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Spring football practice is here, and let me tell you, nothing excites me more.
Well, now that I think about it, a few things excite me more. Such as: What’s going on with my stock portfolio; Simona Halep’s return to tennis; my swimming pool being nearly ready for the first plunge of 2024; the release of Tana French’s newest novel; the BOGO coupon Subway emailed my wife; mowing my lawn; the bottle of Flor de Caña 18-year Nicaraguan rum I’d like to reach for after I file this newsletter.
Here are a few other things that will excite me more this March than monitoring Vanderbilt’s left guard competition.
1. Will Kim Mulkey or Dawn Staley add to her national championship count? DIG DEEPER WITH SEC UNFILTERED
Seasoned observers say there has never been a more exciting time for women’s basketball. In the time it took me to write this paragraph, Iowa’s Caitlin Clark probably just hit another 3-pointer from 35 feet.
The top-heavy SEC is armed with two teams that possess national championship talent.
Dawn Staley’s latest super squad is a deep, dogged, defending dynamo. Plus, these Gamecocks shoot it from the perimeter better than last year’s team, which lost in the Final Four. An undefeated season is within reach.
Don’t count out LSU, though. Kim Mulkey tends to do her best work at season’s end, and although her Tigers aren’t particularly deep, their starting five is no one’s second fiddle. The Tigers are starting to jell, too.
2. Can Tennessee’s Dalton Knecht overcome ‘second-round Rick?’
Rick Barnes’ NCAA tournament history pales in comparison to his history in the regular season. The guy is snakebitten in March. Tennessee’s Dalton Knecht could be just the superstar to offset his coach’s annual vanishing act.
Purdue’s Zach Edey deserves the Wooden Award, but it’s with apology to the 7-foot-4 members of our species that I say I find it more enjoyable to watch Knecht’s well-rounded game than observe Edey’s dominance from inside 4 feet.
3. Bring on the March Madness upsets
Why do we love March Madness? Bracket pools, for starters. Also, because a school you’d never previously heard of can topple a blue blood.
A lot is changing within college sports, but when some directional school takes down that top seed you just can’t stand, all seems right with the world.
Who is this year’s Saint Peter’s, UMBC or Loyola
Chicago?
I’ll give you two Sun Belt Conference candidates who profile as potential darlings: Appalachian State (which beat Auburn this season) and James Madison (which beat Michigan State).
4. Fore! I’m ready for golf’s ‘fifth major’
Throughout March, I get about four TVs going at once. Next week, basketball will be on three TVs, while I use the fourth for The Players Championship. The tournament in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, is golf ’s first big event of the year. I think I’ll pull for Rory McIlroy and Xander Schauffele. If you need an SEC hook, 2021 Players winner Justin Thomas played at Alabama, and he’s Nick Saban’s new golfing buddy.
Now, I must quench my thirst. Where’s my Flor de Caña?