Making it Rain
Posted February 15, 2009, 8:40 PM ET

Matt Kenseth won the 51st version of the Great American Race. After a winless campaign last year, the Wisconsin native will take it any way he can get it.

The Daytona 500 usually provides us with a-thrill-a-minute in the final laps, but the 2009 edition never reached that crescendo. Mother Nature deprived race fans of that thrill, and in the process cast a gloomy, blah start to the NASCAR season.

The biggest controversy surrounding the race was Dale Jr.'s move that created the big wreck late into the race. Otherwise, the Daytona 500 was shortened for the first time since 2003 while car owner Jack Roush captured his first "500" victory. The Daytona 500 was sabotaged by the elements, but it wasn't the only high-profile sporting event getting hammered by the heavens above.

While the NASCAR boys were battling the raindrops on the East coast, the PGA Tour was doing the same thing at Pebble Beach. The final round was suspended due to high winds and rain, leading a potential fun afternoon of sports into an extension of the Weather Channel.

It's hard to beat the beauty and majesty that is Pebble Beach and its surroundings. It is one of my favorite places on the planet...but I'm not overly interested in watching announcers Gary McCord and Ian Baker Finch mess around hitting shots in the gale force winds.

Thank goodness for Nate Robinson....in case you missed it, he won the NBA Slam Dunk contest in an entertaining fashion. And for me to even mention it should tell you it was pretty dynamic. The NBA All-Star weekend is about as exciting as watching it rain...but after Sunday, I'm getting tired of the elements. I usually hate to mention stale events associated with the NBA's all-star weekend, but Nate Robinson and Dwight Howard were tremendous in the dunking contest.

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At the pace Lane Kiffin is going, he might be able to land the Tennessee football program on NCAA probation before the Vols' Spring game next month.

Let me state that I love Lane Kiffin. It's been a long time since I've seen a coach...any coach...try to stir the pot as often as this guy. What makes it fun is that he crosses the line without any sense of shock or common sense.

Since being hired at UT, he has alienated Steve Spurrier, Mark Richt, Nick Saban and Urban Meyer. He''s also violated the NCAA rule book on an average of at least once per month in the process. But who cares if they are secondary violations....Lane Kiffin is the man....at least in February.

If the guy can coach a lick and actually beat somebody other than Vanderbilt, it will be even better. Plus, I can't wait to see the King of Southern Bravado take his rag tag UT bunch into the Swamp to take on that "cheatin' Urban Meyer"....I wonder if Gator Nation thinks they have a chance?

In the past week, Kiffin has been written up for two NCAA rules infractions....he lied in a Sports Illustrated story and was later corrected by his boss...and to top off the week, decided to name a top-rated recruit by name in a press conference which of course is another NCAA violation.

I'm telling you, Lane Kiffin has my attention and I can't wait to see what he does for an encore....in February. I also can't wait for the Big Orange football season, because I can guarantee you it will be entertaining - win or lose.

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This is a huge week for the Carolina Panthers.

Forget the speculation; something has to give, by Thursday's deadline. Just who will the Panthers franchise? Jordan Gross? Julius Peppers? Hopefully the team will find a way to sign Gross and trade Peppers for some much-needed draft picks. Anything less than that scenario will be deemed a disaster by the front office.

Julius Peppers reiterated again over the weekend that he wants out of Carolina. It appears he will get his wish, one way or the other. Every time Peppers opens his mouth and tries to form a complete sentence, I think back to Mike Minter's retirement announcement and press conference in Spartanburg before the 2007 season.

Instead of celebrating Mike's great career, the story that emerged was owner Jerry Richardson taking the microphone and calling out Julius Peppers and almost demanding that the star defensive end take a bigger role from a leadership standpoint.

It turned out to be an awful move by Richardson. His timing was almost as bad as his decision making. Peppers is as much of a team leader as the mascot, Sir Purr. The reactions on and off the field by Peppers since Minter's press conference go hand-in-hand. He took off the entire '07 season and followed it up with a great season in the final year of his deal. It always seems to happen that way, doesn't it?

The Panther announcements this week will be must-watch material....and I have a feeling it will be the top story of the week on Friday.

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The ACC basketball race would be awesome...if North Carolina wasn't in the mix. As of this post, there are five teams with four conference losses: Clemson, Duke, Wake, FSU and Virginia Tech.

When you throw in another couple of teams with 5 league defeats, it makes it a crazy mess as everybody jockeys for a post-season NCAA bid.

The Heels, despite an 0-2 start and the loss of three players, simply have too much talent compared to the rest of the ACC. It doesn't guarantee them an ACC title, but as of this point in time, I believe they are the only ACC team that can make it to the Final Four.

While the Heels are leading the way with a few weeks to go, the Duke Blue Devils have started their newest tradition under Mike Krzyzewski...and that is called "Fading in February".

Since taking over the #1 ranking a few weeks ago, Duke is 2-4. When you look at the rest of the schedule which only includes two home games (against Wake and FSU), the Blue Devils are primed for another disappointing ending to the basketball season.

I pointed out after the Tar Heels destroyed Duke in the second half of their showdown at Cameron last week that Coach K needs to get back on the recruiting trail. He has spent a great deal of time in recent years bringing the gold medal back to the USA....now he needs to rededicate himself to making Duke an elite team again. Right now, Duke is good...but nothing special.

Being the head coach of the Duke basketball program is a full-time job. It's time for K to get back to work.