This Is Nice (AKA I love March Madness)

This is a great way to spend a day. This might sound pathetic, and that's because it probably is, but there's not a lot of things more enjoyable than spending a weekday afternoon sitting on the couch (or in my case, the futon), listening to the great announcing trio of Sean McDonough, Bill Raftery, and Jay Bilas, watching the Big East Tournament.

Georgetown beat Villanova in the first game of the day, and now Notre Dame and Syracuse are in a tight battle as I write this, late in the first half. If that's not enough, there are Big 10, ACC, Big 12, SEC, and Pac-10 games going on. Life is good.

If that's not enough, games are going on all day, even late into the night with the Pac-10.

Oh, and if that's not enough, this is just a prelude to the real thing, the Big Dance. The actual Tournament starts next week, but right now these conference tournaments are plenty exciting. Is there a better sports time of the year? I think not.

One other thing, and that's if you're into any March Madness Betting, you can check out BoDog. From all I've heard, they're very reliable and easy to use!

So anyway, enjoy the rest of this great college basketball action, and I'll go back to enjoying the commentary of Sean McDonough, Bill Raftery, and Jay Bilas.

College Basketball National Awards

I suppose, with the regular season over, it's time for me to give my national awards and All-American teams. So here we go. I don't have time for long explanations, but that's ok. Forgive me.

National Player of the Year - Kevin Durant (Texas) - Quite simply, no one was even close to Durant this year. He was the only player to finish in the top 5 in both scoring and rebounding nationally. Just an incredible talent and incredible player. Try to catch all of the rest of his games if you can... guys like Durant don't come along too often.

Freshman of the Year - Kevin Durant (Texas) - See above.

Coach of the Year - Tony Bennett (Washington St.) - Bennett was superb in his first year, bringing life back to the Washington St. program as well as a Tourney berth. He also had the Cougars in contention for the Pac-10 title (eventually finishing 2nd), which was not at all expected. Got to think he's got a bright future ahead of him in Pullman.

1st Team All-American
Acie Law (Texas A&M)

Jared Dudley (Boston College)

Alando Tucker (Wisconsin)

Kevin Durant (Texas)

Nick Fazekas (Nevada)

2nd Team All-American
Darren Collison (UCLA)

Chris Lofton (Tennessee)

Arron Afflalo (UCLA)

Jeff Green (Georgetown)

Tyler Hansbrough (North Carolina)

What do you think?

Fantasy Baseball Ranking: Third Base

Time to move on to the 3rd base rankings... One note, guys like Chone Figgins, Tory Glaus, and Bill Hall would possibly be on this list, but I already used them for previous positions, disqualifying them here. Hey, those are my rules, so they're the law. Or something like that.

(1) Alex Rodriguez - Rodriguez edges out Cabrera by the slightest of margins to remain #1 on this list. He had a down year (for him) last season, and he still wound up with 35 HR, 113 R, and 121 RBI. His 2005 was spectacular. Some Yankees fan might not like him that much (which is decidedly stupid), but I can guarantee fantasy owners with him on their team like him a lot.

(2) Miguel Cabrera - Simply put, Cabrera was awesome last year. I had him at #5 in my MVP Rankings last year, but I get the sneaking suspicion that a lot of people don't know how good he is. Disregarding the fantasy numbers for a minute, he might be one of the 5 best hitters in the MLB. He hits for a high average, he has a good eye at the plate (.430 was 4th in the MLB) and his .568 SLG was #11 in the MLB. And he plays 3B and he's not quite 24 years old. He is awesome, but he plays in Florida, so no one knows it. That's a shame.

(3) Garrett Atkins - The man is a doubles machine, which helps that he's playing in Coors. In his first full year, he hit 48 doubles, hit .329, and knocked in 120 runs. He's a big part of the talented crop of young 3B in the NL. Another thing to like... after the All-Star Break he batted .354 with 18 HR and 62 RBI in 73 games. If he can keep that up, Cabrera and A-Rod have lots of competition for the top spot.

(4) David Wright - Wright is another good young hitter in a superb lineup. It's hard to find much fault with a .311 BA, 26 HR, and 116 RBI, especially when it's coming from a 3B that's closer to 20 than 30. You can't go wrong with Wright (wow, I'm even ashamed of myself after writing that).

(5) Aramis Ramirez - Ramirez isn't flashy, but he did hit 38 HR last year. He gets overshadowed a little bit because there really are a lot of good 3B in the NL, but don't make the mistake of overlooking him. As long as he's healthy, you can almost pencil him him for a .290+ AVG, 35 HR, and 100 RBI.

(6) Scott Rolen - Rolen is a good hitter than benefits by having guys like Pujols and Edmonds hit near him in the lineup. That means there are usually guys on base when he comes to the plate, which makes for a lot of RBI opportunities. He's had some injury problems, which is a concern, but he's always a solid contributor when healthy.

(7) Ryan Zimmerman - Zimmerman put up good numbers last year, and combined with the fact that he's only 23 years old makes him an attractive option. He showed good power with 20 HR and a very good 47 doubles, and of course as you get closer to your prime and bulk up, those doubles tend to turn into HRs. Playing in Washington hurts him, but he might be the best 3B in the MLB over the next 5 years.

(8) Chipper Jones - I originally had Chipper at #7, but concerns about his healthy make me put him here. Regardless, when he played last year, he was really good. 28 2B, 26 HR, and 86 RBI in only 110 RBI. He nearly slugged .600. The problem, of course, is that he's missed 50+ games in each of the last 2 years, so buyer beware. And get a good backup.

(9) Joe Crede - Crede was very solid last year, quietly hitting over .280 with 30 HR. He's been getting better every year and should be right about in the middle of his prime. He's a real solid 3B.

(10) Eric Chavez - Chavez was awful last year, which is a little hard to understand. The good thing is that he still hit 22 HR and showed an improved eye at the plate. There's the possibility that he's simply regressing right now, but I'm betting on a .270/25 HR/100 RBI line. Which is nice.

Conference Tournament Predictions

With the major conference tournaments coming up, I thought it'd be good to take a look at a lot of the bigger. So I'll give my predictions for the 8 conference tournaments that I am most interested in. Once again, in Spreadsheet format, because that's way cool.

ACC


Favorite: North Carolina is the #1 seed, and even though they haven't been playing great basketball lately, they still have to be considered the favorite.

Sleeper: Georgia Tech and Maryland have both been playing great lately and both have the talent to win 4 games in 4 days.

My Pick: When playing a lot of games in a short amount of time, depth is key, and nobody has more depth than the Tar Heels.

Atlantic-10


Favorite: Xavier and UMass tied for the regular season crown and both teams are playing equally well, so they're probably the co-favorites.

Sleeper: Charlotte comes in as the 9 seed, but if De'Angelo Alexander and Leemire Goldwire are playing well they can compete with anyone.

My Pick: I really think Xavier is the best team in the conference. They're experience, they're well-balanced, and they're well-coached. I really like the Musketeers this year.

Big East


Favorite: Georgetown completed the Big East schedule with a 13-3 record to get the #1 seed, making them the prohibitive favorite.

Sleeper: Villanova can be a little inconsistent offensively, but as Scottie Reynolds matures they are rapidly becoming a tough team to beat.

My Pick: I go with Pittsburgh here, a well-balanced team that always plays smart. I have picked Notre Dame to upset the Hoyas, leaving a clear path to the Big East title for Pitt.

Big 10


Favorite: With Brian Butch injured, the Buckeyes become the favorite here, though they have looked a little sketchy lately. They certainly are the most talented team in the conference.

Sleeper: Michigan St. is a great defensive and rebounding team, and Drew Neitzel can hit a lot of big shots down the stretch. That all means that they have the ability to keep a lot of games close. With a few breaks, they can find themselves winning the Big 10.

My Pick: I'll go with a little bit of a surprise pick and Indiana. They are solid defensively, and if they can knock some shots down they have the ability to play with anyone.

Big 12


Favorite: Kansas is playing better basketball than any team in the nation. They're the slight favorite, although Texas A&M and Texas are not too far behind.

Sleeper: By beating Kansas and Texas A&M (twice), Texas Tech showed they have the ability to beat anybody in the country, which makes them a possible sleepers if they get some breaks. Jarrius Jackson can carry a team for stretches at a time.

My Pick: I love what Texas and Texas A&M are doing, but Kansas is playing lots of great basketball right now. Hard to pick against them.

Mountain West


Favorite: BYU is the #1 seed, but I think UNLV is probably the favorite. They are 25-6 on the season and have won 6 of 7.

Sleeper: No real sleepers here... I'll be really surprised if a team not in the top 4 wins this thing.

My Pick: I've been pushing San Diego St. all season, and now it's time to officially pick them for something. They've been extremely inconsistent, but if they can put it together like they have a times this year, they are definitely talented enough to win the conference.

Pac-10


Favorite: I know UCLA is coming off of a loss, but they've been the best and most consistent team all season long

Sleeper: Washington is talented enough (Hawes and Brockman on the front line is awesome) and they'll be playing for their season this Tourney. They've been pretty disappointing this year but they have the ability to change all of that.

My Pick: Can't go against the Bruins. Toughness, defense, outside shooting... if they can get anything from Lorenzo Mata they're going to be a real tough out.

SEC


Favorite: The Gators haven't left anyone in awe over the past month, but as the defending champions they should probably be given the benefit of the doubt and be labeled as the favorites.

Sleeper: I really do think Kentucky has the talent to compete with pretty much anyone in this conference. They have good guards, and Randolph Morris is tough in the post. I would label Vandy the sleeper here, but then they are (for all intents and purposes) the 2 seed here.

My Pick: The Vols are playing better and better as this season goes along and the young freshmen posts get more and more experience. My only concern with the Vols is that they play a real uptempo style, and that could get tough playing 4 games in 4 days, which is what it would take to win the Tourney. Still, I'll take them.

What are your picks?

Arch Madness and Other Conference Tournaments

Some regular seasons winding down, some conference tournaments heating up and finishing... in other words, a fine weekend of college basketball. I'll just focus in the smaller conference tournaments here.

Missouri Valley Conference
This was probably the worst-case scenario for the MVC. Southern Illinois and Creighton, the top 2 seeds and the 2 teams that were probably in regardless of what happened, advanced to the finals. That left the two bubble teams, Bradley and Missouri St. possibly on the outside looking in. But back to the Championship... how good was Creighton? Anthony Tolliver just abused Randal Falker down low, and that was really the difference in the ballgame. Great job by the Bluejays.

Colonial Athletic Association
The George Mason Dream is still alive! After a quarterfinals upset of Hofstra, they put a beating on 2nd seeded Old Dominion. Now on Monday they have a shot to get back to the Championship against top seeded VCU, who has probably already assured themselves of a berth. For Old Dominion and Drexel, they just have to sit and wait for a week to see if their resume will be good enough for a trip to the Big Dance. For Hofstra, well, it's another trip to the NIT.

Atlantic Sun
Belmont won the title game here by 27... in other words, not much to talk about.

Big South
Much to the relief of bubble teams everywhere, Winthrop was able to pull it out, though the Championship was only a 3-point game with VMI. But the important thing is that Winthrop is in, and they have the tools to do some damage. Their talented and athletic, and they showed they can play with the big boys. Depending on matchups, I wouldn't be shocked to see Winthrop in the Sweet 16.

Ohio Valley Conference
Great Championship game here between Eastern Kentucky and Austin Peay, really showing the greatness of what small college basketball is all about. The game was back and forth, especially towards the end... Eastern Kentucky would build up a 8 point lead, and Austin Peay, not wanting to see their season end, would battle back. By the end, Austin Peay had battled back for a 1-point lead, only an Eastern Kentucky floater with about 3 seconds left erased that deficit, gave Eastern Kentucky the 1-point lead, and eventually gave them the autobid. Just a great game showing what Championship Week is all about.

Southern Conference
College of Charleston almost wrecked the party here, beating Appalacian St. in the semis and then giving Davidson all that they wanted in the Finals. But it was Stephen Curry, the son of Dell Curry and 2nd leading freshman scorer in the country (behind one Mr. Durant) who led Davidson to the Title. Curry scored 29 points, grabbed 8 rebounds, and dished out 3 assists en route to leading Davidson to the Tourney. Look out for these guys, because like Winthrop they are a team capable of winning a game and spoiling someone's party.

What did you think of the games?

Weekend Links

No time to write tonight so I'll just point you in the direction of some other stuff you should enjoy over the weekend.

The first part for your Championship Week viewing, with Championship games kicking off today (Saturday). [Just Call Me Juice]

Jake Plummer, the man with the great stache, is retiring. Apparently, the competition from a guy recovering from a spleen injury is too much for him. [Signal to Noise]

A good deal by Matt Millen? Well, even a broken clock is right twice a day. [Sweaty Men Endeavors]

The real tournament to keep an eye on this March. [The Big Picture]

Bubble teams... who's in and who's out? [The Sports Flow]

The next Anna Benson? As WBRS says, at least Carl Pavano's "injuries" are a little easier to understand. [WBRS Sports Blog]

A look at Wide Receivers and Free Agency. [Pacifist Viking]

Some writers still don't like any type of baseballs stats at all. What a shame. [Fire Joe Morgan]

That's what I got... have a good weekend and watch a lot of college basketball.

College Basketball Power Rankings

As always, here's my top 10:

(1) UCLA - Arron Afflalo is the favorite for Pac-10 Player of the Year, but Darren Collison is just as important to the Bruins. In the win over Washington St. (two excellent defensive teams there), Collison scored 7 points, dished out 8 assists, had only 2 turnovers, and was in complete control all game on both ends. He's quick as a jet, a good outside shooter, great passer, and excellent on-the-ball and off-the-ball defender. Love watching him play.

(2) Kansas - Kansas might have established themselves as the team to beat. They've always had the talent, and now they're playing consistently at home and on the road. At the very least, I can guarantee they will not be losing in the first round this year.

(3) Ohio St. - They did what they had to do, but beating Wisconsin without Brian Butch at home by 1 wasn't really enough to convince me they should be higher than UCLA or Kansas. Certainly the talent is there to make a run towards the title, but I'm not sure they're consistent enough offensively.

(4) Wisconsin - You could write something similar here as for OSU. The talent is there if it all comes together, but I really don't think they're quite consistent enough offensively to make it to the Final Four. I'd feel a little more confident if Brian Butch was completely healthy. What a shame that is for the Badgers.

(5) Texas A&M - They're coming off of a loss, but losing in double OT at Texas isn't too bad as far as losses go. Acie Law is a first team All-American, but they also have 3 other guys scoring over 12 points per game. They're balanced, they're tough, and they're good defensively.

(6) Southern Illinois - Great defensive team, and they seem to be playing their best basketball of the season. I am a little concerned that they seem to be inconsistent offensively at times, but you can't argue with the defense.

(7) Memphis - They didn't look that impressive against UTEP, but they still won. They're very deep, very athletic, and very talented. Like last year, I have some concerns about them if they get matched up with a physical defensive team in the tournament, but it's hard to ignore 18 straight wins.

(8) Florida - Like UNC, the talent is there (obviously), but they just seem disinterested. I'm not too worried at this point, but if they lay another egg in the SEC Tourney there could definitely be a reason to have some concern.

(9) Texas - Hard to deny them of the top spot after hanging on to beat A&M. So make that 5 straight wins for the Longhorns, who are definitely peaking at the right time. Showdown with Kansas on Saturday will show a lot, but I can guarantee you nobody wants to see Texas in their portion of the bracket. Oh, and don't look now, but DJ Augustin is 4th in the country in assists as a freshman.

(10) North Carolina - They've still got incredible talent, but they have lost 3 of 5. Georgia Tech just tore them up offensively on Thursday night. They can still make a run at the Title, but something is not right.

What changes would you make?