Thursday, December 13, 2007

Mitchell Report Fails To Reveal "New" Information

All 409 pages of the Mitchell Report are available to be viewed, and you need to skim through all of them to find the names we were all clamoring to see. There is no "list", as many hoped, but paragraphs dedicated to each player accused of wrongdoing. Among the major offenders, all the BALCO characters (Bonds, Sheffield, Giambi) appear, as well as Roger Clemens and Andy Pettitte. The report failed to include juicy names floating around this morning such as Albert Pujols and Ivan "Pudge" Rodriguez. Aside from Manny Alexander and Brendan Donnelly, there is a startling lack of Red Sox. I'm intrigued to hear Senator Mitchell's reponse to the numerous questions directed at him for such omissions. There are several things to take in to account while reviewing the document, if you have the time. First and foremost, the findings are predicated largely on the testimony of former trainers who supplied the drugs to the athletes. Several of the players have paper trails, including checks to said trainers for large sums of money to purchase performance enhancing drugs, that pretty much seals their fate. However, there is a lack of support for several players included.

One player that I quickly followed up on was Yankees pitcher Andy Pettitte. I'll be forthright in saying that my biases are difficult to hide concerning Pettitte, but take in to account the following. The alleged injections of human growth hormone administered by his personal trainer Brian McNamee occurred during the summer of 2002. MLB did not ban this substance until 2003. Therefore, he did nothing against the rules. Which brings us to the underlying issue in this "retroactive policing"; if there were no rules prohibiting the use of certain substances at the time, how can we punish players now for taking them? There's reason to believe that the drugs positively affected their performance and may leave some of their accomplishments tainted, but do we even know that for sure? It's an ethical dilemma that anyone can relate to. If there was a way for you to advance in your job that was morally questionable, yet technically by the books, would you do it? Almost everyone would say yes. Doesn't that make critics more than a little bit hypocritical?

Finally, now the question becomes, who to blame? Some will blame the players, some will blame the trainers, some will blame the coaches and executives. The report finds that everyone's to blame; one point I whole-heartedly agree on. However, I place most of the blame with greedy MLB executives. We've all KNOWN this is going on for years. The sport nearly died in 1994, and guess what saved it? The power surge of chemically enhanced Sammy Sosa and Mark McGwire in 1998. If not for Victor Conte and BALCO, the startling details of the operation in "The Game of Shadows", or the increasingly accurate auto-biography "Juiced" by Jose Canseco, the MLB execs across the street on Park Ave would have never addressed this issue. Their league became flushed with cash. Revenues are soaring, attendance is through the roof, and baseball is second fiddle only to the NFL. They thrived on turning a blind eye to their problems and were hoping to ride the wave for as long as possible.

With that being said, it's not fair to put all the blame on MLB. Clearly the players who not only risked their own health, but set a poor example for America's youth, should not have gone down this path. But can you really expect some of the most competitive people in the world not to look for avenues to be more successful? Instead, I find the players union as culpable as the big wigs in Manhattan. For years they met drug testing policy with such resistance that it became impossible for any decent legislation to pass. It wasn't until 2003, when it became clear the sport needed to do something to save face, that they reached an agreement on a more stringent drug testing policy. Even then, players and trainers continued to find loopholes. Many turned to hGh, a drug undetectable by the league's testing procedures.

Sadly, there's one irrefuitble truth. No matter what laws get passed, or how sports attempt to clean themselves up, there will always be a market for athletes looking to gain a competitive advantage. That's why we think of them as super heroes. It's in their DNA. It's what makes them great. But it's also what makes them human.

The Black Cloud Over Manhattan; Mitchell Report to be Revealed Today

Three hours from now, the sports world will turn its attention to midtown Manhattan where up to 80 players will be denounced for steroid use by former Congressman George Mitchell. At this point, it is tough to determine whether the list is comprised of players with failed drug tests or merely find themselves there by matter of heresay. Early reports suggest that the Yankees will suffer the greatest indignity with "several prominent players" being mentioned. Articles have already surfaced that cite a former Yankee trainer who has confirmed that Roger Clemens will appear in the report due to testimony given by the ex-employee. Herein lies one of the greatest flaws of this investigation, Clemens name will be run through the muck presumably without a failed drug test. I'm not suggesting he did not use performance enhancing substances (in fact, his body transformation would certainly provide evidence in support of these claims), but in the absence of a positive test result, the findings will have a lot of grey area. However, before getting to the more specific problems with this 20 month investigation, let's evaluate the man chosen to spearhead these efforts.

Senator Mitchell has been lauded for his superb congressional records and his knowledge of baseball certainly made him a prime candidate. But Mr. Selig, how do you possibly select a man with direct ties to an individual organization? Not only does he hold a cushy position with the Boston Red Sox, many reports suggest he is a passionate fan with strong allegiances to the ball club. I fancy myself as a man of integrity, but you better believe if I was running this thing that Derek Jeter's name would not appear on that list even if I had 10 failed drug tests in my pocket. For his sake, and the sake of the integrity of this report, there better be a fair representation of Red Sox on the list. Preliminary lists floating around the internet have pegged Jason Varitek, the Red Sox captain, as well as former Sox stars Nomar Garciaparra and Trot Nixon. It is important to emphasize PRELIMINARY, and may not be accurate. If these hold to be true, it will give more credence to the report. However, Mitchell's ties to the Red Sox will be a tough obstacle to overcome. He's already come under fire for the announcement of Paul Byrd's abuse of hGh just prior to pitching a pivotal playoff game against the Sox. But since Selig decided to take the investigation out of "baseballs" hands and turn it over to "government", it is important to note how undemocratic this process appears to be.

First of all, where's the due process? Has every player whose been listed been notified and had a chance to plea their case before their names get sullied? What recourse will the players have to defend themselves? In the absence of a positive test, can MLB justify any suspensions or docking of pay? If this report is predicated on testimony from ex-trainers and clubhouse attendants, what if they just don't like someone in the clubhouse? Are these men of great character? Is a drug peddler like Kirk Radomski to be trusted? The findings of this report must be questioned and deemed credible beyond reasonable doubt.

The efforts of baseball to retroactively police themselves is shallow at best. It's still tough to rationalize this tremendous undertaking by Mitchell and his staff, especially given the lack of cooperation from players. Only one active player has testified before the committee, and it is widely believed he only spoke of his own drug habits. Despite one's personal feelings on steroid use, I personally despise it, it is unconscionable to hold people accountable for taking substances that weren't illegal in the sport until 2003. The executives at MLB just needed to give a "mea culpa", take all the heat for turning a blind eye to their sports perversions, and move on. Major League Baseball is flush with cash, generating over $6 billion in revenue. For them to try and become beacons of moral integrity to save face at this point is hypocritical at best, more appropriately depolorable. Let's just hope that no player is falsely accused because I sense a lot of counter-suits are in the making. Baseball should have just taken the money and run. By attempting to "take this issue head on", they will run in to a lot more problems than they can possibly solve. Bud Selig was hoping December 13, 2007 would read on baseball's epitaph as "The day the black cloud was lifted". It seems that the storm is just beginning.

Wednesday, September 19, 2007

"Idiot" Democratizing the Fate of 756

Outside of San Francisco, it's hard to find anyone who believes Barry Lamar Bonds' recent 756th home run is the new standard for baseball's most treasured record. A fashion industry kingpin, Marc Ecko, is determined to find out what America truly thinks of Bonds and his place in history. Ecko recently purchased the ball for over $750 K and has created a website that allows people to vote on its fate. While many fans applaud the move, Mr. Ecko has been called out by one harsh critic. It is being reported in a news story on ESPN.com that the new home run king has labeled the ball's new owner as "stupid, an idiot." Unfortunately (or, as an anti-Bonds crusader, fortunately) he couldn't be farther from the truth. What is being done is a stroke of marketing brilliance by the clothing line entrepeneur. At the very least, he and his brand are getting recognition for being tied with sports' most polarizing record. At best, he is being championed a hero of the people who hope to see the record viewed for what it is: a chemically produced farce. Not to mention Mr. Bonds himself has completely fallen in to the marketing trap. By opening his mouth, he has simply stoked the flames on this hot story and provided even more coverage to Ecko's efforts. No publicity is bad publicity, so he just made the plan look a whole lot smarter. And Ecko's bottom line a whole lot wealthier.

Regardless of the outcome, people are genuinely interested in the balls' fate. Whether they believe it should be handed over to the Hall of Fame, branded with an asterisk, or shot in to space (as the three options allow), people want to feel that they had some voice in how this conflict should be resolved. Personally, I'm rooting for it to be branded, and not just because I think of Mr. Bonds as a despicable figure. My reasons are far more sadistic. Could you imagine the predicament MLB and the Hall of Fame would be in? If the ball is publicly branded, how could they attempt to display a pristine one? How about Mr. Bonds' reaction to the Hall displaying the original in its altered state? Quite honestly, it would serve them right. If not for baseball's blatant encouragement of performance enhancing drugs, the game's integrity may still be intact. The sad truth is that most people believe all baseball stars are dopers, and it doesn't help that Bonds has a callous, abrasive personality to supplement his "alleged" use. So vote early, vote often, and hopefully the true results will be carried out in the upcoming weeks.

Tuesday, September 18, 2007

WANTED: Capable Outside Linebacker

No team ever likes to lose a player, but the Giants may have gained an opportunity when reserve DE Adrian Awasom suffered a potentially season ending injury on Sunday. If he is put on Injured Reserve (which all reports indicate), the Giants will be in a position to add a player to the roster. With the shaky play of the linebackers in the seasons' opening weeks, an outside addition would be welcomed with open arms. Despite having seven players on the current roster listed at that position, bringing in another would allow the Giants to terminate the ill-advised Mathias Kiwanuka experiment. He could transition back to his natural defensive end position which is in need of a boost with the loss of Awasom, and the Giants could attempt to upgrade their greatest weakness during its first two games.

During the offseason, many feared the linebacker position would be a weakness. Many people were looking for the Giants to draft college standouts Jon Beason or Paul Pozluszny with their top pick. However, we were assured that with the signing of Kawika Mitchell and switch by Kiwanuka, the linebacking corps would be fine. After two standout performances by tight ends, it is apparent an upgrade is necessary. They failed to obtain Al Wilson via trade this offseason, but he remains a free agent. If he could be deemed physically fit, he always excelled in pass coverage. It would at least be wise of the Giants to re-visit this option.

Two games in to the season, there's many reasons for concern. With 14 left to play, there's plenty of time to right the ship. However, the long term issues bother me the most. New general manager Jerry Reese has proven very capable on draft day but has left this roster with many question marks. He's sat by in recent weeks as many veterans (Donovin Darius, Jeremiah Trotter) who could have helped this team tremendously were signed at low prices. As it stands, the Giants are dangerously thin at safety and have received no positive contributions from the linebacking corps. Reese looks to suffer from Isiah Thomas syndrome; great eye for amateur talent, but no ability to form a cohesive roster. Hopefully he uses this new opportunity to start turning things around.

Monday, September 17, 2007

New York In Need of Giant Shake-Up

In getting off to their worst start since 1996, the Giants defense has surrendered an astounding 80 points in just two games. To avoid a devastating 0-3 start, the Giants will need to make some dramatic changes to a defensive unit that looks among the worst in team history. As has been the case in the Tom Coughlin era, they've struggled to get teams off the field on 3rd down. Along with attrocious tackling, lack of a pass rush, and a staggering inability to cover the middle of the field, opposing offenses will continue to score in droves. If the Giants are to salvage their season (isn't it awful to think it may be done in September?), they should seriously consider doing the following:

Give up on the Kiwanuka experiment. Did the organization think he could make the transition based on zone schemes that had him drop in to coverage a year ago? Many teams institute packages where the DE will shift in to coverage to throw off a quarterback's reads. Just because he was fortunate enough to have a couple interceptions hit him between the numbers, didn't mean he was capable of doing it on a regular basis. Kiwanuka is certainly extremely athletic and a gifted football player...with his hands on the ground. He needs to go back to his natural position instead of watching tight ends roam free.

Replace Kawika Mitchell until further notice. Mathias is not the only one LB getting burned in coverage. "Major" free agent acquistion Mitchell has been far slower than advertised. He's been lined up on the weak side, a position he's been unfamiliar with. Late in games, the Giants have turned to Reggie Torbor in passing situations, but he has not made much of an impact. The Giants are waiting for the return of Gerris Wilkinson, which could send Mitchell to the bench or to his more familiar SAM role.

Sign a veteran safety. Outside of Gibril Wilson, the Giants are extremely thin at safety. Giving the Free Safety position to James Butler and releasing Will Demps was a flat out mistake. Butler has struggled with his tackling and in coverage. Unfortunately, the Giants have no options behind him. The inconsistent rookie undrafted free agent Craig Dahl sits behind him on the depth chart, and seventh round pick Michael Johnson is the only other safety on the roster. Not making a run at Donovin Darius or Lamont Thompson (both of whom recently signed with the Dolphins) was another in the series of questionable decision making by the front office.

Get Aaron Ross on the field. I realize he was lifted in the 3rd quarter for cramps, but if the secondary is going to get torched, at least let him get some valuable game experience. Corey Webster has failed to show any progress, Sam Madison has shown hes on his last legs, and R.W McQuarters has never been anything more than a nickel back. The defending Jim Thorpe award winner for top college CB, Ross has a promising future in this league. That future could be now. Despite being beaten on the play, his deflection of a Brett Favre pass led to the Packers only turnover of the game. In a defense struggling to make plays, his presence could be instrumental in righting the ship.

However you slice it, the Giants need a major face lift. Whether that's the current starters looking themselves in the mirror and making a change (totally unintentional MJ pun) or some hungry back-ups proving they can play in this league, the defense needs to start showing a little pride. Rookie coordinator Steve Spagnuolo has shown his aggressiveness, but the defense's inability to get to the passer or cover the voids filled by blitzers' is alarming. The vaunted front four have registered zero sacks, with the team's only 2 coming from back-up Justin Tuck.

The offense has demonstrated it can move the football and will only improve with the return of Brandon Jacobs. Still awaiting word on Plaxico's bum ankle and the early diagnosis for rookie Steve Smith is not encouraging (fractured shoulder blade), but fortunately they have capable back-ups in Sinorice Moss and Anthony Mix. The offensive line has looked great in creating a pocket for Eli Manning and opening up holes for Derrick Ward. Without dumb mental errors by Shockey and Toomer, the Giants would have put up a bunch more points in yesterday's loss. It's hard to imagine the defense is this bad with a solid front four and some capable players behind them. Hopefully they can get everything clicking soon and turn this season around.

Thursday, June 28, 2007

Oden, Durant, then ?

The two most talked about stars in College Basketball are headed to the Pacific Northwest after sensational freshman campaigns, but after they are off the board, it's anyone's guess what will transpire in tonight's NBA draft. Portland has reportedly tabbed Oden as their man with the top overall pick, which all but guarantees Kevin Durant to the SuperSonics. Will it be Oden's longtime teammate Mike Conley Jr to the Hawks at three? More likely it will be Chinese sensation Yi Jianlian or Florida's Al Horford, but there is very little consensus on how the rest of the lottery will shape up.



Any amateur draft has its uncertainties, but the unsettled future of superstars such as Kevin Garnett, Kobe Bryant, and Jermaine O'Neal, whose names are all linked to trade rumors makes this one espeically tricky to figure out. The Celtics #5 selection has been involved in a host of trade talks, but they publicly pronounce they are reluctant to rid themsleves of their lofty pick. With two picks in the top 11, the Atlanta Hawks should be the major swing team of the night. Whether they offer the picks in a package for a superstar or look to acquire more picks, they have the most influence over how the draft will shape up.



Sure-fire lottery picks Durant, Oden, Conley Jr., and the Florida trio of Horford, Corey Brewer, and Joakim Noah have been spotted all over New York City promoting the game. Most of them are sure to get their autograph seekers, but there's one player who doesn't get enough attention. As a member of the two-time defending champion Florida Gators, it's hard to imagine a player being overlooked, but this guy will be special. I'm not talking about Noah or Horford, but rather the 6'8' swingman Brewer, who has an impressive skill set and a non-stop motor. His tremendous wingspan has made him a defensive stopper, as well as being a versatile offensive threat from on the wing. A sure-fire top 10 pick can hardly be described as a sleeper, but Brewer should immediately help any team he ends up on. I'd love to see what he could do in an uptempo system that likes to put a lot of pressure on the ball. He can get a bit too aggressive and be caught out of position on defense, but most of the time he ends up with the ball and an easy two on the offensive end. For selfish reasons I hope he inexplicably pulls a Brady Quinn to the Knicks, but some team will be lucky to have him in the top 10.



With their lottery pick dealt to the Bulls, who could be in the Brewer sweepstakes at 9, the Knicks have to wait until pick 23 for their only selcrtion of the night. According to most reports, the Knicks have locked in on DePaul junior Wilson Chandler. The words most often associated with Chandler are "athletic and versatile", two areas that would greatly improve any team. He's more polished offensively than last year's first rounder Renaldo Balkman and gives the team a much needed boost in the front court. A concern is whether he is enough of a presence on the defensive end to compensate for offensive minded Center Eddy Curry. With that in mind, the Knicks initially had interest in shot blocking specialist Shaun Williams. It's unclear whether he will fall to the Knicks because several teams ahead of them, including the Nets, have him on their radar. The Knicks have no second round pick, which like their first round swap is thanks to the ridiculous Eddy Curry deal, but with 14 players under contract a late draft choice would have a tough time sticking with the team. However, by signing Kentucky's Randolph Morris in March, they essentially picked up an extra first rounder.



For all the heat Isiah Thomas feels as an unsuccessful coach and general manager, draft night is where he shines. He has an undeniable talent of finding less sought after talent, yet inexplicably makes a lot of foolish moves through free agency and trades. While Eddy Curry has grown in to an offensive force, he's too one dimensional to ever warrant the package the Knicks gave up. The slew of picks they forfeited (and are giving away through next year's draft) to acquire him should be reserved only for the most elite, and even then it's questionable. Even with some shaky decision making in the front office, the Knicks have assembled a team capable of winning in a weak Eastern Conference. They've asserted tonight's pick will not be expected to make an immediate contribution, but he will need to do so if the Knicks are to end their playoff drought.

Wednesday, May 02, 2007

Why The Rocket Will Re-Launch in NY

Yankee fans were floating on cloud nine for 6 1/3 innings last night. The future of the franchise looked the role by no-hitting a dangerous Texas lineup, the bats awoke to the tune of 9 runs, and the Bombers were en route to a crucial victory. Then Phil Hughes clutched his hamstring after an 0-2 delivery and all the good feelings washed away. In a 9-0 game, with the mounting injuries, it was a no-brainer to pull the kid. Later on we learned the injury will cost him 4-6 weeks. Another devastating blow in a rough early season.

The natural question on everyone's minds is will this latest injury expedite the Roger Clemens process? One would have to think so, but his agent Randy Hendricks remains tight lipped on the situation. There are really a multitude of reasons I believe he'll be back, but I'll get in to a few major ones with one caveat...we must remain at least on the heels of the Sox. He's not coming back to watch the playoffs on TV.

1) The Yankee organization remains largely in tact from his last trip here (Steinbrenner, Cash, Torre, Jeter, Posada, Mo) and he loves those guys. He'd welcome the chance to suit up for the execs and despite Rivera's early season troubles, would love handing the ball to him late in games.

2) He would love to be reunited with his best-friend Andy Pettitte. Pretty much the same as above, but deserves special mention due to their special relationship.

3) Boston embarrassed him last time he was there by saying he was in "the twilight of his career". Granted the man largely responsible for the decision, as well as the quote, is gone, Roger has too much pride for that not to hurt. I think there's more of a grudge there than people embrace.

4) He wants to wear a Yankees cap in to the HOF. What better way to justify that than to punctuate his career with another ring in NY, and another season (well, half) to put on his resume as a Pinstriper.

5) Not that he's the mentoring type, but if he could be considered "instrumental" in the progress of Mini-Rocket Phil Hughes, his legacy grows even greater. A man who names his kids all K's to recognize his strikeout wizardry clearly has the ego to take that in to account.

FOX will broadcast a Saturday Subway Series tilt in the Bronx on Saturday June 16th. The man making his season debut on the mound for the Bombers will be wearing #22.

Thursday, April 05, 2007

Best Sports Week of The Year?

Perhaps the greatest attraction to sports fanaticism is that it gives you a platform to assert your convictions. If your a Yankee fan, you'll talk to your face turns blue about why they're better than Boston. Drive down Tobacco Road to ask about what Coach K can do with his national championships, and you'll get vastly different answers over the course of just a few miles. Everything is up for debate and rarely will you find unanimity. So when I heard the first week of April dubbed "the best sports week of the year", I had to evalute whether the argument held any weight. I whole-heartedly agree with this statement and I dare anyone to convince me otherwise.

Let's get in to the specifics. First of all, the week kicks off with MLB Opening Day and the Men's Basketball NCAA championships, arguably two of the finest spectacles in sport. As people relish the fact baseball is back, a new (or in this year's case, repeat) champion is crowned in the culmination of THE best tournament in sports. Some golf nuts may argue with me on the latter half, but even if they do, the week concludes with the premiere golf event of the calendar year down in Augusta. Not enough? Check out the next generation of hoop stars at the U-19 Hoops Summitt with the best our country has to offer on the prep level and international gems waiting to be discovered. Even though the NHL can hardly be considered part of the "big 4" following its lockout, the regular season is coming to a close with exciting races for the final postseason berths.

What other single week has this much to offer? Last week in October with the World Series and the NFL hitting midseason form? Close, but not quite. First week of January with BCS games and NFL playoffs? Heaven if your a football fan, but no variety. There is no other individual week where 3 major sports are at peak interest. You can even make a good argument that opening day is more exciting to baseball fans than the World Series. Growing up a Yankee fan that hasn't been the case with me, but if you're team is a perennial bottom feeder, day 1 could be the only enjoyable game of the year.

So now I encourage any takers to find a better Sunday-Sunday than the week we're currently in.

Saturday, March 24, 2007

Wang To Miss A Month

The Yankees will be without number one starter Chien Ming-Wang for about a month according to statements made by GM Brian Cashman. Their Taiwanese ace tweaked his hamstring while running during a spring training workout a couple days ago. Young pitchers Jeff Karstens and Darrell Rasner are expected to fill the "short-term" void. Karstens has had a terrific spring and was believed to be in serious competition with Kei Igawa for the final spot in the rotation. It's likely that he's the front-runner. The injury also opens the door for Andy Pettitte to take the mound on opening day. He's been sidelined with back spasms, but both he and Cash seem optimistic the veteran lefty will be ready by April 2.

Thursday, March 22, 2007

Eli Engaged

A month and a half ago Peyton Manning made big news when he finally got his ring. Now his kid brother is in the news for giving one out. The fourth year QB proposed to his long time girlfriend Abby Crews, a girl he's been dating since their days at Ole Miss. With older brother in town to host SNL, Eli popped the question he's been waiting to ask for months according to family friends. Hopefully his brightened personal future will translate in to greater success on the football field.

In March Madness action two games have gone final, and two more higher seeds have moved on. Kansas and Memphis won tight games to advance to the Elite Eight. The number one Jayhawks survived a close battle with Southern Illinois despite a pace that favored the Salukis. As for Memphis, an unlikely missed layup by Acie Law IV with A&M up one opened the door for the clinching free throws. With A&M eliminated, my brackets have been officially busted. Like this country, I placed my faith in Texas (with UT and A&M) and have been sorely let down.

Tuesday, March 20, 2007

Giants on Verge of First Move

Shortly after publishing an entry yesterday, reports surfaced that the Giants had reached an agreement with restricted free agent FB Vonta Leach. The Texans have a week to match the offer, but if they don't, would receive no compensation for his departure. Since Leach went undrafted and the Texans tendered him at the lowest level, the Giants can essentially acquire him as an unrestricted free agent. The only hook is that the Texans have the one-week window to match. Leach is regarded as a terrific, power-run blocker. With the RB tandem of Brandon Jacobs and Reuben Droughns, that is exactly the type of football the Giants will look to play. In that regard, the signing makes sense. But a fullback, with all of their needs? It doesn't seem like Reese has attacked the free agency period with a clear plan.

This offseason the Giants have said goodbye to their all-time leading rusher, two offensive tackles, two outside linebackers, a wide receiver, a cornerback, a kicker, and kick returner. They've filled those holes with one running back, and potentially his lead blocker. I'm a firm believer in building through the draft, but it's only 7 rounds long. With the free agent pool dried up, there don't seem to be many moves Big Blue can make. It appears the Giants will take a step backwards in 2007.

Monday, March 19, 2007

Tourney, Giants, and More

I've been MIA the past week, but my commentary from March Madness can be found at http://mvn.com/ncaa-syracuse. Opening weekend featured some thrilling overtime games, but most of the higher seeds have survived. In other words, the people who know the least about college basketball are probably winning your office pool. My brackets were busted when the rest of the Texas Longhorns decided not to help out freshman sensation Kevin Durant. While he put together one of the finest seasons ever for a freshman, he can't compete with '03 Melo without that national championship.

With the sport's world transfixed on the Big Dance, there's not too much for NY sports fans to get excited about. The Giants are one of six teams in the NFL not to have signed a free agent and the Yankees are playing well but it's only spring training. On brighter notes, the Knicks and Rangers have played themselves in to playoff position. The Knicks thoroughly dismantled divison leading Toronto at the Garden yesterday and received a huge boost from rookie Renaldo Balkman.

Just a few hours after the Knicks win, the Garden hosted the city basketball championship. The game was broadcast on MSG and I tuned in to check out sophomore sensation Lance Stephenson. Stephenson plays for the Lincoln Railsplitters, the same high school team that made Sebastian Telfair a NYC legend, and many think the sophomore is the next Coney Island great. He did not disappoint, showing off great range and an ability to score in many ways. The biggest knock is his attitude. He showed no defensive intensity and looked very unhappy when he didn't get touches on the offensive end. In short, in many ways he showed that he's still a young kid. Lincoln dominated Boys and Girls High School to take home the city title, their fifth in six years. Remember the name though. Lance Stephenson will be playing elite D-I ball in a couple years.

Tuesday, March 13, 2007

Tourney Field Set With Some Glaring Omissions

The field of 65 teams competing in this year's March Madness was revealed on Sunday, but a lot of attention has been focused on several of the teams who were not selected. As you can tell from this entry on my Syracuse basketball blog, the Orange could take the honor of most slighted. Instead of dwelling on that, if we re-visit Sunday's entry, I accurately projected 31 of the 34 at large bids. To put that in perspective, ESPN's bracketologist pegged 32 of the 34. Not bad for my first stab. All further "bracket banter" will take place at the aforementioned Syracuse blog. Please feel free to visit and engage in some discussion via the comments section.

Just to offer a sneak peek, my early national Champion is the University of Florida. I know, not really going out on a limb by choosing the defending champion and overall number one seed, but they feature one of the most talented starting fives in recent NCAA history. Also, consider the last team to repeat as champions were the Duke Blue Devils of 1991-1992 that feautred one of the best collegiate tandems (Bob Hurley and Christian Laettner) of all time. With their balanced scoring and unparalleled front court, the Gators are certainly the team to beat.

Sunday, March 11, 2007

Projecting the Field

With the CBS Selection Show just a few minutes away, I wanted to post my projected field. The 31 automatic bids have all been handed out, and there is sure to be plenty of controversy over the final 34. Below is my list for the 34 at-large teams (in no particular order):

Southern Illinois-MVC
Butler-Horizon
Wisconsin-Big 10
UVA- ACC
Virginia Tech-ACC
Duke-ACC
Boston College-ACC
Kentucky-SEC
Pitt-Big East
Louisville-Big East
Notre Dame-Big East
Marquette-Big East
Syracuse-Big East
Maryland-ACC
Texas A&M- Big 12
Michigan St- Big 10
UCLA- Pac-10
Washington St.- Pac-10
USC- Pac-10
Xavier- A-10
Tennessee- SEC
Vanderbilt- SEC
Texas- Big 12
Arizona- Pac-10
Nevada- WAC
Indiana- Big 10
BYU- MWC
Stanford-Pac-10
Drexel- Colonial
Purdue- Pac-10
Kansas St- Big 12
Old Dominion- Colonial
Georgia Tech-ACC

Apologies to:
Texas Tech- Very conflicted on this one. They have several huge victories, but the blowout loss to Kansas State in the Big 12 could have cost them a berth.
Florida St.- Like Texas Tech, several big wins. But they struggled a bit down the stretch and didn't advance far enough in the ACC tournament
Appalachian St.-Bowed out of the Southern Conference tourney early. Once considered a lock, played themselves out in their conference tournament.
Missouri St- Aside from their Wisconsin win, struggled against the RPI top 50. Didn't play well enough down the stretch.
Air Force- Early season darlings who even spent significant time in the top 25. Played terrible basketball down the stretch.
West Virginia-Played a weak Big East schedule and their signature win came against a Darren Collison-less UCLA team.
Oklahoma St-Like several other teams, started off hot but cooled down the stretch. Played well in the Big 12 tourney, but many thought they'd need to make the finals in order to be selected.
Arkansas-Run to the SEC title game not enough for the Razorbacks. Below .500 record in SEC will be downfall

Brackets are about to be announced, let's see how it turns out
Akron-

Friday, March 09, 2007

Giants Make First Move

The Giants finally got their feet wet in the 2007 offseason, but not through free agency. Big Blue sent oft-injured WR Tim Carter to the Browns for RB Reuben Droughns. With the departure of Tiki Barber, GM Jerry Reese has made RB a top priority for the offseason. After unsuccessfully entertaining Dominic Rhodes, Reese acquired Droughns who was on his way out of Cleveland regardless. After the Browns signed Jamal Lewis, and are likely to draft Adrian Peterson with the 3rd pick, there was no way they'd pick up the pick roster bonus Droughns was set to make. The trade marks the end of the Tim Carter experiment in New York. There were high hopes for the speedy wideout whom the Giants made their 2nd round selection in the 2002 draft. They envisioned Carter being able to stretch the field with his track star sprinting ability, but injuries and inconsistency characterized his tenure.

The deal seems very low-risk, moderate reward for both teams. The Giants wanted a complimentary back to Brandon Jacobs, and Droughns is capable of handling a big work load. It would have been preferable to bring in a change of pace guy, especially with a smallish offensive line, but he's a quality back. Now that they brought in a veteran to share the load with Jacobs, hopefully they can start to turn their attention on their glaring defensive needs. For the Browns, Carter is a risk worth taking. If Carter could stay healthy, his ability to stretch the field could increase production from TE Kellen Winslow. They already have a solid starting WR duo of Joe Jurevicius and Braylon Edwards, and Carter's addition would offset the loss of Dennis Northcutt. Overall, not the blockbuster move Giants fans were looking for, but it's an upgrade with low risk involved. It's still puzzling why they've been passive in their pursuit of defensive help, but hopefully those answers will unfold in the next few weeks.

Giants Continue To Wait and See

It's a great time to be a mediocre athlete in professional sports. On the heels of a baseball offseason that heaped riches on back-end starting pitchers, the NFL free agency period has matched their absurdity. Deals in excess of $7 million a year are going to unproven offensive lineman, a cornerback who didn't even make this year's Pro Bowl became the richest defensive player in NFL history, and somehow the Redskins continue to be buyers on the market. The free agency period, just a week old, has been curious to say the least. From the Giants standpoint, one has to wonder why Jerry Reese continues to sit on his hands. On the record, there have been only two confirmed visits and one (Dominic Rhodes) has already signed with another team.

The only thing that Giants fans have learned about Reese is that he refuses to overpay. As a result, the Giants have lost K Jay Feely and almost said goodbye to Shaun O'Hara. Unfortunately, the market has been set by inflating players' values. Perhaps Reese should be commended for standing his ground, but I put this question out. Is it a bigger sin to overpay for talent or to not put your football team in a better position to win football games? I'd say the latter, and if he continues to let the roster dwindle, he's committing a far greater sin. With a long string of cuts and retirements, the Giants have been left with gaping holes that have yet to be remotely covered. In fairness, only a week has passed and there is plenty of time until training camp. Unfortunately, most of the talent worth having has been signed.

The most puzzling thing to me has been their focus on offense. The two visitors, Dominic Rhodes and Kevin Curtis, are skill position offensive players. A great way to improve the offense would be to field a defense that can get them on the field. Last year the defense couldn't stop a jay-vee team from converting a third down, which took away from offensive production. With two outside linebackers departed, and a third likely on his way out (Brandon Short), the Giants need to bring in some bodies. Cato June and Donnie Edwards have been prominent names on their radar, but it is also believed Ike Reese would like to make the Meadowlands his home. Reese is a solid special teams contributor and would give depth to the linebacking corps, but he's not the impact player the Giants need. As for getting the defense off the field on third downs? A lock down corner is necessary, but unfortunately unavailable unless the Broncos meet Dre Bly's trade demands. Even so, his likely landing spot is Washington. Many Giants fans have been on the Roderick Hood bandwagon, but it's tough to envision him as anything more than a nickel back. Departed GM Ernie Accorsi attempted to re-tool key areas (think Secondary) with second-tier players last season and it didn't work. It looks like Jerry Reese has been priced out of this market and doomed to repeat the shortcomings of his predecessor.

Monday, March 05, 2007

Jets Steal Jones

Michael Smith of ESPN is reporting that the Bears and Jets have reached an agreement that would send Thomas Jones to New York. The deal would also involve the teams swapping their second round picks. It's hard to rationalize this one from Chicago's standpoint. Jones had vocalized his displeasure with his contract and the Bears are notorious for being cheap. After the Super Bowl it became apparent he'd be available for trade, but this seems to be a steal for the Jets. Even so, they gave up a 1300 yard rusher to simply move up to the top of the second round. It's hard to imagine they couldn't have gotten a better package for Jones.

Now I'm certainly the furthest thing from a Jets sympathizer, but this is a brilliant move. They did not have to sacrifice any draft choices, and received a former top 10 selection in exchange for dropping 26 picks in the second round. Not only that, he's been incredibly productive for the past several seasons. If you throw in the extension they recently gave Jerrico Cotchery, the offense will be a force. Thomas Jones is the every down back they desperately needed, and it will allow Leon Washington to serve as the change of pace back. It will also take a lot of pressure off Chad Pennington, who amazingly continues to get the job done despite having no arm strength. The Jets got an absolute steal which should allow them to threaten the Patriots reign at the top of the AFC East.

Igawa Shaky in Debut

Japanese import Kei Igawa, slated to be the Yankees fourth or fifth starter, had mixed results in his first action of the spring against the Tigers. In a little over an inning, Igawa walked three batters and gave up a couple of runs. On the bright side, he countered his lack of control with three strikeouts. The former Japanese strikeout leader struggled to spot his fastball, but demonstrated that his 0ff-speed stuff will certainly be dangerous to major league hitters. It can't be stressed enough that spring training is not a true indicator of success. Many pitchers will struggle with control, as we've seen with Igawa and Hughes. Also, it's important to take in to account that Igawa has had very little time to work with catcher Jorge Posada. As they gain familiarity, Posada will be able to put his pitcher in to better situations. There were a few pitches today where they didn't seem to be on the right page. That should fade with time. The Yankees will also benefit by having Hideki Matsui to consult on the field if problems arise. Posada has already suggested that he will bring Matsui in for mound meetings if he feels the situation calls for it.

Both teams played many of their starters, but the real fireworks came from a couple of young guys. Down a run with two outs in the ninth inning, Josh Phelps roped a single in to left field to set up Bronson Sardinha's walk-off homerun. Phelps will battle Andy Phillips all spring to be the right handed batter in the first base platoon with Doug Mientkiewicz. Sardinha has been limited to September call-up work and will almost certainly be headed to Triple A Scranton. Since wins and losses are basically irrelevant in spring training, the nicest part of the walk-off homerun was the celebration afterwards. The Yankees are known as an uptight, business-first group. Centerfielder Johnny Damon has infused some energy, but for the most part, displays of emotion are rare. Sardinha was greeted at home plate by the usual array of exuberant teammates you would expect from a mid-season walk-off victory. This may seem to be an insignificant observation, but the youthful Tigers taught the Yankees an important lesson in last season's playoffs. They came out and stole the series by playing with intense passion. If the Yankees can not find ways to get up for big games, they'll continue their World Series drought. Hopefully today's display is a sign of things to come.

Friday, March 02, 2007

Upon Further Review, Teams Making Moves

A couple of hours ago it seemed as though teams were in no hurry to upgrade. As the day has progressed, teams have started to announce some major signings. Leading the way have been a few offensive lineman cashing in to the tune of over 7 million per season. The Browns will pay OT Eric Steinbach $49.5 million over seven years, a package that is worth $500,000 more over the duration than the seven years the Bills locked up Derrick Dockery for. In Atlanta, the Falcons upgraded their backfield by agreeing to terms with FB Ovie Mughelli.

Reports are surfacing on profootballtalk.com that Nate Clements will become the highest paid defensive player in NFL history. It is believed that the 49ERS have offered the former Bills conerback an eight year deal worth $80 million dollars. Elsewhere on the cornerback front, rumors are circulating that Fred Smoot will re-join the Washington Redskins. On a side note, how the hell are the Redskins always buyers in the market? They're the likely landing spot for top MLB free agent London Fletcher-Baker and in the running for others. While they have been unsuccessful in their past shopping sprees, it's still amazing they can afford to splurge every offseason. If both Smoot and Clements are indeed off the market, there's very little to get excited about with the remaining crop.

This means one of two things for the Giants. They can attempt the piece-meal solution to the secondary that Accorsi adopted with little success last season or hopefully turn their attention to other needs. If they do decide to bring in a few lesser pieces, there is a strong feeling that Eagles CB Roderick Hood would be an option. Personally, the Giants need to bring in a top notch corner whether it was a Clements type in free agency or an early draft pick. Trying to bring in a series of nickel-back types won't have the impact they need on the outsides. Free agent RB Dominic Rhodes was in town today, but a complimentary running back should be less of a priority than a LB or CB. Unlike other running backs, he's content being one part of a two pronged attack. That is a big plus considering how many egos the Giants currently have on their offense.

Free Agency Period Starts Slow

With a flurry of activity yesterday, people were anticipating active general managers during today's first day of free agency. Instead, not many signings were made. The biggest news of the day surrounds the potential retirement of Jake Plummer. After the Broncos announced they had reached a deal to send the veteran QB to Tampa Bay, Plummer responded by saying he'd rather retire than switch cities. If he had agreed to go, it would have marked the second big trade in consecutive days. The Lions and Broncos agreed to a deal yesterday that sent coveted cornerback Dre Bly to Denver. In exchange, the Lions received Tatum Bell, George Foster, and a late round draft pick.

Although no signings have been made, early indications are that the 49ERS will be the most aggressive shoppers. Reports have surfaced that they are leading candidates to land CB Nate Clements and LB Adalius Thomas, perhaps the two most sought after free agents. It is likely they will land at least one of the defensive standouts. The bigger news has been the massive league wide cuts. Yesterday the Steelers cut ties with LB Joey Porter and the Saints with Joe Horn. Teams around the league kept trimming their rosters today, which should strengthen a "weak" free agent class. Hopefully the activity will pick up in the next few days.

Thursday, March 01, 2007

Damon Jump Starts Spring Training

Johnny Damon didn't waste any time bringing excitement to Legends Field this spring. On the first pitch Twins starter Carlos Silva threw, Damon homered to right field to give the Yankees a 1-0 lead. Coming off a career high 24 homeruns a season ago, the Yankees lead off man showed the long ball will continue to be in his repertoire. The following inning Jason Giambi took a Silva pitch over the right centerfield wall as the Yankees piled on five runs in the first two innings. Cather Jorge Posada and second baseman Robinson Cano also notched RBI in the early innings.

The Yankees also have to be encouraged by the outing of Chien Ming-Wang. He worked two efficient innings and five of the six batters he faced grounded out. For the next inning and a third, the future of the Yankee rotation Phil Hughes showed shaky control. There's no doubt this kid will be special, but his first outing of the spring featured more walks than strikeouts (two to one). Out of his 34 pitches, only 18 were thrown in the strike zone. Hughes hung a curve to Michael Cuddyer that he ripped in to the left centerfield gap for a double. On a positive note, he ended his day by striking out reigning AL MVP Justin Morneau. The players have had rave reviews about the young righthander during team workouts, so there's no reason for concern. During Spring Training games pitchers will often be victimized because they're not throwing their full arsenal. It's more like a glorified bullpen session, so their performances are basically rendered irrelevant. YES network commentators raved about Hughes' compact delivery and it did look eerily reminiscent of Roger Clemens motion. Everyone should hold off on the "Baby Rocket" monikers, but it's exciting to have a player of his caliber waiting in the wings.

Right now the Yankees are holding to a 5-1 lead, the lone run charged to Hughes as Cuddyer came around to score later in the inning. Newly acquired Ross Ohlendorf (in the Randy Johnson deal) is on the mound and features a hard sinking fastball a la Chien Ming Wang. The Yanks have received some tremendous defense, including a sliding catch by Hideki Matsui. It's nice to see that the devastating wrist injury he suffered last season has not intimidated him.

Wednesday, February 28, 2007

Lewis, Moulds headline NFL Cuts

Just two days before the beginning of the free agency period and on the eve of many March 1 signing bonuses, general managers are deciding which of their own players are worth retaining. Baltimore GM Ozzie Newsome felt that the price tag for the all-time leading rusher in franchise history was too steep. Although they announced intentions to try and re-sign him, Jamal Lewis could be suiting up for another team next season. The Ravens were not the only active team today. Long time WR standout Eric Moulds was sent packing by the Texans, along with two of his veteran teammates. Reports out of Minnesota indicate QB Brad Johnson will be leaving town and Miami QB Joey Harrington will no longer be soaking up the sun in South Beach.

If neither Harrington or Johnson anticipate winning starting jobs next year, they could fall on to the Giants radar. With only Tim Hasselbeck and Jared Lorenzen backing up Eli Manning, Big Blue would love a veteran understudy. I expect them both to pursue opportunities that would enable them to start, but there don't appear to be many open battles. With the Giants interest in Willis McGahee, it's obvious that RB is a pressing need in Jerry Reese's mind. Since the Bills are unlikely to accept the 4th round pick the Giants are dangling for McGahee's services, they could take a long look at Lewis. The Baltimore RB runs with the same bruising style of current back Brandon Jacobs. Reese has said he'd prefer a back who could change the pace when Jacobs sat, but a RB of Lewis' talent would be hard to overlook.

Florida Falls at Rocky Top

It seems like every bubble team in search of a signature win has been managing to get one. Last night that trend continued when unranked Tennessee defeated the fourth ranked Florida Gators 86-76 on senior night in Knoxville. The final margin is not indicative of how lopsided this game played out from start to finish. Behind Chris Lofton, the Volunteers ceized an early lead which would grow to 27 at one point in the second half. A frenzied full-court press enabled the Gators to cut the lead to single digits, but the game never really felt in doubt. One has to believe that some recent remarks by Gator Al Horford might carry a lot of weight.

The junior forward suggested his team gets lacksadasical on defense when they're not having success on offense. When they made their charge in the second half, the defensive intensity picked up as buckets started to drop. This could be an issue for the defending champs come tournament time. For now, people need to stop the "what's wrong with Florida" talk. They've lost three out of four and all of a sudden it's supposed to be crisis time in Gainesville. It's better to drop games in late February than late March. There's enough time for Billy Donovan to address the issues, which primarily seems to be a lack of focus to start ball games. They routinely fall behind, but often can overcome with their enormous talent level. He should also address their attitudes. Many times throughout last night's broadcast you caught glimpses of Florida players who seem to have a sense of entitlement. If they are to repeat as champions, they have to realize it is not a birth right.

Finally, I must applaud UT women's coach Pat Summitt's cheerleading cameo. A few weeks ago I praised Bruce Pearl, and the same goes for coach Summitt. These two really understand that college athletics is driven by school spirit. To see one of the most respected people in their profession demonstrate the loyalty that is necessary to succeed on the collegiate level was refreshing. While her rendition of Rocky Top may have not been the sweetest it's ever sounded, her passion for UT athetics was properly represented. Many have lauded these "side show" efforts, but it in no way detracts from the action on the court. I do not believe Mr. Pearl or Ms. Summitt's actions were anything but genuine and good-natured. They emobody the passion of the students, fans, and alumni whose fervent fanaticism sets collegiate sports apart from their professional counterparts.

Tuesday, February 27, 2007

Crawford May Miss Remainder of Season

You wouldn't have known it by the late three pointer he hit in last night's win over the Heat, but Jamal Crawford was playing with a stress fracture in his right ankle. That injury may keep him sidelined for the rest of the regular season and put a serious hurt on the Knicks postseason chances. The Knicks second leading scorer does not know when the injury occurred, but it may lead surgery. With Steve Francis continuously battling knee problems and David Lee confined to street clothes with a high ankle sprain, the Knicks could not afford to lose another weapon.

So what does this mean to the Knicks rotation? As long as Lee remains on the bench, it could spell more minutes for rookie Renaldo Balkman. He brings toughness to a team that lacks defensive intensity and has the quickness to defend on the perimeter. The Knicks could also turn to diminutive Nate Robinson. He's fallen out of grace after December's brawl and relative ineffectiveness, but could infuse the team with some energy for the stretch run. As opposed to Balkman or Jared Jeffries, he has the ability to compensate for some of the offense that will be lost with Crawford's injury.

Combine Goes Out In A Flash

After several days of weighing, prodding, and examining the talent pool for the 2007 NFL Draft, the anuual Scouting Combine comes to a close today. Judging by the early results, it's going out in style. Under today's microscope were the defensive backs and many have made an impression with their times in the 40 yard dash. Michigan's Leon Hall, who many felt needed to prove he had enough speed to man the outside, may have answered many of his critics with a time of 4.38 seconds. That time, paired with strong results in the vertical and broad jumps, should have seperated him as the first corner off the board. However, he may face stiff competition from workout warrior Chris Houston of Arkansas. The former Razorback clocked the fastest forty time at 4.32 and set the standard on the bench with an astonishing 27 reps. Giants fans should take note of that name.

With the Giants glaring need for a corner, today's showcase was extremely important. I have been wondering why many draftniks seem to dismiss the idea of the Giants drafting Jim Thorpe award winner Aaron Ross. He has good size, is great in run support, and has a record of making plays on the football field. In a "Moneyball"-esque philosophy, I've always been concerned with people who quickly dismiss what guys have accomplished on the field. With circuses such as the scouting combine, people get obsessed with measurables. Ross, formerly of the University of Texas, has an impressive track record. Even though his performance today seemed to be middle of the pack, it shouldn't be the final indicator of his projected draft status.

A full list of today's results can be seen here.

Monday, February 26, 2007

The Rest Is Covered By Smoot

While the NFL world has its attention on the scouting combine in Indianapolis, it's hard not to look ahead to the fastly approaching Free Agency Period. Beginning this Friday, it's shopping season and several NFL owners are sure to have their checkbooks ready. Giants fans are hoping that new GM Jerry Reese will bring home some new gifts, preferably a playmaking cornerback who can shut down opposing number one receivers. According to Adam Schefter of NFL.com, another prized candidate could hit the open market. Fred Smoot, of "water covers two-thirds of the earth, Smoot covers the rest" fame, is likely to be cut this week before he receives a bonus from the Vikings. If he becomes available, the Giants should certainly join the Smoot sweepstakes.

Aside from his cockiness and propensity to say a foolish thing or two, injuries have to be a red flag. He's played all 16 games only once in his 6 year career. His interception numbers have declined every year since a career high 5 in his rookie year, but that seems to be more indicative of teams throwing in the opposite direction. I'd also be wary of potential character issues. Smoot played a central role in the "love boat" scandal that rocked the Vikings two offseasons ago. Not to sound insensitive to the issues in that situation, but it's not shocking that wealthy young men would act in those ways. I don't think it's an indictment on many of their characters. Before digressing in to that, he can bring a lot of positives to the table. He's shown an ability to make plays and can stick with any receiver in the league. His price tag could be similar to fellow free agent Nate Clements, which at this point is too steep for the Giants pockets. With a recent "decline" in production he could come cheaper, which would be crucial in a potential Giants pursuit. He could be a very enticing solution to the Giants cornerback problems.

Saturday, February 24, 2007

Giants Show Interest In McGahee

When Tiki Barber walked away from the Giants in January, the heir apparent to his position seemed to be backup Brandon Jacobs. He may face some stiff competition for RB 1 if Jerry Reese can strike a deal with Buffalo to acquire Willis McGahee. The Bills announced that their starting running back, who will be a free agent after the 2007 campaign, is up for grabs. They've been pursuing trading partners and the new Giants GM has voiced his interest. Despite his talent, it makes sense for the Bills to shop him. He's vocalized issues with Buffalo and they run a real risk of letting him depart next offseason with nothing to show for it.

As surprising as it may sound, I don't know how much sense it makes for the Giants to pursue McGahee. They have needs at several other positions and are sure to lose early round picks to acquire a player of his caliber. The Giants would also have to work out an extension with the young back, which would cost them cap room for a long time to come. It's also a bit surprising, given his injury prone past, that Reese would be so intrigued. Reese has cut ties with several veterans with red flags about their health. On the bright side, he is only 25 and has shown tremendous ability in this league. He'd instantly upgrade an offense in need of another weapon and take a lot of pressure off Eli Manning.

Thursday, February 22, 2007

Wade Sidelined Indefinitely

The defending NBA champions were dealt a huge blow last night as superstar Dwayne Wade suffered a dislocated shoulder. Replays of the incident are tough to watch, especially watching a wheelchair bound Wade wheeled off the court writhing in pain. It's a frightful reminder that injuries play a much larger role in basketball than most people will acknowledge. On a broader scale, this injury could be a major factor in determining the Eastern Conference playoffs. Wade will be sidelined indefinitely and the Heat are sure to struggle in his absence. They're clinging to the 8th seed, only two games ahead of the Nets. If your a Heat fan, Shaq's 20 points and 16 rebounds have to be an encouraging sign. Head coach Pat Riley also returned to work, but the Nets are involved in trade talks and a change of personnel could energize them.

It will be interesting to see if the injury forces the Heat in to a deadline deal. There is a good chance Wade will miss the remainder of the regular season, possibly even longer. Another thing to keep an eye on is Scottie Pippen. One of the NBA's 50 greatest of all time, Pippen has expressed interest recently in joining a contender. He would not make an immediate impact, but could get his legs back in time for a playoff push.

The deadline is fast approaching and only a few minor deals have been completed. Across the river, New Jersey seems to be the most active shoppers but the Lakers appear unwilling to meet their asking price for star guard Jason Kidd. Although the deadline is at 3 PM EST, things probably won't be clear until this evening.

Tuesday, February 20, 2007

Bernie to Play The Waiting Game

Lost in the A-Rod-Jeter "love-lost" fest has been the story of longtime Yankee Bernie Williams. As the two infielders indulge the reporters with sound bites on their relationship, Williams continues to sit sans-media attention and wait for a little more respect. Many players are standing up for the loyal centerfielder. The Yankees are walking a fine line with regards to how their treating a long time veteran and signs of a rift between the organization and closer Mariano Rivera are evident. It's obvious that pinstripe lifers Jorge Posada and Rivera, as well as their leader Joe Torre, are doing all they can to ensure Williams spot on the roster.

On the surface this issue seems complex. Do the Yankees owe him better treatment? There's a lot of grey area. Yes, he's had an amazing career. Yes, he's still capable of producing. Does that necessarily mean they have to guarantee him a coveted roster spot? Unfortunately, no they do not. It's actually surprisingly simple. Brian Cashman's decision to platoon at first and shift Giambi to DH keeps the team from holding on to a fifth outfielder. Anyone capable of rational thought knows that Melky Cabrera is better suited for the primary backup slot, so it leaves no room for Williams. The bigger problem I have is that, with the re-signing of Miguel Cairo, they're planning to keep four players on the roster capable of playing first base yet only four capable of playing the outfield. Considering two corner outfielders got injured last year, this does not seem to make a whole lot of sense. Forget his years of loyalty. Forget what the organization owes to him. Even put aside what it could mean to the future of Rivera in pinstripes. The Yankees need Williams in camp because a fifth outfielder is more important than carrying three first basemen.

Hopefully the team re-considers their roster plans and makes sure Bernie is in camp. According to Jon Heyman of SI, the waiting game may indicate he's more willing to take the Yankees offer.

Jeter: "There is no rift"

A day after reporters enjoyed personal revelations from Alex Rodriguez, they were unable to pry similar information from Derek Jeter. As always, Jeter steered clear of his personal life as the media looked for a response to Rodriguez' remarks about their friendship. From Jeter's reply today, a few things remain very clear. No matter how much the New York media would love to expose Jeter's personal life, he will keep it hidden. Whether it's a fling with a celebrity, or personal relationships with teammates, they'll never get the full story. He alluded to that fear of "opening the flood-gates" with this:

"I understand my job is public, but your personal life is your personal life. Once you open that door, it doesn't stop," he said. "Away from the field, people want to keep tabs on how many times we go out to eat, things like that. That has no bearing on what we're trying to do."

Jeter has, and always will be, all about winning. He understands that teammates don't need to hold hands. They just need to be willing to fight for a common goal. The big knock on Jeter during the A-Rod era has been his reluctance to embrace the embattled star. I've said this before in a column about Mike and the Mad Dog, but I think it's ridiculous to suggest that Jeter needs to be more vocal of his defense of their third basemen. The captain acknowledged this today, continuing his emphasis that he will not tell the fans how to treat any of his teammates.

Many media types are quick to point out that Jeter seemed more supportive when Giambi endured his hardships. In a recent radio interview, Joe Torre gave a great explanation. He made a distinction between the two issues. Giambi's problems stemmed from off-field incidents, A-Rod's were a direct result of his poor on-field performance. They needed to be handled as seperate problems, and the captain acted accordingly. I really do not believe that Jeter has failed to back his teammate due to a perceived rift. Hopefully now that both players have weighed in on this issue, reporters can begin to look for a new story.

Monday, February 19, 2007

A-Rod Confirms Strained Relations with Jeter

Does anyone remember the Yankees brawl with Seattle in which Derek Jeter and Alex Rodriguez playfully chatted as their teammates fought? Jeter's actions, and Chad Curtis' resulting harsh criticism, sent Curtis packing and proved to players league wide that the two shortstops were the best of pals. In an interview with reporters this morning, Rodriguez confirmed what everyone knew for years. Those days are long gone. He really picked an interesting day for this revelation. Today marked the first day of Spring Training for position players, a day already being hyped at Legends field due to the absence of long-time Yankee Bernie Williams.

Given a few hours to reflect on Rodriguez's comments, I've come to the following conclusions. First of all, it's almost refreshing to see A-Rod go against the grain. Since arriving in New York he's been so careful with his words, but anyone with a pulse could tell things were clearly strained from his published criticism of the Yankee captain. He figured he'd have to field questions about his and Jeter's relationship, so it was good to see him take the offensive. However, it will open the flood gates on the speculation that he'll opt out of his contract after this season. People will blow these comments out of proportion and it could be a lingering issue in the press. Any signs of tension between the two will be front page news and could serve as an unnecessary distraction. Will it actually be a problem? I think not. Athletes are too competitive to let petty differences affect their performance on the field. They both realize they need each other to play well in order to achieve their common goal of winning the World Series. Hopefully this disclosure, albeit not a surprising one, will start to put this issue to bed.

For more on this, check out this article available at MLB.com.

Friday, February 16, 2007

Bears Franchise Briggs

For all Giants fans who thought Lance Briggs would test free agency to sign with New York, the Bears gave everyone a definitive answer. The Bears have chosen to designate Briggs as their franchise player. As per the guidelines of using this designation, Briggs will receive a one year deal in line with the average of the five highest players at his position. He's the perfect fit in their Tampa 2 scheme and it is no surprise that Chicago brass exercised this option. They will use the next couple months to work on an extension or else Briggs could become available next offseason. Teams still can acquire Briggs, but it would cost several draft picks and the Bears unwillingness to match the offer.

So where do the Giants go from here? Many Giants fans speculated the recent roster moves to free up cap space would lead to Briggs landing in New York, but it would have shocked me if the Bears didn't lock him up. Honestly, while he's a fantastic player, the skill set of Adalius Thomas could be a better fit with new coordinator Steve Spagnuolo. anyway. I'm relatively certain he will not become an option, but the Ravens are extremely cap strapped. It would be foolish for them not to at least franchise him, but there's a chance he could sneak through the cracks. If he becomes available, although the Giants are in desperate need of a playmaking corner, he should be their top priority.

Thursday, February 15, 2007

Hardaway Fires Shot at Gay Athletes

I have the perfect premise for TV's next reality hit. It will be appropriately titled "Athletes Say The Dumbest Things" and will feature such gems as Tim Hardaway's gay bashing on Dan LeBatard's Miami radio show yesterday. Hardaway may have had a killer crossover, but he never could drop jaws the way he did on the air yesterday in one of the most disturbing bigotry-laced tirades in recent history. It's a re-inforcement of how backwards thinking some people in this country can be. The worst part? His lame excuse for an apology. It essentially amounted to "I shouldn't have said it when so many people would hear it BUT I mean every word of it".

Putting aside one man's beliefs, let's look at the bigger picture. The whole scene started by host Dan LeBatard simply asking for Hardaway's take on John Amaechi's recent publication. Just a quick summary, former Orlando Magic Center John Amaechi became the first retired or active NBA player to reveal his homosexuality. It's created a media craze; one in which I felt to be completely unwarranted at first. However, since everybody feels the need to comment on it, inevitably people were going to make off-color remarks. Exhibit A, Shavlik Randolph. The former Dukie, and now Portland Trailblazer, would not want a gay teammate to "bring his gayness" on him. Even King James who suggested he couldn't trust a teammate who chose to hide their sexuality from the team needs to insert his foot in his mouth. Luckily for them, they've been pushed to the back of the bus by Hardaway's "I hate gay people" rant. Before sounding off on that, let me explain why I felt this issue received excessive attention.

For a former player to make a stunning revelation to increase book sales (and hopefully awareness, I don't mean to belittle his biographical efforts), I didn't think such disclosure from a former journeyman could impact today's league. If a current player made this kind of announcement and the league had to deal with the ramifications in the locker rooms, I would have found it to be monumental. It just doesn't seem that how an ex-player dealt with being in the closet during his playing days impacts what it would be like for a player to be openly gay in the league right now. Until an active player deals with the obstacles, it seems like these kind of stories are obsolete. However, I'm singing a slightly different tune after the vast opinions being shared.

Surprisingly, "I'm not a role model" Charles Barkley has had the most positive feedback. He has emphasized that he has many gay friends and would have supported gay teammates. He even went so far as to assert that he knew of a few players that were gay, but opted not to out them because it is clearly their decision. It's a shame that counterparts such as Hardaway are not as enlightened. Now I'm not naive. There are plenty of people in this country who do not condone homosexuality, and probably never will. But to come out and say "I HATE gay people" relatively unprovoked is indefensible. Even if the question was "Do you like gay people", his answer wouldn't have had to be so inflammatory. He purposely took cheat shots at an already alienated section of the population simply because he had the captive audience for it.

Sadly, Hardaway will now field countless interview opportunities to defend his statements. That's why "Athletes Say The Dumbest Things" would be such a hit. The dumber the better, and the opportunities to "one up" yourself in stupidity are infinite. Now I just have to find someone to pitch it to.

Wednesday, February 14, 2007

Love Lost; Tiki fires shots at Coughlin

Don't expect Tom Coughlin to send Tiki Barber a Valentine's day card. Coughlin's workhorse of the last three years had some tough words for his former coach upon being announced as a new member of the Today show. Barber believes that Coughlin's demanding practices took an excessive toll on his body and ultimately caused him to retire prematurely. While undoubtedly he will go down as one of the greatest Giants in history, as a die-hard fan, I'm begging Barber to stop with the disparaging remarks. Nothing can ever tarnish his legacy in Blue, but he's doing his best to alienate loyal fans.

As I've discussed in the past, Tiki's focus on life after football while still playing didn't sit well with many fans. We all understand he's articulate, intelligent, and well-suited for his post-football career. But he's decided to take a page out of Jerome Bettis' playbook. A year ago the Steelers great had an emotional farewell tour with a storybook ending. Very shortly after, he began speculating on his coach's future and rubbed a lot of people the wrong way. It's unfortunate that these stars feel such a desire to quickly acclimate themselves to their new professions that they step on the toes of the people who helped make their previous careers such a success. Now I am by no means an ardent Tom Coughlin supporter, and if you read the statements thoroughly they're not quite as malicious as headlines would suggest, but there's no reason for these parting shots. Hopefully Barber does not feel the need to create bad blood with an organization that treated him so well for 10 years and put him in a position to chase dreams of being alongside his hero Matt Lauer.

Tuesday, February 13, 2007

Whitfield joins Barber in Retirement

Not often does a team undergo radical changes in February, but the Giants managed to do so yesterday. On top of the release of three veterans, two more filed for retirement. The paperwork was a mere formality in the inevitable retirement of Tiki Barber, but he was joined by veteran tackle "Head-Butt" Bob Whitfield. For those keeping score at home, the Giants lost two tackles, two linebackers, and a running back in one day. Aside from cutdown days in the summer, roster shakeups rarely take on this grand a scale. Given a little more time to think about the moves, the only plausible explanation is injury concerns. All three released yesterday have battled injuries, and two are rehabbing from catastrophic setbacks.

Fortunately, the Giants now have pretty considerable cap room and should be shoppers when the Free Agency period begins March 2. Unfortunately, they now have a lot of needs. The importance of a left tackle can not be devalued, and Luke Petitgout handled the role more than capably. Many people already felt outside linebacker was a need and it becomes amplified by the losses of the two guys who opened 2006 as the two starters. Everyone expected to see Emmons out the door, but Arrington is still very puzzling. He would have only cost the Giants significant money if he played well, and if he did, I don't think anyone would care about the extra money. The move cost the Giants against the cap and will only be validated if Arrington retirement rumors hold any weight. It seems that he and Spagnuolo would have made a great pair with the new coach's aggressiveness.

Although in the immediate aftermath I've been put off by these moves, it becomes clear that Jerry Reese must have some plans. He's not going to be passive, which hopefully translates to an aggressive pursuit of free agents. With experienced talent and coming off a second consecutive playoff berth, hopefully these are not signs of rebuilding. Reporters have also been speculating that Chad Morton and Tim Carter are on their way out as well. If Morton were to be cut, it would be long overdue. He no longer can contribute offensively and proved to be woefully ineffective returning kicks. Tim Carter has proven all "measurables" theorists wrong. Let me explain. This time of year scouts are salivating over fast 40 times and excessive reps on the bench. Coming out of Auburn, Carter was a "measurables" stud. His blazing speed and impressive strength made him a coveted second round selection, but he's been a bitter disappointment in Blue. Hopefully a change of scenery wouldn't revitalize his career because it would be painful to watch him succeed after the wealth of chances he received with the Giants.

If you can say one thing definitively, it's that this offseason should get very interesting. Hopefully the Giants are gearing up for some big moves, but we'll have to wait a few more weeks to see for sure.

Monday, February 12, 2007

Giant Shakeup

Reports are sufacing that the Giants have released offensive tackle Luke Petitgout and linebackers Carlos Emmons and LaVar Arrington. As a loyal Giants fan, I have to ask why. It is no surprise that the Giants were expected to cut ties with the veteran Emmons, but letting go of Arrington and Petitgout is puzzling. Both had several years left on their contract and were expected to play big roles in the 2007 season. In terms of saving money, as most veterans become "cap casualties, the moves don't free up too much money. In fact, if my research is correct, it will actually cost the Giants $1.6 million to release Arrington.

Think you have theories about why the Giants collapsed in 2006? If you ask New York Sports shock jock Max Kellerman, he'll be glad to tell you it was the injury to Petitgout. I can't wait to hear what he has to say on this topic during his daily radio show tomorrow. Say what you want about his past issues with false starts, he's been rock solid protecting Giants quarterbacks blind sides since they drafted him. One of last year's fourth round selections, tackle Guy Whimper, does not seem ready to fill the void. As for Arrington, it seems that bringing in blitzing Steve Spagnuolo to run the defense perfectly fit his skill set. All reports were that he was ahead of the curve in his rehab and he signed a 7 year deal in the past offseason. With the departure of Arrington and Emmons, there are huge needs at the linebacking position.

To his credit, Jerry Reese is shaking things up in his early days as GM. Unfortunately, these moves do not seem to be the ones the Giants needed. I could understand if they were trying to rebuild, but they have the talent to compete right away. I'd be curious to hear what veteran Michael Strahan has to say about these moves, a man who's time to win a ring is quickly winding down. I'm not going to sugar coat it any further, these moves seem flat out nonsensical. I'm sure the decision makers are previewed to a lot more information, but on the surface these roster changes look to really hurt Big Blue.

Saturday, February 10, 2007

Tiki Gears Up For Final NFL Game

The Pro Bowl doesn't traditionally attract a big television audience, but many New Yorkers will feel inclined to tune in for a bit tonight. Long time Giant great Tiki Barber will be suiting up for the final time before submitting his formal retirement papers when he returns from Hawaii. With Frank Gore set to start and Steven Jackson waiting in the wings, touches may be limited for Barber. That won't matter for Tiki. He's just happy to be playing in a third straight Pro Bowl with twin Ronde. To make things even better, he'll be coached by Sean Payton, a man he credits for elevating his career to new heights. Given the circumstances I expect Payton to involve Barber in some fun ways, but I expect Tiki to baske in all of the interview opportunities he'll have throughout the game.

Out of the four all-star competitions for major spots (yes, I loosely include hockey), the Pro Bowl is the only post-season game. In seasons past they used a clever advertising scheme "One last, final last, game' to try and rope in NFL enthusiasts for one last time before a long offseason, but there's little attention surrounding this year's game. CBS is telecasting on a Saturday as opposed to the traditional Sunday, and the game is having trouble attracting stars. Many of the competitors from last Sunday's Super Bowl have pulled out for a variety of reasons and even Golden Boy Tom Brady opted for a Pebble Beach Pro-AmGolf tournament then to fill in for the injured Philip Rivers. The NFL has benefitted from a wealth of attention to its offeason, so a lack of interest in it's all-star festivities has not hurt the sport. Following the draft has become as intense a passion to the fans as regular season play, so the "offseason" does not last quite as long. Once the final whistles blows tonight, expect Draft 2007 coverage to hit the accelerator.

Wednesday, February 07, 2007

National Signing Day Creates College Football Buzz

Certain regions across the country have their eyes glued to their computer screens today to check out high schoolers. No, not in a perverted way. It's the day when blue-chippers around the country sign their national letters of intent to play college football. Unfortunately with the extensive coverage paid to high school sports, most of the luster has been taken from this day. Most people know who is headed to their favorite program well before, but everything becomes official today. Not surprisingly the top classes are headed to USC and Florida, but the excitement extends well beyond those programs. It's being felt in football madhouses like the SEC country in the South, and the middle of the country powered by Big 10 fanatics. If your looking for a relative "Cinderella", it may be South Carolina. Having famed recruiter Steve Spurrier helps, but ESPN ranks them as the 4th best class in the country. Not bad for a team that only finished 8-5 a year ago.

Unfortunately, College Football does not have the same stranglehold in the Northeast. New Jersey and Pennsylvania are relative "hotbeds" for college talent, but the college programs have never quite caught up. Aside from Rutgers rise to prominence this season, there isn't much to get excited about in the Tri-State area. A once proud Syracuse program can't get out of the cellar in a diminished Big East and many Northeast programs are Division I-AA. The few big time recruits that arise in this area typically head to more traditional football schools like USC. Until New York and surrounding states start improving on the prep level, the College programs will continue to lag behind.

Monday, February 05, 2007

Pierce Headed to Hawaii

There will be two Giants playing for the NFC in the Pro Bowl after all. Middle Linebacker Antonio Pierce earned a trip to Honolulu after Bears MLB Brian Urlacher canceled his. He joins Tiki Barber as the only Giants representatives. Tight End Jeremy Shockey had been voted in, but will sit out with a nagging ankle injury. While Pierce is there, it is rumored that he will put the full court press on soon to be free agent Lance Briggs. The two were teammates at the University of Arizona and Pierce reportedly has been in touch with the Bears LB about signing with the Giants. Briggs' pricetag will likely be too high for the Giants even if he hits the open market, but I fully expect the Bears to either put the franchise tag on or sign him to an extension.

It's great to see Pierce get a chance to prove he is one of the elite linebackers in the game. He's been the leader of the defense since signing before the 2005 season. Hopefully the Giants can get LaVar Arrington and Michael Strahan healthy next season to relieve some of the burden. If the Briggs rumors carry any weight, it will also be nice to have Pierce on a recruiting mission. His recruitment abilities are well documented by the Arrington signing. With Carlos Emmons most likely to be released and an aging Brandon Short headed for free agency, linebacker could be a pressing need this offseason.

Manning MVP But Ground Game Carries Colts to Championship

Super Bowl XLI will be remembered for Peyton Manning winning his first championship and Tony Dungy becoming the first African-American coach to hold the Lombardi trophy. Neither of that would have been possible without the superlative efforts of running backs Joseph Addai and Dominic Rhodes. While not as highly touted a duo as their Bears' counter-parts, Addai and Rhodes carved up the Chicago defense for nearly 200 rushing yards. Both contributed in a variety of ways with Rhodes contributing over 100 yards on the ground and Addai setting a Super Bowl record with 10 catches out of the backfield. Either would have been strong candidates for MVP, but it's hard to knock the voters for selecting Manning. After an early interception, Manning rebounded to go 25 of 38 for 247 yards with a touchdown and that lone pick. As long as he didn't hurt their chances to win, it was pretty obvious that number 18 would walk away with the top individual honor.

It's hard to wrap-up the Super Bowl with any thoughts that haven't been played over and over on ESPN, but a few things really stood out in this game. First, it's unbelieveable how long the Bears stayed in this game. Despite moving with relative ease down the field, the Colts did not score with the same efficiency they're accustomed to. Sure, some credit belongs to the Bears, but it seemed Tony Dungy didn't want to embarass his friend. Even clinging to only a 5 point lead early in to the fourth quarter, the Colts played closer to the vest than I've ever seen from them. They're usually full throttle for 60 minutes and would let Peyton fling it with multiple touchdown leads. I'm sure the conditions factored in, but Dungy's decision not to kick a field goal late raises suspicion.

The Tampa 2 defense that the Bears often run allows for underneath stuff that Manning and Addai took advantage of. It's typically provides a bend, but don't break defense which it did for most of the night. However, the coverage breakdown that lead to Reggie Wayne's early touchdown proved the Colts should have taken more shots. Chicago safeties Chris Harris and Danieal Manning, although good players, will get caught out of position. Even through the rain and the effective running tandem made it smart to keep it on the ground, it seemed the Colts never really stepped on the gas pedal. Maybe they never intended to, but this was certainly not a typical Indy win. That being said, since they didn't do it in their traditional ways, maybe this victory is even more impressive. They came in and roughed up a more physical team. Even though the Bears raced out to the lead, the Colts were the more dominant team throughout.

Finally, the Chicago Bears must be concerned with Rex Grossman's psyche after his fourth quarter collapse. Unfortunately for Rex, most people won't remember that he started off the game relatively effective. He didn't take unnecessary risks and even made a terrific throw on his touchdown pass to Muhsin Muhammad. As the game progressed, Grossman started falling down a slippery slope. His footwork fell apart, leading to a pair of Colts sacks, and he got sloppy with the football under center. The two fourth quarter interceptions were poorly thrown balls, although the second seemed to be a result of a wet football. Bears managment has to determine whether he's their franchise quarterback or whether it's a need they might address in the draft. In fairness, this was his first full season as a starter and he guided this team to the ultimate game. He's a former first round pick and has the support of Lovie Smith. It doesn't seem that one quarter of poor play in the Super Bowl will weigh that heavily on the minds of Bears executives, but it's something to pay attention to in the offseason.

Saturday, February 03, 2007

Super Bowl XLI Preview

Football fans have been inundated with Super Bowl coverage for two weeks and are more than ready for XLI to kickoff. All of the "experts" have thrown their hats in the ring and overwhelmingly feel Indianapolis will leave Miami with the Lombardi Trophy. Two thirds of ESPN.com experts support the Colts, with MVP honors going to Peyton Manning. They've been installed as 7 point favorites and many fans are rooting for Manning to silence his critics. The amount of love being thrown the Colts way is even a bit unsettling. However, with the improvements made this postseason on defense, the Colts should win this game.

The Bears Will Win If... they can control the clock. This matchup feels eerily reminiscent to Super Bowl XXV between the Giants and Bills. The Bills came in with a high powered offense against a stout Giants defense. Both the Bears and '90 Giants relied on tremendous linebacker play, a strong ground game fueled by a tandem of backs, and opportune plays in the passing game. If the Bears can implement the clock control offense the Giants employed in XXV to keep the high powered Colts offense on the sidelines, they have a terrific opportunity to win this game. Lovie Smith adopted the Tampa 2 from his days under Tony Dungy, so it's not going to catch them by surprise. The Colts operate under the same system, so their offense is used to practicing against it. However, Chicago's personnel makes it a lot more effective. A big key for the Colts this postseason has been TE Dallas Clark. With LB Brian Urlacher roaming the middle in the Tampa 2 scheme, the Bears have allowed only one TE (Pats Ben Watson) more than 40 receiving yards all season. Shutting down Clark (as well as backup TE's Bryan Fletcher and Ben Utecht) will be a big key in the game. They also need to get strong play from their inexperienced safeties. Chris Harris and Danieal Manning must not get caught up in all of Peyton's gesturing and false audible calls.

Offensively they need to run the football. First and foremost, it will help control the clock. Next, and almost equally as important, the Bears need to stay out of clear passing situations. The Colts are at their best when they can attack the QB and Rex Grossman is at his worst with pressure in his face. Indianapolis is undersized on defense, but extremely quick. They have had tackling issues all season, so Chicago should spread them out and force them to make open field tackles. The Colts secondary is a bit banged up with starters Nick Harper and Bob Sanders on the injury report this week. Grossman's greatest strength is throwing the deep ball and the Bears can't be afraid to let him wing a few downfield. A deep strike early could get Grossman's confidence up and really change the tide of the game.

An X-factor in this game could be return specialist Devin Hester, in both a good or bad way. Against the Seahawks in their first playoff game, Hester struggled with ball control. However, he set a new record for return touchdowns in a season during the regular season. He's an explosive playmaker who could swing field position in the Bears favor. Could have a similar impact on this game as Super Bowl XXXI MVP Desmond Howard.

MVP will be...Thomas Jones. They need to run the ball well and Jones gives them a better chance to win. Cedric Benson has stolen some carries, but Jones is a more polished back.
Sleeper MVP...Ricky Manning Jr. Anyone remember his 3 interceptions of Donovan McNabb to put the Panthers in the Super Bowl? A real ball hawk who could bait Manning in to a key turnover.

The Colts Will Win If... they take care of the football. All season long the Bears exceled by creating turnovers. With a rookie as their featured back, Joseph Addai needs to focus on keeping the ball protected. Although Manning makes great decisions and is extremely accurate, he will sometimes try to make a mistake trying to fit a ball in a tight space. He's turned the ball over several times this postseason after throwing only 9 interceptions in the regular season. The focus all week has been on the Colts vaunted stretch play. They must run it effectively to set up the play action. If Manning can trick the Bears in to reading the run, his TE's will be able to get open in the middle of the field. Wide Receiver Marvin Harrison has struggled this postseason, so the Colts should get #88 involved early and often. He's smart enough to take advantage of the inexperienced safeties of the Bears and could find holes in the defense.

Much has been made of their defensive struggles during the regular season, but the return of safety Bob Sanders has re-energized this unit. The Colts bring him in to the box to stuff the run and he also brings tremendous ball skills in pass defense. With Nick Harper a game time decision, expect Marlin Jackson to get more playing time. His interception of Tom Brady sent the Colts to XLI. A big key to this game will be the tackling of the Colts linebackers. Cato June, a pro bowler a season ago, struggled at times this season wrapping up ball carriers. This Colts team can not allow the Bears to continue drives with poor tackling. As mentioned earlier, the undersized defense is at its best when it can rush the passer. They have a tremendous set of rush ends in Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis. In sure passing downs, the front four is capable of bringing a lot of heat. Mid-season acquisition DT Anthony McFarland seems to finally be settled in the middle and has greatly boosted their ability to stop the run.

With all the attention being heaped on Bears KR Devin Hester, people overlook Terrence Wilkins. He's more than capable of a few big returns. The bigger story is Adam Vinatieri. Given a chance late in the game, the Colts know he will come up clutch. If the Colts play like they can, a field goal probably won't decide this game. His bigger impact could be how he kicks to Devin Hester. It'll be interesting to see if they give Hester a chance to burn them.

An X-Factor for the Colts will be Dallas Clark. If he can start getting behind Urlacher in the middle, the outsides will open up for Reggie Wayne and Marvin Harrison. He leads the team in receptions this postseason, but his bigger impact on this game will be opening things up for the playmakers on the outside.

MVP will be... Peyton Manning. I hate going with the masses on this, but if he gives voters even the slightest reason to vote for him they will. Other players could have a bigger impact, potentially one of his receivers, but everyone is anxious to see Manning as the MVP.

MVP Sleeper... Cato June. A bulk of the responsibility for stopping the run will be on June's shoulders. He's also had an impact this season creating turnovers, including a multiple interception performance against Tom Brady.

Preview: With Steve Young aboard the ESPN Sunday Countdown Crew, the pundits in Bristol have beaten the "Peyton Manning getting the monkey off his back" angle to death for this game. Steve Young spent years getting beaten by the Cowboys, but once he got by them, he torched the Chargers for 6 touchdowns in the Super Bowl. Now that Manning has gotten by Belichick and Brady, they all feel it's his time. It's hard to argue. The Bears defense has been phenomenal all season, but they're not as dominant as many would like you to believe. The losses of Safety Mike Brown and DT Tommie Harris have made this defense susceptible to giving up big chunks of yardage. They rely on turnovers, so if the Colts can protect the footballl, they'll be able to move down the field. If their defense can contain the tough Bears ground game and force Grossman in to obvious passing situations, rush ends Freeney and Mathis could have a field day. A late developing situation is the weather. It could be wet and messy on the field, which would definitely favor the Bears. However, and this may be my heart talking more than my head, I fully expect the Colts to walk away victorious.

Super Bowl XLI: Colts 31- Bears 21

Thursday, February 01, 2007

His Airness' Heirs Struggle in Nationally Televised Game

Jeffrey and Marcus Jordan are used to being the center of attention at basketball games. At opposing gyms they're heckled ruthlessly. Last night, they took their show to ESPN 2. Unfortunately for them, North Central guard Eric Gordon looked like the heir to the airness' throne. Gordon dazzled the crowd with 43 points and showed why he is one of the nation's top recruits. He looked like a man among boys, moving at entirely different speeds and already sculpted like a college player. His efforts sparked a dominant effort for North Central as they handed Loyola Academy their first loss of the season. The Indiana-bound senior even had a highlight reel reverse slam that invoked images of the famous 23 in the crowd. North Central fans appropriately dub him "Air Gordon", and he no doubt impressed the man rooting against him.

While ESPN turned its attention to the royal family of basketball, Gordon's story is the most compelling. Aside from being a spectacular recruit, his college indecision will be a major storyline in the Big 10 next year. His junior year, the shooting guard orally committed to Bruce Weber and the Illinois Fighting Illini. Weber stopped recruiting that position figuring he already had the best of the bunch. Unfortunately for him, the Indiana native wanted to head to Bloomington and finally felt comfortable once Kelvin Sampson took over for the maligned Mike Davis. Gordon switched allegiances and signed his future over to the Hoosiers. Illini loyalists have already sent threats to Gordon and he will undoubtedly be a marked man when the Hoosiers travel to Champagne to take on the Illinois.

For the Jordan brothers, it was a rather forgettable evening. The boys combined for 8 points and several airballs. Neither opt to wear 23, choosing 32 (Jeff) and 11 (Marcus) instead. They did combine on a nice alley-oop, the younger Marcus to big brother Jeff, early in the first quarter but provided little else to get excited about. Jeffrey, a senior, was recently selected for the Jordan All-Star classic but is undecided on his college choice. Marcus, a sophomore, promises to be a more sought after recruit as he matures. Both seem to be better distributors than scorers and certainly play smart basketball. They also shoot lefty, a strange diversion from their right handed father. Luckily for them, even their father didn't develop until he was a senior in high school. Unfortunately, they faced an opponent who will no doubt make an impact on the next level.