It’s like clockwork in North Idaho. Every year, it feels as though we’re one sunny day away from a full transition into spring — and then, WHAM. Some wild weather pattern rolls through. Last week’s version may have been the craziest I’ve ever seen.

All signs point to temperatures pushing 60 degrees by the end of this week, which could bring a whole new set of issues. But we’ll cross that bridge — and possibly wade through it if the water gets high — when we get there.

The weather already took a toll on Kellogg High School’s baseball team, which lost all three games scheduled for last week. Those included road contests at Timberlake and a doubleheader against Clearwater Valley in Kooskia.

Area golf, track and softball teams were fortunate enough to avoid scheduling conflicts, but for the boys, rescheduling won’t be easy. Athletic directors and coaches now have to hunt for open dates in already crowded calendars and hope Mother Nature shows a little mercy.

Ah yes — the beauty of high school sports in Idaho in March.

Now, let’s shift gears and take a look at the most sacred event in sports: the NCAA Tournament.

I don’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings, but you know that team from Spokane everyone rallies behind? It’s probably not their year.

But … they almost fit the criteria.

College basketball junkies are familiar with KenPom rankings, but for those who aren’t, here’s the CliffNotes version. KenPom — short for Ken Pomeroy — is an analytics platform that evaluates teams based on offensive and defensive efficiency on a per-possession basis.

Since its launch in 2002, only four teams have won the national championship while ranking outside KenPom’s top 20 in either offense or defense: Syracuse in 2003, North Carolina in 2009, UConn in 2014 and Baylor in 2021. In other words, over the past 24 years — roughly 83% of the time — champions have ranked inside the top 20 on both sides of the ball.

This year, only four teams meet that standard, and frankly, it’s not very exciting.

Duke, Michigan, Florida and Arizona.

Sound familiar? Beyond their blueblood status, those four programs also happen to be the tournament’s No. 1 seeds.

There’s a real chance this year’s bracket turns into an all-chalk affair by the time April rolls around - Which would be boring, but also supports my Duke prediction (KenPom's No. 4 offense and No. 2 defense). 

That doesn’t mean Gonzaga fans should completely lose hope. As I said, the Zags almost check every box.

They boast KenPom’s ninth-ranked defense and are fully capable of locking teams down. Offensively, however, they sit at No. 29. That keeps them in the conversation — but it’s the same conversation Houston found itself in before its recent Final Four run.

Like those Cougar teams, Gonzaga is dangerous, but not automatic.

The Zags also face a brutal West Region that includes three Power Four champions — Arizona, Arkansas and Purdue — along with an underrated Wisconsin squad and a feisty BYU team featuring potential NBA No. 1 pick AJ Dybantsa.

Gonzaga isn’t out of it, and I’d be surprised if the Zags don’t reach the Elite Eight. Still, the road to get there — and beyond — is anything but friendly.

There’s a first time for everything. I just don’t see it happening this year.

Yes, I know — more hater rhetoric from Josh McDonald. But the numbers don’t lie.

Also, Happy March Madness! May your internet connection remain strong, and your boss be lenient while we spend the next two weekends glued to as many devices as we can!