Avalanche coach Tony Granato on Wednesday said Joe Sakic, who’s recovering from back surgery and an injured hand, could be back on the ice “in the next few days.”

March Madness tips off Thursday, and for some of you, filling out the NCAA Tournament pool bracket is more important than balancing your checkbook. That might be a sad commentary on life, but it’s not going to prevent me from offering some pointers on how to win your office pool.

Nuggets reserve forward Renaldo Balkman has earned praise for his gritty, rebounding-oriented play as he has filled in for injured starter Kenyon Martin. Balkman believes his game — if not his personal style — is similar to that of former Detroit Pistons great Dennis Rodman, and his teammates and coach are starting to agree.

Some of the great childish feuds in television history lasted about 30 minutes before a father figure intervened wielding a hand of authority.

This feud, “The Feud” if you will, between Broncos coach Josh McDaniels and quarterback Jay Cutler, has gone on long enough.

Broncos owner Pat Bowlen has to end it now.

Governments change, populations shift, planets are downgraded—poor, poor Pluto—but one constant remains: you need ideas for something to do over the weekend. We’re here for you, after the jump.

Want to weigh in on Cutler vs. McDaniels? Here is your chance. Go to www.drewlitton.com and submit an entry for his caption contest, filling in the speech bubbles in this cartoon.

After off-season lower back surgery, Rockies first baseman Todd Helton is looking forward to the 2009 season.

Read baseball writer Tracy Ringolsby’s Q&A with Helton and other Rockies news at InsidetheRockies.com.

Sports cartoonist Drew Litton takes on Roger Clemens in his latest work. Check it out at www.drewlitton.com.

Also, be sure to surf on over to Drew’s site on Friday for a cartoon caption contest. Drew will choose the winner and post the completed cartoon next week.