Just Another Guy

For most guys, today is a day they dread, either in fear of disappointing or, well, disappointment. You are not going to understand why I post this on Valentine's Day until you get to the final punchline. The following is written by ESPN's Bill Simmons, hanging out at a previous NBA All-Star weekend:

Best Random Celebrity Moment Ever

So I'm leaving Jam Session on Saturday afternoon when Sully gives me the "Come to the Four Seasons, we're hanging out in the hotel bar drinking Bloody Marys" phone call. Well, I can't turn down that offer. Not ever. Within 10 minutes, I'm sitting right there with them. And we're hanging out and talking hoops, debating whether to stay for a second drink, when none other than Charles Oakley saunters into the bar with three lady friends, eventually settling at the table right next to us. As soon as Oakley orders a round of shots for his table, as well as a martini for himself, we decide to order a second round of drinks for ourselves. I mean, where else can you drink 5 feet away from the real-life Shaft?

Twenty minutes later? MJ shows up with two friends and stops the room cold. (That's right, two brushes with MJ in 36 hours.) At first, it seems like he's just saying hello, but then we realize he's sitting down. Eventually, they move him into the inside booth, then block him with chairs on both sides so nobody can bother him. (I like to call this the Chair Armada, since it's the exact same strategy that guys use in strip joints when they don't want to be continually approached by below-average strippers trying to pull the "Maybe if I sit right on his lap, he'll feel bad for me and get a lap dance" routine. The Chair Armada never fails.) When Oakley ordered more drinks, we ended up ordering food and drinks for our table. For all we knew, we were staying all afternoon.

(And we did: Our bar bill ended up being like $400. Back to the story.)

Things kept rolling along. People kept walking over to say hello to MJ, pay tribute to him, kiss his ring ... it's almost like he's the real-life Michael Corleone (with Oakley as his Luca Brasi). At one point, his longtime agent David Falk sat about 30 feet away, waiting for an invite, finally giving up and coming over to say hello. (Falk asked MJ, "How late did you stay out last night?" followed by MJ casually saying "7:30," as we nodded admiringly.) And the drinks kept coming and coming and, occasionally, Oakley would get up and saunter around just to stretch his legs and look cool as I made comments like, "I wish you could rent Oak for parties." At one point, he was thinking about ordering food, stood up, looked over at all of us eating, noticed Rich's cheeseburger, asked if it was a cheeseburger, asked if it was good, kept glancing at it, kept glancing at it ... and I swear, we were all waiting for Oak to say the words, "Oak wants your cheeseburger, and he wants it now." But he didn't. He ended up ordering one himself. Too bad.

Well, two hours pass. Everyone finishes eating. The cigars come out. And I'm sitting there saying, "There's no way that the cards aren't coming out soon. It's impossible. MJ has never sat this long in one place without the cards coming out."

While we were waiting for that moment, just to make a strange afternoon stranger, I walked over to Elgin Baylor's table and talked about the Clips with him for 10 minutes (we're getting along these days -- that's a whole other story). And when I returned, the cards emerged, just as I predicted -- they started playing a game called "Bid Wist," a form of spades that's popular among NBA players, with Oakley and MJ teaming up against two of their friends. We got to see MJ's legendary competitive streak in action. He was trash-talking nonstop, snickering sarcastically, cackling with every good card, badgering his opponents to the point that I actually thought one of them would start crying. This wasn't Corporate MJ, the one you and I know. This was Urban MJ, the one that comes out for the black Super Bowl. We never get to see this one.

And I'm sitting there dying. For one thing, I love cards and have a gambling problem. Also, what would be a greater story than Sully and me getting winners against Oak and MJ? Sure, there wasn't a chance in hell, but it was fun to imagine. Meanwhile, the day kept getting stranger and stranger. Around 6, Shaquille O'Neal showed up with his posse, wearing a four-piece suit that caused MJ to joke, "I'm glad you're living up to the responsibility of the dress code." A little bit later, Bucks assistant Lester Conner showed up wearing a red sweatshirt with a giant Jordan logo on it .... when do you run into someone when you're randomly wearing their clothes? And MJ kept getting louder and louder, and he and Oakley were cleaning up, and we're all watching them while pretending not to watch, and then suddenly ...

MJ's wife shows up.

Uh-oh.

Everyone makes room for her. She sneaks in and sits down right next to him. And poor MJ looks like somebody who took a no-hitter into the ninth, then gave up a triple off the left-field wall. The trash-talking stops. He slumps in his seat like a little kid. The cigar goes out. No more hangin' with the boys. Time to be a husband again. Watching the whole thing unfold, I lean over to Sully just to say, "Look at that, he's just like us."

And he was. Just your average guy getting derailed by his wife. For once in my life, I didn't want to be like Mike.

1950s

Wow, how times have changed...

The following is from a 1950's home economics textbook intended for high school girls, teaching them how to prepare for married life:

• Have dinner ready. Plan ahead, even the night before, to have a delicious meal ready on time for his return. This is a way of letting him know that you have be thinking about him and are concerned about his needs. Most men are hungry when they get home and the prospect of a good meal is part of the warm welcome needed.

• Prepare yourself. Take 15 minutes to rest so you'll be refreshed when he arrives. Touch up your make-up, put a ribbon in your hair and be fresh-looking. He has just been with a lot of work-weary people.

• Be a little gay and a little more interesting for him. His boring day may need a lift and one of your duties is to provide it.

• Clear away the clutter. Make one last trip through the main part of the house just before your husband arrives. Run a dustcloth over the tables.

• During the cooler months of the year you should prepare and light a fire for him to unwind by. Your husband will feel he has reached a haven of rest and order, and it will give you a lift too. After all, catering to his comfort will provide you with immense personal satisfaction.

• Minimize all noise. At the time of his arrival, eliminate all noise of the washer, dryer or vacuum. Encourage the children to be quiet.

• Be happy to see him.

• Greet him with a warm smile and show sincerity in your desire to please him.

• Listen to him. You may have a dozen important things to tell him, but the moment of his arrival is not the time. Let him talk first - remember, his topics of conversation are more important than yours.

• Don't greet him with complaints and problems.

• Don't complain if he's late for dinner or even if he stays out all night. Count this as minor compared to what he might have gone through at work.

• Make him comfortable. Have him lean back in a comfortable chair or lie him down in the bedroom. Have a cool or warm drink ready for him.

• Arrange his pillow and offer to take off his shoes. Speak in a low, soothing and pleasant voice.

• Don't ask him questions about his actions or question his judgment or integrity. Remember, he is the master of the house and as such will always exercise his will with fairness and truthfulness. You have no right to question him.

• A good wife always knows her place.

The Leno Monologue

Those who thought the writers’ strike would bring down Leno misunderstood the power of his limitations:

One night, Bill Maher called Leno “virtually the only person I know … who could write an entire monologue by himself”—which sounded ridiculously overblown at the time, but on further reflection might actually be true.

By all accounts, Leno works on monologues obsessively—seven days a week, in the middle of the night, in comedy clubs, and on his days off. More than any other comic, he has devoted his life to that opening blitz of rapid-fire topical groaners. It’s his signature achievement. The Leno monologue is always impressively long and covers lots of ground. On a recent night, before he sat down at his desk, he told jokes about 24 different subjects, from botany to Britney to the production of Japanese electricity. Letterman covered only five.

Pundits who thought the strike would cripple Leno misunderstood something fundamental about his art: His act is already essentially crippled. Real stand-up comedy is famously time-intensive; it converts months of solid work into minutes of material, and its tiniest successes depend on superhumanly precise calibrations of tone, pace, and gesture—a discipline antithetical to the relentless, workaday schedule of a talk show. A monologue is, by definition, wounded comedy. We should assess late-night hosts, then, not by their rare bursts of excellence but by how they cope with mediocrity. Leno and Letterman both, at this point, deal mainly in terrible jokes. The question for viewers is what attitude—what existential garnish—do you want on top of them?

Volleyball

I found myself at a UC Irvine - USC college volleyball game on Friday night. For a sport very few of us have truly appreciate, I have to say it was quite entertaining.

UCI raised their national championship banner before the match, in a ceremony featuring the mayor and chacellor making speeches. In what I found to be a very classless act, Trojan head coach Bill Ferguson went over to the refs and said, "we want to play" motioning for them to rush the ceremony. While I understand that his players, were getting antsy standing around doing nothing after stetching and warming up for the past two hours, that is not something he should have done. Sure, the ceremony was of little interest to a visiting team. But coming from a school with such a rich tradition and appreciation of championship level sports, you would think the opposing team would show some respect for the home team's celebration of what they rightfully earned.

By the way, UC Irvine went on to sweep USC, 3-0.

Berkeley protesting Marines

Berkeley's liberal weiners are at it again, this time protesting against American Marines recruiting in their city. This brings up a very interesting philosophical debate within America:

• One side: "The Marine Corps is here to support and defend the Constitution of the United States, which does guarantee the freedom of speech...In terms of the situation in Berkeley, the City Council and the protesters are exercising their right to do so."

• In retaliation, a group of Republican lawmakers have introduced the Semper Fi Act of 2008 -- named after the Marine motto -- to rescind more than $2 million of funds for Berkeley and transfer it to the Marine Corps.
  "Like most Americans, I really get disturbed when taxpayer money goes to institutions which proceed to take votes, make policy or make statements that really denigrate the military," said Sen. David Vitter, R-Louisiana, a co-sponsor of the bill.

shq to phx

The Miami Heat have traded Shaquille O'Neal to the Phoenix Suns for Shaun Marion and Marcus Banks. As always, the commentary on this is endless so I will avoid adding to it. Of course, no one knows for sure how well this trade will work out, but I am leaning towards Scoop Jackson's side.

Super Tuesday

Enough about the presidential primaries, yesterday was all about the NBA. Pau Gasol made an impressive debut in his new Laker uniform, dropping 24 and 12 in New Jersey. Random thoughts on the suddenly relevant Lakers:

• This is a championship contending team. Enough said. Every now and then Stu Lantz will actually say something I do not already know, and last night he pointed out how the Lakers had four starters scoring in double figures in their 15 point win, and Kobe Bryant was not even one of them.

• Pau showed off his post skills very well, but more impressively showed his passing skills. He connected with Radmanovic, Kobe, and Walton several times, amazing considering it was only their first game together.

• Of course, getting Andrew Bynum back will only make the Lakers more dangerous. The twin towers are going to be a force inside, but look for Gasol to play more high post and Bynum more low post. I also think Phil should start and finish the games with them together, but not so much thoughout the game. That is, rest one seven footer while always keeping the other one in the game.

• On offense, having the twin towers drawing so much attention is going to open up so many opportunities for the perimeter players: Kobe of course, but more specifically shooters and slashers Jordan Farmar, Vladimir Radmanovic, Derek Fisher, Trevor Ariza, Luke Walton and company.

• On defense, having the twin towers is going to limit what opposing offenses can do. We have already seen how effective Bynum was alone; imagine having two seven footers anchoring the basket. Gone are the days of the Tony Parkers, Steve Nashs, Chris Pauls, Deron Williams, penetrating to the hoop for easy baskets. They may still drive in the paint, but will have to deal with two towers contesting their shots.

• The biggest winner in the trade: Lamar Odom. LO gets to play more of the small forward position when the twin towers are in together, which is a matchup nightmare for many opposing teams. He is relieved of the pressure of being the Lakers second best player. With the emergence of Bynum and acquisition of Gasol, he becomes the Lakers fourth option. Lamar Odom was consistently given space last night, and took advantage attacking the rim and getting to the line 13 times. He had 14, 15, and 5 only on four field goal attempts. That is efficiency folks.

• Is Kobe a genius or an idiot?
• He may be a genius, because after all the trade demand hoopla and parking lot video nonsense, at the end of the day, he got what he wanted: the acquisition of an all-star. Kobe now has Gasol and Bynum thanks to Kupchak and Buss. Management listened to his whining and delivered. Now it is on him to win a playoff series.
• He may be an idiot. Remember, Kobe wanted Bynum to be traded. Then he wanted to be traded away. Then Bynum emerged as a 20/10 stud and Kobe is on one of the league's top teams, on a roster he wanted no part of just a few short months ago.

• Pau needs a haircut and a shave. That caveman look may get by in Tennessee, but this is Hollywood, baby. Just ask Radmanovic and Vujacic.

XLII

Best Super Bowl Ever.

The once undefeated New England Patriots were stunned by the New York Giants in a thrilling game that was only decided in the final minute of a crazy fourth quarter that featured three lead changes, erasing any doubt to the fact that cheaters never prosper.

The commentary and analysis on this game and its fallout are endless, so I will avoid repeating the same stuff you can get elsewhere and just try to point out a few quirky things:

• Cheaters never prosper. The Patriots cheating and still losing is like if you cheat on your huge midterm exam, ace it, but then fail the final exam at the end of the term and consequently fail the class. The Patriots cheated, aced the regular season, but then ultimately failed their final exam, in the Super Bowl.


• Peyton Manning was shown quite a few times during FOX's telecast, sitting alone in the corner of a suite. Where was the rest of the Manning family?


• The curse of the hot girlfriend. Jessica Simpson shows up, Tony Romo plays poorly and loses. Giselle shows up, Tom Brady plays poorly and loses.


• A buddy of mine brilliantly compared these 2006 Patriots choking to the 2004 Lakers. Those Lakers also were crowned in the offseason after signing Gary Payton and Karl Malone, and also stormed through the regular season and playoffs. After they defeated the Spurs thanks to Derek Fisher's infamous 0.4 shot, everyone thought it was a given that they would win the Finals. Instead, the Detroit Pistons stunned the Lakers, who with four future hall of famers players had to be one of the most disappointing NBA teams of all time.


• I do not understand how Randy Moss can score 23 touchdowns during the regular season, and only ONE during the entire playoffs. Moss was burning double and triple coverage all year long, so whatever head coach Tom Coughlin and defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo came up with worked brilliantly, and they will be rewarded.


• This game further proves that the regular season practically means nothing, and that sports is all about confidence and momentum. Whoever gots hot and rolling when it counts ends up being champions.

More Patriot Cheating

An unnamed source has claimed a New England Patriots employee secretly videotaped the St. Louis Rams' pregame walk-through the day before Super Bowl XXXVI, the Boston Herald reported Saturday.

The next day, the Patriots upset the favored Rams 20-17 for their first Super Bowl championship. New England will play the New York Giants in Super Bowl XLII on Sunday in a bid to become the first NFL team to finish a season 19-0.

Spygate Tapes

In amidst of all the Super Bowl hype this weekend, have you noticed it seems that everyone has forgotten that the almighty Patriots were caught cheating this season?

The tapes turned into the NFL were mysteriously destroyed, and while there was plenty of controversy at the time, watching ESPN and reading sports columns all day I rarely hear or see any mentions about the fact that the Patriots cheated. When Spygate is mentioned, it is simply done so to emphasize how Bill Bilichick and the Patriots used it as motivation.

As the Patriots solidify their status as the best team in the history of football on Super Sunday, Congress is stepping in to challenge the NFL's destruction of the tapes that proved the Patriots were cheaters. Because the tapes were destroyed, we do not know how much those tapes helped the Patriots gain an advantage over their opposition. That is, we do not know the extent of the cheating. But we do know that the NFL did not want anyone to know. Hmm.

Now, I am glad to see someone remember Spygate and challenge it. But Congress? I thought we have a war going on, the threat of terrorism, chaos in the Middle East, an economy in recession, a devaluing dollar, a rapidly growing trade deficit, severe lack of healthcare and social security, housing and energy crises, and a tight presidential race that could be decided by something shady again. Kudos to Congress for finding the time to challenge some long gone football tapes.

Pumped up by a Piano

Sonics top Spurs

Yes, that headline is correct. It is no mistake. The Seattle Sonics snapped their 14 game losing streak against the defending champions, the San Antonio Spurs. I felt the way the Sonics celebrated only their 10th win of the season was as if they had just won a championship. I know this because rookie phenom Kevin Durant said, "It felt like we won a championship." Jokes aside, although the Spurs were without Tony Parker, rumor had it that their head coach Greg Popovich may have simply felt bad for his former assistant and current Sonics head coach P.J. Carlisemo and threw his buddy a badly needed win.

More importantly though, what does this say about the San Antonio Spurs? The champs are in cruise control, bouncing about in the bottom half of the western conference standings, and in third place in their own division. While the Spurs may just simply flip the switch and turn it on come playoff time, they definitely need to have their big three completely healthy to compete in the wildly competitive West.

Nail Brady

You know you want to.

The Smarter Sex

Newsweek has a very interesting read on a series of studies of IQ tests between males and females. Nothing overwhelming or groundbreaking is said here, but it does confirm my belief that the dumbest and smartest people on both end of the spectrum are men. The article goes on to say that women underestimate themselves while men have large egos. But you already knew that.

Mo Manning, Mo Money

Check out this article that made the front page of CNN Money.

According to Sports Illustrated, Peyton Manning pulled down a cool $11 million from sponsors thanks to his Super Bowl appearance last year. This article says that little brother Eli Manning has an opportunity to top that in the behemoth that is New York City, even though he is unlikely to win the game.

With the large markets of New England and New York competing in the big game, a 30-second commercial on FOX on Super Sunday is going for an average rate of $2.7 million, or $90,000 per second.

Remember the Seahawks

From ESPN's Hashmarks by Matt Mosley:

The Patriots have made it to town, but the Giants decided to spend an extra day in New York. They'll be arriving this afternoon. In case you haven't heard, Giants coach Tom Coughlin made a big production the other day about how no one remembers who loses the Super Bowl.

"Who lost the Super Bowl two years ago?" he asked his players.

It apparently took them a few minutes to come up with the Seahawks. His point is obvious: Let's not be satisfied with qualifying for the Super Bowl.

Coughlin's feeling a lot better since regaining most of the feeling in his face following the NFC Championshp Game. And yes, doctors were able to save his nose.

where amazing happens.

So I woke up today with absolutely nothing to do. This is a very awkward Sunday, the first Sunday without football in six months. Of course, the geniuses of the NBA decided to unleash a great doubleheader on this weekend in between Championship Sunday and the Super Bowl next week.

So I watched as the Boston Celtics visited the Orlando Magic in a matchup of two division leaders in the Eastern conference, as Rajon Rondo impressed me with his annoyingly good defense and quick plays, Dwight Howard dominated the paint, Rashard Lewis and Brian Cook (!) lead the Magic on a third quarter run, Ray Allen breaks out of his cold slump in time to hit three huge three-pointers late in the fourth quarter to lead a comeback, and Hedo Turkolu chucks up a prayer at the buzzer to break the tie and win the game.

I watched as the Cleveland Lebr-er, Cavaliers visited the Los Angeles Kob-er, Lakers. How great is the NBA's marketing in that they pit the top two basketball players in the world against each other on a perfect day to do so? Again, we saw another wild back and forth matchup that came down to the final possession.

The NBA is uncharateristically wide open, with Boston, Detroit, Orlando, and Cleveland each having realistic chances to represent the East, while the West is even more wide open with the top ten teams within seven games of each other. With the NFL practically in offseason mode already with one game to play, the NBA is about to hit their peak with the all-star game and the playoff race. Throw in a couple great games, and today I remember why I love this game.

One Second

It has sure been a while, and there have been a ton of thoughts and links I have wanted to share but never quite got around to it. But speaking of getting caught up in the things that are not as important in life, this article will touch you to the point where you should reprioritize everything. Remember to spend time with your family, folks. Everything else comes and goes, but we stick with our family forever.

Christmas for Sports Geeks

Championship Sunday!

The Patriots 21-12 victory over the Chargers came despite a three interception day from a banged up Tom Brady, while the even more banged up Chargers settled for four field goals without their top two redzone performers in LT and Gates fully healthy.

The Giants 23, Packers 20 game at Lambaeu was just something else. A temperature of NEGATIVE TWO degrees with a wind chill of NEGATIVE TWENTY FOUR. My freezer is a temperature of -10. That is, the players would have been better off playing in gigantic freezer. It was warmer in the North Pole, which was well into positive temperature. Of course, there was a helluva game played, which ended in overtime after a Brett Favre interception led to a 47-yard field goal after the Giants missed their previous two potential game winners.

The analysis on this great day in sports is endless, so I am not even going to bother adding to it. Rather, just know that if you could only choose one day out of the year to watch football, today was it.

Bolts Shock Colts

With Philip Rivers and LT going down with injuries, Billy Volek and Darren Sproles led the way as the San Deigo Super Chargers stunned the defending champions in Indianapolis, 28-24.

I thought the Seahawks could win...

Twins Marry

This would make a great Bollywood flick.

Oh Matt, you so funny 7

From the Seattle Times' Jerry Brewer:

Seahawks quarterback Matt Hasselbeck plans to have some fun with Holmgren's return. Earlier this week, when asked if he knew Holmgren had his own street, Hasselbeck said, "Holmgren Way? I think there's a Hooters there, isn't there? I'm trying to get a T-shirt that says 'Hooters on Holmgren.' That'd be awesome."

On Thursday, I visited the Hooters for lunch and to see if any of those T-shirts existed. While I was eating, Hasselbeck called the restaurant and asked if someone could get 40 "Hooters on Holmgren" shirts printed. A manager said he'd make the order right away.

Well, that's one way of preserving a legacy.

Pull of FNL

Exactly one year ago I declared NBC's Friday Night Lights the best show on television. It has been a pleasant surprise that the show is surviving, and considering that it keeps on getting better, people are starting to take notice.

Esquire's Chuck Klosterman writes:

Friday Night Lights is such a brilliant, effective TV show that -- sometimes -- I don’t enjoy watching it. Very often, I will feel on the verge of tears throughout an entire episode; it is the most emotionally manipulative show ever made. Part of it has to do with its brilliant use of music; if you play Explosions in the Sky loud enough, the process of hanging drywall can be a life-altering experience. But the larger reason Friday Night Lights is so moving is the way it taps into all the conservative impulses most mediacentric intellectuals try to ignore. The show’s moral code is so traditional and pure that it borders on cliché. It’s reactionary in the best possible way.

LSU

The Louisiana State University finally got the opportunity to win the BCS national championship, and did so decisively in its own back yard, handily defeating Ohio State 38-24. Unfortunately, the BCS title game has yet to ever live up to the hype, leaving everyone to complain about how the college football championship system remains severely flawed.

Seahawks 35, Redskins 14

I never really knew why they called it Wild Card weekend. I think I now know.

• All eight teams played this past weekend led at some point in their single elimination playoff showdowns. The Seahawks and Jaguars had to come from behind in the fourth quarter Saturday while the Giants and Chargers gave up early scores before taking control and advancing.
• The Seahawks were up 13-0 after three quarters of utter dominance. While the banged up Matt Hasselbeck was not his best, the defense was pressuring Todd Collins to the point where he was completely ineffective.
• In the fourth quarter, the Seahawks defense decided to ease back on the blitzes that were so effective, allowing Collins to execute a touchdown drive. Hasselbeck started to press and forced a couple throws, and an interception resulted in another Collins touchdown pass. 14-13, just like that.
• The ensuing kickoff featured the ball getting caught in the wind. Nate Burleson and Josh Wilson both misjudged the kickoff, and the ball sailed over both their heads, where the Redskins recovered and appeared to be well on their way to scoring an unbelievable 21 consecutive points in a mere five minutes. Thankfully, by rule, the ball is dead at the point of recovery. The Seahawks defense made yet another stand, and the Redskins missed the field goal.
• The missed chip shot turned out to be a big swing in momentum, as Hasselbeck stormed down the field and hit DeAndre James Hackett on a play that they had never run before for the go-ahead touchdown. Marcus Pollard catcheds the two-point conversion. 21-14, Seattle.
• Now that he is down with time running out, Collins starts to force passes. Marcus Trufant picks off a pass that sails in the air. Santana Moss could have made the tackle and kept their hopes alive but he gave up on the play and Trufant makes a couple cool jukes and returns it 78 yards for the score to seal the win. Jordan Babineaux adds another pick-six to make it a 21-point victory. Yes, I know the irony is incredible.
• Much of the story before and after the game was the Redskins rallying together after the death of stud starting safety Sean Taylor, number 21.
• But now the story becomes Mike Holgren, Matt Hasselbeck, and the Seattle Seahawks traveling to Lambeau Field in Green Bay to take on Brett Favre and the Green Bay Packers.
• The first thing Matt Hasselbeck said when he came to the podium at the post game press conference was, "I'll just say it right now. We want the ball, and we're gonna score," cracking a smile. The room burst into laughter.

Puncher's Chance

Let's say the Seahawks beat the Skins, and then, in Round 2, somebody shocks the Cowboys and Favre completely self-destructs. Seattle can't win consecutive road games against 13-3 teams, but a home-road-home run isn't impossible, right? By the way, this feels like the 27th straight year that the poor Seattle fans have talked themselves into the whole, "I know we're not that good, but if X happens, and Y happens, and Z happens, we might be able to sneak into the Super Bowl!" It's becoming a January tradition right up there with Vince Carter getting hurt and Fox kicking off a new season of "American Idol."

- ESPN's Bill Simmons

2007 Year in Review

Time indeed flies by. Check out the 2006 review here.

January

• Florida upsets Ohio State to win the BCS Championship Game.
• Where were you when Tony Romo dropped the ball?
• In what may have been the most overhyped story, David Beckham signs with the LA Galaxy for a supposed $250 million.
• Allen Iverson is traded to the Denver Nuggets.
• The Chargers hand a playoff game to the Patriots, then say that they will retain Marty as head coach before later firing him and replacing him with Norv Turner. We are still waiting to see how this plays out.
• 24 debuts its worst season by nuking Santa Clarita.
• Championship Sunday never fails to dissappoint. Colts 38, Pats 34 in a instant classic.

February

• Super Bowl XLI: Indianapolis Colts 29, Chicago Bears 17
• The NBA All-Star Game in Las Vegas turns out to be a disaster.

March

• The most lucrative NFL free agency signing period kicks off, with most teams having tens of millions of dollars to throw at players under the new collective bargaining agreement and high salary cap.

April

• The Florida Gators defeat the Ohio State Buckeyes for the national championship...again. This time in basketball, of course.
• Looking back on the NFL Draft, the biggest move had nothing to do with any rookie as it was the Patriots trading a fourth round pick for Randy Moss in the steal of the century.

May

• The Golden State Warriors stun the Dallas Mavericks in the first round, as a number 8 seed upsets a number one seed in the NBA Playoffs for the first time in a seven game series.
• The Chicago Bulls sweep the Miami Heat in the first round.
• Portland and Seattle win the top two picks (Greg Oden and Kevin Durant) in the NBA Draft lottery.
• Steve Nash's bloody nose became the perfect image to represent an intense playoff series between the Suns and Spurs. In a later game, Robert Horry's hard foul on Nash caused Stoudemire and Diaw to run off the bench, resulting in costly suspensions that may have cost them the series and championship.
• Kobe Bryant goes on ESPN radio and demands a trade from the Lakers.

June

• LeBron James singlehandedly beats the Detroit Pistons in another stunning playoff series upset, bringing his Cavs to the NBA Finals.
• The San Antonio Spurs sweep the Cleveland Cavaliers in route to their fourth NBA championship.
• The Anaheim Ducks win the Stanley Cup. I live in Orange County, and no one seemed to really notice, let alone care.
• The NBA Draft is also highlighted by a couple of superstar trades, as the Boston Celtics acquire Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett in the same week.

July

• Tim Donaghy betting scandal.
• Michael Vick dogfighting scandal.
• Steroids in baseball scandal.

August

• Harry Potter lives!
• Barry Bonds sets the home run record with number 756

September

• Spygate: The Patriots are exposed and punished as cheaters as they begin to route opponents every week.

October

• The Boston Red Sox sweep the Colorado Rockies to win the World Series.

November

• Super Bowl 41.5: Patriots 41, Colts 31. The talk of the Pats going undefeated suddenly gets serious.

December

• The New England Patriots become the first to finish the NFL season 16-0.

Are the Lakers for real?

J.A. Adande says so.

Orlando

It has been a while, and there is a ton of newsworthy topics I could address on my return home.

I choose to focus on a particular portion of my trip to Orlando, Florida at Epcot Center in Disney World. It was while walking by a Mickey Christmas show in which I heard the lyric "a savior is born" in concert. I must admit that I was quite surprised to hear these great words that are synonymous with the upcoming Christmas holiday. It has become a old cliche, but the true meaning of Christmas has gotten lost in the midst of the commercialism, materialism, and overall business of the holiday season. And yet I was to be reminded of the true meaning of Christmas at Disney World, of all places. Well now, that is really something.

On a side note, if you have not been to Disney World, you need to go. Everyone, no matter what their age, must someday shell out and experience it.

I was not going to pass up a chance to see the up and coming Orlando Magic while there, so a couple of notes on their game against Utah:

• The most overheard statement in the NBA is "Dwight Howard is a beast!" The thing is that he really is one, and you appreciate that a lot more in person up close. The guy can literally go up and grab the ball 13 feet in the air without breaking a sweat.
• Carlos Boozer is also a beast. I mean, he is one strong man who you do not want to bump into in a dark alley. He just has that look, like "you do not want to mess with me, or even give me the wrong look or else I am going to kick your ass." The guy who I wisely picked No.1 in my fantasy league has not disappointed, and impressed me with his aggressiveness and strength in bullying defenders on his way to the basket, leading the Utah Jazz to a big road victory.
• Carlos BOOZEr and Ronnie BREWER are on the same team. And they live and play in Salt Lake City, Utah. You cannot make this stuff up.
• Reason #620 why NBA games are so much better in person: Dwight Howard did the Soldier Boy dance during pregame warmups.
• J.J. Redick got a loud ovation from the crowd when he finally entered the game in the fourth quarter. Then you could sense the anticipation as he made a sweet play for a layup and spotted up for a three. The rookie is such a fan favorite, it is a wonder why he does not get more playing time.
• The Magic are a good team, and will likely remain at the top of the East. This is not just because they are so good, but rather because there is no one else. Rashard Lewis and Hedo Turkulo are good scorers, but they should not be anyone's primary playmakers like they are currently in Orlando. They both were ineffective in the fourth quarter, and until the Magic develop some type of go-to playmaker guy who can take over in pressure situations in crunch times, they will fall in the intense playoffs.
• For $118 million, Rashard Lewis cannot play defense and should not disappear in the fourth quarter.
• No one can stop Dwight Howard, just like no one could stop Shaq in his prime. Howard has yet to learn how to pass out of double and triple teams, and his jump shot is still developing. But he is on pace to become a future hall of famer and finish as one of the greatest big men of all time.

This is the point in which I am supposed to crack some corny/hilarious (depending on your mood/) jokes regarding the whole Jessica Simpson with Tony Romo and Terrell Owens (!?) love debacle before launching into a classic tirade about the sadness of Jamie Lynn Spears' teenage pregnancy and how it is representative of the overall decline in America's moral standards. But you already knew that.

So I was sorting through my batch of e-mails over the past week, and decided that these few great links sent from a couple even greater friends were too hilarious to pass up.

The 10 Funniest Charles Barkley Moments From Inside The NBA

Paul Brogan Video Log #2 - Suggestions for President

Paul Brogan Video Log #3 - Holiday Hos

Scandalous Sonics

Sam Smith writes a column for MSNBC blasting Seattle Sonics management. Essentially, the new ownership group blew up the franchise, trading away its top two star players in the hopes of cutting costs and investing for a better team in the years to come, when the team will probably be in Oklahoma by then. Mean, but brilliant.

Hopefully, someone will try to Save Our Sonics, like Microsoft Chief Executive Officer Steve Balmer.

Everett Walks

This is such a great story to hear:

Kevin Everett is walking on his own at a Houston rehab center, the latest significant progress by the Buffalo Bills tight end in his remarkable recovery from a serious spinal cord injury.

Read more...

Oh Matt, you so funny 6

The NFL is doing commercials of 240 players, and they have recorded interviews asking players when they knew they arrived in the NFL. Matt Hasselbeck does not quite answer the exact question, but he sure is funny.

MNF: Patriots 27, Ravens 24

There was a lot I wanted to write about last night's MNF classic, but ESPN.com's Page 2 writer Greg Easterbrook did it all on his weekly Tuesday Morning Quarterback column:

What was Baltimore defensive coordinator Rex Ryan trying to do, ice the snapper? Baltimore led New England 24-20 with 1:48 remaining, and the Patriots were facing fourth-and-1; New England rushed up to the line to quick-snap, as the Patriots often do on fourth-and-1; the Ravens' defense expected a quick snap, was in position, and stopped the runner for a loss. Game over, Baltimore wins! But seemingly one second before the snap, Ryan called a timeout, so the play didn't count. Why did Ryan call a timeout? Beats me, the Ravens were in perfect position. New England ran another fourth-and-1 play and again lost yardage -- again it appeared as though Baltimore had won the game. But the zebras called a false start, a penalty that cannot be declined. (The whistle sounds on a false start, and the whistle ends the play.) New England converted on fourth-and-6. Then, four snaps later, Tom Brady threw incomplete on fourth down, and for the third time it appeared Baltimore had won! But the zebras called defensive holding, and you know what happened after that.

After the game, several Ravens complained that the officials -- who called 13 penalties against Baltimore, four against New England -- favored the Patriots. Losing teams often claim that the officials favored the winners; was there favoritism here? The defensive holding on fourth down with 55 seconds remaining was inarguable; the officials had to flag it. Ravens nickelback Jamaine Winborne theatrically removed his helmet after the call, and the officials could have flagged him for that, but they did not. But after Jabar Gaffney caught the touchdown pass that put the Flying Elvii in the lead with 44 seconds left, the zebras flagged Ravens linebacker Bart Scott twice for unsportsmanlike conduct -- once when he said something to an official and a second time when he picked up the flag and hurled it into the crowd. This was a stupid, stupid move. The very rare double-unsportsmanlike conduct penalty essentially awarded the game to New England; adding the encroachment penalty on the PAT, the Patriots kicked off from the Baltimore 35, drilling an easy touchback and preventing Baltimore's strong return game from creating good field position for the Ravens' final drive. The officials are not unaware of New England's record, and the widespread belief -- regardless whether this belief is grounded in fact -- is that the league wants the Patriots to finish undefeated. Excessively penalizing Baltimore in the final minute, in a manner that strongly aided New England, was at best a lapse by the officiating crew and at worst strange.

Ravens cornerback Samari Rolle said after the game that head linesman Phil McKinnely repeatedly called him "boy" in the game's closing minutes, a racial insult when spoken by a white person to an African-American. From the sound of things, Rolle was jawing with McKinnely, which even a veteran player such as Rolle should not do. But officials should never jaw with or insult players, either. If McKinnely did use a racial insult against Rolle, during the same game-deciding moments when the officials were favoring New England (so far, McKinnely has not commented on this), that would have been highly unprofessional and would call into question whether the officiating crew was neutral.

These things said, Baltimore has itself to blame for the loss -- or perhaps, New England has its superior line play to credit for the win.

Plus, add in that Baltimore was outcoached in this game, which has happened a lot this season. In the high-pressure final two minutes, three Ravens (Scott, Rolle and Winborne) lost their cool, while no Patriot lost his cool; that's good coaching by New England and bad coaching by Baltimore. Not only did Baltimore defensive coordinator Ryan call the strange timeout that erased what would have been the game-winning down, but New England moved 73 yards in 15 plays on its final drive, and on 12 of those 15 plays, Baltimore rushed only three. Three-man rushes can work if they are a change-up tactic; if you rush three for down after down, a good quarterback like Brady will eat your defense for lunch. In effect, the Ravens went into the prevent defense at the 3:30 mark, and it's well-established that the only thing the prevent defense prevents is punts. This bad tactical decision by Ryan was doubly vexing because New England's touchdown to tie the score at 17 in the third quarter also came against a three-man rush, so it's not as though the look was working.

Week 13: Lofa Tatupu!

Seattle Seahawks 28, Philadelphia 24 - Lofa Tatupu intercepted A.J. Feely THREE times, including one to end the Eagles potentially game winning drive to finish the game in the final seconds. The USC alum has been the best defensive player for the Hawks, who have quietly won four consecutive games.

UPDATE: Seahawks coach Mike Holmgren was asked what did he say to Tatupu after the game saving interception:

“I said I think you are our leading receiver today. He asked if he could take another week off, because he did not practice this week because of an injury. I said 'No, I love you and thank you for the win but you are practicing next week.'”

Paul Allen

Sports Illustrated has a great feature of Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen. We often read about Bill Gates and his wealth, so it is quite a nice change to see how fellow billionaire Paul Allen handles his cash, most notably with the purchases of the NBA's Portland TrailBlazers and the NFL's Seattle Seahawks.

Leno Writers Fired?

Everyone who knows anything about me knows about my love for The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, with its comedic approach in updating its viewers about what is going on in the mainstream world of politics and pop culture. We finally found out what is going on with Leno and the writers' strike here, but as usual be advised that as with most news now a days, the actual truth is skewed and unknown. The way I interpret the details of the strike, it seems the writers are justified in going after a bigger piece of the pie that they are so heavily involved in producing anyway. Whatever the case, the bottom line is that the writers strike is eventually going to start hurting everyone, from those without jobs to the corporations losing ratings, down to the viewers as we lose our shows in the next month or so. Late night television was the first to go, and soon big time shows such as 24 are going to have to be postponed or canceled all together.

This has to happen at an Indian Wedding

Week 12: Thankful for Botched Snaps

Seattle 24, St. Louis 19 - I am very thankful for friends, family, food, and football. But I this holiday weekend, I was especially thankful for the above botched snap. Eleven months after Tony Romo's fumble cost the Cowboys a playoff win and sent the Seahawks to the next round, the Blue Man Group was about to lose again before yet another botched snap, this time on 4th and goal in St. Louis. It was yet another crazy divisional game between the Seahawks and Rams, filled with interceptions, fumbles, returns, injuries, and huge plays. Somehow these two rivals always give us a great game that goes down to the final minute.

New England 31, Philadelphia 28 - After New England survived what could have been the NFL’s upset of the century last Sunday Night against A.J. Feely and the Philadelphia Eagles, there are two completely different ways this could turn out. One, as John Madden pointed out, is that suddenly the blueprint to beat the suddenly mortal Patriots is out. Perhaps the Patriots have been exposed and are indeed beatable. On the other hand, Bill Billichick will definitely use this to add to the enormous pile of motivation that the Pats already have been burning off of, and they can resume torching teams on their way to the perfect season.

Thanksgiving weekend was filled with great sports, highlighted by the NFL of course. The Monday Night game in Pittsburgh was ruined by the rain and a terrible field, and what could have been a scoreless tie was broken late in the fourth as the Steelers snuck away with a disgusting yet entertaining 3-0 win. Elsewhere, Peyton finally got to watch Eli in person, but the Vikings picked him off four times, including three picksixes in a 41-17 beatdown. Denver decided to kick to Devin Hester, who scored two touchdowns after fumbling his first return as the Bears topped the Bronocs in overtime, 37-34. San Diego finally got the passing game going, 32-14 over Baltimore. Finally, Kurt Warner threw for a career high 484 yards in a wacky game against the lowly 49ers. The Cardinals made the game-winner in overtime, but a delay of game penalty forced a retry that missed. Then Warner got sacked and fumbled in his own endzone, and San Francisco recovered to end the game, 37-31.

How to Beat (up) Brady

What in the (bleep) did I tell y'all

Kevin Durant hit his first ever game winning shot at the buzzer in Atlanta last night to give the Sonics their second win of the season in a 126-123 double overtime thriller. While Damien Wilkens also shined in his homecoming, dropping a career high 41 points as his father and uncle watched, it was Durant who has now proved himself worthy of the hype. While the Sonics are going nowhere this season (except for maybe Oklahoma) they have gotten their first winning streak going. Most importantly, last night showed that KD is coming on fast as the NBA's next superstar.

Adande: Save our Sonics

My man J.A. Adande checks in with an informative piece about what the NBA should do regarding the arena situation in Seattle, pointing to the Hornets' lack of attendence in New Orleans. While the Sonics are seemingly destined to move to Oklahoma at some point, Adande points out that the economics of the situation are not necessarily in agreement. I love learning about the business of sports, and this is a good read.

Oh Phil, you so funny

The Spurs made 13 3-pointers in their 107-92 victory, and Jackson was asked if too much penetration was leading to open outside shooters.

"We call this a 'Brokeback Mountain' game, because there's so much penetration and kickouts," Jackson said. "It was one of those games."

Suspended...with Henrys

This is an absolutely hilarious link for those who have been following these three Henrys, all of whom are great talents in the NFL.

A little background information before you click:

• Runnin' Chris Henry is the Titans’ running back who is in trouble for violating the NFL's substance abuse policy.
• Catchin' Chris Henry is the Bengals receiver who has been busted for: speeding without a license nor insurance (but with marijuana); aggravated assault with a firearm...while wearing his own jersey; "sex crimes" (enough said there); two DUIs; assault of a 16-year old boy; providing alcohol to minors; When he finally got back from his eight game suspension last week, he got hit with a lawsuit after assaulting valet parking attendant after he refused to pay while shouting "Do you know who I am!?"
• Travis Henry is the Denver Broncos running back who has shattered records by fathering NINE children with NINE different women and is in the process of contesting a possible suspension after testing positive for marijuana.

MNF: Seattle 24, San Francisco 0

What is it about Seattle and being on national television? Either they get destroyed or they do the destroying. Two years ago, they ran the Texans out of town 42-10 on Sunday Night Football and walked into Philadelphia and shut out the Eagles in the snow 42-0 on Monday Night Football. Last year they were embarrassed by eventual the eventual NFC champions in Chicago, 37-6 on SNF, then shut out the woeful Raiders with Seneca Wallace running the show on MNF. Last night, they shut out the San Francisco 49ers, 24-0 on Monday Night Football.

• During the telecast Tony asked Jaws if the score was more a result of the Seahawks being that good or the 49ers being that bad. Jaws quickly answered, it was the 49ers. I have to admit I agree. The 49ers are simply terrible, as the banged up Alex Smith cannot throw an accurate pass and Frank Gore is no longer the threat he was last year. SF handed the Seahawks multiple opportunities to trounce them. However, Seattle had two turnovers and a couple of costly penalties that took points off the board. If they were hosting a good team, the Seahawks could have easily lost.
• Mike Holmgren unveiled a new look Seattle offense that featured the pass far more than the run. Matt Hasselbeck opened up the game in the shotgun and quickly stormed down the field. Matt is quietly having a great year, and it should only get better when Deion Branch returns. However, it remains to be seen how this different offense fares against better teams.
• Mo Morris filled in for Shaun Alexander and did a decent job. What happens when Shaun returns?
• The Seahawks are going to win a lousy NFC West, host a first round playoff game. They will be favored at home, and should they win, will likely have to travel to a Green Bay or Dallas. My prediction is similar to last year's end result: A thrilling first round close win followed by a heart-breaking close road loss.

Week 10: Bolts Shock Colts

With the Patriots on a bye (something tells me Brady was still scoring plenty...off the field), our attention finally turns to a great slate of good games in the NFL.

• Philadelphia 33, Washington 25 - McNabb and Reid got a much needed win in Washington thanks to Westbrook.
• Jacksonville 28, Tennessee 13 - I give some credit to these two physical teams for beating up on their divisional rival Colts so bad that they did not have all their starters the past two weeks.
• St. Louis 37, New Orleans 29 - Just when we thought the Saints were marching again, the ghost of Jim Haslett returns. They are still dangerous though, and will find a way to win their lousy division and host a playoff game though.
• Buffalo 13, Miami 0 - The Heat and Dolphins have lost a combined 25 games in a row. Meanwhile, the Bills are hot, winners of four in a row and five of the last six. Yes, the Bills folks. Can they hang with the Pats next week on SNF?
• Denver 27, Kansas City 11 - CSI: Mile High: Travis Henry is taking lie detector tests and turning over hair samples.
• Green Bay 34, Minnesota 0 - Did you see that last Favre touchdown pass? Only his throws somehow make it there. Adrain Peterson went down early; what the hell is an LCL anyway?
• Pittsburgh 31, Cleveland 28 - Ah, now this was a game. I like to shy away from moral victories, but the Browns have come a long way and have shown that they are capable of beating the Steelers. On the other side, Big Ben's comeback was phenomenal. You have to put him up there with the best quarterbacks in the league. Everyone hop on the bandwagon now, the Steelers are the prime candidate to upset the Patriots run at perfection in a few weeks.
• Atlanta 20, Carolina 13 - Remember when this would have normally been a divisional showdown between a Super Bowl contender that had Michael Vick's number?
• Cincinnati 21, Baltimore 7 - Seven field goals. Disgusting.
• Chicago 17, Oakland 6 - Did Rex Grossman just win a game for the Bears!?
• Arizona 31, Detroit 21 - Did Tim Rattay just win a game for the Cardinals!?
• San Diego 23, Indianapolis 21 - Now THIS was the best game of the week. Peyton Manning threw SIX interceptions, Adam Vinitieri missed TWO field goals, and the Chargers offense was terrible. In a completely unrelated story, hell froze over.
• Neither team deserved to win this game. The Chargers should have blown open the game in the first half with all the picks and good field position; instead they got two scores off special teams. The Chargers are supposed to have a powerhouse offense, but it was unable to put the game away. If the Colts won this game, we would all be talking about how great Manning is, managing to win despite missing so many starters, including two offensive linemen and two wide receivers and their stud tight end. Of course, he struggled without so many key elements of his team, and still was in a position to win the game at the end. Shame on you, Chargers.

Oh Matt, you so funny 5

From the Seattle Times:

Defensive end Patrick Kerney strained an oblique muscle in Sunday's game against Cleveland, the second Seahawk with that injury in the past two games.

"That's two obliques in two weeks," Holmgren said incredulously. "After 21 years I've had two in two weeks."

Kerney's injury gave Hasselbeck the chance to do what he does well, crack a joke about having the same injury as a teammate. Hasselbeck hurt his oblique against St. Louis on Oct. 21.

"Yeah, I think Patrick and I have been doing too many sit-ups," Hasselbeck said. "We're both big weight-room guys. It happens to guys like us, me and Patrick. People confuse us on the street as well. They have to kick us out of the weight room, turn the lights off on us."



Matt Hasselbeck is second in Seahawks history with 20,245 passing yards, trailing Dave Krieg by almost 6,000 yards. It's a milestone Hasselbeck wasn't aware of until Monday, the day after his 318 passing yards vaulted him past his quarterbacks coach, Jim Zorn.

"There are some records that you break that are kind of cool," Hasselbeck said. "Then others, they're a product of being fortunate enough to be with one team and getting to start and getting to play a bunch of games."

And surpassing Zorn?

"That explains all the draw calls he was calling for in the two-minute drill to try to keep the numbers low," Hasselbeck joked. "No, it's cool. Obviously there's a relationship there with myself and Jim Zorn because he is my position coach, but he's also one of the guys that you looked up to as a kid."

Week 9: Is it over?

• The Patriots defeated the Colts in Indianapolis on Sunday, 24-20, immediately placing them in the running to go 19-0 to go along with many other historic records they are on pace for. The commentary and analysis on this instance classic game and its repercussions on the rest of the season are endless, but just remember that the season is only halfway over.
• The other game that made headlines was San Diego's letdown at Minnesota, 35-17. Adrian Peterson ran all over the supposedly great Chargers run defense, setting an NFL record with 296 rushing yards. San Diego's Antonio Cromartie returned a missed field goal 109 yards for a score at the end of the first half, setting the NFL record for longest play ever.
• The Green Bay Packers are winning games. The defense is dominant, and Brett Favre is doing it all, grey hair and everything. I am not the only one who would love to see him get to the Super Bowl and hang with Brady or Manning in a shootout.
• Pittsburgh destroyed Baltimore on Monday Night Football 38-7, and although it was more of the Ravens' mistakes that led to the rout, I have to put the Steelers right up there with Indy and New England. Everyone has the Pats and Colts penciled in for the AFC title game on January 20, but do not be surprised if another division winner (San Diego and Pittsburgh) comes in on a roll with momentum, and stuns one of those teams coming off their bye.
• Contrary to popular belief, the season is not over folks. Not by a longshot.

Super Bowl 41.5

Patriots fans aside, I think everyone is on the Colts bandwagon this week. No one wants to see the Pats go undefeated, as great as they are. Peyton “funny guy” Manning is America’s darling while Tom “man whore” Brady is terrible role model, knocking up supermodels left and right. Tony Dungy vs Bill Billicheat is a matchup of a good family guy and man of God against a classless bore who runs up the score, shows poor sportsmanship, and is annoyingly mean to everyone. Oh, and he CHEATS. Not only in the NFL, but on his wife(s) too! Folks, this weekend is a battle of good versus evil. And shame on any of you for rooting for those evil Patriots. That being said, New England 41, Colts 31.

Durant Debuts

The beginning of a new era was highlighted on national television this week, and the phenomenal phenom Kevin Durant made his debuts. While the war over keeping the franchise in Seattle continues to rage on, Durant has quickly emerged as everything Sonics fans had hoped for.

• Although the Sonics lost both games, they were to legitimate title contenders in the Denver Nuggets and Phoenix Suns, neither of which was bound to lose their season openers.
• In both games, Seattle was not only hanging with the best of the west, but was actually leading for most of the game. That is, until the final minutes of the fourth quarter. Without a respected leader and superstar, say a Ray Allen or Rashard Lewis, to make some clutch plays, the young and inexperienced Sonics are vulnerable at the end of games. In the home opener, Durant had 27 points midway through the fourth until the Suns' harassing double teams on him pretty much killed any Sonics offense.
• My new main main "KD" struggled at times, but showed flashes of brilliance scoring against the likes of good defenders in Carmelo Anthony, Raja Bell, and Shawn Marion.
• For such a skinny and supposedly weak player, KD was able to get to the basket a lot more than I expected, and will be an even greater threat once he develops the strength to go alongside the likes of the Kobes and Lebrons.
• Durant has an amazingly smooth shot, and can consistently get it as a 6'9" guard with freakishly long arms.
• What impressed me the most, however, was Durant's willingness to handle the ball, and his ability to make good passes. Durant is already drawing double teams coming off screens, slashing to the lane, or pushing the fast break, and has made some nice passes. Considering young guys normally take years to learn when and how to effectively pass the ball in the NBA (has Kobe learnt yet?), KD is already well ahead of the game.

other random thoughts...

• It is November, and yet sports fans in Los Angeles are hyping the Dodgers' hiring of Joe Torre. Since when does a manager or coach carry that much weight that the team suddenly becomes a contender?
• Oh right, the year Phil Jackson came to town, he immediately started a mini-dynasty.
• My Houston Rockets are 2-0, and it is an impressive 2-0 considering they are breaking in a new offensive scheme under a completely different coaching style under Rick Adelman. Furthermore, the two wins were convincing ones on the road against western playoff teams.
• T-Mac went off for 47 points at Utah last night, and Yao Ming is slowly embracing playing a faster game. The guys on Inside the NBA pointed out how Yao was getting the ball in transition and making a quick move in the post, preventing the defense from getting set and sending down double teams.
• That style is exactly how the Lakers won those three championships, with a quick and agile Shaq running the floor and making quick moves in the post before the double teams could arrive.
• All eyes on the Boston Celtics. Stay healthy Ray, and you may win a boatload of games (70?) and a ring.

Sox Sweep

• Okay, so the above picture was from Boston's improbable and memorable 2004 World Series Championship, but just know that they have gone on to win it all again this year, after sweeping the Colorado Rockies.
• While the Rockies were not all that great of a team to begin with, but rather the bearers of a hot streak throughout much of October, this series may have proved that the American League's superiority over the National League in baseball is greater than the AFC over NFC in football and the West over East in basketball.
• Alex Rodriguez informed the New York Yankees that he will opt out of his contract this year. What nice timing. I am a man of numbers, but these blow my mind: A-Rod will opt out of a $252 million contract originally signed with the Texas Rangers for ten years. He is walking away from the last three years of that deal, worth $91 million. I repeat, he is walking away from $91 million, in the hopes of earning more.
• I found it interesting how the NFL did not schedule any marquee Sunday Night Football game as to not conflict with the World Series, but came close to holding Monday Night Football a mile away from where Game 5 would have been played in Denver. So much for that.
• Oh, of course, there was a lot of football played today. The San Diego Super/Flaming Chargers burned the Texans, and are suddenly clicking and dangerous.
• The Patriots head to Indianapolis next week. These two have been the best two teams for years now, and everytime they get together it is a shootout, thriller, and instant classic. Each team is undefeated at 7-0, and each are coming off of a series of impressive blowouts. The Patriots have been far more dominant though, setting up a rarity in sports: An undefeated defending champion will be the underdog playing at home. Think about that for a moment. The Colts are at home. The Colts are undefeated, they have not lost since 2006. The Colts are the defending champions. And yet, the Patriots will be the favorites Sunday, and they should be. Go figure.
• Thank goodness the NBA tips off this week, otherwise the hype of this NFL showdown on ESPN and the likes would drive us all nuts.

Random Rocktober Thoughts

Random thoughts from an ash covered desert...

• The Boston Red Sox and Colorado Rockies World Series has once again proved that success in sports is based on confidence and momentum. The rusty Rockies are no longer as red hot after a nine day layoff while the Sox are playing at their peak.
• I had a chance to finally watch HBO's Inside the NFL, and Bob Costas and company made the excellent point that, a week from the showdown of the year in Pats at Colts, it seems that the other 30 teams are simply playing for naught. It is odd to every see promotors of a major sport essentially dub an entire weekend of sports insignificant.
• ESPN's Page 2 columns are brilliant. We already know the greatness of Bill Simmons, (that top 8 potential biggest sports stories is laugh out loud stuff) but a new favorite of mine is Greg Easterbook's Tuesday Morning Quarterback, where this week he kicked off the hyping of the Pats-Colts showdown.
• Ironically enough, while the NFL may seem all about two teams, college football has adopted the parity that the pros once held, as pretty much everyone in the top 10-15 has reasonable national title hopes. Should be fun.
• The reason why I picked Houston and Boston to meet in the NBA Finals is not because I am really that confident in them. Rather, I just wanted to be refreshing and bold. It is boring to pick San Antonio and Chicago, and for the sake of basketball, I hope we get some pleasant surprises this season.
• Speaking of bold predictions, back to football: The Chargers, who were already gaining some steem before the fires, are going to rally behind the situation and make a strong run. Do not be surprised if they catch fire and knock off the Colts or Pats in the playoffs.
• One more you ask!? Everyone looking ahead to Colts next week, the Pats finally show some weakness and stumble against the great secondary of the Washington Redskins.
• Finally, by now everyone has heard J.K. Rowling's stunning revelation that the brilliant godlike figure of the Harry Potter series, Albus Dumbledore, is gay. While I am sure this rocked the worlds of many, in my household we have used this news item to institute a new trend: Instead of saying the common phrase, "that's so gayyy!" we now say "that's so Albusss!" Brings a whole new meaning to the term, "Dumbledore's Army", no?

NBA Season Preview & Predictions

The 2007-2008 NBA season tips off Tuesday, October 30, after a tainted offseason in which David Stern described as “the worst that could happen to a professional sports league” in reference to the Tim Donaghy betting scandal. Referees shaving points aside, the NBA also made news through the drafting of the league’s next generation of superstars in Greg Oden and Kevin Durant, the Boston Celtics’ two blockbuster trades, and the infamous Kobe Bryant trade demand saga. There is no doubt that this upcoming year is sure to be filled with even more storylines, although everyone is sure to be eager to get back on the floor for some actual basketball. Here are some cunning predictions, in the order of projected finish:

Western Conference

Pacific Division

Phoenix Suns – The world’s best offense is poised to run away with the Pacific yet again. New general manager Steve Kerr traded away Kurt Thomas and two future first round draft choices in order to free up some cap room and sign Grant Hill. With an aging Steve Nash and a strong likelihood of the team being broken up soon for salary purposes, the window of opportunity is closing fast on the Suns. If Nash can stay healthy, the Suns will be right back in the conference finals again.

Los Angeles Lakers – Six years later, the Lakers organization is still reeling from the loss of Jerry West, and has gone from the premier sports franchise to a complete mess. While owner Jerry Buss’ admission that he is listening to trade offers for Kobe Bryant may very well be the beginning of the end of the Kobe era, coach Phil Jackson has quietly made a brilliant move in making Bryant the facilitator of the Triangle offense. The complex offense that has produced nine championships has drifted away in the last few years, but with the ball in Kobe’s hands more, he will emerge as an effective distributor and more of a versatile threat, a la Scottie Pippen of the Chicago Bulls’ dynasty. The Lakers are always a Lamar Odom injury away from missing the playoffs again, but look for former Bruin Jordan Farmar and a motivated Andrew Bynum to finally break out as the next great Laker tandem.

Golden State Warriors – The Warriors were the league’s Cinderella story last year, developing into the pride and joy of the Bay Area. Head coach Don Nelson receives most of the credit for having his former team’s number in route to a stunning upset of the first seeded Dallas Mavericks in the first round of the playoffs last April, but will his coaching style still be effective coming off such a fun run? GM Chris Mullin raised some eyebrows trading away Jason Richardson for 8th overall pick Brandan Wright, out of North Carolina, in a trade that should pay off in the long run. However, in the tough west, the Warriors will narrowly miss the playoffs, sadly reverting the Bay Area back to its former status as a pro sports doormat.

Los Angeles Clippers – The Clippers had their Cinderella run two years ago, forcing owner Donald Sterling to finally open up his wallet and shell out the dough. Then last year, the Clippers reverted back to their status as, well, the Clippers. By re-signing much of its roster before last year, the Clips’ hands were tied heading into this offseason. Throw in Shaun Livingston’s freak knee injury and the loss of Elton Brand for most of the year, and the Clippers are destined for the lottery…again.

Sacramento Kings – New coach and former King himself Reggie Theus hopes to bring a renewed attitude to a team seemingly in a downward spiral. Good move in extending the contract of stud scorer Kevin Martin, but they do not have much hope when their best offseason addition is signing Mikki Moore, who is going to be lost without Jason Kidd pitching him easy layups.

Northwest Division

Denver Nuggets – The Nuggets’ Achilles heel has been injuries. If, and this is an enormous if, Allen Iverson, Carmelo Anthony, Marcus Camby, and Nene can all stay healthy, head coach George Karl can develop the team chemistry to lead this team to the league’s elite.

Utah Jazz – The Jazz were a pleasant surprise last season, reaching the conference finals behind Carlos Boozer and Deron Williams, reminding Salt Lake City of the Stockton and Malone days. If the Jazz can somehow get the most out of Russian brat Andrei Kirilenko, the supporting cast led by Mehmet Okur should fuel Utah to the playoffs, where head coach Jerry Sloan is at his best.

Portland TrailBlazers – The loss of Greg Oden for the year is a fatal blow, and there is already talk that he may end up closer to a bust like Sam Bowie than a gem like Shaq. That being said, the Blazers still have a bright future, and the departure of Zach Randolph allows Nate McMillan to hand the team over to its promising youth in Brandon Roy, LaMarcus Aldridge, Josh McRoberts, and Martell Webster. Remember these names, folks, because they are going to become a championship contender sooner than later.

Seattle Sonics – The not-so-super Sonics cleaned house this past year, as everywhere from management to coaching staff to the roster has been replaced or revamped. With ownership fighting the city government in a determined effort to move the team to Oklahoma City, the team wisely decided to trade away Ray Allen and Rashard Lewis while building a team designed to win in a few years, rather than now. The new GM is Sam Presti, formerly of the San Antonio Spurs, and is the genius who discovered Tony Parker in Europe. Similar to their Pacific Northwest rival in the Blazers, the Sonics are going to have a losing season again this year, but have a very promising future.

Minnesota Timberwolves – GM Kevin McHale was never able to build a consistent contender around Kevin Garnett, so the Wolves shipped the athletic superstar to Boston for the largest package of players and picks ever traded for a single player in NBA history. The Wolves will now have to build through the draft around Al Jefferson, Gerald Green, and Ryan Gomes. And they will be picking high, because they are easily the worst team in the west.

Southwest Division

Houston Rockets – The Rockets made the best offseason move that no one noticed in signing Steve Francis, and are now in position to win the deepest division in basketball. Remember, Francis was developing excellent chemistry with Yao Ming before being traded for Tracy McGrady. Now that T-Mac and Yao have a legitimate number three, Houston is poised for a deep playoff run under new head coach Rick Adelman’s aggressive offensive style.

San Antonio Spurs – When healthy, the defending champions are poised to win it all again. Problem is, Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobli have a tendency to break down as the season wears down. If Tony Parker develops a mysterious shoulder injury due to a ‘bedroom accident’ with hubby Eva Longoria, then the Spurs title hopes will be more desperate than housewives on ABC.

Dallas Mavericks – Sure, they may have won a whopping 67 games last year, but another choking performance by Dirk and company is sure to deflate the spirits of the Mavs, who will find it hard to be motivated to make another run at a top record. While Avery Johnson is a great coach during the regular season, he lacks the ability to make the necessary adjustments during the playoffs, as seen in the 2006 Finals and 2007 first round series. Dirk Nowitzki lacks the killer instinct to take over in the fourth quarter of big games, and until the Mavs get someone who can win those close games (Kobe…?), Mark Cuban has a better chance of winning Dancing with the Stars than he does winning a ring.

Memphis Grizzlies – Look for the Memphis Grizzlies as the most improved team this upcoming year. Unfortunately for new head coach Marc Iavaroni, they will not overcome the Texas three-step ahead of them in the division, but should be able to at least make some noise with the return of Pau Gasol and the drafting of Mike Conley Jr. to join a promising supporting cast in Rudy Gay, Stromile Swift, and Darko Milicic.

New Orleans Hornets – The full time return to New Orleans this season may be enough to spark some early success like their football counterparts did last year, especially with Chris Paul and David West emerging as the league’s next great duo. But Tyson Chandler and Peja Stojakovic are injury prone, and as good as Byron Scott is, there is no way he can get them ahead of the stacked teams above.

Eastern Conference

Southeast Division

Orlando Magic – The Magic made the NBA offseason’s marquee free agent signing by acquiring all-star Rashard Lewis and guaranteeing him a $110 million over the next six years. While they certainly overpaid, the Magic now have a legitimate cornerstone to go alongside centerpiece Dwight Howard. New coach Stan Van Gundy has brought in Patrick Ewing to help Howard develop a post game, and if J.J. Redick also develops into a consistent offensive threat, the Magic can run away with their division.

Miami Heat – The defending champions were not able to flip the switch and turn the heat on again last season, and consequently were swept out of the playoffs. Remember the name Dorell Wright, as he will emerge as the Heat’s new star. Dwayne Wade and Shaquille O’Neal are still ailing from lingering injuries, so look for Miami to hover around .500 before catching fire and sneaking in the playoffs to make some noise.

Washington Wizards – In the eastern conference, one superstar such as Gilbert Arenas is good enough to make the playoffs. Problem is, this team is nothing without him.

Atlanta Hawks – On TNT’s Inside the NBA, which is filmed in Atlanta, Charles Barkley is fond of declaring that the Hawks will contend in a couple of years. Kenny Smith then routinely asks, “Why, is Shaq a free agent in two years?” referring to the fact that the Hawks need someone huge before they become good. Rookie Acie Law IV will help, but not that much.

Charlotte Bobcats – Michael Jordan’s team has just been set back a year because of the season ending injuries to Sean May and Adam Morrison. For a team that already lacks depth, look for them to remain at the cellar of the division.

Central Division

Chicago Bulls – Ten years after the completion of the Jordan era, the Baby Bulls finally break through and win the best division in the East. No need to trade for Kobe here, because Ben Gordon and Luol Deng continue to develop into all-stars with Tyrus Thomas and Joakim Noah providing energy and coming on as established role players.

Detroit Pistons – The Pistons are locks to contend in the East as usual, but look for them to be on cruise control through the regular season before making a deep playoff run. Chauncy Billups will need to have an MVP caliber year in order for the Pistons to break through.

Cleveland Cavaliers – The Cavs mysteriously did nothing to improve their clearly flawed team this offseason, and it will be even more difficult for Lebron James to carry the Cavs in a much improved eastern conference that will be gunning for them. Daniel “Booby” Gibson is now the permanent starting point guard, but must develop into a consistent number two option. Head coach Mike Brown has plenty to prove after being exposed as a terrible coach during the playoffs.

Milwaukee Bucks – Andrew Bogut is set for a breakout year, and the addition of Desmond Mason to go alongside sharpshooter Michael Redd provides a solid trio. However, Chinese phenom Yi Jianlian has a long way to go before he even comes close to living up to the hype.

Indiana Pacers – Danny Granger was a pleasant surprise last year, but the rest of this team is not as promising. Expect Larry Bird to finally pull the trigger and move Jermaine O’Neal during the season.

Atlantic Division

Boston Celtics – What is with Boston and greatness? The Patriots, Red Sox, and even Boston College are all contending for championships. Danny Ainge’s bold moves were the story of the year, acquiring Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett to go alongside Paul Pierce. The Celtics’ trades were so momentous, the NBA postponed its release of the schedule in order to give Boston more games on national television. The question is not whether the Celtics are going to dominate, but rather the question is to what extent. In the otherwise weak East, this stud trio could combine for 60-70 points a game, in route to just as many wins if all stay healthy. Critics point to the lack of a supporting cast and a potentially weak link in head coach Doc Rivers, but remember it only took one great player in Lebron James to carry Cleveland out of the East and into The Finals last year. Imagine what Boston will do with three.

New Jersey Nets – With Jason Kidd running the show, the Nets are always going to be in the mix. Vince Carter has never shown the ability to win games come playoff time, however. Look for Jamaal Magloire to break out with Kidd feeding him.

New York Knicks – Like the Lakers, this once prominent and classy franchise has evolved into a dysfunctional mess. If the players do not rally behind Isiah Thomas for a playoff push, expect the axe to finally come down on him. The real problem though, lies with Mason Square Garden Chariman James Dolan, so do not be surprised if he gets fired first.

Toronto Raptors – Andrea Bargnani shows flashes of brilliance towards the end of last year, so look for him to combine with Chris Bosh to form one of the most dangerous frontcourts in the NBA. If the Raptors were not hidden up in Canada, they would get a lot more attention and respect.

Philadelphia 76ers – Similar to Minnesota in the West, Philadelphia is still in rebuilding mode after trading away their superstar.

Awards

Most Valuable Player – Kobe Bryant, Los Angeles Lakers

Is there any one man with more motivation in the world of sports right now? After last year’s early first round exit, Bryant had to sit at home throughout last year’s NBA Playoffs and watch Lebron James shine in the spotlight as he singlehandedly lead his team to The Finals. With the possibility of a trade looming, Bryant must reestablish himself as the world’s greatest basketball player. Look for Kobe Bryant to win the MVP not by stringing together a bunch of consecutive 40+ point games, but rather a string of double digit assists games, ridding him of the common perception that he is a talented but selfish player.

Second Place: Tracy McGrady, Houston Rockets

Most Improved Player – Andrew Bynum, Los Angeles Lakers

Perhaps the only player more motivated than Kobe Bryant is the teammate who he thrashed this summer. Entering his critical third year in the league, the 20-year old Bynum will break out this year after working with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.

Second Place: Daniel “Booby” Gibson, Cleveland Cavaliers

Coach of the Year – Rick Adelman, Houston Rockets

Adelman is best known for his success with the Sacramento Kings several years back, and is credited with overachieving despite never having any big superstars. Now that he has Tracy McGrady and Yao Ming in Houston, look for the offensively minded Adelman to open things up and bring in fresh changes to the Rockets, who were bogged down in the past with Jeff Van Gundy’s slower half court sets and defensive philosophy.

Second Place: Stan Van Gundy, Orlando Magic

Rookie of the Year – Kevin Durant, Seattle Sonics

The 19-year old phenom is 6’9” tall with a 7’4” wingspan and has already been compared to Kevin Garnett. By trading away Ray Allen and Rashard Lewis, Seattle has handed the reins to Kevin Durant, who will have all the opportunities to run away with this award.

Second Place: Jeff Green, Seattle Sonics

NBA Finals – Boston Celtics over Houston Rockets in seven.