It’s hard to believe that we’re already 10 weeks into the college basketball season, and I’ve still yet to do a College Basketball Power Rankings.

It’s a terrible, inexcusable oversight on my part, and like Tiger Woods, I’m blaming my sex addiction for the hold up. Luckily, I’ve gone through a 28 day program, and my doctor's have cleared me.

So without any hesitation, here is the first, but most certainly not the last, College Basketball Power Rankings of 2010.

Enjoy!

It's one of the great ironies of life.

How did I, Aaron Torres, living in a region obsessed with baseball, in a college basketball crazed state, grow up to be such a big college football fan? It's like the Bermuda Triangle, Jimmy Johnson's hair, or going on a season of the Real World and being unable to hook-up. There's really no answer.

But I did. And not only did I grow up to be one of the biggest fans I know, but I also sprouted my college football legs at a time where the conference I was most affiliated with, the Big East, was coming under its greatest fire.

Believe me, I was attending UConn right around the time that Miami, Virginia Tech and Boston College decided to skip town for the ACC, and I heard it all about my beloved Big East football:

"Take away their automatic BCS bid!!"

"How soon until basketball season starts?"

"I've seen casts of Showtime late night movies with more talent than these teams!"

That last one especially stung. Even if I did just make it up.

But after all that, all the "Big Least," remarks and everything else, I've got a dirty little secret for college football fans. As we enter the second decade of the 21st century, and scholarship limits, weight training, nutritional developments and technological advances give this sport more parity than its ever had before, Big East football has actually become...pretty good. Quite frankly, it's a lot better than you think.

When the news broke Tuesday night that Lane Kiffin was leaving Tennessee after just one season to coach at USC I was baffled. Like Jessica Simpson trying to read the Dictionary kind of baffled.

Right after the announcement, with the news blowing up all over the internet and ESPN, my phone blew up too, with calls, texts and e-mails from friends, wondering what in the hell was going on exactly.

To make things easier on everyone, I decided it was time to answer all your questions with just one broad stroke, in the "Idiot's Guide to the Lane Kiffin Hiring."

In the midst of Thursday night’s truly bizarre National Championship game, with Alabama ahead late, my buddy Matt sent me a text that summed up what he, I and millions of others were watching, about as well as anyone could. It read: 

I can’t believe what I’m seeing. This is the best, worst, most exciting boring game I’ve ever seen.

Hmm, I couldn’t have said it better myself.

Thursday night’s BCS National Championship Game didn’t follow any type of logical format that was expected coming in. At times it looked like Texas was going to run away with this one, at others, Alabama the same.

There were no less than half a dozen unconventional plays (special teams blunders, interceptions, hard hits) that either made you jump up and dance like Elaine Benes, or jump up and throw your remote across the room.

At moments this game was as exciting as any I’ve ever seen, with a final quarter that ranks as good as any in recent college football history. At others it was so boring that I actually found myself flipping channels during game action. 

The BCS Championship Game was nothing like we’d expected it to be, with more plot twists than a bad Nic Cage movie, and a final margin of victory that told someone who didn’t watch that it wasn't much of a game at all.

Yet at the same time, it turned into everything we’d hoped it’d be, with Alabama clinging to a 24-21 lead with just minutes left, and Texas getting the ball back with a chance to drive the field and win the game. And when the final whistle did blow, the end result provided what any great championship game does: The team which made the biggest plays down the stretch was holding the crystal ball.

Again, it was the best, worst, most exciting boring game I’ve ever seen. But it was nothing, if not memorable.

Alright, so after almost a month away from college football, I was all set to blow you away with the most comprehensive BCS bowl previews anywhere on the internet.

Unfortunately, because of the bad weather, my irregular holiday schedule, and watching the New Jersey Nets in person the other night, I've come down with a vicious, violent illness. I'm even calling it A1T1, and if you haven't gotten your shot for it yet, well break down your doctors office door to get one.

Anyway, I'm nothing, if not for you all, my loyal readers. So despite my soaring temperature, blurry vision, and the fact that I just coughed up a boot, I've still come up with my BCS bowl game previews.

They're shorter than I'd like, and somewhat incoherent, but at least they're something. Besides, you all need something to make fun of me for, and I'm sure these picks will provide for that.

Regardless, enjoy the games, and enjoy your holiday, and check back next week for my BCS National Championship game preview, which I guarantee will be better than the jibberish below.

Happy New Year,

Aaron

It’s the story that’s not really a story, but still kind of is a story, that everyone feels dirty for talking about, but still can’t stop talking about anyway.

It’s led to the sabotagization (Yes, I just made up that word, how do you like it?) of the New York Knicks for the last 18 months and counting, and even led LeBron James to get a temporary restraining order against the media.

It’s the NBA’s, “Summer of 2010.” And much like the commercials, it’s apparently where, “Amazing Happens.”

During this summer, an unprecedented group of superstars will become free agents, possibly changing the landscape of the sport forever. In no particular order, here are some of the guys who will likely be available to the highest bidder:

Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh, Amare Stoudemire, Dirk Nowitzki, Ray Allen, Manu Ginobili, Joe Johnson, Tracy McGrady, Rudy Gay, Richard Jefferson, and yes, even Kwame Brown and Louis Almundson. That’s a lot of guys who could make a lot of difference in a lot of ways.

But ultimately, they’re all chips that are going to fall into place after the biggest dog gets fed.

And that’s what we’re all waiting for: Where will LeBron James end up?