SPRINGFIELD, Ore. – For guys who park in front of the TV during college basketball’s March Madness, the Oregon Urology Institute has a suggestion: Why not use that time to recover from a vasectomy?

“When March Madness approaches you need an excuse … to stay at home in front of the big screen,” the clinic’s radio ad says. “Get your vasectomy at Oregon Urology Institute the day before the tournament starts.”

It’s snip city.

Institute Administrator Terry FitzPatrick said men need two to four days to recover from the procedure – but not all take the time.

He’s reserved a dozen appointment slots for March 19, the day before the first tipoffs of the NCAA Tournament, and another dozen for March 26, before the tournament’s second week.

He reported filling 15 slots by Thursday afternoon and expects to fill all 24.

he sports radio station broadcasting the clinic’s ads promises to send each patient a recovery kit of sports magazines, free pizza delivery and a bag of frozen peas. Peas?

“The frozen peas are malleable enough that you can get them right in there and get the swelling down,” FitzPatrick said.

Lawmaker wants Budweiser to be official brew of Mo.

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – A state lawmaker wants to give the “King of Beers” its own kingdom by making Budweiser the official beer of Missouri.

Budweiser is a Missouri-based international icon that – if officially recognized – might persuade more people to visit the state, state Rep. Curt Dougherty said Friday.

“We’ve got a state dinosaur, a state frog, a state reptile, a state flower, a state nut, but no one has given a thought to a company that’s been in Missouri for many, many years and is bringing prosperity to our state and manufacturing a product in our state that many people enjoy,” Dougherty said.

Dougherty’s bill was introduced last week but has not been referred to a House committee.

Budweiser has been made by St. Louis-based Anheuser-Busch Inc. since 1876. It’s now produced in 12 regional breweries, though samples are flown daily to St. Louis for taste-testing.

n a statement released Friday, an executive for Anheuser-Busch said the legislation was “flattering” but not requested.

Missouri has 24 official symbols, most of which have been approved over the past 20 years.

Lawmakers added four last year – the game bird (bobwhite quail), invertebrate (crayfish), reptile (turtle) and grass (big bluestem).

But when it comes to state-sanctioned drinks, Missouri is behind the times. So far, 27 states have given official designation to their favorite beverages. Most have opted for one that is less intoxicating and builds strong bones – milk. Besides milk, states have picked orange juice, cranberry juice, tomato juice, water, Kool-Aid, coffee milk, South Carolina Grown Tea and the soft drink Moxie

But Missourians would not be alone in excusing alcohol runs as evidence of civic pride. Alabama in 2004 made Conecuh Ridge Alabama Fine Whiskey that state’s official spirit.