EASY ANSWERS? by ST

We live in a very melodramatic society. Because of the 24/7 cycle along with blogging, tweeting, facebook, radio and all the forms of communication, each scenario dealing with a particular issue is played out. Right now we won't have a 2011 NFL season, Albert Pujols is leaving the Cardinals and the NBA will be locked out next year as well. Plus you can lock in Ohio State, Texas, Kansas and Pitt as the top seeds in the fast approaching NCAA Tournament. I can't imagine the chucklehead owners and players will actually risk vaporizing the golden goose in pro football. No way. Not gonna happen. Make your plans for the 2nd Sunday in September, we will have a full slate of NFL games. Pujols and his frisbee headed agent can threaten deadlines and do all the posturing they want. No one is giving him 10 years. Those days are gone. Once the Cards step up with the Arod dollars on an annual basis for 5-6 years, he's not leaving the arch. I do think losing all or part of the next NBA season is a reality. Way too many teams are struggling financially and from what I've read, most sharp & reasonable people are on board with possibly contracting franchises. There needs to be a monetary restructuring of the league. If we've learned anything about the magnficence of March Madness it's assume nothing. The Buckeyes look capable of winning the whole shooting match but have a difficult test Sunday at Purdue along with potential landmines versus Illinois next Tuesday and the closer against the only team to take them down this year, Wisconsin. It appears the only barrier for the Longhorns over their last 6 regular season games is Kansas State at Austin the last day of February. Kansas ends the Big 12 regular season at Missouri who remains dangerous as a top 20 team. As for Pitt, they play in the best conference in America and are going without top scorer Ashton Gibbs, though they looked sharp shorthanded in winning at Villanova last Saturday. They still have a trip to play the Johnnies in Manhattan along with difficult matchups with West Virginia, @Louisville and they wrap with Nova. I'd be stunned if all 4 of these teams were able to successfully navigate the next 3 weeks unscathed. As questioned at the top, some of these are no-brainers, others, not so much!