Besides sports, where else can you go from nearly fired to making over 5 million dollars a year, all within one calendar? Prediction: Tom Coughlin will not make it through his new 4 year deal.

There isn’t a whole hell of a lot to cover today. I feel like we get one of these super slow sports news days a week. And while I feel bad not giving you a list of some form, I feel like I’ve covered my college basketball lists. (And don’t think I’ve forgotten about my very early statement that I was going to rank the running backs entering this NFL’s Draft. It’s still February though. A lot can happen. Perhaps Darren McFadden will impregnate another woman. Who knows???)

The Celtics managed a really big win last night against the LeBrons, who they have had previous difficulty with this season. And the Hawks won a game. With that said, I have a list for you. My conference power rankings. I’ll do the Eastern Conference today and keep you in suspense all night waiting for tomorrow’s Western Conference rankings. (This is a list of the teams with the best chance to represent the Eastern Conference in the NBA Finals, in my estimation. And no, the Hawks will not be #3.) In descending order:

15. Miami Heat- This team give terrible a new definition. I thought that picking up Shawn Marion (less so Marcus Banks) would rejuvenate them. They’re still 1-9 in their last 10 games. This is proof positive to NBA GMs that you don’t need just one good player to win. The Heat have a top 5 player in Dwyane Wade and now have a stat machine in Shawn Marion, yet they’re atrocious. They’ll get the top pick in the draft and probably waste it on Michael Beasley.

14. Indiana- I have nothing to add. Another terrible team. Too many white guys who aren’t good.

13. Charlotte- Eventually, they’ll be good. I’m just not sure when.

12….

You know what? The Eastern Conference sucks. Everyone knows this. I’d be better off ranking the lottery teams from the Eastern Conference and who they should draft. There are 3 teams that can win the Eastern Conference. They are ranked as follows:

3. Cleveland- I think they did a lot to improve last week. Ben Wallace and Wally are better than Drew Gooden and Larry Hughes in my estimation, not as players, but as far as filling a role. Larry Hughes was often unaware that he was playing with the best player in the NBA. Larry is not, never was, and never will be a star and shouldn’t have taken so many terrible shots in Cleveland. If he gets any playing time, Delonte will be the best get in the trade because of his ability to defend. I think what holds this team back is the lack of another scorer to play second fiddle to LeBron. Wally will inevitably get hurt. Daniel Gibson is streakier than store-brand window cleaner. And Zydrunas Illgauskus is the poor man’s Rik Smits.

2. Boston- Plain and simple, they don’t have enough guys on defense to stop the number 1 team. I wish they did. But they don’t.

1. Detroit- As much as this pick and team bores me (and probably you) they’re the best team in the East. I don’t see how you can argue it. The rise of Jason Maxiell has really helped this team. Chauncey continues to be a good to great player, Tayshaun Prince will shut down Paul Pierce in a 7 game series, and I think they have enough inside to neutralize KG. Detroit, as of today, is my pick to win the East, if I had to put my life on a team.

Tomorrow, I’ll countdown the Western Conference, where real teams play (I think I’d put Orlando at #4, but I don’t think they can win the East).

Game O’ The Day: Vermont @ UNH (men’s basketball). It’s senior night in Durham and the Wildcats will avenge 3 consecutive tough losses to the Catamounts with a hard 69-65 win. Also, Louisville and Notre Dame are playing tonight. But really, it’s all about the America East conference.