East KY Sports Talk

Update

2010-05-01T11:53:00.003-04:00

Some more down time as we prepare for final exams. We apologize, and will be back 100% full speed starting next week as finals are over and our lives go back to normal.

In the meantime, head over to the message board and talk about anything your heart desires.

Thanks,
Neil

Let's talk about BUSTS

2010-04-28T13:12:00.008-04:00

Yesterday, news leaked that the Oakland Raiders plan to cut JaMarcus Russell. Russell, as you all know, was the #1 overall draft pick in 2007 from LSU. Physically, Russell was an animal coming out of college. Standing 6'6", tipping the scales at 260lbs, and having a cannon for an arm. Russell never did see any significant improvement in his game. He also always managed to show up at training camp 20lbs heavier than he had the previous season, tipping the scales at just under 300lbs at the Raiders most recent mini-camp.

Russell is an obvious bust, I don't think there's any room for debate on that. But my question is: Is JaMarcus Russell the biggest bust in NFL history? Only one man comes to mind that can put up a fight for this title: Ryan Leaf. Let's take a trip down memory lane for those that don't remember the details on the Ryan Leaf story (or should I call it a tragedy?)...

Leaf was a standout at Washington State, and in 1997 was named the Pac-10 Offensive Player of the Year, as well as a Heisman Trophy finalist. In the draft that following spring, Leaf and Peyton Manning were considered the top 2 players. Many actually believed that Leaf would be better than Manning. The San Diego Chargers held the #3 pick in the draft, and traded with Arizona who had the #2, to ensure that they would get 1 of the 2 coveted quarterbacks. San Diego gave up two 1st round picks, a 2nd round pick, and a 3-time Pro Bowler to move into the #2 slot. Manning obviously went #1 to Indianapolis, and the Chargers took Leaf without hesitation and knew they'd found their franchise QB of the future.

Leaf lasted 3 seasons. Russell just finished his 3rd season. So now let's make the comparisons...

Leaf

Games: 25

Touchdowns: 14

Incerceptions: 36

Yards: 3,666

Completion percentage: 48.4

QB Rating: 50.0

Salary: 4 years/$31.25 million, with $11.25 million guaranteed. This was at the time the biggest guaranteed signing bonus ever for a rookie.

Russell

Games: 31

Touchdowns: 18

Interceptions: 23

Yards: 4,083

Completion percentage: 52.1

QB Rating: 65.2

Salary: 6 years/$68 million, with $31.5 million guaranteed. It is also worth noting that Russell didn't agree to a contract until up into September, missing the entire offseason training camp.

So, who wins?

Russell had the better numbers. he was statistically better than Leaf in every catagory. However, he also made a LOT more money than Leaf did. So if you want to look at a ratio of money earned vs. performance, this one might be too close to call.

We will let the readers decide. Leave a comment or head over to the message board.

A little change

2010-04-27T17:46:00.002-04:00

Hey everyone,

Just wanted to let you all know that we're throwing a little changeup...I've created a forum/message board, to go hand-in-hand with this site.

From what I'm gathering, we're getting a lot of readers on this blog, but there's very few people commenting. I thought a message board might be a better option for most readers because it will allow you all to talk about what YOU want to talk about, instead of having to comment on the things we blog about.

The blog will continue and will serve as the place where we post our primary thoughts on the sporting world. The message board is for YOU, the readers, to say what's on your mind the way we do in the blog. Of course Tyler, Brandon, and I will be chipping in on the message board too.

The address for the board is http://eastkysportstalk.proboards.com. Be sure to add it to your bookmarks.

Thank you all for reading our blog. We hope you continue to do so daily, and continue spreading the word.

MIA

2010-04-25T09:52:00.004-04:00

Does anybody know how we can get this face on a milk carton?

Napier and I are filing a missing person report on our good friend and fellow blogger, Tyler.

In the sporting world, there's not much to post on this morning. We've covered the NFL Draft pretty well. Basketball is slow, with no UK-related recruiting news to talk about.

Stay tuned. And if you see Mr. Lykins, tell him his pal over here at East KY Sports Talk miss him.

NFL Draft, Day 2

2010-04-24T12:12:00.003-04:00

Day 2 (Rounds 2 & 3) of the NFL Draft came and went yesterday, and Day 3 (Rounds 4-7) are underway as I type this.

- Jimmy Clausen highlighted Day 2. It blows my mind that the Browns, Bills, Raiders, Seahawks and Chiefs passed on the best QB in the draft, TWICE. It simply baffles me. But their incompetence turned out to be a blessing in disguise for Clausen. He was picked up witht he #48 overall pick by the Carolina Panthers. Now he finds himself playing for a legit playoff contender instead of a bottom-dwelling, 5 wins or less team.

- Colt McCoy feel even further. He was drafted with the #85 pick to the Cleveland Browns.

- For my fellow UK fans, Corey Peters was drafted in the 3rd round by the Atlanta Falcons, and earlier this morning the Philadelphia Eagles picked up Trevard Lindley in the 4th.
(UPDATE: John Conner was drafted by the New York Jets as I wrote this post)

- The Bengals made some quality selections. Carlos Dunlap, a DE from Florida in the 2nd round...and Jordan Shipley, WR from Texas who you may remember from the NCAA Championship game.

- Who's had the best draft so far? Look no further than the Bay Area. The 49'ers are having a fantastic draft. And their neighbors in Oakland, although they foolishly passed on Jimmy Clausen, have made some quality selections too.

The Sweet Smell of Victory...

2010-04-23T09:15:00.003-04:00

I woke up this morning in a terrific mood. Why you may ask? The smell of victory was in the air as I "took down the tuna"! That's right, Neil went down last night. I might have been as indecisive as Dusty Baker trying to decide whether to lead off with Willy Taveras or Alex Gonzalez last season, however, when it came to crunch time I took care of business.

Now Neil "tuna-melt" Borders, will have to pay up, and buy me a delicious, medium-well, new york strip. Don't worry, there will be pictures taken and posted.....believe that!

Now to my first round thoughts....

- I just want to go ahead and get it over with right now, I am happy for Tim Tebow, but I don't see how you justify a first round pick on him. I know he has high character, he's a leader, a winner, and he might have been the best player in college football history (which is debatable), but his game just isn't relevant enough to waste a first round pick on. His mechanics are flawed, he doesn't get great reads on coverages, and the jump pass will get thrown down his throat in the NFL. In college he was a "man among boys" running over defenders at will, Tebow won't be able to do that in the NFL. Quite frankly, I hope the best for him because he is a natural born hero, but I don't see him ever starting in the NFL in any system.

- Josh McDaniels, what are you and the front office of the Broncos doing? You trade down to get your wide reciever in Demaryius Thomas, I understand that, but you trade back up to get Tebow, and make him your third option at quarterback? I just feel like the Broncos could have got a pocket-passer relevant to Josh McDaniels style in later rounds, the Broncos should have stayed put, and got some players to play in some need areas like a safety, Brian Dawkins isn't going bto stay young forever, or maybe another pass rushing outside linebacker to take some pressure off Elvis Dumervil. Will see how the "Tebow project" goes, because either way, your paying him first round money.

- Jacksonville takes Defensive Tackle Tyson Alualu with the 10th pick? Most didn't have him being taken until late in the first round or early in the second. This seemed like a bit of a reach to me, why not trade down and get some more pics? Why not take C.J. Spiller to boost your running game? I know the Jags have Maurice Jones-Drew, but two backs thrive in Jack Del Rio's system; take a look back at how good they were when they had Fred Taylor firing on all cylinders with Jones-Drew. Why not take Earl Thomas? You have a hole at safety, and Thomas has all-pro written all over him. Jacksonville was last in sacks last year in the NFL, why not take a pass rusher like Derrick Morgan or Jason Pierre-Paul? I guess DT John Henderson will have some company next year, or does that make him trade bait? This pick just sends a lot of mixed signals. Jacksonville should have stayed patient, traded down, picked up some picks, and got this guy later on in the first if they valued him that highly. How does Alualu make your team better? You took him at 10, for crying out loud! First round picks are supposed to instantly help from my vantage point, this pick just doesn't mold into that instant gratification.

- Al Davis has done it yet again. Davis takes an inside linebacker in Rolando McClain instead of addressing his offensive line, which was non-existent last year, or the Raiders dilemma at quarterback. I guess Al and that boys will address their issues in the later rounds? They now have plenty of linebackers after trading for Kamerion Wimbley. Instead of "Win, Baby, Win" it should be "Think, Baby, Think".

- Now that we have some of the sour stuff out of the way, lets get positive and talk about some teams who helped themselves:

Detroit Lions- You get the best player in the draft in defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh to help your line and then you pick up a speedster running back at pick 30 in Jahvid Best. Great night for the Lions they picked up maybe the next Reggie White, and got another offensive weapon to go along with Matthew Stafford, Calvin Johnson, Brandon Pettigrew, and Kevin Smith. I'm not saying they are a playoff calibar team, but they did help themselves.

San Francisco 49ers- Some question their picks of two offensive lineman in the first round, but I like it. Offensive tackle Anthony Davis has more upside than anyone in the draft and offensive guard Mike Iupati is a house, whose great in run blocking schemes. Mike Singletary is bringing back the "Monster's of the Midway" old school, Chicago Bears football to the bay.

Dallas Cowboys- They just rolled out the carpet for Dez Bryant, Tony Romo must be the happiest man in Texas at this moment. They pick up arguably the best talent in the draft at 24 to go with Wide receivers Miles Austin and Roy Williams, not to mention the pass catching abilities of Jason Witten, and you still have Marion "Tugboat" Barber at running back and the lightning-fast Felix Jones, pretty good day for the 'Boys! In my book, they just moved up to the third best offense in football behind the Saints and Colts.

All in all, this first round had a lot of shifting, lot of head scratching picks, and best of all, enough drama for your momma! Oh, I almost forgot to mention the biggest winner of the draft, "ME" or did I already mention that? Either way, it was an entertaining first round and I can't wait for Borders to entertain me with a steak!

Until Next Time, Adios!

1st round thoughts

2010-04-23T00:19:00.003-04:00

Congrats to Brandon, who won the 2010 mock draft duel. He flip-flopped more than John Kerry, but in the end was able to correctly pick 8 or 9 of the 32 selections, which doesn't sound like much until you sit down and try to do it better yourself.

Round 1 came and went, and had even more "wow" moments than usual. Here are some quick thoughts i'm left with...

- How does the best QB in the draft slide completely out of the 1st round? Clausen will be gone in the first 5 picks of friday night's 2nd round. Maybe as soon as the 2nd pick of the 2nd round, which belongs to the Minnesota Vikings.

- Cleveland's offense has been historically bad the last couple of seasons, yet they spend their 1st round pick on defense. Not only that, but a player they could have still grabbed had they traded down 3-4 spots.

- Al Davis lives up to his reputation and provides another draft day "wtf" moment, although not as questionable as other moves in recent years. Rolando McClain will be a great football player for the Raiders but they have far too many holes to fill on the O-line, and their QB situation is an obvious mess.

- Tim Tebow is on a "Rocky Mountain High". I knew some team just couldn't resist, but I didn't think it'd be Denver. They spend a 1st round pick on a guy that will be the #3 QB on their depth chart. Is Josh McDaniels the new Al Davis?

- Bob Stoops is apparently the John Calipari of football, with 4 Oklahoma Sooners going in the 1st round, including 3 of the top 4 picks. The Big 12 dominated the 1st round of the draft, having 9 players from their league selected.

- Ben Roethlisberger remains a Steeler. I can't help but think that the Rooney's weren't too serious about getting rid of him because i'm sure they got offers tonight.
-

What a day!

2010-04-22T17:41:00.002-04:00

It's days like this that make running this blog so fun.

- To start the day off, I was able to get some airtime on Sirius/XM Radio's "Rivals Radio" show. If you're not familiar with it, it is a daily show from rivals.com and they REALLY know their stuff. Host Bill King is great, and took UK's side basically every time all other media outlets threw us under the bus during the Tubby and Billy G departures. Check their site out HERE. If you're a fan of college basketball and football, then this show alone makes the XM or Sirius subscription cost worth it.

I was able to ask Bill King if he thought Marquis Teague would end up at UK. He said he believed he would, didn't claim to have an inside scoop but that was just the way it was looking. He also said that even with Gilchrist, Teague, and Quincy Miller (who UK is the leader for), UK's 2011 class wouldn't be the best class of all time.

- At 1:30pm Bill, along with Evan Daniels and a few others found their predictions came true as Marquis Teague, the #2 recruit in the 2011 class committed to Kentucky. UK now has verbal commitments from the top two players from the class, and is in the lead for the #3 player too.

- For a night cap, we have the NFL draft. I absolutely love the NFL draft and think it's great that they've changed the format to put it into primetime.

A few predictions for the draft:

- Ben Roethlisberger and Albert Haynesworth will have new teams, with Big Ben getting his new home sometime tonight. Both are mega-stars int he league who aren't seeing eye-to-eye with their respective front offices, and Draft Day is the biggest trade day of the NFL year. Pittsburgh is shopping Roethlisberger for a 1st round pick, preferably a high one. Speaking solely in terms of talent, he's definitely worth it. But he's out for at least 4 games, possibly 6. Will a team give up that high of a draft pick for a player that will will have to set out AT LEAST 25% of the season? I believe one will be pull the trigger before all is said and done.

- Tim Tebow will be drafted in the 1st round. I can't help but think that so many scouts and GM's are simply downplaying their interest in Tebow so he will be available late in the 1st round. I'm going to go out on a limb and say he's drafted by New England.

- For fellow Bengals fans: Earl Thomas, Taylor Mays, Jermaine Gresham. One of these 3 names will be called when the Bengals make their choice with the #21 pick. Who Dey!

Last Minute Changes...

2010-04-22T12:01:00.002-04:00

I guess since the 2010 NFL Draft is coming up soon, i'm am scattering, indecisive, and changing picks on my mock draft by the minute. So here is my final mock draft...

1. St. Louis- Sam Bradford, QB

2. Detroit- Ndamukong Suh, DT

3. Tampa Bay- Gerald McCoy, DT

4. Washington- Trent Williams, OT

5. Kansas City- Eric Berry, S

6. Seattle- Russell Okung, OT

7. Cleveland- Dan Williams, DT

8. Oakland- Anthony Davis, OT

9. Buffalo- Bryan Bulaga, OT

10 Jacksonville- C.J. Spiller, RB

11. Denver- Earl Thomas, S

12. Miami- Sergio Kindle, OLB

13. San Francisco- Jimmy Clausen, QB

14. Seattle- Derrick Morgan, DE

15. NY Giants- Rolando McClain, ILB

16. Tennessee- Jason Pierre-Paul, DE

17. San Francisco- Joe Haden, CB

18. Pittsburgh- Maurkice Pouncey, OC

19. Atlanta- Brandon Graham, OLB

20. Houston- Kareem Johnson, CB

21. Cincinnati- Dez Bryant, WR

22. New England- Jermaine Gresham, TE

23. Green Bay- Mike Iupati, OG

24. Philadeaphia- Kyle Wilson, CB

25. Baltimore- Demaryius Thomas, WR

26. Arizona- Sean Weatherspoon, OLB

27. Dallas- Charles Brown, OT

28. San Diego- Ryan Mathews, RB

29. NY Jets- Linval Jospeh, DT

30. Minnesota- Jared Odrick, DT

31. Indianapolis- Jerry Hughes, OLB

32. New Orleans- Daryl Washington, OLB

No more changes, now its time just to sit back and see what happens!

Until Next Time, Adios!

The Showdown...

2010-04-21T10:38:00.006-04:00

Looks like me and Borders will recoil an old rivalry as we battle off in a "Mock NFL Draft" showdown! This makes the third year we have squared off, with this year being the "rubber match". I won in 2008 and he won last year. This year the stakes are high! The loser must buy the other a steak dinner and will probably brag on a "must-read" post on this website. All in all, I don't like to lose and neither does he.

Since he posted yesterday, I guess we have saved "The Best for Last!" Here is my revised mock draft, which is much different from the one I posted a month ago.

1. St. Louis Rams- Sam Bradford, QB... Rams will try to hit a home run and get their quarterback for the future. Question is can he come back from a nasty arm injury to be their QB for a long time to come? Only time will tell.

2. Detroit Lions- Ndamukong Suh, DT... Best player in the draft. He looks like a young John Randle, Suh will have an immediate impact in Detroit.

3. Tampa Bay Bucs- Gerald McCoy, DT... Strength and quickness not only to stop the run, but also get to the quarterback in a hurry. The "Tampa 2" will be back with McCoy being the Warren Sapp hybrid.

4. Washington Redskins- Russell Okung, OT.... With the new acquisition of Donovan McNabb, Mike Shanahan will look to protect his new quarterback and get an offensive tackle to help in his zone blocking scheme.

5.Kansas City Chiefs- Brian Bulaga, OT... If I were the Chiefs GM I would go with Eric Berry at this position, but I can see the relevance of bolstering your line as well. I see the Chiefs going safe and taking Buluga to play opposite beside one of the their first round draft picks last year Brendan Albert.

6. Seattle Seahawks- C.J. Spiller, RB... This will come as a shocker to some, but I see Pete Carroll pulling the trigger and taking a Reggie Bush-esqe back in Spiller. Carroll will find ways to use this speedster just like he did Bush at USC.

7. Cleveland Browns- Eric Berry, S...This is the steal of the draft! Berry when it is all set in done, maybe the best player to come out of 2010 draft. He's a younger version of Ed Reed with his pursuit of the football. The Dawg Pound will love this pick and they will get exactly what they want: A playmaker on the defensive side of the ball.

8. Oakland Raiders- Trent Williams, OT... He has some character issues, but who doesn't in Oakland? Williams will make a great addition to the Raiders line. This is just a guess, because who knows what Al Davis is going to do?

9. Buffalo Bills- Dan Williams, DT...Williams has moved up the draft board in a hurry. Buffalo will use the big nose tackle to give their 3-4 defense some much needed credibility.

10. Jacksonville Jaguars- Earl Thomas, S... Two safeties in the top 10? I must be crazy! I know they wasted a pick on safety Reggie Nelson in the past, but this time they will get a gem in Thomas, he's mentally and physically ready for the NFL.

11. Denver Broncos- Rolando McClain, ILB... Some people say Dez Bryant, but with his character issues in question, they will look to bring in a tackling machine in McClain.

12. Miami Dolphins- Derrick Morgan, DE... He will fit in nicely to the 3-4 defense. They can use this quick defensive end outside as either an end or an outside linebacker to put pressure on the quarterback.

13. San Francisco 49ers- Anthony Davis, OT... Best pure pass-blocker in the draft, they need a right tackle and Davis has great value at 13.

14. Seattle Seahawks- Jason Pierre-Paul, DE... The comparison to Mario Williams is spot on, this would give the Seahawks a great guy on the edge with pass rushing ability. This would give the Seahawks two great picks in the first round.

15. New York Giants- Mike Iupati, OG... The Giants have a need at the guard position and Iupati is going to be a great one. He has great footwork and the power to help the Giants relentless run attack offense.

16. Tennessee Titans- Brandon Graham, OLB... Graham has shot-up the draft board since the senior bowl. He will be an under-sized end in the NFL, but the Titans had success on prior under-sized ends, so why not Graham?

17. San Francisco 49ers- Jimmy Clausen, QB... Maybe Alex Smith's days are numbered in San Francisco, if not, watch for someone to trade up to this pick and get Clausen.

18. Pittsburgh Steelers- Maurkice Pouncey, OC/G...Pouncey has the versitility to play either center or guard for the Steelers, his physicality will be well liked in the "Steel" city.

19. Atlanta Falcons- Jerry Hughes, DE... This guy could go anywhere from 12-30, just depends on your preference. He's a great speed-rusher from the outside with excellent speed, a good fit for Atlanta.

20. Houston Texans- Joe Haden, CB... They're definitely going corner. After Dunta Robinson left town; it is currently the Texans biggest weakness. Haden will be a great fit in Houston.

21. Cincinnati Bengals- Dez Bryant, WR... Marvin Lewis must have found a four-leaf clover, because Bryant would be an instant playmaker for the Bengals. He's got top 10 talent and an attitude that will right along with the rest of the "riff-raff" in Cincy. If his character problems dwindle he could be the offensive rookie of the year.

22. New England Patriots- Sergio Kindle, OLB... Perfect fit for the Patriots. His pass-rushing abitlity will already put him in a starting role for the Pats, if he drops this far, he will be a steal.

23. Green Bay Packers- Kareem Jackson, CB... They need a corner to go with Woodson, and he's the best on the board.

24. Philadeaphia Eagles- Charles Brown, OT... This guy is underrated, he played in a great system at USC, and will be around the league for many years to come. Great runblocker and could possibly be the best offensive tackle taken in this draft, when it's all set and done.

25. Baltimore Ravens- Jermaine Gresham, TE... I see Baltimore trading this pick, but if they get it look for them to take someone to replace Todd Heap and his production, Gresham is the best pass-catching tight end in the draft.

26. Arizona Cardinals- Demaryius Thomas, WR... Good replacement for Boldin, has top-15 potential, and will be a great asset for Matt Leinart or Derek Anderson.

27. Dallas Cowboys- Roger Saffold, OT... They need someone to replace Flozell Adams and he's the best offensive tackle left. Similar situation to what Green Bay has to do at 23. If Brown slips the Cowboys wouldn't hesitate to get his services.

28. San Diego Chargers- Ryan Mathews, RB... Great 1-4 gap runner and will be a great compliment to Darren Sproules. Watch nose tackle Terrence Cody's name to come up here as well, after the departure of Jamal Williams

29. New York Jets- Jared Odrick, DE... Chalk-up another good pick up for the Jets this offseason. He's versatile and can play defensive end or tackle.

30. Minnesota Vikings- Kyle Wilson, CB... Great value pick at this point, he would be a nice addition to a secondary who gave up a ton of yards last year.

31. Indianapolis Colts- Tyson Alualu, DT... Fits the penetrating, all-or-nothing, defensive style of the Colts.

32. San Diego Chargers- Everson Griffen, DE... The super bowl champs get a kid with great pass-rushing skills and character flaws, if he gets his act together, he could be great.

On the Brink of the First Round

Taylor Mays, S

Colt McCoy, QB

Arrelious Benn, WR

Carlos Dunlap, DE

Bruce Campbell, OT

There are a number of scenario's that could come up. Trades will probably be abundant, but we don't know those yet. I can see it now, a delicious Ribeye compliments of Neil Borders, ah, how sweet it will be!

Until Next Time, Adios

Revised and final NFL mock draft

2010-04-20T13:42:00.003-04:00

Trades and free agency really changes how a draft will play out. For instance, the Skins will definitely not even be considering taking Jimmy Clausen with their #4 pick like I originally predicted now that they've signed Donovan McNabb. So With a little over 24 hours until the draft begins, here is my final guess at how it'll go...

1. St. Louis Rams - Sam Bradford, QB Oklahoma. This is a no brainer.

2. Detroit Lions - Ndamukong Suh, DT Nebraska. This is 100% a wrong move, but hey, it's the Lions. They desperately need to protect their franchise QB, but will go with the best player in the draft instead.

3. Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Gerald McCoy, DT Oklahoma.

4. Washington Redskins - Russell Okung, OT Oklahoma St. The Skins get their franchise QB, now they get the #1 O-lineman in the draft to help keep him clean. Look out NFC East!

5. Kansas City Chiefs - Brian Baulaga, OT Iowa. Matt Cassell got mauled last year so KC will take the best available O-lineman.

6. Seattle Seahawks - Eric Berry, Safety Tennessee. Pete Carroll won't pass on arguably the #1 player in the entire draft.

7. Cleveland Browns - Jimmy Clausen, QB Notre Dame. New Browns GM Mike Holmgren has worked with some of the best QB's of all time: Montana, Young, and Favre. He should love having the top QB prospect of 2010 fall to him with the #7 pick.

8. Oakland Raiders - Bruce Campbell, OT Maryland. Raiders owner Al Davis loves guys who put up crazy numbers, and Campbell's numbers at the Scouting Combine were unreal.

9. Buffalo Bills - Trent Williams, OT Oaklahoma. You can never go wrong with picking a stud O-lineman, which Williams clearly is.

10. Jacksonville Jaguars - Derrick Morgan, DE Georgia Tech. If the jags ever want to with the AFC South, they'll have to take care of business against Peyton Manning. So they will add another quality pass rusher after signing Aaron Kampman.

11. Denver Broncos - Rolando McClain, ILB Alabama. Linebackers are rarely drafted this high, but Josh McDaniels isn't exactly a conventional thinker on draft day.

12. Miami Dolphins - Jason Pierre-Paul, DE/OLB South Florida. Bill Parcells LOVES drafting linebackers. Pierre-Paul will fit in nicely in Miami's 3-4 defense.

13. San Francisco 49'ers - Joe Haden, CB Florida. The Niners go with the best player available (BPA) and crab the top corner in the draft.

14. Seattle Seahawks - CJ Spiller, RB Clemson. The Hawks grabbed the top defensive playmaker with their first pick, now they pick up the top playmaker on the offensive side of the ball.

15. New York Giants - Dez Bryant, WR Oklahoma St. Eli Manning needs someone to throw the ball to. Bryant is a top 10 talent, but his character issues will cause him to slide.

16. Tennessee Titans - Everson Griffen, DE Southern California. After losing Kyle Vanden bosch and cutting Javon Kearse, the Titans have absolutely nothing at defensive end.

17. San Francisco 49'ers - Anthony Davis, OT Rutgers. The Niners go BPA again and get a quality O-lineman.

18. Pittsburgh Steelers - Maurkice Pouncey, C/OG Florida. As much as everyone would enjoy seeing Roethlisberger get his brains knocked out, if the Steelers want to keep him as their franchise QB, then they absolutely must get some O-line help.

19. Atlanta Falcons - Brandon Graham, DE Michigan. The Dirty Birds were not a very good pass rushing team. If they want to win the very competitive NFC South, they need to address this issue.

20. Houston Texans - Kyle Wilson, CB Boise St. Houston's secondary was already bad and got torched by Peyton Manning on two different occasions last season. Then on top of that, Houston's best CB left in free agency.

21. Cincinnatti Bengals - Earl Thomas, Safety Texas. The Bengals will be tghrilled if a player as good as Earl Thomas falls to them.

22. New England Patriots - Jermaine Gresham, TE Oklahoma. The Pats need a tight end, and the best tight end in the draft falls right in their lap. Belichek luck strikes again.

23. Green Bay Packers - Taylor Mays, Safety Southern California. Go back and watch what Kurt Warner did to the Packers in the playoffs if you have any queestion what Green Bay plans on doing with this pick.

24. Philadelphia Eagles - Mike Iupati, OG/OT Idaho. Andy Reid goes BPA and gets his new franchise QB some extra protection.

25. Baltimore Raven - Jared Odrick, DE/DT Penn St. Will make a perfect lineman in a 3-4 defense.

26. Arizona Cardinals - Sean Weatherspoon, ILB Missouri. Arizona was hurt badly from players leaving as Kurt Warner, Anquan Boldin, and Karlos Dansby are all gone. They will replace Dansby with this pick.

27. Dallas Cowboys - Nate Allen, Safety South Florida. Jerry Jones gets an upgrade at a much needed position.

28. San Diego Chargers - Dan Williams, DT Tennessee. San Diego cut their starting nose tackle. Williams has great numbers and enough size to play nose tackle.

29. New York Jets - Sergio Kindle, OLB Texas. You can't have enough pass rushing linebackers in a Rex Ryan defense, and the best OLB in this year's draft falls right in his lap. The Jets' great offseason keeps on rolling.

30. Minnesota Vikings - Patrick Robinson, CB Florida State. BPA for the Vikings.

31. Indianapolis Colts - Charles Brown, OT Southern California. Colts' O-line is still good, but it's not what it used to be.

32. New Orleans Saints - Carlos Dunlap, DE Florida. New Orleans has needs at DE, and Dunlap is a steal at #32

The Great Salesman

2010-04-18T19:41:00.003-04:00

When John Calipari agreed to become the head coach of UK Basketball, even the program's biggest haters couldn't deny what a remarkable combination it was: The NCAA's hottest coach and best recruiter, brought together with the most succesful and storied team in America.

How good of a salesman is Coach Cal? He makes roughly $4 million per year to coach the Cats, but I personally belive he could make more money by selling cars or real estate. That's how good he is. Bring a man of his recruiting caliber to a school that can practically recruit on it's own just by it's namesake, and you get what we currently have at the University ofd Kentucky. Kentucky's practice facility, arena, fanbase, and history are second to none. Calipari's ability to put young men into the NBA is second to none. And now these two special forces are working together to make history and to make magic for the Commonwealth.

The Big Blue Nation let out a collective gasp when the Cats were eliminated in the Elite Eight and a mass exodus occured in which 5 players departed for the NBA. How did Calipari respond? By signing the #1 point guard in the country, the #1 shooter in the country, and arguably the best big man in the country (via Turkey, of course)....

Last year's class of Wall, Cousins, Bledsoe, Orton, Dodson, and Hood can be argued as the best recruiting class ever. The '10 class is looking to be almost as good. Rivals.com listed Brandon Knight as the #1 high school player in the nation in their latest update. They have Doron Lamb ranked #21, but he is regarded as the best shooter in the country. Enes Kanter isn't ranked at all, but many believe he is a better big man than Jared Sullinger who is the #3 player in the country and the MVP of the McDonald's All-American Game.

It doesn't stop there. Mike Gilchrist verbally committed to the Cats last week too. Gilchrist was considered by many to be the best high school player in the country this past season...as a sophmore. Some experts have said he is the best high school player to come out of the northeast since Kobe Bryant. Wow. UK is also in the lead for #3 player Quincy Miller, #9 player Anthony Wroten Jr, and is running in a two team race with Louisville for #2 player Marquis Teague. If Cal can sign all these guys, the 2011 class will without doubt be the top recruiting class of all time.

3 seasons at Kentucky. 3 of the top 10 recruiting classes in the history of college basketball. If Calipari doesn't hang Banner #8 (and more), it certainly won't be due to a lack of talent.

Guilty until proven innocent...

2010-04-16T11:25:00.002-04:00

Today i'm going to do something that I REALLY don't like doing: I will defend a person that I don't like. As a Bengals fan, I can't stand Big Ben and in particular, the Steelers organization as a whole.

If you're not familiar with the Ben Roethlisberger situation, allow me to make a long story short: a woman accused him of sexual assault, and there was not enough evidence to make an arrest or file charges. This was the second time in 8 months that such accusation has been made against Roethlisberger. In July '09, a woman made the same claim against the Steelers quarterback, only to have a co-worker swear an affidavit saying the accuser was not only bragging about sex with Big Ben, but was hoping that she'd be pregnant by the 2 time SuperBowl winner.

No charges filed. No arrests made. And a two game suspension likely coming. This is where I take issue.

Obviously we are supposed to have a "innocent until proven guilty" mentality. And sure, he puts himself in this situation by drinking, partying, and sleeping around. But unless there is a clause in Roethlisberger's contract that says "I promise to be a good guy", then suspending him is wrong.

The Georgia District Attorney who declined to file charges against Big Ben said it best: "We do not prosecute morals, we prosecute crimes". Roethlisberger might be a sleazeball, and as a public figure and role model to young kids, he should be ashamed of himself. But the NFL and Steelers organization should not start this new precedent of punishing players for crimes they have not committed, or actions that aren't even crimes to begin with.

The Best of the Best..

2010-04-16T09:11:00.002-04:00

It feels like its been forever since I have graced your computer screen with my infinite wisdom, or lack there of. If you have read my opinion pieces before you know I love controversy! This post will be no different and i'm sure you, your pal, your neighbor, and even your baby cousin will probably disagree, but that's what makes this so fun, and I hope to hear your opinions'.

Now lets get to the good stuff! With the NBA playoffs coming up next week, I started pondering on some of the "NBA stallions" I have watched in the past, great players I have watched have incredible games, and lead their teams to history. Being 25 years old, I have seen game-winners, game-missers, and saw some get late game-jitters.

I have decided to turn the "sports blog world" on its ear, and give you my Top Five NBA Players that I have "seen" in my short time on this earth. For some of the older readers I hope to see yours as well, and that goes for the younger readers as well. I will go in descending order starting with 5 and going to 1.

5. Larry Bird- The "Hick from French Lick" was silky smooth. Bird could do it all on the court, he, of course, could shoot; when he walked in the gym you better find him, or it could be a long night. His miraculous passes, just when a defender thought he had good position on Bird and "stopped the ball", Larry Legend would pull a shoestring pass to Parish, Johnson, McHale, etc. and make the defense look as if they were standing in quicksand. Always a joy to watch him and Magic Johnson in the 80's.

4. Magic Johnson- He made "showtime" in L.A. When the Lakers came on a fast break in the 80's you better watch out! Johnson was one in a million, he could handle, post up smaller guards, and could make the hardest play look rudimentary. Magic was 6'9 and was the first "Taller" point guard I had ever seen. He had the body of a power forward, with the ball skills of a guard. Johnson and Bird made the 80's "must see" basketball.

3. Shaquille O'Neal- Never has a center came in the league and dominated like Shaq did since the days of Russell and Chamberlin. Shaq was 110% power basketball! Brilliant post moves, an excellent defensive presence, an eye for rebounding, and just an intimidating presence in the paint. With his numerous titles and big heart, Shaq was and still is, a lot of fun to watch. He literally brought weightlifting into the NBA. Why you might ask? No one could guard him, so centers' power forwards', etc. had to get stronger or "The Diesel" would push them all over the court.

2. Kobe Bryant- The "Diva" of the NBA is undeniably a great player. He mirrors Michael Jordan with his all-around play. I'm not a huge Bryant fan, but he is a winner! Bryant has an uncanny ability to put the ball in the hoop and now in his later years, he gets other teammates involved. He has learned to be unselfish and play "team" basketball. I would describe Bryant as a player who evolved from a talented scorer to an all-around dynamo. Look at his hands, he has the rings to prove it.

1. Michael Jordan- If I was to put a video of the game of basketball in a time capsule for the future, it would be an hour of his "Airness" playing the game. He was the complete player on the court, with his offensive presence, he did things unimaginable with basketball in his hands, came through in the clutch time and time again, and made the people that played around him better. On the defensive end, he was just as tenacious. He would guard the best player on the court, be counted on to score, distribute, and could handle pressure brilliantly. I loved to watch Michael Jeffery Jordan play the game! He truly he is the greatest of all-time!

- Now I know, some of you are saying "Where's LeBron?" Yes, he is amazing and yes, I love to watch him play. In my opinion however, I want to see him play at a high-level as long as the guys I have mentioned on this post and I want to see him win a ring. When he does that I will most likely move him up. I can't wait to see your top 5, leave it in the comment box, and let me hear the ridicule. The thrill of debate, you got to love it!!

Until Next Time, Adios!

Back to work...

2010-04-16T00:18:00.002-04:00

Sorry about the downtime. Tyler is coaching girls t-ball, Brandon has been busy partying with Ben Roethlisberger, and I'm teaching a "Zumba for Men" seminar...

Just kidding of course.

Everyone's been extremely swamped with school, work, etc. Add that to the fact that it's a slow time of year in the sporting world, and you've got yourself a blog that needs a little TLC. We'll be back full force starting this week.

Thanks for reading,
- Neil Borders

Catch a glimpse of the future...

2010-04-10T15:19:00.003-04:00

Wondering what the future holds for UK basketball? Check out the Nike Hoops Summit tonight at 10pm on Fox Sports.

Many UK recruits (and one signee) will be taking the floor in this All-Star game. The USA team is highlighted by Brandon Knight, who is by many considered to be the starting point guard for Kentucky this fall. Terrence Jones will also be on Team USA and he is a recruit that Coach Cal is going after HARD.

The highlight of the "World" Team is Enes Kanter, the big man from Turkey that has already committed to UK.

So check it out. You could see as much as 60% of UK's starting 5 for next season.

Why Make Things So Difficult?

2010-04-09T09:20:00.000-04:00

After four Kentucky freshman (Wall, Cousins, Bledsoe, and Orton) and an almost certainty that junior Patrick Patterson will declare soon, i started thinking about the ambidextrous process the NBA uses when conducting its "Draft Lottery".

The process gives ALL 14 teams not making the playoffs a chance to get the number one overall pick in the NBA Draft. With the team with the worst record getting the best chance to get the pick. How you might ask? Through a series of various "ping-pong ball probabilities" that would make Archimedes himself smile. My question is this fair? The NFL and MLB lets the team with the worse regular season record get the number one pick each year. Now why must the NBA make things so difficult?

I know in 1984 the NBA decided to "change it up", after accusations of teams "tanking" games to get higher picks in the draft. My question is how do you prove that? I'm sure that can be said in every sport; but seriously how are you going to tell me a professional sports organization is going to "tank" games, when fans pay their hard-earned money to watch games.

This "lottery" process also gives teams who is maybe a player away get a lot better in a hurry, when a team who has lost more games that year doesn't get the chance. Case in point: 1997, the San Antonio Spurs win the lottery and select Tim Duncan. The next year, he joins David Robinson, who was injured most of the '96 season, to win the NBA Championship the following year. Is this fair?

Look back at past draft lotteries, how many times since 1990 has the worst team in the league won the lottery? Answer: Three times! (1990, 2003,2004) How is this feasable?

I believe the NBA Draft should be conducted just like the NFL and MLB, when it comes to what team, gets what pick, in the 1st round. The worst team, with the worst record, should have a chance to get better. With the "NBA Draft Lottery" who knows if that will ever happen.

Until Next Time, Adios!

Put Him In Already!

2010-04-08T11:53:00.000-04:00

It's 2010, and the player with the most hits in MLB history still isn't in the Hall of Fame! Pete Rose compiled 4,256 hits in his days with the "Big Red Machine" in Cincinnati, but he is kept out of the "Hall" by gambling on MLB games. So, the question is should the fact that he shined on the field be looked at more than what he did off?

Pete Rose, came by the nickname "Charlie Hustle" not by hustling bookies out of money, but by his play on the diamond, where he never took a play off. How can "Hall" voters sit back and let one mistake keep the "MLB Hit King" out of the MLB Hall of Fame.

I know this is a touchy topic to some, and yes, he did make the mistake of gambling on MLB games; but it has been ages since this happened, and he has admitted to it and feels like he let the game down. People make mistakes and get addicted to things. (Drugs, Alcohol, Gambling, etc.) That being said, I believe that players voted into the "Hall" during the "steroid era" isn't the correct move. If your going to punish Rose for his crimes, you should punish players for taking illegal drugs as well.

Once again, i'm not condoning Rose's actions. I am simply stating that Pete Rose always left it on the field, help the reds win numerous championships in the 1970s, and like I said before, he is the all-time leader in hits!

His level of play on the field should be looked upon as reason enough to put Petey in the Hall of Fame. People make mistakes, just like the "Hall Voters" have for years not putting Rose in the Hall!

Until Next Time, Adios!

I want YOUR help...

2010-04-07T14:31:00.000-04:00

Spring is in the air. The smell of fresh cut grass, pollen, and everything else that makes me sneeze is all around. Seeing the leaves turn green also lets us know it's time for baseball season to kick off. There's only one problem: I dont like baseball.

Let me clarify. I actually do like the game of baseball itself. It's MLB that I don't like. No salary cap and a 162 game season make MLB baseball practically unwatchable for me. I keep my eye on the Reds and even go to a game every now and then, but thats more out of fun than it is a love for the game. So help me out...

- Help me like a sport where one player can make $33 million per year (A Rod), while one team only pays their entire roster a combined $35 million (Pittsburgh Pirates).

- Help me like a sport where a team could lose 15 games in a row and still be in playoff contention.

In the NBA and NFL, a team can draft a great player and then build a team around him. In the MLB, a team can develop a young player into a superstar only to find themselves unable to write a paycheck big enough to keep him. It's as if there's a farm system within the league itself. A player will develop and fine tune his skills with a team like the Reds or Brewers, then the big money teams from Boston and New York roll through and sweep them away with their bottomless pit they call a bank account.

The thing I love most about football (especially college football) is that every game matters. In college football, the entire season is basically a tournament because one loss can essentially knock you out of a chance to play for the title. With a 162 game season, a team could lose 5 games in a row and not blink an eye. If your favorite football team loses 5 in a row, you'll likely find the head coach sitting at the local unemployment office come seasons end. (Note: The NBA season is WAY too long too, but that's another story itself.)

I Got News for You Two.....

2010-04-06T18:40:00.000-04:00

Now don't let the title think I am attacking you guys lol. Neil and Tyler, I have read both of your arguments, and they're both compelling. Now being that my opinion is still not changed, I will tell you why I still agree that the mid-major won't be as competitive in the upcoming years, when it comes to the final four. Remember, I said "FINAL FOUR". Maybe, the squirrel will find a nut and cause some upsets, but it won't be "final four worthy".

Neil- The "one and done" rule will help more than hinder, reasoning behind:

1. Some of those players that might have went on to the NBA are now going to college for a year, these players can help win a national championship. i.e. Carmelo Anthony.

2. All these big names will go to teams in power conferences. The "little man" will get lost in the shuffle.

3. Coaches once exposed to the mid-major usually end up at power conferences after they show they can coach. Mark Few, is the exception. This means some coaches who go to power conferences, are proned to look at not only the "one and done's" but the "leftovers" as well. i.e. Thad Matta, when at Xavier he got "leftovers" to play well for him, and now he gets some players like Evan Turner during recruitment and he turned out to be a star! He was ranked #49 by ESPN in the class of '07. He turned out to be pretty good under a coach that learned at the mid-major level.

Tyler- I love your opinion on buying into the system at the right time; and your right, the parity this year was great. However, you are looking at a year when teams like N.C., UCONN, and UCLA were all down. This isn't going to happen year after year. The perennial powers will be back to the forefront next year.

You see, what your saying will happen, about every 5 to 10 years. I think we saw a year when like I said in my post, you found that special mix. Let see what kind of schedule Butler has next year and if Brad Stevens stays. I give them credit they beat some good teams, but lets face it this year, didn't have the "big dogs" at their best.

I just feel like talent will still rise to the top, history shows it. I could be wrong but I just feel the mid-major's don't have the same talent as the power conferences, fluxuate in coaching too often to stay competitive, and it take that special team to find that chemistry you talk about.

- So guys that is only my opinion, you guys have valid arguments; but lets just see if they can have the same success year after year before we say mid major teams will be getting to the final four as much as power conferences. History tells us it doesn't happen often. Lets let them make more history before we predict history.

Until Next Time, Adios!

Tyler Will Now Stick His Nose In

2010-04-06T18:29:00.000-04:00

I think that this years tournament is proof that college basketball is not what it used to be, in today's game there is so much parity that anyone team seeded in the top 10 or 12 seeds could make the Final Four. So, therefore, I think that experience and playing within a system will be the number one factor in every tournament. Take a look at Butler, they were not as talented as Syracuse, Kansas State, Michigan State and Duke, they defeated three of those teams and nearly knocked off Duke. In my opinion, Butler will be a top 5 team next season, but that does not mean that they will make the Final Four once again. It all boils down to this, which teams are buying into the system at the right time, if you play a certain way and your players are hitting stride and buying into the system at tournament time, then you will go far.

System and Chemistry > Talent...I don't care what Calipari says.

Neil disagrees with Brandon.

2010-04-06T17:11:00.000-04:00

Nice read on your take on the mid-majors, but I must respectively disagree with you on this one, bud.

There is more parity than ever in college basketball. Look at how long it's been since UK won a title and look at how long it took for Duke to win another title. Here's why...

The one and done rule
Thanks to the "one and done" rule, players are no longer allowed to jump straight to the NBA after high school. This makes for greater parity in the game. Since players must go to college for a year, their choice of school can be totally different than if they were going to college and planned on staying for 3-4 years.

Derrick Favors to Georgia Tech, OJ Mayo to USC, Michael Beasley to Kansas St...these are all recent moves that never get made if the one and done rule didn't exist.

Whether you think the rule is a good idea or not, there's no denying that it's spreading the talent out to more teams. Mid-major coaches have to be quick to jump on other teams' "leftovers", like Butler did with Lexington's own Shelvin Mack.

Don't Get Used to the Mid-Major....

2010-04-06T15:10:00.000-04:00

For 2 out of the last 5 years a school from a mid-major conference has made the final four in men's college basketball. George Mason in 2006 and now Butler this year made memorable tournament runs, and we almost saw the Bulldogs pull of a milestone upset against Duke. In the history of college basketball, we haven't seen many of the smaller schools from a non-power conference play into the third weekend of the NCAA Tournament. So, don't get used to seeing Cinderella wear the slipper all the way to the end.

George Mason's and Butler's story is "heart felt" and true "feel-good stories" for college basketball, but for those of you who have jumped on the mid-major bandwagon, you might want to hop back off.

These stories don't come along everyday and it takes a special group of young men to go this far. Truth is, the major power conferences are going to get all the great recruits, who will automatically have the talent to make a team "Final Four Worthy", and might leave after only a season or two. Mid-major conferences will try to get the athlete to come to their school who believes in the "team game" and may get better in their system. To build a team of players who are all in it for the team, is hard to find these days. Look at the past, how many mid-major schools have been to the final four in the last twenty years? Only the two I mentioned, so finding these "team players" who are good enough to take you into the third weekend, doesn't neccessarily grow on trees.

Some may say "Butler is good and young", but do you know how hard it is to make to consecutive final fours'? Especially, when your a mid-major? Gordon Heyward could go pro, injuries could occur, and this team will not sneak up on anyone next year. Those of you already penciling-in Butler for another run, better breathe a little!

Mid-major accolades make for great stories, but that is exactly what they are stories, and not the norm. We all love to see the "little man" triumph; history shows us however, they don't have triumphant finishes a lot.

Next year, get ready to see the perennial powers come back to form and kick the little man back to the back of the line. A good "tall-tale" is a fun read, but like I said before, its just a story that will stand out, and not the norm!

2006's George Mason and 2010's Butler will be those stories. Now time to get back to the "real world" where more times than not, the norm usually prevails.

Until Next Time, Adios!

10 Reasons to Hate Duke

2010-04-05T20:26:00.000-04:00

10. Unattractive Girls- Go ahead, call me shallow, vein, a jerk, or whatever, but let's face it, Duke has some ugly chicks. When looking at girls who are in college, I don't picture Laura Bush with a Cameron Crazies T-shirt on.

9. Private School- I'm sure anyone who has attended a public university can have a little hate for a private, trust fund school, Duke is a prime example.

8. Cameron Indoor Stadium- I am sick and tired of hearing about how great of a building that place is, it's a dump, it holds about 9,000 people and the announcers sit on a cat walk, not counting the fact that it looks like a Cathedral from the outside.

7. Student Body/Uninformed Fanbase- The majority of the students at Duke University who call themselves "Crazies", probably have no clue about anything concerning the history or present of the game of basketball. As bad as I hate to say it, Lin, the Accounting major from Taiwan, is probably not the basketball guru of his time.

6. Floor Slapping- This should be self explanatory, is it really necessary to slap the floor after every, pass, dribble, shot, charge, defensive stop and water break in the game of basketball? Duke's men's basketball team spends more time with their hands on the floor than Pamela Anderson on a boat.

5. White Guys- Why so many?

4. J.J. Redick/Jon Scheyer/Kyle Singler/Steve Wojciechowski/Shain Battier- Why do you take so many charges? Then why do you slap the floor? But most importantly, why make that face as if you have been castrated with a dull butter knife every time you are in a position of agony or strain?

3. Arrogance- Duke players have acted like they have been blessed by God, as if they are the disciples of Christ, walking the Earth in search of a chick rated 4 on a scale of 1 to 10 while playing basketball and whining to every person in a black and white striped shirt.

2. Coach K- I'll be the first to tell you that, Mike Krzyzewski is a great coach, there is no doubting that, but I will also tell you that the sight, sound and thought of him repulses me. Whether it's the fact that he looks like a weasel, sounds like a weasel and complains about every call made during a game, just radiates through his being. Coach K is also associated with Bobby Knight, which is a story of it's own. Krzyzewski is a guy who can win a national title, do great humanitarian work, and still be hated by nearly everyone else who follows college basketball.

1. Christian Laettner- It's hard for me to utter that name, the mere thought of it causes me to go into a deep state of nausea and depression. Do I really have to go into the 1992 Elite 8 game, I really don't want to, and I shall not. Just by looking at his name, you should be infuriated, and want to kick the nearest thing near you. I think it's safe to say that he is by far the number one reason to hate the Duke University Blue Devils. Ughhh.

I can think of other reasons, but these are the ones that really get me, let's hear some more reasons of why you hate Duke.

As the madness comes to an end...

2010-04-04T10:31:00.000-04:00

And it's down to two.

Good vs. Evil....David vs. Golliath.

I just want to say that anyone that cheers for Duke over Butler probably also cheers for dogs to get hit by oncoming traffic as they attempt to cross the street.

Duke not only made it to the championship game, but did so in a fashion that was rubbed right in Kentucky's face by doing exactly what the Wildcats werechallenged to do and couldnt: knocked down jump shots. West Virginia put their 2-3 zone on the Dukies, and Duke responded by jacking (and making) 3's from all over the place. Kyle Single, John Scheyer, and Nolan Smith knocked down a combined 12 3-point buckets and the Blue Devils shot 52% from beyond the arc as a team. WV's Joe Mazzula, who was a hero in the Elite Eight against UK, was held to 4 points.

Neil rants on Donovan McNabb

2010-04-01T15:55:00.000-04:00

Donovan McNabb gets so little respect that even Rodney Dangerfield feels sorry for him. The Philadelphia Eagles are now entertaining trade offers for the most unappreciated sports star that I can think of.

Statistically, McNabb is a fantastic quarterback. According to STATS Inc., his 100 interceptions in 4,746 career attempts is the third-lowest interception percentage in NFL history among players who’ve thrown at least 1,500 passes. But that hasn't stopped Philadelphia residents and sports columnists being overly critical of him his entire career. From the moment his name was announced, Eagles fans boo'd viciously because their beloved team drafted him over Ricky Williams. Ask any Cleveland Browns fan if they could go back in time 11 years and take McNabb over Tim Couch and see what they say. On the contrary though, most Philly fans probably still consider it a mistake.

McNabb is coming off his sixth Pro Bowl season. Not only has he thrown for more yards and touchdowns than any QB in Eagles history, but he's their all time winningest QB too....not to mention the five NFC championship games and a Super Bowl appearance that the Eagles have earned with McNabb under center.

Now, let's look at who should and shouldn't be looking to trade for Donovan McNabb...

The following teams have their QB of the future, barring an unforeseen circumstance, won't be looking to acquire a quarterback in the next 2 years or more: Bears, Bengals, Chargers, Chiefs, Colts, Cowboys, Falcons, Giants, Jets, Lions, Packers, Patriots, Ravens, Saints, Steelers, and Texans.

- The Redskins need a quarterback but NO WAY do the Eagles trade McNabb within their own division, so they are out.

- The Cardinals, Dolphins, Panthers, and Titans still have question marks at quarterback, but they will give their respective quarterbacks more time to see if they will pan out or not.

- That leaves us with the following teams that could definitely use McNabb's services: 49'ers, Bills, Broncos, Browns, Buccaneers, Jaguars, Rams, Raiders, Seahawks, and Vikings

Here's my shortlist of 4 teams that REALLY should pursue the trade, in reverse order...

- Cleveland Browns: With Carson Palmer, Joe Flacco, and Ben Roethlisberger all in the AFC North, this division is packed with star power at QB. New Browns GM Mike Holmgren knows his quarterbacks, having coached Joe Montana, Steve Young, Brett Favre, and Matt Hasselbeck. He'd have some stud O-linemen to keep him clean, but really nobody to throw it to.

- San Francisco 49'ers: Playing in an easily winnable NFC West, acquiring a quarterback as good as Donovan McNabb should make The Niners favorites to win their division. He'd have two great, young targets to throw to in Michael Crabtree and Vernon Davis.

- Denver Broncos: If Denver can make Brandon Marshall happy and find a way to make it work with him, then they will have a fantastic WR corps with him and Eddie Royal. Their defense is also solid with stars like Champ Bailey and Elvis Dumervil. If knocking the Chargers off the throne in the AFC West is their goal, they need a quarterback better than Kyle Orton to lead the way.

- Minnesota Vikings: This one makes perfect sense. The Vikings are, from top to bottom, possibly the best team in the NFL. A very solid defense, the best runningback in the league, and an up and coming receiving corps. But Favre can't do it forever, and even if he could, who wants to deal with that drama every single offseason? The Vikings need to just trade for McNabb, shore up their QB position for the next 5 years, and enjoy the many postseasons that will soon follow.

Dreaming of a Chance

2010-04-01T08:49:00.000-04:00

When you grow up in the Bluegrass State you're brought up on church-going morals, good home cooking, and Kentucky Basketball. (Excluding U of L fans, so try not to get to offended). I can remember as a child watching the 1991-92 Kentucky Wildcats. This team would come to be known as "The Unforgettables", why you might ask? Because this was just after the dark days of UK basketball, grade tampering, and recruiting violations came about. Needless to say, most UK fans weren't in the best of spirits during basketball season.Then this group of upstarts came along and won't be forgotten by UK fans because of their hustle, passion, and never say die attitude. Plus, three "home grown" boys started: Richie Farmer (Clay Co.), Deron Feldhaus (Mason Co.), and John Pelphrey (Paintsville). They finished 29-7 and played one of the more memorable games ever, in the East Regional Final against Duke, and were beat 104-103 in overtime. Christian Laettner, blah, blah, blah, it's ancient history.

Now that you have read this, besides this team how many "home grown" UK players can you remember that made a major statement with the Cats? Probably not many. Of Course, Darius Miller came along nicely this year and Jon Hood could make significant strides this off season, but some of the more talented players from the Bluegrass that have seemed to "slip threw the cracks" and get away from the Cats in recent years. Here are a couple I think the Cats let slip away in the past.

- Chris Lofton, this sharp shooter from Mason Co. ended up at Tennessee. He had a fantastic career for the Vols, and would have looked good in blue. I know the class coming in of Rondo, Morris, Crawford, and Bradley were supposed to be the second coming, but it didn't work out that way, Lofton would've been a great fit and maybe Tubby regrets that now. I think he would have been a nice fit after Patrick Sparks graduated. He put up better numbers than Crawford and Bradley in the SEC, and should have been a Wildcat.

- Scotty Hopson, Billy Gillispie should have paid more attention to this kid, and next year you find out why. He is great athlete, whose shot will get better, and will be a first or second team all-SEC preformer at Tennessee, by his senior year. Heck, he could be an all-american by this time as well. I guess people who didn't meet Billy Clyde's defintion of "work", need not get a look. I guess Dakotah Euton could work though. HAHA

These two both got away to Tennessee! This can't happen! I implore Coach Cal if he does see potential in a Kentucky boy, don't shy away. I know McDonald's All Americans have all the accolades, but how many of them have been busts? I know Lofton had a great career, and the only player we got in the 04' class that could have "held a candle" to him was Rondo his freshman and sophomore year, and we all know what he is doing in the NBA.

I know there have been the Brandon Stockton's and the J.P. Blevins's, however, Kentucky still has a pedigree of great basketball talent. Maybe in this year's class, there aren't any players capable in the state that can play at UK, but maybe next year there will. I just hate to see UK pass up on great players from state. I always heard recruit within, and I believe in that.

Heart, loyalty, passion, will to do anything it takes to win: Kentucky "home grown" talent! The quote "if you build it, they will come." should tell high school basketball coaches in the state to coach hard, instill good work ethic in players, and maybe, just maybe......Coach Cal will come! I hope to see Kentucky High School basketball players step up, work hard, and play at Rupp, not only for the state tournament, but as a Wildcat!

Mass Exodus?

2010-03-31T20:24:00.000-04:00

Word around Columbus (site of the McDonald's All American game which is on TV right now) is that UK recruits are being told that Kentucky will be losing 5 players to the NBA this offseason.

According to CatsPause, UK target Doron Lamb said that Coach Cal told him "the whole freshmen class is leaving", and that there will be 9 open scholarships. the question is whether Cal meant that literally. Patterson, Wall, Cousins, Bledoe are all gone according to MANY reports. Then there's the 3 seniors that are obviously gone. Liggens and Harrelson are both coming back. That leaves 3 question marks: Daniel Orton, Darnell Dodson, and John Hood.

- Ortons dad apparently told Jerry Tipton of the LHL that his son will declare for the draft, but not hire an agent which would leave the door open for his possible return to Lexington. A followup came out saying Orton has yet to declare.

- Reports are also popping up that Darnell Dodson will be transferring. I don't know the basis for these rumors and a transfer just doesn't make sense here. Darnell got plenty of playing time and even a couple of starts for one of the top teams in the country.

- Some also believe that John Hood will be moving on and transferring. Although him transferring would make a lot more sense than Dodson, this is merely speculation.

This past October we were introduced to a completely new UK squad at Big Blue Madness. Prepare yourself for a possible deja vu come this October as we could see as many as 9 new Cats taking the floor at Rupp.

Building For The Future

2010-03-31T15:15:00.001-04:00

Now, I'm not here to claim that I know how to build a successful college basketball program or recruit for the present and the future, but I'm going to throw my two cents in anyway.

Coach John Calipari has proved that year in and year out he can recruit the best of the best, one and done after one and done. This is great, players want to play for a coach that can put you in the NBA, and Calipari is certainly the guy, but at some point, you have to recruit for the future and for the university. I know Coach Cal says that he will recruit the best of the best, as he should, but his entire class year in and year out should not be four 5 star players. Recruiting is not hardly a science, as players who are ranked high can be busts, and players that are ranked low, can be superstars, ie. Dwane Wade. But instead of recruiting just the best talent at each position, maybe Calipari should take a page from the Tom Izzo/Coach K playbook, and recruit the best players that fit your style and that fit your program.

If Calipari continues to recruit the way he has in the past, Kentucky will have the best players in the country year in and year out, but at the same time, will have the least experienced players year in and year out. In the future, wouldn't it be better to have a class of four players that look something like: three 4 stars and a superstar one and done type player. We all know that a superstar recruit can have an immediate impact on a programs success, but what about future success within the program. Not to toot the same horn over and over, but if you look at Michigan States recruiting classes, they are normally what I explained an ideal class to be, a few solid guys who can contribute as Freshman, but will get better and better down the road, and more importantly, leave their respected university with a degree. Say what you want about Izzo and his style of play, but Michigan State has reached the Final Four 6 out of the last 12 seasons, that is getting it done. If you have a class where you have the opportunity to get four guys like we did in the 2009 class, take it, but this should not be a yearly thing. If Cal can recruit a couple program guys to go along with a couple elite guys, not only will we have great talent, but the programs graduation rate will improve and the team will be more tournament built for the future.

As a student at the University of Kentucky, a lifelong resident of the commonwealth, and someone who has bled blue my entire life, I pay roughly 10,000 dollars a year to the university that I have loved my entire life. I want the players that play for our program to realize that they have 30,000 fellow students and millions of Kentuckians that would kill to have their opportunity, not just the opportunity to play for college basketballs greatest program, but the opportunity to receive a free education from the commonwealths flagship institute. I am proud of what we accomplished this season, but I would also hope that we have a program where the players understand what "Kentucky" means, and how great it is to wear that across their chest.

Basically, what I am trying to say is, maybe the best talent is not the best for the program, build for the future, and take pride in our university, the commonwealths college.

Lovin' the Ville'

2010-03-30T20:57:00.000-04:00

According to the Louisville Courier Journal, Louisville Head Coach, and social playboy, Rick Pitino, will recieve a 4 year extension. So, with all of the talk that our boy, Ricky P, could possibly jolt for another job has went out of the window. Pitino will be battling it out with Cal's Cats over the next few seasons, and surely enjoying a few hearty meals at Porcinis.

Expansion to 96, Not So Much....68 is Relevant

2010-03-30T10:00:00.000-04:00

Expansion is a term used in sports when talking about starting something new, whether it be a new franchise in the NBA, MLB, etc. or starting new leagues in various sports. Now, the term expansion is being thrown around in Division I, NCAA basketball. This type of "expansion" would be expanding the 64-team basketball tournament, held every March, to 96 teams!

This idea is outrageous! I know what the NCAA is dreaming of: dollar signs, cash registers' exploding, and swimming in "moolah", but is the money worth "watering down" the tourney with boring games? To those still dreaming, "Yes", but to the college basketball fan who enjoys the thrill of March Madness, "No!"

Think about the teams you would have in the tourney, I mean does college basketball really want the stigma of, "Hey, we don't have to play hard, we can have a losing record and still get in the field." Don't get me wrong not all teams with losing records are going to get in, but some will, and it makes regular season conference play irrelevant, as well as, conference tournaments.

What I do propose is expanding the field to 68. Every one-seed would be rewarded by having two teams play "play in games" to see who will play each. They already have one a year, what is the problem with having three more? This would also give three more at-large bids. If look year after year, people usually complain about three or four teams who didn't make it. This year, Mississippi State, Virginia Tech, and Illinois were all talked about as being "NCAA worthy", with this system all three would've made the field.

I feel a 68 team field would love most happy, 96 however, is just too many teams. You what they say, "if it isn't broke, don't try to fix it". With all the complaining going on year after year, what is it going to hurt to try?

Until Next Time, Adios!

Cin-cinn-ati (Part 2)

2010-03-29T15:33:00.000-04:00

We have already looked at Ardolis Chapman and his role this year, and a look at potential players on the trading block this season. Now lets look at some more questions the Cincinnati Reds have going into the 2010 MLB season.

3. How will Edinson Volquez bounce back after Tommy John Surgery?

Statistics show that it is tough for pitchers to bounce back after Tommy John Surgery because of the unpredictable nature of how they will come back from the injury. Volquez showed he had dominate stuff before his injury with a great fastball and maybe the best changeup in the game. Now, it's time to play "the waiting game" and see just what productivity Volquez can have this season. Look for him to come back slowly this year; I just can't see him bouncing back to form this season after the extensive surgery he has went threw over the past year.

4. Who is going to play left field for the Reds this year?

With Stubbs in center and Bruce in right, the left fielder for this season is still up for grabs for the 2010 Reds. A host of Reds have been looked at this spring training to fill the void in left. Some of the names vying for the opening day spot are: the resigned Johnny Gomes, Wladimir Balentin, Chris Dickerson, Laynce Nix, and Josh Anderson.

Garrett Anderson's name has also been thrown around, if the Reds were to sign the veteran he would make a nice addition in left. Look for the Reds to keep this race within the team and go with what they have now. They will platoon this position until they find their answer. They need production out of this position, if they find this, the season might be plentiful for the Reds. Big thing is they need an answer quickly.

My prediction would be that Gomes will be your opening day starter in left. He hits well, but is lacking in the defensive department. The power hitter will probably get the start after being resigned. If he hits, he stays, if not, well there are plenty of mediocre talent to choose from. haha

5. Can Jay Bruce be the player they need him to be?

Bruce will need to bounce back from a sophomore campaign in which he had 22 HR's and 58 RBI's. A nagging wrist injury cost the young right fielder last year, but this year they need more production out of Bruce.

The right-fielder is a "all or nothing" hitter, what I mean is he has power to all fields but strikeouts have hampered his production. He is sometimes a dead pull hitter who needs to spray around the baseball to all fields. If he can do this and be consistent he will become a hitter who hits around .290 to.300 all year, the Reds will be set with a lot of good sticks in the middle of their lineup. Shorten the cut and used the whole field Brucey!

These are 5 big questions the Reds have for the season, I will have more info to come on the infield, outfield, starting pitching rotation, and the bullpen of the Reds in the days to come.

I will even have what I think to be their overall record as well!

Until Next Time, Adios!

BREAKING NEWS

2010-03-29T12:39:00.000-04:00

John Wall and DeMarcus Cousins named AP All-Americans today. They are only the 9th pair of teammates to be selected together and the first since JJ Reddick and Sheldon Willliams of Duke in 2006. They are also UK's first All-Americans since Ron Mercer in 1997. Ohio State junior Evan Turner, Syracuse junior Wes Johnson and Villanova senior Scottie Reynolds round out the list.

Cin-cinn-ati (Part 1)

2010-03-29T10:08:00.000-04:00

You got to love the spring time, leaves start to bud back on trees, flowers start to bloom, and another year on the diamond picks up full speed ahead! This year our boys to the north, the Cincinnati Reds have playoff aspirations just like all the other 31 teams in the MLB. Its been 14 years since the Reds made the post-season, they would like to change that 2010. The Reds have a good nucleus in tact, but there is always question marks when it comes to small market ballclubs like the Reds. Lets look at some of these questions for this years club.

1. Where does Ardolis Chapman fit in the rotation?

The Cuban fireballer signed a lucrative contract this winter to the tune of 6 yrs. for 30 million dollars! This is big bucks for a small market ballclub to invest in a pitcher who hasn't even taken a major league mound yet. Considering they're paying him "mucho dinero" all Reds fans are hoping he comes along quickly and can get in the rotation as soon as possible.

He has shown signs of brilliance so far in spring training, with his 100 mph fastball and sharp slider he could turn out to be a gem. I look at the Reds letting him get some starts in the minor's before bringing him up to "the show". One thing is for certain this "flamethrower" has Cincy fans dreaming of a festive future and October appearances. If things keep progressing, Chapman keeps improving, the Reds could get back to the top. With a young rotation, Chapman could be, "just what the doctor ordered" to go with Edinson Volquez, Johnny Cueto, Homer Bailey, and youngster Mike Leake.

A rotation with those four, including Chapman could end up being the best young rotation in baseball for years to come.

2. Who will be on the trading block this season?

You'll hear me say this over and over, but small market ballclubs aren't able to afford and spend like bigger market clubs like the Yankees and Red Sox, and teams like the Reds have to look to build young talent. This being said, even if they build this talent, sometimes it even gets too good to afford.

Teams like the Reds grow talent and look for journeymen, players who have been around the league and are looking for a job. Sometimes these journeymen are either traded for or signed in the off-season, and sometimes they have big years, want more money, and have to be traded for younger talent.

Now that you know how the "monopoly" of baseball works, lets look at some of the players who might have to be traded:

-Bronson Arroyo- Great pitcher who changes speeds better than anyone in the league, a big market team may need a pitcher like Arroyo for the stretch run

-Aaron Harang- Another older pitcher with a live fastball and a great slider, he also might be needed by a playoff contender around July as well.

- Ramon Hernandez- Good inside out hitter that can be traded for a younger talent. If Ryan Hanigan keeps improving he could be trade bait.

- Brandon Phillips- Maybe the best overall second baseman in baseball, he will be expensive to keep around Cincy for the long-term.

Now if the Reds are in the playoff hunt this could change, but if not look for the Redlegs to shop these players.

"The Battle for 2nd Place" aka the NCAA Women's Tournament

2010-03-29T09:02:00.000-04:00

UK Hoops pulled off a nice upset over #1 seed Nebraska last night, advancing them to the Elite Eight in the women's tournament. This is a very good run for the Lady Cats as Matthew Mitchell and co. are putting the program on the map. Fortunately, Kentucky can make it all the way to the title game before they have to play the juggernaut that is UConn.

Just how good is UConn? Only 7 times in history have a men's basketball team had a perfect undefeated season. UConn's womens team has already done it 3 times under coach Geno Auriemma, and will in all likelyhoold do it a 4th this season. They've won 75 games in a row, dating back to February 5th 2008. This season they have won every single game by double digits, and 30 of their 36 wins have came by 25+. They have won their first three games in the tournament this season by a combined 148 points, easily a new record.

Good luck to UK Hoops, and let's hope they make it all the way to the championship game and pull off what would be one of the biggest upsets in sports history.

Don't Forget

2010-03-28T22:31:00.000-04:00

Kentucky still has one team left fighting to get to the Final 4, Matthew Mitchell's UK Hoops squad are playing Nebraska right now in the Sweet 16 for a trip to the Elite 8. Tune in and support the UK women's team.

The Domino Effect

2010-03-28T10:12:00.000-04:00

You might be wondering as you read the title of this post, what is The Domino Effect? Well guys and gals, it is a chain reaction of small change, then another small change, and so on. This effect will now be the portrait of UK basketball during the Calipari campaign.

We all know our boys Wall, Cousins, Patterson, Bledsoe, and even Orton will probably test the NBA Draft waters, but does this mean Calipari and the Cats will have a "North Carolina-esque", NIT year in 2010-11? The answer is no.

Lets get back to the domino effect, what I mean by making this metaphor is to say Coach Cal is going to get recruits to the Bluegrass every year, and those players will be good enough in his "dribble drive system" to probably leave after their freshman or sophomore season. Just like this year, we will see a multitude of talent each year hitting the hardwood at Rupp Arena. That being said, it will be talent that is green, and needs to be taught.

Calipari is a wizard at teaching young talent to play the game. Look at his past track record, his last two point guards were lottery picks after their freshman season, and John Wall will be the third. This year he could have up to five lottery picks under his belt. The man can flat out bring young talent together, now he has to prove if he can win the big one with 18 and 19 year old young men.

He has five straight thirty win seasons, say what you will but no one else has ever accomplished this feet, not even the "Baron of the Bluegrass" himself: Adolph Rupp can boast of this accomplishment. My question is will this Domino Effect ever bring an eighth national title to the bluegrass?

I believe it will eventually, but we all know UK fans can get a little impatient. My advice to Coach Cal: bring in the John Wall's and Demarcus Cousins's types every year, but remember the vetrans like Chris Douglas-Roberts and Joey Dorsey you had at Memphis. These older types led you to a national championship game that you almost won. Look for a couple of guys who may take a little more time to check out some of the scenery around Lexington, because you eventually will need a couple of leaders on the court, over the age of 19. I know Patterson was 21 this year but it was only year one of the Calipari/UK love affair. Coach needs to mold a couple of floor generals like him, then these little changes I speak of every year, will have us cutting the nets down and claiming number 8!!!

Until Next Time, Adios!

What a ride

2010-03-28T09:53:00.000-04:00

Maybe it was Confucius, maybe it was Forrest Gump...but somewhere in time, a wise man (or woman, no sexism from me) once said "Don't frown because it's over, smile because it happened". These are words that the Big Blue Nation need to keep in mind as we spend the rest of the weekend mourning the loss of our basketball season.

It was some bittersweet irony that UK was knocked out of the tournament on the 1 year anniversary of Billy Clyde's dismissal. It also serves as a reminder of the remarkably fast fashion that John Calipari brought this program out of the gutter and returned it to a household name.

Not much to say about the game itself. You don't shoot 12.5% from behind the arc AND shoot 55% from the free throw line all in the same game and expect to win it. You'd have a tough time beating the Auburn's and LSU's of the basketball world with numbers like those, much less a top 5 team like West Virginia.

Hang in there folks. Baseball season is firing up and all you Reds fans like me have the first 2-3 months of the season to look forward to when they fool us into thinking they might be contenders.

Napier's Final 4

2010-03-27T13:03:00.000-04:00

Mr Napier is out doing spring baseball today. But through the power of this new technology we call "text messaging", he was able to send me his Final Four picks before the games begin today...

Kansas St.
Kentucky
Michigan St.
Duke

Quentin Tarantino's Final Four Prediction

2010-03-27T11:40:00.000-04:00

Happy 47th birthday to the man behind the brilliance of Pulp Fiction, Quentin Tarantino.

The relevance of this to the NCAA Tournament, and this weekends Elite 8 games is shaky, they have about as much in common as Audrey Hepburn washing a car while embattled former USC coach, Tim Floyd, brushes his hair. Now that you are confused, let's talk about my picks to go to the Final Four.

East Region

I really don't know what else to say, I picked Kentucky to go to the Final Four in my bracket, and I am sticking with my guns. I think West Virginia will turn the game tonight into a slugfest that only a University of Tennessee team would know about, but in the end, I think Kentucky will be too much for the Mountaineers.

Winner: Kentucky

West Region

I really want to pick Butler to win and go back to their hometown for the Final Four, it's a great story and their coach, Brad Stevens, doesn't look much older than me. As bad as I want to pick Butler, I had Kansas State going in my bracket, so once again, I will stick with that selection. Kansas State will be just too much in the athleticism department, my heart says Butler, but my head says Kansas State.

Winner: Kansas State

South Region

Baylor has came a long way from the tragedy and controversy that plagued the team in 2003, Scott Drew has done something remarkable in Waco, and should be applauded. In this game, we're going to see two great defensive teams, Baylor looked great against Saint Mary's last night in the Sweet 16, but Duke has looked great all the way through the tournament thus far. I'm sticking with the trend and picking who I had in my bracket, Duke is heading to Indy.

Winner: Duke

Midwest Region

I don't think I am the only person who would have never thought that Tennessee vs. Michigan State would been the Midwest regional final, but one thing I have learned over the years in filling out a bracket is that you never go against Michigan State, I put them in the Final Four nearly every year, but this year, I went in another direction, thanks a lot Georgetown. Now, Tennessee, the job that Bruce Pearl has done this season is nothing short of amazing, they have defeated the #1 and 2 teams this season after losing their leading scorer, and now, to top it all off, they are in the Elite 8. Normally, it would be a no brainer for me, I never pick against Tom Izzo, but with the loss of Kalin Lucas and the great story of the Volunteers, it makes this decision a tough one. I'm gonna go with the SEC, and go with Tennessee to be the 2nd school from a so called bad basketball conference to reach the Final Four this season.

Winner: Tennessee

Your thoughts.

The MADNESS continues...and Neil's Final Four prediction

2010-03-27T11:33:00.000-04:00

Another day, another upset

- But is Tennessee knocking off Ohio St. really much of an upset? THEE Ohio St. University was ranked much higher, but we all know what UT is capable of since they've already beaten both Kentucky and Kansas this season.

Evan Turner had 31 points (and his 7 rebounds and 5 assists), but he needed 34. But his final 3 point attempt was swatted back into his face by JP Prince, and "Rocky Top" advanced to the Elite Eight for the first time in school history.

- The rest of the higher seeded teams took care of business. Baylor absolutely destroyed Saint Marys, earning their first Elite Eight appearance in the modern tournament era. They'll face Duke, who took care of Purdue, at 5:05pm on Sunday.

- The clock struck midnight for this year's Cinderella, as Tom Izzo and Sparty sent Northern Iowa back to Cedar Falls. Michigan St. has made it to the Elite Eight for the 7th time in 15 years under Izzo.

Final Four predictions!
Here we go....

- Butler vs. Kansas St.
I think momentum and motivation will be the key in this game. For those that don't know, Butler University is in Indianapolis. Getting to play in the Final Four is big enough. Playing in the Final Four when it's 6 miles from your campus would just be unreal.
Winner: Butler

- West Virginia vs. Kentucky
West Virginia committed 23 turnovers in the Sweet 16 without Truck Bryant running the point. If they even get close to that number against UK, I don't see any way they pull off the win. The Mountaineers, however, are a very good team defensively. We all know of Kentucky's inconsistency from behind the arc this season. They struggle against even the bad teams when they're cold from long range. On the other hand, they are capable of blowing out any team in the country when they knock down open jumpers. Kentucky needs to play smothering defense to force WV turnovers and get in transition. Improved free throw shooting is also a MUST. The Cats are a miserable 59% from the charity stripe in the tournament. Luckily the games haven't been close enough for it to matter up to this point. But if you shoot that poorly from the free throw line in a close game, you typically lose.
Winner: Kentucky

- Tennessee vs. Michigan State
I'm torn on this one. History tells us two things: Don't bet on Bruce Pearl in March, and don't bet against Tom Izzo in March. But something is pulling me towards UT in this one. Their style of play creates a great way to beat a team without it's star player. The Vols force roughly 17 turnovers a game so Michigan St. could really miss Kalin Lucas in that aspect. As far as coaching goes, Izzo has a huge advantage. But I give UT the advantage in both personnel since Lucas is out, and style of play.
Winner: Tennessee

- Baylor vs. Duke
Duke is a fantastic 3 point shooting team and Baylor runs a 2-3 zone. This is the primary basis for my prediction. But if Scheyer and Singler are both having an off night from long range, the Dukies could be in trouble. Duke must find a way to be physical of defense and slow down Baylor's Ekpe Udoh under the glass.
Winner: Duke

Lame Duck Tubby?

2010-03-26T10:27:00.000-04:00

Tubby Smith has already been a candidate for the job at Auburn this off season, well let's look at the possibility that Smith leaves the cold tundra of Minnesota and heads to the Pacific Northwest to become the Oregon Ducks next head coach. With Ernie Kent being fired after 13 seasons, the Ducks are shooting high with their list of possible coaching replacements, candidates such as:

- Mark Few

- Billy Donovan

- Jamie Dixon

- Tubby Smith

All of these names have been thrown around, the first three aren't going to happen. Few has turned down Arizona and Indiana in the last two years, Donovan said no to Kentucky and the Orlando Magic, while Dixon turned down California and Arizona, all of these guys are content. But Tubby is the intriguing candidate, he is at a job that he seems to be fine with, but can he really take Minnesota to the next level? In fact, can he get them to be a team to compete for Big Ten Championships? Which based upon the tournament thus far, is the best conference in America. If Smith were to make the jump to Oregon, he would walk into a situation where he would have new and great facilities, unlimited resources (thanks in part to Nike CEO, Phil Knight,) a higher salary, and the chance to play in an easier conference at a school with a larger recruiting base.

Now, I have no idea if Tubby would take this opportunity, in fact, if Oregon calls, he might hang up the phone before they get to the part about wearing a different jersey every game, but I think this would be a good fit for both Tubby and Oregon. You can say what you want about Coach Smith and his time at Kentucky, but there is no better tactician or adjustment coach in college basketball, with a good staff and the ability of Tubby to teach defense and get his guys to play hard, he can succeed there. If Oregon is smart, they will make their first call to the man we all know as Tubby.

Let's hear your thoughts.

South Region and a BOLD PREDICTION

2010-03-26T09:13:00.000-04:00

Looks like I am 2 for 4 so far in picking the Sweet 16 games. I'm hoping Northern Iowa and Ohio State pull threw tonight along with the two picks from this region so I don't look like too much of a fool!

No. 4 seed Purdue vs No.1 seed Duke: Purdue is without Robbie Hummel and it will really be hard for JaJuan Johnson and crew to pick up the slack against the Blue Devils. Duke comes into this game firing on all cylinders. "The Big Three" (Scheyer, Singler, and Smith) are primed for a stretch run. If Duke, is shooting the ball well it will open up their offense, and that is where they shine. Running Scheyer off of screens and hitting shots early will open Smith's ability to drive and create. Singler will contribute where needed, and Zoubek, as well as the Plumlee's will be counted on for rebounding and low post scoring. Look for the elder of the Plumlee's, Miles, to have a big game inside. Duke has an obvious advantage in this game size-wise.

Purdue will have to get production from Chris Kramer and Keaton Grant to even stay close in this game. With the size disadvantage the need to keep "Duke's Bigs" off the boards. I just don't see Purdue having answers for that size.

Predicted Winner: Duke

N0.10 seed Saint Mary's vs No. 3 seed Baylor: All I can say is Omar Sanham, what a job he's done in first two tourney games, scoring 61 points and collecting 19 rebounds. Baylor needs to use their size and athleticism to hold the big guy in check. They will not only will they have to deal with Sanham, but Mickey McConnell comes into the game leading the nation in 3-point percentage at 52 percent. They run a controlled offense and might be the most fundamentally sound team left in the tourney; they don't beat themselves.

Baylor will try to speed the Gaels up and use their athleticism to cause turnovers. Guards Tweety Carter and sharp shooter LaceDarius Dunn will look to create havoc and turn this into a track meet. Epke Udoh will give the unenviable task of guarding Sanham. Baylor will need to control him and get out on the guards of Saint Mary's.

I see this being a great game, but I love the Gaels in this one! They just stretch the defense so much, and that makes Sanham effective. Too much for Baylor to overcome.

Predicted Winner: Saint Mary's

I'm going ahead and throwing out my Bold Prediction for the weekend, which was almost ruined last night. I have been thinking about this all week, and if Xavier would have beat K State last night it wouldn't have came to be.

Bold Prediction: A mid-major will make the Final Four! Write it down! Northern Iowa, Saint Mary's, and Butler, who is already in the elite 8, are all dangerous. One of these teams will get to Indy!

Until Next Time, Adios!

Sweet 16

2010-03-26T08:46:00.001-04:00

- Butler 63, Syracuse 59
The Sweet 16 began last night and was kicked off with a bang was the second #1 seed was sent packing. Butler, whose 23 game winning streak is the current longest in Division I, scored 11 unanswered to end the game. The Bulldogs only committed 7 turnovers the entire game, compared to Syracuse who committed 12 in the 1st half alone (18 total).

I said before the Tourney kicked off that Syracuse had the easiest route to the Final Four of all the #1 seeds. However I also said that Cuse was unworthy of a #1 seed with the way they ended their regular season compared to West Virginia, and last night proved it. Last night's loss moved Syracuse's record to 6-4 over their last 10 games of the season.

Butler will take on Kansas State, who beat Xavier in a 2OT thriller that we'll discuss shortly. This is Butler's first ever trip to the Elite Eight.

- Kansas State 101, Xavier 96 (2OT)
This was a fantastic game. K-State avoided the upset but Xavier just would not go away. Xavier was down 3 with 5 seconds left regulation, and Terrell Holloway was fouled on a 3 point shot. He sank all 3 free throws with ease to send the game to overtime. Then in overtime, Xavier found themselves down 3 yet again. Jordan Crawford, little brother of UK alum Joe Crawford, and famous for posterizing Lebron in a pickup game, sank a 35 footer to send it to double OT.

Kansas St. advances to their first Elite Eight since 1988.

- Kentucky 62, Cornell 45
Hey, "David" can't win 'em all, right? David came out and punched Goliath right in the mouth from the opening tipoff when Cornell took an early 10-2 lead. Kentucky responded in monster fashion however, going on a 30-6 run to end the half.

Kentucky's 62 points were it's 3rd lowest total of the season. But defensively, Kentucky was near flawless. Cornell was the nation's top 3-point shooting team, and the Cats held them to just 24% from behind the arc.

Looking ahead to today's games

- #6 Tennessee vs. #2 Ohio State, 7:07pm....Evan Turner might be the best player in the nation. But if UT loses this one, Bruce Pearl will challenge him to a sweating contest, a battle where Turner stands no chance.

- #10 Saint Mary's vs. #3 Baylor, 7:27pm...Both teams have looked impressive and this one could go either way.

- #9 Northern Iowa vs. #5 Michigan State, 9:37pm...Can NIU do it again? Or will Ali Farokhmanesh suffer from the "Sports Illustrated curse"? Sparty isn't nearly as good as Kansas obviously, but Tom Izzo is one of the most feared coaches in the NCAA tourney no matter how much talent his teams have.

- #4 Purdue vs. #1 Duke, 9:57pm...Purdue has already made it further than most thought they would without Robbie Hummel. However, Duke has developed themselves a nasty little habit of underachieving in the tournament, not making the Elite Eight since 2004 despite getting 27+ wins in 4 of the last 5 seasons.

Your take on UK/Cornell?

2010-03-25T07:53:00.000-04:00

A few quick thoughts before I run out the door for the day. Someone will be around later to preview Day 1 of the Sweet 16 at some point...

How exactly does Cornell pull the upset? They will have to be money from the 3 point line for starters. Kentucky needs to turn up the pressure on both sides of the ball and speed this game up as much as possible. Cal said on his weekly show that Cornell will want to run out the shot clock, and it's more than obvious that The Big Red doesn't have the horses to run with Kentucky's athletes.

Post your opinions, and GO BIG BLUE!

DeMarcus Cousins Would Like You To Quit Calling Him Stupid

2010-03-24T18:53:00.000-04:00

If you are an elitist, northeastern writer who would love to get with the Cornell Big Red, DeMarcus Cousins would like you to know that he is tired of the "smart guys" vs. "dumb guys" talk leading up to Thursday's game with Cornell.

Now, we have seen everyone from Jay Bilas to the lastest, Dan Shaugnessy of the Boston Globe make this assumption.

Cousins says, "We are here to play basketball. It's not a spelling bee." Good point Boogie.

And if you know DeMarcus, as shown in the picture to your left, he has a style that only he could pull off, and while wearing his trademark specs, he would go on to say, "Maybe I should wrap white tape around these glasses." I'm glad that he has spoke his mind and let everyone know how he and probably the rest of the guys on the team feel about the bashing that they have been getting from the Northeast media.

The biggest thing about all of this that bugs me is that, these writers act like that our guys are non deserving, because one day they will make millons of dollars in the NBA, but really, of these two teams, which of it's players probably had the hardest life growing up. For Cornell we see a bunch of guys who are intelligent and probably good young men, but more than likely grew up as trust fund babies, not to bash these guys for what they have, but before all of these members of the media want to go off saying who is deserving and who should win this game, they need to look at which of these teams players have waited their whole life for this opportunity. Which guys have made it through economic and racial struggles to reach a point that they can say, "I beat the odds, and I made it," when one of these so called "journalist" want to attack a University and a group of young men who have worked their entire life for this opportunity, they need to have a justifiable reason, until then, lay off.

East Region

2010-03-24T11:59:00.000-04:00

-The East Region has many questions surrounding it as the quartet of teams march in to Syracuse trying to survive and make it to Indy, to the 2010 Final Four.

-Some of these questions include:

1. Can West Virginia win without its starting PG Darryl Bryant?
2. Can Cornell keep up their winning ways and make it to the Final Four?
3. Will Washington prove that the west coast was better than most gave it credit for this season.
4. Can a young Kentucky team make it to Indy?

-All of these questions will be answered this weekend, but I am going to make my predictions about them first.

No. 12 seed Cornell vs No. 1 seed Kentucky: I'm not even going to mention Mark Coury, read my post entitled "What's all the Fuss About?" to see what I think about all the hysteria that is Mark Coury, and his connections between Kentucky and Cornell. That fees better! haha. Now to the game, Kentucky will be tested by this half court oriented ball club. Louis Dale and Ryan Wittman come into this game hot! Cornell is shooting over 50 percent from the field, in the tourney, thanks to these two. Kentucky will use their superior, athletic guards: Eric Bledsoe, John Wall to shut these two down. DeMarcus Cousins will try to dominate the post, but will be challenged by 7-footer Jeff Foote inside.

This game has all the variables to be a classic. Look for Cornell to try to limit UK's possessions and try to run the shot clock down every possession. UK on the other hand, will try to get out in transition and try not to have to run a lot of half court sets against the Big Red. If that is the case, the Cats will need to shoot well and when they're missing, rule the offensive glass with Cousins and Patrick Patterson.

Key to the game: Kentucky must get out on the Cornell shooters, in Cornell's losses to Kansas, Syracuse, and Seton Hall they shot right around or a little over 30 percent from 3-point range. I feel like the Cats will do this and pull out a close one!

Predicted Winner: Kentucky

No. 11 seed Washington vs No. 2 seed West Virginia: You know, I had it in my mind yesterday to pick Washington even before the injury to Bryant. Now I have even more reason to stick with my initial pick.

Isiah Thomas and Quincy Pondexter have caused havoc for Marquette and New Mexico in their first two tourney games and I see the same happening in this one. Joe Mazzulla will have to pick up the slack at PG and try to keep one of these guards in front of him, Devin Ebanks will have to do the same with the other.

Two ways I feel West Virginia can win this game: DeSean Butler and Ebanks will have to combine for at least 40 to 45 points and the big men down low will have to hit the offensive glass, if West Virginia can get 10 to 15 offensive boards and slow the game down, they can pound the ball inside to Kevin Jones and Wellington Smith.

What I feel will be their downfall is the relentless pursuit of the Washington offense. However, if the Huskies allow the Mountaineers to hit the glass this upset will not happen. Look for Pondexter and Thomas to have a big game and knock the Mountaineers off!

Predicted Winner: Washington

Until Next Time, Adios!

What's all the Fuss About?

2010-03-23T19:05:00.000-04:00

Mark Coury, a former UK player is now playing at Cornell, an Ivy League school in Ithaca, NY. You might be wondering why is this newsworthy? What's the big deal?

The big deal is that the Cornell Big Red will now take the court Thursday night in Syracuse to play the Kentucky Wildcats, the No. 1 seed of the East Region. The No. 12 seed Cornell comes into this "Sweet 16" game after pumbling No. 5 seed Temple and No. 4 seed Wisconsin. Coury is a reserve for Cornell averaging 2.5 pts and 2.4 rebounds a game this season. But he is the "talk of the town" at the moment; one might note during Billy Gillispie's first year at the program he started 29 games! It even causes one to say, "This guy started at Kentucky and can't at Cornell?"

Truth be told, Coury had no business starting at UK and might be the worst starting player talent wise, to ever play for the Cats. Say what you will, Coury can still say he was a starter at the UK. He worked hard in practice and done everything he could on the court, and as a UK fan I commend him for that.

What I can't figure out is, why is this frowned upon? Coury left school to take a 4.0 GPA to a place with a great business school. Good for him, but it seems to me like its one of those things critics say and then turn and laugh. Almost writing stories just for sarcasm. Look Coury came in as a walk-on, started 29 games (like I said before) but only averaged between 10-15 minutes a game. Is this what Cornell wants to be represented by? A smart guy, who played on a sub-par UK team, who only played 10 minutes a game.

I kind of like the sarcasm, it means UK basketball is back on top, and the media will spare no punch when it comes to crawling under Kentucky fans skin. A wise man once said, "if your on top, they'll do anything to knock you down." Some columnists' might say there just trying to do a human interest story here, but that's bologna! They know the difference in tradition when it comes to the Cats and the Big Red.

All the luck in the world to Coury and the Big Red, but I just can't wait till this game is over so I don't have to hear about how he used to start at Kentucky. By the way, thanks Billy Clyde!

Eat it up now, because gameday is approaching; CBS will get a nice shot of Coury shaking all his old buddies hands, thing is he only played with 3 out of the 12 that now make up the 2010 UK basketball team. By the way, don't forget to slow-mo the block when he comes inside on Cousins, maybe Patterson, or heck maybe even his pal Perry Stevenson. Maybe they can show that on replay and gives writers another ridiculous article to write.

Until Next Time, Adios!

Kanter to UK

2010-03-23T15:33:00.000-04:00

Evan Daniels from scout.com has reported that 2010 5 star Center, Enes Kanter has committed to Kentucky, Kanter was previously a Washington commit. Big get for the Cats, we should see the class shape up over the next 3 weeks.

NFL Mock Draft 1.0 (Cont.) 25-32

2010-03-23T12:40:00.000-04:00

Lets finish out the first round with a fury! Here is picks 25-32.

25. Baltimore Ravens- Jermaine Gresham, TE, Oklahoma. Gresham will be a nice addition for Joe Flacco and company. They have already went out this off-season and traded for Anquan Boldin, so it looks as if the Ravens will look to throw the ball more. Gresham is the best pass-catching TE on my board, and what he lacks in blocking, he will make up for in receiving. If he can stay healthy this is a can't miss for the Ravens.

26. Arizona Cardinals- Jerry Hughes, LB, TCU. Hughes will be great in the Cardinals 3-4 scheme; Arizona has a lot of free agents and Hughes will be valuable in this system. Watch out for the blitz when it comes to this guy, he can fly off the edge in pass rushing situations.

27. Dallas Cowboys- Earl Thomas, S, Texas. This will be a steal for the Cowboys! Thomas is a hard hitter and is masterful in coverage. He is a top 15 talent and will make an immediate impact for the Boys. look for Dallas maybe to move up however to get a tackle, but if not Dallas will welcome Thomas to an already explosive defense.

28. San Diego Chargers- Ryan Mathews, RB, Fresno State. They could go Terrance Cody here, but look for the Bolts to draft a productive RB like Mathews to fill the void now in San Diego after the release of LaDainian Tomlinson.

29. New York Jets- Jared Odrick, DE, Penn State. Rex Ryan is a defensive guy and Odrick is their answer at DE in Ryan's 3-4 scheme. He has speed and toughness, two things you need to play for Ryan.

30. Minnesota Vikings- Devin McCourty, CB. Rutgers. McCourty proved his coverage abilities at the combine, The Vikes need a cover corner, he's the best on the board. Perfect fit!

31. Indianapolis Colts- Brian Price, DT, UCLA. Best player on the board at this point. He can cause interior problems for other teams and will help upgrade the Colts defensive line.

32. New Orleans Saints- Sean Witherspoon, LB, Missouri. With Fujita not with the club anymore Witherspoon will step right in and the Saints the athleticism he departed with. He will play outside and will a threat on day one.

Here is the first round! I will change it if I feel it necessary. With the draft a month away look for a couple of changes.

Until Next Time, Adios!

West Region

2010-03-23T12:15:00.000-04:00

The West Region will play in Salt Lake City and two of those teams are mid-major's. This is how I see the matchups playing out.

No. 5 seed Butler vs No.1 seed Syracuse: Syracuse comes in to this game looking regenerized and primed for a final four run. Wesley Johnson is shooting the ball well again after injuring his hand during the last part of the regular season and the 2-3 zone of Jim Boeheim's can be a pest to teams who haven't seen a lot of zone play. Butler will have trouble with it and will be hard for speedy guard Shelvin Mack to penetrate the zone and find open looks for Gordon Heyward, who is only 1-10 shooting 3-pointers in the tourney so far. If he isn't hitting it could be a long night for the Bears. Matt Howard will also need to rebound well against a much bigger and athletic Syracuse ball club.

If Andy Rautins can keep it "raining threes" and Syracuse can continue to shoot at a 50 percent clip, this game could get ugly for the Bears. On the other hand, if Butler can get Mack and Heyward shooting, not let the Orange score easy in transition, hold Rautins and Johnson in check, this ball club might have a chance. I just believe Syracuse is too athletic for the Bears.

Predicited Winner: Syracuse

No. 6 seed Xavier vs No. 2 seed Kansas State: Kansas State guards Denis Clemente and Jacob Pullen have combined for 85 points in the their first two tourney games; it is easy to see, you have to control tempo and slow these two down. There is another x-factor however, the Wildcats have a big front line who love to rebound. Xavier will need to limit K State's second chances and hold them to one shot a possession to pull off the upset.

Jordan Crawford will try to continue his performance in the tourney, scoring 55 points in the first two games, but I believe that the quickness of K State will prove to be too much for Crawford and Xavier to overcome. Look for the Wildcats to get out in transition early and give Xavier fits on the defensive end with their length and big bodies inside.

Predicted Winner: Kansas State

Until Next Time, Adios!

History Made

2010-03-22T21:27:00.000-04:00

The University of Kentucky Hoops team just defeated Michigan State to advance to the Sweet 16, the first time in the modern field of 64 for the women's team to do so. Congrats to Matthew Mitchell's squad, and best of luck for the rest of the tournament.

If you are a fan of pressure defense, then you will love this team. Also, A'dia Mathies and Victoria Dunlap are straight ballers.

Great year for Kentucky Basketball.

Mock Draft 1.0 (Cont.) Picks 17-24

2010-03-22T12:26:00.000-04:00

I am beating Borders to the punch this time, lets take a look at picks 17-24 for Mock Draft 1.0.

17. San Francisco 49ers- Joe Haden, CB, Florida. I look for the 49ers to trade one of their first round picks, but for Mock Draft purposes Haden is the pick for them at 17. Haden didn't have a good combine and this once top 10 draft pick, will drop a little on my board. However, I still have him has the top CB on my board and it will be a nice addition to the Niners if they decide not bring Nate Clements back.

18. Pittsburgh Steelers- Mike Iupati, OT/G, Idaho. Talk about a big, burely, offensive lineman! Iupati will be welcomed with open arms; he will help lead the Steelers back to smashmouth football and give them a formable inside run blocker at the OG position. Welcome back Steelers.

19. Atlanta Falcons- Everson Griffen, DE, USC. Atlanta could look at running back and safety at this point in the draft, but I think they will try to bolster the defensive line with this pick. Griffen will be an edge rusher with great closing speed. Look for Griffen to be a starter soon after his arrival.

20. Houston Texans- Kyle Wilson, CB, Boise State. Dunta Robinson opted out in free agency, so this is a must need position for the Texans. Wilson showed power at the combine and the ability to burst and cover at the Senior Bowl. This is a "can't miss" player for the Texans and he will help in the secondary immediately.

21. Cincinnati Bengals- Taylor Mays, S, USC. With the signing of Antonio Bryant the Bengals will look to the future and draft a freakish athlete in Mays. He has trouble in pass coverages, but this will be a pick to look to future with. Mays will be a great addition for the Bengals. Aaron Hernandez or Jermaine Gresham could go at this pick as well.

22. New England Patriots- Brandon Graham, DE, Michigan. Graham had an outstanding Senior Bowl and led the nation last year in tackles for loss. Graham has great speed at the edge and will prove to help in run defense.

23. Green Bay Packers- Anthony Davis, OT, Rutgers. Character concerns has caused this once thought to be top 10 draft pick to fall, but the Packers are in desperate need of help on the line. He is what the doctor ordered in Green Bay: a great pass-blocker to help Aaron Rodgers get some extra time to look down field for receivers.

24. Philadeaphia Eagles- Maurkice Pouncey, C, Florida. Not a lot to say here, Eagles need a center and Pouncey is the best in this year's class. What he lacks in physical ability, he makes up for in cerebral ability. Great pickup for the Eagles.

Look for some trades in this part of the draft, a lot of teams will move up to try to get some players like S Earl Thomas from Texas and DT Brian Price from UCLA

25-32 to come.

Until Next Time, Adios!

Midwest Region

2010-03-22T11:55:00.000-04:00

The Midwest region was supposed to be the "Rock Chalk Jayhawk" region, but that is why they play the games. Here is my opinion on the matchups in this now, wide open, region.

No. 9 seed Northern Iowa vs No. 5 seed Michigan State: Kalin Lucas might be injured, but Tom Izzo will still have his team ready to play, and they better be because Northern Iowa has played the role of giant killer once and they will look to do it again. Ali Farokhmanesh shot "lights out" against Kansas and will look to do it again against the Spartans. I suspect Izzo will have his eye on this kid and one of his bigger guards will get the assignment to shut the "pure shooter" down. Korie Lucious, Durrell Summers, and Chris Allen might all guard him to give him some different looks and it will help to keep a fresh man on him. My question is how are they going to stop Jared Eglseder inside. This big man lit up Cole Aldrich in the second round and I don't know if the Spartans can limit his touches.

Northern Iowa, on the other hand, will have to contend with sharp shooting Durrell Summers and crew. Michigan State loves to run a lot of high post plays, so look for the Spartans to try to come out and get Summers open for some looks early. Without Lucas however, someone will have to pick up the slack, Raymar Morgan will look to be a "stat stuffer" and also look for his shot more in this game.

I don't look for this to be a high scoring affair, ball control will once again be a key for UNI, if they limit the possessions of the Spartans I feel like this is a very winnable ballgame for them.

I am predicting they do, and without Lucas it will be hard for the Spartans to beat the Panthers.

Predicted winner: Northern Iowa

No.6 seed Tennessee vs No.2 seed Ohio State: These two teams matchup nicely on paper, but this game will come down to one name, "Bobby Maze" if this kid can keep it together for the Volunteers and help them to control pace, UT can pull off the upset; if however, he gets careless, turns the ball over, and looks for his jump shot too much, OSU can rule and march on.

Scotty Hopson, J.P. Prince, Wayne Chism: all long and athletic, on the filp side, Evan Turner, David Lighty, William Buford, all can score at will. Tennessee will need to not only need good guard play from Maze but will need to limit OSU in the fast break game, and use quick guard play to get Turner frustrated and maybe cause some turnovers. Look for UT to pressure the ball and then drop back in a zone.

OSU needs to be stingy and play right up in the Volunteers grill. If they get up early this game could out of hand, but if they let UT get open looks, this one could get interesting.

Predicted Winner: Ohio State

Unitl Next Time, Adios

Day 4

2010-03-22T11:35:00.000-04:00

The first weekend of this year's edition is complete, yesterday was very calm, however there were several games that went down to the final shot.

- Here are my opinions on day 4.

- Xavier and Cornell, became the 4th and 5th mid-major to make this year's SWEET 16. Xavier avenged last year's loss to Pittsburgh and Cornell showed why they are for real in dismantling Wisconsin. Jordan Crawford led the way for the upstart Xavier ball club, while Louis Dale and Ryan Wittman set the nets "on fire" for the Big Red of Cornell.

- Michigan State beat Maryland on a last second three by Korie Luscious after having a 16-point lead in the second half. The Spartans barely scraped by, but might have loss senior guard Kalin Lucas in the process as he went down to an apparent achilles injury.

- I am now 1 for 2 in Bold Predictions as Syracuse and Duke both won in convincing fashion.

This was a great first weekend of the tourney, this week I will cover each region and the matchups in each.

I will even have another Bold Prediction that you will probably laugh at, but in this blogger's opinion is very feasable.

Until Next Time, Adios!

Thanks, Dino Gaudio

2010-03-21T11:56:00.000-04:00

- Surely you didn't think I forgot about the BIG BLUE? No way, I just wanted to make a special post thanking Dino Gaudio for helping the Cats get to next weekend.

- Dino, you sly dog, did you really think putting your star forward, Al-Farouq Aminu, back on the court with two fouls wasn't going to result in his third? With the score tied at 19, Aminu picked up his third foul with 11:39 left in the first half, sealing the fate of the Demon Deacons. I appreciate this, leaving your best player out there with two fouls when your still close, absolutely brilliant Dino, and Cats fans appreciate you so. You rendered Ish Smith ineffective and your squad was down 16 at the half. Well done sir, well done!

- Anytime Dino wants to come over and have dinner he is welcome! We can have an old-fashioned southern dinner: soup beans, pone of cornbread, fried potatoes, sliced onion, and mustard greens to top it off. Just come on over Dino, your welcome in the Bluegrass state. Once again thank you, and we'll e-mail you a piece of the title!

-Until next time, Adios!

Give Napier Credit

2010-03-21T11:17:00.000-04:00

As bad as I hate to admit it, Brandon Napier boldly picked Northern Iowa to defeat Kansas yesterday in his post. He will now clean his vipercated tail and cloven-hoofs, while spitting fire onto his computer screen.

Day 3

2010-03-21T11:07:00.001-04:00

What can you say but "Wild and Wacky"? I'm going to get straight into a crazy first weekend on this year's tourney.

- Here is my opinion's on yesterday!

- David has sleighed Goliath, as two mid-major's take down two of the big names in college basketball this year. Northern Iowa pulled the upset of the tourney so far taking down the overall number one Kansas. Ali Farokhmanesh shooting the ball as if he were Jimmy Chitwood straight out of Hickory, and the big boy in the middle Jared Eglseder, doing his thing against a so-called "lottery pick" in this year' NBA draft in Cole Aldrich. Can you say Greg Ostertag? The Panthers shot 36 for 42 from the charity stripe and controlled the tempo throughout. Kansas was sleeping, and woke up to find the nightmare was real. Oklahoma City was the last stop for the Jayhawks this season, and UNI is still "cutting a rug".

- Omar Sanham, Omar Sanham, this is what Villanova coach Jay Wright saw in his sleep last night. The "Big White Hope" for the Saint Mary Gaels boasted 32 pts and 7 rebounds, after just having 29 and 12 against Richmond in the first round. My question is, after watching the Richmond game, and knowing you are limited in the big man department: why not run a zone? Obviously, the Gaels can shoot with Mickey McConnell, who leads the nation in three point percentage (51%), but you let one, overweight big man rule the roost. Wright in my opinion should have packed it in and let the Gaels beat his Wildcats from the outside, lets face it, they can't hit 'em all. Sanham dominated each Villanova defender that "tried" to guard him during this game, double teams didn't help, I don't know if five men could have helped yesterday, either way the Gaels are dancing into the round of 16.

- Lets hear from Compton, Long Beach, to Spokane baby! The West Coast has arrived in this year's tourney! With Saint Mary's and Washington all ready in the sweet 16, two more teams are going to try to prove the experts wrong, and say, "The west coast is here, and not as bad as you would like us to be." East coast bias? Well, look at the tourney and its teams; they selection commitee knows who the fans go to watch. This year, the west coast is getting a even. With California and Gonzaga to play today the west coast could potentially get 4 teams in the round of 16! With a fourth of the teams being from the West Coast, they might have a legitimate gripe. At least, we know they can beat up on the Big East, the best conference in the nation, just saying.

- Tomorrow, if many more mid-major's make the sweet 16, you are going to have to hear my spill about "parody", and how it is working liking a John Mayer song, except it's not working "against me", but against coaches and "job se-cur-ity!

- Another wacky day to end the weekend, we'll see.

- 1 for 1 on bold predictions so far, so lets try to go 2 for 2 today shall we.

- Bold Prediciton: Another number one seed will drop today! Tell all your friends, the Dukies will have trouble with California, and their big three. Syracuse better have Rautins dialed in or the Zags could march out of Buffalo and send the Cuse back down the road!

- By the way, Shelby Valley way to go in showing "mountain pride", way to bring a state championship back to the 15th!

- Until next time, Adios!

Congrats to Shelby Valley

2010-03-20T14:28:00.000-04:00

Shelby Valley has made it to the championship game of the KHSAA State Tournament, giving a 20 point smackdown to Mason Co. earlier this morning.

We'll be cheering them on as they represent Eastern Kentucky and the 15th region in particular tonight against Louisville Ballard for all the marbles.

Wake Forest Preview

2010-03-20T11:54:00.000-04:00

If you are like me and the rest of the world, you've probably always wondered what a Deamon Deacon is, many believe that since Wake Forest was founded as a Baptist college, that the mascot has biblical meanings, to me it's just a creeper with a funny hat, and obviously riding a motorcycle, as the picture to your left shows. But, enough about the mascot, lets talk about Billy Packer's alma mater's basketball team, that fact alone should give you enough hate for tonight's game.

Wake is a team that can really be physical and athletic and also kill you with their speedy guards, remind you of anyone?

-The first guy to watch out for is do it all forward Al-Farouq Aminu, the highly touted recruit is in his Sophomore year, and has proved all season long why he was a top 5 player coming out of high school. Aminu averages roughly 16 and 11 a game, not too shabby for this center piece of the Demon Deacons attack. Also, Wake has 7 footer Chas McFarland clogging up the middle, with size and physicality inside, one would think that this team has controlling, boring guards, but that is the exact opposite. Starting with Ish Smith, this guy can flat do it all, he's quick, he's tough, he's confident and if you watched the Texas game, he's clutch. Smith is a Devan Downey type player, but has an edge over Downey in the sense that he has size inside and guys who can beat you off the dribble and rebound. C.J. Harris, a young guard who has showed a lot in his debut season, averaging 10 ppg, will join Smith in the backcourt along with veteran L.D. Williams, to lead the Deamon Deacons.

-They are coached by Dino Gaudio, think of an older version of Joey from Friends, except with a clipboard. How you doin'?

-This is actually a team that could do quite well against the Cats, they have speedy, crafty guards, and size and athleticism to compliment that. Kentucky probably has a slight advantage at every position, but not a big one, especially at Power Forward. This is a team that has a similar makeup as Kentucky, maybe not as talented, but the same kind of team. It will be interesting to see what Wake Forest does in this game, will they let Ish Smith push the ball and use his speed, or will they try to be like the rest of the country and slow the Wildcats down, my guess is that they will go into the game with the plan of being methodical and limiting Kentucky's possessions, but at times they will get lost and be erratic.

-The keys to the game will be rebounding, turnovers and Kentucky's other guys, allow me to elaborate, we all know that Wall, Patterson and Cousins can show up, but if we have another game like we did from Bledsoe, or any other guy for that matter, the Cats are gonna be tough to beat in this tournament.

I'm gonna say that the Cats struggle a little today and will be frustrated by Smith and Aminu, but at the end of the day, hold on and win the game, I'll go with....Kentucky by 9, that's just a guess, it has nothing to do with the fact that -9 is the spread. So, get ready baskeball fans, we are down to 32.

Day 2

2010-03-20T11:05:00.000-04:00

Day two wasn't exciting as day one, but it was still a great day of college basketball.

- Here are some of my opinions from day two!

- Cornell can play! This team is balanced all the way around and if you have had a chance to watch them, they don't make mistakes. They beat a prominent Temple team who came into the game leading the nation in field goal percentage defense. Cornell came out and laid it to the Owls. Louis Dale and Ryan Wittman can flat out shoot and seven footer Jeff Foote can control the paint. Wisconsin better be ready to bang it out with this crew, if they don't watch it, the Big Red can send them back to Madison. Both these teams slow it down, so it will be boring, but close.

- Rick Pitino with a 9 seed, and ousted in the first round? Yeah, it seems crazy but it is the truth this year. Louisville looked as if they were wading in quicksand last night as California took care of business. The cards looked lackluster defensively letting the Golden Bears get out to a 22-4 lead and offensively couldn't throw it in the ocean. They went 5-19 from the three point arc and let Cali shoot 51% from the field. Pitino better get his boys in gear for next year! He needs to get the defensive intensity up and get his guards to pass the ball better; if not it could be deja vu for the Cards next year. Thanks Ricky P. for ruining my bracket!

- The Pac-10 has came to play; this conference was said to be down all year but has looked great, going 2-0 in their first round games. Like they say, this time of the year, you can start over, and that is what Washington and Cal has done. Both teams have great guard play and love to get out and go, wouldn't surprise me to see one of these teams playing next weekend.

Bold Prediction:

A number one seed will not make it to next weekend. Kansas has a cake walk if they play from start to finish against Northern Iowa. However, Cal has their big three to match Duke's trio. Gonzaga has showed this year it can beat anyone at anytime when they distribute and don't stay perimeter happy, watch out Cuse. Yes, Kentucky will be matched at every position against Wake Forest. All these teams better come ready to play or it could be a quick tourney for the "Big 4".

Until Next time, Adios!

"The Madness": Day 2 recap and Day 3 preview

2010-03-20T10:20:00.000-04:00

RIP- Neil's Bracket: 3/16/10 - 3/19/10

Well it was fun while it was lasted. My bracket always takes much more time to create than it does to destroy. With 5 of my Sweet 16 teams already gone (including 1 that I had in the Elite 8) my bracket can be laid to rest for another 360 days or so, when i'm sure to create another masterpiece gone terribly wrong.

The 1st round of the NCAA Tournament is officially over. There are some interesting matchups in Round 2 for today and tomorrow, but let's look at a few of yesterday's games before moving ahead...

No real upsets on Friday
#4 Wisconsin ALMOST lost to #13 Wofford (who?), and #5 Michigan St. barely beat #12 New Mexico St. But with the exception of Temple, all teams seeded 5 or better took care of business.Temple lost to #12 Cornell, but several people were calling that one anyway. Not to mention that a 12 seed has beaten a 5 seed in 20 of the last 22 tournament. Nothing shocking here.

Former-UK faces were sent packing on Friday
Rick Pitino, Tubby Smith, and Travis Ford are all "gone fishin'" as of last night.

- Tubby and Minnesota were took down at the hands of Xavier.

- I think almost everyone predicted a win for Slick Rick's squad and a Round 2 showdown with Coach K. Instead, California handled the Dirty Birds with ease.

- In a moment of genius, the Cowboys of Oklahoma St. were my suprise pick to the Elite 8. Instead, they got flat out spanked by Georgia Tech. I still wish Matt Pilgrim was at UK though.

Day 3
8 games on the menu for today. I see some games where somebody should have their finger on the "upset alert" button.

- #10 Saint Marys vs. #2 Villanova
If Villanova plays like they did on Thursday, they WILL lose. If Robert Morris can take them to OT, this Saint Marys squad will beat them by 10+ if Nova isn't able to shape up after the near upset.

- #13 Murray St. vs. #5 Butler
Maybe its a Kentucky bias, but i'm feeling an upset here too. Don't worry, i'm not going TOO far out on a limb...I just think it's a possibility.

- #14 Ohio vs. #6 Tennessee
I don't see an upset here, i'm just REALLY hoping for one. I think UT's much better than a 6 seed and Ohio can be content with their 1 huge upset.

- #11 Washington vs. #3 New Mexico
New Mexico definitely looked good on Thursday, but a Mid-Major as a 3 seed just scares me. Earlier in the week Tyler asked the question of which team seeded 10 or lower in the tourney has a shot at making some noise, and Washington was my pick.

- #11 Old Dominion vs. #3 Baylor
I honestly don't have any logic behind this one. Just a feeling.

So there you have it. Villanova, New Mexico, Butler, and Baylor...you've been warned!

Mock Draft 1.0 (Cont.)

2010-03-19T11:38:00.000-04:00

Well played Borders, the duel is on! I will win the rubber match! haha

First off, I believe I am going to have to refute my number 6 pick from yesterday. Neil, can do the same as well as free agent signings come about. I am changing the pick after the recent trade and signing of Charlie Whitehurst? Why do that, I have no clue but whatever floats Carroll's boat. Taking on a chance on a career backup, young or not, is risky. However, here is where I see the Seahawks going now instead of taking Clausen.

6. Seattle Seahawks- C.J. Spiller, RB, Clemson. Neil has him going 14, but I see the Seahawks going ahead and pulling the trigger on this pick at 6. Spiller, is the best running back in this draft and will be a big help from the 26th ranked rushing offense that the Seahawks had a year ago. This will help take some pressure off Hasselback to make 40-45 passes a game. Good pick up at 6 for the Seahawks.

- Now 9-16

9. Buffalo Bills- Jimmy Clausen, QB, Notre Dame. Clausen will stay at this pick on my board, the Bills need a QB for the future and I think Clausen, like I said yesterday, has already played in a pro system and will adapt quickly to coverages in the NFL. Clausen is precisely what the Bills need; I also think it is the right choice here, I mean he isn't going to go straight out and perform, but he has more upside than J.P. Losman had when the Bills drafted him. I don't think Ryan Fitzpatrick is the answer either.

10. Jacksonville Jaguars- Jason Pierre-Paul, DE, South Florida. Look for this upstart end to stay in the same state he played in college. He is dynamic and cut out of the Mario Williams breed. It may take him a year, but his upside, down the road, is what the Jags are looking for. They have Derrick Harvey and Aaron Kampan, so Pierre-Paul can learn and is great value at this pick.

11. Denver Broncos- Dez Bryant, WR, Oklahoma State. With Brandon Marshall getting ready to leave "Rocky Mountain High, Colorado" Bryant is a nice addition at this pick. Marshall leaving will hurt, and Bryant is risky here since he hasn't played an organized game since January; however, they need help quickly. He is a downfield threat that the Broncos will need, not to mention he is the top WR prospect on my board.

12. Miami Dolphins- Dan Williams, DT, Tennessee. Miami has picked up Karlos Dansby in the off-season to fill their linebacker needs, look for Miami to booster its D Line here with Williams. He presents a big frame who can rush the passer and stop the run. Brian Price could go at this pick, but I have Williams rated higher, and I think he is a better value pick for the Dolphins.

13. San Francisco 49ers- Bryan Bulaga, OT, Iowa. I was torn between whether the niners would go CB at this pick or want to boost their line. With this being a draft full of talent at the tackle position look for the niners to go this way and pick a CB later on in the draft. Bulaga has been at the forefront of the Iowa running attack for the last two years and I believe Frank Gore will welcome him with open arms.

14. Seattle Seahawks- Trent Williams, OT, Oklahoma. Another tackle, what a shock lol! Williams will fill in nicely for departing Walter Jones. He has the tools to step right in and help the sixth pick in the draft: Spiller, make an immediate impact. This is the RT of the future for the Seahawks.

15. New York Giants- Rolando McClain, LB, Alabama. Did you see McClain in the national championship game? He's an animal at stopping the run and can stunt from the LB position, perfect fit for the Giants. Now that Antonio Pierce is "gone like the wind", McClain is also the tackler they need at the ILB position. Speed isn't the only thing in football, and this player is an absolute, through and through "football player". I'm going to go out on a limb and list him as my favorite for defensive rookie of the year.

16. Tennessee Titans- Sergio Kindle, LB, Texas, He's undersized, but tough as nails; Kindle brings great run-stopping ability to the Titans and can get after the QB.

17-24 coming up!

Until next time, Adios

Neil's NFL mock 17-24

2010-03-19T10:54:00.001-04:00

I don't know if it's possible to OD you on March Madness, but if so, we certainly don't want to be guilty of it. So I will keep trucking with my NFL Mock Draft...

17. San Francisco 49'ers - Trent Williams, OT Oklahoma. If the 2010 Draft plays out like the more recent ones, Williams will be long gone. The last couple of years have seen several OT's go in Round 1. But I just see too many teams with more pressing needs. With that said, San Fran gets themselves a very solid Tackle in Trent Williams.

18. Pittsburgh Steelers - Rolando McClain, ILB Alabama. You can never have enough good LBs in Dick LeBeau's defense. McClain is the clear cut #1 inside linebacker in this draft.

19. Atlanta Falcons - Sean Weatherspoon, OLB Missouri. Another BPA. The Dirty Birds would've went with a corner until they signed Dunta Robinson. Weatherspoon is solid and a very good OLB.

20. Houston Texans - Earl Thomas, S Texas. To win the AFC South, you have to beat the Colts. The Texans can't do this with their current secondary. Thomas is a fantastic player and would be an immediate upgrade.

21. Cincinnati Bengals - Mike Iupati, G Idaho. I really think Cincy should take Jermaine Gresham here. But this is a solid pick too. The Bengals need help on the O-line too, especially at Guard, which is where Iupati will be.

22. New England Patriots - Jermaine Gresham, TE Oklahoma. The Pats lost Ben Watson in free agency. Plus with Wes Welker suffering a bad injury late in the season, this will give Brady another great target to throw to.

23. Green Bay Packers - Kyle Wilson, CB Boise State. Kurt Warner absolutely humiliated the Packers secondary in the playoffs. Green Bay is a solid team but they must improve in this area.

24. Philadelphia Eagles - Anthony Davis, OT Rutgers. I've actually seen Anthony Davis in the Top 10 in some mock drafts. But as i've said before, we have seen so many OT's taken in Round 1 over the last 2-3 years that teams simply have more glaring needs. This is why I have Davis slipping so far. Andy Reid will be thrilled to get such a good player this late in the draft.

Neil's NFL Mock, 9-16

2010-03-19T10:05:00.000-04:00

I've been challenged to a mock draft duel. Actually this is Year 3 that Brandon and I have had this battle. The gloves are off, it's go time!

9. Buffalo Bills - Bruce Campbell, OT Maryland. Campbell put up monster numbers at the Combine. So as far as physical attributes go, he's the top O-lineman in this years draft. At 6'6" and 314lb, Campbell ran a 4.85 40-yard-dash and put up 34 reps on the 225lb bench press.

10. Jacksonville Jaguars - Jason Pierre-Paul, DE South Florida. Let me start by saying I have a very strong feeling that Jacksonville will trade down, or at least try to. Two reasons for this: #1 - They don't have a 2nd round pick. #2 - They need a 2nd round pick to get Tim Tebow. You might not know it, but the Jaguars franchise is in a terrible bind. They can't sell tickets, even when they're playing playoff caliber football. The state of Florida is like the mecca of football, yet nobody cares about the Jags. What you do know though, is that Tim Tebow is thought of as a god down there in the Sunshine State and will put some butts in the seats in Jacksonville

Ok ok ok...enough on that. If they stay in the #10 slot, I think they take Jason Pierre-Paul. He's a monster and the Jags had a league low 14 sacks in 2009. Him along with the recently signed Aaron Kampman will really bring the heat on opposing QBs.

11. Denver Broncos - Dez Bryant, WR Oklahoma State. There's a divorce looming between the Broncos and Brandon Marshall. If (or should I say when?) Marshall leaves Denver, it will create a HUGE hole in their offense. Bryant is the clear cut #1 receiver in this years draft.

12. Miami Dolphins - Sergio Kindle, OLB Texas. History tells us that The Big Tuna loves spending 1st round picks on linebackers. Parcells drafted a linebacker in the 1st with the Giants, Patriots, Jets, and Cowboys. Not to mention, Joey Porter was recently cut and the 36 year old Jason Taylor might not be far behind. This will make for a depleted pass rush in South Beach. Kindle is a great DE/OLB hybrid which would fit in nicely for the Dolphins and their 3-4 defense.

13. San Francisco 49'ers - Joe Haden, CB Florida. This is an example of a team going "BPA" (best player available). The Niners have no glaring needs on their roster, so they simply take the best player left on the board. Haden would have definitely been a Top 10 pick if not for his unimpressive 40-yard-dash time at the Combine.

14. Seattle Seahawks - CJ Spiller, RB Clemson. The Hawks stunk it up on offense in '09. With Spiller, they will get a back who is capable of going the distance any time he touches the ball (think Chris Johnson). He's also a stud in the return game.

15. New York Giants - Derrick Morgan, DE Georgia Tech. Go back and watch Superbowl XLII if you want to see just how much the G-Men value D-linemen. Osi Umenyiora is unhappy and threatening to retire, so the Giants may just call his bluff.

16. Tennessee Titans - Carlos Dunlap, DE Florida. The Titans lost both their starting DE's this offseason, opting not to bring back Javon Kearse and losing Kyle Vanden Bosch to free agency. Dunlap is the best DE left on the board.

Day 1

2010-03-19T09:11:00.000-04:00

Day 1 of the NCAA tournament was exciting, captavating, and very surprising. Five double-digit seeds won yesterday, the most to win since 1991, on a first round day; three overtime games, already surpassing last year's number, and the power conference fell hard.

Here are some of my opinions on day one:

- The Big East when 1-3, this seems like the falling of the great wall of China to some, but I don't find it odd. The Big East was much better last year boasting three number one seeds. This year, it was more suceptible to fall. First of all, this is a conference where teams beat and batter each other all year and the conference tourney this year was a "leg killer"! Georgetown played four games in four days last week, Marquette played three, and Notre Dame played three as well. I know they had a week to "loosen back up", but that is a lot of wear and tear. These teams just looked flat out tired on the court. You could tell it as well, G'Town didn't have the legs to play there usually brutal man to man, result they give up 97 points to 9 seed out of the MAC: Ohio. Luke Harangody only scores 4 points in the 51-50 loss to ODU, talk about no legs! Villanova, however, did pick up a win over Robert Morris, in overtime! Villanova came in losing 5 out of 7 and still got a two seed, but that's another story.

This year the Big East was proof that having too many teams in a conference can cause a fatiguing schedule and quick exits in the NCAA tournament.

- I am glad I went back on the Vandy pick. Every year, they play well at the first of the season and die at the end! I guess in my simple little head I thought they would show up this year, glad I smartened up quickly! Kevin Stallings, SEC coach of the year; don't even get me started on that subject. It's official the Vanderbilt Commodores are the Buffalo Bills of the NCAA tournament year after year. THEY CHOKE!

- Finally, Billy D and his fighting Gators. LOL they were really a nice at-large team in this tourney, not! Way to get beat by a mid-major on a neutral court. I bet Billy D wishes he was in New Orleans, with John Wall, and the boys living it up; but no, he's now heading back to Gainsville getting ready to take the NJ Nets phone calls. I can see it now, Billy D. goes up to New Jersey, decides to take the job, gets food poisoning at Coney Island, and decides to head back to Gainsville.

I guess I got a little off subject there, haha. Simply put, No more Noah, Brewer, Green, and Horford= 20-12 seasons, barely or not getting in the tourney year after year, and early exits. U of F can keep him and his pit stains. Better start recruiting Billy D. or this is going to be a revolving door that will never close.

- Day two, more havoc, more excitment, more great games! This guy can't wait!

Until Next Time Adios!

Mock Draft 1.0

2010-03-18T13:35:00.001-04:00

I always love a good competition, that being said maybe Mr. Borders and I can have a Kiper vs McShay battle when it comes to mock drafts. If Mr. Lykins wants to join the frey he can be Merril Hoge!

I love doing mock drafts in everything and this year will not be any different, but this time I can do it on a blog, getting praise and criticism, I love it!

Anyways, here is my picks 1-10

1. St. Louis Rams- Sam Bradford, QB, Oklahoma. Bradford, could've been the first pick last year but chose to come back to school. The decision didn't look the brightest after being hurt in the first game of the season this year, tearing his rotator cuff. This pick is one I feel the Rams will take but I don't exactly agree with. Bradford ran the spread at Oklahoma which never seems to transfer well to the NFL game. Bradford has tremendous knowledge and can lead, but his arm strength is in question. This is a high, high risk pick for the Rams.

2. Detroit Lions- Ndamukong Suh, DT, Nebraska. Suh can step in immediately with Corey Williams and make the Lions a different defense. With two formidable defensive tackles the Lions will make an immediate improvement in the stopping the ground attacks of other teams. He doesn't get in the backfield as much as the other big defensive tackle in this draft: Gerald McCoy, but he will be a nice compliment for Williams. The Lions could get better quick with this pick.

3. Tampa Bay Buccaneers- Gerald McCoy, DT, Oklahoma. McCoy, is the best pass rushing DT in this draft. He could help immediately with his quick first step and relentless pressure he puts on the quarterback. If Suh was to drop here the Bucs may take him, but either way it is a win, win for the Bucs and their 28th ranked defense from a year ago.

4. Washington Redskins- Russell Okung, OT, Oklahoma State. There is a number of different ways the Skins can go with this pick. They could take Clausen as a QB for the future, they could go with Eric Berry who is probably the best athlete in the draft, but I see them going with Okung to boost their offensive line. He can step in immediately and help block Jason Campbell's blind side, not to mention help Clinton Portis get back to pro bowl form.

5. Kansas City Chiefs- Eric Berry, S, Tennessee. Berry impressed at the combine proving not only can he hit hard, but he is big and fast enough to tackle in the open field, and guard the deep ball. He will be the best player on the board at this stretch in the draft, so look for Berry to be a key contributor for an improving Chiefs team. He has Ed Reed quickness with John Lynch contact abilities.

6.Seattle Seahawks- Jimmy Clausen, QB, Notre Dame. This is my first curveball of the draft, with Matt Hasselback getting older I look for Pete Carroll to draft a QB for the future. He has pinpoint accuracy, great arm strength, and has already played in a pro system at Notre Dame. I could see the Seahawks going Buluga at OT, or possibly Morgan at DE. The Seahawks will look to the future with this pick after trading Seneca Wallace to the Browns this off-season.

7. Cleveland Browns- Derrick Morgan, DE, Georgia Tech. Morgan is what the Browns need at DE, he is not only a great pass rusher, but he also stops the run. He is double trouble and I have him has the top DE in this draft right in front of Pierre-Paul. The Dawg Pound will love his athleticism. They could look at a Dez Bryant at WR, however, with an improving defense Morgan is too good to pass up at this spot.

8.Oakland Raiders- Bruce Campbell, OT, Maryland. I have no clue what Al Davis thinks but this guy boasted some unbelievable attributes at the scouting combine in Indy. He is an OT that ran a 4.8 at the combine! Look for the Raiders to go with Campbell although, they could use much more of an impact player who could help right away like WR Bryant, DE Pierre-Paul, or OT Trent Williams

9-16 to come later.

Until Next Time, Adios

NCAA Tournament: We Have Arrived

2010-03-18T13:30:00.000-04:00

If you haven't already tuned in to CBS for the action so far today, you should go to a gynecologist and find out if you are going through the change. We have already seen Villanova, Florida and Notre Dame hit the court thus far, and it appears that all 3 are in some trouble, not Tennessee type trouble, no shooting or drug charges, just really bad basketball.

In other news, it appears that Dick Enberg and Jay Bilas will be doing Kentucky's game tonight, think of the commentary as a late night scotch tasting at Tavern on the Green, refined and bitter, with a hint of smug. Also, the Kentucky game tips at 7:15 tonight, so get your popcorn ready.

2010-03-18T13:28:00.002-04:00

2010-03-18T13:28:00.001-04:00

2010-03-18T13:28:00.000-04:00

My 1st NFL Mock Draft, Picks 1-8

2010-03-18T10:59:00.000-04:00

I've been swamped with school lately, so first off i'd like to thank Tyler and Brandon for picking up the slack and putting up so many quality posts.

Now I know it's March Madness and all, but we're all about diversity on this blog. So today, less than 1 hour before The Big Dance kicks off, I will post my first (because i'm sure I will make another before the time comes) NFL Mock Draft. I'm doing this 8 picks at a time, completeing the entire 1st round over the next few days.

The Draft is on April 22nd, and as you may or may not know, is hitting primetime this year. Instead of beginning on a Saturday afternoon as usual, it will begin at 7pm on a Thursday night.

Here we go....

1. St. Louis Rams - Sam Bradford, QB Oklahoma. I don't agree with this pick, but all indications are that the Rams will select Sam Bradford with the #1 overall pick. Bradford ran a spread offense (which has a history of working out terribly in the NFL), and his arm strangth is mediocre at best. But he has great intelligence and decision making which NFL GM's favor greatly over physical attributes (You hear that, Tebow?). Jimmy Clausen SHOULD be the pick.

2. Detroit Lions - Russell Okung, OT Oklahoma State. Many people will find it crazy that I don't have Suh in the Top 2 picks. But Detroit signed Kyle Vanden Bosch and traded for Corey Williams, so I just don't think they can draft another D-lineman when they have so many other needs. They got their franchise QB last year, and now they have to get someone to protect him. Okung is clearly the top O-lineman in this year's draft. But then again, this is the Lions we're talking about afterall, so don't be suprised if they draft a punter or Tim Tebow.

3. Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Ndamukong Suh, DT Nebraska. The Big Guy Who's Name You Probably Can't Pronounce gets the payday that he rightfully deserves. Suh is an animal. He tore it up all season for Nebraska and I really enjoyed watching his Combine workouts. He's the top overall player according to many including being #1 on Mel Kiper Jr.'s "Big Board". Buccs fans are in for a treat with this guy.

4. Washington Redskins - Jimmy Clausen, QB Notre Dame. Mike Shanahan is head coach/GM in Washington now, and new regimes typically mean new QBs. Jason Campbell has been decent, but "decent" wont cut it in the NFC East. As I said earlier, I believe Clausen is the best QB in this year's draft. So with all of these factors combined, I just don't see the 'Skins passing on Jimmy Clausen.

5. Kansas City Chiefs - Bryan Bulaga, OT Iowa. KC definitely needs help with pass protection and with Okung off the board, the Chiefs take the next best O-lineman in Bulaga. They would LOVE it if Okung falls in their lap.

6. Seattle Seahawks - Gerald McCoy, DT Oklahoma. Todd McShay of Scouts Inc. has McCoy as the #1 player in the entire draft. That's just too good of a value for Pete Carroll to pass on at #6.

7. Cleveland Browns - Eric Berry, S Tennessee. Saying "Cleveland's offense is bad" is about as big of an understatement as it gets. But Eric Berry is just too good to pass on. Berry has been labeled as the next Ed Reed by just about everyone, and I certainly haven't seen anything to discredit that statement.

8. Oakland Raiders - Taylor Mays, S Southern California. At 6'3" and 230lbs, Mays ran an unofficial 4.24 40-yard-dash at the Combine. That's enough to make Al Davis consider trading all the way up to #1 just to make sure he gets to draft Mays....even though NOBODY has him projected as a top 10 player.

Jeff Sagarin NCAA basketball ratings

2010-03-17T09:31:00.000-04:00

These are the rating that the committee must have followed to a "T"! Now I realize that most of the decisions the NCAA selection committee are based on these computer ratings.

For example, the top four teams on the Sagarin (computer based, non-biased, haha) ratings look:
1. Kansas
2. Duke
3. Syracuse
4. Kentucky
These were the top four seeds in the tourney.

Now lets look at the next four:
5.West Virginia
6.Kansas State
7.Villanova
8.Baylor

This shows how the committee picked each region's number one and two seeds. The exception is Baylor, who was replaced by Ohio State, probably one of the few moves the comittee must have made on the "eye" test.

Now not all picks were based on these ratings, but it doesn't take a rocket scientist to see that these computer rankings were used to make the top 1 and 2 seeds in this tourney.

I disagree with using these ratings over the eye test. A basketball fan can tell that Ohio State is playing better than Villanova right now, that West Virginia played better than Kansas State down the stretch, and that Mississippi State ranked 49 in these ratings was clearly more deserving of an NCAA birth than the 47 ranked team: Florida.

Next year, lets put more emphasis on the "eye" test and take a look more at what teams can do on the court rather than their top 50 wins in December.

Look back at a previous blog I posted on my problems with the NCAA tourney selections for this year. Then look at these ratings at USATODAY.com....just simply type in the title of this blog in the search box.

Decide for yourself if these ratings should be a reflection of the tourney, or should we put more emphasis on knowledge of basketball, the brass-tax, can you play, or can't you. That is certainly what I want to see: The best 65 teams, with all conference tourney winners and top at-large teams, based on can you play, or can't you.....is this too much to ask? This year obviously it is, because the computer must be smarter than the human eye.

Until next time, Adios!

Change of Heart!

2010-03-17T08:54:00.000-04:00

Earlier this week, I picked Vandy to make it out of the West. I know that was maybe a careless pick on this blogger's behalf. A wise man once said good guard play wins championships! Vandy just doesn't have that and know I have changed my pick in the West to the Kansas State Wildcats. Speaking of good guard play, Denis Clemente and Jacob Pullen have been one of the better tandoms in the NCAA this year. So yes, I am an indian giver on St. Patty's Day! I am choosing K State in the west! I still have Kansas cutting down the nets!

Until next time, Adios!

Tiger Tarnished?

2010-03-16T16:26:00.000-04:00

I know it is March Madness and NCAA tourney time, but a familiar name in the world of sports has decided to come back to professional play. Tiger Woods has announced he will return to active play on the PGA tour. Woods will play return to Augusta to compete in the 2010 Masters, where he won his first major, question is how will he be viewed?

Woods is probably the most commonly known athlete in a given sport since Michael Jordan. Woods did exactly what Jordan did for his sport, he made it fun to watch, gave children a hero to cheer on, and made memorable moments for highlight reels for years to come. Now that Woods his back from his recent "problems", will he be welcomed back with open arms?

Here is my opinion, he's not perfect and what he does off the golf course is his own business. Yes, he is an athlete, and yes, he is a hero to children, but everyone makes mistakes; if anything, children can be taught right from wrong and showed how to better yourself if you do make mistakes. Tiger Woods is an athlete that will always be known for his iconic drives, brilliant short game, and his masterful putting skills are unmatched. That is what he should be known for, not a sex scandal/"problem". I look for Woods to hit his stride and come back better than ever! I hope he does that way Gatorade and the rest of his corporate sponsors that dropped him can "wipe the egg of their face". Nike stands behind him, and so should all sports fans. People make mistakes, we all do, it's how we come back from those mistakes that make us the people we are! He didn't use proper judgment and he went for help that is all we, as the public, need to know!

I leave you with one message, if you can look in the mirror and call yourself "perfect" let me know and you can say what you will about Tiger. That being said, if you have made mistakes in your past, give Woods a second chance; don't remember his scandal, remember his swing.

Until next time, Adios!

Breaking Down the Brackets Pt. 2

2010-03-15T22:23:00.000-04:00

Earlier I took a look at the left side of the bracket, the Midwest region being won by top seed Kansas, and I picked a big time upset, Vandy to win the West and head to Indy.

Now lets look at the right side of the bracket: East and South Region

EAST: The east region is a tough and physical region. The number one seed Kentucky Wildcats will have three brutal games after their first round game with East Tennessee State, who are winners of 13 in a row. That being said, if Kentucky wins (which I think is a forgone conclusion) they might have to play a team who was ranked number 1 early this year in Texas. This game might be the game of the tournament! If you asked me at the first of the year which two teams in America were the most talented I would have said UK and the horns. Texas matches up well at each position with the Cats, but they are the perfect case of Dr. Jekyll, Mr. Hide. If the no defense playing Horns show up UK will probably prevail by 10 to 15 points. If Rick Barnes get this team playing pressure defense and using Pittman in the low post game, it could be the game of the tourney! Damien James, Avery Bradley, and Pittman could be a testible fow for the Big 3 of the CATS (Wall, Cousins, and Patterson). If the Cats prevail they would look at another physical ball club, and probably the most physical in the nation in Wisconsin. Never go against Bo Ryan and the boys around tourney time. After that, West Virginia would await in the elite 8. Huggy Bear has his team playing well right now, and DeSean Butler is the real deal! He's one of those guys that can lead a team to the promise land. I'm anxious to see how things turn out. Watch out for a dangerous, sharp-shooting New Mexico team as well.

Intriguing, Possible Matchup: Kentucky vs Texas, All I can say is sit back and enjoy!

Possible Cinderella: I'm not going to be like Jay Bilas and say Cornell, because I don't want to feel the rath of another great blogster in Tyler Lykins lol..... In this region watch for the Washington Huskies, I know the Pac-10 was weak this year, but the Huskies have an up-and-down mentality and love to fire it up. Isiah Thomas (Not that one!) is great guard along with Quincey Poindexter watch out for the Huskies to maybe knock off Marquette and New Mexico and get to the round of 16.

My Pick for Indy: The youngsters get it done, through hell, fire, and brimstone Kentucky makes it out of this physical bracket.

SOUTH: The south bracket could get wild and wacky. It's certainly a good place for a Cinderella team to wear the glass slipper. Duke comes in as the number 1 seed after winning the ACC Tourney. They could be short timers in second round matchup against Louisville. The Blue Devils can go cold sometimes and if they aren't hitting on the perimeter, Ricky P and the Cards can send the Devils back to Durham. Edgar Sosa might be the breakout star of this tourney. He has star power written all over him if he can keep his emotions in check and be patient. I see the 'Ville making it to the elite 8 to play a Villanova ball club who will have a couple of tough games in the Richmond Spiders, who will back cut you all over the place, and have a little guard named Kevin Anderson, who is quick, with a dynamic crossover. Baylor also might have something to say about this in a SWEET 16 matchup. Baylor is probably in the top three teams in this tourney when it comes to overall athleticism.

Intriguing, Possible Matchup: Duke vs Louisville, Pitino takes on Coach K, again!

Possible Cinderella: Notre Dame, I know this is a Big East ball club, but if they are shooting the ball well.....Watch out! They could make a run at Indy.

My Pick for Indy: Villanova, stop Scottie Reynolds and Corey Stokes from winning in March....Easier said than done!

FINAL FOUR: Kansas over Vandy, UK over Nova

NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP: Kansas cuts down the nets, as Kentucky finally falls and the big three take their individual games to the Mecca, the NBA

Until next time, Adios!

Cinderella Story

2010-03-15T16:23:00.000-04:00

We can all agree that Kansas, Kentucky, Duke, Syracuse, West Virginia, Villanova, Georgetown, etc. are all contenders to make a run at the Final Four this season in Indianapolis, but what about some teams that are double digit seeds that could possibly take a notion to get hot and will their way to Indy.

The last, and only second double digit seed to make the Final Four, was George Mason in 2006, the Final Four was also in Indianapolis that season. Today, we'll take a look at a few teams who I think can possibly make a deep run in the tournament.

The first team I want to talk about is UTEP, this is a team that has athleticism that compares to that of a top 4 seeded team, they are physical and have guys at every position who can make plays, not to mention that coach Tony Barbee is a John Calipari disciple. Their first round matchup is one where they will be the most athletic team on the floor, as they take on Butler, it will be interesting to see how this push it, take it to the tin team, will matchup against the grind out, finesse style of Butler. Watch out for the Miners in the West Regional.

Another team that I think could make a run is Missouri, yeah, I know what you're thinking, how could a team from the Big 12 and a squad that was a game away from the Final Four last season, be a cinderalla. Well, probably because they lost a lot of talent from last seasons Elite 8 team, but when you play in a system like Mike Andersons teams do, you do not have to have tremendous players, it will be interesting to see how this team forces the tempo against it's opponent in the tournament.

Those are just a couple teams that I think could possibly make a run to Indy, let's here your possible giant killers in the field of 65.

Breaking Down the Brackets!

2010-03-15T14:44:00.000-04:00

Now that everyone has had time to take a breath, lets look at potential matchups in each region, a cinderella team from each, and my opinion on who will win each. Don't worry, I will also be giving you my national championship pick as well.

MIDWEST: The Kansas Jayhawks come in as the overall number one seed in the 2010 NCAA Tournament, but you wouldn't think that by the looks of their bracket. With 2 seed Ohio State, 3 seed Georgetown, and not to mention last year's national runner-up the Michigan State Spartans; the Jayhawks will have a lot of work to do to get to Indy! This is by far the toughest region, I mean with a team like Tennessee as your 6 seed (After beating both the before mentioned Jayhawks and the number two overall seed: Kentucky Wildcats) it will take 4 hard-fought games for Kansas to get there.

Intriguing, Possible Matchup: Kansas vs Michigan State, This could be a knock-down, drag out in the Sweet 16!

Potential Cinderella: San Diego State, watch out for Steve Fisher and the boys. He is great coach who has been apart of two national runner-up teams at Michigan. (The Fab Five) This team has great athleticism and could be a potential spoiler.

My pick for Indy: Kansas, it may be a hard road but this senior-laiden ball club can get the job done.

WEST: Syracuse walks into this region as kind of a mystery, they come in struggling lately after losing at Freedom Hall against Louisville and then getting beat in the Big East Tournament in the Quarterfinals by Georgetown. The Orangeman better watch out for a second round upset, the Gonzaga Bulldogs have a nice ball-club, who get the ball up and down the court, and shoot the three well. The 2-3 might hinder more than help if this matchup was to happen. You also have a hard-nosed two seed in Kansas State, a grind it out 3 seed in the Pittsburgh Panthers, and my controversial final four pick for this region: 4 seed Vanderbilt Commodores.

Intriguing, Possible Matchup: Syracuse vs Gonzaga, watch out Cuse you could go down quickly!

Potential Cinderella: UTEP, Randy Culpepper can flat out score, and they have good size with Louisville transfer Derrick Caracter. This is a physical team coming off a hard fought loss in the C-USA championship game. Watch out!

My Pick for Indy: Vanderbilt, I know what your thinking he's nuts! But with veterans like A.J Olgivy and a player who can carry a team in Jermaine Beal, this team is geared up for a run in March. There unorthodox style is hard to prepare for and they always play solid defense and rebound. If the Cuse goes down like I think they can, it would set up a matchup with them and the Zags in the SWEET 16 and a winnable game against a couple of teams that struggles offensively from time to time in Kansas St and Pittsburgh.

The other two brackets will be broke down soon!

Until next time, Adios!

The Smart Guys

2010-03-15T00:52:00.001-04:00

If you were fortunate enough to tune into ESPN's bracketology tonight, you would have heard the brilliance of the Duke Law graduate and honesty whore, Jay Bilas. When talking about how he thought that Cornell would make it to the Sweet 16 of the East Regional, and then defeat the Kentucky Wildcats in a game of basketball (apparently, basketball means Trival Pursuit in Duke Blue Devil lingo), Bilas preceded to say that in this matchup of a basketball powerhouse and the number 2 overall seed in the tournament, against a group of guys that remind you of that one kid in a college classroom that keeps asking the professor questions at the end of class; you know that guy, the one who comes into class with a laptop and a notebook, while listening to the smooth sounds of old school Phil Collins blasting through his iPod touch. Well, one would call this guy smart, naturally. Bilas was quoted as saying that in this epic battle, that he is taking "the smart guys"....now I'm not one to point fingers and claim that something is racially charged or even in bad taste, but let's face it, Bilas stuck his foot inside of his well opinionated mouth, the quote was not meant to be a shot taken at the University of Kentucky or it's players, but Bilas may have said it in the wrong way. I for one, will be interested to see how this plays out over the next day or so, will Bilas issue an apology? Or will this small, oral diarrhea, blow over?

In other news, if you have not seen the Reggie Miller vs. The New York Knicks production on ESPN, drop everything you're doing, find someone who has Tivo'd it, and lay on their couch for the next two hours while watching this great, great sports documentary.

March Madness or March Dumbness???

2010-03-14T22:45:00.000-04:00

Its that time of the year again, and you know what that means.....IT'S MARCH MADNESS BABY!!!! This years field looks like one for the memory books on how not to pair teams in the NCAA Tournament. Normally, the field looks good and there are very few complaints......this year the NCAA Tournament Committee must have been hitting a sauce of having one heck of a weekend cocktail party. Here are some things that caught my attention.

1. How in the world is Mississippi State not in this field??? They beat Florida straight up in the conference tourney, beat Vanderbilt to go to the conference finals, and give Kentucky all they want in the finals. Not to mention the water bottle toss incident in Starkville. Not to mention, they won the SEC west. The Gators going over the Bulldogs is flat out wrong!

2. How is Tennessee a 6 seed??? They beat UK and Kansas this year, the top 2 overall seeds in this years tourney and can only get a 6 seed? Look at the numbers, no way Tennessee can be looked over for 4 or 5 seeds, by the likes of BYU, Butler, and Purdue even, who has looked like bottom feeders since Hummel has went down!

3. Explain to me how Kansas and Kentucky are the top two seeds in the tourney and have a harder road to the final four than the other two number one seeds, Syracuse and Duke, that is just absurd!

4. How is Georgetown a 3 seed and Villanova a 2? No credit at all for getting to the conference final. I know they went 10-8 in the conference, but look at some the teams they beat and compare the two. Its no contest!

I just can't see the relevance here.

All in all, I can't wait to see what happens!

P.S. Here is a little upset special for all you bracketeers......Watch Vandy make a run in the west, and watch out for Louisville in the South!!

Until next time, Adios!

First impressions on the NCAA tournament

2010-03-14T21:52:00.000-04:00

I just got home from my spring break vacation. I wanted to give some quick thoughts on the NCAA bracket that came out this evening, since I didn't get to make a post yesterday. Tyler will be along tomorrow for a more thorough breakdown of the Big Dance.

Let's go ahead and get the UK talk out of the way. Most Kentucky fans will be upset with UK's draw in the tournament, and I can't disagree. Texas in the 2nd round is VERY scary. Many will argue that we shouldn't be in the same region as West Virginia (who I thought deserved to be a #1 seed themselves).

Am I the only one that thinks Duke might lose to Louisville in the 2nd round? Most people are saying that Duke got a cakewalk to the Final Four. But I honestly don't think that Duke is good enough to have an easy road to the FF, no matter who they play.

Syracuse got their #1 seed despite being on a 2 game losing streak and bowing out of the Big East tourney in their opening game. West Virginia, on the other hand, was already ranked #6 in the polls and went on to win the Big East tournament. Not only did 'Cuse get a #1 seed, but I personally believe that they were the team that got the easiest road to the Final Four.

Sports Talk...with Roy Williams

2010-03-12T09:14:00.000-05:00

Now that Roy Williams isn't busy making history (not the good kind) in Chapel Hill, he's got a little more free time to pursue other hobbies (see pic). Maybe I should invite him to make a guest cameo on this blog?

The 2009-10 Tar Heels set an NCAA record on Thursday for the most losses ever by a defending NCAA Champ. The Heels finished the season with a 16-16 record as they were eliminated from the ACC tourney by Georgia Tech.

At least Pitino gets his creep on at classy restaurants...

In other news, Syracuse pulled a 1-and-done drive-by on the Big East tourney in MSG. The Orange were bounced in their opening game by Georgetown Thursday night in NYC.

Can Syracuse still keep a #1 seed in the big dance? What if Kansas, Kentucky, Duke, and Ohio St. all win their conference tournaments while West Virginia, who's already #6 in the polls, goes on to win the Big East tournament?

Kansas won their opening round game Thursday vs. Texas Tech. They play Texas A&M tonight.

Kentucky plays Bama today at 1pm. Should they win, they'll face the winner of UT/Ole Miss at 1pm on Saturday.

T.O. Who Dey?

2010-03-11T14:10:00.000-05:00

Well, if you haven't heard by now, the Bengals decided not to get their popcorn and sign Terrell Owens, instead the "Queen City's" team opted for Antonio Bryant. Now, one can point to the fact that Owens is 36 years old, while Bryant is only 29, but at the end of the day, the Bengals are playing for a Championship next season. By signing Owens, they would have placed themselves at the top of the AFC along with Indianapolis, New York and New England. Not in any way am I trying to knock Antonio Bryant, he's a good wideout, but when you have a chance to get a game changer, you have to go for it.

Let's discuss, if you are a G.M. of a team that is coming of a playoff year and you're lacking a deep threat, who do you sign, Terrell Owens or Antonio Bryant?

Recruiting Tidbits

2010-03-10T21:04:00.000-05:00

CatsPause is reporting that Moses Abraham, a 6'9 4 star Power Forward from Temple Hills, Maryland, will make his college selection within the next week between Kentucky, Georgetown, Maryland, Indiana and Tennessee. Many insiders believe that Georgetown has the inside track on him, but anytime that John Calipari and Bruce Pearl are involved, things can be interesting.

On the Brandon Knight front, it's essentially down to Kentucky and Florida, both schools seem to be very confident at this point, expect a decision by Knight before the McDonalds All-American game. Everyone, this will be a fun two weeks on the recruiting trail, make sure to keep your finger on the refresh button.

Forde hands out his postseason awards. "Shocking" results ensue...

2010-03-10T10:54:00.000-05:00

*the following post contains UK bias. Hey, at least I don't try to hide it*

It's a good thing that everyone (aka Kentucky fans) knows Pat Forde is an idiot and not to take anything he says seriously.

Forde's awards

I have no problem that he picked Turner over Wall for POY. But to call Turner the "clear" favorite is absurd. I also don't see how anyone can put up an argument for anyone besides Cal to get Coach of the Year. Love him or hate him, you absolutely can not deny the turnaround he's pulled in Lexington.

Jake Gyllenhaal's Bubble Talk

2010-03-09T14:09:00.000-05:00

Yes, it is March, that time of year where the term bubble is used more than Ben Rothlisberger at a night club (Insert Sexual Assault Joke Here.)

Let's take a look at the teams who are sitting squarely on the bubble, hopefully for the bubble's sake, it will not include Rick Majerus' Saint Louis squad. The committee has been hammered in the past with the decisions made in the selection of those last few teams to be in or out of the field of 65. Last year we saw Arizona, a 13 loss team, get a bid over a 26-6 Saint Mary's team, this year however, Saint Mary's knocked off Gonzaga in the West Coast Conference Championship, causing the committee to lose another at large bid, today we will take a look at 4 teams who can make a case to the committee, and possibly be in or out of the tournament.

Illiniois

18-13 (10-8)

Key Wins: Vanderbilt, Michigan State, Wisconsin

Bad Losses: Bradley, Georgia, Northwestern, Utah

RPI: 75

SOS: 41

-The Illini are a team that two weeks ago would have been worrying about seeding or location in the tournament, but losing their last three and five out of their last six has placed them squarely on the bubble.

Ole Miss

21-9 (9-7)

Key Wins: Kansas State, UTEP

Bad Losses: Arkansas

RPI: 56

SOS: 74

-Ole Miss is an intriguing team to look at, a quick look at their resume and you would say that they are a tournament team, but they didn't do a lot in conference to solidify that bid, the wins over Kansas State and UTEP are great, but the Rebels still need to do work in Nashville at the SEC Tournament to get in.

San Diego State

22-8 (11-5)

Key Wins: New Mexico, UNLV

Bad Losses: Pacific, Wyoming

RPI: 36

SOS: 71

-This resume has the appeal of a Tuesday night at Deja Vu, it's not flashy or pretty, but we're bored, so what the heck. Steve Fischer's squad has nice wins over tournament bound conference foes UNLV and New Mexico, but doesn't really have a great win outside of the Mountain West Conference.

Seton Hall

18-11 (9-9)

Key Wins: Cornell, Louisville, Pittsburgh, Notre Dame

Bad Losses: None

RPI: 54

SOS: 30

-Seton Hall has not lost to a team this season that will not be in the NCAA Tournament conversation, that alone along with the .500 record in the mighty Big East allows the Pirates to have a strong argument, the win over Cornell turned out to be better than expected, if the Pirates win 2 games in New York at the Big East Tournament, they shouldn't sweat it out on selection Sunday.

Now I have thrown in my two cents, let's hear yours, which of these teams are in or out?

T.O. and the Bengals...will they or wont they?

2010-03-09T00:57:00.000-05:00

OchoCinco started calling for it even before the SuperBowl. Carson Palmer said he's "all for it". Now it looks like the Bengals front office might be on board is well. NFL sources have confirmed that Terrell Owens will be visiting the Cincinnati Bengals on Tuesday, March 9th.

Owens is 36 years old, but keeps himself in the best of shape. He's still one of the best receivers in the league despite his off field issues (and obviously there have been many). But love him or hate him, nobody can deny and T.O. and OchoCinco on the same team will make for "must see TV".

What do you think about this possible move? Good for T.O.? Good for the Bengals? Or will everyone end up losers in this deal?

First of many awards start to roll in....

2010-03-08T11:17:00.000-05:00

Yahoo! Sports has named John Wall their National Player of the Year. The John Wall/Evan Turner (Ohio St.) debate will be a big one, but Wall wins the first battle.

Wall and Demarcus Cousins were both also named Yahoo! Sports First Team All-Americans, along with Evan Turner, Oklahoma State’s James Anderson, and Villanova’s Scottie Reynolds.

Congrats to Wall and Boogie. We've had 11 month for the whole "Coach Cal Experience" to sink in, and at times it still seems surreal. Any time you get two 1st team All Americans on the same squad then you've got a very special team. But putting it in perspective and looking back on what shape the UK basketball program was in from 2005-2008, it's just unreal. From Mark Coury and Michael Porter to John Wall and Demarcus Cousins...wow.