The Nosebleed Section

2008-10-28T05:31:00.000-07:00

2008-09 NBA Preview

Alas, the long-awaited NBA season tips off tonight. No better time to get out all of my I-told-you-so's than right now...

1. L.A. Lakers- Kobe and Pau Gasol played their hearts out over the summer, only to watch the champagne pop in the other locker room. With a healthy Andrew Bynum clogging up the middle, the Lake Show will experience its own shower of suds in June.

2. Boston- It’s not that the Celts didn’t like making it rain in the clubhouse, but by replacing the unheralded James Posey with Darius Miles, the team didn’t exactly spark that confidence Boston fans were hoping. But hey, if there’s anybody who can rally the troops, it’s Celts coach Doc Rivers.

3. New Orleans- The Big Easy only got a taste of what the Hornets were capable of. Chris Paul, the game’s best PG, is a year older. Tyson Chandler and Peja Stojakovic are –hopefully!- a year stronger. David West is a year better. New defensive stopper Posey won the title last year.

4. Detroit- Okay. This is it. And we really mean it. The aging Pistons have to piss or get off the pot this season. The core (Chauncey Billups, Rip Hamilton, Rasheed Wallace) gets it done in the winter, but the moment it warms up, the team cools. Rodney Stuckey sure provided some heat in the playoffs though.

5. Utah- We like the sound of these Jazz. With Carlos Boozer drumming up offense in the paint, Andrei Kirilenko orchestrating things on the wing and Deron Williams conducting it all into a winning symphony, “Northwest Champs” should have a nice ring to it.

6. Houston- Adding the volatile (but valuable) Ron Artest to a lineup that includes stars Tracy McGrady and Yao Ming could prove the smartest thing any team did over the offseason. Then again, if either injury-plagued stud gets hurt again, it won’t much matter.

7. Philadelphia- We’d be silly if we didn’t say the signing of Elton Brand wasn’t money. But to discount the things the fast-maturing Thaddeus Young and Louis Williams bring to the Sixers would be wrong. Leaders Andre Iguodala and Andre Miller certainly know their worth.

8. Orlando- Our cute pick last year didn’t do terribly. Hell, most teams would kill for a slot in the Eastern semis. But when you have a rebounding beast (Dwight Howard), a shape-shifting monster (Hedo Turkoglu) and a scoring animal (Rashard Lewis), the semis ain’t enough.

9. Portland- Yeah, so it took a year longer than anyone expected for Greg Oden to become a force in the NBA. You can’t rush greatness—or a healing body. Now 100%, Oden, Brandon Roy, LaMarcus Aldridge and rook Jerry Bayless have some franchise re-shaping to do.

10. Phoenix- Players play the game. We know the adage. But taking coach Mike D’Antoni away isn’t going to do anything for Steve Nash and Amare Stoudemire’s love of the break. They’re still playoff material with Terry Porter at the helm; we just can’t say that’s enough to get beyond the first round.

11. Cleveland- For the next ten years LeBron James will be a MVP candidate. However, until the Cavs front office gets him some scoring help (Mo Williams is a start) and under-the-basket bulk, he’ll never be a Finals MVP.

12. San Antonio- Until something dramatic happens, the Spurs will remain a playoff threat. But for every quick step to the left for Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili, Tim Duncan’s moves seem to be a second slower.

13. L.A. Clippers- In what may have been the most controversial offseason move, Baron Davis left Golden State for the warmer confines of So Cal. We like BD anywhere, but him playing alongside Marcus Camby and almost-famous Al Thornton is gonna be nicer than Monterrey in May.

14. Atlanta- The spirited seven-game series with Boston was nice. It’s a new year, one that will see Joe Johnson further evolving, Josh Smith maturing and Mo Evans filling in admirably for the Greece-defected Josh Childress.

15. Washington- DeShawn Stevenson is one of the team’s most outspoken members. Over the summer, he said Gilbert Arenas’ health inconsistencies kept the Wizards from reaching their potential. Arenas, D-Steve and Caron Butler will let their games speak from here on.

16. Golden State- A roster of Al Harrington, Monta Ellis, Stephen Jackson and newly-acquired Corey Maggette calls for front-row seats and popcorn. That Ellis is suspended the first 30 games for hurting himself on an all-terrain vehicle is a milk dud.

17. Dallas- Oh, how the mighty have fallen. But enough about owner Mark Cuban’s stock portfolio… His Mavs are on the cusp of irrelevance if they don’t make some playoff noise. Jason Kidd, Dirk Nowitzki and Josh Howard have the most to say.

18. Denver- We’ll ride to the edge of nowhere next to Allen Iverson and Carmelo Anthony. But if the Nuggets front-office is expecting us to believe that things are cool in the Rockies without Camby in the paint, they have us pegged for blind fools.

19. Toronto- Former Indiana all-star Jermaine O’Neal had to cross the border to get some love. We don’t knock him for it. Actually, the teaming of the ache-free O’Neal and Chris Bosh could have the makings of the league’s most dashing frontcourt. That Jose Calderon is gorgeous at the point.

20. Charlotte- How’s that old hood saying go? If an “If” was a fifth of alcohol, we’d all be drunk. If the ifs –If Sean May and Adam Morrison are healthy… If Jason Richardson is ready to lead… If coach Larry Brown has anything left…- work out, drinks on us!

21. Milwaukee- The days of the Bucks being an Eastern Conference joke are probably over. Getting the angular Richard Jefferson to help ease some of Michael Redd’s scoring load was serious business. To have the last laugh in the Central, Andrew Bogut has to do more.

22. Sacramento- Did you know Kings guard Kevin Martin finished in the top seven in scoring average last year? That one slipped past us, too. Sac-town ain’t slipping past anyone in the standings if Brad Miller can’t return to ’04-05 form.

23. Minnesota- In Al Jefferson, Randy Foye and Rashad McCants, the T-Wolves certainly have some talent. Seeing it come together for a GM (Kevin McHale) that comes off clueless most of the time –Don’t rookie Kevin Love and top scorer Jefferson play the same position?- will be a feat.

24. Miami- Between the Michael Phelps highlights, you saw the “Redeem Team” earn hardwood respect in Beijing, right? Dwyane Wade was one of the most impressive guys out there. We’ll be more impressed if he, Shawn Marion and Michael Beasley finish with their heads above water.

25. Chicago- The Bulls have more guards (Kirk Hinrich, Ben Gordon and No. 1 pick Derrick Rose) than Beyonce. But unlike Jay-Z’s better half, they’ve yet to show they know what to do with all the talent. Under freshman coach Vinny Del Negro, we don’t see any destinies fulfilled.

26. New Jersey- Rookie Brook Lopez and ex-Buck Yi Jianlian are great if you need some help fixing the roof. But if you’re trying to get back on solid footing in the NBA, you gotta have more than an aging Vince Carter.

27. Indiana- The Pacers are down two with three ticks on the clock in the fourth quarter. Who does coach Jim O’Brien draw up the play for? Mike Dunleavy Jr.? Troy Murphy? Danny Granger? Umm, that’s about it in Indiana options. Yikes!

28. New York- A NBA.com poll of team GMs voted Knicks coach Mike D’Antoni as the game’s best offensive mind. If he somehow figures out a way to get Jamal Crawford, Chris Duhon and Zach Randolph playing anywhere near .500, he might go down as one of the best ever.

29. Memphis- You know what we’re about to say: If the Grizzlies were playing in the East, they’d be playoff contenders. Still, if OJ Mayo, Rudy Gay and Co. continue to develop as expected, they’ll contend in the West in a few years.

30. Oklahoma City- We hurt for Seattle as it watched its team move to the Midwest. But a new day has dawned, and it goes by the Thunder. Take solace, Sonics fans, in the fact that, even with the address change, Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook still have a long ways to go before being relevant.

NBA Finals: L.A. Lakers over Boston, 4-2

Finals MVP: Kobe Bryant, LA

Regular Season MVP: LeBron James, Cleveland

Defensive Player of the Year: Josh Smith, Atlanta

Rookie of the Year: Greg Oden, Portland

Most Improved Player: Jermaine O'Neal, Toronto

Sixth Man of the Year: Andrei Kirilenko, Utah

Coach of the Year: Maurice Cheeks, Philadelphia

2008-06-24T07:07:00.000-07:00

Never More

Jonathan Ogden, one of the best offensive linemen in NFL history, retired quietly from the Baltimore Ravens a few weeks ago. Canton will surely be reaching out to the 11-time Pro Bowler in the very near future. Speaking of which, if you were looking for the right time to visit the Football Hall of Fame, you may want to consider doing so in the fall of 2013 when Ogden, Brett Favre, Warren Sapp and Michael Strahan all get their deserving calls to the Hall.

2008-05-25T07:28:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I witnessed greatness at the Ted. For the 210th time in his Cooperstown-bound career, the intimidating Randy Johnson struck out 10+ batters. Only the overpowering Nolan Ryan has had more double-digit strikeout games (215). But here's the thing about the 44-year-old Big Unit: He's doing it with location these days like he used to do with 98 mph fastballs a few years back. Don't get me wrong. He still can rev up the 6-10 frame and hurl the ball over 90. In fact, that's actually what's making the off-speed offerings so darn difficult to gauge. Keep baffling them, old fella. You're only 10 Ks from eclipsing Roger Clemens for second place on the career strikeout list.

2008-05-22T13:03:00.000-07:00

These babies are kinda sick, right? Though the $36 price tag is steep for a tee, I'd be lying if I didn't say that this Philly-based shop wasn't on to something with its line of "five name" shirts.

2008-05-17T10:27:00.000-07:00

Batman Returns

Larry Wayne "Chipper" Jones had two hits and a walk in a 3-2 interleague victory over Oakland. The two hits, of course, make for a good night at the plate for anyone but when they come on May 16 in a season when a guy's playing the best ball of his career, it's a lil' more special. When Chipper woke up this morning, he was batting .423, leading the league's second-best hitter, Houston's Lance Berkman, by a comfortable .26 points.

Like a pitcher who's taking a no-no into the 9th inning, folks don't want to make too much of a fuss over what happening at the plate and risk jinxing Chipper's chances of becoming the first major leaguer to hit .400 in a season since Ted Williams in '41. But with each 2-for-3 night, it's getting harder and harder to overlook the fact that this career .309 hitter is on the verge of something special. Sports Illustrated's doing a feature on the near-certain Hall of Famer in the next issue or two. It'll be impossible for the country to ignore what the guy is doing by then.

2008-04-24T03:42:00.000-07:00

Two Down, Two Blowouts To Go

As an Atlanta Hawks fan, I approached this opening-round series with feelings of relief (9 years is a looooong time) and realism (The Boston Celtics are a goooooood team). Still, nothing has prepared me for the epic embarrassment being displayed thus far. The stars haven't shown up. The coaching has been appalling. The whole thing has been pretty sickening, actually. In fact, here are the things that have kept me from having a good night's sleep lately... no, really. This blog was written at 6:45AM!

- What in the hell is wrong with Mike Bibby and Joe Johnson? In nearly every other playoff series, the team's big dog is doing what he does. Chris Paul, Dwight Howard and Tim Duncan are ballin' outta control. Bibs and Joe? Well, they're just a combined 15 for 52 from the field! That's 28.8 f*ckin' percent!

-I know the Hawks are the underest underdogs ever, but can't the TNT announcers cut the guys some slack? It seems that every missed shot is a "terrible shot" and every turnover involves a player "who was completely out of control." Maybe I'm just being sensitive.

-The Celts come out and play like a team. The rotations are crisp. The set plays actually look like something they may have worked on in practice. (Wow, that's a thought- practice!) The Hawks look hella scattered, like they drove up to the arena from different parts of the country and just decided to play a game together.

-Mike Woodson, Mike Woodson, Mike Woodson. I've never been much of a fan and now the world is starting to see why. In Game 1, Atlanta was down by 9 at the half. Game 2, they were down by 10. A good (hell, even a decent) coach would get into his team's ass, make adjustments and assure they come out of the locker room with some intensity. What do the Hawks do on Wednesday? Score just 16 points in the third, of course. Pitiful.

-What in the hell is wrong with Josh Smith's hair?

-Boston backup guard Sam Cassell could probably start with 10 teams right now... including the Hawks.

2008-04-15T03:59:00.000-07:00

So, we get KG, Ray-Ray and The Truth for our first playoff run since the late 90s?

Damn right I'm fired up!

2008-04-09T14:56:00.000-07:00

Love at First Flight

Sheldon Williams, NBA power forward, was traded from Atlanta to the Sacramento Kings back in February. On April 9, the Los Angeles Sparks wisely chose NCAA tournament M.O.P. Candace Parker as the first pick in the WNBA draft. Parker and Williams, engaged to be married, are now only separated by a 45-minute plane ride. All together now: Awwwwww.

2008-04-04T08:43:00.000-07:00

BUCK THE CRITICS!

"This is what happens when you put an NCAA tournament team in the NIT. Write that down and send that to the committee." -Ohio State point guard Jamar Butler, after his still-bitter Buckeyes ran through that "other" postseason tournament

2008-04-02T08:14:00.000-07:00

Congrats to UConn's Maya Moore, an amazing freshman, a first-team All-American and the Big East player of the year for her hard-earned first visit to the Final Four. Here's a trip-down-memory-lane piece I did on her a year ago...

My Oh Maya!

Unbelievable. The best high school player on the planet. The next Candace Parker. But honestly, of all the titles Maya Moore has earned while obliterating foes on the hardwood, the one she appears most fond of is role model. “These past few years,” says the down-to-earth ’06 Naismith national player of the year award winner, “I’ve had more experiences with younger kids and just seeing how I can affect them in a positive way. They ask me for my autograph. It’s just an incredible feeling to know that I’m touching young kids like that.”

In her native Lawrenceville, GA, and amongst passionate women’s hoops message boards, Moore’s name has already reached cult-like status. Most who’ve seen the amazing scorer play don’t even bother asking who’s the best female player anymore; they merely ask how much better is Maya than everyone else. Simply put, the reigning Miss Georgia and member of last summer’s undefeated USA Women’s U18 National Team is playing the game at another level. Oh, and did we mention the Collins Hills High team the 17-year-old forward leads -113-3 during her time- was USA Today’s No. 1 team in late January?

It’s impossible to keep up with all the accolades. One can only imagine the chore it is for Maya to sign autographs, maintain a 3.8 GPA, hang out with friends and still drop 20 while being triple-teamed all night. “You have to make time,” admits the prodigious only child who’s on her way to UConn next fall. “There’s a lot of [basketball] practice. You just have to put in time for family and fun stuff along with the work. It’s a balancing act.” Sounds like somebody’s thinking of adding magician to an already-lengthy list of handles.

2008-03-29T07:29:00.000-07:00

2008 National League Preview

East
1. Philadelphia- The middle infielders (Chase Utley, NL MVP Jimmy Rollins) are breathtaking. The middle of the batting order (Ryan Howard, Pat Burrell) is beastly. The middle of the rotation (Brett Myers, Jamie Moyer and Kyle Kendrick) is the big question.
2. Atlanta- They’re baaack. Okay, so they need Jeff Francoeur to hit 35 homers, Mark Teixeira to bat .335 and John Smoltz to pitch like he’s 35 to get back to the playoffs. So! With Tom Glavine and a (cross your fingers) healthy Mike Hampton in the clubhouse, it might all happen.
3. New York Mets- The Johan Santana signing sent a jolt of life through Queens this past offseason. Rightfielder Ryan Church adds freshness to the lineup, too. Good for them because Pedro Martinez, Moises Alou and Carlos Delgado are starting to show wrinkles.
4. Washington- The Nationals made a Major League-record 588 pitching changes last year. This year’s sad starters (Shawn Hill) and potentially-sadder offense (Lastings Milledge and Austin Kearns) might beg for a record book rewrite. At least their new stadium, Nationals Park, is bad ass.
5. Florida- Is Hanley Ramirez the best player in the NL most people know nothing about? Probably so. Is this nameless Marlins squad the worst team in baseball? Probably not, but Josh Willingham and Jeremy Hermida need big years to make that official.

Central
1. Milwaukee- Top (Rickie Weeks, J.J. Hardy) to bottom (Bill Hall, Jason Kendall), the Brew Crew might have the best looking lineup in the game. The guy at the center of it all, Prince Fielder, is a world of talent- literally (270 pounds) and figuratively (50 HRs, 119 RBI).
2. Chicago Cubs- Carlos Zambrano and Co. led the Majors in strikeouts for the seventh straight season. Alfonso Soriano is a brilliant player but he strikes out too much. If pitchers even think about throwing a strike down the middle on Derrek Lee and Aramis Ramirez, the kids on Waveland Ave. are guaranteed a souvenir.
3. Houston- Tears are still flowing after the beloved Craig Biggio’s retirement. There may be a few watery eyes about Roger Clemens’ demise. Once Carlos Lee, Hunter Pence and just-added Miguel Tejada get going, it’ll be happy times at Minute Maid Park.
4. Cincinnati- The NL Central is going to be a bruiser, with every team pounding on the other. With manager Dusty Baker as the new cutman, the hard-hitting Reds (Adam Dunn, Ken Griffey Jr and Brandon Phillips) could bob ‘n weave their way into contention.
5. St. Louis- It was all good just two seasons ago. With trades (Scott Rolen), injuries (Mark Mulder and Chris Carpenter) and “down years” (Albert Pujols’ HR numbers dropped 17 last season) looming, the Cards seem destined for a southward migration.
6. Pittsburgh- It’s a shame that lovely PNC Park is inhabited by such putrid baseball. That swipe wasn’t directed at Freddy Sanchez or Jason Bay. However, if the team doesn’t improve on last year’s 68 wins, no one will care much wear the stench originates.

West
1. Arizona- With apologies to Eric Byrnes and Chris Young, the best hitter on the D-Backs might be hurler Micah Owings (he had a two-homer, six-RBI game last Aug.). If Brandon Webb and Dan Haren should struggle, he could prove the most important pitcher, too.
2. Colorado- One of the gutsiest teams to step to the plate in recent memory, America simply fell in love with Matt Holliday’s hustle, Troy Tulowitzki’s glove and Jeff Francis’ fastball. Still folks in Denver are wondering what ever happened to Todd Helton’s power.
3. Los Angeles Dodgers- Being the Yankees skipper so many years certainly has Joe Torre equipped to handle the questions -Will Andruw Jones return to form at the plate? Can pitchers Brad Penny and Derek Lowe avoid a second half wither?- Tinseltown surely will ask.
4. San Diego- We’re not sure Khalil Greene is the best man for the Padres’ fourth slot. But then again, we’re almost certain Adrian Gonzalez, Brian Giles and Jim “Givin’ It One More Go” Edmonds aren’t better options either.
5. San Francisco- Alas, the first season without you-know-who. The reeling Giants offer a half-hearted attempt at replacing Barry Bonds’ numbers with Aaron Rowand. Barry Zito, Matt Cain and Tim Lincecum try to work similar miracles from the mound.

Playoff teams: Philadelphia, Milwaukee, Atlanta and Arizona
NLCS: Philadelphia over Atlanta
World Series: Detroit over Philadelphia

2008-03-26T12:06:00.000-07:00

2008 American League Preview

East
1. Boston- The only team with two titles in the 00s, the Red Sox have the pieces –ALCS MVP Josh Beckett, World Series MVP Mike Lowell, four other all-stars- for another October onslaught.
2. New York Yankees- The hitting (reigning MVP Alex Rodriguez, Derek Jeter) will always be in the Bronx. To keep the Sox close, the Yanks need upstarts Chien-Ming Wang, Joba Chamberlain and Phil Hughes to hit all their spots from the mound.
3. Toronto- If these birds are to fly over .500, they’re going to need Frank Thomas to go back to the well for another 25+ homer/95+ RBI year, newbie David Eckstein to fit in well and Vernon Wells to play like the Vernon Wells of old.
4. Tampa Bay- The “Devil” part of the team’s nickname has been dropped by the slowly-improving Rays. Thank heavens more people are starting to realize how good B.J. Upton, Carl Crawford and Carlos Pena really are.
5. Baltimore- On August 22, 2007, the Orioles amazingly scored 30 runs against Texas. With this anemic lineup (Nick Markakis is the only stud in sight), it’s a wonder if they reach that total in the month of April.

Central
1. Detroit- Beyond the talented bats of Magglio Ordonez, Gary Sheffield and offseason pick-up Miguel Cabrera, manager Jim Leyland will be all smiles this spring because he’s got one of the best sets of young arms (Justin Verlander, Jeremy Bonderman and ex-Marlin Dontrelle Willis) in the AL.
2. Cleveland- Who won the ’07 AL Cy Young? After a forgettable postseason, you might not remember it was C.C. Sabathia. Which shortstop hit the most homers in the league? That would be Jhonny Peralta. Two reasons the Tribe could top Detroit? Grady Sizemore and Travis Hafner.
3. Chicago White Sox- If the Sox are gonna be anything close to competitive in the Central, Jim “Mr. 500” Thome, Paul Konerko and Jermaine Dye have to hit better than the American League-worst .243 with men in scoring position the team did last season.
4. Minnesota- Carlos Gomez is the young man forced into the unenviable position of replacing longtime Twin Torii Hunter in center. As for Torii’s bat, the organization is leaning heavily on Joe Mauer, Justin Morneau and fresh face Delmon Young.
5. Kansas City- Mark Teahen struck out 127 times with just seven homers a year ago. Ace Gil Meche got just 12 runs of support in his 13 losses. If those numbers improve (and free agent Jose Guillen’s keep getting better), this might be the last time the Royals finish last.

West
1. Los Angeles Angels- Vlad Guerrero, a lifetime .325 hitter, batted a paltry .200 in last season’s ALDS. With so much protection in the order (Gary Matthews Jr. and godsend Torii Hunter), the silly swinging won’t reappear. We can’t say for certain how crazy the opposition will look against John Lackey and Jon Garland on the hill though.
2. Seattle- Ichiro Suzuki is gunning for his 8th straight year of 200+ hits. Adrian Beltre and Raul Ibanez seem to get clutch hits whenever the M’s need them. New pitcher Erik Bedard could be the hit of the Pacific Northwest if he wins over 18 games.
3. Texas- The Rangers have good players (Michael Young and Ian Kinsler immediately come to mind), but still appear maybe two seasons away from making serious noise. All the booing stems from Texas’ AL-high 124 errors last year.
4. Oakland- The A’s set a team record by using 54 players at various times last year. If relative unknowns Travis Buck, Daric Barton and Carlos Gonzalez don’t work out on the roster, a retooling Oakland might shake things up even more in ’08.

Playoff teams: Boston, Detroit, Los Angeles and New York
ALCS: Detroit over Los Angeles

2008-03-17T04:36:00.000-07:00

STOP THE MADNESS!
The Final Four Dos and Don’ts of Bracketing

DO look for a talented depth pool. Of course, not every national champion team is going to have three bonafide NBA players on its roster like Florida did last year. But if you’re expecting a team to make it to the Final Four without a single top prospect, tell Tattoo we said hello because you’re living on Fantasy Island. Depth, especially skilled depth, gets squads far into the brackets. Memphis (with Chris Douglas-Roberts, Derrick Rose and Robert Dozier) and North Carolina (Tyler Hansbrough, Wayne Ellington, Ty Lawson) probably have the most future pros on their teams. That’s not to say teams like Kansas and Duke don’t have the legs for a long stretch of dancing, too.

DON’T pick big upsets beyond the first weekend. Last year only four games were won by teams that were more than one seed lower than their opponent. Simple translation: Don’t load your board with upsets. Don’t get us wrong though. We know that things sometimes happen if a school is named Valparaiso or Gonzaga. That said, there are two basic rules for picking upsets: 1) Don’t do anything crazy beyond the first weekend. Teams that are supposed to win usually do by the Sweet 16; 2) In the first round, go with a No. 11 over a No. 6 upset (this year the Kansas St/USC and Baylor/Purdue games sure look tasty) not the 13/4 or 12/5. And whatever you do, never, ever, ever, ever pick a 14, 15 or 16 seed to win… unless you’re the president of said institution.

DO seek out a team that has a strong interior presence. Though point guards are a school’s engine, the centers and big forwards are the radiator—without it cool at the right times, the whole thing can blow up. Last year’s Final Four was absolutely loaded with skilled giants: Georgetown’s Roy Hibbert, Ohio State’s Greg Oden and Florida’s Al Horford. This March’s top bigs are Hansbrough, UCLA’s Kevin Love, Indiana’s D.J. White and Notre Dame’s Luke Harangody. The Irish haven’t gotten much ink on these pages because Harangody doesn’t have a lot of help (See the first paragraph).

DON’T always follow the crowd. If announcers Billy Packer and Jay Bilas are gushing over the Mountain West champ possibly upsetting the third-best ACC team, don’t just take their word for it. By all means, check out the squad’s regular season out-of-conference record. And while we’re on onside influences, put a filter on what you internalize from the in-office chatter. We can just hear that know-it-all at the water cooler now: “Those Volunteers are gonna rise from their late February shakiness in the tournament.” He could be right. But even if you follow his lead, it won’t help your case all that much because you two will have the same bracket. The dough is in doing your own thing.

My Final Four Picks: Stanford, Kansas, UNC and UCLA

Sweet 16 Surprises: Kansas State and Baylor

2008-03-13T05:41:00.000-07:00

A clean side, huh? Yeah, and ex NY governor Eliot Spitzer is a one-woman guy...

2008-03-07T09:13:00.000-08:00

Sapped Out

Brett Favre, the Green Bay Packer legend and no-brainer hall of famer, tearfully called it quits the other day in front of hordes of media. O-kaaaaaaaay, we got the memo. Sadly, Warren Sapp's retirement happened in the same week, meaning this Canton-bound player is getting greatly overshadowed. But that's the funny thing about this story 'cuz, on the field, no one ever overshadowed the 6-2, 300-pound defensive tackle- especially when he was in his prime. Those years in Tampa Bay, in fact, were some of the finest any lineman has ever had. A seven-time Pro Bowler, a Super Bowl hero and a bonafide tough ass, opposing offensive coordinators had sleeping disorders because of #99. As age began catching up to the man with 96.5 career sacks, his numbers and level of intimidation nosedived. Last year, Sapp had only two sacks with the struggling Oakland Raiders. Now that he's called it a career, he can finally take a load off... that is until it's time for him and Brett to walk up to the podium and make their induction speeches for the Football Hall of Fame.

2008-03-03T14:46:00.000-08:00

SLAM Magazine. May 2008 issue. Eric Gordon. Indiana's all-time leading freshman scorer. I wrote the cover story. $4.99. Out now. Any questions?

2008-02-22T10:38:00.000-08:00

The Real Score: I (Don't) Wanna Be Like Tiger

If what the New York Times reported recently is true, America is getting fed up with the fairways. According to the National Golf Association, the number of regular golfers (those who hit the links at least 25 times a year) has decreased from 6.9 million to 4.6 million since 2000. Groups have come up with all sorts of theories -a change in family dynamics, the economy, not having the four hours to play a round- but no one explanation supersedes the rest. The sport is going hard after women and athletic youth to boost the numbers back up. If that doesn't work, they may want to get Bob Barker and Happy Gilmore on the greens to provide a lil' incentive for those who come out.

2008-02-21T07:56:00.000-08:00

Atlanta Journal-Constitution columnist Mark Bradley, February 21:

"Getting Mike Bibby - good move.

Keeping Mike Woodson - not so good.

The Hawks are 7-18 since Dec. 27. They’ve lost six in a row. They’ve lost 13 of 17. If the playoffs began today, they wouldn’t be in them.

Yes, it’s too soon to expect Bibby to have formed a mesh with his teammates, who are so used to playing without a point guard they can hardly be expected to know how to act when one’s on the floor. But it isn’t too soon to grasp what has become painfully obvious to everyone except Billy Knight and the team’s many owners: This coach isn’t apt to take any team anywhere worth going.

How many times have we heard Woodson say the Hawks weren’t ready to play or that they just didn’t compete? Whenever a coach says that, he’s indicting himself. The First Rule of Coaching - it’s in all the manuals - is: Get your team ready to play. Everything else is a secondary concern.

I thought the Hawks might fire Woodson at the end of January when they lost seven of eight. I was all but convinced they’d do it over the All-Star break, having dropped four in a row and fallen to ninth place in the East. Instead they dealt for Bibby, which was fine on its face, but where’s the wisdom in handing Jeff Gordon’s racecar to Fred Flintstone?

And now the Hawks are 0-2 with Bibby with three more games to play out West, and already the positive buzz that followed the big trade has begun to dissipate into plaints of “Same Old Hawks.” I wish I could tell you I foresee good things for this retooled roster, but as long as the same old coach remains I see no real hope."

The Nosebleed Section, February 21: "Amen!"

2008-02-18T20:14:00.000-08:00

Welcome 2 Atlanta

Anthony Johnson was coming into his own at the point guard role. When healthy, Lorenzen Wright was a decent bet for five rebounds a contest. Tyronn Lue was becoming a crowd fave with his hustle and respectable D. Shelden Williams was, well, Shelden Williams, a 6-9 lump from Duke who took up some space in the paint.

For these four (we'll call them "expendable") parts of the Atlanta Hawks team, the Kings shipped away their dashing guard, Mike Bibby, an all-star caliber scorer who also distributes like one of those guys at the Fed Ex dock. Not since Jason Terry -sorry Tony Delk and Royal Ivey- have the Hawks had someone in the one slot who commanded the opposition's attention quite like the former University of Arizona star will. With Bibby, a career 16ppg/3rpg/6apg kind of guy, that all changes. All-star Joe Johnson and Bibby form one of the East's scariest backcourts. Throw in Josh Smith, Marvin Williams and legitimate rookie of the year candidate Al Horford and the Hawks' lineup morphs into downright spooky.

Coach Mike Woodson had his boys battling for a 7th spot before the trade; after the bold move, teams that were looking comfy at the 5th (Toronto) and 6th (Washington) slots now look a tad uneasy. Thank you, Sactown, for allowing us to have a fighting chance. Enjoy Shelden Williams!

2008-02-15T08:27:00.000-08:00

You Want All-Star Weekend Predictions? N.O. Problem...

We all know that the no-defense, pro-fast-break shootaround more commonly referred to as the NBA All-Star Game takes place in the New Orleans Arena on Sunday. We know that the weekend would be a lot duller without all of Friday and Saturday's festivities, too. What we didn't know -well, not before now we didn't- was who the winners would be in the various all-star events. Feeling your plight, the Nosebleed Section went to a Bourbon Street psychic and got a few things answered...

T-Mobile Rookie Challenge MVP- Though the 20 ppg that Kevin Durant offers every night might carry over here, we like the confidence in Rudy Gay's game of late.

Playstation Skills Challenge Winner-It's a sad state of affairs when Shaq's departure and Dwyane Wade's repeat in the skills challenge are the highlights of the Heat's season.

Foot Locker Three-Point Champion-Though last year's winner Jason Kapono and late entry Dirk Nowitzki might make things interesting, it's hard to root against Peja Stojakovic's sweet shot in front of the home crowd.

Sprite Slam Dunk Champion- Dwight Howard was robbed the last time he entered this thing. This year he's got a chip on his shoulder so big that Rookie MVP Gay won't be able to do anything with.

NBA All-Star Game MVP- With a sense of don't-forget-about-me running through Allen Iverson and D-Wade's bodies, LeBron James will have his work cut out if he's to get the game's top honor. But ultimately, no matter how hard anyone else tries, the trophy will go home with No. 23.

2008-01-30T05:21:00.000-08:00

There goes the NL East...

2008-01-23T13:43:00.000-08:00

Don't Sleep...

The just-named Atlanta Dream haven't played one half of WNBA basketball and I'm already talking championship for the city. Like they say on The Secret, you've got to first visualize it for it to happen later. This is my vision. If head coach Marynell Meadors follows these five simple steps, the Dream could be living one as league champs within two or three seasons.

1. Pick UGA sensation Tasha Humphries in the April draft.

2. Complement the hard-working forward with a cast of solid role players who are hungry and determined not to let the tag "expansion team" be a crutch or an excuse for losing.

3. For confidence sake, finish with the WNBA's third- or fourth-worst record; just not the absolute ugliest record. With the talent in college and the decent players available in the expansion draft, bottom feeding is no longer acceptable.

4. Even with the odds against Atlanta, get the first pick in the WNBA draft. With that lofty selection, choose Tennessee superstar Candace Parker.

5. Still, with Parker and Humphries as the centerpieces, league bullies like the Detroit Shock and Phoenix Mercury will underestimate the team. Play slightly better than .500 ball during the regular season. Squeak into the playoffs. That's where the Dream becomes the rest of the WNBA's worst nightmare.

2008-01-10T07:28:00.000-08:00

Soar Loser

Newsflash: Joe Johnson is the best all-around player in a Hawks uniform since Dominique Wilkins. He's got a dependable jumper. He can dunk when the lane opens up just the slightest. And if pushed (like he was on January 9 by Cleveland's LeBron James), he has a flair for the fourth quarter dramatics. All that said, can anyone explain why the cat is still a distant ninth on the Eastern Conference ballot for guards in the all-star game? Ray Allen and Chauncey Billups might have a say in the matter, but no other player in the East is remotely doing the things, carrying the offensive load, that JJ (nearly 22 points, four boards and five assists per night) does every game. If the Hawks shooting guard doesn't at least earn a spot on the bench to the big game in New Orleans, Atlanta coach Mike Woodson ought to pound down commissioner David Stern's door and demand an explanation.

2007-12-30T18:31:00.000-08:00

2007's Top 10 Sports Stories

1. “Boston Glee Party”- There was one point last fall when Massachusetts sports fans were screaming so loudly for the New England Patriots, Boston Red Sox and the Celtics’ Kevin Garnett that they had nothing left emotionally for the Boston College football team. Those same War Eagles (11-3) just won the Champ Sports Bowl, but the Pats had a16-0 regular season, the Sox won the World Series and the Celts started 25-3, so no one remotely cares.

2. “Bad Newz Kennels”- The December 30 Atlanta Falcons/Seattle Seahawks game was supposed to be the culminating contest in a 9-7 or 10-6 season that saw the Michael Vick-led home team going to the NFC playoffs. Unfortunately, No. 7 got himself caught up in a disgusting dog-fighting fiasco that was single-handedly responsible for killing canines and crushing thoughts of a decent season for the Birds. ESPN tracked every minute of the case. So did CNN, Fox News, MSNBC and everyone else.

3. “The George Mitchell Report”- In most years, the top baseball stories would have been Barry Bonds’ shattering of the home run record or A-Rod’s sensational individual year. But thanks to former Senate majority leader George Mitchell, this was not a typical year. After an intense investigation into performance-enhancement drug use through the sport, Mitchell released an account that called out the expected (Bonds), the elite (Roger Clemens, Miguel Tejada) and many ex all-stars (Eric Gagne, Andy Pettite). Expect things to get even crazier next season.

4. “Nappy-Headed Hoes”- Rutgers women’s basketball coach C. Vivian Stringer had just led her team through one of the biggest events of their lives -the national title game against Tennessee- but rather than have time to reflect on the heartbreaking loss, the girls had to face a blitz from the press after shock jock Dom Imus’ on-air heckling of the ladies. The plug was yanked on his show on April 12. Imus was given the green light for more tasteless talk on December 3. Sigh.

5. “Gator Nation”- Columbus, Ohio and Gainesville, Florida are about 870 miles from each other. If you ask Ohio State sports fans though, the two cities could stand to be a little further apart. As if it wasn’t enough that the underdog Gator football team embarrassed the Buckeyes 41-14 in the BCS title game, the same schools faced each other in the hoops championship and UF won that, too. But hey, OSU faithful, all isn’t gloomy: The Buckeyes did finally beat the Gators in a December 22 hardwood rematch.

6. “Expect the Expected”- At this point the numbers don’t even give what the San Antonio Spurs, Roger Federer and Tiger Woods do so regularly justice. The former won its third NBA crown in five years by sweeping Cleveland. Federer won the Australian Open, Wimbledon and U.S. Open, giving him 12 majors for his career. All Tiger did was win seven events (including the PGA Championship), earn his ninth player of the year honor, have 12 top 10 finishes and pocket $10.8 million for his troubles.

7. “Wooooow”- Though Appalachian State’s upset over Michigan was colossal, it was not the first headline-making college football win of ’07. How could you possibly forget lil’ Boise State’s trick-play-filled Fiesta Bowl win over Oklahoma? The game set the tone for things that came much later in the form of 40-point dog Stanford beating USC, Louisiana-Monroe whipping Alabama and the No. 1 and No. 2 losing on the same weekend—three times!

8. “Until We Meet Again”- Sean Taylor (football), Ryan Shay (running) and Josh Hancock (baseball) had on begun their lives. Iconic football coaches Bill Walsh and Eddie Robinson touched countless lives with their grasp of the game. Skip Prosser (NCAA hoops), Terry Hoeppner (NCAA football) and Dick Nolan (NFL) did the same thing with their clipboards. Though some would say what Evil Knievel (daredevil), Barbaro (horse), Robert Cade (Gatorade inventor) and the Fabulous Moolah (wrestling) did wasn’t sport, their marks on our lives is undeniable.

9. “Tsk, Tsk, Tsk”- Vick wasn’t the only one who left people hurling expletives at the television. College football fans had the 3-9 Notre Dame Fighting Irish. U.S. soccer followers (yes, there are 30 of them) saw David Beckham spend two-thirds of his first MLS season on the bench and the U.S. women’s team look third-best to Germany and Brazil in the World Cup. And most damaging, track & field endured the fall of Marion Jones, possibly the biggest name in female sports history connected to a drug scandal.

10. “Diaper Dandies”- Rookie talents like Kevin Durant (NBA), Ryan Braun (MLB) and Juan Pablo Montoya (NASCAR) are rare but not unimaginable. The same can’t quite be said for freshmen standouts Sidney Crosby (NHL) and Adrian Peterson (NFL). Crosby, who scored a league-high 120 points last season, is already hockey’s best player and he’s only 20! The 22-year-old Peterson, who ran for a single-game record 296 yards on November 4, is a top three rusher and Pro Bowl starter.

2007-12-11T15:07:00.000-08:00

Thanks for the memories, Bobby Petrino... Wait, there were none.

2007-12-05T04:29:00.000-08:00

If It Ain't Broke, Break It!

Don’t know if you caught this or not –actually, with its repeated scrolling across the ESPN platforms, it was sort of tough to miss- but last Saturday, college football analyst Kirk Herbstreit went on the record in saying that LSU coach Les Miles would be leaving the Tigers to coach at his alma mater, the University of Michigan. That headlining story proved erroneous. Miles is reportedly staying in Baton Rouge, long after the January 7 national title game against Ohio State. With his tails between his legs, Herbstreit had the following to say about breaking already-cracked information…

“Honestly, the best way to describe it is, by the time Friday came around, I had some information that, trust me on this it, was very accurate base on not a source but someone that was going to be involved in the situation. I made the mistake, I guess, telling the ESPN bosses it. And in doing that, they are journalists and they said you’ve got an obligation to talk about that and go with it. You guys know I, as a former player, really pride myself on my relationships with coaches and players and [I am] just not real comfortable in breaking stories. Leave that up to Pat Forde and the others to do that stuff. When they talked about that and really thought it over and over because it was going to happen, they didn’t want to get beat on the story and they suggested that I go with it.”

2007-12-04T05:06:00.000-08:00

Agony in Athens

UGA fans, you’ve had a day or two to digest the fact that the University of Georgia’s football team actually fell a spot in the latest BCS poll—even though two teams ranked over them, Missouri and West Virginia, lost in convincing fashion. Still upset about the lose/lose situation your favorite squad’s placed in by facing Hawaii in the Sugar Bowl. (Win and your team gets a “You’re supposed to beat the Rainbow Warriors!” Lose and you get a “Whoa, you got beat by the Rainbow Warriors?!” Sucks, huh?) Well, UGA faithful, some of that flame you have brimming inside can now be directed at seven coaches who mysteriously picked Georgia (10-2, with six wins over bowl-bound squads) No. 7 or lower in the BCS-impacting USA Today poll. Here are the culprits: Mack Brown, Texas (chose UGA No. 7), Bill Callahan, Nebraska (No. 7), Tom O’Brien, North Carolina State (No. 7), Howard Schnellenberger, Florida Atlantic (No. 8), Bob Stoops, Oklahoma (No. 8) and Hal Mumme, New Mexico State (No. 9). Oh, and Wyoming coach Joe Glenn must really hate the SEC because he provided the biggest pothole in the Dawgs’ title march by picking UGA No. 10 in his poll. Unbelievable.

2007-11-26T09:22:00.000-08:00

Well, actually, it's you Chan Gailey who's been pointed towards the door. Good luck going 7-5 somewhere other than Georgia Tech next season.

2007-11-16T04:27:00.000-08:00

2007 NCAA Hoops Forecast

1. North Carolina- You remember Tyler Hansbrough’s bloody nose. You remember how easily Ty Lawson got to the hole. Do you remember the looks on Tar Heel faces after the tourney loss to Georgetown? They do, and they won’t be revisited.

2. Memphis- The Tigers, preseason No. 1 in most publications, should roar to their third straight Conference USA title. Chris Douglas-Rogers and freshman Derrick Rose will do all they can to prove those other publications right.

3. Tennessee- Coach Bruce Pearl isn’t the loose cannon many out there paint him to be. Chris Lofton and JaJuan Smith, on the other hand, are exactly the all-around scoring nightmare SEC foes think they are.

4. Indiana- If your friend says he knows a better inside/outside combination than frosh guard Eric Gordon and senior forward D.J. White, he’s lying. We’re saying these Hoosiers could be up to something special this year.

5. Kansas- Slashers Mario Chalmers, Darrell Arthur and Russell Robinson are more than capable of holding things down until point guard Brandon Rush is able to stand back up on his own right knee.

6. Texas- Now completely out from Kevin Durant’s shadow, guard D.J. Augustin can tell the world that he averaged 14.4 points and nearly seven assists per game. All the other Longhorns will tell the masses they’re for real by winning.

7. Duke- This much we know: Freshmen Nolan Smith and Kyle Singer can flat-out play. What’s vexing to all, even Coach Mike Krzyzewski, is finding a player capable of replacing giant Josh McRoberts in the paint.

8. Michigan State- Forget the brutal Big Ten schedule, just look at the non-conference sked (Texas, NC State, BYU) the Spartans must contend with. Drew Neitzel, we hope you have enough 18-footers in your arsenal for all of that.

9. Oregon- Most have already forgotten that these same Ducks (four starters return) made it to the NCAA regional final a season ago. Malik Hairston and Bryce Taylor start refreshing memories from the three-point line really soon.

10. Georgetown- The Hoyas play in D.C., so it’s only fitting that big man Roy Hibbert’s nickname is “The Governor.” If he can lead G’town to another Final Four showing, the 7-2 NBA prospect could run for mayor and get plenty of votes.

11. Ohio State- Former Mr. Ohio Jamar Butler has been the centerpiece of many teams before. With three Buckeye teammates defected to the NBA, the senior point will again be called upon to shoot, steal and scold the incoming class.

12. Florida- Though they return only 15% of their scoring from last year’s title team, there’s enough talent (freshman Jai Lucas) and coaching (Billy “Screw the Orlando Magic” Donovan) to keep Gator fans from chomping at the bit.

13. UCLA- Kevin Love, the Bruins’ mushed over top recruit, has an uncle who was a founding member of the Beach Boys. If the forward comes in and makes the splash most expect, it’ll be fun, fun, fun ‘round Pauley Pavilion this winter.

14. Kansas State- Durant took the college world by storm by winning every major individual accolade, Big 12 or not. Incoming Wildcat Michael Beasley, who’ll be running things with Billy Walker, is gifted enough to do the same thing.

15. Southern Illinois- Far outgrown of the “Cinderella” tag, these Randal Falker-led Salukis are more like the Big Bad Wolf: You notice the fangs and menacing eyes but you don’t realize the complete threat till you’re down 20 at halftime.

16. Washington State- Derrick Low and Kyle Weaver. You won’t find two better guards at FAO Schwartz on the Friday after Thanksgiving. They’re quick. They’re heady. They’re exactly what’ll be needed to slow down USC and UCLA.

17. Kentucky- Tubby Smith’s coaching replacement, Bill Gillespie, takes over a team that’s stacked with guards (Ramel Bradley, Joe Crawford) and lacks with giants. Bigs Jared Carter and Perry Stevenson must attack the basket.

18. Louisville- The top seven scorers (including Edgar Sosa and Terrence Williams) from a Cardinals flock that won 24 games are back. Doing the quick math, that equates to serious problems for the Big East.

19. North Carolina State- The frontcourt is nothing but agile pine trees (Brandon Carson, Gavin Grant). It’s the greatly untested backcourt that needs to come up roses if the Wolfpack are to blossom into true ACC contenders.

20. West Virginia- Bob Huggins returns to coach at his alma mater. This Hollywood story could have a sensational ending if guard Darris Nichols keeps making those sweet passes and Da’Sean Butler works on that sweet shooting stroke.

21. USC- California and O.J. just go together. But unlike the other O.J. who insists on making headlines with his stupidity, this one with the Trojans (last name Mayo) has earned them with his amazingly mature game since middle school.

22. Butler- New Bulldogs coach Brad Stevens, 30, is the second-youngest in the NCAA. If players like all-conference first-teamer A.J. Graves and newcomer of the year Mike Green stay around his program, he won’t wrinkle for some time.

23. Marquette- We love the fact that exciting guard Dominic James spurned the NBA for one more year of college seasoning. We hate the fact that he was a meager 38.4% behind the arc a season ago.

24. Davidson- Stephen Curry can put up points in bunches, exactly like his no-frills pop Dell did in the NBA back in the 90s. Hopefully, pop has some tips saved up, as the Wildcats still have UCLA, NC State and Duke all before Christmas.

25. Clemson- Good news: Four of last year’s starting Tigers are back for another March run. Bad news: That fifth guy, Vernon Hamilton, was the point guard and second leading scorer. James Mays and K.C. Rivers highlights? Old news.

26-30: Arizona, Georgia, New Mexico State, Vanderbilt and Xavier (OH)

2007-11-13T08:48:00.000-08:00

Alas, my first visit to Madison Square Garden...

2007-11-06T08:00:00.000-08:00

The Longest Yard

Minnesota Viking Adrian Peterson's NFL record-setting day (296 yards!) this past Sunday not only solidified the running back's rookie of the year selection, it gave Vikes' fans a reasonable amount of firepower in their "Adrian for MVP" campaign. Sure, Tom Brady and Brett Favre have been amazing this season, but each QB has a reasonably decent supporting cast helping out along the way. In AD's case, most folks can't even name another Minnesota Viking, let alone one who's been doing anything worth mention.

Sidenote: For my math geeks out there, if you were wondering exactly how far 296 yards gets ya, the answer is pretty far. In fact, if you combine Peterson's total with Arkansas running back Darren McFadden's SEC record-tying 321 yards from last Saturday, you have a whopping 617 yards. That's 1,851 feet. That's over one-third a mile. That's one unbelievable weekend of running.

2007-11-03T06:52:00.000-07:00

WESTERN CONFERENCE: The Suns Shall Also Rise

1. Phoenix- Though clichéd, anything short of the NBA Finals would be a disappointment. No prob. A hyper Steve Nash, heated Shawn Marion and healthy Amare Stoudamire will make Grant Hill’s first year in the desert memorable.

2. San Antonio- 10 players on the roster of the NBA champ Spurs are over 30. If Tim Duncan, Mike Finley and Tony Parker (who’s an astute 25) keep balling like they have, who really cares what brand of dentures they use?

3. Dallas- We can’t put a finger on it, but we’re thinking the Mavs’ best days are behind them. Sure, Dirk Nowitzki is a handful. And yeah, we love Devin Harris as the full-time point man. But Dallas can’t touch the Suns or Spurs right now.

4. Denver- Still getting used to seeing Allen Iverson in a Nuggets jersey, right? If Carmelo Anthony and a healthy Kenyon Martin and Nene keep elevating their games, get used to seeing Denver near the top of the West as well.

5. Houston- You know Tracy McGrady and Yao Ming are the guys who fuel things in H-town. What you might not be aware of is that there’s another Rocket, Argentina’s Luis Scolia, who’s on the verge of taking off.

6. Sacramento- On paper, the Kings lineup (Mike Bibby, Ron Artest, Brad Miller) should be making headlines across the NBA. But we all know what a good-looking lineup and 50 cents gets ya— a copy of the morning Sacramento Bee.

7. Utah- Catch the flick Eastern Promises? Well, me neither. But if there’s anything to learn from the trailers it’s that you don’t mess with irritated Europeans. Trust, trade-seeking Andrei Kirilenko and respect-looking Mehmet Okur are quite perturbed.

8. Los Angeles Lakers- The never-ending drama that is the Lakers locker room was renewed for another season. Kobe Bryant, of course, will get the most face time. Andrew Bynum will see more cameras. Rookie Javaris Crittenton should cameo.

9. Golden State- Don’t think the stirring ride the Warriors took us on last spring was a joke. Stephen Jackson and Baron Davis are dead serious about contending in the Pacific again. Matt Barnes and rookie Brandan Wright still believe, too.

10. Memphis- The Hawks of the West—and I mean that in a good way. With proven talent (Pau Gasol, Mike Miller) and untapped potential (Rudy Gay, Mike Conley) abound, the Grizz might prove the sleeper of the conference.

11. New Orleans- The Saints’ Reggie Bush gets all of the headlines even though it could be argued that Hornet Chris Paul is the more valuable player in the Crescent City. He’ll further prove his worth by making this so-so bunch competitive.

12. Minnesota- You know how everything about that Caveman show exudes disaster? Well, this revamped squad (Gerald Green, Al Jefferson and Corey Brewer excluded) is in a similarly hairy spot. KG’s absence will take ages to get over.

13. Portland- Greg Oden’s season-killing injury sucks. Lamarcus Aldridge’s nagging aches hurt. A pain-free Brandon Roy is a monster. Martell Webster’s growth is scary. In a year, this team goes for blood in the postseason.

14. Los Angeles Clippers- At tragic times like these (Elton Brand and Shaun Livingston are likely out til Feb/March), one has to accentuate the positive. Beyond the underrated Al Thornton, however, the Clips don’t have any.

15. Seattle- This might be the only year the Pacific Northwest is blessed with wunderkind Kevin Durant’s presence, as the Sonics appear headed for Oklahoma City. It just bites that the team’s last season also has to be one of its worst.

NBA Finals: Phoenix over Detroit, 4-2

2007-10-28T11:08:00.000-07:00

Eastern Conference: Irish Bling?

1. Detroit- The nucleus (Tayshaun Prince, Chauncey Billups, Richard Hamilton) is as good as any. It’s that sensitive time bomb (Rasheed Wallace) that could potentially explode at any blown whistle we’re worried about.

2. Boston- The new trio (Ray Allen, Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce) could be called the Big Three 2.0, an obvious nod to Celt icons Larry Bird, Robert Parrish and Kevin McHale. The difference is that those title teams had Danny Ainge and Dennis Johnson on them as well.

3. Chicago- MJ is not walking thru that door, but thankfully, current stars (Ben Wallace, Kirk Hinrich), future stars (Ben Gordon, Luol Deng) and international stars (Andres Nocioni) are.

4. Orlando- Though the East’s most dominant interior presence, Dwight Howard, is built like a world-class weightlifter, adding Rashard Lewis’ 20 points per game certainly helps lift the offensive burden.

5. Miami- If someone could guarantee Dwyane Wade and Shaq’s health for 90% of the season, the Heat would easily rise near the top of this list. But seeing as how they’re day-to-day like 90% of the people reading this, Miami’s staying put.

6. New Jersey- The Tattered Nets Club (oft-injured Vince Carter, Jason Kidd, Richard Jefferson) may have another member, Nenad Krstic. If it can avoid the training room, however, NJ should be OK.

7. Cleveland- We hate calling the Cavs’ inspired playoff run a fluke because we appreciate great LeBron James highlights and good D like everyone else, but that’s exactly what it was.

8. Atlanta- Don’t look now, but the Hawks’ preseason record was 6-1. Even more promising was the way Josh Smith and Joe Johnson looked as leaders, Marvin Williams looked with the ball and Al Horford looked as a rookie.

9. Toronto- Chris Bosh is on pace for a Garnett-like career. But unlike Big Ticket’s Minnesota days, CB4 has some offensive help (Andrea Bargnani, T.J. Ford) and smart coaching (Sam Mitchell) to assist along the way.

10. Washington- If Gilbert Arenas says he’s gonna score 40, he generally backs the talk up with 43. So, we’re taking his word that his knee feels 100%. The eccentric guard hasn’t uttered a peep about the team’s problem at center. Neither will we.

11. New York- What a bizarre offseason for the Knicks. First, you have Stephon Marbury’s outbursts. Then there’s coach Isiah Thomas’ sexual harassment case. Randolph’s game could give the NY media something else to write about.

12. Milwaukee- If you like sweet strokes, you gotta love Michael Redd. If you’re into tough breaks, your heart goes out to hard-working Charlie Villanueva, a forward who’s likely lost his starting role to Chinese import Yi Jianlian.

13. Charlotte- Sean May and Adam Morrison’s seasons ended before they even started. To prevent a similar fate for the entire team, ex-Warrior Jason Richardson must play at an all-star level. Emeka Okafor has to stay off the disabled list.

14. Indiana- Jermaine O’Neal insists he’s happy in Indy. New head coach Jim O’Brien insists his new playbook will work. Pacers fans, we insist you focus on the Hoosiers this season.

15. Philadelphia- With the original A.I. in the Rocky Mountains, the super-gifted Andre Iguodala must put the faceless Sixers on his back if they’re to climb back to respectability in the Atlantic Division.

2007-10-18T06:13:00.000-07:00

We Got Next!

Yeah, I know what you're probably thinking: "With the Braves' piss poor showing the last few years, the Falcons in total disarray and the Hawks looking only marginally better, why on Earth would WNBA prez Donna Orender elect to start her newest franchise in the sports purgatory commonly called Atlanta?" Umm, maybe THAT'S the reason- to shoot some new blood into the city too busy to cheer. See, NS isn't like a lot of folks out there who simply discount the ladies league as this second-rate sideshow. I actually kinda like watching Swin Cash, Seimone Augustus and Diana Taurasi out there on the floor. In fact, here are three reasons the Atlanta Jam (or Soul or Belles or Phoenix or whatever fans vote to call it) can make it:

1. Summer's In- Come June and July, the baseball season is already kinda dragging. And Arena Football? Well, honestly, that's just kind of a drag in general. Maybe the fresh team, with its new stars, new colors and new attitude, can bring some new life to the local sports scene.

2. Oh, They'll Come- Listen, Knoxville and Athens are only a few hours drive from downtown Atlanta and you know how crazy they are about their basketball in those two towns, right? Plus, you add in the fact that there are countless teenaged girls (and their parents) and active college students in the city, and you essentially have the necessary 7,000-8,000 fans/game to keep things afloat.

3. Position for Parker- It doesn't take Atlanta owner Ronald Terwilliger to tell you that most expansion teams struggle the first couple of years. Things probably won't be any different this time around. That's okay though. Suck this year with Candice Wiggins or Sylvia Fowles and four scrubs, but come next year, position yourself for the Candice Parker lottery. And trust, she'll do all she can on her end to play in the A. Why? Don't forget she's engaged to Hawk forward Shelden Williams.

2007-10-14T21:27:00.000-07:00

BOSTON GLEE PARTY

They're called the Minutemen, but at this very second, the University of Massachusetts' football team, 5-1 and ranked No. 4 in the FCS poll, can't get the time of day from Boston-area sports fans. The reason for the slight, while totally unintentional, is easily explained- there's just TOO much good going on around the city's sports scene to keep up with everything. Need proof? Take a look at what New England supporters were treated to just this past weekend:

-The beloved Red Sox battled the Cleveland Indians to a 1-1 ALCS series tie at Fenway Park.

-The unbeaten Patriots (6-0), thanks to another stellar Tom Brady performance behind center, went down to Dallas and destroyed the NFC's best team 48-27, thus solidifying their spot as the team to beat the rest of the regular season.

-Boston College (7-0) whipped struggling rival Notre Dame 27-14. The Matt Ryan-led Golden Eagles are comfortably perched at the No. 3 spot in the latest AP poll.

-The new-look Celtics have tipped off the preseason with a 2-0 start. New power forward Kevin Garnett has scored 28 points and pulled down 22 boards in the two opening wins.

-Even the hapless Bruins have gotten in on all the winning, going 3-2 after the first full week of NHL action.

2007-10-12T06:53:00.000-07:00

First, Andruw Jones leaves. Then, TBS says goodbye. And now this?! What in the name of Bob Horner and Ozzie Virgil is happening to Atlanta Braves baseball?

2007-10-07T08:12:00.000-07:00

One Marion Don’t Stop No Show…

I don’t know Marion Jones. Never seen her in person even. The closest I’ve come to meeting her was an interview I did a few years ago with then-husband Tim Montgomery. Even without the immediate connection though, I always liked her. I fondly remember watching her ball at UNC in the 90s and run laps around the competition at the 2000 Summer Games in Sydney.

Truthfully, a lil’ something ached inside of me the other day while I watched her confess to taking steroids from the courthouse steps. The tears and trembles in her voice seemed genuine. But then again, they always seemed genuine, each time over the past three or four years she held a press conference to confess her innocence about drug usage. Damn!

So, now that Jones’ fabled Olympic career has turned into fool’s gold, where does the casual track and field fan turn and cheer? There are a couple of names worthy of your attention, but none are more deserving than Allyson Felix, America’s brightest female sprint hope going into the ’08 Beijing Games. A 21-year-old elementary education major at the University of Southern California, Felix is all about schooling the competition in the 200M, 400M and 1,600 relays.

"Allyson Felix is phenomenal," said fellow U.S. track star Sanya Richards, after the LA native’s stellar showing at the 2007 World Championships. "She's proven that this year—that she's fast, strong, everything. We'll have a great rivalry in all the sprint events, and when I'm 100 percent healthy, I'll be an even better competitor for her."

The sports world simply adores her. Adidas loves her, too. From the couple of interviews I’ve seen with Allyson, I completely understand why. The young lady runs with amazing grace and walks with a likable air. She actually kinda reminds me of how I felt when I was first introduced to Marion Jones a decade ago. I just hope my heart isn’t broken by deceit and alligator tears this time around the track.

2007-10-03T18:58:00.001-07:00

What in the NHL?
10 Ways to Make Hockey Enjoyable for the Masses

I’m not going to pretend I’m the biggest NHL fans here. Still, the ’07-08 season is about to face-off, so I thought it would be a great time an outsider like me chimed in on a sport many either love more than life or loathe like an ex-wife. Truthfully, I don’t hate the game. I just hate the fact the Stanley Cup playoffs got lower ratings last spring than the NCAA softball tournament. It doesn’t matter if you’re from Vancouver or Venice Beach. That just ain’t right. Here are 10 things NHL commissioner Gary Bettman should do to take his sport, at least, to the level of the IFC or maybe even the World Poker Tour. Hey, it’s a start!

1. Introduce Sidney to the World- You may not like everything about the NFL or NBA, but if there’s one practice the two leagues do extremely well it’s getting the mainstream on board with its stars. Everybody knows Peyton Manning and LeBron James. Hardly anyone outside of western Pennsylvania knows that sensational Penguin center, Sidney Crosby, became the first teenager in any of the big four sports to win MVP. He’s electric. He’s charming. He’s completely indistinguishable at Applebee’s. I’d change all of that right now.

2. Introduce the World to Hockey- Like soccer, rugby and David Hasselhoff, hockey just ain’t cuttin’ it here in the States. That’s no reason to give up. 5.8 billion other folk are looking to keep themselves occupied from October to May. So, starting with Europe, the League is actually thinking of expanding. Beyond the ridiculous jet lag for the Phoenix Coyotes, the idea might work. The NHL is testing England’s excitement with the season’s first two games being played at London’s glorious O2 venue. If all goes well, experiments in Paris and Munich won’t be far off.

3. Cool the Warm Front- Growing up, we remember watching passionate hockey in Hartford, Quebec and Minnesota. Then came the mid 90s and with it came a southward migration into Dallas and Atlanta. Yeah, we know that a lot of hockey transplants from the north live in Dixie now, but c’mon! The last three Stanley Cup champion cities –Tampa Bay in ‘04, Carolina in ‘06 and Anaheim this past year- should NOT be the same three from AAA’s top summer destination list.

4. The Icing Dynasty- Those Ducks that won the Cup a season ago likely won’t repeat. Last year’s heart (Teemu Selanne) and soul (Scott Niedermayer) are gone. But that’s nothing new. In fact, the last NHL organization to repeat was the ’96-97 and ‘97-98 Detroit Red Wings. For some new life to the sport, there needs to be a dominant force (ala the New England Patriots, San Antonio Spurs or Tiger Woods) to capture some headlines.

5. More Fights- Thank the heavens this one is already coming to fruition. If early preseason action is a respectable gauge, the fists will be flying like old times at a rink near you this winter. And to think, NHL officials actually thought more folks would follow the sport if they cut out 75% of the foolishness with fists. Hehehehehe. This is America, jack. We like our one-timers with smacks!

6. Less Eric Lindros- Thank the heavens this one is coming to a reality as well. We’ve heard since Bill Clinton’s first term that the the Dallas center from Ontario was going to change the complexion of the game. 15 years in, Lindros has had more concussions than all-star game appearances. Reports are coming in that this season could be Eric’s last. Awwwww. But hey, for every headline he’s no longer getting, somebody with something to actually contribute like young studs Washington’s Alexander Ovechkin or the Hurricanes’ Eric Staal can shine.

7. Give It a Night- The thing that’s really neat about football is that it’s understood that high school plays on Friday, college on Saturday and the pros go at it on Sunday. Of course, the NHL, with its 82-game schedule can’t just play on Saturdays or Sundays. But it can be more creative in its marketing. “Tussling Tuesdays” or “Friday Night Face-offs” in the second part of the season (giving the league time to adjust schedules like in the NFL) could brand a weeknight and generate excitement over the course of seven days.

8. Minority Report- Though baseball still has a ways to go, you’ve got to commend how it’s extending a hand to the Hispanic and African-American communities through various outreach programs. Some of hockey’s best young talents are black (Jarome Iginla at Calgary and Edmonton’s Anson Carter), but kids in the hood have no clue. There’s an untapped market, albeit a small one, in minority sectors. Hell, at least let the youth know the slapshot was created in the Coloured Hockey League in the early 1900s.

9. More Color in the Booth, too- Okay, having Charles Barkley or even Stephen A. Smith in the Versus Network studio probably isn’t the wisest idea. However, getting more talking heads like the legendary Don Cherry is genius. These kinds of in-your-mug personalities exude hockey’s panache and are gravitating forces for novice followers. Organize a few American Idol-style contests in cities like Buffalo or Sioux Falls to find some new energy for the booths.

10. Don’t Rule It Out- After the ’04-05 lockout season, the NHL amended a few rules with the hope that scoring would go up. It worked. In ’05-06. For some reason, a year ago scoring went down slightly and the overall pace of the game kinda tailed off. Tweak a lil here (bigger nets) and there (more shoot-outs) and make the game more exciting. This isn’t soccer here, people… Wait, nobody’s watching the games or reading my suggestions. Dang, maybe it is.

Semi-Fearless Stanley Cup Finals Preview: Detroit over Atlanta, 4-2

2007-09-29T07:15:00.000-07:00

MEET THE NEW YORK MELTS!!!

2007-09-16T21:29:00.000-07:00

What’s the Rush?

LaDanian Tomlinson? 1.9 yards per carry? Wait, the LaDanian Tomlinson?! Damn, maybe I was the only one who saw that erroneous graphic flash across the screen during NBC’s Sunday Night Football game. 1.9? L.T.? That can’t be right. So, needless to say, I had to grab the calc… Let’s see here. 35 carries. 68 yards. I’ll be damned if the ’06 MVP isn’t rushing for under two yards a carry this young season. But here’s the thing though. Tomlinson isn’t the only one having a hard time hitting the holes right now. New Orleans’ Reggie Bush and Kansas City’s Larry Johnson are also having less than stellar starts to the ’07 tilt. If you’re a fan of the three or into fantasy sports –I am and I have all three on various fantasy teams- your first mind is to press the panic button about the season. I’m here to stop you from doing any of that and to reassure everyone that these talented backs will get right soon enough. They’re all too good to be this bad. It’s as simple as that. In Chicago and New England, L.T.’s faced two grueling defenses. L.J.’s trying to get used to sorry-ass Damon Huard as the Chiefs’ QB. And Reggie is just in a mini funk. By Week 5, all will be right in the NFL, and the only 1.9 associated with LaDanian’s name will be the TD average he has per game.

2007-09-13T20:14:00.000-07:00

Well, on second thought...

2007-09-05T05:40:00.000-07:00

My Bad

I’m so damn tired of folks saying they “made a mistake” for all the stupid stuff they do. Michael Vick made a mistake electrocuting dogs. Dallas Cowboys assistant coach Wade Wilson made a mistake taking performance-enhancing drugs. L.A. Lakers owner Jerry Buss made a mistake driving his Benz down the wrong side of the street while drunk. I made a mistake flippin’ off the ass who cut me off on I-84 last week. Fellas, cheating on your wife is not a mistake. Bringing your wife home Cheetos when she actually said Cheez-its is. Peep the difference. A mistake, as defined by my old pals, Merriam and Webster, is “to blunder in the choice; to misunderstand the meaning; the identify wrongly.” None of that really applies to the stuff people at sports press conferences (and in Hollywood and Washington D.C.) often attempt to wiggle out of. Too often, guilty parties simply get caught doing something they know they aren’t supposed to be doing. Saying they “made a mistake” is their limp attempt at being accountable. Point blank. The mistake is that we keep thinking these f*ck ups are just, well, mistakes.

2007-08-30T08:10:00.000-07:00

2007 NCAA Football Preview

Though most teams won’t kick off till September 1, a number of top squads like Louisvile and LSU start clanking helmets tonight. You’ll find both of them listed below in the 5^th and 7^th spots respectively. But on the real, you could put the best teams in a hat, pull out names blindly and come up with a similar top 10. That’s just how even things are across the land right now. That said, here’s what the top 25 teams in late August look like:

USC- Led by a Herculean arm (John David Booty) and a four-headed rushing monster (Chauncey Washington, C.J. Gable, Stafon Johnson and Hershel Dennis), the Trojans’ epic need only a worthy adversary to be complete.
West Virginia- Mountaineer hopes that were high in ’06 are even loftier now. Having the sensational Patrick White and Steve Slaton come back to an offense that scored under 30 twice has that sort of effect on expectations.
Michigan- Really, it’s not just you. RB Mike Hart and QB Chad Henne did take chemistry class with the late Gerald Ford! But seriously, no matter how good the Wolverines are on paper, if they don’t win their final two –Ohio State and whatever New Year’s bowl- Lloyd Carr’s likely out of a job.
Texas- Colt McCoy just sounds like a quarterback name, doesn’t it? What about Limas Sweed? How about the Big 12’s best receiver?! The Longhorns would be higher on this list if they didn’t have so many defensive question marks.
Louisville- Chan and Tucker. Duncan and Parker. Brohm and Douglas. Some things –in this case, Cardinals stars Brian and Harry, respectively- just go great together. Get through September unscathed and Steve Kragthorpe’s offensive-minded birds soar near the top.
Florida- Tim Tebow was only asked to do short yardage running and make quick slant passes during the Gators’ national title run last year. Brilliant coach Urban Meyer needs him to execute the playbook front and back if they’re to repeat.
LSU- The Tigers’ 27-point thrashing of the Irish in the Sugar Bowl was laughable. Losing JaMarcus Russell to the NFL isn’t humorous. The spread offense new coordinator Gary Crowton promises to implement sure looks fun.
Boise State- How do you top a 13-0 season that concluded with what some say was the greatest college football game of all time? If you’re Boise head coach Chris Peterson, you don’t; instead, you keep drawing up inventive plays for back Ian Johnson and merely duplicate the feat.
Georgia- There was a stretch last year where the Dawgs lost four of five. Credit hands-on coach Mark Richt and a steadying Matt Stafford behind center for UGA getting through the storm. Now it’s time to reign on the SEC East.
Oklahoma- Playing under a cloud of misdoings (the NCAA basically forfeited the school’s ’05 season for rules violations), the remaining Sooners (including WR Malcolm Kelly) have a chip on their pads that can only be eased by whipping Miami and Texas.
Wisconsin- The winningest squad in Badger history returns its top playmaker (RB P.J. Hill) and most of its big-time play shakers (seven starters are back from a D that only gave up 12 points per game).
California- Every team the Bears lost to in ’06 (Tenn, Arizona, USC) has to comes to Berkeley this year. Good. Now the home crowd gets to see the Nate Longshore-to-DeSean Jackson duo in living color.
Tennessee- The Vols haven’t been in the SEC hunt for some time now. It’s way past time for senior QB Erik Ainge to be more reliable. If UT is 1-2 after games against Cal, Southern Miss and UF, it may be “Fire Phil Fulmer” rumor time.
Rutgers- Awww, wasn’t the Scarlet Knights’ fairy tale season so cute? With Heisman Trophy candidate Ray Rice, QB Mike Teel and coveted coach Greg Schiano all back, this next chapter may be even more pleasant.
Virginia Tech- Making national headlines for all the wrong reasons so far in ’07 (the April massacre; Michael Vick’s alma mater), the tough Hokies look to make sports page news with a win over LSU and defensive dominance in the ACC.
Nebraska- The bad taste left in the Cornhuskers’ mouth after back-to-back loses to close the season is tempered somewhat by the fact they won their first division crown since ’99. QB transfer Sam Keller might bring stability to the kitchen.
TCU- Most of a defense (including the ferocious Tommy Blake) that gave up just 35 points in the final four games returns for the Horned Frogs. Replacing super QB Jeff Ballard is the lone sticky issue.
Hawaii- One can only imagine the fun it’s going to be watching Colt Brennan’s scoreboard-shattering efforts (he threw an NCAA-record 58 TDs a year ago) on Nov. 23 against Boise—especially if both teams are undefeated going into it.
Ohio State- Though the Buckeyes haven’t fallen off like Britney Spears, all the new faces on offense are reason for concern. The defense lost most of its drive. OSU is this high strictly off our faith in coach Jim Tressel’s X’s and O’s.
UCLA- The Bruins, who return 20 starters, know how to win. Their 13-9 upset over USC speaks to that. Head-scratching loses to Washington and Washington State shows they know how to confuse us as well.
Kentucky- The Wildcats haven’t had consecutive winning seasons since ’83-84. Then again, they haven’t had as versatile a trio as QB Andre Woodson, RB Rafael Little and WR Keenan Burton since, well, ever.
Utah- Games vs. Oregon State, UCLA and Louisville will be challenging, but if healed signal caller Brian Johnson wins two of them, the exciting Utes may be BCS bound.
Arkansas- Watching the Razorbacks is like being at a wedding for a wealthy couple you know won’t make it. Sure, it’s a disaster waiting to happen (QB Mitch Mustain and coordinator Gus Malzahn left in controversial fashion) but the entertainment (super tailback Dennis McFadden) sure is nice.
Central Michigan- G’head, giggle all you want at the Chippewas now. Come Labor Day, QB Dan LeFevour’s tackling tribe will have stomped Kansas and have Purdue praying to the heavens for a rainout.
South Carolina- Hate’em or love’em, Steve Spurrier knows how to coach. Whoever set up the Gamecocks last four contests –UT, Arkansas, Florida, Clemson- knows how to create a hard-ass schedule.

26-30. Auburn, BYU, Florida State, South Florida and Texas A&M

2007-08-16T21:57:00.000-07:00

10 (Realistic) Things To Do Before You Die

1. Sing "Take Me Out To The Ball Game" at Chicago's Wrigley Field. [Have I done it? Yes!]

2. Attend the hall of fame induction ceremony for one of your childhood heroes. [No]

3. Be the first person to purchase Madden '09 at the Target closest to you next year. [N/A]

4. See a college football game live when at least one of the teams involved is in the top 25. [Yes]

5. Hit an 80 mph fastball at the batting cage. [Yes]

6. Go to your high school alma mater's biggest basketball game of the year. [No]

7. Get floor seats the next time LeBron or Kobe come to town. [No]

8. Spend the first weekend of March Madness in a Las Vegas casino. [Yes]

9. Cheer on Tiger Woods one Sunday at a tournament he's playing in. [No]

10. Tailgate when the temperature is under 40 degrees. [No]

2007-08-12T10:42:00.000-07:00

The 700 Club

Congrats, Barry. 756 (and 757 and 758, for that matter) is all yours! Enjoy it. Whether you were roiding up or not in the locker room, I’m pretty sure 75 other guys were doing the same thing and still couldn’t hit a ball into McCovey Cove from 100 feet away. Let alone do it with a major league fastball. If you cheated, you’ll have to take that up with a higher power. As far as I’m concerned, Bonds has earned this moment in the sun. Let’s emphasis “moment,” because if any of these five sluggers that follow have anything to do with it, the 780, 800 or however many long ones you end up, will last shorter than a decade.

Alex Rodriguez, New York Yankees, 32 years old, 503 home runs

Why He’ll Break It- He’s the best player in the game, for one. He knows all there is to know about handling media scrutiny, for two. He’s already got over 500, for three. Hunger for a title should keep him focused, for four. Seven more consistent years and the record is his.

Why He Won’t Make It- Seven more years?! Are you kidding? Why on earth would A-Rod hang around the Bronx (or Chicago or wherever he ends up playing) for seven more years when he already has more money than many countries in the U.N.?

Vladimir Guerrero, L.A. Angels, 31, 356

Why He Will- Vlad is that unique player who’ll swing at the worst possible pitch and it it’ll end up either in left center or over the right field fence. The connection between the ’07 home run derby champ’s eyes and wrist is beyond scary.

Why He Won’t- Numbers don’t appear to be enough to drive the Angels star. Plus, he’s just one year younger than A-Rod but he’s 150 homers behind. Too much catch-up here—even for a super outfielder like Vlad.

Albert Pujols, St. Louis Cardinals, 27, 274

Why He Will- Even when he’s in a year-long “slump” like he is this year (24 dingers, 75, RBI), Phat Albert puts up serious numbers. .310/40/120 is what he’ll likely average the rest of his career.

Why He Won’t- If the Cardinals don’t get better bats around Pujols in the middle of the lineup –OF Chris Duncan is a start- opposing pitchers are gonna start walking him more and more, severely hurting any long ball chances.

Miguel Cabrera, Florida Marlins, 24, 132

Why He Will- If Cabrera stays in South Florida, he’ll be in the perfect place to quietly put up seasons of 40 and 45 homers without much fanfare. Plus, the third baseman isn’t even in his mid 20’s yet. He’ll easily produce big numbers for the next 10, 12 seasons.

Why He Won’t- That is, of course, if he can still fit his uniform. What many of us thought was all muscle a few years back is starting to look more and more like fat. Miguel almost looks like a lighter-skinned Prince Fielder some days.

Ryan Howard, Philadelphia Phillies, 27, 114

Why He Will- The sweet stroke Howard used to bash 58 four-baggers last year and another 32 so far in ’07 is only getting better with time. Plus, with Chase Utley, Aaron Rowand and Jimmy Rollins surrounding him in the order, pitchers can’t ignore him.

Why He Won’t- Nowhere near as, umm, round as Cabrera, Howard might have some weight issues, too. An early injury this year has some wondering about the young man’s durability in a home run pursuit that could last another 12 or 13 seasons.

2007-08-02T10:33:00.000-07:00

100!

My 100^th blog. Seems like just a year and a half ago when I wrote my first Nosebleed Section entry. Wait, it was a year and a half ago. Since that pseudo landmark post I’ve gathered some great sports memories (Boise State and Oklahoma at the Fiesta Bowl) and some not-so-good ones (Michael Vick, on and off the field). Over the next few days, through 10 Top Ten lists (10 x 10 = 100. Get it? I’m so clever!), I’m going to reflect on those memorable stories and revisit the moments that have touched me most over the past 20 years. Of course, if Barry hits No. 756 while all of this is going on, I’ll toss in a neat lil’ tribute to the Giants legend somewhere. Till then, here’s today’s list…

10 Best Athletes I’ve Seen Live

10. Michael Beasley- You may not know about this Kansas State freshman baller yet, but soon enough you’ll be absolutely blown away by the same near-flawless, grown man game I first witnessed at a high school hoops camp three summers ago.

9. Andruw Jones- Whoever it was who called the Braves star the most overrated centerfield ever is a complete ass. I’ve been left speechless on at least 20 occasions at Turner Field by something Druw did with his glove or bat.

8. LeBron James- Though I’ve only seen King James play live twice, those times were all I needed to see what the hype was about. He glides across the court with this Magic-like air that every shot/pass/rebound happened exactly how he planned it in his head.

7. Kobe Bryant- Say what you want (and, trust me, I have) about his character. On the floor, No. 24 (he wore No. 8 when I saw him tho) is an absolute assassin. The cocky walk, tongue wag and gum chew just ooze MJ.

6. Steve McNair- It was ’93 or ‘94. At the University of Tennessee-Chattanooga. UTC’s star wide receiver was some guy named Terrell Owens. He was good. But the real sensation on the field was Alcorn State’s Steve McNair. The man had an absolute missile for an arm, and he proved it by going about 70 yards on the game’s first play.

5. Michael Vick- Over the past three seasons, I’ve probably seen No. 7 do his thing 10 or 11 times. And though the end result wasn’t always to my liking, the man guaranteed at least two or three magical, “Did you see that?” moments in the Georgia Dome.

4. Jerry Rice- The 49ers/Falcons game was at old Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium, so you know this is from waaaaay back. But even with the stretch in time, I can remember Rice effortlessly running routes and making first downs. He made it look so easy that it was almost boring.

3. Deion Sanders- Thankfully, I got to see this guy in a Falcons and Braves uniform. Both were fantastic. Oddly, seeing the super talent spray triples and steal bases is more memorable than watching him shut down offenses from the cornerback slot.

2. Dominique Wilkins- His head kinda bobbed when he walked his pigeon-toed walk. At the free throw line, he’d dribble a few times, exaggerate a stop in mid motion and then take the shot. I know all of this ‘cuz I couldn’t take my eyes off the Nique every time I witnessed a game at the Omni.

1. Barry Bonds- It was the summer of ’04. The Braves, as usual, were making a postseason push. Said push came to a screeching halt, at least for a weekend, when Bonds smashed three homers over a two-day span. I was at both games, and trust me when I tell you that NO ONE in that building had ever witnessed such an offensive display.

2007-07-26T21:09:00.000-07:00

Skip Prosser
November 3, 1950- July 26, 2007

"His passing is a tremendous loss for the entire Wake Forest community.He played a very significant role in my life and his influence extended well beyond the game of basketball. He taught me many valuable life lessons and was someone I admired with the utmost respect." -New Orleans Hornets guard Chris Paul

2007-07-25T14:24:00.000-07:00

“So, De, what you think about the whole Vick thing?”

I guess friends and family kept asking because they know I’ve been a Falcons fan since Jeff George was raising Atlantans blood pressure as the inconsistent QB in the mid 90s. Hell, I was cheering when Brett Favre was wearing black and red on the sidelines. Needless to say, when most hopped on the Michael Vick bandwagon back in ’02, I already had my window seat. And like a kid with that new Harry Potter book in his hands, I got giddy as hell when then-head coach Dan Reeves officially handed No. 7 the reigns as the starter. That was five seasons, two playoff appearances and one messy, image-shattering dogfighting controversy ago.

Mike already had a challenging, make-or-break year ahead of him on the football field, what with a new coach, new system and New Orleans to contend with. Now, with word from NFL commish Roger Goodell on July 24 that the league was keeping the troubled 27-year-old talent away from training camp (and any other Falcons-connected activity, for that matter) until the case is settled, things have gotten even crazier.

My heart kinda goes out for Vick, because over the past four or five years, I’ve chatted with dude on a couple of occasions and he seemed like a decent enough guy each time. Before the hate mail comes flooding my way, I’m not saying the stuff Vick and his Bad Newz Kennels homies are accused of doing (electrocuting dogs is some really, really ill shit) is right. It just seems like some of these pro-animal supporters, should be equally repulsed when athletes do all this senseless duck- and deer-hunting for sport… But I digress.

For me, the animal injustices aren’t even the biggest thing. What is, and what seems to be getting overlooked a lot in this fiasco, is the damage done to Atlanta Falcons fans. With exciting, offensive-minded coach Bobby Petrino and veteran wideout Joe Horn in the picture, the Falcons’ offense was to soar in ’07. Optimism was apparent. The Georgia Dome had sold 92% of season tickets. We’re playing the Colts on Thanksgiving and have home Monday Nighters against the Giants and Saints. This was supposed to be the year the Falcons at least contended for the city’s only pro championship beyond the Braves’ ’95 World Series.

With Vick trying to clear his name (and avoid a six-year jail sentence) in a VA courtroom, the dreams of season ticket holders like myself have shattered. And though I kinda regret paying the money I did for my seats now, I feel super bad for the cat who broke off $5500 for club seats, only to watch backup Joey Harrington and the Birds go 6-10 or 5-11. And just think about the pee-wee league boy who copied Vick’s moves, Vick’s braids and Vick’s addiction to Chapstick. How does a parent tell him that his favorite athlete might never put on another helmet because he let pits fight to the death? That’s a tough one I don’t have an answer to. I just know this whole, ugly ordeal has put a scar on my hometown and has broken the hearts of many… mainly those who’ve supported Michael Vick and the prospect of change.

2007-07-20T17:26:00.000-07:00

DAMN, DAMN, DAMN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2007-07-08T20:22:00.000-07:00

Philly Futility

This past Saturday, the Philadelphia Phillies lost 6-3 to Colorado. To the everyday sports fan, the three-run thump was just another three-run thump. A couple of Rockies had multi-hit games and Philly shortstop Jimmy Rollins hit his 100^th career home run. Beyond that there wasn’t a whole lot else to Philadelphia’s 44^th defeat of the seas—but hold up one second here. 44 loses this year gives them 601 since the start of the 2000 season. And you know what total that gives them since the franchise’s inception, right? 9,999! Yep, with Philadelphia’s next loss –the team whopped Colorado 8-4 on Sunday- the organization (called the Blue Jays and Quakers at one time) becomes the first in any of the major sports to record 10,000 defeats. Since the team’s first failure on May 1, 1883, it’s had 14 100-loss seasons and has won just one World Series title. With two big series against the Cardinals and Dodgers occurring right after the all-star break, I know that milestone defeat will happen sooner rather than later. For Philly’s sake, I just hope I’m the only one who notices…

2007-07-06T08:12:00.000-07:00

Let’s see. What could you do with $21 million...

A 4,000 square foot house w/pool, four-car garage, live-in maid and chef $3.5 million

A sporty two-seater for you $100,000

A spacious SUV for the misses $50,000

A week on a private island in the Polynesian Isles $40,000

5000 shares of Yahoo stock $135,150

A new wardrobe for the family $50,000

Start a Planet Smoothie franchise $150,000

I-Phones for you and 19 closest friends $120,000

Four years of college for your first born $130,000

TOTAL $4.3 million

Clearly, with that much dough, you could do an awful lot and still have plenty left over. Yet nowhere on that list does it say anything about curing a rare eye condition like the one baby Tatum, daughter of veteran NBA guard Derek Fisher, is living with.

This past week, Fish asked the Utah Jazz out of his contract (one with three years and $20.6 million left on it) so he could move his child to a city with more suitable medical care. “Life for me,” Derek told reporters earlier in the week, “outweighs the game of basketball.” Though the decision itself isn’t anything more than what all good dad would do for their kids, it’s so refreshing to hear about it coming from someone with so much (potentially) to lose on the financial end. Man, I wish Derek and the Fisher Family well on their heavy-hearted journey towards recovery.

2007-06-25T09:25:00.000-07:00

Drafting with the Stars

Portland and Seattle have it way too easy. They know exactly what they’re going to do on Thursday night with the first two picks in the NBA draft. Where’s the fun?! That’s why we’ve decided to flip the script here. That said, what would you do if you were the decision-making GM for a fictional Las Vegas sports franchise just announced today? Let’s say, hypothetically, every athlete currently on every team roster was at your disposal. Who would you choose to build a team, an image and a city around? Yeah, there’s a lot to consider –talent, marketability, age, relationship to Pacman Jones- when making such an important decision. But on the flip, there aren’t many criteria to the draft, just as long as the guy plays on a pro team (Sorry, Tiger) right this second (We’ll holla, Candace Parker) in the United States (Nope, Ronaldinho). So, if you had the top pick in the All Sports Draft, who would go No. 1? Here’s my list…

20. Martin Brodeur, 35 years old, hockey- When it’s all said and done, Martie will go down as the first- or second-best goalie in history. His ’06-07 numbers –an NHL-record 48 wins, 9^th all-star game appearance- tell us as much.

19. Eddie Johnson, 23, soccer- We know you aren’t all that familiar with soccer. But with this Kansas City star who recently notched back-to-back hat tricks for the first time in MLS history, you really need to make an exception.

18. Champ Bailey, 29, football- One of only 2 defensive players to be unanimously chosen for last year’s All-Pro team (Miami’s Jason Taylor was the other), this Denver corner didn’t give up a single touchdown last season. (Yeah, read that again…)

17. Seimone Augustus, 23, basketball- Put it like this: If Kevin Garnett leaves, this Lynx guard becomes the best basketball player, male or female, in the entire state of Minnesota. That’s just how good the ’06 WNBA Rookie of the Year is.

16. Albert Pujols, 27, baseball- Batting just .301 with 16 dingers and 48 RBI, the St. Louis first baseman would be first to tell you he’s having an un-Albert year at the plate. Even still, you can’t name two guys more scary with a bat in their hand.

15. Dwyane Wade, 25, basketball- Flash appears to be a stand-up, family guy. The kids love’em. The camera loves’em. Everybody loves’em… weeeeell, everybody save for opposing guards in the fourth quarter.

14. Ryan Howard, 27, baseball- Josh Gibson, Hank Aaron, Barry Bonds. If the reigning MVP keeps swinging for the fences like he’s done the last two years, he’ll easily join this list of great African-American sluggers.

13. Steve Nash, 33, basketball- Agree or disagree with Nash’s two straight MVP awards (he narrowly missed a third this season), you’re a moron if you don’t think the wily Canadian has heart, smarts and a decent shot just inside the arc.

12. Tim Duncan, 31, basketball- Sure, the best player on the NBA’s best team is kinda boring on the floor. But man, that victory parade the other day for the Spurs’ fourth title since ’99 looked fun as hell.

11. Yao Ming, 26, basketball- Chinese tourists flock to Vegas every day. Imagine how many would stay even longer if you had this seven-foot wunderkind’s face plastering all your billboards.

10. Sidney Crosby, 19, hockey- Truthfully, we don’t give a puck about the NHL, but when we hear folks comparing this Pittsburgh sensation (and youngest MVP ever) to Wayne Gretzky with zero hesitation, even we fall back in awe.

9. Reggie Bush, 22, football- Making world-class defensive backs look silly and selling Reeboks is the easy part. It’s the whole “Put the Gulf Coast on My Back” thing that’s so impressive.

8. LaDanian Tomlinson, 28, football- Many thought hell would freeze over before we witnessed another Barry Sander or “LT” on the gridiron. Amazingly, this Charger with the NFL record for most consecutive games with a TD (18!) is both.

7. Jose Reyes, 24, baseball- The exciting Dominican finished 7^th in the NL MVP race last season. Trust and believe the base-stealing, wide-smiling Mets shortstop will win at least two before he goes to Cooperstown.

6. Peyton Manning, 31, football- The likeable country boy who could do everything (make 7 Pro Bowls, throw 70 yards, sell 700 products) but win the big game finally won the big game.

(Tie) 5. Kobe Bryant, 28, basketball; Shaquille O’Neal, 35, basketball- Unquestionably the hardwood’s best talent in nearly a decade, No. 24 offers everything fans, franchises and Fortune 500s could ask for—except much brand loyalty… The Diesel, on the other hand, likely won’t yap as much to the media, but with just one functioning knee, his days of dominance on the court might be over.

4. Derek Jeter, 33, baseball- How many guys do you know that have had as many trophy chicks (Mariah Carey, Jessica Alba) as actual trophies (3-time Gold Glover, World Series MVP) yet still keep an untarnished image?

3. LeBron James, 22, basketball- Just ask anybody in Northeast Ohio if the do-everything guard with talent closer to Magic’s than Michael’s can take an organization to the Promised Land’s doorsteps.

2. Tom Brady, 29, football- If there’s one thing haters disparage more than a chiseled-face, All-American guy, it’s a chiseled-face, All-American guy who can lead his team to three Super Bowl victories in four seasons.

1. Alex Rodriguez, 31, baseball- From ’96 to ’06, A-Rod led all Major Leaguers in home runs, RBI and total bases. But why stop there? The game’s best player currently paces the ’07 campaign in homers and RBI, too.

Just missed the list: Vince Young, Miguel Cabrera, Dirk Nowitzki, Walter Jones, David Ortiz, Michael Vick, DaMarcus Beasley, Dany Heatley, Ichiro, Landon Donovan, Shawn Merriman, Diana Taurasi, Ken Griffey Jr., Gilbert Arenas, Jamarcus Russell, Dwight Howard, Dice-K, Devin Hester.

2007-06-21T04:02:00.000-07:00

What Katrina Left Behind...

If you're anything like me, basketball is a big deal to you. In fact, these days, the most pressing questions are "Who's Portland gonna draft with the top pick?" or "Where's Kevin Garnett gonna play next year?" But in the grand scheme of life, does any of that much matter? Nah, not really. Wherever Greg Oden and KG end up, they'll both be rich and pampered like kings. Our primary concern should be on those without the million-dollar endorsements, those without fat signing bonuses.

How about all of those basketball-loving kids left behind in Hurricane Katrina and Rita's wake two years back? Yeah, I know. Out of sight, out of mind. But in the real world -A world that doesn't give a damn if Kobe plays in LA, Chicago or Phoenix- that's not what happens. A good friend of mine just came back from New Orleans, the home of next season's NBA All-Star Game, with a new perspective on the whole thing. Hopefully, her words will touch you in a special place like they've touched me.

2007-06-17T16:45:00.000-07:00

This Week’s MVP:

Brandon Watson

Conventional wisdom says this week’s top dog should be NBA Finals MVP Tony Parker or U.S. Open winner Angel Cabrera. But the Nosebleed Section has rarely been conventional about anything and there’s no need in starting now. So, instead of national headline makers, NS looks to central Ohio where one Brandon Watson plays a mean centerfield for Washington Nationals affiliate, the Columbus Clippers. A career .284 hitter, Watson has been on Major League radars before. In fact, the 25-year-old Los Angeles native actually has 28 big league at-bats. He just hasn’t gotten that official chance just yet. Well, that may all be about to change, for on Sunday, Watson got a single in the sixth inning of a 9-8 loss to Ottawa. No biggie, right? Not exactly. The single actually marked Watson’s 43^rd straight game with a hit, breaking a 95-year-old record for the International League. Amazingly, the longest current streak in the Majors also belongs to a Buckeye State resident, Cleveland Indian Casey Blake, who’s on a 26-game run. NS will keep an eye on both streaks, wondering what in the world is in the Ohio water the whole time.

2007-05-30T05:27:00.000-07:00

This Week’s MVP:

Ashley Judd

Boxofficemojo.com says that Ashley Judd’s movies (including Double Jeopardy, A Time to Kill and this weekend’s fourth-biggest movie, Bug) have collectively grossed over $612 million at theaters. That ain’t too shabby. Still, that haul over 15 years isn’t all that more impressive than what hubbie driver Dario Franchitti did this past Sunday. The humble, 33-year-old Scot won a rain-shortened Indianapolis 500 and took home a record purse of $1,645,233, garnering a “Wow!” from Judd. The die-hard Kentucky hoops fan was probably thinking about all the Wildcats gear she could purchase with the loot. Of course, the big win at Indianapolis Motor Speedway isn’t the only thing putting a smile on Ashley’s face these days. Highly-touted West Virginia b-ball star Patrick Patterson recently announced he’d be playing his college ball –Not at Duke or Florida like most had presumed- in Lexington, a move that promises lots more grins this winter in the Franchitti home.

2007-05-24T08:26:00.000-07:00

Hoop Dreams

Good fortune and the Atlanta Hawks have worst chemistry than a clumsy 10-year-old with a Bunsen Burner. Positive stuff just doesn’t happen for this franchise. Dominique’s trade, deaths, despicable owner spats, Doug Edwards. If it’s something bad, it probably happened in the Omni or Philips Arena.

Hell, you could win back-to-back NBA titles with the players (Pau Gasol, Luol Deng, last season’s rookie of the year Chris Paul, this season’s rookie of the year Brandon Roy) Atlanta has passed on in the past 10 years. You might win a church league game or two with the flops (Adam Keefe, Ed Gray, Roshown McLeod) the team ultimately picked. So, when I hear Boston and Philly fans speak of how they feel cheated by the ping pong balls not falling their way in the draft lottery –Boston, a favorite to get one of the top two spots, fell to five; Portland got the top pick- I have three words: Get over it!

At least you have titles in this generation. We, as in the thousand or so still-loyal Hawks followers out there, don’t have anything but bragging rights to say we’re the only NBA franchise with three slam dunk champs. And really, in the grand scheme of things, that’s not all that much to be excited about.

Having the third and 11^th pick in the June 28 draft, however, is certainly worth some jubilation—even if Hawks GM Billy Knight is still the guy making the choices. He can’t screw this one up, too, can he? Beyond the obvious Greg Oden and Kevin Durant, most are expecting big things from the ’07 pool of talent. The Hawks, who haven’t had an all-star caliber point guard since Mookie Blaylock, would be wise to grab Mike Conley Jr. and a big, maybe Spencer Hawes or Joakim Noah, at the 11 hole. (Or they could go big at 3 and wait for Georgia Tech PG Javaris Crittenton later on.) A combination of those two bookends compliments the three-headed monster that is Josh Smith, Marvin Williams and Joe Johnson wonderfully.

Of course, anytime you have two appealing picks like the Hawks do, trade rumors get to swirling. Names like Seattle’s Rashard Lewis and Phoenix’s Shawn Marion are already beginning to whisper, but with sticky contracts and David Stern-approved red tape all over the place, it will likely prove just smoke. What isn’t though is the fact that the troubled Hawks franchise’s future is starting to look up. Though Atlanta hasn’t smelled the playoffs in eight seasons, with a couple of quality moves in late June, the team could get back to Eastern Conference respectability. We believe the organization can shake off past mishaps named Roy Marble and Alan Henderson and make the right choices. The numbers have to fall in our favor eventually, right?

Yeah, maybe if we had another GM holding the damn calculator….

2007-05-16T07:53:00.000-07:00

This Week’s MVP:

UCLA

East Coast bias be damned! The dominance out West, especially in the collegiate ranks, cannot be denied right now. The UCLA Bruins, in fact, just this past weekend won the NCAA women’s water polo crown for a third straight year. That in itself isn’t the biggest deal, but knowing the title gives UCLA its 100^th overall team championship changes the match’s importance tremendously.

“The university, it’s athletics administration, and most notably the coaches and student-athletes who contributed to this accomplishment throughout the years should be proud,” said Myles Brand, NCAA president. “This is a feat of major significance especially when you consider the wide range of sports and the number of student-athletes who played a role in earning those titles.”

To be the first institution to achieve such a milestone, a lot of talent would have had to have their names attached to the athletics program. In Lew Alcindor (basketball), Florence Griffith Joyner (track and field), Kelly Rulon (MVP of last week’s water polo tournament) and lesser-known stars of women’s softball and men’s diving, the Bruins clearly have had that over the years. And thanks to tennis, golf and rowing squads currently doing well in their respected postseason tourneys, UCLA appears on its way to building on its new benchmark. But if you were wondering, No. 2 on the titles list is none other than Pac-10 rival Stanford with 93 championships. USC is No. 3. Oklahoma State is the highest ranking non-West Coast school at No. 4 with 48.

2007-05-06T20:21:00.000-07:00

The Week’s MVP:

Bay Area Sports Teams

You’ll have to pardon the average sports fan in Northern California if he confused this last week with December 25. Over the past few days things have happened in such a magical fashion for Bay Area teams that it wouldn’t shock anyone if it’s proven St. Nick decided to come seven months early. Controversial San Francisco Giants star Barry Bonds (a National League-leading 10 home runs, just 11 shy of Hank Aaron’s career mark) kept swinging at history. The Oakland Raiders wisely chose future QB star JaMarcus Russell with the No. 1 pick in the NFL Draft. In that same draft, Oakland native and Cal Bear running sensation Marshawn Lynch was picked No. 12 by Buffalo. And I’d be remised if I didn’t mention the San Jose Sharks (though, technically, they’re just outside the Bay Area) and the fight they’re putting up against the Detroit Red Wings in the NHL playoffs.

Still, even with all that good news in the San Francisco Chronicle and Oakland Tribune, by far the biggest story of the week came from the Golden State Warriors’ surprisingly simply triumph over the Dallas Mavericks in the first round of the NBA playoffs. Even though the Warriors were 3-0 vs. the Mavs in the regular season, few outside the 510 believed Don Nelson’s team could hold it all together under the postseason spotlight. But not only did Golden State keep its composure, Stephen Jackson solidified himself as a big-time player and Baron Davis, one leg and all, further proved he was a superstar to anyone who ever paid attention. Who knows how the next chapter in Golden State’s fairytale will read against Utah in the next round? Truth be told, it doesn’t really matter because as far as the Bay Area is concerned, it’s already had the best week ever.

2007-04-16T17:58:00.000-07:00

"Although the world is full of suffering, it is full also of the overcoming of it."
-Helen Keller

You're in our prayers, Blacksburg, VA

2007-04-14T07:14:00.000-07:00

New York City. Shea Stadium. April 12, 2007. Mets and Phillies. The Fountain of Youth Game: Tom Glavine, 41 years young, versus Jamie Moyer, 44. 30-something degrees. Plenty of Nathan’s Hot Dogs vendors. Zero guys hawking hot chocolate. Lots going on in and around the ballpark…

-The first thing I’m impressed with is the MTA train. No, I didn’t see a guy give up his seat so a lady with three bags in her hand could sit. I did, however, think it was nice how there’s a train station less than 500 feet from Shea’s E Gate. Very convenient.

-Another observation you have upon leaving the station: The Mets’ new ballpark, Citi Field, which opens in the ’09 season, is being built so close to the current stadium that you’d swear they were touching each other. Renderings of the new facility are all around Shea and it looks fantastic.

-We get to our seats. We’re in the loge section, lower level, towards the back. We have a solid view of everything, but because we’re sitting directly under the next level, chances of getting foul balls or free t-shirts are as good as Imus’ hopes of being the commencement speaker at the next Spelman College graduation ceremony.

-People talk about baseball crowds in my native Atlanta rarely go over 30,000 during the season. Some of that is true. But I’m looking around the sea of orange chairs in Shea and I see lots of empty sections. The paid attendance is announced at 33,355, but if there are 27,000 here, I’d be shocked.

-The sparse attendance could be blamed on the temperature. At game time the temp was announced at 44. Bull! If it’s anywhere over 35 here, I’d be shocked.

-I only see three umpires. That’s kinda odd. Come to find out, Jerry Layne had to leave the park early because of family reasons.

-Philly comes out the gate swinging—literally! Leadoff hitter Jimmy Rollins goes deep against Glavine. A guy two rows in front of me shouts, “You suck!” New Yorkers typically hate good players on rival teams, but the resentment towards J-Roll runs a little deeper because of some spring training comments the Philly shortstop made about his team being the cream of the NL East crop. Oddly, Mets fans disagreed.

-Ryan Howard, the reigning NL MVP and easily the Phillies’ most intimidating presence at the plate, looks off with the bat in his hand. He doesn’t seem comfortable. He goes 1 for 3 for the night; still, he’s batting just .212 for the young season.

-My coworker, Ronnie, a Philly native, calls Philadelphia’s next batter, Pat Burrell, “Captain Caught Looking.” What a great nickname for a guy who pulls a Matthew McConaughey ever other time he steps up there, looking utterly dazed and confused at the plate.

-I already told you Glavine and Moyer’s ages, right? 85 combined years of fooling Major League hitters with 79 MPH fast balls and 68 MPH change-ups—amazing! What’s even wilder is that this is the oldest match-up of lefty starters in baseball history. Look it up…

-The Mets’ young sluggers (Carlos Beltran, Carlos Delgado, David Wright) haven’t really gotten it going yet. When they do, hide the wife and kids ‘cuz it’s going to get ugly out there for opposing teams.

-Jose Reyes, the team’s super slick shortstop, is having a great season. Easily the most popular player on the Mets roster, Reyes is greeted to a cascade of cheers every time he comes to bat. There’s even a “Jo-se! Jose, Jose, Jose!” chant that goes along with it that sounds way hotter in person than it does now in this blog.

-There are some pretty interesting in-game things happening at Shea. Two that stand out are the “Where Are They Now” segment (locating old Mets in their new surroundings) and this virtual home derby played on the MLB 2K7 video game.

-Take a peak at the scoreboard and see a “PPD” next to Seattle’s name again. Wow, that’s five postponements in the first week and a half for the Mariners. Talk about your hard luck.

-Philly’s Jimmy Rollins hits another homer. The guy in front of me: “You still suck!”

-Glavine and a host of New York relievers survive Rollins’ offensive exploits and win the game 5-3, giving the crafty future hall of famer his second win of the season, leaving him just eight short of the esteemed 300-win mark.

2007-04-06T23:32:00.000-07:00

Batter Up!
Five Things You Need To Know Right Now

Though baseball season’s upon us, the sport is still kinda lost in the shuffle that is NBA playoff excitement and all the talk surrounding the NFL draft. If you happen to be one of those who hasn’t found the time to get acquainted with the 2007 MLB season, don’t sweat it. That’s precisely why I’m up at 2:30 AM typing you this cheat sheet. Here are the five early-season truths you need to know to be up to snuff around the water cooler for the next month or so…

Defending Chomps- Just seven months removed from thumping the Detroit Tigers in the World Series, the St. Louis Cardinals hardly fluttered out the starting blocks. 1-3 when I last looked at the standings, the Cards were embarrassed by the explosive New York Mets (in NY’s 3-game sweep, St. Louis was outscored 20-2) to open the new year. With slugger Albert Pujols and youngster Chris Duncan in the lineup, the Cardinals can’t help but improve. Nevertheless, to keep up with the Chicago Cubs and Mets in the NL, those two are going to need lots of help at the plate.

Size Does Matter- In the first three games of the season, Cleveland centerfielder Grady Sizemore homered three times. The way the 24-year-old Seattle native’s swinging the bat right now, had the Indians not been snowed out on Friday, he would’ve slugged a fourth. (Keeping it real, he did hit 28 long ones last year.) The largely-unknown Sizemore warrants your attention and so, too, do stars-in-the-making Milwaukee’s Bill Hall, L.A. Angel Casey Kotchman and Atlanta’s Brian McCann.

There’s no “I” in “Sleeper”- The bandwagons for the Angels, Mets, New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox are already pretty full for the season. But just because the talking heads on TV and the columnists in your morning paper say one thing doesn’t mean a quiet, going-about-its-business team like, say, the Brewers, Cincinnati Reds or even the Tampa Bay Devil Rays (Don’t laugh. This young team is loaded with talent!) can’t make things interesting in May and June. Folks chuckled at Detroit at the beginning of last season, too, and they wound up in the World Series.

Special K- This past offseason the BoSox threw $103 million at Japanese pitcher Daisuke “Dice K” Matsuzaka’s feet. From the way the young man’s pitched in spring training and his first regular season game (seven innings, one run, 10 strikeouts), it appears to be money well spent. If Dice K keeps bewildering AL opposition like this –and if Curt Schilling and Josh Beckett keep up their fireworks display from the hill- Red Sox Nation will be thinking postseason by the Fourth of July.

Bonds Away- No. 735… Let the countdown commence. After going deep in the second game of the young season, Barry Bonds moved one step closer to eclipsing the most respected mark in baseball lore—Hank Aaron’s 755 home runs. Shaking off opposing pitchers’ sliders, unending media scrutiny and the fact he’s only hit 31 dingers the past two seasons, Bonds looks recharged in left field and reinvigorated at the plate. 736, 737, 738 and all the rest can’t be far away.

2007-03-23T08:45:00.000-07:00

Pride

Starring Terrence Howard, Bernie Mac and Kimberly Elise

Directed by Sunu Gonera

Rated PG

Tiger Woods deserves every bit of adulation that comes his way. The man is amazing with a golf club in his hands. But for every Tiger that roars onto the 18^th green at Augusta National in front of millions, there’s a Cisero Murphy in billiards, a James Stewart of dirt biking and a Rusty White in surfing who go greatly unnoticed by the masses. Blacks not only participate in untraditional sports, many of them excel in them.

With the release of this fact-based tale of a Philadelphia Department of Recreation swim coach, Jim Ellis (Terrence Howard), who wills a group of inner-city kids to a national swimming title in the racially-tense 70s, it seems as if history books have overlooked yet another name. This coach’s Glory Road-reminding story, of course, goes beyond teaching breathing techniques and breaststrokes. As a strong-willed individual who dealt with Jim Crow and crooked pigs, Ellis speaks to the youngsters about life through experience.

During one transcending moment in Pride, this easy-to-like group (relative newcomers Brandon Fobbs, Evan Ross and Regine Nehy stand out) goes to a meet against a rival, all-white academy (comedian Tom Arnold is the team’s ass of a coach). PDR is embarrassed in every way imaginable in the water. But rather than learn from the loss and understand that natural talent and teamwork move in unison, the crew laughs the whole ride home. Ellis and janitor/assistant coach Elston (a subdued, scene-stealing Bernie Mac) aren’t amused and they let them know it. The next morning the teens show up to practice and prove to their coach that they’ve learned their lesson overnight. Howard and Bernie get choked up. Audiences will reach for their Kleenex.

Just from looking at previews of this Sunu Gonera-directed film, you knew there were going to be moments of despair and repair like that. In respect to constant tugs at the heartstring, this Speedo-wearing Coach Carter doesn’t disappoint. Then again, neither does Terrence Howard in letting such predictable fare -Pride’s got the typical drug dealer (Gary Anthony Sturgis) who wants the kids to stay in the streets and the hard-nosed parental unit (Kimberly Elise, emotion-filled as ever) who wants the kids to stay in the books- ever get soaked in sappiness or contrivance. Terrence Howard can act, plain and simple.

In less-capable hands, this would’ve been nothing more than a feel-good bit of Hallmark Channel programming. But with Howard, Mac and Elise anchoring the acting team, not to mention Pride’s uplifting, nearly-forgotten sports story foundation, the film somehow rises from the pool of clichéd, odds-defying cinema as something much, much more. (B-)

2007-03-12T10:34:00.000-07:00

I Am Legend

Here’s a SLAM piece I did on ’07 National Player of the Year front-runner Kevin Durant nearly 2 years before he and his Texas Longhorns begin their encouraging march in the NCAA tournament. Rather prophetic if I must say so myself. Enjoy….

Kevin Durant probably wouldn’t mind hollering at Nike or Rocawear one day about becoming a pitchman, but as of right now, the only companies the 6-9 sensation screams praises for are Skippy and Smuckers. “I eat a lot of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches,” says the player that’s currently stacked somewhere between Greg Oden and Taddious Young in the 2006 top prospect rankings. “I eat that everyday. That’s my favorite. I put a lot of peanut butter on them!”

So, the secret’s out: Fill up on the lunchtime staple and your basketball skills go through the roof. Yeah, but it helps matters that Durant’s as long as the Toys ‘R’ Us line for the Xbox 360 and he has the versatility of a Hummer H3. Still, the PB&J has its place. “One of the things that our strength coach recommends,” adds Stu Vetter, head coach at Durant’s new hoops home, Montrose Christian Academy, “is that when Kevin is finished lifting [weights] that he eats a peanut butter and jelly sandwich because that helps you gain weight and strength. He’s going to get a lot of peanut butter and jelly at Montrose.” Atkins, eat your heart out.

Another thing the 17-year-old phenom out of Suitland, MD, had best learn to swallow is all the media attention. Durant, who starred at National Christian (MD) and Oak Hill the three years prior, has landed at another powerhouse for his senior year. SLAM readers should be familiar with Montrose. In a recent issue, Asian imports Taishi Ito and K.J. Matsui were spotlighted. Ito is still there, causing headaches in the backcourt. So are Greivis Vasquez and Adrian Bowie, two others who’ll soon be stirring havoc in the NCAA. “We’re used to high expectations,” insists Coach Vetter, who’s had a team nationally ranked every year the USA Today poll has come out. “Kevin will simply blend in with these players. We have another three or four D1 players that I didn’t mention.”

But for some reason, coach can’t stop talking about Kevin Durant. Hell, nobody can. Already a top 10 prospect after a regular season where he averaged nearly 20 and nine, the lanky superstar took his game to heights the Space Shuttle Discovery couldn’t when all the summer camps tipped off. Whether it was earning camp MVP honors in Richmond versus O.J. Mayo or out in the Las Vegas heat against Oden, people were talking about this Garnett-in-training. Loudly. So feverish was the word on KD’s very consistent outside shot (he was 42% beyond the arc last season) and smooth basket-facing moves, that many who listed Oden as the top rising senior wondered if they needed a 1-B for Kevin.

The newfound attention “feels good, man,” the future Texas Longhorn admits. “I feel like the hard work paid off. I’m glad other people think I’m the No. 1 player, but right now, I just got to work hard and get ready for that next level. I’m glad people think I’m the No. 1 player, but it really doesn’t matter to me.”

No joke. It really doesn’t bother him. Nothing much does. The super-quick Durant doesn’t seem fazed by the new NBA ruling on draft eligibility (“I’m kind of glad I’m going to college”) or moving around so much (“I’m glad I made the move”). Just 17 and the kid’s unflappable.

That is, until the lone drawback of Kevin’s game is brought up. Physically, Durant isn’t the biggest fella you’ve ever seen in the paint. He could use an additional 20 around the upper body, and Kevin knows it. “I’ve been in the weight room every day since I got back from Vegas,” tells Durant. “I’m probably about 205 right now. By the beginning of the season, I should be at my ideal weight.”

And if that regime doesn’t work, a feast on the upcoming competition and a few more of those loaded peanut butter and jelly sandwiches should do the trick.

2007-03-08T10:07:00.000-08:00

When Tragedy Hits Home

Lima, Ohio, isn’t a big city. Some who visit the blue-collar municipality of about 45,000 in the northwest section of the state don’t call it a city at all. Two malls, a couple of movie theaters and a popular hamburger joint called Kewpee’s. To the everyday traveler cruising up and down I-75, that’s all he’ll ever notice about the place. But for me, it’s a whole lot more. Lima is my second home. My mom was born there. Many of my favorite childhood memories involve a slice of pizza or a summer camp crush and take place right off Eureka Street or Dingledine Avenue. My grandma, aunt and cousins are still there. We have a family reunion planned there in less than five months.

But right now, my home away from home is enduring a hurt you don’t wish upon your worst enemy. Two of its most promising sons, Tyler Williams and Scott Harmon, died in that tragic March 2 Atlanta bus crash involving the Bluffton University baseball team. Though I didn’t personally know either of the young men, I’m certain our families crossed paths regularly. (Williams, in fact, was eulogized by my great uncle at the same church I was baptized.) This sad story has shaken the nation. Just imagine the effect it’s having on Lima, Elida, Bluffton and other tightly-knit corners of Northwestern Ohio.

While prayers for the Williams and Harmon families (teammates David Betts and Cody Holp and bus driver Jerome Niemeyer, and his wife, Jean, were also killed) are essential right now, there’s more that can be done to help in the healing. A fund has been established at Citizens National Bank for the Bluffton student-athletes involved in the crash. Contributions can be made by check payable to Bluffton University and mailed to Citizens National Bank, 102 S. Main Street, Bluffton, Ohio 45817. Please note "Baseball Team" in the check’s memo line. Credit card contributions can be made by calling 419-358-3324 during the university’s business hours. Funds will be available to the players and their families.

Bluffton University thanks you.

The families thank you.

Lima, Ohio, thanks you.

I thank you.

2007-02-17T05:19:00.000-08:00

Going About Things The Hard-a-way

Somebody playing in the NBA right now is gay. Somebody playing in the NBA right now who’s averaging over 20 points a game is gay. Look at the computer screen with that mask of bewilderment all you want. It’s true. Simple math says it has to be so. There are a couple of big-name guys consistently in that homosexual rumor mill. Whether those bits of gossip ever prove true, you and I don’t have a clear answer yet. We just need to be at peace with the fact that it definitely exists.

And as former NBA star Tim Hardaway so un-eloquently proved a couple of days ago, so, too, does blatant ignorance. Like Chicago Bulls star Ben Gordon recently mentioned, the man is free to feel however he wants to feel. That ain’t the question. But to come on live Miami radio with hate-filled remarks about another group of folk just isn’t the wisest thing to do—especially when the public (some of which prefer same-sex interaction) is directly responsible for much of the money in your bank account. Bad career move, bruh.

Absolutely senseless to revisit Tim’s rant any longer, the once-beloved guard made it known where he stands on the issue. NBA commish David Stern did him one better in his rebuttal, letting Hardaway know where the League stands on bigotry by disassociating itself with the former all-star during this weekend’s Las Vegas festivities. "We removed him from representing us because we didn't think his comments were consistent with having anything to do with us," Stern told reporters on the eve of 2007 NBA All-Star Game. But “this is an issue overall that has fascinated America. It's not an NBA issue," Stern continued. "This is a country that needs to talk about this issue. And, not surprisingly, they use sports as a catalyst to begin the dialogue."

Of course, all of this dialoging that’s supposed to happen now is a result of the coming out of the NBA’s first player, journeyman John Amaechi. This past Thursday the former Penn State center, who’s making the media rounds in promotion of his autobiographical work, Man in the Middle, was on a sports talk show and said that Hardaway’s remarks likely had damaging effects on somebody thinking about revealing their true sexual identity. It’s sad but he’s probably right.

Listen, if John Amaechi –Yes, career 6.2-point/2.6-rebound/0.8-assist-averaging John Amaechi!- can make front page news about being gay, one can only begin to fathom the masses’ reaction if one of the guys participating in the dunk contest or three-point shootout ever came out. I, for one, wouldn’t have a problem with a major sports star saying he’s gay. I know he’s out there. Simple math says as much. Sure, ladies like Sheryl Swoopes have kinda paved the way, but it’s different for guys. And while Hardaway-like sentiment would certainly spew, what Dallas Mavs owner Mark Cuban suggests about new endorsement doors opening might also ring true. But now it doesn’t appear such a press conference is on the immediate horizon. And it felt so damn close, too. Thanks, Timmy.

2007-02-01T09:26:00.000-08:00

Super Bowl XLI

February 4, 6:30pm

Colts vs. Bears. Peyton Manning vs. The Greats. Rex Grossman vs. The Flakes. Tony “The Teacher” Dungy vs. Lovie “The Pupil” Smith. There are a million and one storylines to choose from for this Sunday’s game. Most media outlets down in Miami are seemingly going with the obvious: Offense vs. Defense. It’s a safe angle, so we’re going to tag along with it, too. But rather than look at Indianapolis' much-discussed, Manning-orchestrated offense and the Bears’ stifling D, it’s high time the Colts’ defense and Chi-town’s O got some ink.

Though nowhere near as suffocating as you’d expect a Super Bowl contender to be without the ball, Bob Sanders, Dwight Freeney and the rest of the Colts are gifted enough (and a tad frustrated) to hunker down when it’s time to. Indy, looking at my Tag Heuer, it’s about that time. The Bears are the perfect opponent for the speedy Colts to have their statement game on D.

But don’t get it twisted. Chicago, who’s quietly put together games of 30+ points eight times this season, has some pop. Thomas Jones and Cedric Benson make up a burly, hole-finding RB combo. And that Bernard Berrian is one of the premier young wideouts in the League. But because the way-too-erratic Grossman (in the NFC title victory, Rex was a gross 11 for 26 in pass attempts) is the one responsible for getting them the ball, you never know which Bears team will show.

Expect the Chicago QB to break his hex of inconsistency here. Something about the way he’s carried himself the past few days hint at a decent Super Bowl showing. (Translation: He won’t loss the game for the Bears.) It won’t be quite enough to counter what the Colts have in store –“[Peyton’s] throwing the ball as well as ever,” Dungy told reporters earlier in the week—but the game will prove a worthy NFL finale.

Super Bowl XLI: Indianapolis 27, Chicago 17

2007-01-30T08:55:00.000-08:00

The NHL Hartford Whalers left ages ago. The Boston Celtics and Bruins play their home games nearly 100 miles away. So, really, the only things going in Northern Connecticut, sports-wise, are the UConn Huskies men’s and women’s hoops teams. Currently, the ladies are 6th in the country, feasting off Charde Houston’s smooth game and Geno Auriemma’s seamless coaching. Their male counterparts aren’t ranked –in fact, before this past Saturday they’d lost three straight games- but they have enough talent that an NCAA at-large bid isn’t out the question. Nosebleed was at the Hartford Civic Center on January 27 to see the Huskies attempt to stop their losing skid against the fast-improving Providence Friars. Here are the game notes…

-Parking is hard to come by downtown, especially five minutes before tip-off. We find a spot about four blocks from the arena. Every other person walking towards the Civic Center is in an UConn jacket.

-They’re giving out navy and silver pom-poms. Guys reach in the box just as quickly as the ladies do.

-The souvenirs aren’t terribly expensive. Long sleeve tees went for $22 and $30. The shorter ones set up back about $18.

-Our seats are in section 215. Not great, not terrible. Once we got to them –Boy, talk about your Saturday morning workout up all those stairs- the first thing you notice is how absolutely packed the place is. There isn’t an empty seat in the building except for one place—the student section. Seeing as how the girls have a home game going on back on campus today, too, I’m guessing fans had to split up.

-The first half of action is relatively even. Huskies guards A.J. Price and Marcus Johnson aren’t blowing me away with their skills, but they aren’t doing anything to hurt their team either. Providence’s Herbert Hill, however, is impressive as a 6-10 forward who weaves in and out of the paint with ease. A Shawn Marion type, he’s always around the ball. 45-43, UConn at the half.

-The halftime show is kinda weak. The Huskies dance team comes out and does a number to a Daddy Yankee or Sean Paul track. Too stiff to be sexy. Too underdressed to be artistic.

-The second half starts with a laugh—especially if you’re a Friar follower. So, Connecticut has this home game ritual where everyone stands until a Husky makes a field goal. Sounds reasonable, right? Unfortunately, on this day, UConn comes out colder than the 18 degree temp outdoors. They miss lay-ups and threes. They turnover the ball foolishly. It’s all pretty hilarious. Some five minutes tick off the clock until the first UConn player scores. But to the Husky crowd’s credit, only a handful of fair weather fans sit before the shot goes in.

-Because of the rough start, Providence takes a commanding lead. There’s even a sequence where the Friars run the same alley-oop play four straight times –FOUR straight times!- on the Huskies. The 16-0 run is completely deflating. While Huskies big men Hasheem Thabeet and Jonathan Madeldove try to remain a presence in the hole, their careless dropped passes and senseless fouls do more harm than good. Stud Jeff Adrien is the only one in an UConn jersey who came to play. Too bad dude’s 18 points, 10 boards and five assists aren’t nearly enough. Providence, 84-72. But all isn’t lost this Saturday in Connecticut: Auriemma’s girls easily crush Notre Dame 64-47.

2007-01-18T10:03:00.000-08:00

The Three Biggest Headlines from a Super Weekend…

Peyton vs. Tom- This ain’t the Yankees/Red Sox but it’s about as close as CBS is going to get in the football department. The Colts and Pats seem to tangle in the postseason every year, with New England usually ending up with more points on the scoreboard. Indy QB Peyton Manning knows all about the numbers and has heard all the “He can’t beat New England” clamoring, even though his team’s won the last two meetings. Still, he hasn’t beaten them in the damn AFC playoffs, which is proving an obstacle the future hall of fame quarterback almost annually must face. Brady, on the other hand, has his three Super Bowl rings, but the young man who’s been in the news lately more for who he’s dating (Victoria Secret’s model Gisele Bundchen) than who he’s throwing to (three interceptions a week ago). Both QBs are looking for redemption performances. Both want to prove they’re the best at their position. Both want to know what South Beach feels like in early February.

It’s a Cold, Cold World- Okay, Saints. Mr. Weatherman says it’s going to be a brisk 29 degrees, with a 40% chance of snow showers, this coming Sunday. Brrrrrr. We know you all are used to the relatively calm 65 degree temps of the Superdome, so the chill may come as a shock. But here’s the thing sports reporters and Al Roker types tend to forget: The Bears are playing in the same damn conditions! I don’t care if you’re Mike Ditka, linebacker Brian Urlacher or that drunk dude in section 110, if it’s cold, it’s cold. The Saints, still riding the high of a gutsy divisional victory against Philly, knows that if they can keep the Bears on their heels with some inventive offensive schemes surrounding Reggie Bush, Deuce McAllister and Marques Colston, they’re good enough to beat defensive-minded Chicago. In the freezing cold. With the snow.

Pressure Busts Pipes- Like the case in the NFL most weekends, the pressure (and national TV cameras) will be on the four quarterbacks, Brady, Manning, Chicago’s Rex Grossman and New Orleans’ Drew Brees—and rightfully so. But the conference title isn’t won off the signal caller alone. In the AFC championship, for instance, the Colts’ all-of-a-sudden stout running defense will need to again play big, forcing Brady to air it out to a receiving corp that often comes up missing like socks in the dryer. Over on the NFC side, a lot is going to weigh on the special teams. The Bears’ Devin Hester is making a case for the 2K7 Deion Sanders, but honestly, last week dude looked frazzled on the big stage. Timidity won’t fly this week. If it does rear its ugly head, we know which teams probably won’t be flying south for the Super Bowl.

AFC Championship- Indianapolis 27, New England 17

NFC Championship- New Orleans 31, Chicago 21

2007-01-10T18:17:00.000-08:00

In the spirit of Tony Gwynn and Cal Ripken Jr.'s recent induction into Cooperstown, Nosebleed will take a look at current major leaguers and figure out which ones are shoe-ins for the Hall, which ones are borderline and which ones need a lot of help. Here's a hint: A-Rod's in. Frank Thomas needs kind voters. Chipper needs a tomahawk chop and a prayer.Stay tuned over the next week or so for a full baseball breakdown.

2007-01-07T22:08:00.000-08:00

BCS Championship

January 8, 8PM, Glendale, Arizona

FOX

So, it’s come to this, the Bowl Championship Series title game.
31 bowls –some blissfully brilliant like the Fiesta Bowl; others
boring beyond belief like last night’s GMAC Bowl- have come
and gone, leaving this much-debated match-up between No. 1
Ohio State and No. 2 Florida. The oddsmakers say the Buckeyes,
led by the Heisman Trophy-winning Troy Smith, will win the game
by seven or eight points. Sounds about right. Sure, Gators head
coach Urban Meyer will have laid out one meticulous game plan.
And yes, his team is quicker than a crackhead on speed skates.
But what some folks have failed to realize is that OSU’s Antonio
Pittman and Ted Ginn Jr. are world-class speedsters, too. The
Buckeyes D faced fleet-footed Texas and Michigan earlier in the
year and everybody knows what happened in those contests. The
only thing different about this primetime affair is that it’ll just be
done in front of more viewers. Nothing Meyer, QB Chris Leak
or anybody else in the blue and orange can do will be nearly
enough to stop the 27-17 victory, prompting skeptics across the
country to wonder if Boise State or USC could have managed
any better…Nah, probably not.

Interesting Fact: Having already faced the Longhorns and Wolverines,
the Buckeyes’ game with the Gators is their third No. 1 vs. No. 2 battle
of the season.

2007-01-03T10:04:00.000-08:00

Sugar Bowl

Notre Dame vs. LSU

January 3, 8PM, New Orleans

FOX

With all the prestige of the Notre Dame name and all of
the luster of the Notre Dame tradition, it’s hard to
believe that the Fighting Irish (10-2) have lost eight
straight bowl games, dating back to the ’95 Fiesta Bowl.
But once you get past glimmer of the name and the
gaudiness of QB Brady Quinn’s game (3,278 passing yards,
35 TDs, five interceptions), what else does the team
have? The Darius Walker-led running game is so-so. The
defense is porous. The reputation of greatness is becoming
more tarnished with each new year. The same can’t be said
about LSU right now. Had the Tigers (10-2) not self-
destructed against Florida (three fumbles and a blocked
punt), they’d likely be riding a nine-game winning streak
right now. QB JaMarcus Russell is massive (6-6, 252
pounds) and masterful (26 TDs). The growling D is one of
college’s best. All of that in the Tigers’ favor and they’re
essentially playing this bowl game in their own backyard,
the New Orleans Superdome. Spells trouble for the Irish,
right? Actually, the chip on Notre Dame’s shoulders might
just spell a 34-28 upset.

Interesting fact: During the Irish’s eight-year winless
bowl streak, they’ve lost by an average of 16.5 points.

2007-01-01T20:29:00.000-08:00

Orange Bowl

Louisville vs. Wake Forest

January 2, 8PM, Miami

FOX

What an improbable run. The sports professionals in the preseason knew the team would be better but nobody could have predicted this. 11 wins. A couple of nationally-televised games. Their first BCS game appearance. Maaan, and you thought Wake Forest’s out-of-nowhere jaunt to the Orange Bowl was impressive? Louisville’s (11-1), which required patching together an offense without running back Michael Bush all year and quarterback Brian Brohm for part of it, may be equally amazing. (Well, it does help having a pair of great hands like Harry Douglas’ on your squad…) Still, we can’t take anything away from AP coach of the year, Wake’s Jim Grobe. The man was simply magical in leading a can’t-quit Demon Deacons team (11-2) that trounced Florida State, upset Boston College and won the school’s first ACC conference crown since 1970. Louisville will win this semi-shocking meeting, 31-20, but it won’t be easy

Interesting fact: While Douglas stands out in the Cardinals’ receiver nest, three others caught at least 20 passes and six others had touchdowns.

2007-01-01T10:39:00.000-08:00

Fiesta Bowl

Oklahoma vs. Boise State

January 1, 8PM, Glendale, AZ

FOX

Talk about Boise State’s inferior schedule all you want. But if you really looked at the Broncos’ opponents, it might not seem so cupcake. They played four explosive bowl teams (Oregon State, Hawaii, Utah and Nevada) in the regular season. The undefeated BSU won them all by a combined 157-58. Credit much of that offensive output to running back Ian Johnson, the country’s second-leading rusher in ’06. Don’t worry if you haven’t seen much of Johnson (or anyone else in a Broncos uniform for that matter) this year; you’ll get plenty of chances when he’s in the NFL really soon. Same goes for Oklahoma’s Adrian Peterson, an amazing tailback who missed two months of action with a broken collarbone. He’s back now. That fact, coupled with the Sooners’ grueling defense (they held six opponents to 10 points or less), should make this Fiesta Bowl one to remember. Boise State, 24-21, in a surprising classic.

Interesting fact: Talk about pressure. The Broncos are the first Western Athletic Conference team to make it to a BCS bowl.

2006-12-30T11:06:00.000-08:00

Rose Bowl

Michigan vs. USC

January 1, 5PM, Pasadena

ABC

Gonna go out on a limb here and say that nobody from the BCS committee was invited over to Michigan coach Lloyd Carr’s hotel room to bring in the new year. As the head man for the football team with arguably the biggest gripe about not getting into the title game, Carr and his Wolverines (11-1, with impressive wins over Notre Dame, Wisconsin and Minnesota) have lots of folks to be upset with. To really drive home their point about being overlooked though, QB Chad Henne, running sensation Mike Hart and the stifling Michigan rush D needs to beat up on a USC squad many also thought could give Ohio State fits. Had the Trojans (10-2) gotten past their cross-town rival UCLA, this BCS mess would be even more problematic. But they didn’t, so the young Trojans are forced to “settle” for the Rose Bowl and, sadly, a 28-21 defeat to the country’s second best team.

Interesting Fact: The Wolverines faced seven teams that went to bowls this year. They won all but the Ohio State game.

2006-12-23T07:04:00.000-08:00

Texas Bowl

Rutgers vs. Kansas State

December 28, 8PM, Houston

NFL Network

If this were August and you said Rutgers would be 10-2 and playing in a late December bowl game, folks could have been well within their rights to have you hauled off to an insane asylum. Sure, they had come off a semi-respectable 7-5 ’05 tilt, but nobody saw the Scarlet Knights coming like they did this year—especially not Ohio U, Navy and Louisville, three other ’06 bowl teams that star Rutgers running back Ray Rice and Co. simply ran over this season. Kansas State (7-5) isn’t crazy though. It knows that if it’s to win its fourth game in five contests it’s got to put a lid on Rice, have exemplary play from freshman QB Josh Freeman and show off a stout kickoff return group. But if you think that’ll be enough to stop a determined Rutgers, you’re completely nuts. 28-17, Knights.

Interesting Fact: This is the Knights first time reaching double-digit wins since 1976.

2006-12-22T19:34:00.000-08:00

...And so begins a new era.

2006-12-22T06:30:00.000-08:00

Independence Bowl

Oklahoma State vs. Alabama

December 28, 4:30PM, Shreveport

ESPN

The loser here will have a bit of explaining to do. The team on the short end of the Independence Bowl scoreboard drops to 6-7 for the year. That’s not exactly what either of these high-profile institutions had in mind at season’s kick-off. The Alabama front office is so upset with the Crimson Tide’s uneven season –Bama was just 2-6 in the SEC- it has already given head coach Mike Shula his walking papers. The school reached out to Steve Spurrier, Nick Saban and Rich Rodriguez about the opening. None gave the Tide the time of day. What, they don’t like speedy wideouts like Bama’s D.J. Hall? Who knows? All the Crimson Tide organization can much concern itself with right now is figuring out how to stop Oklahoma State’s highly-potent Bobby Reid-to-Adarius Bowman aerial assault. Do that, interim coach Joe Kines, and the full-time job just might be yours. We’re betting he can’t. 41-28, Cowboys.

Interesting Fact: With this game, Alabama is making its NCAA-leading 54^th bowl appearance.

2006-12-21T04:43:00.000-08:00

Emerald Bowl

Florida State vs. UCLA

December 27, 8PM, San Francisco

ESPN

Alas, the first marquee match-up…yeah, if this were ’96. In ’06, this Bruins/Seminoles meeting just doesn’t carry the same luster. FSU is in the midst of its worst season in a very long time. (Wait, so you’re telling me that if they lose, they’ll fall to 6-7?!) QB Drew Weatherford can ease doubt of his skills with a good showing. Coach Bobby Bowden can quiet boosters who want his head with a good win. UCLA coach Karl Dorrell doesn’t have to worry about job security even though his up-and-down Bruins (7-5) had a sub par year. Something about beating hated USC and killing their title hopes just has that type of effect. Who knows what kind of effect beating the Noles 20-10 in Northern California will have on Dorrell.

Interesting Fact: If Florida State ends up 6-7, it’ll be the school’s first year under .500 since ’76, Bowden’s first year as head coach.

2006-12-19T18:57:00.000-08:00

Motor City Bowl

Central Michigan vs. Middle Tennessee State

December 26, 7:30PM, Detroit

ESPN

Former standout MAC Conference quarterbacks Bruce Gradkowski, Ben Roethlisberger and Byron Leftwich are having rough seasons in the NFL. Current standout MAC quarterback Dan LeFevour, who’ll likely join the other names shortly, had a really good NCAA season (2,869 passing yards and 25 TDs) for Central Michigan (9-4). Don’t feel too down if you didn’t know that. Few people outside the state knew those stats let alone had any clue this bowl even existed. But we can bet you who did? The good fans down in Murfreesboro, TN, the home of Middle Tennessee State University. Their beloved Blue Raiders (7-5) are playing in their first bowl since joining D1-A back in ’99. Yes, their team’s going to get hammered by the Chippewas 38-14 –MTS lost to Oklahoma and South Carolina by a combined score of 111-7 earlier this year- but man are they going to have a blast while it’s all happening!

Interesting Fact: Talk about versatility. LeFevour not only led the team in passing touchdowns, but he also was its rushing leader with six.

2006-12-17T05:05:00.000-08:00

Hawaii Bowl

Arizona State vs. Hawaii

December 24, 8PM, Honolulu

ESPN

Two words: Colt Brennan. Okay, two more: Get familiar. If you don’t know the name, shame on you and your local paper for not recognizing the record-shattering Hawaii QB sooner. On the back end of what arguably might be the most underrated college football season ever, Brennan (4,990 passing yards, 53 TDs and a 72% pass completion mark) leads his Rainbow Warriors (10-3) into Aloha Stadium, making scoreboard-working Hawaii one of only two teams playing a bowl in its home venue (New Mexico, who’s in the New Mexico Bowl, is the other). So, it goes without saying that the Arizona State Sun Devils have a lot working against them in this season-ender to a ho-hum 7-5 year. But even after Colt and Co. unleash offensive fury in a 38-17 thumping, all isn’t lost for ASU. New coach Dennis Erickson takes over next season.

Interesting Fact: Aside from the earlier-mentioned stats, Brennan also led the NCAA in total offense, points responsible for and passing efficiency.

2006-12-14T06:29:00.000-08:00

Armed Forces Bowl

Utah vs. Tulsa

December 23, 8PM, Ft. Worth

ESPN

Brett Ratliff is Utah’s starting quarterback. And though he only managed 548 rushing yards on 140 carries, Darryl Poston is the leading tailback. Still, if you asked 10 Utes fans to name the most electrifying player on the 7-5 squad, the whole bunch would probably say Eric Weddle, the do-everything athlete who’s liable to line up as a cornerback, fullback, punt returner, safety or field goal holder at any moment. Can’t you just see Tulsa coach Steve Kragthorpe now, sitting somewhere, looking at Utah game film, trying to figure the guy out? If he does come up with a way to get his bruising Golden Hurricane team (8-4) in the win column –I’m picking the Utes, 38-21, by the way- all the media hype about him being the leading candidate for so many coaching job openings will be warranted.

Interesting Fact: Tulsa was held under 20 points just once in the ’06 regular season.

2006-12-13T05:55:00.000-08:00

New Mexico Bowl

New Mexico vs. San Jose State

December 23, 4:30PM, Alburquerque

Supposedly, this bowl was established for a New Mexico team that’s gone 6-5 a few times recently and had not been invited bowling. Thankfully for pigskin lovers in the Land of Enchantment, this year’s 6-6 squad will see some postseason action. Star defensive back Dwight Lowery will likely see the NFL one day soon. He’s that good. The best thing about a Lobos offense that scored 10 points or less three times in ’06 is running back Rodney Ferguson. San Jose State’s (8-4) faced a couple of good offenses this year (Fresno State, Hawaii, Boise State) and, relatively speaking, held up decently against them. But if quarterback Adam Tafralis can keep it going consistently, they won’t need much defense. Roll with the Spartans in a mild upset, 24-17.

Interesting Fact: The new toast of Philly, Eagles QB Jeff Garcia, is a proud San Jose State alum.

2006-12-12T04:14:00.000-08:00

Papajohns.com Bowl

South Florida vs. East Carolina

1PM, December 23, Birmingham

ESPN2

There’s one slice of pizza left and four guys around the table with hungry stares. In many circles that’s a problem, but amongst the selfless East Carolina Pirates (7-5), it’s nothing. These guys share rushes (three EC running backs have four TDs) and receptions (six different people caught at least 20 passes), you know sausage and pepperoni aren’t much a problem. South Florida QB Matt Grothe probably likes his pie the same way he likes his play-calling—with a lil’ bit of everything on it. The ’06 Big East Freshman of the Year, the exciting Grothe not only led the Bulls (8-4) in passing but he also paced them in rushing. Too bad Coach Jim Leavitt won’t let him taste a few plays on defense. ECU munches on SFU 24-21.

Interesting Facts: East Carolina’s last bowl was a thrilling 64-61 double-overtime loss to Marshall in the ’02 GMAC Bowl. On the flip, in South Florida’s last game of any kind, they shocked then-No.7 West Virginia (in Charleston, WV!) 24-19.

2006-12-10T19:18:00.000-08:00

New Orleans Bowl

Troy vs. Rice

8PM, December 22, New Orleans

ESPN

You’ve heard Troy’s name a lot this year. As the Heisman Trophy-winning qua—wait… oooh, we’re talking about the Sun Belt school in Alabama, huh?! Got ya. Quietly, it’s worth mentioning, too, looking at the way the overachieving Trojans (7-5) almost conquered Florida State back in September and simply marched through it conference sked in November and December. Know who else is worth some ink? Rice wideout Jarrett Dillard. The kid had five 100-yard games and caught 20 touchdowns in ’06 for the Owls (7-5). He’ll likely pad those numbers handsomely in a rout of out-of-its-league Troy, 28-10.

Interesting Fact: Cut the Owls some slack if they appear wide-eyed down in the Crescent City. This is the school’s first bowl appearance in 45 years!

2006-12-09T20:27:00.000-08:00

Las Vegas Bowl

Oregon vs. BYU

8PM, December 21, Las Vegas

If you’re on the East Coast, you likely didn’t even know these two went about their business this season. Oregon (7-5) beat Oklahoma (with a lil’ help from Pac-10 officials, remember?) and UCLA. But on the flip side for the Ducks, they looked rather lame against inferior Washington State and Arizona. Guess the same kinda goes for the BYU Cougars (10-2), an offensive-minded squad led by under-the-radar pass sensation John Beck (3,510 passing yards and 30 TDs) that also lost a catfight to the Arizona Wildcats. The Cougars licked their wounds to the tune of nine straight victories. They’ll make it 10 after their 35-31 bout with Oregon.

Interesting Fact: Beck has all the offensive numbers NFL scouts love except for one—his age. At 25, some are whispering that the BYU QB could be 29 or 30 before he truly grasps the position at the next level, and that’s too old for some teams.

2006-12-09T00:48:00.000-08:00

San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl
Texas Christian vs. Northern Illinois

December 19, 8PM, San Diego
ESPN 2

Because it’s the first game on the schedule –and honestly, because it’s got by far the worst name on the bowl list- you may be inclined to skip this one. But that wouldn’t be the wisest move to make because both TCU (10-2) and Northern Illinois (7-5) feature players worthy of your Tuesday night attention. The Horned Frogs’ fourth-ranked rush defense is suffocating while NIU’s Garrett Wolfe is a poor man version of Warrick Dunn—grossly undersized but blessed with the heart and horsepower of an All-American. But even if he isn’t exhausted from a headline-capturing season, the Huskies will still lose 24-14.

Interesting Fact: Wolfe, the nation’s leading rusher this season, is NIU’s career leader in touchdowns, rushing yards and 100-yard rushing games.

2006-12-06T23:08:00.000-08:00

Let’s Go Bowling!

Football fans, I hate to say it, but this bowl stuff isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. The stubborn heads of these college conferences just don’t see what we see, and I for one am getting pretty tired of pleading my case for an eight-team tournament every time the “BCS vs. Playoff” debate arises. Oddly, around the same time that realization came to me the other day, the old “If you can’t beat’em, join’em” adage sprung up, too, and I figured it wouldn’t hurt to enjoy the games at least a little. So, starting on December 8, with the long-anticipated San Diego County Credit Union Bowl (that’s a real name, scout’s honor!) and ending with that kinda important Ohio State/Florida match-up on January 8, I’m going to preview all 32 bowls, one per day, right here. I’ll share a few interesting facts about the contests, highlight important players and make some half-intelligent predictions. No need to thank me if my choices lead to big time cash in an office pool or something. I don’t deserve any credit. Just fault the BCS for forcing me to comply to their senseless structure of things. I most certainly have already…

2006-12-04T23:33:00.000-08:00

TOP TEN- 12-4-06

Everybody has a Top 10. NS is no different. But rather than focus just on college basketball or the NFL, we’ve decided to throw every sport –volleyball, racquetball, kickball- into the same pool and simply fish out the best athletes/teams each Monday. Let the debating commence…

Ohio State- So, the men’s hoops team can’t make it past one week at the top spot. You would’ve thought they’d have taken some notes from a football team that’s been resting at the top spot since Labor Day. Gainesville, y’all ready?
UCLA Bruins- Bad news first: The men’s and women’s soccer teams lost in the national semi finals. The good news: The top-ranked men’s b-ball team isn’t going anywhere. The great news: USC won’t be playing for the national title.
Texas NBA teams- Though the Dallas Mavs’ 12-game winning streak’s come to an end, there appears to be no end to the Lonestar State’s dominance over the NBA. Texas teams are an amazing 36-15 so far.
San Diego Chargers- The incomparable LaDanian Tomlinson needs three TDs to break Shaun Alexander’s one-year-old record for most scores in a season (28). Your favorite AFC team needs to pray it doesn’t have to face the Bolts in the playoffs.
ACC women’s hoops- How good is this conference? Well, aside from the obvious (Maryland, UNC and Duke are in the top 5), there’s the interesting note that five other schools got votes to be in the top 25.
Florida Gators- The only thing in the world capable of curing a basketball loss to rival Florida State was an invite to Arizona for the national football championship…. Ahhhh, all better now.
Michigan Wolverines- The playoff argument picks up a lil’ steam with Michigan’s non-invite, yet not enough to get excited about. But is it just me or is this Wolverines/Trojans Rose Bowl looking more tantalizing by the minute?
Buffalo Sabres- “Although we have had some key injuries and lost a lot of our depth, we've still been able to maintain our winning ways,” said Sabres coach Lindy Ruff. NHL, be afraid. Be very afraid.
Utah Jazz- Now comfortably into December, the Jazz’s bandwagon is starting to fill up. While NS isn’t completely on for the ride just yet –“Carlos Boozer” and “all-star season” just doesn’t go together, does it?- we are thinking about buying a ticket.
Indianapolis Colts- The Tennessee Titans’ last-second win may have been a fluke, but the fact this team allowed an inferior opponent to even have a chance was not. Simply put: Indy’s got lots of work to do if it’s going to Miami.

Almost Made The Cut: baseball free agents (Vincente Padilla? $33 million?!), North Dakota State (beat then-No. 8 Marquette), California colleges (UC-Santa Barbara won men’s soccer and Cal-Berkeley won men’s water polo titles)

Three WORST: the NFC (Honestly, a .500 team might get a home playoff game), Arkansas Razorbacks (one-time BCS threat has lost two straight), Kansas Jayhawks (lost to DePaul) and USC (let one get away…)

2006-11-28T08:10:00.000-08:00

TOP TEN- 11-28-06

Everybody has a Top 10. NS is no different. But rather than focus just on college basketball or the NFL, we’ve decided to throw every sport –women’s hoops, women’s ice hockey, women’s soccer- into the same pool and simply fish out the best athletes/teams each Monday. Let the debating commence…

Ohio State- Having the clear-cut No. 1 football team is one thing. Having the ESPN No. 1 men’s basketball team is another. But having what some are considering the best women’s hoops team, too, is just plain showing off.
UCLA Bruins- The Gators and Wolverines will be cheering the Bruins on during their huge rival game with USC on Saturday. Who knows if they have the same intensity over the AP No. 1 men’s hoops team or the men’s and women’s soccer teams in their respected Final Fours.
Texas NBA teams- San Antonio, Dallas and Houston are a combined 30-12 this young season and each appears to be getting increasingly more comfortable with each victory.
Indianapolis Colts- By no means are the 10-1 Colts invincible, but if Peyton keeps tossing it, Reggie Wayne keeps catching it and Joseph Addai keeps running it, they’ll appear it come January.
USC Trojans- A convincing victory over the overrated Notre Dame Fighting Irish give the way quick Trojans a fighting chance to make the title game—much to the chagrin of the aforementioned Gators and Wolverines.
Chicago Bears- The NFC is so weak that 5-6 teams are still optimistic about making the playoffs. These Bears (albeit, offensively flawed) appear to be the only ones with bite.
Maryland Lady Terps- We sure hope these Terps aren’t claustrophobic because it is getting really bunched up near the top of the women’s hoops poll. UNC, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Duke and UGA want that No. 1 spot.
Buffalo Sabres- Thomas Vanek and Co. have lost just three of its first 24 games in regulation. They’re clearly the class of the NHL. You not knowing who Thomas Vanek is clearly means you need to watch more hockey.
Colt Brennan- Hawaii’s record-shattering QB (4,589 passing yards and 51 TDs, just three short of David Klingler’s NCAA mark) rewrites the books and earns an invite to the Heisman presentation after this weekend’s game with Oregon St.
Utah Jazz- Quick: Name the Jazz’s three leading scorers… Nope, Carlos Boozer, Deron Williams and Mehmet Okur. This largely-unknown bunch is taking the NBA by storm, one impressive win at a time.

Almost Made The Cut: NBA Pacific Division (no team under .500), Orlando Magic (11-4 after beating Utah on Mon.), Anaheim Ducks (17-2-6)

Three WORST: NBA Atlantic Division (no team over .500), Detroit Lions (2-9), Michael Vick (re-defining the term “Dirty Bird” for frustrated Atlanta fans)

2006-11-19T22:09:00.000-08:00

TOP TEN- 11-20-06

Everybody has a Top 10. NS is no different. But rather than focus just on college basketball or the NFL, we’ve decided to throw every sport –NBA, PBA, PGA- into the same pool and simply fish out the best athletes/teams each Monday. Let the debating commence…

Ohio football- The No. 1 Ohio State Buckeyes’ near-classic win over No. 2 Michigan solidifies the team’s place in the BCS Championship. Cincinnati’s huge upset over No. 7 Rutgers assures them of at least the Liberty Bowl.
Jimmie Johnson- JJ didn’t win the Ford 400 –Greg Biffle did- but he didn’t need to in order to win his first Nextel Championship. You put up a good fight there though, Matt Kenseth.
Buffalo Sabres- You might not be into hockey, but if you’re not at least seeing the nightly highlights of these NHL wonders, you’re doing yourself a disservice as a sports fan. Hand’em the Cup now!
Maryland Lady Terps- The defending NCAA champs are loaded (Crystal Langhorne, Shay Doron) and don’t look the least bit worried about making a repeat run.
Florida Gators- The football team has an outside shot –waaay outside- of making the BCS title game with an SEC title. The No. 1-ranked basketball team can beat you from the outside, inside or whatever side it chooses.
Utah Jazz- The most interesting thing about the NBA’s best team in November isn’t the fact they’re off to a franchise-best 9-1 start; it’s actually that guard Deron Williams is becoming a certified star and no one’s really noticed.
USC Trojans- What a week for Southern Cal! Not only did the title game-sniffing Trojans smack up Cal, but the basketball team made its own winning play: getting hoops phenom O.J. Mayo to sign a letter of intent.
San Diego Chargers- Philip Rivers is a certified starter. LaDanian Tomlinson is a certified Hall of Famer. Shawne Merriman, who’s one week from returning from suspension, is a certified beast. Rest of the league, watch out for the 8-2 Bolts.
North Carolina Lady Tar Heels- It’s truly unbelievable how loaded the No. 2 Heels really are…Oh, and the No. 2 ranked guys team ain’t half bad either.
Indianapolis Colts- So Dallas got the best of them on Sunday. With the ridiculous “Will they go 16-0?” monkey off their backs, Peyton and Co. can finally take care of business—clinching the AFC North.

Almost Made The Cut: Chicago Cubs (signing Alfonso Soriano), Nashville Predators (8-1-1 over the last 10), Oral Roberts (upset then-No. 3 Kansas by 7)

Three WORST: Memphis Grizzlies (off to a 1-8 start), Rutgers (your textbook letdown loss vs. Cincy), Atlanta Falcons (your textbook definition of inconsistency)

2006-11-05T07:46:00.000-08:00

The Yellow Jackets' High-Flying Candidate

It’s early November. Those of us with functioning television sets know exactly what that means: It’s voting time. Just turn on the tube and you’re bound to see somebody campaigning about something for somebody. In the heartland of America, for example, the papers and nightly news can’t decide which side to take in an intense quarterback tussle between Ohio State’s Troy Smith and Notre Dame’s Brady Quinn. On the Atlantic Coast, much of the talk has revolved around two Big East contenders running all over the place, West Virginia’s Steve Slaton and the Barack Obama of football, Rutger’s Ray Rice, who’s seemingly come from nowhere to make all sorts of noise. Even in the Governator’s state of California, they’re getting in on the political times, standing up for Cal-Berkeley’s dazzling tailback Marshawn Lynch and quietly building buzz for Hawaii’s record-rewriting QB Colton Brennan.

And honestly all of that is nice. It’s good to come across mud-slinging that actually involves some real darn mud! Candidates in Washington D.C. could take some notes from these 18-year-olds in cleats. Still, much like on Capitol Hill, they’re missing the real issue here. That central concern with the Heisman is that it should be about picking the best athlete in college, that guy most important to his football team. Yes, it helps wearing a jersey that’s familiar to all and it certainly doesn’t hurt playing your last game after New Year’s Day, but the media –and they can’t blame any hanging chads for this; well, unless they’re talking about Michigan’s tough quarterback Chad Henne- is seemingly overlooking one of the season’s most obvious facts: The Heisman Trophy winner might be Georgia Tech wide receiver Calvin Johnson.

Sure, most agree that No. 21’s got the best hands in the NCAA, but what the way-more-likeable Randy Moss did against North Carolina State on November 4 (nine catches, 168 yards, two touchdowns, tying him for the Yellow Jackets’ career mark) is only indicative of what the 6-3, 235-pound speedster is capable of every Sunday in the NFL. He’s that good. Really.

Boosters from Georgia Tech had nothing to do with this piece, I assure you. This is just one observation from a guy who simply wants the best for his country. The Buckeyes’ Troy Smith is great. And when he’s on, Irish quarterback Brady Quinn is exceptional. But for what it’s worth, I do not approve this mess of a job the voters are doing in overlooking Calvin Johnson in the current Heisman Trophy race.

2006-10-30T13:47:00.000-08:00

TOP TEN- 10-30-06

Everybody has a Top 10. NS is no different. But rather than focus just on college football or the NFL, we’ve decided to throw every sport –LPGA, luge and lacrosse- into the same pool and simply fish out the best athletes/teams each Monday. Let the debating commence…

St. Louis Cardinals- So they only won 83 regular season games. So their World Series win over Detroit was one of the least-watched finales in history. So the Cards live in America’s most dangerous city. At least they had a bomb parade!
Chicago Bears- They’re winning ugly (unforgettable victory over Arizona) and they’re winning pretty (41 first-half pts vs 49ers). They’re win over Miami this coming weekend might offer a lil’ of both.
Ohio State- Every week Troy Smith is looking like some ridiculous semblance of Michael Vick and Vince Young. Illinois and Northwestern are the QB’s final dress rehearsals before the showdown with #4 on this list.
Michigan- Ball State and Indiana are the only potential stumbling blocks –if you wanna call them that- to one of the most-anticipated regular-season football games in decades.
West Virginia- So much has been said about the OSU/Michigan game that this Saturday’s West Virginia/Louisville clash has gone mostly undetected. Winner gets on EVERYONE’s radar.
Indianapolis Colts- Peyton Manning, Marvin Harrison and Reggie Wayne are an unbelievable trio. We’ll see just how good they are after they’ve tackled the threesome of New England, Dallas and Philly over the next month.
Miami Heat- The NBA season tips off this week with these defending champs taking on the East’s new beast, the Ben Wallace-led Chicago Bulls.
Buffalo Sabres- These Stanley Cup runner-ups (10-0-1) seem to be all about finishing what they couldn’t last year.
Atlanta Thrashers- The Ice Birds’ 8-1-3 start is the best in the franchise’s history. Ilya Kovalchuk and Marian Hossa are certainly the best two players in franchise history.
Atlanta Falcons- Michael Vick, the passer. Has a nice ring to it? Always has. Just folks are finally taking the time to notice.

Almost Made The Cut: Anaheim Mighty Ducks (8-0-3), Florida Gators b-ball (unanimous preseason #1), MLB free agents Alfonso Soriano, Jason Schmidt, Nomar Garciaparra and Frank Thomas (show me the money!)

Three WORST: Bowling Green (lost to Temple, ending its 20-game losing streak), Arizona Cardinals (bye week couldn’t come soon enough for 1-7 stinker), Detroit Tigers (let down millions, including NS, on the biggest stage)

2006-10-18T18:02:00.000-07:00

Hey, good folks (and you, too, Tikyle!). NS would like to apologize to all the steady readers for the lack of updates over the past 10 days or so. There's good reason though: Blog Central (i.e. my laptop) has relocated from Atlanta to New England. But no worries. Just because we haven't been around with insight on all the triumphs (Arkansas football! Detroit baseball!) and tragedies (The A's firing Macha... FIU fighting Miami...) around sports doesn't mean we haven't bee paying attention to them. Posts will be back up sooner than later. And that's word to Dennis Green!

2006-10-02T17:07:00.000-07:00

TOP TEN- 10-2-06

Everybody has a Top 10. NS is no different. But rather than focus just on college football or Major League Baseball, we’ve decided to throw every sport –NASCAR, WNBA and the MAC- into the same pool and simply fish out the best athletes/teams each Monday. Let the debating commence…

Ohio State- Hostile environment, schmostile environment. The Bucks went down to Iowa City and put it on the Hawkeyes. The nerve of any AP voter who still gives his top vote to any other school.
Indianapolis Colts- That ending wasn’t quite Cal/Stanford but it was wacky enough. Peyton “Mr. 4^th Quarter” Manning and his 4-0 Colts weren’t amused.
New York baseball- NS has loved the Detroit Tigers for most of the season, but we think they’re on borrowed time vs. the Yanks. The Dodgers, on the other hand, have that zip, that swag, that just might be enough for the Mets.
West Virginia- Sports Illustrated ran a story on Mountaineer RB Steve Slaton in last week’s issue. They’re only about 10 months late. The rest of the free world will catch on after WV’s Big East clash with Louisville on Nov. 2.
Chicago Bears- Last week’s No. 5 was Seattle, the team the Bears simply embarrassed on a national stage on Sunday night. Rex Grossman and a stifling defense that gives up zilch are the reasons there’s a new No. 5.
Carolina Hurricanes- Yeah, we know you don’t care, but the ’06-07 NHL season does face-off for the first time this week. Until someone shows that these defending champs don’t deserve to be here, they’ll rest comfy.
NL West- Dang, we hate Felipe Alou’s gone in San Francisco, but man do we love the clutch play of L.A. and how San Diego made the postseason without a guy anywhere near 30 homers or 100 RBI.
Garrett Wolfe- Heisman usually only makes times for the kids in the Pac-10 and Big 12. He’ll have to make an exception for this star tailback at Northern Illinois who’s already rushed for 1,181 -1,181!- yards this season.
Minnesota Twins- Oakland was 5-1 in the Metrodome this year. So what?! Their NLDS opposing Twins have baseball’s two most slept-on MVP candidates (Justin Morneau, Joe Mauer) and its obvious Cy Young winner (Johan Santana).
Detroit Tigers- Dammit, until AL Manager of the Year Jim Leyland’s boys go home (and they probably will this week), they’re going to stay in this top 10! Great season, fellas...

Almost Made The Cut: Baltimore Ravens (4-0, with the best D in the AFC), Georgia Tech (jumped six spots to No. 18 in poll), Tiger Woods (won his 6^th straight PGA event by eight strokes), Chris Simms (Tampa QB cleared to go home)

Three WORST: Tennessee Titans (have scored just 47 pts in four losses), Duke Blue Devils (shut out in three of four defeats), my fantasy football squad (stunk it up this weekend)

2006-09-28T07:05:00.000-07:00

T.O. Needed a T.O.

Yesterday was pretty nutty, huh? I was deep into a rewrite of a story on high school basketball phenom Greg Monroe when I got a call. “Man, what’s up with Terrell Owens?” I was thinking, “Umm, I don’t know. Dude says he’s gonna prove doctors wrong and play against Philly in a few weeks.” But rather than just blurt that out, I hopped on ESPN.com and saw the headline, “Report: T.O. attempts suicide.” Sorry, Joey, but whooooa. I know T.O.’s on- and off-field saga with the 49ers, Eagles and Cowboys has played out like some helmet-wearing Desperate Housewives episode, but damn, I didn’t think it was that serious.

But suicide? That seems even extreme for Mr. Owens. I’m more inclined to side with a report I read in today’s Dallas Morning News quoting T.O.’s longtime personal trainer, James “Buddy” Primm, as saying that a string of recent emotional events, along with all the supplement popping, were the reasons Terrell fell ill on September 26. “A lot of things were coming to a head anyway,” Primm told reporters, “and then this happened.” The “things” Primm were referring to was Owens missing his seven-year-old son’s birthday party and breaking up with his girlfriend of three years.

See, mild depression and emotional overload I can understand. But ending it all? Now that’s a much tougher pill to swallow.

2006-09-25T06:52:00.000-07:00

TOP TEN- 9-25-06

Everybody has a Top 10. NS is no different. But rather than focus just on college football or Major League Baseball, we’ve decided to throw every sport –fly-fishing, deep-sea fishing and bass fishing- into the same pool and simply fish out the best athletes/teams each Monday. Let the debating commence…

City of New Orleans- The Saints/Falcons Monday Nighter may be the biggest deal, but seeing Tulane’s home opener (Sept 30) and hearing about the Mets’ new minor-league deal with the Zephyrs (starting in ’07) also makes sports lovers smile.
The AFC North- When the Pittsburgh Steelers are a distant third, that says an awful lot about the competition. Division leaders Baltimore and Cincinnati are a combined 6-0 and have pummeled opponents 155 to 67 on the scoreboard.
Ohio State- The defense is rocking. The Troy Smith-led offense is rolling. The No. 1 Buckeyes will come into their big Saturday evening match-up with No. 13 Iowa with just enough swagger to keep on truckin’.
New York baseball- The Yanks lost their weekend series to Tampa Bay. The Mets did the same thing with the Nats. While no one’s panicking on the playoff-bound teams, there is a measure of concern the two appear to be stumbling into the postseason.
Seattle Seahawks- The head-scratching time the New York Giants secondary had stopping the Hawks’ Darrell Jackson, Bobby Engram, Nate Burleson and just-signed Deion Branch could eventually prove a league-wide problem.
European Ryder Cup Team- “This is the pinnacle of my life,” announced European co-captain Ian Woosnam after his country’s smashing of the U.S. Hmm, maybe we just don’t take the event as serious as these guys do...
Detroit Tigers- You do realize these Tigers that just clinched their first playoff appearance since 1987 are the same ones that lost a combined 209 games in ’04 and ’05? Amazing story!
West Virginia- The sign of a great team is when you can win a game even with your stars –QB Pat White tossed three picks, RB Steve Slaton only rushed for 80 yards vs. East Carolina- having a rough day.
Chicago Bears- Rex Grossman and Co. made an early statement against the rival Vikes on Sunday. They’ll attempt to echo their stance against No. 5 on this list this coming weekend.
Trevor Hoffman- ESPN’s Steve Phillips was right. Closers Lee Smith and Goose Gossage deserve to be in the Cooperstown. So, too, does this face of the franchise who just became baseball’s all-time leader in saves.

Almost Made The Cut: Rutgers (ranked for the first time since ‘76), New Hampshire (explosive team is No. 1 in I-AA), Jeff Burton (won Dover 400 and took over the Nextel Cup lead)

Three WORST: Michigan State (lost to Notre Dame after leading 31-14 at half), Rice (have been outscored 107-14 the last two weeks), Atlanta Braves (after being swept by the lowly Rockies, no chance of playoffs or winning record)

2006-09-22T05:08:00.000-07:00

This Sooner is Better

For the most part, I’m on the “Yo, we should keep it” side of the instant replay discussion. I’m all for anything that helps gets calls right in crucial situations. That said, if the zebras are going to continue screwing stuff up (with a zillion camera angles!) like they did the final minute in last weekend’s Oregon/Oklahoma game, let me be the first to express how much of a mistake the experiment was. The botched call cost the Sooners the game and possibly a shot at the national title.

Adrian Peterson, OU’s star tailback, may still get consideration for the Heisman, even with the loss. But ask the amazing 21-year-old future NFL star if he’d rather have 515 rushing yards and four TDs like he does or a 3-0 record and he’d likely say the latter. When we interviewed AD (called “All Day” by teammates) a few months before the season, we didn’t ask him that specifically, but we certainly touched on a few other important topics.

Things have come easily over your career, but what’s been most challenging?

Being able to be patient and sit there and trust in the offensive line that things will open right. When I first came in, I was really just rushing things at 100 mph, thinking it’s just about speed. I’m learning that it’s all about the team and waiting on the different holes to open. You do the correct steps and slow yourself down and you start to see those holes, those little creases, and you can better him them.

Would you rather win the Heisman or beat rival Texas?

Absolutely, I’d rather beat Texas.

Would you rather win the Heisman or be the No. 1 pick in next year’s draft?

With those two choices, I’d be the Heisman Trophy winner. That’s something I’ve been dreaming about since I was a lil’ kid. Being able to get that, it would mean a lot

You got hurt a bit last year. You comin’ into ’06 with a chip on your shoulder?

I’m not gonna sit here and say I’m not trying to improve on last year. It’s kinda funny you said that ‘cuz last year I was watching the Heisman while I was sweeping my floor and it just kinda dawned on me [that I wasn’t there]. I just take it for what it is and try to make up for it any way I can. Being at the house last year and watching it on the TV, I was like, ‘Dang, this time last year I was up there nervous, sitting up in that chair like they were. I used that as motivation to get me prepared for this year.

How’d you cope during the injury?

It was painful not being able to go out there for my team. Watching is not something I really like to do. It was hard, but it’s all part of the game. Just coming off last year, you look back and learn from it. This year I see a lot of guys, including myself, coming in more focused and understands exactly what’s gotta get done to be able to win the Big 12 and have a chance to play for the national championship. So, basically I understand those things coming into this year.

Would you have been ready for the NFL right after high school?

You know, I think it’s best that I’m still in college right now, that I’m still learning and making myself a better player. I probably would have still stayed…I think that’s pretty reasonable. The sport is football not basketball. You go to the NFL and you’re playing against grown men out there feeding their families, so it’s a whole different outlook.

When were your first dreams of Heisman?

When I was a lil’ boy, about seven or eight. When I first started playing football. When I was a lil’ boy playing pee-wee. What would it mean to me? I don’t know, man. It’s hard for me to express what it means not having it right now. I’m pretty sure it’ll mean a great deal…The national championship. You go to your work-outs with all these guys. You go to the work-outs and work our butts off with blood, sweat and tears sometimes. Just the whole team aspect; it’s a team sport. There’s no “I” in “team.” Without the offensive linemen, I can’t do what I do. Without the offensive linemen, a quarterback can’t do what he does. So on and so forth. Winning a national championship is a goal that we set as a team, and as a team, that’s what matters. No doubt, winning a national championship would be what I picked.

How can you stay focused on college ball when you have all those millions waiting on you in the NFL?

You can hear what you think you’re going to get, but it’s not in your hand. Basically, I just stay focused and just continue doing what I did to get here in the first place, not thinking ahead but just taking it day by day. I’m just going to continue doing that and let things unfold.

2006-09-19T21:42:00.000-07:00

Alive and Kicking

I think it was a few seconds sometime before the third field goal dud that I said it from my seat at the Georgia Dome. “Go for it! Forget the field goal! Go for it!” The lady in front of me kinda smirked. I was dead serious. Michael Koeanan had missed two FGs last week and already had matched the futility (one was blocked) in Week 2. Going into the season, I honestly didn’t have much of an issue with Koenan handling all three kicking duties: field goals, punts and kick-offs. Like The 2 Live Stews’ Ryan Stewart said on the air the other day, if a linebacker can get all banged up for 60+ plays a game, a kicker should certainly be able to handle 12 plays or so. Of course, it helps if the kicker actually knows what he’s doing.

46-year-old Morten Anderson knows how to make the ball go through the posts—not around them. The eight-time Pro Bowler only has 2,358 points, second in NFL history to fellow kicker Gary Anderson’s 2,434. "In my heart, I knew I could still play," Andersen told reporters seven days before his first game since playing with Minnesota in ‘04. "It's been a test of endurance for me over the last year and half since I last played for the Minnesota Vikings. I'm really excited to be back in the NFL, especially playing the Saints this week because of the significance of this game for the city of New Orleans and the people of Louisiana."

Falcons fans are pretty geeked up, too. Now that the kicking game appears rectified, there’s just one knot in the Birds’ feathers—the receiving corp. I can only tell you what Arthur Blank might: “One step at a time, my friends…”

2006-09-18T04:10:00.000-07:00

TOP TEN- 9-18-06

Everybody has a Top 10. NS is no different. But rather than focus just on college football or Major League Baseball, we’ve decided to throw every sport –dancing, dodgeball, drag racing- into the same pool and simply fish out the best athletes/teams each Monday. Let the debating commence…

Michigan Wolverines- Most telling fact in the 47-21 thumping of then-No. 2 Notre Dame: The Wolverines were up 26-7 before the Irish got its first first down.
The Manning Bros- Where do I begin in talking about the brothers’ super Sunday? The two impressive wins? The 771 combined passing yards? Maybe the six touchdowns?
Ohio State- Poor, Penn State, coming over to Columbus to get all beat up and stuff this coming Saturday at the Horseshoe.
New York baseball- So, Derek Jeter’s 25-game hitting streak is over. There’s still much to be hyped about in the NYC. For one, both of its teams have 90 wins. For two, there’s less than two weeks of regular season action left.
Atlanta Falcons- I don’t care if you’re president of the “Michael Vick is Overrated” club, you have to respect what his team is doing running the ball and defending against it. As for kicking it through the yellow goal posts…
Kevin Harvick- This past weekend’s winner in New Hampshire, Harvick’s got a small (but respectable) lead in the Nextel Cup Chase.
AL Central race- Detroit still reigns supreme, but the fight the Minnesota Twins and Chicago White Sox are putting up for the wild card spot is nothing short of splendid. The Sox’s Jermaine Dye deserves every MVP mention he gets.
West Virginia- Aside from Auburn, the most overlooked great team in the land. The light-on-their-feet Mountaineers look more amazing each passing week.
Auburn- It’s funny how folks start to give props after you keep a power like LSU out of the end zone. The Tigers are licking their chops at Buffalo and South Carolina next on the schedule.
Chicago Bears- Detroit WR Roy Williams guaranteed victory over the Bears. Of course, they lost 34-7. After the game he said that Chicago “did nothing special.” I knew Bear Brian Urlacher hit hard, but I didn’t know he hit hard enough to cause brain damage.

Almost Made The Cut: Louisville (smacked Miami 31-7), San Diego Chargers (have outscored opponents 67-7), Ben Curtis (won PGA’s 84 Lumber Classic)

Three WORST: instant replay (VERY questionable on-side kick call in Oregon/Oklahoma), Colorado Buffalos (0-3 and UGA this week), Oakland Raiders (haven’t scored a TD yet)

2006-09-15T22:37:00.000-07:00

GRIDIRON GANG

From Rocky and The Bad News Bears to Coach Carter, Hollywood history is littered with sports stories
about losers from the wrong side of the tracks who ultimately become winners on the strength of their heart,
guts and hard-nosed guidance from firm but loving mentors. In that sense, Gridiron Gang-based on the true
story of juvenile detention camp parole office Sean Porter (played by Dwayne Johnson, a.k.a. The Rock)- is
hardly original, but its gritty approach elevates the material above the usual cliched ashy-to-classy fare.

The film opens by introducing us to one of Porter’s young charges, who struggles to go straight upon his release
from juvie, only to find himself slaughtered by rival gang members. When the teen’s vengeful cousin winds up
taking his place behind bars, Porter decides something must be done to provide these troubled youths with an
alternative to gang life, so he and his assistant (played by Xzibit) launch a football program in hopes of teaching
them discipline and self-esteem. “You're losers," he tells them in a pivotal early scene, describing how they lost
by trying to commit various crimes and getting caught. “But,” he assures them, if they devote themselves to his
new program and commit to the team, “by the end of the year you'll be winners.” Of course, before they can
do that they have to battle the detention center’s reluctant administration, the high school coaches who are
reluctant to allow their teams to play convicted criminals and, worst of all, their own self-defeating attitudes.

 
But even the dimmest of audience members knows that this ragtag group of teenage cons will ultimately pull it
together and prove themselves the champions Porter knew they’d be all along. Still, the predictable journey
proves gripping to watch thanks to passionate performances by Johnson and a supporting cast of relative
unknowns, all of whom bring a wealth of genuine emotion to their roles. Make sure you stick around for the end 
credits, in which portions of the original  documentary upon which Gridiron Gang was based prove how closely
the film stayed to Porter’s inspirational true story. (B) -B. Love