Clippers and Knicks Make Statements As NBA Kicks Off

The NBA season finally got off the ground yesterday with a full slate of games on Christmas Day that featured a number of intriguing match-ups including the Miami Heat taking down the Dallas Mavericks in a rematch of last year's Finals; defending MVP Derrick Rose and the Chicago Bulls pulling out a victory over the reeling LA Lakers; Kevin Durant dominating Dwight Howard and the Magic as well as two statement victories made by the Lob City Clippers and the New York Knicks.

Thanks to a 37-point outburst from SF Carmelo Anthony the Knicks came from behind with a strong 4th quarter performance to take out the aging Boston Celtics 106-104. The Knicks trailed by 8 heading into the final frame but outlasted 31 points from PG Rajon Rondo before Anthony sunk a pair of free throws with 0:16 remaining to put the Knicks ahead for good. The Celtics had a chance to tie it up late but Kevin Garnett's game-tying attempt clanked off the rim. With the addition of C Tyson Chandler the Knicks expect to take another step toward contending for a Championship this year and pulling out a win over rival Boston will go a long way to accomplishing that goal. It is clear these teams don't like each other as evidenced by a number of scuffles that broke out throughout the game (also sweet suit Baron Davis).

The final game of the night featured the debut of Chris Paul, Blake Griffin and the new look LA Clippers outlasting Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors. Lob City was on display early and often as Paul and fellow newcomer Chauncey Billups ran the offense with tremendous efficiency setting up Griffin and C DeAndre Jordan for some thunderous dunks that set the tone for the game and the season to come. Paul dished out 9 assists and dropped 20 points of his own while Griffin and Billups combined for 43 of their own. Paul in particular took over in the 4th after a slow start (7 points on 1 of 6 shooting in the first half) to sink his final 6 shots as the Clips pulled away late in route to a 105-86 win. While the start was hardly spectacular it showed me something that we haven't seen in the Clippers in a long time, perhaps even ever. The Clippers did not play their best game by any stretch of the imagination but still dispatched a fairly talented Warriors team without too much effort. The Clippers were the superior team last night and going forward I think that really bodes well for their quest to win the West. I can't wait to see what this team has in store.

Top 50 Sports Plays of 2011

Cardinals Sign Carlos Beltran To Help Replace Albert Pujols, Good Luck With That...

The defending World Series Champion St. Louis Cardinals and free agent OF Carlos Beltran have reached an agreement on a 2-year deal worth $26 Million. The Cardinals made the move to help bolster a lineup that will be without the service of Albert Pujols and his bat for the first time in more than a decade. Beltran is slated to be the Cards' Opening Day right fielder come April. Beltran, now 34, had something of a resurgent year in 2011 batting .300 with 22 HRs and 84 RBIs.

I have to say I'm glad that Beltran is still able to get it done considering how shaky his knees had become during the end of his Mets tenure. Beltran impressed everyone last year with his ability to stay healthy and durable over the course of the year while producing offensively near a level that we hadn't since from him in several years. He also made the transition from CF to RF rather seamlessly after the team came to realize that his fielding range wasn't quite what it used to be when Beltran was winning Gold Gloves out there. Knowing he was playing for a contract likely contributed to his success and his year was good enough for the Mets to be able to trade him to the San Francisco Giants for a top prospect, something analysts thought would be impossible at the beginning of the season.

The question becomes will Beltran be able to hold up for another full year now that he's gotten paid? The Cardinals are going to ask a lot of Beltran to be a significant contributor to the middle of their lineup day in, day out. I have a feeling that Beltran will have a successful first half of the year but that his legs will begin to fail him and he will be haunted by the injury problems that tarnished the end of his career in New York. Whether or not he struggles I really do wish him the best.

Somehow The Indianapolis Colts Still Own The Texans; Andrew Luck Sweepstakes Gets Interesting

After dropping their first 13 contests of the 2011 season (and looking decidedly unspectacular doing it) the Indianapolis Colts have managed to pull out back-to-back victories over the past 5 days. By winning those two games the Colts have taken themselves out of the driver's seat for earning the number 1 overall pick in next year's NFL draft. 2 weeks ago it had been a forgone conclusion that Indy would finish the season with the worst record, perhaps even 0-16, and would take Stanford QB Andrew Luck with that pick as Luck has obviously been the talk of the town since the start of the year.

In typical NFL fashion didn't do what everyone expected and now after bumping their record to 2-13, the Colts are tied with the St. Louis Rams and Minnesota Vikings for fewest wins in the league. Indy's second win came against the Houston Texans in a come-from-behind nail-biter. The Texans have never beaten the Colts on the road in Indy and their record in those games fell to 0-10 since the Texans came into the league in 2002. This was easily Houston's best chance to end the losing streak but they appear to be cursed. Down to their third QB and without the services of All-World WR Andre Johnson Houston could only manage 16 points against one of the league's worst defenses.

It will be interesting to see how the Andrew Luck Drama plays out. I think the Colts will do everything in their power to get Luck (despite what Peyton Manning thinks) regardless of whether the finish with the league's worst record or not. They are helped here by the fact that both the Vikings and Rams already have their QBs of the future on their rosters (Christian Ponder and Sam Bradford respectively) and if either of those teams ends up with the first pick they will be willing to make a deal with the Colts.

Former Running Backs Suing NFL Over Concussions

Former Pro-Bowl RBs Jamal Lewis and Dorsey Levens, along with two other former NFL players, have filed a lawsuit against the NFL alleging that the league intentionally withheld knowledge of possible dangers and long term effects of concussion related injuries from players and teams. All 4 players named in the suit report suffering ongoing symptoms related to sustaining concussions while playing including memory loss, headaches and sleeplessness. The players claim that the NFL was aware of the long term dangers of concussions as early as the 1920s and that it chose not to share this information with the league's players and coaches until June 2010 where the NFL finally acknowledged the health risks that had been plaguing former NFL players.

This lawsuit is the latest in a string of lawsuits that have been filed by former NFL players against the NFL relating to concussions during the past year. Since this past summer no fewer than 6 separate cases have been brought against the NFL, all of which allege some iteration of negligence and misconduct on the part of the NFL and that the league did not do everything in its power to protect the safety of its players. More than 100 former players are named in these lawsuits and it appears that all of them cite the fact that the NFL was aware of the damaging consequences that resulted from sustaining concussions but did not make an effort to warn players about these dangers which they now feel is the reason they are suffering so many concussion-related maladies in the post-playing careers.

It seems to me that much of the anger that is being shown on the players' side stems less from the fact that they didn't feel properly educated and treated while they were playing (even though that appears to very much have been the case) but instead comes more from the lack of treatment and care they have received from the NFL since they retired. This continues to be a growing issue for the NFL which has come under attack in recent years for failing to look after the well-being of its players after their playing days are over, most notably after former defensive back Andre Waters committed suicide and it was later discovered he suffered severe brain damage from concussions he sustained as a player that directly lead to the depression that ended up taking his life. Since Waters' death in 2006 more and more former players have come forward against the NFL and I can only imagine that will continue to be the case for years to come.

The NFL of course has made a point starting last season to mandate a safer form of tackling and limiting reckless play but obviously the long term benefits of that plan (which is a good one, despite what the James Harrisons of the world might say) will take many years to manifest themselves and between then and now expect to the NFL come under more and more fire.

59 Year Old Brenda Hewett Wins $50,000 Truck With Rink-Long Hockey Shot; In Seconds Outshines Every Athletic Accomplishment I've Ever Had

59 year-old Brenda Hewett recently drilled (relative term here) a hockey shot from the far blue line at a minor league hockey game to win a $50,000 truck in a giveaway during intermission. It's kind of amazing that Brenda Hewett is responsible for one of the more interesting things I've ever seen at a hockey game (minor league that is). In fact it is perhaps second only to a Baltimore Skipjacks game I saw as a kid where a guy snorted a gummy worm through his nose and out his mouth that was topped off by having his girlfriend eat it afterwards. Talk about commitment...

How Far WIll The Tebow-Train Go?

Denver Broncos QB Tim Tebow is easily the most talked-about figure in the world of sports right now hands down. I don't need to waste your time talking about his remarkable 7-2 record as a starting and his incredible string of dramatic come-from-behind victories that have captured the interest of a nation. Tebow is the most polarizing figure in football right now as his unorthodox skill set and limitations as a traditional passer have created so many haters its almost unbelievable. What's more unbelievable however is how he has continued to simply go out and play his best when the game is on the line. His best skill is that he is a winner and that his team believes in him. He is even more intriguing to the public at large because of his devout spirituality and his uniqueness as a player. All of this of course is old news to anyone who has turned on ESPN in the past two months. What I am interested in is asking where will this Tebow-mania go from here?

I've been one of Tebow's biggest biggest fans ever since I saw him play as an All-American in high school in Florida. I loved him at the University of Florida where he won two National Championships and the Heisman Trophy and delivered one of the most passionate speeches I've ever heard from a college player. In fact one of my very first blog posts was about Tebow and his NFL prospects. I bring all of this up because as one of his staunchest supports over the years, I still find myself doubting Tebow in games before he turns on the Tebow-Magic.

I've come to the conclusion that Tebow needs to be doubted in order for him to turn on that "invisible juice" at the end of games and pull out these miraculous victories that have become almost commonplace over the past few months. I feel that Tebow thrives on doubt and crunch time because when you watch the games where he's pulled off an incredible comeback (I'm thinking specifically of the amazing OT comeback win over the Chicago Bears two weeks ago) there is a palpable feeling that everything is going to fall into place once the magic starts to happen. In that Bears game the Broncos had been shut down all game long on offense and when Tebow took over trailing 10-0 with only about 4 minutes left even I thought he couldn't pull it off. Tim then of course lead a 2-minute TD drive and the Denver D was somehow able to get the ball back with about 45 seconds left (thanks to some of that "inexplicable" help from Marion Barber stepping out of bounds). Once Tebow got the ball back with a little time that magic feeling appeared I think everyone watching just simply knew that somehow, someway the Broncos were going to win. Kicker Matt Prater lined up for a 58-yard FG on the last play of regulation and there wasn't a doubt in my mind that he would miss. Then in overtime the Bears were heading in for a game-winning score but just when you thought Barber was going to break free for a game-sealing run he coughed up the football and Denver took over. After that it was a forgone conclusion they would win.

I talk about this because I feel that for Tebow to be at his best he needs to create that feeling that he is about to do something special. I think that when we start expecting him to win that this feeling will go away and he won't be able to find that magic. What this means going forward in my mind is that Tebow will go as far as his detractors will let. He has been aided by the fact that the Denver front office has guaranteed his position as the QB of the future and that he has to prove himself every week.

I'm confident that Denver is going to make the playoffs and that Tebow will have a least one magical moment in the playoff, if only in the first round. We saw last week against the Patriots that Tebow and the Broncos have yet to prove themselves against the best teams in the league and there is still a long way for Tebow's development as a QB to go. My prediction is that Tebow will continue to improve as a passer over the next couple of years and will reach a point where in order to advance his career any further he will have to put his magic on display against the best teams in the League and prove that he can compete for a Super Bowl. For all he has done this year he's not there yet, which is perfect I think because we as fans can enjoy Tebow-mania for a least a few more years to come.

Can New York Basketball Finally Be Relevant Again?

New York has long been of the best basketball markets in the entire country however this hasn't been the case in the past decade as the New York Knicks and New Jersey Nets have wallowed in mediocrity. Even when the Nets had a nice run early in the 2000s there simply hasn't been much, if any, fervor in a city where basketball has always held such a prominent place. In reality nobody has cared about the NBA in New York since Patrick Ewing and the Knicks of the 1990s were contending (but of course not winning) NBA Titles.

However at long last it appears that we may finally be seeing a turnaround as both the Knicks and Nets have positive outlooks for their prospects heading into the future. It started last year when the Knicks brought in talented forward Amar'e Stoudemire in free agency and then wheeled a deal to nab Carmelo Anthony away from the Denver Nuggets. The Knicks were forced to give away much of their depth and supporting players in order to get 'Melo and were bounced in the first round of the playoffs last year by the Boston Celtics. The Knicks added C Tyson Chandler in free agency last week, fresh off of winning a Championship with Dallas last year. Chandler is a legitimate 7-footer and adds the kind of defensive presence that they were sorely missing last year. The team is still lacking a reliable PG although the did sign veteran Baron Davis who should be a good pickup if he is able to recover from a back injury that will force him to miss the first 8 weeks of the season. If things can fall the Knicks' way this year (for once) then I foresee them taking another step toward contending for the Eastern Conference crown. Of course a lot of that depends on the health of Stoudemire's aching knees which will be vulnerable in the condensed 66-game season that will be a trial for players who need rest. Combine that with coach Mike D'Antoni's up-tempo style and the fact that D'Antoni's job is on the hot seat because of the steam-gaining rumor that Phil Jackson might return to coach the Knicks in 2012-2013 and we may see D'Antoni run Stoudemire into the ground early in the year (which happened last year after the Knicks over-performed in the first 5 weeks of the season) which could hurt the team heading into the playoffs.

The Nets are also an intriguing team to follow for the first time in god knows how long thanks to their eccentric, Russian-billionaire owner Mikhail Prokhorov (this guy plan to run against Putin for the Russian Presidency). The Nets pulled off a trade for All-Star PG Deron Williams last season and are doing everything in their power to try and pull of a trade for Orlando Magic C Dwight Howard who is simply the best big-man in the game right now. Howard has made it pretty clear that he wants out of Orlando and the Nets look like a great option (although the Lakers can still make a move here). Prokhorov and minority-owner Jay-Z have the Nets set to move to Brooklyn and take advantage of that fan base. What better way to sell the move than to bring in the best defensive player and dunker in the league and pair him with a top-5 PG in Deron WIlliams? If the Nets can somehow add Howard to their roster I am absolutely going to jump on that bandwagon on the ground floor when they move to Brooklyn. A resurgence of New York basketball could be just what the NBA needs to elevate itself in the public eye.

The NBA Returns Christmas Day

After a prolonged lockout that caused the NBA to shorten the season to 66 games because the season was postponed by nearly 2 months, the first slate of games for 2011-12 will tip-off Christmas Day. The lockout couldn't have come at a worse time as the NBA had just enjoyed one of its best seasons in the past 2 decades and perhaps even ever thanks to the emergence of a new crop of Superstars, like Derrick Rose and Blake Griffin, and an abundance of stories and drama headlined by everything involving the Miami Heat.

As the 2011-2012 season is set to begin I wanted to talk about a few things that are getting me excited and re-energized about basketball after so many uninteresting months since the Dallas Mavericks took home the TItle in June.

First off, CP3 and Lob City (aka the LA Clippers). The biggest news of the December offseason was the saga of Chris Paul and his eventual trade to the Clippers. I won't go into detail on my opinions of how out-of-whack that situation became and how I feel about Commissioner David Stern but as a result the Clips are going to be one of the most exciting teams to watch this year. Paul wasted little time wowing fans in his preseason debut against the Lakers a few days ago by nearly putting up a triple-double (17 points, 9 assists, 7 rebounds and 5 steals) in only 24 minutes. The biggest stat of the night however was that fact that the Clips were +26 in those 24 minutes. Paul is clearly the most talented PG in the league right now and it looks for all the world that he is going to have a monster season. Pairing him up with Griffin is going to make for one hell of a highlight reel all year. It also appears as though the addition of veteran Chauncey Billups will make that team that much better and I fully believe the Clippers will be a legitimate contender in the West this season and for years to come.

The emergence of the Clippers combined with the success enjoyed by Kevin Durant and the Oklahoma City Thunder may show the NBA a changing of the guard as the perennial powerhouses like the Lakers and Spurs are likely to fall back to the pack with their aging rosters.

In the East it will be fun to see a continuation of a Chicago Bulls - Miami Heat rivalry as those two teams proved to be head-and-shoulders above the rest last year. Reigning MVP Derrick Rose had an absolutely tremendous season last year and I want to see if he and the Bulls can progress enough to topple the Heat who, for all their hype and villainy, were the most interesting team to watch last year whether you loved 'em or (in the more likely case) hated 'em.

The NBA has gotten a bad rap in the past decade because of the dominance of Superstars and a falling out of the kind of fundamental, team-oriented game that makes NCAA basketball so enjoyable. Last year saw a return to the more entertaining kind and one can only hope that we see an improvement again this year.

FIBA Confirms NBA Players Can Play Overseas During Lockout

The NBA lockout has received far less attention than the NFL lockout, which is rather understandable. The NBA, while popular, cannot rival the following of the NFL as well as the fact that most sports fans are simply sick of lockouts. However, while the NFL lockout did no real damage as it was more of a move to make even more money, the NBA's situation is much more dire. There are a number of NBA that are actually losing money and would continue to do so under the old agreement. The NBA will likely miss a number of games this year as they did in 1999 when the season was shortened from 82 down to 50. It's unlikely yet conceivable that the entire season could be cancelled a la the NHL a few years ago.

Another very interesting wrinkle in the whole situation is the ability of NBA players to take their talents to European teams while the NBA is still locked-out. The vast growth and success of international basketball over the past 15-20 years has made the prospect of playing overseas much more appealing than in the past. European teams have already brought over NBA talents like Josh Childress and Brandon Jennings in the past few years as well as older stars like Allen Iverson. FIBA, International Basketball's governing body, recently decreed that any NBA player would be allowed to play for another team at their own risk of injury, provided they return to their team when the lockout ends.

New Jersey Nets All-Star PG Deron Williams has already reached a deal with a Turkish team that has also extended an offer to Kobe Bryant. With FIBA's recent sanctioning one would likely expect more NBA players to consider making the jump to earn a paycheck during the lockout. This adds an entirely new level to the debacle and will give the players more leverage during negotiations if they can make money elsewhere. It is also like to help augment the continued growth of international basketball in the future.

Bob Bradley Out As US Soccer Head Coach; Juergen Klinsmann In

The U.S. Soccer Federation wasted little time in find a Head Coach after firing former coach Bob Bradley early this week. Team USA will now be managed by German Juergan Klinsmann who brings a considerable resume with him both as a player and a coach for Team Germany. Klinsmann won a World Cup as a player for West Germany in 1990 and retired with 11 career World Cup goals. He also lead the Germans as a coach to consecutive World Cup semifinals in 2006 and 2010.

Klinsmann had been contacted twice before by the U.S. Soccer Federation to discuss possibly joining Team USA but the Federation chose to go with Bradley instead. Bradley had a promising start to his coaching career after the 2006 World Cup but failed to deliver beyond the Round of 16 in the 2010. Team USA continued their mediocre level of play into 2011 and capped Bradley's tenure with a 4-2 loss to Mexico in the CONCACAF Gold Cup final despite holding a 2-0 lead.

Whether or not the addition of Klinsmann will do anything to invigorate US Soccer remains to be seen but the move has certainly been received positively. Klinsmann will now have less than 2 weeks to prepare his team for their next contest August 10th in a friendly against Mexico.

(Also sweet picture, right?)

Carlos Beltran Traded To SF Giants

The Carlos Beltran trade finally went down this week as the New York Mets were able to move the slugger to the San Francisco Giants. Right now the deal appears to be as mutually beneficial a trade as you can find these days. The Giants sent top prospect Pitcher Zack Wheeler to the New York straight up for Beltran. The Giants have had absolutely no run production from their lineup this year after winning the World Series last year, ranking in the bottom half of nearly every offensive category. They have successfully added the best hitter available on the mid-season trading block.

The Mets on the other hand were able to get a top prospect for Beltran which is something few could have predicted coming out of spring training. Beltran was coming off of two years where he only played a combed 145 games due to injury and on top of that was only able to play 3 exhibition games this spring because of his ailing knee. As I posted earlier his surprising level of play this season made him the hottest commodity in July.

The Mets have played well above expectations this year considering all the team has had to deal with including the financial woes of team ownership and a bevy of injuries to their best players (Johan Santana, Ike Davis and David Wright). Right now they are on the fringe of the Wild Card race which made it a little harder for them to part with the services of Beltran but in the long run it was a move that had to be made.

Despite his ups and downs with the Mets I am happy to see Beltran has found a good home and greatly appreciative for his 6 1/2 years of service in New York.

Post-Lockout NFL Free Agent Free Frenzy

As expected the days following the end of the NFL lockout have been frantic to say the least. I get ESPN mobile alerts sent to my phone but usually I average no more than one or two a day at the most. Since 10 AM Tuesday morning I have received 73 text messages from ESPN NFL which is almost exactly 1 per hour.

Obviously there is far too much to talk about for this one post (for anyone interested in that you can find Adam Schefter on one ESPN network or the other a minimum of 6 hours a day) so I'll just highlight some of them major deals.

The biggest (and most long-awaited) trade finally took place on Thursday with the Philadelphia Eagles sending QB Kevin Kolb to the Arizona Cardinals in return for 25-year old CB Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and a 2nd round pick. The Eagles went with DRC over pursuing the big free agents Nnamdi Asomugha and Jonathan Joseph because of his age (25) size and speed (6'2", 189, 4.29 'nuff said) and perhaps most important the fact that he will only cost the team a little over $2 Million for the next two years, in other words about 10x less than Asomugha would run them. Kolb will finally get his chance to being the starting QB (wait haven't we already done this dance?) and got his big contract to the tune of 5 Years for $63 Million.

The New York Jets and New England Patriots have been making the most noise in the AFC. The Jets were able to bring back top WR Free Agent Santonio Holmes by giving him the largest amount of guaranteed money ever given to a receiver at $24. That huge bonus actually works in their favor however as Holmes' $50 Million contract will only count about $2.5 Million on this year's salary cap allowing them to aggressively pursue Asomugha. Nnamdi appears to want to play for the Jets and they clearly want him. The Jets will likely land the Star CB to pair Darrelle Revis this weekend but Asomugha will be sure to draw as much money from them as possible before that announcement is made. The Patriots made big moves in the trade market by first acquiring DT Albert Haynesworth from the Redskins for a 5th-round pick before adding WR Chad Ochocinco for two more late round picks. The Ochocinco deal appeared likely after it was clear Cincinnati wished to be free of the aging receiver's $6.5 Million contract but the Haynesworth move was surprising. The Redskins wanted no piece of Haynesworth and have to be happy they were able get at least something in return for him. More importantly perhaps they were happy to choose where he went rather than release him and have him sign with a team like the Eagles who play them twice a year.

Clearly there's more to come

Who Will Land Carlos Beltran?

The MLB Trading Deadline is rapidly approaching at July 31st and the biggest prize to emerge is RF Carlos Beltran of the NY Mets. The switch-hitting slugger has silenced many critics this year by returning to All-Star form after losing most of 2010 to offseason knee surgery. Beltran leads the Mets in HRs and RBIs and perhaps most surprisingly in 2nd on the team in games played this year answering questions about the durability of his knee.

Beltran is in the final year of the massive 7-year deal he signed with the Mets prior to the 2005 season. Despite his resurgence there is absolutely no chance the Mets will look to sign him after the season as they try to hold on to MVP-candidate Jose Reyes who is also in the final year of his deal. With no other hitters of his caliber readily available in the trade market it appears as though Beltran with fetch the highest price on the trading block, especially as it appears the Mets are willing to eat most if not all of his remaining contract for this year.

There is wild speculation on Beltran as many teams appear in need of another middle-of-the-order bat. The most prominent teams to surface have been the Phillies, Brave, Red Sox and SF Giants. The Mets are looking for a top-prospect for Beltran and it is becoming ever more likely that they will get it as GM Sandy Alderson will look to set up a bidding war for Beltran's services. Carlos has stated that he would prefer to stay in the NL but has also admitted that he will not veto any possible trades.

The Mets have played above expectations this year when you consider the time missed by stars David Wright, Ike Davis and Johan Santana but have most failed to get much about the .500 mark. Considering they play in a division with the Phillies and Braves who hold commanding leads in the Division and Wild Card races it is highly unlikely that the Mets will be able to contend as the year progress which would precipitate a Beltran trade all the more.

NFL Lockout Finally Over. Finally.

The NFLPA unanimously voted to approve a new Collective Bargaining agreement on Monday afternoon and in the words of NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, "Football is back"

With the deal's approval team can begin negotiating with their own free agents and draft picks this afternoon while trades and unrestricted free agency moves must wait until Tuesday afternoon, which is actually a day earlier than originally believed when the NFL owners first approved their deal last Thursday. Any trades or free agency transactions will not be made official until August 2nd when the league year officially begins but all term can be agreed upon.

That means get ready for the free agency frenzy we have all been anxiously waiting for since March.

All NFL training camps will open on a staggered basis as each team must report 15 days before their first preseason game so that all teams will have exactly the same amount of practice time. Teams will begin reporting on Wednesday and will continue through Sunday.

The only real casualties of the lockout then are the Hall of Fame game on August 6th, which was cancelled but traditionally serves as the opening preseason game of the year, as well as the fact that there will be no Hard Knocks on HBO this summer. And of course us fans who have been forced to wait out more than 130 days of locked-out football.

So really what was the point? In the end the owners got a little more money and the players got less practice time per season which would conceivably prolong their careers allowing players as a whole to earn more money.

Kevin Kolb and Larry Fitzgerald Workout Together

With the NFL Lockout seemingly in its final hours it looks ever more likely that the Philadelphia Eagles will send QB Kevin Kolb to the Arizona Cardinals as early as the possibly can. While certainly nothing is ever certain (see what I did there) in the NFL it would appear that Kolb to the Cardinals is as close to a done deal as you can get. It has even gotten to the point where Kolb and Cardinals' Star WR Larry Fitzgerald have begun working out together in preparation for the season.

Now of course there is nothing new to seeing players from different teams working out together during the offseason (especially when Kolb began his career spending the offseason working with Eagles' receivers at Donovan McNabb's Arizona home) this does at least indicate that Kolb and Fitzgerald expect to be playing together next season as much as the rest of us. Fitzgerald has already indicated his desire for the Cards to acquire Kolb and a deal between the two teams has become more and more likely since the Draft in April when Arizona chose not to address their need for a QB.

I guess perhaps the only reason this deal isn't a completely forgone conclusion would be that the rival Seattle Seahawks are also desperately in need of a QB and have shown as much interest in Kolb (if not more) as Arizona. I think it will boil down to which NFC West team is willing to give up more in order to get Kolb. The Cardinals have more to offer in terms of players (specifically Pro Bowl CB Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie) so the Seahawks would likely have to cough up a bounty of future Draft picks to get a deal done.

What this really means is that the Eagles are going to get a great return for trading Kolb whether it be immediate in the form of Rodgers-Cromartie or in the future with more picks. It also means that they will be in the market for a veteran QB to serve as punishment-prone QB Mike Vick's backup this year. Vince Young anyone?

NFL Owners Ratify New CBA; Players Still Upset

The NFL lockout is reaching it's fourth month but for the past week or two it appears as though there is a light at the end of the tunnel. Yesterday NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and NFL team owners voted overwhelmingly in favor of the new proposed CBA. However the NFLPA has not been quick to approve the deal on their side as they believe there are some smaller outstanding issues they that feel unhappy with and have not yet made a move to vote yet.

The current situation a bit confusing to say the least and requires some clarification. First the major issues of the CBA have be agreed due for over a week which include revenue sharing (and a $120 Million Salary Cap) between owners and players, a rookie wage scale, reduced offseason activity and practices and new free agency rules. The smaller issues that the players are citing revolve mainly around a supplemental revenue sharing program as well as benefits for retired players.

The key factor in understanding the discontent of the players is the fact that the owners ratified a proposal that had not been 100% agreed upon. Basically the owners made a final proposal to the players within the last week that apparently did not completely satisfy the NFLPA's needs. The NFLPA submitted submitted a counter-proposal with some changes to the smaller issues. The owners then addressed concerns of the players to some unknown degree. It was this deal that the owners voted to ratify on Thursday.

Essentially the owners made one last power-play against the players by certifying a new deal and placing all the pent up pressure from the public firmly on the shoulders of the Player's Association. In my opinion it was the nature of the owner's actions rather than the actual intricacies of the deal that drew DeMaruice Smith and the players' ire. Right now the end of the lockout is being held up by the players, which is exactly what the owners hoped to accomplish. However, while this may leave certain members of the NFLPA unhappy I do not think it will be enough to stop the some 1900 players for ratifying the CBA sometime in the next few days. Hopefully...

DeSean Jackson To Recruit Nnamdi Asomugha

Pro-Bowl WR DeSean Jackson is taking it upon himself to help the Philadelphia Eagles fill their most glaring hole by recruiting soon-to-be free agent (whenever free agency begins) CB Nnamdi Asomugha who along with Darrelle Revis of the NY Jets is considered to be one of the best corners in the NFL. The Eagles were mightily exposed on defense last year late in the season and no more so than in the corner back spot opposite Pro-Bowler Asante Samuel. Philadelphia gave up an astonishing 31 pass TDs last year and were killed in the red zone.

It is clear that the Eagles are going to make a run at the prized free agent who will command a massive salary. They didn't address CB until the 3rd round of the draft and have no one on the roster currently who could step in right away. They also have no really financial limitations as the typically frugal front office amassed a payroll of just over $80 million last season compared to other teams like the Jets who were close to $130 million.

Jackson and Asomugha both went to the University of California and DeSean has already begun pitching Philadelphia to Nnamdi starting at this year's Pro Bowl. On a Philadelphia-area radio show this week Jackson confirmed that he planned to follow up with Asomugha and continue to sell the former Raider star on the city of brotherly love. Asomugha is going to be the most highly sought-after free agent this year and it is shaping up to be quite a battle for his services.

Carlos Beltran Improves His Trade Value With 3 HR Day Against Colorado

2011 has so far been a season composed of around 66% bad news and 33% good news for the New York Mets. We all know about the financial woes of the ownership and the patchwork pitching rotation that is basically the exact opposite of what the Phillies have assembled. There has also been plenty of bad news on the injury front with top pitching prospect Jenrry Mejia scheduled to have Tommy John surgery, SP Chris Young having season-ending shoulder surgery and most recently 2nd-year Slugger Ike Davis was sent to the DL for an ankle injury. However despite all this adversity there have been some bight spots for the Mets.

The pitching has improved significantly since the Mets started the year 5-13, especially in the bullpen which hasn't allowed an earned run in almost 20 innings. Even closer Francisco Rodriguez is tossing some of his best ball in recent memory en route to racking up 10 saves in 11 chances.

On the offensive end we have seen a Renaissance in the career of Carlos Beltran who appears to have recovered from the chronic knee injuries that rendered him almost completely ineffective for the past couple of seasons. Playing RF this year Beltran has made significantly more starts than was expected of him after he battle arthritis in his right knee all spring. Beltran has been swinging a hot bat over the past 4 weeks or so and that power of old was on display yesterday as Beltran blasted 3 home runs against the Rockies in Coors field. Beltran now leads the Mets with 8 HRs and 24 RBIs and is hitting at a .295 average which is about 30 points higher than his career average.

Beltran is in the final year of his contract and with the Mets likely to flounder at around .500 this year it is becoming more and more likely that he will be dealt before the July 31st trading deadline. The Mets have missed this kind of production from Carlos over the past couple of unsuccessful years but fans can take some small consolation knowing the team should be getting something good in return this summer.

The Battle For The NBA Championship Is Taking Shape

This year's NBA playoffs have lived to up to all expectations after a terrific regular season that saw no fewer than 7 teams have a legitimate shot winning the NBA crown. With the first two rounds all but over and the Conference Championship Series set to begin next week it appears we have a thrilling fortnight or two of basketball before us.

The Eastern Conference has shaken down much as people expected it to with the Orlando Magic bowing out early to Atlanta, Derrick Rose and the Chicago Bulls making relatively easy work of the 5th and 8th seeds and of course the 2nd round showdown between the Miami Heat and Boston. I must admit that the Heat have impressed with their 4-1 series win over the Celtics. It should be noted that the Celts did not appear to play up to their usual standard of playoff excellence as they appeared old and injured and sorely missed Kendrick Perkins' presence in the middle. Having said that LeBron James and Dwyane Wade, with a little help from Chris Bosh, elevate their game from the regular season and basically beat the Celtics playing 3-0n-5. I was most impressed with Miami's 16-0 run to close out game 5 and win the series, they dominated the Celtics late and LeBron even hit a big 3 late to seal it. The Chicago-Miami matchup should prove to be one of the best Conference Finals we've seen in recent memory.

The Western Conference playoffs have seen a changing of the guard as the top-ranked but aging San Antonio Spurs were bounced in the first round by the surging Memphis Grizzlies who battle for their lives tonight against the Thunder in game 6 facing elimination. However more surprising than the Spurs fall or the Grizzlies elevation was the demoralizing performance of the two-time defending champion LA Lakers who were unceremoniously swept at the hands of the Dallas Mavericks. The Mavs exceeded expectations all year long but stepped their game to a new level against the Lakers and showed the rest of the league that they aren't as soft as they used to be. Fueled by resurgent play from Jason Kidd, the star-power of Dirk Nowitzki, the physicality of Wilson Chandler as well as 6th Man Jason Terry who is playing some of the best ball of his career right now (he went 9-10 from 3 in game 4 against LA).

If the Thunder can play their game than we should have two great series to watch as the Bulls, Heat, Mavericks and Thunder battle for a trip to the NBA Finals. I still maintain my prediction that the Thunder and Bulls will play for the Championship but even if I'm wrong this should be fun to watch.

Overcome By Injury, Tiger Woods Withdraws From TPC Sawgrass After 9 Holes

After coming close to his old form while making a final round charge at last month's Masters, Tiger Woods has been hobbled by injuries to his knee and Achilles. Woods had maintained that the injuries were minor but the former best golfer in the world was unable to play or practice before this week's TPC Sawgrass. Woods shot a dreadful 42 on the front-9 including a triple-bogey before he withdrew from the signature tournament. Woods was visibly limping and looked to be in pain from the very start.

Woods was suffering from a knee injury that he incurred last month. It was the same left knee that has required 4 surgeries since Tiger won his last major, the US Open at Torrey Pines in 2008. This was the 4th time in Tiger's career that he has withdrawn from a tournament that he has started and the first since he was forced to retire from last year's TPC in the final round with a neck injury. This was also the 4th time Tiger has shot a 42 or higher on a 9 hole stretch, 3 of which have happened in the last year.

Tiger's ranking recently fell to 8th in the world as he has failed to truly regain his former glory. Woods had been showing continuing signs of improvement this season and was stinging more about more flashes of brilliances together. However the debate remains whether Tiger will be able to catch Jack Nicklaus' record of 18 major championships which had been a foregone conclusion just 2 years ago.

Kevin Durant And The Thunder Advance To Second Round

If I haven't had the chance to remind you in person, I've been a huge fan of the Thunder this season especially since they made the deal to bring in Kendrick Perkins from the Celtics. Last night up 3 games to 1 in the series against the pesky Denver Nuggets, Durant and company showed why. Kevin Durant brought his A-game as he dropped 41 points including the final 9 for the Thunder as they came from behind to beat the Nuggets 100-97 and move on the second round.

The Nuggets were in control for most of the game and following an 8-2 late in the 4th held a 9-point lead with only 3:30 remaining. Over the final 3:30 of the game Durant outscored the Nuggets 14-6 by himself as he almost single-handedly show Denver the door. Last night Durant was the best player in the NBA which is was probably fueled by criticism stemming from OKC's game 4 loss in Denver where Durant struggled early and it appeared his running mate Russell Westbrook attempted to shoulder the load.

I am convinced the Thunder are going to become the team beat in the Western Conference as the Spurs, Lakers and Mavericks have all looked vulnerable in their round 1 series. In addition to the scoring prowess of Durant and Westbrook the twin towers of Perkins and Serge Ibaka (who is quickly becoming my favorite player) dominated the paint on defense and denied the Nuggets time and again in the game's final stages. Ibaka posted 9 blocks including one in the final seconds with the Thunder leading by 1. Durant will find some space after an inbounds on the next possession and hit a 19-foot runner to put the Thunder ahead by 3 with 12 seconds to go. Oklahoma City must now wait for the winner of the Spurs/Grizzlies series which was extended last night as the Spurs pulled in out in OT.

Is This Real Life? Mets Win 6th Straight

After a 5-13 start to the season that can be at best described as "pretty much expected" but more likely as "pathetic" after dropping 7 consecutive games in less-than-stellar fashion, the New York Mets have somehow managed to show a little life by winning 6 their last six games and clawing their record up to respectable at 11-13. The catalyst that has ignited the team has been the return of Jason Bay as the Mets started their streak upon his return. Bay is batting .391 in his six games with a homer and 3 RBI but has stabilized the team's lineup with a veteran right-handed bat in the 5-hole and given the team some consistency.

The recent success however cannot all be attributed to Bay. 2B Daniel Murphy who failed to win the starting job in the spring has come alive in recent weeks with his bat (including going 2-2 off the bench last night with a HR and 3 RBIs sparking a Mets rally) and has played above expectations in the field. RF Carlos Beltran and his arthritic right night and continued to improve all year and he has shown consistency at the plate and flashes of his old self in the field. Ike Davis has however has easily had the most success as he is riding a 9-game hit streak that has seen his average rise to .345 to go along with 4 HRs and 18 RBI.

Even the patchwork starting rotation appears to have shaken off their early rust as starters have gone at least 6 innings in 7 of the last 8 games. The bullpen has improved as well and Francisco Rodriguez has converted his last 6 save opportunities.

Finally the Mets' front office has also played it part by being quick to remove players who have not played up to par. Guys like Brad Emaus, D.J. Carrasco and Blaine Boyer have either been sent down or sent packing after poor starts to the year and these moves have allowed players like Murphy to help the team win. Anyone one who has had the (mis)fortune of following the Mets during the Omar Minaya era knows this is quite a departure from the days of sticking with Luis Castillo and his .231 average every day.

Obviously the Mets have been getting their wins off of teams like the Diamondbacks and the Nationals but keep in mind that just over a week ago fans like me were questioning if they could beat anyone so let's have our fun while we can. The Mets look to sweep the Nats tonight before a much tougher test this weekend against the Phillies.

NFL Lockout Lifted By Judge, Now What?

U.S. District Attorney Susan Richard Nelson ruled in favor of the NFL players on Monday thereby by lifting the NFL owner imposed lockout after the players filed an injunction rooted in antitrust violations. The NFL owners are in the process of filing a motion to appeal the ruling and are also seeking a stay on Judge Nelson's ruling until the appeal is heard which would likely occur sometime later this summer. This has left players and fans in a sort of limbo as the lockout has been technically lifted yet football operations have yet to begin.

After the ruling on Monday evening many NFL players ventured to their team's athletic facilities with the lockout no longer in place however a vast majority of them were turned away. It has become clear that the owners will not commence the league year until they are forced to by the courts (or in a much more unlikely event they reach a new CBA). In response to the owners action Judge Nelson has given them a deadline of 6 PM Wednesday to make their case as to why the ruling should be put on hold and the lockout kept in place.

What this means is that by as early as this evening we could see the lockout officially lifted and football operations taking place again. This could lead to a very chaotic period as the NFL Draft is set to begin on Thursday night and a number of major trades could start flying especially involving teams with QB needs and high draft picks. There are also around 500 players who are currently free agents and we could see a frenzy of activity as teams look to sign players as no one will know how long the lockout will be lifted.

Of course there is always the possibility that the stay will be granted and no player transactions can take place until much later in the summer. For now it is a waiting game.

Jalen Rose Is All Over The Place

Former Michigan and NBA Star as well as current ESPN basketball analyst Jalen Rose can't seem to stay out of the headlines recently. Rose's exposure shot up earlier this month after he was featured in the most recent 30 for 30 episode about the Fab 5. The documentary, which was one of the best 30 for 30s, generated criticism of Rose after he shared his feeling on the composition of the Duke basketball team in the early 1990s. Rose felt that the only black player who were recruited to Duke were "Uncle Toms" and specifically cited Grant Hill who grew up as the son of former NFL QB Calvin Hill. Rose said he resented Hill for having an easier childhood and felt that players like him from the rougher parts of the country weren't recruited by Duke.

Rose's comments did not sit will with Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski or Grant Hill as well as several other Duke alums. Rose has since apologized to the likes of Hill and stated that he was sharing how he felt as a hot-headed 19-year old Freshman at Michigan.

Rose returned to the spotlight this week after he ran his car off the road on his way to his Detroit-area home. Rose submitted to a BAC test at a local hospital after refusing a breathalyzer test and the result came back over the legal limit. Rose was cited for Drunk Driving and will have to appear in court in a few weeks. Rose issued a public apology yesterday.

Tennis: Novak Djokovic On A Roll, Andy Roddick In A Tumble

Serbian Tennis Star Novak Djokovic has been unbeatable this year, literally. The 23-year old moved to the Semis of the Sony Ericsson Open with a win over South African Kevin Anderson to extended his unbeaten streak to 24 straight matches, he is a perfect 22-0 in 2011. The Australian Open Champ has taken his game to another level this year and has his sights set on Rafael Nadal's World Number 1 ranking after supplanting Roger Federer for the number 2 spot earlier this year.

In other Tennis news Andy Roddick will relinquish his position as the top-ranked American player next week after his early exit from the same tournament. Mardy Fish who has reignited his career over the past 2 years surpass the soon-to-be 14th ranked Roddick and he reached the Semis with a win over 6 seed David Ferrer and could be ranked as high as 11th after the tournament. Unfortunately this also means that no American will be ranked in the top-10 and is endemic of American Tennis' failure to return to prominence after the retirement of Pete Sampras and Andre Agassi.

Also a random tidbit: In researching for this blog I came across a headline on ESPN.com's Tennis page that reads "Ferrer annoyed, lobs tennis ball at crying baby" I didn't actually read the article but just thought you should know. Europeans are sore losers I guess.

Opening Day Is Almost Upon Us

Spring Training is finally over and meaningful baseball will begin anew tomorrow afternoon when the Detroit Tigers take on the Yankees. Opening Day is always a momentous occasion that will carry on through Friday night. Optimism is high throughout the MLB (with the perennial exceptions of Pittsburgh and Kansas City) and there is no better time to be a fan of your team. As a Mets fan Opening Day has tended to be as good as it gets over the past couple of seasons although the Amazin's tend to stretch expectations out until mid-May or so.

As for the real contenders it's the usual cast of characters who are predicted to be playing October baseball. At least 98% of all baseball analysts have already penciled in the Phillies and Red Sox for the Fall Classic and rightfully as those two teams made the biggest splashes during the offseason after both teams won 90 games last year. In fact I'm a little disappointed in the baseball pundits of the world because I haven't come across a daring prediction for the 2011 yet. The 2010 World Series featured two teams in the Giants and Rangers who were mere afterthoughts heading into season. I don't know why but after last year's result I am annoyed that no one is making an call that require them to go out on a limb. Sure the the Phillies might have the best rotation ever on paper (also the have the best nickname thanks to the presence of Joe Blanton: Fat Joe and the Terror Squad) but they play the games for a reason and I can't wait to see which teams surprise and disappoint us.

Busted Brackets: VCU And Butler Reach Final Four

The Final Four are finally settled as VCU stunned number 1 seed Kansas in the Elite 8 and Kentucky knocked off North Carolina. The Final Four now features a pair of cinderellas in 8 seeded Butler who reached their second consecutive National Semifinal and the 11 seed VCU Rams. 4 seed Kentucky will play 3rd seeded UConn Kemba Walkers (sometimes referred to as Huskies) in the other semifinal.

It's safe to say that pretty much no one had VCU and Butler facing off in the Final Four or that this would be only the 3rd Final Four since the inception of the 64-team format that had no number 1 seeds. If you followed my March Madness preview then you were not at all surprised to see UConn and Kentucky make it through. In fact VCU just ruined what has become my most successful bracket ever as I cracked the top 10,000 on ESPN.com (out of 5.9 million that's not too shabby) but having Kansas win the National Title will cripple any chance of finishing in the top 1,000 or so.

It will be an interesting dichotomy as one side of the draw we have two of the most successful programs in college basketball history facing off while on the other we have two teams that nobody saw getting past the 2nd round. That means one of the small programs will play for the National Title and given how this tournament has gone we may very well see the 1985 Villanova squad's record for the lowest seed to win a title either tied or beaten next weekend.

Kemba Walker Shines Again On The Big Stage

Kemba Walker continued to build up his UConn legacy after leading the 3rd seeded Huskies to a 74-67 over number 2 San Diego State with a 36 point effort. Kemba took over in the 2nd half scoring 22 points and not allowing the Aztecs a chance to get back into the game. After seeming to fade down the stretch of the regular season the Huskies have rebounded in a big way. Kemba took over Madison Square Garden making history as UConn won 5 games in 5 days to win the Big East Tournament and earn a 3 seed. The Huskies will make their 10th Elite Eight.

Kemba Walker's play has single-handedly raised expectations for this UConn team that could not have foreseen this outcome heading in to the season. As a Junior Kemba leads one of the nation's youngest teams that starts 3 Freshmen and a Sophomore alongside the player of the year candidate. The Huskies last reached the Elite Eight in 2009 when they reached the Final Four and won their first ever Sweet 16 game where they were the lower seed. Kemba and UConn can't rest for long however as they await the Arizona Wildcats who dominated top seeded Duke in the 2nd half.

Buck Showalter Sounds Off On AL East

Baltimore Orioles Manager Buck Showalter sounded off this week in an interview with Men's Journal Magazine on his competition in the AL East. Showalter first followed up on last year's criticism of Yankee SS Derek Jeter accusing the Yankee Captain of constantly baiting umpires into making bad balls-and-strikes calls by sticking his butt out on pitches inside. Showalter was vocal about how irritated he is at the number of calls Jeter gets because of this and went so far as to yell at Jeter from the dugout last season. The verbal attack was clearly a coaching tool to show the young players of the Orioles that they shouldn't be afraid of anyone. The Orioles improved significantly when Showalter was hired mid-season last year posting a 34-23 record after going 32-73 to start the season. Showalter does have a valid point as Jeter is notorious for this type of gamesmanship but at the same time if it works why stop?

Showalter didn't stop there and went after the Boston Red Sox next by taking a jab at General Manager Theo Epstein. On the subject of the success of Epstein during the past off season Showalter responded,

"I'd like to see how smart Theo Epstein is the Tampa Bay payroll. You got Carl Crawford 'cause you paid more than anyone else, and that's what makes you smartes? That's why I like whipping their butt. It's great, knowing those guys with the $205 million payroll are saying, 'How the hell are they beating us?'"

I think it's pretty clear Showalter is taking a Rex Ryan approach to coaching but again he makes a solid point. With no salary cap in baseball, success in Free Agency has been reduced to how much money you can spend. MLB GMs, especially in the big markets like New York, Boston and Los Angeles, don't have to worry about maneuvering their payroll or making value based decisions personnel decisions yet they make more money than their counterparts in any other sport.

2 Reasons Why The NBA Has Been So Much Better This Year

The level of play, and perhaps more importantly the level of competition, in the NBA this year has in my mind far surpassed anything we have seen in at least the last decade. It's been a long time since we've seen so many intriguing story lines as well as legitimate contenders at once, especially in the Eastern Conference. Using my own blog as a barometer I've found that I'm putting up way more post about the NBA than I did last year because I'm so much more interested.

I believe there are two major reasons that can account for the increased entertainment value we've seen this year. First and foremost has been the Miami Heat, specifically the summer saga that lead to their assemblage of talent and the resulting fallout. The summer also contributed on different level with Team USA winning the FIBA World Championship for the first time since 1994. The FIBA tournament win was significant because the US team was devoid of the talent featured on the Olympic team like Kobe Bryant, LeBron James and Dwyane Wade. Instead it featured the young stars of the NBA whose games have significantly improved since this year across the board.

Team USA didn't have the same expectations it usually has for the Olympics because the World Championship has usually showcases the 3rd and 4th tiers of American talent while the stars hold out for the Summer Games. The team was lead by a 21-year old in Kevin Durant who was a terrific leader from start to finish and earned tournament MVP honors. However Durant wasn't the big story as he had already established himself as one of the game's top players the year before. Instead it was the maturation process of guys like probable '10-'11 MVP Derrick Rose, Russell Westbrook, Kevin Love, Rudy Gay and Andre Iguodala to name a few. The so-called "B-Team" went undefeated in the tournament and all six of the aforementioned players made the All-Star team this year. It has been a long time since so much young NBA talent has realized its potential all at the same time and the league is better for it. Teams like the Thunder and Bulls (who I foresee/hope will face off in the Finals), are title contenders because of it.

The other reason centers around the Championship Celebration that James, Wade and Chris Bosh held before the team had even practiced together. The Heat painted a giant bullseye on their backs and at the same time put a chip on every other team's shoulder. The Heat have become terrific villains (or heels for those in the know) and any team that beats them is put-over in the eyes of fans. The challenge of taking out the Heat has caused other teams to elevate their play and that has had a trickle-down effect on the rest of the league.

In years past it seemed that the first two rounds of the playoffs were entirely missable and the real action didn't start until the Conference Finals. This year the 2nd round may even be more entertaining as it could very easily feature 4 great series right down the line with matchup possibilities lake Thunder/Lakers, Bulls/Heat and Spurs/Mavericks; all of which are worthy of a Conference Finals matchup.

Knicks Lose 4th Straight, Fall Below .500

The New York Knicks dropped their fourth consecutive game to fall to 7-10 since acquiring Carmelo Anthony a month ago. Their latest defeat came at the hands of Dwight Howard and the Orlando Magic 111-99. In what is becoming a broken record the Knicks played well for most of the game leading at halftime and were tied early in the 4th. However they once again failed to stay with their competition at then end of the game and were done in by their lack of size.

Anthony dropped 24 points and chipped in a season-high 9 assists by counterpart Amar'e Stoudemire posted a season-low 13 points on 6-20 and could not stop Dwight Howard underneath. Howard continued his excellent play of late scoring 33 with 11 rebounds but that time of performance was to be expected when he had the likes of PFs Stoudemire and Ronnie Turiaf posing the only obstacles on defense.

The Knicks have been hurt by their lack of size all season and were minus-14 in that department against the Magic. I think the Knicks will struggle throughout the rest of the regular season against teams with good big men and expect an early exit in the playoffs at the hands of the Bulls or Celtics. I thinks it's fairly clear to everyone that the Anthony trade was made for the future and that the Knicks basically traded 4 quarters for 1 dollar. They were playing .500 ball before the trade (even worse if you take away their early 9-game winning streak) and should finish around .500 and in 7th in the East behind the 76ers.

I think for now Knicks fans will have to be content with the fact that they are building for the future. They need size and the auxiliary scoring sacrificed by giving up Danilo Gallinari and Raymond Felton but that can be added in the offseason. I believe the bigger question will be whether head coach Mike D'Antoni will be able to fit the pieces to together next to put together a well-oiled machine. The Knicks won't have the same makeup D'Antoni had in Phoenix and he has yet to prove that he coach any other kind of team.

Is Carson Palmer Going To Retire?

After a dismal 2010 campaign with the Cincinnati Bengals, QB Carson Palmer has had enough. Earlier this offseason Palmer was extremely candid when he voiced his desire to be traded and was adamant that he would retire rather than suit up for the Bengals ever again. Palmer cited the $80 Million he's been paid since being the number 1 overall choice in the 2003 draft after winning the Heisman at USC.

Regardless of the CBA situation Bengals owner Mike Brown responded to the Palmer situation earlier this week saying that he was not going to trade Palmer no matter what. So the question is where does this leave Palmer and the Bengals? Cincinnati have a severely disappointing season last year after winning the AFC North in 2009 and adding WR Terrell Owens. Palmer's play seemed to decline considerably last year as his interception numbers skyrocketed.

The logical thing to do in this situation in my mind (and likely in head coach Marvin Lewis' mind) would be to ship Palmer off as soon as the labor situation is resolved and draft a QB of the future in the first or second round in late April. The problem here lies with Mike Brown who is known to be overly involved with the football operations of his team despite not having the highest football IQ in the business. One only needs to review some of the coaching meetings from Hard Knocks 2 years ago to see that the "suggestions" he made to his coaching staff were pretty much ridiculous. If Brown wants to play hardball with Palmer he may leave his team handicapped without a QB.

I truly think that Carson Palmer is serious about retiring if he can't land somewhere else. At worst he would find himself in a situation similar to Brett Favre when he retired from the Packers but wanted to go to the Vikings.

Barry Bonds Perjury Trial Finally Begins, Claims He Didn't Know He Was Taking Steroids

Barry Bonds who was indicted for perjury during a 2003 hearing before a grand jury back in 2007 and his trial finally got under way this week. Bonds' defense has centered on the fact that he did not at the time know that what his trainer was giving him were steroids and he was simply ignorant. His defense has made him out to be a victim and cites that they key testimonies that will be brought against the slugger including an ex-girlfriend only came forward after their relationships with Bonds had soured.

The biggest news from the first day of the trial however came from Bonds' lifelong friend Greg Anderson who again refused to testify against Bonds and was immediately held in contempt. Anderson will be forced to spend the remainder of the trial in jail for his actions. This will be the third time Anderson will spend time in jail for refusing to testify against Bonds. Anderson was the go-between for Bonds and the BALCO lab that supplied Bonds with the PEDs he used.

The recommended sentence for the charges Bonds faces is thought to be around 15-21 months in prison but it is unknown how severely the court will come down on Bonds. Without the testimony of Anderson Bonds may be able to evade a significant sentence thanks to his high-priced defense team and lack of concrete evidence against him.

NFL Owners Vote To Move Kickoffs To 35-Yard Line

The NFL Owners meetings concluded yesterday with the owners passing a vote to move kickoffs from the 30-yard line to the 35-yard line citing the need to increase player safety. The reception of the rule change by coaches, players and former players has ranged from somewhat negative to "what the f*ck is wrong with them". The rule change will be significant as the number of touchbacks is likely to skyrocket and will greatly encumber many kick returners who rely on kickoffs to earn their keep.

The owners have stated that the move was made to reduce the dangerous head-on collisions that take place during kickoffs as they have been under scrutiny the last few years because of a growing understanding of concussions and their dangerous after effects. The is the second kickoff alteration the owners have made in the name of safety, they reduced the legal size of a blocking wedge to 2 men several years ago.

The many negative responses have cited the fact the most consistently exciting play in football is being taken away. There is merit to this argument as we will likely see a large increase in touchbacks next year as well a likely increased use of of the "mortar-kick" where the kicker attempts to kick the ball higher for more hang time which will be more effective will 5 more yards to work with. This move has seen the most success when used to stop the best returners in the game (the Philadelphia Eagles were the first team to successfully neutralize Devin Hester using this technique).

I will also be interested to see what happens in the college game as the NCAA moved kickoffs back from the 35 to the 30 a few years ago and now for the first time will have a longer kickoff distance than the pros. I really disagree with this move and believe that it unnecessary to make a drastic rule change to increase player safety. I think the most important thing that the league can do now is to encourage better education throughout all levels of football in order to teach better tackling technique to reduce head injuries. I believe the heavy fines the NFL began implementing last year will soon begin to bear fruit in terms of instigating a fundamental shift in they way players attack the ball-carrier.

P.S. Thank god they didn't mess around with punt returns

Phillies Interested In Signing Luis Castillo

In a move Mets fans have been expecting for close to 2 years now, GM Sandy Alderson announced the release of 2B Luis Castillo. The Mets will be forced to eat the $6 Million Castillo had left on his contract but in the long run will be glad to be free of the 35 year-old infielder. Castillo's contract along with the $12 Million owed to former 15-game winner Oliver Perez will be the lasting legacy of former GM Omar Minaya. The Mets are expected to cut the former starter by the end of Spring Training unless he can come out of nowhere to win the lefty-specialist spot out of the bullpen.

Mets fans have pretty much despised Castillo's presence since his most famous moment in June of 2009 when "the drop" occurred (see below). Castillo actually responded as best someone can by hitting around .340 for the rest of the season after the incident to finish 2009 with a .302. However 2010 was a much different story as Castillo's knees finally failed him and he struggled to a .235 average and had opposing outfield playing at softball depth whenever he came up to bat (sidenote: despite Castillo's 8th grade level power a friend of mine still managed to hit a home run with him in MLB 2K10. Total B.S.).

Castillo is now free to sign with any team for the league veteran minimum of $414,000 which will be deducted from the amount owed by the Mets. The Philadelphia Phillies have emerged as a likely suitor as 2B Chase Utley will be missing time with knee problems of his own and are said to be looking for a veteran presence. When I first heard this report I was happy because finally someone else would be forced to watch Castillo stare down every single 3-1 fastball right middle he faces. However the more I think about it the more I'm sure he will have some kind of Renaissance with a new team, especially if he indeed signs with the Phillies, it's only fitting.

P.S. No joke when I was writing "(see above)" I wrote "see f*ck" without even thinking about it. I'm now depressed after writing this post.