By Drew Olson Special to OnMilwaukee.com Published Mar 15, 2008 at 5:27 AM

Welcome to Saturday Scorecard, a fine place to pass the time until your bracket is busted. We've got college basketball games and Springsteen concerts to watch, so let's start spraying some line drives around the diamond:

Favre in focus: We're coming up on two weeks -- and two Sports Illustrated covers -- since Packers quarterback Brett Favre announced his retirement. While some state sports fans are still coming to grips with the news, others are wondering what all the fuss was about.

Even if you'd rather watch paint dry than a Packers game, Favre's retirement was one of those crystal clear moments. You'll remember where you were when you heard news of his resignation. You'll remember who you were with, the first person you told.

I'll never forget what my 7-year-old said in the car that afternoon. "Daddy, did you hear that Brett Favre retired and they're going to replace him with someone who sucks?"

After nearly driving into a ditch, I asked where she had heard that. "From some boys at school," she said. "They were singing ‘Brett Favre retired! Brett Favre retired!' They don't like the Packers." (I can't wait to tell Aaron Rodgers that story.)

After talking to friends and family and devouring as much Favre coverage as I could, from the "how could he cry" query of talk-show host Laura Ingraham to the "he was overrated" take of ESPN's Sal Paolantonio and everything between, I've developed a theory about the whole thing.

Favre's retirement struck a chord because it reminded us of our own mortality. My former colleague Bob Wolfley once marveled at the quarterback's ageless, Peter Pan quality. Even when Favre's hair went gray and his face became weathered, the fact that he still ran around the field like a kid -- just like the highlights we remembered -- made us feel like we were suspended in time, too.

When Favre retired, middle-aged fans looked in the mirror and saw new wrinkles on the face staring back. Overnight, young children seemed taller and more mature and aging parents looked older and more frail.

Favre's exit after 16 memorable years reminded us that time marches on, even if we don't always take time to notice.

Green with envy: The Celtics enter their game against the Bucks tonight at the Bradley Center with a 51-13 record. Last year, they were 24-58 and accused of tanking at the end of the year.

All the Bucks need to do to change their fortunes is acquire Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen and ... ah, never mind.

Disguised blessing? Marquette fans are likely still seething over some of the calls by referee Tim Higgins last night, but they may soon discover that the loss to Pitt in the Big East semifinal was a good thing.

The Golden Eagles will have an extra day of rest. They'll enter the tournament battle tested. And, they'll be hungry.

Look for them to be seeded fifth in the field and don't be surprised if they make a trip to the Sweet 16.

Unwatchable? ESPN's Scott Van Pelt pointed out that both teams in the Tennessee-South Carolina, which the Volunteers won by a 89-97 score, exceeded the combined total of Wisconsin and Michigan in the Badgers' 51-34 victory in the Big Ten tournament.

We didn't hear the clip, but a friend said Van Pelt called the game "unwatchable" and compared it to fat people having sex. That's funny.

Rock star: Brewers infielder Craig Counsell is swinging a hot bat this spring. Counsell seems to thrive in Arizona, where he is revered from his time with the Diamonbacks. The guy can go through life in his hometown unrecognized and he's a rock star in the desert.

NutriSystem or Weight Watchers? Maybe the fancy new TV at Saturday Scorecard headquarters was playing tricks, but Brewers pitcher Claudio Vargas looked a bit slimmer Friday night than he did last season. He's also throwing the ball as well as any of the other starters.

The truth hurts: The Bucks didn't do Mo Williams any favors this month. Williams was sidelined for five games with pubic symphysitis, which is the clinical name for pain and inflammation where the right and left pubic bones meet near the pelvis.

The injury, also known as ostetits pubis, made people wince and wonder. The Bucks probably could have helped by calling it an abdominal strain or a groin strain.

Banks holiday: Former UW-Milwaukee, US National team and Wave standout Jimmy Banks will be inducted into the Wisconsin Soccer Hall of Fame tonight.

"To be recognized as a Hall of Famer in any sport at any level, personally, I consider it to be a tremendous honor," Banks said.

Novel idea for Noel: Now that the Bucks have requested waivers on David Noel, perhaps the Packers will take a look at the former No. 2 pick from North Carolina. The guy looks like he could play tight end.

Drew Olson Special to OnMilwaukee.com

Host of “The Drew Olson Show,” which airs 1-3 p.m. weekdays on The Big 902. Sidekick on “The Mike Heller Show,” airing weekdays on The Big 920 and a statewide network including stations in Madison, Appleton and Wausau. Co-author of Bill Schroeder’s “If These Walls Could Talk: Milwaukee Brewers” on Triumph Books. Co-host of “Big 12 Sports Saturday,” which airs Saturdays during football season on WISN-12. Former senior editor at OnMilwaukee.com. Former reporter at the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.