Fantastic February

By Brian Richie


February may seem dull. After all, to most people it only means a bunch of stuffed animals and chocolate. To some it is just more cold weather and a day off from work for President's Day.

To the sports nut, however, February is a great mix of several sports at critical parts in the calendar year. For college football, it is arguably the most important month from a program's perspective. For professional football, it actually is the most important month and holds the sport's grand prize. For college basketball, it is the home stretch and perhaps the last chance for schools to make a push for the “Big Dance.” Here is a preview of all three:
 
NCAA Football
 National Signing Day may seem something close to the importance of the presidential elections to some avid college fans. It is the day where stepping stones to the future are constructed and the beginning of dynasties are built. This year expects to live up to the excitement and drama of years' past. As of January 25, three of the top 10 rated prospects were still undecided on schools. The top five in recruiting rankings were Florida, Texas, Alabama, Georgia then Auburn. The story to watch this signing day, however, will be the potential dominance of Florida. The Gators are assembling what is being called the potentially best recruiting class ever, in terms of the number of highly ranked athletes committing. The Gators had 16 committed recruits from the ESPNU top 150 by January 25, which was best in the nation. Signing day is February 3 this year, and it promises to be a good heavyweight slugfest up until the very last minute.

NFL
Grab your pretzels and beer, and rent that 60-inch big screen from Best Buy because February 7 is sure to have all the fireworks expected. We have all applauded Drew Brees' Hurricane Katrina relief efforts during his time in Louisiana, and we have chuckled at Peyton Manning's corny acting in advertisements, but now it is time to see them strap on the helmets for football's biggest prize.

This Super Bowl could be one of the highest scoring in the history of the NFL (especially with the recent NFL rule changes that enforce a 15-yard penalty for breathing too heavily on the offense). No, fans will not get to see golden boy Brett Favre take one last career shot at the Lombardi Trophy in purple. No, they will not get to see a coach dressed in green with a large stomach and even larger mouth bark plays out to a rookie quarterback. Instead, fans will be treated to two future hall of fame quarterbacks and sub-par but quick defenses duke it out in sunny south Florida. Sounds like a better recipe than even your mom's Mexican nacho dip.

NCAA Basketball
Technically, March is the month that receives all the attention in college basketball. That's just not fair. Some tickets to the NCAA Tournament are punched right here in February. Conference play gets nasty as the season nears the end, and some schools go ice cold or boiling hot. North Carolina has fought hard this season, but losing the likes of Tyler Hansborough and Ty Lawson may be too much to overcome. Look for the Big 12 to dominate in February as the tournament nears. Kansas, Texas, Kansas State all look like goliaths. The Big East continues to put its stamp on the college world, while the ACC might disappoint as the season closes (including Duke).

So munch on your leftover Valentine's chocolate but remember that February sports deserve love too.