Me Being Me

The MLB trading deadline has come and gone(sorta)...there is isnt alot of big moves..but there were 2...

Manny finally got traded out of Boston....to the LA Dodgers no less...who is 54-53 and in 2nd place in the NL West...which should give them a shot in the arm offensively...even though there is no DH in the NL...so if Manny wants to rest his "bad knees" he'll have to do it on the bench and maybe pitch hit(Again..I need the DH in the NL..I need a petition)...anyways...of these 5 outfielders

-Juan Pierre
-Manny Ramirez
-Matt Kemp
-Andre Ethier
-Andrew Jones

I'd start Manny Ramirez in Left...Kemp in Center and Ethier in Rightfield...thats ideally for me....in any situation Jones has to be kept as far away from as possible only hitting .167(and dropping) with only 2 HRs..Pierre should be in the mix for both corner spots..which is a solid option because of his speed(36 SBs)....no word on how LA will deal with their mediocre pitching staff thus far...just as a sidenote it was really nice talking about LA...

Boston didnt get shafted by giving Manny away...Jason Bay is a pretty good player(22 HR,64 RBI hitting .282) but he's no Manny...but he will fill in nicely defensively where Manny wasnt so..well he sucked out loud to put it frankl..but yeah..Manny was a star of that team(along with David Ortiz) but he wanted out...bad..more than the previous years.But that just goes to show you that anyone can be traded..no matter how loveable or eccentric they are...can you hear me Gilbert?

Ken Griffey Jr heads slightly over from Cincinnati(Reds) to Chicago(White Sox)...it gives them another solid player that can play the outfield.I'm not sure how he'll help defensively..but he should help keep the White Sox fending off the Twins in the Central.

By Anaheim getting 1B-man Teixeria from Atlanta...um...I'd start looking for Anaheim to be in the World Series...

NBA news...

Rockets trade for Ron Artest....um..I'm less enthused about this trade than other people..Yao and Tracy were having issues playing together mainly because well..both of those guys get hurt alot..and they were having the issue of whos the #1 option..now they bring in another quality player who wants shots as well....I'm leery until I see it

I care about these things so you will see them....visuals..

Um the Sacramento jersey is an upgrade...nothing too serious...but I think Minnesota took a step back..too WNBA-ish too me..just wait until you see the sides...

Late Summerish

Well..the sting of the Sonics moving is still there...not only because one of my favorite cities in the entire country is Seattle...but apparently no one outside of the Pacific Northwest seems to care...thank you national sports media...so anyways I'm not sure how to approach the NBA season with an injustice like that happening...so i'll just play it by ear so far...

So I'm kinda bed-ridden with my tooth getting pulled earlier today so lets see whats been standing out to me...

I'm going to need this Brett Favre thing to end quickly...somehow in a small circulation in the summer football seems to "have" a big story that will last all sumer...remember the TO/Eagles story that happened a few years back?....it shouldnt warrant its own section of sportscenter giving people the same information over and over just spoken in a different manner..there really is no off-season in football if you really think about it..Favre has been doing this for far too long and it needs resolution..and props to Steven A Smith for being the only person on the entire ESPN network to point out what is and what isnt...is he a good QB?...yes...great?...sure....bigger than the team?....never..and there is no wavering in that and the "news" isnt being reported that way on ESPN...

Former UConn guard Marcus Williams got out of the terrible situation in New Jersey to Golden State...I think he'll fair much better out there..if he gets the minutes..which I feel he will just because they are really thin at point guard..well...he's the only one lol

Speaking of California...the Clippers are trying to field a decent team by giving Denver a snowboard and a bag of peanuts for Marcus Camby...pair him with Kaman isnt bad..you have good rebounders for the shots Baron and rookie Eric Gordon will jack up..

This is how I stack up the West so far
Lakers
Hornets
Spurs
Jazz
Suns
Blazers
Clippers
Rockets
Mavs
I'm iffy on the Blazers right now..but they were around without Bayless and Oden..so maybe

Oh yeah...is there a worse NBA franchise than the Atlanta Hawks?....

Is anyone paying attention to baseball yet?....Tampa is still in the drivers seat in the AL East and people are starting to get a little worried..like...um...still there huh?....Boston,New York,Chicago and Minnesota fans are looking at each other like...wait a minute..this could ruin everything for us..we'll see how that pans out...I predict the Twins will be the odd team out..even though they are playing really well...pitching so well they cant bring up their best pitcher from the minors because it could mess up the juice they have now...

And yes...I feel the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim(lol really?) are the best team in baseball right now...I say right now because baseball is a game of streaks and averages..so it may not last...but yeah...K-Rod is feared...as is Vlad..and somehow the pitching is holding up way better than people thought...and a key for me is the road record..31-18...good right..compare that to anyone else in the AL...everyone else is under 500 on the road...read that again...it matters..

The NL...eh..not as interesting..joking...the east is between the Phillies,Mets and Marlins?...wait...which one of these doesnt belong? lol...the west is entertaining everyone under 500...someone has to go...D'Backs or Dodgers..lol...and the central should come down to the Brewers or Cubs..CC Sabathia is making people look really bad right now...he's thrown 3 complete games in a row and he's winning...the Cardinals seem to stick around but I think they'll fade eventually once the Cubs start to get all their injuries right..

Green Wins

RIP Seattle Sonics...1967-2008

It was made official today...they will be the Oklahoma City whatevers....I literally feel sick over this..and a mix of anger....somehow you can just up and leave when you have 2 years left on your deal for their arena(KeyArena) because you arent drawing enough...or when Seattle wont put up money for..which got David Stern on Clay Bennett's side....now which do you think gets attendance up..a good arena..or a good team?....I'd say winning personally...but I guess the NBA doesnt feel that way...money wins every time...even after repeated emails and texts about Clay Bennett not showing a good faith to keep the team there...actually..I wont even speak anymore about it...Clay Bennett is from Oklahoma City...thats all you need to know.....

I had previously said earlier this season that if the Sonics moved I would renounce my interest in the NBA.....now that my card is pulled....I dont know...if something moves me either way I'll report it here...because if I am done..this blog will be done as well...I'm not digging sports these days...

Post Draft Thought

OJ Mayo didnt make sense to Minnesota..so he was traded to Memphis..hmm...okay..OJ,Rudy Gay and Mike Conley has all the potential there...I mean...right now...it wont translate..but down the line it will...Kevin Love to Minnesota to not help patrol the paint alongside Al Jefferson...I mean they can rebound..but undersized forwards to start...eh..hope those outlet passes help..

Seattle surprised me by taking Russell Westbrook so early...I wasnt sure if he could handle the point guard thing full time...but I guess he'll be okay...I had been hearing that he's similar to Gilbert Arenas...and that works right?..

Joe Alexander was so intense after he got drafted...he didnt smile once..he seemed really focused..kid is really good...not really sure how he'll play with Redd and Jefferson clogging his minutes

Is Raymond Felton out of a job in Charlotte?....I had been thinking he was the very very distant 3rd in the point guard discussion of Williams,Paul and Felton...he was okay...but I didnt think 3 years into it you draft another one..not with a center on the board I felt..unless Ray is going to score more...we'll see how that goes

Portland literally has 20 players..it seemed they would pick every other time and trade it away for another pick in the draft..it was wild....they somehow came out with Bayless and Ike Diogu..and only gave up Jarrett Jack and Brandon Rush...somehow...but they have easily become the team on the rise....Oden,Roy,Aldridge and Bayless running the show..I cant wait to see and support them..

Quick tell me who's Sacramento's point guard...after you stop laughing...tell me why they drafted a power forward..and not even a 1st round projected forward at that...continue laughing...

I want a nickname like Danilo Gallinari...his is The Rooster...I take it back....

I had no idea Mbah A Moute was didnt pull out of the draft...he had promise when he was a freshman..

You know when they show a player and they show "Must work on" section of his profile...is there anything worse than "Work Ethic?"...has to be...JJ Hickson from NC State got that mark..Lebron is very happy with that I'm sure...

What is Indiana doing exactly?....let me recap...you trade for TJ Ford and Rasho...get rid of Jermaine O'Neal...you pick Jerryd Bayless..you have Jamaal Tinsley...thats 3 point guards..ok...you trade Bayless...cool..for Jack(a point guard)...hm...still have 3...you draft Roy Hibbert...are you going to run?..or..slow it down?..not sure where you are going with this..

Pre-Draft Trade

Toronto Gets:
Jermaine O'Neal

Indiana Gets:
TJ Ford
Rasho Nesterovic
#17 Pick

Immediate(non fan thought)....huh?...

Why its good for Toronto:
-If O'Neal is healthy and the guy everyone makes him to be..he'll be what the softy Raptors need..an interior presence defensively
-The TJ/Jose point guard thing wasnt as good as advertised...the coach made constant adjustments to the lineup and it didnt really work for anyone..TJ would start the game,but didnt play in the 4th..Jose would play the crunchtime minutes but wasnt as good because of a lack of flow in the 1st and 4th quarters..the team suffered
-The Andrea Bargnani project will have to take a limited role for now..as a big man he didnt quite deliver with under 4 rebounds..offensively he truly regressed,he looked resistant anytime he had the ball and usually didnt turn out well,often catching under 20 minutes a game and sometimes nothing at all.O'Neal can play the 5 and make Andrea either catch minutes as a backup or at the 3 spot.

Why its good for Indiana:
-Rebuilding time is now...Jermaine wasnt the answer longterm,which is okay..Rasho is a super cheap fill-in for now..Tinsley also cant get on the court enough to warrant his kind of contract..TJ's contract is lesser than that(not by much) but is on the court waaay more often(even though the neck thing is still scary)
-Jermaine made 44 million for the next 2 seasons...need I say more?
-If you are rebuilding...you need more picks....having #11 and #17 is way better than just having #11 and no cap room.

Why its bad for Toronto:
-You remember that 44 million I was talking about?....yeah...their problem now...and he's the games played by O'Neal the last 4 years

44
51
69
42(this past year)

seems like bit of an reoccurring issue right?....I would say so...and as a result his points per game have taken a nosedive to around 13 a game...nice..
-Bosh and O'Neal...who plays what?....both can post up...but are more faceup jumpshooters....hmm...and I hope O'Neal can realize that its Bosh's team..
-Toronto better hope that what last year produced with Jose Calderon isnt just a small sample size

Why its bad for Indiana:
-Do we have any takers for Jamaal Tinsley?....I hope theres a sucker out there..because if not..you have one too many non-jump shooting point guards...and there could be an issue there.

Draft Time!(Part 1)

Everything I've been hearing about the draft doesnt make sense...I needed to get that out of the way....apparently no one drafts for need anymore...drill that into your head...drill that into your head seriously...thats not how I think...I dont know how GMs keep their jobs...Billy Knight passed on Chris Paul and Deron Williams for Marvin Williams...when PG was a pressing need and SF wasnt...doesnt get any clearer on that...lets get into what I think..

1st pick:Chicago Bulls
Pressing Need:Power Forward
Ryan's Pick:Michael Beasley
But wait...Derrick Rose is a great PG...you cant pass on a PG that only comes around 10-20 years..but wait..how long ago was Chris Paul and Deron Williams drafted again?...while I've been on the record of saying that Rose is going to be a really good prospect during the college season(when everyone was on the Mayo/Gordon bandwagon,or criticism) I was singing his praises...but then again...Kirk Hinrich is a capable point guard..sure he had a down year(points-wise...11.5 from 16.6) his assists will(and have been) around 6 every year..that is really good considering he only has around 2 turnovers...so 2-1 assist ratio..nice..But there are a few things to think about...after a year like last year...are they rebuilding?...if so..I'd go with Rose too...but with Hinrich,Duhon,Hughes,Deng,Gordon,Sefolosha,Nocioni and possibly Thomas all at your 1,2 and 3 spots...needless to say...some guys are going to have to get the boot...If they are trying to get to the playoffs now...Beasley is the pick.They passed on LaMarcus Aldridge a few years back..and its a pressing need...if you are going to win...you can get by without a great point guard..you can get by with a good one....you either need a post presence..or Michael Jordan..check the history of NBA champions...which do you think is more likely?

2nd Pick:Miami Heat
Pressing Need:Center,Point Guard
Ryan's Pick:Derrick Rose
No brainer....you take the really good,young point guard...a monkey wrench comes into play if the Bulls take Rose...because everything I've been hearing says that Pat Riley isnt really feeling Beasley like that.I mean...Udonis Haslem and Shawn Marion are holding down the forward spots...so...what if Rose isnt available?...Jerryd Bayless is available...high scoring guard from Arizona could work...you know who wouldnt fit?....OJ Mayo..he's a shooting guard...Wade is a shooting guard...both could play point guard..but not really full time...like both could do it for plays...not full games you know?...

3rd Pick:Minnesota T'Wolves
Pressing Need:Center,Shooting Guard?
Ryan's Pick:OJ Mayo
I think this is where it gets odd...Al Jefferson isnt a center..they have none on the roster..grab a center right?...wait...they dont feel Lopez is athletic enough for the 3rd pick...so..they like OJ Mayo...lets see who else is on the roster at the swingman spots:Corey Brewer,Rashad McCants,Marko Jaric and Kirk Snyder..uh oh...you cant go with a point guard because Randy Foye is still semi unproven and Sebastian Telfair is still..well...there..and giving up on any of these players would be unusual to quit so early...be prepared to scratch your head when these guys pick.

4th Pick:Seattle...er...Oklahoma Sonics
Pressing Need:Location(for another time) Point Guard
Ryan's Pick:Jerryd Bayless
Pretty easy...they drafted Durant and Green last year..so they are locked in for the future on the wings...they have Wilcox and Collison at the 4 and the projects of Sene,Petro and Swift all at the 5..they need a lead guard who can help pour in points with Durant..

5th Pick:Memphis Grizzlies
Pressing Need:Center and Power Forward
Ryan's Pick:Kevin Love
I didnt like Kevin Love much...I thought he was talented..but wasnt that NBA ready..more because he seemed bulky and not really that great on the block against bigger players..oh yeah..most of the NBA is bigger...but...this is the same team that gave away Pau Gasol for almost nothing(right now)..Warrick is the 4..but I'm not sure if he's a starter...and Pau's brother Marc Gasol(who I'll go on record of saying he'll be good) is coming over next year...so the 4 spot cant be shared by Kwame or Darko..so both need to be buried..take Love..

6th Pick:New York Knicks
Pressing Need:Point Guard? Small Forward?
Ryan's Pick:Um....
I dont know...honestly...they need almost anything but shooting guard..but with D'Antoni's system...I can see some of these players(not Randolph or Curry) fitting...Crawford,Robinson,even Jefferies and Balkman seem useful now...maybe Q too...and I have a funny feeling that Marbury will resurrect his career next year..so you cant really take Augustine or Westbrook...but you cant take a swingman like Alexander or Gallinari because of everyone else..I throw my hands up on this one...I'm intrigued like everyone else..

7th Pick:Los Angeles Clippers
Pressing Need:Point Guard,Shooting Guard
Ryan's Pick:Eric Gordon
Cuttino Mobley has one leg out of the league..and with Maggette and Brand given the chance to bolt(I think Brand stays) you need some scoring...Gordon gives you that...and now you just need to pray really hard that Livingston can come back next year and be that point guard you drafted a few years back..if not..you need help there too.

8th Pick:Milwaukee Bucks
Pressing Need:Forward?
Ryan's Pick:Joe Alexander
Looking at the talent..small forward is the pressing need...but Bobby Simmons and Desmond Mason make a pretty penny...so you have to play them some right?...with Redd at the 2...Bogut at the 5...Mo at the 1...Yi has to play either 3 or 4...and where does that leave Charlie Villanueva?...odd man out,again?...maybe..but Joe is an athletic monster who can score and play defense well..he'll be really really good...if they pick him.

9th pick:Charlotte Bobcats
Pressing Need:Center
Ryan's Pick:Brook Lopez
Need a center..pick a center..easy..you can slide Okafor back to his natural position at the 4...then you can start building again..they seem decent..okay point guard..good scorer in Richardson(with Carroll backing him up)...Gerald Wallace(and Morrison coming back) at the 3...Okafor and May(if he can shake the injuries) and Brook...seems like they would be on the come up..

10th pick:New Jersey Nets
Pressing Need:Power Forward(still)
Ryan's Pick:Danlio Gallinari
I feel that the Nets need a power forward...even with Krstic coming back..Sean Williams,Stromile Swift and Josh Boone all there..and oh yeah..did I mention that Danlio isnt a power forward?...more of a small forward...which would make Jefferson and Nachbar really nervous...but they could do the funny thing and put him at the 4..even though he isnt...small ball...

11th Pick:Indiana Pacers
Pressing Need:Shooting Guard?...Point Guard
Ryan's Pick:DJ Augustin
Jamaal Tinsley isnt the answer in Indy anymore..he's good when he is on the court..but thats the catcher..he's hardly ever on the court anymore..so keep it..they're rebuilding anyways...with Danny Granger and somebody else(lol) they can get the ship going again in the right direction...they could draft Russell Westbrook as well..for more scoring..but a point guard should be drafted

12th Pick:Sacramento Kings
Pressing Need:Point Guard,Power Forward
Ryan's Pick:Whoever Indiana doesnt pick between Westbrook and Augustin
These guys need a point guard as well..but they seem a tad too attached to Beno Udrih..he's a backup to me..oh well..they have other pieces like Martin and Hawes(breaking out this year) with Ron Artest....if they pass on whichever point guard falls to them..they could take a chance on Randolph from LSU..in which I've heard nothing but bad things about..sidebar..did you know Ron Artest does commentary for Monarchs(WNBA)?....he's not bad..just something to think about..


13th Pick:Portland TrailBlazers
Pressing Need:Small Forward?
Ryan's Pick:Trade
I fully expect Portland to trade this pick...they dont have a need...they are fairly stacked with talent everywhere...and they are getting highly regarded Spain guard Rudy Fernandez..and Greg Oden is like a pick too since he didnt get to play last year...along with star Brandon Roy and LaMarcus Aldridge...watch out league..

14th Pick:Golden State Warriors
Pressing Need:Power Forward? Small Forward?
Ryan's Pick:Donte Greene
Golden State is at the fork in the road..left side everything can go wrong...Baron Davis goes unsigned(has option to opt out)...Pietrus..Barnes..Azubuike..more than likely gone..Ellis and Biedrins are in the last years of their deals and are able to get offers from other teams...and the right side..is the opposite of all that..pretty big right?....in the event of some of those happen...and others dont..you need swingmen..and he's a really good 6-10 fit.

15th Pick:Phoenix Suns
Pressing Need:Small Forward,Point Guard?
Ryan's Pick:Brandon Rush
Grant Hill wasnt himself..without Shawn Marion they have a bit of a hole to fill..Diaw isnt really the answer(they are trying to give him away at this point) so you need someone to get in there now and play...he's only 6-6 but he can play defense and shoot the ball..theres always a need for that..

Thats all I got today...maybe the rest later...

Where.....Gatorade Baths Happen?

Well..I hope you enjoyed the NBA season....its over people...I'm not really sure if I'll miss the season...maybe from a boredom standpoint...it was something to do....but as of right now...I'll be fine...

Congrats to the Boston Celtics...from the 1st round being pushed by the Hawks(when the bandwagon was very light) to busting down the Lake Show by almost 40 to close it out...

Speaking of which..I was pretty disappointed in the series really...the first 2 games you could chalk up to the Boston homecourt advantage....cool...you thought...once they got to LA...the Lakers that beat the Nuggets,Jazz and Spurs pretty convincingly...sqeaker...I wasnt convinced...well game 4 was the convincing...kinda..well the 1st half was...but in the back of my head I said to myself "well..let me see where this goes..being down 20"...and look....they came back..and its hard to lose up by so many points..when you are down 2-1 already...so..yeah game 5..just a formality really...not too many people thought they could beat Boston in Boston

Cleveland couldnt
Detroit did once
Atlanta couldnt

1 loss isnt going to convince anyone..especially when people like Lamar Odom and Pau Gasol are your 3rd and 2nd options for scoring...

Quick! who had a good series for LA?..

Kobe would be the 1st answer(if you did answer)...well lets look

25.7 pts 4.7 rebs 5 asts seems cool right?...40.7% from the field...theres my red flag there...he only went to the line more than 10x once..and for a star player not to get to the line like that..real defense is taking place here...and 25 is a nice average..but when Pau Gasol is your 2nd option and he doesnt put up 20 in any game...you need Kobe to score more...but...that didnt happen....

And while Andrew Bynum didnt play...and he'll be back next year...he isnt their pressing need...I mean they need him..but they need hearts for Odom and Pau...they werent aggressive enough....at all...it was more frustrating that Rondo being under the basket uncontested and dishes it out...

One good thing did come of the finals....all the Kobe/Jordan comparisons can subside..for now...the NBA is the only sport that pushes the past players on the current overly...its not fair..because he'll never live up to it...never...not from a stat standpoint..just a memory standpoint...you cant compete...so stop it already.

On ESPN a poll of 82,168 people...76% of them believe that the NBA fixed games....wow...

Shaun Livingston of the Clippers is resuming basketball playing after having is leg broken in a game a year or so ago..good for him..I really like his game,I need him to get back to where he was before...and if not...atleast keep him playing basketball

I couldnt be less interested in golf...I know alot of people dont come out and say it...but I am...I dont care...I dont care about Tiger like that...do I think he's really good?...sure...but all the conversation to me about him...I just want to look at them vacantly and say.."sorry..dont really care like that..you brought it up"....Golf to me is like Soccer to the average american...maybe less.

In baseball I dont think there is a less of a real job than a manager..I mean in with pitching substitutions are important...very...but for Willie Randolph to be fired from the Mets...what could he have done?....sign all those players to ridiculous contracts?...not put his closer out there in a closing situation?....when is it okay for a closer to blow 3 saves in a row...and blame the manager?....what do you do?...pitching isnt your strength as a team..and dont have alot of options..you gotta show faith...