Hard White Christmas

Merry Christmas!  Check out this XMas jingle from our buddy Opey.  (Keefe & Besse make small appearances...)

Bowl Season!

There are now 124 Division 1 (BCS) College Football teams.  And yes that includes UMass.  There are 35 Bowl Games.  And yes that includes the "Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl."  Quick math says that over 56% of teams will play in a Bowl Game.  Quite an achievement for those clubs.

If you are 6-6, you are going to a bowl game, if you are 6-7 like Georgia Tech, but lost in the Conference Championship game, you are still invited.  The Yellow Jackets could very well finish the season 6-8, but they played in a Bowl!

Every year we talk about the ridiculous Bowls that seemingly pop out of no where.  These are all real Bowl Games:

Belk Bowl
GoDaddy.com Bowl 
Pinstripe Bowl 
Potato Bowl 
Beef O'Brady's Bowl 
Little Caesar's Bowl
Military Bowl
Russell Athletic Bowl
Meineke Car Care Bowl
Armed Forces Bowl
Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl
Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl
Heart of Dallas Bowl
Compass Bowl

Even all the good Bowl games have crazy sponsors now that muddle up the name.  I know College Football is all about money (have you seen the conferences lately?), but what an absolute joke and embarrassment these once proud Bowl games have become.

The "good" Bowl games suck this year too for the most part.  With Louisville winning the Big East and Wisconsin winning the Big 10, combined with Northern Illinois somehow getting to play this year's Boise State, Utah, or TCU, the BCS games are crap, outside of Oregon vs. Kansas State in the Fiesta Bowl and of course Alabama vs. Notre Dame in the BCS National Championship game.

At least the playoff is next season... Wait, not next season?  Ok the following year.  Great.

-Keefe

5 Questions With John Wall

"5 Questions" is back.  I talked with the #1 pick of the 2010 Draft, Washington PG John Wall, prior to the Celtics-Wizards game on Wednesday night.  He is currently sitting out with a knee injury, but in 2 seasons he is averaging 16.3 points, 8.2 assists, and 4 rebounds per game.

1. How is the recovery (knee) process going?

Wall: It’s cool.  Same stuff I’ve been doing since I’ve been injured.  Just taking my time and trying to get healthy.

2. I know you haven’t been able to play, but have you noticed a difference between this year and last with some of the new veteran additions to the team?

Wall: I just think with the coaching staff, and the pieces we added to the coaching staff.  We added players that are going to contribute a lot.  I think we are very deep team.  We got a lot of veteran guys, and a lot of young guys that grew up and understand what it takes to win and lose in this game and how hard you got to compete every night.  We’ve been competing the first two games we just got in a deep hole in the beginning but we’ve been giving ourselves a chance to win.

3. You and [rookie] Bradley Beal are clearly the future of this team.  What do you think of how he played in the preseason and in the first two games?

Wall: In preseason he played pretty good.  So far, he started off good in Cleveland, but he’s been kind of struggling, but that’s a part of the game.  Just keep his motivation and keep taking shots, just be more aggressive.

4. Have you set any individual goals for yourself when you do come back?

Wall: Yeah I keep them to myself though.  I don’t like to tell my goals, I like to keep them to myself.

5. Do you have a target date to return?

Wall: No, no target at all.  No.

-Keefe

They Were In That?: Horror Edition

A lot of big time actors appeared in Horror Movies earlier in their careers.  Some, I'd say, would have to be more proud of their work than others.  I'm sure I'm missing a bunch, but these are pretty good.

Jennifer Aniston - Leprechaun (1993)

Kevin Bacon - Friday the 13th (1980)

Ben Affleck - Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1992)

Paul Rudd - Halloween 6: The Curse of Michael Myers (1995)

Johnny Depp - A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)

Renee Zellweger - Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Next Generation (1994)

Matthew McConaughey - Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Next Generation (1994)

Patricia Arquette - A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors (1987)

Jack Black - I Still Know What You Did Last Summer (1998)

Dana Carvey - Halloween II (1981)

Josh Hartnett - Halloween: H20 (1998)

Eva Mendes - Children of the Corn V: Fields of Terror (1998)

Ving Rhames - The People Under The Stairs (1991)

Julia Louis-Dreyfus - Troll (1986)

Brook Shields - Alice, Sweet Alice (1976)

Rainn Wilson - House of 1,000 Corpses (2003)

Michelle Williams - Species (1995)

Naomi Watts - Children of the Corn IV: The Gathering (1996)


Lots of great work right there.  I actually like a bunch of those movies, probably more than the actor/actress in it.

Happy Halloween

-Keefe

2012-13 NBA Season Preview

Picks you can rip. It’s that time of year again, here are my on the record for picks for everything this season. Playoff teams, the champion, and all the individual awards you can handle. Hopefully this helps you kill time before tonight’s Celtics-Heat game.


WESTERN CONFERENCE STANDINGS:

1. Oklahoma City Thunder

2. Los Angeles Lakers

3. Los Angeles Clippers

4. San Antonio Spurs

5. Memphis Grizzlies

6. Denver Nuggets

7. Houston Rockets

8. Minnesota Timberwolves


EASTERN CONFERENCE STANDINGS:

1. Miami Heat

2. Boston Celtics

3. Indiana Pacers

4. Chicago Bulls

5. Philadelphia 76ers

6. Brooklyn Nets

7. New York Knicks

8. Atlanta Hawks


WCF: Lakers over Thunder

ECF: Heat over Celtics

Finals: Heat over Lakers


Western All-Stars:

Chris Paul, Clippers

Kobe Bryant, Lakers

Kevin Durant, Thunder

Blake Griffin, Clippers

Dwight Howard, Lakers



Russell Westbrook, Thunder

Kevin Love, Timberwolves

Zach Randolph, Grizzlies

Tony Parker, Spurs

Steve Nash, Lakers

James Harden, Rockets

DeMarcus Cousins, Kings


Eastern All-Stars:

Deron Williams, Nets

Dwyane Wade, Heat

LeBron James, Heat

Carmelo Anthony, Knicks

Andrew Bynum, 76ers


Rajon Rondo, Celtics

Kevin Garnett, Celtics

Paul Pierce, Celtics

Chris Bosh, Heat

Monta Ellis, Bucks

Al Horford, Hawks

Joe Johnson, Nets


Rookie of the Year: Anthony Davis, Hornets

All-Rookie 1st Team

Anthony Davis, Hornets

Damian Lillard, Trail Blazers

Bradley Beal, Wizards

Terrence Jones, Rockets

Harrison Barnes, Warriors

All-Rookie 2nd Team

Jared Sullinger, Celtics

Perry Jones III, Thunder

Andrew Nicholson, Magic

Alexey Shved, Timberwolves

Kendall Marshall, Suns

6th Man of the Year: Jason Terry, Celtics

Defensive Player of the Year: Dwight Howard, Lakers

All-Defense 1st Team

Chris Paul, Clippers

Tony Allen, Grizzlies

LeBron James, Heat

Kevin Garnett, Celtics

Dwight Howard, Lakers

All-Defense 2nd Team

Rajon Rondo, Celtics

Kobe Bryant, Lakers

Andre Iguodala, Nuggets

Josh Smith, Hawks

Tyson Chandler, Knicks

Coach of the Year: Rick Adelman, Timberwolves

MVP: LeBron James, Heat

All-NBA 1st Team

Chris Paul, Clippers

Rajon Rondo, Celtics

Kevin Durant, Thunder

LeBron James, Heat

Dwight Howard, Lakers

All-NBA 2nd Team

Russell Westbrook, Thunder

Kobe Bryant, Lakers

Blake Griffin, Clippers

Kevin Love, Timberwolves

Andrew Bynum, 76ers

All-NBA 3rd Team

Deron Williams, Nets

James Harden, Rockets

Carmelo Anthony, Knicks

Zach Randolph, Grizzlies

Al Horford, Hawks

  -Keefe

A Krispy Kreme Halloween

One of the best rappers in the game, Krispy Kreme (even if he may be playing a character), has released his latest video: Halloween.  Haven't had a chance to post much recently, for solid horror movie stuff just search for it through the archives.  There are plenty of gems.  But for now, enjoy Krispy Kreme's Halloween.




-Keefe

Ohio State Band: Video Game Tribute

This past weekend the Ohio State marching band was even better than the football team, (and that is saying something considering they beat up Nebraska 63-38).  The band unvailed an amazing tribute to many video game classics.  Hang in there at the beginning, it gets real good.  Thanks Buckeyes, best thing since Eddie George and Terry Glenn...

The Wire RPG

If you love The Wire and the original Nintendo (and I'm sure that you do), you will enjoy this.  Nice work by CollegeHumor.

    CollegeHumor’s Favorite Funny Videos

Best In The Business

The one and only Mike Francesa from  WFAN in New York, must have been pretty tired... or bored... or both.



Francesa has come out and denied that he fell asleep.  Really?  You tell me.


-Keefe

NFL Week 1 Thoughts

Week 1 is over and Week 2 is just two nights away.  (Not sure if I love the idea of Thursday night NFL games, EVERY week, but I'm sure I'll get used to it).  Anyway, what did we learn from the first weekend?

Peyton Manning looks good.  Real good.  I thought that 4 neck surgeries might slow down the 36 year old.  Guess not.  He lit up the Steelers on Sunday night, and now we must all consider the Broncos to be a contender... still not a favorite by any means, it's just Week 1, but still a contender for sure.

Joe Flacco might almost be as good as he thinks he is.  Ok, that can't happen.  By the sounds of that guy he thinks he's better than Montana.  Either way, Flacco went for 299 yards and 2 touchdowns in Baltimore's easy win over the Bengals last night.  The no-huddle offense may work, let's see them play a better defense first.  (Yes I know Cincinnati made the playoffs last year, how'd they look last night?)

Adrian Peterson is good to go.  84 yards and 2 touchdowns for AP after all the talk that he might have to really ease into the season coming off knee surgery.  He looked good... real good in fact for a "game-time decision."

Brandon Lloyd, despite missing a deep 1st half connection with Brady, already looks way more comfortable in the Patriots offense than Chad Ochocinco ever did.  In fact the new #85 is only 10 catches shy of tying the old #85's reception total from all of last year.

What's up with Wes Welker?  122 catches last year, and just 3 little dink passes in Week 1.  A message by the team or just an off week.  I'm not sure.

Stevan Ridley could be a monster for the Pats.  One of the best passing teams in the NFL may have themselves a 1,200+ yard back.  The 2nd year RB from LSU ripped off 125 yards vs. the Titans on Sunday.

The Jets looked great, the Bills looked like crap.  Great debate all preseason about which team would finish 2nd in the AFC East.  Well the two choices (Miami will be a distant 4th), faced off Week 1 and it was all New York.  Mark Sanchez was a stud, Bills D was weak, and Fred Jackson got hurt, again.  Yikes.

Rookie QBs:  Robert Griffin III was AWESOME.  The Skins beat the Saints in New Orleans, and it was all about the Heisman winner.  RG3 made it look easy, the rest of the rookie starters.... not so much.

Russell Wilson of the Seahawks almost pulled out a victory, although he wasn't very good... but how about these piles of crap.

Andrew Luck - Ryan Tannehill - Brandon Weedon = 1 TD & 10 INTs, (0-3 record).

49ers are a complete team.  The defense is the best in the league.  Frank Gore is solid, Alex Smith is good enough and now they have receivers.

Randy Moss!  Back in the league and back in the end zone.  His 154th career TD reception breaks the tie with Terrell Owens and moves him into 2nd place behind only Jerry Rice.

Packers and Steelers are the best teams that should have the most concerns.

Matt Ryan had an eagle of a day.  With Julio Jones (2 TDs), Roddy White, Tony Gonzalez, and Michael Turner, the Falcons should be a VERY high scoring team.

But with any reactions you hear, it was still just 1 week.  Looking forward to Week 2, although I need to get used to this quick turnaround.  Packers vs. Bears on Thursday.


-Keefe

Jeff Demps Era

I'm late posting this, because I've been too busy taking cold shower after cold shower.  Olympic sprinter and former Florida Gator, Jeff Demps, is a New England Patriot.  Yeah, I'm excited.

GCFFL Draft Results

The Gentlemen's Club fantasy draft was this past Thursday.  Here are the results. 

Gotham City Rogues = Rich Keefe
I Sit When I Pee = Tristan Besse

Round: 1


(1) Straight Cash Homey - Aaron Rodgers QB

(2) Team Bailey - Tom Brady QB

(3) Big Bag O'Knuckles - Arian Foster RB

(4) Bob Griffin - Drew Brees QB

(5) Laces Out - Ray Rice RB

** (6) Gotham City Rogues - Calvin Johnson WR

(7) I Sit When I Pee - LeSean McCoy RB

(8) Los Pollos Hermanos - Chris Johnson RB

(9) LandSharks Champ - Larry Fitzgerald WR

(10) Vaughn-0- Matic - Matt Forte RB

(11) My Name Is My Name - Matthew Stafford QB

(12) NY SackExchange - Jamaal Charles RB



Round: 2

(13) NY SackExchange - Greg Jennings WR

(14) My Name Is My Name - Andre Johnson WR

(15) Vaughn-0- Matic - Maurice Jones-Drew RB

(16) LandSharks Champ - Rob Gronkowski TE

(17) Los Pollos Hermanos - Marshawn Lynch RB

(18) I Sit When I Pee - Cam Newton QB

** (19) Gotham City Rogues - Adrian Peterson RB

(20) Laces Out - Jimmy Graham TE

(21) Bob Griffin - DeMarco Murray RB

(22) Big Bag O'Knuckles - Roddy White WR

(23) Team Bailey - Darren McFadden RB

(24) Straight Cash Homey - Steven Jackson RB



Round: 3

(25) Straight Cash Homey - A.J. Green WR

(26) Team Bailey - Hakeem Nicks WR

(27) Big Bag O'Knuckles - Wes Welker WR

(28) Bob Griffin - Fred Jackson RB

(29) Laces Out - Julio Jones WR

** (30) Gotham City Rogues - Brandon Marshall WR

(31) I Sit When I Pee - Victor Cruz WR

(32) Los Pollos Hermanos - Mike Wallace WR

(33) LandSharks Champ - Eli Manning QB

(34) Vaughn-0- Matic - Dez Bryant WR

(35) My Name Is My Name - Ryan Mathews RB

(36) NY SackExchange - Brandon Lloyd WR



Round: 4

(37) NY SackExchange - Peyton Manning QB

(38) My Name Is My Name - Michael Turner RB

(39) Vaughn-0- Matic - Jordy Nelson WR

(40) LandSharks Champ - Trent Richardson RB

(41) Los Pollos Hermanos - Michael Vick QB

(42) I Sit When I Pee - Antonio Gates TE

** (43) Gotham City Rogues - Steve Smith WR

(44) Laces Out - Tony Romo QB

(45) Bob Griffin - Marques Colston WR

(46) Big Bag O'Knuckles - Frank Gore RB

(47) Team Bailey - Darren Sproles RB

(48) Straight Cash Homey - Willis McGahee RB



Round: 5

(49) Straight Cash Homey - Vernon Davis TE

(50) Team Bailey - Miles Austin WR

(51) Big Bag O'Knuckles - Steve Johnson WR

(52) Bob Griffin - Dwayne Bowe WR

(53) Laces Out - BenJarvus Green-Ellis RB

** (54) Gotham City Rogues - Reggie Bush RB

(55) I Sit When I Pee - Percy Harvin WR

(56) Los Pollos Hermanos - Vincent Jackson WR

(57) LandSharks Champ - Ahmad Bradshaw RB

(58) Vaughn-0- Matic - Philip Rivers QB

(59) My Name Is My Name - Jeremy Maclin WR

(60) NY SackExchange - Beanie Wells RB



Round: 6

(61) NY SackExchange - Demaryius Thomas WR

(62) My Name Is My Name - Antonio Brown WR

(63) Vaughn-0- Matic - Aaron Hernandez TE

(64) LandSharks Champ - DeSean Jackson WR

(65) Los Pollos Hermanos - Eric Decker WR

(66) I Sit When I Pee - Pierre Garcon WR

** (67) Gotham City Rogues - Jermichael Finley TE

(68) Laces Out - Doug Martin RB

(69) Bob Griffin - Shonn Greene RB

(70) Big Bag O'Knuckles - Matt Schaub QB

(71) Team Bailey - Michael Bush RB

(72) Straight Cash Homey - Robert Meachem WR



Round: 7

(73) Straight Cash Homey - Kenny Britt WR

(74) Team Bailey - Torrey Smith WR

(75) Big Bag O'Knuckles - Roy Helu RB

(76) Bob Griffin - Stevan Ridley RB

(77) Laces Out - Denarius Moore WR

** (78) Gotham City Rogues - Matt Ryan QB

(79) I Sit When I Pee - Kevin Smith RB

(80) Los Pollos Hermanos - Jonathan Stewart RB

(81) LandSharks Champ - Lance Moore WR

(82) Vaughn-0- Matic - Reggie Wayne WR

(83) My Name Is My Name - Donald Brown RB

(84) NY SackExchange - Isaac Redman RB



Round: 8

(85) NY SackExchange - Jason Witten TE

(86) My Name Is My Name - Peyton Hillis RB

(87) Vaughn-0- Matic - Malcom Floyd WR

(88) LandSharks Champ - Ben Tate RB

(89) Los Pollos Hermanos - DeAngelo Williams RB

(90) I Sit When I Pee - Justin Blackmon WR

** (91) Gotham City Rogues - Cedric Benson RB

(92) Laces Out - Anquan Boldin WR

(93) Bob Griffin - Santonio Holmes WR

(94) Big Bag O'Knuckles - C.J. Spiller RB

(95) Team Bailey - Tony Gonzalez TE

(96) Straight Cash Homey - Ravens D/ST D/ST



Round: 9

(97) Straight Cash Homey - Titus Young WR

(98) Team Bailey - Sidney Rice WR

(99) Big Bag O'Knuckles - Michael Crabtree WR

(100) Bob Griffin - Fred Davis TE

(101) Laces Out - Toby Gerhart RB

** (102) Gotham City Rogues - Nate Washington WR

(103) I Sit When I Pee - Shane Vereen RB

(104) Los Pollos Hermanos - Ben Roethlisberger QB

(105) LandSharks Champ - Stephen Gostkowski K

(106) Vaughn-0- Matic - Darrius Heyward-Bey WR

(107) My Name Is My Name - 49ers D/ST D/ST

(108) NY SackExchange - Robert Griffin III QB



Round: 10

(109) NY SackExchange - Jets D/ST D/ST

(110) My Name Is My Name - Jared Cook TE

(111) Vaughn-0- Matic - David Wilson RB

(112) LandSharks Champ - Seahawks D/ST D/ST

(113) Los Pollos Hermanos - Mark Ingram RB

(114) I Sit When I Pee - Eagles D/ST D/ST

** (115) Gotham City Rogues - Rueben Randle WR

(116) Laces Out - Texans D/ST D/ST

(117) Bob Griffin - Randy Moss WR

(118) Big Bag O'Knuckles - Jay Cutler QB

(119) Team Bailey - Bears D/ST D/ST

(120) Straight Cash Homey - Mikel Leshoure RB



Round: 11

(121) Straight Cash Homey - Kendall Wright WR

(122) Team Bailey - Joe Flacco QB

(123) Big Bag O'Knuckles - Steelers D/ST D/ST

(124) Bob Griffin - Mike Williams WR

(125) Laces Out - Andrew Luck QB

** (126) Gotham City Rogues - LeGarrette Blount RB

(127) I Sit When I Pee - Andy Dalton QB

(128) Los Pollos Hermanos - Brandon Pettigrew TE

(129) LandSharks Champ - Laurent Robinson WR

(130) Vaughn-0- Matic - Daniel Thomas RB

(131) My Name Is My Name - Alex Smith QB

(132) NY SackExchange - Stephen Hill WR



Round: 12

(133) NY SackExchange - Chad Johnson WR

(134) My Name Is My Name - Brian Quick WR

(135) Vaughn-0- Matic - James Starks RB

(136) LandSharks Champ - Josh Freeman QB

(137) Los Pollos Hermanos - Felix Jones RB

(138) I Sit When I Pee - Greg Little WR

** (139) Gotham City Rogues - Coby Fleener TE

(140) Laces Out - Randall Cobb WR

(141) Bob Griffin - Mario Manningham WR

(142) Big Bag O'Knuckles - Jacob Tamme TE

(143) Team Bailey - Ryan Williams RB

(144) Straight Cash Homey - Brandon LaFell WR



Round: 13

(145) Straight Cash Homey - Rashard Mendenhall RB

(146) Team Bailey - Jerome Simpson WR

(147) Big Bag O'Knuckles - Michael Floyd WR

(148) Bob Griffin - Packers D/ST D/ST

(149) Laces Out - Nate Burleson WR

** (150) Gotham City Rogues - Santana Moss WR

(151) I Sit When I Pee - Owen Daniels TE

(152) Los Pollos Hermanos - Bernard Scott RB

(153) LandSharks Champ - Pierre Thomas RB

(154) Vaughn-0- Matic - Carson Palmer QB

(155) My Name Is My Name - Dustin Keller TE

(156) NY SackExchange - Martellus Bennett TE



Round: 14

(157) NY SackExchange - Roberto Wallace WR

(158) My Name Is My Name - Brent Celek TE

(159) Vaughn-0- Matic - Davone Bess WR

(160) LandSharks Champ - David Akers K

(161) Los Pollos Hermanos - Sam Bradford QB

(162) I Sit When I Pee - Ronnie Brown RB

** (163) Gotham City Rogues - Lions D/ST D/ST

(164) Laces Out - Danny Amendola WR

(165) Bob Griffin - Mike Tolbert RB

(166) Big Bag O'Knuckles - Mason Crosby K

(167) Team Bailey - Austin Collie WR

(168) Straight Cash Homey - Garrett Hartley K



Round: 15

(169) Straight Cash Homey - Devery Henderson WR

(170) Team Bailey - Jermaine Gresham TE

(171) Big Bag O'Knuckles - James Jones WR

(172) Bob Griffin - Sebastian Janikowski K

(173) Laces Out - Mohamed Massaquoi WR

** (174) Gotham City Rogues - Terrell Owens WR

(175) I Sit When I Pee - Brandon Stokley WR

(176) Los Pollos Hermanos - Falcons D/ST D/ST

(177) LandSharks Champ - Jabar Gaffney WR

(178) Vaughn-0- Matic - Matt Prater K

(179) My Name Is My Name - Jon Baldwin WR

(180) NY SackExchange - Giants D/ST D/ST



Round: 16

(181) NY SackExchange - Rob Bironas K

(182) My Name Is My Name - Dan Bailey K

(183) Vaughn-0- Matic - Bills D/ST D/ST

(184) LandSharks Champ - Patriots D/ST D/ST

(185) Los Pollos Hermanos - Alex Henery K

(186) I Sit When I Pee - Jason Hanson K

** (187) Gotham City Rogues - Matt Bryant K

(188) Laces Out - Nate Kaeding K

(189) Bob Griffin - Leonard Hankerson WR

(190) Big Bag O'Knuckles - David Nelson WR

(191) Team Bailey - Adam Vinatieri K

(192) Straight Cash Homey - Jake Locker QB

Gentlemen's Club Is Back

Fantasy Football season is back folks.  You think these guys are messing around? 

Cleveland Indians: What If?

The Greatest Olympic Story Ever Told

Here is the legendary race walk story as heard on 98.5 The Sports Hub, CLICK HERE.

Keefe

Machida Earns Title Shot; UFC on FOX 4 Results

The Staples Center was the site for UFC on FOX 4: Shogun vs. Vera.  The co-main event served as a platform to see who would get the next Light Heavyweight Title shot against the winner of Jon Jones- Dan Henderson next month.  Shogun defeated Vera, but Machida was more impressive in his victory over Bader, therefore Dana White decided to give it to Machida.

Honestly, Jones has beaten all 4 of the guys who were in the mix and none of the fights interest me.

Also on the card, Mike Swick returned to action and got a huge welterweight win, and Joe Lauzon tapped out Jamie Varner... Full result below:

•Mauricio "Shogun" Rua def. Brandon Vera via TKO (punches) - Round 4, 4:09

•Lyoto Machida def. Ryan Bader via knockout (punches) - Round 2, 1:32

•Joe Lauzon def. Jamie Varner via submission (triangle choke) - Round 3, 2:44

•Mike Swick def. DaMarques Johnson via knockout (punches) - Round 2, 1:20

•Nam Phan def. Cole Miller via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)

•Phil Davis vs. Wagner Prado, no contest (accidental eye poke) - Round 1

•Rani Yahya def. Josh Grispi via submission (north-south choke) - Round 1, 3:15

•Phil De Fries def. Oli Thompson via submission (rear-naked choke) - Round 2, 4:16

•Manny Gamburyan def. Michihiro Omigawa via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)

•John Moraga def. Ulysses Gomez via knockout (strikes) - Round 1, 3:46


-Keefe

Rich Reviews: The Dark Knight Rises

Chances are you have already seen The Dark Knight Rises.  Well I didn't see it til this past Saturday, so here is my review anyway.

The Dark Knight Rises is good.  In fact it's very good, but not great.  I preferred The Dark Knight to any other in this trilogy or any Batman film prior and now sense.  This most recent installment was facing some tough obstacles right out of the gate.  The main villain in the film, Bane, is some what limited.  He talks through a mask with a funny accent, making him difficult to understand at times.  Bane made his comics debut in 1993, that's more than 50 years after Batman was introduced and certainly long after many of his most infamous counterparts hit the big time (Joker, Penguin, Catwoman, etc.) 

That is not my main complaint, as "newer" villains can certainly be very complex, entertaining and all of that.  (In fact, I wish Harley Quinn was somehow included in The Dark Knight along with the Joker).  But Banes story, although interesting in its own right, could never live up to The Joker, or even Two-Face, The Riddler (if done the right way) and others.  Tom Hardy did a great job playing Bane, Christopher Nolan utilized Bane probably as well as you could, and still its a far cry from The Joker (Heath Ledger's performance, combined with the history of the character, his standing amongst all-time super villains, and that incredible relationship between Batman and him.). 

So going into the movie, I knew that the best Bane could only go so far, and I was proven right.  My other complaint going in was the decision to cast Anne Hathaway as Catwoman.

Don't get me wrong, she is a great actress, probably a better actress than any in the age bracket for this Catwoman.  But she's not hot.  I don't see it.  Mila Kunia, Natalie Portman, Megan Fox (after 10 years worth of acting lessons... ok then she's out), would have been better.  But the truth is, Hathway was fine. 

I thought they could have explained Catwoman and Bane's stories a little bit more, that might have helped with both of them for me.  No spoilers here, but the film takes place 8 years after the last, and these two new characters seem to be thrown in a bit. 

I understand that The Dark Knight Rises is meant as a conclusion to the trilogy.  With that said, I felt it served as a pretty good wrap up.  It's a very solid film both for the Batman die hards and the comic book novices out there.  I recommend it, but don't think there is any way to compare it to the Ledger driven Dark Knight. 

8/10

(Batman Begins probably gets an 8/10, I'll have to see Rises again to really break the tie and determine which is better.  The Dark Knight is definitely 10/10.)

-Keefe

Rich Keefe Upcoming Showtimes

Coming up next week Rich Keefe will once again be filling in for DA (The DA Show), Monday - Friday, 7pm-12am on 98.5 The Sports Hub.  He will also be co-hosting a show this Saturday from 3-7pm with former Patriots TE Jermaine Wiggins. 

As always you can contact the show in numerous ways. 
Phone: (617)-779-0985
Text: 69985
Twitter: @Keefe21

You can listen on 98.5 WBZ-FM in the Boston area... online at CBSBostonSports.com... or download the Radio.com app for your smart phone or what not. 

Let's go!

The Walking Dead Season 3 Trailer

Sorry for the lack of posts recently.  The summer has been busy.  A lot goin on... but there always is, isn't there?  A lot goin.  Enjoy the trailer for The Walking Dead season 3, which gets going in October.

Keefe Talks NBA Draft on Felger & Mazz

Rich Keefe was the update guy for Felger & Mazz on NBA Draft day and joined the conversation talking Celtics, Austin Rivers, and prospects.  Yes I know the draft is over by the time you listen to this, but enjoy it anyway.

Click here to listen.

The RKP's 2012 NBA Mock Draft 1.0

The NBA Draft is coming up this Thursday night.  David Stern rigged the lottery so the New Orleans Hornets have the #1 pick (kidding, ish).  Below is The Rich Keefe Project's first (and only) NBA Mock Draft.  I am not predicting any trades (we all know there will be a bunch), and am basing my projections more on who a team should pick instead of a who a team is rumored to pick.  No "Insider" access or proof of purchase necessary, enjoy the free mock draft.

1. New Orleans Hornets - Anthony Davis, PF, Kentucky, Freshmen

This is the easiest pick for the entire draft.  The Hornets have done everything but make it official.  Davis will be the odds on favorite to win Rookie of the Year.  He will be an immediate impact on the defensive end, but has some work to do to be a polished offensive player.  Insert token unibrow joke.

2. Charlotte Bobcats - Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, SF, Kentucky, Freshmen

The Bobcats need everything, if fact they need to be contracted.  They're awful, worst in league history in fact.  Kemba Walker and Bismack Byombo seem to be the future down in Charlotte, so they could go in any number of directions.  I think picking a proven winner like Kidd-Gilchrist is the way to go.  Not sure he will ever be a consistent All-Star (which is probably what you want at #2), but I'd bet that he plays 12 years in the league over guys like Thomas Robinson and others.

3. Washington Wizards - Bradley Beal, SG, Florida, Freshmen

A John Wall-Bradley Beal back court would be a nasty step in the right direction.  The folks in DC will be holding their breath hoping that Jordan doesn't decide last minute to take the best shooting guard in the draft at #2.  I don't think they will, allowing Washington to pull the trigger.  They also just picked up Emeka Okafor and Trevor Ariza.  Combine them with Nene, Wall and now Beal?  I'm not saying playoffs just yet, but getting closer.  This should be the best post-Arenas team in DC.

4. Cleveland Cavaliers - Harrison Barnes, SF, North Carolina, Sophomore

No city is more unhappy about the Heat winning the title than Cleveland.  But what can they do?  They drafted the Rookie of the Year last season (Kyrie Irving, who is also Uncle Drew in those Pepsi commercials), and now they need to get another stud.  I wouldn't bet on Barnes being a great pro, but based on needs this is the pick for Cleveland.

5. Sacramento Kings - Thomas Robinson, PF, Kansas, Junior

The Kings are going to struggle for the foreseeable future.  I am a huge DeMarcus Cousins fan, but Tyreke "No Pass" Evans, Jimmer Fredette, and Isiah Thomas (solid rookie year) are not enough.  Toss in bad contracts for Marcus Thornton and John Salmons and this team is a mess.  I do like the idea of a Robinson-Cousins front court though.

6. Portland Trail Blazers - Andre Drummond, C, UConn, Freshmen

Dissapointing season for Portland last year.  LaMarcus Aldridge is a legit star in this league and getting that complement big man is a key.  Obviously we all know that Greg Oden failed to be that guy, so the Blazers should swing at it again (they have 2 lottery picks) and go with Drummond here.  Similar to Anthony Davis, Andre will be a factor on D on day 1, he has great hands on offense, but his game is limited... for now.

7. Golden State Warriors - Jeremy Lamb, SG, UConn, Sophomore

How can a college team have two Top 7 picks and miss the tournament?  I don't know.  But the Warriors got plenty of guys up front (Bogut, Lee, Biedrins) they should pick Lamb, one of the better scorers in the draft to play alongside Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson.  I believe Lamb could be even a more effective pro than college player.

8. Toronto Raptors - Damian Lillard, PG, Weber St., Junior

Jose Calderon is entering the last year of his deal, and at $10.5 million, it could be a decent trade piece this season.  A nice expiring contract, but also a guy who doesn't suck.  Jerryd Bayliss is a restricted free agent, therefore now is the time for the Raptors to take their point guard of the future.  Like most of the lottery teams they have a number of needs.  Bargnani and DeRozan should be their stars and perhaps Lillard could make sure that they are.

9. Detroit Pistons - Terrence Ross, SG/SF, Washington, Sophomore

The future of the Pistons is clearly in the hands of Greg Monroe and Brandon Knight.  Despite some of their holdovers, see Gordon, Villanueva, Prince, etc. it's all about those two youngsters.  They should take the wing player they think is the best, and based on what is left here at 9, I think that's Ross out of Washington.

10. New Orleans Hornets - Kendall Marshall, PG, North Carolina, Sophomore

The Hornets are basically an expansion team.  After trading Okafor and Ariza for Rashard Lewis (who they will likely buy out) it's time to start fresh.  Anthony Davis will be the top pick, Eric Gordon (restricted FA) will probably be back, all signs point to NO matching ANY offer he gets.  Jarrett Jack has a year left, but they should still target their future point.  They'll want Lillard to fall, but when he doesn't they will need to chose between Marshall and Davis' college teammate Marquis Teague.  I feel that Marshall is better, we all saw how that UNC team struggled when he was hurt.

11. Portland Trail Blazers - Marquis Teague, PG, Kentucky, Freshmen

Pretty clean slate in Portland.  Aldridge and Wes Matthews are back and I believe they take Drummond at #6.  They could trade this pick, but if they don't I think they go point guard.  It might be a little high here for Teague, but if you don't get Lillard, Marshall, or Teague, and want a point guard you might as well wait to sign an undrafted free agent.

12. Milwaukee Bucks - Meyers Leonard, C, Illinois, Sophomore

Saw a great tweet from Ryen Russillo who said a GM or a scout (I forget) said that if Meyers Leonard was black he would be the 2nd pick in the draft.  The fear of Leonard falling in the long line of "big white stiffs" probably should be a bit of a deterent, however it appears this guy has game.  His numbers weren't overwhelming in college (most Big 10 guys aren't), but after trading their former #1 pick big man (Bogut) to Golden State they need to fill that spot.

13. Phoenix Suns - Terrence Jones, PF, Kentucky, Sophomore

It's going to be strange to watch a Suns game this year and not see Steve Nash.  The Suns would probably pounce on one of those 3 point guards, however if they are all off the board they should go best player available, I think that it's Jones.

14. Houston Rockets - Austin Rivers, G, Duke, Freshmen

The Rockets are going to look very different next year.  We know they wanted Pau Gasol last year and it sounds like they want Dwight Howard this year.  They own this pick and #16 and will more than likely deal 1 if not both.  They could take Rivers to deal him, or keep him if Kevin Martin and or Kyle Lowry are dealt.  This would give them some back court scoring, and it keeps Austin Rivers in the lottery... barely.

15. Philadelphia 76ers - Dion Waiters, SG, Syracuse, Sophomore

Waiters' stock really took off down the stretch of the season and during all these pre-draft workouts.  Louis Williams opted out of his contract (he could return), but Philly should give themselves some insurance and go with the best shooting guard left. 

16. Houston Rockets - Jared Sullinger, PF, Ohio State, Sophomore

This guy probably would have been a lottery if not Top 10 pick if he left after his freshmen season at Ohio State.  Not surprisingly he seems to be the worst athlete amongst the likely 1st round draft picks, this according to all of his pre-draft tests and workouts.  However he was very productive in 2 years in college and I don't see him dropping too much further than this.  Again, Houston will likely be very busy on draft night, they may not keep this pick.

17. Dallas Mavericks - Tony Wroten, G, Washington, Freshmen

The old Mavs will have Dirk, Marion, and Haywood coming back.  Kidd, Terry, and West are free agents and they have a team option on Vince.  It wouldn't surprise me if Terry and even Kidd come back for another run, but they definitely to get younger in the back court.  I'm not sure what position Wroten will be at the next level, but he could actually end up being the next Jason Terry, so why not learn from the man himself.

18. Minnesota Timberwolves - Tyler Zeller, C, North Carolina, Senior

A senior!?!  Very rare in the NBA Draft.  The T-Wolves need to surround Kevin Love and Ricky Rubio with the right pieces.  They have Derrick Williams (#2 last year), Wesley Johnson, and some other guard types, but Zeller would be a great fit, it would also allow for a white wash in Minnesota.  Rubio-Ridnour-Darko-Love-Zeller.

19. Orlando Magic - Fab Melo, C, Syracuse, Sophomore

The writing is on the wall in Orlando.  Dwight Howard is a clown.  They will have to trade him.  A new GM and new head coach will be in, and rather than trying to convince Dwight to stay, they should deal him away and grab a center in the draft.

20. Denver Nuggets - John Henson, PF, North Carolina, Junior

The Nuggets have a lot of very solid players, no superstars.  It almost looks like they would have the pieces to acquire one... oh, they had one and were forced to deal him for several above average players?  Got it.  They can go best available here.  I think Henson will be a poor pro, but not sure he slips out of Top 20.

21. Boston Celtics - Royce White, F, Iowa State, Sophomore

Big Royce White fan, I hope the Celtics take him at 21.  He is a solid rebounder, great ball handler, and terrific passer for his size.  I think of him as the next Anthony Mason.  There was a rumor last week that the Celtics made a promise to White (who cancelled his remaining workouts with teams), however those reports were refuted later by a different outlet.  Either way this is the 1 guy I want the C's to take.

22. Boston Celtics - Moe Harkless, SF, St. John's, Freshmen

I would be shocked if the Celtics used both of their 1st round picks.  IF they do, they should take Harkless here.  He could learn from Pierce and be a valuable guy if they go 11 deep during the regular season as to put them in the best position to make another run in the playoffs.  Harkless is definitely the best wing player remaining in the draft.

23. Atlanta Hawks - Perry Jones, F, Baylor, Sophomore

Josh Smith is entering the final year of his deal.  He could be traded by the deadline this year.  The future of the Hawks is all about Al Horford, with Joe Johnson and Jeff Teague.  Perry Jones may take a few years to develop but he has potential galore and at #23 would be a solid pick.

24. Cleveland Cavaliers - Quincy Miller, F, Baylor, Freshmen

Speaking of potential, Quincy Miller sure has a ton of it.  Jones' Baylor teammate would be a good pick for a team that isn't looking for instant dividends.  Kyrie Irving is the face of the franchise in Cleveland now, I have them taking Harrison Barnes earlier in Round 1, combine them with Tristan Thompson and now Quincy Miller and they are starting to add a lot of talent.  Take that LeBron... well.

25. Memphis Grizzlies - John Jenkins, SG, Vanderbilt, Junior

The Grizzlies tried getting Ray Allen at the trade deadline this year.  O.J. Mayo is a restricted free agent.  With scorers like Randolph, Gay, and Gasol, they could definitely use a 3-point shooter and Jenkins might be the very best one in the draft.

26. Indiana Pacers - Draymond Green, F, Michigan State, Senior

While the Pacers' top priority this off season is brining Roy Hibbert (RFA) back, they'll want to make sure they get something out of this draft pick.  They finished 3rd in the East this year, and despite being a notch or two below Miami and even Chicago, they aren't too far away.  Green probably will never be an All-Star in the NBA, but this is the kind of guy you would bet on being a contributor for years. 

27. Miami Heat - Festus Ezeli, C, Vanderbilt, Senior

The defending champion Miami Heat have almost everyone coming back.  What can they do?  They probably will try to upgrade the point guard spot (Chalmers wasn't bad though), and they will look to find a contributing center.  I've always like Ezeli from Vandy.  At 6'11-7'0, and a solid post game, he could make the best team in the league even better.  Not fair.

28. Oklahoma City Thunder - Arnett Moultrie, PF, Miss. St., Junior

OKC is close.  Depending on how this off season shakes out everyone is going to pick them to once again win the Western Conference.  This pick, whoever it is, probably won't help them much this year.  The best big man left on the board is Moultrie.  At 6'11, 233 he needs to add weight, and maybe he'll do it on the Thunder bench.

29. Chicago Bulls - Will Barton, SG/SF, Memphis, Sophomore

The Bulls had shooting guard du jour this year with Rip Hamilton, Ronnie Brewer, and Kyle Korver.  Clearly a need for this contender I think they take Will Barton.  If John Jenkins is available they should go with him.

30. Golden State Warriors - Andrew Nicholson, PF, St. Bonaventure, Senior

The Warriors could go with an overseas guy here as well.  I had them taking Lamb at #7, so they will probably go big guy here.  Like Moultrie, Nicholson will need to put on to put on some weight, but as a stretch 4 in the Golden State run and gun system, he could be a good fit.


And there you have The Rich Keefe Project's 1st Round Mock Draft (1.0). Thanks for checking it out.
-Keefe

Franklin Wins; UFC 147 Results

UFC 147 was last night in Brazil.  Not a great card as far as big names, but some good fights.  Here are the results:

•Rich Franklin def. Wanderlei Silva via unanimous decision (49-46, 49-46, 49-46)

•Cezar "Mutante" Ferreira def. Sergio "Serginho" Moraes via unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27, 30-27) - to win "TUF: Brazil" middleweight tourney

•Rony "Jason" Mariano Bezerra def. Godofredo "Pepey" de Oliveira via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28) - to win "TUF: Brazil" featherweight tourney

•Fabricio Werdum def. Mike Russow via TKO (punches) - Round 1, 2:28

•Hacran Dias def. Yuri Alcantara via unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27, 30-27)

•Rodrigo Damm def. Anistavio "Gasparzinho" Medeiros via submission (rear-naked choke) - Round 1, 2:12

•Francisco "Massaranduba" Drinaldo def. Delson "Pe de Chumbo" Heleno via TKO (punches) - Round 1, 4:21

•Hugo "Wolverine" Viana def. John "Macapa" Teixeira via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)

•Thiago "Bodao" Perpetuo def. Leonarda "Macarrao" Mafra via TKO (punches) - Round 3, 0:41

•Marcos "Vina" Vinicius def. Wagner "Galeto" Campos via TKO (strikes) - Round 3, 1:04

•Felipe Arantes and Milton Vieira fight to a split draw (29-28, 28-29, 28-28)

2012-13 Boston Celtics

The Heat and Thunder play Game 4 of the NBA Finals tonight.  The series has been entertaining and compelling, but it's never too early to talk about the future of the Boston Celtics.  This off season will be the most important for the C's since the summer of 2007.  Allow me to introduce my blueprint aka wish list for the upcoming season.

STARTERS:

PG: Rajon Rondo
SG: Avery Bradley
SF: Paul Pierce
PF: Kris Humphries (unrestricted free agent)
C: Kevin Garnett (unrestricted free agent)

BENCH:

O.J. Mayo (restricted free agent)
Mickael Pietrus (unrestricted free agent)
Jeff Green (unrestricted free agent)
Brandon Bass (unrestricted free agent)
Chris Wilcox (unrestricted free agent)
JaJuan Johnson
E'Twaun Moore
Royce White (draft with pick #21)
Greg Stiemsma (own restricted free agent)
Open Roster Spot to sign buyout player midseason

I also want to see the Celtics traded pick #22 for a future first round pick, they would be better of with just 1 rookie with this club.

Mayo is the most unlikely addition followed by Humphries, the rest are all very realistic, but not as important (not counting KG obviously).  They need rebounding and bench scoring, Humphries and Mayo solve those problems and then some.

NBA Draft is coming up a week from Thursday.  Looking forward to the whole thing.  I'll try to get a full draft podcast up before it happens.  Thanks for stopping by the Brief.

-Keefe

Keefe Talks Celtics

Rich Keefe joined Adam Kaufman from 98.5 The Sports Hub and CBSBostonSports.com to talk all things Celtics.

Soccer At It's Best: Country vs. Country

Look flags!  UEFA Euro 2012 is underway.  Do I like soccer?  Eh.  Do I like World Cup soccer?  Yes I do.  Anytime you have a battle of countries I am in.... in sports.... I'm not here to get political  But the Euro Tournament is right up my alley.  I've been watching today as Poland vs. Greece and Russia vs. Czech Republic kick things off.

My favorite teams are the Netherlands (always like their orange jerseys and using them in FIFA games, even own an authentic jersey that my mom actually bout over there) and of course I will also be rooting for Ireland. 

And don't forget the importance of having these games on during the day to give you an excuse to start drinking way earlier than you should.

-Keefe

NBA MVPs Usually Win NBA Titles

The NBA has given out an end of year MVP award since the 1955-56 season.  Here is the complete list of MVPs who have NOT won the title in their career.

Charles Barkley (1993)
Karl Malone (1997, 1999)
Allen Iverson (2001)
Steve Nash (2004, 2005)
LeBron James (2009, 2010, 2012)
Derrick Rose (2011)

Small list considering they've given out more than 50 MVPs.  You've all heard the fact by now that LeBron is the only 3-time MVP winner in any of the major sports to not win a championship.  Not sure if that's ground breaking, how many 3-time MVPs are there?  And it would be a bigger deal if his career was over.

Quick observations looking at that list.  3 of the 6 are done (yes A.I., you are done).  So only Charles, The Mailman, and The Answer will definitely remain on this list.  Nash is closing in on the end, but he's a free agent, could he join the Heat or some other team with a shot at the title next year?  Of course he could.  Rose is like 24 years old, so his inclusion means nothing.  It is all about LeBron, but at 27 years old, we probably shouldn't get crazy about it.

Also Barkley, Malone (twice), Iverson, and LeBron (twice and counting) have at least PLAYED in the FINALS.  Nash has only gone as far as the Conference Finals, same can be said about Rose, who again is insanely young. 

I looked all this stuff up while killing time at the Garden waiting for Game 6 of the East Finals between the Celtics and Heat.  Lot on the line tonight!

-Keefe

The Future of the Miami Heat

Ok, first off, it is entirely too early to write off the Heat as they trail the Celtics 3-2 in the Eastern Conference Finals.  They started the series with 2 wins in a row and there is a chance they can finish with 2 straight.  However, I think the C's close it out tomorrow night in Game 6 and advance to the NBA Finals for the 3rd time in 5 seasons. 

I'll spend time on podcasts, shows, and articles discussing the future of the Celtics.  Does KG come back? What happens to Ray Allen?  What will the bench look like?  Will Brandon Bass want to return? Etc.  But right now let's take a quick look at the NBA's Super Villian: Miami Heat.

Did you know that LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh, Mike Miller, Mario Chalmers, Udonis Haslem, Joel Anthony, Shane Battier, James Jones, Norris Cole, and Ronny Turiaf (player option) are all under contract NEXT SEASON.  So if there is going to be turnover on the roster it will have to come via trades and buyouts.  That's 11 players, which would make it much easier said than done to "blow it up."

In my opinion, LeBron is still the best player in the game.  Wade is Top 10 but on the decline.  Bosh is the worst multiple time All-Star in the business (he doesn't suck, but let's not confuse him with the elite power forwards.)  Chalmers isn't bad, however there are so many talented point guards he's still in the middle of the pack, at best.  The rest of the supporting cast is trash; 3-point hopefuls (Miller, Jones, Battier) and big man du jour: (Anthony, Haslem, Turiaf, Howard, Pittman).  But perhaps the worst of the non Big 2.5 is Erik Spoelstra. 

Good news for Spo?  There are some great "Resume Builder" software out there on the web and it's free. 

The easy move for the Heat is to can the coach.  That will happen, but should they simply stop there?  In a word, no.

You're not trading LeBron James.  That would be insane.  Call him not clutch, afraid of the moment, not a leader, whatever you want, but you do NOT deal him.  In order to to really shake things up you then look to Wade and Bosh.  The fact is the Heat would be a better team centered on a nucleus of LeBron and Bosh instead of LeBron and Wade, but would Miami dare trade the best player in their franchise history?

A Chris Bosh + stuff for Dwight Howard + stuff might make sense.  The Heat get a dominant rebounder, some post presence, and an anchor on their defense.  But would Orlando give up 1-year of Howard for 2-years (plus some player options) of Chris Bosh?  Depending on the packages being offered to the Magic, they might have to at least consider it.  Miami would have a legit Big 3 (and another guy who's afraid of the moment.) 

If Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen were Batman & Robin then LeBron-Wade-Howard would be the Joker-Two Face-Mr. Freeze (or substitute anyone you like, maybe Riddler, Penguin, Bane, Scarecrow, etc.  Batman really did have the best villains... and these three are the Top 3 villiains in the NBA.)

The ineffectiveness of LeBron and Wade playing together (overall) can not be overlooked.  Do these two really complement each other?  For every 90 foot alley-oop pass or Sportscenter Top 10 play, there is a 100 times where one will watch the other dribble for 10 seconds and force an off balance jumper.  Maybe having two of the best wing players on the same team isn't the best formula.  (The fact that they made the Finals last year and still have a chance this year, without having any sense of an offense and a crap coach speaks to just how talented these guys are.)

As crazy as LeBron-Wade-Howard would truly be, I think Miami is better off dealing the face of their franchise in Wade, and seeing what they can get to pair with LeBron-Bosh (and a coach with a clue.) 

Their season is not over.  But when it is (unless it ends in a title) it will be an unbelievably fascinating off season in Miami.  Dare I say, even more intriguing than the summer of 2010?

-Keefe

Will This Guy Be The Difference For The Heat?

Trading For Power

In one of my fantasy baseball leagues I find myself in the middle of the pack.  It's a 10-team rotisserie style scoring league.  Despite having Jose Bautista, Justin Upton, and David Wright, my squad was in dead last in HR and RBI.  I had to make some moves.  This week I made the following trades.

Give Up: Cole Hamels
Get: Giancarlo Stanton

Give Up: Dustin Pedroia, Jason Heyward
Get: Brandon Phillips, Adam Dunn

Throw in Michael Morse and Yoenes Cespedes coming off the DL and I think there is enough time to get back in the mix in those power categories.  I also have been sitting on Ryan Howard all year.  Only time will tell, but I feel better about my team than I did a week ago.

Rich Keefe
Owner/ GM/ President
Boats & Jo-se's

Lazy Sunday 2

Yes.

100th SNL Digital Short

Last week Andy Samberg and the Lonely Island Crew unleashed their 100th Digital Short on Saturday Night Live.  Here it is in case you missed it.

Keefe & B.Robb Talk Celtics

Game 1 went to the Celtics 92-91.  The 76ers and C's get back on the court tonight in Game 2.  Yesterday Rich Keefe and Brian Robb (CelticsHub.com) discussed the series on 98.5 The Sports Hub.  Click below to listen.

The Injury Bonanza of 2012 and How The Celtics Stack Up

NBA players are dropping like flies in the playoffs.  Perhaps a victim of the 66-game lockout shorten season or in some cases because of self mutilation (see: Amar'e Stoudemire punching glass), big names and small names alike are missing the most important games of the year. 

2011 MVP Derrick Rose suffered a torn ACL, Knicks rookie guard Iman Shumpert the same.  Baron Davis just went down with a nasty knee injury himself.  Dwight Howard will not play in the playoffs, Al Horford just returned after sitting out nearly the entire season, his backup Zaza Pachulia is still out.  The flash in the pan known as Jeremy Lin has been sidelined for the first 4 games of the Knicks-Heat series.  Memphis stud Zach Randolph worked his way back into the lineup the final couple weeks of the regular season.  The T-Wolves' chances of making the post season went out the window when rookie PG Ricky Rubio blew his ACL, the Clippers lost their leader Chauncey Billups, and many more.  And then you have the "old" Celtics.

The C's are up 3-1 in their 1st round series with the Hawks.  Boston managed to win the Atlantic Division title despite numerous injuries throughout the season, which began with the news that Jeff Green would miss the year and need heart surgery.  Chris Wilcox was forced to the sidelines in an eerily similar fashion.  And Jermaine O'Neal... whatever.  The veteran group fought through the multiple back-to-backs and the ridiculously thrown together season (little to no practice time and crazy travel schedule) to win the division (for the 5th straight year) and enter the playoffs as the #4 seed.  They still did not have home court advantage.

Where do the Green stand health wise?

Ray Allen missed the last 9 games of the year with an ankle injury and Games 1 and 2 against the Hawks.  Allen surprised himself coming back for Game 3, saying that he had told KG he would probably miss the entire series.  It's hopeful that he will be on the court the rest of the way, but it's no sure thing.  Allen will undergo surgery when the C's are done.

Paul Pierce, who was extremely durable this season, hurt his knee in shootaround prior to Game 4, and Doc left the morning get-together thinking the Captain would miss the game.  He played, 24 points in 17 minutes, and said on his twitter that he was glad he only played limited minutes to he could rest his knee.

Mickael Pietrus played in 42 of the 66 games this year.  He missed time with a concussion and left Game 4 in the 3rd quarter with a hamstring injury.

Avery Bradley re-injured his left shoulder in Game 3.  He was a game-time decision in Game 4 (he played), but will be a concern through the rest of the playoffs.  He apparently popped out his shoulder 2-3 times during the season, but Doc Rivers said it was like a "LEGO" and would just pop back in, but in Game 3 it did not do that.  Gross.

Greg Stiemsma (feet) sat out of nearly every single practice the Celtics had this season.  He should be able to go the rest of the playoffs for as much time as the team needs him, but it should be pointed out that he's been playing banged up all year.

Is it possible that Rajon Rondo and Kevin Garnett are the healthiest players on the team?   

The lasting image of the 2011 playoffs for the Celtics was Rajon Rondo playing against the Heat with one arm.  After Dwyane Wade tackled him to the floor, Rondo got up and tried like hell to play through the pain.  The 2009 playoffs were essentially a lost cause because of the knee injury that kept Kevin Garnett from suiting up with the team.  Now in 2012, Rondo and KG are the healthiest, and without question the two pieces most important to knocking of the Heat in a potential Eastern Conference Finals match-up.

Few would have predicted the type of season KG had.  At 35 years old and with well over 1,200 career games played, Garnett averaged 16 points, 8 rebounds, 3 assists per game (playing in 60/66, sitting out a couple for personal reasons and for rest).  I believe he will be All-Defensive 2nd Team and All-NBA 3rd Team, at center, where he really flourished in the 2nd half of the season.

Health has already derailed the top seeded Bulls and the Orlando Magic.  If the Celtics are going to make a deep run they are going to continue to walk the injury tight rope.  KG and Rondo will have to defy the odds and Pierce (knee), Allen (ankle), Bradley (shoulder), Pietrus (hamstring, head), and Stiemsma (feet) will have to be "healthy enough." 

Believe it or not I said Heat-Celtics in the East Finals in my pre-season predictions.  There is no reason to change that now. 

-Keefe

NBA Awards 2011-2012 Season

I’ve been sitting on this for a little while and realized I better get this out before they give away all the awards. Gregg Popovich already won Coach of the Year and Tyson Chandler will be named Defensive Player of the Year, two that I was going to pick anyway. You don’t have to believe me, that’s fine. But here are the rest of my picks.


MVP

LeBron James, Miami Heat

Defensive Player of the Year

Tyson Chandler, New York Knicks

6th Man of the Year

James Harden, Oklahoma City Thunder

Coach of the Year

Gregg Popovich, San Antonio Spurs

Rookie of the Year

Kyrie Irving, Cleveland Cavaliers

All-Rookie 1st Team

Kyrie Irving, Cleveland Cavaliers

Ricky Rubio, Minnesota Timberwolves

Kenneth Faried, Denver Nuggets

MarShon Brooks, New Jersey Nets

Iman Shumpert, New York Knicks

All-Rookie 2nd Team

Brandon Knight, Detroit Pistons

Klay Thompson, Golden State Warriors

Derrick Williams, Minnesota Timberwolves

Isaiah Thomas, Sacramento Kings

Kemba Walker, Charlotte Bobcats

Honorable Mention:

Chandler Parsons, Houston Rockets

Kawhi Leonard, San Antonio Spurs



All-Defensive 1st Team

Chris Paul, Los Angeles Clippers

Tony Allen, Memphis Grizzlies

LeBron James, Miami Heat

Serge Ibaka, Oklahoma City Thunder

Tyson Chandler, New York Knicks

All-Defensive 2nd Team

Avery Bradley, Boston Celtics

Iman Shumpert, New York Knicks

Andre Iguodala, Philadelphia 76ers

Luol Deng, Chicago Bulls

Kevin Garnett, Celtics


All-NBA 1st Team

Chris Paul, Los Angeles Clippers

Kobe Bryant, Los Angeles Lakers

Kevin Durant, Oklahoma City Thunder

LeBron James, Miami Heat

Dwight Howard, Orlando Magic

All-NBA 2nd Team

Russell Westbrook, Oklahoma City Thunder

Rajon Rondo, Boston Celtics

Kevin Love, Minnesota Timberwolves

Blake Griffin, Los Angeles Clippers

Andrew Bynum, Los Angeles Lakers

All-NBA 3rd Team

Tony Parker, San Antonio Spurs

Steve Nash, Phoenix Suns

LaMarcus Aldridge, Portland Trail Blazers

Dirk Nowitzki, Dallas Mavericks

Kevin Garnett, Boston Celtics


-Keefe

Brooklyn Nets New Logo

The Nets are moving from New Jersey to Brooklyn, so they obviously need to scrub the stench off the Jerseys years. To help them do that why not bust out a new logo?  Looks like the Nets are going Black & White.  Like the White Sox?  I don't know.  I'll have to wait to see the uniforms, but right now, not a fan.  Check them out below.

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D3 Football Rules!

Monmouth College and 2-time Division 3 All-American QB Alex Tanney probably won't get drafted this weekend, but that doesn't mean he can't impress you with his crazy trick throws.  And oh by the way, his 157 career TD passes is the most in NCAA history.  Not bad. 



-Keefe

NFL Draft Time

The 2012 NFL Draft kicks off tonight with Round 1.  The Jets have been a laughing stock come draft time for years, and this has become a tradition.  Classic.



-Keefe

Drunk Guy Crushes Bohemian Rhapsody

Nailed it.

-Keefe

Fighting The Boston Bruins

The Bruins got some tough fellas on their squad. Their physical style of play helped win them the Stanley Cup last year and finish 2nd in the Eastern Conference this year. Now they are waiting to play a Game 7 against the Washington Capitals in their first round series this Wednesday, but the more important question remains... how do you rank the fighters on this team? Rather than going through all the statistics and finding who leads the team in fighting majors this season, career, etc. I'm going to do a much simpler examination. Let's say you had to drop the gloves with these guys, who should you want to avoid at all cost? I broke down the entire team into 5 easy categories.

You Just Might Win The Fight:
David Krejci
Patrice Bergeron
Tim Thomas
Tuukka Rask
Tyler Seguin
Joe Corvo (unless you are that woman he beat up when he was in the AHL)

You Will Get A Few Shots In:
Brad Marchand
Chris Kelly
Rich Peverley
Benoit Pouliot
Mike Mottau

You Sure You Want To Do This?
Brian Rolston (old man strength)
Johnny Boychuk
Dan Paille
Greg Zanon

You Better Have Great Insurance:
Gregory Campbell
Andrew Ference
Nathan Horton

You Might Want To Get That Will Done:
Milan Lucic
Zdeno Chara
Dennis Seidenberg
Shawn Thornton
Adam McQuaid


-Keefe

Later this week I will help you choose a new favorite MLB team, while I also choose a new favorite MLB team.

UFC 145 has arrived

I'm pretty pumped for tonight's UFC 145 event from Atlanta, GA. And my company, Swirl, was awesome enough to let a few of us MMA junkies at the office use the big screen in the creative lounge to watch the fights together tonight. Should be a great time. We're all bringing our favorite fast food meals to enjoy while we watch some of the best athletes on the planet go toe-to-toe. Oh, the irony.

Tonight's main event is going to have a tremendous ripple effect in the MMA community, regardless of the outcome. I was talking about this with a co-worker yesterday, and the point I made is that the UFC will be in a great place no matter which fighter wins the title bout. If Jones defends successfully, the UFC's decision to sponsor him and essentially put their eggs in the proverbial one basket will be paid off tremendously. Jones will have defeated his rival and biggest test to date, one that was looming in the background the past year since he won the title from Shogun back in March 2011. Evans has always been the guy people wanted to see Jones fight, and it'll finally happen. If he wins, there's Dan Henderson and perhaps Alexander Gustafson down the road, but I think discussions will start to turn to Jones moving up to the heavyweight. He's now walking around at 230 and filling out his frame as he matures. And with Lesnar gone from the heavyweight picture, Jones could fill the void as "the big draw" in that division. And do what Brandon Vera never even came close to doing, despite many, including himself, predicting he would: be the first man to hold both the light heavyweight and heavyweight titles at the same time.

On the flip side, if Evans wins, the light heavyweight division will get flipped upside down. Jones invincibility will be gone, the major deals potentially off the table for the time being, and a major rematch will loom. One that will be bigger than the Silva-Sonnen bout later this year. That would be HUGE money, and the UFC would not be in a bad place if that's the case.

The easy money is to bet on Jones tonight. He's a physical freak: the reach, the athleticism, the added strength, and the ability to soak up so much MMA knowledge in only a matter of 4-5 years. He's the best out there. But the smart money is on Evans. He's a 5 to 1 dog in Vegas, and quite frankly, I think that's a bit aggressive. Evans has shown the ability to finish fights on his feet and on the ground, something he was crucified for early in his career. Ever since the brutal Sean Salmon head kick KO, Evans has gone on to finish multiple opponents in exciting fashion: Liddell via one-punch KO, Griffin for the title via vicious ground-and-pound, and Tito Ortiz via knee to the body. And in other fights where he won via decision, he added excitement and overcame adversity in some cases. Against both Thiago Silva and Quinton Jackson, he survived late scares, overcoming knockdowns to recover quickly and save the win. And against the latter, he put Jackson on his butt early in the fight, turning the tables on the once feared KO artist. His fight against Phil Davis was a tutorial, a glorified practice - or so it seemed. Davis, a highly touted prospect, had nothing for Evans. Literally. Evans is a stud, and he's got enough tools in his box to dethrone the champ.

The difference in the fight will be the jab and front kick of Jones. He'll need to use those at will to keep Evans at bay and avoid the challenger from closing the gap and dictating the pace and location of the fight. If he doesn't consistently jab and kick, Evans will work his way inside and either land a takedown or put fists to face. And either will be a problem for Jones. But for Evans, that's the rub. If he can't get in tight, he doesn't have a chance. No one in the UFC can win a fight from the outside against Jones simply b/c of his reach. Machida did it for a round, but Jones made the adjustment and was able to clip Machida several times in the 2nd round from the outside, the final one putting Machida on the mat, eventually leading to a nasty gash from a Jones elbow and ultimately ending with a standing guillotine.

I'm picking Jones to win, but if I decide to put money on the fight tonight, I'm taking Evans. The odds are too good not to. As for the action, I see Jones and Evans going toe-to-toe for a battle. It will be the defining fight for both fighters; Jones passes a grueling test against his biggest challenge yet, while Rashad shows the world that he really is one of the best EVER at light heavyweight. This won't be a 5-0 shutout. It'll be a 48-47 type of card, one that will earn a tremendous amount of respect for both fighters, and hopefully put an end to this ridiculous, bitter war of words between the two of them.

Main Event
Jon Jones defeats Rashad Evans via UD

Other Main Card fights
Rory MacDonald defeats Che Mills via 2nd round (T)KO
Ben Rothwell defeats Brendan Schaub via UD
Miguel Torres defeats Mike McDonald via 2nd round submission (rear-naked choke)
Mark Hominick defeats Eddie Yagan via 1st round KO (punch)

5 Questions With DeAndre Liggins

Testing your Basketball IQ here with this one. I talked to Orlando rookie DeAndre Liggins prior to the Celtics 102-98 win over the Magic last night at the TD Garden. Here is what the 1st year man, and 2nd round pick, out of Kentucky had to say.

1. How has the whole Dwight Howard-Stan Van Gundy situation affected you guys, especially down the stretch of the season?

Liggins: What you talkin about?

1b. You know, that Dwight could pick Stan's fate, and the front office?

Liggins: Pick what? I don't know nothing about that.

1c. You think those two have a good relationship?

Liggins: Yeah they do. From my perspective I would say they do. That other stuff you are talking about I don't know what you are talking about, like Dwight picking. Especially me being a rookie, I definitely don't know.

2. How has Glen Davis been like as a teammate this year?

Liggins: He'd been great man. He's our emotional leader. He's been playing well, he just needs to continue to play well for us.

3. How did Coach Calipari help you get ready for the NBA?

Liggins: Yeah he... I mean he defined my game. That't what got me here, and I'm going to continue to do that.

4. Any regrets at all skipping your senior season after watching them [Kentucky] win it all?

Liggins: No. I mean I knew we had a chance if I came back to win it all. I knew they were going to win it all, so I just made my decision. I don't regret it or anything like that.

5. How would you assess your rookie year?

Liggins: I mean I'm happy even though I ain't playing, but I'm learning. Summer league is coming up so I'm excited about that. Just continue to work hard, that's all I can do.

-Keefe

Rich Reviews: The Cabin in the Woods

Rich Reviews returns with a vengeance this week, with the brand new horror movie to hit theaters. I saw The Cabin in the Woods yesterday at a relatively crowded 5:15pm showing. I was not surprised when I heard that the horror movie finished 3rd at the Box Office this weekend with $14.8 million, behind The Three Stooges (#2, $17.1 million) and The Hunger Games (#1, $21.5 million). For a full review on The Hunger Games just scroll down.

The tagline for The Cabin in the Woods states: "Five friends go for a break at a remote cabin in the woods, where they get more than they bargained for. Together, they must discover the truth behind the cabin in the woods." But perhaps even more fitting was the simpler tagline, "You think you know the story, think again." Nice.

Now I don't want to ruin anything for you, as the main reason I saw it on opening weekend was so that some asshole on twitter didn't spoil it for me before I could see it. So here is my, spoiler avoided, review.

The Cabin in the Woods deserves instant credit for not being a remake or a sequel, which seems to be the only kind of horror movies being made right now. Fun fact, this movie was actually made back in 2009, then they wanted to postpone the thing to make it 3D (really happy that didn't happen). MGM then had financial issues and the film was put on hold and eventually picked up by a new distributor, and bang April 13, 2012 (Friday the 13th of all days).

What's great about Cabin is that it takes a very simple, played out, overdone, idea (college kids stranded somewhere like the woods- see: Friday The 13th(s), Evil Dead(s), Cabin Fever, Wrong Turn(s), Texas Chainsaw Massacre(s), House of 1,000 Corpses, Blair Witch Project, etc., etc., etc., but it introduces elements that aren't tired. Again, I don't want to ruin anything, and simply by saying it's not just a slasher movie may give something away, but it doesn't tell the whole story.

Horror movie fans will really appreciate this film. Knowledge of the genre, which has grown stale for the most part, makes Cabin all the better. It goes in a direction you can not prepare for. As I watched yesterday I couldn't help but think, "smart" the movie was "smart." It is a game-changer. The creators obviously know the genre, and make references to past classics, while completely ripping the lid off a brand new idea. However, only time will tell on how its remembered in horror movie history.

I don't think the characters will be as iconic as those from Halloween, Friday the 13th, Nightmare on Elm St., Evil Dead, Scream, etc., but let's give it some time. And I'm talking about both the villains and the protagonists. It took those movies some time to really take their place in film lour. Although the dude who plays Thor, Chris Hemsworth is in it as the typical jock with the hot girlfriend.

It's not fair to really rank a film after just seeing it once. But I might as well try. I would not put it in my Top 10 Horror all-time, but, how many have been better since 2000? 10? 5? None?

If you like horror movies you will like Cabin in the Woods, if you don't like them, you still might. You will definitely be talking about it for awhile after you see it. Are there plot holes or unanswered questions, you bet, like most scary movies, but it's a fresh take and fun as hell. Like all great films of the genre, there are some laughs combined with a few scares and crazy kills.

In my Theater-Netflix-TV-Don't Bother scale: I have to go with Theater.

Rich Reviews: The Cabin in the Woods = 9/10

-Keefe

Rich Reviews: The Hunger Games

Sucked.

Jason's Friday The 13th Kills

This is fine work. Not sure if it includes the remake, but who cares. I believe Jason has 144 confirmed kills. And this beauty of a chart has them all... and how!

Hope you survived Friday the 13th!

Blue Jays & Orioles: Back to Basics

As I watch the Red Sox take on the Blue Jays I can't help but think of those early 90s nasty Toronto teams. Why am I thinking about them now, more than the last 5-10 years? Because they wised up and brought back the old logo, or pretty damn close to it. It's great to see the Jays... looking like Jays.

And they aren't the only AL East team going back to their roots. Check out these good lookin birds...


These two teams may finish behind the Yankees, Sox, and Rays, but at least they will look good doing it.

-Keefe

Fantasy Baseball: Early Returns

Closers have gotten off to a pretty slow start across the board this year. Mariano Rivera blew his first save opportunity of the year, giving up 2 runs while recording just 1 out against the Rays. After 1.1 innings of work in 2 games, Mo Mo is sporting a 13.50 ERA. He's not alone.

Carlos Marmol, Cubs (20.25 ERA, 3 runs 1.1 IP)
Chris Perez, Indians (10.13 ERA, 3 runs 2.2 IP)
Alfredo Aceves, Red Sox (27.00 ERA, 3 runs, 1 IP)
Heath Bell, Marlins (13.50 ERA, 2 runs, 1.1 IP)
John Axford, Brewers (13.50 ERA, 2 runs, 1.1 IP)

Set up men Mark Melancon, Kerry Wood, Aaron Crow, and George Sherrell have all sucked as well, putting zero pressure on the closer behind them, or in front of them, you know what I mean.

You always take the early part of the season with a grain of salt. It is just 3, 4, or 5 games out of 162, but you can tell that Marmol is still as shaky a 9th inning as there is in the majors. He has great stuff, but he has no clue where the hell it's going. Aceves will NOT be the closer when Bailey comes back and he may lose the job (despite a save last night) even sooner.

Hot Bats:

Corey Hart, Yoenis Cespedes, Jay Bruce, Omar Infante, and Miguel Cabrera all have 3 home runs already to lead the league.

Great sign for Hart who is coming off an injury. Cespedes is the Cuban rookie CF for the A's who has quickly moved into the cleanup spot for Oakland. 3 of his 4 big league hits have left the yard, the other was a double. Infante will probably only hit 3 more the rest of the year, but enjoy it while it lasts. Bruce, if healthy could hit 30, while my man Miguel will contend for the A.L. MVP award this year.

Rafael Furcal (10/23, .435) and David Freese (10/24, .417), Cardinal teammates are tied for the league lead in hits. Freese is picking up where he left off last year as the NLCS and World Series MVP. A healthy Furcal will help St. Louis not miss Albert Pujols... as much.

Matt Kemp is bringing it for Magic Johnson's Dodgers... .412, 2 HR, 8 RBI, 6 R, 1 SB.

Looking for Steals?

Emilio Bonafacio, Marlins... 4 SB. He is tied with Cubs SS Starlin Castro for the ML lead.

Crap Starts?

Kevin Youkilis, Red Sox: 0-12
James Loney, Dodgers: 0-12
Jamey Carroll, Twins: 0-13
Mark DeRosa, Nationals: 0-11
Alex Gordon, Royals: 0-14
Ike Davis, Mets: 0-15

Jayson Werth(less), Nationals: 1-14
Dan Uggla, Braves: 1-13
Todd Helton, Rockies: 1-12

And the following starting pitchers allowed 5 earned runs or more in their first starts of the year:

Josh Beckett, Red Sox: (7 earned over 4.2)
Clay Buchholz, Red Sox: (7 earned over 4)
James Shields, Rays: (6 earned over 5)
Yovani Gallardo, Brewers: (6 earned over 3.2)
CC Sabathia, Yankees: (6 earned over 5)
Dan Haren, Angels: (5 earned over 5.1)
Tim Lincecum, Giants: (5 earned over 5.1)
Matt Cain, Giants: (5 earned over 6)

Fantasy baseball is a time consuming, aggravating, mind screw. If you are in the top of your league right now, enjoy it while you can, if you're at the bottom just know you got around 5 months to turn things around.

Best of luck to you.

-Keefe