In case you haven't heard, Brett Favre returns to Green Bay to face his former team this Sunday. He joins a long list of former players heading to the visitors' locker room at a stadium they once called home, but a short list of players who achieved icon status only to return dressed in enemy clothing.

Brett Favre's name was synonymous with the Green Bay Packers for 16 years. You couldn't help but think of one without the other during that time. He is a guaranteed first ballot Hall of Famer, and one of the most talked-about players of his era.

I came up with seven other examples on a par with Brett Favre--legendary local heroes returning to face their former teams. Some were cheered, some were booed. Some received both. But every return was anxiously awaited by the (formerly) home fans.

Here's a chronological rundown of the legends' returns:

Babe Ruth vs. the Boston Red Sox
April 19, 1920

To say that Babe Ruth was legendary is to state the obvious. But for the Red Sox through the end of the 1917 season, Ruth was mostly known for his pitching. In 1916 he led the league in ERA (1.75) and shutouts (9), and in 1917 he led the league with 35 complete games as he went 24-13 with a 2.01 ERA (a different game back then to be sure). The Red Sox won the 1915 and 1916 World Series, with Ruth getting just 6 at bats in the two series. But in 1918, the Red Sox used Ruth in the outfield for the first time. He would pitch in only 20 games in 1918 and 17 in 1919, and began to make his mark as a batter, leading the league with a then-record 11 home runs in 1918, and crushing 29 in 1919 (17 more than anyone else in baseball). But money troubles on the part of the Red Sox owner and the salary demands of the new star led to his sale to the New York Yankees in December 1919.

The Yankees played the Red Sox in a day-afternoon doubleheader on the Massachusetts state holiday (Patriots' Day) in 1920 and Babe Ruth made his first appearance in Boston in pinstripes. According to the book Red Sox Century, 10,000 fans cheered Ruth's return in game 1. Ruth went 2-for-4 but did not homer and the Red Sox won 6-0. 28,000 more fans piled into Fenway Park for game 2, and Ruth went just 1-for-4 (again without a home run) and the Red Sox won 8-3. Ruth received a huge ovation in each game before each at bat, but more cheers were heard for the Red Sox and their hot start against the Yankees.

Pete Rose vs. the Cincinnati Reds
June 1, 1979

Long before Pete Rose became known for the gambling scandal that led to his banishment from the game, he was known as "Charlie Hustle" and was a hitting machine for the Cincinnati Reds. Rose won three batting titles from 1963-1978, led the league in hits six times, won the Rookie of the Year Award in 1963 and the MVP in 1973. He and the "Big Red Machine" won back-to-back World Series titles in 1975 and 1976. In 1978 Rose had a 44-game hitting streak, the second-longest in Major League history, and the first real challenge to Joe DiMaggio's record 56-game streak set in 1941. His success made him a national superstar, and in the winter of 1978 Rose cashed in as a free agent, signing with the Philadelphia Phillies for a 4-year $3.2-million contract, which at the time made him the highest-paid player in team sports.

48,968 fans (the 5th-largest crowd of the season) packed Riverfront Stadium on the night of Rose's return. They cheered Rose prior to the game as he accepted the Reds' Most Valuable Player Award for 1978‚ an award voted on by the Cincinnati chapter of the Baseball Writers' Association of America. And prior to Rose's first at bat, the fans gave him a standing ovation. Rose went 0-for-4 as his Phillies lost to Cincinnati 4-2.

Reggie Jackson vs. the New York Yankees
April 27, 1982

Reggie Jackson was already a star before he arrived in the Bronx, winning two home run crowns and the 1973 American League MVP award, and playing on an Oakland A's team that won three straight World Series titles from 1972 through 1974. But he didn't become "Mr. October" until he signed with the Yankees. Throughout five sometimes tumultuous sometimes victorious seasons, Jackson hit 8 home runs in 15 World Series games, and the Yankees won back-to-back titles in 1977-78. His well-documented battles with owner George Steinbrenner led to his joining the California Angels in 1982 as a free agent.

Jackson started the season in a terrible slump but went 2-for-3 in his return to Yankee Stadium. He singled to lead off the 5th inning and scored the Angels' go-ahead run. He led off the top of the 7th inning against perennial All-Star Ron Guidry, and with the fans chanting the familiar "Reg-GIE!" "Reg-GIE!", he hit a home run. The fans then chanted "Steinbrenner sucks!", letting the owner know whose side they were on. The game ended after 7 innings due to rain.

Wayne Gretzky vs. the Edmonton Oilers
October 19, 1988

As captured so well in ESPN's recent 30 for 30 documentary (King's Ransom), Wayne Gretzky was a Canadian national treasure. He had won four Stanley Cups in five years and eight MVP awards during his 10 years as a member of the Edmonton Oilers. He owned or shared 49 NHL records by the end of the 1987-88 season. But negotiations for a new contract for Gretzky broke down and Oilers owner Peter Pocklington traded the "Great One" to the Los Angeles Kings. Gretzky held a tearful press conference as he headed off to Los Angeles, and Pocklington had his effigy burned in public for trading Gretzky.

Gretzky returned to Edmonton with the Kings and received a four-minute standing ovation from the 17,503 fans (the largest crowd at the time to see an Oilers' game). The game was nationally televised in Canada, and Gretzky had two assists but did not score a goal in an 8-6 loss to the Oilers.

Patrick Roy vs. the Montreal Canadians
March 5, 1997

In 11 seasons with the Montreal Canadians, goaltender Patrick Roy won two Stanley Cups and three Vezina Trophies (top goalie in the NHL). He allowed the fewest goals against four times. At the start of the 1995-96 season, Roy was 12-8-1 with a 2.59 goals against average (which was better than his average in two of his previous three seasons). But Roy had a strained relationship with head coach Mario Tremblay, who had taken over for the fired Jacques Demers just five games into the season. On December 2, 1995, in a home game against the Detriot Red Wings, Roy allowed 5 goals in the 1st period. The crowd turned on Roy, and when Tremblay finally removed him from the game halfway through the 2nd period, Roy had allowed a career-high 9 goals. Roy--accusing Tremblay of attempting to embarrass him--told team president Ronald Corey that he would not play another game for the Canadians. Four days later he was traded to the Colorado Avalanche, with whom Roy won the Stanley Cup later that season.

Roy's return to Montreal came late in the next season, with the Avalanche cruising toward another playoff appearance while the Canadians were fighting for the 8th and final playoff spot. Roy received a standing ovation as he skated out to the ice, but was alternately cheered and booed throughout the game. But Montreal goalie Jocelyn Thibault, who was part of the trade for Roy, felt the brunt of the Montreal fans' displeasure, as they booed him after each of the six goals he allowed. And in an ironic twist, he was pulled by Tremblay in the 2nd period. Roy finished with 30 saves in the 7-3 Colorado win.

Roger Clemens vs. the Boston Red Sox
July 12, 1997

Long before the steroid accusations and the bat-throwing incident and his days as a Yankee and an Astro, Roger Clemens was the star of the Boston Red Sox. Clemens struck out 20 batters in a game twice (once in 1986 and once in 1996), won three Cy Young Awards, one MVP, and led the Red Sox to the playoffs four times. But by the time 1996 rolled around, many in Boston--including general manager Dan Duquette--felt Clemens was in the "twilight of his career." After a lackluster 10-13 season in 1996 (in which he had that second 20-strikeout game and led the league in strikeouts), Duquette and the Red Sox decided to let Clemens walk via free agency.

Clemens signed with the Toronto Blue Jays and looked like a different pitcher on opening day. He lost weight, put on muscle, and turned his career around. He entered his first showdown with the Red Sox 13-3 with a 1.69 ERA, 4 complete games, and 140 strikeouts in 138 innings pitched. Clemens received a mix of cheers and boos to start the game, and was universally booed when he hit former teammate Mo Vaughn with a pitch in the 1st inning. But after surviving early wildness, Clemens settled in and won the crowd over as the game progressed. He pitched 8 innings, allowing just 4 hits and striking out 16 in the Blue Jays' 3-1 win. After he struck out the side in the 8th inning, Clemens walked off the field to a standing ovation and glared up at GM Dan Duquette's skybox.

Michael Jordan vs. the Chicago Bulls
January 19, 2002

Michael Jordan retired from the NBA in 1998 after winning his sixth title with the Chicago Bulls and was universally hailed as the greatest player in NBA history. In 2000 he became part owner and President of Basketball Operations for the Washington Wizards, and in 2001 he returned to the court as a player for the Wizards.

He came into his first game as a visitor in Chicago averaging 17 points a game, but was just 7 games removed from having scored 51 and 45 points in back-to-back games. The Chicago crowd gave Jordan a three-minute standing ovation, bringing the legend to tears. He had 16 points but had a horrible game, missing 14 shots and turning the ball over a career-high nine times. But the Bulls (8-30 coming into the game) were worse, shooting just 25% from the field and Jordan's Wizards won 77-69.

Brett Favre vs. the Green Bay Packers
November 1, 2009

Brett Favre joins the list on Sunday. The next chapter is about to be written...


NFL Week 8 Picks

BUFFALO (+3½) over Houston
NY JETS (-3½) over Miami
INDIANAPOLIS (-12½) over San Francisco
DETROIT (-4) over St. Louis
Seattle (+9½) over DALLAS
CHICAGO (-13½) over Cleveland
Denver (+3½) over BALTIMORE
PHILADELPHIA (E) over NY Giants
SAN DIEGO (-16½) over Oakland
Jacksonville (+3) over TENNESSEE
ARIZONA (-10) over Carolina
Minnesota (+3) over GREEN BAY
NEW ORLEANS (-10) over Atlanta

Last week: 8-4-1

Season: 57-45-1

Last year I presented the official Sports in a Can list of the Worst-Run Organizations in Sports. It's time to see where the teams stack up one year later.

With the Arizona Cardinals improbably making a run to the Super Bowl last year, I have moved them off the list (they were #5 last year). But their .373 winning percentage since 1999 and a history of repeated failure could land them right back where they've always been next year. And last year I noted that the Tampa Bay Rays made the leap off the list by advancing to the World Series. But their trade of pitcher Scott Kazmir (a noted Red Sox and Yankees killer) when the team was just 4½ games out of the Wild Card almost put them back on the list.

Beyond the Cardinals and Rays, there are plenty of bad organizations out there deserving of our attention. It's time to take a look at the Top 10 list no team president or general manager wants to be a part of: the Worst-Run Organizations in Sports. (Ranking in parentheses is last year's ranking.)

10. (7) The National Hockey League

Last time the general public cared (before this year): 2002
Highest rated Stanley Cup Finals of the last 15 years: 2009, 1997
Organization's biggest failure: Two words: Gary Bettman

The Stanley Cup Finals generated the best ratings for the league since 2002 and the outdoor games played in baseball stadiums on New Year's Day are phenomenal. But let's be honest for a moment. The NHL lucked out with a great match-up in the Finals (Pittsburgh-Detroit) and New Year's Day comes but once a year. And Commissioner Gary Bettman--who, as I detailed last year, presided over the near-demise of the NHL--is still the commissioner. The games are still on Versus and teams play in Nashville, Columbus, and San Jose, but none are in Quebec and Winnipeg. The league stays on this list until Bettman is gone and they start righting the ship.

9. (X) Buffalo Bills

Last playoff appearance: 2000
Record since last playoff appearance: 61-88 (.409)
Organization's biggest failure: Thinking small and blaming much of their woes on being in Buffalo

Welcome to the list, Buffalo! Here's what the Bills have done in just the last year: traded two-time Pro Bowl left tackle Jason Peters and replaced him with Demetrius Bell--who leads the league in penalties committed; signed Terrell Owens (and thought it would be a good thing); and gave a contract extension to Dick Jauron, who is 58-80 as an NFL head coach and has guided just one team to the playoffs. Things are so bad in Buffalo that fans are raising money to rent billboards out of protest. If the Bills miss the playoffs this season, they will have missed the playoffs in every year of this decade (they made the playoffs in the 1999 season, which took place in 2000). 30 different NFL teams made the playoffs during that stretch, and the only other team that didn't--the Houston Texans--did not exist until 2002. It's been a bad stretch for the Bills, and it looks to only be getting worse in the short term.

8. (9) Baltimore Orioles

Last playoff appearance: 1997
Most wins in a season since last playoff appearance: 79 (1998)
Record since last playoff appearance: 855-1087 (.440)
Organization's biggest failure: Wasting one of the best ballparks in baseball (along with countless millions of dollars)

The Orioles just completed their 12th straight season with fewer than 79 wins, and their 3rd consecutive season with fewer than 70. They've replaced Tampa Bay in the AL East cellar and continue to waste one of the best ballparks in the game. It's not for lack of money spent that's the problem in Baltimore--it's who the Orioles have spent money on. The Orioles routinely land in the top 10 in overall payroll, but big name (and money) flops such as Miguel Tejada and Albert Belle have set the organization back for years. This year's squad was a particularly depressing collection of has-beens and never-will-bes, and nothing coming out of Baltimore tells me that next year will be any different.

7. (2) Cincinnati Bengals

Last two playoff appearances: 2006, 1991
Record since 1991: 105-187 (.360) 
Organization's biggest failure: A history of incompetence and a lack of a clear plan for the future.

Before the season started, there was little indication that the Bengals would move out of the top 3 on this list. Their performance on HBO's Hard Knocks threatened to move the Bengals to #1. But a funny thing happened on the way to the Bengals' funeral--they started winning. The defense has gelled and the offense has put together game-winning drives in three straight games. But before I move the Bengals off the board, I need to see them finish the book on this season in style and show that they have a plan for the future. After all, the Bengals made the playoffs as recently as the 2005 season--and then followed that up by going 19-28-1 over the next 3 years.

6. (4) Kansas City Royals

Last playoff appearance: 1985
Most wins in a season since last playoff appearance: 92 (1989)
Record since last playoff appearance: 1732-2085 (.454)
Organization's biggest failure: Bad free agent decisions

49 games. That's how many the Royals won this year in games not started by phenom Zack Greinke. You almost have to try to be this bad, don't you? But the Royals do have the afore-mentioned Greinke, along with 3 other starting pitchers under the age of 30 and 7 position players who are starters and not yet 30. It's possible that the Royals could turn this thing around. Possible. But in the meantime they suffered through a 65-win season--which was actually worse than their 68-win average from the previous 13 seasons. The Tampa Bay Rays proved last year that even small market teams can compete against the Yankees and the Red Sox--if they manage their organization correctly. The worst part of recent history for the Royals is that they actually have been players in the free agent market, but every signing turns into a disaster. If they don't turn things around--and fast--Zack Greinke will be calling another locale home in a few seasons.

5. (6) New York Knicks

Last two playoff appearances: 2004, 2001
Most wins in a season since 2001: 39 (2004)
Record since 2001: 250-406 (.381)
Organization's biggest failure: Waiting...and waiting...and waiting...for LeBron James

The headline in the New York Daily News last Saturday read, "New York Knicks show midseason form in preseason loss to Boston Celtics." That just about sums things up, doesn't it? While division rival Boston made moves to put the team back in contention, the Knicks have sat back and waited for LeBron James to come save the franchise. Of course, that's probably not going to happen. If you were James, would you want to play for the Knicks? (See stats above.) Meanwhile the Nets are trying to make a move to Brooklyn which would invigorate the franchise and give the team a base in New York. And it might even be more attractive to James. If they lose out on LeBron with no discernable plan in place, it could be many more years of 23- to 39-win seasons in the Knicks' future.

4. (8) Pittsburgh Pirates

Last playoff appearance: 1992
Most wins in a season since last playoff appearance: 79 (1997)
Record since last playoff appearance: 1166-1518 (.434)
Organization's biggest failure: Stingy ownership

The Pirates move up 4 spots because I decided I had them too low last year. How many more trade deadline moves in which the Pirates give away their best players only to receive low-level prospects in return need to occur before someone steps in and puts the poor Pittsburgh fans out of their misery? I detailed last year how well teams that built new stadiums have done since 1992. But not the Pirates. If baseball ever contracted, the Pirates would be the first team to go. Which is sad, considering the tradition of baseball in Pittsburgh and the fact that their other two teams--the Steelers and Penguins--are defending champions in their leagues. The organization is stingy and could be bad for a long, long time.

3. (3) Los Angeles Clippers

Last two playoff appearances: 2006, 1997
Most ever wins in a season: 49 (1975)
Record since moving to Los Angeles (1985): 701-1317 (.347)
Organization's biggest failure: They are the anti-Lakers

The Los Angeles Clippers are one of the worst bad franchises of all time. Their best-ever season occurred 39 years ago. Thirty-nine! They are based in Los Angeles, so there are no small market considerations. You'd think by osmosis alone they would learn how to be a better franchise from their cross-town rival, the Lakers, who have now won 10 championships since moving to Los Angeles. The Clippers, meanwhile, have been to the playoffs just twice in 23 years in LA. Draft pick after draft pick is a bust for the Clippers (Michael Olowokandi anyone? How about Yaroslav Korolev?). After last year's abysmal 19-63 season, they selected Blake Grffin in the draft. Will Blake be the start of a new era for the Clippers or will it be the same old story in LA? And I haven't even touched on the fact that their coach, Mike Dunleavy, is 194-298 (.394) with the team. And he spent part of his summer having a verbal battle with the Clippers' most famous fan--ESPN's Bill Simmons, who had drafted an Open Letter to Blake Griffin about how bad the Clippers' franchise is.

2. (1) Detroit Lions

Last playoff appearance: 2000
Record since last playoff appearance: 41-108 (.275)
Organization's biggest failure: The worst general manager in sports history ruled the roost until Week 4 of last season

What a minute, an 0-16 record last season and a 1-14 record since I named them the worst-run organization in sports last year and the Lions moved out of the #1 spot? It will all be clear in a moment when I unveil the new #1. But first, the Lions. Matt Millen was finally fired last year after going 31-84 in 8 years as general manager. Since then they've still only won one game. They drafted well and possibly hired well, but their future is still unclear. Until the team can put a better product on the field and win consistently, they are locked in to the top (or near the top) of this list.

1. (10) Oakland Raiders

Last playoff appearance: 2003
Record since last playoff appearance: 25-76 (.248)
Organization's biggest failure: Insane owner

The Oakland Raiders have a head coach that beat up an assistant so badly that the assistant thought he was actually going to die, and there might be charges brought against the head coach. They made a trade before the first week of the season (a 1st round draft pick in 2011 for Richard Seymour) that can only be described as moronic. With the #7 overall pick in last year's draft, the Raiders selected Darrius Heyward-Bey even though all experts would have taken Michael Crabtree, and in the 2nd round, they traded up 7 spots to select Mike Mitchell, who was not even on the board of several draft analysts. They are starting a quarterback whose quarterback rating is 35th in the NFL (and yes, there are still only 32 teams), and they steadfastly refuse to try something different. And all of this has occurred since I had them ranked 10th on this list last year. Year after year of mistakes, a 4-11 record since last year's rankings, and no discernable hope for the future is enough to move the Raiders up 9 spots to #1 on the list of the worst-run organizations in sports.

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Week 6 NFL Picks

CINCINNATI (-5) over Houston
GREEN BAY (-13½) over Detroit
JACKSONVILLE (-9½) over St. Louis
Baltimore (+3) over MINNESOTA
NEW ORLEANS (-3) over NY Giants
Cleveland (+14) over PITTSBURGH
Carolina (-3) over TAMPA BAY
Kansas City (+6½) over WASHINGTON
Philadelphia (-14½) over OAKLAND
SEATTLE (-3) over Arizona
NEW ENGLAND (-9) over Tennessee
NY JETS (-9½) over Buffalo
Chicago (+3½) over ATLANTA
SAN DIEGO (-3½) over Denver

Last week: 7-7

Season: 42-34

32 games in 36 hours. David vs. Goliath. Upsets. Buzzer beaters. The joy of victory. The agony of defeat. March Madness, days 1 and 2. The best two days in sports. And they're finally here.

Last year we didn't see a ton of upsets and watched as all four #1 seeds make the Final Four for the first time. What can we expect this year? Here are one man's thoughts:

Games that can't be missed (today)

LSU-Butler, 12:20pm. Butler's been in the top 25 all season, but their only games against top-ranked opponents were road games against Ohio State (a loss) and Xavier (a win). Today we'll get to see Butler on the big stage and find out just how good they are.

Purdue-Northern Iowa, 2:30pm. The Panthers of Northern Iowa have the size to hang with Purdue. I watched the Missouri Valley final between them and Illinois State and the Panthers looked impressive. If they play the way they are capable of and Purdue plays the way they played in the Big Ten Tournament, this one could be a classic.

UCLA-Virginia Commonwealth and Illinois-Western Kentucky, 9:50pm. Two reasons to stay up late on a school night. Western Kentucky went to the Sweet 16 last year and everyone's on the Virginia Commonwealth bandwagon. Both of these games are potential upset material.

Games that can't be missed (Friday)
Utah-Arizona, 7:10pm. The most anticipated first round game of the year. Arizona is the team that doesn't belong. Everyone wanted to see Saint Mary's in the field instead. And yet...they are favored to beat 5th-seeded Utah in this game. If both teams play the "we're being disrespected" card, this one is appointment television.

BC-USC, 7:20pm: Boston College beat Duke and North Carolina this season. They also lost to Harvard. USC went just 9-9 in the PAC-10. But they also lost at Oklahoma by just one point back in December, and won three straight to capture the PAC-10 Tournament. This one is one to watch for two reasons: we have no idea which Jekyll and Hyde team will show up but if both teams play like they can play, this one will be a good one.

Wake Forest-Cleveland State, 9:40pm. Wake Forest has Final Four potential, but they are very young (two juniors, two sophomores, and a freshman start). Cleveland State went to nationally-ranked Butler for the Horizon Tournament final and won on the Bulldogs' home floor. Plus they won at Syracuse back in December.

Game that many people will miss
Washington-Mississippi State, Thursday, 4:55pm. It's the annual Thursday game that isn't shown on the East Coast! I will never figure out why CBS schedules this lone game at this time period every year. Especially when they only do it on Thursday-there's no game during this window on Friday.

Player that could be this year's Stephan Curry
VCU's Eric Maynor. Maynor scored 30 or more points 6 times this season and had two games with 10 or more assists. Two years ago, Maynor led the Rams to a first-round upset of Duke. If there's one player that could put a team on his back and carry them into the Sweet 16, it's Maynor.

The "we don't deserve to be here" team that could go on a run
Last year it was Villanova, who squeaked in with a 12 seed and made the Sweet 16. This year it could be Arizona-the team that everyone wanted to see replaced with Saint Mary's. And yet Vegas has them favored in their first round game against Utah.

Best announcing news of the tournament
Billy Packer, who ruined more than one NCAA Tournament game for me in the last few years, no longer works for CBS. Clark Kellogg might not be the greatest color man in the history of televised sports, but at least he won't make you want to throw your remote control at the TV.

Best use of the Internet
CBS' live, streaming video of all of the games. Stuck at work? Don't want to cough up the 70 bucks for DirecTV's tournament package? The Internet has you covered.

Things that wouldn't surprise me
Arizona making the Sweet 16...two 13 seeds winning their first games (Cleveland State and Mississippi State...all of the 9 seeds, 10 seeds, and 12 seeds winning their first games...Boston College (who beat Duke and North Carolina this year) making a run to the Elite Eight...Boston College (who lost to Harvard) losing their first game...four Big East teams making the Final Four...Villanova making the Final Four instead of Pittsburgh...

Things that would shock me
Any of the #1 seeds losing before the Sweet 16...all of the #1 seeds making the Final Four (it can't happen two years in a row, right?)...

Best ball control in the field
Utah State's Jared Quayle has a 2-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio, while Tyler Newbold's ratio is an incredible 4.1-to-1. Plus as a team Utah State hits a whopping 40.2% of their 3-pointers. Marquette better watch out if Utah State keeps it close. And then Missouri better watch out.

Defensive battle (or ugliest game, depending on your point of view) of the first two days
Florida State-Wisconsin, Friday, 9:55pm. The Seminoles led the ACC in scoring defense (65.0) and field goal percentage defense (.386). Wisconsin ranked second in the Big Ten in scoring defense, allowing 59 points per game. First one to 60 wins?

Best name in the tournament
Radford center Artsiom Parakhouski. A 6-11 junior from Belarus, he gets to go toe-to-toe with all-world UNC center Tyler Hansbrough. Of course, the player with the best name in college basketball is already out of the tournament: Chief Kickingstallionsims, whose Alabama State Hornets lost in the opening round game on Tuesday. (Of course, if we had my Bubble Busters system in place, this injustice could be rectified.)

Day 1's best "Pod"
Portland, Oregon. If you're holding a ticket to the four games in Portland, you've got three potential upsets on tap. Northern Iowa could give Purdue a run for their money, Mississippi State-who just won the SEC tournament-could surprise Washington, and Western Kentucky-who made the Sweet 16 last year and beat Louisville this year-takes on Illinois. Throw in the chance to see Gonzaga with what could be a home crowd, and Portland's the place to be today.

Day 1's worst "Pod"
Greensboro, North Carolina. The day starts off with a good one-Butler and LSU. The third game could be OK, with Texas taking on Minnesota. And the thought of seeing both Duke and North Carolina in the same building on the same day sounds good. But here's what this situation reminds me of: In college, our intramural hoops team showed up and watched another team drop 100 points. Our goal when our game started was to one-up them crack the century mark ourselves (we missed by 1 point). That's what could happen today. After North Carolina wins by about 50 in the afternoon, Duke might try and top it. Both games are going to be over by halftime. Besides, half the stadium will be Duke fans and the other half will be UNC fans. It's going to make for a very strange atmosphere.

Day 2's best "Pod"
Miami, Florida. You've got Syracuse, who could win by 40 or play a nail-biter, to start the day. Then Arizona State vs. Temple features two of the nation's best shooting guards: State's James Harden and Temple's Dionte Christmas. Harden and Christmas have averaged a combined 40 points per game this season. Game 3 on the docket is the game of the first round: Utah-Arizona. Finally, the potentially exciting game between Wake Forest and Cleveland State.

Of all the stories, which school's is the best?
Hands down, it's North Dakota State. In their first year of Division I eligibility, the Bisons won the Summit Conference's automatic bid. With four seniors who spent the previous three years playing Division II basketball, now North Dakota State plays in the biggest college tournament of them all against Kansas, the defending national champs.

Which school is on the 5-year plan?
UCONN. They won it all five years ago. And five years before that. Both times they had been shipped out West and ended up in Arizona. If history repeats itself, UCONN (who head to Arizona if they win their first two games) could win it all again this year.

Games I'd like to see in the 2nd round
Louisville vs. Siena: The Saints grabbed a 9 seed out of the MAAC after a season in which they hung with Pittsburgh and Tennessee on the road before falling to both. If they get by Ohio State, I'd love to see them go toe-to-toe with Louisville on a neutral floor.

Northern Iowa vs. Mississippi State or Arizona vs. Cleveland State: We've had our share of 12 seed vs. 13 seed battles the last few years, and either one of these would be fun to watch.

Kansas vs. West Virginia: Both of these teams are talented enough to make a run. If the chalk holds, this is the best of the potential 2nd round games.

Sweet 16 games I'd like to see
Connecticut vs. Mississippi State: UCONN's Hasheem Thabeet got all of the press this season, and rightfully so. He averaged 4.6 blocks per game and had 142 for the season. But Mississippi State's Jarvis Varnado actually had more blocks (165, 4.7 per game). It would be a treat to see these two go head-to-head.

North Carolina-Gonzaga: The Zags-once the darlings of the tournament as the little engine that could-have not made it out of the first round the last two years as a high seed. They have a 4 seed this year and also get to play close to home in Portland. If they win their first two games they'll face off with powerhouse North Carolina in a classic showdown.

Who do I like for the Final Four?
After scouring the 73 brackets I filled out, the Final Four I like the best is UCONN, Louisville, Duke, and Syracuse, with UCONN beating Syracuse in 7 OTs in the final. Let the madness begin...

From the Back of the Freezer

Without further ado, here are the fifth annual "Bubble Buster" games (as drawn by the Can's trusty illustrator, Rob). Round 1 of the tournament would go this way in my world:

The Northeast is digging out from another foot of snow. The Christmas wreaths still hang in the windows and the outdoor decorations are still plugged in. And until today it's been colder than the reception Yankees fans will give Joe Torre on his next visit to New York. But I've definitely got a bad case of Spring Fever.

This happens every winter, without fail. The NFL consumes this sports fan's life for a solid five months, with only the baseball playoffs and BCS-bashing sprinkled in. Then-as soon as the Super Bowl ends-it's over. My sports life stops on a dime. I spend a few weeks in a deep, dark, wintry depression. I'm left wondering what to do with my Sundays and how to fill the countless hours I usually spend watching NFL recap and pregame shows or reading about all things NFL.

As the weeks go by, I slowly start to crawl out of my sports hibernation. An NBA game here. A college basketball game there. An NHL game-- umm, just kidding. But as the calendar flips to March, I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. Come April baseball will be in full swing and the NBA playoffs will be upon us. But what truly gives me Spring Fever is one thing: March Madness.

It doesn't just begin with Selection Sunday and the announcement of the brackets. It starts right about now, as conference play winds down and the smaller conference tournaments begin. By the time Selection Sunday arrives, hundreds of meaningful games will be in the books over the span of just two weeks. Tickets to the NCAA Tournament will have already been punched via conference tournament championship games.

And that's where I find myself this weekend. Catching up on the season that is almost over in college hoops. And preparing for the madness ahead.

It's been quite a season in college basketball. Five different teams-North Carolina, Duke, Wake Forest, Pittsburgh, and UCONN-spent time ranked as the number 1 team in the nation. On four occasions, one of those teams took over the top spot in the rankings only to lose the following week. Meanwhile, Oklahoma, Memphis, and Louisville have hovered around the top spot all season.

Last season, the nation's top four teams were easy to select. Kansas, Memphis, North Carolina, and UCLA were all awarded the four #1 seeds in the tournament after spending the final four weeks ranked 1-4. Each team then rolled right through to the Final Four. This marked the first time in the 30-year history of the seeded tournament that all four #1 seeds reached the Final Four. It also meant that these four teams spent the final seven weeks of the season ranked 1-4.

It's not as clear-cut this season. Right now, the top four ranked teams in the nation are UCONN, North Carolina, Pittsburgh, and Oklahoma. But Oklahoma lost already this week and will definitely drop out of the top 4. (Also, UCONN plays Pittsburgh tomorrow, and if the Huskies win, Pitt might drop out of the top 4 as well.)

And beyond the top 4 are a number of teams-Memphis, Louisville, and Duke just to name a few-who can go toe-to-toe with the top 4. We've seen UCONN and North Carolina each lose home games to teams that might not make the NCAA Tournament. We've got teams such as Memphis and Kansas-who played in the National Championship Game last year-who don't have the resumes of the top teams. But if last season is any indication, they could go deep into the tournament.

And then there are the little guys. Last year Davidson was the little engine that could, marching to the Final Four as a 10-seed. There are a host of Davidsons out there right now. On the bubble, playing through their conference tournaments, and hoping for a chance to go to the Dance.

Last night, Penn State-a school last in the NCAA Tournament in 2001-won a nail-biter in the closing seconds over 23rd-ranked Illinois. The home crowd rushed the floor as if they'd just won the national championship. That unbridled enthusiasm is not found at the pro level. And it was just one important game out of many to be played this March.

This game ended just before ESPN's Sportscenter began, but instead of leading with this game, the top stories of the day were Manny Ramirez's new contract in LA and Terrell Owens' dismissal from the Cowboys. Between those stories and all of the steroids and Joe Torre book talk, college basketball is the saving grace in the month of March.

Now I'm not saying college basketball is without fault-there are issues aplenty surrounding various programs' recruiting violations and whether or not the players receive (or achieve) the education that they should. And the annual gnashing of teeth over the teams that are left out of the tournament will surely ensue once again. But for four weeks every March, college basketball shakes us out of our winter doldrums with a flurry of games that leave us on the edges of our seats, and a tournament settled where it should be settled: on the court.

It's supposed to be close to 60 degrees in the Northeast tomorrow, but I won't be outside. UCONN and Pittsburgh duel for the top spot in the Big East-a conference likely to get seven NCAA Tournament bids and possibly three #1 seeds. Meanwhile, VMI and Radford-who square off in the Big South final-play for the first official spot in the field of 65. And there are about 80 other games on that will either impact someone's chances of making the NCAA Tournament or their seed.

I've got Spring Fever all right. And it can only lead to March Madness.