Just a quick round up of what's happened so far during the opening day of NFL Free Agency:

The number one news story thus far has been Washington signing highly coveted DT Albert Haynesworth to a mind boggling deal. 7 years and $100 million is a huge contract for a defensive tackle, but nothing new for Washington. Every year they overspend for the big names and nothing much comes of it. Daniel Snyder clearly hasn't learned his lesson yet. The Redskins also signed DeAngelo Hall to a 6 year, $54 million deal.

Elsewhere notable signings and trade include:

- New England Patriots signed RB Fred Taylor (Jacksonville) and TE Chris Baker (NY Jets)
- NY Jets signed LB Bart Scott (Baltimore)
- Minnesota acquired QB Sage Rosenfels from Houston via trade
- Tampa Bay acquired TE Kellen Winslow, Jr. from Cleveland via trade

Plenty of scheduled visits are on tap league wide throughout the weekend and there will surely be plenty of signings as well. Be sure to check back for further updates on the moves that will shape next season in the NFL.

5:30 PM Update:

- Kansas City Chiefs acquire LB Mike Vrabel from New England via trade
- Pittsburgh Steelers re-signed G Chris Kemoeatu
- Detroit Lions sign RB Maurice Morris (Seattle)
- New Orleans Saints re-signed LB Jonathan Vilma

2/28 - 8:30 AM Update:

- Tennessee Titans re-signed QB Kerry Collins
- Denver Broncos signed WR Jabar Gaffney (New England), S Renaldo Hill (Miami), LS Lonnie Paxton (New England), RB Correll Buckhalter (Philadelphia), RB J.J. Arrington (Arizona)
- NY Jets acquire CB Lito Sheppard from Philadelphia via trade
- Washington Reskinds sign G Derrick Dockery (Buffalo)
- Buffalo Bills signed QB Ryan Fitzpatrick (Cincinnati)
- San Francisco 49ers re-signed LB Takeo Spikes

2:30 PM Update:
- Kansas City has acquired QB Matt Cassel from the New England Patriots in part with the Mike Vrabel trade that was announced yesterday.

You’ll have to excuse me because my details are a little fuzzy. As my alarm clock went off this morning and the television was still going from the prior night, I couldn’t help but notice that the anchors on SportsCenter were discussing how the University of Texas was retiring Kevin Durant’s jersey.

Um…What?

Are we serious? They are honestly retiring Durant’s jersey? This has to be some kind of joke. I decide to go online and check it out. Nope, this is a legit news story.

I should let it be known now that I have nothing against Kevin Durant, except for the fact that he plays for Oklahoma, but that is entirely not his fault. I just don’t understand how someone can honestly say that they are retiring his number already. He played ONE season at UT and then moved on to the NBA. I understand that he was amazing that one season and is probably one of the better UT basketball players ever, but still, this is a bit much.

When Durant went to UT everybody knew that it was a one and done season. On top of all that, they didn’t even win the championship. I could see if he brought them a National Championship they might want to honor him. And after all that, I think about how it hasn’t even been a full two years since he left UT.

I’ve never really thought anything bad about UT basketball, but I do now. If this jersey retirement proved anything to me, it’s that UT basketball is a joke. I can’t picture a real NCAA basketball school pulling a stunt like this. Way to go Texas.

The Rangers re-acquisition of Sean Avery is now very much in question. Earlier this season when he was jettisoned from Dallas, many hockey fans and experts predicted that he would go back to the Rangers.

Well he has since cleared waivers and is currently playing in the AHL for the Rangers affiliate, the Hartford Wolfpack. He is still property of the Dallas Stars but just about everyone is expecting the Rangers to bring him back into the fold. Even captain Chris Drury, who isn’t the biggest fan of Avery, is willing to welcome him back on the team which should tell you how desperate the Rangers are.

Well now that they have fired their coach Tom Renney and brought in former Lightning coach John Tortorella, the acquisition of Sean Avery is in doubt. Why? Well this is what Tortorella said right around the time of the Avery suspension from the NHL when he was working for TSN.

He's embarrassed himself, he's embarrassed the organization, he's embarrassed the league and he's embarrassed his teammates, who have to look out for him. Send him home. He doesn't belong in the league." (National Post)

Obviously I have no inside information on this story and Avery could be acquired today which would make my statements false, but I can’t see a guy who makes comments like this about a player then welcoming him on to his team.

With only a little over 20 games to play and 9 days away from the trading deadline, it's time for another set of rankings for the NHL Top 15.

As always, it was an exciting week of hockey. The Sharks returned home and returned to their winning ways. Unless they go on another extended losing streak, they are the front runners for the President's Trophy over Boston or Detroit. I don't know how they will do in the playoffs facing off against Detroit, but that will be an entertaining series for sure (assuming they play each other). The Hurricanes are coming along and challenging for a playoff spot while Pittsburgh continues to toil around in the 10^th spot. Lucky for them some injuries are happening to other teams that could improve their chances. And the Canadiens… well I don't know what to say about them. They were already free falling and now are facing allegations of being involved with organized crime. They seemed to rally around that on Saturday but we'll see if that keeps up or if this is just too much to handle.

1. San Jose Sharks (4) – Like I said above, the Sharks went back West and got back on a roll. The President's Trophy is theirs to lose when you consider the amount of games in hand that they have on the others in the race. Upcoming games: Dallas, Detroit, Ottawa and Montreal.

2. Boston Bruins (1) – I'd like to thank the Bruins for screwing up my streak for the cash on ESPN. Anyways, when they screwed that up they also got shut out by Florida in a huge game for both teams. If Florida were to squeak into the playoffs and face Boston in the first round, they would have to like their chances. Upcoming games: Florida, Anaheim and Washington.

3. Detroit Red Wings (3) – With a week until the trade deadline, we'll see if the Wings make a move to shore up their goaltending. Since last week's rankings, they have given Chris Osgood a little rest to see if he can re-gain some momentum heading into the stretch run. I haven't seen a ton of Red Wings games this year, but I would think Ty Conklin is a solid choice in net. Upcoming games: San Jose, Los Angeles and Nashville.

4. Washington Capitals (5) – The Caps got a fairly easy win in Hype Fest yesterday when they beat Sidney Crybaby and the Pens 5-2. As if there was any doubt to my article a few weeks about whether or not Ovechkin should be the face of the NHL, someone should watch his goal against Montreal from last week. Upcoming games: Philadelphia, Atlanta, Boston and Florida.

5. New Jersey Devils (2) – The Devils have dropped a little in the rankings, but it could only be temporary. Martin Brodeur is expected back this week and it will be interesting to see how that plays out. The Devils have been extremely hot this season without him and it could either screw up the team chemistry or make them that much better. Upcoming games: Colorado, Florida and Philadelphia.

6. Chicago Blackhawks (6) – Chicago and Calgary continue to do battle in the Western Conference standings and in the rankings. Just like the past few weeks, the teams stay put for this week. Neither has done anything amazing, just been solid and consistent. Upcoming

games: Nashville, Pittsburgh and Los Angeles.

7. Calgary Flames (7) – Speaking of amazing highlights, did anyone else see the stick save by Miika Kiprusoff last week? This guy is a great goalie and I don't think he always gets the credit he deserves. He could be a deciding factor in the playoffs, assuming he isn't worn out from playing so many games. Upcoming games: Columbus, Minnesota and Tampa Bay.

8. Philadelphia Flyers (8) – The Flyers are holding on to the 4^th spot in the East, but it's far from over. They got a big win over Buffalo on Thursday, despite the goaltending of Martin Biron. They should be getting Danny Briere back soon which should bolster the team a little more. Upcoming games: Washington, Los Angeles, Montreal and New Jersey.

9. Florida Panthers (9) – The Panthers got a very big win against Boston on Saturday night. Since we're hitting the final days before the trade deadline, expect a TON of trade rumors involving Jay Bouwmeester, none of which should be taken seriously (if you're getting them from hockey's "best" rumor site). Upcoming games: Boston, NY Rangers, New Jersey and Washington.

10. Vancouver Canucks (NR) – The Canucks vault into the rankings going from unranked to the 10^th spot. They have been on a tear as of late and led by goalie Roberto Luongo. I look at them in a similar way to Calgary, where they are a good team but the goaltending could really push them further than expected. Upcoming games: Montreal, Tampa Bay and Columbus.

11. Buffalo Sabres (10) – Buffalo suffered a big loss against Philly and an even bigger loss Saturday night when Scott Gomez took out Ryan Miller on a very questionable play. I'm sure he'll be getting thank you cards from the other Eastern Conference teams this week. The Sabres will now have to depend on Patrick Lalime if they plan on making the playoffs. Upcoming games: Anaheim, Carolina and NY Islanders.

12. Carolina Hurricanes (15) – Carolina continues to push for that playoff spot in the East. The injury to Ryan Miller mentioned above should increase their chances. They will have a chance to face Buffalo this week which will either put them ahead or push them further behind. Look for Buffalo to bring it in that game after the embarrassment they had on home ice a week ago. Upcoming games: Ottawa, Buffalo and Atlanta.

13. Dallas Stars (13) – The Stars stay put in the West, but only by a strand. They have been one of the hotter teams since the All-Star Break but suffered an injury to Brad Richards which will hurt the team. Look for them to make at least one deal at the deadline to alleviate the loss of Richards. Upcoming games: San Jose, St Louis, Anaheim and Pittsburgh.

14. Montreal Canadiens (12) – Montreal rebounded on Saturday against Ottawa but it will take

more than one game to bring them back into the picture. They sent star Alex Kovalev home early last week and he responded well on Saturday, but now Montreal is facing the allegations of being involved in organized crime. The NHL sent officials to Montreal to investigate so we'll see how this affects the team. Upcoming games: Vancouver, Philadelphia and San Jose.

15. New York Rangers (15) – The Rangers should be embarrassed. They put together a star studded line-up and they play like a minor league team most of the time. The Sabres beat them again on Saturday to move to 3-0 this season against the Rangers. I could go on and on about what happened last Saturday night, but I'll choose my words wisely. I'd say it would be interesting to see those two teams play again this season, but chances are Buffalo won't respond the way they should've on Saturday. Upcoming games: Toronto, Florida and Colorado.

Another week has passed and a lot has changed amongst the AP Top Ten rankings. As March rapidly approaches, many teams are out to prove themselves as contenders while others just hope to hang on to a top seed for the tournament. Let's take a look at the current standings in the polls.

1. Connecticut (24-2)

I think it's safe to say this is the last time you'll see UConn at the top of the heap for awhile. #4 Pittsburgh came to town last night and beat them by 8, which will surely drop the Huskies a few spots next week at this time. The homestretch doesn't get any easier either as Connecticut still has to travel to #10 Marquette and has a rematch with the Panthers in Pittsburgh to finish out the regular season. Hasheem Thabeet has been a monster for UConn, but losing second leading scorer Jerome Dyson for the year could prove very costly.

2. Oklahoma (25-1)

The Sooners are one of the teams that haven't seen much change in the past week, they continue to dominate Big 12 play with no signs of slowing down. They'll surely be #1 in next week's poll and they deserve it. Blake Griffin continued his quest for the National Player of the Year honors by dropping 40 points and 23 boards against Texas Tech on Saturday. That 19 point win coupled with a 15 point victory at Baylor last week proves Oklahoma's conference dominance and a matchup at Texas on Saturday looks to be their only possible challenge between now and tournament time.

3. North Carolina (23-2)

UNC was everybody's preseason pick, but a brief stumble in early January had some wondering. The Tar Heels have been working on erasing that doubt as of late, defeating both #9 Duke and Miami on the road last week. UNC had issues with the red hot Blue Devils in the first half of their matchup, but remained cool and turned it up in the 2nd half before claiming a 14 point victory. Putting up 101 on a Duke team that was only allowing 61 per game goes a long ways towards showing just how incredible the UNC offense really is. The ACC provides a challenge in almost every conference game, but the real test for Carolina will be the season finale at home against Duke, who should be motivated more so than normal.

4. Pittsburgh (24-2)

The Panthers will be on their way up come next Monday too. Knocking off the #1 team on the road and moving within a half game of the Big East lead capped off another great week for Jamie Dixon's squad. Pittsburgh easily handled Cincinnati last Saturday and continued to get the most out of their star big man, DeJuan Blair. If Pittsburgh can finish out the season without any miscues, including hosting UConn on March 7, they should find themselves as a #1 seed in the Big Dance.

5. Memphis (22-3)

Memphis continued to embarass their Conference USA opponents since my last look at the Top 10, defeating Tulane 63-37, and Southern Miss 72-47. Memphis remains hard to gauge as they simply don't have any competition within their conference. Playing low level competition isn't likely going to help them prepare for what they'll face in the tournament, but it'll still likely earn them a 1 or 2 seed. They've fared well the past few years despite the weak conference opposition, so perhaps John Calipari will have his team ready again this season. Either way, one thing is for sure, we'll find out soon enough.

6. Michigan St. (20-4)

The Spartans haven't played since knocking off in state rival Michigan on 2/10, but face #19 Purdue for the first of two matchups tonight. Junior Raymar Morgan has been solid all year for Michigan State, averaging 12.3 points and 6 rebounds per game. He will certainly play a large role in any success they might have in the NCAA tourney, but the question is going to be who else steps up. Due to a lackluster Big Ten conference, MSU will need to essentially run the table to have a hope at a #2 seed.

7. Louisville (19-5)

Louisville has has perhaps the most unusual week of anybody in the Top Ten. They played at Notre Dame last Thursday and were absolutely dismantled 90-57 in a game where Luke Harangody went off for 32 points and 17 boards. In response, the Cardinals took Big East weakling Depaul to the cleaners on Sunday, winning 99-54. #10 Marquette is the only ranked team left on Louisville's schedule, however the Notre Dame game proves that the Big East doesn't offer many nights off. Rick Pitino certainly knows how to get it done in March, but does he have the players to aid his success this time around?

8. Wake Forest (19-4)

Wake Forest suffered another unexpected loss when they played at NC State on Wednesday, dropping the game 82-76. They then turned around and pounded on Florida State at home 86-63 on Saturday. This week brings a chance for revenge when they host Georgia Tech tomorrow night, before heading to Durham and a rematch against the Blue Devils on Sunday evening. Wake Forest currently sits tied for 3rd in the ACC with Clemson, but could find themselves as high as 2nd if they win both matchups this week. Jeff Teague continues to play at a very high level and has plenty of support from very athletic forwards James Johnson and Al-Farouq Aminu. All three will need to continue to play at their best to survive the end of the regular season and an always brutal ACC tourney.

9. Duke (20-5)

The rough stretch for Duke continues to get worse as they went 0-2 last week. The Blue Devils played perhaps their best half of basketball against UNC on Wednesday night before falling apart in the 2nd and giving up 101 to the Tar Heels in a tough home loss. As a followup effort, Duke headed to Boston College on Sunday night, where despite leading for the majority of the game, they eventually fell to the Eagles, 80-74. This week brings an out of conference trip to NYC to face St. John's on Thursday, followed by a home game against Wake Forest on Sunday. Revenge should be a huge motivating factor in that one as Duke lost in the final seconds in Winston-Salem on 1/28.

10. Marquette (21-4)

The Golden Eagles split last week's games, dropping a big matchup with Villanova on Tuesday and then rebounding with a 14 point win at home against St. John's on Saturday. They face Seton Hall and Georgetown this week before taking on a murderer's row of sorts to end February and begin March. 4 teams are within a game of each other at the top of the Big East standings. One of those is Marquette, and the other three are Connecticut, Pittsburgh, and Louisville, who the Golden Eagles play in consecutive games between 2/25 and 3/4. Essentially this means that Marquette has the ability to claim the top spot in the conference heading into the the Big East tourney, but it's a daunting task to say the very least.

We’re just a mere two weeks away from the trade deadline, so things will definitely get interesting as we progress through this season. Usually the trade deadline exposes teams that are willing to sacrifice a little bit now for some help at a cup, and teams that are conceding although they are still mathematically in it.

I’ve said it time and time again, but Florida is the team I’m watching. They are very much in this race and can make some real noise in the playoffs, but not without Jay-Bo. From what I’ve read, he has already turned down a 6.5 million per season deal to stay with Florida, so they may opt to trade him and get anything they can in return. If they don’t get enough, I wouldn’t be shocked to see Florida slip out and Carolina snatch up that last spot.

Pittsburgh also made the decision to fire their head coach this weekend, having him take the fall for the team’s poor performance. I wasn’t the biggest fan of this guy, but he is less than one season removed from taking the Pens to the Stanley Cup. Meanwhile, since last season, they have lost a ton of key players and replaced them with the likes of slacker Miroslav Satan. Seriously? Miroslav Satan? I think the GM should’ve fired himself.

1. Boston Bruins (1) – The Bruins retain the top spot for the third straight week, but the Devils are nipping at them. The Bruins have lost four in a row and if they continue that stretch, the Devils will not only overtake them in these rankings, but also in the standings. Boston has three winnable games this week; Carolina, Florida, and Tampa Bay.

2. New Jersey Devils (4) – The Devils continue to win and play very solid hockey.

The NFL off-season is by far, the longest of the four major sports. So during the long downtime and before the start of free agency, I wanted to take a look at some of the players hitting the market and rank them accordingly.

In my first batch of rankings, I want to discuss the most important position on the field, quarterback. Relatively speaking, this is a pretty weak free agent class that most likely won’t have a huge impact (unless one of the players decides on retirement). So without further ado, here are my 2009 free agent QB rankings.

1. Kurt Warner (Arizona, UFA) – Although he is getting up there in age, Kurt Warner is the best QB heading into free agency. Chances are that by the time free agency starts, Warner will no longer be available. Arizona would be insane to pass him up and if he isn’t playing for Arizona next season, he will most likely be retired. If Warner still wants to play, Arizona is his best shot with all the offensive weapons they have. Assuming Warner comes back, I see a second consecutive division title for the Cardinals next season.

2. Kerry Collins (Tennessee, UFA) – Collins is a similar situation as Warner, minus the huge offensive numbers and conference title. Regardless, Tennessee would also be insane to let him walk. I realize they have Vince Young waiting on the bench, but that is an instant downgrade to the team as a whole if they let Collins walk and start Young. I think Collins knows this and that is the reason for his large salary demands in the early talks. If Collins decides to test the market, I could potentially see him getting the money, but the wins and success won’t be there like they are in Tennessee.

3. Jeff Garcia (Tampa Bay, UFA) – Jeff Garcia is definitely no spring chicken, but for a team on the cusp of the playoffs and contending for a Super Bowl, Garcia would be worth the risk for one or two years. Tampa Bay seems to have no desire for him, even though he is their best option, so somebody will give him another shot. Garcia’s play isn’t always pretty, but he knows how to win and that could prove beneficial.

4. Matt Cassel (New England, FRANCHISED) – Call me crazy, but I have the other three quarterbacks ahead of Cassel because I honestly think they are better options. I didn’t see every Patriots game this year, but I saw enough to not be fully convinced on Cassel. I think if the Patriots make a trade and score a number of draft picks, they will truly be swindling the team that made the trade. Cassel played extremely well for the Pats this year, but they also had a ton of weapons for him to make use of, and one of the best coaches around to guide him. If he goes to a team, say Detroit for example, they might as well rename the city Flop City, because that’s what it will be.

5. Chris Simms (Tennessee, UFA) – Assuming he is healthy, I think Chris Simms deserves another chance to start for an NFL team. In his brief time with Tampa Bay, he showed me more than enough to believe in him. Then after the injuries, he never really saw the field again and got that chance to prove himself. Like I said, assuming he is 100% healthy, he should be given another chance.

6. Byron Leftwich (Pittsburgh, UFA) – I’m not completely sold on Leftwich, but this is a pretty weak free agent class. Something tells me that if a guy lands on his third team in as many years, something is wrong with him. Leftwich did fine backing up Big Ben in Pittsburgh this year, but I’m not so sure he is starting material. I think he would make a fine back-up for another team (or Pittsburgh), but I wouldn’t want him starting for my team.

7. Charlie Batch (Pittsburgh, UFA) – If I’m both Pittsburgh and Charlie Batch, I want nothing to change. If it wasn’t for injury, he would’ve been the primary back-up to Ben this season. Since coming to Pittsburgh, Batch has excelled in his role and given the Steelers every opportunity to win when he has played. He is perfect for that role and if he is healthy again this season, he should want to be back and Pittsburgh should want him back.

8. Patrick Ramsey (Denver, UFA) – Ramsey isn’t starting material anymore, but he serves as a more than decent back-up. He has the experience and physical skills to get a team through a tough stretch if need be, but he shouldn’t be starting for any other reason than injury and he shouldn’t be starting for an extended amount of games (if you want your team to win).

9. Joey Harrington (New Orleans, UFA) – Let’s get one thing straight: Joey Harrington shouldn’t be starting in the NFL unless your QB is injured or it’s the pre-season. Harrington has been given so many chances to start and failed, that if he were a high school student he would be repeating the 10th grade until he was 30. But, and this is a big one, if he is the back-up on your team and sees limited game action, he serves his role well. If he has to come in for a half while your QB nurses a sore groin, he will probably be just fine.

10 (t). Kyle Boller (Baltimore, UFA) – After seeing Joe Flacco succeed in his rookie season, that officially ended the Boller era in Baltimore. Throughout his years, he never got better and did just enough to help the Ravens lose games. He may serve as a suitable back-up and should get another job in the NFL, but he shouldn’t be starting…EVER.

10 (t). J.P. Losman (Buffalo, UFA) – Losman and his time in Buffalo remind me exactly of Kyle Boller and his time in Baltimore. Losman just never improved and got the job done. He can officially be labeled a first round bust. I don’t care what anyone says about coaching, schemes, or chances, Losman is flat out not good enough to start in the NFL. Even this season when Trent Edwards went down with injury, Losman had a chance to showcase himself for this off-season and sucked so much that he should legally change his first name to Jenna.

10 (t). Rex Grossman (Chicago, UFA) – If I could sum up Rex Grossman with one word, it would be TERRIBLE. Rex Grossman is terrible. And for all the people that will start crying that he led Chicago to the Super Bowl..WRONG. Chicago went to the Super Bowl despite the QB play of Grossman. If they had a 45% more competent QB in that Super Bowl, the game would’ve been a lot closer. If I’m a Bears fan, I’m cracking open a cold one to celebrate the day this guy is officially playing for another team. Then I’m cracking open another 11 cold ones because I just realized Kyle Orton is still on the team.

13. J.T. O’Sullivan (San Francisco, UFA) – J.T. had his chance to shine in SF and was promptly benched in favor of Shaun Hill. Despite that, he should still find his way on to an NFL roster this spring. Now whether or not he makes it until September, that is another story all together.

I’m going to make things short and sweet for the final batch of QB’s. If I were to fall asleep until August and when I woke up, you told me that any of these QB’s are third string on an NFL roster, I wouldn’t be shocked. On the flip side, if you told me that they were bagging groceries at the local grocery store and making Whoppers on the weekend, I also wouldn’t be shocked.

14. Anthony Wright (NY Giants, UFA)
15. Ryan Fitzpatrick (Cincinnati, UFA)
16. Dan Orlovsky (Detroit, UFA)
17. Jamie Martin (San Francisco, UFA)
18. Marques Tuiasosopo (Oakland, UFA)
19. Charlie Frye (Seattle, UFA)
20. Drew Hensen (Detroit, RFA)
21. Brooks Bollinger (Dallas, UFA)
22. Brian St. Pierre (Arizona, UFA)
23. Gibran Hamdan (Buffalo, RFA)

It's that time of the year again, over the course of a few weeks we get 3 of the 4 major sports renditions of their All Star games. The NHL held theirs in late January and the Pro Bowl just wrapped up last weekend. This weekend brings the NBA All Star weekend as well, and it also made me ask the question, "Does anybody really care anymore?" Personally, it depends on the sport involved, as I think certain sports lend themselves better to an All Star atmosphere.

Devin mentioned in a recent article how the NFL Pro Bowl is being moved in an attempt to attract more attention to what has become a virtually meaningless game. Football simply doesn't work well in an environment where defense is largely ignored and most players are trying to go half speed. Injuries are always a major concern in football and nobody wants to see the league's best go down in a game where nothing is on the line. Quite simply put, trying to remove the aggressive aspects out of perhaps the most physical and violent of the 4 major sports makes for something just short of awful to watch. It's nice for the NFL to recognize the league's best players and send them to Hawaii (though that idea is now out the window) to relax a bit at the end of the year, but the competition is what makes football the most popular sport in the United States, and once it's removed, there's little reason to watch. Next year's move to have the Pro Bowl the week before the Super Bowl in the host city is only going to further weaken the game. It seems fairly natural to think that the teams in the AFC and NFC championship games are going to have a large number of the best players on their rosters, and now you're taking them out of the equation with the placement of the game. Essentially, you're further watering down a very bland game, so I'm not quite sure how the NFL feels it's going to re-energize the Pro Bowl in this manner.

Other sports seem to have better success with their showcases though, and a variety of reasons could have something to do with it. The biggest difference is that all 3 of the other major sports hold their contests in the middle of their season. Clearly this won't work for the NFL as again, there is simply too much risk of injury in football and they don't want their stars going down halfway through the year. Taking a break in the middle of the year when people are already bound to be more interested in the sport lends itself naturally to people actually looking forward to an All Star game as well.

In addition, each of the other sports helps build the attraction to the game with various competitions that are paired up with the All Star game itself. For instance, look at Major League Baseball. I would dare say that the Home Run Derby held the night before the All Star game has become the bigger attraction. I know I generally have little interest in the actual game since it's hard to have any flow when you're constantly changing players at every position and trying to juggle a roster full of pitchers, but I almost always watch the Home Run Derby. People love home runs, it's really just that simple, so people are always going to tune in to the Home Run Derby. Even when the big names don't want to participate, people tend to check out the competition to see some up and coming talent try to smash the ball as far as humanly possible.

Similarly, the NHL has it's skills competition the night before the All Star game each year and it too seems nearly as popular as the game itself. The NHL has a far smaller audience base in the United States than the other sports, but that could be a whole article itself. Still, I think many regular NHL fans tend to watch the All Star weekend festivities, and while they know there will be no defense and no hitting in the game itself, hockey can still get away with it at a higher level than the NFL can. The pure skill of NHL players is on full display during the All Star break and the offensive wizardy of some of the league's best players can be quite fun to watch.

Finally, we have the NBA's All Star weekend, which is now upon us with the Rookie/Sophomore Challenge taking place tonight, the Slam Dunk and 3 Point Shootout Competitions tomorrow, and the game itself this Sunday. If any sport was made for an All Star celebration it is basketball, and the NBA in particular. The league's biggest draw is it's star players. While surely there are many fans out there that live and breathe for a team in particular, I think there are also a great many people like myself that are fans of specific players more so than of any one team. The NBA in general has become more and more focused on individual efforts on a nightly basis than it has on team basketball, which means people love to tune in to the All Star break and see those superstars shine.

In recent years, the Slam Dunk contest and the 3 point shootout had seemingly lost some of it's luster for a variety of reasons. Gone were the days of the top players battling out with matchups like Jordan vs. Dominique, or Larry Bird dominating the competition. The NBA's top players continually declined invites to participate in the dunk contest for fear of injuries, which furthered hindered the success of the contest. However, last year, much of that seemed to change as Dwight Howard brought the contest back to full national prominence with a fury. He'll look to defend his crown this year as well, so perhaps it will attract many viewers. As for the game itself, basketball without defense can still be rather entertaining and the All Star game essentially turns into a back and forth, can you top this?, sort of excercise featuring the most talented offensive players on the planet. Even though the NBA tends to be towards the lower end of my list of favorite sports to watch, I regularly check out their All Star Weekend because I rarely find myself not being entertained.

All Star games still have some relevance in today's sporting world and I don't think they are going to disappear anytime soon, but some just work out better than others. The NFL's Pro Bowl seems to be continually heading towards obscurity and if one of these events does eventually go away, that would be my pick as the first to vanish. At their basis, these games are meant to be a showcase for the fans more than anything else, and despite the grumblings of a few, many fans will continually check out the games year in and year out. The key is to remember not to take it so seriously, so sit back this weekend and enjoy watching Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Chris Paul, Dwight Howard, and many others do their best to put breakaway rims to the test.

The NFL season "officially" came to a close this past Sunday when the Pro Bowl was played in Honolulu. Next season the Super Bowl will be the conclusion to the season as the Pro Bowl will be played in the off week in between the big game. This is only fitting since every NFL fan knows that the Pro Bowl is a meaningless game. I was relieved more than anything after the game. Although my NFL season was finished sometime in November, I'm glad that the season done for everyone. This season has truly tested my patience and I need the break.

There are several story lines that we should be following throughout the off-season. I'm sure that ESPN will air them all today, starting with everything and anything related to the Dallas Cowboys, but I assure you that there is more going on in the league than that. Here are a few that I find the most intriguing.

- The Quarterback Carousel:

Several teams have some big issues at the QB position. Starting with the NFC Champion Arizona Cardinals, Kurt Warner will need to decide whether or not he will return for another year. If I'm working in the front office in Arizona, I'm doing everything in my power to bring him back. The Cardinals will be hurting without him next season and they need to realize that.

Kerry Collins is also hitting the market, which normally wouldn't be big news, but it is this year. The Titans have already mentioned that they want him back but I
think Collins might be playing a little too much hardball. He has publicly said he would want more than Warner, which to me sounds ridiculous. Collins didn't win any playoff games this year and didn't even come close to matching Warner's numbers. Both Collins and the Titans need each other and they sooner they realize that, the easier things will be. On a related note, if Collins comes back we also have to wonder what will happen with Vince Young. Will he sit on the bench for another season and demand a trade?

Just as I was writing that we're going to faced with another off-season of Favre, it appears as if he is going to retire. It's being reported on ESPN that he informed his agent that he is hanging it up this off-season. We can only pray that this is finally true and Favre will just go away. Honestly. I've never been more annoyed with a player in the past season than I have with Favre. I hope it was worth it for the Jets. Now they will go into this season not knowing what they have at QB because they wasted an entire season on Favre. Good luck with that.

The Browns are on this list as well, choosing between Brady Quinn and Derek Anderson. They appeared to have made the call last season, but with a new coaching staff, who knows. I think it will be Quinn, which also leads me to believe that Anderson will need to be traded somewhere else.

Several other teams also have to make some QB choices. The Chiefs will need to decide whether or not Tyler Thigpen in the answer. The Eagles will need to make another call on Donovan McNabb. The Bears will have another off-season to ponder the QB situation, most likely going outside the organization this time. The Lions will have to decide if they should use the first overall pick in the draft on a QB. The 49ers will also have to make the call on Shaun Hill.

- The Free Agent Market

There is a pretty good group of free agents hitting the market. The pack is led by Titans DT Albert Haynesworth. I have a pretty good feeling that Tennessee recognizes his worth and shows him the money, but if they don't get it done by the start of free agency, several other teams will be throwing wads of money at the guy.

Julius Peppers is hitting the market as well and has pretty much sealed the deal that he won't be back in Carolina. He spoke on the sidelines at the Pro Bowl and basically said as much. If I were a Carolina fan, this wouldn't make me very happy with the guy, but it's a business and he has to do what he wants to do. He has mentioned that he wants to play in a 3-4 defense and if he holds true to that, he narrows the list of potential teams. If you're bored during the off-season, just visit the message board of any team and read "legit" reasons why an elite player like Peppers would want to go to their team.

Baltimore also has to make the call on Ray Lewis and Terrell Suggs. Head Coach John Harbaugh has slightly hinted that the team could only bring one of these players back and made it seem like it will be Suggs. I personally couldn't picture Ray Lewis playing for another team. His name is synonymous with the Baltimore Ravens and he should stay. There have been rumors of him jumping ship to Dallas, but I think that will be a mistake on both parts. Dallas really isn't that good of a team, no matter what the media wants you to believe and Dallas needs to focus on building a winning team, not getting big names and building a fantasy football team. I've also read about him playing for the Jets and his old defensive coordinator, Rex Ryan. Speaking as a fan who sees the Jets twice a year, no thank you.

- Off-Season Moves

Along with a few moves I've mentioned before, there are a few others that will be interesting to watch. Anquan Boldin is again wanting out of Arizona. He mentioned during the Pro Bowl that he loves playing with his team, but doesn't necessarily like the front office. That is all fine and dandy for him, but he needs to stay in Arizona. I don't think he realizes how good he has it lining up opposite of Larry Fitzgerald. I've seen this situation play out several times and it never ends well for the receiver who leaves town. Can you say, Peerless Price? Fitzgerald and the Cards will be hurt slightly if Boldin is shipped off, but they will recover and move on.

One destination I've read about was Boldin going to the Giants. This could be a possibility because the Giants were definitely a different team without Plax and who knows if he'll come back or when he'll come back. Boldin would be a decent fit with the Giants, but I still think his best career move would be to stay in Arizona. Speaking of Plax, he still has legal matters to address before he can think of playing again. I think the Giants miss him and want him back, but that relationship is all but finished. He displayed some pretty stupid and selfish behavior last season that most likely caused them to miss out on a second straight Super Bowl trip.

I hate mentioning the guy, but T.O. will be in the news plenty this off-season. I'm not even going to bring up his reality show since that is a joke, but whether or not he stays in Dallas is also being brought up. It took a few more years for the real T.O. to show up in Dallas, but he did last season and they suffered for it. The Cowboys got swindled in a trade for WR Roy Williams last season, and on the outside he could be the replacement for T.O., but I don't see that working out at all. I'd say this will be an interesting story to follow, but just about anything T.O. related gives me a migraine, so I'll let everyone else fill me in on the details.

The Pacman era is officially over in Dallas, as the Cowboys released the cornerback on Monday. Looking back, it wasn't a terrible move by Dallas. They barely gave up anything for the guy, so it was worth a shot (sorry, poor choice of words), but it didn't work out. Not that Pacman should be worried about this though; he has many more important things to worry about.

On a similar note, Michael Vick will be out of jail soon and Dallas..errr..I mean Oakland..err I mean some team might be willing to give him a chance to play. Truth be told, he is the perfect QB for the Wildcat, if some team wants to implement that gimmick offense. I don't agree with it, but he will get another chance in the NFL. Of course, this is all assuming that he has stayed in the shape during his prison term. I'm guessing he has and he'll see he way back on to an NFL roster soon enough.

For now these are some of the bigger issues heading into the NFL off-season. There will surely be more and I'm sure I missed a few. The Combine is coming up on February 18th – 24th which leads us to the draft. Be sure to check back with us between that time as we'll be joining that masses with our own mock draft before the big day.

It's been a month since I last ran down the AP Top Ten rankings in the NCAA, and a lot has changed in the meantime. Moving forward, we will keep a closer eye on college hoops as March Madness approaches. Number one seems to be a dangerous place to be the past few weeks, but UConn managed to hold on to the top spot for a second week, only time will tell if they can keep themselves there for much longer.

1. Connecticut (22-1)

Simply put, Connecticut is the best team in the best conference in college basketball. While the rest of the Big East has been busy beating up on one another, UConn has just kept plugging along with win after win. Their lone loss came at the end of December to a Georgetown team that has fallen drastically as of late. Since that point, no team has come closer than within 6 points of the Huskies and many have fallen by a far larger margin. While they only have 6 games remaining, 2 of them come against the #4 ranked team in Pittsburgh. A battle against a tough Marquette team also looms, and UConn will need to win just about every game if they want to finish the regular season at the top of the Big East.

2. Oklahoma (23-1)

Oklahoma is the best team that nobody really talks about. Sure, most people recognize Blake Griffin, and he's likely the odds on favorite for the Naismith Award at this point as the best player in the NCAA, but beyond that, Oklahoma remains largely unnoticed. Part of the reason for this is that the Big Twelve just isn't nearly as competitive as some of the other conferences out there. The Sooners haven't been challenged in conference play as of yet, with a 9-0 record , winning with ease more often than not. The only other conference teams in the Top 25 are Kansas and Missouri, both of whom Oklahoma still has a date with. Barring some unforeseen collapse, Oklahoma has a pretty easy road to a #1 seed in the NCAA tourney ahead of them, but will remain largely untested when that time comes.

3. North Carolina (21-2)

As I stated in my previous look at the Top Ten a month ago, the Big East is the best top to bottom conference, but the ACC boasts the best top 4 in the land. Those 4 teams are all in the Top 11, and UNC is at the top of the heap. A huge letdown against Boston College, who has proven to be better than most expected, and a narrow loss against a very good Wake Forest team are the only blemishes on the Tar Heels record at this point. Their remaining schedule is favorable however as #6 Duke is their only ranked opponent in regular season play. They do have to face the Blue Devils twice however, the first of which takes place at Cameron Indoor Stadium tonight. North Carolina will look to finish strong and secure a #1 seed and the ability to play in nearby Greensboro, NC in the opening rounds of the NCAA Tourney.

4. Pittsburgh (22-2)

One of the multiple teams to see #1 and fall this year are the Pitt Panthers. Conference losses to #7 Louisville and #13 Villanova, both on the road, won't hurt their ranking too badly come tournament time, but 2 matchups with #1 UConn as well as hosting #10 Marquette provide serious hurdles beforehand. The Panthers are a very tough, physical, and well-balanced team, a combination that will likely propel them deep into the NCAA tournament. DeJuan Blair has been nothing short of a beast so far this season and will wear down opponents on a nightly basis. The remaining schedule will shed a great deal of light on just how legit a team Pitt really is.

5. Louisville (18-4)

The 3rd Big East time in the Top 5, Louisville has been a bit of a surprise this season. While most expected them to be a very good team, there aren't likely to be many people that can claim they thought they were Top 5 caliber. The Cardinals have only lost one Big East game, to the top ranked Huskies, but have some puzzling losses earlier in the season, including a blowout against Western Kentucky, as well as a 1 point loss at home against UNLV. With a relatively speaking "easy" conference schedule remaining, Louisville could possibly be in line for a 2 seed come tourney time. Nothing can be taken for granted in the Big East however.

6. Duke (20-3)

The Blue Devils gained the #1 ranking a few weeks back and promptly hit a rough patch. After impressively coming back from 13 down late in the game at Wake Forest, Duke tied the game up with 10 seconds left. A turnover call against Duke gave Wake Forest the chance they needed, and after a horrible defensive effort on an inbound play, James Johnson put in an easy layup with under a second left to knock off the top ranked Blue Devils. Duke recovered by pounding Virgina at home, but then put on an abysmal performance at Clemson, losing by 27. Looking to again recover with a home game, Duke was very flat in the first half against Miami, but again made a comeback, this time hanging on for the win. It doesn't get any easier though as #3 UNC makes the 8 mile trip to Durham tonight, and the Blue Devils head to Chapel Hill to finish the regular season. Somewhere in between, Duke gets a rematch with the Deamon Deacons as well. While they would have to virtually run the table to claim a #1 seed in the NCAA tournament, a 2 or 3 seed is well within their reach with a decent finish.

7. Wake Forest (18-3)

Yet another of the teams that lost promptly after reaching #1 this season. Wake has lost 3 of the last 5, including a home game against Virginia Tech, a narrow loss at the ACC's cellar dweller Georgia Tech, and a 27 point blowout at the hands of Miami. The win against Duke was a solid one for the Deacs, but the rematch at the Blue Devils on February 22, should prove difficult. The rest of Wake's schedule looks decent on paper however, as they play the bottom 3 teams in the conference before finishing up at home against #12 Clemson. When they are on top of their game, Wake Forest has looked like the most talented team in the country this year, but they'll need consistancy to make a run in the post season.

8. Memphis (20-3)

The biggest downfall for Memphis is the fact that they play in Conference USA and have virtually no competition. The Tigers haven't lost a conference game since March of 2006. This pretty much forces Memphis to play a tough out of conference schedule each year. Their losses this season come to #14 Xavier and previously ranked Syracuse and Georgetown. They are coming off a beatdown of #18 Gonzaga in Spokane, which will help boost their RPI heading into tourney time and it would be a surprise if they didn't run the table in conference to finish the season. Memphis should finish in the Top Ten and will likely be looking at a 2 or 3 seed.

9. Michigan St. (19-4)

The Spartans are another team that has quietly gained steam throughout the year. Losing early to two ACC teams in Maryland and UNC, Michigan St. then went on an 11 game winning streak and moved out to 17-2. Losses at home to Northwestern and Penn State don't look too good at this point, but the middle of the pack teams in the Big Ten have been very competitive with one another this year. Two games against #20 Purdue as well as a tilt with #22 Illinois will give MSU a chance to prove they deserve their spot in the Top Ten. Coach Tom Izzo is one of the best in the business and will certainly look to have his team ready to play their best come March.

10. Marquette (20-3)

Most wouldn't have expected the Golden Eagles to make it until February 6th without losing a Big East matchup, but that's exactly what they did. Their first conference loss came at South Florida, and was only by a single point. Unfortunately for Marquette however, it is going to continue to get tougher from here on out. A three game stretch consisting of home against UConn, at Louisvile, and at Pitt, before finishing up at home against Syracuse, will force them to be at their best if they want to finish up in the Top Ten. Guards Jerel McNeal and Wesley Matthews are averaging 20 and 19 points per game respectively and provide one of the best backcourts in the nation, but Marquette is completely lacking of a presence inside, which will hurt them desperately against both the Huskies and Panthers.

It's week three of the NHL top 15 and as the week's progress; the rankings get a little easier. The teams are hitting that tough stretch of February hockey before they have to really bring their A game in March for the playoff push. It's going to be a tight race all the way to the end and I'm looking forward to it. In addition to the playoff push, we also have the trade deadline coming up, which is now less than a month away. I've personally read quite a few rumors, but usually those don't pan out the way it's written. We'll have to wait and see what happens, but it will be a good one.

1. Boston Bruins (1) – The B's keep chugging along and retain the top spot for the second straight week. I personally have to wonder just how far they will go in the playoffs, but it will really come down to who they play. Some teams seem to match-up very nicely with them, while most of the teams don't.

2. Detroit Red Wings (3) – The Wings jump up to the number two spot, thanks to a free fall from San Jose. The Red Wings are a team that would truly scare me in the playoffs. They have enough experience to make a similar run again and they seem just as hungry. They have currently won four games in a row and are only two points behind San Jose for the top spot in the West.

3. San Jose Sharks (2) – The Sharks have lost three games in a row for the first time all season, which explains the drop in the rankings. They have a trip out East which includes a battle against the Bruins and game against the Sabres later in the week. One thing that works in their favor, they currently have a handful of games in hand compared to the other teams near them in the standings.

4. New Jersey Devils (4) – The Devils continue to roll and have made quick work of the Eastern Conference, going from 7th to 4th in a very short time span. I've never been a fan of their style of play, but I have to give credit where credit is due. As long as they keep playing this style of hockey, they should roll with it and take the division. From that point it will be a battle between themselves and Washington for the 2nd seed in the East.

5. Washington Capitals (6) – The Capitals continue to play strong hockey, but I won't be a true believer until I see them do it in the post-season. It doesn't say a lot to win the division they are in, but regardless of that, they show flashes of being a good team. If they were to match-up with a division foe in the playoffs, I wouldn't be so quick to tally up a series win for the Caps.

6. Chicago Blackhawks (7) – The Hawks have been somewhat average in the past week but they seem to have a firm grip in the West. Like I said before, they aren't catching Detroit, but they should still get home ice in the first round of the playoffs.

7. Calgary Flames (5) – The Flames had lost four games in a row until they faced off against the lifeless Canadiens last night and got back on track with a 6-2 victory. They still have a decent lead over Minnesota in the Northwest division, but they need to get back on the right track sooner rather than later.

8. Philadelphia Flyers (10) – The Flyers have won two games in a row and now only sit four points behind New Jersey for the division lead. I still think goaltending will be the downfall for Philly, but I guess we'll just have to wait and see. One thing is for sure, the race in the Eastern Conference is seriously log jammed from spots four through seven.

9. Buffalo Sabres (11) – The Sabres came back from the west coast trip in strong fashion, dismantling the junior league team posing as the Toronto Maple Leafs. They beat the Canadiens on Friday night and stole a point in Ottawa on Saturday. If the Sabres plan on making a run, they will have to have someone step up in Thomas Vanek's absence. I've read several rumors of the Sabres making a semi-major trade before the deadline, but that really isn't Buffalo's style so they might just rely on the young guys to step up.

10. New York Rangers (8) – The Rangers have lost five games in a row and if they lose a few more, they will be on the outside of the playoff picture. I personally don't see it happening, but I'm not complaining either. I've read that they may look at bringing Sean Avery back into the fold, so I'm ready to begin my hatred of the guy again. Sad to say, he might be exactly what the Rangers need.

11. Montreal Canadiens (9) – The Canadiens are truly free falling as of late. They gave up two huge points in Buffalo on Friday night and then lost to Toronto the following night. Unless they pick it up very quickly, I can see Buffalo and either Carolina/Florida catching them in the conference race. They are currently only two points ahead of Buffalo in the division and they are barely hanging on to the 5th seed.

12. Carolina Hurricanes (13) – Carolina has won two games in a row to hold on to the 8th spot, but that doesn't look like it will hold. If Florida were to make a major trade, it would essentially take them right out of the picture, so it will basically be up to Pittsburgh. Lucky for the Canes, the Penguins have been sucking pretty bad this year and they don't appear to be getting any better.

13. Dallas Stars (14) – Dallas has been a tear lately, going 8-2-0 in their last 10 games. They finally put Sean Avery on waivers so that appears to be behind them and they are focusing on playing good hockey. With such a tight race in the West, if Dallas were to miss the playoffs by a point or two, I would get a laugh knowing that Buffalo absolutely robbed them of a point earlier this season. It doesn't make up for 'No Goal', but it's still a good feeling.

13. Anaheim Ducks (12) – Anaheim is an enigma for me. They seem to have a good team put together, but they have been struggling for better parts of the season. I really don't see them doing a whole lot once the post-season rolls around, assuming they even make it. Word on the street is that they are shopping defenseman Chris Pronger. If they end up making that trade, you can officially count the Ducks out.

15. Florida Panthers (14) – Florida has been hanging around all season making teams in the East sweat. David Booth has been a real force this season and my fantasy team thanks him. They have a pretty easy game against Toronto this week before they face off against Carolina, NY Rangers, and Washington. Those three games will be HUGE for the Panthers.

After working our way down from 8 players to the final 2, it's time to unveil our pick for the Best Player in the NBA. Devin and I debated it back and forth, and the winner ended up being... Well, actually, we both have our own choice. So instead we leave it in the hands of our readers. Please chime in with your vote in the comment section below.