The Loss of Percy Harvin May, Just May Spoil Seahawks' Title Hopes

The loss of electric wideout Percy Harvin, could potential spoil Seahawks title chances. (Credits: Ted S. Warren/AP Photo)

When the news broke that Percy Harvin was going to have hip surgery, possibly keeping him out of the entire season, many casually shrugged it off as a replaceable loss. Not in the manner that they can actually replicate Harvin's skills with another player, but more in the way that since they were one of the best teams in league last year without him, they don't need him to repeat that success.

Now I can see how Seahawks fans could be so positive, even with the loss of such a versatile weapon. They just reeled off one of the best seasons in team history. They can run the football. Their defense is suffocating. Russell Wilson looks like a franchise stud QB. The team is still relatively young. Some of their other offseason acquisitions, like Cliff Avril, Marcus Trufant and Antoine Winfield will help provide depth on the defensive end. The positives pretty much embarrass the negatives, but this is the NFL folks. You don't take special players like Percy Harvin for granted. There is no cockiness around the statement "We can survive without." Yes, this is a team game, but unique players can alter a game in the blink-of-an-eye. Harvin does just that.

One of the biggest issues (mabye even the only issue) with Seattle last year was that they were a one-dimensional offense. They ranked third in rushing thanks to a 1,500-plus yard season from Marshawn Lynch, but were a lowly 27th in passing. While Golden Tate emerged as a nice secondary wideout for Sidney Rice and Zach Miller provided stability in the over-the-middle passing game, there really was no wideout that made defenses quiver. Harvin would've been that guy. Not only is he a playmaking wideout, who can lose a defender with just the simplest of cuts, but he is versatile. He can work in the backfield a bit and he's an interesting trick play guy. To simplify it, Harvin turns an efficient offense into a dangerous one.

On top of the Harvin loss, the Seahawks have to contend with the Niners, who once again will be a Super Bowl contender. Seattle holds one of, if not the best, home field advantage in sports and if they desire the easiest ride to the Super Bowl it'll be at CenturyLink Field, not on the road like last year. Again, this is the NFL and you want to hold every single advantage you can.

I originally picked the Seahawks to win it all, both with the additions and the success from last year. Yet while, I love their defense (could be best in the NFL) and their stout running game, Harvin was the final piece to the Super Bowl puzzle. Now Seattle must start offensively from the exact same place they were in last year. To many that seems like a fine deal, but it worries me. I still think the Seahawks defense will propel them to a title, but I'm not so sure about it anymore.

I'd just warn everyone that putting ultra-confident title stock in the Seahawks, even with the same core as last year is quite a dangerous thing. A potential earlier-than-expected Harvin return could be a serious game changer, however.

Read More

The Promising, but Sad Story of Stuart Holden

Stuart Holden suffered in his third serious knee injury in the past three years, all but ending his career with the USMNT. (Credits: MexSport)

I guess it was set in stone long before Stuart Holden ever graced a soccer field for the United States. It was engraved in his DNA, in his bones. It just wasn't meant to be. Stu Holden was not to fulfill, what many thought to be, a golden boy role for the USMNT.

Holden arrived on the European stage long before he cracked the U.S. starting lineup, inking a deal with Sunderland right out of college. The misfortunes began immediately as Holden was knocked out by a Newcastle fan at a bar before he even played a game for Sunderland. With a fractured eye, he was unable to suit up for Sunderland and eventually transferred back home to play for the Houston Dynamo, where he starred for three years. Then the 2009 Gold Cup happened and things changed. Expectations grew and Holden's chances to be a mainstay on the U.S. top tier squad became a distinct possibility.

The 23-year-old at the time might not have wowed people on the stat sheet, scoring two goals in six tournament games, but he made his presence felt dominating the midfield and providing the Americans with precision passing, deft touch and beautiful crosses. Oh and this magical strike, that saved the U.S. from a potentially embarrassing loss to lowly Haiti. The U.S. later embarrassed itself in the final by getting drubbed 5-0, but that's neither here nor there; the USMNT had found another promising midfielder to add to its growing collection with Michael Bradley and Clint Dempsey.

After his spectacular run of form in the tournament, Holden signed on with another Premiership team, this time Bolton. Getting his feet wet in his inaugural few Premier League games was key as he started and played a full 90 minutes several times in the 2009-'10 campaign. 2011, however, was the year that Holden emerged as a legitimate player even on the English stage. Helping Bolton to as high as a surprising seventh place, the rising star was named Bolton Player of the Year despite the first of what would become several debilitating knee injuries, the first of which occurring in March of 2011.

Since that injury, the now 27-year-old has had a hard time staying on the pitch. It certainly hasn't been because of skill, as we had watched him grow almost every time he touched the field. But, as we know in sports, sometimes things just don't work out. Holden's effort to recover from each injury has been relentless, yet to no avail. He finally seemed to have found some consistency, returning to his Gold Cup stomping grounds this year and playing particularly well. Yet, as much as he was apart of one of the most dominating Gold Cup squads the U.S (and CONCACAF) has ever seen he couldn't finish the job. Holden was escorted off the pitch late in the game and it was later discovered that he had torn his ACL. Stuart Holden's career with the United States is, barring some sort of Adrian Peterson-like miracle, over.

It's just another case of "What If" for the Americans. Like Charlie Davies, Holden exploded in 2009 and now injuries have left both of them unlikely ever return to their promising form. I remember how excited I was for the future with Davies, Jozy Altidore, Holden, Michael Bradley and the like. Now I'm excited for almost a completely different cast of characters and that might just be the one of the best things ever said about the United States Men's National Team.

Sad to see Holden struggle to stay healthy for the majority of his prime. Not only was he an exciting and rising talent, but he was a charismatic guy. Like Landon Donovan, he was the kind of guy that could do wonders for the team's stock off-the-field, which probably would've help the viewership and interest in the team on the field. Opportunity lost.

But life's unfair, and it throws some mean curveballs at you. For Holden it's been a whole heap of garbage thrown at him. For the U.S. it's time to move on from the oft-injured, once auspicious midfielder and I think they'll do so in fine fashion.

Beautiful thing about Jurgen Klinsmann's Americans is that they are deep, dare I say scary deep. Only time will tell on that last statement.

Speedy recovery Stu. Go USA.

Read More

Jurgen Leaves the Boys on Their Own, But it's All Gravy Baby

There may be no Jurgen roaming the sidelines for USA in Sunday's Gold Cup Final, but it's all good. (Credits: Matthew Emmons/USA Today Sports)

In the dying minutes of USA's thorough domination of Honduras on Wednesday, Jurgen Klinsmann was ejected for arguing with the officials. To the outsider it may have looked like a moment of weakness for the head coach, but it was actually a moment of unification, a moment of strength. Jurgen was sticking up for his boys as Honduras tried and eventually failed to bully them all game. Whether it was the no-call vicious elbow that Stu Holden received in the box in the first half or any of the chippy stuff that happens at the end of a blowout, Jurgen wasn't going to let it go unnoticed. With the ejection, the German won't be allowed to roam the sidelines for Sunday's Gold Cup Final clash, but that's neither here nor there.

This American squad is a well-oiled machine and that is in large part thanks to Jurgen. But it's not so much his in-game coaching as it is his pregame preparation and ability to decipher the appropriate chemistry for each given contest. No matter what lineup Jurgen has trudged out there over the last few months, it's been a stellar one. Now it's just time for the players to finish this magical run and they won't need Jurgen's in-game services anyways.

The USMNT head coach has instilled the confidence and synergy in these players that allows them to excel in-game. The mix between veterans like Landon Donovan, Eddie Johnson, and DeMarcus Beasley mixed with the emerging young guns like Mikkel Diskerud, Joe Corona and Brek Shea has given this team a diverse style of play. Plus, those veterans have been around long enough that they know exactly where everyone needs to be at all times. They won't let the young guys slip up and the onus is even more on them without Jurgen. Challenge accepted.

I will say that this is definitely the American's stiffest test of the Gold Cup. Running through the likes of Cuba and Belize is one thing, but the Panamanians always usually give the Americans a run for their money. Plus, Blas Perez and Gabriel Gomez are mainstays on Panama's A-team and they'll be salivating over a chance to end this sizzling run of play from the US. Memo to USA: this isn't to be taken lightly. Yet, as we've seen all tournament, and most of 2013, the boys in stripes haven't taken their foot off the pedal. I don't see that starting now.

No Jurgen might scare a few people, but with the way this team has been thriving in all facets of their game, Panama won't stand a chance.

Read More

Yankees Drowning in a Sea of their own Wealth

Vernon Wells and Lyle Overbay have been great fill-ins for the Yankees, but the team needs a miracle if they want to make the playoffs (Credits: AP Photo)

Usually it's a good thing to be the Yankees. The money, the championships, the legacy, the Hall-of-Famers, the history, almost everything. There's something about everything they do that works, sometimes the little stuff, sometimes the big stuff; it just results in positives for the Bronx Bombers. However, that all might change in the near future. The Yankees might not be a sinking ship just yet, but their most fruitful asset might be their undoing at the moment.

For the Yankees, money is never an issue. There is no free agent to big, no free agent to bold to chase with some dead presidents. Since the Steinbrenners took over in 1973, the Bronx has been home to some of the most high-profile players and lucrative contracts. Screwing any type of a farm system, the Yankees rarely wasted time building for the future except for a oddly long playoff hiatus starting in 1982 and lasting until 1994. Since '95 the Pinstripes have played October baseball every year except for one, and have done it by slapping Major League Baseball around with their wallet. It was a system that worked wonders, giving the franchise five World Series trophies in that 17 year period. But the system of trading money for wins might be reaching its peak. A disastrous downfall could be lurking in the shadows.

As of Friday the Yankees sat 2.5 games out of the last wild card spot and 6.5 behind their AL East leading rival Boston Red Sox. It's actually been quite a successful season if you see the Yankees lineup which consists of over-the-hill veterans Lyle Overbay, Vernon Wells and Travis Hafner. I'd call it a minor miracle. Yet, we're in mid-July and we've only seen Kevin Youkilis play 28 games, Mark Teixeira play 15 games, Curtis Granderson play eight games, Derek Jeter play one game and Alex Rodriguez play a whopping zero games this season. That's $103 million tied up in extended DL stints, a total salary worth more than 16 different teams' entire payrolls. But you've heard these stats and you don't want to hear them again.

My question is this, how far can the Yankees actually take this? You'd assume that they've lined their pockets enough to keep just adding salary until things work out (i.e. adding an aging Alfonso Soriano for his second Pinstripes stint), but Hank Steinbrenner has said there's going to be some reeling back of the frivolous spending. Obviously that's not true with the Yanks bringing on Soriano's $16.2 this season. As much as George Steinbrenner's heir apparent wants to curb the spending, he can't when Yankee Stadium's lower bowl remains a ghost town. The Yankees must put a winner out there. Absolutely Must. They're the Yankees, there is no rebuilding, there is no future; it's all about now.

Well now, no matter how the Yankees want to slice it, is not a good time. They're sitting on the outside of a brutally tough AL East and AL wild card race with three exciting, young teams ahead of them. This is no cake walk to October, not when your entire starting lineup can't even touch the diamond. Forget this A-Rod nonsense, the Yankees have to pull off miracles to make the playoffs and I'm not sure it can happen. Not when the only starting pitcher worth anything right now is 38-year-old Hiroki Kuroda and the putrid lineup is...well...putrid. I'll tell you right now, Alfonso Soriano isn't going to reach back and find his inner 2002. He can help, but is he going to change the Yankees fortunes? Highly unlikely. This team and potentially this entire franchise, is in dire straits.

One thing I've learned all my life is you can never doubt the Yankees, but then again those were George's Yankees. This team has a different feel, a feel of absolute lifelessness. And while the fill-ins have filled in quite nicely, this squad as currently constructed, has no chance of catching those teams in front of it, not without some sort of miracle. Yet, if I'm a Yankees fan I don't fear this season. I fear the future, especially with the team's best player entering free agency. Especially with the team's best player wanting the sort of money that will catapult the Yankees payroll even further into the red zone. Fear should run deep.

The Yankees, as we know it, might not be the Yankees as we knew it. Then again they are the Yankees and usually money solves everything. It's just, at this point, how much is too much?

We're about to find out. Get out your checkbooks folks, this could get ugly.

Read More

The Re-Emergence of Classic Franchises Has Re-Energized Baseball

The resurgence of a great, but fledgling, franchise like the Pirates is great for baseball. (Credits: Peter Diana)

For much of the past decade, the Baltimore Orioles and Pittsburgh Pirates have been fledgling franchises with storied pasts. For the Orioles it wasn't until last year that they broke a 15-year playoff drought as they spent most of the early 2000s in the basement of a brutally tough AL East. In the case of the Pirates, they have been one of the worst teams in baseball for the past 20-some-odd years, losing more than 90 games 10 times since they last made the playoffs in 1993. These decade long playoff droughts made both of these quite historic franchises pretty meaningless; two franchises who were contenders in the 60s, 70s and 80s were complete jokes. But now, after enduring years of empty seats and ugly records, both have turned the corner and it's an awesome thing for the MLB.

Last year the Orioles broke their playoff hiatus with a beautifully constructed 93-win season. In the NLDS they pushed the Yankees to Game 5 before bowing out as a result of a vintage C.C. Sabathia performance. With emergence of stud slugger Chris Davis, all-around phenom Manny Machado as well as the continued growth of Adam Jones, Nick Markakis and Nate McLouth the O's have developed one of the better lineups in the league. Add that to growing pitchers Miquel Gonzalez and Wei-Yin Chen and you have a team on pace to win 90-plus games again for its second straight playoff appearance.

Pittsburgh awoke from the dead last season winning 79-games for the first since 1997, however they faded down the stretch going a combined 20-39 in August, September and October. It was, at its core, just a young team not being able to handle their first half success. The foundation of Andrew McCutchen, Starling Marte, Pedro Alvarez and Jose Tabata had righted the lineup. Yet, the real reason the Pirates are making a return to glory, and it's a completely legitimate one, is because of their pitching. Led by Jeff Locke, a resurfacing Francisco Liriano, and possibly the best bullpen in baseball the Pirates lead the league in ERA, BAA and are third in WHIP. These are numbers that not only make them a playoff team, but a serious contender. Right now they're locked into the either one of the wild card spots by a solid 7.5 games and have the second best record in baseball. The Pirates, unlike the Orioles, should cruise into the playoffs without breaking a sweat.

As a fan of a team (the Mets) who hasn't been in the conversation in five years, it's nice to see some classic franchises pull themselves out of the baseball doldrums, which now is pretty much inhabited by only the Royals. Couldn't you just the imagine an Orioles-Red Sox ALCS and a Dodgers-Pirates NLCS and how it would conjur up great memories from the past. Then a Pirates-Red Sox or Pirates-O's World Series? It would be a playoffs to remember and for a fan without a playoff team, I would be quite interested. Plus both of these teams have phenomenal stadiums with deep-rooted fanbases, something that always makes October even more riveting.

The Pittsburgh "P," potentially the most classic logo, in the playoffs. Camden Yards, arguably the best modern stadium in sports, as a site of the playoffs. Absolutely beautiful.

MLB must be salivating over the fact that these teams have turned it around, because this is something that interests more than just the fan of each team. I also don't think it's a coincidence that the resurgence of these two franchises have made their resurgence at the same time MLB has added the Wild Card game. It just adds interests to more teams and that boosts attendance and makes the sports all that more intriguing come September.

This season is shaping up to produce a phenomenal October, I'm ready for the ride. Are you?

Read More

The Jurgen Effect is on Full Blast

Jurgen Klinsmann has the Americans (on all levels) clicking on all cylinders. (Credits: AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)

Three years ago when the U.S. canned American (and pretty successful American) head coach Bob Bradley in favor of Jurgen Klinsmann, many people were skeptical. Plenty didn't understand the decision to part ways with the traditional "American coach American" hire in favor of a foreigner, a man that might not understand soccer's place in America. Well that became the point of the hire. Bringing in Klinsmann might have confused the casual soccer fan, who probably didn't know that foreigners could coach other country's soccer teams. With the German and his deep World Cup experience at the helm, the Americans were supposed to compete in CONCACAF with the emerging Mexican side. And while at first it didn't seem as clear to whether or not this was the right move, the region is now seemingly under sole American control.

U.S.A is now sitting pretty, currently atop of the CONCACAF qualifying standings. They're two points ahead of second place Costa Rica, five points ahead of rival Mexico and six points above the automatic qualifying line which is held by Honduras. A dominate 4-1-1 record has led them to this point, including their second-only point in Estadio Azteca. In the Gold Cup, the USMNT has been thrashing their opponents to a tune of 18-3 in four games, including Sunday's 5-1 demolition of El Salvador. Right now there is no team hotter than the Americans who are 8-1-1 in their last 10 games and don't seem to be stopping anytime soon. The Jurgen Effect is finally here.

For the last two years Klinsmann had been tooling around with a transitional lineup, trying to figure out what new midfield pieces would fit together, how to fix the American's horrendous back-line and how to get this team to gel completely as one unit. On the top American side that's been all figured out, but what's really been special is the team he's put forth in this Gold Cup.

The CONCACAF Gold Cup comes around every two years, however it isn't always meaningful. In the years after the World Cup, the Gold Cup winner then goes on to the Confederations Cup. As was the case in 2011 when the Americans blew an early 2-0 lead and lost 4-2, seeing the Mexicans go on to play in this year's Confed Cup. In the 2013 Gold Cup, there is really no true result other than getting the team's named etched on the trophy. With that being said, these off-year Gold Cups are a great time for coaches to see young (or borderline) players perform in decently competitive circumstances. These are like the B/C teams for each coach and that is a great deal more difficult to handle. With your A-squad it's pretty easy to know which is the best player at each position, but when you drop down a tier of competition it becomes harder to understand which players will bring about the best results. Young guns? Reclamation projects? Forgotten ones? It's a difficult task, and yet Jurgen's choices have been absolutely flawless in this Gold Cup.

Whether it's seeing the emerging talent in guys like Brek Shea, Joe Corona, Mikkel Diskerund or giving meaningful (and successful) second chances to guys like Eddie Johnson, Nick Rimando and Chris Wondolowski, Jurgen has done nothing wrong in this tournament. I understand that the competition hasn't really been stiff, but still this team is making a mockery of this tournament as they should. Yet, Jurgen's best move of the entire tournament was the way he's handled Landon Donovan.

I haven't been a Landon Donovan supporter since he basically kept the team hostage after the 2010 World Cup with indecision. No one knew what he wanted to do, whether he was coming back in 2014 or retiring, but once Jurgen took over he made it clear that no one was guaranteed a starting spot. Michael Bradley and Jozy Altidore all had to work for their spots, Donovan was no different. However, LD continued to seasaw his decision and the U.S. moved on without him. He has yet to play in a qualifying game this year and Jurgen publicly stated that if the three-time World Cup participant wanted to return he must truly show his effort. Donovan decided he would do it with the B/C squad.

It wasn't a question of "Can Donovan still play at an elite level," the skills are still obviously there. It simply was a question of desire. Did he really want to play? Does he still have that same burning passion that made him the best player in the United States for about a decade? Well if he did he'd prove that in an off-year Gold Cup. He's proving just that and it's been quite rewarding for Klinsmann and co.

Donovan came off one of the best performances of his life, elite competition or not. A goal, four assists and a slew of other silky smooth touches and moves helped the United States dismantle El Salvador 5-1 on Sunday. Actually, if it wasn't for goalie Dagoberto Portillo it could have been a record breaking performance for the team. Jurgen's no-free-pass attitude has seemingly inspired Donovan who has not only dominated the tournament (surefire tournament MVP) but he's seemed to show his fire in post-goal celebrations. If he can help the U.S. finish off this tournament in winning fashion then I think Jurgen will welcome him back with open arms.

While I still don't think the United States necessarily need Donovan, there's no reason for an inspired LD not to return to the top U.S. side. But, just like he's proved his desire to play during this Gold Cup, he needs to usurp someone from their position at top. There's a lot of up-and-coming midfields who have seriously proved themselves in World Cup Qualifying so he will need to give it 100%, 24/7 in order to get that spot back.

That's the beautiful thing, Jurgen is getting 100% out of everyone on the team and keeping everyone on their toes. You know that when the aging veteran is playing with fire, in a basically meaningless international tournament, that he's doing something right. The Jurgen Effect is on full blast folks and that's great news for the U.S. going forward.

Read More

Under Armour Hits Home with Two-A-Days Commercial

I'm sure in some capacity you miss it, the brutal heat, the relentless sweating, the aching bodies, the limit-testing two-a-days, you have to. As much as you hated every minute of being out there, as the sport ate away at your summer, you miss it. It brought you back to a time when you felt like your position on a high school athletic team made you feel important, made it feel like you were legitimately an athlete. Well now that those scorned days are gone, you yearn for that feeling. The feeling of being in shape, the feeling of playing something people care about, at least in the slightest. Our friends at Under Armour help us relive those glory days in one of the best commercials I've seen in a while. If you've ever played football you need to check this one out.

We've all had that moment like the young kid did at the end. It's one of those goosebump-hyped feelings you'll get after this video. Truly good stuff.

Read More

The Bynum Experiment isn't Much of an Experiment

When Andrew Bynum's healthy, he's one of the top-three centers in the game. (Credits: Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images)

The National Basketball Association has been plagued over the years with horrendous, mind-bending contracts. Seattle gave 7 yrs/$86 million for a drunk in Vin Baker. The Cavaliers handed out 5 yrs/$70 million for a mediocre Larry Hughes. Downey soft (and Pillsbury fat) Eddy Curry robbed the Knicks of $56 million over six years (not to mention Amar'e Stoudemire and Stephon Marbury's deals). Those just tab a couple of the disastrous NBA deals constructed over the years.

With the way the NBA's salary cap operates, it often leads to brutal markets. A weak market can force a team with a lot of free cap into signing a franchise-strangling contract. But within both strong and weak free agent classes, there are guys who scream "DISASTER." Usually they're players who only had one big year (coincidentally it was their walk year) or players who have weight issues or the worst of all injury issues. Injuries are totally unpredictable and yet every team thinks they can solve the problem. The latest disaster candidate was the potentially aloof and completely disinterested Andrew Bynum, who didn't even play a game for the Sixers (and enjoyed every minute of collecting his fully guaranteed contract). There had to be a team out there that would bite on him with an ugly deal, right? Think again.

When healthy, Andrew Bynum is one of the top three centers in the game (Dwight and Marc Gasol are the other guys in my book). In 2011-'12 (the last season he played) he averaged a little less than 19 points and 12 rebounds earning him his first All-Star appearance and second team All-NBA honors. That season he showed that he was the most versatile offensive post playing center in the league and that he was quite serviceable on the defensive end. However knowing Bynum's knee problems, the Lakers shipped him to Philadelphia in a four-team deal which brought in Dwight Howard. Albeit a complete failure for Philly, at least Howard played for the Lakers. On the other hand, Bynum goofed around, hurt his knee bowling and simply wasn't interested in playing basketball.

To the outsider, Bynum's '12-'13 proved that he played basketball solely to earn a paycheck. It proved that he didn't care about winning, scoring, rebounding, improving or anything related to the sport. Instead it was his money maker fueling his other hobbies like collecting cars or whatever else the seven-footer feels like doing. That's one of the biggest issue in sports, but most of the time when a player plays simply for a paycheck, they do a better job at hiding it. Bynum just did not care and it cost him.

As the season wore on and Dwight whined and Bynum sat, I called the trade a wash. Howard and Bynum are both sketchy contracts to me because of health and Iguodala, who was the other big part of the deal, just didn't fit in as the number one guy in Philly. All the parties lost and all the parties won. Fair. However, I never thought that the words "shrewd deal" and "Andrew Bynum" would muttered in the same sentence. I thought some desperate team with loads of cap space would drop a max (not a "mega-max" contract as Bill Simmons likes to call it) contract on him. Couldn't you just see a team like Suns, Wizards or Bobcats throwing 4 yrs/$60 million at him? Couldn't you? It's the freakin' NBA. An ounce of hope is somehow worth $12-18 million dollars a year in this league. But I guess Bynum remained untouchable. Until the Cavs called.

I will always mock the Cavs front office and not because they let LeBron walk, that guy was gone after the 2008 Olympics. I mock them because of the reports that in 2009, when they were trying to acquire Amar'e Stoudemire to get LeBron that second superstar, they wouldn't trade J.J. Hickson. JJ HICKSON? I mean the guy's created a nice little niche for himself in the league as a banger, but he was the ROADBLOCK to LeBron maybe, sort of, kind of, hopefully staying? Absolute mockery of sports right there. But anyways, maybe the Cavs have made up for it.

Well I don't know how you could ever make up for LeBron's departure, but let's not compare it that way. The Cavs went to Bynum and offered a heavily incentive-based deal over two years. Actually, only one year. At first glance its a 2 yr/$24.5 million deal. Not a great one, but not a horrendous one. However, when you read the fine lines it's a brilliant deal. There's only $6 million guaranteed, all of which is in the first year. The rest of that year, which could be as much as $12 million, is based on incentives. The second year? It's a team option. If he shows that sort of disinterest that he did in Philly, then see yah later buddy. It's like betting $6 million dollars on what could win you a whole heck of a lot more than that.

So let's say that Bynum plays to his absolute potential, which is around 20 and 13, then he is worth way more than $12 million annually. Guys (cough...cough...Dwight) that play to those numbers are considered mega-max guys and they'd only be paying $12 million next year and $12.5 million the year after that. If he's injured or an absolute bust, then he's only going to make $6 million. A team like the Cavs, so starved for success after getting it's heart ripped out, wouldn't be faulted for taking a massive chance on someone. The Cavs only took a small one. This is low-risk, high-reward at it's finest.

With the budding franchise point guard Kyrie Irving, emerging Dion Waiters, and big-time upside in Anthony Bennett (not to mention the solid pickup of sixth man Jarrett Jack) the Cavs could be a playoff team even without Bynum. If you add a healthy and thriving Bynum, this team has the potentially to be really good. Either way, anytime a desperate team makes a low-risk, high-reward deal you have to applaud them for it.

I don't like Bynum, and I don't know who could after last year's debacle, but I'm going to be rooting for the Cavs this season; shrewd moves always should be complimented. This could (and it's a big could) be an enormous move for the franchise, especially if they have their sights set on reeling in that man, who-shall-remain-namless in those parts.

Read More

Is Miguel Cabrera the Best Hitter of Our Generation?

Could Miguel Cabrera be the greatest hitter of our generation? (Credits: Leon Halip/Getty Images North America)

Engaged in a conversation about the greatest hitter of the last ten years, you're probably going to pinpoint Albert Pujols. A man built like a titan with a flawless swing and a flawless off-the-field record has been at the upper echelon of hitting since his Rookie of the Year campaign in 2001. As a career .321/41/124 guy and a three-time MVP it's hard to argue against Pujols. His greatness both and and off the field, especially during the vaunted "end of steroids" era, is quite admirable. Although he'll probably get the unanimous vote as our generation's ultimate hitter, I think I have an argument in someone else's favor.

Pujols' career stats compared to Miguel Cabrera's (.321/35/123) are almost identical (except for homers). Cabrera is three years younger than Pujols, and is coming into his own (I mean coming into the "greatest hitter ever" argument) just around the same age as the Angels slugger did. However, Cabrera's road to history has taken a different path than Pujols.

Unlike the 33-year-old, Cabrera hasn't been baseball's pretty boy. No one is lauding his off-field contributions to the community and he certainly doesn't have a flawless legal record like Pujols. See, the beautiful thing about that is that it makes Cabrera's accomplishments that more impressive. Even in the years when Cabrera was dealing with legal issues ('09-'10) he still hit .320+/30+/100+. And yes, he's a big dude, but not in Pujols' sense. There's no veins popping out of his forearms; he's not going to impress any in the gym. He's a free swinging natural that brings us back years and years and years. I'm talking the Babe Ruth days. The days when players went out after games and instead of injecting themselves with needles, they crushed brews, chased women and pounded hot dogs. That was all a part of Ruth's aura. The guy was such a natural that it didn't matter what he did off the field, you knew he was going to come to the ballpark and mash. That's what Cabrera does. Absolutely mash.

Now don't get me wrong, I'm not dismissing Pujols' stats because he's more interested in toning his forearms in the gym than Cabrera is. There's absolutely nothing wrong with that. I'm just raising this question as Cabrera is finishing up arguably the greatest first half of a regular season ever. Scratch that, this is the greatest first half of a regular season ever. He's batting .366 with 30 homers and 94 ribbies, the first player ever to do that before the All-Star break and he's got 3 games left. Theoretically and realistically, Cabrera could end up with 100 RBIs before the Midsummer Classic. Just think about that. We laud people for driving in 100 runs in a season, this guy's could do it before mid-July.

Hey, maybe this is associated with the fact that Cabrera has abandoned alcohol or maybe he's juicing (you seriously cannot rule that out these days), but you need naught to immediately crown Pujols the greatest hitter of our generation. Cabrera could break Hack Wilson's RBIs record this season. 192 RBIs. Wow. Pujols never had more than 137 RBIs in a season.

This second half of the season could tell us a lot about the Cabrera/Pujols debate. I'm tuned in, you should be too.

Read More

Knicks Acquiring Ron Artest? Why the Heck Not?

Many people are afraid of Ron Artest's presence in a locker room, but the Knicks should welcome the city's native son. (Credits: Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images)

Whenever people hear the phrases "Ron Artest," (I refuse to call him Metta World Peace) and "My Team" in the same sentence the alarm always goes off in their head. "I don't want that clown on my team," or "What a distraction" or "Locker room cancer," they'll say. However in the Knicks case, at this point, it's a little bit different. There's no more wiggle room to hide from "team cancers" or "distractions." The way the Knicks have constructed this team, it's to win now and if you want to win now you get whatever talent you can find and you acquire it now. If possible, the Knicks should welcome Ron Artest with open arms.

The 33-year-old is long removed from his Pacers days when he was one of the elite all-around wings in the game, yet at the same time he's not a shell of himself either. He can still play. He still is an imposing force on the perimeter and on the wing and he can provide offense if given the right opportunity. By morphing into an off-the-box-score player (much like Tony Allen), Artest's value has dropped in the public's eye. People don't see his +191 rating, which led the Lakers last year, instead they see his crazy eyes and his disastrous past. Once a "punk" ages, he simply becomes an old punk and any positives on the court are outweighed by his past missteps, no matter how much he's matured.

Artest won the J. Walter Kennedy CITIZENSHIP AWARD in 2011. A guy, who many thought should've been banned from the league after "The Malice at the Palace," winning a citizenship award? If that's not proof that he's at least somewhat matured, then I don't know what is. The NBA isn't giving out this award to improve Artest's public image, not even close. Also, it takes a bit of maturity to be a key part to a championship run and that's exactly what he was in 2010. He was, behind Gasol and Bryant, an integral part of the team's ability to shut down Paul Pierce keeping him to a pedestrian 18 points per game.

While Artest hasn't exactly become the NBA's on-court Ghandi, he certainly has toned down his insanity. Since 2004 he's only been suspended 15 games (that's in comparison to the 86 games he missed in the '04 campaign). I see that people are worried about him being in his hometown and what that might do to his unstable psyche. Yet, I see it as a positive. For a guy with such an ugly past to come home late in his career with a chance to propel a team towards a championship? All I see is positives. All I see is Artest coming in motivated, intense and maybe a times a little crazy (but crazy is sometimes a good thing). Just look at what Kenyon Martin did last year for the Knicks. At an even more advanced age, he came in late in the season and gave them energy and physicality. He brought that intimidating nature that the Knicks sorely missed. Sure, he faded down the stretch and made some dumb fouls here and there, but it was more a result of his age than anything else. Martin might not be on the same "clown level" as Artest, but there certainly in the same stratosphere. Best part? Artest is a far superior player. 

I don't think the Knicks have the choice at this point. If Artest falls into their lap, they must sign him. He wants to be in New York and if his head's right he can bring crucial energy and intensity. You're trying to win a championship with this group right? Well, your window of opportunity is closing fast. So if one of the greatest winners of all-time in Kobe Bryant wanted Artest to join his ranks (and did so successfully) then why the heck shouldn't the Knicks do the same?

Read More

Iggy's Instant Impact

The presence of Iguodala immediately vaults the Warriors into contender status in the West. (Credits: Streeter Lecka/Getty Images Europe)

Remember last year when the Warriors exploded onto the scene? They had an exhilarating young point guard in Steph Curry who was just coming into his own as a superstar. David Lee continued his dominant double, double consistency. Klay Thompson and Harrison Barnes really became legitimate NBA players, almost overnight, and Jarrett Jack provided instant offense off the bench. Led by cocky confident first-year head coach Mark Jackson, the Warriors made the playoffs and then shocked the Denver Nuggets in the first round, even without the services of David Lee. Then they pushed the Western Conference Champion Spurs to six exciting games, before bowing out. But, it was less of a devastation that they were eliminated, as it was an exciting look toward the future. Golden State is young, high-octane team that has a bright future. And then they signed Andre Iguodala.

No one would say that last year's Warriors were defensive stalwarts. Outside of maybe Barnes and Andrew Bogut (when healthy) the young guns would rather outscore their opponents than shut them down. Finishing 19th in points allowed, the Warriors weren't exactly a legitimate contender last year. However, that could seriously change.

Iggy is one of the more underrated players in the league. Actually, at one point he was overrated, back when he was playing for the Sixers. People saw him (unfairly) as a superstar, when he was really a notch below that. He could be in your big three, but don't ask him to be your guy. In Philly he failed as the guy, but in his short Denver tenure, he emerged as a legitimately vital player. Last year he averaged 13/5/5, all while being a top-5 wing defender once again. The team wasn't exactly the best defensive team, but that's more because George Karl likes to run and gun. What he was a part of, however, was a 57-win team that led the league in points, second in rebounding and third in assists. Iguodala is the consummate team player, who's going to give you everything. The sort of swiss-army knife skill set that makes people drool over LeBron James. He's not LeBron, not even close, but he is good and he can certainly take the Warriors to the next level.

I thought that Iggy really benefitted from his time with USA last summer even though he didn't log heavy minutes. He got to really see what it was like to play with superstars, and then he translated that sort of do-everything play to the season with the Nuggets. Golden State can run, can score, can pass, can shoot, can rebound and now can defend the wing. Golden State just became a contender.

Yeah, the Houston Rockets made the oh-my-god-we-got-potentially-overrated-superstar-X signing that had everyone (cough...cough...ESPN) jumping out of their seats, but I think the Warriors made the real franchise-changing move. Their depth is quite apparent and they have only one key player in his 30s (and D-Lee's 30). This team matured overnight in that playoff run and I think they've got a legitimate shot to win the West. I'll put the Thunder at 1A and the Warriors at 1B. Get your seat belts ready, because Golden State is about to take us on an exhilarating ride.

Read More

The All But Forgotten Boston Red Sox

It's been all smiles in Red Sox land this season, hopefully people start to take notice. (Credits: Michael Dwyer/Associated Press)

They called it the "Worst Week in Boston Sports History," it might have been the worst week in sports history for one city. Between the devastating Bruins loss, to the departure of Doc Rivers (in ugly fashion), Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and then the Aaron Hernandez debacle, things were truly ugly in Boston. With the Hernandez trial surely going to consume New England and a majority of the northeast, things in Boston will be will definitely be different this summer and fall. The worst part of this week, and maybe even of this entire spring, has been the lack of attention paid to the city's beloved Red Sox. It could be the story of the 2013 MLB season.

Last year, the Red Sox pulled off one of the greatest "below the surface" trades in the history of Major League Baseball with the Los Angeles Dodgers. It didn't even matter the players they got, though Allen Webster could be a nice pitching prospect down the line, they had just shed $250 million in salaries through 2018. They had gotten out of albatross after albatross contracts between Carl Crawford, Adrian Gonzalez and Josh Beckett. Boston leads the AL East. The Dodgers are last in the NL West.

They currently lead the MLB in runs, are second in batting average and second in slugging percentage. Even while losing two great, but struggling bats last season, the Red Sox have actually exploded. 84 games and 50 wins in, the Sox have the best record in the AL East and haven't even seen phenom prospect Xander Bogaerts touch a major league diamond yet. Their staff is led by resurgent starters Clay Buchholz and John Lackey who have 1.71 and 2.99 ERAs respectively. Lackey didn't even pitch last year and Buchholz ERA was north of four. This complete two-way turnaround has the Sox in a legitimate chance to win a very difficult AL East. Yet, no one's taken serious notice.

This team is one year removed from winning 69 games and finishing dead last in the AL East. They're two years removed from the "chicken and beer" meltdown and somehow they've already won 50 games in only 84 tries in this campaign. This is a story for the ages and yet it's been so heavily overrun by murderers and the end of an era. I get that we're only in July, but with how much the Red Sox mean to the city it's fascinating to see that this turnaround hasn't seemed more magical. I guess when you have the worst week in the deep sports history of your city, you can forget about a team just passing the halfway point of their season.

I just hope that the Red Sox start to bust through this dark cloud surrounding Boston sports, most notably the ruckus created by this alleged murderer. The Sox are doing something incredible, so let's start talking about them.

Read More