30 Dec 10 Have The Suns Convinced Fans?

Christian Petersen/Getty ImagesAfter all the doubt about the Suns appearing in the playoffs before the seasons started the Suns have finally proved that they can be lethal team if faith is given. The Suns had an amazing start to the season but started slow down until after the all-star break and trade deadline which seemed to have waken the team up from their misery and got them back on track. As a matter of fact they are currently 19-4 since the All-Star weekend break and are on a 10 game winning streak.This is all thanks to Amar'e Stoudemire's New York Giants jersey
recent MVP-caliber performance. He has been scoring consistently and improved in his rebounding skills, or at least it seemed like it has. But Amar'e isn't the only player who has stepped up. Jason Richardson has started to follow Stoudemire's lead and scored consistently as well.With Barbosa's return, Lopez was ruled out. This placed an uncertainty for Alvin Gentry as to whether or not Frye should start in place of Lopez but a decision was made to start Collins, who rarely gets any playing time. This has yet seemed to be a bad idea given the fact that since New York Jets jersey
he has received the starting position the Suns haven't lost a game yet.Alvin Gentry's decision making has been great and really has helped the Suns grab wins for their run to grab a higher seed in the Western Conference. Gentry has also won the Coach of the Month award for March. He seems to be not only the players' favorites but also the fans' favorite.After tonights win against the Suns, they have won 50 out of 76 games which is the exact same record as the Dallas Mavericks giving both teams the 2nd seed. Coincidently the Suns and Mavs will face offOakland Raiders jersey
against each other in the NBA's third outdoor game later on in the year for a pre-season game. The Suns have been the best team in the last 10 games with a 10-0 record.The Suns need to keep up their current pace and bring their A game into the playoffs in order for them to advance deep into the playoffs. This could be a year Suns' fans may never forget.

29 Dec 10 NBA Playoffs: Preview Prediction: Boston Celtics Vs Miami Heat

Boston Celtics vs.Miami HeatSeason Series: Boston 3-0This is just a preview for one of the eight games, for all eight match-ups, click below* NBA Playoffs - Previews and Predictions - Round One Match-ups * TheBoston Celtics aren't quite the team they were two years ago when they won the NBA Championship. Well, in a sense they are because they still have Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen, Rajon Rando and Kendrick Perkins, and they even picked up Rasheed Wallace to boost their defense (he's also added almost 10 points per Reebok Pittsburgh Steelers #86 Hines Ward Realtree camo Jersey
game). Where lies the problem? Here it is; the Celtics are getting old. An 82-game season, plus the playoffs is grueling on the body and considering the big three for Boston (Pierce, Garnett and Allen) average age is 34 years old, its going to be awfully hard to keep place with young teams like Cleveland, Orlando or Atlanta as the playoffs continue. Don't get me wrong, they all still have a lot of talent and they'll walk past Miami but 2008 was their year, 2010 is the year for someone else (don't be surprised if its the Western Conference as they've won 7 of the last 11 championships and the most interesting part is the Spurs and Lakers have won all seven).Back on April 7, Garnett tweeked his knee in a game against the Raptors and even though he won't let it keep him out of the playoffs, the only person who knows if he is at 100 percent is himself, but if a pretty safe bet to say he won't be, at least he won't be there 100 percent mentality if not physically. There is no question the Celtics starting five is full of talent, and even Wallace (who has kinda stunk) and recently acquired Nate Robinson should help the Celtics chances of making a deep run in the playoffs butBoston combined to go 3-9 against the three teams ahead of them (Atlanta, Orlando and Cleveland) and with that record, it'll be tough to get past the second round after presumably coasting through the first. Boston has been there before (deep in the playoffs) and that experience is going to be impossible to stop for Miami but once Boston sees the likes of Cleveland, Orlando or Atlanta, expect not only great basketball but for Boston's age to catch up to them.Unfortunately forMiami Heat fans, you will see a trend as the my Eastern Conference preview rolls on but honestly, it is nothing to beReebok Pittsburgh Steelers James Harrison Realtree camo Jersey
surprised about. The top four teams in the East (Cleveland, Orlando, Atlanta and Boston) are all head and shoulders above the remaining four teams (Milwaukee, Miami, Charlotte and Chicago). With that being said, don't tell Dwayne Wade because the guy is ridiculously skilled with a basketball and already has a Championship under his belt (yeah, mainly to the help of Shaq). There is no question that this is Wade's team now (it always was but he needed a big-man like Shaq to win it) but Miami has done what they can to help Wade by picking up Michael Beasley in the draft two years ago and also got Jermaine O'Neil via trade from the Raptors. Udonis Haslem and Quintin Richardson also dish in but what Miami is missing is what was the most pivotal part of their 2005-06 championship run: the big man.Dwayne Wade can't do it all himself; he is not LeBron, Kobe, Durant or Carmelo (who allbut Durant) have a better cast of teammates surrounding them. Although Wade does average 25+ points, just under five rebounds and over 6.5 assists I can't see him doing enough to get past a team that in every way is better than his. Again, the big man is the reason the Heat will duck out early and by early I mean five games... they'll be lucky to even win one in this series Reebok San Francisco 49ers #21 Frank GORE Realtree camo Jersey
folks. Jermaine O'Neil may not be at 100 percent but he has come back from injury and will definitely be a boost the Heat who will need him real bad but the fact he won't be playing at full strength is going to hurt Miami, and hurt them bad. It honestly wouldn't matter what Nos. 1-4 seeds played Nos. 5-8 because the four best teams in the East are moving on.TheCoach's Pick:BOSTON in FIVE

28 Dec 10 Suns-Spurs: A Game Of Runs

Christian Petersen/Getty ImagesAfter the Phoenix Sun's Monday night 111-102 victory over the San Antonio Spurs in Game 1 of their Western Conference Semifinal series, it has become more and more clear that this is a series that will ultimately be decided by the team that makes the last run.Phoenix led by14 Reebok Oakland Raiders #21 Nnamdi Asomugha Realtree camo Jersey
on two occasions, mid way through the second quarter and again early in the fourth quarter. However, both times,San Antoniowent on quick runs to narrow the gap, taking the lead with a Ginobili three pointer in the third quarter and cutting the Phoenix lead to1 with about four minutes to play.Thats not to say the Suns didn't respond to their fair share of adversity. After going down 67-64 mid way through the third quarter, the Suns turned defensive stops into quick scores and went on a 21-8 run to end the quarter and head into the final period up 10.Again in the fourth quarter after a letting a 94-80 lead get away with a 13-0 run by the Spurs, Phoenix went on a9-2 run to take an 8 point lead, 103-95, capped off by a Richardson three pointer with 90 seconds to play.The result of all this, a game that saw the Suns Reebok Pittsburgh Steelers #86 Hines Ward Realtree camo Jersey
go up by 10 at halftime, then the Spurs up by 3 in the third quarter, the Suns up 10 by the end of the quarter, eventually up 14 in the fourth, then up only 1 with four minutes left, then up 9 with all zeroes on the clock. And thats just one game.It is only Game 1, but it would seem that the team that is able to weather the storm most effectively in this series will be moving on to the next round.

27 Dec 10 How Amare Played His Way out of Phoenix Wednesday

Harry How/Getty ImagesAs one Phoenix journalist posted on Twitter during Game Two of the Western Conference Finals, "I think Amare opted out of his contract at halftime."The one thing that all Suns fans knew they were getting with Amare Stoudemire was all offense and no defense. After his pathetic performance on guarding Pau Gasol, I think it is safe to say that Suns fans have had enough of his lackadaisical performance on the end that doesn't improve his stats.Nothing against Gasolhe is a great playerbut he is not Shaq or Hakeem Olajuwon. Reebok Green Bay Packers #12 Aaron Rodgers Realtree camo Jersey
A player of Stoudemire's caliber should at least be able to stop him every once in awhile. He can't even do that.Play after play the offense ran through Gasol because of one reason, Stoudemire's inability to defend. He is constantly out of position and is afraid to make plays on the defensive end for fear of getting in foul trouble.By all accounts unless the Suns are willing to give him a new max deal for five years (Suns will only extend him by three years) he is as good as gone.The sad thing is despite all of his abilities on the court, I am all for him leaving.It took a midseason benching and not being traded to motivate him into becoming the dominating force that he was in the second half of the season.Despite playing seven seasons in the NBA, he still gets by on athleticism and hasn't bothered to learn how to play defense. The only part of the game that he has improved is his mid-range jumper.When Amare opts out of his contract this summer, he will likely land somewhere outside of the Valley of the Sun.This would give the Suns Reebok Green Bay Packers #52 Clay Matthews Realtree camo Jersey
around $44 million committed to eight players next season (let's say it safe to think that Grant Hill will pick up his option). Assuming they commit between $6-$7 million to re-signing Lou Amundson and Channing Frye (whose price tag has gone down since this series started) the Suns will have about $14 million in cap space to play around with.They could sign two solid role players to add to the chemistry that this team has been able to develop so well. Or they could make a splash in the free agent market.I'm not talking a LeBron type play but going for someone like Chris Bosh could be just the move the Suns are looking for. A power forward who would actually want to be in town and reap the benefits from everything that is Steve Nash.Stoudemire has no post moves and is not willing to box out or is often out of place on rebounds. Bosh's numbers have improved every year since he has been in the league while Amare's has been up and down, plus there are the numerous injuries that he has racked up over the years (knee, eye).Now is Reebok Indianapolis Colts 18 Peyton Manning Realtree camo Jersey
this likely to happen? No, I'm also a Suns fan (which means I'm pessimistic) and the only time we got a superstar was when Charles Barkley came to town.The first two games of this series has only proved that the Suns need someone with a better all around game, in order to win a title. While Stoudemire can provide a name, he can't provide any D and that will not get the Suns a title while he is their power for

26 Dec 10 Steve Nash: The Busted Face of Basketball

Jeff Gross/Getty ImagesIve always been a Steve Nash hater. Let just get that out there. Ive always thought that he a wormy, saccharine Canadian;a player whose abilities on the court are blown out of proportion by hisstatistics on paper. He the highschool quarterback that scores the hot cheerleader, heads the San Francisco 49ers jersey
class council,gets straight A, and petitions for more soda machines on campus. He is the kid who does more community service than theamount required for graduation. I mean,who does that!? We get it, Steve.Youre nice. Youre a do-gooder,and youve won over the masses with your G-rated Disney pizazz. Just stop the act already.If you were to ask me, he didn deserve those MVPs. He got them because he was small, white, anddid everything right. He answeredquestions politely, and smiled for the camera. He visited hospitals and paintedhouses. But his play didn justify theaccolades, the fanfare, or the adoration.He has won nothing, accomplished nothing, proven nothing. I would have said he played us all for fools. And you know what? I would have been dead wrong. Because eventhough he playing against the LakersmyLakersI keep finding myself rootingfor Steven John Nash.***It kills me to say this, but Nash has revolutionized thegame of basketball. His effect cannot beseen in a single game (though I guarantee you, like last night Game 5thriller, he will make any game entertaining), nor can his effect on thebasketball culture be quantifiably measured.This is true within , , ,and all throughout the NBA-watching globe.Just ask around. This wormy, saccharine Canadian has Seattle Seahawks jersey
become anambassador. Our ambassador. And, thoughit has taken me a while to come around on this fact, it is a privilege to havethis class council president as our diplomat to the basketball-watchinglegions. His methods are highlysuccessful, tremendously watchable, and brilliant to behold. May the Coke machines abound.First, let me break down what Nash brings to the court. In this, his 13th season, when hisbody should be/has been breaking down for at least five years, he is enjoyingone of his finest seasons of all-time.(No small feat for a prior back-to-back MVP winner.) He averaged 16 points and 11 assists a gamethis year, 17.5 and 10 in the playoffs. Heled his team to the Western Conference Finals when no one had them out of thefirst round. He re-activated AmareStoudamire (not to mention the whole city of Phoenix), and in the biggest gameof the year he hit big shot after big shot even as his coach was puking on thesidelines. True story.And I realize it is a pity that we have never seen what hecan do in the Finals.True, he can beat players with his speed, providelock-down defense, elevate, or play for over 35 minutes a game. But he never really could in the first place,could he? When he is on the court, hehides his every shortcoming in a way that it only rarely becomes apparent. I mean, let be honest.Every single player in the NBA yes, even Earl Boikins could post upSteve Nash if they were alone in a gym together. But it doesn happen. Why?Because Steve sees the play coming, switches off, and never gives themthe opportunity. Steve maximizes his strengths at the offensive end to makeup for his defense. If he needs to getby his defender, he goes into a succession of stutter-steps and hesitations,dipping his shoulder only when heSt. Louis Rams jersey
has the man completely off-balance. If the defense switches, he lures the big menout to the 15-18 foot range, and either lofts a high shot over him (that hemakes with great regularity) or burns by him for an unorthodox - yet thoroughlypracticed - layup. For the opponent, it maddening. It like trying to share a sleeping bag withyour sister - it should be easy, but you just can get in the right position.On drives, Nash gets behind the hoop - much like a hockeyplayer and looks for cutters at angles the defense isn accustomed to. If the defenders stay at home on theirplayers, it makes for an easy and uncontested layup. But if they switch off, they have to turntheir back on Stoudamire or Grant Hill.And that never a smart idea. It brilliant basketball play, really. Like in fencing, he realizes that he is inpower when he has the ball in attack mode.He makes the choices, dictating every move that the defense makes, andcountering appropriately.Im beginning to realize Ive never seen a player like him.Steve Nash is proof that you don have to be able touch Tennessee Titans jersey
thetop of the backboard in order to play in this league. He embodies the natural evolution ofbasketball; the game where a keen eye and smart thinking can make up for a lackof athletic talent. Now, Ill root for the Lakers until Im purple and gold inthe face. But for basketball fans, SteveNash is our savior. He is the hope ofthe slow, ground-ridden masses. And that quite an accomplishment, isn it?This article is also featured onThe Second Coming NBA Blog
Jeff Gross/Getty ImagesIve always been a Steve Nash hater. Let just get that out there. Ive always thought that he a wormy, saccharine Canadian;a player whose abilities on the court are blown out of proportion by hisstatistics on paper. He the highschool quarterback that scores the hot cheerleader, heads the San Francisco 49ers jersey
class council,gets straight A, and petitions for more soda machines on campus. He is the kid who does more community service than theamount required for graduation. I mean,who does that!? We get it, Steve.Youre nice. Youre a do-gooder,and youve won over the masses with your G-rated Disney pizazz. Just stop the act already.If you were to ask me, he didn deserve those MVPs. He got them because he was small, white, anddid everything right. He answeredquestions politely, and smiled for the camera. He visited hospitals and paintedhouses. But his play didn justify theaccolades, the fanfare, or the adoration.He has won nothing, accomplished nothing, proven nothing. I would have said he played us all for fools. And you know what? I would have been dead wrong. Because eventhough he playing against the LakersmyLakersI keep finding myself rootingfor Steven John Nash.***It kills me to say this, but Nash has revolutionized thegame of basketball. His effect cannot beseen in a single game (though I guarantee you, like last night Game 5thriller, he will make any game entertaining), nor can his effect on thebasketball culture be quantifiably measured.This is true within , , ,and all throughout the NBA-watching globe.Just ask around. This wormy, saccharine Canadian has Seattle Seahawks jersey
become anambassador. Our ambassador. And, thoughit has taken me a while to come around on this fact, it is a privilege to havethis class council president as our diplomat to the basketball-watchinglegions. His methods are highlysuccessful, tremendously watchable, and brilliant to behold. May the Coke machines abound.First, let me break down what Nash brings to the court. In this, his 13th season, when hisbody should be/has been breaking down for at least five years, he is enjoyingone of his finest seasons of all-time.(No small feat for a prior back-to-back MVP winner.) He averaged 16 points and 11 assists a gamethis year, 17.5 and 10 in the playoffs. Heled his team to the Western Conference Finals when no one had them out of thefirst round. He re-activated AmareStoudamire (not to mention the whole city of Phoenix), and in the biggest gameof the year he hit big shot after big shot even as his coach was puking on thesidelines. True story.And I realize it is a pity that we have never seen what hecan do in the Finals.True, he can beat players with his speed, providelock-down defense, elevate, or play for over 35 minutes a game. But he never really could in the first place,could he? When he is on the court, hehides his every shortcoming in a way that it only rarely becomes apparent. I mean, let be honest.Every single player in the NBA yes, even Earl Boikins could post upSteve Nash if they were alone in a gym together. But it doesn happen. Why?Because Steve sees the play coming, switches off, and never gives themthe opportunity. Steve maximizes his strengths at the offensive end to makeup for his defense. If he needs to getby his defender, he goes into a succession of stutter-steps and hesitations,dipping his shoulder only when heSt. Louis Rams jersey
has the man completely off-balance. If the defense switches, he lures the big menout to the 15-18 foot range, and either lofts a high shot over him (that hemakes with great regularity) or burns by him for an unorthodox - yet thoroughlypracticed - layup. For the opponent, it maddening. It like trying to share a sleeping bag withyour sister - it should be easy, but you just can get in the right position.On drives, Nash gets behind the hoop - much like a hockeyplayer and looks for cutters at angles the defense isn accustomed to. If the defenders stay at home on theirplayers, it makes for an easy and uncontested layup. But if they switch off, they have to turntheir back on Stoudamire or Grant Hill.And that never a smart idea. It brilliant basketball play, really. Like in fencing, he realizes that he is inpower when he has the ball in attack mode.He makes the choices, dictating every move that the defense makes, andcountering appropriately.Im beginning to realize Ive never seen a player like him.Steve Nash is proof that you don have to be able touch Tennessee Titans jersey
thetop of the backboard in order to play in this league. He embodies the natural evolution ofbasketball; the game where a keen eye and smart thinking can make up for a lackof athletic talent. Now, Ill root for the Lakers until Im purple and gold inthe face. But for basketball fans, SteveNash is our savior. He is the hope ofthe slow, ground-ridden masses. And that quite an accomplishment, isn it?This article is also featured onThe Second Coming NBA Blog

25 Dec 10 Nets vs. Hawks: Josh Smith, Hawks Soar As Nets Lose Again

Kevin C. Cox/Getty ImagesComing off an ugly loss in Boston, the New Jersey Nets dropped their eighth straight road game as they lost to the Atlanta Hawks Tuesday night, 116-101, at Philips Arena. The Nets fell to 6-16 on the season.Atlanta Josh Smith was unconscious on the night, scoring a season-high 34 points and hitting clutch baskets all night long.The Nets defeated the Hawks in their last meeting in overtime two weeks ago, but Smith and company earned their revenge.New Jersey came out strong early scoring the first five points and enjoying a Indianapolis Colts jersey
10-4 run. Brook Lopez scored seven points in the first six minutes, but Atlanta stayed close.Jamal Crawford took over late in the first quarter, scoring eight points in five minutes. The Hawks closed the quarter on an 8-0 run and led 27-26.With a combination of strong defense and Atlanta turnovers, the Nets went on their own 10-0 run early in the second quarter to retake the lead. Jordan Farmar continued his strong outside shooting by burying a few three-pointers. He scored eight points in nine minutes.Crawford was at it again in the second quarter, hitting big shot after big shot. The Hawks opened up a 13-point lead after a 20-3 run. Atlanta led 60-47 at the half.Josh Smith led all scorers with 19 first half points while Al Horford chimed in with 12. Crawford finished with 18 points in just over 17 minutes. Lopez Jacksonville Jaguars jersey
led the Nets with 15 points, and Devin Harris added eight assists.Kevin C. Cox/Getty ImagesThe third quarter opened with more sloppy play from New Jersey. The Hawks led by as many as 16, but the Nets gained some steam late cutting the lead to eight. But Atlanta surged in the final minute to lead 83-71.The teams traded baskets early in the fourth quarter which allowed Atlanta to maintain their 10 point lead for a while.The Nets began chipping away midway through the fourth as they got some much needed defensive stops. They cut the lead to as little as five with Kansas City Chiefs jersey
three minutes left, but big shots by Horford and Crawford kept Atlanta comfortably ahead. They scored 40 points combined in the win.Harris finished with a double-double, 16 points and 13 assists.The schedule only gets tougher for the struggling Nets as they travel to Dallas to take on former Net Jason Kidd Thursday night.

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Happier times in Cleveland and TorontoIn free agency, for every winner there is a loser. While the center of the NBA-world has relocated to Miami, LeBron James and Chris Bosh’s former teams are left to deal with the devastation their departure wrought in obscurity, far from the prying eyes of national TV. The natural reaction, as Cleveland owner Dan Gilbert showed in his infamous “Comic Sans” letter, is one-upmanship. Gilbert vowed revenge, disparaging LeBron’s character on the way out and generally acting like a scorned lover. Accepting mediocrity will be no easier for Toronto GM Bryan Colangelo, whose job is undoubtedly on the line this season. After four seasons at the helm of the Raptors, they are in far worse shape than when he New Orleans Saints jersey
arrived. But after a break-up, it’s better to think with your head and not your heart. It’s in both teams to rebuild completely, following the model of the Oklahoma City Thunder and not the Indiana Pacers. In 2005, the then Seattle Supersonics pushed the eventual champion Spurs to six games. But after two ineffectual 30-win seasons and All-Star Rashard Lewis approaching free agency, they took out the dynamite. They signed and traded Lewis to Orlando for a massive trade exception, which they parlayed into draft picks by letting teams like Phoenix dump salary to cut payroll and avoid the luxury tax. They moved franchise player and probably future HOF Ray Allen for a high first-round pick. As a result, they picked up franchise cornerstones Kevin Durant and Jeff Green in that year's draft. The next year, the young team inevitably struggled, allowing them another high pick – guard Russell Westbrook. There’s no question that it’s a genuinely painful process; the team averaged 60.5 losses those first two seasons. But that’s the formula for long-term success in the NBA – find an All-Star to build your team around and draft high enough for a few years to get suitable pieces to complement his game. The New York Giants jersey
only thing worse than a drastic rebuilding process is running on the mediocrity treadmill, being not good enough to contend and not bad enough to draft top young players. That’s what happened to the Indiana Pacers in the aftermath of the 2004 Palace Brawl. The year before the team had won 61 games, and they were seen as a legitimate championship contender before Ron Artest and Stephen Jackson charged into the stands that night. Instead of rebuilding, they hung onto a window that had already closed. Rather than flipping disgruntled franchise cornerstones Artest and Jermaine O’Neal for young players and cap space, they picked up a collection of retread veterans centered around Peja Stojakovic and TJ Ford. Even finding a legitimate All-Star at No. 17 in the draft – SF Danny Granger – couldn’t change their fate. There were too many solid veterans around Granger for the team to sink to the bottom of the lottery, but not another All-Star type player to push them into the playoffs. The fruits of a genuine rebuilding processOver the last four seasons, they have averaged 35 wins while never picking lower than No. 11. The team still doesn’t have enough cap room to sign an impact free agent, and a trade demand from Granger seems inevitable. It’s easy to see the Cavs following in the Pacers footsteps. Gilbert seems too competitive, and too used to filling the Q, to allow a bottoming out process to occur. Cleveland will have to rely heavily on active big man Anderson Varejao to anchor the defense and trigger the fast break, because they will struggle to score in the half-court. They have a roster full of finishers – be it shooters on the outside (Mo Williams, Daniel Gibson, Anthony Parker) or big men who can convert in the paint (Antawn Jamison and JJ Hickson) – but no one who can set them up effectively. But there still is enough talent on hand to win 30-40 games and compete for the final playoff spots in the East. The question is will that be enough to satisfy a fan-base used to competing for a championship. Ironically, Toronto’s mismanagement puts them in a better situation than Cleveland. Replacing Chris Bosh, New York Jets jersey
an athletic power forward and an excellent rebounder, with the erratic Amir Johnson won’t improve the league’s worst ranked defense. Offensively they are a team of 3-point marksmen (Andrea Bargnani, Jose Calderon and Linas Kleiza) without anyone who can draw a double team and give those shooters open looks. Danny Granger has had little support in his time with IndianaThey have no choice but to play the young players they drafted in the lottery in the last two years – DeMar DeRozan and Ed Davis – and see what they can contribute. And because they will have no choice to rebuild, Toronto’s future is brighter than Cleveland’s, despite a dramatically-less talented roster. For more in-depth exploration of this topic, check out the FanTake Blog:Get Buckets Follow on Twitter at:GetBucketsFT Follow on Facebook:Get Buckets

23 Dec 10Charles Barkley's Latest Babble: Kobe Bryant Is Fifth Best Player in NBA History

One of the things I was looking forward to at the start of the season was watching the Thursday night antics of Inside the NBA on TNT with Ernie Johnson, Kenny Smith and the one and only, Charles Barkley. You just never know what will come out of Chuck’s mouth next, and last night was Reebok New Orleans Saints #9 Drew Brees Realtree camo Jersey
no exception.After the Blazers eked out a win against the Nuggets in the nightcap game, Barkley referred to an earlier time where he said Kobe Bryant was one of the top 10 players in the history of the NBA. He took that a step further last night when he said he is now in the top five best players. Let’s take a look at his list:5. Kobe Bryant4. Wilt Chamberlain3. Bill Russell2. Oscar Robertson1. Michael JordanKenny Smith was surprised he picked Bryant over both Magic Johnson and Larry Bird, but he just about flipped his lid when Barkley said Kobe is better than Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. He tried to persuade Chuck from saying Bryant was in the top six and Barkley didn’t budge at first. After the commercial break, however, he aptly changed his mind and said Bryant is in the top six.Doug Pensinger/Getty ImagesIt seems to me that putting Kobe Bryant in the top five list of the best NBA players to ever play when he isn’t even done playing is premature. Barkley was a bit out of Reebok New York Giants #27 Brandon Jacobs Realtree camo Jersey
line in his declaration. He should have stuck with his first decision of putting him in the top 10.To put him the top five while he is still playing does a great disservice to players who have come before him. I know Bryant has won five rings already, but let’s wait to properly evaluate him when his career is over. Heck, if he wins a couple more rings he could certainly move up that list, but for now, let’s not get too ridiculous. That’s why I love watching Inside the NBA. The things Barkley says are absolutely stunning.Here’s my Reebok New York Jets #6 Mark Sanchez Realtree camo Jersey
top 10:10. Elgin Baylor9. Moses Malone8. Kobe Bryant7. Larry Bird6. Magic Johnson5. Wilt Chamberlain4. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar3. Bill Russell2. Oscar Robertson1. Michael JordanWhat do you guys think of the list? Do you think Kobe is one of the top 5-10 players in the history of the game?Also check out some of my other blogs on the Sports Fan Blog Network.

LeBron James Saga: Everyone's Still Playing for Second, So Enough Already!

Can we please stop with the minute by minute LeBron James & Company free agency talk? Enough Already!Let me break it to everyone in the simplest of terms: It doesn’t matter where LeBron lands nor who comes with him. Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers are still the best team in the Reebok Minnesota Vikings #84 Randy Moss Realtree camo Jersey
NBA, and they're the one to beat next season.To paraphrase one of the best sports quotes ever by Larry Bird right before a 1980s three-point contest at an All-Star Game, “Everyone is playing for second place.”That's whatLeBron and the rest of the dream free agents are all doing. Shuffling around and positioning, all still for second place.The media, which I am a part of, has beaten the LeBron James Free Agency Saga to death. Even our beloved Bleacher Report is guilty of it. And they should be. That is because in a boring summer of tennis and a World Cup that most Americans care little about, LeBron is all that matters. His saga sells.But, he doesn't matter. This is a guy who keeps winning regular season MVP trophies, but won’t walk away with a title until Kobe retires. Take that to the rim.That’s because LeBron simply doesn't have the killer instinct required of legends. He might develop it over time, but so far, no go.What separates Kobe from the pack is that “Eye of the Tiger” mentality he possesses. And, it is similar to all the greats. Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan, Larry Bird, even Bill Russell all burned to win. At anything and everything.All LeBron wants to do is have fun and build a global brand. But like I said in an article last week, even the Chinese won’t buy LeBron products until he proves he’s a winner. They want excellence. That’s why Kobe pummels LeBron in product sales in China.It’s understandable. LeBron simply has other interests. He’s a much happier person, at least in the press, than Kobe. He seems carefree and that extends to his court demeanor. But while that makes LeBron extremelylikable, it doesn't bode well Reebok Pittsburg Steelers #83 Heath Miller Realtree camo Jersey
for a champion.Kobe is a warrior. I’ve mentioned it time and time again. Strength and honor. These aren’t just words to Kobe. They are mottos to die for.Even the Olympics in the summer of 2008 proved this. During all the early games and routs, LeBron, Dwayne Wade, and Chris Bosh (our hero free agents this summer) garnered all the attention while Kobe simply played lock-down defense and sat back.That was, until the Gold Medal game versus Spain. As LeBron and Co.’s all got skittish during a close game (that Charles Barkley referred to “sphincter tightening”), Kobe did what he always does. He stepped up and carried the team to the victory.This summer is all about the “what ifs.” And, even if those come to fruition and LeBron gets together say with Dwyane Wade AND Chris Bosh on any team you want to pick, it won’t matter.That's because the Lakers are still the team to beat. They have the talent, the experience, and last week got the biggest free agent signing of all, the best coach.Phil Jackson returning to the Lakers for one more final run is like Pat Riley guaranteeing another ring for his 1980s Lakers. Jackson back with the Lakers only improves the Lakers’ chance for a three-peat.So, it doesn’t matter who LeBron gets together with. None of the scenarios I’ve read, and believe me, there are thousands, put together a team that can beat the Lakers.The only good one I heard was LeBron going to Boston but that didn’t happen. The real reason all of this is a waste of time is because the Lakers have Kobe, Phil, and length.That's right, there are only a handful of teams that can match up with the Lakers’ length. And, no team LeBron is currently projected to sign with can handle the Lakers.The only reason the Celtics gave the Lakers and NBA fans a 2010 series for the ages was that Boston had length. They could play D and battle the Lakers inside.All of this LeBron frenzy is simply a waste of breath. The only place LeBron could go where there is real length to handle the Lakers is a shocker: The LA Clippers.Yes, I said it, but it is true. With Chris Kaman, Blake Griffin, and a slew of long, younger players, the Arizona Cardinals jersey
Clips are actually a place LeBron would have a shot at taking on Kobe. If LeBron and another superstar free agent signed with the Clips, I’d be worried.But as long as Donald Sterling owns the Clippers, I won’t lose a minute of sleep. LeBron isn’t going there. And because of that, I’m not concerned in the least about any LeBron team.All of the LeBron scheming is simply positioning for a place in line.The second place in line. Period.That’s because all the talk is a waste of time. Enough already. We know how it is first, and we’ve known it all along.

Chicago Cubs Sign Worst Hitter, Jim Hendry Needs To Face Reality

Jonathan Daniel/Getty ImagesStatistically, at least if you use batting average, Carlos Pena was the worst hitter of any player in the majors last season, with a .196 average. Now, we are all smart enough to know that OBP is more important, and in that regard, Pena did a bit better, as he will draw a walk.But, beyond that, the real problem for Jim Hendry and the Cubs is this:They need to face reality and admit they are undergoing a rebuilding strategy.Oh, I know. The faithful Cubs fanbase has waited so long, blah blah blah, but really, what are the advantages for a team like the Cubs to pretend to Cincinnati Bengals jersey
be contenders when we all know that is not the case?To sell tickets? Sure, that's something that the Ricketts family is concerned about, but more importantly, by retaining Hendy as GM, the Cubs put themselves in the awkward position of having a GM that needs to win to validate the awful contract he signed, while knowing that the payroll has to shrink.That is a bad combination, no matter how you look at it.Look, Hendry can't move Alfonso Soriano, Aramis Ramirez, Kosuke Fukudome or Carlos Zambrano without eating a huge chunk of their enormous contracts. So, instead, Hendry is signing a veteran like Pena, instead of trying Tyler Colvin at first base. But why? Other than to try and fool the fanbase into thinking that the Cubs are contenders, it makes little sense.The Pena signing is not the problem, other than the dollar amount Cleveland Browns jersey
(which is way too high), Pena is a good rebound candidate. The problem is that Hendry is in denial.Tom Ricketts said that the Cubs would build from within and the payroll would remain static, though more of it would be moved into other areas like player development.That is good, except it makes little sense when the team has so many immovable contracts.Either the Cubs should go "all in," like the White Sox, or admit they are going young and play Colvin at first, Castro at second, Hak-JuLee at short and trade a guy like Zambrano, who is movable, though they would have to eat a portion of his money.Instead, Hendry is telling us that with a couple moves, the Cubs can be contenders. Well, that ship has sailed. The worst place for a franchise to be is mediocrity.The Cubs are selling false hope. While I'd love to be wrong, I Dallas Cowboys jersey
am not buying.Admit it, Cubs fans, this will be, at best, a mediocre year for our Cubs. I don't know about you, but if we're not going to win, I'd rather lose with prospects than with veterans. But that's just me.Maybe it's because I'm a southside Cubs fan.

20 Dec 10 College Football Week 14: Picks for Championship Week

I can’t believe we are winding down the regular season this week. Just nuts. It will be a long winter of NBA basketball and NFL playoffs, which is ok, but college football in the fall is hard to beat. Here are the top games this weekend, including the Big 12 and SEC Championships:C-USA ChampionshipSMU vs. Central FloridaCentral Florida has three losses on the season, which in their eyes is a pretty good thing. They face the Mustangs who like to throw the ball and will do so a lot this weekend. Watch for thi s Reebok San Francisco 49ers #21 Frank GORE Realtree camo Jerseyone to be high scoring.My Prediction: Central Florida 40 SMU 32“The Civil War”No. 2 Oregon @ Oregon StateOregon has been great all season, take away the “poor” performance against Cal. Oregon State had high expectations coming into the season, but things haven’t gone as expected. A win over the Ducks would almost “save” the season for the Beavers. Look for this one to be tight throughout the first half, with the Ducks putting the pedal down late.My Prediction: Oregon 33 Oregon State 19SEC ChampionshipNo. 1 Auburn vs. No. 19 South CarolinaThese two teams met in Week 4 of the season, a game in which Auburn won 35-27 (JWSB picked 27-23 Auburn). For the Gamecocks, it was Reebok Washington Redskins #98 ORAKPO Realtree camo Jersey a game of “what if.” South Carolina turned the ball over four times, which was too much to get over. This time, if the Gamecocks can keep the ball, they will have a legitimate shot at winning the game. Of course, Heisman front-runner Cam Newton will have a lot to say about that. This will be a great game.My Prediction: Auburn 30 South Carolina 27 (Newton leads game-winning drive in final two minutes)ACC ChampionshipNo. 15 Virginia Tech vs. No. 21 Florida StateIt seems like the last time we saw the Hokies, they were getting beat up by Boise State and upset by James Madison. Pretty amazing that they are ranked 15th and playing for the ACC title. Led by Reebok Pittsburgh Steelers 43 Troy Polamalu Realtree camo Jerseya strong running game, the Hokies will try and control the clock against a speedy Seminole team. Christian Ponder and company have their hands full with a sturdy Va Tech defense. Look for a low-scoring game.My Prediction: Florida State 24 Virginia Tech 20Big 12 ChampionshipNo. 9 Oklahoma vs. No. 13 NebraskaClassic matchup between two all-time powerhouses. Nebraska hopes it can make up for last year's heartbreaking loss to Texas. Oklahoma survived the Bedlam game with a high-powered win over Oklahoma State. One thing to watch: The Huskers lead the conference (No. 2 in the nation) in pass defense, and Oklahoma is No. 1 in the conference (No. 4 nationally) in passing offense; one will have to “give."This should be a fun game to watch.My Prediction: Nebraska 27 Oklahoma 26This article is also featured onJW Sports Blog.

19 Dec 10 Philadelphia Eagles: Hot Start Leads to 59-28 Win Against Redskins

Chris McGrath/Getty ImagesThe Eagles had the chance to get redemption against the Redskins, and they didn’t fail to do so. On their first offensive play of the game, Michael Vick hooked up with DeSean Jackson for an 88-yard touchdown and it was all down hill from there Reebok Dallas Cowboys #82 Jason Witten Realtree camo Jersey
for the Redskins.After taking a 35-0 lead, the Eagles finally let the Redskins get on the board, but ended up with a 45-14 lead at halftime.Vick led the Eagles to a win against the Colts, and came back to do even more damage against the Redskins. He ended up throwing for a total of four touchdowns and rushing for two more touchdowns.Jerome Harrison, who the Eagles received in a trade for Mike Bell, had a very nice game and ended up rushing for over 100 yards on the day. We’ve seen LeSean McCoy have a very nice season, and it’s nice for him to get someone to step up behind him.Defensively, the Eagles looked pretty solid, recording three touchdowns against the newly paid Donovan McNabb. They gave up a few big plays that you didn’t want to see them give up, but in the end, they had a huge cushion to play with and played pretty well.Dimitri Patterson had another solid game in relief of Ellis Hobbs and it’s going to be hard for Hobbs to get back to his starting spot when he’s Reebok Dallas Cowboys #9 Tony Romo Realtree camo Jersey
healthy again.With the Cowboys upsetting the Giants on Sunday, it sets up a big game next Sunday against the Giants. It will be a battle for the outright lead of the NFC East, and with the way the Eagles played this week, the Giants have to be worried.More analysis to come later this week.This article is also featured onBirdsFan.com - A Philadelphia Eagles Blog

18 Dec 10 Minnesota Vikings vs. Chicago Bears: Chicago Back in First Place with 27-13 Win

Jonathan Daniel/Getty ImagesThis was the biggest game of the season for the Bears.They came up huge.Beating the defending NFC North champions was a big step in the right direction for the Bears. They went from being a shaky 5-3 team to a pretty dangerous 6-3 team. If all three phases click on a regular basis like they did on Sunday, this team should continue to have success.The Bears were clicking on offense, defense and special teams.Jay Cutlercompleted 22 of 35 passes for 237 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions. Reebok Minnesota Vikings #4 Brett Favre Realtree camo Jersey
One interception came on a rocket pass toJohnny Knoxthat was deflected into the hands of a Vikings' defender. The other interception was in the red zone and was all Cutler's fault, all he had to do was scramble or throw the ball away.The most important statistic the Bears improved onwas their third down offense. They were able to convert 11 of 19 third downs on the day.The running backs had some success against the Vikings' defense. Chester TaylorandMatt Fortecombined for 102 yards on 33 carries. Getting the running backs going in the cold weather will be very important down the stretch.The offensive line played its best game all season and really looked like they meshed well together. They committed some dumb false startpenalties, but those will go away with experience. They allowed Cutler to scramble and throw on the run when he needed. Most importantly they only allowed one sack by the Vikings' defense.Jonathan Daniel/Getty ImagesThe receivers played very well. Johnny Knox caught five passes for 90 yards. Devin Hester, who struggled early slipping on routes added a huge touchdown which put the Bears up 14-10 at halftime.Earl Bennett,Rashied DavisandDevin Aromashoduall added grabs as well.Tight endsGreg OlsenandKellen Davisboth added touchdown catches. Olsen's came on a third and 14 in the second quarter when Jay Cutler threw a laser to him and put the Bears up 7-3.Davis had the lone score in the fourth quarter. It came on a third-and-one, when the Bears came out in the Tank package. If you didn't know, the Tank package is where they call a three tight end package. On that play-call Davis released off the line and the play-fake sucked up the defense. He had no one near him and he went in for the score.TE Kellen Davis had this to say about the play:"There was nobody near me. I was just like, 'Man, hurry up and throw it before somebody comes.' It was taking a long time to get there."The defense played very well once again. They shut down Adrian Peterson and Brett Favre. They kept Percy Harvin in check. The defense got enough pressure on Favre to rattle him. They didn't record a sack, but they made big plays. DE/DT Henry Meltonforced a key fumble on Reebok Minnesota Vikings #69 Jared Allen Realtree camo Jersey
a Brett Favre scramble in the second half which was recovered by Tommie Harris.Jonathan Daniel/Getty ImagesLB Lance Briggspicked off Favre in the second half, and so did nickel-backD.J. Mooreand safetyChris Harris. Moore now has four interceptions, a team high. He seems to have a knack for interceptions, but he got the pick mainly becauseIsrael Idonijetipped the ball on the line.The Bears' defense has held opponents under 17 points in six of their nine games this season. They only allowed the Vikings to score one touchdown and it came on a mistake by safety Chris Harris, who bit on the play and allowed Percy Harvin to reel in an easy touchdown pass.Daniel Manningcommitted a dumb pass interference penalty in the second half, but besides that the defense played smart and sound football.Adrian Peterson only ran for 51 yards on 17 carries and Brett Favre only passed for 170 yards on 31 attempts. The Bears should get the credit they deserve for shutting down the Vikings' weapons.Special teams played a huge role in this victory for the Bears.Devin Hesterreturned his first kickoff since last January. He added 100 yards on two kick returns and 47 yards on two punt returns. Rashied Davis also added a 32 yard kick return, but Hester was the story of the game. The Devin Hester of old was flying all over the field, looking more dangerous than ever. He was consistently setting the Bears' offense up with great field position.This is what the Bears envisioned him doing when they first converted him to wide receiver. He is a weapon on offense and special teams. That could be a recipe for disaster for opponents.Jonathan Daniel/Getty ImagesThe coaches cooked up a great game plan. It was a great mix of passes and runs and when they needed a boost on third down the right play seemed to be calledconsistently. The offense was clicking and the plays being called were just right. I would like to see more game plans like this.They've basically eliminated the defending NFC North champion Vikings from the playoffs. Now Chicago and Green Bay will battle it out for the division crown. Both teams sit at 6-3, but the rest of their schedules are very challenging.The Bears have a short week to prepare for the Miami Reebok New England Patriots #12 Tom Brady Realtree camo Jersey
Dolphins. The Thursday night game in Miami should be tough on both teams.The Dolphins lost both of their quarterbacks named Chad (Pennington and Henne) for the seasonand now have to go with four year proTyler Thigpen. Look for the Dolphins to use the Wildcat more on Thursday night.JakePerper is the creator ofwww.BearsBacker.comand also covers theBearsforwww.NFLTouchdown.comandNFLBlogblitz.

17 Dec 10 Philadelphia Eagles vs. New York Giants: Quick Reactions from Week 11

Michael Heiman/Getty Images—It won't look this way on the stat sheet, but Michael Vick had another good game—good, not great. His receivers dropped at least two touchdowns, but he did overthrow a wide open Clay Harbor and missed a couple of Reebok Minnesota Vikings #84 Randy Moss Realtree camo Jersey
other throws. He had his first turnover of the season, but I think he's earned at least one freebie.—For the most part, LeSean McCoy had a tough day. Holes were closing very quickly and there wasn't a whole lot of running room for much of the game, but two huge plays have his stat-line looking mighty impressive. My only real complaint with McCoy is his affinity for wanting to juke guys out, even when he can clearly just outrun them.—I think I can just copy and paste my remarks week-to-week about Owen Schmitt: How in the world can the Eagles just let this guy walk? Just a solid guy who epitomizes what a football player should be.—Jeremy Maclin still refuses to just catch the ball and go forward. His fear of getting hit is evident every time he touches the ball. But, with that said, it's hard to fault him after nine receptions for 120 yards. With some toughness on a consistent basis, Maclin could be one of the best receivers in the league.—DeSean Jackson had a solid game with five catches for 50 yards. Someone correct me if I was seeing things, but it seemed like Jackson was short-arming quite often. For example, why not dive for that long ball from Vick? Why not stretch for that post that sailed over his head? D-Jack might be a bit gun-shy with guys around him.—Brent Celek was, once again, non-existent. It's time to see what Clay Harbor can do with extended reps. Either Harbor breaks out or, at worst, he matches Celek's effort and goes without a catch.—Jackie Smith, I mean Jason Avant, must be sick to his stomach. His eyes just got too big all alone in the back of the endzone. Avant might have the best hands in the league, so dropping something like that is a once-in-a-career type of thing. Or, it would be had he not dropped what would have been a game-winning touchdown against Washington a few weeks back.—All things considered, this was an incredible effort by the offensive line. The blitzes bit them a little bit from time to time, but most of the time they were very, very good; yes, even Nick Cole got the job done. Mike McGlynn is this year's Winston Justice and will make things very difficult once Jamaal Jackson comes back next season.—The offensive line, as a unit, was very good. Todd Herremans, however, made far too many bonehead plays. The clipping and chop block calls against him were 100 percent justified on a night of some terrible, terrible calls. He must clean up his game before it really costs the Eagles.—Not a single carry for Jerome Harrison is ridiculous. How do you watch this guy go for over 100 yards including a 50-yard scamper against the Redskins and not give him a single carry the very next week?—The play-calling by Andy Reid and Marty Mornhinweg was atrocious. Why do they think play-action will work when they haven't established the run? I counted at least four times in a row they ran play-action. Who exactly do they think they're fooling? Reid is enamored with Vick and will now put the entire team squarely on his shoulders the way he did with McNabb.—As a unit, the front seven was very good against the Giants. They held Ahmad Bradshaw and Brandon Jacobs to a combined 17 carries for 39 yards. The blitzing was largely ineffective and they didn't get to Eli Manning often enough, but Eli wasn't going to beat them without a running game to lean on.—For the Reebok Pittsburg Steelers #83 Heath Miller Realtree camo Jersey
first time this season, Trent Cole was held without a sack in back-to-back weeks. He will have to step up against division opponents if this team is going to stay on top of the East.—Antonio Dixon is a monster. Mike Patterson is a plug. WhenBrodrick Bunkleygets back to 100 percent and Trevor Laws is tossed into the mix, the Eagles could have the best defensive tackle rotation in the league.—Ernie Sims flew past the play a lot again against the Giants. He also blew coverage against Jacobs on a throw-back by Manning. It almost seems like he needs to just relax and learn how to play under control.—Stewart Bradley, again, was worthless as soon as a blocker got into him. When he was left untouched, he was dangerous, but even a tight end was able to effectively shut him down. He still refuses to turn his head in coverage, but this was certainly one of his better games of the year.—Brandon Graham seems to fall down far too often. He does a good job getting off blockers, but seems off balance when he does it. He, like Sims, must play under control. That said, he did a great job of stripping Bradshaw when Quintin Mikell stood him up. That's exactly what guys are taught to do, and he did it to perfection.—Speaking of Mikell, he was largely unimpressive again. He missed too many tackles. He was fine in coverage, but the missed tackles are getting old. I always thought he was a poor man's Brian Dawkins (which is still a good thing), but he's had two or three chances every game to make a key tackle in the open field and has missed it.—Asante Samuel was a one-man wrecking crew. I said during the offseason that it was time for the team to part ways with him because of his free-lancing and refusal to play within the scheme, but he's doing that now and it's translating into big plays. He's even tackling much better, though the zebras are now flagging big hits.—It wasn't as impressive as last week, but Dimitri Patterson had a solid outing. Patterson was on Hakeem Nicks who pulled down six receptions for 65 yards, but no touchdowns and really only one big play. Overall, another good outing for Patterson. He's certainly earned his spot.—Nate Allen did a good job in pass coverage and even flew to the line of scrimmage in run support a couple of times. He's looking like a steal in the second round.—For this game, Sean McDermott gets a pass from me. I'm still far from being a fan, but the results are hard to argue. The defense slumped a little bit at one point, but they rebounded beautifully and shut down the second-best offense in the league. McDermott gets a thumbs up from me this week. Talk to me next Sunday around 7:30PM EST.—It's taken a little while, but Bobby April seems to have gotten through to the special teams unit. They're flying down the field, the first guy is usually making the tackle or a swarm of guys are getting there all at once, and they've Reebok Arizona Cardinals Larry Fitzgerald Realtree camo Jersey
eliminated the big plays for the most part. The return game has hit a bit of a lull, but that can correct itself at any point.—Sitting atop the NFC East is nice, but the Michael Vick-led Eagles can assert themselves as the best team in the NFC with a convincing win over the 7-3 Chicago Bears next Sunday. They've already beaten the Falcons and the Giants, so beating the Bears should leave little doubt.Who can honestly say he was expecting to hear that this season?This article is also featured on2 Minutes to Midnight Green

16 Dec 10 NFL Fantasy Football WR Rankings: Calvin Johnson Headlines Week 12

Jonathan Daniel/Getty ImagesHere are my Week 12 wide receiver rankings. 1. Calvin Johnson vs. New England (Thursday)2. Greg Jennings Atlanta3. Dwayne Bowe Seattle4. Marques Colston Dallas (Thursday)5. Roddy White vs. Green Bay6. Andre Johnson vs. Tennessee7. Mike Wallace Reebok Pittsburgh Steelers James Harrison Realtree camo Jersey
Buffalo8. DeSean Jackson Chicago9. Reggie Wayne vs. San Diego10. Santonio Holmes vs. Cincinnati (Thursday)11. Brandon Lloyd vs. St. Louis12. Anquan Boldin vs. Tampa Bay13. Dez Bryant vs. New Orleans (Thursday)14. Jeremy Maclin Chicago15. Terrell Owens New York Jets (Thursday)16. Larry Fitzgerald vs. San Francisco (Monday)17. Mario Manningham vs. Jacksonville18. Steve Johnson vs. Pittsburgh19. Percy Harvin Washington20. Michael Crabtree Arizona (Monday)21. Miles Austin vs. New Orleans (Thursday)22. Wes Welker Detroit (Thursday)23. Braylon Edwards vs. Cincinnati (Thursday)24. Chad Ochocinco New York Jets (Thursday)25. Nate Burleson vs. New England (Thursday)26. Hines Ward Buffalo27. Johnny Knox vs. Philadelphia28. Mike Williams (TB) Baltimore29. Pierre Garcon vs. San Diego30. Steve Breaston vs. San Francisco (Monday)31. Robert Meachem Dallas (Thursday)32. Deion Branch Detroit (Thursday)33. Malcom Floyd Indianapolis34. Vincent Jackson Indianapolis35. Santana Moss vs. Minnesota36. Mike Thomas New York Giants37. James Jones Atlanta38. Danny Amendola Denver39. Kevin Walter vs. Tennessee40. Donald Driver Atlanta41. Brandon Gibson vs. Atlanta42. Nate Washington Houston43. Lance Moore Dallas (Thursday)44. Lee Evans vs. Pittsburgh45. Steve Smith (CAR) Cleveland46. Brandon Marshall Oakland47. Roy Williams vs. New Orleans (Thursday)48. Sidney Rice Washington49. Derek Hagan vs. Jacksonville50. Ben Obomau vs. Kansas City Inside the numbers: I’m afraid Calvin Johnson is just too big and powerful for a New England defense allowing 300+ passing yards per game. Look for a Thanksgiving feast for Megatron. Donald Driver’s return did not spoil Greg Jennings' fantasy value. Look for another strong effort against Atlanta’s weak pass defense. Dwayne Bowe has ten touchdowns in his past six Reebok San Francisco 49ers #21 Frank GORE Realtree camo Jersey
games, and he’s facing Seattle, which is allowing 300.2 passing yards per game along with 16 passing touchdowns. Marques Colston is heating up. He has 32 catches in his past four games. Over that stretch he’s averaging 91.3 yards and a touchdown per game. The T.O. and Ocho Show get to face Revis and Cromartie. The “diva receivas” should be quieter this week. Steve Johnson has a tough matchup against Pittsburgh, but he’s playing too well to bench against anybody. With Leslie Frazier taking over the Vikings’ ship, I expect the team to play inspired football, tempering my expectations for Santana Moss. I can’t bring myself to endorse either Brandon Marshall or Randy Moss until they prove themselves. UPDATE Malcom Floyd slid a bit as his hamstring has become a issue. I can’t trust Seattle’s Mike Williams (foot) right now either. Derek Hagan makes the list. Ben Obomau replaces Davone Bess. Also check out: Sneaky Week 12 Reebok Washington Redskins #98 ORAKPO Realtree camo Jersey
Fantasy Football Pick-ups Week 12 Get ‘em or Don’t Sweat ‘em Waiver Wire Advice Week 12 Fantasy QB Rankings Week 12 Fantasy RB Rankings Week 12 Fantasy TE Rankings Week 12 Fantasy K Rankings Week 12 Fantasy DEF Rankings Week 12 Fantasy IDP Rankings Week 12 Start/Sit AdviceWeek 12 Fantasy Sleepers Click here to enter the contest to win a cool fantasy football t-shirt

Dallas Cowboys Should Use a Spread Formation To Improve the Run Game

Jason Garrett and Marion Barber Jason Garrett has a good offensive football mind.
His reputation as an offensive coordinator might have taken a bit of football jerseys
a hit earlier this season when Wade Phillips was still in charge. However, it's hard to deny that Garrett does know the offensive side of things pretty well. It's ridiculous when the casual fan starts to believe that they can do a better job than the former Dallas Cowboys and New York Giants backup quarterback can.
However, it doesn't hurt to listen to free advice.
My advice for the Garrett and the Cowboys is to utilize the spread formation. That recommendation is not being made to improve the passing game. It's being made to improve the ground game.
Years ago when Mouse Davis was perfecting the Run and Shoot offense, he was doing so because he wanted to improve his team's ability to run with the ball. It was revolutionary to believe that replacing tight ends and fullbacks with more wide receivers would be beneficial towards the ground nfl throwback jerseys
game. The same concept is shared by the spread offense.
Loose Change
Ask any offensive coordinator in the league and they will tell you that running against nickel and dime defenses are the preferred choice. By utilizing Roy Williams, Miles Austin and Dez Bryant on the field together, you force defenses to switch to a nickel package.
Jason Witten is one of the most dynamic tight ends in the league. By having him motion from his traditional spot to a slot position, defenses will have no choice but to swing a linebacker out to shadow him. That means that there's one less person in the defensive box.
Up the Middle
Now that the defense has been cleared out a bit, Garrett Colts jersey
can have Marion Barber and Felix Jones attacking the middle. That happens to be the strength of the offensive line as well, with Leonard Davis, Andre Gurode and Kyle Kosier available as bulldozers.

NFL Week 13 Picks Against the Spread: Cleveland Browns vs. Miami Dolphins

Matt Sullivan/Getty ImagesAfter laying an egg at home against Chicago in Week 11, Miami got a much-needed win at Oakland in Week 12 to improve to 6-5 on the season. Quarterback Chad Henne returned to action, completing 17 of 30 passes for 307 yards with two touchdowns and one interception in the 33-17 victory.Henne had lost the starting job to Chad Pennington prior to a Week 10 matchup with Tennessee. He then had to spell Pennington when the veteran signal caller went down with a season-ending 36 Bettis White Jersey
shoulder injury. Henne injured his knee in that game and it originally looked like he might miss the remainder of the season as well.Miami is fortunate to have gotten Henne back. Cleveland hopes it can share the same good fortune by getting starting quarterback Colt McCoy back Sunday.With McCoy out with a serious ankle sprain, the Browns turned to quarterback Jake Delhomme. The veteran signal caller completed 24 of 35 passes for 245 yards in a 24-23 win over his former team. Delhomme, however, kept Carolina in the game with two interceptions. He has thrown two interceptions in each of the three games he has played in this season. McCoy has only thrown three picks in five games.Cleveland will look to earn another victory Sunday in Miami, where the Dolphins are only 1-4 this season. NFL lines makers, however, expect Miami to notch their second home win, listing the Dolphins as 4-point favorites with the total set at 42.5.Regardless if McCoy or Delhomme is under center, the Dolphins must stop running back Peyton Hillis in order to win this game. Hillis gashed Carolina for 131 yards and three touchdowns on 5.0 yards per carry last week. He ranks ninth in the league with 905 rushing yards and is second 4 Brett Favre Purple jersey
with 13 total touchdowns.It is worth noting that Cleveland has won its last three games when Hillis breaks the century mark.Miami has really struggled when laying points at home. In fact, the Dolphins are 6-26 against the number in their last 32 home games as a favorite. They are also 2-14 against the spread in their last 16 games as a home favorite of 3.5 to 10.0 points.Cleveland must do a better job of taking care of the football if it hopes to pull off the upset in Miami. That may be a lot easier said than done if Delhomme is under center.The Miami defense has been very opportunistic in recent weeks. The Dolphins have won two of their last three games, and the defense forced three turnovers in each of those wins.You can bet the Dolphins will be stacking the box to slow down Hillis. With Cleveland forced to go to the air, Miami should have its opportunities to make some big plays.The Dolphins held Oakland, one of the best rushing teams in the league, to just 16 yards on the ground last week. 36 Bettis Black Jersey
That could prove significant considering they are 5-0 against the spread in their last five games after allowing less than 90 yards rushing in their previous game.Jimmy Boyd put the finishing touches on a profitable Week 12 with a big winner on the 49ers on Monday night. Bet with confidence in Week 13 by playing the same NFL picks as world champion handicapper Jimmy Boyd!

Seattle Seahawks Beat Carolina Panthers to Stay Alive in NFC West Playoff Hunt

Marshawn Lynch had a career-high three touchdowns and rushed for 83 yards on 21 carries.Otto Greule Jr/Getty ImagesThere were clearly two very differentSeattleteams on the field this weekend. The first half of the game against theCarolina Pantherson Sunday was a display of 43 Polamalu black jersey
everything theSeahawkshad been over the last six games in going 1-5. Hopefully their 28-point second half will serve as a sign of Seahawks football to come, as the team hangs onto plans for making the postseason. Down 14-3 at halftime, the feeling was not uncommon that we were about to see another Seahawks home loss. To this point, the Seahawks had not come back on an opponent all season after trailing at halftime. I sure hope that no one left or turned off their television sets. If they did, it would almost be understandable. Nobody wants to see a loss to a 1-10 football team. But if any fans happened to turn away, they missed a great second half of football as the Hawks turned it around on their way to a 31-14 win. On the Panthers' first possession, it was as if the Seahawks expected the run but couldn’t do anything to stop it. Carolina marched right down the field, bowling over Seattle defenders on their way to a 7-0 lead. It was so bad that the ring of boos began to come in from the crowd. Hawks fans made it clear that expectations weren’t simply for a victory over this one-win team—they wanted dominance. When Carolina added another score in the second quarter andMatt Hasselbeckresponded by throwing an interception, the booing got louder. The Seahawks offense was going nowhere. Matt Hasselbeck's 36-yard pass to Cameron Morrah set up an Olindo Mare field goal late in the second half.Otto Greule Jr/Getty ImagesAnd if anyone tuned away from the game or left Qwest Field before Seattle retired Walter Jones’ jersey number at the two-minute warning of the first half, then I would question their credentials as a fan. Not only did his display of appreciation for the 12th Man get more than a few fans a bit choked up, he seemed to fire up the team as well. On the very next play, Hasselbeck linked up with Cameron Morrah for 36 yards. Justin Forsett nearly got the Hawks into the end zone, only six inches away from a score, but a false-start penalty backed them up. Two incomplete passes later, Olindo Mare came in to put the first Seahawks points on the board. As the Seahawks started the second half it didn’t look like it was going to go much better. LeonWashingtonmuffed the opening kickoff and was lucky to make it to the 4-yard line.A 26-yard pass to Morrah and 31-yard run by Forsett, capped by a 15-yard personal foul, helped lead the Seahawks on a 96-yard drive.Marshawn Lynchpunched it in from one yard out for the first of his career-high three touchdowns. With the offense coming out strong with an impressive drive to start the second half, it was as if the defense wasn’t about to be outdone. On 3rd-and-1, Lofa Tatupu intercepted a Jimmy Clausen pass and went untouched into the end zone. In about 90 seconds the Hawks had turned an 11-point deficit to a three-point lead. Offense, check. Defense, check. Now it was special teams’ turn, and after 4 Brett Favre White jersey
Carolina was forced to punt on their next possession, Leon Washington responded with an 84-yard punt return. Had he not been tripped up by the punter after a premature celebration, he would have added that special teams touchdown.Leon Washington nearly gave the Seahawks the scoring trifecta of offense, defense and special teams, but was tripped up by Carolina punter Jason Baker.Otto Greule Jr/Getty ImagesInstead, Lynch came in and got Seattle those last two yards and his second score. Down 24-14, Carolina nearly jumped right back in the game after a 96-yard kickoff return. But two penalties by the Panthers on the return brought the ball all the way back to the 10-yard line, and allowed the defense to continue to do their thing. After another score by Lynch, the Seahawks defense finished off the second half shutout with a goal-line stand to end the game. It’s worth noting that the last time the Panthers came into Seattle, it was for the NFC Championship Game in 2006. Although the final score was the same result, 31-14, Seattle definitely took a much different route to get there this time. The win brings the Seahawks back to a .500 record at 6-6. It also keeps Seattle in a tie for the NFC West lead with the St. Louis Rams, who took down theArizona Cardinals19-6. Arizona got out to an early 6-3 lead, but completely folded after the first quarter on their way to losing their seventh straight. I didn’t watch the game that closely, but I expect that Derek Anderson wasn’t seen laughing on the sidelines after he got pulled in favor of Max Hall. Although they’re still not mathematically out of the playoffs,San Franciscodropped another game behind the Seahawks with a 34-16 loss to theGreen Bay Packers. With a win in San Francisco next week, Seattle can ensure the 49ers won’t be playing in the postseason this year. The Rams have a tough game ahead of them next week as they go on the road toNew Orleans. The Saints won on the road in Cincinnatithis weekend 34-30, and are now 9-3. The Cardinals andBroncos, both at 3-9, will face off in a matchup of the two worst teams of their respective Western conferences. In Seattle, some fans and people in the media have asked the question if it is even worth the Seahawks making the playoffs at this point. As if a few picks higher in the draft is a better alternative than being one of six teams in the NFC to have a shot at the Super Bowl. I suppose they must be assuming that the Hawks would be one-and-done in the playoffs, otherwise I’m not sure if there is even an argument. But that’s a big assumption to make for those of us who watched the Cardinals go to the Super Bowl after going 9-7 in the NFC West just two years ago. If you don’t remember, Arizona nearly pulled off the win over theSteelers. I’m going to go on record right now saying that I would take even one playoff game, with the chance for more, as opposed to waiting until April to see the Seahawks get “player X” instead of “player Y” in the draft. I know the NFL Draft has become more of a television event nowadays than it ever has in the past, but for me, 6 Super Bowl Champions jersey
it hasn’t yet eclipsed the enjoyment of an actual football game. Brandan Schulze is a Navy veteran and member of the military chapter of the Sea Hawkers, the official booster club for the Seattle Seahawks. For more information on the chapter, visit www.militaryseahawkers.ning.com. Membership is free for all military service members and veterans.

Veteran Pittsburgh Steelers running back Jerome Bettis puts his chances of returning at "50-50" February 14 2005

HONOLULU, Hawaii - Even Jerome Bettis doesn't know whether he suited up for the final time at the Pro Bowl on Sunday.The veteran Pittsburgh running back puts his chances of returning to the Steelers at "50-50," he said after rushing for 23 yards on five carries in his sixth Pro Steelers 10 Santonio Holmes jersey
Bowl.Bettis, who replaced New England's Corey Dillon on the AFC roster earlier in the week, rushed for 941 yards and 13 touchdowns this season. He revitalized his career while leading the Steelers to a 15-1 regular-season record and the AFC championship game. "This is a special game for me because regardless if I play or not, I probably won't be back here," Bettis said in the AFC locker room.Bettis plans to spend a few weeks at home relaxing and getting acquainted with his new daughter, whose birth last week briefly caused him to consider skipping the game. He doesn't know when he'll decide whether to return to Pittsburgh for his 13th NFL season.Teammate Hines Ward would love to see the Bus back in black next season. But the receiver said only Bettis "knows what his body can or can't do. I kept lobbying all week, but if the situation is right, then he'll come back. If not, so be it. I'm sure he'll make the right decision."So what will Bettis miss if he retires? "The locker room, the guys, the 4 Brett Favre Purple jersey
camaraderie and the competition," he said.Furthermore, Hawaii wouldn't be a bad place to call it quits. "These guys are the best guys in the world, that's significant," he said. "If it is (the last game), this is a great way to finish up."

San Francisco 49ers Alex Smith Adam Snyder David Baas

Just about a month ago the San Francisco 49ers faced off against the Seattle Seahawks and played one of the team's most respectable games of the season. A lot has changed since that game, including a quarterback switch back to Alex Smith from Ken Dorsey, but will it be enough to put the 49ers in a position to win this weekend?One of the biggest obstacles the team will face is along the offensive line, where this week, once again two rookies will be starting – Adam Snyder and David Baas. The line has had its up and downs this season, but its youth, inexperience, and ineptitude has left San Francisco quarterbacks susceptible to injury. The 49ers saw that Alex Smith can be effective when he has time to throw, so getting him that time to throw will obviously be the key.OfSteelers 43 Polamalu jersey
course, the Seahawks are not likely to overlook the 49ers this week, and from the past few weeks they have a solid blue print as to how to stop the 49ers' run, and how to exploit weaknesses in the defense. This means that San Francisco will have a much tougher time. They are underdogs to begin with in their attempt to seek revenge this week.Extra Points:Meet your favorite 49ers and Gold Rush Cheerleaders including Alex Smith, Kevan Barlow, Ken Dorsey, Chris Cooper and others at The Great Mall of the Bay in Milpitas, CA for the Annual Toy Drive benefiting Bay Point Kids. Bring a new unwrapped toy donation and get a 49ers autograph. A great way to give back this holiday season! Don't miss out. Tuesday, December 6th6-8 pmSelect Comfort Store at The Great MallMilpitas, CACall (925) 279-2700 for more informationFor all the latest news and resources about the 49ers please

San Francisco 49ers "Should cherish Mike Singletary while they have him"

High-profile acquisitions and a solid draft class have given 49ers fans lofty expectations for the upcoming season. The return of assistant head coach and linebackers coach Mike Singletary is an incredible stroke of good fortune for a club laden with young defensive talent in need of Vikings Brett Favre jersey
molding. When a slew of coaching vacancies became available after the 2006 season, Singletary was on the short list of potential candidates for several openings. He interviewed for the Dallas Cowboys' and San Diego Chargers' head coaching positions but lost out to Wade Phillips and Norv Turner, two men whose previous head coaching tenures were barely more than mediocre.It is clear that current 49ers head coach Mike Nolan holds Singletary in very high regard. "Mike teaches with great passion and great energy, two things that are very important, I think, to being a successful teacher," said Nolan. "There are not too many people that command the respect that Mike does the minute he walks into a room." Apparently, the charisma and leadership abilities of Turner and Phillips outweigh Singletary, which is certainly good news for the Niners' faithful. The 49ers' move from a 4-3 to a 3-4 defensive scheme in 2007 makes Singletary's presence all the more crucial to the team's development. The Hall of Fame linebacker is regarded as one of the best to ever play the position. As a member of the Chicago Bears for his entire playing career, he was considered the heart and soul of the "Monsters of the Midway" defense in the '80s.His tutelage of rookie linebacker Patrick Willis and second-year LB Manny Lawson should help make the 49ers' LB corps one of the most feared units in the league. The onus is on the young players on the Niners' defense to soak up as much knowledge as they can, because let's face it, Singletary's not going to be around for much longer. In the next year or so, an NFL franchise is going to hire him as its new head coach. Nolan's stance on Singletary's head coaching prospects is pretty simple. "I want him with me as long as possible," says Nolan. Chances are that next season, teams in need of a head coach won't go the recycling route like the Cowboys and Chargers. Instead, they'll take the approach set forth by the Pittsburgh Steelers' hiring of 2010 pro bowl 4 Brett Favre Blue jersey
Mike Tomlin, bringing in a passionate, high-energy first-timer who commands respect from his players.In any case, the San Francisco's fans and players should cherish the good fortune of retaining Singletary's wisdom and leadership for at least another year.Got a bone to pick with a newspaper columnist, talk show personality or television analyst? E-mail us at mediawatch . For more information, visit our Media Watch info page.

Tennessee Titans "running game needs more Chris Brown"

Let's face it, LenDale White isn't cutting it. If Tennessee is bent on having a solid running game, Chris Brown needs more reps.Considering the Titans have the sixth-ranked ground game in the league, dismissing White may seem premature. On the other hand, however, it's fairly easy to obtain that high number when you also have the most rushing attempts per game in the league (36).No matter how you work the numbers, the best running games are normally the ones that average plenty of yardage per game but do so 36 Bettis Black Jersey
with fewer attempts. Because Titans coach Jeff Fisher and offensive coordinator Norm Chow emphasize a dominant running attack, they need to realize the current one isn't living up to its potential.The 3-2 Titans are five games into the season, and White is only averaging a tad over 3.0 yards a carry. In truth, the 6-foot-1, 235-pounder, a former USC star, is more of a fullback than anything else. White is a good, reliable back when it comes to short-yardage situations -- he grinds it out when the team needs only a couple to get the first. But it's enormously difficult if not impossible to build a respectable running game around that alone.On the other hand, Brown is they type of back you can build around.The 6-3 220-pounder is currently averaging over 5.0 yards per touch, 2 more than White is accumulating. Brown's longest run so far this season is 42 yards compared to White's 13, but that long scamper came all the way back in Week 1, when the Titans defeated Jacksonville.Since then, Brown has been used as a backup to White, which makes no sense given the former has racked up a total of 300 yards so far this season compared to the latter's 276. Additionally, Brown has bettered White despite 30 fewer carries.The fact is, Brown can do more with each touch than White. 2010 pro bowl Vikings 4 Brett Favre jersey
While White is a solid bruiser whose value is high when it comes to grinding out hard-to-get yards, Brown is more of a true tailback who is quicker and apparently has better vision. Tennessee needs more of that in its backfield if its running game is going to truly take off.

Tennessee Titans "Keyshawn Johnson not the answer"

The question is, how desperate are the Tennessee Titans to find a wide receiver? Keyshawn Johnson visited Nashville last week as he was welcomed by a team willing to consider any wideout with a pulse. That said, Johnson, despite his career stats, would cause more aggravation than it would be worth in Tennessee. The Titans are hoping Brandon Jones breaks out, David Givens heals in time for the regular season's commencement, and that the trio of drafted receivers collectively impresses; and even if some of 36 Bettis White Jersey
those dreams fail to convert to reality, Johnson still would be a risk because of his age and resume of discord.Johnson's speed, or lack thereof, is an issue. He was never fast by receiver standards, and I'm going to be bold and announce that it's safe to assume that, as with most human beings, he's not going to get faster with age. Soon to be 35, Johnson, a relatively slow player, is only getting slower, and he will of course get even more so. He's always been a possession-style receiver, and that backhanded title will become more and more accurate when applied to him at this stage of his career.His self-aggrandizing behavior belies the fact he is dependable but unspectacular, unable to stretch the field. Johnson had an impressive 70 catches last season as a Panther, but he only ended up gaining 815 yards, which means he didn't exactly outrun the secondary. It's not to criticize him for failing to more than get regular first downs; he is who he is as a player, but signing a certified deep threat for Vince Young to throw to would be much wiser for the Titans.Also valuable to Tennessee would be any guy with fewer issues over antics. Why has a player of Johnson's caliber changed jerseys so many times? He works hard and has over 800 catches, yet he's looking for his fifth team for a reason: Astronomers might disagree with Keyshawn's personal assessment that he is the center of the universe. Johnson's bizarre and wholly unnecessary feud with Wayne Chrebet, the remarkably shameful way that he became such a distraction in Tampa that they were willing to simultaneously pay and suspend him, and his overall tendency to draw more attention to himself than Paris Hilton exiting a car while wearing a short skirt have all overshadowed his career. He'll never live down that clownish book of his that sums up his style, nor should he be allowed to.Reports are that he was better behaved in Carolina, assuming more of a leadership role, but it's a sad sign if a player is being praised basically for deciding to act like a grown-up. Signing Johnson on the assumption that he will continue to tend toward finally being an adult is like hiring a released felon as a cashier: You want to trust him and have enough faith that he's turned around, but at the same time you have to be fearful of 4 Brett Favre Purple jersey
old habits re-establishing themselves. Rule No. 1 is that people never, ever change, and that should make any general manager wary of taking a chance on Keyshawn.Original Tennessee Titans insight, courtesy of RealFootball365.com

Tennessee Titans "Offensive inefficiency will hurt Tennessee soon"

Looking back over Tennessee's first six games, it's clear the Titans, in spite of their 4-2 record, have struggled more often than not in 2007.There was only one solid win among the bunch, in New Orleans, despite the Titans' supposedly strong running game. Had it not been for kicker Rob Bironas' superb 6 Super Bowl Champions jersey black jersey
performances thus far, the team would be in a world of trouble.And this is aside from the almost-debacle that was the Houston game this past Sunday, in which Bironas kicked a record-setting eight field goals, accounting for 24 of Tennessee's 38 points. Even the win over Jacksonville included two Bironas field goals that accounted for the team's only points in three quarters.Tennessee's win over 1-6 Atlanta is questionable, as Bironas kicked two field goals and defensive back Vincent Fuller's interception return for a touchdown gave the Titans the win.Of the 28 scores the Titans have racked up this year, only 10 of them came via an offensive touchdown. The vast majority of them were via field goals and two others were interception returns for a touchdown. Everyone in the NFL knows coach Jeff Fisher and offensive coordinator Norm Chow love running the ball, but it appears the ground game isn't producing the bulk of the scores.Given the lack of touchdowns the running game has produced this season when weighed against all the field goals that have been kicked, it seems that opposing defenses have indeed discovered that if you key in on the Titans' backs, you stand a decent chance to win. The other aspect enemy teams key on is keeping Tennessee in its own territory to limit Bironas' ability to bail the offense out, as Indianapolis and Tampa Bay have proven. The fact is, the Titans appear to be relying a bit too much on their kicking game.If Tennessee wants to keep winning consistently over the next 10 games and return to the playoffs, it'll need more of an all-around effort. Right now, the Titans are relying too much on their defense and kicking game; where's the offense? In two embarrassing losses to the New York Jets and San Diego Chargers to begin their 2006 season, the Tennessee Titans' quarterbacks have been an unmitigated disaster. The team has platooned a hapless veteran, Kerry Collins, and a rookie first-rounder, Vince Young, who still doesn't know the pro game.Obviously, as most know, constantly switching quarterbacks is rarely ever a good plan in the NFL, especially on a team that has virtually no chance to go anywhere. However, Titans head coach Jeff Fisher has expressed since Week 2's humiliating 40-7 loss to the Chargers, he will stay the course with two signal callers.Tennessee's Week 3 contest is against an ornery Miami Dolphins team that has surprisingly lost two in a row to start the season. According to Fisher, he will start Collins for a third consecutive game and bring Young in to relieve him. The question is, Why? What exactly is Fisher thinking in Nashville? Truthfully, it's hard to say. After all, this isn't baseball, where a starting pitcher handles most of the work and then a reliever is brought into the latter stages of the game.Judging by how bad the Titans are and, specifically, Collins, what's the point anymore? Young, the third overall pick in this past April's draft, should be handedth e reins. Face it, the Titans are going nowhere but down, so why not let the kid QB begin developing? Oftentimes, it helps a young passer to grow up on a feeble team so he's that much better when more talent comes along.In the 33-point loss this past weekend, Young found a way to complete just seven of his 19 pass attempts, but he did throw for 106 yards and a touchdown, while not turning the ball over. Another advantage brought by the 23-year-old is escapeability, which Collins, a 12th-year man, has never possessed. Young, a former star at the University of Texas, rushed five times for 24 yards in San Diego; Collins, meanwhile, picked up zero ground yards, and he only completed 6 of 19 throws for 57 yards and two interceptions."Each week of 2010 pro bowl Vikings 4 Brett Favre jersey
practice, I'm going to get better and better. I want to show them that I'm making a lot of progress. I have been studying the playbook, even though they probably don't see me studying, and I want to show them that I know the defenses," said an upbeat Young on Sunday.Young believes he can and will improve. It's time for the Titans to listen to their $58 million investment and throw him into the fire. Unfortunately for Tennessee fans, it won't happen yet. Not in earnest, anyway.--Got feedback? Drop the author, Connor J. Byrne, an e-mail: .Get more on the Tennessee Titans

Raiders in 2008: On one hand, on the other hand

Caught your collective breath yet, Raider Nation? Still lamenting the passing (not the passing game, the passing) of Lane Kiffin;s tenure? Still wondering whether this team;s heading for a 2-14 finish or closer to 8-8? Still trying to decide what extraterrestrial force has occupied and continues to forcibly animate Al Davis; body? Us too. Except that last bit.The following are a few back-and-forth inner monologue some Raiders fan may have toyed with on the long bye weekend as the Tom Cable era is about to become unleashed.; On Steelers 43 Polamalu jersey
one hand, the Raiders have blown some crazy opportunities already. A win against the Buffalo Bills was in the freaking bag until the defense mysteriously stopped blitzing and someone on the sidelines developed a Marshawn Lynch-sized blind spot, while Oakland played top-notch ball for 30 minutes against the seemingly mighty (but more importantly now-infinitely catchable division rival) San Diego Chargers before the offense forgot to exit the locker room for the second half. A playoff contender wins these games.On the other hand, no one (yours truly included) expected the Raiders to even bring a game in either of those two matches, much less threaten to win. The Raiders taking the lead has been a rarity for two seasons now and the 2008 tendency may indicate a rebound into respectability.; On one hand, there;s no cohesion. Disgruntled former employees from Warren Sapp to Lane Kiffin have complained about the chaos among the coaching corps. Nearly every position on the depth chart outside of kicker has been a virtual revolving door for five seasons. High-priced free agent prima-donas play alongside untested rookies and unwanted castoffs. Consistency in these matters is usually figured to be a positive in top-level sports and would seem to be an area needing addressing. If, of course, the team owner/general manager weren;t so prone to fantasy football owner-like whims whenever a name player hits the market.On the other hand, it;s tempting to rhetorically ask, ;Who needs cohesion?; Over in Detroit, the Lions are outwardly exuding a Brady Bunch level of happiness (OK, probably not Roy Williams anymore) while perpetually getting smoked by teams full of head cases. Maybe what the Raiders need is a camera-loving wide receiver to talk big, draw lots of derision and go for 150 yards after the catch every Sunday. Is Randy Moss available?; On one hand, the running game is this close to being publicly reckoned as an elite corps in the NFL. Darren McFadden has (mostly) been as good as advertised, Michael Bush has contributed some key carries, and who else can;t wait for Justin Fargas to return? Thus far, it all adds up to the league;s fifth-best rushing attack.On the other hand, JaMarcus Russell has yet to produce a passing game. Unless the Raiders employ a unique strategy of using the run to set up the run ; heck, if the offensive line weren;t quite so feeble, this might be recommended ; even this Cerberus isn;t going to be enough.; On one hand, the coaching change had to come sooner or later. In spite of your personal opinion on poor Kiffin and the difficulties in understanding a situation obfuscated by shrill media reportage on quotes from ;sources,; the man just wasn;t working out with Uncle Al.On the other hand, the timing was pretty poor on this one. If the potential exhibited by the Raiders in Weeks 3 and 4 was in fact positive evidence of improvement, this is perhaps the very worst possible Steelers 43 Polamalu jersey
moment at which to fire the head coach.; On one hand, Cable;s hiring may be a clever maneuver, despite a shaky resume (offensive line coach for two seasons in the NFL, bringing winning seasons to neither team; four seasons as head coach at University of Idaho for a cumulative 11-35 record). Cable knows the current Raider system as well as just about anyone and, unlike a certain defensive coordinator, seems to have no axes to grind.On the other hand, um ... no, I;m sorry, Raider Nation. I just can;t put a positive spin on this one; nothing good has ever come from the expression ;interim head coach.; Is anyone really convinced Cable is the Guy? (19)

Raiders in 2008: On one hand, on the other hand

Caught your collective breath yet, Raider Nation? Still lamenting the passing (not the passing game, the passing) of Lane Kiffin;s tenure? Still wondering whether this team;s heading for a 2-14 finish or closer to 8-8? Still trying to decide what extraterrestrial force has occupied and continues to forcibly animate Al Davis; body? Us too. Except that last bit.The following are a few back-and-forth inner monologue some Raiders fan may have toyed with on the long bye weekend as the Tom Cable era is about to become unleashed.; On Steelers 43 Polamalu jersey
one hand, the Raiders have blown some crazy opportunities already. A win against the Buffalo Bills was in the freaking bag until the defense mysteriously stopped blitzing and someone on the sidelines developed a Marshawn Lynch-sized blind spot, while Oakland played top-notch ball for 30 minutes against the seemingly mighty (but more importantly now-infinitely catchable division rival) San Diego Chargers before the offense forgot to exit the locker room for the second half. A playoff contender wins these games.On the other hand, no one (yours truly included) expected the Raiders to even bring a game in either of those two matches, much less threaten to win. The Raiders taking the lead has been a rarity for two seasons now and the 2008 tendency may indicate a rebound into respectability.; On one hand, there;s no cohesion. Disgruntled former employees from Warren Sapp to Lane Kiffin have complained about the chaos among the coaching corps. Nearly every position on the depth chart outside of kicker has been a virtual revolving door for five seasons. High-priced free agent prima-donas play alongside untested rookies and unwanted castoffs. Consistency in these matters is usually figured to be a positive in top-level sports and would seem to be an area needing addressing. If, of course, the team owner/general manager weren;t so prone to fantasy football owner-like whims whenever a name player hits the market.On the other hand, it;s tempting to rhetorically ask, ;Who needs cohesion?; Over in Detroit, the Lions are outwardly exuding a Brady Bunch level of happiness (OK, probably not Roy Williams anymore) while perpetually getting smoked by teams full of head cases. Maybe what the Raiders need is a camera-loving wide receiver to talk big, draw lots of derision and go for 150 yards after the catch every Sunday. Is Randy Moss available?; On one hand, the running game is this close to being publicly reckoned as an elite corps in the NFL. Darren McFadden has (mostly) been as good as advertised, Michael Bush has contributed some key carries, and who else can;t wait for Justin Fargas to return? Thus far, it all adds up to the league;s fifth-best rushing attack.On the other hand, JaMarcus Russell has yet to produce a passing game. Unless the Raiders employ a unique strategy of using the run to set up the run ; heck, if the offensive line weren;t quite so feeble, this might be recommended ; even this Cerberus isn;t going to be enough.; On one hand, the coaching change had to come sooner or later. In spite of your personal opinion on poor Kiffin and the difficulties in understanding a situation obfuscated by shrill media reportage on quotes from ;sources,; the man just wasn;t working out with Uncle Al.On the other hand, the timing was pretty poor on this one. If the potential exhibited by the Raiders in Weeks 3 and 4 was in fact positive evidence of improvement, this is perhaps the very worst possible Steelers 43 Polamalu jersey
moment at which to fire the head coach.; On one hand, Cable;s hiring may be a clever maneuver, despite a shaky resume (offensive line coach for two seasons in the NFL, bringing winning seasons to neither team; four seasons as head coach at University of Idaho for a cumulative 11-35 record). Cable knows the current Raider system as well as just about anyone and, unlike a certain defensive coordinator, seems to have no axes to grind.On the other hand, um ... no, I;m sorry, Raider Nation. I just can;t put a positive spin on this one; nothing good has ever come from the expression ;interim head coach.; Is anyone really convinced Cable is the Guy? (19)