2013 March Madness Preview

After a two month hiatus, what is a more perfect way to jumpstart the brotatoes than March Madness! It is personally my favorite time of the year, and for those of you (like myself) who are still fighting with yourself over your bracket selections, even though it is the day before the action, here is my preview for the tournament:

OBVIOUS CONTENDERS:

Russ Smith

Louisville: Each year many people are drawn to the number one overall seed in the tournament, and last year it actually paid off as the University of Kentucky, the number one overall seed in last year's tournament, cut down the nets. This is a Louisville team that played under the radar in the second half of the season after a strong start. The Cardinals are currently on a 10-game winning streak and have won 13 out of their last 14, including a championship in the final Big East Tournament.

Led by junior guard Russ Smith (18.1 PPG) and junior center Gorgui Dieng (10 PPG 9.9 RPG and 2.5 BPG), the Cardinals have a proven scorer and defensive anchor. Louisville's supporting cast provides relentless defensive pressure from baseline to baseline, and has helped create 10.7 steals per game, second in the nation. Oh and by the way Louisville was my preseason pick...just saying.

Achilles' Heel: Point Guard Peyton Siva. Siva burst onto the scene last season at about this time and the Cardinals need him to score as well as run their offense. Siva has been held scoreless or close to it in several big games this year, and in a region with Duke, Michigan St. and St. Louis, the "Road to Atlanta" is no cakewalk for the number one overall seed.

Victor Oladipo

Indiana: The Hoosiers were probably this season's most consistent team outside of Gonzaga, who by the way plays in the weak West Coast Conference. Indiana only left the top five in the AP Rankings for two weeks of the whole season (being ranked 6th one week and 7th the other), and they played in arguably the toughest conference this season. And this team can flat out score the basketball, averaging 80 PPG which is third in the nation and only 1 point behind the leader.

The Hoosiers should be relieved to be done with Big Ten play, and they should be very pleased with the draw they received from the Selection Committee. The East Region is by far the easiest with teams like Marquette, Syracuse, and UNLV as the 3, 4, and 5 seeds respectively. It also doesn't hurt that they have "Mr. Do Everything" Victor Oladipo and one of the best bigs in the game Cody Zeller. They also have shooters in Christian Watford and Jordan Hulls, and freshman point guard Yogi Ferrell has done an excellent job managing this high powered offense.


Achilles Heel: Head Coach Tom Crean. The micromanager. Crean is known as a head coach who usually has the team, but gets bounced prematurely in the tournament every year. Aside from his 2003 Marquette team that featured NBA superstar Dwyane Wade, Crean's teams have yet to get past the Sweet Sixteen. This year, his team has enough talent and an easy enough schedule to basically coast into at least the Elite Eight. If Crean doesn't make some noise in this year's tournament, the restless Hoosier fans might have something to say.

CONTENDERS THAT ARE NOT SO OBVIOUS:

Thad Matta

Ohio State: I love the makeup of this team. I think Thad Matta is one of the best coaches in the game and his teams always seem to make runs in the NCAA Tournament, even when he was coaching at Xavier. The Buckeyes ended up winning the tough Big Ten Tournament this year and are getting hot  at the right time. Deshaun Thomas is a premier scorer and point guard Aaron Craft is a three-year starter who now realizes he needs to attack and score to help his team win. It also doesn't hurt that Gonzaga is the #1 seed in the West.

Kansas: Kansas, in my opinion, has the toughest overall road to the Championship. They could potentially have to play North Carolina, VCU/Michigan, Florida/Georgetown, and then Indiana, just to earn a spot in the title game. However, the Jayhawks have something that has become a rarity in college basketball these days...seniors. Four of their top five scorers are seniors and on top of that, they have arguably the best freshman in the country to compliment them in Ben McLemore. The age and experience around McLemore should take a lot of the pressure off of the freshman, and also having a 7-footer who averages almost 4 blocks per game in Jeff Withey, doesn't hurt either.

FINAL TIER OF TEAMS THAT CAN ACTUALLY MAKE A RUN:

Shane Larkin

Duke: This team is going to be playing with a chip on their shoulder. Everyone is not giving Coach K and the Blue Devils enough respect due to their recent postseason mishaps. Last season, Duke improbably lost as a 2 seed to a #15 seed in Lehigh, then in this season's ACC Tournament, they got bounced in the first round by a non-tournament team in Maryland. Seniors Seth Curry, Mason Plumlee, and Ryan Kelly, will not let their careers end without a fight, so watch out for this team in the tricky Midwest Region.

Michigan State: Like Duke, the Spartans are also in the Midwest Region and have a great coach in Tom Izzo. Izzo has a steady balance of guard play and inside presence with Keith Appling, Gary Harris, Adreian Payne, and Derrick Nix, that may just be talented enough to get to Atlanta. For me, I just don't trust their guards enough, but Harris is shooting 41% from 3-point range and may make me eat my words.

Miami: This team was not in the preseason Top 25, they don't have a coach like Coach K or Tom Izzo, and yet they won the ACC regular season title as well as the conference tournament. Yet somehow, this team is not a #1 seed and being overlooked by many. This team is
an uptempo version of this year's Kansas team, it is loaded with seniors, and has an impressive underclassman in sophomore point guard Shane Larkin. Larkin, Durand Scott, and Kenny Kadji are all averaging over 13 PPG and can light up a defense on any day.

DANGEROUS TEAMS HIGHER THAN A 3 SEED:

#5 Wisconsin: Head Coach Bo Ryan has led the Badgers to the Sweet Sixteen in three of the last five seasons, and knocked off Indiana twice, Michigan, and Ohio State this year. They did receive a tough draw with Ole Miss in the first round, however I love the big white guys who can shoot and rebound, and Wisconsin breeds these players.

#5 VCU and #6 Butler: Head coaches Shaka Smart and Brad Stevens don't mind being in a mid-major conference and having a low seed. Both have been to the Final Four and Stevens led Butler to the championship game twice in 2010 and 2011. Somehow, someway, both of these teams will ruin some brackets, you can count on that.

I'M NOT BUYING IT:

Gonzaga: I am one of those people that doesn't believe that teams like Gonzaga should ever be a 1 seed. Sure the Bulldogs went 31-2 and won the West Coast Conference, but it is just the West Coast Conference. You give any of the other 1 and 2 seeds in the tournament the same schedule as Gonzaga, and tell me they don't win at least 31 of those games. Kelly Olynyk and Elias Harris can both really play, but outside of that I don't see anyone on the team that can step up and give the team 10 points on a consistent basis.

Michigan: I've also never really seen the appeal of Michigan. Trey Burke is a phenomenal player and he does so much for this team, and Tim Hardaway Jr. can score by himself, but outside of that there is nothing. Stauskus and Robinson III have been wildly inconsistent and they have no inside presence at all. You can argue that Michigan was #1 in the country at one point but they played an easy schedule. Their non-conference strength of schedule was 187th in the country so it was no wonder they went 12-0 in those games. Their most impressive wins are Ohio State by 2 in overtime and Michigan State by 1, and both games were at home. If Michigan avoids another letdown like last season in the first round, they most likely will be bounced by VCU in the second round.

Otto Porter

Georgetown: Otto Porter is a very gifted player with 16.3 PPG and 7.4 RPG, who will most likely thrive at the next level. Porter even has some help at the guard position with Markel Starks and freshmen D'Vauntes Smith-Rivera who started coming on in the Big East tournament. However, like Michigan, the Hoyas have no inside presence ranking 247th in the rebounding department. On top of this, Georgetown only averages 64.6 points per game. If you aren't going to simply outscore an opponent, then giving up many second chance opportunities will not help your cause.

Florida: The Gators are a team that chokes, plain and simple. How can a 26-7 team be considered a team that chokes? Easy, the Gators won all 26 of their game by double digits, which is impressive, but every game that was decided by less than 10 points, 0-6. Their lone loss in a game decided by double digits was to Arkansas by 11 points. The Gators shoot just 69% as a team from the foul line, and can't win close games, not exactly the recipe for success.


Syracuse: Making it to the Big East Tournament Final and having Jim Boeheim and his zone should mean this team is going to make a run right? Wrong, Michael-Carter Williams and Brandon Triche are the most overrated backcourt in the country, and I think this tournament will finally help people realize that. They fade in the second half of games, and rely on the always steady C.J. Fair and sharpshooting of James Southerland to win games. Fortunately, the Orange got an easy draw and should waltz into the Sweet Sixteen, but don't be surprised if they go down early.

St. Louis and New Mexico: I am not going to sit here and act like I've watched one or any of St. Louis' basketball games (I watched New Mexico beat UConn) like a lot of people tend to do with highly ranked obscure teams. So for these two teams, they may have had amazing years, but I am not buying it just yet because I have yet to really watch either of them, just like many of you who are taking them to go far in your brackets just because if it happens you will look like a genius. You aren't fooling anybody.

DANGEROUS DOUBLE-DIGIT SEEDS:
These teams are potential bracket-busters, that can sneak into the Sweet Sixteen

#12 Oregon: Finished a game behind UCLA in the Pac-12 regular season, and ended up winning the conference tournament. Watch out for senior double-double threat Arsalan Kazemi who is shooting close to 60% on the season

#11 St. Mary's: Matthew Dellavedova and his mouthpiece. The guy is a gamer who does everything on the floor to make sure his team is in a position to win. They also have a first round matchup with an overachieving Memphis team.

#10 Cincinnati: Sean Kilpatrick, Cashmere Wright, and Jaquon Parker make up a lethal backcourt for the Bearcats. Doug McDermott and Creighton stand in their way, but if 3's start falling for Cincy, Duke could have a challenging second round matchup awaiting them.

Marshall Henderson

#12 Ole Miss: Marshall Henderson wears his heart on his sleeve for the Runnin' Rebels, which is perfect for this tournament that is filled with emotions. If he gets hot, watching him and Ole Miss will be very entertaining, and it could last a while.

#11 Minnesota: One of the more fun teams in the country faded towards the end of the season, going on a horrid 5-11 stretch to end the year. A fresh start may help this talented bunch get back on track.

#13 South Dakota State: Nate Wolters. Remember his name, he scored 53 points in a game this season, and also averaged close to 23 points a game. A first round matchup with Michigan doesn't hurt.

PLAYERS TO WATCH:

Aaron Craft - Junior Point Guard for Ohio State
Nobody plays harder than this kid. He'll guard the best player, dive on the floor for a loose ball, take you off the dribble, or set up a teammate. A ton of fun to watch.

Aaron Craft

Russ Smith - Junior Guard for Louisville
Only 6'1" but he scores with the best of them at just over 18 PPG. He's the guy that nobody is talking about, but will be during the tournament. Seriously, watch out for this guy.

Victor Oladipo - Junior Guard fo Indiana
Burst onto the scene this year and is the best player on one of the best teams in the country. He is good for one or two unbelievable plays a game, and his athleticism makes him a joy to watch.

Jeff Withey - Senior Center for Kansas
Withey protects the paint better than any center in the country. He could go for a triple double on any given night if teams allow him to swat their shots without learning a lesson.


Marshall Henderson - Junior Guard for Ole Miss
If Henderson is playing your team, you hate him. Otherwise, he is hilarious to watch because of the way he ticks off opposing crowds. He backs up his talk too, especially when he catches fire from behind the arc.

Otto Porter - Sophomore Forward for Georgetown
Sometimes he lets the game come to him a little bit too much, and isn't as exciting to watch as the rest of the guys on this list, but there is no doubt that this kid has a mind for the game and he will wear a defense down until he finally wants to light them up.

Shane Larkin - Sophomore Guard for Miami
Larkin is a playmaker that can beat opposing point guards and finish at the rim, but he also shoots the 3 at 40%. The Hurricanes will go as he goes.

FRESHMEN TO WATCH:

Marcus Smart - Guard for Oklahoma State

Ben McLemore

Either Smart or McLemore will be the #1 pick in this year's NBA draft, but for now, he is focused on leading the Cowboys to their first Final Four in nine years.

Ben McLemore - Guard for Kansas
The most exciting player on a talented Kansas team. 16.4 PPG and shooting 50% from the field, he also has some pretty sweet dance moves as well...can't hurt.

Anthony Bennett - Forward for UNLV
With 16 PPG and 8 RPG, Bennett is the freshman that nobody is talking about. If he gets enough touches, UNLV may surprise some people this year.

Gary Harris - Guard for Michigan State
Started living up to his potential at the end of the season, and is a great compliment to point guard Keith Appling. Harris will drive a dagger into several opponents' seasons with late game 3's, which he happens to shoot at 41%.

Yogi Ferrell - Point Guard for Indiana
Ferrell is a player who knows his role. He is constantly surrounded by four scorers and he knows that, but he also knows teams will sag off him and he isn't afraid to take, and make, shots.

D'vauntes Smith-Rivera - Guard for Georgetown
Remember his name. If Georgetown makes a run, you won't have any trouble in doing so.
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Hope you guys enjoyed this and I also hope it helped! I won't be giving you guys any of my picks, that's all up to you guys! Enjoy the action tomorrow!

Nobody makes the Baseball Hall of Fame, not even Piazza

What a Stallion

Alright I'm the most biased sports fan I know, my teams can do no wrong even when they're horrible (see Jets and Mets). But what happened yesterday was an absolute travesty. According to Tim Kirkjian, the biggest nerd on ESPN next to the Schwaab, Mike Piazza is the 3rd greatest catcher of all time, and the GREATEST hitting catcher of all time. Yet because of the era in which he played and the allegations leveled against his peers, Piazza gets lumped in with all that nonsense.

There is no speck of evidence linking Piazza to steroid use, and he's still getting vilified for playing at the same time as Bonds and McGuire. Aaron Sele got a vote for the Hall of Fame yesterday. I have no joke there because that actually happened. Aaron Sele was like the 3rd start for the Mariners behind Jarrod Washburn or some other bum. How can these Baseball Writers still have a job wasting votes like that. The person who voted for Aaron Sele ahead of Mike Piazza obviously doesn't know baseball or is just a total douche.

Now maybe I'm upset because Piazza was my favorite player and probably my favorite Met of all time but come on, Numbers never lie, facts are facts, people die and that's about the long and short of it. Piazza is a first ballot HOF'er by the numbers and was a gentleman off the field. Maybe one of the most inspirational sports moments of all time came off his bat, just an amazing shot from the best hitting catcher of all time. I love Mikey P and its sucha shame that he isn't in the Hall the first year of his eligibility.

PS. Craig Biggio wore more padding than anyone who has ever played baseball, never seen anything like it. He was like the kid from the Little Giants whose mom wrapped him up in packaging

KG is as soft as baby thighs

Always talking to guards, BG is from Mt. Vernon, he'd ruin KG and he knows it. 

Literally there can not be a more hated player in the NBA than Kevin Garnett, he's just a straight villain. Picks on guards and small forwards but when someone his size steps to him, he cowers like Lebron in the 4th. And that's why I was proud of the Knicks last night, Melo may have had his worst shooting game maybe in his career, but they still fought it out and did all they could.

 KG gets away with murder out there, elbows, moving screens, trash talk and now the Knicks are showing their not gonna put up with that anymore. C's fans will say they didn't even have Rondo last night, blah blah blah, he's the biggest punk on the team pushing officials and what not. If Melo shoots a better percentage that game it's not even close.

The C's are right at 500 now and they're acting like they won a championship or something last night. Obviously they've won the division every year for like a decade but I don't see that happening this year. Amar'e looked a lot better last night and JR is having a great year so I think this game was just a blip on artwork and we'll move on from there. We play Boston 5 more times this year and I expect all of them to be tough like this one but the score lines will be different.

PS. I actually hate Paul Pierce the most, not because he talks like KG but because he just hits big shots for no explicable reason. It just kills me, he has bags under his eyes the size of golf ball. To borrow a phrase from a total legend, Big Red, he always looks drunk or hungover, which makes me squirm even more when he makes a shot.

PPS. Urban Dictionary definition of KG  the top three are pretty accurate I'd say.

Jets Season Coming to its Embarrassing Conclusion

Just when I thought I was out.... They pull me back in. 

I actually can't believe I still watch the Jets because of how terrible they are but I've struggled through every game this season. They are a total train wreck in the sense that I can't seem to look away from the pain and misery. Sanchez was without a doubt the worst QB in the NFL this year, but I don't completely blame him, hard to imagine I know. He had no help really, the wide outs are terrible, Keller was hurt all year, and the O line never meshed. Kinda place some blame on Sparano because he was brought in to call a proper offense after we had Schotty jr. for years tossing 5 yard outs on 3rd and 10, but he never made adjustments or adapted to the personnel.

I thought once they benched Sanchez after that Monday night debacle, he'd be done forever, never to step on the field for the Jets again. But God's a funny guy, he likes to make people cringe and suffer (especially you Tebow). Greg McElroy gets a concussion in his first start and hands the ball right back to Marky Mark to turnover to the other team. Luckily the Jets are playing the Bills and they are worse than the Jets if that's even possible. I think the offseason for the Jets will be a total demolition and firesale. It's gonna be Independence Day/Live Free or Die Hard/ Mars Attach all rolled into a tiny office in the armpit that is New Jersey. It's gonna be biblical (Tebow). 7-9 or 6-10, either way you're a loser, one just look better than the other. Like taking your sister to prom and marrying for love, not a good look. Let's just all be thankful that by New Year's the Jets won't be playing anymore.

PS: Kinda love how ESPN just decided that Tebow's going to the Jaguars already. I'm pretty the Jags have said nothing to indicate that they won't God's Scorned disciple as their punt protector. Tebow's from Jacksonville, Jacksonville sort of has a football team, boom, he should play there. Classic ESPN.

Buzzer Beater again from JR

JR does it again without Melo and Ray-Ray. A fade away left corner jumper as time expires to beat some scrub squad. First it was the Bobcats who haven't sniffed a win in maybe 2 months and the Suns who we've gone over in the past, are not good. The one positive about those wins are that they've been able to win ugly. Not every night can they ramp it up and play like they did against Miami or the Nets, sometimes they just have to will and fight for it. 

A major concern though is the health of Melo and Ray. Melo is like the freak chubby athlete who is an absolute beast but picks up some nagging injuries because he's not in great shape. This year is a perfect example, he's missed games already and I don't doubt he'll miss more. Ray could be out 4-6 weeks some sources say and I don't think we'll miss him too terribly with Pepperoni and Kidd but when Ray's feeling it, he can carry the squad. Unfortunately he's been straight up foul the last week or so, so i'm not too torn up about it. 5 for 17 is not gonna get it done anywhere, not even on the Bobcats. If the Knicks finish this West Coast trip strong, they can come back home with some room for error when Stat comes back and hopefully there won't be any chemistry issues. Just gotta play ball. 

Knicks Getting Destroyed

Knicks getting absolutely blown out at the Garden tonight, and it's really unfortunate. The Bockers, have kept it at around a 20 point deficit since halftime, but have really not been able to get over the hump and legitimately close the gap. They've looked sloppy on both offense, and defense, getting technical fouls, and allowing a lot of second chances for the Bulls, who have cashed in.

The refs have been awful tonight, Carmen D John Diminico, Macy Yoke Parker, and Richard Montgomery McGee, might as well be out there making these calls. Melo has been getting hammered all night but did not take a free throw in the first half. Death stares from the whole stadium, including some pretty intense eyes from both Spike Lee, and Mike Woodson.

On the other side Luol Deng has been killing it, and teammates Joakim Noah, and Kirk Hinrich have been as solid as ever.

On the Knicks side of the ball, Chandler has been shut down on the offensive end, and the one bright spot of the night, J.R. Smith was stupid, and fouled out. Melo had an awful shooting night, but did meet his season average and put in 29.

There is still some time left, and if the Knicks come back I'll be the first to say I was wrong and pat them on the back, but the Knicks just did not bring it tonight.

Update: Melo just got tossed...game, set, match.

Prized Recruit Jabari Parker Chooses Duke

The Cameron Crazies have a lot to be proud of this season. Their Blue Devils are already 10-0 and the number one team in the country. They also have already beaten the number 2, 3, and 4 ranked teams in Louisville, Kentucky, and Ohio State respectively.

Now this afternoon, one of the most coveted recruits in the country, Jabari Parker, announced that he will be attending Duke University next fall. The 6'8" forward out of Simeon Career Academy in Chicago announced his decision on live television in a much anticipated decision.

Along with Duke, Parker was also considering Michigan State, Florida, Stanford, and also BYU. In the end Parker went with the Blue Devils, citing that legendary head coach Mike Krzyzewski had been guiding him throughout his years at Simeon.

In high school, Parker has led Simeon to three consecutive state titles, and the team is looking to be the second ever to accomplish this feat. However, this season has gotten off to a poor start for the superstar, as he broke a bone in his ankle and is currently trying to get back to his normal form.

Parker was the number one recruit for a long time until Canadian recruit Andrew Wiggins reclassified to the same class. Wiggins is deciding between Florida State, Kansas, Kentucky, Ohio State, Syracuse, and North Carolina. How crazy would it be if Wiggins went to North Carolina and one of the best rivalries in sports had these two headlining the games?

One Last Thing: Christmas sure came early for Krzyzewski and the Blue Devils, and Tom Izzo and Michigan State definitely have a sour taste left in their mouth. The race was supposedly between these two schools and Izzo being right in Michigan, had the inside track. Parker even stated that Izzo had seen him play the most, but Parker made the best decision for him, and that was Duke.

Giants Game 14 Recap - "Wow."

Wow.

One Last Thing: The Giants are now tied in first of the NFC East and they hold none of the tiebreakers. It is now a two-game season with a game in Baltimore next week, and the Eagles at home to close out the year. They just need to win and hopefully everyone else will take care of the rest.

Josh Hamilton Signs With The Angels

Hamilton Joins Pujols & Friends On A Scary Angels Team

In a matter of a few days, the Angels have turned their lineup into one of the scariest assembled in the entire league. The reason? Josh Hamilton just signed a five year deal $125 million deal with the squad.

Hamilton will join AL Rookie of the Year and runner-up for AL MVP Mike Trout, three-time NL MVP Albert Pujols, young slugger Mark Trumbo, and also Kendrys Morales in the Angels lineup. There is power up and down the order, however, there are a few questions surrounding these guys. The first being Hamilton's health. Hamilton has an extensive injury history over the past few years, however when he is in the lineup, no one can argue against Hamilton's power. Morales doesn't have the best injury history either.

Another question surrounding this lineup will be how does Trout respond after his monster rookie season. Will he continue his dominance, or is there a sophomore slump looming? All signs point to Trout having another successful season, but he is known around the league now and pitchers might approach him differently.

The final question for the Angels will be do they have enough pitching to keep this solid lineup in games? After trading for Tommy Hanson, and already having Jered Weaver and C.J. Wilson, signs point to yes, but the bullpen struggled last year. Youngster Ernesto Frieri will need to step up as a lights out closer next year, and if that happens a lot of questions will be answered.

One Last Thing: This signing may have swung the advantage to the Angels in the American League West, and as a Yankee fan I am very concerned with all of the other teams addressing their issues and us remaining quiet thus far. Wake up Cashman.

Knicks Better than Nets, No Arguments Are Valid

Melo looking mad orange

As Shump said, "someone tell Fab, to tell Jay, to tell Brooklyn, they just got #taped." The Nets are like the little brother who's getting older and can kind of hang with his brother's friends and hey, maybe even beat them once or twice. Earlier this season may not have been a fluke, Nets are a quality squad and maybe if they had Brook Lopez in there they would have won tonight. But overall, The Knicks might be the best team in the league. This is not me being biased, even though I'm being totally biased, The Knicks look like legit contenders.

Going to Brooklyn twice and giving them two real good games before they come over to the real court and play some ball is a great sign. Plus the defense is stout, they don't turn the ball over, and the shoot the lights out from 3. Law of averages says they're shooting won't continue like this, but I never trust that statement, only time is when Clyde says it to a Knicks player who has missed like 8 shots in a row. Melo is a serious MVP candidate despite taking a 2 game break to nurse a boo boo on his finger. The Knicks have grit again, not Oak and Mace gritty, but they're tougher than they've been in recent years and I like that a lot. Pretty sure the Knicks lead the league in Technicals and I'm so down with that it's crazy. The NBA's rigged anyway, let the refs know you know, Ball don't lie.

Ps. I use to despise Jason Kidd when he was on the Nets, literally my blood boiled when he would blow kisses to the rim at the free throw line. But now, I think I love him.. straight crush status, maybe the smartest player I've ever seen. Cue the music.

A Confusing Time For Yankee Fans

Gross.

Sooooooo Kevin Youkilis is a Yankee? I'm trying to picture that in my head right now and I just can't seem to wrap my head around it. This is the same guy who I hated just a year ago, and someone who with A-Rod out, will most likely be an every day player for the Yanks this year.

This is just an all around really confusing time for me as a sports fan. Sure Damon did it too, but Damon wasn't half the scumbag that Youkilis was over in Boston. He's just the prototypical Red Sox player, ugly, grimy, weird, etc. Now all of the sudden I have to somehow like this guy and I honestly don't know if I can do it.

I can't imagine the Yankee faithful will just willingly welcome Youkilis in with open arms either. And that "Yooooooooooooouk" chant better not make its way to the Bronx because it makes me cringe even thinking about it.

One Last Thing: I actually am wrestling with the thought of cheering for this guy, this isn't a joke. However, if Youkilis comes in and hits like 10 walkoffs and 30 homers, I may give him a golf clap or two. Anything less and he's still the bum I despised for the past decade.

Worst Free Throw Ever

So this video went viral yesterday, featuring Appalachian State's Brian Okam shooting the worst free throw in the history of the world. Hands down. No debate necessary.

I'm going to guess and say he got the ball to go about 3 feet total. It was basically an entry pass to his teammate on the block. What I want to know is what do you say to this guy as a teammate, or as a coach for that matter. No high fives, no 'good job', nothing. He got nothing, and he deserves nothing. I'm going to assume this was just a freak accident. Sweat on his hand or that ball or something and it slipped. It had to have been. If that was legitimately the best attempt he could make on this, then I'm sorry but Brian, it's time to hang it up.

Yankees Cut Ties With StubHub

This May Be a Good Turnout at a Yankee Game This Season

The Yankees, Angels, and Cubs have opted out of the new five-year StubHub agreement and are all currently searching for new ticket brokers. It has been reported that the Yankees will most likely team up with Ticketmaster in the near future.

This may come as a surprise to many fans, however, the Yankees had been frustrated with StubHub for  a long time because they believed that the ticket site deliberately lowered prices to appeal to the "secondary market." The secondary market consists of the fans who bought their tickets off the website from the original season ticket holders.

On top of the undervaluing of the ticket prices, season ticket holders had to pay hefty fees to StubHub in order to use the site. It is clear that the Yankees are looking out for their season ticket holders here, and rightfully so, however, many people would buy tickets and attend the game due to the lower prices.

Obviously this is unfair for the season ticket holders, but isn't it all about putting people in the seats? That is supposed to be the goal of organizations, so why don't the Yankees just cut their ticket prices all together? This way no one is getting ripped off, and the need for StubHub's lucrative fees also is eliminated.

One Last Thing: As a secondary marketer, or whatever the correct term is here, I am very opposed to this move. I understand that the season ticket holders get ripped off, but it is also nice to spontaneously buy a few tickets and head down to the stadium with some friends for only $10 each. Coupling that fee, along with the train and food/beverages at the game, the trip is doable for many people. If the prices skyrocket to face value as a result of this move, many people, including myself, will just stay home and watch instead.

Giants Game 13 Recap - "A Star is Born?"

A Coming Out Party Was Held For David Wilson At MetLife Stadium Today

In the matter of just a few moments, both the Dallas Cowboys and Washington Redskins each kicked game winning field goals to each improve to 7-6. The pressure was on for the Giants, and they responded. Facing off at home against the high-powered New Orleans Saints offense, the Giants resiliency led them to a 52-27 victory and more importantly they regained their one game division lead.

Eli Manning played well throwing four touchdowns to four different receivers. Manning did throw two interceptions in Saints territory, but a rookie carried the team to victory regardless. That rookie was Giants first round draft pick, running back David Wilson. Many were anticipating a breakout game like this from the speedster as he has shown flashes of his speed and elusiveness returning kickoffs. This was exactly where Wilson started off his big day by returning a kickoff 97 yards for a touchdown.

Wilson also added 100 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 13 carries, combining for 327 all-purpose yards and three touchdowns in a game that the Giants desperately needed. If he wasn't scoring touchdowns, Wilson was setting up the offense with his kickoff returns deep into Saints territory. Manning was big in the red zone today as well, making sure that he led his squad into the end zone instead of leading them to field goal attempts.

The defense also had a very solid day against the always dangerous Drew Brees. Osi Umenyiora had the lone sack, but oddly enough the defense did most of its damage in the secondary. Both safeties Antrel Rolle and Will Hill forced fumbles that were recovered by the Giants, and the biggest surprise of the season, safety Stevie Brown had two more interceptions. Brown now has seven interceptions on the year trailing only Bears cornerback Tim Jennings by one for the league lead.

The Giants need to build off of this win because it is now a three game season, and the G-Men need to make sure they stay one game ahead of their competition. This is because they do not own any of the tiebreakers between them, the Cowboys, and the Redskins. The Giants still control their own destiny, but with two very challenging road games coming up in Atlanta and Baltimore, along with a final showdown with the division rival Eagles, the road ahead is a difficult one. Next week, the Giants get will be heading to the Georgia Dome to face NFC leading 11-2 Atlanta Falcons where quarterback Matt Ryan is 32-4 in his career. No scoreboard watching will be needed next week because the Giants still control their own destiny, however they need to win.

One Last Thing: If you want to take a look at a recap of the Giants season, here are my articles throughout the first 14 weeks:

Week 1: "Rough Start"

Week 2: "The Heart Attack."

Week 3: "The Execution"

Week 4: "The Disappointment"

Week 5: "The Shootout"

Week 6: "Dominance"

Week 7: "The Close One"

Week 8: "The Escape"

Week 9: "Foreshadowing?"

Week 10: "The Disgrace"

Week 11: BYE

Week 12: "They're Back?"

Week 13: "Classic Giants"

Week 14: "A Star is Born?"

Johnny Manziel Wins Heisman Trophy

Johnny Manziel, or better known as "Johnny Football," became the first freshman to ever take home the Heisman Trophy. The Heisman is the most coveted individual accolade in college football, and the Texas A&M University quarterback beat out University of Notre Dame linebacker Manti Te'o and Kansas State University quarterback Colin Klein, the other two finalists.

Manziel (20), a red-shirt freshman, was also the second youngest to ever win the award trailing only Mark Ingram, who took home the award in 2009 as a running back for the University of Alabama as a nineteen-year-old sophomore. Manziel also joins John David Crow as the only Aggie to ever win this prestigious award, Crow did it in 1957 as a running back.

Manziel's statistics this season were off the charts, he threw for 3,419 yards and 24 touchdowns, while completing almost 70% of his throws and only 8 interceptions. However, "Johnny Football's" versatility as a dual-threat quarterback might have been his best quality. Manziel ran for 1,181 yards and 19 more touchdowns on 184 carries.

The stats were all there, yet playing in the SEC with the likes of Alabama, Florida, LSU, among others, Manziel along with the rest of the Texas A&M program needed a statement win. This was the Aggies inaugural season in the "football conference" and many believed that they had no business being there after the conference realignment. Well, Mr. Football and Co. burst onto the scene on November 10th, when they went into Tuscaloosa and beat the number one ranked University of Alabama on their home field.

Manziel played a near perfect game on national television with all eyes on him. He torched the tough Crimson Tide defense for 253 yards on 24 for 31 throws and two touchdowns, while also running for nearly 100 yards. He connected with wideout Ryan Swope over and over late in the game, dropping absolute dimes all over the field,
leaving the Alabama defense in awe.

Although Texas A&M did have the best player in the country, they did lose two games. One to a tough University of Florida team 20-17, and the other to another tough LSU team 24-19. By the way those teams finished #3 and #8 in the country respectively, and the Aggies finished at #9 with a 10-2 record. Even with the losses, everyone has to agree that the Aggies and Manziel belong in the SEC.

On top of that, Manziel can't enter the NFL Draft for at least another year, as the NFL requires that a player needs to be out of high school at least three years before entering the draft. So "Johnny Football" will be haunting SEC defenses for at least one more year, and at the most three more. But for now, Texas A&M has a date with Oklahoma University on January 4th in the Cotton Bowl, but this time their quarterback is a Heisman winner.

One Last Thing: Only three finalists were invited to New York for the ceremony as opposed to four, which is the norm. In fact, there was a clear divide amongst the players this year in this year's Heisman voting. It was basically a two man race in the final weeks of the season between Manziel and Te'o. Te'o dominated games on the defensive side of the football for the Fighting Irish tallying 103 tackles and 7 interceptions, an odd feat for a linebacker. Te'o also overcame a lot of adversity this season as he lost his grandmother and girlfriend on the same day, and still played with a heavy heart all season to lead his team to an undefeated 12-0 record.

Top 5 College Basketball Players to Start the Year

The College Basketball season is off and running and many players have had great starts so far. Today, I’m going to focus on the Top 5 players in the nation who have been flat out phenomenal thus far.

5. UNLV Forward Anthony Bennett

Courtesy Bigstory.ap.org

The highly touted freshman that spurned Calipari and Co. to join the Rebels of UNLV has been superb thus far. Bennett has averaged a tremendous 18.7 PPG and 7.6 RPG. The 6-8 big man has led UNLV to a 5-1 start and has easily been the most impressive freshman in the country.  The scary thing for opponents about Bennett is that he has a sensational frontcourt mate in Mike Moser. It's almost a pick your poison situation, and so far, opponents have been choosing the wrong poison, allowing Bennett to explode onto the college basketball scene.

4. Indiana Forward Cody Zeller

Courtesy: ESPN.com

Can Zeller take home National
Player of the Year?

Coming into the season, sophomore Cody Zeller was regarded as the frontrunner to take home Naismith Award. Thus far, Zeller has not disappointed, but has somewhat underachieved from the hype that has surrounded him. Zeller is still averaging 15.0 PPG and 7.6 RPG, however. Expect Zeller to improve his numbers come Big Ten time, as big time players show up in games that matter. Zeller is still arguably the best player in the country, and sleeping on him to win National Player of the Year, is a mistake.

3. Michigan Guard Trey Burke

Courtesy: Collegefootball.ap.org

Michigan sophomore guard Trey Burke has been the best point guard in the country this season. Burke, who returned to the Wolverines after a stellar freshman year, has averaged 17.0 PPG and 7.1 APG during the first 8 games of the season. The impressive thing about Burke is that he plays the majority of the game and is only averaging 2 turnovers per game. If Burke can be the floor general he has been to the start the year, look for the Wolverines to make noise come March.

2. Creighton Forward Doug McDermott

Courtesy: Draftexpress.com

6-8 junior forward Doug McDermott has led the Blue Jays to an 8-1 record. The biggest thing that stands out about McDermott is his versatility. He can kill opponents from the outside or inside, which is hard to come across in the college game. McDermott’s versatility has allowed him to average 21. 9 PPG and 6.8 RPG for a team coached by his father. McDermott will be in the National Player of the Year discussion the whole year and will have all Mid-Majors across the country rooting for him to the win award.

1.Duke Forward Mason Plumlee

Courtesy: indyprosports.com

Will Mason Plumlee's hot start continue?

Senior Forward Mason Plumlee has anchored the Blue Devils past the likes of Louisville, Ohio State and Kentucky to start the season. Plumlee has been an absolute beast this year, averaging 19.6 PPG and 11.0 RPG. Note to ACC teams: Mason Plumlee is the real deal. He dominates the boards and has been a constant on both the offensive and defensive sides of the ball. The fact of the matter is if Mason Plumlee plays like this throughout the whole season, he will not only win National Player of the Year, but Duke may be cutting the nets down in Atlanta.

Kobe Hits 30K

The Master and the Up and Comer

It's been a pretty great week in the NBA. The Knicks continue to win, the Heat have now lost 2 in a row, and Kobe... is still being Kobe. This past Wednesday Kobe Bryant of the Los Angeles Lakers scored his 30,000th career point. He is only the fifth player ever to reach that milestone, and he is also the youngest to ever do it. The top five list now breaks down like this...

1	Kareem Abdul-Jabbar	38,387
2	Karl Malone	36,928
3	Michael Jordan	32,292
4	Wilt Chamberlain	31,419
5	KOBE BRYANT	30,016

Kobe is in a prime position to move up on this list, and I would be shocked if he didn't finish at least 3rd. You know when you think about Kobe Bryant, you think of him as one of the vets. One of those guys with his foot in the door who is presumably just sticking around to win one more chip, and then he hangs up the sneakers for good. But then he goes and does something like this and turns out to be the youngest player to 30k. Pretty crazy. 

However, I think one of the craziest yet vastly unreported parts of this story is when you venture down the list a little bit more. Sitting at 19,473 points is the 27 year old LeBron James. He should crack 30,000 points within the next five years, at around 32 years old. And then scroll down the list a little bit more, and at 10,481 points is the 24 year old Kevin Durant. He's only been in the league for 5 years, and has already gotten a third of the way there. Now, it's true by that math he won't crack 30,000 until he is around 33 or 34, but I'm not sure he's even hit his full scoring potential yet. He still has to worry about having the human black hole Russell Westbrook firing up shots left and right, and believe it or not that does take away from his totals. 

Now all three of these guys are now, and will most likely be, superstars for the remainder of their career. I still think Kobe will end up retiring in around 2 or 3 years, and that within the next ten years I can almost guarantee we will have at least two, maybe three (Melo? 16,374) new members of the 30K club, which should make for an exciting NBA as long as these guys are around.