Saturday, February 28, 2009

Bonds, Shaq, Bart Scott.....

Welcome...
  • Barry Bonds' trial delayed....I know you're all shocked.....but you shouldn't be....this seems to always happen and this time, it's an appeal on the previous evidence that was discounted....yawnnnn wake me up when it starts....
  • Quick....name the last time you can remember Shaq having 45 points in a game.....drawing a blank? Well it happened last night against a hapless Andrea Bargnani....well, for the Raptors, this reminds you of the flaw you created with the Jermaine O'Neal trade....
  • Steph Marbury looked good in his debut....His play won't be the issue....if he plays within the system, he can still play basketball and play it well....he's an elite talent and if Doc and KG can harness him into a role player, I'm on board
  • 2 NFL signings.....Bart Scott for 6 years ,$48 million....boy that sounds like alot, but we'll see what he can do without Ray Lewis and Terrell Suggs....Underrated fact about this is that he moves into the same system with his old DC....that can't hurt him...........and Kerry Collins resigns with the Titans for 2 years, $15 million....I can't believe he garners $7.5 million a year but he had a capable year.....the ever-present sidebar.....the continued bust status of Vince Young who is now further buried....
To the NBA....
  • Detroit wins on the road in Orlando to break the skid....well, not many people saw this coming, but I can't think its just a coincidence that Allen Iverson didn't play and suddenly they played with some mojo....something to look at in the future, especially when Rip started and put up 31....
  • I mentioned Shaq....but here are my next 3 favorite lines of the night.....Al Horford with 21 points, 22 boards.....Russell Westbrook's 33 points, 8 boards, 5 dimes.....and Chris Paul's ludicrous 9 point, 20 ASSISTS, 7 boards game.....
  • I will defend my Spurs pick from yesterday....Duncan didn't play....and he means alot in case you didn't know....
  • EDIT: Somehow, don't ask me how, I forgot to mention that my current man-crush NBA Player Kevin Durant went down with a severely sprained ankle last night....oh the horror...
What to watch for today/tonight.....
  • Georgetown @ Villanova ESPN Noon
  • Notre Dame @ UConn CBS 2 PM
  • Arizona @ Washington FSN 3 PM
  • Gonzaga @ San Diego ESPN2 7:30 PM.....A little WCC action!
  • UCLA @ Cal ESPN 9 PM....Huge, huge Pac-10 game
  • Accenture Match Play Golf; 10 am Golf Channel and 2 pm NBC
  • Georgia College @ USC-Aiken 7:30 PM No TV, Pennatlantic.com live feed.....Okay, I cheated, I'll be there live
Alot of College hoops....but that's what you get on a February Saturday....let's get it

Friday, February 27, 2009

The "Hundred-Million Dollar Man", Manny, etc.

Welp...
  • The breaking story of the morning comes from Washington and their signing of DT Albert Haynesworth to a 7 year, $100 million contract with $40 million+ guaranteed....and then following it up by giving CB Deangelo Hall 6 years, $54 million with $22.5 million guaranteed.....My first reaction to this was....laughter.....#1) Daniel Snyder is BAAAAACCCCKKKK.....#2) Those contract numbers both seem quite high, especially Hall's for his lack of on-field productivity lately......and #3 (and most importantly).....THESE GUYS ARE BOTH INSANE! You just gave over $60 million guaranteed to 2 guys who are known to take plays off, both have had gross on-field conduct, both have gigantic question marks (Haynesworth's fat-cat syndrome and effort level and Hall's lack of playmaking and ability to tick off coaches and fans)....and in the end? This is definitely a story....but it won't be a positive one for Skins fans....
  • While we're in NFL talks....2 much more under-rated signings that I liked better.....First, the Patriots do a very "Patriot" thing....and bring in RB Fred Taylor....The Pats glaring offensive weakness lately is a lack of production from the RB slot and this absolutely wreaks of the Corey Dillon signing (without the baggage) that helped them win a title earlier in the decade....Taylor is still better than anything they employ currently and won't demand too much attention other wise....loved this move............and Secondly.... Minnesota already dealt for Sage Rosenfels, but they locked him with a deal today.....Let me say this first....I don't love what I've seen from Sage the Great but have you watched Tarvaris Jackson play? The Vikes are immediately better with Rosenfels...
  • Seems like alot of contract talk....but Manny Ramirez....still unsigned....just thought you should know
No more contract talk I promise....
  • Tiger goes down.....this time to 2nd round opponent Tim Clark....Tiger didn't have it going....but Mr. Clark certainly did....6-under on his day through 16 holes will win you most matches....and it did here too....not terribly surprised by this, it's still a match play event and anything can happen...
  • Houston dismantles the Cavs by 19.....This result sort of shocked me in a national TV game...but Yao did whatever he wanted with 28 and 8 and Lebron had an off shooting night at 7-21....those 2 things coinciding with Cleveland shooting under 35% from the field....and that's what happens
  • LA Lakers 132, Phoenix 106....Granted this was a Nash-less result....but anytime LA can have 5 guys in double figures and....ELEVEN guys score 5 points or more....that gets out of hand....Kobe shot 10-13 and basically took the late-game off....2 bright spots for Phoenix though....the play of Alando Tucker (7-11 for 16 points) and Jared Dudley (13 points, 8 boards)
Adding a segment (by request)....of what to watch for this evening.....
  • Detroit @ Orlando 7 pm, ESPN....can Detroit end the skid? I say no.....
  • Cleveland @ San Antonio 9 pm, ESPN.....this one speaks for itself...but will Tim Duncan play? If he does, I'll take the Spurs with Cleveland coming off the road back-to-back....
  • Miami @ Atlanta 730 pm, SportSouth.....for homers like myself, I'll be tuned in to this one over the Detroit game....D-Wade coming to town and this game is suddenly a battle for home-court in the first round lol
Enjoy the day of sports

Thursday, February 26, 2009

If I write....

If I write a blog...and exactly ONE person visits my blog in a 36-hour timeframe....does it still make a sound?

Hurried but still here...

Title says it all, let's go...
  • Tiger Woods is back....and Golf has a pulse again....its been said before, but Tiger's impact on the tour is unlike any single athlete on any single sport in the history of sports....it supercedes Jordan, Ali, or whoever else you want to put out there....he owns the game....and looked good doing it yesterday
  • Marquette Senior PG Dominic James out for the year....the former All-Big East guard was playing his best ball in years and this is really sad news as he had sort of resurrected his game this year and Marquette in Sweet 16 territory....
  • Boston lost to who? The Clippers? huh?
  • Memo to the Dodgers....Get Manny into camp....and do it now...hopefully this deal is big enough...but he shouldn't be on the sidelines with Spring Training already going....that's ridiculous
  • Duke continues its improved offensive play putting up 87 in College Park over resurgent Maryland....we all know the story....too many jump shots...but they've been attacking the basket lately and that's how you gain offensive consistency....
  • Tony Parker is just pouring it in without Timmy D and Manu in the lineup....39 against Portland? Obviously Steve Blake can't guard him...but that's still alot of points

All I have time for today, enjoy it

Wednesday, February 25, 2009

Who's No. 1? Can Marbury help the Celtics? And more...

Aloha...
  • Stephon Marbury was finally (and mercifully) granted his release through a buyout with the Knicks....he got paid at least (reportedly) $17 million to sit there so far this year....with that said, it is looking as though he'll sign with Boston to come off their bench....I initially don't like the move....their 2 backup guards will now be Eddie House and Stephon Marbury....both are shoot-first....both are short....and with Tony Allen (as bad as he may be) being injured, they have no one off the bench to guard on the wing....and that doesn't even get into Steph's alpha-dog syndrome and whether he can put it on the backburner enough to help the Celtics in a supporting role.....Should be good theater at least...
  • Marvin Harrison granted his release....meh....I'm underwhelmed by his game at this point in his career...he's at best a #2 anywhere and is really the 3rd best WR on the market (behind TJ and Boldin).....Could Philly use him? Absolutely....but only if it's at a price that they can dictate....he's not deserving of #1 money anymore
  • Pitt goes down.....ANOTHER #1 ranked College Basketball team goes down....this time it's Pitt to Providence....There should be little to no shock here....the Friars are a decent team and no one can seem to stay number one.....now we'll hear the week-long argument that is both meaningless and pre-mature about who will be #1 on Monday...does it matter at all? I say no...
  • The World Baseball Classic is just over a week away.....are you interested? I'm not.....Can anyone tell me why I should be?
  • Tiger Tiger Tiger Woods ya'll......The king of golf is back today....undoubtedly to smash an unsuspecting Australian in the 1st round of the WGC match play event....I'm gonna say he wins it and by it I mean the entire tournament....I know that isn't a limb....but it would be still be mighty impressive even for Eldrick
  • No Tim Duncan....No Manu Ginobili.....doesn't matter.....the Spurs absolutely manhandled Dallas last night led by Tony Parker's taking-apart of over-matched Jason kidd to the tune of 37 points and 12 dimes....and people don't talk about the Spurs....they match up extremely well with LA too....just saying
  • Dwyane Wade with the line of the night last night....32 points....16...yes 16....dimes....and 7 rebounds in a thrashing of Detroit....he's the one guy that can't seem to get any MVP buzz...but he's absolutely carried that roster all year (as predicted by me preseason for the record.....check the archives lol), and deserves it...where would they be without him?
  • Is the new-look Chicago Bulls team for real? 3-1 since the deadline with wins over Denver and Orlando...and they've looked good doing it....and now they're only a game back of Milwaukee for the final playoff spot...and if you think the Bucks are holding onto that without Bogut and Redd...you've lost all parts of your mind....

That'll do it for now...

Monday, February 23, 2009

Marvin Harrison and his request for a release....


Here's an idea Marvin...instead of being a curmudgeon and asking for your outright release instead of restructuring your contract that pays you EXCEEDINGLY too much for what you actually bring to the table at this point, how bout you thank your lucky stars that you aren't in jail? Didn't you shoot a man? Didn't that happen? How does something like that go away and his contract becomes the discussion?! In all actuality, you shouldn't be crying about the Colts trying to lessen your league-leading (for a WR) cap figure, and instead worrying about keeping yourself out of jail....That is all

Dwyane Wade, The Magic, Marvin Harrison, etc....

Greetings once again...
  • Dwyane Wade scored 50 yesterday....no small feat right? Well....his team lost by 23 points....read that again....do the math.....Wade scored 50 of Miami's 99 points (whenever you can score over 1/2 the team's points, that's absurd) but the Heat allowed 7 Magic players to score in double figures (led by Dwight Howard's 32) and lost 122-99....Just a "huh?" type of box-score....Wade was fantastic though
  • I'll say one thing for FSN as compared to ESPN....the way they do their mic'ing in the crowds lends to a more "college" atmosphere for games....That crowd in Cameron Indoor yesterday was out of this world and Duke played the best I've seen them play in a long time in putting up 100+ and beating Wake...And, I'd like to thank Coach K personally for relegating Greg Paulus to 9th man status.....The entire community thanks you for waiting about a month too long to hand the team's PG play over to guys that can defend like Elliot Williams and Nolan Smith.....makes too much sense to be ignored
  • The Atlanta Braves made a mini-splash...signing Garret Anderson to fill the void they once thought Junior Griffey would be filling....Anderson, by all accounts, is a shell of what he used to be....but he hit .293 with 15 homers and 84 RBI in 145 games last year....so I guess they could have done worse? I personally would've gone with whoever won the left-handed platoon out of Jordan Schafer and Brandon Jones....but if Anderson can play 100 games in left and add a veteran pinch-hitting bat, maybe Frank Wren and the boys can justify it....
  • Steve Blake, of Portland Trailblazers fame, had 14 assists yesterday......in the first quarter! Well, this is an NBA record and an absolutely amazing feat....think about it....what's a good scoring quarter? 30 points? 35 points? Well 14 assists counts for AT LEAST 28 points....which by itself is a very nice scoring pace for a quarter....Okay, you mention he only finished with 17....but still, I was impressed
That'll do it...enjoy

Sunday, February 22, 2009

This can't be serious...right?

I need some help here..... Go to this link http://thebiglead.com/?p=11758 and tell me if the writer is serious....I can't decide whether he is or not...but if he is, I'd really wonder how he got a blogging job for a top-5 sports blog like the Big Lead.... Did he not see the stumbling around? Or that Griffin asked to go in about 50 times while the coaching staff made him sit down? Please tell me this is a parody...I may have lost my mind

Oklahoma/Texas, Michael Crabtree, and more...

Greetings...To college hoops first....
  • Oklahoma and Texas played a whale of a ballgame that I was fortunate enough to watch last night...Blake Griffin caught an elbow (and a suspected concussion) and was forced to sit out more than half the contest and Oklahoma fought valiantly in his absence...I am even higher on the Sooners in this loss than I was prior... if that makes sense.... They have legit wing guys, a distributing point guard, and the best player in the land on the block (and his brother Taylor is good too)...I'm sold
  • Segway....since Oklahoma lost (Griffin's absence not withstanding), there will be a different #1 (with UConn's loss earlier in the week)...and that will likely be...Pitt! It's a carousel....
  • Oh yea...and we haven't even gotten to the best performance of the day in college hoops...which goes to Maryland and Greivis Vasquez who knocked off UNC in a massive comeback (they were down 17 in the 2nd half)...and Vasquez threw up an unbelievable 35, 11, and 10 triple-double....Great theater there....
  • The moral of the story? Everyone is beatable in college basketball....but you should already know that....
  • Last thing on CBB....did anyone see Jim Calhoun's presser? That was out of control....by both him and the pursuing journalist....Youtube that....but, for the record, I think Calhoun came off as arrogant and smug....but he was still right? Yea....digest that....

To the Combine....

  • I wouldn't normally talk at length about this....but 2 major stories....the first being Michael Crabtree having a stress fracture....and deciding to run the 40 on it? Crabtree has decided to put off surgery until after he runs the 40 at his pro day b/c he hasn't posted a credible 40 time (being that he's an underclassmen) and he needs one to keep his stock.....I understand the logic...but I wouldn't be risking further damage....
  • And secondly....What has happened to Andre Smith? The Alabama OT once thought to be a top-3 lock has been plummeting based on his erratic behavior....first, he decided to skip the combine workout because he "wasn't in his top physical shape" (inexcusable at this point, btw) and now he simply vanished from the combine and went back home to train....except he didn't tell anyone.....like anyone.....With the other left tackle prospects, I wouldn't touch him in the top-10 now....

A little NBA....

  • You're probably sick of me discussing Kevin Durant by now....but I can't help this one....and as much as it pains me to see this going on in (that city in the middle of the country that the Sonics moved to)....Durant's squad has a ridiculous future....Just look at last night....KD had 36 and 6, Jeff Green had 27, 15 boards, and 6 dimes, and Russell Westbrook had 31 and 11 dimes.....and they are all under 23! Throw in that they have 4 first-rounders in the next 2 drafts (including a verryyy plausible #1 pick chance this year which could land them their final piece in Blake Griffin), the Spurs-trained GM wizard in Sam Presti, and the edition of underrated talent/defender Thabo Sefalosha at the 2....I'm scared of this team/organization.....I'm going to apologize to Ryan now for this entire paragraph....and to the city of Seattle because well...you know
  • Here's a name you probably haven't heard (but should have)....Spurs guard George Hill....very young and he came out of nowhere (IUPUI to be exact)....but if the Spurs can hold on him and develop him like they did Parker and Manu....that's a ridiculous 3 guard rotation....I like him...
  • And while we're here....San Antonio beat up on Washington by 31 last night....has anyone packed it in as badly as the Wiz (well, other than Sacto)? When times get tough...fold up and play the young kids at least! There is NO...I repeat....NO reason to leave Jevale McGee, Nick Young, Javaris Crittendon, and Andray Blatche on the bench for guys like Mike James and Darius Songaila....your team is going nowhere...play the kids....
  • As mentioned above...Sacramento is...DONE...BUT there is upside....not by the organization that has spent frivolously and wants to move the team...but have you seen their young players up front? Jason Thompson and Spencer Hawes have both been extremely promising....and you don't find 2 young bigs that look this good on the same team....it's just a shame they have no one to get them the ball (I'm staring at you, Beno Udrih)....

And the last thing (I know this is long)....

  • I'm mourning the loss of one of the great analysts of our time.....::insert laughter::....Emmitt Smith has been let go by ESPN! The king of made-up words and incoherent babble....Good riddance and thank you Bristol for the laughs....

That is all

Saturday, February 21, 2009

Back on it...

Quickly, thanks for your responses....it was a trying day lol....Let's hop back on it, shall we?
  • Lebron hangs 55 on Milwaukee....something about the Bucks makes the best come out in Mr. James and I don't know why....Richard Jefferson seems like a capable defender to me? No? Okay then....
  • Speaking of scoring....Kobe put up a meager 39 (lol) in beating New Orleans in OT last night...but the line(s) that jumped out to me in that one was.....Rasual Butler scoring...31 points on 20 shot attempts! How does that happen? I blame you Kobe.....Chris Paul's 16 dimes can't be hated on either....while we're there it's worth mentioning
  • Utah Jazz owner Larry Miller dead at 64....he's known for being sort of a curmudgeon, but he revived basketball in that part of the country by bringing the "Jazz" there, and was one of the better-known owners who had been going through a slew of health issues that culminated into this....RIP sir...
  • 2 big injuries in the NBA....Amare out 8 weeks+ with a detached retina....This could badly hurt Phoenix (who literally has no other power forward option, shown by them starting 3 guards with Grant Hill at the 4 last night at home)....and they are now in serious danger of missing the playoffs.......and Kevin Garnett out 2-3 weeks with a knee strain....this one is only big if it causes the Celtics to lose out on homecout in the Conf. Finals matchup with Cleveland....that's all that either team is playing for from here on....
  • The NFL combine is ramping up....did you know? Was NFL Live DAILY IN FEBRUARY enough coverage for you? Or do you need the NFL network?....
  • Kurt Warner's agent says he's coming back....thought you should know....I'm not sure it helps Arizona get back to the Super Bowl if they don't have Anquan Boldin or a significant defensive improvement....but hey, heeeee'sssss backkkkk

And finally....a mini-rant

  • Michael Vick....yes, I was once a huge fan....most of us were to some degree...whether you thought he was a great QB was irrelevant....everyone knew he could electrify you on command...all that said....I can't FATHOM any team actually trading for him...so can we please put this to rest? He'll get picked up off the scrap heap when, not if, but WHEN the Falcons release him the day he's reinstated....but no team is ballsy enough (and stupid enough) to actually give the Falcons anything and assume his contract....Just informing everyone on what the rest of the media won't....

Friday, February 20, 2009

An Outline of what's to come...

No real current sport content this morning (that I didn't cover below in last night's post) but just wanted to let the faithful few what is going on....
  1. I will have a fairly extensive MLB preview up in the next week or 2
  2. My March Madness coverage will be absolutely wall-to-wall
  3. In case you don't know, I sorta like the NBA....lol

Okay, now that that is over....I have a bit of a plea.... In recent days, I've sort of reached the point where I'm debating continuing the blog due to lack of interest....I can write daily (and I still would) but if noone reads it, I will likely not push it/post it publicly....so all that said, Tell a friend....tell 10 friends...I need a boost

Thanks for reading as always...actual, real content (lol) to come..

Thursday, February 19, 2009

The Fix: Late-Night (ish) edition....

A little late for this....but too much went on today...

Trade deadline day....here were the relevant deals....and how I felt
  • Orlando gets Rafer "Skip to my Lou" Alston, Houston gets Kyle Lowry and Brian Cook, and Memphis gets Orlando's 1st rounder, Adonal Foyle, and Mike Wilks' corpse....Orlando gets their best possible fill-in for Jameer Nelson in Alston, but I am unmoved by this for them...looks good on paper and it's an upgrade from the Lue/Johnson pu pu platter, but this doesn't make them challenge the big 2.....I actually like the deal for Houston....but that has more to do with the fact that I really enjoy Kyle Lowry's game and he's not certifiably insane, which is an upgrade from other guys (and Skip, too) on that roster....
  • The Knicks made 2 moves....Getting Larry Hughes from the Bulls for Jerome James, Tim Thomas, and Anthony Roberson.....and getting Chris Wilcox from Kevin Durant's team for Malik Rose's corpse.... Both deals make sense to me from their standpoint...Wilcox is an expiring deal that can also add some athleticism up-front for them, and though the Hughes deal doesn't save them any money, he could flourish in their up-tempo system and provide a legit scorer at the 2...
While we're on deadline moves....
  • Tyson Chandler to the team Durant plays for....well, that deal isn't happening....in one of the weirdest developments I can ever remember, he was sent back due to a turf toe injury....that hasn't caused him to miss any games, and wasn't even mentioned pre-trade....just weird all around...New Orleans can't cut salary and the Durant-Westbrook-Green trio doesn't get their big-man cornerstone....
Other stuff...
  • Tiger Woods is back....the fact that this is as big a story as it is is marveling to me.....just shows how much he means to golf and sports in general....but Tiger will return at the World Golf event (Match Play) next week....and he'll probably win it like usual....
  • The Texas Tech-Mike Leach saga is over....Leach signs a revised deal to stay in Lubbock...makes sense for both...his personality wouldn't play everywhere and he's built them into a 9-win type team year-in and year-out...
  • Nnamdi Asomugha signs the biggest deal in the history of the NFL for a DB....but he stays in Oakland...3 years, at least $40 million (varies on different sites)....best CB in the league right now...so he deserves it...but I would've high-tailed it out of Oakland...
  • Franchise tags given: Julius Peppers, Dunta Robinson, Terrell Suggs, Max Starks, Bo Scaife....I won't pretend to know why teams do what they do on this stuff....the first 3 guys on that list....I understand....the last 2? Seem run-of-the-mill to me....
  • In case you hadn't heard and are a Braves fan....Frank Wren went 1 for 2 on Griffey/Glavine when 2 for 2 looked inevitable...Griffey flipped to Seattle and without going into any rationale, I'm not hurt badly by it....but Tom Glavine is signed for 1 year and up to 4.5 million with incentives to be met....I'm still a little bit negative on the team for this upcoming year, but Glavine can't hurt as a flyer...EDIT: After looking at Glavine's incentives a little closer.....umm, they are like laughably attainable....and $4.5 million is too much when it's pretty much guaranteed to be reached even with subpar (or worse) performance
That'll do it for now....Enjoy

Wednesday, February 18, 2009

Some NBA....and a little A-Rod

To get this out of the way...
  • I don't believe A-Rod...you can believe what you want...seems concocted and absurd to me....that is all...I refuse to add to the circus
To the association...
  • A semi-big trade....Tyson Chandler to the Team who shall not be named in exchange for Chris Wilcox and Joe Smith (and their expiring deals)...and the rights to DeVon Hardin...Simple cost-cutting move by New Orleans....good luck selling that to Chris Paul who likely will be (and should be) furious by this move.....A steal for Durant's team who quietly have an outstanding core of Durant, Westbrook, Green, and Chandler....and if they win the lottery and get Blake Griffin? Umm....that's absolutely scary
  • There were some absurd stat-lines last night.....and the first? Dwight Howard putting up 45 points, 19 boards, and 8 blocks....career high in points...and just absolutely working over the guy picked after him in Emeka Okafor...one of the more impressive performances of the season by anyone....
  • Now for the obligatory Kevin Durant mention....another ho-hum 47 point effort from the most offensively advanced 20-year-old in the history of the world....just thought you should know
  • Alvin Gentry in as the Head coach in Phoenix (for now)....and he decided to send a message....the Suns put up 140 last night...yes 140....they ran ALL night....and they did it with only 8 points from Steve Nash and without Jason Richardson....that's sending a message if I've ever seen it.....but if you don't blame the Clippers for that....you're out of your mind
  • Mike Leach...on the hot seat? Let me get this straight....guy turns down a contract that is CLEARLY repressive and absurd....and now may get fired because he doesn't want to basically hand over his livelihood? Umm....I'd quit first....he'll get another job
  • Nate McLouth gets a 3 year deal from the Pirates....only a little under 6 million a year for this guy is a steal....he's the one bright spot from an otherwise ungodly mess of a franchise at this point....I would've gotten out....
That's it for now....and you may be expecting me to throw out a bunch of crazy NBA rumors that you may have seen elsewhere...I won't....because I have absolutely no idea....but I, for one, am hoping this is a crazy deadline week....Enjoy

Sunday, February 15, 2009

All-Star Saturday, Bill Russell, etc.

Greetings all....
  • All-Star Saturday was about par for the course last night....some exciting dunks... a new innovation of HORSE...and that's...it? Yea... The 3-point contest was the worst in my recent memory (Congrats to Daequan Cook for proving me wrong when I had him either last or 2nd to last in the comp.....I'll admit it even if Kenny and Reggie just forgot to mention they had the same).... The new H-O-R-S-E/GEICO competition was....blah? NOt as creative as I would have hoped (save the shot by Mayo from the crowd and the Durant corner shot), it could've been much better....I need more trash-talk and more creativity...it could be awesome with the right mix....The skills competition pretty much always seems like a jogging competition, but Derrick Rose's finish with the double pump reverse was real nice...and I picked him...so I had a minor rooting interest.... That brings me to (and it's own bullet)...
  • The Dunk Contest: Dwight Howard got jobbed....hear me out... What were the 2 best dunks of the night? That's easy to me....Dwight's 12-foot dunk (with absolute and utter ease I may add) and Dwight's side-of-the-backboard dunk to follow....It's not even a discussion.... Nate scaled his back and almost climbed...yea, it was nice...he's 5'8....that's not a worthy dunk to win the contest...it's just not...and I don't care if Dwight stepped over the line on the FT line dunk....that's not enough to overcome the 2 best dunks of the night....Rudy Fernandez's wrap-around dunk got punished by the judges because it was like his 10th attempt (why the heck was Pau trying to throw a behind the back pass?) but it was VERY nice....JR Smith was a surprising dud to me because he can fly....At any rate, I won't listen to anyone tell me Dwight shouldn't have won the thing...and while we're here...fan voting is the absolute worst way to determine the winner...as always
  • Terry Porter to the chopping block in Phoenix? It seems imminent.... I'm almost in favor of this simply from a "what were you thinking?" standpoint....you can't play half-court with that team...you just can't...which is the reason the Shaq deal made no sense and the reason the Porter hire made no sense....Steve Nash (while aging no less) is infinitely less effective in the halfcourt, and the same goes for Barbosa, and to a lesser extent Amare....these are up-tempo players....I'm normally not in favor of Coach-bailing...but I think I agree with this one if it goes down...
  • 3 amazing individual performances (and stat lines) from college basketball yesterday.....1) Hasheem Thabeet's 25 point, 20 rebound, 9 block performance....outrageous when considering the final score was 62-54 and he's not a scorer...he was absolutely dominant.....2) Blake Griffin's 40 point, 23 rebound explosion....40 and 23 speak for themselves, and he's the best player in the country, so it's almost ho-hum? But in a 40 minute game, those numbers are staggering.....3) Jodie Meeks' 45 point, 7 3-pointer, 7 board game....he scores 40 like every other game it seems like, and he's suddenly challenging Stephen Curry for "most explosive scorer" claims....and doing it on a much bigger stage...
  • Ken Griffey Jr. to the...Braves? Seems like a possibility now....the 39-year old will reportedly be in serious discussions with the team....I, for one, am underwhelmed by this....I'm a huge Griffey fan....but you can't tell me he's reliable at this point....and you can't tell me he's a better option than Bobby Abreu would've been...and to the national league? He's lost a step (or 3) defensively, and is best suited to DH right now....we already have a bad LF defender in Matt Diaz...I'll pass....but hey, if you're going to get the healthy Griffey...I guess Frank Wren is looking for the miracle to save his rep...

And finally...

  • David Stern does something good....great even.....The NBA Finals Trophy will now be named for legendary Celtic great Bill Russell....this is perfect, I can't think of anyone who transcends the sport like Bill Russell, He's the greatest winner/leader in the history of the game (11 titles!!!), and carries himself like a man of grace on and off the court to this day.... and one more thing, I'm tired of the "legend of the African-American community" stuff about him.....he's a LEGEND OF ANY COMMUNITY....he's one of the great sportsmen ever....so don't put him in the confines of his race....yes, he was a racial pioneer and he should be commended for that endlessly, but he's a great MAN, not just a great black man....Props to you Mr. Russell

Saturday, February 14, 2009

Quick All-Star Predictions

Just so I get em on the record...
  • Dunk: JR Smith
  • 3-Point: Jason Kapono (I tried for 15 minutes to pick someone else, its impossible)
  • Skills: Derrick Rose
  • East over West....the forward advantage is stunning.....

Friday, February 13, 2009

A late start but some breaking news....

  • To lead....the Heat have agreed to send Shawn Marion and Marcus Banks to the Raptors for Jermaine O'neal and Jamario Moon...this ends months of discussions about this (or near this) deal....I like it for Toronto because they clear cap space by ridding themselves of O'Neal and with Marion (who comes off the cap after this year) plugging in alongside Bosh and Bargnani...that's a good looking front line...maybe they could get hot and challenge for the 8 seed? They weren't before....and I'm indifferent for Miami...yes, Jermaine O'Neal in theory fills their center need but Michael Beasley has to step up for this deal to make sense b/c he would theoretically inherit Marion's minutes (along with the new acquisition in Moon)....and has to pick up more scoring load (I.e. being the 2nd option really)....but essentially, Jamario Moon is a homeless man's version of Shawn marion anyway...athletic, good defender, blocks shot...maddening offensively (lol)...if Wade and company can reign him into staying within himself....he could be a vital bench cog...
  • I'm trying to keep an open mind with this one....but I can't, for the life of me, figure out why "The Atlanta Falcons are attempting to trade Michael Vick" is a front page sports story....WHAT ELSE WAS GOING TO HAPPEN!?? did ANYONE...ANYWHERE....feel like they were just gonna bring him back like nothing happened? Did the Matt Ryan draft pick not tip you off? Was he going to come back and play receiver? I'm baffled how this is news...
  • UCLA lost a Thursday night Pac-10 game (the Pac-10 plays Thursday-Saturday doubles) for the first time in over 4 years last night....Arizona State is one of my favorite teams in the country...they surround All-American James Harden with shooters and role players...it fits nicely...
  • Jerome Dyson out for the year....this hurts UConn more than you'd think in my opinion...he's their most consistent wing and while they have wing depth....this can't be understated....
  • So THAT'S the Notre Dame team we keep hearing is a sleeping giant....for the record, I've never seen a more awkward college superstar than Luke Harangody....he's the big guy at the Y that has skills but you can't figure out how they translate...that's him...
  • Last for today....ESPN.com has rebuilt its famous Trade Machine.... and wow....someone such as myself could toil for hours on this thing...the new upgrade allows for an analysis by John Hollinger of the team's "new" record should this trade go down....it's uncanny....lol...check it out

Until later

Thursday, February 12, 2009

Shocking developments...I'm Basketball-heavy today

Rapid fire son...
  • UNC, behind Ty Lawson and company, runs by Duke down the stretch....tale of 2 halves really...watched a condensed version of the game and UNC just has the athletes....this should be common knowledge by now
  • Favre Retires...good riddance? lol
  • Amazing podcast (if youre an NBA-head) on ESPN by Bill Simmons previewing his Trade value column...hit it up on itunes or podcenter...
  • 2 baseball deals....both for Left Fielders....Bobby Abreu gets 1 year 5 million with incentives up to 8 million from the Angels....and Adam Dunn gets 2 years for 20 million from the Nationals....I'm outraged as a Braves fan who is continuously told they were saving money for a run at a LF....Frank Wren couldn't put together a better offer than that for Abreu? They've expressed no interest in Dunn (defensive liability, blah blah blah)....but Abreu fits every need....
  • Elgin Baylor sues for....discrimination? HUH!?!?!? Yes, Elgin...you are a nearly elderly African-American man....which is no way why you were fired....your team (the Clippers btw) made exactly 3 postseasons in your 22 years....3/22....that's a pathetic, God-awful percentage and you were the laughing stock of the league for over a decade....THAT, sir, is why you are unemployed...
  • A night where the lead story for the Cavs isn't Lebron? Never happens...until Mo Williams goes 18-26 for 44 points...he was absurd last night...
  • Ramon Sessions continues to stat-stuff....17 dimes last night (to go along with 15 points and 7 boards)...Milwaukee has been scoring at will lately....doesn't seem sustainable though.....but speaking of assists...B-Diddy (Baron Davis) had a pedestrian...TWENTY...of them in a Clips OT win...welcome to the party BDzy
That'll do it...

Monday, February 9, 2009

A-Rod, Al Jefferson, etc.

A couple pressing issues force me into the blogging world....
  • A-Rod admits it....well that didn't take long...but he gave a 3-year period which is sort of shocking honestly....do we just act like those 3 years never happened stat-wise? What happens? I honestly dont know...but I've been saying he should just apologize....goes away faster, just ask andy pettitte and others
  • Al Jefferson tears ACL....well he may be the best young big in the league so this is certainly big news....yes, their season didn't matter...but hopefully a full recovery and quick....love his game
  • Sir Charles back to TNT after the ASG....good to see you Charles....but the thing is...they didn't miss a beat with Gary Payton and Chris Webber...do you relegate them back to NBA-TV?
  • Sasha Pavlovic out 6 weeks...this is sort of big for Cleveland from a depth issue....but the HILARIOUS thing about this is....this story....was actually AHEAD of the Al Jefferson ACL tear on the ESPN headlines....how, you ask?! I have absolutely no earthly idea...

In a hurry, so there you are

Sunday, February 8, 2009

Jam-Packed today....

Let's get it...
  • Obviously the story of the day is A-Rod testing positive for anabolic steroids in 2003....umm, not the first guy I would've expected? But I guess not the last either....so many ramifications here though....this was supposed to be anonymous testing to prepare for FUTURE testing....and then they leak his name? Yikes....But who does he sue? So many variables....watch as it unfolds

  • An NBA Trade! No...you don't care....but I do....Vlad Radmanovic to Charlotte for Adam Morrison (and the stache!) and Shannon Brown....a cap-clearing deal for LA more than anything....Vlad isn't playing like he was when Ariza was out....and has a couple more years at 6+ million....I'd imagine neither of the guys acquired will play

  • Duke comes back from 16 down to beat Miami....wow, Jack McClinton of Miami is a player...big-time explosion by Duke though in the 2nd half....Very typical of them lately, but they looked utterly out of sorts on the offensive end early

  • Stick a fork in Notre Dame basketball this year.....They get blasted in Westwood and already have 10 losses....yikes....

  • Amare is suddenly on the block in Phoenix... Portland? Chicago? I don't know...but I know he was the first person I thought of when having a discussion of "most overrated player in the league"....not a good sign (Carmelo was #2 btw)....Kevin Pritchard...run for your life....
  • 2 guys had 44 points in the NBA last night....the first was Dirk....no surprise really there....he's capable...the 2nd was....Ramon Sessions?! Yes, the 2nd year guard threw up a 44 point, 12 assist (to lead the league last night as well) performance in the stead of Luke Ridnour....he'll now get legit starter minutes and if he does that with them? Solid....
  • While we're here....Al Jefferson with 36 and 22 is no joke.....8 30-20 games in Minnesota history....KG has 5....Al Jefferson has 3...just saying
  • Is it me or does Al Thornton love to see the Hawks? He has 3 of his top 4 career performances in scoring against the Hawks (namely Josh Smith and Marvin Williams)
  • The Arizona Cardinals fire their D-Coordinator Clancy Pendergast.....umm...you just made the Super Bowl!!! I've never heard of this....well, at least not off the top of my head....yes, that's an average defense....but still
  • Jamal Anderson (former Atlanta Falcons all-pro RB) charged with Felony drug possession.....no more of the dirty bird I guess....

While we're here.....go watch the NBA double-header today...you can't get much better than Boston/San Antonio followed by LA and Cleveland....that's an unbelievable slate for early February...do me and yourself a favor and get their ratings up today....That's it

EDIT: Ryan Howard signs 3 yr/54 million dollar deal.....just after I posted.... At first I was thinking "does a .250 hitter deserve $18 million a year?"....then I researched it and he's a career .279 hitter....... i'll take .280 and 45 bombs over Mark Teixeira at less money any day...

Thursday, February 5, 2009

Cue the ramblings....

here we go...
  • Jameer Nelson out indefinitely.... Yes, we already talked about this....but the Orlando Magic just went and traded for....ready? Tyronn Lue!! he's the solution?!? And don't worry... I've seen the Lue/Anthony Johnson PG duo before....Orlando is done....it's a 2-team East race....hear me now....

  • Patriots franchise tag Matt Cassel....this was reported weeks ago but it became official yesterday....definitely not a shock....but it would a shock to me if they DIDN'T trade him judging by the reports of Brady throwing already....Chiefs seem like a good option (Pioli, etc.) but don't discount the Lions....and this is another windfall for the Pats b/c they'll get a ton for him in a trade and upgrade (and get younger) on defense...

  • Elton Brand out for the year.... Good riddance? The worst signing of this offseason (5 years, 80 mill) gets worse....but hey, Philly's playing better without him anyway...cue Marreese Speights...

  • Ray Allen replaces Nelson on the East All-Star team......I would've gone Mo Williams....in a landslide...or even Rajon Rondo (I like to have the whole point guard thing) but I'm not outraged at all really....Allen's rebounded nicely this year

  • Todd Haley hired in Kansas City....no surprise here at all.... I'm not sure what his impact will be, but they were pretty abysmal.... Pioli is the bigger impact hire there
  • LA beats Boston on the strength of some questionable officiating and some big FTs.... Let's not get carried away as to the meaning of this one....but LA may have some confidence they didn't have before after that one...ESPECIALLY when Kobe shoots 10-29 on the road and they still win
  • Pat Summitt wins 1000 games...there's nothing really to say...she's a better women's basketball coach than any men's coach has been in their sport....at least that's what the numbers say...she took that job at a ridiculously young age and has built an empire from scratch....amazing
  • Michael Phelps "suspended" 3 months..... this really doesn't matter at all...QUICK! name a swimming event in the next 3 months....LOL....good luck with that.... I laugh at the "message" being sent
Longgg today....so that'll be it

Lebron, Duke, Manny....

Leading with.....
  • Lebron James' LUDICROUS line from last night....52 points....10 rebounds....11 assists.....in regulation....that's just dumb...and in the garden the next game after Kobe's 61? Hmm....they must've been doing some serious trash talking back and forth prior lol....The "best player alive" debate rages...
  • Clemson smashes Duke by 20+.....didn't see that one coming but Duke was abysmal in every way....no energy, couldn't make jumpers, didn't take care of the ball.....uncharacteristic
  • Is there any reason Washington or someone wouldn't give Manny 3 years and like 80 million? I don't understand it...he's a top 3 right-handed hitter in the league RIGHT NOW (with Pujols and A-Rod)....
  • That's more like it fellas....the Hawks go on the road to Minny and win without Joe Johnson thanks to step-up games from Marvin Williams and Mike Bibby coupled with the return of a low-post semblance in Al Horford....hurray
  • National Signing Day came and went....the usual suspects were there.....nothing of news to bring....and no, i'm not excited about Michigan's #10 ranked class unless one of the true freshman QBs can beat out Steven Threet....
  • Lakers/Celtics tonight.....sounds pretty big-time to me....and look forward to a ridiculously good Sunday doubleheader of San Antonio/Boston and LA/Cleveland.....my goodness
  • David Beckham wants to leave....umm...please do? You've made no impact outside of LA.... man, I didn't see that coming (insert laughter here)...Soccer is still off the radar....and it'll remain so...

Tuesday, February 3, 2009

Kobe Bean Bryant, Manny, etc.

Just a few things tonight...
  • Kobe hangs 61 in the Garden last night.....a scoring record for the MECCA?! Thats what he does folks...don't sleep on him just yet...But an underrated fact of that game is that Pau Gasol somehow ended up with 31 on the same night....can anybody else get a touch fellas? I know big Andrew Bynum is out 2-3 months....but they still have options....
  • Manny turns down 1yr/25 million....or should I say Scott Boras turns it down....from the Dodgers; I just don't see the market for him where he can be turning down 25 million for a year but Boras usually knows something we dont....
  • Jameer Nelson's torn labrum could have him miss....the season!?!?!? That's what Yahoo is reporting...and if he opts for surgery...that's gonna pretty much end Orlando's East chances (barring an acquisition)...so that's pretty big news...I'll keep you abreast....
  • Bud Selig made almost 18 million dollars last year....as absurd as that is....please don't give me the "most overpaid man in sports" angle that I've been seeing....there are a number of guys in the NBA and players in MLB that make near or more than this amount to do....nothing! I.e. Steph Marbury....So just hold off....the guy has alot of responsibilities....so just because most people think he sucks at his job (me included) doesn't mean he doesn't perform tasks...
  • As Al Horford returns...Joe Johnson will likely sit tomorrow with a "viral infection"...sigh...the times of a Hawks fan....get well Joe
  • The NBA is instituting a 3-man HORSE game at All-Star weekend....somewhere...quietly (or not so quietly)...Bill Simmons is applauding
  • College Football's National Signing day is tomorrow....one of the most overrated days in sports....Just because the kid looks good at 17 against a bunch of midgets doesn't mean he's going to be translating....Just look at some of the "top-100s" from past years....and count how many guys you never heard from at the college level...
And there you have it

Monday, February 2, 2009

A Great Super Bowl....

Well, this one had everything.... Memorable plays, back-and-forth action, questionable calls, ballsy decisions....everything....Let's get to it....in bullet form lol
  • First, the better team won...yes, that's a cliche...but Pittsburgh really dominated the action from the jump...Some crucial things cost Pittsburgh a chance at a more dominant victory....their special teams, lack of a short yardage (and goal line) run game, and some conservative decision-making from Tomlin.....
  • Arizona's defense played an underrated game....yes, Pittsburgh scored 27 points....but take away the Harrison INT Return....20 points is pretty solid....Final drive aside....
  • Speaking of Harrison....I twittered that his INT return was the greatest play I had seen in a Super Bowl live in my lifetime....I'm going to stand by it.... He broke at least 5 tackles....he went 100 yards as a linebacker...he HAD to get in or it would have been for nothing since the clock ran out...it was a HUGE momentum swing (in a game later decided by 4 points) in that it was literally a 10-14 point swing....if he drops that, Arizona kicks the field goal and its a 10 point swing...if he slips or is sent on a blitz, Boldin catches it....14 point swing....just huge....
  • I'm hearing alot of Ben Roethlisberger MVP anger.....really? Yes, he led the drive...and yes, we are conditioned to give the QB credit...but Holmes was EVERYWHERE....9 for 131 and the game-winning TD means MVP unless Ben was just dealing it around....and he wasn't...Heath Miller had 5 catches....after that...Hines Ward with 2...
  • 2 "over-rated" referee decisions....#1) the "roughing the holder"....yes that was the weirdest thing I've seen in a while lol....BUT they held Pittsburgh to 3 anyway.....so no real swing.... and #2) The fumble/incompletion call at the end on Warner....I thought it was incomplete, but no outrage at the fumble call.....and they had 5 seconds from midfield...BUT....the fact that they didn't officially review that is a travesty....what are you waiting on!?....That said, Pittsburgh had the edge in calls....but at least they called the tremendous holding in the end zone for that safety....
  • 7 catches, 127 yards, and 2 TD.....Larry Fitzgerald's line....umm....put the debate to rest....he's the best in the game.....all you need to see is the Fade-TD on the last drive....
  • But, with the talk of Fitzgerald.....and he's fantastic....I'm not sure he was the best player for the Cardinals last night....Darnell Dockett was absolutely everywhere....playing the Nose and just consistently blowing up the interior O-Line of Pittsburgh....He may have gotten my MVP vote had I had one (if they won, lol)....2 sacks and 6 tackles from your guy on the nose is pretty ridiculous....and he must've had another 3 or 4 QB hurries/hits
  • And while we're on the Cards...Kurt Warner had the worst 377 yd, 3 Td performance I can remember.....lol..... At no point did it seem like he was playing well....every time they had a big down and distance or a big spot, he seemed to wilt....yes, he hit Fitzgerald for the long TD across the middle....but he simply threw a 10 yard slant that Fitzgerald housed....and I'm pretty sure I can throw a fade to that man...lol....Not saying he was abysmal....but I really wasn't impressed by the "Hall of Famer"!!!!
  • Okay so I missed on the -7 line...but I really felt like I had a pretty good handle on the game....I had pitt scoring 26 points (they scored 27) and I had Arizona going for 17 (as they sat on 16 until their final drive)....not THAT bad....
  • There was a -300 bet in Vegas that Gary Russell WOULDN'T score last night....seems like a slam dunk right? (was portrayed as so on the BS Report lol).....guess not?

It was certainly an epic game....one of the better SB's I have seen....so I can't hate on it....Arizona, as a 9-7 team, showed out....but too much experience, too much "moxy" (okay I had to lol) on the other end....Congrats to the terrible towels....

Sunday, February 1, 2009

All-Star Rant, Football HOF, Some basketball, etc.

First of all....if you missed it, my Super Bowl preview is below.....check for that....now to the day at hand..... (AND please excuse the lack of Australian Open coverage as I'm typing this before it's being played, but this will post after it's over most likely)
  • PLEASE forgive the lateness of this....but I HAVE to rant on the NBA All-Star selections...Kevin Durant not making the all-star team (in favor of Tony Parker who has missed 10 games, David West who has been mediocre all year, and Pau Gasol) is an absolute TRAVESTY.....literally I couldn't be angrier....what does he have to do? His roster is abysmal, yes....but since when does 25 and 7 not get you on the all-star team? 5th in the league in scoring? My God.....and that's really my only major gripe....but Al Jefferson should definitely be there in place of David West or Pau Gasol (i'd go with West).....and for this, I'm taking a stand in honor of my friend Ryan and full boycotting the game on principle....okay I'm done now.....and yes, I'll still cover it, just won't watch it
  • Bruce Smith, Randall McDaniel, Rod Woodson, Derrick Thomas, Ralph Wilson, and Bob Hayes.....all make the HOF.....all deserving....the REAL issue here is Cris Carter NOT(!) getting in....are you freaking kidding me? He's in the top 5 receivers of all time....2nd all-time in catches....if he isn't a First-ballot guy, I really don't know who is...I'm lost?
  • Georgia Tech knocks off Wake Forest.....the now 10-10 (and my hometown) Yellow Jackets pull off a stunner here....Gani Lawal is legit to be honest, but nobody saw this coming....
  • Forgive me....Serena Williams wins the Aussie Open....there's the mention.....and that's it lol
  • Pitt's DeJuan Blair throws up a ho-hum 23 and 22 on all-american Luke Harangody (who incidentally had 27 and 11 to continue his flat-out ludicrous numbers on the year) and Notre Dame loses their 5th in a row (granted all to ranked teams)....but inexcusable honestly
  • Just an update from the Super Bowl preview.....I overlooked Pittsburgh's ABYSMAL kick coverage....yes, I know I did this....BUT it changes nothing for me....Steve Breaston is an effective kick returner but hasn't shown the touchdown-return ability in the NFL (so far) so I'll chalk it up....Pick stays the same
  • Jerry Reinsdorf calls the Bulls season a disaster....um...yea Jerry? Big limb there? lol....That's what happens when you amass a team who's 3 best players are all between 6'2 and 6'4....and don't have a single guy with an ability to score at the 4 and 5 spots....