Another Veteran RB on the Market

Several sources have confirmed that the Jets are set to release RB Thomas Jones, making Jones just the latest veteran RB to be jobless. He joins a group that already includes Darren Sproles, Ladainian Tomlinson, and Brian Westbrook. However, there's two thing that sets Jones apart from these guys: his contract wasn't up (like Sproles), and his production has NOT significantly declined in recent seasons (like LT and Westbrook). That's why I don't understand the logic behind this move from the Jets standpoint.

As much as I hate to say it, Thomas Jones was an extremely productive back in his three seasons with the Jets, and last season was no exception. Last season, he carried the ball 331 times (durability), for 1402 yards and 14 TDs, which is excellent production. I understand that Shonn Greene (still don't get the reasoning behind spelling his name that way) is an up and coming back that the Jets want to feature more, but why not allow him and Jones to share carries 50-50? As we continue to learn with RBs every single year, their shelf life is very short, so the more you can preserve them and take wear and tear off their bodies, the better. I see no down side to a Jones/Greene tandem. I know the Jets are expecting Leon Washington back, but who knows what you're going to get from a guy with a busted knee? Not to mention, many teams easily incorporate three backs into their game plan anyway.

What prevented the Jets from holding on to Thomas Jones was his refusal to restructure his contract. He was owed a $3M roster bones on March 9th, and has a base salary for the 2010 season of $2.8M. Wait.... this all coming in the midst of when first round draft picks are making huge money, along with franchise QB's and other big free agents (Albert Haynesworth last year... thank you Dan Snyder). So, in spite of all the big money being dished out and his continued productivity, you're telling me that the Jets couldn't suck it up and pay one of the most consistent, productive backs in the league around $6M this year? Interesting.

What The NHL Can Learn From Olympic Hockey

Olympic hockey has unquestionably been a tremendous success in Vancouver. With 8.2 million American viewers tuning in to MSNBC for the US team's 5-3 upset of Canada--the second largest audience ever to tune into the political channel--hockey has become a must-see event. With the NHL struggling to stay relevant in the United States, NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman must learn from Olympic hockey's widespread appeal in order to save his league.

Limited commercial interruption has been crucial for luring large audiences. With only one or two commercial breaks per period, NBC has maintained the attention of its viewership far better than the NHL has ever been able to. The constant flow of play has served to amplify the superior quality of play we have seen during the Olympics. Especially since the start of the knockout rounds, the national teams consist entirely of first- and second-line players. No matter what line is playing, fans are watching some of the best players in the world.

Struggling to remain solvent, especially since the start of the recession, the NHL refuses to follow the lead of just about every non-sports business in the country and downsize. Three weeks ago--before the market potential of hockey was discovered in Vancouver--this refusal could have been seen as arrogant, but meaningless. The Olympics have plainly demonstrated that Americans are eager to watch quality hockey. Gary Bettman simply needs to become the first commissioner of a major American sports league to force contraction in order to save the NHL. Contraction would greatly increase the quality of play in the NHL and the demand for NHL action by fans.

Hockey is a fan-friendly sport. It features constant action, violence, and easily appreciable skill. North American hockey announcers, generally speaking, are more knowledgeable and entertaining than their counterparts in basketball, baseball, and football. There is simply no reason why the NHL should lag so far behind the other big-four leagues in popularity. Bettman needs to digest the lessons of the Olympic games and make changes quickly, or risk forever remaining the whipping boy Stern, Goodell, Selig, and Co.

DQ = BS

Last night, American short track speed skating star Apolo Anton Ohno raced for his 8th olympic medal. Ultimately, by the end of the night, Ohno earned an American winter olympics record 8th medal, however, it came via the 30 lap relay, not the 500 meter, 4 lap race.

Had it not been for a disqualification, Apolo would have finished 2nd in that final heat, and received silver. However, the refs had the final say, and decided that Ohno made too much conduct with a CANADIAN racer, key word being Canadian. If you take a look at the crummy video below, it seems evident to me that Apolo got gypped big time, while the Canadian refs bailed out the Canadian skater.

Short track speed skating has actually become my favorite winter olympic sport to watch, mainly due to the surprising violent nature of it. There's always going to be contact between racers in short track events. That's just how it goes. The hand checking and startling collisions make the sport extremely exciting to watch. When Apolo touched the Canadian racer, the contact was very minimal. Not to mention, what separates the good skaters from the great skaters is their ability to overcome hand checks and collisions, hence, had Apolo not been able to incredibly stay on his skates and avoid a collision in both his quarterfinal and semifinal heats, he wouldn't even had been in the finals in the first place.

Then there's two other elements to consider. The first being that if the Canadian skater that Apolo checked hadn't fallen out of the race (literally), odds are that Apolo would NOT have been Disqualified. Secondly, the other Canadian racer in the final, who was in first place, was also involved with some minor checking with the Korean skater, who fell out of the race as well. HOWEVER, even though the Canadian racer is the one that checked him and caused him to fall, the Canadian was NOT disqualified, and went on to win gold (the Canadian that Apolo checked got bronze). So, take a look at the video below and you be the judge, but it seems to me that Apolo got gypped big time.

Treason

Mark McGwire is one of five brothers. The youngest of those five, Jay, has committed treason in my opinion. He is in the process of deliberately stabbing his brother, Mark, in the back. Now, yes, of course, what Mark did was terribly wrong, and I don't sympathize for him one bit in regards to taking performance enhancing drugs. As a matter of fact, I still very much dislike, don't get me wrong. However, what do I sympathies for him about is the that his younger brother has turned his back on him, as he's set to release a book he wrote, titled Mark and Me, supposedly entailing all of the details about Marl's steroid use.

First off, what kind of sick brother would ever want to write a book about his older brother taking steroids and tarnishing the game of baseball? Especially when you consider how much heat Mark has already taken for it. Not to mention, Jay has basically said that he was with Mark every step of the way when Mark first opted to take steroids, meaning that part of the blame has to go to Jake for Mark using steroids in the first place. Then, on top of writing a beyond shameful book about his brother, Jay is also accusing Mark of lying about his motivation for taking steroids. Mark said he only took steroids to stay healthy, however, according to Jay, although Mark mainly took steroids to recover from injury, he also used them to beef up and accelerate his power numbers.

So let me get this straight. To make a very long story short, Jay McGwire, younger brother of Mark McGwire, is publishing a book all about Mark's steroid use, something Jay very much supported, and is also accusing his brother of lying about it. I don't know how much credibility Jay has, nor how truthful he's being, but regardless, that is what I call high treason. Jay has stabbed his brother, and in effect, his entire family in the back. It's gotten so ugly to the point where Mark had this to say: "You try to be a good person. You try to take care of somebody, be a good brother. It's sort of sad. It's a sad day for me and my family. I don't know how a family member could do something like that." Don't worry Mark, neither do I.

McGwire also went to to say, "I don't plan on ever seeing him again." Incredibly, apparently, that's nothing new for these two brothers, as they haven't spoken since a 2002 incident. Jay's step son Eric tickled Mark, causing him to spill coffee on himself. Mark then hit Eric on the back, and because of that, Francine, Jay's wife, refused to attend Mark's wedding. Strange as that sounds, that whole ordeal is nothing compared to what Jay McGwire is about to do upon the release of his book. I still very much disapprove of Mark McGwire, but I now must sympathize for him and his family. Jay McGwire: you're a disgrace.

Rules are Rules

In recent weeks, Yankees GM Brian Cashman and the rest of his front office have continued to stand by their decision of holding true to their policy. That policy is that they refuse to negotiate contract extensions with players, and even coaches for that matter, the year before they're due to hit the market. That being said, despite looming contract expiration dates for Derek Jeter, Mariano Rivera, and Joe Girardi, following the season, the Yankees have stood by their belief that it's best to wait until after the season to negotiate new deals.

Before I tell you why I disagree with this policy, at least in this case, I'll first sympathize as to why the Yankees aren't willing to budge. They've had this policy in place for several years now, so if they're not willing to bend for one player, then there's reason why they wouldn't bend for another. Also, we've seem time and time again that players produce their best seasons when they're playing for a new contract, as opposed to having already secured a new deal and millions of dollars. It's all about motivation. Not to mention, a baseball season is particularly long, so a lot can change in that time, either pertaining to the player, coach, or team management. That being said, it's not ridiculous for the Yankees to wait until after the season to resign these guys.

On the other hand, rules are made to be broken, and this rule is no exception. We're talking about Derek Jeter, arguably the greatest shortstop and Yankee of all-time, not to mention the captain of the team, Mariano Rivera, undoubtedly (at least in my mind) the great and most clutch closer of all-time, and Joe Girardi, a young manager, also a former Yankee player, who led his team to a championship in just his second season at the helm. To me, these three people, especially Jeter and Rivera, have an insane amount of credibility, and deserve nothing but the utmost respect. To be honest, the chances of Jeter or Rivera ever playing for another team are astronomical, but still, come on. It's DEREK JETER and MARIANO RIVERA, arguably the two most beloved Yankees and iconic players of all-time. Plus, if you put this off for the entire season, despite saying that you're not going to discuss the issue, let's be realistic. We're dealing with the NY media here. Those guys are everywhere. It's impossible to think that this won't become a distraction at some point, no matter how professional these guys are. Also, I mentioned how it makes sense to wait because a lot can change in one season, however, at this point, I think it's fair to say that we know what we're going to get from Jeter and Rivera. They've been the best at what they do for the last 15 years. Something tells me they still have it in them.

So, is this something to worry about for a Yankee fan? Probably not, and I understand where the Yankee front office is coming from. Joe Girardi isn't even as big of an issue as Jeter or Rivera, although I still think he's deserving of a contract extensions before the season. But, it just bothers me a bit that because of a policy that "can't be broken," the Yankees are willing to let they're two biggest stars, arguably the two biggest stars in baseball, become free agents at the end of the season, as opposed to just locking them up now. Again, I don't foresee this being a big issue, and there's about a 99.77% chance that these guys spend their entire careers with the Yankees, but I feel it's only right to give Jeter, and Rivera the respect they deserve, and entitle them to they're next payday. Then, while your at it (hypothetical), allow Girardi to sign the dotted line as well. Now we're talkin'.

C'mon Coach

Have you ever had a coach who doesn't really know what he's doing? If you've ever played New Castle Rec Baseball (the pinnacle of my baseball playing career), then you know what I'm talking about. Let's say your Little League coach told you to run on contact because he thought there were two outs, but there was really just one. You ran, there was a fly ball, and you got tagged out by that guy who's about to hit a homerun off your coaches son who really isn't that good, but the coach insists he pitches because he's disillusioned into thinking his son is a good pitcher. And I digress. Well, multiply the feeling you had right after you got tagged out times a million and it still doesn't even compare to what happened to Dutch speedskater, Sven Kramer.

Kramer was on pace to set an Olympic record and to get a gold medal in his signature event. However, he was quickly disqualified after crossing the finish line for switching lanes incorrectly. If it had not been for his coach, who yelled at him to make that lane switch, Sven would have been living the high life with some bling around his neck. Kramer completely blames his coach and his coach completely takes the blame. It goes without saying that this coach will never be able to walk in the Netherlands again. For some reason that I will never understand, Kramer actually forgave this guy. How can you forgive a guy who blew your chances of having your name written in the Olympic record books. Not only would I not forgive him, but I'd verbally attack him on Twitter and Facebook and further verbally attack him by answering all of the media's questions and elaborating about what I wrote on Twitter and Facebook. The guy does not deserve to be forgiven. I trust Sven is a world class athlete which means he dedicated his life to speed skating and he lost without being beat and skating a great race. That's not right and I have to sympathize for this guy. Sorry Sven...Sincerely, Ben...G.

LT, Westbrook, Given the Hook

Within the last 24 hours, the Chargers and Eagles each cut ties with their former stud RB's. Ladainian Tomlinson and Brian Westbrook were two of the best RB's of last decade, however, a new decade is upon us, and changes are in store. LT and Westbrook, each 30-years-old, are officially on the market.

Being that these guys are each just 30, it really goes to show how short the shelf life is for an NFL RB. It's extremely rare that an NFL RB is more, or at least as, productive at the age of 30 as he was prior. The only exception I can think of off the top of my head is Tiki Barber. If you think about it, the average back has about five productive seasons in them before they go down hill. Obviously, being that LT and Westbrook were elite backs, those productive seasons for them were extremely productive, but, since the age of 27, each has regressed rapidly. For LT, that's a little unfair to say, considering he was the MVP that year, breaking the TD record for a RB in a single season, however, his productions has sloped off significantly every season since then. Westbrook is no different, as injuries have caught up to him big time as well. Regardless of what the reason is, it's very evident, in my opinion at least, that RB's have the shortest shelf life of any athletes in the four major sports (football, baseball, basketball, hockey - I'm counting hockey because the U.S. just beat Canada). There's really no other position that I can think of in any of those sports that comes close to taking the beating that a RB takes. Basically every down they're in the game, they're either being tackled by multiple guys, blocking huge lineman, or at least running a route. They're field of work is unforgiving to say the least.

Considering all of this, as a Giant fan, I'm extremely concerned about Brandon Jacobs, especially considering that he's a big, bruising back, that always takes a beating. He was an animal his first four years in the league, however, tailed off big time last year, just his 5th season in the league. Please don't take a RB for granted, they work harder and take a bigger beating than any other positions in sports. So, back to LT and Westbrook, it's been a nice ride, but the end is near.

Baset Chaudhry: Who Says Squash Players Can't Get Angry?

Is Baset Chaudhry exactly what squash needs in order to be recognized? Absolutely. The guy sprawling out for a shot above got extremely heated in one of his matches and because of his rage and pure dominance, found a way to be sandwiched in between Doug Gottlieb talking about UConn's tourney hopes and a NASCAR rundown on Sports Center. Right before winning, Chaudhry got bumped by his opponent who was at least six inches shorter than him. The two of them were apparently trash talking the entire match. Following the bump, Baset lost it, got right in this poor guy's grill, and proceeded to be angry/celebrate his win (it was hard to tell which one he was doing). This "bad boy" of squash might motivate two Americans who saw his highlight to go on Wikipedia and search squash. This guy is truly making a difference.

I thought it was hilarious watching Merrill Hoge break the whole outburst down on Sports Center. Congratulations Merrill, you did something funny. Anyway, it was awesome seeing a squash player go absolutely crazy over practically nothing and to know that squash players trash talk. Squash, at least where I'm from, is not ever talked about, and when it is, it's would be in joke form. It was great to see someone take the game incredibly seriously. Heck, it was great to see the game even though I'm never going to watch a squash match ever in my life. The clip was the most squash I've ever seen. Sports Center used "The Baset Hound" as a joke (yes "The Baset Hound" is his new nickname) although they took it semi-seriously on air and I think it's okay if we all use him as a joke. However, it was actually nice to see such fiery competitiveness in something like squash. I react almost the exact same way as Chaudhry did when my little brother beats me in NCAA Basketball 10 so I can't hate on the guy. If anything I respect him and may have developed a new-found respect for squash. Well, just a respect. I never really had one to begin with. Chaudhry, you're my boy.

P.S. Trinity College (where Chaudhry goes) is on a undefeated winning streak for squash since 1998. Insane.

Go to ESPN or Youtube to watch the outburst. The only clip I could find on Youtube was from ESPN and they won't let me put it up. Trust me, its worth it.

Shining Stars Makin' US Proud

I figured I would take a moment and make a post in regards to our latest poll question. Which American athlete has been most impressive at the Vancouver Olympics? Good question... if you don't mind me saying. An argument can easily made for all six of the athletes below. As followed is the rank that I would place them in and why:

Shaun White: Plain and simple, the guy is a freak. He's honestly so much better than any snowboarder that he competed with in the superpipe. He blew away the field to the point where he didn't even have to put on a show in his final run. He could have simply gone straight down the middle of the halfpipe, as he had already clinched the gold medal with a score of over 46, out of 50. However, Shaun would of course never fail to disappoint us. Rather, he put on an incredible show, scoring greater than 48, with insane trick after insane trick, capped off by his patented Double Mctwist 1260 to defend his gold. Dirty.

Shani Davis: The long track speed skater defended his gold from the Torino Olympics as well. He took gold in the 1000 meters, while also defending his silver in the 1500 meter. Perhaps the most impressive part was that despite how disappointed he was that he had to settle for silver again in the 1500, he displayed great sportsmanship afterward, congratulating the man from the Netherlands who upset him. That's what the Olympics is all about.

Bode Miller: Are you kidding me? This guy was suppose to be washed up. Instead, he went out and swept the podium stand, winning a gold, silver, and bronze. We've now learned never to underestimate Mr. Miller.

Lindsey Vonn: Talk about jokes, almost everyone speculated that Vonn wouldn't even be well enough to compete in any of her events due to a bum shin. Instead, the skiing star went out and claimed gold and bronze on practically one leg, against the best athletes in the world. Way to be, Lindsey. I was just in Vail, the place where she grew up, over February vacation, and allow me to tell you, she had Vail buzzing about her miraculous results.

Apolo Anton Ohno: I'm definitely a fan of all the people above, as they've achieved tremendous success, however, Apolo is just the man, and a great guy at that. If you want to talk about overall success in the winter Olympics, this man should top anyone's list, being that he has become the most decorated American athlete in the history of the Winter Games, with 7 medals. However, I'm focusing on this year, but still, he's unbelievable. Tack on another silver and bronze medal to his collection (he still has two events left) overcoming incredibly tough Korean competition on top of that. All hail.

Ryan Miller: To be honest, I don't really know anything about this guy, but Ben G. just told me that the American hockey goalie was incredible in the the huge U.S. victory over Canada. That's enough for me. Have we witnessed the beginning of another miracle on ice? We'll just have to stay tuned. Gotta love the Olympics.

United States Hockey Plays Like It's 1980

The U.S. hockey team scored its biggest Olympic upset since the 1980 Miracle on Ice. Today the American squad beat a heavily favored Canadian team 5-3. The Vancouver crowd, obviously pulling for Canada, was left stunned. The American hero was goalie Ryan Miller, who stopped 42 of 45 shots. The U.S., in fact, was out-shot 45 to 22. Yet somehow the USA converted 5 of those opportunities while Canada faired far worse. America's top goal scorer of the game was defenseman Brian Rafalski, who hit paydirt (or pay-ice?) twice. This win was America's first over Canada in Olympic competition in over fifty years.

It is possible that the USA might enter the quarterfinal round as the top overall seed, a feat which most hockey people thought was impossible. After rolling through group play and stunning Canada, that would certainly be deserved. Canada, meanwhile, is left trying to get on track. Before the loss to the USA, Canada barely beat a not so great Swiss team. Canada also must win a play-in game to even reach the quarterfinal.

That game obviously does not have the same significance of the 1980 game but it will do a lot to advance the cause of hockey in the United States and it will instill a sense of patriotism in all Americans. Of course, Americans were already feeling proud during these Olympic games. The U.S. has dominated the podium since the inception of the games. All the stars have delivered. Shani Davis. Lindsey Vonn. Apolo Ohno. Even Bode Miller. Today, Bode won the gold medal in the super-combined skiing event. He now has completed the Olympic cycle in these games: a gold, a silver, and a bronze. That is pretty solid redemption for the Turin disaster.

Different Tigers Make Headline

It's been reported that today, February 20th, after pitchers and catchers have reported to spring training, that Johnny Damon has finally found himself a new home. Sources say he and the Detroit Tigers have agreed in principle to a 1 year, $8M deal. All of this after Scott Boras (pictured above) spent the first two months of the offseason saying Damon wouldn't accept less than a 4 year deal, making at least as much as the $13M he was making annually with the Yankees. Well, let's just say this deal with Detroit is a far cry from what Scott Boras was looking for. That's right, Scott Boras is the villain in this case, like many others.

I truly believe that Scott Boras is obnoxiously overrated as an agent. He's nothing more than a selfish S.O.B. He never truly gauges his clients market value, nor where they and their family would be most happy. He simply finds a few clever stats as to why his client is unique and elite, then goes for the mega millions. It's safe to say that Boras blew it this time. Not only did he not come close to getting a 4 year, $52M deal that he was looking for, but he told the Yankees to not even make an offer unless it was at that level. So what happened? The Yankees, who were prepared to offer Damon a 2 year, $19M deal, took their offer off the table, with the understanding that Damon and Boras wouldn't even consider it, and moved quickly to get their plan B in Nick Johnson. There's absolutely no way you can fault Brian Cashman on this one. He was prepared to offer Damon clearly a lot more than his market value, yet, was told that the offer was an insult and not to bother. Careful what you wish for, Scott.

So, the end result now stands that Damon and Boras never even considered a 2 year, $19M offer from the team Damon wanted to play for most, not to mention a team that gives him a chance to win every year, and a place where his family was already situated. Instead, Damon and Boras are now forced to settle for a 1 year, $8M deal (they're lucky they even got that much), from a team that is very up and down, and clearly not the place where he wanted to play most. Well done, Scott.

He Speaks

He hasn't spoken to the media since his "Thanksgiving Day Massacre" and the country was all ears yesterday when he finally decided to say something. His 14 minute speech was probably the nearest equivalent to a State of the Union Address any athlete could have. Why? Tiger Woods is the most iconic and dominant athlete in all of sports. He was the closest thing to a perfect human being up until the car crash. Then he took a tumble and his life spiraled out of control. Yesterday, he practically made a vow to be perfect...for the first time.

I myself am guilty of tuning in live to his speech. I thought he happened to be very sincere and it seemed like he meant everything he said. It bothered me to see how robotic he was in looking up from his paper to the crowd and then moving down the line of people to hug them. It all seemed a bit too rehearsed, but he put words out there that everybody heard and that's mostly what matters. He's pretty much a robot on the course so I guess we can't expect him not to be one off of it.

I'd like to think that he wrote the speech himself. If he did, he chose a lot of the right words. He put the blame solely on himself and said that going forward, he is the only one who needed to change. He admitted to being caught in his stardom and fame and that he felt entitled to give into all of the temptations that were around him. He asked the media to leave his family alone as they were just victims in this whole mess. He made a promise to change and apologized to everybody he needed to apologize too. I think most people don't realize how difficult it is for someone to stand in front of an entire country and say you were wrong. He had no choice, but that's tough for anybody.

One of the problems I had in the speech was that he touched on how there was no domestic abuse in the home and how Elin never beat him. He left the whole incident at that which leads to even more questions. How did he wind up crashing his car with no shoes on while Elin was running down to the car with a golf club? If there was a truth in the story that he wanted people to hear, I think he would have said it, but he didn't.

Jeremy Schapp, an ESPN reporter, said on Sports Center that on espn.com, a poll read that 66% of people said that Tiger was sincere in his speech. A poll on eonline.com, more of a feminine site, said that only 36% of people thought Tiger was sincere. Apparently, women weren't buying into Tiger. Well, that's a first. Fortunately for Tiger, it is mainly men who follow him while he's out on the links and the PGA is obviously only made up of men. He would like to please everyone, but that is going to be impossible for the rest of his life. Moving forward, words won't mean much. What he damaged is no quick fix. For some reason that I can't think of, Elin isn't immediately filing for divorce and is willing to work on their marriage. Tiger has to regain her respect and the respect of the country. I think he's going to be true to his word considering that if he doesn't, he will be caught immediately. Everyone has a camera phone and the people who work for him are going to make sure he's always in the right spot. Also, one slip, and he will be a villain in sports. He's walking on a thin line between hero and villain as it's impossible to ignore what he's done golf-wise. I think his personal intentions are finally in the right place, although they are forced to be.

Okay, that's enough of Tiger. If you want more, turn on any channel on your TV.

Wheelin' and Dealin'

In the final two days leading up to the NBA trade deadline, which was yesterday at 3 PM ET, the Knicks took part in different trades, virtually changing half of the personnel on their roster. The first move was essentially nothing more than a salary dump, as GM Donnie Walsh (the disturbed looking man above) shipped Darko Milicic to the Timberwolves for Brian Cardinal, who is now expected to be released. Then, yesterday, in their first of two moves, the Knicks acquired T-Mac and Sergio Rodriguez from the Rockets and Kings, respectively, while parting ways with Jared Jeffries, Larry Hughes, Jordan Hill, and draft considerations. Finally, the Knicks topped off the deadline day by sending Nate Robinson and Marcus Landry to Boston for Eddie House, J.R. Giddens, and Bill Walker.

Phew. That's a mouth full. All things considered, I'll give the Knicks a B grade for their deadline efforts. Nate Robinson is the toughest to part ways with (at least for me), however, he unfortunately wanted out of NY. Can't say I blame him. The Knicks got some youth in exchange for him in Giddens and Walker, not to mention a proven vet that played for Mike D'Antoni in Phoenix in Eddie House. As for the Darko-Cardinal swap, who cares? All that matters is that the Knicks relieved more cap space so no problem there.

Then, there's the big one. Despite potential high draft picks that can be lost (the Rockets have the right to swap first round picks with the Knicks in 2011 - top 1 protected - and receive the Knicks first round pick in 2012 - top 5 protected), I like the move of acquiring McGrady. At the very least, he gives the Knicks yet another expiring contract to go after two huge superstars, not to mention some excitement for the fans. I'll be able to sleep fine without Jared Jeffries, Jordan Hill, and Larry Hughes.

Now that the deadline is behind, we can officially shift our attention to July 1st, when the 2010 free agents will become be free to sign with any team. Please, LeBron. New York is legit.

Hope Springs Eternal, But Not In Mets Camp

See that kid throwing the ball in the picture? Warm him up because the latest news from Port St. Lucie is that Kelvim Escobar (the Mets only true addition to their pitching staff) can't even throw a baseball because he is in so much pain. Well, at least Henry Blanco is looking healthy. Benji mentioned how pitchers and catchers is a great time of year. Well, he was speaking from a Yankee fans perspective, and his team looks clear cut to win another World Series. People should not be questioning whether Granderson is going to hit second or seventh because that is not an actual problem. People should be questioning whether Daniel Murphy can turn out to be the Mets first baseman down the stretch, can Luis Castillo be a reliable bat again, can Jason Bay be what he was in Boston, can Wright get his act together, can Jose Reyes play the entire season and be what he once was, can our relief get us through the sixth, seventh, and eighth innings, and most importantly, can Johan Santana pitch everyday (please)? Those, my friends, are real problems.

Although the Mets do have one of the largest payrolls, they need to adopt the new ways of the low market clubs. A bunch of teams have signed a lot of average and good guys to one or two year deals to make some noise now. For reasons of faith and respect to the fans, the Mets need to make noise now. Lets look at what some of those teams have done around the league:

Twins: Signed Jim Thome, Orlando Hudson, and J.J. Hardy

A's: Signed Ben Sheets and Coco Crisp

Reds: Signed Aroldis Chapman and Orlando Cabrera

Rangers: Signed Vladimir Guerrero, Rich Harden, and Darren Oliver

Diamondbacks: Signed Adam LaRoche and Kelly Johnson

There are not many standouts on this list of free agents signed by these teams who don't see the playoffs too often (except the Twins). However, these teams added depth to their rosters to get them through a long season. The Twins are going to have a great year in my opinion. In an effort to resign Joe Mauer, they're moving into a new home in Target Field. With Morneau, Liriano, and Slowey returning from injuries, plus the new additions, plus a great player in Mauer, they are poised to make a run.

Depth is not in the Mets vocabulary and they're relying on certain players to produce to get them into the playoffs. At the most, they are a Wild Card team and this will be a wild card season for them because there are a lot of questions that won't be answered until the season starts. If the Mets don't make the playoffs, fans should march down to Citi Field and boycott Omar Minaya. I will lead.

Jason Bay was the only name worth mentioning that was added to the Mets. Look at all of the people who were out there. Sign J.J. Hardy as a solid bench player and safety net for Reyes. Sign Rich Harden to relieve a lot of pressure from this really, really, really questionable staff. Sign Adam LaRoche who played better than Daniel Murphy did last season on a team that equally struggled and see who you like more. They could all be one-year contracts. These signs wouldn't be asking too much considering the NY payroll, but I would say the Mets would be a more promising squad with these additions.

So, it's that beautiful time of year again, everywhere but Mets camp.

American Gold Rush

In case people haven't noticed, the U.S. is cleaning house in the Vancouver Olympics. They have a total of 18 medals, while Germany is a distant second with 11, and Norway is 3rd with 8. Among the U.S.'s 18 medals, we (yes I like to feel apart of it) have 6 gold, 5 silver, and 7 bronze. Recent golden efforts have been highlights the last two days by Lindsay Vonn (skiing... shown above), Shauni Davis ( speedskating (mens)), Evan Lysacek (figure skating), and of course Shaun White (super Pipe). What was so amazing about Shaun White is that he clinched the gold medal before his second of two runs in the final, as the judges take the higher of two a riders two scores. they don't average the scores together. So, Shaun conveniantely socred above a 46 on his first run, then went for a victory lap by breaking the 48 barrier (out of 50). By the way, other notable Americans who have meddaled include Boddie Miller and Apolo Anton Ohno. Back to Shaun White, the Guy is unbelievable. The video I wanted to put of him below, of his final gold medal run, wasn't working out, so just be aware that he's ridiculous.

Show Me the Money

Yesterday, Sebastian Janikoswki signed the richest contract in NFL history for a kicker, agreeing to resign with the Raiders to the tune of four years, $16M, $9M of which is guaranteed. It's pretty much unheard of for a kicker to make this kind of money, especially considering that the overwhelming majority of Sebastian's teammates will be making less than him, but regardless, I think this was a move the Raiders had to make.

First off, with SJ locked up, the Raiders will continue to have by far the finest kicker/punter tandem in the NFL, in the likes of Janikowski and Shane Lechler, respectively. Being that the rest of their team has been downright awful for the last decade, at least they can continue to make some noise on special teams.

Secondly, Janikowski is not only the best kicker in the league, but he's by far the best kicker in the league. The guys is absolute money. His range is potentially 60+ yards on any given day (he hit a 61 yard field goal last year), and he's automatic from within 50 yards. As I alluded to earlier, since the Raider team, particularly their offense, is so pitiful, Janikowski is their one sure bet for points. You can't exactly count on JaMarcus Russel and company these days.

So, was the deal far beyond pricey? Yes. But, was it also more than necessary? Yes, again. Knowing Al Davis and the way that dysfunctional franchise operates, they'll probably continue to be terrible, but at least they can boast about having the best kicker in the league.

Let's Get it Started

Today marked the use of one of the most beautiful phrases in sports: "pitchers and catchers report to spring training." The Yankees, along with a few other teams, officially kicked off spring training today. For the Yanks, let the defense begin. Being that today is the first official day of the 2010 baseball season, at least in my mind, below are my predictions as to how the divisions will shape out:

AL East:

1) New York Yankees

2) Boston Red Sox

3) Tampa Bay Rays

4) Toronto Blue Jays

5) Baltimore Orioles

AL Central:

1) Detroit Tigers

2) Minnesota Twins

3) Kansas City Royals

4) Chicago White Sox

5) Cleveland Indians

AL West:

1) Los Angeles Angels

2) Texas Rangers

3) Seattle Mariners

4) Oakland Athletics

NL East:

1) Philadelphia Phillies

2) Atlanta Braves

3) Florida Marlins

4) New York Mets

5) Washington Nationals

NL Central:

1) St. Louis Cardinals

2) Cincinnati Reds

3) Chicago Cubs

4) Milwaukee Brewers

5) Houston Astros

6) Pittsburgh Pirates

NL West:

1) Los Angeles Dodgers

2) San Francisco Giants

3) Arizona Diamondbacks

4) Colorado Rockies

5) San Diego Padres

Wild Card Winners: Boston Red Sox, Atlanta Braves

I hope I don't make a fool of myself with these predictions. Regardless, let's get it started.

Weird Weekend in Big East-Land

As this post's title would suggest, it was a weird weekend for the Big East. The conference's "Big Four" all lost games that they should have won. I was lucky to attend one of those games in person. Let's go through them.

On Friday night, Pitt beat West Virginia in three overtimes. This game was by far the most exciting game of the season. First WVU was going to win, then Pitt was, then it was tied, and then Pitt finally won. West Virginia had a seven point lead with a minute left but some bad free throw shooting and a clutch Ashton Gibbs three-ball sent it to OT. In the first OT, Pitt had a three point lead with 5 seconds left but Truck Bryant hit a three to send into a second OT. The second OT was back and forth but it ended in a tie. In the third overtime Pitt finally was able to win. This game re-established Pitt as awesome. They had beaten 'Cuse to begin Big East play but hadn't done much since then. Now I can truthfully say that they're back.

On Sunday afternoon, Louisville arose from the dead to stun Syracue in the Carrier Dome. Normally losses to St. Johns doom bubble teams. Now, Louisville is projected as in the tourney, thanks to this stunner. Lousville stifled Wesley Johnson and Samardo Samuels got it together in the second half, leading to a marquee win for the Cardinals.

Also on Sunday afternoon, I went to the Rutgers-Georgetown game. I went into this game thinking that Georgetown would blow the Scarlet Knights out. Boy, was I wrong. Jonathan Mitchell scored 24 to lead Rutgers and frosh Dane Miller had the coolest tip-in I've ever seen to give Rutgers the lead with 30 seconds left. After Austin Freeman missed a three at the buzzer, Rutgers had its first win over a top ten team in seven years. I've been going to Rutgers games since I was in first grade and this win was the biggest I've seen in my spectating career. Needless to say, it was quite exciting.

Finally, Uconn pulled a Louisville and won at Villanova. This stunner erased the effects of Saturday's loss at home to Cincinnati. Kemba Walker, Jerome Dyson, and Gavin Edwards were quite studly for the Huskies. I wrote in my last post about whether Jim Calhoun's return would provide a spark for Uconn. Well it seems the answer is yes, only it took a game for his effect to come out.

T-Mac to NY? Let's Make a Deal

Nothing's officical yet, however, after it seemed as if the trade may fall threw, the Knicks are once again in hot pursuit of Tracy McGrady. Do I support this potential trade? Absolutely. First of all, although he hasn't played this season, T-Mac was once a perennial All-Star. Now, he's 30-years-old, a year younger than Kobe Bryant, arguably the best player in the league. Obviously T-mac is no longer in the same class as Kobe, but he's a year younger and far more fresh at this point. Although he's had injury problems in recent years, that hasn't been what has sidelined him this year. It's been fear by the Rockets organization that he may get hurt, and thus diminish his trade value.

In addition to McGrady still potentially being a very good player, there's a lot more to this move that is very appealing to Donnie Walsh and the rest of the Knicks front office. As it's been made clear, their entire team is being built around expiring contracts at the end of this season, to give them as much cap space as possible to potentially sign two superstars this offseason. T-Mac would add yet another expiring contract to that group, while the Knicks would rid themselves of Jared Jeffries and the $6.9M they owe him next season, while also letting go of Jordan Hill's contract. Hill just happened to be another busted first round draft pick, so I wouldn't lose much sleep without him. The Knicks would also likely have to part ways with a future first round pick, however, if they're able to sign 1-2 superstars this offseason, it'd be 100% worth it, especially considering their recent draft success, or lack there of.

All in all, Donnie Walsh: please get Tracy McGrady. He's definitely got something left in the tank, would create some excitement in the Garden for the rest of the season, and would give the Knicks even more leverage headed into the offseason. Let's make a deal.

A Bump In The Road

In no way do I like or advocate NASCAR, but I found something too funny not to write about. While watching Sports Center, I saw the highlights of the pothole at the Daytona 500 that caused over an hour and a half's worth of delays. The best part was that the officials thought they fixed the tiny 2-foot long bump, sent all of the cars back on the track, and it turned out nothing was fixed. I don't think NASCAR could get any more embarrased. Not only is this the smallest biggest distraction in all of sports, but it happened in this sport's premiere event. The pothole embarrased all of NASCAR because now for the people who don't follow racing, pothole is one of the words that are synonomous with NASCAR. Given the economy, the sport is in danger of losing a lot of sponsors (how they make their money). Seeing what such tiny damage did and seeing how things were handled probably doesn't make any company to jump out of their seats and pay for a spot on Jimmie Johnson's car.

The Daytona 500 is probably the one race that people who don't follow the sport know the name of. Sadly for the circuit, the pothole came on one of the sport's biggest days. Although I have never watched a race and can't name any past Daytona and Talledega (only because of Will Ferrell), a lot of the names of the drivers have somehow been ingrained into my mind and I can't get them out. The only one of them I want to keep in there is Danica Patrick, the hottest marketing campaign ever to make it into NASCAR. So now I define NASCAR with two words: Danica and pothole. It could be worse (just pothole).

The Best Job in Sports Up for Grabs

Just to clarify, the job I'm referring to in the title is the 5th spot in the Yankees rotation. Why? First of all, as a starting pitcher, despite making the big bucks, you're only being paid to play in one out of every five games. Secondly, being the 5th starter in a rotation means that you have the least amount of expectations to match, and hence, the least pressure of any pitcher on the staff. Lastly, it's the Yankees, which means you have an extremely legitimate chance to get a ring every single season. Who would ever pass up such a job? Nobody, which is why the Yankees are headed into spring training with five men vying for the final spot in the rotation. The candidates: Joba Chamberlain, Phil Hughes, Alfredo Aceves, Chad Gaudin, and Segio Mitre.

If you ask me who should ultimately claim the 5th spot, I'd say Phil Hughes in a second. However, before I get to why it should be Hughes, let's take a look at why every candidate above is actually deserving of a fair shot.

Sergio Mitre: Anti-Yankee fans have been hating on Mitre ever since he became a Yankee, and while he struggled last season, we need to cut the guy some slack, as he was coming off of Tommy John surgery. Yes, Tommy John surgery has historically been a very successful operation, however, if you follow it closely, pitchers almost always struggle their first year back, which should give Sergio Mitre some credibility. Being that this upcoming season will be his second year back from surgery, he's finally fully healthy and ready to go. In the past, he's shown that he has good stuff. If he's able to find his control and command in his sinker, he can be effective.

Chad Gaudin: While last season was a major struggle for Gaudin before the Yankees acquired him from the Padres, there's some justification. He was playing for a horrific team, with virtually no run support, not to mention a horrendous infield unit behind him. It was just a bad situation. However, once the Yankees acquired him, Gaudin was quietly very effective. As a Yankee, he went 2-0 with a 3.43 ERA. It may have only been over 2 months worth of work, but he definitely proved that he has what it takes.

Alfredo Aceves: He slowed down late in the season and in the playoffs, but for about 85% of the season, 'Fredo was a rock out of the bullpen. Regardless of whether it was a late inning situation, mop-up duty, or middle innings relief, Aceves was usually very effective. He was a starter in the minors, and now, he will have the chance to prove he can be a starter in the majors.

Joba Chamberlain: Many people feel that this job is Joba's to lose. Although he was very up and down last season, let's cut him some slack. The Yankees, in trying to limit his innings, handled the situation horribly. You can't ask a starter to go out and throw 65 pitchers, nor can you ask him to pitch after 9 days of rest. However, this year, the training wheels are finally being removed as the Joba Rules are being disposed of, which should make for a much better outcome.

Phil Hughes: This man should be the Yankees fifth starter. Every man above has a claim, however, I feel that the job needs to go to either Joba or Hughes, being that they're the young studs that the Yankees intend on investing multimillion dollars in. That being said, I feel that Joba has more potential out of the bullpen, while Hughes has more potential as a starter. Joba has two devastating pitches, in the fastball and slider, that make him a nightmare in 1-2 inning situations, when batters only get to face him once. Not to mention, he doesn't need to try and last seven innings, rather, he can go right after you. As for Hughes, he can attack you with a fastball, changeup, curveball, and cutter, which makes him an ideal starter. Not to mention, I think he's more fit than Joba to give the Yankees length, and eventually be a perenial 200 inning pitcher. You gotta love that. Hughes was once regarded as the top prospect in baseball, and I think he'll prove why this year.

What Happened NBA?

I am guilty of hyping up this year's All-Star Weekend, but I wasn't wrong in doing so. It was awesome watching Superman and "Kryptonate" go at it in the Slam Dunk Contest, Gerald Green blowing out a cupcake above the rim, and there seemed to have been a lot of All-Stars jumping out of their seats then. I guess I got too used to it. This year, all of the "non-game" events seemed to be dead on energy. The Slam Dunk Contest was probably the least creative I've ever seen. Demar DeRozan had one good dunk and Nate Robinson's last dunk was good. That was it. Next year's contest should have Lebron, Wade, Dwight, and Nate in it. People say that guys like Lebron and Wade won't enter the contest because they don't want to get hurt (even though LBJ promised to be in it this year). When's the last time anybody got hurt in the dunk contest? Never. They're more likely to get hurt in the game than this. Also, they would take the contest to another level because they're incredibly athletic and are more exciting than Shannon Brown.

I happened to waste a lot of my time watching the H-O-R-S-E competion between Kevin Durant, Rajon Rondo, and Omri Casspi (one of two Jews in the league representing). It was painful the way TNT milked this event. Somehow a H-O-R-S-E game with three people, and not just people, professional basketball players, lasted an hour. I could understand how it would take that long if five-year-olds were playing on a pro hoop. As much as I regard Kevin Durant as one of the best pure scorers in basketball, he wasn't too creative in his shots along with the other participants. All the fans wanted to see was creativity. They already knew they all could hit a three. Also, the network didn't even follow the rules. The game started out where they had to mimick a shot from a video. They all missed and got H's. Somehow at the end, there wasn't enough time left so Rondo and Durant had to have a shootout which lasted five real and long minutes. They couldn't even get an hour long game of H-O-R-S-E right.

The Shooting Stars competion was the same as it's always been. However, the energy was lacking. They're were no Bill Laimbeer's this year to make things exciting. Also, there was a WNBA player representing Sacremento and she was actually on the Liberty. While representing Sacremento, she wore her Liberty jersey. Lame.

The Skills Competition was one of the better events. I think it would have been better if Derrick Rose (who definitely had a chance of winning) played and wasn't replaced by Russell Westbrook, but I couldn't really complain here. Steve Nash is always a fun guy and he beat out all of the young guns after coming down South after his torch lighting in Vancouver. It was nice seeing that he still has it. He also happens to be one of the most coordinated players in the NBA and probably the best soccer player (yeah, he plays soccer) in the NBA too.

I couldn't have asked for a better finals matchup in the 3-Point Shootout. My favorite Celtic in Paul Pierce squared off against one of my favorite college players of all-time in Stephen Curry. Both of them beasted out, but Pierce came out on top. Curry will probably win at least two shootouts in his career so he's got time to come in second.

Surprisingly, the game was pretty entertaining. Like I was guilty of overhyping this weekend, I am also guilty of not watching the entire All-Star game. Can you blame me? I had to watch The Amazing Race, Undercover Boss, and a new show on HBO called How To Make It In America (which I recommend). Yeah, I'm kind of a sucker for TV. Anyway, the last few minutes were entertaining and judging from the highlights, there were some cool plays. Overall, I'd give the weekend a C+ and I would say that the NBA did not meet its usual standards.

Vancouver Olympics

Since I feel that very few people are aware, I just wanted to let everyone that the opening ceremony for 2010 Vancouver Olympics is tonight. THAT MEANS THAT THE WINTER OLYMPIC GAMES ARE OFFICIALLY BEGINNING. Feel free to tune in.

I love the olympics for several reasons. Below are 10 reasons why you should too:

1) The opening ceremony is awesome.

2) The closing ceremony is awesome.

3) There's a great deal of pride involved, being that athletes aren't just competing for themselves, rather, they're representing an entire country.

4) We're entertained by extreme sports that aren't normally televised or heavily publicized.

5) We get to see Shaun White fly threw the super pipe.

6) We can actually root for an All-American hockey team... literally.

7) There are some very good looking figure skaters... no joke.

8) The Winter Olympics only come around once every four years.

9) Apolo Anton Ohno is a sweet speed skater and has an amazing name.

10) We get to watch the greatest athletes on the planet pull off ridiculous stunts.

Calhoun Comes Back. Is it Enough?

University of Connecticut basketball coach Jim Calhoun is back on the job after a seven game medical leave of absence. The Huskies, which went 3-4 without him, and have seen their NCAA hopes fade. They are currently in eleventh place in the Big East with 4-7 conference record (14-10) overall. They haven't won a game since they beat top-ranked Texas, a win which looks less and less impressive every day. Now the question is: can Calhoun get them back on track? And, if so, will it be enough?

I believe that the answer to the first question is maybe. Connecticut played amazingly hard yesterday at Syracuse before losing in the final minute. Honestly, they only lost because the refs didn't understand that a coach cannot call a time-out once his player has shot the basketball, but I digress. The point is that they've put in incredible effort under interim coach Jim Blaney. Perhaps Calhoun can ingnite some sort of spark, but I think his players are already giving all they can. It's not UConn's fault that the Big East is the Big East.

The answer to the second question is that nobody really knows. If UConn can win so many games that they finish above .500 in Big East play, that would be enough to get them in. Obviously, if they have an amazing showing in the conference tournament and win it (which is not impossible), they're in. But let's take a look at a more likely scenario. Let's say they finish 9-9 in Big East play. To do that, they'd have to win at home against West Virginia and at Notre Dame to go along with some games that they should be expected to win. Considering UConn's impressve non-conference resume, they would probably get in. Now let's say they drop the West Virginia game and finish 8-10. Normally, that would not be enough to get a team into the tournament. The NCAA selection committee is allowed to make allowances due to players missing time. There is nothing in the rules, however, that talks about making allowances for missing coaches. This UConn situation would be an NCAA precedent, hence nobody knowing what would happen.

Sorry, Not Interested

Rick Pitino, currently the head coach at Louisville, answered to the rumors of him stepping in as the next Nets head coach much like any person would answer the phone when a telemarketer calls: with a simple, sorry, not interested. Many people wouldn't blame him and regard the Nets job as the worst coaching job in the NBA, but that is not correct.

The Nets have tons of cap space for the potentially greatest off-season ever. Hopefully the leagues new collective bargaining agreement won't interfere with the superstar shuffle. Anyway, the Nets are more than likely to sign a great player. They are moving to Newark and at some point they will make it to Brooklyn. A moving team always generates interest. As the Nets are the worst team in the NBA right now, they are the most likely candidate to claim the rights to John Wall, the most coveted college basketball player in the country. On another note, the team is incredibly young as it is. So, wouldn't it be nice to walk into an organization that has John Wall, potentially Amar'e/Bosh/Lebron/Wade (expect one to be a Net), Devin Harris, and a bunch of young talent (Brook Lopez and Terrence Williams will become good players). The new Russian billionaire owner will want to make some noise in his first couple of years in the league. Also, they can't get any worse. So, hello world! This could be a dream job in a few years. Pitino, and any others who aren't interested, you're making a mistake.

Currently, Rick Pitino is coaching a struggling Louisville team that is on the cusp of making the NCAA tournament. The Big East is the toughest conference in college basketball to maintain stability in because it's so competitive. Pitino's squad got a #1 seed last year and now might miss out on the madness. Pitino was also a target of extortion where he allegedly raped a women. The state never pressed charges, but it could have some effect on recruiting (the moms might have a bigger problem with it than the players). Looking into Pitino's future, if he hadn't already said he's done coaching professionally (fact or fiction? Nobody knows except Rick for sure.), he could either be coaching an up and down Louisville team for as long as he chooses or pick up on the opportunity of a lifetime, redeem his first coaching stint in the NBA, and look like a genius when the Nets start winning (although the front office will have more to do with this hypothetical success than he would). Think of the headlines: "Pitino Redeems, the Nets are THE Team." Too bad, somebody elses name will be in the papers while Coach Pitino's trying to work out plans to beat the Big East powerhouses like Syracuse and 'Nova. I wouldn't count Pitino completely out because words never mean much. If he's leaning towards no right now, he should seriously reconsider.

So, to all of the Nets non-believers, don't give up. This team has tremendous potential to be great in a few years. As for the Pacers and Wizards jobs... well that's another story.

Why???

The Giants have released stud MLB Antonio Pierce. My question: why??? I understand that he missed the last seven games of the season due to injury, and he's 32-years-old now, but come on. He was their defensive captain and standout for several years. With all the positions that the Giants already need to address, especially on defense, it seems to me that one of the only good things they had going for them was a steady presence at MLB. Not to mention, his contract shouldn't have been an issue, as he only had one year left on his current deal. It's not like the Giants were trying to get out of a huge contract with tens of millions of guaranteed dollars. So if Pierce's contract wasn't this issue, and they already have so many holes on their roster to fill, what in the world was the motivation to release him?

Being that I'm a huge Giants fan, and I was forced to suffer through a horrendous second half of the season, I'll admit that my patience was short with this team to begin with. But, this move truly makes no sense to me. Antonio Pierce was not only a tremendous asset on the field, but off the field as well. I think it would have been more than worth the risk to maintain his services for another season, being that if he's healthy, he can still perform at a very high level. If he ended up getting hurt again, than the G-MEN could have cut their losses after the season and moved on. But to cut him now makes no sense in my mind. We now have yet another position to address in the draft. The Giants better have an incredible draft, or they're going to have a lot of complaints to address.

Pierce had this to say upon being notified of his release:"I was shocked at first, but I'm not the one up there up in the office, and they said they felt they needed to go in another direction," Pierce told ESPN's Rachel Nichols on Thursday. "They said it wasn't my health, or the way I played, but just that -- that they were going in another direction. We left everything smooth and peaceful and I'm happy about that -- I felt like I said everything I needed to say to them. I've loved my time in New York and won't have anything but good feelings about being with this team."

A Diamond in the Rough?

It's been reported that former Yankees ace, Chien-Ming Wang, will have officially found a new home in 7-10 days. Wang has supposedly narrowed his choices down to the Washington Nationals, and one other club.

Whoever ends up signing Chien-Ming Wang, kudos to that GM. Although Wang appears to be very injury prone at this point in his career, he's still only 29-years-old (30 by opening day), and still has tremendous upside. Even if Wang does get hurt next season, or simply doesn't perform up to capabilities, he's probably only going to be playing for a couple million dollars guaranteed. So, worst case scenario, Wang misses the entire season due to injury or is extremely ineffective and the team only loses $1-2M. On the other hand, best case scenario, Wang reverts back to his 2006-2007 form, when he he led the majors with 38 wins over those two seasons, and finished second in the Cy Young ballot one of those years. We're talking about a pitcher that owns a 55-26 career record with a 4.16 ERA. That's excellent production. And the only reason his ERA is even that high is because he pitched with a bad shoulder last year and got shelled. Regardless, we're talking about a pitcher who can easily win 15 games with a sub-4 ERA when healthy. Any team in baseball could use that kind of production.

Unfortunately for CMW, the Yankees already have plenty of arms competing for the 5th spot in their rotation, including Joba Chamberlain, Phil Hughes, Alfredo Aceves, Sergio Mitre, and Chad Gaudin. But wherever Wang ends up, best of luck to him, and great work to the GM who signs him. You may be signing a diamond in the rough.

The Best and Worst of Times

Imagine what the week after the Super Bowl is like for the teams that played in it. You have the Saints, who are on top of the world right now, currently enjoying a victory parade in the city that many people believe they saved. They helped transform a flooded city into the biggest party in the U.S. It doesn't get much better than that. They can do no wrong this offseason. They were down 10-0 early, than stormed back, outscoring the once mighty Colts 31-7 to end the game. As far as their fans are concerned, they're all heros.

On the other hand, you have the Colts, who returned to Indy today to the tune of 11 fans greeting them. Sorry, but I'm just going to go ahead and say that has to be among some of the worst feelings in the world. I never put much though into it before today, but imagine having an entire city, millions of people, counting on you, the favorites, to win the Super Bowl, and coming home empty handed. Literally. That's gotta hurt. Whether it's guilt, disappointment, regret, or any other feeling, the Colts are going to be doing plenty of thinking over the next week. All of that thinking while the Saints are living the good life.

Going Global

Yes, that is a hockey picture, but that doesn't mean stop reading.

The NHL is sadly losing its touch with the American public and are working to get the media coverage it deserves...and it does deserve media coverage. To be quite honest, I don't know why people don't like hockey. It's contact soccer on ice with a smaller "field." In an attempt to build some excitement, six teams are starting next season in European countries, primarily in the Nordics.

What I think the NHL is doing is trying to show off the league to European players who are yet to make the move into North America. The Hurricanes and Wild will be playing in Finland. Seven guys from those teams are from Finland. The Blue Jackets and Sharks will be playing in Sweden. Six guys from those teams are from Sweden. The NHL's message to the Europeans: You can come here, we don't bite, and we need you guys before ticket sales or so low that some teams may have to move or cease to exist. On another note, when American teams play in foreign countries, it does spark some interest in the U.S. I was excited when the NFL had a game in London and I'm sure other people were too. Also, the players love the idea of playing in their homeland. Michael Scott would call this a "win-win-win." I think it's great what the league is trying to do and I think this is the best viable option to spark some interest. With the NBA on the possible verge of a lockout, people might just have to turn to hockey so keep your eyes peeled.

Post Super Bowl Thoughts

There were several things I was considering writing about today, but it just dawned on me that most of them revolved around the Super Bowl. So, from last night's unofficial national holiday, I have a few post game thoughts on the Colts, Saints, commercials, and halftime show.

Colts: They may have came up short and currently be the 53 most disappointed people in the world right now, but they have plenty of reason to keep their heads up. Their defense reached new heights this season in terms of speed and physicality. Their defensive unit this season was significantly better than the one that won a Super Bowl four years ago. The Colts also still have arguably the best QBs in NFL history. The only reason I'm even saying "arguably" is because Peyton only has one ring, but I'm more than confident that he'll have multiple by the time all is said and done. Speaking of another ring, the Colts are already the early favorites to win it all next year, at 7-1 odds, ahead of the Chargers (8-1) and the Saints (9-1). While the city may have experienced a very gloomy day today, they don't have much to hang their heads about, nor worry about in the future.

Saints: Most of it has been said already, but what a story. Congratulations to the entire organization and the entire city for that matter. The only damper, and primary reason I was rooting against them, is the Jeremy Shockey factor. Whatever, I'll live, especially because his replacement on the Giants, Kevin Boss, is exactly what his last name suggests. Anyway, back to the Saints, who were commonly known as the Aints a few years ago, now have the right to say "who dat" all they want. A job well done to a great group of players. Brees and company will undoubtedly come back strong again next year.

Commercials: To be quite honest, I thought the last few Super Bowls, in terms of commercials, were pretty dreadful. This year, although still not great, the commercials were definitely better. Bud Light (the house), Budweiser (the bridge), Doritos (man in the coffin), and Snickers (old lady getting decked) all presented some excellent comedy. Thank you. However, I'll go and ahead and declare the E Trade talking babies commercials the most disappointing. Let's pick it up next year boys... I mean babies.

Halftime Show: Overall, although I've never been much of a "Who" fan, I was very pleased with their performance, despite the fact that they're 65-years-old, and there was a women behind who wouldn't stop asking when "Pinball Wizard" would be played (she must have missed the part where it was the first song played). Anyway, what really caught my attention was the stage. The stages, unlike the actual performances, are always brilliant and seemingly get better every year. Yesterday was no exception. That stage was nothing short of insane. From the strobe lights, to the spot lights, to the background lights, to the design, to anything else there was, it was amazing. If we can top that next year, I will be a firm believer that dreams do come true.

Blessed Be The Saints and The City of New Orleans

2005: Disaster strikes as Hurricane Katrina comes down upon the city of New Orleans. The people have one thing that belongs to everybody: The Saints. After a longevity of failing seasons, the team (one of two teams interested) signs free agent Drew Brees who has a 25% chance of playing after a shoulder injury which came from him going after his own fumble. In the same year, Jim Haslett is let go as head coach and Sean Payton begins his reign. The entire season is played on the road as the Superdome is used as a home, not a home field. The Saints continue to fight.

2006: The Saints return home and as New Orleans begins to rebound, so does the team. The Saints remain as the symbol of hope for the city. On September 26th, the Saints play their first home game in over a year against the Falcons. In one of the most emotional regular season games played in the NFL, the Saints come out on top. In this season, for the first time, the Saints sell out every game. Their season ends in a loss to the Bears in the NFC Championship game. The Saints become America's team. In the postseason, Reggie Bush is selected second overall in the draft and the team looks for him to make an instant impact.

2007: Things begin to look bad again. Deuce McAllister is lost for the entire season early on in the year due to an ACL tear. They finish 7-9. The fans remain behind the team that once housed them and cared for them.

2008: In a rebuilding effort, the team continues to push. They slightly improve their record, finishing at 8-8. In the offseason, Jeremy Shockey and Jonathan Vilma are brought in by trades and Malcolm Jenkins is the 14th overall pick in the draft.

2009: Redemption. Faith. Hope. Destiny. 13-3. #1 seed. Up against the Colts in the Super Bowl. Win. Super Bowl Champs.

The Saints are blessed with the pinnacle of sports: the Lombardi Trophy. The Super Bowl Championship, however, doesn't belong to just this team, but the entire city. Four years ago, 85% of the city was under water and the entire organization was in jeopardy. They rebuilt. Faith, hope, destiny, the idea of redemption, and tons of hard work culminated into the Saints and the city of New Orleans to rise above and now be synonomous with greatness, a word that was close to being lost in everybody's vocabulary. There is not a more deserving group of people to hoist the trophy over their heads. I've never heard of or seen a team that is so involved with a community and cares so much about the people that surround them. The post-2005 Saints are largely responsible for bringing this city together and turning it all around. As far as the Super Bowl goes, they wanted it, they earned it, and they got it.

The competitiveness of the game lived up to the expectations, but the score did not. I was pulling for the Saints from the start and believed they were going to win. In my mind, it didn't come down to Peyton Manning's field intelligence or Dwight Freeney's ankle. It was destiny.

Throughout most of the game, Manning looked unstoppable and the Saints didn't have an answer. Despite a rough first quarter, Drew Brees upped Peyton and the Saints were marching. Garrett Hartley was a New Orleans nightmare for the Colts, defying all playoff kicking by knocking three field goals down past 40 yards. Can you say nerves of steel? By halftime, it was a grind. To open the second half came one of the most unexpected and exciting football plays I've ever seen with a successful onside kick for the Saints. What happened in that minute long dog-pile, I'll never know. Eventually, there were too many weapons for the Colts D to handle. Pierre "It Takes Two To Tango" Thomas (because he broke almost every first tackle. It's a stretch, I know), Reggie Bush, Marques Colston, Devery Henderson, Lance "Breaking the Plane" Moore, and even Jeremy "I look way better in a Saints uniform" Shockey all become integral parts in this juggernaut of an offense that scored 25 points in the second half.

On the other end, Peyton was reserved and was doing a good job of moving downfield. As the clock ticked down, the Saints defenders were able to get a hold on the Colts recievers. Who was going to make the first mistake? The least likely of them all. Peyton Manning gets picked on a quick slant and Tracy Porter returns it all 74 yards for the touchdown. It was over. Who dat? Saints dat. 31-17.

A Super Bowl never meant so much. It is the first ever Super Bowl win for this franchise. The game marks a new beginning for this team and this city. The championship goes well beyond football. I was watching the game with some people who were rooting for the Colts. I asked them, "do you have a heart?" I think however much anyone was rooting for Indy, everyone will make room in their heart for this very, very special team. Mission accomplished Saints. The odds are finally with you.



On a less emotional note: my game observations and notes. I thought it was awesome that Sean Payton went for it on the Colts goalline. It ended up working out anyway. Also, great call on the onside kick. I don't think so many people have ever stood up in amazement simultaneously like the way you made them with that call. Anthony Hargrove committed one of the stupidest penalties I've ever seen. His team was minutes away from the win and made a pointless late hit. The officiating was great. They called eight penalties and let the boys play. Garrett Hartley, you should a lot more appreciated and more talked about than you will be. You had one of the toughest jobs in all of sports, kicking from deep in the Super Bowl. Jermon Bushrod, please work on your skills during the offseason. You got manhandled by Freeney and Jared Allen in this season's playoffs. I'll let you off the hook for now. Peyton, you did your thing and that pass to Dallas Clark was one of the greatest Super Bowl passes ever, but down the stretch your boys didn't help you out too much. Joseph Addai, despite not being talked about once during all the media coverage before the game, you added an extra dimension to your teams offense and helped out a lot. Malcolm Jenkins, you were one of the biggest keys to the game and did an excellent job in coverage. Vilma, right behind Malcolm. In my mind, Jenkins was the difference. Drew Brees, I can't say your name enough. You are the man. You lifted this team on your shoulders when you arrived and made the entire city believe in you. No athlete has held so much responsibility in the palm of their hands. You did it all with so much passion and energy. It showed and was noticed. For you, the "P" in MVP stands for player and person. You deserve everything you get.

Blessed be the Saints and the City of New Orleans. What a truly unbelievable and heartwarming story. This team and this city pained together, grew together, triumphed together, and now will celebrate together. Put it in the books.

Chelsea Drown Arsenal

Arsenal's title challenge was, for all intents and purposes, ended today at the hands of London-rivals Chelsea. Chelsea won 2-0 behind Didier Drogba's two goals, and pulled nine points ahead of the now-third-place Gunners.

Three weeks ago, Arsenal were in first place in the Premier League, and Gunners fans around the world began to believe the Arsene Wenger's youngsters could win the league. Now, Arsenal is closer to falling out of the top-4 (and not qualifying for the Champions League next year) than they are to reaching Chelsea at the top of the table.

With sixth-place Manchester City having played two fewer games than the five teams the Citizens trail, be on the lookout for Man City to make a run towards the top-4 soon. The prospect of Arsenal and Man City vying for a spot in the top-4 is mouth-watering. Man City has made a point of purchasing as many current and former Gunners as possible (Emmanuel Adebayor, Kolo Toure, and Patrick Viera, off the top of my head), creating strong tensions between the two teams. At this rate, we may be seeing riots at the April 24th Man City at Arsenal game, and there's nothing better than a good football riot.

Benji's Super Bowl Prediction

The game we've all been waiting for is just a day away. That being said, it's time for me to reveal my pick. Ultimately, I think the Colts experience of having been in this exact same position (Super Bowl in Miami) just four years ago is a huge asset for them, especially considering half of their team this year was on their SB team four years ago. I'd also take Peyton Manning over Drew Brees any day of the week. Absolutely nothing against Brees, as I admire him as both a player and a leader, but as I've said before, I think Peyton Manning should go down as the greatest QB of all-time, and will add to his legacy tomorrow.

Another element to consider is the difference between the two defenses. The Colts boasted one of the best defensive units in the league this year, thanks to sensational speed, and the ability to get after the QB at all times. Obviously, with Dwight Freeney remaining one big question mark, much of the Colts pass-rush is at stake. However, I think Dwight Freeney is going to do what almost all great players do, which is rise to the occasion, gut out a nagging injury, and completely exceed expectations. According to his teammates, if there's anyone on the Colts roster who can come back from this type of injury in time, it's Dwight Freeney, and I believe that will hold true tomorrow. As for the Saints defense, although they can get after the QB as well as anyone and have the ability to create a turnover on any given down, if Peyton Manning was able to make the Jets D look stupid, I think he can do the same to the Saints. Don't expect Manning to throw more than once interception, if that. His ability to read defenses is superior to that of any QB in the league, and he also has an uncanny ability of getting rid of the football rather than being sacked. Manning was only sacked 10 times during the entire regular season, which says a lot about his offensive line and his ability to get rid of the football. The Saints defense will undoubtedly have their hands full.

Saints advocates can of course make the argument that winning the SB is destiny, representing what was once a devastated city thanks to the likes of Hurricane Katrina. They'd also be sure to point out Dree Brees' unlimited offensive weapons, as they were by far the highest scoring team in the league this year. All of that is true, in addition to the Saints being a much better running team than the Colts are. However, as we learn week in and week out, Peyton Manning has the aptitude to make anyone of his receivers look like a stud. The Jets did their best to lock down Reggie Wayne and Dallas Clark two weeks ago, so what happened? Pierre Garcon and Austin Collie each had a field day against them. So, no matter what defensive schemes that the Saints employ to try to lock down anyone who Peyton Manning can go to, it simply won't be good enough. They can't possibly double cover every receiver, so as long as Peyton has one on one coverage to exploit, he will, regardless of which receiver it is.

It's been a sensational run for the Saints. They've inspired millions of fans around the country, but when push comes to shove, I think the Colts experience, superior defense, and the Peyton Manning factor will be too much for New Orleans to handle. I foresee the Colts not only winning the game, but covering the 5.5 point spread as well.

Colts 31-Saints 24

Duke Getting Duke Calls

There are a lot of reasons why it's hard to come into Cameron Indoor and win. The student section is one of the most creative and loud, bringing a lot of opponents nerves to the surface. However, it's not the biggest reason why Duke always has an outstanding home record. This season, they are 14-0 at home and 1-4 on the road. The refs are incredibly bias towards the Blue Devils on their home court. I hate Duke basketball, not because I want to be a bro and pretend to hate on the white guys, but because they get unfair calls.

I was watching the Georgia Tech-Duke game on Thursday and it was one of the worst officiated and ugly college basketball games I've seen in a while. Gani Lawal, Georgia Tech's leading scorer and rebounder, was virtually taken out of the game in the first 33 seconds by picking up two fouls. The second foul was a graze of a blue and white jersey. I was pulling my hair out, knowing the worst was yet to come. Derrick Favors, one of the best freshman in the country (2nd leading scorer and 2nd leading rebounder on the team) picked up three first half fouls. In total, there were 52 fouls called in the game. Defense wasn't allowed to be played and the refs should have been embarrassed afterwards. The slightest bit of contact warranted a foul and once a defender got airborn near the rim, the whistle was blowing. It was all very painful and frustrating to watch as you just wanted to hit one of the refs. (the 63% combined free throw shooting didn't help). Well, that just might have been me. Anyways, only two more fouls were called on Georgia Tech than Duke, but the difference was that Duke was actually committing fouls. When the Blue Devils got called for a foul, it was a clear hack or blocking foul. The Yellow Jackets, as I said earlier, couldn't play defense. Their whole game plan was ruined as they had to adjust to guys getting in foul trouble. In the second half, fouls became too much to handle for GT, and Duke's three point shooting got out of control. At a neutral site, I think the game may have come down the wire as these two teams have very contrasting playing styles.

I think it's fairly obvious that Duke does get calls in their favor at home. I then question how much it helps them down the line. The team has to adjust to seeing some non-calls and some bad calls on them on the road. Because the majority of their games are at home, a certain type of officiating gets ingrained in their minds. Unfortunately for them, March Madness games aren't held on Coach K's Court. This could be the reason why they haven't advanced past the Sweet Sixteen since 2004 despite the #2, 3, and 4 seeds they are blessed with each year. I can't really pin the officiating on the program because they're not involved with the refs. However, I think they're hurting in the postseason because of this "ref inconsistency" of home and away. There are places where the home team gets the calls, but I think it's strongest at Duke. I guess I really can't complain too much if it means that I get to see the Greg Paulus', Jon Scheyer's, and Kyle Singler's of Duke hold their jerseys over their faces earlier than expected in March.

Early Decision

He doesn't know anything about the SAT's, ACT's, or a GPA. All David Sills knows is football. The 13-year-old recruit from Delaware seems to have jumped the gun on college choices as he verbally committed to USC this week. In middle school, it's always fun to brag to kids who don't go to your school that you know someone in your town who's over six feet and can practically dunk or you know someone who can already throw 80 MPH. David Sills just topped those local proteges. As he's searching for a deep voice, he has already landed on a spot to play college ball. USC is the land of opportunities, where NFL players roam and grow. Although USC found him more than he found USC, good choice.

Obviously David was the cool kid in class already, but how much cooler did he just get it? Students and teachers will bow in his presence and he can just sit back and relax for the next five years of school. Along with the fame, there will be haters. To them I would say that David is obviously good enough where he would be hounded by recruits at some point, so why not take care of it at an early age. 13 can be an age of naivete. I remember when I was reading the Torah and I didn't know what half of it meant. David was probably a little confused with some of the things that Lane Kiffin was saying about his future when he was on the phone with LANE KIFFIN. Do I think the kid is in over his head? No, I don't. He just verbally committed to an amazing football school. He can get out of it because he didn't officially sign. He's a guy with priorities and likes to plan ahead. I get that, and it's something I like to do. It's just when I plan for something, it's usually what I'm eating for dinner, not where I'm playing my college ball.

The man behind the scenes can be trusted. Personal quarterback coach, Steve Clarkson, sent Matt Leinart and Matt Barkley to USC. He clearly has an eye for talent. In basbeball, there are a lot of young phenoms who get a lot of media coverage before they get a chance to play in the minor leagues. I don't know how often this happens in football. I think if a school like USC is more than willing to hold a spot for him down the line (I'm pretty sure there are plenty of vacancies in the 2015 roster) than he's legit and won't disappoint barring some major injury. People can say it's ridiculous all they want. I think it's exciting.

One more reason why David Sills is awesome: he's chosen his college before he's in high school. I'm in high school and haven't chosen my college. There, I'm done.