Lebron's a Baby

I havn't posted in awhile so my first post back will be an inconsequential one. At a camp hosted by Lebron James, James played basketball with his "students". Before I proceed, I want to point out how obviously amazing Lebron is. He has been tested and has rose to the challenges he has faced. No one will contend that he is one of the best in the game right now. However, at this camp, Lebron got dunked on by a college student and it was taped. The tape may have been good for a good laugh but Lebron confiscated the tape. In my opinion, and I bet many others, he has shamed himself by taking the tape much more than the tape would have shamed him. It is completely ridiculous that he is too embarrased to be seen getting dunked on.

The Shocking World of Sports

The title is admittedly misleading. Nothing has happened recently that is even remotely shocking.

Rundown:
Manny's suspension
Fisher's blatant cheap shot
Ron Artest is still crazy
Rafer Alston is a little girl

Before commenting, I feel I should disclose my bias against LA. I dislike LA with a fiery passion.

Manny got suspended for using an illegal substance (female fertility drug). From this evidence, it is clear Manny is using steroids. (The drug used is usually used by steroid users and women that want to get pregnant. Assuming Manny doesn't want to get pregnant, it can be deduced that he is on steroids).

The rest of the news is from the NBA playoff's amped up aggressiveness. I have no problem with tough play, in fact, I like it better that way. However, I've seen a tremendous increase in the amount of cheap shots thrown. I understand the intensity is much higher, but anyone who saw Derek Fisher, at the top of the key, aka not even in the paint where the physicality is at its highest, saw Luis Scola try to set a pick and Fisher was not going to have any of that. Either Fisher is the worst actor in LA, or he wanted everyone to see him lay out Scola. Either way, Fisher is an idiot and I would have liked to see him get a few games but I do understand that they are in the playoffs right now.

Next, Kobe threw an elbow at the craziest man in the NBA. First off, antagonizing a man like Artest is just about the stupidest thing you can do in front of a camera. Second, I saw nothing different in this play from the Dwight Howard elbow last week. The only difference is that the ref saw it live last week and not this week. Both were blatant, one was punished. In an Eastern Conference semifinal, Rafer Alston lost his street cred after he slapped a man, who had his back to him, in the back of the head. Man up Rafer.

On a more depressing note, the Cavs can't be stopped. And if you want to see phisical but clean play, take a look at Ben Wallace. The four-time defensive player of the year plays rough defense, fouls hard, but still manages to leave his doucheiness at home.

Rondo Slaps Miller While Howard Throws Them Bows

Seconds left in OT, down two. Miller gets the inbound and decides to drive. Goes up for the layup, Rondo slaps him pretty hard in the face. Many were saying Rondo was going for the ball but I beg to differ. He was nowhere near the ball, and then he decided to thrust his arm at Big Brad's head. If this foul had happened a minute earlier, you better believe a flagrant would have been called.

Now the play is being reviewed to see if Rondo should be suspended. I'd be really surprised if he did get suspended because although his foul was so obviously flagrant, it was not malicious.

Earlier that day, Howard got into a squabble with his opponent Dalembart and throws an elbow. As annoying as it is to have a big guy pushing you in the back, there is no reason to throw an elbow. That said, I'd be really disappointed if the league doesn't allow Howard to suit up in game six. Howard got his technical, and there is no way he will throw another elbow. Courtney Lee is already out of the game, so suspended Dwight would be equivalent to giving a win to Philly. Let them resolve it on the court.

I guess the moral of the story is; the rules aren't different for different situations. A flagrant in the first minute of the first game of the season should be a foul in a game seven with five seconds left.

Bobby Crosby

This man got a lot of hype in his debut season. He earned less than average stats and has continued to earn these stats. The A's have made some major improvements to their infield, and Crosby has taken a bench role this season.

Yesterday, with Nomar coming out in the first with a sore calf muscle, Crosby got the call. He got a hit on the offensive end, but he defense lacked. It was apparent that he should not have been in the game. Crosby is the A's most expendable player (right in front of Travis Buck). We have four solid players who can play the middle infield and 3rd if needed, which means Billy Beane is hopefully looking to deal him.

P.S.

The A's have the best ERA in the AL.

An Irate Broncos Fan

I have been wiping my tears and sipping my beers over the last several months in Bronco Nation. I was skeptical at first about the firing of Shanahan but I remained open to taking the team in a new direction...be careful what you wish for apparently.

First of all, Josh McDaniels, are you retarded? You come into a franchise in relative stability and immediately have your own agenda? Self-check. Despite the success you had with Matt Cassel in New England last year, you had absolutely no right to come into Denver--a team with a PRO BOWL QUARTERBACK--and start shopping Jay Cutler around. We were just starting to see the tip of the iceberg with Jay Cutler and you want to swap him out for a largely unproven quarterback? Not only is that insulting to Cutler it is insulting to the Denver Broncos fan base. I realize that the NFL is a business but last time I checked, trading away the best player on your team for a scrub (sorry Matt, but you existed in the most efficient offensive machine this century, any quarterback could have done that job) is not a good business decision.

Second of all, Jay Cutler, grow up. Why would you want to leave Denver? In Denver you were at the helm of the #2 ranked offense in the entire NFL...at your disposal you had a pro bowl receiver/beast in Brandon Marshall, a rising star at tight end in Tony Scheffler, a rookie sensation/perfect complement to Brandon Marshall in Eddie Royal and a veteran tight end in Daniel Graham who said that he would fight for you. While the front office may have been dishonest to you during the offseason and pressed the wrong buttons by firing your coach and shopping you around, the team is still intact. This is not the time to let our feelings get the best of us, stop crying like a little girl. The front office has shown its commitment to building a stronger football team by making several key offseason acquisitions both on the offensive and defensive side of the ball.

So all of this leaves me (the average Denver Broncos fan) upset. Franchise player traded to the Bears for Kyle Orton and two first round draft picks? This is a situation that could have easily been avoided by more upfrontness and accountability by both parties. The Bears will finish with a better record than the Broncos this year and even in a run first offense like Chicago has Jay Cutler will still post dazzling numbers.

My Take on the Final Four

Here are my impressions of the 4 teams and how they are playing.

Michigan State- The team that busted my bracket for good. I have been talking shit about the quality of basketball in the Big Ten Conference all year. How they are slow, boring and just not up to par with conferences like the Big East and the Big 12. I still maintain that as a conference the Big 10 is the weakest major conference in college basketball but this team has defied logic. Maybe they had a little extra motivation knowing that the Final Four is in Detroit or maybe it's just a case of good coaching...whatever the reason here they are. I still think this team is susceptible to a beat down from a very good team (like UConn) but with the home crowd behind them this team might just have enough to do it.

Connecticut- well well well. Look at what happened in this bracket...rather what the HELL happened to Memphis? Many experts and over 50% of brackets made on ESPN.com had Memphis in the Final Four. I've said it time and time again, and I will say it again. Memphis is overrated. Last year was an enigma thanks to a prodigy named Derrick Rose. Back to UConn. So much for them not having a chance without Jerome Dyson. Of all the #1 seeds, UConn has consistently looked the most dominant. Freshman Kemba Walker has done a terrific job filling in for the injured Dyson. Couple this with the already rock solid cast of Thabeet, Adrien and Price and you have a final four team. If Walker continues to play at the level he has been Connecticut is the favorite to take down the national championship.

Villanova- A surprise for some people (not me because I had them in the Final Four), Villanova is just an example of how deep and talented the Big East is. Pre tournament hype surrounded teams like UConn, Louisville, Pittsburgh and Syracuse but the Wildcats sort of got lost in the bracketology. In this tournament we have seen why Villanova is an elite team: aggressive tenacious defense and balanced scoring. Unlike teams like Oklahoma who revolve around one fantastic player, Villanova has a balanced tough attack. Even in this Final Four they still seem to be the underdogs and with juggernaut North Carolina waiting in Detroit it's no secret why. I think if Villanova does not panic, plays their game and plays defense they can win this game. UNC has a questionable commitment to defense making them vulnerable to a more physical, deliberate and methodical team like Villanova. The Wildcats absolutely cannot let the game turn into an up and down, track meet style game. No one is better than the Tar Heels at that.

North Carolina- Ty Lawson's toe appears to be just fine and so do UNC's national championship hopes. Despite the injury concerns for their starting point guard North Carolina was still picked to win more times than any other teams on ESPN brackets. The pre-season #1 stumbled a bit during the regular season, and looked less than dominant for most of the year. The bottom line is the Tar Heels have not met a team as good as or as hot as Villanova in the tournament. This will certainly be their toughest test of the tournament and perhaps their toughest test all year. UNC's success will not hinge on Tyler Hansbrough's play. While he is a star during ACC play especially against very weak opponents, he is a ghost vs. good teams. The key player is of course Lawson. If Villanova let Ty Lawson take over the game, it will be a blowout in favor of the Tar Heels. But if Villanova can contain UNC's high powered offense and force them to slow down and play defense we will have a game on our hands.

Predictions:

Connecticut over Villanova in the final.

The Bracket

Is about to be released...

Syracuse/Connecticut

WOW. Just wow. What a fantastic basketball game. I thought the Kings/Warriors triple overtime game was great...but this...I don't think I've ever seen anything like it. Those guys were playing on pure heart by the end of the game. 8 players fouled out and the starters for both teams played staggering minutes. I am happy that Syracuse came out on top of this one. However, maybe the extra days of rest will give Connecticut an edge in the big dance. Having just won their semi final game against West Virginia (in only one overtime) Syracuse will have played 5 games in 5 days when they meet Louisville tomorrow. Their guys, especially Jonny Flynn and Eric Devendorf have to be dead tired. It will be interesting to see how they respond when the NCAA tournament rolls around next week. I hope they can ride the momentum they have created in the last week, but they might just as easily be exhausted from the physical and emotional toll of the Big East tournament.

Also, Jim Brown wrote a letter to Jim Boeheim saying that he "has never been more proud to be a graduate of Syracuse University". That's big time stuff from possibly the greatest running back to ever play the game of football.

TO to Buffalo

What a surprise, and I mean that with the most sincerity. Who would have thought this is where TO would elect to go? I have heard the interview the interview countless times with who I think is his agent or someone close to him. In the interview, the person claims there was a good market for Terrell. He asserts he wouldn't have gotten his $6.5 mil unless there was a good market. I have to laugh at this comment because $6.5 mil for a player like Owens is not a lucrative contract, not to mention Buffalo is the one who offered it.

From Buffalo's point of view, I can see how TO could be a reasonable answer. There less than average club needs a pick me up, and who better to do that than a star caliber player? Lets face it, TO is a monster down the field. He is one of the top five receivers in the league (as far as talent and athleticism go). You can't deny that he is a great football player, but his baggage comes along with this talent. I honestly don't think it's going to be an issue this season because he is going to want to prove something to the sports world. He is going to have a positive influence in Buffalo this next NFL season.

Trevor Ariza's Dirty Play

In Monday's beat down of the Lakers (something I always like to see...from any team) Rudy Fernandez had to be carted off the court after a blow to the head from Trevor Ariza. Fernandez had the ball on the breakaway and had every Laker on the court beat. Ariza had other plans and tried to block the shot from behind but caught no arm, no wrist and certainly no ball. Ariza swung his arm full force into the side of Fernandez's head.

The referees declared it a Flagrant 2 and Ariza was promptly ejected. A scrum ensued near the Lakers bench...notable players involved were Lamar Odom and Brandon Roy...there were several randoms on both sides.

Trevor Ariza deserves at least a 3 game suspension for this hit. The NBA has to send a message that these kinds of fouls are not acceptable. Quite frankly I'm a little disturbed at the Lakers in general. It wasn't so long ago that Andrew Bynum delivered a shot to Gerald Wallace which kept him out for several weeks. While Bynum got his appropriate punishment in the form of a knee injury, Ariza's fate has yet to be decided. When the commissioner's office reviews the tape of this flagrant I hope that the appropriate decision is made and Ariza is suspended. According to NBA rules every player who got off the bench during the proceeding altercation should also receive a suspension but we'll see if that actually materializes.

To Jamal Crawford

I am sorry that the Warriors coach has lost his marbles in his old age. Contracts are called contracts for a reason, he has no right to tell you to terminate it. You are one of three players over the age of twenty eight, but the old fool still finds you expendable. I say he you should tell him to opt out of his contract so that the Warriors can get back to playing basketball to win. Don Nelson is a joke, and I hope ownership is taking note.

Another Shaq Post

Let me start by saying I am by no means a fan of Stan Van Gundy, and he is a sorry character for publicly calling out Shaq on an insignificant play. He was obviously trying to get some attention or besmirch Shaq's character.

The situation: Shaq obviously flopped. Van Gundy called Shaq out. Van Gundy was Shaq's coach in Miami and Shaq supposedly complained about people who flop agaisnt him. (Vlade Divac was one of those fools when Shaq played for the Lakers). Shaq responds with personal attacks and attempts to justify his flop.

What a joke. Shaq is one of those guys who complains about something someone else is doing but does it himself, except when he does it, it is okay. Everyone knows at least five people like this. It's called hypocracy.

The idea that anyone has the capibility of unintentionally knocking the Shaq-tastic to floor is hilarious in itself. He admitted it was a flop and somehow he thought this situation was justified while others weren't. Grow up Shaq.

BCS Proposal

Will anyone disagree that March Madness is the most exciting moment in sports in our country? And yes, I mean more exciting than the NFL playoffs, NBA playoffs, and the MLB playoffs. When it comes to exciting periods in sports, March Madness is second to none.

On the other end of the spectrum, the BCS ranks just above bowling in level excitement. Okay, maybe I exaggerated. However, could there be any title less important then College Football National Champions. Until the current BCS system actually includes playoffs, this title will continue to not mean that much.

The Mountain West has proposed an eight team playoff. I'm not too sure about the specifics of the proposal, but I do know that it includes extending the season two weeks. This extention is largely why this proposal will not go through.

The current bowl schedule is approximently three weeks long, the time it would take to run an eight team playoff. They should make the specifics simple, the exact opposite of the current convoluted system in place now. A committee of delegates from the 11 division 1-A conferences would vote who gets to participate in the playoff. That simple, nothing confusing.

Of course this would upset people who value the history of the bowl season. To that I say whatever. I don't care about the history, I want any team to have a chance at the national championship so this title can actually mean what it says. And if you want, the four BCS games could be the first round of the playoffs.

Guarding Kobe

Five minutes ago on sports center, Suzy Colber was getting on O.J. Mayo's back for not playing the best D on Kobe. It makes me think she has never played the game of basketball. The highlights they showed to back up this claim were nothing short of hilarious. Kobe Bryant is a freak of nature. All four clips shown were of him doing his step back fade-away jumper, ranging from 12-18 feet out. The shot is incontestable. The shot can't be stopped, it's one of those things you just have to cross your fingers does not fall.

On another note; the Yankees played team USA and won. Of course it was the Yankees that played them and not the defending champs.

Moreover; that cancerous cist finally agreed to his two year, 45 million dollar deal. Hooray for baseball.

Anthony Randolph and a Warrior Game Critique

My comments about the game the Warriors played today against the Jazz are going to be obvious to anyone who has watched more than a couple of basketball games. The Jazz had 93 shot attempts compared to the warriors 76 shots. The Jazz had 36 assists compared to the Warriors 22. The Warriors turned the ball over 25 times (11 of them came in the fourth quarter). Other than that, the Warriors played well (I hope the sarcasm was obvious).

But really, the Warriors shot the ball tremendously today. However, they proved that if you don't protect the ball, shooting well isn't going to matter much. The Warriors had the lead most of the game, which is the reason why their fourth quarter performance was so disappointing. If any team in the league has the stats shown above, they will not get a win.

High points for the day include Don Nelson's decision to sit Stephen Jackson. He continued to let his youngsters see plenty of the court and it paid off. Watching Anthony Randolph tonight made me really excited. The Warriors have needed a presence down low for quite some time, and seeing the kid play tonight made me hopeful that he is our guy. He had four blocked shots with a few offensive rebounds against an overall much bigger team. Until now, I thought of him as a big small forward. But now, I see that he can play in the post. If he could gain a few more pounds, he could be exactly what the Warriors are looking for. Brandon Wright is going to need to work extra hard to get back some playing time when he returns.

-Mark P

Shaq's Resurgence

Shaquille O'Neal (a.k.a. Shaq, Superman, The Big Diesel, Shaq-a-clause, The Big Aristotle, Shaqtus etc.) looks like he's playing in his prime again. It's true that he has lost a step and is not as explosive as in his earlier years, the man is still showing that he knows how to play the game of basketball better than almost anyone at his position. Despite the fact that he's less of an athlete than he used to be, he continues to show that his footwork and skill are second to none. He's using the same moves he used to dominate the Kings in the early 2000s. And the scariest part? He's shooting free throws better than he ever has.

With Amar'e Stoudomire out with a freak eye injury and Steve Nash missing several games with a sprained ankle, the aged Shaq is suddenly the best player on the team. He has more than delivered with 45 points the other night and 33 just now. All while facing above average defenders such as Chris Bosh and Pau Gasol. After the Suns beat the Lakers, Shaq said: "the only time I don't play well is when I'm injured...I've been doing the same thing since 1992."

Along with helping his team win key games, Shaq has all but solidified his spot in the hall of fame. There is almost nothing this guy has not done in his illustrious career. He has now proved his dominance with 3 different teams over more than a decade of work. He is a guaranteed double-double every night, and is still one of the smartest players in the NBA.

The only concern I have about the high level of Shaq's play is that as a result he is getting extended minutes. At his age, Shaq can only sustain this amount of minutes for a limited amount of time. With Amar'e out for nearly the rest of the season, there is little doubt that Shaq will continue to post this amount of playing time. If the Suns are going to make a serious playoff push they need a well-rested and well-playing Shaquille O'Neal.

-Bryce B

Kobe vs. Lebron

Who would you rather have on your team?

Comparing these two players is no easy feat. They are both the best in their own respect, however, the question isn't impossible. It comes down to personal choice so the answer will, of course, not be decisive.

Personally, I'd take Lebron. Here's my reasoning: he has proved that he can win games with a sub-par supporting staff. Kobe has had Shaq, Pau, Lamar, and Bynum. Lebron has single handily built his team into one of the top three teams in the NBA. His skills are uncanny.

I have to give my respects for Kobe. If the question were changed to; "who would you rather have on your team in the fourth quarter, down 5 in the seventh game of the finals" I would have to take Kobe. Kobe has proven he can take big shots and make them. He seems to get better the more pressure he has on him.

-Mark P

Don Nelson Does Something to Make Me Smile

That's right, I agree with him for the first time in a long time. He has decided to bench Jamal Crawford for Friday's game. I have nothing against Crawford and I think he will be a valuable player next year for the Warriors, however, the young people in the Warriors organization have a great opportunity with this blown season to see the court.

I love this move because I do want to see the Warriors looking to the future. One of my beefs with Nellie last year was that he ran his players to death and by March and April, his team was finished. They could not close out their season and therefore missed the playoffs. Next, I'd like to see Corey Maggette's minutes go down dramatically because he tends to get hurt a lot. Not Tracy McGrady hurt, more like whiney kid on your high school basketball team hurt.

-Mark P

Stephen Curry

The countries most overrated athlete. 6 foot three inch, 185 pound Stephen Curry will surely get dominated in the NBA. His small stature, average shot, average speed, and poor decision making can only cut it playing sub-par teams in the NCAA. Stick any guard on him in the NBA and he is going to get shut down like an old P.C..

-Mark P

A's Decide to stay in Oakland

Article here

So after enduring all the whining from A's fans about how "Freemont sucks", and "The OAKLAND A's need to stay in Oakland", it appears that now they will get their wish. The A's will continue to play in that piece of crap stadium that Al Davis ruined.

Don't get me wrong, the Coliseum has a special place in my life. I saw my first ever live professional baseball game there: Dave Stewart pitching against the lowly Royals. I've seen division crowns come down to a 3 game series in the Coliseum vs the hated Angels. I've seen Marco Scutaro hit a walk-off home run against Mariano Rivera. Oh, yes, some fantastic times at the Coliseum. But it's time for us as A's fans to view the sad truth.

The A's have one of the top 3 worst facilities in Major League Baseball. Other candidates for the list include: The Metrodome, Tropicana Stadium and Dodger Stadium. That's right, Dodger stadium. I hate Dodger Stadium and everything that it represents. When you go to an A's game, aside from being greeted by half empty bleachers and fantastic food, you can't help but notice the monstrosity that has been erected in center field. It's hard to believe that this is what the Coliseum used to look like.

The advent of the Raiders doomed the Coliseum's hopes of continuing to be a legitimate MLB ballpark. Here is my solution. Raiders: go away. Go share your stadium with the 49ers, go play in LA, do whatever. Just take that terrible brand of football elsewhere and give a good baseball team its stadium back. The part about the Oakland Coliseum that infuriates me the most is that when football season starts is right when baseball season is entering its stretch run. In September penants are being decided and games are at their most exciting. What's a great way to ruin a baseball game? Have the players play on a field that is marked up with yard lines and numbers. The football/baseball field is not only visually displeasing, it's also terrible for both sports. While football players have to deal with getting tackled on infield dirt, baseball players have to deal with a torn up outfield and uneven infield surface. The situation is beneficial to no one, especially not fans and players.

All this being said, I do understand the money issue. Especially in this economy it is hard to move a team to a new stadium and maintain the fan base. I couldn't care less about the Raiders. But I just want the A's to be in Northern California for the rest of my life. I would tolerate a slightly longer drive to a slightly more whack location if it means I'm seeing a better game environment and better baseball.

-Bryce B

Highlife

That's right, Highlife. If super bowl commercials had their own oscar, you better believe Miller's "Highlife" commercial would take home the bacon. It was tastefully done, the point got across, it was highly anticipated and it did not fail to impress. It took an entire one second. It was genius.

-Mark P

Greg Oden

Greg Oden may quite possibly have the most potential in the NBA right now. I predict, however, he will fall well short of his full potential. The kid is T-Mac, Gilbert Arenas, and D-Wade combined. He bruises easier then apples. He has the size and athleticism to dominate the paint, but if he keeps getting injured, he will be forgotten within a couple years of his career ending injury.

-Mark P

TIGER!!!

The most dominant athlete in the history of the sport of golf is prepared to make his return to the pro tour. After a heroic showing in last year's US Open in which he defeated fan favorite Rocco Mediate in an epic 18 hole playoff...all while on a torn ACL and a double stress fractured tibia, Tiger had surgery to repair his tattered leg and missed the rest of the season. But now he's back, scheduled to make his return for the Accenture Match Play Championship.

One of the things analysts were discussing after the surgery was who is gonna be the guy that will step up in Tiger's place and be the new force in professional golf. The answer is no one. Rocco was unable to ride his wave of momentum after taking the best golfer ever down to the wire. Sergio has still yet to win a major tournament. Vijay has seemingly fallen off the face of the earth. And Phil...is still being Phil: the not so lovable loser. With no up-and-comer (save Padraig Harrington I suppose) there is no reason to believe that Tiger will not be able to win this year.

"The Tiger Effect" is a very real thing in the world of professional golf. The bottom line is, the guys on the tour are afraid to play against him. No one wants to be matched up with Tiger on Sunday, with a major title on the line; especially if he has the lead. I would venture to say that we haven't seen a competitor quite like Tiger since Michael Jordan. It matters very little to him what his opponents do, all he cares about is how well he is playing. And as we all know, when Tiger plays well, there is no one in the world that can beat him.

Asked about his expectations for the year: "Nothing changes from every tournament I enter--it's to win. That's my intent, to go in there and win. Nothing has ever changed." Those words have got to worry the rest of the field. All this being said, I think Tiger will win one major championship this year. I think he will win one of the latter two majors--either the British Open or the PGA Championship. But I will not be shocked if he wins more than one. And I certainly won't be surprised if he wins the Match Play Championship this weekend.

Bryce B

Zach Randolph

Video

This is a video of Zach Randolph sucker punching Lou Amundson. This punch connected to Amundson's jaw. This kind of behavior is unacceptable in any league except hockey, and even then, sucker punching someone would be enough to get jumped by four other people.

It was flat out dangerous. Amundson took the punch like a champ, but he could have fared far worse. Some have speculated that this could result in a two-game suspension, but I think that number is outrageously low. He could have done serious damage. He is out of control. He should not be on a court until he decides punching people maybe isn't a good idea. He didn't just push Amundson around; let me be clear, he flat out sucker punched him like a coward. He should be out for a minumum of seven games and if it were up to me, I'd suspend him for the rest of the season.

-Mark P

Three Point Competition

The three point competition is not a very serious event. Its purpose is to get a group of guys together who shoot the ball well as to show the crowd a good time. Warrior announcers (Jim Barnett and Bob Fitzgerald) have been chirping for weeks about how Anthony Morrow and Kelenna Azubuike were robbed of the opportunity to participate. Anthony Morrow leads the league in three point percentage and Buike is not far behind at third.

The ultimate question is; what does it take to get into the contest? Answer: you have to be a household name who is known for shooting the trey. Question to J. Barnett: is Morrow a household name? Answer: absolutely not. Sure he shoots it well but that is not all it takes to get into the contest. The spirit of the contest is to have a good time. It is by no means a serious competition. The fans don't want to see Morrow shooting it; they want to see someone they might of heard of shooting the ball. End of story.

-Mark P

The Kings

Here are the Kings' problems (in no particular order):

Coaching: while I disagree with the philosophy of firing the coach to solve a team's problems, if the Kings are going to move in a new direction they will need a coach who is up to the task. A coach who stresses defense and rebounding. A coach who has both the vision and the intelligence to make that vision a reality. In the rebuilding process, the coach is perhaps the most vital aspect.

Defense: The Kings give up 108 points a game. Nothing else needs to be said about that.

Big Men: The Kings front line is soft. Here is a unit that no one in the NBA respects and for good reason. The lack of a true post player has been a trait of Kings teams going back to the days of Olden Polynice. Having a respected big man does a number of teams for a ball club: prevents guards from driving to the basket at will, draws double teams which enables shooters (Martin, Garcia) to get open easier, blocks shots so the thought is at least in the mind of the opposing team and most importantly rebounds the damn basketball.

Leadership: the Kings have no leader. Kevin Martin is the best player but is he the guy everyone looks to in the locker room? The team appears to have put its faith in Beno as their point guard but is he ready to assume the role of leader? Brad Miller? Yeah right.

Lack of a Marketable Player: There is no face of the franchise right now. The Kings have no player who is easily identifiable. If the casual basketball fan were to see a picture of Kevin Martin it is likely that they would fail to identify him. Publicity is a good way for a team to gain respect and a great way to increase desirability for free agents.

Fans: Arco Arena is dead. There is no excitement, no enthusiasm, and for some games barely any fans. Sacramento has gone from bringing the ruckus every night to not caring. This will not change until the team puts a better product on the court.

Brad Miller: He just needs to be traded to clear salary cap room so the rebuilding effort can seriously get underway.

Too many of the same player: Swing men like Francisco Garcia, John Salmons and Quincy Douby are a dime a dozen in the NBA. Instead of taking up roster space with players like that, why not add some depth at point guard or on the front line?

Ownership?: Sometimes I wonder if building a successful basketball team is the Maloof's first priority. They have their casino and all that now in Las Vegas. I feel like maybe their commitment to the team is no longer as strong as it used to be.

I still maintain my faith in Geoff Petrie. I believe that if anyone can fix this mess it is him. I will not abandon hope. I truly believe that the days of Arco Thunder will return.

Go Kings!

-Bryce B

The State of Baseball

Can I start by saying what a joke the Yankees are? They easily had the leagues largest salary; paying their players 207 million (the second team were the Mets paying their players 127 million). A-Rod had the most expensive contract at 28 million while the Florida's entire team roster was merely at 22 million. How is a team like Florida expected to compete? Anyways, the Yankees massive salary did not yield a desirable outcome considering they missed the playoffs completely. How pathetic is that?

Moving on; 22 million vs. 207 million dollars. Almost 10 times as much money. Plain ridiculous. How can the MLB just let this happen?

This won't ever fix itself considering no one is going to want to go see a team with virtually no prospect of making the playoffs. Disclaimer: they ironically did finish with a winning record but that is beside the point. The point is; they will still be poor. Bad teams will still be poor. And being poor will give you a bad team. It's a cycle that needs to be attended to.

Teams like the Oakland A's have had times where they thought the future looked bright. Such a young team with plenty of talent that needed to be developed. However, when this talent develops it goes right over to the Yankees who can afford to pay, let's face it, whatever they want. My buddy pointed out that they were just another farm league for the Yankees to choose from.

Something needs to be done.

-Mark P

The State of Basketball

Watching the Warriors last week reminded me of how off base the NBA has gone. The Warriors had the ball in the a tied game with seconds left in the fourth quarter. Stephen Jackson gets the ball. After a couple seconds of him doing nothing go by, he attempts to take a shot over Bowen. Did I say over? And did I say attempt to take a shot? That is not what happened at all. Instead of trying to score the people are supposed to score in the NBA, Jackson dug his way into the body of Bowen and through the ball to the area of the basket trying to get to the line. His effort did not pay off.

However, I have seen many things like this happen; the shooter jumps forward into the defender while shooting trying to get to the line. This pays off about 75% of the time. When I think of the word foul, I think of a someone who makes too much contact with someone on the other team. So my question is; who initiates the contact in this situation? Every time I see something like this happen I want to make a call to David Stern telling him fix this atrocious behavior that has become so popular.

This same logic applies similarly to other situation that occur in basketball. In my mind, the defensive player has the same right to the basketball as the offensive player. The defensive player also has the same right to be on any given part of the floor as the offensive player. The game loses its integrity when an offensive player drives right through the defensive player and drawing a foul. How ludicrous is this? I honestly don't understand why this rule is in place. Set or not, the defensive player has every right to be where he is, as long he isn't jumping into the offensive players way. I understand that this is well within the rules so I am not calling out the offense. I am, however, calling for a change in the rules.

Point three: drawing charges is also something that blows my mind. When you have a guy coming full force into the lane, sure, go ahead and don't move and get your charge call. That isn't what bothers me. What bothers me is the defense using this rule to as if it is a skill one picks up. I've seen Shaq be the victim of this many times. Let's face it, the man is slow as hell. If he is has to drive to the basket, the defense could easily get in front of him to draw the charge, and it happens 50% of the time. What happened to playing basketball? Officials should use some common sense and give the fouls to those that deserve them.

Point 4: intentional fouling. Again, lets play basketball. If you are beat at the end of the game, instead of intentional fouling, play basketball. Have some respect.

In soccer, if a player flops, he gets a yellow card. I propose we do the same thing in basketball. T up the coward who decided he wasn't good enough to play his opponent.

-Mark P

Steroids in Baseball: A Sad Fan's View

Let me start by saying that the whole steroid "thing" in baseball makes me more sad than anything else. While it does make me angry, disappointed, skeptical and confused, the prevailing emotion for me is sadness. Some of my best sports memories were created by athletes who it now appears used banned substances. Who could forget The Bash Brothers? As a proud Oakland A's fan, I can say that both McGwire and Canseco (along with hall of famers such as Dave Stewart and Ricky Henderson) were among my favorite players early in life. Then there was the summer of 1998. And what a summer that was. We saw unprecedented stuff from Sammy Sosa and Mark McGwire. I'll never forget the moment I learned about McGwire blasting #62. Then of course there was Barry Bonds, who took everything to a new level. In a park that was seemingly designed for him to hit home runs he put on a show that I can still scarcely believe. In a three year span he went from being a hall of fame 4-tool player (we all know he never had a very good arm) to the greatest and most feared presence at the plate in Major League Baseball history.

As a young Tom Glavine and Greg Maddux once pointed out in one of Nike's best commercials, "chicks dig the long ball". However, chicks aren't the only ones who dig the long ball, we as baseball fans dig the long ball as well. It cannot be denied that the home run chase of 1998 propelled Major League Baseball to new levels of popularity. It's almost clear that the Lame Duck commissioner Bud Selig turned a blind eye to the goings on regarding performance enhancing drugs to boost the popularity of baseball. There's something majestic and captivating about the home run, Major League Baseball had to have realized that this was its biggest draw. As a result of this though baseball is now getting loads of negative publicity; perhaps more than ever.

I am all for cleaning up the game. If it takes urine tests, blood tests, lie detector tests, whatever, just get it done. Here's a couple things that I think are wrong though. First of all, what in the world is congress doing involved in this? I hate how the steroid "investigations" are turning into a witch hunt. If you watch the testimonies of McGwire, Sosa, Clemens and Palmeiro (sp) before congress, you can't help but notice that they bear striking similarity to the McCarthy communist trials. That is not right. Second, I hate how superstars are being singled out. Reportedly there are upwards of a hundred players who tested positive in 2003, why haven't all the names been released. I hate how it's only a big deal when the best players do it, while average and mediocre players who used PEDs get to fly under the radar while the big guys take the fall.

As far as I'm concerned there's nothing that can really be "done" at this point. The idea of revoking MVP awards, batting titles and records as a way of showing a firm stance against steroids is ridiculous. Because where does it stop? Should MLB also take back the World Series titles that the Yankees won with Clemens on the team? Should the A's lose their 1989 World Series because of Canseco and McGwire? Should the Giants lose their 2002 National League championship because of Barry Bonds? Absolutely not. Do we give Bonds' MVP awards to the runners up of those years? Or do we just have no MVP? The point is, there is far too much "stuff" to go case by case. Are we going to have no hall of famers from the steroid era? How ridiculous would that be? I think Bonds, A-Rod and Clemens all belong in the hall of fame and they deserve to keep all of the awards they won.

Baseball changes with the times. Let's not forget that ballparks are a lot smaller now than they used to be. How many homers would Hammerin' Hank and the Babe have hit if they played in this era? Let's not forget that after Bob Gibson posted an outrageous 1.12 ERA, baseball decided that the mound should be lowered because pitchers were becoming too dominant. That is a fundamental change in the way the game is played, and yet nobody is saying that we should take away any of Cy Young's wins because he had the unfair advantage of pitching from a higher mound. The game changes, and the players change with the game. If I had a hall of fame vote I would vote in Bonds, Clemens and A-Rod when his time comes.

-Bryce B

Superbowl

This year, we had an epic superbowl. Santonio Holmes made a fantastic catch. Watching it live, I had no doubt that he was not in bounds. The catch seemed impossible. It took me three replays to recover from my shock and realize the kid made a great catch. I couldn't have asked for anything more at that point.

However, I was a little disappointed with the last play of the game. Watching it live, I wasn't sure if Warner got the ball off or not. Watching the replays, I still could not tell. To this day, I do not know whether or not it was a throw or a fumble. But the officials decided to not review the play. What a blunder. It was a close play that happened to be the last play of an entire season. With no review. Very disappointing.

-Mark P

Playoffs

My Golden State Warriors would need to win the rest of their games (30) in order to make the playoffs. We believe. Just kidding.

At this point in the season, Don Nelson should be playing those who earn the playing time and not necessarily those that will help win the game. Since the playoffs are off the table, they are virtually playing for nothing (or maybe for a better draft spot). That being said, they could use the thirty games they have left to keep the franchise players from playing too many minutes and find out how the others fare in the NBA. It could be a good learning experience if Nellie decides to do what is best for the Warriors.

-Mark P

Steroids in Baseball

I am glad to see the MLB is cracking down on steroid users. However, I'd like to see a more strict disciplinary system for those who decided to use the substance. For those who did use (and can be proven), they should stripped of all their awards earned after using the substance.

It is no coincidence that the top six single season HR totals were tallied by those who doped. My point is; how can current major league hitters compete? They should be held to a different standard than those who chose to the rules of the game.

My second point deals with future baseball players. High school and college athletes will look at the major league and its players and see plenty of the players took steroids to up their game. Why is it fair for these kids to compete against the users?

Steroids has no place in baseball. In order to keep it out, action has to be taken to throw out everything steroids has tainted. Including hall of fame status' and any other personal achievement. Those who have used steroids and are still in the league should be removed.

-Mark P