Sports n stuff

I'm back!

2015-01-12T16:41:00.003-05:00

I’m back! Better than ever, fully recharged and reloaded with more of everything. So much has been going on since my last post, but conversely, there is so much more to come. 2015 promises a lot in the world of sports. Baseball is slowly going the way of boxing and horse racing and the people in that sport don’t even see it. College football has their first playoff and so far its been a success on every level. Track and field is going to have a big year in 2015, and with some new faces and the return of some old ones, I expect some great competitions this summer.

The Super Bowl is looming, both of my favorite NBA teams-the Knicks and Lakers are horribly, woefully bad and the University of Kentucky is assembling another all-star college basketball team to challenge for the title.

Lets not forget the UEFA Champions League, where several teams are vying for supremacy in the greatest club competition on the planet.

So where to begin?

Well, I think I will start with some fearless NFL predictions:

Seattle versus Green Bay, New England versus Indianapolis.

I really admire Russell Wilson and the way he carries himself on the field. That Seattle defense is starting to look like it did last year, and Kam Chancellor in particular (seen here)

is playing like a man possessed. He has become the modern version of Ronnie Lott; a safety that puts a lick on you early and often and just takes opposing wideouts out of the game mentally.

Green Bay is a very good team, frankly I did not expect them to beat Dallas (that BS rule that cost Dallas a score on 4th and two helped!) but they did. I cant see them beating Seattle though. 24-17 Seattle wins.

Patriots against the Colts? New England can start making Super Bowl plans right now-I give Indy no shot of beating them. None. I expect a beatdown with at least one Revis interception and two Gronk endzone dances. 35-17 Patriots.

And for those who follow and enjoy the NBA, here’s a question:

If an all-alumni tourney was held with current NBA players, who would win? My money would be on the Kentucky pros. A potential team that would include John Wall, Demarcus Cousins and Anthony Davis would be very hard to beat.

And one more thing: Oregon wins their first college football title today.

See you next week!

Part Two-Quick And Dirty Water Cooler Cheat Sheet For The London Olympics

2012-07-20T22:14:00.001-04:00

Let’s dive right into part two of my London Olympic 2012 track preview.

This go round were looking at the 400 meters, 400 meter hurdles, 1500 and the sprint relays.

400 meters Men

Where have all the great Jamaican quarter-milers gone? It has been a very long time (by my account, Bert Cameron in the 1980’s) since Jamaica has had a 400 meter world beater. Unfortunately I don’t see that changing this year.

Lashawn Merritt of the USA is the favorite going into the Olympics. He has the fastest time in the world this year and has been running consistently well all season. Tony McQuay of the USA, the impressive youngster Luquelin Santos of the Dominican Republic and Kirani James of Grenada are also medal contenders. James won the World Championships last year in a great finish beating Merritt at the line.

If anyone can defeat Lashawn Merritt, James is the guy. Barring injury however, I don't see it happening; Merritt should get the gold medal, James silver and McQuay bronze.

400 meter Women

This race is sure to be interesting for several reasons. Jamaican born American star Sanya Richards-Ross is the presumptive favorite. She has been simultaneously the best and the must uneven 400 runner for the last six years. She has never won an individual 400 meter Olympic gold, but was on both the 2004 and 2008 4 x 400 relay teams. She has finished first overall in the Golden League circuit three times, and won the World Indoor and Outdoor 400 meter titles.

Richards-Ross will be hard pressed by a pair of Russians, Antonina Krivoshapka and Yulia Gushchina as well as Amantle Montsho of Botswana who is the defending World champion from 2011.

Richards-Ross is a great runner, but seemed to have worn down in the 2008 Olympics and the 2011 Worlds. She will have a battle on her hands with the two Russians, Montsho and Jamaica’s Novolene Williams-Mills.

Sanya is overdue for an Olympic title, and I think she gets it in London.

400 Meter Hurdles Women

This is a wide open race with several legitimate contenders. Lashinda Demus of the USA, Kaliese Spencer and Melaine Walker of Jamaica, Perri Shakes-Drayton of the UK, Natalya Antyukh of Russia, Vania Stambolova of Bulgaria all can be considered serious contenders for the gold. Demus is a veteran and the World champion from last year. Melaine is the 2008 Olympic champion and Antyukh has the fastest time in the world this year.

If you want a long shot for this event, I would say T’erra Brown of the US could sneak onto the podium.

As a footnote, I believe that unlike the quarter-milers, Jamaica’s future in this event is very bright. Jenieve Russell, who just won the World Junior Championships for Jamaica in this event and Ristianana Tracy are on a trajectory of greatness and come 2016 they will be major factors. T'erra Brown and Queen Harrison should likewise be carrying the torch high for the US in the near future.

400 Meter Hurdles Men

Javier Culson of Puerto Rico is the prohibitive favorite. His all out, run from the front style seems to lack tactical substance, but no one has caught him yet. David Greene of Great Britain is his closest competition and if Culson wears down running the rounds of this grueling event Greene could win gold for the home team.

I think Culson is ripe for an upset here. Greene is my pick to win gold for the hometown folks.

1500 meters men

This event should probably be renamed ‘the Kenyan Invitational’ to reflect their dominance. Asbel Kiprop, Silas Kiplagat and Nixon Kiplimo Chepseba between them have the five fastest times of the year.

I think Kiplagat wins this, but one thing’s for sure: a Kenyan will be taking home the gold medal and he wont be alone on the podium.

1500 women

Mariem Alaoui Selsouli of Morocco, Abeba Arigawe of Ethiopia and Asli Çakir Alptekin of Turkey are all contenders, but I think Arigawe and Genzebe Dibaba of Ethiopia will be battling for the gold.

Sprint relays – 4X100 men and women

In the men’s relay, this is a Jamaica versus USA duel. The US has a troubling recent history of failing to pass the baton all the way around, but if they do, they have enough great runners to make this a very tight race. Trinidad should also be in the mix for a medal.

Unless there is a miscue, It should finish Jamaica, USA, Trinidad in that order.

In the womens race, the USA teams have had the same issues in recent years that plague the men. They should also take it down to the line with Jamaica if they can pass the stick, but that has proven to be a big if.

Bahamas, Germany, Trinidad and Russia should also be competitive, but barring any mishaps, I think the USA wins this in a close race over Jamaica.

4X400 men

The USA has a stranglehold on this event. The 1988, 1992, 1996, 2004 and 2008 teams all won gold medals. The 2000 USA team also won, but that medal was stripped because more than half the team (Jerome Young, Alvin & Calvin Harrison and Antonio Pettigrew) used performance enhancing drugs.

Jamaica has reached the podium on a few occasions during that 22 year stretch, and so has Great Britain. In 2012, No one is challenging the USA domination of this event. That teams wins in a walk, with Jamaica, Belgium, Trinidad, Bahamas and Great Britain fighting for silver and bronze.

If-and it’s a big if-the USA stumbles, I think Belgium, led by the Borlee brothers, will win gold.

4X400 women

This will be a lot more competitive than the men’s race, at least until they get to the anchor legs. The USA has a team that should win, but they will be challenged by a few strong contingents; Great Britain, Jamaica, France and Ukraine all have more than a punchers chance to win the gold.

I think it comes down to this: If the USA is trailing going into the anchor leg by more than a couple of meters, they will lose. If Sanya Richards-Ross running the anchor leg gets the baton in first place, it will be a laugher for the USA.

Bonus:

One of the most entertaining races will be the women’s 5000 meters. Meseret Defar of Ethiopia and Vivian Cheruyiot of Kenya have competed against each other several times this year in both the 3000 and the 5000 meters and each race has been a thrilling down to the wire affair.

Defar is the most decorated distance runner of the last decade, an amazing athlete who has won medals and set records at every major international meet, indoor and outdoor. She has lowered her own world record on three occasions between 2005 and 2008, and still owns the indoor world records in the 3000 and 5000 meters.

Cheruyiot is the younger of the two and over the last couple of years, the more consistent. In what is most likely Defar’s last hurrah, she will want to go out with another gold medal, but Cheruyiot may want to start her reign at the top now rather than later.

This is too close to call, but it should be great to watch.

Let the Games begin!

Quick And Dirty Water Cooler Cheat Sheet For The London Olympics.

2012-07-03T18:45:00.000-04:00

With a month to go before the 2012 London Olympics, all eyes, bets and conversation will be centered on the many track events that will be hotly contested and as of right now, wide open.

With all due respect to the American press and media, the100 meter finals is, was and will continue to be The blue riband event of the entire Olympics. Swimming is popular, so is gymnastics and boxing, but no high-ranking government officials worldwide are involved in scalping ticketsfor those events.

At every Olympics, track and field reigns and the sprints are the crown jewel.

This year, the competition for events ranging from the 100 to the 10,000 meters will be hotly contested. Conventional wisdom has been turned on its head, with many familiar names coming up short and newcomers shouldering their way to the fore.

That being said, I’m going to give you the first part of my official “Quick And Dirty Water Cooler Cheat Sheet For The London Olympics.”

General disclaimer time: This is my outlook and preview on the events, not an inducement to wager money or services. But if you do wager and my selections are successful-which I fully expect them to be-I anticipate a small stipend as a token of gratitude.

So without further ado, here we go:

Part one, the 100, 200 110/100 hurdles and 800.

100 meters, Men

The biggest name in track, Usain Bolt, has not looked sharp all season; some cynics have chalked it up to his enjoying his ‘global icon’ status. Others attribute it to other runners studying and stepping up to challenge Bolt, shrinking the gap he created in the historic 2008 Olympics.

Yohan Blake has the pedigree to be the best sprinter in the world. He has been the ‘next big thing’ since his high school days at St. Jago and his desire is unquestioned.

The only real contenders for this title are as follows:

Usain Bolt-Defending champ and as of right now, quite possibly the most motivated runner in the world.

Yohan Blake-Peaking at the right time and definitely the one to beat.

Justin Gatlin-He beat Asafa early in the year and hasn’t stopped chirping since. He’s running for bronze but if anyone slips up Gatlin could surprise.

Asafa Powell-Stop me if you’ve heard this before: “Asafa is running better than he ever has, but…” Powell has the talent to win but not the intestinal fortitude. He’s a medal contender but not really a challenger for the gold.

Tyson Gay-Broke down a year ago trying to catch up and keep up with Bolt. He’s running well but sparingly. Can he hold up through the grueling rounds to really challenge in London? I don’t see him getting on the podium.

Prediction: Blake first, Bolt second, Gatlin third.

100 meters women

This is a three woman race. Set aside the US Olympic Trials Felix/Tarmoh mess for a second, as neither woman should factor in this race in London. This event will come down to Carmelita Jeter of the US, Veronica Campbell-Brown and Shelly Ann Fraser-Pryce.

Not every athlete can succeed in a world championship setting like the Olympics. Some runners, on any given day running one race, can be world beaters. In the Olympics you have to bring it, bring it and bring it again, often in the same day, consecutive days or several days in a short period. Many runners have been Diamond/Golden League superstars and wither by the time they get to the Olympic finals.

Shelly Ann Fraser-Pryce is not one of those. She shows up best when it counts the most, and if she gets a lead on the field the race is usually over.

Alyson Felix, Murielle Ahoure of the Ivory Coast, Kelly Ann Baptiste of Trinidad and Kerron Stewart of Jamaica all have the closing speed to crash that party, but I think this will end up as follows:

Fraser-Pryce first, Jeter second, VCB third.

200 meters men

This will have mostly the same cast of characters as the 100, except for Gay and Gatlin. The main challenge to Bolt and Blake will be American Wallace Spearmon, but he’s running for bronze. There could be a Jamaican sweep, but like Gay in the 100 meters, I am not sure how Warren Weir of Jamaica in his first major international championships will hold up through the heats, semis and final.

Bolt first, Blake second and Spearmon third.

200 meters women

This is one of the most competitive races in the entire slate of events. The top five female sprinters of the last decade will be in this one; Sanya Richards-Ross, Veronica Campbell-Brown, Alyson Felix, Shelly Ann Fraser-Pryce, Carmelita Jeter.

Every single one of these women has at least one Olympic or World Championship gold medal on their resume. They are the cream of the crop in women’s sprinting and every one of them has a legitimate shot to win the gold. I think this will be best race of the entire Olympics.

VCB has had a very uneven season so far, but like Shelly Ann, she tends to raise her effort when it’s all on the line.

I think Veronica Campbell-Brown defends her 2008 Olympic gold medal, Alyson Felix second and Jeter third.

110 Hurdles, Men

This is another highly competitive race with a distinguished field. The biggest surprise going in is that David Oliver, the World Champion from 2008, did not make the US team. Personally, I could not see him getting on the podium with this field anyway, but rest assured, this race will be cracking.

Xiang Liu of China, Aries Merrit and Jason Richardson of the US, World Record holder Dayron Robles of Cuba, Hansle Parchment and the NCAA champion, Andrew Riley both of Jamaica are all medal contenders here. I see this as a real fight between Robles and Xiang Liu, the two hurdlers involved in an infraction last year. (To those thatdidn’t see it, Robles was leading, Liu passed him, and Robles grabbed Liu’shand and slowed him down to a third place finish. Robles was disqualified and Richardson of the US awarded the gold and Liu the silver.)

This time around, Liu will leave no doubt. I think Liu wins this going away, with Robles, Merritt Parchment and Richardson vying for second and third. Don’t be surprised if Robles’ world record of 12.87 falls in this race.

100 Hurdles, Women

As competitive as the men’s race will be, this will be just as anti-climatic. Sally Pearson of Australia was the silver medalist in 2008, the race notorious for Lolo Jones’ stumble on the last hurdle.

Pearson has dominated the event since Beijing, putting yards of daylight between her and everyone else. She has 3 of the 5 fastest times of the year going into this Olympics and has been more dominant than Jones was going into 2008. If healthy, she should win easily. Brigitte Foster-Hylton of Jamaica, Dawn Harper and Kellie Wells of the US, Lolo Jones and Priscilla Lopes-Schliep of Canada are running for second and third.

Pearson first, Harper second, Foster-Hylton third and it’s not even close.

800 meters, Men

David Rudisha is the name to know in this event. He has the three fastest times this year and is a full 2 seconds faster than everyone else. He has talked about taking the world record into the 1:30’s and he is quite capable of it. Rudisha owns the world record of 1:41.01 and this is another record that could fall in London.

Rudisha first, Abubaker Kaki of Sudan second and Mohammed Aman of Ethiopia third.

800 meters, Women

This is going to be another interesting and highly competitive race. Pamela Jelimo is the favorite here. She is coming into this Olympics as the defending champion, and she has been consistently under 2:00.00 in all of her 2012 races.

Kenia Sinclair is the wild card. Quite possibly Jamaica’s best ever distance runner, Sinclair was in position for a medal in Beijing and faded down the stretch to 6^th place. She has run sparingly this season, but won the Jamaica Trials and could be a serious medal contender next month.

Caster Semenya of South Africa, Fantu Magiso of Ethiopia and Irina Maracheva of Russia are all in the mix for a medal but Jelimo is the class of the field and should get the gold medal.

Jelimo first, Semenya second and Sinclair third.

Next week i'll give you part two, and yes, there will be more surprises!

Indecision 2012 track style

2012-06-27T14:45:00.001-04:00

Last week at the US Olympic trials, Allyson Felix and Jeneba Tarmoh tied for third in the 100meter finals. The top three spots are guaranteed a spot on the Olympic team competing in the 100, with the fourth joining the pool for the relay team.

Felix and Tarmoh are training partners, and while Felix is the most decorated and easily the best all-around US sprinter of the last decade, having competed successfully at the 100, 200 and 400 meters as well as every successful US relay team. Tarmoh is trying to secure her first Olympic berth having made her first US team last year at the World Championships.

My issue is not with the runners. They did their part. The only farce here is with the USATF who did not have a procedure in place to deal with this. In the wake of what I will call ‘Indecision 2012’ they attempted to cobble together a procedure.

This procedure starts with the suggestion that one of the two runners should decline a spot on the team. I will not even comment further on the absurdity of that.

It goes on to say that the runners will be given the ‘option’ of a run-off or a coin toss. To which I ask why? They are runners. World class competitors. Trying to make their national team for the Olympics.

Why would there be any other option than running again, winner proceeds and loser is out?

To make this even more of a joke, the former head of USA Track and Field on NBC’s coverage of the trials stated ‘that in the hundred years plus of the World Championship and Olympic teams, this has never happened, ‘ as an explanation as to why there was no procedure in place.

Maybe it’s because I have spent so many years dealing with insurance, risk, litigation, policy interpretations and contracts that I look at some things the way I do. After so much time spent working in the “wonderful world of ‘What If’ “ It is ingrained in me to always make what is one of the most basic of conclusions, to wit: Just because it has never happened before does not mean it cannot happen.

To think that in a century of organization, and the most advanced technology available, they never considered this particular ‘what if’ is ridiculous. The indecisive nature of the proposed solution is also a joke.

So now we have an issue that won’t be decided until at least a week later, and is nothing short of a complete embarrassment for the USA Track and Field.

I hope the Jamaican Olympic trial organizers take note and get their ducks in a row. The world is watching this and while the media fallout has not been as loud as I think it should be, do not for a second think that if mistakes are made in Kingston, it wont be noticed and ridiculed.

Make notes, make adjustments, be professional and be prepared.

Look for my Olympic track and field preview coming up next week after the Jamaican Olympic trials. I got some surprises for you, and if you're the gambling type, some long shots you might want to put a quid on.

Zuma and Lenin And The Art Of Politics

2012-06-04T13:05:00.002-04:00

The worlds of art and politics collided again recently when the South African President (and head of the ANC) Jacob Zuma was portrayed in a painting with his Presidential privates on display (R.)

For those unfamiliar with the story, Brett Murray, a South African artist, did a painting of the country’s leader which was displayed in the Goodman Gallery. The painting was a skewered take on the old iconic Lenin poster (below) with a prominent distinction.

The ANC, the party of Nelson Mandela and South Africa’s ruling political party, immediately denounced the artist and his work and called for its removal, saying it was, and I am quoting the ANC spokesman Jackson Mthembu: “…an abuse of freedom of expression.”

The President himself claimed that it “perpetuates a shocking new culture by sections of the artistic world, of using vulgar methods of communicating about leading figures in the country, particularly the President.”

Now bear in mind that the ANC has been the ruling party in South Africa uninterrupted since 1994. Their leadership and membership is predominantly black, and their record is somewhat uneven.

Zuma is the definition of a political lifer; a man who walked the walk in support of freedom during the 70’s and 80’s of white minority rule. He was incarcerated on Robbins Island with Mandela and was instrumental in coalescing the ANC’s power with that of the powerful Zulu tribe, of which he is a member.

He ascended to the Presidency and continued the ANC’s hold on power over the last 15+ years. Zuma has also been involved in an obscene number of political scandals, questionable decisions and comments that could be considered at best ill-advised.

In brief, over the last decade Mr. Zuma has been:
1. Part of a corruption investigation regarding a government arms deal
2. Investigated regarding misappropriation of millions in government funds
3. A defendant in a rape trial involving a HIV positive woman (which led to his comments that he “took a shower after sex to protect him from HIV infection,”)
4. Got married to two women and
5. Fathered a child with the daughter of one of his long time colleagues, his alleged twentieth (20th) child.

Mr. Zuma has also vociferously opposed homosexuality saying that same-sex marriage was "a disgrace to the nation and to God," and said that the solution to high numbers of teen pregnancy is to “confiscate their babies and have the mothers taken to colleges and forced to obtain degrees.”

Against this backdrop, Zuma was depicted by the artist with his privates on display. Naturally, the majority of South Africans were upset at the caricature. The government threatened to censure art in this vein, demanded its removal from the public view, and filed defamation charges in court papers against the gallery. A supporter of Zuma subsequently went to the gallery and defaced the painting by covering certain parts with paint (L.)

This is a completely hypocritical stance by a party that suffered for decades under some of the worst government sanctioned discrimination ever, but the party that won the minds of the local people and the world at large under Mandela is clearly not the party that now governs under Zuma.

Now while I do think that the painting was in poor taste, and the obvious disrespect for the sitting head of state is curious at best and at worst inspired by some latent racist motives by Mr. Murray, who is white. I also believe however the truth lies somewhere in between.

In his defense, Murray has said: “In the apartheid years, I created satirical images which attacked abuses of power. For many years I have used, and continue to use symbols with sexual connotations representative of political power and patriarchy,”

He furthered stated: “It is an attempt at humorous satire of political power and patriarchy within the context of other artworks in the exhibition and within the broader context of South African discourse. I never intended the artwork to cause any hurt or to harm the dignity of any person.”

I believe Mr. Murray and support his right to free expression, but I do not believe for a second that last part about not intending to harm the dignity of President Zuma. His point is obvious, no pun intended.

Jacob Zuma is the elected head of the country and as such demands a certain amount of respect and gravitas. This respect and gravitas does come with significant responsibilities, and Zuma has not shown a willingness to shoulder the burden of moving the country forward, preferring instead to rely on the old divide and conquer tactics.

As such he has shown his office considerably more disrespect than any work of art could portray. He is a shining example of power corrupting the corruptible and he continues to pursue his personal agenda with impunity towards any opposition.

The ultimate irony of this latest debacle swirling around Zuma is how far he is from Lenin, whose political life and struggles served as a roadmap of sorts for Zuma.

Lenin has been described as one of the most influential people of the 20th century, his rhetoric has been used in relation to every regime change in Russia since his death. Lenin has inspired revolutionaries worldwide, including Castro, Mao Zedong, and Ho Chi Minh.

It is doubtful if there are any positive attributes to be taken from the life and times of Jacob Zuma.

Or as Lenin himself said:

"There are no morals in politics; there is only expedience. A scoundrel may be of use to us just because he is a scoundrel."

Of Slights; Perceived And Otherwise

2012-05-21T17:57:00.000-04:00

Heading into the 2012 London Olympics, fans of track and field are gearing up for some amazing contests across the spectrum. From the sprints to the middle distances, hurdles to the jumps, the competition has never been tighter and more unpredictable.

It is fitting that on the 50th anniversary of Jamaica’s independence, the country is poised to continue its domination of the sprints that had previously reached a zenith in Beijing four years ago.

I watched a replay of the recent Penn Relays where an interview was conducted with the great Carl Lewis. As a young runner and fan of the sport back in the 80’s I was a huge fan of Carl Lewis. After the Ben Johnson scandal that rocked the entire sport, I supported his vocal opposition to cheating in track and field, particularly his pointed remarks about (among others) Florence Griffith-Joyner alleged use of performance enhancing drugs (PED’S.) As the greatest American runner since Jesse Owens, I felt he was sorely under-appreciated in this, his homeland.

When looked at in that context, I can understand it to some degree but I still have been more than slightly turned off by his continued bitterness towards every great runner to come along since he retired. He has been quite vocal in his skepticism about Jamaican sprinters and what he has said is their ‘sudden emergence’ on the scene. He stayed true to form at the Penn Relays interview, making another comment about the Jamaicans ‘coming out of nowhere’ before trying to backpedal and discuss ‘the long history of Jamaican runners.’

Now I could make the obvious statement about the multitude of American runners caught up in the BALCO scandal, and how the American sprinters have disappeared from the medal podiums since that saga came to light. I could also point at Lewis’ admitted failing a test for PED’s; an act that makes his comments seems more than a little hypocritical.

I won’t go to any lengths about that, rather I will merely highlight some facts that might shed light on the ‘sudden emergence’ Mr. Lewis referred to:

Since the middle of the 20th century we have been consistently well represented in the sprints, first our men and within the last thirty years, both our men and women. In a sport that had struggled with PED use for decades, we have been consistent winners with very few cheaters in our ranks.

Even before independence, starting with the 1948 London Olympics and through to the 1950’s, there was the golden generation of George Rhoden, Arthur Wint and Herb “Herb Mac” McKinley,(R) the men who first showed the world the talent in our little island in the sun.

During the 60’s and 70’s Lennox Miller and Don Quarrie won medals on the world’s biggest stage.

The 1980’s and 1990’s ushered the women onto the podium next to the men; Juliet Cuthbert, Merlene Ottey (L, with her arm around Cuthbert) and Grace Jackson joined the great hurdler Winthrop Graham in winning medals wearing the green and gold.

In addition, the number of sprinters Jamaican born and of Jamaican descent furthered highlighted our status as world beaters; Donovan Bailey won gold for his adopted homeland of Canada, Linford Christie did the same for Great Britain and Inger Miller, daughter of Lennox, won several medals running for the USA.

That dubious part of Jamaica's tradition continues today with Sanya Richards-Ross and Debbie Dunn representing the Stars and Stripes over their ancestral homeland.

It’s hard to make the argument that Jamaican runners have suddenly emerged when looking at that lineage.

Many will say Jamaicans have overachieved as a nation, stepping up on the world stage in a manner that a tiny country the size of Rhode Island and with less people than Brooklyn has no business doing. When you have been as consistently great as Jamaican athletes have been however, it is difficult to consider it overachieving. It’s most likely a case of being right where we should be.

With this current plethora of talent, what I will call the Greatest Generation of sprinters in our history, we are poised to stamp our pedigree once again. The Beijing Olympics of 2008 was a stunning introduction to the casual fan of what we can do. This time around there is no surprises, but 2012-our 50th year of independence-it will be an affirmation of who we are: World Beaters. And as we continue to rise, people like Lewis continue to shrink in stature.

To Mr. Lewis and those who question it as he has, I say this; Recognize greatness, Mr. Lewis. It’s always been there, maybe you just were too busy looking at yourself to notice.

And oh yeah, congrats to my favorite club, Chelsea FC of London for winning their first Champions League title.

Didier Drogba and Robert DeMatteo need to be re-signed ASAP so this team in its prime can defend and repeat this success.

Last weekend of April; Recap of Penn Relays

2012-05-04T08:05:00.001-04:00

“No place in America brings together the track and field community like the Penn Relays at Philadelphia's Franklin Field, run every year on the last weekend in April. Some 15,000 athletes compete, beginning early in the week with high school relays and culminating on Saturday afternoon when Olympians such as Usain Bolt and Allyson Felix race in the old stadium for crowds that regularly exceed 50,000. It is part athletic event and part family reunion, where a sport's passion is annually reborn.”

Tim Layden
Oh, The Places You Can Go
A DOZEN WELL-TRAVELED SPORTS ILLUSTRATED WRITERS NAME THE NO. 1 FAN EXPERIENCES IN THE SPORTS THEY KNOW BEST
Sports Illustrated April 9th 2012.

The last weekend in April. Spring is in full bloom and the Northeast USA begins the annual reawakening from the winter doldrums. This year though, was a little different. The winter season, unusually warm and strangely devoid of snow, raced along, giving everyone in the region hope for an early Spring and great Summer.

Alas, the last weekend of April comes along and it resembles what the last weekend of February should have been. Rainy. Cold. Less track weather and more NFL on the television weather.

Against this backdrop, teams of boys and girls, men and women of all levels of competition and abilities congregated at Franklin Field for the 2012 Penn Relay Festival. The overall vibe was different. The London Olympics are a scant few months away, so while several countries trying to reach qualifying times sent teams to Philadelphia, other countries and their stars stayed away, preferring to focus on the upcoming Diamond League races and getting ready for London.

So on a rainy, chilly April Saturday, the caravans of track and field fans-most of them Jamaican-from near and far entered the stadium on the campus of the University of Pennsylvania for the penultimate day of the meet. Many of the fans were there to support their alma maters or support friends. Some came to support family members, running for schools in their new homeland, building new legacies. Others simply came to Franklin Field to soak up the atmosphere, enjoy the food and mingle with one of the greatest crowds you will ever come across at a sporting event anywhere.

On this Saturday, with the temperatures approximately 40 degrees less than the Jamaican student-athletes were used to, it surprised no one that the times were slow and the results disappointing.

Both of the USA versus the World 4x100 relays (L) were won by the USA over watered down Jamaican teams. Not even the presence of the Jamaican Prime Minister Portia Simpson-Miller could brighten the fortunes at that point.

After the US victories, the large crowd awash in green and yellow was subdued and in need of reason to cheer. They got it in the first College men’s 4x100 relay as UWI won in a time of 39.94. Despite the weather, the buzz was coming back. That race was followed by UTech (39.46) running a creditable second to Auburn University (39.34.)

That set the stage for the High School 4x100 relays.

Wolmers Boys and Jamaica College (R) ran first and second in their race, putting the crowd-estimated to be the fourth biggest Saturday crowd all time-into a nice buzz.

That was extinguished quickly however, as Junipero Serra High from California took down both St. Jago and Calabar in their 4x100. Kingston College had the fastest times pre-meet in the 4x100, but in their final with an unbeatable lead, they dropped the baton on the last exchange.

The USA versus the World 4x400 further served to quiet the crowd, as Jermaine Gonzales basically jogged the second leg and the USA again won going away. Ditto the women's race, with Sanya Richards-Ross running better than she has in a couple of years now anchoring the US to a convincing victory.

So it was left to UTech to try and get the crowd back into it, and they did, easily defeating Texas A&M in the College Men’s 4x200 relay, even as their third leg runner appeared to suffer a cramp before the handoff.

Quite possibly the best race of the day was the High School Boys 4x800 relays, and again the Jamaican schoolboys came up short, as KC, St Jago and Holmwood all fell to the number one US team, Westfield from Virginia. The anchor leg runners of KC and Westfield ran a stirring final 150 meters that had the entire stadium on there feet down the stretch.

What is usually the crown jewel event of track, the 4x400 relay, was the last stand for the Jamaican high schoolers. With the sun peeking out (just barely on what I can attest was the coldest day in recent memory) Munro College took it home, winning ahead of Kingston College, Lodge HS of Barbados, Manchester High, Calabar and STETHS. Delano Williams of Munro, who provided a stellar performance in the 100 and 200 at the recent Boy and Girls Championship, sprinted the anchor leg as if it were a 100 meter race to finish in an astonishing 45.8 split. He will be a force to reckon with in the future.

Despite the cold and the bleak weather conditions the Penn Relays did not disappoint, and as the season progresses and culminates at the Olympics, fans will be watching the stars of today on the world stage. And the next generation of young men and women who make track special and the purest form of competition known to man will be getting ready. People like Edward Cheserek, Delano Williams, Danniel Thomas and Mary Cain.

Ready for the next run, the next race, the next season and on the last weekend of April, their moment in the sun.

Who knows, maybe next year we'll see these guys out on the track trying to get in on the fun...

Thanks to Sportingeventsfotos.com for the great shots!

Prepping for Penn Relays 2012

2012-04-24T23:59:00.002-04:00

2012 is a big year for track and field participants and enthusiasts. The London Olympics are naturally the biggest event on the calendar, but there are a multitude of other events that should make this a very interesting season.

Already in 2012 we have had the World Indoor Championships, which featured a great couple of races for Sanya Richards-Ross, (400 meters and anchoring the silver medal 4x400 team) and a triumphant Justin Gatlin winning his first championship since his drug suspension, taking the 60 meter in a season best 6.46 seconds.

We also had the Boys and Girls Championships in Jamaica, where Calabar High School won the boys title with a great team effort. The girls title was won by Edwin Allen HS (R) breaking the nearly decade long stranglehold of Holmwood on first place.

And now, on the last weekend of April, comes the Penn Relays. This year Penn will be missing some of the biggest names. No Usain Bolt, Yohan Blake or Asafa Powell for Jamaica, but that doesn’t mean the stars wont be present.

Sanya Richards-Ross, Allyson Felix, the aforementioned Gatlin, Nesta Carter, Walter Dix and Kirani James are all named as participants in what should be a great weekend of races. I don’t see any real challenges to the American teams in the USA versus the World events, as while they have loaded teams competing in Philly this year, the other countries don’t seem to have the depth this year to beat them. As history has shown however, upsets at Franklin Field do happen.

Watch the Great Britain team competing in the Women's 4x400 relay in particular; they could spring a major surprise.

The high school relays are of particular interest to Jamaicans living in the US. Coming into this week, the top schools by time and event are as follows:

High school boys 4x100:
Kingston College 40.17
Wolmers' Boys School 40.21
Munro College 40.41
St. Elizabeth Technical High 40.44
Herbert Morrison Tech. 40.55
Jamaica College (under 16 team)   40.75
DeSoto HS (Texas)   40.59

High School Boys 4x400:
Calabar HS(R) 3:10.19
DeSoto, Tx 3:14.88
Kingston College   3:12.64
Laurel HS (Maryland) 3:15:65
Boys & Girls, Brooklyn, NY 3:15.12
Jamaica College 3:13.64
Long Beach Poly   3:18:55

High School Girls 4x100:
Edwin Allen 45.28
Herbert Morrison 45.61
Boyd Anderson HS (Florida) 45.66
Long Beach Poly 46.04
Vere Technical 46.00
St. Jago HS 46.60
St. Andrews HS 46.93

High School Girls 4x400:
Vere Technical High 3:38.91
American Heritage HS (Florida) 3:43:15
St. Thomas Aquinas (Florida)   3:44:50
Holmwood Technical 3:44.04
Edwin Allen High 3:44.51
St. Andrew High 3:45.07

There should also be some great college races, with UWI, UTech and GC Foster competing with the traditional US college relay powerhouses; Florida, Texas A&M, LSU and Arkansas, who have all run under 39.70 this season.

One thing is for sure, this meet is not going to disappoint fans of track and field, and should give us a early look at some of the names we will see in London and also, maybe Brazil 2016.

Messi will never be Pele. He may not even be Ronaldo

2012-04-02T16:39:00.000-04:00

The modern footballer is a wealthy, globally recognizable star. The top players on the big teams, elite guys like Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and Wayne Rooney are icons, and the players who are not on that level or playing for non-traditional powers are still well known and major attractions for advertisers and headlines. With that being said, I also say this: Lionel Messi, as great as he is, is not Pele. He’s not even Maradona. And he may never be.

Messi is so good that the mythical title of world’s greatest player has not been in dispute the last two years. Actually Messi and Ronaldo, the clear second best player have separated themselves so much from the rest of the pack the only comparisons for them that can be made are with the all time greats. And therein lies the biggest knock on Messi.

As great a player as Messi has been, his achievements have been almost exclusively on the club level. Barcelona has used their considerable resources to surround Messi with some of the most talented players in the world. They, along with Real Madrid, Chelsea and Manchester City have created a chasm between themselves and the other teams domestically by throwing millions of dollars at player after player to win every year. George Steinbrenner would be proud of the zeal in which these team owners collect stars and assemble teams.

More than half of the World Cup winning team from Spain wears the red and blue of Barcelona and that incredible collection of talent and cohesiveness is breath taking to watch and almost impossible to defeat. Champions League, La Liga and World Club titles have all been won by Barcelona in the last three years, prompting talk of them being the best club team of all time.

Messi has not been able to even come close to matching those accomplishments with his Argentine national team. And when you want to be named among the greatest of all time, the measuring stick is World Cup titles. Pele won his first at seventeen in 1958 and his 3rd in 1970. Maradona went to two finals, winning in 1986 and finishing second in 1990.

While the Brazil teams of Pele and Maradona’s Argentina teams were comprised of some of the best talent in their eras, the Argentina team that played in the 2010 World Cup also had very good not great players and a plethora of world class strikers. But led by Messi and coached by Maradona they couldn’t even make the semi-finals. Its worth noting that the only international title Messi has won is the 2008 Olympics gold medal.

One of the true marks of greatness is elevating the play of others around you. While the current crop of Argentine players may not be as good as some of years past, they are still one of the top 10 national teams, and that doesn't figure to change before the next World Cup.

Having the transcendent best player of this generation should make them the prohibitive favorite for the next trophy in 2014, but if Messi doesn’t raise his game even higher when he puts on the Albiceleste jersey, his place in the pantheon of greats will reside below the likes of Pele, Maradona, Ronaldo (Brazil) and Zidane.

I’ve been closely following this crazy NBA season, and the more I see him, the more I think Derrick Rose’s playing style is the closest I have seen to Allen Iverson (minus the cornrows.) Like Iverson, I don’t see him having a long NBA career, because at the rate he’s getting dinged up, he will quickly lose his speed and once he does, he’s an average PG.

The baseball season starts this week, and my NY Yankees are reloaded for another pennant run. The AL is going to be stacked this year, with Texas, Detroit, Anaheim, Boston and Tampa Bay all legitimate contenders for a World Series spot.

In the National League, I don’t think any team can beat the Phillies, but I do think the Washington Nationals will be a contender this year. They are putting together a good young team in DC, and they will make the NL East interesting this year. Pitching is the major factor in a 162 game season, and the Nationals have some good arms on their team. They will be fun to watch.

Congrats to Calabar High School and Edwin Allen High School for winning the 2012 Boys and Girls Champs respectively. Penn Relays is coming up, and should be quite competitive. Some of the best individual performers at Champs; Shauna Helps, Delano Williams, Tiffany James and Shericka Jackson look like they will have very bright futures in track.

Check out the times below for the fastest US high school 4x400 times in all of 2012:
3:14.88 DeSoto, Tx
3:15.12 Boys & Girls, Brooklyn, NY (indoor.)
3:15.16 Timberview, Mansfield, Tx

Below are the times for the top three boys finishers at Champs 2012:
3:10.19 Calabar HS
3:12.64 Kingston College
3:13.64 Jamaica College

The Girls 4x400 breaks down like this:
3:43.01 Wakefield, Raleigh (indoor)
3:45.16 Lancaster, Tx
3:47.49 Garden City, NY ( indoor)
3:47.56 Aquinas, Fort Lauderdale
3:47.70 DeSoto, Tx
3:48.86 American Heritage, Plantation, Fl
3:49.25 Medgar Evers, Brooklyn (indoor)

The top three HS girls finishers at Champs 2012:
3:38.91 Vere Tech
3:44.04 Holmwood
3:44.51 Edwin Allen

Here’s to a great, competitive track season coming up in 2012!

The Ides of March

2012-03-19T22:16:00.002-04:00

First things first, my original NCAA tournament Final Four teams are as follows:

UNC, Michigan State, Kentucky and the now departed Florida State. With the benefit of knowing prior to posting that FSU is out, I believe the winner of OSU v Cincy will advance to the Final Four. The matchup between Jared Sullinger and Yancy Gates (L) will probably decide that game.

The Champions League and the English Premier League battles are heating up. The matchups for the Champions League include AC Milan, leaders of the Italian Serie A, versus Barcelona, the defending champions of Europe. In all there are two teams from Spain, one from Germany, France and England, as well as a Cypriot team and the legendary Benfica of Portugal, a shadow of the team that set UCL standards over a generation ago.

What does it say though about the state of English football that they have only have one team-Chelsea, who have been playing middling football all season-in all European competitions?

I think its an aberration not a sign of a decline as some others have stated. The English game is still flush with money and talent, they just had a bad year. I still have Madrid winning the Champions League title this year, as well as La Liga. Chelsea, after ditching their first year coach Andres Villas-Boa, seemed to have more urgency in their recent games, and even Fernando Torres (R) is scoring again. They may yet prove a formidable foe in Europe this season.

Speaking of the English Premier League, thoughts and well wishes go out to Fabrice Muamba of Bolton. He collapsed from an apparent heart attack during an FA Cup game against Tottenham and had to be revived on the field. Let’s hope this 23 year old pulls through this.

NBA season is in full gear, and while my Knicks struggled early under Mike Antoni (no ‘D’!)I stand by my preseason thinking that this team-the deepest in the East-can compete with the other two top tier teams, Miami and Chicago.

Every radio and television announcer prefaced commentary about D’Antoni with ‘He’s a really nice guy, but…”

He was a nice guy who was incredibly stubborn in thinking his no defense, run and gun philosophy could win in the NBA, even though it never has. He fought against any changes to his style and failed to mesh the talent he never had his first two seasons over the last season and a half.

To most the kiss of death for him was when he would not change his style for Knicks star player, Carmelo Anthony. To me the kiss of death was his interview last season where he defended his shoot in 7 seconds or less style and said coming within a game of going to the Finals is proof that it can be successful.

Nice guy or not, this team has tremendous talent which you need to win in the NBA, and with a coach that requires team defense, they are playing better already. I see them doing well in the playoffs.

On a more serious note, 17 year old Trayvon Martin was shot and killed while walking home from a convenience store on the evening of February 26^th. His murderer has still not been arrested or charged with a crime.

Criminals are criminals and deserve to be dealt with appropriately by the law, but a 17 year old with no history of any violence or criminal activity who was doing nothing besides walking home should not be shot, harassed, intimidated or killed by some trigger happy wanna be cop. And I say this whether the victim is black, white, Asian, Hispanic or any other ethnic group.

There is only one criminal in this tragedy. That criminal is his murderer, some dirtbag named George Zimmerman. He should be arrested, charged, convicted and sent to jail where he belongs.

The petition from MoveOn.org is here. Please sign and pass on.

Recap of the World Indoor Championships

2012-03-12T22:11:00.000-04:00

Kudos to Istanbul for a successful meet, and in an Olympic year, the indoor championships gave a glimpse of what to expect over the next few months.

Meserat Defar can be beaten, as she was at this meet-a shocking defeat to Hellen Onsando Obiri who timed her final kick perfectly and won going away in the 3000 meters. Defar, who is one of the greatest female distance runners ever, will certainly change her strategy in preparing for the Olympics, but Obiri will be a major obstacle to the gold in London.

Sanya Richards Ross ran an inspired but unsuccessful final leg for the US 4 x 400 relay team. This Great Britain team is going to be a problem in the Olympics; they have an Olympic gold medalist (Oghuru) and some good young talent (Shana Cox and Nicola Sanders) to challenge the American women.

Speaking of an all time great, Bernard Lagat (R) is the turning back the clock and looking to cap off a brilliant career with an Olympic gold medal in London. He won the Men’s 3000 meters with a vintage Lagat kick on the last lap. After losing in the 5000 at last year’s World Championship, Lagat seems to have sharpened his focus this year and is ready to challenge the Kenyans.

Veronica Campbell Brown, the most successful female (and quite possibly the greatest female or male) runner ever from Jamaica, won the60 meter title. Congrats to her on her 21st international competitive medal. I look forward to seeing her battle Carmelita Jeter in the Olympics.

I may be in the minority, but I’m glad to see Justin Gatlin (below, R) running well and competing again. I believe in second chances; Redemption is a beautiful thing.

NCAA Tournament time. I'm filling out my brackets....this years tournament is by far one of the hardest to select. A lot of mediocre teams, no real great ones and probably very few upset potential.

London Olympics is right around the corner...

You cant spell "Elite" without "Eli"..

2012-02-07T00:00:00.000-05:00

The Giants did it. They came in and played a very good game against a well prepared Patriots team and pulled out a thrilling victory. Eli Manning, he of the very confident quote prior to the 2011 season, backed it up once again and won his second Super Bowl MVP (for the record, I think Justin Tuck could have had a case for deserving that MVP also.)

While I have always admitted to a deep seated dislike of all teams from the New England region (Red Sox, Celtics, Patriots, Bruins even some random high school teams) I have to say this in the wake of the game last night:

Tom Brady is quite possibly the best quarterback ever, and there is no greater testament to that than this: He does more with less than any great player i've ever seen.

In my last post I said his coach was too full of himself. After watching the Super Bowl, I believe that even more. The Patriots have no number 1 receiver. None. Their best receiver is a tight end. Their second best receiver is another tight end. Impressive to some, but not to me.

The late Al Davis always said 'speed kills.' You could say that Brady has had a legit game breaking receiver for only one season in his career. In that one season, when he paired with Randy Moss they went 18-1, Brady rewrote the NFL record books and they lost their only game in the Super Bowl against the Giants.

Since that 2007 run, Brady has continued to shine and rack up double digit wins every season, but as Manningham, Hicks and Cruz caught clutch passes from Eli Manning in the Super Bowl, it was hard not to look at the other sideline and wonder what Brady would have done with a legitimate deep threat wide receiver. And more importantly, why is the "genius" Belichick not getting him help?

In the 2011 draft, both Torrey Smith and Randall Cobb were drafted after New England selected. In 2009, they selected Brandon Tate over Mike Wallace and in 2008 Mario Manningham-who caught a great pass in the game that helped to clinch the victory in Super Bowl 46-was available and they passed.

The current Patriot wide receivers could walk through ESPN headquarters unnoticed. Even Chad '85' Johnson has disappeared since joining the team. Belichick is clearly drinking his own Kool Aid, believing he can create schemes to make average players perform above average feats. It may work in the regular season, but when the level of competition increases and your opposition is just as smart, talent is the great equalizer, and Brady has been doing it with a collection of average players for way too long. Belichick has 18 undrafted players on his roster, more than any other team in the NFL. He also has a slew of draft picks in the upcoming draft. Lets see if he finally focuses his renowned eye for talent on getting his QB help.

NFL recap

2012-01-30T09:37:00.000-05:00

Where do I begin?

Well, when last I posted, it was the beginning of the NFL season and I had made certain prognostications. How did those work out? Well, let’s see, as I list what I got right and what I whiffed on;

Cincinnati was not the worst team last year. Not even close.

I had New England going to and losing in the Super Bowl.

Cam Newton (L) is pretty good. Actually he’s really good. Will Sam Bradford be the best in the NFL in a few years? That’s a toss up.

Peyton Manning, as I had assumed missed the year and may indeed be finished in the NFL. That’s a real shame and a poor ending for a great player.

Where did I swing and miss? Well:

Ndamukong Suh had a good, not great year, and his performance on the field was overshadowed by his petty antics that cost him and his team dearly. He will improve, if he keeps his cool.

The Jets didn’t make the playoffs. I did say they would take a step back but I didn't think they would step back and fall down the stairs. Rex Ryan, more than any player on the team, needs to check himself. His ego is a major part of problem, to wit: they have needed a pass rusher for years. He has not drafted one and tries to recycle/retread others who have not gotten it done elsewhere. He encouraged a frat party atmosphere and then is surprised when the locker room gets out of control. He needs to do some major self-evaluation before this blows up in his face.

The Lions and Houston made the playoffs. St. Louis and Tanpa Bay didn't. The two latter teams will be greatly improved next year; their problems were numerous, but a lack of talent wasn't one of them.

Eli Manning is making a lot of people eat humble pie…he is a great QB, he is an elite QB and he is not only the best in NY, he may be the best in his family when all is said and done. My how ones perspective can change quickly.

Michael Vick. The Eagles. Ughh. Words cannot describe that mess. I think next season they will be a lot better though, and hopefully I was a year early on that prediction.

Well here goes my last one for this NFL season:

Brady is great, so is that offense, but Belichick, like Rex Ryan, thinks too highly of himself. Greta coaches tend to think they can overcome a lack of talent by creating a great scheme. That doesn't always work, especially when the holes are on defense. Bart Scott was right a year ago and he's still right. The Patriots defense can't stop a nosebleed. Giants over the Patriots, 28-17 in the Super Bowl.

Three weeks to pitchers and catchers. Two weeks to the Champions League resuming.

10 thoughts for the new NFL season:

2011-09-11T14:53:00.000-04:00

I know, I know, my rantings have been missed! Well, its not because I ran out of things to say, so without much ado, here we go!

1. Cincinnati is a terrible team, Andy Dalton is a decent quarterback, but they won’t be the worst team in football this year. More on that later…

2. A man named Suh in Detroit is going to be Defensive player of the year. To me, Suh is Reggie White with a ‘tude. If healthy, he is going to be the gold standard of defensive linemen for years to come. I bet some of that comes from his mom’s Jamaican cooking…

3. The Jets gained some players, lost some players, and overall I think they will take a step back this year. I think they will win the division, Mark Sanchez will have his best season statistically, but they failed to address their D-line needs with veterans and lost Brad Smith, a very underrated part of their team and success. They bow out early in the playoffs.

4. The Detroit Lions make the playoffs this year. So does the Houston Texans, the Tampa Bay Bucs and the St. Louis Rams.

5. The New England Patriots will as usual be very good, win at least 10 games and make it to the Super Bowl again. They will lose to Philly.

6. I’m not an Eli Manning fan, I don’t think he’s great, but I don’t think he is as overrated as Philip Rivers, Tony Romo or Jay Cutler. Those three are average at best and have seen their best days as professional QB’s

7. Michael Vick and the Eagles are going to be a monster of a team this year, and if he goes down, I for one have a lot of faith in Vince Young’s ability. I’ll take Vince Young over the other three QB’s I mentioned in #6. In a heartbeat. No, im not crazy, they just aren’t that good.

8. I like Donovan McNabb a lot. Classy, a gentleman and smart. When you are publicly challenged the way he was first by TO and then by that worm Mike Shanahan, you can do several things. You can react with words or deeds, but letting it go is never one of them. You MUST react, or your credibility as a team leader will forever be in question. Football is not a gentle game for gentle people, it is played by men and if men don’t respect you it’s a wrap. For what its worth, this is his last shot.

9. Cam Newton is going to be a very good QB. The best young QB’s (3 years or less as a pro) in the game are Sam Bradford, Mark Sanchez, Matt Ryan, Josh Freeman and Matthew Stafford. Newton will join that group. I think in a couple of years Sam Bradford will be the best QB in the game.

10. Sad as it is to fathom, say goodbye to Peyton Manning. I don’t think he will be coming back from his second major neck surgery, and if he does, he will not be close to the player he was before. Its unfortunate and tragic, but we may have seen the last of him, and with that Indy may be the worst team in the league this year. Hey Andrew Luck, I hope you like Indianapolis.

And oh yeah, Go Raiders! Hope springs eternal.....

Chicarito, The USA men's national team and the resurrection of Freddy

2011-06-25T20:12:00.000-04:00

I've been watching the CONCACAF Gold Cup the past couple of weeks. Jamaica versus the USA in the quarterfinals was of particular interest for obvious reasons. What looked like a potential upset in the making turned into a fiasco.The Jamaican team played sloppy, undisciplined and seemed completely overwhelmed by the US. While the USA made effective substitutions and adjustments, the Jamaican team failed to attack a US defense that in theory didn't have the pace to keep up with them on the flanks or midfield. The USA played better against Panama in the semis, and with Freddy Adu, Landon Donovan and Clint Dempsey meshing together, they move on to face Mexico in the finals.

Considering that Chicarito has as many goals (7) as the entire American team, I see Mexico winning this one.

Back to the Jamaica game for a minute though. There is one truism in every sport: a good defense usually wins championships, but you have to score when given chances. And to score, you need to shoot. Nice passing in the penalty area may look great on television and is something to brag about to you buddies over beer, but if you cant put the biscuit in the basket, none of that matters. The Spanish national team and Barcelona can string together amazing laser like passes in close quarters, but if your team-like the Jamaican team for instance-doesn't have players on the level of Leo Messi, David Villa et al, your other option is to play and coach to your teams strengths. Pay attention, Jamaican coaches-develop your own style based on your teams strengths and make it work.

Speaking of Messi, in watching the USA v Panama game last week, I was struck by this dichotomy: Freddy Adu (R, with a man who needs no introductions) played for the American team, his first appearance in two years. He is currently trying to stick in Europe, but not with a team in any of the top four leagues. This from one of the most gifted American players of his generation. Approximately ten years ago, Adu signed with MLS as a precocious fourteen year old wunderkind. At the time there were offers from top flight clubs in England and Italy to join their academies and develop into a superstar. He didn't, and has seen his career seesaw and flat-line at a time when he should be hitting his prime years as a professional.

Conversely, Messi was noticed at around the same age as Adu was signing deals with Nike. His family was given an opportunity to send the young prodigy to Spain to develop his game and treat a growth deficiency issue. While Messi hasn't grown much in physical stature beyond where he was as a teen, his game has ballooned and expanded into that of a supernova, the biggest star on the best team in the world.

While no one knows if Adu could have ever approached those heights, I can state one thing for sure: Freddy Adu has more natural talent than any America player I have ever seen. He is a point guard on the football field, and his pass to set up the winning goal against Panama showed the type of guile that the entire Jamaican team has lacked for a very long time. You get to be the best by playing against and beating the best. When he was younger, people spoke of his 'me' attitude. It's the same story said about every teenage superstar that has adults fawning and catering to their whims before they can even shave. After the game in interviews, Adu seemed happy, relaxed and grateful.

I hope Adu can get a chance with a top flight team in England, Spain or Italy to grow as a professional, because his talent is undeniable. He may never develop into a talent like Messi, but he can still fulfill the promise that everyone saw almost a decade ago. I wish him well.

The last word on the 2011 NBA season

2011-06-15T18:44:00.001-04:00

Six games, Dallas triumphs over Miami. The team that had the sense of urgency, that played like a team and rallied behind their one superstar made the hustle plays, the big shots, grabbed the big rebounds, played better defense and ultimately won the big games when it counted most.

Congrats to Dirk, to Mark Cuban Jason Terry and especially to Jason Kidd, a player whose game i've admired since he was a collegian at Cal. In my personal hierarchy of greatest point guards, its Magic Johnson 1st, Jason Kidd 2nd and all else fall in line.

And as for Lebron, DWade and the rest of the Heat? Time to retool and reflect. As I stated a year ago in my blog post after the decision, its not the fact that the best and most physically gifted player in the world decided to abruptly leave the Cleveland Cavaliers team that he had led to previously never achieved heights. The shame was that this supremely gifted player decided to share top billing with another great. Voluntarily decided to be option 1a or 2, depending on how you interpret it.

To be fair, Lebron never once said he was okay with being the second option. Truth be told, he spent much of the season trying (and mostly failing) to be THE guy. The big dog, The #1 guy. During the playoffs he and the Heat ran roughshod over the 76ers, the Celtics and Chicago. He dominated in an obscene manner, even prompting Scottie Pippen at one point to proclaim him better than Jordan (Uhmm, want to rethink that one Scottie? Maybe better than you, but better than MJ?)

Then came the Finals. The games that count. The only ones that count. And once again Lebron was on the losing end. Dallas dominated, first by matching Miami's defensive effort, then by outscoring them. The longer the games and the series went, the smaller Lebron became. The many critics that said he and DWade couldn't play together had the ammunition they wanted, and LBJ didnt seem too interested in proving them wrong. He played tentative, passive and looked a lot more like Robin than Batman.

Now the jury is out on whether he truly realized that this was going to be the case. He has never said he was okay with not being the number 1 option. He has tried all season show that he is worthy of the title of best player in the NBA and a clutch performer. Even more than not winning a title, his underwhelming performance magnified the failure even more.

Congrats to the Dallas Mavericks. They outcoached, outhustled and outplayed the Heat. One superstar with heart and a focused team proved better than 3superstars. Case closed. Lebron is not Jordan. Never was, never will be. He is Grant Hill to DWade's Christian Laettner. Pippin to Wade's Jordan. Just a physically better athlete than those guys ever were. But still not possessing the heart to shoulder the load when it counts most. He told us this last summer with his decision, and a lot of people didn't believe it. Believe it now?

That being said, next year, look for the Mavs and Lakers to battle for supremacy out West, the Heat, Knicks and Bulls to do the same in the East and an even better season next year than this.

Manchester United seeking a double, and the topsy turvy NBA playoffs

2011-05-18T00:22:00.001-04:00

With one week left Manchester United has wrapped up the Premier League title. I for one never expected them to contend much less win the title this year, but give credit where it is due. Injuries, lack of form to key players, improved competition, none of that could stop Sir Alex’s crew from putting together an impressive run of games starting around December. The two teams I picked to battle for the title, Chelsea and Manchester City, will finish either 2^nd and 3rd or 2^nd and 4^th, but considering the recent ownership trends, expect both of them to have reloaded squads next season.

In two weeks, Manchester United plays Barcelona in the Champions League final-A rematch of the 2009 final. The best club tournament on the planet, this years Champions League Final features two of the absolute best teams in the world. Barcelona has been a cut above everyone all year, and I expect that to continue in the finals. That being said, I’ve been wrong about Man U all year, I may be wrong again. Nonetheless, im saying Barcelona lifts the trophy on May 28^th.

So my favorite team, the two time defending champion Lakers, were bounced out of the NBA playoffs. And so were the Boston Celtics, at the hands of the Miami Heat and their “Big 2.5.” I’m officially rooting for a Chicago Bulls v Dallas Mavericks finals.

Basketball, unlike most team sports, is unique in two significant ways: individual greatness can be measured by Championships, and great players are judged based on their offensive and defensive expertise. This is because in basketball, each player has offensive and defensive responsibilities. This is not true in football, baseball, American football or hockey. Leo Messi’s greatness is not diminished because he doesn’t run back on defense. People don’t blame Payton Manning for his team’s defensive shortcomings. But in basketball, you have to play both ends of the floor. And the greatest players did just that. As a result of that (comparatively speaking) added involvement, championships represent an accurate barometer of how great the true superstars are. Jordan has 6. Magic has 5. Bird has 3. Olajuwon has 2. Tim Duncan has 4. Those facts are at the root of Lebron James decision to leave Cleveland for Miami. If he is truly an all time great, he needs multiple championships to validate that.

Let’s be clear, im not referring to the role players who, while they may have had a pivotal moment or three (see, Horry, Robert) weren’t the transcendent leaders of their teams.

All the people complaining about the fact that players determined they want to play with each other, all I can say is this: get over it. If the money and perks are equal, who wouldn’t prefer South Beach to Cleveland?

I still think his decision was a bad one, I do believe choosing to go to Miami and play second fiddle to Dwyane Wade will put him a notch below the all time greats regardless of individual numbers, and I also think that the Heat will win a couple of titles over the next few years.

Just not this year.

Basketball in the city

2011-03-17T13:43:00.002-04:00

In NYC, basketball is part of our DNA. Yeah, the Yankees team and their stars are quite possibly the greatest team in all of sports, setting a standard for championships and expectations across the board. The Giants, Jets and Rangers compete for attention in the Big Apple also, usually existing somewhere below the rarefied atmosphere that the Yankees habitually reside.

That being said, make no mistake, New York City is a basketball town. From the Bronx to Queens, high school to the pros, basketball stars are icons; as acclaimed in many circles as (some) movie stars, gangsters and rappers. NYC has long carved out its station in the world as the place where ballers earn their stripes.

Before I was born, there was Lew Alcindor of Power Memorial High School in the Bronx. One of the first players to be subjected to a major recruiting battle, Alcindor left the Bronx for UCLA and began a dynasty there, forever changing how the game was played, how players were recruited, where they played and their visibility on the high school level.

When I moved to New York, Kenny Anderson was the star of the moment; an All-City hotshot from Lefrak City who set the city record for most points in a high school career among other accolades. Since Kenny Anderson, there have been many others; Kemba Walker, Ben Gordon (of Jamaican descent) Malik Sealy, Mark Jackson, Chris Mullin (who preceded Anderson,) Felipe Lopez, Rod Strickland and the one who was considered by many to be the best NYC player since Lew Alcindor, the enigmatic Lloyd Daniels. All of them prep stars that made their name on the blacktops and hard courts on New York City.

Proof of the status on basketball in the city pantheon can be seen in the publicity basketball gets in NYC on all levels: before Felipe Lopez (R) ever played a game for St. John’s he was on the cover of Sports Illustrated, hailed as the next Jordan, and was as recognizable as any celebrity. Manny ‘Hit Man’ Ramirez was arguably the best high school baseball player to come out of New York, a .650 hitter his senior year and likely a Hall of Famer when he retires. And unless you were a scout, member of his family or a hard core fan no one could point him out in a crowd when he was building his legend in the Bronx.

It’s against this backdrop that you have to consider this unmistakable fact: the only professional basketball team in NYC, the Knicks, has not won a NBA title in almost four decades.

And despite that run of failure, the Knicks are the only team that can challenge the Yankees for popularity in and beyond the boroughs.

It’s not just because they are the only professional basketball team in New York (at least till Mikhail Prokhorov brings the Nets to Brooklyn.) It’s because they represent the city in the city’s game. You want to see the surest sign that the annual iron grip of winter is loosening? Listen for the sound of a basketball bouncing on the asphalt. That sound tells you one undisputable fact: Spring in NYC is coming with summer right behind it. Kids and adults playing pickup games in playgrounds all over Gotham.

The Knick teams of (Jamaican born) Patrick Ewing, Mark Jackson, John Starks, Anthony Mason and Allan Houston were scrappy teams that fought, elbowed and beat other teams down physically and mentally. They appealed to the average fan, and though they couldn’t close the deal (Hey, an entire generation of Hall of Famers couldn’t close the deal in the Jordan era!) they were respected in their town.

St. Johns University, similar to the Knicks, was for a very long time the only team repping not just NYC but the entire metropolitan area. That has changed over the last twenty years; Hofstra, UConn, Seton Hall and others vie with St. Johns to keep the best local talent close to home. Call it the curse of the name change (old time Saint John’s fans know what im talking about.)

The arrival of Amare Stoudamire and Carmelo Anthony to the New York Knicks this season has reenergized Knicks fans and put them in playoff contention. The resurgence of the St. Johns basketball team has likewise created a buzz and those events confirm one thing that purists and experts have said as the city teams floundered over the last decade: Basketball is always more fun when the New York teams are competitive.

You don’t have to be a winner to win over the hearts of New Yorkers, you just have to always hustle hard and if you talk the talk, you better walk the walk.

That blue collar ethic is why Derek Jeter is revered and that swagger is why Mark Messier (below) is forever loved but Patrick Ewing (R) creates feelings of ambivalence in many fans. Messier talked brash and won it all. Ewing, as great as he was and as respected as he is, will forever be remembered by many fans for his empty guarantees of a championship.

Realistically, the chances of either the Knicks or St. Johns winning titles this season are slim, but they have reemerged and become the one thing that you have to be in New York-relevant. And as the chill of winter recedes, all one has to do is go to the nearest park and watch kids and adults, wealthy and poor, all races, religions and ideologues playing the one game that defines New Yorkers. And ask the question that never gets old: Who’s got next?

More random nuggets of information

2011-02-17T13:09:00.000-05:00

Taking Jay-Z out of the conversation, is it possible that Nikki Minaj is the best NY rapper doing it today?

And also in that vein, is Vybz “Cake Soap” Kartel (R) the best dancehall has to offer? Please let the answer to that question be no….

Raphael Saadiq performing with Mick Jagger @ The Grammys = Great look. Saadiq is easily one of the most underrated musicians of this generation.

Watched the Barcelona v Arsenal Champions League 1st leg on February 16th. The same Barca team that picked apart and destroyed Arsenal a year ago was deservedly beaten at the Emirates Stadium by Arsenal.

Koscielny (below) was marking Messi so closely I think the Argentinian superstar is still tangled up in his shorts! I'm looking forward to the return fixture in Barcelona.

Arizona, The new Teflon Don and the goal of the year

2011-02-11T11:08:00.001-05:00

“This is a battle of epic proportions; we’ve allowed the hijacking of the 14th Amendment.”

Senator Russell Pearce of Arizona; described as the architect of Arizona Bill SB 1070.

A cabal of Arizona lawmakers is (again) planning to rewrite the Constitution of the United States. They plan to pass legislation so that children born in the US to parents who are in the US illegally will not be granted citizenship. This to me represents another salvo in the long history of insidious prejudice by Arizona’s leaders and the people of Arizona.

Some may say it’s nothing more than petty politicians trying to make a name for themselves by pandering to peoples prejudices. I say these are the politicians that the people elected and they are pushing the people’s agenda.

This is the same state, Arizona, which 30 years ago refused to honor Martin Luther King’s Day as a holiday. This position at the time was championed by none other than that self-proclaimed maverick, John McCain. He eventually reversed himself on that issue, but as the most strident (at the time) opponent to a holiday honoring Dr. King, Arizona had clearly and unequivocally drawn a line in the sand. This is also the same state where in 2010 they proposed having police officers ask and check people’s immigration status at traffic stops. The starkly racist nature of this proposal is blindingly obvious, as is the fact that it harkens back to Jim Crow and apartheid.

The relationship between these things should be clear. This isn’t an anti-illegal immigration issue; this is the people of a state trying to push their own twisted agenda on the national stage. The explanations they provide behind this may sound logical and even necessary but the racist ideals and prejudicial application of this initiative cannot be denied. However you may feel about the issue of illegal immigration, this legislation is wrong and nothing good can ever come out of it being passed into law.

This is again the same place where less than two months ago a lunatic with a gun killed several people because he had a different political opinion. Some may say its unfair of me to paint such a broad brush stroke on the entire state, but the rhetoric is clear and consistent and seemingly unopposed. 30 years ago it took a systematic series of agitation by black public figures and boycotts of Arizona venues by black performers (including moving the Super Bowl) for Arizona to finally recognize the holiday.

Clearly hypocrisy and racism is still a major part of life in the Grand Canyon state.

Lindsey Lohan’s in trouble. Again. She’s not going to jail. Again. Yeah, this is kinda getting old, but I am constantly amazed by the way she gets by. I’m going to dub her the new John “Teflon Don” Gotti. Of course, even Gotti was eventually sent to jail….

Its only February, and the UEFA Champions League hasn’t even resumed yet, and its only an exhibition game, but Wesley Sneijder has possibly already given us the goal of the year. 2010 was certainly an incredible year for Sneijder. Champions League winner with Inter Milan, Serie A champion in Italy and World Cup runner-up representing the Netherlands. Along the way, he scored some amazing goals, but I dont think anything matched the one he produced this week. Check it out here.

Pitchers and catchers in two weeks.

Random nuggets of information

2011-02-04T00:04:00.001-05:00

Andy Pettitte, in my opinion should be in the Hall Of Fame. If your baseball team has one game to win, he was the guy you wanted pitching. Pettitte may not have the greatest numbers, but 19 playoff wins is the all time mark. Clemens and Randy Johnson may have been better regular season pitchers, but with one game to win it all, no one in baseball was as clutch as Pettitte.

That being said, Pettitte most likely wont be inducted. There is a clear anti-Yankee bias in large parts of the media, and that will contribute to it. The confessed HGH use will also hurt. Too much for him to overcome, but he is deserving.

Everyone’s mad at Amy Chua. Her book, “Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother” is stirring debate and getting people angry because of her take no prisoners approach to raising her kids. Ms. Chua, who is Chinese American, a Yale University educated lawyer and mother of two, has even pissed off Chinese parents (!) with her scorched earth mindset. The online zine The Root has an article about it here.
I wonder what her critics would say if a West Indian parent ever wrote a similar book and ‘exposed’ the secrets to the success of people from the Caribbean? (Hint it generally starts with a sturdy belt at an early age…) You will notice in her recent Wall Street Journal article that Ms. Chua mentioned Jamaican parents-this woman knows of which she speaks!

While I may be in the minority here, I am more disgusted by the allegations against Roethlisberger than I am the crimes committed by Michael Vick. I say that not to trivialize what Vick did, but because I strongly feel that Ben got off lightly. I also think that his alleged crimes are infinitely more damaging to society as a whole than anything Vick did. I cannot root for a team led by Roethlisberger to succeed. For that reason alone I’m supporting the Green Bay Packers to win the Super Bowl.

The Middle East is still ablaze, and there doesn’t seem to be any end in sight. I hope the fight for progress and democracy spreads to Iran and I hope no more blood is shed, God willing.

The final thought on the NY Jets season: They were a better team than the Steelers, but they greatest strength was their biggest undoing-the emotional approach to the game. They rode that emotion to victory over New England, and rightly so. They couldn’t summon the needed intensity for the Steelers and came out flat and got steamrolled. And even with that, there wasn’t a soul watching the closing minutes of that game vs. Pittsburgh that didn’t feel they were going to come back and win…they blew an opportunity to get to the Super Bowl because they were up and down in the game, and up and down all season. That’s what emotion does, takes you on a roller coaster ride. If they ever channel that energy into a consistent pattern of play game after game, year after year, they will be winners.

And they would be the Patriots…

On your marks. Get set. Go!

2011-01-29T00:08:00.000-05:00

Madison Square Garden, New York City

It’s been a brutal winter in New York, and the season has only just begun. Seven snowstorms in six weeks, record amounts of snow every time out, and everyone in New York is sinking into a winter funk.

But with the first call of “On your marks. Get set. Go!” one can see the light at the end of this tedious winter tunnel. Long the premier indoor track meet in New York (104 years and counting) the 2011 Millrose Games kicked off with a bang on January 28, 2011.

With each sharp turn, sharp spike and sharp elbow, high school runners, collegiate athletes and professionals all navigated the notoriously quick bends of the track hoping to cross that finish line in first place.

The Millrose Games has been the premier track meet in New York through its tenure. With the recent emergence of the Adidas Grand Prix Meet, the Millrose Games have ceded a lot of the spotlight, but as far as indoor meets go this is the one that gets the season going and quite frankly there is none better.

Millrose also represents the first installment of a series that has been in the works since the stunning (to some) sweep of the entire sprint schedule by Jamaica in the Beijing Olympics.

Yes, the Millrose Games is hosting the first installment of the USA v Jamaica sprint series.

In the city with perhaps the greatest number of expatriate Jamaicans, and gracing the same arena where Mohammed Ali, Willis Reed, Mark Messier and Patrick Ewing reached for greatness, a pantheon of elite sprinters will stake an official claim in a rivalry that has been the benchmark of sprinting for the last 60 years. Decades ago the names were different. George Rhoden, Herb McKenley, Merlene Ottey, Ollie Matson and Carl Lewis have given way to Usain Bolt, Asafa Powell, Carmelita Jeter and Tyson Gay.

The names have changed, but the rivalry remains unabated.

The USA v Jamaica race is a new wrinkle, one that will probably, hopefully energize the casual fan base in both countries. At bare minimum on this night it represented the starting gun for the beginning of a new track season, and all that comes with it.

Who knows if the competing athletes are aware of the historical rivalry of the two countries? Those same casual fans of track and field may think that the success of the Jamaican sprinters in Beijing came out of nowhere. They may not even be aware of the rich tradition of track and field in general and sprinting in particular in Jamaica.

But ever since the Helsinki Olympics of 1952 when the quartet of Wint, Laing, McKenley and Rhoden won the 4X400 relay gold medal, knocking the USA team into the silver medal, Jamaica has been the consistent overachievers of the sprinting world. In my lifetime I cannot recall a major track and field meet in which Jamaicans were not medal contenders, and I’m not even counting the fine runners of Jamaican descent (OJD) running for other countries.

On Friday night, Veronica Campbell-Brown, Nesta Carter, Lauryn Williams, Mike Rodgers and others toed the line in the indoors 60 meter dash at the Millrose Games hoping to stake a claim for sprint supremacy. For self and for country.

On a cold Friday night in New York, a day after 19 inches of snow blanketed the city, Veronica Campbell-Brown (L) who said in her post race press conference that she had ‘been in transit for over 36 hours’ trying to fly into the city, won the women's 60 meter dash ahead of Lauryn Williams and the Barber sisters. With Nesta Carter’s win in the men’s version and Vonette Dixon’s triumph in the hurdles(R), it is safe to say that Jamaica drew first blood. The point system showed that the US officially won the two race sprint series by virtue of their multiple runner up points in both events, but as Mike Rodgers of the US said in his press conference (seated on the left in the picture below next to Nesta Carter & Lauryn Williams) “The Jamaicans got us tonight. But we will see them at Penns.”

Yes indeed, Mr. Rodgers, we’ll see you at the Penn Relays. We’re coming to your neighborhood, and let the fun begin. Those races at Franklin Field in Philadelphia are called “USA v The World” but really, who do you think is representing the world in the sprints?

The track season has begun. On your marks. Get set. Go!

Same old Jets and Aretha's (very) wishful thinking

2011-01-18T23:21:00.000-05:00

The NY Jets talked the talk all season, even after a monumental beatdown at the hands of the New England Patriots several weeks ago. Last Sunday afternoon in Foxboro, Massachusetts, they walked the walk. It’s one thing for fans to say their team should win a big game, but when the entire team talks about winning a do or die game, then they go out and emphatically do it, that’s something special.

Consider these facts; Mark Sanchez has won 4 road playoff games in his 2 year professional career. That’s more than Brett Favre won in his entire career. More than any other quarterback in Jets history. Sanchez has been the quarterback for a team that has gone to two straight AFC championship games in his first two years in the NFL, and he hasn’t been piggybacking on a stout defense, he has been a major part of their success. I think Sanchez will have a great future as the leader of the New York Jets.

Prior to the season, Sports Illustrated picked the Green Bay Packers and the Pittsburgh Steelers to play in the Super Bowl. Rex Ryan predicted the NY Jets will be in the Super Bowl. One of these prognosticators will be proven wrong this weekend. I’m thinking the Jets will prevail and the Packers will defeat the Chicago Bears.

Sooo….this is kind of interesting. Aretha Franklin was recently discussing a ‘proposed’ biopic of her life. She indicated that she would love Halle Berry to play her younger self in this movie.

Let’s just let that marinate for a minute. And look at a picture of both of these greats (R).

Halle Berry graciously has said she’s not interested…because she can’t sing like Aretha. Good save, Halle!

Slaughterhouse’s new album is scheduled to be released on February 8th, 2011. If you’ve never listened to this group, the best way for me to describe them is simply the best hip-hop group in the world right now, bar none. The first single, featuring my boys from Yonkers The Lox, is here.

One month to pitchers and catchers.

The great NFL draft of 2006 (not exactly)

2011-01-12T18:25:00.000-05:00

The 2006 NFL draft is notable because of the loud debate preceding and subsequent to the first three picks. Coming off of a tremendous performance vs USC, Vince Young, the Texas native was considered a good bet to be selected by the Houston Texans with the first overall pick. Then there was All-World player Reggie Bush of that vanquished USC team, Heisman Trophy winner and highlight reel star. Throw in another Heisman winner in Matt Leinart, as well as Vanderbilt’s Jay Cutler who according to rumor had the best arm of any quarterback in recent memory and you have an intriguing mix.

So what happened? Houston selected Mario Williams; DE from NC State. New Orleans selected Bush, Tennessee chose Young and Leinart and Cutler fell to 10 and 11 respectively.

5 years later, in looking at that draft, you have to think that Houston made the right choice. Williams (# 90, R; shown tackling Bush) is a two time Pro-Bowler; a steady and pretty good player, he is hardly dominating. Bush has not lived up to the hype at all and shares a New Orleans backfield with several other players who play a more physical, straight ahead style than he does. He can still produce an occasional flash of brilliance, but he has not played like the superstar everyone thought he could be. Vince Young has been a mystery, plain and simple. I think if Young goes to a good team and sits behind a veteran for a while he could turn his career around, because he is extremely talented. I don’t think he handled the situation in Tennessee properly, but I blame Jeff Fisher even more than I do Young for the way it spiraled out of control. If Young signs with the Giants, Indianapolis or New Orleans I think it would be great for him and them.

Leinart has been a bust, plain and simple. Instead of being the next Carson Palmer, he turned into the new Akili Smith. Ugghh. Cutler was an above average player in Denver, but has been extremely good in spurts since being traded to the Chicago Bears.

By the way, some of the other players taken later in that draft? Darrelle Revis (NY Jets) Santonio Holmes (Pitt/NY Jets) Antonio Cromarite (San Diego) Greg Jennings (GB) and Maurice Jones-Drew (Jacksonville)

I'm out! Listening to Pink Friday. I gotta say, Nikki Minaj's album is pretty good! Repping Queens, New York!

Happy New Year! Time to stick and move...

2011-01-04T20:34:00.000-05:00

This was Gordon Gee to The Associated Press back in November 2010 discussing a college football playoff : "...Having been both a Southeastern Conference president and a Big Ten president, it's like murderer's row every week for these schools. We do not play the Little Sisters of the Poor. We play very fine schools on any given day. So I think until a university runs through that gantlet that there's some reason to believe that they not be the best teams to [be] in the big ballgame."

Well, Mr. Gee, those Big 10 guys haven’t been playing against the Little Sisters of the Poor, but they sure played like they WERE the Little Sisters of the Poor over the last week. Michigan, Michigan State, Northwestern, Penn State all lost. And the big kick in the teeth, Wisconsin losing to those pesky upstarts, TCU in the Rose Bowl.

If the Big 10 is such a tough conference, why then can’t they win the big ballgames?

And doesn’t this prove once again that a playoff system is needed to determine which school is the best? TCU, after an unbeaten season, now has to sit and watch Oregon and Auburn play and know that they can also legitimately make a claim to be the best team and never get to prove it. It’s a joke of a system.

The Miami Heat are finally putting it together and reeling off some impressive wins. I am still unconvinced that they are championship material this season. I say this for three simple reasons: no bench, no point guard and no post players. The LA Lakers, Dallas, San Antonio, Boston and Orlando are better than Miami in those three areas and in a seven game series, I am unconvinced that the Heat can grind out a win. Let’s see what happens in March when instead of beating up on Detroit, Charlotte and Sacramento they have to play back to back games against Orlando, San Antonio and Chicago then host the Lakers less than a week later.

I’m sticking to my belief that the Lakers will face either Boston or Orlando in the Finals.

Hey, I could be wrong, but I could also be right…..last year I predicted Spain would win the World Cup and the San Francisco Giants to come out of the NL West (no, I didn’t think they’d win the World Series, but I thought they were one of the best teams in the NL. Check my blog post!)

And speaking of predictions, I’m going out on a limb now and saying this: The New England Patriots will not play in or win the Super Bowl this year.

Yes, Tom Brady is having a great year, will probably be named the MVP, but that defense is not good and will be expsoed. Belichek or no Belichek, this team can be beat and I don’t see them getting by Pittsburgh, Baltimore or for that matter the NY Jets. Yes I know they beat all of those teams I mentioned in the regular season. But they also lost to the Jets and a five win Cleveland team.

They are a good team, with a great quarterback and one of the best coaches around, but the defense is soft. They will be knocked out of the playoffs before the Super Bowl.

And on a lighter note…..

More than ten years ago, in 1999 Dr. Dre released one of the best albums in hip hop history, The Chronic 2001. The album cemented his status as the greatest producer in the genre, sold over 6 million copies, helped to blow up Eminem as the next big thing and defined the West Coast sound. Ever since then he has teased us with talk and rumors of the follow up album, Detox. Hip hop fans waited patiently, eagerly, rushed to the stores (and the internet-shhh!) to check on every rumor and reported leak and singles to no avail.

Then a month ago, a first single from Detox came out. Pandemonium in the streets! I bought the single from Itunes, a song called Kush featuring Akon and Snoop Dogg.

Wow. All I can say is this:

I WAITED OVER TEN YEARS FOR THIS SHIT?!?!?!