Football hibernation

College and NFL football is now done until August. But there is no need to go into sports hibernation.

Some of my favorite sporting events of the season are approaching.

March Madness will be here before we know it, and Iowa and Iowa State are expected to be in the Big Dance. The Iowa and Iowa State women along with Drake also are likely headed to the tournament.

The NCAA Tournament is much better when local teams are involved. The men’s bracket did not have an Iowa Division I team in it last year. That will certainly change this season and the Cyclones and Hawkeyes could be seeded in the top six. Hopefully at least one of them gets sent to Des Moines.

Women’s basketball is very good in Iowa. The Hawkeyes, Cyclones and Bulldogs are all ranked really high in the RPI. Iowa and Iowa State are both ranked in the top 25 and each should have a chance to host games with a top-four seed.

It’s been a good basketball season for most of the fans in the state. I think we could have one or two special finishes left to celebrate, too.

Another favorite event coming up is the NFL Draft. I will have to wait a few more months for that, but it will be more interesting than usual from a local standpoint. So many players from Iowa State and Iowa will hear their names called.

David Montgomery, Noah Fant, Hakeem Butler, T.J. Hockenson, Anthony Nelson and Amani Hooker all will hear their names at some point. Iowa’s Keegan Render and Ross Reynolds also could be drafted.

And I am sure someone will take a chance on Newton native Nick Easley at some point.

Hopefully Nick can turn some heads at Iowa’s Pro Day and make his way up draft boards.

My favorite team has the No. 2 overall pick so I am consuming all the information I can about potential players the Niners can get there. Hopefully Nick Bosa falls into their laps.

Pitchers and catchers are reporting in a little more than a week. It’s hard to believe it’s already baseball season but here we are.

My Cincinnati Reds have made several moves this offseason. It’s refreshing to see that Reds management is as tired of losing as I am.

I’m not sure where the Reds will finish after acquiring Yasiel Puig, Alex Wood, Matt Kemp, Sonny Gray and Tanner Roark this offseason. Top prospect Nick Senzel is ready to go, too, and the Reds’ offense has the chance to be very explosive.

If injuries don’t hit the roster too hard, the only thing I am willing to guarantee is that they won’t lose 90 games for a fifth straight season.

I can’t fault the Reds for trying. Competing in the NL Central won’t be easy though.

In wrestling news, Iowa’s Austin DeSanto made some headlines this week. And depending on who you ask, whether that is good or bad is debatable.

DeSanto, to put it nicely, has a bit of an edge to him. He has cost Iowa team points three times this season with his actions after matches.

The latest incident for DeSanto was this past weekend during the Nebraska dual. DeSanto picked up his opponent, walked him over to the Iowa bench, gave a thumbs up and got a final takedown that resulted in a technical fall.

The situation was in result of a Nebraska wrestler blowing a kiss to the Iowa bench earlier in the night.

Right or wrong, people are talking about wrestling today because of it so I guess it helps in that regard.

Iowa has suspended DeSanto, which was probably the right decision, too. Now is the time to get DeSanto’s antics under control so they don’t cost Iowa on the biggest of stages later this season.

Contact Troy Hyde at newtondailynews.com