Hall of Fame Game

This Sunday’s NFC Championship game between the Arizona Cardinals and the Philadelphia Eagles pits two unlikely teams and two elite quarterbacks against each other. The stakes for the teams are high with a trip to Super Bowl XLIII in the balance but it may also cement the Hall of Fame status for one or both of the starting QBs.

The case for Donovan McNabb: McNabb is appearing in his fifth NFC Championship in his 10-year career, with one Super Bowl loss on his resume. He has thrown for nearly 30,000 yards (ranks 33rd in NFL History), run for 3,109 yards and has appeared in five Pro Bowls. McNabb, despite having a tumultuous relationship with the fans in Philadelphia, has been one of the elite quarterbacks this decade leading the Eagles’ West Coast offense, especially when healthy. While he was never the best QB in the league, he has been consistently very good despite never playing with superior wide receiver talent, with the exception of Terrell Owens for less than two seasons.

The Case for Kurt Warner: Warner is the two-time NFL MVP (1999, 2001) and Super Bowl Champion and MVP (1999). He has been elected to his fifth Pro Bowl this season and ranks third all-time in QB rating (93.8) and second all-time in passing accuracy (65.7%). In his 11-year career, Warner has had five outstanding seasons, five mediocre seasons and one non-factor campaign (played in only one game as a rookie). In his first three years with the St. Louis Rams, Warner lead the “Greatest Show of Turf” to great heights, winning two MVPs and going to the Super Bowl twice. The next two seasons were injury and turnover-filled. He landed with the NY Giants in 2004 but it became apparent that he was warming the position for Eli Manning. Then Warner finds the fountain of youth in Arizona, and after a couple seasons battling injury and Matt Leinert for the staring position, Warner puts up back-to-back outstanding seasons in 2007 (3,417 yards, 27 TDs) and 2008 (4,583 yards, 30 TDs).

Verdict: McNabb is an outstanding quarterback who can improve his HOF status with another Super Bowl appearance. McNabb should also have five more productive years to cement his HOF entry. Kurt Warner, despite having a lull in the middle of his career, was so outstanding with the Rams and Cardinals that the two-time MVP should make it to Canton regardless of Sunday’s outcome.

NFL Quarterback Busts

Watching 2005 overall #1 pick Alex Smith get supplanted as the 49ers starting quarterback by J.T. O’Sullivan (a 6th round pick in 2002 NFL Draft) was another reminder of how difficult it is to draft in the NFL, especially QBs.

While the NFL draft is high profile and much is invested in the process, the success rate for quarterbacks is particularly spotty. In the 10 drafts since 1998 there have been 14 quarterbacks taken in the top-5, and in eight of 10 years a QB was taken first overall. The expectation for a top-5 pick, regardless of position, is for a meaningful impact within a few years and an extended, productive NFL career.

How have the top-pick QBs fared? While there have been some excellent players chosen (e.g., Payton Manning), there have also been absolute busts (e.g., Akili Smith) and some merely serviceable QBs (e.g., David Carr).

Results:
Good Picks (7) - Payton Manning (#1 - ’98), Donovan McNabb (#2 - ’99), Michael Vick (#1 - ’01), Carson Palmer (#1 - ’03), Eli Manning (#1 - ’04), Phillip Rivers (#4 - ’04), Vince Young (#3 - ’06)

Absolute Busts (3) - Ryan Leaf (#1 - ’98), Tim Couch (#1 - ’99), Akili Smith (#3 - ’99)

Serviceable Players (3) - David Carr (#1 - ’02), Joey Harrington (#3 - ‘02), Alex Smith (#1 - ’05)

TBD - JaMarcus Russell (#1 - ’07)

So why is the hit rate on QBs so low? There are a slew of hypotheses, including - QB is the most difficult position in football (and thus difficult to project), the NFL game is complicated and college systems don’t translate easily to NFL schemes, and players are forced into starting too soon - given the guaranteed money invested in top draft picks - thus stunting their development.

Quarterback is the most important position in football, and what is unlikely to change is that quarterback will be highly coveted and placed atop NFL draft boards. Drafter beware…

Packers’ Loss is Jets’ Gain

It’s finally done - the Jets have traded for Brett Favre and now he and the Packers can move on.

This represents a sad ending to a storied saga. Favre is the three-time MVP who brought a Super Bowl back to Green Bay after a 29-year absence. Even at 38, Favre is better than an unproven Aaron Rodgers, and in a league known for short term thinking and a win-now mentality, Favre should be the starter in Green Bay. In the end, however, the indestructible and at times primadona-ish wunderkind and the Packers GM and Coach let egos and emotions interfere with a relationship that had at least one more year and possibly another playoff run left.

The Packers’ loss is the Jets’ gain. Favre, like every other Hall-of-famer who changes teams at the end of his career (e.g., O.J. Simpson, Joe Montana, Emmitt Smith, Jerry Rice), will look weird in a Jets uniform. He does not have the offensive weapons he had in Green Bay, and we are more likely to see the 2005 (20 TDs, 20 INTs, 70.9 passer rating) and 2006 (18 TDs, 18 INTs, 72.7 passer rating) Favre as opposed to the 2007 vintage (28 TDs, 15 INTs, 95.7 passer rating). But as long as the child in Favre comes to play on Sundays, the Jets will be exciting and the fans will get a treat as the team prepares to move into a new training facility and stadium.

Favre’s long-time fans, who were unwilling to see him ride off into the sunset, will enjoy another season of his unique play, even if the Jets #4 only vaguely resembles the Green Bay version.

A Lifeline for Tennis

Tennis has been in need of a boost recently. Well they certainly got on this fortnight at Wimbledon.

For the Women, no top-four seed advanced to the Ladies Quarter Finals but Venus and Serena Williams (7th and 6th seeds, respectively) kept winning. Their fate was eventually sealed and they met each other in the Finals. Older sister Venus’s win gave her a fifth Wimbledon singles victory and seventh Grand Slam title. To add more excitement, the sisters combined to win the Women’s double title.

On the Men’s side, the early rounds were also a land mine as Britain’s Andy Murray (12th seed) and Spain’s Feliciano Lopez (31st seed) were the only ranked players not named Federer or Nadal to advance to the Quarter Finals…but not to worry, everyone was looking forward to the Nadal-Federer rematch since Nadal’s dominating French Open Finals victory (6-1, 6-3, 6-0). What we got was a show for the ages, and possibly the best tennis match of all-time. Nadal won the first two sets (6-4, 6-4), and Federer won the third and fourth sets (7-6, 7-6). The final set of this epic match went 9-7 to Nadal, stopping Federer’s streak of five straight Wimbledon titles and yielding Rafa his first.

After all is said and done this was the dream matchup for Tennis - the larger-than-life tennis sisters and the best, most recognizable male tennis players dominated the tournament and the final weekend. While tennis starts to groom new stars we can only hope the US Open can maintain the momentum generated at Wimbledon.

The Underachieving Mets

The Mets are underachieving. The question is what to do about it.

GM Omar Minaya assembled a team to win right now. The older players, including Billy Wagner, Pedro Martinez, Moises Alou, Luis Castillo and Carlos Delgado are in New York to deliver a pennant. With the Metropolitans at 31-34 the squad is playing below expectations and in jeopardy of not making the playoffs again this year after last season’s meltdown (going 5-12 down the stretch). Since the All-Star break last year the Mets are an average team despite having the third-highest payroll in Baseball (and highest in the National League).

Omar Minaya’s track record as Mets GM is mixed: Moises Alou, Pedro Martinez, and Carlos Delgado are older, injury-plagued players who highlight the Mets’ weakness at corner outfield, pitcher and first base. Signing Johan Santana and Carlos Beltran are positives that set the Mets up for the future, and the off-season Lastings Milledge trade for Ryan Church and Brian Schneider worked out well for the Mets despite Church’s lingering concussion.

Willie Randolph has a roster of older players and average role players to compliment underachieving stars Carlos Beltran, Jose Reyes and David Wright. Johan Santana is the one star playing well and is starting to hit his stride as the ace of the staff. Willie seems to have a fractured locker room, and cannot seem to get Jose Reyes, the team’s spark plug, to play up to his All-Star status. As a member of the NY Yankees “Bronx Zoo” of the late 1970s, Willie should be no stranger to a tumultuous locker room.

The $138 million payroll Mets cannot be satisfied with their performance over the last calendar year. While Minaya and Randolph have to be held accountable, the players are also to blame. A significant personnel shakeup is needed and inevitable, though it won’t happen before the off-season. In the meantime, if there is no meaningful turnaround, the GM and Manager will take even more heat. In this scenario Willie (and some of his staff) will find himself on the short end of the stick but it’s not clear that Jerry Manuel or any other manager can get much more out of the current roster.

Much Riding on These Finals for Kobe

This is what Kobe always wanted - a title on his own. In his never-ending quest to surpass Michael Jordan and be considered the best basketball player ever, Kobe Bryant has faced travails along the way. From sharing the spotlight with Shaquille O’Neal to his well-publicized ups and downs with his coach, GM and teammates, the road to stardom has been rocky for Kobe. Despite all of this, or maybe because of it, Kobe has amassed a superior resume (2008 NBA MVP, 10-time All-Star, 8-time All-Defensive team, 3-time NBA Champion), and can be considered the best player in the league over the past several years.

With this Finals appearance, Kobe has a chance to continue his march toward greatness. If Kobe and his Lakers win the 2008 NBA title, Kobe will get his fourth ring, and first without Shaq. With a nice young roster and the return of Andrew Bynum, the Lakers are well-positioned to win more titles in the years to come, which would further enhancing Kobe’s legend.

If however, the Lakers lose the Celtics, Kobe will be 3-2 in NBA Finals and will not have proven that he can win a title without Shaq. Also, Kobe’s pursuit of Michael Jordan (six NBA titles, 6-0 in the Finals, six Finals MVPs), which is unlikely to be attained, will have taken a step back.

Kobe Bryant is on track to become one of the NBA’s all-time greats, and another NBA title is an important accomplishment in his climb up the ladder.

Clash of the Titans (Teams and Coaches)

This year’s Western Conference Finals matches two of the leagues most successful franchises when #1 seed LA Lakers meet the #3 seed San Antonio Spurs. These two teams have won seven of the last nine NBA championships since 1999. Their stars, Kobe Bryant and Tim Duncan, have combined for three league MVPs, seven championships and 21 All-NBA selections.

The most amazing statistic, however, might be that the coaches, Phil Jackson and Gregg Popovich, have combined to win 13 of the last 17 championships since 1991 when Phil, Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, Horace Grant and the rest of the Chicago Bulls burst onto the championship scene. These two coaches, with distinct styles, might go down as the best in NBA history. They are also no strangers to each other, having met five times in the playoff between 1999 and 2004 (Jackson’s Lakers are 3-2). NBA fans will be treated to great basketball and superior coaching in this the most competitive season in NBA and Western Conference history.

Who said coaching does not matter?

Desert Madness

In what many believed was the best division in baseball, the Arizona Diamondbacks are emerging as the class of the NL West, and maybe all of baseball.

The Diamondbacks ended last season by getting swept in the NLCS by the Colorado Rockies, scoring a mere eight runs in the four games. How would this young team bounce back? Very well, thank you!

After the first month of the season, the 2008 Diamondbacks have the best record in baseball, and are pitching well, as expected. Arizona ranks first in ERA and first in batting average against in the majors. Despite losing Doug Davis to thyroid cancer, Brandon Webb, Dan Haren and Micah Owings lead one of the best pitching staffs in the league. If the back end of the rotation, which includes the oft-injured Randy Johnson, can stay healthy and give them quality starts, and the bullpen lead by Brandon Lyon can hold up, the Diamondbacks will be hard to hit. Acquiring Dan Haren from Oakland might prove to be one the best off-season moves in baseball.

Unlike last year’s squad, this Diamondback team is also hitting: they are #1 in runs scored, #1 in slugging, and #2 in OPS (on base plus slugging) in the major league baseball. Justin Upton is one of the baseball’s best young players. Connor Jackson and Mark Reynolds are mashing, and if veterans Eric Byrnes and Orlando Hudson can deliver their usual seasons, this team that everyone thought would struggle offensively might just have the balance necessary to get to the World Series.

The Diamondbacks are building something special. They have a well-rounded team with excellent pitching and a good mix of veterans and young, up-and-coming players. The current league-leading hitting may not continue but if they can score better than in last year’s NLCS, their pitching could just carry them to their second title in their brief, eleven-year history.

Shake Up the West

The NBA’s Western Conference has been the most competitive conference in professional basketball history. All eight playoff teams had 50 wins or more and the ninth place team, Golden State, won 49 games, which would have been good for fourth place in the Eastern Conference. With this competitiveness one would think that all these teams have a chance to reach the Finals. The truth, however, is that several teams are merely good regular season teams and have little chance to make a dent in the playoffs.

Let’s start with the safe teams (conference rank):
1) LA Lakers - The team showed tremendous progress and will only be better when Andrew Bynum returns healthy. The Pau Gasol trade (or steal) positions them well for the next few years.

2) New Orleans Hornets - The team is gaining playoff experience and are performing well under Coach-of-the-Year Byron Scott. So young and so athletic.

3) San Antonio Spurs - The Spurs are aging and need to add youth but certainly don’t need an overhaul

4) Utah Jazz - The Jazz have a solid foundation, and Boozer and Williams give them a terrific duo to build around for many years

5) Houston - This team is showing great heart but is undermanned without Yao. Next year should be a good one for Houston if they can stay healthy and add a roll player or two.

Now the teams that need to go under the knife (conference rank):
6) Phoenix - The Shaq trade looks like a bust. Steve Kerr may have felt that the team with Shawn Marion had no chance of winning but this team with an over-the-hill Shaq and little perimeter defense also is not able to win a title. The Suns would have been better off with Kurt Thomas and Shawn Marion. In trying to save luxury tax money they ended up spending more money and hamstringing themselves for the next two seasons. The Suns are stuck with Shaq and his huge contract, and the window with an aging Steve Nash is closing. This team needs a shakeup but may not have the flexibility to pull it off.

7) Dallas - The Kidd trade did nothing to address the fact that this team is soft, erratic and never recovered from their 2006 Finals implosion. They we not a point guard away from being an elite team. Avery Johnson is a fiery coach with a defensive mindset. He needs players that match his intensity and philosophy.

8) Denver - The Nuggets are loaded with talent but their utter disregard for defense will relegate them to a fun, entertaining regular season team with no chance in the playoffs. This team needs a new coach, a change in philosophy and a roster overhaul. Allen Iverson and Carmelo Anthony cannot continue to score at will and lead a team that surrenders 107 points a game. The dynamic duo might have to be broken up, and some of the underachievers will have to be dealt if this team wants to contend for a title.

Jayhawks Remembered

After Kansas’s thrilling victory in the National Championship game, a game that featured and unbelievable collection of athletes and last minute drama, I started to think about who and what will be remembered about this KU squad. The truth is that while you might recall Marion Chalmers’s shot to send the game to overtime, it is quite likely that the Kansas team, by virtue of its balance and lack of NBA-caliber talent will be hard to remember 10 or 20 years from now (unlike Danny Manning’s 1988 team). This Kansas team did not have a single First Team All-Big 12 performer, and Brandon Rush is likely the best NBA prospect.

Thinking back in history, this #1 seeded KU team may turn out to have the most unmemorable group of championship-winning players in the modern era (post-1980). Even much lower seeded champions (e.g., Villanova #8 seed in 1985 and NC State #6 seed in 1983) as well as a balanced but not star-filled teams (e.g., North Carolina 1993), had all-conference players and produced several first round NBA draft picks that went on have productive NBA careers, including Thurl Bailey, Ed Pinckney, and George Lynch.

Despite their lack of star power, try to remember this KU team for its balance, team work and an incredible 2:12 run to end the forth quarter and take the championship out from under Memphis (a team with several NBA prospects).

Webber - In or Out of the Hall-of-Fame?

After a 15-year NBA career, Chris Webber announced his retirement this week. Now the debate begins about his Hall-of-Fame candidacy.

His career stats of 20.7 points, 9.8 rebounds and 4.2 assists along with four all-star appearances are quite impressive and certainly make a good case for the Hall. Only five players (Wilt Chamberlain, Elgin Baylor, Billy Cunningham, Larry Bird and Kevin Garnett) have averaged 20 points, 9 rebounds and 4 assists per game over their careers and all are in, or in Garnett’s case soon to be in, the Basketball Hall-of-Fame. Webber played for five teams but did most of his damage with the Sacramento Kings, where he played from 1998-2005. His Kings were perennial contenders but only advanced as far as the 2002 NBA Western Conference Finals, losing in seven games to the eventual champion LA Lakers (remember Robert Horry’s game-winning jumper?).

So why would Webber not make the Hall of Fame? To some degree Webber is a victim of not living up to his potential, multiple injuries, and playing in the era of the power forward. After being drafted number one overall, (and traded for Anfernee “Penny” Hardaway), Webber, with all his talent, was expected to be an NBA superstar. He got off to a rocky start during his first five years and bounced through Golden State and Washington before flourishing in Sacramento. Webber, however, never left an indelible mark on the Kings, as he and his running mates Mike Bibby, Peja Stojakovic and Vlade Divac never reached the Finals. At the end of his Kings stay and throughout his career Webber was plagued by injuries, playing in 55 or fewer games in six of his 15 seasons.

Also, Webber was never the preeminent player at his position, having to contend for recognition with all-star power forwards Charles Barkley, Karl Malone, Shawn Kemp, Kevin Garnett, Tim Duncan, Rasheed Wallace and Dirk Nowitzki throughout his career. His mere four all-star appearances despite gaudy statistics are a reflection of the abundance of talent at the power forward position throughout Webber’s career.

As a side note, for those who criticize Webber’s college days and allow that to influence his NBA career evaluation, what he did at Michigan is irrelevant to his NBA legacy. To set the record straight, Webber had a phenomenal college career on the court (leading his team to two NCAA Championship games in his two seasons) that has been unfairly tainted because of an ill-fated time out call and inappropriate activity by boosters.

In the end, in an attempt to maintain the criteria of truly outstanding achievement for Basketball Hall-of-Fame induction, C-Webb might fall just short.

Beasley and Hansbrough: Players of the Year

While we typically frown upon ties or co-MVP, sometimes it is inevitable. This is one of those years, with Michael Beasley of Kansas State and Tyler Hansbrough of North Carolina each staking a claim for NCAA Men’s Basketball Player of the Year.

The case for Michael Beasley: Michael Beasley is having the best statistical year of any freshman EVER (26.5 points per game (3rd in the nation), 12.5 rebounds per game (1st in the nation), 53.7% from the field, 39.5% from 3-point range and a record 26 double-doubles (in 30 games)). Pretty amazing considering that we all thought Kevin Durant’s performance last year at Texas was unbelievable and unapproachable, at least for a few years. Beasley led his team to a 20-10 regular season and some impressive wins, including one over Kansas that broke a 24-year losing streak.

The case for Tyler Hansbrough: Psycho-T, as he is affectionately known, is averaging 23.1 points and 10.5 rebounds per game leading the 29-2 North Carolina Tar Heels to the number one national ranking. Hansbrough averaged over 30 points per game and led his team to a 5-1 record when his All-America point guard Ty Lawson went down with an injury. He is the leader of the best team in the country and never takes a night off.

Beasley’s individual numbers are unmatched but Hansbrough’s team has a better resume, though UNC is more talented and has a better coaching staff.

So how do you break the tie? Maybe you don’t. This is as good a year as any to have co-Players of the Year. Give them both their due recognition.

The Wild Wild West

Of the 15 teams in the NBA’s Western Conference, 10 teams have a winning percentage over .500 (as opposed to five in the Eastern Conference). This year is shaping up to be the best ever with a 50-win team potentially not qualifying for the playoffs.

The tenth seed is Portland, a good team, with a 29-25 record. While they got off to a good start and have a collection of young, talented players, they will have to wait until next year – with the addition of Greg Oden – to compete for a playoff spot.

The playoffs will come down to nine teams fighting for eight seeds and playoff positioning. Here is a look at the top teams by record and their latest moves.

1) New Orleans – Best record in the West and added Bonzi Wells for playoff experience and depth. Good young team but will be facing tremendous pressure down the stretch. They might get overtaken by San Antonio which would lead to an even more difficult first-round matchup. Their lack of experience might cost them this year but as a young team they look like they could be threat for several years.

2) Los Angeles – The addition of Pao Gasol shifted the balance of power in the West. LA got an all-star big man and lost none of its key contributors in the process. Gasol, Lamar Odom, Andrew Bynum, Derek Fisher and Jordan Farmar, along with the other roll players, surround Kobe Bryant, the League’s best player, with a solid cast that could be enough to get the Finals and might keep Kobe in LA past this season. The only question is how will the team perform in their first playoffs together.

3) Phoenix – The Suns added Shaquille O’neal but lost Shawn Marion, their best defender. While Amare Stoudemire benefits greatly from Shaq’s presence, the Suns are still too weak defensively to win four playoff series.

4) San Antonio – Aging defending champs. The addition of Kurt Thomas and Damon Stoudamire will help take pressure off the Big Three (Duncan, Ginobli and Parker) in the playoffs. The champs are tough to beat four times, and therefore hard to bet against.

5) Utah – Solid. Solid. Solid. The addition of Kyle Korver has paid huge dividends and the team is as complete as any and had a nice playoff run to build on last year. Nobody wants to face the Jazz in this year’s playoffs.

6) Dallas – Added Jason Kidd (leadership, toughness and rebounds) but lost size and depth. Even with Kidd, Dallas does not have enough to get over the hump in this year’s Western Conference playoffs.

7) Houston – Tracy McGrady and Yao Ming present two matchup problems. Luis Scola’s emergence has helped propel this team back into the playoffs. This tough defensive team might finally get out of the first rounds but don’t look for them to go much further.

8) Denver – Very talented team but does not play enough defense to advance far in the playoffs. The Nuggets made no moves before the trade deadline, and thus are the biggest wild card. They could be one and done, win a series or might not even qualify for the playoffs.

9) Golden State – The Warriors had a magical playoff run last year and are a dangerous offensive juggernaut. This team may not make the playoffs (currently one game out) but could present a difficult matchup in the first round (ask Dallas).

Shaq’s Franchise-Saving Days are Over

The latest deal between the Miami Heat and Phoenix Suns, swapping Shaquille O’Neal for Shawn Marion and Marcus Banks contains a lot of risk for Phoenix, and offers a new beginning for Miami.

From Miami’s perspective – this is a great deal. Someone is willing to take Shaq and his bloated contract - with two years at $20 million dollars per year remaining- off their hands. Shaq is probably not the ideal player to have on a young, losing team, and is reported to have had some run-ins with coach Pat Riley.

Shawn Marion can opt-out of his $16.4 million contract at the end of this season. If he does, then the Heat will have flexibility to sign an impact free agent like Elton Brand. If Marion chooses to re-sign with the Heat, then they will have an athletic veteran to compliment a young-but-injured superstar in Dwyane Wade. In either event, by virtue of their horrible season thus far, the Heat will likely have excellent position in the upcoming NBA draft, and the team can quickly go from cellar-dweller without much salary cap flexibility or depth to Eastern Conference contender.

From Phoenix’s perspective – this is a bold, risky and almost desperate move by rookie GM Steve Kerr. Despite reports that Marion is unhappy, the Phoenix Suns are an excellent team who sport the second-best record in the league and sit atop the ultra-competitive Western Conference. Phoenix’s thinking is probably something like this: the Suns have not been able to get over the hump in the Western Conference playoffs as currently constructed (thought they did add Grant Hill this year), and with an aging leader in Steve Nash, they might have to strike while the iron is hot. Also, with Utah, Golden State, Portland and the Lakers all improving, and LA’s acquisition of Pau Gasol, the Western Conference is even tougher this year.

Phoenix needs a defensive presence and toughness that (a vibrant, healthy and maybe younger) Shaq could provide. Shaq, however, is hobbling with hip bursitis and for the past two years has not been the dominant force the NBA has come to know throughout his illustrious career. Worth noting is that, Kurt Thomas, a player the Suns had last year, could have helped for $8 million per year but was let go for Luxury Tax avoidance.

The Suns, a running and shooting team that plays sporadic defense, might get a part-time, half-court player out of Shaq, much like what the Lakers received from Kareem Abdul-Jabbar at the end of his career. For this deal to work out for Phoenix, Shaq must be relatively healthy and willing to play the role of the third or fourth best player on his team – a role he has never had to assume. These are significant risks for a perennial playoff team on the verge of another deep playoff run.

Changing of the Guards

Point guard, along with center, has been an NBA glamour position. Earvin “Magic” Johnson, Oscar Robertson, Bob Cousy, Nate “Tiny” Archibald and Isiah Thomas were point guards that excited fans over the years and helped elevate the NBA to lofty heights. For the past few years, however, the NBA point guard position has lacked depth and star power, and only the aging Steve Nash, Jason Kidd, Baron Davis and Chauncey Billups have carried the torch consistently. (Dwyane Wade and Allen Iverson are not pure point guards and thus left out of this group).

Then came the 2005 NBA Draft and provided two gems - Deron Williams and Chris Paul, the number three and four picks in the Draft. These two point guards have different styles but are nonetheless super players. In just their third season, both players are on track to lead their teams to the playoffs, and in Paul’s case, he is leading the Hornets to the third-best record in the league.

Deron Williams is averaging 19.3 points and 9.2 assists per game, shooting an impressive 51.9% from the field and 39.7% from the three point line in the difficult Western Conference. With his size, strength and intelligence, Williams excels in coach Jerry Sloan’s offensive system, and in just his third year has established himself as one of the premier guards in the league.

Chris Paul’s accomplishments this season may be even more impressive than his counterpart’s. Paul is averaging 21.1 points and 10.4 assists per game (third in the league), and leads the NBA in assists at 2.7 per game. He is shooting 48.9% from the field, 36.6% from the three point line and 88.4% from the free throw line. Paul is leading the Hornets to the third-best record in the NBA, and getting the best out of the likes of David West, Tyson Chandler and Peja Stojakovic, all good but not great players, and doing it in front of a less-than-full arena in New Orleans. The Wake Forest guard is making a strong case for league MVP given the Hornets’ success, the strength of the Western Conference, and the team’s lack of star power.

Thanks to these young stars, the state of the point guard position seems to be in good hands for a long time.

NBA Hall of Fame - Knocking on the Door

These NBA players with 10+ years of service are border-line Hall of Famer candidates who need to play at their current level for a few more years in order to secure their HOF entry.

Dirk Nowitzki - The 2006-2007 NBA MVP is the anchor of a stellar Dallas Mavericks team that won 67 games last year but was beaten in the first round by the eighth-seeded Golden State Warriors. He had taken the Mavs to the NBA Finals the previous year and has career averages of 22.3 PPG and 8.6 RPG while shooting an impressive 47% from the field, 38% from three and 87% from the line. Another NBA Finals and maybe a title would help propel Dirk into the Hall.

Tracy McGrady - The injury prone “T-Mac” is devastating when on the court. He is a seven-time NBA All-Star and a two-time scoring champion with impressive career numbers of 22.4 PPG, 6.2 RPG, 4.6 APG and 1.4 SPG. His major knock, aside from his health, is his lack of playoff success. McGrady has played in six playoff series but has yet to exit the first round. More games played and significant playoff achievements are needed to bolster his candidacy.

Steve Nash - Nash is the ultimate playmaker and teammates love playing with him. In 12 seasons he has career numbers of 14.1 PPG, 7.7 APG, 48.4% FG, and 89.8% FT - all impressive but not Hall of Fame stats. For Nash it is imperative to examine his last three-and-a-half seasons in Phoenix. With the Suns Nash is averaging an impressive 17.1 PPG, 11.3 APG, 51.5% FG, 44.4% 3PT and 90.5% FT. These three-plus seasons also include two NBA MVP awards and a Western Conference Finals appearance. If Nash keeps up his level of play he won’t be kept out of the Hall.

Vince Carter - “Vincanity” is a prolific scorer and tremendous athlete in his 10th year. “Half Man, Half Amazing” is an eight-time All-Star and boasts career numbers that are the envy of most: 24.0 PPG, 5.4 RPG and 4.1 APG. His limited playoff success and lack of defensive prowess, however, hurt his candidacy.

Ray Allen - Allen is a tremendous shooter, one of the best in NBA history, and is second all-time in three pointers made (trailing only Reggie Miller). The former U Conn star has had a stellar NBA career, being named an All-Star seven times and posting impressive stats: 21.6 PPG, 4.6 RPG, 3.9 APG, 39.6% 3PT and 88.9% FT. His teams have made the playoffs only four times in his 11+ year career, making one Eastern Conference Finals. Allen has averaged an impressive 24.9 PPG and shot 43.5% from three-point range in the playoffs. Continued offensive success and a few impressive playoff runs with the Celtics over the next few years would help overcome his lack of defense and improve Allen’s HOF chances.

Grant Hill - Grant Hill was Co-Rookie of the Year (with Jason Kidd) in 1995 and had an unbelievable first six years of his career, averaging 21.6 PPG, 7.9 RPG, 6.3 APG, and 1.6 SPG. In that span he was an Eastern Conference All-Star starter five times and joined Wilt Chamberlain as the only players to lead their teams in points, rebounds and assists three times. Hill then had a serious ankle injury, several procedures and setbacks, and has never been the same. From 2000-2006 with Orlando Grant Hill played more than 30 games only once - in the 2004-2005 season (67 games). Though Hill may not make the Hall of Fame, when healthy he was one of the best and most versatile players.

NBA Hall of Fame Here We Come

The NBA Hall of Fame is a tough door to crack open. These players with 10+ years of NBA experience are locks to get in.

Shaquille O’Neal - “The Diesel” is a four-time NBA champion, a 14-time All-Star and the 2000 NBA MVP. His tremendous career numbers of 25.6 PPG 11.5 RPG and 2.4 BPG as well as his intimidating presence establish him as one the best centers and players of all time.

Tim Duncan - “Timmy” is a four-time NBA champion, a two-time NBA MVP, a 10-time All-NBA player and a 10-time All-Defense performer. Duncan is the best power forward in NBA history and a lock for the HOF even if his career were to end today.

Kevin Garnett - “The Big Ticket” is a 10-time All-Star, an eight-time All-Defense player and the NBA MVP in 2004. He is the first player to average 20 points 10 rebounds and four assists in nine consecutive seasons. His impact on his teams - Minnesota and now Boston - is undisputable. Garnett instantly makes his teams competitive, unselfish and defensively tough.

Kobe Bryant - Kobe is a nine-time All-Star; seven-time All-Defense player and three-time NBA champion. He recently scored 20,000 points and probably has a good half-decade or more left in the tank.

Jason Kidd - Jason Kidd is an eight-time All-Star, a nine-time All-Defense player and has led his team to two NBA finals. He ranks third all-time in triple doubles, seventh in assists and 12th in steals, and even more than his numbers would indicate, Kidd is the quintessential point guard and team leader.

Allen Iverson - The number one overall pick in the 1996 NBA draft, “The Answer” is an eight-time All-Star, a four-time scoring champion and the 2001 NBA MVP. Despite being 6’0” and 165 lbs, AI is tremendously resilient, having played 11+ seasons and boasting gaudy career numbers of 27.8 PPG, 6.3 APG and 2.3 SPG.

What’s in a Name?

Plenty. Eli Manning has the premier name in quarterbacking. It is his name, “Manning,” that might turn out to be his best asset and his worst enemy.

Eli Manning was a solid quarterback on a weak Ole Miss team, and by virtue of his name and a solid senior year, was drafted number one overall in the 2004 NFL Draft. Eli, with the aid of his father, NFL legend Archie Manning, was able to orchestrate a trade away from the San Diego Chargers, who owned the number one pick, to the New York Giants. If Eli were not a “Manning” - Archie’s son and MVP Payton’s brother - he would not have been drafted first overall or been able to insist on a blockbuster trade.

After nearly four years in the NFL, Eli Manning has turned out to be a middle-of-the-road quarterback. His career 55% completion percentage, 71 TDs and 61 INTs are less than spectacular, especially for the number one overall selection. Manning is currently the 24th ranked quarterback in the NFL after finishing the 2006 season as the 18th highest rated quarterback. Eli’s 74 QB rating, 17 TDs and 17 INTs during this his fourth season is particularly unimpressive for a quarterback who has started 51 games and should be improving and showing more consistency.

While other quarterbacks selected number one overall have fared worse - Alex Smith (2005), David Carr (2002), Tim Couch (1999) - Manning is certainly not what the Giants thought they were getting when they traded for him in 2004. His on-field performance has been up and down and he has shown very few of the leadership and intangible qualities that top quarterbacks display.

If his name were anything other than “Manning,” Eli would be recognized as a decent but inconsistent quarterback - at times showing signs of brilliance while at times making bad mistakes - and would not have the spotlight shining so brightly on him.

Give a Sophomore the Heisman Already

20/20 - great numbers at the eye doctor’s office, for a basketball player, and even better for a college quarterback. 20 passing TDs and 20 rushing TDs in the same season is exactly what Tim Tebow reached in Florida’s convincing 59-20 win over Florida Atlantic. Tebow is the first player in Division 1-A (or Bowl Subdivision as it is now called) to throw and rush for 20+ TDs in one season. In fact, he is now the most prolific single season rushing TD scorer in SEC history.

So why shouldn’t he win the Heisman? Historians will tell you that a sophomore has never won the coveted award (since 1935 it has been won by 15 juniors and the rest seniors). Herschel Walker (an eventual winner), Doak Walker (an eventual winner), Marshall Faulk, Adrian Peterson, Darren McFadden and others all came close but never won the trophy as underclassmen. So what! Tebow’s accomplishments (2,870 passing yards (68.5% completion percentage), 749 rushing yards and 46 TDs) on a consistently Top-15 team are remarkable. Tebow’s combined individual and team accomplishments are far greater than any upperclassman in the Heisman race, including QBs Dennis Dixon, Chase Daniel, Pat White, Colt Brennan, and Matt Ryan, as well as RB Darren McFadden and DT Glenn Dorsey. The idea that Tebow should be penalized because he is an underclassman is outdated and silly.

Tebow, with his unprecedented sophomore season, is well deserving of the Heisman Trophy, and a worthy candidate to finally break a foolish unwritten rule in sports.

The Marbury Experiment Goes Awry Again

Stephon Marbury is one of the most talented players in the NBA and has amassed excellent numbers in his illustrious and enigmatic 11+ year professional career. His 19.8 points and 7.9 assists per game put him in an exclusive category of NBA players to average 19+ points and eight assists per game, joining only Oscar Roberston, Isiah Thomas and Magic Johnson. Despite his individual accomplishments, which include two NBA All-Star appearances, Marbury’s career is also marked by disappointment and underachievement.

After a heralded high school career and one year at Georgia Tech, Marbury was drafted fourth overall in 1996 by the Milwaukee Bucks who traded him to the Minnesota Timberwolves for the rights to Ray Allen. In Minnesota, despite being part of a talented young team and two playoff appearances, Stephon was unwilling to share the spotlight with Kevin Garnett and Tom Gugliotta, and was traded to the New Jersey Nets. In two-and-a-half seasons in New Jersey, Marbury did not win much and was eventually moved to the Phoenix Suns for Jason Kidd. Marbury’s Phoenix teams made the playoffs in his first half-season, and managed only a first-round playoff loss. His next two seasons were again losing campaigns in which the Suns did not make the playoffs despite Marbury putting up his usual good stats (over 20 points and eight assist each year). In contrast, Jason Kidd quickly established himself as the Nets’ franchise anchor, and has led them to two NBA Finals and multiple playoff appearances since the trade.

New York Knicks GM Isiah Thomas engineered a trade to bring the Brooklyn native back to NY during the 2003-2004 season, and hope once again emerged that this gifted point guard could help lead a franchise to success. His tenure in New York, however, may be the worst of his career. With the Knicks, Marbury seems to be a malcontent, at times not knowing his role, and his performance on the court recently has suffered. Hall of Famers Lenny Wilkens, Larry Brown and Isiah Thomas have all failed to turn Marbury into the player that he should be given his tremendous skills.

What’s next for Star-bury? His approved or unapproved departure from the team notwithstanding, trading Marbury with nearly $40 million owed him over the next two years is difficult. Marbury is an exceptional talent but his leadership and defense, two anchors of the point guard position, have consistently been called into question.

Isiah Thomas may ultimately go down with Stephon Marbury, which might not be bad for the Knicks as now they can officially rebuild (a taboo for years) and cut ties with Thomas, Marbury and a few more of the overpaid and underperforming Knickerbockers.

How ‘Bout Them...Browns

After a miserable 4-12 season in 2006 that landed the Cleveland Browns the third pick in this year’s NFL draft (which they used on OT Joe Thomas) the Cleveland Browns sit at 5-3 and in second place in the AFC North at the midway point in the NFL season. Charlie Frye started as the signal caller after winning a pre-season coin flip. Following a miserable 34-7 loss to Pittsburgh in the opener, Frye was shipped out of town and Derek Anderson has stepped in and performed brilliantly. The 24-year-old Anderson’s play has quieted the Brady Quinn talk, relegating the Notre Dame star and first round pick to backup duty with no end in sight.

The offensive triumvirate of QB Derek Anderson, WR Braylon Edwards and TE Kellen Winslow is playing great and all three are worthy of Pro-Bowl consideration. With the Big-Three, a productive offensive line and solid play from Jamal Lewis, Jason Wright and Joe Jurevicius, the Browns offense is clicking. The unit ranks fourth in total offense and fourth in points scored in the NFL. The firepower is largely through the air as the running game ranks 17th despite a respectable 4.3 yards per carry.

Defense, however, is another story. Romeo Crennel, the defensive minded head coach and architect of the New England Patriots’ championship defenses, still has work to do to make the Browns defense respectable. The 2006 Browns ranked 27th in total defense and the 2007 squad is worse statistically, ranking last in total yards and third-worst in points per game allowed, surrendering over 411.8 yards and 29.1 points per contest, respectively. If Crennel can have more success building a defense than Marvin Lewis, another defensive guru turned head coach of an offensive team, has had in Cincinnati, the future may be bright again for the Cleveland Browns.

The Unstoppable Force and Immovable Object

Despite the consensus that it must be done, trading Kobe Bryant, arguably the NBA’s best player, may be the league’s hardest deal to execute. Lakers Owner Jerry Buss wants to trade Kobe, Kobe would like to move on to another team, and Phil Jackson has even said that he wants the distraction to be resolved one way or the other. So why is it so difficult to deal Kobe?

Kobe Bryant and his $19.4 million salary for the 2007-2008 season (roughly 30% of the Lakers’ payroll) alone are hard to move under NBA’s trade guidelines. Add to that his full no-trade clause, only two guaranteed seasons remaining on his contract, and the fact that he wants to go to a team that post-trade will be better than the Lakers are currently, and you’ve got a nearly immovable object.

If history is any indication, the Lakers need to be prepared to accept a less-than-perfect deal. Trades for superstars in their productive years almost always leave the superstar’s old team on the losing end of the transaction. That is one reason very few superstars are traded in basketball. Over the past four decades, future hall-of-famers traded in or near their prime, including Allen Iverson, Shaquille O’Neal (past his prime but still helped win a title), Charles Barkley, Moses Malone, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Wilt Chamberlain have returned their old teams less value than was lost. The trades may have worked for other reasons, such as a star wearing out his welcome, but the on-court production rarely comes close.

While speculation swirls around the Bulls, Mavericks and Wizards, with several other teams trying to “low-ball” the Lakers, according to Lakers management, something has to give. If this trade is to be made everyone needs to be willing to sacrifice; Kobe will have to agree go to a team that will give up talent to get him, the team that acquires Kobe will have to incorporate him into a mediocre squad that will resemble the pre-trade Lakers, and the Lakers will have to be prepared to receive less value than they are giving up.

But then happiness comes at a price.

Red Sox Establishing Themselves as Franchise to Beat

With their four game World Series sweep of the Colorado Rockies, the Red Sox are not only the best team in baseball but also establishing themselves are a model franchise for big-market clubs. The Red Sox have an impressive balance of youth and veteran players, and now have significant World Series experience throughout the organization.

After not making the playoffs in 2006, the Red Sox reloaded and never looked back. They were the best team in baseball for the entire 2007 season accomplishing that feat while incorporating seven rookies, inexperienced or new players: Daisuke Matsuzaka (age: 27), Hideki Okajima (32), Jon Lester (23), who was diagnosed with non-Hodgkins lymphoma last season and is the comeback story of the year, Kason Gabbard (25), Clay Buchholz (23), Dustin Pedroia (24), and Jacoby Ellsbury (24). Gabbard was traded at the trade deadline to the Rangers for Eric Gagne, a calculated gamble that did not pan out for the Sox, but the team did not skip a beat.

The Red Sox roster also includes several young, talented and signed players, including Jonathan Papelbon (26), Kevin Youkilis (28) and Manny Delcarmen (25). Their veterans are also inked: Josh Beckett is under contract through 2009, David Ortiz and Julio Lugo are inked through 2010, and J.D Drew signed through 2011 this past off-season. Manny Ramirez has one year left with two option years after that.

The only question marks are Mike Lowell, who is 33 (aging in Boston’s eyes) but hit .324 and drove in the 120 runs in 2007, and Curt Schilling, who showed he still has some gas left in the tank. Not bad for a team that just won two out of the last four World Series.

Can Anything Stop the Rockies' Momentum?

After sweeping the Arizona Diamondbacks as they did the Philadelphia Phillies, the Colorado Rockies are possibly the hottest team in Baseball history. Clint Hurdle’s crew have won a remarkable 21 of their last 22 games (including playoffs), and won their first seven playoff games.

After 15 seasons this expansion team is going to the World Series. They hit (1st in batting average, 2nd in runs in the NL), they defend (1st in fielding percentage in the NL) and their one weakness, pitching, has held up nicely in the playoffs. The Rockies’ 4.32 regular season ERA (8th in the NL) was lowered to 2.33 in NLDS and 1.89 in NLCS.

So what can hurt the Rockies? The eight day layoff - a period of time players have not had off since spring training in February - until the start of the World Series. While you cannot fault MLB and Fox for scheduling game one of the Word Series for October 24, the Rockies get to sit home and wait for more than a week as a reward for their playoff excellence. The long layoff would be even more frustrating to the Rockies and baseball fans if the Indians are able to pull off a quick series victory.

Whether they face the Red Sox or the Indians, the Rockies will play another cold weather team that can hit and pitch. It should make for a good match-up and maybe a long, competitive World Series that could see baseball extend into November.

When Hot Meets Hotter

The Colorado Rockies and the Philadelphia Phillies might just be the hottest two teams in MLB history, and meet each other in one NLDS. The Phillies are 13-4 in their last 17 games and have completed the biggest comeback in MLB history erasing a seven game deficit in those last 17 games. The Rockies were no less impressive going 14-1 in their last 15 games, and are coming off a one-game, 13-inning, exhilarating 9-8 play-in victory against San Diego.

It's too bad one of these teams must lose.

Philadelphia overcame shaky, inconsistent and injured riddled pitching as well as injuries to two of its stars, Chase Utley and Ryan Howard - MVP candidates in any other year, to win the pennant. The Phillies led the NL in runs scored and hit the second-most home runs. They earned their first playoff birth since 1993 and have been led all season by Jimmy Rollins, the engine that could…get 716 at-bats, a new MLB record). Rollins played in all 162 games, played well at shortstop, and led the NL with 139 runs to go along with his .294 average, 30 HRs, 94 RBIs and 41 stolen bases. All of this leads to Rollins being a top NL MVP candidate (along with Matt Holliday of the Rockies). Their top six hitters (Rollins, Victorino, Utley, Howard, Rowand and Burrell) are imposing and resemble an AL lineup.

Colorado led the NL in average (.280) and came in second in runs scored to the Phillies. Colorado played in the most competitive division in baseball, the NL West. For most of the season Arizona and San Diego were penciled in as playoff participants, though Colorado was always in the rear view mirror until they put together their magical September run.

The Rockies have offense fire power, set a record for fielding percentage, and are entering the playoffs with a ton of confidence. The Rockies are led by their MVP candidate, Matt Holiday, who led the NL with a .340 average, and had 36 HRs, 137 RBIs, an on-base percentage of .405, and OPS of 1.012, but also got significant contributions from Todd Helton, Troy Tulowitzki, Garrett Atkins and Brad Hawpe.

While offense rarely rules in the playoff, this series could be an exception. These two hot, offensive-oriented teams playing in hitter friendly ballparks might just make this a very exciting and high scoring series. Play Ball!

Reggie Bush Gets a Chance to Earn His Stripes

Reggie Bush was last year’s college football sweetheart - after all he was the Heisman Trophy winning USC running back with multiple national championships, and he was expected to be the number one pick in the 2006 NFL draft. That is until the Houston Texans and their outgoing GM Charlie Casserly decided to go with the “signable” pick, defensive end Mario Williams from NC State.

While Williams was a talented player who had a productive college career as well as an impressive NFL Combine performance, no one expected him to be selected number one. The logic was that Reggie Bush or Vince Young would be the right choice for a struggling franchise that had question marks at QB (#1 overall pick David Carr who was released after the 2006-2007 season) and RB (Domanick Davis was running out of favor in Houston).

Williams ended up in Houston, Reggie Bush landed in New Orleans, and Vince Young was selected third by the Tennessee Titans and won Rookie of the Year last season. While everyone praised the Reggie Bush pick at the time, some are now saying that Williams and Young are better pro prospects. This is an overreaction to Reggie Bush’s slow start in 2007 (80 rushing yards at 2.8 yards per carry with two TDs and 16 receptions at 4.4 yards per catch) but a key injury has provided Bush the opportunity to prove his worth.

Deuce McAllister tore his ACL in Monday night’s game against Tennessee, potentially jeopardizing his career, and now Bush has to carry more of the running load. McAllister with his 244 carries for 1057 yards and 10 rushing TDs plus 30 receptions, was the single most important reason Bush’s rookie year was successful. McAllister allowed Bush to ease into his role as running back / play maker and not be the primer ball carrier. (Drew Brees’s 4,418 yards and 26 TDs also helped lessen the load for Bush). Bush tallied 155 rushes at 3.6 per carry and six TDs as well as an impressive 88 catches and two TDs in his rookie campaign.

Had Reggie Bush gone to Houston, he would have been the primary runner behind a weak offensive line and may not have survived the 2006 season. With McAllister out, this is Bush’s chance to prove that he is a worthy number two overall pick and a bona fide NFL runner who can carry the ball 20-25 times a game.

Draft Vince Young for Wins Not Stats

He did it again. While Vince Young and the Titans did not win their last game, they gave the defending NFL champion Colts all they could handle. Young had the ball near mid field with a chance to win the game before a 4th down turnover ultimately cost the Titans the game 22-20.

By all objective measures, Vince Young’s statistics are terrible (and thus he is a bad fantasy football pickup): He had a passer rating of 66.7 and had the lowest completion percentage of any starting quarterback in the NFL (except teammate Kerry Collins) at 51.5% last season. (The QB’s directly ahead of him in completion percentage last year were Michael Vick, Jason Campbell, Andrew Walter, Drew Bledsoe and Bruce Gradkowski). He also threw 13 interceptions to go along with his 12 touchdowns in 2006. Last year was his rookie season and he has improved a bit in his first two games of 2007, with a passer rating of 76.3 and a completion percentage of 62.2%. Still, these numbers are well below average for NFL quarterbacks.

What passer statistics don’t capture is that VY is 9-6 in games he started, and gives a weak Titans team a chance to win every time he takes the field. These Titans are one of the five least talented NFL teams, yet miraculously Vince Young keeps the word playoffs in the Tennessee lexicon. Young’s winner’s mentality, an intangible that many NFL quarterbacks lack, was on full display at the University of Texas. Young boasted a 30-2 record as a starter at UT and put up back-to-back amazing Rose Bowl MVP performances against Michigan in 2005 and USC in 2006.

While Vince has to trust his arm, work on his accuracy, and the Titans need to upgrade the talent level around him, what we are witnessing is the emergence of a young, talented leader and winner who makes football exciting again in Tennessee.

USA Basketball is Back

It’s official - by virtue of its performance in the FIBA Americas Championship, Team USA Basketball has qualified for the Beijing Olympics. While this does not seem like a huge accomplishment it is a first step toward reclaiming their position on top of the international basketball world.

Team USA has stumbled, or more accurately the rest of the world has improved dramatically, since the 1992 Dream Team burst on the scene to create arguably the greatest spectacle in international sports. After riding high for the first eight years after the Dream Team’s coming out party in Barcelona, Team USA has struggled, finishing Sixth in the 2002 World Championship, winning bronze in the 2004 Athens Olympics, and capturing Bronze in the 2006 World Championships in Japan.

This team is different from the others that have shown poorly in international play the last several years for a number of reasons. First is the commitment of the stars to Jerry Colangelo and Mike Krzyzewski’s three-year program. Second is the roster. The three legitimate point guards (Jason Kidd, Chauncey Billups and Deron Williams) and the shooters (Michael Redd and Kobe Bryant) make this most recent team ready for the international game, and getting Dwyane Wade back will only improve the guard play. The most impressive feat is the dedication to defense, highlight by Kobe Bryant’s defensive performance. When the best player in the world decides to clamp down and be the best defensive player in the arena every night, it inspires the rest of the team to play hard on both sides of the court.

This team is lacking a bit upfront, especially compared with other Team USAs, but this is the best team since the original Dream Team because of their commitment, camaraderie and the fact that the US has been humbled recently. If everyone stays healthy and keeps playing well together, Beijing could be a repeat of Barcelona, providing Team USA the opportunity to showcase its talent and reestablish its position atop the international basketball world.

A Big Problem in the Big House

Appalachian State completed the biggest upset in FBS (former Division 1-A) college football as they beat the #5 rated Michigan Wolverines, in Ann Arbor no less. Appalachian State, the FCS (former Division 1-AA) school located in Boone, North Carolina, may have been the best of the former 1-AA schools, but to go into the Big House and beat Michigan was truly unthinkable.

Michigan’s hopes of a National Championship are done as Michigan’s coaching and defense let it down. Chad Henne, Mike Hart, Jake Long and Mario Manninngham, who performed admirably, returned to school to pursue a title but now they have to regroup and focus on salvaging a season that began miserably. Those four will likely be gone next year, as might coach Lloyd Carr.

Carr has an impressive coaching resume, with a 113-37 record (75% winning percentage), five big-10 titles, and a national championship in 1997. So what’s the problem? Carr has lost his last four Bowl games and has a career Bowl record of 5-7 as the UM head coach. Most importantly to UM alumni though, despite being 6-6 against Ohio State, he has gone 1-4 in the past half-decade against the hated Buckeyes. For Carr to keep his job he might have to win his remaining games before the OSU showdown and win the OSU game and / or a major Bowl game. If that seems like a high standard, just look at what happened to John Cooper who was quite successful at Ohio State but could not beat Michigan, and eventually got fired.

Thanks Commissioner (For the Wild Card at Least)

While former-owner-turned-commissioner Bud Selig may have supporters and detractors, what is certain is that he has presided over significant changes in baseball that have will have a lasting effect on the game. We are not talking about relative labor peace, the 1994 work stoppage or even steroids, no, we are talking about these fundamental Selig-driven changes: 1) Realignment and adding a Central Division, which led to a Wild Card playoff team and an extra playoff round; 2) Inter-league play; 3) The unbalanced schedule - where teams play a disproportionate amount of games versus their division opponents; and 4) Home-field advantage via the All-Star game.

The most significant of these changes is realignment and the Wild Card. While traditionalists may still object to the Wild Card (they seem to object to any change), the change has been great for baseball. It has heightened the playoff race drama and increased the number of teams and fans interested in baseball in August and September when traditionally teams are knocked out of playoff contention.

Since it was implemented in 1995 (1994 playoffs were cancelled due to a work stoppage), there have been four Wild Card World Series champions (1997 Marlins, 2002 Angels, 2003 Marlins, 2004 Red Sox), and the 2002 Series was an all-Wild Card affair.

This year the NY Yankees, Cleveland Indians / Detroit Tigers, Seattle Mariners, Philadelphia Phillies, Atlanta Braves, Colorado Rockies and LA Dodgers are the grateful teams as they are all within three games of the Wild Card.

Basketball Is Back In Boston

With the completion of the Kevin Garnett trade the Boston Celtics become relevant in the East and have a decent shot at contending for Conference title. In exchange for Garnett, the Celtics gave up one prized young player (Al Jefferson), one solid young role player (Ryan Gomes), an expiring contract (Theo Ratliff) and two young players with questionable impact potential (Sebastian Telfair and Gerald Green), as well as two number one picks. Not a bad deal to get one on the game’s best players, and one of the top-50 of all time.

What this does for Boston is give fans a reason to be interested again. Since the end of the Bird-Mchale era there has been little to enjoy on the court in Beantown. From Reggie Lewis’s death to moving out of the Boston Garden to losing out on Tim Duncan to the uninspiring Pitino era to Danny Ainge’s ineffectiveness, basketball has not been very good for Boston Fans. When the highlight of the past 15 years is seeing Paul Pierce and Antoine Walker lose to New Jersey in the Eastern Conference Finals in 2001-2002, Celtics fans have every right to be disappointed as they hold onto the distant memory of their 16 NBA Championships.

With Kevin Garnett (22.4 ppg; 12.8 rpg; 4.1 apg last season), Paul Pierce (25.0 ppg; 5.9 rpg; 4.1 apg last season) and Ray Allen (26.4 ppg; 4.5 rpg; 4.1 apg last season) on the same team the Celtics will have the best trio the league has seen in a long time. What these guys seem to have in common is that they are all good guys who have been desperate to win but have found themselves on awful franchises mired in losing for the past several years. They are all very good shooters, with Allen being exceptional, each from different spots on the floor. (They also shoot free throws very well.) Garnett is an excellent defender and rebounder while Pierce fairs well on the boards for a swing man and Allen contributes on the glass for a shooter. Interestingly, they each averaged 4.1 assists per game in 2006-2007, showing that they can share the ball. Most importantly, they have all carried a team for several years and seem willing to sacrifice personal accolades for the betterment of the team.

So can Garnett, Pierce and Allen lead the Celtics back to the NBA Finals? Though the other two starters, Kendrick Perkins and Rajon Rondo, don’t evoke fear, the Celtics big-three is fantastic and the competition is weak. With an Eastern Conference highlighted by an aging Detroit team, and under-manned Cavs team, a young and inexperienced Bulls team, and a Heat team with several major questions, why not add the Celtics to the mix. While they may not win an NBA title the new Boston trio will certainly make the Celtics relevant again, fun to watch and who knows, we might just be watching the Celtics in June Again. Just don’t bring back Tom Heinson to call the games.

Curtis Martin The Unspectacular Hall of Famer

After 11 super productive, yet rarely spectacular seasons, Hall-of-Famer-to-be Curtis Martin retired today. Martin came out of the University of Pittsburgh and immediately established himself as a force to be reckoned with rushing for 1,487 yards and 14 touchdowns as a rookie for the New England Patriots in 1995. He went on to rush for 1,000 yards for 10 consecutive seasons with the Patriots and the New York Jets. His best season was 2004 when he rushed for 1,697 yards and 12 touchdowns, averaging 4.6 yards per carry.

A model of durability and consistency, Martin finished his career as the NFL’s fourth leading rusher of all time with 14,101 yards to go along with 90 rushing touchdowns and 484 receptions. His only knock is a 4.0 yards per carry average but he was the epitome of a workhorse averaging 1,282 yards and 320 carriers per season, and missing only eight games in 11 seasons at the most demanding position in professional football. Martin has also been to a Super Bowl (1996 season) and an AFC Championship (1998 season).

Martin may be the lowest profile Hall-of-Famer you may come across. He is behind only Emmitt Smith, Walter Payton and Barry Sanders on the all-time rushing list, and ahead of Jerome Bettis, Eric Dickerson, Tony Dorsett, Jim Brown, Marshall Faulk and Marcus Allen, among others, yet rarely gets recognized as a top NFL rusher. Now that he is retired, fans may begin to appreciate Martin’s achievements.

Barry Bonds - The Best Ever? It's Close

Barry Bonds will soon be the all-time MLB home run leader. With all the steroids controversy and the focus on the home run record itself, people forget how good this guy is as an all-around baseball player - he’s much more than a home run hitter. If you look closely, we may be watching baseball’s best - or at the very least top-3 - players of all time.

Barry Bonds has won an unprecedented SEVEN MVP awards (which could have been nine if he were better liked by the media). Bonds is one of only eight major-leaguers to have won more than two MVPs but all the others won only THREE.

Currently Bonds has a .299 career batting average and ranks in the top five all-time in several major offensive categories: Home Runs (2 soon to be 1), RBI (5), Runs (3), Total Bases (5), Walks (1), On Base % (3), Slugging % (5). He has accomplished these feats while the league has pitched around him for the past five years. Surely many of these numbers would be even higher, including Bonds passing the 3,000 hit plateau (he’s currently over 2,900) if teams did not walk Bonds an average of 174 times per season over the past five full seasons (excludes 2005 when he played in only 14 games).

Highlighting his versatility, Bonds is also one of four players to record 40 home runs and 40 steals in the same season, and is the only member of the 500 HR / 500 steal club. In addition to his gaudy offensive numbers, Bonds has amassed eight Gold Glove awards for his defense in left field. The only knock on Barry Bonds is his lack of post-season success. Bonds’s teams have never won a championship. He has been in the playoffs seven times, reaching the World Series once - losing to the Angels in 2002. Except for his magical run in 2002 (.356 BA; 8 HR; 16 RBI; .581 OB%; .978 SLG % in 17 games), Bonds has had miserable post-seasons. He batted .198 with 1 HR and 8 RBI in the 31 playoff games excluding the 2002 season.

The only player who comes close to Barry’s numbers is Babe Ruth, who is probably still the best baseball player of all time. You might add Bonds’ godfather, Willie Mays, with his impact both offensively and defensively, to the discussion of top all-time players, but that’s about it.

So until and unless there is definitive evidence that Bonds used illegal performance-enhancing substances, baseball, starting with Commissioner Selig, should celebrate the new home run record and the fantastic career of one of baseballs top-3 players of all time.

Pro Athletes - Babysitters Required

Michael, Michael, Michael. You had it all - a rocket arm (though not that accurate), great running skills, a huge contract and a marketable presence leading to several major endorsement deals. Now it is all in jeopardy, and for what - dog fighting? Dog fighting is a despicable, horrific activity, and certainly not one that Michael Vick thought he could lose his career over.

While it is still unknown how Vick’s federal indictment will turn out, what is pretty certain is that at best Vick will miss football games and lose some endorsement deals, and at worst he will go to prison. This brings out a point that has become increasingly apparent, and has been highlighted by the NFL’s newly-instituted behavior policy - professional athletes need babysitters.

With so much money at stake and such short careers, athletes cannot afford to get into in trouble during their professional lives, yet too many do. (Keep in mind that the athletes with legal issues only represent a small fraction of the overall athlete population but do command disproportionate media attention). The athletes in jeopardy are typically 20-something super-talented kids with a lot of money and free time on their hands. Combine this with a collection of friends that hang around their newly-rich buddies and you have a recipe for trouble.

What vulnerable athletes need is someone they trust who can pull them aside and prevent them from getting in trouble before they do something stupid. Simply put - a babysitter. If Vick and some of the other players with legal problems (e.g., Adam “Pacman” Jones, Terry “Tank” Johnson, Chris Henry, Ricky Manning Jr., Stephen Jackson, Ron Artest, Sebastian Telfair, Josh Hancock and Dontrelle Willis, just to name a few) had someone watching over them they may not have gotten themselves in such deep trouble putting their lives, playing careers and earnings in jeopardy.

NBA Trades – Stars go East, West Rebuilds (Part 2)

The 2007 NBA Draft has come and gone and the two biggest trades were very similar, Western Conference All-Stars with a huge salaries from weak teams shipped to desperate Eastern Conference squads.

Trade 2 - Boston Celtics and the Seattle Supersonics swap Wally Szczerbiak, Delonte West, the 5th Pick in the 2007 Draft (Jeff Green), and a future second-round pick for Ray Allen and the 35th Pick in the draft (Glen Davis).

This trade seems to benefit the Celtics immediately while Seattle now has a glut at small forward. Kevin Durant overnight became the face of the franchise, making Ray Allen expendable. Seattle also wants to start fresh and had a lot ($51 million) tied up in Allen's contract. The combination of Durant and Jeff Green is exciting but they both play small forward, as do Szczerbiak and free-agent Rashard Lewis.

Boston gets a bona-fide scorer (University of Connecticut stand-out, and movie star - (remember Jesus Shuttlesworth)) and running mate for Paul Pierce who is breaking down from having to carry the Celtics on his back the past few seasons. The Celtics other options of drafting Jeff Green, Yi Jianlian, Corey Brewer or Brandan Wright with the 5th pick were less attractive as they were all several years away from helping Paul Pierce who isn’t getting any younger or healthier. Speaking of health, the Celtics need to keep an eye on Allen as he had surgery on both ankles in April.

The combination of Al Jefferson, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen is going to be fun to watch – they score and are exciting but don't play much defense, and the Celtics have nobody else they can build around on the roster. That threesome may be good enough to get Boston back into the Playoffs, but just barely. With the addition of Allen, Boston became more exciting and will see increased interest in the storied franchise but this was not a long-term fix. Ray Allen makes the Cs respectable again, which might just save Danny Ainge's job, at least for the time being.

NBA Trades – Stars go East, West Rebuilds (Part 1)

The 2007 NBA Draft has come and gone and the two biggest trades were very similar, Western Conference All-Stars with huge salaries from weak teams shipped to desperate Eastern Conference squads.

Trade 1 - NY Knicks and the Portland Trailblazers swap Channing Frye and Steve Francis for Zach Randolph, Dan Dickau and Fred Jones.

On the surface the Knicks get much more talented and productive. They pickup 23.6 points and 10.1 rebounds for not much – Francis averaged 11.3 points, 3.9 assists, and 3.6 rebounds in 44 games last year while Channing Frye averaged and 9.5 points and 5.5 rebounds per game in his 72 games last season. Frye was not an integral part of Isiah's future plans in NY and everyone was waiting for the injury-prone Francis's bloated contract to expire.

Isiah once again tried to improve the Knicks quickly by acquiring a high-priced prospect / star (recall: Eddy Curry, Stephon Marbury, Steve Francis). While Randolph no doubt makes the team better, more talented and tougher, his $61 million over the next four years keeps the Knicks in salary cap hell through at least the 2009-2010 season. Also, how he will fit with Eddy Curry in the front court? Neither player defends well, passes well or blocks shots.

The Knicks seem unwilling to rebuild and will be stuck competing for the last couple spots in the Eastern Conference playoffs. Despite having the highest payroll in the NBA for the past two seasons, Isiah has been unable to put a team on the court capable of winning more than 33 games. With Randolph the Knicks are a 50-50 shot to make the playoffs let alone do anything meaningful in the post-season, even in the weak Eastern Conference. Isiah once again mortgaged the future and put the Knicks in a salary cap bind so tight that significant free agency is out of the picture for the foreseeable future in NY.

From the Trail Blazers' perspective, they were more than happy to get rid of Randolph on and off the court. He had worn out his welcome in Portland and with the additions of Oden and Frye and the emergence of LaMarcus Aldridge, Kevin Pritchard and the Blazers are looking to have shooting power forwards who are comfortable away from the basket and will leave Oden space to maneuver inside. Also, Francis's expiring contract (which the team may buy out) gives them room to maneuver in a couple years when Roy, Oden and Aldridge gel together.

Robert Horry - Just Win Baby!

Players with career regular season averages of 24.9 minutes, 7.2 points and 4.9 rebounds per game are rarely noteworthy. But this is Robert Horry - the winningest player, outside of the 1960’s Celtics dynasty, in NBA History.

Horry has won seven NBA championships with a record three different teams in his 15-year career: Houston Rockets (1994,1995), Los Angeles Lakers (2000-2002) and San Antonio Spurs (2005, 2007). He has played in more NBA playoff games than any other player except for Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and is second in career playoff three pointers made and first in Finals threes made.

With his 6’ 10” frame and the ability to shoot, pass and defend, Horry is a well-rounded player. While he has been accused of coasting through the regular season, Horry consistently comes up big in the playoffs. His playoffs numbers - 29.2 minutes, 8.4 point 5.8 rebounds 2.5 assists 1.0 block and 1.2 steals - are step up from his regular season totals but still don’t paint the proper picture. Horry’s jumpers, and in particular his three pointers, are the stuff of legends.

Most great players are lucky to have one memorable game winning or clinching Playoff shot in their career but Big Shot Bob has two handfuls…Do you remember… Game 1 of the 1995 Western Conference Finals versus the Spurs, Game 3 of the 1995 NBA Finals versus the Magic, Game 3 of the 2001 Finals Game versus the 76ers, Game 3 of the 2002 Western Conference first round against the Trail Blazers, Game 4 of the 2002 Western Conference Finals against the Kings, or Game 5 of the 2005 NBA Finals against the Pistons.

Horry may not have been the best or even a top-three player on any of his championship teams but he certainly contributed to them all. Next time you build your championship team, save a spot for Big Shot Bob.

2007 – The Year of Baseball Milestones

Baseball has historically been the American sport that values statistics more than any other. Within baseball there are several hallowed marks that, if achieved, almost certainly guarantee the player Hall of Fame induction. 2007 is a year, unlike any other before it, where several magical milestones will be reached by some of the game’s stars, and now likely hall-of-famers.

Hitting:
3,000 hits: Craig Biggio, despite playing with and sometimes in the shadows of long-time teammate Jeff Bagwell, is on the verge of getting his 3,000th hit. This durable and dependable Astros star is about to join the exclusive 26-member 3,000 hit club.

500 Home Runs: This was, and to some degree still is, rare company. Only 20 players have hit 500 round-trippers. This club is could get five new members by the end of the 2007 season. Frank Thomas, Alex Rodriguez, Jim Thome and Manny Ramirez are virtual locks, and Garry Sheffield has a chance if he continues his hot hitting. On this list, Jim Thome has the weakest case for hall of fame induction, but 500 home runs to go along with his career .282 average, .410 On Base %, .565 Slugging %, and .975 OPS make a strong argument for inclusion.

755 Home Runs: The grand-daddy of them all. Barry Bonds is on pace to break Hank Aaron’s all-time home run record. Bonds’ career has been nothing short of spectacular. His eight gold gloves, seven MVPs, and top-five all-time ranking in RBI, Runs, Total Bases, Walks, On Base %, Slugging % and OPS prove that he is much more than just a home run hitter.

Pitching
300 Wins: Tom Glavine is almost certain to achieve the feat in 2007, while Randy Johnson will likely have to pitch into 2008 to reach this milestone. Both are certain hall- of-famers with impressive regular-season and post-season resumes.

500 Saves: Saves is a relatively new category but Trevor Hoffman is one of the best of all time. While Hoffman does not receive the praise of his contemporary Mariano Rivera, he has nonetheless had quite a career, with 40 or more saves in eight seasons. Pretty amazing considering that 300 Saves was considered the career milestone for elite relievers.

3,000 Strikeouts: Hall-of-famer to be Pedro Martinez is two strikeouts away, so he just has to get healthy, and fellow Cooperstown inductee-to-be John Smoltz could reach the milestone this season. Smoltz’ accomplishment is even more impressive given that he was a relief pitcher from 2001-2004 (accumulating 154 saves in those four years), which lowered his yearly strikeout totals from 188 per full season as a starter to 75 per season as a reliever.