NFL Week 16: Playoff Seeding Preview

          Am I the only the one that gets slightly annoyed when an NFL pregame show analyst or an ESPN talking head chuckles and proclaims: "Hah, what a weird year in the NFL." Really? This year's weird? I've only heard that same sentence spoken every season since I was barely old enough to make fun of Shannon Sharpe.  Didn't we, just last year, have two undefeated teams going into Week 15?  In 2008, didn't the Arizona Cardinals finish 9-7 in the regular season and get written off before they even played a postseason game, only to come within minutes of winning the Super Bowl? Enough already. The NFL is weird some years. Most years, in fact.          
          I won't ignore however, how strange it is that we have more quality teams than usual with respectable records that will be left out in the cold come playoff time this year.  In the previous four seasons, there have only been two teams to win at least 10 games and miss the playoffs: the 2007 Cleveland Browns, and the 2008 New England Patriots.  This year alone, I predict that we will have as many as four. My projections:

Category I: The First-Round Byes
1N. Atlanta Falcons (13-3)
2N. Philadelphia Eagles (12-4)
1A. New England Patriots (13-3)
2A. Pittsburgh Steelers (11-5)

Yes, that's a '3' you see in Atlanta's loss column.  Quickly:

• Matt Ryan is 19-1 at home in his career, and hasn't lost at the Georgia Dome in well over a year.
• The Falcons have won eight straight football games. Eight. That's half of a season.
• Surprisingly, the only team to ever beat Matt Ryan at home is the same squad that handed the Falcons their most recent defeat eight weeks ago...the Philadelphia Eagles.  Even more surprisingly, those two games weren't really games at all; they were blowouts.  If you combine the scores from the Eagles/Falcons matchup in '09 and the one eight weeks ago, you get a 65-24 aggregate.

           So is Atlanta for real? I think so.  But should the Falcon faithful be a little nervous at the possibility of their former franchise quarterback rolling into town in his new digs with a Super Bowl berth on the line? Absolutely.  I think the home win streak gets snapped by the defending champion New Orleans Saints on Monday night, but the Falcons still lock up the top NFC seed with a win in Carolina the following Sunday.  I think the Eagles, however, will win out. While the line on the game this weekend is out of control, (PHI -13.5?! Really, Vegas? Didn't Joe Webb prove last week that he can kind of run around and, you know, do stuff?) they should still get the 'W', and I don't see the Cowboys hanging with them in Philly.  You take that, and either the Jets or the Packers handing Chicago their fifth loss, and the Iggs are one win away from their sixth NFC championship appearance in ten seasons.
          Meanwhile in the AFC, it's New England and the mortals.  With how well Vick is playing, it's a testament to how phenomenal Brady's been this year that he is still the favorite to be the MVP of the league.  They're blowing decent teams out, beating good teams on the road, and haven't lost at home this season.  I think the Pats will ice the AFC race this weekend in Buffalo, and their third-string guys will lose a close one Week 17 against Miami, for a final mark of 13-3.  Pittsburgh, on the other hand, doesn't look nearly as strong. They're banged up, they're sputtering offensively, and really don't look any better than the other four AFC playoff teams.  But, they possess two things that will work heavily in their favor: an easy final two games (CAR, @CLE) and the AFC North tiebreaker. For those reasons, the Steelers will enjoy a weekend off this January.

Category II: The Other Division Champions
3N. Chicago Bears (11-5)
4N. St. Louis Rams (8-8)
3A. San Diego Chargers (10-6)
4A. Indianapolis Colts (10-6)

          The NFC West race (I guess that's the word for it), may have possibly hit rock bottom this past weekend with all four teams losing by a combined total of 64 points.  Not only does this add additional embarrassment to a division that certainly doesn't need any more of it, but it leaves the door wide open for a 7-9 division "champion" to host a playoff game during Wild Card Weekend.  Yikes.  Maybe that possibility has me biased into picking the Rams to win out and represent the West with a cool 8-8 mark.  Why not?  They will host the Niners this weekend and then go to Qwest Field to take on the Seahawks on the final Sunday of the season.  Both of those games are winnable.  The other NFC division champion is already crowned, as the Bears dominated the Vikings Monday night to clinch the North. Since I don't see the Jets winning back-to-back road games in Pittsburgh and Chicago, I like the Bears this weekend.  But then there's the showdown with Green Bay at Lambeau Field next week.  Assuming Rodgers is healthy and can take care of business against the Giants this weekend, the Pack will be playing for their playoff lives and the Bears will be fighting to retain a first round bye.  Are Jay Cutler and the Bears really going to go undefeated in their division this year?  Maybe I'm still in denial that they're even a good team. Either way, I got the Packers.
          It pains me to back off of my preseason stance that the Chiefs would go 10-6 and make the playoffs this year, especially since the Chiefs currently sit alone atop the AFC West and, in all likelihood, will win at least 10 games when it's all said and done. I went back and forth a million times with the idea of picking the Chiefs to win their final two games (TEN and OAK, both at home...) to finish 11-5 and play in a wild card game, but I honestly just don't feel it.  Between Jeff Fisher trying to keep his job (or showing the rest of the league that he's qualified for a better one), Kerry Collins trying to prove he isn't washed up, and Jason Campbell's Raiders possibly playing for a playoff spot that they are somehow not mathematically eliminated from, there's too much friskiness to comfortably ride the Chiefs.  The Chargers, meanwhile, get to feast on the checked out Bengals and the Denver Tebows to warm up for January.  So, I'll go ahead and take the Chargers, and simultaneously cue myself up for a healthy dose of karma when the Chiefs win out or the Chargers lay an egg in Denver.  In other news, are any Colts fans nervous about the game this weekend in Oakland? I would be.  As mentioned above, the Raiders are still somehow in the playoff hunt and have been far less comedic this season than they have been in years past. That being said, it's logical to assume that Peyton & Co. get it done these next two Sundays, finishing 10-6 and AFC South champions with a tiebreaker over Jacksonville.

Did I just read that the Raiders are one win in Kansas City away from being the first team
in NFL history to go 6-0 in the division and miss the playoffs?  Is that good?

Category III: The Wild Card Teams
5N. New Orleans Saints (11-5)
6N. Green Bay Packers (10-6)
5A. Baltimore Ravens (11-5)
6A. New York Jets (11-5)

          Monday night's showdown between Atlanta and New Orleans could be the game of the year.  While the possibility of a Saints' repeat as NFC South champions seems bleak at best, New Orleans had been clicking on all cylinders before being bested by Baltimore this past weekend.  And because of that, nothing is certain in New Orleans.  Did you know that if they lose these next two to Atlanta and Tampa, they could lose their playoff spot to a Giants team that doesn't even have to run the table?  That being said, I'm picking the Saints this weekend for one reason: I'm not sold on Atlanta's defense.  The jury still has to be out on a secondary that let Carson Palmer's Bungles hang 32 on them, and they will certainly be earning their living this weekend against Drew Brees.  Something about the Saints feels right here.
          The Ravens and Jets are virtual locks for the AFC wild card spots at this point.  Both would have to lose out for Jacksonville or Kansas City to sneak into the postseason, and both only have one game apiece left on their schedules that they have any business losing (The Jets are in Chicago this week, and the Ravens are in Cleveland for the Art Modell Bowl).  You can't help but feel for the Jags, Chiefs, Giants, and Bucs, who have all strung together quality seasons, but are unlikely to qualify for the postseason despite boasting win totals that usually get your foot in the door.  Doesn't it seem like there are a handful of teams that are supposedly "bad" and well out of playoff contention that are going to give the contenders fits in these last two weeks? Besides the Raiders/Colts and Ravens/Browns contests mentioned above, would it be crazy to think that the Bills don't steal one from the Pats or Jets? And, as an Eagles fan, I don't feel nearly as comfortably as I should with my team squaring off Week 17 against a 5-9 squad with Jon Kitna under center. That's the NFL in 2010.  Anyway, with the projected matchups set, here are my early playoff picks:

WC: Packers over Bears, Saints over Rams, Chargers over Jets, Colts over Ravens
DIV: Falcons over Packers, Eagles over Saints, Patriots over Colts, Chargers over Steelers
CONF: Falcons over Eagles, Patriots over Chargers
SB: Patriots over Falcons

Let's hope I don't go four months without writing again.
-TJ

Brief 2010 World Series Predictions

It may not be the World Series that the country, Major League Baseball, Phillies fans, Yankees fans, and everyone had hoped for (if you know me, it clearly wasn't what I had hoped for). But don't lose hope (or blink) because this fall classic is going to be exciting. One of the league's premier runs scoring offenses against the senior circuit's best arms.

The Giants come in as the underdogs to me. They've proven this entire season that they know how to put pressure on their opponents and win close ballgames. With a (in my opinion) below average offense, their pitching certainly makes up for it. When on, Tim Lincecum is as good as gold. Matt Cain rarely gives you a poor outing. If Jonathan Sanchez is on, he will most likely beat you. Then there's the young rookie, Madison Bumgarner, who has shown more poise on the mound than half of the veterans who are postseason first-timers.

Then there is the Rangers in the other corner. They have an unbelievable offense that can hurt you in so many ways. They get on base, they steal, they make productive outs, and they got some pop as well. Elvis Andrus is quietly blossoming into a star in this league. Their pitching has been getting the job done. And as much as I don't enjoy praising players that don't need anymore praise, Cliff Lee has been an October stud throughout the past two autumns and I really don't expect much else to change.

Predictions

Game 1: Lincecum can't get the changeup down in the zone. Rangers 7, Giants 2.
Game 2: Cain outduels CJ Wilson as Giants 'win by torture' again. Giants 3, Rangers 2.
Game 3: Nelson Cruz goes off on Sanchez, homers twice. Rangers 5, Giants 2.
Game 4: Andrus and Josh Hamilton's bats outhit Andres Torres and Aubrey Huff. Rangers 8, Giants 7.
Game 5: Rangers take it at home behind Lee as Giants go into panic mode by third inning. Rangers 3, Giants 1.

Rangers in five games.
MVP: Elvis Andrus

As much as it pains me to not see the Phillies in this World Series, it is about time some of the players on these teams became household names.

No Such Thing as Superstition

So now I'm convinced. Being superstitious is a waste of time, it is not real. I never really thought that it would really make a difference but playing the game of baseball for my whole life gives way to giving in to superstitious habits now and then. So its only typical that I carried them over to watching my beloved Phillies. But to no avail, they've (the superstitious habits) failed me. Wearing certain shirts on certain days. Not wearing my alternate Phillies colored hat on gamedays. Not going on twitter during the game. How I sit during the game. Yea, all those tendencies failed me. They failed me last year when the Phils lost in the World Series and I bought into them again this year. What was I thinking?

It was as if I could help the Phillies win. As if I did something wrong when they lost. I screwed up the equilibrium in the universe that affected Citizen's Bank Park all the way from State College. I know it sounds ridiculous because it IS ridiculous. And now I'm done. Whatever is meant to be will happen (which is something I've also believed in since I can remember (I'm a hypocrite?)).

Guess what else I thought prevented the Phillies from doing well? Blogging. So for the few that had been to this top-notch blog before, that my buddy TJ and I started over the summer, I bet you were wondering where we had gone. Well, I've returned and am hopefully here to stay. Part of the absence was due to laziness and then a ridiculous amount of schoolwork. But when I did feel like blogging, I couldn't pull myself to do it because I was semi-convinced that it would prevent the Phils from doing well. Done with that, whatever is meant to be will happen. Which brings me to why Giants won this series.

First lets get this out of the way so you don't think my bias and bitterness is playing into the post: the Giants played really well and beat the Phils fair and square. They are the National League champions and I'm not taking that away from them. Congratulations and all that.

But there isn't one position player that I would rather have on the Philllies that is on the Giants. You could make a case for Buster Posey, but right now, at this point in their careers, give me Chooch from Monday to Sunday. On paper the Phils should have taken care of business in four or five games. The talent on each roster within each pitching staff is comparable, but at the plate, it isn't even close. Look at the lineups, Pat Burrell was hitting cleanup at one point for the Giants. He wouldn't even start for the Phillies. But games aren't settled on paper.

The Giants caught some breaks in this series. The Phils started off by hitting a few balls well off of Tim Lincecum but they were at fielders and playable. Cody Ross who didn't have a great average against the Phils in 2010 (in a handful of at-bats from being with Florida) was picked up in late-August. He was only picked up by San Francisco because they didn't want their division rival, Padres, to acquire him. What did he do this series? Just set the tone in game one with two homeruns off of the eventual 2010 Cy Young award winner, Roy Halladay. That's it. A game in which Halladay didn't get a called strike three that would have ended the fifth inning against Pat Burrell. Burrell then doubled off the wall to score a run and Juan Uribe then followed with a groundball single that scored Burrell's pinch runner, Nate Shierholtz. Tough loss.

In game three Cole Hamels made a good pitch with two outs that Babe Ross just hit into left field for an RBI single. The pitch was away and somehow Ross pulled it. Not especially good hitting but it worked out. Aubrey Huff then hit a seeing-eye groundball that just got past Chase Utley that scored another run. Later in the game, with two outs Utley misplayed a humpback liner to secondbase that was somehow ruled a single. Tough breaks. Tough dinky hits. Cole shouldn't have surrendered any runs that game but it happened.

Game four included Joe Blanton giving up his usual first inning run, this one on a RBI groundball single with two outs. Later in that game, Jayson Werth hit a ball right on the button with two men on and less than two outs that was directly to the rightfielder. Anywhere else in that spacious outfield, both runs would have scored. Neither runner ended up scoring. A couple innings later, when the Phils had the lead, Chad Durbin was facing Pablo Sandoval, who at the end of the season and thus far through the playoffs couldnt tell a baseball from a paperclip. His struggles were well documented by both television networks covering the games but he decided to remember how to hit just once with two men on, as he disposed of Durbin's fastball into the left-centerfield gap. The Phils would eventually chalk up a loss when the heaviest shortstop in the big leagues hit a walkoff sacrifice fly to cap a rally which was started by an Aubrey Huff seeing-eye groundball single. Bummer, or should I say Bumgarner.

image courtesy: Associated Press, yahoo.com

Which brings us to tonight's heartbreaker. The Phillies kept their game five momentum going right into game six as they were right on Jonathan Sanchez scoring two runs off of him in the first. But Sanchez, the pitcher, then singled right through Chase Utley's arms to start the third. After an Andres Torres single off the wall (one which Victorino almost made a great catch on) and a Freddy Sanchez sacrifice bunt, Aubrey Huff singled on a groundball that scored a run. With two outs, Roy Oswalt would then get Buster Posey to hit a tapper down the thirdbase line that Placido Polanco threw away. Game tied up. After the heavy shortstop, who was playing third, homered off the rock solid Ryan Madson to take the lead, the Phils looked like they had something cooking in the bottom half of the eighth. But Carlos Ruiz hit one right on the screws to Aubrey Huff who doubled up Victorino. If you watched, you know the rest of the story. It pains me to type it out.

Giving up groundball singles, hitting balls well that don't fall, and not hitting with runners on base basically sums up the series for the Phillies. They didn't get the two-out RBIs that they needed and the Giants caught some breaks. That's what happens when things are going well for a team, breaks. Heck, I'll admit the Phillies caught some in 2008 on the way to being World Champions. But now I know what it is like to be on the other end of things. It is saddening and it doesn't feel fair. But the game of baseball isn't exactly fair, which is why we love it.

Fantasy Quick Draw: Top 15 Running Backs

*Below in an article I wrote for Digital Sports Daily that has yet to be published.  I will probably have to edit it quite a bit before it goes up on that site, but I wanted to post the original version as well.*

Here are the Top Fifteen running backs to target in your upcoming Fantasy draft. Again, all statistics and points rankings are courtesy of ESPN.com, and are consistent with the scoring settings kept in ESPN standard leagues.

15. Ryan Mathews (SD)
2009 Stats: N/A
2009 End of Season Rank: N/A
DSD Spin: Ryan Mathews is a huge risk for fantasy owners. Norv Turner seems to believe the rookie can carry the majority of the load, but it will likely cost you a second or third round pick to get him. Mathews could cripple you just as easily as he could carry you.

14. LeSean McCoy (PHI)
2009 Stats: 637 rushing yards; 308 receiving yards ; 4 TDs
2009 End of Season Rank: 39th
DSD Spin: With Westbrook gone, McCoy is the guy in South Philadelphia. However, Pro Bowl fullback Leonard Weaver will certainly vulture some goal-line carries, and don’t forget that newcomer Mike Bell will need to be fed too.

13. Chris “Beanie” Wells (ARI)
2009 Stats: 793 rushing yards; 143 receiving yards ; 7 TDs
2009 End of Season Rank: 31st
DSD Spin: All signs indicate a breakout year for the former Buckeye. Kurt Warner’s retirement will force Coach Ken Whisenhunt to rely a bit more on a stud out of the backfield. And let’s just say “stud” isn’t a word I would associate with Tim Hightower.

12. Cedric Benson (CIN)
2009 Stats: 1,251 rushing yards; 111 receiving yards ; 6 TDs
2009 End of Season Rank: 15th
DSD Spin: Benson’s productive 2009 looks like an aberration until you remember one thing: he was supposed to be this good all along. If he can stay focused and out of trouble, there’s no reason Cedric Benson shouldn’t be able to replicate last season’s work.

11. Shonn Greene (NYJ)
2009 Stats: 541 rushing yards; 0 receiving yards ; 2 TDs
2009 End of Season Rank: 55th
DSD Spin: The Jets ran the ball over 600 times last season. A possibly washed up LaDainian Tomlinson could crash the party, but my guess is that Greene will be trusted with a sweeping majority of the carries, with a possible exception being in certain goal line packages.

10. Ryan Grant (GB)
2009 Stats: 1,253 rushing yards; 197 receiving yards ; 11 TDs
2009 End of Season Rank: 8th
DSD Spin: After a lackluster 2008, Ryan Grant bounced back last season by approaching 1,500 all-purpose yards and boasting a double-digit touchdown tally. The Pack drafted some promising offensive linemen in April, so Grant’s stock rises modestly.

9. DeAngelo Williams (CAR)
2009 Stats: 1,117 rushing yards; 252 receiving yards ; 7 TDs
2009 End of Season Rank: 13th
DSD Spin: The situation in Carolina is frustrating from a fantasy standpoint. An injury to Stewart would probably launch Williams into the Top Five, but as it stands right now, you can’t be too sure what you’re going to get from DeAngelo on Sundays.

8. Rashard Mendenhall (PIT)
2009 Stats: 1,108 rushing yards; 261 receiving yards ; 8 TDs
2009 End of Season Rank: 14th
DSD Spin: Mendenhall’s 2009 effort was impressive for a second year player, but it’s gut check time. The Steelers’ passing attack will be weak for at least the first four games, so let’s see what Rashard’s stats look like when defenses stack the line a bit more.

7. Michael Turner (ATL)
2009 Stats: 871 rushing yards; 35 receiving yards ; 10 TDs
2009 End of Season Rank: 22nd
DSD Spin: I don’t really see a whole lot to worry about concerning Turner’s production. That is, except injuries…and Jason Snelling…and Ovie Mughelli…and Tony Gonzalez at the goal line…wait a minute.

6. Steven Jackson (STL)
2009 Stats: 1,416 rushing yards; 322 receiving yards ; 4 TDs
2009 End of Season Rank: 10th
DSD Spin: Good player, bad team, blah, blah, blah. Steven Jackson may be the best fantasy running back in history that no one is ever excited to have.

5. Frank Gore (SF)
2009 Stats: 1,120 rushing yards; 406 receiving yards ; 13 TDs
2009 End of Season Rank: 6th
DSD Spin: Gore missed almost 3 full games last year, but was still able to score thirteen times to his owners’ delight. Newly acquired Brian Westbrook will certainly be used on some passing downs, but make no mistake, Frank Gore is getting the rock almost every time, and even more often in the red zone.

4. Ray Rice (BAL)
2009 Stats: 1,339 rushing yards; 702 receiving yards ; 8 TDs
2009 End of Season Rank: 4th
DSD Spin: The case against Rice: he’s small, last year was his only relevant fantasy year to date, and there are bigger guys in Baltimore’s backfield to handle goal line duties. The case for Rice: those same arguments were used to justify not taking Chris Johnson in the first round last year.

3. Maurice Jones-Drew (JAX)
2009 Stats: 1,391 rushing yards; 374 receiving yards ; 16 TDs
2009 End of Season Rank: 3rd
DSD Spin: MoJo’s consistency is reflected by the touches he gets in Jacksonville. Last year, Jones-Drew ran the ball over 300 times, caught 53 passes, and scored 16 times. If you have the number one pick in your fantasy league, you should at least look at this guy. If that league happens to be PPR, look at him twice.

2. Adrian Peterson (MIN)
2009 Stats: 1,389 rushing yards; 436 receiving yards ; 18 TDs
2009 End of Season Rank: 2nd
DSD Spin: Don’t be thrown by Chester Taylor’s departure or by Toby Gerhart’s arrival. Peterson is Option A in every running scenario, and only injury will keep that trend from continuing this fall.

1. Chris Johnson (TEN)
2009 Stats: 2,006 rushing yards; 503 receiving yards ; 16 TDs
2009 End of Season Rank: 1st
DSD Spin: Slightly higher risk and slightly higher reward than the Vikings’ Peterson. Were all of those touchdowns outside the twenty yard-line a fluke? Maybe, but do you really want to find out the hard way?

On the bubble: Jonathan Stewart, Knowshon Moreno, Ronnie Brown, Jamaal Charles, and Matt Forte.

Fantasy Quick Draw: Top 15 Wide Receivers

In the spirit of fantasy football season, here is an article I wrote for Digital Sports Daily last week, which can also be found here.

Here are the Top Fifteen wide receivers to target in your upcoming Fantasy draft.  Statistics and points rankings are courtesy of ESPN.com, and are consistent with the scoring settings kept in ESPN standard leagues.

15. Vincent Jackson (SD)

2009 Stats: 68 receptions ; 1,167 receiving yards ; 9 TDs

2009 End of Season Rank: 9^th

DSD Spin: Jackson will miss at least a quarter of this season.  However, if you’re in a position to field a good starting squad and still snag him later in your draft as a gamble, it could pay off big time.

14. Sidney Rice (MIN)

2009 Stats: 83 receptions ; 1,312 receiving yards ; 8 TDs

2009 End of Season Rank: 8^th

DSD Spin: See Favre, Brett.

13. Anquan Boldin (BAL)

2009 Stats: 84 receptions ; 1,024 receiving yards ; 5 TDs

2009 End of Season Rank: 24^th

DSD Spin:  After an off-season trade, Boldin finds himself in a run-first offense with a quarterback that’s not exactly known for dialing it up.  Still, he’s an extremely talented Number 1 Receiver playing for a Super Bowl contender. Not the worst of situations.

12. Greg Jennings (GB)

2009 Stats: 68 receptions ; 1,113 receiving yards ; 4 TDs

2009 End of Season Rank: 20^th

DSD Spin: How much longer will Donald Driver haunt the dreams of Greg Jennings owners? 

11. Calvin Johnson (DET)

2009 Stats: 67 receptions ; 984 receiving yards ; 5 TDs

2009 End of Season Rank: 23rd

DSD Spin: Injuries and an inexperienced quarterback kept Megatron in check last year.  He’s gotten healthy, and the Lions have certainly improved their offense in the offseason, but a lot of Johnson’s return to prominence depends on Matthew Stafford’s arm.

10. Steve Smith (CAR)

2009 Stats: 65 receptions ; 982 receiving yards ; 7 TDs

2009 End of Season Rank: 18^th

DSD Spin: Smith didn’t play Week 17, but in his final three games of the season, the Carolina wideout caught 3 TD passes, averaged 100 yards receiving, and established a great rapport with young QB Matt Moore.  Smith is still likely a viable WR1 in most leagues.

9. Marques Colston (NO)

2009 Stats: 70 receptions ; 1,074 receiving yards ; 9 TDs

2009 End of Season Rank: 13^th

DSD Spin:  There are a lot of guys to feed in that Saints offense, but Colston is a deep threat as well as a red-zone target.  He’ll get his.

8. DeSean Jackson (PHI)

2009 Stats: 63 receptions ; 1,167 receiving yards ; 12 TDs

2009 End of Season Rank: 4^th

DSD Spin: A change under center, a relinquishing of some kick returning duty, and an impending contract squabble are all reasons to be wary of D-Jax in 2010.

7. Miles Austin (DAL)

2009 Stats: 81 receptions ; 1,320 receiving yards ; 11 TDs

2009 End of Season Rank: 3rd

DSD Spin: Last year, Miles Austin had 5 catches for 81 yards and one measly touchdown after the first quarter of the season.  But from Week 5 on, the young Cowboy averaged slightly less than a touchdown per week, all while racking up 1,239 receiving yards.  The jury is still out on whether or not he can even come close to duplicating that kind of production this season.

6. Roddy White (ATL)

2009 Stats: 85 receptions ; 1,153 receiving yards ; 11 TDs

2009 End of Season Rank: 7^th

DSD Spin:  White started and finished strong in 2009, and may be one of the more underappreciated wide receivers in the NFL. 

5. Brandon Marshall (MIA)

2009 Stats: 101 receptions ; 1,120 receiving yards ; 10 TDs

2009 End of Season Rank: 10^th

DSD Spin:  Marshall is a guy who will single-handedly win weeks for you in head-to-head PPR leagues, and if he doesn’t wear out his welcome in South Beach like he did in the Rocky Mountains, he’ll be that guy in every league.

4. Larry Fitzgerald (ARI)

2009 Stats: 97 receptions ; 1,092 receiving yards ; 13 TDs

2009 End of Season Rank: 5^th

DSD Spin: With all the talk of a 2010 decline due to Matt Leinart’s inheritance of quarterbacking duties in the desert and the loss of Anquan Boldin, owners would do well to remember that Fitz is one of the Cards’ most dependable red-zone targets.

3. Reggie Wayne (IND)

2009 Stats: 100 receptions ; 1,264 receiving yards ; 10 TDs

2009 End of Season Rank: 6^th

DSD Spin: Wayne has been a model of consistency since the decline of the Marvin Harrison days in Indy, but will his unhappiness towards his contract affect that?

2. Randy Moss (NE)

2009 Stats: 83 receptions ; 1,264 receiving yards ; 13 TDs

2009 End of Season Rank: 2nd

DSD Spin: In a consensus “down” year last season, Moss tied Fitzgerald with the most TD grabs in the league while still racking up over 1,200 yards receiving. The dismal running back situation should ensure that Randy stays elite.

1. Andre Johnson (HOU)

2009 Stats: 101 receptions ; 1,569 receiving yards ; 9 TDs

2009 End of Season Rank: 1st

DSD Spin: He’s paid, he’s healthy, and he’s still number one. 

On the bubble: Mike Sims-Walker (JAX), Steve Smith (NYG), Chad Ochocinco (CIN), Dwayne Bowe (KC), and Michael Crabtree (SF).

Calling Out My Peers

Tonight, I was in attendance at Citizens Bank Park for Roy Oswalt's debut in red pinstripes. He did not dissapoint, with seven strong innings while working out of jams all night. Ryan Madson and Brad Lidge then put together impressive eighth and ninth innings, respectively. The Phillies came out victorious in a well-played 2-0 victory over the Dodgers.

As I am walking down the ramps after the game was over, I hear Eagles chants roaring down the ramp as well. As I shook my head, I heard others yelling back at the lost fans, "You're at a Phillies game!" I even saw a child, no older than eight, yell at them (much respect to that kid).

I became quite annoyed, embarrassed, and ashamed of some of my fellow Philadelphia fans. It is one thing to be singing the Eagles' fight song during the Scott Rolen/Terry Francona era in September. But this isn't 1999 anymore. The Phils didn't lose tonight. Heck, Brad Lidge didn't even allow a runner. Especially at a ballpark in which the Phillies would show Flyers highlights in between innings during the Stanley Cup. They have shown respect to other teams in the city, I would think our fanbase was smart enough to show some respect for our Fightins. But there are some clueless fans who are still going to go and yell such things. But I'm calling them out. Their "fanhood" is lacking. And I'm embarrassed for them. Violation.

WASTE PITCHES
Other random thoughts...

-Everyone is overreacting to the Todd Herremans Twitter fiasco. For those who aren't aware, Herremans, an Eagles offensive lineman, had tweeted about how he was dissapointed that a television series drew him in to enjoy two seasons and then introduced a homosexuality aspect to the next season. After talking with the Eagles, he then tweeted an apology. But I don't think that was necessary. He may disagree with the decision that someone has made to be a homosexual, but that doesn't mean he hates the person. To make a sports analogy, it is like disagreeing with a someone's choice to be a fan of the Cowboys, but that doesn't mean that one hates the person. You shouldn't have to apologize to that person.

-How about the job that Charlie Manuel has done this season? While the Phils seem to be in a competition with the Red Sox to see who can send more guys to the disabled list, Charlie has seen about forty different players enter games in Phillies' uniforms. He and his ballclub only sit two-and-a-half games back of the Atlanta Braves in the division. He may make some calls that get second-guessed occasionally but the guy doesn't get enough credit in my opinion.

-Is it crazy to say Cole Hamels should have fifteen wins?

--Dan

State of the Phillies

No panic button, yet.

Momentum is an important companion to keep on your side. Coming into the All-Star break, the Phillies had the momentum and the "swagger" they've needed to spring them into playing winning baseball again. But, in a four game series against the below-average Cubs, the Phils lost three of four games. Roy Halladay, the ace of the pitching staff, was lit up for his worst start of the season and the offense is in a major funk. The only game they won in the series was handed to them by a circus inning lead by Cubs closer Carlos Marmol, who walked five in two-thirds of an inning.

While watching this club play, they don't seem like they're playing with any fight. Their at-bats aren't disciplined and their fielding has become sloppy, both aspects usually being strongsuits for the team. It looks as if they are trying to guess which pitch is coming and where the pitch is going to be, rather than just reacting. They're thinking too much in the field and making dumb mistakes. They don't seem relaxed and don't seem to be going out every night and just playing ball and letting their instincts take over. In the past, they've always seemed to play with a chip on their team shoulder. Whatever that is, they need to find it again, and fast. While I am not in panic mode quite yet, I'm getting dangerously close. It isn't just that they are losing games, it is the fashion in which they lose.

As bad as it seems, they are only five and a half games back in the division and only two games back in the wild card, and they seem to be hanging around. But play must improve if October baseball is in the plans. Here are a few concerns that will play into the fate of the 2010 Fightin' Phils...

Over the past three years or so, the front office has actually done a great job bringing in the right players during the season. Jamie Moyer, Tad Iguchi, Kyle Lohse, Joe Blanton, Matt Stairs, and Cliff Lee are among the talent Pat Gillick and Ruben Amaro have brought to Philadelphia midseason. Not many other clubs can make the same claim. Well, its time to make another move because this team needs a jolt.

Amaro has said countless times that if he had to choose between pitching and an infielder, he would trade for a pitcher. But with a big contract, I don't see Roy Oswalt joining the Phils unless the Astros and Ed Wade eat some of the contract money. Even then, I don't think the Phillies have minor league talent the Astros would be looking for. Take a look at another man in that rotation though. Yes, Brett Myers. With a smaller contract, Myers has been pitching very nicely for the irrelevant Astros. He's got personality, energy, and a filthy curveball. And I would take him back. I'd rather have him than the Jeremy Guthries and the Jake Westbrooks of the world.

I listen to a lot of sports talk radio. There are many calls about dealing Jayson Werth for a big time pitcher such as Oswalt or Dan Haren. But what would Werth do for the Astros or Diamondbacks, who clearly aren't going anywhere this season. A free agent after the season, Werth would most likely walk from either team and all they would earn is another first round pick. If I'm a team like Houston or Arizona, I want top prospects in return for my ace, so if Jayson Werth is involved in a deal, a third team would have to be involved.

But don't be so quick to ship Werth out of Philly just yet. Apart from being the only right handed power bat in the Phils lineup, he brings the whole package to the game everyday. He can run, field, and throw. He provides protection for Ryan Howard, and if he ever gets back to his most successful approach to the plate (driving the ball the other way) he would become the feared hitter he was last year.

Even if Werth were to be traded, who do you replace him with? John Mayberry Jr. isn't performing well in the minors. And if blue-chip prospect, Domonic Brown, were to be called up, it would look like a panic move and all the pressure would be put on the kid as the hopeful saviour. He wouldn't have been eased into the Majors and if he fails, it could screw with the kid's head, which is a dangerous thing to mess with in this sport.

That assumption may not be any more obvious with the Phillies right now. If they can't find a way to relax and play their game, making the playoffs is going to be a reach. Although, I've seen this team do some extraordinary things and they're a tough team to count out.

2010 NFL Projections, Part I: The Bottom of the Barrel

It's July.  We're still weeks away from even being able to watch meaningless football, let alone the NFL regular season.  Fantasy football strategies and protocols are percolating, but almost all leagues are still a ways away from the unofficial drafting window, which lies between mid-August and Labor Day Weekend.  So with nothing real to sink their teeth into, writers and fans are left with a pastime as American as the game itself: speculation.  In the spirit of the season, I present to you the first installment of multi-part projection of the 2010 NFL Season.  We begin with the basement:


32. Buffalo Bills
Notable Arrivals: C.J. Spiller (RB), Torrell Troup (DT), Naaman Roosevelt (WR)
Notable Departures: Terrell Owens (WR)

No one circles the wagons quite like the Buffalo Bills. Unfortunately for their fans, that doesn't seem to be a good thing, as the Bills haven't qualified for the playoffs since the Music City Miracle in 1999.  Between 2008's misleading 5-1 start, Leodis McKelvin's fumble to squander both a fourth-quarter lead and an upset bid against the perceived powerhouse New England Patriots last year, and questions surrounding the team's future in Buffalo, or lack thereof, the Bills organization has certainly seen better days.  What's worse, things seem like they could get worse before they get better, as Buffalo failed to address their most glaring weakness in the offseason. The carousel of ineptitude that is the Bills quarterback situation showcases a largely ineffective de facto starter in Trent Edwards, a young project that hasn't shown much through limited opportunity in Brian Brohm, and Levi Brown, a seventh-round draft pick out of Troy University.  Although Buffalo looks formidable in the backfield with the addition of C.J. Spiller to complement Marshawn Lynch and Fred Jackson, the strengths pretty much end there.  Rumored to be heartbroken when the Broncos surprised most by drafting Tim Tebow late in the first round, Buffalo will struggle until one of their quarterbacks can raise their game to the professional level, or until they successfully draft one to be the future of the franchise.

***Projected Finish: 2-14 ; 4th in AFC East ; No Playoffs***

31. Carolina Panthers
Notable Arrivals: Jimmy Clausen (QB), Brandon LaFell (WR), Ed Johnson (DT)
Notable Departures: Julius Peppers (DE), Jake Delhomme (QB), Muhsin Muhammad (WR), Ma'ake Kemoeatu (DT)

Runner-up to the slot for the worst team in the league may be a little harsh for a Carolina Panthers club that won four out of its last five games to close out the '09 campaign, especially considering that two of those victories came against the eventual Super Bowl champions, the New Orleans Saints, and the team they defeated to get to the big game, the Minnesota Vikings.  Undrafted quarterback Matt Moore and superstar wideout Steve Smith looked to be building a strong rapport, which led to substantial success on a team level.  That being said, this Panthers team is drastically different from the one that suited up Week 17 against those Saints.  I, just like you, witnessed Jake Delhomme transcend the limits of incompetence before he was benched in favor of Moore (or he got hurt, I don't remember.  I was going to look it up, but then I remembered I was writing about Jake Delhomme).  But, the fact remains that Delhomme was the leader of the team for the better part of seven years, including a surprising trip to the Super Bowl following the 2003 season.  Losing him, along with one of the most fierce pass-rushers in the league in Julius Peppers, will certainly shake up a roster that may not quite jell right away.  But back off the ledge, Panther nation, for there is a lot to be excited about here.  After almost every NFL team chose to pass on Fighting Irish quarterback Jimmy Clausen for reasons ranging from stupid to just plain silly, the Panthers nabbed him with the 48th overall pick. Despite uncertainties about Clausen's attitude, his talent is very real, which is why many NFL experts and idiots who decided to make a sports blog when they were bored one day alike tend to agree that the Notre Dame product could catapult Carolina back to relevance sooner rather than later.  Hell, it could even happen this year.  Probably not, though.

Clausen (above) was probably the steal of the draft.  Unless he's actually terrible.

Image courtesy of Jacobx's Weblog (http://jacobx.files.wordpress.com)

***Projected Finish: 3-13 ; 4th in NFC South ; No Playoffs***

30. St. Louis Rams
Notable Arrivals: Sam Bradford (QB), Mardy Gilyard (WR), Bobby Carpenter (LB), Chris Hovan (DT), A.J. Feeley (LOL)
Notable Departures: Marc Bulger (QB), Isaac Bruce (WR), Alex Barron (OT)

The Rams are going to suck.  Moving on.

***Projected Finish: 3-13 ; 4th in NFC West ; No Playoffs***

29. Cleveland Browns
Notable Arrivals: Jake Delhomme (QB), Seneca Wallace (QB), Colt McCoy (QB), Joe Haden (CB), Sheldon Brown (CB)
Notable Departures: LeBron Ja Derek Anderson (QB), Brady Quinn (QB), Jamal Lewis (RB), Donte' Stallworth (WR), 

Not included above is probably the most notable arrival of all for tortured Cleveland...The Walrus.  Mike Holmgren's title within the organization is technically 'president', but I personally think 'emperor' is more accurate.  They hired GM Tom Heckert to help out in addition to deciding to keep Mangini on the sidelines, but make no mistake; This is Holmgren's show.  The Browns did exactly what they needed to do during the offseason by cleaning house and stockpiling draft picks.  They secured a temporary solution to their quarterback problem by bringing in Jake Delhomme and Seneca Wallace, both of which could be halfway decent.  They drafted Colt McCoy in hopes that after a season or two of tutoring from the veteran newcomers, he will be the future of a Browns organization that has been painfully irrelevant since it's reinstatement to the NFL in 1999.  The Browns know that to make any kind of noise this season will be highly unlikely, but the addition of McCoy and the stellar play from running back Jerome Harrison last season instills hope that the team isn't many years away from morphing into a contender.  The Indians traded away reigning AL Cy Young winners in back-to-back years.  And you certainly reserve the right to be incensed over the LeBron debacle, Cleveland fans.  But as for the Browns...try cautiously optimistic.

***Projected Finish: 4-12 ; 4th in AFC North ; No Playoffs***

Look for Part II later this week.

-TJ

Midsummer Classic Memories

"Remember that time that Pau Gasol just let Dwight Howard take a jump shot in his face?"

"Remember the time the NFC tried to pull off that ridiculous play that wouldn't get a lick of thought during the season?"

"How bout that time that both the East and West had double digit goals?"

The answers to these should be along the lines of either, "nope" or "yea, well, that happens every year." The Pro Bowl and the All-Star games in the NBA and NHL aren't as significant to the American people as Major League Baseball's midsummer classic. Sure, America is all about show and star power. But along with that comes the appreciation of hustle and heart. The other All-Star games simply lack the effort that this country enjoys.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that the MLB All-Stars are the only ones that try. But reasonably, in the other All-Star showcases, you rarely see a lot of effort on the defensive end. But baseball is different. There aren't any destinations that your team is working the ball towards. No endzones. No nets. No baskets. Which makes it a lot tougher to slack off.

Its a tough concept to explain. In the MLB All-Star game, no pitcher is trying to groove a fastball and no batter wants to strikeout and take a walk back to the dugout. Sure, the game isn't what it used to be. The players don't have the same pride in their leagues that players of the past once had, due to the cases that players move around between leagues more frequently and they already play eachother in interleague play. But the effort is there because it still does matter to the players. And not because the winner gets homefield advantage in the World Series or "it matters" or "it counts" or whatever Bud Selig wants to call it.

The effort shown in the annual showcase of the league's superstars has its roots from past All-Star games. Growing up, whether player or fan, many memories are formed while watching the glorious game. Whether its our grandfathers telling us about the legends they were able to see play together. Or whether its our fathers telling us about how Pete Rose bowled over Ray Fosse. Its the memories that are handed down from our family that give us a reason to appreciate the game and form new memories of our own.

So I give you my top five All-Star game memories:

5. Remember when Torii Hunter robbed Bonds. It was the first inning of the 2002 game in Milwaukee and Barry Bonds hit a deep, high fly ball to right-centerfield and Torii Hunter went up and took it away. It was a fine play on the part of Hunter, who routinely took away homeruns. As Bonds went out to the field, some type of roid-rage took over and he grabbed Hunter and threw him over his shoulder. Well, probably not, but that's what I like to think. I was never a Barry Bonds fan as far back as I can remember so I was pleased to watch a homerun taken away from him.

4. Remember when Ripken switched back to his original position at short and then went yard in his final All-Star game. Alex Rodriguez hasn't done too much in his career that I applaud. But when he switched from his starting shortstop position to third base so Cal Ripken could play his original position, I thought it was so neat. Ripken then got the American League an early lead as his solo homerun a couple innings later put his team on top. He went on to become the MVP of the game.

3. Remember when Ted Williams threw out the first pitch at Fenway. In the 1999 All-Star game at Fenway Park, Ted Williams came out before the game to throw the honorary first pitch. The crowd erupted and I remember that he was then introduced at Fenway as the greatest hitter to ever live (which I agree with, along with Babe Ruth).

2. Remember when Pedro mowed down the NL's best. In the same year, at Fenway Park and as a member of the Red Sox, Pedro Martinez started the game on the mound for the American League. He started the first inning by striking out the side with some of his best stuff (Barry Larkin, Larry Walker, and Sammy Sosa). He then went on to strikeout Mark McGwire to start the second inning and then Jeff Bagwell two batters later. Those are some impressive hitters and potential Hall of Famers.

1. Remember when they played fifteen innings in the last All-Star game at Yankee Stadium. In the best All-Star game that I've ever watched there were some very memorable plays. Both teams grinded out runs with stolen bases and sacrifice flies. It was the way the game should be played. Pitchers were able to work out of jams all game long. Dan Uggla made two or three errors that never ended up hurting the squad as they picked him up. Nate McClouth made a great defensive play and he threw out a runner at home in extra innings. Russell Martin made a great scoop at home on a force play. To end the game, I remember Brad Lidge was on the mound in the midst of a perfect season, and gave up a sacrifice fly to Michael Young to get the AL the walk-off win.

And I'm ready to take away some more memories tonight...

Quick thoughts on George Steinbrenner
As much as I hate the Yankees, I find some kind of respect for a guy like Steinbrenner. He would do whatever it took to win, in a literal sense. Due to the fact that he wasn't the owner of my team, I hated that he could do what he did. The things he did for the Yankee organization were extraordinary. Hate him or love him, you had to respect him. My prayers are with the Steinbrenner family.

RIP George Steinbrenner

--Dan

American League Contenders

Post-Cliff Lee Deal, Pre-Trade Deadline

I woke up Friday morning to a text from a friend about Cliff Lee joining the Yankees. I then checked Twitter and read numerous updates from Buster Olney about Lee to New York. I continued to turn to all sources and grabbed the remote. I turned on the television and everything pointed towards the Yanks acquiring Lee. My heart sank. After all Lee had done for the Phillies and the city in the short span of time he spent here, I did not want him to go to the team and city that dethroned my beloved Phillies from World Series champions. I then began to type a new post about what the Yankees rotation had just become. I didn't get too far before I decided to finish at a later time. That afternoon, either talks between the Yanks and Mariners stalled or the Rangers offered a better deal and the M's backed out of New York's offer or something along those lines. What matters is that Lee didn't end up wearing pinstripes.

He's a Texas Ranger. One of Nolan Ryan's Texas Rangers. He's the Nolan Ryan type. A horse that doesn't come out of the game until he is done. Tonight, he didn't have the best outing, but I'll guarantee that he will not toe the rubber every night and give up three homeruns. He's going to give whatever team he is playing for every pitch. He's just what the Rangers need to catapult their club from contender in the AL West to possible AL pennant winner. The move by Texas changes the complexion of the American League. The Rangers, already with a cushion in the West, shouldn't have trouble conquering their division. But here are my thoughts on the rest of the American League (keep in mind a lot of team transformation can take place between now and the trade deadline).

Tampa Bay Rays
I have always thought the Rays to be somewhat pretenders. No doubt they have the talent to compete for not only a second division title in three years but even a World Series championship. Their pitching staff leads the AL in ERA anchored by David Price and Jeff Niemann. The Rays are still staying more than afloat at only two and a half games back of the Yankees in the division, even with Carlos Pena hitting a nickel over the mendoza line. It all depends on what type of move they make before the trading deadline and how the still relatively young team reacts to that move. BJ Upton rumors had been swirling while Lee was still available but have since quieted. Upton, also struggling at the plate, could be moved for a pitcher. I had counted the Rays out all year in 2008. Think I've learned my lesson? Nope. If they prove me wrong again then I might become a believer.

Detroit Tigers
Miguel Cabrera has been on a tear the whole first half. Austin Jackson and Brennan Boesch have also adjusted to the big league level well with .304 and .343 averages, respectively. But Justin Verlander has really been the only consistent starter this year for the staff and Joel Zumaya is out for the rest of the season. Then what happens if Miguel Cabrera goes into any type of funk? And what happens when other teams find weaknesses in Jackson and Boesch? Too many potential downfalls for the Tigers.

Los Angeles Angels
When the Angels walk-off win a little while back by Kendry Morales turned into a limp-off win, I thought they'd make a trade for a run producer. That didn't happen and Mike Scioscia's club has found themselves four games back in the division and even further back in the wild card, seven games. If Scott Kazmir could pitch like the Angels thought he would, it would give them a much better chance. If the Angels turn a deal for an arm and a bat, they could make a little run, but as I've stated earlier I think the AL West is the Rangers' division this season.

Chicago White Sox
This team has been hot since interleague play has started and the pitching has stepped up since Jake Peavy went down with an injury. The resurgent Alex Rios and recently announced All-Star Paul Konerko may need some help with the production though. Carlos Quentin is hitting .240 (but has been improving) and Gordon Beckham is posting a pitiful .208 average. They could still use a bat before the deadline. Adam Dunn has been rumored to be of interest by Chicago. But the Nationals aren't sure if they want to move him. If I'm Kenny Williams, I push hard for Dan Uggla or Kelly Johnson because who knows when the Red Sox, Rockies, or Phillies make a deal for one of those two. This team can hang around until the end but they may not be able to take the division if they don't grab some help.

Boston Red Sox
The only other team that is more battered and bruised than the Phillies is the Red Sox. And they've still won at least fifty games at the All-Star break. The Sox are plating the most runs per game in the AL. Offseason acquisitions Marco Scutaro and All-Star Adrian Beltre have been paying off with the injuries to Jacoby Ellsbury, Dustin Pedrioa, Victor Martinez, and Mike Cameron (another offseason addition). I assume that Theo Epstein will be able to land a bat and another starting pitcher. Whether a secondbaseman or an outfielder remains to be seen. But assuming they make a deal, I think that the nine (ahh DH, 10) taking the field every night will be able to hold down the fort until some of their wounded soldiers return.

Minnesota Twins
In a "down" season for Joe Mauer in which he is hitting .293 with only four homeruns, Justin Morneau has certainly picked up the slack. Morneau is third in the league in batting average and has driven in fifty-six runs. At four games back in the division, I don't see the Ron Gardenhire managed club worried about that quite yet. It is hard to put the Twins down because they are a scrappy club that plays the game the right way. They put together good at-bats and field the ball well. They haven't given me any reason to not favor them yet.

New York Yankees
Let's be honest. The Yanks are going to win the East. Especially now that Javier Vazquez is pitching as they had hoped. Alex Rodriguez and Mark Teixiera have seemed to found their swing again. Robinson Cano is playing like an MVP candidate. His approach at the plate is much different this year. He seems to be more patient and it has paid off for both himself and the team.

--Dan

Oh, and I'm by no means a soccer fanatic. In fact, you could even call me a United States bandwagon fan and I wouldn't be bothered. But I've really enjoyed watching the World Cup for the most part. Here's my prediction for the game tomorrow.

Netherlands 2
Spain 1

Robin van Persie is the difference.

The Decision

As a casual NBA fan and someone who, for the most part, is genuinely annoyed by the "LeBron Watch" era of sports news, it's still hard not to speculate where James will end up.  The general consensus is that it's a six-team race:

Category I: We have the cap space, but that's about it.

6. LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS

LeBron James wants to be the name of all names.  He will play second fiddle to no one on this planet, which is why you can all but cross the Clips off the list.  Not only would LeBron not be the center of the basketball universe on Los Angeles' other basketball team, but he wouldn't even be the main attraction of a city that breathes Kobe Bryant.  Not going to happen.

5. NEW JERSEY NETS

The Brookly...excuse me, New Jersey Nets, are intriguing.  With an ownership team consisting of hip-hop legend Jay-Z and a Russian billionaire who openly admits his love for the game of basketball doesn't extend nearly as far as his love for women, and lots of them, the Nets look like a dream come true for any up-and-coming star.  There's just one problem: they play in New Jersey...for now, at least.  You better believe that ownership wants the Nets to move to Brooklyn, and that yesterday wouldn't nearly be soon enough.  For the present though, New Jersey is not a serious option for James.  Proximity to New York and young players like Devin Harris and Derrick Favors are appealing, but LeBron wants to win, too.  The story would be drastically different if the New Jersey Nets became the Brooklyn Somethings overnight.  The King of Kings County? Possibly. But LeBron James, the pride of...Newark, New Jersey? Probably not.

Category II: Sorry, I couldn't hear you over how awesome our city is.

4. CHICAGO BULLS

The Bulls aren't far from contention. You could do worse than playing alongside the likes of Derrick Rose, Joakim Noah, and 80 million dollar newcomer Carlos Boozer. You could do worse than playing in the third largest market in the United States.  You could do worse than playing in front a crowd that witnessed the Michael Jordan era...or could you?  Because if the King signs the dotted line to spend the rest of his career in Chicago, rest assured the comparisons to the Airman would be nothing short of incessant.  "It only took Jordan X games to do this, but it's taking LeBron X + Y." The Bulls are a real option for James, but only if he's alright with being the Second Coming of something that already transcended legendary sports lore.  And I don't think he is.

3. NEW YORK KNICKS

If the city of New York had a husband, LeBron James is the equivalent of her personal trainer who has openly and intensely flirted with her for the past three years.  The New York apparel, the ads in New York newspapers, even  the custom shoes commemorating the Yankees 27th World Series championship are all indicative of one thing: LeBron James likes New York.  Even though the amount of money James makes is absurd as it is, putting on the Knicks uniform will put his endorsement revenue through the ceiling.  But as appealing as I'm sure the fame and money can be, I truly believe LeBron when he says he wants to win.  And unless I'm a total sap (and I might be), he's not going to New York.  

Category III: The Superteam...sort of.

2. MIAMI HEAT

Chris Bosh, Dwyane Wade, and LeBron James is one hell of a trio, plain and simple.  Assuming all three make the amount of money they're supposed to, the Heat will essentially be filling the rest of their roster with guys who will play for the veteran minimum.  I don't consider myself a huge NBA fan.  I don't claim to know the game as well as many others do.  But in order to build a winner, don't you need role players off the bench?  Don't you need guys that aren't even close to superstars, but make much more than the minimum?  Didn't the Lakers need Derek Fisher?  Didn't the Celtics need Eddie House and James Posey in 2008?  I'm sure it's true that James, Bosh, and Wade would all enjoy playing together.  I'm sure it's true they'd take less than the max so it wouldn't be necessary to move Michael Beasley.  But as far as 'superteams' go, doesn't this one look like fool's gold?  If LeBron wants to go where his chance to win multiple titles is highest, then Miami it is.  But this is no 1927 Yankees team.  I know the Heat would be good, very good, but would this be enough to lure LeBron away from home?  My guess is no.

Category IV: The Favorite

1. CLEVELAND CAVALIERS

Michael Jordan didn't need to run away from Chicago to win six NBA titles.  Kobe Bryant didn't need to run away from Los Angeles to win five.  Admittedly, I don't know if LeBron cares that he'd be running away from Cleveland if he left, all I know is that he would be. So what if he goes to Miami/New York/Chicago and wins three titles in four years?  He'll always be known as the superstar that needed to scamper somewhere else to get it done.  What's more, is that Northeast Ohio is James' home.  Don't be fooled by the glitz and glamor of New York or the hallowed basketball ground of Chicago; LeBron loves his home state.  When you're so far in the black, does it really matter if Nike tosses you a few extra sheckles to put the Knicks jersey on?  I don't think so, but I guess that's far easier to say when the money isn't inches away from your face.  Do I think LeBron is a saint? No.  Do I think he's one of the good guys? Hardly.  Do I think he's completely enveloped in his own ego and self-worth? Absolutely.  But that doesn't mean he doesn't want to go down in history as the greatest who ever played the game of basketball.  LeBron James' best shot at immortality is to stay home and play for the Cleveland Cavaliers. 


-TJ

LeBron: Save Cleveland, Save Yourself

Why LeBron needs to stay in Cleveland and why ESPN has made it all a tired act...

Last night I received a text alert from ESPN that read "LeBron James plans to announce decision of free agency Thursday at 9 p.m. ET on ESPN." Right off the bat I thought, "you have got to be kidding me." ESPN, The Worldwide Leader in LeBron, was all over this, setting aside all and clearing way for the King.

How much of a joke has ESPN become with the NBA? Sure, there are a good handful of great NBA free agents, but most of the leading stories every morning are about Dwayne Wade in the back of a car in Chicago and which teams visited LeBron today. They push the NBA so hard because they host the NBA playoffs and finals on their own networks. FOX has baseball and the NFL while NBC and VERSUS host the NHL playoffs. The NBA playoffs were driven into viewers corneas and highlights of the NHL playoffs were kicked to the third tier of Sportscenter stories. To raise their ratings, they overhype the whole Association and its' stars (i.e James). I'm suprised they let Skip Bayless rip LeBron every 1st and 10 episode.

Other than ESPN, who crowned LeBron the greatest player ever? He's a heck of an athlete and an exceptional basketball player. I know a lot of it goes towards what the media has become with Twitter, 'round the clock coverage, etc. But there comes a point when you have to look at what he has won. Oh, nothing.

I am not trying to be too critical here, at this point in Michael Jordan's career, he had only won his first title (FYI: Jordan is the greatest ever in my opinion). But once Jordan entered the league, the Bulls never missed the playoffs while Jordan was with them for a full season, and don't forget about the six championships. LeBron and the Cavaliers missed the playoffs his first two years in the league and still haven't won anything. Even when the Cavs front office went out and got some help for LeBron, he still failed to bring a championship to the poor city of Cleveland.

That's poor in more ways than one. A city which is struggling with both their unemployment rate and their sports championship drought, needs LeBron--and LeBron needs them too.

If he goes on to walk away from the Cavs, he would break the hearts of the Cleveland fans, and leave some unfinished business behind. His job when brought to the Cavs was to win the city a championship. It seemed so fitting that LeBron was drafted to the closest NBA city to his hometown. It has been expected of LeBron to win it and if he went on, left the city this summer, and didn't finish his job in Cleveland, a lot of respect would be lost for the man.

Say LeBron were to team up with another/other top tier free agent(s) and win it all, it would not be his championship like Jordan had won his six or like Kobe Bryant had won his past two. Basketball is the only sport in which you can succeed with one superstar and a plethera of decent players. Championships in basketball can reasonably be viewed just as much as an individual feat when there is a superstar on the team rather than a team feat.

If LeBron joins Amar'e Staudemire at Madison Square Garden with the Knicks or migrates south to Miami to play with Wade and Chris Bosh and then wins a championship, he didn't do it by himself.

--Dan


image courtesy: http://www.panoramio.com/photo/21359161

Starting Whineup

When Charlie Manuel was asked whether or not he was relieved this past Sunday morning after he had made his All-Star selections, he replied by reluctantly agreeing and then countering with something along the lines of, “but now the second-guessing starts.” Well Chuck, here’s a bit of defense.

Joey Votto, one of the biggest All-Star snubs in recent memory, should be a part of this game. Actually, he shouldn’t only be playing, he should be starting. Charlie Manuel has been criticized for taking “his guy” over Votto. Manuel’s guy, Ryan Howard, should be in Anaheim as well this year. Put the blame for this one partially on the players and Major League Baseball itself. The players’ ballot had elected Adrian Gonzalez, who is having the fourth best year among National League first basemen. And Major League Baseball had told both Manuel and Joe Girardi to choose a reserve for the roster that can play multiple positions as a utility man. Manuel went with the Braves’ Omar Infante, who has half the at bats as most of the All-Star starters. This ended up taking away another roster spot away from a more deserving player.

Apart from the likely situation that Charlie Manuel was taking Howard to the All-Star Game no matter what, I do have a Charlie conspiracy theory on this whole topic. It came about when Votto flipped his bat on a game tying homerun last week while the Phillies were in Cincinnati. For those who are unfamiliar with the manner of the game, flipping your bat is seen as showing up the pitcher, other team, etc. The game wasn’t even over when he did it, and then the Phillies got the best of the Reds in extra innings that night. The next day Votto crushed a ball that was way inside from Roy Halladay in the right field bleachers in a heart breaking loss for the Phils. Philadelphia went on to lose two out of three to the Reds and then lose two of three to the lowly Pittsburgh Pirates before Manuel’s decisions were made Sunday morning. Is it possible that a frustrated Charlie Manuel decided to show up the player that had showed up him and his team? The possibility is not very likely. But you never know with Manuel, he’s a one-of-a-kind person and as a Phils fan, I love the guy.

In the end, what should have happened is that Votto be named the starter, Albert Pujols would have then been voted in by the players, and the manager would have taken his guy. Fan voting is always going to put guys like Derek Jeter, Albert Pujols, and Chase Utley in the starting lineups, and if Major League Baseball wants fans to play a part in the selection process then this is basically the only way it is going to be done because having fans vote on the bench players is lame. It is a crying shame in some, if not the majority of situations. In the spirit of what should have happened, here is who should be starting this summer’s All-Star Game.

National League

Catcher
Wrong: Yadier Molina
Should be: Miguel Olivo

First Base
Wrong: Albert Pujols
Should be: Joey Votto

Second Base
Wrong: Chase Utley
Should be (and is): Martin Prado (who will be starting due to Utley’s injury)

Shortstop
Correct: Hanley Ramirez

Third Base
Correct: David Wright

Outfield
Correct: Andre Ethier
Correct: Ryan Braun
Wrong: Jason Heyward
Should be: Corey Hart

American League

Catcher
Correct: Joe Mauer

First Base
Wrong: Justin Morneau (tough one)
Should be: Miguel Cabrera

Second Base
Correct: Robinson Cano

Shortstop
Correct: Derek Jeter

Third Base
Correct: Evan Longoria (although it was very close with Adrian Beltre)

Outfield
Correct: Josh Hamilton
Correct: Ichiro Suzuki
Correct: Carl Crawford

Designated Hitter
Correct: Vlad Guerrero

The fans were right on the money for the American League (eight for nine) but in the National League, they only provided the NL lineup with half of who deserved the starting spots.

One of the newly instituted rules for the All-Star Game is that, regardless of the whether the game is in a NL or AL stadium, there will always be a designated hitter in use. Charlie Manuel gets to choose from Adrian Gonzalez, Ryan Howard, Scott Rolen, Corey Hart, Matt Holliday and some others for that starting spot. This spot should definitely go to Corey Hart, especially with the production numbers that he is posting this season. However, I wouldn’t be surprised at all if Manuel stuck Howard in that spot.

In last year’s All-Star Game in St. Louis, Manuel showed some favor to his players by starting Shane Victorino when Carlos Beltran went down and adding Jayson Werth to the team after the rosters were announced. I was slightly surprised to see only three Phillies on this year’s roster. Manuel realizes that not many on his team are playing at an All-Star level.

Another snub for this year’s All-Star Game is Braves’ closer Billy Wagner. Instead of Wagner, Manuel brought Reds’ lefty specialist Arthur Rhodes. Rhodes is having a phenomenal season but this is Wagner’s last year (or so he says) and to go along with the miniscule earned run average, he actually earns the saves for his team. However, due to the perception that Wagner’s career in Philadelphia ended on a sour note, I wouldn’t be surprised if Charlie didn’t take Wagner for the way things ended. He had said that the Phillies had no chance to make the playoffs while he was still on the team in 2005. It was a small mess and Phillies players called out and confronted Wagner and he will never be appreciated in the city of Philadelphia. Thatta boy Chuck.

--Dan