It’s a corking week in soccer around the world, really – Chelsea’s splendid comeback to tie Tottenham Hot­spur in the FA Cup (earning a replay with their North London rivals this coming Monday) … the Houston Dynamo’s Champions Cup showdown with Mexican giants Pachu­ca this Thurs­day … the last week of the regular season for local high schools … a 3-3 Barcelona-Madrid clásico (enough to nudge Barca to the top of La Liga, as former leaders Sevilla crashed at something called Gimnastica de Tarra­gona) … and there’s got to be more – but frankly, this South by Southwest thing has me frazzled. See you next week.

Jody Conradt confirmed Monday night what Lady Longhorn basketball fans had wondered about for weeks – would the iconic women's coach retire this year? After two consecutive disappointing seasons, logic held that she would. But the suddenness of her announcement – just 15 minutes after learning of the team's failure to qualify for the NCAA tournament – came all too soon for friends and fans who had followed her 31-year career at UT. "Losing is not acceptable," Conradt said, explaining her decision to retire, one week after achieving her 900th coaching victory in Oklahoma City. Conradt's career milestones could fill a book; she took her team to a national championship in 1986 and she has groomed hundreds of talented players. Now the search is on for Conradt's successor. Some potential candidates include Duke University's Gail Goestenkors, and Baylor's thoroughly entertaining firecracker of a coach, Kim Mulkey.

After winning their season and home opener last weekend over the Las Vegas Gladiators 57-36 Austin traveled to the Philips Arena in Atlanta and lost to the Georgia Force 60-51 Sunday afternoon. After trailing for most of the game Austin got within two with 46 seconds left and made a failed onside kickoff attempt which led to another Force touchdown and the Wranglers' first loss of the season. Quarterback Adrian McPherson completed 30 of his 45 passes for 344 yards and four touchdowns. Kevin Nickerson led Austin in receiving with 13 receptions for 146 yards and two touchdowns. The Wranglers travel to Orlando on Friday for another challenging Southern Division matchup against the Predators at 6:30pm. That game can be be heard on AM 1300 the Zone and www.austinwranglers.com.

To: John Razook
From: Shawn Badgley
Time: Sunday, March 11, 5:30pm
Subject: Selection Sunday

John:

Of course.

Of course the last conference title game before the field of 65 was announced today was an OT thriller played at a high level by underclassmen in a premier league. Kevin Durant went for 37 – albeit on 29 shots – against Kansas and Brandon Rush, whose all-around performance went well beyond the 19 he put up as one of four Jayhawks in double figures.

Of course it was the Big XII Championship in Oklahoma City, which we previewed earlier this month, when you correctly picked Kansas to win it. I incorrectly picked Missouri and said Texas would lose early.

Of course, I also said they'll be in Atlanta for the Final Four three weeks from now.

Of course I'm writing this when I should be writing about SXSW Film and Interactive. Luckily, I have people who take care of that for me. Madness, indeed.

Of course KU is a No. 1 (in the West Regional), just announced along with Florida (in the Midwest as the overall top seed), UNC (East), and Ohio State (South). Yawn, right? Yeah, I know. But how about the 5-12 game in the Midwest?! Butler-Old Dominion? The 7-10 in the West?! Indiana-Gonzaga! A possible Gonzaga-UCLA rematch two days after that? The fact that Duke will go down in the first round against Virginia Commonwealth in that same region!? Even the stupidity of the self-absorbed and -important pieces of bloody raccoon stool that are Seth Davis and Doug Gottlieb can't ruin the good feeling I have in my heart at this moment. Dear Life: I love you. Sincerely, Shawn.

Good day, my pupils. We need to dive right into the heart of our subject. Since last we met, much has happened all across the NFL, but no team has made a splash like Detroit, and the cold waves can be felt from coast to coast. By trading defensive end James Hall to St. Louis, then scoring DE Dwayne White in free agency, the Lions have altered the landscape of the draft and the entire NFL offseason. The kings of this jungle now have options at the No. 2 overall pick, and are likely to trade down. St. Louis, formerly hungry for DE aid is no longer obligated to draft in such a manner. This forces all other teams dreaming of DL relief to wake up and activate new strategies.

But this is what novelists call “foreshadowing” and we have more rosters to read of before the draft. Today, we have the newly formed NFC South, which brags the explosive Saints, and three other teams that owe a refund to season-ticket holders for the sad performance of the 2006-07 season. Let us indulge in Southern Comfort, shall we?

The Daily Show's resident expert John "I'm a PC" Hodgman weighs in on sports doping with the Human Growth Hormone: "We wouldn't want to trivialize a man hitting a ball over a fence with a stick."

Thorndale is one win away from claiming Central Texas' first boys' basketball state championship since 1965. Led by Austin Falke's 20 points, the Bulldogs routed New Deal 63-39 in their state semifinal this morning. Thorndale advances to play Martin's Mill, which bounced Clyde-Eula 34-25, in the Class A Division I final 8:30am Saturday at the Erwin Center. The next area team to take the court is Connally, which draws 2005 and 2006 4A champion (and heavy favorite) Dallas South Oak Cliff in a 4A semifinal 8:30pm tonight. Go Cougars!

The Houston Dynamo beat Costa Rica’s Puntarenas, 2-0, last Thursday night in College Station, avenging a 1-0 first-leg loss and advancing to the semifinals of the CONCACAF Champions Cup. The goals came, one in each half, from Paul Dalglish and Kelly Gray, but the man of the match may once again have been keeper Zach Wells, the backup who had come on as an emergency replacement for injured starter Pat Onstad in Costa Rica and stopped a penalty kick on his first touch. This marks the first time an American team has ever beaten a Tico squad in Cup play.

Next up: Defending Mexican champs and South American Cup champs (the first Mexican team ever to win that title), Pachuca, come to Houston next Wednesday; the return leg is in Pachuca on April 5. All this, and the MLS season doesn’t even start for another month. Robertson Stadium, Wed., March 14, 7:30pm; www.houstondynamo.com for more info.

Congratulations to Rockwall, Fort Worth Dunbar, Canyon, Poth, Nazareth, and Lindsay, your 2007 UIL girl's basketball state champions. This weekend it's the boys' turn, as their state tournament gets underway at the crack of dawn tomorrow with the Martin's Mill-Clyde Eula Class A Division I semifinal, 8:30am at the Erwin Center. Local teams in action this weekend are Class A Division I rep Thorndale squaring off against Panhandlers New Deal at 10am tomorrow, Connally vs. defending 4A state champs Dallas South Oak Cliff at 8:30pm tomorrow, and 2A's Jarrell drawing Shallowater 8:30am Friday. Single-game tickets are $12 a pop, and all-tournament passes are available for $90 (lower level) and $80 (upper level). Tickets available from the Texas Box Office. The complete schedule follows.