In Daytona Beach, Ken Willis wrote last fall many sports media personalities were "elbowing their way toward the front of the line, hoping to be among the first to start piecing together the NFL's obituary," but now the league is "owning the headlines" after the start of free agency. Willis noted it is currently the "meat of baseball's spring training" and the NCAA Tournament starts this week, but "we're all talking football." Willis: "Yes football. Professional football. The NFL" (Daytona Beach NEWS-JOURNAL, 3/12).
COMING IN HOT: ESPN.com noted tennis player Maria Sharapova is set to play in April's WTA Porsche Grand Prix, which starts "two days prior to the end of her suspension" for doping. Fellow player Caroline Wozniacki said Sharapova is still a "good draw for tennis, women's tennis in general," but it is "questionable allowing -- no matter who it is -- a player that is still banned to play a tournament that week." Wozniacki: "It's disrespectful to the other players and the WTA. But it is what it is. Obviously rules are twisted and turned in favour of who wants to do what" (ESPN.com, 3/12).
ALL ABOUT STRUCTURE: PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan in a special to GOLF DIGEST discussed what he admires about other major league sports. Monahan: "One, the way the NFL, MLB, the NBA and the NHL conclude their seasons. I love where we are with the FedEx Cup, but keep in mind it's only 10 years along, is still evolving, and we're always on the lookout for ways to sharpen our postseason-playoff structure. Two, I admire the way they build and market their brands through their own networks. Having a 24/7 presence has served those sports very, very well" (GOLFDIGEST.com, 3/11).
