AFC Stands for Absolutely F***ing Confused

It's Week 11 in the NFL and I know only one thing about the 2010 season: That I don't know one damn thing about what is going to happen next. Honestly.

One week ago I was convinced that Philadelphia was the best team in the NFC. Then Monday night they took my vote of confidence and turned it into a rout of the Redskins. Good for them. Looks like I've got this NFC thing figured out.

However, one week ago I was also convinced that Pittsburgh was the best team in the AFC. Then Sunday night, much like a spiteful little child, they went out with one goal in mind: To prove me wrong. And they did.

So, in my opinion, who is the best team in the AFC now? Hell if I know. Let's make a case for all 5 sitting at either 6-3 or 7-2.

Indianapolis Colts (6-3) - Peyton Manning is looking like he's in line to win his 5th MVP and 3rd in a row. Despite being nailed with the injury bug, the Colts have missed a beat offensively under the control of Manning. They're hoping to get healthy for their final 7 games. They only have 2 remaining games against teams currently under .500 against the surging San Diego Chargers and rejuvenated Dallas Cowboys. The remaining 5 games against teams all over .500 include two with Tennessee, Jacksonville who has already beaten them, Oakland, and...

New England Patriots (7-2) - It's got to be the Patriots, right? They did go to Pittsburgh and destroy the team I thought was #1. They've beaten Baltimore and look to add Indianapolis to the same list this weekend. They may have been thrashed at Cleveland only 2 weeks ago, but they still sport the NFL's best record at 7-2. Well so does...

New York Jets (7-2) - And the Jets beat New England in their only match-up so far in '10, a 28-14 game in the new Meadowlands. Mark Sanchez has shown tremendous growth in his sophomore campaign already matching his TD output from last year at 12, while going from 20 INTs down to 6. The problem with the Jets' resume lies in the fact that they've only played 3 teams currently above .500 and are 1-2 beating New England and losing to Green Bay and...

Baltimore Ravens (6-3) - The Ravens have let a couple of games slip from their grasp on the road in New England, where they lost in overtime, and Atlanta, where they lost in the final seconds, against a couple of division leaders and Super Bowl contenders. On the flip side, Baltimore has beaten 2 other division leaders and Super Bowl contenders on the road in the New York Jets and the...

Pittsburgh Steelers (6-3) - After the Steelers went 3-1 without a suspended Ben Roethlisberger against teams with a current combined record of 24-12, many thought they would be unstoppable once Big Ben returned. Well the Steelers have only gone 3-2 since Big Ben has been under center, including a controversial win in Miami.

Long Time No Blog

I'm baaaaaaacccccccckkkkkk.

Frankly, a new blog post every two and a half months is not exactly what the experts advise as a proper blogging technique. Neither do I. You're probably wondering why I didn't include myself among the blogging experts. Well I do. Because I'm vain. And, I do think this song is about me.



A lot has happened over the past two and a half months in the sports universe, and I don't know where to begin. So I won't. If you didn't know the Texas Rangers were beaten by a bunch of self-proclaimed "misfits" and some dude with an epic beard, the NFL lacks a great team, the Miami Heat aren't that good (yet), and Auburn is full of a bunch of pricks that make too much money for playing collegiate football then you fall into one or more of the following three categories:

1.) You only read this blog because you love me.
2.) You count on this blog for all of your relevant sports news. (In one word...Mistake.)
3.) You're obviously at the wrong site.

If you fall into Category #1, thanks. I love me too. If you fall into Category #3, go away. I don't want you here anymore than you want to be here. But tell your friends, and tell them to tell their friends. If you fall into Category #2, you will find no news stories here. Only opinion. And if, in fact, NMV is your source for breaking sports news, then go turn on ESPN. After all, they are my inside source.

Stay tuned loyal readers, it won't be another two and a half months for you to hear from me again. I promise.

SEC Team Previews

Jacob

SEC Eastern Division

1. Florida (10-2, 6-2)

2. South Carolina (9-3, 6-2)

3. Georgia (9-3, 5-3)

4. Kentucky (8-4, 4-4)

5. Tennessee (6-6, 3-5)

6. Vanderbilt (1-11, 0-8)

SEC Western Division

1. Alabama (11-1, 7-1)

2. Arkansas (10-2, 6-2)

3. LSU (9-3, 5-3)

4. Auburn (7-5, 3-5)

5. Mississippi St. (5-7, 2-6)

6. Ole Miss (6-6, 2-6)

Anthony

SEC Eastern Division

1. South Carolina (10-2, 6-2)

2. Georgia (10-2, 6-2)

3. Florida (9-3, 5-3)

4. Kentucky (6-6, 2-6)

5. Tennessee (5-7, 2-6)

6. Vanderbilt (1-11, 0-8)

SEC Western Division

1. Arkansas (10-2, 6-2)

2. LSU (10-2, 6-2)

3. Alabama (10-2, 6-2)

4. Auburn (9-3, 5-3)

5. Ole Miss (7-5, 3-5)

6. Mississippi St. (5-1, 1-7)

Marshall

SEC Eastern Division

1. Florida (10-2, 6-2)

2. South Carolina (9-3, 5-3)

3. Georgia (6-6, 4-4)

4. Tennessee (6-6, 3-5)

5. Kentucky (7-5, 3-5)

6. Vanderbilt (2-10, 1-7)

SEC Western Division

1. Arkansas (10-2, 6-2)

2. LSU (10-2, 6-2)

3. Alabama (9-3, 5-3)

4. Auburn (8-4, 4-4)

5. Mississippi St. (6-6, 3-5)

6. Ole Miss (6-6, 2-6)

2010 SEC Preview

Every year dimwits are paid for their worthless opinions before the college football season starts, and I'll be the first to admit that I click on every link or headline that says "Preview" or "Predictions". They intrigue me. They excite me. They make me realize how much more I know about each and every college football season than they do. And I do this for free, largely because I love it, but also so on January 11, 2011 I, and all of you, can reopen this post and think "Wow. Jacob is amazing."

However, I'm not the only one having any fun this year. Marshall and Anthony have joined me in my quest to prove that we at NMV know more about the upcoming college football season than some of the jokers we're all supposed to trust. Over the past couple of weeks we've each gone through all 12 SEC teams' schedules predicting wins and losses, answered burning questions you all want to know the answers too, and made some bold, yet prophetic, predictions along the way. We'll start with the one question on every Southerner's mind...

1. Will we see another Florida/Alabama match-up in 2010's rendition of the SEC Championship Game, or can a team supplant the Beasts in the East or the Best in the West?

Jacob - Honestly, I doubt it. Sure both the Gators and Tide have lost several key contributors both offensively and defensively, but no team has been close in either division the past 2 seasons. I believe Arkansas, South Carolina, and LSU close the gaps this season, however none of them will experience Atlanta in December.

Marshall - Florida will be in Atlanta for sure. I agree South Carolina has closed the gap, but even without Tebow I believe Florida is still that much better than the Gamecocks. As for Alabama there are 2 major questions to consider: 1. Can Nick Saban replace virtually his entire defense? 2. Will the Crimson Tide come into this year a bit satisfied with a crystal trophy? If LSU's 2004 season is any indicator of what to expect from Nick Saban coming off of a National Championship year, than Alabama could be in for somewhat of a let-down. I think this year both Arkansas and LSU have a great opportunity to supplant Alabama as "Best in the West".

Anthony - If there is ever a year the Old Ball Coach (Spurrier) has a chance to supplant C.U.M. (Coach Urban Meyer) and the Gators and make it to Atlanta, this is the year. The 'Cocks have junior QB Stephen Garcia coming off a solid sophomore season and ready to take it to another level. South Carolina also has 7 starters returning on a defense that ranked 15th in the nation last year. As far as Alabama is concerned, although Mr. Heisman Mark Ingram is returning, as well as Greg McElroy, I think they've lost too much on defense to compete with my favorite to win the West this year in Arkansas. I see an Arkansas/South Carolina match-up in Atlanta.

2. Which teams will be the SEC's biggest surprise and disappointment?

Marshall - I think this is the year that Mississippi St. becomes a force in the West. Last year they became competitive, but I think this year they turn the corner and turn some if those closer games into wins. If there is any team in the SEC headed in the right direction, it is Mississippi St.

We have seen this same story time and time again for Auburn, and it always ends the same. The only difference this season is that Gene Chizik is now head coach. It will take more than serious pre-season hype and good recruiting classes to be a top SEC team. the Auburn faithful are in for a disappointing year.

Jacob - The Kentucky Wildcats are coming off of 4 straight bowl bids, and are returning Mike Hartline or Morgan Newton at QB, Randall Cobb at WR, and Derrick Locke at RB. Both Cobb and Locke are big time playmakers and first year head coach Joker Phillips knows how to use them as he has been the Offensive Coordinator in Lexington since '05. Kentucky goes to Florida in their first SEC match-up, but every other game against tough SEC competition (Auburn, Georgia, South Carolina) is at home. The Wildcats also get the pleasure of facing Ole Miss and Mississippi St. in the West, while missing out on Arkansas, Alabama, and LSU. This may not be the best Kentucky team in recent years, but with their favorable schedule and experience at key positions, Kentucky will surprise some people this year.

Like Marshall, I'm not sold on the 2010 Auburn Tigers. Sorry. QB Chris Todd played very well for them last season, but they replace him with JUCO transfer Cameron Newton. Newton only attempted a total of 12 passes in his first go around at an SEC school with Florida, and for the past year has been stomping mud holes in JUCO kids. Well the SEC ain't JUCO Cam. Then there's the defense. With all the talk about how bad Arkansas and Georgia's units played in '09, Auburn was actually dead last in the SEC in scoring defense and next to last in total defense. Sure, they have the benefit of 8 of their 12 games at home, but 3 of their 4 road games are against teams in Ole Miss, Kentucky, and Mississippi St. who look like comfy games at home, but on the road turn into serious threats. Add Alabama as their 4th opponent on the road and Clemson, South Carolina, Arkansas, LSU, and Georgia at home, and suddenly an unlucky Auburn team led by a struggling defense and immature signal caller, and Auburn could be staring 6 losses in the face.

Anthony - I'm going with South Carolina as my surprise team. I think the Gamecocks make it to Atlanta for the first time thanks in part to Florida "reloading", a stout defense that returns 7 starters, and junior QB Stephen Garcia.

I'll make it unanimous by picking Auburn as my biggest disappointment as well. They have not earned all the respect, nor expectations, that have been heaped upon them. They'll finish 3rd in the West at best.

3. Is 2010 finally South Carolina's year?

Anthony - If you don't know how I feel about the Gamecocks by now, then kill yourself.

Marshall - No. The 'Cocks are finally due for a good season and 8-9 wins, but this is not their year.

Jacob - Will the Gamecocks win the East? No. I do think their November 13th match-up in Gainesville against the Florida Gators, and conference finale for both teams, will be for the Eastern Division crown. However, I believe USC-E will win 9 regular season games and for that program, that is a big accomplishment. Since 1985 USC-E hasn't won 9 games in a regular season, and only once (2001) including the postseason. So will it be there year in Columbia? I guess.

4. Who will have the better season, Jeremiah Masoli or Cameron Newton?

Due to yesterday's ruling by the NCAA, I think going with Cameron Newton seems to be the safe bet.

5. After struggling mightily in 2009, can Arkansas and Georgia rebound defensively in 2010?

Jacob - Arkansas is returning 8 of their top 11 tacklers, as well as their leaders in sacks and interceptions. They also return 7 defensive starters under Defensive Coordinator Willy Robinson. Arkansas doesn't need their defense to dominate ballgames, but they do need them to help out the offense in order to have a magical season. If Arkansas can play middle-of-the-pack D for the entire year, which I think they can/will do, they will be able to exceed expectations.

Georgia is a bit trickier. The Bulldogs only return 5 starters defensively and lose leading tacklers LB Rennie Curran, who had a ridiculous 130 tackles, and S Reshad Jones, who led the team in interceptions as well. Head coach Mark Richt relieved DC Willie Martinez of his duties after 5 seasons and hired Dallas Cowboys' Defensive Line coach Todd Grantham who is implementing the 3-4. Trying to break in 6 starters on one side of the ball is enough of an issue, but breaking them in while trying to completely revamp your front 7 is going to be one hell of an undertaking.

Marshall - Both the Bulldogs and Razorbacks will be significantly improved on defense, but fortunately neither team will need to rely on their defensive units to win them games.

Anthony - The short answer on Arkansas? No. Then again the Hogs need to take a page from the New Orleans Saints last season, and be more lucky than good on defense. A few turnovers and not giving up 40 points a game, and Arkansas should win the majority of their games.

I love Georgia implementing a 3-4 defense. The 3-4 is a linebacker's best friend, and UGA always seem to put out stud LBs. I don't know if they have the nose tackle to clog the middle of the line, but ultimately this move will pay off in the long term although it will be a tough transition in year 1.

6. Which first year head coach will have the most success, Joker Phillips at Kentucky or Derek Dooley at Tennessee?

Marshall - Joker Phillips has the best team in 2010, thus Joker will out do his other first year counterpart in Tennessee. Dooley will turn Tennessee around and have the Volunteers in better shape than Phillips and Kentucky in the long term.

Jacob - Joker Phillips. Hands down. If you've read this far, you'll know that I'm on the Kentucky bandwagon this season. They've got the talent returning at the offensive skill positions and a favorable schedule that sees them missing out on the big dogs of the West (Arkansas, Alabama, and LSU). Phillips is extremely familiar with the program and players. All he had to do was switch offices in the building.

Dooley, on the other hand, has his work cut out for him. The Volunteers have a brutal schedule which includes Alabama and LSU from the West and a non-conference date set with last year's Pac-10 champion, the Oregon Ducks. Dooley will also have the serious issue of returning only 9 total starters. Total. Completely. The Vols will be breaking in a brand new QB and virtually a brand new O-Line. Derek Dooley will be fighting for a bowl invite, while Joker will be fighting for a New Year's Day bowl invite.

Anthony - I completely agree with Jacob. Joker Phillips has a favorable schedule (as favorable as an SEC schedule can be) and a lot of talent returning. The Wildcats are primed for a very good year. Derek Dooley, on the other hand, has a brutal schedule and a very young and unproven team. I do think that Dooley is the right man for the job and I hope the Tennessee fan base gives him time to rebuild this storied program back up the RIGHT way. With all that said, the only thing he'll be building up this year are losses.

7. After going winless in SEC play in '09, can Vanderbilt muster a W in '10?

Anthony - Uh, no.

Marshall - Yes they can, and I believe they will. I agree that last year they were pretty bad, and now they will break in a new coach after losing Bobby Johnson, but they return 13 starters, including 2009 SEC Freshman of the Year RB Warren Norman. Along with being dangerous in the return game, Norman also averaged 5.4 yards a carry while running for 783 yards. Looking at their schedule it doesn't look possible, but you never know. I think they get lucky in Oxford.

Jacob - Not a chance. The Commodores were terrible last year, and are more of the same this year. There's a reason Bobby Johnson thought it best to call it quits a matter of months before the season began than to sit through another winless campaign in conference play.

8. Who needs to step up offensively for LSU in 2010?

Jacob - Most Tiger fans are quick to place blame on QB Jordan Jefferson for LSU's offensive woes in '09, but it's hard to make plays down the field when there are angry defenders in your face. If the O-Line can allow JJ a chance to get the ball to his talented crop of WRs (Terrance Toliver, Russell Shepherd, Reuben Randle) and open holes large enough for the Tigers' talented crop of RBs (Stevan Ridley, Richard Murphy, Michael Ford) to run through, then head coach Les Miles might find his seat not so hot at the end of the season.

Anthony - Once again, I agree with Jacob. It starts up front with the big boys on the O-Line. If JJ has enough time to make his reads and get it to the slew of targets he has at WR and TE, and the talented RBs have enough holes to run through, then the offense can be far better than the embarassing 112th nationally ranked offense a year ago.

Marshall - Offensive line, hands down. With protection and an actual running game Jordan should have a much better season than 2009. To look at what Jefferson had last year and the stats he brought in, it is actually quite impressive for the kid. the question really is exactly how much better can the offensive line get? Well, it can't get much worse, that's for sure. So really any improvement at all could be the difference in the Tigers winning 9 or 10 games. LSU is a decent offensive line away from being a title contender.

9. After going 5-7 will Dan Mullen and Mississippi St. continue to move in the right direction or will they take a step back in 2010?

Marshall - After picking Mississippi St. as my biggest surprise team in 2010, I think it's obvious I believe Dan Mullen has them moving in the right direction.

Jacob - Dan Mullen will definitely keep this program moving forward. Granted, when Mullen took over in Starkville before last season there was only one way they could go, and that was up. The Bulldogs were 5-7 in 2009, and virtually a yard away against LSU from a bowl game. I don't think Mullen will stick around long enough to make a long term impact on the program, as he will head for greener pastures when he receives a better job offer.

Anthony - I think overall Dan Mullen has the program moving in the right direction, but their 2010 schedule is absolutely brutal. They face LSU, Alabama, Houston, Florida, and Ole Miss all on the road. They also have typical Western Division opponents Arkansas and Auburn at home. Dan will be hard pressed to take the Bulldogs to a bowl game this season. Despite that, I believe Mullen is absolutely the right man for this job, sometimes you just get the short end of schedule.

Strasburg to Have Tommy John Surgery

Rookie phenom Stephen Strasburg will undergo Tommy John surgery to repair a torn ligament in his throwing arm. The news comes only a few days after Strasburg was placed on the 15 day DL for what was originally believed to be a strained ligament.

Can Nationals' fans ever catch a break? Talk about a punch to the gut. Just 2 weeks after signing the next big thing, Bryce Harper, a year after signing the current big thing, Strasburg, Washington fans had something to look forward to. They had potentially the best pitcher and best hitter in the game 5-10 years from now. They had the makings of a dynamic young core that could be together for years. Now all they have to look forward to in 2011 is Bryce Harper's minor league stats.

Strasburg will spend the better part of a year (or more) rehabbing his right arm. Fan favorite Adam Dunn is likely to vacate our nation's capital as a free agent. Harper won't sniff the big leagues until maybe September. How quickly things can turn sour.

But what's the reality of the situation? Will Strasburg ever be Stephen Strasburg again, or will he be another quality front end starter with limited potential? The answer remains to be seen. I could go through all the trouble of looking up statistics for pitchers pre- and post-Tommy John, but I don't have the time for that. Instead, I'll give you my honest opinion.

Eh. No biggie.

Hold up. What? No biggie? Yeah, that's what I said. In all honesty, did the Nationals have a shot in hell at competing for anything next year? 4 months ago I would've said no before the Reds and Padres convinced me otherwise. Now I'll say not likely. Strasburg would've had a shot at a Cy Young, but that's about all Nats', and baseball, fans are missing out on.

Barring any major setbacks Strasburg will be ready for the start of the 2012 MLB season, hopefully along with Harper. And let's face it. Tommy John is a big deal, especially in the short term, but in the long term most pitchers come back either throwing harder or with a reconstructed delivery that aleviates a lot of pressure off of the shoulder or elbow. His nasty curve will probably lose some of its bite due to a loss a torque, but potentially this procedure could make Strasburg even more filthy, or just more effective.

As a baseball fan, I just want to see Strasburg in the best hands available in order to come back at 100% and not a minute sooner. Strasburg is a special talent that has lived up to his billing and hype in an age where that just doesn't happen anymore. Frankly, this wasn't just a punch to the gut for only Nationals fans, but all baseball fans including myself.

Blame It On the M-M-M-M-M-Mormons

Just when we think the waters that are college athletics had calmed and settled, the Mormons had to go and screw it all up. Wednesday the BYU Cougars attempted to move from the Mountain West Conference into college football independence. The Cougars were also moving to the Western Athletic Conference for their sports.

This move is strictly about money, which they need a lot of to feed all their wives. The MWC's current TV contract only allows each team to profit $1.3 million through 2013, a number that the Cougars believed they could top on their own especially since the number might shrink when renegotiated after the departure of their geographic rival, the Utah Utes, to the Pac-10/12. BYU also has to share any money allocated from a bowl appearance with other MWC members instead of hoarding it for themselves like they could as an independent. The Cougars were also inquiring about a Notre Dame-esque at-large stipulation with the BCS. (The Fighting Irish automatically qualify for the BCS as an independent if they finish the regular season in the top 8 of the BCS standings with at least 9 wins.)

Well Thursday the Mountain West Conference fired back in a big way. Before BYU could finalize their move, the MWC swooped in and convinced the WAC's 2 remaining athletic programs of any worth, Fresno St. and Nevada, to come aboard beginning in 2011. Suck it Mormons. OK not quite. This move will keep BYU in the MWC and create a very deep football conference that could potentially make a great case to be incorporated into the BCS. Even after the exodus of Utah, once the 2011 begins, the MWC will contain Boise St., TCU, BYU, Fresno St., and Nevada. 2 of those teams, Boise St. and TCU, matched up in the Fiesta Bowl of the BCS just last season, and Boise St. is preseason ranked #2 in the country this season.

Ranking the QBs of the SEC Part 2

It's time to polish this list off. Are you ready? Of course you are.

6. Cameron Newton - Auburn Tigers - Once seen as the next coming of Tim Tebow at Florida as he beat out current Gator QB, and #3 on my list, John Brantley,however Newton couldn't help himself from conforming to racial stereotypes and purchased a stolen laptop. He was then arrested for theft and unceremoniously left the school and transferred to Blinn College in Brenham, Texas where he led the Buccaneers to a Junior College National Championship. Now Newton finds himself back in the SEC, only this time he's under center at Auburn. Newton definitely has the potential to climb up my list, but until then he sits at #6.

5. Jordan Jefferson - LSU Tigers - I still don't understand the disdain for Jefferson outside of south Louisiana. Hell, JJ won't even turn 20 until just over a week before the 2010 season begins. In his first full season as the starter in his true sophomore year, JJ threw for 2166 yards while completing 61.5% of his passes and 17 TDs to only 7 INTs. Not to mention he was sacked 34 times which was alone more than every team in the SEC's total sacks given up except South Carolina. Jefferson played pretty well in 2009 considering what was in front of him.

4. Stephen Garcia - South Carolina Gamecocks - Garcia is another QB, like Jordan Jefferson, that people love to hate. The only difference is even Garcia's own head coach, Steve Spurrier, seems to talk crap about him. Also like JJ, last season was Garcia's first full season starting as a Sophomore. And to continue the comparison, Garcia was also sacked more times, 37, than 10 other SEC teams were except for LSU. Garcia also matched JJ's 17 TDs threw the air, while adding 4 more on the ground, but threw more INTs with 10. This season should see significant improvement under the tutelage of the 'Ol Ball Coach. If the Gamecocks are going to make waves around the SEC, Garcia is going to have to lead them there.

3. John Brantley - Florida Gators - Never has there been this much hype surrounding a Florida QB since...well, Brantley's predecessor Tim Tebow. Tebow set all kinds of records while in high school, and Brantley came in a couple of years later and broke them all, and for that I love him. Put it this way, John Brantley is so good that just when Urban Meyer thought he didn't want to coach again without Tebow, he remembered he had this guy standing around serving Gatorade on the sidelines and did an about face. It also doesn't hurt that Brantley is walking into a beautiful situation. The Gators are still loaded with talent at the skill positions and have offensive guru Urban Meyer roaming the sidelines.

2. Greg McElroy - Alabama Crimson Tide - 2508 yards. 17 TDs. 4 INTs. 14-0. And don't call it a fluke. McElroy hasn't lost a game as the starting QB since middle school. McElroy is the prototypical game manager, and all Nick Saban does with game managing QBs is win National Championships. Just ask Matt Flynn. If McElroy was at any other school in the SEC, he would struggle to crack the top half of my list. However, McElroy is at the University of Alabama where he is trying to win back-to-back NCs. There's no fluke about that.

1. Ryan Mallett - Arkansas Razorbacks - Ryan Mallett ran away with the #1 spot in this poll, as he was a unanimous choice as the top QB in the SEC garnering the only first place vote given out. As a RS Sophomore Mallett threw for 3627 yards with 30 TDs and only 7 INTs. If you're looking for a flaw in Mallett's game, you don't have to look far...down the field that is. Mallett only completed 55.8% of his attempted passes mainly because he was often enamoured with the long ball and failed to check down. Mallett and head coach Bobby Petrino have spent most of the offseason watching film to correct the issue. Now are you ready for the scary part? Historically, QBs under Petrino's wing have made huge strides in year 2. Welcome to year 2 of Ryan Mallett and Bobby Petrino.

Carmelo and Denver Growing Apart

Who saw this coming? You mean to tell me that an NBA player is looking at forgoeing any sort of loyalty just for the opportunity to play in one of the largest television markets with other superstars rather than try to actually win something on their own?

That'll Teach Her!

Keep the Florida trash out of here!

And This Is Why the NFL Preseason Is Retarded

Eli Manning got his forehead busted open Monday night while going after a loose ball.

As much as I hate the preppy prick who thought he was too good for an NFL franchise, I hate to see this kind of stuff happen. I understand coaches want their players to get their sea legs under them, but I'm pretty sure they'd also like to keep their blood in them.

Ranking the QBs of the SEC Part 1

I don't know why I'm doing this. Frankly, I think I'm a glutton for punishment, among other things. 5 out of 12 teams are breaking in a brand new starter under center, or in the shotgun if you're John Brantley at Florida. That leaves this list way too open and uncertain. Let the fun begin.

12. Matt Simms/Tyler Bray - Tennessee Volunteers - This is an enigma. Do you start the 4 star true freshman with a promising future in Bray? Or do you start the son of former Pro Bowler and Super Bowl MVP Phil Simms who has bounced around from Louisville then JUCO? Does it matter? Either way you're screwed if you're a Volunteer fan.

11. Larry Smith - Vanderbilt Commodores - Remember when Vanderbilt recieved only their 2nd bowl invite in their school's history and won the Musci City Bowl in their own backyard 16-14 over Boston College? Seems like forever ago, huh? For Larry Smith it was. It was Smith's 2nd ever collegiate start and he actually played well going 10-17 for 121 yards with 0 TDs or INTs. So coming off their first winning season in 53 years, Commodore fans were stoked about Smith and the 2009 squad...that went 2-10 overall and 0-8 in SEC play. Was it all Smith's fault? Of course not. However, his abysmal stat line didn't help (46.7% completion 4 TDs to 7 INTs). Expect more of the 2009 Larry Smith over the 2008 version.

10. Chris Relf - Mississippi St. Bulldogs - I'm going to assume that there isn't a QB controversy in Starkville with Chris Relf and Tyson Lee because I like to believe that Dan Mullen is actually a pretty good coach and not a ra-tard. Why should Chris Relf be the starter? Well for starters he threw more TD passes than Lee, 5 to 4, in 180 less attempts, 221 to 41. And Lee threw 14 INTs to Relf's 3. Ah yes, and Relf led the Bulldogs' attack when they absolutely clobbered Ole Miss in the Egg Bowl. So why is relf ranked so far down on this list? Frankly? Because he's black and I'm a racist. Oh, and just because he offers Mississippi St. they're best option at QB doesn't mean he's actually worth squat.

9. Mike Hartline/Morgan Newton - Kentucky Wildcats - Two years ago Mike Hartline looked like the heir apparent to Andre Woodson's throne in Lexington. Then halfway through last season when a knee sprain allowed freshman Morgan Newton to step in and assert himself as the Wildcats' QB of the future. Maybe. First year head coach Joker Phillips has one hell of a decision on his hands choosing between these two, and I don't quite understand why. They both have one job: Get the ball to Derrick Locke or Randall Cobb. It's that simple. I could even do it. This is like Houston Nutt trying to decide if Casey Dick or Mitch Mustain was better suited to hand the ball off to Darren McFadden or Felix Jones.

8. Aaron Murray - Georgia Bulldogs - UGA is going to need a big time year from RS Freshman Aaron Murray if they plan on contending in the Eastern Division in 2010. Big expectations from a freshman, right? Well maybe not. Murray graduated early from high school early in 2009 as a 4 star recruit so he could report to Athens for spring workouts, and was redshirted as Joe Cox took the snaps last fall. Murray will be counted on to lead a potent Bulldog offense that returns every offensive starter except at QB.

7. Jeremiah Masoli - Ole Miss Rebels - Last year Masoli led the Oregon Ducks to a Pac-10 title and the Rose Bowl. This year Masoli was supposed to be a Heisman contender and carving up Pac-10 defenses once again. Instead, Masoli is a thug, among other non-flattering ways I could describe him, and got himself kicked off the team, and thanks to an NCAA loophole, finds himself in Oxford using his last year of eligibility to try to keep Houston Nutt and his Rebels out of the SEC West cellar. Probably not gonna happen.

To be continued...

Actual Offseason Hockey News!!!

It's surprising when we break out NHL news that doesn't involve the Stanley Cup, but folks, we're doing it, mainly because it involves someone royally screwing the pooch, and I love when that stuff happens.

K-Rod Punched His Father In-Law

IN THE FACE!

NFL Referee Says His Blown Calls Decided Super Bowl XL

Veteran referee Bill Leavy told the Seattle media Friday that he missed a couple of calls late in the game that he believes helped the Pittsburgh Steelers defeat the Seattle Seahawks 21-10 back in 2006.

Wait, what? This is not OK. Not by any stretch of the imagination. I'm OK with the fact that he feels severe remorse for "missing a couple of calls", but this happened almost 5 years ago. Let it go. Let Seattle let it go. There's no need to make them relive that day when just 8 months ago they were forced to accept Pete Carroll as their head coach. They're still not over that yet Bill.

And apparently neither are you.

Maybe Leavy just needed to get this off of his chest once and for all, but in today's technological age where all we do is question officials, the last thing players and coaches need is another excuse to blame the referees no matter what the sport. We don't need them blaming themselves now.

Jim Joyce was one thing. That guy knew he made a mistake and quickly apologized for it. He didn't wait 4 and a half years, nor did he help decide the outcome to the freaking Super Bowl.

Point is, Leavy should've kept his damn mouth shut. Suck it up, be a man, and move on.

Russell Okung Signs With Seattle

Why do we care? Because every pick from the 2010 NFL draft is now under signed by their team! That means no hold outs!



Wait a second. I've just got some news. It has just come to my attention that there is one remaning player left unsigned. Sorry Sergio Kindle. Even Chad Jones knew to almost kill himself after he got paid.

USA Today Preseason Rankings

USA Today released their 2010 NCAA football preseason rankings this morning, and while they might be worthless, they do signify that the start to the college football season is a month away.

Get excited! I sure as hell am!

Ranking the Coaches of the SEC Part Duex

Now that I've got you on the edge of your seats, let's finish the countdown.

6. Houston Nutt - Ole Miss Rebels - The Right Reverend has slowly climbed up these types of rankings put out by various members of the media over the years mainly due to longevity. While Nutt has had moderate sustained success, he has never gotten a team over the hump having never been to a BCS game in 12 seasons as a BCS coach. The closed he came was in '06 at Arkansas when the Hogs climbed as high as #4 in the polls the week before Thanksgiving. That team, in typical Nutt fashion, lost its last 3 games of the season once expectations were raised to finish 10-4. Nutt has always fared well as an underdog and tends to go against the grain with whatever the national media thinks his team will do. Luckily for the Rebels, Ole Miss was picked 5th in the West by the coaches and dead last by the media.

5. Mark Richt - Georgia Bulldogs - Before Richt was hired to coach the Bulldogs in '01, only Tennessee and Florida had represented the SEC's Eastern Division in the annual Conference Championship game. Since then UGA has played for the SEC title in Atlanta 3 times, winning twice, and losing a divisional tiebreaker to UT once more. Richt has averaged 10, yes 10, wins a years over 9 seasons since taking over for Jim Donnan. So why is he #5 on this list? Every coach above him has at least 1 National Championship to their credit. Those speak volumes. Maybe that's why there have been some grumblings out of Athens that have Richt on the proverbial "hot seat". Personally, I think they would be nuts to can him, but UGA folks are spoiled.

4. Steve Spurrier - South Carolina Gamecocks - The Old Ball Coach would've found himself at or near the top of this list a decade ago. However, after stops in Washington, DC, with the Redskins, and now South Carolina, Spurrier seems to have lost some of his magic from his days in Gainesville when he won the '96 National Championship and 6 SEC Championships. Some believe, as I do myself, that the game has simply evolved from the years when Spurrier's fun 'n gun offenses were considered unstoppable. While Spurrier has yet to have a losing season in Columbia, he has yet to win more than 8 games. He has, what most consider, his most talented Gamecock team this season, but will he finally relive the glory days?

3. Les Miles - LSU Tigers - Yeah. Yeah. I know. Les Miles at #3? What about his 8-8 SEC record over the past 2 seasons? Or the Ole Miss game last year? Or that he never answers a question with a straight answer? Or that he can't even wear a hat correctly, instead just places it gently on top of his head? Laugh all you want, but let the number speak for themselves. In 5 seasons at LSU, Miles has won 1 National Championship, 1 SEC Championship in 2 appearances, won 2 BCS games, 4 top 10 recruiting classes, and 1 SportsCenter commercial. Love him or hate him, the man has had success.

1b. Urban Meyer - Florida Gators - Success seems to follow Meyer around, and it's no coincedence. Meyer led the Utah Utes to their first undefeated season in '05, and they became the first BCS-Buster with a trip to the Fiesta Bowl and upset of Pittsburgh. Upon replacing the much maligned Ron Zook at Florida, Meyer has only gone 57-10, won 2 National and SEC Championships, 3 BCS victories, and coached Tim Tebow. And he did all of that even with serious health issues that sidelined him during the offseason!

1a. Nick Saban - Alabama Crimson Tide - Lil' Nicky may not be liked anywhere but Tuscaloosa, but it's because he's one hell of a coach. And because LSU fans feel like they're entitled to everything and everyone. Regardless, Saban is known for his swarming defenses, smashmouth running games, white, game managing QBs, and for being an all-around prick. Sounds like the makings of a great coach. And Satan, I mean, Saban lives up to the billing. He's won 2 National Championships, 3 SEC Championships in 4 appearances, and ranks a top of my list.

Ranking the Coaches of the SEC

We'll go 7-12 today, and cap it off tomorrow with numbers 1-6. Let's do this.

12. Robbie Caldwell - Vanderbilt Commodores - I'm still not sure if I'm supposed to feel sorry for this guy or not. Yeah, sure, he got his first major head coaching after 35 years, but it's taking over for Bobby Johnson at Vanderbilt with a team that went 2-10 overall and 0-8 in the SEC last year. Why does taking over for BJ matter? BJ took Vandy to their 2nd bowl game in history 2 years ago, and when he resigned recently, word is all 12 Vandy fans were speaking as if the had just lost the Bear in Nashville. Suddenly Commodore fans feel as if they deserve a bowl game every now and then. Now there's no grace period for Caldwell. God speed and good luck Robbie. I'll be surprised if Vandy reaches more than 1 win in '10.

11. Joker Phillips - Kentucky Wildcats - Although Phillips has equal coaching experience as Caldwell, the Joker has been the head coach in waiting for some time now in Lexington, therefore he gets the nod at #11. Joker was Rich Brooks OC for the past 5 seasons and brings back a couple of playmakers in Randall Cobb and Derrick Locke, as well as Mike Hartline and Morgan Newton, both with experience under center. The Joker will need to pull a few tricks from up his sleeve if he wants to add to 4 consecutive bowl invites for the Wildcats.

10. Derek Dooley - Tennessee Volunteers - If you were to look at Dooley's overall record, which stands at 17-20 at Louisiana Tech in the WAC, you'd be forced to wonder why Tennessee looked to him to return the once proud program to glory. First off, Dooley comes from outstanding pedigree. His father, Vince Dooley, coached at UGA for 25 years winning over 200 games, 6 SEC Championships, and 1 National Championship. Second off, Dooley has coached and learned under his father and current Alabama coach Nick Saban at LSU and the Miami Dolphins from '00-'06. These things don't directly translate to wins, but the Rocky Top faithful are sure praying they do, but with road games at LSU, Georgia, and South Carolina and Oregon, Florida, and Alabama marching into Knoxville, Derek Dooley's record may fall a game or two more under .500.


9. Dan Mullen - Mississippi St. Bulldogs - Nick Saban may have been named the '09 SEC Coach of the Year, but Dan Mullen did one hell of a job his first season in Starkville. Mullen took a Bulldogs teams with far less talent than the rest of the SEC and came up 1 yard short of making a bowl game while trudging through the nation's toughest schedule. For 8 years Mullen was current Florida head coach Urban Meyer's (who you'll see much later in this list) right hand man at Bowling Green, Utah, and Florida as QBs coach and OC. Apparently he learned a lot with Meyer, and if he continues to build up the Mississippi St. program, he won't be too far under him on this list in year's to come.

8. Gene Chizik - Auburn Tigers - When Auburn pulled the quick trigger on Tommy Tuberville after the '08 season many Tiger fans were stunned. When Auburn Athletic Director Jay Jacobs returned after meeting with Tuberville's successor, Gene Chizik, many Tiger fans were not too pleased, and a few made sure he knew it. Chizik's hire was quite the shock. Although many Tiger fans knew Chizik as the man who led the defense from '02-'04, including the magical 13-0 year that didn't equate to a National Championship, they also knew him as the guy that left to accept the same role at Texas the vrey next year and had led the Iowa St. Cyclones to a 5-18 record the previous 2 seasons. Opposing fans laughed at the state of Auburn football, and the national, and Crimson Tide, media had quite the field day with the story. However, amidst the hoopla, Chizik put together a great staff and pulled out an 8-5 season capped off by an Outback Bowl victory. During the offseason he also brought in a top 5 recruiting class.

7. Bobby Petrino - Arkansas Razorbacks - Petrino is a guy that could find himself a few notches higher on this ladder if he can lead the Razorbacks to the type of season Hogs fans and media members are expecting. Arkansas will feature a high powered offensive attack led by preseason Heisman contender QB Ryan Mallett, but if the Razorbacks want to make it a special season they have to patch the large holes on the defensive side of the ball. Petrino was left with a rather empty cupboard in Fayetteville by predecessor Houston Nutt, but his players are now older, more mature, and potentially ready to breakthrough. If Petrino can take Arkansas to its first ever BCS game, he will never high to buy another drink in the state. That is, unless he leaves for greener pastures as most would say his reputation would have him do.

Darrelle Revis Holds Out

I believe players should be compensated fairly for their talents. I also believe players should honor their contracts. Especially their rookie contracts. Above all else, I also believe players should not, under any circumstances, hold out and alienate the organization, his coaches, and most importantly his teammates. That last sentence was for you Darrelle.

3 years ago Revis hadn't done a single thing in the NFL when he signed his first ever pro contract. Nowadays Revis is considered the top CB in the entire league, and he feels like he should be paid like the top CB in the league...after his current contract expires. The day a player underachieves compared to his salary and holds out until his contract is restructured so that he'll make less money, I'll give the go ahead for players to hold out for more money like Revis.

The Jets made a lot of offseason moves giving their fans loads of optimism and high expectations, but with their team's best player, and arguably the league's top defensive player, sitting on the sidelines and forgoing first-team defense reps fans have to be a little worried. Revis' agent is talking as if Revis is trying to do more than make a statement and appear in camp after doing so. According to Neil Schwartz Revis was "extremely deliberate in this decision making process" and Revis' "actions will speak louder than words...his absence will be deafening". That's some tough talk from a Jew.

So what is New York to do? Every organization has to be careful in these situations as they do not want to set a dangerous precedent. It's hard to do what's best for the team and organization all at the same time. If the player gets exactly what they want, what's stopping every disgruntled player on the roster from following suit? However, how does the front office negotiate in such a way that doesn't rub the player the wrong way while talking the terms down into it's budget? I don't have the answers, and neither does A.J. Smith.

As I mentioned before, Revis is without a doubt the Jets best player. Hands down. No question. So how much would he be missed if he missed actual, meaningful game time? When considering his talent, surprisingly, not as much as you'd think. New York brings back Dwight Lowery, who started opposite Revis for the Jets top ranked defensive unit last year, traded for San Diego starter Antonio Cromarite, who had 10 INTs in '07 and is very fertile, and newly signed first round draft pick Kyle Wilson out of Boise St.

Obviously none of the CBs currently in camp are comparable to Darrelle Revis, but none of them would be considered a weak link on the defensive side of the ball. The Jets are a sexy pick to win the Super Bowl this year in Dallas mostly because of Revis' ability to shut down an opponent's #1 WR, however head coach Rex Ryan believes the Jets can still compete for a Super Bowl without Revis. Whether they can or not has yet to be seen, but I guarantee Rex Ryan and the rest of the Jets organization and fans would rather not roll the dice and instead give Revis what he wants. Once again talent will win out.

St. Louis Rams Ink Sam Bradford

Congratulations Sam Bradford! You're officially the luckiest Injun this side of the Miss'sa Sip!

9 months ago Sam Bradford was on suicide watch after winning the Heisman trophy and announcing he was returning to school only to find himself requiring surgery on his throwing shoulder, and because he's 1/16 Cherokee and it should be required by law. Now Bradford has secured the largest contract ever for a draftee. The deal is worth $78 million, $50 million guaranteed, over 6 years and could be worth as much as $86 million with incentives. That'll buy a lot of jean jackets on the reservation.

All of this for a QB coming off of a season where he only appeared in 3 games, none of which did he start and finish them because of injury, and has yet to play in a game after having major surgery to his throwing shoulder. There's something wrong with this picture.

Don't get me wrong. I really liked the Bradford selection for the Rams. (Here's proof.) But there's now way in Hell that Sam Bradford is worth that kind of money right now. No draft pick is. They've done nothing in the league, but because they're the top overall pick they should get paid like a franchise player. Makes perfect sense. If you're always drunk like Sam Bradford and his people.


Editor's Note:
No Native Americans' feelings were harmed during the writing of this post. They're too busy yanking the lever on the slot machines anyway.

Soccer soccer soccer!!!

I know... where have I been right?  Truth be told at work we've been working on the new Nashville Convention Center (shameless plug, yes I know), so I have been quite busy.  Oh, and there was that whole World Cup thing that proved to be the ultimate time suck for me.

I assume you all at home watched the World Cup and also got swept up into the US soccer mania.  It was great while it lasted, right?  Time to move on to American sports, right?

WRONG.

From now on, at least once a week, you will be getting a fill of soccer links including what games to watch throughout the week.  We have a lot to get to, so strap on your Sambas and lets go...

Congrats to Spain and all, for winning their very first World Cup.

After a bunch of hullabaloo about how Cesc Fabregas wants to play for Barcelona, it looks like he's staying put. Much to the chagrin of some of his Spain teammates.

Thierry Henry made quite a splash in his debut for Red Bull NY, scoring in his first appearance. 

Danny Mwanga is an animal.  There is speculation as to whether or not he will represent US or not.  If he plays for Congo I will certainly respect his decision, but it will be a swift bludgeon to the nuts.

DC United have a gem in Honduran-American Andy Najar, and are not willing to share with Europe.

Bob Bradley will continue to be the coach for the USMNT at least for the friendly against Brazil on August 10.

David Beckham may be returning to the LA Galaxy as soon as August.

Liverpool officially begins its 2010-11 campaign with a win over Rabotnicki in Europa League.

Landon Donovan will not be dealt to an EPL-based team as he is considered "too important" for MLS.

There is still a possibility that Landon could play overseas this year.  Stay tuned for more on this...

Big signing for the Seattle Sounders in getting 24-year old Uruguayan midfielder Álvaro Fernández.

NY Cosmos possibly coming back?????

Cristiano Ronaldo was mistaken for Jersey Shore's "The Situation"

Jeremiah Masoli Transfers to Ole Miss

Yada. Yada. Yada. Who cares? Right? Maybe. Probably.

This ain't the Pac-10, or Pac-12, Jeremiah. You're going to put up these kind of numbers while being chased down by Dont'a Hightower, Kelvin Sheppard, and Marcell Dareus. Ehhh...I'll retract the last one for now. Regardless, Masoli couldn't even outrun some drunk frat boys while attempting to steal some laptops and a guitar from a frat house during a party.

And what is this going to do to the Rebels' chemistry? We've been through spring practice and now we're bringing in this hoodrat (Correction: f***ing hoodrat) to take over at QB? I bet Houston Nutt (Just read the 4th sentence. It's Nutt's favorite word.) thinks he's a real special kid. You know, just a special player with special talent.

I can't wait to watch this team implode. It's going to be real special.

This Just In! People In Cleveland Hate LBJ!

Are you for real right now? Did this really happen last night?

Honestly, I respect the hell out of this guy. This is hilarious. Radio stations across mid-western Ohio are kicking themselves right now for not thinking up this bit. It's pure genius! Personally, I'm a little upset that I didn't think of it!

Cleveland fans...get over yourself. You're just pathetic now. You have been since July 8th at approximately 9:21 EST when you started burning jerseys and crying. Kill yourselves.

It's All Up to Roy Now

Sources are reporting to NMV, courtesy of ESPN, SI, etc., that the Philadelphia Phillies and Houston Astros have reached an agreement to deal Roy Oswalt to the City of Brotherly Love, booing Santa, and cheering a possibly paralized Michael Irvin.

So why aren't we reporting that Oswalt has actually been traded? Because Roy, and his no trade clause, hasn't OKed the deal. Roy is insisting the team that deals for him has to pick up his 2012 option worth $16 million, thus the hitch.

Strasburg Scratched

I'll admit it. This is only a big deal because it happened to Stephen Strasburg, but we're talking about it anyways. Now listen up.

Strasburg's senior season at San Diego St. = 109 innings

Strasburg's rookie season in the minors and majors to date = 109 2/3 innings

Basically what we have is a guy who is, as he said himself, heading into "uncharted territory". It'll be important for manager Jim Riggleman and the rest of the Nationals to keep a close eye on Strasburg the rest of the season. There's no reason to overwork the young pitcher in his first season while trying to fight their way out of the cellar in the NL East. If Strasburg is ruined because of poor handling, I may never forgive the Nats, and they won't forgive themselves.

Terrance "Cheeseburger" Cody Is Really Fat

Run 25 yards and back. Rest 70 seconds. Repeat. Repeat again.

Apparently that was too much for Mt. Cody because he failed that conditioning test. Twice. But don't worry Ravens fans! The third time was the charm! He's cleared to participate in drills!

And Cheeseburger? Ravens Pro-Bowl DT Haloti Ngata took one look at the fat bastard and immediately coined the nickname. How dare Ngata poke fun at Cody's problem? He only eats because he's unhappy, but he's unhappy because he eats.

He Gone!

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=5418167

Too soon? Never. A little insensitive? Always. Get used to it.

The NCAA Is On A Warpath

The NCAA has requested permission to investigate the University of Georgia, and more specifically junior WR AJ Green, about any wrongdoing in Athens.

Requested permission? Was Georgia really going to say no? Instead of playing nice, I think the NCAA should raid a campus like a SWAT team. Repel down the side of buildings, kick in windows and doors, throw canisters of tear gas into administrator's offices, and have Interim NCAA President Jim Isch walk in and slap a search warrant on an Athletic Director's desk. I'm not saying it would improve things, but it sure as hell would be awesome to watch those videos on YouTube.

This does cap off a pretty tumultuous month for UGA. You may remember this. I mean, how could you forget it? If UGA starts out SEC play in September with losses at South Carolina and at home against Arkansas, suicide rates could soar in Athens. Bulldog fans just suffered through terrible basketball and baseball seasons, and now may lose their star WR. Eh. Oh well.

Back to the NCAA. Jim Isch sure is making the most of his opportunity as Interim President. After Myles Brand succumbed to cancer in September of last year, Isch took over his post until University of Washington Chancellor Mark Emmert steps in on November 1, 2010. That gives Isch roughly around 15 months at the height of his professional career. Any self respecting person with only so much time to live out his/her dream should absolutely make the most of it, and Isch has.

A month and a half ago the NCAA dropped a bomb on USC, and now in the past 2 weeks the NCAA has marched into North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, and now Georgia. Most of the allegations the NCAA has looked into involve improper contact with and benefits received from agents, or pimps. If the long term effects help prevent such occurances in the future, Jim Isch may be considered one of the best NCAA Presidents ever. Even if his end is in sight.

Big Z Completes Anger Management

And I guarantee it still won't help.

Zambrano has been tormenting the Wrigley faithful for the better part of a decade with his outrageous antics and frequent tantrums. There's a reason if you Google "Carlos Zambrano" the first suggestion that comes up is "Carlos Zambrano tirade".

It was never really a problem because Zambrano always performed on the mound with a career record and ERA of 108-74 and 3.58. However, when Big Z is 3-6 with a 5.66 ERA and a WHIP of 1.69, his insanity is a big issue.

The simple solution is to trade him, right? The Cubs did it with the psycho Milton Bradley in the offeseason. Well, Zambrano is signed through 2012 and owed more than $35 million, including an option for 2013 for $19.25. In order for a GM to take on that kind of risk at that kind money, he would have to be looking at 4 different scenarios:

1. A team who doesn't perennially contend, without a large window of opportunity, and looking for pitching help. (i.e., Cincinnati Reds, Texas Rangers, etc.)

2. A team on the cusp of the playoffs and willing to take on a large amount of salary. (i.e., New York Mets, New York Yankees)

3. A team looking to dump another troubled player with a lot of money remaining on their deal. (Ex. Cubs/Mariners swap of Milton Bradley and Carlos Silva)

4. A GM looking to get fired.

Honestly, none of those scenarios look to be very promising for the Chicago Cubs. It's time for the Cubbie faithful to get used to busted Gatorade coolers, ejections, and dugout tirades.

Jeff Bower Out As Hornets GM

The New Orleans Hornets and their General Manager, ahem...former General Manager Jeff Bower have come to a "mutual" agreement that sees Bower step down from the post he has held since 2005. The Hornets have yet to name either a successor or candidate to replace Bower even though the NBA is currently in the free agent signing period.

Only 9 games into last season Bower fired head coach Byron Scott, took over as interim head coach, and led the Hornets to a 37-45 record. Bower was having trouble keeping the Hornets in the playoff picture while also staying under the luxury tax, mostly thanks to the bloated salaries of Peja Stojakovic($15.3 million), Emeka Okafor($11.5), James Posey($6.5), and Darius Songaila($4.8).

Due to these big chunks of cash going to under preforming players, superstar PG Chris Paul has become frustrated with the franchise's rut of mediocrity after experiencing a breakout seasons two years ago that saw them as the #2 seed in the West. Paul has become "restless" with the state of the team, and will become a free agent in the summer of 2012, leaving many New Orleans fans to wonder if CP3 is counting the days until he can jet out of town.

Before Bower was "mutually" forced out of NO, he was able to clear the salary of Morris Peterson off of the books to get under the luxury tax. Unfortunately, PF, and total BFF of CP3, David West has an Early Termination Option in his contract where he can opt out at the end of next season, which he most likely will do, as he will be 30 years old and looking for the last big payday of his career. Not to mention, he is underpaid as it is. The surprise of last season, Marcus Thornton, and Julian Wright will also be restricted free agents. A restricted free agent allows another team to sign the player to a contract, but the Hornets will have a week to decide if they want to match the offer and keep the player. Fortunately, there is hope! Stojakovic's and Songaila's contracts both come off the books at the end of the coming season which would clear up enough cap space to lure in some of the following big names in next year's free agent class.

2011 NBA Free Agents:

Unrestricted - Carmelo Anthony (Early Termination Option), Yao Ming, Tim Duncan (ETO), Tony Parker, Caron Butler, Mo Williams (ETO), Glen "Big Baby" Davis, Kendrick Perkins, Nene (ETO), JR Smith, Tayshaun Prince, Zach Randolph, Michael Redd, Jason Richardson, Carl Landry, Andrei Kirilenko

Restricted - Al Horford, Joakim Noah, Greg Oden, Rodney Stuckey, Brandan Wright, Aaron Brooks, Marc Gasol, Mario Chalmers, Chris Douglas-Roberts, Corey Brewer, Wilson Chandler, Jeff Green, Spencer Hawes, Jared Dudley, Marco Belinelli, Yi Jianlan

Home Run Derby Lacks Star Power

The Home Run Derby has quickly turned into the Slam Dunk Contest of the MLB All-Star festivities. ESPN keeps touting it as "star studded" and that is far from the truth.

17 hitters were voted into the All-Star Game by the fans. 8 hitters are taking part in the HR Derby. Only Joe Mauer of the AL and Hanley Ramirez of the NL are in both groups. The rest of the field is filled out by Corey Hart, Chris Young, and Matt Holliday of the NL and Miguel Cabrera, Vernon Wells, and Nick Swisher of the AL. I guarantee you the average MLB fan has no idea who in the hell Hart, Young, or Wells are.

Now, no disrespect to those 3 guys. They're having great years with 21, 15, and 19 HRs respectively. However, just for kicks, let's replace each of those hitters with the player in their league that the fans voted as a starter ahead of them. We can replace Corey Hart with his teammate Ryan Braun, Chris Young with the Dodgers' Andre Ethier, and Vernon Wells with 3B Evan Longoria because Josh Hamilton "retired" from the Derby and Carl Crawford and Ichiro are not power guys. Suddenly the lineup looks a lot more appealing to the average fan.

Even if we fixed the lack of star power, we haven't fixed how boring it is. It's too long. Hell, most sluggers tire out by the end of the contest. Just ask Josh Hamilton. Most managers and front offices even prefer their players don't compete because it can wear a guy out for a playoff push. Some don't mind. Hmmm...I'm calling racism. Can I do that?

So how would I make the HR Derby more thrilling and exciting? I don't friggin' know. I don't get paid to sit around and think about these kind of things. I don't even get paid to write this crap. I'm not fixing MLB's problem for free.

¡España!

The Spanish have finally done it. They've broken through and won a World Cup by defeating the Netherlands 1-0 in extra time on a Andrés Iniesta shot in the 115'.

While entertaining, the Final was extremely sloppy and full of hard challenges that produced 14 yellow cards and a red card to the Dutch's John Heitinga in extra time as a result of 2 yellows. Yet the game was very wide open for the most part with both sides getting several better than decent chances at glory. However, keepers Iker Casillas from Spain and Maarten Stekelenburg from Holland were both up to the task as they both played exceptionally well with 5 saves apiece. Twice Casillas stoned the Dutch's Arjen Robben on breakaway attempts that looked like sure goals. Not to be outdone, Stekelenburg made a beauty of a kick save on Spain's David Villa and Cesc Fabregas.


Eventually the magic was going to wear off for one team, and Iniesta was determined to make it the Netherlands. Stekelenburg was still able to get his fingertips on the much maligned Jo'bulani ball, but it found the back of the net sending an entire country in a celebration that will last for a long time. Iniesta's goal was the latest game winner in a World Cup Final and it brought an end to an incredible and successful tournament.

Congratulations to Spain and Uruguay's Diego Forlán who was awarded the Golden Ball by FIFA given to the best player over the course of the entire tournament.

Netherlands vs. Spain

After exactly one month full of exciting and compelling matches, the World Cup Final is finally here. For the first time since 1978, the Finals will see two nations who have yet to raise the trophy as the Netherlands and Spain will put it all on the line for a chance at immortality. Ironically that match included the Netherlands in their second unsuccessful attempt to take home the top prize as they were knocked off by the hosts Argentina. This time the Dutch will be planning on a different outcome.

The Netherlands are trying to accompany Brazil in 1970 as only the 2nd team to win all of their games at the World Cup. They are led by Wesley Sneijder who is tied with Diego Forlan of Uruguay and David Villa of Spain with 5 goals a piece in their quest for the Golden Boot. Sneijder is also trying to complete something never before done. This summer Sneijder and his club team, Inter Milan, won their domestic title, Coppa Italia, the Serie A title, the UEFA Champions' League, and now he is attempting to add a World Cup and perhaps a Golden Boot and Golden Ball to his resume for FIFA Footballer of the Year. And he just married this hottie. Giggidy. Joining Sneijder in the Dutch attack is Arjen Robben and Robin van Persie. Both forwards are extremely dangerous up top and will leave the Spanish defense with their hands full.

When most think of Spain in the context of futbol they imagine a world power on the same level of Brazil, Italy, Germany, and France. Well...not so much. Let's play a game. What do Spain, Canada, China, Kazakhstan, and the entire continent of Africa have in common? Zero World Cups. None. Nada. Before this year Spain had only finished as high as 4th once, and that was in 1950. David Villa and company have taken their country to a place they've never been, but still aren't satisfied. While a 2nd place finish in the tournament would match their FIFA ranking, it's not exactly what they're aiming for.

Stylistically these teams are carbon copies of the other. Both prefer to handle the majority of the possession in the midfield through accurate passing. Both teams have won the possession battle in every game this World Cup except for the Netherlands who defeated Cameroon 2-1 while losing possession 51%-49% in the last game of group play and had already clinched a Round of 16 birth. While neither defenses are their strong point, both are world class. Obviously. And both back lines prefer to mix it up aggressively with the opposing attackers. This game has a lot of potential for scoring if both teams open it up.

Prediction:
The Netherlands get an early goal from All-World forward Arjen Robben at 30' in the first half. Rather than sticking with the gameplan, Holland then allows Spain to control possession for much of the start of the second half where Andres Iniesta gets the equalizer and scores for the first time since the Chile game in the 65'. With the game tied Spain goes for the throat and gets caught on a rare counter attack where Wesley Sneijder blasts home the game, World Cup, Golden Boot, and Golden Ball winner in the 75'.

Screw Paul the Octopus!

2-1 Netherlands

Things Are Getting Ugly

Is LeBron James wrong for the way he handled things? Yes.

Should he be criticized and placed under severe scrutiny? Yes.

Does Cleveland have every right to be pissed? Absolutely.

Are these comments from Cleveland Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert justified? Not just no, but hell no.

I understand that the way LeBron has handled this process over the past couple of years has been immature and sad, but be the bigger man here Dan. You're a majority owner of a professional sports frachise and you just ruined your chances of possibly ever signing a big name free agent again. Not to mention, you sound like a complete imbecile and ungrateful prick in the process.

I'm not denying that what Dan Gilbert said wasn't true, but he's in no position to even imply it, much less ACTUALLY say it. In a typed letter. Not even in the Heat of the moment to a reporter. Gilbert took the time to sit down, think about what he wanted to say, edit it, and transcribe the document. Fool.

LeBron may have placed the dynamite at the base of the franchise, but you sir just lit the fuse. At least Cleveland has the Browns. Or Indians. And Mo Williams. Antawn Jamison? Oooooh! Grady Sizemore!!!

Huh? He sucks now? Well who the hell does the city of Cleveland have? Does Ohio St. count?

LeBron Is Heating Up

Very cliche, right? Here some other choices...

Can You Feel the Heat?

It Was the Heat of the Moment

Welcome to Miami

LeBron's In Miami

No matter which headline I choose, it doesn't change the fact that LBJ is a sell out and knows he can't win a title as The Man. This team will most likely win a title in the next 3 years, and LBJ will probably average more points, rebounds, and assists than Wade or Bosh, but make no mistake, this is Dwyane Wade's team. Always has been and always will until he's gone. The sooner LBJ can check his ego at the door, the smoother and better it will be for the Heat.

LeBron! LeBron! LeBron!

I'm no LeBron fan, but this day, this ESPN special, this decision. This I'm a fan of. I like it. I love it. I want some more of it. Damn you Tim McGraw.

Screw charity! Screw the Boys and Girls Club of America! This is all about publicity. It's a stunt. Dare I call it a publicity stunt? Point is, this assures us that LeBron James is no better than Paris Hilton or Kim Kardashian. He is an attention whore. He can, as Ronnie on the preview for Jersey Shore 2 *fist pump!* would say, deny, deny, deny, but now we all know the truth. LeBron hearts the spotlight.

As for a formal prediction on LBJ's future home? Though they appear to be a distant 3rd, or even 4th, at the moment, I'm still sticking with my original team...the Chicago Bulls. LBJ would be stupid not to sign. I get it. He, Wade, and Bosh are BFFs. Whatever. They don't fit on the court! Wade and LBJ have to have the ball to dominate. Miami is Wade's town. No ifs, ands, or buts. No way, no how can LBJ play second fiddle to Wade. He just won't do it.

Then there's Cleveland. I would honestly laugh if LBJ resigned in Cleveland. It'll be at least 2 years before that roster is Championship caliber. And now with Byron Scott coaching, any young guys you bring in will be relegated to the 8th or 9th spots in the rotation. If LBJ resigns, their best bet at a title, or dynasty in this case, is if they clear enough cap space in 2012 for his other BFF Chris Paul to join him and his former coach. Until then, enjoy your summers fishing.

New York? Pfffffftttttt.

That leaves us with Chicago. You've got a potential franchise PG in Derrick Rose who hasn't even turned 23 yet. You've got one of the premier post defenders, rebounders, and all out hustle guys in Joakim Noah, and now you've got a PF that can spread the floor and run the pick-and-roll with thanks to his high arcing, silky smooth mid-range jumper in Carlos Boozer. Luol Deng's contract comes off the books in...well forget that. Maybe LBJ can get the best out of Deng. And if you take on the Windy City Challenge and succeed with multiple titles, you're considered the next Michael.

That is, unless you're just the next Paris.

Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh to Miami

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=5360134

No numbers are being reported yet, but we can assume they will both be receiving max deals. However, will Chris Bosh get the 6th year and extra $29 million he could only receive from a sign-and-trade with Miami and Toronto? I doubt it since Miami only has Mario Chalmers and Michael Beasley on their roster, but perhaps Toronto decided they wanted draft picks.

Either way let's not forget what's most important here...I told you so.

LeBron James to Make State of Free Agency Address

So this is what we've come to as a nation. To celebrate our independence we celebrate the rapid mass ingestion of processed meat tubes wrapped in buns. And now we set aside a full hour of valuable primetime TV coverage on a Thursday night so that LBJ can announce where he will play for at least the next 5-6 years.

I LOVE IT! I can't wait to watch! And did you hear that LBJ finally signed up for a Twitter?! If you want to add him his feed is @nomoralvctories.

OK. You got me. It's right here @KingJames.

If you haven't followed us yet than you're a prick and don't deserve this, but I'm such a nice guy that I'll give it you anyways.

World Cup Semifinals

We're down to 4 in the greatest spectacle in sports. We've got Germany in their 3rd straight semifinal, perennial underachievers Spain and the Netherlands, and the surprise of the tournament Uruguay.

The first semifinal pits the Netherlands against Uruguay. The Netherlands have twice been to the Finals and lost, but haven't been back since '78. Every year the Dutch have high expectations only to have Totaalvoetbal (Total Football) disappoint year after year. However, after knocking off Cup favorites Brazil, Wesley Sneijder and his teammates look to be in good position to become more famous in Holland than wooden shoes and windmills.

Uruguay, on the other hand, used to be giants of the World Cup. They hosted, and won, the very first World Cup back in 1930 then went on to shock hosts Brazil in the 1950 Final. Nowadays? Not so much. Before the 2010 version of the World Cup got underway, Uruguay had only won 1 game on the big stage since 1970 and had to beat Costa Rica in a playoff just to qualify. Now they're the only South American team left standing with great thanks to Luis Suarez's palms. Unfortunately for the smallest remaining country in the field, their prolific goal scorer will now miss the semifinal against the Netherlands. Uruguay was already outmatched with Suarez, and now they lose their #9 in a pivotal game. But they are playing with house money...eh, doesn't matter.

Netherlands 2-0.

The second semifinal sees a Germany squad that entered the Cup with severe question marks after losing their captain weeks before their first game and a Spain side that has yet to really live up to their potential since winning Euro 2008. Germany is the youngest team in the field this year, but have played nothing like it. Their young studs have lived up to the hype and then some. Whether it has been Ozil, Boateng, or Muller, who will unfortunately miss the semifinal due to the ridiculous yellow card stipulations, the Germans have evolved from boys to men in front of our very eyes. After a 4-1 thrashing of England in the Round of 16 and a 4-0 beatdown of Argentina in the Quarters, Germany is looking like the favorites to win the whole darned thing.

Spain, though, has been quite the mystery. Ranked 2nd in the FIFA rankings entering the World Cup, they were among the short list of favorites to leave South Africa victorious. It's been a rocky road to say the least. They opened group play with a shocking 1-0 loss to the Swiss, who coincedently remained very neutral about the whole thing, but still managed to beat Honduras and Chile to win their group as expected. They then fought off a pesky Portugese team 1-0 in the Round of 16 and squeaked by Paraguay after an exciting 2nd half filled with PKs. David Villa is in good shape to win the Golden Boot as he leads all scorers with 5 goals. Villa couldn't be hotter at a better time than now since Spain's star striker Fernando Torres has looked nothing like a star in South Africa and may be benched against Germany. The last time Torres scored a truly meaningful goal for Espana was the only goal in a Spain 1-0 victory at the Euro 2008 Final.

Over Germany.

Spain 2-1.

UGA AD Out After DUI

I'm not going to lie. I tried to see how many capital letters I could fit in one headline.

My initial reaction when I saw the headlines? Idiot. My initial reaction after actually reading the article? Friggin' idiot. This is a story almost too hilarious to be true. But alas! It is! And so is this video!

Figuring Out This NBA Free Agency Mess

It's been 3+ days since NBA free agents have begun negotiating with potential employers. I believe it's been long enough for an update on the goings on with NMV's top 10 available free agents.

1. LeBron James - The crown jewel of this star studded cast has announced that he will stall on announcing anything until after his youth basketball camp concludes Wednesday night. Those who love to speculate as I do, can't consider this as good news for Cleveland fans. However, how the hell do I know? James did meet with the Heat, Nets, Cavaliers, Bulls, Clippers, and Knicks over the weekend, and, while none are currently being ruled out, it looks as if the Cavaliers, Bulls, and Heat are indeed the frontrunners in no particular order. I'm still sticking with my initial prediction in the Bulls.
2. Dwayne Wade - As free agency opened, the one certainty among the Big 3 was that D-Wade was going to resign in Miami even though Wade is from Chicago. Well, maybe not anymore. Wade has been going through an extremely public divorce over the past 3 years, including his ex-wife accusing Wade of transmitting herpes from an extramarital affair and then giving it to her. I don't know if I want this to be true or not, either way it's an awesome story I can tell my grandkids about one of the greatest players of my generation. The point of all of this is, Wade has been awarded temporary full custody of his 2 children while living in Chicago for the past 2 months. Wade has said that he is going to do whatever he can to provide a stable life for his kids. I'm still saying he resigns in Miami.
3. Chris Bosh - The consensus is that Bosh will sign wherever LBJ signs. Sounds simple enough, right? Well it turns out that Bosh is making the most out of this free agent lollapalooza by hiring a camera crew to film a documentary chronicling the entire process. Sounds awesome, huh? Actually it does. I'm going to buy it. I'm a fan. Chicago Bulls' owner Jerry Reinsdorf is not a fan. Reinsdorf was not happy with the cameras in Bosh's meeting with the Bulls as he saw it as a sign of immaturity and questioned Bosh's dedication and ability to take the process seriously. It also left him questioning whether or not he wants to offer a max deal to that kind of guy. I say Bosh doesn't sign unless he's getting the max, and I say Reinsdorf hesitates just enough and Chris Bosh finds himself on South Beach with the newly single Dwayne Wade.
4. Dirk Nowitzki - Dirk agreed to resign with his good buddy Mark Cuban and the Dallas Mavericks earlier today. Shocker.
5. Amare Stoudemire - From the way this article sounds, we shouldn't be surprised if there is an announcement in the next few days stating that Stoudemire and the New York Knicks have agreed to terms. The Knicks are at the top of Amare's list. Amare is near the top of the Knicks' list. Amare and head coach Mike D'Antoni kissed and made up. D'Antoni's system rewards "Im'ma get mine" guys like Amare.
6. Joe Johnson - The Atlanta Hawks are like the guy that was moderately successful with women a long time ago. He dated the one chick that was out of his league (Bob Pettit) and the chick who wore too much make-up and dressed slutty so you thought she was hotter than she really was (Dominique Wilkins), but then went into a really long slump. Then, when he was at his darkest, he met a cute, modest, humble girl who had yet to really blossom (Joe Johnson) and they fell for each other. Slowly other things in his life turned around (Josh Smith, Mike Bibby, Al Horford) and he mostly attributed it to his new girl. Well now their relationship has yet to reach that next level and they both know it's time to move on, but instead he invests everything he has into making it work when we all know it's going to fail miserably. In case, you didn't follow or read the article I went through all the trouble of linking for you, Atlanta signed Joe Johnson to a max deal. Idiots.
7. Carlos Boozer - Surprisingly things have been quiet involving Carlos Boozer. It hasn't been due to a lack of interest, rather the fact that he's not a max deal free agent and he's considered a nice consolation prize to whoever doesn't sign Chris Bosh. In my first predictions I had Bosh signing in Chicago and Boozer in Miami where he makes his offseason home. However, since I now have Bosh signing in Miami, I now have Boozer signing in Chicago with LBJ. Boozer is expected to sign for about $4 million less than Bosh which fits right into Chicago's plans financially as they don't have quite enough to sign 2 max players without moving a little more salary.
8. Rudy Gay - Memphis made it very clear to Rudy, his agent, and any team attempting to sign him as a restricted free agent that they were going to match any and all offers for their SF with loads of offensive potential. Gay and his agent got the message and already agreed to terms to return to the Grizzlies.
9. Paul Pierce - Pierce opted out in hopes of signing one more big contract in his illusive career. Even though he signed for $36 million less than the max he was eligible for, Pierce did quite well for himself by resigning in Boston for $60 million over 4 years. By settling for less money, Pierce left the Celtics with enough money to hopefully resign...
10. Ray Allen - Even after stinking up 6 out of 7 NBA Finals games (4-30 from 3 in every game besides Game 2, and an 0-13 from the field in Game 3), Ray Allen is going to get paid this offseason, and my guess it'll be from either the Celtics or whoever signs LBJ. Originally, I had Ray Ray going to Chicago with LBJ, but now that Paul Pierce took much less money and Doc Rivers has stated he's coming back for one more try at another title, I don't see Allen signing anywhere besides back in Boston.