Pat Benson
If you work 40+ hours a week, go to school or have loved ones depending on then it’s understandable if you can’t keep up with everything in sports. No matter who you are or what sport you’re into, there is something happening for you this week. Let’s dive right in:
NBA All-Star Weekend
‘Scuse me while I kiss the sky. Last night was the Celebrity Game and Rising Stars Challenge, but that just serves for a warm up for what’s going down in the association the next two nights.
The Skills Competition, 3-Point Contest, Dunk Contest, and of course the All-Star Game.
The Windy City is hosting the league-wide party for the first time since Jordan took flight in the 1988 Dunk Contest.
However, there will be some very somber moments. On January 1, the league lost long-time commissioner David Stern, and on January 26 lost global icon Kobe Bryant and his daughter Gianna Bryant. It’s going to take forever to get over the loss of Kobe and Gianna, but this weekend will be cathartic and part of the healing process.
MLB Spring Training
Spring Training exhibition games start this week and it could not have gotten here soon enough for MLB. It was one of the worst, most-scandalous off seasons I can remember. The fallout from the Houston Astros and Boston Red Sox sign-stealing scandals sacked several baseball executives and managers.
But baseball has survived many cheating scandals before, and it will survive this one as well. Seeing the green fields in Arizona and Florida is always a panacea to the wintertime blues.
XFL
I can’t claim to understand the XFL or the need for another football league, but that’s the beauty of not everyone thinking alike. Last weekend, the inaugural slate of XFL (2.0) games garnered higher ratings than the primetime NBA game between the Lakers and Warriors.
Clearly, there is an appetite for professional spring football. So mark your weekend calendars for more football over the next few months.
Lady Vols Basketball Tough Stretch
The Lady Vols have made marked improvement since Kellie Harper took over as head coach this season. As they hit the final stretch of their regular season, they 2 ranked conference opponents this week.
Sunday they face #16 Texas A&M and Thursday they travel to take on #23 Arkansas. Currently, Tennessee sits at #25 and if they want to remain ranked and make a push for a good season in an ultra-competitive conference tournament, it starts with sweeping both Texas A&M and Arkansas.
Battle In The Big East
Wednesday night #10 Seton Hall hosts #19 Butler at 6:30 p.m. on FS1. This game has it all: top-ranked teams, Big East basketball, the round ball rock anthem, and an early start time. Men’s college basketball can’t seem to figure out who the best team is this year which has made for a wild regular season.
It’s very possible, maybe even likely that this is the year we get a Cinderella team; or at least a winner that isn’t a blue blood school. After you eat dinner on Wednesday, tune in for some Big East hoops.
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Pat Benson has been a sideline reporter, P.A. announcer and radio personality. Tweet him @Pat_Benson_Jr