Idle Thoughts, while waiting for March Madness, baseball season and for the New London Youth Talent Show:

• Dr. Idle, Dr. I to his close friends, learned recently that a few social commentators have their knickers in a knot.

Seems they're offended for some reason that Dr. I mentions his pal Mike Buscetto (a guy who is big on generosity and entertainment, by the way) frequently in print.

Remember this: You've got the problem. Dr. I has the column.

• Note to the person who oversees the official Eastern Connecticut Conference website:

Fall sports are over.

Winter tournaments are underway.

This just in.

• Dr. I is trying not to yell at the television so much.

But that call the other night on the Celtics — Marcus Smart barely breathing on Jimmy Butler in the closing seconds — caused a tremor.

Apologies to Dr. I's neighbors.

• The ref in question: Zach Zarba.

Nice alliteration.

But you're no Josh Tiven, bro.

Mr. Zarba's next assignment should be that irrelevant ECC Division II Tournament this week.

• Tried this on Facebook last week with smashing success.

Everybody has a mythical soap opera name. It's your middle name and your street name.

Dr. I would be Louis Lakeview, for instance. (Which isn't bad).

The Facebook winner: old pal John Schiffner, who would be "Henry Oldhomestead."

What's yours?

• Dr. I doesn't beg often.

But he's begging now.

There will be a column and video this week on a fencer at NFA named Maura Sanchi.

Maura was born with one arm.

She also swims for the Wildcats.

Please check it out.

And thanks to Tim Menard, the NFA coach, for pointing us in Maura's direction.

• Dr. I's swing at being philosophical:

"It's all about the first person you want to tell good news to."

• News item: UConn has the following promotion at every men's and women's basketball game: free wings at Buffalo Wild Wings if UConn scores 82 points.

Dr. I contributor Tom Moriarty informs us that Buffalo Wild Wings at Crystal Mall offers free  wings only if the UConn men score 82 (like that will ever happen) not the women.

Memo to our local BWW: Booooooooooooooooo.

• Mad props and bon mots to the folks at New London High for hiring Jon Mikula as the new baseball coach.

A good man.

• Know who the best shooter is in the ECC?

Hailey Conley of NFA, that's who.

The boys should take notes.

• Once again: a tip of the cap to Dave Cornish, the basketball coach at Ledyard High, for scheduling Hillhouse.

• Dr. I had no idea there was this guy named Chance The Rapper.

Thinking of going with "Dr. I The Writer."

Yes? No? Inquiring minds want to know.

And please refrain from "Dr. I The Idiot." You're better than that.

• OK, so if you yell "down in front!" but they don't sit down, what's your next move?

• Just sayin' here ... but the AAC men's basketball tournament will be played at the XL Center.

Which means the Huskies aren't dead yet.

• Dear Jacoby Elsbury: It's time.

• Great news: Vasileios Politis, a football player at Killingly High, reports via Twitter that he has officially beaten cancer.

You go, kid.

• Many thanks to social commentators "Apollo," "Tomd" and "UConn in EL" for contributing to last week's column linking sports to Valentine's Day.

They gave us Ereck Flowers, Justin Rose and Davis Love.

Well done.

• RIP to Dr. I's favorite wrestler growing up, George "The Animal" Steele.

Dr. I always wanted a green tongue and to eat turnbuckles.

• Dr. I contributor Dick Bruno e-mailed last week to express his disdain for those annoying "closing" messages at the bottom of the screen during snowstorms.

"It's snowing! Around here, EVERYTHING is closed. Every person tuning in to golf wants to watch the (bleeping) golf tournament!" Dick wrote.

Hard to argue that one.

This is the opinion of Day sports columnist Mike DiMauro.