If the first few weeks are any indication of what the next month is going to be like in the bizarre world of HCIAA boys' basketball, try these items on for size.

Memorial defeats Emerson in the season-opening tournament, but the Bulldogs knocked off the Tigers in the regular season meeting just 10 days later.

Memorial defeats St. Peter's Prep, then St. Peter's turns around and beats Emerson, which defeated and lost to Memorial. Got all of this so far?

It gets even more peculiar. Hudson Catholic defeats North Bergen, which already had defeated Memorial.

Stop the world before we all get dizzy. Now you know the reason why there is a four-team logjam at the top of the league and it shows that the race for the number one position in next month's wild and crazy playoffs is nowhere near to being decided.

It should lead to some very interesting moments down the stretch in the HCIAA...

On the girls' front, it appears as if the Blue Devils of St. Dominic Academy are poised to put themselves ahead of the pack, after defeating league rivals Bayonne and North Bergen in consecutive impressive performances. Even with senior center Sophia Vucetaj not playing up to her standards of late, the Blue Devils own an impressive 10-1 record and have made some room as the county's premier girls' squad...

Jersey City resident and world-class boxer Arturo Gatti is about to become a rich man once again. The former IBF junior middleweight champion signed a contract to fight popular welterweight Oscar De La Hoya in March at a site and date to be determined.

De La Hoya is nominated for a Grammy as the best new Latin recording act. After the Grammies, he will hit the training trail to get ready to face local boy Gatti in what should be a complete and utter war...

Mark it down now. Georgetown, led by new super sub Anthony Perry of St. Anthony, will be the Big East champion this year and will go to the NCAA Final Four in Minneapolis in March. After seeing the Hoyas in person at the Meadowlands last Monday night, totally dismantling a seemingly lost Seton Hall team in the process, I believe that the Hoyas have no flaws and can go the whole way, with Perry leading the way...

Here are two words that don't belong in the same sentence - college basketball and the Peacocks of St. Peter's. I had hopes that the new coach, Bob Leckie, would turn things around, but after watching the Peacocks stink up the joint Sunday against Rider on television, it is doubtful that the Peacocks will win another game the rest of the way.

What happened to the team that showed so much promise only a month ago? This is clearly a case of losing becoming very contagious...

Don't forget that the 11th Annual Hudson County Sports Hall of Fame Induction Dinner is set for Thursday night, Jan. 25, at the Hi-Hat Restaurant in Bayonne. It always proves to be a great night of sports nostalgia. Make plans to attend...

First, the Yankees beat the Mets in the World Series and now the Giants are going to the Super Bowl? Can my life get any worse? Does anyone know Dr. Kevorkian's phone number by heart?