24 Jan 11 BYU-Utah State: Take the Cougars to Win Big Over the Aggies

Jacob de Golish/Getty ImagesThe Battle for the Beehive Boot will take place this weekend when the 1-3 BYU Cougars battle the 1-3 Utah State Aggies on Friday night.Both squads are in dire need of a win to turn their seasons around. BYU has lost three straight since winning its opener over Chicago Bears jersey
Washington. Utah State is the second straight WAC opponent the Cougars face, as they fell to Nevada last week 27-13.The Aggies scared Oklahoma a few weeks back but have struggled through the non-conference portion of their schedule.The college football lines show that BYU is a 6.5-point favorite.BYU has lost its last three games by an average of 20 points and has had a hard time putting the ball in the end zone on offense. The Cougars rank 116th in the nation in points/game (16) and 95th in passing, which is uncharacteristic of a BYU team.True freshman Jake Heaps has taken over as the starting quarterback due to Riley Nelson going down with an injury. Heaps is completing just over 51 percent of his passes for 489 yards and a touchdown. He was highly touted out of high school but has not made a smooth transition to the college level.Losing Nelson hurt the running game more than anything. He ranked second on the team with 148 yards on 31 carries. JJ Di Luigi has been one of the few bright spots on offense for BYU. The junior has rushed for 332 yards and scored a team-high two touchdowns. Luigi has played a large role catching the ball also. His 18 receptions for 200 yards lead the Cougars.Not having Harvey Unga in the backfield has had a profound effect on running the ball. Unga decided to enter the supplemental NFL Draft during the spring.Cody Hoffman is second on the team in receiving. He has 13 catches for 142 yards and a touchdown.Utah State is in desperate need of Cincinnati Bengals jersey
a victory to gain some momentum heading into conference play. Beating a rival at home would be a great start. San Diego State crushed the Aggies last week 41-7 in a game that was never close.Quarterback Diondre Borel is one of the more exciting players in the WAC. He has completed 54 percent of his passes for 832 yards and four touchdowns. Turning the ball over has been an issue for Borel, throwing four interceptions in his first four games. Borel only threw four all of last season.Running the ball has been tough sledding for the Aggies, as they are averaging just four yards per carry. Derrvin Speight leads the team in rushing with 221 yards on 54 carries with two touchdowns. Michael Smith has added 153 yards on the ground with two more scores.Dontel Watkins has been the go-to guy in the passing game, catching 18 passes for 242 yards and two touchdowns. The junior college transfer is one of Borelfavorite targets. Xavier Martin is another, as he has 10 receptions for 133 yards and a TD.Defensively, the Aggies havenmade many stops against their opponents. They rank 101st in points allowed at over 32 per game. Those numbers could improve when a stagnant BYU offense rolls into town.BYU is just 1-8 ATS in its last nine games in October. Utah State, on the other hand, has covered six of eight contests during that period. The Aggies have lost 10 straight against the Cougars and are 3-26 since 1975.BYU has dominated its in-state rival but is going through a rebuilding year. They have not Cleveland Browns jersey
covered in their last three games and now are almost a touchdown favorite on the road. I think the Cougars break the trend this Friday and cover the 6.5 points.Play: BYU -6.5 Get all of your expert football picks from the team at Locksmith. No site provides more winners than Jimmy Boyd and company.

22 Jan 11 Crossing The Goal Line: College Football Edition On September 19, 2010

Christian Petersen/Getty ImagesWeek 3 is over and we saw some surprises. A bit of a let down on big time games compared to last weekend but were getting a better idea now of contenders now. Herea recap of how our top 25 did this weekend:1. Alabama at Duke 62-13 Mark Ingram debuted with 100 yards in the first quarter. Domination. 2. Ohio State beat Ohio 43-7 The Buckeyes won the battle of Ohio easily. They look to be the class of the Big Ten and should be in the BCS. 3. Boise State won at Wyoming 51-6 Boise sent a statement with thisReebok Pittsburgh Steelers James Harrison Realtree camo Jersey
destruction. 4. Iowa lost at 25. Arizona 34-27 Huge win for Mike Stoops squad. Iowa just gave the game away early and tried to rally in the second half but Arizona held on for the W. Nick Foles had a huge game going for over 300 yards. 5. Texas won at Texas Tech 24-14 Both teams were trading turnovers but the Longhorns put together a drive in the fourth to seal the game. 6. TCU beat Baylor 45-10 TCU just blew out Baylor leading 35-3 at the half. If the Horned Frogs go undefeated they will be in the discussion for the BCS Title. 7. Oklahoma beat. 22. Air Force 27-24 Oklahoma struggled stopping the Falcons offense. A nice showing for the Falcons on the road. 8. Oregon beat Portland State 69-0 Nearly picked this exact score but was 3 points shy. Oregonoffense has been a force so far this season. 9. Florida at Tennessee 31-17 Tennessee hung in this one until the fourth and then the Gators pulled away. 10. Miami Idle 11. Nebraska at Washington 56-21 Taylor Martinez easily passed his first road test at the rocking Husky Stadium. This was a big win for the Huskers. 12. Wisconsin beat Arizona State 20-19 ASU hung in this one but got an extra point blocked that cost them the game. Wisconsin better get better soon because theyre in for some trouble when Big Ten plays starts. 13. Auburn beat Clemson 27-24 Clemson got the early lead but Auburn rallied in the second half. It then went to OT where Clemson missed a tying FG after getting a penalty that back them up. 14. Arkansas won at Georgia 31-24 Georgia came back from 14 down in the fourth quarter but Arkansas got the ball with under a minute left and Ryan Mallett led a drive for a TD in the final seconds. Mark Richt will feel the heat this week even though hehad to start the season without his best player, A.J. Green. 15. Utah won at New Mexico 56-14 Utah is very good. Theresome great games coming up later this year in the MWC when they hook up with TCU and Air Force. 16. Oregon St. beat Louisville 35-28 The Beavers couldnput away the Cardinals. They might have been looking forward to the Boise State game next week. 17. LSU beat Mississippi State 29-7 A strong showing by LSU in holding down a team rising to rise up this year in the SEC. 18. Pittsburgh Reebok San Francisco 49ers #21 Frank GORE Realtree camo Jersey
Idle 19. West Virginia beat Maryland 31-17 Maryland tried to get back in this game in the second half after trailing 21-0 at the half but West Virginia held him off. 20. Michigan beat Massachusetts 42-37 Michigan defense has to improve a great deal when Big Ten play begin. Greg Robinson needs to go as defensive coordinator or it may cost Rich Rod his job. 21. South Carolina beat Furman 38-19 South Carolina was never in trouble against this FCS team. 23. Stanford vs. Wake Forest 68-24 68 points?! Thata long trip home for Wake after being embarrassed in this one. Another ugly result for the ACC. 24. Penn State beat Kent State 24-0 I thought Kent State would be a little more competitive than this but PSU showed theyve got a strong D. In non-top 25 action:#8232; Nevada controlled California on Friday night winning 52-31. Cal challenged them at times but Nevada would hit the gas pedal when Cal got close and left the Bears in their dust despite a great effort by Cal Shane Vereen. KU has to have doubts about Turner Gill. They lose to a FCS team in week 1 scoring only 3 points. Rebound to beat a ranked Georgia Tech team and then fell flat looking very unimpressive at Southern Miss. I think Auburn is pretty glad they chose Gene Chizik instead of Gill right now. The Big East again takes a blow as UConn loses by 14 at Temple. If Temple ends up winning the MAC this game wonlook as bad as it does now, but the Big East has looked awful so far this season. UCLA played great after Rick Neuheisel said they would this week. Thata big win for him over a ranked Houston team. Im not sure what went on at halftime in the Virginia Tech lockrroom but it worked. Frank BeamerHokes scored 28 unanswered points to pull away from East Carolina. And finally Ive got to applaud Michigan State for executing a fake field goal in OT trailing by 31-28 to Notre Dame. Thatgutsy and I like it. Nice call Mark Dantonio. The new Macho Rhino Top 25 is out for week 4! Now for the Macho Rhino Weekly Reebok Washington Redskins #98 ORAKPO Realtree camo Jersey
Awards: OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Ryan Mallett (QB Arkansas) 21 of 33 for 380 yards including the winning TD pass with 15 seconds left for his first road win in the SEC. DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Jarvis Phillips (CB Texas Tech) 2 interceptions for 87 yards that kept his team in the game against rival Texas including one that he took to the house. TEAM OF THE WEEK: Stanford Cardinal dropping 68 points on a BCS-AQ team is impressive. Top 5 Games for Next Weekend: Alabama at Arkansas South Carolina at Auburn Oregon State at Boise State West Virginia at LSU Miami at Pittsburgh

18 Jan 11 TCU Horned Frogs Big Favorites Visiting SMU

Ronald Martinez/Getty ImagesThe state of Texas will host an inter-state showdown between the fourth ranked TCU Horned Frogs and SMU Mustangs on Friday evening.TCU dominated an over-matched Baylor squad from start to finish last weekend romping to a 45-10 victory that pushed their record to 3-0. SMU defeated WashingtonBuffalo Bills jersey
State a week ago 35-21 and have won two of their first three games.The Iron Skillet is up for grabs when these two meet and TCU has won three straight. The college football odds show that SMU is getting 17.5 points.TCU is still considered a non automatic qualifier in the BCS bowl picture, but their play on the field continues to match the top teams in the nation.The Horned Frog defense flexed their muscle against a powerful Baylor offense, holding Robert Griffin to 164 yards passing and just 21 yards on the ground. They gained 558 yards of total offense as the running game was too much for the Bears to handle. Andy Dalton has guided the team to three victories with consistent play.He has thrown for 624 yards and four touchdowns with two interceptions. Dalton is completing nearly 75 percent of his pass attempts. TCU has dominated their opponents up front and feature two explosive backs. Sophomore Ed Wesley has shined early, rushing for 384 yards and four scores. His 8.2 yards per carry leads the team.Matthew Tucker has gotten equalCarolina Panthers jersey
opportunity, but his numbers arenas impressive. He has gained 161 yards on 41 attempts and scored three touchdowns. Jeremy Kerley is the Horned Frogs most explosive player with the ball in his hands. His pass catching skills have come a long way with 13 receptions for 134 yards and three TDs. Bart Johnson has added 13 catches for 125 yards.June Jones is known for rebuilding struggling programs at the college level and he has done exactly that at SMU.The Mustangs will be a contender in Conference USA and could be the favorite now that Case Keenum is out for the season at Houston.Kyle Padron has been impressive running the run n shoot offense for a second consecutive year. He has thrown for 643 yards and eight touchdowns with three interceptions. Padron is on pace to throw over 400 times. SMU has a balanced offense, however, ranking 55th in the nation in rushing.Zach Line is averaging close to 100 yards per game and has scored three times. Chris Butler has been a nice surprise rushing for 84 yards on 14 attempts. Padron loves to spread the ball around to a talented group of receivers. Aldrick Robinson leads the way with 11 catches for 212 yards and three touchdowns. Darius Johnson has a team high 15 receptions for three scores and Cole Beasley rounds out the trio with 13 grabs for 162 yards.SMUdefense has done well against the run, but has given up some large yardage through the air. TCU will test them in both areas. SMU managed only 224 yards against TCU a year ago in a 39-14 defeat. They do have 15 returning starters and home field advantage to lean on Saturday. The Horned Frogs have been relentless during the non conference portion of their schedule winning by an average of 33 points per game.Turnovers will play a key role in the Chicago Bears jersey
outcome of this game and I believe TCU wins that battle comfortable. It is a large number to lay in a rivalry game, but buy the hook and play the Frogs at -17. Play: TCU -17 (buying half point)Get all of your expert football picks from the team at Locksmith. No site provides more winners than Jimmy Boyd and company

15 Jan 11 St. Louis Rams Isaac Bruce heart irregularity

The St. Louis Rams held wide receiver Isaac Bruce out of minicamp due to an irregularity in a heart test. The player suggested that perhaps a blood test might have spiked his heart rate and said he wasn't concerned. The team is not overly concerned about the situation, at the moment. After watching the first of 2 workouts Friday, Bruce said he believed the test was a mistake. He underwent a second test later in the day, although Martz said a specialist who normally administers such tests was out of town until Tuesday. The situation will likely keep Bruce out for the remainder of the 3 day camp. Coach Mike Martz said the team is comfortable waiting for the specialist to return. The 6 foot, 188 pound Bruce was second on the team last season with 89 catches for 1,292 yards and 6 touchdowns. The WR was a second-round draft pick in 1994 out of Miami Dolphins jersey
the University of Memphis. He is the last remaining player from the team that moved from Los Angeles to St. Louis in 1995. (0) The St. Louis Rams re-signed quarterback Jamie Martin and signed offensive guard Rex Tucker. Both players agreed to a 1 year contracts. The 6'2", 205 lbs. Martin appeared in only 1 game last year in relief of starter Marc Bulger. The Weber State product enters his 13th NFL season. He has been a backup for the Rams (1993-1996, 2001-2002, 2004), the Washington Redskins (1997), the Jacksonville Jaguars (1998, 2000), the Cleveland Browns (1999), and the New York Jets (2003).The 6'5", 315 lbs. Tucker was recently released by the Chicago Bears. He appeared in 6 games in 2004 and 35 games in 6 seasons for the Bears. The Texas A&M product has been beset by numerous injuries the past few seasons. (0) This offseason, the St. Louis Rams have not only overhauled their coaching staff, but much of their roster, too. Former Miami Dolphins offensive coordinator Scott Linehan is the team's new head coach, replacing Joe Vitt, who succeeded Mike Martz midway through last season. Surprisingly, Linehan, an offensive mastermind, has had to focus mainly on the defensive side of the ball in free agency and the draft.During the free agency season, the Rams made a few difference-making moves, signing defensive tackle La'Roi Glover, linebacker Will Witherspoon and safety Corey Chavous to contracts. All three are veterans who have been well-respected throughout the league for the duration of their careers. In last April's draft the Rams focused mostly on their formerly flailing defense, by selecting cornerback Tye Hill in the first round, defensive tackle Claude Wroten and linebacker Jon Alston in round three, defense end Victor Adeyanju in the fourth round andMinnesota Vikings
linebacker Tim McGarigle in the seventh. All have the possibility to be big-time players for the Rams' remodeled defense down the line.Offensively, the Rams chose tight ends Joe Klopfenstein and Dominique Byrd in the second and third rounds, respectively. Meanwhile, they also grabbed wide receiver Marques Hagans in the fifth and a tandem of guards (Mark Setterstrom and Tony Palmer) in the seventh round. Clearly, the Rams improved their future offense substantially during the draft.Despite the Rams' obvious improvements this offseason, they also took a couple steps back. On the defensive line, they didn't re-sign their starting tackles from last season, Ryan Pickett and Damione Lewis. Glover will fill a big need at the tackle spot in coordinator Jim Haslett's defense, but he can't replace two players. The onus will be on former first-rounder Jimmy Kennedy to make a solid tandem next to Glover. Unfortunately for the Rams, Kennedy has never been more than a bust in his three-year career. Also, although the Rams nabbed Chavous, it's a lateral move at best, since former starting strong safety Adam Archuleta departed via free agency.Linehan seems like a terrific head-coaching prospect for St. Louis, but it's also important to remember that it's his first year on the job. Rarely do novice head coaches lead non-playoff teams to the promised land immediately. The St. Louis Rams went just 6-10 last season, so don't expect vast amounts of improvement just because Linehan's in town. Much like rookie players, first-year head coaches need time to develop and learn how the game works from a new, unfamiliar perspective. Switching from coordinator to head coach is like going from relatively unnoticed to constantly being under the media and fan microscope. Linehan will adjust, but it'll take a good part of next season to do so.The fact that the Rams are in a division with two teams currently better than them doesn't help matters, either. The Seattle Seahawks, who were NFC champs last season, seem primed to continue their onslaught of the NFC West division. Other than the 'Hawks, the Rams have a new team to contend with for second place, the Arizona Cardinals. The Cardinals are arguably the most improved team in the NFL heading into 2006, as they added star runner Edgerrin James and defensive tackle Kendrick Clancy in free agency, and offensive guard Deuce Lutui and tight end Leonard Pope in the draft. They drafted some ex-USC quarterback named Matt Leinart, too, but he won't come into New England Patriots jersey
play next season, since ex-Rams QB Kurt Warner is currently at the helm of the Cardinals' offense.Clearly, the Rams have improved quite a bit this offseason, but inconsistency from their offensive line and defense will keep them from returning to the postseason for the first time since 2004. As mentioned earlier, Linehan has much to learn, and if he does gain knowledge of his new job next season, the Rams will be contending for a playoff spot in 2007.--Get more St. Louis Rams insight (0)

14 Jan 11 Seattle Seahawks "Bobby Engram is back -- so long, Darrell Jackson"

Bobby's back. And that's surely the first step to the Seattle Seahawks saying, "So long, D-Jack."The Seahawks won't admit it, but re-signing receiver Bobby Engram is a precursor to trading Darrell Jackson. Engram's return gives the Seahawks five starting-caliber receivers, including Deion Branch, Nate Burleson and D.J. Hackett. Seattle Seahawks jersey
That's too many hands for one football to accommodate, and the Seahawks know it.It's also a lot of money for one position. Jackson is set to make $3.25 million in 2007, and he, Branch, Burleson and Hackett (a restricted free agent) will count a combined $15 million against Seattle's $109 million salary cap. That's a lot of money tied up in receivers, and it doesn't even count Engram's undisclosed deal (although that probably is rather modest; his last contract, signed four years ago, averaged $1.5 million per season).Team president Tim Ruskell set the table for Jackson's departure last offseason when the Seahawks signed Burleson and traded for Branch. Ruskell made those additions after watching Jackson and Engram miss a combined 13 games in 2005. While Jackson made it through most of 2006 and led the Seahawks with 10 touchdown receptions, the team doesn't trust him to stay healthy. And he simply doesn't trust the team. Jackson has long held a grudge against the front office for allegedly shorting him on the contract he signed in 2004. The six-year deal was worth $25 million, including an $8 million signing bonus, but Jackson alleged that former team president Bob Whitsitt reneged on part of the agreement. Although he signed it, Jackson was never happy and has expressed his displeasure by not showing up for voluntary workouts in the offseason ever since. Jackson also reportedly was unhappy with the way the Seahawks treated his knee injury in 2005. When the Seahawks gave Branch a six-year contract worth $39 million and includingSt. Louis Rams jersey
$13 million in bonuses last September, Jackson's envy was obvious during the next game when he taped his cleats with the phrase, "DB money." The message was clear: He wanted Deion Branch money.Add it all up, and the Seahawks have an unhealthy and unhappy camper -- one who well might hold out if he's still with the team this summer. Ruskell surely knows he has further alienated Jackson, which is why many believe the Seahawks will try to trade the receiver.At the combine last month, Ruskell would not say the team was trying to get rid of Jackson, but he left the door open."We'll listen to anything, but it doesn't mean we're going to do anything," Ruskell said. "In terms of Darrell, he's under contract, and we plan on having him back. That's where that stands."But the Seahawks also stand five deep at receiver -- a quality quintet that includes the emerging Hackett, who looks ready to become a starter this year -- and know they would be better off if they can get something for Jackson. But can they get any value (i.e., a first-day pick) for a guy with so much baggage?There seems to be a market for a receiver with Jackson's skills. Among the teams supposedly interested are San Francisco, New Orleans, Jacksonville and Cleveland. Others in need of another starting receiver are Buffalo, Denver, Houston, Kansas City, Minnesota, San Diego, Tampa Bay and Tennessee. But the draft is filled with wideouts, and many of those teams might prefer a younger, cheaper, healthier guy. But someone might bite on a receiver who has been as productive as Jackson (three 1,000-yard seasons, 47 career touchdowns).The Seahawks ideally would get at least a third-round pick for Jackson, who was selected in that round in 2000. They also could use him to move up in the second round to get a tight end, guard or defensive tackle. Tennessee Titans jersey
Jackson's departure would then open the door for Burleson and Hackett to vie for the starting spot opposite Branch. And with the dependable Engram back in the slot, the Seahawks would still have a passel of pass catchers -- even without D-Jack coming back.Get weekly Seattle Seahawks insight

13 Jan 11 A Great Idea for South Florida Sports and TV

Doug Benc/Getty ImagesNote: I originally published this in November, but with me now posting articles on Bleacher Report, I decided to re-publish it. So if you read this already and want something original from me, I'm sorry. But I'll have something new up tomorrow. if you're reading this for the first time, then enjoy.Im not a business man. Ive never tried to be and I try not to be. Im a writer and a sports fan at heart, and yes, this is about sports, but more the business of sports for today.Sports teams are a business.There, I said it!We want to believe Reebok New Orleans Saints #9 Drew Brees Realtree camo Jersey
theyre for civic pride. Just ask people in Seattle how much civic pride they have over their Super Sonics right now, or ask a Hartford resident how much civic pride they have over the mighty whale right now, or rabid hockey fan living in Winnipeg or Quebec City, who Im sure are just BURSTING with civic pride over their Jets and Nordiques respectively.No, theyre businesses; they can pick up and leave when they want and theyre out to make money.Of course, they also operate as a monopoly.The Miami Heat is the only NBA team in Miami and the Florida soon-to-be Miami Marlins are the only professional baseball team in Miami. Both teams at one point were on the verge of moving before getting new stadiums built.The Heat got the American Airlines Arena, which I must say is aging like a fine wine as opposed to the old Miami Arena and the Marlins will be moving into their new ballpark in exactly 162 home games, not counting the playoffs.What does one have to do with the other?They both always take a backseat to the Miami Dolphins, both in the hearts of the fans and in the media. On top of that, they both have to share a regional sports network cartel with teams from other parts of the state of Florida!In 2012, it only going to get worse, since the Marlins' new stadium is a retractable roof ballpark. They will be competing for events such as concerts, conventions, professional wrestling, and other events where they can make money other than the team games themselves. It doesn have to be this way, and on top of that, it won, if they can heed my idea.Unlikely, but I have to get it on paper somehow.The Marlins and the Heat should merge all of their non-baseball and non-basketball operations together.Has this ever been done before, two teams of different sports merging?YES, pun intended!Why is the pun there, you may ask?Well, the YES network started off as a merger between the New Jersey Nets and the New York Yankees. This was done in 1999 in order to leverage their television deals together. We ended up with the YES network because they found if they just produced their teams own games and broadcast it on their own network, hence collecting the advertising themselves, theyd make more money than just selling their rights to a FOX Sports Net-type channel.Other teams followed suit and got in the act afterwards, in some cases it succeeded: Comcast Sports Chicago, owned 25% by Comcast, 25% by the Chicago Cubs, and 50% by Jerry Reinsdorf, the owner of the White Sox and Bulls; Altitude which is owned by the owner ofReebok New York Giants #27 Brandon Jacobs Realtree camo Jersey
the Denver Nuggets and the Colorado Avalanche; NESN which actually pre-dates YES and is owned 80% by the Red Sox and 20% by the Boston Bruins; and SportsTime Ohio which is owned by the Cleveland Indians.In some cases it failed: Victory Sports One lasted a cool three games when it was established in 2004 by the Minnesota Twins. However, it failed to get cable coverage anywhere in the established markets of the Twins and thus folded as the Twins moved back to their local FSN.However, this merger isn just about their own television network, which we WILL get to, as well as WHY it would succeed. It about integrating the businesses of two sports franchises that seem so different but really together could be the same.Now, I don know if Mickey Arison and Jeffrey Loria know each otherhell, I doubt theyve even been in the same roombut one has to think that if presented with such an idea, something could be worked out.For Arison, it would be a chance to own a piece of a Major League Baseball team. Im not sure if that something hed be interested in, hell if he was, he probably wouldve competed against Huizinga to bring baseball to South Florida (no way he wouldve bought the team from him in 1998 when the team was up for salethe two men hated each other!).For Loria, it would be something new to his portfolio. An NBA team and the glitz and glamour that comes with it. The model with this though is one of efficiency.The Heat and Marlins obviously wouldn merge their baseball and basketball operations. As funny as it would be to see how Larry Beinfest would try to woo LeBron to the Heat, see Pat Riley find a way to make Freddi need to spend some time with his family, see Cody Ross run the point, or even Dwyane Wade fully emulate his hero Michael Jordan and hit below the Mendoza line for the Carolina Mudcats one year, it just not going to happen that way!Here what WOULD be merged:Stadium/Arena OperationsThe Heat own and operate American Airlines Arena, while Miami-Dade County will own the new Marlins Ballpark with the Marlins operating it. The two teams, through their merged company, could create a company in charge of operating both places.Now, the New York Yankees and the Dallas Cowboys set up a joint-venture between the two of them to Reebok New York Jets #6 Mark Sanchez Realtree camo Jersey
operate both stadiums. This plan is similar but, like I mentioned before, there more to it.The positive of this is no competing for events. Concerts expecting to have large draws in the winter in South Florida perfect winter weather take place at the Marlins Ballpark while smaller summer shows would take place at the Triple-A. Plus it would also open up the possibility of a regular season Heat game played outdoors in front of possibly 40,000 Heat fans sometime between December and February.(Id suggest an annual Christmas afternoon game against the Magic, Knicks, or Bulls and tie it in to the Orange Bowl festivities. And while were at it, BRING BACK THE ORANGE BOWL PARADE DAMMIT. Sorry, that another blog!)Sales and MarketingNow here comes the drawback: If you merge their sales and marketing departments, which deal with ticket sales, marketing, the Miami Heat team store, and sponsorships, well, people are going to lose their jobs.Im sorryit a fact of life with these mergers.BUT, wouldn it be more efficient and save both clubs a lot of money if their sales and marketing departments were combined?Just imagine the possibilities: Heat season ticket holders get discounts on Marlins tickets, Marlins season ticket holders get discounts on Heat tickets, and season ticket holders of both teams could actually purchase packages that combine the two teams.Example: Say you buy a 20-game Miami Marlins season ticket package. Well, season ticket sales for baseball are made right in the middle of basketball season, so you buy a 20-game Marlins ticket package and you can get 50 percent off any four Heat games from the time you purchase the tickets until the end of the season.Plus, you could by Heat tickets at Marlins en Miami, the Marlins' Little Havana ticket office or Marlins tickets at the Triple-A. Hell, you could buy tickets for any event taking place at either arena at any of the arenas.Essentially, you could catch a Saturday afternoon Marlins game in April that begins at 1 PM. Youre out by 4 and there are tickets available for the Heat 7:30 matchup with the Knicks that could determine what seed the Heat get in the playoffs.With your Marlins ticket, you could go to a ticket window at the Marlins Ballpark (or even a computer kiosk if youre using a credit card, which many people would anyways), show the Marlins ticket to the attendant (or scan it if youre using the kiosk) and just like that, you could get 25 percent off your tickets to the Heat game.In fact, the Marlins will even be kind enough to let you know the best time to do it (it's when you hear the PA say now pitching for the Miami Marlins, Renyel Pinto.). Same could go with the Heat at the Triple-A as well.Shared SponsorshipsOf course the myth in sports is they make their money from the fans that come see the games. Well, sort of. Sponsorships, like it or not, drive the economy of sports. After all, there are as many as 19,000 sets of eyeballs at the Triple-A and during a sell-out there could be as many as 37,000 at the Marlins ballpark. Reebok Oakland Raiders #21 Nnamdi Asomugha Realtree camo Jersey
Now with both teams negotiating joint sponsorships, odds are companies could pay less money but reach more people. They could probably even pay less for the two teams combined than they do for the Dolphins alone. The two teams already have many of the same sponsors, such as Pepsi, Papa John, and American Airlines to name a few.An appealing proposition to sponsors though would be the opportunity to sponsor both teams, purchase advertising in both venues, AND purchase ads on their new television network, which brings me to the final point (I know youve been reading this for a while and are at word number 1,590 right now, so just bare with me.).Their Own Television Network/Radio NetworkNow they already have their own radio networks but those are really just a loose chain of radio stations that cover the team. Well, they could sell their radio packages together, or even purchase a sports talk radio station in South Florida of their own.The best station for that would be the low-rated 940 The Sports Animal WINZ. Great coverage not only in Miami-Dade and Broward counties, but could be picked up as far north as Palm Beach and as far west as Ft. Myers, both within the markets of the Heat and the Marlins.Then make Dan LeBatard and Jorge Sedano offers they couldn refuse for Drive-Time, while developing new local talent as opposed to syndicated sports programming with the exception of ESPN Radio and Westwood One NFL and NCAA package, then purchase an FM talk station geared towards men 18-45 for overflow programming and general talk or syndicated talk programs like Dan Patrick and Jim Rome.Of course Id also suggest purchasing stations throughout the Marlins' and Heat territory including Naples-Ft. Myers and West Palm Beach to simulcast such programming.Then there their television network. Fox Sports owns a monopoly on sports programming throughout the state of Florida, owning two regional sports networks: Sun Sports and FSN Florida. Unfortunately, these two networks cover sports in the ENTIRE state of Florida.This leads to the Heat and Marlins getting subpar deals to broadcast their games on a sports network with virtually no other local programming, not even a nightly report on all that going on in Florida sports. In fact, if I have to see The Best Damn Sports Show Period one more time, Im going on a five county killing spree!There IS a better way, and this one will not only benefit the Heat and Marlins, but the Panthers, Dolphins, even whichever television stations in the Miami-Ft. Lauderdale, West Palm Beach, and Naples-Ft. Myers networks decide to sign on.The new cable network would be based in Miami, with studios based in the Triple-A for Heat games and in the new Marlins Ballpark for Marlins games, and main studios based in whatever Miami television station theyd partner with (of course, the network would encompass all of South Florida, and when I say all of South Florida Im not just speaking of the Miami-Ft. Lauderdale DMA, but also West Palm Beach DMA and Naples-Ft. Myers DMA.).Theyd purchase the rights to Heat and Marlins games, produce them, and the teams would collect the revenues from advertising. If they choose, they could bid on the Panthers, BUT, I could mainly see Reebok Pittsburgh Steelers #86 Hines Ward Realtree camo Jersey
them just making a serious bid on them, before FSN decides since theyre already losing the Marlins and Heat to make a serious claim to the Panthers, thus driving up the price for the Panthers.Of course, if the Marlins-Heat TV partnership wins the rights to the Panthers, then theyd have a South Florida-only regional sports network. A good idea would be a South Florida cable-only news network to accompany it as sort of a South Florida version of Headline News with bureaus in all of the local television stations affiliated with them in South Florida (before they went all Nancy Grace on us) plus a venue for overflow programming (i.e. Panthers games).Again, the programming would be strictly local. If they do somehow manage to own the monopoly on South Florida sports coverage, they could also bid on exclusive rights to Miami Dolphins preseason football, plus Miami Dolphins postgame press conferences, offseason press conferences, and during draft time, a Miami Dolphins draft special.During the day theyd also air press conferences of any of the teams involved, plus hourly news and weather updates from their partners.What would they air other than press conferences, specials, and the games themselves you might ask?A lot!Id sign a deal with WWE for one. MSG in New York has one, why not our theoretical regional sports network?First youd have programs from the WWE developmental territory Florida Championship Wrestling every weekend. It could air late at night or in the early mornings. Then you could have WWE Florida Classics.If a significant wrestling event from WWE, WCW, NWA, or any wrestling organization whose library is owned by WWE took place in Florida, it could be shown on WWE Florida Theatre hosted by none other than the great Craig DeGeorge !During afternoons you could simulcast LeBatard show since he loves to be on TV so much, along with the previous night Marlins, Heat, or Panthers game or even classic games from those teams. Fall Friday nights could be for the high school football game of the week, with coverage of the State Football Playoffs and Championship.Then, after the games, a comprehensive postgame show, then a 30-minute South Florida sports wrap-up show similar to SportsCenter, without all of the superficial shit they include, which also includes relevant national highlights.Now, I mentioned all of these partner TV stations in the three television markets this station would have cable coverage in, but you're probably asking, what would this station do for them?A LOT!This Reebok Pittsburgh Steelers James Harrison Realtree camo Jersey
would be a lucrative package for any television station that decided to sign up for such a partnership. Just cut sports completely from their budget and pay a flat fee to the network for a nightly two minute sports report at 6 PM and 11 PM (or 10 PM depending on the station).PLUS, a Friday night Marlins package, a Friday night Heat package, a Saturday night Panthers Package, and possiblyif Friday night doesn work or even as a supplement to Friday nightsa Sunday afternoon Marlins package (this one would only last until September if the partner stations are CBS or FOX affiliates because of football.)Of course, the main studios would be located at the flagship broadcast station, meaning we need a station that state of the art, would appreciate the programming, and wouldn mind also running a local cable-only supplement to their main news programming.From Miami, Id eliminate WFOR because, hell, it's 2009 and they haven even gone HD yet even though theyre a CBS owned and operated station. While the thought of an all-news station would appeal to WSVN, it hurts that it a FOX station and FOX wouldn be too thrilled with one of their stronger affiliates linking up with someone that drove them out of a lucrative market.WPLG has the ABC affiliation but if ABC gets interested and decides to stir the pot a little bit, wed wind up with ESPN South Florida and honestly we don want that (even though the radio station would be an ESPN radio affiliate AND late nights the RSN would air ESPNNEWS, an ESPN clone is NOT a good idea.).This leaves us narrowed down to two options in South Florida: WTVJ, an NBC owned and operated station, and WSFL, a Tribune owned CW affiliate. (WBFS is owned by CBS like WFOR, therefore it eliminated by proxy despite being the home of WWE Smackdown due to its MyNetworkTV affiliation.)Well, the thing with WTVJ is theyd enjoy the cut costs from not having a sports department, but as for an all news channel operated by them, eh, sorry, couldn see it working. Plus, we already mentioned a Friday night Marlins/Heat package, meaning Jay Leno would be pre-empted, something we all know NBC doesn want despite the fact that it been this year television EPIC FAIL!In South Florida this leaves us with WSFL.Once upon a time it was just known as Reebok San Francisco 49ers #21 Frank GORE Realtree camo Jersey
Channel 39, then WB 39, then CW South Florida, until finally they rebranded the station SFL.

12 Jan 11 Cleveland Cavaliers: Why They Will Win The NBA Finals This Year

Kevork Djansezian/Getty ImagesWhen I look at the way the NBA season has been turning out this year, It seemed as if I mistakenly said that the Cavs were not the best team in the NBA, nor that they were "built" for the playoffs. It looks like I'm eating my own words. However,?my friend wrote that article because he St. Louis Rams jersey
is a?Lakers fan.? So I'm Sorry to the city of Cleveland and their fans about my friend.As the season continues to unfold, one team has really caught my eye. This team is the Cleveland Cavaliers. Why? Maybe it's because they have the best record in the NBA at 36-11 after tonight's?beating of the lowly Minnesota Timberwolves at home with a 109-95 victory. Also it could be their six game winning streak that they are on with impressive wins over some good teams such as Oklahoma City, Miami, Toronto, and the Los Angeles Lakers, ?or their 8-2 record over their past 10 games.The truth is these Cavaliers are "built" for the playoffs, and these are all the reasons why they have caught my eye as of late. They are 2-0 this year against Kobe and the Los Angeles Lakers which is a sweep of the season series. They have the second best starting lineup in the NBA in my book because the Lakers starting five are pretty tough but it could go either way. Also thier bench is the best in the league and LeBron is playing like the MVP.The Cavaliers starting lineup includes: Mo Williams, Anthony Parker, LeBron, J.J. Hickson, and Shaq. The best bench in the league includes: Anderson Varejao, Delonte West, Daniel Gibson, Leon Powe, Jawad Williams, Jamario Moon, and the big fella Zydrunas Ilgauskas. It's tough to Tennessee Titans jersey
argue that these Cavs are not built for the playoffs.Many will say that the Cavs are not "built" for the playoffs because they have never won a title. Well they have alot better starting lineup and bench they did when they went to the Finals and got swept by Spurs. They had Larry Hughes starting during that time. Now they have a better guard in Mo Williams. They had Drew Gooden, instead of Hickson, Powe, or Varejao. Lets not forget about Sasha Pavlovic an Wally Szczerbiak instead of Delonte West and Anthony Parker. Also they had Ben Wallace instead of Shaq.So my reasons for why the Cavs will win the NBA Finals this year:1) Their starting lineup is stacked and once they get into a flow they are hard to stop2)Have the best bench in the league and good bench play gets you far in the playoffs3) LeBron has improved his overall game and outside jumper since the Finals, and Conference Finals4) They have made it to either the Conference Finals, Semifinals, or Finals in four straight years5) LeBron is playing like the MVP and is hungry and will get his teammates hungry as well6) They have beaten some of the toughest teams in the league, including sweeping the Lakers in the season series with a total domination of the Lakers on Christmas Day.So there you have it: The Cleveland Cavaliers are my pick to Washington Redskins jersey
win the NBA Championship this year and LeBron will get the monkey off his back as well as re sign with the Cavaliers this off season.Again I apologize for my friend and am sorry to the city of Cleveland and its fans because this team is definitely "built" for the playoffs.

10 Jan 11 The Lakers Need Kobe More Than The Cavs Need Lebron!

I know you are looking at this title wondering didhe write this for shock value, is he serious? My answer is yes I'm dead serious and here is my argument. First of all lets look at the key players for both teams. The Cavs Mo' Williams, Parker, Delonte West, Hickson, Anderson Varejaois giving a nice effort of the benchand they have the Second Coming of Magic Johnson Lebron James.The Lakers have Derek Fisher, Ron Artest, Pau Gasoft, Bynum, and The Black Mamba. They also consistent play from Shannon Brown and Lamar is showing up when he feels like it. Now taking all ofReebok Pittsburgh Steelers #86 Hines Ward Realtree camo Jersey
that into consideration. The Lakers have the better team by FAR on paper. However they haven't been playing like they're the better team. When you watch a Cavs game you see a TEAM effort on the defensive end.Every one plays defense from Lebron down to the scrub on the far edge of the bench next to the Gatorade jug. When you watch a Lakers game you see a consistent defensive effort from Kobe, Shannon Brown, Ron Artest and sometimes Bynum. On the offensive end even though the Lakers look better on paper, the Cavs are far more superior when it comes to shooting. They have Gibson, Mo' Williams and Parker all of whom are in the top 10 in 3 point percentage.The Lakers aren't really a 3 point shooting team with Vujacic going through his shooting slump, He's literally become the Lakers Mascot celebrating Kobe's game winners with more vigor than the Mamba himself! The Lakers bread and butter is pounding the ball inside, but when you look at their losses its not because of lack touches the big men were recieving it was what they were doing with the touches. In every Lakers loss there was a lack of interior pressence by the bigs. In both losses to Cleveland and Denver, Gasol as talented as he is was MAN HANDELED!Hickson and Varejao and the Diesel out worked and battered the Lakers bigs especially Gasoft. Why was this happening when clearly the Lakers have the better team on paper. Because the other the teams that beat them wanted it more. Look at all the close calls the Lakers have had this year that have been forgotten in light of their newly found drive.( One would think that they are actually getting paid to play now!!) We have Kobe's running three point bank shot off one leg over Miami Heat's D-Wade a terrific defender might I add.Then you have Kobe's buzzer beater against the Milwaukee Bucks Charlie Bell, From the time Kobe got the ball you knew that game was over. Then you have Kobe's game winning three against the Kings with his feet barely in bounce. Then he plays through back spasms against the Mavs, and thank God heReebok Pittsburgh Steelers James Harrison Realtree camo Jersey
did because he ended up hitting the go head bucket in that game. THEN he hits the game winner against Boston with Ray Allen playing the best defense you can possibly play.The million dollar question is would the Lakers had of won those games if Kobe wasn't there to save them? 3 of 5 of five of those wins were sub .500 teams. So what would the Lakers do if Kobe was out for a whole season and wouldnt be able to go until the playoffs? Would they even make the playoffs with Kobe. I mean yeah they are on a 4 game win streak now, but what if Kobe was out as many games and Pau and Artest were out this year would they still be the best in the West with Denver playing the type of ball they have been playing? I think not.Truth is the Eastern Conference is so weak the Cavs could make it to the playoffs without Lebron. You don't even have to be a .500 team to make it to the playoffs in the East. I know you Cav fans are probally saying without Lebron Cleveland aren't Title contenders. My rebutal is they aren't title contenders with him, remember Lebron and the Cavs were beat convincingly in the playoffs last year by the Magic.Now think back to that playoff series against the rockets without Kobe the lakers don't make it out the first round let alone hang another banner.This isn't a slap to the face to Lebron I love his game, but playing in a pick and roll offense against Eastern Conference opponents he's supposed to do the numbers that he does.The only thing between the Nuggets and the 1st place slot in the Western conference is 5 game winning shots from Kobe. Damn a triple double thats greatness personified. Most players won't hit 5 game winning shots their whole career! Heres the kicker Ladies and Gentleman the season is only at the halfway mark.So much his going into what the Lakers are doing Reebok San Francisco 49ers #21 Frank GORE Realtree camo Jersey
now since Kobe is hurt, When in all actuality they should of been playing with that sense of urgency all season long. They are getting credit for something thatthey get paid good GOOD money to do. I'm not impressed the Nuggets have been winning without Carmel Anthony. With the Eastern Conference as weak as it is I'm sure the Cavs could pull off a 4 game winning streak without Lebron also!

9 Jan 11 How Josh Howard's Injury Will Help the Washington Wizards Long-Term

Ronald Martinez/Getty ImagesIt's not often that a team loses its best player and improves. The Lakers tried it for a few games without Kobe Bryant, but when push came to shove, they sorely missed the Mamba's clutch shooting.In the Washington Wizards case, this could plausibly end up being one of those times.When Josh Howard tore the ACL in his left knee on Monday night, the Wizards' shiniest new acquisition ended his season slightly more than three games into his Wiz career.The Wizards, who had just completed a firesale that shipped out Antawn Jamison, Caron Oakland Raiders jersey
Butler, Brendan Haywood, and DeShawn Stevenson within the past week, suddenly found themselves with a starting lineup that looked like a D-League roster on paper.With Gilbert Arenas in the midst of a year-long suspension, Howard was the only active Wizard with an All-Star game appearance. Howard, who came in the Butler trade from the Mavericks, had been accustomed to winning for years; these Wizards have been sloughing through mediocrity for a large part of the past two seasons.But these new-look Wizards have shown that they aren't laying down in these final 27 games. These Wizards are fighting for new contracts, or trying to convince management that all basketball hope isn't actually lost in Washington. And after beating Denver and Chicago within the past week, you know what? I'm inclined to believe that all hope isn't lost in Washington.In fact, Howard's injury only frees the once-restrained Wizards even more, as the team tries to distance itself from its failed Big Three experiment ASAP.Alright, I'll confess: I was partially motivated to write this column to try and make myself feel better for picking up my personal fantasy basketball kryptonite, Al Thornton, off of waivers this week.Thornton, who TrueHoop's Kevin Arnovitz lovingly described as a "high-volume yet inefficient scorer who plays little defense," will put up a double-double of 31 and 10 one night , then come at you with a five-point on 2-of-15 shooting night the next.So how does replacing a former All-Star like Howard with an inconsistent third-year player like Thornton help the Wizards?It's all about opportunities.The fire-sale writing was on Washington's wall starting with the minute Gilbert Arenas was charged with a felony and a season-long suspension. (You can kindly refer to me as Mr. Cleo from now on. ) The Big Three had clearly run its course in Washington, and the Wizards needed to move on to their next plan immediately .Did that mean trading their two best remaining active players for 60 cents on the dollar? You better believe it! And amazingly, the Wizards' fanbase had grown so tired of the Big Three that they fully condoned a slash-and-burn, knowing full well that their only chance to eventually be competitive in the next decade was a complete overhaul.And Howard's injury has advanced that overhaul onePhiladelphia Eagles jersey
step further than anyone could have expected this season.Not knowing how the 2010 free agent extravaganza is going to play out four months in advance, it's impossible to for me definitively say whether the Wizards will exercise his nearly-$12 million team option for next season.Well, I'll turn to ESPN's Marc Stein for that one :The reality is that the Washington Wizards had decided even before Josh Howard tore his left ACL last week that they would not be picking up his $11.8 million option for next season.The Wiz essentially regarded Howard as an expiring contract when they acquired him from Dallas in the deal that cost them Caron Butler and Brendan Haywood , knowing that the ability to pass on the team option in Howard's deal would help Washington create significant salary-cap space this summer to greet the expected ownership transfer to Washington Capitals boss Ted Leonsis.If they weren't going to keep Howard for next season, all he would have done this season is theoretically improve their chances of winning (and hurt their chances of a higher draft pick), and take minutes from the Wizards other young talent or new players.Given that the Wiz gave Thornton generous minutes even when he was coming off the bench, it's entirely possible that they wanted him to get as many minutes as possible for the rest of the year, to determine whether or not he'd be a long-term option at small forward.And once Brendan Haywood headed to Dallas, leaving Andray Blatche to step into the starting center role, it's been full steam ahead for Blatche. Blatche has shown flashes of his potential before, much like Thornton, but hasn't been able to put it together for long stretches...before now.He dropped a 33-and-13 night in his first night as a starter, and he's posted double-doubles in four of his past six games, including a 26-18-6 night against the Knicks on Friday. No guarantee that he continues this absurd line of production, but Blatche clearly has the skillset to be a starter in the NBA. That's one lesson learned.With a starting lineup of Randy Foye, Mike Miller, Al Thornton, James Singleton, and Andray Blatche, they've got a surprisingly potent combination of imported veterans and young players. They've run out to a 3-3 record since making their big moves, and they haven't lost a game by more than Pittsburgh Steelers jersey
five points. Now's their chance to determine which of these players they cut, and which of them they choose to build around in the next few years.I'm not sure whether the Wizards make their big free agent moves this summer or next. (I would be inclined to say they'll wait until 2011, when they have a better idea what they're doing with Arenas.) Regardless, the Wizards jumpstarted their rebuilding process better than any other team in the league with their activity at the trade deadline.And while it's an unfortunate injury for Howard, it only means that the Wizards got one more leg up on their roster reconstruction.(If only my beloved Sixers could do the same.)

8 Jan 11 Milwaukee Reportedly Interested In Alexander Johnson

Doug Benc/Getty ImagesBucks Looking at Alexander JohnsonAccording to Scott Schroeder of RidiculousUpside.com , the Milwaukee Bucks reportedly held a tryout between former Duke forward Shavlik Randolph and former Florida State standout Alexander Johnson to fill their 15th and final roster spot for their push for the playoffs.It appears as though Johnson was the more impressive of the two players.Johnson, currently of the Sioux Falls Skyforce of the NBA's Development League, is proving himself to be one of the most NBA-ready players without an NBA contract. In San Diego Chargers jersey
16 games, Johnson has averaged 23.1 points, 11.9 rebounds, and 1.6 blocks per game on 55.1% shooting from the field and 75.7% shooting from the line.What He'd Bring to the TableThe Milwaukee Bucks have been missing physicality from their power forwards all season long. While Ersan Ilyasova and Luc Richard Mbah a Moute have done a tremendous job lately, each of them are more "finesse" than "bruiser." Because of this they have a tendency to get eaten alive by stronger power forwards such as Carlos Boozer who had his way with them to the tune of 26 points and 14 rebounds last week.At a hulking 6'9" and 240lbs, Johnson would instantly become the Bucks largest power forward on the roster and a player willing to do the dirty work in the paint. While his game isn't terribly refined, Johnson brings a few positive attributes to the table.Defensively, Johnson may surprise a lot of people if signed. With his combination of size, strength, explosiveness, and determination, Johnson will have a physical advantage over his fair share of power forwards in the San Francisco 49ers jersey
league and be able to bang with those he's matched up with. He is currently averaging 1.6 blocks per game in the Development League, a half block more per game than he did in college indicating an improvement with positional defense.Johnson has also been a capable rebounder throughout his basketball career. In his 16 appearances in the NBA Development League, Johnson has pulled down 3.2 offensive rebounds a game which would undoubtedly help the Bucks control the pace on the offensive end while allowing them to end possessionswhen shots are missed by the opposing team.Offensively, Johnson isn't a guy who will light up the scoreboard. His back to the basket game is still very raw. With that being said, a lot of his points would come off of put backs and guard penetration should he decide to sign. He does however have a decent 15-foot jump shotto keep the defense honest effectively allowing Andrew Bogut to continue to operate in the post like he has all season long.By far the most impressive part of Johnson's game in the development league has been his ability to get to the line. The Milwaukee Bucks rank second to last in the NBA in team free throw attempts per game at 20.5 FTA per game. Johnson, through his 16 games, has averaged an astounding 12.6 FTA per game or Seattle Seahawks jersey
202 total FTA. While he would not get the amount of minutes necessary to achieve that for Milwaukee, he should be able to get to the line at a decent clip when given minutes.Johnson won't come in and set the league on fire, but make no mistake about the type of player he is. He is perfectly capable of coming in and contributing to this young Bucks team right away in a reserve role if he's given the minutes to do so.