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NEWS | March 12, 2009

March into spring with a multitude of sports

By Airman 1st Class Patrick McKenna Capital Flyer sports writer

Is there a better time of year for sports than right now? Sure, the month of October (playoff baseball, NHL and NBA seasons beginning, NFL mid-season) isn't too shabby, but the edge has to go to these next few weeks.

Think about it: spring training is in high gear with the start of the major league baseball season less than a month away. How will the Tampa Bay Rays follow up last year's storybook season? Will they take another step in establishing themselves as a legitimate American League East contender for years to come? Or will they slide back into obscurity, serving as no more than a speed bump for the Red Sox and Yankees to roll over en route to the playoffs each year?

March Madness begins Tuesday night with the Play-in Game to see which team will have the honor of getting demolished by a number one seed a couple of nights later. The first round games begin Thursday and by the morning of March 23, we'll all be sipping our coffees seeing just how hopeless our brackets look.

The PGA tour is back in action and more importantly, back to relevancy thanks to Mr. Tiger Woods' return from knee surgery. The 2009 Masters Tournament runs April 9 to 12 and even the most casual of golf fans will be watching to see if Tiger will continue where he left off at last year's U.S. Open.

The NBA playoffs are little more than a month away and the race to the finish should be almost as entertaining as a Shaquille O'Neal press conference.

When the season began, most fans assumed the finals would be a rematch between the Lakers and Celtics, but my, how interesting things have gotten.

With an unfortunate injury to young star Andrew Bynum, the Lakers, while still enjoying a fantastic season, have a chink in their armor. Can they play tough interior defense against the likes of Tim Duncan or Yao Ming come playoff time? Are the aging Celtics going to be able to turn it on again like last year and push past a very deep Eastern conference?

This is a great time of year and just because you aren't a professional athlete in a playoff race doesn't mean you shouldn't be excited. The ice is melting and the warm weather is right around the corner. Before you know it, leagues that you can join will be starting up.

Whether your passion is a softball game on a warm summer night, lining up an eight-foot putt for birdie (or a ten foot gimmee for triple-bogey if you're me) or an intense tennis match, there are opportunities all around you.

So, open your closet and grab your mitts, golf clubs or tennis rackets, and shake the rust off. I'll be at the driving range working hard, so the foot wedge can stay in my bag this season.