There’s no time to waste, let’s get to the top five stories you should have been paying attention to this week.

Shhhhhh, the commercials are on!  Well, it’s Super Bowl weekend and the hype has been surprisingly tempered leading up to this great match-up.  I don’t know if it’s because I’m blessed with the NFL Network now and am thereby spared of Berman, % Co., but it has been pure bliss.  As for the game, it certainly has the chance to continue the recent trend of spectacular Super Bowls.  I heard Mike Greenberg say on the radio that Manning lives to win this game and you don’t often see quarterbacks like him lose in this game.  I really don’t know what he’s talking about, but it sounded cool enough for me to pick the Saints.  I look forward to seeing Peyton vs. the blitz again this week and seeing how many times Gregg Williams can draw something up to put Manning on his back.  I also think Brees, who has not been his defense-sculpting self lately, will bounce back and take MVP honors. Book it! No, don’t….but enjoy the game. 

March Sadness?  The rumors were flying this week that the NCAA was seriously considering–maybe even decided already–to expand the NCAA basketball tournament to 96 teams.  As Drew Magary of KSK/Deadspin said, “You know what this tourney needs? Every NIT team!”  Could you imagine this? After the play-in game, there are a total of zero games I am disinterested in watching, but if it went to 96 I just couldn’t get real riled up about Air Force and Oregon State playing for the right to go against Georgetown.  Madness!  Does anyone outside of the mediocre Big East teams like this?  I mean, even if you’re a mid-major you’d prefer some actual respect in the current system than this.  Please fix football’s postseason before you try your level best to ruin basketball’s. 

Who scored 52 points?!!  I looked at the TV last weekend and saw the following on ESPN’s bottom line: “POR Miller: 52 pts.”  Then I did one of those double takes where you go back to what you’re doing only to realize seconds later that something is horribly wrong.  “Does someone named Miller other than Andre Miller play for the Blazers?”  Was it Mike Miller? Reggie? Oliver?!! All seemed like better options despite knowing the truth.  Andre had scored 52 in his previous five games combined and even that included a 28 point outting that was 15 points over his season average.  Honestly, it’s one of the most impressive games I’ve heard of in a while.  Only one three, only seven free throws.  The guy made 21 two point shots.  Tip of the cap to you, sir. 

Hockey talk.  Trades are going down in the NHL prior to the Olympic break.  Some big names that most of you have never heard of changed teams this past week.  Most of the dealing involved the Eastern Conference though, so no worries for the Blackhawks.  The only meaningful impact on the Western Conference was that Calgary lost two of its best players in Olli Jokinen and Dion Phaneuf.  Sweet names.  Jokinen headed to the Rangers and Phaneuf to the Maple Leafs.  The Leafs also picked up goaltender Jean-Sebastian Giguere from Anaheim; not a bad week.  Finally, the big one: Ilya Kovalchuk was sent to New Jersey in exchange for a package of young players–including Patrice Cormier–and a first round pick next year.  Kovalchuk is the gem of the trading market and one of the best players in the league and if the Devils weren’t already among the favorites (currently 2nd in the Eastern Conference) they certainly are now.  If you learned or cared about nothing else in this paragraph, know that hockey players generally have awesome names.

OCNN Covers the Super Bowl.  Chad OchoCinco has been all over the place since his Bengals exited the playoffs.  Most recently he has launched his news team, OCNN, which has been covering the events in Miami from the Pro Bowl to Super Bowl Media Day.  This came after Ocho took a bus full of fans on a trip down to Miami that made stops along the way to do some charity work. Here’s some work from Chad and his “news team” below:

• A scathing review of Cubs management, ownership, and scouting.  Even though they are overpaying for an underperforming team right now, I would say 3 playoff appearances in the last 6 years isn’t all that bad. [MidwestSportsFans]
• Remember that pitcher for the White Sox a few years ago, Jim Parque?  Well he admits to having done steroids and wrote this eloquent piece about the pressures he faced when he decided to do it. It’s a must-read. [Sun-Times]
• I don’t know how I missed this, but someone was holding a giant inflatable penis behind Michael Jordan during a golf tournament last weekend.  Awesome. [Detroit4lyfe]
• Hilarious Peyton Manning video from the ESPYs.  I can’t wait for him to do more commercials, something about him is just so funny. [NESW Sports]
• Another NFL player (T.J. Houshmazilli) is upset with his Madden rating.  These guys need to get over it.  You know what I’m mad about?  The Bears best wide receiver isn’t in the top 40. [No Guts No Glory]
• Is Rich Harden afraid of the sun and Wrigley Field?  The numbers sure seem to say so. [The Friendly Blogfines]
• The Bears will now have ads on their jerseys.  What is this, European soccer? [Luol's Dong]
• Everyone is so upset ESPN won’t report the Rothlisberger sexual harassment suit.  You wouldn’t be surprised about that if you knew that Mickey Mouse was involved. [Inside the Iggles]
• A lot of people are a lot better than Soriano this year.  And some of the people that are better make a lot less money than he does. [Zoner]
• Sweet Lou seems a little pissed that he never got that left-handed power bat Hendry promised him in the offseason.  And no, Bradley doesn’t count. [Bleacher Nation]
• Hey kids, Slamball is back!  If you don’t remember what it is, all you need to know is trampolines, basketball, hoops, and a lot of broken ankles. [Bootlegger]