The Big Ten is a look at headlines in sports with a touch of local flavor.

11. Area’s MLB teams flounder in opening series.

2005 World Series Champion White Sox go 1-2, 2006 World Series Champion Cardinals go 0-3, 1908 World Series Champion Cubs go 1-2.

10. Devil of a goalie breaks win record

New Jersey’s netminder Martin Brodeur set the single-season record for wins with 48, breaking Bernie Parent’s mark of 47. No joke here–Brodeur, at nearly 35, may be the best goalie of all time

9. David Carr a Panther?

I’ve said it all along, this kid has talent. Delhomme is still the starter, but watch out for Carr, who has yet to throw a pass in the NFL without having to close his eyes and scream, “DEAR GOD DON’T HIT ME AGAIN. HERE, JUST TAKE THE BALL.”

8. Gilbert Arenas injurs knee, out for season.

Guess he is a zero after all.

7. Dice-K makes Boston (and America) debut.

Japan’s finest all but clinched the AL ROTY award in his first start. As if there was any doubt.

6. Yard Sale

The Chicago Cubs will be sold in the near future, ending the Tribune Co.’s reign of terror. Who will buy them and Alfonso Soriano’s contract? In the meantime, Zambrano waits for a new deal, Wrigley may not be sold and the Cubs are Vegas favorites to win the pennant. And it’s only three games into the season.

5. Griffey to wear 42 on Robinson anniversary

The boy wonder will wear Jackie Robinson’s league-wide retired number on April 15, the 60th aniversary of Jackie Robinson breaking the color barrier. A great gesture by Bud Selig, Griffey Jr. and the entire league on the most important day in American sports.

4. Who’s the Master?

Right now, it doesn’t look like Tiger will be.

3. Spurs can see the Sun

Tim Duncan and San Antonio are catching up the Nash and Pheonix. But does the NBA regular season even mean anything anymore?

2. Coaching Carousel

Even bigger than who’s moving (Gillespie to Kentucky, Huggins to West Virginia, Tubby to Minnesota, Beilein to Michigan, etc. etc. etc.), Billy Donovan will stay in Florida. When he got back to the hotel room after the NCAA Championship game, he said to his players, “Who wants to go for three?”

1. Florida Repeats

Florida has now won the last three big college games: Basketbal tournament, Football Championship and the little known Curling championship. Who knew they had ice in Florida?

Non-conference Results

• Candace Parker, Vols women’s champ
• Bruce Weber not leaving
• Bruce Weber staying

It looks like former Illinois assistant Billy Gillispie will take over the Kentucky program after first Billy Donovan and then Texas’ Rick Barnes passed on the deal. I, like most, was impressed with Gillispie’s job at Texas A&M, taking them to the Sweet 16 three years after being hired.

With Tim Jankovich taking the Illinois State job earlier this year, every former Bill Self assistant coach at Illinois but Wayne McClain has moved on to a head coaching position (Norm Roberts took over St. John’s in 2004).

What does this mean? The Bill Self/Eddie Sutton coaching tree is spreading. Two of their members have landed what are historically two of the top five college basketball programs in the country: Kansas and Kentucky.

What does this mean to us? Illinois was a stepping stone. Already one of our program’s assistant coaches has reached a point where he would not even consider an offer from our school. Instead we plugged ourselves into the Gene Keady coaching tree, which has given birth to living legends like Steve Lavin, Kevin Stallings, and, um … Chris Lowery.