Snow Bound
Posted March 1, 2009, 7:45 PM ET

Well, the Weather Geeks got it right, this time....it's snowing its ass off right now, as I write this week's Ripe Gripe. That means another day off for the kids and most of the staff at CBS Radio.

I can speak on behalf of the two dozen or so CBS Radio employees that forked over a few bucks to purchase Powerball tickets for the 175 million dollar jackpot...there's no need to bring your resignation letter to the office. Last week we generated 16 bucks with Wednesday's drawing, and on Saturday we picked up another three bucks. I think we better keep our day jobs....while we can.

Maybe we can get in line for one of those government bailouts, or perhaps the NBA can lend a helping hand? Last week, it was reported that the basketball league was handing out 175 million bucks to more than a dozen teams that need some financial assistance. There's no doubt that our very own Charlotte Bobcats fall into that category. Even if they were making a profit, Bob Johnson would be the first guy with his hand out.

While the NBA deals with their financial hardships, the Bobcats find themselves on a three-game wining streak. All of the wins took place in California, where the team happens to play their best ball. Even though the wins were against the West Coast low-lifes like Sacramento, Golden State and the LA Clippers, the point is that the Bobcats are playing decent basketball and can still back-door themselves into the Eastern Conference playoffs.

Larry Brown and his staff deserve a lot of credit for turning it around in mid-season. Only five players remain from the season opener, and Brown's guys still have a chance. This week, the team returns home for a couple of weekday games against Chicago and Atlanta....both are winnable.

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The NFL free agency period opened with a bang, as Albert Haynesworth landed a 7-year, 115 million dollar deal with Daniel Snyder's Redskins.

While all that was taking place, the hometown Panthers were keeping a low profile trying to get their house in order and looking for a sucker in a potential Julius Peppers trade. While Fox/Hurney were working the phones, the team did watch three back-up offensive linemen find work elsewhere. The team lost Geoff Hangartner to the Bills, Frank Omiyale to the Bears, and Jeremy Bridges was released.

It might not seem like a big deal, but the team's starting O-line is intact...and as long as everyone can stay healthy, they should be OK.

What was surprising was the trade between the New England Patriots and the KC Chiefs. The Pats sent promising QB Matt Cassel and veteran LB Mike Vrable to the Chiefs for only a second round pick. If I knew Cassel could be had for a second rounder, I'd have made the deal in a second in Carolina.

While the Chiefs were beaming about the move, keep in mind that NE now has four picks between selections 23 and 58, not to mention 17.5 million bucks freed up under the salary cap. Maybe Peppers ends up in New England?

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The end of the college basketball regular season takes place this week, and the ACC remains the same....it's all about Duke and UNC. Even though the Blue Devils have to entertain a dangerous FSU team, they should head into the season finale against the Heels with first place on the line.

Duke has played much better since the emergence of Elliott Williams, but North Carolina is still the best team. The bigger question surrounds the positioning of spots 3-7 and if teams like Virginia Tech and Maryland can win enough to strengthen their position for a bid to the NCAA Tourney.

If there was ever a sign of the times, it was the news last week that there would be a public sale of ACC Tournament tickets for the first time since 1966. Given the combination of a weaker economy and the vastness of the Georgia Dome, it shouldn't come as any surprise.

The SEC is a different beast. LSU has the top seed, but the Eastern division is wide-open. South Carolina was in great shape until they landed face-first in Nashville and were destroyed by Vandy. Tennessee is still alive after winning in Florida, and the Vols visit Columbia this week, in a huge conference showdown. Florida and Kentucky still battle this week, but neither team is riding any momentum heading into March.

Davidson will need to win the Southern Conference to land a bid. While Curry and Company are a great story, they simply fell short in the big-time non-conference games this season. I still like their chances to win the conference tourney and make another appearance in the Big Dance.

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Finally, Tiger Woods' 2009 debut on the PGA Tour didn't last long, as he was eliminated in the second round of the WGC match-play event. His departure continues to emphasize how irrelevant golf is when he's out of the picture. While there are tons of great young players, nobody in the sport has captured the general public's imagination or interest.

Locally, the PGA Tour event that visits Quail Hollow will have a new name. The "Wachovia" has gained a national reputation for spoiling the world's biggest spoiled brats. But given the banking industry's latest problems, the tournament will remove the "Wachovia" tag.

I wonder if the tournament will also provide all the other deluxe perks such as free Mercedes to the players? I know this much, it will still be a first-rate tourney...Kym Hougham and Johnny Harris will still put on a great show at Quail Hollow.