Why the Miami Booster Scandal Comes As No Shock

Earlier today Yahoo! released the findings of an 11-month investigation into a University of Miami booster and his gifting to Miami football and basketball players and coaches.

This report tells the story of Nevin Shapiro and how he did everything from buy Devin Hester his engagement ring to paying for a stripper that a player had impregnated to have an abortion.

Of course this is only one side of the story, but judging by the length of investigation and the amount of sources, including players, who confirmed what Shapiro said, I imagine it is mostly the truth.

To be honest my first reaction was not shock at all. Maybe that was because for the past few days we have heard about how the NCAA is going after Miami next, or maybe it is largely based on the fact that as a college student I see how athletes are often treated as royalty.

Miami has always had that somewhat 'full of itself swagger', and I think that could in large part be why I'm not shocked. A more holy program like Notre Dame would be a shock, but a school located in the extravagant South Beach that is as much known for its party season as it is for its sports teams just doesn't seem that farfetched.

I think another reason I wasn't blindsided by this was the fact that just months ago another very successful program was going through something similar in Ohio State. Even before that there was the whole Cam Newton, which I'm sure was just a very specific example of an overwhelming problem in college football.

With so much money on the line for this big name programs, it is easy to spend a bit more on recruiting and keeping current players, which will then produce much better teams. Some people argue that paying athletes would help curb this underground problem, but I look at that as just another system that a school will find a way to take advantage of.

To be blunt, it seems as though the NCAA is in over their heads in terms of policing college athletics around the nation, and it is not until the schools themselves stop turning a blind eye that this mess will be cleaned up.

Why I Love Mark Sanchez Wanting to Fight Rex Ryan

GQ Cover

For those of you that don't frequent GQ you may have missed out on Mark Sanchez telling their reporter that he wanted to fight Rex Ryan after benching him.

Of course the media has taken off on this story and is painting Sanchez in some sort of negative light for calling out and being angry at his coach. I look at it in quite the opposite light, I think what Sanchez did shows a side of him that most fans have never seen.

Sanchez stepped up and stood up for himself, but didn't do it in a stupid cry to the media way. Instead he waited until the moment passed and didn't go talking to ESPN of Fox Sports, instead he went to the respectable and not exactly sporty GQ.

Before this story came out I thought that although Sanchez was successful on the field, he didn't ever really stand up for himself. Now I look at Sanchez as a player who not only wants the team to do well, but wants himself to be the leader of that.

For those of you who think Sanchez saying this makes his teammates and coach lose respect for him, I think it will actually do quite the opposite. I can't wait to see what Rex Ryan says, I imagine it will be something about walking over tougher guys on his way to a fight, but in a joking way.

With the Jets just minutes from kicking off their 2011 season, it is nice to see that it is not an injury to a star that is making headlines, but a quote that hurts no one.

Universiy of Maryland Athletics Department Puts On Full Court Press for Battle With Miami

For the past few years the general understanding is that the University of Maryland is a basketball school, that also happens to have a football team. Although this label has not been to the extreme as schools similar to Duke, in general the basketball team has outperformed the football team.

Within the past year the tide has shifted in a big way. First the football team had a much better than expected season, improving on a abysmal 2009 season in which they went 2-10 to a 9-4 finish in 2010. Then basketball season rolled around and the Terps failed to not only make the NCAA tournament a year after being seconds from beating a Michigan State team that lost in the Final Four by two, but also to even make the NIT. Then to put a little icing on the cake, Gary Williams retired from coaching, setting off a domino effect that hurt Maryland both in recruiting future players and keeping current players.

It seems as though the University's athletic department has taken notice of this, and is now trying to capitalize on the upswing that is going along with the football team. Before classes ended for the past spring semester, countdown clocks to the September 5 match-up with Miami were placed in the dinning halls and student union.

Now the department has made a pretty cool website promoting the football team, and every time you visit the general athletics page you are greeted by Randy Edsall in the bottom right corner.
This will all culminate on that September 5th match-up, when "Operation 54K" plans on having every seat in Byrd Stadium filled and depending on sections, a very cool red, white, black and yellow color scheme.

The big question is will people come to the game, one in which as of now the Terps stand at around five point underdogs. Either way, it is up to the football team to carry Maryland athletics until the basketball team settles down and gets back on track. 

A Look Ahead to the 2012 NBA Free Agency Class

Last year, at this time, NBA fans were watching one of the more unbelievable /disappointing /embarrassing displays of ego of all-time unfold right before our eyes.  What resulted was the most universally hated team in decades, a surreal fall from grace for the league's superstar and eventually the Eastern Conference champions.

Some people loved the idea of a nationally announced decision (mostly Lebron supporters, who didn't realize what an ego-driven dick Lebron was) but most people hated it, seeing it as all that is wrong with the modern athlete. They thought it should be done the Kevin Durant way: silent and under-the-radar (a Tweet, actually), without any plans to boost your own ego by thrusting a knife into the back of an entire city on national television.

The fact of the matter is, everyone still watched. And all of that was way more interesting than the shit that's going on right now.

Pittsburgh Pirates and Washington Nationals, Americas New Teams

The public in the United States of America is a sucker for the underdog story. We like it at the horse track, we like it in movies, and we especially like it in the sports world.

For most casual fans of a sport, it is hard to not get behind a team and jump on the bandwagon as they rise from the bottom of the standings to the top.

As a New York Yankees fan, I have always had little vested interest in the National League, and as shown by the last eight seasons of inter-league play, have thought it was not up to par with the American League.

Yet, there are now not only one but two NL teams that I can't help but root for, and I actually think I may get more genuinely excited when I hear that they won than when I hear the Yankees do.

The two teams I am referring to, are of course, the Washington Nationals and Pittsburgh Pirates.

To give you a frame of reference for how bad these teams have been in the past, let me throw you some numbers.

The last three years one of these two teams have been the worst team in all of baseball. Also in the last three years both of these teams have finished last in their division. The Pirates have actually finished last in their division the past six years, and the last time they were not on the bottom was when the Nationals were actually the Montreal Expos. In the same time frame the Nats have finished last in the NL East five of six times.

To say these teams have been bad, and bad for a while, would be an understatement.

Yet when you look at their records now, you find that not only are both not in the bottom of their division, they are actually both above .500, and could easily contend for a playoff spot. Pittsburgh is only two games back of St. Louis in the NL Central.

What makes both these teams even more exciting is that the best is still yet to come. The Nationals have future stars in Stephen Strasburg and Bryce Harper, while the Pirates have Andrew McCutchen.

As someone who lives in the DC metro area for most of the year, and have attended a Nats game more recently than any other MLB game, I can tell you I am very excited to watch the Nationals games down the homestretch. I'll also be following along with the Pirates, who have a much better chance of doing the unthinkable and making the playoffs.

I know both these teams have gained my attention, and the sports media pack is starting to pick up on it too. The big question will be can these teams sustain this effort through the second half of the season. I sure do hope so, both for my personal pleasure but more for the fans that have stuck it out with their team for so many years and it has now been made all worth it.

Tune Into the Yankees' Games, Cause Jeter Is Reaching 3,000 Soon

A brief minor league appearance may have delayed Derek Jeter, but he now sits just four hits away from reaching the magical 3,000 hits.

Jeter's pursuit has become a national story, as he is one of the few players, and one of the very few New York Yankees, to have made it through his entire career without a tarnished reputation due to steroids, women, and the such.

The fact that Jeter has hit a few bumps in his path to 3,000 should make it that much more exciting when he does hit the number. The Yankee captain really struggled through the first part of the season, and suffered a calf injury that slowed him down.

I thought a cool idea would be to have people share their favorite Derek Jeter memory, so spread the word and add it in the comments section.

Why the US Can't Afford To Lose To Sweden

The United States will play their third and final pool play game Wednesday, when they take on the other undefeated team in the group, Sweden.

While both teams have six points with wins over North Korea and Columbia, the US has done so in a much more convincing fashion, with a goal differential of five as opposed to just the two goals Sweden has put up over in their two shutouts.

This means that either the winner of the match will be the winner of Group C, or if there is a tie the US will advance. The reason this is so important is that the loser of the match, and second place finisher in the group, will most likely take on Brazil.

Brazil has been very strong on the international level the past few big tournaments, and also has the best women's player by far in the world in Marta.

Obviously the US was not planning on throwing the match against Sweden, but they need to make sure they keep the foot on the pedal and don't let a run get behind them.

It is not crucial that the US wins this match, as all they will gain is momentum and personal satisfaction, but it is crucial that they do not lose.

Antonio Cromartie Goes On Twitter to Complain About Visitation Rights

Lets take a break from the NHL free agency coverage to talk some football, or at least something related to football.

Antonio Cromartie, who last year played for the New York Jets and will become a free agent once the lockout ends, took to Twitter Saturday to complain about his lack of visitation rights.

Why You Want This Man Running Your Hockey Team

"I'm taking my talents to South Beach." -LeBron James

In what has now become the most famous reference to Miami since this, last summer LeBron James announced he was heading to the Miami Heat to join Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh.

This summer, it is a different sport and different Miami team that has players saying 'I'm taking my talents to South Beach,' the NHL's Florida Panthers.

NHL Free Agency Day 1 Remarks

Well folks it is July, and along with those BBQ's we will all be having this weekend while enjoying our nations independence comes the beginning of free agency in the NHL.

At 12 noon eastern time Friday the flood gates opened as teams were officially allowed to sign players that were on other teams rosters the past season.

Photo From Ebay Ad

Of course it would be absolutely ridiculous to go through every player that was signed, so I'm only going to give my two cents on the most important signings (or lack of signings in Brad Richards' case) of Day 1.

Why You Should Watch John Wall and Co. (And How They Might Be Pretty Damn Good Too)

Get excited for the Wiz show, Washington. And I don't mean this. Or this.

I mean this. And this. And this.

I never thought I'd actually say this, but the Washington Wizards are well on their way to becoming one of the more exciting teams in the NBA; a team that I will actually try and watch next season. Maybe even make my way to the Verizon Center once or twice. And I don't think I'm alone with thinking this.

That's what happens when you draft as well as they have the past couple of years. Obviously some luck was involved. Winning the lottery to get John Wall in 2010. Having Jan Vesely drop to #6 in this year's draft. And, possibly most miraculously, having Chris Singleton, the best defensive player in the draft, drop to #18.

USA- North Korea Live Blog

USA Kicks Off Women's World Cup Today

The USA will open up their bid to back up the number one ranking when they begin pool play Tuesday at noon.

The American ladies will be taking on a North Korea team that is ranked 8th in the world, but that almost no one knows anything about.

The USA is the top ranked team according to FIFA, but it has been Germany who has won the last two World Cups.

For the USA to win they are going to need Abby Wambach to perform at great heights. As shown in the England Mexico game, headers will go in even from 17 yards out, and Wambach can do that.

The other key for the US is of course in goal, where Hope Solo returns from a shoulder injury. Many consider the US to have the strongest goal-tending in the world, and it is going to be very difficult for North Korea to get shots off, let alone good ones.

I'm thinking the US is going to win this one, although apparently just last week they lost to Norway 3-0 in a closed door match, so it really depends on what team shows up.

Make sure to follow me on Twitter @cleyden1 for some uneducated soccer tweets during the match.

Chris' Quick Weekend Sports Recap

Hey folks, was in Albany this weekend so I was not able to get anything up here. Hope you enjoyed Mike's posts on the NBA draft, I know I did.

Just wanted to hit on some of the big sports topics of the weekend, in an extremely brief bullet point form.

NBA Draft Winners and Losers

Let's get this out of the way. My mock draft got embarrassed. But you know what? I'm pretty damn sure every one else's did too. There was such a ridiculous amount of uncertainty with almost everyone in the draft that it was near impossible to nail down what each team was going to do.  Nonetheless, I still enjoyed the ride. Let's see who drafted well, and who came out looking like dumbasses. Looking at you Sacramento.

Draft Winners:

Cleveland Cavaliers - When you get the top pick, and take the top player in the draft (Kyrie Irving), you're certainly off to a good start. Tristan Thompson is also a great talent, and they will be able to play and develop him immediately, which they wouldn't have been able to do if they had drafted Jonas Valanciunas.

Washington Wizards- Probably my favorite draft for a team. Jan Vesely is a freak athlete, and is sure to bring some swagger and excitement to Wizard fans. In his words, "Blake Griffin is the American Jan Vesely". if he can back that kind of talk up, he and John Wall are going to make some serous highlights on the fast break. They then drafted Chris Singleton, one of my favorite players in the draft, and one of the best, if not the best, defensive players in the draft at the 18 spot. Great value. They later drafted proven winner Shelvin Mack as a back-up guard.  Wizard fans have plenty to be excited about next year, with three quality players joining John Wall.

Detroit Pistons- They managed to snag the second best PG in the draft, Brandon Knight, at #8.  He will hopefully reach his potential and help lead the Pistons back to the playoffs.  Their second round pick Kyle Singler also brings a winning attitude to a team that hasn't done a whole lot of that the past couple of years.

NBA Draft Trade Summaries and Reactions

There weren't any "blockbuster" trades like I had hoped during last night's draft, but there were certainly enough to shake things up for next year (if we actually have a season). Here are some of the more important ones:

1) Charlotte- 7th pick ( Bismack Biyombo) and Corey Maggette
    Milwaukee- 19th pick (Tobias Harris), Stephen Jackson, Beno Udrih and Shaun Livingston
    Sacramento- 10th pick (Jimmer Fredette) and John Salmons

I talked about this a bit yesterday, but I can't stress enough how truly awful this trade was for the Kings. What did they actually accomplish? The had a worse draft pick moving from 7 to 10, and they took on an atrocity of a contract in John Salmons. Really baffling move. Charlotte came out of this looking pretty damn good, picking up Biyombo with the 7 pick. Add that to gaining a nice scorer in Maggette and the fact that they drafted Kemba Walker at 9, and the Bobcats are heading in the right direction.  Milwaukee gained a good young talent in Harris, Stephen Jackson, and a solid back-up for Brandon Jennings in Udrih.  The Kings must've lost a bet to MJ, because this was a joke of a trade for them.

2) Trail Blazers- Raymond Felton, 57th pick (Tanguy Ngombo)
    Nuggets- Andre Miller, 26th pick (Jordan Hamilton), future second round pick
    Mavericks- Rudy Fernandez and Petteri Kaponen

Raymond Felton showed during his time in New York that he is perfectly capable of being starting point guard in the NBA. He is definitely an upgrade from Andre Miller, and in my opinion is a much better value that Rudy Fernandez. I'm a fan of this for the Blazers. The Nuggets already have Ty Lawson as their point guard of the future, so losing Felton is not that big of a blow.  They also gain Andre Miller as back-up, and Jordan Hamilton is a fantastic value at the 26th pick. Not a bad deal at all for the Nuggets, who got rid of a player they didn't need for a very promising prospect. The Mavericks picked up a quality shooting guard in Rudy Fernandez, a postion where they could use a consistent starter since Jason Terry is far more comfortable coming off the bench. Also, J.J. Barea is likely looking for a hefty raise this offseason, and the Mavs may be unable to sign him back on, so Rudy fills that spot in the rotation. Overall, pretty sound trade for all three teams involved.

So It Begins...

We have our first developments of the 2011 NBA Draft! Here they are:

- The Cavaliers plan to take Kyrie Irving at #1 (obviously), but the surprise is that they now plan on taking Jonas Valanciunas at the #4 spot. I'm surprised not because I think Valanciunas isn't talented enough to go at #4 (he definitely is), but because he won't be released from his contract in Europe until January at the earliest. This may imply a number of things. 1) The Cavs don't care if this pick results in an immediate impact. 2) They anticipate a lockout may make this complication irrelevant. 3) Valanciunas is simply too talented to pass up.  I find it hard to believe that Dan Gilbert isn't trying to improve immediately, especially after his prediction of a title before Lebron manages one, so I have to believe it's option #3. They must be enamored with Valanciunas's game, so they are willing to risk playing a year without him.

- There may be some issues with potential lottery pick Bismack Biyombo.  Though he terminated his contract with his former Spanish League team in April, the team has decided to sue and a court date has been set. What does this mean? He may not get immediate clearance to play in the NBA. Yeah, I'd call that a minor issue if a team was considering drafting him with a top pick.

- John Hollinger tweeted that the Wizards invited staff members from the Czech Republic embassy to the team draft party. Now, I don't know much, but I'm pretty sure they aren't doing that to celebrate drafting Kawhi Leonard. Get ready for Jan Vesely Wizards fans.

- We have our first trade! Here are the details:

Charlotte Bobcats receive: 7th overall pick, F - Corey Maggette
Milwaukee Bucks receive: 19th overall pick, G - Stephen Jackson
                                              G - Beno Udrih, G - Shaun Livingston
Sacramento Kings receive: 10th overall pick, G - John Salmons

In my opinion, great trade for Charlotte. They now have two top-10 picks (7 and 9), and picked up Maggette.  The Bobcats need talent, and these picks should go a long way. Don't be shocked if they try and trade up either. The Bucks dumped a tough contract (Salmons), but Stephen Jackson is not at all pleased with moving to Milwaukee. (Not exactly an improvement from Charlotte. Just as dull, but much colder.) Awful move by the Kings though. Salmon's contract sucks. And they went from the 7 to the 10 spot. Maybe this was a set-up move to get Tony Parker? We'll see, but according to sources, the Kings plan on taking Jimmer Fredette at the #10 spot. I'm sure he and Tyreke Evans will get along famously.

There are plenty more trades and other updates on the way. Stay tuned NBA fans.

(Side note: My mock draft is going to get destroyed.)

NBA Draft Preview Part II

(Just a heads up, this is going to be a bit more abbreviated version compared to Part I.)

6) Jan Vesely, SF/PF - Washington Wizards

I went back and forth between Vesely and Kahwi Leonard plenty of times, but I think the Wizards go with Vesely here. He will likely replace the recently required, and aging, Rashard Lewis at the SF spot, and his ability to play both SF and PF will certainly aide the rebuilding Wizards. The potential is obviously there, and if he maximizes it, he and John Wall could eventually turn the Wizards into a playoff team.

7) Kemba Walker, PG - Sacramento Kings

It's becoming increasingly clear that Tyreke Evans isn't the point guard the Kings were looking for. Not to say Evans isn't a talent, he is. Selecting Walker here, and moving Evans to SG, would give the Kings a formidable back court to go along with promising young big man DeMarcus Cousins.

8) Kawhi Leonard, SF - Detroit Pistons

The Pistons need a consistent scorer for the future to go along with their extremely talented center, Greg Monroe. Not to mention current SF Tayshaun Prince isn't getting any younger. Leonard would be a great fit at this spot for the Pistons. (There are also rumors that the Pistons promised Leonard they would take him if he was available at this spot.)

9) Marcus Morris, SF/PF - Charlotte Bobcats

The Bobcats are desperate for some young talent, and Morris certainly looks capable of excelling on the next level.  Tristan Thompson is a player who I considered here, but he is more set in the PF position, a position the Bobcats are comfortable with because they already have PF Tyrus Thomas under contract. Morris is able to play both forward positions, and should help Charlotte almost immediately.

10) Klay Thompson, SG/SF - Milwaukee Bucks

With current SG's John Salmons and Michael Redd heading towards the twilight of their careers, the Bucks are looking to add a back court partner for PG Brandon Jennings. Thompson is an excellent shooter, a skill that will immediately benefit the Bucks while the rest of his game develops.

NHL Releases Schedule, 10 Dates to Circle Now

The NHL released the 2011-2012 schedule Thursday, with the season set to start in early October. Below are ten dates to circle as some of the best regular season games.

1. October 6- The season opens up on this night, with three games. The Flyers travel to Boston to take on the Stanley Cup champion Bruins, the Canadians take on Canada rival Toronto, and the Stanley Cup loser Canucks take on coach of the year Dan Bylsma and the Penguins.
2. October 7/October 8- The rest of the NHL teams kick off their seasons on these dates, but the real reason I pointed them out is because of the games being played overseas. The Rangers, Sabres, Kings and Ducks will all travel to Europe, with games in Stockholm, Helsinki and Berlin.
3. October 9- The first game in Winnipeg since 1995 will be when the still to be named Winnipeg team hosts Montreal.
4. October 15- The past two Cup winners play each other in Chicago. Also of note the Islanders and Rangers square off in what is my personal favorite rivalry in hockey.
5. October 28- With the Oilers selecting #1 Friday and the Avalanche selecting #2, this could be the first time these two players face off when Edmonton travels to Colorado.
6. December 1- Sydney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin meet in the Verizon Center as the Penguins visit the Capitals.
7. January 2- The Winter Classic is a day later this year, but that won't make it any less exciting as the New York Rangers take on the Philadelphia Flyers in an Atlantic division rivalry.  The game will be played at Citizens Bank Ballpark, the regular home of the Phillies.
8. January 7- A Stanley Cup rematch, the Bruins will welcome Vancouver to an arena that saw Roberto Luongo completely collapse.
9. March 20- With a bunch of games on the schedule as the season winds down, what that I really focus on is the Sharks taking on the Kings in a battle between LA and San Jose.
10. April 7- The last day of the season is also the busiest, when all 30 teams play in 15 games that could mean a lot to not only the playoff seeding, but who is in and who is out. Very smart by the NHL to do this as opposed to staggering the games.

This is of course just a taste of what the NHL schedule has to offer. If there is an important date I left out please let me know in the comments section.

Was Stamkos Right for NHL 12 Cover?

During the NHL awards Wednesday night EA Sports announced that Steven Stamkos of the Tampa Bay Lightning would by the next cover-boy for its very popular NHL franchise.

There seemed to be a lot of uproar about Stamkos being selected, despite him being one of the brightest young stars in the game. Judging by the comments on the photos on EA's Facebook Page most fans wanted Tim Thomas on the cover, not Stamkos.

I personally can see it both ways. Thomas did just lead his team to the Stanley Cup and had one of the best years in goal of recent memory, but it is very rare that a goaltender is shown on the cover. The last one to be on the EA Sports cover was John Vanbiesbrouck all the way back for NHL 97.

It makes sense that EA wouldn't put a goalie on the cover, because for the most part you are never playing as the goalie, even though there seem to be big changes to the goalie play this year.

The good news, at least we didn't get a third straight Chicago Blackhawk on the cover.

Overall Stamkos seems like a solid choice, and it could bring some welcomed publicity down to Tampa.

NHL Awards Prediction Time

The NHL Awards are on tonight at 7 on Versus, and are a great way to cap off a relatively memorable NHL season.

Consider this The Technical Fouls official predictions for who takes home the hardware. If you don't agree comments are always welcome at the bottom.

Hart Memorial Trophy: Daniel Sedin- This is a tough choice, as all three candidates (Sedin, Martin St. Louis, Corey Perry) had stellar seasons and will be deserving of the award one year or another. Of the three, Sedin was the only one to go over 100 points, and also blew the other two out of the water in plus/minus, with a plus 30. Sedin's Canucks won the Presidents Trophy (given to team with most regular season points) and Daniel was a large part of that. I don't think he should, or will, be penalized for having a better team than the other two candidates.

Why a True Hockey Fan Knows To Avoid ESPN

The NHL awards are Wednesday (predictions to come sometime before the actual awards) and ESPN thought it would be a good idea to put a page together that allows fans to vote on each award.

A pretty decent idea, if it were executed. Of course ESPN, who puts maybe .001% of their budget towards the NHL, would find a way to screw this up. All I can say is thank god ESPN didn't win the TV rights for the NHL.

Anyway onto the mistakes:

Here is the link to the original story, but I'm sure by the time you read this these mistakes will have been fixed. Because of that there are screenshots below.

http://espn.go.com/sportsnation/post/_/id/6688754/who-walk-away-vegas-winner

First up we have the Hart trophy, which is pretty much the MVP in the NHL. One of the nominees is Martin St. Louis. Anyone who has paid even the slightest attention to hockey over the past five years would know that St. Louis plays for the Tampa Bay Lightning, not the St. Louis Blues. Still, this is an understandable mistake compared to what's to come.

NBA Draft Preview Part I

Here's the first five picks of my mock NBA Draft. The rest of it will get posted over the next couple of days. Just a couple quick thoughts before I start:

The Clippers have to be kicking themselves for not protecting their pick in the deal that sent Baron Davis to Cleveland. They lost out on the number one pick and the opportunity to add Kyrie Irving to a team already boasting Blake Griffin, Eric Gordon and Chris Kaman. That's a possible immediate fringe playoff team if they make the right offseason moves, and a sure bet to be a playoff team down the road. Now? They're just praying that Blake Griffin doesn't go anywhere come his free agency period. Just a classic Clipper's mistake.

Cleveland just can't catch a break.  Though I think Kyrie Irving is going to be exceptional in the pros, they simply got fucked in regards to the 2011 draft class. Harrison Barnes. Jared Sullinger. Perry Jones. Terrence Jones. All these guys would have been perfect for a Cleveland team that needs about everything. Unfortunately, they stay in college, and Cleveland catches the #1 and #4 pick in one of the worst classes in recent memory. Onto the picks.

1) Kyrie Irving, PG - Cleveland Cavaliers

So I may have exaggerated Monday when I called Derrick Williams the Oden to Kyrie Irving's Durant.  Still, I've made my opinion pretty clear about Irving, and there shouldn't be any other course of action for the Cavs in the top spot. He's the only guaranteed franchise player in the class, and as a result the only one worth taking with the first pick. The Cavs are claiming that they haven't settled on him yet, but ESPN's Ric Bucher reported that they decided on selecting Irving Monday. The good news if the Cavs don't pick him? We should be able to enjoy some quality riots in Cleveland. Granted, there isn't too much left worth destroying in that city, but they could probably tip over some abandoned cars and throw leftover flaming Lebron jerseys at failed businesses.

2) Derrick Williams, F - Minnesota Timberwolves

As the only other player in the draft being mentioned in the same breath as Irving, it's safe to say that the Timberwolves go with Williams here. Critics of this selection (there are few) are quick to point out that the Wolves don't actually need another SF/PF, considering they are set at both positions with Michael Beasley and Kevin Love, which would explain why they appear so intent on shopping the pick. According to ESPN's Chad Ford, the best current offer is from Phoenix, with Marcin Gortat and the #13 pick. Not a bad deal considering it fills a center need and they will still pick up a young prospect (SG Alec Burks may be available), but Williams is easily regarded as the most talented player behind Irving, and is far more likely to have an immediate impact than the majority of players in the draft. His potential is hard to resist, and I doubt Minnesota will be willing to let him slip through their fingers.

In my Irving post Monday, it may have sounded like I wasn't a fan of Williams, or that I believed he would be a bust in the NBA. On the contrary, I'm fully confident that he can reach an All-Star level of play if he can maximize his potential.  His career will certainly be helped if President of Basketball Operations David Kahn can pull his head out of his ass and make some sensible offseason moves (Trade Beasley for good value, acquire a veteran center, not draft the 19th PG in 3 years, etc.). But with Kevin Love and the long-awaited arrival of Ricky Rubio, there are worse situations for a young player to come into. Just ask Kyrie Irving.

3) Brandon Knight, PG - Utah Jazz

The Jazz are looking for their next franchise point guard after trading away Deron Williams. Knight is no Irving, but he's not a bad consolation prize.  The Jazz can wait to fill other needs at the #12 spot, and Knight is far too good a player to drop out of the top 8.  The Jazz, if they were enamored with Kemba Walker or Jimmer Fredette, could go in another direction with this pick, and select Jimmer later, or trade up from their #12 spot to take Kemba. Options at this spot other than Knight would probably include two of the promising European bigs, Enes Kanter or Jan Vesely. However, the Jazz are pretty comfortable right now with the young frontline of Al Jefferson and Derrick Favors, so I say they stick with Knight.

4) Enes Kanter, C - Cleveland Cavaliers

The Cavaliers have already added their franchise cornerstone with Irving, so now comes the building around him.  A big man who has the potential to be one the top centers in the NBA is a good place to start. He's no Jared Sullinger, but if he turns out to be as good as advertised, the Cavs are coming out of this draft heading in the right direction. Jan Vesely is a possibility, but Kanter seems to be getting the most interest from the Cavs. (It's still the top 5, and I'm already talking about two random unproven foreigners. God this draft sucks.)

5) Bismack Biyombo, PF - Toronto Raptors

Jan Vesely is the popular pick here. But do the Raptors want to go with another European big man with a top 5 pick? Sure, scouts are saying that Vesely is in a different mold than Bargnani. A great athlete, defender and tough player, who has the ability to play at SF and PF. I'm just not sold on him. The Raptors need a big time player with this pick if they have any intention of reaching the playoffs in the next 15 years.  I simply don't think Vesely will develop like the Raptors will hope.

Biyombo is an absolute freak, and a defensive monster. I think pairing Bargnani's offense and Biyombi's defense is a combination that the Raptors can build on. And if Biyombi can continue to improve his offensive game, he has the potential to be an All-Star. He also seems like a nice guy, if that counts for anything.

Part II coming tomorrow...

Will Soccer Fever Hit the US Again

Soccer, or as the rest of the world calls it Football, may be the most played sport by youth in America, but it is not so popular when it comes to being watched on TV.

The one exception to this rule is the World Cup, when the entire world is captivated as countries battle it out to say they are the best team on earth.

The men's World Cup was last summer, and the US had enough success that people in this country really got behind them, and began to watch all the games.

Now the women's World Cup will be starting up Sunday, and with the US women ranked number one in the world, there is a good chance they will have even more success than the men.

The question becomes will people watch these games, or is it like the WNBA compared to the NBA and softball compared to baseball where there is a severe drop-off of viewers.

In all honesty, I have a feeling people are not going to watch the US pool play games, and it is going to take until the semi-finals or finals for them to draw enough buzz for most people in America to tune their TV's to the games.

If we can have another repeat of 1999, with this memorable moment, then people are going to watch. But if the US struggles, the general public is just going to be counting down the days until the men's World Cup.

Cleveland, Please Pick Kyrie

If the Cavaliers don't pick Kyrie Irving with the first overall pick in this year's draft, and in all likelihood select Derrick Williams instead, they will be making one of the worst draft decisions in NBA history. Not quite Bowie over Jordan, but certainly on the level of Oden over Durant.

The fact of the matter is that in this god-awful excuse for a draft, Irving is widely considered the one sure thing, a notion that I actually agree with. He's explosive, and a player who can create his own shot, and a shot for others, something that is necessary in this league, a fact that Kevin Durant learned the hard way in the Western Conference Finals. He is a player you build around. His skills allow him to not only excel as an individual, but allow him to take his teammates to a higher level.

And it's all the better that he's a point guard.  If the Cavaliers have any intention of fulfilling their owner's ludicrous prediction of winning a title before Lebron, they have to deal with the likes of Derrick Rose, Rajon Rondo, John Wall, Deron Williams, Brandon Jennings, Jrue Holiday and Darren Collison in the Eastern Conference alone. Unless you're the Heatles, you don't get by without a steady point guard in this league.

He's also calm. And dedicated. And quietly confident. Not a hype machine who already has a deal with Nike proclaiming that he's some kind of monarchy. No, Cleveland doesn't need another superstar who cares just as much about his brand as he does his team. They need a foundation. Irving gives them that. That rock you need in this league if you want to have success, not for the next three or four years, but for the next 10 or 12.

Sure, he's not Lebron James. He's not Dwayne Wade or Blake Griffin. Hell, some could argue he's not even Derrick Williams, the specimen who put on as athletic a show as we have ever seen in the NCAA Tournament, and had pro scouts practically wetting themselves.

And you know what? Good. Perfect. Because Cleveland doesn't need another jaw-dropping athletic freak who will make 2 to 3 "holy-shit" plays a game, then fold when it gets tough, or worse, bail.

They don't need a Chris Webber or a Vince Carter. They need a Paul Pierce. A Dirk Nowitzki.

They need a player who's in it for the long haul. They need a leader. They need a competitor who won't let the Cavaliers sit around as a perennial lottery team. They need a guiding force out of the cellar of the NBA. They need Kyrie Irving.

So pick him, please.

Remembering Bias

It's a full day late, but I'd be ashamed of myself if I didn't take the time to acknowledge one of the greatest tragedies in all of sports: the passing of Len Bias.

His impact on Maryland basketball was obvious, winning an ACC Title and becoming an All-American. A lot of this is covered in a terrific "30 for 30" documentary called "Without Bias".  (Side note: You aren't a real sports fan if you haven't watched at least one of these "30 for 30"'s, they're awesome. My personal favorite is "The U". Just a bunch of cocky sons of bitches kicking white-boy ass and changing college football forever.) He was drafted second overall by the Boston Celtics in the 1986 NBA Draft, then overdosed two days later on cocaine. His death sent shock waves through the entire country, forever changed how we treated drug use and altered the entire landscape of the NBA. For the sake of keeping this blog at a reasonable length, I'm going to focus on the immediate impact this had on the Boston Celtics, just to illustrate the actual damage his death did to the team.

The Celtics were the defending champions at the time they drafted Bias. Here's a brief list of the major names on the returning roster that you might recognize: Larry Bird, Kevin McHale, Robert Parrish, Bill Walton, Danny Ainge, Dennis Johnson and Rick Carlisle. And they were about to add the most explosive player to enter the NBA since Jordan. I believe the phrase you are looking for is "holy shit".  The following year, without Bias (or anyone from the #2 pick), they returned to the NBA Finals and lost to the Lakers in 6. Take a second to imagine what that team would have been capable of had they added a freak athlete who could score seemingly at will. Now try telling me that team wouldn't win 70 games and a championship. Not only did the Celtics lose what likely would have been at least one more title, but without Bias, Bird and McHale began to wear down from the heavy minutes, eventually resulting in the steady decline of their careers.

It's hard to measure long term what effect he would have had exactly, but know this: the NBA, not just the Celtics, lost what could have been one of the greatest of all-time. Not to mention a perfect foil for Michael Jordan. R.I.P Len.

What To Do During This Sports Lull

So we have come to that dreadful part of the year where the NBA and NHL have just finished their seasons, the NFL is yet to start, and baseball still has way to many games to play for these to really matter.

Thank god this lull is during the summer, because as opposed to sitting around flipping through reruns of Seinfeld and Everybody Loves Raymond, sports fans can go out and enjoy the same games they love to cheer their favorite athletes during.

With this in mind here is a bucket list of sorts of five summer activities to try to do this summer, and hopefully this will at least get us to the MLB Playoffs and a NFL season.

1. Golf- The best thing about golf is that anybody can play it, thick or thin, old or young. It's actually a decent exercise and there is always space for improvement.
2. Water Polo- Don't worry, I don't mean the Olympic type of water polo where you tread water for over an hour straight. Instead throw up a small goal on the edge of the shallow end of pool, get a group of six guys together and play full tackle water polo.
3. Bike Rides- I remember the second I got my license I thought I would never need or want to ride a bike again. Now I look at the bike as not only a great source of exercise, but a pretty enjoyable ride. Unless your driving around in a car with no windshield you don't enjoy that breeze hitting your face. On a bike you do.
4. Beach Football and Sports in General- It's the summer, everyone is bound to take a trip to their local beach, whether it be on the ocean or at a nearby lake. Make sure to pack that football, soccer ball and wiffle ball so that once you get to the beach you are not bored sitting next to your lady friend who is trying to work her tan. The sand makes for an extra good workout, and chicks are totally into the athletic guys at the beach.
5. Roller Hockey- Yea, I know that no one roller-blades anymore. But with the ice melted it's time to hit the street for a little hockey. The best part about this game is that it can easily be played in front of your house with a garbage can resting on the curb as a goal. Grab some sticks, some blades and some balls and enjoy a great workout that can get very competitive.

I'm sure you will enjoy those five summer activities as much as I will. Hopefully we can all go back to sitting on the couch and watching preseason football by August.

McIlroy Roars Into the History Books

No tradition quite says Father's Day like the US Open Golf Tournament, and this year's was especially notable because of the performance by 22-year-old Rory McIlroy.

McIlroy shot an amazing 16 under, doubling up the second best score of eight under posted by Jason Day (who also seems to have a very bright future).

Some of my favorite moments of the tournament were:

• When McIlroy walked up to the 18th green on Sunday and after sinking the putt to win the tournament walked over and told his father "Happy Fathers Day." All I got my dad for father's day was a lame Apple TV gadget thing, Rory gets his dad the US Open.
• It's hard to not cheer for Y.E. Yang, but what made me love him even more was when I found out that he lives in Texas and that his kids are actually hockey players. I can't think of too many Asian hockey players in the NHL, and can probably think of even less players from Texas.
• The variety of putters used in the tournament was marveling. Adam Scott has long been known to use a long putter, but what really got me was the putter used by Robert Garrigus. Garrigus is a big guy, and I believe has the longest drive of all PGA Tour golfers. So when he walked out to putt for the first time and looked like he was using a mini-golf putter for a 6-year-old I couldn't help but laugh.
• Looks like Rory had a little fun with the trophy. Damn Irish.
• Speaking of the Irish, anyone see the guy throw the Ireland Flag at Rory's face as he walked from the 18th to the trailer to go over his scorecard. Don't know if it was supposed to be political or just some idiot, but Northern Ireland's flag looks like this, not this.

On a personal side note, I like Mike have been gone from this blog for way too long, more for other writing jobs than for an obsession with alcohol. I would say the odds are good that I will be slowing down my contributions to those to nothing, and with that upping my contributions here big time. Nothing like writing about whatever you like, and doing it alongside two good friends.

I'm Back

So, I've decided to start writing again. Not entirely sure why I chose to take this sabbatical in the middle of the NBA Playoffs, where I would have had plenty to write about my favorite sport, but it happened. I'll chalk it up to finals time, laziness and a minor case of alcoholism. Either way, I'm back kids. Chris and Sanchez may contribute from time to time, but they apparently have better things to do with their time than  put up with my immature bullshit, so no guarantees.

I thought about going through everything that happened while I was gone, then decided that there's no use living in the past, and the last thing you want me to do is ramble on about the Celtics demise or how much I hate the Heat.  Fortunately, we have the German Moses, and possibly Rashard Lewis, to thank for rescuing us from the monster that is Lebron, or as I lovingly call him, the next Karl Malone. Good for Dirk, but I'm ready to look forward. And by forward I mean to the shittiest draft in recent memory and free agency, providing that there's actually a season to be had.

Here's to hoping I can get back into my blogging groove.

Let's Cool It with the Kobe Talk

Is every done changing their underwear yet? No? I'll give you a minute, meet me in the next paragraph.

All right. Nice dunk. Contested, I get it. But why is the collective sports world ejaculating every time a clip of this is played? AP did it. Some guy at CBS Sports did it. My favorite overreaction comes courtesy of Ramona Shelburne (yikes) who appeared to feel like this was a dunk to win Game 7 of the Finals, not in the middle of game 5 of a series against a 7-seed.

"He sprung, more than he jumped. Like he used to. From a place only he knows how to reach."


Cool your jets Ramona. I'm pretty sure there are more than a few athletes who can reach "dunking on Emeka Okafor" heights.  The guy doesn't look like he can jump more than 5 inches off of the ground. 


"Only he really knows. Because only he ever jumps from the place he did Tuesday night."


Again, basically everyone over 6 feet has the potential to do this to Okafor. I love the guy from his UConn days, but c'mon. 


This is really just part of a bigger problem. Kobe is a great player, I admit that.  Sure, he never would have beat the Celtics in Game 7 if they had Kendrick Perkins, but that's beside the point. He is an absurd scorer, and has become just unselfish enough to not have everyone outside of LA completely hating his guts.  He probably is the best player of the past decade, with Timmy Duncan as the other contender. But I'm getting pretty sick and tired of everyone starting a Kobe love-fest whenever he accomplishes something that we should already expect from a guy who is as good as he is.  


I understand that everyone has been trying to force Kobe as the face of the league for the past decade. From Nike trying to thrust the whole, "Black Mamba" (A nickname he gave himself by the way. Only an asshole like Kobe would give himself a nickname.) thing down our throats, to the David Stern and the NBA bribing some girl in Colorado to keep quiet about the league's "super-star" trying to give her the trinity. Or rape her. Either way Kobe wasn't doing something good. But this is taking it too far. 


Let's not glorify a dunk just because he did it. Blake Griffin took a shit last week that looked relatively similar to that jam. Lebron James already ordered toilet paper with various images from that dunk. Hell, Nate Robinson is even wiping his ass with that slam.  Not entirely sure why I keep making analogies to taking a dump (maybe because I'm currently taking one), but you get the point. We've seen much better, let's not all have accidents in our pants just because Kobe did it. Especially you Ramona. 


And let's settle this now while we're at it. He will never overtake Jordan, Bird, Magic, Russell, Kareem, Wilt or Hakeem.  Those guys are legends.  Think about it. Think about how when fellow players and sportswriters look back on those guys.  It's like they're talking about Gods.  They speak with a reverence.  No one is going to be like that with Kobe. Many of the veterans still see him as the petulant kid who had Shaq (and, oh I don't know, 6 more championships) forced out of LA just so it could be his town.  Many remember when he threw a hissy fit and almost signed with the Clippers.  Those guys ahead of him wouldn't have done that, and that's why he'll never be greater than them.

Man Crush of the Week

In my opinion, this wasn't even close. Sure, you could argue CP3 after that game he had Sunday night. But there wasn't a better story out there than Brandon Roy's absurdly emotional week.  I understand every writer with a computer has already expressed their admiration about this already, and you might be tired of reading about it, but I want to talk about it, so I don't give a shit what you want.  My blog, my rules.

Roy was a 3-time All-Star, and one of the more automatic shooters in NBA 2K10, which results in huge bonus points for me.  Unfortunately, he must've traded knees with this guy at some point during his NBA travels. All right, maybe not that bad, but the fact of the matter is he lost his explosiveness. Those knees simply couldn't handle a full NBA season, at least not as a starter, especially not a go-to-guy. Roy then got knee surgery on January 18 to try and rectify it.

Now, I'm a gifted athlete, and a physical specimen, and as such I have never torn a ligament or broken a bone.  The worst injury that has happened to me was when I needed stitches on my elbow after trying to luge down a hill on my skateboard and I flipped over. Suffice to say, I don't know jack about serious injuries. Which makes what he did Saturday night all the more impressive to me.

Now, if he had "simply" (Ha.) dropped 24 in the flow of the game, that would've been a superb story all on its own.  But no. He did this in a 23-point comeback against the 3-seed in the West. Nuts.

Good for you Brandon Roy, and congratulations on winning Man Crush of the Week.

Called It

Well, what do you know, all of the predictions I made for Easter Sunday came true.

Boston swept. I mean, am I surprised? No. You don't win basketball games with just two guys. Especially when one is milking the shit out of some minor injury in order to gain sympathy points and avoid getting destroyed by vastly superior competition. (Amare.)

The Heat were bound to lose. Philly had been giving them a hard time for two of the three games, and they really wanted to win one on their homecourt. Also Lebron is a choke artist, so we'll enjoy seeing this one go to seven games thanks to Lou Williams averaging 25 points each of the next two games.

So, Dwight only had 29 points and 17 rebounds in a loss. My bad. He still dominated, again, as his teammates sat around with their collective thumbs up their asses. I'll be happy to see how many Orlando "fans" there are when Dwight leaves in 2012. Probably about 17.

CP3 did it again. Just took it to the Lakers. He had as many rebounds as Gasol and Bynum combined. Are you kidding me? How embarrising is that? Two seven-footers got outrebounded by a six foot guard who has been having recent knee trouble. Those Lakers. Everyone but Kobe is ridiculously soft.

And hockey had two overtime games. Told you it would be exciting. (Also, who called the Blackhawks taking it in 7? This guy.)

So yea, if you ever have a wedding to go to or something like that, just come back here if you want to know what's going to happen in the day of sports.

Happy Easter

"Damn. Didn't see that one coming." - The Jews/Whoever else crucified our boy JC roughly 2000 years ago today.

Happy Easter everybody! Enjoy the plethora of sporting events that unfolds before you. Celtics sweeping. Heat botching a chance to do so in Philly. Dwight Howard realizing that Orlando REALLY sucks after dropping a 40 point-20 rebound performance in a loss. CP3 making Derrick Fisher cry into Kobe's arms. And hockey should figure to be mildly entertaing during the NBA commercials. Enjoy!

MSG, You've Been Rondo'd

When Rondo plays like this, he's without question in the debate for the top point guard spot in the league. 15 points. 20 assists. 11 rebounds. First playoff triple-double in MSG since some guy named Jordan in 1993. New single-playoff game assist record for the Celtics.

People thought MSG was gonna be rocking. You know, inspire the Knicks to victory. Hell, I'll admit, I was worried that it was gonna turn into the MSG of old. Well understand this New York bandwagoners. Melo isn't Bernard King, no matter how many 42 point games he has. Billups isn't Earl Monroe, no matter how many times people try to force the nickname, "Mr. Big Shot". Amare isn't Willis Reed. Willis Reed ate back spasms for breakfast, and would kick Amare's ass with both legs broken.   (Now that I think about it, bandwagon fans have no idea who those legends even are. Pathetic.)  This isn't a championship team. Try as hard as you want to convince yourselves, these guys by themselves are not bringing a championship back to MSG. Not with Jared Jeffries and Bill Walker flanking them. 

Maybe if they sign CP3 or Deron, they'll have a shot. But until then, enjoy these first round exits. 

A Post About Golf

Mike asked me to write about golf, and why not now right after a exciting finish at the Masters and Tiger Woods starting to regain his old form.

First the Masters: Overall it was an exciting last day of golf, with Rory McIlroy collapsing and some random South African guy winning. (I believe his name was Charl, a strange misspelling of Carl) Charl made a great run with plenty of birdies to end it, but it was a bit awkward because he was in the second to last group and had to wait until McIlroy and Angel Cabrera finished. There is no solution to this problem, and golf does it the best way possible, but there is nothing more exciting then the final pairing coming up to the 18th green with each putt having the Green Jacket hanging on it.

Now on to Tiger: Do I think what Tiger did was wrong? Absolutely! Do I cheer for him now? No doubt! There is nothing better than someone doing the time for the crime they committed, and no one has done that more than Tiger Woods. (besides maybe Michael Vick) Woods has paid the price for his actions, and to see him bounce back and make noise at a major is not only exciting but also great for the sport. The biggest difference I have noticed with Woods is that he seems more open to talking with the press, and I think he understands is that the best way to fix his image is to get out there and interact with the viewers. Although Woods interview was anything but charming after his finish on 18, at least he was willing to talk.

So there you go, and you thought I only know NHL. Feel free to comment below with what you think of Woods now.

This One's For America

Where you at Canada? Still dancing around, making awful Wiz Khalifa parodies? Didn't think so. Chalk another one up for Uncle Sam. See you in back in Boston.

Also, big ups to my boy Patrick Kane and the Blackhawks, making the US of A proud tonight with an absolute beatdown of those scrub Canucks from Vancouver. I smell a comeback. Canadians don't have the killer instinct. Only blind Patriotism could have me paying attention to hockey like this. I love it. 

While I'm here, I'm making my picks for the NHL's first round. Obviously I'm ridiculously late to the punch, but I still don't know much about hockey so it's like I don't know what the series are at anyways.

Boston over Montreal in 6. Boston is hot. Montreal is French. Hint: Canada losing will probably be a theme. 

Chicago over Vancouver in 7. Defending champs going out in the first round? Not an American team. After what I'm seeing tonight, they can rock the Canucks for the next two games for the W.

Anaheim over Nashville in 6. I think it's clear why I'm making this pick. It's the goalie!

Tampa Bay over Pittsburgh in 7. Not a fan of Pittsburgh. And Crosby and Malkin are out? Not cutting it for me. I still don't get who actually watches hockey in Tampa. They barely watch baseball there.

Washington over New York in 6.  That OT loss was a backbreaker for the Rangers. Choked it away. The Russian takes it.

San Jose over Los Angeles in 6. I really just don't like Los Angeles. That's all I've got for this one. Sharks are bad ass too. 

Apparently I missed the boat on Detroit over Phoenix. Would've picked a sweep anyways, Phoenix sucks. 

Buffalo over Philly in 6. Big ups to Ryan Miller, who's basically the only player I know on either team. Guy's an American hero. Also, I hate Philly. Nothing good has come from that shithole except this. 

What's up Chris? I thought you were the hockey guy? Maybe just start blogging about golf or something, I've got this. 

I'll Take It

Sure, we were playing Carmelo and the kids from Rebound. But a win is a win. Get the brooms ready.

That was honestly a surreal performance by Melo. Some of those shots were absolutely absurd. But honestly, in the biggest moment, he's gonna dump it off to Jared Jeffries? Where's the killer instinct? Also, how about the Knicks just chilling and letting 3.5 precious seconds run off the clock before they fouled. Got to love the coaching there. Guess that's the difference between a championship team and, well, a #6 seed. See you in MSG kids.

PS. KG hit a clutch shot instead of Ray or Paul Pierce. Pleasant surprise.

You're Kidding Me, Right Prisco?

Mr. Prisco of CBS Sports decided to write up his top 100 players in the NFL. That's cool. I can get behind a list where my boy Peyton is at the top yet again. But Prisco had something up his sleeve.

"1. (tie) Peyton Manning, QB, Indianapolis Colts and Tom Brady, QB, New England Patriots: How can you pick between them? Rings? Advantage to Brady, but Manning won the last one of the two. MVP awards? That goes to Manning. Numbers? Manning. You make the call."

Are you f****** kidding me? This is outrageous, egregious, preposterous. Pick one! I'd be less upset if you picked that little ninny Brady.  Be a man and make your own decisions. What's the point of making a list in the first place if you're just going to hand out ties? That's like giving medals out for participating in a youth basketball league, it diminishes the use of a medal. What kind of self-respecting kid is going to show-off a medal that he received even though he went 0-25 and his only points came on his own basket? Maybe Brady as a kid now that I think about it. Either way, your list lost all credibility in my eyes Prisco. May God have mercy on your soul.

It's Baseball Season, Baby

Because no one cares about the NHL and its Canadian thugs, and because no one cares about the NBA playoffs six weeks before Kobe will win another title, we should all be excited for the return of America's pastime: baseball. And by pastime, I mean America's second favorite sport. And by sport, I mean a game played by guys who look like this.

Although only about 15 games in to an impossibly long 162 game schedule, there are still lessons that can be gleaned from the first two weeks of action. And, of course, there are stupid predictions to be made from these lessons. Without further ado, here are six bold, random observations/predictions that will inspire debate (and page hits!), but will prove absolutely true:

• Don Mattingly has already proven to be a better manager than Joe Torre.

Being a Yankee fan all my life, I've been conditioned to love Joe Torre. I've been taught to love and admire his zen-like approach to the game, his calm, easy-going demeanor, and his subtle nose picks that seemingly always are caught by the camera. But, being a manager involves two things: managing games and managing egos. Torre was the best, maybe ever, at the latter. He could not do the former.

The former Yankees, Mets, Braves and Dodgers coach notoriously blew out relievers arms by overworking them and never knew how to juggle his lineup. His batting ARod eighth in the 2006 ALDS ruined the third baseman's confidence and the team's chances. Likewise, his treatment of Matt Kemp has bewildered even the biggest Torre supporters.

Kemp is arguably the best outfielder in the National League and has been among the elite for a few seasons. Yet, during Torre's reign, Kemp repeatedly batted at the bottom of the lineup, usually eighth.

This year, led by Mattingly? The league's best center fielder has batted cleanup every game. As of games up to April 18, he's clubbing an incredible .474 (27/57) with 3 home runs, 12 RBIs, and 3 steals.

• Derek Jeter will never completely return to form. But, he’s still the most indispensable Yankee.

Being a Yankee fan (and a human being), I'm an enormous fan of the Yankee captain. Jeter's always been a class act, a great leader and a fantastic baseball player, but New York fans must come to this sad realization: he is not a steroid user. Before Barry Bonds and Mark McGuire and the like came along, players actually got worse as they aged. The shortstop will be 37 in June, and 37 year-old non-juicers don't hit .320 with 25 home runs.

Nonetheless, let's be real: Jeter can continue to hit .241 and show little to no power and the Yankees will still most likely make the playoffs. And when October rolls around, he will continue to prove he's the most clutch player of his generation. The Yankees need him for a month, not a season; let's let him deal with his struggles and admire him again in October. Or, we can admire him for this now.

• Carl Crawford (.127, 0 home runs, 1 RBI) will be just fine.

Red Sox fans, I get it, really. I've dealt with Mark Teixeira for the past two seasons. I know Crawford's .127 batting average, 0 home runs and measly 2 steals do not scream success. But, Crawford's still adjusting - remember, he's played his entire career in Tampa Bay. While the rest of the country got word of his prowess, I tend to believe Tampa Bay still isn't aware it has a baseball team. Crawford is now playing in an excellent lineup that can protect him and in front of an inspired, if hostile, fan base. Once he comes to terms with the radically different atmosphere, he will be the best left fielder in the American League.

• The Angels dramatically improved their chances this season by replacing Fernando Rodney with Jared Walden at closer.

Here's my biggest gripe with modern day closers: once one becomes a closer, he is forever a closer. The Fernando Rodneys and Brandon Lyons of the world are baseball's answer to the shitty, over-the-hill teachers who cannot be fired because they have tenure. The only reason Rodney was awarded the spot during spring training was because he had been a closer before. Just his being a closer was enough; the fact that he has largely failed as a closer was ignored. The Angels have already rectified their mistake, which is perhaps a testament to Mike Scioscia's brilliance. Walden is a young, up-and-coming reliever who, while untested, has loads of potential. Rodney, when tested, has continually failed the test.

• By not being God awful thus far, Gavin Floyd has assured himself a big year.

Floyd, the former highly-touted Philadelphia prospect, has found a nice niche for himself in the White Sox rotation. His overwhelmingly average 1-1 start with a 4.29 E.R.A. does not usually warrant a mention, except when when you consider his past - Floyd's an infamously slow starter. His career 6.01 E.R.A. in April is by far his worst, but after struggling out of the gate, he normally turns his season around. The warmer the weather, the hotter he tends to get, even boasting a 2.95 E.R.A. in June. If the trend holds true and his 4.29 E.R.A. is his worst month, he's in store for a breakout season.

• Pittsburgh will make a run at the wild card.

The Pirates have long been bottom-dwellers in the National League Central and for good reason: they possess the longest streak of losing seasons in professional sports with 18 (and counting). And yet, for once in a Buc's fan's life, there's hope. Andrew McCutchen and Jose Tabata form the most potent 1-2 outfield punch in the NL. If you don't know who Tabata is, learn his his name now. Thus far, he's the 9th rated player in Yahoo! Fantasy Baseball sporting a .320 batting average, 3 home runs and 8 stolen bases. McCutchen's begun cooler, batting .250 with 3 home runs and just 1 steal, but he's too talented for those numbers to continue. Neil Walker, their young second baseman, is also turning into a nice offensive player. Their pitching remains an issue, but with a solid defense and up-and-coming offensive talent, Pittsburgh will be a force to be reckoned with.

Man Crush of the Week

Before last night, I wasn't sure who the hell was going to win the coveted inaugural "Man Crush of the Week" award. (Keep in mind, this is restricted to only sports, and is based primarily on their performances, not their looks or muscular physique. Most of the time. Basically it's not gay. Not that there's anything wrong with that.) Then, this happened:

Well, that settled it. Ray Allen, congratulations. I'm sure this is an award you will cherish for the rest of your life. Now, just do this for the rest of the playoffs and you'll have about 50 more of these considering how long the NBA Playoffs tend to run.  And the way the Celtics played most of that game, we'll be needing you.

And just to address it since most people are talking about it, yes, that was a foul on Carmelo Anthony. Do I think it should have been called? Not that late in what was a physical playoff game. Don't get me wrong, I'm glad it was called and strutted around afterwards praising the brilliant NBA officiating, but if they called something like that on Paul Pierce I would've found that referee and tried to shove his whistle down his throat. What made it particularly hilarious was the hip check KG dropped on Tony Douglass the next time down the floor, which miraculously wasn't called.

Honorable Mention: Chris Paul, Derrick Rose, Troy Tulowitzki, Ryan Miller, Brian Scalabrine


PS. I'll gladly accept any nominations for athletes for "Man Crush of the Week". Email them in.

NHL Playoff's Update

In the same style as Mike did below, I'm going to quickly fly through the NHL playoffs so far:

-Defending Cup Champs Chicago Blackhawks are on brink of elimination, and it should come as no surprise. Chicago backed their way into the playoffs and lost a lot of key parts from last years team. They had a chance of winning Sunday's game but once Vancouver killed that 5 on 3 in the first I knew the Canucks were taking it.
-Kings vs Sharks has turned out to be one of the best series so far, and Drew Doughty had one hell of a game on Saturday (2G-2A, and yes he is a defenseman)
-Phoenix has dug itself into too big of a hole in both of the first two games and I don't see any chance of them coming back against the Red Wings
-The Preds are the team I'm cheering for out West, and they won a crucial one against the Ducks to go up 2-1. Also gotta love the atmosphere in Nashville of all places. Hope to see Shea Weber in an Islanders jersey next season.
-I didn't think the Caps were gonna sweep the Rangers, but I also didn't think the games would be as close as they are right now. Thankful to get Comcast Sportsnet DC because I don't wanna miss a single game for the remainder of that series.
-Shocked! That's how I feel about the Bruins being down 2-0 to the Habs. I had the Bruins winning the whole thing but they have run into a wall called Carey Price (65 saves on 66 shots)Claude Julien could be the sixth coach to see a pink-slip this offseason.
-Love the Sabres and Ryan Miller, but don't know if they can hold on against the Flyers. I see that series going to seven games.
-Could Crosby be back before the Pens series against the Bolts is over? Who knows, but without him I think Stamkos is too much.

Also, for those of you in the DC or NY area, pretty cool video up on the CSN website. Check it out here. It's in regards to that second period no goal as the horn sounded.

That's all for now, Mark claims to have a post coming today and maybe a podcast today too, although the weather forecast says 75 and sunny so don't get your hopes up on that.

Any Questions?

Sorry Reggie Miller. You had your fun in the top spot. But if I'm down two with ten seconds to go, I'm getting the ball to Ray 11 times out of 10. Welcome to playoff basketball New York. You celebrate in the first half. Ray and the Celtics will be taking the win home every time. Suck it Spike.

While I'm at it, a few random thoughts about the NBA Playoffs so far:

- Well played Amare Stoudemire. Sure everyone was excited about Melo, but when it mattered Amare sacked up. He was doing it before Melo got there too. 28 points, 11 rebounds. A lot of respect for the guy.
-Speaking of respect, Chris Paul is an absolute monster.  In LA: 33 points, 14 assists, 7 rebounds.  Personally, I think he's going to wear down.  LA is too strong to lose a 7-game series to what is almost a one man show. But if he pulls it off? Has to be one of the best playoff performances of all time. I do hate that Powerade commercial though. Awful.
- Grizzlies over the Spurs? Honestly not too shocked. Surprised sure, but the Grizz have been hot. Manu was injured. RJ has to hit that three at the end of regulation though. C'mon now.
-I've made my opinion on Dwight and the Magic relatively clear.
-Derrick Rose might walk on water.
-Aside from Ray Allen's three, this may be the best play of the playoffs so far.  Sucks they couldn't stick with the Heatles though. God I hate Lebron.
- The Mavericks are capable of closing a playoff game. Who knew.

Overall, this is why I love the NBA.

Well, Dwight Howard's Leaving in 2012

Did you see that box score? Absolutely absurd. 46 points (on 16-23 shooting) and 19 rebounds? In a loss?! I guess that's what happens when you have Gilbert "Suns Out Guns Out" Arenas and some Turkish guy as your wing men.  I'm just looking forward to welcoming Dwight to the Boston Celtics in 2012. 

Orlando is overrated anyways.  Aside from Disney World and Tiger Woods, nothing actually goes on there. It's not even as cool as Miami or as old-people friendly as Tampa Bay. The place sucks Dwight.

PS. If I'm TMZ, and Chris is the Post, then Sanchez is a sub-par nudie magazine. No newsworthy content, just a lot of strange and offensive stuff to look at. And after you skim through it, you feel a little sick to your stomach. Screw you Sanchez, go bang a 17-year-old. She wasn't even hot buddy.