March Madness has arrived!  

Here are my predictions: 

East:   #1 North Carolina is the team to beat with no other team in this region that they will have to worry about.  #2 Tennessee is the most overrated team in the country and Bruce Pearl is one of the most overrated coaches in America.     Look for them to get upset against #3 Louisville if not sooner.

Final 8 - #1 North Carolina vs. #3 Louisville

Winner - #1 North Carolina

Midwest:  #1 Kansas is good, but not that good.  They get lucky with the 3-point shot.   Bill Self is also overrated as a coach.    #6 USC have been hot and cold all season and may be a sleeper in this region.  #2 Georgetown will be tough to beat.

Final 8 - #1 Kansas vs. #2 Georgetown

Winner - #2 Georgetown

South:  #1 Memphis has the talent to win it all, but how will their fast-break and no defense game fare against a stong opponent?  I think they have what it takes to win this region, but do not forget about #3 Stanford whom I think will beat #2 Texas in the Sweet 16.

Final 8 - #1 Memphis vs. #3 Stanford

Winner - #1 Memphis

West:  Contrary to what many analysts are saying, I think the West if the toughest bracket with 4 solid teams in #4 UConn,  #3 Xavier,  #2 Duke, and top-seeded UCLA.   #2 Duke is underrated and #4 UConn could give #1 UCLA problems.    I think #1 UCLA should make it out of the West.

Final 8 - #1 UCLA vs. #2 Duke

Winner - #1 UCLA

Final Four -  North Carolina will be tough to beat wtih all their talent and UCLA can win it all this year without Florida standing in their way.  

Finals - North Carolina vs UCLA

WINNER - UCLA

Brett Favre is retiring from the Packers after an incredible 17-year Hall-of-Fame career.  A year ago, this would not have come as a shock and in fact would have been welcomed by many Packer fans,  as Favre and the Packers were coming off a horrendous season. 

Favre played horribly in the NFC Championship game against the New York Giants.  After that game, I am sure many of us including myself thought Favre would come back for at least one more shot at a Super Bowl after coming so close this season.  

Favre could have played another 3 seasons at a very high level.  He was just that good.  Already with a Super Bowl victory, what else is there to play for?  Quite frankly, in my opinion the Packers were clearly overrated last season.  They were not as a good of a team as everyone had thought.  I think Favre realized that the Packers are farther away from another Super Bowl than many people think. 

Good luck Aaron Rodgers.

The roller coaster ride is over for Jason Kidd as he is finally granted his wish of leaving the sorry New Jersey Nets to the team that originally drafted him, the Dallas Mavericks. 

The Mavericks must have felt they needed to do something to try and get over the hump and avoid another upcoming playoff loss, after watching the Suns and the Lakers make blockbuster trades to bolster their rosters.   The Mavs get 2 lame players in forward Malik Allen and swingman Antoine Wright.  The Nets acquire Devin Harris, DeSagana Diop, swingman Trenton Hassell, guard Maurice Ager, already retired Keith Van Horn, first-round draft picks this June and in 2010 and $3 million in cash. 

Luck yVan Horn gets a cool $4 million just for passing a physical and showing up in New Jersey.  I am curious if Van Horn can still play and if the Nets give him a chance.

The Asiansportsfanatic’s take is this is a great trade for both teams.  The Nets are terrible this season and need the extra salary cap room to improve their team for the future.   In Harris and Diop, they get 2 starters that can help them right away and for the next few years.  For the Mavs, its now or never for a title as they ship out 2 young stars and acquire a sure Hall-of-Fame point guard who at almost 35-years-old, is still a fan favorite and can still play at a very high level.    At best, The Mavs are still maybe the 5th best team in the stacked Western Conference.    They will need some luck if they are to make a run for the NBA Title.

The Phoenix Suns realize that their fast-break offense is exciting, but not built to make a serious run at an NBA Championship.  So, instead of going through another disappointing playoff run, they decided to take a chance and trade for Shaquille O’Neal from the Miami Heat.

I like the trade for many reasons.    Even at 35,  O’Neal when healthy is still one of the most dominating low-post players in the NBA.  O’Neal gives the Suns that dominating inside presence which they have not had in years and which is killed them in the playoffs.   This will allow Amare Stoudemire to play the power forward position.  Also, the Suns will now have a good low post defender to matchup against the likes of the San Antonio Spurs.   Shaun Marion wanted out of Phoenix, so he gets his wish.

The Phoenix Suns’ fast-break offense may not be a good fit for O’Neal, but who cares.  When you can add a superstar to your roster, you make adjustments.  Certainly, the Suns will do just that.    

I am sure Shaq cannot wait to get another crack at the Lakers’ Phil Jackson and Kobe Bryant.   Bring it on!

It was clearly not the storybook ending everyone thought it would be for the New England Patriots in Super Bowl 42 and their quest for a perfect 19-0 season. 

Why did they lose? 

The Giants defense pressured Tom Brady more than any other team all season. The Giants front 4 was relentless all game long and the defense stepped up when they had to. The Giants offense did not do much until the 4th quarter with 2 TD drives.
Bad coaching Bill Belichick - Why did Belichick elect to go for it on fourth and 13 in the 3rd quarter when the Patriots leading 7-3 instead of attempting the 49-yard field goal?  The Pats were clearly not prepared as well as they should have been for this game.  Walking off the field with 2 seconds left in the ball game was such a poor display of sportsmanship.  Belichick is such a sore loser.   Shame on the Pats and shame on Belichick. 

Why does the media hate Jessica Simpson?  Lets start blaming Tom Brady’s girlfriend Gisele Bundchen for his poor performance in thr Super Bowl just like the media blamed Jessica Simpson for no good reason for Tony Romo’s horrible performances at the end of the season.  I am sure Brady would have played much better in the Super Bowl if it were not for Gisele.  Instead of hanging out with his super hot girlfriend, he should have been getting treatment for his ankle.

Congrats to the NYG Giants!  They came in red-hot with nothing to lose and they took it to the Patriots.  Eli Manning got it done when it counted.  Its amazing how much he has matured in these playoffs.  It all started when Jeremy Shockey got injured and no longer having to listen to Shockey bitch and complain about not getting the ball.

You are good if you go undefeated in the regular season.  To go undefeated in the playoffs and win the Super Bowl, you have to be great.  The Patriots are simply on th that great.  18-1 is good, not too bad,  but simply not great.

Let this be a lesson to everyone.  CHEATERS NEVER WIN!  Cheating will only get you so far, like in the Patriots case, to the Super Bowl, but eventually it catches up to you!!!