Every year there seems to be a mid-major team that wins several games that proves virtually impossible not to root for in the NCAA men's basketball tournament. This year it was Davidson.

Davidson entered March Madness as a No. 10 seed, but went on to upset No. 7 Gonzaga, No. 2 Georgetown and No. 3 Wisconsin before losing to No. 1 seed Kansas by a mere two points.

Sophomore guard Stephen Curry proved that he's one of the nation's best players, scoring 25 or more points in all four games, with a high of 40. Although far from a one-man team, Curry seemed to hit all the big shots when Davidson needed one, despite intense pressure from some of the best defensive teams in the country.

Although I picked Kansas in my bracket to win it all, I was pulling for Davidson to knock off the Jayhawks and make it to the Final Four. Cinderella stories are what March Madness is all about, and Davidson made the first two weeks of this year's tournament especially enjoyable to me.

Posted by Chris Lindsley at 07:52 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

My 10-year-old son Graham is interested in skateboarding, and has had a board for several years but had not had a lesson until Saturday. It was really an eye-opening experience for him, and has rekindled his interest in the sport.

This was supposed to be a group lesson, but when only two kids showed up, he ended up working one-on-one with a skateboard instructor. He learned all the basics, including how to drop in, perform an ollie and much more, and worked on perfecting his moves for much of the next few days.

It's fun as a parent to see your child get noticeably better at something they like in a two-hour period, and Graham's excited to take more lessons and refine his technique. Skateboarding really seems to suit his personality, and I think the lesson really showed him what's possible, and that some day he may be able to do some of the things he has watched skateboarders do on TV.

Posted by Chris Lindsley at 09:18 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

The NCAA men's basketball tournament is my favorite sporting event of the year. From the conference tournaments through the Final Four, there is nothing that matches the drama that college basketball provides.

For me, the Big Dance (see our tournament glossary) starts with Selection Sunday, when the men's brackets are announced. I love seeing the first-round matchups, and trying to figure out upcoming matchups in rounds two through six, otherwise known as the NCAA championship.

The great thing is that there are so many questions and so few answers. Can Clemson and Pittsburgh, arguably two of the hottest teams entering the tournament, make it to the Sweet 16 or beyond? Which No. 1 seed -- North Carolina, Kansas, Memphis or UCLA -- will be the first to lose, and which mid-major (Drake, Xavier, Davidson?) will become the nation's Cinderella that we all root for?

This Thursday and Friday are great days to be sports fans, with wall-to-wall NCAA Tournament games from noon until midnight. It doesn't get any better than that, especially when you factor in the upsets, the buzzer beaters and the teams and players you knew nothing about make a name for themselves during the March to Madness.

So who will win it all? I say Kansas, but it won't be easy. What will be easy, though, is watching the action unfold. Let the Madness begin. I can't wait for Thursday. 

Posted by Chris Lindsley at 11:39 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Former Green Bay Packer quarterback Brett Favre was someone football fans could relate to perhaps more than any other player in history. Favre had a great 17-year NFL career, and holds records for most passing yards, touchdown passes and most victories by a starting quarterback.

What made Favre special to me, though, is how publicly he dealt with success and adversity both on and off the field. He acted like a kid after throwing a key touchdown pass, and challenged teammates when he felt they deserved it.

Off the field, Favre admitted an alcohol problem and an addiction to painkillers. His father died of a heart attack during the 2003 season and his wife battled breast cancer shortly thereafter. Hurricane Katrina destroyed the home Favre, who is from Mississippi, grew up in, and his search for family members was front sports page news.  

Through it all, Favre shared his feelings with the media, leading us to feel like we knew him, like he was one of us. He also showed up to work every Sunday, and proved to be the most dependable quarterback of all time, the Iron Man of his sport.

The fact that he sturggled at times on the field made him more likable and real. Favre was always trying to make the big play, even if it meant throwing into double coverage or attempting a low-percentage play. That gunslinger attitude may not have helped his statistics, but it's what made him a legend. You felt he was never out of a game, and that he'd do all he could to will his team to victory. 

Peyton Manning and Tom Brady may be much more consistent quarterbacks with better quarterback ratings, but Favre was truly one of a kind. My lasting memory of him will be his trademark full-sprint run down the field to celebrate a long touchdown pass with a teammate. Favre's child-like enthusiasm was contagious, and he was almost impossible not to like and respect. 

There may never be another quarterback like him again.

Posted by Chris Lindsley at 11:36 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)