Not Everyone Is Talking Hockey

You may have heard there are going to be some hockey games at Bright Center this weekend. In fact, that may be all you've heard. Crimson hockey squads don't go to the nationals every year--far from it--and even rarer does Harvard earn the privilege of home ice. Not-withstanding these facts, there's more to the sports-world than just Harvard hockey. Such as. . .

NCAA basketball sweepstakes, yes, that's right, sweepstakes. This isn't just an average tournament. The 48-team draw (down to 44 teams as of today) is packed with no-names, little-knowns, dark horses, over-rated favorites (no names, please), etc., and there are plenty of betting pools to stimulate guesswork. In a usually unpredictable tournament, this year's sweepstakes figure to witness more surprises than normal.

The television coverage gets underway this weekend as teams from North Carolina, Virginia, Georgetown, UCLA (maybe), B.C., Indiana and Princeton (maybe) hit the airwaves. Other teams to look for as the draw thins out are Houston, Louisville and St John's--the top three seeds--as well as Purduc, a tournament-tested tough squad.

The action comes to a head the first weekend of April in Albuquerque, N.M., where the Final Four will square off. Contrary to popular opinion, Monday, April 4 is not the day Harvard's spring vacation ends but is the date of the championship game. If it's anything close to last year's one-point North Carolina victory over Georgetown, it's a definite don't miss--even if it means staying at home, or Florida.

. . .Celtics basketball. The Celts are mired in their worst slump in four years, a level of dismalness that includes four losses in a row, five of six, and 10 of 17. The Celtics' latest debacle was 105-100 loss to Philadelphia two nights ago, and since they don't deserve a rest, Boston will face the Nets tonight in a sold-out Garden. The Celtics stand three games ahead of New Jersey.

Looking at the bright side of pro basketball, how about them Knicks? Madison Square Garden's finest have won seven straight and 21 of 25. The team was last seen strolling down 34th Street whistling a playoff tune.

. . .Virginia Slims Tennis. The women's tour is in town for its annual sashay through Boston, and the action comes to a head in the Garden this weekend. Tracy Austin, Billie Jean King, Wendy Turnbull and Sylvia Hanika have already advanced to the quarterfinals, and each is gunning for victory in Sunday afternoon's final. The 20-year-old Austin has won only one tournament in the last 14 months.

. . .USFL football. The Boston Breakers finally come home for their home opener, slated for Sunday against the Washington Federals. Boston's starting line-up will include Joe Restic Jr., son of you-know-who, playing free safety and doing some punting on the side. Tickets, of course, are still available at Nickerson Field, but due to licensing problems no beer will be sold at the game--sorry folks.

. . .Straus Cup competition. In a topic that strikes closer to home, with the end of the winter season Eliot House has a good chance of surging into the lead of the intramural competition.

The final winter results won't be tallied for at least a week, but speculation has it that Eliot's performance in men's basketball, men's squash and swimming will push it past Winthrop (number one in the fall) in the standings. Kirkland, Leverett and Currier House are likely to round out the top five.

. . .North American Championship Sled Dog Race. For all you curiosity seekers, Fairbanks, Alaska, is the place to be this weekend for the 38th running of this prestigious event. The sledding takes off today, with 19 mushers vying for a total of $14,000 in prize money. The race culminates in Sunday's finale, a finishing heat of 30 miles. Early indications point to the North Pole's Marvin Kokrine as the favorite, but you never can tell which way the snow will blow.