Worth the Wait

-Keefe

Before I get to my thoughts on the NFL Draft, how about this sports weekend? One of the best ever. The past few days had almost everything; football (draft), basketball (NBA playoffs), baseball (highlighted by a Red Sox/ Yanks series). All we were missing was a UFC pay-per-view on Saturday night. A lot happened from Friday- Sunday. We know we will have a new NBA champion this year, as the talented Chicago Bulls swept the Heat. Mariano Rivera didn’t get his first save until April 28th, and still has an ERA over 10. The Golden State Warriors put on an absolute clinic Friday night against the league’s best team, then beat the Mavs again Sunday to take a 3-1 lead in the series. The thought of a Suns/ Warriors Western Conference Finals match-up might actually make people want to watch the NBA again. It should, Baron Davis is incredible, and Nellie ball is fun for everyone. With all of that, the NFL Draft stole the show, proving once again it’s the most popular sport in America.

What did we learn during the two day Mel Kiper marathon that is the NFL Draft? Well frankly, we learned a lot.

-Keyshawn Johnson and Steve Young either weren’t aware the Draft was being televised, or thought they would lose their souls if they looked into the camera. I was convinced by say pick 20 they might find the camera… I was wrong. And where was Michael Irvin? I wanted him to explain how the U could have three first round picks and struggle to make a bowl game.

-Patrick Ramsey (who was 0-1 passing last season) was listed as a “key loss” for the New York Jets, proving that “none” was not an option there.

-We learn from Michael Smith that Arizona Cardinals #5 overall pick Levi Brown is nastier than Browns’ new OT Joe Thomas.

-Mark Malone, college football “expert” claims he would “lick his chops” if he was lined up against a 19 year old, after the Texans select Amobi Okoye. He continues by saying Okoye is undersized at 6’1, 275, just as the graphic appears on screen displaying the Louisville star as 6’2, 302. Consistency.

-One of the highlights for Marshawn Lynch is of him driving a cart around the field. Wonder if he’ll think the women of Buffalo are better looking than McGahee.

-Brady Quinn’s girlfriend looks like Ashlee Simpson, that’s not a good thing. (More on Quinn later.)

-The Miami Dolphins are either positive they’re getting Trent Green, or know something we don’t about Culpepper. Worst pick of the first round. A bit high for a Wes Welker replacement. (Even if Ginn turns out to be good, they could have got him at least 10 picks later.) We know Ted Ginn played some quarterback in high school, but not sure if it will translate to the pro game. Chris Chambers must be thrilled that the Phins have another guy to not get the ball.

-The 28th pick Joe Staley from Central Michigan started college at 215 lbs and is now 305. Seriously? I thought that only happened in baseball.

-The Patriots made news by trading for Randy Moss, and getting a guy with character issues. And by character issues I mean someone who pulled a gun out and shot at a guy three times, and also stomped on the legs of a downed opponent in the FIU-Miami brawl. I’m a Pats fan, and although the Meriweather pick surprises me a little, I’m thrilled about both additions.

-The Eagles joined the Dolphins in the wtf department. No only did they trade their first round pick to a division rival, so they could get the pass rusher they coveted, but with their first pick (36th overall) they drafted Kevin Kolb, who plays the same position as their best player. Sends a good message to McNabb.

But speaking of quarterbacks, Brady Quinn was certainly the biggest story of Day 1. The Notre Dame star got past by his hometown Cleveland Browns (with their first choice), and then after the Dolphins foolishly selected Ted Ginn, there was no where for Quinn to go. He needed to snag one of those Under Armor parachutes he fell so far. He ended up going to his own private suite, because the new commish really cares about the players, (just ask Pacman and Chris Henry) as three corners, a couple safeties, a running back, even a 19 year old got picked. At this point Aaron Rodgers began to feel bad for Quinn. Then the Cleveland Browns get themselves back into the first round with the 22nd pick. The wait was over for Quinn. For guys like Brady Quinn, Trent Edwards, and fans like myself who watched the longest first round in the history of the NFL draft (6+ hours), it was a long wait. I have to say though; this will work out better for Quinn. Sure it was brutal to sit there with the “last guy in the green-room” tag, but look at it from a football standpoint and not a pride or money one. He goes to the same team he would have if he was the 3rd overall pick, but now he has the best offensive tackle in the draft protecting him. (I also like their 2nd rounder, Eric Wright, CB from UNLV, great three picks by Cleveland.) I’m not saying the Browns will be knocking on the playoff door, or even .500, but give Quinn some protection, and make sure he utilizes other top draft choices like Edwards and Winslow, and for Brady Quinn it may have been worth the wait.

Randy Moss also had to wait. He hasn’t been to the playoffs since 2004, and the Pro Bowl since 2003. This should be its own blog, but after many successful seasons in Minnesota, Moss went to Oakland and has almost been forgotten. Well after two seasons he’s going to one of the best teams in the NFL with one of the best quarterbacks in the game. The addition of Moss will make Tom Brady as happy as Kristie Ally when she heard about Domino’s 5-5-5 deal. I’m sure it’s the other way too. Randy Moss is relevant again. It’s amazing that a receiver with over 100 career TDs was left for dead playing for a team in the basement, and traded for a 4th round pick. A 4th rounder? John Bowie, CB, Cincinnati, will definitely be an answer to a trivia question, especially after Moss is holding a Super Bowl Trophy and giving his speech in Canton.

So after a long and great sports weekend all we have left to do now is wait. Wait for Moss to catch his first pass from Brady, wait for Quinn to start his first game for the Browns. I don’t know if I can make it that long. Luckily game 5 of the Warriors/ Mavs series is tomorrow night, maybe I can wait for that.

-Rich Keefe

Draft Madness?

-Shark

Why are we so crazy about the NFL Draft? We’ve had Draft preview shows running daily on ESPN for more than a month; we have countless newspapers, websites, and draft guides giving us tips on who this year's hidden gems will be; and of course, we have Draft god Mel Kiper who demonstrates his omnipresence every time I turn on the television.

Today, Cold Pizza was interviewing a player from Harvard who is predicted to be the last player in the draft. I repeat. The LAST player in the draft. There is a reason why the last guy drafted gets called Mr. Irrelevant. So what makes them think anyone would want to watch an interview with this guy?

Unless you've somehow managed to avoid the Draft previews completely, which is impossible, then you already know that the NFL draft is a pretty big crapshoot. For every "can't miss" prospect like Tim Couch and Ryan Leaf that doesn't make it, there are guys you probably have never heard of like rookie of the year Marcus Colston and stock boy turned MVP: Kurt Warner. Once the first round is finished, go back and see how close the experts were in their mock drafts. If they get 10 picks correct in the first round then they did a very good job. The rest of the draft is an even bigger gamble. It just seems pretty irrational that someone will listen to weeks of "expert" discussion, read endless mock drafts, and partake in hours of water-cooler debates, all over something that is almost completely unpredictable. . .

Except that's your answer right there. The draft IS almost completely unpredictable. The chaotic nature of the draft gives every fan hope that their team might land the next Who? (Kurt Warner), the next Where did you say he went to school? (Jerry Rice), and possibly the next Thank God he's still on the board (Vince Young). No team is in last place on Draft Day and every fan has the right to dream of its team playing in January or simply climbing out of the divisional cellar. We DO want to see interviews with Mr. Irrelevant because we all want a glimpse at a current nobody who could be a future Disney movie…something that speaks of triumph in the face of adversity, but scares off viewers because its given a stupid one-word title like “Invincible” …oh my bad.

If we were intelligent beings we’d simply wait to see which players our team drafted and then start from there. We wouldn’t spend hours upon hours speculating over something that we have absolutely no control over. However, we are not intelligent beings, we are sports fans. For us, the NFL draft is very much like New Year’s Eve: it gives us an excuse to start over, an excuse to imagine how the upcoming year will be better, and best of all, an excuse to have a few drinks and celebrate for no real good reason. Happy NFL Draft Day.

-Brian Sharkey

After Sweep, A Few Things Left Clear

-Besse

For baseball fans across the world, one of two things will be determined after this weekend sweep of the Yankees by the Red Sox this past weekend: a) it’s early in the season and the sweep means nothing or b) the Red Sox are the team to beat this year.

As of now, I’ll take the latter. I predicted at the outset of the 2007 season that the Red Sox will win the A.L. East and the Yankees will take the wildcard. This weekend’s three game sweep re-affirmed that for me, but we would be remiss to forget that objects in the rear-view mirror are closer than they appear. This will be the case all season long. This weekend’s match-up was perfect for the Red Sox. Schilling vs. Pettite was the toughest test on Friday night, but Beckett vs. Karstens and Matsuzaka vs. Wright were ideal. The Yankees’ pitching has been hampered by injuries early on, and this is what led to the downfall of Red Sox Nation late in the season last year. With Pavano, Mussina and Wang all out, the Yankees had to turn to two young pitchers with slightly more Major League experience than me. Karstens had made eight career appearances before Saturday’s start opposite the 2003 World Series MVP, while Wright was called up from Double-A earlier this year. For Wright, four was the number of the night (how poetic). He had made only four starts above A-ball heading into his Sunday night outing, and he seemed to be in control until surrendering a Red Sox team record four straight homeruns in the third inning. So while I feel that the Red Sox were the better team and will continue to be so throughout the season, the outlook is still to be determined with injuries leaving question marks in the Yankees clubhouse.

However, there were a few observations from the weekend that offered me some definitive answers.

1) Josh Beckett has matured as a pitcher and will be the dominant ace we signed to a 3-year, $30 million extension last season.

After watching Beckett get lit up in the first two innings of Saturday’s game, I said to myself that the next few innings would define what kind of season he will have. The 2006 version of Beckett would have continued to get lit up until Francona mercifully pulled the plug when the issue was no longer a doubt. Last year, when it rained, it poured for the hard-throwing righty. Of his 34 starts, there were eight outings that I termed as unacceptable, meaning Beckett pitched six innings or less and surrendered five earned runs or more. Within these eight outings, he threw a total of 40 innings, averaging five innings per start. Not bad, considering these were “bad starts.” But the statistic that I found alarming is that he surrendered runs in 25 of these 40 innings. Nine of these came after innings in which the Red Sox scored. And to top it off, Beckett was hammered for 55 runs in these 40 horrible innings. As a top of the rotation starter, these numbers are simply unacceptable.

There are some nights when as an athlete, particularly as a pitcher, you simply just don’t have it. As a Division 1, college pitcher, I’m fully aware of this (unfortunately, more than I wish). But regardless, it is your job to give your team every opportunity to stay in the game and have a chance to win in any way possible. By allowing runs to score in 62.5% of the innings in these starts, with 60% of those innings being more than one run, Beckett was simply not affording the Sox the opportunity to do this. In boxing and other combat sports, people always talk about athlete’s having a “puncher’s chance.” The baseball equivalent of this would be an offense like the Red Sox. As long as you keep the team in the ballgame, there’s always a chance they can comeback by rolling a yahtzee.

And herein lies my point: On Saturday afternoon, Beckett seemed to turn the corner. He surrendered a pair of two-out runs in the first only to have the Sox offense tie it up in the bottom of the inning. In the second, it looked like the Beckett of old as he continued to leave pitches up and over the plate, getting tagged for two more runs and again putting his team in the hole. But after a double play ball allowed that fourth run to score, what we saw was a transformation. Beckett went on a tear. After imploding time and time again last year, how could we ever see this coming? As Yankees’ manager Joe Torre said after the game, “It was a heavyweight fight for the first couple of innings. Once Beckett got the lead, he settled in.” And did he ever, retiring 15 of the next 17 batters holding the Yankees scoreless over the next four innings while Julio Lugo’s groundout and Big Papi’s big fly gave the Sox a 7-4 lead. Although he allowed another two-out run in the 7th, it could only be attributed to fatigue at this point as Hideki Okajima came in and shut the door on any comeback hopes the Yankees may have conceived. Simply, Beckett did what an ace is supposed to do in a slugfest like this. He limited the damage in innings in which the other team scored and kept his team in the game until they could deliver the big knockdown that would put them ahead on the scorecards. In other words, he gave them a puncher’s chance.

2) The Red Sox bullpen is better than the Yankees.

This weekend alone, the Red Sox bullpen pitched 7.2 innings surrendering only one run, which was earned. The Yankees, on the other hand, went to their bullpen for a total of nine innings and eight runs, all earned, including Friday night’s massive meltdown in the eighth inning and Sunday’s blown 5-4 lead in the seventh inning. Although he was touched for two runs and a blown save Friday, there is no doubt that Mariano Rivera is still among the top three most feared closers in the game today; Papelbon and Francisco Rodriguez of Anaheim are the only two others allowed to sniff his jock. But the Yankees don’t have anyone who can come in before the ninth to set up a save situation for Rivera, and this will become especially critical down the stretch when these divisional games become so critical. Instead what they have is a trio of unproven relievers (Viscaino, Bruney and Henn), Scott Proctor, who effectively took the loss on Sunday, Kyle Farnsworth, who pulled a Rick Vaughn and procured a cute pair of glasses so he can see home plate, Mike Myers, the age-less wonder-less lefty, and Colter Bean, who looks like he could provide a great “before” shot for the next Nutri-System commercial with Don Shula and Co.

The Red Sox, meanwhile, found out they have another guy to trust in the ninth when Papelbon is not available in Okajima. His delivery hides the ball well and he has great differential in speeds to keep hitters off-balance. Then there's Brendan Donnelly, who made a name for himself with the Angels after being cut in 1999 by the Devil Rays to make room for 36 year old school teacher Jim Morris. I still wonder why Disney didn’t give Donnelly a cameo and show that locker room scene. But back to the ‘pen. Donnelly will be a great compliment to Okajima when Francona chooses to utilize lefty and righty matchups late in the game, and also can go to J.C. Romero before handing things over to a now healthy Mike Timlin to pave the way for Papelbon. And speaking of Papelbon, I’m scared shitless just watching him, especially when he does a more controlled, tempered version of Mike Fetters. Even the expressions on the faces of Damon and Jeter said it all: they were overmatched and they knew it. Papelbon was easily sitting at 95-97 and even touched as high as 98 and 99. Plus, he threw a 94 mile-per-hour splitter on Sunday night that made me question if the radar gun is even credible anymore. I had to open the DVD player and make sure “The Scout” wasn’t playing, because it looked like Steve Nebraska was out there on the mound. Which reminds me, can you imagine what kind of deal Nebraska would have gotten with the Yankees had Boras been his agent instead of the washed-up Al Percolo?

3) Matsuzaka will experience more growing pains this season like that of Sunday night.

Let’s face it: Matsuzaka is a talented pitcher, no doubt about it. But his tendency to leave pitches up in the zone will leave him vulnerable to getting hit like he did against a potent Yankees’ lineup on Sunday. For example, in the first inning against Giambi, he threw a changeup early in the count that started at the knees and ran low and off the plate. With two strikes, that would be exactly where Daisuke wants to put that pitch, particularly against a left-handed hitter like Giambi who likes to hit the ball to right field. Yet after working to two strikes against Giambi later in the count, he went back to the change-up...this time he left it up knee high and over the outside half of the plate as this one didn’t have that arm-side run. The result? A two-run double to left-center that staked the Yankees to an early 2-0 lead. Giambi got to Daisuke again in the third on another pitch that was left up in the zone. Although Giambi got jammed by a slider that came in on the hands, the pitch was again up in the zone. Because of this, it gave Giambi a chance to use that upper body strength to muscle the pitch out into shallow right field just out of the reach of the vertically challenged Dustin Pedroia. Speaking of which, did anyone catch the awkward interaction between Jon Miller and Joe Morgan following that play? Find a rough copy of the transcript below:

Miller: Perhaps if Pedroia was a couple inches taller he would have gotten to that ball!

Morgan: I don’t say things like that….

Miller: Well, perhaps if he added a couple inches to his vertical then…

Morgan (brief pause): I don’t say things like that…

(Awkward silence ensues)

Morgan was obviously bitter at Miller’s comments, considering he is only 5’7 and realized, while sitting in the booth, that he never would have made that catch during his playing days. In fact seeing Pedroia fully extend and still miss by an inch probably brought back flashbacks of the several times Morgan came up just short while playing up the middle. You almost have to wonder if he comes up short in other areas, as well. I mean it got pretty tense in that booth. Don’t be surprised if he’s wearing lifts and sitting on a copy of the Yellow Pages during their next telecast.

But back to Matsuzaka. It’s no secret that the knock on him was his propensity to pitch up in the zone. With a mid-90’s fastball, pitchers will tend to have confidence in trying to blow it by a hitter. In Japan, there is not a consistent threat of power that exists in Major League Baseball, and so Matsuzaka will continue to get banged around if he leaves his pitches up in the zone. Personally, I think it’s more mechanical than it is anything else. After watching his throw in his last couple of outings, it appears that he tends to finish higher when throwing his fastball. Although he finishes his off-speed pitches better, he still finishes high and actually shows a bit of a re-coil. Now this guy was worth over $100 million for the Red Sox, so I’m going to step in and say “Look guy, we need to change up a few things.” But I think he needs to make a more concerted effort at finishing all of his pitches and working lower in the strike zone. He’s leaving too many pitches up and over the plate. While he’ll certainly rattle off his fair share of strikeouts – he currently leads the Red Sox with 31 K’s in 27 innings (10.33 per 9IP) – but he has shown that he can lose command of the zone at times and pay for it. Another case in point was his last outing against the Blue Jays. During that fourth inning in which he surrendered the Jays’ only two runs of the game, which ended up being the game winning runs, he issued three walks and two hits. The three walks all evidenced the claim I made earlier. He was missing up in the zone. In this case, his pitches weren’t being hit because they weren’t strikes, but it supports the criticisms that Daisuke has received during his transition to Major League Baseball. He’ll need to learn how to work the bottom half of the strike zone more consistently. If he can do eventually do that, I have no doubt that this guy will be unhittable.

There are a lot other things from the weekend, and beginning of the Red Sox season in general that have left an impression with me thus far. But these were a few that I felt were the most significant and had the most impact.

If you have any questions, thoughts or comments about my observations, please send them into the Sports Brief at sportsbrief@gmail.com.

-Besse

NFL Mock Draft '07

-Keefe

The NFL draft is less than a week away. I don't claim to be Mel Kiper, but I follow both the college and pro game closely, and this two day event is one of my favorites in the entire sports calender. Here are my predictions for the first 32 picks on Saturday.

1. Raiders- JaMarcus Russell, QB, LSU
Raiders need a lot of help, mainly on offense. All signs point towards them picking a franchise QB with the first pick. Since 1990, here are all the quarterbacks to be selected first overall: Jeff George, Drew Bledsoe, Peyton Manning, Tim Couch, Michael Vick, David Carr, Carson Palmer, Eli Manning, and Alex Smith. Some were successful, some busts, some too early to tell. Those nine signal callers have a combined 14-16 record in the playoffs, (7 wins by Peyton.) #1 pick can be a crap shoot, but with Andrew Walter the current starter (3 TD, 13 INT last season), they’ll take Russell.

2. Lions- Brady Quinn, QB, Notre Dame
No one is saying Quinn to the Lions, why not? Maybe they should take Calvin Johnson, but with only one out of three high 1st round WRs working out, they’ll be afraid to do that. Their second best receiver played in both the XFL and the Arena League, looks like they can find success outside the top 10. Kitna is 34 years old, and I think I remember him starting one season over Carson Palmer to let the college standout learn the offense… that worked out well for everyone didn’t it? Well besides Kitna.

3. Browns- Adrian Peterson, RB, Oklahoma
Browns would probably go Quinn if the Ohio native drops to three. If Quinn doesn’t go two, three, or nine to Miami, he could fall significantly. Cleveland needs a RB despite picking up Jamal Lewis this off-season. Peterson might be too good to slip much past this spot. Many experts are calling him a sure fire Pro Bowler. A team that only ran for 7 TDs last season (3 by QB Charlie Frye) could certainly use a game changer like Peterson.

4. Buccaneers- Calvin Johnson, WR, Georgia Tech
Johnson is regarded as the best player in the draft. Every team could use a guy like this. The Raiders have no one to throw to him, the Lions will be scared to take him, and the Browns, who have a lot of needs, already possess a couple high priced targets (Braylon Edwards and Kellen Winslow.) The Bucs still may trade up to make sure they land Johnson. Who will be throwing Johnson the ball this season is a completely different question that the Bucs will need to answer.

5. Cardinals- Joe Thomas, OT, Wisconsin
The Cardinals were everyone’s “sleeper” pick last season. They have great skill players (Boldin, Fitzgerald, Edge, Leinart), but who is protecting them. Joe Thomas, the best offensive lineman in the draft looks like the pick. Arizona also has problems on the defensive line, but with Leinart as the young leader of this team, they’ll need to give him all the time in the world to pick a part defensives throwing to one the best wide receiver combos in football.

6. Redskins- Gaines Adams, DE, Clemson
If Gaines Adams slips this far down, the Redskins will have no choice but to take him. The defense needs a lot of help, (31st in total yards allowed per game, and mustered just 19 sacks as a team.) Adams would be a perfect fit (12.5 sacks in 13 games last year.) He’s a play maker, and can rush the passer with the best of them, making everyone else’s job easier on D.

7. Vikings- Leon Hall, CB, Michigan
Hall might be the best CB in the draft even though I’m not sold on him. In the Wolverine’s biggest game of the regular season Ted Ginn torched Hall and the Michigan secondary. Then in the Rose Bowl, Dwayne Jarrett had a huge game against Hall. These are the types of receivers he will be facing every Sunday at the next level. With all that said he still projects as a early-mid first rounder, and the Vikes could use a CB with the departure of Fred “Sex-Boat” Smoot back to the Redskins.

8. Falcons (from Texans)- LaRon Landry, S, LSU
Atlanta moved up two spots here in the first round, because of the Schaub trade. Drafting a WR has been a tough task for the Falcon front office, so this off-season they picked up veteran Joe Horn. Lawyer Milloy had a pretty solid season, but will be 34 in November. Pairing Landry at safety, with Pro Bowler Hall at CB, this could be one of the best defensive backfields in the NFC.

9. Dolphins- Amobi Okoye, DT, Louisville
Youngest player in the draft won’t have to wait too long to get picked. Okoye would provide much needed run stuffing to the Dolphin D. If Quinn gets past Detroit and Cleveland I don’t see how the Phins can let him go. The insurance policy on Culpepper this season (Cleo Lemon) isn’t what it was a year ago with Harrington.

10. Texans (from Falcons)- Levi Brown, T, Penn St.
David Carr would be proud to see the Texans take an O-lineman. Schaub is even less mobile than Carr making this pick a necessity. It would probably make too much sense to take huge tackle (6’5’, 323.) But as Tristan Besse wrote in his article “Rick Pitino GM of the Texans?” they don’t have the best track record. Almost anywhere on defense would be a boost here as well.

11. 49ers- Alan Branch, DT, Michigan
San Fran has some bright spots on offensive to build around (Smith, Gore, Davis), but they’ll probably go defense with their first pick. Ranked 19th last season against the run, but taking a DT is a smart pick. The NFC West is loaded at RB, (they face Shaun Alexander, Edge James, and Stephen Jackson six times a year.) Okoye would be better, but I doubt he slips down to the 9ers at 11.

12. Bills- Patrick Willis, MLB, Ole Miss
The Bills surprised some people with their season last year (7-9), but have lost a lot of guys because of free agency, or the fear of free agency (McGahee.) Unless they trade up for Peterson I doubt they’ll take a RB in round 1. Without London Fletcher-Baker I see Willis as the pick. Of course the Bills made some head scratching picks in last year’s draft, trading up to take John McCargo in the first round, he was projected as a 3rd rounder a best. So who knows what they’ll do this year, my pick is Willis.

13. Rams- Adam Carriker, DE, Nebraska
The Rams were second to last in rushing defense a season ago. They have the same problem as the 49ers, they face serious backs, (Gore, Edge, Alexander, twice each.) St. Louis had success with a DE from Nebraska in the past (Grant Winstrom), and I think they’ll try their luck again with Carriker.

14. Panthers- Greg Olsen, TE, Miami
Jake Delhomme vs. David Carr will be a better QB battle then people are saying. Carr was a #1 overall pick, but just had nothing outside of Andre Johnson to work with in Houston. Give him a chance with Steve Smith, the better Panther O-line, and a solid TE in Greg Olsen, and he could have success.

15. Steelers- Paul Posluszny, OLB, Penn St.
Joey Porter is out, Bill Cower is out, and after a disappointing year following the Super Bowl the Steelers will get back to their roots, defense. Lawrence Timmons from Florida State, looks like the pick here, but Posluszny is safer. Sounds crazy saying Posluszny is safer, with his injuries, but I think Timmons has a better chance to be great as well as a bust. Posluszny, who had an incredible college career (2 time first team All-American, and winner of the Bednarik Award) would be a popular pick in the state of Pennsylvania.

16. Packers- Marshawn Lynch, RB, Cal
Just 9 rushing TDs last season and 5 of them left to play for the Texans (Ahman Green.) This pick should be a slam dunk. Vernand Morency and Noah Herron are probably hoping for anyone else, but not Packer fans. Lynch is the best back in the draft not named Adrian Peterson. He should be the starter in Green Bay, and worth a mid round pick in your fantasy draft this year.

17. Jaguars- Jamaal Anderson, DE, Arkansas
Jacksonville has looked for offensive help with many of their recent early round picks, this time they go D. Anderson would be perfect on the end with Stroud and Henderson in the middle. If they want to compete with the Colts in the AFC South, they’ll need to be able to get after Manning, and Anderson is the guy (13.5 sacks last season, and a 4.75 in the 40 at the combine.) Jags will just hope he’s still on the board at 17.

18. Bengals- Lawrence Timmons, OLB, Florida St.
Even more important than picking a talented player who can play right away, the Bengals need a good character. More than any other team they will be under the microscope of the new commissioner’s witch hunts. Cincy hasn’t helped themselves by picking players like, Frostee Rucker, A.J. Nicholson, and Ahmad Brooks, all of whom have had off the field issues even before going to the NFL. I wonder if Nicholson stole anything from Timmons? Anyway Timmons is an interesting prospect; he’s an early entry who only started one full season at Florida St., where he was just honorable mention all-ACC. He’s ranked on most draft boards ahead of Posluszny, but not on mine.

19. Titans- Ted Ginn Jr., WR, Ohio St.
A fantastic year for wide receivers, Calvin Johnson is the clear cut number one, but there is still great value at this position after him. Ginn could get picked earlier, but if he falls to 19, the Titans have to take him. David Givens looks like the number 1 reason right now, making it essential that they take a receiver early. Drew Bennett has departed, and Vince Young needs someone who can stretch the field. With the loss of Pacman, Ginn can also take of the return duties, which puts him just ahead of all the other talented receivers.

20. Giants- Darrelle Revis, CB, Pitt
The Giants were horrible against the pass last season (28th.) Sam Madison is 33, R.W. McQuarters is 30. Webster is a good young CB, but I wouldn’t be surprised if they take Revis. This is a Giants team that drafted Kiwanuka in the first round when they already had Strahan and Umenyiora. Webster and Revis could turn into a shut down duo.

21. Broncos- Jarvis Moss, DE, Florida
There’s a few ways Denver could go with their first pick. Maybe grab a talented wide out to line up on the other side of Javon Walker, or take an o-tackle to protect Cutler. I think they’ll go defense. Moss is an insane athlete, over 6’6’’, and can rush the passer forcing early throws into what should be one of the best secondaries in the league with Champ Bailey and Dre Bly.

22. Cowboys- Dwayne Bowe, WR, LSU
Owens and Glenn are getting up there in age, and after those two the Cowboys don’t have much to throw to on the outside. A handful of great WRs should be left to chose from at 22, including Bowe, (6’2, 221 lbs, 4.51 in the 40.) Based on his skills he would immediately be 3rd on the depth charts, and make the Dallas offense explosive.

23. Chiefs- Robert Meachem, WR, Tennessee
Meachem is my favorite receiver in the draft besides Johnson. He has good size, (6’2, 214) and he’s fast, (4.39 40.) Tony Gonzalez is great, but one of the main reasons he’s always the team’s leading receiver is because they don’t have anyone else. Eddie Kennison and Samie Parker won’t get it done, again. Meachem would be perfect if he falls, even Bowe, Jarrett, Rice would be an improvement on what they have.

24. Patriots (from Seahawks)- Jon Beason, OLB, Miami
Would the Pats rather have Deion Branch or this pick? Seeing as though they were a first down away from going to the Super Bowl, and have since signed Donte Stallworth, Wes Welker, and Kelley Washington, I’d go with the pick. Beason is a guy who can play any linebacker spot, making him very valuable in the Patriots’ scheme. Vrabel and Bruschi are getting older, if Patrick Willis somehow falls down this far they should take him, but since that probably won’t happen Beason is a good alternative despite being a natural OLB.

25. Jets- Justin Harrell, DT, Tennessee
Last year the Jets secured their offensive line with a couple of early picks. I think they’ll go d-line with their first pick this draft. Harrell is a big 300 pound tackle who has a chance to be great. He missed the last ten games of his senior season, and because of that he’ll be a late rather than early first rounder. Whoever picks him could be getting a steal.

26. Eagles- Dwayne Jarrett, WR, USC
Safety or middle linebacker could be possibilities here, but the Eagles will try and fill the void of Stallworth, (who was filling the void of Owens.) Even though four receivers have already been taken, there are good ones left, including Jarrett. His stock has fell in the last month, and I’m not sure why. The Eagles shouldn’t worry about that and take him. Despite being a tall, successful receiver at USC, Jarrett is not Mike Williams. He did not sit out a whole season before going to the NFL, so don’t compare the two.

27. Saints- Aaron Ross, CB, Texas
The Saints did real well last season against the pass (3rd in the league), but with Mike McKenzie (soon to be 31) and Jason David (who’s 5’8’’) set to be their starting corners it wouldn’t hurt to take someone like Ross. The 6 foot tall Longhorn would give them size and speed on the edge, allowing David or McKenzie to slide over to nickel.

28. Patriots- Reggie Nelson, S, Florida
The Patriots like versatile players. With Beason as their first choice who can play each linebacker spot, Nelson would be a great addition to the secondary. He can play both safety and corner a la Eugene Wilson. Let’s just hope he can stay on the field longer than Wilson. Also Belichick and Meyer are friends. Nelson would fit right in with the four other former Gators already in New England.

29. Ravens- Eric Wright, CB, UNLV
I’m not sure there is another OLB worth a first round pick. Someone like Beason or Timmons would be perfect for the Ravens. Samari Rolle has clear lost a step, and a team can never have enough talent in the secondary. Wright also can help out in the return game, and even play a little offense for the Runnin’ Rebels. Wright is considered more likely a second round pick, in large part because of his off the field character issues. But if a team is confident in him, he could be a great pick.

30. Chargers- Sidney Rice, WR, South Carolina
Eric Parker and Vincent Jackson are currently the starting receivers on the Chargers, a team who’s eyes are on the Super Bowl. LT and Gates are good enough to carry the offense, but wouldn’t San Diego want to at least try to give Rivers a weapon on the outside? Rice will be available at 30, he’s a 6’4’’ receiver with speed, who had over 1,000 yards and double digit TDs in both years as a Gamecock.

31. Bears- Tank Tyler, DT, NC State
What’s the best way to replace a Tank? That’s right, with another Tank. Even if Tank Johnson doesn’t miss any action next season Tank Tyler would be a good pick up for the defending NFC champs. No glaring needs for the Bears, unless you’re a Grossman basher, or if they can’t figure out something with Lance Briggs. Tank would be a good pick for the Bears though, not just because of his name… ok it would be just for the name. Truth is Chicago could easily get him in the second round (37th) if they really wanted another Tank, but I’m only doing a 1st round mock draft and wanted Tank on my list.

32. Colts- Ben Grubbs, OG, Auburn
The Super Bowl champs were the worst against the run, in the regular season, and they also lost Cato June. Despite their struggles on the defensive side I got the Colts taking the best guard in the draft in Ben Grubbs. Someone who will protect their man Peyton, and open holes for second year back Joseph Addai.


Well that’s how I see the first round of the draft shaking out next weekend. Always an exciting couple of days for die hard NFL fans, I’m really looking forward to it. If you have any questions or thoughts about my picks please leave a comment or send an e-mail to sportsbrief@gmail.com.


-Rich Keefe

NBA Awards

-Keefe

Just a couple of games left in the NBA season, so let’s give out some awards. I’ll take you though my picks for MVP, Defensive Player of the Year, 6th man, Rookie, also the All-NBA teams 1st-3rd, and the five best rookies from this season. Look for a complete playoff preview to come soon, but for now, on to the awards…

MVP- Steve Nash
Phoenix (18.8 ppg., 11.6 apg., 3.5 rpg., 53.4% FG, 46.3% 3FG) Nash has put together another fantastic season. He is at the same points per game as he was last season, and just ahead of his assist numbers from two years ago, both which resulted in the MVP award. His field goal percentage and three point shooting are both career highs for the Canadian who is looking to become just the fourth player in league history to win three straight MVP awards. Dirk, the best player on the best team (record wise), and Kobe will challenge Nash, but when it’s all said and done I’m voting for Nash. (Note: I don’t have an actual vote.)

Defensive Player of the Year- Marcus Camby
Denver (11.2 ppg., 11.7 rpg., 3.3 bpg., 1.24 spg.) Camby leads the league in blocks per game and is second in defensive rebounding. Iverson and Carmelo get all the credit for the Nuggets turning it on and clinching the 6th seed out West, but it’s been Camby’s defense that’s helped carry this squad. He is averaging 4.8 blocks a night this month, highlighted by 9 rejections against the Hornets less than week ago. Denver needs Camby, they were 4-6 without him in the lineup, and all four wins came against non-playoff teams, including three of the bottom four clubs in the league. An impressive 28 times this season Camby cleared 10+ Defensive rebounds. Shawn Marion is another guy who I could see in the running for this award. The Matrix can guard just about everyone, and on some nights has to do just that.

6th Man of the Year- Leandro Barbosa
Phoenix (18.1 ppg., 4 apg., 2.6 rpg.) Barbosa is the clear favorite this season for 6th man of the year. Out of the 78 games he has currently played in, 60 times he came off the Suns’ bench. He can run the point to give Nash a breather, but can be even more effective playing along side my MVP choice. Solid outside shooter (over 43% from 3), and besides T.J. Ford, the fastest guy with the ball, gets to the hoop with speed and ease. Manu Ginobili has made a case for himself after moving to the bench. He’s started 36 of the 75 games he’s played in, making him eligible for this award. His numbers are all solid, (16.5 ppg., 4.4 rpg., 3.5 apg.) but Barbosa’s are better, plus Manu started twice as many games as Leandro. Jerry Stackhouse will get some votes as well, showing that the three best 6th men are on the three best teams. Coincidence?

Rookie of the Year- Brandon Roy
Portland (16.8 ppg., 4.4 rpg., 4 apg.) The 6th pick in this past year’s draft, Minnesota traded him that night to Portland. He has been head and shoulders above every other rookie this season. (1st amongst rookies in points, 7th in rebounds, 1st in assists, 2nd in steals, and 1st in 3FG%.) This won’t even be close. I can’t think of another rookie who deserves a first place vote. With Roy, Aldridge, Jack, and Randolph, Portland has a solid young nucleus if they can keep them all together. The Trail Blazers didn’t win much this season, but Roy should win the ROY unanimously.


All- NBA 1st Team

Steve Nash- (18.8 ppg., 11.6 apg., 3.5 rpg., 53.4% FG)
Dirk Nowitzki- 24.6 ppg., 8.9 rpg., 3.4 apg., team = best record)
Kobe Bryant- (31.5 ppg., 5.7 rpg., 5.4 apg., 1.45 spg.)
Tracy McGrady- (24.4 ppg., 6.4 apg., 5.2 rpg.)
Chris Bosh- (22.6 ppg., 10.8 rpg., 2.5 apg., 1.3 bpg.)

Already said a lot about Nash in the MVP section, so let’s look at the four guys who join him on the All- NBA 1st team.
Nowitzki leads the 66 win (2 games remaining) Dallas Mavericks who are primed to make a return trip to the NBA finals. Dirk is receiving a lot of attention for MVP, and could very well win it. Just under 25 points and 9 rebounds a night the sweet shooting German has set himself in the games elite the past few seasons. A deadly shooter, and impossible match up on defense, Dirk is a no brainer for the 1st team.
Kobe has put up unthinkable numbers once again this season, and has the Lakers in the playoffs. 10 games with at least 50 points. (He has 1 more game, wouldn’t be surprised if that number went up to 11.) Leads the league in scoring, obviously, but his rebounds and assists are strong as well. Who else would you want taking a game winner?
T- Mac will once again try to advance in the playoffs this year. Unfortunately for him his Rockets play in the West and have some teams ahead of them in the standings. Three teams have better records, Dallas, Phoenix, San Antonio. Utah currently has the 4th seed, because of their division, but Houston could have home court in that great 4 v. 5 first round match up. McGrady and Yao certainly are one of the best 1-2 punches in the league, and T-Mac himself one of the most versatile.
Chris Bosh is the main reason that the Raptors have gone from 27-55 last season to currently 47-33 and Atlantic Division winner. Toronto will be the 3rd seed in the East, and behind Bosh has a great chance to make it to the NBA finals. Career highs in both points and rebounds, Bosh has proved to be another fantastic player from the 2003 draft.


All- NBA 2nd Team

Gilbert Arenas- (28.4 ppg., 6 apg., 4.6 rpg., 1.88 spg.)
LeBron James- (27.5 ppg., 6.8 rpg., 6 apg., 1.62 spg.)
Kevin Garnett- (22.4 ppg., 12.8 rpg., 4.1 apg., 1.66 bpg.)
Carlos Boozer- (21 ppg., 11.8 rpg., 3 apg., 55.8% FG)
Vince Carter- (25.2 ppg., 5.9 rpg., 4.7 apg.)

It’s a shame Agent Zero is going to miss the playoffs due to injury. One of the most exciting players in the game to watch, listen to, and even read. Another blogger! 3rd in the NBA in points per game, and T-15th in assists, the Wizards now have ZERO chance without him.
King James could be on the first team, but as a forward Dirk and T-Mac I felt were more deserving. Has better numbers than McGrady, but playing in the East he faced weaker competition night in and night out. The rest of the Cavs will hop on Lebron’s back for another playoff run.
Garnett is the first, er, only player on the first three All-NBA teams to not be headed for the playoffs. But his numbers, (22-13-4) make him a mainstay. Who wouldn’t want to see this guy on a contender?
Boozer has bounced back from an injury riddled 2005-2006, where he started just 19 games, and the Jazz went 41-41. This season, (with 2 games left) they are 49-31 and division champions. Boozer has started all 72 games he has played, and averages more points (21) than Duncan, Amare, and Dwight Howard, also more boards (11.8) than Duncan, Amare, Camby, Dirk, Bosh, and Yao Ming. He also ranks 6th in the league in field goal percentage (55.8), that’s better than Duncan, Brand, Yao, Marion. The Jazz will be a fun team to watch this playoffs.
Vince put up great numbers once again, and in a contract year. The Nets will try to get to .500 in their last game of the season. They are in the playoffs, but despite great seasons out of Carter and Kidd don’t look to be threats in the East. Might be done in New Jersey after the post season but I think another team will gladly take 25-6-5.


All- NBA 3rd Team

Shawn Marion- (17.5 ppg., 9.9 rpg., 1.95 spg., 1.54 bpg.)
Marcus Camby- (11.2 ppg., 11.7 rpg., 3.3 bpg., 3.2 apg.)
Tim Duncan- (20 ppg., 10.6 rpg., 3.4 apg., 2.4 bpg.)
Allen Iverson- (26.3 ppg., 7.3 apg., 3 rpg., 1.88 spg.)
Jason Kidd- (13.1 ppg., 9.2 apg., 8.2 rpg., 1.6 spg.)

Huge fan of Shawn Marion. The Suns are the most exciting team to watch in the NBA, and Marion is a huge reason why. Sure Nash makes the team go, and Amare leads the team in points, even a guy off the bench scores more points than Marion, but he means so much to this teams success. Nearly 18 points a night without a single play called for him. He leads the team in rebounding, as a 6’7’’ power forward in the West. He ranks 6th in the league in steals, 8th in rebounds, and he’s top 20 in blocks, field goal %, and minutes. The Matrix also has 37 double doubles (at time this was written), which is good enough for 11th most in the league.
I mentioned Camby’s importance in the D-player of the year section. Ben Wallace made a number of All-NBA teams (5) and never once average double digit points. Maybe Camby isn’t quite as dominant on the defensive end (arguably), but at least on offense it’s not four on five. All those double doubles and leading the league in block shots, should be good enough for this former Minuteman to make an All-NBA team.
Had to have a Spur on the list right? Duncan doesn’t wow you with his by the book, fundamentals, but another 20-10 season, while playing on the third best team in the West has to earn you a spot on this list.
Iverson’s points have dropped off a bit after getting traded to the Nuggets, but now he’s on a contender. Playing both the point, and off the ball while Blake runs the offense Iverson seems to be clicking with his new team. Denver is the 6th seed, and could give the Spurs a heck of a series. For the year AI is over 26 points, 7 assists, as well as 1st in minutes averaging 42.7 a night.
Kidd came close to averaging a triple double for the season. His 12 triple doubles led the league… by far. There was a total of 18 triple doubles by the rest of the league combined, while Kidd had 12 of his own. What more can I say?


Honorable Mentions

Deron Williams- (16.4 ppg., 9.4 apg.)
Carmelo Anthony- (29.1 ppg., 6 rpg.)
Amare Stoudemire- (20.3 ppg., 9.7 rpg.)
Dwight Howard- (17.8 ppg., 12.3 rpg.)
Dwayne Wade (27.8 ppg., 7.6 apg.), Michael Redd (26.7 ppg.), Paul Pierce (25 ppg., 5.9 rpg., 4.1 apg.), and Yao Ming (24.9 ppg., 9.4 rpg.)- Last four guys probably would have made one of the top 3 teams if they played more games. Wade certainly deserving of an All-NBA team, but missing 30 games, I didn’t think he should make it over the other players on the list.


All- Rookie Team

Brandon Roy- Portland (16.8 ppg., 4.4 rpg., 4 apg.)
--------------
Rudy Gay- Memphis (11 ppg., 4.5 rpg.)
Andrea Bargnani- Toronto (11.5 ppg., 3.9 rpg.)
LaMarcus Aldridge- Portland (9 ppg., 5 rpg., 1.2 bpg.)
Paul Millsap- Utah (6.6 ppg., 5.1 rpg.)

Roy leads a mediocre rookie class. Redick and Morrison received all the attention in college, and both supplied a sub par first season. Morrison was second amongst rookies in scoring (11.9 ppg.), but his AND-1 like defense and shaky shooting (37.6% FG, 33.7% 3FG.) resulted in a disappointing year in Charlotte. Out of the five guys I did pick for my all- rookie squad two are on playoff teams. Bargnani, the 1st pick in the draft, has helped turn around a Raptors team and win the Atlantic Division, while Millsap, a 2nd round pick, comes off the bench for one of the best teams in the league. The other three players, all lottery picks, have been bright spots on bad teams.

Final season statistics will vary slightly as each team has one or two games left to play at the time this was written. If you think I’ve left someone great off the list (which is probably the case), or you’d give the awards to a different guy, please leave a comment or send an e-mail to sportsbrief@gmail.com. NBA playoff preview to come soon.

-Rich Keefe

Top 10 Sports Movies

-Keefe

These lists have been around longer than Julio Franco, but like Franco, are always a good time. With Blades of Glory doing so well at the box office, (I haven’t seen it because I believe Napoleon Dynamite should stick to Napoleon Dynamite, get a sitcom or something. Will Ferrell will be great I’m sure, but looks like a renter to me.) I decided to make this list knowing there are so many sports being played out on screen. Figure skating, swimming, bowling, NASCAR, golf, boxing, and there are even movies made about hockey. My list is still dominated by three of the big four (football, basketball, baseball… waiting on some inspirational UFC movies.) You wouldn’t watch a “based on a true story” Matt Serra or Tito Ortiz? The Ultimate Knockout DVDs don’t count for this either. Hope you enjoy my list, I understand that no two lists will be alike, but please send an e-mail or leave a comment. Let’s start out with some “Kevin Dyson’s,” close but just a little short.

Honorable Mentions:

Rudy (1993): There are two truths about this movie. 1) Its one of the best sports films of all time. 2) We’ve all played on teams with guys like Rudy, and they are so obnoxious, annoying, and often make you look bad for “not practicing like it’s the f’n Super Bowl.” But this film paired a young Vince Vaughn and Jon Favreau, so we can thank Rudy for the likes of Swingers and Made.

Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story (2004): Who would have thought Vince Vaughn would be on this list twice? Classic story line here as the huge underdog (Average Joe’s), takes down the colossal favorite (Globo Gym Purple Cobras.) It’s worked so well before, Rocky vs. Drago, and USA vs. U.S.S.R. Very relatable too, not everyone has played high school football in Texas, or on a professional women’s baseball team during the War, but everyone has played dodgeball.

Rounders (1998): Not sure if poker is a sport, but tell that to ESPN. Great movie that helped the surge in poker playing in college dorm rooms, online, and on tv. Wait a minute… damn it Rounders.

The Sandlot (1993): “You’re killin’ me Smalls.” I can’t remember a day where I didn’t say that. Anyone who was playing little league when this movie came out loves it. Ever wonder what these guys are doing now? We know about Smalls and Benny, but I bet Tommy and Timmy Timmons went off the deep end in high school. What about Ham? We can only imagine.

Other great sports movies that didn’t crack the top 10.

Rocky (1976), Bad News Bears (1976), Kingpin (1996), Caddyshack (1980), Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby (2006), Miracle (2004), A League of Their Own (1992), The Big Lebowski (1998)- this is one of the all-time greats, but not really enough bowling to make the top 10.


10. Varsity Blues (1999): This movie has a little bit of everything, a hardass coach, likeable players, over bearing parents, a stripper teacher, and some whacky in-game action. You never tried to run the oopty-oop after watching it? I bet Wendell, who really should have gotten the ball in the red-zone, if it wasn’t for their racist coach, is still playing whether in the Arena or over in Europe. He had the most potential of anyone not named Lance Harbor. Tweeter was just too small to get it done at the next level, and that’s assuming he didn’t get kicked off the team.

9. Happy Gilmore (1996): As much as I enjoyed Caddyshack, I think I like the golf more in Happy Gilmore. An outrage I know, but the confrontations between Happy and Shooter and Happy and Bob Barker are fantastic. Both McGavin and Gilmore are great individual players, but they would kill the Ryder Cup team. You think Tiger and Phil is bad, well Phil never tried to buy Tiger’s mom’s house when it went up for auction. There’s your sequel; Happy Gilmore 2: The Ryder Cup.

8. Rocky IV (1985): Wow. This movie was about so much more than just boxing or just Rocky. The Cold War. USA vs. Russia. Rocky Balboa vs. Ivan Drago. Rock avenges the death of his buddy Apollo Creed, at the hands of the enormous Russian. The odds were stacked against Balboa, and the fight was in Russia to boot. Rocky, of course, takes a beating but isn’t beat. The crowd, the Russian crowd, rallies behind him, before the famous line, “he’s cut, the Russian is cut.” The Cold War was over. Thank you Rocky. Side note: how long after watching this movie did Jose Canseco, Mark McGwire, and the rest of them decide to use steroids? It didn’t’ work for Drago and it won’t work for you. Sure he beat Apollo (Big Mac hit 70 HRs), but he couldn’t get past Rocky (or into the Hall of Fame.)

7. Remember the Titans (2000): High School football has provided many great films, and this might be the best of the bunch. The actor who plays the head coach goes a long way. Jon Voight, Billy Bob Thornton, Ed Harris, Craig T. Nelson have all done it, but none as well as Denzel Washington. A true story about a team that has to overcome integration that makes you laugh and makes you cry… you know if you are someone who would cry during a movie.

6. White Men Can’t Jump (1992): A lot of sports movies walk a fine line of believable/ unbelievable. (See: The Natural.) But with great performances by Blade and Woody, the hustling streetball lifestyle looks realistic. The real question here is even though Billy Ho can’t jump, can white men jump? Well Brent Barry won a dunk contest. Dan Majerle was known as “Thunder Dan.” Tom Chambers had some sick dunks, but he was also like 6’10’’. Get back to me on that one.

5. Hoop Dreams (1994): This just isn’t one of the best sports documentaries ever, but simply one of best documentaries ever made. You really feel like you know William Gates and Arthur Agee, and it hurts when they struggle. Watching Gates injure his knee at a camp with all the best high school players (including Chris Webber, Jalen Rose, Juwon Howard), and in front of all the well known division 1 coaches is just awful. Both Gates and Agee were great high school players, but neither one “made it.” This film shows how difficult it really is to become a college basketball player, and the unlikelihood of turning pro. Not all sports movies have a happy ending.

4. Hoosiers (1986): I told you not all sports movies have a happy ending. Well, most do. Coach Dale is legendary, and Jimmy Chitwood is a hero. Let’s see, if Jimmy was in high school in 1954, he would have been pro during the ‘60s. How would he stack up against Oscar Robertson, Jerry West, and Elgin Baylor? The hoop is the same height in the Hickory gym as it is in the Boston Garden. I think Jimmy would have done just fine. Here’s a little SAT analogy for you that gives another reason why this film works. High school football : Texas as high school basketball : ____.

3. Blue Chips (1994): Don’t know why this film doesn’t get more recognition. Maybe sports fans want to pretend stuff like this wouldn’t happen. It does. (Jim Harrick got Lamar Odom to go to Rhode Island.) Illegal recruiting, point shaving, “friends of the program,” a guy failing a class called TV… man you got to love it. The cameos are unreal: Larry Bird, Bobby Knight, Rick Pitino, Jerry Tarkanian, Jim Boeheim, Dickie V, players like Rick Fox, Bobby Hurley, Calbert Chaney, Allan Houston, and many more. Not to mention Bob Cousy as the athletic director, and Shaq and Penny.

2. The Program (1993): Kane is Able! Maybe the best QB ever to grace the screen. (Apologizes to: Willie Beamen, Lance Harbor, Shane Falco, and “Sunshine” Bass.) What high school or college team hasn’t made a running back with a case of the fumbles carry the ball to class? They got the idea from The Program. Similar to Blue Chips in its win at all costs mentality. It shows the darker, more realistic side of sports. Players getting money from boosters. (Reggie Bush) Every program isn’t clean, and you don’t always make the last shot or catch the final touchdown. Not everyone can be an all- American. Shawne Merriman, err.. Steve Lattimer proved that steroids do make you stronger, faster, and better. “Starting Defense, place at the table!” This is an absolute must see. Still upset that a sequel never followed. Kane coming back to school (Heisman front runner), and another year with Darnell Jefferson in the backfield, ESU had National Championship written all over it.

1. Major League (1989): Of all the great sports movies this has always been my favorite. Awesome cast and even better characters. Bob Uecker’s Harry Dolye might be the best announcer in the business. Even if he was doing the play-by-play of the Royals or Pirates I’d get the baseball package to listen to this guy. My biggest question is who was the Indians All-Star selection that season? As anyone reading this knows every team must have one all- star. The all- star game falls in the middle of the season when Cleveland was still in last place, so who would they have chosen? “Wild Thing” Vaughn was said to be amongst the league leaders in strikeouts, but didn’t really turn it on until the end of the year. Pitchers do sneak in from bad teams (Mark Redman, Royals in ’06) Dorn may have been the biggest name on the team, but as Doyle mentions in the last game, he hit .271 with 86 RBI’s after a slow start. Willie Mays Hayes was at the top of the league for stolen bases as well as in the hunt for rookie of the year. Cerrano, Harris, Taylor all possibilities, but if I had to guess I’d lean towards Vaughn or Hayes. I wanted sequels for Happy Gilmore and The Program, Major League pumped out two more films that didn’t meet expectations. What do I know?

-Rich Keefe

Celtics vs. Gators

-Keefe

Not exactly a dream match-up. This isn’t Little Mac vs. Mike Tyson or Kristie Ally vs. gravity, but let’s take a closer look at this fantasy game. It doesn’t matter how unlikely the chances of a game like this ever happening, but fans always ask the question anyway. Could the USC teams from a couple years ago beat the Browns? What about the ’96 Kentucky Wildcats over the expansion Grizzlies? When there are really bad teams in the NBA or NFL, people look to dominant college basketball and football teams and imagine what would happen. And with the Florida Gators just capturing back to back national titles, first team since 1992, what better team to consider?

After the Gators defeated Ohio State (84-75, in a game that would have been much worse if not for the best game of the season by Mr. Greg Oden) my cousin IMed me and said, “There was never any doubt, the Gators were just too dominant. They could beat the Celtics.” I don’t think he was joking. I didn’t laugh. To me it doesn’t matter how good a college team is, or how bad a professional team may be, I don’t think it could happen. The hypothetical is brought up after nearly every season, and I’ve never bought in to it. The one team I throw in the ring, however, is the 2001 Miami Hurricanes football team. I didn’t have to say football team did I? This squad went a perfect 12-0, and won the National Championship in January of 2002. I mean check out some of the names from this team: Ed Reed, Sean Taylor, Jonathan Vilma, D.J. Williams, Vince Wilfork, Mike Rumph, Phillip Buchanon, Antrel Rolle, William Joseph, Jerome McDougle… on Defense! Just for fun here are some of their offense guys led by quarterback Ken Dorsey, Bryant “Mount” McKinnie, Andre Johnson, Roscoe Parrish, Jeremy Shockey, Kellen Winslow, and a backfield that is just unreal: Clinton Portis, Frank Gore, Willis McGahee, Najeh Davenport and even Sweetness’ kid Jarrett Payton. Wow. This team wouldn’t have beaten the 1-15 Carolina Panthers from that year? Maybe I should have written about this team, got a little side tracked, back to the Gators and Celts.

For the sake of this let’s say the Celtics have Pierce and Jefferson, even though they’re both “hurt” right now, making way for an all out D-League lineup. The Celts’ front office wants to win as much as that woman owner of the Indians from Major League. Other than playing the same sport these two teams don’t have a whole lot in common. Boston lost a franchise record 18 straight games this season. Conversely, Florida rattled off 17 wins in a row, from the beginning of December to the end of February. The level of competition is clearly different, but the winning mentality certainly could carry over. Florida has just ran through two straight tournaments (SEC and NCAA) where each one was a must win. The Celtics are basically playing in must lose games. Kevin Pickney? Here’s a breakdown of the lineups.

Florida has one of the best starting fives in the history of college basketball. Taurean Green, Lee Humphrey in the backcourt, Corey Brewer, Joakim Noah, and Al Horford up front. Each guy has scored over 1,000 career points in Gainesville, and each guy averaged double figures this season. Balanced much? I could give you four guesses of who was the leading scorer on the team and you may not get it right. (It was Green… I was surprised too.) This group combines for 10 National Championships, 16 years of college basketball, and 3 years of playing together. The Celtics starting five… well five that usually start (They’ve had 13 different players start. 13? Some teams don’t have 13 play, let alone start, and no Kevin Pickney is not one of them.) but we’ll take Rondo, West, Pierce, Jefferson, and Perkins. They combine for a total of 0 Final 4 appearances, 8 years of college basketball (half of Florida’s five), and they have played together for just this season. Some of these stats don’t mean a whole lot, but what is clear is that Florida is very familiar with each other and used to winning, whereas the Celtics… they haven’t played a must win game in years, and only Pierce was on the team at the time.

And for the record, putting Paul Pierce’s name in this is an insult. He’s one of the 10 best players in the NBA, I’d argue anyone on that, and he’s just on a bad team with no help. So in this “what if” game, Pierce is head and shoulders better than every other player on the court. I think we’ve learned about just how good Al Jefferson can be this season. The two best players in this game (Pierce and Jefferson) are on the Celtics. But what about the next 2? Or next 5? Well despite all the talk about the Gators having 3 lottery picks (Brewer, Noah, Horford), another potential first rounder (Green), and possibly two other players drafted (Humphrey and Richard), the talent still has to favor the pro team. Right?

Corey Brewer, one of four juniors on this lineup (all will be leaving school early, sorry no three peat Florida fans) I believe will be the best pro of the group. (We will definitely be writing a lot about the NBA Draft this spring and summer.) Brewer was the only McDonald’s All-American out of this great class. Known as primarily a great defensive player he teamed with three of the current Celtics on the 2004 East squad in the high school classic. (Jefferson, Rondo, Telfair.) Clearly he was less hyped than Telfair and Jefferson three years ago. Rondo opted out of college after two years of Kentucky, giving Brewer more college experience than all three of these guys put together. Can you get better in the pros? Of course you can, look at Jefferson doubling his totals from last year. (8-5 guy in his 2nd season to a 16-11 guy here in his 3rd.) You can also remain stagnant. (Telfair has his lowest point and assist numbers also in his 3rd year in the league.) Brewer without question improved in his three years since that McDonald’s game. (His points per game increased each season.) So much so that now it looks like he will be the highest pick out of this group of four. Many say Brewer could be a top 5 pick, placing him well above: Telfair (13th pick), Jefferson (15th), and Rondo (21st). From what I’ve seen Brewer has improved more than both Telfair and Rondo. What does that all mean? Well these guys have been getting minutes for the C’s. Telfair began the season as the starter (30 starts) and now Rondo has taken over (17 and counting), so the talent may not be far off between these two clubs.

We’ve seen the connection with some of these players, and the different routes they took to the NBA. Now let’s look at the position battles.

Rajon Rondo vs. Taurean Green. You don’t need to go too far to wonder how the point guards match up. An SEC rivalry, last year as sophomores, Green faced Rondo’s Wildcats, twice. The first contest both played real well. Green cashed in with 29 points and 9 assists in a fifteen point Gator win, while Rondo countered with 22 points but had just 1 assist. They played a second time, another fifteen point Gator win, and both had weaker games (Green: 7 pts, 1 ast, Rondo: 4 pts, 4 ast.) Based on these head-to-head numbers…
PG: EDGE- Gators

Delonte West vs. Ryan Humphrey. The two shooting guards, West has played a lot of point, but for this he’s the two. Humphrey is projected as a 2nd rounder to undrafted, West was the 24th pick of the 1st round in 2004. This year’s draft is loaded, but let’s not get crazy. Humphrey can shoot with the best of them (45.9 3pt%), and I’m sure he has NBA range, but West has been in the league for three years now, averages more points, rebounds, assists, steals, and blocks, then Humphrey. Also he’s a better defender. Still, don’t leave Humphrey open.
SG: EDGE- Celtics

Paul Pierce vs. Corey Brewer. Both teams send out their best players at this position. I don’t need to say much here, I’ve already said it all. Brewer will be solid, but Pierce is simply one of the best. Watch for this match up next season though, whatever team gets Brewer, should match him up on Pierce.
SF: EDGE- Celtics

Al Jefferson vs. Joakim Noah. Jefferson is a straight up double double guy now in the NBA, and Noah has a pony tail. Big Al could have been in the SEC playing Noah and Horford the last three years. Instead he’s been battling the likes of Rasheed Wallace and Jermaine O’Neal every night. Noah has been getting comparisons to Anderson Varejao. Wow, Varejao! Nice to be compared with a guy who has started just 10 games in his career, averages fewer than 7 points per game, and was the 30th pick of the 2nd round. That’s the 2nd round. Gross. I see him more like an Andrei Kirilenko waiting to happen, but still I don’t think this is close.
PF: EDGE- Celtics

Kendrick Perkins vs. Al Horford. Horford will be a higher pick come draft time than Big Perk, who skipped college. I’m not sold on Horford even though the consensus seems to be he’ll be a top 5 pick. He did improve his points and rebounds in each year at Florida, but we’ve seen a lot of solid big men in college fizzle at the next level. (See: Chris Wilcox, Marcus Fizer, Hakim Warrick, Michael Sweetney, Raef LaFrentz, Chris Mihm…) Perk has been hurt a lot, but has banged with the biggest of the big.
C: EDGE- Push

Bench: the Gators basically only use two reserves, Chris Richard and Walter Hodge. Those guys were successful, but going up against the likes of Ryan Gomes, Gerald Green, Sebastian Telfair, Leon Powe, (not counting Wally and Tony Allen who are hurt.) Bottom line is the Gators have six guys who “might” be in the NBA, the Celtics have 12 who are, as well as Pinkney and Allen Ray.
BENCH: EDGE- Celtics

Coaching: Haha, I guess for Doc Rivers it should be “coaching.” How about a career record of 272-305, and 8-14 in the playoffs? That’s even better that I thought. Hello Kevin Durant. Billy Donovan won more postseason games THIS year than Doc has ever won. Apples and oranges I know. I’m not going to say a whole lot, it’s hard to compare coaches at these two levels (Rick Pitino, John Calipari, Tim Floyd), but Donovan does such a great job switching defenses and making his team play hard. Doc makes sure there are five guys on the floor.
COACH: EDGE- Gators

The Gators take the point guard and coaching honors. Sometimes that’s all you need. After thinking about this, probably more than I should have, the Celtics win the game. It’s sad, however, that such a topic is even considered regarding my favorite team. If Oden or Durant is not on the C’s next year… maybe they’ll let them compete for the Final 4.

-Rich Keefe

Too Many Ghosts Chasing Pacman

-Shark

Listen, it kills me to say this, but the NFL's criminal bad boy, Pacman Jones, doesn't deserve the punishment he's most likely going to receive sometime later this week. Rumor has it that a season long suspension is in store for Jones because of his impressive criminal stat line: 10 incidents involving police, 5 arrests, plus he even "made it rain" so hard in a strip club that it incited a stripper riot. And all this in just two years. His mother must be very proud.

I recognize the fact that the NFL has a serious image problem right now. Its players are breaking the law so frequently that the problem can no longer be ignored. Pac has become the poster boy for all that's wrong with the NFL--although "Tank" Johnson and Chris Henry are really pushing him to be the best, err worst--and people are looking to take down the man who's giving the NFL a bad name. But too many people are getting sucked into the mob mentality and are calling for Pac’s head when maybe all they deserve is a few toes. So why don’t we all take a deep breath here and look at what’s really going on.

A) The NFL is trying to make an example of Pac and its wrong to do so. Instead of looking at his individual case, the NFL is looking at the state of the league’s image and is reacting to that, rather than Pac’s case itself. From what I can tell, the only part of the NFL player conduct policy that he has broken is the section that requires a player to report any criminal arrests to the team he plays for and the league office. Does this seem right considering everything else that goes on in the league? I didn't hear anyone saying Shawne Merriman should be banned for life when he tested positive for a banned substance. People hardly even blinked. How about Jamal Lewis? Sure, people scolded him when he got out of prison for setting up a drug deal, but he was still a top pick in your fantasy draft. And because I actually fear Ray Lewis (and wouldn't put it past him to search random blogs for people speaking ill of him), I won't even get into his story. However, you can use your imagination on where I might go with it. If Pac does get suspended for half the season like a lot of people seem to think right now, it just wouldn’t make sense considering the NFL has historically given much lesser punishments for much greater crimes.

B) It sounds like Pac’s punishment is going to come under the new NFL Player Conduct Policy even though his violation(s) occurred under the old set of rules. Now, I don’t know if this is necessarily true, but I haven’t heard anyone on television or radio clarify this point. Instead, the media mentions Pac and the new conduct policy making it seem as if he’s going to be punished under the new rules that he helped bring about. If this is the case then Pac’s lawyers should be screaming “ex post facto.”

C) As Bob Sugar once told us, “It’s not ‘show friends’, its show business.” And people seem to be forgetting this. The NFL’s main product is entertainment and banning or suspending players only weakens their product. So it is really a surprise that the league has been so lenient in its punishments?

D) I don’t blame the NFL for letting Pac get away with so much until now because at the end of the day Pac makes the NFL more money than a lesser player. I blame the Titans coaches and veteran players for letting things get so out of hand. After his first say five “incidents”, the organization should have sat him down and made it clear (I’m talking crystal) that they would punish any more off field behavior. Then they should have told the older guys to take him under their wing and to literally baby-sit the kid if need be. I know its different in pro sports, but if you’re on a team its your responsibility have to deal with stuff like that, instead of leaving it to some old guy like Roger Goodell.

-Brian Sharkey

Forecasting the 2007 Major League Baseball Season

With every major league team tied in the standings at 0-0 (when it was written), what better time to make some predictions? Who will make the playoffs? Who will win the World Series? Also we’ll share our take on the most important individual awards: Rookie, Cy Young, and MVP, as we preview the 2007 season.

Note: This is the first entry that all three of us wrote together, hence we couldn't get it on here until after the official start of the season. Won't happen again. Let's get it going...

Who will win the A.L. East?

Keefe- Yankees
I hate to say it, but it’s going to be the Yankees again. A 10th straight East title looks almost inevitable, although their pitching doesn’t scare you. The lineup does however, even with the loss of Sheffield, 1-8 are all tough outs. The ARod- Jeter relationship is something to watch. Look for Rodriguez to have another great offensive regular season then take a dump in the playoffs. Sox fans hope he doesn’t turn into Peyton Manning and finally win when it counts. The team bats will bail out the team arms all season long. Red Sox will be there, and expect another strong year from the Blue Jays.

Shark- Red Sox
Yeah, I know that most people have trouble even remembering the last time Red Sox won the division, but I think this is finally the year where the Sox's rotation is stronger (or should I say healthier?) than that of the Yanks and that's going to be the difference maker. I see Dice-K going to go for a solid 15 wins and the same with Beckett, and although it may sound obvious, I think Schilling is poised to have one final good year despite the fact that most people seem to be writing him off because of his age. True, he doesn't bring the heat like he used to, but I really liked the look of his newly added change-up this spring. Plus, I feel obligated to support a fellow blogger. At then end of the season I'll probably regret writing this, but put him down for 16 w's.
Like I mentioned earlier, I just don't see the Yankees, especially their pitching, being able to stay healthy enough to dominate like they have in the past. Look for the A-rod drama to have a negative impact on the team, as well an injury to Giambi. All those "protein shakes" are going to catch up with him this year as his body self-destructs by August.

Besse- Red Sox
Despite Schilling as the “ace” and the buzz surrounding Matsuzaka, Beckett is the guy to watch. Expect him to settle in during his sophomore year in the A.L., and their offensive firepower to out-slug a potent Yankees team that is short on starting pitching. Toronto will continue to steal wins from both clubs and make things interesting down the stretch, but don’t expect any of these teams to win more than 95 games.


Who will win the A.L. Central?

Keefe- Indians
Strong division that should have four teams contending for a spot in the playoffs. I give the Indians the edge because of Grady Sizemore (see A.L. MVP) and Travis Hafner. They also have a definite ace in C.C. Sabathia. The Tigers added more pop with Sheffield to help them repeat as A.L. champs, but will be without Kenny Rogers until July. The White Sox and Twins will be pushing for the wild card as well. Minnesota will be without Francisco Liriano (Tommy John- likely miss entire season), their 1-2 punch from a year ago is gone, and they may finish 4th in the central, despite returning both the league’s batting champ (Mauer) and MVP (Morneau).

Shark- Tigers
In my mind, the AL Central is going to give us the best playoff race in baseball and other than the lowly Royals, any of the other four teams could be walk away with division bragging rights. While I like the Indians' lineup, their bullpen was just a joke last year and I think will lead to their demise once again this year. However, if its any consolation to you Cleveland fans, I think the Tribe will be the most exciting team in the division (other than days when Santana pitches for the Twins of course), so at least you've got that going for you.
The Tigers have one of the best combinations of hitting and pitching in the league and is the reason why they'll be the last team standing in the Central. Losing Kenny Rogers to injury certainly hurts, but I think the end of their rotation is stronger this year with a healthy Mike Maroth and will take some of the pressure off of Verlander to repeat last year's breakout season. Not to mention that Magglio Ordonez and Gary Sheffield are going to be one of the league's best hitting duos.

Besse- Tigers
The Tigers welcome back Mike Maroth after elbow surgery to a staff that has three, maybe four potential aces. Sheffield adds more pop to a lineup that drove in more runs than the Red Sox and hit more homeruns than the Indians last year. Also, with Brad Radke retiring and Francisco Liriano out after Tommy John, expect the Twins to compete but fall short in pitching. Cleveland has a nice mix of veteran and young pitching, but are a year away; if this nucleus of young players, including the likes of Sizemore, Hafner and Marte returns, the Indians will take the Central next year.


Who will win the A.L. West?

Keefe- Athletics
Everyone is talking about the Angels, but I like the A’s. The outfield is solid with the addition of Shannon Stewart to go along with game ready Milton Bradley and Nick Swisher. Frank Thomas is out but Mike Piazza is in as the everyday DH. They’re always in it down the stretch and the 1-2-3 of Harden, Haren, and Blanton will keep them there. Huston Street (37 saves last year) is no K-Rod, but he gets the job done. Also the Angels overspent on Gary Matthews Jr. (always good in the field, but in ‘06 has a career offensive season, during a contract year, and then is linked to HGH… come on now.), he and Garrett Anderson will struggle, making their offense rely completely on MVP candidate Vlad Guerrero.

Shark- Rangers
If I was a smart man I'd pick Oakland. They've got a solid line-up that is anchored by their outfielders: Shannon Stewart, Milton Bradley, and Nick Swisher. They've got Harden and Haren at the top of their rotation and Huston Street coming in to close. Plus they just always seem to be there in October. However, where would the fun be in a making a preseason outlook if you didn't take a flyer on a team? Hence, I'm picking the Rangers.
I love Young and I think Teixeira could be a sleeper pick in the MVP race. Sosa looked like his old self (juiced self, not skinny rookie self) this spring, but after the past couple seasons I just can't realistically expect much production from him. I thought they made a great deal in getting Brandon McCarthy from the ChiSox. Along with Millwood and Padilla, McCarthy gives the Rangers a pretty solid top three in their rotation and I think they might really surprise some people.

Besse- Angels
An already strong club added Gary Matthews, Jr. and Shea Hillenbrand, plus Casey Kotchman returns from a season-long battle with mono. The starting pitching is decent, and will need Jered Weaver to be as good as he was last year, but it’s the back end that’s scary…Justin Speier comes from Toronto to match up with Scot Shields in setting up the explosive Francisco Rodriguez, who went 2-3 last year with a 1.73 ERA and 47 saves. Oakland will hang in there, led by pitchers Rich Harden and Huston Street. But nobody in their lineup scares you and Harden will need to stay healthy or else they’ll fade fast.


Who will win the A.L. Wild Card?

Keefe- Red Sox
The Sox won’t lose out on their division by too much, and will slide into the playoffs with the wild card. The Angels, Tigers, and White Sox will give them problems, but it might be a team in their own A.L. East that pushes them the most. Halladay and Burnett will have big years and the Blue Jays will be knocking on the door. But it will ultimately be the best 3-4-5 combination in the majors (Ortiz, Manny, J.D. Drew), the solid starting pitching (Schilling, Beckett- in a great bounce back year, Dice-K), and the new old closer (Papelbon), that gets the Sox back into the playoffs.

Shark- Yankees
Everyone is talking about how the Yankees pitching is weak for the first time in more than a decade, but they're still the Yankees. They have confidence. They have the intangibles. They have tradition. Oh, and did I mention the best lineup in baseball. The line-up is so good that the Yanks will just wear pitchers down over the course of the game and there a very few good bullpens in the league. Like always, they'll be around in October.

Besse- Yankees
There isn’t a single break in this lineup, save for the 9-hole spot (Doug Mientkiewicz, Josh Phelps or Andy Phillips). Hideki Matsui returns from that gruesome wrist injury, and Melky Cabrera is as good a 10th player as anyone in the bigs. That being said, Chien-Ming Wang starts the season on the D.L., and the return of over-paid, injury riddled Carl Pavano highlights a starting rotation that simply put, won’t be good. Mussina and Pettite will win 12-14 games, but Kei Igawa is unproven and Pavano stinks. Expect this team to make the playoffs thanks to Mariano Rivera and a boatload of homeruns.

Nice try (in order of finish): Cleveland, Oakland, Toronto, Minnesota


Who will win the N.L. East?

Keefe- Braves
The Mets have a better lineup, but the combination of pitching and hitting will land the Braves into the postseason. Chipper needs to stay on the field, and they better hope Andruw Jones still has pop despite losing a lot of weight. Brian McCann might just be the best catcher in baseball, (.333, 24 HR, 93 RBI, in ’06). And besides Carl Crawford rounding second base I think watching Jeff Francoeur throw out a runner with his hand cannon is the most exciting play in the sport. Bullpen was a problem last year, Wickman didn’t get there until it was too late. Now they have him for an entire season as well as former Pirates closer Mike Gonzalez to make sure they don’t blow late game leads. Rollins, Utley, and Howard will make the Phillies interesting, but they have nothing hitting behind last season’s MVP. Mets have pop too, but no pitching to clinch the east.

Shark- Phillies
This division race is going to go down to the wire between the Phillies and the Mets, but I think Ryan Howard is going to be the difference maker even if he gets the Bonds treatment from opposing pitchers. The big fella should see Rollins on base in front of him a lot of the time and have Utley and Burrell protecting him from being pitched around.
The Mets certainly have a better line-up, perhaps the best in the NL, but with Pedro out until after the all-star break their pitching will keep them from winning the division outright. I see them walking away with the wild card and then making some noise in the playoffs.

Besse- Phillies
Expect huge seasons from Chase Utley and Ryan Howard, who combined for 90 homeruns and 251 RBI’s last season, more than any other duo in the majors. They also acquired Freddy Garcia to pitch in between Brett Myers and up-and-comer Cole Hamels in the rotation. Although the bullpen isn’t strong, GM Pat Gillick will most likely look to improve that before the July 31 deadline. If Tom Gordon stays healthy, though, he’ll top the mark of 34 saves he recorded last year.


Who will win the N.L. Central?

Keefe- Cubs
Anything the Cubs get from Prior and Wood this year is a bonus. They aren’t relying on them, and that’s a good thing. Addition of Soriano, re-signing Aramis Ramirez, and a healthy Derrek Lee makes the Cubbies look like a strong playoff team. Oh yeah, they also have one of the best starting pitchers in all of baseball, Carlos Zambrano. Kip Wells is the number two starter in St. Louis? Wainwright is an unproven starter, and Carpenter will have a lot of pressure on him. Some bad teams here that could be fun to watch depending on who is pitching, I like Cincy with Arroyo and Harang (who led the NL in both wins and strikeouts), and keep an eye on the Brewers when Sheets or Dave Bush takes the bump.

Shark- Cardinals
The Cards don't have the pitching that they had last year after losing Suppan, Marquis and Weaver, so look for them to use their superior offensive firepower to simply out-gun the rest of their division. Hey, its working for Steve Nash. Barring any injury I would almost guarantee that Pujols walks away with his 2nd MVP. I also think closer Jason Isringhausen will have the stones to come in and finish-up those close games... even if the score is likely to be 12-11.
I think the Cubs could be a real fun team this year, especially with the addition of Soriano. He's both a threat to hit a homerun every time up, as well as to misplay a ball in center. He's going to keep the Cubbie fans on the edge of their bleacher. If either Prior or Wood are able to come back and do something it would be great for the Cubs and the game of baseball in general, but I don't see it happening and thus Carlos Zambrano is going to have to carry the weight of the rotation on his wide shoulders. Unfortunately its going to be just too heavy.

Besse- Cardinals
The Cardinals will win the competitive Central for two reasons: pitching and Pujols. Former Cy-young winner Chris Carpenter leads a staff that welcomes Adam Wainwright, who made a name for himself during last October’s World Series run, from the bullpen. If Jason Isringhausen stays healthy and keeps Wainwright in the rotation, St. Louis should win over 90 games in a division that will be second in parody to its A.L. counterpart. The Cubs’ addition of Alfonso Soriano and a healthy Derek Lee could make them a sexy pick, but without the Mark Prior and Kerry Wood versions of 2003, the bats alone just simply won’t be enough. Expect a young Milwaukee team to finish a respectable third, and tough Astros and Reds ballclubs to make things tough.


Who will win the N.L. West?

Keefe- Diamondbacks
Real tough choice here. I like the Dodgers starting rotation (Lowe and Penny both had 16 wins which was good for a share of the NL lead in ‘06, Schmidt, and the Wolf Pack, healthy again, heads west), but the middle of their order (Kent, Nomar, Luis Gonzalez) are a combined 111 years old. 111?!? And the youngest of the group, Nomar, is probably the most injury prone. 40th Birthday parties for Kent and Gonzalez may be the highlight for LA this year. Last season’s NL Cy Young winner, Brandon Webb, and the return of the Big Unit to Arizona get the Diamondbacks into the playoffs. Not a lot of bats for any team out here, but with the likes of the aforementioned Webb, Schmidt, Lowe, as well as Jake Peavy and new National Leaguer Barry Zito, the Cy Young might very well come from the NL West once again. It might.

Shark- Dodgers
The combination of a strong rotation and a weak division is what's going to put the Dodgers back in the playoffs. They've got a couple of greyhounds at the top of their order in Rafael Furcal and Juan Pierre which should really help out the middle of their order which is made up of the seasoned veterans (nice way of saying old) Jeff Kent, Luis Gonzalez, and Nomar.
The NL west could have some real sleepers, in the Rockies and Diamondbacks, but I think they're just too young to make it to October. The biggest hurdle for the Dodgers is going to be the Padres and their pitching. Peavy is a junk yard dog and is almost certainly going to have a year. The key guy in their rotation is going to be Greg Maddux; if he pitches his age then I don't see the Padres doing too much, but if he can pull out one more good season he's going to set the tone for the rest of the club.

Besse- Dodgers
The Dodgers will prevail out of the West due in large part to a pitching staff that is up there with the best in the majors. Derek Lowe, Jason Schmidt, Brad Penny and Randy Wolf, who is 21 months removed from Tommy John, will be tough for any offense, never mind the “pop-less” West. The knock on this club is its lack of power, and losing J.D. Drew doesn’t help. The 3-4-5 hitters are an average of 37 years old and combined for only 49 homeruns last season. But they’ll fend off the pesky Diamondbacks, whose influx of young talent, including Stephen Drew, Carlos Quentin and rookie Chris Young will make them competitive in a fairly weak division.


Who will win the N.L. Wild Card?

Keefe- Mets
Even though I like the Braves to win the East, I’m not ready to leave the Mets home from postseason play. Reyes, Wright, Delgado, and Beltran are too much in the soft hitting national league for them not to get in. Who knows when Pedro will be back, or if he’ll be 100%, but the lineup is the best in the N.L. Similar to the A.L. East, it might be a division rival that gives the Mets the toughest challenge for that wild card. The Phillies have three studs (Rollins, Utley, Howard) that will try to score runs for wife smackin’ Brett Myers, soft tossin’ Jaime Moyer, young gun Cole Hamels, and “The Rock” look a like, Freddy Garcia.

Shark- Mets
The Mets might as well be the poor man's Yankees. A team with Sketchy pitching which is depending on guys coming back from injury, but will make it to October because of its scary lineup, especially when its feeding on NL pitching. Look for Reyes and Wright to once again make a case for the best left side of the infield in NYC. Whether or not Pedro is able to come back from injury is going to be a real issue for the Mets, not so much for the regular season, but they really need him if they want to win a 5 game series this fall. Even though I'm picking the Phils to take the NL East, the Mets are just too good to not be around in October and are look to be better built for run in the playoffs.

Besse- Mets
The Mets will battle with and outlast Philadelphia as long as their pitching holds up. Led by 41-year-old Tom Glavine, who as the season begins is 10 wins from 300, the Mets will need youngsters like John Maine, Oliver Perez and Mike Pelfrey to step up and prove they can compete at the big league level. While the offense is explosive 1-9, the bench is weak. If this team stays healthy, they could make a run in the playoffs.


Postseason:

Keefe-
ALDS: Yankees over A’s, Red Sox over Indians
ALCS: Red Sox over Yankees

NLDS: Cubs over Mets, Braves over Diamondbacks
NLCS: Cubs over Braves

WS: Cubs over Red Sox

Shark-
ALDS: Red Sox over Rangers, Tigers over Yankees
ALCS: Tigers over Red Sox

NLDS: Mets over Cardinals, Phillies over Dodgers
NLCS: Mets over Phillies

WS: Tigers over Mets

Besse-
ALDS: Tigers over Red Sox, Angels over Yankees
ALCS: Angels over Tigers

NLDS: Phillies over Dodgers, Cardinals over Mets
NLCS: Phillies over Cardinals

WS: Angels over Phillies in 7


Who will be A.L Rookie of the Year?

Keefe- Delmon Young
Dice-K will probably be there, but after a hot start he will cool off in the second half and hurt his chances of being the ROY. Right now the two best rookies look like guys on two of the worst teams. (Alex Gordon of the Royals and Young of the Rays). If Young plays to his potential he will give Tampa Bay the best young OF in the game. Crawford, Baldelli, and Young could give the fans in Florida something to cheer about. Though Young has a better chance at ROY then they do at finishing out of the basement.

Shark- Dice K
The Asian sensation is going to have a good year, but probably not outstanding. I'm thinking 15 wins at the very most, but his numbers (plus all his media hype) will be good enough to make Japan feel good and proud.

Besse- Delmon Young
Alex Gordon is getting all the hype, but Young will fly under the radar for most of the season with the dismal Tampa Bay club. He got a taste of the bigs last season, batting .317 with three homeruns, which should prove to be invaluable in his development this season.


Who will win the A.L Cy Young Award?

Keefe- Johan Santana
I know its boring to pick Santana, but how do you pick against this guy? (last season: 19-6, 2.77 ERA, 245 Ks). Other guys in the mix will include two former Marlins in Josh Beckett and A.J. Burnett, both struggled in their first season in the American League. Also if the Indians win the central, like I think they will, big C.C. Sabathia will challenge Santana.

Shark- Roy Halladay
At 6'6'', 225 lbs, Halladay is just a work-horse who is going to get at least 28 starts. He's not as good as Santana, but because of his size I think its less likely that he misses a few starts because he's on the DL. Although, Santana has put up disgusting numbers after the all-start break nearly every year, proving that he's not a guy who wears down after 15 starts...I'm already regretting this pick.

Besse- Roy Halladay
Halladay returns after a frustrating season shortened by injury. The 2003 winner will return to rare form and dominate once again. With A.J. Burnett taking some pressure off in the rotation and B.J. Ryan coming on in the ninth, Halladay should be primed for upwards of 18 wins and a 3.00 ERA…stellar numbers in today’s game.


Who will be the A.L. MVP?

Keefe- Grady Sizemore
Lots of names for the potential A.L. MVP race this year: Ortiz, Manny, ARod, Vlad, Crawford, Wells, but Sizemore probably isn’t on most lists. He should be. Last year, his second full season in the show, he hit .290, 28 HR, 76 RBI, 22 SB. Not unbelievable numbers, but solid if that’s all you look at. Sizemore also scored more runs than anyone else in baseball (134), led the league in doubles (53), and had the most extra base hits (92)… and he’s just 24 years old. If the Indians are in the playoffs, and Sizemore improves his numbers, just a little, like hit over .300, he could be your MVP.

Shark- Mark Teixeira
Teixeira is going to spark the annual debate about whether the MVP is the league's best player or the guy who's the most valuable to his team. With the Rangers being the surprise of the league, I see him edging out A-Rod and Manny for the league's top honors.

Besse- Alex Rodriguez
Rodriguez will be the fastest to reach 500 homeruns at some point this season. Let’s face it, this guy is arguably the best pure hitter in baseball. After addressing his relationship with Jeter, he seems to be more comfortable with himself in New York. Look for .300/45/120 out of the highest paid player in the majors.


Who will be N.L. Rookie of the Year?

Keefe- Chris Young
He’s a 5 tool guy and will get a chance to start in centerfield for the D-Backs. Young will benefit from playing in the N.L. where there aren’t as many talented rookies, like Gordon, D. Young, and Dice-K. Especially if Young helps his team contend for a playoff spot, he should garner the attention to help win him the award.

Shark- Kevin Kouzmanoff, 3B, Padres
I'm picking him because I just got back from living in Ireland for six months and I honestly know more about European rugby than I do about NL rookies. Saw his name on a "top rookies" list and his name gave me a chuckle. This is going to have to be sufficient reasoning for you...sorry.

Besse- Chris Young
Young is a five-tool player that will thrive in the weak N.L. West division. He’s slated to bat seventh in the order, which should allow him to see a lot of fastballs and continue to cut down on strikeouts, which hampered his development early in his career. A potential 30/30 player down the road, he was listed as one of the “8 Who May Be Great” by Sports Illustrated this month.


Who will win the N.L. Cy Young Award?

Keefe- Carlos Zambrano
Hey if I’m crazy enough to pick the Cubs to win the World Series they better get a monster season out of Big Z right? He’ll need to improve on his solid numbers from last year to win the Cy. 16 wins (tied for 1st in NL), 3.41 ERA (5th in NL), and 210 Ks (4th in NL). I envision Zambrano’s chief competition coming from last year’s winner Brandon Webb, and a rejuvenated Jake Peavy.

Shark- Roy Oswalt
He's got a career ERA of 3.05 and his strike out to walk ratio is always fantastic. Truthfully, I think this one has more to do with the Astros' hitting than it does with Oswalt's pitching. Carlos Lee is going to have a big year and that's what's going to get Oswalt a nice shiny trophy to bring home.

Besse- Ben Sheets
Sheets possesses a low-to-mid 90’s fastball and a hammer that have made him one of the best underappreciated pitchers in the majors over the past few years. Rickie Weeks, Prince Fielder and Bill Hall will give Sheets the offensive support he needs to collect wins and votes.


Who will be the N.L. MVP?

Keefe- Derrick Lee
Similar to my Zambrano pick, if the Cubs make it deep into the postseason they’ll need Lee to put up his ’05 numbers. (.335, 46 HR, 107 RBI) He should be able to improve the RBI numbers with the addition of Soriano. Lee played in just 50 games last year, so I expect a complete comeback. Pujols and the studs from the Mets will factor in as well. I don’t see Ryan Howard repeating due to his lack of support behind him in the lineup.

Shark- Albert Pujols
He's the best hitter in the game. I feel that's all I have, or need, to say on the matter.

Besse- Albert Pujols
Arguably the other best pure hitter in baseball, Pujols is straight filth…a line drive hitter that sprays the field, he continue to dominate watercooler conversations with his homeruns that glide out at six-feet above the ground. Pitchers may try and pitch around him, especially after Jim Edmonds had a sub-par season last year (.257, 19, 70). But that didn’t stop Barry Bonds from winning it from ’01-’04, did it?


Hope you enjoyed all of our picks and predictions. We're all looking forward to a great 2007 baseball season. If you have any thoughts or comments, send us an e-mail at sportsbrief@gmail.com. We'd love to hear from ya.

-Rich Keefe, Brian Sharkey, Tristan Besse