Random notes from a cluttered sports desk

The local prep sports scene has been at a virtual standstill as far as games are concerned, but that's about to change with the Juneau-Douglas hockey team kicking off the weekend with a pair of Mid-Alaska Conference matchups against North Pole on Friday and Saturday (finally!) at Treadwell Arena.

And we at the sports desk let out a collective sigh of relief. A sports reporter's biggest nightmare is sitting at a desk staring at a computer screen for eight hours a day, and yours truly has been suffering from some serious cabin fever.

And addition to home hockey games, Thunder Mountain begins its basketball season next week, and I have a feeling the Falcon boys are going to be pretty darn good in their inaugural season.

But more on that with their season preview next Friday.

•I finally got to watch the Manny Pacquiao-Miguel Cotto fight this week on HBO On Demand, and I am thrilled about the fact that it looks like the Pac-Man-Money Mayweather fight will happen (look left and read why).

It will be the fight of the decade, no doubt, and one that I will actually pay the $50-$60 to see. Anybody want to chip in?

•There have been some appointment viewing games on television of late, with more to come.

First, the Saints and the Patriots meeting on Monday night football.

The game was a blowout, which was a shocker, but it just further proves that New Orleans is no joke, no fluke, no how, no way.

Drew Brees is a straight up beast, and he has a bevy of weapons to deliver the ball to.

And not one of them is named Reggie Bush.

This Saturday, college basketball's all-time winningest programs, No. 4 Kentucky and No. 10 North Carolina, will throw down in my hometown of Lexington.

I know I'm stoked about it, even if it's on at 8:30 a.m. here (DVR, I do believe I love you).

Why should you care? Well, if you haven't seen a certain freshman sensation and guaranteed 2010 NBA No. 1 overall pick, the Wildcats' John Wall, you're in for a treat. The kid is that good, and he's from North Carolina. They barely recruited him and didn't offer a scholarship.

Wall will put on a show for sure and embarrass ol' Roy for making such a colossul mistake.

•Finally, comparing Brett Favre and Drew Brees this year and trying to decide who has the lead for the MVP award right now is like splitting hairs.

But Favre is having the best season of his 19-year career, even better than any of his three previous MVP seasons.

He's only thrown a trio of picks all season, which is mind boggling.

I smell an NFC title game matchup between the Saints and the Vikes.

Talk about appointment viewing...