The interwebs, the Twittersphere and everywhere else that "breaking news" can be found nowadays is full of reports today that Aaron Gordon is going to declare for the NBA Draft ... sometime this week.

And the modern streetcar is going to start operating. At some point. Probably. You heard it here first!

Why Gordon's impending decision is suddenly news, seeing as this has been considered a foregone conclusion since he arrived last fall, just boggles my mind.

When he actually declares, that'll be something to report on. For now, though, it's more just a matter of trying to be the first outlet to report on this "expected" move, making sure to cite "sources" that are really just the writer coming up with crap on his or her own and not having to be held accountable.

These same "sources," whom I believe includes your neighbor and the guy who cleans the bathrooms at McKale Center, also believe that Nick Johnson is likely to leave as well, but that Rondae Hollis-Jefferson and Kaleb Tarczewski are coming back. Same with Brandon Ashley, though I don't need a source to tell me that having not played since early February because of surgically repaired foot ligaments is a good reason to remain amateur another year.

Rest assured, Arizona fans: as long as they don't all leave, the Wildcats should be just as good (if not better) for the 2014-15 season. Arizona brings in a 5-star wing in 6'7" Stanley Johnson, another inside bruiser in 6'8" Craig Victory, a prolific junior college scorer in Kadeem Allen, a tiny-but-quick point guard in Parker Jackson-Cartwright and the obligatory 7-foot Serbian-by-way-of-a-private-school-in-Kansas in Dusan Ristic.

Arizona will be ranked in the top 5 in every preseason poll. It's already that way in the way-too-early rankings for 2014-15, including this handy one from a comprehensive sports Web site that includes many great writers including this guy.

Arizona's athletic department is going all out with marketing what it's calling Super Wildcat Weekend from Thursday through Sunday, a collection of sporting events and activities meant to showcase nearly every UA sport that doesn't use a basket.

But maybe the most ambitious — and flat out fun — part of the lineup helps kick off the four-day extravaganza, as the UA is opening up Arizona Stadium on Thursday night for a screening of Remember the Titans that will be shown on the giant video board on the south end of the field.

Gates open at 6 p.m. and the film will start at 6:30 p.m., with fans encouraged to sit in the north end zone seats for the best view.

The movie is just the tip of a great variety of events, a perfect storm of sports events on and around campus that most Wildcat fans might have ignored without prompting. Thursday also marks the start of the Jim Click Shootout track and field meet at the Drachman Stadium, a meet that will run through Saturday.

On Friday there's a tennis match at 1 p.m. at the on-campus Robson Tennis Center against USC, while at 7 p.m. at Hi Corbett Field the UA baseball team hosts 2013 College World Series champ UCLA for a three-game series.

On Saturday is the main attraction of the weekend, the annual UA football spring game, scheduled for 1 p.m. at Arizona Stadium. But before the game the school will be selecting fans to participate in some "Hard Edge" challenges, including the opportunity to win $500 by kicking a 50-yard field goal or $250 to throw a pass deeper than a Wildcat quarterback.

A random fan will also get a chance to call a play during the spring game (PLEASE PICK THE BUTT FUMBLE!), a scrimmage that will showcase what Arizona has been working on the past few weeks in spring practice.

Another UA baseball game is on tap for 7:30 p.m. Saturday, while the finale against UCLA is at 4 p.m. Sunday. Sunday's lineup also includes a 12 p.m. tennis match against UCLA.

And if all that wasn't enough, the UA's Spring Fling has returned to campus and will be celebrating its 40th anniversary from Friday through Sunday.

The professional wrestling world mourns the monumental loss of the Ultimate Warrior. James Brian "Justice" Hellwig, 54, collapsed while walking his wife to her car outside of an Arizona Hotel on Tuesday, according to TMZ.

Hellwig was inducted to the 2014 WWE Hall of Fame on Saturday, April 5. Here is his acceptance speech:

Hellwig recently signed a multi-year deal as a official ambassador for the WWE. The WWE Hall of Famer made his first appearance on Monday Night Raw for the first time in 18 years. Sadly, the television appearance was coincidentally a farewell to the Warriors and his fans.

Hellwig retired after 16 years of professional wrestling to become a motivational speaker. In that time, Hellwig was first known as Blade Runner Rocker and Dingo Warrior during his reign at World Class Championship Wrestling. The Warrior moved to the World Wrestling Federation and went on to become one of the most popular performers in its history.

Thursday night's thrilling Arizona basketball win over San Diego State prompted hundreds of UA students and fans to pour out onto University Blvd. after the game to collectively celebrate.

It was a relatively tame gathering, despite how local Twitter, TV people — the same TV people whose cameras and bright lights drew the crowd hungrily towards them — and Tucson and university police were on hand and in riot gear. But that was more of a precaution than anything else.

But, apparently, one person decided he couldn't just cheer and scream to show his support for the Cats.

While most people were "celebrating responsibly," as TPD put it in a news release, 25-year-old Andrew Gallardo was arrested for disorderly conduct after allegedly throwing a beer bottle "in the direction of responding officers."

According to UA's online student directory, Gallardo is an undergraduate in the Eller College of Management. Because of this, the release says his arrest has also been forwarded to the Dean of Students.

TPD went through training exercises earlier this month to prepare for an anticipated deep run by the UA basketball team in the NCAA tournament. The response to last night's celebration was just the tip of the iceberg, as no one wants a repeat of the 2001 craziness that saw Fourth Avenue turn into a war zone, rubber bullets and all.

We cordially invite you to watch the Elite 8 games with us on our giant projection screen on Saturday. We will open up at 2:30 pm for Dayton/Florida and get crazy for the Cats game starting at 5:49. BTFD!

Scottsdale's self-proclaimed "world class club" Hi Fi Kitchen & Cocktails is under hot water for possibly discriminating against a Tucsonan decked out in University of Arizona Wildcats apparel. Michael Underwood was asked to leave the club Sunday afternoon because he was wearing a University of Arizona hat, so Underwood put the cap in his vehicle and tried to re-enter the establishment. The Daily published Michael Underwood's video of a Hi Fi security guard refusing the Wildcats fan back in the club because he was violating dress code.

Underwood panned his camera phone around the establishment and captured multiple patrons (not wearing UA gear) violating the dress code, but they weren't being asked to leave.

Here's the official response from Hi Fi Facebook page:

Well...
Looks like an explanation is in order. The video circulating around, was a door rejection based on our after 5 p.m. dress code. It has nothing WHATSOEVER to do with his U of A gear. Plain and simple. After 5, we begin the transition to a dinner atmosphere, and nightclub thereafter. I know, I know...but a dress code comes along with the territory.

To claim we're not welcoming of Wildcats is just rubbish! I mean, we're hosting a Wildcat viewing party this Thursday, not to mention one of our sister bars is Wildcat headquarters. Sun Devils, Wildcats, Ducks, Gators, Billikens...


every one is welcome, so retract the claws, Cats, we come in peace!

Here's another response for good measure:

The gentleman who was denied entry to our Scottsdale location was not allowed into the establishment because he was out of dress code. He was in no way denied entry due to UA Attire.

We chose to open a location in Tucson because we want to work with the University and have great respect for their fans. Our management team is led by UA Alumni and our staff consists of an army of Wildcats. We would not have chosen to open in Tucson if we didn’t care about the city’s deep connection to the University and its Athletics.

We apologize for the confusion and look forward to supporting the city of Tucson, the University of Arizona and its fans for years to come.

Thank You,
Rick Cano, GM
Hi Fi Kitchen & Cocktails Tucson

So, what does this say about the new Hi Fi restaurant under construction in downtown Tucson?

Mike Feder, former general manager for the Tucson Padres, winner of the 2013 Pacific Coast League Executive of the Year award and new hire for the Arizona Diamondbacks has got a problem.

As you might know, the Padres recently pulled up stakes and moved to El Paso after years of unyielding fan support hard work trying to fill the seats of Kino Stadium. And while the same old complaints that the Padres home park was inferior in every way to Hi Corbett (currently the home of University of Arizona baseball) didn't appear to shake Feder, it seems that more recent chatter did.

Last month, it was announced that the El Paso Chihuahuas and the Reno Aces (Tucson's former AAA baseball franchise) would play a four-game set in Tucson while El Paso finished their stadium.

Predictably, people raised a fuss over the announcement...and after weeks of reading fan complaints on the Tucson Padres Facebook page, Feder made it clear where he stands.

This is Mike Feder. I'm curious why the people who still criticize these four games being in Tucson are still friends of the Tucson Padres. If they have no interest in these games I would suggest you no longer be a friend so we don't offend you. It's my feeling that four games of quality Triple-A baseball is better than none. The El Paso owners did the right thing by paying Pima County for an entire season even though they might only need a limited number of games. Those games are generating additional dollars to our community - two teams in a hotel and their personal spending, concession purchases, pay to seven people for 1 1/2 months, additional compensation to our staff for on game days, and hopefully some good will with our promos - $2 beer & soft drinks on Friday, MLB giveaways on Saturday, all youth players get in FREE with their jersey on Sunday, and free tickets on Monday from eegee's.

To me, this seems like venting from the a damn hard-working guy who is passionate about baseball, and passionate about Tucson.

I don't want to put words in Feder's mouth, but Tucson is a community that has trouble accepting change and going outside of its comfort zone: see the quality baseball played by the Tucson Sidewinders, including a AAA championship, all but ignored by a community that gave them the worst attendance in the Pacific Coast League. Why? Because the stadium was inconvenient. Because it wasn't Hi Corbett. Because they weren't the Toros.

While it's exciting that soccer is energizing the community and taking over land that was originally designated for major league sluggers, it's a shame that baseball in Tucson went away the way it did...and its especially a shame that passionate guys like Mike Feder were cast on their ears, however momentarily, by an apathetic public.

The El Paso Chihuahuas will take on the Reno Aces at Kino Sports Complex, April 11-14. Ticket information can be found at kinosportscomplex.com.

Let's show them some support this time, Tucson; no one knows when we'll get professional baseball around these parts again, after all.

• Photo by Jim Nintzel

Coach Sean Miller is getting $3 million to run a minor league NBA farm team at the University of Arizona. It must be pretty important work to be worth all that money. And since the compensation comes from one of our major institutions of higher learning, college athletics must be good for higher education and the society at large. Right?

I mean, why else would universities involve themselves in such expensive, time consuming activities that have no direct relationship with the mission of the schools?

Here’s a heretical thought, especially as the NCAA tournament begins and Tucson is in the throes of March Madness. Is it possible that this form of entertainment, so beloved by college students, sports fans and television networks, could be a net negative for our colleges and society at large? Could the negatives spill over to our high schools, which act as farm teams for the colleges?

Before I continue, let me admit I exaggerated a bit. Coach Miller won’t make $3 million unless the Wildcats win it all. Otherwise, he may end up with more like $2.5 million. And college teams aren’t actually minor league teams. They have no direct connection with NBA teams that I know of, and the players don’t make any money.

Instead of going on a long rant about the possible negatives of our high visibility, high cost, high profit college sports — and the high school sports programs which supply colleges with players — let me ask some open-ended questions. Then I’ll slip quietly away (possibly to an undisclosed location for a few weeks) and let people talk among themselves.

As a No. 1 seed, Arizona is considered one of the favorites to win the NCAA tournament (Bovada gives the Wildcats 9-to-1 odds, fourth-best in the field) and has the kind of lineup that can bring home another title.

But no amount of talent and not even the most favorable of draws can compensate for this:

That's one of six regional covers that Sports Illustrated has put out for its March Madness issue. The others are Florida, Michigan State, Syracuse and Wichita State for the men's tournament and Connecticut for the women's tourney.

If you're not already screaming at the screen and cursing the SI editorial board, that means you're probably not aware of the Sports Illustrated jinx. For what seems like forever, the presence of a player or a team on the cover has turned into a death sentence, as that individual or group has seen its good fortunes go down the toilet not long after.