A Privilege, Not a Right

As I was driving home yesterday, the local sports radio station was discussing the incident that happened Sunday night of NBA All Star Weekend in Vegas. While the details of the incident are still in the process of coming out, I will provide the version that has been provided, unofficially, by "witnesses". Basically, Pacman Jones (of the Tennessee Titans) was out at the Minxx Club in Vegas. The story goes that he was trying to impress Nelly (rapper) by throwing about $3500 on stage. The intention was not for the stripper to pick up the cash, but just to throw it there and pick it up later. Apparently, one of the strippers tried to grab some of the cash and Pacman proceeded to bask her head into the stage. When the bouncer came over and kicked Pacman and his crew out witnesses say that he yelled out to the bouncer "You're a dead man" or something to that effect. Sure enough an hour or so later, a man (one of the men Pacman was with earlier) entered the club and proceeded to shoot the aforementioned bouncer and a couple other people. One of the people shot had just entered the club on a shift change and was not even at the club when the earlier skirmish occurred. This man has not suffered a severed spine and his best case prognosis is that he will be paralyzed from the belly button down.

At this point there is an investigation going on by the LVPD. The stories coming out of Vegas right now are that the LVPD is doing a poor job so far. With the media attention that is beginning to grow out of this incident, I am sure that all of the facts will be brought out to the public. If Pacman was involved, or whomever else, we will soon find out and the culprits will have their day in court. That is not what disturbs me. What disturbs me is professional sports and specifically the NFL.

I know that players are people just like any of us and it is not up to the coach or owner to police all of their behavior. There is only a certain amount that a coach, GM, or even an owner can to to keep the players out of being at the wrong place at the wrong time. What bothers me though is that there is not nearly a strong enough penalty for wrongdoers, whether it is in the NFL, or other sports. The common response from a league official is that they will let the proceedings play out in a court of law first. I am sorry, but when a guy like Pacman Jones continues to be able to collect is NFL check every month after being arrested or questioned by the police nine times then I have a major problem. Can the NFL for once make a point here? I am not saying Pacman should be thrown in jail just for being accused, but the NFL needs to come up with a better policy to police players. I would love to see some sort of a summit between the major sports organizations and then bring it to the players unions.

I know that at the moment there is a "three strike" policy being discussed as a result of the Pacman incident in Vegas. What will constitute a strike though? There are so many "grey areas." They need to get this right though, because it is a long time coming. I know that if I was a Titans fan I would not want Pacman still on my team. It is a tough situation, in that Pacman or any other player deserves their day in court, but why does the NFL just stand by and not act? Make players responsible for their off the field actions. Right now, the league is allowing its players to walk all over them and in the process walk all over society and the fans that pay their salaries.

Other Notes...

• Will the Knicks ever win more than two in a row the rest of the season?
• Rumors flying that Michael Strahan wants more money and may ask for a trade if the Giants don't want to give it to him....
• Lastings Milledge has looked great in camp so far. I still feel that he starts the season in AAA, but won't be there for long.
• The Heat battled hard last night without Wade. I think that they will still make the playoffs, but will be an easy exit once they get there.

STKAFI

Nationals? No wait, The Marlins!

I was going to continue with my AL/NL East team previews today with the Washington Nationals. I then realized how bad they could potentially be, and that it would be a waste of my time. I would be surprised if this team did not lose 100 games. Not only that, but they have barely any young talent on that team or in that minor league system. I will root for Manny Acta (manager), as I really like him from his days as a Mets coach. There is just nothing intriguing about their organization at the moment. In any event though, on to a team that actually has a sliver of a chance to compete...

The Marlins surprised a lot of people last season. They came into the season having just unloaded all of their high priced talent. Their roster was filled with almost exclusively young players. In addition they had a rookie manager in Joe Girardi. They won 78 games, but stayed in the Wild Card race into September. Many people picked them to finish not only dead last in the division, but in all of baseball. They had Rookie of the Year candidates all over the place from Scott Olsen to Hanley Ramirez to Josh Johnson to Anibal Sanchez to winner, Dan Uggla. In addition, their rookie manager won Manager of the Year. It was a successful season for the franchise both in terms of team performance and in the tremendous development of their young players.

This season, many of the same questions are back with the Marlins. The number one reason for this is their managerial situation. While Girardi helped the team perform extremely well on the field, he did not get along with the front office, mainly the owner. Shortly after the season ended, Girardi was fired due to this disharmony. The Marlins brought in Fredy Gonzalez, former bench coach of the Cubs. It will be very interesting to see how the players react to this on the field. They played extremely well under Girardi when they were expected to do nothing. Now that the expectations have risen it will be tougher for Gonzalez to match up to Girardis' performance of last season.

After the managerial situation, the biggest question will be the performance of the pitching staff. Last season, they came into the season with just Dontrelle Willis as a reliable starting pitcher. As the season progressed, one could say that he performed possibly fourth best on the staff after Johnson, Olson and Sanchez. Willis though is still recognized as the staff ace. He is a former 20 game winner, and World Series winner. The other starters are coming off seasons in which they pitched the most innings of their respective careers, and chances are they all will not be able to repeat that level of performance. No matter how Willis pitches though his status on the team will be in question if the Marlins get off to a slow start. He is one of the few high paid players on the team and he would bring back a lot of talent in a trade, such as more pitching and a much needed centerfield prospect. The performance of the starting pitching though is extra important for this team though because the bull pen is so weak.

When looking at the names of the likely bullpen members, there is no clear favorites. Names such as Taylor Tankersley and Kevin Gregg have had some success in the past, but not much. An intriguing bullpen option is Henry Owens, who the Marlins acquired from the Mets in the offseason. He throws consistently in the upper 90s and pitched extremely well in Winter Ball. There are many more options than these three though. None can be counted on for consistency when the season starts though.

The Marins line-up is very intriguing. While players such as Hanley Ramirez and Dan Uggla exceeded expectations last season, more hyped prospects such as Josh Willingham and Jeremy Hermida performed less than expected. In addition, Miguel Cabrera continued to develop into the one of the most feared hitters in all of baseball. Caberera will start the season as still only 23 years old. While I feel that Manny Ramirez is the best right handed hitter since Joe Dimaggio (he has 10 more years of performance than Albert Pujols at this point), I think that when its all set and done Cabrera will eclipse them both. He has an amazing ability to take pitches, hit for a high average and drive the ball to the opposite field. His partner on the left side of the infield, Hanley Ramirez, is also a tremendous talent. Last season he had 74 extra base hits and 51 steals. If the Marlins can somehow secure some stadium funding and have the ability to lock up these two for the long term, they will be right alongside the Mets left side of the infield as the two best in baseball for the next 10 years.

Most predict the Marlins to finish behind the Mets, Phillies and Braves in the NL East. It is definitely going to be a close fought division, and I am not ready to make a prediction. One thing that is sure about the Marlins though is that they have little room for error. Unlike higher payroll teams like the Mets and Phillies, if a major injury hits the Marlins, they will most likely be unable to go out and trade for a high paid replacement. Beyond that though, the biggest difference between the Marlins and the other teams in the division is the bullpen. While the Mets and Braves may have the best bullpens in the National League, the Marlins have no guarantees in theirs. In the end, I think that will be the difference, but they have such amazing young talent that they will be a fun team to watch from beginning to end.

Nada

I got nuthin for you today. I just wanted to drop one link on all of you and be on my way....

http://sports.aol.com/whitlock/_a/mayhem-main-event-at-nba-all-star/20070220103009990001

Oh...and the Knicks are brutal. I was going through the roster in my mind this morning, and this team is really not good. They have some pieces from which to deal, but I can't put into words how far away they are from a championship, even with the improvement this year. Last thing....people call Eddy Curry the Knicks' franchise player. Can this stop??? He may be the best player on the team, but should never be labeled a franchise player. He can't lead, rebound play defense, or pass out of a double team. Every team has a guy that is the best on their team, but every team does not have a franchise player. The Knicks are one of those teams, so can we please stop with this garbage??

STKAFI

Trader Joe

The NBA Trade Deadline is tomorrow. There are a lot of rumors out there, but there has been no movement as of yet. I am going to list a few of my deadline thoughts...

1. Corey Maggette needs to get traded. First and foremost he does not get along with the coach. He does not make a ton of money and on the right team can still average close to 20 ppg. The atmosphere within the Clippers will improve right away once they don't have this coach/player rivalry (or whatever you want to call it) hanging over their heads. If they could get Ron Artest I would pull the trigger in a heartbeat. A draft pick and James Poseys' expiring contract seems like a good fit as well. I don't see the Clippers making the playoffs this season, but there is no reason to gut the team either. Maggette does not fit the team though, and he can still bring back some value whether it is in a player, payroll flexibility, or draft picks.

2. The Bulls need to acquire a low post player. There are a few names being thrown out there, from Shareef Abdur-Rahim to Zach Randolph to Pau Gasol. I don't think they are going to be able to get Pau Gasol for anything other than the farm. By that I mean any two of Hinrich, Gordon, Deng, and Noccioni. In addition, PJ Brown's expiring contract and either Tyrus Thomas or the Knicks' first round pick this June. That is a lot to give up, but Gasol is still only 26 and is a legit 20 and 10 guy. Very tough call for the GM. I don't think they will pull it, but I would if I could keep Deng, Hinrich and Thomas. As for Randolph, I want no part of him. His game is great, but he has a bad attitude. Abdur-Rahim will come cheaper and is the most likely to be moved to the Bulls, but he will have a much lesser impact.

3. The Nets will make a major move. I am not sure if this means Jason Kidd will be traded, or Vince Carter, but I am confident that something will be done. Rod Thorn is not gun shy and he realizes that this is a flawed team. Kidd has personal issues and is getting old. This may be the last time the Nets can get serious value for him. Carter can opt out of his contract this summer and leave the Nets with nothing. The Lakers are interested in Kidd, but up until this point will not offer what the Nets need to get the deal done (Andrew Bynum). The Magic are interested in Carter. There could be sleepers out there as well...

4. Scottie Pippen should sign with the Houston Rockets. Houston is one of the few teams in the league that puts a premium on defense. At this point, the only thing that Pippen may be able to offer is a three point shot, and tough defense. The Rockets can sign Pippen to a 10 day contract and best case he can provide them with 10-15 minutes a night for the playoffs. In addition, this could allow them the flexibility to trade Bonzi Wells. Possibly for point guard help.

5. The Knicks will do nothing. I think that they have pieces to make a deal, but they do not seem inclined to. I would love to make a run at Ray Allen (Channing Frye, Nate Robinson, Jamal Crawford, Malik Rose), but it isn't going to happen. Isiah likes this bunch, and his job appears more and more safe with each passing day. I still would love to gut this team, but it is not going to happen in the foreseeable future..

6. The Celtics are still the laughingstock of the NBA.

7. Other big names that I could see being traded....Mike Bibby, Rashard Lewis, Andre Miller, Larry Hughes, Mike Miller...

8. My picks at the beginning of the season......(blog 11/1 I think...)
East
1. Miami Heat
2. Cleveland Cavaliers
3. New Jersey Nets
4. Chicago Bulls
5. Detroit Pistons
6. Indiana Pacers
7. Washington Wizards
8. Toronto Raptors

West
1. Phoenix Suns
2. Dallas Mavericks
3. San Antonio Spurs
4. LA Clippers
5. LA Lakers
6. Denver Nuggets
7. Houston Rockets
8. Utah Jazz

MVP Kobe Bryant

Not great, but not horrible...great pick with the Raptors, and like many people I was way off with the Clippers. Heat definitely will not the the top seed, but still could be the five seed. Definitely underestimated the Pistons. Kobe is not the MVP at this point, but he is in many peoples top five...

STKAFI

Devil Doggs

OK, so baseball season is really creeping up on us. I have been trying to think of what I should to prepare for this on the bliggity blog. What i have come up with for starters is to preview every team in the AL and NL East. While not everyone would find previews of the Cardinals and Rangers interesting, since most of the readers are Sox, Yanks or Mets fans I assume that this will work. I am going to start today with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays.

The Devil Rays are probably the most interesting of the "have-nots" on baseball. While they have never won and baring a major miracle won't win again this season, they have a bunch of young talent in their system. The problem for them is that much of the major league ready talent is is best suited for the outfield. Besides that though, they have a young and innovative manager, plus a 23 year old potential Cy Young winner. They also have the number one ranked minor league system according to Keith Law of ESPN.com. Here is an evaluation of their fortunes for the season...

The Good:
They have five tremendously talented players that will be 25 or younger on opening day in Rocco Baldelli, Carl Crawford, Delmon Young, Elijah Duke and BJ Upton. The problem is that all five players appear to be best suited as an outfielder. It seems like the Rays would like to find a way to get each of these players 450 at-bats. They would like to start Young, Baldelli, and Crawford in the outfield, with Upton playing all over including DH and Duke being the fourth outfielder and platoon at DH. The Devil Rays are in a prime position to trade one of these players for pitching. A perfect solution in my mind would be to trade Baldelli and start Upton in center. Duke has had numerous disciplinary problems in the minors, so I would give him a chance to play and then trade him as his value peaks if possible. They would then have three outfielders left and their two top hitting prospects in the minors are a third baseman and a shortstop.

Scott Kazmir is the ace of the Devil Ray staff. He had his season shortened by injury last year, but is an electric talent. He is only 23 years old and after Johan Santana, could be the best left-handed pitcher in the American League. The Devil Rays also had their first significant fee agent signing in a few years. They signed Akinori Iwamura from the Japanese League. He will start at third base for them and is only 28 years old. Their top hitting prospect definitely starting the season in the minors is third baseman Evan Longoria so Iwamura may just be keeping the position warm for him. Manager Joe Madden is in his second year with the Rays, but he was a major managerial prospect after his years as bench coach under Mike Scioscia in Anaheim. He has job security for at least this season, which is probably the best thing you can ask for as a Devil Ray manager.

The Bad

Pitching. I am not saying that is the only bad part of the Devil Ray organization, but it definitely is the most glaring. Going up and down the Devil Ray pitching roster, Kazmir is the only guy I would want on my team. They have stocked their minor league system with pitching, but the word is that it won't be ready for at least another season. No matter how many talented hitters the Rays have, it will mean nothing without the pitching, especially in the same division as the Yankees and Red Sox. I like the philosophy of their young GM (Andrew Freidman) in stocking the minors with pitching, but the major league roster is still very bare on the front. Besides pitching they have some holes in their line-up, but their main problem is their stadium/fan support. Baseball has not electrified Tampa they way MLB hoped when they award that city a franchise in 1998. They stadium is horrendous as well.

The Confusing

A couple players stick out in this regard, namely Jorge Cantu and Johnny Gomes. Gomes is 26 and Cantu is 25, but they have had inconsistent beginnings to their respective careers. Two years ago they both had breakthrough seasons and last year they both took considerable steps back. They each have always had trouble fielding, and could be standing in the way of their potentially more productive younger players. The beginning of the season for these two players will be key to their future with the Rays. If they don't produce, as I have noted, the Rays have a few young hitters that they would be more than happy to give extra at-bats to.

Probable Line-Up
C: Dioneer Navaro
1B: Ty Wigginton
2B: Jorge Cantu
3B: Akinori Iwamura
SS: Ben Zobrist
LF: Carl Crawford
CF: Rocco Baldelli
RF: Delmon Young
DH: BJ Upton

Starting Pitching
1. Scott Kazmir
2. Jae Seo
3. Casey Fossum
4. Edwin Jackson
5. Seth McClung

Closer: Chad Orvella

As you can tell, their line-up is very young and their pitching is very bad. I struggle to project them anything other than last place once again. They have a ton of young talent though coming through their system. It is up to the GM to project which hitting talent he should keep and which should be shipped out for more pitching. They may never be able to compete with the Yankees and Red Sox financially, but they (at the moment) set up to compete talent wise for the next five to seven years. This year that is far from the case though.

Randoms

• So the Chargers fire Schottenheimer (200 career wins) and Hire Norv Turner (.420 career winning %)? I just don't get it. I know that this point they did not have a great amount of options, but I just do not see how they feel that they can make the next step with Turner as coach.
• I will save my AROD feelings for a full post, but again HOW DID THEY KEEP THIS GUY??? I understand that you will never get the value in talent that this guy deserves, and if he was traded he would most like put up 50 HRs and 140 RBIs where ever else he went. The constant drama with him is too much though. Plus, all season long his opt out clause in his contract is going to be a story. He just is not worth the distraction to me. Grab some more pitching for him and then trade for a Joe Crede, or sign the Japanese thrid baseman that the D'Rays got. He obviously has a rift with Jeter, and is not on great terms with Torre. He puts his foot in his mouth on a daily basis and has a poor relationship with the fans. The media eats him alive, and his playoff faults are well known.
• I am sure Vegas was crazy for the NBA All Star weekend, but the festivities we saw on TV were as weak as I could remember. I was bored by Saturday night and the game itself was less interesting than usual.
• Looks like Jason Kidd and/or Vince Carter will get traded. I think that the Nets are making the right move, and Rod Thorn will make sure that they have young players/draft picks to build around.

STKAFI

It Gives You Wings!!

So I was getting off of the PATH (yes, I work in Jersey...) this morning and all of the sudden I got a rush of excitement. While I definitely think it had something to do with the cup of coffee from Dunkin Donuts I had just finished (I don't remember the last time I drank coffee in the morning), I know that it also had to do with the first week of Spring Training. I love this time of year. The end of last season does not really seem that long ago. Every day though, each newspaper has a couple articles about my team. Unless I root for the Yankees of course, who have like 10 articles since they have about 20 different storylines at the moment that have almost nothing to do with them winning the World Series. In any event, I am pumped. The Yankees are once again reinventing the "Bronx Zoo" and the Mets are quietly going about Spring Training. The Mets have more than enough issues of their own, but their problems are on the field, while the Yankees have stuff going on all over the map. This is not a criticism of them, it is just the facts. I think I will list the Yankee storylines and then talk about the two most important Spring Training developments for the Mets. I would go into more detail on the Yanks, but there is just soo much to say that I would be neglecting something.

The Bombers
1. Joe Torres' lame duck status
2. ARODs' daily emotional stability
3. Carl Pavanos' balls (or lack thereof)
4. Missing Bernie Williams
5. Any soundbite/quote from The Boss
6. The Jeter/AROD relationship
7. The Torre/AROD relationship
8. Mariano Rivera contract situation
9. Kei Igawas' adjustment to the Majors
10. The development of Phil Hughes
11. The return of Andy Pettitte
12. Oh...and the neverending pursuit to end those "Year 2000" chants coming out of the bleachers in Fenway

There is a lot going on in Yankeeland, and this is without Gary Sheffield and Randy Johnson. Bottom line in my mind is that there is going to be a ton of off the field stuff go on this season, but as usual the Yanks will make the playoffs. Whether they get Clemens or not, I do not see them winning it all, but I think that Cashman is slowly but surely getting this franchise on the right track with young, power arms and staying committed to the development of prospects.

The Amazins

There are two main things that I am keeping an eye on at Mets camp. The starting pitching and the corner outfield spots.

1. Starting Pitching: In my perfect world the starting rotation at the beginning of the year will be Tom Glavine, Orlando Hernandez, Oliver Perez, Mike Pelfrey, John Maine/Jason Vargas. I can not say that this rotations resembles anything dominant, but I do think that Glavine can be consistent, El Duke can pitch well in big spots, and Oliver Perez can regain some of his composure and win 15 games. I would love Pelfrey to develop, but I can not count on that. I honestly do believe that Perez will have a good year though. I believe that Pedro will be back by the beginning of August and will pitch well down the stretch. I could also see the Mets making a big trade for a starter. They have a ton of young starting arms (Pelfrey, Maine, Perez, Vargas, Phil Humber, Alay Soler, Aaron Heilman) to go along with a Lasting Milledge or a younger prospect. In addition, since the Mets did not commit to any more long term contracts this offseason the word is that they have some money to spend. I am excited to see how this plays out. I will be keeping an eye on Pelfrey and Humber the most for sure...

2. Corner Outfielders: Going into the season the Mets have Moises Alou and Shawn Green penciled in as their starters. Combined these guys are about 100 years old. Alou definitely still has some juice left in his bat, but will almost definitely experience a month (at least) on the DL. Green can stay on the field, but he moves as quickly as my dead Grandmother in right, and has the batspeed looks like hes swinging through peanut butter. Then you have Milledge, Ben Johnson, David Newhan and Endy Chavez fighting for bench spots. I think that Green will not last the year with the Mets. Milledge (if hes not traded) or Johnson will end up starting in right by June and they will piece together left field when Alou gets injured. The Mets have a couple highly touted outfield prospects in the minors, but they are too young to likely have an impact this season. Again, we will see how this develops, but I would like to see Milledge get another chance to start before looking to deal him.

Postscript from the MVP Talk...

I made a mistake on Dirk. The bottom line is that he is without a doubt the best player on the best team in the league. Based on the premise alone, he has to be a top contender for MVP. That was my screw-up. If I had a vote, I would put him in the top five, possibly top three, but I do not think he would be my top choice. I would honestly give it to McGrady at this point. Its gunna be interesting the second half though. A lot depends on the injuries to Nash and Yao, as well as if the Mavs run away with the #1 seed.

This is just a taste of baseball for the moment. I am sure we will get into a lot more in the next month and a half before the season starts. Also, I'm working on customizing the page better. Hope you enjoy...



STKAFI

Halftime

This weekend is the NBA All Star Game. Obviously, this is a good time to assess the NBA season up until this point. There have been amazing individual performances (Gilbert Arenas), long winning streaks (Dallas and Phoenix) and a memorable fight. All that matter at the end of the season though is who ends up on top. With that in mind, I will examine the top contenders and a couple of sleepers.

The Favorite

Dallas Mavericks: Dallas has the best record in the league at 42-9. While they are not as flashy as the Phoenix Suns, they have provided more substance so far this season. They have a balanced offense with five guys averaging in double digits, and an underrated defense. They have three players, in Dirk Nowitzki, Jerry Stackhouse and Jason Terry that have the potential to carry the team offensively for long stretches. Josh Howard is having his best season of his career by far. They are a great free throw shooting team and have a young coach who has had a historic beginning to his coaching career. While they don't have the pizazz of years past, they are solid in every aspect and can win at almost any style of game.

The Sexy Pick

Phoenix Suns: When this team is clicking they are a sight to be seen. They are so fluid on offense. It seems like everyone in their rotation can shoot, run and pass. Steve Nash is in a middle of one of the greatest PG runs in NBA history. They are relentless with their offense, and most of the time seem unstoppable. There are two major negatives about this team right now though. Number one is their defense. They give up the fourth most points per game in the Western Conference. While some may say that is inflated because of their fast breaking style of basketball, it will be a major concern come playoffs. The games slows down in the playoffs, and the Suns will have to prove that they can win games held under 100 points. The other major concern is health, more specifically Steve Nash. He has been out lately with a back issue, and if that lingers it would affect the Suns' chances in a huge way. If Nash is healthy though, they will be a tough team to beat in the playoffs.

The CEO Who Won't Retire

San Antonio Spurs: Every year the critics come out and say that San Antonio is done. That Duncan has lost a step and that this will be the year that the Spurs finally fall off. All they have done so far this year is play .650 ball in the Western Conference. This is a playoff tested crew that is loaded with veterans. They have a Hall of Fame coach and possibly the best big man of the past 20 years, besides Shaq. They are a team you must pay attention to and they will be a major factor in the playoffs.

Kobes' Shoulders

Los Angelas Lakers: This team has two things working for it, the best player in the League and the best coach in the League. Last year they lost a tough seven game series to the Suns, when they thought they had it in the bag. You have to think that last years' experience will help them this time around. If the supporting cast can keep up with Kobe, this team will be a legitimate contender in the West.

Shhhhhh....hes Sleeping

Houston Rockets: The Rockets have potentially the best duo in the league with Yao Ming and Tracy McGrady. This team plays great defense and has shown grit all season long. There are a couple things that have to happen for this team to make a dent in the playoffs. Number one is for T-Mac and Yao to get and stay healthy. Number two is for T-Mac to prove he can play big when it counts. Those are two HUGE ifs, but if they come to fruition, then this team could make a run. If they can find that third scoring option (Bonzi Wells??) then this team will be built for a playoff push. They already have the defense and the size inside. The coach has been there before as well.

Best of the Least

The only teams with a shot to win it all out of the East are the Detroit Pistons, Cleveland Cavaliers and Miami Heat. Each team deserves basically only one thing said about them, strictly to justify their status.

Miami Heat: The defending champs are getting healthy.
Cleveland Cavs: Lebron
Detroit Pistons: Been there before and Webber improves that offense a bunch.

I could have potentially added a couple more Western teams (Denver, Utah, etc), but either they have not played well enough so far, or I don't think that they have enough to make a legit run in June.

NBA Stuff

• Who is the MVP so far? I know that there is a strong push for a Steve Nash three-peat. It is tough for me to argue against. Some people say Gilbert Arenas, and while I respect how good he has been, I am not going to give the MVP to a player from the Eastern Conference. Right now I am split between Kobe and T-Mac. Both have had to lead their team while dealing with significant injuries from their second best player. Both have lower PPG than in other years, but are doing the other things (defense, assists) to keep their respective teams winning.
• Big name that should be traded? Pau Gasol. He is still relatively young and can average 20-10 and two or three blocks. If I am Chicago I offer Ben Gordon, Nochioni, and a top five protected pick this June.
• Last year everyone said the Joakim Noah was a sure top three pick. Now that he returned to school and the spotlight is on him for a full year his stock is not as stable. I see him as one of the more unique players to ever come into the draft. he is the best player on his team, yet he might have the fourth best skills. He is a born leader, and the hardest working guy on the floor. He is 6'11", but rail thin. He has an awkward looking jumper, but is a great finisher. He will have trouble bodying up on stronger, wider PF/Cs, but he can go straight up on a guy and block as well as anyone I've seen. Everyone I talk to compares him to a different NBA player. I have heard everything from Chris Webber post microfracture, to Andrei Kirelinko, to Marcus Camby, to Josh Childress. I see him as a guy who will be a starter on a high level team, but never a go to scorer. He may never be considered the "best" player on a team, but he will be the leader of a team. He is one of those guys who can average 12-15 PPG and never have a play run for him. If he can improve his 15 foot jumper or develop one go-to post move he could develop into a 16-18 PPG scorer. He is a dedicated rebounder, who will pass the ball well and battle on defense. While he will never be a "franchise" player in the traditional sense of the word, I would still take him as a top five pick. I would like to see him go to Philly, Golden State, or Atlanta off the top of my head.

Others

• Big win for the Knicks. Win or lose in Golden State, they will go into the All Star break not feeling too bad about their chances.
• I told you the Yankees have handled this Bernie thing terribly. Either sign him to a major league deal or nothing! He has a very good year last year. He does not deserve to have to earn his way onto the team through a minor league contract.
• Speaking of the Yankees, why don't then just sign Mariano to an extension now? They have angered a few of the veterans with their treatment of Bernie, and now they are not gunna talk extension with Mariano until after the season? Give him two years and $25 million right now. If you have to give him $30, then do it! On the open market he will get a ton no matter what (barring a serious arm injury this season). He is still the best closer in the game and has been for 10 years.
• It did not take long into retirement for Tiki to start talking about hid old team and his ex-coach. He really is a class act.

STKAFI

Again...

I apologize for not writing in a few days. I have been going through a lot of stuff at work. Yesterday I quit my current job, and will be starting at a new shop on February 28. It's been a little hectic figuring out what I want to do. Also, I am not sure what my schedule will be at my new job. I intend to keep the blog going strong, but we will have to see what kind of hours they got me working. In any event, here are a few thoughts on this Tuesday morning in February...

• I am glad to see the Giants already shaking up their roster a bit. They released Luke Pettigout, Carlos Emmons, and Lavar Arrington. I am not sure how much this saved them exactly, considering how intricate the NFL salary cap is. I do know that it did save them some money this offseason though or they would not have done it. Pettigout and Emmons have had injury problems for a few years now. It reached the point where they caused more frustration due to injuries than progress on the field. Arrington suffered a major injury during this past season and may never be the same player again. Besides the injury and money aspect of these moves though, it sends a message to the fans and players. Jerry Reese (new GM) is going to be proactive to make this team better. There is going to be a new culture in the Giant locker room next year, which is something that is long overdue.
• I read a report yesterday that Tiki Barber was one of the most outspoken critics of Tom Coughlin from within the locker room last season. It reached the point where other players would tell him to "shut the fuck up." He complained about Coughlins' "old school" mentality and his desire for the players to practice in pads through out the season. I think Tiki should have shut up for two reasons. First of all, he was a fumbling machine prior to Coughlin coming in and changing where he held the ball. Second of all, if you are the best player on the team, and are planning on retiring after the season then shut up and play! What benefit can come out of bitching and moaning the whole time? Tiki had a great last couple of seasons with the Giants but he is not a Hall of Famer in my mind. He is a three time Pro Bowler with only 55 career rushing TDs. I do not see the Giants struggling nearly as much as people are making them out to without him next season. Could be a prime "Ewing Theory" example...
• Great article in this past weeks' SI about James Dolan, owner of the Knicks, Rangers, etc. Words can't express the dislike I have for this man and what he has done with my Knicks. At this point, its not that I don't think they can get better and be good relatively soon, but so much damage has been done that I do not want to support him or anything related to him (or Isiah for that matter).
• I hope to have a bigtime NBA article for you tomorrow.
• Spring Training is basically here...woo hoooooo!
• The Yankees did good to get rid of Sheffield and Randy Johnson from that clubhouse, but AROD is still going to be a major distraction. How don't they realize this already??
• Everyone is talking about the Durant/Oden debate for the #1 pick in the upcoming NBA draft. There is no doubt in my mind that they should be the the #1 and #2 picks respectively. As of right now I would still go with Oden, but I can not argue against Durant. I am old school in that when in doubt, go with the center. The only exception to this rule in the past 30 years is Michael Jordan and the Bulls. They were able to win multiple titles without much of any offensive production from their PF and C positions. In addition, Michael Jordan was picked after two centers in the draft and went on to become possibly the greatest player of all time. Durant has size as well though, which makes this decision even more vexing. It will be fun to watch, and they will both be great additions to this NBA, which is spilling over with great young talent.
• My Final Four picks on Feb 13.....Florida, UNC, Wisconsin, Georgetown (gotta pick at least one sleeper)

STKAFI

Sorry...

No posts in the past couple of days. I have had a lot going on at work and such. Not a bad time to take a break though onsidering the sports world is entrenched in a dead spot. Int any event here are a couple links to keep you all going on this Friday...

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/02/09/sports/othersports/09stephenson.html?ref=sports
I am officially starting the Sir Lance A Lot fan club...

http://select.nytimes.com/2007/02/09/sports/basketball/09araton.html?ref=sports
You need NyTimes insider, but this is a very interesting article comparing Isiah, and the 1980 Celtic players, turned GMs (Ainge, Bird, McHale).

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/story/496074p-418009c.html
SELL THE KNICKS

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/story/496004p-417958c.html
LETS GO METS

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/story/496080p-418013c.html
You think Jamal Crawford is a supporter of gay marriage?

http://www.nypost.com/seven/02092007/sports/knicks/curry_a_new_member_of_the_thomas_cult_affair_knicks_peter_vecsey.htm
As the Daily News so elequently proclaimed...."Crazy Eddy"

http://www.nypost.com/seven/02092007/sports/yankees/one_more_time_yankees_george_king.htm
Bern Baby Bern

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/columns/story?columnist=wojciechowski_gene&id=2758663
I love that the Cowboys are in my division...

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncaa/recruiting/news/story?id=2759650
Can someone explain how a former player calling a recruit could be a violation?

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2007/writers/paul_forrester/02/07/lakers.notes/index.html
Kobe the kid

http://www.nypost.com/seven/02092007/news/nationalnews/csi_probe_in_siren_shocker_nationalnews_todd_venezia.htm
The boyfriend/husband/whatever had some sneaky business in the kid and Anna Nicole? Thoughts?

http://youtube.com/watch?v=iOnZsh9rp20
Wow....talk about putting you foot in ur mouth (she prolly dipped it in blue cheese first)...

STKAFI

How the top QBs of the past 25 years stack up in their first two years as a starter against my Giants QB....

gms com att % yds y/att td int

ELWAY

1984 den 15 214 380 56.3 2598 6.8 18 15

1985 den 16 327 605 54.0 3891 6.4 22 23

AIKMAN

1990 dal 15 226 399 56.6 2579 6.5 11 18

1991 dal 12 237 363 65.3 2754 7.6 11 10

MONTANA

1980 sfo 15 176 273 64.5 1795 6.6 15 9

1981 sfo 16 311 488 63.7 3565 7.3 19 12

FAVRE

1992 gnb 15 302 471 64.1 3227 6.9 18 13

1993 gnb 16 318 522 60.9 3303 6.3 19 24

MARINO

1984 mia 16 362 564 64.2 5084 9.0 48 17

1985 mia 16 336 567 59.3 4137 7.3 30 21

PEYTON

1998 ind 16 326 575 56.7 3739 6.5 26 28

1999 ind 16 331 533 62.1 4135 7.8 26 15

ELI

2005 nyg 16 294 557 52.8 3762 6.8 24 17

2006 nyg 16 301 522 57.7 3244 6.2 24 18

As soon as the game was over on Sunday I got excited. I am not worried about Eli, I am excited. I know that this is the make or break year. If he does not show signs this year, then things will change. If that happens, then we start over and I am ok with that. If he shows the progress that I expect, then I will really be pumped. I liked Elis' reaction to his brother winning. "I'm not talking about him. It's his night. I congratulated him. It was a good game. Let's leave it at that." For once he expressed some real emotion. He knows the backlash that is going to come down on him, and he is irritated. I hope he molds this irritation and envy into harder work and better performance. The bottom line is that people wanted more out of Eli in his first two seasons. He not only did not perform to the level of expectations, but he had sit watch while Ben Roethlisberger and his brother won Super Bowls. Two people that he will forever be compared to for different reasons. This upcoming season is where we find out what Eli will become. He has already proven that he is not Ryan Leaf or Akili Smith. What he has not proven is whether he is David Carr or Troy Aikman. We will find that out soon though. I just can't wait, so my Giants can either move on to another or hang on to a future Super Bowl champ.

FYI....The formatting of the blog is not always easy to read when it comes to listing statistics. If it comes out bad, just know this about them. The only two QBs on the list above that showed considerably better stats than Eli in their first two seasons as starters are Peyton and Marino. The others are just about on par with the kid. Also note that I omitted Steve Young because he became a starter at such an older age, which definitely skews the statistics. I also omitted Carson Palmer because he is so early in his career as well, though he has clearly shown much more progress than Eli thus far.

STKAFI

Thoughts on the Big Game...

• Such a sloppy game. The Super Bowl has not fluidity to it in the first place will all the extra TV timeouts, but this first quarter was bananas. It felt like there was another commercial ever minute or so. So many turnovers. The rain definitely did not help this either..
• Got to give credit to Peyton. He threw a pick early, but settled down to play a very efficient game. In horrible weather conditions he threw accurately, and controlled the tempo of the game perfectly.
• Speaking of the tempo, I think that is where the Colts and Manning have truly developed. In the past they used the no-huddle to rush the defenders and throw down the field. Now they don't only throw down the field, but they run the ball a ton and throw so much underneath. When you combine that with their no huddle, they just wear down the defense. They did it against New England and they did it again last night. They are like a Python slowly squeezing the life out of a defense. It is really remarkable to watch how in control that offense is at all times.
• I messed up on that Grossman prediction. What I should of said is that he not only has to be solid, but he has to be able to at least make a couple of throws down the field. The Bears hid Grossman in the first half, and then when they needed him to make a couple plays in the second half he could not get it down. He under threw two balls that were picked off, not the mention the two or three snaps that he fumbled. Just a gross performance.
• Two things I did not understand about the Bears. One is that they kept such a conservative playbook. Not just that they did not throw the ball down the field, but nothing they did seemed to have any creativity. Considering how inept they were at moving the ball, you would think that they would try to change things up with a reverse or something of that nature. Secondly, and in a related topic, why don't they put Hester in on offense? He is obviously one of the most dangerous open field runners in the sport. Why not try to get him open on a screen or an end around? Something I think they will address and use better next season..
• Phil Simms kept on harping on the fact that the Bears were not blitzing. It seemed like they were blitzing early and as soon as they got burned on the total breakdown in coverage on the 55 yard TD pass, they backed off. Peyton had all the time in the world most plays and the running backs had lanes to run all night. The Bears must be regretting that they did not play more aggressively both on offense and defense.
• Besides all of the crazy turnovers in the first half though, the Colts played a great game. The defense dominated, they ran the ball at will, and most importantly, Peyton played a smart and efficient game. He deserves this Super Bowl and all the acclaim that he will receive as a result.

Other stuff..

• What ever happened to Duke and UCONN being college basketball superpowers??
• Pitchers and catchers are only a couple weeks away....
• If you are the Bears, do you feel in your heart of hearts that you can win a Super Bowl with Rex Grossman?
• I can only imagine how many box pools were screwed up by a) the botched extra point b) viniateri missing a field goal and c) Dungy not kicking the field goal at the end of the game, not to "show up" his boy Lovie...
• Knicks play only like two home game in the next month....
• The Police are performing at the Grammys next Sunday....oh yea!

STKAFI

Soopa Soopa

This is most likely my last post before Super Sunday, so I guess I have to do some sort of a prediction/analysis for the game. What's the point though? Everybody and their mother has already given this game to the Colts. After all, the Colts have the Hall of Fame quarterback and the Bears have "the worst Super Bowl QB of all time." The Colts come from the mighty AFC and the Bears played in a conference where an 8-8 team can make the playoffs. The Colts have been knocking on the door for a few years now. This is their year!!

Well, I don't buy it. I mean, I understand the reasoning for the Colts being seven point favorites, but I feel that the media is underestimating the Bears' chances. The number one reason I feel this way is the turnover battle. During the regular season the Colts forced 25 turnovers. The Bears forced 43. The Bears lead the entire NFL by a wide margin. I admit that there is an obvious difference in these two defenses' styles of play and their caliber of opponent. When you are going up against an offense as potentially dominant as the Colts though you need one or both of two things. Ball control on offense and turnovers on defense. The Colts have the type of offense that will move the ball on anybody. In my opinion, the key for the Bears will not only be their ability to force turnovers, but their ability to turn them into points. The Bears have a terribly physical and ball-hawking defense. Once they get their way they are not satisfied. They not only want the ball, but they want to put it in the end zone. I see them forcing three to four turnovers and turning one of those into either a touchdown or providing their offense with extremely good field position.

The other way the Bears are going to make life easier for their offense is through their special teams. Everyone is talking about Devon Hester, the Bears return man. He had something like six return touchdowns this season. He will have a huge impact, but not necessarily through his returns. The Colts have heard for two weeks now how good Hester is. They know they can not stop him through their typical coverage. They are going to have to try different things to contain him. Every punt or kick is going to be to the sidelines. I promise you that either a punt will be muffed to the sideline, or a kick will go out of bounds. If they try to squib it and Hester catches it in stride, then its even worse than kicking it deep. He will get it while the Colt defenders are just crossing the 50 yard line. If they try to pop it up high, then there will be minimal depth, and it will turn out to be not much better than just kicking it out of bounds. Basically he is going to put a ton of pressure on the Colt special teams, a unit that has not played very well this season.

The major negative for the Bears in this game that everyone is talking about is Rex Grossman. There is not much I can say to support him based on fact. In my mind, I think that he is the type of guy who can preform well in this game. I base this on his ability to get hot and not be affected by pressure. There is a chance he totally bombs, but it will not be as a result of too much pressure. I think he is the kind of guy who is calm under pressure, but is so nutty that just makes dumb throws sometimes. Not particularly who I would want on my team, but not a bad guy to have in a big game. Who knows, he could have four picks, or four TDs. Again, there is no factual evidence of this, just my opinion based on his play. Interesting, check these stats...

Grossman 2006 3193 yds 23 TDs 20 INTs
Simms 1986 3487 yds 21 TDs 22 INTs (up until this point in his career he had more INTs than TDs and was though of as "soft" by the NY media)

I'm not saying Grossman is going to turn in Phil Simms, but enough of the talk of him being the "worst" Super Bowl QB. He is not very good, but as we have seen in the past, one game can change a career. Simms had probably greatest performance by a QB in a Super Bowl (22-25 268 Yds 3 TDs 0 INTs). I would be just as shocked as you if Grossman performed that well. I do not think he will have a horrible game though.

Lastly, I think the Bears' pride means something. Not only are they being trashed nationally as inferior to the Colts, but they have been trashed all season in Chicago as inferior to the 1985 Super Bowl team. This means something to me. I think they want to prove to both their fans and the country that they deserve their place in the Super Bowl. They have no pressure, as everyone has already written them off more than once.

I think that the Bears need to make a physical statement early in this game. Smack the Colts in the mouth and see if they respond. If Peyton comes back and throws a TD it could be a long night. I think that it will be a fun game, but the Bears will pull the upset. Peyton will play ok, but not as well as he would like.

Bears 31 Colts 24

Carmelo

I think that this is such a joke. Carmelo has averaged over 20 points per game every year in his career and has gotten better each season. He is leading the league in scoring this season. I am not going to go too crazy because Yao and Boozer will probably not be playing in the game because of injury. If David Stern does not pick Melo as a replacement then he should be embarrassed and the league should be as well. Let's see what happens, but everyone knows that fight or no fight Carmelo deserves to be on the West All-Star team. Period.

All-Stars

Obviously I will have more on this when the game happens, but it is great to see guys like Kobe, KG, Iverson, Duncan, and Shaq on the rosters. They have each been on the team at least seven years. There is something about NBA generations that is interesting to me. These five players (and possible Kidd and T-Mac) represent the the best of our time. Ten years from now we could be saying the same about Lebron, Melo, and Dwight Hoaward (amongst others), just like 10 years ago we were watching Malone, Jordan, and Hakeem on their way out.

STKAFI

Celtic Pride

I got a bunch of readers that a bigtime Celtic fans, so I am not going to act like I am some sort of expert on the city or the franchise. All I know is that this is a city that booed the likes of Ted Williams and Bill Russell, arguably the towns' two greatest athletes ever to play there. They can be ruthless. In addition, Boston is also a place that is notoriously consumed with its own teams and often oblivious to the rest of the nation (not that anyone there will admit this). The fact remains though that when you look at television ratings, Boston consistently has much lower ratings than the most of the rest of the nation when two neutral teams are playing in a league final.

Why does this matter? Well, last night Kobe Bryant and the Lakers played in Boston. The Lakers, who were public enemy #1 in Boston 20 years ago. The Lakers came in and beat the Celtics easily, handing them their 13th straight loss. This is not what stuck out in my mind though. The fans were cheering Kobe and chanting such things as "Kobe" and "MVP." You rarely ever see a visiting player get treated like this, and the last place I thought that this would ever happen would be in Boston. Say what you want about holding out for Durant and Oden, but this franchise is a mess from top to bottom. They have reached such levels of irrelevancy, that the fans are chanting "MVP" towards opposing players.

Look, I don't know what they are going to do to fix this. It seems like every day there is a new rumor out there. They have enough intriguing, young players to complete a blockbuster trade. I think that the first thing they need to do is fire Doc Rivers. He is the most overrated coach in the league. The guy won Coach of the Year in his first season, so he has this label of being a solid coach. The fact remains though that in his first year his team went 42-42, and in his entire coaching career he has never won a playoff series. He was fired in Orlando after losing 10 straight game (the Magic ended up losing 19 straight), and not he has lost 13 straight in Boston.

Beyond that, I don't know. Is Danny Ainge worth keeping? He has drafted some solid players, but nothing else worth mentioning. Are the Al Jeffersons and Gerald Greens going to pan out? Is Paul Pierce worth keeping through this horrific season? The Celtics once owned this town, and now they are not only well behind the Sox, but also behind the Patriots. I know a lucky bounce in the lottery can change all this, but Celtic fans know better than anyone that you can't count on that. Obviously, I would love to hear the thoughts of Celtic fans concerning all of this...

• Part of me envies the Celtics. My Knicks are playing well enough that Isiah just may avoid the axe. I just love hearing that he is going to vote for all Pistons in the all-star voting because he is "biased" towards them. Can you please get this loser out of the Garden??
• The Yankees have handled this whole Bernie Williams deal poorly. Either sign the guy to a major league contract, or tell him you have no use for him. All they are doing now is setting themselves up for the media and fans to rally behind Bernie in Spring Training. Once that happens, the pressure will be on them, and they will have found one more way to turn their clubhouse into a circus. If I was them, I would just let him go, but I understand if you are a Yankee fan that you are emotionally attached to him.
• Urlacher came out and said in the New York Times that the grass at Dolphin Stadium looks like it is going to play fast. Not a good omen for the Bears...
• With that being said I have an increasingly strong feeling that the Bears are going to pull it out...Don't ask me why.

STKAFI