Brandon Jennings Drops 55 Points ... in 1909?

Gotta love ESPN. First off, Brandon Jennings dumping 55 points on the Golden State Warriors was amazing. It ranks among the greatest rookie scoring performances in NBA history.

I didn't know that the NBA was around in 1909, however. ESPN.com listed the top rookie performances ever and Jennings' effort ranks fifth (behind guys named Wilt Chamberlain, Rick Barry and Earl Monroe). It's just that, apparently Jennings did this before Wilt, Earl and Rick.

Harrison Barnes Set to Make One Coach (and a Nation of Fans) Very Happy

Today is the day that Harrison Barnes is going to announce where he will be spending his college days. He's so talented that those days will amount to less than a year before he shoots off into the NBA. However, major programs want him just because he can be that dominant in that one year and it's a great recruiting tool.

I'm excited because North Carolina is on the list. I don't know if it near the top, but none of the schools seem to have the advantage (though UNC, Duke and Kansas have come at him the hardest). He could say any of the schools on his list, which also include Oklahoma, UCLA and his hometown Iowa State.

While Barnes will make some fan base elated, he'll tick off all of the others. That's too bad because what do you want the kid to do? His heart is where his heart will be and we should just accept that. Of course, if he picks Duke instead of Carolina then Tar Heel fans will make him their top target. Then again, many Tar Heel fans don't realize that we nearly nabbed hated-Devils Christian Laettner and Danny Ferry, too.

The guy is 17-years old. When you were 17-years old, did anyone other than your crazed college-obsessed uncle care where you went to school? Did anyone hate you because of the decision you had to make? Of course not ... not millions of fans you didn't.

Again, I'll be on pins and needles waiting for Barnes announcement. Yes, I'm dying for him to go to North Carolina but if he doesn't ...

All I ask is that you don't go to Duke, man.

Dunk of the Year? D-Wade DESTROYS Varejao

Skill dunks are fun but power dunks are so much better. Doing a wildmill when no one is guarding the basket isn't as cool as punching one on somebody's grill.

Dwyane Wade did the latter last night on the Cavs' Anderson Varejao. SICK! I'm not the biggest D-Wade fan but this is one of the nicest dunks I've seen in quite some time. I'm a sucker for true posterization (or "getting YouTubed" to the youngin's).

Enjoy!

A Tale of Two Pimps ...

One's know for using and discarding his co-workers like the skank of the hour. The other is Ron Jeremy.

Who Are the Ten Greatest NBA Players of All Time?

I was chatting with a buddy/co-worker of mine, Antoine, and we were discussing who the greatest NBA players were. From there, we started slotting our picks and having quite a debate about this guy being better than that guy. The debate lit a fire in me that I came home and just had to blog about my top ten list.

Then I got to thinking that I should get other people's lists. I know people around this great land who are bright and intelligent and very opinionated on this subject. So I invited them to contribute their lists and I would compile them into one mega-list ... which is what this post is all about.

My contributors (which are named at the bottom) range in ages from 20 to 50+. From places like Florence, KY, Corpus Christi, New York City, Utah, Cincinnati, Charlotte and Los Angeles. I used the same points system that a college poll would use and grant the top player 10 points, second player 9 points and so on. Below is the list that the 20 people came up with.

I invite you to give me your top ten in the comments section below.

No. 10-LeBron James (27 pts): The fact that he's here is obviously because people expect greatness from him for years to come. I don't see it that way, myself. Yes, LeBron could become one of the ten best players to lace them up but he isn't right now. Some of the younger voters had him ranked high while many of the other voters left him off their ballots. If we did this list ten years from now, this may be correct. Right now, I think Hakeem, Tim Duncan, Jerry West or Elgin Baylor deserved this slot more.

No. 9 -Shaquille O'Neal (29 pts): Shaq could have been one of the most dominant players ever. When he put his mind to it, he was. The problem is that there is the perception that he didn't put forth maximum effort preparing for a game or even a season. I also think the fact that he's fallen off a bit affected some of these rankings. Still, Shaq was among the greatest to ever have played this game.

No. 8-Oscar Robertson (61 pts): The Big O was the original triple threat. He could score (averaged 30+ points in six seasons), assist (he was the first player to average 10 assists for a season) and could rebound (the only guard in history to average at least 10 boards a game in a season ... and he did it three times). If not for the fact that he played in Cincinnati and Milwaukee, people would realize just how great he was.

No. 7-Bill Russell (68 pts): One of the most interesting votes I had. Russell is really hard to gauge. Some ranked him high because of those 11 championships he won. Some ranked him low because they felt he wouldn't be that special in today's game. Others ranked him high due to the fact that he stood up to Wilt Chamberlain and beat him time and time again. Others ranked him lower because those Celtics teams were packed with Hall of Famers. It really is hard to figure out where to exactly place Russell.

No. 6-Kareem Abdul Jabbar (103 pts ... 1 first place vote): I feel that Kareem, as usual, was forgotten about. People who remember basketball in the 1970s and 80s know how great Jabbar really was. He was a dominant force when he came into the league and was insanely consistent up until his retirement in 1989. Six titles and six MVP awards! The sky hook alone should have him in everybody's top five.

No. 5-Larry Bird (107 pts): Here was an interesting case. I found that many people ranked Bird alongside Magic Johnson on their lists. Unlike most on this list, Bird wasn't the most gifted athlete but this man had a killer instinct and the will to win. He also turned the three point shot into a deadly weapon and made the All-Star shootout contest the must-see event.

No. 4-Kobe Bryant (113 pts ... 4 first place votes): Kobe is the most interesting and debated man on this list. The fact that he's this high while still in his prime years in amazing. What was also amazing is that people who hated the Lakers and/or really hated Kobe ended up voting him very high. I got a lot of "I hate him, but he's one of the greatest ever" comments. Think about how powerful that is. Nobody on this list is as disliked as Kobe is, but only a few guys rank higher among the greats.

No. 3-Magic Johnson (123 pts): Full disclosure: Magic is my favorite player of all-time. I've made my arguments in the past that Magic was better than Jordan, but that's for another time. What I remember most about Magic is that nobody in the history of the league could control a game like he did. Yeah, Jordan and Wilt could do what they wanted, but Magic knew exactly who should get the shot up and make it as easy for them as he could. He was a wizard with the basketball and a genius of the game.

No. 2-Wilt Chamberlain (141 pts ... 5 first place votes): This is who I picked No. 1. The man was dominant. The man was a freak. Sorry, but an 100-point game!?!?! Averaging over 50 points for an entire season?? Unreal! He's the only player in NBA history to average at least 40 pts a game for a season and he did it twice. He owns the top three season scoring averages of all time ... and five of the top seven! In 1968, he decided to show up his critics who said he was selfish by leading the NBA in assists that year! The list goes on and on and on ...


No. 1-Michael Jordan (185 pts ... 10 first place votes): This was kind of expected. Most of the people that were in their 30s or younger had Jordan at the top of their lists. He was the icon of that generation of fans. Magic and Bird took the league by storm and out of the darkness, but Jordan elevated it to the top of the mountain.

Others receiving votes: Hakeem Olajuwon (26), Tim Duncan (23 pts), Jerry West (18), Karl Malone (17), John Stockton (10), Kevin Garnett (10), Scottie Pippen (7), Charles Barkley (6), George Mikan (5), Elgin Baylor (4), Julius Erving (4), Isiah Thomas (4), Clyde Drexler (4), Pete Maravich (2), Kevin McHale (2), Penny Hardaway (1) and Steve Nash (1).

Pretty intense list, eh? When looking at it as a whole, it looks pretty fair. Sure, guys like West and Baylor didn't get the love they would have had I extended my search for "older" fans but that's to be expected.

Here are the people who voted: The Sportz Assassin, Tony Curd, Derrick Highsmith, William Morgan, Eddie Bowling, Charles Martin, Joe Foster, Wolf, Laker Mike, Deron Denton, Bax Deal, Laurie Edwards, John Cutler, Luther Fisher, Emanuel Smith, Yannis Koutroupis, Capricorn, Ktmdog, Bonnie Valente and Yossef Shamir.

Again, please share your lists, gripes and debates in the comments section below.

Sportz College Football Playoff - 11/10 Update

If you've been following my blog, you know that my playoff bracket is a 12-team playoff with the champions of the ACC, SEC, Big Ten, Big East, Big XII and Pac-10 getting automatic bids ... as well as the highest ranked non-BCS school. The five at-large bids are the top ranked (in the BCS) among the rest of the nation. With a few upsets over the weekend, there has been some movement:


#1-Florida (SEC Champ)
#2-Alabama
#3-Texas (Big XII Champ)
#4-TCU (highest ranked non-BCS Champ)
#5-Cincinnati (Big East Champ)
#6-Boise State
#7-Georgia Tech (ACC Champ)
#8-LSU
#9-USC
#10-Iowa (Big Ten Champ)
#11-Ohio State
#12-Oregon (Pac-10 Champ)

FIRST ROUND (Dec 19th)
12p-Iowa at Georgia Tech
3:30p-Oregon at Cincinnati
3:30p-Ohio State at Boise State
8p-USC at LSU

SECOND ROUND (Dec 26th)
12p-Ga Tech/Iowa at Alabama
3:30p-Cincinnati/Oregon at TCU
3:30p-LSU/USC at Florida
8p-Boise State/Ohio State at Texas

Tar Heels Championship Defense Begins Tonight!

Okay, the college hoops season has officially begun. Well, it will tonight. About 7:00pm, the North Carolina Tar Heels will take their retooled team against the Florida International University Isiahs. This will probably be FIU's biggest moment in the sun which is why they got Isiah Thomas in the first place.

Enough about that. Tonight is more about the defense of a championship. It's hard to say "defending champs" when Tyler Hansbrough, Ty Lawson, Danny Green and Wayne Ellington are now in the NBA, but it's the same Hall of Fame coach with the same jerseys on. In fact, the Heels team that suits up tonight will probably yield better NBA talent that the team that won it all last year.

The one thing that these Heels have this year that the didn't have last year is experience. Yes, Deon Thompson is back and he's been a starter for most of his career. The only other player that was formerly a long-time starter is Marcus Ginyard, and he missed most of last season with a foot injury. Everyone else is taking on a bigger role.

Ed Davis, the darling of the Final Four to NBA scouts, is poised to become a star. He would have been a high lottery pick if he came out last season and could be a top three pick next year. Fellow sophomore Larry Drew II has the task of following ACC Player of the Year Ty Lawson ... who followed up Raymond Felton. A lot will be asked of Drew since he's the lone point guard with any experience, albeit as backup to an irreplaceable Lawson.

Everyone else is being asked to step up. Roy Williams would love if John Henson can come in and take the starting small forward positions. Henson, Davis and Thompson would form an unbelievable front line. Henson's fellow freshmen Travis and David Wear will add to that depth with their size and fundamental skills.

The wildcard is sophomore Tyler Zeller. Remember that Zeller soared at the beginning of last year as he replaced an injured Hansbrough. But a wrist injury in the second game of the season caused him to miss most of the rest of the season. Despite red-shirting, he came back to play the last few games and in the tournament so he could be part of a championship team. If Zeller, a 7-foot high flyer, can get back to where he started ... which word is that he is ... then this team could be unbelievable.

Well, the frontcourt could be. The backcourt consists of the iffy Drew and solid, but unspectacular Ginyard. Freshmen Leslie McDonald and Dexter Strickland, who would be the guy to take over if Drew can't cut it, will see a lot of minutes. The backcourt wildcard is Will Graves. Graves was actually the Heels' best long range shooter last year but he was suspended by Coach Williams for an undisclosed infraction. Now back, Graves is looking forward to being the guy that can stretch the defense in order to let those big men the freedom to dominate.

This should be a fun year for Heels fans. This is a very good team with awesome talent ... and none of the pressure! The last two years have been tough because Carolina fans entered the season wanting to fast forward to the NCAA tournament. There is no pressure on this team since they are so young. They'll make mistakes and they'll make us jump out of our seat. Oh, we want another championship and this team could bring us one ... but it's alright if they don't.

Oh, Harrison Barnes ... come join in the fun.

Allen Iverson Should Just Go Ahead and Retire

Who knew that the marriage between Allen Iverson and Memphis Grizzlies wouldn't work out? Oh, yeah -- everyone. Hard to believe that little song and dance that the two sides did when he signed during the offseason would end badly.

Iverson has played a total of three games ... all off the bench ... before taking a leave of absence from the team. Now the word is that he's contemplating retirement. The Answer is correct. Quit.

Iverson should hang them up. It's obvious that (a) the only role for him in today's NBA is as a bench contributor and (b) he doesn't want to do that. It's obvious that winning isn't the most important thing to him or else he wouldn't have signed with the lowly Grizzlies in the first place (would taking a lot less money and a bench gig with the Cavaliers or Heat be a bad thing?). Before Iverson decides to leave the NBA for whatever else he may want to do, he should consider one thing:

Did the NBA kick him out first and make the decision for him?

Despite how you may feel about Iverson, he is a Hall of Fame player. No one with his smallish build has ever done the things he did. And though he never won a championship, he almost single handily took the Sixers to the 2001 NBA Finals. He was a great player and hopefully will be remembered as such.

The key word is "was". He still is a good player who still can score in bunches. The problem is that teams don't need a guy with his skills of today starting and disrupting the team's flow. Look what happened in Denver once he left. He could cut a nice extended career out of being an offensive spark-plug coming off the bench but that's not his style. Again, the NBA has made the decision for you.

It's a shame that it had to end like this. Iverson in a Memphis uniform will be a sad chapter to a great career ... one that could have been better. To most fans, his "practice" rant will be the thing most people remember him for. That, and for being a gunner. And for unofficially ushering in the hip hop culture into the NBA. He also was a great scorer or something.

So say good-bye to the "bad guy". We probably won't see Iverson's mug much longer since he really doesn't seem like the guy to stick around the league in any other capacity. As you know, he's either the star or nothing at all.

"The League"; Come For the Premise, Stay For the Humor

"The League" is in it's second week and I'm hooked. The FX show brought me in on the premise that it's a group of guys who are friends and linked in a fantasy football league. Doesn't sound too gripping but the comedy sounded like a fantasy geek's dream.

Then you watch. As Rodney Dangerfield used to say, "it ain't funny -- it's freakin' funny." I DVR'd it and started to watch it as my wife was taking a shower. After nine minutes, I rewound to the beginning and waited for my wife to get done and watch it with me. She loves it. My wife, who doesn't understand a lick of football and who could care less about fantasy sports, was absolutely rolling.

It's an FX comedy (new shows come on Thursday nights at 10:30-ish) and comes with all kinds of basic cable no-nos. They cuss (they dropped the P-word about ten times in the last episode), they have sexually taboo subject matter and Jon Lajoie singing perverted songs. Lajoie is best known for his odd internet videos. His birthday song at a five-year-old's birthday party is classic.

It isn't for everyone. The course humor can rub some people the wrong way. But if you are a South Park/Eastbound & Down kind of person, then you'll love this show.

New Mexico Women's Soccer Player Goes On Rampage

Unreal.

I'm Glad Jordan's Kid Decided to Kick the Adidas

I like Nike. I like adidas. I wear both (among others). I also liked the fact that Marcus Jordan ... so of NBA legend and Nike spokes-god Michael ... decided to wear his dad's Nike kicks instead of the school's contractually obligated adidas.

Again, it's nothing against adidas. But I love the way that he thumbed his nose at the shoe company. No one does that anymore.

Anyone who is a basketball fan is well aware that shoe contracts are a big-time thing. These companies pay a lot of money to get their name plastered all over campuses and uniforms. Penn State football refuses to put players' names on their jerseys, but they sure as hell have a Nike logo front and center. They aren't the only ones.

Marcus Jordan is right. Blood is thicker than dorm water. You cannot expect a kid whose dad is Mr. Nike to start wearing adidas under any circumstances. Central Florida promised Marcus that he could wear Air Jordans ... but adidas smacked that idea when they found out. Once Marcus wore the Nikes in a game, adidas killed the deal with UCF. Way to make a mountain out of a mole hill.

If adidas didn't make a big stink about this, no one would care. Do you really think anyone gives a crap that the University of Central Florida is rocking adidas??? This isn't like North Carolina and Nike being bosom buddies. This is a school that most people have never even seen play a minute of basketball. This is a school that loved the fact that Michael Jordan's son was playing for them. They wanted Michael Jordan's brand ... but needed him to wear adidas clothing.

I'm not saying adidas didn't have the right to back out of the contract. A deal is a deal and UCF broke it. But if you think that adidas left with their dignity, you are mistaken. They look petty. Marcus Jordan would still be wearing an adidas jersey, but Nike kicks. No one would notice; no one would care.

Rating the NBA's No. 1 Overall Picks in the 1990s

The NBA Draft in the 1990s was a time of change. In the 80s, we saw people leaving college after their junior years. In the 1990s, players were starting to leave after their sophomore years. Then, in 1995, Kevin Garnett pushed the envelope into the first high school player in two decades to declare for the draft. Since that moment, the draft hasn't been the same.

But, we will always remember the #1 overall picks in the draft. We can run them off like we run off the list of champions. And what an odd mix it is.

#10-Michael Olowokandi [1998-Clippers]. He was a project when he was drafted...but it just didn’t pan out. As a Clipper, he was routinely outshined in LA by some other center that shares the same arena. He did develop into a 12 ppg scorer...but then left ClipperLand for Minnesota where he posted the worst numbers of his career. And that is saying something. Stats: 8.3 ppg, 6.8 rpg

#9-Joe Smith [1995-Warriors]. Not your average Joe has made his way around the NBA. Playing only three years in Golden State, he's been to Philly, Minnesota, Detroit, Milwaukee, Denver, Philadelphia (again), Chicago, Cleveland, Oklahoma City, Cleveland (again) and now Atlanta. Staying in the league this long says something about what he is worth. What makes this pick look worse is the fact that McDyess, Stackhouse, Sheed and Garnett were picked directly after him. He will probably be best known for having a "wink wink" agreement with Minnesota that he'd sign low short term and the team would hook him up long term. That action cost the Wolves 4 first round draft picks. He has the EXACT same birthday as me. Stats: 11.6 ppg, 6.7 rpg

#8-Elton Brand [1999-Bulls]. It's tough to peg Brand. He's been an All-Star twice and an Olympian. He also had a controversial exit from the Clippers and hasn't been the stud the Sixers wanted him to be. Injuries have stalled his career in the past two seasons and his lone playoff appearance was in 2006. Stats: 19.9 ppg, 10.1 rpg

#7-Larry Johnson [1991-Hornets]. LJ brought excitement and attention to Charlotte. Once Grandmama put on the teal...the franchise went from expansion to legit. A back injury and a big contract forced him up to New York where he played on the 1999 Eastern Conference Championship team. His 4-pt play is legendary in playoff lore [mainly because he wasn’t touched]. Stats: 16.2 ppg, 7.5 rpg

#6-Glen Robinson [1994-Bucks]. He is the 2nd leading scorer in Milwaukee Bucks history. He went to the 2000 and 2001 All Star Games. One of the better scorers in the league...he averaged at least 20 pts in 8 of his first 9 seasons. Stats: 20.7 ppg, 6.1 rpg, 82% FT

#5-Derrick Coleman [1990-Nets] Drafted by the Nets, but starred for the Sixers and Hornets, Coleman is the classic example of potential never fully realized. Many people foresaw him as the forward that would change the game. We saw glimpses of it in Jersey and at times in his other stops...but he spent most of his career injured. He started only one All Star Game [1994]. Stats: 16.5 ppg, 9.3 rpg

#4-Chris Webber [1993-Magic/Warriors]. Originally drafted by Golden State, Webber was dealt to the Warriors for Penny Hardaway moments later. C-Webb’s career on the Bay was short, but he helped get the Washington Bullets to the playoffs and was the centerpiece in getting the Kings into the playoffs as well. He has a nice bounce back season with the Sixers in 05-06 but that was short lived. He led the NBA in rebounding in 1999. Stats: 20.7 ppg, 9.8 rpg, 4.2 apg

#3-Allen Iverson [1996-Sixers]. Like him or hate him...he’s has been one of the NBA’s best players. A 6-foot tall wrecking ball...Iverson gave max effort every single game. He’s won the scoring title four times ...something only Wilt, Jordan and the Ice Man ever did. His scoring average is 5th all time. He has an MVP award... and single handidly took the Sixers to the 2001 NBA Finals. The second half of his career has been marred with questionable behavior. "Practice", crying his way out of Philly, stunting the growth in Denver, blowing up the Pistons and now sulking with the Grizzlies. Stats: 27.1 ppg, 6.2 apg, 2.2 spg

#2-Tim Duncan [1997-Spurs]. Three NBA titles and two MVP awards sit in his trophy case. The Admiral’s injury brought Duncan to San Antonio, but his leadership is what lifted the former ABA franchise to rings. He's been named to the first team All NBA team in each of his seasons. You could argue that he's the best power forward ever. Stats: 21.4 ppg, 11.7 rpg, 2.4 blks

#1-Shaquille O’Neal [1992-Magic]. The Most Dominant Ever has 4 NBA championships....3 NBA Finals MVP awards and 1 regular season MVP award. He lifted the Orlando Magic to elite status and brought back the Lakers franchise to the elite. Only player on this list named to the NBA's 50 Greatest Players squad. More than by any player on this list (by far), he has trancended the game. Stats: 24.7 ppg, 11.2 rpg, 58% FG, 53% FT

Sportz' College Football Playoff Update - Nov 1

If you've been following my blog, you know that my playoff bracket is a 12-team playoff with the champions of the ACC, SEC, Big Ten, Big East, Big XII and Pac-10 getting automatic bids ... as well as the highest ranked non-BCS school. The five at-large bids are the top ranked (in the BCS) among the rest of the nation.

#1-Florida (SEC Champ)
#2-Texas (Big XII Champ)
#3-Alabama
#4-Iowa (Big Ten Champ)
#5-Cincinnati (Big East Champ)
#6-TCU (highest ranked non-BCS Champ)
#7-Boise State
#8-Oregon (Pac-10 Champ)
#9-LSU
#10-Georgia Tech (ACC Champ)
#11-Penn State
#12-USC

FIRST ROUND (Dec 19)
12p-USC at Cincinnati
3:30p-Penn State at TCU
3:30p-Georgia Tech at Boise State
8p-LSU at Oregon

SECOND ROUND
12p-Cincinnati/USC at Iowa
3:30p-TCU/Penn State at Alabama
3:30p-Boise State/Ga Tech at Texas
8p-Oregon/LSUat Florida

Favre vs Packers: Overhyped

I know that I'm not breaking any ground here by saying that Brett Favre's return to Green Bay was quite a bit overhyped. It was so overhyped that ESPN talking heads would even joke about it being overhyped ... while they were busy hyping it.

I get why Fox did it. I get why Packers fans did it. Fox wants the faces watching the game on their channel and please advertisers. Packers fans have idolized Favre for so long but not feel betrayed by his move to Minnesota. But why do the rest of us really care?

Despite what fans think, there is no loyalty in sports. Also remember that (a) Favre retired, (b) the Packers didn't want Favre as their QB anymore once he decided to come back and that (c) Favre still wanted to play. You can't fault the Packers for their decision (Aaron Rodgers is pretty good) or the fact that Favre signed with the Vikings (great defense, great back, needing a QB).

The hook here is the fact that this is pretty rare. The closest things I can think of was when the Niners pushed Joe Montana out for Steve Young and Montana signed with the Chiefs. The difference there is that the Niners and Chiefs are not rivals and Montana wasn't lobbing grenades on the way out.

Shaq did. Shaquille O'Neal demanded out of Los Angeles in 2004. Like Favre, Shaq had a few zingers as he walked out the door. Like Favre, Shaq had a deliberate rival. However, Shaq's rival actually played which made the hatred a bit more tangible. Favre's rival, Packers GM Ted Thompson, was sitting up in the luxury suites. Plus, Shaq went across the country to the Miami Heat ... which is far from a rival of the Lakers.

The actual closest thing I can think of was Marcus Allen. Raiders owner Al Davis felt that Allen was done and made him a backup during his last few years in Los Angeles. Allen told a national audience that Davis was "going to get me" and there was a lot of bad blood. Allen would leave the Raiders and go to the rival Kansas City Chiefs (coincidentally, with Montana). In Allen's first season with the Chiefs, he would lead the AFC with 12 touchdowns and would win the Comeback Player of the Year award. He would lead the Chiefs in rushing over the next two seasons.

Obviously since they were division rivals, Allen got to play four times at the Raiders den. In his first game against the Raiders in LA, Allen rushed for 85 yards and a sweet-feeling touchdown. Earlier that season when the two teams met at Arrowhead Stadium, Allen rushed for his 100th career TD. Revenge was sweet.

Even back in the olden days of 1993, there wasn't anywhere near the hype as what we've had over Brett Favre today. Allen, like Favre, is a Hall of Fame player. Allen, like Favre, went to a division rival (but Allen went directly to the rival, whereas Favre had a year with the Jets to buffer things). Allen, like Favre, won a Super Bowl with his former team. And Allen, like apparently Favre will, helped lead his new team to some nice success (the Chiefs would go on to lose the AFC title game).

Like Allen, Favre will be forever linked with the franchise he gained his most successes with. Allen's magical run in Super Bowl XVIII is replayed countless times during Super Bowl week. Just like Favre running around with his helmet off is.

Hopefully after tonight, we can all lay this to bed.

Martina, Meth Isn't a Performance Enhancing Drug

The big buzz around tennis right now is the revelation that Andre Agassi spent nearly a year doing meth back in 1997. Pretty shocking since Agassi was one of the most finely tuned athletes in a grueling sport.

Fellow tennis legend Martina Navratilova isn't cool with any of this. She even compared Agassi to Roger Clemens, someone who allegedly lied about using performance enhancing drugs. Apples and oranges.

I'm not a doctor or a physical trainer, but I've never heard that "ice" was a performance enhancer. No one has attributed their gawdy stats to smoking crank. In fact, Agassi's worst professional season came during the year he says he was using.

I mean, musicians and artists can claim that the hippie lettuce and acid help them be more creative. But not one of them has ever said that the "jib" has boosted their creativity. Well, maybe a porn star ...

Yes, it is illegal ... but so is pot. If you heard that an athlete lied about smoking the weed and got caught, it would elicit jokes but no one would say that the player should be kicked out of the league. Baseball historians love to forget that half the players back in the day were either drunk or hungover during games. Should we strike them down?

Meth is a lot harsher and it did shock me to learn this information. Meth has destroyed lives, families ... even towns ... and is spreading like wildfire. But to completely condemn Agassi for his actions 12 years ago is ludicrous. Of course he's going to lie if he got caught. HE WAS A METH ADDICT AT THE TIME! What did you think he'd say?

Sportz' Week 8 Picks

Last week, I went 11-2. I picked the Panthers to beat the Bills and Giants to beat the Cardinals. Both, I felt, were pretty safe bets. Oh well.

That puts my season record at 69-34 ... which is 66%. That's better than a flip of the coin!

So here are my Week 8 Picks:

RAVENS OVER BRONCOS: Just a hunch that B-more's offense will break through that improved Denver defense. And Kyle Orton will get a heavy dose of pressure.

BEARS OVER BROWNS: This is my Eliminator pick, so that tells you how confident I am.

COWBOYS OVER SEAHAWKS: Dallas is starting to get some momentum and Seattle is sooooo unpredictable.

LIONS OVER RAMS: I've always said that picking games where two teams suck is harder than picking the ones involving championship caliber teams. I like Detroit here just because ... well, I don't know why.

GIANTS OVER EAGLES: I explained to someone today that Philly is one of the luckiest teams in the league. They beat Carolina while Jake Delhomme was throwing picks like crazy; beat the dysfunctional Redskins and lost to the Raiders. Giants.

TEXANS OVER BILLS: Houston is getting no respect. Beating Buffalo won't do much to improve that.

COLTS OVER NINERS: Indy is on a roll. San Francisco is struggling.

JETS OVER DOLPHINS: I don't like Chad Henne facing off against that Rex Ryan defense. The Wildcat will help, but this is a smart defense.

CHARGERS OVER RAIDERS: Won't be as close as their first meeting.

TITANS OVER JAGUARS: Upset special! Tennessee is switching to Vince Young and I think the team will step their game up. Plus, Jacksonville barely beat the crappy Rams ... so I'm not too impressed with them.

CARDINALS OVER PANTHERS: Jake Delhomme keeps his job. Too bad he has to face one of his biggest demons now. How many times will they show replays from his horrid playoff game against Arizona during the week?

PACKERS OVER VIKINGS: I think the Packers will rally around Aaron Rodgers and get him this win. Green Bay is improved since their shootout a few weeks ago. Also, I think Brett Favre will actually try to show up the Packers which will hurt the team's cause.

SAINTS OVER FALCONS: I think N'Awlins is the second best team in the league and the Superdome will be bumping on Monday night!

Blake Griffin Out; Clipper Curse Continues

Blake Griffin will miss at least six weeks of the regular season due to a broken kneecap. Get out of here!

This marks the second time in three years that the top overall pick has been hurt coming out of the gate. Two years ago, Greg Oden underwent microfracture surgery and missed the entire season.

The Clippers have also been bitten before. In 1988, the Clips drafted Danny Manning with the top overall pick. Manning played just 26 games in his rookie season before blowing out his knee. In 1998, the Clips drafted Michael Olowokandi with the top pick. He didn't get hurt, but he's one of the biggest busts in NBA history.

You can also add in Shaun Livingston, the No. 4 pick in the 2004 draft. Livingston battled injuries and played in just 91 games over his first couple of seasons. Two seasons later, Livingston blew out his knee in one of the most hideous sports injuries ever televised. Joe Theismann's broken leg nearly threw up after seeing Livingston's knee.

In 2005, the Clippers used the No. 12 pick on Yaroslav Korolev. Korolev would play just 34 games in his NBA career ... averaging 1.1 points per game.

The Clippers can't catch a break. They "visit" the Lakers tonight in a nationally televised game on TNT. The hook was not only The Battle Of Los Angeles but the defending champions taking on the top pick in the draft.

'Weak 7' Report: Now I Want Challenge Flags Available For All Penalties

Week 7 of the NFL season is over and, boy was it bad! "Weak 7". But as they saying goes, you learn something new every day ... so what did we learn over the weekend?

NEW YORK-PHILLY: Next week, the New York Giants visit the Philadelphia Eagles at 1pm. That night, the New York Yankees will visit the Philadelphia Phillies in Game 4 of the World Series. Cool.

BLOWOUT CITY: There were only 12 games on Sunday. Six of them were won by at least 28 points. How does this happen? Packers beat Browns, 31-3. Chargers beat Chiefs, 37-7. Colts beat Rams, 42-6. Patriots beat Buccaneers, 35-7. Jets beat Raiders, 38-0. Bengals beat Bears, 45-10. This just lends more to the argument that there are just soooo many bad teams out there. Those six losers scored a grand total of 33 points (around 5.5 ppg). Those six teams are a combined 7-34 on the season. Yikes.

GOOD TEAMS GONE BAD ... OR GOOD ... OR BAD: Not only are there some really bad teams this season, some of those mediocre teams look really bad one week and look outstanding the next. The Bears were 3-2 heading into Cincinnati last week and were blasted. The Chargers looked out of it last week, but then blow through the Chiefs. How about the Jets, who lost three in a row and then beat the Raiders 38-0? Yes, it's only the Raiders but the Eagles couldn't win in Oakland last week.

CHALLENGING PENALTIES: I went on a rampage last week about the NFL allowing coaches to throw challenge flags on pass interference calls. This week, I'm now open to allowing challenge flags on any penalty. The tripping call in the Vikings-Steelers game directly affected the outcome of that game. Instead of a Sidney Rice touchdown, a few plays later the Steelers recover a fumble and return it for a score. We can throw the red flag to fight over a few inches of field position, or a seemingly meaningless play during a game ... but you cannot use it to challenge a bad call that cost your team points. It is ridiculous to have this system and not use it to the best of its abilities.

WHERE DID MILES AUSTIN COME FROM? Miles Austin has been the NFL's best receiver over the last two weeks. Fantasy owners are stumbling over each other in order to nab him on their teams. Austin is perfect for the Dallas Cowboys. He's quiet, effective and makes plays. The touchdown he scored to beat the Chiefs two weeks ago was due to a great play by him breaking a tackle and scooting in the endzone. The fact that Terrell Owens isn't in Tony Romo's ear anymore has helped create some fluidity for the offense ... both in playcalling and execution.

SPEAKING OF THAT, IS DALLAS THE BEST TEAM IN THE NFC EAST?: Last week, the Cowboys had a bye but still gained a half a game on every team in the division (the Giants, Eagles and Skins all lost). This week, they showed us that they are a good team and beat the Atlanta Falcons rather handily. With the Giants loss (and the Eagles/Skins game ensuring another division foe will lose) and Dallas is atop the standings. Their two losses are to the Giants and undefeated Broncos. They have a great rushing attack and the passing game seems to have found a rhythm. The defense, at times, looks strong ... though they aren't the best tackling group. I still think they are the third best team in the division, but they are playing the best right now.

CEDRIC BENSON FOUND THE WIZARD OF OZ: I used to firmly believe that Cedric Benson lacked heart. My main line of thinking is the fact that he really didn't fight Thomas Jones for the starting gig in Chicago ... then slinked out of their Super Bowl appearance against the Colts. IT'S THE FREAKING SUPER BOWL! MAN UP AND PLAY! Some bad decisions and on the outside of the league for a while must have taught Benson how to focus on his job. Since the Bengals plucked him off the garbage heap, he's been one of the most productive running backs in the NFL.

SAINTS-DOLPHINS WAS GREAT: Sometimes it's good to not watch a game with a mind for fantasy football points or some gambling point of view. The Dolphins-Saints game on Sunday was an outstanding game just to watch. There were all kinds of exciting plays. There was the Wildcat Offense, the undefeated team trailing by 21 points early, Drew Brees' attack and a great atmosphere. Great game. Great game.

BRETT FAVRE DETRACTORS HAVE AMMO: While Brett Favre was gun slingin' and leading the Vikings to an undefeated mark on the season, those anti-Favre fans kept saying that down the road he'll lose a game for you. That happened yesterday. His late fumble was returned for a TD ... then an interception was returned for a TD. Yeah, Chester Taylor got his hands on it but that pass was thrown with too much fire on it that it was nearly impossible for him to pull it in.

Sportz College Football Playoff Bracket - 10/26

Another weird week in college football and my playoff bracket shook up a little. Remember that it is a 12-team playoff with the champions of the ACC, SEC, Big Ten, Big East, Big XII and Pac-10 getting automatic bids ... as well as the highest ranked non-BCS school. The five at-large bids are the top ranked (in the BCS) among the rest of the nation.

1-Florida (SEC Champ)
2-Alabama
3-Texas (Big XII Champ)
4-Iowa (Big Ten Champ)
5-USC
6-TCU (Highest ranked non-BCS Champ)
7-Boise State
8-Cincinnati (Big East Champ)
9-LSU
10-Oregon (Pac 10 Champ)
11-Ga Tech (ACC Champ)
12-Penn State

FIRST ROUND (December 19th)
12p-LSU at Cincinnati
3:30p-Georgia Tech at TCU
3:30p-Oregon at Boise State
8p-Penn State at USC

SECOND ROUND (December 26th)
12p-Cincinnati/LSU at Florida
3:30p-TCU/Ga Tech at Texas
3:30p-Boise State/Oregon at Alabama
8p-USC/Penn State at Iowa

Yeah, the NBA Refs Are Back! I Guess.

Who needs the preseason? The roster of NBA referees certainly don't. The refs union agreed to a new two-year deal with the league.

They will somehow be ready for the start of the regular season this week.

While the officials were locked out, the NBA used replacement refs during the preseason. For the most part, they did a good job. I mean, how much worse could they possibly be? It was nice watching refs that didn't show ego, took berating better (imagine the stuff players would say to a replacement ref) and controlled the game fairly well. Yes, it would get a bit choppy with some non-NBA decisions (last night after J.R. Smith slipped on a wet spot, the refs never called time to ensure the spot get cleaned. NBA refs would have done so to ensure safety).

Now we get Dick Bavetta, Joey Crawford and the rest back. We get those relationships that the refs have built with some players. Some biases too.

And we get back those conspiracy theories. Welcome to the 2009-2010 regular season.