St. Thomas ran its start to 17-0 Saturday against the Oles and and figures to assume the top spot in the national polls after No. 1 Wheaton lost for the second time in a week. The Tommies have a 3.5 game lead over idle Augsburg, who they'll face Wednesday.

Men's Basketball
Gustavus falls 69-68 at Concordia

Tommies top Oles, eyes #1

Johnnies sweep series with Carleton

Pipers stop reeling Scots

Bethel downs Cardinals

Concordia and St. Ben's both won to remain tied at 11-2 atop the conference. Hamline stretched its winning streak to seven games — its longest streak since the 1084-85 season — as it slides into third.

Women's Basketball
Cobbers beat the Gusties 71-58

St. Thomas beats St. Olaf 61-51

Bennies beat Knights

Hamline wins 7th straight

SMU tops Royals in 2OT

St. Catherine 74, Augsburg 71

To many, blogging is a way to let loose, to blow off some steam. I've never really felt the need to do that. Until now. The next 1-2 months are going to be like watching Versus 24/7 — he-double hockey sticks for a hoophead like myself.

Having been sidelined with a Jones fracture — Dancers fracture? C'mon, that's like Troy Williamson getting blisters from catching too many passes — in my right foot for more than a month and with surgery looming next week, I'll have plenty of time to kick back, watch the tube and offer some thoughts on the athletic happenings around the Land of 10,000 Lakes. But before I jump into whatever analysis hits me, I'll offer a brief glimpse into my background.

I grew up playing soccer, baseball and basketball. As I grew older, I dropped soccer and baseball while picking up football. I stuck with the pigskin and the pumpkin through high school and my college years. Though my athletic career (or what's left of it) is currently on hold, I've spent the last four years honing my writing skills in the newspaper business in preparation for this very moment.

You see, injuries are something of a bad habit for me and watching from the sidelines has often been the unfortunate side effect. Thursday's surgery will bring bring the number of metal plates in my feet to two and could push the screws into double digits. I've also torn ligaments in my thumb, sprained my knee, pulled a hamstring, separated my shoulder, broken numerous vertebrae in my back, torn the plantar fascia in both feet, suffered from turf toe and broken both of my ankles. My athletic trainer in college used to joke that he was going to bronze the training table I laid on every day for four straight years. Heck, I was essentially a game-day player. Practice? I was a spectator more often than not...and it wasn't as cool as some people would have you believe.

About the only thing I haven't done, medically speaking, is gone Dimitrius Underwood on someone...but that could very well take place as I'm on doctor ordered bedrest for the next 4-8 weeks. If that turns out to be the case, it will lead to some entertaining reading for all of you. Buckle up and enjoy the ride.