Game On

The tourney will not be postponed, says NCAA President Brand. As for television coverage,

Should war with Iraq begin later this week, CBS-TV likely would show wall-to-wall coverage of the first few days of the conflict in Iraq to fulfill its affiliates' FCC responsibility to best serve the public's interest. CBS would then move its NCAA Tournament coverage to other Viacom-owned networks, including TNN and Nickelodeon.

Although a CBS deal with ESPN was not completed as of Tuesday evening, the sports cable network would be able to broadcast first-round games on Thursday and Friday. ESPN was also clearing room for men's basketball for second-round programming, although it still will cover the NCAA women's basketball tournament, which begins Saturday.

A worthwhile distraction, I think.