24 Jan 11 College Football Pick Washington State at UCLA 10-2-10

Ronald Martinez/Getty ImagesWashington State Cougars at UCLA Bruins (-27)Saturday October 2, 2010 3:30 PM ESTUCLA after an 0-2 start has bounced back with 2 straight wins over ranked opponents. On the other hand, Washington State is 1-3. The Cougars last week got smoked by the 20th ranked USC Trojans.UCLA shocked just about everyone with a victory at Texas. A big part of that has been their 20th ranked rushing offense lead by Sophomore RB Jonathan Franklin who has 409 yards with 4 TDs. The big question for the Bruins is whether or not QB Kevin Prince will play in this game. Prince has said the knee feels great but there is room for worry. The defense for the Bruins has really stood out only allowing 25 total points in the last two weeks vs ranked opponents. Nothing has went right for Baltimore Ravens jersey
the Cougars and they are ranked outside the top 100 in points for (19.3) and points against (43) a game. The one bright spot has been Sophomore QB Jeff Tuel who has thrown for 922 yards with 6 TDs and 4 Ints.With football picks, you always have to go with the hot team. Right now I wouldndoubt that UCLA is the hottest team in the country. They have been amazing and they should have a great reception back at home vs a Pac-10 opponent. Even without Prince, this game is going to be a blowout. The only question is by how many points. With the direction of both teams being opposite, Id give up 27 points for the Bruins.Free College Football Pick: UCLA (-27) This article is also featured onSports Picks

22 Jan 11 College Football: Lindsey's 10 Most Important Week 4 Games

Kellen Moore Seeks to Impress with Big Win over Oregon StateGeoff Burke/Getty ImagesWeek 4 may be the best week so far in the college football season, as four games feature two teams ranked within the top 25 playing each other. There will be no shortage of good games to watch this weekend.Three weeks intoReebok New England Patriots #12 Tom Brady Realtree camo Jersey
the season, with apologies to several fans across the country, there are two teams that are clearly leading the packOhio State and Alabama. Boise State, TCU, Oregon, and Nebraska are knocking on the door.Of course, there will be several upsets between now and the end of the season. Arkansas hopes to be a part of the upset season with one of its own this week.On the season, we are 19-6. Hopefully, we wonfall prey to upsets this week.No. 19 Miami (1-1) at Pittsburgh (1-1)Miami head coach Randy Shannon closed the doors to the locker room after the Canes' 36-24 loss to Ohio State to let his boys know that they blew a golden opportunity.Ive never been a guy that just goes off, Shannon said. But they needed it at that time because I was frustrated.Pittsburgh has had its share of frustration with players arrested for alcohol-related incidents, losing to DE star Greg Romeus for at least six weeks to injury and seeing Dion Lewis struggle running the ball with 105 yards and 32 carriers.Prediction: The Canes should have enough speed on defense to make the Panthers one-dimensional. Miami 28-21.UCLA (1-2) at No. 7 Texas (3-0)UCLA is a difficult team to figure out. Against Stanford two weeks ago, the Bruins had only 233 yards of offense and suffered a humiliating 35-0 loss. This past week, UCLA rebounded with a convincing 31-13 win over No. 23 Houston.Texas has struggled on the offensive end putting up points, but they know that they are a defensive team that is tough to run against. The Texas run defense in the first three games of the season has given up only 128 rushing yards. Texas Tech had negative 14 rushing yards against the Longhorns.Prediction: More questions than answers for coach Rick Neuheisel as the Longhorns win decisively, 35-10.No. 1 Alabama (3-0) at No. 10 Arkansas (3-0)This is the marquee game of the week as the Razorbacks seek to stake their claim for the BCS National Championship. Arkansas QB Ryan Mallett looked impressive in leading the Hogs in a 31-24 win over Georgia as he threw for 380 yards and three touchdowns.Arkansas caught a break facing Georgia without star receiver A.J. Green. This week the Hogs will not be as lucky as the Crimson Tide now appears to be at full strength with DT Marcell Dareus and Heisman Trophy Winner and RB Mark Ingram back in the lineup.Prediction: Alabama wins 31-20.Temple (3-0) at No. 23 Penn State (3-0)The Owls are 3-0 for the first time since 1979 and are coming off a solid 30-16 win over Connecticut. Could Temple double the number of bowl appearances in school history by going to its second consecutive bowl game this year?Penn State rebounded nicely after its first loss of the season with a 24-0 win over Kent State, but all is not smiles in Happy Valley. The biggest question mark for the Nittany Lions is their running game. Senior Evan Royster has now gone over 3,000 yards in his career, but he has yet to rush for more than 40 yards in a game this season.Prediction: Penn State should beat Temple 31-13, but expect a few anxious moments for Paterno.Kentucky (3-0) at No. 9 Florida (3-0)Former Wildcat assistant coach and wide receiver Joker Phillips was named Kentucky's head coach on January 6, 2010. Phillips is therefore well aware of how Kentucky has struggled against Florida. In the last two meetings between the teams, Florida has outscored Kentucky 104-12. Phillips is also aware of how the fortunes of the Wildcats have changed, as Kentucky has gone to four straight bowl games, a school record, and will likely go to another bowl game this year.PredictionL Kentucky is a two-touchdown underdog, but something doesnseem quite right with Florida. Wildcats in a shocking upset over the Gators, 31-30.No. 8 Oklahoma (3-0) at Cincinnati (1-2)Oklahoma is aReebok New Orleans Saints #9 Drew Brees Realtree camo Jersey
team that appears to get up for the big game and then play to the level of its competition when the spotlight is not on. The Sooners drilled No. 17 Florida State by 30 points but just got by Utah State and Air Force by a combined 10 points. The question in this game is whether the Sooners in their first road game will crack the whip and win going away, or will the Bearcats hang around to the very end becomes Oklahoma has lapses of disinterest.Does Coach Spurrier Have One More SEC Title Run in him?Mike Zarrilli/Getty ImagesPrediction: Coach Stoops should have everybodyattention after the close call against Air Force. Oklahoma 41-17 over Cincinnati.No. 12 South Carolina (3-0) v. No. 17 Auburn (3-0)South Carolina Head Coach Steve Spurrier was not happy with his teamperformance as they needed an 80-yard interception touchdown with 6:38 in the fourth quarter to settle the game against Furman 38-19. We were a little careless at times, Spurrier said. But maybe it was just one game. Maybe we can get in a game with Auburn and play as smart as we can.Auburn beat Mississippi State 17-14 two weeks ago, survived against Clemson 27-24 in overtime last week, and they appear to be headed for their third straight knockdown, drag out fight this week.Prediction: Auburn becomes the cardiac kids of the 2010 football season in beating South Carolina 28-27.No. 24 Oregon State (1-1) at No. 3 Boise State (2-0)The Beavers struggled in defeating Louisville 35-28 and needed an interception by James Dockery to seal the deal. The Cardinals racked up 453 yards of total offense against Oregon State. If the Beavers are going to upset the Broncos, they will have to play better defense.West Virginia Needs Noel Devine to Come Up Big Against LSUJed Jacobsohn/Getty ImagesTCU passing Boise State in the final BCS poll is a distinct possibility because of their schedules, so it will be interesting to see how aggressively Boise State plays against Oregon State.Prediction: Boise State needs a big win to recapture some first place votes it has lost the past two weeks, Broncos 35-13 over the Beavers to keep their BCS Championship hopes alive.No. 22 West Virginia at No. 15 LSUWest Virginia, the standard bearer for the Big East, will have its hands full against the Tigers in Baton Rouge. Fortunately, Reebok New York Giants #27 Brandon Jacobs Realtree camo Jersey
the Mountaineers appear to have a truly balanced offensive attack with Noel Devine running the ball and Geno Smith throwing the ball. LSUoffense has struggled to sustain long drives. The Tigers defense, however, has been stout in creating turnovers and winning the battle of field position to give their offense a short field to work with to get into scoring position.Prediction: The Mountaineers will have trouble picking up the blitz in a low scoring game as LSU wins 21-13.No. 5 Oregon at Arizona StateThe Ducks are putting up ridiculous numbers on the season as they averaging 63 points a game while allowing less than five points to be scored against them. Oregon is averaging more than 380 yards rushing the ball a game.The Sun Devils almost pulled off an impressive road upset last week against No. 11 Wisconsin, ultimately falling 20-19. Quarterback Steven Threet has done a good job mixing things up and the running game has become balanced ensuring that Arizona State has a much better season than 2009.Prediction: The Sun Devils will keep it close until halftime, but Oregon will then pull away in the second half 35-17.

18 Jan 11 Nebraska Football: Heading For Greatness in 2010? Hold That Thought.

Otto Greule Jr/Getty ImagesMake no doubt about it, the first three games of this still young 2010 football season has been nothing short of exciting and foreboding for Husker fans around the country.With the Husker defense showing signs of life in creating more turnovers on the defensive side of the ball, it has been the Husker offense that has been all the rage in Lincoln thus far.With that said, Husker fans need to keep a little even-keeled temperance in what they have witnessed up to date for the 2010 football season.A simple grading scale will bring to light the pluses andCleveland Browns jersey
minuses of this year's Huskers compared to 2009:OFFENSE:QB:Without any doubt, this has easily been the position that has been upgraded the most in 2010 when making a comparison to 2009. Not to take a jab at Zac Lee, but the sheer explosiveness and play-making abilities of Taylor Martinez has been the story of the Huskers this season.Watching the Zone Read being ran by last year's offense was...well, offensive. No spark, no flash, and definitely no ability to be dashing and slashing for runs of 15, 20...and 80 yards.With the pure speed and execution that Martinez brings to the table, the Zone Read has become the staple of the Husker offense.To date, the upgrade at this position is so significant that Husker fans are dreaming of the impossible...a 2010 National Championship.GRADE: A (This could easily be made an A+, but the ability to throw the ball down field can be questioned, and nobody has seen what Taylor can do when the lights shine their brightest.)2009 GRADE: D- (Hard to find a less productive QB situation for the Huskers in the past 50 years than the 2009 Husker edition. One could also have easily ranked this position as 12th in the Big 12 just last year.)RB:With the addition of Martinez, Husker running backs have found running lanes to be much more available and have also shown explosiveness in their own right.While the number of carries for the duo of Helu and Burkhead are down, what they have done with these carries has been a complete night and day switch from last year.However, much like Martinez, this unit has yet to see anything of a solid defense with a solid front seven. That drill will come on Oct. 16 when the Longhorns come a calling. But up till now it is hard to give this unit anything lower than:GRADE: B+ (Could easily be an A if given more opportunities. A solid B+ is nothing to scoff at...)2009 GRADE: B+ (The Huskers simply relied on the power run game in the final 8 games of the season even with the oft-injured Helu and Burkhead. These guys played their hearts out for the Huskers in 2009. The only reason this isn't an A is the sheer lack of production when all is said and done.)WR:Niles Paul and Brandon Kinnie were expected to be the go-to guys entering the season. That hasn't changed after the first three games.The move of Mike McNeill to a slot receiver has shown some signs of brilliance, but hasn't really gelled as of yet. I fully expect McNeill to become more involved with this offense as the season progresses.The only two negatives you can really complain about this unit is the lack of Dallas Cowboys jersey
opportunities and the still frustrating amount of drops that this unit is struggling with...However, we have seen the explosiveness that Kinnie and Paul possess. The real question is who can complement Paul, Kinnie, and McNeill to really open up a passing game that could easily thrive alongside the Huskers rushing attack?GRADE: C+ (Pretty solid grade considering the shear lack of opportunities. I fully expect this unit to gel and get better as the season progresses, but we really haven't seen enough to give them more than a moderate C+ just yet.)2009 GRADE: D (The consistently inconsistent WR play plagued the Huskers in 2009 from this position as countless numbers of balls were dropped, and when plays were made, fumbles often-times followed great efforts out of this group.)OL:With Martinez being the biggest surprise on offense, the Offensive Line hasn't been that far behind. With defenses now giving 8 to even 9 guys in run support, the big uglies up front for the Huskers have more than held their ground thus far.The most impressive part from this group was the 2nd quarter drive against Washington with the score at a still competitive 21-14.Starting at mid-field, the Huskers simply lined up and ran Helu and Burkhead straight down the throat of the Huskies defense to send a message that this game wasn't going to get away from the Huskers. Eight plays later, ending in a 1 yard Martinez touchdown run, and the Huskers were back up by two scores 28-14, and the game was all but over.GRADE: B+ (The depth and somewhat overall injury-free Husker OL has been a solid surprise thus far. The emergence of Jeremiah Sirles at LT, and the continued improvement of Keith Williams and the Husker's C and Guard play has been impressive. This unit will keep getting better all season as long as they stay healthy.)2009 GRADE: D (The 2009 Husker OL was one of the worst the Huskers have seen for quite a while. However, it must be iterated that the Huskers OL from last year incurred countless numbers of injuries throughout the season which included all 5 starters at one time playing hurt or hindered. A tough grade, but results are truly all that really matter. They just weren't there in 2009).OVERALL OFFENSE:GRADE: A (A significant surprise to start the season. Returning an offense that was ranked 99th in the country last year, the Huskers have improved to be the 8th best in the country in overall offensive yardage, and 5th overall in scoring.While it will be tough to maintain those lofty numbers, the 'switch' has definitely been substantial and somewhat awe-inspiring for Husker faithful.One also can't dismiss the new-found explosiveness of this offense that has shown the ability to score a bevy of touchdowns that have traveled over 40 yards or more.)2009 GRADE: D (Doesn't get much worse Denver Broncos jersey
than last year's unit. Actually this is a pretty light grade that one could make a case for giving a solid F. However, one has to take into account the number of injuries and the costly turnovers this unit survived through last year.)DEFENSE:DL:Almost unfair to compare this group to 2009, as that unit one of the best in Nebraska football history.While this unit has yet to produce the huge numbers that last year's unit enjoyed, they have played much better than most fans would be inclined to recognize.Often times, the Huskers DL are simply playing 4 on 5 or 6 on any snap. Rarely using stunts, blitzes, and up-the-field pressure off of the edge, the Huskers front four has been sound in gap assignment, and containment for much of the season thus far.GRADE: C+ (Darn right, this is a tough grade, but keep in mind, I doubt we have even come sniffingly close to seeing the best that this unit can produce.)2009 GRADE: A+ (Easy grade when you consider this unit was one of the best in Husker history.)LB:The loss of Dillard has been significant thus far. We also can't discount the injuries of Sean Fisher and Will Compton prior to the season starting as well.While David, Martin, and Whaley have all shown promise, they have also found themselves out of position in a solid amount of snaps and also failing to call the proper checks on defense to get the Huskers in position to be effective.Look for this position to improve the most during the rest of the season as David and Martin become more and more comfortable with the Pelini schemes. David is an all-star in the making, and when the 'light turns on' for Martin...look out!GRADE: C (Tough? Sure. But this is Husker football, and excellence is to be expected.)2009 GRADE: A- (Likely the most unheralded unit on the Huskers 2009 squad as Dillard was playing at an All Big 12 level during Big 12 conference play.)SECONDARY:Absolutely spectacular. The 4-20 and 71 effort from Jake Locker speaks volumes about this defensive unit. One can easily argue that the Husker DB's are the absolute best in the country.Especially when you consider they have intercepted two of the better QB's in the country a total of 8 times including three of those INT's being taken back for touchdowns.As it stands right now, the Husker pass efficiency ranking is #4 in the entire country.GRADE: A+ (Can it get better? Frightening to say..but yes, it can. With Dennard, Amukamara, Gomes, and Hagg, one can easily argue the Huskers fearsome foursome as the best in the country. Throw in the improving PJ Smith and Rickey Thenarse, and this secondary will rank as one of the best at season's end.)2009 GRADE: A (A solid unit lost both Asante and O'Hanlon that played at an All-Big 12 level last year. A very unheralded unit from last year that didn't get near as much credit as it deserved.)OVERALL DEFENSE:GRADE: B (Solid thus far, especially in the secondary, there are some holes and tightening up that need to be done for this defense to match last year's 'greatness'. While it has been solid, it hasn't been truly 'great'. At least not great Detroit Lions
considering Pelini standards.)2009 GRADE: A (One could easily give last year's unit an A+, especially late in the season, there were enough breakdowns throughout the season to keep this unit from getting that incredibly lofty grade.)SUMMARY:The Huskers have been impressive thus far, but they have yet to really play anybody that would really be considered a good team.With a rather 'easy' schedule staring the Huskers square in the face, the mighty Huskers could be sitting on a dream season.However, as I stated, the schedule has been less than stellar thus far and Nebraska will face much tougher competition along the way in Kansas State, Texas, Oklahoma State, Missouri, and Texas AM to finish the season.While the early results look to be extremely exciting, 'greatness' feelings must be tempered a bit until these Huskers face some serious challenges that surely await them.While 2010 looks to be a breakthrough year for the Huskers; a team that will likely be favored in every contest, a wait and see approach must be taken. 'Could' it be...?Either way, it sure is exciting to talk about Husker football likely being amongst the nation's elite again, isn't it?

15 Jan 11 St. Louis Rams "Honeymoon is over for Haslett in St. Louis"

The honeymoon is over for head coach Jim Haslett and the St. Louis Rams. Haslett was the NFL's feel-good story earlier this season after he took over for the fired Scott Linehan, who amassed an 0-4 record, and quickly defeated the Redskins and Cowboys. More importantly, the team that had looked so listless under Linehan seemed to be playing with pride and more effort under Haslett;s intense personality.All of that disappeared in the Rams; 47-3 debacle against the New York Jets on Sunday. St. Louis was embarrassed, disgraced, outclassed and every Reebok New York Jets #6 Mark Sanchez Realtree camo Jersey
other adjective you can think of in a game in which it trailed 40-0 at halftime.Commentary: Haslett couldn't motivate the down-and-out Rams at halftime. St. Louis played as poorly in the second half against the Jets as it did in the first. Things got so bad for the Rams that starting quarterback Marc Bulger -- who completed 6 of 13 passes and tossed an interception -- was benched and replaced by Trent Green. He didn;t fare much better, completing five of his 10 throws with a pick.Playing without star running back Steven Jackson, the Rams couldn;t mount any ground attack. Kenneth Darby was the team;s leading rusher with 32 yards on four carries. Meanwhile, Thomas Jones was slicing and dicing through the nonexistent St. Louis defense for 149 yards and three touchdowns.Fan Pulse: Fans who were already growing impatient with Bulger seem ready to send him to the bench for the rest of the season. Fantasy Football Impact: If you haven;t already abandoned every Ram in your fantasy league except Jackson and Donnie Avery, then do so now. Bulger is finished as a fantasy option in St. Louis this season and Torry Holt continues to be MIA.Injury Report: Until Jackson returns, the Rams have little hope of winning a game. Jackson is still nursing his sore quadriceps and it still isn;t known whether he will return this week against San Francisco. Antonio Pittman, who was second in line behind Jackson in the backfield, wasn;t fully healed from his hamstring injury. Pittman played against the Jets, but he was at less than full strength. (2) Not manyReebok Oakland Raiders #21 Nnamdi Asomugha Realtree camo Jersey
people outside of Missouri know it, but St. Louis Rams quarterback Marc Bulger is changing his uniform number for Sunday;s game against the New York Jets. Bugler, who normally wears No. 10, is going with something that will more aptly describe what he is going to face this weekend ; a bull;s-eye. Bulger will have a big, red target on his jersey so defensive lineman Kris Jenkins and his fellow Jet teammates will know exactly where to head on every play.Commentary: Why is Bulger such a target against New York this week? Because it is looking more likely that All-Pro running back Steven Jackson will be sidelined with his quadriceps injury. Further complicating things for Bulger is the fact that backup Antonio Pittman, who filled in for Jackson two weeks ago with 83 yards, is also nursing an injured leg (hamstring). Wait, there;s more: Third-string running back Travis Minor is feeling the effects of a concussion and probably won;t be cleared to play for St. Louis.Now are you getting the picture of why Bulger is going to have a target on his back? Kenneth Darby and his whopping career total of 9 NFL yards may get the start for the Rams at the tailback position. The team signed Samkon Gado this week and he may also get a shot at running the ball.The fact is is that the Jets are going to dare Bulger to throw the football. And if St. Louis can;t run the ball, look for 350-pound nose tackle Jenkins to overwhelm undersized Rams center Nick Leckey, who weighs in at about 295 pounds.Fan Pulse: Most fans are not optimistic about the Rams' chances without Jackson and Pittman. It is rare for a team to lose its first three running back options, and it doesn;t help that St. Louis is playing a hot New York team that is strong against the run.Fantasy Impact: If, for some strange reason, Jackson isReebok Pittsburgh Steelers #86 Hines Ward Realtree camo Jersey
able to play against the Jets, put him on your fantasy bench at all costs. The Jets are fourth in the league in run defense and Jackson with a bum leg doesn;t make for good fantasy numbers. Don;t look for Bulger to light up the fantasy scoreboard, either. In fact, it might be a good week to put all of your Ram players on the bench.Injury Report: As mentioned above, Jackson is still questionable for the New York game. Wide receiver Drew Bennett is gone for the season, as is special teams player Dante Hall. (0)

14 Jan 11 Carolina Panthers Thomas Davis Mark Fields Dan Morgan Georgia Bulldogs

2005 was Thomas Davis' inaugural season in the National Football League, and it's safe to say that the Carolina Panther didn't enjoy his first taste of the big time. Unfortunately, the former University of Georgia standout free safety failed to catch on with the Panthers, struggling mightily to pick up the position in the pros. Luckily for the 23-year-old, the Carolina coaching staff is giving him an opportunity as an outside linebacker, a position he played on a few occasions in college.In April '05, the Panthers put a great deal of faith in Davis, using their first-Reebok Pittsburgh Steelers #86 Hines Ward Realtree camo Jersey
round pick on the All-American, who helped lead the Bulldogs to prominence in his three-year stint with the program. In his final two seasons at Georgia, Davis racked up 219 tackles, 7 ? sacks and five forced fumbles in 25 games.Thanks to his proven on-field prowess, the Carolina Panthers invested the 14th overall selection on Davis, hoping he'd become the league's next star safety. However, he struggled mightily as a rookie, picking up just 38 tackles and 1 ? sacks in 16 games. Davis ended up starting the first two games of what proved to be a successful season for the Panthers, but was pulled because of poor performance. As a result, veteran Marlon McCree took the reins at the free safety position, and did quite well, intercepting three passes.After facing difficulties for most of the year, Davis found new life with the Panthers, as they began bouncing him back and forth between safety and linebacker. The youngster took to his position, which gave the coaching staff hope that he could someday have a legitimate career.This offseason, the Panthers waved Reebok Pittsburgh Steelers James Harrison Realtree camo Jersey
goodbye to stellar weak-side linebacker Will Witherspoon in free agency. Witherspoon had four productive seasons in Carolina, notching 354 total tackles, eight sacks and seven interceptions. The St. Louis Rams paid the up-and-comer $33 million over six seasons back in March, which was just too high of a price-tag for the Panthers.With Witherspoon out of the fold, head coach John Fox, defensive coordinator Mike Trgovac and linebackers coach Ken Flajole will turn to Davis. One factor already in Davis' favor is size. Both he and Witherspoon weigh in at 231 pounds, while Witherspoon holds a one inch height advantage. For those saying Davis is too small to play linebacker, think again.Davis, who previously wore No. 47, will be switching to 58 so it complies with his new position. As fans of the Carolina Panthers know, Davis' new number was held by team legend Mark Fields for three seasons. Unfortunately, Fields has been battling Hodgkins Disease since 2003, which caused him to miss last season. Essentially, it would take a miracle for the 33-year-old to lace up his cleats and play again. Fields is still highly respected by the organization, though, who asked him if Davis could wear his number. The classy Fields agreed.Entering the season, the Panthers are hoping a little of Fields' Reebok San Francisco 49ers #21 Frank GORE Realtree camo Jersey
past magic can rub off on their young outside 'backer. With Fields in his corner and proven middle linebacker Dan Morgan next to him, don't expect Davis to fold. His career's been forgettable up to now, but it can all be washed away in the blink of an eye when Davis lines up in the team's Sept. 10 opener against the division rival Atlanta Falcons. --Get more on Thomas Davis

Kirk Snyder could have been Kevin Martin

Delonte West, and even Tony Allen. Not a very productive draft. 2010 Grade: D- Boston Celtics (15) Drafted Al Jefferson. (24) Dallas traded the No. 24 pick (Delonte West), Raef LaFrentz, Jiri Welsch, and Chris Mills to Boston for Antoine Walker and Tony Delk. (25) Detroit traded the No. 25 pick (Tony Allen), Chucky Atkins, and Lindsey Hunter to Boston for Mike James. Boston sent Chris Mills to Atlanta. (40) Drafted Justin Reed Players received: Al Jefferson, Delonte West, Raef LaFrentz, Jiri Welsch, Tony Allen, Chucky Atkins, Lindsey Hunter, Justin Reed Players lost: Antoine Walker, Tony Delk, Mike James, Chris Mills 2007 Review: Boston traded a small forward who thinks he John Starks in Antoine Walker for a center who thinks he a small forward in Raef LaFrentz. That a wash. Mills was a has been Dallas Cowboys jersey
while Welsch was a never-was. That a wash. Atkins and Hunter versus Delk and James is a wash. However, with the picks they received, they did a nice job forming the nucleus of their future with Jefferson, West, and Allen. Jefferson has slowly but steadily developed into a post presence, and is the second best scoring big man in the entire 2005 draft. Considering Boston got him at 17, that a steal. Delonte West is best suited to being a backup, but is a decent guard, Tony Allen commits too many turnovers and is a poor shooter. Kevin Martin wouldve been a better pick, but Allen does have tremendous open floor skills and potential. If that potential gets tapped into, the Celtics grade goes from B+ to A. 2007 Grade: B+ 2010 Review: Boston broke up their team in 2004 and built a nice nucleus with the pieces they gave up. Antoine Walker turned into Delonte West, an underrated player who can shoot, slash, post, pass, defend, and play tough hard-nosed basketball. Mike James turned into Tony Allen, an above-average defender with average offensive skills. The Celtics own draft pick turned into Al Jefferson, a premier offensive post scorer who is improving as a jump shooter and a passer. The Celtics did a great job of drafting good young talent. 2010 Grade: A+ New Orleans Hornets (18) Drafted J.R. Smith. (44) Drafted Tim Pickett. 2007 Review: New Orleans was the first team seduced by Smith phenomenal talent. If Smith were ever given a brain to match his talent, teams would go out of their way to dish out a max contract to him. Instead we have a boy who breaks off plays in the crucial moments of playoff series so he can jack up threes. Instead we have a boy with no defense, no ball movement, and no conscious. Instead we have a boy who skips morning practices because hes not a morning person. Instead we have a boy who sits idly at the scorers table while his coach gives instructions to his team at their bench. Instead we have a boy who is too cool for any speed limit or seat belt and now has the blood of a friend on his hands. The pick gets an F, but J.R. Smith gets an F-. 2007 Grade: F 2010 Review: No player has come farther his last two seasons in the league than J.R. Smith. Two seasons ago, Smith was a disaster. A selfish miscreant of a player who didn take the game seriously and didn take his life seriously. Due to a tragic car accident that took the life of one of Smith friends, George Karl willingness to give second chances, and Smith own personal maturation, he changed his outlook on life and has improved exponentially as a player. Instead of being a gunner who broke off plays to jack up shots, Smith has refined his game considerably. His shot selection is still questionable, but improved; his passing abilities are considerable, and he shown glimpses of being a lock-down defender. All those traits are purification of the wondrous natural abilities Smith has. When his career is said and done, based on talent alone, he has a chance to be the second best player out of the 2004 draft. New Denver Broncos jersey
Orleans couldn reach through to him, but Smith needed that horrific car accident to allow himself to open up to others. Now he one of the most explosive players in the league, and a terrific choice at the No. 18th pick. 2010 Grade: A- Miami Heat (19) Drafted Dorell Wright. (38) Toronto traded the draft rights to Albert Mirales to Miami for the draft rights to Pape Sow and the No. 58 pick in 2005 (Uros Slokar). (53) Drafted Matt Freije. Players received: Dorell Wright, Albert Mirales, Matt Freije Players lost: Pape Sow, Uros Slokar 2007 Review: Dorell Wright and a bunch of stiffs. For sure, Wright has talent, but coming out of high school he wasn prepared to play in the NBA his first several seasons. Given that the Heat were busy winning a championship, developing Wright was never a top priority. Last year was his first chance to see extended minutes and he proved to still be too raw for extended action. With the Heat looking to retool their supporting cast and get younger, Wright could be called upon to produce as soon as next year. Given the dearth of small forwards selected after Wright (Trevor Ariza not withstanding), even if Dorell never develops, it hard to criticize the Heat for not selecting somebody else. Trevor Ariza is a run-and gun player while the Heat are a half court team, so you can even assume hed be a better fit in Miami. 2007 Grade: C- 2010 Review: Dorell Wright has been a seldom-used bench player who has never evolved into more than a bit rotation player. The Heat didn need a shooting guard with Dwyane Wade in tow, so passing on Kevin Martin is understandable, nor did they need a defensive-minded frontcourt player with Udonis Haslem in tow, so Anderson Varejao wouldve been a bad pick. Because of this, the Wright selection doesn quite look like an awful pick. Even Trevor Ariza open court skills wouldn translate as well to the grind-it-out Heat. It wasn an awful pick, just not a very good one. 2010 Grade: C- Denver Nuggets (20) Drafted Jameer Nelson. Traded the draft rights to Nelson to Orlando for their No. 21 pick in 2005 (Julius Hodge). Players received: Julius Hodge Players lost: Jameer Nelson 2007 Review: The Nuggets biggest need in the Carmelo era has been a quality shooting guard who can hit a jump shot. The Nuggets have been stuck with the ancient Voshon Lenard, the inept Demarr Johnson, and the brainless J.R. Smith. Jameer Nelson would have been a nice addition playing along side Andre Miller and Carmelo. Even when Allen Iverson arrived this year, Detroit Lions
Nelson could have started at point guard. His warts as a decision maker would have been hidden in the Nuggets system because Allen Iverson has the ball in his hands so much anyway. Instead, the Nuggets picked up Julius Hodge a year later. Whether it be a result of injuries or bad luck, Hodge has seen more time in the developmental league than on the hardwood. The Nuggets got the worse player in the deal and missed out on someone who couldve helped their team. 2007 Grade: F 2010 Review: Jameer Nelson has turned into a steady hand, capable of making smart decisions on the fly, hitting clutch jump shots, and making up for average athleticism with smarts, toughness, and moxie. In other words, he was Chauncey Billups before Chauncey Billups. In Nelson stead, the Nuggets drafted Julius Hidge who never turned into an NBA player. The Nuggets traded an All-Star for a scrub. That decision earns them an F. 2010 Grade: F New Jersey Nets (22) Drafted Viktor Khryapa. Then traded the draft rights to Khryapa to Portland for Eddie Gill and cash. (51) Drafted Christian Drejer. Players received: Eddie Gill, Christian Drejer Players lost: Viktor Khryapa 2007 Review: As a Florida Gators fan, I hold a hatred in my heart for Christian Drejer decision to quit on the Gators midway through the 2003-04 season to play professional ball in Europe. It no surprise that such a coward never played a single minute in the NBA. Rue Drejer for scorning the Gators and rue the Nets for drafting him! 2007 Grade: D 2010 Review: Christian Drejer never turned into an NBA-caliber player, while the Nets could have come away with more with the 22nd selection than Eddie Gill and cash. Anderson Varejao? Trevor Ariza? Kevin Martin? Even Sasha Vujacic wouldve been a more productive pick. 2010 Grade: F Sacramento Kings (26) Drafted Kevin Martin. (48) Traded the No. 55 pick (ended up with Houston as Luis Flores), Keon Clark, and a future pick to Utah for their No. 48 pick (Ricky Minard). Players received: Kevin Martin, Ricky Minard Players lost: Keon Clark 2007 Review: Sacramento got one of the steals of the draft considering how low they were picking, and they took a risk in picking somebody from Western Carolina. Instead of getting a nobody, they got a player who shows potential to put up 20 points a game for a long time. Martin still has to bulk up his frame, be more consistent, and play better against better defensesmy guess is that achieving the first will help him achieve the next two. But Martin is the best player from the middle of the draft down. Great pick. 2007 Grade: A 2010 Review: Kevin Martin is one of the most overrated players in the game todaya soft, defenseless jump shooter who can only play on the perimeter. That being said, he still a talented shooter who can create his own points. At the 26th position in the draft, it hard to do much better, especially in terms of pure scoring. A terrific pick. 2010 Grade: A Los Angeles Lakers (27) Drafted Sasha Vujacic. (56) Drafted Marcus Douthit. 2007 Review: Sasha Vujacic can hit standstill threes with good accuracy, and isn a bad third string point guard. Chris Duhon would have been a better pick, as he could help take pressure off of Kobe much more than Vujacic can. 2007 Grade: C- Green Bay Packers jersey
2010 Review: Trevor Ariza wouldve been a better pick than Sasha Vujacic, as Vujacic has been an embarrassment the past handful of seasons. He a respectable standstill shooter but he takes too many bad shots and plays overaggressive, but ineffective, defense. The only caveat is that he also a shooting guard, and the only backup shooting guard on the Lakers roster the past handful of seasons. No other shooting guard taken after Vujacic contributed much in the NBA. 2010 Grade: D+ San Antonio Spurs (28) Drafted Beno Udrih. (52) Drafted Romain Sato. (57) Drafted Sergei Karaulov. 2007 Review: Chris Duhon penchant for partying too hard and missing team functions wouldn fly in San Antonio. Beno Udrih is steady as can be and helped the Spurs win a championship later the next season. Even with a late pick and an awful crop of players to choose from, the Spurs select a player that helps their team. That why they're the best run organization in the league. 2007 Grade: B 2010 Review: Beno Udrih steady play helped the Spurs win a championship, so that tilts the pick heavily in San Antonio favor. Only Anderson Varejao, Chris Duhon, and Trevor Ariza were selected after Udrih and still have prominent roles in the NBA. Varejao wouldve fit in perfectly, but Duhon partied too hard during the early portion of his career, and Ariza more of an open-court gambler than the disciplined defender Spurs coach Gregg Popovich wants his players to be. Varejao may have been the better choice, but Udrih acquainted himself well as a mediocre starter/solid backup in his career. 2010 Grade: B Indiana Pacers (29) Drafted David Harrison. (59) Drafted Rashad Wright. 2007 Review: David Harrison is a stiff. Anderson Varejao would have been the right pick. Rashad Wright was the last pick of the draft so you don expect anything out of him. Still, the Pacers haven gotten much out of their first round pick. 2007 Grade: D 2010 Review: The Pacers got nothing out of their two draft picks whatsoever. The very next player chosen after Harrison was Anderson Varejao. Oops. 2010 Grade: F New York Knicks (16) New York traded their No. 16 pick (ended up in Utah as Kirk Snyder), Antonio McDyess, Howard Eisley, Charlie Ward, Maceij Lampe, Milos Vujanic, and a future pick to Phoenix for Stephon Marbury, Penny Hardaway and Cezary Trybanski. (43) Drafted Trevor Ariza. Players received: Stephon Marbury, Penny Hardaway, Cezary Trybanski, Trevor Ariza Players lost: Antonio McDyess, Howard Eisley, Charlie Ward, Maceij Lampe, Milos Vujanic 2007 Review: As much as you criticize the Marbury trade, look at the players traded to get him. With the exception of Antonio McDyess, all those names disappeared when they left New York. Also, with the Knicks pathetic cap situation and abysmal talent base, there is no reason to believe superstars such as Gilbert Arenas and Steve Nash would have wanted to come to New York, and there is no reason to believe the Knicks would have had the cap Houston Texans jersey
room to sign them as free agents, or the resources to acquire them in any sign and trades. Trevor Ariza can run all over the court, defend, score in transition, finish above the rim, and provide energy off the bench. Ariza feuded with then-coach Larry Brown about Ariza desire to have more plays run for him on offense and about David Lee taking his minutes. With Ariza becoming a nuisance, the Knicks decision to trade him was justified.

12 Jan 11 Who Should Sponsor the “Blowing Up” of the Phoenix Suns?

Jonathan Daniel/Getty ImagesEverything weve heard about the Phoenix Suns has been heavy and full of doom and gloom. The Suns can hold a lead, losers of seven out of ten, Amare trade rumors, they struggle on TNT, it time to fireSteve Kerr (constantly from @ZoDogg34 on Twitter), and it time to start over and make some moves. Negativity has run rampant over the last week.While the dark-side of the Suns is great for discussion, it bad for the overall mental well-being of the inhabitants of Planet Orange.With that in mind, it time to significantly lighten the mood. If Reebok Green Bay Packers #52 Clay Matthews Realtree camo Jersey
it inevitable that the Suns will blow it up and start all over, why not have some fun with it? Here how to do it.According to theUSA Today PopCandy blog a fantastic source for randompop culture newsKraft Mac Cheese will be the title sponsor for the implosion of Texas Stadium this Spring.The story intrigued me, and I figured, if the former home of the Dallas Cowboys can find a sponsor for its demolition, why can the Suns find a sponsor for the blowing up of the team?We all know that ownership is looking for creative ways to avoid the NBA luxury tax, but why not a creative way to afford to pay for it?Like always, the Sports Retorter is here to help. I don just come up with an idea and leave the team hanging, Ive done the leg work and extensive research to come up with the perfect sponsors for the demolition of the Suns roster.Rock Bottom Bar and GrillEveryone is saying the Suns have hit Rock Bottom, so why not get some money out of them for the publicity? There are even marketing tie-ins that the team and the restaurant can do. Why not offer fans a dollar off for every point the Suns lose by (might get expensive if things get really ugly)? That way fans are still vested in the team when the inevitable losses associated with rebuilding occur.Shaquille ONeal Most Suns fans mark the acquisition Reebok Indianapolis Colts 18 Peyton Manning Realtree camo Jersey
ofShaq as the beginning of the end for the team. Why not let him sponsor the official end?It works because he owes the franchise some money back for his anticlimactic two seasons in purple and orange, and Shaq is used to helping dismantle franchises.San Antonio SpursTheyve pretty much ended the Suns championship hopes at every turn the last decade, so why not have them pay to put the Suns out of their misery for good? The demolition of thePhoenix Suns , brought to you by the San Antonio Spurs. It just sounds right. Plus, it seems fitting that Robert Horry could hurt the Suns immediate championship chances and get them to throw in the towel.Payment must be in cash. We will not accept Manu Ginobili or Richard Jefferson as payment.The Discovery Channel The network is known for blowing things up, so why not have them help out in Phoenix? The Suns fit their brand because, like the Mythbusters, they tested the myth that an offensive minded, fast paced team can win an NBA championship and emphatically confirmed it. Also, they can have Mike Rowe, host ofDirty Jobs , follow Steve Kerr andRobert Sarver as they try to rebuild the team while keeping the fans engaged.If the process goes to plan and the Suns dealAmare Stoudemire and others, the franchise could be Destroyed in Secondswhich also happens to air on the Discovery Channel.It all about synergy.Verve Energy DrinkNo real reason here. They just seem to sponsor everything in the arena, so why not this?The US GovernmentThey bailed everyone else out, so why not help Reebok Minnesota Vikings 28 Adrian Peterson Realtree camo Jersey
the Suns while they restructure? No matter how bad things get for the team, theyll never be bigger embarrassments than AIG and the auto industry.Robert SarverWho are we kidding, he been paying for it all along as the main sponsor, so why not just make it official? If Amare Stoudemire is traded for expiring contracts, his name will be all over it anyway.

12 Jan 11 Amare Stoudemire: Phoenix Suns Setting Themselves Up for an Ugly Trade

Christian Petersen/Getty ImagesOriginally posted on Fanster.com If you've listened to the Show to be Named Later at all this week, you know Vince Marotta's less than pleased with how the Phoenix Suns are showcasing Amare Stoudemire while attempting to trade him.To sum up, Stoudemire's been in the situation you would Reebok Arizona Cardinals Larry Fitzgerald Realtree camo Jersey
least expect to see an All-Star on the trading blockon the bench in crunch time or uninvolved on the court. In Tuesday's overtime loss to Charlotte, Phoenix shuffled Stoudemire in and out faster than a hockey lineup change. The reason: Stoudemire's benefit on the offensive end of the ball versus his detrimental effect on the defensive end. (On a slight tangent, if Stoudemire thinks he's still worth max money when the rest of the league knows he can't be trusted defensively in crunch time, he's a seriously misguided man.) Even when Stoudemire was on the floor, Phoenix rarely went to him for points when they needed them, and let's face it: Lately, the Suns have needed points. Their shooting has dropped dramatically in January, and Stoudemire's 56 percent shooting clip should be more appealing to a team in this kind of stretch. Instead, no isolation for Stoudemire, no slew of pick-and-rolls with Steve Nash, and no win. Two nights later, Stoudemire scored 22 points in three quarters. He didn't play a single minute in the fourth, and not because the Suns or Mavs had already put the game away. It was because Gentry felt a crew of Lou Amundson, Channing Frye, and Earl Clark was performing too well to be taken off the floor. Any other night, I'd have believe him. And yes, the crew on the floor was surprisingly and pleasantly productive. To be redundant, Stoudemire had punched in 22 points in only three quarters. Gentry had to have known this. These kinds of decisions (see: Gentry's obsession with bad zone defense) make Suns fans wonder what Phoenix's braintrust is thinking. Yes, the Suns won (on TNT, finally). It's impossible to say for sure if they would have won with Stoudemire playing in the fourth quarter. It's not impossible to say that his trade value would have gone up with Reebok Baltimore Ravens #5 Joe Flacco Realtree camo Jersey
a 30 to 40-point night. Of course, demonstrations like those mentioned above will have their repercussions. Other teams are watching closely, at least the near-dozen teams mentioned to be interested in acquiring Stoudemire. Don't think that this diminishing display of Stoudemire's talent won't result in an equally diminished return in any deal involving him. It's easy to picture Kerr working the phones, trying to get as close to "fair value" as he can. Teams will low-ball him with bad offers. Kerr will respond, "Look, this is an All-Star, a franchise player." Team X, on the other line, will say, "Funny, it sure hasn't looked that way." When that happens and Phoenix (assuming they can get something feasible done before the trading deadline) gets a decent player, peanuts, and a worthless pick, Suns fans will take up their torches and pitchforks and march down Jefferson Street. Bob Sarver and Steve Kerr will try to explain away their own (and Gentry's) idiocy. I say their idiocy because if they showcased Stoudemire a little more, the Suns wouldn't end up like the Memphis Grizzlies in the Pau Gasol trade. Suns fans are scared of another Shaq trade (i.e. legit player for cap room). They don't want Stoudemire shipped out for Zydrunas Ilgauskus' expiring contract (and Ilgauskus himself would just be waived to spend more money), J.J. Hickson, and two bad draft picks (high 20s pick, guaranteed). They don't want to contemplate swapping STAT for Jermaine O'Neal's albatross of a contract that expires this season. What good is free agent money if no player close to Stoudemire's talent level will want it in Phoenix? LeBron James? Chris Bosh? Dwyane Wade? Joe Johnson? Between their own teams and the respective calls of Miami, New York, and New Jersey, all of them will be gone before even considering theReebok Baltimore Ravens #27 Ray Rice Realtree camo Jersey
Valley of the Sun. It's obvious the Suns are resigned to trading Stoudemire. If that's the case, then make the best of it. Show him off. Make him believe he's a franchise player, if only to help yourselves. If you don't show his worth, then expect equally worthless value in return.

10 Jan 11 Pivot Points: Despite Win Versus Lakers, Celtics Are A Flawed Product

Jim Rogash/Getty ImagesEven a one point win against a Los Angeles Laker team missing Kobe Bryant couldn't hide the fact the Boston Celtics are teetering on the precipice of their season, and in danger of falling over the side.Take away a brilliant performance by Ray Allen, in which he resembled the decorated player of his recent past, and the Celtics lose yet another game against an opponent who is considered a contender.Boston's record now stands at 3-8 versus the Lakers, the Atlanta Hawks, the Orlando Magic, and the Cleveland Cavaliers, all considered contenders for the Reebok Washington Redskins #98 ORAKPO Realtree camo Jersey
NBA throne, and all currently better than Boston right now.In the Eastern Conference, the Celtics have fell to the fourth seed and are being pressed by a surging Toronto Raptors team in their division, and have lost crucial season series to the Magic and Hawks.To their credit, the Celtics don't seemed as concerned and speak with all the bravado and confidence of their 2008 championship year, but they are in a state of denial because this is not that team.That team excelled on the defensive end and were a terror on the boards, while relying on the dead-eye accuracy of Allen from the perimeter and the penetration of Paul Pierce in the paint.Kevin Garnett, un-hampered by knee injuries, was an explosive presence in the post who instilled energy and passion and Rajon Rondo was a young guard just beginning to understand the depth of Reebok Pittsburgh Steelers 43 Troy Polamalu Realtree camo Jersey
his talents.In a span of two seasons Garnett has been robbed of his former explosiveness due to various injuries and Allen and Pierce have seemed to age before our very eyes as the bedrock of the Celtics' foundation has began to crumble.Boston is now only capable of playing championship defense in small spurts, Allen lacks the quickness which allowed him to run off screens, and opponents have become aware of Pierce's predictable tendencies.The aura of the Celtics as a great rebounding team now rests on the knees of tired legs, or it is represented by the players who serve as capable back-ups to the starters, no longer able to shoulder the burden alone.The one constant through it all has been Rondo, who has grown from a promising young player, to one of the better point guards in the NBA and the sole player capable of backing up the Celtic bravado with his play.Rondo's value was on display against the Lakers as each time he went to the bench Los Angeles made a run, and upon his return the Celtics settled down and tightened up their play.In one fell swoop, Rondo has un-ceremoniously supplanted Garnett as Boston's best player and is the one Celtic whose absence would kill any slim chance Boston has of winning a championship.And even though Rondo is talented, his leadership and ability to stabilize the Celtics on theReebok Green Bay Packers 21 Charles Woodson Realtree camo Jersey
floor will only carry Boston so far and certainly not to the threshold of former greatness.It seems the onus will again fall at the weary feet of the big three, but do Garnett, Allen, and Pierce have enough gas in the tank for one final run at history?

9 Jan 11 Zach Randolph's Absence an Improvement for Knicks?

Stephen Dunn/Getty Images“If they get LeBron James (it was worth it),” Randolph says. “If they don’t get him, I wonder. I don’t know.”—Zach RandolphThe Knicks traded Randolph in November 2008 to the Clippers for Tim Thomas and Cuttino Mobley. The Knicks were not looking for any premium players back, just for another team to take his long and expensive contract. Donnie Walsh has worked very hard to get the Knicks under the cap but he could have waited and dealt Zebo or even Jamal Crawford this year for moreSan Diego Chargers jersey
talent or draft picks.Randolph is blossoming for his new team (Memphis Grizzlies), averaging 20.6 points, 11.9 rebounds (second highest of his career) and is shooting 49.5 percent from the field (also the second highest of his career). His shooting percentage has gone up because his three-point attempts have gone down. He has attempted only 30 threes this season (59 games) compared to the 104 in 80 career games with the Knicks.More importantly, he leads the NBA in offensive rebounds per game (4.4) and the 28 year old was named to his first All-Star game this season. San Francisco 49ers jersey
His team is 30-29 and 3.5 games from the eighth seed.Zebo lit up the Knicks over the weekend scoring 31 points with 25 rebounds (10 offensive). He has become a less selfish player, and one can even say has been a good influence on center Marc Gasol.And while he has had troubles in the past and his reputation has been challenged, this season has been a rebirth. The Knicks will really miss his size and toughness in the paint.

8 Jan 11 Steve Nash: The steal of the 1996 Draft, Pick #15

Christian Petersen/Getty ImagesWhen Steve Nash was selected as the fifteenth pick in a star-studded draft that included AI, Kobe and Ray Allen among others, he was booed by Suns fans simply because he was from an unknown college team. Today, I don't think there's a single Suns fan out there that isn't thankful that:(a)they drafted him, but more importantly(b)they signed him from the Mavs years later and(c)they resigned him to another 2 yearsIt's difficult to appreciate the genius of Nash especially if you're not a Suns fan. His career stats are far from jaw-dropping and at the end of the day, there are no monster dunks or blocks and his defense has often been termed as non-existent.The problem is that Nash made fans out of basketball followers in generalas well asthe cynics who deemed the NBA too San Francisco 49ers jersey
boring and preferred college hoops instead.In truth, the Phoenix run-and-gun/7-seconds-or-less system under D'Antoni workedbecauseof Nash and not the other way round. It was basketball played like never before and it was basketball played with winning in mind.And it reminded us that every once in a while, professional sport goes through a phase that revolutionizes the sport itself and essentially ends up proving that thereisan exciting/entertaining way to play the game and still end up winning. Gilchrist did it as a keeper, first the Rams did it in '99 then the Patriots in '07 in the NFL. The Dutch did it in the 70's on the football field and the Brazilians have been doing it forever. Federer and Woods have been doing it for years.Put simply, it's when you make winning look good.Nash isn't even the best player in the league. In fact, there's no doubt that the best overall player in the NBA today is Lebron James.He is, without a doubt, both the present and the future. Ray Allen might have the best shot and Kobe might be the most talented offensive player ever but Lebron can do anything and everything which includes winning. Chris Paul isprobablya more preferred point-guard than Nash.However, if the NBA were to have an artist, the one who could paint and bring things to life and make it seem as if the simplest could be the most beautiful, it has to be Steve Nash. He made Nowitzki and Juwan Howard look good (which wasn't that hard). But he also turned Marion into an All-Star and made Stoudemire temporarily look like an unstoppable offensive force. Barbosa, Bell and Diaw all looked better with Nash spreading the offense and distributing the ball.And then, everything seemed to have been broken, the dream snuffed away and the prospect of a ring further away than it had ever been.In Seattle Seahawks jersey
hindsight, the acquisition of Shaquille O'Neal was the biggest mistake that a high octane team like the Suns could ever have made. Frustrated by not being able to reach the finals, the move stank of desperation and the introduction of Terry Porter turned an exciting team that won far more than they lost, into an ordinary team that won just a bit more than they lost. And it seemed that there was no hope.That Stoudemire would never be the same.That the explosiveness and energy of Marion couldn't be substituted.That most importantly, Nash was 35 andcertainlyover the hill, the back-to-back MVP's long since forgotten and critically even unfairly referred to as anomalies.Think again.(1) Stoudemire back. Certainly not to his S-T-A-T best but BACK.(2) The talented and injury prone-turned-injury free Grant Hill playing like a true veteran.(3) J-Rich posting career bests in shooting accuracy.(4) CHANNING FRYE and JARED DUDLEY!! nailing threes like it's nobody's business when last year the former was rotting away in Portland.(5) Steve Nash averaging over 11 assists a game and shooting above 50-40-90 yet again for the umpteenth time in his career.This isn't to say that the Suns are the best team in the league. They're far from it. But they'll make the playoffs and they'll make the playoffs in style in the packed St. Louis Rams jersey
Western Conference.And yes, once again, they're far and away the most exciting team in the league.And it's the same man running the show.The same guy who was never given a chance in the NBA.The same guy who publicly spoke out against the Iraq war inviting the wrath of other 'patriotic' American professionals.The same guy who suffers from spondylolisthesis which causes muscle tightness and acute back pain.And yes, the same guy who was once called "The Poor Man's Stockton", just played his 1000th NBA game.

30 Dec 10 The Cavs Impeccable Roster?

Lakers over Magic in seven.Okay, having gotten that out of the way, I've been meaning to address something that has been irritating the heck out of me this entire season.As the impending free agency of Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James threatens to overshadow anything this season has to offer, pundits across the media spectrum continue to analyze and over analyze on which team James will suit up for next season.Apparently, at least according to most experts, the team that is the odds on favorite to procure the services of Mr James are indeed his current employer, the Cavs. In the expertsquest to display their hoops intellect I keep hearingtwo overriding factors which suggest that LeBron would be betteroff remaining in Cleveland than leaving for the bright lights and big city ofReebok Baltimore Ravens #27 Ray Rice Realtree camo Jersey
say Manhattan, Chicago or even (gasp) Brooklyn.Firstly, it has been suggested that James would leave entirely too much money on the table if he were to bolt from Ohio, as the Cavs could offer hima higher salary than any other team.Yeah, whatever. See Shaquille O'Neal. But more on that later.Secondly, I keep hearing the most idiotic reason why James could never consider either New York or New Jersey as viable options and that is because of the weakness of those teams' rosters.Seriously?Aside from James, the Cavs starters are Mo Williams, Anthony Parker, Antwan Jamison and you pick - JJ Hickson, Anderson Varejo, Shaquille O Neal, Zydrunas Ilgauskas.Williams is a decent NBA point guard who hasn't nearly played up to the expectations the Cavs had of him when they managed to pry him from the Milwaukee Bucks. Compare Williams' stats of 15 ppg and 5 apg to New Jersey's Devin Harris' 17 7 for four-hundred thousand per year less.Some other numbers to consider: Anthony Parker 7 ppg - 2 apg/ Courtney Lee 12 ppg - 2 apg. Jamison 19 9/ Yi Jianlian 12 7 (Jianlian is eleven years younger). Lastly, you have to combine two, any two of Cleveland's centers to match or surpass the Nets' Brook Lopez stats of 19 ppg and 9 rpg at $2.2 million. Compared to Varejo's salary of $6.3 million, Shaq's $21 million and the $600 K they're paying Ilgauskas after whatever else they paid him at the start of the season Lopez is vastly unerpaid and yet more effective right now than anyone on the Cavs roster.Even the Knicks, who don't havethe coaching woes Nets' players are having to endure this season, seem to have players with more potential impact than the Cavs.Personally, in a pickup game pitting, Williams, Parker, Hickson and Reebok Baltimore Ravens #52 Ray Lewis Realtree camo Jersey
Varejo against Knickerbockers Wilson Chandler, Al Harrington, Danilo Gallinari and David Lee I'd put my money on MSG boys every time.The truth is, without LeBron, the Cavs are just as much bottom feeders in the East as the Knicks and Nets. Add James to either New York or New Jersey and they are instantly contenders in the Eastern Conference. Such is the talent of LeBron James.Do you know who were the otherstarters for the Cavs during the 2006-07 season when they made it to the NBA Finals? Daniel Gibson, Drew Gooden, Sasha Pavlovic and Ilgauskas. Other stalwarts for that roster were Damon Jones, Donyell Marshall and Larry Hughes. Not exactly Championship pedigree, yet they managed to get by a Washington Wizard team that had a pre-injuryGibert Arenas, the aformentioned Jamisonand Caron Butler as well as a Piston team that featured Chauncey Billups, Rip Hamilton, Tayshaun Prince, Rasheed Wallace and Chris Webber.So the thought that the Knicks and Nets don't have enough talent to entice LeBron is absurd. In fact, I'm pretty sure that James and any D-League roster could get out of the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs.Finally, while it's true that Cleveland could offer LeBron the most dollars in salary, the team that presents the opportunity for LeBron to make the most money over the next ten years is the New Jersey (soon to be) Brooklyn Nets.The Nets will have an owner with bottomless pockets, a new arena in what will essentially be their own community in Brooklyn and ties to the hip-hop industry that give LeBron cross marketing opportunities that he could never sniff in any other market including Manhattan, Chicago and Miami.Any clothing/apparrel partnership with rap music mogul and good friend Jay Z will almost certainly push James into the realm of theJordan Brand.At the point when James begins ro rival Jordan in apparrel and shoe sales as well as having a stake in future business enterprises with Jay Z, how Reebok Chicago Bears #54 Brian Urlacher Realtree camo Jersey
difficult do you think it will be to get any player he wants to come play with him in the Big Apple? It is difficult to fathomthe type of currencya marraigebetween Brooklyn and LeBron could generate. Seriously, we could be talking billions of dollars here.Bron Bron in Brooklyn buys a boatload of banners.Try saying that fast three times.

29 Dec 10 NBA Playoffs: Championship Stride Lost in the Snow of Denver

The Denver Nuggets entered the 2009-2010 NBA regular season with championship level expectations, although it seems as of late that the Nuggets should've picked the option of just getting into the playoffs and making a playoff push, not a Finals push.The energy level that the Nuggets have been bringing to their games as of late has been laughable. Just ask Carmelo who was on the sidelines with Kenyon Martin laughing about something. It's a direct reflection on their intensity as well.Laughable.It seems that the Nuggets don't really Baltimore Ravens jersey
care about being the team that most people thought would upset Los Angeles. It seems like they don't really care about going onto the NBA finals for the first time in franchise history.However, it is kind of hard to live up to those expectations as the Lakers looked sluggish in all four games against the Nuggets this year, and recently as well.From what it looks like to me, and I'm pretty sure every other basketball fan, that the Nuggets think they can turn their basketball switch on, the way they do their bathroom light when they enter the bathroom: automatically.Basketball is not game that has a switch. You either are in rhythm, or you're not.The Nuggets have been either giving up leads or find themselves trailing in the past couple of games. The only dominant performance that came from the Nuggets was this Monday against the Grizzlies.Either than that, the Nuggets were down by more than 15 in Oklahoma, lost the the Spurs at home, which they're 34-7 at, and never led against the Suns last night in a blow-out 123-101.As a direct quote from TNT's Kevin Harlen,"The barometer for this Nuggets team is the 20 assists."This is a mark that they have only hit twice in their last five games, and they won both of those games.Now even a Hermit could argue that all of this inconsistency and lack of focus could be because of the fact of their head coach, George Karl, is currently fighting cancer and is not with them, and that the Nuggets were missing Kenyon Martin for about 18 games, and also lost Ty Buffalo Bills jersey
Lawson for a little while.But the thing that strikes me is that the Nuggets came out last night with Kenyon Martin, their defensive QB in the lineup, and didn't show up.He usually is the enforcer, the guy who brings the intensity up when he's on the court, but it seemed like the Nuggets were playing without him last night (he did not play the second half due to the Nuggets wanting to be precocious).George Karl is not the yelly jumpy type of guy, and it's usually Kenyon Martin who does the inspiration talk.The defense was not there, and their offence was too much of as Amar'e said, isolation with Carmelo Anthony. Melo had 29 points on 28 shot attempts, and only got to the line twice.Yes, maybe all this inconsistent play is because of all the injuries, but look how the Blazers have been Carolina Panthers jersey
oing all year long. A direct quote from fellow Nugget writer Rich Kurtzman, "...injuries to fill a hospital wing, they are still competitive." Nuggets seem anything but competitive, or focused.The point here is that the Nuggets need to step it up as LeBron says it in those marvelous NBA commercials. Lets hope the whomping last night in Phoenix was a wake up call.The playoffs start Saturday, and their destiny lies in the hands of the Phoenix Suns, or the Utah Jazz.

28 Dec 10 Can the Boston Celtics Really Upset the Cavaliers? It's Easier Than You Think

Kevin C. Cox/Getty ImagesLeBron James is the most complete player in the NBA, and the league's MVP, but despite all of his considerable talent, the fate of the Cleveland Cavaliers' series with the Boston Celtics is out of his hands.James still managed to score 24 points and snare seven rebounds, despite the pain from a sore elbow, and unless his injury makes it impossible to play, it is a near certainty he will have a significant impact on each game.But if Boston guard Rajon Rondo is able to duplicate his play from Monday night's home court-stealing Arizona Cardinals jersey
Celtics' win, it may not matter what James does, because Rondo just happens to be the most talented guard in the series.If you don't believe me, I'm sure Cavaliers' guard Mo Williamswill be more than willing to back up my assumption, and if not, his four point performance on 1-9 shooting while logging 35 minutes should be evidence enough.Rondo's defensive effort on Williams was exemplary for sure, but the rest of the Cavaliers' guards didn't fare much better as Anthony Parker and Delonte West teamed with Williams to score a combined 14 points for the evening.If that isn't bad enough, Rondo also managed to dish out 19 assists, which was two more than the entire Cavalier team combined.Six Celtics' players scored in double figures led by Ray Allen's 22 points, while only three Cavaliers were able to match that feat with Antawn Jamison and J.J. Hickson joining James.Boston won the game 104-86, and to be honest, the final 18 point margin is actually a lot less than it could have been, because the Celtics held a 25 point lead at one point.Boston won this game with strong defense, a refusal to run in the open court with the Cavaliers, and because the Celtics are a more talented team than Cleveland, even if they are a little older.Many will will not agree with my assertion, but take a moment to scan the rosters of each team, and then base your opinion on honesty, rather than the athleticism which courses through the Cleveland roster.Anderson Varejao and J.J. Hickson are skilled and athletic, but in terms of talent, they are not in the same category as Kevin Garnett and Rasheed Wallace, especially when Wallace is motivated.Cleveland had no answer for Wallace in the post or the the perimeter, and it was his versatility that caused fits for which ever Cavalier was unlucky enough to draw him on defense.Wallace scored 17 off the bench and provided the scoring punch that had been missing in the Celtics' Game One loss, a game they led by 11 points before eventually succumbing in the Atlanta Falcons jersey
fourth quarter.Ray Allen, like Rondo, is just as good a guard as any on the Cleveland roster, if not better, and his long range shooting is what helped put the game out of reach once Cleveland made a run.In fact, James is the only player one could say is a better talent than any of the Celtics' players; but like Cleveland learned last year, James can't do it by himself (or did they really learn their lesson?).The Cavaliers failed last season for a variety of reasons, but it was mainly because of the failure of James' teammates to provide ample back up to his efforts, very similar to last night.It's not likely the Celtics will be able to play this type of game each time they take the court, but they do have home court advantage now, they are healthier than any other point this season, and they believe they can beat the Cavaliers.And why not be confident?Boston has the two best guards in the series in Rondo and Allen, the two best post players in Wallace and Garnett, and they have the experience of having been in this position before.Remember, it's the Celtics not the Cavaliers who have a championship pedigree, and despite their age, Boston has shown it has no fear of the younger, more athletic Cavaliers.James' elbow seems to be bothering him more and more as the series wears on, but imagine how it will feel if his Cavaliers fail to even the series in Boston, or even fall two games behind?Then James will be forced to deal with the usual litany of questions which follows defeat, except there will be a different line of questioning for James because his team is so heavily favored to advance.Well, that's not exactly true, because everyone outside of Cleveland and Charles Barkley felt the Celtics would put up much more of a fight than the disrespectful five games Barkley predicted.Maybe we all should have listened to the Celtics, because while everyone else was counting them out, they still spoke and carried themselves with the confidence of champions.In fact, we shouldn't be surprised at all, because when it Baltimore Ravens jersey
comes to winning tough playoff series on the road to a championship who do you think is more experienced? Boston or Cleveland?What many people fail to realize is the Celtics are also more talented of a team than the Cavaliers, and this shows up at every position except the one LeBron James plays.

27 Dec 10 2010 NBA Playoffs: Celtics' Playoff Run Stabilizing the City of Boston

Kevin C. Cox/Getty ImagesIn the past decade, Boston sports have accumulated six World Championships, through all three major sports.Although most would never admit it, the typical Boston sports fan would likely be described as spoiled.The devotion to the local nine drives this powerful sports city, Reebok New York Jets #6 Mark Sanchez Realtree camo Jersey
which also enjoys the newfound fruition of a successful football franchise. The TD Garden regularly sells out, something which has been absent from the checklist since Larry Bird and Bobby Orr called it home.On the surface, all signs continue to point to paradise. Up until this past weekend, NESN routinely exercised the NESNPLUS outlet. Both the Boston Red Sox and Boston Bruins hogged airwaves. While results have soured as the calendar plugs towards summer, both teams have enthralled viewers albeit sometimes for all the wrong reasons.And then there were the Celtics.The Boston Celtics baffled fans, experts, even themselves, coming down the stretch of the regular season in March and April. Inconsistency on both sides of the ball plagued the oft-injured squad. Showered with boo's raining downing from the rafters on multiple nights, the Boston Celtics left little hope of seriously contending in the 2010 Playoffs.It seems as if Doc Rivers and Co. were collectively chucking the bird at common logic.The Celtics are peaking, or perhaps, resurrecting, at just the right time. Stifling defense coupled with the dazzling play of Rajon Rondo has created a very similar image to the team which hoisted banner 17 in 2008. The offense is yet again playing their game, on their terms. Every fault exposed throughout the beginning of spring has been reversed and corrected, creating a well oiled machine.The questions about checking ego's at the door come playoff time have been answered. Rasheed Wallace's suspect play, well that is a thing of the past(knock on wood). Injuries? What are those? The Celtics are not only playing well, but they are commanding.Commanding the paint so far this post season. Commanding the pace of Reebok Oakland Raiders #21 Nnamdi Asomugha Realtree camo Jersey
play. Commanding the Eastern Conference Finals 2-0. Most of all, commanding the top spot on the Boston sports totem pole.And that's just what the city needs.As pointed out earlier, on the surface Boston seems to be in tip top shape. The Bruins, Celtics, and Patriots all made the playoffs in their most recent calendar season and the Red Sox still have roughly 3/4 of the season to play. But as you dig deeper and peel backlayer upon layer a feeling of uncertainty is overwhelming.There is no secret that Patriot reign is nowhere near as dominant as the early 2000's. An inconsistent 2010 season illustrated by uncharasteric flaws has many fans finding the word rebuilding crawling to the tip of their toungue. For the first time, Bill Belichick has been broken, he has been beaten, and most of all he has been bewildered.The trademark 3-4 Patriots defense looked soft in 2009, a word that not even the most radical Patriot fan has used to describe the defense since the Belichick era. Grumbling from the locker room and aging offensive stars do nothing to quiet the critics in New England.There is also no secret that the Red Sox have put together a less than stellar performance to start the season, and 2009 was not nearly enough to hold off the naysayers. The demise of David Ortiz chronicles not only the fall of a super star but also a fall from grace amongst the Red Sox heavens. For the first time since Dan Duquette roamed the front office, there is not a true super star who fans can connect with fans on almost every level.The on-field performance is not anything to write home about either. Perhaps Theo Epstein was toying with us when he threw out the idea of run prevention. Lackluster pitching has prevented us from being able to put up enough runs to stay in ballgames, but the defense has not won any games so far. Jonathan Papelbon is not generating swings and misses on his fastball and Adrian Beltre just let another routine ground ball go through the wickets.Oh, did you hear?Yeah, Boston is now on the wrong side of history as well. Somehow between games three and games four, the NHL conducted the biggest hoax job to date, abducting every member of the Bruins roster and replacing them with imposters. All jokes aside, the mid-Reebok Pittsburgh Steelers #86 Hines Ward Realtree camo Jersey
series role reversing act the Bruins pulled only reminded fans of what they were really working with. Yes, surprisingly, the team that we saw for the first 82 regular season games was still there in the Eastern semi-finals.And then there were the Celtics.Despite heavy turbulence above the Boston area, the Celtics have landed smoothly. Not only did the team arrive and take it's spot amongst the NBA elite yet again, it did so while regaining it's swagger. After a game two win in Orlando, Paul Pierce did not hold back when mentioning that the Celtics would take these two in Boston as well, citing the fans as the driving factor behind the team.Tenacious defense yet again trademarks this playoff unit who have gone up against arguably the East's three biggest stars in Dwayne Wade, Lebron James, and Dwight Howard. The Celtics, who have been documented as struggling at times with the team before i concept Doc Rivers has set in place, are now working as one on defense behind the barking of Kevin Garnett.Perhaps the light bulb went on inside the locker room just as it has in the local media. With Ray Allen's contact expiring and Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett showing their age, this could realistically be the last opportunity Boston has at raising banner 18 for years to come. It was no secret that the ever so young nucleus was disassembled by General Manager Danny Ainge to win now. He got his championship in 2008, but a championship in 2010 would cement these moves as not only genius but also beneficiary to the franchise as well as the city.There does not seem to be a major Boston sports team who will be a serious player for a championship in the near future. As much as I hope the Patriots revert back to previous form and the Red Reebok Pittsburgh Steelers James Harrison Realtree camo Jersey
Sox suddenly emerge out of hibernation, it does not realistically look possible. Boston's best shot may be the Boston Bruins, and coming off this 3-0 collapse that is far from comforting.The time is now for the Boston Celtics. Another ring would not only satisfy the fans of Boston but put the fall of a sports city on hold. A 2010 championship would, if for nothing else, buy more time. This would keep excitement in Boston. It would make a potential devastating 2010 for the Boston Red Sox stomach-able. The city of Boston needs this more so than many would think.

26 Dec 10 2010 NBA Playoffs: Celtics Sparked By Nate Robinson in Game 6 Win over Magic

Elsa/Getty ImagesAfter much talk about breaking up the "big three" the Boston Celtics kept their core together. There were rumors that Nate Robinson wanted to be traded to the Celtics but no one thought it would happen. In the end the Celtics traded Bill Walker, JR Giddens, and Eddie House for Robinson. Reebok Indianapolis Colts 18 Peyton Manning Realtree camo Jersey
Fast forward to April and Doc Rivers was quoted as saying that Robinson would win a playoff game for them.Everyone thought he was just trying to justify what was thought as a catastrophic mistake.Robinson had done nothing but lose during his brief NBA career, and the Celtics had traded crowd favorite Eddie house to get him.Let's face it; the New York Knicks under Mike D'Antoni are not a selfless team.Nate had never been asked to play solid basketball and as a result he saw less time on the court. To Nate'scredit he did not let it effect his relationship with his teammates. Robinson spent the last 30 games on the bench but was the loudest cheerleader on the team. He celebrated every time his team made a solid play and continued to work hard.All the while Doc kept whispering in his Reebok Minnesota Vikings 28 Adrian Peterson Realtree camo Jersey
ear the words he uttered on April9that Robinson will be a major factor in a playoff game.That game was last night. The Celtics showed Nate that if he embraced what it meant to be a Celtic his one shining moment would come.The second quarter was the Nate Robinson show. It was the match-up no one saw coming. Robinson a.k.a Mighty Mouse vs. Dwight "Superman" Howard; it was a battle for the ages. Mighty Mouse had found a crack in the Magics defense; Superman was there cape fluttering in the paint, waiting at the summit. Mighty Mouse remained undaunted as he too put on his cape and propelled himself into Superman's chest.He may have missed the shot, but that foul put Howard in foul trouble and the Celtics little-big man ignited the team. Robinson did what he was brought here to do: be an energy guy of the bench. Paul Pierce was heard saying after the game, that Robinson became a man last night. Everyone understood that he was the one that cemented the win for Boston. During his post game interviews Reebok Minnesota Vikings #4 Brett Favre Realtree camo Jersey
Robinson didn thump his chest like he does on the court; he spoke about staying ready for the opportunity.Here to you Nate Robinson.

25 Dec 10 Analysis: A Tale Of Two Amar'e's and Why The Knicks Are Surging

Doug Pensinger/Getty ImagesThe Knicks are on a tear that has not been seen since the days of Jeff Van Gundy. They are 13-9 through 22 games, but more importantly are 10-1 through the last eleven. Starting the season 3-8, most people were ready to write off the Knicks as another failed season as the result of another failed off-season. They had failed to land LeBron, and had failed to land any of the other premier free agent guards i.e. Wade, Joe Johnson, Rudy Gay. They had just given a huge $100 million contract to Amar'e Stoudemire who was coming off Philadelphia Eagles jersey
an impressive second half and playoff run with the Suns, but had questions coming in.Undergoing micro-fracture surgery several years ago, would STAT be able to stay healthy and log heavy minutes? Maybe the biggest question though was how would Amar'e adjust to an NBA life post-Steve Nash?Well over half of Amar'e points for the Suns have come off Steve Nash assists. Would Amar'e be able to be as dominant without the guy who had created so many of his scoring opportunities?Through the first 10 games, it didn't appear so. Amar'e was averaging multiple turnovers a game, was forcing the ball into the defense, and was catching the ball 18-20 feet from the basket. And when he did score it was usually at the expense of any type of offensive cohesion.Then something funny happened. The Knicks suddenly found themselves in California and rattled off three consecutive road wins against the Kings, Clippers, and Warriors. This coming off of a previous 6 game losing streak. They didn't play the stellar teams of the West, but what they did do was win games - something New York had been struggling to do ever since Jeff Van Gundy left as head coach.How did they do it? High powered scoring which involved a fast uptempo pacing of the offense, hot perimeter shooting and most importantly, Amar'e feasting inside the paint. And when I say feasting, Amar'e has been a monster during this current tear. Through the last 11 games Amar'e is averaging 29.5 points per contest. He is season average is currently 25.3 Pittsburgh Steelers jersey
which puts him third in the league in scoring.The increased outburst is definitely a conscious effort to not only get Amar'e more touches, but to get him those touches closer to the basket. Earlier in the season, Amar'e was catching the ball 18 feet beyond the basket and tried to beat every defender one-on-one. He forced the ball into the teeth of defense and was swarmed by rotating defenders which led to turnovers offensive fouls.Now, with the improved play of Raymond Felton, Amar'e is feasting on opportunities where he is catching the ball 6 feet to the basket. Amar'e is hands down the best finishing big-man in the NBA, and when a player of his talents is catching the ball that close to the basket, great things are going to happen. His dunking prowess is what has been making SportsCenter but his inside game has been the most impressive. In addition to his quickness, and jumping ability, STAT has amazing touch and can alter his shot in the air when close to the basket and still finish ; something usually privy to elite guards. With his ability to finish, and the Knicks ability to continuously feed him the ball in the right manner is has opened up the offense for other players. Chandler, Gallinari, Felton, and now even Shawne Williams have been finding themselves wide open on the perimeter San Diego Chargers jersey
as the result of double or even triple teams. The Knicks high powered offense has pushed them to 107.7 points per game, third in the league.The reasoning for the Knicks current streak is pretty clear. It's not as simple as give Amar'e the ball, but give the Amar'e the ball close to the basket. How the Knicks accomplish this is another story, but it has been largely because of Felton's ability to attack the basket and create passing lanes. Essentially, as long as the Knicks continue to create opportunities for Amar'e, they will continue to be competitive and win games. They have yet to beat an elite team but that could change as Boston visits the Garden on December 15.

24 Dec 10 Punting Cats: Is It Wrong?

Image from motherjones.comFor the uninitiated, this has little to do with animal abuse, in fact nothing to do with it. Punting cats (categories) is a controversial fantasy sports technique rarely used to perfection. The idea is to dismiss or ignore one entire category in favor of bulking up on the others. In baseball, the category most widely punted, and easiest to ignore, is saves. Just don't draft any top closers, or any closers at all. The theory behind this is that a lot of closers are bad. The only category they help in is the Reebok Arizona Cardinals Larry Fitzgerald Realtree camo Jersey
aforementioned saves. Rather than collect saves, owners might rather employ middle relievers with great ERAs, WHIPS, and K/9 numbers and forgo saves.The theory makes sense, depending on your league scoring. In head to head scoring leagues, punting a category is a good way to go. There is no season tally that matters. All that matters is your score for each week, so aiding three cats while dumping one is mathematically feasible, assuming it works. In rotisserie scoring leagues, however, punting a cat is very, very risky. Finishing last in one category puts you at a huge disadvantage when considering season ending tallies.Well, I have my fantasy basketball auction draft this weekend. In basketball, the most obvious 'puntable cat' occurs by drafting Dwight Howard. He is a beast on the boards and collects more blocks than you'll know what to do with. He scores a ton and puts up a fantastic field goal percentage. Howard is everything you want out of your center spot. Well, not everything. You see, Dwight Howard is the most cancerous free throw shooter in the league. This is not because he always ends with the worst percentage, because he doesn't. But his combination of poor percentage and tremendously large amount of attempts is a sure sign you will finish last in that category if he assumes a starting role on your roster. Even helping the cause by drafting a free throw shooting savant like Steve Nash will not necessarily lift you from the gutter.Now you see the dilemma.Do you draft Dwight Howard in a rotisserie league, almost assuring yourself of finishing near the top in everything he's good at, yet guaranteeing a last place finish in one category? My obvious answer is no. Don't draft him. Don't bother. Draft a couple cheaper big men who will hopefully cover the counting stats yet won't kill you in free throw percentage.But perhaps a more interesting situation of punting a cat is in regards to turnovers. Not every league uses turnovers as a category, yet lots do. Reebok Baltimore Ravens #27 Ray Rice Realtree camo Jersey
The problem here stems from the widely used technique in fantasy basketball of drafting tons of point guard types. These are not necessarily point guards, but players who accumulate point guard stats: three pointers, assists, steals, free throw percentage. Drafting all point guard types and power forward types usually covers every stat you would need to target and sets a team up nicely. However, when drafting all point guard types, an unavoidable consequence is inheriting lots of turnovers. Even the very best Chris Pauls and Rajon Rondos commit a lot of turnovers. This is just the way it is. Point guards have the ball in their hands all the time. Just by percentages alone, they are most likely to commit a turnover, whereas centers often commit very few. They don't have the opportunities.Of course you can try to draft the forwards who rarely turn the ball over, a Channing Frye or Anderson Varejao. But to draft point guards who have low turnover numbers is a daunting task. The other key element to this is the unpredictability of the stat itself. There is really no way to know, looking at on overall roster, which team will finish first or last in turnovers. It is somewhat random. So do you bank on that, or do you avoid point guard types and try to make up ground elsewhere?In this instance, and frankly this is the only time in fantasy sports I would advise it, I would punt the cat, technically speaking. (I am never one to punt saves in fantasy baseball. It is too easy of a category to excel in. Why throw away the points?) In my auction draft, I plan on bidding on point guard types until the cows come home. And, no, I don't know what that saying means or where it comes from. Perhaps I will glance at the turnover numbers when considering my power forward types, but overall, I will draft like it is not a category at all. Why screw myself up by thinking Mike Bibby is somehow better than Russell Westbrook?If you start considering turnovers, you start avoiding players who accumulate lots of Reebok Baltimore Ravens #52 Ray Lewis Realtree camo Jersey
points, just on the chance you win the turnover battle. We know Dwight Howard will be near the league lead in blocks and rebounds. We also know he will be terrible at free throw shooting. However, with turnovers, we don't really KNOW how good or bad a season someone will have. I am going to punt the cat and draft my point guard types. Feel free to do the opposite though, and draft a bunch of small forwards who are careful with the ball. In fact, do this and join my league because while you may finish first in turnovers, I'll be way ahead of you in everything else.

23 Dec 10Los Angeles Lakers vs. Minnesota T-Wolves: A Perfect Road Trip, a Perfect Barnes

Harry How/Getty Images“Oh, my God. He’s playing like Tim Duncan right now.”A random bystander catches me off-guard, and I nearly fall off the sofa. I decided to get out of the house for once, and headed over to Chapman’s Law School building. I’m catching Arizona Cardinals jersey
the game in the school lounge, getting a little too comfortable on the couch. These students seem desperate for a breath of fresh air, as one by one, they stop by and catch a few brief moments of the game.This particular one was referring to Darko Milicic. And he’s right. Darko’s playing like Tim Duncan with his defensive stance and a huge block on Pau and Lamar. First quarter is over.Why, oh, why do bad teams play so well against us? I get the feeling Kurt Rambis is handing out strategy guides on how to exploit the triangle offense.Without warning, Barnes passes to Odom for a slam dunk and Kobe hits a three-pointer to extend the lead to 13. A cute Asian girl behind me chimes in, “The problem isn’t our offense.” She’s also right, because three minutes later, the lead is back down to single digits. Darko goes on a rampage and blocks Odom, Pau then Kobe to kick up the swat count to 6, and the Lakers end the first half off of Kobe’s miss. Law students make for very good observers. I should hang around them more.But the Lakers start to pick it up in the third. Kobe goes in for a driving dunk off a bullet pass from Fisher, and proceeds to return the favor by assisting Fisher on a 22-footer. After trading baskets with the Wolves, the Lakers substitute in Barnes for Ron Artest. From here on out, it’s Barnes’s show. Matt Barnes drops three consecutive 3-pointers with the third one counting for an And-One. He’s unusually in the zone Atlanta Falcons jersey
tonight, making a 4-point play with ease. The Lakers fans in the stadium roar in excitement but suddenly I have nobody to celebrate with. Sneaky law students.In the fourth quarter, the Lakers go on a 10-0 run, with Barnes hitting his fifth 3-pointer after a turnover by Beasley. The Lakers clear the arena with 112 on the scoreboard to the Wolves’ 95. John Ireland catches Barnes before he heads to the locker room, and announces that it was a perfect night for the small forward from UCLA.24 points on 7-7 field goal, and five perfect free throws.This is definitely an improvement over our last bout with the Timberwolves, where we barely squeaked by on Kobe’s 33-point night. Still, Darko and Beasley both recorded a double-double, and Darko (seriously, Darko?) finishedBaltimore Ravens jersey
his night with a tip shot to end the score count at 23.The defense question still lingers, and we get the news that Bynum is eyeing a return on Christmas. Regardless, it was a perfect road trip, and a perfect night for Barnes.I’m personally curious as to how we’ll play against the Heat with Bynum making his 2011 debut on the 25th, but these law students are pulling ninja moves on me. I’m going to a bar next time.

NBA Free Agency: Why It's Likely LeBron James or Dwyane Wade Sign With New York

With the Knicks recent signing of Amar’e Stoudemire, they just made this free agency period more interesting. The Knicks now have a recruiting tool in Amar’e Stoudemire, and are very alive in the LeBron James sweepstakes. The Knicks, however, could also end up with the other big name in this class, Dwyane Wade. It is complicated but there is a very likely possibility that the Knicks willend up with either LeBron James or Dwyane Wade, especially with their roster upgrade adding Amar’e Stoudemire. With the Detroit Lions
Stoudemire signing the Knicks now can form a title contender around another superstar if they were to add either LeBron James or Dwyane Wade. The Knicks, unlike the Bulls, Heat, and Nets can now sell LeBron James of the fact that he’s playing alongside a star. In fact, Stoudemire is afive time all-star in the midst of his prime, who perfectly complements James’ game, and will be by far the best player James has ever played alongside. The other teams hoping to acquire James can only sell James on the possibility of playing alongside another star. Signing Amar’e Stoudemire makes the Knicks the only team that can sell both LeBron James and Dwyane Wade that they’ll have a legitimate 2nd star. The question is how willthe Knicks end up with either of thetwo big stars. Some dominos will certainly have to fall in order for it to happen, but here are the possible scenarios for the Knicks to end up with one of the two superstars. Scenario 1: LeBron James andChris Bosh sign with the Chicago Bulls or New Jersey Nets. Knicks then acquire Dwyane Wade. If LeBron James and Chris Bosh were to pair somewhere other than Miami where they would form the super team without Dwyane Wade, it’s almost certain Wade signs with the Knicks. With thetwo stars Wade wants to play with off the board, Wade will have to decide whether he wants to face them with a supporting cast of Carlos Boozer, Michael Beasley, and Mario Chalmers, or with a supporting cast of Amar’e Stoudemire, Danilo Gallinari, and Wilson Chandler.Wade would assume the role of playmaker in D’Antoni’s offense and run the offense with Stoudemire the same way the offense was ran in Phoenix with Steve Nash. Wade and Stoudemire would betwo dynamic scorers who would run the best pick and roll in basketball. Wade and Stoudemire almost teamed up at the deadline when the Heat tried to get a deal done with the Suns and even offered Green Bay Packers jersey
Michael Beasley. However, the Heat didn’t get a deal done and were empty handed at the trade deadline. Honestly it’s a very easy choice, Wade would join the Knicks and if all were to go as expected. James and Wade would clash in the eastern conference finals, both hoping to challenge the Lakers for the title. Scenario 2: Wade and Bosh sign with Heat, Knicks sign LeBron JamesThis could be the more likely scenario due to the fact that Wade would rather stay in Miami. The Heat would formtwo thirds of the south beach super team, and LeBron James would havethree decisions to make. He could stay in Cleveland and team with Mo Williams and Antawn Jamison. He could join the Bulls and play with Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah, and potentially Carlos Boozer or David Lee. He could join the Knicks and play alongside Stoudemire, Gallinari, and Wilson Chandler. It would be a close call, but James would have the chance to play alongside a top big man in Stoudemire, and a shooter in Danilo Gallinari, those are the two players James needs to play with, a mobile big man who can score in the paint and run the pick and roll, and a shooter. Stoudemire and Gallinari certainly fit James’ needs. The Bulls on the other hand don’t have a shooter, and Derrick Rose can only play to a fraction of his abilities because he and LeBron James’ styles are too similar. LeBron James and the Knicks would likely face the Heat in the eastern conference finals due to Houston Texans jersey
Boston’s old roster, and the Orlando Magic lacking a true go to scorer. The bottom line is that two of the big free agents left might want to play together, leaving one of them alone if he resigns with his old team. The Knicks however already have a core in place that is missing its biggest piece in order to contend for a title, a superstar.