Welcome to Tennessee: Recapping the Titans' off-season acquisitions and addressing the rumors of a reunion tour.

Obviously the biggest headline of this off-season just happened when Donovan McNabb was traded to the Washington Redskins. However, there have been some other teams that have been making acquisitions as well; just not as high-profile as the McNabb trade.

One of those teams are the Tennessee Titans. Not exactly a free-spending team like the Redskins or Dallas Cowboys, the Titans usually stick with signing journeymen to above-average players to fill their weak spots. So far this off-season has been no different.

Will Witherspoon is probably the biggest signing so far this off-season for the 2008 AFC South champions. At 29, he's younger than injured outside linebacker Keith Bulluck - who I expect will not be a Titan in 2010 - and should start with Stephen Tulloch and David Thornton/Gerald McRath. He's had a couple good years with Carolina and St. Louis before getting traded to Philadelphia last season.

Another Eagle in Jason Babin became a Titan this off-season. The former first-round pick is considered a bust in mostly everyone's eyes, but at 28, he still has some upside to him. With Jim Washburn's coaching, he could make an impact as a rotational defensive end.

And finally Tye Hill, another former first-round pick, singed with the Titans just over a week ago. He adds cornerback depth and is a very explosive player when he has the football in his hands. Out of Clemson, he ran a 4.41 at the NFL Combine just four years ago and provides returning abilites as well.

Eugene Amano and Rod Hood were both re-signed, and Kevin Mawae is looking for a one or two-year deal with Tennessee to back-up Leroy Harris.

But let's address the biggest rumor of them all - which also ties into the introduction of this article - the reacquisition of Albert Haynesworth.

I know what you're thinking; didn't the Titans let him go because they didn't want to dish out the money to retain him? That is 100% correct and I felt like it was the right move during last year's off-season period. However, with the details of the McNabb trade coming out and the revelation of the Eagles denying a McNabb/Haynesworth straight-up swap, the rumors started to spread that the two-time All-Pro defensive tackle was on the market.

Redskins new head coach Mike Shanahan is reluctant to move Haynesworth to the nose tackle spot in his 3-4 defense. His sort of prima-donna attitude wouldn't welcome the change either and their first meeting together didn't go very smoothly.

I'm pretty sure you know what I'm getting at right now. Could Haynesworth be wearing two-tone blue next season again? Absolutely.

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I'm a little indifferent about acquiring Big Al again. We all know the talent's there; watch his highlights from 2008. The question that should be asked is if he will exert the same effort as he did that year.

That's my main concern. I felt that when I saw Haynesworth struggle with Washington this season, he only played to his potential the previous year to make a big pay day. Now that he has his money, will he return to 2008 form if brought back to Nashville? I can't honestly tell.

The positives out-weigh the negatives, in my opinion. First off, Washington already paid off his $21 million roster bonus, so there's less money for Tennessee to pay if he were acquired.

Then you have to look at the Titans' coaching staff; if there's anyone out there that can bring the best out in Haynesworth, it's going to be Jeff Fisher and Washburn. We already saw what they did with Kyle Vanden Bosch a few years ago when he signed as a journeyman defensive lineman.

And finally, even if he doesn't play 100%, he still will force many double-teams and make the defense better. Besides Tony Brown and Jason Jones - who was injured most of last year - the Titans don't have many defensive tackles that can go out there and get the job done. Jovan Haye was a bust his first season as a free agent signing, so even if you can get something out of Big Al, it'll be better than most interior linemen in the league.

So although I might regret this, let's not make the same mistake that we did when dealing with the Antonio Cromartie rumors; let's bring back Big Al and shore up this defense.

History taken away.

Brackets all over the nation were almost busted within the first three hours of the NCAA Tournament.

That's because the the 15th seeded Robert Morris Colonials held an eight point lead over the 2nd seeded Villanova Wildcats with three minutes remaining. Scottie Reynolds had only one field goal at this point but was in double-digits for scoring because of foul shots.

Would this be the fifth time a 15 seed defeated a two seed? It sure looked like it.

Then the tide turned Villanova's way. Reynolds saved a loose ball - in which slid a foot, which you would think would be a travel - and was fouled shortly after, hitting two foul shots to make it 55-51. Then the Colonials gave up the ball and the former Oklahoma commit was fouled again, hitting both shots and making it a two-point contest with just 2:10 to play.

Eventually it was tied at 56 all, when freshman guard Karon Abraham got a nice screen and drove into the paint to hit an off-balance lay-up with 1:09 left. But on the following possession, Mouptharou Yarou got free inside and hit an easy shot to tie it once again.

Reynolds eventually hit his second field goal in overtime - a three as the shot clock was winding down - but the senior All-American ended up with 20 points. His stat line was very unusual (2-15 from the field, 1-8 from behind the arc) but his 15-16 performance from the line made the difference. How did he get to the foul line so much? Pictures like the one below tell the story.


It's pretty safe to say that he got the Michael Jordan treatment out there. I'm not saying that he wasn't fouled at all, but a lot of his foul shots came off of very, very questionable calls. In addition to the treatment they gave Reynolds, there were other numerous calls that went the Wildcats' way, most notably a tie-up in overtime that was called a jump ball at first, but was overruled by another official who signaled a Robert Morris reach-in foul.

So the referees played a major part in Villanova's win, we - besides Wildcat fans - all know that. But let's look at the positives for Robert Morris.

1) More exposure.

- Yeah, winning would have made this much better, but at least some people will remember who took Villanova to overtime in the first round; especially if the Wildcats make a deep run in the tournament. That could lead to more fan support and possibly more recruits interested in going to Robert Morris. No one will remember the other 15 seeds (North Texas, Morgan State, UC-Santa Barbara) that lost by double-digits.

2) Gained respect.

- Related a little bit to the first positive, this close game should make college basketball fans and other teams respect Robert Morris more. Usually NEC teams are looked upon as cup-cakes in out-of-conference scheduling, but you can't really lump the Colonials in that group after their performance. They'll only continue to improve their reputation.

3) A bright future.

- The senior class will go out as one of the most accomplished in NEC history. They won two conference regular season championships, two conference tournament championships, and were never dominated in a post-season game (2008 NIT, 2009 & 10 NCAA Tournament). But look who led the Colonials just about all year...a little freshman named Karon Abraham. The 5'9" combo guard has range from Los Angeles and if you leave him get a step on you, he'll get to the rim in a blink. He and fellow freshman starter Velton Jones will welcome another classmate in Russell Johnson to the starting lineup and should start the 2010-11 season as the conference favorite. If head coach Mike Rice doesn't bolt for a more prestigious job, could you imagine how good this team could be in 2012-13 (Abraham's senior year)?

The loss will always sting because of the way it happened, but one thing's for sure; Robert Morris basketball is ready to put their name out there on the national stage, or at least in the category of good/great mid-major programs. The question is...are you ready to accept that?

South Region Preview

The first three regions were pretty easy in regards to determining a winner. The South Region? Not so much. Who comes out of this mess with a spot in the Final Four?

First Round Match-ups
[1] Duke vs. [16] Arkansas-Pine Bluff
[8] California vs. [9] Louisville
[5] Texas A&M vs. [12] Utah State
[4] Purdue vs. [13] Siena
[6] Notre Dame vs. [11] Old Dominion
[3] Baylor vs. [14] Sam Houston State
[7] Richmond vs. [10] St. Mary's
[2] Villanova vs. [15] Robert Morris

This region is an absolute mess. Duke earned (I use that term very loosely) a number one seed and has a realistic opportunity to make the Final Four...or lose in the second round. Purdue would be a nice pick, but they've struggled without Robbie Hummel. Baylor's been gaining members for their bandwagon every day, and Villanova made the Final Four, but like Purdue they have struggled lately. Like I said, it's a mess.

Favorite: Villanova

- It's hard enough to pick a favorite for this region. Duke doesn't have a win over a "great" team and the best team they've faced this season beat them by a misleading 12 points (they really got dominated the entire contest). I'll go with the Wildcats as the favorite, just because they always know when to turn it on during the tournament. Scottie Reynolds is one of the best players in the nation and would love nothing more than to bring 'Nova a title in his last campaign. The lack of an inside game could hurt the Wildcats, but it really hasn't before in the post-season.

Best Player: Jon Scheyer, G, Duke

- If Duke wants to make their first Final Four since 2004, they will need the senior point guard to play his best basketball. He's really had a coming out party of sorts, finishing second in the ACC Player of the Year award while averaging 18.6 points per game and five dimes. He's lights out from behind the arc - a lot of their team is, that's what they rely on - and they'll need those long range bombs in order to get past a group of weak teams gunning for them.

Sleeper: Louisville

- The Cardinals are one of the most inconsistent teams in the field. They hold a sweep over Big East champion Syracuse, but they also have losses against Western Carolina and Charlotte. For Louisville to make a serious run in this tournament, they need Edgar Sosa and Samardo Samuels to be at the top of their game. Sosa's been known to turn the ball over a lot, but is usually clutch in late-game situations. Samuels has loads of talent, but doesn't seem to play hard all the time. If these two players are in sync, they should roll over California and give Duke a run for their money.

Cinderella: Siena

- Usually 13 seeds get nervous at the spotlight of the NCAA Tournament...not these guys. The Saints have won two straight first round games - one against Vanderbilt and one against Ohio State - and are looking to take advantage of a depleted Purdue squad. Although they don't hold a huge win this season, they still have the experience from their last two runs to not be fazed against the Boilermakers. They have four players over 13 points per game and their point guard Ronald Moore averages just under eight assists per game. They're very balanced and could make a nice run in their third straight Big Dance appearance.

Upset Alert: Purdue

- I already discussed Siena's shot at upsetting the Boilermakers, but just look at what they've done ever since Hummel went out for the season with a torn ACL. They lost by nine to Michigan State, barely beat Penn State in State College and got blown out in the second round of the Big Ten tournament by Minnesota. They still have the talent to get to at least the Sweet 16, but they're going to need to play a lot better than they are now.

First Round Predictions:
[1] Duke over [16] Arkansas-Pine Bluff
[9] Louisville over [8] California
[5] Texas A&M over [12] Utah State
[13] Siena over [4] Purdue
[11] Old Dominion over [6] Notre Dame
[3] Baylor over [14] Sam Houston State
[10] St. Mary's over [7] Richmond
[2] Villanova over [15] Robert Morris

Second Round Predictions:
[9] Louisville over [1] Duke
[5] Texas A&M over [13] Siena
[3] Baylor over [11] Old Dominion
[2] Villanova over [10] St. Mary's

Sweet 16 Predictions:
[5] Texas A&M over [9] Louisville
[3] Baylor over [2] Villanova

Elite Eight Predictions:
[3] Baylor over [5] Texas A&M

Final Four Predictions:
[1] Kansas over [1] Syracuse
[1] Kentucky over [3] Baylor

National Championship Prediction:
[1] Kansas 77, [1] Kentucky 73

East Region Preview

Half the bracket done, half of it to go. Who comes out of the East Region with a shot at the National Championship?

First Round Match-ups
[1] Kentucky vs. [16] East Tennessee State
[8] Texas vs. [9] Wake Forest
[5] Temple vs. [12] Cornell
[4] Wisconsin vs. [13] Wofford
[6] Marquette vs. [11] Washington
[3] New Mexico vs. [14] Montana
[7] Clemson vs. [10] Missouri
[2] West Virginia vs. [15] Morgan State

Looks like an easy road for Kentucky onto the Elite Eight. Texas has the talent to beat the Wildcats, but Rick Barnes has done a horrible job with the Longhorns this season. Wisconsin and Temple are nice teams but talent-wise, the boys from Lexington blow them out of the water. West Virginia and New Mexico look like they're on a collision course for a berth into the Elite Eight, but some hot shooting by Marquette could derail the Lobos' plans.

Favorite: Kentucky

- John Calipari has another talented team...what's new? After missing the NCAA Tournament last season and losing the SEC's leading scorer in Jodie Meeks, Coach Cal brought in the top recruiting class and turned a NIT team into a National Championship contender. John Wall and DeMarcus Cousins are the headline names, but other players like Eric Bledsoe and Patrick Patterson put this team into the elite.

Best Player: John Wall, G, Kentucky

- After hitting a jumper at the buzzer to beat Miami of Ohio in Kentucky's season opener, you knew the young freshman point guard was destined for stardom. He lived up to the enormous hype surrounding him, averaging 16.9 points a game with 6.4 assists per contest; all while picking up the SEC Player of the Year award.

Sleeper: Marquette

- If the Golden Eagles are shooting well, watch out. They have three players averaging double-figures and all of them are outside threats. In the first round they get Pac-10 conference tournament champion Washington, and every college basketball fan knows that the Pac-10 has been down this season. Unless they completely choke, Marquette should get by the Huskies, staging a second round match-up against (most likely) New Mexico. The Lobos are also a small team, so the possible bout between these two teams could be one of the best games of the NCAA Tournament.

Cinderella: Cornell

- The Ivy League champion dominated their league this season, only falling once. They also were tested in OOC play, holding a 15 point loss at Syracuse and a five point loss at Kansas to their resume. The Big Red are a balanced team, with both scorers from the outside (Ryan Wittman) and the inside (Jeff Foote). Under-seeded at 12, they get another under-seeded team in Temple and their game should be the best of the first round. After that, they get Wisconsin or Wofford and there's no doubt in mine or anyone else's mind that they can get past them.

Upset Alert: Wisconsin

- The Badgers have a very nice team coached by one of the nation's best in Bo Ryan, but their opponent is a team that almost took down Pitt in Oakland and lost by only 12 at Michigan State. The Terriers are in the tournament for the first time and they are carried by junior Noah Dahlman, who is a great scorer inside. Despite being undersized, him and Wisconsin's Jon Lauer should have a very interesting battle in the paint all game.

First Round Predictions:
[1] Kentucky over [16] East Tennessee State
[8] Texas over [9] Wake Forest
[12] Cornell over [5] Temple
[4] Wisconsin over [13] Wofford
[6] Marquette over [11] Washington
[3] New Mexico over [14] Montana
[10] Missouri over [7] Clemson
[2] West Virginia over [15] Morgan State

Second Round Predictions:
[1] Kentucky over [8] Texas
[12] Cornell over [4] Wisconsin
[6] Marquette over [3] New Mexico
[2] West Virginia over [10] Missouri

Sweet 16 Predictions:
[1] Kentucky over [12] Cornell
[2] West Virginia over [6] Marquette

Elite Eight Predictions:
[1] Kentucky over [2] West Virginia

West Region Preview

Who will come out of the West Region? Will it be Big East regular season champion Syracuse or will a surprise team like BYU steal the show?

First Round Match-ups
[1] Syracuse vs. [16] Vermont
[8] Gonzaga vs. [9] Florida State
[5] Butler vs. [12] UTEP
[4] Vanderbilt vs. [13] Murray State
[6] Xavier vs. [11] Minnesota
[3] Pittsburgh vs. [14] Oakland
[7] BYU vs. [10] Florida
[2] Kansas State vs. [15] North Texas

The Orange were a surprise fourth overall seed, as Duke jumped them on Selection Sunday. However, this bracket is probably the easiest to pick out of all the Regions, and the Big East regular season champion should have no problem advancing to at least the Elite Eight. Other teams that could stand in Syracuse's way are Kansas State, BYU and possibly Pittsburgh.

Favorite: Syracuse

- Who would have predicted the Orange to be a number one seed at the beginning of the season? They come in as the Big East regular season champion and have only four losses on their resume...all of them in conference. They have a good outside and inside game, but the status of Arinze Onuaku is still up in the air. If he's still not healed from his quad injury deeper into the tournament, then there might be a surprise team representing the West Region in the Final Four.

Best Player: Wes Johnson, F, Syracuse

- The Iowa State transfer has really stood out this year, placing his name beside the Evan Turner's and John Wall's of the world. The junior forward was named Big East Player of the Year and averaged 16 points with a little over eight boards a game. He doesn't get into foul trouble often and plays good defense in Syracuse's tough 2-3 zone.

Sleeper: BYU

- The Mountain West has been really nice this season, sending four teams to the NCAA Tournament. The Cougars get a surprising at-large in Florida for their first round game and although the Gators are a nice team, they are very inconsistent and could drop early. After that is most likely a match-up against Kansas State and if they could slide by the Wildcats, they would have home-court advantage for the Sweet 16 and the Elite Eight in Salt Lake City.

Cinderella: UTEP

- Whenever you have an all-conference guard and big man, you'll have a chance. That's what C-USA regular season champion UTEP possesses and their depth can help them make a Cinderella type run. Randy Culpepper and Derrick Caracter lead the Miners against Butler, who currently are riding a 20 game winning streak. However, on common opponents, the Miners have defeated UAB twice where the Bulldogs fell in December to the Blazers. After the first round, they'd get either Vanderbilt or Murray State; another reasonable task.

Upset Alert: Vanderbilt

- The last time Vanderbilt played a 13 seed, they got ran out of the gym by a surprising Siena squad who has recently made a name for themselves for winning two straight first round match-ups. Now they get another talented 13 seed in Murray State; a team that already has 30 wins on the season. The Racers don't have a star player, but they have five guys averaging double-digits and a sixth who averages 9.5 points per game. They have balance both inside and outside, just like the Commodores. If the upset doesn't happen, at least it will be a good game.

First Round Predictions:
[1] Syracuse over [16] Vermont
[9] Florida State over [8] Gonzaga
[5] Butler over [12] UTEP
[13] Murray State over [4] Vanderbilt
[11] Minnesota over [6] Xavier
[3] Pittsburgh over [14] Oakland
[7] BYU over [10] Florida
[2] Kansas State over [15] North Texas

Second Round Predictions:
[1] Syracuse over [9] Florida State
[5] Butler over [13] Murray State
[11] Minnesota over [3] Pittsburgh
[2] Kansas State over [7] BYU

Sweet 16 Predictions:
[1] Syracuse over [5] Butler
[2] Kansas State over [11] Minnesota

Elite Eight Predictions:
[1] Syracuse over [2] Kansas State