Vicktimized?

We all know who Michael Vick is.

Everybody has their own opinion as to what a worthless and cruel human being he is. There are many voices out there who damn Vick for all the things he’s done.

In the last few days, there was a “report” that Vick was playing organized football in prison. Shortly thereafter (the next day), there was another “report” claiming that he was in fact doing no such thing.

The question isn’t whether he’s playing football in prison or not…

The real question : Who the hell cares? Why are we reporting on it?

It’s been nearly a year since the entire ordeal with Vick began. For some reason, the media believes that it is still absolutely necessary to report every little thing that Vick does, even while he is jailed.

The same report claims that Vick is currently washing pots and pans in prison to earn twelve cents an hour. TWELVE cents.

Regardless of where Vick is seen in the social spotlight, think about this for a second…

He went from being the 2nd highest paid athlete in all of the NFL to working 9 hours to make one dollar.

Put yourself in that position. How would it feel to be publicly humiliated, hated and stripped of all your resources. Vick was the target for every media outlet in the country. If you wanted to get a good dose of animosity, you could have flipped on the TV to any channel and watched someone bash Vick.

Dog Killer. Inhumane heartless animal. Ruthless beast.

Sure, but also a human being. Just like you and me.

I understand what he did was wrong and in no way condone fighting dogs or would I do it myself, but how do we as a society allow someone to fall so far from grace?

Michael Vick resurrected the city of Atlanta. It was one of the most poverty-stricken and roughest areas to live. Vick entered the city and brought life to the faces of every individual that roamed the streets. He brought meaning to the lives of youngsters looking to play sports. He gave money to the poor and served as one of the greatest athletes we have ever been alive to witness.

And now, even once he’s been jailed, even after a public apology and several attempts to try and repair his broken name, he still cannot escape the constant surveillance and scrutiny.

Leave the man alone, allow him to pay his debt to society. Let him escape the spotlight while he is in the worst living situation he could possibly be in. A horror that many of us cannot even imagine.

I was once a big fan of his and continue to support him to this day. It isn’t right to fight dogs, but many of the things that go in on this country aren’t either.

There is some hypocrisy in the following :

I can take a double-barreled shotgun, travel into the woods and blast a buck square between the eyes. Not only will I receive no penalty, I could mount it on my wall and display it for the world to see. In fact, if it’s large enough, I may even be eligible for a reward of some sort.

In America, there are 36 million chickens killed every single day. For every four chicken wings that are eaten, a chicken was killed.

Chicken. Deer. Dog. Buck. Cat. Dolphin. Goat. Pig.

They are all animals and while I understand dogs are a domestic icon in America, why is the penalty SO MUCH greater for harming this animal when there are so many other animals slaughtered so casually.

In this case, it really does seem like the life of a dog is more valuable than the life of a human.

He has lost so much and may not ever be able to get his life back on track. The scrutiny will be too much. The media and the rabid animal-protesters will tip the scale too much for the NFL to allow Vick back in. It would hurt their image too much.

Players that have been caught with many illegal guns (Tank Johnson), been on trial for murder (Ray Lewis) or abused substances have taken minor suspensions and been allowed back. For some reason, it doesn't look like that's going to happen here.

Hopefully I am wrong.

Hopefully someone somewhere will realize that Vick is a person just like everyone else and allow him to re-join the league if he really has shown signs of maturity. It is the only thing he has ever done in his entire life. He knows nothing else.

I sure hope that Arthur Blank is one of those people and allows the man that turned his franchise completely around a chance to redeem himself.



Let Vick Live.

The Final Game : A Champion will be Crowned

Tonight is the night.

Memphis vs. Kansas for the rights to call themselves the best college basketball team in the country.

My prediction : Memphis by a little less than 10.

Memphis is without question the best team in the nation. They lost one game all year and that game was a tough one to win. They were playing their historic rival, Tennessee in a 1 vs. 2 matchup that everybody was so eagerly anticipating. They were undefeated at that point and the pressure was simply too much to handle.

Now though, it is because of that loss that they will be the champions. They have felt what it is like to lose and will not let themselves feel that again.

Their road to the tonight’s game was by far the toughest road of all the one seeds. They had to face Texas, Michigan State, Mississippi State and UCLA in order to make it here and beat them all convincingly.

But more importantly than all of that, they have this man :



Derrick Rose has apparently been battling stomach illness since his last game against UCLA. I think that that was all a ploy for him to not have to speak to the media. He is in the best shape of his life and has been showing it the past few weeks. Rose will shine in his final game as a college athlete and will show the world why he is the single premier NBA prospect.

Kansas, however, is not going to let the Tigers run them over. They have one of the most complete teams I’ve ever seen play and that is no joke. Led by team veteran Brandon Rush, the Jayhawks can play with the best of them and they proved that in their slaughter of UNC on Saturday night. North Carolina was the hands down favorite in this tournament and were definitely that going into their game with Kansas.

The favorite doesn’t always win.

Mario Chalmers, Darrel Arthur and Cole Aldrich are also names to look out for tonight as you watch the game unfold.

Every sports fan will be huddled around their TV screens tonight along with millions of others who have no interest in sports. It’s March Madness’ culmination. All of the hype and all of the excitement all comes down to this one game.

Tip-off is coming and I’m going to be right there until the final minute.

Highlight of the Week

In light of the ridiculously exciting Final Four matchups coming up on Saturday, I have decided to make this weeks Highlight of the Week all about the teams involved.

Memphis and UCLA will meet at 6pm Saturday night and Kansas and North Carolina will play immediately after.

In those games you will see some of the biggest superstars in all of college basketball.

Nobody in the country is as big as North Carolina’s Tyler Hansbrough or Memphis’ Derrick Rose. Their greatness is enough for me to put together a two-clip post.

Hansbrough, also known as “Crazy T” for his intimidating gaze and relentless aggression on the court is a front-runner for player of the year. He has taken North Carolina under his wing and made himself the poster boy for the team. They play with his demeanor.

This clip shows exactly why they call him what they call him, who in their right mind would even attempt to do this?



Derrick Rose is my favorite player in College Basketball right now. As a die-hard Miami Heat fan, I have decided that this is the man I want wearing their uniform next season. He’s so big and strong for a point guard that it makes it almost impossible for someone to match-up with him. Regardless of where he is on the court, it is imperative that the other team make sure they account for him. He is the reason that I believe the Memphis Tigers will ultimately be the winners of the tournament.

That clip exemplifies the toughness that Rose brings to the table. He dunks it with unbelievable athleticism, steals it right after and does it again, single-handedly making the arena he is playing in explode. Look for him to be doing that for years to come on a much greater stage.



Hopefully these two youngsters get to put all their hard-work on the line for a chance to win the national championship on Monday night.

Highlight of the Week

A little bit back I wrote a post remembering the life of Ereck Plancher, a football player at UCF who unexpectedly collapsed during practice and passed away.

Though the following clip isn’t exactly a highlight, It was very uplifting to find a video on youtube dedicated to Ereck.

I would just be reiterating common knowledge if I were to include in this post a description of the person Ereck was.

Hopefully this video can put a face with a name to those who didn’t have the privilege of knowing him.

RIP EP.

Eagles go down in history

No college in America has ever made it to the post-season in their first season as a division I program.

That is, until Florida Gulf Coast University came along.

This season, the FGCU women’s basketball team clinched their entry into the WNIT tournament when they defeated Cal.St. Bakersfield 64-54 in their regular season finale. In the first round of the tournament, they defeated USF in front of their always lively home crowd. Their Cinderella story came to an end in a hard-fought and very close game to the Florida Gators.

Never before has a team currently in the Atlantic-Sun conference won a postseason game. The lady Eagles did it in their first year.

To put things in perspective, think about all of the colleges known for their athletics around the country.

Not Florida, not Florida State, not Michigan, not Ohio State. None of the big names we know were able to make their way to the postseason in their first year.

Florida Gulf Coast will soon be one of those names that you mention when you think of the big-time.

It may not be within the next few years, but you can rest assured that a school with such quick success will be around for a long time.

They put together this unlikely run without their two leading scorers from the previous season. That indicates the high-quality coaching that the girls are receiving. As an influx of new recruits come into the system and more and more quality athletes decide to attend FGCU, the school will have an athletic program that they can be very proud of.

They already do, as they stand alone in the history books until someone else can join them.

Suns at Pistons LIVE

Phoenix Suns at the Detroit Pistons LIVE.

Feel free to chime in with your comments or questions.

Highlight of the Week

Shaquille O'Neal is one of the greatest players in basketball history.

His resume speaks for itself, He's won four NBA titles, being the MVP honors in the Finals three times.

He's a 14-time NBA All-star, won Rookie of the year when he first entered the NBA and was the MVP of the entire league in the year 2000.

He's maybe the scariest person you'ed ever meet and I certainly wouldn't ever pick a fight with him.

On this occasion... he... I won't tell you. Watch for yourself.



Crazy what this man was capable of when he was younger. Wow.

Suns at Pistons : LIVE

Monday night, March 24th, I will be conducting a live blog of the Suns/Pistons matchup on NBA TV.

If you would like some commentary on a possible NBA Finals preview, join me here on Monday as I recap the action as it happens. WAHOO.

SHAQ and the rising Suns against the all-around, championship proven Pistons. It should be a dandy.

Monday, be here or be square.

MVB Bracketology - Midwest and South

We're getting closer and my legs shake every time I think about it. ITS MARCH MADNESS BABY.

THE MIDWEST

Games you must watch : The first round in the Midwest bracket showcases two of the most intriguing matchups. First, we have the epic showdown between two of college basketball’s freshmen phenoms. Pro Scouts will be lining up at the door to watch when 6th Seed USC and 11th seed Kansas State show up to play. O.J Mayo and Taj Gibson are the two superstars on USCs roster but KSU freshman Michael Beasley is THE main man in college basketball. He will no doubt be one of the top three players taken in the upcoming NBA Draft. It’s Mayo vs. Beasley on the brightest stage of them all.

Also in the first round, Clemson vs. Villanova. Clemson has been very impressive in recent weeks. They took it to Duke in the ACC tournament and nearly pulled off a huge upset against the tournament favorite UNC Tarheels. The medias opinion and general consensus amongst people I talk to is that Clemson is for real. They are a Cinderella story waiting to happen. Villanova may have something to say to the Tiger bandwagon. Even though they wield a puny 12th seed, they have a lot of experience against good teams. Throughout the season, they played a team significantly better then Clemson on 8 occasions. Though they only won twice (1 point win vs. Pitt and 2 pt win vs. Uconn), they know how to play when it counts.

Underrated : Villanova. Nova has struggled recently but they have the players, the experience and a boatload of talent to do some damage.

Overrated : Vandy. Other then their win against Tennessee on their home court (If you’ve ever watched Vandy play at home, you know how big of an advantage it is), they have no quality wins whatsoever. Clemson was much more deserving of their seed.

The winner : Surprise here? Not really. Kansas is going to be the squad that comes out of the Midwest with their heads held high. Whoever they play in the Elite 8 will not be the type of team that can play with Kansas. They are too deep, can score insane amounts of points and really don’t have any weaknesses. They are the most complete team in the tournament and it would be no surprise if they were the winners of the entire thing.

The bracket :


THE SOUTH

Games you must watch : In all honesty, the first round of this bracket is going to be a doozy. Other then the possibility of my Canes getting uspet because they stink, there isn't anything to exciting going on in the south.

Underrated : Nobody. In this bracket, there are very strong 1-5 seeds and very weak 6-15 seeds. None of the teams with poor seeds intimidate anyone when they look at the bracket.

Overrated : Miami. It pains me to type this but it's true. The Miami Hurricanes are a terrible basketball team. They win when they show up and even then, they scare me. The reason they are in this tournament is their win over Duke. That game was a fluke. The Canes led by more than 20 at one point and still had me shaking when regulation was about to expire.

The winner : This is the toughest bracket to predict the winner. Memphis, Texas, Stanford and Pitt all reside in the bracket and it's very possible that we see a Pitt/Memphis matchup and Texas/Standford one as well. Those two games would be the type of game that basketball fans long for.

If I had to choose, my winner would be Memphis. After their loss to Tennessee, who many have going to the final four, they never lost again. The word lose was taken out of Memphis' vocabulary. They have too much firepower. Their freshman Derrick Rose is unbelievable and their senior leader Chris Douglas-Roberts can score on anyone at any time. They are ferocious. It's hard to pick them because of the insane road to the final four that they have, but I am confident that the Tigers have it in them.

The bracket :

Rest in Peace : Ereck Plancher

During my High School years at Lely High School, one of my best friends was on the football team. At lunch, we would joke about the coach and how much of a hardass he was. We would talk about the best players on the team and how some were going to big schools. We would make plans to go to the game and we would see cheerleaders walking around spreading the spirit. We would bleed orange and black.

Football was one of the things that you always remember about High School.

Today, one of our best was taken from us. Our RB1 is gone. Our Posta Boy is gone.

I’m sure some of you may have heard the news about Ereck Plancher, a football player who collapsed at UCF during conditioning. He was not just a football player. He was a friend to many, a wonderful boyfriend and a role model to his little brother.

Nothing can describe the shock that came upon me when I heard what had happened. A good friend of mine and I were out to lunch when his phone rang. His father broke the news to him and I could see the look of agony come across his face. Ereck was much more then a friend to him.

I sat at the table in complete disbelief, tears escaping as I tried to understand what had just happened. How could such a great young man die doing the thing he loved most? Playing the game he loved to play. I’m sure he wouldn’t have had it any other way.

Ereck, it was a pleasure to have played in gym class with you. It was a pleasure to be around your humble attitude and your contagious kindness. It was truly an honor to have been in your presence.



Rest in Peace. You will forever be a Trojan and I look forward to the time I see you again. You will live on in the heart of every single person you represented when you put on a jersey.

MVB Bracketology - East

March has begun and with it the madness has come.

Yesterday, the Brackets for the 2008 NCAA tournament were released. Now, people all over the country are frantically scribbling names on a bracket like they are insane. It’s funny what college basketball can do you to.

For the next three days, its going to be hard to sleep. It’s going to be hard to watch television, to go to work or to take a shower. It’s going to be hard to do all of the things I do on a daily basis because all that will be on my mind is the thought of Thursday’s basketball-fest.

The NCAA tournament takes over your life. Establishments have banned the tournament because they know their workers will ruin the internet connection at the office (All the games are available on-line for FREE!). It’s ridiculous.

So, while I am awaiting Thursday, I will provide an analysis of the tournament from my perspective. I’ll break down each individual bracket and let you know who will rise and who will fall. Who isn’t as good as advertised and who is much better then advertised. I’ve got it all.

I’m the same guy that predicted the Giants to win every game in the playoffs. Take my word.

THE EAST

Games you must watch : First off, any game that Louisville plays in this tournament is one to watch. When they play against Boise State and whoever they end up playing in the 2nd round, look for them to absolutely dominate. They play solid defense and played a tough schedule. They have lost their last two games and will surely come into Thursday hungry for an impressive win.

Another very interesting game to look out for is the potential 2nd round match-up of Butler and Tennessee. Butler is the kind of team that nobody really knows about. They don’t ever lose and when they do, it’s very close. They have a solid core of seniors who have played in the tournament before and play with a toughness that head basketball coaches around the nation have to be jealous of.

Overrated : Oklahoma. Something about this team just doesn’t sit well with me. They don’t have any stars good enough to carry the team, they don’t have ANY quality wins this season and have gotten completely dismantled on several occasions. They were given a 6th seed and I honestly don’t think they will make it out of the first round. There’s the first big upset, St. Joseph’s over Oklahoma.

Underrated : Butler. They were given the 7th seed, worse than Oklahoma and Notre Dame. Notre Dame is without question a fantastic team who played a very tough schedule but they still lost seven games. Oklahoma lost eleven games. Butler lost three. Their schedule is weaker than most but they have proven over and over again that they can compete with the top-tier teams.


Tyler Hansbrough

The winner : The Eastern Bracket of the tournament is home to North Carolina, literally. The games for the eastern bracket will all be played inside the state of North Carolina, making the probability that the tar heels are playing amidst a large number of their fans very high. For that reason, they are my favorites to make it out of this bracket. If their team is healthy, they are almost impossible to beat. Tyler Hansbrough could be the player of the year this season and Ty Lawson plays like he has rockets attached to his shoes. They are an unbelievable basketball team.

The Bracket :


P.S: Everyone join in on my yahoo bracket league. Leagueid #: 120955 Password: themvb

Highlight of the Week

The following highlight of the week is directly in conjunction with the previous post.

This could be one of the most memorable moments in NBA history.
Facing the San Antonio Spurs, the eventual NBA Champions of that season, the Rockets were down by TEN with 1:09 to go. The game appeared to be ever.

Enter Tracy McGrady.

It's unbelievable, watch the clip.



Just to put things in perspective, the highest point total in NBA history in a single game is 100. Had McGrady scored 13 points every 35 seconds in this game... he would've totaled 1150 points or so. Insane.

The Rocket Way

The Houston Rockets have won twenty games in a row. That’s right. Twenty games. 20.

It’s been 9 years since any team was even close to doing such a thing. The Lakers, led by the ridiculous duo of Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal, won 19 straight in 1999. That was Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal, though. That was maybe the greatest coach in NBA History, Phil Jackson. That was Glen Rice and Ron Harper, fantastic veterans who could lead a team anywhere.

The Rockets are hardly the that team. Yao Ming, their starting center and leading vote getter in the NBA All-Star game, went down with an injury two weeks ago. Only two active players on their roster score over ten points per game. The average basketball fan can’t name anyone on their roster other than Yao and Tracy McGrady. There is no way that this team should be winning so many games. Yet, somehow, they have outdone those Lakers and the many teams before that tried to string together an unlikely string of wins. They are better than those teams and they are still going.

The reasons for this unbelievable streak? There definitely isn’t just one, but in my opinion, these are the big three:

1) Rafer Alston: ‘Skip to my lou’ is his alias, but he'll be skipping to the NBA finals if he continues playing the way he’s playing. During the streak, he has averaged double figures in scoring in all but three games. He runs the team better than Peyton Manning runs the Indianapolis Colts. His defense is stingy and he never turns the ball over (1.7 turnovers per game, unbelievable for the job that he does). Right now, there may not be a better starting point guard in basketball. Sounds stupid, sounds ridiculous, but how many other teams in the league are winning games with such ease? It all starts with the point guard.

Tracy McGrady is the team's inspirational leader.

2) Nothing will stop us : That is the mentality that the Rockets are playing with. They lose their leading scorer and rebounder in Yao, no problem. There is nothing that will stop the Rockets. Tracy McGrady has instilled that into his entire team. The team is a direct reflection of him. Imagine losing in the first round of the playoffs almost every year and being one of the best players in basketball. Imagine that frustration. It just doesn’t matter what happens, Tracy McGrady will not let himself lose. Not anymore. It would be ridiculously satisfying to watch Kobe Bryant square off vs. Tracy McGrady in the playoffs. We can only be so lucky.

3) Luck : Well, maybe not luck, but in the western conference this year, how could it be anything else? Since Yao went down, their schedule has been very helpful in their endeavor. The past eight games without Yao, they have only played two teams who are respectable. The Mavericks and the Nuggets. In those games, the amount of help they received was undeniable. Against the Mavericks, Dirk Nowitzki was inactive because he was suspended by the league for a foul he had committed the previous game. Against the Nuggets, Allen Iverson played maybe the worst game he’s played all season. Despite his 17 points, the Nuggets’ best player failed to score more than two points in the entire second half. That doesn't happen very often.

The feat that the Rockets have accomplished is without question the most impressive thing I’ve been alive to witness in professional sports.

To stand in front of hostile crowds night in and night out with a huge target on your back and continually quiet them is unheard of. To lose your best player and continue to win games in the tightest western conference race we’ve seen in ages is very impressive.

Nobody thought it could happen. Without Yao, the Rockets wouldn’t make the playoffs. Now it looks as if they will not only make it, but will flourish.

The Rockets have blasted off into NBA history.

Hello again

Let me apologize for the recent hiatus that the MVB recently took.

The cause : Spring Break.

Whilst I was gone for a week, the sports world didn't slow down. I have learned my lesson and will never again disappoint.

Like Paula Abdul, I'm back.

D. Mc can RUN!

Sunday afternoon featured a plethora of gifted athletes running several drills with the ultimate goal of impressing an NFL scout. Players from all over the country came to Indianapolis to participate in the NFL Combine.

The Combine has had a ton of ups and downs are far as performances go, but one young man has stood out in the face of criticism and silenced his critics.

Darren McFadden, thought by many, including myself, to be the best athlete in the upcoming NFL Draft, went out and put on a hell of a show.

He ran a 4.33 in the 40 yard dash, the second fastest time of any other back. He was bombarded with questions about his past and the questionable decisions he has made. They didn’t faze him.

McFadden claimed at the event that all of his past misjudgments were just that, the past. He is looking for a fresh new start with his professional football career.

Darren has been under a microscope for the past few months and has become the cause for some of the most random assessments from the media I have ever seen. Some analysts predict McFadden will be the first running back taken while some believe he will be the third. Some believe he will be taken in the top five while some believe he will drop out of the top fifteen.

It should be very interesting to see exactly where the talented young ex-Razorback ends up.

I'll tell you one thing, wherever he does go, that city will have a fabulous talent on their team.

Highlight of the Week

In light of the 2008 NFL Combine, which starts tomorrow, I thought I would include this following video.

Glen Dorsey, a mammoth of a man with tremendous strength and a towering figure, shows in this clip exactly why he could be the first player selected in the draft this April.

You gotta see this, if you don't like football it doesn't even matter. Watch it if you would like to see a BIG man manhandle another man.



I can only pray he will be in a Falcon uniform next season.

Through the Fire

Every once in awhile, you come across something that makes you stop and say “Wow.”

Last night I rented Through the Fire, a documentary about the life of Sebastian Telfair, a professional basketball player. The film doesn’t just show you a bunch of basketball highlights or indulge you in specifics about the game, it depicts an unbelievable part of America that many of us don’t even know exists.

Growing up in Coney Island, Sebastian knew nothing but the game of basketball. Directors Jonathan Hock and Alistair Christopher simply followed Telfair around for his entire senior year as his future unraveled before his eyes.

Even if you are not a fan of basketball, if you are simply a fan of incredible stories that touch upon every emotion you possess, pick up the film from the video store.

You may pick something up about the game of basketball and you might learn something about the poverty that is so prevalent in America, but you will always remember Sebastian Telfair.

He currently plays for the Minnesota Timberwolves and is in his fourth season in the NBA. His career has not been as glorified as many have expected, but lately he has shown flashes of the incredible potential he possesses.

ESPN : Every Secret Public Now

I’ve been sitting at home all week angered by the fact that my beautiful prediction that Jason Kidd would soon be a Maverick was put on hold.

Devean George, a very average basketball player (and that may be somewhat of a compliment), decided that the trade that would send him to New Jersey was not in his best interest.

Rather than go to a new city, where he would get more playing time and the opportunity to actually make a difference, he decided to turn down the deal. He received such a horrendous uproar from the crowd in his first game since killing the trade that his performance was undoubtedly effected. (He shot 0 for 11 from the field) People were screaming “We want Kidd” and “Stop being selfish” in unison from the stands. Yikes.

Then, the next day, Jerry Stackhouse, who was also involved in the trade, commented on the possibility of him returning to the Mavericks after 30 days, since New Jersey was likely to waive him. The NBA quickly ruled that this would be illegal and that if traded, he could not return to the Mavs. Once again, adding another obstacle in the way of this deal’s completion.

Now, today, the two teams have apparently agreed in principle to a different, revised version of the deal that excludes both George and Stackhouse.

At this point, it is imperative that this deal get done. With all that has been said in the media, and the publication of the trade like it’s already happened, how can Jason Kidd go back to the Nets and play basketball as if there haven't been constant rumors of him leaving?

He can’t.

The media has to stop blurting out everything they come across and actually wait until something is official.

It’s childish almost, telling secrets that aren’t true. We all learned not to do that when we were children, how come Joe Blow from ESPN doesn’t have to act like an adult?

Highlight of the Week

Every week, I have decided to post up a video of a highlight that I can recall from memory with a brief description as to it’s significance.

In the spirit of the new direction the Miami Heat are undeniably going in, I have decided that the first clip should be one that is permanently engraved in my mind.

Those who know me know that I am the biggest Jason Williams hater on this planet. The guy can’t shoot, he makes bad decisions with the ball and he makes wayyyyyyyyyy to much money. WAYY too much. (He’s making 8,937,500 this year, thankfully his last) His salary makes him the third highest paid player on the Heat’s roster.

Many may argue with me that Jason Williams was once a great player. I will argue strongly that no, he was never a great player. When Chris Webber in his prime was on his team, he sure gave off the impression that he may be a decent point guard, anyone would.

He’s always been about flash. All about flash. Flashy Jason Williams. Looking to shock and awe.

This one pass, though, does just that. The first time I saw it on Sportscenter long ago I remember going outside a few minutes later and trying it. To my delight, it wasn’t that difficult… when you are standing in the middle of the street by yourself. Watch and enjoy:



video thanks to user jesse9999999 on youtube.

Roger Clemens vs. The World

The baseball nation today watched as the integrity of their game was questioned on a national stage.

Brian McNamee : “I never injected Roger Clemens or anyone with B12 or Lydocaine.”

Roger Clemens : “Brian McNameee injected me three times with B12 in Toronto.”

What the hell is going on here?

Those two quotes above are just a simple example of what went on earlier today. I’ve spent the last five hours watching Roger Clemens, one of the greatest baseball players of all time, defend himself on national television. The man who claims he personally injected Roger Clemens with steroids sat at the same table with him as they drilled the two with question after question.

Almost every single answer from them was conflicting.

The entire hearing was called at the Rocket’s request. He wanted a chance to clear his name, to hold onto his pride and to tell the entire world that he is innocent.

Is he? I don’t know. The hearing surely opened my eyes to the fact that McNamee is not a very credible person with a terribly dry personality. To put it lightly, McNamee is an asshole.

Usually I am the type of person who will choose to believe that the athlete was doping, especially in baseball. Everyone does. Baseball has become the unofficial mascot for performance-enhancing drugs.

If McNamee is telling the truth, I sure hope nobody ever finds that out.

The Wild Wild West

The entire nation has sat here for the last couple of months watching their television sets, reading the newspaper and eagerly following the internet for the latest craze in the basketball world.

Kobe Bryant gets Pau Gasol on his team, Amare Stoudemire gets his hero by his side, the Utah Jazz acquire Kyle Korver and are suddenly the hottest team in the NBA.

What’s next?

I’ll tell you what’s next, there will be a new Kidd on the block in a new city sometime soon.

Pack your bags Jason, you’re going to go battle for a championship.

Jason Kidd and Ron Artest are the two biggest names left on the market. There’s no doubt about it. Kidd has been adamant about his desire to leave New Jersey and I believe he will get his wish.

He can call himself one of the greatest point guards of all time. The only problem, he doesn’t have a ring.

I believe he will get the opportunity to earn one. Where?

The Dallas Mavericks or the Cleveland Cavaliers. LeBron needs help and if he gets it, he’s got the talent to win in the East every year. LeBron gives the Cavs an opportunity to win on any given night. Add Kidd, they are my new favorites to win the East.

However, I believe the front-runners are the Mavs. Why? They have Devin Harris, a great, young replacement for Kidd and the salary cap to get it done. They also have been recently presented with two HUGE moves in the west that no longer leave them as one of the powerhouses in the conference.

Mark Cuban will be on the phone for quite some time this week. As he should be.

The Diesel is in the Desert

and the Matrix is in Miami.

In a really odd turn of events, my two favorite basketball teams have decided to give me an early birthday present.

The Suns traded Shawn Marion and Marcus Banks to the Heat for Shaq-Daddy O'Neal.

Shaq is old and probably can't run up and down the floor like the Suns do, but the man is one of the greatest players in the history of the game. He reportedly told Steve Nash that he "won't let him down," when he first met up with him earlier today.

I don't think he will.

The trade gives the Suns the ability to place Shaq and Amare Stoudemire on the same floor at the same time. That sounds pretty scary to me. They lose an elite player in Marion who could do it all. He could run the floor with a motor that never died down, could grab you 20 rebounds on any given night and is one of the best defenders in the league.

However, it's no secret that he was unhappy in Phoenix and that this divorce was inevitable. Miami is the perfect place for a guy like Marion who is worried about the money he makes and the clothes he wears. If they resign him long-term, it's a match made in heaven for Miami. Wade and Marion playing together hardly seems fair.

I like it. I like it alot.

Personally, I can't wait to see the big guy hoisting yet another trophy above his head. This time, with Amare, Nash and the great Grant Hill by his side.

America's Champions

This game allowed the Patriots to show everybody exactly the type of team they are.

After the game, Giants WR Amani Toomer said that Pats DB Rodney Harrison was telling him to "get ready to go home" and inviting the players to after parties.

Coach Bill Belichick did not go to the center to congratulate Tom Coughlin like a normal person after the game was over. He gave him this awkward shoulder-touch thing then he immediately walked to the locker room.

It's that type of disgusting disrespect for sportsmanship that exemplifies who the New England Patriots are.

When they were on their glorious quest to perfection there were no early exits by any opposing coaches. The half-hearted effort to acknowledge Tom Coughlin shows how childish a grown man can be. Classless.

After the game, when Michael Strahan stepped up to the podium to speak, he said "We watch alot of TV and we heard someone say that playing them the first time gave us a false sense of confidence. NO! It gave us confidence, and my boys are the best in the world!"

They sure are. The New England Patriots are not World Champions and will not be remembered forever for completing a perfect season. There are indeed football gods and they do listen.

The following clip is of the game winning drive constructed by Eli Manning at the end of the game, it includes what is in my opinion the greatest play in NFL history and is filmed from the point of view of a Giants fan present at the game.

The Pats fans at the beginning act like the children they are and are left to react to something they never have seen before.

Enjoy, it gave me goosebumps:



Video courtesy of user zennie62 on YouTube.

Recapping a historic day

Congratulations to the New York Giants.

They granted me with a feeling I can't quite describe. An unbelievable happiness that I know was present in the stomach of almost every football fan across the nation.

They went out last night and put on a display unlike anything we have ever seen before. The "greatest offense of all time" was held to simply 14 points.

When asked about Plaxico Burress' 23-17 prediction, Tom Brady said "We're only scoring 17 points?"

No Tom, you are only scoring 14.

Plaxico not only predicted that the Giants would win, he caught the game-winning touchdown that sealed the deal and forever engraved him into football history. Unbelievably, it was later revealed that he did it all on a sprained MCL.

It's that kind of relentless dedication to the team that made the Giants the victors. Their defensive line completely obliterated the Patriots offensive line, a tribute to the attitude that Michael Strahan brought to this game. Brady was hit 16 times, more times than the amount of points they scored.

Tom Brady never gets hit. The intensity the Giants displayed in the trenches left me in awe. When the offensive front can't give the pretty boy all day to throw, then the Pats aren't all that scary. Their old men on defense can't get it done.

Thank you to Eli, Plax and the rest of the G-Men for not making the rest of this year all about the Patriots. You did us all a service.

Countdown to the big bash

We are less than an hour away from the Superbowl and I've been digesting pregame all day.

I've finally got a hypothesis as to tonight's outcome.

The Giants are coming into this with a mindset that I can't see being broken down. They've been battling adversity forever and now there is nothing they can do but win. They can't just get here and lose.

That being said, neither can the Pats.

18-1 is not nearly as pretty as 19-0.

Nobody remembers the loser of the Superbowl. It's going to be kind of hard to forget the New England Patriots after the season they've had but it will be impossible to forget the Giants as they solidify their place in history by winning tonight.

Giants 27, Patriots 24.

Brandon Jacobs is the X-Factor today. Forget everything else you heard. Give that man the ball and step aside.

They do it to themselves

There is this common way of thinking among many people I meet that the NBA has become somewhat of a joke. Those people have no idea what they are talking about. The NBA doesn't just showcase black males and flashy play, it showcases the most diverse pool of professional athletes on the planet. There are players from all over the world coming overseas to play in the league. We have seven foot giants who can shoot threes like its what they were born to do. It's truly a thing of beauty.

I remember growing up how I used to sit anxiously awaiting the NBA All-star weekend even more so than my birthday, which happens to fall into the same time-frame. The only problem is that since those younger days in my life, I’ve noticed a sad trend.

Last Thursday, the starters for the all-star game were announced.

Steve Nash, the league leader in assists per game, who has put his team at the top of the Western Conference, is not one of them. Allen Iverson is.

Dwayne Wade, as much as I love him, is a starter for the east this season. Ray Allen is not. Chauncy Billups is not. Wade's team has the worst record in the league and he missed a large portion of the season.

Yi Jianlian finished FIFTH among East forwards. He has not played anywhere near the level of Caron Butler, Rashard Lewis, Teyshaun Prince or even freakin’ Hedo Turkoglu this season. He averages a mere 9.7 points to go with 5.8 rebounds. Is this a joke?

Sadly, yes, the All-star game has become a joke. The best no longer play in the game, it’s simply whoever the most popular guy is… or whoever the citizens of China get online to vote for.

The NBA does it to themselves.

The Stage is Set

Manning will be under helm to try and stop the Patriots in Superbowl XLII. Eli Manning.

The Patriots went out and like I predicted, were baffled by the Charger‘s defense. Brady was borderline terrible, throwing three picks, including one in the end zone to INT leader and future superstar Antonio Cromartie. Cromartie helped in the effort to hold Randy Moss to only one catch.

Three picks for Brady, one catch for Moss. Nine point win for the Pats.

So what happens if Brady doesn’t throw any picks? Or Moss has a regular day?

I’d rather not imagine that.

It may not matter how well Brady or Moss play when they get to Arizona because Eli and Plaxico might outplay them anyway.

Eli Manning continued his red-hot streak of amazing play against the Packers in the coldest game he has ever played. He sure looked warm under center, making beautiful sideline throws, leading his receivers perfectly and making some great adjustments at the line.

You can give a ton of credit for Eli’s play to Plaxico Burress. If you saw the game yesterday, you saw one of the greatest postseason WR performances ever. It was freezing cold and he had Al Harris, one of the most physically imposing cornerbacks in the game opposite of him. Plax made him look like a little kid.

“He can’t cover me,” Plaxico boasted to the Packer sideline during the game.

Asante Samuel may not be able to either.

It's Championship Weekend!!!

Well folks, it’s that time of year. We are simply one day away from determining which two NFL squads will suit up for the biggest event in professional sports.

Here is how things are going to go down. Undoubtedly.

Chargers at Patriots:

The AFC Championship this year sees the 17-0 Patriots hosting the red-hot (though I guess you can’t be much hotter than the Pats are) San Diego Chargers. The Chargers come into this game off a huge victory in Indianapolis where they upset the Colts in a convincing fashion.

Even without Antonio Gates, the Chargers should make this game a little more interesting than people expect. The key will be the Chargers D. If they show up the way they have showed up for most of the year, Tom Brady could find himself coming out cold. Literally.

The game will be one of the coldest games the Charger franchise has EVER played. Good luck.

Patriots 31, Chargers 24

Giants at Packers:

It’s extremely difficult to pick against the Packers at home in the Playoffs. Not many teams are successful there (unless superman with a number 7 on his chest in under center) but something tells me that Eli isn’t going to go down without a fight.

The whole world may think I’m nuts but I’m going with the Giants to continue their miraculous streak and end the Pack's season. Eli goes nuts, Jacobs runs over a lot of people, Strahan keeps his chances of going out on top, Giants win.

Giants 21, Packers 17

Pacman makes my head spin.

On a day where former Tennessee Titans defensive back Adam 'Pacman' Jones allegedly said in an interview that he would no longer like to be a Titan, the same man had a petition for his arrest withdrawn.

A lawyer from Atlanta had told the police that Pacman punched her in the eye in an attempt to seriously hurt her.

With his reinstatement into the NFL set to be decided sometime after the Pro Bowl on February 10th (Happy birthday to me), the guy just has to stay out of trouble to be back in the league.

He's waited long enough, why would he go and blow it all now? He's been a professional wrestler to try and stay out of trouble, he's recorded rap songs to try and stay out of trouble... he's done it all.

When approached by the media and the police today, the lady flipped out, was uncooperative and acted like the whole thing never happened. I guess once the vans full of people with cameras and notepads wanting to ask her questions arrived, she didn't feel like lying to an entire country.

This is a perfect example of what Randy Moss has recently gone through. Pacman has everything to lose and probably one of the worst reputations the NFL has ever seen. If she says that Pacman punched her, there aren't that many people in the public eye that will think twice. Thank goodness for those that do.

Though Pacman may not be the most popular person and has certainly made terrible decisions, if he has stayed out of trouble for this long, it would be nice to see a guy get an opportunity to get his life back on track.

Randy not so Randy.

Randy is back to his old ways! He was kicked out of Notre Dame for beating up a guy, he was kicked out of FSU for smoking pot and is no stranger to jail. He’s basically been the furthest thing from a model athlete on this planet.

Now he’s faced with assault charges after allegedly hitting a woman and causing her serious injury.

The old Randy Moss is back!

The only problem… and it really does bother me… I don’t believe that at all.

When he was bull rushed with cameras and microphones, he looked sincerely pissed off. That’s probably because he WAS sincerely pissed off. Regardless of my efforts to despise the Patriots as much as I possibly can, I can’t help but defend Randy on this one.

It makes way too much sense to me that this all came less than a week before Moss is set to play in the biggest game of his career; A career that he magically revived after multiple seasons of disappointment and criticism. I’m not a fan of Randy Moss but I am a fan of decency and justice. Professional athletes today are a prime target for all sorts of despicable ways to have their money taken from them.

Randy, if you are reading… have fun on Sunday. The entire world is watching and somewhere out there is someone else plotting to take your money.