Random thoughts from a cluttered mind...
COLLEGE BASKETBALL
This weekend we will have a plethora of college basketball, with major conference tournaments ongoing. We will see the Florida Gators in the SEC Tournament in Atlanta, while the Florida St. Seminoles go to the granddaddy of them all, the ACC Tournament, which this year is being held in Tampa, instead of Greensboro or Charlotte.
While we know the Gators are in the NCAA Tournament, and it will be simply a matter of what Regional, what seed, and who their opponent will be, the Seminoles are very much on the ‘bubble’, needing one and likely two wins in this tourney to get into the Big Dance. Perhaps, with the ACC Tournament being here in their home state, the ‘Noles will benefit. We shall see.
On Sunday evening, CBS will give us the pairings, showing us who’s going where, and when they will play. We will also see who didn’t get in, with some teams feeling they got the shaft. The ‘leftovers’ will go to the NIT.
And then of course we get into the serious business of the NCAA Tournament, where teams we’ve pretty much never heard of will go up against major college ‘name’ schools we see all the time on ESPN. This year, I believe there is more parity than in past years, although that sounds like such a cliché’. I believe we will see plenty of upsets, with lower seeds getting some wins in all regional games on Thursday and Friday.
In a few weeks, though, you can bet that powers UCLA, Kansas, or Ohio State will be in the Final Four, and maybe all three will make it. We shall indeed see how things shake out.
NFL
Free agency is off to a rousing start, with many teams doing a lot of shopping. What they are finding is a bunch of players ready to go, and a lot of money, as always, is being doled out.
Its so funny how we always hear about teams losing money and being tight in so many financial respects, yet when the time comes, they shell it out with no problem, mainly out of pure greed in wanting to get to the playoffs and Super Bowl.
The Jaguars have not done much, mainly because it seems they have not needed much. They picked up offensive lineman Tony Pashos, the former Raven, and WR Dennis Northcutt, to bolster their receiving corps. I don’t expect much else, and then we’ll see what happens come draft time.
NASCAR
After a week off in NASCAR, as the boys rested while the Busch guys raced south of the border, we’ll see things crank back up in Las Vegas. There will be plenty to discuss as all teams get back into the groove. The big story will be in seeing what Dale Earnhardt, Jr. will do, now that he has been so down and out after only two races. He definitely needs to come through with a strong finish, if he has any plans at all in getting involved in the points race.
NBA
The Dallas Mavericks are tearing up the NBA this year, and it seems no one will be able to compete against them as they march into the playoffs and Finals, especially in the East. While the Detroit Pistons have a decent team, there’s no way they can go up against the Mavs for a seven game series. The Heat will not be able to emerge, either, it seems, as Shaq isn’t his usual self, and Dwayne Wade will not be able to recover and be 100%, either, after his shoulder injury.
Tom Weppel talks trash with Greg Larson, Tom McManus, Ron Duguay, and Lonnie Marts on SportsAvengers.com 24/7.
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