NBA Playoff Action

A couple of really good games on Monday... also, the Cavs swept the Wizards. Glad thats over. Although Antawn Jamison was really good in a losing effort for the Wiz. But here are my thoughts from the other 2 games:

- I think that whoever winds up winning the Houston/Utah series, neither of them will be able to hang with the winner of Dallas/Golden State. Not enough offensive firepower for either team, and Im not sure they can even come close to matching the pace of those teams. Yao Ming was looking extremely gassed at the end of this one... how would he feel playing the Warriors pace?

- Its been said before, but I just love watching Shane Battier and Chuck Hayes play. Ditto for Paul Millsap, who is really good.

- Rockets take the series lead 3-2... I kinda think this is going to be one of those series where the home team wins every game. In other words at this point Ill take Houston in 7.

- Coming into the playoffs I thought the Spurs were going to win it all, and I see nothing to change my mind now. Beating Denver in a must-win situation for the Nuggets in Denver is great. Thats really an excellent win.

- Where did the JR Smith that averaged nearly 16 PPG before the All-Star break go? Yeesh, he looks awful out there.

- Nene and Camby, on the other hand, were brilliant.

- As always, nothing flashy for the Spurs, but they get it done. They made the plays they had to down the stretch, and just got it done. Thats fun to watch.

Golden State @ Dallas Tuesday night at 8:30 PM CDT... be there or be square. Mavs will come out firing. I dont think weve seen the end of them quite yet.

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College Basketball Coaching Changes

As you probably know, lots of changes have been taking place in college basketball as far as coaching goes over the past few days... here are some of my thoughts.

- Billy Donovan is back, which did surprise me a little. I really thought he would leave for Kentucky. To be honest, I kinda wanted to see him go to Kentucky just to see what he could do (Kentucky is still one of the best jobs in America), but Im not disappointed that hes staying in Florida. Hes already established himself as one of the best coaches in America (maybe the best), and itll be interesting to see how he builds on the momentum from the titles.

- Bob Huggins to West Virginia was a little befuddling to me... all that buzz and excitement at KSU. Bill Walker will be back after tearing his ACL, and he just brought in a top 3 class to KSU (including Michael Beasley). And hes gone, just like that? Look, Huggys a great coach. But after all of the scrutiny and allegations at Cincy, and then bolting after one year from the school that brought you back, would you want this guy coaching your team? Im not sure I would.

- The whole Dana Altman situation was just strange. Hey, I think its fine that a guy makes the decision to stay where hes happiest... too bad though that he couldnt have made the decision before he decided to accept the Arkansas job.

- I really like the hiring of John Beilein for Michigan. The guy is just a good, good basketball coach. Even if hes not getting all of the top recruits, he knows how to recruit guys that fit into his system and then teach that system to them.

- Its hard for me to even make a guess as to who will be the Kentucky coach. Latest news is that theyre going after Billy Gillepsie, but for some reason I just dont see it. I think Mark Few and Tom Crean are the most likely to get the job, but thats pure speculation.

What are your thoughts on the changes so far and who do you think will the Kentucky coach?

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Fantasy Baseball Ranking Catchers

Theres a good chance that eventually I will group some positions together, but for now lets just look exclusively at the Catchers. For brevitys sake, Ill just give my top 15 with a short comment for each. Feel free to interject at any time (by leaving a comment, or even an email, if I offend you too much).

1. Joe Mauer (MIN) - Quite simply, Mauer is the best catcher in the MLB. He was the MLB batting champ last season, and should just be coming into his own as far as power is concerned. He had 36 2B and 13 HR, and both of those should go up as he gets closer to his prime. Hes also the #3 hitter in the order, meaning plenty of chances to get RBI or get knocked in by Justin Morneau and Mike Cuddyer. And if all of that is not enough, Ron Gardenhire frequently makes Mauer the DH on the days hes not catching. Thats really good for fantasy purposes.
2. Victor Martinez (CLE) - I feel Mauer is the #1 fantasy catcher, but if you like Martinez more, I cant argue too much. At this point he doesnt get on base as much as Mauer, but maybe has a slight, slight power edge. Another thing you have to like with Martinez is that he sucks defensively... meaning the Indians will play him more at 1B, which helps to stop wear and tear.
3. Brian McCann (ATL) - McCann was pretty awesome last year, batting .333 while hitting for very good power (24 HR). Hes like 1C for fantasy catching purposes... you cant go wrong with Mauer, Martinez, or McCann, because both are excellent and are young enough that they could be even better this year.
4. Kenji Johjima (SEA) - Johjima quietly put together a nice rookie campaign last season, batting .291 with 44 XBH and 76 RBI. Now that hes more acclimated to the MLB, he should be even better in year 2.
5. Mike Piazza (OAK) - Piazza is obviously not the hitter he used to be, but thats ok. He should be doing a lot of DHing in Oak-town, which will be great since he still has catcher eligibility. He hit .283 with 22 HR last year in 400 ABs in an extreme pitchers park in a pitchers league. People are overlooking him some because of his age, but I think hell be excellent this year.
6. Ivan Rodriguez (DET) - Hes another guy thats getting older, but he did hit .300 once again last season. Also, with guys like Magglio Ordonez and the extremely underrated Carlos Guillen near him in the lineup, he should be able to provide another solid season of production.
7. Ramon Hernandez (BAL) - Hernandez adapted very well to Baltimore last season, with 23 HR, 91 RBI, and a solid .275 AVG. With the lineup around him and the fact the hitters ballpark in Baltimore, good things should again be in store.
8. Michael Barrett (CHIN) - Barrett hit over .300 last year with 16 HR, a respectable amount. With some improvements to the Cubs offense (overrated as Soriano may be), its not inconceivable to see a little boost for Barrett, which puts him definitely in the top 10.
9. Jorge Posada (NYY) - Posada has been around seemingly forever, but hes still productive for now. He hit 23 HR last year and racked up 93 RBI. He was much better in 2006 than 2005, so well see if thats just a one-year final gasp, or if hes still a top 5 catcher. Im betting somewhere in between.
10. AJ Pierzynski (CHIA) - I feel like Im repeating myself here... near .300 average for Pierzynski, mid-teens in HR, and mid twenties for doubles. He should also get solid RBI opportunities because there are some superb hitters in front of him in the Sox lineup.
11. Russell Martin (LAD) - Martin had a very nice rookie year for the Dodgers, with 26 2B, 65 R, and 65 RBI in only 121 games. Barring a sophomore slump, he could be a nice sleeper here.
12. Paul Lo Duca (NYM) - I still think Lo Duca is a little overrated, but he hit for a high average, had a good amount of doubles, and scored a lot of runs due to batting 2nd in a good lineup. I suspect that .318 average will drop some, but he sure does have a lot of protection in that lineup.
13. Jason Varitek (BOS) - Varitek may be a great gamecaller, but he was really bad at the plate last season. He only batted .238 and his power numbers were down. He was battling some injuries, so Im sure that contributed, but he needs to bounce back offensively.
14. Johnny Estrada (MIL) - Estradas always been a guy to hit for a pretty good average and get in the mid-20s in doubles. We pretty much know what to expect from him.
15. Javy Lopez (COL) - I know his numbers from last year arent all that inspiring, but playing half your games in Coors Field tends to be a big help to offensive stats.

What changes would you make to these rankings?

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NCAA Bracket Predictions Midwest Region

Moving on to the Midwest.

ROUND ONE

(1) Kansas over (16) Portland St. - The Jayhawks should dispatch of them pretty easily.

(8) UNLV over (9) Kent St. - Kent St. is certainly a really good team, but I like UNLV. Theyre very well-coached by Lon Kruger, they have Tourney experience (at least, the few holdovers from last year), and theyre fresh off winning the Mountain West.

(5) Clemson over (12) Villanova - Clemson is really good. Villanova is really inconsistent. I have a hard time seeing Nova putting up enough points in this game.

(4) Vanderbilt over (13) Siena - Siena is becoming the trendy upset pick, but hold on a minute. I know they have talent, but they dont have anyone like Shan Foster or AJ Ogilvy. And Kevin Stallings is a pretty darn good coach. Ill take Vandy to win this game.

(6) USC vs. (11) Kansas St. - All about coaching, and USC has a huge edge there. Im excited to see what Tim Floyd, the man who beat Kevin Durant in last years Tourney, comes up this year to try and slow down Michael Beasley.

(3) Wisconsin over (14) CF Fullerton - Badgers are too tough defensively here.

(10) Davidson over (7) Gonzaga - The Zags have talent all over, but Davidson is playing too well right now. They obviously have Stephen Curry, but dont discount Jason Richards at the PG spot. Hes real good.

(2) Georgetown over (15) UMBC - Uh, yeah. I think the Hoyas will have enough in this one.


ROUND TWO

(1) Kansas over (8) UNLV - UNLV is a tough team, but they dont have the talent or depth to match up with the Jayhawks

(5) Clemson over (4) Vanderbilt - The Tigers are playing very good basketball right now. They have the big men to slow down Ogilvy down low, and that makes the Commodores one-dimensional.

(6) USC over (3) Wisconsin - I just like USCs superior athleticism and talent in this game. It might not be pretty, but I think theyll be able to score just a little more easily than the Badgers.

(10) Davidson over (2) Georgetown - Just a feeling. The Hoyas havent been overly impressive all season long. They need Hibbert to step up, and I just see Davidson being a little better in this one. At the very least, they wont be intimidated.


SWEET 16

(1) Kansas over (5) Clemson - I think Clemson would have a very legitimate chance in this one, but the Jayhawks are playing very good basketball right now. Theyre just a little too talented for Clemson.

(6) USC over (10) Davidson - USCs a little too talented. Tim Floyd can devise some type of game plan to help slow down Stephen Curry, and USCs athletes can get to the rim against Davidson.


ELITE EIGHT

(1) Kansas over (6) USC - The Trojans run out of gas. Kansas is much deeper in this game, allowing them to run USC off the floor.

Regional Champion: KANSAS

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Billy King No Level of Incompetence that wont be tolerated

As I mentioned earlier and you almost certainly have heard many times, Allen Iverson was traded. The official deal is Allen Iverson and Ivan McFarlin for Andre Miller, Joe Smith (and his expiring contract), and two first-round draft picks.

Allen Iverson was the reason I first became a Sixers fan, so its tough to see him go, especially when hes still playing great basketball. Hes incredibly quick, a great finisher, gets to the line, and will give you all hes got each and every game. Maybe hes not big on practice, but I think thats forgivable considering the beating he takes game in and game out.

So about the trade. I dont really like it much. Certainly its not an awful deal, but in many ways I dont see the point. Andre Miller is a nice PG, and a good distributor. But like Iverson hes 31 years old and his deal runs for 2 more years after this one. Honestly, all I can see Miller doing is improving the Sixers just enough to lessen their shot at the #1 pick. I wouldnt really be surprised if the Sixers turned around and traded Miller.

Then theres Joe Smith, who is simply in it for the expiring contract. OK.

Last, and perhaps most importantly, are 2 first-round picks. These are obviously nice, but theyll be late first rounders sometime in the 20s. Its a deep draft, which is good, but what do you normally get from picks in the 20s? Based on my unscientific research, generally role players or occasional starters. Every once in a while theres a guy like Josh Howard, but then theres also the guys that never make it. And that is what they got for Allen Iverson, who by the time hes done with be one of the top 50 (certainly) players ever to play the game, and whos still playing at a very high level.

Its increasingly evident that the problem in Philadelphia was not Allen Iverson, its Billy King. Seriously, look at this Philly team right now.

- Andre Iguodala - ok, no complaints here. Hes a nice up-and-coming player on both ends of the court.
- Kyle Korver - great shooter, no defense. Solid role player.
- Chris Webber - basically on one leg, limited mobility, and with an albatross contract. An awful defensively player and poor fit for Phillys personnel.
- Samuel Dalembert - an athletic post with no real offensive skills and seems to be the same player he was 2 years ago.
- Rodney Carney - promising young player whos nowhere near ready yet.

Thats about it. Kevin Ollie starts, but he sucks. Louis Williams could be good someday, but hes not yet. Stephen Hunter is a decent big man off the bench. The starting lineup is below average, and there is no depth. This was the team surrounding around Allen Iverson.

At the end of the day, Allen Iverson is a Denver Nugget, and they become my 2nd favorite team. But the problems for the 76ers run a lot deeper than Allen Iverson, and they start in the front office with Billy King. The man with seemingly no plan, and from the looks of it no real clue on how to piece together a team.

Heres a great post at The 700 Level, and Ill quote a part I really like:

Ill remember the crossover on Jordan, the high arching kiss off the glass, the step over Tyronne Lue, the cupped hand to the ear, the sleeve, the tattoos, the MVP. Im not talkin bout practice, Im talkin bout the warrior.

Allen Iverson had his flaws. Philadelphia loved him anyway. Thanks for the memories.

Indeed. Thanks AI, youll be missed by this 76ers fan.

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MLB Power Rankings 7 16

Like the last wildly popular version, its time for another set of rankings of my top 10 teams in the MLB. Or in other words, nothing much else is going on in sports right now.

1. Boston Red Sox - Just barely retain the top spot, but they still have a comfortable 9 game lead in the AL East. But I still think the Yankees might have a little something to say by the end of the season, but things are still looking very good in Boston.

2. Detroit Tigers - They have scored almost 50 more runs than the next highest team (Cleveland), and the pitching is pretty solid too. Theyre "only" 25-19 at home, but a fantastic 29-17 on the road. Once Zumaya comes back to shore up the bullpen theyre probably the team to be in the American League.

3. Cleveland Indians - Their offense hasnt been quite as explosive as the Tigers, but its still pretty darn good. Unlike Detroit, theyre a pedestrian 21-24 on the road, but a remarkable 33-13 at home, best in the Majors.

4. Anaheim Angels - The Angels are actually tied with the Red Sox for the best record in the Majors, though I think its been a little flukey. Still, theyre a really solid team and look like the overwhelming favorites in the AL West. The Mariners might have a shot if they make a couple of moves, but the As dont look very good right now after getting swept by the Twins.

5. San Diego Padres - They have falled behind the Dodgers right now in the NL West, but I do still think they will come out on top. They have the best pitching in the League, and have been a little unlucky. It looks like the NL West will be one of the best races between the Dodgers and Padres.

6. Los Angeles Dodgers - They have started off great since the Break, moving into the lead in the NL West. They are a great 19-10 in 1-run games, which tends to even out, which is why Im a little more optimistic about the Padres than the Dodgers. But if Saito and Broxton can continue to shut the door at the end of ballgames the Dodgers should be in great position.

7. Milwaukee Brewers - Theyre probably looking over their shoulders at the Cubs a little bit (especially if the Ben Sheets injury is serious), but theyve survived a mini stumble (with the Cubs playing very well) and are still up 3.5 games. If Sheets is OK, Yovani Gallardo should remain in the rotation, bumping either Jeff Suppan or Chris Capuano.

8. Minnesota Twins - After a 4-game sweep of the As, the Twins are only 6 games behind the Tigers in the Central. If the young pitchers (Bonser, Garza, Baker) can continue to give them quality starts, they are a serious threat in the AL. Theyve still got the best pitcher in baseball and a very good middle of the order.

9. New York Yankees - Theyre just a game over .500, but no team has been more unlucky with regards to what their record is and what their pythagorean record is. They have issues in the bullpen, but the rotation is starting to come together (especially if Phillip Hughes can remain healthy).

10. Chicago Cubs - The Cubs have won 3 in a row and are 7-3 in their last 10, which have made them into a threat in the NL Central and possibly even a factor in the Wildcard race. Dont look now, but Carlos Marmol has been one of the best relievers in the MLB this year.

What are your thoughts?

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Super Bowl Prediction

On paper, the Pittsburgh Steelers have the edge over the Arizona Cardinals in Super Bowl XLIII. But as Kenny Mayne says, "We know that these games arent played on paper, but by the little men inside our TV sets."

First off, how did these teams get here? The Pittsburgh Steelers took a slightly more conventional path. They won the difficult AFC North with a 12-4 record, receiving a first-round bye into the playoffs. Once there, they beat the upstart San Diego Chargers in the Divisional Round before taking out their bitter rival the Baltimore Ravens in the Conference Championship by a score of 23-14. They come into the Super Bowl tough and battle tested.
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The Arizona Cardinals, on the other hand, are not a team that we expected to be playing into October. They limped into the playoffs at 9-7, getting in only because they won the worst division in football. During the regular season, they went 6-0 against teams in the NFC West, and 3-7 against everyone else. They ended the regular season playing really bad football, struggling after they clinched the division, and looked like the prime example of a team that would be making an early exit. But then, something clicked. They had a home playoff game against wildcard Atlanta, and played inspired football, mixing things up offensively and getting to QB Matt Ryan repeatedly en route to a 30-24 victory. That brought them a date with the Carolina Panthers, a team many thought might be the best in the NFC. Instead of being intimidated, they went into Carolina and shocked them, dominating the game for a 33-13 win. In the Conference Championship, they got another home game, this time against the Philadelphia Eagles, and Kurt Warner led them to a late TD drive for a 32-25 win in one of the best games of the playoffs. That got them a date with the Steelers here in the Super Bowl.

For Pittsburgh, everything starts with the defense, a unit which might be the best in the NFL. Coach Mike Tomlin sets the tone for a tough, aggressive unit, and they go after the QB all day long. The defense is led by James Harrison, the best LB in the NFL this year, finishing with 16 sacks and 7 FF. The LBs are athletic and can get to the QB on a consistent basis, which stops the opposing offense from ever really getting into a rhythm. Even if the QB does have time, he has to look out for Troy Polamalu in the secondary, who finished with 7 INT. The offense of the Steelers is a pretty balanced unit, with gritty QB Ben Roethlisberger leading the charges, throwing the ball to explosive Santonio Holmes, or Hines Ward, who is perhaps the best short-yardage WR in the NFL. They have multiple options running the football, from Willie Parker to Mewelde Moore to Gary Russell. This allows them to simply go with the hot hand there.

In Arizona, offense is the name of the game. They have an explosive unit, and can score from anywhere on the field with their passing game. Kurt Warner has resurrected his career, throwing for nearly 4600 yards and 30 TDs this year. He showed that when he has time, he can still be the most accurate passer in the NFL, fitting the ball in places where you wouldnt expect it to fit, and throwing the deep ball with accuracy. On the outside, they have perhaps the best 1-2 combo at WR in the NFL. The leader is Larry Fitzgerald, who has seemed to break out here in the playoffs to stake his claim as the best WR in football. He has incredible hands, uses his body well, and has deceptive speed. He finished with 1431 yards and 12 TD in the regular season, and has over 400 yards receiving in 3 playoff games. He is flanked by Anquan Boldin, a tough WR who is not afraid to catch the ball in traffic. At certain points this year he has looked even better than Fitzgerald, and he makes sure that teams cant just key on stopping 1 WR. They need to work on balancing the passing game with a rushing game so that defenses cant just tee off on Warner, but make no mistake, they will be able to put some points on the board.
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Arizona has more momentum coming into the game, riding their improbable run into the Super Bowl. And in a 1 game Super Bowl, anything can happen. However, I like the team with more talent here, the Pittsburgh Steelers. They have shown their toughness all season long, and should be able to put pressure on Kurt Warner to at least slow down the Arizona passing attack. The Cardinals will be able to make a game of it, but I like the Steelers to win it, 27-17.

Whats your prediction?

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I get interviewed and stuff

Rick from the excellent blog Stiles Points has interviewed me in his "Beers for Bloggers" Series. So check it out! My answers are mostly boring, but youve probably come to expect that from me.

Ill be out of town for a week... yay for spring break! Itll be fun.

Enjoy yourselves, and hopefully Ill come back to some nice FA signings by the Vikings!

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Thursday Debate DH or no DH

This is another part in the continuing segment on Complete Sports called Thursday Debate. Today lets look at whether or not you like the DH.

The MLB question... do you like the DH or not? Purists will likely say the DH is bad, while non-purists like the boost that the DH brings.

Another thing that I have found is that whether or not you like the DH depends a lot on what your favorite team is and what style of baseball you grew up watching. If you are a fan of a team in the AL and have mostly watched American League games, I think you are more likely to enjoy the DH. If you are a fan of an NL team and mostly have watched National League games, I think you might prefer the pitchers batting.

Certainly its easy to appreciate both styles of play. In the NL, there is a bit more strategy involved, with things like double switches, whether to pinch hit for the pitcher or not, etc. In the AL, there is an increase in offense and more of a threat 1-9 in the order.

I think I generally follow the guideline I set forth earlier. I am a fan of the Minnesota Twins, and have basically grown up watching American League baseball. As such, I like the DH. For me, Id rather see a DH bat rather than a pitcher try to flail away at the plate.

I can certainly see how you would prefer it the other way, but for my money Ill take the DH.

But what about you? Do you like the DH? Id be really interested to see your vote and see your reasons in the comments.

Which do you like better?
	DH
	No DH

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Rangers score 30 runs

By now Im sure you know that the Texas Rangers just barely hung on to beat the Orioles in the first game of a double-header by the score of 30-3. But here was some of the things that I found most interesting about the game:

- Despite scoring 30 runs, the Rangers only scored in 4 different innings. For five separate innings they were held scoreless.

- The Orioles actually had a 3-0 lead, which means the Rangers scored 30 unanswered runs.

- The Rangers #8 and #9 hitters (Jarrod Saltalamacchia and Ramon Vazquez): 8/12, 2 BB, 4 HR, 9 R, 14 RBI. Thats called getting production out of the bottom of the lineup.

- Every Rangers started had at least 2 hits. The one guy for the Rangers that came in off of the bench (Travis Metcalf) hit a grand slam.

- The Rangers had 6 HR, but only 2 doubles.

- Wes Littleton of the Rangers, by virtue of pitching the final 3 innings, recorded a save. In a 30-3 game. That is awesome.

Other than the enormity of the runs by the Rangers, what did you find most interesting about the game?

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My College Basketball Top 10 1 09 08

Time to give me top 10 in the world of college basketball. This is not based solely on achievement, but also how good I think the teams are right now. It was based solely on achievement then all of the undefeated teams would have to be on top, which is not the case. Anyway, thats neither here nor there. My top 10:

1. Memphis - They have been the most impressive team to me so far this year. This is a few weeks back now, but I thought their win over Georgetown might have been the most impressive win for anyone this year. The way they took apart an excellent team like the Hoyas in the 2nd half was a sight to see. They struggle still in the halfcourt offense, but they are more athletic than any other team, and this allows them to get up and down the court. It also allows them to be a very, very good defensive team. Theyre tough.

2. North Carolina - Obviously you cant complain about a perfect record, I just think the Tigers are a little better. The loss of Bobby Frasor hurts, as they already struggle some with shooting the basketball from the outside. Still, they have the depth and explosiveness to make a run to the title.

3. Kansas - They have been playing excellent ball, and should only get better as Brandon Rush and Sherron Collins continue to get healthier and better. They have 9 guys that play at least 10 minutes a game. Oh yes, there is lots of depth for the Jayhawks.

4. UCLA - They are behind Washington St. in the polls, but I think theyre the better team. They had a bad game against Texas, but that neutral court win against Michigan St. (without Darren Collison or Michael Roll) is starting to look better and better. With Kevin Love averaging a double-double right now, he looks to be a strong contender for Pac-10 Player of the Year.

5. Georgetown - They will probably struggle against teams like Memphis, who play fast and have a big, physical guy to guard Roy Hibbert. But the Hoyas are a surprisingly versatile, talented team. As the excellent freshmen guards continue to get comfortable at the college level, the Hoyas will continue to improve and become more explosive.

6. Michigan St. - I like them a lot. They are great defensively under Tom Izzo. Drew Neitzel hits as big shots as anyone in America, but the little known secret is that Raymar Morgan is their best player. Like many teams near the top, they will continue to get better and better, as they play a lot of freshman that are just getting experience.

7. Washington St. - They remain undefeated, but they are very low on quality wins, which is why I have them down at 7th. But theyll be a tough out. They play great defense, and because of this they are able to slow the game down and make you play at their pace. Just a solid team that doesnt beat themselves.

8. Tennessee - They can beat anyone when their shots are falling, and they can lose to anyone when their shots are not falling. They are obviously extremely difficult to play against because of their fast-paced style. They do not allow teams to get comfortable on either end of the floor, meaning the opponent has to be very disciplined mentally to stick with the Volunteers. Most teams are not.

9. Duke - They have depth and an underrated amount of athleticism. 9 guys play at least 11 minutes per contest, and at least 6 score 8.8 per game. Their trio of Nelson-Singler-Henderson is very athletic, something they really lacked last year. They are well-coached, and can challenge UNC in the ACC.

10. Texas - Ill give them the final spot, though they have been struggling a little of late. DJ Augustin may be the best PG in the country, as he seems to be able to get into the lane at will and get a shot anytime he wants. We know what they have in AJ Abrams, one of the best pure shooters in America. Like last year, Texas fate rests in the hands of the "other guys," players like Damion James, Connor Atchley, and Justin Mason. They will determine how far the Longhorns go.

Your thoughts? What changes would you make?

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2006 NBA Preview Awards and Playoff Predictions

Hopefully you wont all hold it against me that the full preview is out a day after the start of the regular season! But thats a chance I had to take because things were busy. By the way, other good season previews are here or here over at WBRS if youre interested. In case you missed the division previews, here they are:

Atlantic Division
Central Division
Southeast Division
Northwest Division
Southwest Division
Pacific Division

So lets move on from there, to the Conference predictions. If I recall from what Pradamaster told me, the division winner is only guaranteed a top 4 seed, unlike the top 3 seed from last year, which is a big and welcome change. So without further ado, heres my top 8 in each conference.

EAST
1. Cleveland Cavaliers
2. Detroit Pistons
3. Miami Heat
4. Boston Celtics
5. Chicago Bulls
6. Washington Wizards
7. New Jersey Nets
8. Orlando Magic
Next in Line: Milwaukee Bucks, Indiana Pacers

WEST
1. Dallas Mavericks
2. San Antonio Spurs
3. Phoenix Suns
4. Denver Nuggets
5. Houston Rockets
6. LA Lakers
7. LA Clippers
8. Utah Jazz
Next in Line: NO/OK Hornets, Golden State Warriors

Before we get to the predictions, lets go through some awards, both real and fictional, because its my blog and I can make up awards if I want to.

MVP
(5) Dwyane Wade - This isnt a slight to Dwyane Wade as much as its respect for everyone else above him. I think Wade could potentially wear down a bit as the regular season goes on, and that, combined with the overall greatness of the guys above him puts him at 5.
(4) Kobe Bryant - Much the same for Kobe as for Wade. If he won the MVP, it wouldnt be at all surprising. But hell be out probably the first week with a knee injury, plus I think his game will be changed a lot from last year.
(3) Tim Duncan - He had a foot injury last year and was still unbelievable in leading the Spurs to the best regular-season record in the West. This year, all reports say that the foot is feeling great, and he should have a new focus after their early ousting in the postseason.
(2) Dirk Nowitski - He was great last year, and continues to improve and vary his game. He added an unstoppable post game from 15 feet last year, and just continues to improve his offensive game.
(1) LeBron James - I thought he was the best player in the NBA last year, and I think he will be again. We all know about his game... 30, 8, and 8 is not out of the question.

Rookie of the Year
(5 TIE) Jordan Farmar - I think that as the season goes on, hell start to earn more and more playing time for Phil Jackson. Farmars a tough PG who just knows the game well, and is a great leader on the court. Im not big fans of Smush Parker (more on him later) or Sasha Vujacic, which is why I think minutes may be there for Farmars taking.
(5 TIE) Rodney Carney - With the sad state of Philly, Carney should be starting before too long. Hes solid defensively which is a rarity in Philly these days, and can knock down open shots. And Philly doesnt have a whole lot of other options.
(4) Tyrus Thomas - The most athletic player in the draft, I think hell have an immediate impact defensively. Hes a great shot-blocker off the weak side, and hell get up and down the floor.
(3) Randy Foye - I think itll take him a little while to adjust, but hes got great game. He can shoot from the outside, get to the basket, and play good defense. With defenses focusing their attention on KG Foye could thrive if he gets the minutes.
(2) Rudy Gay - Gay should get a decent amount of minutes, and with his enormous talent, thats all he needs to be effective. He can finish on the break, has a great pullup jumper, and should pull down rebounds. Passion & Pride likes him as their 6th Man of the Year... Ill settle for #2 on the Rookies list.
(1) Brandon Roy - I think hell have the best opportunities of all the rookies to contribute, and hes one of the most NBA ready. Portlands got young talent, but they wont be contending, which is why Roy will get a lot of minutes at the 1 and 2 guard. Hes got an NBA jumpshot, and hell be able to get into the lane.

6th Man of the Year
Leandro Barbosa - I just love his game offensively. He can score off the dribble, get out on the break with his blinding speed, and hit the open shot from downtown. He excels in the 1/2 man off the bench in the role that the Suns use him, and he should average at least 10-15 points per game off the bench for the high-scoring Suns. I think that will be enough to edge out Andres Nocioni for the 6th Man of the Year Award.

Most Overrated Players
Peja Stojakovic - On a team with many very good players he thrives. This is what happened in Sacramento when they were winning all of those games... he can stay out of the way and just hit jump shots. Which is nice, but hes sure getting paid a lot to do it. Hell knock down open shots, but Im skeptical about his ability to create for himself. Of course, with Chris Paul he may not have to.
Smush Parker - Hes an average to slightly above average 3-point shooter. Thats it. He doesnt create many shots for himself or others, hes not a great ballhandler, and hes not a great defender. Hes solid as a guard off the bench, but as a starter, I think hes very overrated.
Ben Wallace - Before you bit my head off, I think hes a bigger offensive detriment than people realize. Last year in the playoffs it was a 4-on-5 offensively for Detroit every time they had the ball. He doesnt score, and hes terrible at the line. The defense is obviously great, and Chicago is certainly better off with him, but I really think the offensive ineptitude is understated.

Most Underrated Players
Gerald Wallace - He contributes in all areas of the game. Hes a high percentage shooter and excellent rebounder at his position. But mostly hes excellent defensively. He steals (to the tune of 2.5 per game) and blocks shots (2.1 per game). And at only age 24, he should keep improving as long as the Bobcats dont try to push Adam Morrison ahead of him.
Andres Nocioni - He was my 2nd choice for 6th Man of the Year. He gets overshadowed a bit because Luol Deng plays his same position, but Nocioni is a weapon. He averaged 13 and 6 per game off the bench last year, and is a threat behind the arc. Hed be starting on a lot of teams.
Yao Ming - People obviously know about Yao, but Im not sure that everyone realize how good he really is. He has become a veritable weapon down low for the Rockets, which makes them a real threat with a healthy T-Mac. After the All-Star break last year he averaged 25.7 PPG and over 11 RPG. Hes certainly the top Center in the NBA and probably one of the top 10 players in the game right now.

Playoff Predictions
Cleveland over Orlando in 5
Detroit over New Jersey in 6
Miami over Washington in 6
Chicago over Boston in 4

Dallas over Utah in 5
San Antonio over LA Clippers in 6
Phoenix over LA Lakers in 7
Houston over Denver in 5

Cleveland over Chicago in 7
Miami over Detroit in 7

Dallas over Houston in 6
San Antonio over Phoenix in 7

Cleveland over Miami in 6
Dallas over San Antonio in 7

Dallas over Cleveland in 6



I was tempted to pick San Antonio or Phoenix in the West, but I just think Dallas it the most versatile team... more offensively potent than San Antonio, better defensively than Phoenix. That combo is enough for them to finish the job this time.

Well, how wrong am I?

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Other good readin

I got kinda busy tonight, so I wasnt able to write anything, which is either a good or bad thing depending on how you look at it. Fortunately, not everyone else took a day off, so heres what you should read instead (or in addition):

Awful Announcing has their review up of the Fox NCAA Football announcers... a good read, along with their ESPN review.

And speaking of the Fox guys, I found this quote from Bill Simmons chat to be highly amusing:

I thought Foxs coverage, in general, was almost surreal. What about Eddie George and Emmitt Smith trash-talking each other during the pregame show while Chris Rose sat there with a blank look on his face? He looked like the "Airplane" stewardess taking dinner orders from the two guys speaking jive.

The other sequence I liked from the chat:

Jeannie (Philadelphia): Did you hear the Ohio State band playing the love theme from "Titanic" during halftime of Mondays game? Please tell me Im not the only one who found the parallels between the sinking ship and the sinking Buckeyes team hilarious.

Bill Simmons: I loved it. I was delighted. I would have enjoyed it more if my ears werent bleeding from Thom Brenneman. By the way, just got coffee … Im about to wake up.

JR (San Diego): Tell Jeannie the answer is no because men dont watch the halftime show.

Good stuff there. Many say Bill Simmons has sorta gone from good to bad, and in some ways I agree as far as his columns... but he still puts out funnier stuff than most of the things I read. Sure, its sometimes cluttered around stuff that doesnt make sense, but Ive just come to accept that.

Moving on... as if you needed another reason to think Sean Salisbury is weird and creepy. But at least they fired Harold Reynolds [/sarcasm].

An era has passed... TO has fired his publicist. Thats too bad things didnt work out.

Have fun!

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