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tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-346908152018-08-28T13:35:09.200-04:00PHSportsThe litmus test for sports commentaryPaymonhttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-34690815.post-15525175633175574132011-06-24T23:39:00.000-04:002011-06-24T23:39:40.431-04:00Post NBA Draft BreakdownFirst things first, Cleveland marked a line in the sand by drafting Kyrie Irving with the 1st overall pick. They clearly wanted a point guard for the next 10 years, and he fits that bill. The Cavs threw the first major curve ball of the draft by selecting Tristan Thompson. I'm not sure what Cavs GM Chris Grant was thinking with this pick. I like Thompson as a lottery pick, but at least 4 picks later.

Minnesota may not be the league's doormat forever. I really like their 3s and 4s with Love, 2nd pick overall Derrick Williams, and Michael Beasley (who I think should be traded). They also have a lot of talent in the pipeline. They were also very strategic about their selections, and could be a force to be reckoned with if they can improve by 10 wins each of the next two years and can retain talent. Bogdanovic could be a steal, though trading away the rights to Mirotic and Cole (best rebounding guard in the draft, who can also fill it up and pass) could be moves that GM David Kahn could live to regret.

Though I am a slightly-biased resident of the DC area, I love the Wizards' draft and their new hats. If Jan Vesely can play basketball anything like he kisses, the Wiz kids will be borderline watchable as the next season we have basketball. He's a high-motor PF, which the Wizards badly need, and provides competition for the ever-lazy and pouting Andray Blatche. When the Knicks were picking at 17, I was hoping "Please don't pick Singleton! Please don't pick Singleton!" When they took Shumpert, the Wizards landed the best defender in the draft class. Players in the mold of Singleton and 2010 1st-round pick Trevor Booker are exactly what the Wizards need. At pick 34, the Wizards needed a shooting guard who can back up John Wall at the point, and selected Shelvin Mack from Butler. It's easy to get hung up on him being 6"2" (or his lack of foot speed, which is why he's not a lottery pick), which is too short to play the 2 or create his own shot. But, if you watch the game tape, he had no problems hoisting and knocking down deep shots against guys who are 5 and 6 inches taller than him. Great picks all around.

The Spurs are the New England Patriots of the NBA. They scalp everyone, and know the board better than everyone. When they drafted George Hill, I thought it was a horrible pick, as did nearly everyone else. Well, not only were they right, but they shipped Hill to Indiana for Kawhi Leonard, who will be part of the nucleus of the new Spurs, as well as Davis Bertans, who will provide reinforcements in 2-3 seasons.

Overall High Point:  Booing of David Stern and cheering for Adam Silver.

Overall Low Point:  Picks 56- 59. These were major reaches by teams trying to outsmart themselves, and just painful to watch, as there were some good prospects on the board (Hansbrough, Delaney, Skeen).

Who do I miss?  Former Blazers GM Kevin Pritchard. David Kahn did everything in his power to make the draft exciting. And to demonstrate his undying love for point guards.

Best value:  Charles Jenkins, G - selected 44th by Golden State. Watch this space in 2 years. Jenkins could be a starter and a top line guard somewhere in the NBA.

Forehead scratcher:  Cory Joseph, G - selected 29th by San Antonio. From the times I watched Texas, Joseph did not demonstrate the quality required for the 1: leadership. He will learn a lot from watching Parker and Ginobili. Pop must've seen something in him.

Burning question:  Why does Enes Kanter speak like a valley girl?
Paymonhttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-34690815.post-17600504040164490102011-06-23T13:28:00.000-04:002011-06-23T13:28:00.409-04:002011 NBA Draft - Pre-Draft QuestionsWe are less than seven hours from the 2011 NBA Draft. According to the experts and anyone with a pulse, this is the weakest draft class and may also be a record-setting draft for international players who hope to be selected in the 1st round.

Here are my thoughts on some hot-button topics pertinent to the draft.

Q: Who are your top 5 prospects irrespective of position?
A: Kyrie Irving, Derrick Williams, Brandon Knight, Enes Kanter, Kemba Walker

Q: If you're Cleveland and the draft order among the top 4 stays the same, who do you take with the first pick? Why?
A: Derrick Williams. He is a proven leader, and can score from anywhere on the court. He is also far and away the best player at his position. While I like Irving as a prospect and believe he has the highest upside, Knight's potential is not far behind (and recall how much he improved as a floor general from November to March), and Walker may make the most immediate impact depending on where he lands. At worst, Cleveland would be able to obtain one of the top 3 point guards at pick #4.

Q: Who's your flop prediction?
A: Jonas Valanciunas. From his clips, he looks closer to 215 pounds than what he is listed (240). Not everyone can add the weight. He is highly skilled, but he looks very susceptible to being pushed around.

Q: How far will Kemba slide?
A: I don't buy Kemba sliding out of the lottery. He was top 7 on everyone's draft board less than a week ago . If he does not get drafted in the top 7 (especially if Sacramento trades their pick for Tony Parker), some team between 9 and 13 will

Q: If you're a playoff team that wants to get over the hump, which player who is outside the lottery would you take?
A: Kenneth Faried. The man can rebound, play defense, and doesn't require a lot of shots to make his presence felt. That is a coach's dream.

Q: Which team has the most to gain tonight?
A: Cleveland. The last month has been Christmas for the Cavs. First, they win the lottery with a pick from the Clippers. Second, LeBron plays a key role in the Heat losing the Finals. Third, they can add 3 players to their rotation tonight.

Q: Who'll be dealing?
A: We know Michael Jordan will be, because he announced it (Jordan didn't get the memo that this is not the draft to announce such a thing). Milwaukee too. Cleveland and New York may be buying a pick, as may Miami. I wouldn't be shocked if the Lakers jump into the 1st round - completely unsubstantiated, but they need young legs. They may want to package one or more of their 2nd-round picks and cash for a shot at the top 30.

Q: Which top tier playoff team needs to make an impact tonight?
A: The Heat were already mentioned. They have several players out of contract, but by and large, they will replenish their ranks with veterans, and the guys they drafted last year. The Lakers were clearly exploited, and need young legs at every position.

Q: Who's the most intriguing player?
A: Bismack Biyombo. Check out his YouTube. He's raw, but extremely talented. He could be the next Mutombo ... or the next Yinka Dare.

Q: Who are your top 3 sleepers?
A: JaJuan Johnson, Charles Jenkins, Jordan WilliamsPaymonhttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-34690815.post-2938554098090662242011-04-03T14:11:00.000-04:002011-04-03T14:11:29.876-04:00What College Basketball Needs To FixWith a title such as this, this post may be better suited for a doctoral thesis rather than a simple blog post. However, this is short and sweet, and suggests alignment between the pro and college games.

Insert the Charge Circle.  This is the most obvious change that needs to be made. Player control fouls are the most inconsistently officiating calls made by referees. Insertion of a charge circle not only takes some burden off of officials, whose scrutiny (and incompetence) is at an all-time high, but also aligns itself with the NBA.

Align the NBA and college 3-point shooting distances. Moving the distance back by a foot has done nothing to curb long-distance shooting. <s>Student athletes</s> Players practice in order to perform at the next level, so why don't you prepare them for the next level? And, you'd save a bunch of money on painting the arc. More money can go to ...

Extend profit sharing to players. According to a recent report by HBO's Real Sports, the NCAA pulls in $757 million annually. As we all know, they see very little of that, and it's through the means of an education and room and board, a means which is not preferred by a significant number of players. There are some institutions where players are getting plenty in return (Duke, Stanford, Georgetown, to name a few), but those are exceptions to the rule. This can be done through NCAA tournament payouts which would go to players as well and would carry ripple effects for schools under probation. The concept of "amateurism" is a joke, and it should exclude D-1 football and basketball. How many professional basketball players can say they've played in an arena seating 76,000 during their NBA careers?

Enable a hybrid draft entry system.  This would allow high school players to enter their name into the NBA Draft. However, they would be forced to sign with an agent, could not withdraw their name, and would not be able to play in the NCAA (for the same sport). This option should be for types like LeBron, Kobe, KG, and even those with failed careers who were drafted early out of high school such as Kwame Brown. For players who forgo the initial entry route, they would have to be enrolled in college for 3 years prior to entering their name for the NBA draft. What would this do? For starters, it would help the college game because continuity is king. Professionals would act more like professionals. You will always have the outliers, and you will always have players who flee for Europe, and spend years toiling there before they get signed by an NBA team.

Paymonhttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-34690815.post-64713857328160705232011-03-13T14:06:00.003-04:002011-03-13T17:55:53.748-04:00NCAA Field of 68 -- FINALThis is the first and last NCAA Tournament projection of the season. It's been a long and busy year, in which I've viewed the least amount of college basketball in years. I also haven't used the same amount of rigor in past years, so this is more of a test to see whether watching less will reflect closer to what the Selection Committee offers at 6pm this evening.

At the top, Notre Dame edges Duke due to the number of quality wins (RPI Top 25). They were about even on the eye test. Had Duke won a share of the ACC in the regular season, it would've made the decision that much tougher. The argument of top 100 wins made by Jay Bilas (if you heard it) lacks relevance, because the top of the bracket is determined by wins against top competition. By that same token, UConn and Texas claim #2 seeds, and San Diego State lands on the 2 line, and Arizona finds itself outside of the protected seeds.

After Texas A&M with the 23rd overall spot, there is a severe drop-off in quality. Between the 24th (UNLV) and 37th (George Mason) spots, there is little separating these teams. From there onward, there is the next tier of teams, which are separated by even less.

Among the final block of teams is Clemson, Virginia Tech, Michigan, Alabama, St. Mary's, Georgia, USC, Boston College, and UAB. Clemson claimed the 33rd at-large spot based on their 10 ACC wins, taking UNC to the limit on Saturday, and their overall quality of play. Thanks to technology, some grit and luck, Virginia Tech takes the 34th spot. Meanwhile, Michigan's late season form, which included close losses to good teams, showed they were worthy of a dance ticket. Then came the 2 toughest choices, because neither deserve it. Alabama's 13 conference wins in the SEC, and overall performance since they were 8-6 was the decider (a win against SEC tournament Kentucky further helped the cause). In the last spot is St. Mary's, who were deserving for much of the season, save a brief span in February. As for Georgia, they squandered too many chances, including against Alabama (and Vanderbilt, and everyone else they played) in the SEC Tournament. If you want to be in the Big Dance, you must play like it. As for USC and UAB, I would not be shocked to see them in the field. USC has a number of high quality wins which none of their cohorts have. UAB won Conference USA, a top 10 conference, by an entire game. They suffered a really bad loss against East Carolina, which placed them on the outside looking in.

Can't wait for the brackets to unfold!

1: Ohio State (Cleveland), Kansas (Tulsa), Pittsburgh (Cleveland), Notre Dame (Chicago)
2: Duke (Charlotte), North Carolina (Charlotte), UConn (Washington), Texas (Tulsa)
3: Louisville (Tampa), Kentucky (Washington), Purdue (Chicago), San Diego State (Tucson)
4: Florida (Tampa), Wisconsin (Tucson), BYU (Denver), Syracuse (Denver)

5: Vanderbilt, St. John's, Kansas State, Arizona
6: Cincinnati, West Virginia, Texas A&M, UNLV
7: Georgetown, Xavier, Old Dominion, Temple
8: Utah State, Richmond, Marquette, Washington

9: Florida State*, UCLA, Tennessee, Missouri
10: George Mason, Villanova**, Penn State, Michigan State
11: Butler, Illinois, Colorado, Gonzaga
12: Clemson, Virginia Tech v. St. Mary's (play-in), Belmont, Michigan v. Alabama (play-in)

13: Memphis, Oakland, Indiana State, Princeton

14: Bucknell, Akron, Long Island, Morehead State

15: Wofford, St. Peter's, Boston University, Northern Colorado

16: UC Santa Barbara, UNC-Asheville, Hampton v. UT-San Antonio (play-in), Arkansas Little Rock v. Alabama State (play-in)

LAST FOUR IN: Virginia Tech, Michigan, Alabama, St. Marys
LAST FOUR OUT: Georgia, USC, Boston College, UAB

* Moved up 1 seed line due to conflict
** Moved down 1 seed line due to conflict

Paymonhttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-34690815.post-3154320921929259412010-11-15T23:06:00.000-05:002010-11-15T23:06:04.065-05:007 Seniors Who Will Be MissedJohn Scheyer, Duke. Any time Duke needed to end a run or put a game on ice, John Scheyer was the man. To boot, Scheyer was an underrated defensive player who made strides between his junor and senior season. Yes, the Blue Devils have Kyrie Irving in place now, but there's no way a freshman not named Melo can account for a senior's intangibles.

Scottie Reynolds, Villanova. Hated yet respected. That is how opponents would characterize Reynolds, who was passed over in the NBA Draft. In all of the college basketball I watched the last year, there wasn't a team who followed a single player's lead more than Villanova, and I think it took its toll on Reynolds, who stumbled down the stretch. The Coreys will have an opportunity to carve out their own legacy.

Tweety Carter, Baylor. Sure, Epke Udoh was a lottery pick. Sure, LaceDarius Dunn is a great scorer. However, Carter was the steadying force for the Bears, who enjoyed two trips to the NCAA Tournament, which is no small feat. The Bears have Perry Jones to take on some of Udoh's responsibilities down low, but production at point guard will be a question mark all season.

Sherron Collins, Kansas. Another point guard. I promise you he's the last one on this list. Collins took nearly every important shot for the Jayhawks, and will be remembered for dominating the Big XII during his last two seasons at Kansas.

Roman Martinez, New Mexico.  We go out west. Gary and Hobson earned the plaudits, deservedly so, but Martinez was the glue. Whether it was geting a loose ball that reset the shot clock or nailing a contested jumper, he was critical to Los Lobos' revival last season.

Andy Rautins, Syracuse. Wes Johnson was the Orange's best player, but Rautins was their most important player. Known throughout colege basketball circles as a clutch shooter from deep range, but those who watched the Cuse closely will know that Rautins was indispensable to the top of the 2-3 zone.

Omar Samhan, St. Mary's.  Power conferences starve for a player of Samhan's skill, so when the lowly Gaels lose a player of Samhan's caliber, his absence will be felt immediately.<input id="gwProxy" type="hidden" /><input id="jsProxy" onclick="jsCall();" type="hidden" />

Paymonhttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-34690815.post-87911336092057737762010-10-31T18:22:00.000-04:002010-10-31T18:22:47.823-04:00PHSports College Basketball Preseason Top 25

Duke. It disgusts me, but they are the best team on paper. Kyrie Irving will not be as efficient as John Scheyer was, but he's more explosive.

Michigan State. If it were not for their unexpected shuffling of the backcourt, they would be #1. Izzo will have this team ready come March.

Kansas. This ranking relies on the availability of Josh Selby. If so, you're hard-pressed to find a more battle-tested squad with more depth.

Illinois. The Illini returns five starters and gains two blue chip recruits. Bruce Weber may even get the chance to use a 3-guard lineup a la 2005.

Pittsburgh. If the Panthers can adequately replace Jermaine Dixon and the core stays healthy, they will be a top 5 team.

Ohio State. I'm not buying that the Buckeyes are better without do-everything guard Evan Turner, but they most definitely reloaded. If Jared Sullinger is closer to Greg Oden rather than BJ Mullens, then the Buckeyes may be Final Four bound.

Kansas State. How will the Wildcats replace Denis Clemente? Conventional wisdom suggests a 3-guard led by Jacob Pullen who will be flanked by Martavious Irving and Rodney McGruder. If the Wildcats are to contend, they'll need more depth at all positions.

Gonzaga. Despite losing Matt Bouldin, the Zags will be deeper and more experienced. Also, you have to love their scheduling. They face San Diego State, Illinois, Washington State, Notre Dame, Baylor, Xavier, and Oklahoma State before the new year.

Baylor. If LaceDarius Dunn is reinstated, watch out. Perry Jones may allow Bears fans to forget about Epke Udoh.

Kentucky. Have you ever heard of a team that's lost 5 players to the 1st round of the NBA Draft? And been able to reload? Neither have I. If Enes Kanter is not cleared, then Coach Cal will not have a chance to have a Final Four taken away by the NCAA.

Memphis. Josh Pastner knows how to recruit, and for that reason, they have this rating and will be atop the Conference USA throne.

Georgetown. The Hoyas boast one of the best, most experienced backcourts. Should they get any contribution with consistency from the frontcourt, they could win the Big East.

Villanova. I have no question that Villanova is talented and well-coached. I just wonder where the leadership will come from without Scottie Reynolds.

North Carolina. Tempo is the name of the game. When UNC regains their speedy tempo, they will be great again. What leadership abilities will Harrison Barnes exhibit in his first and only year?

Florida. Billy Donovan finally has the type of squad in the mold of his championship winning teams.

Butler. Brad Stevens returns four starters and one of the most disciplined teams in D-I. They'll be around come the second round of the tournament again.

Washington. The Huskies have adequate replacements for Quincy Pondexter, and they return one of the quickest backcourts in the nation.

Syracuse. Jim Boeheim lost some great players, but his returning core is a year older and he has Fab Melo to patrol the middle of the lane.

Missouri. 40 minutes of hell returns for its latest installment, and the Tigers have added some beef to address rebounding issues. The jury remains out on their schedule.

Purdue. Even without Robbie Hummel, Purdue is well-coached with two of the best 25 players in the nation (JaJuan Johnson and E'Twaun Moore). If they can find a consistent third scorer, they are a top 10 team.

Temple. The Owls lost Ryan Brooks, but Juan Fernandez slides to the point. Lavoy Allen will bring the pain at power forward.

Virginia Tech. Tech needs to show their worth in Maui. Otherwise, they need to win 9 or 10 to make the NCAA Tournament. Anything is possible with Malcolm Delaney at the controls.

San Diego State. Steve Fishers returns five starters including Kawhi Leonard, a double-double machine. The Aztecs can limit teams to one possession, and have left their best basketball for March in recent seasons.

West Virginia. The Mountaineers lost DaSean Butler and Devin Ebanks. If Deniz Kilicli can assume some scoring responsibilities and buy into Huggins's system, then WVU will be relevant in the Big East shuffle.

BYU. Jimmer Fredette is a stat sheet stuffer and a true baller. The roster lost some talent, including Michael Loyd Jr., who saved his best games for the end of the season. Expect them to contend with SDSU and UNLV for the Mountain West title.

Honorable Mention
Tennessee. Tobias Harris makes the Vols a legit top 15 team, but Bruce Pearl's status with the NCAA will affect the psyche of this team. For that reason, they're not in the preseason top 25.
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Paymonhttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-34690815.post-74588030041806478132010-09-27T00:06:00.011-04:002010-09-27T09:29:15.481-04:00Coming Off the Mount...Another entertaining affair between the New York Jets and the Miami Dolphins tonight on NBC's Sunday Night Football. No surprise there, honestly.

Jets win 31-23. Believe me, it wasn't an easy victory.
Credit: Yahoo! Sports

While the Jets walked away (despite the WORST EVER attempted shovel pass from the Sanchize) with a HUGE win on the road (more on that later); the big story surrounding this game, with just cause, was the week Braylon Edwards had.

From early Tuesday morning...

Credit: Media.NJ.com

NEW YORK -- New York Jets wide receiver Braylon Edwards was arrested Tuesday on charges of driving while intoxicated after officers pulled him over because his SUV had excessive tinting on its windows, police said.

Officers on the lookout for vehicle violations like excessive tinting or missing registration stickers pulled over Edwards' Land Rover on Manhattan's West Side at about 5:15 a.m. ET and noticed a strong smell of alcohol, chief NYPD spokesman Paul Browne said.

Edwards was given a breath test at the scene and another at a police station. His blood alcohol level was .16, twice the legal limit, officials said. There were four other people in the SUV at the time.
Note: It was announced, late in the week that Edwards would NOT be suspended for the game. There is precedent for this ruling, too. Instead, he was suspended for the first quarter. And yes, he was in the first play of the second quarter.

Credit: Media.NJ.com

From late Tuesday evening...

Jets G.M. Mike Tannenbaum said in a conversation with the Associated Press that Edwards would be active for Sunday night's game against the Dolphins, although he wouldn't start. It will be up to Rex Ryan when and if Edwards plays. Greg Aiello of the NFL points out that the CBA does not allow teams to suspend or deactivate players for DUI arrests per CBA rules.

As for Mr. Edwards' performance tonight? 2 receptions for 87 yards and 1 TD. One of them a 67 yard touchdown was on the first play of scrimmage the Jets had after trailing the Phins 17-14 mid-way into the 3rd quarter, giving them a 21-17 lead. Edwards' other catch was a key 3rd and 10 reception - inside Dolphins territory - for (do the math, Clement) 20 yards on what would be the Jets final drive of the game (a TD drive giving them an 8-point lead, their margin of victory). Edwards also was highlighted by Michaels/Collinsworth for a key seal-block on a 20+yard LT run (remember him?) and a costly tripping penalty inside the redzone (just lazy blocking on his part, if you ask me).

As for the situation at-hand; as I see it, there are three issues I'd like to address surrounding this Edwards-situation, aside from the game's result (which was very pleasing, but very tough to watch, for me personally).

Issue #1: What Edwards did was wrong. In fact, it was flat out dangerous.

SportsGrid.com

Not a genius statement. But one that needs to be stated.

Now, I'm not opposed to Edwards doing jail time for his DUI, no matter what the circumstances were when he was pulled over (tinted windows, not poor driving). DUI/DWI is a very serious crime. However, I don't want to compare what he did to what Donte Stallworth did, either. Two different outcomes, fair or not, and the two crimes can't be compared fairly. Nevertheless, I also don't believe it's okay for Edwards to "get off" because "other players often get off". However, I also don't think it's fair to demonize ONLY Edwards - even if it's in the news this week - as the only NFL athlete to be guilty of DUI. He deserves as much of a backlash as anyone else who has been found guilty of the crime.

Which leads me to...

Issue #2: Should Ronnie Brown have been sat out week 1 for his DUI this past March?

Credit: TerezOwens.com

Ronnie Brown had a DUI arrest of his own this past offseason (in March). Does that mean Miami should've "sent a message" by suspending him for the first game of the season? Is a DUI more of a crime, in the eyes of an NFL team, during the season than it is during the offseason? Does it show more or less or the same amount of recklessness? You tell me.

Many question whether Braylon Edwards would've been suspended if the Jets were playing the Bills - as opposed to the 2-0 Dolphins; which is a fair question. Nevertheless, why does Ronnie Brown not see any official team discipline - in terms of quarters/halves/game(s) missed? Is it due to the "timing" of his crime? I also don't want to demonize Brown, who hasn't had any trouble with the law since the arrest, mind you.

If you ask me, both should've been suspended for at least 1 game. Although you may clearly point out to me that I have the foresight of knowing Edwards played, scored a big TD (made a nice block, too), and the Jets won.

Which leads me to...

Issue #3: It's impossible to expect a fan to leave his loyalty, right or wrong.

Many of you may think this post is just a ploy for me to explain why it was "okay" for Edwards to play tonight. WRONG. Instead, it's me addressing an issue that a fan struggles to address. I have to step off the mount, and realize I'm completely conflicted over the situation/suspension (and ecstatic over a big win).

I'm not much of a fan of Mike and Mike, although - since Mike Greenberg is a noted, avid Jet fan - I did seek out their opinions this week on the Edwards situation. Surprisingly, Greenberg and Golics' words spoke to me quite a bit. (Listen to the video above.)

I started to realize that I've riddled plenty of Steeler fans for their QB's recent actions in a bar bathroom with an undergrad, reminded Laker fans about Kobe's night in Denver with a certain hotel employee, and been mocked endlessly (and justifiably) for Yankee first baseman Jason Giambi's "apology" over proven-steroid use.

Is it my fault, or anyone else's, as a fan, that players we openly root for are found guilty of crimes? No. But if I choose to support them, as I did Edwards during his long TD run (which admittedly had more to do with Jason Allen s-s-slipping on his butt), then I'll take some justly deserved criticism.

But a "fan" is still a fanatic. So you take the good with the bad...and move on.
Much like how you treat ego-maniacal, yet extremely talented wide receivers.
Clementhttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-34690815.post-54731628131697539642010-09-25T00:12:00.000-04:002010-09-25T00:12:20.350-04:00If Anyone Cared About Baseball Beyond the Yankees and the Saux ...... someone would raise a stink about Jose Bautista and potential engagement with performance-enhancing drugs. Tonight, Bautista hit his 52nd HR of the season. When visiting Baseball Reference, you'll notice that he has surpassed his prior season high by ... 36 home runs.

In his six prior seasons, Bautista had slugging percentage and OPS highs of .420 and .757, respectively. Fast forward to this season where those numbers ballooned up to .622 and 1.005 entering tonight's play.

When I see these stats, I can't help but think of former Oriole stalwart Brady Anderson, who hit 26 more dongs (total: 50) and slugged 170 points higher than any other season.

But few care about baseball. And even fewer care about PED use in sports.
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Paymonhttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-34690815.post-7040371446764862532010-09-15T21:39:00.000-04:002010-09-15T21:39:58.770-04:00We're Back .... and The Detroit Lions Need A Left TackleThis spring, the Detroit Lions were wavering on whether to take sure-fire stud Ndamukong Suh or draft for need and reach for an offensive tackle. Not only did the Lions take Suh, but they also did not select an o-tackle until the fourth round (Jason Fox). Had I been in Martin Mayhew's position, I would have selected Suh, but my second pick would have definitely been an o-tackle. Definitely.

 Credit: Mlive.com

As a result, this happened. If you're going to invest 72 million clams into a player, the smart money is on protecting his blind side. Even the Rams protected their investment by drafting Rodger Saffold (and already had Jason Smith). Instead, the Lions went with Jeff Backus, and Julius Peppers effectively separated Matthew Stafford's shoulder.
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Paymonhttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-34690815.post-15030091726057208652010-07-08T11:26:00.004-04:002010-07-08T11:50:40.599-04:00LeBron in the Twitter UniverseIn case you've been under a log, PHSports is on Twitter.
Worry not, we're not in it for followers (clearly). Instead, it's a place to rant and rave and react to this ever-expanding medium.

Of course, the LeBron story (now somehow titled, "The Decision") has officially trumped anything else in the sporting world as of late.

Peak-a-boo! I'm going to...Miami. To dilute my brand and always be #2 in Wade County.
Credit: DrewLiftTV

Here are a few twitter highlights (aka "top tweets) you may have missed in the last 24 hours...

The Tweet That May Have Said it ALL:
   Chris_Broussard Sources with knowledge of the situation indeed saying LeBron will join Wade and Bosh in Miami, barring a late change of heart

Funniest Tweet:
WaterWarren BREAKING NEWS! #Apple is releasing a special edition Lebron James iPhone. Problem is, it only vibrates b/c it doesn't have a RING.

More Desperate for Attention that even Tweeting can HELP:
 chrisbosh Good morning. Waking up to more speculation. This makes tonight's show more interesting.

Seeking More and More Attention Tweet:
   KingJames Good Morning! It's your chance to ask me a question about my decision, use #lebrondecision to submit and I'll answer them tonight.

Sense from the Seemingly Senseless Tweets:
 OGOchoCinco I dont even know why the **** i am talking i dont have no d@mn rings myself,i am doing the best i can with the cards i was dealt #BENGALS

 OGOchoCinco nickname is #KingJames, Kings lead with the help of an army (supporting cast on team) a lead dog doesn't join supastars to make it easy

  OGOchoCinco Kobe-Magic-Jordan-Bird all created legacies on their own teams, they didn't join together to make winning a ring easy #Lebronwilldodasame

Average New York Fans Giving Up Tweets:
  BrandonTierney when LBJ says "Miami" tonight, I will officially pray for a lifetime of 4th Q "back-rims" and "short" for the duration of his playoff life

 NYSportzNut @KingJames if you sign with Miami tonight - you will forever become Scottie Pippen to Dwayne Wade's Jordan. Your (cont) http://tl.gd/2ci1bb

 AnthonyMSG Can't he find a Boys and Girls club in Florida!

Brnyd15 @AnthonyMSG Lebron to Miami I guess. If true, I want us to be the 8th seed and them the #1 in the playoffs. The irony....

New Yorkers trying to Hold On:
 knicksbuzztap Bleacher Report >> The King James Saga: Believe None Of What You See; Half Of What You Hear http://buzztap.com/-7APLbU

 AnthonyMSG If LeBron comes into our backyard and says he's going to play For The Heat!!!!! Come on!!!

Living on a 3am Prayer Tweet:
 jadande Part of me thinks LeBron's camp is just floating this Miami thing to gauge the reaction. And what I've seen has not been positive.

Ramblings of an Idiot Tweets:

 PHSports Peak-a-boo. http://tiny.cc/lbjcry I'm going to...Miami. To dilute my brand and always be #2 in Miami-Wade County. Call him Prince Harry. #2.

   PHSports @AnthonyMSG His "circle" hadn't let anything slip - to this degree potentially - until now. So why now? Seems somewhat likely it's a decoy.    10 minutes ago via web
   PHSports @AnthonyMSG I guess the "hope" in Cleveland and NYC is that LeBron had one of his inner circle put out the Miami rumor to distract people. Clementhttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-34690815.post-4466654201568753492010-07-06T23:09:00.006-04:002010-07-06T23:29:38.744-04:00Scenarios Galore
Do I keep any dignity if I beg???
Credit: TonySports

LeBron James is making his announcement on Thursday at 9pm on ESPN.
He's even selling advertisements (for charity, admittedly) for the hour potentially.
Wow. An entire hour. Ego, much?

Question is (okay, question #14 on my list), how long do they (James & ESPN's producers) draw it out? (over/under 9.5 minutes.)
How many people see their blood pressure spike by 150% in the opening 15 minutes?

So is that an hour focused on new beginnings (perhaps a conference call with Amar'e???) in New York or staying in Cleveland (can he bribe Bosh with extra $$$ or an endorsement???).

Man, how sappy could that be (Cleveland for an hour)???
Or how sweet (New York for a lifetime)!?!?!?

Seriously, why is this guy getting so much love right now? I may take Amar'e AND Boozer over him. Seriously.
Credit: Umbrohi

In the end, I think it's down to these two teams (NY & Cleveland, of course). I may be WAAAAY off, by I just can't see how LeBron is going to Chicago (w/ Bosh) any longer. Too many cooks in the Chicago stew. He isn't going to Miami with Wade and Bosh either. That money won't work one way or another. Not enough (basket)balls in Miami, either. Of course, if they (i.e. Bosh & Wade) showed up on-screen a mere 20 seconds after James opened his "press conference"...the world may stop spinning on its axis.

I would call for Miami to be removed from the Union, by the way.

I could speculate on and on and on (and on...), but following my Twitter feed is more fun.
And if you're a Knicks fan, this is a MANDATORY viewing every 6 1/2 minutes (or less, if you wish).

So instead of pulling out what little hair I CHOOSE to have left, I'm going hold tight to anything Knicks I can find (might be tough in this apartment in the 8-0-4) and hold out hope.

Funny thing is, I'll be in a car en route to Atlantic City this weekend when the announcement drops. I'll expect text messages and have several twitter feeds ready to update my phone (sad, right?).

All I know is, I'm currently doing something I didn't expect to do.
I'm allowing myself to have hope.
For better or worse.

New York...it's a hell of a town.Clementhttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-34690815.post-35563596328096275762010-07-03T22:57:00.006-04:002010-07-03T23:38:51.885-04:00Saturday Night Live: NBA Free Agency TweetingIf you aren't tweeting yet, this week was the week to be introduced to it. Sure, Chris Bosh needs a little more attention than your average MTV Jersey Shore cast member; however, it's fascinating to see the myriad of opinions - from the "experts" to the fan-fueled blogs - that have been absolutely flooding the web since July 1st (and obviously beforehand).

There hasn't been this much hype about a class since these kids took over Bayside back in '93.
Credit: 123People

Which got me to thinking, in between tweets of my own, about a few things, as we approach July 5th (which I consider to be the informal D-Day of the Summer of 2010):

1) Rudy Gay should be a Houston Rocket. Did you know that? Houston balked on keeping Gay, the 8th overall pick, and instead dealt him for Shane Battier (and picked up Stromile Swift's bad contract). It's true. While Houston has plenty of talent on its roster, isn't Gay everything they've been looking for the past few offseasons and trade deadlines? I hated that deal then and I still hate it now.

Think he's a future #1? Think again. A 1B? Think again. A solid #2. Okay, now I'm listening.
Credit: EpicMess

2) Chris Bosh wants to get paid first and foremost. So does Joe Johnson. You can't blame either for that. Neither has a sniff of the stature of a LeBron, Wade, or even a Boozer (yeah, I said it). Nevertheless, I think Johnson (who once said: "I'm playing for whomever pays Joe Johnson the most money") is a little more likely to forgo a few bucks (just a few, mind you) for a winning situation (i.e. being one of the 3 pieces to a free agent pie). Then again, neither guy is a #1 and neither deserves anything close to #1 money. Even you, Mr. Bosh...max contract or not.

3) I like (SARCASM!) how ridiculously confident the Miami-media and reports from Dwayne Wade (from everyone who wasn't Dwayne Wade) have been the past week. While I think Wade is staying in South Beach, wouldn't it be fun - especially as a Knick fan - to see them left totally empty handed? I think so.

Think he's going somewhere unexpectedly? Think again.
Credit: BettorsEdge

4) Carmelo Anthony (aka "my boy") isn't going anywhere. Not this summer, at least. Denver isn't going to trade him. They can blow everything up, and still will keep their centerpiece. Last night, I was trying to think of who'd I'd take over Melo right now to start up my franchise. The list is short, you know. Kobe, LeBron, Wade, Durant, and ???. To be honest, the list probably ends there. I just can't elevate CP3, Deron Williams, or any current young PG over Melo. Dwight Howard vs. Melo is an interesting study. One that likely deserves some debate. Or perhaps a poll question...

5) By the way, if you asked me a gunpoint who I would rather the Knicks have on their roster next season: LeBron or Carmelo...I'd have a tough time battling my head over my heart on that debate.

6) The NBA will have a work stoppage in 2011. It will likely cost them an entire season or a MAJOR chunk of it. Ditto for the NFL. Memo to baseball: use this to your advantage. If you speed up the game (big time), add a sophisticated replay system, and promote young talent properly (i.e. Strasburg and Heyward)...progress shall be made in recapturing the hearts of America. More than just Yanks and Sox-love, too.

Here is where I would LIKE to see the major free agents go (within the realm of reality):
Knicks sign LeBron, Amar'e, and trade David Lee (sign-and-trade) for Tony Parker.
Hawks retain Joe Johnson (and pay his ridiculous contract).
Heat re-sign Wade and pull a sign-and-trade for Chris Bosh. Beasley won't like Toronto, by the way.
Chicago signs Carlos Boozer and Mike Miller.
We all know already about Pierce, Dirk, and Gay staying put. Sorry Cleveland.

Here is what I think WILL happen.
Cleveland retains LeBron James. They sign Mike Miller, too. That's it, for now. Seriously.
Houston pulls off the sign-and-trade for Chris Bosh.
Knicks sign Amar'e and overpay Ray Allen for a 3-year deal.
Hawks keep Joe Johnson (and pay his ridiculous contract).
Heat keep Wade and sign Carlos Boozer. Wade regrets re-signing within 48 minutes, not hours.
Chicago has a MUCH quieter off-season than you think and starts developing packages for Carmelo in 2011.
David Lee takes too much money in Minnesota.
Al Jefferson gets dealt to Dallas for Dampier's expiring contract and Caron Butler.

Regardless of what happens , I'm taking LA to 3-peat (shudder) in 2011. Same old, same old.Clementhttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-34690815.post-9607872019537582672010-06-24T18:56:00.003-04:002010-06-24T19:08:18.229-04:002010 NBA Mock Draft (FINAL with trade predictions)ROUND 1

1. Washington – John Wall, PG, Kentucky. The last time Washington had the 1st pick, it was in a weak draft and they selected Kwame Brown. This draft is different. Barring injury, Wall will be a franchise player. Expect the Wizards to win at least 35 games this season.

2. Philadelphia – Evan Turner, SG, Ohio State. If Wall is 1A, then Turner is 1B. Despite rumors indicating that Turner would eventually land in Minnesota for a package of picks, just look no further than the mere handful of players that the 76ers have worked out. They have their man in Turner.

3. New Jersey – Derrick Favors, PF, Georgia Tech. The physical forward is an impact player at both ends of the floor and can become a 20/10 guy in three years' time. Favors will need to learn how to stay out of foul trouble. Rumors are flying about a blockbuster trade with Indiana involving Danny Granger and Devin Harris.

4. Minnesota – Wesley Johnson, SF, Syracuse. A great shooter, rebounder, and defender. Though others have not pointed this out, I question Johnson's durability.

5. Sacramento – DeMarcus Cousins, C, Kentucky. Jay Bilas (and everyone else) put it best. DeMarcus Cousins is the only thing preventing DeMarcus Cousins from being a star in this league. He's talented, a great rebounder, with a surprising 7'5" wingspan. Cousins needs to become more skilled, but the Kings will be happy to acquire his physicality down low to abut that of Samuel Dalembert.

6. Golden State – Greg Monroe, PF, Georgetown. Monroe is the best passing big man in the draft, and perhaps the most complete frontcourt player in the draft.

7. Detroit – Epke Udoh, PF, Baylor. He's an athletic 4 who can play the 5. He's 23, which causes concern. His athleticism fits into the scheme, but Udoh is limited in the half-court set.

8. LA Clippers – Al-Farouq Aminu, SF, Wake Forest. An amazing leaper with excellent athleticism and versatility, Aminu could be the best prospect from this draft. The knocks on him are his [in]ability to create his own shot and securing the basketball.

9. Utah – Luke Babbitt, SF, Nevada. There are two camps. One that Utah taking Luke Babbitt and one that has them taking Ed Davis. Babbitt is a great shooter, who excelled in two seasons at Nevada. He could the long-term replacement for Kyle Korver.

10. Indiana - Gordon Hayward, SF, Butler. Larry Bird has expressed his interest in Hayward, who like Bird, played his hoops in Indiana. Hayward is a brilliant scorer, who's an underrated defender and rebounder. He can dominate without a lot of offensive touches, which is something that can be said about few players in this draft class.

11. New Orleans – Paul George, SF, Fresno State. At 6'9", he's taller than the other wing prospects in this draft and is among the most skilled as well.

12. Memphis – Patrick Patterson, PF, Kentucky. Patterson is an inside-outside threat who had a marked improvement at the defensive end this season. If the Grizz do not re-sign Zach Randolph, then Patterson serves as an insurance policy. Let's just hope Randolph is not his off-court mentor.

13. Toronto – Ed Davis, PF, North Carolina. Davis presents a lot of upside at the power forward position. Wiry and explosive, Davis is active in the paint. Davis struggled in his sophomore season, enabling him to nearly drop out of the lottery.

TRADE: Toronto trades the 13th pick overall to Portland for the 22nd pick overall and cash considerations

14. Houston – Cole Aldrich, C, Kansas. Aldrich will not a league MVP title, but he can patrol the lane at the defensive end and improve a weak Houston frontcourt.

15. Milwaukee – Xavier Henry, SG, Kansas. Henry's an upside guy who has great athleticism and a freakish wingspan. However, he'll need to make better decisions re: shot selection and improve at the defensive end.

16. Minnesota – Larry Sanders, PF/C, VCU. A prolific shot-blocker at VCU, Sanders improved each year offensively. He'll be a nice addition to the frontline.

17. Chicago – Damion James, SF/PF, Texas. James is a hustle player who averaged a double-double for much of his collegiate career in the Big XII thanks to a 7-foot wingspan. To get better, James will need to improve his ball-handling and passing skills.

TRADE: Chicago sends Kirk Hinrich and the 17th pick overall to Washington for future considerations

18. Oklahoma City – Tibor Pleiss, C, Brose Baskets. Among the more skilled big men in this draft class, Pleiss's weight has been listed as 210 and as high as 257 depending on your source.

19. Boston - James Anderson, SG, Oklahoma State. Boston will not hold onto this pick, so Anderson is the best player available.

TRADE: Boston trades the 19th pick overall to Cleveland for a future 1st-round pick, Leon Powe and cash considerations

20. San Antonio – Avery Bradley, SG, Texas. A combo guard, Bradley may be the best backcourt defender in this year's class. At 6'2", Bradley may be expected to play the point, which he struggled at.

21. Oklahoma City – Eric Bledsoe, PG/SG, Kentucky. Bledsoe is among the best on-the-ball defenders in the draft. While not a true point guard, he can develop into one.

TRADE: Oklahoma City trades the 21st pick overall to Indiana for cash considerations

22. Portland - Solomon Alabi, C, Florida State. Alabi is a proven shot-blocker with a limited offensive profile. He has ties to the Toronto organization, which makes this pick more believable. Not to mention, Toronto cannot spell defense.

(PICK GOES TO TORONTO per earlier listed trade)

23. Minnesota – Kevin Seraphin, C/PF, Cholet. Raw in terms of offensive footwork, Seraphin can contribute defensively. Don't be surprised if Seraphin stays in Europe for a year or two to develop.

24. Atlanta - Dominique Jones, SG, South Florida. Jones is a dynamic combo guard with an NBA body who can create shots for himself in a variety of ways and has been known to have several scoring outbursts.

25. Memphis – Devin Ebanks, SF, West Virginia. Ebanks is a wiry, physical player who crashes the boards and does not give up on defense. Unless he adds muscle, he will be pushed around when asked to guard power forwards.

26. Oklahoma City - Hassan Whiteside, PF/C, Marshall. The rationale for picking Whiteside is that he presents a skill set as a specialist (shot blocking). He is unproven offensively, but that is not a bad thing if he can clean up the boards.

TRADE: Oklahoma City trades the 26th pick overall and Byron Mullens to Denver for cash considerations and a future pick

27. New Jersey – Jordan Crawford, SG, Xavier. When he was at Indiana, you could see the potential. You could see that Crawford could go on scoring sprees. He could easily average 20 points a game in the right situation.

28. Memphis – Daniel Orton, PF, Kentucky. When a team has players who take a lot of shots, you need to surround them with role players who can contribute in other ways. Orton fits that bill as a physical defender who can also block shots. Don't be surprised if he slips into the 2nd round.

TRADE: Memphis trades the 28th pick overall and Marko Jaric to Dallas for DeShawn Stevenson, Eduardo Najera and cash considerations

29. Orlando - Greivis Vasquez, PG, Maryland. The Magic have only worked out a few players. If they hang onto the pick, then Vasquez can immediately step in at backup point guard, which will be a position of need with Jason Williams and Anthony Johnson out of contract.

30. Washington - Quincy Pondexter, SF, Washington. A matchup nightmare. That's what opposing coaches have called Pondexter over the years. Pondexter excels in an open game, but has improved his skills in the half-court set.

ROUND 2
31. New Jersey – Jerome Jordan, C, Tulsa
32. Miami – Gani Lawal, PF, Georgia Tech
33. Sacramento – Sherron Collins, PG, Kansas
34. Portland – Ryan Richards, PF, Gran Canaria
35. Washington – Craig Brackins, PF, Iowa State
36. Detroit – Armon Johnson, PG, Nevada
37. Milwaukee – Terrico White, PG/SG, Ole Miss
38. New York – Elliot Williams, SG, Memphis
39. New York – Stanley Robinson, SF/PF, Connecticut
40. Indiana – Willie Warren, PG/SG, Oklahoma
41. Miami – Lance Stephenson, SG, Cincinnati
42. Miami - Jon Scheyer, PG, Duke
43. LA Lakers – Alexey Shved, PG, Dynamo Moscow
44. Milwaukee – Omar Samhan, C, St. Mary's
45. Minnesota – Trevor Booker, PF, Clemson
46. Phoenix - Darington Hobson, SF, Milwaukee
47. Milwaukee - Jarvis Varnado, PF, Mississippi State

TRADE: Milwaukee trades the 47th pick overall to New York for cash considerations

48. Miami – Lazar Hayward, SF, Marquette
49. San Antonio – Elijah Millsap, SF, UAB
50. Dallas – Dexter Pittman, C, Texas
51. Oklahoma City – Nemanja Bjelica, SF, Red Star
52. Boston – Ryan Thompson, SG, Rider
53. Atlanta – Keith "Tiny" Gallon, PF, Oklahoma

TRADE: Atlanta trades the 53rd pick overall to New Jersey for cash considerations

54. LA Clippers – Mikhail Torrence, PG/SG, Alabama
55. Utah – Thomas Huertel, PG, Strasbourg

TRADE: Utah trades the 55th pick to Toronto for cash considerations

56. Minnesota – Charles Garcia, SF, Seattle
57. Indiana – Samardo Samuels, PF, Louisville

TRADE: Indiana trades the 57th pick overall to Houston for a future 2nd-round pick and cash considerations

58. LA Lakers – Luke Harangody, PF, Notre Dame

TRADE: LA Lakers trade the 58th overall pick to Golden State for cash considerations

59. Orlando – Da'Sean Butler, SF, West Virginia
60. Phoenix – Andy Rautins, SG, Syracuse

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Paymonhttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-34690815.post-17987600091063528702010-06-22T23:24:00.003-04:002010-06-22T23:47:36.999-04:002010 NBA Draft Quick HitsA few quick tidbits to pass along ...

The Nets are now turning their sights to Wes Johnson with the 3rd pick.

Al-Farouq Aminu canceled his visit to the Detroit Pistons who hold the 7th pick. This could mean that he has a promise in the top 6. If Wes Johnson goes in the top 4, then this is very possible.

While Ryan Richards is rising up draft charts, Hassan Whiteside is sliding down the big board. Richards will not last after pick 33.

The Mavs, Cavs, and Nuggets want back in the first round. The Raptors and Wizards want to each add a pick. Possible sellers include the Clippers (8), Pacers (10; seeking a point guard in return), Chicago (17), Miami (18), Boston (19) Atlanta (24), Oklahoma City (multiple), Memphis (multiple) and Orlando (29). The rumored cost of a 1st-round pick is $3M, but that sounds like a conservative estimate.

Trade rumor reported by ESPN's Andy Katz: Memphis would acquire the 16th pick from Minnesota for the 25th and 28th. This would give Minnesota 4 first-round picks [that they don't need] and two second-round picks. I'm still trying to understand Michael Kahn's master plan. Clearly, he is no Sam Presti. Kahn's lack of creativity as a general manager is only matched by NBA veterans' non-desire to play in Minnesota. It may be possible that the stockpiling of picks is a precursor to acquiring Evan Turner via trade from Philadelphia, who holds only one pick but has many holes. Could the 4th, 23rd, and 25th/28th be enough to lure the Sixers?

Don't be shocked if Portland successfully packages the 22nd and 34th picks and possibly a player for a higher pick in the 1st round. Kevin Pritchard may be on his way out, but I'll be damned if there's a GM who's done more for draft night ratings [and shrewd evaluation of players] than he has.

Though Clement had mentioned CP3 trade rumors weeks ago, I'm choosing to ignore trade rumors in the mainstream media.

On the same day John Salmons opted for the early termination clause of his contract, the Bucks traded for oft-injured Corey Maggette. To get him, they gave up garbage of lesser value. The beauty of the expiring contract ...

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Paymonhttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-34690815.post-34384795759737196432010-06-21T20:22:00.003-04:002010-06-21T20:30:13.272-04:002010 NBA Mock Draft (1-Round)NOTE: This edition does not include trades. In our final edition, we will make trade predictions.

1. Washington – John Wall, PG, Kentucky. The last time Washington had the 1st pick, it was in a weak draft and they selected Kwame Brown. This draft is different. Barring injury, Wall will be a franchise player.

2. Philadelphia – Evan Turner, SG, Ohio State. If Wall is 1A, then Turner is 1B. Despite making the pick, expect the 76ers to trade the rights to Turner to either New Jersey or Minnesota.

3. New Jersey – Derrick Favors, PF, Georgia Tech. The physical forward is an impact player at both ends of the floor and can become a 20/10 guy in three years' time. Favors will need to learn how to stay out of foul trouble.

4. Minnesota – DeMarcus Cousins, C, Kentucky. Let's face it. Al Jefferson is not a center. Wesley Johnson, who many have tabbed as the pick here, is not a desirable trade piece for Philadelphia. Joe Dumars is desperate to land the big man and may throw everything and the kitchen sink to land Cousins. That said, who wants their garbage?

5. Sacramento – Greg Monroe, PF, Georgetown. The Kings now have Dalembert, Thompson, Landry, but their frontcourt remains their biggest weakness. Monroe is the best passing big man in the draft, and perhaps the most complete frontcourt player in the draft.

6. Golden State – Wesley Johnson, SF, Syracuse. The Warriors love their wing players, and both Johnson and Al-Farouq Aminu are amazing fits. The nod goes to Johnson, who is a better defensive player.

7. Detroit – Epke Udoh, PF, Baylor. Since they drafted every small forward in last year's draft pool, the Pistons are in an unenviable position. Based on who the Pistons have worked out so far, Udoh is the pick. He's an athletic 4 who can play 5. He's 23, which causes concern. If Detroit decides to go in a different direction, Cole Aldrich may be the pick.

8. LA Clippers – Al-Farouq Aminu, SF, Wake Forest. Aminu will not slip past this pick and the Clippers get a steal. An amazing leaper with excellent athleticism and versatility, Aminu could be the best prospect from this draft. The knocks on him are his [in]ability to create his own shot and securing the basketball.

9. Utah – Ed Davis, PF, North Carolina. I'm not in love with this pick, but Davis is the best prospect at a 'need' position with the likely departure of Carlos Boozer and the bust that is Kosta Koufos.

10. Indiana - Avery Bradley, SG, Texas. Expect the Pacers to trade down, because they are stocked with young big men and are weak in the frontcourt. If they are lazy or are forced to play their hand, Bradley, who they'd like to convert to the point, is the pick. That said, Bradley had moments when he lacked vision and made bad decisions.

11. New Orleans – Paul George, SF, Fresno State. The Hornets have made no secret that they are in love with George. At 6'9", he's taller than the other wing prospects in this draft and is among the most skilled as well.

12. Memphis – Patrick Patterson, PF, Kentucky. Patterson is an inside-outside threat who had a marked improvement at the defensive end this season. If the Grizz do not re-sign Zach Randolph, then Patterson serves as an insurance policy. Let's just hope Randolph is not his off-court mentor.

13. Toronto – Cole Aldrich, C, Kansas. The Raptors need a true center. Bargnani played center, but will likely return to his natural position of power forward. Aldrich was a dominant defender at the collegiate level, and can make adjustments to the pro game quickly though it may not come in his first season.

14. Houston – Gordon Hayward, SF, Butler. The Rockets brass have come up and said that they will select the best prospect, even if they are already stocked at the position. Hayward is their man because of his ability to take over a game without having to score points.

15. Milwaukee – Luke Babbitt, SF, Nevada. Babbitt may be the best pure shooter in this year's crop, and it's wise to surround Brandon Jennings with as many role players as possible. The jury is out on how his defense will fit into Scott Skiles's plans.

16. Minnesota – Xavier Henry, SG, Kansas. If the Wolves land Evan Turner via trade or select Wesley Johnson, then they will select Hassan Whiteside. If they do not, they cannot pass up on Henry's upside and freakish ability. Henry will need to improve his shot selection at the next level.

17. Chicago – James Anderson, SG, Oklahoma State. A proven scorer and defender is exactly what the Bulls need. If the Bulls trade down, they may select Gani Lawal, Jerome Jordan or Dominique Jones.

18. Miami – Hassan Whiteside, PF/C, Marshall. This pick is wide open given that Miami will be affected more by free agency than any other team. The rationale for picking Whiteside is that he presents a skill set as a specialist (shot blocking). He is unproven offensively, but that is not a bad thing if he can clean up the boards.

19. Boston – Larry Sanders, PF/C, VCU. With the rumored retirement of Rasheed Wallace and Kendrick Perkins being out of contract, the Celtics need to get replenished down low. Sanders is a shot blocker who's improved as a 1-on-1 defender. If the Celtics go with Daniel Orton, it may spell the end of Perkins's stay in Beantown.

20. San Antonio – Dominique Jones, SG, South Florida. Jones is a dynamic combo guard with an NBA body who can create shots for himself in a variety of ways and has been known to have several scoring outbursts. Unfortunately, the tweener label applies.

21. Oklahoma City – Daniel Orton, PF, Kentucky. When a team has two players who take a lot of shots, you need to surround them with role players who can contribute in other ways. Orton fits that bill as a physical defender who can also block shots.

22. Portland – Eric Bledsoe, PG/SG, Kentucky. Portland has a knack for selecting players who other teams want in order to get their guy. I will assume that their guy will be off the board in time for their pick. Bledsoe is among the best on-the-ball defenders in the draft. While not a true point guard, he can develop into one.

23. Minnesota – Solomon Alabi, C, Florida State. Alabi is a proven shot-blocker with a limited offensive profile. Toronto may buy back into the first round to grab Alabi, who has ties with the organization.

24. Atlanta – Gani Lawal, PF, Georgia Tech. The Hawks need muscle and the local product may be the guy to provide it. They, however, can go in many directions. If so, Devin Ebanks may hear his name at this point.

25. Memphis – Elliot Williams, SG, Memphis. Rudy Gay and Ronnie Brewer may leave in free agency, so it may be good to stock up now in case one or both leave. Williams is a scorer, but is also a strong defender despite his small frame.

26. Oklahoma City – Damion James, SF, Texas. James is a hustle player who averaged a double-double for much of his collegiate career in the Big XII thanks to a 7-foot wingspan. To get better, James will need to improve his ball-handling and passing skills.

27. New Jersey – Devin Ebanks, SF, West Virginia. Ebanks is a wiry, physical player who crashes the boards and does not give up on defense. Unless he adds muscle, he will be pushed around when asked to guard power forwards.

28. Memphis – Quincy Pondexter, SF, Washington. A matchup nightmare. That's what opposing coaches have called Pondexter over the years. Pondexter excels in an open game, but has improved his skills in the half-court set.

29. Orlando – Greivis Vasquez, PG, Maryland. The Magic have only worked out a few players. If they hang onto the pick, then Vasquez can immediately step in at backup point guard, which will be a position of need with Jason Williams and Anthony Johnson out of contract.

30. Washington – Jerome Jordan, C, Tulsa. Slated as a second-round pick until recent weeks, Jordan has impressed teams in workouts with his defensive prowess. His 7'5" wingspan doesn't hurt either.Paymonhttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-34690815.post-64270658196477828832010-06-18T21:53:00.005-04:002010-06-18T22:14:30.277-04:00Soccer Scenarios and StuffAfter a rather thrilling USA/Slovenia matchup - especially during the last day of school - it became quite clear I needed my World Cup scenarios (for Group C) explained.

Meet Koman Coulibaly. Jim Joyce thinks he blew that call...badly.
Credit: AP

Have no fear, for CNNSI.com's Georgina Turner has us covered:

Group C is wide open after Friday's play, with three points separating all four teams. When the last two games kick off simultaneously at 10 a.m. ET next Wednesday, almost anything could happen. Here's how the various scenarios pan out for the U.S.:

If the U.S. defeats Algeria -- It will go through regardless of the other result, though its final ranking will be affected by that result. If Slovenia beats England, the U.S. will qualify second. If England beats Slovenia, it will be level on points with the U.S. and goal difference will come into play -- currently, that goes in favor of the U.S.

If the U.S. loses to Algeria -- It cannot progress to the next round, no matter the other result.

If the U.S. ties with Algeria and England loses to Slovenia -- Bob Bradley's team will qualify second behind the Slovenians.

If the U.S. ties and England wins -- England and Slovenia will qualify.

If the U.S. ties and England and Slovenia also draw -- Slovenia will top the group. England and the U.S. will be split by goal difference, but the U.S. currently has a two-goal advantage in goals scored in that category.

Be warned: If Wednesday's results mirror Friday's -- with England drawing 2-2 with Slovenia and the U.S. tying 0-0 with Algeria -- Slovenia will qualify first, and FIFA will draw lots for second place.
As for Saturday and Sunday's slates, here are 5 questions I am pondering...

1) Will the "real" Cameroon (vs. Denmark) either STAND UP or just fade away with a disappointing showing this World Cup?
2) After Germany's hiccup (or more) against Serbia earlier today, will Ghana prove to be the top dog in Group D (vs. Australia)?
3) Can Ivory Coast, with Drogba perhaps starting in Game #2, keep up with Brazil up and down the field?
4) Is Italy the next "giant" due for major disappointment in their second game?
5) How good is Paraguay?

We'll find out soon enough, right? RIGHT!?Clementhttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-34690815.post-69562107343979005312010-06-15T23:07:00.004-04:002010-06-15T23:44:38.774-04:002010 NBA Draft: Key ThemesIt's no secret that the 2010 NBA Draft is overshadowed by not only the NBA Finals, the World Cup, and the free agency period which will follow it shortly after the draft. That said, this draft is deeper than those in recent memory, and teams that come in with a plan can see great improvement, as seen in Oklahoma City and Memphis.

The themes below encapsulate the key storylines that will dominate draft night.

Washington holds 3 picks among the first 35 and have only 6 players under contract. It's a foregone conclusion that John Wall will be the first pick. If the Bullets can parlay picks 30 and 35 into bench contributors, then Ernie Grunfeld will live to see more days as the Bullets GM.

Philadelphia has the 2nd pick overall (their only pick), and Evan Turner would be the value pick. However, Andre Iguodala and Thaddeus Young are already on a roster that lacks inside muscle. Not to mention, Samuel Dalembert, the team's only real roster, is in the last year of his contract.

Minnesota owns 3 picks in the first round (pick #s 4, 16, 23) and 5 picks overall. They could use interior depth, but have a gaping hole at the shooting guard position. Could Minnesota package 3 picks into a trade with the 76ers and select Evan Turner?

If your roster is starving for power forwards and centers, then this is your draft. I have given 1st-round grades to 11 power forwards and centers. If I had any love for Kevin Seraphin, that number would be one higher.

After John Wall, there are no true point guards with a 1st-round grade. Shooting guards Avery Bradley, Eric Bledsoe, Armon Johnson (combo guard), and Terrico White may play point guard at the next level.

Toronto is actively attempting to acquire a pick in the 20s. Cap-starved teams like Orlando and teams with multiple first round picks (Minnesota, Oklahoma City, Memphis) are possible dance partners for the Raptors. That said, the Raptors have approximately $46M locked up in contracts next season that do not include Chris Bosh. They are in serious trouble.

What will Mikhail Prokhorov do in his first draft? His Nets hold picks 3, 27 and 31. They some good young pieces in Brook Lopez, Devin Harris, Courtney Lee, Yi Jianlian, Terrence Williams, and Chris Douglas-Roberts, but will be wise to add muscle to the frontcourt.

According to John Sheridan of ESPN.com, the current asking price for a spare 2nd-round pick has a starting price of $1.5M. Of course, picks in the early half of the 2nd round are more expensive. Last year, Houston paid Washington $2.5M in Lil' Flip albums for the 32nd pick overall.

The Knicks will be calling teams to possibly purchase 2nd-round picks (in addition to their two early second-round picks), who would cost them a paltry cap figure of $473,604, and effectively fill out their roster.

Who will fall precipitously on draft night? We don't know yet, and we won't know until draft night. All I know is that calls and texts will be prefaced by, "What were they thinking? I can't believe [insert name] is still on the board." Two years ago, it was Darrell Arthur. Last year, it was Pittsburgh's DeJuan Blair and Sam Young.

Paymonhttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-34690815.post-89127511468708542622010-06-07T14:53:00.007-04:002010-06-07T15:09:26.172-04:002010 PHSports Mock Draft: Would've Should've (Lottery Edition)Pay will be dishing out the expertise in a week or two; however, I'd like to rant on who I'd take if I would draft, as a team President and/or GM (within the lottery only, mind you).

Enjoy…

Fear not Wizard fans. I won't stray you from the obvious #1-selection.
Credit: UKBigBlueNation

#1. Washington Wizards select … John Wall (G, Kentucky)
He's offering almost everything Derrick Rose did. While point guards often take a back seat to big men with the #1 overall pick in the NBA Draft, there is NO valid reason I can see not to take Wall and build your franchise around him. Of course, this is the Wizards…

#2. Philadelphia 76ers select … DeMarcus Cousins (C, Kentucky)
Pay made an excellent case that, if the 76ers front office decides to keep Iggy, Turner isn't the right man for Philadelphia with the #2 pick. While there is NO denying his immense all-around talents, I'd be willing to take a chance on Cousins. He has a mean streak that, if harnessed, could produce scary results (especially in a center-starved Eastern Conference). Assuming his fitness is addressed, of course.

#3. New Jersey Nets select ... Evan Turner (G/F, Ohio State)
You don't get the #1 pick, yet you may walk away with pound-for-pound the best pure talent in this draft. He can help immediately, but shouldn't be asked to. He is a vital cog, but not a 1A performer for a future title contender. Instead, Turner reminds me of a clone combining some of the best traits of Danny Granger (if his outside shooting improves) and Scottie Pippen (if his defense improves). Scary stuff, right?

Al Jefferson's future in Minnesota isn't set in stone, right?
If not, this pick becomes a true wild-card.
Credit: NBC Sports

#4. Minnesota Timberwolves select … Derrick Favors (PF/C, Georgia Tech)
I'm not completely sold on the guy, but he offers a lot more bulk than many of the other options at the all-too-popular PF/C position this draft. Current Minnesota-big Al Jefferson may not be a permanent fixture for the franchise, so Favors, as the very least, offers a future replacement. If Jefferson is a T-Wolf for good, I'd jump all over Wes Johnson's athleticism as a #3 alongside Love and the aforementioned Jefferson.

#5. Sacramento Kings select … Greg Monroe (PF/C, Georgetown)
Utah has to be praying Monroe slips to #9, but he won't. Monroe is a new-age Brad Miller, who enjoyed quite a bit of success in SacTown during his tenure. While Monroe doesn't scream "All-Star" to me, he is a great compliment alongside Tyreke Evans and the youthful Kings.
Note: I'd love to swap at #9 with Utah and see Sacremento wait and select Kansas' Xavier Henry, by the way.

#6. Golden State Warriors select … Cole Aldrich (C, Kansas)
I'm not nearly as high on Aldrich as this pick might entail. However, I think Biedrins (and his contract) should be moved this offseason, if possible. The last thing this team needs is another developing swingman-esque athlete on their roster (Morrow, Maggette, Randolph). I love Wes Johnson's potential…but don't like him sitting so much on an already youthful team.

For Johnson to truly become a superstar, he needs an envrionment (and head coach) who can nurture his potential and help enrich his skill-set. If those happen, he's the #2-overall talent in this draft, in my opinion.
Credit: Syracuse.com

#7. Detroit Pistons select … Wesley Johnson (SF/PF, Syracuse)
It's odd to see Detroit selecting this early, isn't it? If only they didn't give out those two deals last year (Gordon/Villenueva especially), they'd be a much bigger player in the Summer of 2010. Johnson has a tremendous upside, but needs steady coaching and stability. He needs to learn how to find his shot off the dribble and NOT fall in love with an inconsistent outside shot. His length alone already allows Detroit to move Tayshaun Prince, as well.

#8. Los Angeles Clippers select … Ekpe Udoh (PF/C, Baylor)
I love this guy. I loved everything he did in the NCAA Tournament. The Clipper have their young nucleus…for now…with Gordon (PG) and Griffin (PF). Nevertheless, the rest of their roster (especially with veterans Baron Davis and Chris Kaman far from locked into the teams' future), isn't much to smile about. Udoh is a big body who can split minutes at the 4 with Griffin and bring some muscle into the paint. He also doesn't need the ball in hands to be a productive contributor. I see a lot of Serge Ibaka in him.

#9. Utah Jazz select … Xavier Henry (SG, Kansas)
Call me crazy, but this guy might be the sleeper of the early-to-mid 1st round. Henry just scratched the surface last year and would benefit tremendously from Jerry Sloan and the veteran-laden Jazz. Imagine if he used his length to play defense. Scary. While replacing Boozer (potentially leaving this summer) may be priority #1 for the Jazz, the 2-guard position in Utah hasn't been nearly productive enough in recent years. In fact, when has it been since Jeff Hornacek???

#10. Indiana Pacers select … Al Farouq-Aminu (SF/PF, Wake Forest)
I think he may be one of the easiest busts to predict, especially if he goes in the top 5 or 6. Nevertheless, I hope he finds a team that allows him to mature at a realistic pace. He doesn't need to be in a place like Golden State or Los Angeles, earning minutes based on measurements. Instead, let the Pacers avoid the all-too-easy pick – Gordon Hayward – and give themselves an athletic, high-risk/high-reward piece to their young nucleus.

Are people too easily writing this guy off? I'd be guilty alongside those who already have.
Credit: NBADraft.net

#11. New Orleans Hornets select … Hassan Whiteside (C, Marshall)
CP3 is leaving. Count on it. Nevertheless, Darren Collison may be more than just a stop gap at the point guard position. Then again, is there a point worth of this slot? I doubt it, highly. I know Okafor is there, but let's be honest…he's not a center. Never has been in the NBA. So why not take a chance on Whiteside and see if he's more Andrew Bynum than Saer Sene.

#12. Memphis Grizzlies select … Avery Bradley (SG, Texas)
A high-riser, maybe for only me, Bradley would allow the Grizzlies to make some tough moves on the fates of their young roster. There's no telling where Rudy Gay ends up and Mike Coley has far from sewn up the point guard position in Memphis. Frankly, I'd be willing to build around Mayo (PG) and work from there. Selecting another untested big, alongside the already-developing Hasheem Thabeet, is a mistake. Take a 2-guard who can play with or without the ball. Zach Randolph's legal troubles (surprise surprise) may alter this completely.

#13. Toronto Raptors select … Larry Sanders (PF/C, VCU)
Homer, right? Probably. Here come the Ed Davis-lovers. Bosh decides this pick (basically), doesn't he? Problem is, they won't know for sure come draft day where Bosh stands. While he's likely gone (even if it's a sign-and-trade), the Raptors also need to deal with Hedo and the potential of a large chunk of cap-space available with no free agent to lure. Sanders, who has done as well as any bigs in rookie camps, still has a LOT of work to do. Especially with his attitude. Nevertheless, Sanders has just as many, if not greater, physical tools equal of the BCS-conference draftees many have going before him. He is just scratching the surface, while also performing at a higher level than several bigs who have only been "projected" to perform (Whiteside, Orton, etc.).

#14. Houston Rockets select … James Anderson (SG, Oklahoma State)
He's my Paul Pierce/Danny Graner/Rajon Rondo/DeJuan Blair of this year's draft. A guy I know will be a solid NBA pro. Some are superstars and some are glue guys. Nevertheless, each draft has a guy or two that far too many GOOD teams passed over. Anderson could be a star, but won't be a top 10 (or even top 20???) pick. The Rockets would be wise to get this guy on their roster, no matter if it's "too early" or not. He'd also earn plenty of minutes, which he might not do going in the twenties.

There are more than a few absent names in this top 14, right? Patrick Patterson, Gordon Hayward, & Ed Davis (below).
Credit: JBJSports

Of course, the true story will be told soon enough. 17+ days, to be prices.Clementhttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-34690815.post-12091581124692174892010-05-31T11:54:00.002-04:002010-05-31T12:38:33.845-04:00NBA Draft Buzz: Is Evan Turner the clear-cut 2nd pick overall?In nearly every mock draft I've seen, Evan Turner is the #2 pick overall. And why not? He's one of 2 slam-dunk superstars in this draft (John Wall), and few combo guards can match his size and skill.

This is before you factor in three things.

The 76ers already have Andre Iguodala and Thaddeus Young.

Samuel Dalembert, the only guy who can really play center, is out of contract next summer. Some would even argue this point. Translation: They need a center.

Philadelphia has $65 million committed in salary next season, which is within striking range of the luxury tax.

Barring sign-and-trade possibilities involving the expiring contracts of Dalembert ($12.2M), Jason Kapono ($6.6M), and Willie Green ($4M), the 76ers will not be a key player in free agency, and will need to add height and bulk through the draft.

That's why the 76ers organization needs to be creative, and not just look at drafting the best player and hope for everything to fall into place. As much as Evan Turner should be the clear-cut #2 pick who goes to the 76ers (he could still be the #2 pick overall to another team, of course) based on talent, the organization must put more stock in making a need-based pick.
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Paymonhttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-34690815.post-42362155628365961882010-05-18T23:44:00.003-04:002010-05-19T00:17:45.042-04:00NBA Draft Lottery ThoughtsA few quick hits on tonight's NBA Draft Lottery:

The draft lottery has become a media spectacle, and demonstrates America's fascination with the prospect of new beginnings. As an aside, I don't remember the last time a likely #1 pick was interviewed during the telecast, but John Wall will certainly look good in a Bullets uniform.

I love it when 18-year-olds are given canned statements for interviews by their agents / advisors. It makes for arresting television.

For the 6th year in a row, the team with the worst record did not get the #1 overall pick. As a result, New Jersey becomes even less likely to win the LeBron sweepstakes.

Simply stated, I think the draft lottery is rigged, favoring bad teams who actually tried to win games late in the season. Washington fit the bill. Minnesota and Sacramento did not. At all. As for New Jersey, they won a few games late, but their #1 pick probability never wavered.

What happens after the 1st pick will be the storyline of the draft. I rate Evan Turner as the 2nd-best player in the draft, but is his skill set too similar to that of Andre Iguodala? If so, which big man is selected?

Another theme to keep your eyes peeled for is whether teams will draft based on proven talent (Evan Turner, Patrick Patterson, James Anderson, Damion James, etc.) OR limitless potential (Derrick Favors, Ed Davis, Xavier Henry, etc.). Will teams finally learn that proven talent is the way to go following the successes of 2009 class members such as Darren Collison (21st), DeJuan Blair (37th), Marcus Thornton (43rd), Chase Budinger (44th), and Wesley Matthews (undrafted)? Time will tell.

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Paymonhttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-34690815.post-37587635064128814612010-04-25T15:00:00.007-04:002010-04-25T15:56:32.496-04:0030 for 30 ReflectionsIn case you've been under a rock over the past 9+ months, ESPN's 30 for 30 has been a staple of mandatory viewing - save for the unnecessary break from late December to mid-March - for any sports fan or wannabe sports' historian.

If anything, 30 for 30 serves as a visual encyclopedia - through an albeit biased lens at times - to some of the sporting worlds' greatest stories of the past 30 years.
Credit: ESPN.com

As Wikipedia might tell you...
30 for 30 is a documentary series chronicling 30 stories from the ESPN era, each of which detail the issues and events that transformed the sports landscape since the sports network was founded in 1979.

Learning about the U in the 80s and Uncle Luke? Priceless.
Credit: Deadspin.com

Some of the topics have included: Muhammad Ali, the USFL, Wayne Gretzky, Allen Iverson, Jimmy the Greek, Len Bias, and Reggie Miller.

The words "own goal" only conjured up one name for me: Andres Escobar.
The 30 for 30 surrounding him may be the eeriest of them all.
Credit: JimmytheMan.com

Some future topics will include: Marion Jones, Michael Jordan, Matt Hoffman, George Steinbrenner, Mike Tyson, and Marcus Dupree.

While I haven't had the opportunity to watch all of them (and won't comment on all those I have seen), I wanted to offer a few thoughts, highlights, and see if I could trigger a reaction or two.

For more thorough analysis, one need go no further than the AV Club.

Before I begin, I better "date" myself.
I am a rabid sports fan. We all know that.
What you may not know is I was born in 1983.
This dates me for the majority of these stories, honestly.

Nevertheless, I used to wake up at 6am to watch an hour-long Sportscenter before getting ready for school (starting in the 2nd grade), collected cards (baseball, football, and primarily basketball) with any spare change I could squeeze out of my mom or grandparents, and have New York affiliations (Jets, Yanks, Knicks *sigh*, and Syracuse) to my heart.

Why is it when I search on Google Images for "Craig Kilborn + Sportscenter" I am subjected to countless pictures of this untalented, unfunny moron???
Credit: AllDigitalNews.com

In addition, here are my first true sporting memories...
College Basketball - My uncle nearly sobbing after Rumeal Robinson hit 2 free throws - after being fouled with 3 seconds and Michigan trailing Seton Hall by 1 in the 1989 title game - thus ending the Pirates chance at a national championship.
Baseball - Cincinnati annihilated the A's - and then-favorite player Rickey Hendrson - in the 1990 World Series.
Basketball - The layup still shown round-the-world by MJ against the Lakers in LA. (I'm a rabid-MJ hater, by the way.)
Football - Roger Craig's fumble always come to my mind first, way back in the 1990 NFC title game. First actual memories? Timmy Smith seeming faster than the camera during Super Bowl XXII.
College Football - George Teague and Bama (p)owning Gino Torretta. It still makes me chuckle a little.

As for the 30 for 30 specials, a few thoughts and observations...

Episode #1: King's Random
[Wayne Gretzky's trade from the Edmonton Oilers to the Los Angeles Kings.]
-The year in focus is 1988 and it's a trade that will likely remain in the top 5 (if not the top spot) in every conceivable "Most Infamous Trades" list ever compiled. Perhaps only the Babe Ruth deal has involved a star and a celebrity the likes of the Great One. Key word: perhaps. I found Peter Berg's direction to be steady, although I admittedly didn't feel moved as much as I expected to by the story. Perhaps it's me being American or my ambivalence towards hockey. Ironically, an episode of a now defunct ESPN show (The 5 Reason's You Can't Blame...) which may have done a better job of capturing my interest in this story.

Episode #3: Small Potatoes: Who Killed the USFL
[Rise and fall of the United States Football League.]
I suppose I wanted to learn more about the USFL, the talent it snatched up from underneath the NFL (Walker, Young, Kelly, White etc.), and less about the business side of it. Unfortunately, that wasn't the story being told. Nevertheless, the links to Donald Trump - who is not a 100% success story in business, I hope you know - and the ever-growing behemoth that is the NFL was riveting enough to maintain my interest throughout.

Episode #5: Without Bias
[The life of Len Bias.]
In a word gut-wrenching. My favorite episode of the series thus far, it was more than tough to watch at times. I was far too young to know anything about Bias while it happened, but the story was told as if it just happened. Jim Vance (DC newsman) and Michael Wilbon were poignant, primary sources who were brilliantly used. I'm not sure if I'll watch this again, but not due to the quality. It was almost too emotionally taxing, to say the very least.

Episode #6: The Legend of Jimmy the Greek
[The life of Jimmy the Greek.]
Finally able to watch it this weekend (which spurned this column), I was fascinated about the dynamics of the NFL Today on CBS. I find similar shows today to be glorified advertisements for the hosts (Michael Strahan promoting "Brothers") and filled with the hosts putting forth their personal agendas (I heart Brett Favre by Chris Berman) over any NFL analysis the most average fan could give you. You mean to tell me that Brett Favre plays well in cold weather? Nevertheless, the story of Jimmy the Greek brought forth a character that was larger than life and a staple of football and all of sports - gambling - that is bigger than even the biggest Vegas Sportsbooks believe it is today. It immediately made me want to seek out someone who was old enough to remember the Greek during his heyday.

Episode #8: Winning Time - Reggie Miller vs. The New York Knicks
[Reggie Miller's impact on the New York Knicks in the 1990s.]
As a Knick fan, it brought back waaaaaay too many memories that I have tried to forget. Even after beating Miller, which happened as often as we lost to him, the Knicks still never could bring home that title for Ewing and the all-too-passionate fans of his era. When you find yourself angry over a game that happened 15+ years ago, the filmmakers more than succeeded. Although, truth be told, an upcoming 30 for 30 on June 17th, 1994 (ala OJ in the Bronco vs. Houston/New York Finals game) has me salivating even more.

Episode #10: No Crossover - The Trial of Allen Iverson
[Iverson's high school race trial]
Being a citizen of Virginia for quite some time, this story had a personal touch. I've only visited Hampton (and not all of it), but you felt the tension in this story existed to this day with many of its citizens. Two important things were expertly analyzed:
1) The racial tensions which still have divided the city of Hampton.
2) The absolute avoidance of the topic by 99% of the people involved (including Iverson) 16 years later.
The conspiracy theories were an absolute riot, as well. I also should mention its direction, Steve James, directed the best documentary I've ever seen (and maybe you as well), Hoop Dreams.

Episode #11: Silly Little Game
[The development of Rotisserie (Fantasy) Baseball.]
I didn't enjoy the style in which it was presented, but I loved hearing about the birth of fantasy sports as we know it today. Anyone who believes themselves to be a "fantasy junkie" should watch this. I only wish the spouses of the founding members had been given more of a forum to express their opinions on how this "silly little game" impacted their lives. If it were better directed, the content alone may have put this in my 2nd - or even top - spot.

If I had a request a few topics for future 30 for 30s, I think I'd go with these 5:
1) The day (and potentially build-up) of Magic Johnson's press conference revealing he had contracted the HIV virus
2) Michael Jordan and his gambling addiction (including the 2-year suspension "conspiracy theory")
3) The story of the "Jewish Jordan" Tamir Goodman
4) The tragic death of New Jersey Net Drazen Petrovic
5) The paternity cases of Shawn Kemp (seriously)

Your requests???
Clementhttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-34690815.post-28876587812906776872010-04-21T00:54:00.013-04:002010-04-21T01:15:09.782-04:00Midnight Revelations: The ReturnWhile watching an entertaining Oklahoma City/Los Angeles opener.
Yeah, the NBA (aka the Free Throw Association) still absolutely sucks. HARD.

1) With all due apologies to the 90% legit fans of the two teams, whose bandwagon is full of more absolute posers: Red Sox Nation or Kobe-era Laker fans???

2) Charles Barkley is good for one memorable quote...a minute.
"The rest of the NBA better get their wins against Oklahoma City and Chicago now. Because in a few years, they're gonna be REAL good. Better beat that butt (he used a different word, mind you) now, before you can't in a few years."

Call me a homer (go ahead, you wanna), but this guy can be very good...sooner than later.
Credit: Blog.Newsok.com

3) Eric Maynor is fully capable of being a starting point in the NBA. Russell Westbrook may be a potential rising phenom, but I see Maynor (who Utah idiotically gave up in a far-too-lazy-cap relief move) successfully starting for a team in less than 3 years (i.e. his next contract)...against the likes of Westbrook and the Thunder.

How do you say "boo hoo" in Spanish? Anyone? Anyone?
Credit: Buttheadsports.com

4) Pau Gasol's mannerisms make me want to die. Why pretend to act like you're tough, Pau? Why act like you're too physical (by pounding your chest down the court) for your opponent, when you're clearly not, Pau? We saw what KG did to you in 2008. That tape will never lie. You're incredibly skilled, Pau. And a Spanish fugazi on the court. Only in your facial expressions, of course.

5) They need to end people being rewarded a timeout while rolling around on the floor with the ball in a crowd. Isn't that traveling? The NBA did well to end the Rodman-rule (diving out of bands and calling a timeout). Time to end this nonsense.

Jeff Green needs to get rid of the shakes too when he's 1-on-1.
Credit: DailyThunder.com

Oklahoma City just needs a solid big and some time to develop. And to stay healthy, of course. But they're getting swept this series. Oh well.Clementhttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-34690815.post-63666165213994205822010-04-01T23:51:00.004-04:002010-04-01T23:56:36.574-04:00Join Facebook Group Denouncing 96-Team NCAA Tournament FieldEarlier today, NCAA Senior VP Greg Shaheen stated that the prospect of a 96-team tournament format had been discussed and favored over the current 65-team format, and proposed 68- and 80-team formats.

See the video here.

Join the Facebook group here.
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Paymonhttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-34690815.post-2994522218913889452010-03-28T10:14:00.008-04:002010-03-28T10:48:31.075-04:00Week in Review: Bummer CitySecond straight busy week at PHSports.

First off, check out the NEW POLL top right of the page. Vote on!!!!

Picture of the Week: It still leaves a sick feeling in my stomach...

Credit: DailyOrange.com

1) Urban Meyer is a tool. Yeah, we already knew that. But Gator fan has a much tougher task defending his blatantly ridiculous actions this week. For a summary: check it. For my opinion, see the first sentence in this post. Tool.

2) Women's basketball remains boring. No matter how much ESPN wants us to care, women's college basketball is unwatchable and UCONN's streak is as meaningless as any of its kind in recent memory. Don't try and be PC, either. Admit it.

3) Butler and West Virginia advanced to the Final Four on Saturday. Who told you to worry about Kentucky? Oh yeah, ME!!!
A) Nobody could stabilize them on the court as West Virginia dominated the second half with back cuts and a non-scoring point guard SCORING at will. Not to mention them missing countless 3s against WVU in a 73-66 loss Saturday night.
B) John Wall didn't shoot free throws well at all (4-8), ala Derrick Rose in 2008. Yeah, I went there.
C) Patrick Patterson has NO business shooting 3s. Not even 1. So to prove me wrong...he shot 4. And missed all 4. Well predicted, me.

4) Michigan State/Tennessee and Duke/Baylor today for the two remaining Final Four slots. Who told you not to doubt Izzo (going for 6 Final Fours in 12 years)? Oh yeah, ME!!! Who won't have even 1 Final Four team correct from his "Sheet of Integrity"? Oh yeah, ME!!!

5) Go Baylor. Duh.

Video of the Week: Can somebody PLEASE tell Optimus Prime to shutup so I can hear Meyer pretend he's a bad@ss???

Credit: YouTube.com [UFSoftballFan]

I only hope Meyer doesn't threaten to ban PHSports from Gator practices now...

Time to pretend I'm still not bumming...over a game.
Clementhttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-34690815.post-40979806548452474592010-03-25T21:18:00.007-04:002010-03-25T21:49:44.670-04:00Anatomy of an Upset:You want to know why Butler WON tonight's game? Syracuse lost it.

I know that wreaks of sour grapes, but it's true.
And don't get me wrong...I'd have killed to have Butler lose it.
But they didn't. Syracuse did.

18 turnovers to 7. Syracuse was lazy, undisciplined, and lacking any touch on lob passes into the paint.

That's just the start of what went wrong.

In a word: pathetic.
Credit: ESPN.go.com

1) Jim Boeheim was outcoached, completely. Not that this ever surprises me anymore. Calhoun, Dixon, and Pitino have been outclassing him in the Big East for years now.
2) Wesley Johnson isn't assertive enough to create his own shot. His raw athleticism is amazing, but he did NOTHING after a nice 3 that gave Syracuse a BRIEF 41-40 lead. He may be a top 5-pick, but if he can't learn to create his own shot...bye bye relevancy in the NBA.
3) A 7-man rotation that goes to 6 - after AO's injury - showed the pathetic lack of depth on Cuse's bench. (Believe me, I don't blame DeShonte Riley one bit. Not his fault.) Pay knew it (I hated to agree, but he was soooo right), that Boeheim was playing with fire with such a short bench; especially if an injury occurred to one of his bigs. Lucky for the Cuse, AO is injury prone!!!
4) Rick Jackson is NOT someone you run your offense through. The game plan was AWFUL tonight. Jackson touched the ball far too much. He was uncomfortable, turnover prone, lazy on defense (probably due to being exhausted), and couldn't grip the basketball anywhere near the paint. Pathetic performance from Rick Jackson, who deserves a reign of boos next time he enters the Carrier Dome.

Of course, I'm INCREDIBLY dissapointed as a fan. I didn't have 100% Final Four aspirations, without AO, if Kansas State was waiting for us. However, I didn't want a season I invested so much time in, to end so poorly. I'd love to throw a few words in front of poorly. Man, would I ever.

To the victor goes the spoils. An impressive final 5 minutes, to say the least, for the Bulldogs.
Credit: CNNSI.com

But props to Butler. They made stops, hit deep 3s very late (lucky bounces or not), contained Jackson with relative ease, and made Rautins work his butt off. Syracuse had little to no chance to get second-chance opportunities on the offensive glass, force turnovers due to the zone extending, or get the fast break going.

Funny thing is, Butler didn't shoot lights out either (40% from the field, 25% from 3). Far from it. They didn't need twelve 3s or 30 trips to the free throw line to win. Syracuse beat themselves by failing to execute on the offensive side of the ball. A minor tweak may result in 2 or 3 nice possessions, only until things broke down yet again.

Obviously the point is, Syracuse played a pathetic game. With a pathetic game plan. With pathetic coaching. Outside of an above average opening stretch in the second half, I could sadly see the writing on the wall. No lead lasted long, even 54-50 with the under 4-timeout. Of course, the inbound play led to a turnover, a Butler deep 3, and an 11-0 run! Great adjustments Jimmy!!!

I knew it all too soon in the second half. This game would end in all too unfamiliar fashion.
It wreaked of that infamous Vermont game in 2005.
Credit: CNNSI.com

Up 54-50, Syracuse stalled completely. Killing any momentum by holding onto the ball too long on multiple possessions (after STOPS, no less). Why on EARTH did Boeheim allow the team to force BAD shots by Scoop Jardine (really?) late in the shot clock, allowing Butler time to settle their defense in, rebound poor shots, and then hit shots of their own on the offensive end??? Why not call a timeout and map out an offensive gameplan. Maybe one through Johnson, Rautins, or Joseph (who looked like his 2008-self) and NOT Jackson or Jardine. Then of course, the aforementioned turnover and 11-0 run came after the 4-minute timeout. No surprise Brad Stevens had a better game plan for the final 4 than Jimmy, right?

A team of overachievers just underachieved.
And I want real answers. From Boeheim.
Credit: CNNSI.com

Unfortunately, much like the Vermont-loss in 2005...I won't get any (answers).

I'll just get Gus Johnson unabashedly rooting for underdogs to hit deep 3s.
At least he doesn't hide it, I guess.

Utterly embarrassed to be a Syracuse fan right now.
I'd feel better if I were a Jayhawk fan right now, I think.

Now I'm going to stop pouting, grow up, and move on.
At least I didn't break anything...expensive.
Clementhttp://firstname.lastname@example.com


text: By the late 1970s, the School of Architecture is the sole occupant of Anderson Hall. Dean O. Jack Mitchell urges the Board to renovate and expand the building. James Sterling and Michael Wilford of London design a major remodeling, which includes a conical aluminum and glass skylight above the entrance that echoes Cram, Goodhue and Ferguson's Venetian Gothic pinnacles of the neighboring Physics Building.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
A lighthearted and lovely tale of Shakespeare's own unrequited love story, which proved the inspiration for both Romeo and Juliet and Twelfth Night, as light on its feet as Romeo and Juliet is weighty with tragedy. The comic timing from a large and buoyant cast is impeccable, and the lovable energy of the movie is embodied in Shakespeare himself (Joseph Fiennes), who never seems to sleep and is in constant athletic motion. The players, sometimes in disguise, deliver masses of Shakespearean dialogue with complete conviction, wit, and speed, and there's enough heat between Fiennes and Oscar winner Gwyneth Paltrow to warm the home fires.
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text:
Dear Students and Family Members,
Hello! I would like to take this opportunity to introduce myself. My name is Kelly
LaCrosse and I will be your 4th grade teacher this year!
I'm very excited to begin the journey in fourth grade with you and your child. During my experience with your child, I hope to show them that learning can be fun and enjoyable. In achieving this goal, we will continue to build on their solid work ethics, while improving their levels of achievement. We will also help them understand the importance of believing in themselves and in anything that they want to do.
Teach my students life skills and values
Empower my students to give 110%
Always provide a safe and positive learning environment
Challenge my students to value success and learn from mistakes
Honor learning styles that include hands-on and student-discovery activities
Embrace the belief that equal isn't always fair
Respect and believe in myself and in all of my students
I look forward to getting to know you and your child,
Kelly LaCrosse


text:
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• cute Baby Gund plush baking 5 piece playset
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