Who's Hot Who's Not

WHO'S Hot

Wild
They're in! Five straight home wins had Minnesota bound for the Stanley Cup playoffs and on the verge of its first Northwest Division title. Other firsts: All-Star winger Marian Gaborik's 40 goals and 80 points are Wild records. Gaborik (above) to the Minneapolis Star Tribune: "Feels good."

Winona
They're back, folks. A year after a crushing loss in the Division II final (up seven with 45 seconds left), Winona ( Minn.) State took this year's title, beating Augusta State. The Warriors are now, get this, 73--2 the past two years. Guard Jonte Flowers (right): "It's a blessing."

Big Brown
The colt's smooth win in the Florida Derby (jockey Kent Desmoreaux to New York's Daily News: "Did you ever watch a deer bound through a meadow?") makes him a contender for next month's Run for the Roses. Another Brown, Antron, won big too, taking an NHRA Top Fuel race in Houston.

Lorena Ochoa
Sweet March. After winning a tournament (and $300,000) in Singapore on last month's first weekend, she won another (and $225,000) in Arizona on Sunday as her fans waved Mexican flags. Ochoa's feeling it: The world's No. 1 women's golfer has won 16 of her last 53 events.

WHO's Not

Nets
They're out? Losing four of six had New Jersey 2 1/2 back of eighth in the East and on the verge of missing the playoffs—no Kidding!—for the first time in seven years. Can the Nets rally? Forward Josh Boone (above) to Newark's Star-Ledger: "If we play defense like we [have been], I don't know."

Woody
That's all, folks. The Astros cut pitcher Woody Williams—his 11.32 spring ERA may have had something to do with it—and, at 41, he'll retire. Some teammates said Williams (right) was judged too harshly on his preseason. Hmm ... last year he went 8--15.

Jay Gibbons
The injury-plagued 2007 (he appeared in just 84 games); the off-season headache (after an SI.com report had linked him to a shipment of HGH); the miserable spring (he hit just .189). It adds up to this: The Orioles cut him before Opening Day. At 31, will the outfielder go the way of Woody?

Stewart Cink
Cruel March. The golfer blew a four-stroke Sunday lead early last month, then, last Saturday, got DQ'd from the Zurich Classic after failing to penalize himself for an obscure bunker infraction. Things may be getting to him—Cink (left) has now gone 90 events without a win.