Yao Ming Done for the Season

The Rockets have had a pretty good season thus far. They've won 13 games in a row and many are wondering how long that streak can last. Well, it might not last much longer since we just learned that their star center, Yao Ming will miss the rest of the season due to a stress fracture in his left foot.

I feel bad for those Rockets! If it's not one thing it's another and it's almost rare to see the entire starting lineup all healthy at the same time.

I feel like Tracy McGrady is always injured. I mean always and usually with old man problems. There's just something in him that won't let him stay healthy. His injury history is extensive, and he's missed games with everything from back spasms to knee and elbow issues. He's only missed a few games this season, none of them due to the back problems that have plagued him his first 3 seasons in the league.

So here we are thinking the Rockets are on a roll, winning 13 games in a row. Yao is out, how much longer will it last? McGrady has never been out of the 1st round of the playoffs and some thought this would be the year. He's healthy now but me saying that just now could have already jinxed him. The Rockets with no post presence making it 1) to the playoffs and 2) out of the first round? Sounds a bit far-fetched to me. Old ass Dikembe Mutombo would really have to step up and play some serious minutes, but I've seen him this season coming off the bench and he looks - relatively young. he's still blocking shots and wagging his long spindly fingers in the air. Not in his house...

Rafer Alston, Carl Landry, Luther Head all gotta step up in Yao's absence, not only to keep the streak alive, but their playoff hopes as well.

Good luck to the Rockets. They're solid, but not strong.

Spoke Too Soon

Spoke too soon! I said specifically in my last post that Tennessee at that #1 spot was not a lock! Just a few hours later the Tennessee Volunteers lost to #14 Vanderbilt 72-69. And it was a good ass game!!

It's clear that when you're the top team there's a bullseye on your back, and every other club wants to take you down. Memphis handled, and is still handling, that fact really well. It's amazing when a team can go unbeaten during the regular season. We all know it's rare, so I'm not faulting Memphis in any way. But damn Tennessee!! 1 stinkin day after the rankings were released the top team fell, HARD.

But there could have been some extenuating circumstances. Maybe the Volunteers were thrown off like I was, with the layout of Vanderbilt's Memorial Gymnasium. It's the most confusing, and unique, setup in all of basketball. Architect Edwin Keeble built it in the 50s to be a concert hall/gym and you can definitely see the concert hall style coming through. The court itself is elevated, and fan seating begins just a few feet off the sidelines and a few feet below the court. (If you were standing up in the from row, the court would be at your hips) The team benches are underneath each basket, a few feet behind the baseline, instead of along the sidelines like every other basketball court you've ever seen. So instead of the coaches yelling from the sidelines, they're screaming all the way down the court. Being that far away from coach and then looking for him underneath the basket would throw me off too. Not that Tennessee head coach Bruce Pearl was hard to spot in that bright orange jacket he's been known to wear. The commentators even mentioned how Vandy head coach Kevin Stallings has a special 2-finger whistle he uses when he wants to get his teams attention. Talk about home court advantage...

Shout out to Vandy, who played like they wanted it more. Tennessee played their usual style, trying to dominate physically, and the Commodores weren't havin that. Shan Foster, the second leading scorer in Vanderbilt history, had a great game. Foster scored 32 points and was 6-9 from behind the arc.

The hope is that Tennessee can rebound IMMEDIATELY from this loss and win their next three games. The truth is it's nice to be ranked #1 during the regular season, but when March Madness comes the Volunteers will probably be the 1-3 seed in the midwest division of the bracket. And there's a reason why it's called Madness; the shit is crazy. Any given day any team can be taken down, regardless of rankings, team history or NBA-bound players. I cannot wait!

***I've heard people make the case for the 3-point line in college basketball to be moved back closer, if not even, to the NBA 3 point line. In the NCAA, the line is at 19 feet 9 inches, while the pros have it at 23'9". Most of the members of the NCAA Playing Rules Oversight Committee agreed, and voted to move the line back a full foot to 20-9 by the start of the 2008-09 season. And I totally agree. I like to see all these college guys hitting threes, but this move will take sinking 3s back to more of a specialty role rather than something every guy on the court can do. The women's committee opted not to change, which means there will be 2 different color 3-point lines on college courts shared by men & women. Weird...

VOLUNTEEERing for that Number 1 Spot!

CONGRATS TO THE TENNESSEE VOLUNTEERS!!

If you haven't been watching much college basketball this season then you're kinda like me. I was engrossed, I mean LITERALLY enGROSSed in the NCAAF and NFL. I watched some basketball games here and there, but now that football season is over I have more time to focus. And at the perfect time if you ask me. The schedule has really heated up over the past month or two with the big dance just around the corner. Surprise teams excel atop the leader board, while some big names struggle to stay on the bubble.

Just in case you missed it, Memphis been ranked in the top 3 since the preseason, and #1 since the 11th week of the regular season. The Tigers reeled off 26 straight wins, the only undefeated left, and was looking to head into March Madness without a single loss. Instead, this past Saturday, Memphis suffered their first beating at the hands of then #2 Tennessee Volunteers. With a 25-2 record, Tennessee is now the unanimous #1 in all the polls. This is the first time in the schools history that they have ever held the top spot. Keep in mind the Vols haven't beaten a number one seed since 1969. Yeah folks, this is kind of a big deal.

See, this is why when I tell you guys about something you should just go with me. I wasn't home to watch the game, but I saw it in its ENTIRETY (including commercials - that you can fast forward through like TiVo) on ESPN 360. I know I talk about this a lot, but I know a great thing when I see one! The game will probably be on there for a few more days, so if you haven't seen the game, go...NOW!!

Back to the game! It started off like several other college games I've seen lately with both teams launching, and hitting, threes. I understand that the 3-point line in college is not as deep as in the NBA, but a lot of these college cats throw it up from damn near half-court. Don't sleep on the college trey game! These guys are pretty serious from behind the arc. The game went back and forth in the first half, but Tennessee really turned it on in the 2nd. The final minutes were tight, as you can tell by the final score 66-62 Volunteers.

Sure Memphis fell to Tennessee but it's only 1 loss. They went from #1 to #2, but there are only 4 games left in the season, vs. Tulsa, USM, SMU and UAB. With a 26-1 record, the Tigers can easily finish in second place barring any more losses.

And don't get it twisted, Tennessee is ballin in that number one spot right now, but the Vols still have 4 tough games left including Kentucky, Florida and USC. Actually, tonight they play 18th ranked Vanderbilt who is holding steady at 23-4. And Vandy's a tough place to play! The crowd is crazy and they've beaten the last 3 #1 teams that have come to Nashville. It ain't over yet!!

Let's not completely forget the other basketball team at Tennessee, the Lady Volunteers!! They've been dominant in women's basketball over the past few seasons. The Lady Vols share the same record, 25-2, and are ranked 3rd behind #1 UConn (26-1) and #2 UNC (25-2). They really seem to have a lot of fun there in Tenn. Maybe you guys remember Bruce Pearl, the head coach of the men's team, at a Lady Vols game shirtless and going crazy with the other student fans. The women's head coach Pat Summit also attended a men's game dressed as a cheerleader! Oh, those Volunteers...

I saw Memphis play LIVE back in November here in the City. They came to The Garden and played in the College Hoops Classic, Coaches vs. Cancer tournament. This was erie timing too, because at the same time freshman phenom Derrick Rose was on the cover of the latest ESPN Mag. Chris Douglas-Roberts, Robert Dozier, the whole crew. The Tigers had some key wins against Oklahoma (currently on the bubble @ 18-9) and Connecticut (now #15 @ 21-6) to win the tourney.

Quiet As It's Kept...

NYC is the mecca of sports, and while other major cities like to think otherwise, I see no reason to debate. In football, we proved we're the boss when the New York Giants won the Super Bowl by stomping out what was deemed to be one of the best teams in all of history, the New England Patriots. The Mets and Yanks still have Jeter and A-Rod, and most fans are still buzzing about the Mets' offseason acquisition of Johan Santana. Our basketball team, the Knicks, are on the complete other end of the spectrum.

'Basketball sucks' seems to be the general consensus, as ratings and fan interests are at an all-time low. I know people who haven't watched basketball since the Michael Jordan era, gangsta ass Chicago Bulls era. Ask any of them and what's left of the NBA will never compare and can barely even be called basketball. That is especially the case here in NYC. The Knicks were at one point one of the most feared and revered teams in the NBA. Nowadays, they're one of the worst teams, record wise, in the league. The Knicks exploded onto the scene before the season even started, with the Anucha Browne Sanders sexual harrassment/wrongful termination lawsuit, and the well-publicized tension between Knicks head coach Isiah Thomas and PG Stephon Marbury. With big name players and big money contracts, no one expected the season to go the way it has. The Knicks have the fourth worst record in the league at 17-38, above only Memphis, Minnesota and Miami.

I can't count the number of anti-Marbury articles I read and telecasts I watched over the past few months. Everyone pointed the finger at Starbury, saying his selfishness and arrogance was the reason for the Knicks lackluster efforts, dismal record and poor play. All those chatterboxes backed off a bit when Marbury had deaths in his family, including his childhood mentor, his aunt, and his father, Don Marbury, who suffered a fatal heart attack IN Madison Square Garden during a Knicks' game in December. Lemme ask you now, when was the last time you heard the name Stephon Marbury?!

Exactly!! The storyline got old, fast. Stephon Marbury has quietly faded into the background, and with no real public stars to attack, so has the media coverage. Marbury only played in 4 of the Knicks' 14 December games, and hasn't played for the team since January. It's been over a month since the controversial PG was on the court, and that's not going to change anytime soon.

X-Rays in January showed he had a fractured bone spur in his left ankle. "I have pain when I'm running up and down the court," said Marbury in an interview. "I need surgery." He had the same bone spur surgery on the same ankle back when he was in Phoenix, so he knows what he's talking about. Marbury had the surgery again back in January, and this time around, what was supposed to be a routine bone spur removal surgery turned into a lengthy 2-hour long procedure. Doctors found several bone fragments in the ankle that also had to be removed.

Initial reports said Marbury was out indefinitely, and that the Knicks hoped to have him back in a matter of months. We learned last week that Marbury is in fact done for the season. The Knicks were being weird about the whole situation, specifically saying that Steph "decided" to have the surgery, as if it was a decision the organization wasn't backing. You don't have to love the guy, but at least give a damn about his health.

The sad truth is, at 31 years old, Marbury seems to be coming up on the end of his NBA career, and his durability has really come into question. He has struggled to stay healthy over the past few seasons, missing several games with shoulder and foot injuries, and knee tendinitis. During this season, Marbury averaged a career low 13.9 points per game.

Stephon Marbury's huge contract is one of the many reasons why the Knicks are well over the salary cap, and the laughing stock of the league because of it. Marbury is making $20 million this season, and he has one year and $21.9 million left on his deal. There is speculation that the Knicks may be looking to buy him out. The trade deadline came and went, and the Knicks barely batted an eyelash, mainly because there aren't nearly enough pieces to complete their trade puzzle. This season is a wash, and frankly, I don't know anyone who would want to come into this ill-fated situation - on purpose.

Before the season started, Marbury said he wanted to win a championship with the Knicks then move to Italy with his wife and play basketball there. "I'm not just thinking of doing it, I'm going to do it," said Marbury last July. In his blog, Steph went on and on about his trip to Italy and seemed to be renewed by his experience. He called himself tryna get his "David Beckham" on, and wants to go overseas to assist in the globalization of the NBA. He hopes to "spread the Starbury Movement" by promoting his affordable line of sneakers and athletic wear.

Now I'm not the biggest Marbury fan, but I think it was just easier for everyone to focus on him rather than the real problem at hand, which actually stems from Knicks' management. It's unfair to assume that everyone that plays a team sport is a team player, and if he is selfish and arrogant, then learn how to work with him. With all the negative publicity surrounding the franchise, it's easy to miss some of the good things he's done. He donated $4 million last year, $1 million each to teachers, emergency services, and NYC police and fire departments. This doesn't even include the hundreds of pairs of sneakers, clothing and haircuts he gave away to inner city youths and area basketball teams. He says he found God, in his own strange, erratic way and people mocked him. He was one of the few public figures who wasn't afraid to speak out in favor of Michael Vick and people jumped down his throat and called him an idiot.

"I'm in the best place in my life, man," Marbury said during a New York Times interview this past September. "It seems like people don't like it when you grow. They don't like it when you get older and wiser. I came into the NBA when I was 18...If I didn't take the time to grow, something's wrong." Marbury has decided to go out on his own accord, instead of sticking to conventional NBA culture. I'm all for it, and at this point he might as well.

FLEX SCHEDULE for the NBA?

Good idea, huh? Well, I think it's a great idea because if I see one more NATIONALLY TELEVISED Miami Heat or Chicago Bulls game I'm going to flip! After great seasons last year it made sense to have these teams plastered all over the air, but these teams suck ASS now!! Miami can't hit double digit wins and Chicago is still faltering and just recently fired their head coach, Scott Skiles.

On a night when there are 10 games going on simultaneously, I shouldn't be stuck watching some wack ass game by teams that are historically significant or relevant last season. It's unfair to us fans especially since we have better teams emerging in ways we never expected. "Surprise" teams like the Orlando Magic, New Orleans Hornets, Boston Celtics, Utah Jazz, Golden State Warriors are leading the pack but their televised games are few and far between.

It's even worse every Christmas with the same the Lakers vs. Miami! The Diesel is now in Phoenix with one of the top teams in the league, and Miami's dropping like flies. I would venture to say that come December 2008 SHAQ will be on television playing Kobe, DWade or Lebron. I love all 4 of those guys but come the eff on! Can I get some more Kevin Garnett? Some Chris Paul? Some Al Horford? Dwight Howard? Kevin Durant? Marcus Camby? Carlos Boozer? Baron Davis? Deron Williams? Tyson Chandler? Andris Biedrins? This list can go on and on...

So we can all agree that we're missing out with this rigid TV calendar. This is where the flex schedule would come in. The NFL already has it in play and most fans love it. Implemented last year, flexibe scheduling allows for quality and "surprise" teams to have their games aired nationally. As the season progresses, we're able to better choose which games are the best matchups, which could end up being different from when the schedules were first released. Sunday afternoon games are moved to Sunday evenings allowing for national exposure and optimum viewership. College football has done this for years and it's about time the NBA gets onboard.

The "Any Given __ Rule" applies to all sports; any given season any given team can be a contender. The NBA should allow the public the opportunity to follow these teams and players.

Ain't no fun if the homies can't watch none!

KG is BACK!!

The past few NBA weeks have been crazy with all the trades and All-Star Weekend. The All-Stars definitely did their thing, shout out to the EAST on the win, but I'm ready to settle into the second half of the season. As is clear by my numerous posts about Kevin Garnett and his seemingly unstoppable Boston Celtics, I'm a fan.

I relish every opportunity I get to see him in action. There have been a few televised Celtics games in the past few weeks, and while I got to see the rest of the team, KG was MIA. Garnett missed 9 straight games, including the All-Star game, with a strained abdominal muscle. It's weird, you never really notice how much you use your core until your shit doesn't work. Everything from sitting up straight to washin ya ass and of course, playing basketball.

I know I focus a lot on KG, but I'm not blind to the fact that there's a team around him. Everyone, including me, was worried about how the Celts would play without him. Looking back, it seems a bit silly to be that worried. KG's presence definitely affects the defense, but on offense, he's not their biggest threat. He's putting up solid numbers, averaging about 18 ppg, and he pulls down at least 10 boards. I think everyone would agree that KG is the heart and leader of that team, but the Celts proved they don't need him on the court to win a game.

Frankly, I would feel more secure if the Celtics didn't lose another game this season, but I'm not that unrealistic. The Celtics did their thing and were 7-2 while KG was away. Ray Allen has been always been a great player, and has been phenomenal since going to Boston this season. He's still one of the premier shooters in the league, as was proved by his 28 points in 19 minutes during the All-Star game. Paul Pierce, of course, is a has been in Boston for 10 years and is no doubt happy to finally be atop the NBA standings. Rajon Rondo is young, but getting better by the day. The Celtics are known for the Big 3, but their bench isn't too shabby. Tony Allen was a great pickup. Last January he tore 2 knee ligaments after coming down awkwardly after a dunk, and the prognosis was negative! He's made a speedy recovery and is back this season wearing a big ass knee brace, and shooting 44% from behind the arc. Shout out to Brian Scalabrine who started while KG was sidelined. I liked James Posey when he was in Miami and I wasn't so sure why they let him go. Obviously Posey would rather be in Boston right now anyway, seeing as how Shaq is gone, and Miami has yet to hit double digits in wins.

-->KG came back last night in the Celtics 118-124 loss to the Denver Nuggets. Garnett played just 21 minutes, shot 2-7, and finished the game with 4 points, 8 rebounds and 4 turnovers. Yeah, just a tad bit rusty but it's ok! I'm sure he's still feeling the effects of being off the court for almost a month. He'll get stronger over the next few games, and we'll see him back at 100 percent.

YAY YAY!! (Ice Cube Style...lol)

Kenechi Udeze - Jisie Ike!

If you've read my blog before, then you probably know that I'm Nigerian. I was born in Lagos, Nigeria, but I have been in the US since I was about 2. Like people in most other cultures, I love to see other Africans, especially Nigerians, do well. It's no surprise that when I see a Nigerian, in any sport, I make it a personal mission to keep track of them.

KENECHI NDUKA UDEZE is one of them. He was a standout at USC, starting 3 years, including his junior year when the Trojans won the Rose Bowl in 2004. Udeze was picked up by the Minnesota Vikings in the 1st round of the 2004 draft. At 6-3, 281 lbs he's a force to be reckoned with, and he's had a great NFL career thus far. Check his profile if you want all his stats, but this isn't even about that.

News broke last week that 24 year old Udeze has leukemia, cancer of the bone marrow and blood, but it is not yet known which form of the disease he has. I'm not writing this to make it news, I'm writing say my heart goes out to his entire camp. My thoughts and prayers are with Kenechi, his family, friends, teammates and fans.

His former coach, Pete Carroll of USC, expressed his feelings on the sad news. “Kenechi's got a big battle on his hands,” Carroll said. “We've been talking with him, and we will continue to support him and send our good wishes and prayers his way. We know he's going to come through strong and compete against this disease like a warrior, like he always has competed.”

I really do wish him a safe and speedy recovery. Something like this transcends any sport and is all about Kenechi Udeze getting healthy.

IGA ADI NMA

GBAKE NGWA NGWA

OBI SIE GI IKE INULA

JISIE IKE

**Ndigbo gotta stick together**

2008 Pro Bowl

It's official yall. The 2007-2008 NFL season is OVA!! The past few Sundays have been great for me as a Giants fan; excellent postseason play, surprise victories over strong opponents and of course, becoming the SUPER BOWL 42 CHAMPIONS!! The last few months haven’t been so great for fans of other teams, but the final game of the season helps to change all that. The Pro Bowl is like a godsend; the leagues best players, including a lot of your favorites, all get together to form two Megatron teams. These are the lineups any true fan would have if coaching staffs, contract disputes and free agency had were nonexistent. The Pro Bowl cast is THE ultimate fantasy team.


The players who are chosen are voted in by the fans, other NFL players and coaches. The biggest names come together to play…well, together. That’s really what makes the Pro Bowl so great. Usually on opposite sides of the field and wins, the game brings the players together as friends and teammates instead of just opponents. These guys have mutual respect for each other, and you usually don’t find too many hard hits and injuries in this kind of environment. While it's mostly fun and games, but both sides still want to win. There's this notion out there that there are some games that "don't really count" but this one definitely does. Not only are there bragging rights for the conference that wins, but each member of the winning team get $40,000 while the losing team gets half that.

The Pro Bowl, for the 22nd consecutive year, was held at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu, Hawaii. The game just ended, with the NFC takin it to the AFC in a 42-30 action-packed win. Both teams scored on their opening possessions, but the ACF dominated the first half, leading 27-21 going into the 3rd. It’s no surprise that Peyton Manning was at the reins for the AFC’s first score. Manning looked strong in Norv Turner’s offensive system, completing 11 of 16 passes for 147 yards, including a TD strike to Bengals receiver TJ Houshmandzadeh.

There were several players on the AFC side who had strong showings. Houshmandzadeh caught 4 passes for 44 yards and 2 touchdowns, both in the first half. Tony Gonzales, who always seems to get open, caught 4 balls for 79 yards. I’m a huge Braylon Edwards fan. I followed him while he was at Michigan and had a few opportunities to see him live. He had a strong first half, with 2 receptions for 40 yards, but was quiet in the second. The Pro Bowl tends to be a show for QBs and WRs, where the passing game gets more attention than the running game. That was definitely the case with the AFC. Running backs Fred Taylor, Willis McGahee and Joseph Addai combined for a dismal 26 yards. Chargers FB Lorenzo Neal, in his 15th season and very first Pro Bowl appearance, scored the AFC’s only rushing TD, the first score of the game, but rushed for only 1 yard on 2 attempts. By the way, Tom Brady and Randy Moss were both voted in as starters, but declined to play in the game after they lost the Super Bowl. Teeheehee!!

The NFC was the complete opposite. You may remember him as the young man won Rookie of the Year Award, and was one of the most productive running backs in 2007. Yes, I am talking about ADRIAN PETERSON!! He played a great game and showed the same power running he did during the regular season. Peterson had 129 yards on 16 carries, averaging over 8 yards per rush. And did I mention his 2 touchdowns? His stellar performance won him MVP honors which included a trophy by Tiffany and a red 2008 Cadillac CTS. Like the AFC, though, there wasn't much more to the ground game than Peterson.


Marion Barber picked up 37 yards, but Brian Westbrook barely saw the ball, rushing once for 4 yards. Tony Romo, starting in place of Green Bay’s Brett Favre, played a solid game. Romo threw 2 touchdowns, including one to his fellow Cowboy, Terrell Owens. There was talk during the game about T.O. being the MVP of the game. And by "there was talk" I mean T.O. said he should be the MVP. He made a solid case with 8 receptions, 101 yards and 2 touchdowns. Say what you want about T.O., but I’m a fan. I love that he talks shit, tells fans to get their popcorn ready, then cries, literally, for his QB Romo. He's the TOtal package!! Owens led the league in dropped balls and actually dropped a few during this game. He rebounded well and held his own. Chris Cooley of the Washington Redskins had 3 catches for 41 yards, and caught a touchdown pass from Seattle QB Matt Hasselbeck. All three players from the Redskins, Cooley, Chris Samuels and Ethan Albright, wore the number 21 instead of their regular jersey numbers in honor of their slain teammate, Sean Taylor. It was beautiful to see. The jersies are going to be sold online at NFL Auction, with the proceeds going to the Sean Taylor Memorial Trust Fund to benefit his young daughter, Jackie.

On defense, it’s no surprise that Antonio Cromartie was phenomenal! Frankly, I think Cromartie should have won the Defensive Player of the Year Award instead of Bob Sanders. Don't get me wrong, I like Bob Sanders just as much as the next guy, and I appreciate what he does on defense in spite of his size, but he was NOT the best on D. I'm sorry. And during the Pro Bowl, Cromartie proved why he should have won. Cromartie led the league in interceptions during the regular season with 10, and had 2 key picks during the Pro Bowl. A Romo pass skipped off the fingertips of Chris Cooley and into the waiting arms of Cromatie. And during the 3rd quarter, Jeff Garcia’s throw to Torri Holt went off his hands and guess who was there to scoop it? CROMARTIE!! Did I mention he also holds NFL record for returning a missed field goal 109 yards!?! The man is unstoppable, and in only his second year in the league there's much more to come.

There were a few surprises as well. On their first drive of the game, facing 4th & 8, the NFC lined up in punt formation with punter Andy Lee on the field. Seconds later, Lee threw a pass to Tony Richardson who picked up 11 yards and the first down, extended the drive which later led to an NFC touchdown.

I really enjoyed the way FOX covered the game. The QBs were mic’ed up, allowing viewers to hear the convos during practice, and the plays that were called throughout the game. The announcers also gave us some really interesting statistics. Some of the ones I found most fascinating are below:

--> All but 6 NFL teams were represented in the Pro Bowl – Atlanta, Carolina, Detroit, Jacksonville, New Orleans & New York Jets
--> The Dallas Cowboys led the league with 13 players in the game, setting a Pro Bowl record
--> T.O. becomes the 13th player to represent 3 different teams in the Pro Bowl
--> There are 7 different Father/Son pairs that have played in the Pro-Bowl, 3 of them in this game; Archie/Peyton Manning, Kellen Sr./Kellen Winslow and Mosi/Lofa Tatupu
--> Over 84 million fans cast votes on NFL.com and via wireless phones
--> Rule Changes in the Pro Bowl; Offense – Intentional grounding legal; Defense – No Blitzing
--> TJ Houshmandzadeh brought 35 people with him to the Pro Bowl, Fred Taylor – 38, Asante Samuel 15
--> Mascots and cheerleaders from each team were present

The NFL Network (a channel I don't have, but desperately need in my life) followed I watched tons of videos on NFL.com where several big name players wore mics. Rookie Patrick Willis, voted Defensive Rookie of the Year, let us follow him through practice. There was also a really funny clip with Peyton Manning hating on Rich Eisen, an NFL Network anchor, for singing karaoke the night before and waking up sleeping children.

Shout out to the NFC for beating the AFC, a conference which was more dominant during the regular season but lackluster in the post. This win means another victory for the only Giant that was voted into the Pro Bowl, my Nigerian brotha, OSI UMENYIORA! Something tells me that this time next year, there will be SEVERAL GMEN reppin NY!

Say what? Shaq Went WHERE!?!

Sometimes I wish I could add special features to certain posts. If I had it my way, this one would be set to song; a soundtrack of Shaquille O'Neal's greatest hits!

I KNOW I GOT SKILLZ
WHAT'S UP DOC?
BIOLOGICAL DIDN'T BOTHER
TWisM FOR LIFE
YOU CAN'T STOP THE REIGN!

Why do I need a Shaq medley? Because the FORMER Miami Heat center Shaquille O'Neal has been traded to the Phoenix Suns. WHAT THE HELL, RIGHT!?! I said the same thing! In return Miami got PF Shawn Marion and G Marcus Banks. The deal became official yesterday after Shaq, almost surprisingly, passed a required team physical. This is the most shocking news since KG got traded from Minnesota to Boston last summer. The only difference is that I don't know if the addition will have the same effect in the West that it had in the East. Kevin Garnett took the Boston Celtics, one of leagues worst, into a power house. We'll just have to wait and see what this mix will be.

I'm a fan of the Diesel, but Shaq has been having one of his worst years on record. He's averaging a career low 14.9 points per game. Keep in mind, folks, that except for last season, Shaq averaged at least 20 points per year. His numbers have declined steadily since the 99-00 season, but that downward slope coincides with the increase in age. If this was baseball, Shaq would be getting stronger, leaner, faster AND he would make all his free throws. And yes, I am implying that he would be using steroids/HGH. But this is the NBA, and I'm not saying that guys don't use, but it's clear Superman isn't one of them. No offense to my man The Big Aristotle, but he's almost as old as Aristotle. He'll be 36 next month, and while that's not old as hell in basketball years, for a man his size, he's almost ancient. And not to mention the beating he takes on a daily basis. We all know Shaq is strong so when he hits a guy the impact is pretty clear. But what most people are blind to is the pressure put on him by the double and triple teams. AND the Hack-A-Shaq! Shaq is always getting bodied but a lot of calls don't go in his favor because he is so large so we rarely see him go flying across the court. He's gigantic; not just in height, but in weight. A body that large should be lazing around, not running up and down the court chasing after men half his size. But it's what he loves to do, so I support him.

The real question surrounding this trade seems to be, WHY!? I mean, Shaq is one of my all-time favorite players so my intention is not to trash him. When I was a kid watching basketball, Shaq-Fu was my idol in Orlando. Then in L.A. Sorta in Miami. And now Phoenix!?! What the bloodclaat!? I've always sided with Shaq, my homie-stromie, so I don't think he would have allowed a trade to a team that wasn't a contender and where he wouldn't fit in. The big issue now is that the Suns are a fast-paced team that loves to run the floor and score ad nauseum. 'How will Shaq adjust?' The same way he always does people!

At this point in his career, he knows that he can't go 48 minutes of all 82 games, but he can be a role player and contribute. He's still a force in the paint, he draws defenders off their men to cover him which inevitably leaves a shooter open. And there's no shortage of shooters in Phoenix. So I think he'll be fine. He's not as washed up as people would like to believe, and he'll start for the Suns. Shaq'll play a good chunk, and knowing he's going to have some quality minutes, he'll be more of a force on both sides of the ball. Shaq is a veteran who can also help the younger guys on the team, especially the other big men who need a massive hand to help guide them along. Plus I saw some info that said he's not the 325 pounds he was at the start of the season, but that when he weighed-in in Phoenix during the physical he was 312 pounds. A healthy, "light" Shaq is definitely more productive. I see him losing a bit more weight, running a lot more in the desert than in Miami, and being stronger. What more can you ask for?

I was a bit sad by the trade at first. I thought Shaq was going to finish up his career in Miami, but apparently 4.5 seasons was all he needed. Plus, in this day and age, where trades seem to happen daily, it's rare that a player plays for only one team his entire career. Shaq is in his 16th season in the NBA and his fourth, and hopefully final, team. Sure it would be really really REALLY interesting if he went full circle and finished up in Orlando. Not that the Magic need any help at this point with Dwight Howard being so dominant, but still... I mean, Penny Hardaway came back this season, for a few games at least, and he and Shaq were teammates once more! NOW imagine him reuniting with Kobe Bryant! That would be crazy! And I would love it!! Then we could argue over whose team it was, we'd hear rumors about fight during practice and in the locker rooms, then maybe some (ex)wife swapping...OOHH!! And then they can do a rap song together!! People give athletes a hard time when they rap, but I would venture to say that Shaq was one of the more successful ones. He had a few albums, and some hit songs. Kobe, on the other hand, could take some notes. Have you heard him rap? **Shudder**

---> Miami played their first game with Shaq officially off the roster last night, and lost 100-95 to the Detroit Pistons. There's no way to say whether or not the loss came as a result of Shaq's absence. He's already missed 14 games this season since injuring his hip diving for a loose ball. (Why big ass Shaq was DIVING for ANYTHING is a mystery to me; but I love the hustle!) Miami's playing the Philadelphia 76ers tonight, a game they'll probably lose. And I'm not saying that because Shaq-Fu is no longer MIA, but because Miami is 9-38 this season, and that's just the way their season is headed. From 2006 NBA Champions to the league's worst teams; worse than the Timberwolves, the Grizzlies AND the KNICKS!! Oh, how the might have fallen.

Victory for Vick - To Keep Roster Bonus

I'm Team Vick. Yeah you read that right. I don't spend my free time fighting dogs, and I don't agree with those who do. I thin it's barbaric, violent and disgusting, but I'm not interested in persecuting those who enjoy it. Mike Vick is almost 3 months into a 23-month sentence, one I find to be excessive, and won't be seen on the outside until 2009. During the entire trial, the news kept getting worse and worse; admitting to killing dogs, testing positive for marijuana, etc. Finally, a bright spot. A multi-million dollar bright spot.

A federal judge ruled Monday that Vick, the former Atlanta Falcons QB, can keep the majority of the nearly $20 million in bonuses he received from the team. No doubt Atlanta's not happy with that. The case the Falcon's were trying to make was that the roster bonus should be considered the same as a performance bonus, thereby allowing them to recoup the money. U.S. District Judge David Doty, who presided over the case, ruled that the logic behind that was flawed. Vick earned the roster bonus once he made the 80-man roster, and is entitled to keep the money. $3.75 million of the $20 mil was actually written into the contract as a signing bonus, which Doty ruled should be returned to the Falcons.

According to his lawyer, Lawrence Woodard, Jr., Vick is pleased with the decision. "He's grateful for some good news, but he realizes he needs to keep doing all the right things to get back to playing football." Really? I'm a bit torn on this one. I would be happy for Vick if he's able to come out of prison, return to the NFL and be the great QB he was a few seasons back. But the truth is, does he even want to go back to the NFL? I understand a lot of the decisions they made, mainly suspended Vick indefinitely, were in the best interest of the league and its image. Vick was under complete public scrutiny, and rightfully so, with everyone from avid hunters to PETA screaming for his head, and the NFL never once came to his rescue. I feel like Vick (FIGURATIVELY!!!) was like Jesus hangin on the cross (AKA the uprights) looking up into the heavens at God (AKA Roger Goodell) screaming 'Why have you forsaken me?!' but the Lord (Goodell) just pretends he doesn't know or hear him. FIGURATIVELY!!!! Maybe a death row/governor's pardon would have been a better anology, but you get it.

NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said in a statement, "It makes no sense that an individual who willfully violates his contract is entitled to be paid tens of millions of dollars even though he is in jail and providing no services whatsoever to his employer." I actually agree with that, but it doesn't mean the NFL can get all pissy and try to undo what they've already done. They're acting like that irrational boyfriend that shows up at your door with an empty box after you guys break up demanding back everything he every gave you; the jewelry, the groceries, even the tampons he relunctantly bought during your "time of need." Look, my ex Malik never got back the Vickie's Secret bra and panty set he got me for my birthday even though he tried HARD, and neither should the NFL.

I'm glad the judge saw it my way. Hold ya head Michael Vick!!