Sports Redux: Bruins, Brawls, Brackets

The Bruins seem to have rolled over and played dead. Only a short time ago, they had a shot at the playoffs, and now it seems as if they just don't want to deal with the pressure. Or they couldn't take the pressure. Yesterday, they lost to the Philadelphia Flyers 4 to 1. And the Flyers are in the NHL basement, which says way too much about how the Bruins are playing.

In baseball, spring training almost went WWF yesterday. In the Red Sox game against the Tigers, the Tigers' Magglio Ordonez got knocked upside the head by a ball from Josh Beckett. Ordonez went to the hospital.

It might not have caused a brawl if Beckett hadn't hit Gary Sheffield upside the head in the first inning. By the time Detroit's Todd Jones was on the mound, he was in the mood to retaliate toward JD Drew. Bench-clearing, manliness, and mouthing ensued, but nothing serious. However, it means that future Red Sox-Tigers matchups will be fun to watch. (By the way, the Red Sox beat the Tigers 7 to 6.)

In more peaceful sports news, conservative Supreme Court justice Samuel Alito pitched in a Devil Rays / Phillies game. Here's how he did: "His opening pitch was a bit high — the Devil Rays' furry mascot generously called it a strike."

And it's bracket time! Office managers, steel yourselves because the betting frenzy is about to start! And we'll be watching, not just to see if our favorite college teams will make it but which future Celtics will have the chance to shine.