My 2011 Best Of List

Hello again and Happy New Year to you! On this, the last day of 2011, I decided I wanted to write a list of what I considered the Best of 2011. This is more than just a sports list, but I will include that as well:

Best Team- The Green Bay Packers. Not only did they win the Super Bowl, but they then went on a tear in the 2011 season.

Best Play- The Gonzaga Lax 80-yard goal. It made SportsCenter's Top 5 plays of the year, and should have been number 1!

Pro Star of the Year- Dirk Nowitzki

NCAA Star of the Year- Kemba Walker

Sports Moment of the Year- The last day of baseball's regular season. It was insane. They Ray's comeback alone would have gotten it. But add in the other games and it was just perfect.

Biggest Sports Tragedy- Dan Wheldon's death

Biggest Scandal Related to Sports- Jerry Sandusky

Favorite Sports Figure of the Year- Drew Brees. Just a great guy.

Least Favorite Sports Figure of the Year- Rex Ryan. Shut up!


And now some non-sports ones!

Movie of the Year- The Muppets. I know it isn't Oscar-worthy or anything, but no movie made me happier or more emotional.

Album of the Year- Wasting Light by Foo Fighters. Not only was it the best album in my opinion, but seeing them might have been the best concert I have ever been to.

Song of the Year- F@*k You by Cee Lo Green

Artist You Couldn't Escape- Adele. I mean, even the rock station in DC, DC101, played Rolling in the Deep. No escape! Not that she is bad, but come on!

News Moment of the Year- The Death of Osama bin Laden. Shocking I didn't pick the Royal Wedding, I know.

Favorite Celebrity of the Year- Jason Segel. How I Met Your Mother and The Muppets. Works for me.

Least Favorite Celebrity of the Year- Any Kardashian



Personal Achievement of the Year- Finishing my Masters. Dad would be proud.

Best Friend's Moment of the Year- The wedding of my good friends Deirdre and Kevin.

Sad (Superficial) Personal Moment of the Year- Hawk n' Dove closing.

Tragic Moment of the Year- Losing Manny Marshall in a car accident. We miss you bro.

Reason I Have Gotten Through This Year Sane- My friends, my family, and a certain someone :)


Thanks for reading, folks. Hope you all have an amazing 2012. I hope the Mayans are wrong and we get a 2013 also. If not, enjoy the time you have left. Happy New Year!

Things I Would Change

Good Evening my friends.

I have been thinking... a dangerous pastime, I know. There are things in sports that I would like to change. I don't mean rules, like the kickoff in the NFL or the 24 second shot clock. Also, I won't get started on the BCS. I just mean little things that annoy me, and that, were I king of the Sports World, I would change. Here are just a few of my ideas:

- Make the San Diego Chargers switch the their powder blue uniforms full-time. They are the best unis in sports.

- Make ESPN no longer cover Duke-UNC basketball. We get it, they have a history. You overdo it. I think you have overdone it so much that you should lose it for a while. Dickie V will get over it, I am sure.

- Make everyone agree that Army-Navy is the best NCAA football rivalry. It isn't about hate. It is competition among young men who then go out and risk their lives for our freedoms. Ohio State-Michigan, ND-USC, the Iron Bowl or Miami-FSU just can't compete with that.

- Take away the designated hitter. I have done a complete 180 on this since the Nats came to DC. I like watching NL baseball more. There is strategy. There is small ball. While some of my favorite players of all time were DH's (especially Harold Baines and Edgar Martinez), I still think it should be done away with. The modern pitcher can actually hit.

- To be on Monday Night Football, you must have made the playoffs in the previous year. It seems like every week, the Jaguars and Browns were on MNF. They shouldn't be unless they earn it. I know with the schedule this doesn't really work. You will need some non-playoff teams. But they don't get to host the games. If you are the playoff team, you host the game.

- No more football games in London. Ever.

- Take away fan voting from All Star Games if they mean something... so... Baseball.

- Add a fan vote for the Hall of Fame. It is the only way Ray Guy will ever get in, I guess.

- PUT RAY GUY IN THE HOF! He is the best punter ever. He should be in.

- Stop the fake American obsession with the English Premier League. If you haven't spent at least a semester in England, you can't claim a team as your own. Go to an MLS game. They need your money.

- Change the NBA Draft so they can't keep foreign players overseas for multiple years. Too many good American players are going without jobs. No more outsourcing our basketball unless the guy comes and plays in America within a year after being drafted.

- Make the NCAA play in games all for the last few at-large teams. Conference Champions shouldn't have to deal with play-ins. And maybe that way Virginia Tech would finally get into the tournament with their weak resume and their one quality win (over Duke)... But probably not.

- Mascots have to kind of, sort of, make sense for the team. Or, they at least need to be funny enough where I don't care. That is born of the Philadelphia 76ers Mascot fiasco currently going on.

- Goalies should shoot more in the NHL. I just think it is fun when they score.

I will think of more, I promise.

Whatever Happened To....

Time to try a new segment. It is called "Whatever Happened To...?"


- The Nats spending money? Thomas Boswell has it right in his column today. Ted Lerner is dropping the ball as an owner. We missed out on Mark Buehrle, CJ Wilson, Yu Darvish, and pretty much any other FA we targeted before the Winter Meetings. It isn't that we just got outbid. That could be understandable. It is that we didn't even offer fair value. We didn't post for Darvish. We low-balled Buehrle. We aren't trying to get young Cuban outfielders. The Marlins passed us in terms of talent now. We are back to 4th. This isn't good.

- The importance of breaking records in the NFL? I know Aaron Rodgers is having an amazing year, and is the leader of the best team. However, Drew Brees is on pace not just to beat Dan Marino's 1984 passing yardage record- he could shatter it. That should count for something! He should be mentioned more in the MVP discussion, and not just as the guy who should be second.

- Journalistic integrity? ESPN has made a bunch of questionable calls recently, most notably sitting on the Bobby Davis tape for 8 years and not reporting it or investigating it further. The SU administration did. The Syracuse police did. Had this tape been turned into them, they could have had enough to expose Bernie Fine years ago. And yet they didn't, instead waiting to report it when it was most advantageous to their programming. It is far too suspicious that they waited to do their Outside the Lines report for 8 years, only to suddenly air it two weeks after the Penn State Scandal ruled the headlines (a story, you will remember, that ESPN did NOT break). Ethics seem to matter less than website hits and TV ratings.

- The Capitals being a regular season powerhouse? I miss that. That Cup just looks further and further away...

- Big League Chew bubblegum? I haven't had that in over a decade.

- Being able to criticize Uber-Christians for their beliefs if they are blatantly bigoted? But JFLAN, you say, that isn't sports-related! Sure it is. I have two words for you- Tim Tebow. There is a great Grantland article discussing how Tebow has made his own bed with his beliefs and his affiliations with certain anti-gay anti-choice groups, and how it is fair to then criticize him. Read it here. I also don't think that winning a few games against bad defenses and injured offenses should cause everyone to go so crazy about him, especially when Matt Prater is bailing his holy ass out most games. Just listen to SNL.

- Touchdown dances? I know the NFL tried to crack down on those, but I haven't seen a creative one in a while.

That's it for tonight. Think it went well?

Master!

My dear 12 or so readers, I have done it. I finished my Masters. This of course means I will have less distractions from giving you my fairly meaningless opinions on sports. I might even get around to talking about other things. I was thinking movies and music, since the news is just too depressing to write about... Then again, so are the Redskins.

Heisman and BCS Thoughts

Sooooo the NCAA Football regular season is all over, with the exception of Army vs Navy on Saturday. I have some thoughts about the BCS Bowl games, and the Heisman Trophy finalists.

- The BCS Title game is... boring. I am sorry. There is nothing sexy about the game. LSU-Bama already happened, and it was AWFUL! 9-6? That isn't a testament to great defense. It was 4 missed field goals, no offensive players that caught my eye, and robbed America of 4 hours. OK State deserves a shot at LSU. You know why? Because they won their conference. Outright. Alabama didn't win its division. New rule time! You must win your conference to be eligible to play in the BCS title game. Simple. Then we don't end up with rematches that people don't want to see.

- Virginia Tech didn't win its conference, but got an at-large bid. They didn't deserve it. They were destroyed in the ACC title game (their second loss to Clemson), barely beat Duke this year, and are in there over teams with real quality wins. Boise State only has one loss and beat Georgia in Georgia. TCU beat Boise. KSU only lost to OK State and Oklahoma. I don't buy Tech, and predict that Michigan is going to run all over them.

- The Orange Bowl, Clemson vs WVU, might be the most fun of the BCS games, though Stanford vs OK State has the chance to be a classic.

- The speed of Oregon against the size of Wisconsin will be great to see. LaMichael James against Montee Ball? Yes please.



So, the Heisman finalists were announced today. Montee Ball, Robert Griffin III, Andrew Luck, Tyrann Mathieu and Trent Richardson will be in NY on Saturday. I wish Case Keenum was there, but he isn't. Matt Barkley was snubbed as well. Not that it matters, but if I had a ballot, this is how I would vote:

1. Robert Griffin III
2. Montee Ball
3. Andrew Luck
4. Tyrann Mathieu
5. Trent Richardson

RG3 has been the single best player I have seen this season. He is insane. He carried a team with minimal talent (compared to the other powerhouses represented) to a 9-3 season, including wins over Oklahoma, Texas and TCU. He is my pick easily. Ball is the country's leading rusher, and Luck is the heart and soul of Stanford. They could be tied at 2. The others... well... Here is the thing.

Mathieu is an amazing player. He is a ball-hawk CB. He is a great return man. He has a great nickname (Honey Badger). But he missed a game, and in a 13 game season for LSU, that means something. It is only that he has been so outstanding in the other games that I am ok with him being a finalist. And then there is Trent. In the biggest game of the year, he was shut down. He did nothing against LSU. 23 rushes for 89 yards and no TD with the spotlight on you is not a Heisman performance, especially when 24 of those yards came on one rush. I would have Keenum and Barkley ahead of Richardson.

I am hoping that Mathieu and Richardson split the SEC votes. Luck will get most of the West, Ball the North and Griffin Big XII country. If it comes down to the Northeast, expect Luck or Griffin to be hoisting that trophy come Saturday. Ball isn't as well known, and the voters tend to go with QBs. I am hoping that RG3 takes it home, because he has shown me the most.

I could be wrong... but I don't think I am.

This Is Why I Can't Have Nice Things

So, there is apparently a sexual abuse scandal at my alma mater, Syracuse University. This is another reason why I have stopped going to church. Just when things are going well, something awful happens in my life. This is one of those things. I do not want my school, my basketball program, or my legendary coach besmirched by something like that. The information is not nearly as damning from what I have read, but you never know.

Because you will ask me about this soon enough- The difference between Syracuse and Penn State, as I understand the facts right now:

- There was no coverup,

- Coach Boeheim was never told,

- There has been no corroborating evidence,

- The police were told, investigated and closed the case, Syracuse did their own 4-month investigation, interviewed all the people the complainant said would support him, and they all denied it.

That's where it is now If it is completely false, then fine. We move on. If Boeheim knew nothing about it, then he is safe. Chancellor Cantor and AD Dr. Gross can't be fired because they weren't there at the time, which might be a shame cause I don't like either of them. If it turns out that Boeheim did know what was going on like JoePa did, then he has to be fired like JoePa was.

There ya go.

Just Some Thoughts

I have no one topic I feel like writing at length about right now. So, here are a few short thoughts on a bunch of things. Enjoy!

- JoePa has to go now. He should walk away, set a good example, take some responsibility and retire. But he won't. He has already says he is done at the end of the year, not now. And that is not acceptable. Jason Reid of The Washington Post wrote a great column on this today. Read it here.

- I have to confess something- I do kind of miss the NBA. Not that much, of course. But being unemployed allows me to keep my crazy hours of staying up very late. What I miss is watching the West Coast NBA games on TNT or ESPN. I miss Clippers-Suns. I miss watching the Warriors and the Trail Blazers. I know it sounds insane, but I liked knowing that, at 1 am, there would be live sports on. Plus, my man Hakim Warrick plays for the Suns, and my man Jonny Flynn is on the Rockets. Need some Pro-Cuse time. Speaking of...

- College Basketball has started! YAY! Cuse has played two exhibitions and won pretty easily. It will be interesting to see how we do against real teams, not St. Rose.

- I went out drinking for a friend's birthday instead of watching Alabama-LSU. The bar had no TVs. From what I saw on SportsCenter, I made a good choice. Please no rematch, BCS. I will be rooting hard for Stanford, Boise and OK State the rest of the way just to avoid that possibility.

- I do not like the Nationals being linked to Roy Oswalt or Ryan Madson. We don't need an old, injured starter, nor do we need an overpriced closer. We have a great young closer named Drew Storen. We have a great young setup man who could close on any other team named Tyler Clippard. Clip n Store = better than Madson. As for Oswalt, Mark Buehrle is younger, better, less injury-prone. Sign him!

- Sid the Kid (who I hate) might be back Friday. Welcome back, I suppose. I will like you if you come back and take out Jagr.

- Happy Birthday Adam Dunn. I have faith you will bounce back. I always liked you Adam. Always have, always will.

- The World Series of Poker winner, some German 22 year old, won $8.7 million. Nice work if you can get it.

- I have watched Pulp Fiction 4 times in the past week. I love that movie. You should see it if you haven't.


That's all for now.

10 Things I Would Do If I Ran The Nationals

So, I have some ideas for what the Nationals should do in the offseason. Most of them have to do with players, but I have some other things on my mind too. So, were I Mike Rizzo or the Lerners, this is what I would do-

1. Do whatever it takes to sign Mark Buehrle. I think he is the best free agent pitcher. He would help us immediately. He is a lefty with over 150 wins, is only 32, and has a World Series, Perfect Game and No-hitter. He would take the pressure off of Jordan Zimmermann and Stephen Strasburg to be an ace. He would be the ace we could trot out if we magically made the playoffs. He fields his position very well. There is no downside to this. Sign him!

2. Stay away from Jose Reyes. I know he is very fast, and very impressive when he is healthy. But he gets injured, and will cost a ton. We could fill a bunch of other needs with the money we would spend on him. Some like the idea of getting him, then trading Ian Desmond and some prospects for BJ Upton. But there is no guarantee of that happening, and the Rays might want a prospect we are not willing to give up. I say we let Ian and Danny Espinosa each have another season to grow and develop, and then go after BJ Upton when he is a free agent if we want him that bad.

3. Bring back Rick Ankiel. He has the best outfield arm in the majors, and plays plus defense. He has power. He has timely power as well. I think he would be ideal off the bench or starting in CF at the beginning of the year.

4. Make a decision on Roger Bernadina. I want to keep him. I want his speed in my lineup, plus the pop he brings. He makes highlight plays on defense also. He just needs to be more consistent at the plate. If we can't find a place for him, I would try to package him in a deal to make our team better. But it is hard to dump a guy that can do this-



5. Dump Adam LaRoche. It didn't work. It was a mistake. Somehow move him. Michael Morse or Chris Marrero should play 1B. Our lineup at the end of the year worked. Morse needs to play every day, and Marrero did very well for a September call up.

6. Keep Bryce Harper down until at least June, possibly September. We have a lot of outfielders, and Harper is still 18. There is no rush to get him here. If we are contending for a wild card spot, then bring him up to infuse some energy into the lineup.

7. Do not touch Clip n' Store. Tyler Clippard and Drew Storen were the best part of our team. Leave them be and let them develop even more into the best lights out set up- closer combo in the NL.

So, our lineup to start the season would be similar to last years. Here is how I see it Opening Day:

1. Ian Desmond, SS
2. Rick Ankiel, CF
3. Ryan Zimmerman, 3B
4. Michael Morse, LF
5. Jayson Werth, RF
6. Danny Espinosa, 2B
7. Chris Marrero, 1B
8. Wilson Ramos, C
9. Mark Beuhrle, P

Our rotation, assuming it is a 5 man would be:

1. Mark Beuhrle, LHP
2. Jordan Zimmermann, RHP
3. Stephen Strasburg, RHP
4. John Lannan, LHP
5. Chien-Ming Wang, RHP

We would still have some great pitchers that we could bring up, namely Ross Detweiler, Tommy Milone and Brad Peacock. We have depth at the position, but Beuhrle would bring the experience.

Here are my non-roster fixes

8. LET TEDDY WIN! This is a joke. He would easily win. It is historically innacurate. We won't be a winning franchise until Teddy wins. It is a curse. Do it!


9. Bring 5 Guys back. I had Shake Shack, and it was ok. Five Guys was better, and it is local. Northern VA's own. Come on!

10. Bring back the fireworks. Even if it is just for the end of a game and not for a home run. But the wins last year missed a little bit of pop. Also, we need a better victory song than "Raise Your Glass". We don't want to be wrong in all the right ways. We want to be right, and never lose.


That is my plan for right now. And I think it would work wonderfully.

My Heisman List, So Far...

So, we have a month left until the Heisman Trophy is awarded in New York City. It will probably end up going to Andrew Luck or Trent Richardson, with Landry Jones in third. It will be something like that. The thing is, that is boring. I am not saying that they aren't deserving. In fact, I think Luck is very deserving. But they are on good all-around teams. Alabama would still be amazing without Richardson. Oklahoma's defense is very good. Hell, Stanford has a Gonzaga Eagle on the bench at QB, you know that they would still be good (that's my story and I am sticking to it!). So, how would I fill out my Heisman ballot if I were voting? Like this:

1. Case Keenum- QB- Houston

I know, I know. Pass happy offense. Conference USA sucks. Look, he is undefeated, leads the world in touchdowns and passing, and the entire team is based on him and him alone. Without Case Keenum, Houston isn't in the Top 25. Oh, and he threw 9 TOUCHDOWNS IN A GAME! NINE! The Heisman shouldn't be about who is the QB on the best team, it should be about the guy that is the best in the NCAA. Keenum holds the records, why shouldn't it be him?



2. Kellen Moore- QB- Boise State

Take everything I said about Keenum, add in that Moore will be the all-time winningest college QB by the end of the year.


3. Andrew Luck- QB- Stanford

He is great. You know that. He will probably win it. More pressure. I hope he likes South Beach. But he almost threw that USC game away with his late picks.

4. Eh...

That's right, Eh. I am not super impressed with anyone else. Like I said, Trent Richardson is great, but he is on the best team in the country, with an amazing line and receivers that block for him. I don't know how good he would be with, say, Boston College's offensive line. Then you have some running QBs- Robert Griffin III of Baylor, Russel Wilson of Wisconsin, Brandon Weeden of Oklahoma State and Denard Robinson of Michigan.

They are all dual threats and are very impressive when they are on. Griffin made Baylor football relevant, and for that alone he should win something. Wilson was the favorite for the first 6 weeks in my eyes. Weeden has OK State lined up for a BCS title birth. Robinson has Big Blue at 7-1, and had that amazing game against the Fighting Irish. But I think there is a pretty obvious break between the top 3 signal callers and everyone else.

Landry Jones is interesting because when he played poorly against Texas Tech, the team lost big. If anyone would sneak into the #4 or 5 spot for me, it would probably be Jones. But, I would much rather he not have the Heisman pressure on him, and somehow drop to the Skins in the draft.

So, my Heisman ballot is 3 deep. All QBs of undefeated teams... I guess that is just as boring as I thought it was. But I am serious when I say Case Keenum deserves to win. Watch a Houston game, if possible. He is very impressive.

All The Sports I Have Missed

Let's try to recap what has happened since I was gone...

MLB
- The Cardinals won the World Series. Congrats to them. I wasn't rooting for them, but am very happy for Arthur Rhodes winning a title. I loved him on the Orioles when I was a kid. La Russa then retired, and now they need a manager. We will keep you updated.

- The playoffs were a ton of fun. Lots of fun games. Game 6 of the World Series was very dramatic, even if it did have awful pitching and defense.

- Free Agency started two hours ago. I would love the Nationals to get Mark Beuhrle and a decent centerfielder. If somehow the Rays cut BJ Upton, we would throw a ton of money at him. Instead, I have a feeling we will land oft-injured prettyboy Grady Sizemore. The ladies and the gay community will be happy. I will be waiting for the day that Werth moves over to center for Bryce Harper in right.

- The top free agents are Prince Fielder, Albert Pujols and Jose Reyes. I think that Albert is staying put. He is the entire franchise in St. Louis. I think Prince is staying in the same division, but will be the first star for Theo Epstein and the Cubbies. I am still unsure of where Jose Reyes might end up. I could see the Mets breaking the bank for him at the price of the rest of their team. However, I could see a team like the Marlins making a huge, gaudy push for him, and then make ever-fatter Hanely Ramirez their third baseman.

- The Yankees and Red Soxs will fight over a bunch of free agents, mainly CJ Wilson. We will then hear about how he makes the team that gets him the favorite. And then neither will win the title next season.


NFL
- The Packers are amazing.

- The 49ers are really good on defense, have a ton of weapons on offense, and Alex Smith isn't making mistakes. Jim Harbaugh is getting out of this team what Mike Singletary couldn't.

- The Dolphins are awful. So are the Colts, but we know why. The Dolphins are in the lead for Andrew Luck because I can't see them winning a game. Though they do play...

- The Redskins. After Sexy Rexy went 3-2, the father-son morons known as the Shanahans switched to your favorite 30 year old 6-game starting Mormon, John Beck. He has been awful, and the Skins are 3-4. I love it, because at some point we will have to completely restart around solid youth and competent management. I would love it if we ended up in position to draft Landry Jones from Oklahoma, then use the rest of our small amount of picks to draft O-line to protect him. But that probably won't happen, because we are not so lucky.

- The Bills and Lions continue to impress me.

- The Steelers are back.

- The Saints are very inconsistant.

- My fantasy teams all have winning records.

NHL
- The Caps are off to the best start in franchise history. I just want them to go far in the playoffs.

NBA
- HA!

NCAA Football
- Alabama, LSU, Oklahoma State, Boise State, Stanford. Those are your realistic National Title contenders. 2 of them will be undefeated at the end of the year. And if not, CHAOS! I am predicting Alabama vs Boise in the title game, and I don't see Boise keeping up.

- More realignment, more questions, more to come.

- Case Keenum threw 9 touchdowns last week. NINE! WHAT?! He won't even be mentioned for the Heisman, and it is a shame. He is a lot of fun to watch.


NCAA Basketball
- #5 Syracuse played its first exhibition and won Tuesday night. Hooray!

- Syracuse freshman Rakeem Christmas wears number 25. Genius!

- Butler lost an exhibition to a Division II team. They will still make at least the Sweet 16.



That's all I can think of right now!

Where The Hell Have I Been?!

I know, it has been an entire month since I posted. And I know, you have missed me... Or at least I hope you have. What have I been up to that has taken up all my time? Nothing. Like, really. I have been unemployed since September 21, so it isn't like work has taken up all my time. I still have school, sure, but it is my last semester and the work load isn't that big for these two classes. So what have I been doing? Watching sports, Top Gear On Demand, seeing movies, staying up far too late and sleeping far too late, and partying with friends. So, to sum up, I have no excuse for not posting, because I was doing the same damn things I had been doing when I posted every day. My apologies. I will try to do better.

1/4th of the Way There!

Now that we are officially 1/4 of the way through the NFL Regular Season, lets have a look at what some teams have done. Who is better than expected? Who is worse? What have we learned?

The Good:

- The Green Bay Packers have no drop-off or hangover from their Championship. Aaron Rodgers has proven that he is the best QB in the league right now. They still have a ton of weapons and a defense that makes huge plays.

- The Detroit Lions are America's new sweethearts. Who would have thought they would be 4-0? I mean, sure, they looked like they would be solid. But to be 4-0 without Nick Fairley playing? Amazing.

- Nobody circles the wagons like the Buffalo Bills, even if they did take a bad loss to the Bengals. I am sure every fan up by Lake Erie would take 3-1.

- The Redskins, Titans and 49ers haven't won pretty, but they are both sitting atop fairly week divisions at 3-1.

- New England, Tampa, New Orleans, Baltimore and San Diego are predictably at the top or near the top of their divisions. Expect them to stay there.


The Bad:

- I certainly didn't see the Rams and Vikings being 0-4. I have no idea what the problem is either. The Vikings have lost 2nd Half leads in 3 of their 4 games. Some say McNabb is the problem, and he has been inconsistent. But the team also hasn't been running the ball as well, and Peterson fumbled 3 times this weekend. In St. Louis, Sam Bradford just can't seem to find a rhythm with his skill position players, and their defense needs improvement.

- The Steelers have gotten old fast, and now Big Ben is banged up. The Ravens could run away with that division.

- The Dream Team in Philly is in last place. I love it.


Special Note:

- Have we ever needed more proof of just how valuable Peyton Manning is? He is the most valuable player in the NFL, hands down. Without him, the Colts are 0-4 and have no real prospects of winning any time soon. Sure, they have been competitive in a few games, but they still are in a bad way.

NCAA Sports- 10 Years from Now....

This is my vision of the NCAA in football and basketball, 10 years from now. What will the world of college sports look like in 2021? Does it matter, since the world is ending next year? Well, let's say it doesn't end. Here are some small (and one big) assumptions heading into my prognostication: 1- That there is still a NCAA with all the teams we have now (that is the big assumption). 2- That the ACC will not lose any of its current members, such as Florida State, Miami or Clemson, to the SEC. 3- That the remainder of the Big East football schools merges with the remainder of the Big XII football schools once they are done being raided. 4- That Notre Dame remains independent in football. That's all I can think of right now. Let's gaze into the crystal ball (insert Wayne's World dream sequence hand movement now...)

FOOTBALL

Another banner year for the SEC! Despite having only 14 members, unlike the other big conferences, the SEC has once again produced your BCS National Champion (that's right, there is still a BCS. It is a never-ending nightmare). It is amazing to think they the SEC has produced 9 out of the last 10 champs, the only exception being when Boise State pulled off the biggest upset of all time in 2011. Of course, after that year, the big conference refused to schedule BSU, but still, they got the one they wanted, but couldn't win their conference this year for the auto-bid.

This year it was the Mississippi State Bulldogs under coach Nick Saban, who can't seem to stay at one place too long. Why, after winning the 2013 title with Alabama, he jumped to Florida, won a title there in 2017, and then moved on to MSU. Some speculate that if Urban Meyer didn't get the Georgia job after Mark Richt was fired in 2012, Saban would have left the Crimson Tide that very year. Rumors persist now that Saban is in talks with another SEC team, most likely the Aggies of Texas A&M.

The success of the PAC-16 cannot be forgotten of course. The Oklahoma Sooners did lose the BCS title game, sure, but their undefeated season before that was quite impressive. No doubt they deserved to go after beating USC, Texas, Colorado, Stanford and Washington State all on the road. Luckily they escaped the trap game at home against the Oregon Ducks, whose new Nike "Invisiline" uniforms made them almost completely invisible to the naked eye. Those uniforms, while called unfair by some, are still preferable to the eye-searing neon yellow home jerseys of the Ducks, which have been linked to the rise of strokes and seizures in the Eugene, Oregon area.

USC ended up with the Rose Bowl bid and faced Big Ten champion Nebraska. The game received surprisingly low ratings, and more and more calls are being made for the Big Ten to finally change its name, now that is has 16 teams. Clearly, the sub-"Big Ten" academic standards brought in by additions Missouri, Toledo, Temple and Ohio University have rubbed off on the conference that hasn't gotten its math right since the early 1990s.

The Orange Bowl saw a match-up of the old failed Big East teams, with upset ACC Champion Pitt losing to AEC (All Encompassing Conference) champion USF. The Bulls managed to get the home field advantage by running through their geographically-challenged conference, including the upset of Boise State in the AEC Championship game.

Still- lucrative Independent Notre Dame lost in the Sugar Bowl to SEC at-large Georgia. The game was of course held in Atlanta this year following the devastation to Louisiana cause by Hurricanes Joaquin and Mindy (Look them up. Real 2021 hurricane names. I am calling it first!).

The final BCS game, the Cash for Gold Fiesta Bowl, pitted ACC at large Florida State against Big Ten (why won't they change their name to 16 already!) at large Minnesota, who had a fantastic year on the arm of Heisman Trophy winning freshman Elijah Warner, son of NFL Hall of Famer Kurt Warner. Warner, nicknamed Storm, which also happens to be his middle name, threw for over 400 yards and 4 touchdowns as the Golden Gophers pummeled the Seminoles 35-10.


Basketball

Once again, the ACC has produced the NCAA Basketball champion. Following an impressive season, Coach Mike Hopkins and the Syracuse Orange beat AEC Champ Kansas in the finals, a repeat of the result when the teams played for the title 18 years ago (A boy can dream. Shut up). The ACC was strong on top this year, once again putting 5 teams in the top 15 for most of the season. Syracuse, Pitt, UNC, Duke and UConn all dominated the conference, which only managed one more at large bid due to the weakness of the rest of the conference. Some ACC fans are beginning to regret adding perennial Big East powerhouses a decade ago, since they (along with Duke and UNC) have without question been the class of the conference for ten years. Virginia Tech feels especially bad, having once again missed out on the NCAA tournament. Their old assertion that beating Duke in Blacksburg should be enough is even less credible now that they have a 10 year losing streak when playing in Syracuse, Durham, and Storrs. Programs such as Maryland, UVA and Clemson look to bounce back following strong recruiting years, though they admit it is difficult to keep up with the ACC's "Big 5".

The most impressive conference top to bottom this year might have been the CAC, the Catholic Athletic Conference. When it formed 9 years ago following the demise of the Big East, there were some that felt that the competition wouldn't be up to par with other conferences. However, the basketball-only castoffs found great talent and tournament pedigree when they added Xavier and St. Joseph's to the mix. The "Cathedral Conference", as some call it, sent 7 of its 10 members to the tournament, led by league champ Georgetown. The Hoyas, along with Villanova, Xavier, St. Johns, Marquette, Notre Dame and DePaul, gave the super-conferences fits in the tournament. 3 of the teams made it to the Sweet 16, and the Hoyas' run to the Final Four was very impressive. Unfortunately, they ran into that Orange squad that could not be stopped.

The PAC-16 and Big Ten (DAMNIT! DO I REALLY HAVE TO KEEP CALLING THEM THAT?! IT IS SIMPLE MATH!) have seen their basketball product suffer in recent years due to the massive amount of money spent on their football programs. Still, there are some bright spots, first in Michigan State and Northwestern, both of whom made it to the Sweet 16. For the Pac, it was the Cardinal of Stanford that pushed into the Elite 8, and the impressive showings from UCLA and Oklahoma State bode well for next season.

The Mountaineers of West Virginia and the Kentucky Wildcats continue to dominate a weak SEC. While both teams are middle of the pack in football, they are the only two who have been crowned conference champions in the past decade. This has blossomed into a heated rivalry, combining the blind support of the Cat faithful with the blind-drunk craziness of the WVU fanbase. There are rumors that Kentucky may soon have to give back its 2014 and 2015 NCAA Titles, however, because recently retired coach John Calipari is under investigation for providing illegal benefits to recruits and players alike. We will keep you posted.

And who can forget the magical run of the William & Mary Tribe? Their Cinderella story romp through the NCAA tournament left the CAA champ with memories that will last a lifetime. They were just one buzzer-beater away from upsetting #1 seed Kansas in the Final Four, but their players can still be proud of the job they have done. Just another example of how the CAA produces some of the best upset picks.

When we come back, we will have our Sunday Conversation with Super Bowl Champion QB Matthew Stafford. What do the Lions need in the draft? How do they replace future Hall of Famer Calvin Johnson after his recent retirement? We will find out after this...



It gets kind of hazy after that. But there you go. A vision of what college sports could be like 10 years from now. Some programs thriving in their new situation. Some expressing buyer's remorse after their conference grew. Somehow Notre Dame still being independent and relevant. It could happen. Here is a rundown of the 6 conferences mentioned:

ACC: BC, Clemson, Duke, FSU, GTech, UMD, Miami, UNC, NC State, UVA, VTech, Wake, Cuse, Pitt, Rutgers, UConn

B1G 10 (Sigh...): Michigan, MSU, Ohio State, Purdue, Penn State, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Northwestern, Nebraska, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Missouri, Toledo, Temple, Ohio

PAC-16: Arizona, ASU, Cal, Oregon, Oregon State, Stanford, UCLA, USC, Utah, Washington, WSU, Oklahoma, OK State, Texas, Texas Tech

SEC: Florida, Alabama, Ole Miss, Miss State, Texas A&M, UGA, South Carolina, Tennessee, Vandy, Arkansas, Auburn, Kentucky, LSU, WVU

AEC: Baylor, Iowa State, Kansas, KState, Cincinnati, Louisville, USF, TCU, UCF, East Carolina, Houston, Boise State

Cathedral Conference: Depaul, Georgetown, Marquette, Notre Dame (except football), Providence, Seton Hall, St. Johns, Villanova, Xavier, St. Josephs



Very few geographic rivals. Too much travel for other sports. Money trumping tradition, academics and common sense. The new NCAA, ladies and gents... at least, as long as there is an NCAA...

A Thought for the New ACC

So... We moved to the ACC. I hate it. Won't get into it here. It caused me to get very, very mad because I have lived for the Big East my entire life, with my parents being Georgetown alums and going to Syracuse myself. But it happened. (Good luck to Cuse getting a penny more from me for a good long while) And the expansion of the ACC isn't over, nor is their raiding of the Big East. For arguments' sake, and going off of everything I have read, UConn and at least one other Big East team will join. I have heard Rutgers wants in the Big Ten (12...) and that WVU is thinking about the SEC. So, I am not sure what team will be going to the ACC, but let us assume for a second that the team will come from somewhere above the Mason/Dixon line. They want to expand north, so I think that is a safe assumption.

It would be unfair to thrust these new north east teams into a division with the likes of Miami, FSU or Georgia Tech. Similarly, it wouldn't be fair to make these warm weather schools go to Storrs, Cuse (indoors, but still), or Pitt at the end of November. So, I say we re-align the divisions. We lose this "Coastal" and "Atlantic" hullabaloo, and just go to ACC North and ACC South. Two 8-team divisions for a total of 16 teams. The winner of each gets to play in the ACC Title game, which I say we move from Florida to a fairer (geographical, not weather-wise) location, such as Fed-Ex Field outside of DC or M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore.

The makeup of these two divisions are as follows:

ACC North

1. Syracuse
2. Pitt
3. UConn
4. 4th Big East team
5. Maryland
6. Boston College
7. UVA
8. Virginia Tech

ACC South

1. UNC
2. Duke
3. Georgia Tech
4. Miami
5. Florida State
6. Georgia Tech
7. Clemson
8. NC State

That's my thought. I am sure the ACC will mess it up. Here are some fun quotes from my man Jim Boeheim about the expansion:

Syracuse basketball coach Jim Boeheim, one day after his university and Pittsburgh officially became ACC members, said he believes Connecticut and possibly Rutgers will also join the ACC.

"I think UConn will be in the ACC, if I had to guess," Boeheim said today during a speech at the Monday Morning Quarterback Club in Birmingham. "I think Rutgers could be. I think some people are thinking of leaving. ... Why would Florida State want to go to the SEC when you're in the ACC and you win banners? Doesn't make sense."

Boeheim said there will be a "mad scramble" in the next few months around the country as super conferences emerge.

"It's kind of like a dance," he said. "You don't want to be the one standing up at the end with no chair to sit in."

Boeheim, who has been at Syracuse for 50 years as a player or coach, is a traditionalist. He prefers 10-team conferences based on geography and rivalries in which every team plays each other once in football and twice in basketball.

"If conference commissioners were the founding fathers of this country, we would have Guatemala, Uruguay and Argentina in the United States," Boeheim said. "This audience knows why we are doing this. There's two reasons: Money and football.

"We're going to end up with mega conferences and 10 years from now either I'm going to be dead wrong -- and I'll be the first to admit it -- or everybody is going to be like, why did we do this again? Why is Alabama playing Texas A&M this week and going to Texas Tech next weekend? And why is Syracuse going to Miami in basketball this week and next week they're going to play Florida State?"

During an interview prior to his speech, Boeheim was skeptical that conference realignment will actually result in more money for most schools once costs are considered.

"It's interesting because 30 years ago schools made X amount of money," he said. "Twenty years ago, they made 2X. Ten years ago, they made 4X. Now they're going to make 6X. And you know what? They're going to end up breaking even, just like they did 30 years ago.

"At the end of the day, there's a school with a billion-dollar budget and they're talking about making an extra $4 million. What does that really mean when your school's budget is a billion dollars? It's just what has happened. People feel like they have to get these mega conferences. Whether they're right or wrong, we won't know for a while."

How out of the loop was Boeheim on the ACC discussions? He said if someone had told him Thursday night that Syracuse was headed to the ACC, "I would have said you were crazy."

Syracuse is a charter member of the Big East, which was founded as a basketball conference in 1979. Boeheim said he's sure Syracuse will continue to try to play Georgetown and St. John's.

"We've played St. John's for the 50 years I've been at Syracuse, and Georgetown for 40, so yeah, there's some nostalgia there," Boeheim said. "There's some heartbreak, no question about it. But it is what it is. Things do change. The Big East changed over the years. It's not that frustrating now because we have a 17-team basketball conference. If we had a nice, 10-team league, I'd be more upset. But we don't have that anymore. We have Marquette, DePaul, TCU coming in and who knows who else coming in."

Boeheim said he expects the ACC Tournament will mostly be held in the South and occasionally come to Madison Square Garden in New York, where the Big East has annually held its tournament.

"It's a great place for a tournament," he said. "Where would you want to go to to a tournament for five days? Let's see: Greensboro, North Carolina, or New York City? Jeez. Let me think about that one and get back to you."

Are You Ready For Some Football?!

Well, just finished watching an amazing opening game, in which the Green Bay Packers beat Drew Brees and the Saints, 42-34. It was exciting, thrilling, back and forth- everything that football should be... Well, there was very little defense, but still. Football is back! Time for my predictions for your division winner and wild cards, and my eventual conference champions, leading to the Super Bowl pick! I base this on nothing at all, just my gut feeling. Here you go-

NFC EAST- Philadelphia Eagles (proceeds to vomit all over himself)
NFC SOUTH- Atlanta Falcons (Spoiler, not the only team from this division)
NFC NORTH- Green Bay Packers (Duh)
NFC WEST- St. Louis Rams (and Robbie Griffin goes wild!)
Wild Card 1- New Orleans Saints
Wild Card 2- Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Like I said, based on nothing but my own gut. I hate that the Eagles are the favorite, but they are. The Rams will make it by actually going over .500. Bradford has some receivers now, so it will be a nice year for him. Green Bay, New Orleans and Atlanta will be back in the show. Tampa will take the next step and beat out Detroit, Minnesota and Arizona for the last Wild Card Spot. I think the NFC Championship game will be a rematch of the game we just watched- New Orleans and Green Bay in Lambeau. I think the result will be the same as well. Packers 28 Saints 20.

AFC EAST- New England Patriots (Too good)
AFC South- Houston Texans (Caviat- my friend Pete picked the Texans. He is cursed. So somehow this pick will be wrong)
AFC North- Pittsburgh Steelers (Consistent)
AFC West- San Diego Chargers (Their year??)
Wild Card 1- New York Jets
Wild Card 2- Baltimore Ravens

Roughly the same cast of characters as we have had in recent years, with the exception of Houston. But I think that it is time for the Patriots to get back to the big game, beating the Chargers in the AFC Championship game, 17-16.

So there it is. Pats/Packers in the Super Bowl. No Favre, Bledsoe, Martin or Howard in this game though. It will be a shootout between two great QBs. Call me crazy, but I think that this Pack squad can go back to back. 35-31, they repeat as the Super Bowl Champs!

I picked them last year, can lightning strike twice? We shall see. Enjoy football everyone!

NFL Free Agency Recap (So Far)

Well, for my 400th post, I decided I should talk about the massive number of moves that have occurred since the NFL has been back in session. Let's go through some of the ones I think are the most interesting, in chronological order (Note: This will be almost all about players leaving one team to go to another. Logan Mankins or Charles Johnson staying with their team isn't that interesting):

- Tuesday's biggest move saw the Seattle Seahawks getting a new QB, Mr. Tavaris Jackson. I have always been a T-Jack fan, though he has let me down some. That being said, when he has played recently he hasn't been awful. Furthermore, he gets to continue to play under his same coordinator, Derell Bevell, as he did last year with the Vikings. It is good continuity, though it might not lead to the playoffs again. It also means that Coach Pete Carroll will have his eyes on a QB in Round 1 of the 2012 draft... perhaps his former recruit and QB Matt Barkley of USC? Oh, and can't forget that the Hawks also signed Sidney Rice, so T-Jack has a familiar teammate to throw to.

- On Wednesday, Paul Posluszny signed a 6-year $45 million contract with the Jacksonville Jaguars. Now, Poz was 3rd in the NFL in tackles last year, so he is a solid young LB. But at the same time, he has an injury history, and a 6-year deal in the NFL for a non-QB seems a bit insane. Is he worth that much money? I for one don't think so.

- Teams with rookie QBs like bringing in vets to help ease the transition. The first example of this was the Titans signing Matt Hasslebeck to start while Jake Locker develops. Solid signing. Hasslebeck still has a few years, and Locker is at least a full season away from being ready.

- The same might not be true for Bruce Gradkowski in Cincy. While he was signed to give the Bengals a vet option, I have a feeling they will just go with Andy Dalton right off the bat. He is a smart QB, so it could work. The only problem? He plays for the Bengals. At least he has AJ Green and Jordan Shipley to throw to.

- Steve Breaston signing with the Chiefs might be my sleeper pick for biggest move of the offseason. He is a speedster, doesn't drop many passes, and is reunited with Todd Haley. He can work on the opposite side of Pro Bowler Dwayne Bowe, and they can help rookie Jonathan Baldwin develop into another good young threat for the AFC West's fasting-rising team. Look for the Chiefs to put up big offensive numbers this year.

- Skip Bayliss actually made a great point on First Take Thursday, when discussing Reggie Bush- He is the type of luxury back that can make a good team great, and a mediocre team worse. His trade to the Dolphins fits into the second part. He just isn't that good. He has his moments, maybe 4 or 5 a year, but he can't be an every down back. He can't even be a two-down back. The Dolphins are in a little trouble if he is their feature back, not to mention that they have no QB, or defense, and their best WR was diagnosed with a borderline personality disorder. Troubled times in South Beach.

- Two big moves involving my awful Redskins. First, they traded Fat Albert to New England. He needed to go, won't have to play NT since Wilfork plays there, and will probably have a career year like people do when they go to the Patriots. Still, he was an awful presence here, so good riddance. The second, and more important to me, is Donovan McNabb getting traded to the best spot for him, the Minnesota Vikings. I have wanted him there for years, and am very happy he got out of the downward spiral that is Washington. I believe that McNabb will be back in the playoffs this season, since he has a solid team around him. I think he can help Christian Ponder develop for a year or two, or even three if needed, and will be rooting or the Vikings to win it all this season so my man Donovan gets a ring.

- The Eagles traded Kevin Kolb to the Cardinals. Great move, even if I don't think Kolb is that great. They didn't give up a #1 pick, though Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie is a solid corner, and they get the QB that Larry Fitzgerald specifically requested. Appeasing your best player is never a bad idea.

- Chad Ochocinco was traded from the worst NFL franchise to the best. As he said on Twitter "God is so good" and "It's good to be in heaven". I think he is happy, and I think he will have a great year.

- Friday saw two big cornerbacks getting signed. Johnathan Joseph jumped off the Bungle Express to join the Houston Texans. Nnami Asomugha then surprised everyone and signed with the Eagles. Both got paid, though neither got a crazy amount. Now, here is an interesting stat, brought to you by ESPN's KC Joyner discussing the two CBs numbers the last two years:

"Joseph was targeted with 144 passes in that time frame and allowed 993 yards. That equates to a 6.9 yards per attempt (YPA) mark.

Now contrast that to Asomugha. He was targeted with 54 passes in the past two years and gave up 419 yards, or 7.8 YPA.

So Joseph was thrown at three times as often and had a YPA nearly a yard lower than Asomugha. Add in the fact that Joseph is three years younger and presumably will have a per-year contract figure that is much smaller than what Asomugha will eventually get, and it means the Texans may have made the best big-name value acquisition of the 2011 free-agent period."

- Mike Sims-Walker signing with the Rams gives them a solid possession receiver for the first time in a while. Bradford will like that. The same thing goes for Plax signing with the Jets. He is worth the risk because he was so good. He can go up and get some of those high passes Sanchize throws.

- Peyton Manning re-signed with the Colts. Not a surprise, but it is good to see him staying with his team.

That's all I got right now. Waiting for some more moves, like more RBs signing. Ronnie Brown, Ricky Williams and Ahmad Bradshaw are still out there.

FOOOOOOTBAAAAAAALLLLL

I am so happy football is back. Seriously, it is amazing. Fantasy football will get me through the fall. Watching NFL Redzone is how I like to spend my Sunday afternoons. I look forward to being able to head to the bar to watch the Thursday night games. Thrilled, ecstatic, overjoyed.

That being said....


I fully expect the Redskins to be so bad that they will not go 0-16. You see, 0-16 would guarantee us Andrew Luck and the #1 pick overall. Instead, I think the Skins will be so bad that they will win at least 3 games, thus ruining our chances for a real franchise QB. We will end up drafting Matt Barkley who will be a complete bust. Or, we won't even draft a QB because we really think that John Beck will come around... ugh. My only possible saving grace is that Landry Jones at Oklahoma becomes the next Sam Bradford and we land him. Seems like a nice enough kid, and can make all the throws asked of him.

So I am very happy that the NFL is back. I just wish that the Redskins were a real NFL franchise.

How to Fix the All Star Game!!!

The MLB All Star Game is tonight live from Arizona. Here are a few thoughts on how to make this silly game meaningful again, or at least to help the experience some.

- How to make it more meaningful? Make it meaningless again! There is no reason why it should determine home field advantage in the World Series. That is just a stupid idea. They just need to go back to making it about the stars playing for more money or something. Or playing for pride. Here is an idea- The winning team's players gets double their All Star bonus, plus a charity of their choice gets like $500,000 or something.

- Stop the fan vote. I am sorry, but the fans have shit for brains. Can't put it any plainer. For example, I know that he has done a lot over his career, and I know that he isn't even playing tonight, but you tell me how Derek Jeter deserves to be an All-Star this year. Really, the fan voting just leads to the Yankees/Soxs taking on the Phillies/Cardinals/Mets. 6 or 7 teams get all the representatives, and the other teams are left out in the cold. Which brings me to step 3-

- Keep the rule that all teams have to be represented. For example, if managers were picking rosters and teams did not have to have at least one representative, Tyler Clippard would not be in the roster. Same with the fans. But he will lead the league with relief strikeouts and holds by the end of the year, so he is certainly worthy of being an All Star.

- Make it so that a player has to have played at least 70 games to be eligible for an All Star selection. We will call this the Pablo Sandoval rule. He was selected to replace Jose Reyes by his manager and NL All Star manager, Bruce Bochy. The problem is that Sandoval has only played 50 games this year. In no way is he deserving. An infielder with similar numbers, such as Michael Morse or Danny Espinosa from my Washington Nationals, have played more than 70 games and deserve that roster spot.

- Move the game to Wednesday. Pitchers that have thrown on Sunday aren't eligible to play the following Tuesday. So, most of the good pitchers, like Justin Verlander, cannot participate. Hurts your star power. Move it to Wednesday, which would be their throwing day anyway. They can come in, toss an inning, make an appearance and then hit the showers.

- I really liked the NHL All Star game format this year. Naming captains and then drafting the team from the appointed All Stars was a great idea. If Prince Fielder and David Ortiz were drafting for their teams, there would be some drama. No more AL vs NL. Instead, you have guys from teams that never play each other facing each other. You have Papi and Jeter on the same roster. You get to see a 1-2 punch of Verlander and Halladay in the first few innings. Love the idea. This is what should happen.


Just a few ideas there. I might come up with more soon, but I think this is a good start.

RIP John Mackey

John Mackey, the greatest tight end to ever play football, passed away late last night at the age of 69. He was a proud graduate of Syracuse University, played 9 seasons in the NFL (8 with the Baltimore Colts) and revolutionized the tight end position. I recommend finding his highlights online, because they are stunning. He was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1992, and had his #88 jersey honored and placed in the rafters of the Dome. He was the first president of the NFLPA, helping to bring about NFL Free Agency. His battles with dementia brought about by his years of taking hits in the NFL should act as a warning to all those who play, and those that think the retired NFL players do not need any kind of benefits. RIP John. A great Orangeman.

Strasgasm

Just read this and had a mini-Strasgasm. I know he probably won't be right until late 2012 or 2013, but the fact that there is progress for Stephen Strasburg is amazing news for me.

Missed A Ton

So, I have been lazy and haven't written anything recently. Time to change. I have missed a ton, so let's play catch up!

- MY WASHINGTON NATIONALS have been playing great baseball recently. I don't know if they will still be in it in September, but I like that they are a real team now. Everyone (well almost... more on that in a bit) has been playing so well, the pitching has been great, it is wonderful. I love going to games and actually expecting to win sometimes. It is great. The Nats are great.

- Jim Riggleman is a punk. Why would you leave. If you follow my FB, you know my thoughts on this bum. He signed a contact, knew his situation, and tried to strong-arm Rizzo into an extension. Rizzo earned his 5-year deal by going out, signing players and creating a team that is now above .500. Who the hell does Riggleman think he is, when all he has accomplished has been getting us to 3rd place? You earn extensions for entire seasons, not for winning 11 through June. Davey Johnson will be just fine leading us and helping us grow, and some new guy will get one hell of a team to work with next year. Riggleman? He will be known for ruining Kerry Wood's arm and leaving a great young team on the rise.

- Now, I said almost everyone was carrying their weight on the team. There is a BIG exception to that, and his name happens to be Jayson Werth. He is paid $126 million to hit and field consistently. Instead, he strikes out looking more than anyone I have ever seen. He never swings at first pitch strikes (new Werth drinking game: 1 swig for looking at a strike, 2 if it is 1st pitch). He needs to start earning his money like the rest of the team, including...

- Danny Espinosa. He is the first rookie second baseman to ever have 15 home runs before the all-star break. He has an .800 OPS. He is a Gold Glove caliber 2nd baseman (he won't win it this year, just because everyone knows Brandon Phillips more). I love having him on the team.

- Congrats to the Bruins for winning the Stanley Cup. I now have no hope for my Caps to win one anytime soon, unless Neuvirth or Holtby magically becomes Tim Thomas.

- NBA Draft thoughts? Jan Vesely is a pimp/Casanova, and I think Rick Jackson should have gotten drafted. Other than that, nothing too special.

- Congrats Jonny Flynn on getting traded from the Timberwolves. Now, prove yourself in Houston.

- Rory McElroy had an insane US Open. I hope he becomes dominant, just cause it would be fun to have that dominant guy in the sport again.

- NASCAR still exists, and I don't know why.

- I think I need to get a guest column from University of Maryland starting defensive tackle, former Gonzaga actor and good friend AJ Francis. I would love to know his thoughts on the state of college football, the NCAA, the NFL Lockout, pro wrestling, and the DC sports scene. I also want him, a lifelong DC man (so I think) why his favorite NFL team is the Cowboys, why he referred to the Phoenix Suns as "we", if he cares about baseball at all, and who he roots for the in NBA.

- You should follow AJ on Twitter, The_Franchyze. You should follow me on Twitter, JFLANland.

- RE: The Matt Kemp for MVP talk- Yes, a 40-40 season is nice, and he is on pace for just that. He is still on a losing team (and franchise now). In 2006, Alfonso Soriano had the first 40-40-40 (HR, SB, 2B) season in baseball history for the losing Washington Nationals (Add in 20 OF Assists, the first to ever have that with 40-40 season). He finished 6th in the MVP voting. Don't expect the MVP just because you go 40-40.

- I really hope that my girlfriend Maria Sharapova (apologies to my actual girlfriend for finding out this way, and to Sasha Vujacic) wins Wimbledon. I have no other rooting interests.

- Anyone who ever liked pro wrestling should find CM Punk's shoot promo from last night's Raw. It felt real, raw, powerful and amazing. I wish wrestling was still like that.

- TO will be in the Hall of Fame, no doubt. But you have to think that his antagonistic attitude will cost him first ballot, right?

- I am sure the Women's World Cup is fun to watch, but without Tommy Smyth? Meh.



Ok, now that I am a bit caught up, I will try to stay on top of things. Have a good evening y'all.

Some Thoughts on the NBA Finals

Why hello there, true believers (Sorry Stan Lee, I had to steal that at least once). As you may know, the NBA Finals took place over the past 8 weeks. Ok, it wasn't that long, but it certainly seemed that way. Luckily, they were fun to watch, and the team that all of America was rooting for won. Anyway, I just wanted to share some thoughts on the series, the players, the coaches, the fans (I apologies in advance, Kevin Belt) and a quick look forward at the NBA going into next season... or the 2012-2013 season. Whichever comes first. Enjoy!

- I am thrilled for Dirk. He is fun to watch. A big, goofy looking German guy who shoots the lights out from 3, has the most polished mid-range game in the NBA, and can play with his back to the basket? Sounds like a blast. He needed this title after the collapse in 2006. He improved his own game, made a commitment to his team, and got the job done. A true Champion, the best European player ever in the NBA, and arguably one of the 25 best to ever play the game.

- For the 2nd time in recent history, an underdog team that played as one single unit beat a group of superstars. The last time, it was the Pistons beating the already-champion Lakers. This time, it is the Mavs beating the "without Wade, none of you have won anything at all" Heat. Similarities, other than their cohesiveness? They both had former Wizards. The Pistons had Rasheed Wallace, Rip Hamilton (DAMN YOU MICHAEL JORDAN FOR TRADING HIM FOR STUPID JERRY STACKHOUSE!), and Ben Wallace (traded for Bo Outlaw...). The Mavs had DeShawn "Soulja Boy" Stevenson, Brendon Haywood and the injured Caron Butler. I liked seeing the former Wizards win. Gave me another reason to root against the Heat. After the game, the three got together and chanted "Worst to First" as they celebrated. Thanks for reminding us... Also, if you want a title, just play for us for a bit then leave. Works wonders...

- Count me as a member of the Mark Cuban fan club. I love that man. He speaks his mind, knows his business, is amazingly entertaining, and is now a Champion. He also said "Shit" on Sportscenter, made fun of the Big 3 by saying Dirk took less cash so the Mavs could sign Jan Mahinmi and Brian Cardinel, and let the founding owner of the Mavericks accept the championship trophy. Thumbs up all around.

- Jason Terry, JJ Barrea and Jason Kidd = a championship backcourt. Who knew.

- In a footnote to his column on the finals, Bill Simmons makes a case for Shawn Marion being considered one of the 100 All Time best to play the game. I haven't researched it enough to make a decision, but doesn't that just seem weird to you. Anyway, congrats to The Matrix.

- How did the Mavericks stifle the Heat? How did they keep the Heat cold? Zone defense. Not just for college anymore. One has to wonder... If LeBron had gone to college and experienced, say, the Boeheim 2-3 zone, would he have known how to crack it better? I think so. Stay in school kids.

- The fans in Miami... Normally, I only rip on the Braves for not selling out World Series games. I just figure that everyone else, if they were in the Finals, would be able to pack their arena/stadium/park with rabid fans... But there were at least 4,000 Mavericks fans in an arena that seats 19,600. That is over 20% Mavs fans. What... The... Hell. Protect your house. It is bad enough that you never go to baseball games for a team that has won 2 titles in less than 20 years, but this was the NBA Finals. Did you just assume Game 7 was going to happen? Did you have somewhere else important to be on a Sunday night in mid-June? You don't sell your tickets to Mavericks fans! Your team is in the Finals! Go root for them! Mark Cuban was completely right- The Mavs fans punked the shit out of the Heat fans in Game 6.

- Coach Spo: Fired? Maybe. I say give him one more season, unless LeBron and Wade both say he has to go. Then, well, he has to go.

- Wade is a horse. He was going great until he tweaked his hip in Game 5. Just wasn't the same guy in Game 6. I don't blame him for the loss though. I don't blame Bosh either. Sure, he isn't the dominant inside presence, but he never has been. He is a finesse 4, not a power 5. So he is fine too. Even Mario Chalmers played well. The rest of the Heat? Not so much. Their bench was destroyed by the Mavs when it mattered most. But really, who gets blamed? LeBron!

- LeBron James came up small. Like, minute. Miniscule. A tiny iota of a clutch player in the Finals. Who is to blame? I like one of Simmons' arguments from his earlier post. LeBron has never been yelled at before. Like, who was the last guy to tell the next Great One that he had to shape up and fly right? Wade did it in this series. He yelled at him for 8 seconds straight, in front of everyone. That broke LeBron's spirit. He became a kid again, not knowing what to say. He shut down. Read Simmons' article for this part especially. It is true. All facts.

- Now, why is everyone happy that LeBron lost. Well, there are a few factors. First, it is because he broke Cleveland's heart on National TV and hasn't felt any remorse. Was it a business decision? Sure. But Melo got out of Denver and then thanked everyone in the city for helping him grow up and become a man. He didn't have a big special after the trade was finalized to announce to whom he waived his no-trade clause. He just went. LeBron made himself bigger than the game, and the city that made it possible, as Stephen Colbert said, for him to get paid millions for bouncing an inflatable ball.

Second, it is because he went to team up with his friends and try to own the NBA. That isn't fun. Super groups might be nice in music, or comic books, but in sports we want competition. Dynasties become more hated than beloved, and everyone expected the Heat to become one, so the hate came early and often.

Third, it is because of the crab dribble. That is a travel, Bron bron. Stop complaining.

Fourth, it is because you still don't understand the fans of America. Your post game comments were horrendous. Word for word, here is what the clueless king said:

“At the end of the day, all the people that were rooting on me to fail, at the end of the day, they have to wake up tomorrow and have the same life that they had before they woke up today. They have the same personal problems they had today. They can get a few days or a few months or whatever the case may be on being happy about not only myself, but the Miami Heat not accomplishing their goal. But they have to get back to the real world at some point."

Super, LeBron. Just super. You are a billionaire athlete, and you can't find it within yourself to ignore what the common man says about you. Instead, you actively remind them that they have to deal with real troubles, like the economy, putting food on their tables, providing for their families, and so forth. That's a great way to win over people. Belittling people always brings fans. You have no idea what the real world is like at all. You have been surrounded by enablers and yes men since you were 14. You are a pompous ass, no two ways around it. You have bragged and boasted about being great, and winning "not 4, not 5, not 6, not 7" titles, then you come out there in your designer suit, with your pocket square, after choking in the NBA Finals, and tell the average Joe watching at home that he isn't allowed to take any comfort in watching you go down, and really he is a sad, pathetic person with no impact on society because he isn't a 6'8 basketball playing billionaire. And you wonder why people hate you.

Furthermore, I have never heard a member of a team sport say the word "I" so much in a press conference. Wade talked about the failures of the team. Bosh said that the Mavericks were a better team, played as a team, and wanted it more as a team. What does Brony boy say? I will be back. I will be a champion. I did not choke. You want to watch me fail? I am a billionaire, and I am better than you. Again, you wonder why people hate you.

And finally, there was that peach of a post-game tweet:

"The Greater Man upstairs knows when it's my time. Right now isn't the time."

Oh, ok, that explains it all. God didn't want the Heat to win. That is why you averaged 3 points in the 4th Quarter all series. It is because the Holy Spirit descended down from Heaven, sat on the rim and knocked the ball away. That is why you played hot potato with the ball in the 4th, passing it off to everyone else, even when guarded by the 5'9 JJ Barrea. It isn't because you choked, it is because it wasn't in God's divine plan. Well, LeBron, I have a feeling that, if there is a big invisible man in the sky, he probably has more important things to worry about then you almost missing the backboard with a 15-foot jumper.

What kind of crazy cop-out excuse is that. Own up to how you played. You sucked. You were awful. LeBum, LeBrick. Not the chosen one, the choking one. If you accepted all the blame, then we wouldn't care. We might even like you more for it. You could take it, like Magic Johnson did in 1984 following his Tragic Magic labeling (even though he already had a ring) and have it drive you all summer to become a better player. Learn a post move. Work on your outside shot. Learn how to play without the ball so you and Wade can mesh together. You know, what Magic did following a loss. What Dirk did following a loss. What real champions do following a loss. But instead, you will probably be hanging out in your mansion, not worried about the NBA lockout cause, as you reminded all of us, you are better than us and don't give the real world the time of day. You will design a new shoe, do some commercials, and just hang out with your boys. And they will tell you everything is fine. So will your mother. And your agent. And Nike. All the while, Kevin Durant will be in the gym. So will D-Rose. Kobe too. And Dwight. And John Wall. And Melo. And Paul Pierce. Wade and Bosh will be there waiting for you. But you won't show up because it isn't your fault. You didn't choke. It was God's will. Your time will come. Just sit back and relax, and pretty soon you will show those commoners why you are King James... And you wonder why we smile that you lost. Why, for one series, everyone outside of Miami became Mavericks fans. You wonder why we hate you? That's why, LeBron.

RIP Macho Man Randy Savage

I am a wrestling fan. Been watching it all of my life. So I was very sad when I heard that Macho Man Randy Savage had passed away on Friday after a car accident, which they say was caused by a heart attack. Savage was an excellent wrestler and entertainer. He was okay with becoming a completely wild character that was so beloved in Americana that he appeared on talk shows, in movies, and was the spokesman for Slim Jim. He had not been on television much over the past decade, since he was happily retired and remarried to his now-widow, staying out of the limelight and enjoying his privacy.

At a time when the wrestling industry was booming, he was perhaps the 3rd biggest star, behind Hulk Hogan and Andre the Giant. He was far more athletic than both men, and his wrestling ability put many other performers to shame. Furthermore, he was a wonder on the microphone, giving many memorable promos like the following.




I will always remember him fondly, as the wrestling business today does not have as many men who can carry long story lines or even long, technical matches. Here is one of my personal favorites from Wrestlemania III.




Macho Man was one of the best of all time, and will be missed.




Ooooooooooo Yeeeeeeeaaaaaaaah.

And We're Back

Alrighty! Now that the thesis is done and my brain has been turned off for the summer, time to talk sports! Some thoughts to start:

- Dear Washington Nationals: HIT THE BALL! I know, they scored 17 runs on Friday, and I am not expecting them to be a playoff team or anything, but they have the worst offense in the majors. It doesn't help that Adam LaRoche is batting .170. I mean, Adam Dunn is having a terrible year, and it is STILL better than what LaRoche is doing. I am kind of happy he is getting his shoulder looked at again, just because it will get his bat out of the lineup. Will we miss his glove? Of course. But at some point his struggles at the plate outweigh his defensive prowess.

- The NHL is still going on. I will root for whoever wins the West, just because I don't want to see Tampa win after beating the Caps, nor do I want any team from Boston to win. Let's say I am pulling for the Canucks, just because.

- The NBA is still going on too. Again, rooting for whoever comes out of the West, especially the Mavericks. Would be nice for Dirk to get a ring, and would be a solid reminder if they do it with 3 former Wizards on the roster that we (once again) kept the wrong guy and got rid of the right ones when they decided Gilbert was more important than Heywood, Stevenson and Butler (who is injured) combined.

- Novak "Is Wayne Brady gonna have to" Djokovic is 38-0 to start out the year. I am a fan of all streaks, so I hope this one continues.

- The NFL lockout is still happening. It is getting old. I just want an end to it so that McNabb can leave Washington and go to a place that uses him the right way.

- Count me as the driver of the "Are the Skins really going to use John Beck as their starter?" bandwagon. A 30-year old QB who hasn't taken a meaningful snap in like 4 years and was traded for a guy I played high school football with? No sir, not starter material. Get used to these words Washington: "And with the first pick in the 2012 NFL Draft, the Washington Redskins select..." Of course, that is wishful thinking. Somehow we will find a way to win just enough not to finish last, and Andrew Luck will save another franchise while we gamble on Matt Barkley.

- The NBA draft lottery happened. good for Cleveland getting the #1 and #4 pick. Hopefully they can rebound. The Wizards got the #6 pick, which in a bad draft means nothing. I wouldn't mind, however, trying to pull of a trade for the #2 pick with Minnesota. They want to move it, and we have pieces and 2 first round picks to swap. Let's say, Andray Blatche and the #6 pick to move up to #2 and get Derrick Williams or Enes Kanter? I would do that in a heartbeat.



I think that is all I have for right now. Just happy to have the time to blog again. Woot!

New Uniforms!

Almost done with the thesis and we can get back to blogging every day. In the mean time, the Wizards unveiled a new look, with new logos and uniforms today. I like them. We aren't going back to the Bullets, but at least we can have the look. Now, the Caps, Wizards, Nats, and Mystics all have (roughly) the same color scheme. 1 town, 1 look. And the Skins have red too, just a different one.

In addition to the new colors, they have new logos with the old Bullets arm shooting a ball in a 'dc' logo, and the Washington Monument as the stick of the d in 'wizards', and of the h in 'washington'. They also have a red and blue basketball with a white star and the Monument again (as seen on the back neck of the uniforms).

Check them out below, and tell me what you think-








Dan Steinberg of the Post's DC Sports Bog is already going crazy over how much he likes them. I think the shorts might be the best part. You can read his response to it here.

This might actually make me buy a Wizards jersey. Nice ones. I look forward to seeing the team play better while looking better.

NFL Round 1 Thoughts

Here is my review on the 1st round of the 2011 NFL Draft:

Best Picks:

- Buffalo Bills: Marcel Dareus, DL, Alabama. Love this pick for so many reasons. He wasn't a one-year wonder, he fits into either the 4-3 or 3-4, the Bills were last in run defense, and THEY DIDN'T PICK A RUNNING BACK! They have a lot of holes and this was a good fit.

- Detroit Lions: Nick Fairley, DT, Auburn. Wasn't the biggest need, but no one thought he would be there at 13. Suh and Fairley on the same line? Yikes.

- Cleveland Browns and Washington Redskins: This has less to do with who they picked and more to do with them trading back. Both teams have a ton of holes and needed to add more players. However, Phil Taylor and Ryan Kerrigan do fit needs, so they were solid picks.

- Baltimore Ravens: Jimmy Smith, CB, Colorado. The last great corner the Ravens had was Chris McCallister. They have been looking for his replacement for almost 10 years. They might have found him in Smith, who has the body and skills to be great.


Picks I am not that fond of:

- Carolina Panthers: Cam Newton, QB, Auburn. Just not buying him yet. They have so many holes that Cam can't change the franchise himself.

- Atlanta Falcons: Julio Jones, WR, Alabama. It isn't the pick that I am not a fan of. I actually like it. It is the fact that they gave up so much for it. 5 picks, including next year's first rounder and a 2nd this year, is just a ton for one guy.

- Minnesota Vikings: Christian Ponder, QB, Florida State. Again, not really the pick, cause they do need a QB, but at 12? I think this was kind of a panic move. I know one Vikings fan. He hated the pick.


So far, not many picks that have been awful Most teams fit needs, no real surprises outside of Ponder and Locker at 8. So it has been fine. Day 2 starts at 6 pm ET. Who will land Andy Dalton, Colin Kaepernick (Skins...) and Ryan Mallet? We will find out. Enjoy

2011 NFL MOCK DRAFT! Round 1

Here it is. The first round mock draft for Thursday's NFL Draft. My predictions for the first 32 picks of the year. There could be a ton of trading picks, but not players, this year. However, in this mock, I only have one trade, because this one makes too much sense to ignore. Anyway, here it is. Carolina is on the clock. The envelop is in. Drumroll please. With the first pick in the 2011 NFL Draft, the Carolina Panthers select:

1. Carolina Panthers: Cam Newton, QB, Auburn.
I don't know what everyone sees in him, but everyone is saying that Cam is now the pick. New coach, new QB, big name to attract some fans. Good luck too him, but he wouldn't have been my choice.

2. Denver Broncos: Marcel Dareus, DT, Alabama
Solid and consistent DT that they Broncos can plug in to their new 4-3 and not have to worry. He will stuff the run and get to the QB when he needs to.

3. Buffalo Bills: Von Miller, OLB, Texas A&M
In my opinion, the best player in the draft. 2 time All American. Butkus Award winner. Sack leader. Can play inside or out. Has a nose for the ball and a huge burst. He will not be a disappointing pick. He is to this year's draft what Orakpo was a few years ago, and the Bills will not make the same mistake.

4. Cincinnati Bengals: AJ Green, WR, Georgia
No more TO, no more Chad Johnson/Ochocinco/Johnson. Big hole. QB is as well, but they could probably snag someone in the 2nd Round, such as Andy Dalton or Colin Kaepernick

5. Arizona Cardinals: Robert Quinn, DE/LB, UNC
This is the Cards saying that they are going to trade for Kevin Kolb or sign Marc Bulger. No one else will play QB for them. Quinn fits a need and has had a great draft season.

6. Cleveland Browns: Patrick Peterson, CB, LSU
They really wanted AJ Green, could take Julio Jones, but will instead go with the best player available. Peterson could be Champ Bailey. He is that good.

7. San Francisco 49ers: Blaine Gabbert, QB, Missouri
New Niners coach Jim Harbaugh recruited Gabbert when he was in high school. He knows him. He likes him. He trusts him. Alex Smith is not the answer. New Coach, New QB, New 49ers.

8. Tennessee Titans: Nick Fairly, DT, Auburn
All he did was dominate all season. He plays a little dirty, had a disappointing combine, but the tape doesn't lie. He is just the type of player that the Titans love. Look for Tennessee to try trading back into the late 1st round, possibly with New England, to nab a QB.

9. Dallas Cowboys: Tyron Smith, OT, USC
They need a tackle, he is arguably the best. They need a right tackle, that is where he played in college. It is their biggest need, he fills it. Seems easy enough, right?

10. Washington Redskins...
There has been a trade. The Washington Redskins have traded the 10th pick in the 2011 Draft to the St. Louis Rams, for the 14th and 47th pick in the 2011 Draft, and a 2nd Round pick in the 2012 Draft. St. Louis is now on the clock.

10. St. Louis Rams: Julio Jones, WR, Alabama
The man they have wanted to take all along. Sam Bradford needs a #1 receiver, and now he has one. Jones had a tendency to drop some pretty catchable balls, but also has huge speed, height, agility, and can break a game open on his own. Too good of a player to pass up. The Rams had to go get him.

11. Houston Texans: JJ Watt, DE, Wisconsin
Great motor and a great fit on an awful defense. The Texans gave up way too many late drives last year.

12. Minnesota Vikings: Cameron Jordan, DE, Cal
Fits a need. Ray Edwards is a free agent. This could be a QB, but I think the Vikings will get Donovan McNabb for a few years, perhaps letting him mentor Joe Webb.

13. Detroit Lions: Prince Amukamara, CB, Nebraska
And there was much rejoicing in MoTown. Fits the biggest need the Lions have, and they get a guy with top 5 talents at 13.

14. Washington Redskins: Jake Locker, QB, Washington
From one Washington to another. The Skins picked up some more picks, so perhaps, maybe, they will want to address that complete pooch-screw of a 3-4 defense they have. I just think the Shanahans want their new QB project now, and that man has been Locker for the past year.

15. Miami Dolphins: Mike Pouncey, G/C, Florida
Not a sexy pick, but fits a need. Can protect Henne.

16. Jacksonville Jaguars: Aldon Smith, DE/LB, Missouri
Another pass rusher to try to stop Peyton Manning!

17. New England Patriots (from Oakland): Anthony Castonzo, OT, BC
Local product from the evil Boston College. Will help protect Mr. Brady and his wonderful hair.

18. San Diego Chargers: Muhammad Wilkerson, DL, Temple
Versatile D-Lineman that can fit in anywhere. Great fit.

19. New York Giants: Gabe Carimi, OT, Wisconsin
Must protect Eli. That line that won the Super Bowl is now in shambles. Carimi can play either tackle spot well.

20. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Ryan Kerrigan, DE, Purdue
Great young team makes it defense that much better with a 3 year starter.

21. Kansas City Chiefs: Nate Solder, OT, Colorado
No huge glaring needs for the Chiefs, but their O-line has been suspect at times. Solder or a DE is the pick.

22. Indianapolis Colts: Derek Sherrod, OT, Mississippi State
A bit of a reach, but the Colts need new bodies in front of Mr. Manning.

23. Philadelphia Eagles: Jimmy Smith, CB, Colorado
The reason he isn't in the top 10 is apparently character issues. The Eagles have taken in and tamed Mike Vick. This guys should be a piece of cake.

24. New Orleans Saints: Da'Quan Bowers, DE, Clemson
Big fall after a terrible draft season, but could he be a steal at 24?

25. Seattle Seahawks: Danny Watkins, G, Baylor
Fits a need. Need to protect whoever is playing QB. They could also choose a new signal caller with this pick.

26. Baltimore Ravens: Cameron Hayword, DE/DT, Ohio State
Instant impact in the pass rush? Sounds like the Ravens to me, especially with no guarantee that Sergio Kindle will ever pan out.

27. Atlanta Falcons: Kyle Rudolph, TE, Notre Dame
Tony Gonzales is not young. Matty Ice needs options.

28. New England Patriots: Adrian Clayborn. DE, Iowa
Look for this pick to get traded to a team that really wants a QB.

29. Chicago Bears: Aaron Williams, CB/S, Texas
Versatile secondary presence. They would have to reach to upgrade their O-line at this point. They could trade back as well.

30. New York Jets: Corey Liuget, DT, Illinois
Big body in the middle of Rex's defense. Help those non-existent pass rushers get through.

31. Pittsburgh Steelers: Brendan Harris, CB, Miami
Touch corner that fits with the hard hitting style of the Steel City.

32. Green Bay Packers: Akeem Ayers, OLB, UCLA
Pass rushing presence and best player available for the Super Bowl Champs.


Let me know what you think.

Sports Thoughts! Hooray!

Alrighty. Let's talk some sports, shall we? Been a busy time recently, what with baseball in full swing (get it?), NHL and NBA playoffs, and the NFL Draft coming up. Have your eyes out for my 1st round Mock Draft that will be out either later today or tomorrow. But before that, some thoughts on a muggy 80 degree April day while listening to 90s/00s pop-punk:

- I have seen one play of the Magic/Hawks playoff series. It was our old friend Gilbert Arenas, and he airballed a 3. Terribly. No where close. I know Rashard Lewis isn't great, but his contract comes off the books first. I still love that trade.

- You have to keep wondering when the Lakers will turn it on. But maybe they won't. Be concerned, LA fans.

- So I guess they can get those massive renovations to the Boudreau-dubbed dump, Madison Square Garden, really going now that both the Knicks and the Rangers have been eliminated.

- What the hell is the matter with the Canucks? This is a choke job of epic proportions. It is as if Luongo forgot how to goaltend. They had a chance to close it out yesterday, again, but the Blackhawks won in OT. The curse of the President's Trophy lives on.

- Come on Sabres. You needed to finish off the Flyers in Buffalo. Now you might lose heading back to Philly. I really only care about this because of my dislike of Philly, and wanting to play the Sabres in Round 2.

- Congrats to the Nashville Predators for advancing. I know nothing about your team. Nothing at all. But it is nice to see a team I have nothing against do well. Just don't cross me...

- I bet the Pens still pull it out, but wasn't it great watching them lose 8-2? To be honest, I am far more afraid of the Lightning than I am the Penguins this year. They can score at will on anyone.

- John Carlson of the Washington Capitals (and cousin of my good friend Steve) is on twitter, and was watching Little Giants yesterday. I was too. In my mind, we are now best friends because of that.

- The Nats are back at .500, which isn't bad considering we have the 2nd worst offense in the league so far this season. Amazing to think that our pitching is carrying us. Hope Morse, LaRoche and Desmond get things going soon. Zim coming back should help as well.

- Albert Pujols is a monster. That is all.

- If you have a chance, listen to New Found Glory's covers of 90s pop songs from movies. They are awesome. Listening to their cover of Love Game by the Cardigans, from Romeo + Juliet. Great summer music.

- The Orioles have dropped back to where they are going to be this year: a low to middle of the pack team that will be streaky good at times, and just as bad others.

- Roy Halladay is a monster. That is all.

- Gonzaga High School Rugby is still #1 in the country, as it has been for the past month. Woot!


That's all I got for right now. Time to work... on the mock draft!