Danica in Driver’s Seat for Daytona 500

Weekend wondering: If pole-sitter Danica Patrick wins the Daytona 500 Sunday (Feb. 24) to become the first female to capture that highly coveted title, how long will it be before someone writes she hasn’t won more than one?

If you scroll down, you will find video with SI Swimsuit model Kate Bock.

* Speaking of auto racing, how many more incidents such as Saturday’s accident at a Nationwide event at Daytona that sent debris flying into the stands and injured 33 spectators before someone can devise a higher fence to cut down on such tragedies?

* Now that the UFC has held its first female bout — with Ronda Rousey defeating Liz Carmouche in UFC 157 Saturday in Anaheim, Calif. — how long will it be before female fighters become a regular part of the UFC’s mixed-martial arts landscape?

* Even if he wasn’t going to miss 2-3 weeks with a quad injury, would Ian Stewart still have a shot at winning the job as the Chicago Cubs’ Opening Day third baseman? Also wondering whether Stewart will be on the club’s roster for the season opener. Nothing like a non-guaranteed contract to guarantee the possibility of being cut to save a team money.

* Speaking of third basemen, what are the chances that Brent Morel will be on the White Sox roster to open the season now that Jeff Keppinger and Conor Gillaspie also are aspirants for the position.

* Wondering why Mike Groh left Alabama as receivers coach to take a similar position with the Bears.

* Wondering whether Notre Dame linebacker Manti Te’o will have more success in the NFL tackling opponents than he did in tackling questions Saturday at the NFL Combine about his relationship with a fictitious dead girlfriend.

* Is there any better time for a baseball fan than spring training when you can rationalize losses by citing individual performances and can rationalize individual performances by citing victories in games that have minimal meaning in determining a team’s performance for the upcoming season? Oh, the Sox won their Cactus League opener 9-0 against the Los Angeles Dodgers, and the Cubs defeated the Los Angeles Angels 11-2. Make plans for an all-Chicago World Series in 2013. OK, maybe not.

There’s always room for Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue video:

There’s always room for non-gratuitous video (and even gratuitous video, although when was the last time you viewed a gratuitous video around here?):

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