New Yanks pitcher A.J. Burnett said winning a championship was the only reason he joined the team, except, of course, the 82.5 million dollars and the cushy digs in the new stadium trainer’s room.

Georgetown’s Sean Lamont hit the first homer at Citi Field but was disappointed when the new home run apple didn’t pop up. “I don’t know if that’s in the budget,” he joked afterwards. Hmm… sellout crowd and every single one of them buying concessions instead of watching a crappy college basketball game… must not be an econ major.

Well, Villanova, Michigan St., North Carolina and UConn advanced to this weekend, meaning that only one of Barack Obama’s four picks — UNC — made the final four. Embarrassing. Experts are calling Obama’s bracket challenge by far the biggest problem he’ll need to face in the coming year.

More news in the Madonna-Malawi adoption story. Apparently her would-be child’s grandmother has wondered, “why doesn’t this singer pick other children?” and called it “stealing.” Madonna has countered that she’s simply trying to make herself more attractive to former Yankee prospect Jose Tabata. Hey, she likes ‘em young.