Rudin Weekly

Tigerpalooza 2010

2010-02-27T20:28:00Z

I’ve had about a week to digest Tigerpalooza 2010. I’ve watched the coverage, talked to a bunch of people I trust and now I’m all ready to tell you how I feel about it.

I think it’s best to start with why Tiger called a press conference. If it’s not clear to you, it should be. He owed it to nobody. The only people to whom he owed an explanation were members of his family and maybe any friends whom he lied to. Other than that he owed nothing. To steal a line from Chris Rock, I didn’t go to the mailbox looking for my Tiger Woods payment or prize.

No, Tiger didn’t do this because he owed anybody. Secondly, he didn’t do this to win back his fans. Over time, Tiger has been reclusive and focused on nothing but golf. He really never developed a relationship with his fans outside of letting us appreciate his amazing golfing ability. Anybody who has watched him on the course live has seen that he has zero reaction to the masses as they cheer him on. So no, he is not overly concerned about our appreciation.

Tiger is, however, concerned about us as consumers, or at least his handlers are concerned. Tiger stepped in front of the podium because his PR people (who completely botched this three months unlike anything I’ve seen), and more importantly his sponsors who still remain (Gatorade being the latest to jump ship), want Tiger to finally get out in front of the public and give his side of the story. They want Tiger to seem human again so that when they finally reintroduce him to the public via their ads we don’t just look at them and either laugh or give a look of disgust. Tiger HAD to do this faux press conference because if he wants to have ad campaigns again then this was going to be the first step. Maybe not toward restoring his public image to what it once was but to having a public image at all.

Next, this was not a press conference. Tiger’s audience was made up of his mother, who couldn’t even watch her son, Tiger’s friends, and a couple of hand picked media friendlies who weren’t allowed to ask a single question. Again, if you watched the spectacle you had to understand this move. After watching the robotic Tiger try and deliver his script to the camera, could you imagine what would have happened if he had to ad-lib anything? Apparently his handlers tried this, saw what would have happened, and made the executive decision that Tiger would not be allowed to go off script. Again, after watching him on the podium talking about something other than golf, I have to agree with the move.

The long and short of it is that you can’t hide from everyone for three months and then go straight into commercials. The Tiger media campaign has begun. If you really believed the “emotion” and “heartfelt apology” then I have some beanstalk beans and Toyota stock I’d like to sell you. Tiger’s not a sex addict. He’s a guy. Guys are genetically prone to procreation. Some of us show some restraint. Not all of us have to show it hourly. You know how some girls forgive their boyfriends for only cheating once? Well just know that your boyfriend cheated once out of his four opportunities. Tiger is probably batting that same .750. The only people who should feel sorry for Tiger are other married men who cheat on their wives. One of their own got caught. I just don’t see how I’m supposed to feel sorry for a guy who’s a billionaire, the best athlete of his time, and apparently can have any woman he wants but decided to get married too early and still sleep with every half decent looking girl in the bar. Sleeping with every half decent looking girl in the bar is not being a sex addict. It’s called not discriminating. We all have friends who suffer from that affliction. We don’t call these friends sex addicts.

The reason it’s such a bad thing in Tiger’s place is that he’s married and has kids and it therefore becomes an awful betrayal with true victims. If Tiger got all of this out of his system and decided to settle down in his late 30’s/early 40’s like he should have, none of this would have happened. A quick aside, none of this would have happened if he had paid these girls off with tons of hush money like so many other famous athletes before him. You think girls, professional and otherwise, flock to All-Star weekends to watch the games? No, there’s a clear precedent here and Tiger ignored it all because he figured his transcendent existence in the sports world could be parlayed into invincibility. Sorry, it doesn’t work that way. Even John Gotti got jumped in prison.

So Tiger is a walking punch line. Now what? And that’s the question that makes Tigerpalooza 2010 morph into one of the greatest questions of my sports lifetime. We all expected Michael Jordan to be great when he came back from baseball. The steroids scandal surprised exactly zero people. Michael Vick was a crazy story but he was nowhere near the best player at his position let alone sport. O.J. doesn’t count because he was several years removed from being “The Juice.” But Tiger? Nobody can really know how this is going to play out. If he goes back to being the best in the game then all of this sideshow stuff will be an afterthought and in turn, Tiger’s personal joke and vengeance on the Western world. But what if Tiger bogeys his first hole on his return? How will he handle a lipped out five footer with the entire world’s viewership scrutinizing his every waking moment? Yes, Tiger was famous before, but random people could not have cared less about how he played at Bay Hill. Now? I’ll bet my Mom and sisters are either tuned in or asking about Tiger’s play. Not his sex life, but his play. Non-golf fans will care about how well Tiger plays golf. Tiger’s performance (golf performance) will be a lead story on CNN and MSNBC. What if he cards a 73? Tiger’s comeback from his own personal sexathon will be the most cared about sports story that I can remember, and that’s saying something, because I remember a lot of sports stories.

Personally, I won’t care one way or another as to how it turns out. I stopped turning athletes into my role models a long time ago. But I will be watching. I think my favorite wrinkle of the Tiger saga was the Dalai Lama’s reaction when told that Tiger was turning to his Buddhist beliefs. To paraphrase what the Dalai Lama said, he thought it was nice that Tiger Woods was turning to Buddhism. One thing though, who’s Tiger Woods? A lot of us wish we didn’t care either. But we do.

Random Thoughts on a Saturday Night/Sunday Morning

2010-02-05T17:50:00Z

Boy am I glad I didn't have internet access to write my Super Bowl preview. Let's just say it would have ended "Indianapolis 34 - New Orleans 24." That said, it was a great game and I've never been more pleased with a losing wager. New Orleans deserved and needed this. Drew Brees is a class act. All's well that ends well. Oh, and the commercials were horrible. I was looking forward to being offended by the Tim Tebow ad but it just left me feeling creeped out by the fact that Tebow and his Mom looked like they were matched on eharmony in their commercial.

R.I.P. Nodar Kumaritashvili. To echo the President of Georgia, a sports mistake is not supposed to be fatal. To insert my own sentiment, how dare the IOC blame the athlete for his own death. It's that important to deflect blame? If the track wasn't at fault then why alter it? Not that I had any respect for the IOC to begin with but it has reached a new low. Truly disgusting.

I need to remember that the Olympics are delayed. I keep checking ESPN and finding out what happened before I get to watch. Not fun.

That was absolutely the worst Slam Dunk Contest of all time. The most exciting dunk was Shannon Brown's missed 360 from just in front of the free throw line.

Remember the name Evan Turner when March Madness comes around. The Big Ten may not be good but Evan Turner can win games by himself. Maybe a better prospect than John Wall and I'm a big Wall fan.

Why are analysts pretending to be shocked when great NCAA programs can't be elite every year when the best players stay for only one season?

The Pac 10 is really bad.

Andy Roddick married well. You know what I mean.

Pitchers and catchers are getting set to report. Baseball's almost here! Get excited! I truly feel that the Dodgers are only a piece or two in the rotation away from competing in the playoffs. This is a far cry from about twenty years in a row where the boys in blue couldn't hit and getting to the playoffs was a miracle.

Watching right wing talking heads deny global warming because it's snowing in Washington is pretty hilarious. It's to the point where they had to rename global warming to "climate change" so the geniuses on that side of the aisle could try to understand it. I'd tell them to rent The Day After Tomorrow but instead, just watch the Winter Olympics in Vancouver that is being delayed because it's too hot. They needed to bring fake snow into Vancouver.

Jack Bauer is doing a lot of good killing and yelling this season. I'm not sure if the best moment was the Russian mob boss killing his own son or Jack getting stabbed in the stomach by Renee and subsequently ripping the knife out of his stomach to throw it into the throat of the entering mobster wielding the gun. All I know is I couldn't care less about the blond with the trashy boyfriend. They can both be killed off and I wouldn't even blink.

Sarah Palin had to write "tax cuts" on her hand. Um, she's a Republican. Tax cuts are numbers 1, 2, and 3 on the agenda and have been for the better part of a century. Can we call her stupid yet without getting into trouble? She is beyond embarassing. She's Glenn Beck but the hot female version, which brings me to my next point. How does anyone watch Glenn Beck. I look at all of the Becksters the same way I do someone with a confederate flag sticker on his pickup truck. Can't we put all of these people into Alaska and then let them secede? I'm pretty sure it would turn into a third world country in about 2 years. Nevermind, I'll take the under on 2 years.

With the downfall of the Slam Dunk Contest, the Home Run Derby is now the only All-Star event that ranks at the must-see level for me.

I still don't understand why everyone took Pacquiao's side in the Pacquiao/Mayweather debacle. When you're fighting the most important fight of your generation you agree to testing for steroids. Especially when you're guarnteed $25 million. Unless of course, you're on steroids. Why are people slamming Mayweather for wanting his opponent to be clean? I love the Pac Man as a fighter, but I'm going to need a better explanation than, "I don't like needles" for the mega fight coming undone. When your sport has a PR problem like boxing, steroids should be the first thing you clean up.

Again, I'm glad my Super Bowl Preview couldn't be uploaded. I almost published it just so you could see it and make fun of me, but the entire section crowing Peyton Manning as the best QB of the generation is too embarrassing. He is now I'd say slightly ahead of Favre, well behind Brady, Elway, Marino, Montana, Aikman, Steve Young, and Bubby Brister.

I help out on the weekends at my local rec. center with the basketball program. I was officiating five/six-year olds in basketball when I noticed a kid looking a little out of sorts. I knelt down and asked him if he was okay. I responded, "uh huh" then proceeded to cough in my face, take two steps down the court, and projectile vomit everywhere. I just thought you all should know that.

While watching Kanye West participate in the Haiti song with everybody, we wondered allowed whether he was allowed back into society yet. Then of course there was Lil' Wayne two seconds later who's awaiting his trip to jail for a year after his dental work. But it prompted a conversation. Who is least acceptable in a public service announcement/feel good anthem? We settled on Chris Brown followed by Tiger Woods as far as famous athletes/celebrities go. Although they did let Chris Brown participate in the Slam Dunk Contest under the alias "Shannon."

It's almost March Madness/Fantasy Baseball/The Masters time. If I wasn't Jewish that time of year would be my second choice for religion behind John Wooden. For those who don't believe in the big guy upstairs, John Wooden would be a very solid religion.

They really need to have prop bets for "Coach Most Likely To Be Involved In The Next Recruiting Scandal." I'd have Lane Kiffen as the favorite at Even, followed by Calipari at +400, Pitino at +600, and Pete Carroll at +700.

I went to watch the pros at the L.A. Open at Riviera. Still my favorite day of the year. It's a great thing to see elite performers do their thing all day from three feet away. Great day with my Dad. And we didn't even have breakfast burritos this year.

Due to the disappearance of Garnett's knee, I think we're pretty much assured of the Lakers/Cavs final. Is there a way to bet on LeBron being owned by Kobe/The Zen Master?

I think we need to officially change Tim Duncan's nickname from the Big Fundamental to the Turtle. He really looks like a turtle. Especially on the ten occasions a half when he thinks he didn't get a call.

The Yankees should be heavy favorites to repeat.

How long are we going to pretend that the economy isn't going to result in two of the three major sports having work stoppages in the next two years? People I don't feel sorry for: NBA players and NFL owners.

Can they please do away with camera angles that require nausea medicine?

Is Tiger Woods out of having a penis rehab? I'm pretty sure that 50% of the population suffers from sex addiction. I'm not making that up either. It's called evolutionary biology.

Did I mention that I love March Madness, Fantasy Baseball, and The Masters?

Wait, What Happened Last Night? - Nearly 20 Years Later

2010-02-02T02:02:00Z

Note: Sorry for the hiatus. I've been sick and am writing a book as well. Don't worry, you didn't want my football picks anyway. Super Bowl pick to come later this week.

Twenty years ago today “stranger things have happened” was redefined. Not since David slew Goliath had such an upset came to pass. The event went off at 42-1 against our new David. Think about that. 42 to 1. That’s the same return that a bank would give you nowadays and at this point I’d say giving your money to the bank for a 2.5% return is still a bigger gamble. And that’s because nobody could beat Mike Tyson. Not only could nobody beat him, but also, nobody could even make a dent. He won fights before he went into the ring. He intimidated world champions the way a schoolyard bully took lunch money from a 5-year old. Don’t believe me? Ask Michael Spinks, or anyone of the 33 fighters Tyson had knocked out during his 37-0 start to his professional career. You didn’t beat Mike Tyson but rather you just hoped you didn’t lose badly enough to spend a week in the hospital. Better to take a decent shot, stay down, then have him come over and give you a kiss afterward.

Buster Douglas likely would have had the “take a shot then stay down” mentality. This was a guy who, in a nip and tuck fight through nine rounds, gave up in the tenth. And it’s for that reason that when the fight was announced that people either said, “who’s Buster Douglas?” or if they knew who he was said, “seriously, this guy has no chance; he must need the money.” And that was probably true. Buster was next to broke and on top of that, his wife had just left him.

But with 23 days left until his big fight halfway around the world in Toyko, Japan, Buster Douglas’ life was turned upside down. Buster Douglas had a best friend, a lifelong best friend. The two talked every day and she was his rock in his rocky life. 23 days before his date with Tyson, that best friend died. Unfortunately for Buster Douglas, she was not only his best friend, but she was his mother. Losing his mother deeply affected Buster Douglas as it would anyone, especially someone with such a great relationship with his mother.

Buster Douglas had never been a gym rat. He had never really trained hard and while he loved boxing, he didn’t seem to love it enough to go the extra mile as other elite fighters have gone. But 23 days before the Tyson fight that all changed. The old Buster Douglas seemingly went to the grave with his mother. The new Douglas emerged determined to fight in his mother’s honor and, maybe more importantly, determined to do whatever it took to make his late mother proud.

Mike Tyson, on the other hand, treated the fight as just another cake walk. His training camp wasn’t anything special and hadn’t been for some time since his trainer D’Amato’s death a few years prior. Tyson’s focus wasn’t there and it seemed as though he either believed his own hype or just spun out of control with the serpents around him trying to make their way off of Tyson’s work. Mike Tyson was the bread winner for a hundred-person entourage. That’s a lot of pressure for such a young, troubled man.

When fight night came, those who stayed up late enough to watch the mismatch halfway around the world were expecting another microwave minute fight. After all, this was a Tyson fight, an event. The intimidating champion who came out to the sound of chains, clad in plain black trunks, was in the building. It wasn’t a fight as much as it was an execution. Tyson was the closest thing to Maximus in The Gladiator that the sport had ever scene. The crowd expected massacres and cheered them on when they transpired.

People expected Buster Douglas to play his role, the Washington Generals to Tyson’s Harlem Globetrotters. Walk in, touch gloves, go down for the count. Only Buster Douglas didn’t get the memo. Not only that, but he also didn’t get the memo that he was supposed to be intimidated by Tyson. How could Tyson hurt him more than he hurt from the loss of his mother? How could Tyson make Douglas cower when Douglas was fighting for his mother’s honor? The answer? He couldn’t, and it was evident from the start of the fight. Buster Douglas was trading with Tyson, but not in the way others who seemed to be throwing prayers out in the past had done. Douglas was using his size and reach to his advantage. He was landing jabs, and he wasn’t backing up. DOUGLAS was the one imposing his will on this fight.

And so it went for 8 rounds until Tyson finally landed a huge uppercut. Douglas went down in a heap and most expected the fight to end. But by some miracle, Douglas got up just in time (some say the count was long but Douglas clearly was just waiting as long as possible; he would have made it up anyway). The round ended, but Tyson smelled blood in the water. Tyson re-emerged like a bat out of hell, but Douglas refused to back down. Instead, Douglas fought fire with fire. He treated Tyson with the same respect that Tyson had shown other opponents. And then, in the tenth round, the impossible happened. Down went Tyson, for the count. He took his mouthpiece up and gave up against a fighter who, for the first time in his career, fought with honor and pride. Talking about his mother’s death to this day brings Buster to tears. But he speaks proudly of what he accomplished that night in Tokyo.

A shocked world woke up the next day when it read or heard about its new champion but Buster Douglas spoke as if he had done just what he knew he was capable of. It is amazing how people can find out what their true potential in life holds when it emerges in the sporting arena. Buster Douglas lived up to his, if only for one night, and I guaranteed you it still brings a smile to his mother’s place while she watches down on him from above.

NFL Playoff Preview

2010-01-09T05:07:00Z

These playoffs are difficult to figure out until you realize that you have no prayer at getting it right. The playoffs have become beyond unpredictable to the point where, well, is anybody talking about the fact that wildcard teams routinely win Super Bowls, including 6 seeds? Would you be shocked if Philadelphia won the Super Bowl? Surprised, sure. Shocked? No. They're a ton of people's upset special to get to the big game even though they just got smoked in a meaningful game at Dallas, the same Dallas that is led by Tony Romo and Wade Phillips, a tandem that has combined for negative fifteen clutch plays and calls in the last five years of meaningful games. So just throw the teams in a hat (except the Jets) and call it a day. All that said, I'm going to try and make sense of it all.

AFC WILDCARD

Cincinnati over New York Jets

The Jets have Mark Sanchez at QB in an away game against a solid defense. He's a rookie. He throws a lot of interceptions. Sometimes it's simple. Unfortunately this is the only easy call of the playoffs.

New England over Baltimore

I really don't like this game and it has zero to do with Wes Welker. Flacco looked good in the playoffs last year and I could see Ray Rice absolutely shredding New England's tame defense. But I went with New England simply because I've spent the last five years hating myself every time I've gone against New England in the playoffs. Then again, they burned me in the Super Bowl against the Giants. Oh whatever, the Ravens' QB has a unibrow. That can't be good, can it?

NFC WILDCARD

Dallas over Philadelphia

The Eagles gave their courage award to Michael Vick. Karma has to come back to bite you at some point. Pun intended. The Eagles don't have a recipe for stopping the Cowboys' offense. Their cook unfortunately left us in the offseason. Jim Johnson could have won this game. His replacement and Andy Reid cannot.

Green Bay over Arizona

Green Bay went from the Houston Texans featuring David Carr circa 2003 to the most feared team nobody's talking about. Their O-line got healthy. They're protecting Aaron Rodgers and they have a lot to prove. Pretty good combo. Of course Kurt Warner and Larry Fitzgerald could win this by themselves. But I talked myself into the Packers in the preseason and they're looking like the team I thought they'd be, or as the Cardinals would say, they are who I thought they were.

AFC DIVISIONAL ROUND

Indianapolis over Cincinnati

Does anybody really need to be talked into this? Cakewalk.

New England over San Diego

We know Norv Turner can win in the regular season, but how excited for you to see how he blows it against Bellichick in the playoffs? He's going to have the Henry Winkler in The Waterboy face (pre-Bowl game) going the entire game. And while I know running the ball isn't as important as it used to be, but it still counts in the red zone and LaDainian Tomlinson three years out of his prime and another RB my size are not going to do much. I like the Pats in a close one.

NFC DIVISIONAL ROUND

New Orleans over Green Bay

My toughest call to make thus far. I just see the Superdome being louder than any place I've ever been in my life. Their crowd wills them through this one. Who dat?

Dallas over Minnesota

Brett Favre has proven that he can't win this game and it's been for the past several years now. Dallas has enough weapons to punish the Vikings when they turn the ball over and between Adrian Peterson's fumblitis and Brett Favre's picks, Minny turns the ball far too often.

AFC CHAMPIONSHIP

New England over Indianapolis

You know who likes the talk of "New England can't win without Welker?" Bellichick. This guy won with Troy Brown as his best wideout and defensive back. I'm pretty sure he can light a fire under Randy Moss. And I really don't like Jim Caldwell in his first tough playoff game. Peyton Manning is the X-factor and it's tough to bet against him, but New England might be hungrier for this one than the Colts.

NFC CHAMPIONSHIP

New Orleans over Dallas

Again, that Superdome will be rocking and Tony Romo and Wade Phillips are on the opposite sideline. I think the Saints light up the scoreboard early and often while the Cowboys struggle to run the ball then fall in love with the pass at the wrong times. THIS IS NEW ORLEANS!

SUPERBOWL

New Orleans over New England

All is right with the world and while the city might not be out from under the water both literally and figuratively, it's an event like a New Orleans Super Bowl that can make everything right, if only for a day or two. So, as I've already acknowledged that the playoffs are impossible to predict, why not pick the number one seed that also happens to be the Cinderella? Go Saints!

The First Decade of the New Millennium

2010-01-02T22:09:00Z

Happy New Year everybody! And as a gift to you, I've compiled my bests and worsts of the first decade of our new millennium.

Best Team of the Decade: Los Angeles Lakers

Yes, I know this may seem like a home town pick, but objectively, a 3-peat, rebuilding couple of years and then a fourth championship? I know the Patriots were impressive, but the nod should go to the Lakers. The Kobe to Shaq years were dominant and this last season featured one of the most talented all-around teams you'll find.

Worst Team of the Decade: Baltimore Orioles and New York Knicks

Both mastered the art of spending a ton of money with horrific results. I know there were teams like the Royals who were just plain awful, but at least they were awful while spending no money.

Goal of the Decade: Zlatan Ibrahimovic, 2004 for Ajax

This was a tough decision. There was Henry's majestic turnaround finish shortly after the decade started and then there was Messi's goal in which he dribbled through an entire team en route to a goal that took us back to the days of Maradona. But ultimately, this was such an amazing piece of work that I couldn't help but put it in the top slot. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZgqsaDnsEq8)

Baseball Game of the Decade: New York Yankees vs. Boston Red Sox, ALCS Game 7, 2003

Aaron bleeping Boone. Little doesn't pull Pedro. Bloop single. Posada. You remember. And then the hanging knuckle ball that dashed the Red Sox Nation's collective hopes. Drama to the fullest. (http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=3593258&categoryid=null)

Basketball Game of the Decade: Duke vs. Maryland, 2001

The Miracle Minute. Down 10 with a minute to go. Comeback and they took it in overtime. Maryland dominated the whole game, one that featured quite a few guys playing in the NBA today. It was tough for me not to put the Horry shot, Fisher at 0.4, or UCLA/Gonzaga here. But this game was played at the highest level and had a finish you couldn't belive. Listen to the call. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T9_pPqWfI84)

Note: Drake/WKU in March Madness might have been more dramatic, but it was a game involving Drake and Western Kentucky. I gave the nod to Duke/Maryland.

Football Game of the Decade: Texas vs. USC, BCS Championship at the Rose Bowl, 2006

I know there are a lot of Giants fans who think the Helmet Catch Super Bowl was better, but honestly, the 2006 Rose Bowl was a beautiful thing to watch from start to finish. It had the momentum changer with Reggie Bush's pitch to the other team and unbelievable performances by a slew of players, most notably Vince Young. He took over the game. I like Bill Simmons' take on the Granddaddy. Here's his running diary. (http://proxy.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=simmons/060105)

Boxing Fight of the Decade: Corrales-Castillo I, 2005

There isn't a close second here. The fight would have been a contender for this spot before the most amazing round of the decade took place. Words can't describe the courage shown and the drama that ensued. Here's Round 10. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=imZaiGJgbsw). For trilogy of the decade I have the Morales-Barrera trilogy edging Vazquez-Marquez. Both featured true warriors, amazing action, and top 10 pound for pound guys, but Morales and Barrera actually hated each other. For that they get the nod.

Play of the Decade: Tyrone Protho, 2006

I know most people go for moments that have greater significance but I think I could go a whole lifetime before seeing a catch as amazing as this one. He's blind to the ball when he catches it, traps it behind the defender, then holds onto the ball as they flip over each other. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T2ikUyrOhkg)

Song of the Decade: Soulja Boy - Crank That, 2007

Now I clearly don't think this was the top song of the decade based on quality. This is a sports column and as far as songs that permeated the sports world and engrossed athletes while hyping crowds at the same time, this one can't be topped. We saw the dance in an NBA Dunk Contest and roughly 1,000 football games. Here's my favorite Soulja Boy moment because just in case you disagreed with my pick, how many songs get Verne Lundquist going? (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1qLkHr61Z2M&feature=related)

Worst song of the decade: Every Black Eyed Peas song and This is Our Country by John Mellencamp.

Coach of the Decade: Tony Dungy

Spygate took Bellichick out of the running, and Phil Jackson had more to work with than Dungy did. More than that, Tony Dungy coached and won in professional football without ever raising his voice. He commanded respect and gave it out in kind. A remarkable guy and amazing coach.

Note: I was going to have a worst coaching move of the decade but couldn't decide between Grady Little and Pete Carroll on 4th and 1 with Reggie Bush on the sideline.

Press Conference Moment of the Decade: Allen Iverson - Practice, 2002

No explanation necessary. We're talking about practice. Let A.I. explain. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eGDBR2L5kzI). How the hell can I make my teammates better by practicing?

Player of the Decade: NA

I would have had Tiger here. He defined the decade with his dominance and world presence. The first athlete to reach $1 billion in liquidity, but while other people are able to separate their athletes from their athletes as people, I am not. I root on Chad Ochocinco because while he entertains and makes a spectacle on the field, you never hear the words "scandal" or "police report" linked to his name. Tiger Woods. I didn't like him at first because of his on the course antics but he won me over with his off the course charity work. Now? All respect for him as a person has vanished. He may have dominated a decade but I wish he wasn't its spokesperson.

My Favorite Athlete of the Decade: Kevin Durant

I was borderline obsessed with Kevin Durant during his only year at the University of Texas. I might have watched more Texas Longhorns games on television than UCLA games. Durant played like nobody I've seen. Rick Barnes didn't know how to use him and he still found ways to dominate the game on the NCAA level and he hasn't slowed down in the NBA. He's soft spoken yet has ice water running through his veins. I think my favorite Kevin Durant moment came during a game at Texas. He exploded in the first half and left the Kansas faithful in Lawrence, KS stunned. Unfortunately though, Durant injured himself. Midway through the second back he emerged from the locker room to a standing ovation, in KANSAS. They appreciated his performance so much that they gave him an ovation for returning to the game. Keep an eye out for him. I know he's playing for the Thunder but I promise it's worth it.

My Favorite Moment of the Decade: J-Mac

This was fun thinking about for me. I played as a high school senior in 2000 so I got to think about those moments. I coached various sports from 2000-2009 and thought about some fun moments there. I thought about moments as a fan, from doing the Supershot at halftime of the UCLA game to being at the Grill in Beverly Hills with my parents, sisters, and grandparents, huddled around with a bunch of older people, watching Derek Fisher's 0.4 shot go down, jumping up and down, and high-fiving a lady who had to be at least 85. Robert Horry's shot occurred on a Saturday. I know this because when he hit it I ran around my house then bolted outside to call people. However, I live in an Orthodox neighborhood so instead of calling friends, I had about 10 people huddled around me hearing me give them the play by play of what just happened as they couldn't watch TV on a Saturday. All of these moments were great, but they don't compare to J-Mac, the autistic young man whose dream came true. I'll let the clip do the talking and all I'll say is that only sports could produce a moment like this and that's why I love sports. Have a great 2010's everybody. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tui8EOdv_VU&feature=related)

WEEK 17 PICKS

Jacksonville +2 at Cleveland
Detroit +4.5 vs. Chicago
New England +7.5 at Houston
Miami +3 vs. Pittsburgh
Minnesota -8 vs. New York Giants
St. Louis +7 vs. San Francisco
Atlanta -3 at Tampa Bay
Indianapolis -8 at Buffalo
New Orleans +10 at Carolina
Dallas -3 vs. Philadelphia
Denver -10 vs. Kansas City
Oakland +10 vs. Baltimore
San Diego -3 vs. Washington
Tennessee -6 at Seattle
Green Bay +3 at Arizona
Cincinnati +10 at New York Jets

Last Week: 9-5-2
Season: 136-99-5

NFL Picks - Week 16

2009-12-27T18:37:00Z

Sorry, under the weather, here are the picks:

Tennessee -2 vs. San Diego
Green Bay -13 vs. Seattle
Oakland +3 at Cleveland
Cincinnati -13 vs. Kansas City
Atlanta -8 vs. Buffalo
Houston +3 at Miami
Carolina +5 at New York Giants
Tampa Bay +15 at New Orleans
New England -8 vs. Jacksonville
Baltimore +3 at Pittsburgh
Denver +7 at Philadelphia
Arizona -14 vs. St. Louis
Detroit +14 at San Francisco
Indianapolis -3.5 vs. New York Jets
Dallas -4 at Washington
Minnesota -7 at Chicago

NFL Power Rankings - Week 15

2009-12-19T20:10:00Z

I needed a break from my power rankings to re-assess a few teams. I get a little too attached to my previous week's standings and in turn lose my objectivity. So we're back with the new and improved RW Power Rankings. Enjoy.

32. St. Louis Lams (1-12)

I watched that 30 for 30 on The U. All of those teams would beat the Rams.

31. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1-12)

How does the coach still have a job? Especially in this economy?

30. Detroit Lions (2-11)

I like Stafford and think that this could be a good team in three or four years.

29. Cleveland Browns (2-11)

Counting the days until the New Year and Mangini's quiet exodus.

28. Kansas City Chiefs (3-10)

At least they spent a ton of money and didn't hang on to Jared Allen. Wait, not a good thing?

27. Oakland Raiders (4-9)

The Raiders should have to refund your bet if they put JaMarcus Russell into a game. Now they're starting a Cleveland Brown reject. Pretty sure that's a bad thing.

26. Washington Redskins (4-9)

Legitimately frisky since Zorn had his power stripped. He can still motivate his guys though.

25. Chicago Bears (5-8)

The Jay Cutler honeymoon period is over in Chicago. They're probably shopping for a divorce attorney.

24. Seattle Seahawks (5-8)

My pick to win the NFC West has had a tough season and been mired by injuries. No, not Rick Mired.

23. Buffalo Bills (5-8)

Looking better under the new coach, but in the NFL you tend to need a QB.

22. Carolina Panthers (5-8)

I'm pretty sure they should be a good team. Why can't they just run the ball and then go up top to Steve Smith like they did last season?

21. Pittsburgh Steelers (6-7)

Without Troy Polamalu this is a team that has officially given up and is eying next season.

20. Houston Texans (6-7)

Another year of hype and another year of mediocrity. They blow far too many games.

19. Tennessee Titans (6-7)

I'd watch any random Titans game strictly to see Chris Johnson. It's like watching that little kid who's by far the best player in the league tear through a random game. Just a beast.

18. San Francisco 49ers (6-7)

They're a couple of bad breaks away from a good season. Singletary will get them there eventually.

17. Atlanta Falcons (6-7)

When your starting QB and RB are both hurt and you're an offensive team, wins are going to be tough to come by. They'll be back and contending next year.

16. New York Giants (7-6)

Wow that secondary is bad. Eli face is in full effect.

15. New York Jets (7-6)

They're starting to come around but it's going to be too little too late for the Jets. Again though, they have something to build on.

14. Miami Dolphins (7-6)

Ronnie Brown is being sorely missed as so much of their offense was dedicated to him with the wildcat but Miami still has a decent shot at making it to the playoffs and losing in the first round by three touchdowns.

13. Baltimore Ravens (7-6)

They've had a brutal schedule but outside of Ray Rice, the Ravens have done little to impress. They'll probably make the playoffs but I see them as an easy out once they get there. They're just getting too old on defense and Ed Reed's absence doesn't help anything.

12. Jacksonville Jaguars (7-7)

The Jags are quietly a team that you don't want making the playoffs if you're in the AFC. They should have beaten the Colts and if they had, you'd see a team coming together at the right time after that awkward start.

11. Denver Broncos (8-5)

Brandon Marshall is impressive but I'm still not won over by this squad as a whole. Give it a couple of years though with their nucleus.

10. Dallas Cowboys (8-5)

Tonight's game in the bayou is not what the doctor ordered for the December swoon in Dallas.

9. New England Patriots (8-5)

They have yet to win a true road game. That's not a good thing when you're not going to have home field in the playoffs.

8. Cincinnati Bengals (9-4)

Just a horrible tragedy. Not much else to say.

7. Philadelphia Eagles (9-4)

The defense is going to have to do a better job if McNabb & Co. want to make some noise in the playoffs.

6. Green Bay Packers (9-4)

The Packers went from a team that couldn't protect the quarterback to a sleeper to take the NFC giants down.

5. Arizona Cardinals (8-5)

Don't let the record or the performances fool you. Remember last season?

4. San Diego Chargers (10-3)

Ho hum another year in which the Chargers tear up the regular season. But we know how this story ends.

3. Minnesota Vikings (11-2)

Adrian Peterson is still alive and well. So are the Vikings Super Bowl prospects.

2. New Orleans Saints (13-0)

Who dat?

1. Indianapolis Colts (14-0)

My pick, still.

WEEK 15 PICKS

Jacksonville +6 vs. Indianapolis
Dallas +7.5 at New Orleans
Kansas City -2.5 vs. Cleveland
Houston -14 at St. Louis
Miami +5 at Tennessee
Buffalo +7 vs. New England
Arizona -14 at Detroit
Atlanta +6.5 at New York Jets
Cincinnati +7 at San Diego
Oakland +14 at Denver
Seattle -6.5 vs. Tampa Bay
Green Bay +2 at Pittsburgh
San Francisco +7.5 at Philadelphia
Baltimore -11 vs. Chicago
Carolina +9 vs. Minnesota
Washington +3 vs. New York Giants

LAST WEEK: 9-7
SEASON: 118-88-2

Random Thoughts On a Saturday Afternoon

2009-12-12T22:39:00Z

First off, I'm from L.A., and this business of rain and temperatures dropping below 50 degrees is not okay by me.

Did something happen with Tiger Woods?

Okay, with Tiger, a few things surprised me. First, I didn't think he was this stupid. Second, I had an argument with a friend a couple of years ago when Marvin Harrison got into trouble. We tried to figure out who the least likely athletes to get dragged through the mud would be. I said Derek Fisher, my friend said Tiger Woods. We ended up agreeing on Tiger. Third, how bad are Tiger's PR people? He didn't commit a crime that we know of yet he's being talked about as if this story is O.J. Simpson the Remix. How does Tiger Woods end up being a top story on MSNBC for a whole week? Tiger needed to pull a David Letterman, get out in front of the story, then go his own rout using golf's schedule, disappear for a few months, then come back and play in The Masters. Honestly, I don't care what really happened in Orlando. He's a ridiculously rich athlete who cheated on his wife with multiple women. I'm sorry if I'm not getting all that riled up over this. I was more interested when Tiger blew it against Yang in the PGA and I'd be more interested to see the economic impact of a Tigerless golf season if we didn't already see it last season.

I'm glad Allen Iverson is back in my life. Basketball's not the same without him.

Why does Goodell hate Chad Ochocinco so much? He brings positive energy to a league that features more felons and steroids users than any other major sport I can think of. Sorry, I forgot the word, "alleged."

I apologize for not analyzing the Heisman but I stopped caring about the award when its winner graduated then tried to walk onto the Rams as a safety after winning the Heisman as a QB the year before. That was ten years ago. It hasn't gotten better. The only way I would have been following the race would have been if the NCAA didn't suspend Dez Bryant for being friends with Deion Sanders or whatever other nonsense he was suspended for. If I was Suh, I'd rather be the #1 pick in the upcoming draft than with the Heisman.

I enjoyed going to Pauley Pavilion and watching UCLA play against Kansas. UCLA did look young and inexperienced but it still smells of a team that can be good in a couple of years. I liked the energy. I like Malcolm Lee. I'm not a fan of losing to every Division III school in California but I think there can be some middle ground here.

Sorry I was too excited to write about it last week when it happened, but I was at the Kobe vs. Dwyane Wade matchup last week and I was sitting seven rows behind the Lakers bench. I have to say, there is no other sporting experience like a Lakers game. I can't believe they let the Clippers play in the same building. It's a sham. The Lakers home games feel like events. There are celebrities and just this aura of invincibility wafts in the air. In a star driven league like the NBA, there's no better place to watch than at Staples Center when the Lakers play. Oh, and did I mention that I got to watch Kobe and Wade go at it, watch Fisher hit that money three (that I called during the timeout), and then stay for ten minutes saying, "I CAN'T BELIEVE HE HIT THAT," over and over and over again with everyone else lucky enough to be in the building that night.

There are some good freshmen in college basketball this year. I saw Xavier Henry in person at Pauley but Wall is just a machine at Kentucky. He's truly fun to watch.

Fine, I am a sucker for some good Tiger Woods jokes, but I swear, the details of the story mean nothing to me. John Daly's offering the guy public advice. Are you kidding me? I know it's skinny John Daly, but still.

For anyone who says the BCS never gets it right, you're wrong. No, I'm not saying Texas/Bama is the matchup we all want to see, I'm saying the BCS gets it right . . . for the people the BCS is supposed to benefit. Sponsors and bigtime college football programs. The BCS exists to make money. It doesn't exist to ensure fairness or assure the fans that we get the national championship we're supposed to. The BCS' success is measured in dollars and cents, in ratings and gates. You want the BCS to go away? You want a playoff? Boycott college football. The sponsors know you're not going to do it so the BCS isn't going anywhere anytime soon. And just in case you thought Congress was going to do something about it, perhaps you haven't been watching the race to healthcare "reform." The people with money at stake will spend it to make sure their pockets keep staying filled. Again, the BCS is going nowhere.

I hope the Giants make the NFC Playoffs. Hobbled Eli Manning on the road? I'd lay at least 10 points. With a HUGE smile on my face.

You know what needs to start getting more publicity? The McCourts' settlement/litigation talks. This has a chance to dramatically affect the L.A. Dodgers.

Mark Cuban on Monday Night Raw was classic, at least the clip that ESPN showed.

Have you seen a more unassuming team go 12-0 than this year's Indianapolis Colts team? Maybe it's because they play close games and have zero star power outside of Peyton Manning, but this is an impressive run.

I still can't get over how the UCLA/USC football game ended. 'SC was trying to take a knee with less than a minute left, UCLA called timeout down by a ton, USC came back and threw it up top for a score. Benches clear. I was arguing who was more at fault, Neuheisel or Carroll then realized that choosing between the two on moral grounds is like choosing between a poopy flavored lollipop and actual poop. Waste of time. I may have written about this previously but it begs repeating, for me at least. I can't stand college football coaches claiming moral high ground on anything.

I had a realization last night. It's okay to cheer now when Sasha Vujacic comes into the game because that means the Lakers have a double digit lead now. Life as a Lakers fan is good.

My picks are below, and yes I made my Thursday night pick prior to the game. I just refused to rush an article again because the NFL had Cleveland playing a Thursday night game. No Polamalu? Take the other team, even if it's Cleveland. At this point in the year, you're playing with fire anyway though. The oddsmakers know how to get you. Did anyone have Jacksonville beating Houston even though we all knew it was a weird spread?

WEEK 14 PICKS

Cleveland +10 vs. Pittsburgh
Houston -7 vs. Seattle
Cincinnati +6.5 at Minnesota
Indianapolis -6.5 vs. Denver
Tampa Bay +4 vs. New York Jets
Buffalo -2 at Kansas City
Green Bay -4 at Chicago
Detroit +14 vs. Baltimore
Miami +2.5 at Jacksonville
Carolina +13 at New England
Atlanta +10 vs. New Orleans
Tennessee -13 vs. St. Louis Rams
Oakland +1 vs. Washington
Dallas -3.5 vs. San Diego
New York Giants +1 vs. Philadelphia
Arizona -3.5 at San Francisco

LAST WEEK: 8-8
SEASON: 109-81-2

Most Valuable Player?

2009-12-05T19:01:00Z

First off, I almost rushed this column to get it in prior to the Buffalo/Jets game. Then I realized I was altering my schedule because the Bills were playing the Jets. If you want my rationale for picking the Bills below, I figured when two bad teams play each other in Canada and one of them is favored, take the team getting points. Sure, the Jets may be slightly better but who knows when the Sanchize is going to throw 5 picks. I took the points. So sue me. On to more pressing matters.

I've read, watched, and listened to a lot of debate on the NFL's MVP for this season and what bothers me more than anything is that there is actually a debate. I'm not going to make this suspenseful for you. How on Earth is anybody more valuable than Peyton Manning? Brett Favre is a nice story and made an incredible comeback. He's quarterbacking a team with one of the top two offensive lines in the league, the league's best running back, and the league's most formidable defensive line. There's Chris Johnson. He's a freak of nature and the most exciting running back in the game, but how can an MVP lead his team to an 0-6 start, forcing a change at QB? I like Drew Brees best for second place. He's the heart and soul of an undefeated team but isn't Gregg Williams every bit as valuable to the Saints as Drew Brees? Didn't the Saints put up a gazillion points last year and finish closer to the middle of the pack than the Super Bowl? Brees is a great QB and his offense has yet to be really stopped but the Saints aren't where they are without that defense.

This is an award for the most valuable player. While statistics matter, it is not a statistical award. If it was, why even have a vote? Just devise some sort of formula and call it a day. You have to ask yourself, who is the most valuable player. You're asking yourself, who's the first player picked in a league wide draft? If you took Player X away from his team, how worse off would they be? If you take Favre away from the Vikings, sure, they don't win the Super Bowl, but they haven't won the Super Bowl yet anyway. This team was in a playoff game led by Tarvaris Jackson last year. Heck, even Eli Manning won a Super Bowl with a similar defense and running game. Favre has clearly made a difference, but MVP? Come on. If you put half of the QB's in the league on Minnesota, that's still a 8-3 team or better. If Sage Rosenfels starts and manages games they're still 8-3. I'm not buying Favre. I'm not wasting time on Chris Johnson as much as I like him. His injury killed the Titans Super Bowl hopes last year but they started 0-6 with him in the lineup. Game over. And Brees? He's the MVP of the second place contestants, but again, look at his weapons. He has a tremendous receiving corps. He plays a game directed by a tremendous coaching staff and yes, he's putting up insane numbers. If you take Brees away they're probably a mediocre team.

Now take Peyton Manning away from the Colts and put his brother in for him. They're 4-7 or 5-6 at best. The Colts have no running game. I know what you're thinking, that it's because they pass so often. But if you passed that often, wouldn't you think you'd open up the running game the few times you ran the ball? Not for the Colts. 3.9 yards a carry for the team, which is good for 26th in the league. Okay, well, they have to have a great defense right? They're 11-0. Wrong. Solid defense, yes. Great defense, no. 15th in the league in yards allowed. Okay, so what about the coach? Tony Dungy's one of the best in the business. Wait, he's not there anymore? They have a statue who doesn't move at any point during the game in his place? So how are they 11-0?

Answer: Peyton Manning.

He's their offense. Reggie Wayne and Dallas Clark are nice, but who are and Pierre Garcon and Austin Collie? Are they the new chef at some restaurant in Beverly Hills and his pet dog? Peyton Manning is the offense, the coach, the team. They should be called the Indianapolis Peyton Manning feat. the Colts. I had a discussion with a friend last night about which teams could beat the Lakers and stop a back to back Championship run. We eliminated everybody but the Celtics. We talked about how the Celtics' bigs and match up with the Lakers up front. Rondo will destroy Fish a la Aaron Brooks. Artest helps, but they still have Ray Allen. And then we said, "yeah, but we have Kobe." Conversation over. There is no ceiling for what that means. You can not measure Kobe's impact. How could you? He's unstoppable. Peyton Manning is the Kobe of the NFL. Maybe better. If you're talking about how a team matches up with the Colts, what's your counterargument for, "yeah, but they have Peyton Manning"? There isn't another player in the league for whom that argument resonates. And if you think it does, you're kidding yourself. Peyton Manning is this season's MVP and I don't think there's a close second.

WEEK 13 PICKS

Buffalo +3 vs. New York Jets (in Toronto)
Kansas City +5.5 vs. Denver
Oakland +14.5 at Pittsburgh
Houston -1 at Jacksonville
Miami +4.5 vs. New England
Carolina -5 vs. Tampa Bay
St. Louis +9.5 at Chicago
Indianapolis -6.5 vs. Tennessee
Cincinnati -13 vs. Detroit
Washington +9.5 vs. New Orleans
Atlanta +5.5 vs. Philadelphia
Cleveland +13.5 vs. San Diego
San Francisco -1 at Seattle
Dallas -2.5 at New York Giants
Minnesota -3.5 at Arizona
Green Bay -3 vs. Baltimore

LAST WEEK: 8-7-1
SEASON: 101-73-2

Blue Chips: The Reality Show Version

2009-11-26T16:46:00Z

***Football Picks Below***

I've gone to two UCLA home basketball games this year. I went to the first game in which my Bruins trailed to NAIA Concordia the entire game before winning by 1 at the end and I went to the Pepperdine game a few nights ago where the Bruins played solidly and won by 19. I've written before that as a UCLA fan under Ben Howland, we're not going to win a championship because he doesn't get the guys rated number one or number two in the country, likely because he doesn't want to deal with them only to lose them after one year. After watching the Bruins get spanked by Florida and then Memphis a few years ago, it bothered me to no end that we didn't have a Derrick Rose on our team. Now, as I watch what has transpired in a sport that I grew up with, I am more than glad to be a Bruin fan and alum.

College basketball hasn't been an amateur sport since CBS started making money off of the Wooden era Bruins. The players may not be getting paid, but executives and universities are reaping rewards in the millions and billions at times. I've said for a while now that I believe that college basketball and football players deserve to get paid for all of the revenue they produce. That will never happen because of Title IX, but to argue that they shouldn't to me is just plain wrong. Additionally, I don't blame players for a second when they turn pro after finding out that they're locks for the lottery. Why risk millions of dollars to play for free and risk injury. College isn't going anywhere. If education is truly important to the players they can always matriculate during the off season and after their careers are over. It does happen. The thing is, I'm not buying into the farce that is "student-athlete" nowadays. Players may have received college degrees and attended class in the 60's, 70's, and 80's, but those times are gone. We're in the Matt Leinart Ballroom Dancing era. The people on the lacrosse team may go to school but millions of dollars don't await them. They're not selling jerseys and contributing to billion dollar television contracts. They may be student athletes but Derrick Rose wasn't. O.J. Mayo wasn't.

How many players in the NBA Draft graduate college? For every Tim Duncan and Tyler Hansbrough there are a thousand Kevin Loves. Which brings me to my point, my UCLA Bruins. I've been going to Pauley Pavilion since I was old enough to walk. I loved Tracy Murray, Don McLean, the O'Bannons, and everyone up to Kapono, Gadzuric, Collison, and now Malcolm Lee and Michael Roll. I started noticing a few years ago, that I don't go to senior day early anymore because the only seniors we have are our 11th and 12th men if they happen to be seniors. UCLA may pride itself on academic integrity but that hasn't extended to the basketball court in recent years. Coach Wooden may not be coming to as many games anymore because he's 99 years old, but something doesn't seem right about Coach Wooden cheering on a team of one and dones. Read his book and I promise you he wouldn't approve. But he would approve of this team. I watched the first game of the season in agony. I watched us lose to Cal State Fullerton and was sick. But this team has already made strides since then. It may not make a Sweet 16 this season but if Drew Gordon, Malcolm Lee, and Jerime Anderson stay together for three more years, it could be a Final Four team when they're seniors. And that's how it should be. I'm watching Michael Roll lead a team as a senior when he was little more than a quiet three-point shooter last year. He's matured.

Remember in Blue Chips when Nick Nolte quits at the end? Remember how he said that his best job coaching wasn't the upset win over Indiana but the season before when the team was under .500 because he got everything he could out of that team and it played hard every night? That's how the college game is now. Nobody appreciates that. If you want to win titles you have to get the Blue Chips and in order to get them you have to break some rules. Nobody appreciates a team representing its school for four years and pulling it together in the end? Well I do. Coach Howland, I'm signing up. You want to recruit players with grit who will stay for four years, graduate, and compete every night then I'm right there with you. I'll be along for the ride, 8-clapping every chance I get. I'll get there early on Senior Day and watch our stars honored alongside the guys who ride the pine. We didn't win titles when I was little and I still loved my Bruins. UCLA will always compete in basketball because of its history. I don't want that spoiled by having O.J. Mayo and Derrick Rose scandals.

People wonder why I don't support the football team as much? Google Rick Neuheisel, Washington, arrest, players and see what comes up. It's going to take some time before I buy into the redemption story. College basketball and football are big business but let's not forget that these are kids at the center of it all. They're not amateurs, but they're not true professionals, yet.

WEEK 12 PICKS

Green Bay -11.5 at Detroit
Oakland +13.5 at Dallas
Denver +5.5 vs. New York Giants
Indianapolis -3.5 at Houston
Cincinnati -14 vs. Cleveland
Washington +9 at Philadelphia
Miami -3 at Buffalo
Seattle -3 at St. Louis
Atlanta -12 vs. Tampa Bay
Carolina +3 at New York Jets
Jacksonville +3 at San Francisco
San Diego -13.5 vs. Kansas City
Chicago +11 at Minnesota
Tennessee -3 vs. Arizona
Baltimore -1 vs. Pittsburgh
New Orleans -1.5 vs. New England

Last Week: 11-5
Season: 93-66-1

Random Thoughts on a Thursday Night

2009-11-20T07:31:00Z

Manny Pacquiao is one of the best fighters of all-time. While Cotto may have been a shade slower than he was pre-Margarito, he still looked fit and like he packed a punch. The two questions I had were whether Manny could hurt a true welterweight as he was unable to do against a feeble Oscar and whether Manny could take a punch from a true welterweight. Questions answered. Check and check plus. All that said thought, I still like Mayweather when the two eventually meet after a messy negotiation. Pretty Boy is slightly faster and his defense will frustrate Manny into taking too many chances that open him up. Mayweather has shown much more of a willingness to make others play his game.

There are some really bad teams in the NFL. I spend five minutes trying to figure out the Browns against the Lions because a friend of mine was adamant about the Lions being slighted with the line. Then I realized I would never get those five minutes of my life back and took the Browns if only because they're underdogs.

Ireland deserves a drink. I've never seen a bigger missed non-call. I tried to slip the word "blatant" in there but I couldn't figure out where to put it.

I don't understand what Dwayne Bowe tested positive for but it's clear the rest of the Chiefs aren't on it.

Brandon Jennings is a boss in the making.

UCLA basketball will have to forget about the 09-10 season in a few years. It's going to get ugly before it gets remotely good. And I know we already lost to Cal. State Fullerton. I'll be at the Pepperdine game on Monday. Hopefully the Bruins look a bit better.

I like it when UCLA football wins, but I love it when USC football loses. That's what you get for having male cheerleaders doing push-ups on top of one another in white sweaters. Need I say more?

The L.A. Kings might be worth following for the first time in almost a decade.

The Clippers are not.

Tiger Woods gets paid more for showing up to play golf than 99.9% of us will make in a lifetime.

Sarah Palin makes my head hurt. Not as much as Glenn Beck does though. Wait, he's crying again.

Mark Cuban, L.A. Dodgers owner? I like.

Pau Gasol was back tonight and he looked good. I guess Christmas has come early for Lakers fans, or Channukah for a good portion of us.

Derek Fisher had better not get hurt.

Pau better not get hurt again either. I'm not sure if calling Mbenga, "Shrek" is offensive to Mbenga or the make pretent ogre played by Mike Myers. It's clearly offensive to someone.

Sasha Vujacic is offensive to the human race.

Bill Belichick's decision to go was not dumb. Not in the least. His defense has shown no ability to stop the Colts. Brady for two yards sounded like a much better bet to me at the time than stopping Peyton Manning with over two minutes left. If nothing else there was the element of surprise because I think at least 80% of those watching figured they'd go hard count then take the delay. Oh, and did I mention the ridiculously HORRIBLE spot that the official gave. What was that signal he was giving? The bobble? More like the, "take the spot and subtract 1.5 yards" signal.

Chad Ochocinco needs a 24/7. Can he fight Pacquiao? I'd mistake him for Paul Williams in a second. But then someone would just duck him.

When you bench your #1 draft pick and the future of your franchise in favor of Brad Gradkowski, things are clearly going in the right direction. At least nobody has accused the Raiders head coach of assault or battery in the last 4 days, or since I started typing this column.

I really hope TCU and Cincinnati spank whomever they face in their respective bowl games.

Kansas football. What amateur sports should be all about.

New Super Bowl prediction: Patriots 38 - Saints 31

NFL Power Rankings - Week 11

2009-11-19T06:47:00Z

I'll address last week in Random Thoughts, which should be shortly forthcoming. The big surprise to me, even though nobody is talking about it, was Cincy thoroughly thrashing Pittsburgh. They're a team to be reckoned with. As for the "Teams I Refuse To Rank," that list has grown. There are far too many unwatchable teams this season.

Teams I Refuse To Rank

Buffalo Bills (3-6)
Cleveland Browns (1-8)
Detroit Lions (1-8)
Kansas City Chiefs (2-7)
Oakland Raiders (2-7)
Seattle Seahawks (3-6)
St. Louis Lams (1-8)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1-8)
Washington Redskins (3-6)

23. San Francisco 49ers (4-5)

They're a step away from being added to the above list. And it's not a long step.

22. Chicago Bears (4-5)

Jay Cutler throws a lot of picks + see 49ers comment above.

21. Tennessee Titans (3-6)

They are much friskier than that 3-6 record. I don't know if it was the bye week or Vince Young but something has sparked that defense and Chris Johnson.

20. New York Jets (4-5)

I don't think there's any hope for the Jets this season. Sorry Rex, but your spin isn't flying over here at RW anymore.

19. Jacksonville Jaguars (5-4)

Watching them you'd think they were 2-7 or something but somehow they're 5-4 and I guess that's all that matters.

18. Carolina Panthers (4-5)

The running game and defense are rounding into form but if you don't trust your QB, you're not challenging for the title.

17. Miami Dolphins (4-5)

Wildcat. Say it again, it's fun. Wildcat.

16. New York Giants (5-4)

Not a bad bye week for the G-Men with all of the ground they gained in the NFC East.

15. Philadelphia Eagles (5-4)

One of the reasons the aforementioned Giants are back in the NFC picture.

14. Atlanta Falcons (5-4)

I'll say it again, they can't win on the road.

13. Green Bay Packers (5-4)

They're looking like the worst team in the league one week and a Super Bowl contender the next.

12. Baltimore Ravens (5-4)

The schedule gets tough now after beating the powder puff Browns.

11. Arizona Cardinals (6-3)

There's a method to their madness. They play hard enough to win. I don't like them to cover large spreads though.

10. Denver Broncos (6-3)

Undefeated was a long time ago. Staring a month's worth of losing dead in the eye.

9. Houston Texans (5-4)

Could this be their year? Now's the time to prove something.

8. San Diego Chargers (6-3)

They can take control of the AFC West with a vengeful win in Denver this week.

7. Dallas Cowboys (6-3)

Losing in Green Bay isn't that bad for this Cowboys team with an easy few weeks coming up. They're in the driver's seat and they were not going to get that bye anyway.

6. Pittsburgh Steelers (6-3)

Troy Polamalu is a big loss if he's not healthy the rest of the way.

5. New England Patriots (6-3)

A missed call away from being #1.

4. Cincinnati Bengals (7-2)

They look weird here at #4 but they're very deserving of it.

3. Minnesota Vikings (8-1)

It's okay when you can look that bad and still win by 17. Does Favre have any cold weather games coming up?

2. New Orleans Saints (9-0)

Brees has had some off games but the Saints keep trucking.

1. Indianapolis Colts (9-0)

Bend but don't break. Oh yeah, Peyton Manning is a beast.

WEEK 11 PICKS

Carolina -3 vs. Miami
Cleveland +3.5 at Detroit
Buffalo +8.5 at Jacksonville
Kansas City +10 vs. Pittsburgh
Indianapolis -1 at Baltimore
New York Giants -6.5 vs. Atlanta
Green Bay -6.5 vs. San Francisco
Minnesota -10.5 vs. Seattle
Dallas -11 vs. Washington
Tampa Bay +11 vs. New Orleans
St. Louis +9 vs. Arizona
New England -10.5 vs. New York Jets
San Diego -3 vs. Denver
Oakland +9.5 vs. Cincinnati
Philadelphia -3 at Chicago
Tennessee +4.5 at Houston

Last Week: 11-4
Season: 82-61-1

Fight Night

2009-11-14T06:48:00Z

This weekend's fight between Manny Pacquiao and Miguel Cotto should be boxing's second fight of the year to garner 1 million PPV buys. More importantly, it should be a far better match-up than the lopsided Floyd Mayweather/Juan Manuel Marquez fight was. It is a clash of styles and on top of that, if you told someone about this fight two years ago, that person would have told you Cotto was a 3 to 1 favorite. Vegas has Pacquiao at slightly better than a 2.5 to 1 favorite entering the weekend.

Manny Pacquiao is trying to win a title in a seventh weight class. And that brings me to one of the bigger questions of this fight. How will Pacquiao do fighting against a true welterweight? Oscar De La Hoya was a shadow of the Golden Boy that fought in the late '90's. I put pretty much zero stock into that bout. Cotto on the other hand, despite the catch weight of 145 lbs., will likely weigh close to 160 lbs. on fight night. Pacquiao on the other hand doesn't figure to put on nearly that amount of weight. On top of that, Cotto is one of the sport's biggest hitters and, as the Mosley fight proved, Cotto might be a better boxer than he is brawler, and that's saying something. Just ask Zab Judah, Paulie Malinaggi, and a slew of others. Cotto wears his opponents down and takes away their will to keep coming forward. However, nobody to date has stopped Pacquiao from coming forward. All that said about Cotto, one huge question remains, how is he after the beating he took at the [plastered?] hands of Antonio Margarito? Will the effects of that fight show up when Pacquiao lands his first big punch? Cotto looked good against Joshua Clottey and while Clottey is a world class fighter, he's still nowhere near the fighter Pacquiao is. How Cotto responds to Manny's early flurries will tell you much of what you need to know as you watch the fight evolve.

As stated above, Manny Pacquiao is fighting his first true welterweight in his prime. Pacquiao made De La Hoya and Ricky Hatton look silly but there's no way he makes quick work of Cotto. Pacquiao's overwhelming advantage in this fight lies in the speed of his hands and feet. He will be throwing power punches from all kinds of angles and in combinations that Cotto has never seen up close. Cotto did handle Zab Judah's speed but Judah doesn't press on with anywhere near the consistency of Manny Pacquiao. Make sure to watch for whether Cotto can get Pacquiao's timing down early in the fight. If he can, it could be a long night for Manny and that's not even taking into account the fact that he has a singing concert planned for after the fight (and they're charging $40 a ticket for it so he better show).

Basically, I may have wasted your time making you read the above. It boils down to this: Pacquiao's never been hit by anyone as big or as good as Cotto. Cotto's never faced anyone with the relentless quickness of Pacquiao. If you like power, go with Cotto. If you like speed, go with the Pac Man. Personally, I like the speed in this one. Pacquiao will not knock Cotto out as Vegas has it but he will land more than enough to edge out a unanimous decision. That said, this is a fairly tight match-up and I would not be at all shocked if Manny finished this fight on his back. Cotto is a top pound for pound fighter in the world and his only loss could be a disputed one to Margarito. This fight is nowhere near the 2.5 to 1 advantage that Vegas has it. Cotto is far better than the casual fan thinks he is. It should be a very interesting clash of styles. For anyone who says boxing's dead, watch this fight, see the A-listers who show up, enjoy the action, and thank me later. Oh, and get Tecate's $25 rebate. Turns a $54.95 evening into a $29.95 one.

NFL Power Rankings - Week 10

2009-11-12T16:59:00Z

Football in the middle of the week! And they rejoiced like they had been given the gift of life once more. Okay, I made up a fake Bible passage, but you get it. In other news, you lose when you gamble. I'm having a stellar year thus far given my standards. I'm 14 games over .500. I figured I would be running with at least a 65% clip, but being a math nerd I did the calculation. 55%! I'm barely covering Vegas' take. So if you're 14 games over .500 right now you're breaking even. So in case you're scoring at home, Vegas always wins (don't forget about the parlay take).

Teams I Refuse to Rank

Cleveland Browns (1-7)
Detroit Lions (1-8)
Kansas City Chiefs (1-8)
Oakland Raiders (2-6)
St. Louis Rams (1-7)
Washington Redskins (2-7)

26. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1-7)

They sneak out of the above list just in case Josh Freeman is a baller. They could go right back in after this week.

25. Seattle Seahawks (3-6)

Yes, you drop in the rankings if your game is still in doubt in the fourth quarter at home against the Lions.

24. Tennessee Titans (2-6)

If they can hold serve this week, they'll have quietly gone 3-0 after their bye week (and VY).

23. Buffalo Bills (3-5)

They're not good, and Michael Vick is not the answer.

22. San Francisco 49ers (3-5)

Michael Crabtree is not the problem. The defense all of a sudden going AWOL should have some more explaining to do.

21. Chicago Bears (4-4)

If they were playing in Seahawks jerseys, talking heads wouldn't even talking about them. The defense is hurt and it still remains the more consistent of the two squads.

20. Jacksonville Jaguars (4-4)

It's impressive that they have it to 4-4, but eking one out at home against KC is not a great feat. Although nobody goes to their games in Jacksonville so maybe they aren't really home games.

19. Carolina Panthers (3-5)

They are far better than their 3-5 record. The running game is looking stellar and Jake isn't making killer mistakes. I like them to make a run.

18. New York Jets (4-4)

Hopefully that week off did the Sanchize some good.

17. Miami Dolphins (3-5)

I still like this Miami team. I don't think they're playoff bound but they come ready made with a spoiler alert.

16. New York Giants (5-4)

Where are all of the Giants fans who get on me for criticizing Eli and the secondary? I can't hear you. Anybody home?

15. Green Bay Packers (4-4)

There's losing and then there's losing to the Bucs. The Pack all of a sudden faces a must win against the Cowboys. Too bad the offensive line is filled with my alma mater's JV players.

14. Arizona Cardinals (5-3)

An impressive road run, but don't get too excited over that performance against the Bears. I think the Bears just happen to be horrible.

13. Baltimore Ravens (4-4)

They don't have any bad losses, but they better start racking up some wins soon. Cleveland is the perfect cure for that.

12. San Diego Chargers (5-3)

Great win for the Chargers. Impressive comeback for Rivers. And they play in the AFC West. Can you say 11-5?

11. Atlanta Falcons (5-3)

I love them at home but again, not so much on the road. Big test this week in Carolina. Matt Ryan will have to be far better than he's been in recent weeks. Michael Turner's re-emergence is promising though.

10. Houston Texans (5-4)

They're a game over .500 and were a field goal away from possible ruining the Colts' run. The bye week should serve them well.

9. Philadelphia Eagles (5-3)

They're just too inconsistent. Brian Westbrook's absence may have something to do with that.

8. Denver Broncos (6-2)

They could unravel but it's not like they lost to bad teams. If they lose in Washington I'll have to re-word that last sentence.

7. Dallas Cowboys (6-2)

For all of the "problems" they have, they sure do win a lot of games.

6. Cincinnati Bengals (6-2)

Ochocinco's 12-4 prediction is halfway home.

5. Pittsburgh Steelers (6-2)

Things are good when your Super Bowl hangover leads to a 6-2 record.

4. Minnesota Vikings (7-1)

T-minus 4 weeks until the Favre breakdown. Until then things are happy in paradise.

3. New England Patriots (6-2)

Brady's faltering start is ancient history for a rolling Pats squad.

2. Indianapolis Colts (8-0)

Too many injuries for the Colts lead the RW staff to drop the Colts from the #1 spot. This week's game against the Pats should show us where they are on the totem pole.

1. New Orleans Saints (8-0)

When you can go down 14-0 and still be favored to win the game on the in-running line, you're a good team. Again, can anyone outscore this team? What's the o/u when they play New England? 80?

WEEK 10 PICKS

San Francisco -3.5 vs. Chicago
Jacksonville +7 at New York Jets
Denver -3.5 at Washington
Cincinnati +7 at Pittsburgh
Tennessee -6.5 vs. Buffalo
Minnesota -16.5 vs. Detroit
New Orleans -13.5 at St. Louis
Carolina +2 vs. Atlanta
Tampa Bay +10 at Miami
Oakland -2 vs. Kansas City
Arizona -9 vs. Seattle
Dallas -3 at Green Bay
San Diego -1.5 vs. Philadelphia
New England +3 at Indianapolis
Baltimore -10.5 at Cleveland

Last Week: 9-4
Season: 71-57-1

NFL Power Rankings - Week 9

2009-11-07T17:25:00Z

I made a decision. I refuse to try and rank the worst teams in the league and I also refuse to pick them unless I'm receiving over 2 TD's. There is no point into putting effort into analyzing them. They are just plain awful and when they play each other the NFL should issue and apology. And just in case you try and read something into the order I put them in, notice they're in alphabetical order. The only thing I will say about any of them is that Cribbs should get 30 touches a game for Cleveland. He's the only positive thing about this list right now.

Teams I Refuse to Rank

Cleveland Browns (1-7)
Detroit Lions (1-7)
Kansas City Chiefs (1-7)
Oakland Raiders (2-6)
St. Louis Rams (1-7)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (0-7)
Washington Redskins (2-6)

Glad that's over with, not that the next 10-15 teams are all that great either.

25. Tennessee Titans (1-6)

I don't necessarily think Vince Young is a great QB seeing as how he can't throw, but he sure has energized this team and if that means a solid running game and defense then this is a solid team all of a sudden.

24. Seattle Seahawks (2-6)

They're not in the Teams I Refuse to Rank because I feel bad for them as half their team is injured.

23. Buffalo Bills (3-5)

They can be frisky at times but it's a team a long way from being consistently decent.

22. Carolina Panthers (3-4)

Well I didn't see that coming. One of the toughest teams to figure out with all of the talent and lack of production thus far. If last week is a sign of things to come then they might sneak into the list of Wildcard contenders by season's end. Or they could finish 6-10. Who knows?

21. San Francisco 49ers (3-4)

I think that was Indianapolis coming out flat and not the Niners playing well. A .500 finish is likely in their putrid division though. Stay away when they play good teams.

20. Jacksonville Jaguars (3-4)

Unless you own MJD on your fantasy team, you're not watching them play.

19. New York Jets (4-4)

Um, maybe they're not good.

18. Chicago Bears (4-3)

If it's possible to look bad beating a team by more than 3 TD's then the Bears did it. I really don't like this team.

17. Miami Dolphins (3-4)

If you don't gameplan right for them, they'll burn you. Stop their running game and they're cooked.

16. Arizona Cardinals (4-3)

I'm not even going to try and analyze them. They can play with anyone and lose to anyone. #16 is a perfect spot for them.

15. San Diego Chargers (4-3)

An actual test coming up this week in NY. I say they pass it.

14. Houston Texans (5-3)

Sneaking into the playoff picture. They could sneak right back out after playing in Indy this week though.

13. New York Giants (5-3)

They have no secondary and Eli is looking like he could play QB for the Browns.

12. Atlanta Falcons (4-3)

Not a bad showing in New Orleans. I'd like to see more poise out of Matt Ryan and less of announcers calling him, "Matty."

11. Dallas Cowboys (5-2)

A lot of turmoil for a team that's 5-2. But it's the Cowboys, do you expect any different?

10. Green Bay Packers (4-3)

I don't like the way everybody says that Aaron Rodgers needs to get rid of the ball. These guys are taught to hang in when they're in the pocket. How about placing some blame on the offensive line? Fortunately they have a nice vacation in Tampa this week.

9. Philadelphia Eagles (5-2)

Now that was a statement game. I still don't understand how they lost to the Raiders. Neither does a third of my survivor pool.

8. Baltimore Ravens (4-3)

I see a march coming on.

7. Cincinnati Bengals (5-2)

Big test this week. Let's see if that first win over the Ravens was a fluke.

6. Denver Broncos (6-1)

A tough team to try and rebound against with Pittsburgh. McDaniels is a great coach, but I'm not sure the offense has what it takes to beat a Pittsburgh team playing with a healthy defense.

5. Pittsburgh Steelers (5-2)

Their defense should be sporting some swag with Polamalu coming back.

4. Minnesota Vikings (7-1)

Apparently it's not cold yet because Favre is still playing well. Can somebody in a city where it's not 75 degrees in November tell me when the seasons are changing? Thanks.

3. New England Patriots (5-2)

Quietly stomped some teams going into their bye week.

2. New Orleans Saints (7-0)

Can anybody outscore them?

1. Indianapolis Colts (7-0)

Ugly? Yes. But ho hum, they're 7 and 0.

WEEK 9 PICKS

Jacksonville -7 vs. Kansas City
Baltimore -3 at Cincinnati
Houston +8.5 at Indianapolis
Atlanta -9 vs. Washington
Green Bay -9.5 at Tampa Bay
Arizona +3 at Chicago
Miami +10.5 at New England
New Orleans -13 vs. Carolina
Seattle -10 vs. Detroit
Tennessee +4 at San Francisco
San Diego +4.5 at New York Giants
Dallas +3 at Philadelphia
Pittsburgh -3 at Denver

Last Week: 8-5
Season: 62-53-1

The Haves and Have Nots . . . NBA Version

2009-11-07T03:59:00Z

The NBA, much like the rest of the country, is made up of have and have nots this season. There really is no middle class. The NBA, and pretty much every other sport, as Tim Leiweke put it to me, will have to face the issue of big market vs. small market. That will be especially evident in the recession that our economy is in. Discretionary spending may not be down for the celebrities that make up a Laker crowd scene, but I guarantee you it is in Milwaukee. It will be interesting to see how this plays out in collective bargaining. But until then, here's how I see the season shaking out when the playoffs begin in about four or five months. Or is that how long the playoffs last? I forget.

LOTTERY TEAMS

30. Sacramento Kings

I don't know what you do with this team now or in the future, but they were going to be in the cellar regardless of Kevin Martin's health.

29. Memphis Grizzlies

A young team looking to develop its younsters picks up Allen Iverson. Sad what the economy has done to teams, and players I guess.

28. New York Knicks

When Danillo Gallinari is your bright spot, things are not going well for your franchise. At least they have a good shot at LeBron in 2010. Wait, they don't because of their cap situation?

27. New Jersey Nets

I don't know about you, but I'm excited for the Russian billionaire to come in and bail this team out.

26. Golden State Warriors

I definitely outweigh their so-called savior. Not a good thing.

25. Milwaukee Bucks

I like Brandon Jennings, but he needs to bring the fade back. It's going to be a cold season in Milwaukee.

24. Minnesota Timberwolves

Some nice pieces for the future but with Al Jefferson injured and Rubio in Spain, the Timberwolves are a recession recovery and then some away.

23. Indiana Pacers

I'm not sure Danny Granger can be the best player on a good team. At least Tyler Hansbrough found the puppy in that commercial.

22. Los Angeles Clippers

You can't have lottery teams without the Clippers. No explanation required. I would say they're the Royals of the NBA but that's demeaning to the Royals.

21. Charlotte Bobcats

They'd have a chance with a college shotclock but not in a league where offense rules. Because they have zero offense.

20. Houston Rockets

They'll be feisty but they're a few fries short of the Happy Meal due to injuries this season.

19. Oklahoma City Thunder

Still too young, but the future is bright in Oklahoma City.

18. Washington Wizards

I'm actually okay with this team when everybody's healthy. That happens about -32% of the time.

17. New Orleans Hornets

A new coach will have this team in good form next season. I like the Ric Flair sounds effects though.

1st ROUND KNOCKOUTS

16. Detroit Pistons

I really don't see how their free agent splurge improved them all that much. That was a lot of money to spend on the same 8-seed they probably would have earned anyway.

15. Portland Trailblazers

They make a great fantasy team, but they have too many guys vying for the same minutes in the backcourt and not enough depth in the frontcourt where they get injured all the time.

14. Philadelphia 76ers

Elton Brand needs to be going at somewhere around 75% for this to be a solid playoff team. Otherwise they're too soft. Way too soft. I think they'll be there in a couple of months.

13. Toronto Raptors

Another beneficiary of playing in the Eastern Conference. Some good players but nowhere near a contender.

12. Chicago Bulls

They lost Ben Gordon, but I still like how this team is coming along. Derrick Rose is a straight stud.

11. Phoenix Suns

The Steve Nash hourglass is running out and I still think they're a piece away from making the necessary leap.

10. Atlanta Hawks

Pick up a PG somehwere along the way and how can you not like this team? You don't want to see them in the playoffs, especially if you lose that home court advantage somehow.

9. Utah Jazz

Jerry Sloan's a great coach but they're always injured and they can't seem to gel as a result. That and the crowd HATES Boozer. Not good when your crowd hates your best scoring option.

CONFERENCE SEMI-FINALISTS

8. Cleveland Cavaliers

How exactly does Shaq help this team? I've never been a big LeBron fan, what with the non-existent jump shot and ego and all, but he single-handedly keeps his coach and GM employed.

7. Denver Nuggets

Melo is playing like a man possessed, but Billups has some mileage on him and I'm not quite there yet with the bigs up front. Can any of them score with any consistency? How many times does J.R. Smith take the wrong shot? At least George Karl is there to keep them in order.

6. Miami Heat

I believe in D-Wade. There's no other way to explain my sleeper pick. Oh, and they play in the East.

5. Dallas Mavericks

Poor Mavs fans. Marion was a great addition for the type of game they like to play. Dirk is in his prime. They have a lot of good role players. But they're playing in a Conference with two many super-powers.

CONFERENCE FINALISTS

4. Orlando Magic

They turned Hedo into Vince, but I'm not necessarily sure that was what they needed. It may be an upgrade on paper, but has Vince ever proven himself? Hedo was one of many three guys in the NBA last season that I was legitimately terrified of in the dying seconds of the fourth quarter. Vince isn't sending the chills down anybody's spine and when you look up and down the Magic roster I don't think there's anybody else that sends them either. They weren't going to beat the Lakers with the team they had last year but Hedo wasn't the problem and Vince isn't the answer.

3. San Antonio Spurs

They added Richard Jefferson. Manu Ginobili will kill anything in his path, bats included. Tony Parker is as smooth as Sidney Poitier (okay, I stole that from the soccer announcer on Gol TV). And the Big Turtle a.k.a. Tim Duncan is more than any team except for the Lakers can handle in a big game in the West. Add to that one of the best coaches of our generation, especially when it comes to X's and O's and you have a serious contender.

RUNNER UP

2. Boston Celtics

Despite what some other people think, I think Rasheed helps them. Even if he's slowed down, I think he finds that extra gear come playoff time. And you know he doesn't need to turn it on in the regular season. Rondo is a beast at PG. Paul Pierce is still a dagger thrower alongside Jesus Shuttlesworth and KG is off his rocker crazy. I am not looking forward to facing this team in the Finals.

CHAMPS

1. Los Angeles Lakers

Oh who am I kidding. It doesn't matter who we face in the Finals! Did anyone notice that Artest has about 1,000 more dimensions on offense than Ariza? And why do we need a lock down defender when Kobe can D up anybody else's best scorer in the fourth quarter? All we need is a fourth banana and Artest more than suffices. Mbenga scares me but then I realized that he's getting zero minutes once Pau is back healthy. Give Lamar his candy and he's fine. Fish is still knocking down shots. Bynum is a little spacy but sufficient. And Sasha will be the first to fall victim to the Fan Veto button. It's the button that all fans in Staples Center will possess. When a player goes to the table to check in, if enough fans push the Fan Veto button, then he goes back to the bench. Okay, I'm making that up, but how great would that be? In all seriousness though, the Lakers got better. Kobe's still hungry, and while the Celtics will pose some problems, Artest gives the Lake Show the requisite toughness to last in that series. The Lakers weren't willing to go mano a mano with the Celts two years ago. I'm no genius, but I have a feeling that Artest is willing to make a statement play or three. I like this team and the Zen Master is going to have to grow an 11th finger for that extra ring.

NFL Power Rankings - Week 8

2009-11-01T05:34:00Z

32. St. Louis Lams (0-7)

Only chance at avoiding the 0fer comes this week in Detroit.

31. Detroit Lions (1-6)

Again, really glad that win's out of the way.

30. Tennessee Titans (0-6)

I still don't understand how they're this bad.

29. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (0-7)

I like the move to Josh Freeman. He could be good. The rest of the team still stinks though.

28. Washington Redskins (2-5)

Should have taken my own advice and avoided picking them.

27. Cleveland Browns (1-6)

Wow, there are a lot of bad teams in the NFL if Cleveland is #27.

26. Kansas City Chiefs (1-6)

So much for being frisky, legitimately or otherwise.

25. Oakland Raiders (2-5)

They gave the Chargers a game in Oakland. Let's see how things go in the second home game when the Raider Nation takes over the Qualisseum.

24. Carolina Panthers (2-4)

You'd think they'd be able to ride their running offense at least a little bit.

23. Seattle Seahawks (2-5)

Too much bad luck surrounding this beaten up squad.

22. Buffalo Bills (3-4)

They have a solid defense and a guy who went to Harvard playing QB. Which side of the ball do you think Buffalo excels at more?

21. San Francisco 49ers (3-3)

I'm not sure turning the team over to Alex Smith is the answer.

20. Jacksonville Jaguars (3-3)

This team confuses me the more I think about it. I still don't think they're good but I'm not willing to completely write them off.

19. Miami Dolphins (2-4)

Better than their record but solid teams don't reinvent ways to lose games. That and their passing game stinks.

18. Chicago Bears (3-3)

I am not at all confident in my survival pick this week.

17. San Diego Chargers (3-3)

It's easy to get better with their schedule. I'm looking forward to picking against them in the playoffs.

16. Houston Texans (4-3)

They need to do a better job finishing games but 4-3 should suit them just fine.

15. Dallas Cowboys (4-2)

Eh, I'm not sure that the defense is there yet.

14. Atlanta Falcons (4-2)

This is not a very good road team. Great at home though.

13. Philadelphia Eagles (4-2)

They didn't look that great at home against Washington. A much stiffer test in the G-men this week.

12. New York Jets (4-3)

Nothing like a little shot of Oakland to make you feel good about yourself.

11. New York Giants (5-2)

So it's the secondary and the passing game now. What's next?

10. Arizona Cardinals (4-2)

That horrible start seems like ages ago now.

9. Baltimore Ravens (3-3)

Here's their chance to prove a lot of people like me right.

8. Green Bay Packers (4-2)

Turning things around just in time for some guy named Favre to come to town.

7. Cincinnati Bengals (5-2)

I have no idea how they're this good. They'll feel the effects of that huge injury though unfortunately.

6. Pittsburgh Steelers (5-2)

Big win, but it wasn't pretty. Still a far cry from last season's form.

5. Minnesota Vikings (6-1)

Is it time for the Favre collapse yet?

4. New England Patriots (5-2)

Playing like a video game offense once again.

3. Denver Broncos (6-0)

They can make a huge statement by beating Baltimore this week.

2. New Orleans Saints (6-0)

That was a close one. Nice to come back home after a nail biter like that.

1. Indianapolis Colts (6-0)

Seriously, when will they start getting credit?

WEEK 8 PICKS

Baltimore -3.5 vs. Denver
Chicago -13 vs. Cleveland
Houston -3.5 at Buffalo
Indianapolis -13.5 vs. San Francisco
New York Jets -3.5 vs. Miami
Detroit -4 vs. St. Louis
Dallas -9.5 vs. Seattle
New York Giants -1 at Philadelphia
Oakland +16.5 at San Diego
Tennessee -3 vs. Jacksonville
Minnesota +3 at Green Bay (I hope they lose by 1)
Arizona -10 vs. Carolina
Atlanta +11 at New Orleans

Last Week: 7-5-1
Season: 54-48-1

NFL Power Rankings - Week 7

2009-10-24T19:19:00Z

Last week was a little rough but we meandered through the mess and emerged with clutch wins on Sunday and Monday night. I have some games that I really like this week, which means I'm in for a 4-9 whooping. Oh well.

32. St. Louis Lams (0-6)

Yep, they're the Lams again until they win.

31. Detroit Lions (1-5)

Again, really glad they got that win out of the way. Although they get the Lams in a couple of weeks.

30. Tennessee Titans (0-6)

No more giving credit. I have never seen anything like that second quarter in an NFL game.

29. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (0-6)

I am not making the mistake of picking them again. The spreads can't be high enough.

28. Washington Redskins (2-4)

Again, do NOT be fooled by those two wins. This is one of the worst teams in football. At least they're spending a lot of money for all of those losses.

27. Cleveland Browns (1-5)

The Baby Browns won again today, but wins for the NFL Browns are things like covering 14-point spreads by a point. Hey, a win's a win.

26. Oakland Raiders (2-4)

Riding the Richard Seymour train. It's better than anything else in the last five years.

25. Kansas City Chiefs (1-5)

They're a legitimately frisky team from week to week. Unfortunately they're not playing the Redskins anymore.

24. Buffalo Bills (2-4)

That was an impressive win but I think this is still a team that can find ways to lose.

23. Carolina Panthers (2-3)

Don't get too excited about a win against Tampa Bay. I have low expectations for this underachieving squad.

22. Seattle Seahawks (2-4)

Or I could be wrong. They need a healthy Walter Jones protecting the QB. His kids' names are Walterius and Waleria by the way (wife is Valerie, apparently Walter + Valerie = Waleria).

21. San Diego Chargers (2-3)

Overrated . . . clap clap . . . clap clap clap . . . Overrated . . . clap clap . . . clap clap clap.

20. Jacksonville Jaguars (3-3)

I know I'm not the only one who wrote them off after a couple of weeks but all of a sudden the Jags are 3-3 and a playoff spot isn't out of the realm of possibility.

19. Miami Dolphins (2-3)

It's tough to get excited about a team that has a gimmick offense, but if Chad Henne can somehow do what he did against the Jets week in and week out then the Dolphins can be a team to be reckoned with.

18. Dallas Cowboys (3-2)

See San Diego.

17. Houston Texans (3-3)

Right where most thought they would be, in the middle of the pack.

16. San Francisco 49ers (3-2)

They have a lot to prove coming off of that awful performance against the Falcons.

15. Arizona Cardinals (3-2)

Could this be the remix to last season's NFC Championship? This season sure is shaping up the same way.

14. Philadelphia Eagles (3-2)

Yes, you drop this far when you lose at Oakland.

13. New York Jets (3-3)

They may not be as good as some once thought, but I don't think they're as bad as a loss at home to Buffalo would indicate. Or maybe I'm just too lazy to cut, paste, and drop them a few more spots. Either way.

12. Chicago Bears (3-2)

Losing on national television in Atlanta is nothing to be ashamed of. Some fluky plays could have swung that game the other way too. Very solid team.

11. Green Bay Packers (3-2)

Nothing like going bye week, Detroit, Cleveland to cure what ails you.

10. Baltimore Ravens (3-3)

The best 3-3 team I've seen in a while. The defense will come along. As long as the offense continues to produce, this will be a playoff team.

9. Cincinnati Bengals (4-2)

A hiccup was bound to happen and losing their best defensive player for the season to an Achilles injury didn't help, but something just smells right about the Bengals this season.

8. Pittsburgh Steelers (4-2)

Yeah, with Polamalu back they're fine.

7. New York Giants (5-1)

I know playing in New Orleans isn't easy, but the Giants fared no better than the Lions in the Superdome. Having your secondary show up to games apparently helps.

6. New England Patriots (4-2)

I know Tennessee is bad, but that was an impressive performance, especially in the snow.

5. Atlanta Falcons (4-1)

I believe in this team. So should you.

4. Denver Broncos (6-0)

I can't explain it. Neither can you, but here they are, and you would be wise not to bet against them it would appear.

3. Minnesota Vikings (6-0)

Vikings fans can be happy now. Let's see if this trend continues in cold weather games in the late winter.

2. New Orleans Saints (5-0)

Again, if you outscore the other team you have a good chance of winning. It's tough to outscore the Saints

1. Indianapolis Colts (6-0)

They're good. Again, why am I the only one giving them credit for it?

WEEK 7 PICKS

Kansas City +5.5 vs. San Diego
Indianapolis -14 at St. Louis
Green Bay -9 at Cleveland
Minnesota +6 at Pittsburgh
New England -15 vs. Tampa Bay (in London, are they still mad about the Patriots from 1776?)
Houston -3 vs. San Francisco
Oakland +6 vs. New York Jets
Buffalo +7 at Carolina
Cincinnati even vs. Chicago
New Orleans -6.5 at Miami
Atlanta +4.5 at Dallas
Arizona +7 at New York Giants
Washington +7 vs. Philadelphia

Last Week: 7-7
Season: 47-43

Random Thoughts On A Monday Night

2009-10-20T06:44:00Z

One 4 out save request too many. I'm glad that Broxton mishap occurred now and not 10 years ago. 10 years ago I might have thrown whatever was in my hand against a wall, usually some sort of nerf ball. Tonight it was my computer but I was mature enough to put it down and punch the couch cushion. It's nice to see how far I've come. In all seriousness though, I'm not sure I have utter confidence in Broxton in the coming years if he's not 100% healthy. I know he's had 2 Tommy John surgeries and he pitches in the low key 7th inning as opposed to closing the games up, but Hong Chih Kuo is the guy I trust for 1-2-3 innings. I still think there's a glimmer of hope this year because Philadelphia fans can turn on their teams pretty quickly but I won't hold my breath. Go Lakers!

If there's a team with a young coach who has his team playing lights out going against Norv Turner, take the young coach, especially if his team is an underdog and hasn't lost yet this season. Did I mention that Norv Turner coaches the other team?

Angels fans are funny. They realize that nobody in Los Angeles cares about the "Anaheim Los Angeles California Angels" so they just get happy when the Dodgers lose. We call this the valley/inland empire/everywhere else within 50 miles of Los Angeles nobody in Los Angeles would live unless forced to at gunpoint syndrome.

Is it just me or did that UConn football coach come across as a complete jerk and made the Jasper Howard murder more about himself and his identifying the body, calling the parents, etc. as opposed to what a collossal tragedy it was and that the kid had an impecable reputation around campus? Jasper Howard was from a poor part in Florida and trying to make it so that he could get his Mom, sisters, girlfriend, and children better lives. I'm glad that West Virginia is honoring him before the game. If only the UConn program had shown a little more class and not just made up some T-shirts with his jersey number, that they sold.

Which entity has more credibility, the Oakland Raiders or the United Nations? The United Nations has the advantage of no ties with Al Davis. The Raiders have the advantage of not having the public support of Hamas. Fortunately for the UN, the Secretary General eventually changes over whereas Al Davis will be the owner of the Raiders until 2078. I know the Raiders just won, and yay for kicking a few teams out of my Survivor Pool, but it just means a lower draft pick.

They may as well have castrated Jim Zorn. They did the football version of that in taking away his play-calling. So, why is he the coach? Washington is my new team to pick against for the rest of the season.

John Wooden turned 99. I really have nothing to say other than he is my favority sports figure of all time.

Here's something I actually heard in a bathroom at a sports bar during a friend's birthday party: There were a ton of Bills fans and two of them were in the bathroom. One of them was in a T.O. jersey and the other in a Bills sweatshirt. The T.O. guy says, "I should piss on this T.O. jersey." Sweatshirt guy says, "ha." Turns out we both heard first guy wrong. He continues, "yeah, I was texting and the jersey fell and I just pissed on myself." Later I found out from my friend who works there that this group of about 30 Bills fans was there for 6 hours and tipped $14 total, for all 30 people. That's less than 50 cents a person. I guess you earn your own bad luck sometimes.

Florida is really lucky that Tebow hasn't been hit hard when playing with post concussion syndrome. Those doctors should be ashamed of themselves. Remember Shark in Any Given Sunday? That easily could have happened. I hope that BCS money is worth it.

That Yankees game that went 13 in the rain was great. But it's like the NFL watched it and then had to out do it with that ridiculous Vikings/Ravens 4th quarter. If the Castillo-Corrales fight was a football game, it would have been the Vikings/Ravens game. "Unbelievable action! . . . ebb and flow!" What an unbelievable game.

College football's fun, except for when you're a UCLA fan. When does basketball season start? Although I'm a little tired of getting to watch great players for one year and then having to forget about them. Are Ariza/Love/Holiday, etc. true Bruins? Who really wins in this scenario?

The Maccabi Tel Aviv coach getting tossed in Madison Square Garden was funny. His not leaving and threatening to go Eddie and have his team forfeit was even funnier. The rabbi trying to intervene and have the officials "forgive" the coach so the rabbi could teach his students a lesson about forgiveness was hilarious. You can't make something like that up.

USA, number one out of CONCACAF. Please don't break our hearts in the World Cup again. Please.

Who's bigger, C.C. Sabathia or Sebastian Janikowski?

If hockey season starts and nobody notices does it really exist? Great marketing job NHL!

You know the WNBA is doing well when they flash that the deciding game of the finals is roughly tied in the last 1:30 and about zero people flipped over from an inconsequential NCAA Football game that was pretty much over.

The Maureen Dowd article where she writes a fake conversation in which Dubya is talking to Bill Clinton about the Nobel Peace Prize and calls Barack Obama, the "La Bamba" guy was great.

Did New England really put in a Michigan State rookie QB and it wasn't Drew Stanton? How do they find these guys. Oh, and when you give up 5 passing TD's in a quarter (I don't even know how you get 5 possessions in a quarter), your team stinks. I am no longer giving the Titans any credit whatsoever.

Did LenDale White try and eat the snow?

Detroit plays the Rams in a couple of weeks. Anybody else smell a 3-3 tie?

There needs to be a camera on Stephen Jackson at all times if he stays with the Warriors. He could make Latrell Sprewell look like a saint if he and Nellie both stay.

The Saints just scored again.

Peyton Manning won a game in his bye week. He's that good.