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June 30, 2009

Inside Brett Favre's Secret Diary

Dear Diary,

I am pretty damn awesome. Maybe it's because I hold the record for most consecutive starts at 269, but honestly, who is even counting anymore? Maybe it's because I have the most wins as a starter ... ever. Take a seat, John Elway. Or maybe it is because I have thrown the most touchdown passes in NFL history. Some people tell me I should be a model; have you seen me in those Wrangler jeans? Let me tell you something, if I were a female, I'd do me.

Others tell me I should go into acting which can be partly contributed to my Academy Award nominated press conference in which I, covered in tears, told my beloved groupies that I was retiring, only to sign a deal with the Jets a few months later. Sorry ,Dan Marino, your ever so minor role in "Ace Ventura: Pet Detective" (did anyone even like that movie?) can't compare with my natural gift of acting.

You see, diary, I knew I wasn't going to stay retired all along after I left Green Bay. They practically kicked me out when they drafted Aaron Rodgers in 2005. Building for the future, my ass. Hello? Did our front office realize Roddy White and Heath Miller were still on the board? God forbid we draft a few weapons around me once in awhile. Have you seen my arm? Women call it orgasmic. I just call it Brett being Brett.

And what about this Ryan Grant kid trying to steal all my thunder? Joe Philbin tried to tell me he was just as important to the offense as I was, tried to get me to throw him screen passes. Screen pass? What the hell is a screen pass? When I throw the ball, I'm throwing for the end zone. Go ahead, ask the Broncos secondary. So, yeah, I put on a little show and acted as if I was going to retire so I could get out of Green Bay and move on with my record-breaking career. That's not being cocky, that's just being factual.

Not too long after, I got traded to and signed with the New York Jets. I guess you could say I didn't have a great go-around with the other New York team (you know, the one who hasn't won a Super Bowl since Joe Namath was under center), leading the league in interceptions, but let me explain. In at least half of them, my "star" receivers weren't where they were supposed to be, and the other half the ball probably just slipped, or the sun was in my eyes, or the offensive line broke down on me, or I just wanted to show off my excellent form.

Whatever. I couldn't be a Jet for long, they weren't ready for me. I mean seriously, after years of Chad Pennington, the man who can't throw farther than the winner of the 8-year-old punt, pass, and kick competition, the Jets bring in me, and my sex cannon of an arm. So, a few months ago when I said that I would retire yet again, guess what? I was lying.

I want to put last year in the past. I had a torn right tendon in my shoulder all season, which lead to inconsistency in the passing game. That's why I need to redeem myself this year. You know, good ole' Brett, throwing footballs through tire swings. If it happens to be for the Green Bay Packers' rival, the Minnesota Vikings, so be it. That is why I even got surgery in the first place. That is why after my surgery, I sent the results to the Vikings staff. That is why Adrian Peterson and I text each other and he begs me to play for the Vikes. He is always like, "Please, Brett, I can't take another year of Tavaris Jackson, he swears he is the second coming of Randall Cunningham!"

I am a perfect fit for Minnesota. Well I mean, give me two years with any squad and I'll bring even the Lions to the promise land, but this is different. Minnesota has everything in place. The defense and special teams are one of the tops in the league, Adrian Peterson's numbers speak for themselves, and I am already familiar with their offense. There is only one little hole that prevents the Vikes from winning a Super Bowl — the quarterback position.

See, this is all apart of my master plan. You must understand that I need attention and the only way this can be achieved is if I, Brett Favre, am 100% of "SportsCenter," and 50% of CNN and FOX News on a daily basis. The bottom line must consist of nothing but me. I don't care if our soccer team pulled one of the biggest upsets in U.S. soccer history, or that lottery pick Ricky Rubio is considering returning to Spain. Hell, I ate Trix for breakfast this morning, isn't that newsworthy? And don't get me started about Michael Jackson. CNN and FOX are all over this guy! Jeez, my goldfish died two weeks ago, can I get some airtime? I crave it!

Within the next few weeks, I guess I'll go public about my decision to either stay retired (yeah, right) or return to the NFL to play with the Vikings, but as for now, Brett is just being Brett. I should probably wrap this up, I heard there is a sale at the mall on purple shirts.

With love,
Brett Favre

Posted by Robert Campbell at 11:57 AM | Comments (6)

So Close to Glory, But Getting Closer

With only 45 minutes left in the final of a major FIFA tournament Sunday, the United States of America looked poised to take home a significant piece of hardware.

Forget, just for a moment, what happened in the second 45 minutes against the indefatigable Brazilian squad and think about the accomplishment. Sure, the Confederations Cup final was not the final of the major FIFA tournament, but the two and a half matches ranging from the beginning of the backs-against-the-wall final group match against Egypt until halftime against Brazil may be the best the United States has ever played against top-level competition.

Over the past decade or so, the USA has a strong history of dominating play in their home CONCACAF region wherein Costa Rica and Mexico are the other significant players among a large crop of forgettable teams in smaller nations. The four times the USA has won a tournament, it has been in the Gold Cup, the CONCACAF championship. Holding off Brazil to win a tournament that featured every continental confederation's current champion plus the defending World Cup champion would have ranked miles ahead of any of the Gold Cup triumphs. And it could be argued that the fantastic win over Spain rated that far ahead of the Gold Cups anyway.

The Confederations Cup helped to solidify some important things about how and who the U.S. should play going into the 2010 World Cup. First, and perhaps most importantly, the U.S. needs to play in a 4-4-2, instead of the 4-5-1 Bob Bradley went with in the first two games of the competition. In the first two games against Brazil (the first time) and Italy, the U.S. was outscored 6-1. In the last three matches, the U.S. outscored its opponents 7-3.

Landon Donovan, Clint Dempsey, Tim Howard, Oguchi Onyewu, and Jozy Altidore were all outstanding from the Egypt game forward and are all crucial pillars for American success in the World Cup. National team captain Carlos Bocanegra returned from injury against Spain and is an equally integral part of the squad at left back. The remainder of the first-choice 11 is likely up in the air, but the starting back four in the final three games was strong, confident, and never put a foot wrong until the skill of the Brazilians took over in the last 45 minutes of the final.

The central midfield duo of Ricardo Clark and Michael Bradley (and then Benny Feilhaber after Bradley was suspended for the final) was also solid when it needed to be. The most impromptu piece of the U.S.' success was the addition of Charlie Davies to the lineup up front in support of Altidore. Davies' scrappy goal against Egypt was the first of three that the U.S. needed to advance (plus Brazil's 3-0 win over Italy). However, Davies seemed to want to take on too many defenders at once without a willingness to pass and make the right decision once he did. Nonetheless, he is the type of player that should partner with Altidore up front.

The main problem with the U.S. side seems to be depth at this point. Against Egypt and Spain, the main cogs of the team were so energetic and in form throughout the match that the substitutes that did not need to have an impact. In the final, they needed to make their mark in order to have any chance to hold off the samba footballing dance that was Brazil in the second 45 minutes.

Obviously, none of the play we've seen from the U.S. since the Egypt game means anything towards the World Cup. Yet, there were a bunch of good signs that were absolutely nowhere to be found after the first Brazil game and against Italy.

The consensus expectation for the national team in South Africa next year seems to be to get out of the group stage. If the U.S. plays like they did the last week and a half, that expectation seems like it could even be exceeded like it was in 2002 when he U.S. went to the quarterfinals. The thing about the World Cup that gets lost behind all the excitement is that it is very reliant upon the draw.

For instance, in domestic leagues and competitions like several continents' Champions Leagues a team almost always plays another team twice, home-and-away, whether it be in a group stage or knockout phase. In the World Cup, and most other big international competitions you get the one game against a team and a total of three games.

If you have a bad game and a half, you are usually done. If you get a couple bad matchups in style, you are usually done. Nothing can be done to prevent this, because that's just the nature of the beast when club football is so important around the world through the autumn, winter and spring. But this is also a reason why the U.S.' road to the last 16 may not look so easy once the draw happens in December.

One surprising part of the Confederations Cup was how much more the tournament seems to matter than it did four years ago, when it was last played, or when the U.S. last qualified for the 2003 tournament. I consider myself a knowledgeable soccer fan, but I can't remember anything about the 2005 Confederations Cup other than Germany hosted it and Brazil won it. And unfortunately, all I can remember about the 2003 edition was the stunning and tragic death of Cameroon's Marc Vivien-Foe after collapsing during a match, dying of the same condition that claimed college basketball's Hank Gathers some 13 years earlier under similar circumstances.

Back then, nightly recaps of the tournament with Alexi Lalas live in the "SportsCenter" studio surely did not happen. In fact, if memory serves me correct, the last two Confederations Cups were only available on Spanish-language television. This time, the tournament got similar coverage on ESPN to last year's Euro 2008 tournament. Also, it seems as if players didn't decide against playing in the tournament after their long European club seasons as they had in the past.

Much good came out of the U.S.' Confederations Cup run. As of yet, there has not been a grand symbolic announcement to the rest of the footballing world that the U.S. is going to be the type of team that will always be able to beat Spain and take Brazil to the brink in a Cup final. However, the team is as skilled and talented at the moment than at perhaps any other time.

Posted by Ross Lancaster at 11:51 AM | Comments (2)

June 29, 2009

The NBA Finals Left Me Feeling Empty

The Los Angeles Lakers are NBA champions.

Kobe Bryant finally won his championship without Shaq. The Orlando Magic put up a valiant struggle, but in the end, could muster only a single win; the first NBA Finals victory in their franchise's history.

Kobe was MVP, Phil Jackson won his record 10th NBA championship, and we were entertained by those puppet commercials constantly kicking LeBron James in the groin for a week and a half.

And yet the Finals left me feeling ... empty. Unfulfilled.

At first, I just assumed it was because the Lakers won. I can't stand the Lakers, and I completely and utterly loathe Kobe Bryant. To add insult to injury, Phil Jackson star-bleeped his way past Red Auerbach into the records books as the most decorated head coach in NBA history.

You can understand why that would leave me feeling a little empty inside.

But that wasn't the reason. The Lakers were actually one of three teams who should have won the championship this year. The Lakers did exactly what they were supposed to do. They're deserving champions. Congratulations to them.

My issue is with the way the Eastern Conference shook out.

The Orlando Magic made bad basketball an art form and three-point shot their way into the NBA Finals. They featured a bunch of talented players who did nothing but settle for bad three-pointers and a "dominating" center without a single offensive move in his repertoire.

They had no business in the NBA Finals. None. They went on an insane run where every three-pointer they took went in. The step-back-fade-away-three is supposed to be a once in a lifetime shot, but they were hitting four or five of them every fourth quarter.

It was unbelievable, to the point where I still sometimes choose to believe it never happened.

In a way, this all reminds me of the 1985-86 season. The Celtics lost to the Lakers in the previous NBA Finals. Everyone knew it would be a Celtics/Lakers rematch in 1986.

Everyone.

The Celtics held up their part of the bargain and made it to the Finals, but the Lakers didn't. The Lakers choked to the Houston Rockets in the Western Conference Finals, effectively stealing the Celtics' chance at redemption.

By the time the Celtics and Rockets met, the result was a foregone conclusion. Just like this year's Lakers/Magic series.

I don't remember feeling empty in 1986, and I'm sure Lakers fans don't feel empty right now. But you have to admit, a victory over the Celtics would have meant a little more than a victory over the Magic. Just like a victory over the Lakers would have meant a little more to Boston than the victory over Houston did in '86.

At least the Celtics had an excuse. Kevin Garnett's injury effectively destroyed their shot at an NBA championship. They put up a valiant effort, but in the end The Truth was they just weren't good enough without their Hall of Fame big man.

The Cavs are a completely different story. Once it became apparent that the Celtics weren't going to win a championship, the next best thing was a LeBron/Kobe death match.

Who's number one? Who's the best in the NBA? Who's the next Michael Jordan?

But the Cavs were done in by the worst head coaching job in recent NBA history and a superstar who completely ran out of gas.

Memo to Mike Brown: MAKE A GOD DAMN DEFENSIVE ADJUSTMENT EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE!

Expecting James to be the scorer, playmaker, best defender, and head coach is too much to put on any player. Even one that's superhuman like LeBron.

All Mike Brown, NBA Coach of the Year, had to do was make a defensive adjustment. Any adjustment. He was coaching against Stan Van Gundy, for crying out loud.

Draw up a defense that involved either double-teaming Dwight Howard or staying with the three-point shooters. The half-assed, almost-doing-both plan that he went with the entire Eastern Conference Finals should have resulted in him being fired.

God only knows why he wasn't.

In a way, the Shaq trade is good for Cleveland. Say what you want about Shaq (he's old, doesn't fit into their offense, will clog up the lane and turn James into a jump shooter, etc.), but when it comes to a head coach, he's perfectly willing to call a spade a spade.

Just ask Stan Van Gundy.

The Magic were able to take advantage of a beat up Celtics team and a completely over-his-head head coach to steal the Eastern Conference championship. Good for them. Congratulations.

But they'll have to forgive me if the beating they took by the Lakers wasn't the ending I was hoping to get out of the 2008-09 NBA season.

Let's all hope that Kevin Garnett stays healthy and Mike Brown is fired during the 2009-10 season so we don't have to put up with this again.

The NBA Gods righted themselves after the 1985-86 season by giving us the Lakers/Celtics rematch we deserved. Here's the hoping the NBA Gods do the same thing next season.

Posted by Sean Crowe at 11:59 AM | Comments (7)

NFL Recruiting North of the Border

Recently, the NFL has turned to another source when it comes to recruiting players: the Canadian Football League.

The Canadian Football League (CFL), which has been dubbed by some NFL fans as "the league of the leftovers" or "the place where NFL rejects go," has slowly begun to garner respect.

Through a number of recent recruits from the CFL that have had success in the NFL, the CFL has shown that it does boast a lot of talented players.

One of the latest examples of a player from the Canadian Football League heading south of the border is defensive end Cameron Wake. The Miami Dolphins outbid a couple of other NFL squads and signed Wake to a four-year contract worth close to $5 million dollars with $1 million guaranteed. It sounds like the Dolphins hope to convert the defensive end into an outside linebacker who would start opposite of Joey Porter.

What fans of the NFL might not know is just how successful Cameron Wake was in the CFL. The talented lineman, who can run the 40-yard dash in around 4.55 seconds with a 46-inch vertical leap, dominated opposing offenses in the CFL.

The former Rookie of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year recipient in the CFL earned 16 sacks in his rookie season and followed it up with an unbelievable 23 sacks the next season.

Such a successful player coming out of the CFL should not be that surprising anymore, especially to the NFL, who have witnessed some great players in the past and present.

Just look at some of the former CFL players who have and are playing in the NFL right now and have had success in the past:

Stefan Logan: Signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers

Since he signed on with the Super Bowl champion Pittsburgh Steelers, Logan has already been impressive. The running back, who was brought in to be primarily a kick and punt returner, has impressed the coaches and fellow veterans enough that they have considered him as a third down running back.

Logan's early success doesn't come as a surprise to fans of the CFL. Not even playing a full season last year, Logan rushed for nearly 900 yards and caught 3 passes for a touchdown with the British Columbia Lions. Logan's fast acceleration and amazing open field ability made him tough to stop.

But just how valuable a player was Logan?

The Lions traded away the previous season's rushing leader, Joe Smith, because they had so much faith in Logan.

Kenton Keith: Signed with the Indianapolis Colts

Colts fans will likely remember Keith for the one season when he was somewhat of a star for the Colts. Keith rushed for 533 yards with the Colts in 2007 with 4 touchdowns and a 4.4 yards per carry average.

What fans of the NFL might not realize is that Keith was a big-time player in the Canadian Football League. After spending a number of seasons on the practice roster of the Saskatchewan Roughriders, Keith emerged as a perennial 1,000-yard threat. Keith dominated teams with his breakaway speed and single-handedly help the Riders win a few playoff games.

What helped Keith's success in the NFL was the fact that he bulked up, which added to his speed made him an asset for the Colts.

It is interesting to see a player who spent time on a CFL practice roster have success in the NFL.

Jeff Garcia: Signed originally by the San Francisco 49ers

Garcia has had success ever since coming from the CFL to the NFL.

Playing with Doug Flutie in Calgary, Garcia led the Stampeders to a Grey Cup victory and has been one of the most successful Stampeders in history. Garcia was also a multiple award winner in the Canadian Football League.

Garcia signed on with the 49ers and fought for a job behind Steve Young. After young retired, Garcia took over and found success. With help from his favorite target (but not favorite person) Terrell Owens, Garcia helped the 49ers make consecutive playoff appearances. His highlight came in the 2002-2003 playoff game against the Giants, where he was part of the second largest comeback in NFL playoff history.

Since playing for the 49ers, Garcia has bounced around to a number of teams, most recently the Oakland Raiders. But, with a 173 touchdown passes and a career rating of 87.5, it is safe to say this former CFL stay has had an amazing career in both leagues.

Doug Flutie: Signed originally by the Buffalo Bills

Famous for his Hail Mary throw, Flutie has been another example of a player coming from the CFL to the NFL to have success.

Playing in the CFL, Flutie had a record of 99-27, and threw for a record 6,619 yards one season. Three Grey Cup victories, six Most Outstanding Player awards, and a number of personal accolades later and Flutie has been considered to be one of the best quarterbacks to play in the CFL.

Flutie signed on with the Buffalo Bills, where he made the Pro Bowl once and helped the Bills make the playoffs twice. Flutie spent time with the San Diego Chargers and the New England Patriots, where he made his famous drop kick.

Warren Moon: Signed originally by the Houston Oilers

Moon has been regarded as the best player to play in both the NFL and CFL.

With the Edmonton Eskimos, Moon won five consecutive Grey Cups to help form the Eskimos dynasty.

Once heading to the NFL, Moon continued his success. Moon was a nine-time Pro Bowler in the NFL, the fourth all-time leader in passing yards. In fact, if you combine his CFL and NFL stats together, Moon would shatter a lot of NFL records.

Moon will always be remembered by fans of the CFL and NFL.

So, regardless of your feelings towards the CFL, it is undeniable that the CFL has produced many talented players. From players of the past Like Warren Moon and Doug Flutie, or potential stars like Cameron Wake, is just goes to show the CFL is full of talent.

While the CFL may never be as big as the NFL or have the same level of talent, the CFL has become a valuable outlet of recruiting for NFL teams.

Posted by Jonathan Hamelin at 11:58 AM | Comments (3)

June 26, 2009

Sports Q&A: NFL Wide Receivers

Cincinnati wide receiver Chad Ochocinco recently predicted a playoff berth for the Bengals in 2009. Is this just a case of another NFL wide receiver talking big, or are the Bengals legitimate contenders? And on that note, what can we expect from some of the other marquee wide receivers in the NFL?

Hey, there's nothing wrong with Ochocinco predicting the playoffs for the Bengals. Only Ochocinco's name is stupid; he himself is not. It's late June, the perfect time to toss out brash predictions about making the playoffs, despite playing in a division represented by both of 2008's AFC championship finalists. It creates fan interest and a general buzz around the league.

Besides, by the time late September and Cincy's 1-3 start rolls around, everyone will have forgotten Ochocinco's prediction. Anyway, you can't trust a convicted sex offender who changes his name; why should you trust an NFL wide receiver who does the same?

With that being said, let's take a look around the NFL and check what's in store in 2009 for other big time wideouts.

Terrell Owens, Buffalo Bills

As the Bills' most high-profile signing in history, T.O. will bring loads of anticipation and excitement, as well as other baggage, to the NFL's smallest-market team.

Undoubtedly, Owens will be the recipient of several touchdown passes from Trent Edwards in the most exciting autumn in Buffalo since the Jim Kelly years. Then, when the luster wears off and the December chill arrives, resulting in several failed meetings between the winter-hardened football and Owens' suspect hands, T.O. will then be the recipient of a one-way ticket to a barrel ride over Niagara Falls.

Braylon Edwards, Cleveland Browns

With the Browns in need of leadership, Edwards has vowed to take a more prominent role in that capacity. To achieve that, Edwards spent much of the offseason strengthening his hands. The only thing with more drops than Edwards last year was rain.

New head coach Eric Mangini, as well as quarterbacks Brady Quinn and Derek Anderson, have lauded Edwards' efforts, noting that his enthusiasm is contagious. Finally, it seems, Edwards' attitude is "catching."

Randy Moss, New England Patriots

With Tom Brady returning, is there any reason that Moss shouldn't expect a huge year? Maybe. With his knee at full-strength, doctors have already given Brady the go-ahead. Now, the question remains, will Brady get the green light from his hen-pecking supermodel wife, Giselle Bundchen?

And, with Giselle rumored to be pregnant, the only thing worse for Moss than hearing "You're da baby's daddy" is "Brady's da baby daddy." Now, if the kid comes out with a full afro, then we're looking at a completely different set of problems.

Andre Johnson, Houston Texans

While Johnson hasn't predicted a playoff berth for the Texans, he has promised the greatest statistical season in franchise history. Well-known for his ability to please Pro Bowl voters, Johnson plans to take that one step further by offering the same courtesy to fantasy owners.

Brandon Marshall, Denver Broncos

Marshall has requested that the Broncos trade him, so there's really no telling where Denver's troubled wide receiver will end up. Some experts say "in Washington," while others predict "in Oakland." A more likely destination would be "in custody."

But really, can we really fault Marshall for requesting a trade? Isn't that normal protocol for a prolific wide receiver when Kyle Orton is named starting quarterback?

Santonio Holmes, Pittsburgh Steelers

Can you measure the importance of winning the Super Bowl MVP trophy for a young receiver who has openly admitted that he sold drugs as a youth? Well, if you could, it wouldn't be measured in grams.

In 2009, Holmes main goal will be to avoid comparisons with Super Bowl XXXIX MVP Deion Branch, whose career arch since then has been so downwardly sloped that he may soon end up selling drugs.

Torry Holt, Jacksonville Jaguars

Although he's no longer a spry 20-year-old, and he won't be running his routes on speedy artificial turf, Holt gives David Garrard his first big-time wide receiver in Jacksonville. Holt is still fast enough to break a long touchdown catch, crafty enough to gain 8 yards and get out of bounds to stop the clock, and wise enough not to get caught in a parking lot dicing cocaine with a credit card.

Calvin Johnson, Detroit Lions

What are the five words Johnson doesn't want to hear anymore? Not "you play for the Lions", but "Calvin, meet your new quarterback." In his two seasons with the Lions, Johnson has probably caught passes from more quarterbacks than Jerry Rice did in his career.

If overall first-round Matthew Stafford starts, Johnson will be his best friend. Anyway, it doesn't matter who's throwing to Johnson — he'll make the catch.

Dwayne Bowe, Kansas City Chiefs

Bowe may be the happiest man in Kansas City. He's got a new quarterback, Matt Cassel, fresh off a 4,000-yard campaign in New England last year. Plus, his new coach is Todd Haley, the offensive mind behind the Cardinals explosive 2009 passing game.

If Cassel and Haley can duplicate their successes from last year, then Bowe may elevate himself among the NFL's elite receivers, with a "Bowe Knows Football" ad campaign to soon follow. If Cassel and Haley prove to be merely one-year wonders, then Bowe likely will not realize his full potential.

Jerricho Cotchery, New York Jets

What, if any, are the advantages of having rookie Mark Sanchez as your quarterback as opposed to Brett Favre? This is the burning question facing Cotchery right now. Sanchez passed up his senior year at Southern California to become the Jets' first-round pick, so he gets the edge on Favre for at least knowing when to quit.

Reggie Wayne, Indianapolis Colts

With Marvin Harrison out of Indy to devote his full attention to firing stray bullets at car washes, Wayne is unquestionably Peyton Manning's go-to guy, right behind Manning's endorsements agent. With Dallas Clark and Anthony Gonzalez in the mix, Wayne will likely see a lot of man coverage.

Expect the usual — a big year for Wayne, 10-plus wins for the Colts, and a divisional playoff loss.

Bernard Berrian/Percy Harvin, Minnesota Vikings

More than anyone, Berrian and Harvin need to know whether or not Brett Favre will be in uniform as the Vikings quarterback on opening day. Mainly because, if Favre becomes a Viking and brings his devil-may-care passing skills to Minnesota, Berrian and Harvin will need to brush up on their tackling skills.

But is anyone willing to go out on a sore right limb and pretend to know what Favre's vacillating plans are? You know what rhymes with "vacillating fans?" "Oscillating fans." And they blow in all directions. And, Favre's decision to play for Minnesota may ultimately be decided by which way the wind blows.

Steve Smith, Carolina Panthers

Smith has promised to make a concerted effort to ask for the ball, demonstratively if need be. If anything was learned last year, it's that quarterback Jake Delhomme often needs to be reminded to whom he should be throwing.

T.J. Houshmandzedah, Seattle Seahawks

Houshmandzedah is not escaping Chad Ochocinco's shadow in Cincinnati. No, Houshmandzedah's was the shadow in Cincinnati, letting his numbers do the talking while Ochocinco did more talking about numbers.

Now, the stage is all Houshmandzedah's in Seattle, and no one is happier than quarterback Matt Hasselbeck, although he's got to be insanely jealous of Houshmandzedah's hair. But Hasselbeck's glad T.J. is here, as opposed to the gregarious Ochocinco, who, had he come to Seattle, would inevitably be known as "The Puget Sound."

Larry Fitzgerald/Anquan Boldin, Arizona Cardinals

With Fitzgerald and Boldin, the Cards have the best wide receiver in the NFL as well as the best unhappy wide receiver in the NFL, respectively. If Boldin remains a Cardinal, then Arizona's passing game will continue to be a dynamic force. For negotiating skills, Boldin need look no farther than Warner, who basically blackmailed the Cardinals into a new contract by visiting the 49ers last year and pretending to show interest in signing with them.

Roy Williams, Dallas Cowboys

With Terrell Owens gone north to undermine yet another coaching regime, Williams finally has his chance to be a No. 1 receiver on a Super Bowl-quality team. Well, we know one former Cowboy who's not cheering for him.

The pressure's on Williams, as well as quarterback Tony Romo. If the Cowboys don't at least make the playoffs, Owens is vindicated, and Jerry Jones will be forced to unveil "Plan E," which he will say will surely take the Cowboys to the Super Bowl.

Posted by Jeffrey Boswell at 11:59 AM | Comments (4)

Do We Really Hate Steroid Use?

Bud Selig has been preaching the same sermon for so long that the congregations that pack (or more recently, fail to pack) stadiums every day have become unaffected by the rhetoric involved in convincing the average baseball fan that Major League Baseball's drug testing program is in fact adequate. But an unsettling reality is beginning to become all too clear in the minds of baseball fans of all ages. Regardless of who is tested, and how often they are tested, steroid use in professional sports (including baseball) is here to stay.

When the NFL accepted this blatantly obvious truth, and was subsequently able to stop dwelling on it, football exploded into the omnipotent god of professional sports that we know and love today. This is why it came as a surprise to no one, and more importantly, why no one cared, when Shawne Merriman tested positive for steroids 2006.

In fairness, a four-week suspension without pay is a steep penalty, but to this day everyone, including me (a Chiefs fan), recognizes Merriman as one of the most talented young linebackers in the league. He also manages to draw a chorus of 70,000 cheers from the fans in Qualcomm stadium for eight Sundays every year, although his celebration dances are inexplicably unappreciated by opposing crowds. Either way, "Lights Out" Merriman is no Barry Bonds to sports fans.

You remember Barry Bonds, right? The antithesis of Brett Favre. The guy who never retired and nobody wants or likes. He's strikingly similar to Merriman, with the lone deviation (aside from being genuinely unlikeable) being that Bonds has never actually tested positive for steroids. Sure, he's enjoyed freakishly ballooned power numbers, but we (the Bonds-haters) still own the burden of proof.

So why do we hate Bonds and not Merriman? The answer is unfortunately simple. We don't hate steroids or even steroid use. We don't even hate being lied to or tricked by our favorite athletes. All we really hate is being the last to realize the prevalence of steroid use, and in our anger, we've chosen to sacrifice our once-favorite players.

Barry Bonds, Mark McGwire, Sammy Sosa, and Alex Rodriguez are no more guilty than Shawne Merriman, they just make more convenient scapegoats for the truly guilty (yet again, this is you and me, Bonds-hater).

We are guilty of enabling their steroid use by remaining willingly and blissfully ignorant of it. We realize this, and we hate it.

Posted by Paul Foeller at 11:41 AM | Comments (3)

June 25, 2009

Is New York City a Must For Majors?

The U.S. Open returned last week to New York City — well, Long Island to be more specific — for the 2009 edition of the national championship at Bethpage Black. The Big Apple is a common stop for the U.S. Open. Bethpage is a relative newcomer to the New York rotation that also consists of Shinnecock Hills and Winged Foot.

Baltusrol could once be expected to hold a U.S. Open like clockwork, but the PGA of America has usurped reign over that major championship venue and have indicated that they will continue to hold their championship there.

That leaves the USGA with three courses in their New York rotation. Of those three, all have been the subject of boondoggle Opens in the last several years that might leave critics wondering: is New York City a major championship city?

First was Shinnecock Hills in 2004. No one need bring up Shinnecock these days without thinking of hoses on the fairways and greens on Sunday. Players were admonishing the USGA for the course conditions that went past the edge of playability. Sure, Retief Goosen may have managed 11 putts for the final nine holes on his way to his second Open, but the lasting image of that championship has to be the awful course conditions.

That Open practically ended the career of Tom Meeks — the precursor to Mike Davis — at the USGA. He may have retired, but Shinnecock did it for him. As Golf Channel's Rich Lerner agreed with me in a conversation, he said, "That was the low point for the USGA. That year, the U.S. Open was the worst of the four majors."

Winged Foot last held the Open in 2006. The Open was fairly successful. In fact, it was Mike Davis' first. Despite the rave reviews of Davis' setups since taking over from Tom Meeks, there have only been two players under par in the Davis era. Hell, Retief Goosen finished at -4 in the 2004 Open at Shinnecock.

No one seemed to want to win it except Geoff Ogilvy. That was not that big of a problem, though. The problem is that the membership of Winged Foot did not want to host a U.S. Open after that. The USGA extended an invitation to the club membership to host the 2015 U.S. Open. They flatly declined that invitation.

Between the issues over money — Winged Foot wanted a bigger share than 2006 — and the disruption to the playing season for the course — right people want to play their golf — there was no middle ground for the club at the USGA.

Despite the lack of common ground, the USGA's Deputy Director Mike Butz seemed optimistic at the time about Winged Foot's future with the USGA. "The message we heard over and over at the meeting and since the meeting is that even if Winged Foot decided not to issue an invitation for 2015, an invitation to the USGA [would be welcomed] in the future. The relationship between the USGA and Winged Foot is very, very strong."

It had been 22 years since Winged Foot last held the Open prior to 2006. They seem completely comfortable waiting until 2028 to host it again.

Then, there is Bethpage Black. Bethpage turned out to be a great U.S. Open venue in 2002, primarily because of the electric atmosphere and who won the championship. The course was hosting a major championship — the first rotating major championship to be held after 9/11. Much of the energy centered around the City patrons trying to return to life as normal. Players donned gear to show support for the city. Nick Faldo famously wore an "I <3 NY" cap in support.

Tiger Woods won the championship and was the only player to finish under par. The fans certainly were supportive of Tiger's second U.S. Open title, but they really seemed to be pulling for Phil Mickelson. Mickelson was serenaded with "Happy Birthday" at the 17th hole and went on to finish second to Woods.

It seemed like the mix of feel goods led the USGA to make a rash decision that very week in announcing that Bethpage would again host the U.S. Open in 2009 — not even before it finished hosting the U.S. Open for the first time.

Fast forward seven years and there is quite a bit of negative chatter surrounding Bethpage Black. The rainout on Thursday prevented stories from happening on the course, so talk surfaced about the course itself as a U.S. Open venue.

Bethpage is not particularly friendly for fans. The green complexes require grandstands on almost every hole. With the elevation changes on so many holes, fans cannot see the results of players' approach shots. The drainage on some of the holes has not stood up to the rainy conditions.

Though the USGA has said Opens like these are an aberration, the weather record in the area suggests otherwise. Long Island averages around 4 inches of rain per year in the month of June. Over the course of a month, the odds are pretty good that a weather pattern could disrupt play at Bethpage for a week. It just so happened that it was the week of the U.S. Open.

All told, the three New York City U.S. Open venues are not held in particularly high regard at the moment. Shinnecock will likely not host an Open for another decade because of the setup. Winged Foot will not host for a long time to come because of their membership and dollars. Bethpage may not host again anytime soon because of the logistics.

In other words, New York City could quickly become a major-less town — at least as far as the USGA is concerned. The USGA has announced Open venues through 2016. They are Pebble Beach, Congressional in DC, Olympic Club, Merion (for perhaps the last time), Pinehurst No. 2, Chambers Bay, and now Oakmont in 2016. Unless a New York City based course gets the Open in 2017, it will be the first time since World War II that the Big Apple has not hosted a U.S. Open within the commonly held seven year rotation. And that was only because the U.S. Open was not played for four years in the middle of the war.

The argument could be made that the U.S. Open does not need New York much anymore. Though New York is certainly the United States' most important city, it is not the most important consideration for hosting a U.S. Open anymore.

The USGA appears to have fallen in love with the concept of the west coast Open. The ratings for the 2008 U.S. Open at Torrey Pines were through the roof. That number certainly had to do with the epic showdown between Tiger Woods and Rocco Mediate. But the fact that the event was held on the west coast afforded the USGA and NBC the opportunity to show a major championship live and in prime time on East Coast televisions — including in the New York City market.

The USGA was able to reach more homes in New York by beaming the signal from Torrey Pines into their television sets than by bringing people from the four other boroughs onto Long Island for the week. In fact, the USGA data indicates that 35% of the ticket sales for the 2009 U.S. Open come from outside of the four states close to Bethpage — New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, and Pennsylvania.

They will be able to do that again at Pebble Beach, Olympic Club, and Chambers Bay. Who needs a New York course that doesn't seem enough sunlight for television to maximize ratings and advertising dollars?

In this current era of golf course proliferation, golf courses are being constructed specifically to host the U.S. Open. While Bethpage was unearthed as a gem that the USGA could shine with the help of Rees Jones, courses like Chambers Bay, Erin Hills, Bandon Dunes, and others are built with the hope that their luster will catch Far Hills' eye long before any dirt could taint its reputation.

The approach is working. Chambers lucked out by getting the 2015 U.S. Open that Winged Foot did not want. Erin Hills has the 2011 US Amateur in what is widely considered a tryout for a future U.S. Open. Just this week, Bandon Dunes was announced as host of the 2011 US Amateur Public Links for both men and women — the first time that is happening in the history of the championships. It seems like maybe only a matter of time for Bandon to host the Open.

New York even seemed to be ignored as part of the allure of this U.S. Open. Name one player that was spotted in the city promoting the event. Jack Nicklaus lighting the Empire State Building does not count. Perhaps some players were out in the city, but the media sure were not. Almost all of the hotels were on Long Island. It made logistical sense to keep the media within a convenient bus ride of the course, but it really separated the Open experience from the Big Apple experience. That was a disappointment because urban Opens work best when there is a clear connection to their host city. For all that was wrong about Olympia Fields as a course in 2003, the Second City was a very pleasurable host.

The USGA will not return to New York for the better part of a decade — if not longer. The LPGA has been rumored to be courting venues in the metropolitan area to host their LPGA Championship, a tournament currently without both presenting sponsors and a home. As far as the USGA may be concerned, the LPGA can have the space. It appears that the nation's golfing body is looking to achieve its Manifest Destiny and go West.

Posted by Ryan Ballengee at 11:08 AM | Comments (1)

June 24, 2009

A New Laker Dynasty?

Have you heard the news, my fellow basketball fans? It looks like we won't have to trouble ourselves with the 2009-10 NBA season after all. What a relief.

If you have been paying any attention to the sports world lately, you have surely heard that the indomitable Kobe Bryant and his Lakers are poised to begin a dynasty the likes of which we have seldom seen. Likewise, you have certainly been privy to the latest details on the inevitability of LeBron's Cavs doing their part — carried by James's newfound motivation to succeed in the wake of back-to-back disappointing Eastern Conference Championship losses in '08 and '09 — in setting up the dream Finals matchup we were all cheated out of this past season.

Thankfully, such young stars as Dwight Howard, Dwyane Wade, Carmelo Anthony, and Brandon Roy don't have to risk career-ending injury in trying to succeed next season and can just coast through the regular season. Vets like the Celtics' trio of Ray Allen, Kevin Garnett, and Paul Pierce or the Rockets' tandem of Ron Artest and Yao Ming don't have to wear themselves out trying to make another run at a title in 2009-10. All has already been decided in both leagues, so now it is just a matter of sitting back and letting destiny run its course.

The problem I have with this is that Kobe's Lakers are not Shaq's Lakers, Tim Duncan's Spurs, or Michael Jordan's Bulls. Furthermore, there is far too much parity for me to consider with any sort of reasonability the fact that a single win in a single championship series is anything other than a great season worth remembering.

Consider these facts:

1. The Celtics, last season's champs, came into the playoffs as a prohibitive favorite to make it to at least the Conference Finals. But then they lost star Kevin Garnett. Without K.G., the team lost a heartbreaking seven-game series to the upstart Orlando Magic, who went on to play in the Finals. It would stand to reason that a Celtics team with a clean bill of health would have likely defeated the Magic and would have beaten the Cavs, as the Magic did. This is the same team that beat the Lakers in the 2008 Finals. Would you bet against them to repeat if they had made it in '09? I know I wouldn't.

2. The champion Lakers team barely snuck by a Houston Rockets team many had left for dead in February. This is the same Rockets team that lost the only player capable of creating his own offense to season-ending injury in late January. This is also the same Rockets team that lost its most dominant player to a season-ending foot injury early in the Lakers series. It again stands to reason that these Lakers may not have made it past the Rockets had Yao Ming and/or Tracy McGrady had been healthy. While it may be a leap of faith, you can't dismiss it offhand. Does this make for a dynastic run? Methinks not.

The reality is that mere days after the Lakers' most recent title was locked up, the question on every media outlets mind became, "Can this team become the next dynasty?" It wasn't long ago — I'd estimate one or two months max — that Kobe was branded as the guy who could never succeed without Shaq. Now, since that proverbial monkey has been lifted off his back, we are to believe that he is the centerpiece to a group in L.A. that may be able to win championship-after-championship for years to come. This just doesn't align with common sense and while it may be human nature and perfectly normal to wonder aloud if a team is a long-term threat or a simple flash in the pan, the depth at which this subject has penetrated the sports world is alarming and unfounded.

Even more disgusting to me is the treatment King James has been afforded in the days and weeks since his unceremonious dismissal from the playoffs. Just after LeBron's surprising playoff dismissal, James made headlines by storming off the court without a congratulatory handshake offered to the victors and, more appalling, without making his required post-game press conference appearance. Some in the national media chastised James (albeit lightly), but the lion's share of pundits dismissed the actions as a case of the ultimate competitor internalizing the pain of failure so he could turn it into results next season. You know, kind of like he did the season before. It seems a simple analysis of recent events make it far more likely that LeBron will fall just short of a title than that he'll be hoisting the trophy next June. In any event, you cannot enshrine he or his team into the Hall of Fame yet, at least not in the case of winning titles.

In a previous article, I spoke to the impact one Michael Jeffrey Jordan has had on today's game, not just as a player but as a marketable entity. Prior to Jordan, the NBA and its leadership were very, very cautious in deliberately marketing teams over players. "The Showtime Lakers", "The Bad Boys," and "The Celtics" were the identifiable powerhouses of the sport in the 1980s and '90s. It wasn't until after the Jordan era that we, as fans, began to relate to those teams as "Magic's Lakers" and "Bird's Celtics." There was a good reason for this: there was little parity. Teams were marketed because teams were the draw. Individualism just didn't bring championships (see Patrick Ewing, Charles Barkley, Dominique Wilkins, et al). At this point in the history of the game and at most any time prior to it, you could predict with near certainty what would transpire each season well before the games actually began.

Once the '90s began in earnest — due almost entirely to the influence Jordan had on the sport, the fans and the universal appeal of his style to fans from all nations, races and social classes — the new generation of basketball players valued athleticism and personal achievement over reserved team play and overall group successes. This forced the NBA and David Stern to market to the individuals, sustaining the profitability and success of the league. The trade-off was the end of the "Team Ball Era," ushering in more parity, which has had significant impact, both positive and negative, on the league's fan base.

Since this new era of individualism, few teams have been able to successfully create a winning formula that would withstand the tests of new challenges from new and emerging stars. The Bulls did it, but they had Jordan. The Spurs did it, but they accomplished this feat by remaining true to the way things "used to be" and building a team around a system. Even these Lakers managed to form a bit of a dynasty, but they had an unstoppable machine named Shaq and a very watered down set of opponents on which to prey. So why are we to assume that winning a title portends a much more glorious run?

The answer is simple, really. We've been conditioned to want to see the best. We want our time to be the "Golden Age" of any given sport. The sooner we realize that this is very rarely the case, the sooner we get to enjoy what we see in front of us, which is real talent and real skill.

The irony is the league and its media machine created this parity, and now that very same media machine is desperate to dispel the reality they brought upon us. None of us know what is going to happen next season. This is not to say that the Cavs and Lakers aren't great teams, they absolutely are and should be for the foreseeable future. The greater truth is that there are many superb teams, many of which we don't even see coming, that will stand in the way of any team's chances of repeating or forming any sort of dynastic reign. In our haste to find the next Jordan, this generation's Bad Boys and the new Celtics-Lakers rivalry, we're missing the evolution of something far more exciting, interesting and revolutionary: true parity.

This age of the unknown should be embraced. Not only will it create excitement over a far greater fanbase (thus increasing NBA market share), but it will help develop a core of young superstars that rival any other era's in terms of raw numbers.

As for this "Next Jordan" business, it is worth noting that in the two seasons preceding the most recent, both LeBron James and Kobe Bryant have each done something that Jordan was never able to accomplish. They each lost an NBA Finals series.

Never mind. After further contemplation, I may check out the 2009-10 NBA season after all.

Posted by Matt Thomas at 11:56 AM | Comments (9)

NASCAR Top 10 Power Rankings: Week 16

Note: the quotes in this article are fictional.

1. Tony Stewart — Stewart stalked Kasey Kahne for the final 23 laps of the Toyota/Save Mart 350, but never could get around Kahne's No. 9 Richard Petty Motorsports Dodge, despite a number of restarts. Stewart settled for the runner-up spot and extended his lead in the Sprint Cup point standings to 84 over Jeff Gordon, who finished ninth.

"I just couldn't get around Kahne," Stewart said. "That No. 19 Budweiser Dodge was just too fast on the restarts. Talk about a 'hard' Charger. I've had an easier time passing kidney stones."

"Obviously, NASCAR wanted to prove that the new double-file restarts would indeed make for more exciting racing. I think a lot of drivers were worried that the restarts would create dangerous situations on road courses. That wasn't the case. I think fans would have only one complaint with double-file restarts, and that's having to hear the TNT announcing crew incessantly reminding viewers that the restarts are 'shootout style.'"

"To hear more of my opinions, read my bi-weekly column in The Sporting News, a column which was tentatively set to be titled Diary of a Madman before I became a team owner and lost my psychotic sensibilities."

2. Jeff Gordon — Gordon suffered a pit road speeding penalty on lap 53 that sent him back to the 32nd position before rallying in the final 20 laps. He improved 15 spots in the closing laps to post a ninth, his 11th top-10 finish of the year. Gordon remained second in the points, and now trails Tony Stewart by 84 points.

"NASCAR's lone visit to California's wine country is always something different for drivers and fans alike," Gordon said. "Infineon offers one of two chances for drivers to run a road course, where braking and downshifting skills are put to the test, not necessarily to navigate the various twists and turns, but mainly in order to abide by the ridiculous 35 miles per hour pit lane speed limit."

"As for the fans, the Infineon infield is a far cry from the infields and campgrounds of a typical NASCAR stop. Only at Sonoma can you find a Port-A-Potty equipped with a bidet, an apparatus that would almost always be mistaken for a water fountain at any other track."

3. Jimmie Johnson — Johnson overcame a pit road speeding penalty, as well as a late brush with Kurt Busch's No. 2 Miller Lite Dodge, to post a strong fourth-place finish at Infineon Raceway. Johnson solidified his hold on third place in the point standings, and trails points leader Tony Stewart by 157.

"The contact with Busch was totally my fault," Johnson said, "and I quickly apologized. That's called a 'noble' gesture. 'Noble' not because it was morally the right thing to do, but 'noble' because it came from nobility, a three-time Sprint Cup champion. You could say I 'championed' the effort."

"Kurt graciously accepted my apology, although I believe he was a bit offended by my opening line, in which I said, 'Hey Kurt, let me bend your ear for a bit.'"

4. Kurt Busch — Busch was running fourth on lap 90 when his No. 2 Penske Dodge was knocked for a spin by Jimmie Johnson when momentum from a turn on a curb launched the No. 148 into the side of Busch. Busch dropped back to 38th, but some frantic racing in the final laps salvaged a 15th-place finish and allowed Busch to maintain the fourth position in the point standings.

"I appreciate Jimmie's apology," Busch said. "It's not often a fellow competitor approaches me and says 'I'm sorry.' It's usually 'You're sorry.'"

"It's great to see Kasey Kahne's Dodge in victory lane, not only for Dodge, but for Richard Petty as well. So far this year, the news for Dodge has been anything but good, painful even, so Kasey's win brought a bit of 'nova-Kahne' to the issue."

"Now, I'm a realist, not an idealist, which means I can't get married in 42 states, but I don't see Kahne's win as a harbinger of more good things to come. So, Petty should enjoy this while he can, because he'll only be 'King' for a day, at most."

5. Denny Hamlin — Hamlin led 33 laps at Sonoma, second only to race-winner Kasey Kahne's 37, and finished a strong fifth in the Toyota/Save Mart 350. After disastrous results at Dover and Pocono, Hamlin has now registered two consecutive top-five results, and made the biggest leap in the point standings, moving from 10th to seventh.

"Sonoma was a real confidence boost for me," Hamlin said. "Not only am I now the highest-ranked Joe Gibbs driver in the point standings, but the No. 11 Fed Ex Toyota outraced David Ragan, driver of the No. 6 Ford sponsored by UPS. So, for the time being, I'm going to call myself the 'Alpha Mail.'"

6. Carl Edwards — Edwards finished 13th in the Toyota/Save Mart 350, surviving several restarts and an incident with teammate David Ragan during the always unpredictable race at Sonoma's Infineon Raceway. Edwards moved up one place to fifth in the point standings, and trails Tony Stewart by 313.

"Obviously, Ragan's got a lot to learn," Edwards said. "Not about road course driving — he did very well, but about conflict resolution. He didn't even talk to me about the incident. Had I been the driver of the No. 6 UPS Ford and a teammate would have spun me from behind, I would have gone 'UPS'-side said teammate's head."

"Although we didn't win at Sonoma, I did win the Nationwide race in Milwaukee, my first win of the year. Finally, I was able to perform my celebratory back flip. Prior to Saturday's win in Milwaukee, the only 'flipping off' of cars I had done was on the highway in various stages of road rage."

7. Ryan Newman — Newman was well on his way to a top-10 finish in Sonoma before a spin on lap 81 halted his chances. Newman finished 17th and fell one spot in the point standing to sixth, where he is 318 behind Tony Stewart.

"There's talk of Stewart-Haas Racing expanding to three teams next year," Newman said. "I think Danica Patrick is a perfect fit for this team. She's opinionated, brash, and has a history of not getting along with teammates. I think Tony should get on the horn and make an offer. Heck, what woman turns down a booty 'call' from Tony?"

"In any case, it looks like we'll have Hendrick engines in that third car. And with Red Bull Racing likely to switch from Toyota to Chevrolet, Hendrick is in line to supply their engines. So, it looks like Rick Hendrick will have his hands full building engines. Is there an offer he won't consider? Just call the man 'Hendrick the Entertainer.'"

8. Matt Kenseth — Kenseth's day was nearly ruined on lap 58 when he lost control on a restart as the field bunched up heading into Turn 1. Kenseth was third on the restart, but after regrouping he emerged in 36th, one lap down. However, quick repair work in the pits gave Kenseth a fast car for a final surge, and after starting 39th late, he picked off 21 competitors to post a respectable 18th-place result. Kenseth is now 10th in the points, 43 ahead of Kasey Kahne in 13th.

"It must be humbling for Carl Edwards to wreck a teammate," Kenseth said, "and not have that teammate confront him in a threatening manner. Jack Roush doesn't tolerate that type of behavior, unless it's his golden boy Carl doing the threatening. Jack usually doesn't condone raising a hand to anyone, unless it's raising his hand to pat Carl on the back for another job semi-well done."

"You know, Carl won nine races last year, so many people, Jack included, said before the season that this was Carl's year to win the Cup. Well, another week has passed, and Carl still hasn't won a Cup race. So, Jack, instead of sipping wine in Victory Circle, you're eating crow."

9. Kasey Kahne — Kahne took the lead on lap 80 and controlled the final 23 laps at Infineon Raceway, winning the Toyota/Save Mart 350 and giving Richard Petty his first win as a car owner in 10 years. With the victory, Kahne jumped two places in the point standings to 13th, and trails 12th-place Juan Montoya by a mere three points.

"No longer does the 'Petty' in 'Petty Motorsports' refer to the team's relevance," Kahne said. "This could be the shot in the arm this team needs. But we can't let this win overshadow the real issue here at Richard Petty Motorsports. So, instead of celebrating by raising 'Kahne,' we're going to relish this victory by raising cash."

"I have to give my team credit for preparing the No. 9 Dodge car for me. It handled superbly, and was so fast, no one could touch it. We called it 'Dodge the Bullet.'"

10. Kyle Busch — Busch, last year's winner at Sonoma, finished well back this year with a 22nd-place finish, his fourth consecutive result outside the top 10. Busch started well, qualifying second and leading 10 early laps. But mishaps on laps 61 and 100 hastened his downfall. Busch maintained the ninth position in the Sprint Cup point standings, but is a distant 402 points behind Tony Stewart, and only 48 ahead of Kasey Kahne in 13th.

"At this point last year," Busch said, "I was leading the points and already had five victories. Obviously, we're nowhere near that pace this year, but we're confident our 'regression' testing program will provide us with answers."

"But I'm not concerned. The rest of the field should be worried, though. As you may have noticed, my car at Sonoma was adorned with the paint scheme for Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen. Obviously, it's there to promote the movie, as well as to encourage more egotistical, movie-star behavior from Shia LaBeouf. But also let it be a vicarious warning to everyone that although I've fallen, I'm still capable of revenge."

Posted by Jeffrey Boswell at 11:30 AM | Comments (0)

June 23, 2009

Penguins Won't Be Copied Next Year

Hockey fans know how the story goes: win the Stanley Cup and suddenly every team tries to emulate your roster and playing style.

Hate to burst the bubble, but I don't see it happening this time.

That's not to slag on the Pittsburgh Penguins or what they achieved. No one wins the Stanley Cup on a fluke, but you need more than just players and a coaching system to win. You need skill, luck, health, and even more luck.

An objective observer should be able to say with a straight face that Pittsburgh's goaltending and defense had a wildly up-and-down run in the playoffs. For every amazing steal Marc-Andre Fleury made, there was another groan inducing soft goal. For every (okay, maybe not every) miraculous Rob Scuderi-as-goalie play, there were also instances of sheer panic on the penalty kill, especially in the Detroit series.

What does it all mean? Well, the Pittsburgh Penguins are a talented but flawed roster — and to their credit, they overcame those flaws with a few lucky bounces and unsung heroes stepping up at the right time. But to try and emulate the Penguins is an equally flawed proposition.

First off, it's impossible to replicate what Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin bring to the table. It just is. The defense, though, isn't exactly the perfect combination of grit and skill (and one has to wonder how Hal Gill would have performed if the officiating didn't let up on calling interference), and Marc-Andre Fleury has yet to show the consistency one would want in an ideal starting goalie.

That being said, every team with all of the pieces in place (at least on paper) should feel hope in the Penguins win. (That doesn't include teams with huge holes, such as the New York "Non-Scoring" Rangers or the Tampa Bay "No Defense" Lightning.) What the Penguins have shown is that a team that has the right foundation of talent, despite its flaws, can overcome them to win it all. No playoff series is set in stone, as much as it seems that way.

Where does that leave the Boston Bruins and San Jose Sharks of the world? Those teams thought they had it all, though injuries, bad bounces, and a failure of certain players to fulfill their potential all prompted an early exit. Still, there's such a fine line between winning and losing among the upper-tier of NHL teams that the situations could have easily been flipped with a few bounces going the other way.

That's the thing with the post-lockout NHL. While there still is a meme about just giving up and handing the Cup over to Detroit, the fact of the matter is that so many things have to go right for a team. There are plenty of things that coaches and players can't control, from injuries to weird bounces. Hell, even the little bit of magic that turned Rob Scuderi from run-of-the-mill No. 4 defenseman into a shut-down deity is a little bit of a mystery; while Scuderi's bound to cash in on that, there's a pretty good chance that we'll use the word "overpaid" in conjunction with him over the next few years. That's the power of playing well during the Cup final.

Long story short, there's no magic formula to winning and there's no perfect team. You could have the best regular season in the league, only to let injuries and inconsistent secondary scoring derail you (San Jose). You could have an unbeatable mystique only to have support players come back down to earth at the wrong time (Detroit). You could have an immensely talented roster and show-stealing young goalie only to have everything implode in a pivotal Game 7 at home (Washington).

Or you could have a group of high-flying forwards, patchy defense, and talented-but-inconsistent goaltending go on to win the Stanley Cup because they overcame their glaring errors (and boy, did the glare at times like Game 5) through a combination of hard work and luck to beat the odds and hoist Lord Stanley.

Skill, luck, health, and even more luck. For teams that are wondering "Where did it all go wrong?" chances are one of those four things copped out at the wrong time. As Pittsburgh showed, that doesn't mean that good things won't happen next year.

Posted by Mike Chen at 11:40 AM | Comments (1)

June 22, 2009

NBA's Biggest Draft Lottery Losers

The NBA draft is just three days away. And while the NBA draft may only produce about a dozen or so solid NBA players per year, it is notorious for being loaded with talent at the top of the draft. Teams that win the lottery and select in the top three usually have the chance to add a difference maker to their team that can help to make them significantly more competitive the following year.

But as Billy Bob Thornton says in "Bad Santa," "They can't all be winners, kid."

With that in mind, let's take a look back at some of the worst draft picks since the NBA started using the lottery format in 1985.

Worst 1st Pick: Kwame Brown (2001)

Career stats: 7.0 points per game, 5.6 rebounds, .7 blocks

Drafted by the Washington Wizards and then team president Michael Jordan in 2001, Kwame Brown is the definition of a draft day bust. The first player ever drafted number one overall straight out of high school, Brown has disappointed teammates, coaches, and fans alike for nearly a decade now.

Averaging double figure points just in one season of his eight year NBA career, Brown's career 7.0 points per game average is the lowest scoring average of any first overall draft pick in NBA history.

Brown has made a career of wearing out his welcome wherever he plays. Things got so bad during his tenure in Washington that the Wizards played a video before the start of a game in which Gilbert Arenas instructed the fans not to boo Brown when he entered the game.

Career "highlight": Was once nearly arrested for throwing a 2x2 foot chocolate cake at a fan posing for a picture with teammate Ronny Turiaf.

Worst 2nd Pick: Darko Milicic (2003)

Career stats: 5.5 points per game, 4.2 rebounds, 1.2 blocks

Used primarily as a human victory cigar during his rookie season in 2004 while the other Pistons were grinding out the franchise's first NBA title in 14 years, Darko was touted as a project by team president Joe Dumars.

Six seasons later, we are still waiting to see any signs of life from Darko.

He's started less than 100 games in his career, has yet to average more than 8 points per game for an entire season, and found himself as a backup center on a 24-win Memphis Grizzlies team this season.

What makes the Darko pick even worse is that the Pistons passed on Carmelo Anthony, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh to select Milicic second overall. All three have gone on to be NBA All-Stars and Olympic gold medalists.

Hey, at least he's got a ring.

Career "highlight": Once ripped his jersey in half in a fit of rage over a foul call.

Worst 3rd overall pick: Adam Morrison (2006)

Career Stats: 8.7 points per game, 2.4 rebounds, 1.4 assists

Michael Jordan strikes again. While there may still be plenty of time left in Morrison's career to prove me wrong about making him the worst third overall pick in the lottery era, he's got a lot of work to do.

After an okay rookie campaign in which he scored 11.8 points per game and earned a place on the all-rookie second team, Morrison's career has taken a drastic turn for the worse. He missed all of the 2007-08 season after tearing his ACL in a preseason game.

Morrison was shipped out of Charlotte midway through this his third NBA season, where he spent the remainder of the year buried deep on the Lakers bench, failing to be made active for any of the Lakers' 23 playoff games.

And unless the Lakers let Trevor Ariza get away in free agency and Phil Jackson falls out of love with Luke Walton, Morrison doesn't figure to be in the plans for the Los Angeles Lakers any time soon.

Hey, at least he's got a ring.

Career "highlight": This commercial for NBA Live '07 where he promises to make players cry when he gets to the NBA.

Worst 4th Pick: Marcus Fizer (2000)

Career Stats: 9.6 points per game, 4.6 rebounds

Fizer was named First Team All-American in 2000 while playing for Iowa State and was selected fourth overall by the Chicago Bulls in the 2000 draft.

In 2006, he was named the MVP ... of the D-League.

Fizer played in just 289 games during his disappointing five-year NBA career. Unable to catch on with any NBA teams for anything more than a 10-day contract despite his D-League success, Fizer packed his bags and headed overseas to finish out his playing days.

Career "highlight": Has over 30 tatoos, highlighted by a giant question mark on his neck that pretty much sums up his entire NBA career.

Worst 5th Pick: Nikoloz Tskitishvili (2002)

Career Stats: 2.9 points per game, 1.9 rebounds

Tskitishvili may just be the greatest "workout player" of all-time. He so impressed the Suns in a pre-draft workout that the decided to select him fifth overall. Later in his career, he impressed the Timberwolves during a summer workout and signed with the team as a free agent. He was waived after five games.

Career "highlight": Has the dubious distinction of being the worst foreign born NBA lottery pick of all-time.

Worst 6th pick: Robert "Tractor" Traylor (1998)

Career stats: 4.8 points per game, 3.7 rebounds

As if his career stats weren't enough to put "Tractor" on this list, his bust status is multiplied by the fact that he was traded on draft night for future hall of famer and MVP Dirk Nowitzki. Traylor lasted seven unimpressive seasons in the NBA before finally eating himself out of the league in 2005.

Career "highlight": Was at the center of the University of Michigan scandal that caused the school to forfeit games and made them ineligible for postseason play for two seasons.

Worst 7th pick: Roy Tarpley (1986)

Career stats: 12.6 points per game, 10 rebounds

Averaging a double-double for his career should make him exempt for this list. Hell, he even won the Sixth Man of the Year Award in 1988.

No, it's not his on the court play that lands Tarpley on this list. He's the worst seventh overall pick in the lottery era because of what he did off the court. Tarpley was given a lifetime ban not once, but twice for repeatedly violating the league's substance abuse policy.

Career "highlight": Successfully sued the Dallas Mavericks for violating the Americans with Disabilities Act by not reinstating him to their roster once he was treated for his addiction.

Worst 8th overall pick: Bo Kimble (1990)

Career stats: 5.5 points per game, 1.5 rebounds

Appearing in just 105 games in his NBA career, Kimble is on the long list of disappointing high draft picks for the Los Angeles Clippers. After averaging 33 points per game in his senior season at Loyola Marymount, Kimble was thought to be a can't-miss prospect heading into the draft. As it turns out, missing was about the only thing Bo was capable of, shooting just 38% from the field over his NBA career, compared to a career 48% in college.

Career "highlight": Collected over $5 million from the New York Knicks over a four-year span despite playing only nine games for the team.

Worst 9th overall pick: Rodney White (2001)

Career stats: 7.2 points per game, 2.2 rebounds, 1.1 assists

Joe Dumars strikes again. Dumars said after the draft that he was so confident in White's ability that he would have taken him with the first overall pick if he had it. White lasted just four seasons in the NBA, played for three different teams, and started just 21 games in his career. White would continue his journeyman career overseas, where he played for six teams in four years before finally retiring in 2008.

Career "highlight": Was part of the trade the sent Allen Iverson to the Denver Nuggets.

Worst 10th overall pick: Luke Jackson (2004)

The Cavs had a chance to select Al Jefferson or Josh Smith with this pick in '04; instead they opted to try to surround LeBron James with a shooter. What they got was a player who would play in just 73 NBA games during his four-year career and make just 32 threes in that span.

Career "highlight": Played in the 2009 D-League All-Star Game.

Posted by Scott Shepherd at 11:57 AM | Comments (4)

Dusty Rhodes, RIP: Hearty Belts

"I ain't much of a fielder," Dusty Rhodes once told the New York World-Telegram, "and I got a pretty lousy arm, but I sure love to whack at that ball."

Hall of Fame pitcher Bob Lemon must have greeted him in the Elysian Fields of the beyond — Rhodes (who was 82) died of heart failure June 16 in Henderson, Nevada — with a hearty handshake and a snort along the line of "You should have been a helluva fielder with a cannon arm who couldn't stand whacking at anything in the bottom of the 10th!"

And another Hall of Famer in waiting, Monte Irvin, must have developed a complex during the 1954 World Series, even if he did know his often-re-injured leg was going to compel his retirement a couple of years later. He was lifted for a pinch hitter thrice in that Series. The same pinch hitter. And all three lifts provided runs batted in for the stand-in.

Even when Arnold Hano's impeccable spot report of the game (A Day in the Bleachers) was republished in 2004, everyone knew the hook immediately — Willie Mays' surrealistic running catch, nearly 465 feet from the plate, Game 1 of the 1954 World Series tied at deuce, of a Vic Wertz drive that would have been bombs away in any other ballpark this side of the original Yankee Stadium but was turned into a long out that kept Larry Doby at least and Al Rosen at most from thinking about scoring.

The poor soul who pinch hit for Irvin with one out in the bottom of the 10th, Mays (a walk, a steal) on second and Hank Thompson (a free pass) on first, and shot Lemon's first-pitch, inside curve ball over the short right field fence, didn't have a prayer.

Not even when he followed up in Game 2 with another stand-in for Irvin, singling home Mays with the tying run, at future Hall of Famer Early Wynn's expense, before lingering long enough to hit another one out, again on Wynn's dollar, leading off the Giants' seventh. Not even when he followed that in Game 3 with another stand-in for Irvin, singling to right off Mike Garcia to send home Thompson and Mays, helping the Giants end the third with a 4-0 lead.

Put it this way: when the Tribe finally dispatched their pinch-hitting nemesis in the top of the seventh, Ray Narleski finally figuring out the way to get rid of Rhodes, with a pounding enough strikeout, it was enough to put a photograph of the punch-out on the front page of the New York Times.

What on earth was manager Leo Durocher thinking in Game 4? Surely he was risking it keeping Rhodes on the bench, where the fun-loving batsman could afford a hearty chuckle at an Indians team that won 111 games on the season, but whom the Giants were manhandling like a squadron of fifth-stringers all Series long.

Rhodes may have been the major manhandler. He'd hit 15 bombs in the regular season, a ducal enough share of them standing in for someone else, but in the World Series he looked like a ringer. He drove in more runs than the Indians produced as a team in the first three games and two fewer than the Tribe produced for the entire Series.

The bad news was that Rhodes may never have seen a bar to which he disliked bellying up. ("I was drinking to everybody else's health so much I about ruined mine.") The good news was that this son of an Alabama corn farmer ("He raised two hundred gallons") didn't mind serving them up as often as he pounded them down; after working as a tugboat captain around New York Harbor and a ticket-taker at the New York World's Fair in 1964-65, he laid down the whiskey at his wife's tavern across from the Bayonne Ferry for a fair enough portion of the two decades to follow after deciding to make Staten Island his home.

I made Henderson my own home when first coming to Nevada over two years ago. I had no idea Rhodes lived here. I'd have loved to buttonhole him, even knowing he wasn't the most loquacious interview on the terrain. If only to ask him whether Monte Irvin demanded a cut of the royalties for all those Series pinch hits.

Knowing what I know of Rhodes, he'd have shut me up with a hearty belt in a hearty glass and hit me with his best stories otherwise. And I'd have seen anything from Staten Island on the harbor to the el train passing by the Polo Grounds, picking up passengers, beyond the right field seats, with every sentence.

Posted by Jeff Kallman at 11:20 AM | Comments (0)

June 18, 2009

Don't Crown King Roger Just Yet

Genius is a tricky, spritely gift, eluding capture by any means we know of. We can't mass-produce it, bottle it, and sell it to a market clamoring for it. We can't transfer it from one person to another. We're not even that good at measuring it when we know we're staring right at it.

Consider how IQ tests measure genius. The average score is 100, and the vast majority of the population cluster around that mean. So for people who score in that neighborhood, getting one question right or wrong only changes their IQ scores by a few points. However, the outliers on the high end are subject to the punishing whims of the extreme. In the cruel climes of the top few percentiles, every misstep results in wild shifts.

Now consider the trials of genius to which we subject our sports greats. Was Pete Sampras the greatest of all-time? Well, the prosecution points out, he never won the French Open. What about Rod Laver and his consecutive Grand Slams? Critical witnesses would question the quality of his competition and his 5'8" frame, Lilliputian by today's standards.

So what of the latest greatest, Roger Federer? By capturing the 2009 French Open a few weeks ago, Federer completed his career Grand Slam and tied Pete Sampras for the most major titles in the modern era of men's tennis. And with those milestones, many were ready to proclaim Federer the greatest tennis player who ever lived.

Ultimately, Federer will be remembered as a Jim Brown-like figure, a star that burned brighter than any other in its galaxy if only for a shorter span of time than its heavenly peers. Sampras announced himself at the U.S. Open in 1990 and retained his relative greatness for the entire decade, if not through his career bookend-victory at Flushing Meadows in the 2002 Open. Federer, by contrast, took the throne atop the men's game later relatively in his career. His breakthrough at Wimbledon 2003 marked the beginning of his reign, and while he has maintained as high a level of performance as we should dare expect, it would be dishonest to argue Federer has matched Sampras' longevity.

The ugly truth is Federer relinquished his place atop the tennis world at least by Wimbledon 2008, but more realistically earlier than that. After being pushed to five sets by Rafael Nadal at Wimbledon 2007, Federer suffered a decisive defeat to Novak Djokovic at the 2008 Aussie Open and then at the 2008 French, only mustered four games in an embarrassment at the hands of his personal conquistador, Rafael Nadal. Barring a miraculous run of role-reversing victories over Nadal, it's safe to say Federer's career will be made of more days on which he was not the best player on the planet than days that he was.

In the afterglow of Roland Garros, Federer flashed a sense of relief over finally harpooning his white whale of red clay, suggesting that he will feel far less pressure over the remainder of his career with the Terre Battu finally conquered. I have a hard time believing that.

For a player who competes as much with the ghosts of tennis legends as the mortals who stand across the net from him, the pressure of legacy cannot be brushed away like an errant strand of hair. In fact, I think upcoming Wimbledon 2009 presents a more important crossroads for Federer's career. While finally winning the French is a novel jewel in his crown, Federer's throne, castle, and kingdom have been built from the grass of the All England Club. Nadal's encroachment into that territory a year ago demands a rebuttal campaign, otherwise the questions and pressure Federer has battled in swarms over the past 18 months are just one defeat to Nadal away from reincarnation.

And that is precisely the tragedy of comparing greatness. No matter how much respect we pay to the accomplishments, we're forced to split the tiniest of hairs to distinguish among those at the top of the heap. And yet, it's the most natural question to ask in a world that exists solely for competition: of all these players trying to be better than each other on any given day, who was the best at being better? It may yet be Roger Federer, but his ascension right now would be premature.

Posted by Corrie Trouw at 11:16 AM | Comments (20)

The True Origins of AFC Nicknames

A common complaint of elders to youngsters is that they don't know history and don't think anyone came before them.

This certainly is true for the NFL. Where did the iconic franchises we love even get their names? I'm here to tell you how. This week, we'll do the AFC, and return in two weeks for the NFC.

Baltimore Ravens — Named after a famous poem done by Baltimore's very own Maya Angelou.

Buffalo Bills — Named after the famed Old West frontiersman, Wyatt "Bill" Earp.

Cincinnati Bengals — Relocated from Calcutta in the Bengali region of India, kept name. Led the great Calcutta-to-Cincinnati pipeline of the early '60s, where thousands of businesses and millions of individuals made the move.

Cleveland Browns — It was a fad at the time to name teams of any sports after colors, such as the Cincinnati Reds, the Homestead Grays, and the Boston Caucasians.

Denver Broncos — Like the Titans, name after an early sponsor: the Bron Co. Kansas City Chiefs — As in police chiefs. An early logo depicted several police officers beating and sodomizing a minority suspect with police batons and then releasing him without charge. That was before those damn PC Nazis made them change it and killed free speech again.

Houston Texans — Kept name after moving from Wisconsin, where they were the Milwaukee Texans.

Indianapolis Colts — Named after Colt .45 malt liquor. Billy Dee WIlliams' face used to be their helmet logo.

Jacksonville Jaguars — Named by a prominent name artist hired by the city. He said, "Let's call them the Jacksonville ... the Jacksonville ... .um ... God ... I don't know ... um, Jacksonville Ja ... Ja ... .Ja ... um ... Ja ... Jaguars. $50,000, please.

Miami Dolphins — Changed their name from the more cumbersome Miami Things Caught in Tuna Nets Besides Tuna.

New England Patriots — Named in 1960 in anticipation of the patriotic surge of 2001.

New York Jets — Named in honor of New Yorkers' legendary affinity for travel to the heartland of the country, and complete lack of disdain for non-New Yorkers.

Oakland Raiders — As in corporate and legal raiders, reflecting Al Davis's love for lawsuits. He famously won a temporary injunction preventing any other teams from using the letters R, A, I, D, E, R, or S in their names, leading to the birth of such legendary teams as the New York Youth, Atlanta Bug, and the Boston Zoxon.

Pittsburgh Steelers — Named after their first owner, Ezekiel Pittsburgh Steelers.

San Diego Chargers — No one knows, but mentions of the franchise and its name date back at least to 1200 BC, and cave paintings of LaDanian Tomlinson and Dan Fouts have been discovered in North Africa.

Tennessee Titans — Named after an early sponsor of the team, Titan Unethical Racist Science Experiments, Inc.

Posted by Kevin Beane at 11:09 AM | Comments (1)

June 17, 2009

Pros/Cons of Brett Favre as a Viking

The most recent reports around the sports universe show that barring some unforeseen incident with Brett Favre's shoulder, he will play in the NFL next season and he will do so as a Minnesota Viking. Oh, the irony. I remember advertisements with Vikings defensive tackle John Randle chasing around a chicken in a tiny Brett Favre Packer uniform. Will the advertisements this year show Aaron Kampman chasing around a chicken in a tiny Brett Favre Viking uniform? It seems quite possible.

So if Favre goes to the Vikings, what are the benefits for them? As I see it, the Vikings have very little to lose. They currently have two quarterbacks who would undoubtedly be inconsistent at best as starters in the NFL in Tavaris Jackson and Sage Rosenfels. Both would rely heavily on the power running game of Adrian Peterson and the Vikings' defense, which may be a touch worse than 2008 with the departure of another former Packer, Darren Sharper, who signed with the New Orleans Saints. I wonder if Sharper staying in Minnesota would have provided a bit of mediation between Favre and the rest of the locker room as another so-called Packer traitor. As it stands, Vikings kicker Ryan Longwell will serve as that buffer.

The Vikings have a good team without Favre, a team that has improved consistently over the past three years under head coach Brad Childress. They will still be a good team if Favre doesn't sign with them or turns out to be a disaster. Even if they end up dealing Rosenfels or Jackson, they'll most assuredly have one of them on hand in case Favre implodes.

Over the past few seasons, Favre has shown his age in the months of November, December, and when he has had the opportunity, January. The solution for him is the same as it is with any kicker who is at his age or above, move south or get indoors. Moving from Green Bay to New York helped a little bit, but not enough to curb Favre's age completely. Inside the Metrodome, Favre will be able to command his game far better in the later months than in previous seasons.

The Vikings are truly a contender to be in the Super Bowl with a healthy Favre. If his problems in November and beyond are not due to the cold, expect an early exit or a meltdown similar to the New York Jets of 2008. But if it is weather-related, pray (if you are Vikings fan) that the Vikes can clinch home-field advantage and keep Favre inside the 70-degree Metrodome.

But what does Favre have to gain or lose? Well, if he melts down this season, he is done. Not even the Detroit Lions would sign him if Matthew Stafford retired and signed with the Detroit Tigers. If he stays retired, signing with the Jets will appear as nothing more than a blip in his career for most of his fans. But if he signs with the Vikings, he may very well be hated by the entire Packer universe. He lost a lot of respect by signing with the Jets, signing with the Packers' biggest (or second biggest depending on who you ask) rival would incur a wrath not seen in the NFL perhaps ever, whether Favre succeeds or fails in Minnesota.

If he succeeds and brings the first ever Super Bowl victory to Minnesota, he has nothing to fear, the Minnesota fans will praise him and herald him as a hero until the end of time, but if he fails, he will have no fans left in the entirety of the universe. The Minnesota fans will go on hating them as they have for nearly two decades, even more so for ruining a perfectly decent potential season for them and the Packer fans will hate him all the more for attempting to get revenge on a franchise that worshipped him as long as Vikings fans hated him.

Brett Favre signing with the Vikings is a great deal for the Vikings. They have very little to lose. But for Brett Favre, this is perhaps the most dangerous move in the history of the NFL. The man who should be considered at the very least as one of the three best quarterbacks of all-time may go down in history not being loved by a single NFL fan. Brett Favre, I beg you to consider that before re-un-retiring.

Posted by Andrew Jones at 11:59 AM | Comments (18)

Kobe Gets the Big Guy Off His Back

It took him the better part of a decade, but let the record show that Kobe Bryant finally won a ring without Shaq.

By now, you probably have taken a moment to let that thought sink in, so let me add on a few layers for you.

Think back to last season after the Lakers' ugly 39-point demise in Boston. Shaq almost immediately responded with a public-appearance battle rap aimed at Kobe, and specifically his inability to win without the Big Fella. If the green confetti that soiled his purple and gold jersey and corrupted his purple and gold soul wasn't enough incentive to drive Kobe through a 100-game season and through the Finals in 2008-09, then this incident may very well have been what put his insatiable drive over the top.

Think back to 2007, merely two years ago, when a disgruntled Bryant felt the Lakers front office was not doing enough to keep the Lakers competitive around him and demanded a trade to the Bulls. The Lakers had just suffered their second consecutive first-round elimination at the hands of the Phoenix Suns. Kobe's leadership skills had come into question after the '06 loss to Phoenix when the Lakers squandered a 3-1 lead and Kobe failed to show up in Game 7, seemingly out of spite. Either way, defeat was about as pleasant as a Raja Bell clothesline.

Or how about '04, when the Lakers took a living, breathing Hall of Fame starting lineup into the Finals, only to watch their ancient ruins crumble around him. Karl Malone, Gary Payton, and even the Daddy himself were no match for a surprise young, athletic, cohesive team without a big-time scorer. Kobe's desperation three salvaged the Lakers' only Finals win, as they were dominated thoroughly in every other game of a series that no one saw coming.

Now, think back even farther. In his most telling moment alongside Shaq in their glorious 2000-2002 dynasty, there was a singular moment that foreshadowed this achievement. A moment where Kobe Bryant may have officially become the player he is today and announced his arrival as an all-time elite player. If you relate Sunday night's fulfillment of Kobe's quest to this moment, then it may not strike you as too much of a surprise that Bryant has finally gotten over the hump.

Before Kobe and Shaq had any rings to show off to the paparazzi, they were in a Finals battle with the Indiana Pacers in 2000. Thanks to their penchant for taking "unnecessary" games off in that postseason, the Lakers would drop two of the middle three games in Indiana by wide margins. In order to assert their dominance and take care of that series, they needed that fourth game.

Because they actually played hard in that fourth game, and Indiana rose to the challenge, as well, the two teams battled into an overtime session that the entire series would hinge on. There was only one problem: Shaq would foul out halfway through it.

There was a stunned shock and disbelief to the moment. For the Indiana crowd, it simply seemed too good to be true. The Laker offense was simply too dependent on the Big Aristotle overwhelming defenses with his sheer power to survive now. How could the Lakers possibly beat a healthy and desperate Pacers team down the stretch without Shaq?

Kobe then stepped into the moment and knocked down two 20-foot jumpers to keep the Lakers treading water, as he sought to take over the game himself. As he walked back downcourt after the second jumper, Kobe showed a surprisingly comfortable expression on his face as he made a downward, open-palmed gesture with both hands that everyone in their living rooms saw. The message was simple: "Relax, everybody. I've got this." He would add a tip-in lay up in the final seconds to extend the Laker lead from 1 to 3 points. This tallied 8 total points in the extra session for Bryant, and forced the Pacers to fire a desperation three for the final play, which they missed, rather than attack the basket. Did I mention he did this all on a painfully sprained ankle from Game 1?

It was in that instance where a larger than life moment occurred on the game's biggest stage, and young Kobe decided he was going to be bigger than that moment, and he essentially won them the Finals in that stretch. Yes, it has become very tiresome to say in the many years that has passed since then, but this may have been the first instance where Kobe did something that was truly Jordan-esque. It also was an instance, brief but important, of Kobe showing the ability to win without Shaq at a time when Shaq was the reason they won.

Perhaps it was fitting that Kobe's Lakers, in the Finals for a staggering sixth time in the decade, vanquished a Magic team led by Dwight Howard, if only because Howard is being hailed at least by his supporters as a next-generation Shaq. While No. 24 did finally win his long overdue Finals MVP award without a signature Kobe moment, it was teammates Andrew Bynum and Pau Gasol (yes, the Gasol who was too soft to stop Boston a year ago) who clamped down on Howard and kept him ineffective offensively. It was a team defensive effort that stifled the almost robotic accuracy of the Magic's three-point shooters. Kobe managed to be the best player on a very balanced, talented team that meshed around him at the right time to win a title. Indeed, this team and this season was everything the Mamba has ever dreamed of.

So does this silence the doubters, the whispers, and the haters? A good portion of them. Shaq loses leverage in any future beefs, as they now have the same number of rings — four — and Kobe seems much more likely to win a fifth than O'Neal, all things considered. Some will always lament his inability to fit in as one of the guys, his open displeasure towards teammates who don't execute to his liking, his ball-hogging, and his somewhat manufactured image. This only means that even Kobe's flaws draw comparison's to His Airness. Did Jordan not hog the ball and expect too much of his teammates and try to constantly control his image, as well? Michael was simply better at getting away with it.

Those who still bristle at the greatness of Kobe most likely have never held an NBA Finals trophy in one hand and a Finals MVP trophy in the other. And for his rival and former teammate, the one who has managed to do just that three times to Kobe's one, perhaps Bryant can respond with a battle rap of his own this summer.

"Shaq, tell me how my ring tastes."

Posted by Bill Hazell at 11:49 AM | Comments (0)

NASCAR Top 10 Power Rankings: Week 15

Note: the quotes in this article are fictional.

1. Tony Stewart — Stewart turned in a solid seventh-place finish at Michigan in Sunday's hectic finish to the Lifelock 400. It was his series-best 11th top-10 result on the year, and kept him on top of the Sprint Cup point standings, where he holds a 47-point lead over Jeff Gordon.

"The last two weeks have produced some really exciting racing," Stewart said. "It's good to see the racing making the headlines, as opposed to drug usage, racial slurs, and smashed guitars. But I love a good Guns 'N Roses concert."

"Anyway, it's great to lead the point standings, which makes them top-heavy. I have no plans on relinquishing my grip, nor do I plan on going away easily."

"And speaking of 'going away easily,' this Jeremy Mayfield issue just won't stop making headlines. Now it seems that Mayfield's expert witness in his lawsuit against NASCAR lied about his credentials and qualifications. That's another point for NASCAR. Mayfield's falling well behind in this court case. So, it wouldn't be an understatement to say that he's wishing he could 'score' soon."

2. Jeff Gordon — Gordon started at the rear of the field after an engine change on Friday, the result of a blown engine in practice. With the setup of the No. 24 DuPont Chevy geared for racing in traffic, Gordon quickly charged through the field. He breached the top 10 on lap 110, and was running fourth when race leaders Jimmie Johnson and Greg Biffle ran out of gas within seconds of each other. Gordon took second behind Hendrick teammate Mark Martin's win, and trimmed 24 points off of Tony Stewart's points lead.

"I think everyone's happy for Mark," says Gordon. "He's a favorite of fans and drivers alike. He's no doubt a shoo-in to win the title of 'Most Popular NASCAR Driver (Who Wins Races).'"

"Besides, who would have expected Martin to run out of gas? He's 50 going on 30. And it's good to finally see some luck going Mark's way. Luck has played a big part in a few wins this year. Matt Kenseth and David Reutimann were both fortunate recipients of the 'Golden Shower,' which is a term coined to indicate rainfall that handed a driver an unlikely victory. But don't look it up on the internet. Mark's lucky break was known as the 'One-Two Combination,' which happens when both drivers ahead of you run out of gas."

3. Jimmie Johnson — Johnson led 146 of 200 laps in Michigan, and chased down Greg Biffle six laps from the end for the lead, only to run out of gas four laps later. Johnson finished 22nd, the last car on the lead lap, but he maintained the third position in the points, and is 142 out of first.

"Hey, don't call me 'Tank' Johnson," Johnson said. "I think Biffle and I pretty much canceled each other out. The fuel tank certainly decided this one. Cars were dropping like flies, or like Camping World series truck teams. There were more 'E's' on fuel gauges than there were 'E's' at 'Show Your Tattoo Day' at the Dale Earnhardt, Jr. Fan Club Convention."

"That's two consecutive races in which we've ran out of gas. Chad Knaus took responsibility for it in Michigan. That's very noble of him, but, in light of what happened at Pocono, Chad should have examined his thoughts and feelings more deeply before approving such a high risk strategy. As it was, he didn't pass introspection."

"However, being third in the points, as well as the three-time defending Cup champion, I can well afford to gamble for wins. Luck wins races, but not championships."

4. Mark Martin — Martin outlasted the field in a fuel mileage war at Michigan International Speedway, passing the stalled cars of Greg Biffle and Jimmie Johnson while running out of gas himself on the final turn. Martin's Lifelock 400 victory was his third win of the year, and boosted his Chase hopes, as he moved up five places from 13th to 8th in the Sprint Cup point standings.

"Hey, there's no shame in winning a fuel mileage race," Martin said. "And it doesn't bother me one bit that the fans are chanting 'MPG' instead of 'MVP.'"

"Fans have been demanding more exciting racing. They can't say this wasn't an 'en-gauge-ing race.' Well, at least the last 40 laps were, when crew chiefs started frantically punching numbers on their fuel mileage calculators. You know, determining fuel mileage is such an inexact science, much like determining the sexual preference of American Idol finalists."

5. Kurt Busch — Sound adjustments and economic fuel strategy were the catalysts for Busch's eighth-place run at Michigan, his eighth top-10 finish of the year. After his final pit-stop on lap 150, crew chief Pat Tryson calculated that the No. 2 Miller Lite Dodge would be short on fuel by about two laps. Busch successfully managed the gas tank, and moved up one spot in the Sprint Cup point standings to fourth.

"My goal is to be within striking distance of the points leaders," Busch said. "Although I'm wary of being within striking distance of Tony Stewart. Experience has taught me that when he and I are in close quarters, I should keep my distance. Otherwise, he'll do the striking."

"As a representative of a dying breed, Dodge drivers with surgically altered ears, I feel compelled to speak on behalf of NASCAR's recent admission that they've talked to foreign manufacturers about competing in NASCAR. I'm not sure NASCAR, or America, is ready for such a European influx of automakers. I know I'm not. I'm already disliked enough by Americans. Put me behind the wheel of a Mercedes-Benz or BMW and I might just have my citizenship revoked."

6. Greg Biffle — Biffle and Jimmie Johnson battled down the stretch in the Lifelock 400, their desire to win suppressing their need to conserve fuel. Biffle took the lead when Johnson ran out of fuel two laps from the finish, then, just as Biffle was likely celebrating his good fortune, the No. 16 3M Ford sputtered on the final lap. Mark Martin zoomed past, and Biffle coasted to a fifth-place finish.

"I knew I couldn't hold Jimmie off and conserve fuel," says Biffle, "so I decided to do neither."

"I'm a two-time Michigan winner, so we had high hopes here. In the end, though, the empty gas tank left us all feeling fuel-dejected."

7. Carl Edwards — Edwards efficiently conserved fuel during the race's final green flag run at Michigan, giving him a fourth-place finish in the Lifelock 400 and his second-consecutive top-five finish. Edwards remained sixth in the Sprint Cup point standings, and trails Tony Stewart by 262.

"Races at Michigan always seem to come down to fuel mileage," Edwards said. "Was there ever any doubt that this one wouldn't also? I knew the race would be decided by 'fumes' just as soon as Michigan's own Kid Rock issued the 'Gentlemen, start your engines' command, because I could smell the whiskey on his breath from where I sat."

8. Ryan Newman — Plagued by handling problems, Newman finished 22nd at Michigan, his first finish outside the top 10 since a 16th-place finish at Phoenix. Newman fell one spot to fifth in the point standings, and he trails points leader Tony Stewart by 255.

"You know you've had a tough day when you have plenty of gas in your tank at the end," Newman said. "We never could get the car adjusted to the point where we could get involved in the gas-happy final laps. You know, I've got a college degree in engineering. But our day at Michigan was simply a study in 'engine erring.'"

9. Kyle Busch — Busch, who qualified second at Michigan, seized the lead immediately from pole sitter Brian Vickers and led the first eight laps. But, as the race progressed, the handling of the No. 18 M&Ms Toyota declined, and adjustments ordered by crew chief Steve Addington failed to improve the situation. Busch finished with a hard-fought 13th-place finish and held on to the ninth slot in the point standings.

"I spent the last week listening to the 'Six String Sting.' No, not the Scorpions acoustic power ballad, but the backlash from my victory celebration in Nashville last week, in which I smashed a Gibson Les Paul guitar."

"Maybe it wasn't the best idea in the world, but no one 'axed' me to stop. Anyway, it's working out just fine for me. NASCAR, never one to miss a merchandising opportunity, has created a new video game, combining the racing action of NASCAR 2009, the music of Rock Band, and the vandalism of Grand Theft Auto. It's called Guitar Anti-Hero."

"But really, I thought smashing the guitar was the coolest victory celebration ever. It could only be topped if Jimmie Johnson wins a Nationwide race in Nashville and celebrates by igniting the guitar. Of course, they'd have to call him 'Jimmie Hendricks.'"

10. Denny Hamlin — After a run of bad luck and a series of subpar finishes, Hamlin rebounded at Michigan with a third in the Lifelock 400, his first top-10 since a sixth at Phoenix. Hamlin improved two places in the point standings to 10th, where he is 42 points ahead of David Reutimann in 13th place.

"I let off a big sigh of relief after we completed one lap at Michigan," Hamlin said. "After that, it was 'all systems go.' As opposed to last week at Pocono, when, after one lap, it was 'all systems gone.'"

"It feels good to get back on track. Being inside the top 10 of the points gives me a great sense of accomplishment. I intend for my next stop to be victory lane. And, when I get there, you can best believe I won't perpetrate some 'guitar-ded' victory celebration. Unlike some people, I know how to treat a trophy, although it's been so long since I've been with a trophy, I'm not sure I remember what to do."

Posted by Jeffrey Boswell at 11:15 AM | Comments (0)

June 15, 2009

In the Rotation: NBA Finals Edition

It was a very entertaining NBA Finals from start to finish. We saw one of the greatest individual performances in Finals history, two overtime games, and a trophy presentation straight out of "Arrested Development."

I can't think of a better way to recap the NBA Finals than with one final installment of In the Rotation. Let's get to it.

Starting Five

1. Kobe Bryant

I think it's safe to say we know who the most valuable puppet is.

Kobe may not have erased the decade's worth of negative stereotypes that's he's acquired over the years, but with this NBA championship, he did something more important: he cemented his place in NBA history as one of the greatest players to ever play.

Now with four NBA titles, Bryant has proved to himself and to the world that he can win while being the best player on his team. No longer will he have to worry about his legacy being tainted by winning three rings playing on "Shaq's team."

He won't have to worry about being the greatest player never to win an NBA Finals MVP.

He won't have to worry about being remembered as one of the most "me-first" superstars in NBA history.

Instead, 10, 15, or 20 years from now, when the debate heats up about who the greatest player of this era was, we can look back at the 2009 NBA Finals as proof that when Kobe was at his best, he was as unstoppable a force as the NBA has ever seen.

The talk during the entire NBA Finals was that Bryant wanted it so bad. The truth is: Kobe needed it so bad. His legacy needed it. And come hell or high water, he was going to get it.

Every NBA Finals will be remembered for something different. This year, it will be remembered as the Finals that cemented Kobe Bryant's place in history.

2. Phil Jackson

Like Kobe, Phil Jackson now has a new place in NBA History: the top.

Jackson now has 10 NBA titles as a head coach, one more than Hall of Fame coach Red Auerbach, and the most in NBA history.

I absolutely hate the argument that Phil only has 10 rings because he's coached the best players. Auerbach coached 11 Hall of Famers during his tenure as head coach of the Boston Celtics. Every team that wins a title has great players.

The fact is, great players or not, Phil has accomplished something no other coach in the history of the game has ever achieved.

Ten titles is 10 titles, and because of them, Phil Jackson is the greatest coach in NBA History.

Period.

3. Derek Fisher

It would be unfair to call the way I feel about Derek Fisher a love/hate relationship. First of all, I've never met him and I most likely never will, thus putting an end to any potential "relationship."

Second of all, I think it's virtually impossible to hate Derek Fisher. He seems like one of the genuinely nicest guys in all of sports. It can't be considered a love/hate thing when you can't bring yourself to hate someone.

So let's just say it's a "love/he frustrates me like no other player in the league" relationship. For months I've been talking to my friends about the fact that Derek Fisher is washed up and that the Lakers need to go in another direction at point guard next season. Somewhere along the line, he turned into a shooting point guard that can't shoot.

Yet here we are, the day after the Lakers won their 15th title, thanks mostly to the fact that Derek Fisher hit the two biggest shots of the season in Game 4 of the Finals, and I can't think of a single player I'd rather have running the point for this team next season as they try to defend their title.

Rest assured that by the end of game one of the 2009-10 season I will have soured on D-Fish yet again, but until then, I'm going to enjoy the feeling of the Lakers winning another NBA title, a feeling that I wouldn't have right now if it weren't for Derek Fisher.

4. Trevor Ariza and Lamar Odom

These guys are two of the biggest reasons that the Lakers have a 15th NBA title and could very well be the reason that they don't get to 16 next season.

Both players will become free agents in about two weeks, and unless Dr. Buss digs surprisingly deep into his wallet, I can't see how the Lakers can afford to bring back both players.

Ariza and Odom made a combined $14 million this season. Both players had great seasons for the Lakers, and surely have done nothing to warrant having to take a pay cut. The Lakers will already be roughly $10 million over the luxury tax threshold heading into next season without re-signing either of these players.

It would be a shame if the Lakers were forced to defend their title without all of their core players, but in a Sophie's Choice type situation, the Lakers would have to bring back Lamar Odom. As great as Ariza has been, there are plenty of athletic swingmen in the NBA. L.O. is one of a kind. His versatility gives the Lakers so much flexibility that he would be impossible to replace.

Hopefully for the Lakers' sake, they can figure out a way to bring both players back. If not, it was nice knowing you, Trevor.

5. The Orlando Magic

Sometimes it's easy to forget how great a season the team that loses in the NBA Finals had because the last image of that team is one of defeat.

Sure, the Magic came up short of their ultimate goal, but they far exceeded everyone's expectations by making it this far. They have one of the best players in the game in Dwight Howard, a system that suits their roster perfectly, and now they have plenty of playoff experience.

The Magic may have surprised some people this season by making the NBA Finals, but no one will be surprised if the road to the NBA Finals in the East goes through Orlando for the next five to seven years.

Out of the Rotation: Lakers Ownership

The Lakers have one of the most recognizable owners in sports, the good doctor himself, Dr. Jerry Buss. His daughter, Jeanie Buss, is the VP of operations, has posed in Playboy, and is dating Phil Jackson. Both make very viable options to take part in the trophy presentation.

Yet neither of them bothered to make the trip to Orlando. Instead, the Lakers had the Buss family's equivalent of Buster Bluth accept the Larry O'Brien trophy, prompting my phone to nearly explode after receiving a barrage of "is there something wrong with Dr. Buss' kid?" text messages.

The NBA: where Joey Buss ... happens.

Inactive list: Rioting Laker Fans

In what has become a ridiculous NBA tradition, Laker fans rioted outside the Staples Center to "celebrate" winning the NBA title. It seems like every season now ends with a riot. It happened in Boston last season and Los Angeles last night.

Eighteen people were arrested and eight police officers were injured during the melee. Once again, a handful of morons ruin it for Laker fans everywhere. Thanks, guys.

P.S. Only four months until training camp opens on the 2009-10 season!

Visit Sports Central each day after every NBA Finals game to read Scott Shepherd's immediate reaction to the game. You can also follow Scott before, during, and after every NBA Finals game on Twitter at twitter.com/scottosports.

Posted by Scott Shepherd at 1:04 PM | Comments (0)

When Football Goes Green

We've all seen it, we've definitely all heard it.

The latest trend these days is to "go green." It's a campaign that is simply inescapable. We're all supposed to live green, breathe green, drive green, eat green ... you get the picture.

However, to "go green" in college football is to go for the dollar signs. One idea, playing neutral site games to get a large payout, aren't entirely a bad idea. For example, Alabama/Virginia Tech in Atlanta is a great way to kick off the football year. But what happens when a school chooses to lose a game, a conference game, for money?

Delaware State has done just that, agreeing to actually forfeit their MEAC matchup with North Carolina A&T for a trip to the Big House to play Michigan on Oct. 17th.

This is when "going green" goes horribly wrong.

We've entered a dangerous stage in collegiate athletics. The goal (or what used to be the goal, anyways) for collegiate athletes was to compete for championships. It wasn't about the money, it was about the trophies at the end of the season. Money was left out of the picture.

With Delaware State's move, the new goal has been set. It's all about getting as much money as possible. Forget title banners and trophies; just send the Hornets up to Ann Arbor as a rent-a-win (let's face it, App. State isn't the norm), get the check, and if the team doesn't make the FCS playoffs, oh well!

How sad is this?

I understand why Delaware State wants to go to Ann Arbor. Located in Dover, DSU is a small school with an enrollment of just over 3,000. The Hornets drew 6,000 fans just twice last season, and in a 27-26 lost to Winston-Salem State, drew just 891 fans. Playing in front of over 100,000 in maize and blue would be quite the experience for DSU.

But forfeit a conference game? That's where things just get messy.

I'd drop non-conference games, given that, if you do, you help find an opponent for the dropped school. But putting an automatic "L" on your schedule before you even take the field is just wrong. Be it Michigan or Michigan Tech, it's unfair to the players who suit up. They're starting at the bottom for nothing they did on the field.

Is that the new spirit of college sports? I seriously hope not.

This is something the NCAA really needs to look into. Delaware State has led college athletics to a serious crossroads. Should the mission of the NCAA go back to the spirit of amateur competition, or should it announce itself as a free-for-all for athletic departments nationwide?

Seriously, what's more troubling for the collegiate game? Lane Kiffin caught on film interviewing recruits, or forfeiting conference games for non-conference cash?

You'd think the NCAA would take a hard look at this. You'd think that maybe the NCAA would step up, fight for the integrity of amateur athletics, and institute rules to end this matter. Then again, you remember it's Myles Brand who's in charge, and we all know how well his "zero tolerance" policy worked with Bobby Knight.

It's time to face the facts: "going green" just doesn't work in college football.

Posted by Jean Neuberger at 11:12 AM | Comments (2)

June 13, 2009

Show Me the Money: Tiger vs. Jack

Fellow golf bloger One-Eyed Golfer must have known that I was going to take him up on his challenge to compare the lifetime earnings of Tiger Woods and Jack Nicklaus. Basically, he wanted to make a dollar for dollar comparison (in 2009 dollars) of the careers of Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods at present. Remember, Nicklaus had 73 PGA Tour wins with 18 majors titles and Woods stands today with 67 wins and 14 majors.

Rather than go through their entire careers, I decided to go through their victories and make straight up comparisons between the two of tournaments that existed in both Jack and Tiger's playing days. This way, we don't have to worry about events that no longer exist today or didn't exist back then.

Before we get to the comparison, let's explain which tournaments are in and which are out because of this assumption. That stipulation may seemingly knock out the World Golf Championships, which Woods has dominated since their inception. Woods has 15 WGC victories, which makes for over a fifth of his career PGA Tour wins. But, likenesses of these events existed in Jack's era. The CA Championship was the Doral-Eastern Open. The Bridgestone Invitational was the World Series of Golf.

There are more like comparisons between tournaments that you may expect. Prior to The Players Championship, the event was known as the Tournament Players Championship. Jack won his own Memorial Tournament on two occasions. PGA Tour Playoff events known as The Barclays and BMW Championship were known back in the day (even in Woods' career) as the Westchester Classic and the Western Open.

Even the less prestigious PGA Tour events of yesteryear share a lot of similarities to the events of today. The only difference between them may be who played in the event, where it was played, and the lack of corporate sponsors on the tournament name.

I did my best to ensure crossover between the two for a fairly honest comparison, but in a number of cases, equivalents just did not exist. Fifty-seven of Jack's 73 victories came in tournaments that still exist today in one fashion or another. Nine of Woods' 67 wins came in events that did not exist when Jack played.

That said, let's look at the numbers. Looking strictly at the number of wins, Jack Nicklaus would have 57 victories in events that overlap with Tiger Woods' career. Woods would have one more win than Jack, though he trails by 16 wins at present. Using crossover events as the element of comparison really makes most sense.

Now, let's look at the money situation. Comparing their total money won in victories, Tiger Woods has won $69,944,000 in 58 wins for an average of $1,205,931. Nicklaus won 57 times to loot $68,606,000 and average $1,203,614 per win.

Tiger Woods has earned less than $2 million more than Jack Nicklaus for his entire career. Nicklaus won his last PGA Tour event at age 46. Woods is 33. In other words, Tiger Woods has probably a decade more to extend his lead on Nicklaus in this kind of comparison.

The first thing to look at when making this kind of comparison is the money awarded for each win. Tiger Woods has won 13 events in his career that currently offer first place prize money below $1 million. Included in that list is his six Buick Invitational titles. Nick Watney, winner of this year's event, early $954,000 for his efforts. Meanwhile, Jack Nicklaus has just one victory in that event. By comparison, just 10 of Jack's crossover wins would pay him less than a million dollars today.

The World Golf Championships don't really play a significant role in the difference. Nicklaus won 25 crossover events with a first place check over $1.35 million — the paycheck for the Masters champion. Woods has 27.

In all reality, the statistics and data when comparing Jack and Tiger's careers are stunning to this point. They basically have the same number of wins in their career to this point, a similar number of majors, and 2009 dollars. Woods really is very much a mirror image of his hero.

For the purists and Jack Nicklaus fans, that may seem like blasphemy. After all, Nicklaus played in an era with less events like World Golf Championships. He has 16 more wins than Tiger Woods does right now. He still holds the major championship wins record — albeit by four majors.

Fortunately for Jack fans, though, the numbers for Jack's entire career — not just wins — fares very well. Nicklaus has a huge advantage in major championships. He has 19 runner up finishes in major championships. He was on the medal stand 46 times. Nicklaus boasts 73 major championship top-10 finishes.

In 53 major championship appearances, Woods has 14 wins. He has finished in the top 10 on 30 occasions. Woods was the bridesmaid on five different occasions and three times in the last two full seasons. Woods earned a gold, silver, or bronze 22 times.

But, again, to be equal, let's make it a fair comparison. Before Nicklaus turned 34 in 1974, he played in 56 majors. He won 12 of those. At this point in his career, he had finished in second in a major 11 times — six more than Woods boasts now. Nicklaus finished third on five other occasions. Nicklaus may have won fewer majors, but he finished higher more often than Woods.

And, oh yeah, Nicklaus won majors when trailing after 54 holes.

So, if you were hoping that this article would settle the debate about Jack and Tiger, think again. It will continue to rage on even if Woods surpasses Nicklaus' mark of 18 wins.

Posted by Ryan Ballengee at 11:00 AM | Comments (1)

June 12, 2009

NBA Finals Game 4: Role Models

Kobe Bryant scored 32 points, grabbed 7 rebounds, and dished out 8 assists in Game 4 of the NBA Finals.

And he was the third most important player on his team.

That's because, when the game was on the line, it wasn't the greatest closer in the game who carried the Lakers to a 3-1 series lead, it was their role players.

Trailing by 12 points at halftime, the Lakers needed a furious run to get back in the game. Enter Trevor Ariza, Los Angeles' defensive specialist. Ariza sparked the Laker comeback in the second half, scoring nine consecutive points at one point and finishing the third quarter with 13 of his 16 points. Behind Ariza's brilliant play, the Lakers erased the entire 12-point halftime deficit and took a four-point lead heading into the final quarter after outscoring the Magic 30-14 in the third.

Usually when Kobe Bryant is on the floor, a four-point lead heading into the fourth quarter is as good as gold. But in Game 4, it would take more than the usual Kobe Bryant onslaught to defeat the Magic.

Enter Derek Fisher.

Fisher came into the game trailing only Robert Horry (56) and Michael Jordan (42) for the most three-pointers in NBA Finals history. After starting 0-of-5 from behind the long line in Game 4, the 34-year-old came up through with what very well could be the two biggest shots of his career, a career in which he's made a living out of making big shots.

After Dwight Howard missed two free throws that would have iced the game with just over 10 seconds to play, the Lakers were given one last chance to tie the game in regulation. With 11.1 seconds left, the Lakers called timeout and opted to take the ball the length of the floor instead of advancing the ball, a strategy they've used throughout the playoffs.

Everyone in the building knew that the building knew the ball was going to Kobe Bryant. If ever there was a time for Bryant to trust his teammates, it was that play.

After an immediate double-team, Bryant swung the ball to Trevor Ariza who quickly passed ahead to Derek Fisher. With Jameer Nelson giving him plenty of room, Fisher stepped into a 27-foot three-pointer and tied the game. Overtime.

The greatest closer in the game deferred to the player who had struggled the most of any Laker starter in this series. And it worked like a charm.

As you would expect, Kobe tried to put the Lakers on his back in overtime. He scored the first two Laker baskets in overtime. He took four of the teams first five field goal attempts in overtime.

Yet just like in regulation, it was everyone but Kobe who stepped up down the stretch when the Lakers needed a basket.

With the game tied with just over a minute left, Ariza retrieved his own miss and gave the Lakers a new shot clock. After a Kobe miss and yet another Lakers offensive rebound, it was D-Fish time again.

With Kobe posting Mickael Pietrus, Jameer Nelson was forced to double-team Bryant, leaving Fisher all alone from the top of the key.

Bryant quickly passed out of the double-team and hit Fisher in rhythm for another 27-foot three pointer. Game over. Series all but over. Another heartbreaking and back-breaking loss for the Magic.

Kobe did everything he possibly could to win this game for the Lakers and it wasn't enough. In the midst of a poor shooting night (by Kobe's standards anyway), Bryant had no choice but to rely on his teammates. As a result, the most "selfish" superstar in the NBA became the only Laker besides Magic Johnson to record 8 assists in six consecutive postseason games, and the first player since Jordan to have at least 25 points and 8 assists in three straight NBA Finals games.

It took Jordan a while to finally trust his teammates enough to let them win a game for him, too. But because he finally did, Jordan has the John Paxson's and the Steve Kerr's of the world to thank for his run of six NBA titles.

Kobe may not have that same level of trust M.J. had with his teammates yet, as evidenced by his 31 shot attempts in Game 4, but if and when the Lakers go on to win their 15th NBA title, he'll have his role players to thank.

No one player can win a title by himself. With players like Derek Fisher and Trevor Ariza on the floor last night, one player didn't have to. Now the Lakers are one win away from an NBA title.

And the beauty of it: it took a total team effort to get to this point.

Visit Sports Central each day after every NBA Finals game to read Scott Shepherd's immediate reaction to the game. You can also follow Scott before, during, and after every NBA Finals game on Twitter at twitter.com/scottosports.

Posted by Scott Shepherd at 11:59 AM | Comments (0)

Detroit's Home Ice Advantage

It has been said by many a sports fan that what happens in the regular season is meaningless come playoff time.

But perhaps there is more of an advantage to finishing higher in the standings then thought.

The Detroit Red Wings, who gained home ice advantage throughout the playoffs after Boston, San Jose, and Washington were all defeated, have used their home ice advantage in their favor on route to the Stanley Cup finals.

Here a few numbers that further dictate the Red Wings' success:

The Wings are 11-1 in the postseason. Their only loss at home came in triple overtime to the Anaheim Ducks. Detroit has scored 43 goals at home compared to 32 goals on the road, a difference of more than 10 goals. Another interesting stat to note is that Detroit's two shutouts this postseason have came at home.

The stats certainly paint a pretty picture for Detroit, but more importantly, their solid play at home has helped them stave off elimination. Detroit won Game 7 of their series against the Anaheim Ducks at home to move on to the Conference Finals.

Detroit is not a bad road team by nature. They won 27 road games during the regular season and have certainly been called "road warriors" at times. But Detroit hasn't exactly breezed through the Stanley Cup Playoffs, largely in part to their poor play on the road.

All of this makes their success at home all the more important. The Red Wings seemed to have a great confidence at home. They seem to play with more aggression and dictate the play in the oppositions end. Detroit seems to feed of the emotion of their crowd.

And of course, there's Chris Osgood. The veteran goaltender, who has only lost one game at home during the playoffs, has suffered six defeats on the road. Osgood has allowed 28 goals on the road, five times allowing three goals or more. In the Stanley Cup Finals, Osgood has never allowed more than one goal in the Joe Louis Arena, but in Pittsburgh, he has allowed two goals or more in every game. Twice, he gave up four goals.

It seems like Osgood has had more confidence at home, where he has been a star. That factor could be important for the looming Game 7.

After being down and out in the series several times, the Pittsburgh Penguins won a close game at home to force this decisive Game 7 in Detroit. The home team has won every game of this series, and while this doesn't mean defeat is imminent for the Penguins, the advantage definitely has to go to the Detroit Red Wings. Detroit has been faster, meaner, and more efficient at home during the playoffs, which made their second place finish in the regular season look even more pivotal.

Perhaps this will be a lesson to other teams. Though not every team with home ice advantage has always benefited, the Detroit Red Wings may not be at this point without it.

So, if you still think that the regular season standings aren't the most important thing in the world, and that the playoffs are a whole new season, consider this: home ice advantage may be the reason the Detroit Red Wings win the Stanley Cup.

Jonathan Hamelin contributes articles on the NBA, NFL, and NHL. An avid fan of the Canadian Football League, he writes two columns on the CFL, Rider Report Card and CFL Buzz.

Posted by Jonathan Hamelin at 11:57 AM | Comments (0)

MLB All-Star Voting Picks: NL

Also see: MLB All-Star Voting Picks: AL

And now, we move on to the home team's current projected starting roster. As in the AL, there is one wretched choice and others that are a bit more nebulous. But more or less, the fans are actually on the right track.

Catcher

Frontrunner: Yadier Molina

Merits: Best defensive catcher in baseball. No doubt. And that means more at this position than any other. Offensively, he's no liability at all. Brian McCann is by far the best offensive catcher in a weak crop, even while missing a two-week stretch. His leads in averages are commanding (at .310/.412/.939, his leads are 39, 51, and 139 points, respectively). And he's second in homers and fourth in RBI among NL backstops despite the absence.

Also, Pudge Rodriguez is making a quality case himself. Although he's a shade below Molina as a hitter now, he's actually been even better throwing out runners than the 2008 Gold Glove winner (thrown out 9-of-19 as opposed to Molina's 8-of-18). Still, the two are 1 and 1A as no one else is even close. Fewer than 20 have tried on either of them. The next most used player with 20 or fewer theft attempts against has pitched 142 innings fewer than Pudge and 188.1 fewer than Molina.

Verdict: Molina. Again, defense is crucial. And with a .342 OBP Molina will keep any offense afloat. McCann, like Mauer, has started only 36 games. And while I wouldn't begrudge a vote for McCann (defense is good enough to make the case that the gap in hitting is bigger than that behind the dish), to me his bat doesn't set him apart nearly as much as Mauer's does. The game is in St. Louis, and I'm perfectly alright with a close call going to the fan's choice. Plus, McCann would be a nice pinch hit for him in a tight spot in the eighth. McCann could easily get there as a reserve barring a lifetime achievement nod from coaches or players towards Pudge.

First Base

Frontrunner: Albert Pujols

Merits: You kidding? The guy slumps to all-star numbers. He's finished below fourth in MVP voting once in his eight years. (In 2007, he "only" finished ninth.) Don't get me wrong, Adrian Gonzalez hitting 22 homers while playing half his games in a stadium with enough space to be capable of facilitating horse racing is flat amazing. So is the fact that he has less protection than a cargo boat off the coast of Somalia. (Then again, the only way I can comprehend opponents actually throwing a ball near him would be with a crew of Navy snipers ready to take them out if they walked him.) But if you haven't realized at this point that Pujols is still the game's premier assassin, you are probably mucking up votes a lot worse than this one.

Verdict: Pujols. He's got fewer homers than Gonzalez, but literally every other stat looks notably better in red, including 7 steals in 9 attempts. Plus, it's St. Louis; Pujols has to start. (Also, how in the world does Adrian Gonzalez have 22 homers and just 5 doubles? This ratio is crazy to me.)

Second Base

Frontrunner: Chase Utley

Merits: What is it about second base? (Biting tongue...) Just no controversy in either league. This is the largest voting gap in baseball. Why? Maybe it's Utley's lead in every major hitting statistic. Maybe it's ... aw, who am I kidding, yeah, it was that first thing.

Verdict: Utley. If I had to pick a reserve, it'd be Brandon Phillips. But he's closer to my next five or six choices than any of them are to Utley. Yes, second is closer to the bottom half of qualified second baseman than it is to this man.

Shortstop

Frontrunner: Jimmy Rollins

Merits: Uh ... he won the 2007 MVP? He's kind of amusing in commercials? Yeah, I got nothing. At .222, I think I need say no more other than help. Hanley Ramirez. Miguel Tejada. Hell, anyone would be better. I firmly believe Rollins will decline the invitation if elected. I can honestly tell you I would say no. He doesn't deserve it and I think he'd be first to tell you. Grant this struggling man the dignity of not having to make that choice to turn down the fans' misguided invite, which would be the equivalent of inviting your ex-spouse to your second wedding eight months after a messy divorce.

Verdict: Ramirez. His 8 homers and eight steals are off last year's torrid paces. But he's still hitting .330, reaching base at a .397 clip, and is more than just one of the brightest young players in the game, but is also one of the most complete. Plus, he's in second and has the best chance of being the merciful bullet to Rollins' all-star chances. Go now. Don't even finish reading this.

(Tejada's resurgence in Houston including a .354 batting average merits mention, but he's behind Ramirez in every other category. Reserve status, and probably Houston's only all-star.)

Third Base

Frontrunner: David Wright

Merits: Now that you're back from voting, you probably don't have much use for this information. But on the off chance you didn't listen to me like I had a voice like James Earl Jones (far-fetched, I know), you should know that even in a quiet year with just 3 homers in over two months, David Wright is still a stud. I'd blame Shea being a Petco-esque fly-ball cemetery, but he's only hit 1 homer on the road. Strange. Still, his OPS is higher than anyone but Chipper Jones (and his revolving-door nagging-injury routine negates him in my mind), and he has stolen 14 bags to go with it, with no competing third baseman within 12 of him. (Emilio Bonifacio doesn't count.) And let's not forget the Gold Glove defense.

Verdict: Wright. On first glance, he's a name-recognition choice suffering a sluggish start. His power is down, and quality selections Ryan Zimmerman and Mark Reynolds have him in runs and RBI, too. But he's holding down a .448 OBP on a team battling injuries all year. That's gotta mean more than a minor homer gap. It's not like Mike Schmidt is waiting in the wings.

Outfielders

Frontrunner: Raul Ibanez, Ryan Braun, Carlos Beltran

Merits: Wow. What can I say. I was sure Ibanez reeked of someone the fans would overlook. Always a nice player, in a new league I thought even his 19 homers and .328 average could get inexplicably overlooked. He leads the NPL (Non-Pujols League) in OPS, has 10 more RBI than the next highest outfielder (Adam Dunn), and has proven to any doubters that there is a difference between the ballparks in Seattle and Philadelphia. (He's now five away from his career-high in homers in early June at age 37. You don't want to discuss the other reason that happens. Or at least Roger, Barry, Sammy, and Mark don't want to talk about it.)

Nearly as lethal as Ibanez, Beltran hasn't flown under any radars for years. And in other news, Ryan Braun is a beast of a hitter still getting better. Even if, by the standards of his short yet explosive career, this has been a slow-ish first half, he still is fifth among NL outfielder in homers, and except Ibanez, none of the others have an OPS as high. So none of these guys seem undeserving of NL starting roles.

But even with these solid resumes, there might be better choices. (Just don't think one of them is Alfonso Soriano, who is hitting .241 and is somehow fourth in the voting.) Brad Hawpe is unique in being among the top four OF in average, OBP, slugging, OPS, RBI, and doubles. Not that he'll make it: he's not even in the top 15 in votes despite the fact that he's basically Beltran with less defense, 7 fewer steals, 26 fewer on-base points, but 10 more RBI and 45 more slugging points. Pretty close. Meanwhile, Justin Upton is even less distinguishable from Ryan Braun statistically. And Adam Dunn is the on-base (.397) and home run (17) machine he's always been. Only Ibanez has more homers or RBI.

Verdict: Ibanez, Beltran, Upton. Beltran and Upton 7 and 8 steals, respectively) both get speed and defensive nods over Braun, Hawpe, and Dunn — especially Hawpe and Dunn. And especially Dunn. But let's all just hope Dunn gets the Nationals' auto-bid, and that he finally participates in the Home Run Derby; it's just time.

Projected Starters

C Yadier Molina
1B Albert Pujols
2B Chase Utley
SS Jimmy Rollins (Hanley Ramirez)
3B David Wright
OF Raul Ibanez
OF Carlos Beltran
OF Ryan Braun (Justin Upton)

So that's it. In all, there are five changes that should be made, with varying degrees of urgency. But most of the choices of the much-maligned voting block hold water. Maybe there are enough columns and "Baseball Tonight" segments to get the voting public aware of its errors. Maybe the aforementioned incredible ease of accessing statistics online has educated the masses. In any case, there are still some corrections that really need to be made.

Again, as for the stakes, well, we're playing at the five-dollar table. But the guys that lose out when the wrong choice is made are not the guys that should be in. When players that probably wouldn't make it as a reserve, say Josh Hamilton and Ichiro, get voted in, it directly takes spots away from guys having great seasons that deserve to go. (I know, Hamilton won't cost a spot this time because of his injury.) Nelson Cruz, Adam Jones, Torri Hunter, and Carl Crawford make a crowded pool for reserves to be pulled from, and I bet you could find a deserving guy or two among a trio of Nick Swisher, Johnny Damon, and Shin-Soo Choo (not a joke; check out his stats).

But there's still time. Remember when I told you to go to MLB.com to vote? Yeah, this time I mean it. Go. Now. Or it'll be your fault we're watching guys that haven't hit a baseball out of the infield all year on center stage at the Midsummer Classic.

Of course, one of them will probably go on to win the game MVP, anyway.

(Note: In the day before this article was published, Jimmy Rollins was passed up by Hanley Ramirez. Power to the people.)

Posted by Kyle Jahner at 11:27 AM | Comments (1)

June 11, 2009

MLB All-Star Voting Picks: AL

There are times when democracy is about as effective as the Devil Rays' bullpen. Everyone gets a vote, from the most knowledgeable insightful expert on a topic to the narrowest pinhead who puts as much thought and wisdom into his vote as a chimp deciding which direction to hurl his feces.

As far as all-star games go, in the big picture, the result falls short of world-altering. That's good, because despite the fact that in sports we actually have objective evidence of the most deserving candidate available in seconds at the click of a mouse, voters are generally just as vulnerable to local biases, preconceived notions, and media-exposure inequities.

As usual, players currently slated for staring roles have resumes of the type that summon AAA demotions than election to the 2009 All-Star Fame. One former MVP sports a .222 average. The legitimate story of the year last season has missed 21 games and counting, will be out past the All-Star Break anyway, and by the way he had been hitting .240 with an OBP under .300.

However, the Internet seems to be helping on some levels. Those two players are really the only ones that are egregiously bad selections (albeit they are Nationals-bad selections). Meanwhile, only a few truly deserving first half stars aren't going to get their due. And for an MLB All-Star Game, that's pretty reasonable. But improvements can be made. So if you care about all-star voting and haven't yet used your 25 MLB.com votes go fix the glitches in the system, this year is not beyond saving.

(Side note: Twenty-five votes? Kinda overkill, huh? Anyone else think this caters to the relentless homer fans wasting valuable economic time at work trying like the devil to get Jason Varitek to St. Louis?)

Catcher

Frontrunner: Joe Mauer

Merits: The astute reader might note that Mauer missed roughly the 21 games mentioned in the lead. But that's where similarities between he and '09 Josh Hamilton end. Mauer, unlike Hamilton, has hit the cover off the ball like even he never has, and now healthy, he will play a vast majority of the first half come July 14. Even in limited time, a .410 average and .497 OBP is scary. Of course, if he wasn't enough of a nightmare for pitchers as a pure contact hitter, he seems to have developed a power stroke, which would be kind of like Greg Maddux developing a 95 mph fastball or Tony Gwynn trying a diet, workout program, and some HGH. Just not fair.

Verdict: Mauer. He's produced 12 homers (already leads AL catchers and is one off his career-high), 33 runs, and 35 RBI (second). He's out-producing everyone while playing in just 35 games.

By the way, Victor Martinez (the only one with more runs and RBI) should and will be the reserve, and at .344/.412/10/41, he must be wondering what he has to do in order to climb higher than fourth. So am I. And I'm looking at you, Jason Varitek and Jarrod Saltalamacchia voters. (I kind of understand Varitek: he at least has 10 HR with his .247 average. And Bostonians vote homer like they're facing a runoff between their guy and Hitler. But Salty over V-Mart? Seriously?)

Another by-the-way: Jason Varitek has given up 46 steals, the most in baseball, while nabbing just 11. And a less relevant factoid about catchers handling staffs: New York Yankees staff ERA with Jorge Posada catching: 6.55, highest in baseball among catchers with more than one inning. With Jose Molina catching? 3.66, third best among catchers with at least 95 innings caught. That gap is pretty remarkable.

First Base

Frontrunner: Kevin Youkilis

Merits: Hard to argue he's not deserving of a spot. Despite the Boston Bump, this is one of the most complete and frustrating hitters to face in baseball. Only Mauer (and his currently non-qualifying at-bats) has a better OBP than his .470 clip. Oh, and he can hit for a bit of power, slugging .631. But it depends on how much you value the Moneyball stats: he's not even in the top four among first-basemen in the AL alone in runs (33), homers (9), or RBI (35). Meanwhile, Mark Teixeira is putting up an MVP-type line across the board (.286/.389/18/51, the latter two lead AL 1B). Check that, Justin Morneau has one more RBI, just three fewer homers, and better averages (.332/.411). So we have a new top-challenger.

Verdict: Youkilis. His OBP is 59 points higher. That's not a tiny gap. And while some will go look at homers, his slugging percentage is not just close to his challengers. It's actually 10 points higher than Tex's and eight points north of Morneau. Fans, stay the course.

Second Base

Frontrunner: Ian Kinsler

Merits: Leads AL second-basemen in homers, RBI, steals, OPS, and leading a traditionally dormant franchise to first place in the AL West despite being without their expected offensive leader.

Verdict: Kinsler. It's clear-cut. Aaron Hill has had a fantastic start, and aside from steals, is Kinsler Lite, just a shade off the robust numbers. Dustin Pedroia is having another nice season, but not near his MVP numbers, especially with just two HR. Props to the fans for avoiding the Boston/bigger name trap.

Shortstop

Frontrunner: Derek Jeter

Merits: Jeter is rebounding nicely from what for him was a disappointing 2008. His .306/.379 with 8 homers, 35 runs, and 11 steals might have made him worthy. Might have, that is, if Jason Bartlett hadn't quietly become Nomar Garciaparra circa the late 1990s. He's hitting .373. His OPS is 160 points higher than the next best SS. He has swiped 14 bags, but then again, pitchers find it easy these days to overlook any Rays baserunner not named Carl Crawford. And he's hit seven homers after hitting just one last year. By the way, last year, he still finished 18th in MVP voting.

Verdict: Bartlett. It's obvious, even with him currently on a short DL sint with a sprained ankle. But being in the media black hole that is Tampa Bay, Bartlett might have to put up a few more good seasons anyone notices a star being born.

Third Base

Frontrunner: Evan Longoria

Merits: Or Bartlett could learn from his teammate, a prodigious power-hitting talent, whose reputation has managed to escape the Verizon-sponsored media attention-dead zone in central Florida. Can you hear him now? He leads AL 3B in homers (13), RBI (55), OBP (.390), slugging (.602), and nearly as commanding a lead in OPS over his colleagues (at .992, the gap stands at 91 points).

Verdict: Longoria. A-Rod's injury and a weak crop at his position leave him with the biggest vote lead in the AL. Rightfully so, even in what for him has been kind of a ho-hum start from a guy that is going to win MVPs in his career.

Outfield

Frontrunners: Jason Bay, Ichiro Suzuki, and Josh Hamilton

Merits: Bay is having a tremendous year and the fans in Boston have happily forgotten Manny Ramirez, all while sticking fingers in their ears and yelling "LA-LA-LA-LA" whenever a steroid story references his days with the Sox. It's like they sold Enron stock at the earliest sign of trouble, but just before it tanked from its absurd heights, and Bay is the windfall. He leads AL outfielders in OPS and RBI (by 12, by the way) and trails only Nelson Cruz with 16 homers (Cruz has 17). Quality pick, fans.

This is, however, where the compliments end. Japan has been heard yet again, and Ichiro is winning yet another election stacked like he was running for the Governor's seat in Illinois. He is leading the AL in batting at .356. But he's also just fourth in OBP, and his 9 steals leave him in 18th among OF. Two of his three hallmark stats don't set him apart, and obviously slugging, RBI, and homers are already holding him back. And we won't even go into Josh Hamilton. He's ahead of Ichiro in the voting despite an injury-riddled struggle of a first half that would make Chipper Jones cringe. Hey, his 2008 was the pride of baseball, not to mention my keeper fantasy team. But lets just say he's one of many reason my '09 entry is currently in the cellar and not the reason for the Rangers' success. Get right soon, Josh (not just for my team of course), and wake up, voters.

Need alternatives? How about Bay's teammate, Nelson Cruz, who is not too far behind Bay in OPS and has stolen as many bases as Ichiro while helping Kinsler cover for Hamilton's ineffectiveness/loss. Adam Jones has been a monster in Baltimore, hitting .346 with an OPS almost identical to Bay's. And Torri Hunter is quietly having a huge year, as well, mirroring Jones' stats, only with more steals (11-5) and RBI (43-36, but come on, Jones is in Baltimore), but 32 points off the average (no shame). Oh, and Carl Crawford is on pace to steal 100 bases, which hasn't been done since Vince Coleman in 1987. And he's hitting .326, which Coleman couldn't do if pitchers actually tried to help him.

Verdict: Bay, Cruz, Jones are the guys I'd choose for my lineup, with a caveat. I consider it too close to call, and Crawford and Hunter are currently ahead of the other two. So I won't begrudge you a bit if you go with them. Whether you believe they're better or just don't want to vote for Nader or Perot. All five should be there in the end. Hamilton and Ichiro should be giving concession speeches. Oh, and stop voting for Ken Griffey, Jr. I know times are tough for sports fans in Seattle, but for the love of Jay Buhner, he's in fourth place while hitting below .220 with no power from the DH slot. Come on.

Projected Starters

Check here for the National League's projected starters. Below is the current roster of leading vote-getters. (My selection for his replacement in parenthesis.)

C Joe Mauer
1B Kevin Youkilis
2B Ian Kinsler
SS Derek Jeter (Jason Bartlett)
3B Evan Longoria
OF Jason Bay
OF Josh Hamilton (Nelson Cruz)
OF Ichiro Suzuki (Adam Jones)

Check back tomorrow for Kyle Jahner's NL all-star picks!

Posted by Kyle Jahner at 11:15 AM | Comments (6)

NASCAR Top 10 Power Rankings: Week 14

Note: the quotes in this article are fictional.

1. Tony Stewart — Stewart's whirlwind weekend at Pocono began on Friday when a washout of qualifying gave him the pole position. Then, after a wreck in Saturday's practice forced him to start at the rear in a backup car, Stewart steadily climbed to the front. He won the race out of the pits during a caution on lap 163, and held the lead until the end, holding off Carl Edwards while nervously monitoring his fuel gauge. Stewart extended his points lead, and now leads Jeff Gordon by 71 points.

"I've been asked on several occasions, 'Do you Smoke after wrecks?'" Stewart said. "Well, as is evident by my victory, the answer is 'Yes.'"

"To say this was an unexpected win is a huge understatement. No one could have predicted this, not even 16th century prophesizer 'Pocono-stradamus.' And he darn sure couldn't have predicted that I'd win the race in a Hendrick engine. That would have been a bold prediction. You've got to have crystal balls to make a forecast like that."

2. Jeff Gordon — With light rain falling during a caution on lap 156, Gordon eschewed a pit stop, instead choosing to stay out while the leaders pitted, hoping the rain would continue. But clear skies reappeared, and while his gamble didn't result in a win, it left Gordon with a favorable fuel window, and he finished fourth. He now trails Tony Stewart by 71 in the Sprint Cup point standings.

"The rain gauge was empty," Gordon said, "but luckily, the fuel gauge was not. It was a precipitous call, but it was a gamble worth taking."

"I have to say, despite my troubles on the restarts, that the double-file restart format was a big success. Not only for the fans, but the drivers, as well. Well, with the exception of Denny Hamlin. At the core, drivers love the thrill of side-by-side racing. We're all adrenaline junkies. And no, NASCAR, that's not an admission of a drug problem."

3. Ryan Newman — Newman battled through two pit lane speeding penalties, as well as a spark plug problem, to score a fifth at Pocono, as Stewart-Haas teammate Tony Stewart won for the organization's first victory. It marked the fourth time in the last five races that Stewart and Newman have both finished in the top 10, and Newman moved up one spot in the point standings to fourth.

"When Tony formed this team," Newman said, "doubters said it would take Tony years to ascend to the top. Well, they said the same thing back when Tony was climbing catchfences. They also said 'What the Helio are you doing?'"

4. Jimmie Johnson — Johnson was penalized on lap 104 for pitting just as a caution closed the pits, and unfortunate event that dropped him to 25th. Upon restarting, the No. 48 Lowe's Chevrolet roared to the front, briefly passing Carl Edwards for second on lap 199. But Johnson ran out of gas in turn three, and coasted across the finish line in seventh. He maintained the third spot in the point standings, and trails Tony Stewart by 103.

"I simply didn't see the red lights at the pit entrance," Johnson said. "Maybe it's my eyesight, or maybe it's just my impeccable and clean-cut persona shining through. Some people say that I'm so virtuous that I probably couldn't even see the red lights in Amsterdam."

"And speaking of 'red light,' FOX's coverage of NASCAR is over, while TNT has the green light for six races. Let's rejoice, because that means no more Digger and no more Darrell Waltrip."

5. Carl Edwards — Edwards' No. 99 Ford Fusion was easily the field's strongest car, leading 103 of 200 laps, but on the race's most pivotal pit stop on lap 163, Edwards lost the race off pit road to Tony Stewart. Stewart pulled away in clean air, while Edwards chased, hoping Stewart's No. 14 would run out of fuel. It didn't happen, and Edwards settled for second, his best finish of the year and fourth-straight top-10. He also leapt from 11th to sixth in the Sprint Cup point standings.

"That's got to be the first time Tony's 'stretched' in his life," Edwards said. "I haven't seen someone go so far on so little since Aaron Fike stayed awake for 72 hours on one bag of heroin. In both cases, it seems, just a spoonful can take you a long ways."

"And while we're on the subject of the drug issue, it looks like NASCAR has sicked the big dogs on Jeremy Mayfield. And, by 'big dogs,' I'm talking about the 'meth Labs.'"

6. Kyle Busch — Busch faced handling issues in the Pocono 500, a cure for which crew chief Steve Addington could never quite resolve. Busch was running inside the top 20 late in the race, but a pit stop for fuel dropped him back while many of the leaders were able to stretch their mileage to the end. Busch eventually finished 22nd and dropped three places in the points to ninth.

"We were confident affter winning the Nationwide race in Nashville on Saturday," Busch said. "It's not often a race car driver wins a Gibson Les Paul guitar as a trophy. It's even less often that a driver smashes his trophy in victory lane. That celebratory act had a lot of people asking 'Who' does this guy think he is?'"

"But I didn't mean to offend race organizers, nor did I mean any disrespect to Gibson, Les, or Paul. It was merely a spontaneous celebration that I've been planning on doing for a year now."

7. Greg Biffle — Biffle was one of several drivers that came up short on fuel mileage, making a quick fuel stop with 15 laps to go that cost him a top-10 finish at Pocono. He eventually finish a solid yet disappointing 11th, and moved up two spots to seventh in the point standings, 290 behind Tony Stewart.

"Congratulations to Tony Stewart," said Biffle. "He played his cards just right. When races on 2.5-mile tracks come down to fuel mileage, there's no telling the outcome. It's basically 'touch-and-go,' which, coincidentally, is what Tony says to most of the women he meets."

"You may have noticed some hard racing between Carl Edwards and myself early in the race. Carl and I have a unique relationship, one that toes the fine line between friendly, cooperating teammates and bitter, heated rivals. I wouldn't be surprised if we have a flare up soon."

8. Matt Kenseth — Kenseth ran strong all day at Pocono, running inside the top 10 for 187 laps until a late but necessary fuel stop dropped him to 19th. Kenseth made up some ground in the remaining laps, but finished 16th. He held on to the eighth position in the Sprint Cup point standings, and is 298 out of first.

"It was a disappointing finish," Kenseth said, "but we know the car was better than the 16th would indicate. Just as I'm clearly not as good as two wins to start the season would indicate."

"But I don't cry over spilled milk, regardless of what Carl Edwards says. Anyway, Jack Roush says he wants to see results soon. And by 'results,' he means 'wins.' According to Jack, we don't have to get along, but we do have to get going."

9. Kurt Busch — Busch was charging his way towards the top 10 when, on lap 129, his water pump broke, sending Busch and the No. 2 Miller Lite Dodge immediately to the garage for repairs. Busch returned after losing 18 laps to the leaders, and finished 37th, which dropped him a slot to fifth in the Sprint Cup point standings.

"Appropriately, in a race won by 'Smoke,' we got water 'bonged,'" Busch said.

"I'm not sure what to make of Roger Penske's deal to by Saturn. Gosh, I knew the man was powerful, but never did I realize he could buy a planet. I've been called an 'ass' before, but I think now I'll be the butt of a lot of 'Uranus' jokes."

"Does this mean that Roger's planning on introducing the Saturn brand to NASCAR? Possibly. With Dodge's fortunes for the future uncertain, I think I could be behind the wheel of Saturn's first NASCAR entry. I guess then you could call me 'The Ringer.'"

10. David Reutimann — Reutimann re-entered the top 12 in the points with an impressive third-place finish at Pocono, his fifth top-10 finish of the year and third in his last four races. He sits eleventh in the points, 23 ahead of Mark Martin in 13th.

"Winning in Charlotte has left me wanting more," said Reutimann. "Nothing boosts your confidence like winning a race while parked. My third at Pocono just didn't deliver the same amount of satisfaction."

"I'm not sure which lasted longer, the rain-delayed race in Charlotte or the grueling 500 miles in Pennsylvania. There is something to be said for knocking 100 miles off at Pocono. Taking that concept one step further, I think there's also something to be said for knocking 500 miles off at Texas, Las Vegas, or Phoenix."

Posted by Jeffrey Boswell at 11:00 AM | Comments (0)

June 10, 2009

NBA Finals Game 3: Glass Half-Full

The momentum swings in an NBA playoff series are off the charts. Teams have to ride the emotional rollercoaster that comes with every win and loss in the postseason, especially the NBA Finals.

After Orlando's 108-104 Game 3 victory on Tuesday night, it'd be very easy for the Magic to rest on their laurels heading into Game 4. After all, the made history offensively Tuesday night. However, the fact remains: the Magic still trail the series two games to one.

For the Lakers, it's be just as easy to get down on themselves after such a poor defensive performance in Game 3 after putting the clamps on Orlando in the first two games of the series.

Ever the optimist, I like to believe that the glass is half-full for both teams. I believe in the power of positive thinking, and here's what I took away from Game 3 for each team.

Orlando Magic

The glass is half full for the Orlando Magic because the fixed the one problem they had in both games in LA: they made shots.

After shooting just 35.8% from the floor in Games 1 and 2 combined, the Magic shot an NBA Finals record 62.5% from the field in Game 2. Rafer Alston, who was a brutal 3-of-17 in L.A., bounced back in a big way, hitting 8 of his 12 shots from the floor, finishing with 20 points. The last time he played that good Fat Joe was the opposing coach.

Mickael Pietrus, 6-of-16 in the first two games, connected on 7-of-11 attempts, including a wide array of circus shots (sign him up for a rousing game of G-E-I-C-O!).

Rashard Lewis continued his clutch 2009 playoffs run with a dagger three with just over a minute left that whipped the crowd into a frenzy (it was changed to a two pointer after review, but the damage was done).

Even Tony Battie got in on the action, burying a 19- and 18-foot jump shots in the first half.

Quite simply, Orlando couldn't miss in Game 3.

A lot of credit has to go to Stan Van Gundy and the rest of the Orlando Magic coaching staff. You would expect that the Magic would shoot better on their home floor, but a 27% increase in field goal percentage is crazy. You could tell the Magic had a renewed focus on executing every possession offensively in Game 3, and for that, you have to credit SVG and his staff.

Meanwhile, defensively, the Magic finally found a way to contain Kobe Bryant in the second half. It looked like more of the same after Kobe came out and scored 17 points in the final five and a half minutes of the first quarter. But after weathering Kobe's first quarter tsunami of buckets, the Magic held Bryant to just 4-of-15 from the field in the final three quarters.

With an apparent epiphany offensively, and the next two games at home, the Orlando Magic have not just gotten themselves back in the series, but must have all the confidence in the world that they can stand toe-to-toe with the Lakers for the remainder of the NBA Finals.

Los Angeles Lakers

The glass is half full for the Los Angeles Lakers for the same exact reason it is half full for the Magic: Orlando shot and NBA Finals record 62.5% from the field! And only won by four points.

Yes, the Lakers need to make adjustments defensively. In Games 1 and 2 they were all over the outside shooters for Orlando, closing quickly and running them off the three-point line. They did not do that in Game 3, and the Magic had the open looks to prove it.

Still, if you're the Lakers, you have to assume that the Magic will come back down to earth in Game 4 and miss some shots. This is a team that was shooting 45% from the floor over the first 21 games of the postseason. It took a record-breaking performance from the field by the Magic to squeak out a four-point win. The law of averages suggests that there's no way Orlando can duplicate their Game 3 performance.

Then there's this: Kobe Bryant played the worst fourth quarter I can ever remember him playing. He missed jump shots, he missed free throws, and he turned the ball over. He was bizzaro Kobe from Games 1 and 2.

Over the past decade, it's been clear as day that there is no way to defend Kobe Bryant. When he's on, he's unstoppable, and he's on a whole lot more than he's off. Orlando made it tough on Kobe, no doubt about it, but Bryant was off in Game 3.

Orlando can defend Bryant the exact same way in Game 4 and he could drop for 40 again. Just like the law of averages tells me that Orlando won't shoot 62.5% from the field again, it also tells me that Kobe isn't going to have back-to-back terrible fourth quarters.

The Lakers probably are and probably should be very disappointed with how Game 3 played out. Nonetheless, it took an historic shooting night and the worst crunch time performance in recent memory from Kobe Bryant for Orlando to barely beat them at home just to make it a series again.

There's no such thing as a good loss in the NBA Finals, but the Lakers should have a glass half-full mentality entering Thursday night's game knowing that it will take nothing short of another brilliant performance from Orlando to even this series.

Visit Sports Central each day after every NBA Finals game to read Scott Shepherd's immediate reaction to the game. You can also follow Scott before, during, and after every NBA Finals game on Twitter at twitter.com/scottosports.

Posted by Scott Shepherd at 11:59 AM | Comments (1)

June 9, 2009

Quietly Looking Ahead

After seven-plus months of dribbles, swishes, and thunder from above the rim, we as a basketball nation will shortly be thrown into silence. By this time next week, the NBA season might already be over. Unlike the current NFL hullabaloo and baseball's hot stove winters, the Association goes about its quiet time, well, pretty quietly.

Other than the draft, there aren't many headlines about free agents, salary cap trades, or training camps. But being the speculative society we are, fans will always be hopeful for the upcoming season and wonder what can help their team hold the Larry O'Brien Trophy next June. Here are a few topics that I think will need to be addressed over the next few months.

Cowboys Riding Into the Sunset

These two franchises that made themselves relevant during the decade seem to be on the downswing. The biggest stars that helped put both cities in the category of perennial contenders (Steve Nash and Dirk Nowitzki) are getting a bit long in the tooth. The supporting cast members have either been shipped out (Joe Johnson, Shawn Marion, Devin Harris) or are injury-prone (Amare Stoudemire, Josh Howard, etc.).

Phoenix couldn't pull things together with an aging Shaquille O'Neal and missed the playoffs for the first time in five years. Dallas recovered near the end of the season, sliding past a beat-up San Antonio team in the first round before getting whipped by Denver. I think both teams need to address their point guard situation, but can they each find an heir apparent in this incoming class of rookies?

Skip To My Lou Skipping Off the Pine?

I realize that Orlando has bigger fish to fry at the present moment. However, when their season comes to an end (and it might by Thursday), the Magic will have a dilemma. There's no doubt that Rafer Alston has done an admirable job running the team since the franchise traded for him in February. There's also no doubt that coach Stan Van Gundy can't wait to get his all-star point Jameer Nelson fully healthy.

So now, after having the reins in Houston and stabilizing the Magic, can the former AND 1 streetballer be relegated to benchwarmer status? If Alston decides that's not where his talents are best utilized, will he become a malcontent in the locker room? And if Alston is traded (he'll have an expiring contract), will Orlando bring in an experienced guard to backup Nelson?

A King-Sized Countdown

By this time in 2010, questions might not revolve around if LeBron James stays in Cleveland, but where his next home will be. Next summer might be the blockbuster of all free agency campaigns. Even if Dwyane Wade plans to stick around South Beach, you gotta have a feeling that he'll at least dip a toe in the warm market waters.

Chris Bosh and possibly Stoudemire are set to ramp the dollar signs to absurd levels for several teams. But it's all about LBJ and his destinations. While the Cavaliers went out and helped James by getting Mo Williams this past offseason, it was still the case of LeBron and his posse getting beat by a more cohesive team. Now Cavs owner Dan Gilbert is promising championships and more teammates for James to carry. Can the big boss own up to his word? Who will the front office pursue and how will they go about it? The clock keeps ticking toward midnight and the King might just find himself another ball to crash.

Son, You're Becoming a Man

Derrick Rose showed flashes what may come in the Conference Quarterfinals against Boston. It's easy to say that he could be a force and lead Chicago to multiple titles in the years to come. But are there any other rookies that could continue to show promise during year two?

Will Brook Lopez be more of a force on the inside, taking New Jersey back to the playoffs alongside Harris? Is there a chance that O.J. Mayo and Marc Gasol can shoot the Grizzlies into respectability? Can Michael Beasley and Mario Chalmers start to make the Miami Heat a three-headed monster? Will Rudy Fernandez's exciting play help raise Portland to contender status? So many questions ... so much time to ponder them.

There are more topics that will be thrown around until everything starts fresh in early fall. Those questions will get more compounded after the draft, when Blake Griffin, Ricky Rubio, Stephen Curry, and others begin their budding careers as pros. Until then, b-ball fanatics, let's enjoy the quiet time. Gotta charge those batteries and vocal chords for the "Beat L.A." chants throughout the season.

Posted by Jonathan Lowe at 11:54 AM | Comments (1)

Nadia Petrova's Struggle

The women's French Open final featured a battle between two Russian starlets, Dinara Safina and Svetlana Kuznetsova, who frequently challenge for title. Of the plethora of Russian tennis players on the WTA Tour, Nadia Petrova is often over-looked, despite having once occupied the world No. 3 spot.

Historically, the French Open has proved to be Petrova's happiest hunting ground. In both 2003 and 2005, she reached the semifinals, the furthest she has gone in any major to date.

For Petrova, no such run would once again materialize for the struggling Russian. In an enthralling final set, she found herself playing second fiddle to a Russian, yet again.

Throughout her career, Petrova has won a total of nine WTA Tour singles titles. The majority of which came in, arguably, her finest year back in 2006.

At that time, she was 23-years old and having already been to the semifinal of a major on two separate occasions, she must have felt as though she could kick on and become a big-time player on the women's tour.

Two weeks prior to the 2006 French Open, Petrova posted the finest result of her career. Coming from one set behind at the German Open, she bested one of the greatest players to play the game, Justine Henin.

Yet her run in Paris was non-existent as she was knocked out in the first round.

Ever since that crushing blow, she has struggled somewhat to truly compete with best women around. It's as though the wind not only blows on her sails any more, but also that the vessel itself is broken.

While Petrova struggles to make a mark, it seems as though the rest of the Russian contingent go from strength to strength.

Maria Sharapova has three major titles to her name and has the potential to add a fair few more to that tally. Svetlana Kuznetsova won the U.S. Open in 2004, while Anastasia Myskina lifted the Coupe Suzanne Lenglen in 2005. Even Elena Dementieva, the perennial nearly girl, won an Olympic gold medal in Beijing last year.

For around five years, Petrova has had to watch her compatriots out-perform her on a consistent basis, and now she has to endure Dinara Safina holding the world No. 1 ranking.

It cannot be easy to see so many people who pundits and fans alike will compare you to capturing so many titles.

Perhaps this is one of the reasons why Petrova seems to put so much pressure on herself. She expects to hit every ball perfectly, which can be evident when she miss-hits a shot and she subsequently has a quiet rant to herself on court.

She fully expects to be winning tournaments, which is by no means a flaw in her mental make up, but in order to fully realize your potential, you need to be able to relax and play naturally.

The simple fact of the matter is that you're not going to be able to produce your best tennis every time you step out on court. So in those moments when you're striving for a bit of form, you need to be able to fight.

More often than not, Petrova doesn't showcase the kind of battling qualities that are going to win you tournaments.

In her encounter with Maria Sharapova in the second round, she did battle, but she was never likely to out last Sharapova in a battle. Petrova played the better tennis, yet Sharapova's belief, fight, and desire somehow got her over the finish line.

Sharapova exemplifies all the qualities it takes to win tough matches. Petrova doesn't. That's the reason why Petrova hasn't fulfilled the potential she displayed when she broke onto the scene, as well as the reason why she will always be in the shadow of her fellow Russians.

Posted by Luke Broadbent at 11:04 AM | Comments (0)

June 8, 2009

NBA Finals Game 2: The Blame Game

The Los Angeles Lakers won Game 1 of the NBA Finals.

The Orlando Magic lost Game 2.

Make no mistake, the Lakers played good, not great, but certainly better than Orlando. They executed better than the Magic offensively in overtime, made their free throws down the stretch (the Lakers made their final 14 free throw attempts), and came up with some big stops defensively late in the game.

But despite all that, Orlando had a chance to win. They had the opportunity to steal a game on the Lakers home floor and blew it. And this time, unlike in Game 1, it wasn't because the Lakers were too good. It was because Orlando wasn't good enough.

Stan Van Gundy was clear postgame press conference, saying that the Orlando Magic both win and lose as a team. He's right; it wouldn't be fair to but this loss on any one player. There was plenty of blame to go around after this one.

Blame it on...

Courtney Lee

The rookie missed two lay-ups in the final 10 seconds of regulation that would have given the Magic the lead. In an eerie coincidence, it was exactly 14 years to the day that Nick Anderson missed four free throws down the stretch that cost Orlando a chance to win Game 1 of that series against Houston. Much Like Anderson's free throws, Lee's blown opportunities in the final seconds could haunt Orlando fans with its "what if" implications for years to come.

The Magic Guards

Rafer Alston missed all four of his three pointers in Game 2, making him 0-8 for the series, and just 3-17 from the field in the first two games. Not that his replacements were any better. Jameer Nelson had just 4 points and 1 assist in 17 minutes. J.J. Redick played a surprising 27 minutes, yet yielded only two baskets, and was just 1-of-6 from deep. Mickael Pietrus had more fouls (6) than he had points, assists, rebounds, blocks, and steals combined (5).

Dwight Howard

Howard became just the second player in NBA playoff history to amass at least 15 points, 15 rebounds, 4 assists, 4 steals, and 3 blocks in a playoff game. The other was Hakeem Olajuwon. Yet for as brilliant as Howard's box score may look on paper, it fails to tell the story of his game.

It wasn't just his team-high seven turnovers that hurt the Magic, it was the fact that Howard went the entire second quarter and the entire fourth quarter without making a field goal. He scored just one basket in the final 18 minutes of play. That is simply unacceptable for a superstar. Hedo Turkoglu and Rashard Lewis may have been having good games offensively, but so were Pau Gasol and Lamar Odom. Kobe still managed to find a way to score seven of the last nine Lakers points in regulation. That's what superstars do.

Dwight Howard may be one of the most physically gifted players to enter the NBA in many years, but until he figures out how to take over the fourth quarter of a game, he'll never be anything more than an all-star center. There's nothing wrong with being an all-star center, but it doesn't come with the jewelry that Superman covets.

Free Throw Shooting

The Magic were a somewhat respectable 74% from the free throw line (20-of-27) for the game, but once again, the box score is slightly misleading. During a crucial three-minute stretch, the final 1:30 of the third quarter and the first 1:30 of the fourth quarter, the Magic missed five consecutive free throws.

At the start of that stretch, Orlando led by one point. At the end of that stretch, the game was tied. The Magic had a chance to make it a two possession game by just making their free throws. Instead, they allowed the Lakers to hang around in a tie game instead of forcing them to play from behind.

In the NBA playoffs, trailing two games to none is practically a death sentence. Teams in Orlando's position have gone on to lose the series 94% of the time. That's why Sunday's overtime loss will hurt much worse than the 25 point loss in Game 1. The Magic had no business winning Game 1; they had no business losing Game 2.

The Magic were a missed layup on a brilliant out of bounds play from stealing home-court away from the Lakers and taking all the momentum back to Space Mountain with them. Now, they'll have to climb Mt. Everest if they want to come back in this series and take home their first NBA title in franchise history.

Visit Sports Central each day after every NBA Finals game to read Scott Shepherd's immediate reaction to the game. You can also follow Scott before, during, and after every NBA Finals game on Twitter at twitter.com/scottosports.

Posted by Scott Shepherd at 11:12 AM | Comments (1)

The Reality of the Pretend

I have been a die-hard sports fan for as long as I can remember. But contrary to one's traditional beliefs, growing up, my favorite sport wasn't football, basketball, or baseball. My favorite sport in my early years was one that some argue is more of a soap opera than a sport — professional wrestling.

I grew up in what was known as the "Attitude Era," where the Undertaker buried people alive, Austin 3:16 raised hell throughout the WWF, Degeneration-X had just two words for us, and we all smelled what the Rock was cookin'.

I've witnessed all of the crazy matches the industry came up with and been there for all of the unbelievable antics, pranks, and feuds that went on during this epic time period. But no matter how much I used to preach my passion for the sport, every time that people find out that I'm a professional wrestling junkie, I get the same response: "You know that stuff's fake, right?"

Are you serious? I thought these athletes shot up on every form of Human Growth Hormone possible actually hated each other so much, that the only way to prove who was superior was to fight in a squared circle with ample amounts of steel chairs, tables, and sledge hammers underneath the ring. I was certain that the only way to settle two men's differences was to put them on a mat surrounded entirely by an enclosed cage, or as they call it in the wrestling business, a Hell in a Cell, and let them duke it out.

Of course I know professional wrestling isn't real. I know that the winners of the matches are determined before the athletes are even announced. I know that every move is scripted and the entire match is rehearsed over and over again until it is near perfect. Sure, the punches are fake and when performed correctly, the moves don't hurt as much as they are made out to be. But what most people don't know is that the pretend world of professional wrestling is more real than you may think.

You couldn't be a pro wrestler. I couldn't be a pro wrestler. Very few people in this world have the athleticism, agility, size, and strength to be a professional wrestler. In fact, the World Wrestling Federation, now known as World Wrestling Entertainment, started a reality TV show which asked wrestling wannabes if they were truly Tough Enough.

Before watching this show for the first time in 2000, I was unaware of how real professional wrestling is. Millions of people tried out, and through several competitions, the creators selected around 10 members to a house to pursue there dream in becoming a professional wrestler. And although the creators of the show thought that these guys and girls had what it took, nearly half of them dropped out within the first week. They soon realized that simply falling on the mat could result in sore backs, and performing moves incorrectly could prove to break bones.

Once these dudes make it to the big leagues, their troubles continue. These athletes go above and beyond there limitations, which sometimes prove to be fatal. At a WWF pay per view in 1999, Owen Hart was planned to descend from the ceiling to the ring. After a freak accident, he plummeted head first and hit the turnbuckle. He was pronounced dead only a few hours later.

Just a few months later, in a wrestling match that was rehearsed many times before, something went terribly wrong. The man, known as D'Lo Brown, slipped on a wet spot while trying to give his opponent, Droz, a popular wrestling maneuver known as a powerbomb. Darren Drozdov fractured two disks in his neck and is currently paralyzed from the waist down.

Although these were two of the more severe wrestling incidents, these athletes are putting themselves at a risk for injury every time they enter the ring. In many cases, wrestlers are severely injured during a match, much like Triple H was during a match last year in which he tore his ACL, yet still found the strength to continue and finish the match.

Wrestlers put there bodies on the line for the fans every night, and we need to appreciate that although the entire show is scripted, it is far from being fake. And although there is no bad blood between the athletes, the blood is actually real. A little known fact is that the blood is self-induced by razor blades.

So you can call it acting. You can call it fake. You can call it pretend. You can call it whatever you want, but the truth of the matter is the world of professional wrestling has never been more real.

Posted by Robert Campbell at 11:00 AM | Comments (0)

June 6, 2009

Putting the Drama Back in NASCAR

Last Sunday's dramatic finish at Dover added some welcome excitement to a NASCAR season that has often lacked drama, a situation highlighted by the rain-delayed and rain-shortened race in Charlotte. Two of NASCAR's marquee races, the Daytona 500 and Coca-Cola 600, were affected by weather, with the winner on both occasions declared as the cars sat stationary on pit lane.

With passes for the lead taking place less on the track and more in the pits, and races often leaving fans wanting more action, there is renewed interest in talk of methods to add excitement to the sport, without radical changes. Here are a few examples sure to ratchet up the suspense for the fans.

* The double-file restart is one change NASCAR has already approved, and will begin utilizing at Pocono. It's a format used in the All-Star Race, and is widely praised and almost never criticized. Under this restart format, lapped cars line up behind lead-lap cars instead of on the inside line beside lead lap cars. Fans would certainly back this change, although Michael Waltrip may complain that this would end all hope of ever "starting" on the front row.

* With drug tests becoming an even more important issue in NASCAR, and sports in general, it's time to sensationalize the issue, and make drug testing a spectator sport. And, by "spectator" sport, I mean test the spectators. What better way for fans to understand the severity of the issue than to be tested themselves?

Fans would be randomly selected as they enter the track facilities. Those that pass can be immediately sent on their merry way. Those that fail, however, will be given five guesses to name the substance for which they tested positive. Fans that use all their guesses clearly have a drug problem, which only verifies the results of the positive test, at least in NASCAR's eyes.

* Fans need to understand that NASCAR can't build excitement at the expense of safety. Therefore, NASCAR should involve fans in safety decisions. For example, a can't-miss promotion at Talladega would be to offer free tickets to fans willing to form a "human catch-fence" around the 2.66 mile Alabama superspeedway. Or maybe free pit passes and two hot dogs for any fans brave enough to reinforce the SAFER barrier at Richmond.

* In lieu of actually making racing more exciting, make it seem more exciting. While I'm sure NASCAR intently studies demographics, they need to take this one step further with actual laboratory tests to discover the genetic makeup of an excitable NASCAR fan. More specifically Dale Earnhardt, Jr. fans. Obviously, there is a chemical in the bodies of Earnhardt fans that allows them to get excited over nothing. After first ruling out alcohol and ecstasy, scientists could possibly extract this "excitement gene" and treat "bored" NASCAR fans with it.

Since NASCAR is often reluctant to change the actual racing, this may be their perfect solution, because this would only be a change in fans' perception of the racing.

* And speaking of demographics, NASCAR has always given lip service to attracting minorities to the races, but has never really followed through. Well NASCAR, it's much simpler than you think. Simple cosmetic changes to the cars would easily serve that purpose. Just put a $5,000 set of rims on each car, and affix a decal of Jesus and/or the Virgin Mary in each rear window, and watch the new fans come rolling in.

* Instead of giving some boring track like Texas two dates on the schedule, why not replace one of those dates with a once-a-year race on a "figure eight" course. This race would feature the beating and banging of Bristol, and drivers would have to utilize both their road course and oval skills. Plus, the "figure eights" intersection would be just like a race at Talladega, with the potential for carnage on every lap.

* During the long, grueling NASCAR season, it's hard for drivers to concentrate on anything other than racing. So, let's not forget those that are often neglected or left craving affection because of it. These would be NASCAR wives and girlfriends. NASCAR needs a dose of girl power, so why not give NASCAR wives and girlfriends their own competition. Can these women remain faithful to their men during the lengthy racing season, or will they succumb to temptation and cheat? Points will be awarded for virtue, and the lady who remains most faithful will be declared winner of the "Chaste For the Cup" at Homestead in November.

* Institute a "penalty box" for feuding drivers to settle their disputes, not in the obscurity of the NASCAR hauler, but right on the track, in a specially-constructed chicken-wire cage, out in the open, in full view of the fans. Of course, the race would be red-flagged while the combatants duke it out, as Jimmy Spencer serves as mediator/instigator. What can be better than the knowledge that a feisty competitor just slapped the taste out of Kurt Busch's mouth? Well, actually seeing it happen!

* With the reality television genre growing exponentially, it's time for NASCAR to employ a facet of reality show competitions — the fan vote. Let's apply this mainly to caution flags. Does that hot dog wrapper in turn three at Martinsville truly warrant a debris caution? Let the fans vote on it!

Heck, Dale Earnhardt, Jr. fans can even decide the fate of Junior's crew chief, during the race!

* Baseball has the "Seventh Inning Stretch." NASCAR needs a comparable break in the action for fans to stand up and cut loose. But who needs a song? I say at about the 350-mile mark, red flag the race so inebriated fans can rush to the restrooms, clear their heads and their stomachs, and emerge clear-headed for the final exciting laps, or, as often is the case, lap. Call it the "Seventh Inning Retch" or "The Splash and Dash Pit Stop."

* NASCAR cheerleaders would another logical way to boost fan morale. Stationed in front of the grandstands, cheerleaders could lead the crowds in catchy chants and perform acrobatic stunts. More importantly, they would serve as the first line of defense against flying debris.

* Instead of the Burnout Competition during May's All-Star festivities, hold a slalom contest for drivers, challenging them to navigate through gates consisting of NASCAR inspection officials, drug testers, Bruton Smith, and members of the France family.

* There are roving reporters swarming the pits. How about one or two mingling in the stands, searching for interesting stories that give insight into the fan's perspective? I could care less that Matt Kenseth took a quarter-wedge adjustment and two tires. But I'd really be interested in knowing some personal information about Larry from Warner Robins, Georgia in seat 17 K, section 14. Like, for example, what's higher? The SPF factor of his sunblock, or the proof of his liquor?

Dick Berggren would be fantastic in the capacity as roving stands reporter, especially if paired with Triumph The Insult Comic Dog.

* NASCAR needs a woman driver in the Sprint Cup series, and the logical choice is Indy Car racing's Danica Patrick. She's talented, feisty, and opinionated, just like Tony Stewart used to be. It would be exciting to see Patrick pit her talents against the men of NASCAR, and it would be even more entertaining seeing the guys refrain from retaliating when Patrick's short fuse blows. That would take more restrait than a six-point harness.

Posted by Jeffrey Boswell at 11:17 AM | Comments (2)

June 5, 2009

NBA Finals Game 1: The Kobe Show

For as long as I can remember, my friend Jim, a diehard Lakers fan, and I have talked NBA basketball on a regular basis. And when I say regular basis, I mean a minimum five hours a week during the regular season, closer to 10 hours a week during the playoffs. He's the only person I know that battles addiction to the NBA League Pass just like I do.

And when you're talking NBA hoops with Jim, there is one thing you can count on every time: before long, the conversation will veer off in the direction of the Los Angeles Lakers.

At some point during the 2005-07 era for the Lakers, right after Shaq left and before Kobe got any help, we started using the phrase "The Kobe Show" to describe certain Laker games. Basically, if Bryant was forced to do everything for the Lakers that night (which was every night during that era), the game became "The Kobe Show."

Back then, depending on the tone of the conversation, "The Kobe Show" had both positive and negative connotations. If Kobe dropped for 50, it was "The Kobe Show." If Kobe took 20 shots in the second half and the Lakers lost, it was "The Kobe Show." For better or worse, if Kobe took over the game, it was immediately referred to as "The Kobe Show."

Game 1 of the NBA Finals on Thursday was a callback to the old "The Kobe Show" days in all the right ways.

Right from the beginning, Bryant asserted himself against the Magic, taking nine shots in the first quarter. Normally, as we saw from 2005-07, Kobe taking nine shots in a quarter is hardly a recipe for success for L.A.

Game 1 was different. As crazy as it seems, Kobe didn't seem like he was trying to do too much in the first quarter. His shots came within the flow of the offense for the most part. To me, and pretty much anyone who watched the game, it looked like Courtney Lee had no chance against Kobe last night. The Lakers coaching staff realized it, and they kept feeding the mismatch.

And despite an underwhelming statistical quarter by Bryant's standards, just 6 points on 3-of-9 shooting in the first quarter, the groundwork was laid for the return of "The Kobe Show." Kobe had the matchup he wanted, the rest of the Lakers players and coaching staff could feel it, and when Kobe stepped back on the floor in the second quarter, he made sure Orlando would feel it, too. Bryant scored 12 points in the second quarter and helped give the Lakers a 10-point halftime lead.

In the third quarter, "The Kobe Show" was taken to new heights. Bryant outscored the Magic by himself 18-15 in the third, evoking the inevitable "Mama, there goes that man" from Mark Jackson. He was relentless, demanding the ball from teammates, and scoring at will against whoever the Magic decided to throw at him.

Kobe became the first player since Michael Jordan shrugged his way past Portland to score over 35 points in the first 36 minutes of an NBA Finals game.

When it was all said and done, Kobe had amassed one of the greatest games in NBA Finals history, becoming just the fourth player in Finals history to finish the game with 40/8/8.

There were plenty of other storylines from Game 1: the Magic shooting under 30%; Dwight Howard only scoring one field goal; Andrew Bynum showing signs of life with 9 points and 9 rebounds; Jameer Nelson coming out on fire in the first five minutes of the second quarter, only to look like a player who hadn't played in four months after those five minutes; Lamar Odom and Paul Gasol playing their usual steady games; Luke Walton actually making a play or two.

But in the end, Game 1 was all about Kobe. The Magic never trapped him. They never denied him the ball. They never knocked him down.

Like the rest of us, all they could do was stand around and marvel at his greatness.

"The Kobe Show" was back, if only for one night.

And somewhere, Jim, like every other member of Laker Nation, went to bed with a big smile on his face.

Visit Sports Central after every NBA Finals game to read Scott Shepherd's immediate reaction to the game. You can also follow Scott before, during, and after every NBA Finals game on Twitter at twitter.com/scottosports.

Posted by Scott Shepherd at 11:59 AM | Comments (0)

The New Brian Westbrook: Steven Jackson

Every year, fantasy football drafters make their assessments and draft decisions based primarily on the previous year's performance. They may grade up if there's been a major personnel move, or grade down if there's some sort of age or injury concern. But, by and large, you take the stats leaders from the year prior and project forward.

One way to go beyond the crowd is to assess the coaching changes, either the head coach if he has an offensive background, or the offensive coordinator if the head coach is a defensive guy.

This year, there are nine offensive coordinators new to their roles: Pete Carmichael, Jr in New Orleans, Clyde Christensen in Indianapolis, Brian Daboll in Cleveland, Jeff Jagodzinski in Tampa Bay, Greg Knapp in Seattle, Scott Linehan in Minnesota, Mike McCoy in Denver, Jimmy Raye in San Francisco, and Pat Shurmur in St. Louis.

Between now the opening of training camps, we'll be looking at some of the players whose fantasy stock has risen the most as a result of coaching changes since the end of last year.

We start with Steven Jackson of the St. Louis Rams.

As a first-time offensive coordinator, Shurmur doesn't have a history of play-calling on his own, so we have to look at what he learned servicing under Andy Reid and Marty Mornhinweg in Philadelphia.

And the lesson says watch out for Jackson.

For an indication of how Jackson might be used, here are the past three years for Philadelphia's lead back, Brian Westbrook:

2006: 240 rush attempts for 1,217 yards (5.1 average); 77 receptions for 699 yards (9.1 average); 11 total TD (7 rush, 4 catch)

2007: 278 rush attempts for 1,333 yards (4.8 average); 90 receptions for 771 yards (8.6 average); 12 total TD (7 rush, 5 catch)

2008: 233 rush attempts for 936 yards (4.0 average); 54 receptions for 402 yards (7.4 average); 14 total touchdowns (9 rush, 5 catch)

Now the averages have certainly dipped year-over-year-over-year, especially in 2009, but something to realize is that Westbrook has always been an over-achiever in regards to his size. He had 685 rush attempts and receptions combined in 2006 and 2007, so it's no real wonder that he would slow down in 2008 (though 1338 total yards and 14 total TD is still an extremely respectable total).

But look at the size differential between Westbrook and Jackson:

Westbrook: 5-foot-10, 203 lbs.

Jackson: 6-foot-2, 235 lbs.

Also consider the fact Jackson doesn't turn 26 until July 22, whereas Westbrook will be 30 before this season kicks off.

How many times have the Eagles wished they had a bigger, stronger version of Westbrook?

Well, now plug Jackson in Westbrook's place in the Eagles offense, and that's exactly what you have.

Now the counter-argument looks something like this:

1. The Eagles have a way better offensive line. Until the Rams get real about the offensive line, there's no point in even trying to compare Jackson to Westbrook.

2. The Rams receiving corps is the worst in the league. Unless you sign somebody who can stretch the defense and force the defense away from stacking the box, there's no point in even trying to compare Jackson to Westbrook.

3. Donovan McNabb is a way better quarterback than Marc Bulger. Until you have a legitimate quarterback, there's no point in even trying to compare Jackson to Westbrook.

4. You're stupid.

Let's take them one by one (except for "you're stupid" — there's no point arguing that one).

The Offensive Line

Do the Eagles have a better offensive line? Absolutely. But the Rams are going to be much better this year with the addition of tackle Jason Smith, the second overall pick in the NFL Draft, and center Jason Brown, signed from Baltimore in free agency for $37.5 million over five years. Add Brown's deal with the deal Smith will eventually sign (using last year's $58 million deal by Jake Long as a barometer), and that's about a $95 million infusion of talent on the offensive line.

The real key here is Brown. I know the pay scales and draft positions would tell you the tackles are the most important players on the offensive line, but if the center is getting pushed back into the pocket, the whole offense is stuck. Just like on an old Civil War battlefield, there's no point having strong flanks if you're getting through the middle of your lines. But if the center can get push on the heart of the defensive line, it opens up the whole offensive attack, especially the run game.

The Wide Receivers

With the exception of the one year of not-a-jerk Terrell Owens, the Eagles have never boasted a top WR corps in the Reid era. Since 1999, no wide receiver has topped 77 catches (T.O. in 2004, Kevin Curtis in 2007 — the only two WRs to top 1000 receiving yards). The best of the rest from a WR perspective are guys like Torrance Small, James Thrash, Todd Pinkston, and 2008 rookie DeSean Jackson.

Are the Rams receivers on par with the Patriots or Colts? No. But it's not some great stretch of the imagination to think Donnie Avery and the Rams WRs can live up to the legacy of Thrash and Pinkston.

The Quarterback

It was only as far back as 2006 that Bulger completed 63 percent of his passes for 4300 yards, 24 touchdowns, and 8 interceptions. But with the beating he's taken over the past two years (75 sacks and untold hits beyond that), it's legitimate to wonder whether the now-32-year-old can regain the form that made him a Pro Bowler in 2003 and 2006.

The good thing for Jackson (remember that's who we're talking about here) is that Bulger is an extremely intelligent quarterback who is savvy enough to take the dump-off or short swing pass to avoid a negative play. There's a reason why Westbrook has 355 receptions over the past five years. It's because the quarterback always has a short option if something long doesn't develop.

Of course the elephant in the room is whether Jackson can stay healthy for long enough to take advantage of all the positive circumstances around him. Since coming into the league in 2004, Jackson has only played a full 16 once, his Pro Bowl year of 2006. Over the past two years, he's missed four games each season (though he's still gone over 1000 yards in each).

Will he be able to stay on the field for 300-plus carries this year?

Nobody knows.

But that goes for every other running back on your draft board, too.

So keep it your mind when you're stacking your draft board. Fantasy championships aren't won with high picks. They're won with value–getting more than you paid for.

And if you by chance see Jackson on the board in the second round, know you're getting yourself one hell of a value.

Posted by Joshua Duffy at 11:55 AM | Comments (2)

June 4, 2009

NBA Summer Blockbusters

The NBA Finals is like the summer blockbuster movie of the sports world. Like its movie counterparts, the Finals almost always feature some of the biggest stars on the planet (in this case, Kobe Bryant and Dwight Howard). The production costs are always high (those giant Larry O'Brien trophy stickers on the floor can't be cheap), and the pomp and circumstance will be through the roof.

In light of Game 1 and 2 being played in the heart of Tinseltown, I thought it'd be a good idea to recast some of Hollywood's biggest summer blockbusters using key players from the NBA finals as the lead to do my annual NBA Finals Preview.

Let's start changing the names on the marquee right now, it's time for the NBA's biggest summer blockbusters...

"Terminator Salvation" starring Kobe Bryant

For as far as recent memory goes back, Kobe has widely been regarded as the best closer in the game. You could even argue that he's like a machine in the fourth quarter (and since I'm making a Terminator reference, that's exactly what I'll do). But Bryant has been merely human in his last two trips to the NBA Finals, losing eight of his last 11 NBA Finals games.

This series could be Kobe's last chance to salvage his reputation as one of the great players in NBA history. Winning three NBA titles before the age of 24, Bryant's career got off to fantastic start. But now, having failed in his last two trips to the NBA Finals, once with Shaq and once without, Kobe may now be looking at his final chance to win an NBA title while being the best player on a championship team. Even for players as great as Kobe, opportunities like this don't come around very often.

Bryant let a golden opportunity slip away last season. The championship window is slowly closing as the 100+ game seasons rack up for Kobe. He's already one of the all-time greats. But to even sniff the conversation of greatest ever, he'd better start winning on his own, and he'd better start now.

"Angels and Demons" starring Lamar Odom

Laker fans never know which Lamar Odom is going to show up. But the Candy Man is certainly the x-factor in this series. If "Angel" L.O. shows up, as he did in Games 5 and 6 of the Western Conference Finals, the Lakers are virtually unbeatable. His size and versatility causes matchup nightmares for opposing teams.

And regardless of what his stats may indicate, Odom is hands down one of the top five rebounders in the NBA. If a combination of L.O. and either Andrew Bynum or Pau Gasol can neutralize Dwight Howard on the glass, especially on the offensive glass, it could be an early exit for the Magic. "Angel" L.O. is that good.

But if "Demon" L.O. decides to grace us with his presence, all bets are off. Odom is averaging 13.4 points per game this postseason in Laker wins, and 9.1 points in losses. Orlando may be focusing most of their defensive attention on Kobe, and rightfully so, but if they can find a way to take Lamar Odom out of the game, it could be the Lakers that find themselves desperately trying to crack the code of the Orlando Magic.

"Up" starring Dwight Howard

Howard gets the nod in this one, because if the Orlando Magic win this series, that's exactly where Dwight Howard's ceiling goes: up.

He's already considered a freak of nature, one of the best centers in the game, a menacing inside player both offensively and defensively, and a guaranteed double-double every night. And he's only 23-years-old.

If Superman can add an NBA title to his already impressive resume, the sky's the limit for Howard. With still another decade of dominance ahead of him, a title this early in his career could have Howard ahead of the curve set by the long list of great centers that have played before him.

"Taking of Pelham 123" starring Rashard Lewis, Hedo Turkoglu, Rafer Alston, and Mickael Pietrus

Those four players have combined to take 337 three-pointers in the playoffs. The entire Laker team has attempted 338. Needless to say, the taking of threes will be in the Magic's game plan heading into the NBA Finals.

The Magic are taking over 23 three-point fields goals per game in the playoffs, connecting on just under 37% of those tries. When Orlando shoots over 40% from three-point range in the postseason, they are 7-2. When they don't, they're just 5-5.

Orlando is capable of getting red-hot from behind the arc. The numbers don't lie: when they get hot, the Magic are tough to beat. However, nobody's been better at defending the three-point line than the Lakers this postseason, with opponents shooting just 31% from deep against L.A. Dwight Howard can complain all he wants about touches, but this series will be decided on the perimeter.

"The Hangover" starring Jameer Nelson

Rumor has it that Jameer Nelson will return from what was originally thought to be a season-ending shoulder injury that he suffered in February to play against the Lakers in the NBA Finals. While it may seem advantageous on paper to have your second best player return just in time for the most important series of the season, Nelson's return only adds uncertainty to the Orlando Magic.

How many minutes will he play? Will he be 100%? How will Rafer Alston play knowing he's not guaranteed the bulk of the starting point guard minutes? Will the offense change when Nelson is on the floor?

Even if Nelson is physically at 100%, there is no way his timing will be near where it needs to be for him to be successful. The NBA Finals is not a time for a player to play himself back into game shape.

Orlando system isn't broke, so there's no need to fix it by rushing Nelson back to play in the NBA Finals.

"Year One" starring Courtney Lee

As in, a player in year one of his career, aka a rookie, will be getting the assignment to start the NBA Finals on Kobe Bryant. This might be the most underrated storyline of the entire Finals. For all the time and effort that the Magic have surely spent over the past few days game planning on how to stop Kobe Bryant, all is lost if Lee freezes under the bright lights trying to guard the most ruthless scorer in the NBA.

This time last year, Courtney Lee was nothing more than a Hilltopper trying to work his way into the first round of the NBA draft. Now, he's asked to start the NBA Finals guarding Kobe Bryant. That sounds like the recipe for a 15-point first quarter in Game 1 for Kobe to me.

"The 'A' Team" starring the NBA referees

The NBA sends only its top officials to NBA Finals games. I've said many times before that blaming the officials for the outcome of an NBA game is just an excuse that people that don't know anything about basketball make when their team loses. Yes, NBA officials make bad calls from time to time, but human error in officiating is a part of sports. It's no different than the NFL and its confusing pass interference and holding rules, or the MLB and its fluctuating strike zone depending on which umpire is behind the plate for that particular game. More often than not NBA officials get the calls right, so let's just all move past the inevitable "that could have gone either way" calls that we'll see this series and focus, for once, on the basketball that's being played.

(Note: I'm rescinding the previous paragraph and writing a scathing column about NBA officials if either Kobe Bryant or Dwight Howard picks up a seventh technical foul in this series and gets suspended for a critical game late in the series. This rule is so dumb that I have faith in David Stern that he will realize this in the event that someone actually reaches a seventh technical foul and not suspend him for an NBA Finals game. I've always been a big David Stern supporter, but if he lets me down and allows a superstar to be suspended, I will turn on him fatser than Harvey Dent turned on Gotham City. How's that for a summer blockbuster reference?)

And that brings us to our final summer blockbuster of the preview...

"Land of the Lost" starring the Orlando Magic

The Orlando Magic are a great basketball team, and they've found a way to click at just the right time this postseason. Unfortunately, they just have too many factors working against them in this series for me to pick them to win the title.

The Lakers have home-court advantage. The Lakers have the experience. The Lakers have a Hall of Fame coach that's won nine NBA titles. The Lakers have the best player in this series. Because of those reasons, and a gut feeling that says that Kobe is poised to have a monster series, I just can't pick against them.

L.A. in six.

Visit Sports Central each day after every NBA Finals game to read Scott Shepherd's immediate reaction to the game. You can also follow Scott before, during, and after every NBA Finals game on Twitter at twitter.com/scottosports.

Posted by Scott Shepherd at 12:51 PM | Comments (0)

Slant Pattern Odds and Ends

I hate it when sports remind me how old I am. That's probably why I am hoping that Brett Favre returns to the league — not because I am a Favre fan particularly, but because he entered the league when I was 15-years-old. And if he's still playing then hey, I can't be that old!

But I am, in fact, getting old, and the page has been turned on yet another one of the sports figures of my youth as Tom Glavine was released by the Atlanta Braves yesterday.

It seems like just yesterday (again, this was 1991 in particular, when I was 15) the Braves had the unreal starting pitching quartet of Greg Maddux, John Smoltz, Glavine, and Steve Avery. Avery was my favorite, so of course he was the only one to flame-out early in his career. I wasn't really a Braves fan, but I enjoyed rankling my math teacher, Mr. Slusser, a big Pirates fan (and that was the team the Braves invariably expelled from the playoffs in that era), so I would build paper tomahawks and wave them in class.

Now Glavine appears on the way out, the Braves long streak of making the playoffs is over and, wow, when was the last time the Pirates were any good?

***************

Deadspin has a post that I think is a tad unfair, or at least a poor example, of Sports Illustrated overhyping different athletes as "The Chosen One," even if, as the piece admits, it was for pun purposes or within the narrow context of fantasy sports.

It is sort of funny to note that the tag has applied to such mediocrities as Andrew Toney and Vitali Klitschko, but the reason Deadspin brings it up at all is because they have put another Chosen One — "The Most Exciting Prodigy Since LeBron" — on their cover this week. But if a 16-year-old kid (Bryce Harper is his name) hits 570-foot home runs and throws a 96-mile an hour fastball, well, that qualifies, doesn't it? Should SI not acknowledge prodigies because they may or may not have overused the term in the past?

***************

The U.S. Men's Soccer Team has risen to 14th in the FIFA World Rankings, ahead of everyone else in North America, Asia, Africa, and South America except for Brazil, Argentina, and Paraguay, whom they are one spot behind.

Enjoy it while it lasts, though, because the U.S. got hammered last night in World Cup qualifying by Costa Rica, 3-1, in a match where the flow wasn't even as close as the unimpressive score-line indicates. While the U.S.'s inability to win in Mexico is fairly well-known, the Americans have been equally inept on Costa Rican soil, winless in seven attempts, only one of which was a draw.

Worse still, this was their "A" team playing, just as they get ready to disembark to South Africa for the Confederations Cup (a pre-World Cup tournament which features the defending champions of each continent, plus the reigning World Cup champs, and the host), where they are in the group of death with Brazil, Italy, and Egypt, whom they play last when both teams may very well be 0-2 and out of contention for the semifinals. (Spain gets a cakewalk in the other group, pitted against Iraq, New Zealand, and South Africa).

***************

Finally, Matt Hinton (who is far and away my favorite college football blogger, compiled some good dish via Athlon Sports of anonymous coaches giving uncensored feedback on their conference rivals. Matt has the best asides on the comments, but I have a few of my own as well.

• Clemson: "I'd be scared to death of them if they got it together. They can beat anybody on any Saturday, but they can lose to anybody on any Saturday." — an ACC assistant coach

Didn't he just describe the entire ACC? And, thanks to this era of parity, soon to be the entire world of college football?

• Fresno State: "For all the crazy talking (coach Pat) Hill does about playing anyone anywhere and all his cute slogans, he really is a pretty conservative offensive football coach. They've just tried to grind it out, and that's not working anymore." — an opposing WAC assistant coach

I don't know that even Hill would disagree that he runs a conservative offense — Hawaii they are not, and never claimed to be. But Anonymous is still correct, and it has been sad to see Fresno State's descent from the mid-major elite. One has to wonder how safe Hill's job is, which is really something considering what a program-building icon he once was. Nonetheless, if he does get axed, I will be the first to claim anti-Fu Manchu mustache bias.

• Kansas State: "I know Bill Snyder worked miracles there the last time, but I don't know if he'll get it done this time. I'm not sure he knows the mess he inherited." — an opposing Big 12 assistant coach

If anything, this comment is a muted understatement. I have the feeling Snyder does indeed understand, in spite of the happy face he and all coaches must put before the press and the boosters, the total disarray the program is in, particularly surrounding the secret sweetheart deal the outgoing coach received.

But "I don't know if he'll get it done this time?" Well ... he won't. I'm not sure Urban Meyer could get KSU back to prominence in less than five years. I'll be pulling for them, sincerely. I hope I'm dead wrong. But hiring Snyder reminds me of when the Minnesota Democrats nominated 145-year-old Walter Mondale to run for Senate in 2002 (as an eleventh hour replacement to incumbent Paul Wellstone, who died in a plane crash).

• South Carolina: "They should be in a situation where they have just as good of a chance as anybody to win at a high level. They have great support, and they have had very good players. It's kind of a mystery." — an opposing SEC assistant coach

Just wanted to point out and chuckle that he didn't say "great coaching."

Posted by Kevin Beane at 11:37 AM | Comments (0)

Open Letter to Serena Williams

I watched your press conference today, Serena. I'm sorry you lost. Yes, Serena, you lost.

Yes, usually when someone loses it's because they couldn't raise their game enough to triumph. But that doesn't mean that the other player didn't cause you to play that in a way that contributed to your loss. If I look at the match statistics, it was pretty even, except Svetlana Kuznetsova won a lot more points when receiving serve and won 20% more of the points on her second serve than you did. That pretty much says it all. That is probably not because of you. For the most part, those two statistics are driven by the performance of the player, not the opponent.

In your press conference, you stated, "Honestly, I think I lost because of me and not because of anything she did." Serena, you really need a reality check. You didn't make her win. Especially when receiving serve. The server always has the advantage (unless you are Elena Dementieva) and they usually force you into making a bad, weak, or otherwise unwanted shot.

I am still waiting for the Serena (or Venus) press conference where you actually acknowledge that your opponents have names. She has one, you know. Her name is Svetlana. How about you use herr name sometime in the press conferences?

Second, how about complimenting her play sometime? Svetlana outplayed you when the big points counted. She clearly played at a high level today. When you were asked about how she played, all you could muster was, "Obviously, she played well to walk away with the win." I know you are disappointed in your play, and no, you don't have to smile or be sunny during the interviews, but please, how about you actually give credit where credit is due? Just because you don't want to acknowledge it doesn't mean you shouldn't.

I will probably suffer a rash of hate mail after this column, but I don't really care. Once again, just when I think that Serena or Venus have turned a corner, they bring me back to reality. One of the things that makes a great champion is how gracious they are in defeat. It's easy to be gracious in victory.

I think one of the things I miss most about the early Open era players was their attitude, the civility. Great players, great champions, who always gave their opponents respect. I was young, but I'll never forget the 1971 WTC Championship match between Rod Laver and Ken Rosewall. Laver was the king of tennis, Rosewall an aging but still amazing player going on 20 years of playing. Some say it may still be the greatest single match ever. And in the end, Rosewall took the match. The after-match interviews were short, but Laver gave full credit to Rosewall. He didn't say that Rosewall didn't win. He didn't say that it was really just that he lost. Same for Federer at Wimbledon last year. He gave Rafa all his props.

Some of my colleagues want to just pass Serena's comment off as, as one who shall remain nameless said, "it's just the way the kids are today. It doesn't really mean anything." Baloney. You can't blame this on youth. You can't blame this on culture. You really can't blame this on anything more than Serena being Serena.

Maybe when Serena wins her next major tournament, she will say something like, "Honestly, (insert player name here) didn't lose today because of me, it wasn't anything great that I did. She should have won." Yeah, in my dreams.

Posted by Tom Kosinski at 10:40 AM | Comments (4)

June 3, 2009

Stanley Cup Finals: Close Doesn't Count

Woulda, coulda, shoulda ... for the Pittsburgh Penguins, just imagine how different their 1-2 deficit against the Red Wings would have been if Marc-Andre Fleury pulled out a clutch save or if one of those Sidney Crosby/Bill Guerin passing plays was just an inch over from the post instead of directly on it. But, as a wise man once said, close only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades.

Here's the problem facing the Pittsburgh Penguins: they actually played pretty well for stretches of Game 1 and Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Final. Well enough, in fact, that if the Detroit Red Wings didn't have a few bounces go their way, the results could have been different. This is different from last year, where the awe-struck Penguins were brutalized by a confident Red Wings team; one could argue that the Penguins have carried the play more than the Wings. So, if you could freeze time and shift the angle of a few bounces, the Penguins could be up 3-0. Of course, you could say that the Wings deserved to win Game 3 and should be up 3-0.

But again, close doesn't win anything. Call it flukey bounces, luck, or karma; whatever it is, the only stat that matters is the big W next to the Red Wings' name on the box score for the first two games and the Penguins win in Game 3.

Looking deeper, though, and one could (and should) subscribe to the old adage that you create your own breaks — or as philosopher Carl Jung once said, there's no such thing as luck, only what you make. In that case, while Sidney Crosby and Henrik Zetterberg have essentially canceled each other out (though both had enough chances to get their share of points in this game of inches), it's the role players that stole the first two games in the Motor City. Guys like Darren Helm, who come with literally zero goal-scoring experience, managed to turn into a hero this playoffs, and he's continued his play in the finals. On the other hand, Matt Cooke might be throwing his weight around for the Penguins, but he's not scoring any significant goals. He's the type of player that needs to surprise people with a timely goal (Maxime Talbot might fill in that role with the way things are going).

How does one create breaks like that? Simple — a combination of throwing the puck at the net and crashing the crease. When you don't shoot, you don't score, and when there's no traffic in front, there's nothing for the puck to bounce off of. And eventually, bounces wind up evening out between two teams over a long series.

It would help if Marc-Andre Fleury stepped his game up. Some of his goals-against were flukey, but you can't totally absolve Fleury of the strange bounces coming off the Joe Louis boards. By now, everyone knows the boards in Detroit have an active kick, and the Red Wings have used this as actual strategy for years. One of the critical areas of adjustment is the ability to be aware of this and react if necessary.

What did that mean going into Game 3? If anything, the teams were obviously fatigued — the long stretches of neutral zone play made it the least entertaining game of the season. Crosby's not the kind of player where one Game 3 assist will unleash a flood of scoring chances because he already generated his share. Malkin's been able to get more time away from Detroit's best checkers, but someone like Jordan Staal still wasn't there for significant shifts. The biggest difference was Marc-Andre Fleury, who made up for some of his gaffes in the first two games (though one good game doesn't absolve two bad game) and decided to make his most timely saves of the series.

So where do we go from here? The Penguins are still in a hole, and when you're behind in a playoff series, the one thing to do is to follow the notion of "One Game at a Time." Of course, the odds are still stacked against the Penguins — note that the majority of teams that come back from deficits are usually the favored seed for a reason. However, what might be a little more appropriate is to look at things in short series rather than one big series. The Red Wings won the first two-game series, the Penguins have captured the first game in the next two-game series. If they win Game 4, suddenly the past is erased and it's a best of three.

That's the thing with a series like this when both teams are essentially playing fairly competitively — the past doesn't really matter that much. In theory, the Penguins could have split in Detroit and the Wings took Game 3 to bring us to 2-1 Detroit. Or the Pens could have taken the opener while the Wings won the next two. It doesn't really matter as no team has picked up such unstoppable momentum as to make the other team fold and go home.

When the Hurricanes and Red Wings played in the Cup final in 2002, the Hurricanes took Game 1 but the domination of the Wings felt like a growing snowball. Not here; this is a fist fight between two fairly close teams that have different strengths and weaknesses.

Will we see Pavel Datsyuk in Game 4 (and how healthy will he be)? Will the younger legs of the Penguins stand up to the shortened schedule compared to the Wings? Will the Penguins get overconfident and forget to show up on Thursday night?

At this point, it's anyone's game. At least for us fans, we get a better chance of this becoming a memorable series rather than a blowout.

Posted by Mike Chen at 11:50 AM | Comments (1)

Save the NBA, Fire David Stern

The 2009 NBA playoffs have showcased everything that's great about the current version of the NBA. Unfortunately, it's also showcased everything that's wrong with the 2009 NBA.

And I'm not sure which side is winning out.

Let's start with the good.

The Celtics/Bulls series was absolutely spectacular. It was a classic matchup of the old, beaten up champion versus the young, upstart, hungry challenger.

It was everything I love about the NBA. Athletic players, great defense, better offense, and clutch shots from two of the best clutch performers in the NBA today (Ray Allen and Ben Gordon).

I can't stress how good this series was enough. The first six games were so fantastic there was no way game seven was going to live up to the standard set in the previous six games.

The Celtics went on to win, but it didn't matter. The 2009 playoffs will be remembered for the last man standing, iron-man series between the Celtics and the Bulls. ESPN classic will be replaying that series years from now. Whoever wins the championship will be an afterthought.

There were other great moments. LeBron's "shot" to win game two against the Magic. The first three games of the Western Conference Finals. Houston's taking the Lakers to Game 7 without (arguably) their best two players in uniform.

These games and moments showcased exactly what I love about the NBA.

But the rest of the playoffs have showcased exactly what I hate about the NBA.

The Western Conference Finals were ruined by the NBA.

Kobe Bryant was neutered by a ridiculous "seven technical fouls equals a one game suspension" rule. The two teams spent more time at the free throw line than actually playing the game. Officials completely screwed up games, missed a jump ball violation in Game 2, and watched as Kobe apparently tripped himself in Game 4.

In fact, the rise of the Orlando Magic is in part due to the NBA's insane rules.

You can't win consistently going to the basket anymore. Dominating the paint means getting the better end of the referees nowadays. The only way to consistently win is to play better than the other team from 18 feet and out. Period.

The Magic are loading with talented and unique players. They have the skills to play inside, but don't. Their game plan is to put Dwight Howard under the hoop to collect rebounds and launch a thousand three-pointers.

If their shot is falling, they win. If it isn't, they lose.

It's the reason why they've both lost huge leads this postseason and overcome huge deficits. It's also the reason why they were able to dispatch of the Cavs so easily. They just shot over them. When their shot was falling, and for the most part it was all series long, they were unstoppable.

Of course, it didn't help that no matter how many times they drained an open three-pointer, Mike Brown refused to change his game plan of leaving the three-point shooters open on the perimeter while attempting to half-heartedly double-team Howard.

James had to worry about the officials to play his game. And the Cavs play physical defense, which means 50% of the time the officials will take them completely out of their game. Orlando plays sporadic defense and only Howard is physical, which helps them avoid bad officiating for the most part.

Hence their run to the NBA finals.

Down the stretch against the Celtics, the Magic would give the ball to Hedo Turkoglu, let him dribble the twenty four second clock down to three or four seconds, then take a step-back, fall away three pointer.

In the games they won, the shot fell. In the games they didn't, the shot didn't fall. It's bad basketball. But in 2009, it's the only way to play winning basketball.

If you take the ball to the hoop, you're at the mercy of the refs. Maybe you'll get the call, maybe you won't. And even more frustrating is the fact that the call you get in the first quarter will be entirely different than the one you'll get in the fourth quarter.

I've read some articles blaming the officials, but really it's not their fault. The officials are bad, but they're bad because they have no idea what the right call is in any given situation.

What's a technical? What's a flagrant foul? What's a flagrant-2? How should the game be called?

Do you know what the NBA front office thinks the answer is to those questions? Neither do the officials. Which is why some officials call every bit of contact they see and others allow defenders to play physical. It's why some officials call a flagrant-1 when Rafer Alston gets thrown out of bounds by Rajon Rondo, while others would have called a flagrant-2. It's why coaches and yell and scream at some officials and get away with it, while others T them up if they breathe the wrong way.

The NBA's rules are screwed up. Period. And this postseason has been an exhibition of those screwed up rules.

ESPN's Bill Simmons and others are right. The NBA needs younger officials. They need better officials. But if they don't fix the rules, the new officials will have the same problems as the old ones.

I honestly wasn't sure where this article was going when I started writing it. But after re-reading what I have written thus far, I know exactly what I want to say.

David Stern must go.

He needs to be replaced with someone who played the game sometime in the last 20 years. Someone who understands how a game should be called. Someone who can give the officials a set of guidelines they can understand and follow, then get weed out the bad ones and replace them with younger, better ones.

The NBA is loaded with talented and athletic players. Likable players, unlikable players, all kinds of players. From a talent and marketability standpoint, the league is in fantastic shape.

But David Stern is ruining it with his inability to officiate games.

The Lakers/Nuggets series should have been a classic, instead it was mostly unwatchable. LeBron James might be the best player of this generation, but he too often relies on throwing himself at defenders (making his games painful to watch at times) because he knows he'll get to the line almost every time. The Celtics can play great defense in one game, then do the exact same thing in the next and have 100 fouls called on them.

The NBA makes the NFL's officiating look spectacular in comparison. And you know what I think about NFL officials.

So, the point of this long, rambling article is apparently this:

Save the NBA, Fire David Stern.

Questions? Comments? Insults? Comment below.

Sean Crowe is the New England Patriots Examiner at Examiner.com. He writes a column every other Thursday for Sports Central. You can e-mail him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter.

Posted by Sean Crowe at 11:22 AM | Comments (4)

NASCAR Top 10 Power Rankings: Week 13

Note: the quotes in this article are fictional.

1. Tony Stewart — Stewart took the lead on lap 392 of the Autism Speaks 400 at Dover, his first lead of the day, and held it for six laps before succumbing to Jimmie Johnson with two laps to go. It was Stewart's third runner-up finish of the year, and his series-leading ninth top 10, and it vaulted him ahead of Jeff Gordon into the points lead, where Stewart now holds a 46-point cushion.

"I could see Jimmie coming," says Stewart. "It was like staring down the barrel of a '48.' I haven't seen anything gaining on me like that since weight."

"It's great to be atop the point standings. It's great for my fans, and it's bound to earn me new fans. And you know me, I'm all about my 'peeps.' Even more so, I'm all about my 'peeps shows.'"

2. Jimmie Johnson — Johnson controlled the action at Dover, leading 298 of 400 laps in the Autism Speaks 400, but his dominance was nearly undone during the final pit stop with 36 laps to go. Johnson entered with the lead, but exited the pits in ninth after a relatively slow stop. Then, systematically and without prejudice, Johnson picked off the leaders, and overcame Tony Stewart for the lead after a thrilling two-lap duel.

"Although Tony has slimmed down quite a bit," says Johnson, "you could still say I 'Smoke-d a fat one' with my pass of Stewart."

"But that was quite a battle with Stewart. And that's just what NASCAR needed after 227 boring laps at Charlotte, and 398 more boring laps at Dover. If Charlotte put a wet blanket on excitement, the final laps at Dover whetted the fans appetite for more. I haven't seen that much nose-to-tail action since Brian France campaigned to succeed his father Bill as NASCAR chairman."

"As for the change in crew chief for Dale Earnhardt, Jr., Junior's loss is my gain. Tony Eury, Jr. is heading to South Carolina with me to test at a road course, with the intention of helping me win at Infineon later this month. We're hoping Tony's knowledge can help spice up our road course program. That's why we've nicknamed him 'Canned Heat.'"

3. Jeff Gordon — Gordon suffered his second-worst finish of the year, his troubles compounded twofold by a backup car and a bad back on the physically-demanding Dover concrete. Some early adjustments to the car failed to work, and Gordon fell a lap down early, eventually finishing two laps down, in 26th. He also tumbled from the top spot in the Sprint Cup points race, and now trails Tony Stewart by 46 points.

"To borrow a phrase from Sir Mixalot," says Gordon, "'Baby Got Back-ache.' But, there's nothing fun about back pain, except the massages. Of course, there was no happy ending at Dover. The car was as unresponsive to adjustments as my back was to treatment."

"But it's a pain I'll just have to deal with, kind of like my first marriage. Treatment is my only option; medication is out of the question for now, or at least until a NASCAR official comes back down from atop Mount Sinai with a List of Banned Substances etched in stone."

4. Ryan Newman — On a day when Stewart-Haas Racing teammate Tony Stewart seized the Sprint Cup points lead with a near-win at Dover, Newman complemented that result with a solid result of his own. Newman finished eighth, his fifth top-10 finish in the last six races, and leapt two places in the points to fifth, and now trails Stewart by 173 points.

"The sky's the limit for this team," says Newman. "Working with Tony as my car owner and teammate has really given me a boost. You could say he's the 'Rocket Launcher' to my 'Rocket Man.'"

"But I feel rejuvenated here. There was a time in my career when I was so unhappy, it felt like my driving skills were deteriorating. I can only describe it by saying I felt 'Rusty.'"

"But now, things are different, thanks to Tony. There are three words I want to say to Tony, and they are 'You complete me.'"

5. Kurt Busch — Busch scored a solid fifth at Dover, steadily climbing from his qualifying position of 19th to make a run at the victory in the Autism Speaks 400. Like eventual winner Jimmie Johnson, Busch took four tires during the race's final caution, but the No. 2 Miller Lite Dodge couldn't catch Johnson's No. 48 Chevrolet, which was clearly the fastest car.

"The best car won the race," says Busch. "Johnson was easily head, shoulders, and eyebrows above everyone else out there."

"But the Chrysler bankruptcy issue is like my old set of ears — it's really weighing heavily on me. I'm having this recurring dream in which I find myself in a Fiat, flanked by two Italian supermodels, circling the track at Daytona in a victory lap. The supermodels, as well as the victory lap, tell me it's just a dream."

6. Kyle Busch — While running sixth on lap 344 at Dover, Busch felt an odd vibration that initially was thought to be a tire issue. When new tires didn't completely remedy the issue, it was soon learned that a broken splitter was the source of the mysterious vibration. Repairs in the pits left Busch a lap down, and he eventually finished 23rd. He maintained the sixth position in the points, and trails Tony Stewart by 219.

"It's not easy pinpointing a vibration at 150 miles per hour," says Busch. "I'm not accustomed to that. Heck, I spent a year with Tony Stewart at Joe Gibbs Racing. The source of the vibration then was always traced back to one of Tony's parties."

"But enough about that. Let's talk about something newsworthy in NASCAR. No, not Jimmie Johnson's dramatic win in Dover, but anything to do with Dale Earnhardt, Jr. Lookie here. Hendrick unloads Tony Eury, Jr. as Junior's crew chief, and what do you know? Junior finishes 12th, which is way better than his average finish. So, I guess you could say that team is 'firing' on all cylinders."

"I think when all is said and done, Earnhardt's crew chief won't really make that much difference. That team is in a permanent state of 'E'-nertia. Junior's m-E-diocre at best. But at least he has the decency to keep his mouth shut about overhyped stories, like me winning 200 races, for example."

7. Matt Kenseth — Kenseth finished fourth at Dover, his best finish this year since his wins at Daytona and California to open the season. Continuing his steady climb up the point standings since a dismal four-race stretch in March, Kenseth improved one spot, and now sits in eighth, 228 out of first.

"It's been such an up and down season so far," says Kenseth. "Hopefully, we've found our way out of that hole we dug ourselves earlier this year. There is no quit in this team. They won't back down from a fight. Now, I wish I could say the same for myself."

8. Greg Biffle — Biffle came home third at Dover, capping a strong day for Roush Fenway Racing, which put three cars in the top 10. Biffle was running fourth when the race's final caution came out, and crew chief Greg Erwin went with a two-tire stop, which gave Biffle the lead. However, he couldn't hold off Tony Stewart and Jimmie Johnson, and settled for a solid third.

"Sure, I'm a little disappointed," says Biffle, "but I did have a front row seat for Stewart and Johnson's battle for the lead at the end. That was a classic, and one that people will be talking about for a long time, or at least until the next saga involving Dale Earnhardt, Jr. emerges."

9. Denny Hamlin — Hamlin was cruising in second behind Jimmie Johnson when his right-front tire blew on lap 232, sending him hard into the outside wall. The damage to Hamlin's No. 11 FedEx Toyota was beyond repair, and he headed to the garage with a 36th-place finish, and he fell two places to seventh in the point standings.

"Going into the race," says Hamlin, "I felt confident we'd make an impact. I was right — hard right."

10. Carl Edwards — Edwards finished seventh at Dover's Monster Mile, a solid finish yet one that could have been better. Crew chief Bob Osborne opted for four tires on a late pit stop while most others took two tires, leaving Edwards mired in lapped traffic as the leaders pulled away. Edwards maintained the No. 11 spot in the points, and is 266 out of first and 46 clear of 13th.

"Things didn't really work out as planned," says Edwards. "But then again, what has this year, except for my media blitz and talk show forays after my spectacular Talladega crash? That all went like clockwork. Heck, there's even a documentary about the crash in the works, tentatively titled 'Talladega Flights: Carl Cleared For Takeoff, Safe Landing Optional.'"

"Anyway, if you would have told me in February that I'd be thirteen races into the season without a win and trailing Matt Kenseth and Greg Biffle in the points, I would have told you to prepare yourself for a random drug test. Hey, have you ever wondered why none of the big names in NASCAR never test positive for banned substances? It's because they're never randomly tested. Danica Patrick is right — it's not cheating if you don't get caught, and you can't get caught if you're not tested."

Posted by Jeffrey Boswell at 11:14 AM | Comments (2)

June 2, 2009

Magic Men

It wasn't supposed to happen like this.

In a by-the-book world, we'd all be talking about the dream Kobe Bryant/LeBron James matchup that was sure to please the NBA, ABC, the casual fan, and would have also allowed for the advertising departments of Vitamin Water and Nike to keep their sanity.

Yet, no one can doubt the quality that Orlando displayed in the Cleveland series, as they were a great chance to win through three and a half quarters in each game. The 4-2 series win likely even flattered the 66-16 Cavs, as LeBron's ultimately irrelevant 25-foot buzzer beater in Game 2 kept the Magic from pulling off one of the most shocking sweeps in NBA history.

The Eastern half of the Finals is especially unexpected when we go back about five weeks or so to Game 5 of Orlando's first round series with an inferior Philadelphia team that hung around in the series thanks to late-game heroics. In that Game 5, a 13-point Magic win, Dwight Howard elbowed Sam Dalembert, incurring a one-game suspension.

Without "Superman," it was assumed that the series would go seven. However, the Howard-less Magic played their best game of the series, a 25-point road blowout led by 29 from Rashard Lewis.

Post-Game 5 was also a key in the next series for the Magic against Boston, after Orlando allowed a late 13-0 run to see the Celtics go up 3-2 in the series, a position the Celtics had never lost from in their storied history. After that game, Howard ripped Stan Van Gundy and the coaching staff in full, saying, "I don't think you are going to win a lot of games when your post player only gets 10 shots ... the coaches have to recognize what's working on the floor. Stick to it."

Naturally, Howard got the ball and played like the superstar that he is in Game 6 and Orlando grinded out a win before taking the series with a barrage of threes in a surprising Game 7.

So, the conference finals win over Cleveland was comparatively easy for Orlando, with the Magic having nearly won the series by Game 5, even though easy would have to be one of the last things to be mentioned when facing LeBron. However, what was seemingly easy for Orlando was the ability to shut down Cleveland's main perimeter shooters in Mo Williams and Delonte West.

The improvements this season in LeBron's game clouded the importance that adding Williams and an improved West had on the Cavs being so such a good team through 90 games until the conference finals. Judging by his performance against Orlando, it's easy to forget that Williams was a deserving all-star this season, and hit 44% of his pointers. West improved his numbers across the board, which gave LeBron a higher success rate when driving and being forced to pass.

The Magic's size was able to get to the Cavs, as well. That sounds like an odd claim because Orlando is thought of as a small-ball type of team, probably stemming from usually having four shooters on the floor, as well as playing Rashard Lewis at power forward. However, with Howard, Lewis, and the clutch Hedo Turkoglu (never thought I'd be writing that) all over 6-9, and with the solid defense that guards like Mikael Pietrus and Courtney Lee provide, the Magic have a deceptive amount of length to contest shots anywhere on the floor.

The Magic have so much of that deceptive defensive quality that, according to possession-adjusted statistics based on points given up per 100 possessions, they and not the Lakers, Cavs, or Celtics had the league's best defense.

Based on the quality of Orlando's competition in the last two rounds, their defense, their new-found ability to hit shots in the closing seconds, and their willingness to share the ball, it is the Magic who not only are playing the best basketball coming into the finals, but should also be favored to win the title at this point.

On paper, the Lakers look like the stronger of the two teams, and possess the best player remaining. The Lakers' performance in Games 5 and 6 against Denver, probably their best of the playoffs so far, will assuredly enhance L.A.'s expectations for this series ahead of Game 1. It shouldn't be that way, even if the Lakers' potential best far outweighs that of Orlando.

Denver lost one game in the West finals due to its inability to inbound the ball in a late-game scenario and lost the chance to win another for the same reason. The Nuggets were prone to stretches where they jacked up numerous quick, bad shots that had nothing to do with the Lakers' defense. Orlando has shown the willingness to play at any tempo, much like Houston, who the Lakers struggled so mightily with.

Denver lost its cool at many key junctures in the last series, even though the series had been called extremely tight throughout. (And that's no defense of the officiating. It was putrid in both series, and we can only hope it gets much better.) Orlando has had cooler heads, even if Howard is a cranky Joe Crawford game away from being suspended.

Most importantly, though, Orlando is playing with confidence that is just about at a season-high, while the Lakers are decidedly more inconsistent.

Magic win in six.

Posted by Ross Lancaster at 11:59 AM | Comments (0)

Red Wings, Finish Them!

Are you hoping for the Pittsburgh Penguins to comeback in their series against Detroit? Hoping for some more drama, much like we've witnessed in the past playoff series?

I'm not. I hope that the Detroit Red Wings will finish off the Pittsburgh Penguins quickly in the Stanley Cup Finals.

Up 2-0 in the series heading into Pittsburgh, the situation is simple. If the Red Wings can steal a game on the road, they will have a near unbreakable stranglehold in the series.

So why am I hoping for the Penguins to lose for a second straight year in the Stanley Cup Finals? There are really a number of reasons.

The longer the series is extended, the more the media will go on and on about the greatness of Sidney Crosby. Don't get me wrong, Sidney Crosby has proven to be a sold player since he joined the NHL, but sometimes it seems he gets all of the attention from the media. When it comes right down to it, I just don't have a lot of respect for Crosby.

Crosby is a good player, but he often acts like he is the greatest player out there. The media seems to reflect this point as they are quick to throw praise the way of Sidney Crosby. While Crosby has already garnered many personal accolades, it can be argued that he is not in fact the best player on his team, much less the league.

Heading into the finals, Crosby's teammate, Evgeni Malkin, was tied with Crosby for the playoff lead in points. Malkin has had an incredible postseason, yet it seems like the majority of times we have heard any news about him has been when he has struggled. In the postseason, Malkin has proven to be just as valuable as Sidney Crosby.

I have played sports with teammates who always seem to hog the spotlight, and I can tell you that those players don't have the respect of their teammates.

Another reason, besides my dislike for Sidney Crosby, would be the fact that Detroit's style of hockey is just so exciting to watch. Detroit is an aggressive team, yet hardly a dirty one. Sure, they've gotten into a few fights and rubbed a few teams the wrong way, but they are more likely to try to beat a team with their skill and their fists.

The Red Wings are a very skilled team, and some of the plays they set up are amazing. Detroit also likes to keep the play in the opposing team's end of the ice, and they often accomplish this for long periods of time.

And just how many times do the Red Wings stay conservative with a lead?

If anything, Detroit seems to keep the pressure on even in the dying moments of a game.

Heading into the finals, many people stated that Detroit didn't have the motivation to win the Stanley Cup. Two wins later and it appears these critics have been silenced. Detroit may not be the most enthusiastic team there is, but when they approach a big game, they are all business. It is evident when you see the success they have had over the years.

It is because of these reasons, plus the fact that Detroit always takes so many risks, that I am really pulling for Detroit in the Stanley Cup Finals.

I am not a Red Wings fan by nature, but there is just something about their style of hockey that makes me hope they finish off the Pittsburgh Penguins quickly.

It may be the fact that the Penguins beat out my beloved Senators in the playoffs last season, or it could be Sidney Crosby's disgusting playoff mustache. Or it could also be the fact that June is just too late to be watching hockey.

Either way, this is one sports fan who won't shed a tear if "Sid the Kid" and the Pittsburgh Penguins don't hoist the Stanley Cup this season.

Jonathan Hamelin contributes articles on the NBA, NFL, and NHL. An avid fan of the Canadian Football League, he writes two columns on the CFL, Rider Report Card and CFL Buzz.

Posted by Jonathan Hamelin at 11:55 AM | Comments (2)

Federer About to Be the Greatest Ever?

I never thought I would find myself saying this, but an Englishman has a very good chance of winning the French Open. Seventy-four years after the last Brit, the great Fred Perry, took the title here in Paris, Andy Murray stands just three matches from holding the trophy at Roland Garros.

A week ago, this was nearly impossible. Murray, seeded third here and riding a number three ranking on the ATP men's tour, was in the top half of the draw. That meant that in order to get to the final, he had to go through the reigning king of the French, and the reigning king of men's tennis, Rafael Nadal. Nadal had been unbeatable on clay again this year, and in the first week, set the record for most consecutive matches won at the French Open with 31. This dates back to 2005. Nadal has never lost on the red clay. With the new pink shirt, a slightly more invincible look, Nadal loomed large like a t-rex waiting for Murray.

Then the unthinkable happened. Robin Soderling dispatched of Rafa in the fourth round. Soderling managed to have the most significant win for a Swedish player here since Mats Wilander took the title in 1985. Soderling played well to get to Nadal, but not nearly as well as needed to beat the mighty Rafa. They had played in the quarterfinals in Rome just about a week earlier, with Rafa whipping him 6-1, 6-0. Based on that, I'd have given Soderling zero chance of pulling off the upset he did.

But in looking at the event statistics at Roland Garros, it suddenly comes much clearer. While Soderling sits in the top 20 in the tournament in aces, break points won, and second serve return winners, Nadal only makes the top 20 in break points won. And Nadal doesn't even appear in the list of top break point conversions. Soderling is in the top 20 in first serve points won, Nadal isn't. Rafa's coach, Toni Nadal, has said throughout the tournament that Nadal was playing too passively. Whatever the reason, Soderling became the first man ever to beat Rafa at the French Open. A mighty win for the Swede.

Which takes us back to Andy Murray. While known more as a stroker then his previous English counterparts, Murray does not fit the stereotype of a clay monster. Yet he has run through to the quarterfinals, barely being tested. Unlike Roger Federer, he has not had any match go more than four sets, and that only once. Murray is rested and seems bound to get to the final.

Roger Federer now looks like the favorite to take the title, but he will have to get past Juan Martin Del Potro. Del Potro is currently riding high as both the five seed and No. 5 in the world. He is the other clay monster sitting out there. It will most likely take Roger all his strength and some luck to get to the final. The semis for Murray will be either Nicholay Davydenko or yes, Mr. Soderling. Soderling is good, but doesn't have enough here in my estimation. So Murray gets a shot at the title, seventy-four years after the last great Brit conquered French soil in 1935.

I'll be rooting for him. Either way, this French Open will be one of great stories. Either a Brit takes the French Open for the first time since before WWII, or Roger Federer completes a career Grand Slam, sets the stage to become the all-time men's grand slam title holder, and caps off the year for himself by not only marrying Mirka Vavrinec and having his first child, but by establishing once and for all that he is the greatest men's tennis player ever to walk the face of the earth. Not too bad for a man who is supposed to be on his way out.

Posted by Tom Kosinski at 11:18 AM | Comments (2)

June 1, 2009

The LeBron Rules

If there's one thing that we learned over the past week, it's this: LeBron James is no Kobe Bryant.

And for once, this comparison has nothing to do with basketball.

That's because Bryant, despite his out of this world talent, will always be the most polarizing player in the game. You either love Kobe or you hate him. There is no middle ground.

Clearly, based on the coverage the Cavs/Magic series got, there is nothing polarizing about LeBron. Everyone loves the "King."

Never, in all my years of following sports, have I seen a player get so much credit for doing so little. Sure, averaging 38.5 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 8.2 assists over the course of the series is an amazing accomplishment. But the bottom line is the Cavs lost the series four games to two, and it wasn't even that close.

Basketball, more so than any other sport, stresses the importance of winning over any individual success. How else do you explain the fact that Bill Russell has the Finals MVP trophy named after him and Wilt Chamberlain is more or less just the answer to the most obvious trivia question in sports?

So why is it that LeBron seemingly got a free pass from the media the entire Eastern Conference Finals despite the fact that his team was clearly overmatched the entire series?

If the Lakers trailed the Nuggets three games to one and Kobe was averaging nearly 40 points per game, everyone would have been talking about how selfish Kobe is and how he needs to get his teammates more involved.

When the Cavs went down three games to one and James was averaging nearly 40 points, all we heard about was how great LeBron was playing and how the rest of the Cavs needed to step it up.

The Pistons walking off the court and not shaking hands with the Bulls after the '91 Eastern conference Finals is still to this day viewed as one of the most classless acts in all of sports.

LeBron did the exact same thing on Saturday night when he put his head down and walked to the locker room, not saying a word to anyone. Only for some reason, when LeBron did it, it doesn't even get mentioned in the AP recap of the game.

Then, taking poor sportsmanship to the next level, LeBron got dressed, threw on a set of gold headphones, and stormed out of the arena without addressing the media. The same media that had been putting him on a pedestal, not just for the duration of this series, but since he was a high school senior.

Say what you want about Kobe, but there's no doubt in my mind that if Orlando beats L.A. in the NBA Finals, Kobe will take the podium and say Orlando is a great team (he won't mean it, but he'll say it), put the blame on himself (he won't mean that, either), and talk about how hard he's going to work this offseason to get back to the finals again next year (that part will be genuine). His response to the obvious questions will be calculated, boring, and far from quotable. But at least he'll be man enough to say something.

LeBron didn't even have respect enough for the league that's given him the opportunity to turn himself into the global icon he strives to be to half-heartedly sit through a five-minute press conference.

But that's okay. I mean, after all, he did average 38.5 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 8.2 assists. That speaks for itself, right?

For better or worse, addressing the media is part of the job description of being an NBA superstar. James had no problem marching to the podium after his game two buzzer-beater and confidently declaring, "I knew it was good." It's not a one-way street. If you can sit in front of reporters and accept their praise after a win, you have to be prepared to sit in front of those same people and take their criticism after a loss.

LeBron had the entire basketball world in the palm of his oversized hands this week. Win, lose, or draw, all he had to do was keep putting up gaudy numbers and flash a smile every once in a while and the media would keep running stories about how great he was, regardless of the outcome of the series.

It's time to start holding LeBron to the same standards we hold every other NBA superstar to. Anything less than a championship for the Kobe is a failure. That's the way it should be.

LeBron James is no Kobe Bryant, but it's time we start treating him like he is.

(Note: Throughout the NBA playoffs, I've been sending out non-sequitur NBA text messages to my friends that are also diehard NBA fans. After some convincing, I've decided to create a Twitter account so that I can share these important thoughts with you the reader. If you'd like to get updates on important topics such as "Joey Crawford's doing the game, I'm setting the over/under for technical fouls + flagrant fouls at 3.5. Any takers?" and "Was there any doubt that things would get chippy between J.R. Smith and Sasha Vujacic?" you can follow me at twitter.com/scottosports. I'll be updating (tweeting?) before, during, and after all NBA Finals games.)

Be sure to check back at Sports Central on Thursday for Scott Shepherd's NBA Finals preview, and every morning after each NBA Finals game as he recaps all the action.

Posted by Scott Shepherd at 11:24 AM | Comments (1)

No, ESPN, Steroids Still Aren't Okay

Performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs) are the sports story you can't hide from. You can ignore most of the off-field stuff, the DUIs and the marijuana possession, and all the rest. But when a star player is suspended for using steroids or hormones, it's a big story, and it's not going away.

PEDs are the dark side of sports, and many fans are learning to live with the reality that they are part of the 21st-century sports landscape. Manny Ramirez was not the first all-star to get busted for PEDs, and he won't be the last. The more we read about people like Manny, the more I question whether everyone does it and we should just accept the accomplishments of steroid-users.

But now ESPN The Magazine has published a piece that goes further. Zev Chafets (which is Stefahc Vez spelled backwards) argues that steroids are as wholesome as apple pie. His article goes from accepting PEDs, to justifying them, to celebrating them, and finally arguing that any Hall of Fame voter who would oppose a steroid-user should be stripped of his voting rights.

Chafets starts by quoting Cooperstown's Rule 5, that election should be based on "record, playing ability, integrity, sportsmanship, character, and contributions to the team(s) on which the player played." He then notes that some Hall of Famers were bad people off the field, apparently arguing that we should ignore the clauses on "integrity, sportsmanship, [and] character" because they may not have been applied in the past. This is a two-wrongs-make-a-right argument: mistakes were made in the past, so let's make them again.

More importantly, the issue of whether Rogers Hornsby and Ty Cobb were nasty guys off the field (and most accounts agree that they were) is totally irrelevant to the argument. No one is saying Barry Bonds shouldn't be a Hall of Famer because he's a jackass, they say so because he used something to get an unfair advantage in the game: he cheated. The issue here is cheating: "integrity, sportsmanship, character" in the context of the game.

Chafets' argument takes a swerve into the surreal when he compares steroids and other PEDs to now-common medications:

Today, grade-school students take Ritalin, and lawyers go to court on antidepressants or beta-blockers. In the end, aren't they performance-enhancers? Why should ballplayers be different?

The somewhat bizarre comparison to school kids on Ritalin (and get with the times, Mr. Chafets, everyone takes Adderall now) and lawyers on antidepressants is a total non-starter. Those are psychiatric medications people take so they can function normally. Professional athletes use steroids and other PEDs to make their bodies function abnormally. That is a hugely important distinction. Properly prescribed psychiatric drugs don't give anyone an unfair advantage, in school or court or anywhere else. Illegal steroid use occurs for the express purpose of conferring an unfair advantage.

Most ballplayers who use steroids and/or hormones do so illegally. That's not particularly relevant to this argument, but the primary reason those substances are illegal is because they are dangerous. If we condone some players taking steroids, that puts pressure on other players to do the same if they want to be competitive. No one should have to risk his health in that way to play in MLB. Even more importantly, no one should have to risk her or his health to play sports in the minors, or college, or high school. Certainly, no one should read in a major sports publication that steroids are okay.

Chafets never even addresses the health problems that PEDs can lead to, but that is an essential element of this debate. If PEDs were safe, they would be legal, both in baseball and in the criminal justice system, and most athletes would use them. Because they are illegal, and because they are dangerous, many players choose not to. And on the field, those players may be at a disadvantage precisely because of their "integrity, sportsmanship, [and] character." That is why steroids are a problem: not only are they a form of cheating, they are a form of cheating that encourages athletes — of all ages — to endanger their long-term health.

To this point in the article, Chafets has only been trying to justify the use of PEDs in Major League Baseball. At the end of the column, he shifts to actually glorifying, celebrating, players who have used PEDs: "Manny and Bonds, A-Rod and [Roger] Clemens ... earned their spots the old-fashioned way — by doing what was necessary to stand above their peers."

"Doing what was necessary?" Now Chafets writes that use of PEDs is necessary to stand out in today's game! What a depressing thought. When did this go from reluctant acceptance — a position I can understand — to enthusiastic appreciation? Now he's essentially praising the use of PEDs. And how disingenuous to hold up steroid use as "the old-fashioned way," like everyone in the 1930s was on HGH, and this is an admirable tradition that's finally coming back.

In fact, Chafets continues, Hall of Fame voters who oppose steroid-users should lose their voting privileges: "And if the writers don't like this, well, they need to be reminded that they serve as Cooperstown's electoral college at the pleasure of the Hall 's controllers -- a nonprofit organization, not MLB — and they can be replaced." That is a radical argument. What sports fan doesn't have mixed feelings about PEDs? How many of us can't see the other side? Evidently, Chafets cannot. If you disagree with him, he says, you don't deserve a voice. I believe the selection process benefits from a variety of viewpoints. Right now, the majority of voters seem to believe that steroid use should preclude selection to the Hall. It will be interesting to see if that standpoint changes at all over the next 10 or 15 years, as we learn more and more about PEDs in baseball.

The debate over PEDs in sports is complex, and intelligent, fair-minded fans can disagree over how we should react to players like Ramirez and A-Rod. What no one should do, though, is to deliberately encourage use of steroids and other PEDs without serious consideration of the health problems and ethical issues that accompany them.

Posted by Brad Oremland at 11:01 AM | Comments (2)