The surprising Bonnies burst a bubble taking the A-10 crown. (US Presswire)

The Bracket Big Board takes into consideration past returns, current performance and expected future gains in determining who should be included among the field of 68 (31 automatic and 37 at-large bids). Essentially, the Bracket Big Board is a cheat sheet designed for amateur bracketologists if they were filling out a Tourney Pick 'Em '12 entry today (SIGN UP NOW!). The Triple-B, the second-most accurate bracket predictor among macro-sites over the past four years, is updated every Monday until the dance card is unveiled March 11.

Luol Deng (Getty)Luol Deng made one of nine shots in Thursday's 99-94 loss to the Magic, dropping his shooting percentage over the past four games to 34 percent. Deng admitted after that game that the pain level in his left wrist has "escalated" and that he's been trying to avoid using it when possible in recent games. But he's already committed himself to playing through the injury and neither he ("I know I can play with it"), Tom Thibodeau ("He has the capability of playing well when he's not shooting well"), nor Derrick Rose ("I know he should be able to play through it") are entertaining thoughts of his getting some down time. The Bulls are 14-3 since Deng returned from missing six games following the injury, and he's averaged 39 minutes, 14.7 points on 40-percent shooting, 2.2 threes (on whopping 48-percent shooting), 5.8 boards, 4 assists, and 2.1 turnovers.

• Kyle Lowry's short-term availability is in quesion after he checked himself into a hospital on Friday for tests on abdominal distress and a fever, and he also is dealing with a sore groin muscle. Initial diagnostic tests were negative, as were tests on his groin, but he at least seems unlikely to play on Saturday at this point. The Rockets play four games over the next five days [schedule], and Goran Dragic would be in line for big minutes whenever Lowry sits. Dragic is also dealing with a foot injury of his own, but it's not considered serious. Jonny Flynn is the third point guard, but he's totaled 81 minutes on the season and has not played since January 28.

Shaka Smart and VCU demand to be heard. (US Presswire)

What a wild week in the sports world. Peyton Manning, released. Yu Darvish, spectacular in his debut. And, arguably the greatest event on the planet, the NCAA tournament is on the horizon.

It's time to strap on your dancing shoes.

In this week's extra special episode Brandon Funston joined me to touch on Peyton-palooza. Also, college basketball insiders Pat Forde and Dan Wetzel stepped in to talk all things tourney: Is this Kentucky team the strongest to enter postseason play in recent memory? Can Murray St.'s Cinderella story extend beyond the first weekend? We covered it all.

Meanwhile in Hour 2, Funston trotted in from the 'pen to break down Yu Darvish, Yoenis Cespedes and the closing situation in Los Angeles. Finally, Matt Buser rounded out the show, bringing owners up to speed on the freshest news and notes from around the Association.

Start your St. Patty's festivities a week early? No sweat. Listen to the replays below:

FANTASY FREAK SHOW HOUR 1 (Peyton Manning)

FANTASY FREAK

Evan Turner (Getty)The 76ers' hot start was well behind them, thanks to a 4-9 record over a span of 13 games, during which they had averaged just 89 points on offense. Doug Collins' answer? Bench Jodie Meeks and promote Evan Turner to the starting five. Turner made and missed a lot of jumpshots in his first start on Monday in Milwaukee, but did some good things otherwise (32 minutes, 2 points, 1-12 FG, 12 boards, 4 assists, 1 steal, 1 block). His second start, Wednesday against the Celtics, produced much better offensive results: 37 minutes, 26 points, 11-19 FG, 9 boards, 2 assists. After the game, Collins summed up his thoughts on Turner, his role, and the team moving forward:

"He needs the ball in his hands. When he has the ball in his hands, he's a totally different player. Maybe Jrue didn't have it in his hands as much, and maybe Dre didn't with the three of them out there together, and that's the thing we're trying to figure out how we can do that and play comfortable where all three of those guys can play well ... Evan's a point guard. At the end of the day, he's a point guard. The big thing about it is that we have to play an extended period of time with him and Dre out there together and that's what I'm locked into. Unless there's an injury, I'm going to finish the year with those two guys playing together."

This is quite an abrupt about-face for Collins and obviously bodes well for Turner's fantasy potential, but Wednesday's domination of the listless Celtics doesn't whitewash some limitations we've seen thus far. He's shooting 42 percent from the field and 65 percent from the line on the season, and his per-36s include 0.3 threes, 0.8 steals, and 0.3 blocks. One area where Turner has excelled is on the defensive boards (5.2 in 24 minutes), and Collins will push him to consistently translate those boards into transition opportunities. In a best-case scenario involving a short and successful adjustment process and increased confidence directly translating to the box score, Turner will be good for points, boards, and assists, and that shooting percentage will come up as the 76ers look to up the pace and he spends more time finishing around the rim.

Can Verlander duplicate last year's unforgettable season? The Noise says yes. (US Presswire)

The fantasy community has always been split on when and where premium pitchers are worth drafting. Though a sound argument, it's hard to dispute the invaluable contributions elite hurlers Justin Verlander, Clayton Kershaw and Roy Halladay will likely contribute to virtual leagues this year. Each boasts incredible credentials and a high price-tag. Which one should come off your draft board first? Brad Evans, Brandon Funston and Scott Pianowski take a stand.

Brad votes for Verlander:

Utter domination. That best describes Verlander's remarkable 2011. Posting numbers from a throwback era, the workhorse tossed 251 innings, punched out 250, emerged victorious 24 times, notched a 2.40 ERA and tallied a microscopic 0.91 WHIP. His gigantic season earned him the AL Cy Young and AL MVP honors, the first pitcher to earn the accolade since Dennis Eckersley since 1992 and the first start since Roger Clemens in 1986. His subsequent 1.95 value, according to Baseball Monster, dwarfed Kershaw by 0.27 points and Halladay by 0.65. Overall, it was the finest fantasy season by a pitcher in a decade.

Shipping Down to Philly (US Presswire)We'll start off today's fireside chat with a look back at Pretty Woman. No back talk and snippy comments; it was one of my mom's favorites.

In the film, Julia Roberts and Richard Gere strike a deal where Roberts, a call girl, will spend the week with Gere for $3,000. Righteous bucks.

"I would have stayed for two," Julia later admits, sassily.

"I would have paid four," Gere counters.

Takeaway? It pays to know your market. I know ADP is a dirty word in some circles, but on some level you have to be aware of it.

Consider the LABR Mixed League draft that went down a week and a half ago. Clay Davenport came out with a controversial pick in the fourth round, snagging Philadelphia closer Jonathan Papelbon. That's 4.02 on the spreadsheet, the 47th overall pick, the first reliever taken. The selection was quickly questioned in the onlooking Twitterverse (ah, the Internet).

Misguided pick? Average Draft Position sure thinks so — and the marketplace as a whole agrees.

Bismack Biyombo (Getty)Bismack Biyombo returned from a two-game absence because of a sore shoulder and posted his best line of the season in an improbable win over Magic on Tuesday, logging a double-double (10 points, 15 boards) and blocking seven shots, the second time he's done so this season. Biyombo played more than 30 minutes (32) for just the fourth time on the season, with his chances of truly consistent minutes the rest of the way being seriously strengthened by the Boris Diaw situation. Diaw had averaged 30 minutes per game since rejoining the starting five in late January, but will now see DNP-CDs until the trade deadline passes and he's been traded or bought out. Biyombo's minutes are locked in, reinforced by Paul Silas calling him "one of the hardest-working guys I've ever seen" after the game, and health and possible foul trouble seem to be all that might work against him. Biyombo's averages in those four games with 30-plus minutes include 9.5 points (64% FG, 63% FT), 12.5 boards (4.8 offensive), 5.5 blocks, and 2.8 fouls. Go grab Biyombo anywhere he's available. Those are serious numbers, and his keeper league prospects are off the charts, given that he's still five months away from his 20th birthday.

Remarkably, Harvard is dancing for the first time since the Truman administration (US Presswire)

The Bracket Big Board takes into consideration past returns, current performance and expected future gains in determining who should be included among the field of 68 (31 automatic and 37 at-large bids). Essentially, the Bracket Big Board is a cheat sheet designed for amateur bracketologists if they were filling out a Tourney Pick 'Em '12 entry today (SIGN UP NOW!). The Triple-B, the second-most accurate bracket predictor among macro-sites over the past four years, is updated every Monday until the dance card is unveiled March 11.