Wow, I am finally in here. I have been trying since 8 a.m. to get in here & make a post, but I kept getting an "under maintenance" page. Oh well, all seems to be working fine now.

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It's gameday & I believe tonight will be a battle between Memphis & UAB. The Tigers are clearly best in CUSA, although the Blazers are in the midst of a 10-game winning streak & probably realize a win tonight makes them a contender for the regular-season crown.

The Blazers own wins over Oklahoma State, Nebraska & others. They are playing without the services of Demarrio Eddins as he was lost for the season to a torn Achille's tendon earlier this month.

I am not normally into predictions, but I feel comfortable stating this one goes down the final minutes before it's decided.

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Yet another example of how missing freethrows & losing a game translates into positive press: Washington battles back from haunting misses reads the headline in the Birmingham News, recounting the story of Darius Washington's missed shots against Louisville last year. Good read from writer Ray Melick. If you read the story, you just might recognize a quote or two in there from yours truly.

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In case you're wondering whatever happened to former Southern Miss basketball player Jasper Johnson, he's become quite successful on the division II level with Delta State. He's averaging 21 points-per-game & is shooting 58-percent from the field. DSU is currently no. 11 in the country, with a win over d-1 Lamar in their pocket.

Johnson left the Golden Eagles in the middle of the 04-05 season after being informed by coach Larry Eustachy that he didn't fit into the team's plans.

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Charlotte Observer Scott Fowler weighs in on the ridiculous technical foul called on Houston coach Tom Penders at UAB last weekened:

"To be 'Pender-ed' should be short form for having insult heaped upon injury, either in sports or in life."

In case you missed it, Penders, who has a heart problem which is controlled by a pacemaker, fell to his knees right after a questionable foul was called in the game against the Blazer. The ref assumed it was an overreaction from the coach, so he T'd him up. Even after Penders is administered oxygen & carted off the court on a stretcher, the technical stands & UAB converts both shots at the freethrow line.

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It's the halfway mark of the Memphis Grizzlies' NBA season & the team stands at 25-16, a franchise best after 41 games. If they keep this up, it's a 50-win season.

While I scratch my head sometimes at coach Mike Fratello, get angered by Pau Gasol or just turn off my TV in frustration, you cannot argue with success.

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Recently retired NASCAR driver Rusty Wallace will be in the TV booth starting next year. Wallace is joining ESPN/ABC's second-half-of-the-season coverage of the Nextel Cup Series starting in 2008. NBC is still set to pick up coverage in July of this year.

Since 2001, Fox & NBC have shared the NASCAR contract, with Fox getting the first-half of each season. That deal continues with ESPN/ABC.

Just like their NFL broadcasts, I believe Fox does a great job with NASCAR & that goes back to the personalities involved in the broadcasts. Darrell Waltrip is more popular today for his commentary than he ever was on the racetrack.

I am hesitant to believe Wallace will provoke the same positive feelings from viewers, but I could be wrong. Guess we'll find out next year.

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Former Memphis running back DeAngelo Williams has grabbed the attention of the media in Mobile for this weekend's Senior Bowl.

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Music quote of the day:

"If you arrive and don't see me
I'm going to be with my baby
I am free - flying in her arms, over the sea"

Brothers Johnson - "Strawberry Letter 23"