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Posted 03/07/2007 at 09:39 AM
To say that this week is one of the craziest weeks on the sports calendar would be an understatement. We've got NCAA basketball conference tournaments and spring training turning heads and NFL free agency changing players addresses.
Let's start the ramblings on the big event of the week, the NCAA conference tournaments. You have to love the idea of the "mini" bracket. A team that finishes the season last in its league can win 4 straight games and go play the North Carolina's of the world in the Big Dance. Is that how we reward teams that had lousy seasons? Seems a little strange when you think about it but this is what makes March Madness simply madness.
Congrats go out to Wright State who beat Butler last night in the Horizon League Championship to earn a spot in the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 93'. The win also made the Horizon League a two-bid league likely knocking out a team from a BCS conference. Take a quick note that Wright State is a team that will make some noise next week.
On to the NFL and the Miami Dolphins. It's hard to criticize a general manager without knowing his next move but I can say that releasing QB Joey Harrington was not an intelligent decision. It leaves the Dolphins with Dante Culpepper as the projected starter without knowing what damage has been done to his career with his injury. Now I'm sure Miami is contemplating drafting a QB in the first round but this has left them with no option. Brady Quinn, welcome to Miami.
As if the revolving QB door in Miami wasn't enough, the Dolphins sent two of their brightest spots on offense packing, releasing TE Randy McMichael and trading WR Wes Welker. I guess the offense is going to focus more on the ground game with the addition of....Ricky Williams? And they'll concentrate on the running game by dumping several offensive lineman. All of this with a new head coach. Well as crazy at the Dolphins are this offseason, at least they picked up Joey Porter. Defense wins championships, right?
I thought the Dolphins would win my dumb move award for the week but then it happened. Yet another star athlete goes out and does something stupid. This weeks guilty in the media before innocent in the courtroom party is Ron Artest. According to a sherrif's report that was made public, Artest slapped a woman's face and grabbed her repeatedly, causing visible injuries. Deputies have responded to 911 calls from Artest's home five other times since last August. He's now been suspended by the Kings.
And just a note on an old "dumb move," Steve Spurrier has decided not to allow Stephen Garcia to practice in spring drills. Last month, he was charged with drunkenness and failing to stop for a police officer and Saturday, was accused of damaging a professor's car with a key. Spurrier says that Garcia will have to go to class and attend study hall. Now THAT is serious punishment.
Spring training has been somewhat a bore for me but there was a bright spot yesterday, the debut of Red Sox pitching phenom Daisuke Matsuzaka. Matsuzaka struck out three and allowed two hits in three innings of work. In case he never pitches again, its good to know that Boston would have coughed up $34.33 million per inning.
I haven't had a chance to comment on Sunday's big NCAA basketball games, particularly the Duke/North Carolina game so here it is in quick words: Gerald Henderson tried to make a big play and instead he smacked North Carolina star Tyler Hansbrough. He didn't do it on purpose. In case you missed the replay, you'll probably see it 100 times more this week and in case you missed the game, Duke was awful, again.
Quick hits:
The Florida Gators have now won six straight basketball games over Kentucky. That is not a good thing for Tubby Smith.
The Kansas City Chiefs want Trent Green to restructure his deal or they'll move him. The guy gets one shot to the head and out he goes.....
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