Wade/Lebron, TJ to Seattle, etc.

Let's get it...

• D. Wade and Lebron went at it last night...Wade had the better line (41 points, 9 dimes, 7 boards, 7 steals on 16-30)....but Lebron got the road win behind his 42 and 8 alongside Mo Williams HIGHLY underappreciated (and under-reported) line of 30 points, 7 boards, and 7 dimes....Big time game that could be a 2nd round preview if Miami beats Atlanta in the 1st round....Can't hate on 2 of the best 3-4 players in the game today going at it
• I'm waiting on an explanation (other than Russell Westbrook's triple-double) that Kevin Durant's team won by 9 over "playoff-bound" Dallas....WITHOUT Durant and Jeff Green (their 2 best players)
• TJ Houshmandzadeh was the biggest FA signing of yesterday....going to Seattle for 5 years, 40 million (15 million guaranteed)....big-time grab for Seattle in that I literally can't remember the last time they had a real go-to receiver who won't drop balls....
• Other NFL News......Derrick Ward to Tampa to take over at RB....Jason Taylor cut by Washington over a workout disagreement....Kurt Warner meets with San Fran and has a physical.....Jay Cutler to Minnesota rumors?
• The UConn women's basketball team finishes the regular season 30-0....and a dominant 30-0 it was...They haven't won a game by single-digits all year....read that again! That's absurd and if they lose, it'll be a fairly major upset....Props to Renee Montgomery, Maya Moore and company

What to watch for....

• K-State @ Oklahoma State 7:30 ESPN2
• Florida State @ Duke 8:00 MyAtlTV....Game of the night
• Wake @ Maryland 9:00 FSN
• NBA Coast to Coast 9:30-11:00 ESPN2.....Follow the league son!

Late but here....

The Snow Day gave me a little sleep...and a late start...but here I am

• Jay Cutler almost traded? How does that happen? I guess Josh McDaniels likes Matt Cassel but anybody who has seen the 2 and prefers Cassel is someone I can't identify, Cutler is a top-5 QB going forward...
• Kobe had 49....He took 38 shots.....Phoenix played without Steve Nash.....and the Suns won....Now, the 38 shots isn't exactly a positive if you have followed the Lakers (they rarely win when he does this) but he scored 49 and they lost to an undermanned team that they are better than even WITH Nash....I can't figure that one out.....Didn't hurt that Shaq is suddenly rejuvenated....
• When did the NBA start giving touch foul calls in the last second of the 4th quarter? ESPECIALLY in favor of the road team? That happened last night in Atlanta....Lebron got a bailout touch foul with 1.6 seconds left on the road....Should never have happened even in Cleveland (just not a whistle you blow there), but especially on the road.....That being said, very entertaining game....and it featured an extremely curious coaching move by Mike Woodson....
• Josh Smith had played 34 minutes through the first 39 minutes last night....and then he was unceremoniously benched for the duration of the night for ZaZa Pachulia...and this was barely mentioned on the broadcast....Josh Smith, who signed for 5 years and 65 million this summer, is the default 2nd option for this team....and wasn't injured or in foul trouble....the question is: How is this not discussed? There HAS to be a reason for this....and if there isn't? Shame on Mike Woodson....you can't just bury a guy that you have so heavily invested in who didn't play any worse than normal throughout the game....and I don't care what you think ZaZa is giving you off the bench.....Loyal readers would know that I do not give Josh Smith much positive press in this space....but I can't see this one....
• Kansas clinches the Big 12 title....I didn't see one person who picked Kansas to win the Big 12 preseason and why should they have? They lost every rotation guy short of Sherron Collins....but Bill Self has reinvented this squad into a dangerous team....props to him
• I don't see how anyone can watch a Louisville basketball game and think Earl Clark should be a top-10 NBA pick.....Terrence Williams looks like a superior prospect in every way and he's listed as a borderline 1st-rounder....I don't see it....of course, I feel the same way about Greg Monroe too....but that's another issue

That'll do it....to the night of TV....

• If you like college ball....Villanova @ Notre Dame 7:00 ESPN.....and Baylor @ Texas 9:00 ESPN.....
• If you like the pro variety....Hawks @ Wizards 7:00 SportSouth

Translation: A Slow day in live sports action....

Behind on time...

Quickly....

• Matt Cassel to the Chiefs....for a 2nd rounder? Seems dubious right? Ehhh....I'll side with the Pats...rids almost $16 million in salary and really it was let Cassel go, pay him 15 million to be a backup, or trade him for whatever they could get....they chose option 3....
• Dwyane Wade had 46 points, 10 dimes and 8 boards last night....that's a patently absurd line....even against New York
• The Eagles secondary is headed elsewhere....Brian Dawkins to Denver as a FA...and Lito Sheppard to the Jets for 2 picks.....Memorial to the day Philly had secondary depth
• Keith Brooking....Michael Boley....Lawyer Milloy....Dominique Foxworth.....4 of the best 7 players on the Falcons D last year.....what do they have in common? They're all gone.....who have they been replaced by thus far? Noone....
• Show of hands on who knew that Washington was leading the Pac-10 in basketball before yesterday....::no one has their hand up but a select few::.....well believe it, the Huskies have clinched at least a share of the regular season title behind Jon Brockman, Justin Dentmon, and company....a legit team that should be in the mix for a Sweet 16-type run
• Don't worry everyone, Blake Griffin isn't woosy anymore if 20 and 19 in his return is any indication....And you can remove the "soft" label people gave him....unbelievable

What to watch for...

• Marquette @ Louisville Noon CBS.....Sort of huge for Marquette to see how they respond without their floor leader in Dominic James
• Lakers @ Phoenix 3:30 ABC.... Shaq/Kobe blah blah blah.....It'll be heightened b/c of Shaq's 45 on Friday night....
• Cavs @ Hawks 8:00 ESPN.....the League moved this game to 8 just to put it on national....I'd love to be there.....Go Hawks....and watch for my brother and his girlfriend courtside lol 3rd row I believe
• Accenture Match Play 10 AM NBC.....Finals.....Just because Tiger isn't there doesn't mean you shouldn't watch this if you're at home tomorrow morning.....Geoff Ogilvy and Paul Casey are the finalists btw...

Great day of basketball....and let me tell you again....the NBA is FANNN-TASTIC....I love this game...

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

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

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