Under the Radar..

Stephen Strasburg, Jason Heyward, Mike Stanton, Ike Davis, and Buster Posey are the headliners for a year when youth has thrived in the Big Leagues Those are the household names or at least soon to be household names, well I have another one for you...Domonic Brown!!! He just recently got called up to the Phillies due to injuries to their outfield, well the kid came up and looked like he belonged. Brown went 2-3 with 2 RBI and 2 runs scored, Brown has been the Phillies number 1 prospect for some time now, but because of their talent in the outfield there was no room for him to be called up. Brown is just as physically impressive as Jason Heyward, just not as heavy. Brown stands 6'5 and 200 pounds, he is extremely athletic, although a bit raw he has the tools to become one of the best outfielders of his time. Just remember you heard it here first, this kid is the TRUTH!! I'm not saying he's Jason Heyward, because he's not. Brown doesn't have the poise and power at the plate that Heyward does, but he has a sweet swing and enough power to get it out the yard. He's also a better outfielder than Heyward, but as I said before pay attention to this kid. Whether Phillies can afford to keep him in the minor leagues or not, he NEEDS to play and play NOW. What ever happens in terms of him staying a Phillie or getting traded in the future, whenever you hear Strasburg or Heyward make sure you check to see what this kid Brown has done that day as well. Of all of those mentioned above, he had the quietest debut this year and a lot of people missed seeing this talent!! When you get a chance, look the kid up....tell me what you think!!

Phillies land Oswalt!!!

The Philadelphia Phillies have upgraded their already talented pitching staff, they now add Roy Oswalt to their rotation. Oswalt has been in Houston his whole career, he was rescued by the Phillies much like Kevin Garnett was rescued by the Celtics. Oswalt has been one of the most dominant pitchers in his time, his only downfall is the talent around him. Now put in a position to thrive many expect Oswalt to help the Phillies win the World Series. The Phillies now boast a rotation that includes Roy Halladay and Cole Hamels, as long as their bats don't go silent like last year in the World Series the Phillies may remeber this move as the "One" that got them their Championship. Do you think the addition of Oswalt instantly makes the Phillies World Series Favorites?? With Oswalt in tow, does that make Hamels the number three starter?? Did the Astros get enough in return??

T.O.'s New Team...

The Cincinati Bengals had one of the league's worst passing attacks last year, through the draft and offseason moves they might have one of the best. Jermaine Gresham the outstanding TE from Oklahoma and Jordan Shipley who was Colt McCoy's right hand at Texas will be the youth infused in the passing game. Then they went out and signed Antonio Bryant, he is another outspoken WR with elite talent. Bryant never gets the respect he deserves because of his percieved "attitude." Since loosing TJ Houshmanzadah, the Bengals haven't had another respectable WR. Shipley will be the 4th wide out and Gresham should be starting at TE in no time. The addition of Owens allows the Bengals to slide Bryant down into the slot, having someone that fast and physical as the slot reciever is not fair. I dont' know who's happier in Cincinatti right now....Carson Palmer, Cedric Benson, or "Robin" aka Ochocinco?? Ochocinco finally gets they type of WR that complements him, Palmer finally gets explosive weapon(s) around him, and Benson might not be seeing 8 or 9 in the box anymore!! Some people are already saying this was a bad move by the Bengals, I really don't see how because Ochocinco and T.O. have been friends way before this ever happened and Carson Palmer will be respected by T.O. He played the whole season in Buffalo and had every reason in the world to be a malcontent, and he was the nicest and quietest guy in that locker room. Will the Bengals be a contender in the AFC now that the offense has added these weapons?? Will Carson Palmer re-enter the group of "Elite" quarterbacks?? Or will this all backfire in the Bengals face??

2010 NFL Season Preview....Part 2

2010 NFL Season Preview....Part 1

The Rich get Richer....

I guess leading the majors in innnings pitched as far as starters and being tied for 3rd in quality starts put together wasn't enough, the Angels felt they needed more....that they got by acquiring Dan Haren from the Arizon Diamondbacks for Joe Saunders and a couple of prospects. The Angels Front Office should be applauded for this, they got a 3-time Allstar who has averaged 15 wins a season for the last 5 years and he is or was I should say tied atop the National League for K's with 141!! I guess they took the saying that you can never have enough pitching to heart, getting a pitcher with that kind of talent is a real plus this time of year. They gave up a couple of extremely talented prospects, but it is definitely worth it.The Angels are 7 games back of the Rangers right now, the addition of Haren could help them close the gap. Haren might even pitch as soon as tonight against the Red Sox!! Who was the real winner in this deal? Did Arizona get enough back in this trade?? Will the addition of Haren help the Angels close the gap on the Rangers??

Beef in Big D??

The Dallas Cowboys were the first team to break camp this year, it took only 2 days for controversy in that recieving corps to begin. Roy E. Williams owner of one of the most useless contracts in professional sports, decided to initiate some early rookie hazing...except he picked the wrong rookie. Dez Bryant aint having none of that nonsense, they younger Bryant said something to the effect of they are there to focus on the team's one goal..winning a Super Bowl and nothing else. Williams defended himself saying that he did it when he was a rookie with no problems. I think the real issue here is that Bryant doesn't respect Williams as an elder player, I think Bryant knows that he(Bryant) is better now than Roy E. Williams could ever be and doesn't see any reason in this GALAXY to carry an INFERIOR player's pads. Obviously this is not what was said, but this is how I believe it should be taken. What other reason would the "fan-favorite" Bryant go out of his way to refuse such an innocent act??? One word.... RESPECT... the lack there of was the issue at hand. Do you fault Bryant for his refusal?? Is he now showing "Diva" like tendencies or should Roy E. Williams learn that respect works 2 ways?? I think Williams is trying to take advantage of the young kid the only way he can, because we all know it's not on the field where Williams has the edge.....I'm not a Cowboys fan, but you Cowboys fans out there, I really want to know what you ALL think???

NBA Free Agency: Chris Paul....

Immediate Thoughts on USA Showcase..

Game just ended about 10 minutes ago....I thought it was going to be a more competitive showing, but I think the teams may have been inadvertently stacked. Not talent wise but chemistry wise, I thought the white team looked far more cohesive than the blue team. It was like everyone on the white team already had their roles figured out and everyone on the blue team were reluctant to accept their roles. Durant flat out killed!! He did whatever he wanted whenever he wanted to do it and wherever he wanted to do it from!! Rose/Curry (white team) and Billups/Rondo(blue team) looked like the best backcourt pairings. Rose/Curry didn't really turn the ball over and they were both very accepting of their roles and rarley played outside of themselves. Billups/Rondo looked like a natural fit as Billups was happy to let Rondo run the show so he could run off of screens. The thing that jumped out at me was the versatility of this roster! Alot of players can play 3-4 different positions which allows for a plethora of line-ups. One of the main questions was who was going to step up as the 2nd option offensively for Kevin Durant...the answer Rudy Gay!! He and Durant are going to be a problem for the rest of the world to deal with offensively! More on the USA Team to come!!

NCAA vs Players vs Agents...

So after all of the recent findings of players taking money and players allegedly taking money is the NCAA finally going to do something?? In the past they have stood pat and looked the other way as coaches and players have complained about the access that agents have to them. After Nick Saban's comments at SEC media day maybe now the NCAA will listen, he compared the agents to "pimps" in the way that they try to get the players attention. Saban said that they are kids, the NCAA considers the players adults purely because they are 18 and older when they arrive on campus. One point of view is that maybe they should consider allowing the players to seek outside information about the NFL so they can make positive and intelligent decisions when that time comes. Another view is to allow the players to have agents, because if we are honest about it they all pretty much do anyways. The problem is that the NCAA doesn't want to share the money it makes off of these kids, that is who the real culprit is here. Yes I agree that agents should not be on campuses and pressuring players or trying to lure them by giving them money that students can't possibly have on a scholarship. At the same time the NCAA makes billions of these kids every year and the money is shared with the schools, not one dime goes to the people that are actually playing the game. Do you think the NCAA should pay it's athletes?? Or should they just not allow agents on campuses?? Who's more at fault, the agent, the player, the coach, or the school??

Will the D return to NY?

The Giants are ready to redeem themselves after last season, their once fierce defense was barely scary last year. After an offseason of moves and a draft the Giants feel that their Bark is back on the defensive side of the ball!! The G-men added JPP, if you don't know who that is please google Jason Pierre-Paul and sit back and enjoy the show. JPP is a ridiculously gifted athlete and he plays defensive end. Prior to his playing football at South Florida, he didn't even know what a sack was!! Now that he is fully aware of what one is he is ready to apply his talents to the already formidable defensive line of the Giants. Adding JPP to Osi and J. Tuck is crazy, I'm not saying that this kid is anything like Strahan but do you all remember how dangerous that d-line was when it was Osi, Strahan and Tuck??? They now have the potential to have the same type of impact now that this kid is on board. The Giants lost their leader on defense when Antonio Pierce retired, so someone is going to have to step up in that middle linebacker spot. How could I forget, the Giants still have Mathias Kiwanuka on that line as well!! Jonathan Geoff and Gerris Wilkinson will compete for Pierce's old spot. The Giants lost future saftey standout Kenny Phillips to a knee injury last year, just in case Phillips isn't fully ready by the start of the season the Giants aquired playmaker Antrel Rolle to bolster their defensive backfield. What gives the Giants an advantage in increasing their pass rush is that their corners THRIVE in press coverage, they really JAM opposing team's wide outs!! If the defense returns, expect to see the Giants back in the mix in the playoff picture. Who do you think is going to win the starting MLB spot?? Will the addition of JPP increase the number of sacks the Giants get this year?? Will Kenny Philllips be ready by the start of the season, and if so does the pariing of Phillips and Rolle give the Giants one of the best safety tandems in the league?? Will the Giants finish the season as one of the top 10 defenses in the league??

What's the Pecking Order in Big D???

The Cowboys start camp this Saturday, that marks the begining of the fiercest competition on their team...WIDE RECIEVER. We already know that Miles Austin is penciled in at one of the 2 starting spots, Patrick Crayton is the guy to beat out in the slot and Kevin Ogletree is rapidly moving up the depth chart. The selection of Dez Bryant in this year's draft has had to be depressing to both Roy Williams and Patrick Crayton. Bryant's college resume is arguably if not better than both Crayton's and Williams's Pro Resumes. I will stand by that statement, Dez Bryant IS what Roy Williams was supposed to BE. Crayton is already going to be fighting the young and explosive Ogletree in the slot. Bryant is the big play reciever the Cowboys haven't had since T.O's departure. For all of Miles Austin's big plays and explosiveness, outside of him being faster than Bryant in a straight line I can't think of any other part of Austin's game that is better if not equal to Bryant's. It's a good problem to have for Dallas, you now have 2 huge recievers that can stretch the field vertically and shed tackles. Austin( 6'3,214) is an inch taller and about 10 pound lighter than Bryant(6'2, 225), Williams is 6'3 and 215 pounds, Williams doesn't really stand out in this group. He is not remotley as explosive as his younger counter parts. He can't even win the physical battle, he's about the same size as Austin and doesn't weigh what Bryant does or close to it. All of this impacts Crayton, which ever one of the players mentioned above doesn't win the 2 starting jobs will be slid down to compete for the #3 spot. If it's speed that the Cowboy's offense values over experience than Crayton and Williams might just be nothing more than experiences subsitutes. Crayton also has to worry about Bryant in the return game as well. Bryant was very productive returning both punts and kicks in college. This competition is sure to be fierce, either way Tony Romo is the winner. Romo get's the best players on the field for him to use. Who do you think will be the Cowboy's starting Wide outs? Will Roy Williams be able to claim a spot in this offense? Who will become Romo's go to guy, or will it remain Witten? Which WR will have the best season for Dallas??

Who's Shanahan's Man??

So the Redskins are coming into this season with a very talented collection of running backs. On the list there's Clinton Portis(29), Larry Johnson(30), and "Fast" Willie Parker(29). The Redskins have already addressed their offensive line, for like the first time ever the man that starts at tailback will actually get a chance to recieve the handoff without having to immediately make a move before reaching the line of scrimmage. I don't know if Shanahan really wants LJ and Parker or if this was a ploy just to get Clinton Portis to take this seriously and return to his form of old. If it is indeed a ploy I guess it's already started to work, it's been reported that Portis has already lost weight and he is closer to the lighter Portis he was in Denver when he was terrorizing the league. If not than this as another opportunity for Larry Johnson to remind us why he was a top 5 back in this league, he has a chance to shine in this offense with his style of running(it's made for the NFC East). Parker on the other hand, I don't really see as anything more than a scat back. I understand he did some good things for the Steelers in past years, but that was on stretch plays and counters exclusively almost. Competition is the greatest medicine to complacent players, when there is ACTUALLY a threat on the roster that can take your job the REAL players will rise. Who do you think is going to be the Skins #1 RB opening day?? Does a lighter Portis mean a better Portis?? Will Larry Johnson thrive in this division given the physical style of play?? Is Willie Parker EVEN a viable option to COMPETE for the starting job??

Where is T.O going to Land...

Training Camps are almost here, teams are aware of what they have and what they need. That being said, who is going to get over their pride and their personal beliefs and think objectively? There are many teams in the NFL that have gaping...GAPING holes in their Reciving Corps. Which team is going to look at this in a football sense and upgrade their team? 55 catches for 829 yards with 5 Touchdowns and a 15.1 yd per catch average wide out is available...why is everyone afraid to make the first move?? I have said it for year whether you like T.O as a person or not, as a football player the decision is a no-brainer!! Those stats above were accomplished in BUFFALO, do you know how hard that is?? Can you even name their QB last year, and not Trent Edwards I want the name of the guy who finished the season out?? At the end of the day, talent is talent and numbers are numbers...can he help a team...the answer is a resounding YES!! Out of the teams that people have said are in the running for T.O, I am going to say I believe he will land in New England. I know what everybody is probably saying...I LOST MY MIND, but let me explain. Wes Welker is coming back from a gruesome injury. There is no running threat on the roster. Randy Moss needs help, and the other wide outs not named Welker are almost useless. Bringing in T.O would upgrade that roster, whether you like him or not bottom line is he demands attention. The kind of attention from a number 1 corner, not the #2 or the nickel but the #1 corner!! That would open up the field for both Welker and Moss. Moss would be able to do what he likes to do best run deep and on the sideline, with T.O working the space between Moss and Welker that would leave their Tight Ends free to do whatever they please. Lastly that helps counter the most dangerous pairing of corners in the past 5 years, Revis & Cromartie. What better way to give them fits than to give them the challenge of covering not 1, but 2 HOF WR's??? All I'm saying is that it is an option and a very attractive one? Where do you think T.O will land?? Is he past his prime, what can he offer?? Would he and Moss be able to co-exist??

In Case you Missed It...

This is the time of year most people ignore, the time of the year between the middle of the baseball season and NFL Training Camp. I on the otherhand, love this time of year it's NBA Summer League!! It's the rookies first crack at the NBA Game and it's speed, you can actually learn a lot about player's games in summer league. Well let me share with you what I learned: Kentucky has sent 4 very good players to the NBA in this year's draft. John Wall, Demarcus Cousins, Eric Bledsoe and Patrick Patterson have all shown they are going to be impact players in this league. Wall and Bledsoe are some of the fastest, freakish athletic atheletes to enter the league. Wall boasts a 39 inch vertical while standing 6'4, Bledsoe boasts a 40 inch vertical while standing 6'1. They both have extremely large wingspans and are uber quick!! Wall is proving that he is ready to start right now, Bledsoe is learning how to play with the ball in his hands after playing with Wall at Kentucky where he played more off guard. Cousins looks like he is going to be one of the best big men in this league right now!! He has a great feel for the game, knows what he's doing on the block, and is a very undervalued athlete! Patterson is exactly what he was in college, a workhorse with range. He is a beast on the boards and his new found range will make him a weapon in pick and pop situations. A lot of players ended up being 2nd Round picks this year that shouldn't have been there and they are showing why they are steals. Lakers 2nd Round picks Devin Ebanks and Derrick Caracter are overachieving this summer. They are showing why most scouts thought they were First Round talents, both players look like they are going to be able to crack the Lakers rotation right away. The Pacers were in need of a point guard, I say "were" because they unintentionally drafted one in selecting Lance Stephenson. Stephenson is another one of those kids with 1st Round talent burried beneath "percieved" problems off the court. One thing is for sure, Stephenson is an animal!! At 6'5 blessed with great handle and a high basketball IQ he suprised many by running the Pacers Summer League team much better than the other point guards on their roster. He's about 215-220, like Tyreke Evans he is very hard to stop going to the basket. Paul George the Pacers other draft picks is living up to the hype as well except he's showing apart of his game the scouts said he didn't have, he's attacking the basket. Here's some more guys who are producing in Summer League: Luke Harangody, JJ Hickson(non-rookie), Dominique Jones, Terrance Williams(non-rookie), Chase Buddinger(non-rookie), Donte Greene(non-rookie), Sam Young(non-rookie), Jordan Crawford, Ty Lawson, Demar DeRozan, and Sonny Weems!!! I implore everyone to check out highlights of this year's Summer League!! If you do, tell me what you think!!

MLB Update..

-All-Star Break is over, NL won the All-Star game for the first time in FOR-E-VER...
-AL East Pecking order:
-Yankees
-Rays
-Red Sox
- AL Central:
-White Sox
-Tigers
-Twins
-AL West:
-Rangers
-Angels
-A's

-NL East:
-Braves
-Mets
-Phillies
-NL Central:
-Reds
-Cardinals
-Cubs
-NL West
-Padres
-Rockies
-Dodgers

Now let's wait and see how much those standings will have changed by the end of the season!!

AFC Madden Ratings...

Found them, just thought I should share...


http://espn.go.com/espn/thelife/videogames/blog/_/name/thegamer/id/5373799/afc

NFL Update...

-Clinton Portis is trying to remind everyone that he is "the guy" in Washington, Portis is supposedly down from the 230 pounds he played at last year to around 215
- Giants experimenting with a nickel pacakge that has Osi, Tuck, and JPP in at the same time with JPP in at defensive tackle....
- Brett Farve's return??
-Tom Brady's new contract??
-Will their be a resolution for Chris Johnson and the Titans??
- Training Camps are only about 2 WEEKS AWAY!!!
-Terrell Owens has YET to find a team...
- Biggest Training Camp Battles on the way...

NBA News Update...

-Penny Hardaway would like to un-retire to play for.....you guessed it the Miami Heat??
-Orlando Magic match the offer sheet to retain JJ Reddick
-Houston Rockets matched the offer sheet to retain Kyle Lowry
-Houston Rockets re-sign Luis Scola
-Utah Jazz aquire Al Jefferson in trade with Timberwolves
-Phoenix aquires Josh Childress
-Phoenix aquires Hedo Turkolug in trade with Raptors
-Toronto aquires Leandro Barbosa and Dwayne Jones in trade with Phoenix
-Mike Miller signs contract with Miami Heat
-Al Harrington signs contract with Denver Nuggets
-Luke Ridenour signs contract with Minnesota Timberwolves
-Quinton Richardson signs contract with Orlando Magic

Big Brother...

I am now even more a believer that the Heat are going to contend for an NBA Title for the next 5 years or so(please remember the word I used..CONTEND). As I said before about this whole LeBron James thing, he reminds me soo much of Alex Rodriguez. In fact I am starting to believe they were seperated at birth and just play different sports!! LeBron just became the new found owner of a BIG BROTHER, someone who can and will stand up for you and deflect attention and pressure off of you at the drop of a hat. After maybe the worse PR choice in the world aka "The Decision," everyone has been ripping the young and talented Mr. James. In the past(prior to joining the Heat), he would be left to take all of this on his own and struggle to hold up under neath this new kind of pressure. Enter Dwayne Wade, like Jeter this is a man no one really saw anything special about until he showed up and started competing. His work ethic and sheer determination give them both a level of respect that few athletes can gain, the kind of respect that can quiet controversies and absorb other's percieved pressure. A-Rod was under much pressure after his first few forays into the post season that resulted in terrible, terrible, terrible play on his part. Jeter routinely defended his teamate and has kept the pressure of of A-Rod by stepping up his own play, little by little A-Rod regained his footing and was an integral part of the Yankee's title run last year. I see much of same in LeBron's recent change of scenery, he is now going to be able to just unleash even deeper parts of his potential because of the lack of pressure. No matter what you do, the Franchise Player (Wade, Jeter) has your back and will step in to deflect the pressure coming your way. He will now be able to do "just play" the game, and taking just some amount of the enormous pressure that is placed on that young man's shoulders off will do WONDERS for him. Since "The Letter" and the "Quitter" accusations, Dwayne Wade has stepped up and fought on behalf of his young teammate. This is something LeBron has been yearning for, someone to have his back and as all of you know it is much easier to produce when you have the right kind of support. KNOWING that someone has your back and HOPING that someone has your back are two totaly different worlds, LeBron just came from HOPING to KNOWING!! What kind of year do you think LeBron is going to have statistically this year?? Do you think having Dwayne Wade in the role of Big Brother is going to help LeBron and if so how much??

3 of a Kind..

Derrick Rose, Tyreke Evans, and John Wall....the only thing these guys have in common is that they were all coached by John Calapari. I as most others were among the school of thought stating that John Wall is a low budget Derrick Rose and not that good and he was overhyped, I am officially retracting that statement. After watching his summer league debut, like Rose and Evans he showed out! He is a completely different animal than the other 2, he's kind of the bridge between the other 2. Rose is an uber athletic point guard that CAN score. Evans is a physical freak with a scoring mentality with the ABILITY to run a team. Wall is a very nice blend of both, he makes everyone better like Rose and possesses Evans mentality of scoring. The other thing they all have in common is their ability to get to the basket and they all do it differently. I can't yet put the articulate what it is that makes Wall special, but when I do you will definitely be the first to know. All I know at this moment is that Calapari has put 3 very good guards in the league, all with seperate identities and shouldn't be compared with the others. By the way, Wall's line in his Summer League Debut: 24 points, 8 assists, and 8 turnovers. I can get over the turnovers only because it's the first game and he isn't known for an inability to handle the rock, but he sure ran his team like a veteran PG. Of Calapari's 3 guards, who is going to be the best?? Do you think John Wall will win ROY?? Is Wall a product of too much hype with no substance??

1st Time Champs!!

Congrats to Spain for winning an extremely ugly World Cup Final!! This game rarely resembled the beautiful game known as "futbol," it was marred by calls and cards!! In the end only one thing mattered....1-0 yup the score and Spain came out the victor!! The Netherlands after a remarkable run in this year's Cup, continued a record no one can be proud of...the most World Cup wins without finishing as Champion and that number is now....19!! Andres Iniesta was the historic figure for Spain, he is the man that scored the goal that gave Spain its 1st World Cup Victory, in extra time at that!! This year's tournament was very exciting and definitely worth the wait, I'm already looking forward to the 2014 World Cup in Brazil!!! Do you think Spain has a good chance of defending it's title?? Will the Netherlands finally breakthrough in 2014, and how do you think Brazil is going to do since they are the host nation???

Spike Lee's Thoughts...

Observations from "The Decision".....

Observations from "The Decision".....

1. It's called "Free" Agency, so when someone opts out for it there ACTUALLY is a possibility of them leaving
2. When someone goes off the grid, they probably don't plan on staying
3. Are there any actual Cav "FANS," or just a bunch of disgruntled "Witnesses"??
4. He will never be like Mike, accept it and move on!!!
5. If he stayed, do you REALLY think he was going to win...in CLEVELAND?? I can't remember them winning anything!!
6.If he never liked where he was from, do you think he really CARES what you (Ohio) think?? He wore a Yankee hat to an Indians PLAYOFF game and you thought he didn't mean it??
7.When you are not in a position to make threats, it is wise NOT to do so!!
8. Dan Gilbert is officially the worse owner in sports, Al Davis and Donald Sterling are actually laughing at you!!

Non-LeBron NBA News...

LOL, yes there is actually other things happening in the league outside of "The Decision."

-Michael Beasley got traded to the Timberwolves
- David Lee goes to the Warriors in sign and trade, Knicks get Anthony Randolph, Ronny Turiaf, and Kelenna Azubuike
-Mike Miller strongly considering signing with the Heat
-Clippers sign Randy Foye and Ryan Gomes
-Jermaine O'Neal signs with the Celtics
-Brendan Haywood resigns with the Mavericks
-Travis Outlaw signs with the Nets


Which of these moves is the best??

As a Knicks fan, I'm going crazy over the Anthony Randolph trade!!! I can't believe I get to watch Randolph and Amare run up and down the floor on MY team!!!

To Dan Gilbert and the Fine people of Ohio...

Why wait until now to lash out at LeBron James?? When he was taking your team to the playoffs and selling out your arena for the past 7 years all of his antics and actions were acceptable, even applauded by your fans. Mr. Gilbert I would like to know how if you truly felt this strongly about LeBron James, did you keep your feelings inside and even bring yourself to complement him for his accomplishments. Why would you want someone of this foul character to continue to play for your supposedly "PROUD" franchise?? Why take all of the money that a "narcissistic" person made for you?? I am not a huge LeBron fan, and by NO WAY do I CONDONE his method as far as announcing his decision for where he would like to play this upcomming season!! I do however think that LeBron is an extremely talented basketball player who has barely tapped into his vast potential. I personally see him as one of the "many" stars in the league, just not as the same way I view Wade and Bryant. There is nothing wrong with who LeBron is as a basketball player, I think he is a mix of Magic Johnson and Oscar Robertson. I don't think he is a killer, a finisher, like Wade and Bryant. I think the hype has made LeBron bigger than his game, I think LeBron accepts who he is as a player and I wish his fans would. Back to Mr. Gilbert and Ohio, you knew 3 years ago that he would be a free agent and it wasn't an issue than because you became fat and happy and figured there is NO WAY he'd leave his cushy Cleveland gig!! You couldn't look outside of your own greed to see that the kid really cared about winning and money wasn't the issue, you DESERVE what happened to you tonight. When he was yours everything he did was great, and you ignored all of his OBVIOUS signs that he was going to leave and he wasn't as in LOVE with the Cleveland as you all were in love with HIM!! You want to call him out for doing what was best for him, what you couldn't do for him and that was get him the Star he needed to get a championship. Look in the mirror, you are the owner and it all falls on YOU!! Just because someone is born somewhere doesn't mean he has to STAY there, at the end of the day it's just your birthPLACE!! What did you all think of Dan Gilbert's comments about LeBron??

Why is the Media Hating??

In that draft class of 2003 there were many stars, what people fail to realize is how well rounded these players all are. Of that class the only one who is an extremely prolific scorer is Carmelo Anthony, he is maybe the least well rounded overall which isn't a knock on him at all!! Melo, much like Kobe Bryant is extremely proficient at putting the ball in the basket. Bosh, James, and Wade however, CAN score but they also impact the game in every aspect. On the boards, distributing, shot blocking and more!! I know everyone likes to say that the chemistry players have on the US Team has nothing to do with regular season basketball, but I disagree!! Our best national teams were when the rosters were loaded with well rounded players that could FIT into roles, of course there are going to be exceptions but chemistry is chemistry. Follow me here...If you were the Franchise player and teams were built around you, and their success all depended on you doing almost everything by yourself and you failed. Why wouldn't you want HELP!! Wouldn't that experience make you long for a chance to just fall into a role and just PLAY basketball?? What is this so called SACRIFICE I hear of?? Seriously...is that the only thing the media can come up with??? If you all averaged over 24 points a game separately, OBVIOUSLY your average might go down when you don't have to do as much!! The Big 3 in Boston showed that it can work and they didn't get together until they were in the twilight of their careers!! So why would these guys fail if they are getting together in their PRIMES?? I mean Boston almost did it again last year!! I heard some of the craziest stuff tonight by these "experts." Just 2 months ago they were saying Orlando needed to blow their team up, now they are saying Orlando is better than Miami....ummm HOW??? Didn't Orlando loose to those "old" guys up in Boston?? I mean who's the favorite in the East...Atlanta Charlotte, Boston( now a year older), I'm waiting for a realistic suggestion?? The Media should be ashamed of themselves for basically making things up just because they don't want to say that Miami is now a legit contender!! What do you think of the "expert" opinions and thoughts about Miami?? Are they right, is Miami even a contender in the "suddenly strong" Eastern Conference??

What Decision??

So the world waited(at least in LeBron's eyes) for 9 pm Thursday night. An hour long special on a player who has yet to win a title to make a decision during his first bout with Free Agency. Everyone had an oppinion, from dedicated sports fans to the type of people who ask the I thought Shaq was still on the Lakers questions all had reasons for where LeBron was going and why. I have been saying this for a whole year now, I repeat a YEAR!!! I know I am probably not the first person to have claimed this, but unlike most I actually have reasons. To start, does anybody remember last year when Mr. James announced that he had filled out the paperwork to have his number changed to 6 under the whole "respect for MJ" talk. I don't know how many of you are aware that the number 23 is not available on the Miami Heat. Why you might ask....the Heat retired MJ's number the same as Chicago did. James knew way back then that his number wasn't available. Secondly, that draft class of 2003 is remarkably close knit. Whenever they were on the US Teams James,Wade, and Carmelo were inseperable!!The media would like us to believe that they are all seperate stars and are above needing help. That also helps the league out by spreading out it's young talent, the media has been searching for disparaging things to say about any of the potential parings made by members of this draft class. The reason why....because it WOULD work, it would work WELL at that!! It also came down to the thing LeBron cares about most...WINNING!! Over his career we have learned that LeBron is an extremely SORE looser, I knew it was over for him and Cleveland when he didn't walk off the court after the loss to the Celtics that sent the Cavs home. He knew there was no point getting mad because he was moving on to a better place. Years prior to that he had stormed off the court and avoided everyone, so why all of a sudden did he gain a new found sense of "maturity"??? He didn't, he just knew he wasn't going to go out like that anymore and he needed help! Of all the so called "options", the only one where he had true help that he can COUNT on and hold people ACCOUNTABLE was Miami!! This decision was made a year ago, I believe none of this newfound nonsense!! What do you think of LeBron's decision??
Is Miami the right choice???

Reminder...

Just how I'm feeling after hearing my boy Wade got some help!! This is b.b.= Before Bosh...lol!!

Big non-Free Agent Signing!!

The "Durantula" aka Kevin Durant has signed a 5 year 86 million dollar extension with the Oklahoma City Thunder. I know this isn't a free agent signing, but with the CBA(Collective Barganing Agreement) sure to change this was a great move to lock this kid up!! This signing is similar to the reason the Nuggets offered an extension to Carmelo this year instead of next, before the new deal you get more money NOW. Much like the Rudy Gay signing, Durant is going to be in his late 20's when this contract runs up...yes just his late 20's!! Like Memphis, OKC realized that their young wing IS their franchise!! Durant definitely deserves the money, I'm honestly suprised it wasn't more. He only got 6 million more than Rudy and I believe Durant's 2 years younger, I wonder how Atlanta feels after giving a 29 yr old 119 million?? It definitely looks like they overpaid in comparison with these deals done with these young guys. Are you suprised it was only for 86 million?? Do you think they offered him an extension too early??

Wade+ Bosh...room for 1 more??

Wade County has a new resident...Chris Bosh!! They announced their intentions to join the Heat today, whether it's through sign and trade(Bosh) or out right Bosh is going to be a member of the Heat. LeBron James plans to announce his decision tommorrow night, well if he wasn't already having trouble making a decision this isn't going to help!! Do you stay with the Cavs knowing that you are essentially stuck with that same team for 2 years and you know that you have to deal with whatever they build around Bosh&Wade in Miami?? Do you join them in Miami, rather than try to beat them?? I think a part of this a lot of people are forgetting is that the Heat got good talent in the 2nd Round of this year's draft. Every analyst likes to bring up the fact that there is nothing in Miami outside of Wade and now Bosh. You can correct me if I'm wrong, but Michael Beasely isn't exactly the worse 3rd option on a team. He's extremely talented on the offensive end of the ball, it's the defensive side of things that Beasely needs help with. Plus, when you are the 3rd option there is less responsibility on you and way less pressure. If anything Beasley should THRIVE this year if he stays in Miami!! Dexter Pittman and Jarvis Vernado give you 2 very different young active bodies at the center position. Pittman is a force offensively and Vernado broke the NCAA record for blocks!! They also quietly selected Da'Sean Butler, if he comes back healthy from that gruesome knee injury, they are in good shape in terms of a bench. I am confident Pat Riley will build a winner around these 2 big time players!! The only question is whether LeBron will join them, or try beating them??

Funny Pic!!

Demarcus Cousins....

Almost Proud to be a Knicks Fan...

I like many other Knicks fans have been walking through NBA seasons wondering when we would be woken up from this reoccuring nightmare, and today we took a step in that direction. I don't think this is the answer to all of our prayers, but at least this gives us A LEGITIMATE NBA PLAYER(no offense to the rest of the Knick's roster)!!!! At least now when you say Knicks, you can actualy say a name that is recognizable to non-Knicks fan when you say Amare. We have no point guard, but I have faith in 2 things. 1 being the Wizards need to get rid of Gilbert Arenas and 2 being that we are the only team in the league who actually needs/wants him!! The other good thing out of all this, there is actually a building block!! What point guard in the league doesn't want to play with a big man like Amare??? He's a point guard's dream, so Steve Nash isn't walking through MSG's doors anytime soon and I don't want him to. If Lee wants to go to Minnesota, at least do it in a sign and trade and get Flynn or Sessions in return. Kyle Lowry is a restricted Free Agent, he is also an option. Just 24 years of age, he can run a team and can shoot the basketball. I am almost excited, almost thinking about the Knick's future and that their luck might be changing. As a lifetime Knicks fan, I am also bracing myself for the bonehead decision that will follow this intelligent move. Hopefully Donnie Walsh is who he says he is and there are nothing but intelligent decisions ahead!! What do you think of the Amare signing? Will the Knicks be able to get something for David Lee, or will he walk free?? Can Amare lure another top tier Free Agent to NY??

World Cup Update!!

So heading into tuesday we have your semi finalists, Uruguay-Netherlands and Germany-Spain. This has been a wild weekend, the Dutch rallied to beat Brazil 2-1. Germany than BLASTED an Argentina team that was highly hyped, Spain survived by another late goal from David Villa. Uruguay outlasted the Ghanians in there match to advance. This is probably the most unlikely collection of teams left outside of Spain. Everyone knew the Germans and the Dutch were good, what we didn't know was how GOOD they were and they definitely showed us!! I really can't say I knew of anyone screaming Uruguay as a realistic contender, but here they are still standing, and standing strong at that. Diego Forlan is showing us that he is not done, and if this is his last World Cup, win or lose he would have gone out with a bang. I remember when I did the WC preview that I had said Germany had one of the best midfields in the tournament, I also remembering saying they needed someone up front to provide some scoring punch because Klose was up there in age. Boy has he proven me wrong!! Klose is now 2 goals away from WC immortality by having the record of most goals scored. Ronaldo has to be worried, because if Klose keeps up his form he is surely to beat Ronaldo's record. David Villa has single handedly carried Spain, will he be able to take this team even further on his shoulders?? Can Forlan keep up his form?? Will Germany with their loaded midfield and Klose be able to bring home the cup?? Or will the Dutch continue their outstanding play and go back home as champions??

Felipe Melo's Gift to the Netherlands...

I want to first start out by congratulating the Dutch for taking advantage of every opportunity they had to beat Brazil!! They are a good team and I wish them further success in this year's tournament. I am writing this objectively(even though as someone who was pulling for Brazil I was screaming most of the second half), Felipe Melo should never again be allowed to don his country's colors. If you can not keep your cool, or stay disciplined you do not need to be out there. The Dutch played a good game, but Melo's over aggressive challenges kept awarding the Dutch set pieces. If you are a student of the game you will understand how much of an advantage that is when playing superior skilled teams. A set piece is a play, something that is practiced millions of times and is perfected. The most average skilled team can survive if they are granted numerous set pieces, and the Dutch are more than an above average team, they are 4th in the world!! They like most teams in the world, know that you cannot beat Brazil at their game. The best thing you can do is defend, hold the ball, and capitalize on your set piece opportunities. The Dutch defended modestly, they even did an average job of holding the ball, what they did do was CAPITALIZE on every set piece opportunity they were given. By no way am I taking any credit away from the Dutch, I just want you all to understand why Felipe Melo should write his contributions off on his taxes after today. I truly stand by my earlier statement that he should NEVER wear the blue, yellow, and green of Brazil EVER again!! Now that the Dutch have advanced, how far do you think they can go??

Free Agent Update!!

So after all the waiting, July 1st was extremely uneventful.Darko Milicic, Amir Johnson, Adam Morrison, and Channing Frye all got deals yesterday. The only 2 signings that I am going to honestly ACKNOWLEDGE are Drew Gooden to the Bucks and Rudy Gay staying with the Grizzlies. The Bucks signing of Gooden was a steal, you get an extremely productive veteran and plug him in next to Andrew Bogut for only 32 million!! Gooden's deal is 5 yrs, I know the Bucks have to be ecstatic!! Everyone remembers the Pau Gasol trade that GAVE the Lakers one of the NBA's premier power forwards for nothing, so following that line of thinking why would the Grizz possibly keep Rudy??? Well someone in that organization made a good decision, well 2 of them. First they drafted Xavier Henry which gives them a regular sized shooting guard. Second they resigned one of the future stars of this league(and yes I will defend that all day) and by the time his contract runs up he will only be 28!! Much like the Thunder are trying to lock up Mr. Durant for years to come, the Grizz did their part by retaining Gay. Hopefully this summer's US team will have both of these young talented wings on the roster and all of you can see how dynamic Rudy is in addition to Durant's brilliance. When do you think one of the Big 3 is going to sign?? And where???