Tom Goldman

Dozens of minor league baseball players contend they aren't paid enough. Their class action lawsuit against Major League Baseball is entering its third year with little change on or off the diamond.

ESPN recently let go of about 100 employees. The company faces declining subscriptions as people switch to view sports online. Also a high school pitcher is facing big expectations, maybe too big.

NBA playoffs are underway with Cleveland and Golden State as the mainstream favorites to win; and in the world of hockey, the Washington Capitals look poised to win their first championship.

One of the NFL's most popular and influential executives has died. Dan Rooney was chairman of the Pittsburgh Steelers. He helped the team win championships and also diversified hiring in the league.

The University of North Carolina is up for its sixth overall title, while Gonzaga is going for its first, in Monday night's championship game.

Gonzaga and North Carolina face off in Phoenix — both earned tough wins in the national semifinals over the weekend. On Sunday, South Carolina won the women's championship over Mississippi State.

The lady Gamecocks earned their first national title with a 67-55 win over Mississippi State. It's also a first for former player, Coach Dawn Staley, who had made several Final Fours in her prime.

With Saturday's 77-76 victory, North Carolina is one step away from the chance at a redemptive title after losing at the buzzer in last season's championship game. They'll face Gonzaga Monday night.

It's game over for the Gamecocks. The Gonzaga Bulldogs survived a second-half rally to claim a 77-73 victory against South Carolina in the Final Four.

Friday night was one of the biggest upsets in college basketball history as Mississippi State upset UConn 66-64 in overtime at the Women's Final Four.

The men and women's NCAA College Basketball tournaments are down to the Sweet 16. The men take the court Thursday night, and the women play on Friday.

NPR's Scott Simon and NPR's Tom Goldman talk about the big event in sports this week: March Madness!

No team seeded 16 has ever beaten a team in the top spot in the men's college basketball Division I championship. It's a guarantee in a tournament that's tough to predict, but this year could be different.

After a huge decline in enrollment following Hurricane Katrina, the University of New Orleans considered dropping its sports program from Division I. But it reconsidered and today joins March Madness.

On Sunday, the selection committee set the field for the annual descent into March Madness. The four No. 1 seeds are defending champion Villanova, North Carolina, Kansas and Gonzaga.

In Oregon, lumber companies try to innovate to survive the years-long downturn in the timber industry. Some are succeeding. Others aren't and their communities suffer.

March Madness is about to take over. Before the NCAA brackets are revealed on Sunday, here are some tips (you'll also need luck) for filling them out.

This week in sports: It's the Spurs versus the Warriors on the basketball court, and San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick says he'll stand for the national anthem next season.

It's the first regular season call up to the NBA for the 23-year-old point guard. For the past season and-a-half, he's been playing in the D-League — pro basketball's minor league.

Over the weekend, the NBA held its all-star game — which is the traditional mid-season break. In reality, the regular season already is two-thirds over. It's now a sprint to the finish.