UFC 82 Predictions

Keefe & Besse

Anderson Silva vs. Dan Henderson

RK: Here it is. A dream match up of sorts as the UFC Middleweight Champ (Silva) takes on the 185 pound Champ from Pride (Henderson). You’re probably thinking, didn’t Henderson just fight in another unification bout back in September. The answer is yes. He held 2 Pride titles, and lost a hard fought 5 round decision to UFC Light Heavyweight Champ Quinton “Rampage” Jackson. The UFC middleweight division is garbage so Henderson gets the call to take on Silva without even fighting at 185 in the cage since coming from Pride.

One reason the middleweight division looks so bad is the effortless victories that the Spider has wracked up over the “big” names. Silva is 5-0; with wins over Chris Leben, Rich Franklin (2), Travis Lutter, and Nathan Marquardt. 4 of those wins came by KO with 3 of them in the very 1st round, while the other was a submission victory over a ju-jitsu expert in Lutter. Despite facing the top fighters in his weight class Silva has yet to be really tested. This, I feel is going to change Saturday night.

Dan Henderson has never been knocked out. Read that again. And who’s to say if Silva will be the first. He’s been in the ring/cage with the likes of Rampage, Wanderlei Silva, Ricardo Arona, and Vitor Belfort to name a few. Hendo is fighting at his more comfortable weight class. How can he get knocked out now? But how can you bet against Anderson Silva at this point? I’ve been looking forward to this fight for a long, long time. Final verdict: Henderson gets rocked a few times, Silva gets pushed to the limits and wins in a close decision for the first time in his UFC career.

RK: Anderson Silva by decision.

TB: I agree and disagree with you here, Keefe. Silva has yet to be challenged in the UFC, part of the reason everyone discredits any depth the middleweight division may have. But Henderson is a top-2 fighter in two weight classes in the world, and his game is tailored to be more successful against a fighter of Silva’s caliber and expertise.

Against Rampage, he showed how well rounded he is against a naturally bigger, stronger opponent. It was a close decision that could have gone either way, a classic battle of attrition. Silva has technical striking, but Hendo may hit harder (he knocked Wanderlei out cold). Silva’s Muay-Thai is lethal (just ask “Ace”), but Henderson’s is in close, thus neutralizing it. Silva is a jiu-jitsu black belt, but Henderson is an Olympian Greco-Roman wrestler and is one of the best at submission defenses.

Silva, however, hasn’t been past the 2nd round since joining the UFC. I expect he’ll rock Hendo early, possibly have him in trouble. But “Dangerous” Dan will survive and take this into the 3rd, 4th and 5th rounds, imposing his will while “Spider” gasses down the stretch.

TB: Henderson by decision.

Chieck Kongo vs. Heath Herring

RK: Intriguing heavyweight battle here with Kongo coming off his greatest victory ever over Mirko Cro Cop, and Herring fresh off what could have been his greatest, losing a decision to now Heavyweight Interim Champ Big Nog. Herring has been a disappointing 1-2 since entering the octagon, while Kongo just elevated his career with that decision win over Cro Cop. But how valuable is that win now? Cro Cop has bolted out of the UFC after a couple losses. Both guys have a lot to prove. All three of Herring’s UFC fights have gone to decision, and I don’t think this one will be any different.

RK: Herring by decision.

TB: So yesterday I was fairly convinced Kongo would win an absolute snoozer by split decision. But last night I tuned into the replay of UFC 82 Countdown on SpikeTV. The second half of the countdown profiled Herring and his re-dedication to the sport. He hired a new team and moved out to Vegas. He's working with a nutritionist full-time and his conditioning has improved immensely. Meanwhile, it's well known thanks to his loss to Carmelo Marrero that any one of us could beat Cheick Kongo on the ground. You can point to Herring's inability to put away Nogueira as an example why the fight won't go there. But I beg to differ. Just ask Tim Sylvia. If you see Big Nog laying on his back, it's advised you don't come within a zip code of him. He'll submit you that easily. So in hindsight I don't blame Herring for getting up. I thought Kongo looked lackluster in his decision win over Cro Cop, and his last three fights have gone to decision. That won't happen here. Herring's experience gives him the edge in what become some violent exchanges. He'll catch Kongo, then finish him on the mat, re-establishing himself as a top contender in the UFC and a legitimate beef with the current champ for a re-match.

TB: Herring by KO in the 2nd round.

Chris Leben v. Alessio Sakara

TB: This is Sakara’s first fight since dropping down from light heavyweight and Leben’s first since signing a new deal with the UFC. Both are dangerous strikers who love to throw. Leben’s last fight against Terry Martin symbolized why he is such a big draw and exactly why he is on the televised portion of the card over the likes of Josh Koscheck, Diego Sanchez and former Heavyweight champ Andrei Arlovski. He was wearing bombs from Martin and trailing on all cards before charging forward and throwing a beautiful left hook on the button that sent Martin to sleep. While Sakara can strike, he can’t do it with accuracy like Anderson Silva, who blew Leben out of the ring. For that reason, Sakara will likely control the striking but not be able to put Leben away. Leben keeps coming until scoring a TKO midway through the second.

TB: Leben by (T)KO in second round.

RK: Leben is one of my favorite fighters, since moving to and training in Hawaii he has vastly improved his cardio and overall game. In a middleweight division that has Silva and now Henderson at the clear cut top, Leben could make his way back into title contention. If Silva wins does he fight Franklin for a 3rd time? Does Franklin want to get back in there with him? Not saying Leben gets a title shot, but with a win here over a big 185er he’s on his way. I still picture Sakara getting worked over by a dangerous Houston Alexander, a fighter Besse can’t watch with the lights off. In the end Leben continues his way back up the middleweight ladder, and starts his new contract with a KO.

RK: Leben by KO in 1st round.

Evan Tanner v. Yushin Okami

TB: The former middleweight champion returns after a long layoff with drugs, alcohol and various other sins of which we can only imagine. Yushin Okami continues his quest to prove he deserves a title shot. If this were Tanner in his prime, I’d say he grounds and pounds his way to a (T)KO. But he’s going to have “cage rust” and Okami is the middleweight version of Lyota Machida: nothing spectacular, but continues piling up wins. Tanner will have his moments, but Okami will position himself better throughout the fight, much like he did against Mike Swick.

TB: Okami by decision.

RK: Ok Tanner hasn’t fought in nearly 2 years I know that, but I think he’s got something left in the tank. He’s well rested. Right? Okami, like Bess said, is not the most exciting fighter to watch, but piles up wins. Tanner will probably have ring rust. He’s a crafty veteran though, so I think he will overcome it in a huge upset, and a shakeup that the middleweight division (which is on grand display on this card) really needs. Okami will be put to sleep, just before he was about to do the same to the audience. In a shocker…

RK: Tanner by submission 3rd round.

Jon Fitch v. Chris Wilson

TB: Here’s the first example of what I don’t like about this card. A few notable, marketable studs fighting guys we’ve never heard of. Nothing against Chris Wilson, he may shock everyone on Saturday night for all we know. But Fitch should be fighting Parysian for a mandatory title shot, bottom line. He’ll take care of business here, landing on his feet to set up a takedown and ground and pound before locking in a rear naked choke.

TB: Fitch by submission in the 2nd round.

RK: I agree completely with you Bess. Karo is on the Fight Night card? And you have Fitch, Koscheck, and Diego all on this card, but not fighting each other? The UFC is in a lose-lose scenario here. If all this guys win, good they’re supposed to. If any of them lose, there goes one of the big name welterweights. It’s an opportunity for Chris Wilson to make a name for himself… don’t count on it. Fitch is riding a 14 fight win streak with the last 7 in the UFC, he’ll make it 15 and 8.

RK: Fitch by submission in the 1st round.

Preliminary Fights

Diego Sanchez v. David Bielkheden
TB: Sanchez by submission in 1st round.
RK: Sanchez by TKO in 2nd round.

Jake O’Brien v. Andrei Arlovski
TB: Arlovski by KO in 2nd round.
RK: Arlovski by TKO in 1st round.

Josh Koscheck v. Dustin Hazelett
TB: Koscheck by Decision.
RK: Koscheck by submission 1st round.

Luigi Fioravanti v. Luke Cummo
TB: Cummo by submission in 3rd round.
RK: Cummo by decision.

Jorge Gurgel v. John Halverson
TB: Gurgel by hometown decision.
RK: Gurgel by submission in 3rd round.

Why the Colon signing makes sense

I must admit that I laughed when I read the Sox signed Bartolo Colon to a minor-league deal. What are the odds he was on round 3 at the Golden Corral. This guy may miss the strike zone an awful lot, but he certainly never misses a meal.

But the more and more I think about it, the signing comes at a perfect time. Boston just found out a few weeks ago that Schill used 'em for a cool $8M. I still envision they'll take him to court and the judge will rule he be awarded 8 schillings, instead. At least we know from his less than impressive stint on Celebrity Jeopardy that he's aware of what they are. Despite losing a fading #3 pitcher at best, it gives Clay Bucholz and Jon Lester an opportunity to saddle in at 4 and 5 behind Beckett, Dice-K and Wakefield. While there's no solid "starter" depth beyond that, I feel confident that the likes of Kyle Snyder, Devern Hansack and David Pauley could fill in quite fine until Theo finds help.

This, for Colon, is perfect. He reportedly has shown up to camp looking like Butterbean at a weigh-in - with no concern for a weight limit and the miscontrued theory that fatter=better. Although the Sox were impressed with his ability to pick up a baseball and throw it 120 feet, we had kids in Little League who were throwing it over the center field fence from home plate. What's the big deal in that? Pitching coach John Farrell admitted they were unhappy with his less than aesthetically pleasing body.

Brief side bar here: The Metro's Joe Haggerty reported that Manny Delcarmen shed 15 lbs this offseason. He claims to have with his brother at an area Gold's Gym. Any chance he's lying to cover up the fact that Colon actually just ate the weight off of him? I'm just saying...

Anyway, there's no denying that Colon is a proven commodity when healthy. He has a fastball in the mid-to-upper 90's who had a great stretch from '98 to '05. He threw over 200 innings in seven of those eight seasons and had an ERA under 4.00 in six of them. Lest we forget, the guy won 21 games and the Cy-Young just three years ago. Since then, he's had a myriad of injuries and hasn't hit the 100 inning plateau in either of the last two seasons. The guy was gassed in the fifth inning of his final outing in the Caribbean Series.

The Red Sox and its medical staff seem to do well bringing back players, particularly pitchers, from injuries at a pace that allows them to fully recover and maximize their performance. Just look at Schilling, Beckett, Okajima, Timlin and Lester in '07, plus Wakefield every year. Foulke was an exception, but nobody cared after his Burger King comment anyway. The key here for Colon will be to adhere to their medical and professional advice and follow the pitching program to a "T". In no way do I expect to see this guy on the Opening Day roster. They won't need him until June. If he stays in extended spring training, they can help him shed that weight like a dog's coat of fur. Hopefully he doesn't leave it all over the place, though.

After the season starts, he'll have the chance to work his way through a few "rehab" starts, gaining confidence in locating his fastball and splitter again while building stamina before a return to the major leagues. Chances are, we've seen the last of Curt Schilling. And even moreso, chances are that all five projected starters won't last the entire season without missing a start or two. The Sox have capable, temporary solutions already in place, but this no-risk, high-reward scenario with Colon is an ace up the sleeve. Don't use it because you have it; use it when you the time is right, and you'll maximize production.

Western Conference Outlook

-Keefe

The Western Conference is as loaded as Tony La Russa behind the wheel of a moving vehicle. 10 teams post winning records, with 9 of them having 33+ wins as of February 21st. Only 5 games separate the team in 1st (New Orleans) and the team in 9th (Golden State). If the season ended today the Warriors would miss the playoffs, but if they were in the Eastern Conference, the Bay Area would be hosting a first round match up. The West was already wild, but all these trades have made it impossible to pick a favorite.

Shaq and Jason Kidd are both 0-1 in their debuts from last night. It’s going to take a little time for both of them to adjust. Shaq seems like a square piece in a round hole. He did play 29 minutes in just his first game in Phoenix, scoring 15 and pulling down 9 rebounds. Not a bad first showing, but they did allow 130 points and lose. Kidd had only 5 assists and 8 points for Dallas, as Chris Paul straight owned him.

Here are the 10 teams above .500 in the West, core players, with new acquisitions in bold. (In order of current standings.)

New Orleans Hornets:
Chris Paul, David West, Tyson Chandler, Peja Stojakovic, (Mike James, Bonzi Wells, if trade goes through).

Chris Paul is my MVP as of right now. Last night he had 31 points, 11 assists, and 9 steals against J-Kidd and the Mavs. He’s averaging 21-11 and shooting a pretty good percentage. West and Chandler can do all the dirty work and Peja is back shooting from deep. I’m not sure they can hold on to the top spot in the West or win the whole thing, but certainly not a team you would want to face. Can Paul carry them to the Finals?

Los Angeles Lakers:
Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol, Lamar Odom, Andrew Bynum, Derek Fisher, and the bench mob.

Right now I’m leaning towards picking the Lakers to win the West. And I’m a Celtics fan and hate the Lakers. The addition of Gasol, or should I say the thievery that was the Gasol deal has put this team over the top. Lakers are 7-1 with Pau. It’s going to be interesting to see how he and Bynum play together, but suddenly they have Odom playing a role that he is much more comfortable with. They don’t need to count on him to score, but he still does. Kobe is Kobe, and these guys look like they are headed to the NBA Finals.

Phoenix Suns:
Steve Nash, Amare Stoudemire, Shaquille O’Neal, Grant Hill, Leandro Barbosa, Raja Bell, Boris Diaw.

You can’t get crazy about last night no matter what happened in Shaq’s debut. It’s going to take more than 1 game to see how the deal will play out. Amare is going to put up ridiculous numbers (37-15 last night), but it does not matter if they lose 130s to 120s. Who’s playing defense on this team? Raja Bell? He gave up 40 last night to Kobe. Nash, Amare, and Shaq at this stage of his career, are not going to scare you at the defense end. I’m looking forward to Friday when Boston comes to town. Shaq’s first 3 games in Phoenix: Lakers, Celtics, Pistons. They could go 0-3. When they sent Marion to Miami they were the number 1 seed in the West. Now I don’t think they host a 1st round series. I know they had not made the Finals with the current Big 3 of their own (Nash, Amare, Matrix), but this year with the make up of the West I thought they could have. We’ll see.

Utah Jazz:
Deron Williams, Carlos Boozer, Andrei Kirilenko, Mehmet Okur, Kyle Korver, Ronnie Brewer, Paul Millsap, Matt Harping.

It doesn’t get a whole better for a 1-2 punch in basketball than Williams and Boozer. The addition of Korver has given the Jazz a whole new element to their attack. I love the combination of talents they have here, with bangers like Boozer and Millsap, shooters in Okur and Korver, slashers in AK-47 and Brewer, and of course one of the top point guards in the game in Williams. This is just another team in the West that you could not be shocked if they won it all. Early prediction is that the Jazz lose in the conference finals to the Lakers.

San Antonio Spurs:
Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili, Bruce Bowen, Michael Finley, Damon Stoudamire, Kurt Thomas.

No one is talking about the Spurs. Maybe we should be. As soon as you count them out you’ll see Tim Duncan holding the Championship trophy in the air for 5th time in his career. But still, like everyone else, I’m not convinced they will be there. They have been winning it every other year, so maybe it’s not meant to be. What a great gift for a top 4 seed it would be to have to face the Spurs. Good luck.

Dallas Mavericks:
Dirk Nowitzki, Jason Kidd, Josh Howard, Jason Terry, Jerry Stackhouse, Brandon Bass, Eric Dampier.

I’ll be honest I liked the Kidd deal, and I don’t think that they gave up too much to get them. Devin Harris and what else? The two first round picks will be low and a guy like Antoine Wright is only 24 and will be better than anyone they could get at the end of this years draft. Kidd still has something left in the tank, his rebounding and assists numbers are huge this year even though he has struggled shooting from the field. I did not think they could win the whole thing prior to the Kidd trade, now they at least have a chance.

Houston Rockets:
Yao Ming, Tracy McGrady, Shane Battier, Skip to my Lou, Luis Scola, Bobby Jackson (if trade goes), Luther Head, Carl Landry.

I think the Rockets end up missing the playoffs. Even if they get in you can’t like T-Mac’s chances of advancing. Looks like they might be parting with Mike James and Bonzi Wells, and bringing in veteran point guard Bobby Jackson. (Jackson would be great in a Celtic’s uniform.) Despite being just 4.5 games out of first the Rockets will be fighting to make the playoffs for the rest of the year.

Denver Nuggets:
Allen Iverson, Carmelo Anthony, Marcus Camby, Kenyon Martin, Anthony Carter, J.R. Smith, Linas Kleiza.

Is there a more talented starting lineup in the league? Maybe not. But they have always had a hard time putting it all together. I think they do get in the playoffs even though they are one of the only teams in the West not to make a move. (As of now). These guys can obviously beat anyone on any given night, but what about 4 out of 7? You know they will score enough points. The question remains, is Camby enough on defense?

Golden State Warriors:
Baron Davis, Stephen Jackson, Monta Ellis, Al Harrington, Andris Biedrins, Chris Webber, Matt Barnes, Keleena Azubuike, Mickael Pietrus.

The Chris Webber addition doesn’t look like it’s going to be much of a boost. He starts sure; I don’t see him as a major factor however. The way they shoot the 3, early and often, they can certainly beat anyone. Like the Nuggets it will be difficult for the Warriors to advance far in the playoffs. I know they beat the Mavs last year in the 1-8 match up. I say they do get in the playoffs led by Baron Davis, but it ends in the 1st round this year.

Portland Trail Blazers:

Brandon Roy, LaMarcus Aldrige, Travis Outlaw, Jarrett Jack, Martell Webster, Steve Blake.

It was a nice run early in the season; they just could not keep up with all these great teams in the West. At 28-25 they have still surpassed expectations without Greg Oden. Definitely keep an eye on this team going forward. Brandon Roy has been great to watch and they play team basketball. Of the 10 teams on this list I have the Blazers and Rockets missing out on the playoffs in the end.

This list could get a shake up as the NBA trade deadline is minutes away. Players like Vince Carter, Zach Randolph, Ron Artest, Ben Wallace, and more could be moving around. Who else will make a move? The next couple of months will be great, a lot of questions still left to be answered.

Crisp trade is necessary but can wait...a little while.

Coco Crisp addressed the media today at the Red Sox spring training facility, speaking on his team’s current CF controversy. QB controversies seem to pop up everywhere in the NFL, but in baseball, legitimate position controversies are few and far between. Perhaps it’s because of the flexibility of athletes in MLB compared to the NFL, switching positions or use of the DH. In the NBA and NHL, there are plenty of minutes to go around because guys often need to catch a blow on the bench, so they are fairly rare there, as well.

But the position the Red Sox are currently in is a unique one. On the surface, you might ask what the problem is; the team has a talent-rich outfield that is arguably six deep (Ramirez, Drew, Ellsbury, Crisp, Kielty and Moss). Obviously they’ll only keep four, maybe five, so there’s going to be some shifting around come the end of spring training. But when four of those players are legitimate starters in this league, with only three positions in-game and the DH spot already tied up in Ortiz, that can be an adverse problem.

After Crisp’s comments today, it’s the clear that’s what the Red Sox have.

Here’s my solution:

Three years ago, a solid MLB outfield by the nombre Jay Payton was “that guy”, sitting fourth on the depth chart of another talent rich outfield including Ramirez, Damon and Nixon. The reality was Payton can start in this league. Unfortunately, it wasn’t going to be in Boston. While the team insisted he was vital as a fourth outfielder in case someone went down or as a late game replacement, he wanted to start. For the record, Payton played 142 games for Oakland in ’06, hitting .296, and 131 games for Baltimore last year, hitting .256. Again, he can start in this league.

Basically, Payton didn’t want to be in Boston given those circumstances. He voiced his concern and after nothing was done, tension built up and boiled over during a dugout confrontation with Francona leading to his dismissal and subsequent trade for Chad Bradford.

Fast forward to ’07 and the emergence of Ellsbury in the Red Sox lineup. Given, this is more of a controversy with the amount of talent between Ellsbury and Crisp. Both possess terrific speed (edge to Ellsbury), outstanding defense (edge to Crisp on experience), mediocre throwing arms (push) and great baserunning ability (edge to Ellsbury based on going 2nd to home on a pastball). At the plate, Crisp has not been the same since injuring his finger two years ago. His average and power have taken a nose dive, and quite simply, he just hasn’t gotten better.

But let’s not forget, he young and has played over 100 games in only four seasons. His first two years in Cleveland were still as a rising prospect, but in ’04 and ’05, he absolutely broke out, leading the Sox to acquire his services as the successor to Damon. But it hasn’t panned out, and while there is still time in his young career to turn things around, it’s also time for the Sox to begin the Ellsbury era in CF.
Last season, he hit .353 in 33 games with nine stolen bases. While there was no significant power numbers nor were the SB’s eye-opening, it was his game speed that really impressed. I saw first hand how his speed could change a game, whether beating out an infield grounder, the aforementioned 2nd to home or running down a fly ball in the gap like a seasoned vet, this kid showed he’s a serious gamer. Raw as he may be, he’s got the tools, poise and moxy to be a formidable player at the major league level.

Not to mention he hit .438 in the World Series and was my pick to be WS MVP over Mike Lowell. But that’s a whole other article…

Moving forward, the Red Sox should continue to see how Ellsbury develops in spring training. As long as he doesn’t take a nose dive, use Crisp as trade bait for a team looking to add a starting outfielder right before opening day. You can keep him as insurance throughout spring training, but once Ellsbury pans out, deal away Crisp to fill another void that has opened and become more apparent before the team breaks camp. Much like Payton did in ’05, Crisp has voiced that he will not settle for a non-starting role. He wants to play, and because both are full of talent, it’s going to be hard to keep one out of the lineup. Ellsbury brings more to the table in my opinion and should be handed the reigns.

And so, come Opening Day Coco Crisp should no longer be a member of this team. His patience has worn thin with the media, and while he claims to understand the decrease in PT at the end of last season, he wasn’t happy with it. He’s bitter and will not tolerate being a 4th outfielder on this team. Simply put, that’s not a guy you don’t want in your clubhouse. I don’t care if we’re talking about the most dysfunctional clubhouse in the game, no team needs a player venting about his situation publicly. Jay Payton did it in 2005 and eventually forced the hand of the Red Sox. It wasn’t good, but they were able to use him to fill a void. Theo should do the same thing, but with less agony.

Ideally, Ellsbury and Crisp will both be in the lineup on Opening Day. Except that they should be starting for different teams.

Eastern Conference Outlook

-Keefe

The NBA's Eastern Conference is more top heavy than Dolly Parton. Only five teams have a winning record, only three teams score more than 100 a night, while six give up over a century. Despite the five teams above .500 only two have a legitimate shot at winning the whole thing. Boston (41-10) and Detroit (39-14) are running away and hiding from the rest of the conference. Orlando, Toronto, and LeBron (going forward I will refer to the Cleveland Cavs as LeBron) all think they have a chance to win the East, but they would need a MC Hammer type collapse from the Celtics or Pistons to do so.

Washington is a bit of an x-factor right now. Antawn Jamison has been playing by himself and putting up great numbers, but if he can get a healthy Caron Butler and Gilbert Arenas back they could be a tough out in the playoffs. I also want to see how the Hawks play with Mike Bibby. I really like the move. A lineup of Bibby, Joe Johnson, Marvin Williams, Josh Smith, and Al Horford could create a minor shakeup in the East. Keep an eye on these guys. But let's look at the real contenders.

Boston Celtics: They came out of the gates hotter than Rose McGowen in Planet Terror, and kept it going. Tough schedule coming out of the All-Star break, they just lost and gave up a season high 124 points last night to the Denver Nuggets, but did get Kevin Garnett back after he missed 9 games (C's went 7-2 in that span). C's have the Warriors tonight, Suns and Shaq on Friday, Portland Sunday, and the Clippers before heading home. It's going to be a great test for a Celtics team that won their first 16 against the West.

Rajon Rondo has made major strides in his second season, running the show surrounded by three superstars. The unselfishness of Paul Pierce, Ray Allen, and Kevin Garnett has been well documented. The only worry concerning those three is injuries, particularly Allen and KG. In Garnett's absence players like Leon Powe and Big Baby Davis really emerged. In fact as a Celtics fan I would much rather have Powe on the floor over starting center Kendrick Perkins. Perk is taller, but doesn't score, rebound, or defend as well as Leon.

The bench has been better than expected. Like the supporting cast in Ocean's 11, you got your Brad Pitt, George Clooney, Matt Damon, (Pierce, KG, and Allen... that's how I see it too), but what really makes the movie is the rest of the team, (Rondo, Powe, Perk, Davis, T.Allen, House, Posey, Scal... only included Scal to add up to 11). Anyway these guys have all been solid, but the question remains, do they need a back up point guard? They don't need a starter, Rondo has shined. Can Tony Allen and Eddie House bring the ball up and set up the offense when Rondo is out of the game? So far Danny Ainge seems to think so.

Detroit Pistons: The Pistons once again have the league's best scoring defense (89.9, Celtics are 90.1). Also once again they are lead by Chauncey Billups, Richard Hamilton, Rasheed Wallace, and Tayshaun Prince. Somehow they are #1 in Marc Stein's power rankings. I don't see it. They just got killed last night by the Orlando Magic, but similar to the Spurs, they are built strictly for the playoffs. And in the East they do not have to bust their ass all season to get home court for the first couple of rounds.

Rookie Rodney Stuckey, Jason Maxiell, and Antonio McDyess will help out the 4 big guns as they try to return to the Eastern Conference and NBA finals. Can Flip Saunders lead them to the promise land? He's gotten them to two conference finals but not over the top, including a shocking 4-2 loss to LeBron last year. However, I would be equally surprised if this year it is not the Celtics and Pistons playing for the right to represent the East.

No other team deserves their own breakdown. Quick takes on the rest of the East that could win a playoff series...

Orlando Magic: Dwight Howard is a monster (shoots below 60% at the stripe), Hedo Turkoglu and Rashad Lewis both putting up solid numbers. But the Magic shoot more 3's than anyone in the East, they strike me as a team in the NCAA tourny who could shock a team, but no way could they win a best-of-7 with Detroit or Boston. PG play is weak as well; they miss the playoffs if they were in the West.

Toronto Raptors: Chris Bosh is one of the best players in the conference, and they have one of the best point guards in the East in Jose Calderon, but they might not even get out of the 1st round. Home court would be huge for them especially if they're facing LeBron.

LeBron: No Jason Kidd, no Mike Bibby, no chance to make it back to the Finals. The LeBron-factor has to scare some teams, but the Pistons will be ready this year and the Celtics won't lose 4 games in a series to him.

Wiz/ Hawks = sleepers. I mentioned it at the top these teams, when healthy have a ton of talent, and if they can put it together they could take out the Magic, Raptors, or LeBron.

I will break down the Western Conference 2nd half outlook tomorrow, which will include 10 of the best 12 teams in the NBA. Also I will have a chance to see Shaq play in a Suns uni, albeit his first game. I'm looking forward to seeing how all these trades pay off in the Western Conference. It's hard to pick a favorite right now. Hornets, Suns, Lakers, Jazz, Spurs, Mavs, Rockets, Nuggets, Warriors, and Blazers... it's going to be fun.

NBA 2nd Half

-Keefe

The NBA's All-Star weekend is in the books. Congradulations to the Sophomores, Deron Williams, Jason Kapono, Dwight Howard, and the Eastern Conference for their performances the past few days. The fun is are over now as the teams prepare for their final 30+ games of the year. In the coming days I will break down the contenders from each conference as they hit the second half. The West has 10 competitive teams while the East has just 5 teams above .500, and 1 team less than 10 games back of the Celtics. I think it's fair to say that one entry will be a bit longer than the other.

The Jason Kidd deal looks as though it could go through after all, this time not involving Devean George or Jerry Stackhouse. How can any of the Mavericks even talk to George right now? I guess if the trade does go through it doesn't really matter, but if Kidd stayed in Jersey? George strikes me as that guy who invites himself over and stays late. It's time to go buddy. And if that wasn't weird enough how he just decided he wasn't going to get traded, but then he starts the next couple of games, even throwing out an 0-11 night. As a former DIII athlete, like George, I wanted to root for him, but first the Lakers, then he refuses to be traded and we miss out on a chance to see Kidd play for a contender. George is making close to $2.5 million this year to average fewer than 4 points and 3 rebounds a night, and now he may have just pouted himself onto another championship run.

No only does LeBron James have to see fellow Eastern All-Star starter J. Kidd, get traded to a team not in Cleveland, but then Atlanta scoops up Mike Bibby from Sacremento. LeBron thought with Kidd running the point he could return to the NBA Finals, that didn't happen. Mike Bibby was still out there as a back up plan. Well, not anymore. A team that is 7 games under .500 and 6.5 games back of the Cavs goes out and makes a big move. What is LeBron thinking now? "When's my contract expire?" comes to mind. 2009-2010 is the answer.

The Hawks see a weak East and the Nets giving up as a chance to get involved. Mike Bibby joins All-Star Joe Johnson, Josh Smith, Al Horford, and Marvin Williams. Take a look at that. Not a bad 5 in the East.

Let's take a quick look at the Standings before the 2nd half begins.

EAST:
Boston 41-9
Detroit 39-13

-------

Orlando 33-21
LeBron 29-23
Toronto 28-23

The rest of the East is below .500. Washington, NJ, Philly, Atlanta currently fighting for last spots.

WEST:
1. New Orleans 36-15
1. Phoenix 37-16
3. Lakers 35-17
4. Utah 34-19
5. San Antonio 34-17
6. Dallas 35-18
7. Golden State 32-20
7. Houston 32-20
7. Denver 32-20
10. Portland 28-24

9 teams in the West have 30 or more wins while just 3 teams in the East can say that. I'll break down the top teams this week, and figure out who has the best chance to win it all.

Side note: I would have to strongly veto any NHL talk on this site. The Bruins should have just moved the team instead of trading away Joe Thornton for a bag of pucks and a squid. Sports that are more popular than the NHL: NFL, MLB, NCAA Football, NCAA Basketball, NBA, NASCAR, MMA (UFC), PGA, to name a few. Even poker, boxing, and bowling are on ESPN and other sports stations more than hockey.

An open letter to Bruin1968...

Bruin1968,

First off, thanks for visiting the site.

The objective here at The Sports Brief isn't to win a Pullitzer or write a moving, riveting, heart-warming piece on something the general public absolutely needs to know.

It's a website where we can write reactions, thoughts, opinions and predictions for others to read, enjoy and comment on like yourself.

While we certainly appreciate the comment, I am livid at the fact that you would accuse some start-up website of plagiarizing a Steve Buckley article from the Herald. I challenge you to present us with that article, or have Steve do so himself. I happen to be an acquaintence of Steve's, having worked alongside him at Fenway and played in his OldTime Baseball Game last summer.

It is not uncommon that people often share the same thoughts, nor write about them in a similar fashion, particularly when it is strictly opinion-based. So again, I challenge you to present us with hard evidence that we did in fact commit plagiarism.

As far as the content on this website, we are all from New England and happen to be fans of the Red Sox, Celtics and Patriots, as well as the UFC and MMA in general.

We aren't fans of the Bruins, so if you're looking for an article about the Hub of Hockey, look elsewhere, you won't find it here. Unfortunately, we don't find the team to be of interest to us. Again, that's strictly one's opinion.

In the interim, please continue to visit the site with an open mind. We don't need you coming with your red pen in hand, telling us how we rambled on about a particular subject, or if our grammar needs a bit fine-tuning. I don't know if that's what you do for a living, and frankly I don't care. But we don't issue grades on The Sports Brief. We just write about topics that interest us and hope it will spark interest in those that stumble onto our website and read it.

Apparently we've done that with you. It's just unfortunate you couldn't do it with an open mind and be more supportive of a few guys who are doing this in their spare time merely for kicks and entertainment. That's all it is, just an attempt to entertain those that visit.

Thanks again, and please continue to visit The Sports Brief.

-Bess

Rocket Man

If you're looking for a professional review of what happened with Roger Clemens on Wednesday, go elsewhere. If you're looking for a smart lawyer who knows what legally happened at Clemens' hearing on Wednesday, keep searching. If you're looking for a not-so-intelligent opinion from a not-so-smart Boston sports fan who's in his 6th year of undergraduate at Bridgewater State College, then you've come to the right place.

I'm not going to pretend to know anything about the legal ramifications Roger Clemens or Brian McNamee could face, I'm just going to give my opinion of what I watched on Wednesday. And what I watched was an embarrassment. It's been two days since it was on, and I'm too lazy to look up stuff that happened, so don't mind me if I "misremembered" some of the details that took place.

I turned on the hearing about halfway through. From what I gathered, each congressman that was there had five minutes to grill either McNamee or Clemens. I saw things come from both angles. I saw one congressman think it was his own stand up comedy act, as he started making jokes and everyone was laughing.

I thought this was supposed to be some sort of serious hearing?

I also saw a woman, representing the state of New York, start her statement off by thanking Clemens for all the wonderful things he did on the field for the Yankee organization and off the field in the community.

What a joke.

Then, one congressman, at the end of his statement, proceeded to ask Roger what hat he was going to wear into the Hall of Fame.

It became laughable.

The one thing I do know, however, is that you can't tamper a witness (at least I think that's the phrase). I know this nanny was thrown under the proverbial bus by McNamee's vivid account. So vivid, in fact, at one point I thought he was reading from an old script he dug up from his days as an aspiring screenwriter in the porn industry.

But the bottom line is this nanny was supposed to be a key witness in this whole hearing. Knowing all this, Roger and his legal team went on to call her and invite her to his house. When this was brought up at the hearing, Roger claims he was "trying to help you guys out". Right. He was trying to get in touch with her for a cup of tea and not talk about the upcoming hearing so they could get their story straight.

The best part is, after he said he was trying to help congress out, the guy leading congress says "I understand you were trying to help us out, thank you". Thank you?!?! Come on now. If he was in a real courtroom, the judge would have looked at him and said "Mr. Clemens, if you ever obviously lie to me and try to embarrass me in my courtroom again, I will have you hung, is that understood?"

Meanwhile, you have Mr. McNamee. He sits there, gets badgered by Congress and Clemens, and sits there and takes it like a man. Doesn't ever get his back up, like Clemens and his legal team did. He just sits there calm, answers every question, and continues to cooperate. Doesn't break any rules outside of the hearing, and provides evidence as much as he can. Has he lied in the past? Of course, he admitted that. Would he make this up though? I don't think so.

Like I said, I'm not the brightest bulb to be writing about some sort of legal hearing. I'm the kid who failed a class titled Sexuality last semester, and I love sex! But I can give the average man's opinion on this whole matter. Roger Clemens has always been about himself, his whole career. He wanted the limelight, and he wanted it to be about himself. He was always bigger than the team. Now, his good friend, Andy Pettitte is against him, along with Chuck Knoblauch.

Once again, it's Roger all by himself. It's all about him now. This time, I couldn't be happier.

-BJal

All-Star Festivities

-Keefe

The Celtics have officially hit the All-Star break, and at a league’s best 41-9 by the way. As promised here are a few quick thoughts about all of the festivities that take place during NBA All-Star Weekend. (Note: I am going to keep it regarding on the court activities, and not try to guess the next Adam “Pacman” Jones, although that could be fun too.) There are technically 6 different events, but I am only going to talk about 5, because the “shooting stars” is a waste of time for everyone involved. The schedule really gets going Friday night with the T-Mobile Rookie Challenge. You think we might see the D-Wade/ Barkley commercial a few times this weekend?

Rookie Challenge: The rookie roster (in order they were drafted this year): Kevin Durant (2nd), Al Horford (3rd), Mike Conley (4th), Jeff Green (5th), Yi Jianlian (6th), Sean Williams (17th), Juan Carlos Navarro (40th), Luis Scola (56th), and Jamario Moon (undrafted).

The roster starts out true to form with 5 of the top 6 players from this past June’s draft with the notable omission of the injured Greg Oden. After that you can start to see where teams may have stumbled in the draft. Just because you don’t make the rookie game after 50 games of your career doesn’t mean you won’t be a solid player, but chances are you won’t be on the team that drafted you. As a Celtics fan I thought Glen Davis would find his way on this team (before he hurt his knee last night), but I can’t take anyone of this list.

Sophomore team: Brandon Roy, Rajon Rondo, LaMarcus Aldridge, Rudy Gay, Daniel Gibson, Paul Millsap, Andrea Bargnani, Jordan Farmer, and Ronnie Brewer.

Busy weekend for Gay (dunk), Gibson (3 point), and Roy (All-Star). It’s not going to matter as the sophomores always win this game, and usually big. I expect the same. Prediction: Sophomores

Saturday Night

Skills Challenge: Jason Kidd (who knows what jersey he’ll be wearing), Dwayne Wade (Who’s in your 5?), Deron Williams, and Chris Paul.

Williams is the only one making his first appearance in this skills game, and is the only one not playing in the game on Sunday. Kidd and Wade have both won it in the past. Not sure how you pick a winner here, but I’ll go with one of the best players from the first half. Prediction: Chris Paul.

Three Point Shootout: Jason Kapono (defending champ), Peja Stojakovic (2-time champ), Steve Nash, and 3 first timers in Kobe Bryant, Rip Hamilton, and Daniel ‘Boobie’ Gibson.

Pretty good cast here featuring 3 All-Stars. I’m interested to watch Kobe in action in this event. I think Boobie and Rip both struggle in their first competition. In the end I think Kapono defends his crown, and earns some of that money he got to go to Canada. Prediction: Jason Kapono

Slam Dunk Contest: Gerald Green (defending champion), Dwight Howard, and 2 first timers in Rudy Gay and Jamario Moon.

Gerald is still in the league? Or did they just ask him back as the defending champ? Could he be the first player to win both the NBA and D-League slam dunk contest? Some people around here were reluctant to include Green in the KG deal. I’m not sure he’ll even be in the league when his contract runs out. With all that said, he can dunk, and that’s the point on Saturday night. Dwight Howard wants to move the hoop up to 12 feet. Why not let him? His height is going to once again hurt him. Gay has had some unbelievable in game dunks this year, and no one is really talking about him in this. Prediction: Rudy Gay

Sunday’s All-Star Game:

East Starters: Jason Kidd (how does this work if he’s in Dallas?), Dwayne Wade, LeBron James, Kevin Garnett (Doc will make a decision here), and Dwight Howard.

Reserves: Paul Pierce, Chris Bosh, Chauncey Billups, Richard Hamilton, Joe Johnson, Antawn Jamison, Caron Butler (injured), Rasheed Wallace (replacement), and Ray Allen (replacement).

West Starters: Kobe Bryant, Allen Iverson, Carmelo Anthony, Tim Duncan, and Yao Ming.

Reserves: Steve Nash, Chris Paul, Amare Stoudemire, David West, Brandon Roy, Carlos Boozer, and Dirk Nowitzki.

Really not sure what the deal is with Jason Kidd, but point guard play goes a long way in these games and with Nash and Paul running the show for the West I like their chances. Similar teams from 2007 and I think its going to be a similar result. Prediction: West

I am looking forward to all of these events, and a great second half of the NBA season, particularly in the Western Conference.

Why is Truck Day even a Day?

It’s one thing to be a fan of a team; it’s another to be a real-life Gil Renard.

But living in the midst of what is “Red Sox Nation,” I can’t help but scoff at the similarities in fanaticism that embolden both Renard and those that take the proverbial “Nation” to the next level.

Case in point: Truck Day.

Saturday afternoon marked the annual celebration of “Truck Day,” when Red Sox clubhouse employees load up the truck with all items necessary for the upcoming month and a half of spring training. The truck gets packed front-to-back, floor-to-ceiling and then embarks on the 24 hour trip to Ft. Myers. In most cities, I am willing to bet people don’t even know when spring training starts, or even thought about the fact that equipment has to be shipped to its team’s spring training facility. They probably just assume it’s already there. But in Boston, we have turned this into an annual celebratory event. To the point where the Globe and other media outlets feel compelled to send reporters there to cover it.

In fact, Globe photographer Steve Silva blessed the general public with a 36-shot photo album. Nevermind the fact that he was even there taking photographs, how in the hell did he find 36 ways to capture the day? Should we applaud his artistic creativity? Or question his need to take pictures of the same shot from several different angles with several different people? I choose the latter.

Yet his crowning achievement, a hidden jewel, if you will, was the two shots he took of Richard Fisher and his son Braden. Most people who outside Gate D were observing Truck Day were local fans that drove from within an hour of the city or happened to be passing by.

Not the Fishers. This father/son tandem flew in from Sneedville, TN to witness the front end of the truck’s annual pilgrimage. Let’s take that in again. This father/son tandem flew in from Sneedville, TN to witness the front end of the truck’s annual pilgrimage.

Are you kidding me?

Listen if you find some sort of solace in rooting for a particular sports team, emotionally hanging on every win and loss, then hey, that’s your prerogative. Although, no motive or rationale could convince me to agree with you. But when you fly in from 882.75 miles away, I have to question a myriad of things:

1) What does your wife (sister) think of this? If she has any sense of dignity, she took the time alone to pack her bags and move back in with her mother (older sister).
2) Can your kid even name three players on the current Red Sox roster outside of Big Papi, Ramirez, Schilling, and Beckett?
3) In fact, I’ll go one step further…does he know that Big Papi is not the real name of the team’s DH? Or that “ilis” follows “Youk?” Answer me that.
4) Are you going to follow Coco Crisp into a Turkish bath and kill him because he might take away valuable innings from Jacoby Ellsbury ala Juan Primo?
5) Do you sell knives for a living?
6) Can you afford a flight home, or did you not think of that?

I’m all for a group of people rallying around a sports team because it instills a sense of community and kinship, particularly for those without much else in life. But when it leads to someone chasing Kevin Youkilis a half mile down the road in his car, fans still standing outside the players parking lot over an hour after the game, or using the term “we” when referring the team, it’s officially crossed the proverbial line.

The 1996 movie “The Fan” was an adept, clever depiction of fan “fanaticism” and how one can mistakenly live vicariously through a player, team or community without any clear sense of reality. As pitiful and derisive as Robert Deniro’s character was, he truly animated an achievable extreme. As far as I’m concerned, Gil Renard would have found true solace as an active member of “Red Sox Nation.”

So next year, let’s trust that the truck will be packed and arrive safely in Fort Myers for the start of spring training. I’m willing to bet Red Sox employees don’t need you there to make sure.

NBA Players on the Move

-Keefe

With the NBA’s trade deadline quickly approaching on February 21st, I want to take a look at what teams have done so far. The league has been criticized in the past for boring deadlines where franchises are afraid to make a big splash and look stupid if the deal doesn’t work out for them. But this year has been a little bit different, thanks to one big trade that I have already discussed, as well as some big name players signing contracts. Also we have some time for perhaps Jason Kidd to find a new home, despite Mark Cuban saying he won’t be returning to where his career began, in Dallas.

So far Shaquille O’Neal has become a Sun, Shawn Marion is in Miami, Pau Gasol a Laker, Chris Webber back in Golden State, Damon Stoudamire plays for the Spurs, and Kyle Korver has joined the Jazz.

That’s a combined 24 All-Star selections changing uniforms during the season. Ok 14 of those All-Star nods come from Shaq, but still there’s some big names changing addresses. Toss out Marion going to the Eastern Conference, the worst team to boot, and you have 5 teams in the West making a move that they think can either get them over the top or solidify themselves as a championship contender. Let’s take them each one by one.

Shaq, although I still don’t agree with the move, gives Phoenix a low post threat and allows Amare Stoudemire to play his natural position. Can these guys make it work? How many games will Shaq play? In his first practice with Phoenix he was exhausted. Will the games be different? It’s going to be interesting no matter what happens.

Pau Gasol has been a force with the Lakers and they look great. Even with Bynum still sidelined LA is 5-1 with Pau in the lineup and the big Spaniard is averaging an even 20 points a game playing with Kobe. Do they now have a chance to win the whole thing? With Kobe, Gasol, Odom, Bynum, and whoever else they want to throw out there… yes, yes they do.

Chris Webber is back in the Bay Area, and playing for Don Nelson like he did when he won Rookie-of-the-Year back in ’93-’94. What kind of impact can he have? Well in 2 games C-Webb has only played an average of 13.5 minutes, so it’s hard to say. Doesn’t fit their style at this stage of his career, similar to Shaq, but he is an excellent passer who can maybe open it up finding Davis, Jackson, and Ellis for free threes.

Damon Stoudamire will split back up point guard duties once Tony Parker returns to the lineup. For now, he and Jacque Vaughn, yes Jacque Vaughn, are running the show for the Spurs. Stoudamire is looking for his first ring, and although he’s now a member of the defending champs, they could win it again… with or without him.

Kyle Korver actually was traded to the Jazz at the very end of 2007. This move has not been discussed much as Korver doesn’t even start in Utah, and some thought the fans needed another player to relate too. Hey take a look at the roster in the team’s most successful season in franchise history. You’ll find the likes of John Stockton, Jeff Hornacek, Greg Ostertag, Adam Keefe, and Greg Foster. That’s an all- American white wash. But as far as on the court is concerned the Jazz are 17-3 with Korver and now lead the Northwest division. Probably the most underrated move so far. I love the Jazz’s chances in the West with Deron Williams, Boozer, Okur, AK-47, Ronnie Brewer, Harping, and now Korver.

The East should and will come down to Detroit and Boston, unless LeBron James and get a little more help and he just goes crazy for a series or two. The West is going to be a fantastic finish. The 10 teams who have hopes of winning the whole thing: Phoenix, New Orleans, Dallas, Utah, Lakers, San Antonio, Denver, Golden State, Houston, and Portland. Who needs to make a move and who can stand pat? Half of these teams have already added pieces that will factor in their playoff run. What will happen in the next week or so?

I will break down all the festivities that make up All-Star weekend before they kick off on Friday. I’m talking rookie- sophomore game, 3 point contest, dunk, the damn skill competition, and of course the game.

Keep reading and tell your friends.

C’s adjusting w/o KG; can they adjust upon his return?

For the first 41 games of the 2007-08 NBA season, the Boston Celtics were playing a defensive-minded, possession style basketball that led them to a 34-7 start. Through those first 41 games, they had allowed only 88 ppg, best in the NBA. While the offense was wavering in the teens as far as NBA ranking with a 99 ppg clip, it didn’t matter because opponents couldn’t score in a peach basket the size of a hot tub.

But that was all with “The Big Ticket” in the house, cluttering up the paint alongside Kendrick Perkins and forcing teams to find creative ways to score. It was a system that was working for Doc Rivers and company. Focus on defense first, protect the basketball on offense and spread it around the floor, creating opportunities off double teams on Garnett, Pierce and Allen. The result? The Celtics have the largest division lead over the second place team and last place team today.

However, since Garnett went down in that emotional home win over Minnesota a couple weeks ago, the Celtics have had to adjust to life without The Big Ticket. Thus far, the likes of Rajon Rondo, Kendrick Perkins and Leon Powe have stepped up to contribute meaningful minutes and solid stat lines. The entire offense has benefited from a new, up-tempo style that has seen the Celtics utilize the fast break more, playing like a team that belongs in the Western Conference.

In turn, the teams ppg has risen seven points over the last five games, averaging 106 per night. And it’s been exciting to watch, as Rondo has arguably gotten even better with Garnett out. His ability to drive the lane, create shots and finish has raised the collective eyebrows of opposing defenses. This has given him the opportunity to dish it underneath to Perkins and Powe or kick it out to Allen and Pierce for some wide-eyed, Reche Caldwell type looks.

Although the offense has been drastically better in the last five games, it should be somewhat alarming that they are only 3-2 since KG went down in spite of this. Sure they’ve played some tough opposition and the two losses were by a combined four points. What’s so startling is that the defense has been like a slice of Swiss; teams could drive Noah’s Ark through that lane it’s so wide open. The defense has been terrible, at times non-existent.

As mentioned earlier, it was allowing a league-low 88 ppg in the first 41 games. In the last five? Try 97.4 a night. Ouch. Before the injury, the C’s had held opponents to under 90 points in 22 of 41 games. They have done it once in the last five, that being to a Miami Heat team that might be one of the last four out in Joe Lunardi’s latest Bracketology.

Let’s face it, defense wins in the Eastern Conference. And defense wins NBA Championships, plain and simple. The Detroit Pistons, who have won over 50 games the last six seasons and are well on their way to a seventh, have allowed only 89.2 ppg since 2001-02 (excluding this season). Since the Lakers 3-peat ended in ’01-’02, four of the last five NBA champions have allowed fewer than 90.5 ppg. The lone exception was the Miami Heat in ’05-’06, shocking the Mavericks in six games.

Don’t get me wrong here. It’s been encouraging to see the Celtics actually score more with Garnett out. And since the team got off to such a torrid start, I actually believe they should continue to sit out Garnett until he is as close to healed as possible. There’s no reason to put a guy out there who is as physically and emotionally dedicated night in and night out as KG is when he’s not ready. Professional athletes are never 100% over the course of an entire season, but with such a sizeable lead, why rush it?

My only concern, however, is if the Celtics can once again adjust back to the style of play with KG in the lineup when he returns. They didn’t start out 34-7 playing like the Suns, that’s for sure. When he returns, he’ll bring that same defensive minded, possession style dynamic back to the court that at one point made people wonder if the ’95-‘96 Bulls’ season was in danger.

Barring a complete meltdown, the chances of the C’s missing the playoffs are as good as the Heat, Clippers, Knicks, Timberwolves, SuperSonics and Grizzlies actually making the second season. But if Rondo and the backcourt continue to play this new, offensive style game, everything the C’s developed as far as team chemistry and dynamic early on will go right out the window. It will be important for Doc Rivers to make sure his team slows the game back down and emphasizes ball movement. And once again, the offensive numbers of Pierce, Allen, Rondo, Perkins and Powe will inevitably take a slight dive. Not just because KG will score his 20 points every night, but because they won’t be taking as many opportunities every night. The focal point and strength of this team is it’s ability to shut teams down and move the ball around until someone has a high percentage shot. If Mike D’Antonio preaches “7 seconds or less” to his Suns team, Doc Rivers should preach that, too…getting across half court.

Matrix for the Diesel?

-Keefe

As the deal for Shaquille O'Neal to the Suns for Shawn Marion and Marcus Banks seems more and more likely I have to say, what the hell? What are the Suns doing? They have done all they can to get rid of bad contracts like Kurt Thomas, and sell draft picks so they wouldn't have to pay 1st round guaranteed money. So why bring in a guy making 20 million a year and who will celebrate his 36th birthday in less than a month? Shaq fits in about as well with the Suns fast paced offense as Sophia Coppola did with the cast of Godfather Part III. Shaq has missed 14 games this year and is averaging fewer rebounds than Jason Kidd so far this year.

The deal doesn't make sense to me in any respect. Ok so Shawn Marion wanted out of Phoenix before the year began. But the Matrix hasn't been playing any worse putting up solid numbers once again, just shy of 16 points and 10 rebounds on a team where they don't run any plays for him. He's also only missed 1 game all season. They are going to miss this guy more than they know. Not sure what Steve Kerr was thinking. Who is going to rebound for this team that takes and allows a ton of shots? Amare is not a great rebounder, and thats putting it nicely, and Shaq is no longer a double-double guy himself. Marion has led the Suns in rebounding 7 of the last 8 years, and that's not the only thing he brings to the court. One of the most overlooked aspect of Marion's game is his defensive abilities. He is a cameleon of sorts. Watch Marion play against the Spurs and on three separate trips he could be matched up with Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, and Manu Ginobili. How many guys in the league can do that? And who on the Suns now can guard any of those guys beside Raja Bell?

One arguement for trading away Shawn Marion would be that the Suns haven't won anything with him, in fact they have not even made it to the NBA Finals, so why not mix it up? That's fine, but not for Shaq. It makes zero sense to me to bring Shaq, who has over 1000 regular season games under his belt for the fastest moving team in the game. "7 Seconds or Less" has been the mantra for the Suns with coach D'Antoni, does Shaq make it to half court by 5? If the Suns wanted a true center someone like Tyson Chandler or Marcus Camby would have made a lot more sense because of their athletic ability, but both the Hornets and Nuggets are in the hunt and won't part with either of them.

Miami gets out of Shaq's contract, assuming this deal goes through, and that's a huge plus for them. Marion can opt out after next year, and if he really wants to me the man on a team, he won't be that with D-Wade in South Beach, he may be on 3 teams in less than a calender year. I know Marion wanted out of Phoenix but to go from a team with 34 wins (3rd best record) to a team with 9 (worst in NBA) is awful. It is a good move for the future of the Heat, but I still can't understand it for the Suns.

Phoenix's starting five right now would be Steve Nash, Raja Bell, Grant Hill, Amare Stoudemire, and Shaq, with Barbosa and Diaw coming off the bench. Is that better? Does that give them a better chance to win the NBA Championship? Marion may not have been the perfect fit off the court or in the locker room for this team, but he was on. I think his game suffers, as would anyones away from Nash, but so does the Suns overall game. Two of the four players they will be heavily leaning on are both currently 35 years old (Hill and Shaq) and very injury prone. Very surprising move to me as you can tell. The Suns currently have the best record in the West, but I would be shocked if they were a top 3 seed going into the playoffs. I hope they are, as I love the way they play... but I don't think they will be able to continue that up and down pace if this move goes through. Good luck.

Is This Payback?

-Keefe

Following the events this past Sunday known as Super Bowl XLII, I had to wonder. Is there a reason why the NFL went with Roman Numerals and no one else? Interesting choice to me, but I guess it works, people for the most part seem to enjoy it. It was fun with the I’s, V’s, and X’s, then a couple years ago we all got to learn a new one in the L. Despite popular belief the L is actually 50 not 30. So you take the X (10) and subtract that from the L (50) to = 40. Fast forward to 2016 and we can all get excited for Super Bowl L. That’s the big one, L. Who cares? This really wasn’t what I was wondering about anyway.

Did the Patriots use up their good luck winning 3 Super Bowls in 4 years? It was hard to say especially after watching them have the first perfect 16 game regular season in NFL history and 2 more wins in the playoffs before taking their 18-0 record into Glendale. But they have now lost 2 straight “Big Games” (the AFC title game last year to the Colts, and Super Bowl XLII), both to teams quarterbacked by Manning’s. I’ll get more into that in a minute. After their 3rd Super Bowl victory in franchise history the Pats have still won at least 10 games in the regular season, and always advanced to the 2nd round or further in the playoffs. Pretty impressive stuff. In the last 7 years with Bill Belichick and Tom Brady as the full time QB New England has won 86 regular season games. I’ll do the math for you and say that’s an average of over 12 a year. Despite those great stats the last 3 years have all ended in disappointment.

The unsettledness I have felt at the culmination of each of the past 3 seasons has been even worse than merely seeing another team capture the Lombardi trophy. Everyone has their favorite teams in each sport. Most people root for 1 team and 1 team only. Some will pick a team from the other Conference or League, or you may even find yourself watching a team for their style of play, because the team who you support, who you still watch may not be the best brand out there. (This can be the Phoenix Suns rule. They are so enjoyable to watch, despite zero affiliation with them I find myself rooting for them against every team other than the Celtics the last few years.) And like many fans I have a select group of players in each sport that I support far more than any others, and similarly a group of players who I despise more than any other. So if the Pittsburgh Steelers, Indianapolis Colts, and New York Giants winning championships weren’t bad enough, take a look at their signal callers.

Ben Roethlisberger, Peyton Manning, and Eli Manning. I don’t have three players in football I hate more than these three. There is a variety of reasons why each one of these guys bothers me.

Roethlisberger is wildly overrated now. He throws 32 TD passes this year and all of a sudden he’s a top 5 QB. Give me a break. He’s a lot like Ben Affleck. He can give you a great performance, say in Mallrats, but just know that there’s a Pearl Harbor right around the corner. Also you can win with both Ben’s as long as you don’t ask them to do too much. Affleck played it safe in Good Will Hunting. They didn’t rely on him to carry the movie and he, and the team came through. Exactly like Roethlisberger when he “won” the Super Bowl. Pitt didn’t want him to do anything. Antwaan Randle El threw more TDs in that game than Big Ben. For those of you who don’t follow the game closely, Randle El is a wide receiver and only threw the ball once in that game, 20 times fewer than the QB who tossed 2 INTs and completed less than 10 passes, but he still goes down as a Super Bowl winning quarterback. Seriously? This was his first year out of four with decent stats; let’s not go crazy just yet.

Peyton Manning is the only one on this list that I at least respect as a player. He and Brady are in a class by themselves. The reason he bothers me, aside from the barrage of commercials is more his team’s success than anything. The Colts have become the Yankees to the Pats. Derek Jeter is similar to Peyton in my mind. I recognize their talents, but would not be caught dead cheering for them. If Peyton goes 0-16 next year only a 0-162 out of Jeter would make me happier. He’s the only 1 of the 3 QB’s that his ability is part of the reason why I can’t stand them. He is also hurt because he is the older brother to my least favorite athlete on the planet.

Eli Manning cemented himself as an unlikable player before he even took a snap in the NFL. I hated him the second the 2004 draft began. The San Diego Chargers wanted to take him #1 overall to be their QB of the future, but Eli didn’t want to play for them, and wouldn’t sign. The Bolts took him anyway as Eli moped on stage while every other college player sweated it out to see where they would go. He held the Chargers jersey with as much excitement as Kristie Alley eating a salad. The Giants traded picks with San Diego to get Manning. What San Diego got back was Philip Rivers, Shawn Merriman, and Nate Kaeding. I could always say that was a horrible trade until Super Bowl XLII.

These losses by the Patriots have been bad, but watching these 3 players and their teams capitalize on their collapses have made it that much worse. There is 31 starting QB’s I would rather have win it than Eli Manning, 30 more than Peyton, and 29 more than Ben. I don’t know who my 4th least favorite quarterback is in the league, but as soon as I figure it out I’m taking his team to win the Super Bowl XLIII. Maybe keep an eye on Jay Cutler and Vince Young.

Shocked

Editor's note: Brian Jalbert is a Dartmouth, MA resident, avid Boston sports fan and a friend of The Sports Brief. Moving forward, Brian will join TSB as a contributing writer and content specialist. Due to his intense passion and fervor for Boston sports, we here at TSB thought this would be a good opportunity for BJal, as we call him, to vent and share with you the frustration and depressive nature of yesterday's loss that ensued. We hope you enjoy as much as we did...

Let's flash back about 4 and a half years ago. There I was, a college student at Bridgewater State College, sitting in my dorm room with a few select friends, watching Game 7 of the ALCS. Yankees, Red Sox, it couldn't get any better. Leading 5-2 going into the 8th, we were a sure lock to finally get back to the World Series and erase the curse. Then, with the blink of an eye, it was tied, and, well, the rest is history. Aaron Boone sent us into year 86 of The Curse with one swing of the bat. There I sat, on a Thursday night in college, in my dorm room with one of the worst feelings I had ever felt in my entire life. I had relationships end, arguments with my family, and fights with my friends, yet nothing had felt quite this awful. Of course, we all know, a year later, the Sox completed the greatest comeback in sports history and all was well in New England.

Flash forward now to the current time. I sit here, a day after the New England Patriots lost the Super Bowl to the New York Giants, and I have that same awful feeling that I had in 2003. Did it really happen? Did a New York team really just take away a championship from my beloved New England team? Yes, it did happen, except this time it's different. This time, it's worse.

The Patriots can't comeback next year and win a Super Bowl and cure every awful feeling we have right now. They have to come back and do what no team has ever done before, and no team will be doing for the foreseeable future. They have to come back and go 19-0. That's the only way this feeling can go away. This wasn't just another championship for New England, this was "The One". This was the one that would cement them into the history books forever. This was the one that would have everyone saying "Greatest Team of All Time" when their name was mentioned. This was the one that nobody could ever top. The first team to go 19-0.

We're left with so many questions, so many "what ifs", and never will we get any answers. What if we held onto Eli on that 3rd and 5 late in the game? What if, on that same play, his receiver wasn't able to make one of the most amazing catches I've ever seen in my entire life? What if that ball doesn't slip through Asante's hands? What if the offense had shown up at any point other than the last drive? All these questions, and no answers at all.

But, give credit where credit is due. The Giants played a great game, and they deserved to win. There were no questionable calls, there was no dirty play, just a hard fought football game that was won by the team that played better that evening.

I'm sure I'll get by just fine. Baseball season will come, the Red Sox will get me through the summer, along with the re-energized new look Celtics. I just can't seem to get that awful feeling out of my stomach. All the "what ifs", and all the questions of there ever being an undefeated season.

This was "The One", it got away, and we can realistically say that there may never be a chance to get it back.

UFC 81 Results

Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira def. Tim Sylvia via submission - Round 3, 1:28, for Heavyweight Interim Championship Bout
Frank Mir def. Brock Lesnar via submission - Round 1, 1:30
Nate Marquardt def. Jeremy Horn via submission - Round 2, 1:37
Ricardo Almeida def. Rob Yundt via submission - Round 1, 1:08
Tyson Griffin def. Gleison Tibau via unanimous decision
Chris Lytle def. Kyle Bradley via TKO - Round 1, 0:33
Tim Boetsch def. David Heath via TKO - Round 1, 4:52
Marvin Eastman def. Terry Martin via unanimous decision
Rob Emerson def. Keita Nakamura via split decision

UFC 81 Fight Predictions

Frank Mir v. Brock Lesnar

TB: I’m trying not to let my loyalty to Mir as a fan cloud my judgement here, but it’s hard based on the sheer strength and size of Lesnar. There’s no question that Lesnar will look for the takedown immediately and instill some serious ground and pound. This is where Frank Mir needs to be the old champ Frank Mir. And we saw flashes of that brilliancy against Antoni Hardonk at UFC 74. Mir looked to be in good shape, and he actually initiated the takedown and immediately worked for a submission before locking in a kimura.

Can he do this against Lesnar? His brutal TKO to Marcio Cruz would imply no. However, that was his first fight back from the serious motorcycle accident and Lesnar is too inexperienced not to leave a limb hanging out there for Mir to grab at and lock in on. My prediction? Mir survives an early storm and uses his jiu-jitsu prowess to keep Lesnar in full guard before locking in an arm-bar and nearly breaking it until the fight is stopped.

TB: Mir by submission late in Round 1.

RK: I got to agree Bess. Lesnar’s MMA debut didn’t last long, and I believe the guy he beat takes the trash out in my building. Mir is one of the best BJJ fighters in the world, and almost in a league of his own as a heavyweight. Will Mir be able to take down Lesnar? Probably not, but Mir works miracles on his back. If this was Lesnar’s 4th or 5th fight I’d give him a better chance, but he’s never been in the cage with a guy the caliber of Frank Mir.

Take a look back at the 1999 NCAA wrestling heavyweight final between one Brock Lesnar vs. Stephen Neal. How about the paths those guys took? It’s going to be a great weekend for one of them, but not Lesnar as he loses his first fight in the UFC as Neal captures another Super Bowl ring.

RK: Mir by submission in Round 1.

Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (#2 in Keefe UFC rankings) vs. Tim Sylvia (#3 in Keefe UFC rankings)

RK: This is obviously for the interim heavyweight championship, which will likely never be unified as Randy Couture is showing no signs of fighting again in the UFC. Big Nog is one of the all time great Pride champions, and is one of the most well known fighters in Japan. He has had only 1 fight in the UFC which was a decision victory over Heath Herring, where he was almost knocked out with a high kick. He has fought some of the best heavyweights in the world including Fedor, Cro Cop, Werdum, and celebrity rehab’s own Ricco Rodriguez, but all of them in a ring. We have seen many Pride fighters struggle in the octagon, a place where Tim Sylvia is very comfortable.

Sylvia is trying to become just the first 3-time Champ in the UFC. After losing the belt to the Natural he bounced back with a decision victory over Brandon Vera. Sylvia beat Arlovski two in a row after losing to him 3 years ago, which rank as two of his signature wins. In his last 4 fights Tim is 3-1 all of which have gone to decision. I think this one will be no different, but in a boring main event with two big name fighters, he loses to the Pride vet.

Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira wins by decision.

TB: Sorry, Rich, but I have to disagree. Big Nog hasn’t submitted a high profile fighter since Heath Herring in their second fight back in PRIDE. And while he has fought the best in the world, Sylvia has continuously fought the best the UFC has to offer…and for the most part, whether you like or not, he’s won. And this is his home court in the Octagon.

As far as the style matchups, the only real advantage in this fight for Nogueira is the submission game. But Sylvia is 5 inches taller and has a significant reach advantage over Nog and will look to use that in the standup game. We saw against Jeff Monson that he has good submission defense, and I look at Couture’s five round dominance as Sylvia being defeated by the guy who is arguable the best heavyweight in the world. That, Big Nog is not.

Sylvia will be taken down once or twice, but will neutralize the ground attack with his long frame. Eventually, Nogueira will run into too many punches trying to come in and hit the mat. From there, Sylvia will rain down blows until the fight comes to a halt.

TB: Sylvia by a shocking (T)KO in the 3rd round.

Nathan Marquardt (#4 in Keefe UFC Rankings) vs. Jeremy Horn

RK: Jeremy Horn has 79 wins in mma, but has not fought in the UFC since May of 2006. Horn was a replacement for Thales Leites. Horn certainly won’t be intimidated in this once as he has been in cage or ring with the likes of Chuck Liddell, Randy Couture, Ricardo Arona, Babalu Sobral, Forrest Griffin, Antonio Rodrigo Nogueria, Anderson Silva, and Matt Lindland. Check out that list again.

Marquardt had been undefeated in the UFC until he was rewarded a middleweight title shot against Anderson Silva. He lost at the end of the 1st round via TKO. Everyone has looked bad against Silva, so I throw that fight out. Marquart will get back on the winning side of things with a victory over Horn.

RK: Nathan Marquardt wins via submission 2nd round.

TB: I agree here, Rich. While Horn has an impressive resume of opponents and over 100 fights in MMA, 79 of which he has won, he’s only 3-3 in his last six fights over the past two years and has been nowhere near as active as he once was; try six fights in ’05, seven in ’04 and a whopping 10 in ’03!

Marquardt, meanwhile, was just another victim in an endless line of futile attempts at Anderson Silva. He had been a force up until that point and still is, in my view. He will be the stronger fighter and hasn’t been submitted since ’03. Marquardt will control the fight on the feet and work some ground and pound while being cautious and respectful of Horn’s ground acumen. In the end, he does enough.

TB: Marquardt wins by Decision.

Rob Yundt v. Ricardo Almeida

TB: Don’t know who Ricardo Almeida is? Not surprised if you didn’t follow MMA until the big boom a couple years ago. This guy walked away from the sport at 27 to focus on other interests after scoring a six-fight win streak. The last three wins were over Ryo Chonan, Nathan Marquadt and Kazuo Masaki. Pretty good.
Don’t know who Rob Yundt is? Neither do I, and neither does anyone outside of Alaska. This was a pretty good fight when Alan Belcher was involved, but Yundt steps in on short notice and will be overmatched. I think he goes for broke early but Almeida scores a takedown and works for his opponents back. Ultimately, Yundt succumbs.

Almeida by Submission (Rear Naked Choke).

RK: Almeida does have a nice win streak going Bess, but it was back in 2003-2004, and he hasn’t fought in the UFC since January of ’02. I think he’s going to have to shake off a lot of rust. Rob Yundt? Almeida could fight Brian Sharkey and I think in his first fight in over 3 years it would still go to decision. I’m sure the UFC is hoping for an early stoppage so Almeida can get in the mix in their soft middleweight division. He wins, but not impressively.

RK: Almeida by decision.

Tyson Griffin vs. Gleison Tibau

RK: Battle at 155 here. Griffin is trying to cement himself as one of the best lightweights in the UFC. After losing to Frankie Edgar (his only MMA loss) he has rattled off two impressive wins over Clay Guida and Thiago Tavares both by decision. Tibau has won 4 straight fights, 3 of which in the UFC and is a Brazilian jiu-jitsu fighter. Tibau has more experience than Griffin, but I like Tyson to win a hard fought out decision.

RK: Tyson Griffin by decision.

TB: I can’t help but remember Thiago Tavares lackluster decision win at UFN 12. Reason being, I think this will mirror that, but only for the 1st round. Neither of these fighters has shown the ability to finish opponents regularly and for the first five minutes it will be a battle of attrition. But Griffin has fought some aggressive opponents and uses that experience to maintain control until he lands a big shot and goes in for the kill out of nowhere in the 2nd round.

TB: Griffin by (T)KO in the 2nd round.

Terry Martin vs. Marvin Eastman

RK: Marvin Eastman via KO 2nd round.

TB: Marvin Eastman via KO 1st round.

Tim Boetsch vs. David Heath

RK: Tim Boetsch via submission 2nd round (but will let go unlike Babalu)

TB: David Heath by Decision.

Keita Nakamura vs. Rob Emerson

RK: Rob Emerson via decision.

TB: Keita Nakamura by submission in 1st round.

Chris Lytle vs. Kyle Bradley

RK: Chris Lytle via submission via 1st round.

TB: Chris Lytle by Decision.