30 Dec 10 Cavaliers-Celtics: Catching The Playoff Fever

Elsa/Getty ImagesAfter all is said and done, today may go down as the biggest sports day of 2010. It's Opening Day in Major League Baseball. The college basketball National Championship Game is a mere few hours away. Later this afternoon, Tiger Woods is set to give a press conference, which apparently will be different from the other three he's already had. Oh, and Donovan McNabb is now the quarterback of the Washington Redskins, proving that the world might actually be coming to an end in 2012, if not sooner. But I'm not here to talk about any of that. I'm here to talk some NBA basketball, and the playoffs in specific.Now I know right about now you're all going into Jim Mora mode and thinking to yourself: "Playoffs? Playoffs? But Aaron, what about Butler Reebok Baltimore Ravens #27 Ray Rice Realtree camo Jersey
vs. Duke? What about Red Sox-Yankees? What about Tiger Woods and his Army of iHop waitresses? Playoffs?" And don't get me wrong, those things are all important. But after attending the Cavaliers-Celtics game on Sunday afternoon, the playoffs are what's on mind. That's right, I was in the crowd for Cavs-Celts on Sunday, and all I can say is wow. Wow to the hotly contested battle that saw six technical fouls, and more bloodshed and heavy hitting than Roy Jones-Bernard Hopkins on Saturday night (A lot more actually). Wow to LeBron James and his ho-hum 42 points, including 20 in the fourth quarter. Wow to Kevin Garnett and his icy cool game-clinching free throws. And most importantly, wow to the Boston crowd, for making this one feel like the deciding game of the Eastern Conference Finals. (This is just PART of Aaron's piece on the Celtics-Cavaliers game from Easter Sunday. To read this piece, in it's entirety, please visit him at www.aarontorres-sports.com)As a matter of fact, when I bought tickets for this game, that was my biggest concern: How would the crowd be? Sure it was the Cavs, and whenever LeBron is in town people always show up. But still, it was also Easter Sunday, and the Red Sox and Yankees were playing just hours later. Heck, that's why I went about trying to get tickets in the first place, I knew that this was the perfect storm of circumstance, maybe the only chance in my life I'd get to see LeBron in a meaningful game, at a discount price. It was an opportunity I couldn't pass up, even if I wasn't sure about the atmosphere and quality of play once I was inside the arena.As usual though, when I showed up in Boston, the fans brought their "A," game. Upon entering the city, eating lunch and walking the streets around the TD BankNorth Garden, the crowd was already abuzz, moving briskly and excitedly on the warm spring afternoon. Scalpers had an extra pep in their step, as they knew one day they'd be telling Reebok Baltimore Ravens #52 Ray Lewis Realtree camo Jersey
their ticket-scalping grand-children about the wonderful Easter Sunday of 2010, where Sox-Yanks and Celts-Cavs lined their pockets full of extra cash. Vendors were yelling and screaming, moving a mile a minute, selling t-shirts, posters and whatever else they could fit Brian Scalibrine's face onto. And as the gates got set to open, a line of fans formed around the block. Sons with their fathers, guys with their girlfriends and old women accompanied by older men, all clamoring to get into the arena and get the first glimpse of LeBron, Kevin Garnett and all the other combatants set to due battle. Once in the arena, the circus only intensified, as people blew past ushers and climbed over seats, all with the hope of getting close enough to snap a few pictures of LeBron. After all, when the King rolls into the arena, you re-arrange plans and get to the arena early. Even if that means skipping Easter brunch and putting Josh Beckett, David Ortiz and Evil Empire talk on hold until later.After player introductions and the tip, the arena remained in a prolonged buzz, as late-comers filed into the few remaining empty seats. And the buzz only intensified, as Ray Allen made a bounty of runners, jumpers and cuts to the basket, and Kendrick Perkins got a slew of easy dunks off some nifty Rajon Rondo passes. Forget Easter Sunday. Forget the fact that these two teams had already clinched playoff spots. The Celtics and the Cavaliers came to play Sunday afternoon, and so did their fans.For those of you who watched, you know what happened next, mainly that the Celtics could do no wrong. Everything was going right. Everybody made the extra pass. Glen Davis was hitting open looks. Tony Allen was playing lockdown defense. Nate Robinson spent more time dancing during timeouts than he did listening to anything that Doc Rivers was saying. Even Rasheed Wallace was all smiles, regardless of whether it was because of anything basketball related, or just that he was getting excited about the postgame meal. And the crowd was right behind their team, taking it all in. They cheered with every made basket, jumped to their feet when Rondo hit a three to end the first half (That group included my mom, a baseball fan who was only at the game because I forced her to come. By the time Rondo hit that three, she was already thanking me profusely.) and became deafening during a third quarter run that saw the CelticsReebok Chicago Bears #54 Brian Urlacher Realtree camo Jersey
go up by as many as 22 points. But like any great team, you knew the Cavs wouldn't go down without a fight...

29 Dec 10 Cleveland vs. Chicago: Success for the Bulls Is Avoiding Embarassment

Jonathan Daniel/Getty ImagesReaching the postseason was an extraordinary feat for the Chicago Bulls; expecting them to compete with the Cleveland Cavaliers once the games begin is entirely something else.If the NBA switched their format to seed all of the league's playoff teams No. 1 Arizona Cardinals jersey
through No. 16, the Bulls would be No. 16 and the Cavaliers would remain No. 1, and the disparity in talent is comparable to that level.Few observers are giving the Chicago Bulls a chance to win a single game, and fewer still believe they can even be competitive, but can the Bulls at least spare themselves the pain of embarrassment?That will be a task in itself, because the happy-go-lucky Bulls are about to face a Cavaliers' team that is among the most talented in the league, and they are motivated by the pain of losing in last season's Eastern Conference Finals.The Cavaliers are deeper than the Bulls, more athletic, better defensively, and they have much better perimeter shooters, in addition to having one of the league's more underrated coaches in Mike Brown.Then there is this guy named LeBron James, who is without a doubt the league's most complete player, and a person Chicago has no chance in hell of defending, regardless of who they assign to guard him.The Bulls do have some advantages in the match-ups though, and Derrick Rose is similarly a player who the Cavaliers may be unable to defend with any of their stable of perimeter players.Rose's strength and quickness allow him to get to the rim almost at will, and he has no trouble finishing strong at the basket or Atlanta Falcons jersey
dishing the ball off to an open teammate.The problem is, since the Bulls traded John Salmons, Kirk Hinrich exists as the only true threat from long distance, and the inability to stretch the Cavaliers on the perimeter will allow Cleveland to compact their aggressive defense even more.Luol Deng can step outside and hit the three-point shot occasionally, but he is much more effective from 18 feet in, and can't be depended on to provide consistent help from the perimeter.Joakim Noah is a high energy player and the NBA's best rebounder, but Cleveland can throw players at Noah in waves, and it's doubtful he will be able to hold up against the Cavaliers' depth for an entire series.With the return of Shaquille O'Neal, the Cavaliers will have J.J. Hickson, Andersen Varejao, Zydrunas Ilglauskas, and Leon Baltimore Ravens jersey
Powe, all of which can take turns defending Noah in various stages of the series.The situation doesn't look hopeless for the Bulls but it's close, and their main goal besides trying to avoid being swept, should be to give a performance the city of Chicago can be proud of.And who knows? The Bulls might just be able to make Cleveland work up a sweat before they are ushered into their extended offseason vacation.

28 Dec 10 Phoenix Suns, You Are Dead Wrong

Christian Petersen/Getty ImagesFirstly, let me be clear. I do not hate Mexican people. I have very dear friends who are Mexican. In fact I am going to a ball game this week with one of them. His last name is Gonzalez. We have been friends for years and during baseball season we probably go to a game a week together.Every time we hang up the phone he ends the conversation with a "God Bless you, brother." Before my last move, my next door neighbors were (or the wife was) Mexican. A sweet lady. Her kids and mine are still best friends. Arizona Cardinals jersey
We go see them as often as we can. I still text them almost every day.I am not anti-immigration either. If you want to come here through the proper channels, come on in. If you want to work here on the books, pay in to Social Security, pay income taxes, and spend your money here and OBEY THE LAW, I have no problem with you being here.I am quite sure if you polled most residents of Arizona, they feel the same way. This is not about hate. It's not about anti- immigration. It's about obeying and enforcing THE LAW!IT's the government's main job for crying out loud. And as usual, they are doing a piss poor job. We have people flooding into our country, many via Arizona, and committing crimes, taking away jobs, using government welfare programs and sending moneys they earn back to Mexico.The people of Arizona have had enough. They have spoken. They have voted to do at the state level what the feds failed to do. That is: ENFORCE THE LAW!So here come the bleeding heart, elitist, high-priced basketball players, the Phoenix Suns.These people make millions of dollars to play basketball. They don't have to worry about illegals stealing their jobs unless one of them is Seven feet tall and has a killer hook shot. In a show of disdain to the citizens of Atlanta Falcons jersey
Arizona, they will wear Spanish language jerseys in Game Two of their playoff series with San Antonio.If they were doing this as a Cinco de Mayo thing, that would be fine. No problem. But this is not what they are doing. They are wearing them as a protest. A protest against ENFORCING THE LAW! They are making a political statement.If I were a Suns season ticket holder, who was out there trying to make a living legally, losing contracts to companies who hire illegals so they can shave money off of their bids by using the cheap labor, and the Suns did this, I would call them up immediately and cancel my tickets. This is an outrage!When they called me back to try and smooth things over my reply would be "why don't you call some of those illegal aliens you love so much and see how many tickets they want?"Or here's an idea. Let's just say "screw it" and open up the borders and tell anyone who wants in to "come on."America as we know it would cease to exist in about six months. Then there would be no NBA. No MLB. No NFL. Baltimore Ravens jersey
The Steve Nashes of the world would then have to go out and try to find work, and would find out how tough it is to compete with people who are willing to come here and work for next to nothing as long as they get it in cash.Let's see how they like those illegal aliens then.

27 Dec 10 Floor General Needed: Who Might End Up At Point Next Season?

The Heat have been in need of a capable starting point for quite some time now. Actually, it's been about two and a half years... maybe even longer.Riley should have been looking for one since 2006-2007 (when J. Will body begin to brake down). But he didn't, and the Heat has suffered for it greatly.Well now, the organization has put out a casting call for someone to star in its floor general role. There's only one problem: they may have waited a little to long.Like the CENTER position, this off season free agent pool is full of mediocre talent. It only has Reebok New York Jets #6 Mark Sanchez Realtree camo Jersey
one player with All-Star potential. Maybe as many as five others could be legitimate starters and the rest are suited for bench positions.Pat Riley indeed, has a problem on his hands. The Heat isn't in a position to spend its 18th pick on a point guard, they need a proved talent to contend with the ever increasing pool of talented floor leaders in, not only the East, but the entire NBA.The pickings are indeed slim but there is light at the end of the tunnel... kinda. I personally think they should stick with Mario Chalmers, sure he sometimes struggles when being pressed, however, his half court offense is to be commended.TOP OPTIONS AVAILABLE THROUGH FREE AGENCY As of now, there are probably four or five guys on the Heat radar. They are:Raymond Felton(FA), Luke Ridnour(FA), Will Bynum(RFA), C.J. Watson(RFA) and maybe Jamasl Tinsley(FA).All of these of these players would be a up-grade over Carlos Arroyo. And by all means, the Heat must not re-sign this guy.Felton will be looking for a 7 to 9 million dollar deal, and that's too much for a guy that will never be better than above average. The Heat should pass on him if the asking price is more than 7 million.Luke Ridnour is my favorite possibility, he's a better player than Jason Williams, a PG the Heat Reebok Oakland Raiders #21 Nnamdi Asomugha Realtree camo Jersey
won a Title with. Ridnour is the PERFECT compliment to Wade. He's a great ball handler, excellent floor general and has a good enough stroke to keep defenses honest. His defensive skills are also vastly underrated.The best part is, he comes cheap. 6 million a year for 3 to 4 years would probably do it.Will Bynum is a intriguing prospect. He's a guy loaded with offensive potential. The guy can score, create and does a heck of a job running a team.The only knock(s) on him is his small stature(boarder-line 6ft) and his lack of a deep shot (career 20 percent shooter). But at 2 to 4 million, the Heat might not be able to pass on the 27 year old from Chicago.C.J. Watson is all offense. Heck of a scorer but not that good at running a team. He has nice size at 6'2 and 190lbs.He's also a good shooter, really good. Some concerns with his defense because he comes from that Golden State system but would serve as a nice compliment off the bench to Chalmers.Players like Rodney Suckey and Sebastian Telfair might come available because their deals have either team or player options to terminate.PLAYERS THAT MIGHT BE AVAILABLE THROUGH TRADES There are several players that might be available through trades, all the Heat have to do is give their respected teams a call. They are Ramon Sessions(MIN), Mike Conley(MEM), Kirk Hinrich(CHI), Baron Davis(LAC), Gilbert Arenas(WAS), Tony Parker(SAS) and maybe, dare I say it, Chris Paul(NOH).Miami doesn't have much to bargin with, Reebok Pittsburgh Steelers #86 Hines Ward Realtree camo Jersey
other than cap-relief for whatever team. Pat Riley must be cautious that he doesn't make a bad deal like the 76ers did with Brand.The Heat are building to be strong for the next four or five seasons. They must make sure they are free to build around Beasley(21 years old) when the Wade era ends. So here's to hoping that Riley makes a smart move that lands the Heat a floor general for the next three to five years.This article is also featured onI BLEED HEAT

26 Dec 10 Boston Celtics are the Surprise Team of the NBA Playoffs

Elsa/Getty ImagesAs the Boston Celtics prepare for another one of those classic East-West, Dynasty vs. Dynasty playoff finals with their longtime rivals the Los Angeles Lakers, many NBA onlookers continue pinching themselves and refusing to believe that the Bostonians reached the finals.Win, lose or draw against Phil Jackson defending NBA titlists, the Celtics should be given credit for organizational smarts. In less shrewd hands the team could easily have been an also ran, and almost assuredly never would be currently battling for the top prize in pro Reebok Chicago Bears #54 Brian Urlacher Realtree camo Jersey
basketball.The nucleus of the Celtics is comprised of three veterans headed for the Hall of Fame when their careers end. Paul Pierce is the youngest of the group and will be 33 in October.Injuries played havoc with the Celtics throughout the 2009-10 campaign. Pierce and Kevin Garnett lost significant playing time.With the Celtics struggling due to the absence of personnel and continuity that injuries cause, General Manager Danny Ainge, a Celtic standout in his playing days, along with pragmatic Coach Doc Rivers made a calculated decision.The team might end up looking ragged at times, the overall record would be less than glossy, especially by Celtic lofty historical standards, but if a proper seasonal plan was instituted the team would emerge as healthy survivors. It would then be able to shine when the crucial second season arrived -- playoff time.Rivers bought into the theory. He explained that he always felt good about the team. His reason was togetherness. Rivers was thinking from the standpoint of a veteran coach.It is far better to have a team with peaks and valleys relating to rocky injury status with a healthy attitude than a group of all-stars on their own pages and seeking self-recognition.Despite having three future Hall of Famers in the aforementioned Pierce and Garnett along with Ray Allen, one of the premier three-point shooters in league history, the Celtics would never have driven to post-season success had it not been for the remarkable improvement and leadership role of a young player who made theReebok Chicago Bears #6 Jay Cutler Realtree camo Jersey
critical difference.Louisville, and University of Kentucky product Rajon Rondo at 24 is a decade or thereabouts younger than the veteran trio members. Paul Pierce pinpoints a phase when, in place of the threesome and their cohorts setting up Rondo, he began setting them up and they in turn responded. Earlier they had set up Rondo.The translation is that this is the phase wherein the point guard attained full- blown leadership status.Not only has Rondo impressed with his playmaking skills; he has won respect from his teammates and others throughout the league with his toughness.Rondo constantly drives to the hoop and faces defensive threats from players much taller and with considerable girth beyond the 6'1", 170 pounder. As the playoffs have intensified the incidents increased where Rondo was knocked to the floor after charging into the paint.Despite the solidness of the impact or the size of the individual administering the blows, Rondo constantly rises, shakes himself off, and resumes action.This is the personnel mix and strategy that brought the Celtics to the pinnacle of another championship. Many thought that the Dwayne Wade led Miami Heat would evict the Celtics in the first-round.When they endured that hurdle Boston was a decided Reebok Dallas Cowboys #82 Jason Witten Realtree camo Jersey
underdog against both Lebron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers, the league winningest regular season team, followed afterwards by the Orlando Magic, final round opponent against the Lakers last season.The final round has arrived. All previous hurdles were surmounted. The Celtics are still standing and the defending titlist Lakers furnish the opposition starting Thursday night in Los Angeles Staples Center.

25 Dec 10 The Connect Four Tour's Final Stop: NBA Titletown Prediction

Ronald Martinez/Getty ImagesNormally, making bold predictions on behalf of the 2011 NBA Playoff picture don make a lick of sense whatsoever. Generally, I would be inclined to agree.Unlike past years, the free agency deals and other transactions to boot turned a usually boring offseason into the Oakland Raiders jersey
legendary California Gold Rush combining star powers with the likes of Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh and LeBron James on the same team.Danny Ainge Boston Celtics appeared to diminish following the 2010 NBA Finals. Paul Pierce and Ray Allen attractive free agent status no doubt had suitable buyers ready to acquire their services when the market opened up. The future of head coach Doc Rivers unequivocally had Boston fanbase incredibly nervous.Mr. Ainge must have been bluffing in the high stakes game of Texas Holdem. Thanks to a royal flush, franchise leader Paul Pierce re-signed and with that, Ray Allen fell in line as well. Rivers created more fanatical buzz announcing his decision to stick around. Little time altered Rasheed Wallaces mindset to remain a Celtic instead of prematurely retiring for good.On the shoreline of Southern California, the Los Angeles Lakers took the aggressive approach when Phil Jackson felt the desire to add a twelfth NBA Championship ring to his personal shrine of colossal achievements. Adding to the mix, past enemy and balls to the wall defender Matt Barnes left the Orlando Magic for purple and gold pastures.Oklahoma City head coach Scott Brooks is fully aware the brainwaves functioning in each individual player have shifted into overdrive. Don assume recovering from a last second loss at the hands of Pau Gasol and the Lakers have eased out of the minds of the Thunder one bit.Beginning with Kevin Durant, the process of eliminating any obvious fatal flaws top the list of priorities for Oklahoma City. Lockdown defender Royal Ivey, acquired rookie via New Orleans in Cole Aldrich, thwarts the Thunder team defense to a whole new level.Confident in another return to the playoffs, the Oklahoma City Thunder are pressing forward still holding the crude memory of a painful exit from last year playoffs close at hand.Leaving nothing to chance, the Miami Heat added yet another major scoring threat to an already scary roster. Former Celtics guard Eddie House brings a dead aim three point shooting arsenal to South Beach (with LeBron talents). Known as a fan favorite in Boston, House will easily earn the same fan reception from Heat followers as he did from the Bean Town crowd.Refusing to be outdone in piling up noteworthy player services, the Boston Celtics brought in 6-11 veteran Jermaine ONeal from Miami. The frustrating injury endured by Kendrick Perkins hurt the C taking the chance of winning the 2010 NBA Title with it. Philadelphia Eagles jersey
Perkins presence all around demonstrated his maturity while rearranging opposing coaches game plan when it came to post play. Knowing good and well the injury to Perkins will keep him sidelined at least halfway through the regular season; Doc Rivers felt another move was necessary.Breaking sports headlines yesterday, Rivers flew to Orlando to personally extend the invite for Shaquille ONeal to join the Celtics even though the best financial offer shapes into the league minimum for veteran players.Because the 2010 NBA offseason offered bizarre player unions and atrociously self-centered I bigger than the game state of mind moments, the intrigue to follow all of the high profile player relocations kept everyone from abandoning the trade and free agent market moves altogether.The Western Conference depth heightens the difficulty in predicting which team will represent their respected half of the NBA. Until any other Western Conference team knocks the Los Angeles Lakers around without costly retaliation, Kobe Lakers will claim the #1 seed in the 2011 NBA Western Conference Playoffs. LA core is back with no sense of complacency, but their sense of urgency continues to sky rocket as long as health issues refrain from catastrophic mass injury.Standing in their way, the Oklahoma City Thunder will no doubt win more than 50 games, as they did the season before. In fact, it not inconceivable to believe the Thunder can snag the #2 seed out west. If that were the case, a rematch wouldn play out until the Western Conference Finals.Gotta love the drama.For the third consecutive year, the Los Angeles Lakers hold serve sending them back to the 2011 NBA Finals.Controversy swirled around the Eastern Conference well before the 2010 playoffs even tipped off. Miami Thrice owned much of the controversy issues resulting in harsh criticism from both the general public and old school Hall of Famers. Glancing at the Heat roster on paper, its borderline impossible to dismiss the team as the frontrunner to win it all.Bean Town has every reason to believe the Larry OBrien Trophy will find its way into the trophy case nestled safely inside the TD Garden in downtown Boston. Newest Celtic, Shaquille ONeal, wants at least one more Pittsburgh Steelers jersey
championship ring. He may have picked the right place.An instant firepower packed roster, driven to win up to eight titles as advertised by the King himself, still lacks a certain whatchamacallit. Boston and Los Angeles are pure carbon copies of each other, which is the reason for another Celtics-Lakers NBA Finals rematch.Shaq and Jermaine moved to Boston at the right time. Coach Rivers leads the charge solidifying his own place in C historic existence. Red Auerbach is going to fully enjoy the upcoming 2010-2011 season. Boston Celtics: 2010-2011 NBA World Champions

24 Dec 10 John Wall and the 2010 Washington Wizards: The Sky Is the Limit

Al Bello/Getty ImagesAs the 2009-2010 season ended for the Washington Wizards spirits were low in the nation's capital. The team had lost its three biggest stars over the course of the season.First, Gilbert Arenas was lost for the season following an embarrassing scandal where he brought guns to the Verizon Center and jokingly threatened a teammate. Then, former All Stars Antwan Jamison and Caron Butler were shipped away in mid-season trades to contenders.All was dark in D.C. until a stroke of luck left the team with theKansas City Chiefs jersey
number one overall pick and the pleasure of adding University of Kentucky point guard John Wall. The lightning quick Wall at the very least makes the Wizards an exciting watch—if not a playoff contender.So far, the rookie has impressed in preseason games—showing a quick burst, great handle, and court vision beyond his years. Having a point guard of his caliber gives the Wizards an edge over many teams at that crucial position.Despite the unlimited potential Wall possesses, the rest of the Wizards' roster is lacking in experience, cohesiveness, and possibly talent.Playing the role of Robin to Wall's Batman could be Gilbert Arenas, fresh off his extended suspension.Arenas has continued to provide the team with a bizarre array of moments. However, this year the moments lack Arenas' usual lightheartedness and instead give the impression of a lost soul.From comments about how he will likely soon be moving on to a new team, to his faking of an injury so teammate Nick Young could get more playing Miami Dolphins jersey
time, Arenas continues to puzzle.In spite of all this, Arenas could be the key to the Wizards' possible playoff push. Although the team would prefer to trade him, his enormous contract will likely make that impossible. This means that they will need some kind of contribution from Arenas who hopefully will adapt his game to match the impressive rookie.The true match for Wall could be veteran guard Kirk Hinrich, who was acquired this offseason from the Bulls. Hinrich has the outside shot, the defensive presence, and the demeanor to form a formidable backcourt with the dynamic Wall.The maturation of frontcourt players JaVale McGee and Andray Blatche will also be essential. Both are raw talents who have the ability to change shots on the defensive end and finish around the basket on offense. If Flip Saunders can find an effective way to get McGee and Blatche on the court at the same time, they could be major contributors this year.The bevy of swingmen on the team—like Nick Young, Josh Howard, and Al Minnesota Vikings
Thornton—will need to contribute on both the offensive and defensive ends of the court for the Wizards to have a formidable all around roster.A lot of the emphasis is on coach Saunders to put the proper pieces in place around Wall. If he can do so, then there is no reason this team cannot challenge for a playoff spot in the East for most of the season.

23 Dec 10Raptors Report Week 4: Toronto Finally Playing Together, Getting Wins

Reggie Evans, doing his thing.The Raptors had a great week, winning three out of four games, and we are finally starting to see some chemistry with this team.The Raps traded their starting point guard Jarrett Jack along with Marcus Banks and David Andersen for Jerryd Bayless and Peja Stojakovic. To see the breakdown of the deal click here.They started the week against the Washington Wizards on the road and got killed. It was disgusting, and that was their only loss of the week.The next day, against the Philadelphia 76ers, Reebok Pittsburg Steelers #83 Heath Miller Realtree camo Jersey
the Raptors got a nice win, playing well on the road.Friday night the Raptors beat the Rockets, and once again, offense was good, defense was decent and they came away with the win.Sunday afternoon the Raptors had their biggest test of the week against the Boston Celtics at home. They were without Jarrett Jack and any of the players they acquired from the trade, but Leandro Barbosa did return. The Raptors played great and managed to escape a raging Boston comeback and come away with a one-point victory.Record: 3-1Performance on a scale of 1-10: 8PositivesAndrea Bargnani has been absolutely scorching and should be in contention for player of the week honors. The Raptors are finally looking healthy, with the exception of Ed Davis, and are finally playing good basketball and starting to Arizona Cardinals jersey
close games a little bit better.Was the Win Against Boston Lucky?Was the Win Against Boston Lucky?Absolutely, they were lucky to even be close. 8.8%Maybe, you have to give them credit though. 44.2%No, they deserved the win. 45.1%No, they should be beating teams like Boston.1.8%Total votes: 113They came away with some great wins this week, and their schedule is looking much better than earlier on.Jose Calderon has been playing good basketball, and defensively, this team is better than last year.Reggie Evans is a monster. Enough said.NegativesI Atlanta Falcons jersey
really thought the Raptors were going to lose that Boston game. They can never seem to close out games, Bargnani becomes nonexistent and nobody can step up. Luckily, they pulled out the win, but they will have to be better down the stretch if they want to win close games.Overall, this was a great week, and hopefully this is just the beginning for this young team.GO RAPS!

NBA Free Agency 2010: Chris Bosh Would Be Welcomed in Cleveland With Open Arms

Jed Jacobsohn/Getty Images According to numerous sources, the Toronto Raptors have agreed to participate in a sign-and-trade deal that would send free agent superstar Chris Bosh to the Cleveland Cavaliers.Although details of the potential trade have not been solidified, ESPN has reported that Miami Dolphins jersey
the Raptors would receive “Anderson Varejao and/or J.J. Hickson, Delonte West and perhaps Anthony Parker.” ESPN also reported that a draft pick would likely be involved.According to league sources, LeBron James has attempted to recruit Chris Bosh for the past few weeks; this indicating James’ true desire to remain in Cleveland.So the question arises: What is Chris Bosh waiting for?!Understandably so, Bosh has expressed interest in playing for either Chicago, New Jersey, or Miami. But maybe his agent should fill him in on a few key points about his potential move to Cleveland…In a sign-and-trade with Cleveland, the Cavaliers could (and would) offer Chris Bosh a six-year deal worth $125 million. On the other hand, if Bosh signed a free agent max-contract with New Jersey, Miami, or Chicago, he could only be offered a five-year deal worth $96 million. To all of us, $96 million is plenty. But we're talking about a difference of $29 million!Chris Bosh would be teaming up with the best player in the game, LeBron James. Even if James was seriously considering Chicago or Miami (which he isn't), Bosh coming to Cleveland would make James re-sign immediately and completely bail on South Beach and the Windy City.With LeBron James returning and Chris Bosh moving-in, the Cavaliers could also re-sign the aging, yet still effective, Shaquille O'Neal to plug the middle. The Cleveland Cavaliers starting lineup would immediately become the best in the East (Mo Williams, LeBron James, Antawn Jamison, Chris Bosh, Shaquille O'Neal) and an NBA Title would be a strong possibility.Bosh has to get over the "big city obsession". It appears as if he wants to play with LeBron James but is not willing to sacrifice the city. If this is the case, then Bosh does not have an NBA Title on his mind. Move to Cleveland, win titles, and go down as a savior for the city.This seems like a no-brainer for the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Toronto Raptors, and Chris Bosh. It Minnesota Vikings
would be in Cleveland’s best interest to try and retain the young J.J.Hickson, but then again, we’re talking about Chris Bosh here. For Toronto, they’re basically getting something in return, rather than just watching their franchise’s best player hit the road in search of something greater. And of course, Chris Bosh receives tons of publicity and his team is the clear-cut favorite to represent the East in the NBA Finals.

Derek Jeter Watch: New York Yankees Lose Containment on Hank Steinbrenner

内容: Hank Steinbrenner is loose! I repeat: Hank Steinbrenner is loose!Tsk, tsk, Yankees. You should have known better.Once agent Casey Close made the Derek Jeter negotiations public this weekend, proving Hal Steinbrenner's "things could get messy" prophecy as true, the team needed to be thinking two steps ahead.Unfortunately, Yankee officials were playing checkers when they needed to be playing chess, and that's how a reporter from the Associated Press managed to get through to Hal's loquacious brother, Hank, on Tuesday.I worried about this exact scenario just a Seattle Seahawks jersey
day earlier. After the agent told the Daily News he was "baffled" by the Yankees' negotiation strategy, I braced for a reaction by Yankee brass that would further divide the gap between icon and team.As I said Monday, we're talking about very rich men with very rich egos, and Close insinuated someone was dropping the ball. That's a big rich dude no-no. Rich dudes live to project infallibility.I figure there has to be a panic room at the Yankees' Tampa headquarters, a place where George was hidden away in his "fuzzy" years and the skeletal remnants of the scout who vouched for Hideki Irabu could be safely stored. That poor man's family...And if this mystical panic room does indeed exist, Hank Steinbrenner should have been resting there comfortably with a gallon of whiskey, six cartons of Marlboro Reds and all of St. Louis Rams jersey
Andrew Dice Clay's stand-up specials on VHS.Brian Cashman had to have realized the press would want Hank's thoughts on the situation. After all, this is same man who once said, "Red Sox Nation? What a bunch of bulls**t that is."Because of his propensity to speak his mind, Hank is a reporter's wet dream. When Close challenged the organization, it was obvious the media would come after Hank the way your skeevy college roommate came after the drunkest girl with the lowest self esteem at a frat party.It was all so inevitable, and yet, late Tuesday came word that Hank had been compromised.“As much as we want to keep everybody, we’ve already made these guys very, very rich, and I don’t feel we owe anybody anything monetarily,” the Yankees co-chairman said. “Some of these players are wealthier than their bosses.”Never mind the fact that it was during Hank's brief reign of terror as chief decision-maker that the franchise signed A-Rod to the worst contract in the history of mankind. Seriously, as insanely clueless as his commentary is, let's set aside that irony for now.Instead, we'll focus on the smaller picture, which is we now have another member of the Yankee brass on record basically calling Jeter's bluff.It's now being widely reported that New York's offer stands at three years at $15 million annually. Earlier in the day, Cashman expressed his surprise at Close's "baffling" dig, and was blunt in his assessment of the situation."We understand his contributions to the franchise and our offer has taken them into account," Cashman told ESPNNewYork.com. "We've encouraged him to test the market and see if there's something he would prefer other than this. If he can, fine. That's the way it works."Then, curiously, he added a little dagger."We've made an offer and we hope they strongly consider it," he said. "[But] there are things we have concerns with — his recent performance over the last few years, and his age. And that has to be factored into this negotiation. Tennessee Titans jersey
"Ugh. With every day that goes by it, the teeth seem to be getting a little sharper on each side. Again, this was Jeter's choice to go public. You have to wonder if he's regretting that decision now.As for Hank, we need to get him in that panic room. I absolutely adore the man and all the limitless entertainment he brings both to this blog and my life in general. But he needs to be muzzled. If we need to put the Dice Man himself in that room, make it happen.I'm guessing he's available

20 Dec 10 Dallas Cowboys Coaching Change Not the First Time Jason Garrett Asked To Lead

Monday's coaching change is not the first time Jason Garrett has been thrust into a sudden Dallas Cowboys leadership roleTom Pidgeon/Getty ImagesBy now, everyone has heard and talked about the Dallas Cowboys mid-season firing of Wade Phillips and promotion of Jason Garrett to interim Reebok Chicago Bears #6 Jay Cutler Realtree camo Jersey
head coach.In the days since, the focus of the discussion has shifted to speculation on how well Garrett can lead the Dallas Cowboys, if he can get the team to at least show some improvement by year's end and if he can land the job going forward.Somewhat lost in the coaching discussion is a memory from years ago when, much like now, Jason Garrett found himself in a sudden and unexpected leadership role in Dallas.The year was 1994: The Dallas Cowboys were the team to beat in the NFL, coming off back-to-back Super Bowl wins and looking for another as a fresh faced kid named Brett Favre and the Green Bay Packers came to town on Thanksgiving.The 9-2 Cowboys' run for a third Super Bowl in a row seemed to take a downward turn with an injury to starting quarterback Troy Aikman. The man behind center was now Jason Garrett, who had to start in place of Aikman in a nationally televised game.Then, much like now, Garrett was suddenly thrust into the role of leading the Dallas Cowboys at a Reebok Dallas Cowboys #82 Jason Witten Realtree camo Jersey
moment that seemed bleak.Garrett completed 15 of 26 pass attemptsfor 311 yards andtwo touchdowns in a comeback victory over Green Bay in the second half.The back-up who was suddenly asked to lead the Dallas Cowboys stepped up to the challenge.Can Garrett channel that heart and spirit to a 2010 Dallas Cowboys team in the same manner?

19 Dec 10 Week 11 Fantasy Football Running Backs: Who To Pick Up, Drop and Ignore

Felix Jones might actually see the opportunities in Dallas now.Jim McIsaac/Getty ImagesIt's that time of year again. Most fantasy leagues now have only three or four weeks left before the fantasy playoffs begin, meaning it's time to make a lot of tough roster decisions.Key injuries can be killer as playoff Reebok Dallas Cowboys #82 Jason Witten Realtree camo Jersey
seedings are decided. Some of you might already have clinched a spot, but now have to consider the possibility of some of your superstars being benched in the final NFL games of the season as starters are rested.Here are somerunning backswho might be on your radar screen as these moves are made going into Week 11.Pick-upsFelix Jones, Dallas CowboysJason Garrett's coaching seems willing and able to do what Wade Phillips was not able to do for Felix.Jones has always been an explosive player, but has never seen the touches and situations he's needed to.Starting at running back on Sunday, Felix Jones gained 122 total yards and a touchdown, including a 71-yard catch and run.Felix is available in a whopping 44 percent of Yahoo! leagues.Fred Jackson, Buffalo BillsJackson's value the rest of this season should be far higher with C.J. Spiller's hamstring injury. He was already seeing more carries anyway.Fred Jackson may have finally broken through to a top tier fantasy back with Spiller's injuryRick Stewart/Getty ImagesJackson is still out there in 43 percent of Yahoo! leagues.Reggie Bush, New Orleans SaintsBush is reportedly ready to go this Sunday against Seattle. A must-own in all formats, especially PPR leagues.Bush apparently got dropped Reebok Dallas Cowboys #9 Tony Romo Realtree camo Jersey
a lot while he was out. He is out there this morning in 39 percent of Yahoo! leagues.IgnoreKeiland Williams, Washington RedskinsWilliamswas the only real bright spot for Washington on Monday night, and looked good doing it.With Clinton Portis and Ryan Torain close to returning from injuries, however, it's hard to expect Williams seeing this many touches again this year.Ryan Torain, Washington RedskinsA lot of people are dropping Torain today after he was unable to go on Monday night.Don't dump him. He'll likely see less touches from here, but he's too dynamic to cast aside yet.Don't get excited about Keiland Williams just yet. He's likely to see a three-way timeshare situation soon.Chris McGrath/Getty ImagesDrop/Trade BaitC.J. Spiller, Buffalo BillsSpiller will officially go down as one of 2010's biggest fantasy busts.A dynamic player, Spiller failed to see near enough carries for fantasy relevance already. Now he's injured his hamstring as well.This late in the fantasy year there are too many available Reebok Denver Broncos #15 Tim Tebow Realtree camo Jersey
players who deserve a fantasy roster spot on your team to keep a disappointing player around.Chris Ivory, New Orleans SaintsBetween Bush returning and Ivory injuring his shoulder, there isn't much reason to keep him around right now.Marshawn Lynch, Seattle SeahawksLynch was horrid on Sunday, averaging only 2.2 yards a carry. He has been hard to rely on all year.

18 Dec 10 Washington Redskins Extend Donovan McNabb, But Was It a Mistake?

McNabb may feel like Number 1, but is he?Jim McIsaac/Getty ImagesThe Redskins finally got serious about picking a quarterback. On Thursday, they gave quarterback Donovan McNabb a 5-year, $78 million extension to stay with the team. McNabb received a ridiculous $40M Reebok Pittsburgh Steelers #86 Hines Ward Realtree camo Jersey
guaranteed with the potential to earn $10M more in incentives. I’m sure this will be all the broadcast team is talking about onMonday Night Football, as the Redskins announced this strategically to be made public hours before game time. I can hear Jon Gruden praising him now. This is an insane move by Redskins upper management, and not just because McNabb was yanked for a two-minute drill two weeks ago… for REX GROSSMAN, the pillar of quarterback ineptitude over the past few years, but also because: -The 34-year-old signal caller is on pace for his fewest TD passes since 1999 -He has thrown more picks than touchdowns -He has so far has posted his lowest completion percentage since 2006 -The Redskins are only 4-4 this season -According to Shanahan, Reebok Pittsburgh Steelers James Harrison Realtree camo Jersey
he has been slow to pick up the offense -He has been battling hamstring injuries all season The Redskins are trying to appease their fans and keep the locker room at rest, but this was not the way to do it. They needed more time to figure out the best direction for the organization. This is not just bad timing. McNabb simply has not nearly earned it.

17 Dec 10 Minnesota Vikings' Head Coach Situation and How To Rebuild Struggling Vikings

Ronald Martinez/Getty ImagesThe Minnesota Vikings Head Coach Situation And How To Rebuild The Struggling Vikings. Many things have happened to the Minnesota Vikings this season from bad coaching to the team all-out quitting. Even though this season has turned out as a huge disappointment, one Reebok Baltimore Ravens #5 Joe Flacco Realtree camo Jersey
thing more than any other should be remembered. And that is the fact that the Minnesota Vikings are still a team with a huge amount of talent on both sides of the football. It is now clear that the Vikings, as an organization, will have to rebuild, but that should be easier for this team than it would be for others. The head coaching position has been and continues to be a huge talking point regarding the Vikings and the position will need to be addressed soon before the situation gets more embarrassing for the Vikings. If firing the head coach after the horrific start is what the owner Zygi Wilf chooses to do, he could go about it in a few different ways. The first way being to fire Childress now and replace him with Leslie Frazier for the remainder of the season. If Frazier fails to impress, then nothing has really been lost. If he does impress, the Vikings will have a much better ideaof what direction to send the team. Another way to go would be to hang tight for a couple months and fire Childress in the offseason. While this may make more sense to some people, not a lot of Vikings fans would approve of this approach as they want to see action taken now. Zygi WilfA. Messerschmidt/Getty Images Zygi may also just decide to clear house regarding the coaching staff and appoint a President similar to Mike Holmgren for the Browns. Who would then in turn hire his own head coach and staff. A possible name to throw out their would be Tony Dungy who has strong ties with Minnesota being an ex-coach of both the Vikings and the University of Minnesota Golden Gophers. He also went to college at Minnesota. Another option for Mr. Wilf with him being a life-long New York Giants fan could be for him to try to bring in Bill Parcels to turn the team around. Either move would be extremely popular with Vikings fans given the track record of both men. Of course Zygi could just stick with the man (Childress) he gave a huge contract extension to just last offseason until things either begin to improve or grow so bad there is little choice than to make changes. This is unlikely to happen as with the Vikings still having tough games on their schedule if Brad Childress were to somehow keep his job after a horrendous display against the Packers. There are still a lot of games the Vikings can lose with them still having to play the Redskins, Bears, the Eagles and the Giants in the coming weeks. I cant see Childress keeping his job with the Vikings winning less than 7 games. And seeing the display they put out against the Packers a 7-9 season looks out of the Vikings reach at the moment. A statement that would have been met with both amazement and ridicule before Week 1 of the season. With the Vikings looking more and more desperate each passing week it is now essential that they rebuild from what has been a somewhat dire season. Childress may not be as bad of a head coach as some people are saying, he does have a pretty decent record as a head coach but he has lost the team and more importantly he has lost the fans and when that happens it's almost impossible to recover. The team under Childress also seems to be deflated; there seems to be no form of winning mentality, no sort of Reebok Baltimore Ravens #27 Ray Rice Realtree camo Jersey
collective goals and without that there is no reason for a team to even take the field. Childress is a walking PR disaster and has no communication skills what so ever. An example of this would be the release of Randy Moss which went about as smoothly as a hurricane. His relationships with his players have seen him come up short, as well. The players were never going to react well with him throwing Brett Favre under a bus with his comments after the first Packers game and his confrontation with Percy Harvin that ended with the pair needing to be separated. Leslie FrazierJonathan Daniel/Getty ImagesThe Vikings season has quickly descended into despair and even the most die hard of Vikings fans would realize that if something isn’t done soon, there is a real threat of the Vikings spending the next few seasons in the shadows. Another factor that has to be taken into account are the Vikings plans for a new stadium. As of yet, the Minnesota public has been less than willing to use public money to finance part of the stadium costs. And with the Vikings lease at the Mall of America Field running out fast, the play of the Vikings will not persuade the public to help finance the new stadium. Zygi Wilf has gone on record saying that if public money is not made available to help finance a new stadium for the Vikings, he will consider relocating the franchise. Whether this is a scare tactic or a genuine threat remains to be seen, but what happens with the team over the coming seasons will greatly affect any Vikings stadium proposal. This factor could play a huge part in the moves that the owner will make over the coming weeks and during the offseason. The one thing the Vikings have going for them is the fact that the team is full of quality football players. That being said there are areas of the organization that need to be addressed. If the right steps are made during the coming weeks and during the offseason, the Vikings can be put back on track and look back at this season as a small blip, but that is a huge if. Sidney RiceElsa/Getty Images Step one of any plan to rebuild the Vikings should almost definitely be to fire the head coach, Childress (that is unless you want to get rid of the entire playing staff instead). By firing Childress, the owner will be showing the fans that he will not stand for what has happened this season and also show that he is committed to making the Vikings a better team. While firing Childress may not have a great affect on results for the rest of the season it surely cannot hurt as the Vikings have no real chance at the postseason. It would also give Vikings Defensive Coordinator / Assistant Head Coach Leslie Fraziersix games to stake his claim to become an NFL head coach. Once the season is done, Wilf can go about the coaching structure however he likes, whether he elects to hire a president or just appoint a new head coach. If Leslie Frazier is appointed interim Head Coach and does well he should definitely be considered for the role fulltime. He has shown during his time as the defensive coordinator that he is a good coach and makes good decisions. That being said, no matter how well Frazier may perform, the ownership should interview more candidates for the job as there is no harm in trying to find the best fit for a football team. Once the head coachhas sorted that out, things begin to fall into place. Whether the new head coach elects to keep some or all of the current staff or bring in his own, the team will begin to take shape. Once all staff positions are filled and a winning mentality is restored there aren’t too many steps to turn turn this team around. Adrian PetersonStephen Dunn/Getty Images Before any trades or Reebok Baltimore Ravens #52 Ray Lewis Realtree camo Jersey
free agent signings are made to improve the team, a major step in rebuilding the team is retaining their own upcoming free agents. Assuming that there will be a season next year and the newCBA contains a franchise tag, the Vikings should be able to resign their major free agents. Zygi Wilf has shown that he is not a cost cutter (despite the Vikings rating 31st in the league for income) and is prepared to spend when needed. And Zygi will need to open up his check book quite a bit this offseason. The players whose contracts are up at the end of the season are: Sidney Rice Chad Greenway Ben Leber Ray Edwards Pat Williams Ryan Longwell Kevin KolbAl Bello/Getty Images I don’t have to tell you how important these players are to the team. The Vikings can't afford to let many of them go. Given the fact that Sidney Rice will be one of the best, if not the best, wide receiver in up-and-coming free agency he may be the hardest player to resign due to the fact that he may want to test free agency to find a better deal. If that is the case, look for Sidney to be franchise-tagged and eventually signed to a long-term deal. The next most important player to resign is Chad Greenway. An unsung hero in the Vikings defense, he currently leads the Vikings in tackles. He is highly productive and plays with a great engine and should be resigned at all costs. Ryan Longwell has now become one of the best kickers in the league. Not only does he have great accuracy, he also has a longer range than people give him credit for. Although kickers are a dime a dozen in the NFL, Ryan Longwell should be resigned as he is a very consistent player. The other three players about to hit free agency all play a major role in the teams' defense. Pat Williams is a superb run blocker and an excellent influence in the locker room. Ben Leber does a fantastic job in coverage for a linebacker and also contributes a lot of tackles. Ray Edwards has also come on strong over the last season or so. It may be hard to resign Edwards, because last offseason he was looking for a long-term contract and was not the happiest when he didn’t get one. Should Brad Childress Be Fired?Should Brad Childress Be Fired?Yes?80.0%No?20.0%Total votes: 20 If the Vikings are able to resign their upcoming free agents or at least their most important free agents (Rice and Greenway), the team would be in a good position to strengthen the rest of the squad. Adrian Peterson's contract situation should also be remembered at this stage. He is likely to get a big contract extension soon as the last thing the Vikings will want is to have their best player getting to the end of next season without a commitment. A major need for the Vikings this offseason will be a new quarterback. With the way the Vikings have performed this season, I don’t think anyone would believe Brett Favre would come back even if the Vikings win out the rest of the season. Tavaris Jackson has shown that he is not a player that can improve the Vikings. He has the ability to play well from time to time, but often falls short of what is required. His leadership skills are also not the best due to his reserved demeanour. Jackson is also a free agent this offseason and has said he will move on if he isn’t going to be the starter in Minnesota. That leaves the Vikings looking for a new quarterback. The Vikings will likely have a high top 10 draft pick in the upcoming draft, which they could always use on trying to find their quarterback of the future. With a good quarterback class about to enter the NFL draft,the Vikings could use their pick on a player like Andrew Luck or Ryan Mallett, both of which could become very successful NFL quarterbacks. But with the offensive line playing the way they have and the aging Steve Hutchinson and Bryant Mckinnie starting to slip, it's likely the Vikings will play safe and take a lineman. The Vikings could always see a player they like in Reebok Chicago Bears #54 Brian Urlacher Realtree camo Jersey
the lower rounds but that is unlikely as they already have an QB project in Joe Webb. Minnesota is also missing itsthird round pick (Randy Moss trade), so drafting a quarterback lower than thefirst orsecond round is extremely unlikely. Matthew Stockman/Getty Images The Vikings will likely try to fix their quarterback situation either through trade or free agency. A trade is the most likely as there aren’t too many big name quarterbacks expected to hit free agency. Kevin Kolb's name has been in the media since his benching and many expect him to be available for trade this coming offseason. He has been highly productive when he has played for the Eagles and if the Vikings can get him for asecond round pick, expect them to make that deal. Michael Vick is also coming to the end of his contract, but with the way he has been playing, it would be a real surprise to see him hit free agency, but stranger things have happened. A Vick-Peterson Combination would have the entire NFL running in fear, but again, it would take a huge contract to get Vick as their QBwould be a lot of other teams in the race to sign him. Whether the Vikings decide on drafting, trading or signing a quarterback off free agency, they will need someone who can play there for seasons to come as that position needs stability more than any other. If the quarterback situation can be sorted, there is only one other area that needs a lot of concern and that is the Vikings secondary. The Vikings have been unlucky over the last two seasons with injury's to their cornerbacks. Antoine Winfield was injured last season with a persistent ankle injury and Cedric Griffin has torn the same ACL twice in the last year. Both players are consistent and are good quality starters but as you go further down the depth chart there is little to no real depth. Chris Graythen/Getty Images The Vikings drafted Chris Cook in the 2010 draft and so far he has been inconsistent to say the least. He will eventually become a good nickel corner, but not much else. Asher Allen is also destined to be not much more than a decent back up, and considering both players have started multiple games this season it is easy to see why the Vikings secondary has struggled. In the offseason, Minnesota will need to address this situation. Players like Lito Sheppard and Frank Walker should be let go and more capable players replacing them. The safeties are inconsistent but there is a lot of talent there. If they can step it up a gear, they should have no problems with loosing their positions. With the glaring holes now fixed all the Vikings would really have to do is upgrade on some of their backups. The depth chart of the Vikings shows that they lack effective back ups at offensive line, wide receiver, linebacker and cornerback. Ryan Cook is the only back up offensive lineman that has ever really played consistently in the team which won't help much if players start going down. The backup situation should be the easiest to Reebok Chicago Bears #6 Jay Cutler Realtree camo Jersey
handle due to all the changes NFL team make during the offseason and training camp. Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images If the following changes are made, the Vikings should have no problems making the playoffs over the coming seasons and maybe making a run at the Super Bowl. After all, they still have players like Adrian Peterson, Jared Allen, Kevin Williams, Percy Harvin, Sidney Rice and Steve Hutchinson. This team is to good and to talented to stay in the shadows. Update: The Minnesota Vikings have now made the first step towards rebuilding the team by firing Brad Childress and appointing Leslie Frazier interim Head Coach. More To Follow......... ;

16 Dec 10 Vince Young and Matt Leinart: A Tale of Two Wayward Quarterbacks

Jeff Gross/Getty ImagesMatt Leinart and Vince Young have been intercepted at the same time.
While this may not seem feasible within the confines of a football game, it is happening in the game of football.
Both young men, one a Heisman winner, Reebok San Francisco 49ers #21 Frank GORE Realtree camo Jersey
one who barely missed out, both who dominated the college game, set records for their teams, won awards andnational championships—both seemed to be headed to pro-football stardom.
Their future seemed enormously bright.
They would face off forever as they had in college, creating one of the great rivalries the game had ever seen. Theirs would be a world of fame and fortune and football greatness. When they squared off, TV ratings would be off the charts, and everyone watching would be wearing one of their jerseys—the best-selling jerseys in the game.
But that was not the scenario to be.
Leinart came into the league a first-round pick. At 6'5", 230 lbs., the deft lefty possessed an uncanny ability to find open receivers and what appeared to be an NFL-ready knack for winning under even the most dire circumstances.Selected 10th overall by the Arizona Cardinals, he was supposed to be the heir apparent to Kurt Warner.
With his good looks, charm and football pedigree, Leinart looked the part like few before him. Yet a weak arm betrayed him. In the big leagues you have to get the ball down the field, and that just didn't seem to be one of his attributes. In college, he somehow got away with it. In the pros, he was benched and then traded and now is trying to make it as a backup with a one-year deal for the Houston Texans. It is do or die for Leinart, who will have to muster all of his skills if he is to survive in the NFL.
Vince Young'splight may have a more swift Reebok Washington Redskins #98 ORAKPO Realtree camo Jersey
and dire outcome. Just this week, in a childish fit, Young stormed out of the locker room of the Tennessee Titans after a loss. He was subsequently banished from future meetings by coach Jeff Fisher. That behavior—and a season-ending thumb injury—put Young's young career in jeopardy.
Unlike Leinart, Young had already risen to the top of the NFL charts, having been named Offensive Rookie of the Year and makingit to the Pro Bowl. In a strange but foreboding set of circumstances, Young fell out of favor with his team, only to rise again in 2009 and gain the Comeback Player of the Year award.
Physically, Young has some great football tools, although like Leinart, his arm is suspect. While Leinart is a pinpoint passer who can hit the swing man out of the backfield, Young is a wild-eyed and wild-armed monster who can fling the ball as far as anyone in the game.
Like Michael Vick, he can gain yards on the ground, but unlike the Philly QB, Young has trouble sustaining a game's momentum. Even more troubling is his egocentric andimpish behavior. He is not a team player.
Where have these winners gone? They seemed to have all that it takes and much, much more to lead their teams to championships and gain stardom for themselves.
The NFL is a stern taskmaster that requires more Reebok Pittsburgh Steelers 43 Troy Polamalu Realtree camo Jersey
than a good arm, swift legs and a solid pedigree to succeed.
It remains to be seen what will happen to these two young men with the once-bright futures and whether they can right the ships they sailed in on.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Postmortem Leftovers

Josh Freeman took the blame for the offense's lack of punch. While you stare at the carcass of that leftover Thanksgiving turkey, ponder these final thoughts and observations on the Bucs 17-10 loss at Baltimore:
First and foremost, these Buccaneers are a greatly-improved version of the team that lost 38-13 to the Steelers and 31-6 to the Saints.
The last two losses were 27-21 to the Falcons, and then Sunday's 17-10 effort against the Ravens.
Right now, the Falcons are being whispered about as 6 Sanchez White Jersey
the best team in the NFC, and perhaps the best performer in the entire NFL.The Falcons are certainly on a roll after that clutch win against Green Bay.
Getting back to Sunday's effort. . .
Quarterback Josh Freeman shouldered the blame for the offense—and that's what you'd expect of a leader—but coordinator Greg Olson really had a lousy day with both his game plan and his play calling. What was up with the bombs on third-and-two?
Give credit to Baltimore, the Ravens kept the heat on Freeman as he was frequently running for his life which threw off his timing. Still, his receivers didn't have much of a day either and that didn't do much to help him out.
Cody Grimm's season-ending injury was diagnosed as a fractured fibula—he will be sorely missed.
Indications are it was Sabby Piscitelli who was out of position on the 65-yard touchdown catch-and-run by tight end Todd Heap. Does that surprise anyone?
The defensive line had a decent game as Gerald McCoy had two sacks and continues to showimprovement every week. Overall, the d-line did a decent job until the final four minutes when Ray Rice ran it down their throats.
Aqib Talib is once again walking a fine line. He verbally attacked one of the game officialson his way to the locker room and will no doubt be fined. The game official, in turn, fired some profanities back at Talib, if that's the case, something should be done there as well.
The Bucs hurt themselves early in the game when they couldn't punch it in from the Ravens' four-yard line. You kinda got the feeling they wouldn't have scored if they had six downs.
The broadcast team was all over this and you have to agree with them—the Bucs waited too late to go into their hurry-up offense. If you go back to the Atlanta game, the Falcons waltzed right down the field against the Ravens with their own hurry-up and that should have been a bigger part of 6 Sanchez Green Jersey
the Buccaneer game plan.
No details yet on the injury to Davin Joseph. Jeremy Zuttah was called on early to fill in for him at right guard, but so far, they're saying it's some sort of foot injury. Joseph didn't elaborate on it after the game.
The Buccaneers had far too many penalties in this loss and Niko Koutouvides kept putting his team in poor field position early with his bonehead special teams penalties.
The pass interference call on Myron Lewis that set up the Ravens' second touchdown was offset by the holding call onRay Rice's 76-yard run for a touchdown on a screen pass from Joe Flacco. Both were bad calls so that one evened itself out.
This defense is getting better. They shut out that Ravens on their home field for the entire second half, but if time hadn't run out, they might have driven all the way down the field on that last possession.
Nice drop by Micheal Spurlock as Freeman must have hit him in a bad spot. That drop cost the Bucs about three minutes in clock time.
Does anyone else out there think that Bucs punter Robert Malone stinks?
How about tight end John Gilmore, he's got some open field moves, doesn't he?
These Bucs did get the attention of the Ravens. The Ravens were complimenting the toughness of the Bucs after the game, and LeGarrette Blount drew some praise as well for his hard-running—although he wasn't much of a factor.
Looking at the NFC playoff picture, the 2010 pro bowl Vikings 4 Brett Favre jersey
Bucs will have to compete forone of the two wildcard spots. The NFC South is looking like the strongest division in the NFC with the 9-2 Falcons and the 8-3 Saints.
This run to 10 wins is still alive and Sunday's the throw-back game and it was the throw-back game last year that produced a stunning upset of the Green Bay Packers.
A little deja vu would be a good thing, wouldn't it?

NFL Week 13: Arizona Cardinals Getting More Than a FG at Home vs. St. Louis Rams

Christian Petersen/Getty ImagesThe St. Louis Rams continue their worst-to-first campaign when they meet division rival Arizona Sunday.The Rams brought up the rear in the NFC West last season, finishing with a league-worst 1-15 record, but they enter Sunday’s contest at 5-6, tied with Seattle nfl jerseys
for the division lead.NFL linesmakers have listed the Rams as a 3.5-point favorite with the total set at 43.After holding on for a 36-33 win at Denver last week, the Rams will try to win consecutive road games for the first time since November of 2007.Winning on the road has been a difficult task for St. Louis in recent years, but they should have an opportunity to get another one Sunday against an Arizona team that has lost six straight games.No. 1 overall draft pick Sam Bradford is the biggest reason for the improvement the Rams have shown. Bradford looked a lot more like a poised veteran than a rookie when he set career highs with 308 passing yards and three touchdowns last week.Bradford led St. Louis to five scores in as many possessions in the first half as the offense posted its highest point total of the season.The defense, however, still has plenty of work to do. It allowed Denver to rack-up 449 total yards and gave up 20 fourth-quarter points.St. Louis should have an excellent chance to put up some big offensive numbers again this week. Arizona ranks 29th in the league in total defense and 31st in scoring defense, allowing 395.8 yards and 29.0 points per game, respectively.Bradford may waste no time setting a new career-high for passing yards in a game against an Arizona defense ranked 25th against the pass. On the other hand, it may be running back Steven Jackson who has a career day.The Cardinals rank 31st in the NFL against the run, giving up 146.5 yards per game on the ground.The Rams are 5-1 against the spread in their last six games overall.It doesn’t appear Arizona will be able to capture a third straight division title. It could, however, play a role in ruining St. Louis’ Steelers jersey
title hopes.The Cardinals are mired in their longest losing streak since 2006, but they have won eight in a row against the Rams.Arizona’s dominance over St. Louis, however, won’t continue if the Cards don’t start getting better quarterback play.Derek Anderson completed just 16 of 35 passes for 196 yards and an interceptions in Monday’s 27-6 loss to San Francisco.Although Anquan Boldin is now in Baltimore, the Arizona receiving corps was often touted as the best in the league when Kurt Warner was under center. We haven’t heard too much from Larry Fitzgerald and company this season as Anderson is completing just 52.8 percent of his passes—worst in the NFL among quarterbacks with at least 300 attempts.Perhaps the Cards will have better luck through the air this week against a St. Louis defense that allowed Kyle Orton to throw for 347 yards and three touchdowns. The Rams rank 21st in the league against the pass, surrendering 239.5 yards per game.Finding room to run the football would go a long way toward making things a little bit easier on Anderson. San Francisco held the Cards to just 13 yards on Monday night. The Rams, however, have allowed their opponents to rush football jersey
for 128.5 yards per game the last two weeks.The Cardinals are 6-0 against the number in their last six games as a home underdog of 3.5 to 10.0 points.Bet with confidence in Week 13 by playing the same NFL picks as award-winning handicapper Jimmy Boyd!

Peyton Manning Quietly on His Way to Record-Breaking Season

Manning is making headlines for all the wrong reasons.Andy Lyons/Getty ImagesPeyton Manning has made a lot of headlines lately, but it's for his miscues rather than the potential record-setting numbers he is quietly producing.It's true that Manning has thrown 11 interceptions in his San Francisco 49ers jersey
past three games, the worst three-game stretch of his career. It's also true that he currently has a QB rating of 89.4, which if it sticks, will be only the fourth time his QB rating failed to top 90.What you may not be aware of are the potential single-season records he is on pace to set.According to ESPN's projections (take it for what it's worth), Manning will shatter the all-time record for passing attempts in a season (712), break the record for completions (471) and place third all-time for passing yards in a season (4,945). You can click the links to see the current record for each stat.His current numbers rest as follows: pass attempts (534), pass completions (353) and passing yards (3,709).In order for Manning to surpass Dan Marino's single-season record for most passing yards, he will need to average about 344 yards per game from here on out. While this is a bit of a stretch, Manning is averaging 309 yards per game this season. He's never finished a season averaging 300 yards per game.It has been an unusual season for Manning to be sure, but that is directly attributed to the Colts' lackluster running game.Manning threw for 433 (third highest in career) yards in Week 1 against the Houston Texans, while also throwing a career-high 57 passes.Manning has gone over 40 attempts in a game nine times this year. His previous career high was seven (2008 & 2002), and we still have four games left. He's thrown over 50 times on three occasions this season, which is also a career high.Everyone nfl jerseys
is knocking Manning because he's making a lot mistakes, which until the last three games wasn't even an issue, and failing to realize what he's actually doing this year.Manning is practically carrying a rag tag offense of Blair White, Javarris James and Jacob Tamme on his back and still having a solid year. Heck, the Colts might even make the playoffs still.Feel free to leave your thoughts in the comment box below.

Pittsburgh Steelers Willie Parker Jerome Bettis Duce Staley Vernon Haynes LenDale White

Throughout the weeks leading up to the NFL draft, the Pittsburgh Steelers were primarily linked with two players -- Southern Cal TB LenDale White and Ohio State C Nick Mangold. They wound up drafting neither, instead trading up in the first round to snag Ohio State WR Santonio Holmes. 4 Brett Favre Purple jersey
But what about the empty parking space left by The Bus? For years, Jerome Bettis was a fearsome battering ram in the red zone for Bill Cowher's team, an industrial-strength force for moving piles of defenders. Now, he's retired to the broadcast booth.No problem. Let Willie Parker handle the pretty boy stuff, the outside work that yanks the crowd to its feet. Let Verron Haynes back him up. The Steelers still have two big backs to step in where Bettis left off.One of them, of course, is Duce Staley, who missed most of last season after knee surgery in August. Acquired as a free agent from Philadelphia prior to the 2004 season, the University of South Carolina product rushed for 707 yards in his first seven games as a Steeler before suffering a hamstring injury. Late in that season, he returned only to have a tear in the lateral meniscus of his right knee.At the moment, though, Staley seems to be relatively healthy and ready to use his 5-11, 242-pound frame for serious leverage. "The knee feels better, a lot better," he said during mini-camp.Should that be overly optimistic, however, the Steelers still have another option -- seventh-round draft pick Cedric Humes, who just might be this year's Willie Parker.Listed at 6-0, 233, Humes ran a 4.52 at Virginia Tech's pro day and has been timed as quick as 4.42 on the school's indoor rubber track. The team's draft report noted: "Humes ... is built along the lines of a fullback, but has outstanding timed speed for a player his size."A mini-bus, perhaps. In fact, eight of Humes' 11 touchdowns for Virginia Tech last season came near the goal line.Humes' problem at Virginia Tech was the same as Staley's in Pittsburgh -- injuries. He broke a bone in his right leg as a Tech junior, then lost a Jets 6 Sanchez Jersey
few games as a senior with a broken bone in his left arm. Both injuries were freakish, however, and tagged Humes more as being unlucky than fragile.There are reasons why the Pittsburgh Steelers are perennial Super Bowl contenders, and astute scouting of the college talent pool is one of them. They did think seriously about White, said director of football operations Kevin Colbert, but felt the need at wide receiver was more acute. Then they picked up a poor man's White -- Cedric Humes -- very late in the draft."I always thought the Steelers would be a good fit for me," said Humes. "I definitely believe I can be the short yardage guy."Duce Staley would undoubtedly disagree. It's a nice problem to have.

San Francisco 49ers Michael Huff Haloti Ngata A.J. Hawk

The San Francisco 49ers might just be the most "needy" team in the NFL right now. They need help at virtually every position on both offense and defense. For that reason, their best bet would be to trade down that sixth overall pick that good fortune bestowed upon them last Friday.Although there are some very attractive prospects that will likely still be available when the 49ers step up to the podium in late April, such as S Michael Huff, DT Haloti Ngata, and LB A.J. Hawk, trading down should give Mike Nolan and his staff a chance to pick up one or 2010 pro bowl Vikings 4 Brett Favre jersey
two extra players and improve the overall talent pool of the franchise.The problem is that trading down in the NFL draft is easier said than done. Teams are unlikely to trade up unless they are assured of picking up the player that they are targeting. That means that if such a trade does go down, it likely won't be cemented until the 49ers are actually on the clock.Tomorrow we'll take a closer look at the San Francisco 49ers top options should they choose to hold on to that sixth overall pick.

San Francisco 49ers "Will Frank Gore be a top-three fantasy RB?"

Yes, I know it's the first week of April. Yes, I am aware that fantasy baseball just began. But with a revamped roster thanks to free agency, the San Francisco 49ers have stoked this writer's urge to prognosticate about 2007 fantasy football. For the first time in years, the 49ers actually possess Steelers 36 Bettis Jersey
several players who are relevant to fantasy football, both on offense and defense. In fact, the Niners have too many to restrict to just one article. The first player to be profiled from a fantasy perspective is running back Frank Gore. Right now, I have Gore is listed as the fifth-best overall player in fantasy football for 2007, behind LaDainian Tomlinson, Larry Johnson, Willie Parker and Steven Jackson. The reason for this is simple: probability. Gore has experienced one productive year while each of the other four has had at least two. That means until Gore has multiple solid seasons consecutively, he remains the wild card of the bunch with something to prove. Tomlinson and Johnson are studs who have produced consistently for more than one season. Tomlinson is an absolute freak of nature, and Johnson may find himself as the Chiefs' only offensive weapon in '07, meaning he should get the ball more than any other back in the league once again.Parker is ranked higher than Gore because he had 16 total TDs to Gore's nine in 2006. Also, as the 49ers' primary goal line option, Gore fumbled multiple times inside the 5-yard line; Parker didn't.Jackson is above Gore because he plays in an offense loaded with playmakers who ease the burden on him to produce, meaning that opposing defenses can't focus solely on him. On top of that, Jackson had 90 catches for 806 yards and three TDs in '06 which would be a solid year for many wide receivers. Gore's a very good receiver (61 catches, 485 yards and a score last year), but he's not on Jackson's level.Another thing that separates these four from Gore is injury history. Gore blew out both ACLs in college at the University of Miami and also required surgery on both shoulders following the 2005 season. Meanwhile, 4 Brett Favre Purple jersey
Tomlinson hasn't missed a game in six years; Johnson has played in all 32 over the past two years, and any games he missed prior to that were because of his position on the depth chart, not injury. Parker has missed only one game in two seasons as a starter and Jackson has only missed three games in as many years. Gore's past injuries are now well-known to almost every football fan, meaning that selecting him comes with more risk than any of the four players listed in front of him. However, don't let that dissuade you from selecting him. With the addition of wide receiver Ashley Lelie and with tight end Vernon Davis healthy for an entire season, opposing defenses can no longer focus on stopping Gore alone. Quarterback Alex Smith also has the benefit of another season under his belt, and if he progresses in Year Three like he did last season, the Niners' offense could be among the league's most productive. Even with the possibility of injury in mind, Gore should be a lock for another 1,600+ rushing yards, with an additional Steelers 36 Bettis Jersey
500+ yards receiving and 8-10 total touchdowns, meaning that selecting him at number five or even a few spots earlier isn't a stretch at all. Can he outperform Parker and Jackson and ascend to the elite status of L.T. and L.J.? With steady production in '07, Gore's name could be mentioned among the fantasy elite for seasons to come. Questions? Comments?

Cato June Profile Week 8

It's tough to grab headlines on a team with highly paid stars named Manning, Harrison, Wayne and Vinatieri. After all, the can put 35 to 40 points on the board in any given week.But if it weren't for starting outside linebacker Cato June, it's likely the would not have a perfect win-loss record this season.On Sunday, against the Redskins, June was a tackling machine, leading the team with 10 takedowns and five assists. He played a big part in keeping Clinton Portis in check and out of the end zone (Portis gained a pedestrian 43 yards on Steelers 36 Bettis Jersey
the ground). And a few of his stops were on key third-down plays.Though it certainly wouldn't surprise his teammates or coaches, June now leads the NFL in solo tackles with 46. He tops a list that includes Brian Urlacher and Lance Briggs of Chicago, Ray Lewis of Baltimore and Zach Thomas of Miami. So, he's in pretty good company.And he has been taking his game higher each year since being drafted out of Michigan in 2003. Barring injury, the linebacker from Riverside, Calif. figures to string together his third consecutive 100-plus tackle season in 2006 (solo and assisted combined). He registered 110 in 2004 with the Colts and 102 in 2005. At his current pace, June would finish the year with a whopping 162 tackles.June is probably best known outside the team for his five interceptions last year, returning two for touchdowns. Along with the Cincinnati Bengals' Odell Thurman, he led the league in interceptions among linebackers.Obviously, some will say June's number of tackling chances has increased this year due to injuries throughout the Colts' defensive unit. Corey Simon hasn't played a snap, Dwight Freeney has been hampered by injury, Bob Sanders hasn't seen the field in three or four weeks and the tackles have experienced an off-year stopping the run as a whole.On the flip side, June doesn't play in the middle, where, logically, most tackling opportunities come from, but rather on the outside.Challenges continue to mount for the team, which was without Steelers 10 Santonio Holmes jersey
defensive tackle Montae Reagor last Sunday (car accident) and lost safety Mike Doss (knee) for the remainder of the year. But Sunday's solid effort against one of the league's more effective rushing teams, combined with the fact that Sanders and Reagor are returning to the field soon, has to give the Colts hope for a better second half of the season defensively. No doubt Cato June is looking forward to some help.Get your fix of commentary

"Christmas Wish List" Commentary

Ah, that magical time of the year, when our thoughts turn to all those things we would love to see under the tree on Christmas morning. We may have compiled a wish list of all the cool stuff we want. You know -- the shiny new iPod, a lifetime subscription to the NFL Network, an Xbox 360. You get the picture.As Steelers 36 Bettis Jersey
for the , it's no doubt they have a list of their own. Because going into this year, the franchise certainly had lofty goals for the 2006 season.Now, because RealFootball365.com writers have no fear, we recently snuck into Tony Dungy's office at the RCA Dome, rifled through his paperwork and found the Colts' holiday wish list. Here's what we found:1. A fourth straight division title--With a win this weekend versus the Tennessee Titans, the Colts will get their first wish and a playoff game at home, too. Their hopes beyond that -- a first-round bye and homefield advantage throughout the postseason -- could come as bonus gifts during the following weeks.2. A solid running game to balance their offense--Well, after Sunday night's hammering of the Philadelphia Eagles, they can cross this one off right now.Joseph Addai set a Colts rookie record by scoring four touchdowns while rushing for a career-high 171 yards. Dominic Rhodes chipped in with a solid effort as well, giving the team a running game its remaining opponents must contend with in the games ahead.3. A healthy team--Santa may have a tougher time getting Dungy this one. Dallas Clark took a vicious hit to the lower leg against the Eagles and will miss significant time (and possibly the rest of the year) with a knee injury.Bob Sanders is practicing again this week, but it's safe to say that he will not be 100 percent healthy at any time this season. The Colts hope to have him back once again for this weekend's game at Tennessee.Montae Reagor missed the last six games after sustaining injuries in an auto accident on Oct. 22. He was officially lost for the year this week when he was placed on the reserve/non-football injury list. At the moment, their injury list continues with the following players listed as questionable: safety Antoine Bethea (shoulder), defensive end Raheem Brock (chest), guard Ryan Diem (abdomen), linebacker Gilbert Gardner (rib), cornerback Nick Harper (groin), linebacker Keith O'Neil (ankle), wide receiver Brandon Stokley (knee) and tight end Ben Utecht (knee).4. Another receiver to replace Clark--The team's front office didn't wait for Santa to come through on this wish. Instead, Indy signed veteran receiver Ricky Proehl this week. Proehl will give the Colts another set of dependable hands to catch Peyton Manning's passes and, hopefully for Indianapolis, make clutch receptions; the ageless Proehl certainly has throughout his career.There is still over a month left for 4 Brett Favre Purple jersey
Indianapolis, with its final two games versus Houston on Dec. 24 and Miami on Jan. 31. We'll have to wait to find out how many of the Colts' holiday wishes come true until after they finish the regular season. But then, isn't the anticipation the best part about the holidays?

Speaking a little Tyvon-ese

Slightly belated kudos to Football Inc. for last week’s signing of fourth-round draft pick Tyvon Branch. While all of the hype is certain to be focused on first-round running back Darren McFadden when camp opens next week, it may be Branch who steals the rookie of the year for the Raiders when all is said and done.Though the Steelers 43 Polamalu jersey
Oakland brain trust had to work a trade in order to select Branch at overall No. 100, some five safeties were taken ahead of him in the first three rounds: Kenny Phillips of Miami to the New York Giants; Tyrell Johnson, Arkansas State, Minnesota Vikings; DuJuan Morgan, North Carolina State, Kansas City Chiefs; Tom Zbikowski, Notre Dame, Baltimore Ravens; and Thomas DeCoud, California, Atlanta Falcons.Like all those later recognized as draft steals, Branch was greeted with something of an inexplicable slide down the board; the former member of the Connecticut Huskies certainly appears to be at least as talented as any of the quintet taken before him except for maybe Phillips, and some mock drafts had Branch gone in the second round. Perhaps Al Davis and the gang had designs on DeCoud, forcing their hands to hurriedly get Branch two picks later to kick off Round 4.No matter, for though the season remains tantalizingly in the future, the 2008 draft is past. Branch is the Raiders’ and the Raiders are Branch’s, for better or worse. Here’s to thinking it’ll be the former, and this writer isn’t the only one high on the new safety in town.Opening up the quotebook, then ...“Branch is strong, fast and has started for four years. His measurables have been exceptional. Branch's strong workout numbers compare to only five other players at his position and four have played in the Pro Bowl, while the fifth is a quality contributor in the NFL.” – from the NFL’s official Web site.A bit of strange pre-draft analysis from the league here, and surely we’d all love to know who those mystery four Pro Bowlers are, eh? This call, too, heightens the mystery of Branch’s plummet; can it be that NFL scouts are finally as paranoid about combine results as they were formerly so gaga? This can’t possibly be all about Branch’s much-ballyhooed “small hands,” can it?"...he's a guy that will play special teams and do a tremendous job for you. That's the thing he's really got going for him. You don't find big corners like that who can run and want to play special teams the way he can." – UConn head coach Randy EdsallFew know Branch the player as well as his college coach, of course, and the above quote illustrates why the guy has pretty much already carved a spot for himself on the team. (Except that he won’t be playing corner in the NFL; see below.) Not only did Branch get his John Hancock into the Big East and UConn record books for returning kicks, he also earned a reputation for transferring his tackling ability on punts. While the Oakland passing defense was decent in 2007, special teams were pitiable. Surely Branch will be doing something about the NFL’s eighth-worst team in terms of overall return yardage and second worst in yards per return (5.5? Is this for real?). And perhaps it will be Branch who can augment the even worse special teams tackling; last year’s leader in special teams tackles was Isaiah Ekejiuba with 11, “good” for 36th best in the league."Started 31 games for UConn, playing in 48 over four seasons ... recorded 224 tackles, including 133 solo and 7.5 hits for a loss ... forced three fumbles, recovered two ... defensed 18 passes and bagged three interceptions ... returned 37 kickoffs for 980 yards total (26.5 yards per return), including a single record-setting game in which he returned seven ..." –Branch’s almanac entry"It was definitely out of the blue. It's a great team. They've got a lot of tradition out there. I'm definitely looking forward to it." – Branch on being drafted by the Raiders.“He was happy. It couldn't have worked out no better for me." – Branch on his father’s reaction to his joining the Raiders.Just to endear Branch to Oakland fans a bit more, it turns out his Californian father is a proud citizen of the Raider Nation and had decorated the home with oodles of Raider regalia long before Branch left high school. Tyvon may be no relation to Cliff, but he was born and bred with a healthy desire to someday don the silver and black: Always a plus, regardless of actual physical ability in the oh-so-emotional game of football.“He’s a good, solid player. You talk about his versatility and that jumps off the tapes when you watch him. He’s a hard-hitting young man who’s really fun to watch. We’ve seen about every game they played this year and really we’re excited about him. I know our special teams coach Brian Schneider is real excited about his return ability also.” – Oakland defensive coordinator Rob Ryan.Now, there’s the man you want to hear positivity from; perhaps Davis & Co. did actually want Branch in the fourth round; after all, he does represent Oakland’s second overall pick in2010 pro bowl Vikings 4 Brett Favre jersey
the 2008 draft. And from the go, Ryan’s guys have had Branch working out as a strong safety, penciled in behind Michael Huff, and presumably with high hopes that the man puts on a bit more poundage before he has to start full-time. We should be seeing him in a lot of nickel and dime packages this year, though. And how does Branch feel about his new position?“I really didn’t talk to anybody about it. When I got here they put up the depth chart and I saw I was at strong safety. Ever since then I’ve just been working on strong safety. A couple teams that worked me out were working me out at safety so I knew that it was a possibility. ... I didn’t ask any questions. I’m just happy to be here.” – Branch to the media during minicamp.Good soldier.Branching out throughout the year at (11)

Speaking a little Tyvon-ese

Slightly belated kudos to Football Inc. for last week’s signing of fourth-round draft pick Tyvon Branch. While all of the hype is certain to be focused on first-round running back Darren McFadden when camp opens next week, it may be Branch who steals the rookie of the year for the Raiders when all is said and done.Though the Steelers 43 Polamalu jersey
Oakland brain trust had to work a trade in order to select Branch at overall No. 100, some five safeties were taken ahead of him in the first three rounds: Kenny Phillips of Miami to the New York Giants; Tyrell Johnson, Arkansas State, Minnesota Vikings; DuJuan Morgan, North Carolina State, Kansas City Chiefs; Tom Zbikowski, Notre Dame, Baltimore Ravens; and Thomas DeCoud, California, Atlanta Falcons.Like all those later recognized as draft steals, Branch was greeted with something of an inexplicable slide down the board; the former member of the Connecticut Huskies certainly appears to be at least as talented as any of the quintet taken before him except for maybe Phillips, and some mock drafts had Branch gone in the second round. Perhaps Al Davis and the gang had designs on DeCoud, forcing their hands to hurriedly get Branch two picks later to kick off Round 4.No matter, for though the season remains tantalizingly in the future, the 2008 draft is past. Branch is the Raiders’ and the Raiders are Branch’s, for better or worse. Here’s to thinking it’ll be the former, and this writer isn’t the only one high on the new safety in town.Opening up the quotebook, then ...“Branch is strong, fast and has started for four years. His measurables have been exceptional. Branch's strong workout numbers compare to only five other players at his position and four have played in the Pro Bowl, while the fifth is a quality contributor in the NFL.” – from the NFL’s official Web site.A bit of strange pre-draft analysis from the league here, and surely we’d all love to know who those mystery four Pro Bowlers are, eh? This call, too, heightens the mystery of Branch’s plummet; can it be that NFL scouts are finally as paranoid about combine results as they were formerly so gaga? This can’t possibly be all about Branch’s much-ballyhooed “small hands,” can it?"...he's a guy that will play special teams and do a tremendous job for you. That's the thing he's really got going for him. You don't find big corners like that who can run and want to play special teams the way he can." – UConn head coach Randy EdsallFew know Branch the player as well as his college coach, of course, and the above quote illustrates why the guy has pretty much already carved a spot for himself on the team. (Except that he won’t be playing corner in the NFL; see below.) Not only did Branch get his John Hancock into the Big East and UConn record books for returning kicks, he also earned a reputation for transferring his tackling ability on punts. While the Oakland passing defense was decent in 2007, special teams were pitiable. Surely Branch will be doing something about the NFL’s eighth-worst team in terms of overall return yardage and second worst in yards per return (5.5? Is this for real?). And perhaps it will be Branch who can augment the even worse special teams tackling; last year’s leader in special teams tackles was Isaiah Ekejiuba with 11, “good” for 36th best in the league."Started 31 games for UConn, playing in 48 over four seasons ... recorded 224 tackles, including 133 solo and 7.5 hits for a loss ... forced three fumbles, recovered two ... defensed 18 passes and bagged three interceptions ... returned 37 kickoffs for 980 yards total (26.5 yards per return), including a single record-setting game in which he returned seven ..." –Branch’s almanac entry"It was definitely out of the blue. It's a great team. They've got a lot of tradition out there. I'm definitely looking forward to it." – Branch on being drafted by the Raiders.“He was happy. It couldn't have worked out no better for me." – Branch on his father’s reaction to his joining the Raiders.Just to endear Branch to Oakland fans a bit more, it turns out his Californian father is a proud citizen of the Raider Nation and had decorated the home with oodles of Raider regalia long before Branch left high school. Tyvon may be no relation to Cliff, but he was born and bred with a healthy desire to someday don the silver and black: Always a plus, regardless of actual physical ability in the oh-so-emotional game of football.“He’s a good, solid player. You talk about his versatility and that jumps off the tapes when you watch him. He’s a hard-hitting young man who’s really fun to watch. We’ve seen about every game they played this year and really we’re excited about him. I know our special teams coach Brian Schneider is real excited about his return ability also.” – Oakland defensive coordinator Rob Ryan.Now, there’s the man you want to hear positivity from; perhaps Davis & Co. did actually want Branch in the fourth round; after all, he does represent Oakland’s second overall pick in2010 pro bowl Vikings 4 Brett Favre jersey
the 2008 draft. And from the go, Ryan’s guys have had Branch working out as a strong safety, penciled in behind Michael Huff, and presumably with high hopes that the man puts on a bit more poundage before he has to start full-time. We should be seeing him in a lot of nickel and dime packages this year, though. And how does Branch feel about his new position?“I really didn’t talk to anybody about it. When I got here they put up the depth chart and I saw I was at strong safety. Ever since then I’ve just been working on strong safety. A couple teams that worked me out were working me out at safety so I knew that it was a possibility. ... I didn’t ask any questions. I’m just happy to be here.” – Branch to the media during minicamp.Good soldier.Branching out throughout the year at (11)