I try to temper my use of curses in this spot, not because I have a group of young children who read this, but because swearing isn’t generally deemed as being professional. However, the use of the word “asshole” applies very well here to Shelley Duncan and the New York Yankees, who I am rekindling my childhood disdain for at the moment.

It began when Hank Steinbrenner decided that he should speak. Ever.

It continued last week when new Yankee manager Joe Girardi complained because the Tampa Rays were playing hard in a spring training game.

It escalated today when Yankee pitcher Heath Phillips (not to be confused with Heath Bell or Andy Phillips) purposely threw at (bow your head in respect) baseball’s top prospect and Rays third baseman, Evan Longoria. Phillips was ejected.

It reached a boiling point, however, when Shelley Duncan, known only for his ability to smash his forearm against Jason Giambi’s forearm, slid cleats up into the groin of Rays second baseman Akinori Iwamura. Duncan was then tackled by Rays outfielder Johnny Gomes and the benches cleared, though apparently, no punches were thrown.

And so my new favorite rivalry in the American League has begun. The standard bearer franchise and the upstart club, stocked full of young talent, fighting, literally, with each other, to get on top.

Kudos to the Rays for fighting back.

To the Yankees, who were angry because a Rays player collided with a Yankee catcher in a Spring Training game, I say this: Play hard, not dirty. Throwing at the best prospect in the majors and sliding, cleats high, into a second baseman are not examples of playing hard in spring training. I kind of wish the Rays were playing the Yankees tomorrow when Billy Crystal (you read that right) will be playing for the “Pinstripes.”

All can rejoice, as the Syracuse Orange are NIT bound, after falling to Villanova in the first round of the Big East tournament this afternoon. Now if we can get Ohio State, Virginia Tech, and Maryland to be eliminated in round one of their tournaments, perhaps the deserving Virginia Commonwealth Rams can get in to the tournament, where they belong.

The Houston Rockets winning streak ends tonight against the Atlanta Hawks.

Tomorrow, I will have a full first round mock draft.

We are 8 days away from the start of the NCAA tournament. Rejoice.

Game O’ The Day: Spurs @ Hornets. At some point in the future, the New Orleans Hornets will get more respect than “I really like this team, but I don’t think they can advance in the playoffs, where I think that experience really matters.” Until then, they’ll just continue to be only 2 games out of the top spot in the Western Conference and beating the teams ahead of them. Guess what, Marc Stein, Tim Legler, Greg Anthony, Hubie Brown, etc…EXPERIENCE DOESN’T MATTER. BEING GOOD MATTERS. THE HORNETS ARE VERY GOOD. DEAL WITH IT.

Apologies for all of the short posts lately, but really, I don’t feel like analyzing the Roger Federer/Pete Sampras match from the other night. And I’d be a hypocrite if I got that excited about “Championship Week.” Again, tomorrow I will have MY mock draft. I’ll try to temper what I would do versus what I think teams will do. i.e. Ray Rice won’t be a first round pick, sadly.