If anyone needs any other confirmation, all they have to do is look at my desk.

Between the brackets and the spring sports schedules, I don’t know what color my desktop is.

Speaking of spring-sport schedules &045; coaches go on and fax your schedules and rosters in to me.

The fax number is 334-872-4588.

Now that we’re done with the housekeeping, on with the regularly scheduled

column.

I’ll take put up or shut up for $300, Alex.

Sportsfans, when I was a youngster and was playing football, my old ballcoach would tell me in a gruff voice, &8220;This is where you seperate the cream from the wheat,&8221; whenever the playoffs began. Now, while I am almost certain his analogy was as inaccurate as his Just for Men hair dye, it did make sense. In the AISA, 16 teams have one more basketball game on their calendar.

Seven of those 16 teams are from Selma, or my coverage area and that’s pretty cool and says something about the athletes that are around here.

On Thursday, both squads from Lowndes Academy

and MMI will take the floor at Faulkner and Huntington respectively looking to move one game closer to the state title.

They can.

I honestly expect these two teams to be playing in next weekend’s state finals at

Huntingdon College. If they happened to meet in the finals, it could create an interesting game. The same thing goes for Meadowview’s Lady Trojans and Wilcox’s Wildcats &045; both finished as area champs and will hold court on Friday at Faulkner.

The wildcard in the whole tournament equation is Morgan Academy.

The Senators are 9-11 and area champs.

Can they resurrect some of that post-season magic they had in December and bring a second title back to the Academy?

I think they can. These guys started poorly, but in sports it’s not about how you start &045; it’s how you finish and

these guys are gelling and peaking at the right time.

It’s going to be a long night.

Phoenix on the flop for $600, Alex.

Now you guys know my policy about national events &045; I stay out unless I have a connection i.e. Terrell Owens and Alex City. I was reading the wire today when this story came across &045; I had to comment on it. Phoenix’s assistant coach and Wayne Gretzky’s wife were busted gambling. (To read the story, it’s on Page 7.)

Now, first question &045; If you’re &8220;The Great One’s&8221; wife, why would you want to risk your money?

Is this girl dumb or just fundamentally stupid?

Second question &045;does the NHL really need this right now? I mean, weren’t they like two weeks away from being named Bob and Ted’s Hockey League during the cancelled 2005 season?

Alex, I’ll take vertical stripes make you taller for $1000.

I’ve officially been on the diet for a little more than a month and have lost six pounds.

Alright, just 34 pounds away from my goal.

It’s that simple.