Arbitrary Sports Blog

Backed into a Corner

2007-06-08T16:00:00.000-04:00

NFL Network reran the 2002 AFC Divisional playoff game last night in its entirety. While it was fun to relive the "Snow Bowl" game again and remember a couple memories that have faded over five years (converting a 4th and 4 in overtime, Larry Izzo recovering two consecutive Troy Brown fumbles), something disturbing caught my eye:

Tory James in his prime.

James, playing nickelback for the Raiders in the game, was one of the major reasons the Patriots were able to move the ball up and down the snow. He was terrible. He was giving Earthwind Moreland-type cushion to the Pats' street free agent wideouts. He was unable to keep up with Jermaine Wiggins' blazing footspeed. Ten times in the second half, Wiggins ran simple five yard outs towards James and Brady hit him.

James was 28 that night. It looked like he was heading towards a distinguished career as a defensive specialist with the Philadelphia Soul.

Today, James is 34 and is likely a starting cornerback on the Patriots' depth chart right now. If that scares me, it has to scare Bill Belichick.

He knows Eugene Wilson's name is already on Week 12's injury report (Questionable - Leg). He knows Randall Gay has an annual date with the IR around week 3. He knows Chad Scott is bald, Willie Andrews is a special teamer and some guy named Spann is also on the roster. He remembers Jeff Burris, Otis Smith and Terrell Buckley aging to the point where he had to cut them before the final preseason games. Duane Starks gives him nightmares.

If Coach Bill knows all these things, it can't be long before #22 is back. EVERYONE is calling this team a Super Bowl contender. There are no weak spots on this team. The third string punter is ripping up NFL Europa. Jabar Gaffney and Reche Caldwell, starting wide receivers on the second best team in football last year, could both be cut at any time. The offensive and defensive lines are young, talented and under long term deals.

As fantastic as the team is, if Peyton Manning is throwing target practice, a repeat of last year is a good bet. And Asante played in that game and even scored seven points himself.

In his last two games against James' Bengals, Manning has thrown for over 600 yards and seven touchdowns.

Marvin Harrison and Reggie Wayne staring into the eyes of Ellis Hobbs and Tory James?

That's scary.

Do what's necessary Bill: Resign Asante. Make number four official.

JD Drew: The Face of Baseball's Demise?

2007-06-07T15:58:00.000-04:00

Meet Greg Dobbs.

If you've met him before, you're either from Philadelphia, involved in an NL East only fantasy league or Tim Kurkjian.

Greg's a hard working guy. He's left-handed. He is an adequate defender at multiple positions. He is a career .260 hitter and turns 29 in a few weeks.

On January 16, 2007, in a move that warranted one line of Associated Press copy, Dobbs was claimed off waivers from the Seattle Mariners by the Philadelphia Phillies.

His salary for the year, right around the veteran minimum, is $385,000.

Ten days later, in a move that took weeks to complete, the Boston Red Sox signed outfielder J.D. Drew to a multi-year contract.

His yearly salary, one of the highest in sports, is $14,400,000.

I think you know where this is going. Here are some season statistics, entering today:

Games: Dobbs 49, Drew 49

At Bats: Dobbs 101, Drew 161

Batting Average: Dobbs .267, Drew .224

Doubles: Dobbs 6, Drew 6

Minor Injuries: Dobbs 0, Drew 12

Triples: Dobbs 1, Drew 1

Home Runs: Dobbs 3, Drew 2

RBIs: Dobbs 22, Drew 17

Stolen Bases: Dobbs 1, Drew 1

Slugging %: Dobbs: .495, Drew: .311

Vacation Homes: Dobbs 0, Drew 7

Positions Played: Dobbs 5, Drew 1

Dobbs-Drew is a pretty fair fight. It's just one illustration of why baseball will never again be America's pasttime.

The scariest part of this? If you asked Theo Epstein today, in a secluded room with a polygraph machine, if he could go back in time and a) claim Dobbs off waivers or b) sign Drew, he would choose Drew and the lines wouldn't jump.

It doesn't even make any sense that people reference the financial aspects of J.D.'s contract. Money no longer means anything to the Red Sox. Nothing. If the Sox were seven games out today, Theo would be hammering out a deal at the draft for Rocco Baldelli, Jermaine Dye or Torii Hunter.

The Yankees invested over 100 million dollars into Tampa Yankees ace Kei Igawa, recovering steroid user Jason Giambi, all-star outpatient Carl Pavano and a 45-year-old man with a fatigued groin.

What could possibly be next?

Probably Mark Teixiera. Maybe Todd Helton. Perhaps Carlos Zambrano.

Is there any chance A-Rod and Andruw Jones are playing anywhere outside of New York, Boston or southern California? That would be stunning.

The only answer is a salary cap and that will never happen. Even if contracts became non-guaranteed (they won't), little would change. If the Red Sox cut Drew (they wouldn't), the Mets would sign him to a 5 year, 50 million dollar contract tomorrow.Baseball has officially become an auction for four or five rich people.

Sure, the Marlins won the World Series in 2003 and the A's and the Twins are competitive. But those teams are just training grounds for the league's elite. The Yankees, Red Sox, Mets, Angels and Dodgers won't win every world series for the next 100 years, but they'll be the favorites every year.

What fun is that?

I still watch every Red Sox game, still root for them and if they hang fifteen more banners in my lifetime, I will be happy. I'll even hold out hope that J.D. Drew turns it around and becomes what Theo & co. thought they were getting.

Even if Greg Dobbs would have done just as well.

Thoughts

2006-07-19T02:02:00.000-04:00

- I have been saying for years that Peter May was a moron. I even wrote about it in this space. After what happened Sunday, no one can argue with me. Boston Sports Media covered brilliantly what must have been the worst reporting mistake in quite some time at the Globe sports section. I personally didn't even read May's article because he's become so damn predictable you can pretty much write the column in your head. It's hard to take him seriously when nearly every Celtics-related column is negative. I've never put stock in what he says and now that he's proven that he doesn't know Paul Pierce's contract situation and doesn't care enough to spend two seconds checking it just proves that I haven't missed anything.

- I always knew the ESPY's was a big deal, but when did it get big enough to attract huge Hollywood stars like Greg Kinnear?

- The Redskins aren't going to pay a 3 million dollar cap hit to a fifth receiver coming off of an injury. Thus, I'm optimistic that one of my all-time favorite Patriots, David Patten, may be back in the fold before long. The Patriots are clearly at least one receiver short and DP would fit right in as a number 3, speed option at a cheap price.

- Football is in the air.The Pats' tickets have arrived. Syracuse has been unanimously voted last in nearly all Big East polls. Training Camp is only a week away. It won't be long until our weekends are two twelve hour days glued to the TV.

- I don't see any way the Timberwolves don't regret the Mike James deal. I like the guy and he played incredible last year to earn it, but it is too much money for a player who might be a backup now and definitely will be a backup in a couple years. With the trade kicker thrown in, this deal will hurt the Wolves in the future.

- I heard Red Hot Chili Peppers have a new song out. I wish the radio would play it.

- If my last name was Snow, I'm pretty sure I'd be General Manager of the Bruins. First, Red Sox beat writer Chris Snow randomly lands a high ranking job with the Wild. Now, Garth Snow makes the logical step from backup goaltender to general manager.

-Just starting Feeding The Monster. So far, so good, although I haven't got into any of the good stuff yet. One annoying thing is Mnookin wasting footnotes to explain things like On Base Percentage. He had to figure 95% of his audience would find such things elementary.

- I wonder how Matt Clement's back stiffness is doing. I hope it's not life threatening.

- It's really sad that not that long ago every big Pay-Per-View boxing match would be an event that filled bars or created family parties. The last two fights (Mosley-Vargas, Hopkins-Tarver), I have called a dozen "sports" bars and not a one carried the fight. Boxing is heading towards extinction.

-Random British Open pick: Nick O'Hern.

-Random B.C. Open pick: Bubba Watson.

A Rambling Case For Celtics Fans

2006-07-09T02:50:00.000-04:00

With the possiblity that Allen Iverson might be coming to Boston, a common theme has sprouted among mediatypes: Oooooh, the Celtics could be relevant again! Steve Bulpett wrote it. Jackie McMullen wrote it. The radio guys wrote it. Bill Simmons mentioned it. If AI comes to the Celtics, they will mean something again. What these mediatypes don't realize is that, while the Celtics may not mean anything to THEM, they do mean something, to a lot of people.

First, everyone seems to think a big star like Allen Iverson will get people excited for the Celtics. The Celtics already have a big star. Someone out there is keeping Paul Pierce consistently in the top 10-15 in jersey sales across the NBA. Pierce is a legitimate NBA star,a perennial all star, and, for a stretch last year, played better basketball than anyone else in the world. The media didn't care. We did.

And it wasn't only Pierce. Celtics fans got legitimately excited about the team's young talent last year. Delonte West, Ryan Gomes, Kendrick Perkins and Gerald Green weren't going to win anything last year, but that didn't keep Celtics fans from enjoying what they had. Look at the statistics. For the last two months of the season, even though the Celtics were a fringe playoff threat at bet, the"Garden" was sold out every night. Night in, night out. Look it up. Sellouts. Just to watch young kids who played hard and were getting better. WEEI spent all their time discussing Adam Vinatieri and Jeremy Reed. They didn't care. We did.

On Wednesday, I woke up to hear Sean Grande and Rob Bradford filling in for Dale and Holley on 'EEI (Holiday weeks are the best time to listen to 850. Don't get me wrong. I love 4 guys screaming over each other about how bad Julian Tavarez is as the next guy, but if you want anything else, the main guys need to be on vacation. I swear if you surveyed a thousand Boston sports fans and had them listen to a normal Big Show and a show with Rob Bradford, Tom Curran, Sean Grande and John Wallach, I can't imagine more than 100 would want to hear the Big Show.) Anyhow, hearing Celtics talk on the radio made me want to call in and talk Celtics. When I hear the usual Youkilis should be in the all star game banter, I don't feel at all like calling in to WEEI to talk about the Celtics. So, when people say that no one cares about the Celtics, it more accurately means that four fat white guys in a radio studio don't care. If WEEI gave Celtics' fans a venue to talk, we would. They prefer to believe that the Celtics aren't relevant and that has become the prevailing thought.

Celtics fans can't find an outlet on WEEI, but they are out there. They are selling out games. Thousands are talking Celtics on Celticblog, Celtic Nation and other places on the web. When the Iverson rumors began and the draft was hours away, Celticsblog crashed: too many people were visiting the site at once. All for a team thats "not relevant."

I watch every game that I can. I spend ten dollars and get to as many games as I can. I check the box scores. I read the papers. I write about the Celtics on here, probably to a fault. But I care about the Celtics, just like I care about the Patriots and just like I care about the Red Sox. And I know I'm not alone. Because I remember the excitement of Rick Pitino's first draft. I remember a packed Fleetcenter ushering in the "new era" with a win over MJ's Bulls. I remember Jim O'Brien injecting new life and the city responding with sellouts. I remember eating, sleeping and breathing the 2002 playoff run. I remember high-fiving hundreds of people after the comeback game, not wanting the night to end. I remember the Fleet rocking through two overtimes in 2003 despite facing a 3-0 defecit to the Nets and knowing the season was over. I remember spending two hours pirating a radio feed out of rural Indiana online so I could hear game 2 of the illfated 2004 playoffs. I remember Game 7 in 2005 being as loud as any basketball game I have ever attended, Carrier Dome included. I remember watching Sportscenter every night the Celtics played this spring just to see what Pierce did. I remember two hours ago checking to see the summer league box score. And I know I'm not alone because I have a bunch of friends who have the same memories and I'm sure there are thousands of others. Maybe Allen Iverson will get John Dennis and Pete Sheppard to believe that the Celtics are worth talking about. Maybe Pierce, Iverson and the kids will march to the NBA Championship and captivate New England Red Sox style. Maybe then the media will recognize Celtic Nation.

Then, maybe the Celtics will be relevant. Maybe they won't be. Either way, I'm a Celtics fan for life.

NBA Draft Redux

2006-06-29T15:47:00.000-04:00

- I hope the Celtics have something more coming in the next few days, because right now it's impossible to see the worth of what Ainge did last night. The Telfair deal I could live with. I looked at it as Ainge saying that he thought Telfair was a better PG prospect than anyone else in the draft pool. Plus, we save a little money, pick up Ratliff, not horrible. Then, however, he not only trades away a future first rounder, but takes on Brian Grant's contract to obtain the services of Kentucky underachiever Rajon Rondo. Unless someone like Philadelphia wanted Rondo and this is the first step in a major deal, it just doesn't make any sense. Rondo does not have the offensive skill set to contribute in the NBA right now. To call last year's Kentucky team mediocre would be generous. If Rondo had played at somewhere like Washington State, we would have never heard of him. But, because he was at a "powerhouse" like UK, he is a first round pick. It baffles me.

-I also don't buy this whole "He was the best player at workouts. They would have taken him seventh" mentality. If they had loved this guy so much, they wouldn't have made the Telfair deal in the first place. As far as the workouts, how does two hours of playing two-on-two with the likes of Will Blalock and Louis Hinnant overshadow two mediocre seasons full of basketball. When your career highlight is a last minute shot to beat 20-point underdog Central Florida at home, it's hard for me to say that you are headed for NBA superstardom.

-For all the grief Renaldo Balkman has received (all of it deserving), with his team's season on the line against Kentucky in the SEC tournament, he helped the Gamecocks pull out a 65-61 win. Rajon Rondo finished with six points. Balkman would ultimately carry South Carolina to an NIT title, while Rondo and co. were given a dubious dance ticket and bounced in the second round. If Balkman is such a laughable pick, how is Rondo not held in the same regard?

-One final Celtics note. Orien Greene is probably going to be released within hours. Not a great player by any means, but for a late second rounder, he overachieved. He hit some big shots and handled the offense sufficiently. He will be a solid backup point guard for someone down the road.

-I expected it, but I was still disappointed not to see Gerry McNamara's name called. The new NBA fad is drafting obscure foriegn players in the second round and hoping they develop overseas. I can't think of an instance where it worked out that way, but still everyone does it. What's more frustrating though is the midlevel college players that teams took in the second round. James Augustine? Denham Brown? David Noel? DJ Pinnock! Blalock? I don't think any of those guys are on-par with what Gerry did in his career. Then again, they probably looked like stars at the light shootarounds they attended.

- Memphis' acquisitions of Rudy Gay, Stro Swift and Alexander Johnson don't really speak loudly of the NBA future of Hakim Warrick. I hope Hakim gets a fair shot to develop, but the competition just got a lot harder.

- There are few analysts of any sports on any network better than Jay Bilas. He doesn't scream or make ridiculous statements. He just tells you what he believes and that's what I want in an analyst. He also was robbed of an Academy Award for his work in Dark Angel, which is a plus.

- 5 Winners:

Jazz - Three players who could contribute next year.
Sixers - Good value on Carney, who could start for this team next year.
Hornets - They still need a scorer, but they needed size and they got it.
Timberwolves - Randy Foye is still my pick for Rookie of the Year.
Grizzlies - Gay could be a star, Lowry could be a great point guard. The most potential of any team.

-5 losers

Knicks - Surprised?
Clippers - Paul Davis and Guillermo Diaz. If you were building an all-underachiever team, you'd probably start there.
Suns - Chose not to participate.
Wizards - Fran Fraschilla loved their picks.
Sonics - Wow.

Mock Draft Time

2006-06-27T02:04:00.000-04:00

1) Toronto Raptors - Andrea Bargnani, Italy
The Raptors will occasionally make a good draft pick (McGrady, even Villanueva) but often times they botch them (Araujo, Kareem Rush, Michael Bradley). This year, they are in a tough spot: #1 pick in a crappy draft. No player stands out as the must-have guy so the Raptors are going to have to make a tough decision. They'd love to trade the pick, but I doubt they'll find buyers. In the end, they will probably be overcome by the "next Dirk" statements and take Bargnani. I don't want to brutally insult a player that I have never seen play, but this pick could be more Tskitishvilli than Nowitzki.

2) Chicago Bulls - Adam Morrison, Gonzaga
Now, if the Knicks were here, I'm sure Isiaih would take the best available shoot-first swingman (most likely Gay). The Bulls, hopefully, will be more shrewd. They need some more scoring punch and Morrison could be the perfect fit. He'll never be Larry Bird. The people who make those comparisons are probably the same ones who say that "nothing has been proven about Barry Bonds" or "Dwyane Wade might be better than Michael Jordan." This garbage all pretty much pervades from the eleventh largest city in Connecticut and it is tiring. Morrison will be a solid NBA player but never a basketball God. This would be a good pick for Chicago.

3) Charlotte Bobcats - Rudy Gay, UConn

Gay isn't ready to be an NBA player. If guys like the Cornett(e) brothers, Demetris Nichols and the University of Albany's men's basketball team can contain you fairly well, you aren't bound to be Rookie of the Year. The Bobcats, however, aren't exactly looking for an instant contributor and will be able to have some patience with Gay. Gay could be a star. He's got the game and the athleticism for it. He was unstoppable at times in college. But the NBA is a different game and he will need to develop, but he could turn out to be the best player from this draft.

4) Portland Trailblazers - Tyrus Thomas, LSU

Here are the qualities that the Blazers always look for in draft candidates: youth, rawness, risk, untapped upside and usually character problems. Martell Webster, Telfair, Travis Outlaw, Qyntel Woods, Zach Randolph, Erick Barkley. All of them have the same characteristics. If you look at a list of their draft picks since 2001, only one player, 1st or 2nd round, attended college. Bet you can't guess who. Linas Klieza. And he never played a game for Portland. The no high-schoolers rule must have sent the Blazers' front office into a state of shock. They'll go for the best available thing and take Thomas. When people say that your absolute ceiling is Stro Swift, you probably shouldn't be the fourth overall pick, but that's the 2006 draft for you.

5) Atlanta Hawks - LaMarcus Aldridge, Texas

The Hawks need a point guard so badly that they should take Marcus Williams here. The fact that Tyronn Lue isn't playing pro ball in Bulgaria right now is astonishing. Despite this being so obvious, I just don't believe that they will pass up the potentially good post player (Marvin Williams) for the solid point guard (Chris Paul) that they need in the worst way. As for Aldridge, I'm not believer. In today's NBA, outside of Tim Duncan and Shaq, post players are nearly nonexistant unless you are dominant. LaMarcus scored 4 points on 2-14 shooting in the biggest game of his life. I don't think that will translate into dominant.

6) Minnesota Timberwolves - Brandon Roy, Washington

This is nearly a lock. The Wolves need immediate scoring help and Roy will provide it. They will have to consider point guard, but Marcus Banks just might be as good an option as Marcus Williams. The old draft addage says when in doubt, take the best player. Roy is the best player available .

7) Boston Celtics - Randy Foye, Villanova

What an exciting night it figures to be for Celtics fans. Even if the Allen Iverson rumors are just that, the C's are major players tonight. I'd love to see what Iverson could do with a wing player like Pierce. Would I trade our pick, Gerald Green, Big Al and Wally for him? That might be a bit much. I'd be hesitant to ship both Al and Green off in a deal for just one player. But, if Ainge can pull off a good deal for a player like Iverson, the Celtics would get some real buzz around these parts, which would be exciting. Another potential deal is trading the pick to Portland for Sebastian Telfair. I would prefer that to just drafting Marcus Williams and if the C's could get a late first from Portland, all the better. More often than not, though, trade talks never turn into anything and Randy Foye would also be a solid option. I've been supporting Foye's merits for months. I think he's got the most complete game right now of anyone in the draft. He is a guy who could contribute immediately next year and that is what the Celtics need. He'll have to work on his distributing, but the rest of his offensive game should translate well. If the Celtics end the night with a high-scoring guard from the city of Philadelphia, I will be happy.

8) Houston Rockets - Rodney Carney, Memphis

The Rockets would prefer one of the oyes, but will have to settle for the next best thing. Carney does have the best NBA athleticism of the three and can knock down a jump shot. He could have a solid rookie year playing alongside a healthy Tracy McGrady.

9) Golden St. Warriors - Shelden Williams, Duke

The Hawks may or may not have a promise in to Williams. But, assuming, they bypass him, he won't fall very far. The Warriors are stocked around the perimeter, but when Adonal Foyle is your best big man, a guy like Williams can't hurt. It is hard to envision Williams turning into a star, but his rebounding ability and post game make him a good value pick.

10) Seattle Supersonics - Cedric Simmons

The Sonics need frontline help and Simmons is the best prospect available.

Who Will Be Steals later in the draft?
If Marcus Williams falls, as many expect him to, he'll be a steal because he is a true point guard. You can teach weight training and conditioning, but you can't turn a true 2 into a good 1.

Same goes for Kyle Lowry. Although, he should have stayed in school.

Maurice Ager is a do-everything player who should be able to play in the NBA.

Quincy Douby, especially if in the right system, could be a poor man's Allen Iverson.

Steve Novak is 6-9 and can shoot. For Mike Dunleavy, that meant #3 overall. Novak could be a second round steal.

Allen Ray could be a good role player. Leon Powe could develop into something special.

Who Will Be Busts?

Rajon Rondo never impressed me while in college. How can you play point guard in the NBA if your team is so bad in college?

Josh Boone has no offensive game whatsoever. That doesn't work in the big leagues.

Ronnie Brewer will never be a superstar, especially in a league where defense has become obsolete.

Will Blaylock, Darius Washington, Guillermo Diaz, and Renaldo Balkman are underclassmen who could be headed for the NBDL.

Things That Make You Wonder. . .

2006-06-15T14:45:00.000-04:00

- I wonder where Gary Payton found his jump shot. He hasn't had one in about five years. He certainly didn't have one last year. I wish he could have found the fountain of youth or his miracle chiropractor one year earlier.

- I wonder if referring to Kasey Keller as "the best goalkeeper in the world" is akin to saying that somebody like Fernando Tatis is the best third baseman in baseball. The guy plays for a second-teir team in a second-teir league. In any other sport, that is a journeyman. In soccer, that's the best goalie in the world.

- I wonder just how hard David Wells is rehabbing.

- I wonder why Sergei Samsanov never developed into anything more than a servicable second string player.

- I wonder how J.J. Redick is going to feel fighting to make a roster after being selected in the second round.

- I wonder if Danny Ainge will still take the best available white player.

- I wonder how long it is going to take the Patriots to see that without D. Branch, the team's number one wideout is Reche Caldwell.

- I wonder how the Red Sox are on the verge of being swept by the Twins, who have arguably baseball's worst lineup.

- I wonder why the NBA needs to have 3 days in between two games in the same city.

- I wonder if Perry Patterson will establish himself as the worst three-year starter in college football history.

- I wonder who are the lunatics that are so excited about seeing pictures of a baby. But, then again, I am legitimately excited about Paraguay-Sweden.

- I wonder who are the geniuses that came up with the "cumulative yellow cards" rule in soccer. If someone picks up a yellow card in game one and a yellow card in game two, they are automatically suspended for game three. That is the equal to Dirk Nowitzki preventing an easy layup in game five and hacking Shaq in game six and being suspended for the biggest game of his life.

- I wonder who is a better player in the American League than Vernon Wells.

- I wonder who would guard Dirk Nowitzki on the 1986 Celtics.

- I wonder how the latest controversy affects Jason Grimsley's Hall of Fame chances.

- I wonder if boxing will ever return to the level it was at even ten years ago. I called at least 10 different restaurants and sports bars Saturday and not a single one was showing Hopkins/Tarver.

- I wonder just how long it will be before the Yankees upgrade their outfield. My guess would be no more than two weeks.

I'd Probably Just Ignore These . . .

2006-06-08T00:25:00.000-04:00

World Cup predictions from an uneducated soccer fan . . .

Group A (Top 2 in each group advance)

Will Win: Germany. Host countries always thrive. Doesn't hurt that the group looks like it was divised by Helmut Kohl .
Will Advance: Poland. Star goalkeeper and Champions League hero Jerzy Dudek didn't make the team.
Will Compete: Ecuador. Managed to defeat Brazil and Argentina as they were qualifying.
Will Bottomfeed: Costa Rica. Despite beating the U.S. in the U.S. to qualify, a point would be a success.

Group B

Will Win: England. With Rooney or without, they still shouldn't break a sweat in this group.
Will Advance: Sweden. Won death-group in '02. Should advance here.
Will Compete: Paraguay. Usually a tough out in the World Cup, will give Sweden all they can handle.
Will Bottomfeed: Trinidad and Tobago. If this were the NCAA tournament, they'd be Fairleigh Dickinson.

Group C

Will Win: Cote d'Ivoire: Book it. Africa's best team has one of the world's best players in Didier Drogba. The supporting cast is better than you'd think as well. The Coast of Ivory is going to shock the world.
Will Advance: Argentina: A world power, but will they be able to recover when the aforementioned Elephants knock them off on Saturday?
Will Compete: The Netherlands. They just faced Australia at home, tied, and lost nearly a third of their team to injuries. Didn't qualify in 2002.
Will Bottomfeed: Serbia & Montenegro. Not as much of a bottom feeder as others in this year's tournament. Some people actually think they will advance. This is the best group of the bunch.

Group D

Will Win: Portugal. My sleeper to win the thing. Must bounce back from disappointing '02.
Will Advance: Mexico. Don't like them. Don't respect them. But they are better than the other two.
Will Compete, I guess: Angola. They are the reason Martins, Utaka, Enyeama and the rest of my favorite FIFA team, Nigeria, are sitting at home.
Will Bottomfeed: Iran. The match with Angola might be a barnburner.

Group E

Will Win: Italy. As long as they stay away from fixing matches, they should be OK. Group is difficult, though, and the pizzalovers were so-so in 2002.
Will Advance: United States. Being underrated by people here on our own soil. The FIFA rankings may be skewed, but you can't ignore the fifth ranked team in all the land.
Will Compete: Czech Republic. This is the second ranked team in the world. It will all come down to the first match with the U.S. I'm going with the home team.
Will Bottomfeed: Ghana.I believe in African soccer. I believe Ghana will scare someone. But, I believe they will finish last.

Group F

Will Win: Brazil. Are you surprised?
Will Advance: Australia. Sort of an upset pick, but I was impressed by the Netherlands draw and GK Cahill may be able to steal one.
Will Compete: Croatia. Randomly third in 1998.
Will Bottomfeed: Japan. Not the worst team in the field. Did advance to round of 16 in 2002. On home soil.

Group G

Will Win: France. Easy draw, lots of talent, and motivation after a pitiful showing in '02. They also avoid Senegal this year, which is a plus.
Will Advance: Switzerland. Almost by default.
Will Compete: Togo. Defeated Senegal to make it to the Cup. Watch out, France.
Will Bottomfeed: South Korea. Just lost handily to Ghana in a friendly. The magic of being hosts won't be with them this year.

Group H

Will Win: Ukraine: I just can't root for Spain. They better not take the Ukrainians lightly. They were lights out in qualifying lead by Slava Medvedenko. Er, Andriy Shevchenko.
Will Advance: Tunisia. Another African sleeper. A gut feeling tells me they find a way.
Will Compete, but ultimately embarass themselves: Spain. Lots of talent, but not enough chemistry. Will beat Saudi Arabia handily.
Will Bottomfeed: Saudi Arabia. File under "Happy to Be There. Again. Somehow."

6 Thoughts on 06/06/06

2006-06-05T16:02:00.000-04:00

1) I hope that all the hosts and callers of WEEI are on record with their hasty conclusions on the Bronson Arroyo-Wily Mo Pena deal. Admittedly, ther 'Nati has had the better end of the deal over the past two months. Bronson Arroyo is off to a hot start in the national league and, now, Wily Mo is on the disabled list and David Pauley is the team's fifth starter. In vintage sports radio form, the trade has already been labeled a "mistake", a "failure" and a "joke." Ultimately, they may be right. Bronson Arroyo might turn into an all star pitcher and Wily Mo may never develop into anything more than a platoon outfielder. But let's look at the two and see if this deal really can be considered "one of the worst in baseball history":

Pena - The most glaring number on Wily Mo's baseball card is 24. That's his age. He turned 24 in January. He is over a year younger than Jonathan Papelbon, over two year's younger than NL Rookie of the Year Ryan Howard. Most players under 25 are considered prospects and haver potential. Why is Pena any different? It seems as though people wanted him to be a 40 HR guy right away and those kind of expectations are simply too high. David Ortiz was a rookie at 24 and managed ten homeruns. Derrek Lee had his first good season at 24. Carlos Delgado did, also. Will Pena be the next David Ortiz? Probably not. But I'm not giving up on him yet, especially with Trot Nixon's contract running out this year.

Arroyo - 29 years old. Career .500 pitcher entering this year. Though he usually provides quality starts, career ERA is 4.50. Undoubtedly, he was a great guy and wanted desperately to play in Boston. He is off to a great start, but doing so in the National League. With his stuff, it is hard to believe he'll ever become anything more than a better-than-average pitcher.

Bronson is going to have the better year this year. He might have the better year next year. But he is five years older than a guy who has proven he can hit for power in the major leagues. In two years, when Pena is heading towards a .280-35-120 season, everyone on WEEI will claim that they always believed in the trade. I believe in the trade now.

2) The NBA finals are going to be enjoyable and difficult to predict. I can't imagine not enjoying the NBA finals, but even "casual viewers" should enjoy Shaq/Wade/Pat Riley vs. Dirk/Cubes. Story lines abound and the basketball should be entertaining also. I am rooting for Miami (the Walker factor), but I will take Dallas in 7. The determining factor is going to be the two-headed Dampier/Diop monster. O'Neal is motivated to get another ring. The Mavs won't be able to stop him, but they (particulary Diop) did a sufficient job of containing Duncan and they will need to do it again in this series. Nowitzki on the other hand simply can't be contained. I'm convinced that he is the best player in the NBA. He is a particularly bad matchup for the Heat. Udonis Haslem is nowhere near quick enough. Antoine Walker would get torched. James Posey is probably the guy but he is only 6-8 and has been playing about 25 minuts per game. O'Neal and Wade will keep every game close but Nowitzki will be too much, especially with games 6 and 7 in Dallas.

3) Antoine Walker is still, far and away, my favorite NBA player, but his game has devolved to historic proportions. This is a guy who averaged 17 and 9 as a rookie. This is a guy who was an all-star in his second year. He's been to three mid-season classics. He's averaged 20 points or more 6 times. He was on the cover of NBA Live '99. Before this year, he averaged almost nine rebounds a game for his career. He lead his college to a national title.

Now, who is Antoine Walker? He's a three point specialist who isn't even very good at shooting 3's. He averaged 12 points and 5 rebounds. He is a role player. Almost fifty percent of his shots are threes. He has no back-to-the basket game to speak of. He can't shoot free throws. He doesn't rebound. Most people attribute this to the fact that he is playing with Shaq and DWade. This is bogus. Just because you are playing with good players doesn't mean you're game has to get worse. Watching Walker, you would think that he i a 38 year old gunner giving it one last shot. He's 29. He should be in the prime of his career. Third option or not, he should not be an afterthought. He should still be able to take games over. Employee #8 has been a good soldier in Miami, but it is hard to believe he used to be a great basketball player.

4) NBADraft.net has the Celtics taking Villanova's Randy Foye with the #7 overall pick. That is exactly who I hope they end up with. Foye isn't a perfect prospect. He might not be an NBA all-star, but he is the most polished player and could help the Celtics next year. Foye can shoot, can make his own shot and is an adequate defender. The Celtics don't need another project (Bargnani), another raw big man (Aldridge) or an average point guard that may or may not beat out Orien Greene next year (Williams). Assuming Adam Morrison and Tyrus Thomas are long gone, that will leave the Celtics with Foye, Rodney Carney, Brandon Roy or Rudy Gay. They all have question marks: Carney's jump shot, Roy's athleticism and Gay's experience. Foye lacks size, but if he could convert himself into a point guard, that would be all the better.

5) The Jonathan Sullivan for Bethel Johnson trade is essentially a bust-for-bust swap. It is seemingly impossible to try to figure who got the better end of such a deal. Sullivan had enough talent to be a top 10 pick. If Belichick and co. can't get anything out of him, he doesn't have anything. People have been saying Sullivan can't keep himself in shape and lacks motivation. If he doesn't change that, he'll be gone in August. Just ask David Terrell. Bethel Johnson didn't come into the league with as much acclaim, but his speed made Patriots fans envision a guy who could dramatically help the offense. It never happened. For a myriad of reasons (injuries, work ethic, unable to grasp offense), Bethel didn't play much over the last three years. He was a productive kick returner and made some big catches, but spent too much time on the pine. It's actually sort of shocking that he hung on this long. Coach Bill doesn't waste space on the 53. You can't teach speed, however, and that Johnson still has. With all his problems, it's surprising the Pats were able to pick up a player even of Sullivan's quality. Although, the Saints may be thinking exactly the opposite. Only time will tell if either player makes any sort of impact.

6) After watching Game 1 of the Stanley Cup finals tonight on the OLNVS Channel 65 network (a welcome retrieve from the Sox debacle), it made me even more upset at the sorry state of Boston's NHL team. The Bruins had (another) chance to start over in a positive way this offseason. They had a chance to hire a new GM, a new coach, get some new blood into the morose organization. Any signs of life would have appeased Bruins nation, even if just a little. Instead, they found a way to bungle everything. First, they have allowed coach Mike Sullivan to remain a lame duck coach for far too long. The guy didn't get the job done. It's time for a change. Why let it fester? Then, media and fans were lead to believe that the B's had found their GM: Ray Shero. The deal was done. And then, as always, money came into play. Within days, Shero was out of the running. A scroll down the list of candidates lead to Peter Chiarelli. Again, the Bruins botched the deal. They actually managed to get Chiarelli in the fold. Well, sort of. In order to get him, they had to part ways with a high draft pick, something very rare for a move like this in professional sports. Despite this, Chiarelli still works for the Senators. He doesn't work for the Bruins yet. With the draft and free agency around the corner, the Bruins now have no GM. The man in charge (Harry Sinden) has most likely reached the point of senilus maximus. He can't even put sentences together. I wish I could say that these problems are something new, but they are more the norm. The Carolina Hurricanes can become a great franchise, but an original six team in a great hockey city is good for nothing more than a few laughs.

All right, that's it for now. In the very near future, I will have a World Cup preview up and continue with the 100 greatest games feature.

Lest We Forget. . .

2006-04-30T08:05:00.000-04:00

I have to admit it's been both awkward and maddening to hear somebody besides the Patriots referred to as "Super Bowl Champions." Every time I hear someone talk about the World Champion Steelers, I get sick to my stomach. It might still have something to do with what transpired the night of January 14th. I think it's worth repeating:

On a long pass play, Asante Samuel was interfered with by Broncos receiver Ashley Lelie, but still managed to make a spectacular play and beat him to the spot, all while looking back towards the ball. For this, after an excruciating 5 second pause, he was penalized 39 yards. 7-3 Denver.
Denver added a 50 yard field goal before the end of the half, but video footage clearly shows George Foster jumping up from his position two seconds early. Normally, this would be a false start. Not on that night. 10-3 Broncos.
Champ Bailey intercepts a Brady pass and returns it to the one yard line, where he is hit by Ben Watson. He fumbles the ball inside the one and the ball travels to the back of the 10 yard endzone. It seems, and I'm referencing both common sense and physics here, that if the ball traveled eleven yards, it must have traveled through the endzone. Unless Champ unveiled his screwball, for the ball to have gone out of bounds at the one, he would have had to fumble the ball directly sideways. He didn't. It landed 11 yards diagonally in front of him. Belichick challenged. Call stood. 17-6 Denver.
Still trailing 17-6, the Patriots forced a punt. The Patriots feign an all-out block, but Troy Brown retreats and gets under the kick. He clearly calls for a fair catch by waving his arm in the air. He bobbles the ball and immediately is hit by Broncos' gunner Todd DeVoe. The Broncos recover the fumble and the game is all but over. However, the NFL rule book clearly states that, if a player signals for a fair catch, he cannot be interfered with until the ball hits the ground. This includes bobbling the ball. The ball was still being bobbled by Brown when he was drilled by DeVoe.
Logically, since the officials blew the call, Belichick should have challenged the aforementioned play. With replay, a penalty would have been assessed and the Patriots would have had the ball, good field position, and momentum. Belichick didn't challenge the play though. He couldn't. He had already used his two challenges. One was on the Bailey fumble. The other? Early in the second quarter, Jake Plummer had a pass intercepted by Asante Samuel. It was clear to the naked eye that Samuel had both feet in bounds and had possession of the ball. They ruled it incomplete. Belichick had to challenge in order to get the ball. Because Belichick had to waste the challenge on such an easy play to call, the Brown play stood and the game was over.

Maybe this is sour grapes. Maybe it is just a "coincidence" that all of the Broncos points were scored with the help of poor officiating. Maybe the NFL just wanted a new champion.

I'll say this though: If the Steelers had rolled into Foxboro the next week, I doubt I'd have a sick feeling everytime I hear Chris Berman use the words "World Champs."

The 100 Greatest Games of My Life: 90-81

2006-04-27T07:30:00.000-04:00

Note: If you missed part one, it is right below it. Scroll down.

** - in attendance

#90 Point Shaving In Person**
Syracuse 45, Boston College 17 (10/26/96)

God only knows how many games are being fixed or how many players are shaving points these days. It's most likely happening. But, until something new becomes public, this seemingly harmless game on a chilly October day in Chestnut Hill is the last game in which players bet on their own team to lose. No one could have known. It looked pretty much like any other game. BC staked to an early lead. Syracuse took control at the end of the first half and Donovan McNabb lead the Orange to a convincing win. It wasn't until months later that it was revealed that at least 13 BC players were involved in gambling and that some number of them placed substantial amounts of money on Syracuse. Now the 38-3 finish to the game looks sketchy. The 17 points scored by SU in the final two minutes of the first half looks suspicious. How much the point-shaving affected the game, we might not ever know. Still interesting that it happened right in front of me and it is so easily disguisable. Also the first of 4 games (4-0)in which I have seen Syracuse beat BC convincingly.

#89 Flutie Beats RJ
Chargers 27, Bills 24 (10/28/2001)

Classic Flutie Magic that defined his career. This is one of the most-anticipated games of my lifetime. The controversy had waged on for almost 2 years. The Chargers had become Bills west with nearly a dozen former Bills on the roster. Flutie got the Bolts off to a 4-2 start. The Bills and Rob Johnson limped in with one win. The local Boston CBS market successfully petitioned the NFL to get the game on TV (a staple of Flutie games from 98-02). The game played out as though it was scripted. The Chargers got on early lead on a Flutie touchdown pass. The Bills cut the lead to 13-10 and were driving when Rob Johnson threw an exruciating interception returned for a touchdown. Somehow, Johnson, who had already gone to the locker room with a boo-boo, came back and "corageously" lead the Bills to two scores and went up 24-20 with a minute and a half remaining. Did anyone really think that that was going to hold up? Of course not. Ronnie Jenkins (who was simply electric at times) returned the ensuing past to the 41 and Brian Moorman tacked 28 yards on with two penalties. On the first play from the 13, Flutie seemingly waited for the pocket to collapse and dove into the endzone for the winning score. It was an emphatic shove in the face to Rob Johnson, Ralph Wilson and "Bills East." Rob Johnson would lose his job to Alex Van Pelt and the Bills would finish a spectacular 3-13. He's currently out of football. Doug Flutie, 43, is still playing. And I still have my Chargers #7 jersey.

#88 Carter's Late Goal
Bruins 4, Hurricanes 3 (2OT) (4/30/99)

"Nothing beats playoff hockey" has become a cliche this days. But it is really true. The intensity of a playoff hockey game in overtime is nearly unmatched. For me, the most memorable of these games in which the Bruins came out on the winning side was Game 5 of the 1st round in 1999. The B's, the underdogs, had to travel to (hockey heaven) Greensboro for the game and appeared to be going quietly into the night, down 2-0 after 2. Ray Bourque then started a barrage of three goals in two minutes to get Boston the lead. The 'Canes tied it late, though, and sent it to OT. Carolina had the crowd and the chances but just couldn't push one past Lord Byron Dafoe. After the horn sounded, everyone else went to bed, but I hung in there and got to see fourteen more minutes of free hockey. Finally, off a brilliant feed from Joe Thornton (no surprise there), Anson Carter put home the winner and silenced the building. After playing even for nearly 100 minutes, the Bruins had taken a commanding 3-2 lead in the series. Classic playoff hockey.

#87 Ruiz Wins Title
John Ruiz def. Evander Holyfield by Unanimous Decision (3/3/01)

Unless you are from Puerto Rico or Massachusetts, you probably hate Johnny Ruiz. I love the guy. I recognize his faults. He's not fun to watch. He's not even very good. But I root for him. His ascension to the top of the heavyweight ranks began with a very controversial loss to Evander Holyfield in 2000. There is no doubt that Ruiz, a heavy underdog, won that fight. In boxing, though, it was used to set up a rematch. Ruiz dominated the second fight. Maybe it wasn't pretty but he pounded the one-time proud champion and won convincingly. Critics of Ruiz should see this performance. It was a pretty big deal in Massachusetts, which has a pretty storied boxing history (Marciano, Hagler). People swarmed him at the airport. A parade was held. It almost seems silly considering how hated the guy is these days. One of the most classless thing that I have ever seen was the way Jim Lampley handled the Roy Jones fight. He basically spent the whole fight discussing how happy he was to rid Boxing of Ruiz. Lampley came off as a whiny baby and, like him or not, had no reason to blatantly discredit a heavyweight champion of the world. Anyways, I still watch every Ruiz fight and root for the guy and, hook or by crook, he's had a belt around his waist for most of the 5 years since. Hopefully, he'll get another shot at Nikolai Valuev. Lampley will love that.

#86 Reggie Faints**
Celtics 112, Hornets 101 (4/29/93)

My memories of this game are very shady. I remember seeing the Celts play the Hornets. I remember it being the playoffs. I remember Reggie Lewis missed the remainder of the series. Outside of that, I don't remember much. I got to see a bunch of games at the old Garden when I was younger. My Dad would take me and my brother and, until we were old enough to need our own tickets, we would just sneak under the gates and get in for free. It seems ridiculous now, but it is 100% true. I don't remember specific games well, but I do remember the Garden and it really was an incredible place and I was sad that it was going to be gone. Anyhow, I know I was at this game and, on that day, wasn't affected much by it. Reggie died three months later. I don't think many people realize just how good Lewis was. He averaged 21 points his final season. He was 27. He was going to be a star. With Reggie Lewis, the Celtics never would have had to deal with the Marty Conlon/Todd Day era. He was also, by all accounts, an incredible guy. If you have Nexis access, I'd suggest you read Bob Ryan's obituary in which he says that "With Reggie Lewis, there was simply nothing not to like."

#85 The Phantom Tag**
Yankees 9, Red Sox 2 (10/17/99)

ESPN called this the worst call in sports history. Trailing 3-2 in the 8th inning, with Chuck Knoblauch's glove four feet from Jose Offerman, Tim Tschida imagined a tag, killing a rally and killing another Sox' season. The anger in that stadium after that call is unlike anything you'll ever see. Debris rained down onto the field. The Yankees had to flee to the clubhouse. Call me misguided, but it was all justified. To be considered a professional umpire and make such a blatant mistake is unacceptable. Had Offy got to 2nd, Nomar Garciaparra was due up and the game could have been tied. Tschida decided the Yankees were going to win the series and that's what happened. The umpiring went NY's way all series. The other aspects of the game are forgettable at this point. Troy O'Leary, John Valentin and the immortal Butch Huskey had the big hits for the Sox. The Yankees poured it on in the 9th inning. The Sox lose Game 4. The Yankees win the World Series. All because that fat, mustached bastard can't see straight.

#84 Playoff Atmosphere at the Fleet**
Pacers 92, Celtics 87 (3/30/01)

A personal favorite. After nearly 6 years of rooting for losers, finally a meaningful game in Boston. Those days, the few that went to Celtics games were in for a bad product in a stale arena. Until this night. Anyone who was a Celtics fan had to be there. The Celtics had a one game lead on the Indiana Pacers for the last playoff spot in the east. And the hated Pacers, lead by Isiah Thomas, were in town. We got into Boston early and still had to pay more than usual for tickets. It was a sell-out. Shaq wasn't in town. Jordan wasn't in town. Nobody's jersey was being retired. Just meaningful basketball in Boston. Incredible. The building wasn't stale. It was alive. The young Celts fed off the energy and staked to a 16 point lead. Unfortunately, Austin Croshere decided to have the night of his life. Earlier in the night, I had gone on record as saying that a Toine for Croshere-Bender-Draft Pick wouldn't be a horrible deal. It turned out to be a foreshadowing. AC scored 32 points. The Pacers won. They got the 8th spot. The Celtics weren't ready. They'd be ready the following year. Since that day, nearly every game at the Fleetcenter has had meaning. That was the first one and I'll always remember it.

#83 Flutie-Brady**
Patriots 29, Chargers 26 (OT) (10/14/2001)

The last time I would see Flutie start a regular season game in person and it was a classic. However, it wasn't only a coronation for Flutie, it was an introduction for Brady. He had already won a couple big games, but most people think Brady became the Patriots' starting quarterback on this rainy Sunday. Flutie looked like Flutie also, though, and San Diego established a late 26-16 lead. It looked like Doug was going to win in Foxboro again. But, Brady did what we are now accustomed to him doing. He engineered two scoring drives in the last four minutes to tie the game. With 36 seconds, he found Jermaine "Wiggy" Wiggins wide open and the game headed for overtime. With help from a pass interference call, Vinatieri hit a 43 yard field goal to win it. It may not have been his last big kick that season. The game lived up to its billing as a game between two special QBs. Terry Glenn even managed to play, making the only contributions he would ever make to a Championship team. Brady, however, in beating Flutie in dramatic fashion, had established a legacy he would only build on.

#82 Syracuse Beats Notre Dame**
Syracuse 38, Notre Dame 12 (12/6/2003)

Enjoyable football moments have been few and far between since I got here. This is probably the best one that doesnt involve Boston College. We weren't good. Notre Dame was worse (somehow). But it was on ABC. It was Notre Dame. And it had some roundabout impact on the BCS. If we won, in some way, we helped LSU and hurt USC. This lead to the legend that is Jim Stammers making two signs, one congratulating LSU, the other a derogatory message for USC's Pete Carroll. The game probably meant a miniscule fraction of a point on some computer screen. But, it had some importance and that was good enough for us. The game was a rout. Heisman Trophy Candidate Walter Reyes actually suited up for this one and ran for 5 TDs. The game was never close. R.J. Anderson (the only three year starter at a big-time football school that couldn't even get an Arena2 tryout) gave the ball away three times, but the Irish couldn't do anything on offense. It should be noted that the skill position players for Notre Dame read like this Quinn-Julius Jones-Stovall-Fasano. Jones became a quality Rookie NFL back, while the other three played in the BCS this past season. This was a quality win. It ended memorably with Stammers dancing and chanting in the Notre Dame section. Considering we lost at home by 25+ points to Rutgers and USF last year, those were the glory days.

#81 The NASCAR Experience**
Jimmie Johnson wins UAW-DaimlerChrystler 500 (3/12/06)

First NASCAR race. In Vegas. Last-lap, turn 3 pass. The eve of my 21st birthday. Spring Break in Vegas. To-win action on the winner. Vegas. It all adds up to an unforgettable experience. Clearly, NASCAR is not my favorite sport. I'm a late-joiner to this whole extravaganza, thanks largely to a Harvick-crazed roommate nicknamed "Cowboy." It really is true, though. Seeing it in person is a completely different ballgame. Instead of seeing the #8 car battle for 28th place or seeing Jeff Hammond explain to us what a "wheel" is, you get to watch what you want to watch. You get to see everything that happens live, not what happened "while we were in break." Las Vegas isn't the most exciting of tracks, but there were a few different leaders and more than just two cars in contention. I stayed focused on Johnson for much of the race and was able to watch him reel in car after car en route to victory. The experience could be compared favorably to that of an NFL game: Tailgating, expensive merchandise, 80,000 caucasians. It's worth giving a shot even if you aren't a NASCAR guy.

The 100 Greatest Games of My Life: 100-91

2006-04-24T04:54:00.000-04:00

For no particular reason, the 100 greatest games that I have witnessed in my lifetime. Clearly, a large bias is placed on New England sports teams and, more recently, Syracuse University games.

An asterisk (**) indicates that I was in attendance.

#100 Flutie is Perfect
Bills 42, Seahawks 23 (12/23/00)

A meaningless regular season game on the Saturday night before Christmas Eve. Neither team was heading to the playoffs. However, this game that me and probably 6 other people watched gave us one of the greatest performances by a quarterback of all time. Only 32 (and counting) QBs have achieved a perfect quarterback rating. Playing in his last game as a Bill in moribound Husky Stadium, the Magic Man left his mark. It was the end of an era in Buffalo. John Butler was out already. Wade Phillips knew he was out (we may never know who was pulling the strings during the QB controversy but it is interesting to note that Phillips started Flutie in this final game). Doug Flutie was certainly out, his contract ready to expire. Antowain Smith (17 car, 147 yds, 3 TD) was also being shoved out the door. Flutie finished 20-25 for 366 yards and 3 scores and reached the unbeatable rating of 158.3. Soon, he'd be gone from Buffalo, but never forgotten.

#99 Baseball At 3 AM
Athletics 5, Red Sox 4 (12 innings) (10/01/03-10/02/03)
A rare loss on the list but too good of a game to ignore. The beginning of an incredible 5 game Divisional Series. The first October game (of many) for the Idiots. The game, which started after 10 PM eastern, was expected to be a great pitching duel. Pedro Martinez and Tim Hudson weren't great, but they were good, each allowing 3 runs and pitching into the seventh inning. Todd Walker provided much of the Sox' offense with two homeruns, including a clutch 7th inning shot off Ricardo Rincon that gave them the lead. After Mike Timlin pitched a scoreless inning in the 8th, Byung-Hyun Kim predictably couldn't hold the lead in the ninth and extra frames were needed. Keith Foulke, in a foreshadowing of events to come, was lights out, tossing three no-hit innings for the A's. The Red Sox kept pace until the 12th when an epic game ended on a measly little bunt by Ramon Hernandez. The game ended at almost 3 AM, with Game 2 just twelve hours away. It was a crushing loss at the time especially considering the blown save. But it was the first taste of postseason baseball we had had in four years and it provided all the drama you look for in a baseball game.

#98 Escape from the RAC
Syracuse 86, Rutgers 84 (01/24/05)

Everyone knows that Rutgers is one of the most difficult places in the Big East to play basketball. If any Syracuse fans doubted it, they didn't after this game. We came in with a 19-1 record, the best in the country, and a #4 ranking, the highest it has been in my three years here. Rutgers came in looking like Rutgers at 7-8. They looked alot different when they cruised to an 18-point halftime lead. It was hard to imagine coming back from that sort of defecit on the road. Somehow, they pulled it off. Using the most stifling defense I have seen Boeheim employ (a man-to-man press, which must have been retired by the time Vermont came knocking), the 'Cuse outscored RU 50-30 in the second half capped by a ridiculous Terrence Roberts three point play. Quincy Douby's last second three rolled around the rim and out and we had survived. Looking back, this night may have been as good as I have ever felt about a Syracuse team. We had just come back from 20 points down on the road. At the RAC. We had 20 wins and an unbelievable amount of talent. The season would slowly unravel from this point on and instead of having much better memories from this season, a win over Rutgers may have been as good as it gets.

#97 Penn's Prayer is Answered**
Boston College 73, Rutgers 72 (03/03/96)

The first of many must-win games I had to experience as a BC fan. The '96 team was firmly on the bubble entering their final regular season contest with Rutgers. Rutgers was having their typically bad season at 9-17. But they showed up to play on this day, even on the road in the "hostile" confines of Conte Forum (I remember distinctly my Dad, brother and I having our own section). BC seemed in control all day until Rutgers went on an unexpected late run. A free throw put them up by one with three seconds left. Inbounding from the far end of the floor Mickey "Rock Hands" Curley did his best Grant Hill impression and got the ball to Scoonie who hit a near-half-courter at the buzzer to send the Eagles to the dance. BC would go on to upset Bob Knight in the first round (a gratifying feeling) before bowing out. They never would have got the chance to had Penn, just a freshman, come up big when they needed him most.

#96 Pierce Becomes Superman
Celtics 116, Wizards 115 (OT) (03/07/06)

This game might not belong on this list. In a year, I may have already forgotten this game. For now, though, it is firmly in my memory. Paul Pierce has been the best Celtics player in my lifetime (at least the lifetime that I can remember). He's hit big shots, won big games, been an All Star. But he was never any more than that until a stretch a couple months back when he took his game (and his leadership) to the next level. He scored 30 points or more in 13 of 14 games. Playing with teammates that were either hurt (Szczerbiak), young (West) or horrific (Scalabrine), Pierce kept the Celtics competitive. This game in Washington was critical for any sort of playoff hopes. Washington had burned us twice this season on Gilbert Arenas FTs in the waning seconds. This time, the Wizards controlled the game leading by 13 in the 4th quarter. Slowly the Celts crept back into it, lead by Pierce who was beginning to set his teammates up. Raefer made two big free throws to tie and shockingly Arenas misses a jumper that would have won it in regulation. The Wiz lead for most of overtime but Pierce hits a ridiculous fade-away contested jumper as time expires to give the Celtics the game. I didn't get to watch this game live (needing, as usual, to follow gamecasts and get play-by-play over the phone), but it was exemplary of the type of season that #34 had this past year.

#95 Fax Comes Out Of Nowhere
Brad Faxon wins 2005 Buick Championship (8/25/05-8/28/05)

Not the Masters. Not the Players. Not the British. The Buick Championship is barely even a tournament anymore (it's on a temporary PGA tour reprieve). Still, watching an 44-year-old pro's pro come from nowhere to win a PGA tournament is something special. Brad Faxon is my favorite golfer, always has been, most likely because of the New England ties. I always see how he's doing. Over the last few years, he'd rarely threaten and when he did, it wouldn't end well (an unfortunate 8 in the final round at Augusta). Things looked to be status quo when he made the cut on the number in Hartford that weekend. He shot a 65 Saturday to move towards the leaderboard, but I barely noticed. The next day, I began to get calls asking me if I was watching the golf. I wasn't because it wasn't a good field, there wasn't much reason to. I turned it on and sure enough, Faxon was playing the round of his life. He was getting all the breaks (including a 50 yard bouncing down a cart path) and playing as well as I had ever seen. He carded a 61 (61!) but still had to go to a playoff with some guy named van der Walt. I figured it was going to be another disappointment, especially when van der Walt doinked the flagstick on his approach. Somehow, Faxon put it inside him and, always a solid putter, made the put for the win. With all the talk of the Big 5 and the young guns of golf, I doubted an older, shorter guy like Faxon could ever win again on tour. The Buick wasn't a great field by any means, but a win is a win and it will always be remembered.

#94 The Champs Come to Town and Catch a Break**
North Carolina 67, Villanova 66 (3/25/05)

There's really no atmosphere that compares to that of a building where the NCAA tournament takes place. I've been to NCAA tournament games twice. Once, in 1999 to watch nondescript teams like Purdue and Temple play in the first two rounds. Then, last year, at the Carrier Dome for the regionals. It was Easter weekend and, instead of everyone fleeing for home, the campus was abuzz. People from UNC, NC St., Wisconsin and Villanova had all converged for the right to go to the final four. The Dome was buzzing. Wisconsin and NC St. was the first game and it wa fairly competitive until late. But the main evevnt for the weekend was Villanova/North Carolina. The schools had the most representation. The game tipped off after 10 PM. The crowd was pretty split with the addition of bandwagon NC fans and Big East supporters from here. As the game raged on though, the 31,000 grew more and more partial to the underdog Wildcats. Down by only three (thanks largely to Raymond Felton's foul trouble and a barrage of 3's), Allan Ray drove to the basket and appeared to be fouled by Melvin Scott with a chance for a 3 point play. Somehow, it was called a travel. With the naked eye, the use of replay, a suspension of belief. . . nothing makes this look like a good call. UNC survived, beat Wisconsin on Easter and the rest is history. The blown call brings a slight damper, but it was a competitve game in a special environment.

#93 Things Come Full Circle**
Patriots 31, Bills 0 (12/27/2003)

16 weeks earlier, I had spent nearly 200 dollars, snuck on a train and traveled 5 hours to see the Patriots' opener in Buffalo. It was one of the worst experiences of my life at a sporting event. The Bills fans were incredibly obnoxious. The Patriots looked god-awful. The Bills looked like Super Bowl Champions (there's a novel thought). Final score: Bills 31, Pats 0. Never could have I envisioned that the next time I saw the Patriots and Bills, we'd be 13-2 and they'd be 6-9. But somehow, that's what happened. The Patriots were playing for home field advantage. The Bills were playing out the string. I wish the game could have been at Ralph Wilson so we could have rubbed it into the faces of all those Buffalonians. As it was, Gilette was a fine setting to watch the eventual Champs stomp all over the Bills. Watching Drew Bledsoe get knocked around is always enjoyable, even though he's a good guy. The Patriots offense was just on cruise control at this point. 4 possessions in the first half. 4 touchdowns. In 16 minutes. Everything was just so easy. The game's defining moment occured at the end, with many fans already headed back to Route 1. Travis Brown led the Bills on a ridiculously meaningless drive trailing 31-0. They reached the goal line with under a minute to go. Wanting to preserve the score, the Patriots tightened. Larry Izzo intercepted the last pass and the scoreboard stood: 31-0. Full circle.

#92 The Red Sox Win A Playoff Game!
Red Sox 11, Indians 3 (9/29/98)

This one I didn't even get to watch. I was in school while it went on. We spent the entire afternoon alternating trips to the bathroom to get updates from a radio. Luckily, it wasn't even close. Big Mo Vaughn, in what would be his last win as a Red Sox, hit a 3 run homer off "promising" Jaret Wright in the top of the 1st and Pedro never looked back. It was really the only positive thing Mo did in this or any postseason. He was horrific in 1995 (a 3-0 sweep to the Indians) and was bad in the rest of this series. The optimism of that afternoon wouldn't last long. Mike Benjamin, Darren Lewis, Darren Bragg and co. would lose the next one in Cleveland and the first one in Fenway. Pedro Martinez, who was unhittable in '98, said he was ready for Game 4. Seemed pretty obvious. Send it back to Cleveland, see what happens. That was too simple for simpleton Jimy Williams. He went with Pete Schourek. Shockingly, Schourek, sporting bleached blonde hair, pitched a gem. 2 hits, no runs and the Red Sox took a 1-0 lead into the 8th, but Flash Gordon blew his first save in about 50 chances that year and another season was over. Still, the Sox hadn't won a playoff game since Game 5 of the '86 series. At least they won one, even if I didn't get to see it. This game also set up a decade of Jaret Wright blowing big games and the series set up the 1999 rematch with the Tribe.

#91 Antoine Shuts Hollywood Up
Celtics 119, Lakers 118 (2/19/02)

The 2002 Celtics had come from out of nowhere to have a respectable record in the 2001-2002 season. They had a six game winning streak in December. They had basically beat up on the weak Eastern Conference and no one though much of them. That changed a little bit on a late night in Los Angeles. The Celts were on their usual February Circus road trip. They were a respectable 2-2 heading into Staples to play the defending champs. I was in Fort Myers so I didn't get to watch it, but when I woke up and my brother told me about it, I think I watched Sportscenter 6 times. Shaq and Kobe both played 40 minutes. It was an intense regular season NBA basketball game. Shaq finished with 25 and 17, but the Lake-show was only up 2 with seconds remaining. Antoine Walker (30, 14, 10 - arguably the defining game of his career) got the ball on the left wing and heaved a 28 footer off the glass and in and shimmied in front of the stunned celebrities. The Celtics would beat the Lakers again in April (this time no Shaq) amidst "Beat LA" chants in the Fleet. They would come within 2 games of meeting them again in the NBA finals. They probably would have been swept just like the Nets were. But they were 2-0 against them. If Pierce makes those free throws in Game 4 of the ECF, who knows?

If only former Celtics participated in the NBA Playoffs. . .

2006-04-21T15:59:00.000-04:00

Since the Celtics missed the playoffs for the first time since 2001, it's hard for me to get excited about the thought of 2 NBA games per night for the next 200 days. The Celtics' frustrating season finally came to an end today when they lost a hotly-contested coin toss with the Timberwolves. The AP is reporting that the coin landed in Boston's favor, but at the last minute Doc Rivers sent Brian Scalabrine into the fray and Scalabrine grabbed the coin before a ruling could be levied, saying that he needed it for "the dollar menu." The only juice left in the NBA season for Bostonians is the presence of former C's playing for other teams. With that in mind, here is how the first round will play out, based soley on imaginary one-on-one games to 11 between former Celtics.

First Round

#1 San Antonio (Bruce Bowen) vs. #8 Sacramento (Vitaly Potapenko)

V shows up visibly intoxicated, smoking a cigar, wearing his Seattle jersey and babbling incoherently about deserving a contract extension. Chris Wallace, fresh off a scouting trip in Denmark, shows up unannounced and rewards the big man with a fresh four-year deal. Bowen, meanwhile, wins easily.

San Antonio advances in 5 games.

#2 Phoenix (No One) vs. # 7 Los Angeles Lakers (Chris Mihm)

Mihm's lack of offensive ability comes back to bite him. After shooting 4-38 from close range, the token big white stiff quits and Phoenix advances.

Phoenix in 4 games.

#3 Denver (No One) vs. #6 Los Angeles Clippers (Vin Baker)

Baker has already committed to playing in the final game of the East Hartford Beer League. Luckily for the Clips, Walter McCarty steps in and hit eleven (of 57) shots from the right corner.

Clippers in 7.

#4 Dallas (Adrian Griffin) vs. #5 Memphis (Chucky Atkins)

Both players are immediately shocked to see the other, surprised that they are each still in the league. All 108 members of press row, including the token Chinese contingent, make note of all the little things that Griffin does for a team. Chucky Atkins doesn't do any of the little things, but he can score and, in this format, that's good enough.

Memphis in 6.

Eastern Conference

#1 Detroit (Chauncey Billups) vs. #8 Miluakee Bucks (Jiri Welsch)

Detroit decides to rest Billups for the "real playoffs" and Tony Delk, upset that he had been traded for the Czechlosovakian Basketball Jesus, takes over. Employee number double zero shuts Welsch out without much fanfare. The Bucks promptly send Welsch to Orlando for a second round pick.

Detroit in 4.

#2 Miami (Antoine Walker) vs. #7 Chicago (Darius Songalia)

Songalia gamely plays with his broken foot and keeps it surprisingly competitive. Walker, a Chicago native and Michael Jordan's love slave in the offseason, presses, missing eight of his patented "no-jump layups." Tied 10-10, Toine makes two wild, off-balance, fade-away bank shots and shimmies in Songalia's face. Gary Payton joins in on the postgame trash talking.

Miami in 6.

#3 New Jersey (John Thomas) vs. #6 Indiana (Rick Carlisle)

This one was ugly. Carlisle came in as a 4 point favorite when bookmakers failed to find evidence that a "John Thomas" ever played in the NBA. Carlisle, a "playoff coach" if there ever was one, manages the game perfectly but finds out that Thomas would in fact be the fourth best player on the Pacers.

New Jersey in 5.

#4 Cleveland (Damon Jones) vs. #5 Washington (No One)

NBA organizers are forced to go through hell to get "Basketball" Jones to the arena. First, they have to speak to six members of his posse. Then, he tells them that "he ain't ever play for no Celtics." He demands that he be named one of the NBA's 50 Greatest players, the three pointer be renamed "the Damon" and that he be allowed to wear sunglasses on the court. David Stern, after careful consideration, denies his requests and the Wizards advance.

Washington in 6.

MLB '06: The Good, The Bad and The Royals

2006-04-02T16:26:00.000-04:00

AL East

1) New York Yankees

The Good: Their payroll is gigantic. They have very few holes and any holes that sprout up will be filled midseason. Their lineup is basically a list of all-stars. Their closer is the best of all time and finished last year with a 1.38 ERA. Pitching staff is deep with at least seven solid starters that every other team would love to have. Randy Johnson settling into new habitat, Chien-Ming Wang just getting better, Carl Pavano (possibly) returning from injury. 6 starters hit .290 or better last year.

The Bad: Johnny Damon is 32 and, while dealing with age, will have to deal with Bronx environment. Alex Rodriguez seems to be at his worst when it matters most. Gary Sheffield and Jason Giambi (might be) off the steroids. Mike Mussina struggled this spring. Shawn Chacon's career ERA is around 5. Bench is thinner than usual. Giambi will painfully attempt to play first base.

The Verdict: By far, the most talented team in the league. They always win the division and will do so again by at least five games. Damon is not as good as advertised but still is a major factor. Big Unit has a much better year. ARod again wins MVP, again inexplicably chooses to wear italian suit to Home Run Derby. Squeeze by A's in difficult 5 game series, but fall to White Sox in ALCS.

2) Boston Red Sox

The Good: David Ortiz and Manny Ramirez are best back-to-back combination in baseball. Both are nearly guaranteed to knock in at least 130 runs. Added Josh Beckett to form imposing rotation. Coco Crisp replaces Damon and, unlike his predecessor, he is able to throw better than my sister. Curt Schilling is a year healthier. Jonathan Paplebon could prove to be a solid 3rd starter or a lights-out closer. Defense vastly improved with the additions of Crisp, Alex Gonzalez and Mike Lowell. Wily Mo Pena will be perfect complement to Trot Nixon.

The Bad: Keith Foulke has tricked enough people into believing his 84 MPH fastball and 84 MPH changeup will get people out. Manny Ramirez's head could be anywhere. Schilling (5.69 ERA last year) is a year older. Mike Lowell was one of the league's worst hitters last year and the spring hasn't been promising. Matt Clement was awful after the break last year while David Wells is 40 and openly hates the Red Sox. Julian Tavarez may be better fit for a mental ward than a bullpen.

The Verdict: The team really shouldn't be any worse than last year. Ortiz and Ramirez are able to hide weak spots by carrying the offense. Schilling will be much better if the ankle holds up and will win 15 games. Beckett won't win the Cy Young nor will he come close. The green monster will help Lowell somewhat regain his form. Foulke won't be the closer come May 1. The team will win a close wild card chase with the Angels but Ortiz will be out of dramatics by October and the team will again fall to the White Sox in the divisional series.

3) Toronto Blue Jays

The Good: Most importantly, Roy Halladay is healthy. The team finally made a strong commitment to winning in the offseason. Troy Glaus and Lyle Overbay give the Blue Jays a solid heart of the order. Vernon Wells, who hit 28 HRs last year, is entering the prime of his career. B.J. Ryan finally gives Jays a legitimate closer. Back end of the rotation (Gustavo Chacin, Josh Towers, Ted Lilly) servicable.

The Bad: A.J. Burnett just isn't as good as people make him out to be. If he was, he would have been pitching in September last year. He's also got some injury concerns with his arm. Russ Adams and Aaron Hill have yet to prove that they are Major League hitters. Corner outfielders will probably be a mixing and matching, which is less than desirable in a division like this.

The Verdict: Halladay wins 20 games and another Cy Young Award. The team wins 85 and another third place award. Wells improves his numbers and becomes a legitimate star. Overbay continues to improve, but Burnett is a complete bust and the team doesn't challenge down the stretch.

4) Baltimore Orioles

The Good: The arrival of Leo Mazzone has made every Orioles pitcher look like a candidate for a breakout season. Chris Ray appears ready to settle into closer's role. All four infielders (Melvin Mora, Miguel Tejada, Brian Roberts and Javy Lopez) should put up solid numbers. Jay Gibbons is an underrated power threat. Sammy Sosa and Rafael Palmeiro are long gone.

The Bad: Kevin Millar and Corey Patterson, bonafide castoffs, are penciled into the lineup. Hard to see them bouncing back. Tejada and Roberts struggled in the second half last year. The rotation ranges from the unspectacular (Rodrigo Lopez, Bruce Chen) to the unproven (Daniel Cabrera, Erik Bedard) to the unhappy (Kris Benson).

The Verdict: Roberts, Gibbons and Mora have good years. Patterson and Millar do not. The Mazzone effect benefits Cabrera and Bedard. The team looks mediocre on paper and plays mediocre throughout the season, winning 75 games and holding off the Devild Rays.

5) Tampa Bay Devil Rays

The Good: Carl Crawford looks like a legitimate star and is only getting better. Jorge Cantu might be a on the same track. Rocco Baldelli is back from injury. Scott Kazmir has a year of experience under his belt. Aubrey Huff and Julio Lugo are professional baseball players (which, for the Rays, is a good thing). Delmon Young and BJ Upton are in the organization.

The Bad: Seth McClung, Casey Fossum, Mark Hendrickson and Daug Waechter. That is your rotation after Kazmir. Fossum (who allowed 10 runs in a spring start last week) kept his ERA a hair under 5 last year. The other three can't exactly boast that. The bullpen is horrendous. Their best returning reliever from last year (Chad Orvella) was sent to the minors. Might be the worst pitching in baseball.

The Verdict: The offense actually looks like it could be quite good. Crawford will have another standout year. Both Young and Upton will be in Tampa at some point. Lugo, Huff and Joey Gathright will be shipped elsewhere by the deadline. The pitching will prevent this team from improving and they will struggle to win 70 games.

AL Central

1) Chicago White Sox

The Good: Defending Champions have only improved. Added Jim Thome, who hit 40 HRs in four of the last five seasons. Paul Konerko is an MVP candidate. The rotation is solid from top to bottom which will keep them competitive every night. Javier Vazquez, who has #1 stuff, will be the team's #5 starter. The bullpen is one of the best, provided Bobby Jenks keeps his act in order. Rob Mackowiak is as good a bench player as there is in baseball.Ozzie Guillen is turning into a great manager.

The Bad: Jenks is a big question. It's hard to go from a World Series winning closer to be on the brink of losing your job, but that has happened. Brian Anderson will have to replace Aaron Rowand. Thome needs to prove last year was an abberation. Jose Contrares and Jon Garland were great last year but repeat performances aren't sure things.

The Verdict: It's not a trendy pick, but the White Sox will repeat as champions. The pitching is the best in the majors and pitching wins championships. It doesn't hurt to add a Jim Thome to a World Series team. The southsiders will win 95 games and, after dispatching the Yanks and Sox, will outlast the Mets and become repeat champions.

2) Cleveland Indians

The Good: The team is young, talented and coming off a 93 win season. Grady Sizemore is a stud in centerfield and Travis Hafner is a bigtime slugger. Victor Martinez may be the game's best catcher. Jhonny Peralta, at 23, might be the best player no one talks about. C.C. Sabathia and Cliff Lee both have the potential to win 20 games.

The Bad: There are holes. Aaron Boone, Casey Blake and Ben Broussard all hit around .250 last year. Jason Michaels has yet to prove he is an everyday player. The rotation will miss Kevin Millwood. Paul Byrd is 35, injury prone and nothing special. Jake Westbrook and Jason Johnson are nothing more than inning-eaters. Bob Wickman had a great year last year but at 37, after considering retirement, can he repeat it?

The Verdict: There is no denying the youth and the talent. The Indians will be good again but they aren't yet ready to contend for a championship. They will win more than 85 games but miss out on the playoffs again. Andy Marte will supplant Boone sooner than later. Sizemore has a chance to reach 30-30. The pitching, which is clearly a step behind the White Sox, will ultimately be an achilles heel for the Tribe.

3) Detroit Tigers

The Good: The team has talent and youth, almost in the mold of the Indians. Magglio Ordonez and Carlos Guillen are back from injury. Chris Shelton and Craig Monroe showed flashes of power last year. Jeremy Bonderman and Justin Verlander are two great pitching prospects. Kenny Rogers is aged but always puts up decent numbers. Jim Leyland has built winners before.

The Bad: Ordonez' injuries may prevent him from ever regaining his form. Ivan Rodriguez is also getting older and slowed down last year. Nate Robertson and Mike Maroth remain in the rotation. Todd Jones, currently on the 15 day DL, needs to prove last year was not a tremendous fluke. The bullpen and the bench also present questions.

The Verdict: The Tigers have some pieces to surprise some people but remain too raw to contend in 2006. They will win 80 games and play best down the stretch. Bonderman is primed to have a breakout year.

Minnesota Twins

The Good: Johan Santana is one of the game's best players with an ERA under 3 and a WHIP under 1. Carlos Silva and Brad Radke give the Twins a great front end of their rotation. Joe Nathan is a top 5 closer and the bullpen, which boasts twelve game winner Jesse Crain, is good. Joe Mauer and Justin Morneau are top-tier young players. Torii Hunter is healthy.

The Bad: The offseason additions are . . . interesting. Rondell White is a journeyman veteran that doesn't really fit the team's mold. Luis Castillo's game has declined drastically. Tony Batista played last year in Japan and can't be expected to hit above .240. Prospect Francisco Liriano failed to win a rotation spot and was recently cited with a DUI. Shannon Stewart and Michael Cuddyer are far from All Stars.

The Verdict: The team didn't do much to improve themselves in the offseason. They still will be competitive but will drop another spot in the standings. Batista will prove to be a mistake. Morneau will hit 30 homeruns and will be a star in the future.

5) Kansas City Royals

The Good: The outfield isn't terrible. Emil Brown put up solid numbers last year, David DeJesus has some potential and Reggie Sanders has produced in all 27 of his stops. Mike Sweeney always hits. Scott Elarton is a decent pitcher. The defense will be average. I'm racking my brain but that's all I've got.

The Bad: The pitching is comical. Their best pitcher is AWOL. Their rotation is full of guys with ERAs approaching 6. Their practice of rushing players to the big club has really stunted any possibility that these guys will improve. Mark Teahen, John Buck, Jeremy Affeldt, Runelvys Hernandez, Ambiorix Burgos . . . all these guys should be in the minor leagues. Doug Meintkiewicz, Joe Mays and Mark Grudzielanek aren't going to add many wins.

The Verdict: They will finish right around 60 wins again. It will be tough to watch. DeJesus will become a pretty good leadoff guy. Burgos will struggle being forced into the closer's role, but he can't be much worse than Mike MacDougal. God willing, Mike Sweeney will get to help a contender.

AL West

1) Oakland Athletics

The Good: The pitching is some of the best in the business. Rich Harden has become a legitimate ace. Barry Zito has a Cy Young Award and is still young. Dan Haren has some electric stuff. Joe Blanton turned in a good second half last year. Esteban Loaiza may benefit from pitching in Oakland. All five pitchers won double digit games last year and all could (and should) be better. Huston Street shined as a rookie last year and should also improve. The hitting is full of youth and potential. Former Rookie of the Year Bobby Crosby is healthy and entering his prime. Eric Chavez is as consistent as anyone in the league. Dan Johnson and Nick Swisher have the ability to hit in the vicinity of 30 homeruns.

The Bad: The A's will need all the aforementioned players to play to their potential in order to win the division. They cannot afford someone like Street or Johnson to regress badly. Milton Bradley and Frank Thomas have to be considered gambles and neither had spectacular 2005 campaigns. Jason Alexander his as many major league home runs as Jason Kendall last season.

The Verdict: The A's will be in a dogfight with the Angels all season long. The A's don't have a Vladimir Guerrero but they have the pitching and just enough offense to claim the division. Crosby, Harden, Street and Haren will be All Stars. Frank Thomas won't be a major factor.

2) Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim

The Good: Vladimir Guerrero should be better than his 32-108 totals of a year ago. Chone Figgins is a prototypical leadoff hitter. The Angels have young talent like Casey Kotchman and Dallas McPherson who should be ready to break through. The pitching staff is on par with the league's best. Bartolo Colon is a workhorse ace, while John Lackey and Ervin Santana figure to continue on their success last year. Francisco Rodriguez and the middle relievers form a top-notch 'pen. Mike Scocia gets the best out of this team every year.

The Bad: The offense surrounding Vlad could be better. Garrett Anderson is beginning to slow down. Darin Erstad hit only 7 homeruns last season. Orlando Cabrera's profuction didn't justify his contract. Jeff Mathis will be an untested rookie starter behind the plate replacing Bengie Molina. Jeff Weaver is like a box of chocolates.

The Verdict: The Angels will win a bunch of ballgames, maybe even 90 but they will fall just short of the postseason. Guerrero will be a strong MVP candidate and the starting pitchers will produce. Ervin Santana will be a winner. Anderson and Erstad will struggle to maintain their consistency.

3) Texas Rangers

The Good: Again, the team is comprised of sluggers ready to take advantage of Ameriquest Field. The entire lineup seems to have the potential to hit 20 homeruns. Mark Teixeira, at 25, is the best young hitter in the American League. He may have the ability to reach 50 homeruns in that park. Michael Young and Hank Blalock have turned into perennial all stars. The pop doesn't stop there with Brad Wilkerson, a rejuvenated Phil Nevin and Rod Barajas hitting later in the order. This team may challenge the Yankees for most runs scored. Kevin Millwood won the league ERA title.

The Bad: As usual, the pitching. This team's formula hasn't changed in years and nothing looks different in 2006. Millwood should be decent, but will he be a big improvement over Kenny Rogers? In this park, probably not. Adam Eaton, not great in the first place, is out for a couple months. Vincente Padilla looked shot last year. Kameron Loe is unproven and it only gets worse from there. The bullpen is unspectacular as Francisco Cordero tries to repeat his solid 2005 and Akinori Otsuka moves from a pitching paradise to hitter's heaven.

The Verdict: They will again slug their way to some wins but can't be considered a serious threat to the Angels or Athletics. Teixeira will reach 45-150. Millwood will be out of the top 20 in ERA. The team will win 75 games thanks to ther ability to put double digits on the scoreboard.

4) Seattle Mariners

The Good: Ichiro is good for .300 and 30 stolen bases at the top of the lineup. Richie Sexson is a true power hitter, managing to reach 39 last year playing at Safeco. The defense is among the best in the league. Felix Hernandez, not yet 20, could be the next Pedro Martinez. Jarrod Washburn brings a solid ERA (3.20) from Anaheim.

The Bad: The lineup, outside of Sexson and Ichiro, wouldn't put a scare into most AAA teams. Adrian Beltre looked like a contract year specialist in '05. Carl Everett is old, injury-prone and psychopathic. Kenji Johjima is going to have to adjust to the Major Leagues, particularly the vastness of Safeco field. Yuniesky Betancourt and Jose Lopez are too young. Behind Hernandez, the rotation is shaky. Jamie Moyer is 43, Gil Meche has never been better than average and Joel Pineiro spent time in the minors last year.

The Verdict: The M's didn't win 70 games last year and will struggle to do so again this year. They won't put up many runs and their pitching could very well implode. Hernandez will win 15 games and look spectacular at times. Johjima won't come anywhere close to his Japanese numbers. Beltre will be marginally better.

NL East

1) Atlanta Braves

The Good: They have won 14 straight division titles including last year's with largely the same team. Perfect mix of veterans and young players. John Smoltz and Tim Hudson headline a pitching staff without many holes. If closer Chris Rietsma struggles, Joey Devine or Oscar Villarreal will be ready. If Kyle Davies or Jorge Sosa slip up, John Thomson is waitng in the wings. Andruw Jones hit 50 homeruns last year and he is still only 28. Ryan Langerhans, Jeff Francoeur and Adam Laroche showed the ability to hit big league pitching last year. Bobby Cox never loses.

The Bad: Can all these young guys deal with the pressure of the divisional winning streak? This team isn't just expected to make strides, they are expected to win. Edgar Renterria might be 50 years old. The bench is nonexistant. A key injury to someone like Hudson or Jones would cripple them.

The Verdict: The Mets will challenge with their gaudy lineup, but Atlanta's pitching is better. They will win 90 games again and reach the NLCS thanks to a favorable matchup with the Dodgers. Tim Hudson wins a close Cy Young race. The Braves are able to continually retool and look to have a bright future to go along with their winning past.

2) New York Mets

The Good: The lineup seems to be built for the AL East as much as the NL. Jose Reyes isn't a classic leadoff hitter but you can't argue with 60 steals. Carlos Beltran, Carlos Delgado and David Wright form the league's best heart of the order. Delgado is a consistent force while Wright is expected to become a superstar. Pedro Martinez was spectacular in the first year of his contract, taking the ball every five days, winning 15 games and compiling a 2.82 ERA. Billy Wagner brings the legitimate closer they so sorely missed last year. Aaron Heilman and Duaner Sanchez give the team a strong middle relief corps.

The Bad: Pedro, at 33, with a history of arm problems has to be the biggest concern. Will he be able to throw 217 innings for the third straight year? Tom Glavine, despite his strong second half last year, is 40. Steve Trachsel and Victor Zambrano aren't consistent winners. The bottom of the order with a rookie (Anderson Hernandez) and a journeyman (Xavier Nady) could be stronger.

The Verdict: This offense will win many games for the Mets, doing a lot to shade the weaknesses in the rotation. They will miss the Braves by a few games, but will beat them in the NLCS. The team seems built for the postseason format and will lose a classic World Series with the White Sox.

3) Philadelphia Phillies

The Good: The lineup 1-6 is strong. Jimmy Rollins, working on a 36 game hitting streak, is one of the game's premeir 5 tool players. Aaron Rowand brings a solid #2 hitter and a winning attitude. Bobby Abreu is already a star while Chase Utley is about to be one. Pat Burrell and Ryan Howard could each hit 30 HRs. Howard had a monster spring and could even be looking at 40. David Dellucci brings even more power. The team is going to score runs with the best of them.

The Bad: Pitching is a concern. Jon Lieber, Brett Myers and Cory Lidle are all workhorses, but none come close to being a classic stopper. In a division with Pedro Martinez, John Smoltz, Tim Hudson and Dontrelle Willis, that is a major weak spot. Ryan Franklin lacks talent while Ryan Madson lacks experience. Tom Gordon still has good stuff but hasn't been a closer for five ears.

The Verdict: The Phils will be competitive but their pitching staff will prevent them from reaching the postseason. A .500 record seems attainable. Abreu, Howard and Utley will be All Stars. Rollins' hitting streak will end by next weekend. The team has a nucleus that suggests winning in the near future.

4) Washington Nationals

The Good: Alfonso Soriano agreed to play left field and is a constant 30-30 threat. Third baseman Ryan Zimmerman is one of the best prospects in baseball. Livan Hernandez and John Patterson will win games at the front of the roatation. Chad Cordero is a top 5 closer. The bullpen is solid. The Marlins are in the same division.

The Bad: The lineup lacks punch outside of Soriano. Jose Vidro is aging. Nick Johnson is average. Jose Guillen is hurt. Royce Clayton is the team's starting shortstop. The back end of the rotation will struggle. Pedro Astacio and Ramon Ortiz are low-level journeymen. Felix Rodriguez is somehow on the roster.

The Verdict: The team will finish higher than Florida but not by much. They have alot of shortcomings in a tough division. Even their best player has question marks. They will win less than 70 games and rebuilding is in order.

5) Florida Marlins

The Good: Miguel Cabrera and Dontrelle Willis are too of the best young players in the game. Jeremy Hermida and Mike Jacobs might be able to solidly contribute this year.

The Bad: This is a minor league team. The entire lineup has been rushed to the major leagues out of necessity. How fast they will adapt to the big show is anyone's guess. Miguel Olivo would struggle to hit in an intramural softball league. The pitching is a mix of veterans who should be playing at AAA and rookies who should be playing at AA. The bullpen, headed by closer by default Joe Borowski, will struggle to hold any lead these guys get.

The Verdict: They might improve as the season advances but they won't win many games. They will battle all year with the Royals for worst record in baseball. 100 losses seem imminent. Cabrera's numbers will dip slightly, Willis' will dip moderately. Hermida will hit 20 homeruns.

NL Central

1) St. Louis Cardinals

The Good: Add a healthy Scott Rolen to a team that won 100 games last year. Albert Pujols is the game's best hitter and now he has added protection. Juan Encarnacion is candidate to have breakthrough year in winning environment. Chris Carpenter has blossomed into an ace and will anchor the rotation again. Mark Mulder could easily win 20 games. Jason Marquis and Jeff Suppan are solid 3-4 guys. The bullpen is solid. Tony La Russa knows how to put the pieces together.

The Bad: Jim Edmonds may finally be slowing down. He hit only .263 last year and really limped down the stretch. So Taguchi is being counted on to become an offensive threat. Junior Spivey might play every day. Scott Spiezio had to clear the needles out of his house. Sidney Ponson won a rotation spot.

The Verdict: The division is still fairly weak and the Cards are still good enough to win it. They won't win 100 again, more like 95. They won't be able to beat the surging Mets in the NLDS and another good year will end without a title. Albert Pujols is nearly a unanimous MVP. Scott Rolen fails to reach base in the playoffs.

2) Houston Astros

The Good: Roy Oswalt and Andy Pettitte each finished with an ERA under 3. Each could easily win 20 games this year. Brad Lidge is a top-notch closer and the bullpen is the best in the National League. Preston Wilson brings much needed pop to the lineup. He, Jason Lane, Morgan Ensberg and Lance Berkman all should hit between 25 and 30 homeruns. Craig Biggio seemed to defy time with a 26 homerun season last year. Willy Tavarez has the speed to steal 40 bases.

The Bad: Brandon Backe, Wandy Rodriguez, Taylor Buchholz. Not exactly a Roger Clemens in that bunch. The back end of the rotation will struggle to make up for the loss of the Rocket. The team has to be a little concerned with Lidge's finish to last season. Ensberg and Lane will need to repeat their career seasons. Neither Brad Ausmus nor Adam Everett can hit much.

The Verdict: The team should be good, but a little worse than last year with the loss of Clemens. 85 wins is likely, but that won't be enough to beat out the Mets. Biggio and Ensberg see their home run totals shrink by ten. Oswalt doesn't win 20 again, but he does win 18. Lidge leads the league in saves.

3) Chicago Cubs

The Good: Derrek Lee flirted with the triple crown last season. Aramis Ramirez protected Lee well (.302-31-92) and is still only 27. Jacque Jones adds some power, Juan Pierre adds some speed. Matt Murton is ready for the big leagues. Carlos Zambrano has stepped up and been the ace that the Cubs with Mark Prior or Kerry Wood would be. If Prior can get healthy, he could win 15 games. The bullpen will be better with the addition of Scott Eyre.

The Bad: Wood and Prior may never be healthy enough to approach their potential. With them on the shelf, the rotation is weak. Ageless Greg Maddux can't be a #2 starter on a winning team. Sean Marshall and Jerome Williams shouldn't be in anyone's starting rotation. Ryan Dempster needs to prove he is a legitimate closer. Jones and Pierre both had low OBPs last year.

The Verdict: If Prior gets healthy, the team should finish over .500. They don't have the depth to reach the postseason but will be better than some people expect. Matt Murton will win Rookie of the Year and Lee will hit 40 homeruns again. Prior will win 15 games but Kerry Wood will not contribute.

4) Milwaukee Brewers

The Good: Trendy playoff pick with young talent all over the place. Carlos Lee is a solid power threat in the middle of the lineup. Rickie Weeks and J.J. Hardy have another year's experience. Prince Fielder is blue chip prospect ready to contribute.Ben Sheets, if healthy, could be a sleeper Cy Young pick. Doug Davis, Chris Capuano and closer Derrick Turnbow coming off of career seasons.

The Bad: Other than being a year older, didn't do much to improve in the offseason. The team will miss Lyle Overbay in the middle of the lineup. Weeks and Hardy both hit below .250 last year. Corey Koskie did as well. It is hard to believe Capuano and Davis will repeat their 2005 years.

The Verdict: The expectations are way too high. They might win 80 games again but the postseason will have to wait. Capuano and Davis both see their ERAs rise. Sheets pitches well when recovered from injury. Bill Hall supplants Koskie at third base sooner than later.

5) Cincinnati Reds

The Good: The offense, which scored more runs than anyone in the National League last year, is potent. Adam Dunn and a healthy Ken Griffey could both hit 40 bombs. Felipe Lopez established himself as an all star shortstop. Tony Womack and Ryan Freel bring speed to the lineup. Aaron Harang and newly-acquired Bronson Arroyo will provide quality starts.

The Bad: Outside of Harang and Arroyo, the pitching is abominable. Brandon Clausen hasn't come close to expectations, Eric Milton was horrible and Dave Williams is a Pirates castoff. The bullpen is probably worse than the rotation. They don't even pretend to have a closer. The team will miss departed Wily Mo Pena and Joe Randa. They probably won't score as many runs as '05.

The Verdict: They weren't good last year and haven't got much better. They'll win more than 70 and outdo the Pirates but anything more than that is a tremendous stretch. Griffey will wind up on the DL at some point. Arroyo and Harang will be the only pitchers to reach ten wins. The bullpen will kill them.

6) Pittsburgh Pirates

The Good: Jason Bay and Zach Duke represent the future. Bay should improve on his .306-32-101 season. Duke is ready to be the ace that Oliver Perez couldn't be for the Bucs. Perez hopes to pitch more like 2004 than 2005. Paul Maholm has aquality young arm. Mike Gonzalez should be a better than average closer. The bullpen is surprisingly solid. Sean Casey and Joe Randa bring some leadership.

The Bad: Casey and Randa were let go by the Reds. They can't be expected to bring instant winning. The rest of the lineup is filled with young players like Chris Duffy that will take some time. Both Wilsons (Jack, Craig) had poor seasons in '05.The back end of the rotation . . . who knows? Perez's ERA approached 6 last year.

The Verdict: They will be more competitive thanks to Casey and Randa and a full season of development for Zach Duke. They still will win around 70 games and are a long way from the promised land. Duke will experience some growing pains but win 12. Perez's year will fall in between the good of '04 and the bad of '05. Gonzalez finds a way to save 35 games.

NL West

1) Los Angeles Dodgers

The Good: Eric Gagne is back and hopefully will highlight one of the game's best 'pens. Danys Baez, who saved 40 of his own games last year, is a great 8th inning guy, as well as an insurance policy. The rotation doesn't have an ace, but it is deep. All five guys could win double digits. Derek Lowe should be acquitted to the new surroundings by now. The offense will be improved by adding Rafael Furcal to the top of the lineup. Nomar Garciaparra could (could) hit .300 and knock in 100 runs. Jeff Kent always puts up numbers.

The Bad: Grady Little somehow bribed his way into another managerial position. Garciaparra hasn't been himself since 2003. Jose Cruz Jr. is penciled into the opening day lineup. J. D. Drew never seems to be as good as advertised. Brett Tomko lost 15 games last year in the same (weak) division. Gagne's health is a major concern. Did I mention Grady Little was involved?

The Verdict: This team, which won only 71 games last year, is still flawed but it is also still in the NL West. .500 might be good enough to win the division again and L.A.'s pitching will get them there. Garciaparra hits .300 with 20 homeruns and stays relatively healthy. Jae Seo may be the team's best pitcher.

2) San Francisco Giants

The Good: Barry Bonds is the game's most feared hitter. He instantly turns the Giants back into a contender. Randy Winn is a solid 20-20 guy and Moises Alou is decent protection for Big Bad Barry. The rotation will be competitive. Jason Schmidt and Matt Morris are proven winners. Noah Lowry was strong throughout last season. Matt Cain is ready to contribute double digit wins.

The Bad: The lineup is old and, outside of Bonds, didn't get any better in the offseason. Omar Vizquel, Ray Durham and Pedro Feliz can only do so much. Jason Schmidt's ERA has been increasing over the last two years. Matt Morris lost ten games last year with a 100 win club. Armando Benitez is hurt again. Bonds is liable to flip out, get hurt, be suspended or retire at any time.

The Verdict: The young pitchers, Cain and Lowry, will keep the club in the West race until the final days. The rival Dodgers will prove to be slightly better. Bonds will defiantly hit 30 homers but also spend alot of time on the shelf. Schmidt and the bullpen will struggle.

3) Arizona Diamondbacks

The Good: The lineup is stocked with power. Chad Tracy could turn in .300-30-100 numbers at third base. Shawn Green and Luis Gonzalez are consistent. Conor Jackson is a highly touted prospect. Even Tony Clark, who will begin the season on the bench, hit 30 homeruns last year. Brandon Webb is a solid, if unspectacular, young pitcher. Jose Valverde is a closer with a bright future.

The Bad: After Webb, the rotation is pretty anemic. El Duque is at least 41 years old, though he might be 51. Miguel Batista can't seem to find a role in which he can have any semblance of success. Russ Ortiz is an embarassment. Hard to imagine a winning team with that kind of pitching. Eric Byrnes is slated to start in center field after three teams gave up on him last season.

The Verdict: They will try to slug it out with people. In this division, they might even be in the race into September. They will be lucky to reach 77 wins again. Tracy will hit 35 homeruns. Byrnes will hit 3. Ortiz will give up 335.

4) San Diego Padres

The Good: Jake Peavy is one of the best pitchers in baseball. He figures to win nearly 20 games and challenge for the Cy Young. Trevor Hoffman still is one of the best in the game. the bullpen, as a whole, is very good. Mike Cameron will stabilize the top of the order. Brian Giles should increase his power numbers. Bruce Bochy is an excellent skipper.

The Bad: Bochy will need to work a miracle to get this bunch into the playoffs again. Mike Piazza (.250-19-62) will be the cleanup hitter. Ryan Klesko is getting old and ineffective. Ditto for Vinny Castilla. The club is putting alot of stock in Dewon Brazelton, who's ERA was nearly 8 last year. Shawn Estes and Chan Ho Park still have jobs.

The Verdict: Despite Peavy's best efforts, this team will struggle to win 70 games and won't even challenge for the divisional title. Piazza (and Castilla) will be a major bust. The starting pitching will be awful.

5) Colorado Rockies

The Good: Todd Helton is still in Colorado and, even after a down year by his standards, will help the Rockies appear competitive. Clint Barmes is healthy after a fast start to last season. Matt Holliday and Garrett Atkins should improve their power. Brian Fuentes managed to put together an above average season as a closer in Coors' Field last year.

The Bad: The pitching is usually bad and this year won't be any different. Aaron Cook has the best chance of being productive. Jason Jennings has become accustomed to getting hammered in Colorado. Neither of the Kims (Byung-yun and Sun-Woo) are ready to tame Coors. Jose Mesa in Colorado will be entertaining, if nothing else. The Rockies will score some runs but much of their lineup is still full of more potential for 2008 than 2006.

The Verdict: A 4th place finish isn't ridiculous. They will probably get to 70 wins and might leapfrog the Padres. Clint Barmes will turn himself into a fantasy baseball stud with a good year in the thin air. Helton will also have another good year.

10 Thoughts

2006-03-29T08:04:00.000-05:00

I've been having some computer troubles and have been busy with other business. Here's ten thoughts to ponder and I'll get back on a more normal posting period.

1) Brett Favre is inconsiderate, overpublicized and overrated. Deep into the free agent period, Favre still hasn't committed to playing for the Green Bay Packers. Partly because their offseason has been spent on Favre Watch, the Packers haven't made use of their cap room. They haven't signed another quarterback, haven't improved their team and seem to be in a state of limbo as far as what direction the franchise is heading. Are they rebuilding? Not with a 36 year old quarterback they aren't. Are they planning on contending? Not if Aaron Rodgers is forced to take over a 4-12 team that has lost their starting center and may trade Javon Walker. The Packers don't have a clue what they are doing and it is because of Favre.

Still, #4 gets the ultimate free pass. You'd think this guy is the greatest quarterback in NFL history. He's not. He hasn't won five Super Bowls. He's won one (thanks, in part, to a kickoff return in which Desmond Howard was aided by the mysterious disappearance of Troy Brown and a blatant holding penalty. Not to mention the Packers were playing a team without a head coach who cared about the game. But thats another story). Last year, Favre was ahead of only the immortal Aaron Brooks in quarterback rating. He threw 29 interceptions (No one else, not even Brooks, threw more than 17). 29 interceptions! He won exactly 4 games, the last a gift win against a Seattle team that didn't try to win the game. Since Super Bowl 32 (9 years ago), he has won exactly 2 playoff games, both home wild card games, one in overtime.

I can't argue that, at his best, Favre wasn't a great quarterback. He's certainly a hall of famer. He's not God, though, and he might just be one of the worst starting quarterbacks in the game right now. Still, the Packers have remained fiercely loyal. The fans have remained loyal. The media has remained intensely loyal, nearly to the point of blatant ignorance. And yet, Favre jerks everyone around by "considering retirement." Soon, he'll likely announce he will return to the Packers. The media will laud one last run for a gunslinger. But the Packers aren't going anywhere soon and they have Brett Favre to blame.

2) The Boston Bruins are lucky Isiah Thomas is running the Knicks because, if he wasn't, they just might be the worst franchise in all of sports. In the past year, they have traded away two of their best four players, one of whom just may end up scoring more points than anyone in the NHL. Their major acquisition in the offseason has scored 1 goal. Their "franchise" goalie, who won the Calder Trophy in 2004, currently plays for the Providence Bruins. Tim Thomas, a career journeyman and minor leaguer, is now the goalie of the near-future. Their coach is the epitome of lame-duck. They might have two NHL-caliber defensemen on the roster. And one of them can't wait to get out of town (so much so that he has begun picking up ridiculous misconduct penalties). With all these things producing disastrous results and the team about to finish another season without a playoff win, the Bruins last weekend did the only thing left to do: they fired the general manager. And just about 5 years late. I don't see how this mess is going to be sorted out but it certainly isn't going to be for quite while.

3) It's Fantasy Baseball season again. Players who will do better than expected:

Vernon Wells - Protection from Glaus. Entering prime of career. Looking for contract extension.
Mike Lowell - Averaged 20 HR's in 5 seasons before last. A pull hitter who will benefit greatly from the Green Monster. Eligible at 2B.
Miguel Cabrera - Clearly team has been mangled but Cabrera is only going to get better and numbers won't dip.
Jose Reyes - Another guy only getting better on a team that is much better. Can't go wrong with 60 SBs.
Clint Barmes - If had been healthy all year last year, would have been a Top 50 pick.
Jim Thome - Allegedly in good shape, if primed for a bounce-back year.
Justin Morneau - Has to reach potential at some point.
Derrick Turnbow - Brew Crew will be better Turnbow will benefit.
Jon Garland - don't understand the skepticism about a 25 year old guy that just won 18 games.
Chad Orvella - Will settle nicely into a closer's role that got Danys Baez 41 saves last year.

4) And now the guys who will do worse than expected:

Keith Foulke - A nightmare waiting to happen. Both knees are shot. His head isn't into it. He wasn't very good to begin with. The guy strung one good month together. He's hitting 85 on the radar gun and that won't get big leaguers out. The end is near.
Johan Santana - Yes, he has nasty stuff but he did struggle at times last year. Many teams in the AL have got much better. The twins haven't. He'll be good, but not as good as expected.
Pedro Martinez - Shoulder might be nearing its breaking point. Won't pitch 200 innings again
Johnny Damon - Getting older. Broke down last year. Won't steal as many bases and will struggle to reach .300-10-75 again.
Todd Jones - Let's not forget one thing: this is still Todd Jones.
Rich Harden - Only throws one pitch which makes me believe 3.5 is more likely than 2.5.
Jim Edmonds - 35 years old. Might be heading for .250.
Bob Abreu - dipped to .260 with only 6 homers after the All Star Break. Might be slowing down a bit.

5) Kansas State instantly became a winner when they hired Bob Huggins. The guy just wins. He might not be the greatest of guys and he might not be able to recite the alphabet at all times, but he will turn the lackluster Wildcats into a national contender. Rumors are already swirling that Michael Beasley, OJ Mayo and Bill Walker are heading to Manhattan with Huggy Bear. That's not just an NCAA tournament quality trio. That's a cutting-down-the-nets trifecta of recruits. It's hard to believe there wasn't a bidding war of immense proportions for this guy because he's ready to turn Kansas State into a powerhouse.

6) It's going to be an all-SEC final on Monday. UCLA has no business being in the Final Four. They are not a Final Four quality team. They were lucky to get by Alabama, had no business getting by Gonzaga and ran into a Memphis team that decided it wanted to play like fifth graders. LSU, while not the greatest of Final Four teams, has enough athleticism and inside presence to get by UCLA as long as they don't clam up and pull a Memphis. Pick: LSU 66, UCLA 56

7) George Mason is not going to wilt under the lights of the Final Four. If that was an issue, they would have been gone long before now. Florida will prove to be too big and too fast. Some of the best basketball I ever saw Syracuse play this year was in the Coaches vs. Cancer against the Gators. Florida still beat the Big East Champs going away. When they are playing at their best, no one in the country (and, certainly no one left) is going to beat them. Mason makes it interesting, but Florida advances. Pick: Florida 74, George Mason 66

8) The Celtics really showed their true colors Sunday in blowing a ten point fourth quarter lead and losing in front of a sold out Garden crowd to the Bulls, who are directly ahead of them in the standings. The Celtics aren't going to be in the playoffs this year and the lottery pick will help them continue to move in the right direction. However, this team easily could have been in the playoffs if the powers that be could have done a slightly better job. Danny Ainge drafted well again but I don't think he could have done worse on the free agent market if he tried. Brian Scalabrine (despite brilliant work on Scal's Blog) is an unmitigated disaster and Dan Dickau was on the way to being the same if not for a season-ending injury. If Ainge had used the money to sign someone like James Jones, the Celtics would certainly be a playoff team. Instead we are stuck with Scalabrine for 4 more years.

Even with the current roster, this team should be in the playoffs. If Doc Rivers knew how to manage a rotation, handle late game situations, diagram plays or analyze talent, this team would be firmly in the Eastern Conference playoffs. Unfortunately, Rivers lacks so many qualities needed to be an NBA coach that the team will go home early. He constantly used 12 man rotations early in the season. He botched at least four game end-of-game situations (WAS, WAS, DET and GS), although I'm certain there are more. He DNPCDed Ryan Gomes until the Wally trade when he discovered that Gomes was, BY FAR, our most competent forward. He still has no clue what the best way to rotate these guys is and pretty much just prays for the best.

The Celtics will be out of the playoffs for the first time since 2001, but it didn't have to be that way.

9) Quick hits: Pittsburgh is lucky they sewed up Jamie Dixon. The guy has done a good job and happens to be the Big East's All-Time winningest coach. . . Jeff Gordon couldn't have appeared less tough than when he climbed out of his car wearing a helmet and shoved Matt Kenseth like a girl . . . I can't for the life of me believe why Ron Everhart left Northeastern for Duquesne. The CAA has so much juice right now with the George Mason story, the Huskies acquitted themselves nicely last year and he still had Shawn James, the country's premeir shotblocker. And he decided to leave that for a job with the downtrodden Dukes, who were 3-24 last year in a less-than-stellar A10. . . I wish ESPN would stop pretending their audience cares about women's basketball. . . Julian Peterson will help the Seahawks tremendously if he stays healthy. Unfortunately, that if is about as big as the space needle. . . The Giants will beat the Colts on September 10th.

10) I will have a baseball preview up in the coming days. If you like baseball, visit The Two Seamer. The guy knows more about baseball than any human being probably should. If you are interested in the Felix Heredias, the Ryan Zimmermans or the Seth McClungs of the world, you'll enjoy it.

Peter May is an Idiot

2006-03-07T17:03:00.000-05:00

There should be little to no doubt in the minds of real Celtics fans as to what they want to see in the final 23 games: hard-fought L's.
-Peter May, in today's Boston Globe

If you root for your team to lose, doesn't that inherently mean that you are not a "real fan?" Perhaps May is just trying to stir something up and get his name out there again, but it is hard to fathom this is something that May really believes, no matter how sour he has become with covering the Celtics.

How did May come to this conclusion that "real" fans should root for the Celtics' opposition? Did he ask any real fans? Doesn't appear so. Did he look historically at the difference between teams that had finished in the lottery the previous year vs. a first round exit in the playoffs? Nope.

Instead, in the article he makes two main points: it is a longshot for the Celtics to make the playoffs, down 5 games with another team to leapfrog (Chicago). Not exactly groundbreaking stuff, nor does it further his point at all. Just for good nature, he also includes a couple paragraphs about the tie-breaking scenario between the Bulls and the Celtics, which is newsworthy considering neither is currently in the playoffs. Secondly, he describes how weak the draft is perceived to be this year. He even goes as far as to suggest that LaMarcus Aldridge, who is a sophomore in college, reminds him of Mark Blount. He makes this assertion based on one game. Against Rice. Seriously. This seems to directly refute his entire point, but, hey, he gets a free potshot in at Blount.

I understand that the job of a columnist is to get people talking. I just think that May's point is way off-base and the 700 words he devoted to it did nothing to persuade me otherwise. There aren't that many "real" Celtics fans out there anymore. There aren't many people who are heading to the fleet to pay 60 dollars for tickets to see the Jazz on a Monday night. There aren't many people who stay up until 1 AM watching a Warriors game on a Wednesday night. There aren't many who can take heartbreaking loss after loss and keep coming back for more. There probably aren't many people who read Peter May's column these days. For those of us that do live and breathe Celtics green, those of us "real fans," the last thing we are rooting for is losses.

Everything You Need To Know About Conference Tournaments. . . And then Some

2006-03-01T05:53:00.000-05:00

The madness is slowly coming upon us. Today is March 1. The first day of the month dedicated to college basketball from Miami to Spokane. Yesterday saw the first rounds of some of the smaller tournaments across the country. Here's a breakdown of how the 31 automatic qualifiers for the NCAA Tournament will be decided:

ACC
NCAA Locks: Duke, North Carolina, North Carolina State, Boston College
Bubbling: Florida State, Virginia, Miami, Maryland
Outlook: The Dukies haven't lost an ACC game as of yet (only losing to the fifth best Big East team), so they would have to be considered prohibitive favorites. They'll have a considerable home-court presence in Greensboro. BC and UNC are both surging at the right time and won't be an easy out. The bubble teams can't seem to beat anyone right now and shouldn't be considered much of a threat. The Seminoles boast the best resume of the lot.

America East
Favorite: Albany
Dark Horse: Binghamton
Outlook: The Great Danes, a relative newcomer to Division 1, are a strong favorite to host the championship game and go dancing for the first time. Binghamton, the second seed and the institution that gave us Tony Kornheiser, hosts the opening rounds but will have to travel to Albany for a breakfast-time final if Albany holds serve.

Atlantic Sun
Favorite: Belmont
Dark Horse: East Tennessee State
Outlook: Belmont and Lipscomb tied for first place in the conference and split two games during the regular season. The Bruins and Bison, who make their homes just two miles from each other in Nashville, may be on a crash course for a rubber game meeting in the final. The tournament will be played, however, in Johnson City, home of the ETSU Buccaneers. The Bucs still boast "Michael Vick with a basketball," but have to play an extra game in the first round.

Atlantic Ten
Favorite: George Washington
Darkhorse: St. Louis
Outlook: It has pretty much been George Washington and everyone else in a weak A10 this year. For this reason, the Colonials haven't received much as far as national respect. Two years ago, St. Joseph's finished 27-1 in the same conference (minus Charlotte and St. Louis, the second and third best teams this year). They received a #1 seed. This year, GW (24-1) is projected by "Bracketologist" Joe Lunardi, who works for St. Joseph's University, to be no better than a #4 seed. I really don't see the disparity. Despite missing Pops Mensa-Bonsu, GW should earn the automatic bid. The Billikens have been up-and-down all year and would need to pull an upset of major proportions to get into the field. Charlotte, despite having a monster in Curtis Withers, has been spotty also and Massachusetts, playing inspired ball under Travis Ford, is too young to threaten.

Big 12
Locks: Texas, Kansas, Oklahoma
Bubbling: Colorado, Texas A&M
Outlook: Texas just thrashed Kansas and, playing in Dallas, should earn the automatic bid without much trouble. Kansas has had a remarkable season considering how young they are and will want to maintain the momentum as they head into the NCAAs to avoid a letdown like last year. Oklahoma seems to win every game by two points or less, but have done enough to get in and have an experienced team. Colorado and A&M have identical 18-7 (8-6) records. The Buffs have a marquee win over Oklahoma but are stumbling down the stretch. The Aggies have a pillow-like out of conference schedule but have a win over Colorado and have won their last five. There probably will be room for only one.

Big East
Locks: Connecticut, Pittsburgh, Villanova, West Virginia, Georgetown, Marquette
Bubbling: Syracuse, Cincinnati, Seton Hall
Outlook: Connecticut has the best talent in the country. They should be the favorite every time they take the floor. Pittsburgh is a team that has enough perimeter and inside scoring to play with Connecticut. Villanova and West Virginia can shoot anyone out of the tournament, including themselves. GTown and Marquette will be gunning to pick up an extra marquee win and improve their seeding. Depending upon the final week of the season, two of the three bubble teams should play each other in the 8/9 game at high noon on Wednesday. There will be no bigger bubble game in the country. The winner should be in, the loser could be out. All three teams would be helped by a win. A team like Louisville, should it qualify, should not be taken lightly.

Big Sky
Favorite: Northern Arizona
Dark Horse: Montana
Outlook: Northern Arizona won the conference and, as a result, gets to host the conference tournament. The Lumberjacks were undefeated at home in league play. They did finish the season with a thirteen-point loss to Montana. The two teams should meet again in the championship game, but expect NAU to dance.

Big South
Favorite: Winthrop
Dark Horse: High Point
Outlook: Winthrop, the defending champions, have everything set up for a return trip to the NCAAs. They looked prepared to cash in with a 41 point win last night in the opening round. The Eagles will host the semifinal game with High Point tomorrow. High Point (location: North Carolina, nickname: Panthers) scored a road upset of Radford last night and is playing their best at the best time. With Winthrop looming, though, last night may prove to be the high point of the season for the Panthers.

Big Ten
Locks: Ohio State, Illinois, Iowa, Wisconsin, Michigan State, Michigan
Bubbling: Indiana
Outlook: Home teams seem to always win in the Big Ten. By that logic, Indiana should take itself off the bubble by claiming the automatic bid. Considering, their coach has already quit and they lost to Indiana State, that has to be considered a long shot. The field is really wide open. All of the top five teams can defeat each other on any given night. Michigan State has the talent, experience and coaching to snap out of their funk and get the job done. Ohio State can get hot and beat anyone in the country. Those two teams seem to have the best shot at reaching the final and having their NCAA seeding completely compromised because the game is just minutes before the selection show.

Big West
Favorite: Pacific
Dark Horse: UC Irvine
Outlook:Pacific always seems to make the field of 64 and, lately, have been making the field of 32. They should do at least the former this year in the weakened Big West. UC Irvine beat Pacific at home and has ten conference wins and a cute nickname (Anteaters). The rest of the conference is terrible.

Colonial
Locks: George Mason
Bubbling: UNC Wilmington, Hofstra
Outlook:George Mason will get an at-large bid regardless of whether they win the tournament or not. They may need it, as the top of the conference is very competitive. Wilmington, like Mason, finished at 15-3 in the conference and could dance without an automatic invite. Hofstra is squarely on the bubble at 14-4 after just defeating George Mason Saturday. Old Dominion was a #12 seed last year and shouldn't be taken lightly. Virginia Commonwealth gets to play at home. Northeastern acquitted itself well in its first year in the conference, a major step up from the America East. This tournament has a lot of quality teams playing for their lives which should make for good basketball.

Conference USA

Locks: Memphis
Bubbling: UAB, UTEP, Houston
Outlook: Memphis is by far the most talented team in the league. Memphis is hosting the tournament. After what happened last year, its hard to believe Memphis doesn't win the CUSA tournament this year. That doesn't mean this tournament is meaningless, however. The committee usually takes more than one team from this conference and this year probably will be no different. The question is who will join the Tigers on Selection Sunday. If UAB beats Memphis tomorrow, they will secure a bid. If not, whoever makes the tournament championship will be a heavy favorite to get a second bid.

Horizon
Favorite: Wisconsin-Milwaukee
Darkhorse: Detroit
Outlook: Milwaukee lost Bruce Pearl and Ed McCants but didn't lose a beat in the Horizon League. The Panthers earned the double bye and will host the semifinals and possible final. Butler also earned the valuable double bye, while everyone else left in the tournament is 8-8. Of those middling teams, Detroit has the best chance to pull an upset because of their outside shooting and athleticism.

MAAC
Favorite: Iona
Darkhorse: Siena
Outlook: Manhattan won the regular season and earned the free pass to the semifinals. The Jaspers haven't been the same since they lost C.J. Anderson, their best player, because of academic problems. Iona will have to play an extra game, but has the talent to take down Manhattan in the final game. Siena, playing at home, has a chance to preempt the Gaels by beating the Jaspers in the second round. St. Peter's star Keydren Clark, the NCAA's 8th all-time leading scorer, barring an NIT bid, will be playing his last collegiate game in Albany.

MAC
Favorite: Kent State
Darkhorse: Miami (Ohio)
Outlook: The Golden Flashes have won six in a row and have been the class of the conference at 15-2. Their list of challengers is not a short one, however. Akron has been a surprise at 13-3 and hosts Kent on Saturday. Miami of Ohio have won seven straight after a sluggish start. Preseason pick Ohio has been a disappointment, as has Buffalo. Kent State should win, but both Akron and Miami will give them all they can handle.

MEAC
Favorite: Delaware State
Darkhorse: Bethune-Cookman
Outlook: Delaware State won at the aforementioned Kent State and won at Jacksonville State and is 15-2 in conference. They'll have to travel to Raleigh for the tournament but will enter as favorites. No one else in this low-level conference can match Delaware State's profile, but Cookman did just nip the Hornets at home and is second in the conference. Whoever wins will end up with a #16 seed.

Mid Continent
Favorite: Oral Roberts
Darkhorse: IUPUI
Outlook: Oral Roberts is the class of the MidCon with a solid out of conference profile and the number one seed. They will also play the tournament in Tulsa, their hometown. IUPUI (location: Indianapolis, nickname: Jaguars) tied Roberts at 13-3, but fell apart in the last week of the season, losing their last two to drop to the #2 seed.

Missouri Valley
Locks: Witchita State
Bubbling: Missouri State, Northern Iowa, Southern Illinois, Creighton, Bradley
Outlook: A mess. Witchita State won the regular season, which means the Shockers should be in. Missouri State and Northern Iowa face each other in the quarterfinals Friday. The winner is in great shape to get a bid. The loser will have to sweat. Creighton and Bradley do the same. A win will likely get Creighton in, despite missing their best player Nate Funk. Bradley may need to do even more work. The Salukis, who have some bad losses on their profile, need to avoid another letdown in the quarters. Ultimately, no more than four teams are likely to get in and it could end up being the four teams that make it tow the semifinals of this tournament.

Mountain West
Locks: None
Bubbling: San Diego State, Air Force
Outlook: Both the Aztecs and Falcons are right on the bubble for an at-large bid. Both of them would be best-served to win out in Denver or at least get to the final game to really feel safe. BYU has defeated both teams and may have as good a chance to get the automatic bid as anyone. Utah lurks as a sleeper.

Northeast
Favorite: Fairleigh Dickinson
Darkhorse: Central Connecticut State
Outlook: Fairleigh Dickinson is the defending champion and the #1 seed, meening they will host every game they play. CCSt. beat the Knights in their only regular season meeting and finished only one game behind them. If Central Connecticut State claimed the berth, they should end up with a #16 seed and could set up an all Blue Devils matchup with Duke.

Ohio Valley
Favorite: Murray State
Sleeper: Tennessee Tech
Outlook: Murray State "raced" through the conference to the tune of 17-3. After a quarterfinal win, two more will get the Racers to the Dance, where they could be a very dangerous team. Tennessee Tech played Murray tough twice, including a win in their building. They get to play the Racers in Tennessee if they are able to upend Samford and get to the championship.

Pac 10
Locks: UCLA, Washington, Arizona, Cal
Bubbling: none
Outlook: UCLA paces the conference by a game right now, but there is no clear favorite for the tournament at Staples Center. The NCAA tournament teams all have the talent to put together three wins and get the automatic bid. Cal and Arizona have solid NCAA profiles, but do not want to slip up and take a bad loss before they hit the committee. Stanford knows it needs to win the thing to punch a ticket.

Patriot
Favorite: Bucknell
Darkhorse: Holy Cross
Outlook: Bucknell is rolling towards another NCAA bid and will host all their games in the Patriot League Tournament. Even if they fell victim to a huge upset here, they still should warrant a bid. Thus, all the bubble teams are praying that the Crusaders, who host their half of the bracket up until the final, don't believe in miracles.

SEC
Locks: LSU, Tennessee, Florida, Alabama, Arkansas
Bubble: Kentucky
Outlook: All six teams should end up in but the Wildcats need to grab another win or two to ensure that their disappointing season won't end in the NIT. Tennessee gets to play at home which may make them the favorite here. All these teams will be playing to improve their seeding and anyone could make a run to the championship.

Southern
Favorite: Georgia Southern
Darkhorse: Davidson
Outlook: Georgia Southern has the top seed in the SoCon, which is very tough to predict. Davidson is the perennial winner but had a somewhat disappointing season and has the #3 seed. A case could be made for a handful of teams, but at 20-8 (11-4), Georgia Southern has the best chance to earn the #16 seed.

Southland
Favorite: Northwestern State
Darkhorse: Sam Houston State
Outlook: Northwestern State put the country on notice early with wins over BCS teams like Mississippi State, Oregon State and Oklahoma State. They didn't let down in the Southland Conference ransacking the conference at 13-1. Sam Houston State is the only conference foe to beat the Demons, but that was at home two months ago. Hard to believe someone is knocking off NW State before the NCAAs.

Sun Belt
Favorite: Western Kentucky
Darkhorse: Middle Tennessee State
Outlook: Western Kentucky is the favorite, but there should be some competition. The Hilltoppers and Southern Alabama won each of the two divisions in the wide-ranging conference. The tournament, however is going to be played in Middle Tennessee's building, where they just knocked off the Hilltoppers. They are going to be a tough out at home. Louisiana-Lafayette has been surging and Denver has the best player in the conference (Yemi Nicholson). Both those teams also have byes. Western Kentucky should prevail but it won't be easy.

SWAC
Favorite: Southern
Darkhorse: Grambling
Outlook: The big football rivalry could take to the basketball floor next week. Southern won the conference by three games, but did drop one to Grambling. Even if Southern gets it done, they are most likely headed for a Tuesday night affair in beautiful Dayton.

WAC
Favorite: Nevada
Darkhorse: Louisiana Tech
Outlook: Nevada won the regular season and gets to host the tournament. They are a good bet for an at-large this year, but they still will want to take care of business at home. As much hype as Nick Fazekas got before the season, the Wolfpack are beatable even at home because they can't shoot. The two most likely spoilers would be Utah State and Louisiana Tech. Utah State just got crushed by Nevada at home, but they have defeated Nevada on their court earlier in the year. La Tech just recently came within a tipped basket of doing the same. New Mexico State has been a major surprise and could spoil someone's tournament.

WCC
Locks: Gonzaga
Bubbling: none
Outlook: The Zags have had some scares but haven't lost in conference. The trend will likely continue in the WCC tournament, which will be played in their building. St. Mary's and San Francisco loom as the most likely longshots, but don't count on it. Unless the WCC really wants two bids, Gonzaga should roll.

Bracket Buster Breakdown

2006-02-17T12:48:00.000-05:00

I love the idea of the Bracket Buster. College basketball junkies (and gamblers) spend the entire year watching all these small conference teams battle each other. It becomes easy to get a sense of the haves and have-nots in each conference. What's more difficult is ranking the conferences themselves. Its hard to determine whether Akron (out of the MAC) is a better team than Nevada (WAC). If both teams didn't win their conference crapshoots at the end of the year, how would the committee determine whether they deserved an NCAA bid? It would pretty much be a guessing game.
that's where this weekend comes in. One game can't tell the whole story, but at least it is a start. With many power conference teams struggling to pad their NCAA chances, there is going to be room for a handful of mid-major at-large teams. If these teams want to move to the top of the list, a win this weekend would go a long way towards getting them in the field.
While Bracket Buster Saturday is a great chance for the Ionas and Pacifics of the world to get some national play, it could be better. Instead of giving the little guys their due and making this weekend an event, ESPN half-heartedly approaches it. Most glaring is the fact that the first game on ESPN Saturday is a marginal Atlantic 10 conference game between Fordham and Charlotte. This seems to happen every year. Find me someone excited about that game. Find me someone that would rather watch that than, say, Nevada-Akron. I could even live without Michigan-Michigan St. and Syracuse-Cincinnati. I wish ESPN would go full-force with the bracket buster. I guess Northern Iowa doesn't bring in the big ratings but I'm hard-pressed to believe that Fordham, Nebraska and Penn St. do any better nationally.
Here is a look at the important games and what is at stake:

Albany at VCU (tonight, 7) - VCU is a fringe contender for an at-large bid out of the strong Colonial Athletic Conference. George Mason, Old Dominion and UNC-Wilmington would seem to be ahead of the Rams for an at-large. The final two rounds of the CAA tournament could be as good as anywhere in the country. VCU should handle Albany, who is the class of the America East. The Great Danes should win their way into the dance, but they are outclassed here.
Akron at Nevada (tonight, 9) - Akron has come out of nowhere to lead the MAC at 12-2. Nevada came in with lofty expectations and an All American candidate (Nick Fazekas) and has been solid, if unspectacular, leading the WAC at 9-3. With the depth of the MAC and the weakness of the WAC, this may be an elimination game as far as an at-large. Both teams could win their way in, but if they want to be asked, they need this win.
Buffalo at Iona (Sat., 12) - This should be an interesting game between cross-state rivals, but neither the Bulls, in the middle of the MAC, nor the Gaels, leading the MAAC can hope for an at-large bid. The Gaels should get there anyhow and tomorrow have a chance to gain some respect for the MAAC with two A's.
Marist at Old Dominion (Sat., 4) - ODU, a tournament team last season, is a contender for a second CAA bid. A loss to MAAC also-ran Marist will end those chances.
Missouri St. at Wisconsin-Milwaukee (Sat., 2) - Another elimination-type game. Mizzou St. comes in as the fifth best team in the strong Missouri Valley Conference. Wisconsin-Milwaukee comes in as the best team in the low-major Horizon League. Neither of those resumes would seem to be enough to get in, but a loss tomorrow would end all hope.
Louisiana Tech at Southern Illinois (Sat., 6) - La Tech's at-large chances, if they existed, ended with the buzzer-beater loss in Nevada. Southern Illinois is a perennial dancer, but they are below three teams in the MVC and that shouldn't get you a trip this year. A home loss to the Bulldogs would be devastating.
George Mason at Wichita St. (Sat., 8) - This is a game between two teams who, one way or another, will be on your bracket in a month. A win here will help seeding and help the committee determine whether the MVC or the CAA, arguably the strongest mid-majors, is the better league.
Bucknell at Northern Iowa (Sat., 12) - Considered the best game of the lot, nationally ranked Bucknell and the Panthers of Northern Iowa are near-locks to get an at-large bid. Bucknell should have no problem winning the Patriot League tournament and Northern Iowa could well win the MVC. A win here would lock up a spot should they falter.
Picks of the Day:
VCU (-8) over Albany
Loyola Maryland (-6) over High Point
Yesterday: 1-2

Quick Hits

2006-02-16T12:52:00.000-05:00

What does it say about American hockey to have John Grahame netminding in the Olympics? I have seen this guy give up six goals the the Lowell Lochmonsters. He's a fringe NHL goaltender who has spent a great deal of time in the minor leagues. It is hard to believe that he is the best we have to offer.
NASCAR needs to clamp down on the cheating or it is going to ruin the validity of the sport. Jimmie Johnson was on ESPN yesterday saying that everyone cheats, that it is just part of the sport. He just happened to get caught. Is adjusting the height of a trunk on par with injecting steroids? Of course not. But for a sport that is trying to maximize its audience to pretty much encourage cheating is ridiculous. It is time for cars to be parked and drivers, not crew chiefs, to be suspended. Otherwise, the sport is going to become a mockery.
It should be interesting to see Darko Milicic play basketball. Despite being the second overall pick, we haven't seen him play yet. Now, he is in a position where he is going to play and, if he wants to avoid being the butt of jokes, he is going to have to produce. Ultimately, I'd bet that Detroit got the better end of the deal, with a solid draft pick (could be 6th overall) and some extra cap space at the end of the year.
Excuses are few at this point in Syracuse's basketball season, but I can't help but notice that they get their opponent's best game every time out. Cincinnati, over the last month, has been sleepwalking through the Big East with only eight scholarship players. They have been blasted by Louisville, Georgetown and struggled with South Florida at home. Last night, they can't miss. Maybe it is the 2-3 zone, maybe it is the lack of an offensive gameplan, maybe SU just isn't good. But it seems like every team turns into a Final Four contender when they come to the dome.
PICKS OF THE DAY:
Murray State (-4) over Tennessee St.
Phoenix/Houston Over 203
Georgetown -2 over Marquette

Pierce Shines, Celts Lose

2006-02-16T11:43:00.001-05:00

Nothing new to report here. Paul Pierce produced an MVP-caliber performance last night only to watch the Celtics lose yet another heartbreaking game to the Cleveland LeBrons in double overtime last night at the Garden. If you don't know this, it is probably because ESPN quickly passed by it or made you more than aware of LeBron's triple-double. If it was LeBron who had scored a career-high 50, it would not only have lead Sportscenter, it would have catapulted us into a "Fact or Fiction: Is LeBron Jesus Christ Reincarnated?" segment with Tim Legler.

Now I'm not arguing that Paul Pierce is a better player than LeBron James. It would be hard to argue that (although LeBron does have better pieces around him and hasn't appeared in a postseason game since high school). But Pierce certainly could be mentioned in the same breath as James. Only, he hardly ever is. Pierce is never mentioned as being one of the NBA's brightest stars with the LeBrons, TMacs and Kobes of the world. McGrady has never won a playoff series. Bryant couldn't will Chris Mihm, Jumaine Jones and Chucky Atkins (not to mention Lamar Odom and Caron Butler) to the playoffs. Pierce has accomplished both.

When the All Star selections came out and Pierce was a reserve for the fifth straight year, I knew the criticism was coming. The Stephen A. Smiths, the Leglers and the Barkleys were ready to pounce claiming that Pierce, being on a 20 win team, had no business in the All-Star game. Luckily, the All Stars are voted in by the coaches, the guys who have to try to stop Pierce on a nightly basis. Smith, Legs and Barkley probably haven't watched more than 20 minutes of Celtics basketball all year. They are too busy heaping praise on LeBron James.

Paul Pierce has pretty much been left to try to win games by himself, a formula that just doesn't work in the NBA. Consider that, last night, he probably only had three other legitimate NBA players on his team (Lafrentz, West and Wallyworld). LeBron, conversely, has a pass-first point guard (Snow), a true back-to-the-basket forward (Gooden), two weak side shooters (Jones, Marshall) and an All Star calibur center (Ilgauskus). Not to mention a twenty point scorer (Hughes) who is currently on the shelf. Pierce has been going to war with Orien Greene, Ryan Gomes, Brian Scalabrine and Michael Olowokandi. And yet, he has still put together an All Star season. It's too bad no one has noticed.