Stewart Mandel of SI.com writes on his blog that the NCAA is about to add 3 more bowl games, putting the total at 35 games. You soon might get a bowl game by just showing up for the season. It is becoming like the trophies you get for just participating in youth sports.

Stewart writes:

The 2008-09 bowl lineup could be even bigger.

Next week in Weston, Fla., organizers for three potential new bowl games will make their presentations to the NCAA's Bowl Certification Committee. They are: The Congressional Bowl in Washington D.C (Navy vs. ACC); The St. Petersburg Bowl in St. Petersburg, Fla. (Big East vs. Conference USA); and the Rocky Mountain Bowl in Salt Lake City (Mountain West vs. WAC).

No, this is not a joke.

– The TV talk this weekend will center around Tiger Woods and The Masters. This usually signals the beginning of golf season in NE Ohio. With temperatures in the 40s this weekend, maybe the Browns minicamp in May would be a better starting point.

– Is C.C. Sabathia struggling with expectations? Many thought that he turned the corner last season. But the playoffs. The contract talks. The slow start this season. Maybe it is all starting to add up.

– The NHL has to pleased with Alexander Ovechkin being in the playoffs. We get to take a look tonight on Versus and Sunday on NBC.

– I have seen a couple of folks saying Brady Quinn would be the No. 1 pick in this draft. Then how does he not beat out a player who was cut from his first NFL team and another player who becomes the backup with the Seahawks. I think Quinn still needs a lot of work, and obviously the Browns agree.

– Red Sox and Tigers coming to town early next week. We'll get an early indication of what to expect this year in the American League.

– Coming on Ohio.com on Saturday and Sunday, is Patrick McManamon writing about Fausto Carmona, free throw shooting and other random thoughts. Also we'll have coverage of the Masters, the Cavs finish of the season, the Tribe-A's series and a wrapup of the Zips spring football camp.

– Brett Favre got preferential treatment from the national media during his career but there is no doubt that the NFL is losing a unique athlete with his retirement. His gunslinger mentality was fun to watch, and his joy in playing was infectious. He will be taking his place in Canton in five years.

– Akron and Kent State are locked into the MAC Tournament slots but the game Sunday at Rhodes Arena should give a good feel for how the tournament will turn out next week. Don't count out the Zips, yet.

– The Browns have spent a lot of money and enjoyed a mostly positive view on the national stage for their moves in the free-agent market. The odd thing is with the schedule the teams in the AFC North face. The Browns could go 9-7 and win the division.

– LeBron James' pregame dunk was off the charts Wednesday night in New York. Take a look here at Yahoo! Sports.

– I don't know what is happening more often, snowy weather in Akron or another Penn State football player getting arrested in State College. I just don't know.

– Terrell Pryor, do you have an opinion on JoePa's control of his Nittany Lions program? I guess we will find out that answer is the next few weeks.

– It has been quite a change for LeBron James.

Last season, at this time, his play late in games was questioned. This season, he only seems to play in the fourth quarter, scoring at will at that, leading the league in scoring.

He won't win MVP this season, but I do think he has taken his place as the best player in the league.

– The rest of the Cavs still leave a lot to be desired. But with LeBron, anything will be possible in the playoffs.

– I can't argue with the contract extension for Mike Brown.

– The quiet offseason seems to have spooked Indians fans. I get any number of e-mails worried that last season will be a one-shot wonder. I don't think that will be the case. The foundation is in place for the Indians to be like the Twins have been recently. Always in contention.

– Any worries about the new defensive coordinator having little experience should be put to rest with Romeo Crennel in charge of the Browns. That is where he made his career, coaching defenses. Now does that mean the defense will suddenly be better? NO. Just ask Marvin Lewis of the Bengals. Another supposed defensive wiz whose defense can't play. It takes players to win on defense.

– Terelle Pryor seems to add more schools to his wish list each week. Now the No. 1 prep star in the country is said to be considering LSU. He added Oregon about a month ago, Michigan three weeks ago and Duke after that. At this rate, he will end up a Akron. Actually, I think he ends up at Michigan (he has had a long relationship with RichRod) with OSU a close second.

– Selena Roberts wrote her first back page column for Sports Illustarted this week. She is the best female sportswriter in the business and it shows. She recently left the New York Times to go to SI.

The perception of the Big Ten nationally is not good, and it did not get any better after Ohio State got smacked around Monday night by LSU.

But the real problem with the Big Ten has little to do with Ohio State.

Ohio State and Michigan most years (not this one for the Buckeyes) schedule, at least, one nonconference game that might give them trouble.

The other teams in the Big Ten don't. Wisconsin, Iowa, Penn State don't venture too far from home and rarely pull off a big upset on the road against a nonconference team. When was the last time that Wisconsin played at LSU or at Auburn or at Georgia. Michigan always plays Notre Dame and usually plays another tough game.

What gave the Big East a boost this season was South Florida beating Auburn at Auburn. West Virginia beating an eight-win Mississippi State team, beating Maryland on the road.

Winning the past three BCS games that it has been in helps the Big East, too, but scheduling nonconference road games against other BCS schools is the real difference maker.

The Big 12 saw its middle teams in Missouri and Kansas win their bowl games.

There is a way for the Big Ten to break out of its funk, and the answers don't all need to come out of Columbus.

Here is what Ron Cook of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette thinks of Rich Rodriguez leaving West Virginia for Michigan.

Rich Rodriguez leaving West Virginia for Michigan is just another sign of the lack of respect coaches have for their players.

These guys aren't held accountable because no one will stick to their guns and fulfill a contract.

RichRod's departure is not as weak as Bobby Petrino's carpetbagging ways, but RichRod did say last year that he wasn't going anywhere and 20 some recruits signed on after that statement. Now if those kids, and they are kids, decide that the new coach doesn't have their best interests in mind, they can transfer but must miss a season.

If the NCAA won't put a stop on these changes and make contracts actually worth something, at least, it could let players at schools who change coaches go somewhere else without sitting out a season.

Darren McFadden of Arkansas probably will be the best NFL player out of the finalist this year for the Heisman, but I don't think that should give him the award.

There is something to being a college player and not worrying about playing in the NFL.

Tim Tebow (likely NFL player), Chase Daniels (don't see it) and Colt Brennan (possibly).

So going on stats and having watched them play, Tebow is the best player. He ran for 20 touchdowns and threw for 31. That is a lot of points and for the most part they came against SEC teams.

Ohio State and LSU will be a fine national title game, but this is not and never will be the best way to do this.

It is time for the college presidents to get smart and do an 8-team playoff. Sixteen would be better but I think it would have to have home sites for the first two rounds.

First round at home sites, semifinals at the same site (one of the bowls) to ensure a huge crowd and the title game at another site the next week, again at one of the bowls.

The eight teams should be the six BCS champs and two at-large teams choosen by a NCAA committee like the basketball tournament.

Leave the rest of the bowl system alone.

Ohio State did lose to Illinois but the Buckeyes still should win Saturday against Michigan and then go to the Rose Bowl.

The Browns did lose to the Steelers on Sunday but their schedule sets up for a playoff run.

The Cavaliers don't look like they will return to the NBA Finals but they have played fairly well on the West Coast trip and LeBron James still is one of the best, if not the best, players in the NBA. Barring any major injuries, the Cavs are still a playoff team that plays strong defense.

The weekend didn't go as hoped for many but not all is lost for these teams.

At least that is something the folks in Baltimore can't say. Brian Billick and his Ravens are D-O-N-E. Just like the Orioles.