Highlights

I didn't intend to take a two week hiatus from writing up about the big time sports topics, nonetheless it happened. Instead of doing a recap of 2 weeks I'm just going to hit a couple of the highlights here.

The thing which I consider to be most noteworthy broke today. The end of an era. The sheriff's hanging up his equipment. It is being reported that one and only Peyton Manning is calling an end to his storied career.
Coming from a non-AFC region I've seen as many, if not more of Peyton's commercials then actual games but the end of an all time great career can't be over looked by anyone who calls themselves a sports fan. There are probably already some out there who want to use some of the recent negative stories that have come out about the man as reason to not give him credit but get real. That perspective completely ignores the fact that none of it came out until after he won his second super bowl. The second super bowl which lifted him into even more rarified air then he had already existed in. Over his 20 year NFL career I've never heard any negatives about him then after he finally gets number two people start smearing him. It's crap and yeah I use that word intentionally.
He was elite through out his career. Is the holder of an obnoxious number of NFL quarterback records. And he went out as a winner. The story book ending. The NFL will not ever be the same. Farewell Peyton.

But what else happened over the last few weeks?

I'll get into that after the break.
Without trying to be too heavy on the NFL because it is the off season another major NFL storyline happened in the last two weeks.

The NFL combine.

I'm planning to do a write up soon about a particular storyline from the NFL combine and pre draft process so I will avoid mentioning it right now.
The combine is such a big part of the NFL offseason that I would be remiss to not mention it at all though. When a couple hundred young men descend on Indianapolis to be tested, measured and inspected in ways that are not all G rated.
Make no mistake about it, I'm a Vikings fan and that'll color a lot of what I write about the NFL. The draft is a great part of the sports year and the combine is near the start of the process of trying to figure out which of those men will be in purple in August. So the following weeks of mock drafts and speculation can officially begin in earnest. For my team I'm hoping offensive line, wide receiver or safety. With free agency starting tomorrow the options and needs will change before the draft clock starts.

But it's time to move on from the League, to the March. To madness that is.
It may only be March 6 but the conference tournaments are in full swing and the buzzer beaters and great games are already happening. As I write this, the Missouri Valley tournament just went final on a buzzer beater so it's getting good!
As ridiculous as it may sound I'm already trying to figure out who I think will be in the championship about a month from now. With only 3 teams official in the bracket I wouldn't argue with you if you think it's dumb but I gotta defend my title. (A year ago I won the bracket pool for the local sports radio station. I couldn't see the full list of entrants but it was at minimum 50 so I gotta be ready for it.)
Being from a mid major region I especially like when the upsets happen but won't ignore that when it's all said and done, the big schools always win the dance. If I were a betting man I'd put it on Kansas this year. But I'm rambling now. The point is, it's March! game on!

That's all I have for now though. Let me know what you think!