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This day always has the potential to be one of the best days in sports. The NCAA Division I basketball championship finishes the season. Major League Baseball begins. (Nope, I'm not counting the Sunday night game.)

Until the Reds made it even more difficult (or expensive) to obtain Opening Day tickets, recent years saw me making the trek to Cincinnati to get spring's first taste of baseball. The weather may be lousy--it usually is--but the festive atmosphere at the ballpark and in the city sort of compensates for it. Viewing at home or work isn't quite the same, yet I was excited at the office while I dodged any news of the score so I could remain blissfully unaware of what would happen once I was home and could watch the recorded game.

Whether I have an NCAA pool title and the attendant bucks on the line or not--as a matter of fact, my title repeat hinged on the outcome--the big game is the big game. I can do without the announcer platitudes and tongue bath they give the prestige programs--precious North Carolina in particular--but that's all part of the price of being a sports fan. Storylines must be created, kowtowing must be done to certain schools, and it all must mean more than just a game. Whatever. Just play.

That both events happen on the same day is a happy accident. When both fall flat, as happened today, it feels like a bigger disappointment. The Reds played ineffectively and boringly in a loss. My desired outcome for the basketball game wasn't reached, and the game was about as uninteresting as they come. Even the skies were overcast, and temperatures dropped into the 30s.

That's OK. My ticket for the first Columbus Blue Jackets home playoff game ever came in the mail today. They just better not blow it this week and miss the postseason.