PHX v. DET

Now you know being the Pistons fan that I am, I have to touch on last nights demolishing of the Phoenix Suns in Phoenix 105-83. Two nights ago, Phoenix played Dallas in Dallas and won 129-127 in OT. The Worldwide Leader dubbed that game the game of the Century. But, watching Phoenix and Detroit, I was reminded why Phoenix will not win the NBA championship. The key to beating Phoenix other than executing in the half court, is to make Steve Nash a scorer and not a distributer. As long as he's not passing the ball around, those guys for Phoenix are just regular players. Of course, Phoenix v. Dallas was entertaining, but I don't think either one of those teams has what it takes to win it all. Dallas has the pieces but I don't think that Dirk can do it when the lights are the brightest. For Dallas to win, Jason Terry & Josh Howard will have to lead them to victory, with Dirk serving as support. Your NBA Champ will come from either San Antonio, Miami or Detroit. Those 3 teams have what it takes to win a 7-game series when the pressure is on.
By the way, I don't think that Mike Dantoni guy coaches very much.

Tourney Talk - Round 1

• ORU let me down. I really believed that they would pull out the W. But, my bracket is still looking better than an unnamed friend of mine.
• Thank God for Winthrop.
  
• I believe that Michigan State can defeat the Tarheels today for 4 reasons:
• NC is young, young, young
  
• MSU plays great defense, rebounds and is tough
• Izzo is a great coach
• Drew Neitzel is a clutch, hard nosed player

• I had Illinois defeating VaTech and they lead the entire way until they were outscored 12-zip in the final 3 minutes. VT turned up the pressure and the Illini wilted. That was a Big Ten style game. It's ugly to watch, but every possession counts.
  
• I loved to see Duke go down vs. VCU. Eric Maynor is fun to watch, as they say, he has ice water in his veins.
• I can't believe Tennessee scored 121 points in a 40 minute game! They're better than the Phoenix Suns.
  
• Must see games today:
• Louisville v. Texas A&M - I chose A&M in my bracket because of the dynamic Acie Law IV, but it is very hard to choose against Pitino.
• Carolina v. Michigan State - As I said, Roy Williams run & gun youth goes up against Izzo's tough minded, blue collar team
• Xavier v. Ohio State - Thad Matta goes up against his former troops. Xavier isn't afraid of OSU and would love to beat them in the tourney since OSU refuses to put Xavier on their schedule
• Eric Maynor and VCU against whoever they're playing.
  

March Madness

On the eve of March Madness, I have got to send a shout-out to my alma mater, Oral Roberts University. ORU is a 14 seed and will face Washington Sate in the 1st round. I have placed the fate of my bracket on the fact that I believe ORU will win 2 games in the tourney this year. They have 2 outstanding seniors in Caleb Green and Ken "King" Tutt. They also have a solid coach in Scott Sutton (yes, Eddie Sutton's son). Watch out for ORU! We have God on our side and we are expecting a miracle.

da spurs!

I woke up this morning and as I perused my requisite morning internet sites, I read that the San Antonio Spurs have a 13- game win streak. WOW! I totally forgot that they were even in the NBA. They have to be one of the most insignificant teams in the league, next to Seattle & Milwaukee. The difference with the Spurs is that they are actually a good team and can win a championship.

NIT here we come!

Well, my Michigan Wolverines showed their true colors in the Big Ten Tourney and bowed out in the Quarterfinals to The Ohio State University. We will not be going to the big dance thanks to the fact that they shot 32% from the field, and their best player, Dion Harris, shot a woeful 1-13. This was probably one of the biggest games of his career and he couldn't buy a bucket. After the game, Tommy Amaker had a sound of resignation in his voice. He doesn't know what the future holds in regards to his future in Ann Arbor.
Hey, I have an idea ... The people in Lexington want to get rid of Tubby Smith. Let's bring him in.

Pokey, Pokey, Pokey ...

This whole Pokey Chatman situation is interesting. Mind you, I don't really follow women's b-ball but I may watch the Women's Final 4. She made a decision to jeopardize a pretty decent job with LSU to have "inappropriate" relationships with some members of her team. LSU women's team is a major program. I can't help but think that if there was a similar situation in the Men's game where a coach had a relationship with a member of his team, this would be a much larger story. But, because this is a woman and she's having a relationship with another woman ... the outrage is not there. She was basically fired because she had a sexual relationship with one of the student athletes that she coached.

Hell to the Victors

There's not too much to be said about Michigan's BBall loss to #1 Ohio State on Saturday. They choked plain and simple. Michigan lead most of the game until the final 3+ minutes when they choked and went scoreless. Turnovers, missed layups, missed free throws ... what a disappointing game on senior day.

Tommy Amaker's response was thus, sometimes you don't get what you deserve.

You're right Tommy, these kids deserve a coach who knows what he's doing. Michigan deserves a basketball team that strives to be the Leaders and Best. You're not getting the job done, plain & simple.

BTW ... Brent Petway has the worst haircut in the history of the world.

I love Indian food too but ...

I'm sorry, but this request by Kanye is ridiculous and a waste of money. You mean to tell me he couldn't find any good Indian food in the whole of NYC that he had to order out to London? This is what's wrong with our people. What a waste ...

LONDON, England (AP) -- If Kanye West were to walk into the British Raj's dining room and order dinner, it would cost the rapper about $17.50. But since the restaurant is delivering -- from Wales to New York -- it's going to cost a bit more.

For a feast of onion bhajees, chapati breads, biryanis, pappadums, a specially prepared fish dish and vegetables on the side, the bill will top $3,900, plus travel and accommodation for the restaurant's head chef.

The meal was requested for West and seven guests by a music promotion company, the restaurant said Sunday. The company had previously ordered food from the restaurant near Cardiff, Wales, for an after-show party for a Snoop Dogg concert in London.

But this is different. Normally, they don't deliver outside a 3-mile radius of the restaurant, which is about 150 miles west of London.

"I was horrified when I heard about this request because of the distance involved," said the restaurant's head waiter, Tarik Mohammed. "It's a long way, and our reputation is on the line. We are doing every thing to make sure the food gets there safely and every thing is aboveboard."

The meal will be prepared, cooled, shrink-wrapped and packed in dry ice in the British Raj's kitchens and -- along with head chef Kaysor Ahmed -- will be helicoptered from Wales to London's Heathrow Airport on Tuesday.

From there, the chef is to hop a flight to New York -- monitoring the food's temperature all the way -- clear customs, and head for Manhattan, where the meal is to be served during a meeting Wednesday.

The fee was arrived at by estimating the restaurant's takings for two evenings, the time Ahmed will be away, Mohammed said.

Sucks being a Lakers fan

Watching the Lakers/Suns game yesterday I gained a greater appreciation of Phil & Kobe. At one point the Lakers had Shammond Williams, Aaron McKie, Kobe, Kwame Brown & Ronny Turiaf on the floor. I felt sorry for Kobe and all Lakers fans. But then I realized that this has got to be Phil Jackson's best coaching job. Smush Parker is their starting point with Shammond Williams backing him up!?! Maurice Evans also started yesterday. Smush and Mo Evans are 2 players who couldn't even hack it on the Pistons bench and now they're starting for the Lakers? Until yesterday, I had not even seen Aaron Mckie play in a good 3 years. I actually thought he was retired. And to hear that the Lakers are interested in bringing in Deep in debt Grandpa Scottie Pippen .... Sucks being a Lakers fan! I mean, can you really get excited about Scottie Pippen or Smush Parker for that matter?
That team is competitive in the Western Conference and they don't have 1/10 the talent of other teams in the West. Kudos to Phil.

Conclusive evidence that white men can't jump

Only because this video is hilarious ...

Give Credit where it is due

I have to give credit where credit is due. The Michigan Wolverines beat Michigan State the other night 67-56. Tommy's boys finally came to play and played with pride & passion. Dion Harris put the team on his back, hit big shots and carried the Wolverines to victory. Which brings me to this point ... Lester Abram is a 5th year senior and since he was a freshman, he has been regarded as the glue that holds this team together, as evidenced by the fact that he is the first 3-time Captain in Michigan BBall history. In past years, when Michigan has floundered down the stretch, it was often blamed on the fact that Lester was hurt and unable to be on the floor. Many people said that Michigan is a better team with him on the floor, against Michigan State, Lester was basically invisible. Watching that game the other night, I realized that Lester may be named the captain, but the team must follow Dion. If it weren't for Lester's 6 free throw attempts (in the final minutes of the game) he would've put up a big donut. Maybe, Dion has deferred to Lester as captain, but he is the true leader of this team. Keep leading Dion. If Michigan can beat OSU on Saturday and make a serious run in the Big Ten tourney, they can make it to the Big Dance.

A Little Bull

Word is out of Chicago Bull camp, that the Bulls are trying to talk Antonio Davis out of retirement. From K.C. Johnson of the Tribune: "Antonio Davis waved off a question about whether he was retired when he visited the Bulls' practice last Saturday. It is said that Davis is enjoying retirement. But his skills—leadership and rugged rebounding—appear to be what the Bulls are lacking."
Maybe I'm a little ignorant, but didn't they pay Big Ben Wallets $60M to provide leadership in rebounding? In a recent game vs. Orlando, "Donnie" Darko lit up Big Ben for 14pts, 16rbs & 5 blocks. In the same game, D-wight Howard had 21pts & 16rbs (11 TO's YIKES!) Let's see ... what did Big Ben have, 3pts, 8rbs.
Chicago is done. They're trying to lure Toni Kukoc & Antonio Davis (& his brawling wife) out of retirement. It looks like a sign of desperation, they're grasping for straws. When it comes down to it, they are a jump shooting team and those type of teams don't win in May and June. They need an offensive inside presence.

Mr. Diva

Given my feelings about Mr. Diva, I just have to share this

Better Late than Never

I went to Vegas on All Star weekend. So I'd thought I'd share some of my observations:

• Shaq ain't fat
• Scottie Pippen appears to be slightly anorexic
• Ciara LOVES Reggie Bush
• Reggie Bush had more fun dancing with his boys than he did with Ciara
• Charles Oakley at the craps tables at Caesars
• Nas rocked the mic at Tryst (I almost got thrown out the club by trying to reach out and touch the back of his head)
• "Hip Hop is Dead" is my new favorite song
• Bill Laimbeer and I partied at Tao. I didn't know he enjoyed clubbing.
• Oprah's friend Gayle coming into Tryst at 2:30 am (shouldn't her old self be in bed by then?)
• Willis McGahee walking back and forth through the Wynn by himself, then later walked by with some floozy trailing behind him. (I talked to my girl about his baby momma situation).
  
• Walking down the strip with the unmistakeable smell of ganja in the air
• Hanging out at the Wynn at 4 am, I could've sworn I was at Greektown Casino in Detroit. There were a ton of black folk assembled. My friends and I laughed at the poor European travelers who did not know they chose "The Black Super Bowl" Weekend to visit Vegas. They were in culture shock ... it was Ghetto Fab.
  

Read the Sports Guy for more All Star musings.
Jason Whitlock always has something interesting to say.
And don't forget to check here.

Big Ben's return

Yesterday, Big Ben Wallace made his first trip to the Palace as a Chicago Bull. My Detroit peeps booed him mercilessly ... as well they should have. Detroit fans are passionate and loyal. Ben may have wanted a standing-O but there was none of that in the Palace. Detroit embraced him as their own and put up with his atrocious free throw shooting and offense for 6 years. It was good to see him bricking free throws for the other team.

Now, onto the game .... Chicago is a good young team with decent players. But they are not ready for the big stage yet. With the game on the line, the Pistons did what they do ... hit big shots and play stingy D.

Barring injury, Detroit should be the team to beat in the East. Don't count out Miami though. We know how D. Wade loves the theatrics and I'm sure he'll want to make an epic return after being wheeled off the court. Shaq also wants to show that he can still lead a team. Miami is still the champs and you can never count the champs out of it when they have Shaq & D.Wade.

OSU vs. Wisconsin

I watched the OSU/Wisconsin game yesterday which was quite entertaining. These are 2 teams from the Big Ten ranked 1 & 2 nationally. The thing that stuck out to me about these teams is that they:
A) Play with pride
B) Play with passion
C) Are well coached

Those are three things that my Michigan Wolverines lack. They don't play with pride, passion and are not well coached. Hopefully, we are witnessing the end of the Tommy Amaker era. His Michigan teams have historically underachieved. His Seton Hall teams underachieved. He seems to be a good recruiter as evidenced by the talent on the roster. But he is unable to get the most from his players. None of his players improve from year to year during their tenure at Michigan.

One Oscar Note

Since the Oscars are tonight, and I just have to put in my 2 cents. I haven't seen all of the Best Picture Nominees but I did see Little Miss Sunshine and the Departed .... My Oscar goes to Little Miss Sunshine which is one of the best movies I've seen in a while. The Departed was good, but I don't think it deserved a Best Picture. Personally, I thought Dreamgirls was better ... Jennifer Hudson was fantastic.

A long time ...

For whatever reason, I've been out of the loop for a while. So I got some catching up to do. First things first, everytime I see the video of Dwyane Wade crying and being wheeled off in a wheelchair ... I have to laugh. No, I'm not laughing at his injury or his misfortune ... But I'm laughing because he is such a drama queen and a diva. I believe I wrote about his flair for the dramatic and his diva quirks before. I've seperated/dislocated my shoulder a few times and it is painful. But no one ever wheeled me off in a wheelchair. I can guarantee you that if Chauncey Billups hurt his shoulder, he would not be wheeled off the court.

Shhhh! Don't tell the truth!

Tyrus Thomas has learned quickly that there are few people in the sports world that can get away with telling the truth. He is not one of them. When asked about his participation in the Slam Dunk contest, he repeatedly said that he is "doing it for the money." Poor Tyrus, he was just telling the truth. Competing in the contest will give him a little bonus money but you're not supposed to tell people that is the reason you're doing it. You're supposed to say something like, "I am representing the Bulls and it would be an honor ..." Instead, he told the truth and the Bulls fined him $10K! Few guys in the sports world can be honest and it not come back to bite them in the behind ... namely Barkley. Check out Sam Smith's column on Thomas.

The word is OUT!

Looks like the fabulous John Amaechi is coming out of the closet in one of the worst kept secrets in the sports world. Aparently, it has been an "open secret" for years. Maybe this is why he disappeared from the NBA. Do you even remember John Amaechi? I remember him at Penn State and I remember that he had a good season or 2 in Orlando. I also remember that he turned down a big contract to play with the Lakers instead he opted to play with the Jazz ... My lasting thoughts on him is that a good friend of mine had a crush on him. She was attracted to the fact that he enjoyed poetry, opera and a good cup of tea. At the time, we just thought it was a Euro - Metrosexual thing but I guess not ... Check out the posts on thebiglead.com and deadspin.com for more info.

???

Question: Who is the worst coach in the NBA?
Answer: Mike Brown, Cleveland

Cleveland had a lot of promise heading into this season but they need a coach who can take them there. Mike Brown is not getting it done.

D-Wade

24 free throw attempts the other night for Dwyane Wade against the Cavs. The NBA is becoming a joke and Wade is a super diva. He loves to fall all over the court and act like he's hurt. Opponents can't even breathe on him without a foul being called. Nobody in the NBA can guard him because that's how the NBA treats its divas.

JKidd isn't hiding his feelings

So what do YOU think Jason Kidd is trying to say with his new free throw routine?

Somebody buy T.O.'s house

So T.O. can't sell his house near Philly. He has dropped the price by $1million and is actually selling it for $500k less than what he brought it for. To me, that sounds like a horrible investment. But, I guess it ain't about the money with him.

Philly.com:

Somebody can really throw Terrell Owens for a loss by buying his house in Moorestown. The Cowboys wideout put his creekside five-bedroom on the market in October 2005 for $4.4 million. The listing now says the owner is "motivated to sell" and "will consider all offers." Price is now $3.4 million - a $1 million discount and a full half-mill less than he paid for it in May '04. Would a hyperbaric chamber cinch a deal?

SWEET!

Who cares if Serena was unseeded? She had a fantastic run at the Australian Open.

Sheed, Pt.2

An update on the Sheed situation I spoke of earlier on Detroit Bad Boys.

Vick Loves his Ganja

Apparently, Mike Vick has a 20 oz Aquafina bottle with a hidden compartment where he carries his ganja. When asked to throw the bottle away because it's not allowed on the flight, he puts up a fight, authorites notice the secret compartment and the smell of weed. Nice way to draw suspicion to yourself. When you have a $130M contract, why take the chance? Anyway, here's a link to the complete story and some highlights:

According to the police report, Vick drew suspicion when he refused to part with a bottle of water at a security-screening checkpoint. Bottled liquids of more than 3 ounces have been prohibited at most U.S. airports for months for security reasons.

Vick eventually threw the bottle in a waste container but his initial reluctance caused TSA official Gertrude Joseph to examine the bottle, described as a 20-ounce Aquafina bottle. Joseph then notified her supervisor of a hidden compartment in the bottle.

Fellow TSA screeners said they saw Vick throw the bottle into the container, which surveillance cameras confirmed, according to the police report.

"The top half contained a small amount of clear liquid. When held upright the bottle appeared to be half full of water," according to the police report.

Sheed Ain't Happy

Sheed ain't happy & it doesn't look like he's going to get happy any time soon. He got another Tech last night in the 4th quarter and guess what ... the Pistons lost by 1 point. Can he just shut up for 1 minute? Check what Chris Sheridan wrote about the game last night on ESPN. I love Sheed but sometimes he needs to just suck it up and play. The Pistons have made excuses for him all season now their patience is beginning to run out with him. It's time for him to man up and do his thing. The Pistons have always said that he's a great teammate and so unselfish but right about now, he's doing just the opposite. Look, if Sheed were having a decent year, we could deal with his nonsense, but the fact of the matter is he's not performing on the court and it makes him an even greater liability.

But, last night was the debut of CWebb and it looks promising for the hometeam. Rip & Tay will really benefit from his presence and his passing skills. Deron Williams killed them last night from outside & in the paint. What happened to the Goon Squad (Dale Davis & Jason Max)? They are the 2 guys that Flip could've played in order to stop the Paint Parade.

Is Indiana becoming Utah east?

This Indiana - Golden State trade is interesting. So Indiana gives up Stephen Jackson, Baby Al, Jasikevicius & Josh Powell for Dunleavy, Big Murph, Ike Diogu & Keith McLeod. But let's focus on the major players, Baby Al and Steve "Shoot 'em up" Jackson for not 1 but 2 Great White Hopes. Personally, I think GS got the best side of the deal and Jack & Harrington will fit in great with Nellie's system. If they can only get JRich healthy & keep Baron healthy.

I think that Indiana is trying to become the Utah of the East ... not that there's anything wrong with that. I'm not a big fan of Dunleavy but we'll have to wait and see how he & Big Murph fit into Carlisle's plan.

Is he a Power Forward or a Wide Receiver?

Okay, so I know I have a lot of CWebb posts but you have to understand that I love Michigan, I love the Pistons and I've always loved CWebb. I'm happy he's home.

But, #84? The only 84's I can think of are Randy Moss, Shannon Sharpe, Sterling Sharpe, Javon Walker, Herman Moore ... the list goes on with NFL players. It's going to be weird watching a basketball player wearing that number. I can't imagine a great deal of people buying a #84 basketball jersey but who knows?

Happy Birthday to The Greatest!

Welcome Home!

Detroit has nothing but love for CWebb!

Motown Philly

In honor of CWebb's return from exile ... I mean Philly, I give you Boys II Men singing Motown Philly.

Who Says You Can't Go Home?

CWebb is coming home. I wonder what number he will wear since #4 is retired. I remember way back in the day when Joe Smith decided to sign with Detroit in the mid-season. I was so excited, I felt like it was Christmas all over again. That excitement had a shorter shelf-life than Joe's Piston career. Let's hope that the CWebb era brings us better results than Joe Smith did.

I also hear that Detroit is pursuing a Nazr Mohammad for Marko Jaric trade. I guess that's a so-so trade as long as Marko doesn't take any floor time away from my favorite Argentine, Carlos Delfino. Oh Nazr, we hardly got to know thee ...

Which Flip will be the first to go?

I'm no fan of Flip Murray and Flip Saunders hasn't set the Detroit basketball world on fire either. The Pistons have shown that they're not afraid to fire even the most successful coach ... how much longer can Flip Saunders hang onto his job? Those rumors of him going to the U Minnesota are sounding more plausible as each day goes by.

Congrats

Congrats goes out to my favorite Detroit Lion, Roy Williams, on making his first Pro Bowl due to an injury to Torry Holt. Roy had 82 catches for 1310 yards and 7 TD's.

Roy is always quick to give us the 1st down sign (because as he says, TD's are hard to come by in this league) and a great quote such as: "We're the best 2-6 team in the league."

I love his honesty and his youthful enthusiasm. Hopefully the Lions can turn this around and make us all believers like Roy.

In Roy I trust.

NFL Playoffs

The drama of the NFL Playoffs is unbelievable! I watched 4 fascinating games this weekend. I was hoping that San Diego and my man LT would pull it out but once again, the Pats pulled it out. I really feel sorry for Marty. By the way, did you see how pissed LT was at the end of the game? All the Pats do is win. Now we get another Manning/Brady showdown next weekend. Will Manning defeat his nemesis this time to move on to the Super Bowl? The drama continues.

The Bears/Seahawks came down to a FG in OT. The Pats/Chargers came down to a FG. Something just doesn't seem right with that. These players give their all throughout the season and their fate is determined by a kicker???

I certainly have to send a shout out to my Saints? The Deuce was loose and doing his thing against the Iggles. That should be a good game next week vs. da Bears.

He has no right to do this

Marko Jaric has asked the Timberwolves for a trade. This 'demanding a trade' thing is really getting out of control in the NBA. The Timbs gave up Sammy Cassel and a 1st round pick for Mr. Jaric. Who would trade for him? Perhaps they can trade him back to Serbia for somebody that knows how to put his uniform on correctly.

What's next? Is the Kandi Man going to request a trade?

Chauncey Billups the MVP

Could it be true that Chauncey is the MVP of the Pistons? They have absolutely struggled without him. They are 3-4 without him with 2 of those losses coming against Charlotte & Atlanta. They had a difficult time beating the Celtics at home last night.

Billups will be a free agent this summer and now the Pistons see that they cannot live without him. He is the leader and the best player on this team. They could make it without Ben Wallace but not so without the MVP.

Barbaro

Someone please tell me ... why is Barbaro's health a sports story? According to this article, Barbaro is feeling better. How exactly do we know that a horse is feeling better and without pain? Did he tell the doctor that he's feeling better? He's been in the hospital for 8 months????? My goodness! I can't even imagine the hospital bill.
I'll leave you with the words from Mr. Ed's theme song. According to this song, Mr. Ed is the only horse that talks:

A horse is a horse, of course, of course,
And no one can talk to a horse of course
That is, of course, unless the horse is the famous Mister Ed.

Go right to the source and ask the horse
He’ll give you the answer that you’ll endorse.
He’s always on a steady course.
Talk to Mister Ed.

People yakkity yak a streak and waste your time of day
But Mr. Ed will never speak unless he has something to say

A horse is a horse, of course, of course,
And this one’ll talk ‘til his voice is hoarse.
You never heard of a talking horse?

Well listen to this: "I'm Mister Ed."

Don't Drink the Water in Milwaukee

Wow! They are having some serious injury issues in Buckland ... Michael Redd, Charlie Villanueva & now one of my main fantasy PG's, Mo Williams.

Dear Mr. Dumars,

Please bring CWebb home!

I know, I know ... the Pistons greatest need isn't a jump shooting power forward because we already have McDyess & Sheed for that. But, c'mon ... CWebb is a hall of famer.

While you're at it, we need a back-up for Chauncey, I'm not a believer in Flip Murray's ability to do that. If Stevie Franchise is healthy, I think he would be a good fit and a nice spark off the bench ... seeing that he will be a free agent soon also.

Whatever the case, JoeD needs to make a move before the trade deadline. This team is missing something and there is a bit of turmoil going on. Look, I love Sheed but he hasn't had a good season and it's getting difficult to count on him. McDyess hasn't done anything too much either this year. I think this team is due for a radical shake-up.

The East is horrible this year and the Pistons have a great opportunity to get back to the Finals. JoeD must do whatever it takes to get us back to the Finals this year.

Random Thoughts of the Past Few Days in Sports

• Ohio St. got their butt handed to them.
• Troy Smith must have attended too many Heisman celebrations.

• Tim Tebow must be the 2nd coming of Jesus Christ.
• The Sweater Vest is mortal after all.
  
• Jason accuses Joumana of abusing him and their children. I guess this means he has to alter his free throw routine.
  
• Eli Manning is no Peyton Manning.
• Peyton is no Tom Brady.
• Brady is money.
• Peyton ain't.
• Yao & Nia Long????
  
• I won the championship in one of my 3 Fantasy Football leagues.
• Injuries are abundant in the NBA.
• CWebb's days as a 76er are coming to an end.
• Kobe is really good.
  
• Larry Brown will replace Mo Cheeks as coach in the near future.
• The injury bug in Miami has bit Pat Riley too.
  
• Miami will not repeat.
• The Dallas Mavs will be the 2007 NBA champs.
• Stevie Franchise won't be a Knick for long.
• The Pistons need a backup point guard.
• Somebody wake up Rasheed.
• Jermaine O'Neal is pissed.
• Is the NHL still on strike?
• The Big Ten sucks.
• Tony Romo was blamed, but that was a team loss.
  

You gotta love this.

I don't think Greg Paulus will ever live this down!

Oh No ... Romo!

Great finish to the Seattle / Dallas game. Tony Romo bobbled the snap of a 19 yard field goal and gave the game to Seattle. Romo's fall from grace has happened in spectacular fashion.

Indy v. KC

I don't know about you but this photo makes me a bit uncomfortable.

Peyton will have to play 100 times better next week to give Indy a chance vs. Baltimore.

Back to Pasadena

From Sekou Smith's blog in the Atlanta Journal Constitution:

"I’d start with the Rose Bowl, but I’m still in hide out and recovery mode from yet another West Coast letdown by my Wolverines (the plan was to go to bed Monday night and wake up today and do Jan. 1 all over again. Didn’t work. 2007 stinks like dirty gym socks already, @#$@ !#@^# Lloyd #%#$%Q! Carr).

The better coached and better prepared team whacked us for the second straight game, so we deserved what we got (a 32-18 visit to the LA woodshed for those of you who slept through the New Year after partying like it was 1999 on Sunday night). I wonder what it would take to lure Boise State’s coach away, because there is a man who coaches the way it should be done. They played like that game was the only game on earth and their lives depended on winning it. Their performance, as well as my Wolverines’ inept showing, is a stark reminder that there needs to be a playoff for Division I-A college football. There’s no excuse.

I can’t stop thinking about the differences in coaching that were on display during these Jan. 1 bowls (I lied, I’m not done with it). How could any team expect to show up after a month and a half layoff and not bring something new to the table? Don’t you learn from your mistakes Lloyd Carr? Did you think USC tossed the Ohio State game tape in the trash and decided to guess what you were going to do? Just like training techniques, coaching has to be something that evolves with the times, something that adapts to the personnel and something that is tailored to a specific opponent. Lloyd Carr’s arrogance (“We’re going to run the ball, I don’t care how many people they have stacked on the line to stop us.”) has resulted in yet another west coast/big game debacle. I’m going to be one grumpy joker for the foreseeable future based on what transpired in Pasadena last night."

AMEN!

Gil is trowing a party

In case your invite was lost in the mail, one of my favorite players, Gilbert Arenas, is throwing himself a huge birthday party that will be hosted by Mr. Diddy himself. His party even has a dedicated website. Check it out: Arenasexpress.com

Same Rose Bowl Story ... different year

Once again, my Michigan Football Wolverines have come up short in the Rose Bowl and I had so much confidence going into this game. It seems as though Michigan forgot what they did during the regular season that made them such a formidable team. The offensive play calling was absolutely atrocious vs. USC! I thought that halftime was a time for making adjustments. Obviously, that's not the case at the University of Michigan because tonight we were determined to run the ball down the Trojans throat ... once again, Michigan arrogance has come up to bite them in the behind.

As the game progressed, toward the end of the 3rd and 4th quarter, they began to play with a sense of urgency and the play calling became a bit more aggressive than it had been. But, too little too late. USC had momentum on their side and they absolutely rubbed it in our faces.

Lloyd Carr should be embarrassed by his coaching performance in this game. I've never thought that Pete Carroll was a very good in-game coach but it doesn't take too much to out coach Lloyd in the big games.

There is no way that this team is the 2nd best team in the country!