jdupree@heraldsun.com; 419-6674
It's almost Groundhog Day, again, and we're closing in on other annual events that sports fans in the Triangle have circled on their calendars.
First, it's only six days to Super Bowl XLIV, featuring the Indianapolis Colts, the New Orleans Saints and the first-run commercials that many tune in to see. (And, of course, the clock is ticking on Brett Favre's latest decision about retirement ... which will lead to the countdown until he changes his mind again.)
We're one week away from the first North Carolina-Duke women's basketball game, which will be played at Cameron Indoor Stadium on Feb. 8. Both teams again will be ranked, barring unforeseen circumstances.
That's not the case for the Duke-UNC men's basketball game, which will be played two days later at the Smith Center on Feb. 10 (9 p.m., WRAL). Duke, coming off its lopsided loss at Georgetown, likely will be ranked.
The Tar Heels, however, have a lot of ground to make up to claw their way back into the poll after not receiving a single vote a week ago. That, alone, is no big deal -- Roy Williams hasn't forgotten how to coach or recruit, and don't bet against UNC making it into the NCAA Tournament. But the Tar Heels are a young team that has experienced injuries to key players, notably Tyler Zeller and Ed Davis.
Since that game is in Chapel Hill, the students in Krzyzewskiville have more than a month until the Duke-UNC rematch at Cameron Indoor Stadium on March 6 -- regardless of whether Punxsutawney Phil sees his shadow on Tuesday.
We're less than two weeks from the official start of the NASCAR season with Daytona 500 on Feb. 13. Events get underway this coming Sunday with pole qualifying and the all-star Budweiser Shootout.
High school basketball teams head into their conference tournaments beginning Feb. 14, each hoping to survive all the way to the state championship games on March 13.
Professional tennis already has crowned the champions -- Serena Williams and Roger Federer -- of its first major, the Australian Open. Seems like we've seen that before.
Golf still is more than two months from The Masters, but the sport known for its devotion to a code of conduct and players who police themselves has gotten a lot more publicity for a pair of "cheating" scandals than for fairways and greens.
Maybe this wasn't a great time for Phil Mickelson to pull out a almost 20-year-old club to circumvent a new rule instituted by the PGA Tour. Clearly, he was within the letter of the law, but I'd agree that he trampled on the spirit of the rule that outlawed "square" grooves. (You can almost hear "Groundhog Day" weatherman Phil Connors: "I'm not gonna play by their rules anymore.")
Then again, with the other story line that has dominated the early weeks of the PGA season, perhaps anything that puts the focus back on the course was a welcome distraction.
The Carolina Hurricanes have been making progress recently, but the Winter Olympics will put the season on hold after their game against the New Jersey Devils on Feb. 13. Officially, the opening ceremony in Vancouver is Feb. 12, and ski jumping will be the first sport to award a gold medal -- Feb. 13 at 1:45 p.m. EST.
Finally, there's the Triple-A champion Durham Bulls, who face the parent Tampa Bay Rays in an exhibition game at Durham Bulls Athletic Park on April 3. The Bulls open the International League season on the road at Norfolk on April 8, and their home opener will be April 15 -- also against Norfolk.
Which means that spring is just around the corner ... regardless of the ice and snow still packed in your driveway.
You may contact Jimmy DuPree at jdupree@heraldsun.com or 919-419-6674.
