Brian Dawkins Retires; Hall of Fame Awaits?

Brian Dawkins, for my money the greatest safety in the history of professional football, announced his retirement from the NFL via Twitter. Dawkins spent 16 seasons in the League after being selected in the 2nd Round of the 1996 NFL Draft by the Philadelphia Eagles. After 13 years with the good guys Dawk left the team to join the Denver Broncos after (former) Head Coach Josh McDaniels decided it was a great idea to offer a 36-year old safety with a history of neck injuries a 5-year contract with nearly $9 Million in guarantees (McDaniels was fired midway through his second season in Denver, because, you know, he sucks).

As many of you who are reading this are probably aware, Dawk is my favorite professional athlete in the history of ever. I cannot think of a single better athlete to ever compete in the city of Philadelphia. Philly fans get a bad rap from the national media but really the only difference between us and the assholes in New York and Boston is that we feel the need to let our own players know when we don't feel that they are giving us their all out on the field because we want them to show that they care as much as we do (a prime example of this is our generally positive memory of Allen Iverson, we are able to forget all of his selfish and immature off-the-court antics because nobody brought it harder for 48 minutes than AI when he was on the court). Dawk's heart was never, ever questioned. In my lifetime he was the universally adored athlete to ever represent the city of Philadelphia. His spirit and passion for the game were downright infectious to fans and teammates alike. I can say with certainty every single Eagles fan would get chills after watching video of Dawk pumping up the defense in the pregame huddle before kickoff.

I could go into detail about his statistical accomplishments like his 9 Pro-Bowl selections, 4 First Team All-Pro appearances or being the first player in the history of the NFL to: score a Touchdown, record a sack, recover a fumble and intercept a pass all in the same game, but his legacy will tell a far deeper story than the numbers ever can. Brian Dawkins was the embodiment of what a professional athlete should be. Off the field he was one of the most pious, humble, softly-spoken and genuinely nice people on the planet (he never uttered a curse word in his adult life). On the field he was nothing short of a modern day berserker, using every fiber of his being to make the play. I may be incredibly biased on this subject but I dare anyone to name a player who gave more than Dawkins did to the game he played, it just isn't possible.

Dawk's eventually retirement started to become a certainty this season after he suffered the second significant neck injury of his career while sparking Denver's defensive surge to the playoffs. Dawkins and his agent have been in contact with the Eagles over the past few weeks attempting to arrange an appropriate ceremony for him to retire as an Eagles. Regardless of how it happens, Dawkins will receive a nearly unprecedented level of adulation during the announcement and at every subsequent appearance he makes at Lincoln Financial Field.

Let's Hear It For Pat Summitt

I have been alive for nearly 25 years and during that time and during that time there have been few things that remained constant from that day in August of 1987 through 2012... until now that is. Pat Summitt, Head Coach of the University of Tennessee Lady Volunteers officially stepped down from said position today. 8 months ago, Summitt was diagnosed with early-onset dementia, a pre-cursor of Alzheimer's. She finished out the 2011-12 season albeit in a reduced role but nor before stating "There's not going to be any pity party and I'll make sure of that." She was also named Sports Illustrated's 2011 Sportswoman of the Year.

I can probably go on at length enumerating Pat Summitt's cavalcade of accomplishments over her career but I feel that listing only a few will tell a greater story. She is the only men's or women's coach in the history of the NCAA Division I with 1,000 victories (1,098 to be exact). She won 8 National Titles at Tennessee, the most ever by a women's coach and second in the NCAA only to John Wooden of UCLA. She was elected to the inaugural class of the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame in 1999 prior to being elected to the Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame in 2000. However to me the most important honor that she garnered was being named one of the Sporting News'  2009 50 Greatest Coaches of All Time (encompassing the NFL, NHL, NBA, MLB, NCAA Football and NCAA Basketball), ranked at no. 11 overall and becoming the only woman to crack the list. There had been an NCAA Women's National Tournament for 31 years, Summitt's Lady Vols went to every single one of those tournaments (reaching the Sweet 16 every year from the 81-82 season until the 2007-08 season).

In short Pat Summitt took the game of women's basketball from a fringe sport in the 1970s akin to bowling and dodgeball and made it something worth televising nationally all season long. Personally I never really thought much about the women's game until Summitt stepped down today which made me realize that I've never seen one single person influence a game like Summitt did for women's basketball. Sportscenter did a touching piece on her career and if you have the chance to read this blog before the end of April 19th then tune into ESPN whenever you get the chance, they did Summitt more justice that I could ever hope to.

NHL Playoffs: Early Favorites Stumble To Begin Postseason

The puck dropped on the 2012 NHL Playoffs on Wednesday and saw two favorites for Lord Stanley's Cup begin their opening series on a sour note with disappointing losses at home. The Vancouver Canucks entered Wednesday with the best record in the NHL and top seed in the West and were expected to coast in the first round against the 8-seeded Los Angeles Kings, a team that only qualified for the playoffs 3 days ago. However the Kings came out with gusto and actually outshot the Canucks by a significant margin at 39-26. The Canucks notched a pair of Power Play goals and used the stellar goaltending of Roberto Luongo to prevent the Kings from taking control until a pass took lucky bounce off the skate of LA center Jeff Carter right to winger Dustin Penner in front of an open net who buried the game-winning goal with 3:14 left in the 3rd. The Kings would then add a empty-netter to finish off the victory at 4-2.

The hot pick to come out of the Eastern Conference has been the 4-seed Pittsburgh Penguins thanks to the return of a healthy Sidney Crosby late in the year. The 4-5 matchup between the Penguins and the Philadelphia Flyers has been the most highly anticipated playoff series so far thanks to all the bad blood (both literally and figuratively) that has been spilled between these two teams during the regular season, a rivalry which boiled over a few weeks ago during a full-out brawl in Pittsburgh at the end of the 3rd period (started by something of a cheap shot to Crosby from behind). There is certainly no love lost between these two in the battle for Pennsylvania.

The Penguins looked as if they were going to run the Flyers out of the building in the 1st period before a sold-out crowd at home, building a seemingly insurmountable 3-0 at the 1st intermission. The Flyers were not to be deterred so easily however and were able to start turning things around in the middle of the 2nd when they took advantage of a blown offsides no-call that saw Philadelphia's playoff powerhouse Danny Briere score to make it 3-1. Briere would notch his second tally midway through the 3rd period making 3-2 before Brayden Schenn tied that score at 3-3 on a Power Play goal with less than 8 minutes to go. The Penguins could not mount any offense in the 2nd and 3rd periods to counter Philadelphia's rally and the game went to OT. Flyers winger Jakob Voracek scored the game-winner on the second shift of OT and the Flyers skated into the locker with an improbable game-1 upset that figures to give them a huge advantage for the rest of the series. Philly proved once again that they have the offense but it was the response by goaltender Ilya Bryzgalov after allowing 3 early goals that was the difference. Bryzgalov will be central to the Flyers' ability to advance against a stacked Eastern Conference.

Not The Greatest Weekend For Bobby Petrino and Ozzie Guillen

This past weekend was certainly not the best of times for former University of Arkansas Head Coach Bobby Petrino and first-year Miami Marlins Manager Ozzie Guillen. Petrino was fired from Arkansas after a significant amount of fallout following a motorcycle accident early last week. On Tuesday Guillen was suspended for 5 games by the Marlins after his comments in a Time Magazine interview in which he lauded the career of Fidel Castro resulted a fire storm of backlash from South Florida locals.

Petrino's motorcycle crashed on a dirt road 10 days ago and despite suffering fairly significant injuries it had seemed that no further consequence would come of it. However several days later it came to light that a 25-year old woman was also involved in the accident and it further turned out she was riding with Petrino. Petrino had intentionally concealed her involvement from authorities and the University but unfortunately it proved to be a slippery slope once that cat was out of the bag. The woman, Jessica Dorrell, was actually the mistress of Petrino in a relationship he kept secret and mislead his family and employers. If that wasn't bad enough Petrino had also unfairly hired Dorrell only 4 days prior to the accident (he interviewed only 2 other candidates) and at some point in the past gave her $20,000 as a "gift" (read hush-money). Arkansas athletic director Jeff Long fired Petrino "with cause" for the unfair hiring and intentionally misleading the school about his relationship with Dorrell and her involvement in the accident. Petrino, a married father of 4, will not be entitled to the $18.3 Million buyout that was written into his contract. Arkansas has yet to name his successor.

The outspoken nature of MLB Manager Ozzie Guillen has been well documented over the years however his recent comments about Fidel Castro firmly crossed the line of what is acceptable. In an interview with TIme Magazine Guillen stated that he "Loves Fidel Castro" and "Respects him" because of the dictator's ability to remain in power for 60 years despite serious opposition. As one might expect Guillen's comments were met with serious hostility considering the density of the Miami area's Cuban cultural heritage (the new Marlins stadium is situated in Little Havana of all places). Guillen was forced to make a public apology for his comments on Tuesday shortly before being informed of his 5-game suspension. A group of Cuban-Americans has already banded together to boycott every Marlins game until Guillen is fired. While it is highly unlikely that Guillen will be fired so soon, it would seem that the decision by Marlins' ownership to use Guillen to help reach more of Miami's Latin American population may have failed even before it had a chance to start.

MLB Opening Weekend: Mets Jump Out To Surprising Start

Perhaps the biggest surprise during baseball’s opening weekend of 2012 was the New York Mets who have begun the season with a sweep of the Atlanta Braves at Citi Field. Prior to the team’s first loss on Tuesday night the Mets started the season 4-0 for the first time since 2007 and only the 5th time in franchise history. Picked by most MLB analysts to finish in the basement of the NL East and perhaps in all of baseball, the Mets appear to have entered the season with a chip on their shoulders lead by fiery 2^nd year manager Terry Collins.

Now obviously it’s far, far too early in the season to start predicting the Mets to be a playoff contender (because barring a miracle a la 1973, they're most certainly not) but they are definitely proving that they’re going to go out and compete every day. Right now this has the look of a team that can win at least 80 games. Of course an 80-win season would be considered a serious failure for a lot of other teams out there but the Mets are unlike any other team in Major League Baseball. This is a team whose ownership enacted the largest payroll, cutback in Major League history during the offseason, slashing nearly $50 Million off their books. Despite the terrible, terrible ownership of the Wilpon Family (whom I cannot berate enough in a single blog post) the Mets have responded to all the offseason adversity.

The key to the Mets having any modicum of success this year is going to rely firmly upon the shoulders of Johan Santana (literally) and David Wright who both are looking for bounce back seasons. Santana missed the entirety of the 2011 season after having surgery to repair a torn anterior capsule in his shoulder at the end of 2010, a surgery that in the past has ended careers (remember Mark Prior? Me neither). Being the tremendous athlete that Santana is, the 2-time Cy Young Award winner has made the long comeback trek that culminated with an Opening Day start last Thursday. Working on a fairly strict pitch count, Santana turned in a sterling performance over the course of 5 innings and 84 pitches against the Braves in a 1-0 Mets victory. Santana notched 5 Ks and will look to build upon that start Wednesday afternoon when he faces off against Stephen Strasburg of the Washington Nationals. Wright also missed time due to injury last year while turning in some of the most dismal numbers of his career. Wright’s swing has been as mess ever since the Mets started playing in Citi Field in 2009 because the park’s cavernous dimensions forced the former All-Star to attempt to become a singles-hitter. The Wilpons moved the outfield fences in during the offseason which will likely be most beneficial to the Mets because of the psychological affect it will have on the Mets hitters. On Saturday Wright crushed a HR to right-center field with the type of swing he wouldn’t have even attempted in recent years. If Santana and Wright can continue their hot starts (Wright may have trouble as he fractured a finger on Monday night) and return to the form that saw them start All-Star games then the fortunes of the Mets might continue to surprise.

Final Note: Jason Bay may be the worst player in baseball this season. Period. It takes a special kind of terrible to get blown away by 89 MPH fastballs down the pipe.

UK Wildcats Win National Championship, Nobody Surprised

The University of Kentucky Wildcats completed the season as the top-dog in NCAA basketball by defeating the Kansas Jayhawks 67-59 on Monday night to win the NCAA National Champtionship. The Wildcats opened up an 18-point lead in the first half and simply had an answer to every single comeback attempt mounted by Kansas from then on out. Behind Freshman superstars Anthony Davis (winner of Player-of-the-Year awards across the board) and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, the Wildcats wasted little time this season establishing the fact that they were (by far) the most talent squad in the Nation. This was not the first time UK Head Coach John Calipari has sported the top talent in the game but this was his first team that seemed to put it all together and play as the kind of cohesive unit that wins Championships.

Kentucky started 3 Freshmen and 2 Two Sophomores this season, in typical Calipari fashion. It would be terrifically surprising to me if any of those 5 didn't jump to the NBA, those are the type of players that Calipari recruits - a style that has spawned the term "One-and-Done" to describe the uber-talented rosters he put together at UK and the University of Memphis before that. The Professional approach that Calipari has taken to recruiting has been oft cited as the reason that his teams failed to win it all on the biggest stage of all, The Final Four. That Calipari finally broke through with his most talent-laden roster ever in 2012 is nothing short of poetic (or perhaps ironic), as fervor against the NCAA and its hypocrisy in attempting to enforce the amateur status of its "student-athletes" (the word "player" seems to have been officially banned during NCAA press conferences in what would appear to be another move by the Association to deflect the kind of worker's compensation claims that continue to pour in against it) has mounted to an all-time high in recent years.

For a long time I personally never really liked John Calipari because of the way he conducted business, maybe simply because it just felt like that's not the way things should be done. However I've begun to come around on him. The NCAA is no longer fooling anyone, anywhere when it claims that amateur athletic competition is not a business. The most recent figures show NCAA basketball alone bringing more than $800 Million annually. The workforce responsible for at least 95% of that success, the players themselves, receives exactly $0 in (over-the-table) compensation. Sure these players get college scholarships but that doesn't really cost the university's anything except the potential income from a regular student but any loss incurred on their behalf is almost immediately nullified by their gains from major college sports. John Calipari understands that NCAA basketball is a business and, brashly as it may be, is one of the few coaches out their open about treating it that way.

Calipari has no scruples about bringing in the best talent in the country, knowing full well that his best players are going to leave after 1 year most likely. Players are not allowed to enter the NBA until a full year after their high-school graduation. Calipari is the guy who targets players who in the past would have gone straight to the NBA taking the stand of "who are we to prevent an adult from pursuing an extremely lucrative career in the NBA." There's no point in going into any underhanded tactics Calipari has used in recruiting (his previous 2 Final Four appearances were wiped away by the NCAA following the discovery of infractions involving illicit compensation for "amateur student-athletes." Every major college program in both Football and Basketball is guilty of some wrongdoing in this area, its simply impossible to succeed without doing so. Calipari is perhaps the most upfront about this but the results speak for themselves. Kentucky fielded the best team in the Nation from wire to wire and have been duly rewarded for their success. Like it or not this is what NCAA Basketball has become and it is only the NCAA itself who is at fault.

Final Four Preview: Can Anyone Stop Kentucky

The NCAA Tournament concludes this weekend with the Final Four as No. 1 seed Kentucky plays state rival No. 4 Louisville and No. 1 Kansas faces off against No. 2 Ohio State. 

Ohio State (31-7) has been one of the top teams in the country since the start of the season lead by Sophomore F Deshaun Thomas and player of the year candidate Jared Sullinger. That veteran leadership will serve them well in their matchup against Kansas in a game that figures to be physical from start to finish. The Buckeyes entered the tournament with a chip on their shoulder after receiving a No. 2 seed following their loss to Michigan State in the Big 10 Championship game and have barely been threatened during their first four tourney contests. However they have yet face a team with the pedigree of Kansas as the No. 1 seeded Syracuse team they knocked off in the Elite 8 was playing without their best player in C Fab Melo.

Kansas (31-6) has been one of the most consistently successful teams in the NCAA over the past decade under head coach Bill Self. They enter the Final Four as one of the hottest teams in the country winning 13 of the past 14 contests, a period in which they faced 4 Top 10 teams. They boast the leading candidate for player of the year in Junior F Thomas Robison who, at 6' 10" has averaged 18 points and 12 rebounds a game this year and has been a dominating force on the inside while also featuring a solid game from the perimeter. Along with the Senior leadership of G Tyshawn Taylor, Kansas may sport the only lineup that can matchup with the talent of Kentucky.

Louisville (30-9) began the season ranked in the Top-5 in the country but a disappointing 2-4 stretch in the middle of the season dropped them from the AP Poll altogether. However the Cardinals have gotten hot when it matters, winning their last 8 contests en route to the Big East Championship and an appearance in the Final Four. As the lowest remaining seed in the tournament it may seem easy to cross them off the list for title contention but this team is lead by veteran coach Rick Pitino and knocked No. 1 seed Michigan State in impressive fashion in the Sweet 16. They will not be an easy out.

The Kentucky Wildcats (36-2) are the best basketball team in the country. Period. Under superstar coach John Calipari they entered the season ranked No. 2 in the country, never fell lower than No. 3 and have been the No. 1 team in the Nation since January, winning 28 of their last 29 contests (dropping only their second game of the season in the SEC Title game to Vanderbilt) and were named the No. 1 overall seed in the tournament. Thomas Robinson may win the Naismith College Player of the Year but the best player in the NCAA and likely top overall pick in the next NBA draft is Freshman F Anthony Davis (14.3 pts, 10 rbs and 4.6 blocks per game this year). What's most impressive about Davis is that at barely 19 years old he seems to get better with every game right before our eyes. Kentucky's talent goes far beyond Davis however as they also feature the 3rd best player in the country in F. Michael Kidd-Gilchrist as well as two other potential first-round picks in Freshman G Maquis Teague and Sophomore Doron Lamb.

On paper at least it looks like nobody can beat Kentucky given the way they've played this year. It's not just their immense talent but also the unselfish, cohesive way they play the game as a unit. Calipari, much like he did at Memphis, has turned the Wildcats into a professional program highlighted by one-and-done stud freshman players like Derek Rose and John Wall. Since arriving at Kentucky his teams have never lost a home game (in over 50 contests) and this may be the best collection of basketball talent and athleticism he's ever fielded, which is saying something. However Calipari has never cut down the nets at the end of March as his teams have suffered from their inexperience (such as Memphis' 2008 loss in the title game to Kansas when they choked away free throws late and lost in overtime). Calipari has drawn many critics because of his "Pro Factory" style, all of whom point to his failure to win the big one. His Kentucky teams have drawn the kind of ire that the Miami Heat have during the past two years. However I think all of that is about to change this year when Calipari avenges his 2008 loss to Kansas and Kentucky wins the National Championship, a win that may have a lasting impact of the future of college basketball.

Predictions:
National Semifinals: Kentucky 77 - Louisville 64; Kansas 70 - Ohio St. 67
National Championship: Kentucky 81 - Kansas 76

Larry Jones To Retire After 2012 Season

Larry Wayne "Chipper" Jones Jr. announced earlier this week that he will retire following the conclusion of the 2012 MLB season. Upon his retirement Chipper will have spent his entire career, spanning more than 19 Major League season, with the Atlanta Braves franchise. Precluding anything he accomplishes this upcoming year, Chipper will retire as at least a 7-time All Star, 2-time Silver Slugger and the 1999 NL MVP, leading the Braves to 12 postseason appearances during his career including 11 in a row from 1995 to 2005. In 1995 he won the NL Rookie of the Year and was an integral part of the a Braves team that won the World Series. The moniker "Met Killer" was invented because of Chipper Jones and he will go down as one of the greatest 3rd Basemen and Switch-Hitters in MLB History.

Chipper could not play a single game in 2012 and would still be a sure-fire Hall of Famer sporting a career .304 batting average with 454 HRs and 1,561 RBIs. Among switch-hitters Jones in 2nd all time in RBI and 3rd in HRs behind only Eddie Murray and Mickey Mantle (esteemed company to say the least). However I believe Chipper's legacy goes far beyond the stellar number he's accrued over the course of his career. Grantland.com senior writer Rembert Browne perhaps best described what made Chipper so beloved in Atlanta when he said, "When I see Chipper Jones and I hear him talk, I can't help but smile, because without the jersey, he could easily be a pretty large guy who works in the rifle section at Walmart." Jones is the kind of guy who people love because they see no difference between themselves and him, beyond his terrific athletic ability. Chipper was never concerned with the glitz and glamour of fame but rather treated the game of baseball like a job, going to work day in and day out to serve the fans who came out to see him play.

In that way Chipper reminds me of my favorite baseball player ever, Cal Ripken Jr.. Both guys were just that, guys, who went out every day to work their hardest and earn the respect of every fan who came to see them play each and every time they stepped out on the baseball diamond. I can heap no higher praise upon an athlete than to equate him with Cal and as a Mets fan, I find myself somewhat stunned by that realization. In his career against New York, Chipper maintained a .329 average with 39 HRs and 123 RBI during regular season play but those gaudy numbers don't even begin to tell the story. Every single run that Chipper drove in against the Mets seemed to be the kind of back-breaking hit that makes you want to give up on rooting for your team all together. Right now I can think of at least half a dozen specific instances where Chipper turned on a fat inside fastball during a crucial juncture of the game to rip our hearts out for the upteenth time. Why then am I writing a eulogy about his career?

I can hardly nail down a specific instance where it happened, but at some point we Mets fans found ourselves expecting Chipper Jones to deliver a killing-strike every time he stepped up to the plate. It got so bad that we had to resort to petty name-calling by chanting "LARRR-RY" every time he came up because disaster became commonplace for us. Looking back now on how much of an impact Chipper has had on my team I can only tip my cap in admiration of his success. I have nothing but respect for Chipper (except for the fact that he named his youngest son Shea in honor of his success at the Mets old ballpark, Shea Stadium) and expect to find myself rooting for him during the farewell tour that will be the 2012 season. In my opinion the man is the 2nd best switch-hitter in MLB history behind Mantle and is the best Atlanta Brave I've ever seen (apart from that Hank Aaron guy, who of course spent most of his career as a member of the Milwaukee Braves). I wish him the best (albeit begrudgingly) in his final year and hope the torn meniscus injury he suffered during Spring Training (which occurred while he was stretching no less) does not hamper what should be a well deserved victory lap around Major League Baseball.

Jets Bring Tebowmania To New York

Since the dawn of the Rex Ryan era, the New York Jets have been the kings of back-page headlines with their brash and brazen nature lead by Ryan first and foremost. Not willing to relinquish that position the Jets acquired QB Tim Tebow from the Denver Broncos on Wednesday in exchange for 4th and 6th round picks. The deal was announced earlier in the day however it was put on hold shortly thereafter when it came to light that there was something called a recapture clause in Tebow's contract in case of a trade on the order of $5 Million. This basically means that when Tebow was drafted in the 1st round of the 2010 draft it was written into his contract that if the Broncos traded him than he would be owed $5 Million. Apparently either the Jets failed to read that part of Tebow's contract or the Broncos didn't bring it to light.

The issue of the recapture clause is what killed a possibly Tebow trade to the Jacksonville Jaguars. When news broke that the Jets deal would be put on hold the Jags stepped back in and offered to pay $3 Million of the $5 Million owed. However the Broncos front office decided to stay with the Jets because they believed the picks they would receive back from New York were more valuable than what they would get from Jacksonville. In the end the Jets agreed to pay $2.53 Million and the trade was finalized Wednesday night.

So what does the Tebow trade mean for the Jets. It's fairly obvious that this trade is mostly a PR move. After their woeful finish to 2011 that was fraught with locker room unrest resulting from the team's accumulation of talented players that came cheap because of their character flaws. Tebow has cultivated a baby-faced image, as manufactured as it may be, over the past year and is expected to be a positive influence in the Jets locker room. He has also shown the kind of fire and leadership that Jets fans have been starving to see from incumbent QB Mark Sanchez. I think Tebow's biggest contribution to the team will be the fact that he will be competing with Sanchez and I think the Jets are hoping to lit a fire him before they fully give up on him. Make no mistake, the Jets do not expect Tebow to be their starter. Instead look for him to be put in during goal line situations and perhaps as a change-of-pace with his own package from time to time.

NFL Brings The Hammer Down On The Saints For Bountygate

The NFL and Commissioner Roger Goodell handed out one of the most severe punishments in NFL history on Wednesday in response to the Bountygate scandal involving the New Orleans Saints and former Defensive Coordinator Gary Williams. Allegations surfaced earlier this month over a widespread bounty system that had been employed by Williams during his tenure in New Orleans. Harsh penalties were expected as Goodell has made improving league safety paramount during his reign. However I'm not sure many people could have predicted how hard he would come down.

Williams has been suspended from the league indefinitely and may seriously never coach in the NFL again. The Saints were fined $500,000 and will surrender their 2nd round picks in both 2012 and 2013. The NFL did not stop there however, suspending Saints Head Coach Sean Payton for the entire 2012 season without pay, which will cost him the entirety of his nearly $7.5 Million salary. They also suspended team GM Mickey Loomis for 8 games and assistant coach Joe Vitt for 6.

The Payton suspension was perhaps the most shocking punishment we've seen in decades. The NFL contended that Payton ignored instructions to prevent the placement of bounties and accused Payton for electing to "falsely deny that the program existed" as well as "attempting to encourage the false denials by instructing assistants to 'make sure our ducks are in a row.'" The Saints are now forced to find an interim replacement for Payton for this upcoming season and may be profoundly impacted by his suspension. I don't think I've ever quite seen something like this in my lifetime. I don't even know what else to say about the situation and it will be incredibly interesting to see how this affects the Saints organization and the league as a whole. Payton and the Saints had been seen as the darlings of the NFL ever since New Orleans was decimated by Hurricane Katrina. How will their legacy be viewed in the future?

Eagles Address Linebacking Woes, Acquire DeMeco Ryans From Texans

Of the many problems that plagued the Philadelphia Eagles during their disappointing 8-8 2011 season, the weakness of the middle of their defense was one of the more prominent. They employed an aggressive Wide-9 front with their defensive line under first-year D Coordinator Juan Castillo and new D-Line coach Jim Washburn. The scheme is designed to attack the Quarterback from the outside but also leaves large holes between the tackles and ends. The Eagles went with young, inexperienced linebackers to start the season and they suffered the consequences of that decision immediately as they allowed a 47-yd TD run to Rams' RB Steven Jackson on their first defensive snap of the season.

The defense and linebacking corps improved as the season went on but adding a veteran leader to the middle of their D was of paramount importance this offseason. The Eagles were not major players in Free Agency early in this offseason, opting instead to lockup their own free agents including DeSean Jackson and Evan Mathis. However they made their first splash on Tuesday by pulling off a trade for 2-time Pro Bowler and former Defensive Rookie of the Year DeMeco Ryans from the Houston Texans. Philadelphia GM Howie Roseman continued his savvy business acumen by surrendering only a 4th-round pick in April's Draft and as well as swapping 3rd-rounders.

Ryans became expendable in Houston after he suffered a ruptured achilles in 2010. Ryans returned in 2011 but saw his playing time diminished as he battled back from the injury and the Texans' switch to a 3-4 scheme under DC Wade Phillips as Ryans is a pure MLB best suited to a 4-3 scheme. The Texans also felt that had a suitable and much cheaper replacement for Ryans in Darryl Sharpton which made it difficult for them to justify his $6 Million salary. Ryans is only 28 years old and will be another year removed from his injury so seeing a return to his Pro Bowl form seems a likely outcome. Regardless of whether Ryans can be the Pro Bowl talent he was or not, he only cost the team one of their 2 first-round picks and even at 80% of his former self should still be an improvement over what they already have. Can't wait to see what he can do.

Peyton Manning Officially A Bronco

The Denver Broncos officially introduced Peyton Manning as their new starting QB yesterday after finalizing a 5-year deal worth $96 Million earlier this week. Prior to the signing, the question of the future of the QB position in Denver had been in serious doubt following Tim Tebow's miraculous run to the Divisional Round of the playoffs last year. It has been well documented that despite his winning percentage, many people both, within and without the Broncos organization, seriously doubted his ability to been a full-time QB in the NFL because of his inferior skill-set as a passer. With that in mind it was far from surprising to see their interest in acquiring Manning when he was released by Indianapolis. Manning felt particularly comfortable with Denver, especially with team President John Elway. With Peyton at the helm it appears evident that Denver will look to trade Tebow as soon as they can.

I was initially surprised to see Manning command such a high salary figure considering he will be 37 by the time the season begins and concerns about his health and atrophied arm-strength after he missed the entirety of the 2011 season following multiple neck surgeries. However it seems that Manning was able to demonstrate to teams that his arm is close to being back to the level that saw him throw for more than 50,000 yards and nearly 400 TDs while appearing in 11 Pro-Bowls while in a Colts uniform. During yesterday's press conference Elway said he was confident that Manning had a lot of good football left in him and he should know better than anyone as he lead the Broncos to back-to-back Super Bowl titles after he turned 37. Since Elway's retirement following his Super Bowl MVP performance over the Atlanta Falcons in Super Bowl XXXIII, the Broncos have seen 11 different Quarterbacks under center, none of which have come close to serving as a suitable replacement. They may have found that answer in Manning, even if only for a short time.

The fallout of this story will be the future of Tim Tebow as a number of possible suitors for his services have surfaced, most notably the Miami Dolphins and Jacksonville Jaguars. Both Florida teams have uncertainty at QB following disappointing 2011 season's and acquiring Tebow would be an immediately, even if ultimately short-lived, boost for their respective fan bases in light of Tebow's historic career at the helm of the University of Florida. Most agree that it is highly unlikely that Tebow will ever be a full-time starting QB, however his terrific running ability will make him attractive to many teams in search of a change-of-pace.

What To Make Of Tiger Woods

It's been nearly 2 and a half years since the downfall of Tiger Woods began in November of 2009. There's no real point in rehashing that debacle other to point out that Tiger Woods hasn't won a PGA tour event since and has struggled mightily to regain the form which had vaulted him into the pantheon on the greatest golfers in history (oh and also resulted in this dope track from Maino). We have seen some flashes of the old Tiger from time to time but the question remains: Will he be able to win the 5 Major Championships he needs to surpass Jack Nicklaus? A feat everyone thought would be just a formality not so long ago.

I know a lot of people really dislike Tiger, whether it's because he was a cheating man-whore, has a penchant for arrogant and testy interviews when in a bad mood or simply because he curses and demonstratively shows his emotions on the golf course. Those are all legit and understandable reasons but I for one have really never had anything against the man. The biggest reason for that is because I love nothing more than seeing greatness happen in sports and like it or not, there is no one better at playing great golf than Tiger Woods, period. Tiger reminded the sports world of that on Sunday at the Honda Classic. Tiger barely made the cut after two rounds thanks to a birdie-birdie finish on Friday to get to 1-under and made little noise on Saturday finishing at 2-under. Tiger then came out roaring on Sunday shooting an impressive 8-under 62 (the best final round score of his career) that featured 4 birdies and a pair of eagles on the back nine and entered the clubhouse just 1 shot off the lead at 10-under. Tiger's rally came up just short as Rory McIlroy was able to hold for the win (and the world's #1 ranking) but showed that Eldrick can still bring the ruckus.

This weekend was yet another example of the inconsistent play we have seen from Tiger since his return to the PGA last year and he has yet to put 4 great rounds of golf together. A few weeks ago Tiger was among the leaders after three rounds at the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am but failed to show that final round killer instinct that had won him 71 PGA Tour events in his career, shooting a disappointing 75 and finishing the tournament in 15th place.

While his play has been up and down it is clear to me that Tiger has been getting better, despite the results. When he first came back to the tour he could barely land a drive on the fairway and was slicing shots all over the course. Tiger has mightily improved his accuracy off the tee and also with his approach shots (just check out the two eagles from Sunday). In the early goings of this season it has been the putter than has failed him. The fact that Tiger has been able to tighten his game up so much over the past year is really encouraging and after seeing how lethal he was on the greens on Sunday I think we may be getting to a point where it's only a matter of time before Tiger is back challenging for his old Number 1 ranking. I want to see this guy tear up the golf course like he used to because there really is nothing like it.

MLB Players Are Pissed About Ryan Braun

The decision by MLB arbitrators last week to repeal reigning-MVP Ryan Braun's 50-game suspension for testing positive for performance enhancing drugs last season. The reason for the ire, which is very well deserved, is that not once did Braun actually contend that he did test positive but rather contested a technicality in the testing process. Braun's appeal was successful because the positive sample was taken on a Friday afternoon and stored in the testing agent's office over the weekend before being sent to the lab on a Monday. Braun's case was predicated on the sample being rendered invalid by being left an office for two days. This proved to be enough and Braun's suspension was repealed by a 2-1 vote. Braun then decided to be a dick claim that he was a victim or something like that.

ESPN's Buster Olney has reported that a majority of big league players he has interviewed about Braun have shown serious animosity toward the slugger and the precedent he is leaving on baseball. I absolutely understand where they are coming from. It is clear that Ryan Braun used steroids last season and that fueled his MVP season and the Brewers' run to a NL Central division crown. Players are angry that Braun cheated and got caught and yet managed to get away with it. Interesting the agent who performed the test issued a lengthly statement claiming that he followed protocol exactly, that his office was sufficiently air conditional to maintain the sample while it was there and that none of his other 600 test samples have ever been questioned.

I can't believe there is anyone in the world who can legitimately side with Braun on this issue. I'm convinced that his suspension was repealed because the MLB felt it would have a much larger problem if they had to suspend a reigning MVP. The media would be clamoring for them to take away his trophy (a la Reggie Bush's Heisman) and they would be forced to set a new precedent. Instead they were let off the hook by a technicality and given the opportunity to sweep this issue under the rug. Braun should take a cue from his employers and never speak of this issue again if he doesn't have to. His legacy is already tarnished, perhaps even more so in this day and age were testing is enforced and seriously frowned upon by the public.

Steeler's WR Mike Wallace Will Be A Restricted Free Agent

The Pittsburgh Steelers announced today that they will not place the franchise tag on 3rd year WR Mike Wallace thus allowing him to become a restricted free agent. The Steelers are expected to put a first-round tender on Wallace meaning another team can try to the Pro-Bowler to an offer sheet. The Steelers will have the right to match any offer made by another team and if they do not they will be awarded a first round pick from the team that signs him.

Steelers' GM Kevin Colbert has reiterated that the team plans to do everything in their power to retain Wallace but are handicapped because of their lack of salary cap space. The team has already been forced to release 14-year veteran WR Hines Ward, their all-time leader in every major receiving category (far outstripping Hall of Famers Lynn Swann and John Stallworth), because they simply could not afford to pay him. Currently the team is only about $3 Million under the cap for next season and matching the highest qualifying offer would take up nearly all that space. Ideally the Steelers would like to franchise Wallace but the $9.5 Million cap figure that would come along with the tag is far too rich for their blood.

Wallace was drafted in the third round in 2009 out of Mississippi after posting a 4.33 40-yard dash at the combine. He busted on to the scene in his second season in 2010 hauling in 60 balls for more than 1,200 yard and 10 TDs while leading the AFC in yards per reception. He posted similar numbers in 2011 while making the Pro Bowl and at 25 years old is certainly considered to be one of the top receiving talents in the NFL for the next 4 or 5 years. Right now I'd say there is a 90% chance he stays in Pittsburgh but that other 10% leaves a lot of room for something to happen, especially with all the teams that will be salivating at the possibility of acquiring his services.

DJ Steve Porter's "All He Does Is Lin"

MLB To Expand Playoff To 10 Teams As Early As This Season

Sources have reported that Major League Baseball and the MLB Players Association are close to announcing an expansion of the current playoff format from 8 to 10 teams. Thursday is the deadline (albeit a soft deadline) for implementing an expanded playoff field for the upcoming 2012 season. The new format would feature 2 wildcard spots in each league instead of just one. Those two wildcard teams would then play each other in the first round while the 3 division winners would have a first round bye of sorts. The players union had been initially opposed to expanding the playoffs until the 2013 season when the MLB will realign into 2 15 team leagues as opposed to the current format where there are 16 NL teams and 14 AL teams (the Houston Astros will leave the NL Central and move to the AL West).

I am personally all for this idea. Having only 8 playoff teams in a 30-team league with 162 games played a season just makes sense. It also better serves the division winners who will get the advantage of a bye. Since the wildcard spot was added in the mid-90s there really has been no real advantage to winning your division over just winning the wildcard. I also think this is a big improvement to the current 1-game playoff that results if two teams finish the regular season tied after 162 games. I'm trying to image who would not benefit from this current situation and am having trouble thinking of anyone. Hot teams sneaking into the playoffs and going on deep playoff run is something that is going to happen regardless and happen in any sport. Period.

Of course this doesn't make a lick of difference to any of us Mets fans who can't really have a positive outlook on our team's playoff chance until at least 2014 at the earliest, and even that's optimistic. Obviously this isn't a done deal yet but the signs are all pointing to 10 teams competing for the World Series this October.

The Dwight Howard Dilemma

It goes without saying that Dwight Howard of the Orlando Magic is the best Center is basketball right now (averaging 20 points and 15 boards a game this year) and it is pretty much impossible to think of a better defensive presence in the league (especially considering Dwight has been named the NBA Defensive Player of the Year in each of the past 3 seasons). He is a premiere big who, at the age of 26, is in the prime of his career. Howard's contact with Orlando, with whom he has played all 7 seasons of his career, is up at the end of this season and it is becoming ever more clear that the Magic will not be able to re-sign him barring the team making some kind of magical run to the NBA Finals (which ain't happening). The question is, where will he end up?

There was a tremendous amount of trade speculation during the few short weeks in December when the NBA offseason took place because of the lockout. Howard was tied to a number of teams in search of his services and a deal seemed imminent. However this turned out not to be the case and Howard stayed put in Orlando, backing off trade demands he had made during the summer and fall. As we approach the March 15 trade deadline Howard's name has once agin become the center (pun absolutely intended) of attention once again. The question of course is where he will go and in my mind there is only one answer: The soon-to-be Brooklyn Nets. Furthermore I am convinced that Howard will not be traded this season and will simply sign with the Nets this upcoming summer.

Not trading Dwight Howard will benefit all parties involved. Obviously the Nets NEED Dwight Howard as they will be moving into their beautiful new Brooklyn stadium next year and have to sell tickets (would you buy tickets to see this roster play?).

The Nets acquired All-Star PG Deron Williams from the Jazz last season and need to pair him with a stud big-man to become a threat in the East. However trading for Howard at this point in the season just doesn't make sense. Howard has already publicly said that he wants to play for the Nets next year and the team has enough money to sign him to a max deal. Also at 11-25 the Nets have no chance of making the playoffs with or without Howard so what's the point of giving up all the other talent on your team to get him? Guys like Jordan Farmar and Brook Lopez aren't stars but will be good role players surrounding Williams and Howard and the Nets should not do what the Knicks did last year in acquiring Carmelo Anthony (they gave up all their talent except for Amar'e Stoudemire and struggled to finish the season before getting swept in the first round, they then started this year 8-15 before that Jeremy Lin fellow showed up). Obviously it's in both Howard an the Nets' best interest to wait until the offseason but you might be surprised to learn that it may very well also be better for the Magic to let Dwight Howard walk.

This seems counterintuitive to let their star walk away for free but if you think about it what can the Nets offer the Magic that will really improve their team besides a first round pick or two? Getting a bunch of role players with no star for them to orbit won't make them much better if at all and I believe that talent improvement would be greatly outweighed but the financial commitment (something like $30 Million in cap space) the Magic would have to make to those new players. Orlando will be in a better situation if they if let Dwight go because they will then have the freedom to sign the free agent talent of their choosing. Besides superstars what is the best asset you can have in the NBA besides cap space?

Now of course another team could swoop in with a great offer and completely change the landscape if say the Lakers package Andrew Bynum or Pau Gasol (or both) with a few draft picks. There is a solid possibility of that happening but the Lakers have to be certain they can re-sign Howard after the season.

RG3 Impresses At Combine, Likely Solidifies Number 2 Overall Pick

Former Baylor QB Robert Griffin III continued his meteoric rise up NFL draft boards this weekend with a sterling performance at the NFL Scouting Combine. Griffin opted not to participate in throwing drills, he will save that for his pro-day later in March, but showed off his terrific athletic ability nonetheless. RG3's was the star of the show in the all-important 40-yard dash posting an official time of 4.41 (although he actually believes it was faster). That is the fast 40 time for a QB since Mike Vick put up the fastest ever with a 4.33 in 2001.

Stanford QB Andrew Luck has been penciled in as the number 1 overall pick since this time last year when he was also considered the consensus number 1 prospect but chose to return to Stanford for another season to try and bring his team a Rose Bowl and a Heisman Trophy. Luck did nothing to hurt his chances with another terrific year but failed to take home the Heisman, which pretty much everyone was all but ready to hand to him at the beginning of the year. This reason for this is simple: RG3. Griffin's total season stats were off the chart to begin with (4,293 yds, 37 TDs, 72.4% completion percentage and only 6 INTs) but were highlighted by a 5-game winning streak to close out the regular season that featured wins over Texas, Oklahoma and Missouri that vaulted Baylor to its highest end of season ranking (after finishing the year with a 67-56 barn burning win over Washington in the Alamo Bowl. RG3 was fantastic over that stretch averaging more than 450 yards of offense and scoring 20 TDs. What's more is that anyone who watch Griffin play during that time will tell you that even those numbers don't do justice to Griffin's performance. He has the moxie of a winner and the toughness to match. Griffin's play ripped the Heisman out of Luck's hands and showed the world the next QB of the future.

I jumped on the Griffin bandwagon this season and my respect for him has only continued to grow. What has impressed me the most about RG3 is what comes out of his mouth. Griffin gives a great interview showing humility, elocution, intelligence and genuine good humor. I think this is a quality people tend to underestimate (I've heard numerous people dismissing RG3 future in the NFL because they just see his flashy play and don't believe he possesses the mental capacity to take his game to the next level in the NFL) but I am convinced it is an important indicator of how well a top QB prospect can adjust to the NFL with all that is thrown at them when they enter the league. For example look no further than last year's Heisman winner and number 1 overall pick Cam Newton who overcame serious pre-draft doubts about his accuracy and ability to run a traditional offense. Cam took everything in stride with a smile on his face and despite not having a full off-season turned in the best rookie season for a QB ever. While RG3 lacks Cam's massive frame that allowed him to become the best goal line threat in the NFL last year, I still envision Robert Griffin III taking the league by storm next year and turning in some particularly eye-popping performances early and often.

Halfway Through The NBA Season, Who Is The MVP?

As we arrive at the halfpoint point of this year's truncated NBA season the MVP race appears for all intents and purposes to be down to a two horse race: Kevin Durant of the Oklahoma City Thunder and LeBron James of the Heat. If one were to look only at statistics than it would be LeBron in a runaway as the much-maligned superstar has been putting up the best numbers of his career averaging 28, 7 and 8 a game (pretty impressive considering this guy won back-to-back MVPs in his last two years in Cleveland). However in my opinion it's been Durant who has taken his game to another level this year.

The Durantula is currently second in the NBA is scoring at 27.7 a game (a shade ahead of LeBron) as well as averaging career highs in rebounds and assists (8.2 and 3.3 respectively) while turning the young Thunder (their 4 best players are all 23 years old or younger) into the favorites to win the Western Conference. Durant (who we should remember became the youngest player ever to win an NBA scoring title 2 years ago) has shown the biggest improvement in his scoring efficiency this season shooting nearly 52% from the field (his career average coming into the season was 46%) and has allowed his impressive supporting cast (SGs Russell Westbrook and James Harden, PF Serge Ibaka and C Kendrick Perkins) to excel and gel into one of most balanced offensive attacks we've seen in recent years to go along with their vastly improved defense thanks to Perkins and Ibaka's low-post dominace. As a result the Thunder have the best record in the NBA and should be served well thanks to this year's compact schedule that will benefit young and deep teams. The Thunder are the youngest and deepest contender in the league. Period.

I don't want to take anything away from what LeBron has been doing this year as the Heat's big three have stepped their game up as well after all the scrutiny they have faced since "The Decision." However LeBron's great numbers have been inflated by the fact that co-star Dwyane Wade missed a large portion of the season in the early going allowing LeBron more freedom on offense (Durant's running mate Westbrook has played every game this year and is dropping 23.4 points a game). However over the past 10 games it has been Wade and not LeBron who has lead Miami in scoring and while this might bode well for the Heat's NBA Championship aspirations it may very well be the factor that costs LeBron his 3rd MVP award.

Moving away from the numbers, I think Durant's humble nature and team-first attitude that will endear him to the MVP voters. If the second half of the season plays out like the first than I fully expect Kevin Durant to be named the NBA MVP, he's just that good. You only need to watch one OKC Thunder game to see that Durant does the things that we've all been hoping LeBron would do for the past 4 or 5 years. He's unselfish, is a knockdown outside shooter, is not overly concerned with his public image or "brand" as LeBron would call it and seems to do everything you want to see out of a Champion.

Obviously neither Durant nor LeBron has won an NBA title but what intrigues me most about this debate is that there is legitimately a 60% chance we see these two teams face off in the NBA Finals this year. Like it or not the Heat are the class of the Eastern Conference and the only team that could really battle them for the spot, the Chicago Bulls, are suffering through the injury woes of last season's MVP Derrick Rose and so far have not proven that they have improved to the level that would let them beat the Heat in a 7-game series (they got bounced by the Heat in 5 games in last year's conference finals). As a fan of watching great players be great I would like nothing more than to see the Thunder and Heat face off in the NBA Finals this year. I think that series would define which player and which team will be the class of the NBA for the next 5 or so years. Obviously I'd be pulling for Durant and co. but on the flip side that might be LeBron's last chance to establish a legacy of one of the NBA's greatest.

Josh Hamilton Undergoing "Makeover"

Lefty slugger Josh Hamilton has had one of the most promising Major League careers waylaid time and again by his battles with alcoholism and substance abuse. When Hamilton was drafted his was considered to be the most talented prospect since Alex Rodriguez and by now should have been chasing home run milestones. Instead he continually struggled to even make it to the Show and half of his playing days were over by the time he finally was able to put together a productive season with the Cincinnati Reds in 2007. Hamilton was traded to the Rangers the next year and has been a central facet of their potent offense which has reached the World Series each of the last 2 years.

However Hamilton has continued to struggle with his inner demons, relapsing in early 2009 and again during this past season while he was on the DL. Hamilton has shown legitimate remorse for his continued stumbles on the road to recovery and recently declared that he his undergoing a full makeover to his life in the hope of finding out what has caused his relapses.

Hamilton is a singular talent that still has 5 or 6 years of top-level ball ahead of him. It is clear that his substance abuse is something he will have to battle for the rest of his life and we can only hope that he will be able to rise above it for the rest of his playing career. For now it appears that the Rangers are supporting Hamilton and are not immediately inclined to let him walk which signals that they believe in his ability to overcome his addiction problems. I think that the team is right in this regard and hope it works out for the best. I mean who can forget the 2008 Home Run Derby at Yankee Stadium?

NFL Offseason: Free Agent Wide Receivers

We're now in the middle of February which generally marks the dark times of the NFL Offseason as Free Agency and Trading do not begin for another month. Then there's the NFL draft that, despite the fact that Mel Kiper Jr. and Todd McShay would have you believe is right around the corner, doesn't occur for 10 more weeks. This is the time where ESPN is forced to pump us with filler as they try to find how many different iterations of things like "team needs" and "cap space" that can pack into their broadcasts and website. This hasn't even begun to hit on this the Peyton Manning saga where we have a daily update of NOTHING on whether or not he will stay with the Colts. This is the spiritual successor to the tradition started by Brett Favre several years ago after his retirement from the Packers, then subsequent retirement from the Jets an then subsequent speculation on will he retire again. In short this time of year sucks.

As Free Agency is the closest impending event, it's the best subject for a blog post, or whatever. The most intriguing part of this year's class is the amount of talent that may be available at WR. Receivers are going to be in demand in March considering how last season showed how fully immersed the NFL was in the new "age of the pass" and many teams will be looking to improve their receiving corps. They'll have that opportunity with guys like Vincent Jackson, Marques Colston, Dwayne Bowe and to a lesser extent Mario Manningham, Stevie Johnson and Brandon Lloyd. There is also a distinct possibility that speedsters DeSean Jackson (most likely through trade) and Mike Wallace (restricted free agent) might also be available.

To me the two Jacksons are the most interesting candidates. At 6'5" 230lbs Vincent Jackson has at times looked like the most dominant physical receiver in the league. However he has battled with team management and coaches as well as his own injuries over the past few years and his potential has never fully been realized, despite posting over 1,000 yards in 3 of the last 4 years. His size and strength combined with his verticality make him a prime talent for teams looking for a big time target downfield. The Philadelphia Eagles might be a serious suitor, especially depending on what they do with DeSean Jackson. D-Jax has been one of the most dynamic downfield threats since he came into the NFL, dazzling as both a deep threat and punt returner. He broke the single-season record for TDs over 50 yards in 2009 and became the first player ever to start the Pro Bowl at 2 different positions. Jackson took a step back in the Eagles 2011 debacle. He was unhappy with his contract ($560,000) and held out at the beginning at training camp before rejoining the team. Jackson's contract concerns bled through into the season however as Jackson's toughness and heart were questioned. The Eagles won't let Jackson simply walk and are expected to slap the franchise tag on him that will pay him about $9.5 Million in 2011. From there they can either trade him or try and sign him long term, I don't see him playing for a 1-year, non-guaranteed deal despite the large payout. If the Eagles can't reach a deal with Jackson expect a number of teams to come calling with trade proposals.

As for the rest of the receivers on this list I think Dwayne Bowe may be the biggest steal for a team. Bowe has been incredibly productive for the Chiefs since he came into the league, an extraordinary feat considering the best QB that threw to him was Matt Cassel. Cassel is straight-up a terrible downfield passer and would be even worse if didn't have Bowe as a target. Anyone who has played in a fantasy league with me over the past 4 years know I swear by Dwayne Bowe and if he can manage a way to land himself on a team with a strong-armed QB he could be vaulted into the highest echelon of NFL recivers.

Jeremy Lin Boosts Knicks To 7th Straight Win, .500

I'm going to assume that anyone reading this post hasn't been under a rock for the last two weeks and is fully aware of how Knicks PG Jeremy Lin and his myriad nicknames has taken over the NBA and turned around the Knicks season. In short Lin got his first significant playing time of the season 7 games ago with SF Carmelo Anthony hurt and PF Amar'e Stoudemire away on bereavement leave. The Knicks are 7-0 since, 'nuff said.

The Knicks started the season with a pathetic 8-15 record before Linsanity began. They are now 15-15 and poised to make a run at the Atlantic Division, a division that looked like it belonged to the Philadelphia 76ers in a runaway just a couple weeks ago. Amar'e returned to the Knicks lineup earlier this week and seemed to thrive with Lin moving the ball at PG. The big question that remains is how will Carmelo adjust to having Jeremy Lin in the lineup?

I personally think this is a stupid question. Jeremy Lin is a POINT GUARD and if Carmelo can't play well with someone who can shoot, drive, score and distribute at what is proving to be an incredibly high level than in my opinion he can't play with anyone. This debate stems from the fact that since Melo arrived in NY last season the Knicks have run an isolation offense through him that saw Anthony take around 25 shots a game. This kind of play has rendered Melo with a "me first" attitude that some people might not jive with Lin's high-octane style.

I think this couldn't be farther from the case. The reason Carmelo had to run so many isolation plays is that the Knicks haven't had anything resembling a competent PG since they made the trade with Denver last year. I seem to remember coming into the season that everybody with an NBA opinion saying the Knicks were only a PG away from contending. Well now they have one and it's pretty clear that Lin makes everyone on his team better. If you want proof look no further than Wednesday's win at against the Kings: 7 different Knicks scored in double figures, the team shot over 50% from the field and Lin dropped 13 assists to go along with 10 points on 4-6 shooting. Carmelo is going to fit into this system, probably sooner rather than later. Lin isn't going to keep scoring 25 points a game with Melo and Amar'e on the court but don't be surprised to see him average 12-15 dimes during the second half of the season.

As a Sixers fan, I'm scared of what the Knicks can do in the remaining 36 games this year. Combine that with the improved play of the Boston Celtics and the Atlantic Division just heated up big time.

The 76ers Are Out To Prove They're For Real

Basketball is officially back in Philadelphia as the 76ers have begun this year with their best start to a season since the 2000-01 campaign when the reached the NBA Finals (losing to the Lakers who were in the midst of a 3-peat) thanks to an MVP season by SG Allen Iverson. The Sixers have wallowed in mediocrity for most of the past 10 years but may have caught fire under coach Doug Collins who engineered a stellar second half of the season last year to make the playoffs and the team appears to have greatly improved in this season.

The Sixers raced out to a 14-6 record to begin the season but have mostly flown under the radar because they have faced one of the weakest schedules in the NBA. That all changed this week as the began a brutal 7-game stretch against Orlando, Chicago, Miami, Atlanta, LA Lakers, San Antonio and the LA Clippers. The Sixers know they have a chance to define their team's identity during the stretch and have not disappointed in the early going.

Philadelphia has thrived on their hustle and unrelenting defense combined with startlingly unselfish offense to stifle opponents with a balanced, athletic and deep attack. That stingy D was on full display Monday night against the Orlando Magic as they won a physical battle 74-69 that was not nearly as close as the final score indicated. The Magic were held under 50 points midway through the 4th Quarter and the game was all but wrapped up before Orlando's bench was able to rattle off a string on 3-pointers to close the gap to a respectable margin. Coach Collins was not happy with his team's soft effort to close out the game and that message must have gotten through Wednesday against the East-Leading Chicago Bulls.

In their biggest game of the season the Sixers again answered the bell lead by SF Andre Iguodala. Iguodala had 19 pts, 9 boards and 4 ast and delivered a handful of highlight-reel plays that energized the crowd and helped Philadelphia maintain the early lead their defense had helped them build. This team is young and more importantly deep which has made them one of the best second half teams in the league. This was on full display against the Bulls and the Sixers and Iguodala came out firing and turned a 5-point halftime lead into a 20-point advantage at the end of the 3rd. The Bulls were held to only 11 points in the 3rd and went only 3-16 from the field as a team during the quarter. Collins' team did not let up this time as they were able to answer every run the Bulls tried to make in the 4th and never let their lead get below 12.

Philadelphia, now 2-0 during the 7-game test, will host LeBron James and the Miami Heat on Friday night with a chance to make an even bigger statement than they did on Wednesday. For the first time in a decade this really could be a team to reckon with. Clap your hands!

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Changing Of The Guard? Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook And The Thunder Drop Celtics To 4-8

The Oklahoma City Thunder continued their winning ways on Monday night, dropping the Boston Celtics on the road 97-88. The Thunder (12-2) now own the NBA's best record in the early going after winning their 7th straight contest in Boston's TD Garden. OKC came into the game on a roll, becoming the first team to win 3 games in 3 straight nights and 5 games in 6 days during the NBA's truncated 66 game season post-lockout prior to the game in Boston.

Monday marked the return of Thunder C Kendrick Perkins to Boston for the first time since the former Celtic was traded in the middle of last season. Perkins way a key member of the Celtics during their NBA Championship run in 2008 and has been sorely missed since the deadline-deal last year that sent him to the Thunder in return for F Jeff Green (who unfortunately will miss all of this season after having surgery to repair an aortic aneurysm in December).

Oklahoma City is looking to take the next step this year and now looked poised to make a Title run. OKC's stars were on display against the Celtics as SF Kevin Durant dropped 28 points to go along with 7 rebounds while PG Russell Westbrook added 26 points of his own. Third-year PF Serge Ibaka had 4 blocks in the first half and helped set the tone down low for the Thunder in the early going. To their credit the Celtics mounted a stiff resistance, never allowing Oklahoma City to run away with it and got the score to within 3 at 83-80 with 2:25 remaining in the 4th Quarter. However Westbrook and emerging SG Thabo Sefolosha each drained a pair of 3-pointers during the final two minutes to stymie any Boston comeback attempt.

This game featured two games that are going different directions this year. The Thunder reached the Western Conference Finals last year and are looking to build upon that success with an appearance in the NBA Finals. The Celtics look like the aging group that faltered in last season's playoffs and have stumbled out of the gate this year having lost their last 5 games. Boston's "Big 3" of Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen won an NBA title in 2007-08 and again reached the Finals in 2009-10 however their poor start in 2012 may mark the end of this group's run. There is still time for the Celtics to get back in the mix and compete at the highest level but they will be handicapped an arduous schedule where teams will have much less rest than would be afforded them during a regular 82-game season.

NFC Divisional Round: Giants 37 - Packers 20

The New York Giants strode into Lambeau Field on Sunday afternoon and simply manhandled the top-seeded 15-1 Green Bay Packers in a  37-20 victory. The Packers had been a wire-to-wire Super Bowl favorite during the course of the season but QB Eli Manning (21/33, 330 yards, 3 TDs) and the Giants were not intimidated. The Giants forced 4 turnovers and sacked MVP candidate QB Aaron Rodgers 4 times as their defense was stifling from start to finish.

The Giants came out and moved the ball on their opening drive but settled for a FG before the Packers answered back with a FG of their own to make it 3-3. The teams would battle back and forth in the first half however it became apparent early that New York had the advantage. After a 66-yard catch-and-run TD pass from Manning to WR Hakeem "The Dream" Nicks, which has been a staple of the Giants offense as of late, the G-Men forced a fumble of the Packers' ensuing drive that somehow was overturned despite video evidence to the contrary. Rodgers lead Green Bay down the field and tied the game 10-10 with a TD pass to FB John Kuhn. The Giants were leading 13-10 shortly before halftime and looked to being running out the clock before RB Ahmad Bradshaw broke a 21-yard run and got out of bounds giving his team a chance for one last heave towards the endzone. Manning tossed up a hail mary that Nicks was able to bring in against his helmet giving New York a 20-10 halftime lead.

The 10 point lead was the biggest second-half deficit Green Bay faced all season and in the second half the Giants surging defense took over the game, the Packers never got closer than 20-13. A Lawrence Tynes 35-yard FG made it 23-13 midway through the 4th before the Giants forced a fumble from RB Ryan Grant on the ensuing Packers drive that resulted in a Mario Manningham 4-yard TD catch to make it 30-13. Rodgers and the Pack benefitted from an iffy rougher-the-passer call and were able to put another TD on the board to make it 30-20 but could not convert an onsides-kick attempt. The Packers could not stop the Giants RBs Bradshaw and Brandon Jacobs who scored a game-sealing TD on a 14-yard scamper with 2:36 to put the game on ice at 37-20.

Aaron Rodgers set a new record in the regular season with a passer rating of 122.5 but looked completely out of sorts after not playing a snap of football in 3 weeks. Combine that with a ferocious Giants pass rush and no fewer than 8 dropped passes by Green Bay receivers and you have a recipe for disaster. To put it simply, the Giants were the tougher, more physical team on Sunday. They didn't make big mistakes and took advantage of Green Bay's 31st ranked defense. New York will now travel to San Francisco next Sunday to play for the NFC Conference Championship.

AFC Divisional Round: Ravens 20 - Texans 13

This AFC Divisional matchup pitted the two best defenses remaining in the playoffs against each other which was fully reflected in the Ravens' hard-nosed 20-13 victory over the Texans on Sunday afternoon.

I thought the Texans might pull the weekend's biggest upset in this one riding the momentum of their 31-10 Wild Card Round win over the Cincinnati Bengals and behind their much-improved defense. However it was the equally-vaunted Baltimore defense that won the day. This game looked like it was going to get out of hand early as the Ravens forced a pair of Texan turnovers in the 1st Quarter and jumped out a 17-3 lead. However Houston was able to rebound thanks to the legs of Pro Bowl running back who became the first ever player to eclipse 100 rushing yards against the Ravens defense in a playoff game. The Texans defense did a great job of shutting down Joe Flacco, Ray Rice and the Ravens' offense after the 1st Quarter and allowed to team to close the gap to 17-13 at halftime.

The second half was all defense as neither team was able to put points up until a Billy Cundiff 44-yard FG increased the Baltimore lead to 20-13 with 2:52 remaining on the clock. Rookie QB T.J. Yates was able to move the ball against the Ravens in the 4th Quarter, however Yates also made a pair of bad decisions on throws that resulted in interceptions including one to Ravens All Pro S Ed Reed with less than 2 minutes remaining that sealed their fate. The Ravens were unable to put the Texans away before that final interception and even gave Houston life after they failed to punch it in with Ray Rice on 4th and Goal from inside the Texans' 1-yard line.

Much like the San Francisco 49ers victory on Saturday the Ravens were able to win this one because they won the turnover battle. Then Ravens forced 4 takeaways in this one, the first 2 of which allowed them to build an early lead while the second 2 allowed them to close it out. The Ravens deserve a lot of credit in this one for not giving in to a Texans team that really outplayed them for much of the game following the 1st Quarter. The Ravens didn't turn it over themselves and equally as impressive did not commit a single penalty in the entire contest. The real difference in this game were the mistakes made by the inexperienced Houston Texans and their rookie QB. The Ravens will travel to Foxboro next week to take on a white hot New England Patriots offense and will need to emulate their performance from Sunday's win if they want to have a shot at getting to the Super Bowl.

AFC Divisional Round: Patriots 45 - Broncos 10

The Tim Tebow train was finally derailed on Saturday night as QB Tom Brady and the New England Patriots steamrolled Tebow's Broncos in a 45-10 laugher. I had a feeling that Tebow's magical story came an end last week with the Broncos incredible overtime victory over the Pittsburgh Steeler and the Patriots wasted no time in proving that to be the case.

Brady and the Pats' offense set the tone on their opening possession as they ran right through the Denver defense on a drive highlighted by a 43-yard run by TE Aaron Hernandez out of the backfield and a 7-yard TD pass from Brady to WR Wes Welker. The Patriots defense stifled the Tebow-lead offense all day long, starting with a forced fumble by LB Rob Ninkovich (who was the game's defensive MVP, perhaps being motivated after he was posterized on a Tebow TD run in the Week 15 matchup between these two teams). Brady took it right to the Broncos again and hit TE Rob Gronkowski for his second TD of the game giving the Pats a 14-0 lead midway through the 1st.

The Broncos would finally get on the board with a RB Willis McGahee TD run following a rare Brady interception to make it 14-7 early in the 2nd but that would be the end of the good news for Denver in this one. Brady would throw 3 more TDs in the 2nd Quarter, 2 to Gronkowski, and New England had this one wrapped up at halftime with a 35-7 lead. Brady set a record for TD passes in a playoff half with 5 and would tie the record for playoff TDs in a game after he hit Hernandez for his 6th TD on the team's first possession of the 3rd Quarter. The Bronco's incredibly slim comeback chances were erased after that score and the rest of the game was simply a formality as New England cruised to a 45-10 final score.

The Patriots played their best game of the season so far in this contest and will now try to ride that momentum to the Super Bowl next week as the host the Baltimore Ravens, who beat the Houston Texans 20-13 on Sunday, in the AFC Conference Championship. Tom Brady and company will have a much tougher challenge against an experienced Baltimore club lead by former Super Bowl MVP and 2-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year LB Ray Lewis.