Somewhat Reserved

Tonight's NBA All-Star Reserve selections come as a bit of a surprise. Every year, players are left off. There are only 12 spots on the team (there should be 15, not sure why there isn't, its a friggin all star game) and that means a player who is worthy of the position won't be going. This years ASG is in New Orleans, which will answer some questions down the road as to why certain people are on it. Who deserves it, and who doesn't? Lets have a look...

Eastern Conference:
Chauncey Billups
Chris Bosh
Caron Butler
Richard Hamilton
Antawn Jamison
Joe Johnson
Paul Pierce

- Not too many complaints here. I thought Josh Smith deserved the position over teammate Joe Johnson, but thats neither here nor there. The problem I have is with Paul Pierce. Yes, Pierce is a great player, but the team's record is not directly correlated to his performance. It's because of Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen this time. I would rather have seen Allen or Jose Calderon as the reserve in place of Pierce. Yes the Celtics have the best record in the land, but Paul Pierce has reaped the benefits of having two other superstars on the C's. Also, Richard Hamilton makes it because of Detroit's record, he too could be replaced. Overall, most of this team was selected with care.


Western Conference:
Carlos Boozer
Steve Nash
Dirk Nowitzki
Chris Paul
Brandon Roy
Amare Stoudemire
David West

- David West and Brandon Roy are the two names that stand out here. The two youngsters have worked hard and put up great numbers this year, helping lead their teams to outstanding first halves. I have to say it comes as a bit of a surprise. Baron Davis probably could have made the squad over David West, but the game is in NOLA, so looking at it from that perspective, West becomes a great pick. Playing in front of the hometown crowd is an amazing accomplishment. Shawn Marion was also snubbed here. The guy is down a little bit this year in the numbers game, but he is the absolute glue of the best team in the West. He plays great D and does it all. Does everything. He will see more, no doubt, in the future.


So stepping back and looking at the big picture, there are of course some shockers, but all-in-all, the players chosen aren't bad. I do like that David West made it, the Hornets deserve two players in this game. Hopefully, in the near future, we see 15 players on each squad. Brandon Roy making it to the squad is also a sign that the young players are growing fast in this league. The Blazers have come out of nowhere as well, and Brandon Roy will be a star in the association for a long, long time. The coaches too absolutely deserve to be there. Congrats to Byron Scott for leading a team of youngsters to the best second record in the West. NOBODY saw this coming. Doc Rivers has done his job in Boston, and will be there too. Hopefully the game is a blast and brings a little bit of brightness to a city that has seen it's share of gloom in the past few years. New Orleans deserves a great game, and these guys should give them one.

Dosage of Phils

Pedro Feliz Signs With the Phils:
-Not a bad move for the Fightin's, bringing in a 6th or 7th man in the order to take over at hot corner. He's 32 but can hit for some pop. He had a down year last year, but brining him in at a modest 2 years with an option for a 3rd is not a bad idea. I feel like we could see another David Bell, however, the Phils left themselves flexible in the situation by giving up only $8.5 million over those two years. If he can just make contact with the ball and put it in play, the Phillies will get what they paid for. Somewhere around 84-88 rbi would be about right, and he should hit about .275-.280 in the ballpark and lineup. However what overshadowed that move for the Phils was the news that...

Johan Santana Shipped to New York:
-The Mets won the ultimate prize of the 2008 offseason, by acquiring 2-time Cy Young winner Johan Santana. They gave up a package of 4 decent prospects, but it was nothing that the Mets could not handle. However, does this outright make them better than the Phillies? As a Philadelphia fan, it's hard to come at this question with a clear mind, but we can break it down.

The starting pitching is still relatively equal. As much as the Phils back end of the rotation is shaky, so is the Mets. Both teams have two great pitchers at the top of the rotation. I believe they are about even however, because we do not know what to expect from Pedro. However, the Phillies do not have a 2-time Cy on their team. That can make a huge difference. EDGE METS

The lineup for the Phillies has a definite advantage though, especially brining in Pedro Feliz and Geoff Jenkins. The Phillies will strike out a ton, yet they get on base so much that it nearly negates the fact that they whiff so damn much. The Phillies bench is also stronger than the Mets in nearly every aspect. Defense within the starting lineup is also just about equal. We'll give the lineup/bench to Philadelphia. EDGE PHILLIES

The bullpens for both teams, as for all teams, can and will be an issue at some point in the season. However, the Phillie seem to have plug the holes by getting Brad Lidge and re-signing JC Romero. Aaron Heilman is a decent reliver for the Mets, but the Phillies just have more power at the back end. EDGE PHILLIES.

This will be close in the end, there is no doubt about it. It always comes down to the pitching in the end. The Mets have the starters and the Phils have the relivers. Both have great lineups. Everyone, start getting excited for the '08 season. Should be a hell of a ride in the NL East.

Feeling Horny...In New Orleans

Is anyone else excited about the prospects of this New Orleans Hornets franchise? Fresh off whooping the Spurs ass on Sunday night by 24 and then Monday night smoking the Melo-less Nuggets by the same amount, this Hornets team is ready. Ready to take the West. Ready to put people in the seats. Ready to focus on the playoff run. This team is comparable to the Blazers in that they are a group of mostly young, high-energy players who feed off of each other on a given night. The King Hornet is obviously Chris Paul, but don't let this team fool you, it isnt just about him. From Tyson Chandler and David West, on down to the last player, each guy serves a purpose and they realize it. They realize something special is happening.

A Hornet is a hard working insect and it's sting can be as powerful as it is painful. Just ask the rest of the NBA about it. The King Hornet right now is Chris Paul. He is near the top of the speculation for Most Valuable Player right now, and deservedly so. The kid is a monster. The other worker Hornets supply the right amount of cohesion for the nest to stay in order. Peja Stojakovic is the elder statesman of the group, and a hell of a shooter. David West is the new up and comer in the NBA and has a strong work ethic, proving is naysayers wrong when they told him he was a tweener and probably wouldn't make it far in the league. Tyson Chandler was deemed a bust and shipped to the South when the Bulls saw Ben Wallace available. Wrong move. Chandler is now the best offensive rebounder in the Association at 4.5 per game and 12.4 overall. The guy is a beast and probably should be an all-star if not for Marcus Camby and Amare Stoudemire waiting behind Yao.

Then comes the backup Hornets. Just as vital to the well-being of all the Hornets in the nest. Bobby Jackson, Jannero Pargo and Ryan Bowen are normally your first three off the bench. Jackson brings the intensity and know how of a playoff-savvy veteran. Pargo gives you some instant offense and is a great dime dropper (see 13 points, 7 assists in 30 min. against Denver). Ryan Bowen is the wild-card. He can give some mid-range buckets on a good night, but he will never stop defensively. Coach Scott uses him at just the right times, and just enough to maximize his importance on a game. In 18 minutes against the Nugs, Bowen had 8 points, 3 rebs, 3 steals. That helps. Then you have Melvin Ely and Rasual Butler who are great options. Ely is a big body who can give West and Chandler a break and Butler is a "3" who can give you instant offense from the outside.

This team excites me. It should excite fans everywhere. For fans of the Sixers, T-Wolves and Bobcats, you want your team to become this. They went through the trials and tribulations of Hurricane Katrina and came back 2 years later to rule the West. This team was built a few years ago and are now flourishing for the whole NBA to see. Even if it doesn't work out this year, the groundwork has been laid for this team to stay a contender. On a side note, I think we should see more than 99 ppg from this Hornets squad, but that will come with time. Their offense is starting to pick it up in the last few games. They are stellar defensively and have just the right combintion of athleticism and excitablility to take this magical season and make it continue.

Are you feeling Horny yet?

March Madness in January and more...

As we creep closer to March and the Tournament, we have to figure out the best teams in the land. Surely, we do not want to go into picking the bracket without an idea of who does what. Right now, there is so much hope for so many teams. Let's figure out who the pretenders and contenders are all across this great nation. Will there be another George Mason? Is Memphis unbeatable? Can powerhouse UNC pull it off? Only time will tell. But for now, lets all hop aboard and look at who I believe will make it and who will not.

Pretenders:
-Memphis Tigers: Seems crazy. But thats what we are all about here at Daily Dose. Acting nuts. Memphis plays nobody, we all know that. So who will prepare them for the finest teams come March? They do play UAB twice, who always give Memphis a run for their money. They also play a ranked opponent in Tennessee later on in the season. But their conference is faily awful and Other teams like UCLA, Duke, UNC and other become prepared as the season goes because of their rigorous conference skeds. Memphis is a pretender and while they may make it to Elite 8 status, I just can't see them winning it all.

-Georgetown Hoyas: No Jeff Green. No title. Roy Hibbert can not do this alone. Jonathan Wallace's numbers are down from a year ago. They are a seasoned team, but I just can't take them seriously for a run at the Final Four. Stay away come March.

-Vanderbilt Commodores: 2-3 in the SEC just doesn't cut it. After a beatdown by the Gators by 22 down in the swamp, they have officially been put on the pretender list. They do have the superstar that it takes to go deep in Shan Foster. But you cant start off 2-3 in the SEC and expect to go on a long run come tourney time. Vandy is coming back to earth.

Contenders:
- Washington State Cougars: Led by Derrick Low and Kyle Weaver, the Cougs can make another run in the tourney after last years improbable season. Coach Tony Bennett is a year wiser, as are his star players. Wazzu also has a deep bench which will allow them to rest the weary when need be. This is a team to watch for come March, let that be known. They play in the uber-tough PAC-10 and are constantly up against teams like UCLA, Arizona and Oregon. They will be ready when the field of 65 is selected.

- Kansas State Wildcats: This team is as talented as any in the country with Michael Beasley and Bill Walker leading the squad. Those two alone make it a talented roster. They are ranked 24th as of this writing, but this team can be a nightmare to play in March. Having two stars can be hell in a pressure environment, especially if these guys play like they have nothing to lose. They can play that way because it is almost assured that Beasley will go pro and probably be a top 3 pick, and Walker will be a first rounder and will be right on his heels to head to the Association. Look out for K-State.

-UCLA Bruins: This isnt out of the blue (and gold, stupid I know). But UCLA is a very, very good team. They have several key players from both tournament runs of the last few seasons. Right now, UCLA is my pick to win it all. You heard it here. With the experience and talent of this Bruin squad, Ben Howland will be cutting down the nets at the Alamodome in early April. Darren Collison runs the team flawlessly, and making that easy for him is super-freshboy Kevin Love and returning starter Josh Shipp. This team is poised and will settle for nothing less than a 12th championship title.


And more..

-Hilarious Youtube videos sent to Rudy Gay so that he can try them in the dunk contest.

The Most Overrated NBA Teams

Every year, there are certain teams whose record looks better than they actually are. Teams that fall apart in the end after possibly a great season. Happens all the time. Here are my teams that I believe are playing better right now than their records show.

1. Denver Nuggets: The Nugs are filled with me first players, plus two superstars. They have a very good record right now (26-16), but have beaten up on the weaker opponents in their division going 4-0 against Minnesota and 1-0 against Seattle. Two shoot first superstars on the same team can be a tough match, but AI and Melo have done an admirable job of working together. However, I don't think they play enough defense to get deep into the playoffs and are a ticking timebomb. AI can snap at any moment and JR Smith is a budding headcase himself. Even Melo can get pissy from time to time. Love George Karl, but i just don't see the Nuggets getting far.

2. Boston Celtics: Here me out. 34-7 is an amazing record for 42 games into the season. From now on, teams all over will be gunning for them because they are the new force in the NBA. Every team will get up for this challenege because everyone wants to beat the so called best. Don't get me wrong, they are a great team, just not as amazing as the record indicated. They still have a young point guard and center and a shky bench as well. Brian Scalabrine should not even be in YMCA Rec leagues for christ sake. They can make a run at the title with this team, they are just overrated right now.

3. San Antonio Spurs: I might be crazy for saying this, but this year will be different. They are getting old, with their bench the equivalent of a bingo hall on a tuesday night. Duncan, Parker, and Ginobili have been beat up all year and now the West is as good as ever. I see an uphill battle for this team. They are overrated because everyone believes that they will show up huge and make another run. This year, I just do not see it. Too old.

4. Miami Heat: Yes they are overrated. I think they are far worse than their record indicated. Shaq is virtually washed up on this team (he may be better suited in another role somewhere else). D-Wade can't do it all himself. With Ricky Davis and wash ups like him, the Heat could actually be worse then their record says. This team is a one D-Wade injury away from never winning again. Pat Riley should quit like I know he wants to because this won't be getting any better. Do yourself a favor and hang it up Riles.

Conspiracy, anyone?

The starting five for the NBA All Star teams from each conference are now set. In the Western Conference, something strikes me as odd. Just two weeks prior, guard Tracy McGrady was holding on to a decent lead of around 80,000 votes over Denver's Allen Iverson, who was stuck in 3rd place. Fast forward to yesterday when the starters were announced on TNT before the Spurs/Heat game, and look who passed McGrady. Iverson jumped ahead of McGrady by more than 10,000 votes in just two weeks time. That's a 90,000 vote swing in under 14 days.

Sounds like something shady going on, no? What I believe happened, and don't yet call me a conspiracy theorist, is that the NBA did not want a starting spot wasted on a player who was not deserving. In the past few days, Tracy McGrady talked about sitting the ASG out if the rules would allow, because he realized others were having superior seasons. Now, granted, McGrady has been battling injuries, but is still a fan favorite. However, it is true that he should be left off the roster, and now, by this stroke of luck, we won't have to worry about it. Does anyone else believe that the NBA set this up? David Stern and the other suits at the top saw this as a possibly terrible scenario. How can the NBA leave off someone who is rightfully deserved of the roster spot when McGrady clearly is not? How can Carlos Boozer, Deron Williams, or Baron Davis sit home? And how would the public know what goes on behind closed doors anyway? Should we have a recount? I think Stern sat at his desk for about 4 days, clicking on Allen Iverson as many times as possible so that McGrady would be left off. Over 90,000 more voted in 14 days for AI than T-Mac.

For some reason, I just don't believe it.

The Things I Miss in Sports, and more.

DO you ever watch professional sports and think back to the old days. Well for me, the old days wasn't that long ago, but the ever changing sports universe looking markedly different than it did 10 years ago, or even 10 months ago. Free agency, higher contracts, and failing leagues (i'm looking at you NHL) have contributed to the altered state of professional sports. While looking at the leagues, I wondered what was missing that was so great in previous seasons. Maybe some of the ideas should be brought back, maybe some shouldn't. But just know, I miss them.

- The Good, Old Rivalry: They just don't seem to be there anymore. In college, they will always be there. UNC/DUKE, Florida/FSU, USC/UCLA. Most of them are due to geography. But in pro sports, it is too uncommon. The Boston Celtics are intruiging due to their offseason acquisitions. However, why does that automatically mean that everyone they play now can be a rival? Their so-called rivalry will not flare up with the Lakers until they both make the Finals AT LEAST one more time, against each other. Boston/Detroit looks like it may match up better in the East. Dallas and San Antonio in the NBA also have a good rivaly going, but it's not like it was in the 80's, where there were so many. Even the NHL is lacking anymore. You have your Rangers/Devils, Rangers/Flyers, Wings/Avalanche. But think back to the mid 90's. They were much hotter. Rivalries in Baseball are fake anymore because of free agency. There are a few in the NFL with the entire NFC East mired in hatred. Packers/Bears, Chiefs/Broncos, and Steelers/Ravens aren't bad either. But the passion is still not there. Think back to Bird/Magic, Jordan/Wilkins, and so many more. Wouldn't life be better with a rivalry or two?

- Short Shorts:
Hear me out. When was some of the best basketball played in the history of the great game. The 1980's, my friends. Barkley, Bird, McHale, Jordan, and Purvis Short! He fit right in. SEE HERE Purvis Short's Shorts
What I am trying to say here is we've become too worried about appearance. The NBA used to be simpler. Guys weren't worried about being gangster and embarrased about having shorts above the knee. They went out there and played "balls out" basketball, clearly no pun intended. We can thank the Fab 5 for the long shorts. But as the shorts have gotten longer hasn't the game gotten worse? Now by no means do I think the NBA is a free fall, but we need to get back to that simpler time. Scores were higher, players were better shooters, and short shorts reigned supreme.

- Running and Gunning, and not just the NBA:
The NFL is on the right track. Higher points means people watch the game. Would you rather see a 9-6 field goal fest or a 45-42 barnburner with long scores and big yards? The answer is simple. The NBA once consisted of every team scoring over 100 points per game in a season. Take 1984-85 for example: Every single team scored at least a buck, with the low being 102.1 by Seattle. The high that season: Denver at 120.0 per game! This season, 21 teams average under 100 points. with Miami at just 92 per. That's sad. What happened to the wild run and gun style that the NBA used to employ. We need that back. Baseball tried to have numbers shoot through the roof and all that got them was the George Mitchell Report. Chicks dig the long ball. The NHL in the 1970's, 80's and early 90's was one big shootout as well. Take the year 1984-85 in the National Hockey League. Wayne Gretzky set the record that season for points scored with 215. He scored over 200 four times in his illustrious career. Compare that to 2003-04, which was not that long ago. Not one player scored over 100 points that season. Scoring is down across the board, except for the NFL, where the overall product is at its peak. Take note, other leagues. More scoring means more people in the seats.

- Loyalty and Integirty:
This is something that waved bye bye to the sports world. Loyalty to one team left when free agents began moving from team to team, treating the game more like a business than ever before. Integrity was lost, if it really every existed, when the cocaine movement of the 80's screwed the NBA, and now the Steroids Scandal of the 00's in Major League Baseball. What we have on our hands is a business. And with any business comes the opportunity for profit. We can't turn down more money in this world because the future is far too uncertain. So with that being said, when there is money to be made, there is loyalty to be lost. It's just the way of the world, and it's ok by me. However, that takes away from the committment and dedication to one team. Just for a second think of the Tony Gwynn's and Mario Lemieux's of the world. Great players staying with one team for 15 years or more. It no longer happens. We need someone like LeBron James, Dwyane Wade or a David Wright to stay with one team to show us that loyalty still lives on.

Fun Fact of the Day: The Philadelphia Flyers lead the league as of this writing with 42 fighting majors on the season. Broad Street Bullies, anyone?

NBA All-Stars '08

We are rapidly approaching the NBA All-Star break, which takes place the weekend of February 15. As with every all star game, there will be people who probably should not be on the team, and with that comes with snubs. We try not to snub anyone here at Daily Dose (Sorry Erick). But it will happen. So here is one man's look at the upcoming All-Star madness.


EASTERN CONFERENCE:
Starters:
F- LeBron James: A no-brainer as you all know. LeBron is having a great season with 29+, 7+, 7+, and is a world renouned dancer, plus he can fly planes. I just made those up. But he is good.
F- Kevin Garnett: Brought the Celtics back from obscurity, and every old, irish 1980's, Celtic lover out of the bars and into the Fleet. Good for him, he earns an All-Star bid.
C- Dwight Howard: A bigger boy amongst smaller boys, Dwight is 22 years old and is dunking on everyone. That must feel good. When I was 22 I didn't have a job, or money. And I could not dunk.
G- Chauncey Billups: Did you see the other night when he hit that 35 foot three-ball with under 5 seconds left? Granted he walked, but still. He shoots the big shots and makes them. And is keeping Detroit going.
G- Caron Butler: That's right I did it. Butler has put together his best season because Gilbert isn't around. He has the Wizards in the playoffs (unlike Wade) and is shooting 50% from the field (unlike Kidd). He gets the last spot.

Benchers:
Jason Kidd (he's Jason Kidd)
Dwyane Wade (even though the Heat stink, I guess he's still one of the best)
Ray Allen (because of him and Garnett, Pierce is reaping the benefits of a great team, which is why Pierce stays home here).
Jose Calderon: (Filled in admirably for the fallen TJ Ford. Is a spectacular passer, just ask Bosh).
Chris Bosh (Just asked him and he said that Calderon is a very good passer).
Antawn Jamison (Screw Arenas, who needs him anyway).
Josh Smith (One man wrecking crew deserves this spot for his awesome D and jump out of the gym leaping ability).
SNUBS ALERT!!- No Paul Pierce for reasons above. Michael Redd's team sucks, though I do like him. Can't have two Hawks so Joe Johnson stays home. Shaq is washed up and crusty. Hedo Trukoglu has been surprising, but can't take anyone off this list. Andre Miller has played well, but the Sixers are too young. Brian Scalabrine has not yet earned being there.


WESTERN CONFERENCE:
Starters:
F- Tim Duncan: He does it all so he deserves this spot until he retires.
F- Dirk Nowitzki: Still the best shooting big man alive. Dallas still one of the best teams in the league. He deserves this spot as well.
C- Amare Stoudemire: Microfracture, Shmicrofracture. He is dominating the paint. Only thing is, he needs to plays some god damn defense.
G- Kobe Bryant: Probably the MVP right now. The Lakers are winning. He's in.
G- Steve Nash: I might be slightly biased, but he is having statistically his best year. He deserves it because he is an MVP and Chris Paul is still young. Paul's time will come soon.

Benchers:
Chris Paul (MVP Candidate, just ask David West and Tyson Chandler. He's helping make them stars).
Shawn Marion (Guy doesn't get enough credit for his D and his ability to do it all, except shoot decent looking jumpers).
Yao Ming (numbers are awesome and hes learning better English so he can curse out the refs. Any guy who does that makes my team).
Baron Davis (Fun to watch, likes movies alot, and hangs out with Jessica Alba. Winner.
Carlos Boozer (He has done nothing wrong, but the Jazz around him have. Still deserves this spot).
Allen Iverson (Due to Carmelo's lack of defense and sprained ankle, Iverson gets the nod.)
Manu Ginobili (He is borderline, neck and neck with Brandon Roy for this spot. For now it's Ginobili)
SNUBS!!!!: Brandon Roy and Deron Williams will see plenty in the future. Carmelo sits it out because he stinks at D and he's hurt. Tracy McGrady is too hurt, doesnt deserve it. David West may see one soon playing with Chris Paul. Chris Kaman is ugly, but his game is not. Unfortunately hes snubbed.

My Biggest Issue with the Steroids Scandal

Let's first go back to 1989. Sammy Sosa was just breaking into the league as a skinny, over-matched outfielder with the Texas Rangers. He was a domincian version of my friend Erick Weinstein. Skinny, weak and not much else. He broke into the majors a relative unknown. 1989 was the same year that fellow "Bash Brother" Mark McGwire was struggling with his swing. He was the anti-weinstein. Standing 6'5 (Weinstein would die for that kind of height) and weighing somewhere around 210, McGwire blasted a rookie record 49 homeruns just two years prior, but his batting average dipped into the .230's.

Fast-forward to 1998. The "Summer of love" for us America at the time. It was a reinvention of a classic game. The 1994 strike harmed the game. But this summer would bring it back. Everyone was glued to a TV set and their heads in a newspaper, just watching, waiting, for Sammy Sosa and Mark McGwire to do the unthinkable. Both would shatter the old home run record set by Roger Maris. 61. Big fly numbers were on the increase in the mid-90's, but nobody thought anything of it. This year would be the apex of the home run hitting in baseball history. Forget Barry Bonds in 2001 with his 73 long balls. During the "Summer of Love" as we should now call it, 13 players hit 40 or more home runs, including gentlemen such as Mo Vaughn and Greg Vaughn. Christ, even Dean Palmer hit 34 home runs and knocked 119 runs that season. It was a statisticians dream. It was an American dream. America's Pasttime was on a new level. And we fell in love with the game.

Keep going to 2007. We are now embroiled in controversy surrounding the so-called "Steroid Era." The 90's were the peak of this, with home run records being shattered and people injecting themselves with performance enhancing drugs. As we can see by the Mitchell Report, which reared its ugly head in December of '07, there is a long list of players who are in some way tied to the use of steroids. Some players weren't great, some were better, and some were Sammy Sosa and Mark McGwire.

They can't get the votes needed to make the Baseball Hall of Fame. Here is Baseball loses me. For starters let's go out on a limb and say Commissioner Bud Selig new a little something about the use of performance-enhancing drugs within his game. There had to be one or two times he heard those words being used. He realized a good thing when he saw it. Attendance was booming due to "The Chase." People were falling in love with the game again. And the good, old American dollar was being pulled in by MLB. Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa were directly responsible for saving the game, in my mind. Major League Baseball cashed in on them. So now, they deserve better.

In no way am I condoning the use of drugs. I've never smoked a joint, or tried any kind of drug in my life. I know where I stand on that. But as far as looking at the numbers put up during that time; at the turnstyles and on the back of baseball cards, we should not deny these men there chance at the Hall. If Major League Baseball was so eager to make money off of these men, and let the drug use slide, then they should turn an eye for a second time and put them in the Hall. Players such as McGwire, Sosa, Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, and Gary Sheffield should have their face hanging on the walls of Cooperstown. During a time when it's safe to say drug use was prevalent, these men still put up worthy numbers.

We will never truly known with 100 percent certainty that these men used performance enhancing drugs. Public opinion has already deemed these men guilty, and perhaps rightly so. But the Hall of Fame is not a beauty pageant either. Was Ty Cobb the greatest person in the world? Most say no, he was a drunk and a sleazebag. I'm sure there are countless other assholes enshrined. The fact of the matter is, numbers don't lie. We may think of these men as scumbags for using drugs to become better players. But wouldn' we all like a leg up if it means a promotion? As the old adage goes, "if your not cheatin', youre not tryin'." Well these men cheated and will pay for it down the line. But put them in the Hall of Fame. The game of Baseball used these men for a profit, so they are just as guilty. Put them in, put an asterisk next to their name, but realize that the numbers don't lie. They helped save the game, so show respect even though what they did may not have been morally correct.

So these baseball players may have transformed themselves from a Weinstein to a wrestler, but give them credit for helping to keep the game afloat. What they did was wrong, but in the end, it was still good for the game. If Baseball was allowed to exploit them, then in my opinion, let them in.

Cool New Commerical

I saw this commercial at work about a month ago, and it looks like it's about to hit the airwaves soon. Its a cool Steve Nash commercial that centers around his navigation system. Pretty cool graphics, and a great idea. Henry Abbott of TrueHoop had this link, but i'm going to put it in my own anyway. Check it out, you'll like it. I obviously did since im a big fan of Nashes.

Steve Nash NBA Commercial

NFC and AFC Championships

Well here we are. It seems like yesterday when most of us believed that the 49ers were a chic pick to make it to the playoffs, along with countless other underdog teams like the Lions, Cardinals and Texans. Most figured that the Saints were ready for the next step. Others gushed that Brett Favre was too old, the Patriots were stupid for bringing in a cancer like Randy Moss, and that Norv Turner couldn't succeed in the playoffs. And the Giants? Seriously?

Throw it all out the window. Because here we are. Giants/Packers. Chargers/Patriots. Every story line that was going to be, can now be discarded. We are down to the final four because these are the four teams that chose to play well at the right time. Here is a look into one man's preview of Championship Sunday

AFC: 3pm, Chargers @ Patriots:
- Just looking at the two words, Chargers and Patriots, it reeks of a mismatch. But lets hold on here. The Chargers are playing fierce, and it showed that they are one of the deepest teams in the league. When LT and Rivers went down, Turner and Volek came in to seal the deal for San Diego against the defending Super Bowl Champion Colts. And if there is one thing that scares Patriot fans, it's their shaky linebacker core which is a combined 224 years old. If LT can do damage, assuming he is he healthy enough, he can make the LB's pay. But on the other hand, lets be serious. The Patriots have stopped everything coming there way, at least enough so that the offense can jump back on the field and bail them out. I'm sorry, but I just do not trust Philip Rivers, even if he does play. He may not with a bum knee. But it might not matter anyway. He's incredibly overrated and there is no way that Bill Belichick under-prepares for this one. Welcome to the SB Pats.

New England, 35, San Diego 24


NFC: 630pm, Giants @ Packers:
- Cold is the word that comes to mind. Sunday will be six degrees with wind and possibly some snow (thank you weather.com). Can the G-Men deal with that? Can the Packers even deal with that? I picked the Giants to be here after they beat on Tampa (who I previously picked). However, I just don't believe they can keep up with the balance of the Packers. The Packers looked like toast after falling behind 14-0 early to the Seahawks. But their D settled in, and the offense got on track, most notably Ryan Grant, who ran for over 200 yards. It seems like a cinderella story waiting to happen with Brett Favre in the NFC Championship game after planning to retire. The Giants will beat you up with the defense they have, and they have shown that they are for real with making it this far. But Eli Manning still hasn't had to win a game himself. Granted they are 9-1 on the road this season. But they have not seen negative temperatures. I believe the Packers win this one because of the arm of Brett Favre. Should be a fun one.

Green Bay 28, NY Giants 23


Be back tomorrow with some steroids talk. And our first look at Erick Weinstein.

Sixers Prove Me Right and Wrong

The enigma that is the Philadelphia 76ers continued today. Andre Miller jumped in the first seat, followed by Sam Dalembert and Andre Iguodala. And then Willie Green got in behind them. And then Lou Williams jumped on just before they closed the gates. And the 76ers rode another roller coaster. They must be getting sick to their stomach riding so often.

The Sixers proved me right, jumping out to a high energy, quick-paced first quarter that is brought on by their youth and ignorance when playing superior teams. They did this tonight against Houston and last night against San Antonio. Then the malaise sets it as a fan when between the 2-minute mark of the first quarter and the 9-minute mark of the second, they become lazy and disinterested and start firing up ill-advised shots and refraining from playing what is now known as defense. Sometimes this happens in the middle of the third quarter, or maybe even late in that period. But it seems to happen far too often.

But tonight against Houston they dug deep and played a hell of a ball game and proved me wrong as well. Riding the coaster from 16 down in the 3rd, and taking the lead on a huge run had to give a spark of confidence to a team trying to find an identity. Houston is a bubble playoff team in the West, which means they are a damn good team. But the 76ers showed poise, led of course by the elder statesman Andre Miller, and with some help from the young guns, got a victory. The scored a ton of fastbreak points in the 4th quarter, and made the game look fun. It's doubtful that they can sustain any type of even kiel for the season. But Sixer fans can only hope this is a positive sign of things to come.

Something Funny Happened on the Way to my Email..

Normally, at this hour of the night or early morning I should say, I check my e-mails before fading comfortably into a sweet slumber. However, tonight at approximately 12:40am, I checked my email and was given a funny, yet certainly needed, surprise. From time to time I will receive messages from the NBA that will give me updates on job openings within the company, or with one of the several franchises. To my utter delight, I was given an email to apply for this position:

Public Relations Coordinator: New York Knicks.

Hilarious. Not only was did I smile and immediately laugh at the notion, but I began ponder the overall look of the Knicks organization. That email completely summed up the way the Knicks act has gone for the past few season. Now word has gotten out that Stephon Marbury will miss two games, and possibly more, with a bad ankle that may require a fix. The situation will not get any better until Isiah Thomas is relieved of his duties and until James Dolan is no longer associated with the team. I believe that the real enemy should be James Dolan, not Isiah Thomas, due to his incoherent reign as the top dog of the franchise. It's humorous the think the Knicks ship has sunk so low, but it has. Even after a huge blowout win against the Pistons, negative word has to come out regarding Marbury. For every positive, there have been multiple negatives. James Dolan has to go.

And the Knicks have to stop stalking my emails asking me if I'm interested in becoming the next Anucha Browne Sanders.

Cause I don't.

The State of the Sixers

Young teams will continually lose and their confidence will waiver throughout a tumultuous season. As new General Manager Ed Stefanski comes in to oversee the rebuilding process that Billy King left a total mess, it seems like the confidence of the team is back and forth. It shows on the court. The Sixers this season have notoriously started strong, usually bolting out to quick leads with their athleticism and energy. However, the second half seems to be the time when they start overthinking and losing leads.

The 76ers have a future. Whether or not it is bright is another story. Having traded Philadelphia staple (and ladies man) Kyle Korver, conceeds that they are looking for more cap space to perhaps make a run at a big free agent in the next year or two. They have a bulge in young talent with Thaddeus Young and Jason Smith coming via the Draft this season, plus youngster Louis Williams and Sam Dalembert coming into their own this year. There are so many pressing needs however, for this team to even sniff a great year.

First and foremost is an inside scorer that can pound the ball and grab 10 boards. Reggie Evans is half that man, but half that man is half of what they need. Whether it be in the draft, or by free agency, they need a big low post guy. They also are in need of a point guard that can take over if/when Andre Miller leaves. Louis Williams, in my opinion, is more of a 2-guard, and is shades of a young Allen Iverson. Whether or not that is a good thing remains to be seen. But Williams does bring a great attitude and slew of energy. Willie Green looks like the round peg trying to fit into the square hole. He doesnt play great defense and doesn't shoot particularly well. That doesn't sound good for his future here in the Stefanski regime.

So there is your overview of the Sixers. Hopefully they address the needs soon. Andre Iguodala does not seem to want to be here for the long haul, but I believe he will change his mind when he realizes the cap space they will have available down the road, and when the young talent begins to fuse together. This does not look like a championship roster, but it could be a 5 or 6 seed roster for next year in the depleted East. Look for a few playoff runs in the next few years, but nothing more.

KORVER GONE-

Kyle Korver misses Philly. After being dealt to the Utah Jazz, Korver feels "uprooted" from the city he has grown to love. Korver was undoubtedly a great human being. But his contract and cap number did not fit the business side of the sport. He made too much money for a one-dimensional player. Here is a good article from David Aldridge in the Philadelphia Daily News on Korver.

Something You Don't See Everyday

Here is some inside information I have gathered. The Miami Heat protested a game against the Atlanta Hawks that ended in an overtime loss. During that game, Shaquille O'Neal was inadvertently given a 6th foul in the 4th quarter, when really the foul was on Udonis Haslem. Here is the protest.

NEW YORK, Jan. 11, 2008 – The NBA today granted a game protest filed by the Miami Heat after its 117-111 loss to the Atlanta Hawks on December 19 at Philips Arena, which will result in the replay of the final 51.9 seconds of the game’s overtime period with the Hawks leading 114-111. The replay will occur immediately prior to the next scheduled game between the two teams -- on March 8, 2008, also at Philips Arena.

The Heat protested the game because, with 51.9 seconds remaining in overtime, the Hawks' scoring table personnel incorrectly disqualified the Heat's Shaquille O’Neal – asserting that a foul committed by O'Neal was his sixth foul of the game, when in fact it was only his fifth. The error occurred because the Hawks’ Official Scorer mistakenly attributed to O’Neal a foul at 3:24 remaining in the fourth period that was actually called against the Heat’s Udonis Haslem.

NBA Commissioner David Stern found that the Hawks were grossly negligent in committing this scoring error, since they failed to follow league-mandated scoring procedures and failed to respond effectively when the members of the statisticians' crew noticed the mistake. Because of this conduct by Atlanta's personnel, Miami suffered a clear competitive disadvantage, as O’Neal – the Heat’s second leading scorer and rebounder that night – was removed from a one-point game with only 51.9 seconds remaining. Under this unprecedented set of circumstances, the Commissioner granted the Heat's protest, and fined the Hawks $50,000 for their violation of league rules.

The protest is the first granted by the NBA since December 14, 1982 when then-NBA Commissioner Larry O’Brien upheld a protest by the San Antonio Spurs concerning their 137-132 double overtime loss to the Los Angeles Lakers on Nov. 30. The Spurs and Lakers finished the game on April 13 with San Antonio collecting a 117-114 win.

That's some pretty wild stuff. Since I am an insider (ha) I got this info on the down low. This has not happened in 26 years, meaning its big news. It doesn't happen everyday. What if the Heat come back to win and the loss down the road on the Hawks means the loss of a playoff birth. This could potentially be huge. Be sure to mark this down on your calendar NBA fans, since it's such a rare occurence. I got excited when I heard about this because normally David Stern apologizes for the wrongdoing and sends you on your way. But not today.

Greatest Players You've Never Heard of....in the NHL

While the NFL is in the playoffs and the NBA is in full swing, we forget to give love to the ice. Not Figure Skating, but the NHL. It has become the forgotten sport since it had a year-long lockout just a few years ago, cancelling the Stanley for the first time since the flu epidemic of 1919. While this cancellation was about the American (and Canadian) dollar, many fans lost interest, some overnight. But it is still an amazing sport to watch, with several young stars blossoming. You know the big names. Crosby, Ovechkin, Pronger, Brodeur, Jagr. But do you know of the load of young stars carrying the Red Wings this season. Or the kids in Chicago trying to uplift the Blackhawks from the doldrums of the league. Here are a few of the great players you probably haven't heard of.

7. Jonathan Toews & 6. Patrick Kane Chicago Blackhawks: Toews and Kane are both 19 years old and are part of the future of the league. Kane is a smaller 5'10", but has blazing speed. Toews is of the larger variety, 6'2" and over 200 lbs. Together, they give the Hawks some hope that they can make it back to the playoffs for the first time since '02. Good luck boys.

5. Evgeni Malkin, Pittsburgh Penguins: He plays in the shadow of the great Sidney Crosby, but this dude has game. He's fast and is a nightmare to get away from the puck at 6'3" and almost 200 lbs. Malkin and Crosby give the Pens a 1-2 punch going into the playoffs, and they can make a run this year. Look out for Malkin for the next 15 years in the league.

4. Marian Gaborik, Minnesota Wild: When you look up fast in the dictionary it reads; moving or able to move, operate, function, or take effect quickly. It should have a picture of Gaborik, as the old addage goes. But seriously, this guy IS speed. He's so quick he keeps pulling groin muscles and missing time because the rest of his body can't keep up with his legs. He alsojust recently scored 5 goals in one game, the first player to do that in 11 years. Nice.

3. Mike Richards, Philadelphia Flyers: If you want a mix of speed and braun, this might be your guy. Richards is in the top 20 in scoring, but also likes to throw down, as is seen in his three fighting majors this year. Not bad for a guy at 5'11", 195. He is the new leader of the Flyers, having just signed a 12-year deal. The kid is shades of Bobby Clarke and the Broad Street Bullies, although they used to fight a bit more. But hey its a new game.

2. Pavel Datsyuk, Detroit Red Wings: Hockeytown is not selling out games like it used to, but it has nothing to do with this guy (or his teammates). Pavel Datsyuk is one of the brightest stars in the gam. He is 8th in the NHL in scoring and is a plus-26, meaning they score when he is out there, and the other team does not. The Red Wings will continue to be a powerhouse for years to come with a slew of talent like this on the roster, which leads to #1...

1. Henrik Zetterberg, Detroit Red Wings: Now, I'm sure i've left out a few greta players, but this is my list. Two Wings are at the top because, wwell, their team is at the top. Zetteberg is in the top 5 in scoring, and you might not know who he is if you dont follow the NHL. He's only one point behind Sid the Kid. Now that's impressive. He's another of the young do-it-all, speedster types. Plus, his ESPN bio pic makes him look like Colin Farrell. Badass.

Have a good weekend, i'll be around with more sports.

Follow up to the funest teams...and more.

-A few days ago I wrote a post about the Golden State Warriors being the "funest team in sports." No funest isn't a word, but if it was they would be it. Well, they proved my point in a huge win over San Antonio on Monday Night. The fun of the run and gun was on display against one of the formidable defenses in all the land. Check it out: http://www.nba.com/games/20080107/SASGSW/gameinfo.html?nav=scoreboardhome

-Also, I ranked the Suns #3 on the short list. They did not disappoint either, smoking the Nuggets with a buck-37 in regulation. Nash is still running hard and they love to fire away. What a great matchup this will be on Wednesday, February 13. Basketball fans, mark it down. Check this out too: http://www.nba.com/games/20080107/DENPHX/gameinfo.html

-Here is a good video of the greatest white dunker in the world...His name is Henry Bekkering. I actually shed a tear while viewing this. Check it out:

Look for more tomorrow, I'm tired.

PatGallen

Divisional Games on Sunday, and a Little McNabb

Let's start today off with Sunday Playoff predictions.

Sun 1pm: San Diego @ Indianapolis:
- Last week, San Diego looked very beatable against a suspect Tennessee team. That wont work with tried and tested Colts team that is still the defending champs. San Diego's D put the clamps down on Vince Young, but I don't see it working as well on Peyton Manning, who has seen it all. Ladainian should have some more room to run in this one against a less effective front four, but i'm afraid it wont mean too much. I see Philip Rivers unraveling, especially if Antonio Gates is out. The Colts secondary is led by Bob Sanders, who just recently won the Defensive POY in the NFL. Look for a good matchup, but the champs coming out with a victory, and on their way to meet up with the New England. Doesn't everyone want to see that anyway?
Indianapolis 28, San Diego 20

Sun 430: NY Giants @ Dallas:
- Eli Manning finally got his Giants team over the hump after years of waiting. Well the time is now for the Giants, and this game is going to oh so close. However, I still think Tony Romo and the Cowboys are too much. Now, this depends very much on the availability of Terrell Owens, who is a game time decision with a bad ankle. I know I can only make one choice, but I believe it depends on whether or not T.O. plays. I don't think he plays and as of this writing it is not looking good. In the upset special of the playoffs, I think the Giants squeek this one out (especially if T.O. is out). Eli brings them to the brink of the Super Bowl. If T.O. plays, though, throw this out the window.

NY Giants 23, Dallas 21 (If T.O. doesn't play) Reverse this score if he does.


D-Mac Back?

I actually got my frist request for a blog (sort of, thanks Ivers). It was regarding Donovan McNabb. Now, by no means am I an expert on the situation, but I do believe he will be back, as of now. Barring a great trade offer, possibly from Chicago or Minnesota, Donovan will be back wearing the green. I say this because of a few factors.
One, is money. Donovan McNabb's cap number is just under $10 million for the 2008 season, making it incredibly hard to trade him. He is injury prone, so say the games played numbers, and the number of teams looking to take a chance on a $10 mil, 31 year old (32 in November), possibly injury prone QB, is slim.
Secondly, McNabb gets along great with Andy Reid. Any Philadelphia fan knows what coach Reid went through this season, and I can't help but think next year will be a little bit easier on both Reid and McNabb. Donovan will be healthy physically, and hopefully Reid can be healthy mentally going in to the '08 season. The roster does need some fine tuning to make it playoff-ready, and the Eagles have been one of the best in the business at making something out of nothing. Reid and McNabb will definitely want to prove their worth next season, and prove it together.
Lastly, how many 5-time Pro Bowl quarterbacks are out there? Why give an 8-8 team to a second year player who has limited NFL playing time (you, Kevin Kolb). It's not easy to find a QB that knows the West Coast Offense that Andy Reid has employed. McNabb knows it inside and out, and it will take a few full seasons for Kolb to fully understand the nuances of the way it works. It doesn't make sense to take two steps backward, rather than possibly two steps forward with a healthy McNabb, a better roster, and a fully focused Andy Reid.
The verdict: McNabb stays and should enjoy a better year. Look for a possible playoff run for the Eagles next year with Reid and McNabb together in the nest (not literally).

NFL Sunday Games, Next Week, Too

Ny Giants 24, Tampa Bay 14:
What had yet to be seen for the Giants was finally fulfilled on Sunday. Eli Manning won a playoff game. Personally, I didn't think it would come this week, but the G-Men pulled out the victory over Tampa, and did it quite easily. Their defense controlled the final three quarters, making it impossible to move the ball for the Bucs. But more importantly, Eli made people forget about the missteps earlier in his career. Now comes the hardest test of all. The Dallas Cowboys. Good luck next week Eli, good luck.

San Diego 17, Tennessee 6:
This was the ugly game of the weekend; there usually has to be one. San Diego couldnt do much offensively until later in the game, and thank god their defense was on, or the city of San Diego's collective heads would have exploded. Tennessee looked anemic on offense, led by the highly overrated Vince Young. Their D did a great job of shutting down Ladainian Tomlinson, but they caved at the end and San Diego pulled it out. A good game defensively, but that means a rather sloppy game on the other side of the football. Phillip Rivers was the one to save them in this one. And he needed this for morale. Next comes a huge game against the defending champion Colts. A great game indeed.


As for next week, some great matchups are about to take place, and we can start with Saturday

Sat. 430 pm Seattle @ Green Bay:
-This means a trip back to Lambeau for Mike Holmgren, who led the Packers to their last Super Bowl victory. Seattle played a great game, showing up when they needed to against the Redskins. However, Green Bay has Brett Favre, who is aging gracefully. Favre should exploit the secondary all game against Seattle, in what is shaping up as a shootout for two teams who love to sling it. Matt Hasselbeck is a Favre disciple, having been his protoge for a few years in GB. They both throw the ball all over the place, and are the respective leaders of their franchises. Seattle struggles mightily to run the ball, so Green Bay will load up on the secondary trying not to get beaten deep. It should work for the most part, but this will indeed be a shootout. Favre wins, but not easily.
Green Bay 38, Seattle 31

Sat. 8pm Jacksonville @ New England:
- Obviously, this very well could be the matchup of the entire playoffs. The hottest team in the league in Jacksonville against a team that was hot all season in the Patriots. If there was ever a tough matchup for the Pats, this is the one. Boston should be bracing for a possible upset. We know what the Patriots bring to the table, they have been the story of the season. Brady, Moss, Welker, Belichick. We know what they are all about. However, Jacksonville is less than well known in the public eye, but boast two pro-bowl caliber running backs in Fred Taylor and Maurice Jones-Drew that will wreak havoc on the linebackers of New England. With that said, it still remains difficult to pick against a team that has not lost yet this season. I say a FG at the end wins it for NE. A close game, and a great one as well.
New England 34, Jacksonville 31

Be back tomorrow with more useless bullshit.

NFL Saturday Games

All I can say about Saturday's wild-card games on the opening day of the playoffs for the NFL is wow. If this is any indication of the way the playoff will playout, then we are in for a good couple of weeks here. All sports fans need this, as there is a kind of lull in the action from now until baseball opens up.

Seattle 35, Washington 14: Somehow, this game looks like a blowout, but it was certainly closer than it first appears. Seattle blew it open late after a missed FG by Washington in the 4th. After that, Seattle took control. But for the first three periods, this game was as entertaining as it gets. Back and forth, great defense, great offense, great special teams. This game had the whole package. I predicted a Seattle win, and a close one, and that nearly came to fruition until a few late TD's. However, Seattle looked good, and could give Green Bay a run next weekend.

Jacksonville 31, Pittsburgh 29: A hell of a football game that also had it all, including the score being close than that of the earlier matchup. This game REALLY had it all. Pounding hits, big runs, amazing special teams plays. Just when you thought the QB was looking good for either side, an interception was thrown. Just when you thought the defense was shutting it down, the offense blows up for a huge play. A true character test for both sides was won by Jacksonville on a late field goal inside of a minute. Both teams played their asses off til the end, but Jacksonvilly had a little more in the tank, as it was obvious that PIT was rather dpeleted. Good play by all. I predicted a 31-23 win by JAX, but I guess thats close enough. 2-0 is a good start for I.

Most Funest Teams to Watch in Sports

If funest was a word, it would describe these few teams who play the way we would want to play on the diamond, or on the court or field. The criteria for basketball is an uptempo style with alot of flair, but also with a crowd that plays behind you. In baseball, chicks dig the long ball, so teams that smash the ball, and have a good time doing it, are part of the list. In football, scoring points and smashing opponents is a must. In hockey, though few watch anymore, you have to be fast paced, but also rugged. Because we all like a good fight. Here is one man's look at the Funest Teams around.

7. Ottawa Senators: Possibly the most fast-paced team in the league along with Detroit, the Sens can blow past you on the wings, and the punch you in the mouth. With three of the most entertaining players in the league with Dany Heatley, Daniel Alfredsson, and Jason Spezza, the Sens are just a ball of fun. Chris Neil, the right winger who leads the team with nearly 100 penalty minutes, has no teeth in his bio pic on ESPN.com. Enough said. Watch the Sens and enjoy.

6. Indianapolis Colts: Why wouldnt it be fun to play with one of the greatest QB's to ever step on the turf. Peyton Manning doesn't always look like he's having a blast, but the rest of the team does when he is slinging the ball around. Reggie Wayne must have a great time becoming one of the greatest Wide Recievers in the game due to Manning's timing and incredible work ethic. Marvin Harrison is already there. On the defensive side, Bob Sanders will run right through you and then laugh about it. He is a monster, and fun(est) to watch. Go Colts.

5. Philadelphia Phillies: This team showed grit and determination, and had a blast doing it during the '07 season. They caught up to the failing Mets in the final week of the season, led by Ryan Howard and Chase Utley, to clinch a playoff berth for the first time in 14 years. It didn't go so well once they got there, but who cares, it was a blast just arriving. Chase Utley is a balls-out player, and Ryan Howard always has a smile on his face. Shane Victorino is the class clown, maybe one of the best in MLB in that category. Brett Myers is wild, even sometimes a little bit too much. But all in all, this team has fun. Which is what you should have when playing America's Pasttime.

4. Portland Trail Blazers: Now, they may not play the fast paced style that we have become accustomed to when talking about fun teams. However, I include them because of the blast they seem to have as a young group of kids that know how to win. They have a relatively young coach, a few young up and coming stars in Brandon Roy, Greg Oden, and LaMarcus Aldridge. They look like a team who is built to win in a few years, but in doing so, keeping up the fun level as well.

3. Phoenix Suns: These guys would normally be at the top of every fun list when putting together a group of sports teams that play fast paced, run and gun stuff. But, we are kind of used to them by now. Everyone knows about the Suns. Steve Nash is a two-time MVP, Amare Stoudemire and Shawn Marion are perennial all-stars too. They still play the way we all play at the gym. Run it, and gun it.

2. New England Patriots: I have fun watching, and imagine what its like to play for them. Randy Moss is probably doing Tom Brady's laundry, walking is dog, and giving him a back massage after every win for pulling him out of Oakland. I doubt that Bill Belichick brought him in withouth Brady's consent. But that's neither here nor there. What is important is the spread offense that they use to run up the scoreboard. They can also play a little bit of defense too, which gives them the ball back, which puts more points on the board. Fun, fun, for everyone.

1. Golden State Warriors: The new gold-standard for fun. Don Nelson once said "A bad shot is one that doesn't go in." He also drank beer during post-game conferences. But the fun factor soars because of the whole package that the Warriors bring. The Oracle is a high energy, blow-the-roof-off type of atmosphere that suits the team perfectly. They can put up nearly 50 points in one quarter, and do it with style. Baron Davis leads the pack of grown up kids who look like they actually enjoy playing the game. Stephen Jackson is a head case, but he is the heart and soul of the cohesive unit. All other parts seem to fit perfectly in the scheme that Nelson has provided from his days with RUN-TMC (Tim, Mitch, Chris). Its a blast, but probably better in person. Go if you have the opportunity.

Some would probably disagree that fun means running up the score and not playing defense. But the fact remains that most people would rather watch a 140-130 NBA game then a 78-72 game. It's human nature. The faster, the funer, the funest.

NFL Weekend Picks, part II

Here are the Sunday picks, if anyone is reading.

Sunday 1pm: NY Giants @ Tampa Bay
- The Giants are the Giant enigma. One week they are keeping pace with the undefeated Patriots, and the next it's a blowout loss to the Vikings. It all falls on the slight shoulders of Peyton's bro, something that he has not handled with care. This is another example of it. Against a great Cover 2 D, the Giants, I believe, will suffer. On the offense for Tampa, Jeff Garcia makes no mistakes and can run with the ball if he feels he is about to. His instincts are beautiful, and he should show them against a powerful front four of NY. Look for a deep bomb at some point to Joey Galloway, but Garcia will also be using his feet against a depleted LB core of the G-men. Tampa wins this one, but hopefully Eli can show some playoff spirit.
Tampa Bay 27, NY Giants 21

Sunday 430pm Tennessee @ San Diego
- This one might be a laugher. Even though the Titans have a stoudt front four, the Chargers have LT. And that's really all that needs to be said. If Phil Rivers can minimize the mistakes by looking at short routes for Gates and the like, the Chargers should blowout. The Titans don't have a stellar offense, especially, or maybe not especially, since Kerry Collins is the man now, without VY. Look out below, thats the Chargers stomping the Titans.
San Deigo 37, Tennesee 17

Hope i'm right. Have a good NFL weekend.

NFL Weekend Picks

Here are my first playoff week picks. That way, down the road, I can look back and see how incredibly wrong I was...

Saturday 4:30pm Washington @ Seattle:
-Alot of people are hopping on the Redskin bandwagon, and I can understand why. They have faith on their side for one thing (Sean Taylor), and are on a roll. But Todd Collins and playoff win just dont seem to add up in my mind. All in all, this will be a close one I believe, with the Rain and Wind a big factor. The ground games will be on call, and that obviously gives the Redskins an edge. However, Seattle has a great home-field advantage, and I think they overcome the weather and squeak out a close victory. SEATTLE 24, WASHINGTON 20

Saturday 8pm Jacksonville @ Pittsburgh:
-Wow, David Garrard. Who knew that you could lead a team like this? The guy had the tools coming up from East Carolina, and the team obviously saw this by keeping him around behind Mark Brunell and Byron Leftwich. Well, great job, because you have had one of the best seasons this year for a QB and JAX is a team nobody wants to mess with. Pittsburgh can talk tough, but they are depleted all over the place, especially on the O-Line. Look for JAX to continue the hot streak in a victory over PIT.
JACKSONVILLE 31, PITTSBURGH 23


Be back later with the Sunday Games.

The rise and fall of the great white hoop.

And by hoop I mean basketball player. What has happened to the good white ball player? Dont take this as being racist, because it certainly is not. Just wondering why there are so many Scot Pollards and not enough Steve Nashes? We've become the equivalent of the nerd in class. Just a few years back, guys like Tom Chambers were soaring through the air, slamming on guys. Now, bless his soul, but Steve Nash hasn't touched rim since he had a bowl cut. There are so few great white players, and even fewer high flyers. Here is my own list of top white dunkers in the NBA history. If you want to check out a great blog, go here...Jones on the NBA
He puts a spin on the great white players of the last few years.

5. Rex Chapman: "The Boy Wonder" as he was so passionately called, Rex spent alot of time on the injured list (Played 12 seasons with a career high of 75 games; Played 60 games or less in 8 of those years!). But the guy could throw it down heavy.

4. Dan Majerle: "Thunder Dan was a hell of a shooter, but could dunk it down with the best of 'em for a few years. Thunder Dan can also hit half-courters from his announcers chair without taking off the makeup.

3. David Lee: Lee is 6'9 or so, and is a thick body guy, but he can get up. Maybe not as much anymore, but definitely back in his days at Florida, and high school. He was a sick dunker in high school...see here...David Lee Dunk contest

2. Brent Barry: As evident by his 1996 Slam Dunk Contest Victory, capped with a foul line dunk, still one of the greatest feats for a white person since the invention of the telephone and the automobile. Check the youtube video of his dunk, and its totally legit. No visual effects or trampolines here.

1. Tom Chambers: The finest white dunker in the history of whiteness. This guy was from Ogden, Utah, so there is no way to even question his whiteness. The guy could be used as a glue stick. He may have one of the top 5 in-game dunks in history over Marc Jackson. I present that here.




So as you can see, white boys are playing with concrete feet these days, and it's a damn shame. We need a high flyer to show we can still jump. We can't really, but we need a better name than Rex Chapman on this list. This is a sad group of names. Don't get me wrong, they were all great players in their own right. But if started a best dunker list, the top 10 would be cream-free. NO disrespect to anyone, in anyway.

Greatest Commercials ever...

Here, my friends, is my first real post. It's a quick one because it's so late, but worth it I think for a first post. Does anyone other than myself not love this commercial from when we were young, and when McDonalds didn't give you a massive coronary?

Day 1 (Hopefully with more to come)

Today is my first day, it seems, using a computer. This is my new web page/blog. I have done this for the sole purpose of getting thoughts out to you, the public, on everything sports. Now, I have never done anything like this before, so stay with me. But for all of you who know me, and for those of you who do not, keep checking back. Everyone has an opinion, especially on sports. Let it be known. That's what I am trying to accomplish here. I'll try to post every day, at the very least. It's quite obvious that everyone thinks they are some sort of gifted writer (note the 14 billion people that have a blog of some sort). But, for me it's all about getting whats on my mind out into the world. For years I have had an opinion on the world of sports. Everything from the Phillies shitting down their own leg in the playoffs, to the Patriots undefeated season, to every player from the 90's being juiced on roids like a goddamn racehorse. Well here it goes. Hopefully it works out. So check back...please.