The first week of April has to be the best week of the year for sports fans.

First off, the NCAA basketball championship game is traditionally played on the first Monday of April.  While the KU-UK game (the palindrome game) may not have lived up to some of the great championship games, it nonetheless provided the whole country a chance to see Anthony Davis put on a shot-blocking clinic.  In prior years the game has given us "the shot" in 2008, introduced the world to Michael Jordan in 1982, and provided the lasting image of Jim Valvano, looking for a player to hug in 1983.  The game broadcast has also given us all the chance to relive so many great tourney moments during the playing of "One Shining Moment."

Only 2-3 days later we get Opening Day of the MLB season.  Even though MLB screwed the pooch on this one with the games in Japan last week, and delay of some teams' opening day until Friday, it's still Opening Day!  For every single fan, even the Cub faithful at Wrigley, opening day means hope springs eternal, this will be our year.  Opening day also means winter is over, spring is here (even if some opening day games get snowed out) and soon it will be summer.  Night games in shorts (except in SF) with a hot dog and a beer, there's nothing better.

Finally on Thursday we get the Masters.  To put it simply it's the best golf tournament ever.  Augusta, when the magnolias and azaleas are blooming, is like a work of art that God (and the groundskeepers) provided for our visual pleasure.  And of course there is the golf.  With no disrespect to the other majors there are no bigger wins than Jack in 86, Tiger in 97, and no more heartfelt emotion than Ben Crenshaw in 95 or Greg Norman in 96.

3 great sports traditions all within one week.  How could any one week be better for sports fans?