Monday, March 5, 2007

Hopefully, Chuck Was More Awake While Watching "300."

Otherwise, call me cynical, but I simply don't trust his review of the flick.

AK

The Big Three: 3.5 (Weekend Update)

Spring imitates summer as the Royals finish the first week of spring training at 1-3 (that faint hiss you heard was the last vestiges of unrealistic, wholesome, almost child-like optimism leaking out of the midwest) while the billion dollar Cubs are 0-3. Nothing that can't be cured when Jason Marquis rounds into form. The Heat may get D-Wade back, and NHL is rolling towards the playoffs. Sunday night's clash of the west's top two seeds delivered large on the Intensity-and-Excitement-O'-Meter. But the weekend was all about college hoops, with teams playing themselves in and out of the tourney, and blood spilled (literally and poetically) across courts nationwide.

1) How Freakin' Good is Kevin Durant? And Kansas?: Maybe if Durant, like OSU's Greg Oden, looked like he was 38 and straight out of a short-shorts 1980s NBA highlight package instead of the thin, babyfaced kid he is, the debate over this year's NBA #1 would be different. But for a half in Lawrence, he absolutely torched the Jayhawks. 25 points from everywhere on the court as UT built a 12 point lead at halftime. Then, because college sports rock, KU came out of the locker room sharper than Ken Jennings, ripped off a huge run, and took the lead. Durant turns an ankle at the 11 minute mark and isn't the same guy, Texas can't recover, and KU wins 90-86. By the way, the Jayhawks are now the country's #2 team.

2) Maybe Rip Hamilton Can Loan Him a Mask: Sunday in Chapel Hill, Duke looked a lot more like the team that dropped out of the Top 25 around Valentine's Day than the 14th ranked team in the nation, losing to North Carolina 86-72. It was a sludgy game without fireworks until UNC's Tyler Hansbrough took a wicked elbow from Duke's Gerald Henderson with 14.5, and bled like a cheesy horror movie back to the locker room. That led to some fun Coach K vs. Roy Williams "Starters shouldn't have been out there!" talk, the likes of which we haven't seen since Isiah Thomas unleashed Mardy Collins on J.R. Smith.

3) Busted Busters: While Hansbrough left a few pints on the hardwood, the at large tourney hopes of the Colonial Athletic Association basically bled out. Those of you itching to become this year's office genius by penciling in Drexel to the Sweet 16 may end up disappointed. The Dragons lost in the CAA semis to top seeded Virginia Commonwealth, 63-56, meaning their impressive slate of non-conference road wins (St. Joe's, Syracuse, Villanova) will get them plenty of love from the NIT selection committee. As for Old Dominion, they were spanked by George Mason (remember them?), 79-63, and at 24-8 will likely join Drexel in the lil' tourney, despite a November win at Georgetown. Mason may have softened the Big Dance selection committee's hearts a little with last year's Final Four run... but not enough to help these slayed giant killers. Is it too late to jump on the Winthrop bandwagon?

Saturday, March 3, 2007

The Worst of the Best- Western Conference

Dallas never loses. Phoenix barely loses. San Antonio looks ready to stop losing for a while. Toss in Houston (Yao's almost back!) and Utah (they'd be the #1 seed back east) and the top five in the Western Conference are solid as a rock, Ashford and Simpson style. At least as it pertained to playoff qualification, the same could have been said about the Lakers, until the injury bug that has dogged them all season bit again with the news that Lamar Odom will return to the shelf with a torn labrum. Suddenly the five game gap between the six seed they occupy and the nine doesn't seem so vast, and the list of teams vying to play lamb to a top seed's ritual sacrifice has grown. Earlier in the week, I broke down the low seeds in the Eastern Conference playoff ladder. Today, I lay odds on the W.C. starting from the bottom of the conference (as of 3.3) and working up.

Portland (1,000-1): They're only 3.5 games out of the eight spot... but have four teams to jump and are a sub .500 team at home. Not good. Really, they just deserve kudos because nary a single Blazer has been brought up on felony charges this year.
Golden State (986-1): They don't have Portland's winning at home issues, but 6-24 on the road? Good lord. Hard to go on a late season run with that in the holster. Plus, I have a working theory that the Warriors will never make the playoffs again that I'm holding to until proven wrong.
Minnesota (15-1): The Wolves have a negative point differential (95.9 vs. 97.9), and a wretched road mark (9-18). And despite having the NBA's best sideburn/facial hair combination, Ricky Davis isn't exactly known as an elevator of teammates. Still, they do have that K.G. fellow, and a burning desire to keep him happy in PrinceTown. Maybe if Glen Taylor can pay off the teams they're chasing...
Sacramento (7-1): Kevin Martin has the best skinny-to-production ratio than Kevin Martin, hands down, nearly doubling his ppg this year (21.3 from 10.8), and is shooting 50% from the floor. Unfortunately, his rise has coincided with Brad Miller's dip (15/8 to 9.7/6.6). They've treaded water all year, and at some point will drown.
New Orleans/Oklahoma City (3-1): By all rights, they should be chillin' with Portland and Seattle, given all the injuries. But now Chris Paul and David West are back, with Peja Stojakovic hopefully to follow. They're about the only team on this list who aren't playing like they have travel plans for early May.
Denver (3-1): Right now, they're a better NBA Live team than a live NBA team. No D, bad shots, fundamentals that would make Hank Iba cry. Still, here's hoping they finish in the seven spot, so we get four or five 500 point games in a Nuggets/Suns series.
Los Angeles Clippers (3.5-1): They're in today, but how about tomorrow? Sean Livingston is out, Corey Maggette wants out, and if Sam Cassell can't get healthy, they're in serious trouble. Chris Kaman never should have cut his hair. Didn't work for Samson, either.
Los Angeles Lakers (1.5.1): Between L.O., Luke Walton, Kwame Brown, Mo Evans, "Slalom" Radmanovic, and Chris Mihm, it's as if the Lakers collectively watched the basketball equivalent of video from "The Ring." Whoever watches it blows a joint. Fortunately, they've got Kobe, Phil Jackson and (most importantly) a five game cushion between them and the nine spot.

My projections? Lakers sixth, Hornets seventh, Denver eighth.

BK

Maybe Jerome James Needs One of These

After all, if a prosthetic tail could get Fuji the Dolphin exercising, active, and full of vigor, maybe it can do the same for the generally inert Knicks big man.

BK

Friday, March 2, 2007

W2W4- Weekend Edition

Because nobody should couch surf without a map...

And on the Eighth Day, God Created 14-16 seeds: Championship week swings into full gear, particularly in some of those fun little conferences that someday aspire to be mid-majors, filled with directionally heavy schools (Coastal Carolina of the Big South, East Tennessee State of the Atlantic Sun), state schools for places that aren't actually states (Appalachian State of the Southern), and schools that rhyme with bigger schools with which we're all familiar (Samford of the Ohio Valley). Fine institutions all, but from a college sports standpoint they're what the average fan would call "random." But make no mistake, these conference tourney games are played balls to the wall, because as good as, say, Austin Peay has been on their way to an Ohio Valley regular season championship, they're not dancing without a win in the conference tournament. Just like 27-4 Winthrop, who ran the table in their Big South season (14-0) could be S.O.L. if they don't get past VMI on Saturday in the title game. The fun continues into next week, and it's a lot more fun than watching big conference teams who know their entry into the 65 team field is sewn up mail it in.

San Antonio vs. Houston (Saturday, 8:30 p.m. EST): A battle for the right to be called the second best team in Texas. More importantly, if the Rockets (currently four games back) want to have any chance of catching the Spurs in the Southwest, they absolutely, positively must win Saturday evening. And since the Spurs seem to have started our, "we're old, but not dead yet" late season vet team push, it won't be easy. T-Mac is back in the lineup, but the Rockets are still short one tall Chinese guy to man the paint. They held up for a while without Yao, but a 6-6 February indicates they're starting to feel the squeeze.

Nashville vs. Anaheim (Sunday, 8:00 p.m. EST): The top two seeds in the Western Conference drop the puck in the O.C. Because the Ducks have slowed down enough over their last ten games (4-3-3), Dallas is no longer an object closer than they appear in Anaheim's rear-view mirror- at five points back, they're just close. Time for Pronger, Niedermayer, and Co. to get quackin'. Get it? Quackin? (Sorry.) The Predators are locked in with Buffalo and the Red Wings for a shot at home ice throughout the playoffs, a big deal for a team that's bulletproof in their building (27-5-4) but slightly squishier on the road (20-13). After going scoreless in his first three games as a Pred, Peter Forsberg posted three in his next trio, and Nashville will need him to keep producing if they're going to sink those oversized tiger teeth into the President's Trophy.

Settle Down, Beavis!

As my man Butthead used to say.

Seriously, we all love seeing teammates pick each other up. And this game was huge for the Longhorns, so emotions were obviously high. Plsu, as every analyst spewing cliches will remind you, "these guys are competitors." But Damion James could have gotten T'ed up for the slap he put on his buddy A.J. Abrams. I don't blame Abrams for reacting like he was about to start swinging. That was just shy of S&M video material. Joan Crawford never spanked her kids that hard.

Then again, Abrams hit 4 treys during his turnover-free game, so who's to say James doesn't know how to fire up a teammate?

AK

Imagine the Damage If the Noise Had Actually Been Loud

I love golf, and have an enormous amount of respect for the skill of those who make a living playing it. But when some complain that professional golfers are non-athlete prima donnas who must have all potential distractions no matter how minor squashed like a bug on a windshield, this is kind of what they're talking about.

BK

Thursday, March 1, 2007

Question of the Day: On Outrage or Indifference

Child psychologists often say violet television has a negative impact on kids and their intellectual and social growth. (Personally, I think they may be right, since I watched plenty of wrestling and action movies as a kid, and turned into a sportswriter. With more appropriate fare, I could have cured cancer or invented TiVO.) Basically, repeated exposure to blood and gor desensitizes our youth to the actual implications of actual violence. I'm wondering if a similar numbing is happening with pro sports and steroids. The news that prosecutors in New York have blown the lid off an alleged steroid/HGH racket, with implications that have reached into football and (shocker!) baseball- Gary Mathews Jr., you've got some 'splaining to do- is yet another float in the parade of drug news, following BALCO, the Carolina Panthers, and Jason Grimsley, to name a few. And while each provides an opportunity to giggle at name of ubiquitous WADA kingpin Dick Pound, they also add noise to an increasingly exhausting conversation.

Personally, while my disapproval meter is still sharp, whatever sense of outrage I had when steroids became the new black (and I think it had already been dulled by an acute awareness of the entire situation's obviousness, especially as applied to baseball) is gone. If I learned tomorrow that the Royals have been operating an HGH lab in their clubhouse for the last five seasons, my only question would be why they still sucked. My perception of sports and athletes has been altered. The specifics are less important. But I wonder about how the average fan feels. Revenues and attendance have MLB flush with cash and Sundays are still quasi-national holidays. Indignation only really matters if it shuts off the cash flow, and thus far, it seems like fans aren't voting with their wallets.

So here's my question (and a few follow ups): Where do you stand on steroids? Have the rumors that so dominate headlines made you angrier, or do you look past them now like telephone poles? How much has your love for "the game" (whatever game it may be) been diminished by drug scandals? And, most importantly, has it kept you from consuming the product?

BK

The Big Three: 3.2

So whose streak will end first? The one where the sun rises in the east, or the one where Roger Federer never loses? Right now, it's a dead heat. On to the big stories of the day.

1) Upset Specials: The topsy turvy, I Can't Believe It's Not Butter! ACC got a little topsier, a little turvier, and a lot Not-Butterier after Georgia Tech spanked visiting North Carolina- the eighth ranked Tar Heels to you, buddy- 84-77. The Yellow Jackets were paced by freshman forward Thaddeus Young (25 points), Javaris Crittendon (11 dimes), and Anthony Morrow (18 points) and gave a boost to their NCAA hopes. The good news for Carolina? They didn't repeat the debacle of last Sunday, when the blew a 12 point lead with seven minutes to go in a loss to Maryland. Instead, they solved that problem by never leading after the 12.:59 mark of the first half. Meanwhile, the ninth-ranked Wolfpack of Nevada were buried by the Utah State Aggies (who at 21-9 don't suck) 79-77, when Chaz Spicer buried a pair of freebies with 3.8 ticks left. Those who look upon Nevada's now 13-2 record in the WAC with the same suspicious eye a jeweler does cubic zirconium will not be impressed by this result. Finally, the 14-18 Keydets (not a typo) of VMI bounced 22-10 High Point from the Big South Tournament, saving them the trouble of possibly being bounced in the first round of the NCAAs.

Love for Lovie: Frankly, we were appalled by the delay. The man led Rex Grossman- Rex Grossman!- to the Super Bowl. But Bears head coach Lovie Smith finally has his contract extension, and it's pretty swanky, too. Four years, $22 million, with a $2.05 mil signing bonus, effective after next season. Very nice, high five! Of course, Dick Jauron and Dave Wannstedt can vouch for the fact that such deals don't guarantee five more years of Lovie, but that's not the point. Some were shocked to see the miserly-by-reputation Bears part with that much cash in what they swear were not contentious negotiations. But it's over now, and management can turn their attention to finding fresh ways to make the passing game inept.

Shorthanded, Schmorthanded: The New York Rangers' generally effective power play was on display Thursday night, producing three goals. Unfortunately, two were for visiting Pittsburgh, who pulled out a 4-3 shootout win. Sidney Crosby squeezed a shot through Henrik Lundquist for the only goal in extra-extra action, converting for only the second time in ten shootout chances. That's a little odd. But in watching their special teams betray them, losing a 2-0 third period lead, and dropping to under .500 at the Garden, the Rangers all at once missed out on a much needed point in the playoff race and provided NYC MediaZilla headline writers a treat. The Pens, on the other hand, pulled to within three points of fourth seeded Ottawa in the Eastern Conference.

Honorable Mention: Joe Horn says Joe Horn would rather be released than accept a pay cut for Joe Horn. But Joe Horn likely wasn't exactly shocked to see the Cowboys release Drew Bledsoe. Joe Horn saw the writing on the wall.

Who Gets More Sympathy?

Tommy Lasorda, if these accusations are patently false? Or the... um, employees in question, if he was indeed a customer?

Well, the truth will hopefully reveal itself soon enough. And I'm telling you right now. If it turns out Jody "Babydol" Gibson's accusations aren't true (although really, if an ex-con madam nicknamed "Babydol" with one "L" isn't a credible source, who is?), I'm suing the hell outta this chick for causing my brain to picture one of the least appealing visuals of all time, even if just for a fleeting second. I am beyond damaged. She better have some deep prostitution-cash pockets (or make a boatload in royalties, now that she's a respected author) because this lady is getting taken to the cleaners.

In the category of "people who don't give a rat's ass about being named in this book," I give you, ex-Sex Pistol Steve Jones. My guess is he'll sleep easy. And does anyone else think it's odd that this story managed to break without Charlie Sheen's name being mentioned once?

AK

W2W4- 3.1

Gentlemen, Start Your Checkbooks!- The NFL free agency period kicks off tonight at 12:01, ET. That's 9:01 p.m. for GMs on the west coast. Plenty of time for them to sign a few backup linebackers and still make last call. Hard to say if the frenzy will be in full force by tomorrow, but there's little doubt it will at some point be followed by its less sexy cousin- team taking brutal cap hits trying to rectify mistakes made signing '07 free agents. Len Pasquarelli lists the 30 most eligible singles, and with whom they might consummate.

#2 UCLA vs. #13 Washington State (10:30 pm, EST)- Ben Howland's Bruins have already wrapped up a share of the Pac-10 title, but greedy little things that they are, want the whole thing. They can get it with a win Saturday against Washington, or with a win tonight against the Cougars. Pullman, which undoubtedly would be a first round pick in anybody's "Least Sexy Places to Recruit College Players" Fantasy Draft, is normally a relatively easy place to grab a road win because WSU normally sucks at hoops. Not so much this year. The Cougars are 14-1 at Wallis Beasley Performing Arts Coliseum (not quite as intimidating as say, "The Pit," but you do with what you have). Wazoo coach Tony Bennett has his team angling for a lofty NCAA seed with their suffocating D that has limited opponents to only 57.8 ppg and a .394 fg percentage, first and second in the conference, respectively. Offensively, they make Howland's squad look like Loyola Marymount, too. Our recommendation? Take the under.

Or, If Your Kid Can't Kick...

More news proving that left-handed relievers truly do own the world, even when they're not that good, while the rest of us just rent. While I'm sure journeyman lefty Matt White really wants to make the Dodgers roster this spring, it's clear that some of the do-or-die financial ramifications of not making the final 25 have been mitigated by the news that some property he bought three years ago for 50K to help out an elderly aunt has something in the neighborhood of two billion dollars in quarry stone on it.

Two billion! For that kind of money, White can, as Krusty the Clown once did, enjoy condor egg omlettes and buy a new house whenever his current one gets dirty. He can give Jason Schmidt a stack of $1000 bills to mop the sweat off his bald head. Hell, White could buy the team from Frank McCourt, make himself the closer and play third base the rest of the time. Now take some deep breaths, count to ten... and run out into your yard with a shovel looking for rocks.

BK