Enter the Warzone, picking up the pieces of a shattered bracket.
-No surprise whatsoever over the outpouring of grief and community support following Dan Brown's premature passing.
In the Fresno State football family, Brown was everyone's favorite uncle. The guy you go to for encouragement and banter who could also tear your head off when necessary.
Brown's ability to communicate was universal. In the summer of 2002, he traveled to Kobe, Japan, for the New Era Bowl. Even though he didn't speak a word of the language, Brown was a hit with the players and coaches at Ritsumezkan University, which implemented his defensive system and proceeded to go 9-0 and win the national title.
"Our championship depended on Dan Brown," Ritsumezkan coach Yuichiro Furuhashi said when he visited Fresno the following spring.
-Maybe we're just getting old and crotchety, but the NCAA Tournament doesn't get our pulse racing like it used to.
Biggest complaint: The overall lack of star power, guys you know you'll be hearing from in the NBA.
-Until North Carolina (Tyler Hansbrough) faces Oklahoma (Blake Griffin) in the South Regional final, Monday's NIT game between Davidson (Stephen Curry) and Saint Mary's (Patrick Mills) will be the best mano a mano matchup of the postseason.
And that's crazy.
-Fresno State has no reason to hang its head following another first-round exit from the Women's NCAA Tournament.
And it's getting harder and harder to argue against Adrian Wiggins as the best basketball coach on campus.
-Hard not to notice that All-America weight thrower Sharon Ayala made huge gains under the tutelage of first-year throws coach Lisa Misipeka, who was hired last summer to replace Ramona Pagel.
The same Ramona Pagel who is suing Fresno State for gender discrimination.
-Just figured out why Fresno State gets its panties in a bunch when national media outlets like ESPN use the acronym FSU.
Besides being confused with Florida State, it could stand for Females Sue Us.
-Another week, another public-relations blunder for Alex Rodriguez. With Sports Illustrated's steroids story about to break, our hero allows himself to be photographed for Details magazine while gazing at his reflection in a mirror.
If only A-Rod loved hitting in the postseason as much as he loves himself.
-For no particular reason: Fennis Dembo.
-Thrilled to report last weekend's 30th annual Brian Sturgeon St. Patrick's Day Run drew a record 901 participants and raised another $30,000 for United Cerebral Palsy.
And, yes, Brian started at the front and walked the entire course. Yet again.
-Confession time: It's not easy being a smart aleck while also having to say goodbye to so many good friends and colleagues around the newsroom.
But until someone hogties us and washes our mouth out with soap, we pledge to be ever vigilant in our endeavor.
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