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

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...

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...

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

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....

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....