Defending Coach Pop, Defending Us Fans

David Stern's reaction to Gregg Popovich's decision to bench his big three was a major overreaction.

Oh David Stern, how you have influenced the NBA for so many reasons. Oh how you rigged the lottery and gave the Knicks Patrick Ewing (thank you). Oh how you saw the post-Jordan glory years crumble to the ground when stars like Allen Iverson and Kobe Bryant got a little bit overzealous off the court and with the press. Oh how you dropped to your knees in praise when LeBron James was picked first overall in 2003 and a few years later completely revitalized your league. Oh how you came to your senses after stuffing your face with turkey last year saving the season and producing one of the most exciting basketball campaigns we've seen in a while. Oh and how arrogant you are and how much I dislike you. But oh how you've been right so many times. But, oh how wrong you were last night.

Last night Spurs coach Gregg Popovich did what he has done countless times over the past few seasons, sitting his big three for reasons of age, durability and fatigue. This was well publicized last March when the Spurs met the 76ers and Duncan did not play and Pop left us with quite a hilarious coach's decision DNP. So when he decided to sit Duncan, Ginobili, Parker and Danny Green last night, no one was surprised, except commissioner David Stern.

Maybe it was the fact that it was the much-overhyped NBA on TNT Thursday. Maybe it was because they were playing the Heat, the league's most overexposed team since the 90s Bulls with the league's most overexposed player since Michael Jordan. Maybe because it was a possible NBA Finals preview. Maybe it was because it was about as marquee of November inter-conference game as you could possibly have. Maybe it was because Stern's Thursday was a little too thirsty or maybe it was because Stern got his panties in a bundle. But the "substantial sanctions" that Stern has threatened to hit San Antonio with are pure ludicrous.

Gregg Popovich did absolutely nothing wrong last night in my eyes. This is a championship-caliber squad and while a majority of their team is below 30 years old, their three best players average a little bit more than the 30-year plateau and seem even older. They need their rest. Pop's team is tied with the Memphis Grizzlies for the NBA's best record and have a big game at home on Saturday against those same Grizzlies. Another reason why this game was quite meaningless for Pop's Spurs, despite the fact that the NBA had the TNT clown show covering the game. This is Pop thinking long-term, thinking about down-the-road and not what's in front of him. There is no need for the Spurs to show off their prowess and beat the Heat on the road, they don't fear LeBron James and in fact, the coach's decision last night proved they don't a-you-know-what about King James. Why waste your effort trying to beat one of the Eastern Conference's best teams when you could have your players rested against your biggest foe in your own conference. Pop's train of thought in the regular season is, an easy win is still a win, and Western Conference's games are all that matter. Whether or not you agree with him, you don't have four rings like he does, you haven't won 50-plus games 13 years in a row (including last year's lockout) like him. Simply put, you are not Gregg Popovich. Remember folks (and Brooklyn fans) games in November do not resonate like they do in March and April when you make that final playoff push. But we don't need to defend Pop, his ring-laden right hand could do it for us, but we do need to criticize David Stern.

The commissioner basically made us fans out to be little kids, especially Heat fans who honestly wouldn't drop a tear if LeBron just got up and left them for the NFL:

"I apologize to all NBA fans. This was an unacceptable decision by the San Antonio Spurs and substantial sanctions will be forthcoming."

Are you kidding me? I don't need to be apologized to about one game on TNT. If I'm a damn Heat fan (the thought of that makes me shutter) I'm excited. "Nice, an easy win for my squad in what I thought would have been a tough game." Commish, it's November. Pop's decision to sit his stars in November will have absolutely no ramifications down the road, and I can bet you on that. For the national audience, TNT will survive. Shaq is not going to try and wrestle Charles Barkley to boost ratings. Craig Sager is not going to wear a suit made out of bear skin to get viewers. The NBA is not going to fold like a lawn chair because no one watches a Thursday game in November. No one is crying or throwing a tantrum because they didn't get to see an early season Spurs-Heat game. Everyone is moving on just fine. Actually, this game sort of became quite interesting on the heels of Pop's decision and would have still been interesting even if Stern didn't throw in his two cents. By halftime when everyone realized the Spurs weren't get rocked by LeBron and co. it turned into must-watch TV and prompted this hysterical tweet by the NBA Historian himself, Bill Simmons:

Commish, it's very simple. Don't treat us NBA fans like we're stupid or that we eat, sleep and drink 82-straight games of NBA basketball. The season is a long, winding road and Gregg Popovich knows it's not a sprint. No matter what you do Commissioner Stern, Pop isn't going to change and you'll just have to let him continue being the best coach in the NBA. The league is at a high that it hasn't been at in a while, don't turn this well-oiled basketball republic into a full-blown dictatorship, that's how you lose fans, lose players and lose damn good coaches.

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In Response to Jalen Rose's "Dark Alley Fab Five"

Grantland has done a phenomenal job of exposing how much of a hilarious guy Jalen Rose is with all these shorts they've had on its Youtube Channel (see the fact that he always carries a bat in every video). One of the best videos Rose is featured in is his "Dark Alley Fab Five" or the five NBA players he would want to bring in a dark alley if tussling was a possibility. The five were, Stephen Jackson, Ron Artest, Kendrick Perkins, Tony Allen and Zach Randolph in that order. Here's the video:



On the heels of that great video, BDD&C would like to respond to Jalen Rose and give him the "Charmin Fab Five" or the top five NBA guys you wouldn't want with you in a dark alley. Here we go:

 Pau Gasol, Los Angeles Lakers
I will say this before I rip on Gasol for being soft, he has a come a long way in leading a team. He was the rock on Spain's silver-medal winning team and Phil Jackson's certainly increased his toughness, but the guy's just far too European for the NBA.

Gasol hates to mix it up in the paint, settling for the elbow jumper all day. He's a defensive liability and is probably thanking god for Dwight Howard's paint presence so he can avoid that place like the plague. If you're reading his book by its cover, you can just see by his goofy face and wild hair that he's probably better suited on the Charmin All-star teams.

It doesn't get any softer for Gasol than this:



The best part, fellow softie Andrew Bynum was just laughing at him on the bench.

Brook Lopez, Brooklyn Nets
Lopez, unlike Gasol, actually likes to mix it up in the post, but only on the offensive end. He has some solid post moves and actually isn't a terrible rebounder. But, he never finishes strong and always settles for the finesse move, even if he's got size on a defender.

Despite being seven-feet tall, Lopez gets humiliated on the defensive end as power forwards usually have an easy time backing him down. He routinely avoids getting dunked on because he doesn't want to get humiliated and rarely takes charges or really does anything on defense. Plus he's a Lopez and we know those soft Stanford twins are nothing but seven-feet of fluff. You really know it's bad when your equally and maybe even softer brother dunks on you.



Look at that flailing attempt to block the shot and then "awwww shucks!' response afterwards. Keep waddling down the court like a pouty little kid, Brook.

Carlos Boozer, Chicago Bulls
Boozer may, in fact be, the worst defending big man in the history of the game, let alone in the NBA today. His matador D is so mind-blowing that I think even Clyde Frazier would have to be more disgusted than comical. 

This soft power forward robbed the Bulls of $80 million dollars in the free agent frenzy of 2010 and they've been suffering from his lack of toughness ever since. It's kind of funny that he plays for Tom Thibodeau because Thibs preaches toughness and defense. Boozer is a bonafide joke.



Notice how he not only gets dunked on by a guard who I've never heard of, but he also flops himself out of the way all while going nowhere near drawing a charge.

Chris Bosh, Miami Heat
It's not for the sake of trying that Chris Bosh is soft, it's just the way he's built. He's a power forward built like a gangly raptor, who routinely gets bodied because he just isn't big enough.

Attempting to play defense and hitting the elbow jumper on Bosh's strong suites, but he certainly isn't sticking up for any of his teammates. And when he tries to? Who is he intimidating?

I still have no idea how the Heat win without any semblance of a quality, tough big man (Joel Anthony does not count). But I guess they do because LeBron helps hide Bosh's affection with Charmin. Might as well call this dude flopasaurus-rex.



He wouldn't even get in the way of Rajon Rondo, it's not like that dude has the best finishing skills anyway...

Eddy Curry, recently cut by the Dallas Mavericks
Sad, sad story here. Eddy Curry is just a really nice guy that happens to be good at basketball, likes to eat a lot of food and doesn't want to hurt anyone.

For real, a ton scouts have said he's just not mentally or physically tough enough to play in the NBA even though he possess the skills and size to be a competent big man.

Hey, look on the bright side though! Eddy got a ring with the Heat last year!

Wish I had a Youtube video to expose his softness, but that would be downright mean.

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We've Found the Next Generation of NFL Quarterbacks

Andrew Luck and RGIII have something special brewing for years to come

The last time the NFL Draft commenced with a back-to-back quarterback selection it was 1999. Tim Couch was selected by the Browns first overall. Donovan McNabb followed with a chorus of boos raining down on him from Eagles fans and Akili Smith finished off the top three selections by going to the Bengals. It was promising for the league to have three straight "franchise changing" quarterbacks with the first three picks. Unfortunately only McNabb prompted any sort of organization transformation. Couch floundered with the Browns and Akili Smith failed to grasp the much faster NFL game. Despite McNabb's great career with the Eagles, the league was robbed of what would have been a sensational trio of quarterbacks. Well I think we may have finally gotten it's return on that deal 13 years later.

Andrew Luck and Robert Griffin III are two vastly different quarterbacks. They are not cut from the same physical mold, they don't throw the ball the same way, they don't possess the same physical skills, they attack the game in different ways, but here they are locked in a legitimate battle for Rookie of the Year and 2012 draft class supremacy. And as different as their respective physical skills may be, these guys are bonafide leaders. Not only do they understand the game and how to be leaders, but they possess the sort of composure seen by only a few rookies in years past. A levelheadedness that inspires teammates and allows them to display their creativity no matter what the situation is.

We expected these guys to struggle, we expected them to hit the major bumps in the road, even expected them to play like ugly, young rookies. But 11 games into this NFL season, both have proved that they we were worth their high selections in this year's draft. Luck has re-energized a franchise that had one of the fastest falls from grace we've ever seen; the Colts are knocking on the playoff door and no one in their right mind can say they predicted this. RGIII has Washington as excited about football as it since Joe Gibbs and Mark Rypien were leading the 'Skins to a Super Bowl in 1992. If Cam Newton can find re-establish himself as a good QB in the NFL, then we will have quite a trio of NFL quarterbacks going forward.

With the likes of Peyton Manning, Tom Brady and Ben Roethlisberger on the other side of their career peaks, we're soon going to have to look to a new crop of studs. Luck, RGII and Newton definitely represent something special for the NFL in the coming years, and it will be especially important for Griffin to reinvigorate a storied Redskins franchise which has seen too much of the cellar lately for the NFL's liking. Luck has the tough task of filling the void left by Peyton Manning, but he's already showed the type of leadership skills necessary to create the same longevity of success that Manning created for all of those years. Finally, Newton has had a rough, bump-in-the-road kind of year but it's certainly no help that his team isn't very good.

Early indications tell us that the 2012 draft will be an important one in shaping the league's next decade or so. Anyone thinking Redskins, Colts in Super Bowl L? Let's hope that's not just wishful thinking.

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The Colin Kaepernick Dilemma

Harbaugh and Smith's relationship is straining with each passing week Colin Kaepernick starts, one too many and Harbaugh could lose Smith forever.

 Monday Night Football can, and often does, bring out the best in NFL players. Something about the bright lights of a prime time start and the oddity of playing on Monday night turns mediocre players into stars and stars into legends. Two Mondays ago we had the misfortune of having to watch two likely playoff teams meet in odd circumstances, both starting quarterbacks were out. Instead of watching a defense-centric 14-10 game, we saw Colin Kaepernick exploded on national TV to the tune of a 32-7 win. Knowing that the question was coming, coach Jim Harbaugh did his best job of turning a normal situation in a full-blown controversy by saying he'll "play the hot hand."

Harbaugh went with the "hot hand" on Sunday and he was luckily rewarded in a big way as Kaepernick produced an efficient effort throwing for 231 yards and a touchdown, while adding another big touchdown on the ground in an important Niners road win at the surging Saints. At 2-0, Kaepernick looks like the best bet on offense as he's proved his arm strength and decision-making to be NFL-competent. Right? No, Harbaugh is seriously mistaken.

The second year QB out of Nevada has played efficiently, but nothing that should conjure up memories of Steve Young or Joe Montana. This guy is two games removed from being a wildcat specialist quarterback, meant to come in and shake up the offense a few times a game. In his first win, with Alex Smith appropriately nursing a concussion, Kaepernick went out had an impressive game and all was well. In his second win, Kaepernick had another impressive game, but Alex Smith was suited up and visibly upset with the fact that he wasn't starting. Harbaugh has now officially angered the same starting QB that led his team to the NFC Championship Game, and had this team on its way to another deep NFC playoff run. Why did he do it? Was it to tame his own burgeoning ego? Does he not support Alex Smith? He turned this guy's career around and now it's looking like he's tossing him to the way side? I wrote an article earlier this season lauding Harbaugh with praise, I almost want to take it back now.

Has Harbaugh lost Smith yet? Probably not, but he's getting close. They threw Smith under the bus this offseason by pursuing Peyton Manning and more Smith pass overs could turn things real sour.  But that's fine you say. Look at Kaepernick, he's equipped with the skills to match Smith. Blah, blah, blah. Kaepernick has proven nothing. NFL teams don't even have a real scouting report on him yet. When they do, then we'll see the real Colin Kaepernick. We'll see if Harbaugh made the right decision. We'll see if he was right. But by then he will have lost Smith. He'll have lost the guy he has combed to lead his talented team to the promise land.

I will say Harbaugh has the chance to make things right. Start Smith against the Rams this Sunday, and all will be ok. Damage control will have done its job and Kaepernick will most likely agree to return to his specialist role. Leaving Kaepernick in the starting role will mean he's doing so without a 100-percent committed Smith behind him if the experiment fails, and that means worse news than an early playoff exit.

It wreaks of clubhouse disaster in San Francisco and Jim Harbaugh is the only one that can get rid of the stench.

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The National Championship: Tradition War or Good Ol' Ball Game

Georgia captured its only National Championship in 1981 against, coincidentally, Notre Dame.

The deal was signed on Saturday night, after Lane Kiffin coached himself out of the potential of a  monumental upset, after Max Wittek failed to live up to his talk, after Manti Te'o added to his impressive senior campiagn; Notre Dame is headed to its first BCS National Championship game ever. The opportunity for the storied program to win its first National Championship since 1988 is now officially upon us. The opponent, though, is still to be determined. Enter the SEC.

Georgia and Alabama will do battle for what could be quite appropriately deemed the first FBS National Semi-Final game a year before the actual inaugural National Semi-Finals take place. Alabama is looking to defend its National Championship title from last year and is also looking for its third such crystal ball in the last four years. Georgia, on the other hand, is searching for its first National Championship since 1980 ('81 Sugar Bowl). It should serve as some coincidence that the Herschel Walker-led Bulldogs beat the Fighting Irish that year. And, on cue, many Bulldogs fans are salivating over the idea of a repeat of those proceedings. Either way, we're going to be blessed with two exciting scenarios in a Tide-Irish or Dawgs-Dammies National Championship game.

Alabama and Notre Dame. You could describe pre-1980s college football by just naming those two programs. The Tide had its first set of glory years under Bear Bryant and they're one more National Championship away from experiencing another set of glory years under current head coach Nick Saban (threes the number). Notre Dame was built up by Knute Rockne in its early years, was re-established prestige under Ara Parseghian and later by Lou Holtz. But since Holtz, it's been a lot of empty promises including nine straight bowl losses from 1995 to 2007. Notre Dame might be the Dallas Cowboys of college football, living off of only past accomplishments, but an Irish-Tide matchup is just teeming with tradition. It should get the old folks lively again, and the young guns jumping. But as much as the clash of traditions is a great thing, I'm not sure it'll be the game we want. Notre Dame's defensive front seven is right there with Alabama, but other than they are quite overmatched. The Tide's offensive line is far superior, and as a whole the Alabama defense moves at such a quicker pace than any of the teams Brian Kelly's offense has faced. Simply put, Everett Golson, Cierre Wood and Theo Riddick haven't seen this type of overwhelming defense this season. Alabama might not destroy the Irish on the scoreboard, but they will on the field. That's where Georgia comes into play.

There are plenty of reasons to why having Georgia in the National Championship game would be a good thing. The main reason? A break from the norm. I understand they still play in the SEC and have been apart of the upper echelon of teams in the conference for a few years now, but we haven't seen them in a BCS game since they trounced Colt Brennan's Hawaii squad in the 2007 Sugar Bowl. I'd like to see Georgia play Notre Dame for the sheer fact it wouldn't be LSU, Alabama, Florida or Auburn who have made up seven of the last nine BCS Champions (eight, if you include the USC-Auburn split National Championship in 2004 that USC eventually vacated). I'd also like to see Georgia play Notre Dame because it would be a better quality contest. Georgia is a much more balanced team than Alabama, and while I don't think they're as good, they possess a far superior offense to the Tide (while slightly suffering on the defensive end). The Dawgs are 35th in passing, 39th in rushing, 17th in scoring, and 16th in scoring defense. All around, Mark Richt coaches a quality football team. Now, they haven't been truly tested yet, suffering an ugly 35-7 defeat against South Carolina in Columbia, though rebounding against Florida in the classic rivalry game. Georgia QB Aaron Murray hasn't gotten any Heisman hype, but his 66% completion rate and 30-7 TD-to-INT ratio is quite impressive. Aside from the fact he's a nutcase I could see him putting on a stellar performance vs. the Irish. While Georgia's defense is solid (as solid as any classic SEC defense) it shouldn't put fear into the heart of the Irish offense. I could go as far as saying this could end up being one of those unexpected high scoring games, and that is honestly what we all want.

I may have lost my passion for the Fighting Irish, but I am enjoying the fact they are in the National Championship and either matchup will be special to watch. Let's just not get lost in all the tradition and prestige that comes with the an Alabama-ND National Championship Game because it could get ugly for the Irish, fast.

I'm fully endorsing a Notre Dame-Georgia final. Tradition doesn't take the field.

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Battle of the Boroughs: The Beginning

Brooklyn and Manhattan will meet tonight, spawning an intense intra-city rivalry.

Three years ago the Knicks signed Amar'e Stoudemire, turning their franchise around. Three years ago the Nets broke ground on the Barclay's Center in Brooklyn, pointing their franchise in the right direction. Two years ago the Knicks traded for Carmelo Anthony, furthering the strength of their squad, pushing them towards contender status. Two years ago the Nets traded for Deron Williams, bringing in their first piece to an ever-evolving puzzle. In the last year the Knicks brought in Tyson Chandler to protect the paint along with veterans and specialists to fill an all-of-the-sudden deep bench. On the precipice of moving to Brooklyn, the Nets responded by adding do-it-all wing player Gerald Wallace and scoring machine Joe Johnson. And here we are, the Knicks at 9-3 and the Nets at 8-4, 12 games through the inaugural season that the two teams share a New York City residence.

These two franchises may have forged their squads in different fashion, but both are here in 2012 to stay. Both are extremely competitive teams, with enough depth and star talent for deep playoff runs. Each have exploded out of the gates in 2012 and have New York City about as fired up for pro basketball as was did in the 90s. Tonight, Brooklyn and Manhattan meet for the first of what should be an intense, exciting and downright absurd rivalry down the road.

Excitement has been building for this game since the day it was cancelled back on November 1st in lieu of the devastating Hurricane Sandy. The excitement is completely warranted as a basketball-crazed city gets exactly what it wanted, two well-oiled pro franchises with two quality teams set to clash. But the funny part of the game tonight is that while the hype is out of control, it is quite insignificant in the grand scheme of things.

On the basketball court and on paper, this is the 13th game of the season for both teams. After tonight there will be 69 games left for each team, plenty of pre-Christmas basketball and a boatload of time for both squads to fall off the face of the earth, or win 55-plus games. A 40-point loss by either team can almost immediately forgotten about if they go on a winning streak afterward. The players are excited, but they realize this isn't Game 7 of the NBA Finals, or at least most of them do. Joe Johnson, a veteran of 11 years, keeps trying to tell us that the Nets are better than the Knicks. But really, who cares Joe? Aren't you trying to win a championship, isn't that your goal? Shouldn't you be shaking off these comments with, "We're just trying to win a game against a quality team" talk? And Tyson Chandler, why are you trying to explain to us what does or doesn't constitute a rivalry? Isn't that for the media and fans to decide? You're supposed to go out there and compete the same way every single night, no matter who you're playing.

Those two are more of an exception than a rule, but the point is there. This is just another big Atlantic-division clash to the players, but to the fans? No, to the fans, this is enormous. This game is just as enormous as the next three that will succeed it and the next 100 games between these two teams until one of them decides to crumble again, like they both had for the past 8 years. New York City takes the borough rivalry pretty seriously and when you finally have another competitive pro team in the city limits, it's going to ignite unimaginable passions. Barclay's will be a nut house tonight, no matter who wins and by how much. Those who have jumped ship and those who have stayed true to the orange and blue will certainly be loud, audible and probably pretty nasty. That's New York for you, passion taken to the absolute next level.

If the Knicks win, you'll hear all the, "Thanks for a second home", "Should have stayed irrelevant in New Jersey","This will always be our city" talk. If the Nets are victorious, then it's "It's our city now," and "Brooklyn's the borough." Either way, this is only the beginning of what should become a truly exciting and exceptional rivalry in the best basketball city in the world.

It'll be like a one night stand in hell for the loser and a one-day vacation in paradise for the winner, but for the players it'll just be another game. Just try not to tell the fans that.

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Thanksgiving Football Primer

RGIII's got a big opportunity on national TV to prove he's real

If you're settling down on the couch with the family tomorrow around noon to watch football, drink high quality beer and enjoy the hell out of yourself, then this post will be just for you. Last year we were blessed with some exciting Thanksgiving games, thanks to the resurgence of the Lions and we once again have an impressive docket of games for Thursday. Here, BDD&C will give you a little primer of what we'll expect and predictions for each game. Enjoy the holidays.

 Game 1, 12:30
Texans at Lions
When the NFL decided to schedule this inter-conference matchup earlier in the year, they certainly were expecting two playoff-contending teams. For Houston, it's been a magical year as they've cruised to a 9-1 record. But for Detroit, it's been a nightmare as they've watched a bunch of games slip out of their hands in the closing moments. Yet, despite the ugly difference between the two records I expect this game to be a lot closer than most people think and I'd even go as far to say Houston should be on upset alert.

The Texans are most definitely a super bowl contender with a great defense and a well-balanced offense, but I think the high-powered Lions offense will be trouble for them in the confines of Ford Field. Houston ranks seventh in opposing pass defense while the Lions are the best in league when it comes to aerial attacks. Detroit is void of any running game whatsoever, but the Stafford to Johnson connection is one of the best in the league. Houston doesn't exactly annihilate teams on the road and while the dome conditions are similar to Reliant Stadium, Detroit's run-and-gun offense will keep them in the game.

Houston will win, but not by much. Get ready for the wild, wild west at Ford Field.
Houston 37, Detroit 35

Game 2, 4:15
Redskins at Cowboys
This is an ultra-classic rivalry game and the increased national attention of a Thanksgiving game should make this one a must-see.

Dallas may be in a superior playoff situation than the 'Skins, but this screams classic Dallas meltdown in a big moment against a rival squad. Plus, RGIII is ready to have a monster game against an active Dallas defense. Ware might be a nightmare on the corner, and the defense as a whole may be pretty solid, but this is RGIII's domain. If he wants to prove he's the real deal, tomorrow is a perfect opportunity. Plus if you add the stellar Alfred Morris to the picture, Dallas has a lot to deal with here. Griffin will have a big game both on the run and through the air. That is, of course, if his wideouts can actually catch the ball.

I'm also not counting this game as some type of blowout. Tony Romo is going to destroy a putrid Redskins pass defense, but the fourth quarter isn't exactly his best friend. I also don't see Romo throwing five picks along with his five TDs, but two fourth quarter INTs isn't out of the realm of possibility.

Cowboys choke in the last minute of another exciting game.
Washington 41, Dallas 34

Game 3, 8:20 
Patriots at Jets
The only real question of asked before this game is which Jets team are we going to see? The one that backed up its trash talk by destroying the Rams, Bills, Colts and battled the Patriots to the last drive at Gillette? Or are we going to see the one that got shellacked by the Niners and Steelers?

Either way I don't see the Pats coughing this one up, especially if they are locked in like they were vs. the Colts last week. While I still don't consider this New England squad as one of Belichick's finest, they're not going to slip up against a Jets team that will struggle to push eight wins. Do I think the Jets will keep it close? Well historically they usually have one great game vs. the Pats and then one stinker. They had a great one earlier in the season, this will probably be the stinker.

It'll still be exciting just because the Pats vs. Jets rivalry is one of the best in football even with the disparity in records. The trash talk is always endless and always entertaining. But...Pats win big.
New England 28, New York 10

 

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Where'd All That Linsanity Go?

Jeremy Lin's just not all he was hyped up to be

In all my 14 or so years of consciously watching sports and storing sports memories in my memory bank, there had been no sensation as unbelievable as Jeremy Lin last year in the months of January and February. He exploded onto the scene in the greatest city in the world and somehow transformed the struggling Knicks into the league's most exciting team. His performances during the infamous Linsanity-driven seven-game winning streak were so electric and awe-inspiring that it made a lot of people just laugh. His shredding of Kobe's Lakers, the of dropping a game-sealing three right in Dirk's 7-foot face, and the buzzer beater in Toronto were some of the most ridiculous moments ever witnessed. But the Lin-conducted train stopped in South Beach later in February when LeBron turned Linsanity into mince meat and that train never ever left the station again.

After telling the Knicks he wasn't going to play in the playoffs because of a "questionable" knee, Lin basically told them he wanted to get paid and didn't care about the team. Fair. I get it. You don't want to bust up your knee and never get that fat pay check. But he should have never expected it from the Knicks, and when they declined to match the Rockets absurd offer, it was clear that Lin wasn't a high priority on the team's offseason check list. They signed Kidd, they traded for former Knick Raymond Felton and signed Argentinian star Pablo Prigioni; the Knicks never looked back.

Lin went down to a under-talented Rockets team and was claimed to be the cornerstone of the franchise, that was until Houston acquired super sub James Harden and Lin basically became an afterthought. Harden stole the show night one, night two, and Linsanity drifted further and further into the history books. So far through 11 games, Lin has been relatively ineffective. He's shooting a putrid 34.2% from the field, he hasn't made a three since November 12th and is averaging 34 uninteresting minutes on a 4-7 Rockets squad. All of this is happening while the Knicks are 8-1 and their three point guards are playing extremely well. Raymond Felton has been playing so well that people in New York have a hard time remembering why they were clamoring over Lin.

So what happened to this guy? There's no way that stretch of brilliancy last winter was fraudulent right? You can thank the point guard god himself, Mike D'Antoni for Lin's sensational run. His wide-open system, combined with the emergence of Steve Novak perfectly matched the Harvard-product's wide-open, wild style of play. D'Antoni became confident in Lin, and Lin then became confident in himself and the rest was history. And history it will most likely always be. I wasn't hum-hum about bringing Lin back, he was a nice player and deserved a chance to come back to NY, but at the right price. Houston's offer was out of this world, and once the offer was tabled the Knicks couldn't say yes. They knew he wasn't that good, and now we're starting to learn that as the general public. I don't fathom Lin to be any better than a 16-point, 7-assist kind of guy and that's at his absolute best. He can't really shoot, he can't go left, and he is more turnover prone than Jay Cutler on primetime television.

Lin will get a chance to face his former squad on Friday night and he should be putting on his fanciest dancing shoes, but the only one dancing when it's all said and done will be Raymond Felton, Carmelo Anthony and the New York Knicks. Linsanity was a flash-in-the-pan and that's all it will ever be.

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The Life of a Lower-Class SEC Team

It's a tough life for Derek Dooley's Volunteers and other SEC cellar Dwellers

When it comes to college football, most of the time you need to go no further than the Southeastern Conference, a conglomerate of collegiate football teams whose followings could rival their NFL counterparts. Everyone knows the conference's recent history; since the inaugural BCS National Championship in 1998 the SEC has won eight of 14 games and has won the last six contests. The SEC is usually laden with Top-10 teams by season's end and somehow produce three-loss top-ten teams with unusual consistency. Much has been made of the conferences top-tier teams over the past six years of SEC dominance, but little is said about the cellar dwellers, the bottom feeders, the easy wins. So if the SEC so defiantly states it's the conference in college football, then it must be elite from top-to-bottom right?

Every team in the SEC has seen its dog days, and each have seen its glory. Only two years ago Auburn was crowned National Champs, this year it's winless in seven SEC attempts. Florida was a mediocre 7-6 last season, now it's  9-1, ranked sixth in the nation and knocking on the SEC Championship door. Arkansas finished fifth last season after a Cotton Bowl victory, but it has only won two games all season; the Razorbacks were ranked 10th in the preseason polls this year. LSU didn't suffer a defeat last season until the BCS National Championship; it already has two losses this year. The SEC is a jungle, and no one can stay above it.

But over the past few years there's been some consistency in the nation's most brutal conference. Tennessee, Vanderbilt, Kentucky, Ole Miss and Mississippi State haven't been able to get anywhere north of seven wins consistently. Kentucky and Tennessee both haven't won more than seven games since 2007. Mississippi State has won more than seven games only three times and Vanderbilt has only one winning season since the turn of the century. Other than two back-to-back nine-win seasons in '08 and '09, Ole Miss hasn't won more than five games since Eli Manning was under center.

They say that the best NFL prospects come out of the SEC, but when they say "the SEC" do they mean Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Auburn, Arkansas and South Carolina or do they mean the whole entity? Since 2007, 12 first round picks came from SEC teams not previously stated. That's compared to 37 first round picks from the six teams I did just mention. Obviously the NFL scouts respect the elite SEC teams more than the lesser ones, but 12 first round picks from the so-called bottom feeders is pretty damn good. The talent is clearly there, yet it must be tough for lower SEC teams to survive in such a hostile coneference.

Rivalry games like Vanderbilt-Tennessee, Mississippi-Ole Miss and Kentucky-Tennessee are as bitter as they come, but they receive no national attention, no hype beyond the Deep South. So while these lesser teams play out their brutally tough SEC schedules, facing all types of ranked teams, do they wait for these winnable rivalries games to feel a sense of accomplishment? Yeah, there's an upset victory here or there that allows for their fans to storm the field and rip down the goalposts but how do motivate your players when you know that your talented team is nowhere near contention status with the likes of Alabama, Georgia or Florida? How do look at a 6-6 season and feel excited just because you were the tenth best team in the SEC and received a bid to the Independence bowl when you may just have the talent to contend for a title in the ACC or Big 12? The life of a lower-class SEC citizen must be nothing short of brutal.

And so when you laugh at the likes of Vanderbilt and Kentucky whose histories are far from storied, remember that they've kept their mancards by staying in the SEC, where they repeatedly get shellacked not only by some of the nation's best college football teams but some of the greatest college football teams ever.

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The Many Shades of Jose Reyes

Jose Reyes just isn't built for superstardom.

Jose Reyes debuted in 2003 with flashes of once-in-a-lifetime potential, a freakish speedster with gap-to-gap hitting ability. I was in attendance for his first triple, a double turned easy triple instantaneously, and I can tell you right there and then I believed this 20-year-old sensation was for real.

Reyes went onto bat an impressive .307 that season, with 47 runs in only 69 games. He again spent 2004 shuffling between the majors and the Mets Triple-A affliate before becoming a full-fledged major leaguer in 2005. The growing pains were clearly present, but no one was doubting his talents. In due time he would be a superstar. Despite batting only .273 as a lead-off hitter, he scored 99 runs and led the NL in steals with 60, becoming the first Met since Roger Cedeno (1999) to steal 60 or more bases. With monster acquisitions of Carlos Delgado and Carlos Beltran batting behind him, Reyes was poised for a breakout year. And that's just what happened.

2006 was a magical year for everyone on the Mets including Reyes. Batting two spots ahead of MVP-candidate Carlos Beltran (.275/41/116) Reyes earned his first All-Star appearance and once again led the NL in steals, this time with 68. He batted an even .300 for the year and compiled an absurd 122 runs. The legend of Jose Reyes was officially born. He was a catalyst for the Mets offense, a menace on the basepaths and a human highlight reel in the field. His leadoff home run in the pivotal Game 6 of the NLCS still ranks as one of his greatest moments, one that surely propelled New York to a Game 7. While, the Mets might not have won the World Series in 2006 as predicted, things were looking up, especially with a young Reyes (locked up for four more years at this point) leading off.

But the 2007 version of Reyes provided nothing but headaches for the Mets. Much of what was said in the New York media was that Reyes was a circus act with his excessive celebrations and drawn-out handshakes. Some said he focused too much energy on what happened after the play, then actually getting better during the play. A sizzling April (.356/2/18/26 runs/17 stolen bases) led to a medicore May, a rebound in June and then a complete collapse (pun intended) in August and September. If it wasn't for the putrid effort from the Mets bullpen, you could make a direct correlation between the Mets September cataclysm and Reyes' .207 average. When the catalsyt stalls, the offense fails, and that was very much on Reyes shoulders. The moniker "Which Reyes are we going to get today" was officially born in that month and still haunts him to this day.

While Reyes rebounded in 2008 with a .297 batting average and a NL-leading 204 hits, another putrid September cost him the trust of Mets fans everywhere. A .243 BAA in another collapse year, even if it was a smaller one, made people in baseball question where Reyes' head was, once again. Did this guy care? Was he just enjoying his natural talents without attempting to improve them? At times Reyes seemed more like an entertainer than a baseball player, and when things got tough in '07 and '08 he absolutely crumbled.

You can go ahead and throw his 2009 out the window because of a calf injury that simply never went away. In 2010, with the Mets no longer contenders in the NL East, Reyes returned to All-Star form, but failed to score more than 100 runs for the first time since 2005 (not counting '09) and only batted .282.

With "Walk Year" 2011 upon us, many were expecting Reyes to either pack it in and prove to us that he wasn't the complete package or for him to absolutely tear up the National League. Well, as we've seen with plenty of other athletes, Reyes put together a sensational campaign even with a Triple-A lineup behind him. He hit an amazing .337, led the league in triples and scored 101 runs on a terrible Mets team. The good Reyes was back and just in time for the Mets to sign him.

It was never clear, during the 2011-12 winter, whether or not Reyes actually wanted to come back to New York like he wanted. Obviously he wanted to get paid, after the season he had he deserved to get paid no matter what reservations people had about him. The Mets, who were hemorrhaging money thanks to the Wilpon-Madoff relationship, weren't about to spend $100 million-plus for the viciously inconsistent Reyes. So New York never made an offer to Reyes as he claimed, and the 28-year-old superstar took his talents south to the tune of $106 million over six years. 2012 didn't go as swimmingly as the new look Miami Marlins wanted to and Reyes failed to perform batting .287 (only thanks to a .310 September), scoring less than 100 runs and stealing only 40 bases. Yesterday the Marlins decided they were sick of Reyes (and others) and dumped his massive salary on the Blue Jays.

Now we're here 10 years after Jose Reyes made his major league debut and he's a few signatures away from becoming a member of the lowly Blue Jays, as if the lowly Marlins wasn't enough. But the numbers surrounding Reyes aren't important. It's pretty noticeable that Reyes can fail and pass the eye test so frequently in such a short time span that I'm not sure he's ever going to live up to the hype completely. The Dominican-sensation has always possessed the skills to be one of the league's best, but you've got to match those skills with the appropriate mentality and that's where Reyes is lacking. He just isn't built for super-stardom. Has he ever been considered the best player on a team for a whole season? Once. Only once. With Reyes' talents he should be the best player on the field at all times, but instead his two best years have come in the shadow of something else. In '06 it was Beltran's MVP-type campaign and in '11 it was the Madoff scandal.

Leaders have a little something extra, he has little else other than a pair of super fast feet and quick wrists. Folks, Reyes gets paid to be a leader, but a leader he will never be.

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And You Think You've Seen Mario Balotelli At his Craziest?

Think again folks, Mario Balotelli has once again topped himself on the "I am out of my mind" scale with this luxury automobile purchase.

We've seen Balotelli get kicked out of about every game he's every played in, rip his shirt off after about every goal he's ever scored and scored about every sick goal you could see. The man does it all, and does so with not an ounce of sanity in his body.

But this hideous, camouflage Bentley takes the absolute cake. I doubt Balotelli will do anything as wild as purchasing this Bentley, I don't care if he streaks after the game winning goal in the 2014 World Cup. This is a mockery. Like it's almost impossible to ruin the looks of a Bentley, no matter what hideous color/rim combo you throw on them, but this? No, this is atrocious. It honestly looks like someone painted it camo green, and then threw up on it instead of actually painting on the proper camo coloring. I call it pure genius only because it once again truly shows that Balotelli doesn't not care about anyone else, aside from himself. No one.

Super Mario is one wild dude.

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Is it Finally Time for Oregon?

Kenjon Barner and De'Anthony Thomas are an unstoppable combo for Chip Kelly

When Chip Kelly was offered a NFL head coaching job with the Tampa Bay Bucs, he admitted his flattery, respectfully declined and then had these words for the Autzen Zoo faithful: "I have some unfinished business to complete at the University of Oregon." Well, folks the picture is sharpening into focus and he could indeed finish said business this season with the Ducks.

Don't get me wrong, we've seen this type of high-flying, awe-inspiring Oregon team since the day Chip Kelly stepped on the Autzen field in 2009. They've been to a National Championship and they've been to two Rose Bowls. There's history here. But something's always been missing from Kelly's Oregon teams and that is a killer instinct. Well the 2012 Ducks might just have that killer instinct.

Take for instance last week, Oregon rolled into a classic trap game, on the road against a weak Cal team after their thrashing of the Trojans and proceeding their huge game against Stanford. Early in third quarter they were locked into that trap game as expected, 24-17. I was actually watching the game at a bar, looked away to talk with some friends and then looked up again to see the score was 45-17 with 14 minutes to go in the fourth quarter. All I could say was, "Classic Oregon pulling away." That's sort of been the motto all season. Games just get out of hand when you play these Ducks, and every result has been that way. They destroyed the 22nd-ranked Arizona Wildcats 49-0 and the 23rd-ranked Washington Huskies 52-21, both at home. That big game at #17 USC in the Coliseum? They were up 62-45 before a last second TD gave the Trojans at least a semblance of a close result. How about an average of 32.5 margin of victory? Or 54.8 points per game? Just for fun they rang up 70 points on a Colorado team that had no business being in the state of Oregon let alone Autzen Stadium.

The numbers are laughable when it comes to Oregon, but the team is not. The ingredients are all there for this team to make a National Championship run. They're led by a dynamic offense who can sting you in anyway possible. Freshman QB Marcus Mariota has been fantastic at controlling this wild beast of an offense with only five picks and 31 total TDs. Kenjon Barner and De'Anthony Thomas are an absolutely unstoppable duo and the offensive line is so mobile and versatile that it makes everyone on the offense look like a Heisman candidate. Want to know something else? This team actually has a competitive defense. I'm not saying they're Alabama or LSU on defense, but they only allow 22.3 points a game. While that doesn't blow your mind, they do play in the Pac-12 which has a style that's about as wide open as a Nebraska cornfield. All in all, this is surely Chip Kelly's finest product yet.

Different from the 2010 squad that bowed out in the National Championship game against Auburn, this team doesn't have the sense of entitlement that team had. This team realizes that it's foot on the throttle every single game, no matter who they're playing. 2010 presented almost exact situation for the Ducks heading into the Cal trap game on the road, and they only won 15-13 in a sloppy, ugly game. The trap game never made it past halftime for the 2012 Ducks.

But just as fast as I can crown these Ducks the best team Chip Kelly's ever had, they still have two enormous games on the docket. Next week an interesting 13th-ranked Stanford squad comes to the Zoo for what could easily become another blowout victory for the Ducks. The game that really should put fear in the Ducks is the Civil War game against the rival Beavers, who know a thing or to about spoiling National Championship runs at home (ask the 2008 USC Trojans, who never recovered after that loss). If the Ducks are lucky enough to escape that game, which I think they will, then they will meet UCLA or USC in the Pac-12 Championship game. Both teams are extremely beatable. By that time they should have usurped the Big-12 leading Kansas State Wildcats for the #1 spot.

It's obvious that anything can happen in a National Championship game, anyone can step up, any superstar can falter; pressure does in fact bust pipes. Yet if the Ducks do reach the big game as I think they will, I'm quite confident that their unstoppable offense will be too much for the Wildcats, Dammies or anyone else that sneaks into that #2 spot in the BCS.

Chip Kelly returned to Eugene for one reason: to win a National Championship. And a National Championship he will win. 

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Where Are the Lakers Going?

Carmelo and D'Antoni couldn't co-exist in New York, why would his relationship with Kobe be any different?

Anyone else scratching their heads right now? Anyone else wake up this morning, log onto ESPN.com and say what? I sure as hell did when I learned of Mike Brown's replacement out in Los Angeles. Mike D'Antoni? Really? I think it's pretty clear the offensive genius hasn't exactly proved his worth as a basketball genius.

Only three days ago the Los Angeles Lakers were headed by a defensive-minded coach, who knew very little about how things work on the offensive end. He attempted to install the mind-numbingly boring Princeton offense with the still exciting Steve Nash at the helm. We're not even sure why he was there in the first place with rumblings that GM Mitch Kupchak was overruled by Jim Buss in the hiring process two offseasons ago. Let's just say that the year and five games that Brown was on the bench for a complete waste.

Yet then the Lakers decided to pull a 180 and sign an exclusively offensive coach who thinks if you score 130 you'll win every game, no matter your matador D. Were they too interested in D'Antoni's sensational relationship with Steve Nash, whom he helped to win two MVPs in their stints in Phoenix? Did Phil Jackson's relationship with Jeanie Buss sour things in the hiring process? Was Jackson actually not interested? If he was in fact interested, and those rumors were indeed correct, then the Lakers have made a grave mistake.


It has become increasingly clear over the years that D'Antoni isn't a championship-calibur coach. I'm not saying that he isn't a good coach nor does he have the ability to coach a team deep into the playoffs, but when his teams have been in the thick of it, they've have crumbled. After turning the Suns into an offensive juggernaut that consistently won more than 50 games every year it looked as if D'Antoni had perfected his offensive assault and that he was knocking on championship glory. Yet, his Suns team never ever recovered from the five-game thrashing they took from the Spurs in the 2006 Western Conference Finals. Too often in the following playoff series the Suns wilted under the pressure, unable to get key stops in the fourth quarter of games. D'Antoni left Phoenix after the '08 season and had to deal with two terrible Knicks teams before the acquisition of one of his formers players, Amar'e Stoudemire; the rest is history. Last season he was basically pushed out of New York by an unhappy Carmelo Anthony who rightly believed that D'Antoni's offense wasn't get him or the Knicks anywhere in the playoffs.

So how exactly is D'Antoni supposed to quell the problems out in Los Angeles? Well for starters, Nash should re-assume his role as one of the league's most electric point guards, but aside from that how is this team going to be effective? I think we've completely lost Dwight Howard as an offensive player, though if he can at least complete a pick-and-roll then maybe D'Antoni can find a way to make him serviceable on that end. Another facet of D'Antoni's system is three-point shooting. Is there anyone on this team other than Ron Artest and Kobe that can hit the three at, at least a 30-percent click? Not so sure. And how does Pau Gasol fit in? I thought this was going to be a big for Pau with the elbow 18-footer, but I'm not so sure how that's going to work in a fast-moving, three-point oriented offense.

However, my biggest concern lies with arguably the Lakers greatest player of all-time. We saw how Carmelo and D'Antoni clashed in New York and Kobe's attitude, at times, is certainly a question mark like 'Melo's is. Will Kobe bow down to D'Antoni's offense that turns great perimeter scorers into just another scorer? His offense is so successful because shooters are always open and never have to create their own shot. That's where he'll want Nash to have the ball almost 100% of the time on offense. Will he be able to get Kobe the sort of touches that he wants? Will Kobe accept a catch-and-shoot role? I say absolutely not. Bryant wants the ball. He's an off-the-dribble shooting wizard and this offense clashes with that style.

In the end, the Lakers will be electric and an absolute joy to watch. They'll contend deep into the playoffs, but I just don't see them upending the Thunder or Nuggets with the lack of defense they'll play. Dwight Howard, Ron Artest and Kobe can only do so much on the defensive end. And with guards like Chris Paul, Ty Lawson and Russell Westbrook being guarded by Steve Nash a trip to the Finals will be a tough goal to achieve.

Remember folks, defense wins championships.

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The Chuckstrong Colts

Andrew Luck's inspired play has the Chuckstrong Colts making serious moves towards a playoff run

The Colts had a tumultuous offseason full of drama surrounding their excessively publicized breakup with star QB Peyton Manning. They took a chance by trading away Manning and giving the full reigns over to Andrew Luck. It also didn't help that they were coming off one of the worst seasons in NFL history, a season that shouldn't be completely pinned on the Manning injury. There may have been excitement around Luck and the future of the Colts, but honestly, things were not looking up in Indianapolis.

Then the season started and the Colts were shellacked by the Bears on opening night. Their future, Andrew Luck, tossed three picks and it looked as if this team was headed for a tough "learning experience" type of 3-13 season. Entering their Week 4 bye week, the team sat 1-2 after losing a tough game to the lowly Jaguars. Things were getting ugly, and they were about to get much uglier. Head coach Chuck Pagano was diagnosed with leukemia and it just looked like the world was crashing down on the Indianapolis Colts. Football didn't even matter, they just hoped their coach could make it through the year.

But instead of packing it in and calling it a season, something no one would have blamed them for, they rallied around their embattled coach and turned it into a motivating factor. They beat the Packers with what many saw as Luck's first memorable moment. A Peyton-esque game-winning drive from the rookie sent the Colts crowd into a frenzy and the Chuckstrong Colts were born. The motivation from Pagano was pouring out of every player on the field, and they simply willed their way toward victory.

While they did go out and get crushed by the Jets in that next week, they've now reeled off four straight victories including an emphatic, all-around dominating win last night against the Jaguars. While Luck is growing into a bonafide leader before our eyes, the Colts haven't necessarily been the best team in the last four weeks, but they've won and that's all that matters. They don't run the ball particularly well, their defense is mediocre and aside from the Luck-Wayne connection we haven't seen anything to get us excited about the rest of the season. Yet, they're still 6-3 and have the AFC's third best record. On paper their no better than 4-4, but that paper has been burned up by the inspiration they've received from their coach.

Trust me, we've seen this before. Athletes rally around things like this all the time, it's why sports is so beautiful. Remember when Brett Favre's father died on Sunday and then he went out and destroyed the Raiders on that Monday night? Or when Mike Piazza hit one of the most sensational go-ahead home runs in the Mets first game after 9/11?  The Colts are winning because their will to win is just too great, because they don't want to let down their coach, who has showed an immense strength by forcing his cancer into remission. A bunch of the players shaved their heads, others have been rocking their #Chuckstrong shirts, but most importantly they're 5-1. 5-1 for Coach Pagano.

The question remains? Will they make the playoffs? We should hope so, but it'll be tough. They play the Patriots, Texans twice and have to head to Detroit to play a Lions team that I think still has playoff aspirations. Either way everyone should be rooting for the Colts. They're a team on a positive, uplifting mission and watching Andrew Luck blossom in front of our is a beautiful thing.

No matter what happens to this team in their last 7 games, they've done some impressive things so far. This is a phenomenal inspirational sports story and I just hope it doesn't end too soon.

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What a Beautiful Sight Out in Brooklyn!

Brooklyn is getting what it deserved after back-to-back embarrassing losses to the T'Wovles and Heat

The Brooklyn Nets, their majority owner Mikhail Prokhorov and their minority owner Jay-Z spent most of their summer trash-talking the Knicks, acquiring big name players and hyping up their beautiful new building in extravagant fashion. By all means, the Brooklyn Nets had literally escaped the doldrums of their New Jersey residence and had landed somewhere on the map. For all the talk and bravado, they believed they had landed in New York. When really they were still stuck out in New Jersey.

It takes time for a team to mesh and gel, especially when they acquire basically a completely new team in a single offseason. That's what the Nets are in the processing of doing, gelling, meshing, creating something for the future. I picked them to finish fifth in a strong Eastern Conference and I'm sticking by that place. But what we're seeing early in this season is a result of the cockiness they flung around like a gorilla in a supermarket. They've created their own mess already, and it's going to be a while before they clean it up.

Aside from surviving opening night in Brooklyn against the vaunted Toronto Raptors team, the Nets have played like every bit of the joke they were out in New Jersey. They assumed they had won the game when they took a 22-point lead in the third quarter against a Love-less, Rubio-less Timberwolves squad. Instead of stepping on their jugular, they took their foot off the gas and watched some no-name rookie, Alexey Shved and Chase Budinger led the T'Wolves to a furious comeback. What did they receive from their fans? A chorus of boos that should have humbled them on the spot. In New Jersey no one cared. In Brooklyn they care too much. The harsh reality of surviving hiccups had hit the Nets like a freight train and it only got worse. Watching the Knicks thump the Heat on opening night should have signaled to the Nets that beating the Heat was achievable if they played high-quality basketball. But unlike their crosstown rival, the Nets allowed Miami to run circles around them, beating them like they were a high school team. 73 points isn't going to cut it, especially when your defense couldn't stop a high school dance.

And this is where a problem lies within. The Nets are going to be an atrocious defensive team. Excluding Gerald Wallace, who on their squad can you call a defensive stalwart? Adding to their putrid defensive play is an inept front court. Let's be serious, Kris Humphries and Brook Lopez should be playing for the Charmin All-Stars, not the trash-talking, chin-up Brooklyn Nets! Humphries might be a great rebounder, and Lopez might have some nice low-post moves, but these guys are not going to carry you to a title, let alone the second round of playoffs. I'm not overly impressed by their trillion dollar back court either. Deron Williams seems to be heading in the wrong direction after dark years in New Jersey and Joe Johnson is just viciously overrated. Billy King said that he modeled this team after the Heat. Well Billy, I'm pretty sure Pat Riley would never trade for a guy like Joe Johnson or lock up a big teddy bear like Brook Lopez with a long-term contract. Stephen A. Smith and whoever else writes for ESPN can talk about how much better this team could be than the New York Knicks, but we don't take to potential very kindly in New York.

That's where we are right now with the Nets, potential, hype, buzz. All of their talking in the offseason is making them walk faster than they can. In the words of Boobie Miles, "Hype? Now hype is something that's not for real. I'm all real." The Nets are getting it "real" right now and they deserve every ounce of it.

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The Unlikeliest of Duos Might be the League's Best

Victor Cruz and Hakeem Nicks are one of the league's best and most unlikely wide receiver duos.

Only two years ago Victor Cruz was a no-name, undrafted rookie out of FCS stalwart UMass. He was vying for one of the final roster spots on an unimpressive 8-8 Giants team from the year before. After a scintillating three touchdown game against the rival Jets, Cruz became somewhat of a folk tale. A guy battling for a roster spot goes out and has a monster three-TD day? That's nuts right? Well, he made the squad, but his 2010 season was unfortunately derailed by a head injury before he even recorded a catch.

In 2009 the Giants selected the highly athletic, super skilled UNC-product Hakeem Nicks with the 29th overall pick. Nicks was most notable because of one of the greatest catches we will ever see, a catch that highlighted his strength, athleticism and dexterity all while showing off the fact that this guy was big time. The hype surrounding Nicks was immense and was only heightened when he reached New York. His trash-talking, swagger strutting style was perfect for the Big Apple. But 2009 didn't bring instant success for the rookie, as he only started six games and was overshadowed for most of the season by the budding Steve Smith.

Some of the most unlikely circumstances brought these two together in 2011. They basically came from two completely different stratospheres. Cruz a quick, soft-handed under-the-radar wideout from lowly UMass. Nicks, the freak athlete with a high school and college pedigree longer than Minute Bol who broke out in 2010. There was no seeing how these two would emerge as the squad's best two receivers, and later on possibly the league's best wide receiving duo.

Nicks and Cruz combined for more than 2,700 yards and 18 TDs in 2011. The UMass product became Eli's big play weapon, while Nicks remained Manning's surefire option. Neither stepped on each others toes during the 2011 campaign as they never had 100 yards in the same game. They fed off one another and shared the spotlight perfectly. Cruz certainly put up the bigger numbers, but no one doubted Nicks role as the possession wideout. The former UNC standout's biggest play came against the Cardinals on an Sunday night early in the season, where he played the "right place, right time," game almost perfectly. Cruz's memorable moment might have been the turning point in the Giants super bowl campaign last season, when he took a 10-yard catch and turning it into a 99-yard touchdown against the Jets, a play that will certainly remain in the hearts of Giants fans forever. Of course, he finished the play by emphatically launching the ball against the wall and seamlessly transitioning into his patented salsa dance. It was a playmaker's dream and it turned a 7-3 Giants first-half deficit into an eventual Super Bowl run (the Giants won every game after that).

2012 has still been a solid year for arguably the league's best wideout duo, even with Nicks struggling to stay in the lineup thanks to a nagging foot injury. The two shredded Tampa Bay for a combined 378 yards and two TDs, helping pull off a wild 41-34 comeback in Week 2. Even with Nicks' shaky health, the pair has put their imprint on the season going for more than 1,000 yards and eight TDs in nine games.

Could you argue that they've been major contributors to Eli Manning's rise over the past year and a half? Certainly. When you have two super dependable receivers who have the after-the-catch skills that Nicks and Cruz have, your life is going to be a bit easier. Every once and a while that eight-yard out is going to turn into a 60-yard Cruz TD and that ball that you over throw? Nicks will go get it. Eli's confidence, just like his brother Peyton's had, has received an immense boost from the safety net these two provide for him (Peyton had Reggie Wayne and Marvin Harrison). With the way the Giants offense is structured (pass first, pass second, ask questions third and run fourth) you could say these two are the pistons of the offense, turning Eli's precision into pure gold.

But unlike the great wideout pairs of Julio Jones and Roddy White in Atlanta or DeSean Jackson and Jeremy Maclin, these two Giants came from polar opposite upbringings. The result? A match made in heaven. Sometimes you find gold in Western Mass. and sometimes college hype is fulfilled, and when that happens on the same team? Well, for you Giants fans, you have magic.

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A.J. McCarron: Leading the Tide

A.J. McCarron might not get any credit if the Tide win, but he's been impressive so far this season

It feels like an eternity since the Alabama Crimson Tide haven't sat atop the AP Poll. In actuality it's been since the final days of last season (I will not accept preseason polls...ever) since anyone else has rocked the #1 seed. Hard to argue 'Bama's top ranking, since well, they do have one of the most dominant defenses we've ever seen, a defense that has somehow improved since it's 21-0 thrashing of LSU in the National Championship Game last year. The defense is certainly the Tide's pulse and they will inevitably live and die by it, but there are other components that make this gives credibility to this team's top-dog status. But, I bet you'd never think that A.J. McCarron would be one of those major components.

Despite the SEC being college football's most dominant conference for years now, it hasn't exactly produced the greatest NFL products at the quarterback position. Guys like JaMarcus Russell, Greg McElroy, Tim Tebow and Ryan Mallett, all widely considered top-tier SEC QBs, have yet to establish any success at the NFL. Aside from Cam Newton (a freakish exception), the SEC hasn't produced a great QB since Eli Manning. But, not having a phenomenal a QB has never hurt the conference which prides itself on fast, athletic, swarming defensive players, athletic offensive lines and beastly running backs. McCarron has been plugged into that same category as the names I previously stated. But instead of forcing his way through a unbreakable trend, McCarron has assumed his managerial role without protest and actually has been widely successful doing so.

His stats are not going to wow you. There is no Heisman hype around him. He'll be lucky even to get drafted in the seventh round. But there is something that McCarron can accomplish and it's quite historic at that. If he can lead his Crimson Tide squad to a championship, by keeping his mistakes down and making the few plays he's called on to make, McCarron will be the first starting quarterback in the BCS era to win two BCS title games. He'll be the first in 15 BCS years. Guys like Peyton Manning, Matt Leinart and Tim Tebow couldn't even accomplish that and those three all have arguably far greater college careers than McCarron will. But that's the beauty in his play this year, a maturity, a composure, and even some play making ability that we didn't see from him last year. In 2011 he tossed 16 TDs and 5 INTs. With three regular season games and the SEC Championship still looming, McCarron already has 19 TDs, has a magical doughnut in his interceptions column and has a QB rating up 26.2 points from last year. That is 204 pass attempts against menancing SEC defenses without a single INT. You can complain all you want about how he hasn't had to do too much or hasn't had to make that many big throws, but 204 pass attempts without a pick is something special, I don't care if you play in the Sun Belt Conference.

But let's be real, A.J. McCarron's champagne celebration came last week against LSU when he executed a fantastic two-minute drill against a vaunted Tiger defense in a hostile Death Valley in what was considered the biggest game of the season for the Tide. He of course finished off the drive with a calm screen pass in which Yeldon turned into a scintillating touchdown. Nothing flashy, no bullet, Favre-esque throw into a tight window, no putting it over the top where only his wideout could get it. Just executing a simple screen pass and putting the dagger in the hearts of a heated rival. The drive took less than a minute to complete and he went 4/5 for 72 yards. If the 2012 Crimson Tide win the National Championship, this drive and A.J. McCarron will be remembered forever, especially since it came in the "menacing" Death Valley.

A title for Alabama will come with full credit going to the Alabama defense, that was stated before the season. But, McCarron has been surprisingly good this season and if he continues to play at this rate it's hard for me to see anyone beat this team. That is unless Oregon decides to score 75 points on Alabama, which is a "you never know" situation. The guy is clearly not gifted like Peyton Manning was in college, but the his ability to manage a game and not turn the ball over has been quietly impressive this year.

McCarron won't go down as a legend in college because of the defense behind him, but leading Alabama to two titles in the vaunted SEC is nothing to scoff at.

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Good Ol' Fashion Rivalry Story

If you know anything about the heated Knicks-Pacers rivalry that produced six memorable playoff series during the 90s, you'll truly enjoy this Grantland special. Jalen Rose is one of the better NBA analysts around and he also was the brains behind one of the best ESPN Films flicks ever, The Fab Five. Here he recounts a phenomenal story about an encounter with Patrick Ewing on the court and some funny dealings that occurred afterward.

"So then the Detroit instincts came out..." Enjoy.

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NFL Midseason Report: Contender vs. Pretender, Playoff Predictions

Peyton Manning is doing special things in Denver

Now that we've crossed over the threshold here in Week 9 with every team playing at least eight games (excluding the struggling Saints and Eagles who play tonight) it's time to play contender vs. pretender on the 12 teams that occupy the six playoff spots in their respective conferences.

AFC
Houston, Contender
An argument could be very well made that the Texans are the best team in the whole league. They have a dominant defense, an advanced running game and an underrated quarterback. Their squad as a whole is chalk full of playmakers from Andre Johnson to Arian Foster to J.J. Watt to Johnathan Joseph. Other than that abysmal performance vs. the Packers earlier in the season, the Texans have set the tone for the rest of the conference. Remember how easily they dispatched the Ravens earlier in the year?

Baltimore, Pretender
Earlier in the year I would have labeled them as a contender, but with the rash of injuries they've sustained and the absolute annihilation that was Week 6 in Houston, I don't see this team making a Super Bowl run. They escaped an upset yesterday against Cleveland, but Joe Flacco's play this season has been less than impressive. Mediocre on offense and even worse on defense, when's the last time you've heard that? They might be leading the AFC North at this point, but I don't see a 10-6 record getting them any further than a first round exit.

New England, Pretender
The Patriots will be beneficiaries of a relatively easy schedule going out (excluding games against San Fran and Houston) but there's something missing with this Patriots team. Everyone's duly noted that this team's "clutch gene" has been M.I.A. this year, but I just don't feel confident that dominant Patriots of the past is going to come out anytime soon. Bill Belichick is Bill Belichick and you can never count him out, but I have a hard time believing this team is complete enough to return to the Super Bowl once again.

Denver, Contender
Anyone really notice what Peyton Manning is doing out there in Denver? Nevermind just returning to form from his injury, he is putting together a solid case to be the conference's MVP. With a Top-10 defense behind him, a luxury he hasn't always had, Manning has a legitimate chance to win a Super Bowl. Crazy, right? This guy was seen as a villain and a ticking time-bomb only six months ago, now he's making a case for the league's best QB. Oh, and his squad only plays 1 playoff team for the rest of the season. 13-3 is a completely realistic record for the Broncos.

Indianapolis, Pretender
It hurts me to say this team is a pretender because the combination between Andrew Luck and Chuck Pagano has been such a great story this year, especially since both Indy and Denver have benefited from the Luck-Manning debacle. There isn't much of a running game behind Luck and the team's run defense is putrid, two big components to a playoff team. New England and Houston (twice) are still on the schedule, making a playoff run still unlikely for this feel-good squad. I will say if Luck continues to play this way, this team will be a reckoning force in the coming years.

Pittsburgh, Contender
Before yesterday's comeback vs. the Giants, I would have labeled them a pretender. But this is the Steelers we're talking about and yesterday was vintage Pittsburgh. Their defense is once again Top-5 material and teams simply cannot pass on them (see Eli Manning). Mike Wallace has seemingly found his groove and if they can ever get healthy at RB, they have a chance to make a run. With Baltimore on the decline, I fully expect this team to win the division and battle Denver/Houston for AFC supremacy. 
Playoffs
Wild Card
#3 Patriots over #6 Chargers
#4 Steelers over #5 Ravens

Divisional
#1 Texans over #4 Steelers
#2 Broncos over #3 Patriots

Championship
#2 Broncos over #1 Texans 

NFC
Atlanta, Pretender
How is an 8-0 team a pretender? Well, when they don't do anything particularly well, they've played only one playoff team (at home) and their quarterback has a history of melting down in the postseason. Their defense doesn't scare me and Michael Turner hasn't been able to recover from his victory DUI he was charged with earlier this season. This team would be a contender in the AFC, but I don't have faith in Matty Ice circumnavigating a tough NFC toward a Super Bowl.

Chicago, Contender
Every ounce in my body tells me that this team is a pretender, but with the playmaking defense they have, the Bears are certainly right there. They've been the beneficiary of an easy schedule, but even Jay Cutler looks locked in right now. Do I expect him to keep it up all season? No. But when you're defense makes plays the way Green Bay's defense made plays in their Super Bowl run two years ago, you might be able to hide a Jay Cutler.

San Francisco, Contender
Here's another squad who relies on a dominate running game and an overwhelming defense. They have the league's best linebacking core and are evenly balanced between pass and rush defense. If Frank Gore can keep up his pounding attack all year and Alex Smith can keep his composure, then this team will be right there like they were last year. There's something about Jim Harbaugh that tells me, no matter what happens this regular season, watch out for the Niners come the postseason.

New York, Contender
Someone ask me why ESPNNewYork.com is having a meltdown over Eli's performance against the Steelers? He had one bad game against the league's most menacing pass defense, riddle me that. Before the second half of last week's Cowboys/Giants game, Eli was being heralded as the league's best, after 3 bad halves it's oh-my-god-what's-wrong-with-Eli, panic time. Don't worry, the old Eli isn't rearing his ugly, schoolboy head. This team will be right there in the end, there's just too many playmakers on both sides of the ball for them not to.

Green Bay, Contender
After a slow start, the Pack have gotten their heads back in the game and have put together an impressive four-game winning streak, starting with that road shellacking they put on the Texans in Week 6. Aaron Rodgers is arguably the best quarterback in the game and now is putting up the numbers to back it up. I think their defense is better than ever and if win their way into a #2 or #3 seed, the Lambeau effect becomes a factor. I will say, a healthy Jordy Nelson is a necessary factor for a Super Bowl run for the Pack.

Minnesota, Pretender
The surprise of the year has already seen it's birthday cake slapped in its face. They were dominated by the Bucs last week at home and threw up a dud on the road vs. the Seahawks last night. While their defense actually is pretty solid, Christian Ponder is just not a good quarterback, never has been, never will be. With two games against the Bears, Packers and a game against Houston it's very realistic this team doesn't win a game for the rest of the year.

Playoffs
Wild Card
#3 Green Bay over #6 Seattle
#4 New York Giants over #5 Chicago

Divisional
#4 New York Giants over #1 Atlanta
#2 San Francisco over #3 Green Bay

Championship
#2 San Francisco over #4 New York Giants

 

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College Football Playoff's Immediacy is Upon Us

Oregon's high-flying offense is only one of the four undefeated teams; creating a playoff system was the right thing to do.

The world rejoiced earlier this year when the NCAA announced that they would be bringing us the playoff system we were starving for, for years. This season has so far brought us four teams that have put together perfect seasons and a fifth, Ohio State, could be right in that mix if they were eligible for postseason play. Right on cue, huh? Four teams, representing four different conferences each with an opportunity to finish the season unblemished. If only we could have a playoff this season.

To say this college football season has been unbelievable, would be somewhat of an understatement. The SEC has lost it's grip on the Top-5. Notre Dame is back and better than ever. Kansas State's led by Collin Klein, who is more than a joy to watch and Oregon has the most electric offense I have ever witnessed. There are four teams, maybe even five teams, that are legitimate national championship contenders. And they all play in different conferences, representing different styles. Yes, Alabama is deservedly #1, but I haven't seen enough on offense from them (especially quarterback AJ McCarron) to believe their unbeatable. As we get into the colder months and approach the bowl season, the pressure heightens and every game becomes more intense. But man, how beautiful would it be if we could watch an undefeated Oregon play an undefeated Kansas State and then move on to play the winner of undefeated Notre Dame and undefeated Alabama?

All this season has done is legitimized the need for a playoff system and we no longer can complain about it, no matter what happens this season. Is it realistic to think that all four of these teams will be undefeated after championship weekend? Of course. Will it happen? Probably not. The Irish squeaked by a weak Pitt squad at home and still have an away game at USC on the docket. Alabama plays in the SEC, which still has three teams in the Top-10 not including the Crimson Tide. Kansas State still has to face Texas and Oregon has two massive Pac-12 games against Stanford and a road tilt vs. bitter rival, Oregon State. Unfortunately it doesn't matter if we have four undefeated teams or not, the national championship debate will rage on only to be fully resolved next year. I'll say this, someone is going to get duped, you can bet on that.

Although someone's probably going to get robbed like they do every season in college football, at least we can look forward to next season's playoff format feeling satisfied. It might not be everything we want and it will probably be expanded, but we've learned this season that the incoporation a playoff to the FCS was the proper thing to do.

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