Well, last night we were treated to yet another chapter.

This year, the American’s had Rachel Flatt and Mirai Nagasu to root for.  Very young, and not exactly very well known, but they were still our heroes for a night.  With that said, those two gave great performances, but the U.S. failed to medal in the event for the first time since 1968.  The Gold Medalist this year was South Korea’s Kim Yu-Na.  She gave a beautiful, dazzling performance, and shattered the World Record — putting up an amazing 228.56 points.  To top this off, this was South Korea’s only other medal in the Olympics other than speed skating.  And it’s a great one to win.  Congratulations to Kim Yu-Na!

BASKETBALL

In the NBA, a much anticipated match-up between the Cleveland Cavaliers and Boston Celtics. This is possibly a preview of the Eastern Conference Finals, and it would be interesting to see how these two teams match-up as we approach the playoffs.  Well, the Celtics came out strong, and got up to a big lead at the half.  However, in the second half, it was ALL Cavs.  It was like they were practicing out there.  Headed into the half, the Cavs were down 8, and they won the game by 20.  This team is truly dominant, and the addition of the Antawn Jamison only makes them stronger.  Cleveland 108, Boston 88.

Finally, some other interesting news out of the NBA.  The Memphis Grizzlies had the #2 overall pick in this year’s draft.  They took big man Hasheem Thabeet from UCONN over other strong rookies (i.e. Tyreke Evans and Stephen Curry — two rookie of the year candidates.).  Now, they are sending Thabeet down to the D-League for a stint.  He just hasn’t adjusted to the rigors of the NBA game, and they’re hoping some time spent developing his skills will prove valuable in case they need him to play some minutes in the playoffs.  We will see how this pans out.  Either way, Thabeet is the highest draft pick ever to be demoted to the D-League.