Smart Guys can win basketball games too, Harvard shocks New Mexico

Ask someone what is the first thing that comes to mind when Harvard is mentioned. Their answer? Probably something along the lines of extremely complicated and in-depth math and science problems that can take hours to figure out. Either way, athletics and Harvard are two things that are not often associated with each other. The Ivy League does seem to produce one or two great teams every year, but with the exception of 2010 Cornell and a few other versions, the Ivy League champion often times bows out in the first round as expected. On Thursday night, Harvard proved once again that smart kids can play basketball too. They controlled the game from the outset and seemingly had an answer for every New Mexico run, upsetting the trendy Final Four pick and 3rd seeded Lobos, 68-62. The nation's oldest university won its first ever NCAA Tournament game, nearly 400 years after the school itself had been established. Revenge of the nerds, indeed. -Joe

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2013/basketball/ncaa/wires/03/22/2060.ap.bkc.paul.newberry.032213.1st.ld.writethru.1230/

Derek Jeter to be Sidelined

Still recovering from his ankle surgery, the pinstriped idol Yankees Universe fans have grown to love will not be in the line-up for opening day. While baseball lovers may view this as an ordinary injury, I believe the story line is a little bit deeper. As a Yankee since 1995, the 38 year old Jeter may be limited to the number of opening day appearances he will make in major league baseball. An injury of this extent so late in a players career provides grounds for what could be the end of the Jeter legacy in New York. There is no denying that Jeter will give every ounce of effort but in a game that has incorporated speed and youth now more than ever,  age may finally be a factor. There have been countless incidents with well-known players sustaining injury and simply not being able to return as the same player despite proper medical treatment and training. While I would love to see my childhood star continue to produce quality numbers and be a valuable asset, the stardom that has existed between second and third base over the last 17 years may be on the decline.

Erika Schmid

http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/03/24/derek-jeter-is-expected-to-be-sidelined-until-april-6/related/

Nuggets Set Franchise Record, Still Under the Radar

Thanks to the extreme coverage by ESPN and other news outlets on the very impressive Miami Heat winning streak, which is now at 27, another big NBA winning streak fell to the wayside these last couple of weeks. On March 23, the Denver Nuggets defeated the Sacramento Kings by a score of 101-95. The win was the 15th in a row for Denver, a new franchise record. Like their streak counterpart, the Nuggets have won their games playing the way they have always played, pushing the tempo up and down the floor, scoring in the paint, and playing defense. Over the streak, the Nuggets have actually been playing better defense than the Heat, allowing only 98.7 points per 100 possessions, compared to the Heat's 100.1. Unfortunately while the Heat still strive to reach that monumental 33 in a row that the Lakers once posted, the Nuggets' franchise run came to an end when they lost to the New Orleans Hornets, 110-86. The Nuggets are going to be a big threat though once the playoffs come around and this streak showed they have what it takes to beat anyone. The Heat should be keeping a close eye on them as we get closer to June.

http://www.cbssports.com/nba/gametracker/recap/NBA_20130323_SAC@DEN/nuggets-101-kings-95

By Joe Palagonia

Florida Gulf Coast!

I’m going to go ahead and admit that I had actually heard of Florida Gulf Coast University before this Cinderella story regarding their men’s basketball program. Amongst the jokes of  “They’re like the University of Phoenix, all their classes are online!”, or my personal favorite, that Dwight Howard left the Lakers and enrolled at FGCU for a chance to win a real title, I knew that it was a legitimate NCAA institution. As a result of this run, exposure for the University has blown up tremendously, with their websites receiving record number views. Recently on twitter, a parody account for their men’s basketball program tweeted about an upcoming match up with the Florida Gators, making a clever pun out of the Gator mascot name. A month ago, nobody would have cared. But thanks to the madness that is March, suddenly they are the headlines of newspapers across the globe. Success really can blow up in your face.  

By Mike Brosseau

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/ncaab-the-dagger/florida-gulf-coast-discovering-headaches-come-spotlight-130025887--ncaab.html

Griner Dunks to Leave Mark

There is no denying that men in the sport industry dominate as athletes, broadcasters, and coaches. While the female presence in the industry has drastically grown, women still remain under represented across all lines. After emerging into the NCAA, I think Brittany Griner is well on her way to changing certain stereotypes and beliefs about female athletes. Women are at a disadvantage to perform at extreme levels due to the innate traits we are not born with; however, we are still highly talented athletes that can make our mark in sport history. The 6 foot 8 inch athletically gifted monster made a statement as she moved into second place on the women’s NCAA scoring list, accomplished her 14^th dunk, and gained the Big 12 record for points scored against Kansas State. While Griner has not reached the high-flying ability of Terrence Ross yet, fans can look forward to her continued development and potential to show the world the first windmill dunk accomplished by a female.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/ncaaw/big12/2013/03/04/brittney-griner-dunk-baylor-bears-kansas-state-wildcats-big-12/1963799/

By: Erika Schmid

Jay Cutler Asks for a Lot on His Wedding Registry

Chicago Bears starting quarterback, Jay Cutler, recently got engaged to his girlfriend, and mother of his child, Kristin Cavallari. Though this is a normal occurrence with most athletes eventually tying the knot at some point, there is a something not so normal about their wedding registry. The couple is pretty well-off, with him being a popular and talented athlete, and her a somewhat celebrity figure, but the two chose to make a registry that totaled to $14,500. This includes a pan that costs $250, and a lot of pastry dishes and cereal bowls, more than any family of three could possibly need. The wedding is scheduled for July 13.

http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/jay-cutler-kristin-cavallari-wedding-registry-totals-14500-dollars-includes-fish-tweezers-030713

By Joe Palagonia

MJ Decides to Tie the Knot

Despite the fact that he is 50 years old and has been out of the NBA for roughly a decade, Michael Jordan remains one of the most high-profile names in sports. Last week, the former Bulls great and current cradle robber applied for a marriage license in Florida, a week following a paternity suit that had been filed in Atlanta. The bride-to-be is believed to be Jordan’s fiancée, Yvette Prieto. I guess we can't blame Jordan for this one, Prieto is a Cuban-American model. This will be the second marriage for “His Airness”.

http://aol.sportingnews.com/nba/story/2013-03-07/michael-jordan-wedding-paternity-suit-yvette-prieto

By Joe Fitzhenry

Hamlin Fined $25K

Raise your hand if you’ve ever been fined $25,000. Denny Hamlin should be raising his hand, because NASCAR is fining him that exact amount for his comments about the Generation 6 cars. To paraphrase, he simply said that the Generation 6 cars did not pass as well as the Generation 5 cars, and got a hefty fine for speaking his voice about an inanimate object. Does that make sense? Hamlin did not sit there and say derogatory things about NASCAR, he simply said that Generation 6 did not do something as well as Generation 5. If that’s fineable for $25,000, then send me one because I think that the NBA and David Stern hands out better fines, and I did not think that was something I’d ever say. Just fix the car, and everything will be alright.

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/lesson-ridiculous-denny-hamlin-fine-nascar-cant-handle-191700357--nascar.html

By Mike Brosseau