First Down

TODAY ON WASHINGTONTIMES.COM

Nats Home Plate: Mark Zuckerman’s first chat of the regular season will come to you live from Philadelphia at 1 p.m.

TODAY’S BEST BET ON TELEVISION

New York continues its long goodbye to Yankee Stadium with Mike Mussina taking the hill against the Blue Jays. 7 p.m., ESPN2

NEWSMAKERS

Floyd Mayweather

The unbeaten, flashy boxer made his pro wrestling debut at WrestleMania XXIV and beat the Big Show with chair shots, brass knuckles and low blows.

Kosuke Fukudome

The Japanese player almost saved Chicago’s day and entered Cubs lore with his game-tying three-run homer in the ninth Monday against the Brewers. Of course, the Cubs found a way to lose.

John Calipari

Answers skeptics (if not critics) by guiding once-beaten Memphis to the Final Four, where the Tigers will face college hoops royalty: UCLA.

Barack Obama

The 37 he bowled in Pennsylvania the other day is only slightly less embarrassing than the endorsement he received from 50 Cent.

Stephen Curry

He almost carried Davidson into the Final Four, but he didn’t get the last shot against Kansas — whose coach, Bill Self, will make his first Final Four trip.

TWT FIVE WORST OPENING PERFORMANCES

Now that we’ve had a week to contemplate Opening Day(s), here are flops that popped:

1. Barry Zito: Former Cy Young Award winner gave up three runs in the first inning.

2. Tom Gordon: The Nationals are the players who loved to hit Tom Gordon (five earned runs in a third of an inning).

3. Kerry Wood: If they must keep him, maybe the Cubs could have him pitch batting practice.

4. Mark Buehrle: Seven hits, seven earned runs. Efficient!

5. Travis Buck: From ROY candidate to 0-for-10 to start the season.