Blog: Sun, snow, and brackets mean madness in March

College students are finally enjoying their much-anticipated spring break, flying to tropical destinations or wooden cabins to enjoy a week of snow in the mountains. However, college spring break also means the continuation of the month-long sporting event some have been waiting for since the BCS championship football game. It’s March Madness.

On March 18, there were 65 teams going into the NCAA division-I basketball tournament. Now in its fourth week of play, the “Sweet 16” will start on Thursday and the biggest stories so far of the tournament is the overall number-one seed of the regular season Kansas Jayhawks being upset by the number-nine tournament ranked Northern Iowa, 69-67. Another Cinderella-type story is that of Cornell University, going into the tournament ranked number 12—the Ivy League school shocked the world. First beating number-five Temple University in the East region first round, then rolling past higher seed Wisconsin 87-69. The Big Red will take on the number-one seed of their region, Kentucky, on Thursday in Sweet 16 play. Look forward to probably one of the best NCAA tournaments in recent years.

As spring break is in session, I took a semi-spring break of my own, minus the millions of college students, alcohol, and forgotten memories. It was my first time to Oregon and it treated me well and not so well. The tax-free state was filled with trees, happy and proud people, ducks, and gas stations where you don’t fill your own gas. Taking in the sights of the city of Portland, using some of the best public transportation, going to my first NBA game, snowboarding, realizing how many trees and tree-huggers there are, and crashing an ATV then paying $600 for it—I’d say it was a good time.

Some Oregon news that hits home in the sports world: Quarterback Jeremiah Masoli of the Oregon Ducks is suspended for the upcoming 2010 season. The St. Louis High School alumni via California was put under season suspension by head Coach Chip Kelly on Friday, March 12. Coach Kelly made his decision immediately after Masoli pleaded guilty to second-degree burglary in the theft of a pair of laptop computers and a guitar from a campus fraternity. Masoli’s felony charge was reduced to a misdemeanor after pleading guilty in Lane County Circuit Court in Oregon. Along with the suspension, Masoli will have to serve 12 months of probation and a 140-hours of community service.

Some other news in sports: UH baseball heads to California on five-game six-day road trip this week after sweeping Air Force in a four-game series. Tiger will make his highly anticipated return to his professional golf career, as he will be playing in the 2010 Masters on April 7 in Augusta, Georgia. Woods played at the Augusta course on Monday as all players invited into the tournament were entitled to a free practice round.

That’s it for now. Don’t forget to go for a run, swim, hike, play a pick-up game or just get out of your office, if you have one. Enjoy Hawaii and being healthy!