Retirement, Madness, Racing, and the NBA

A year ago, I went on an extensive rant on why March was the greatest month. My reasons were pretty simple; baseball starts, March Madness, NASCAR, golf, pre-NFL draft talk and trade, NBA playoff push ... and my birthday. This year is no different. With March just getting started, we have already seen enough excitement and stories to put any other month to shame. Compiling a list of those events would be too simple, and everyone would be bored with me, and actually read a real journalist's article, but let's take a look at how March has gone through just over three and half days in.

March 1

• Days after Texas Tech suffered their worst loss in program history against bitter rival Texas A&M, the Red Raiders came back home and showed up the fifth-ranked, other bitter rival, Texas Longhorns, 83-80.
• After a full day of free agency in the NFL, some signings weren't really signings at all. Sean Rodgers of the Detroit Lions was reported to be signing with Cincinatti, but that turned out to be false, and he ended up across state in Cleveland. After failing to resign record-breaking WR Randy Moss to a new contract, Moss attracted the front offices of a few teams, leaving "Patriot Nation" to wonder if Moss is looking for money or a ring.
• After being bounced in their first game ever as the top-ranked basketball team in the nation, the men Volunteers of Tennessee move within one win of wrapping up the regular season conference championship with a big win against the Wildcats of Kentucky.

March 2

• "Vegas is calling!" Carl Edwards owns the Pacific Time Zone this season, winning his second race in row with a win in Las Vegas following a short week, which he won on Monday afternoon in Fontana, CA. However, post-race inspection confirmed Edwards did not have his lid on the oil resevoir, which could result in a hefty points penalty.
• The Suns dropped their second straight game, this time against sub-.500 Philadelphia - at home - 119-114, leaving the desert wondering when exactly the Shaq trade would pay off.
• After a MVP-worthy season with the beer makers of Milwaukee, Prince Fielder is shown a lovely raise ... of $670,000. The second runner-up of the 2007 NL MVP honors, Fielder is quote "not happy about it at all." After all, he does have kids to feed!

March 3

• After a weekend of free agency, the Pats wrap up Randy Moss to a 3 year/$27 million deal. Not getting a deal, however, is Falcons RB Warrick Dunn, who was cut Monday after five seasons with Atlanta. This came a day after the Falcons made a deal for Chargers RB Michael Turner, signing him up for a six-year deal.
• Atlanta also lost leading receiver-er ... tight-end Alge Crumpler to Tennessee, while Big Ben inked a fat check Monday with the Steelers; 8 years/$102 million, with $36 million guartanteed, more than Brady, Manning, Palmer, and Romo got up front in their deals.
• Texas Tech again makes the news in their third consecutive game, but this also not good, with the Red Raiders again rasing the mark of worst defeat in the program history after Kansas dropped 109, winning by 58. Coach Knight said "I feel like someone put a meat necklace around my neck and threw me into a lion's den," abou the loss.

March 4

• The biggest news thus far: Brett Favre retires after 16 seasons in Green Bay, where he broke and recording nearly every passing record in the book.

With March Madness starting up ... well in March, its only proper to give a run-down of teams that are John McCain, teams that are Hilary and Obama, and teams that are Mit Romney in this year's bracket:

McCain (definite locks):

Tennesse, North Carolina, Kansas, UCLA, Memphis, Texas, Purdue, Duke, Georgetown, Wisconsin, Butler, Xavier, Cornell (clinched with conference championship), Stanford, Mississippi State, Louisville, Conneticutt, Butler, Notre Dame, Clemson, Drake, Vanderbilt, Michigan State, Indiana, Arkansas, UAB, Saint Mary's, Gonzaga

Hilary/Obama (could go either way):

USC, Kentucky, Kansas State, Texas A&M, VCU, WV, Mississippi, Davidson, UMass, Southern Illinois, Creighton, Syracuse, Ohio State, Florida, Villanova, Texas Tech, Maryland, Oregon

Romney (pack it up and go home):

Florida State, Oklahoma State, Cincinatti, Wake Forest, Arizona State, Georgia Tech

The NBA on the other hand has quite a bit of playing left before any teams can be penciled in. Considering how much the West has shifted in the past several weeks (New Orleans and Phoenix were at the top before the All-Star break, now its San Antonio and Los Angeles), there is definitely no guarantee. But, I like to be bold. Here are my seedings 70% into the season:

East:

1. Boston
2. Detroit
3. Orlando
4. Toronto
5. Cleveland
6. Washington
7. Philadelphia
8. New Jersey

West:

1. Los Angeles
2. San Antonio
3. New Orleans
4. Utah
5. Houston
6. Dallas
7. Phoenix
8. Golden State