B-BRRRRRRR-AAAAAACKETS!

Oh my, is it ever impossible to ignore. Well, it's pretty easy here in the UK, unless you're looking for it. Over here, we had the FA Cup draw to see who plays whom in the semifinals yesterday and the results were not kind to Newcastle supporters.

Newcastle, who defeated Spurs 1-0 rather controversally, drew FA Cup favourites Manchester United. Of all the possible opponents, Man U was probably the worst one they could draw. Newcastle-Man U, together with Arsenal-Blackburn, are both to be played in Cardiff's Millennium Stadium on the weekend of April 16-17. The final will be at the same venue on May 21.

Newcastle's Alan Shearer was not to be rejected. He remained positively upbeat. Almost absurdly so.

"We have already faced Chelsea, an in-form Tottenham and now we have the likely favourites in the semi-final. It will be a huge game. Massive."

In all probability, Newcastle would have had to have beaten either Man U or Arsenal at some point in this finals march and who knows, perhaps Souness' hope that they face Blackburn in the finals isn't just a pie in the sky.

Nevertheless, if worse comes to worse, you have to admit, another Arsenal-Manchester United grudge match, another chance to rub Arsene Wenger's little rodent face in another humiliating loss, would be the ideal FA Cup Final, which to the uninitiated over in L'America, is the English equivilent of the Super Bowl.

Pay attention now! There could be two American keepers in the finals.

*****Back to Da Brack*****

Perhaps most important in filling out your bracket is how to choose your underdogs properly. Thus, Tips for Picking the Right Cinderella in your Bracket is an invaluable shot across the bow.

A few days ago, I said I hadn't been following the season at all and hadn't seen a single game. Well, Sunday I watched the first 10 minutes of Duke-Georgia Tech and in confirmed my worst fears: the tournament is all that matters. Otherwise, it's difficult to fill the ole tub with the warm water of enthusiasm and simply jump in.

In the event you need them, there are 65 Reasons To Tune In.

#6 sticks out in particular: The only overpaid people involved are announcers and coaches.

I've come across a few names and perhaps the best part of every tournament is picking out your favourite tournament name. The winner this year is:

George Washington's "Pops" Mensah-Bonsu who comes from London, England. Watch quickly because it isn't likely GW will make it very far.

For the record, here are Sports Amnesia's Sweet 16:

Illinois, Boston College, St Marys, Arizona
Washington, Louisville, Texas Tech, West Virginia
UNC, Florida, Kansas, U Conn
Duke, Syracuse, Oklahoma, Kentucky

Sports Amnesia's Final Four Picks:

Arizona
Washington
Florida
Syracuse

and of course, Sports Amnesia's NCAA Champions:

Syracuse Orangemen.

See how easy that is?

Hey, this bracket stuff is so addictive, even Major League Baseball has gotten in on the gag.

Indeed, there is a Bracket Challenge to pick the winners of baseball's postseason before Spring Training has really even gotten underway.

******Baseball

Hard to believe the arrogance but considering the source being one of baseball's more pronounced assholes, perhaps it isn't so suprising that Orioles owner Peter Angelos' claim that the Orioles have "exclusive rights" to the entire Washington TV market for their "regional network!.

According to the Post's Tom Boswell, "The Orioles owner's latest action, which borders on the self-destructive, was a full-page "open letter" paid advertisement in The Washington Post Sports section on Sunday in which Angelos brought his line of reasoning out of the shadows. He issued an in-your-face we-own-your-territory manifesto aimed at the very Washington fans whom he claims he still wants to keep as Orioles fans."

Unbelievable. It's amazing what little power MLB owners really have when it comes time to yield it. Major steroid scandal? Sit on their hands in denial, deny Congress their idiotic and ill-advised little witch hunt, create a pointless and toothless steroid policy which everyone in baseball knows is in essence, a joke. Move a franchise to Washington in defiance of Angelos and his demogogic ways? Stand back and let him run rampage over the fledging franchise which, due to owner incompetence, is STILL without a "real" owner.

Better still, the Nats whupped the Orioles, 11-4 and Ball Wonk has it all.

It appears there is grass on the field at ole RFK, via Nationals Pastime.

And in case you like rumours, it is rumoured that Endy Chavez might soon be trade bait as a failed centerfielder. This opens the way for my man, Terrmel Sledge to make a move.


*****

Cubs fans must certainly be rolling in the sands of deja vous all over again now that both aces, Prior and Wood are sidelined with injuries. Sound familiar Cubbie hopefuls?

Another Ace is Down.

The Cubs said Prior's injury is unrelated to the elbow tendinitis that contributed to him missing all of spring training and the first two months of 2004, and should be treatable.

Yeah, sure. Just like last season's injury was "nothing to be worried about".

As Mike Downey points out:

"Magglio Ordonez (gone), Sammy Sosa (gone), Carlos Lee (gone), Moises Alou (gone), Frank Thomas (hurt), Kerry Wood (hurt) and Mark Prior (hurt). Is there some reason a Chicago baseball fan should still feel confident that this is the year either team—or both—will win the pennant?"

Naaaah.

Not to get hysterical, but it certainly looks like the Cubbie Curse Continues.

On the other hand, if you WANT to get hysterical, here is a good place to start where already, they are questioning whether or not to kill themselves over the latest news.

******

Meanwhile, for we Met fans, nothing like a little John Donovon to rub our collective, "foolhardy" noses in the stench of the Kazmir for Zambrano trade as if we don't do it ourselves a million times a day.

I'm beginning to think Donovan has a little axe to grind against us. First was his column a few weeks ago noting that no one was afraid of us and now he calls the Mets "foolhardy" as a backhand slap in the middle of an article about the Devil Rays and Scott Kazmir.

*****

In case you were wondering: Rick Ankiel's recent move from exasperating pitcher with no control to outfielder is still on:

"Scouts always told him he has the arm, the bat and the athletic tools to become a fine major league outfielder. So he decided to change jobs.

Can the Cards afford to keep him on the big league roster as an outfielder?

That’s doubtful, since he needs to go someplace -– we’d suggested extended spring training, then high Class A ball, moving up to Class AA in July -- and start succeeding as a hitter. More than anything, Ankiel needs to regain his athletic confidence.

Will the Cards lose him on waivers?

Maybe, because some team may try to claim him and convince him to give pitching another try. Other baseball folks may believe a change of scenery, not a change of position, is all Ankiel needs."

*****

If you've ever wondered, as I sometimes do, about what happens for reporters to report on in the bogs of baseball like Pittsburgh, here you go:

Hold on to your seats: Todd Ritchie is retiring. Ritchie's retirement follows by a week the retirement of right-hander Todd Van Poppel. Both were No. 1 draft picks as high school players in Texas in 1990.

As a reporter covering the Pirates or baseball in general, I suppose there's always the steroid controversy or the "poor little Pirates" line to whinge in unison when things get so slow your failing fifth starter retiring is news.

*****

And before I forget, what's the deal with the Yankees new Chinaman, Chien-Ming Wang. If this isn't a baseball name, I dunno what is. "Chien", by the way, is French for "Dog".

Anyway, Dog, or Mister Ming Wang, or whatever appelation he goes by, is having marvelous success so far this spring. Just the other day, he followed Randy Johnson in the game, pitched two scoreless innings and earned the win!

This guy's been in TWO games, has earned TWO wins, and has allowed only 4 hits and ZERO runs in 5 innings of pitching.

How cool would it be if he supplants Kevin Brown as the Yankees fifth starter.

Or takes over the closer role for the Mariano Rivera who is experiencing a little elbow bursitis.

Just imagine the Daily News headlines: "There's a CHINK IN YANKEE ARMOUR"...