As basketball heats up, so do roundball debates

The sports world is about to catch the Madness. Who's going to come out on top? Pete As we enter the month of March or, as I like to call it, Nirvana, not only do we get about two weeks off from school, not only do we get Championship Week (where everyone from the MAAC to the ACC throws down for a bid to the big dance), we get the tournament that college football fans dream of: No more AP and coaches polls, just 65 teams and six straight wins. The winner can jump around the court, cut down the nets, and Jim Nantz and Billy Packer can cry as CBS plays "One Shining Moment."

This year the field is wide open after the Big Three -- Illinois, North Carolina and Wake Forest have stumbled, and the next 25 teams could make it to the Final Four. The Crimson Tide from Alabama are going to be this year's dark horse.

They are a tough team with oodles of talent. Last year was rough for 'Bama as they sank from No. 1 to barely making the tournament. But this year they are sitting on the top of the west division of the SEC with a 21-5 record and are ranked 15th in the polls. Alabama is a team that can easily go on a run and blow teams out of the water like No. 19 Mississippi St. (which they won 97-49), as well as Georgia and South Carolina. This team is dangerous and can make a run at the title.

John A contender in the NCAA Tournament from the SEC? Please. This year's tourney dark horse will be none other than the Panthers of Pittsburgh, who, among other accolades, boast a 93-57 victory over our own Greyhounds. Every year a team that looks to be middle of the road from either the ACC or Big East goes a lot farther in the bracket than expected.

This year's Big East competition is heating up, with Boston College and Villanova enjoying resurgences. Though the Panthers took a tough loss from West Virginia last week, come tournament time they will be battle-tested and ready to roll. Carl Krauser, a player almost as underrated as www.fistpumps.com, can take them into the Elite Eight at the very least.

Though they lack a leader like Brandin Knight, Chevon Troutman and Chris Taft gives Pitt that ever-valuable duo who can create an inside presence, not too dissimilar to Georgetown's "Twin Tower" days of Dikembe Mutombo and Alonzo Mourning. When you play Syracuse twice and beat them both times, you have potential in my book.

Pete Now I am a Big East guy, and I understand that the Big East is the most complete conference this year, and they will do some damage in this tournament. Villanova is going to knock off a big name and so is Georgetown if they can sneak in, but Pittsburgh? They may get into the Sweet 16 if the stars are aligned, but I don't like their chances.

Are Big East teams battle-tested? Sure. Are they worn down? Probably. ESPN calls it "Big Monday" for a reason; it's because every week, you can turn on the T.V. and find Syracuse, Notre Dame, Rutgers, UConn and all the rest beating the crap out of each other.

Meanwhile, Alabama has the speed and a press that will wear down their opponents. They are winners of 10 of their last 13 and should have beaten a very good Kentucky team last Saturday. This team is just waiting to have a huge March and is a squad that should find themselves in the Final Four behind veteran players Kennedy Winston and Earnest Shelton.

John Considering that Alabama did lose to Vanderbilt this year, how could they go to the Final Four? Pitt has lost some tough games, including dropping one to UConn this weekend, but the competition they play week in and week out is much better than Alabama. They have played UConn and Syracuse twice and will play their second game against Notre Dame this week. Meanwhile 'Bama plays Ole Miss and Tennessee. You better believe that when the Panthers get into crunch time in March that they will be happy to have played those tough squads, even though they have dropped their share of conference games.

C-Webb has ditched Sacto for Philly, but is he, and not AI, the real "Answer" for the Sixers? John Last week's trade deadline came with a lot of action, but not many of the trades were "blockbusters" as the experts would say. The biggest trade of the week was one involving Chris Webber leaving the Maloof brothers and Sacramento behind and heading to AI's neighborhood in Philly. The other players in the deal were basically reserves packaged to allow Mr. No-Timeouts-Left to move over to the Eastern Conference.

For the first time in his career, Iverson will have a dominant player to share the spotlight with, and maybe he won't be criticized as much, that is as long as he goes to practice. But can Webber's presence on the 76ers make Philly a contender this year?

With Philadelphia currently in second place in the (yawn) Atlantic Division, there is no doubt that they should be able to move up to first place and coast to the division title if the Webber-Iverson union clicks. With the exception of the Heat, the East is still wide open, and any team that gets hot at the right time can make a huge playoff push.

Webber needs to quickly create some chemistry with the Philly players, and could take them deep into the playoffs. Though they don't have the talent to be a title contender this season, they could upset a team like Orlando or Washington. Philly fans might have to stop their booing if the Sixers can start dominating this weak division.

Pete This year is the Celtics' year. That's right; they'll finish at 42-40, beating out the Sixers for the final playoff spot (which ends up being the third seed). Why is this going to happen, you ask? First of all, if recent history can teach us anything, it is that Philly cannot beat a New England team. And, second of all, Webber can barely walk, and Allen Iverson is now forced to play another elite baller, which he has never been asked to do. I know you are going to say, "Well he is in the top 10 in assists this year," but he is still the show. At the very least, it will be interesting to see how his ego plays out in this scenario.