By Mike Ball
Cincinnati Enquirer

Thumbs up

1. This weekend. Hoops mania - college men and women and the paid-to-play. A new ballpark. From a footrace (Heart Mini-Marathon) to a car race (NASCAR). From clubs (PGA, LPGA) to rackets (tennis), and horse racing and boxing and hockey, too.

2. Tiger. Last week's 11-stroke victory while battling food poisoning was Michael Jordan-like. He can make casual golf fans salivate at the revolving golf scores.

3. The NFL draft. Why else would football be on the minds of sports fans this time of year?

4. Kobe Bryant. So, we're expected to believe his 42-point first half and 55-point overall effort against Jordan's Wizards was a coincidence?

5. Northern Kentucky University. The women's basketball team's charge to the Division II national title game for the second time in four seasons speaks for itself.

6. Emmitt Smith. Here's hoping he doesn't get smeared behind the Arizona Cardinals' offensive line.

7. Moeller and Reading boys basketball champs. Great work.

8. Don Cherry. The Hockey Night in Canada host created a stir by criticizing his country for not supporting the U.S. in Iraq.

9. Nux. What announcer besides Joe Nuxhall would make fun of himself for misreading the radar gun on the stadium scoreboard? Seems he didn't look up quickly enough, and saw the reading for the catcher's throw to the pitcher.

10. Marty Brennaman. He handles Nux, not to mention Reds PR guy Mike Vassalo, with ease.

Thumbs down

1. Downtown parking. Hey, how does this affect us?

2. The Reds. Who are the experts who say they will pound opposing pitching?

3. Guaranteed contracts. Damion Easley will get $14 million to leave the Tigers alone. Enough said.

4. Martha Burk. Invoking U.S. servicewomen into the Augusta National males-only debate crosses the line.

5. Sports guys out of their element. Hard to believe Fox radio lets the guy who can't pronounce Jim Bowden's name give us the latest from the warfront.

6. Bob Boone. A late-spring experiment with Barry Larkin in center field was more than a little scary.

7. Coaching speculation. Ben Howland to UCLA, Roy Williams to North Carolina, Tubby Smith to the NBA. It's a shame it has to happen during the NCAA Tournament.

8. Spring training. It's fun if you're there. But it's just too long.

9. Reds bashers. If you're really a fan, what good does it do to whine before they even play?

10. Calvin Klein. The clothing designer doesn't know much about the NBA if he chose to confront Latrell Sprewell!