Good morning everyone! Ed is on a little break today, so I've taken over Morning Coffee for the day. There's so much to get to, from NCAA Tournament basketball to Yankees news, so let's get right to it.
NCAA Tournament: The Syracuse Orange crushed the Indiana State Sycamores, 77-60, to advance to the round of 32. Leading Syracuse was Rick Jackson, who had 23 points and 7 rebounds. The Orange move on to face Marquette tomorrow.
There's no local teams on today, but several big-name teams, including tournament darlings Moorehead State and Richmond, tip off today.
NHL: Two of the three local teams were in action last night, with very different results. Let's start with the Devils, who are watching their playoff dreams slip away. They were shut out for the second consecutive night, 3-0, by the Washington Capitals last night. New Jersey sits 12th in the conference, six points out of a playoff spot, with 11 games remaining.
The Rangers, who struggled mightily throughout February, seem to be rolling now. The Blueshirts dismantled the Montreal Canadiens, 6-3, to strengthen their playoff position. The win put them five points behind Montreal for sixth in the Eastern Conference.
NBA: The inconsistent New York Knicks dropped a winnable game to the Detroit Pistons, 99-95. Carmelo Anthony managed just six points on 2-for-12 shooting, and the Knicks lost an 11 point lead in the fourth quarter. Since acquiring Anthony, the Knicks are playing .500 basketball. That won't bode well for the playoffs, where they may face on of the "BIg Three" in the Eastern Conference.
The New Jersey Nets lost their eighth straight to the Milwaukee Bucks, 110-95. It was the team's second-straight loss after a five-game win streak earlier this month. Deron Williams had 18 in the loss. The Nets, with slim playoff hopes, may need to start preparing for the offseason.
NFL: The lockout continues, with no sides willing to come to an agreement. The players spoke out yesterday, asking that NFL commissioner Roger Goodell and the league's lead labor negotiators step away from the talks. Chiefs linebacker Mike Vrabel believed the players' executive committee need to negotiate directly with league's executive committee.
MLB: The New York Yankees are dealing with several injuries, most coming in the bullpen. While none of them are too serious, it's definitely a cause for concern within the organization. With just two weeks left until Opening Day, the team wants as healthy a roster it can have to open the season.
The New York Mets cut eight players yesterday, giving fans something to be excited about. Oft-maligned second baseman Luis Castillo, famous for the dropped pop-up against the Yankees, was one of the eight players cut. Met fans don't care who plays second base, as long as it's not Castillo.