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During game two of Monday’s Heat-Knicks game, an enthusiastic Kevin Harlan and somewhat un-nerved Reggie Miller discussed why Lebron James would be this year’s NBA MVP. However, during the discussion Reggie Miller went from un-nerved to totally upset when Harlan gleeful exclaimed that Lebron was so focussed on having his best season that he even called up former NBA greats and asked them what it takes to be great. During the course of his rant, Miller voiced several concerns he had with this behaviour and in particular, “that if Lebron James, on the verge of winning his third MVP trophy still asking other players what it takes to win.” And while Harlan tried desperately to soften the tone of the exchange, an agitated Miller refused to be quelled, continued his unimpressed sermon and asked why the most physically gifted athlete in the game was still asking former players what it takes to be great, when they should be calling him?

While Miller eventually cooled off, the poignant questions about Lebron’s MVP status linger and in a way perfectly sum up who Lebron James is as  a player and, in turn illustrate why he isn’t really an MVP at all.

Is LeBron James not the MVP because of this numbers (i.e. statistics)?

No, Lebron has put up numbers his entire career and to his credit this year they are more amazing then ever given that his FG% has risen up to 55% this season. His other numbers are also great across the board, so no, it is not the statistics.

Is Lebron James not the MVP because he is not the best player on his team?

Usually an MVP has to be considered the MVP of his own team before he can be considered the MVP of the entire league and of course this should be no exception.  While Chris Bosh is a top twenty player and Dwayne Wade is consistently in the discussion about who is the league’s best player, Lebron James is still better then both of them, especially when it comes to the numbers. Therefore, while he plays on a team with other star calibre players, Lebron is still the best guy in their locker room. So it is not that he isn’t the best player on his team.

Is Lebron James not the MVP because of his team’s record?

While the NBA MVP trophy is usually awarded to a player with the top record in the league, the fact that Lebron’s team does not have the best record in the league does not (and should not) automatically disqualify him from MVP status. Furthermore, the fact that the Miami Heat are not even in the top two  record-wise should not automatically disqualify him from contention due to the fact that in many instances the MVP has been crowned on a player who is not among the league’s top seeded teams if that player’s impact was so great that without him the team would be far worse off. A perfect example is Steve Nash’s second MVP campaign in which he won the award on a Phoenix squad who did not have the league’s best record and even though his team’s roster was depleted, still managed to carry his team into the playoffs and make everyone on is squad better statistically. In this regard, this is perhaps one of the most obvious criticisms of James’ MVP candidacy, because even without him his team is talented enough to win at least 55-60% of their games and easily make the playoffs in the East. However, despite this glaring knock on his candidacy it is not the main reason that should disqualify from the MVP award because many past MVPs have played on stacked teams (Bird, Magic, Jordan etc.). So its no its not his team record.

Does he have the Heart and Leadership qualities you expect from an MVP?

When Lebron James bolted Cleveland in 2010, even as Reggie Miller pointed out on Monday, he had every right to do so. But at that the point when he made the decision to do so, that he was crossing a line that most great players never do, quitting on your team to play somewhere you think is better. And while this choice has propagated a million different interpretations, it still boils down to quitting when the going gets tough. With my apologies to Lebron James, this is not something I expect from a leader or an MVP.  In addition to the millions of people who see Lebron’s choice this way (whom Lebron’s camp sees only as haters), it was also unanimously the opinion shared by the very greats he sought out for advice this past summer.

Of course, Western society also accepts that people make mistakes and that it is possible for one to right the wrongs of the past through there actions. However, in Lebron’s case this has not happened yet either. While most people consider the MVP to be a regular season award, Lebron’s epic collapse in the 2011 Finals should have been a mammoth enough reason for no one ever to vote for Lebron as the MVP until such time as he atoned for his terrible play and vaginal effort. And that type of atonement should only come in the playoffs. However, even if the hardheads still want to follow the letter of the NBA MVP award instead of the spirit of what the award really means (i.e. the most important leader on a team without whom the team is lost) then Lebron’s decision to defer to others in crunch time and when really faced with a challenged but in the all-star game and in several games over the course of the season demonstrates that Lebron at his core is still all about the tuck-tail and run. I am sorry, but that is not what the NBA MVP has ever been, nor should it ever be. The decision for some fans, current players, team executives and the sports media to not only ignore James’ coward play on and off the court, but reward it with an MVP trophy is ludicrous. There are at least ten more players around the league who put up similar numbers to James (if not better) who step up night-in, night-out and put their teams on their back in good times and bad, and I say give anyone of them the award be it Kevin Durant, Kobe Bryant, Kevin Love, Chris Paul, Paul Pierce, Steve Nash or even Derrick Rose in his injury plagued season (because although he might not play and his team does well enough without him, he is willing to lead and go to war for his team when he can).

In sum, to give Lebron James the MVP award is shocking enough on its own, but for no one in the sports world to step up and publically vocalize this travesty is equally (if not more shocking). However, in an age when government officials, wall street big-wigs and no-talent entertainers who despite their heinous and offensive behaviour are routinely rewarded by a society that continues to look the other way, maybe Lebron James is the perfect NBA MVP. It might be a sad indictment of our times, but at least Lebron is King of something.

The following is a list of NBA stars who for a variety of reasons are finding the lustre of their once promising NBA careers, considerably starting to fade and who are in need of a fresh start. The following is a list of NBA players in desperate need of a change and recommendations for where they should end up:

Jason Terry: One would think that after winning an NBA championship, that any player would feel on top of the World. Unfortunately, after a year of losing key players to free agency, a general malaise that came after winning a title and management’s focus on the future not the present (i.e. trying to lock down Dwight Howard and/or Deron Williams in the summer) and, things have not been great for Mavericks guard Jason Terry. In fact, things have gotten so frustrating for Terry (and his lack of a contract extension) that he even stated a few weeks ago that he waseffectively auditioning for 29 other teams with his on court play and that every game was like an “interview”. 

Recommendation: Given Terry’s skill set and trademark over-confidence he would be perfect going back to his old team the Atlanta Hawks. With Josh Smith desperate to leave Atlanta, Jason Terry would be perfect to pick up Smith’s offensive slack (when Al Horford comes back next season he can pick up the defensive slack).

Steve Nash: Although Steve Nash is too nice of a guy to request a change of scenery, after watching another year of him carrying the Phoenix Suns I will ask for one for him. Despite Suns’ management continued refusal to bring in a quality player (never mind one who can also play defense), Steve Nash at 38, almost managed to get a rag-rag bunch of back-ups into the playoffs. Enough is enough Steve, its time to go.

Recommendation: Although the logical choice would be to bring Captain Canada back home, the Raptors are terrible at the moment and unless they could get another solid player this summer have no shot at landing Nash. Miami however is an attractive right now as they are in win-now mode and are in desperate need of a PG. If they don’t win a title this year do not be surprised to see Nash in a Heat jersey next year( I know, I know, I’ll be sick too).

Ray Allen: Ever since Ray Allen went down with an ankle injury in the latter part of the regular season, the Boston Celtics have played their best ball since the terrible trade that sent Kendrick Perkins to OKC. With Allen out, the Celtics were able to focus on defense with the insertion of promising rookie Avery Bradley into the line-up  and everyone has played better for it. The chances of this being Ray Allen’s last season in Boston are currently resting comfortably at 99.99999%

Recommendation: I do not know exactly how much Ray has left in the tank, but it does not look good. As such only a small market team mired in losing and in desperate need of both attention and veteran leadership could conceivably offer something to Ray. A team like the Minnesota Timberwolves seems about right.

Amar’e Stoudamire: Even before his disappointing and incredibly stupid decision to punch glass at the end of game two in the Knicks-Heat Series (which reports says will cause him to miss at least playoff game), Amar’e’s time in New York appeared to be drawing to a close. On top of playing no defense and being injury prone , the overpaid Stoudamire never played well with the team’s other zero-defense no-championship prima donna Carmelo Anthony. Couple this with the fact that Amar’e hand punching incident was the third his stupidity will cost his team in the playoffs (the others being the infamous leaving the bench incident in Phoenix and injuring his back will showboating in Boston last year) and its time for Knicks to dump this particular 100 million dollar man.

Recomendation: A trade to Orlando and here’s why…

Dwight Howard: The NBA’s self-anointed Superman really was super as he was faster in changing his mind than a speeding bullet, more powerful than commitment to his team and able to leap over the head of his coach in a single bound. Unfortunately, these are not qualities you want out of your franchise player and for these and many other reasons it is way past time for Dwight to leave Orlando. I do not know what the point was for Orlando to obtain that commitment waiver from him except that it might give Orlando a little more time to orchestrate a better deal in exchange for him over the summer. If the magic are foolish enough to think that keeping Dwight Howard in Orlando is a workable situation in the longrun they deserve another year of (even worse) drama and to end up with nothing in the end if he walks at the end of next season.

Recommendation: A trade to the New York Knicks is the absolute best spot for all parties involved. For the Knicks they are getting a star player who can finally play defense and be relied upon to consistently help Carmelo Anthony carry the offensive load. For Dwight, he can finally play in a big market situation and put him in a fantastic position to both maximize his income and chances to win a title. For the Magic Amar’e Stoudamire, despite his issues, is probably the best thing you are going to get for Dwight Howard especially now that other teams are weary of the destructive force he can be and his now questionable health status. And finally for Amar’e, it is a chance to return to his home town and get back to the type of no expectation, all offense environment where he played his best ball.  Plus, from what I hear the Amway Center is packed with fire-extinguishers. Perfect.

In light of all the brutal and needless violence going down in these 2012 NHL Playoffs, I thought it would be a perfect time to revisit an entry I made a while back. While the article is dated about 2.5 years ago I feel it is more apt than ever…Enjoy..

Blood on the Ice..

In 2000, Donald Brashear was viciously hit in the side of the head with the stick of another hockey player and was rendered unconscious when his head hit the ice. The outcome? Brashear suffered from a grade 3 concussion but played again weeks later, the player who hit him never played in the NHL again, there was a pathetic trial in which the offending player never served any jail time and of course the obligatory weeks and months of sports coverage debating whether or not violence in hockey had gone too far.

In 2004, another violent and reckless incident transpired on the ice when Colorado Avalanche player Steve Moore was viciously sucker punched from behind and driven to the ice by a player who was retaliating for an incident which had transpired several weeks ago. This time however, the results were even more ludicrous as the victim  Moore suffered 3 snapped vertebrates, nerve damage and has since never played in the NHL again, the perpetrator was allowed back into the NHL after only serving a 20 game suspension (yes, for ruining someone’s livelihood and almost killing them you only miss 20 games, kill a dog or bet on baseball games you get banned and/or public ire for life), there was another phony boloney trial in which the offender was only put on probation and received no criminal record and of course the weeks and months of sports coverage debating whether or not violence in hockey had gone too far.

After escalating events like these I can say with certainty that if something is not done immediately to curtail the violence in hockey (like a minimum 50 game suspension for any retaliatory hit or the use of equipment in hitting someone), a death on the ice is what is coming. A DEATH!!! I would therefore implore those with the power and those in the sporting community to pressure and persuade the players, owners and governing bodies to adopt changes to prevent catastrophe. We don’t need more phony boloney trials and weeks and months of worthless sports coverage of sportscaster’s covering the issue of the moment, we need change now. And to those in the sports community with a voice who are silent before another incident arises, then please do stay silent after as well because clearly you have no interest in the athlete’s welfare and are just spouting off because its the issue of the moment and you’re trying to capitalize. For shame.

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To witness the circus that circled around Peyton Manning this offseason, you would have thought that he was the only player in free-agency, not 36, not just jettisoned from the franchise he helped build and not coming of his third known neck-surgery. And as much as I loved the 24 hour media blitz focussed exclusively on Manning, all the shots of him getting in-and-out of cars and clips of planes flying away, I could not help but feel like I was getting played. Even if Peyton Manning was not washed up, he is only one player in a sea of player movement that transpired this offseason yet he was still getting all the coverage. For example, Tampa Bay made a huge splash in free agency by actually spending money and landing pro-bowler Vincent Jackson, Eric Wright and pro-bowler Carl Nicks to their squad but this news barely made a blip on the free-agency radar.  Call me crazy but I wanted to know what teams were acquiring which free-agents, how much they had left to spend, and what the impacts of these signings were, you know actual sports analysis, and so after a while a part of me definitely felt like there was some lazy sports journalism afoot.

However, when that grainy “secret” video of Peyton Manning was released of him throwing a football on a Duke practice field I began to sense that something more sinister was a foot. I mean what was the big deal, it was just a guy throwing a football down the field any number of retired NFL QBs could have done that, so why was it such a big deal when Peyton Manning did it? It was at that moment that I realized that either the media was being manipulated by perfectly timed infusions of Peyton Manning information or more egregious, they were working with Manning’s camp to ensure that he was covered insesintently.  And while I could not say for certain which of these scenarios actually transpired, at that moment I knew that someone was trying to play the public like a harp from hell.

What was the point and who would do such a thing? Well the point is the dollars plain and simple. When a guy like Manning becomes the biggest question mark in NFL history and is dumped by the franchise in a cost-cutting move to go with a guy who is yet to take a pass in the NFL, obviously his value has taken a bigger nose-dive then Adrian Brody’s career trajectory after winning that Oscar. Therefore in order to get any value out of a guy who has not been tested in over a year and with his age and medical history, you have to artificially create a buzz by getting people talking, having teary-eyed press conferences, releasing  grainy video, pitting teams against each other etc.  all for the purposes of artificially making your stock looking more attractive than it really is.

After appreciating the nature of the con, finding the who is not that hard and all you have to do is follow the money, the green bricked road if you will, which of course leads straight to Manning’s camp and the Wizard of Oz himself, Manning’s agent Tom Condon.  To Condon’s credit he did a masterful job of blinding most people to all the question marks and ensuring that he got top dollar and the situation of his choice for his client, I just wished he had not succeeded so effortless because his slimy behaviour (which even included stabbing another one of his clients, Alex Smith, in the back) will only serve as a blueprint on how to manipulate people in order to get things done.

At the end of the day Manning got his money and his preferred destination, and the Broncos got what they believe will be the difference maker in their quest for the Superbowl. But despite what Manning and Condon would have you believe, there are plenty of reasons to doubt the Broncos-Manning marriage. Even putting aside Manning’s baggage, being out of the game for year is a big enough caveat when thinking a player will ever get back to his former glory. Couple that with the fact that Manning is in a new system, playing outside in the cold (with an unforgiving altitude), with questionable receivers, and a defense that only played well in the last 10 years under Tim Tebow, and the situation becomes questionable at best.  But if you add in all the negatives specific to Manning (age, surgeries and still absent throwing strength), you realize that the Broncos may have taken too big a gamble on a guy due more to the Tom Condon smokescreen then a true appreciation of all the facts. For Manning’s sake and the sake of Broncos fans I hope I am wrong, but because of the all the risks I have a strong feeling that all those hands slapping John Elway’s back this offseason will be showing him the door come the next one.

Another year another year wasted. If you are as fed up a Toronto Fan as me you wonder when the Raptors will finally start to make some changes. Here is a list of my top-5 ways to fix the Raps;

Keep Andrea

If you look at any contender in the league, you will notice a trend, that they have at least one franchise player. Fortunately, for the Raptors while they are far from being a contender they do have a star in Andrea Bargnani. As such the Raptors must do whatever they have to keep him in Toronto and keep him happy. And while they could have a sit down with him and ask him what he needs to be happy, the best course of action is to win and build a team around him (plus requesting input from star players often has disasterous results).

Get One Playmaker

Has any NBA enthusiast looked at Toronto’s roster in the last 5 years and even thought it was mediocre? Aside from Andrea, Toronto has one of the most underwhelming rosters in the league. The Raptors need desperately to add at least one other star (and preferably one with some defensive skills) if they ever hope to get out of the basement. And while it has been tough historically for Toronto to attract talent they need to either scour the league to see if they can get any disgruntled teams to unload a star (i.e. Rajon Rondo, Stephen Jackson etc.) or work the phones to woo some solid free agents this summer.

Coach

It is absolutely time for the Raptors to go after a proven coach. Enough with the untested assistants looking to use the Raptors to get their feet wet or former players looking to make their names off the court. I know it is tough to find good coaches, especially those with titles, but Larry Brown is out there and so are a lot of other ones who have at least made deep playoff-runs.

Accountable GM

Although Brian Colangelo’s tenure as GM has been brief, he has made some questionable moves over this span. However, none of these blunders was as terrible as letting Chris Bosh walk for nothing. The writing was on the wall for over a year and instead of doing what the whole basketball world knew needed to be done, he stood pat. Indefensible. He could have easily flipped Bosh to the Knicks for David Lee and a guard but he did not do that, or a million other possibilities. If you gamble and lose the way Colangelo did, you should prepare to be accountable for your actions.

Take a Calculated Risk

In contrast to Colangelo’s risk that placed the entire franchise in jeopardy when it failed, there are some low-risk high return scenarios currently available to the Raptors.  For example, Toronto could easily make a minimum offer to one of the high-priced players around the league who were “amnestied” by their teams this past year or players with big names looking to get back in the game (like Allen Iverson). For minimum money they could get rewarded by an explosion of talent if the player returns to form. And even if the move does not worked out at least you have got people talking and interested in the Raptors again and the buzz could help you land other deals by showing to the sports world that you are willing to make smart moves to improve your squad.

Before Jeremy Lin got the starting nod a few weeks ago, no one would have ever guess that a guy who no one had ever heard of would have turned the NBA world on its ear in only 9 games. To Lin’s credit he has propelled his underperforming team to an 8-1 record since he got the starting nod and had as hot a start in terms of points and assists as some of the greatest players who have ever played the game, including Magic Johnson, Isiah Thomas and John Stockton among others. However, does that mean Jeremy Lin is the real deal and on par with those all-time greats or is Lin’s hot start fueled by hype and merely a product of being at the right place at the right time? While most people have signed off on Lin there are a couple of reasons why it would be wise to wait before punching Lin’s ticket to the Hall-of-Fame.

HE PLAYS FOR THE KNICKS

Today’s New York Knicks are far removed from the Knicks of the early 1970s championship teams, and except for a couple of flare-ups during the mid to late 90s, it is pretty fair to say that the Knicks have been pretty underwhelming franchise for the last few decades. Yet, the New York Knicks for whatever reason remain New York’s team. That’s right, despite other New York franchises bringing home the titles at a much more frequent clip (i.e. Yankees, Giants), basketball still dominates all things in New York and so the spot light remains perpetually on the Knicks. Add to this the fact that New York is the biggest sports market in North America coupled with the amount of time the Knicks have not won a title, plus the hype and hope Knicks fans had after the Carmelo Anthony signing, and an ordinary team like the Knicks suddenly has 100x greater spotlight on it than your average team (my math skills are subpar but this seems about right).

How does this relate to Jeremy Lin? Well given that there is such a prevalent spotlight on the Knicks, anything that happens on this team will received much more exposure than anywhere else whether it is actually worth obsessing over or it is not. And while Jeremy Lin has done a tremendous job of taking his team all the way to .500, there is no doubt that if he was playing on the Bucks, Warriors or Bobcats that his achievements would not receive the same level of attention.

HE PLAYS FOR MIKE D’ANTONI’s KNICKS

Maybe you do not follow basketball all that closely, but the coach of the Knicks is Mike D’Antoni, a coach who is known as a tremendous up-tempo offensive coach, but who is also known to place little to no emphasis on defense. The result? His team and its individual players put up eye-popping stats, but the statistic that matters most, wins, often is underwhelming (especially come playoff time). Therefore while Lin is putting up the numbers, these numbers given that they are on a Mike D’Antoni team must be taken with a grain of salt. For example, last year Raymond Felton and Wilson Chandler both had “break-out” seasons by the numbers when they played for D’Antoni, but when they were dealt mid season in the Carmelo Anthony trade their numbers tanked worse than NBC’s Playboy Club. Why? Because only on the Knicks can you get away with this brand of one dimensional offense only play (ok maybe it flies in Golden State too) and thus while what Jeremy Lin is doing is eye-popping (especially because the Knicks have also been fortunate enough to get the Ws over this short stretch), does he really merit the hype in light of the Chandler/Felton experiment?

HE PLAYED WITHOUT CARMELO AND AMARE

When Carmelo Anthony was lost to another one of his ailments and Amare Stoudamire missed time due to his personal family tragedy, there was not a single star-level/notable player left on the Knicks who could step up other than Tyson Chandler (and he is known as a defensive guru and only averages about 11 points a game). Where were the points going to come from? Someone else on the roster was going to have to score right? Well luckily for the Knicks Jeremy Lin was someone else and did a tremendous job of filling up the stat sheet (and to his credit the win column) in their absence. But do not think for a minute that if Jeremey Lin had not been the guy to step up that the Knicks would have only scored 50 a game. Why? Because this is the NBA and everyone, even the 11^th guy on the bench, can score given the opportunity. Almost nightly a different unknown player puts up 20-30 points a game for a given team because a star is out or having a bad game. So while the Knicks were lucky to have found consistency out of Lin, if it would not have been Lin believe that the other players on the Knicks would have stepped up, gotten the benefit of the extra minutes, got the benefit of the extra touches and put up 20-30 points a game be it Iman Shumpert one night, Tyson Chandler another night, Jarred Jeffries the night after that etc. To summarize, it’s the NBA, everyone can score.

The other thing Lin has going for him is that he is decent (I am just not sure he’s the super-duper star he is already being made out to be). And of course if you are even a half decent player, if you are the only decent guy on your team, of course you are going to get a ton of points. Tracy McGrady killed it with the Magic because the ball was always in his hands, and so if you have no other person to count on, of course your numbers are going to be insane. Does this mean you are as good as every other player in the league who puts up those numbers? No it means you look so good because you are doing it all by yourself. To put up similar numbers while playing with talent the way LeBron James, Kobe Bryant and Kevin Durant do is a much truer indicator of talent (especially if you are getting the Ws with it).

Now that the Knicks roster is getting full again, what with Amar’e coming back, the J.R. Smith signing, Baron Davis on the verge of return and Carmelo near 100%, it will be interesting to see where Lin will rank on a nightly basis on the stat sheet. If he’s a true star he’ll remain the headliner, if he’s just ok the middle and if he’s terrible the bottom. That’s just how the stat sheet works.

HIS TURN-OVERS ARE BRUTAL

Plain and simple they are brutal. I do not see how any coach, even Mike D’Antoni can allow his PG to average seven turnovers a game without some kind of reprisal be it fewer minutes, fewer plays or getting benched for quarters or halfs. Turnovers kills momentum and most coaches will tell you that over the long haul there is no greater indicators for losing then turnovers.

IT HAS ONLY BEEN 9 GAMES!!!!!!!!!

I have no idea where this rush to anoint comes from in sports, but if you read my entries regularly you know what it is what I hate most. Every player who comes out and plays well initially, is swept up in this media whirlwind hurricane and talked about and hyped relentlessly. And not only is this hype train incredibly irritating, it is loud mindless chatter until a sufficient time has passed and a sufficient number of games are played in order to establish the appropriate sample size necessary to test whether or not the player is for real or just a flash in the pan. But for whatever reason, as soon as a new player gets going, the hype train gets going and every media outlet aboard.

I know I am not naïve enough to believe that this done out of sheer stupidity or coincidence, obviously these rush to anoint stories are incredibly popular and put a lot of dollars into a lot of people’s pockets, especially in slow news cycles, but for the integrity of the game I would please ask the media outlets and fans to be patient, and let enough games pass before rushing to crown every flare-up as the next big thing.

Whether or Jeremy Lin is a true superstar will only be ascertained over many more games and how he plays on a team with a full roster. He could be the real thing but in the words of Bill Parcells, “”We’ve got a ways to go here. So put away the anointing oil, OK?”

Since my writing has been short of late and with the superbowl set to kick off in just over an hour, I thought this would be the perfect time to write something, even if its short and quick.

Before I get into my thoughts about the game here are my top 10 thoughts about the playoffs thus far:

1. I hope everyone has also been betting on the Giants this postseason like I have. Seriously. The Giants have been a cash cow, especially given the fact that they have been underdogs in every game they have played, and have been pulling upset after upset. That Packers game was particularly lucrative if you (like me) put money on the Moneyline…I am still counting my dividends from that game (well not really, I only won 65 bucks…but still if I had bet a million..then well..).
2. There is a reason why Lee Evans was released by the Bills. Why I say that you ask? Well if that foolio had only managed to hold on to the ball a quarter of a  second longer, it would have been a Ravens v. Giants Superbowl a.k.a. every woman’s dream Superbowl what with Eli Manning and Michael Oher in the big game, and Tom Brady sent packing home. If somehow that Superbowl could have featured Drew Brees’ baby every woman in the civilized world would have watched it.
3. Why do announcers insist on jinxing kickers in big game situations? Example: right at the end of the Ravens-Patriots game the announcer (forget his name..the CBS guy) fell all over himself praising Billy Cundiff, his consistency, his pro-bowl capacity and general big-dickedness (gotta watch Chris Rock to get this). The result? For whatever reason, Cundiff bolts on to the field all discombobulated and shanks a kick that any junior highschool kicker on up could have made in their sleep (seriously it was under 30 yards!!). The lesson is never try…that or cringe anytime an announcer starts over dapping your teams kicker.
4. The Falcons suck. Not only do they suck, but Matt Ryan should have the name ‘Matty Ice’ Surgically removed from himself or any other item barring his name. Seriously does this guy have no leadership or pride what-so-ever? The bold and loud talking Giants did everything short of sleeping with his mother and sister before round 1 of the playoffs and his response was to stink up the Georgia-dome and get beat like he had committed a crime.
5. The Packers losing was no accident, and they had actually looked very shaky for the last 3 games of the season and the result was actually fairly predictable. Why? Well when your team has no run game and no defense, I don’t care where you play even if it is Lambeau field, you are entirely too one dimensional to win especially if your opponent is able to rattle your golden goose of a QB. So congrats to Rodgers on winning the MVP, but if ever wants to get back to the Superbowl he should cash in some of that MVP money and/or convince Packers management to find a runningback and a defense that is somewhat effective down the stretch because Charles Woodson cannot play every position or play for the next 50 years.
6. Drew Brees’ needs a new baby. That or something has to fundamentally change in New Orleans. Why? Well because while the Brees Saints always get it done in the regular season, they have been very shaky these last couple of years in the playoffs. I don’t care if San Fran was the number 2 seed, they play in the NFC West and as such their numbers are inflated regardless of their seeding. And don’t’ even get me started on the Seahawks they lost too last year. It seems that both Green Bay and New Orleans are entirely too reliant on their QBs and in addition both think that they can play the same defense-less style once they get into the playoffs. Yes, they have rings, but if they want to build dynasties they have to realize that teams do not play the same as they do in the regular season in that defenses tighten up and thus they 1. cannot rely on their QBs to do it all and 2. they need traditional championship staples like defense and a running game. So again either Drew Brees needs to father himself another cute baby to get the mojo of every woman in America backing him or he needs to bust down the door at Saints headquarters and demand some playmakers on defense at the very least. The superbowl is in New Orleans next year, and if the Saints want a legitimate shot in hell as being the first team to host a Superbowl they need to manufacture a defense pronto.
7. Why don’t the Dallas Cowboys get some better defensive backs??? I know I know, the Cowboys are not even in the playoffs, but despite calls for their removal, they are still America’s team and should hence be in the playoffs. How can this be accomplished? Well like I have said for the last 10 years, Dallas needs some solid defensive backs. And the worst part about this is that they were available!! If Dallas had not gotten caught up in the Nmandi Asomugha sweepstakes and just signed Jonathan Joseph and Charles Tillman like Houston did they probably would have made the playoffs. I know they move does not fix all of Dallas’ ills as Garrett is still a questionmark, Miles Austin is making way too much money (and should either be cut or his contract re-worked so that his money can be used in other areas), will Demarco Murray’s status is still uncertain, the offensive line is still a work in progress and Tony Romo’s late season play has been suspect at best, resolving the defensive back situation is the only way America’s team will ever see the light of the playoffs again.
8. Why have women forgiven Brad Pitt but not Tom Brady? Think about it, Brad Pitt is a bigger star than Brady and he actually stepped out on his wife to be with a hotter woman whereas Brady is relatively low key, and only left his girlfriend (who probably nefariously pulled the goalie on him) to be with a hotter woman. If the two scenarios are at the very least parallel (if not worse in Pitt’s case), why does every woman still have it out for Brady and have now somewhat forgiven Pitt? Is homewrecking worse if its with a supermodel than it is with an actress? Is it wrong to start seeing someone else even if your woman mysteriously forgets to use birth control at the tail end of your relationship even though she had no problem knowing how to using it for 3 years? Are women finally discovering the fraud that is Jennifer Aniston or simply getting tired of her spinster ways?? These are the questions I want answers to!!
9. How come Tiki Barber has not jumped off the Brooklyn Bridge yet? Seriously, not only did he sell out his team for a job as a sports talking head only to watch that same team cock slap him by winning it all that very season, but he cheated on his wife despite his ovacious pronouncement of his commitment to his marriage of his rough-fatherless life, and did so in such a way that abandoned his two existing kids and wife who was pregnant with two more. If that isn’t bad enough for Tiki, he was cut and unable to find work as a talking head, had his attempts to get back into pro-football flop worse than NBC’s Playboy Club and the same team he attempted to sell-out after they made him rich and famous in order to secure a fleeting talking head job is now back in the Superbowl. If I am Tiki Barber two things are abundantly clear. Karma is a bitch and there is not a skyscraper big enough for me to jump off of.
10. Why is Vernon Davis so emotional lately? Seriously, is his contract up or is he prepping for negotiations or something, because I haven’t seen this outpouring of suspect emotion since Seal decided to prove his commitment to his marriage the week he had a new album dropping . If Vernon Davis is serious about finally turning his team into a contender that’s fantastic, but just do it on the field and spare me the crocodile tears….and if they are real tears, well, still spare me them because it is uncomfortable to watch a grown man blubber the way you do. The hotdog rolls on the back of your head are also uncomfortable to watch so please stop drawing attention to yourself.

Ok it is almost kickoff so it is time for my Superbowl thoughts.

SUPERBOWL THOUGHTS:

If this Superbowl has any one word that were to sum it up it up in similar fashion as big boxing fights do the title would be redemption. The reason being is because it is apt for the two biggest stars of this game.

Eli Manning:  I am guessing that when Eli Manning said he was in Tom Brady’s class, elite and one of the top 5 in the game, that he did not expect to essentially laughed at by the entire civilized world. I mean how could he? In less the than half the time it took his big brother Peyton to do it, little brother had captured as many titles as the person widely considered as the greatest ever. Not only that but with limited offensive talent Eli was able to go on the road and guide his team to the title over what many people had consider to be the greatest football team of all time in the 2007 New England Patriots. However, much to Eli’s dismay, his quiet and understated nature had actually kept him from where his accomplishments and tough divisional play actually warranted him. It is for this reason that this Superbowl means so much for Eli, it is not only a shot at proving to everyone that he is as good as his older brother, but it stamps his status as an elite quarterback in the mind of everyone because it essentially stamps his ticket to the hall of fame.

Tom Brady: After having one of the greatest individual seasons coupled with the greatest team seasons of all-time, the 2007 Patriots were upset and went from being perfect and potentially the greatest team ever to simply a step above oblivion. Think about it, the Pats went from being maybe the greatest team of all-time to the second best team of 2007. And while that kind of drop-off would be tough for anyone, you can only imagine what it does to a quarterback like Brady. Ever since that loss the Patriots have struggled in the post-season despite their continued stellar regular season play, but this year they have found a way to quietly (at least for them) to get back to championship form and get back to a place where they got too with ease in the earlier part of Brady’s career (largely thanks to the Peyton Manning drama, Aaron Rogers and the Packers headline domination and the smokescreen, if not farce, that is Tebow Mania). Brady is not getting any younger, and that coupled with the devasting effect losing another Superbowl could have on Brady means that this is potentially Brady’s last shot at winning the big game and cementing his status as the greatest QB of all-time. The average person would prays for a shot at getting another shot, and so for Brady to get another shot against the same team that derailed his legacy 4 years ago the stars have really aligned for him. Its all on the table for him, and its time to see if he has enough to take it.

PREDICTION: THE GIANTS WIN CLOSE OR THE PATRIOTS IN A BLOW OUT

PICK: GIANTS

Although it has been less than a month since the NBA season has kicked off, giving the steroid infused schedule (and unprecedented back-to-back-to-backs), it might surprise you to learn that a quarter of the season has already passed. As such this is a great opportunity to take a look at the MVP race since a significant portion of the season is already in the can.

#6- Derrick Rose

While Chicago currently sits atop the Eastern Conference and Derrick Rose is the reigning MVP, he cannot be placed higher on this list for two reasons; he has been hurt and his supporting cast has played extremely well. Ordinarily when your best player misses a significant amount of time, a drop-off in terms on-court performance is expected. Luckily for the Bulls however, with some solid play from Carlos Boozer, Luol Deng and a rotating group of guards, they have been able to keep their top spot. In sum, Rose has been terrific when he has been on the court, but more MVP consideration will only come when he is back on it.

#5- Tony Parker

Not only are the Spurs considered over-the-hill given their age and miles, but the loss of Manu Ginobilli should have been the nail in the coffin for the Tim Duncan era in San Antonio. Fortunately for the Spurs, Tony Parker has single handedly decided to keep the dream alive and stepped up in the Argentinian’s absence. Furthermore, it is not just in terms of scoring where Parker is doing his damage, but he has also helped out his teammates by posting the highest assist average of his career. If the Spurs are able to do what they normally do and finish near the top of the Western Conference, this year Parker it will be because of Parker.

#4- George Karl

I know, I know, how can a coach win the MVP award right? But I have placed him on this list largely because of what has been going on in Denver since Carmelo Anthony forced the team’s hand and made them deal him. Denver not only showed tremendous resolve last season, but they currently sit in second place in the Western conference, are doing so without a single “super-star.” How this is not the biggest story of the NBA season I have no idea, especially given the fact that when a team loses its franchise player, and when of Melo’s capability, they usually end of amongst the dregs of the league (ex. Cleveland Cavaliers, New Orleans Hornets etc.). I know in reality George Karl can never win the MVP, but turning a bunch of role-players into arguably the best team-basketball squad since the Larry Brown Pistons means deserves some merit. If the league does not mail him the coach of the year trophy by next week I will be shocked.

#3- Lebron James

I know most of the mainstream media wants Lebron to win the MVP every year, but I argue that since he decided to play in Dwayne Wade’s backyard and effectively become his subordinate I do not think he should ever be granted MVP consideration (no way Michael Jordan lets Scottie Pippen yell at him the way Wade did in last year’s Finals). The MVP trophy should have be given to the player who makes the biggest impact on a team during the regular season, which basically means that without this guy his team does not even have a shot of cracking the playoffs. Therefore the problem for Lebron despite his numbers is that even without him the Heat can still win 60 percent of their games with Wade and Bosh. So while Lebron seems to be playing with a chip on his shoulder and posting close to a triple double for the season, the MVP goes to the league’s best player, not the team’s second option. If Lebron ever wants league wide redemption let alone a shot at another MVP, he needs to pack his bags, get back to Cleveland and finish what he started.

#2- Kobe Bryant

I know the Lakers do not have a great record and they have been in a bit of a funk lately, but have you watched Kobe Bryant play this season? He is playing like a man possessed. Not only is he killing it on the offensive end, but he is playing with a defensive intensity I have not seen in years. Furthermore, he is doing this a wrist injury that would derail a season for most people, and in a David Stern induced toxic environment after Stern railroaded the Lakers by vetoing the Chris Paul deal (which also resulted in the Lakers losing sixth man phenom Lamar Odom). Kobe is leaving it all on the floor in pursuit of a sixth championship, and as long as his body does not collapse he continues to put his team in the best position to do so.

#1- Kevin Durant

Durant is killing it, plain and simple. Not only is he doing his usual damage in every measurable statistical category, but his selfishness and commitment to his team both on and off the court is the main reason he has his team in the top spot in the Western Conference. When Kevin Durant decided to quietly sign a long-term extension to his team, it said something about him and it said something to his teammates. It said that the best player on the planet was pledging loyalty to the team that made him a star and it said he was out for more than just himself. In an era of me-first basketball divas, here is a guy that decided to set the standard for leadership and loyalty prove why his teammates could rely on him through his actions and not simply his words. In if you question that this type of behavior works and makes a team better, all you would have to do is look at the standings. But if you really want to see what an MVP is all about look at how, in a small market, the Thunder are relevant, they play solid team basketball and how Durant’s teammates line-up to go the distance with Durant. Rusell Westbrook’s extension was no accident, leadership works and if nothing else it is the reason the NBA’s most underrated player might win the MVP.

Of course, I am not talking about Manny Ramierez, I am talking the about the other big Manny in sports, Manny Pacquiao. And contrary to the former, this Manny has had nothing but love and adoration from the sporting world up until this week when he came up for a long list of excuses for not wanting to fight Mayweather on May 5^th. You see up until now boxing’s number one guy Floyd Mayweather has been cast as the villain and being the one accused of ducking and stalling the much anticipated mega-fight between the two. As such, Manny has received the hero’s treatment with the media portraying him as the humble, hard-working protagonist who has been patiently waiting for his opportunity to step in the ring with the brash, money-tossing villain who they believe has been ducking him for over two years.

Unfortunately for those in the Manny camp, once you take off the rose-colored glasses reality gives produces a much clearer picture of who Manny Pacquiao is and what is standing is in the sport.

Myth#1- Manny is the best pound for pound fighter in the sport

Truth- He is not

I believe the inception of this myth was around the time Floyd Mayweather the consensus number one decided to walk-away from the sport undefeated and boxing’s number two man Manny Pacquiao was elevated to the top spot. The problem for Manny however, is that Floyd came back after a short retirement, and common sense would dictate that if the king is back, until he is formally dethroned, he is still the king (for example, Michael Jordan was still the best basketball player on the planet even though he left and came back). And while Pacquiao fanatics will cling to the fact that he has dominated the boxing world since Floyd’s retirement by beating-up on guys Floyd had already beaten (i.e. Oscar Dela Hoya, Ricky Hatton, Shane Mosley, Juan Manuel Marquez), this argument holds little water given the fact that it is a lot easier to cut down a tree that already been sawed in half.

Myth#2- Manny has always been the one to delay the mega-fight

Truth- One of the biggest reasons for delay has been the fact that Floyd Mayweather has insisted on random drug testing up to and including the day before the fight. Mayweather has stated that his desire to clean up the sport of boxing is the main reason for his insistence. Whether or not this is really the case, Mayweather has been accused of using the demand as a way to delay fighting Pacquio with the general consensus being who turns down potentially the largest pay-day in boxing history because of a commitment to random drug testing? And while Mayweather has been called every name in the book from a liar to a coward over his decision, there is also a flip side to this coin, who turns down potentially the largest pay-day in boxing history over taking a needle? Pacquiao’s camp has insisted that his refusal is due to a fear of needles so close to a fight, but doctors across the board have stated that drawing a small amount of blood close to a fight has no effect on performance. Therefore, the real focus should not be on why someone insists on a method of testing which is the standard of testing for many world class athletes (i.e. via the U.S. anti-doping agency), the focus should be on why someone is so desperately trying to avoid it. However, if you believe the reports had by boxing guru Teddy Atlas, maybe Manny has a lot to hide http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5OdXkQ1B4wY (around the 9 minute mark).

Myth#3- Manny would destroy Floyd if they ever they ever stepped in the ring

Truth- Unknown

Until the two boxers actually get in the ring there is no way to conclusively prove who would beat who in the ring. There are indicators like the fact that Manny struggled to beat Juan Manuel Marquez (not just once but three times), whereas Floyd was able to defeat him with ease which can make one tilt the odds in Floyd favor, but again nothing is for certain.

In sum, Mayweather v. Pacquiao remains as potentially the most lucrative fight in history, nothing, nothing new has changed that. However, what has changed given recently is the fact that Pacquiao fans must accept the reality that it is Pacquiao not Mayweather who has been ducking Floyd, not the other way around. To cite reasons like “cuts need more than 6 months to heahttp://espn.go.com/boxing/story/_/id/7433886/blame-bob-arum-no-manny-pacquiao-floyd-mayweather-fightl”, “we want a bigger venuehttp://espn.go.com/boxing/story/_/id/7453621/manny-pacquiao-camp-says-no-economic-sense-5-mayweather-fight”, “Who knows if Mayweather will be licensedhttp://espn.go.com/boxing/story/_/id/7433886/blame-bob-arum-no-manny-pacquiao-floyd-mayweather-fight” as reasons to not make a fight are some of the lamest reasons to walk away from upwards of 50 million dollars. Pacquiao’s may continue to sell B.S. while calling it apple sauce, the only difference is that after this week, no one will be buying it. They’ll be saving their money and buy Floyd’s next fight on May 5^th.