Jed Jacobsohn/Getty ImagesAt one point the Raptors sat at 5th place in the NBA Eastern Conference, believe it or not. However after some major struggles and disappointing losses they find themselves struggling to stay in the NBA playoffs. It a sad story no doubt. Especially from my point of view. The Reebok Pittsburgh Steelers #86 Hines Ward Realtree camo Jersey
Raptors were really good this season, something Toronto teams never are. There were high hopes set on them by the basketball fans in Toronto and we would have to slowly watch our hopes shatter. The Raptors dropped some key games and proved their 5th place seating was somewhat of a fluke and that they did not get there by their talent. Im not saying the Raptors aren a good squad, they are, but they are having their issues no doubt.Just tonight the Toronto Raptors played the Golden State Warriors and they had an excellent opportunity to win the game and walk away in a positive way. Instead they lost in a brutal score of 113-112. 1 point games are about as crushing as you can get. Especially considering what happened at the end of the game. Chris Bosh had the ball, he had a chance for the lay up, the two points and the victory. Instead it turned out to be a miss and all us Raptors fans had to say was, What the hell just happened? Sad story, really sad story.However, you cannot look past the great game that Chris Bosh had. He led the Raptors in the points category in this game with a whopping 42 points, not exactly something to shake a stick at. Pretty impressive, Im not done though. He also had the team lead for rebounds with 12 in this one. Despite the great stats he was still very disappointed with his last second screw up. I guess the little things overshadow the big things.There is no doubt that the Chicago Bulls are breathing right down the Raptors necks for the 8th and final playoff spotReebok Pittsburgh Steelers James Harrison Realtree camo Jersey
in the Eastern Conference. They are only 1.0 back of the Raptors for the last playoff spot so one screw up could cost the Raptors everything and from what we have seen this season, that won be too hard to get.The Raptors haven exactly been the best example of a consistent team, or dominant for that matter. They were the poster boys for teams that break down under the pressure and as much as we Toronto Raptors fans hate to hear it, it the absolute truth. There no denying the fact that our Raptors crack when the spotlight is pointing at them.Well they have the spotlight on them one more time. Thequestion they are being faced with is if theyhave what it takes to hold on and stop the bleeding before it to relate. The thing is, no one is really sure. The Raptors have plenty of talent on their team that they could definitely find themselves winning the games in the end, but they have not shown that quality as of late.They are exactly at .500 at this point with arecord of 38-38.Obviously Raptors fans want to see the first38 increase rather than the second, Bullsfans obviously wanting the exact opposite. With only a few more games left in the NBA Regular Season it is the Raptorsresponsibility to their fans to get the job done and stop losing the games they know they can win.That right, I said it. It their responsibility to the fans. Toronto is not exactly sports capital of the world. TheMaple Leafs, Blue Jays, Toronto F.C., Argonauts, etc. are notexactly the epitome of success. The Raptors are the only shining lightin this dark tunnel of Toronto teams and we don want the light to disappear.So with that there only one more thing to say,Go Raps Go!This article was originally posted onThe Sports Dossierunder the name "Toronto Raptors Are Breaking Down Before Reebok San Francisco 49ers #21 Frank GORE Realtree camo Jersey
OurEyes." Check out more great pieces from our talented staff of writers.If you're a writer who thinks they have what it takes to write about NHL, NBA, MLB, MMA, NFL,
2010年12月30日星期四
2010年12月29日星期三
29 Dec 10 Uncontested Shots: Who Are the NBA's Best and Worst General Managers?
Mike Stobe/Getty ImagesMy Fansided colleague, Drew Decker, wrote a post last August on basketball website Sir Charles In Charge listing who he felt were the league's 10 worst general managers.While I agreed with most of his list, I took exception to a couple of namesmost notably, the Milwaukee Bucks' New York Giants jersey
John Hammond.Decker and I exchanged opinions until we agreed to disagree. My contention was based on what I perceive to be a general manager's No. 1 priority, and that's doing what his owner asks of him.At the time that Hammond traded Richard Jefferson to the Spurs for expiring contracts there were rumors that Bucks owner Senator Herb Kohl was planning to sell the team.So while the trade wasn't great in terms of basketball sense it did remove the last two seasons of Jefferson's monstrous deal from the team's payroll in exchange for just one more season of expiring contracts.My point being that Hammond was only doing what he was ordered to do and therefore was either doing a good job or it was too soon to judge him.It got me thinking about the criteria that should be used to determine the performance of a GM. Is it winning or putting a culture of winning in place that can be sustained over time? Is it solely about obeying the wishes of the owner? Is it in how he drafts, trades, and signs free agents?Does the criteria change depending on the market size and/or legacy of a particular team?Looking back on the moves Hammond has made you can't help but think he no longer deserves to be on anyone's list of the worst GMsas Decker even admits to in his follow-up piece on Pacman Jones posted this past week.He hired Scott Skiles as the team's head coach. He drafted Brandon Jennings, Luc Richard Mbah a Moute, and Jodie Meeks. He signed Andrew Bogut to a 5-year, $72 million extension right before his breakout season. He brought Ersan Ilyasova back from Europe and he traded for Carlos Delfino and John Salmons.Those are the good things.Hammond is also the man responsible for selecting Joe Alexander with the eighth overall pick in the draft.But Hammond's Bucks finished the season 10 games above .500 and are back in the playoffs for the first time since 2006.In addition, Hammond has positioned them to be major players in 2011-12 when the contract of Michael Redd finally comes off the books.Decker still docks Hammond points for his unwillingness to trade Michael Redd when he had the chance. But as was the case with Jefferson, there weren't a lot of teams looking to add a big-money contract. Most teams are either trying to trim payroll in anticipation of this summer's free agent bonanza or are cutting expenses because they're losing a ton of money.Forget for a second that Jefferson hasn't really worked out in San Antonio as well as New York Jets jersey
some, including myself, expected.What I told Decker at the time was that the Bucks were so excited that someone was willing to take Jefferson's contract from them that Hammond probably wasn't going to keep exploring his options and take a chance that the Spurs would change their mind and go after Vince Carter instead.As for Redd, I can't imagine teams were itching to trade for the right to pay a guy coming off of knee surgery $35 million over the next two seasonsand that was before his most recent season-ending knee injury.The rest of Decker's original list of the league's worst GMs is as follows. Keep in mind that Decker made his list before the season started and approached it with a "What have you done for me lately" mentality.10) Sam Presti9) Joe Dumars8) Danny Ferry7) Jeff Bower6) Geoff Petrie5) Ed Stefanski4) John Hammond3) Mike Dunleavy2) David Kahn1) Chris WallaceYou can't argue with Stefanski, Kahn, and the since-fired Dunleavy. But there are other guys on the list that don't deserve to be there.And that brings me back to my original premise.What makes a good GM?In breaking down the league's general managers it isn't fair to lump them all onto one list because each of them has different objectives depending on the current state of their team.Therefore, it's best to put each GM in one of five categories and see where they rank accordingly.The categories are:1) Those who are trying to position themselves for free agency and/or rebuild right now.2) Those who wish they could rebuild right now but can't.3) Those who are trying to win championships now.4) Those who are trying to win championships within economic constraints.5) Those who have their nucleus in place and are just positioning themselves to try to win a championship within the next two-three years.These rankings are based solely on how these GMs have performed in trying to achieve each stated goal and not on their careers as league executives.While many of the guys on this list don't necessarily have the title of general manager, they are the men responsible for player personnel decisions.Those Who Are Trying To Rebuild Right Now (From Worst to Best) These are the teams that have their sights set on this summer's draft and/or the plethora of free agents who will be available. Their main objective over the past two years has been to trade for expiring contracts and acquire draft picks for a draft that is considered to be deep due to the threat of a work stoppage next year.7) Neil Olshey, Los Angeles ClippersOlshey is the Clippers' interim GM in the wake of the team's firing of Dunleavy and will most likely be replaced before next season.It's tough to put any of the blame for another dismal Clippers season Oakland Raiders jersey
on him, but unlike the other teams on this list the Clippers had high expectations for this season.Olshey is just keeping the space warm for whomever inherits one of the worst jobsif not the worst jobin sports.6) Ernie Grunfeld, Washington WizardsSpeaking of high expectations, before the start of the season the Wizards were thought by many to be the clear-cut fifth-best team in the Eastern Conference.Even before Gilbert Arenas decided to hold a gun show in the Wizards' locker room the team had greatly underachieved.So what did Grunfeld do? He traded Jamison, Caron Butler, Brendan Haywood, and DeShawn Stevenson for Al Thornton, expiring contracts, and draft picks and will now try to lure free agents to a team that has Arenas' league-worst contract and not much else.Good luck with that.5) Rod Thorn, New Jersey NetsThorn has spent the past two years trying to shed payroll and acquire guys on rookie contracts with his sights set on this summer's free agent class. So out went Jason Kidd, Richard Jefferson, and Vince Carter, and in came Devin Harris, Brook Lopez, Yi Jianlian, Courtney Lee, and Terrence Williams.While Thorn has done an excellent job in shedding contracts and replacing them with low-cost talent his team still flirted with the worst record in league history.So even though Thorn should be able to acquire some talent with all of that cap space he will be hard-pressed to get any of the A-list free agents to sign with a team that won 12 games. It wasn't that long ago that some considered the Nets the biggest threat to steal LeBron James from the Cavs.Notice how nobody even talks about it anymore despite James's status as lapdog to Nets co-owner, Jay-Z.4) Geoff Petrie, Sacramento KingsAs for Petrie, nobody really knows what he's trying to do.
John Hammond.Decker and I exchanged opinions until we agreed to disagree. My contention was based on what I perceive to be a general manager's No. 1 priority, and that's doing what his owner asks of him.At the time that Hammond traded Richard Jefferson to the Spurs for expiring contracts there were rumors that Bucks owner Senator Herb Kohl was planning to sell the team.So while the trade wasn't great in terms of basketball sense it did remove the last two seasons of Jefferson's monstrous deal from the team's payroll in exchange for just one more season of expiring contracts.My point being that Hammond was only doing what he was ordered to do and therefore was either doing a good job or it was too soon to judge him.It got me thinking about the criteria that should be used to determine the performance of a GM. Is it winning or putting a culture of winning in place that can be sustained over time? Is it solely about obeying the wishes of the owner? Is it in how he drafts, trades, and signs free agents?Does the criteria change depending on the market size and/or legacy of a particular team?Looking back on the moves Hammond has made you can't help but think he no longer deserves to be on anyone's list of the worst GMsas Decker even admits to in his follow-up piece on Pacman Jones posted this past week.He hired Scott Skiles as the team's head coach. He drafted Brandon Jennings, Luc Richard Mbah a Moute, and Jodie Meeks. He signed Andrew Bogut to a 5-year, $72 million extension right before his breakout season. He brought Ersan Ilyasova back from Europe and he traded for Carlos Delfino and John Salmons.Those are the good things.Hammond is also the man responsible for selecting Joe Alexander with the eighth overall pick in the draft.But Hammond's Bucks finished the season 10 games above .500 and are back in the playoffs for the first time since 2006.In addition, Hammond has positioned them to be major players in 2011-12 when the contract of Michael Redd finally comes off the books.Decker still docks Hammond points for his unwillingness to trade Michael Redd when he had the chance. But as was the case with Jefferson, there weren't a lot of teams looking to add a big-money contract. Most teams are either trying to trim payroll in anticipation of this summer's free agent bonanza or are cutting expenses because they're losing a ton of money.Forget for a second that Jefferson hasn't really worked out in San Antonio as well as New York Jets jersey
some, including myself, expected.What I told Decker at the time was that the Bucks were so excited that someone was willing to take Jefferson's contract from them that Hammond probably wasn't going to keep exploring his options and take a chance that the Spurs would change their mind and go after Vince Carter instead.As for Redd, I can't imagine teams were itching to trade for the right to pay a guy coming off of knee surgery $35 million over the next two seasonsand that was before his most recent season-ending knee injury.The rest of Decker's original list of the league's worst GMs is as follows. Keep in mind that Decker made his list before the season started and approached it with a "What have you done for me lately" mentality.10) Sam Presti9) Joe Dumars8) Danny Ferry7) Jeff Bower6) Geoff Petrie5) Ed Stefanski4) John Hammond3) Mike Dunleavy2) David Kahn1) Chris WallaceYou can't argue with Stefanski, Kahn, and the since-fired Dunleavy. But there are other guys on the list that don't deserve to be there.And that brings me back to my original premise.What makes a good GM?In breaking down the league's general managers it isn't fair to lump them all onto one list because each of them has different objectives depending on the current state of their team.Therefore, it's best to put each GM in one of five categories and see where they rank accordingly.The categories are:1) Those who are trying to position themselves for free agency and/or rebuild right now.2) Those who wish they could rebuild right now but can't.3) Those who are trying to win championships now.4) Those who are trying to win championships within economic constraints.5) Those who have their nucleus in place and are just positioning themselves to try to win a championship within the next two-three years.These rankings are based solely on how these GMs have performed in trying to achieve each stated goal and not on their careers as league executives.While many of the guys on this list don't necessarily have the title of general manager, they are the men responsible for player personnel decisions.Those Who Are Trying To Rebuild Right Now (From Worst to Best) These are the teams that have their sights set on this summer's draft and/or the plethora of free agents who will be available. Their main objective over the past two years has been to trade for expiring contracts and acquire draft picks for a draft that is considered to be deep due to the threat of a work stoppage next year.7) Neil Olshey, Los Angeles ClippersOlshey is the Clippers' interim GM in the wake of the team's firing of Dunleavy and will most likely be replaced before next season.It's tough to put any of the blame for another dismal Clippers season Oakland Raiders jersey
on him, but unlike the other teams on this list the Clippers had high expectations for this season.Olshey is just keeping the space warm for whomever inherits one of the worst jobsif not the worst jobin sports.6) Ernie Grunfeld, Washington WizardsSpeaking of high expectations, before the start of the season the Wizards were thought by many to be the clear-cut fifth-best team in the Eastern Conference.Even before Gilbert Arenas decided to hold a gun show in the Wizards' locker room the team had greatly underachieved.So what did Grunfeld do? He traded Jamison, Caron Butler, Brendan Haywood, and DeShawn Stevenson for Al Thornton, expiring contracts, and draft picks and will now try to lure free agents to a team that has Arenas' league-worst contract and not much else.Good luck with that.5) Rod Thorn, New Jersey NetsThorn has spent the past two years trying to shed payroll and acquire guys on rookie contracts with his sights set on this summer's free agent class. So out went Jason Kidd, Richard Jefferson, and Vince Carter, and in came Devin Harris, Brook Lopez, Yi Jianlian, Courtney Lee, and Terrence Williams.While Thorn has done an excellent job in shedding contracts and replacing them with low-cost talent his team still flirted with the worst record in league history.So even though Thorn should be able to acquire some talent with all of that cap space he will be hard-pressed to get any of the A-list free agents to sign with a team that won 12 games. It wasn't that long ago that some considered the Nets the biggest threat to steal LeBron James from the Cavs.Notice how nobody even talks about it anymore despite James's status as lapdog to Nets co-owner, Jay-Z.4) Geoff Petrie, Sacramento KingsAs for Petrie, nobody really knows what he's trying to do.
2010年12月28日星期二
28 Dec 10 Kobe Bryant-LeBron James: The Dream NBA Finals That Might Never Happen
The NBA, Nike, and their TV partners (ABC and TNT) have been selling this dream finals ever since LeBron was drafted No. 1 overall.Everything has been done by these two franchises to see this dream final comes to pass, a Kobe-LeBron finals will be a blockbuster series in every way possible and in these hard times, the league and its partners really needs it.So, what have they done so far to make this dream a reality?Kobe and LeBron have arguably the first and second best teams in the NBA, Kobe is a part of perhaps the best ran sports franchise in America and they have once again put together a cast of talent that can continue winning championships for the next two to three years.LeBron on the other hand has an organization faced with the presence of New Orleans Saints jersey
a once in a generation talent and just like the Chicago Bulls in the late 80, they are working tirelessly to ensure they are able to get the best result possible out of this talent.The Cleveland Cavalier are faced with the possibility of losing LeBron to a big market franchise and have thus put together a squad built to win a championship today.Now, let talk reality.The Los Angeles Lakers and the Cleveland Cavaliers face some very tough challenges this year in the playoffs.From the article Kobe Bryant and the Lakers in a World of Trouble (Berber-shop Conversations)"Kobe Bryant and the Lakers in a World of Trouble (Berber-shop Conversations) :In two previous seasons the Lakers have always played their best basketball at the end of the regular season and roar into the playoffs, this season they literally crawled into the playoffs.Kobe had been carry this team all season long and it continuing again in the playoffs. In game two of the first round playoffs series against the Oklahoma Thunder, no one on the Lakers team was willing to take a shot and the best closer in the game today essentially grabbed the ball and said "Stop me," scoring 15 fourth-quarter points, including six consecutive after the Lakers fell behind.That has become the mantra of this Lakers team; Derek Fisher just looks tired, Bynum can stay healthy, Artest can seem to pick up the triangle offense, Lamar and Gasol though solid on some nights are still performing disappearing acts most nights.The Lakers bench the main reason they won last year seems to be more than content with the ring they already won. This team has become so dependent on Kobe that Phil Jackson played the 14 year veteran an average of 40 minutes a game this season.Click here to read the complete article.In the second round series between the Los Angelis Lakers and the Utah Jazz this trend continues, in game one the black mamba had to take over the game again in the fourth quarter while everyone else just sat back from the best seats in the arena and watched Kobe win another game for them.Yes, the rest of he cast came around and helped out in game two with Bynum, Gasol, and Odom posting double-doubles and crushing the spirit of the Utah jazz in the fourth quarter.And like I said above, this has become the major issue with the Lakers. Kobe supporting cast have not been consistent and though they are the best team in the league talent wise, they don play like it on most nights.The West has some of the NBA best talents as evident in the The NBA Best Players 2009-2010 A-List Edition with the West having more players ranked than the East teams.Click here to see the complete list.NBA New York Giants jersey
History reveals that experience will always beat talent and with the west boosting some of the best talents and experience, the Lakers inconsistencies might have worked well to eliminate the young and inexperienced Oklahoma Thunder and might be good enough to eliminate the shorthanded Jazz.But, the second Western conference semi final has two of the most consistent and experienced teams still left in the playoffs in San Antonio Spurs and Phoenix Suns.From the article Kobe Bryant and the Lakers in a World of Trouble (Berber-shop Conversations) : San Antonio by virtue of the talent and experience on the team are the Lakers true threat if they ever meet. The other true contender is the Phoenix Suns.Steve Nash who in the article The NBA Best Players 2009-2010 was ranked number two by the A-List team and deservingly so, is playing at a different level, no matter which players are removed or added to this team the Phoenix Suns never miss a beat.The Suns have the personal to match up well against the Lakers and have the experience needed too.The Spurs and the Suns unlike the Lakers are playing the best basketball of any team right now and everyone on the squad contributes equally helping the stars on the teams to play more relaxed basketball.If the Lakers don start playing consistent basketball, look for the Spurs or the Suns in the NBA Finals.Unlike Kobe who is playing for arguably the best coach in the game today in Phil Jackson, LeBron James biggest problem in my opinion is he coach.While Mike Brown seems to be a very good defensive coachhe has no idea has to run an offense.Daniel Gibson, Delonte West, and Mo Williams are all good point guards in some respects and yet LeBron James runs the offense while everyone else stands around. Mike Browns strategy: give the ball to LeBron and hope for the best.Last year Eastern conference Finals, Mike Brown was out coached by Van Gundy and his excuse: we couldn stop Dwight Howard. Ok, now they have Shaquille ONeal and in the three games this year against the Orlando Magic Dwight was completely subdued. So I guess that took care of that. So now we await this year excuse.From the article LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers a runaway Freight Train The Cleveland Cavalier are the deepest and the most complete team in East, with the addition of Antawn Jamison and Shaquille ONeal the Cavs are a match-up nightmare for the best in the League and that where the problem begins for the rest of the East.Boston, Orlando and the Atlanta Hawks are the other good teams in the east and each team has its own major issues.In a team New York Jets jersey
with Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, and Ray Allen, Rajon Rondo has become the super star, as the other stars on the team continue to struggle while Rondo has been as steady as a rock and the main reason they are still competitive. With stats like PPG: 13.7 RPG: 4.40 APG: 9.8 Rondo is ranked 12th on The NBA Best Players 2009-2010 by the A-List and is the only Boston Celtic on the top 15. Click here to see the complete List.But, experience will always beat talent, hence pedigree says that, by virtue of the championship rings that litter their starting lineupthe Celtics are the only team in the East with Championship experience. From the article LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers a runaway Freight Train . Click here to read the complete article.Everyone seems to have written off the Boston Celtics as old and tired and already placed LeBron and the Cavs in the NBA Finals. The only problem with that is: the Celtics might be old but you can be rest assured, they are not tired.This is a championship caliber group of guys and just like the San Antonio Spurs in the west, these guys know how to win it all.The Orlando Magic on the other hand looked like they are ready to make a run again at the NBA finals with a very impressive beat down of the Atlanta Hawks in game one of the Eastern Conference semi finals.Again from the article LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers a runaway Freight Train : The Magic are the biggest disappointment in my book and Van Gundy is up to his old tricks. In Miami he was unable to include Shaq into his offense; Pat Riley took over and won a championship.Then for some dumb reason the Orlando Magic with a younger version of Shaq in Dwight Howard hired a Oakland Raiders jersey
coach who does not know how to use big men in his offensive strategies.Dwight Howard is not a part of the offense, he makes his baskets from rebounds or a pass to him after all other options has been exhausted. A team like this cannot be a threat to a team like the Cavs or the Celtics.So, will the Cavs meet the Lakers in the Finals? Or better still, are we going to have a LeBron-Kobe Final?A consistent Lakers team and a change in Mike Brown strategy is what is needed to have that dream come true this year.We don know how many good years Kobe really has in him.So if it doesn happen this year, it might never happen again.
a once in a generation talent and just like the Chicago Bulls in the late 80, they are working tirelessly to ensure they are able to get the best result possible out of this talent.The Cleveland Cavalier are faced with the possibility of losing LeBron to a big market franchise and have thus put together a squad built to win a championship today.Now, let talk reality.The Los Angeles Lakers and the Cleveland Cavaliers face some very tough challenges this year in the playoffs.From the article Kobe Bryant and the Lakers in a World of Trouble (Berber-shop Conversations)"Kobe Bryant and the Lakers in a World of Trouble (Berber-shop Conversations) :In two previous seasons the Lakers have always played their best basketball at the end of the regular season and roar into the playoffs, this season they literally crawled into the playoffs.Kobe had been carry this team all season long and it continuing again in the playoffs. In game two of the first round playoffs series against the Oklahoma Thunder, no one on the Lakers team was willing to take a shot and the best closer in the game today essentially grabbed the ball and said "Stop me," scoring 15 fourth-quarter points, including six consecutive after the Lakers fell behind.That has become the mantra of this Lakers team; Derek Fisher just looks tired, Bynum can stay healthy, Artest can seem to pick up the triangle offense, Lamar and Gasol though solid on some nights are still performing disappearing acts most nights.The Lakers bench the main reason they won last year seems to be more than content with the ring they already won. This team has become so dependent on Kobe that Phil Jackson played the 14 year veteran an average of 40 minutes a game this season.Click here to read the complete article.In the second round series between the Los Angelis Lakers and the Utah Jazz this trend continues, in game one the black mamba had to take over the game again in the fourth quarter while everyone else just sat back from the best seats in the arena and watched Kobe win another game for them.Yes, the rest of he cast came around and helped out in game two with Bynum, Gasol, and Odom posting double-doubles and crushing the spirit of the Utah jazz in the fourth quarter.And like I said above, this has become the major issue with the Lakers. Kobe supporting cast have not been consistent and though they are the best team in the league talent wise, they don play like it on most nights.The West has some of the NBA best talents as evident in the The NBA Best Players 2009-2010 A-List Edition with the West having more players ranked than the East teams.Click here to see the complete list.NBA New York Giants jersey
History reveals that experience will always beat talent and with the west boosting some of the best talents and experience, the Lakers inconsistencies might have worked well to eliminate the young and inexperienced Oklahoma Thunder and might be good enough to eliminate the shorthanded Jazz.But, the second Western conference semi final has two of the most consistent and experienced teams still left in the playoffs in San Antonio Spurs and Phoenix Suns.From the article Kobe Bryant and the Lakers in a World of Trouble (Berber-shop Conversations) : San Antonio by virtue of the talent and experience on the team are the Lakers true threat if they ever meet. The other true contender is the Phoenix Suns.Steve Nash who in the article The NBA Best Players 2009-2010 was ranked number two by the A-List team and deservingly so, is playing at a different level, no matter which players are removed or added to this team the Phoenix Suns never miss a beat.The Suns have the personal to match up well against the Lakers and have the experience needed too.The Spurs and the Suns unlike the Lakers are playing the best basketball of any team right now and everyone on the squad contributes equally helping the stars on the teams to play more relaxed basketball.If the Lakers don start playing consistent basketball, look for the Spurs or the Suns in the NBA Finals.Unlike Kobe who is playing for arguably the best coach in the game today in Phil Jackson, LeBron James biggest problem in my opinion is he coach.While Mike Brown seems to be a very good defensive coachhe has no idea has to run an offense.Daniel Gibson, Delonte West, and Mo Williams are all good point guards in some respects and yet LeBron James runs the offense while everyone else stands around. Mike Browns strategy: give the ball to LeBron and hope for the best.Last year Eastern conference Finals, Mike Brown was out coached by Van Gundy and his excuse: we couldn stop Dwight Howard. Ok, now they have Shaquille ONeal and in the three games this year against the Orlando Magic Dwight was completely subdued. So I guess that took care of that. So now we await this year excuse.From the article LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers a runaway Freight Train The Cleveland Cavalier are the deepest and the most complete team in East, with the addition of Antawn Jamison and Shaquille ONeal the Cavs are a match-up nightmare for the best in the League and that where the problem begins for the rest of the East.Boston, Orlando and the Atlanta Hawks are the other good teams in the east and each team has its own major issues.In a team New York Jets jersey
with Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, and Ray Allen, Rajon Rondo has become the super star, as the other stars on the team continue to struggle while Rondo has been as steady as a rock and the main reason they are still competitive. With stats like PPG: 13.7 RPG: 4.40 APG: 9.8 Rondo is ranked 12th on The NBA Best Players 2009-2010 by the A-List and is the only Boston Celtic on the top 15. Click here to see the complete List.But, experience will always beat talent, hence pedigree says that, by virtue of the championship rings that litter their starting lineupthe Celtics are the only team in the East with Championship experience. From the article LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers a runaway Freight Train . Click here to read the complete article.Everyone seems to have written off the Boston Celtics as old and tired and already placed LeBron and the Cavs in the NBA Finals. The only problem with that is: the Celtics might be old but you can be rest assured, they are not tired.This is a championship caliber group of guys and just like the San Antonio Spurs in the west, these guys know how to win it all.The Orlando Magic on the other hand looked like they are ready to make a run again at the NBA finals with a very impressive beat down of the Atlanta Hawks in game one of the Eastern Conference semi finals.Again from the article LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers a runaway Freight Train : The Magic are the biggest disappointment in my book and Van Gundy is up to his old tricks. In Miami he was unable to include Shaq into his offense; Pat Riley took over and won a championship.Then for some dumb reason the Orlando Magic with a younger version of Shaq in Dwight Howard hired a Oakland Raiders jersey
coach who does not know how to use big men in his offensive strategies.Dwight Howard is not a part of the offense, he makes his baskets from rebounds or a pass to him after all other options has been exhausted. A team like this cannot be a threat to a team like the Cavs or the Celtics.So, will the Cavs meet the Lakers in the Finals? Or better still, are we going to have a LeBron-Kobe Final?A consistent Lakers team and a change in Mike Brown strategy is what is needed to have that dream come true this year.We don know how many good years Kobe really has in him.So if it doesn happen this year, it might never happen again.
2010年12月27日星期一
27 Dec 10 Don't Despair, New Jersey
Jonathan Daniel/Getty ImagesHi, New Jersey.You may remember me. A couple of years ago, me and my cousin came to the Shore with fake IDs.For the record you should tell your bouncers to keep the names of famous Indian cricketers on hand. Don let in any Indian kid who carries an out-of-state Drivers License' with the names Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, Sunil Gavaskar (among others) and a non-American accent. Heaps fun anyway.A lot of people mock your state. I don.I like New Jersey.I love your Italian food, although itHouston Texans jersey
doesn quite compare to the food from Italy or Norton St back homeYour roads are the only ones Ive driven on and felt at home amongst thousands of other crazy, reckless drivers who think everything can be justified by yelling at the guy who tried cutting him off.Plus, you gave me and the world the Jersey Shore, both the place and the incomparable TV show.And you have the Nets.Every time this year when Ive been despondent and thought that God hates the Warriors, Ive consoled myself by remembering that God clearly hates the Nets more.However, the silver lining was closer for you guys than it was to us. Not only were you bought out by a mad Russian with more money than your average small African nation (no disrespect to small African nations or anyone from them), but you had the best shot at the first overall pick.We all know how that turned out.God must really hate you guys.Or does he?In not giving the Nets the first pick, the big man upstairs may just have done them a huge favour.Yes, yes, I know what you guys are thinking. You lost John Wall.Alright well deal with it! If you took Wall, you would have either had to trade him or trade Devin Harris. And who to say you would have plugged your main hole (power forward) with a Harris trade?You probably lost Evan Turner. You guys have three young wings (Courtney Lee, Chris Douglas-Roberts and Terrence Williams) who are only gonna get better.You do, however, have a shot at getting Derrick Favors. With a bow on.This pick is near-perfect for the Nets. Favors isn predicted to be automatically NBA-ready, but every scout worth his salt is raving about his upside. Comparisons to Dwight Howard on defense and Amare Stoudemire on offense are the order of the day with Favors. Indianapolis Colts jersey
Drafting Favors allows him to learn on the job as a starter from day one. So what if he makes a few mistakes as a rookie? He gets the chance to develop a pick-and-roll combo with Harris that could match anyone out there if given a chance to truly reach their potential together.Plus, the Nets still have Brook Lopez as a consistent double double threat and a low-post scorer. Once he learns to pass out of double teams a bit better, hell be knocking on the door of the best centers in the league.If Favors can develop his 12-20 foot jump shot, the Nets are left with an inside-outside threat from their young forwards. What team couldn use that?Plus, your wing talent isn too shabby either. Terrence Williams will be a perpetual triple-double threat in a couple of years. CDR can flat out score when he feeling it if he improves his range to behind the arc, he will be an even greater threat. Courtney Lee is a solid glue guy, the type of player who could be a great sixth man.If Harris continues to improve as a playmaker and further develop as a pointguard, he and Yi coming off the bench to stretch the floor, along with a decent three point shooter and another big man, you have a nine man rotation that could well become the Bennett City Hijackers of the East in a couple of years. That is, a young, talented team with great chemistry that will only continue to develop and get better.If Prokhorov can bring in a couple of free agents (massive salaries and a lifetime supply of Russian vodka are quite tempting), all the better for you guys.But even if he can, just ponder the future for a second.In two years, the team moves into Brooklyn. You have the best pick and roll duo in the league since Steve Nash retired. Your center dominates in the paint and is a consistent 20-10 guy. Jacksonville Jaguars jersey
Your wings are triple-double threats who could go off on any given night. Everyone on the team is buddy-buddy and there a great vibe hanging around.If you love basketball and want to see your team win, who wouldn want that?Maybe God doesn hate the Nets that much.
doesn quite compare to the food from Italy or Norton St back homeYour roads are the only ones Ive driven on and felt at home amongst thousands of other crazy, reckless drivers who think everything can be justified by yelling at the guy who tried cutting him off.Plus, you gave me and the world the Jersey Shore, both the place and the incomparable TV show.And you have the Nets.Every time this year when Ive been despondent and thought that God hates the Warriors, Ive consoled myself by remembering that God clearly hates the Nets more.However, the silver lining was closer for you guys than it was to us. Not only were you bought out by a mad Russian with more money than your average small African nation (no disrespect to small African nations or anyone from them), but you had the best shot at the first overall pick.We all know how that turned out.God must really hate you guys.Or does he?In not giving the Nets the first pick, the big man upstairs may just have done them a huge favour.Yes, yes, I know what you guys are thinking. You lost John Wall.Alright well deal with it! If you took Wall, you would have either had to trade him or trade Devin Harris. And who to say you would have plugged your main hole (power forward) with a Harris trade?You probably lost Evan Turner. You guys have three young wings (Courtney Lee, Chris Douglas-Roberts and Terrence Williams) who are only gonna get better.You do, however, have a shot at getting Derrick Favors. With a bow on.This pick is near-perfect for the Nets. Favors isn predicted to be automatically NBA-ready, but every scout worth his salt is raving about his upside. Comparisons to Dwight Howard on defense and Amare Stoudemire on offense are the order of the day with Favors. Indianapolis Colts jersey
Drafting Favors allows him to learn on the job as a starter from day one. So what if he makes a few mistakes as a rookie? He gets the chance to develop a pick-and-roll combo with Harris that could match anyone out there if given a chance to truly reach their potential together.Plus, the Nets still have Brook Lopez as a consistent double double threat and a low-post scorer. Once he learns to pass out of double teams a bit better, hell be knocking on the door of the best centers in the league.If Favors can develop his 12-20 foot jump shot, the Nets are left with an inside-outside threat from their young forwards. What team couldn use that?Plus, your wing talent isn too shabby either. Terrence Williams will be a perpetual triple-double threat in a couple of years. CDR can flat out score when he feeling it if he improves his range to behind the arc, he will be an even greater threat. Courtney Lee is a solid glue guy, the type of player who could be a great sixth man.If Harris continues to improve as a playmaker and further develop as a pointguard, he and Yi coming off the bench to stretch the floor, along with a decent three point shooter and another big man, you have a nine man rotation that could well become the Bennett City Hijackers of the East in a couple of years. That is, a young, talented team with great chemistry that will only continue to develop and get better.If Prokhorov can bring in a couple of free agents (massive salaries and a lifetime supply of Russian vodka are quite tempting), all the better for you guys.But even if he can, just ponder the future for a second.In two years, the team moves into Brooklyn. You have the best pick and roll duo in the league since Steve Nash retired. Your center dominates in the paint and is a consistent 20-10 guy. Jacksonville Jaguars jersey
Your wings are triple-double threats who could go off on any given night. Everyone on the team is buddy-buddy and there a great vibe hanging around.If you love basketball and want to see your team win, who wouldn want that?Maybe God doesn hate the Nets that much.
2010年12月26日星期日
26 Dec 10 Who Wants It? 2010 NBA Finals Lakers Celtics
Many people wanted to see Lebron versus Kobe. Sorry folks, maybe next year.Here we are again; just two years removed from the last time these two teams met in the Finals. A few things have changed since then to say the least. In 2008 the Celtics won in 6, but how the 2010 Finals will shake out are up for debate. James Posey, Leon Powe, Eddie House, and P.J. Brown are all gone, but Rajon Rondo, Kendrick Perkins, and Glen Davis are not the same players they were in 2008. Likely forgotten by most who watched the 2008 finals, at times Sam Cassell was getting minutes over Rondo. Cassell playoff player efficiency rating in the 2008 playoffs was 6.2, compared to Rondo player efficiency rating of 18.4 in 2010 playoffs (clickherefor more information on player efficiency rating). Reebok Green Bay Packers 21 Charles Woodson Realtree camo Jersey
Perkins has also become a much better player, setting better screens and playing better defense. Perkins averaged less than 20 minutes per game in the 2008 Finals, and this surely will not be the case in 2010. On the Lakers side they no longer have Trevor Ariza, but Ariza was hardly a factor in the 2008 Finals. Ariza played at most nine minutes per game in the Finals; sometimes not playing at all. The Lakers also have Andrew Bynum (although his health is a concern), who they did not have in the 2008 Finals, and have added Ron Artest. It looks as though the Lakers will have more quality players this time around, but the improvements in Celtics' players' game (including Rondo, Glen Davis, and Kendrick Perkins) may prove to be the equalizer.Garnett versus PauTwo immensely talented power forwards. One is on the tail end of his career while the other is in his prime. Garnett time on the basketball court appears to be winding down, his legacy already cemented, but Garnett is not satisfied. He wants to win another title. He making up for lost time. Garnett career was almost wasted in Minnesota until Danny Ainge swooped in and brought Garnett to Boston. Shortly thereafter Ainge added Allen to create Boston Big Three. Pau now has something Garnett never had. A chance to play with a contender in his prime. Pau was rescued in much the same way as Garnett, only at a much younger age. Pau may outmatch Garnett in physical ability, but this matchup will be all about who wants it more. Garnett appears as though he will do just about anything to win another title, including karate chopping opponents. In game six of the Eastern Conference Finals Garnett twice chopped at Dwight Howard arm (not sure how Garnett didn at least receive a technical foul). The look Garnett had in his eyes at that moment was something like I have never seen on or off a basketball court. Intensity, tenacity, anger, determination, and, certainly, insanity (view the clip on YouTubehere). After seeing that, if you do not think Garnett highest priority at this point in his life is to win another NBA Title then you need to get your eyes checked. Just how bad does KG foe, Gasol, want to win another NBA Title remains to be seen. His disappearance in the Western Conference Finals certainly has some Lakers fans worried, and rightfully so.Artest versus Pierce.Over the past two regular seasons Artest has played Pierce well, but how much of that carries over to playoff success is anyone best guess. Pierce has shown he is a different animal once the playoffs come around, but expect Artest to limit Pierce due to his large, 250 pound frame. Lakers fans are excited about Ron Ron emergence in the final two games of the Suns series on the offensive end, but they should be wary. Once Artest makes a few buckets do not expect him to stop shooting anytime soon and that could spell disaster for the Lakers. The chance of Artest putting on a shooting display similar to that of game 6 ofReebok Minnesota Vikings #84 Randy Moss Realtree camo Jersey
the Western Conference Finals is highly unlikely. One thing Artest does appear to have is his drive to win his first NBA Title, at least when interviewed. Artest often mentions how his childhood pal Lamar Odom has a ring, but he does not and how he needs one. However, Artest actions off the basketball court make you wonder whether an NBA Title is genuinely his top priority or if he is having more fun being a celebrity in Los Angeles. Artest is a wild card. Anyone who says they know how he will play or what he will do in these finals is lying. Well, except maybe Artest himself, but even he probably doesn have a clue.Rondo versus Fisher.Do we even need to talk about these two? Fisher has been around for ages and Rondo is all that anyone can talk about when the Celtics are brought up. Rondo has shown he is one of the top 5 point guards in the league. Fisher on the other hand is winding down; put bluntly, he is old. Fisher can still hit a big three and draw a charge, but if you think he will hang with Rondo for four quarters then you obviously haven been watching the NBA this season. One concern if you're a Celtics fan is Rondo play over the final three games of the Eastern Conference Finals against Orlando. Rondo just did not look like Rondo. Slowed by alleged back spasms Celtics fans hope that is all that wrong. In interviews Rondo seemed passive, calm, and showed little emotion. Is Rondo motivation to win another title fading or was this just Rondo normal cool, calm demeanor showing itself? Rondo tenure in Boston has been successful to say the least and, perhaps, all that winning has made him less hungry. He does not know what it feels like to be on stuck on one of an NBA bottom feeder like the Clippers or Timberwolves. If Reebok Pittsburg Steelers #83 Heath Miller Realtree camo Jersey
youre a Boston fan you can only hope Rondo knows just how fortunate he is. Look at Steve Nash. He may be one of the top five point guards of all time, and it is very likely he will finish his career with not only with zero NBA Titles, but zero NBA Finals appearances.Kobe versus AllenTwo future hall of famers. Kobe is one of the top 10 greatest basketball players of all time and he shot lights out in the Suns series. Kobe's stellar shooting could spell trouble for the C if it continues. Unfortunately for the Lakers, the Celtics defense makes the Suns defense look like D-League. The being said, the Suns did force Kobe into some tough shots in the Western Conference Finals and he drilled most of them. Kobe's shooting percentage will certainly drop. There is no doubt Kobe wants revenge for the 2008 Finals loss to the Celtics. Kobe waited for all of last year, but the opportunity never came. He will now have his chance and you can bet he will have the Kobe Scowl ready. What about Ray? Allen has one of the sweetest jumpers ever to grace a basketball court and he showed it in the 2008 finals. Many people forget just how well Allen played in those finals due to the spectacular performance of Paul Pierce. Allen shot over 50% from three in the 2008 Finals, including hitting seven of nine three pointers in the close out game. Ray is the key to this series and do not be surprised if he is your 2010 NBA Finals Most Valuable Player.Perkins versus BynumHow will Bynum knee hold up is an enormous question, but another looming question is that of Perkin technical foul situation. Perkins has amassed numerous technical fouls this postseason and after having one rescinded he finds himself in grave danger of being suspended. Currently with six technicals, Perkins is one shy of being handed down a one game suspension by the league. Double technicals are called all to often to clean up the low post in the playoffs and if Perkins somehow manages not to get Td up at least once more during these finals the Celtics will be very, very lucky. If Perkin is suspended Rasheed Wallace will have a chance to prove he is worth the three year contract the Celtics gave him in the 2009 offseason. Wallace played well against Dwight Howard in the Eastern Conference Finals, but he has been known to give Howard trouble. Celtics fans better hope Wallace can do what he did against Howard to Bynum.PredictionCeltics in 5. Kobe is forced to guard Rondo because Fisher cannot keep up Arizona Cardinals jersey
with Rondo. This forces Kobe to expend too much energy on the defensive end and leaves Fisher to guard Allen. Allen ends up shooting 50% from three point range in the finals, again, and takes home the 2010 NBA Finals MVP.Don like the prediction? Have comments? Post them!If you like what you read subscribe and checkout my bloghere. More sports related posts to come!
Perkins has also become a much better player, setting better screens and playing better defense. Perkins averaged less than 20 minutes per game in the 2008 Finals, and this surely will not be the case in 2010. On the Lakers side they no longer have Trevor Ariza, but Ariza was hardly a factor in the 2008 Finals. Ariza played at most nine minutes per game in the Finals; sometimes not playing at all. The Lakers also have Andrew Bynum (although his health is a concern), who they did not have in the 2008 Finals, and have added Ron Artest. It looks as though the Lakers will have more quality players this time around, but the improvements in Celtics' players' game (including Rondo, Glen Davis, and Kendrick Perkins) may prove to be the equalizer.Garnett versus PauTwo immensely talented power forwards. One is on the tail end of his career while the other is in his prime. Garnett time on the basketball court appears to be winding down, his legacy already cemented, but Garnett is not satisfied. He wants to win another title. He making up for lost time. Garnett career was almost wasted in Minnesota until Danny Ainge swooped in and brought Garnett to Boston. Shortly thereafter Ainge added Allen to create Boston Big Three. Pau now has something Garnett never had. A chance to play with a contender in his prime. Pau was rescued in much the same way as Garnett, only at a much younger age. Pau may outmatch Garnett in physical ability, but this matchup will be all about who wants it more. Garnett appears as though he will do just about anything to win another title, including karate chopping opponents. In game six of the Eastern Conference Finals Garnett twice chopped at Dwight Howard arm (not sure how Garnett didn at least receive a technical foul). The look Garnett had in his eyes at that moment was something like I have never seen on or off a basketball court. Intensity, tenacity, anger, determination, and, certainly, insanity (view the clip on YouTubehere). After seeing that, if you do not think Garnett highest priority at this point in his life is to win another NBA Title then you need to get your eyes checked. Just how bad does KG foe, Gasol, want to win another NBA Title remains to be seen. His disappearance in the Western Conference Finals certainly has some Lakers fans worried, and rightfully so.Artest versus Pierce.Over the past two regular seasons Artest has played Pierce well, but how much of that carries over to playoff success is anyone best guess. Pierce has shown he is a different animal once the playoffs come around, but expect Artest to limit Pierce due to his large, 250 pound frame. Lakers fans are excited about Ron Ron emergence in the final two games of the Suns series on the offensive end, but they should be wary. Once Artest makes a few buckets do not expect him to stop shooting anytime soon and that could spell disaster for the Lakers. The chance of Artest putting on a shooting display similar to that of game 6 ofReebok Minnesota Vikings #84 Randy Moss Realtree camo Jersey
the Western Conference Finals is highly unlikely. One thing Artest does appear to have is his drive to win his first NBA Title, at least when interviewed. Artest often mentions how his childhood pal Lamar Odom has a ring, but he does not and how he needs one. However, Artest actions off the basketball court make you wonder whether an NBA Title is genuinely his top priority or if he is having more fun being a celebrity in Los Angeles. Artest is a wild card. Anyone who says they know how he will play or what he will do in these finals is lying. Well, except maybe Artest himself, but even he probably doesn have a clue.Rondo versus Fisher.Do we even need to talk about these two? Fisher has been around for ages and Rondo is all that anyone can talk about when the Celtics are brought up. Rondo has shown he is one of the top 5 point guards in the league. Fisher on the other hand is winding down; put bluntly, he is old. Fisher can still hit a big three and draw a charge, but if you think he will hang with Rondo for four quarters then you obviously haven been watching the NBA this season. One concern if you're a Celtics fan is Rondo play over the final three games of the Eastern Conference Finals against Orlando. Rondo just did not look like Rondo. Slowed by alleged back spasms Celtics fans hope that is all that wrong. In interviews Rondo seemed passive, calm, and showed little emotion. Is Rondo motivation to win another title fading or was this just Rondo normal cool, calm demeanor showing itself? Rondo tenure in Boston has been successful to say the least and, perhaps, all that winning has made him less hungry. He does not know what it feels like to be on stuck on one of an NBA bottom feeder like the Clippers or Timberwolves. If Reebok Pittsburg Steelers #83 Heath Miller Realtree camo Jersey
youre a Boston fan you can only hope Rondo knows just how fortunate he is. Look at Steve Nash. He may be one of the top five point guards of all time, and it is very likely he will finish his career with not only with zero NBA Titles, but zero NBA Finals appearances.Kobe versus AllenTwo future hall of famers. Kobe is one of the top 10 greatest basketball players of all time and he shot lights out in the Suns series. Kobe's stellar shooting could spell trouble for the C if it continues. Unfortunately for the Lakers, the Celtics defense makes the Suns defense look like D-League. The being said, the Suns did force Kobe into some tough shots in the Western Conference Finals and he drilled most of them. Kobe's shooting percentage will certainly drop. There is no doubt Kobe wants revenge for the 2008 Finals loss to the Celtics. Kobe waited for all of last year, but the opportunity never came. He will now have his chance and you can bet he will have the Kobe Scowl ready. What about Ray? Allen has one of the sweetest jumpers ever to grace a basketball court and he showed it in the 2008 finals. Many people forget just how well Allen played in those finals due to the spectacular performance of Paul Pierce. Allen shot over 50% from three in the 2008 Finals, including hitting seven of nine three pointers in the close out game. Ray is the key to this series and do not be surprised if he is your 2010 NBA Finals Most Valuable Player.Perkins versus BynumHow will Bynum knee hold up is an enormous question, but another looming question is that of Perkin technical foul situation. Perkins has amassed numerous technical fouls this postseason and after having one rescinded he finds himself in grave danger of being suspended. Currently with six technicals, Perkins is one shy of being handed down a one game suspension by the league. Double technicals are called all to often to clean up the low post in the playoffs and if Perkins somehow manages not to get Td up at least once more during these finals the Celtics will be very, very lucky. If Perkin is suspended Rasheed Wallace will have a chance to prove he is worth the three year contract the Celtics gave him in the 2009 offseason. Wallace played well against Dwight Howard in the Eastern Conference Finals, but he has been known to give Howard trouble. Celtics fans better hope Wallace can do what he did against Howard to Bynum.PredictionCeltics in 5. Kobe is forced to guard Rondo because Fisher cannot keep up Arizona Cardinals jersey
with Rondo. This forces Kobe to expend too much energy on the defensive end and leaves Fisher to guard Allen. Allen ends up shooting 50% from three point range in the finals, again, and takes home the 2010 NBA Finals MVP.Don like the prediction? Have comments? Post them!If you like what you read subscribe and checkout my bloghere. More sports related posts to come!
2010年12月25日星期六
25 Dec 10 The Los Angeles Lakers Are Why Shaquille O'Neal Chose the Boston Celtics
Gregory Shamus/Getty ImagesThis summer in the NBA has been one of the most hectic of all time.Some players took less money for a title. Some took more than they will ever merit. Some (gasp!) actually got paid what they deserved.And then there was Shaquille ONeal.ESPN reported today that the Big Aristotle signed a two-year deal worth roughly $3 million with the Boston Celtics. This comes as a surprise to many who heard Shaq insist that he wanted nearly $10 million throughout the entire offseason.So what gives?Yes, it would have been Reebok Indianapolis Colts 18 Peyton Manning Realtree camo Jersey
unlikely anyone would have given him the amount he wanted, and rightfully so. But since he took the veteran minimum, why choose the Celtics out of the plethora of teams that would have given him a deal of this size?Does he just love the nickname The Four-Ring Clover? Is he a big fan of clam chowder?Probably not.The main reason that seems to be floating around is that he just wants another ring. The Celtics were one win;and possibly one knee injury;away from a title in June, so why not join the second-place team and try to get them over the hump?In reality, that doesn wrap as neatly as it may seem.The Celtics are one of the oldest teams in basketball, and are not exactly the healthiest. While they are full of talent, so much of it hinges on the team collective fitness. If Kevin Garnett and Kendrick Perkins can recover fully, they will not be a contender.And for someone at Shaq age, he should be looking for a guarantee.If all he wants is a ring, there are better options. The Heat are the odds-on favorite in the East, and they need big man help. The Hawks could have given him more money, and are risers in the East.He could have taken the veteran minimum anywhere, but he chose a team whose window is close to shut. Why?Because this time, winning isn the only thing that matters.It his legacy.ONeal has burned more bridges than William Tecumseh Sherman. Every team he has left, excluding Cleveland, had a bitter taste in their mouth after the Daddy departure.But no team had, and still has, it worse than the Los Angeles Lakers.Whether it was the feud with Kobe Bryant, the fact he wanted more money, or that he couldn accept being Bryant sidekick, Los Angeles felt the wrath of Shaq more than ever. They went from talk of the town to the dumps when ONeal left.So, appropriately, he has a lot of people in the City of Angels that don like him very much.While it isn close to how Cleveland feels after LeBron James left, losing ONeal to Miami enraged many fans who thought their Lakers Reebok Minnesota Vikings 28 Adrian Peterson Realtree camo Jersey
could have won eight championships this past decade. He was viewed as a selfish villain, and much of L.A. ganged up against him.Whether that was fair or not is not up for discussion.Shaq has plenty of faithful followers, don get me wrong. But he really doesn have a NBA team he can call home and a place where his fans want him.That is where the Celtics come in.ONeal can get absolutely everything he wants by succeeding in Boston. First, look at how much Boston fans love their players. As long as you help the team win a title, you will be loved and remembered by Celtic fans forever.Even you, Brian Scalabrine.But there are even more sticking points here. What the one thing the Celtics faithful love more than winning championships?Beating the Lakers for a championship.And the Red Sox.If he beats L.A. in Beantown, Shaq kills six birds with one stone:He finds a loving place to call home, because Celtics who beat the Lakers (and vice-versa) are revered.He beats Kobe head-to-head in the Finals, legitimating him (maybe not to everyone, but in his mind) as the better part of the duo.He gets his fifth ring to tie Kobe, so his legacy would be equal to Bryant.He could get his number retired in a city that loves hanging numbers in the rafters.He did it as a starter, showing the NBA he wasn as washed up as so many said.He won leave the city with a sad ending like the rest of his stops, making his career end on a positive note.There is no other place in the NBA he can do all of that. Sure, he can win with the Heat, but people would give that ring an asterisk because he just jumped on the bandwagon.Penny Hardaway tried that earlier this summer, and got as much love as A.C. Green did for the first 35 years of his life.The new Jolly Green Giant knows the path to a ring goes through the defending champion and media-created rival Los Angeles Lakers. He also knows that Boston is the one spot where if he beats Kobe and Co., the payoff is infinitely greater.Shaq went on ABC Jimmy Kimmel Live Reebok Minnesota Vikings #4 Brett Favre Realtree camo Jersey
Monday and was asked if he thought it might be weird to put on a Celtics uniform after being a Laker for so long.The response from the normally outgoing and hilarious big man?No.Why?Because it about the legacy he leaves behind, not the one he might regret. The Celtics give him the best chance to become the loved icon he once was.And that how Shaq
unlikely anyone would have given him the amount he wanted, and rightfully so. But since he took the veteran minimum, why choose the Celtics out of the plethora of teams that would have given him a deal of this size?Does he just love the nickname The Four-Ring Clover? Is he a big fan of clam chowder?Probably not.The main reason that seems to be floating around is that he just wants another ring. The Celtics were one win;and possibly one knee injury;away from a title in June, so why not join the second-place team and try to get them over the hump?In reality, that doesn wrap as neatly as it may seem.The Celtics are one of the oldest teams in basketball, and are not exactly the healthiest. While they are full of talent, so much of it hinges on the team collective fitness. If Kevin Garnett and Kendrick Perkins can recover fully, they will not be a contender.And for someone at Shaq age, he should be looking for a guarantee.If all he wants is a ring, there are better options. The Heat are the odds-on favorite in the East, and they need big man help. The Hawks could have given him more money, and are risers in the East.He could have taken the veteran minimum anywhere, but he chose a team whose window is close to shut. Why?Because this time, winning isn the only thing that matters.It his legacy.ONeal has burned more bridges than William Tecumseh Sherman. Every team he has left, excluding Cleveland, had a bitter taste in their mouth after the Daddy departure.But no team had, and still has, it worse than the Los Angeles Lakers.Whether it was the feud with Kobe Bryant, the fact he wanted more money, or that he couldn accept being Bryant sidekick, Los Angeles felt the wrath of Shaq more than ever. They went from talk of the town to the dumps when ONeal left.So, appropriately, he has a lot of people in the City of Angels that don like him very much.While it isn close to how Cleveland feels after LeBron James left, losing ONeal to Miami enraged many fans who thought their Lakers Reebok Minnesota Vikings 28 Adrian Peterson Realtree camo Jersey
could have won eight championships this past decade. He was viewed as a selfish villain, and much of L.A. ganged up against him.Whether that was fair or not is not up for discussion.Shaq has plenty of faithful followers, don get me wrong. But he really doesn have a NBA team he can call home and a place where his fans want him.That is where the Celtics come in.ONeal can get absolutely everything he wants by succeeding in Boston. First, look at how much Boston fans love their players. As long as you help the team win a title, you will be loved and remembered by Celtic fans forever.Even you, Brian Scalabrine.But there are even more sticking points here. What the one thing the Celtics faithful love more than winning championships?Beating the Lakers for a championship.And the Red Sox.If he beats L.A. in Beantown, Shaq kills six birds with one stone:He finds a loving place to call home, because Celtics who beat the Lakers (and vice-versa) are revered.He beats Kobe head-to-head in the Finals, legitimating him (maybe not to everyone, but in his mind) as the better part of the duo.He gets his fifth ring to tie Kobe, so his legacy would be equal to Bryant.He could get his number retired in a city that loves hanging numbers in the rafters.He did it as a starter, showing the NBA he wasn as washed up as so many said.He won leave the city with a sad ending like the rest of his stops, making his career end on a positive note.There is no other place in the NBA he can do all of that. Sure, he can win with the Heat, but people would give that ring an asterisk because he just jumped on the bandwagon.Penny Hardaway tried that earlier this summer, and got as much love as A.C. Green did for the first 35 years of his life.The new Jolly Green Giant knows the path to a ring goes through the defending champion and media-created rival Los Angeles Lakers. He also knows that Boston is the one spot where if he beats Kobe and Co., the payoff is infinitely greater.Shaq went on ABC Jimmy Kimmel Live Reebok Minnesota Vikings #4 Brett Favre Realtree camo Jersey
Monday and was asked if he thought it might be weird to put on a Celtics uniform after being a Laker for so long.The response from the normally outgoing and hilarious big man?No.Why?Because it about the legacy he leaves behind, not the one he might regret. The Celtics give him the best chance to become the loved icon he once was.And that how Shaq
2010年12月24日星期五
24 Dec 10 2010 Fantasy Basketball Draft: The Top 200, Part 2
Kevork Djansezian/Getty ImagesYesterday I posted the bottom half of my Top 200 and today is the Top 100. You’ll see right off the bat one of the biggest differences between my rankings and Will’s if you look at the top 5. For more on my ranking of Lebron check outthis article. There are notes on other players at the end. Again, if I missed someone or something, bring it up in a comment below.Kevin Durant, OKC SFChris Paul, NO PGDwyane Wade, Mia SGDirk Nowitzki, Dal PFLebron James, Mia SF Reebok Dallas Cowboys #9 Tony Romo Realtree camo Jersey
Kobe Bryant, LAL SGDanny Granger, Ind SFDeron Williams, Uta PGDwight Howard, Orl CPau Gasol, LAL PF, CSteve Nash, Pho PGJason Kidd, Dal PGStephen Curry, GS PG, SGDavid Lee, GS PF, CAmare Stoudemire, NY C, PFBrook Lopez, NJ CCarmelo Anthony, Den SFRajon Rondo, Bos PGAndre Iguodala, Phi SG, SFChauncey Billups, Den PGGerald Wallace, Cha SF, PF Derrick Rose, Chi PGMonta Ellis, GS PG, SGBrandon Roy, Por SG, SF Chris Bosh, Mia PF, CJosh Smith, Atl PF, SFAl Jefferson, Uta C, PFJoe Johnson, Atl SG, SFPaul Pierce, Bos SF, SGTyreke Evans, Sac PG, SGTim Duncan, SA C, PFDavid West, NO PFAl Horford, Atl C, PFTroy Murphy, NJ PF, CAaron Brooks, Hou PGRussell Westbrook, OKC PGDarren Collison, Ind PGAndrea Bargnani, Tor C, PFDevin Harris, NJ PGRudy Gay, Mem SFStephen Jackson, Cha SG, SFOJ Mayo, Mem SGBaron Davis, LAC PGJason Richardson, Pho SGJoakim Noah, Chi C, PFZach Randolph, Mem PFMo Williams, Cle PGDanilo Gallinari, NY SF, PFMarc Gasol, Mem CAntawn Jamison, Cle PFRaymond Felton, NY PGGilbert Arenas, Was PGMarcus Camby, Por C, PFJeff Green, OKC PF, SFRashard Lewis, Orl PF, SFBrandon Jennings, Mil PGJohn Wall, Was PGManu Ginobli, SA SGNene, Den C, PFKevin Love, Min PFAndray Blatche, Was PF, CPaul Millsap, Uta PFMichael Beasley, Min SF, PFLuis Scola, Hou PF, CEric Gordon, LAC SGLamarcus Aldridge, Por PFHedo Turkoglu, Pho SFAnthony Randolph, NY PF, CAndrew Bogut, Mil CJrue Holiday, Phi PGTrevor Ariza, NO SF, SGCaron Butler, Dal SG, SFRay Allen, Bos SGChris Kaman, LAC CKevin Garnett, Bos PFTony Parker, SA PGKevin Martin, Hou SGJason Terry, Dal SGVince Carter, Orl SG, SFJamal Crawford, Atl SG, PGLuol Deng, Chi SFMarcus Thornton, NO SGRoy Hibbert, Ind C Andrew Bynum, LAL CLamar Odom, LAL PF, SFBlake Griffin, LAC PFLeandro Barbosa, Tor SGJohn Salmons, Min SG, Reebok Denver Broncos #15 Tim Tebow Realtree camo Jersey
SFSamuel Dalembert, Sac CAndre Miller, Por PGEmeka Okofor, Nor CMike Miller, Mia SF, SGAndrei Kirilenko, Uta SF, PFMike Conley, Mem PGRodney Stuckey, Det PG, SGAl Harrington, Den PFBoris Diaw, Cha PF, SFTerrence Williams, NJ SF, SGJR Smith, Den SG, SFBen Gordon, Det SG13. Stephen Curry- Curry has been going top 10 in a lot of drafts this year. There’s nothing to dislike about how he plays. I’d love to see him in a Celtics uniform, but from a strictly fantasy perspective I think he’s overvalued.He’s very good and only getting better, but I can’t justify taking him in front of Howard, Gasol, Nash or Kidd as many owners have been. I see him as a very good 2ndround pick. If you take him late in the 1stround, you’ve passed on some better options. The fantasy roundtable will be discussing him this week. We’ll have our sides of the debate here, and the whole roundtable will be hosted by Give Me the Rock this week. You can find a link to Give Me the Rock on our blogroll.15. Amare Stoudemire- Amare might be second only to Lebron when you take into account his size and athleticism. The man was just made to play basketball. Everybody’s talking about him being Reebok Green Bay Packers #12 Aaron Rodgers Realtree camo Jersey
reunited with D’Antoni in New York. There’s a reason for that: It’s a big deal. Amare’s athleticism and style of play fit perfectly in D’Antoni’s system. I like the way he fits with the team around him, too. Sure, the Knicks aren’t contenders, but I don’t think wins are a fantasy category. If they are in your league, rethink your life.22. Derrick Rose- Another one of the most fun players to watch in the league (Rondo is #1). He’s steadily improved since his rookie debut. His mix of speed and vision translate into success from the point guard position. Not to mention his ability to drive and finish. The Bulls are steadily maturing and improving as a team. Rose will lead the way for this team with an increase in points scored. His assists should see a decent gain, too. When Boozer is healthy again, Rose’s stock will only improve.Nick Laham/Getty Images24. Chris Bosh- By far the least talked about of the Miami Thrice. Comparable to being the least notable Kardashian: Maybe the others are talked about more, but we’re still sick of hearing about you. That said, he deserves some analysis.Will he open up things for Wade and Lebron or will the dynamic work out the opposite way? Both.I think you’ll see an increase in assists for Bosh and a slight decrease in points. Rebounds will stay about the same. He could be a bit of a sleeper even at the 24 spot. Obviously, any kind of injury to Wade or James makes Bosh instantly double in value. Just make sure the hype around the Miami Thrice doesn’t induce you to reach on Bosh.63. Michael Beasley-The Timberwolves are going to be one of the most fun teams to watch in the league this year. I think this is the perfect fit for Beasley. No one would call Dwyane Wade a “ball hog”, but I think Beasley had a hard time finding himself on a team that was so clearly Wade’s. If you watched the Heat at all, you could see how passive Beasley played on offense.This young team in Minnesota should reignite the talent we all saw at Kansas State. With a team full of young guys still trying to find its identity, I think Beasley finally feels free to step up and take charge. You’ll see a pretty substantial increase in points and at least a slight increase across the board. If you’re able to get him 63rdoverall, it could turn out to be one of the best values of your draft.84. Andrew Bynum- Bynum’s summary Reebok Green Bay Packers #52 Clay Matthews Realtree camo Jersey
looks much like that I wrote for Yao Ming in Part One of my rankings. The Lakers should look to limit his minutes from the beginning of the season in order to maintain his health for the length of the year.Still, he’s young, so that limit will significantly higher than Yao’s. Bynum is a very important part of the equation for the Lakers, but don’t let that push you to go get him too early. He’s big and talented and he plays on a top team, but the emphasis on quality over quantity with him will be duplicated in his stats. He’ll give your team consistent numbers, but he won’t be setting the world on fire.Let me hear your thoughts on all of these rankings. I love to hear feedback, positive or negative.To check out part 1 of my Top 200 gohere.To check out Will Overton’s Top 200 on Rotoprofessor see these links:1 – 5051 – 100101 – 150151 – 200
Kobe Bryant, LAL SGDanny Granger, Ind SFDeron Williams, Uta PGDwight Howard, Orl CPau Gasol, LAL PF, CSteve Nash, Pho PGJason Kidd, Dal PGStephen Curry, GS PG, SGDavid Lee, GS PF, CAmare Stoudemire, NY C, PFBrook Lopez, NJ CCarmelo Anthony, Den SFRajon Rondo, Bos PGAndre Iguodala, Phi SG, SFChauncey Billups, Den PGGerald Wallace, Cha SF, PF Derrick Rose, Chi PGMonta Ellis, GS PG, SGBrandon Roy, Por SG, SF Chris Bosh, Mia PF, CJosh Smith, Atl PF, SFAl Jefferson, Uta C, PFJoe Johnson, Atl SG, SFPaul Pierce, Bos SF, SGTyreke Evans, Sac PG, SGTim Duncan, SA C, PFDavid West, NO PFAl Horford, Atl C, PFTroy Murphy, NJ PF, CAaron Brooks, Hou PGRussell Westbrook, OKC PGDarren Collison, Ind PGAndrea Bargnani, Tor C, PFDevin Harris, NJ PGRudy Gay, Mem SFStephen Jackson, Cha SG, SFOJ Mayo, Mem SGBaron Davis, LAC PGJason Richardson, Pho SGJoakim Noah, Chi C, PFZach Randolph, Mem PFMo Williams, Cle PGDanilo Gallinari, NY SF, PFMarc Gasol, Mem CAntawn Jamison, Cle PFRaymond Felton, NY PGGilbert Arenas, Was PGMarcus Camby, Por C, PFJeff Green, OKC PF, SFRashard Lewis, Orl PF, SFBrandon Jennings, Mil PGJohn Wall, Was PGManu Ginobli, SA SGNene, Den C, PFKevin Love, Min PFAndray Blatche, Was PF, CPaul Millsap, Uta PFMichael Beasley, Min SF, PFLuis Scola, Hou PF, CEric Gordon, LAC SGLamarcus Aldridge, Por PFHedo Turkoglu, Pho SFAnthony Randolph, NY PF, CAndrew Bogut, Mil CJrue Holiday, Phi PGTrevor Ariza, NO SF, SGCaron Butler, Dal SG, SFRay Allen, Bos SGChris Kaman, LAC CKevin Garnett, Bos PFTony Parker, SA PGKevin Martin, Hou SGJason Terry, Dal SGVince Carter, Orl SG, SFJamal Crawford, Atl SG, PGLuol Deng, Chi SFMarcus Thornton, NO SGRoy Hibbert, Ind C Andrew Bynum, LAL CLamar Odom, LAL PF, SFBlake Griffin, LAC PFLeandro Barbosa, Tor SGJohn Salmons, Min SG, Reebok Denver Broncos #15 Tim Tebow Realtree camo Jersey
SFSamuel Dalembert, Sac CAndre Miller, Por PGEmeka Okofor, Nor CMike Miller, Mia SF, SGAndrei Kirilenko, Uta SF, PFMike Conley, Mem PGRodney Stuckey, Det PG, SGAl Harrington, Den PFBoris Diaw, Cha PF, SFTerrence Williams, NJ SF, SGJR Smith, Den SG, SFBen Gordon, Det SG13. Stephen Curry- Curry has been going top 10 in a lot of drafts this year. There’s nothing to dislike about how he plays. I’d love to see him in a Celtics uniform, but from a strictly fantasy perspective I think he’s overvalued.He’s very good and only getting better, but I can’t justify taking him in front of Howard, Gasol, Nash or Kidd as many owners have been. I see him as a very good 2ndround pick. If you take him late in the 1stround, you’ve passed on some better options. The fantasy roundtable will be discussing him this week. We’ll have our sides of the debate here, and the whole roundtable will be hosted by Give Me the Rock this week. You can find a link to Give Me the Rock on our blogroll.15. Amare Stoudemire- Amare might be second only to Lebron when you take into account his size and athleticism. The man was just made to play basketball. Everybody’s talking about him being Reebok Green Bay Packers #12 Aaron Rodgers Realtree camo Jersey
reunited with D’Antoni in New York. There’s a reason for that: It’s a big deal. Amare’s athleticism and style of play fit perfectly in D’Antoni’s system. I like the way he fits with the team around him, too. Sure, the Knicks aren’t contenders, but I don’t think wins are a fantasy category. If they are in your league, rethink your life.22. Derrick Rose- Another one of the most fun players to watch in the league (Rondo is #1). He’s steadily improved since his rookie debut. His mix of speed and vision translate into success from the point guard position. Not to mention his ability to drive and finish. The Bulls are steadily maturing and improving as a team. Rose will lead the way for this team with an increase in points scored. His assists should see a decent gain, too. When Boozer is healthy again, Rose’s stock will only improve.Nick Laham/Getty Images24. Chris Bosh- By far the least talked about of the Miami Thrice. Comparable to being the least notable Kardashian: Maybe the others are talked about more, but we’re still sick of hearing about you. That said, he deserves some analysis.Will he open up things for Wade and Lebron or will the dynamic work out the opposite way? Both.I think you’ll see an increase in assists for Bosh and a slight decrease in points. Rebounds will stay about the same. He could be a bit of a sleeper even at the 24 spot. Obviously, any kind of injury to Wade or James makes Bosh instantly double in value. Just make sure the hype around the Miami Thrice doesn’t induce you to reach on Bosh.63. Michael Beasley-The Timberwolves are going to be one of the most fun teams to watch in the league this year. I think this is the perfect fit for Beasley. No one would call Dwyane Wade a “ball hog”, but I think Beasley had a hard time finding himself on a team that was so clearly Wade’s. If you watched the Heat at all, you could see how passive Beasley played on offense.This young team in Minnesota should reignite the talent we all saw at Kansas State. With a team full of young guys still trying to find its identity, I think Beasley finally feels free to step up and take charge. You’ll see a pretty substantial increase in points and at least a slight increase across the board. If you’re able to get him 63rdoverall, it could turn out to be one of the best values of your draft.84. Andrew Bynum- Bynum’s summary Reebok Green Bay Packers #52 Clay Matthews Realtree camo Jersey
looks much like that I wrote for Yao Ming in Part One of my rankings. The Lakers should look to limit his minutes from the beginning of the season in order to maintain his health for the length of the year.Still, he’s young, so that limit will significantly higher than Yao’s. Bynum is a very important part of the equation for the Lakers, but don’t let that push you to go get him too early. He’s big and talented and he plays on a top team, but the emphasis on quality over quantity with him will be duplicated in his stats. He’ll give your team consistent numbers, but he won’t be setting the world on fire.Let me hear your thoughts on all of these rankings. I love to hear feedback, positive or negative.To check out part 1 of my Top 200 gohere.To check out Will Overton’s Top 200 on Rotoprofessor see these links:1 – 5051 – 100101 – 150151 – 200
2010年12月23日星期四
23 Dec 10Clipped Wings: Anthony Morrow and Travis Outlaw Are Keys to Nets' Success
When the New Jersey Nets signed Anthony Morrow and Travis Outlaw this past offseason, they hoped the two wingers would bring solid, consistent offense to a team that lacked clutch scoring all of last season.That has just not happened, or at least not with enough consistency.Both players have a reputation for scoring, Outlaw gaining the nickname "Mr. Fourth Quarter" in Portland, and Morrow known for his deadly accuracy beyond the arc (45%) in Golden State.While both players have had their fair share of 20+ point games, they New Orleans Saints jersey
have yet to hit their respective strides on the same night.This trend is most frustrating during close losses, as demonstrated most recently against the Utah Jazz. In a game where the Nets hung around against a very good team, Morrow lead the team with 24 points, while Outlaw struggled to even put the ball in the basket, finishing the game with only 3 points on a miserable 1-12 shooting. A solid night from Outlaw could have easily propelled the Nets past the Jazz in what would have been a very sweet victory.In the previous contest against the Clippers, the reverse was true, as Outlaw exploded for 23 and Morrow contributed nine.Below is a scoring comparison of each player for each of the Nets' first 13 games.OpponentMorrowOutlawDEN (L)1215SAC (L)1713UTANew York Giants jersey
(L)243LAC (W)923ORL (L)320CLE (W)215CLE (L)1027MIA (L)255ORL (L)517MIA (L)116CHA (L)50SAC (W)418DET (W)135Solid offensive production from both wingers on any given night forces the defense to stay honest. When both shooters are on, a defense just cannot afford to leave one of them alone on the outside and hope for the best.In that sense, Morrow and Outlaw sort of work off each other, seeing as neither of them are good at creating their own shots. With a spread out defense, both players are more likely to see more catch-and-shoot opportunities.Fortunately, it seems like Morrow and Outlaw are starting to find their rhythm, both reaching double figures in the last two games. The only other time this happened was against Cleveland in a tough loss. New York Jets jersey
Though the Nets lost both of those games, they were only a possession or two away from wins each time. Had Lopez and Harris been on their games against Sacramento, the Nets would have won easily.It is only a matter of time before this team really clicks, but it cannot happenuntil Morrow andOutlawprovide on a consistent basis.
have yet to hit their respective strides on the same night.This trend is most frustrating during close losses, as demonstrated most recently against the Utah Jazz. In a game where the Nets hung around against a very good team, Morrow lead the team with 24 points, while Outlaw struggled to even put the ball in the basket, finishing the game with only 3 points on a miserable 1-12 shooting. A solid night from Outlaw could have easily propelled the Nets past the Jazz in what would have been a very sweet victory.In the previous contest against the Clippers, the reverse was true, as Outlaw exploded for 23 and Morrow contributed nine.Below is a scoring comparison of each player for each of the Nets' first 13 games.OpponentMorrowOutlawDEN (L)1215SAC (L)1713UTANew York Giants jersey
(L)243LAC (W)923ORL (L)320CLE (W)215CLE (L)1027MIA (L)255ORL (L)517MIA (L)116CHA (L)50SAC (W)418DET (W)135Solid offensive production from both wingers on any given night forces the defense to stay honest. When both shooters are on, a defense just cannot afford to leave one of them alone on the outside and hope for the best.In that sense, Morrow and Outlaw sort of work off each other, seeing as neither of them are good at creating their own shots. With a spread out defense, both players are more likely to see more catch-and-shoot opportunities.Fortunately, it seems like Morrow and Outlaw are starting to find their rhythm, both reaching double figures in the last two games. The only other time this happened was against Cleveland in a tough loss. New York Jets jersey
Though the Nets lost both of those games, they were only a possession or two away from wins each time. Had Lopez and Harris been on their games against Sacramento, the Nets would have won easily.It is only a matter of time before this team really clicks, but it cannot happenuntil Morrow andOutlawprovide on a consistent basis.
2010年12月22日星期三
The Los Angeles Lakers Should Send Kobe Bryant to Knicks and Sign LeBron James
There is no debating at this current moment in sports that Kobe Bryant is far above any other current basketball superstar.Imagine in the early '90s, actually having a discussion about someone at or above Michael Jordan's level. No one would have ever imagined it to be possible.The Lakers know they have a top Reebok Chicago Bears #54 Brian Urlacher Realtree camo Jersey
notch superstar in Kobe Bryant and he deserves the acknowledgment that he is one of the greatest basketball players of all time.There comes a time where fans and the organization need to face the facts and know that Kobe Bryant may have only a few good years left in him. While he continues to add on to what is one of the greatest careers ever, LeBron James is just reaching his prime.That great title fight of LeBron James vs. Kobe Bryant for the NBA Championship is starting to get old and like Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather, we have moved on.Kobe has proved that he can lead his team and close whatever game or situation is put his way, but the Lakers have a chance to look towards the future and no future is brighter than LeBron James'.While many started to jump on the "Kobe's done" bandwagon this year, it was obvious that he was hurt and playing with multiple injuries.Kobe joining up with Amar'e Stoudemire is an amazing situation for the New York Knicks.We all know how much Kobe loves the spotlight and there is no better place for Kobe than Madison Square Garden.By sending Kobe and possibly Lamar Odom to the Knicks, LeBron James could come to L.A. and have Gasol and Bynum, a solid core championship team for years to come.There is no doubt that LeBron James wants to be the greatest basketball player ever and before he even attempts to get to Jordan, he has to pass Kobe.What better place to try and take out the champ than in his own home?The NBA thrives on drama—just look at the Boston vs. L.A. series.Now imagine the Knicks vs. Lakers, or Knicks vs. Celtics, or Lakers vs. Cavs; the list goes on and on.I'm surprised the NBA hasn't stepped in and actually started some kind of Reebok Chicago Bears #6 Jay Cutler Realtree camo Jersey
dramatic twist and turn so people get even more excited about the upcoming season.The Lakers are still a championship team and deservingly so, but there will come a time when the Lakers will start to look towards the future to continue their domination.Kobe Bryant may be the ultimate Laker, but nowadays it doesn't matter because loyalty has been lost in sports for a long time.
notch superstar in Kobe Bryant and he deserves the acknowledgment that he is one of the greatest basketball players of all time.There comes a time where fans and the organization need to face the facts and know that Kobe Bryant may have only a few good years left in him. While he continues to add on to what is one of the greatest careers ever, LeBron James is just reaching his prime.That great title fight of LeBron James vs. Kobe Bryant for the NBA Championship is starting to get old and like Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather, we have moved on.Kobe has proved that he can lead his team and close whatever game or situation is put his way, but the Lakers have a chance to look towards the future and no future is brighter than LeBron James'.While many started to jump on the "Kobe's done" bandwagon this year, it was obvious that he was hurt and playing with multiple injuries.Kobe joining up with Amar'e Stoudemire is an amazing situation for the New York Knicks.We all know how much Kobe loves the spotlight and there is no better place for Kobe than Madison Square Garden.By sending Kobe and possibly Lamar Odom to the Knicks, LeBron James could come to L.A. and have Gasol and Bynum, a solid core championship team for years to come.There is no doubt that LeBron James wants to be the greatest basketball player ever and before he even attempts to get to Jordan, he has to pass Kobe.What better place to try and take out the champ than in his own home?The NBA thrives on drama—just look at the Boston vs. L.A. series.Now imagine the Knicks vs. Lakers, or Knicks vs. Celtics, or Lakers vs. Cavs; the list goes on and on.I'm surprised the NBA hasn't stepped in and actually started some kind of Reebok Chicago Bears #6 Jay Cutler Realtree camo Jersey
dramatic twist and turn so people get even more excited about the upcoming season.The Lakers are still a championship team and deservingly so, but there will come a time when the Lakers will start to look towards the future to continue their domination.Kobe Bryant may be the ultimate Laker, but nowadays it doesn't matter because loyalty has been lost in sports for a long time.
2010年12月21日星期二
Derek Jeter And Cliff Lee Lead Way in Frenzy of Misleading Reports
Stephen Dunn/Getty ImagesAs the MLB rumor mill continues to churn, many fans are beginning to show a disdain towards the carousel-style news surrounding their favorite players.Just ask Philadelphia Phillies’ fans about Jayson Werth updates.This week—particularly the past 48 hours—there is even more confusing media frenzied news to keep fans on the edge of their seat, as they wait with baited breath to find out the latest whispers.But initial reports often become misleading if not interpreted properly, which in turn, can be emulated by the chain of Reebok New Orleans Saints #9 Drew Brees Realtree camo Jersey
articles that feed off of them.Leading the way is the reported deal that the Yankees apparently offered Cliff Lee a six-year $140 million deal which is now being refuted by NY Daily News’ Mark Feinsand.What is true is that the Rangers curiously offered Lee arbitration and are likely to match any offer made by any team currently hunting Cliff lee.Another major storyline leading the way is the possibility of Derek Jeter not returning to New York, as GM Brian Cashman was reported telling Newark Star-Ledger reporter Ken Davidoff: "He should be nothing but a New York Yankee. He chooses not to be."This isn’t exactly solid news as it can also be construed that Cashman is reacting poorly to the Yankees current offer of three years, $45 million—turned down by Jeter—which Jeter thinks he is worth more than.Doug Pensinger/Getty ImagesAccording to SI.com’s Jon Heyman, the Yankees plan to sweeten their deal, but no details were currently available at the time of this article.And finally, Jason Stark of ESPN.com is reporting that Reebok New York Giants #27 Brandon Jacobs Realtree camo Jersey
“one source” says that talks between Javier Vazquez and the Florida Marlins are “getting hot.”This is curious news considering Vazquez had a terrible season last year, and is widely viewed as being way past his prime at 34 producing a 5.32 ERA in 31 appearances as a Yankee.Other reported clubs interested are the Cubs, Rockies, Nationals and Cardinals.There is also a report from Stark—same article—that Vazquez declined a $20 million offer over two years, but that he is looking for a one year deal only.A very curious decline indeed, but you can bank on thing: Vazquez will ultimately lead the way in MLB headlines in the coming days.Of course, everything I mentioned could significantly change with Derek Jeter suddenly deciding to play for the New York Giants; Cliff Lee— Reebok New York Jets #6 Mark Sanchez Realtree camo Jersey
after revealing his "true" sports love: soccer—deciding to play for Manchester United; and Javier Vazquez deciding to retire on the beaches of Florida, but agreeing to don a Marlins jersey as a team spokeperson for one year while sipping martinis and soaking in the sun, right?
articles that feed off of them.Leading the way is the reported deal that the Yankees apparently offered Cliff Lee a six-year $140 million deal which is now being refuted by NY Daily News’ Mark Feinsand.What is true is that the Rangers curiously offered Lee arbitration and are likely to match any offer made by any team currently hunting Cliff lee.Another major storyline leading the way is the possibility of Derek Jeter not returning to New York, as GM Brian Cashman was reported telling Newark Star-Ledger reporter Ken Davidoff: "He should be nothing but a New York Yankee. He chooses not to be."This isn’t exactly solid news as it can also be construed that Cashman is reacting poorly to the Yankees current offer of three years, $45 million—turned down by Jeter—which Jeter thinks he is worth more than.Doug Pensinger/Getty ImagesAccording to SI.com’s Jon Heyman, the Yankees plan to sweeten their deal, but no details were currently available at the time of this article.And finally, Jason Stark of ESPN.com is reporting that Reebok New York Giants #27 Brandon Jacobs Realtree camo Jersey
“one source” says that talks between Javier Vazquez and the Florida Marlins are “getting hot.”This is curious news considering Vazquez had a terrible season last year, and is widely viewed as being way past his prime at 34 producing a 5.32 ERA in 31 appearances as a Yankee.Other reported clubs interested are the Cubs, Rockies, Nationals and Cardinals.There is also a report from Stark—same article—that Vazquez declined a $20 million offer over two years, but that he is looking for a one year deal only.A very curious decline indeed, but you can bank on thing: Vazquez will ultimately lead the way in MLB headlines in the coming days.Of course, everything I mentioned could significantly change with Derek Jeter suddenly deciding to play for the New York Giants; Cliff Lee— Reebok New York Jets #6 Mark Sanchez Realtree camo Jersey
after revealing his "true" sports love: soccer—deciding to play for Manchester United; and Javier Vazquez deciding to retire on the beaches of Florida, but agreeing to don a Marlins jersey as a team spokeperson for one year while sipping martinis and soaking in the sun, right?
2010年12月19日星期日
20 Dec 10 Baltimore Ravens vs. Atlanta Falcons: Ready To Battle in Super Bowl Preview
Kevin C. Cox/Getty ImagesNFL Week 10 kicks off with a Thursday night showdown between the Baltimore Ravens and Atlanta Falcons.In fact, this is more then a regular season game. This might just be a Super Bowl preview in the middle of November.The intriguing part about this match up is how both Reebok Green Bay Packers 21 Charles Woodson Realtree camo Jersey
teams are similar in many ways coming into this week's game. Both teams sit at 6-2, coming off wins at home this past week. Joe Flacco and Matt Ryan are both former first-round picks, who are in their third season as starters and continue to make strides in their young careers.Michael Turner and Ray Rice are two young running backs who have obtained the starting role for two seasons now. Anquan Boldin, Roddy White, Derrick Mason and Michael Jenkins lead some of the past passing attacks in the league.On the defensive side, these units find way to get stops through many different ways. Head coaches Mike Smith and John Harbaugh enter their third season with their respective teams.Aside from how close these teams are to each other talent wise, the Georgia Dome Reebok Minnesota Vikings #84 Randy Moss Realtree camo Jersey
will be rocking on Thursday in Atlanta.Both the Falcons and the Ravens are fighting for top seeds within their conferences. With the elite teams showing their true colors mid-season, neither the Ravens or Falcons have an easy road ahead of them. That is why this win is so crucial.A win by the Baltimore Ravens not only means they are given the edge as the top team in the AFC, but benefit from a favorable schedule over the next four weeks.For the Falcons, a win is very important for them as well. The NFC is beginning to emerge with contenders, especially within their own division. A loss for the Falcons would bring them to ties both win the Saints and the Buccaneers for the division lead, which clearly isn't what the team had on the agenda.A key match up I am looking forward to is the Falcons running game against the Ravens defense. Miami found success running the ball early in the game last week with Ronnie Brown. The Falcons' Michael Turner has a similar skill set, and Atlanta is going to attempt to run the ball early and often against the Ravens.My suggestion is to not put all the pressure on Matt Ryan's shoulders. Last week, the Dolphins witnessed how the Ravens can create turnovers now that Ed Reed is back on the field.Overall, it isReebok Pittsburg Steelers #83 Heath Miller Realtree camo Jersey
going to be a game that goes down to the wire, and it will be interesting who wins in Flacco-Ryan I, or simply put, a possible early preview of this year's Super Bowl.Matt Miselis is a Baltimore Ravens and NFL Featured Columnist
teams are similar in many ways coming into this week's game. Both teams sit at 6-2, coming off wins at home this past week. Joe Flacco and Matt Ryan are both former first-round picks, who are in their third season as starters and continue to make strides in their young careers.Michael Turner and Ray Rice are two young running backs who have obtained the starting role for two seasons now. Anquan Boldin, Roddy White, Derrick Mason and Michael Jenkins lead some of the past passing attacks in the league.On the defensive side, these units find way to get stops through many different ways. Head coaches Mike Smith and John Harbaugh enter their third season with their respective teams.Aside from how close these teams are to each other talent wise, the Georgia Dome Reebok Minnesota Vikings #84 Randy Moss Realtree camo Jersey
will be rocking on Thursday in Atlanta.Both the Falcons and the Ravens are fighting for top seeds within their conferences. With the elite teams showing their true colors mid-season, neither the Ravens or Falcons have an easy road ahead of them. That is why this win is so crucial.A win by the Baltimore Ravens not only means they are given the edge as the top team in the AFC, but benefit from a favorable schedule over the next four weeks.For the Falcons, a win is very important for them as well. The NFC is beginning to emerge with contenders, especially within their own division. A loss for the Falcons would bring them to ties both win the Saints and the Buccaneers for the division lead, which clearly isn't what the team had on the agenda.A key match up I am looking forward to is the Falcons running game against the Ravens defense. Miami found success running the ball early in the game last week with Ronnie Brown. The Falcons' Michael Turner has a similar skill set, and Atlanta is going to attempt to run the ball early and often against the Ravens.My suggestion is to not put all the pressure on Matt Ryan's shoulders. Last week, the Dolphins witnessed how the Ravens can create turnovers now that Ed Reed is back on the field.Overall, it isReebok Pittsburg Steelers #83 Heath Miller Realtree camo Jersey
going to be a game that goes down to the wire, and it will be interesting who wins in Flacco-Ryan I, or simply put, a possible early preview of this year's Super Bowl.Matt Miselis is a Baltimore Ravens and NFL Featured Columnist
19 Dec 10 Philadelphia Eagles: The Transformation of Michael Vick Is Still Not Over
In Atlanta, Michael Vick became the face of the entire league for his ability to take off and run with the ball and throw it deep. In Philadelphia, he's quickly becoming the face of the franchise for those same key reasons, but with an added twist.This time, he's actually playing quarterback. Reebok Baltimore Ravens #27 Ray Rice Realtree camo Jersey
With the Falcons he was basically a running back who took some snaps. He had one read and if that guy wasn't open, he took off. And a lot of the time even if that guy was open, he would still take off.And even if he decided to make the throw, there was a good chance it wasn't going to be anywhere near his receiver.Now, that's all changed. With the help of Andy Reid, Vick has turned himself into a pocket passer who uses his legs and escapability as an asset rather than a first option. He stands tall, dissects a defense, and makes a strong, accurate throw rather than just flicking his wrist and hoping for the best.But the great thing for the Eagles (or scary thing for the other 31 teams) is that Vick's transformation into a complete quarterback still is not finished.He goes through his progressions, his accuracy is light-years ahead of where he was, turnovers are almost non-existent (two fumbles, zero interceptions), and he's becoming a guy the team looks to as a leader, but he still doesn't seem 100 percent confident in calling audibles.Ideally, a quarterback should never have to call an audible, but that's just not the way it works.There were a few times against the Redskins that I thought an audible was absolutely necessary, but he stuck with a play that he must have known Reebok Baltimore Ravens #52 Ray Lewis Realtree camo Jersey
was doomed for fail. A specific example would be on a 3rd-and-3 later in the game when DeSean Jackson motioned into the backfield and he and LeSean McCoy both ran swing patterns.The Redskins completely vacated the middle as the bumped both defensive tackles into more of a four or five technique and the linebackers were a good five to seven yards off the ball. The clear choice in that case would be the audible into some kind of run.But instead, Vick stuck with the call, tossed the swing to McCoy, and McCoy got rocked for a one-yard losss.This is in now way a knock on Vick. For as great as he's playing, he's still learning from the mental side of things and might not be all that comfortable changing the plays just yet. He did seem to make calls against the Redskins, but it mostly appeared to be changing the direction of the play more than anything else.Eagles fans are excited about Vick, and they should be. It won't take long for anyone to find different things written by me destroying the notion that Vick could be a Reebok Chicago Bears #54 Brian Urlacher Realtree camo Jersey
starter for this team, but in my own defense that was before he became a quarterback.Jim Johnson and a very good (dare I say great?) Eagles defense showed that Vick the running back could be stopped fairly easily, but if he can continue his progression throughout the season and get to the point where he's comfortable with all aspects of his game, Vick the quarterback could become truly unstoppable.This article is also featured on2 Minutes to Midnight Green
With the Falcons he was basically a running back who took some snaps. He had one read and if that guy wasn't open, he took off. And a lot of the time even if that guy was open, he would still take off.And even if he decided to make the throw, there was a good chance it wasn't going to be anywhere near his receiver.Now, that's all changed. With the help of Andy Reid, Vick has turned himself into a pocket passer who uses his legs and escapability as an asset rather than a first option. He stands tall, dissects a defense, and makes a strong, accurate throw rather than just flicking his wrist and hoping for the best.But the great thing for the Eagles (or scary thing for the other 31 teams) is that Vick's transformation into a complete quarterback still is not finished.He goes through his progressions, his accuracy is light-years ahead of where he was, turnovers are almost non-existent (two fumbles, zero interceptions), and he's becoming a guy the team looks to as a leader, but he still doesn't seem 100 percent confident in calling audibles.Ideally, a quarterback should never have to call an audible, but that's just not the way it works.There were a few times against the Redskins that I thought an audible was absolutely necessary, but he stuck with a play that he must have known Reebok Baltimore Ravens #52 Ray Lewis Realtree camo Jersey
was doomed for fail. A specific example would be on a 3rd-and-3 later in the game when DeSean Jackson motioned into the backfield and he and LeSean McCoy both ran swing patterns.The Redskins completely vacated the middle as the bumped both defensive tackles into more of a four or five technique and the linebackers were a good five to seven yards off the ball. The clear choice in that case would be the audible into some kind of run.But instead, Vick stuck with the call, tossed the swing to McCoy, and McCoy got rocked for a one-yard losss.This is in now way a knock on Vick. For as great as he's playing, he's still learning from the mental side of things and might not be all that comfortable changing the plays just yet. He did seem to make calls against the Redskins, but it mostly appeared to be changing the direction of the play more than anything else.Eagles fans are excited about Vick, and they should be. It won't take long for anyone to find different things written by me destroying the notion that Vick could be a Reebok Chicago Bears #54 Brian Urlacher Realtree camo Jersey
starter for this team, but in my own defense that was before he became a quarterback.Jim Johnson and a very good (dare I say great?) Eagles defense showed that Vick the running back could be stopped fairly easily, but if he can continue his progression throughout the season and get to the point where he's comfortable with all aspects of his game, Vick the quarterback could become truly unstoppable.This article is also featured on2 Minutes to Midnight Green
2010年12月18日星期六
18 Dec 10 Donovan McNabb's Contract: How Do Benching and $78 Million Go Together?
Jonathan Daniel/Getty ImagesDonovan McNabb signed a new contract with the Washington Redskins on Monday, reportedly for five years and $78 million, $40 million of which is guaranteed.This move is somewhat baffling considering the last time we saw McNabb, he was standing on the sidelines afterReebok Minnesota Vikings #4 Brett Favre Realtree camo Jersey
being benched for Rex Grossman in the two-minute drill.The contract extension flies in the face of all the rumored problems between McNabb and Shanahan in the wake of the benching.Like wine and roses, though, the contract extension serves as an apologyfor a big coachingblunder that Shanahan most likely never will publicly admit to.Head Coach Mike Shanahan trotted out a few reasons that didn't make a lot of sense, such as McNabb's supposed unfamiliarity with the two-minute drill and his cardiovascular fitness.While McNabb detractors can jump on him for a lot of things, cardiovascular fitness never was one of them.So what does this contract extension mean? Other than the fact it pretty much locks up McNabb through the rest of his career.It means whatever problems Reebok Minnesota Vikings #69 Jared Allen Realtree camo Jersey
Shanahan had with McNabb now have to be reconciled because the owner of the team has made his choice.McNabb's contract extension means there will be no quarterback drafted in the first round in next year's draft and that McNabb is the quarterback of the near and distant future.Do You Think Donovan McNabb's $78 Million Contract Extension Was A Mistake?Do You Think Donovan McNabb's $78 Million Contract Extension Was A Mistake?Yes57.1%No20.8%Can I have a contract extension?22.1%Total votes: 371The Redskins made their choice, and now Shanahan has to make this work. Another benching like the last one won't be well-received by anyone in the organization, and blame will fall on the coaches if it's deemed McNabb wasn't "ready" or "fit."It also is Reebok New England Patriots #12 Tom Brady Realtree camo Jersey
up to McNabb to live up to the contract. He has to be more consistent, especially in big game situations. His playoff record and play need to improve should the Redskins make the playoffs, and McNabb has to stop giving critics a reason to dog him.The future is now in Washington and McNabb is at the helm. This is no longer a one or two-year stint until the Redskins can draft and develop a young prospect, it now is McNabb's ship to sail.
being benched for Rex Grossman in the two-minute drill.The contract extension flies in the face of all the rumored problems between McNabb and Shanahan in the wake of the benching.Like wine and roses, though, the contract extension serves as an apologyfor a big coachingblunder that Shanahan most likely never will publicly admit to.Head Coach Mike Shanahan trotted out a few reasons that didn't make a lot of sense, such as McNabb's supposed unfamiliarity with the two-minute drill and his cardiovascular fitness.While McNabb detractors can jump on him for a lot of things, cardiovascular fitness never was one of them.So what does this contract extension mean? Other than the fact it pretty much locks up McNabb through the rest of his career.It means whatever problems Reebok Minnesota Vikings #69 Jared Allen Realtree camo Jersey
Shanahan had with McNabb now have to be reconciled because the owner of the team has made his choice.McNabb's contract extension means there will be no quarterback drafted in the first round in next year's draft and that McNabb is the quarterback of the near and distant future.Do You Think Donovan McNabb's $78 Million Contract Extension Was A Mistake?Do You Think Donovan McNabb's $78 Million Contract Extension Was A Mistake?Yes57.1%No20.8%Can I have a contract extension?22.1%Total votes: 371The Redskins made their choice, and now Shanahan has to make this work. Another benching like the last one won't be well-received by anyone in the organization, and blame will fall on the coaches if it's deemed McNabb wasn't "ready" or "fit."It also is Reebok New England Patriots #12 Tom Brady Realtree camo Jersey
up to McNabb to live up to the contract. He has to be more consistent, especially in big game situations. His playoff record and play need to improve should the Redskins make the playoffs, and McNabb has to stop giving critics a reason to dog him.The future is now in Washington and McNabb is at the helm. This is no longer a one or two-year stint until the Redskins can draft and develop a young prospect, it now is McNabb's ship to sail.
2010年12月17日星期五
17 Dec 10 Michael Vick: Willing the Philadelphia Eagles To Victory
Jim McIsaac/Getty ImagesWhat more can you say about the Philadelphia Eagles' Michael Vick? Week in and week out, he's been able to will his team to victory in 2010.Considering this is coming from a guy who was nearly cut this summer, he makes for one helluva story. Couple that with Reebok Pittsburgh Steelers 43 Troy Polamalu Realtree camo Jersey
his banishment from the league and life in general, and it's suddenly upgraded to remarkable.Whether you like the guy or not, there is one undeniable aspect in his story. The fact that Michael Vick has reshaped his image and become an overnight hero is admirable on his part.At the same time, no one can deny this, for it is very true. This man turned his life around and has had a roller coaster journey over the past few years of his life. All of this though was his own doing, and now he's come clean.In 2005, Vick was the highest-paid player in the NFL. By 2007, he was faced with charges and sentenced to 21 months in jail for participating in a dogfighting ring. After his dismissal from jail, no one wanted to gamble on him.Who could blame them?Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie took a Liberty Bell-sized chance and brought Vick to Philadelphia. This made headlines everywhere, and the Eagles became the NFL's most-hated team.Vick was seemingly nothing more than a decoy in 2009, an afterthought to opposing defenses' game-planning. Fast-forward to 2010, and Michael Vick is again on top of the playoff world for the NFC East leaders. Wow! Did you follow all of that?Who is the NFL'S MVP right now?Who is the NFL'S MVP right now?Michael Vick91.5%Tom Brady7.5%Peyton Manning0.0%Roddy White0.9%Total votes: 106To say this has been a roller coaster is a major understatement. This has been the Michael Vick Experience 2.0.Vick has consistently been able to do things that only he can do on a football field. In his resurgence, Vick 2.0 is the uber-NFL QB. His style is similar but has been tweaked to accommodate his 30-year-old body. Vick has transformed into an even better player than previously.Now at the top of his game, Vick Reebok Green Bay Packers 21 Charles Woodson Realtree camo Jersey
has been able to become a traditional drop-back passer, but with a twist, of course. His two-dimensional nature and amazing talent again makes the Eagles a bona fide threat.As the entire world saw the past two weeks, Vick can win games in so many ways. Whether it's in blowout fashion or on plays of fortune like last night, Vick delivers. The "plays of fortune" that I'm referring to are numerous.In particular, though, LeSean McCoy's 50-yard fourth quarter TD scamper on 4th-and-1 was pure luck. There were so many things that could have gone wrong on that play, but didn't.The snap, of course, is first. That was a debacle turned fortuitous for Vick, and his recovery was instrumental to the score. Not to mention that Osi Umenyiora was a fingertip away from the ball on the pitch. It's a game of inches, right?Michael Vick's journey has been one of triumph and turmoil. He's learned the lessons to make him a stronger man and football player. Since his inception in the league in 2001, it was clear that he was aReebok Minnesota Vikings #84 Randy Moss Realtree camo Jersey
different athlete. He proved that on countless Saturdays in Blacksburg and again in Atlanta in dazzling fashion. Now, with his talents exploited once again, Vick's Philadelphia story is one for the ages.Like him or not, he's the most dynamic player this sport has ever seen.You don't have to like him, but after you read this article, it's impossible to neglect Michael Vick.
his banishment from the league and life in general, and it's suddenly upgraded to remarkable.Whether you like the guy or not, there is one undeniable aspect in his story. The fact that Michael Vick has reshaped his image and become an overnight hero is admirable on his part.At the same time, no one can deny this, for it is very true. This man turned his life around and has had a roller coaster journey over the past few years of his life. All of this though was his own doing, and now he's come clean.In 2005, Vick was the highest-paid player in the NFL. By 2007, he was faced with charges and sentenced to 21 months in jail for participating in a dogfighting ring. After his dismissal from jail, no one wanted to gamble on him.Who could blame them?Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie took a Liberty Bell-sized chance and brought Vick to Philadelphia. This made headlines everywhere, and the Eagles became the NFL's most-hated team.Vick was seemingly nothing more than a decoy in 2009, an afterthought to opposing defenses' game-planning. Fast-forward to 2010, and Michael Vick is again on top of the playoff world for the NFC East leaders. Wow! Did you follow all of that?Who is the NFL'S MVP right now?Who is the NFL'S MVP right now?Michael Vick91.5%Tom Brady7.5%Peyton Manning0.0%Roddy White0.9%Total votes: 106To say this has been a roller coaster is a major understatement. This has been the Michael Vick Experience 2.0.Vick has consistently been able to do things that only he can do on a football field. In his resurgence, Vick 2.0 is the uber-NFL QB. His style is similar but has been tweaked to accommodate his 30-year-old body. Vick has transformed into an even better player than previously.Now at the top of his game, Vick Reebok Green Bay Packers 21 Charles Woodson Realtree camo Jersey
has been able to become a traditional drop-back passer, but with a twist, of course. His two-dimensional nature and amazing talent again makes the Eagles a bona fide threat.As the entire world saw the past two weeks, Vick can win games in so many ways. Whether it's in blowout fashion or on plays of fortune like last night, Vick delivers. The "plays of fortune" that I'm referring to are numerous.In particular, though, LeSean McCoy's 50-yard fourth quarter TD scamper on 4th-and-1 was pure luck. There were so many things that could have gone wrong on that play, but didn't.The snap, of course, is first. That was a debacle turned fortuitous for Vick, and his recovery was instrumental to the score. Not to mention that Osi Umenyiora was a fingertip away from the ball on the pitch. It's a game of inches, right?Michael Vick's journey has been one of triumph and turmoil. He's learned the lessons to make him a stronger man and football player. Since his inception in the league in 2001, it was clear that he was aReebok Minnesota Vikings #84 Randy Moss Realtree camo Jersey
different athlete. He proved that on countless Saturdays in Blacksburg and again in Atlanta in dazzling fashion. Now, with his talents exploited once again, Vick's Philadelphia story is one for the ages.Like him or not, he's the most dynamic player this sport has ever seen.You don't have to like him, but after you read this article, it's impossible to neglect Michael Vick.
2010年12月16日星期四
16 Dec 10 Eli Manning and Ahmad Bradshaw Must Carry Giants Offense
Nick Laham/Getty ImagesWe are approaching Week 12 in the 17-week NFL season. The New York Giants are 6-4 on the year after losing their last two games to the Cowboys and Eagles. Now, in the middle of a playoff push, the Giants are without yet another wide receiver. The list of Reebok New Orleans Saints #9 Drew Brees Realtree camo Jersey
injured wide receivers continues to get longer, putting more emphasis on Eli Manning’s passes. Manning has thrown for 2,595 yards and 21 touchdowns this season, both good numbers. The problem has been turnovers. Manning has thrown the second most interceptions in the NFL this season, behind only Brett Favre.Granted, many of the interceptions went off receivers fingers, but Manning must be sure to put the ball on the numbers. With Steve Smith, Domenik Hixon and now Hakeem Nicks all sidelined, Eli Manning no longer has a comfortable option to look for. Mario Manningham will step into the No. 1 receiver role this Sunday against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Duke Calhoun is the second option with Derek Hagan third. Manning is fourth in the league in completion percentage among quarterbacks who have thrown at least200 passes.Outside of the interceptions, Manning is having a verygood year. Things will get tougher without Smith and Nicks, two Pro Bowl-caliberreceivers. Turnovers have been the problem for the Giants all season.In the early portion of the year, the Giants were able to get away with their mistakes because they were playing some lower-caliber teams. Now, with the season approaching Week 12 and more and more Reebok New York Giants #27 Brandon Jacobs Realtree camo Jersey
big games on tap, turnovers will hurt this team. We saw this last week in the loss to the Philadelphia Eagles. It’s not just Manning. Running back Ahmad Bradshaw has hadtrouble holding on to the ball this season. Bradshaw, who has taken over the starting running back duties this season, leadsall NFLbacks in fumbles with six. Of the six, Bradshaw lost five. Continue this full article at Double G Sports where you will find all things NY/NJ sports.
injured wide receivers continues to get longer, putting more emphasis on Eli Manning’s passes. Manning has thrown for 2,595 yards and 21 touchdowns this season, both good numbers. The problem has been turnovers. Manning has thrown the second most interceptions in the NFL this season, behind only Brett Favre.Granted, many of the interceptions went off receivers fingers, but Manning must be sure to put the ball on the numbers. With Steve Smith, Domenik Hixon and now Hakeem Nicks all sidelined, Eli Manning no longer has a comfortable option to look for. Mario Manningham will step into the No. 1 receiver role this Sunday against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Duke Calhoun is the second option with Derek Hagan third. Manning is fourth in the league in completion percentage among quarterbacks who have thrown at least200 passes.Outside of the interceptions, Manning is having a verygood year. Things will get tougher without Smith and Nicks, two Pro Bowl-caliberreceivers. Turnovers have been the problem for the Giants all season.In the early portion of the year, the Giants were able to get away with their mistakes because they were playing some lower-caliber teams. Now, with the season approaching Week 12 and more and more Reebok New York Giants #27 Brandon Jacobs Realtree camo Jersey
big games on tap, turnovers will hurt this team. We saw this last week in the loss to the Philadelphia Eagles. It’s not just Manning. Running back Ahmad Bradshaw has hadtrouble holding on to the ball this season. Bradshaw, who has taken over the starting running back duties this season, leadsall NFLbacks in fumbles with six. Of the six, Bradshaw lost five. Continue this full article at Double G Sports where you will find all things NY/NJ sports.
2010年12月15日星期三
Pittsburgh Steelers Still Alive Thanks To Steve Johnson's Hands
Karl Walter/Getty ImagesAfter one day to think about how close the Pittsburgh Steelers were to getting upset by a tough Buffalo Bills team yesterday, one word still remains on my mind: luck. How else could you explain Bills' return ace Leodis McKelvin running into his own blocker at midfield to start the overtime period? How else could you explain Stevie Johnson, a second year player who is having a Pro Bowl caliber season, drops a perfect pass in the end zone in overtime? One could answer, hey, these are the Bills, and that could football jerseys
serve as a rational answer. However, the Steelers still escaped from Buffalo with a 19-16 overtime victory and are now 8-3. Yesterday's miracle did several things, such as make one usually pessimistic person (me) believe in miracles and two, kept the Steelers firmly in the very tight AFC playoff race, a playoff race where 10 wins might not be enough. Now for this week's observations, answers, and yes, overreactions from yesterday's game.1. Daniel Sepulveda is the Steelers' true MVPDuring the first quarter of the season, the Ben-less Steelers relied on the defense and running back Rashard Mendenhall to earn a 3-1 record. During the second quarter of the season, the Steelers took advantage of QB Ben Roethlisberger's playmaking ability and the best deep threat in the NFL today in WR Mike Wallace. The second quarter Steelers also went 3-1.Will the 2010 Steelers make the playoffs?Will the 2010 Steelers make the playoffs?Yes, but they will be one and done28.1%Yes, and they will make it to the AFC title game28.1%Yes, and they will make it to the Super Bowl40.6%No, yesterday was a sign of more things to come3.1%No, too many injuries 0.0%Total votes: 32As the Steelers are about to close out the third quarter of the season in Baltimore next Sunday, only one word can describe them: inconsistent. Inconsistent has been the hot word describing the Steelers since the Mike Tomlin era began in 2007. Inconsistent offense, inconsistent defense, you name it. However, there has been one player who remained consistent throughout the entire season: punter Daniel Sepulveda.Sepulveda has quietly been the best Steelers' player all season, key words being all season. Yes, early in the season, safety Troy Polamalu and running back Rashard Mendenhall helped carry the team. Lawrence Timmons and James Harrison (the fines aside) have put up great numbers. Roethlisberger has also done his part, as did Wallace. But throughout the entire 2010 campaign, Sepulveda has bailed out the Steelers by consistently making excellent punts and yesterday was no exception.In overtime yesterday, Sepulveda, backed up in his own end zone due to a Roethlisberger sack, boomed a 55-yard kick that flipped field position. Yes, McKelvin fumbled the ball and the Bills recovered on their own 34-yard line, but Sepulveda's efforts should not be understated. Sepulveda punted the ball at his best when the Steelers needed him to and has been one of the key reasons why the Steelers' defense does not face too many short fields since being drafted by the Steelers in 2007.Sepulveda's contract will run out at the end of this season and it's anyone's guess as to how the new CBA will go for 2011. However, the Steelers would be a lesser team without Sepulveda and they must make him one of the top priorities in the offseason.2. At least for now, questions about Shaun Suisham have been answeredShaun Suisham, who replaced long time kicker Jeff Reed, kicked four field goals yesterday to help the Steelers in their escape from Buffalo. While we have seen Reed kick many field goals before, the Steelers have not seen Reed make one between the 40s this season, a red Cowboys jersey
flag indeed. All four of Suisham's field goals were in the 40s.This does not necessarily mean that the Steelers as a whole will breathe a collective sigh of relief because this was not done in Heinz Field, the bane of all kickers' existence. Yes, Buffalo and its weather conditions make it a tough place to kick but its turf allows for more sure footing than Heinz Field does.While I applaud Suisham for his efforts, let's wait and see if Suisham, who has a history of missing big kicks (how else could the Steelers just pick him up off the street if he was great?), can make a 40-plus yard kick in Heinz Field when the game is on the line, which Reed has done for many years. Until then, that question about Suisham remains unanswered.3. Bruce Arians is still an issue....But that issue got some brains yesterday during overtime. The Steelers started out hot with the run yesterday, going nearly eight minutes on a long drive that ended with a Mendenhall touchdown run. However, offensive coordinator Bruce Arians would call up one pass play after another in the second quarter, putting his weak offensive line and his QB in greater jeopardy.One drive in the second quarter comes to mind and here are the numbers: 11 plays, 21 yards, eight minutes, one holding call, and two sacks. Arians single-handedly tried to put Buffalo nose tackle Kyle Williams into the Pro Bowl on that one drive.Arians dialed up the run against the worst run defense in the league during overtime but you get the picture. It's the same old thing with Arians every week. The 2010 Steelers, however, are not on the level of the 2008 Steelers. The 2008 Steelers won in spite of Arians's stubbornness and ineptitude. Why pass the ball so much when the offensive line, already decimated by injuries, is struggling worse than usual? Why pass the ball when the opposition has the worst run defense in the league?On the game winning drive in OT, the Steelers ran 13 plays, only three being pass plays. Just putting it out there. I know that Mendenhall fumbled again and he is one game away from being put in the Ahmad Bradshaw category, but he is still a workhorse and his 36 carries for 151 yards proved he can be counted on. With news of Roethlisberger's foot injury, the Steelers might be forced to run the ball more, but with Arians, things like this never stopped him before.4. These are not the 2009 SteelersOne thing for sure is that yesterday's game proved to me these Steelers, by luck or skill, found ways to win instead of finding ways to lose like they did last season. Whether it was defensive collapses, special teams disasters, or horrendous offensive execution and play-calling, the 2009 Steelers missed on the playoffs and failed to defend their Super Bowl title.The 2009 Steelers lost games like the one yesterday. However, these Steelers got it done when it was necessary. The 2010 Steelers remain in the driver's seat for the playoff race and the playoff race is extremely tight. How tight? 10 wins, the nfl throwback jerseys
standard barometer for playoff teams, might not be enough this season unless you are in the AFC West.However, the Steelers have an easier schedule to finish out the 2010 campaign. The Steelers will go to Baltimore next week for the game of the season for both teams but then come home for three straight against the already given up Cincinnati Bengals, the New York Jets, and the hapless Carolina Panthers. The Steelers will finish the regular season in Cleveland. It is extremely possible for the Steelers to get to 11 wins and make the playoffs this season and prove the doubters wrong. What they do in the playoffs is another story for another day.
serve as a rational answer. However, the Steelers still escaped from Buffalo with a 19-16 overtime victory and are now 8-3. Yesterday's miracle did several things, such as make one usually pessimistic person (me) believe in miracles and two, kept the Steelers firmly in the very tight AFC playoff race, a playoff race where 10 wins might not be enough. Now for this week's observations, answers, and yes, overreactions from yesterday's game.1. Daniel Sepulveda is the Steelers' true MVPDuring the first quarter of the season, the Ben-less Steelers relied on the defense and running back Rashard Mendenhall to earn a 3-1 record. During the second quarter of the season, the Steelers took advantage of QB Ben Roethlisberger's playmaking ability and the best deep threat in the NFL today in WR Mike Wallace. The second quarter Steelers also went 3-1.Will the 2010 Steelers make the playoffs?Will the 2010 Steelers make the playoffs?Yes, but they will be one and done28.1%Yes, and they will make it to the AFC title game28.1%Yes, and they will make it to the Super Bowl40.6%No, yesterday was a sign of more things to come3.1%No, too many injuries 0.0%Total votes: 32As the Steelers are about to close out the third quarter of the season in Baltimore next Sunday, only one word can describe them: inconsistent. Inconsistent has been the hot word describing the Steelers since the Mike Tomlin era began in 2007. Inconsistent offense, inconsistent defense, you name it. However, there has been one player who remained consistent throughout the entire season: punter Daniel Sepulveda.Sepulveda has quietly been the best Steelers' player all season, key words being all season. Yes, early in the season, safety Troy Polamalu and running back Rashard Mendenhall helped carry the team. Lawrence Timmons and James Harrison (the fines aside) have put up great numbers. Roethlisberger has also done his part, as did Wallace. But throughout the entire 2010 campaign, Sepulveda has bailed out the Steelers by consistently making excellent punts and yesterday was no exception.In overtime yesterday, Sepulveda, backed up in his own end zone due to a Roethlisberger sack, boomed a 55-yard kick that flipped field position. Yes, McKelvin fumbled the ball and the Bills recovered on their own 34-yard line, but Sepulveda's efforts should not be understated. Sepulveda punted the ball at his best when the Steelers needed him to and has been one of the key reasons why the Steelers' defense does not face too many short fields since being drafted by the Steelers in 2007.Sepulveda's contract will run out at the end of this season and it's anyone's guess as to how the new CBA will go for 2011. However, the Steelers would be a lesser team without Sepulveda and they must make him one of the top priorities in the offseason.2. At least for now, questions about Shaun Suisham have been answeredShaun Suisham, who replaced long time kicker Jeff Reed, kicked four field goals yesterday to help the Steelers in their escape from Buffalo. While we have seen Reed kick many field goals before, the Steelers have not seen Reed make one between the 40s this season, a red Cowboys jersey
flag indeed. All four of Suisham's field goals were in the 40s.This does not necessarily mean that the Steelers as a whole will breathe a collective sigh of relief because this was not done in Heinz Field, the bane of all kickers' existence. Yes, Buffalo and its weather conditions make it a tough place to kick but its turf allows for more sure footing than Heinz Field does.While I applaud Suisham for his efforts, let's wait and see if Suisham, who has a history of missing big kicks (how else could the Steelers just pick him up off the street if he was great?), can make a 40-plus yard kick in Heinz Field when the game is on the line, which Reed has done for many years. Until then, that question about Suisham remains unanswered.3. Bruce Arians is still an issue....But that issue got some brains yesterday during overtime. The Steelers started out hot with the run yesterday, going nearly eight minutes on a long drive that ended with a Mendenhall touchdown run. However, offensive coordinator Bruce Arians would call up one pass play after another in the second quarter, putting his weak offensive line and his QB in greater jeopardy.One drive in the second quarter comes to mind and here are the numbers: 11 plays, 21 yards, eight minutes, one holding call, and two sacks. Arians single-handedly tried to put Buffalo nose tackle Kyle Williams into the Pro Bowl on that one drive.Arians dialed up the run against the worst run defense in the league during overtime but you get the picture. It's the same old thing with Arians every week. The 2010 Steelers, however, are not on the level of the 2008 Steelers. The 2008 Steelers won in spite of Arians's stubbornness and ineptitude. Why pass the ball so much when the offensive line, already decimated by injuries, is struggling worse than usual? Why pass the ball when the opposition has the worst run defense in the league?On the game winning drive in OT, the Steelers ran 13 plays, only three being pass plays. Just putting it out there. I know that Mendenhall fumbled again and he is one game away from being put in the Ahmad Bradshaw category, but he is still a workhorse and his 36 carries for 151 yards proved he can be counted on. With news of Roethlisberger's foot injury, the Steelers might be forced to run the ball more, but with Arians, things like this never stopped him before.4. These are not the 2009 SteelersOne thing for sure is that yesterday's game proved to me these Steelers, by luck or skill, found ways to win instead of finding ways to lose like they did last season. Whether it was defensive collapses, special teams disasters, or horrendous offensive execution and play-calling, the 2009 Steelers missed on the playoffs and failed to defend their Super Bowl title.The 2009 Steelers lost games like the one yesterday. However, these Steelers got it done when it was necessary. The 2010 Steelers remain in the driver's seat for the playoff race and the playoff race is extremely tight. How tight? 10 wins, the nfl throwback jerseys
standard barometer for playoff teams, might not be enough this season unless you are in the AFC West.However, the Steelers have an easier schedule to finish out the 2010 campaign. The Steelers will go to Baltimore next week for the game of the season for both teams but then come home for three straight against the already given up Cincinnati Bengals, the New York Jets, and the hapless Carolina Panthers. The Steelers will finish the regular season in Cleveland. It is extremely possible for the Steelers to get to 11 wins and make the playoffs this season and prove the doubters wrong. What they do in the playoffs is another story for another day.
2010年12月13日星期一
Kansas City Chiefs, What's Wrong With Being the Bride?
Otto Greule Jr/Getty ImagesSATIRE ; Being a fan of a team in any sport is sometimes a gut wrenching, hair pulling, fist clenching, 500 curse word per minute ordeal.We seldom sit back and relish what we are seeing because we get so rapped up into what we wish would happen for our team.If all is not going our team's way, someone, usually an official or two is out to get us. The league commissioner is in on it gosh darn it! When all else fails, "SOMEBODY CHEATED DAMMIT and I'm gonna blame everyone who doesn't see 43 Polamalu black jersey
it my way."If on that day, things are going how we planned: "God loves Me, and he must be a fan of my team!"It's fun being a fan becausewe get to live through the moments of whatwe view onthe court,in thepool oron thefield as ifwe're doing the sport ourselves.Heaven only knows the last time we ran or jumped, it was probably followed up with an ice packand a tube of Ben-Gay!I like talking to fans about their teams because thethings they share with you reveal so much about themselves and their egos or insecurities.I was talking to a couple of Kansas City Chief fans the other day and it was like watching a battle of multiple personalities: Bold and confident onone hand, and so terribly insecure and inadequate on the other."Man, we're going to go to the Super Bowl, I can feel it," they yelled.Otto Greule Jr/Getty Images"We got the best running back in the league. Dwayne Bowe is the best wide receiver since Jerry Rice. Arrowhead is the best home field advantage in the league!"Then without warning, they said, "I hope 4 Brett Favre White jersey
Cassel doesn't mess this up. Man, if we lose to the Chargers, we're done. Todd Haley doesn't know what he's doing!"I kind of waited for their heads to start spinning around.I said to them: "Fellas, Kansas City just came through the worst stretch of football the organization has ever seen in its history. They have exceeded all expectations of where they should be at this point in their rebuilding effort."They are seven and four, lead their division and you're getting to watch Jamaal Charles, Dwayne Bowe and Matt Cassel put together record breaking performances the team hasn't witnessed, let alone the fans in Kansas City in quite some time. How can you find anything negative in all of this?"They looked at me and said"C'mon man. This is the Chiefs, don't you remember Marty Ball, Dick Vermeil, the Colts, the Broncos, 13 win seasons and we still lost in the playoffs."AAGGGHH!!I laughed. If it's as if they can't even enjoy the games the way you should be able to enjoy them because they are waiting for all those old ghost to 6 Super Bowl Champions jersey
come out of the closet and slap a dose of reality right in their mugs.It's as if they get too happy, bad luck is gonna hurt the team becausethey'reenjoying the success of the team just a little bit too much.You know the saying, "God don't like ugly," so don't go enjoying all this prosperity.Hey, Kansas City! It's okay to be the front runner. It's okay to be the Bride!Enjoy it.
it my way."If on that day, things are going how we planned: "God loves Me, and he must be a fan of my team!"It's fun being a fan becausewe get to live through the moments of whatwe view onthe court,in thepool oron thefield as ifwe're doing the sport ourselves.Heaven only knows the last time we ran or jumped, it was probably followed up with an ice packand a tube of Ben-Gay!I like talking to fans about their teams because thethings they share with you reveal so much about themselves and their egos or insecurities.I was talking to a couple of Kansas City Chief fans the other day and it was like watching a battle of multiple personalities: Bold and confident onone hand, and so terribly insecure and inadequate on the other."Man, we're going to go to the Super Bowl, I can feel it," they yelled.Otto Greule Jr/Getty Images"We got the best running back in the league. Dwayne Bowe is the best wide receiver since Jerry Rice. Arrowhead is the best home field advantage in the league!"Then without warning, they said, "I hope 4 Brett Favre White jersey
Cassel doesn't mess this up. Man, if we lose to the Chargers, we're done. Todd Haley doesn't know what he's doing!"I kind of waited for their heads to start spinning around.I said to them: "Fellas, Kansas City just came through the worst stretch of football the organization has ever seen in its history. They have exceeded all expectations of where they should be at this point in their rebuilding effort."They are seven and four, lead their division and you're getting to watch Jamaal Charles, Dwayne Bowe and Matt Cassel put together record breaking performances the team hasn't witnessed, let alone the fans in Kansas City in quite some time. How can you find anything negative in all of this?"They looked at me and said"C'mon man. This is the Chiefs, don't you remember Marty Ball, Dick Vermeil, the Colts, the Broncos, 13 win seasons and we still lost in the playoffs."AAGGGHH!!I laughed. If it's as if they can't even enjoy the games the way you should be able to enjoy them because they are waiting for all those old ghost to 6 Super Bowl Champions jersey
come out of the closet and slap a dose of reality right in their mugs.It's as if they get too happy, bad luck is gonna hurt the team becausethey'reenjoying the success of the team just a little bit too much.You know the saying, "God don't like ugly," so don't go enjoying all this prosperity.Hey, Kansas City! It's okay to be the front runner. It's okay to be the Bride!Enjoy it.
2010年12月12日星期日
NFL Power Rankings Week 14: Focus on the Philadelphia Eagles
Al Bello/Getty ImagesAt my site—www.GuysNation.com—I do a weekly power ranking of all 32 NFL teams. It's a hugely subjective process in which I try to account for a team's strength of schedule, margin of victory, good wins and bad losses.Where do the Philadelphia Eagles 43 Polamalu black jersey
currently rank?They have some good victories on their resume. They defeated the Atlanta Falcons before their bye week, and although they followed that up with a loss to Tennessee, they regrouped during their week off and came back to beat the Indianapolis Colts—albeit by only two points at home (where odds makers usually like to give teams a three point advantage, meaning it was almost a loss).A big statementcame inWeek 10 on Monday Night Football, and as a Washington Redskins fan, I almost hate to talk about it. Any time a team can win a road game against a divisional opponent, it's a good thing. Heck, that's why earlier in the season I dropped Philly in my rankings because of their loss at home to the Redskins. Well now the Eagles have returned the favor in abig way.One of the things you need to know about the power rankings is that I consider the margin of victory and the location of the game heavily, which means the Eagles got quite a boost by trouncing the Redskins in Washington.After that win, they hosted another division rival, the New York Giants, and beat them too.Week 12 saw them take a road trip to Chicago, and as a surprise to many, the Eagles lost to the Bears. It was a road game, though, and road game losses 4 Brett Favre White jersey
are discounted— as are losses by less than eight points (this one was by five).While beating Houston adds another win to the Eagles' record, no one was surprised by it. That's a "must have" game at home for a Philly team looking to do well in the playoffs, right?So with a bunch of teams at 8-4, Philly's resume had to compare favorably against some, but not as good against others. Chicago beat them last week, so you know the Bears are ahead of the Eagles. The Giants lost to the Eagles a few weeks ago, but that was played in Philly andagainst divisional opponents, you expect to win the home games. The Ravens haven't played the Eagles, but Baltimore has a strong resume of opponents. A lot of people consider the Jets a weak 9-3 team, and because I don't just rank based on record, there's a chance the Eagles could've been listed ahead of them.For the complete rankings and analysis, check out the article on my website, www.GuysNation.com! Unlike Power Rankings you see elsewhere, your comments could 6 Super Bowl Champions jersey
help persuade me to rank your team better after Week 14.You also might like the dueling NFL Week 14 picks article on GuysNation.com, a new(ish) feature where the games on a given week's NFL schedule are debated amongst myself and another author on my site (who just happens to be a LIFE LONG PHILADELPHIA EAGLES FAN).
currently rank?They have some good victories on their resume. They defeated the Atlanta Falcons before their bye week, and although they followed that up with a loss to Tennessee, they regrouped during their week off and came back to beat the Indianapolis Colts—albeit by only two points at home (where odds makers usually like to give teams a three point advantage, meaning it was almost a loss).A big statementcame inWeek 10 on Monday Night Football, and as a Washington Redskins fan, I almost hate to talk about it. Any time a team can win a road game against a divisional opponent, it's a good thing. Heck, that's why earlier in the season I dropped Philly in my rankings because of their loss at home to the Redskins. Well now the Eagles have returned the favor in abig way.One of the things you need to know about the power rankings is that I consider the margin of victory and the location of the game heavily, which means the Eagles got quite a boost by trouncing the Redskins in Washington.After that win, they hosted another division rival, the New York Giants, and beat them too.Week 12 saw them take a road trip to Chicago, and as a surprise to many, the Eagles lost to the Bears. It was a road game, though, and road game losses 4 Brett Favre White jersey
are discounted— as are losses by less than eight points (this one was by five).While beating Houston adds another win to the Eagles' record, no one was surprised by it. That's a "must have" game at home for a Philly team looking to do well in the playoffs, right?So with a bunch of teams at 8-4, Philly's resume had to compare favorably against some, but not as good against others. Chicago beat them last week, so you know the Bears are ahead of the Eagles. The Giants lost to the Eagles a few weeks ago, but that was played in Philly andagainst divisional opponents, you expect to win the home games. The Ravens haven't played the Eagles, but Baltimore has a strong resume of opponents. A lot of people consider the Jets a weak 9-3 team, and because I don't just rank based on record, there's a chance the Eagles could've been listed ahead of them.For the complete rankings and analysis, check out the article on my website, www.GuysNation.com! Unlike Power Rankings you see elsewhere, your comments could 6 Super Bowl Champions jersey
help persuade me to rank your team better after Week 14.You also might like the dueling NFL Week 14 picks article on GuysNation.com, a new(ish) feature where the games on a given week's NFL schedule are debated amongst myself and another author on my site (who just happens to be a LIFE LONG PHILADELPHIA EAGLES FAN).
2010年12月11日星期六
Pittsburgh Steelers NFL Draft LenDale White Sinorice Moss Bobby Carpenter
When the Pittsburgh Steelers make their first selection Saturday with the 32nd pick in the NFL draft, chances are it will be someone who has looked them in the eye.Sure, the Steelers use computer models. Of course, they participate in the 
February combine. But they also hire their new players every year the way most businesses do – largely on the basis of personal interviews."The one thing you want to feel comfortable about," offensive coordinator Ken Whisenhunt said recently, "is that they'll fit in from the standpoint of 4 Brett Favre White jersey
personnel and work ethic. Are they a Pittsburgh Steeler kind of guy?"Last year's top choice, University of Virginia tight end Heath Miller, evidently was. And over the last five years, Pittsburgh has relied much more on the draft than on free agent signings to keep the black & gold machine moving forward.Of the last five Steeler top picks, in fact, all were starters on the 2005-06 Super Bowl champions -- DL Casey Hampton (2001), OG Kendall Simmons (2002), DB Troy Polamalu (2003), QB Ben Roethlisberger (2004) and Miller.In fact, 16 of the 22 starters in that ring-clinching victory over Seattle were draft picks, and only one was a free agent.The Pittsburgh Steelers' draft success is all the more remarkable, considering the team generally picks toward the bottom of the order on Draft Day 1.So who will it be this year? It's impossible to say, but it is possible to list the 30 or so college prospects the team has invited in to meet face-to-face.These include running backs LenDale White of Southern Cal, Lawrence Maroney of Minnesota's, Joseph Addai of LSU and Maurice Drew of UCLA; DB's Darnell Bing (White's teammate), Donte Whitner (Ohio State), Daniel Bullocks (Nebraska); LB Bobby Carpenter (Ohio State); WRs Sinorice Moss (Miami), Chad Jackson (Florida), Willie Reid (Florida State), and Jeremy Bloom (Colorado), best known as an Olympic moguls skier.White reportedly made a favorable impression, despite recent chatter about his weight and hamstring injury (it was, in fact, a Steeler doctor who took an MRI and identified the problem as a hamstring tear), and the team is sold on the big, mobile Carpenter.Pressing needs include a linebacker, a safety, a wide receiver and a running back (especially in the wake of Steelers 6 Super Bowl Champions jersey
Jerome Bettis' retirement and with Duce Staley's health still in question). Picking last, however, is the downside of winning a Super Bowl, and it's hard to say who will be around when the Steelers finally get up to the podium.You just know, somehow, that they're going to fit in.
February combine. But they also hire their new players every year the way most businesses do – largely on the basis of personal interviews."The one thing you want to feel comfortable about," offensive coordinator Ken Whisenhunt said recently, "is that they'll fit in from the standpoint of 4 Brett Favre White jersey
personnel and work ethic. Are they a Pittsburgh Steeler kind of guy?"Last year's top choice, University of Virginia tight end Heath Miller, evidently was. And over the last five years, Pittsburgh has relied much more on the draft than on free agent signings to keep the black & gold machine moving forward.Of the last five Steeler top picks, in fact, all were starters on the 2005-06 Super Bowl champions -- DL Casey Hampton (2001), OG Kendall Simmons (2002), DB Troy Polamalu (2003), QB Ben Roethlisberger (2004) and Miller.In fact, 16 of the 22 starters in that ring-clinching victory over Seattle were draft picks, and only one was a free agent.The Pittsburgh Steelers' draft success is all the more remarkable, considering the team generally picks toward the bottom of the order on Draft Day 1.So who will it be this year? It's impossible to say, but it is possible to list the 30 or so college prospects the team has invited in to meet face-to-face.These include running backs LenDale White of Southern Cal, Lawrence Maroney of Minnesota's, Joseph Addai of LSU and Maurice Drew of UCLA; DB's Darnell Bing (White's teammate), Donte Whitner (Ohio State), Daniel Bullocks (Nebraska); LB Bobby Carpenter (Ohio State); WRs Sinorice Moss (Miami), Chad Jackson (Florida), Willie Reid (Florida State), and Jeremy Bloom (Colorado), best known as an Olympic moguls skier.White reportedly made a favorable impression, despite recent chatter about his weight and hamstring injury (it was, in fact, a Steeler doctor who took an MRI and identified the problem as a hamstring tear), and the team is sold on the big, mobile Carpenter.Pressing needs include a linebacker, a safety, a wide receiver and a running back (especially in the wake of Steelers 6 Super Bowl Champions jersey
Jerome Bettis' retirement and with Duce Staley's health still in question). Picking last, however, is the downside of winning a Super Bowl, and it's hard to say who will be around when the Steelers finally get up to the podium.You just know, somehow, that they're going to fit in.
2010年12月9日星期四
San Francisco 49ers Cedrick Wilson Super Bowl
He may not have had a huge impact on the game, but regardless, former San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Cedrick Wilson is now a Super Bowl champ.Less than a year after signing with the Pittsburgh Steelers as a free agent, Wilson will get a chance to hoist the Vince Lombardi Trophy and visit the White House. Hell, he might stop by Disney World at some point as well.But it wasn't like Wilson was complete non-factor. He did haul in a 20-yard reception for a first down during the Steelers' first scoring drive late in the second quarter. Wilson was also the 4 Brett Favre White jersey
intended receiver when Ben Roethlisberger was intercepted at the goal line in the third quarter. He would have likely had a touchdown if Roethlisberger had made a better throw.In any case, Cedrick Wilson can definitely sleep easy tonight. One year after playing for the worst team in football, the former San Francisco 49ers wideout pitched in (he was on the receiving end of the decisive flea-flicker touchdown pass against the Cincinnati Bengals in the Wildcard playoff round) to help the Pittsburgh Steelers become world champions. Talk about a reversal of fortunes
intended receiver when Ben Roethlisberger was intercepted at the goal line in the third quarter. He would have likely had a touchdown if Roethlisberger had made a better throw.In any case, Cedrick Wilson can definitely sleep easy tonight. One year after playing for the worst team in football, the former San Francisco 49ers wideout pitched in (he was on the receiving end of the decisive flea-flicker touchdown pass against the Cincinnati Bengals in the Wildcard playoff round) to help the Pittsburgh Steelers become world champions. Talk about a reversal of fortunes
San Francisco 49ers Patrick Willis Adam Carriker
While no one really knows whom the San Francisco 49ers will select with the 11th overall pick in the NFL draft, the field seems to have narrowed substantially leading up to the weekend. Barring a trade, the race seems to have boiled down to two players: Patrick Willis and Adam Carriker.When the 6-foot-2, 242-pound Willis -- an Ole Miss product -- ran a 4.37 40-yard dash at his Pro Day workout, his draft stock began to soar immediately. What really sealed the deal was his performance in the Senior Bowl, where 49ers head coach 4 Brett Favre Purple jersey
Mike Nolan named Willis team captain, and he performed brilliantly the entire week. Having played both inside and outside linebacker in college, Willis' versatility is ideal for what the 49ers are trying to establish defensively. "The first two years in college, I played outside linebacker, covered some slot receivers," said Willis. "I'd say I'm confident in my (coverage) abilities, but anything I need to do I'll work on and do my best to get the job done." Willis is a great tackler whose physical style ranges from sideline to sideline. His exceptional playmaking abilities would make the 49ers' linebacking corps impressive overnight and help enforce the physical style that Nolan wants to instill in his defense.Meanwhile, the 6-6, 296-pound Carriker is an absolutely menacing defensive lineman. He is a physical force who can overpower anyone trying to block him and commands double teams consistently. Carriker has been called the best 3-4 DE prospect to come out of college since Richard Seymour after playing both tackle and end positions in college and excelling at both. He raised his draft stock immensely after his showing at the Senior Bowl (two forced fumbles, one sack) while playing a different defensive style than in college. "In our defensive scheme at Nebraska, I wasn't really allowed to come off the ball, fly off the ball and make plays," Carriker said. "In our scheme (at the Senior Bowl), I was like a two-gap guy, I either took up two gaps or two offensive linemen. So I wasn't really allowed to just come off the ball and make plays."A front line consisting of Carriker, Bryant Young and Aubrayo Franklin looks like a unit that could make an immediate impact in San Francisco. The selection of Carriker also eases concerns about depth and Young's impending retirement at the end of the 2007 season. Many NFL teams feel that there isn't that much true first-round talent in this particular draft and, as a result, are focusing on trading down. The Niners, however, are in the perfect position to 36 Bettis Black Jersey
address their most pressing need in Round 1, without moving. The 49ers will come away with a very solid player by drafting either Willis or Carriker and should fill a need for years to come. Questions? Comments? E-mail the writer: peide .Get more San Francisco 49ers
Mike Nolan named Willis team captain, and he performed brilliantly the entire week. Having played both inside and outside linebacker in college, Willis' versatility is ideal for what the 49ers are trying to establish defensively. "The first two years in college, I played outside linebacker, covered some slot receivers," said Willis. "I'd say I'm confident in my (coverage) abilities, but anything I need to do I'll work on and do my best to get the job done." Willis is a great tackler whose physical style ranges from sideline to sideline. His exceptional playmaking abilities would make the 49ers' linebacking corps impressive overnight and help enforce the physical style that Nolan wants to instill in his defense.Meanwhile, the 6-6, 296-pound Carriker is an absolutely menacing defensive lineman. He is a physical force who can overpower anyone trying to block him and commands double teams consistently. Carriker has been called the best 3-4 DE prospect to come out of college since Richard Seymour after playing both tackle and end positions in college and excelling at both. He raised his draft stock immensely after his showing at the Senior Bowl (two forced fumbles, one sack) while playing a different defensive style than in college. "In our defensive scheme at Nebraska, I wasn't really allowed to come off the ball, fly off the ball and make plays," Carriker said. "In our scheme (at the Senior Bowl), I was like a two-gap guy, I either took up two gaps or two offensive linemen. So I wasn't really allowed to just come off the ball and make plays."A front line consisting of Carriker, Bryant Young and Aubrayo Franklin looks like a unit that could make an immediate impact in San Francisco. The selection of Carriker also eases concerns about depth and Young's impending retirement at the end of the 2007 season. Many NFL teams feel that there isn't that much true first-round talent in this particular draft and, as a result, are focusing on trading down. The Niners, however, are in the perfect position to 36 Bettis Black Jersey
address their most pressing need in Round 1, without moving. The 49ers will come away with a very solid player by drafting either Willis or Carriker and should fill a need for years to come. Questions? Comments? E-mail the writer: peide .Get more San Francisco 49ers
2010年12月2日星期四
Fan Pulse: "Jacksonville Jaguars forum says Minneapolis press 'too negative' for Troy Williamson"
It's early in training camp, but some on the the Jacksonville Jaguars' official team message board are proclaiming wide receiver Troy Williamson the steal of this year's free agent class.The Jaguars acquired Williamson, the seventh overall pick in the 2005 draft, from Minnesota for a seventh-rounder in 2009. Not a great return on the Vikings' investment, but with him hitting restricted free agency next year, and the fact Williamson dropped several passes each of his first three seasons, Minnesota decided to bail out.Maybe, a few Jags fans suggest, he just needed a change of scenery. According to the Jacksonville Union-Tribune, he's liking his new scenery. "...With so much turmoil in Minnesota, it was good to come down here to Florida."Jags fans agree completely, judging by the team forum. "If Williamson turns out to be as good a receiver for us as he looks in our camp, the fans in Minnesota will be storming their front office carrying tar and feathers."One poster blames forum writers in general for Williamson's gaffes over the years. "Apparently his couple of big drops were a constant topic on the Vikes message boards. And evidently, it is widely known in Minnesota that Troy Williamson actively reads the message boards. Not good for your confidence when that ball is in the air. Vikes fan says that Troy was mostly embraced and loved in spite of his shortcomings and that most fans didn't want him to leave the team but the local media and a portion of the fans were just way to negative."Despite the aforementioned drops that have plagued Williamson up to this point, Jaguars fans are excited for his place on the team. One fan is even making predictions. "ball inside the jaguars 10yd line......... garrard takes the snap, drops back, finds a receiver, ball is caught, troy williamson on the run, breaks 2 tackles, now its a foot race (one man to beat) at the 30-40-50.......10-5-TOUCHDOWN JACKSONVILLE!!!! WHAT A PLAY FROM TROY WILLIAMSON...." The Jacksonville Jaguars have reached a one-year, $370,000 deal with former wide receiver Craphonso Thorpe.Commentary: Thorpe has spent a good portion of his career in the AFC South. In 2006, he played for the Houston Texans. Last season he spent the year with the Colts, with whom he managed 12 receptions for 70 yards. Jacksonville signed its second of five draft picks, fifth-round OLB Thomas Williams. No financial terms were given. Williams and seventh-round pick RB Chauncey Washington are Jacksonville's only signed picks as of now.Jaguars rookie contract status as of July 121 (8). DE Derrick Harvey, Florida – Unsigned2 (52). OLB Quentin Groves, Auburn – Unsigned5 (155). OLB Thomas Williams, USC - Signed (four years, no financial terms disclosed)5 (159). CB Trae Williams, South Florida – Unsigned7 (213). RB Chauncey Washington, USC – Signed (four years, signing bonus $60,000)
Jacksonville Jaguars "Maurice Jones-Drew & Fred Taylor aren't busting out; they just look like busts"
The Jacksonville Jaguars were on the better end of 10 Santonio Holmes White jersey
a 30-27 overtime decision versus the Houston Texans on Sunday, but running backs Maurice Jones-Drew and Fred Taylor were both held under 50 yards rushing for the third time in four games. The injuries to the Jaguars' offensive line have left little running room for the talented tandem. Commentary: If the Jaguars hope to make noise in the AFC South, it will have to come from a balanced run attack; that's the staple of their offensive philosophy. However, it is starting to seem that quarterback David Garrard is the only one who can find a way to get substantial yardage. Everyone knows the game is won in the trenches, and that's a bad sign for a team that has lost four O-linemen so far this season (center Brad Meester, guards Maurice Williams and Vince Manuwai, and left tackle Richard Collier). Jones-Drew and Taylor have had a hard time finding any running room and the only reason Garrard has been able to get past the line of scrimmage is through holes that have opened up on broken passing plays. The Jaguars were Super Bowl sleepers heading into the season and are still somehow sitting in second place in the AFC South at 2-2. While it's not time to abandon the running game yet, the Jags will have to ask more of Garrard and a receiving corps that has been decent at best.Fan Pulse: Some Jags fans think the way to spell the running woes is through the deep pass: http://www.ultimatejaguars.com/cgi-bin/msgboard/view.cgi?section=22429.Fantasy Football Commentary: Jones-Drew was the 20th overall talent in most drafts. 10 Santonio Holmes black jersey
He certainly has not lived up to that ranking and it may be time to sell him. Injury Watch: Free safety Reggie Nelson was out for Sunday's game versus the Texans. Look for him to be questionable against the Steelers in Week 5. Jacksonville police are reporting that Jaguars offensive tackle Richard Collier was critically wounded after being shot multiple times early Tuesday morning. Collier and former Jaguars defensive end Kenneth Pettway (who was released Aug. 30) were in a Cadillac Escalade outside an apartment building in the western part of 4 Brett Favre Purple jersey
Jacksonville when an assailant opened fire into the car. Collier and Pettway were waiting outside the apartment as two women, who were described as wearing "nightclub dresses" in a report by The Associated Press, were dropping off their car, according to the Jacksonville Sheriff's office. Commentary: Gun violence continues to plague the NFL. Redskins free safety Sean Taylor and Broncos cornerback Darrent Williams were shot and killed last year. While strong details haven't been released about Collier's situation, there's little doubt the event will be scrutinized by fans and NFL personnel alike. Fan Pulse: Jaguars fans have been posting relentlessly on the Jaguars.com Message Board since news of the incident broke early Tuesday morning.
a 30-27 overtime decision versus the Houston Texans on Sunday, but running backs Maurice Jones-Drew and Fred Taylor were both held under 50 yards rushing for the third time in four games. The injuries to the Jaguars' offensive line have left little running room for the talented tandem. Commentary: If the Jaguars hope to make noise in the AFC South, it will have to come from a balanced run attack; that's the staple of their offensive philosophy. However, it is starting to seem that quarterback David Garrard is the only one who can find a way to get substantial yardage. Everyone knows the game is won in the trenches, and that's a bad sign for a team that has lost four O-linemen so far this season (center Brad Meester, guards Maurice Williams and Vince Manuwai, and left tackle Richard Collier). Jones-Drew and Taylor have had a hard time finding any running room and the only reason Garrard has been able to get past the line of scrimmage is through holes that have opened up on broken passing plays. The Jaguars were Super Bowl sleepers heading into the season and are still somehow sitting in second place in the AFC South at 2-2. While it's not time to abandon the running game yet, the Jags will have to ask more of Garrard and a receiving corps that has been decent at best.Fan Pulse: Some Jags fans think the way to spell the running woes is through the deep pass: http://www.ultimatejaguars.com/cgi-bin/msgboard/view.cgi?section=22429.Fantasy Football Commentary: Jones-Drew was the 20th overall talent in most drafts. 10 Santonio Holmes black jersey
He certainly has not lived up to that ranking and it may be time to sell him. Injury Watch: Free safety Reggie Nelson was out for Sunday's game versus the Texans. Look for him to be questionable against the Steelers in Week 5. Jacksonville police are reporting that Jaguars offensive tackle Richard Collier was critically wounded after being shot multiple times early Tuesday morning. Collier and former Jaguars defensive end Kenneth Pettway (who was released Aug. 30) were in a Cadillac Escalade outside an apartment building in the western part of 4 Brett Favre Purple jersey
Jacksonville when an assailant opened fire into the car. Collier and Pettway were waiting outside the apartment as two women, who were described as wearing "nightclub dresses" in a report by The Associated Press, were dropping off their car, according to the Jacksonville Sheriff's office. Commentary: Gun violence continues to plague the NFL. Redskins free safety Sean Taylor and Broncos cornerback Darrent Williams were shot and killed last year. While strong details haven't been released about Collier's situation, there's little doubt the event will be scrutinized by fans and NFL personnel alike. Fan Pulse: Jaguars fans have been posting relentlessly on the Jaguars.com Message Board since news of the incident broke early Tuesday morning.
2010年12月1日星期三
Andrew Walter vs. Denver Broncos
The clock was nearing one minute; Nnamdi Asomugha aggressively unsnapped his chinstrap and slapped his hands together. There was nothing else he could do.The offense had let him down once more.If it isn't poor play calling, then it's poor execution with the ' offense. From the center-quarterback exchange to the 2010 pro bowl Vikings 4 Brett Favre jersey
between-the-tackles run, the offense was as ineffective as usual.Quarterback Andrew Walter couldn't mask his inexperienced identity for a full four quarters on Sunday, losing two costly fumbles with under five minutes remaining in the fourth quarter.Up until the final minutes of the final quarter, Walter was mistake free -- at least on the stat sheet.The 6-foot-5, 230-pounder finished the game with 18 completions on 33 attempts for 214 yards, no touchdowns and no interceptions. Had the young quarterback been on target, though, his 55 percent completion percentage would have likely neared 75. Walter had trouble hitting his open receivers all evening, despite standing behind a much better offensive line. The sophomore quarterback was sacked just three times, but found himself in the face of constant pressure -- a result of holding on to the ball far too long.In the receiving game, Randal Williams may have solidified a permanent spot as the team's starting tight end. The converted 6-3 receiver hauled in five athletics grabs for 60 yards, including a 20-yarder late in the third quarter. Lined up wide, Randy Moss was held to just one catch for eight yards, thrown to five times on the day. The ground game wasn't of much assistance, either.Fullback Zack Crockett ended the game as the team's leading rusher with just 40 yards on seven carries. Beneath Crockett sat LaMont Jordan with 12 yards on 10 carries and Justin Fargas with minus-6 yards on eight attempts. All together, the team rushed for just 46 yards, averaging an abysmal 1.8 per carry.For the first time of the '06 season, even the artless Tom Walsh is free from blame.Per request, Walsh moved Walter outside of the pocket, increased his running backs' workload and called an occasional designed screen pass.Unfortunately, a lack of execution offset a respectable game plan.Following the game, Walter took a roundabout punch at his offensive coordinator."We don't have a lot of depth as far as our playbook goes," he said. 36 Bettis White Jersey
"They made some adjustments and started coming after us in the second half."Sorry, this one's on you, Andrew.Want to be in the Raiders mailbag? Visit RaidersLive.com to submit your questions and comments for the Nov. 17 mailbag. . (45)
between-the-tackles run, the offense was as ineffective as usual.Quarterback Andrew Walter couldn't mask his inexperienced identity for a full four quarters on Sunday, losing two costly fumbles with under five minutes remaining in the fourth quarter.Up until the final minutes of the final quarter, Walter was mistake free -- at least on the stat sheet.The 6-foot-5, 230-pounder finished the game with 18 completions on 33 attempts for 214 yards, no touchdowns and no interceptions. Had the young quarterback been on target, though, his 55 percent completion percentage would have likely neared 75. Walter had trouble hitting his open receivers all evening, despite standing behind a much better offensive line. The sophomore quarterback was sacked just three times, but found himself in the face of constant pressure -- a result of holding on to the ball far too long.In the receiving game, Randal Williams may have solidified a permanent spot as the team's starting tight end. The converted 6-3 receiver hauled in five athletics grabs for 60 yards, including a 20-yarder late in the third quarter. Lined up wide, Randy Moss was held to just one catch for eight yards, thrown to five times on the day. The ground game wasn't of much assistance, either.Fullback Zack Crockett ended the game as the team's leading rusher with just 40 yards on seven carries. Beneath Crockett sat LaMont Jordan with 12 yards on 10 carries and Justin Fargas with minus-6 yards on eight attempts. All together, the team rushed for just 46 yards, averaging an abysmal 1.8 per carry.For the first time of the '06 season, even the artless Tom Walsh is free from blame.Per request, Walsh moved Walter outside of the pocket, increased his running backs' workload and called an occasional designed screen pass.Unfortunately, a lack of execution offset a respectable game plan.Following the game, Walter took a roundabout punch at his offensive coordinator."We don't have a lot of depth as far as our playbook goes," he said. 36 Bettis White Jersey
"They made some adjustments and started coming after us in the second half."Sorry, this one's on you, Andrew.Want to be in the Raiders mailbag? Visit RaidersLive.com to submit your questions and comments for the Nov. 17 mailbag. . (45)
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