Are you ready for some football?!!

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"I'll watch the highlights every now and then but, as far as watching the game, I feel like I am the game" - Terrell Owens

Kickoff is T minus 6 hours and thanks to an exploding appendix we are about to be subjected to watching the 2007 NFL season kick off with Charlie Batch (who??!!!) as the starting QB for the reigning Suberbowl champs.

I decided to make a list of top ten random things I am looking forward to for this upcomign season...

1. I can't wait for Donovan McNabb to burn the Cowboys but this time with Terrell Owens wearing the blue and white.
2. Reggie Bush confirming that the Texans are morons for passing up on him as the #1 pick
3. Matt Lienart staying out of Paris Hilton and going back to playing football ... he did give up some crazy guaranteed money by staying in school for that extra year
4. Can McNair revive his career or is he going the route of Steve Francis of the Knicks
5. Ben Rothelisburger staying out of the hospital long enough to play a few games this season
6. Chad Pennington is a bust... now lets see if he can prove me wrong!
7. Can't wait to see the ruckus after the inevitable sideline confrontation between Parcels and Terrell Owens
8. Miami is actually a good team... Culpepper needed this lets see if he can turn it around...
9. I will miss MNF on ABC... Look forward to seeing the chemistry with the new guys in the booth
10. Is Washington ever going to be as good as they look on paper??

.... All this said... I must just sleep so tomorrow can come sooner and i can burn my Owens jersey as a tribute to the start of the new season!

Draft Week : Looking for answers in the Fountain of Youth

One down... One to go.

Honestly with the draft class in the NBA this year one could come up with a different mock draft for every day from the end of the NCAA tourny all the way to a couple hours before the draft. All the talks leading up to the draft have involved players from Allen Iverson to Luther Head to Ray Allen and inevitably most of this will not happen. We are 2 hours from the draft and there is still no consensus #1 ...That's just how crazy it's been!!
I have been trying to do this version 2.0 for a week now but both Lincoln and I had a different list pretty much every hour to the point we just went with a gut feeling in the end. This is a follow-up from the first mock we did a couple of weeks ago.
I hope to be back tomorrow with Lincoln and another guest Zack Cooper for a post draft analysis blog. So until then here goes...

My last shot at a mock draft...
1. Andrea Bargnani
2. LaMarcus Aldridge
3. Rudy Gay
4. Adam Morrison
5. Tyrus Thomas
6. Brandon Roy
7. Marcus Williams
8. Randy Foye
9. Patrick O'Bryant
10. Shelden Willams

Lincoln made some adjustments...
1. Andrea Bargnani
2. Tyrus Thomas
3. Rudy Gay
4. LaMarcus Aldridge
5. Brandon Roy (Sent to Houston)
6. Adam Morrison
7. Cedric Simmons
8. Shelden Williams (sent to Atlanta with Luther Head)
9. Randy Foye
10. Partrick O'Bryant

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NHL DRAFT: A quick roundup

The NBA Draft is on Today but the NHL draft took place over the past weekend and went ahead without much hype. Living in Canada I have come to expect most media outlets heavily covering the NHL but in the case of the draft there wasn't much thunder as the grueling 8 rounds took place in Vancouver this past Saturday. The NHL draft is unique that all the GM's are in one place and the setup is very interactive as you can watch whets going on leading up to each selection and the draft was full of trades and swaps for positioning.

There was a lot of talk during the NHL playoffs about the lack of interest for the sport from our neighbors down south but this draft points the trend going in the other direction. 10 players drafted in the first round are from the Unites States and that takes into account Erik Johnson who was drafted #1 overall by the St.Louis Blues. There was no Sidney Crosby type player in this draft and so maybe that was the reason not much was said pre-draft but it is definitely something to note the changing trend of where the top players are coming from and that the American grass roots systems are stronger and are producing some great hockey players.

Ahh...I cant focus on hockey when all I can think of is LaMarcus Aldridge?? Rudy Gay??
I need this draft to happen already before I start losing my mind...

A shot at the future: NBA Mock Draft

This years draft is full of players with great nicknames...We have the JJ, the TT, the Bargs and the Ammo but there is no sign of any of the above being the next Lebron or Shaq. With the top 10 as they are right now there isn't even one guy who stands out with enough of that "upside" factor that makes him the consensus #1 pick in this years draft. I have enlisted a fellow basketball junkie Lincoln to help me out with a mock draft of the top 10 picks which further will show how much of a crapshoot this draft. Draft day is exactly two weeks away as I write this (Lincoln gave his picks a while ago...) and I hope to have us both back on June 28th live blogging with an analysis on each pick as we hear Stephen A Smith go on his rants from Madison Square Garden. So without further adieu here goes....

#1: Toronto Raptors - LaMarcus Aldridge (Natasha)
The Raptors have had some good luck drafting Dallas products and I think if the Raptors utilize this draft pick they are going to go with Aldridge. He is passionate, he solid fundamentals, will be a solid pick and make the Raptors frontline a nightmare for opposing teams to defend. LaMarcus already has a good back to the basket game and can play the finesse game that seems to be more in demand for NBA centers now. All this said I of the thinking that the Raptors are going to trade down so they can acquire a veteran to go along with a top 10 draft pick.
#1: Toronto Raptors - Andrea Bargnani (Lincoln)
All signs coming out of Colangelo's camp is that he's going Euro with this pick. He's scouted Bargnani extensively for years, has numerous connections and is being fairly public about this preference. This is just the sort of unorthodox pick that I can see BC making.

#2: Chicago Bulls - Andrea Bargnani (Natasha)
To be honest I think Tyrus is too much like Tyson Chandler but the bulls need another rebounder and if the Raptors go with Aldridge then the Bulls are going to grab Bargs. The need a scoring big man more than the Raptors do and even though there have been rumors that they will go with Brandon Roy I don't see Chicago going for a guard in this years draft.
#2: Chicago Bulls - LaMarcus Aldridge (Lincoln)
Makes too much sense not to happen. There's been talk of them preferring Tyrus, but they need the low-post scoring and a power forward, Aldridge is the best fit for that. They'd be hoping he's Bosh version 2.0.

#3: Charlotte Bobcats - Rudy Gay (Natasha)
Wow this guy who was almost everyone's #1 pick at the start of the year is barely hanging in the top 5. I think the Bobcats will end up taking Rudy Gay because he is a scorer who can play defense. Felton is going to be solid and a healthy Oakafor will be good but Rudy Gay would be the perfect pick for them at SF and with a good amount of salary cap space they can rely on his "upside" factor and give him time to develop while still investing in one or two vets.
#3: Charlotte Bobcats - Rudy Gay (Lincoln)
Call this a hunch. Rudy Gay is due for a resurgence. Now that the big tournament has left its mark, it's time for workout sessions. He should crush those. Bickerstaff has all but shot down the Morrison rumors (while defending Gay), and who can blame him. Who would you rather have, a one dimensional hustle player who's going to have to squeeze blood from a stone just to get a shot off at the NBA level, or a two-way player who's undeniably far more talented and whose biggest knock has been that he might not reach his maximum on-court assertiveness? Asking if you'd rather have 100% of Morrison or 65% of Rudy Gay's potential is like asking if you'd you rather have 100% of $100 or 65% of $1000.

#4: Portland Trailblazers - Adam Morrison (Natasha)
Portland needs something to give them a boost and Adam Morrison might just be the answer. He is a scorer and he has a passion for the game rarely seen in many over-paid NBA players. His breakdown in the tourney wasn't really the best idea but Portland needs someone to come there and bring something real back to this team. If they want to shed the Jailblazers image they need to ship out the Darius Miles and Zach Randolphs and bring in some passion and skill that Adam Morrsion displayed all year in the NCAA.
#4: Portland Trailblazers - Adam Morrison (Lincoln)
Scoring + college hype + model citizen = Blazers pick? Really who knows what's going on in Portland, but if anyone in the top 5 was going to pick Morrison this is the one team where it might actually make some sense. Rumor has it the team is up for sale. If they dump salary this off-season they may want to add a name in Morrison to sell a few tickets. I guess Morrison has appeal.

#5: Atlanta Hawks - Brandon Roy (Natasha)
Roy is probably the most complete and ready player in this years draft. He is a combo guard who can do a lot of things well. Atlanta right now needs every position that is not a Small Forward and even though Lincoln sees them picking Tyrus Thomas, I see Tyrus eventually being more of a SF Gerald Wallace style. Brandon Roy will give them a scorer who can play the point and will be able to contribute immediately. (I am hoping the Raptors grab this guy though)
#5: Atlanta Hawks - Tyrus Thomas (Lincoln)
Height jokes aside, they could use someone with some defensive potential for the front court. Besides, with no point guards worth taking this high, picking up the best asset they can makes sense.

#6: Minnesota Timberwolves: Tyrus Thomas (Natasha)
Kevin Garnett's contract is straight up ugly! Minnesota has almost half their salary cap tied up with his contract and have not had too much success with the draft and/or lack of draft picks in the recent years but I think they are going to have to starting building a team around him through the draft or if they can trade him then they will manage to put together a decent team. I am still not sold on Tyrus Thomas but he has shown enough of the "upside" to know he can be a force. If Minnesota cant move up in the Draft I am sure they will be happy to take him unless Rob Babcock steps in then we might see them draft J.J Redick!!
#6: Minnesota Timberwolves - Brandon Roy (Lincoln)
Minnesota wants to keep trying to put a team around Garnett. I'm sure they'd love to trade the pick for some immediate veteran help, but assuming the right opportunity doesn't present itself, Roy seems ready to contribute right away on an NBA level plus he gives something in the back court.

#7: Boston Celtics - Marcus Williams (Natasha)
The celtics might not have Paul Pierce as the face of the franchise at the start of next season but they do need to look to get a pure point guard and at this spot I think Marcus Williams is the best option. Sure he has the whole "stealing the laptop" thing going against him and some said he was out of shape but he has great court vision and during this years tournament was by far the best point guard. He might need some developing but I think he would be a good fit for this young Celtics team.
#7: Boston Celtics - Rajon Rondo (Lincoln)
Everyone's had this guy's stock in freefall for much of the season for no reason it seems other than the fact he was ill-suited for Kentucky's style of play. Sobriety time. Boston loved their workout with him, and they could use a pure point. Two bold predictions at this time for Rondo: 1) he's going ahead of Marcus Williams because he is actually the best point guard prospect in the draft (though it does depend what style you want your team to play); 2) he's going lottery and probably top 10.

#8: Houston Rockets - Randy Foye (Natasha)
Going into last season we all thought the Rockets were going to be great and it all came crashing. T-Mac had a rough year and the team was riddled with injuries. Luther Head was a pleasant surprise but the Rockets need some help in the back court and I think Randy Foye can be a combo guard and will be able to fill the role of a SG/PG. Its really not known how T-Mac will be next season but Foye was solid in his time at college and will be able to contribute right away like Luther Head did this past season.
#8: Houston Rockets - Shelden Williams (Lincoln)
Size (well he's not all that tall, but he plays up front... You get my meaning) tends to start to win out in a lot of GM's minds this time of year, especially when there's a lot of parity otherwise. Assuming he doesn't just totally suck, Houston could put Shelden to some potential use up front (especially given that the Swift experiment didn't work out).

#9: Golden State Warriors - Patrick O'Bryant (Natasha)
The big man with upside factor starts creeping in the top 10 at this point. O'Bryant had an amazing tournament and he might be a project and he admits it himself but Golden State could use a solid big body and they would be stupid to pass him up. Shelden is available but I don't see him being as strong as O'Bryant in the NBA.
#9: Golden State Warriors - Rodney Carney (Lincoln)
Why not? Golden State doesn't really need more junk and spare parts at any position since they have plenty already, but Mike Dunleavy really sucks so they might as well take a run at trying to do better while figuring out what to do with the rest of the junk and spare parts.

#10: Seattle Supersonics - Shelden Williams (Natasha)
I really believe Shelden Williams is the next coming of Antonio Davis (Davis of 5 years ago albeit). His physique, his aggressiveness, he was solid in college and will be productive for a long time in the NBA and the Sonics will be happy to take him here. He isn't quite tall enough compared to most of the C's in the league but he has a NBA body and he seems to show a great grasp of the game in terms of position on the floor to grab rebounds and has a consistent offensive game in the paint. It might help him to increase his shooting range but he is a solid pick for the Sonics at #10.
#10: Seattle Supersonics - Patrick O'Bryant (Lincoln)
Again size. Since he's the only centre anyone cares about in this draft (and even then, barely), I figure that should keep pushing his stock up and up until it creeps into the top 10. It's a vicious cycle. Basically a centre is projected to go, let's say, 20-25. But there's no one projected ahead of him who plays his position. So a couple teams with the 17th pick and the 16th pick start saying "Meh". It's not that much of a reach, and we need a centre. Suddenly his draft range is 16-20. But there's still no one ahead of him and so some teams with the 15th and 14th picks start thinking "We need a centre..." and so on. This continues until some idiot just says "Screw it! I'm taking him top 10". Hey did I mention Babcock is back in the Minny front office?

Oh yeah... The NHL Playoffs are going on as well - Preview: Round 2

Honestly... I missed hockey initially, but gradually I ended up watching more basketball and began to watch full baseball games. Before I knew it I had forgotten what it felt like to make my Saturday night plans around Hockey Night in Canada. So when the NHL lockout came to an end and the 2005-2006 season was ready to get underway I had no idea what to expect. Suffice to say I was pleasantly surprised with the new and improved product but the jury is still out on the use of the shootout to decide the end of a tied game. As a Toronto Maple Leafs fan the shootout was our enemy for the most part but it did help solve the problem of "sporting events should never end in a tie." The "new" NHL as the media tagged it, is fast paced and the new rules implemented greatly benefit the offensive skilled players as with more open ice to work with we have seen scoring averages go up all around from previous years. At seasons end I decided to ask people around me what they thought of the new and improved NHL and most of them were pleased with the game as it definitely has added more excitement for the fans. With Sidney Crosby as the poster boy for this new NHL, parity between teams with the new salary cap and a new TV deal with OLN (Outdoor Life Network) the league boasted record level attendance numbers around the league for the regular season.
Dominik Hasek hasn't started a playoff game for the Ottawa Senators, the Detroit Red Wings got eliminated in the 1st round for the 3rd year in a row, Jaromir Jagr was injured in game 1 and effectively took out the Rangers from contention... yes the NHL playoffs are underway. The first round is over and in the west it was all about the underdog and in the east it came down to goaltending.

Western Conference: The Underdog comes out on top
The top 4 teams in the west were all eliminated in the first round including the Detroit Red Wings who held the best regular season record in the NHL.


When you mention the names Jonathan Cheechoo and Joe Thornton you automatically think of a high powered offense. Add in a Patrick Marleau and you are looking at a lethal powerplay which might be the difference in this series. In the Nashville series the two main offensive players were shut down but others were able to step up, but to get past a very deep Edmonton Oilers team, the Sharks will need their big guns to step up and should hope for a solid contribution from role players like Alyn McCauley and Mark Smith. In the first round against the Nashville Predators the defense stepped up for the Sharks and not just on offense, the San Jose sharks entire defensive unit boasted a plus rating and they received solid goaltending from Toskala who will have to remain consistent against a very well balanced Oilers team. The first round was a tough matchup for Edmonton but players like Fernando Pisani and Ales Hemsky elevated their game to bolster the offence headed by Ryan Smyth and Defensive Unit led by Chris Pronger. The Edmonton Goaltending situation was a big question mark but Dwayne Roloson stepped up and is a major reason the Oilers are still alive going into the second round. In the regular season the Oilers were victorious 3 of the 4 times these two teams faced each other but this is the first time the teams are meeting in the playoffs. This years playoffs have been a display of power play skills and the team that can stay out of the penalty box in this series most probably will be the one going on to the Western Conference finals.
Prediction: San Jose Sharks in 6


The Anaheim Mighty Ducks were the only team that had to go to a 7th game in order to advance to the second round of the playoffs. They were able to do this on the strength's of the defence led by Scott Niedermayer and superb backstopping of rookie goaltender Ilja Bryzgalov. My initial reaction when watching a game between Calgary and Anaheim was: "WHO??? Where is Jean Sebastian Giguere??" but looking at his stats Bryzgalov is their guy with a 2.29 GAA and even managed to get a shutout in the first round. Teemu Selanne had an outstanding regular season and with an Olympic silver medal to boot he has been leading this Anaheim team with toughness and offensive contributions. This team is very well rounded and will be a bit of a challenge for the Colorado Avalanche who will be relying primarily on offence to take them through to the next round. 2 Months ago Jose Theodore was sitting on a couch Montreal with a broken foot and now he is in net for the Av's while the Montreal team is already on the golf course. All season long the Avalanche remained one of the top scoring teams in the league and the first round of the playoffs was no different with Joe Sakic, Alex Tanguay, Andrew Brunette and Milan Hejduk on the roster.The saying goes Offence wins games but defence wins championships" and this is going to prove important for the Avs to consider they are going to need their defensive unit to step up if they want to get to the next round. Regular season has the Ducks in front winning 3 of the 4 games against the Avs but this is the post season and the experience on the Colorado Avalanche roster will most definitely be a factor. Selanee will be playing against his old team which might give him an extra boost and Jose Theodore has a chance to prove that Montreal made a mistake by shipping him out.
Prediction: Colorado Avalanche in 7

Eastern Conference: 3 Rookies and Martin Brodeur
Martin Brodeur of the New Jersey Devils has more playoff experience than all the other 3 goaltenders in the eastern conference semi-finals.


Ottawa Senators window is closing on them. When they signed Dominik Hasek they believed he was the final piece they needed to get to the Stanley Cup Finals. Things did not quite work out that way as during the Olympics Hasek was injured and they had to rely on a young goaltender in Ray Emery to take them as far as possible. The Buffalo Sabers on the other hand were probably one of the most surprising teams in he NHL this season. Their fast paced style of play worked well with the new rules enforced in the league and this series promises to be an offensive delight. For the Senators they finally have their lineup healthy and are very deep on offence with players like Daniel Alfreddson, Martin Havlat, Jason Spezza and Danny Heatly being just some of the names on their roster. Heatly found a new life in Ottawa who had a rough year before the lockout season and has been a great compliment to the other offensive players already in a Senators uniform. Havlat only played 18 games all season but looks healthy now and through the first round the Senators managed to score at will as they eliminated the defending Stanley cup champions in 5 games. The blue line for the Sen's is solid as they have two all-star caliber defencemen in Zdeno Chara and Wade Redden who are very effective on the power play. The senators are not a very big muscle type team but probably more so than the Sabres who have won a lot of their games during the season with their lightning quickness on the ice. They managed one of the better road records in the regular season and so home ice advantage tot he Senators might not be much of a factor in this series. The Sabres scored the most goals from all the teams in the first round of the playoffs as their offensive unit is led by players like Chris Drury and Daniel Briere. The Sabres much like the Senators got through the first round with the help of a rookie goaltender as Lindy Ruff went with Ryan Miller for all the games against the Philadelphia Flyers. The Senators were the top team in the east for the regular season and were fairly dominant over the Sabres during that time winning their series 5-3 but as mentioned before its a whole different ballgame in the post season. This series will come down to the battle of the rookies in net and the powerplay. The Senators were one of the best power play teams and the Sabres one of the best penalty killing teams. Bottom line.. Will it be Emery or Miller who can handle the pressure of an offensive barrage, stand tall and carry their team to the next round.
Prediction: Buffalo Sabres in 7


The New Jersey Devils head into this series on the heels of a 15 game win streak which included a 1st round sweep of the new York Rangers. Martin Brodeur has ample big games and playoff experience under his belt and he will look down the sheet of ice at a rookie in Cam Ward who was put into net for the Carolina Hurricanes after they lost their first two games of their series against Montreal. Carolina was solid through the season but went into the playoffs on a losing skid but after shaking off the first two losses against Montreal coach Laviolette took a chance by putting the rookie in net and he helped get the team 4 straight wins to get to the next round. The Hurricanes also have one of the young stars of the NHL playing on offence as Eric Staal has had an All-star type season and he was complemented with veterans like Rod Brind'Amour and Mark Recchi. The New Jersey Devils have the most experienced goaltender in the playoffs and Martin Brodeur only allowed the New York Rangers to score 4 goals through the 4 games they played. Playing in front of him the Devils have a team with plenty of playoff experience and a few Stanley Cup rings. Patrik Elias leads the charge on offense and is helped by Jamie Langenbrunner, Scott Gomez and Brian Gionta. The Devils also have John Madden on their roster who is one of the best two way players in the game. His defensive style of play and the likes of Brian Rafalski on the blue line make them a very tough team to beat and Carolina will need to have all their lines clicking in order to get past the Devils who can adjust their style of play as they have so many weapons on the team. The hurricanes will also have to improve their penalty kill in order to give them a chance against one of the better power play teams in the NHL. These two teams split the season series but this is a lot of pressure for a young goaltender who will be facing his childhood idol in Martin Broduer and if the Hurricanes come out slow the way they did against Montreal I don't think they have a chance as the Devils will pounce on them and the series will be lost.
Prediction: New Jersey Devils in 5

Best in the West: NBA Playoffs - Round 1 Analysis

#1 San Antonio Spurs v/s #8 Sacramento Kings (Series 2-2)
"Mike Bibby will not be able to keep up with Tony Parker." This was just one of the knocks put on this Sacramento Kings team who are on a mission to knock out the reigning NBA champions. The beautiful part about the NBA is that its not about one game, its a series where a team can make adjustments, they can play the matchup game and they can on any given night throw a blow to a team that might have looked poised and ready to bulldoze over them the previous night. The 05-06 Spurs are deeper and more experienced than the team that won the championship the previous season. With the additions of Michael Finley and Nick Van Exel, this group has a vastly improved Tony Parker leading their offence but injuries have plagued this team all season long. Tim Duncan has been dealing with plantar fascitis and Manu Ginobli has been in and out of the lineup with back problems. Everywhere I was reading that the Kings didn't have much of a chance against the Spurs but right from the get go we were treated to some vintage Ron Artest and as a repercussion to an elbow thrown out at Manu, Ron Artest was suspended by the league for game 2. Mike Bibby and Brad miller who are a big part of the Kings offence struggled through the first two games but if it wasn't for a Brent Barry buzzer beater this series would be 3-1 right now in favour of the Kings. They have had great support from their off-season acquisitions of Shareef Abdur-Rahim and Bonzi Wells and Ron Artest has managed to pretty much eliminate Manu from the game with his smothering defense. A pleasant surprise for the Kings has to be the play of second year player Kevin Martin who turned out to be the hero in game 3 as he hit the game winning shot at the buzzer. For a kid who was left of the active roster in the previous years playoffs he has shown a lot of confidence and stepped in when Artest was suspended and given the Kings a boost on both ends of the floor. As for the Spurs, they are not a team that is just going to concede anything but in order for them to get to the Finals they are going to need production from the likes of Ginobli, Finley and Horry and a little healthier Tim Duncan will really help their cause.

#2 Phoenix Suns v/s #7 Los Angeles Lakers (Series 3-1 Lakers)
Mr. I dropped 81 points on the Raptors going against the MVP Steve Nash. I got to admit I am a Kobe hater but this series is just to exciting not to watch. TV remotes have been thrown, foul language has been used at my TV and several creative names have been put on my MSN to express my displeasure over the Lakers. The Phoenix Suns led by Steve Nash were not even expected to make the playoffs this year. Amare Stodamire sidelined for the season after knee surgery, Joe Johnson was traded away for Boris Diaw and a draft pick, Quentin Richardson headed for the Big Apple to play for the Knicks but Raja Bell and James Jones were added and this new look team finished atop their division and looked as deadly as ever ready to make a run to the Finals this year. Kobe Bryant has been a man on a mission in his own right as he averaged over 35 points a game this season and after missing the playoffs last year he was determined to get his team there this year. He took his team on his back and willed them into the 7th spot in the west. With a mix of youth and experience the Lakers starting 5 for the playoffs would have people wondering how this team made it there in the tough west but its been the players surrounding Kobe Bryant that have put the Lakers in a position to eliminate the Phoenix Suns. Kwame Brown has matured tremendously over the course of the season and has made his presence felt in this series in the paint as he is defended by a much smaller Phoenix Suns lineup who use Boris Diaw at Center and the same goes for Lamar Odom who has had a solid playoff series. The Suns sported the highest scoring average in he NBA over the season but have had trouble making shots in this series and a big problem is the lack of production on the part of Shaun Marion. The Lakers have solved them in a way and have greatly slowed down the pace of the game more to their own liking rather than the run and gun Suns who put up on average 10 more shots their their opponents. Boris Diaw who is the leagues "Most Improved Player" struggled for the first few games but is slowly getting it together. Nash the leagues MVP possibly for a second straight year is doing his best but needs his teammates to start making shots in order for them to push this series to a game 7. I avoided talking about Kobe but you can't talk about the Lakers without mentioning him and he has changed his role quite a bit during this series. He has been a playmaker more than a scorer but it was his buzzer beater in game 4 that put a dagger through the hearts of the phoenix Suns players.

#3 Denver Nuggets v/s #6 Los Angeles Clippers (Series 4-1 Clippers)
In the words of Sir Charles Barkley... "This aint yo daddy's Clippers." Over 500 regular season games played, yet Elton Brand had never tasted the post season. This year was different with the addition of key players like Sam Cassell and Cuttino Mobley and the emergence of Chris Kaman the Clippers were poised to be a part of basketball in May. Carmello Anthony on the other hand has made it to the second season in the NBA in every year that he has been in the league (3) but each time his team was handed an early exit from the playoffs which has left him hungry. In a weaker division of the western conference the Nuggets secured their division but did not hold home court advantage even in the first round. Home court is not what came to bite them in the ass though, it was the lack of any kind of offensive production from anyone not named Carmello Anthony. Marcus Camby had an outstanding season but he is not a guy who contributes consistently on offence same goes for Reggie Evans who was a nice addition at the trade deadline but he never addressed the problem the Nuggets have had for 2 straight seasons. Earl Boykins is the only jump shooter on the team and he had a broken wrist at the end of the season but was not at 100% heading into the playoffs. The Clippers had the Nuggets figured out pretty quick and took away their fast breaks and lob passes which is what got Denver a lot of their wins as Andre Miller is one of the best passing point guards in the league. With the inability to spread the floor as the Nuggets have no 3 point threats, the Clippers had a solid gameplan just double team Melo and let the rest of the guys try to win the game and clearly they were unable to do that as the Clippers with the leadership of Sam Cassell and the talent of Elton Brand rolled over the Nuggets to make it to the next round potentially setting up and a Lakers v/s Clippers series with the clips having home court.

#4 Dallas Mavericks v/s #5 Memphis Grizzlies (Series 4-0 Dallas)
Note to Pau Gasol: I think the playoff beard thing only works in hockey. The Grizzlies have been swept every year that they have made the playoffs and right now this year was no different. The Grizzlies are known for the defence but seem to have gotten away from what got them into the playoffs and their lack of offence surely didn't help their situation. A healthy Damon Stodamire might have been a key here to provide some of that much needed offence but he has been sidelined for the 2nd half of the season after having surgery. From watching this series I kept getting the feeling like I was watching a team of really good role players playing against Dirk Nowitzki and the rest of the Dallas Mavericks. In the post season you need to have one or two guys really step up but the Grizzlies never got that on a consistent basis. I won't get into too much detail about this series as it was one and done but I do want to point out that the Mavs looked great in the first round and seemed to have figured out a way to play on both sides of the court. Their defense has been shored up and the elevated play of Josh Howard along with the shot blocking presence of Diop has set them up to go deep in the playoffs this year and I personally have them pegged as the team who will come out victorious in the west.

Random quotes and stats from the first round...
- Ron Artest was given a 1 game suspension following the incident where he threw an elbow at Manu Ginobli.
- Shareef Abdur-Rahim of the Sacramento Kings played in over 700 regular season games before getting a chance to play in the post-season. Only one other player in history has played more games without going to the playoffs.
- Just straight up funny: Steve Nash's new Trophy
- The LA Clippers won game 5 to eliminate the Denver Nuggets from the playoffs and move to the second round. For the first time in 30 years.
- Kenyon Martin was also suspended but not by the NBA. The team suspended him indefinitely for conduct detrimental to the team after he refused to play in the 2nd half of the first game against the Clippers.
- On the eve of game 5 in the Lakers series new was released the Kwame Brown is being charged for sexual assault.
-"I've never seen that in all my years in basketball, that someone (would) do that before. I don't think it has anything to do with basketball at all. It's totally ridiculous for someone to do that in a game. I don't care one way or another what happens to him." - Chris Kaman after being groped by Reggie Evans. (Denver Post)
- Saquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant became fathers of baby daughters six minutes apart last week.

Last time I checked this is what we call a "CHARGE!!!"

Beast in the East: NBA Playoffs - Round 1 Analysis

#1 Detroit Pistons v/s #8 Milwaukee Bucks (Series 2-1 Detroit)
I have a confession to make.... I despise the Pistons and the last thing I want to see is a Detroit v/s San Antonio matchup for the NBA finals. That said... I don't think the Bucks are going to be the team that eliminates the Pistons from the playoffs over a 7 game series. This is a case of experience v/s youth and in the playoffs where mental toughness is a big factor, I don't think the young Milwaukee Bucks team has enough power and depth to roll over the seasoned vets who are trying to make their third straight appearance in the NBA Finals. Looking purely in terms of matchups by positions Billups is far superior in all facets of the game over TJ Ford. Michael Redd is a pure shooter but having to run around screens on the defensive end to keep up with Richard Hamilton is tiring him out, but with RIP playing with a bum ankle, Redd was able to rest up on defense some and broke out with his offense and lights out shooting in Game 3. An ailing Bobby Simmons doesn't help when the guy you have to defend is Tayshaun Prince and the MIP from last year has had a rough transition to his new team. Andrew Bogut playing in his first NBA season has his hands full with Rasheed Wallace. Bogut's game is closer to the basket but he has to spend his time on the outside defending Sheed and the 3 point line, thus giving a major edge to Wallace. The battle on the boards between Magloire and Ben Wallace is a good matchup for both teams. Magloire is not as quick on his feet but he is a wide load to handle down low and if used properly he can be more of an offensive threat. Looking at the benches of both teams on paper, I think the Bucks win it but if you add in years played then the Pistons bench, even though they might lack the talent have the experience and mental make up to know their roles. The Pistons are like a well oiled machine and it may take a tank like Shaq to bulldoze over them in the later rounds.

#2 Miami Heat v/s #7 Chicago Bulls (Series 2-2)
Building though free agency v/s building through the draft. This is what this matchup brings forth in the first round and an intriguing one it is. The baby Bulls have little to no experience in the post season and at times during a game the oldest person on the floor in a Bulls jersey is 25 years of age and has played a grand total of 6 playoff games. In contrast the average age of the Miami Heat is close to 29 years and their roster has a cumulative total of 624 playoff games under their belt. Looking at the matchup's there is really no one the Bulls can throw out on the floor to stop the Shaquille O'Neal and coach Scott Skiles has tried playing multiple players at the C position to find the best matchup. Shaq has not been as effective as he has been in his past playoff series and a lot has to do with the abundance of offensive fouls being called against him. This takes him out of the flow of the game and foul trouble has become an issue when we talk about Shaq all season long. Question is though is Shaq getting to slow for the game? or, is it that the players defending him are not close to his strength and a little spin move by Shaq sends his defender flying? Either way this is just one story line of this series... Another being Udonis Haslem's suspension. The refs have kept the players on a short leash this post season and technical and flagrant fouls are being handed out atleast once a game on average in this series. Haslem was furious over a missed foul call and in reaction tossed his mouthguard over at the ref and the NBA will not tolerate that... Completely understandable. James Posey on the other hand shoves a shoulder and an elbow into a driving Kirk Hinrich in a game that the Heat were getting blown out in and he gets thrown out followed by a suspension. I understand a lot of frustration mounts up and a 7 game series builds a lot of animosity but the Heat players need to focus right now because if they keep letting their emotions control the outcome of games they will be on the outside looking in. Wade needs to step up his game come game 5 and in game 6 this whole "he chokes when he plays in Chicago" notions needs to be shed if the Heat want to make any kind of statement to the Pistons who I think will end their series with the Bucks tonight.

#3 New Jersey Nets v/s #6 Indiana Pacers (Series 2-2)
I am a raptor fan so seeing Vince Carter flourish with another team has not been an easy pill to swallow but I cant deny the man has talent. One problem... In the post season the mind has to be as strong as this becomes a mental game over the course of a series along with the physical game for the 48 minutes on the floor. If History is any indicator, then the post season is the last place Vince Carter will succeed. Lucky for him he is just one part of the three headed monster down in the swamp. Jason Kidd is playing like he went back in time 5-6 years and a healthy Richard Jefferson adds to that lethal trio. As a bonus they have gotten significant contributions from Nenad Kristic in his first playoff series. The Indiana Pacers have been a constant fixture in the eastern conference playoff picture over the last decade but this is the first time they had to head into it without Reggie Miller. During the season the Pacers made their biggest move by trading away Ron Artest to the Sacramento Kings in return for Peja Stojakovic. They were looking to remove a cancer from their team and at the same time they acquired a player with a deadly 3 point shot which would help spread the floor out in turn creating more space for Jermaine O'Neal down low. After stealing game 1 the Pacers did not have Peja for game 2 and foul trouble rendered Jermaine O'Neal ineffective for the most part. A $15,000 fine later Jermaine O'Neal was back on track dropping 37 points and 15 rebounds securing a victory for his team. This series is probably the most even in terms of matchups but the Nets have the advantage at PG and the Pacers have that advantage at PF but if the pacers want to take this one they are going to need a healthy Peja and a significant contributions from Danny Granger and Stephen Jackson. Looking at the Nets they have a good mix of youth and experience, Cliff Robinson (uncle Cliffy) has played in the NBA almost as many years as Nenad Kristic has been on the planet. In order to win the series they are going to need solid games from Robinson and Kristic to support the big three of Kidd, Carter and Jefferson and if it comes down to the final shot... Just make sure anyone but Vince Carter takes it.

#4 Cleveland Cavaliers v/s #5 Washington Wizards (Series 2-2)
He wears the #23 on his jersey now he has the opportunity to show us more of why he holds the title of King James. Lebron James' first post-season appearance did not disappoint as he ended the night with a Victory and a triple double that got them there. I am not ready to call him the next Michael Jordan of our time because until he has more rings than fingers on a hand ... All he will be is Lebron James. He was the youngest player to be the MVP of the all-star game, he averaged over 30 PPG during the regular season... but this is the playoffs and here he is a rookie. His supporting cast has been less than stellar in the 4 games that I have watched and aside from game 1 where Donyell Marshall stepped up and Game 3 where Drew Gooden took charge the other players have not fulfilled their roles very well. The Cavs have been unable to move the ball effectively and even with Gilbert Arenas and Jamison for the Wizards having bad nights they are now looking at a best of 3 situation. We all know what Lebron can do but this is a team sport and the team needs to play as a unit being led by him. Just watching the last game it was pretty obvious that those isolation plays are getting old and a lot easier to defend as that's all that is being run with no ball movement. Larry Hughes has been a non factor for the most part and even though Flip Murray was a good piece they added heading into the post season the guy who needs to step up his game is Big Z. He is a matchup nightmare on paper and if he was able to get into the flow of the game early his 7'3" frame would make more room for other things to happen besides Lebron trying to go through 3 levels of defence before getting to the rim. The Wizards have gotten great support from their role players and they have needed every bit of it as Gilbert Arenas has struggled into he early games but they are giving the Cavs fits right now and I think they have the right gameplan in order to win this series. In hindsight... If only the traveling call was made on the buzzer beater by Lberon in game 3, we might have been looking at a 3-1 series in favor of the wizards but I think the "STAR" factor worked to the advantage of Lebron and the NBA needs him to be playing well into may and June to keep raking in the "green".

Random quotes and stats and links from the first round...
- 2 Miami Heat players have received a 1 game suspension: Udonis Haslem & Antoine Walker.
- $40,000 in fines have been paid by players after they criticized the referee's following losses. Shaquille O'Neal ($25,000) and Jermaine O'Neal ($15,000)
- The Indiana Pacers have made the post season 15 out of the past 16 years yet this is the first time the roster does not have Reggie Miller on it.
- Lebron James became the third player in NBA history to register a triple-double in his playoff debut, joining Johnny McCarthy (1960) and Magic Johnson (1980).
- "If (they) want to come to South Beach and have some fun, they all have the money to do that in the summer. . . . Now is not the time for that." - Coach Scott Skiles (East Valley Tribune)
- "Back in the day, the guy would have just bounced up, got two free throws and went about his business. Nowadays, it's not like that. You breathe on somebody it's liable to be a foul." - James Posey in reaction to his flagrant foul.(ESPN)
- "(Carter) was out there trying to play tough, which we all know he's not," - Anthony Johnson (New York Daily News)
- Seeing Michael Jordan jump up and down like a crazed fan when the Bulls were about to win game 3 of their series = CLASSIC!!
- Gilbert Arenas changed his jersey, shorts, shoes and tights at the half after going 1-9 in Game 4, saying what he was wearing had brought bad luck. (Sports Illustrated)
- Dwayne Wade has played in 30 playoff games in his 3 year career in the league. In contrast the entire starting lineup of the bulls has played a total of 42 games.

Last time I checked this is what we call "TRAVELING!!!"

With their First pick in the 2006 NFL draft....

As promised here is my take on the 2006 NFL Draft. I am writing this post as I watch the draft in PIP at the same time as watching my Jays get smacked by the Yankees.

Thanks to my insomnia I watched several hours of the combine leading up to this years draft as the NFL network had the darn thing on loop for about a month. It was the first time I got to see what kind of drills the players were put through and to be honest the quarterback and wide receiver drills are the only ones that held my attention. Wide receivers in this draft may not be the most outstanding but we do have some real star potential at multiple positions in this years draft and 3 teams are going to be very happy with their new quarterback selections from everything I have heard and seen.
Let's backtrack a bit though and I think it would suffice to say these past few months leading up to today have been drama filled and bordering soap opera status. Going back to the rose bowl it was Matt Leinart who decided to return for his final year (we will later see that this has probably cost him about $12 million in guaranteed contracts) up against Vince Young who emerged victorious and instantly talks began of who would go first in the draft. In the weeks ahead, there was the release of the results from the Wonderlic test taken by prospective players that started raising questions of Vince Young's ability to succeed at the Pro level. The blogosphere was eating this up and there were several sites that jumped on this story which was later refuted and the proper scores were given to the teams eventually. This story dragged on long enough to set up as a lead in for the Reggie Bush saga. Matt Leinart must have been feeling left out with all the attention on Vince Young and Reggie Bush he decided to make some news of his own. Leinart stepped out with hotel heiress and socialite Paris Hilton and became gossip column fodder for a few weeks.

All this and none of the above mentioned players made it as the #1 overall pick in this year's draft. If you want a detailed rundown pick by pick you can check out Deadspin as The Mighty MJD breaks it down with some humor. As for me... Well I actually wanted to do this post pre-draft but the Houston Texans threw out a curve ball at me and most of us who have been following the days up to the draft. The Texans officially ended the speculation of who would be drafted first a day before the actual draft by signing Mario Williams, a defensive end out of North Carolina State. This move subsequently messed up all the mock drafts done up by the analysts and experts and little 'ole me. I shouldn't have been so surprised I guess... During the summer, I was sure the Texans were going to go out and draft Vince young but they effectively put an end to that idea by extending David Carr and effectively taking them out of the picture as one of the teams who be in the quarterback race. So they passed on Young, who would have definitely been a fan favourite as he played his college career in Texas, then they can't reach an agreement with the top running Back in ths draft and basically leave the New Orleans Saints a ton of options as they were next in line to draft.

In the NFL more than any other professional sport, teams take on the approach of drafting for need rather than the conventional Best Player Available (BPA) scenario. You could be drafting #2 and you have all the choices in the world but you are going to go with the guy who fills your team needs even though there may be players on the board who are better but play positions you already have. With this in mind the New Orleans saints were in a great position as they had a lot of holes to fill and by Houston picking Mario Williams I think the Saints won the draft as they got Reggie Bush. Tennessee was next up and unless there was some major trade going down they were in the perfect position to pick their replacement to Steve McNair. The Titans picked Vince Young and failed wonderlic or not he is going to be their quarterback of the future. (Incedentally, word is that Vince modeled a lot of his game around McNair and even trained with him on several occasions.) The Jets were up next and they took a safe route even though I personally feel they could have done some moving around as they were in a good position with two picks in the 1st round and considering their last season was a disaster, this was a good chance as any. The went with an Offensive tackle in Ferguson and with that I am going to assume they are comfortable with their quarterback situation and are expecting Chad Pennington to be back on course this season.

The Packers got the news earlier in the week that Bret Favre was going to return to the team for the following season and with the news that Lavar Arrington was going to the giants they went out and got a guy who was widely known to be one of the safer picks in the draft in A.J Hawk. Hawk will be used immediately in the starting lineup and should be a solid pick for the cheeseheads. The 49ers pick was known to most a long time ago and he was a very emotional one too ... Tight End Vernon Davis. His potential has been compared to Jeremy Shockey and Antonio gates and I expect him to fit in with a young quarterback who they selected 1st overall in last years draft.

The next few picks shocked me ... I was so sure Oakland was going to go for a Quarterback and with Leinart and Cutler still on the board they went with a safety Michael Huff. Even more shocking was the Buffalo Bills picking Dante Whittner who is also a safety and in this case it was obvious the Bills were drafting for a specific position and just drafted the #2 safety on the board since Huff was taken. Detroit went with a Linebacker and then the Cardinals were on the clock ready to get the steal of the draft. Picking 10th they still had Leinart on the board and went with him and I think this might be a good fit overall and he will be a very successful quarterback with the right coaching he might not make much of an impact in his rookie season though. Following this beauty was a trade by the Denver Broncos they traded up with the Rams which set them up to go for Jay Cutler. A bit of a shocker as Jake Plummer was their guy and even though he didn't have a great championship game last year he was in the upper echelon in QB's last season but this sends a message for sure. Plummer better get his A game ready because before you know it Jay Cutler may be the starting Quarterback of the Denver Bronco's.

The Ravens went with a Defensive tackle to help make some room for Ray Lewis to do his thing and for that Haloti Ngata was the perfect pick. Following him were a few more defensive linesmen and my team, The Philadelphia Eagles who had thought they might have to trade up to get their guy found him still on the board when they were on the clock and went with DT Broderick Bunkley. The Rams got a cornerback with their pick and the Vikings settled for a Solid Linebacker. Known as "America's Team", the Cowboys got themselves a linebacker of their own and to boot Parcels coached this kids dad so he should have an idea of what he is headed for. The Patriots went with a running back even though Dillon still has the legs but they clearly went for a guy who was a solid first rounder and didn't worry so much about position. To Replace LaVar the Redskins got themselves a solid Linebacker and I was surprised he was still on the board and should be able to fit in right away. A few picks later the Steelers who earlier this off-season traded away one of their best wide receiver selected the best WR in a weak receiver draft in Santonio Holmes. POINT?? The rest of the 1st round played out pretty much how I had expected.

For a full list of the draft picks you can always go here and follow around the links there to get more in depth analysis as well as reactions for the picks in the first round and more. I leave you with a Vince Lombardi quote and I will be back tomorrow with my analysis of the first round of the NBA playoffs.

"Individual commitment to a group effort - that is what makes a team work, a company work, a society work, a civilization work" - Vince Lombardi