Observations from a good, not great, weekend

Five slightly iced over observations from a sports weekend that was good but not necessarily great:

1. How Good Are The Bobcats?

They’re 3-1 so far on what was seen a potentially season-defining West Coast road trip. One night it’s Stephen Jackson, the next night it’s Gerald Wallace.

With games left at Portland and the Los Angeles Lakers, the Bobcats may not be done winning on this road trip.

2. The Hottest College Team In The State

That has to be the Charlotte 49ers, who are plowing through the Atlantic-10 these days.

They keep finding a way to answer whatever question comes their way. That’s what good teams do.

3. Is North Carolina NIT-Bound?

If you laughed off that notion before, don’t laugh now. As Virginia showed Sunday night, the Tar Heels have serious issues that aren’t going to be solved overnight. And if you haven’t looked, the Tar Heels are just getting into the tough part of their schedule.

4. It’s That Time Again

The Daytona 500 is still nearly two weeks away but the NASCAR season gets going later this week with the Daytona Shootout Saturday night. Does that get your motor running?

5. It’s February

That means Valentine’s Day is two weeks away. It comes right after the Super Bowl, so don't forget.