The Draft Rant, Part 2

Congrats Donnie Avery on being drafted, who are you again?

Ok people, this draft has been super crazy. Just wanted to offer my 2 cents on it. I can't wait for Kenny to talk about his Cowboys. JAG to talk about his Bengals, and for George to talk about his Colts. I'm gonna try and be polite on this one.

- How the hell is DONNIE AVERY (no offense Don, you can play) the first WR drafted? Shouldn't Mel Kiper and Todd McShay be fired for this alone?

- How does Dallas draft Felix Jones (who's been a backup his whole collegiate career, big ups to Felix though since he's from Oklahoma) when the #2 RB in the draft is sitting right there in Rashad Mendenhall?

- Cincinnati Bengals...didn't you all need a DT? You could've easily traded up to get Doresey or Sedrick Ellis yet you sat back and drafted LB Keith Rivers. Suspect if you ask me.

- How does the Tennessee Titans draft another RB by reaching for Chris Johnson at #24 when Vince Young has NO RECEIVERS. Then you finally pick a WR in the 4th round? Vince, go tell the Tennessee management to kill themselves.

- How does Carolina not draft a QB? Jake Delhomme had Tommy John surgery, David Carr needs to go kill himself, and who the hell is Matt Moore. Draft a QB, fast...

- To my Jacksonville Jaguars, you gave up your 1st, 3rd, and 4th round pick to move up 16 spots for Derrick Harvey. Hmmmm....Derrick Harvey must be a 10-sack/year guy to pay that much for him. My expectations have been set.

- Wow, the Pittsburgh Steelers were the only team I saw that was already a good team, and drafted like they knew what the hell they were doing. First off, they made ZERO trades and waited for people to land in their lap. They get Rashard Mendenhall who might be Barry Foster v2.0 , they get Limas Sweed (who landed in their lap) who could be Plaxico Burress v2.0, and in the 5th round they get the '07 first half Heisman winner in Dennis Dixon. Dennis Dixon = Kordell Stewart. Everyone in Cincinnati just threw up in their mouths.


- Colt Brennan will be a starter in the NFL. Watch.

- Don't sleep on the Patriots draft. Did you see what type of players they picked? Three OLB's and two CB's, and they are all fast. Look out, I might see another 19-0 run coming.


- For the Washington Redskins to have never drafted players in like 6 years (okay slight exaggeration, 5 years haha) and somehow they drafted 3 players in the 2nd round who were all 1st round projected picks. WR's Devin Thomas and Malcolm Kelly plus TE Fred Davis from USC are three players who will all eventually be starters. Jason Campbell has no choice but to succeed, with Clinton Portis and LaDell Betts, Santana Moss, Antwan Randle El, Chris Cooley, and 3 offensive standout rookies? Wowzers.

- I'm mad at ESPN pimping the U.S. Army and Caleb Campbell, who was drafted in the 7th round by the Detroit Lions. Campbell, a highly talented Safety from Army was projected to be a fringe late-round pick at most. ESPN highlighted his story earlier in the draft and then it almost turned into the circus. Don't get me wrong, I'm a military brat and have full respect for our soldiers, and I WILL NOT GO INTO HOW I FEEL ABOUT THE WAR on this website because I don't have the energy. However, with the constant footage, and Trey Wingo gushing all over Mr. Campbell about his drafting. They brought in Rod Marinelli for an interview, and the announcers gave him a STANDING OVATION! For what? Ron Jaworski almost feel off the stage to give Caleb a standing O. Ridiculous. Caleb handled himself very well, and I would say that the whole experience has to be overwhelming to get drafted. But the fans shouting U-S-A? Really? Go sit down, applaud the pick, and keep it moving. But first off, congrats again to Caleb Campbell. You are a fine representation of the US Army, and you were drafted because you were a very good player with next-level potential. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise.

- Go buy Grand Theft Auto IV. Even though that has nothing to do with the draft.

Okay, at the time of this article I have been moving and totally missed all things sports related on April 28th. Including the Celtics/Hawks game. All I gotta say is...ZAZA PACHULIA!!! (in a Stephen A. Smith voice) See you back in Boston.

-Ed.

Game 4, Boston v. Atlanta

The Draft Rant, Part 1

Run-DMC to the Raiders? Someone says WTF...

**By featured contributor Kenny Masenda - Check him out at www.kennymasenda.blogspot.com

At times, I can be a very disgruntled person, especially when it comes to matters of the heart. In this case, it comes courtesy of The Oakland Raiders, and for the beginning of the end, for one of my favorite players: the great Darren McFadden.

Here’s my problem with this entire process:

1. The Raiders did not need a running back. They have four already, which are Justin Fargas, Michael Bush, Lamont Jordan, AND Dominic James. Now don’t get it twisted, because I think he’s better than ALL of them, but I don’t see why they would get another back, unless they just wanna be able to tell everyone that they have the most running backs in the entire league.

2. They just gave Fargas a three-year extension, AND they just re-negotiated Rhodes’ contract, AND they are expecting Bush back, AND Lamont Jordan is still here, and it aint like he’s a total bum.

3. I’m a Cowboys fan, and secretly wanted Owner Jerry to trade up, and get him. We did get Felix Jones at #22, but he aint no McFadden.

4. I’m telling you; as sure as these house shoes on my feet are black, we have seen the best of Darren McFadden. The Raiders plan on keeping him, and since they have no reason to trade him, keep your Arkansas Razorback tapes from last year close, because they are going to find a way to ruin him.

5. I understand getting the best player available, but I don’t know why they didn’t get Dorsey instead. They had a more immediate need at defensive line, than they did at running back. I don’t know what the fuck they were thinking.

6. These fools were just talking about trading down, because they didn’t have a lot of picks (a first rounder, but then have to wait until the fourth round, pick 104), so it would have made sense to move the pick, because they need more than what the draft currently had lined up for them.

7. They were sixth in rushing last season, so that isn’t an area of need. Shit, they did this without Michael Bush, who should be completely healed from his broken leg, so once again, the idea of getting McFadden baffles the hell outta me.

I could go on and on, but the Raiders do not deserve anymore of my attention. Like I said initially, these are the thoughts of a very angry and disgruntled fan of today’s events. I hope I’m wrong, and they find a way to use him properly, but if not, today marked the beginning of the end for the best and most explosive player in the draft this year, and one of the best in recent years. Everyone can thank the Oakland Raiders for the early demise of the great Darren McFadden.

Be easy.

The Studs, Duds and Unsung Heroes, Part 1...

Dwight, can you please stop dunking on the Raps? Look at Bosh, look at him!

During the playoffs I will periodically give a breakdown of the best and worst players in the '08 playoffs. PLEASE CALL ME OUT if I miss anyone, my brain has exploded probably about 214 times due to the sheer greatness of the playoffs, and they just started Saturday!!!

**NOTE - The Spurs/Suns playoff series has the potential to be the greatest Round 1 series of all-time. Better than Heat/Knicks (Allan Houston bouncer), Celtics/Bulls (Jordan's 63), Sonics/Nuggets (scared my childhood, damn you Robert Pack), Warriors/Mavs (Unfathomable...), and Nets/Pacers (Reggie hitting a 35-footer, and dunking from just inside the free-throw line w/2 hands!!) I've never seen a team score so easily like the Suns yet at crucial times struggle to get buckets, while the Spurs seem to be able to get every crucial bucket. Crazy.**

I will give 3 designations during the playoffs: Studs, Duds, and Unsung Heroes. Keep me on my toes and make sure I don't leave anyone out. Here we go.

Studs:
Dwight Howard, Magic - Superman is AVERAGING 25 points and 22 rebounds a game. Can we say Moses Malone v2.0? This is getting ridiculous, what's the over/under on how many times Rasho Nesterovic gets dunked on in the series? +397? Stop it Dwight, just stop.

Chris Paul, Hornets - The MVP...I mean, the one who should win MVP, is AVERAGING 33.5 points and 13.5 assists. Again, this is getting ridiculous. Hey you...Jet Terry, Jason Kidd...ya'll wanna play defense? Seriously, Paul goes in and does what he wants because no one on the Mavs can guard him. Devin Harris anyone? Oops, my bad. He penetrates, wait for the defense to collapse on him, Chandler alley-oop. Peja three. David West mid-range jumper. That happened roughly 75% of the game, the other 20% was CP3 deciding to shoot and get And1's at will. Oh, the other 5%? That was the blowout where he was on the bench.

MVP! MVP! Wait...am I supposed to be yelling out loud?

Amare Stoudemire, Suns - Sigh...STAT's hit for 33 points and 7 rebounds in both games, problem is the Suns are not helping him out at all. Other than Nash's defense and Shaq's defense, is there anybody out there? Raja's not scoring, Diaw's a...well, how about he's acting real "feline" right about now. Grant Hill is playing like he's in Orlando, he's not playing. Barbosa's running around like a chicken with his head cut off. I feel bad for Phoenix, they're gonna mess around and get swept.

Tim Duncan, Spurs - Oh, you hitting 3's now? Okay gangsta Tim. That's the most excited I've seen Timmy...ever. Let's make this clear, Shaq has a good chance to guard TD21 on the block, but on the perimeter? Have you seen the Shaqtus? (Lol, ESPN said it, I died laughing) Anyway, anytime Tim's about 15 feet away, Shaq just looks at him like, "Uhhh...f*ck." Its sheer comedy. Big Fundamental is going big, with 40 points in game 1 and averaging 16 rebounds per game.

LeBron James, Cavs - Letter I received in the mail recently:

Dear Ed The Sports Fan,

I'm going to suggest that you never pick The Wizards over me and my witnesses ever again. I'm making a point out of you personally for writing the stupidest (even Sir Charles said it), dumbest playoff bold prediction article of all-time. I don't care how BOLD it was. First off, this isn't a rivalry. Why? Because Gilbert and his Zeroes have never beaten us. I'm AVERAGING damn near a triple-double (31ppg, 8apg, 8rpg) a game. Quit drinking those rum & cokes. Now excuse me while I wipe my Royal Ass with your article and Soulja Boy's inside CD cover and get ready to fly to Boston. Ya bastard. Hov!

-LBJ

(blank stare)

Duds:
Caron Butler, Wizards - Not only are you pretty much letting LeBron destroy you at will, but Caron's also struggling to slow down Wally Szcz. Not good. Also, Caron...you are allowed to score buddy. 13 points and 5 rebounds a game with 39% shooting aren't gonna cut it sir.

Mike Bibby, Hawks - Okay, I know you didn't do any talking about the C's, but maybe you should've. Damn Mike, 5 points? 1 assist? You better than that fam, you are representing all of the light-skinned brothers out there man!

Richard Hamilton & Chauncey Billups, Pistons - Should "Detroit Basketball" be worried? Philly plays good D, and if the Piston guards are gonna give you a combined 27 points a game and shoot 31% from the field, I guarantee the Pistons won't be in the playoffs long.

Big Shot and Rip better step they game up, fast.

T.J. Ford, Raptors - Where is El Calderon? TJ has struggled mightily against the Orlando defense with a 2-game output of 5.5 points per and shooting 2-17 from the field. Calderon came on strong in game 2 with 18 points and 5 assists and hit big shots down the stretch to keep Toronto in it. Coach Sam Mitchell might have an interesting decision to make in Game 3, or else Toronto will be done for.

Josh Howard, Mavericks - Hey Josh! Guess what, Dirk can't do it by himself. Your shooting 27% from the floor and just 13.5 points per game. You must've already made plans for the summer huh?

Unsung Heroes:
Jameer Nelson, Magic - The St. Joes star is playing like he's back in college with Delonte West. Getting 21 points and 5 assists per game from Nelson is huge, especially when you add that to the contributions coming from Howard, Hedo, and Rashard. Tough loss for Toronto in game 2, they might be done.

Michael Finley/Manu Ginobili, Spurs - Duncan put up the big numbers, but they don't win without Finley's killer three and Ginobili's lefty game winning drive in double OT. (By the way, Kenny pointed this out, how do you not make Ginobili drive to his right. He ALWAYS goes left. That was the easiest game winner I've seen in ages.)

Andrei Kirilenko, Jazz - Utah doesn't win their first 2 games without the defense of AK-47. McGrady's been worn out by the time of the 4th quarter and AK put up a big 21 points in game 1 of the series. They'll need him to play big to advance deep into the playoffs.

Reggie Evans, Sixers - Talk about coming up big, the round mound from Iowa gave a big-time effort with 11 and 14. Philly has no real power forward except for Evans and his play will be huge in the potential success of the Sixers vs. the Pistons.

Go ahead and smile big fella, you earned it.

Linas Kleiza/J.R. Smith, Nuggets - Denver can't waste great bench production as the due went for 38 points (23 from Linas, 15 for J.R.) But, we can look at it other way, if they didn't product like this, the Nuggets probably would've lost by 50. Their new name should be the Enver Puppets.

Which leads me to this, isn't basketball great? Look for my NFL Draft coverage over the weekend. I haven't decided on doing a pick-by-pick blog or not, we'll see...I'm tired, going to bed.

-Ed.

The Washington Wizards will make the NBA Finals...

The best matchup in the playoffs? Not Wiz/Cavs...LeBron v. DeShawn

Are you drunk?

Okay bear with me, this is a BOLD prediction...

I'm just putting this out there...because this was supposed to only be about the Wizards vs. Cavaliers.

Washington could conceivably wreck this entire playoff series in the East. Please look at the last game from the Wizards-Celtics...Here's the Washington Wizards road map to get to the finals...

Washington v. Cleveland
Washington v. Boston (sorry Atlanta)
Washington v. Detroit/Orlando (DET-ORL split series 2-2)

Then, if you don't know about Washington's history versus the best team in the NBA, the Boston Celtics.

www.sports.espn.go.com/nba/recap?gameId=280409027

Washington won the series 3-1, and won the last 3 straight. And now their fully healthy! Jamison has given KG problems in their entire career, Caron can lock down Pierce, and DeShawn gets Ray-Ray. But lets not get ahead of ourselves...

See, I told you 'Tawn gave KG problems. You thought I made it up?

Now, Cleveland and D.C. split the series 2-2 with Washington's starting 5 was never the same in all 4 games. Gilbert's amped up, DeShawn is amped up. Antawn and Caron are healthy and ready. Antawn's trying to get a new contract, they've got young talent, and Eddie Jordan is a very underrated coach.

Okay, so Washington can play "a little" defense, not a whole lot though...

Now, the counter to this is, "Oh, you just awakened a sleeping giant in LeBron." Eh, maybe. I'm just not sold on their team, pre or post trade. With this series its LeBron vs. The Wizards fully healthy. CLE 5-6 in their last 11 games and LeBron's hurting, Sasha Pavlovic is done for the season, Daniel Gibson's shooting 24% since his injury (16% from 3pt), Big Z's back is iffy.

My point is...shouldn't we be paying more attention to this? Is it not a huge stretch to say that Washington gets to the Eastern Conference Finals? The NBA Finals?

The X-Factor is Gilbert Arenas. Will he be able to defer when necessary and be a facilitator vs. a dictator. A month ago, I would've said no chance, but when I heard that Hibachi would adjust his contract so they could resign Antawn Jamison, that was major. I've only heard of Quarterbacks doing that for their team. Not "me first" point guard's with a 2-guard mentality. Maybe Gilbert's not so "me first" anymore.

The X-Factor will need to be "Hibachi Hot" but I have faith...

So here's my fearless prediction...

Wizards def. Cavaliers (4-2)
Wizards def. Celtics (4-3)
Wizards def. Magic(!) (4-2)

Wizards vs. Phoenix in the 2008 NBA Finals.

Wow...Half of me says I'm crazy, half of me says I am making a legitimate claim. What do you think? Maybe I'm drunk... they do have this guy named LeBron, anythings possible...

-Ed.

P.S. If you're a member of Alpha Phi Alpha, or a jersey enthusiast, isn't the Washington Wizards alternate jersey the hottest NBA jersey in years?


P.P.S. Just for kicks, who remembers Kobe vs. Gilbert?

Save The Sonics? Yeah Right...

Oh boy, here we go...

Taken from Wednesday's article of the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, "Maybe Howard Schultz finally gets it. His decision two years ago to sell the Sonics to fork-tongued Oklahomans promising a good-faith effort to keep the team in Seattle was a bad idea.

It just took the Starbucks mogul awhile to realize what we all suspected. For too long, he savored the sweetness of the millions he and his co-owners pocketed by selling out to the out-of-towners.

Then came the bitter aftertaste.



What did Jay-Z say? Oh yeah..."And that's so LAAAAMMMMMEEEE!"

Which brings this unsavory Sonics soap opera to its latest episode: Schultz spewing about suing Clay Bennett and the new owners. He wants to get back the Sonics -- and his reputation."

Okay, so Oklahomans who seem to be more business savvy than the owner of the largest coffee chain in the United States are now "fork-tongued" because we want to bring the Sonics to a rabid fan base where the team will be supported? Schultz knows he can't get the Sonics back, but maybe he figures his late effort will make him look better to the city of Seattle.

(Pause)

First off, Shawn Kemp was one of my favorite players growing up. The Sonics were a favorite of mine when I was a boy. I can name the '96 Western Conference Champs lineup right now.

Gary "The Glove" Payton, Hersey "The Hawk" Hawkins, Detlef "The German Assassin" Schrempf, Shawn "Reignman" Kemp, and Sam "Big Smooth" Perkins. Plus 6th man Nate McMillan.



See? Told you.

How can someone as an owner of his franchise like Howard Schultz, knowing his customer base, sell the Seattle SuperSonics to an owner who is FROM OKLAHOMA CITY!!?!? Isn't there a responsibility there from Schultz?

Now, if I own anything...am I not able to do whatever I want to with it? If I want to push my car off a cliff, its my choice. Its my car. If I own a basketball team and want to put it in Billings, Montana its my choice. Why? Because I'm the owner, I can do what I want.

If the Sonics and their "loyal" fan base wanted to keep their team, they would've voted to put some money into a new arena. Oklahoma City did with the Ford Center, so why is that not fair for Seattle to put in additional money for an arena? Granted that the people of Seattle have shelled out the money for Safeco Field (Mariners) and Qwest Field (Seahawks), and the fact that just 14 years ago financed KeyArena may have a bit of weight. However, attendance has been in decline even before the Sonics were sold to Clay Bennett. I have family in Seattle and my Uncle Bill tells me that people don't go out and wear Sonics paraphernalia. I don't think Seattle realizes (or realized at this point) what they have (had) until its getting ready to leave (gone).

Let's take a different look...Oklahoma City took the Hornets from New Orleans who were last in attendance BEFORE KATRINA HIT. When the Hornets were in OKC, they were #7 in attendance. Yes, Oklahoma City is 45th biggest market, but look at Memphis, Portland in the NBA. Jacksonville, Buffalo in the NFL. Columbus in the NHL. There are small markets that have succeeded and I don't see why OKC couldn't be any different.



Everyone's boo-hooing for the city of Seattle. My Uncle Bill's not going to miss them, and he's been there for 35 years. Who could blame him? This team has been poorly managed since the 1996 season. When they traded Shawn Kemp in a three-team trade for Vin Baker was horrible. When they gave Jim McIlvane $35 million was horrible. Signing Brent Barry was horrible. They had a decent squad in Ray Allen and Rashard Lewis and didn't do enough to keep that team sustainable, that was horrible. Drafting 7-footers like they were going out style was horrible. (Robert Swift, Johan Petro, Mohammed Sene Saer...they're like the Detroit Lions of basketball)

Ah, but lets look over the horizon. The funny thing is, I think the city of Seattle realizes what they have is about to turn around. Look at their team, they've got Kevin Durant to lead them. Jeff Green is steadily developing. They're looking at potentially getting a top 2 pick in the '08 draft. That means they could be greedy and get Michael Beasley or get themselves a point guard in Derrick Rose. They've got good big men in Chris Wilcox and Nick Collison to bang on the boards, and guess what? They will be loaded with cap space in the next 2 years. Maybe add a Corey Maggette to the squad....



So they go Rose, Maggette, Durant, Green and Wilcox? I'd be trying to keep the Sonics in Seattle. AND, they have 5 picks in the first round in the next 3 years. Maybe adding a Blake Griffin, an Oklahoma product, would be icing on the cake.

Oh well, better learn how to sing OOOOOOOOOOOO-KLAHOMA! Where the wind comes sweeping down the plains!!! The Sonics, or whatever their name might be, are headed to the SOONER STATE!

-Ed.

Gary Payton & Shawn Kemp, the best alley-oop combo of all-time.

MVP 4 CP3

Your Western Conf. Player of the Month, but its another award we're thinking about...
By featured contributor Tyrell Wolfe - Check him out at www.myspace.com/82011286

MVP is the most valuable player in the league not the best player. A player can be the best in the league but doesn’t add value to his or her team, sorry Kobe. MVP isn’t just the best player on the best team. There are too many variables that could determine the best team. One team can have a better record but play in an easier conference, sorry KG. Value is defined as the worth, importance, or usefulness of something to somebody (Encarta Dictionary). That is exactly why Chris Paul (CP3) should be the MVP. If that definition doesn’t sway you here are four reasons why CP3 should be MVP.

#1. Most Valued (see definition above)

CP3 played on a team last year that played hard through out the season and came up short of making the playoffs. He battled injury and only played in 64 games last year. Just by being on the court for 16 more games shows how valuable he is. This year he has played in almost 80 games, and his team is one of the top teams in the west. Kobe played in 76 last year and 81 this year. KG both played in 75 last year and 70 this year. CP3 plays the most valuable position on the court, point guard, not only does he have to set the pace for the game, but he has to set up opportunities for others, and find his place to score.

#2. The Standings

The Hornets are set up to finish no lower than 2nd in the west, which is an amazing turnaround for a lottery team. Not only do they play in the better conference, but they also play in the hardest division. If you don’t think so, check the playoff teams. The Southwest division is sending 4 out of 5 teams to the playoffs (New Orleans, Dallas, Houston, San Antonio), no other division can say that. The Lakers are in the west but their division is only sending 2 teams (Lakers, Phoenix), and the Celtics are in the East, enough said.

#3. The Numbers (Overwhelming Stats)

Statistical Breakdown (ranking)

Chris Paul - 21.1 ppg (21), 11.6 apg (1), 2.7 spg (1), 54 double-doubles (2), 27.8 efficiency (3), 5.8 fantasy ppg (1)

Kobe Bryant - 28.4 ppg (2), 5.4 apg (28), 1.8 spg (8), 20 double-doubles (38), 26.7 efficiency (5), 5.7 fantasy ppg (2)

Kevin Garnett - 19.0 ppg (44), 3.5 apg (68), 1.4 spg (24), 29 double-doubles (21), 25.0 efficiency (9), 4.7 fantasy ppg (19)

Stats don’t lie, CP3 is better in all the categories except one points. For a point guard he still scores 21 points a game. Other than scoring he is in the top five of all these categories. All stats from NBA.com

New Orleans needs it.

Get your weight up Kobe...

#4. The Morale Argument

Kobe plays in LA, the second biggest market in the NBA and a historic basketball city, so he gets more publicity than most players. Kobe’s already is already a household name, so he can be easily recognized. K.G. is also in a very large market, who has the best history in the NBA. Chris Paul plays in isolated New Orleans, very few fan fair or publicity. Since the hurricane New Orleans hasn’t had much to smile about, and the NBA has been committed to making it happen. Remember how the Saints 2006 season rejuvenated the city, the NBA MVP has a chance to do the same thing, if it goes to the right person. So voters when you cast your vote, think about what it could mean to see the people on New Orleans holding signs saying CP3 for MVP.

T. Wolfe

Did you know Chris Paul also owns a Guinness World Record? Check him out...

KG 4 MVP

By featured contributor Kenny Masenda - Check him out at www.kennymasenda.blogspot.com

Is it KG's turn? Someone thinks so.

I’ve seen and heard arguments for other players, and some people have made some very valid points, but if you look at this season, from top to bottom, the best team has been the Boston Celtics, and the main reason for that is the acquisition of the one and only: Kevin Garnett.

The leader of the #1 defense in the NBA

With all due respect to Ray Allen and to Paul Pierce, this team has gone through a complete transformation, from top-to-bottom, and a great majority has to do with KG being on this squad. Don’t let his numbers this year fool you. If you have not watched the games, then you will more than likely be inclined to vote for someone else, who may have staggering numbers, but those of us who watch basketball know better. KG is the consummate teammate, he makes everyone better, and he knows how to get the most out of any of his teammates on the offensive end, as well as the defensive end.

Mr. Hustleman

Speaking of defense, this is where the Celtics have made their biggest turn-around. It isn’t so much strategic, as its want-to, and HAVE-TO. You HAVE TO play defense, in order to win in this league, and KG does that. He will probably win Defensive Player of the Year as well, and it’s easy to see why. He protects the paint, he can guard wing players, and can also bang in the post. He may well be the most versatile defender in the entire league.

I don’t want to hear any crap about them playing in the East either, because the Celtics played all the powers in the West, and put it on them the exact same way they put it on the East. On top of that, they are the best team in basketball, and last time I checked, that counts for something. Granted, he missed some time this season, but anyone in their right mind knows this team goes as far as he does.

Why The Others Won’t Win It

Chris Paul – Let me get this out of the way right now; I LOVE watching Chris Paul play, and have since he played at Wake Forest. With that being said, there is no way in hell the NBA is going to give the MVP to someone in their third year, despite the brilliance he has exhibited on the court this year. They just won’t do it.

Kobe Bryant – He could get it, especially seeing how the Lakers will probably win the West, but is this really his best season???? Plus, some of his teammates have gotten WAY BETTER, as opposed to last season. Things have gone unbelievably well for them this season, as seen by anyone who has watched this team play. He’s never won it, and I’m thinking this could possibly be more of a Lifetime Achievement Award, as opposed to him actually winning the MVP, since he’s never won it, but he has a better chance than Chris Paul, whether the Lakers win the West, or not.

LeBron James – His team has been way too inconsistent, despite his monstrous efforts on the court this year. He’s doin’ this thing, but inconsistency dooms his campaign. They are in fourth place, and that fact cannot be ignored.

So that leaves one man, one man who came from the Wild West to the East, revitalized a losing franchise, and turned them from the laughing stock of the league, into a serious title contender. The ultimate teammate, but the one who will put his balls on the table, and take over (Game Seven of the 2004 Western Conference Semis against Sacramento; 32 points and 21 rebounds, and five blocks, for example), so don’t get it twisted. He chooses to defer, and allow other players to get their shine on, but when its prime-time, you know he’s there, whether it’s for a key jumper, a monster dunk, or a defensive stand at the end of the game.

KG 4 MVP...

With all that being said, it’s perfectly clear. The man who should be the 2007-08 NBA Most Valuable Player is none other than The Big Ticket….Kevin Garnett.

Be easy.

Oh yeah, did you forget Kevin Garnett was on And 1? Top 10 greatest commercials ever with the flow by Mr. Styles P

The Black Mamba for MVP, ugh...

I'm not jocking Kobe for questions, going to tell the truth on my own...

Ed does not like Kobe Bryant. You don't say? Really? I never would've thunk it.

Ok, I haven't liked Kobe since he shot those 2 airballs against the Utah Jazz in the 1997 NBA Playoffs. I really didn't like him when he snitched on Shaq. And I almost hated him when he went off on Bynum. But momma told me not to hate folks, so I just really, really, really, really really really did not like Kobe Bryant. However, I'm a grown man and I can do this. I'm going to write an article on why Kobe Dean Bryant aka "The Black Mamba" should win MVP. Ugh, here goes.

Reasons why Kobe Bryant SHOULD NOT be MVP:

1. He wanted to be traded from L.A. at least 57 times.
2. He wanted to bring in Jason Kidd, Jermaine O'Neal, and roughly 22 other players.
3. He snitched on Shaq. What did Ed and Rummy say, "Thank You For Not Snitching!" (Go watch the Boondocks if your unfamiliar)
4. He ripped Bynum about 206 new ones, for what?
5. L.A. isn't the powerhouse it is without Gasol, Bynum, Odom, and Phil Jackson. Take any one of the 4 away and they aren't contending for the #1 seed.
6. L.A. is 6-7 without Bynum or Gasol. Without Kobe in 2006-07, the Lakers were 6-2.
7. He's a selfish, prima-donna, wannabe MJ, who wore #24 just so he could feel he is one better than Jordan. (And I'm not a Jordan fan at all...)

Well, what the hell are you writing a story about Kobe 4 MVP for?

1. Because my boy Jarrell would appreciate it.
2. I take it as a personal challenge.
3. He's got a 50/50 chance to win it
4. The media is trying to give him the "lifetime achievement award" MVP because he hasn't won one yet. (Perfect example, ESPN compared Kobe and CP3 on a side-by-side. CP3 stats said, "#1 in assists per game (11.6 apg), #1 in steals per game (2.73 spg)." Kobe's said, "21,795 career points, #2 in points per game (28.4 ppg)." Which one of these don't fit? Why would you include Kobe's career points? That's not relevant to the 2007-08 season. So stop talking about it, and oh well he's never won the thing. WE DON'T CARE ITS NOT RELEVANT!) Ok, so my point is that I think I can tell the story by not doing that.

You ready? Ok, let's go.

Reason #1 - Kobe can take over the game on both sides of the court

Kobe has the ability and has shown us that he can and will lock down the best defender on the opposing team. He plays the lanes very well, and is always a threat to be an additional weakside shot blocker. Chris Paul can't do that, LeBron definitely can't do that. KG can, but his issue is that he's never taken over the game offensively, something that Kobe thrives on playing in clutch moments.

Kobe will D you up, then dunk on you. Its a real problem.

Reason #2 - Kobe improves everyone on the roster 2-12

I think that all of the MVP candidates do this well, so this somewhat of a cancellation. However, I would contend that this has been a consistent focus of his for the entire season. I can remember in years past that Kobe would say, "I'm not shooting for the entire half." Then, the Lakers would be down 20 and he'd wear a smirk like, "See, that's why you need me." No, fool. They need you to be a teammate and score." Then there would be the games were he'd go off and take 30, 40 shots, get 40-50 points (maybe even 81) and we'd be in sheer amazement. But L.A. would win about half of those games. Now, you see Kobe recognizing when to facilitate, and when to dominate, and that's when L.A. is scary.

Reason #3 - If you did a re-draft of all players in the league, who would you draft 1st?

Remember, this is not a fantasy draft. That honor would go to Bron Bron. Dwight Howard would get major consideration but D-Ho is only as good as his surroundings. Kobe gets you to .500 by himself. You see LeBron struggling to keep his team above .500 in the East. And as good as Chris Paul is at the point guard, some pundits would counter that the 1st point guard you'd choose isn't CP3, but rather Deron Williams. If you give me the 2007-08 Kobe, your chances are pretty darn good.

Reason #4 - Who takes the last shot of the game?

Okay, lets break this down. CP3 first, he probably could take the last shot of the game, but his value leans more toward getting someone else an open shot by penetration. So, the best player isn't take the best shot for the Hornets, but he's probably gonna get those players open and that has considerable value. Now, Garnett. This is easy, he's not going to take the last shot of the game. Not now on the C's, that honor still belongs to Paul Pierce. LeBron, well...he's definitely going to take the last shot of the game. But have we seen him do it enough in the playoffs? Granted he's only 23, and his run against the Pistons gives him a lot of cred, but lets look at Kobe. First off, every time I realize how long he's been in the league and how old he is...he's 29! With 11 years of NBA experience! Also armed with 3 NBA titles, he's loaded with experience, and he's hit a ton of game-winners already. Kobe gets the nod.

I think the point is to be made is that we look at Kobe and we know he's the best player in the NBA. For that, it seems that he should just win the MVP just because. However, you must weight that against how bad the Hornets would be without Chris Paul (my vote). However, for the life of this article (or until I write another article) I will push Kobe for the award.

Ugh...

Kobe's 81, I even enjoyed it...


-Ed.

Its a Three Horse Race...

Kobe Bryant, Chris Paul, Kevin Garnett...

MVP...

Who's gonna win....

If you look at the polls to the right, you'll see that the readers have spoken their feelings as well. We will display our debate with three different points of view. You might ask, where's LeBron at? It is understandable that the Cavaliers would be battling the Miami Heat for the #1 pick in the '08 draft if it weren't for LeBron. But we are identifying the three players who have taken their team to the ultimate level, not hovering around the .500 mark.

Contributors:
Kenny Masenda will write on Kevin Garnett and the resurgence of the Boston Celtics.

Tyrell Wolfe will debate on Chris Paul's legendary season at as a Point Guard.

And I will write about Kobe Bryant. For MVP. Yes, Ed will write about Kobe Bryant.

Yes you read that right, Kobe Bryant. Ed The Sports Fan writing on Kobe.

If you don't know anything else about me you will quickly realize that I'm not a fan of Kobe at all. I thought he was a snitch on Shaq, I thought he was a selfish player, I thought he was overly cocky, and I thought he was a winer. And I still do. But I'm challenging myself to write a concise piece on probably the best player in the NBA.

And this is why you write the articles. Stay tuned...

This is the craziest commercial of all-time. At first, I thought Shaq was gonna rip through the split-screen and bite Kobe's head off. Nevertheless, a great commercial.


-Ed.

The Juice Is Ready...

OJ Mayo.

When you read his name, what are your first thoughts of him?

Overhyped? Selfish? Overrated?

Understandable, but after watching him play this season and getting a better understanding of what his USC team was all about, I totally get why he played the way he did. In fact, I would say that in the 2nd half of the season he made his team better. Yeah, I said it, better.

So I say all of this to say the following: OJ Mayo will be a perennial all-star and help his team become a future title contendor.

Ed that's ridiculous, are you on meds? No, not this time. At least I don't think so. Well, who does he play like? He plays like Chauncey Billups. He's 6'4", 210 lbs. He's not like Rajon Rondo where his jumper is an offensive liability. He's an above average defender that can guard both the point and the two.

There's just one slight problem...looking at the potential draft order, we know that Michael Beasley and Derrick Rose will go #1 and #2. Cool. However picks 3-5 are an interesting one. The Grizzlies are primed to get the #3 pick and would probably take Brook Lopez as a potential replacement for Pau-Pau. (However, there's no way in hell I take Lopez at #3. But we're talking about the Grizzlies. Yay for GM Chris Wallace!) At #4, Minnesota's up and they could go a couple of different directions. They probably don't go PG (Jerryd Bayless, OJ Mayo, Eric Gordon still available) and I could see them trading down. For a pick sake I see them going with Eric Gordon to play alongside Randy Foye. And that leads us to the #5 pick in the draft...and what team could be at #5...

The New York Knickerbockers.

Could you imagine OJ Mayo playing for the Knicks? This could be one of the worst/greatest things to ever happen in NBA history. On one hand, he could just become another misfit on a team full of misfits (shout-out to Nate Robinson and David Lee, love their game), coached by the ultimate misfit, owned by the king misfit.

Or he could be the savior. Move Jamal Crawford back to the 2, play Wilson Chandler (look him up) at the 3, and David Lee and Zach Randolph at the 4 and 5. Obviously, this isn't the greatest lineup of all-time. But in the East, anything's possible.

And I'm betting on the possible.

Don't Be a Menace to Manhattan While Playing The Juice in the Garden.

Please? I hate the Knicks and they don't deserve this.

-Ed.

Here's OJ in highschool in his last dunk of his HS career. Gets T'd up, takes a standing ovation and daps dang near everyone in the arena. Totally oblivious to the refs or coaches. Classic.

Fine Female Athletes...

Ok, so I've gotten over the Memphis scandal in San Antonio (no I haven't) and am looking to address a couple of issues here, but first, what better way to get rid of a torrid thought of free throws and a couple of shaky calls by looking at beautiful women.

So, I am now attempting to showcase the finest athletic women I can find. Now, you won't see the typical women on here; Anna K. and Serena because that's too easy. Here we go with my list, no order, just a list:

Ed The Sports Fan's 1st-Team All Could Get It List

Candace Parker
Jr. Forward/Center, Tennesee (LA Sparks)

1st-Team All-America, Player of the Year

At 6'5", she's the truth. Unfortunately, she's with Shelden Williams. Oh well...

Candice Wiggins

Sr. Forward, Stanford (Minnesota Lynx)

1st-Team All-America

The 5'11" forward has a cute smile and big time game. Yes sir.

Jennie Finch

Pitcher, Arizona (USA Softball)

Completed the greatest season for a pitcher, 32-0 as a Junior

Unfortunately, she is now married. But please, just pitch me one fastball...

Christine Arron

Sprinter, France

Current 100m European Record Holder

Originally from Guadeloupe, can't let her run away...

Sabrina Gregory

Guard, UNC Charlotte

First Team All-A10

She could be my Point Guard anytime, oh boy...

Mia St. John

Boxer, USA

Current Record: 22-1

Ummm, mama said knock me out...

Kristie Leskinen

Freestyle Skier, USA

Bronze Medalist, Women's Superpipe

Gotta love a snowbunny :)

Lindsey Harding

Guard, Duke (Minnesota Lynx)

Former 1st-Team All-American, Member of All-Rookie Team

Even though I don't like Duke, probably my favorite former Blue Devil :)

Claudia Porras

Forward, UTEP (Bolivia)

Integral role-player for the WAC Champion UTEP Miners

Please don't leave for Bolivia...

Reader Submission (Okay, I just forgot about her...sue me)

Sanya Richards

University of Texas (Team USA Track)

400m American Record Holder

Unfortunately, she's with Aaron Ross of the NY Giants. But...oh boy.

Others that are cute that I couldn't find appropriate pictures for:

Chioma Nnamaka - Georgia Tech (2008 3pt Champion)

Keisha Swanier - UConn (Drafted 12th in the 2008 WNBA Draft)

Ok, so I'm sure there will be some debate on my selections, but I tried to have some diversity and show some new faces. Like I said, anyone can show you Anna K., Serena, Laila, Amanda Beard, etc. Let me know what you think, and be on the lookout for the NBA Playoff Writeups in the next couple of weeks.

-Ed.

If you missed the 2008 College Slam Dunk Contest, you missed a helluva dunk from Patrick Ewing Jr. (probably the best thing he did in his college career, but I digress...)

Ed's down for an 8 count...

Let's just say Ed The Sports Fan's stunned...

Its been 24 hours since the demise of the Memphis Tigers took place by the hands of the Kansas Jayhawks in San Antonio, Texas.

I'm not over it. I'm just not. Its weird because me and some of my frat brothers and friends were at my house watching the game, and my frat Dame hit me and said, "What's up with you saying 'we'? Is Memphis your team?"

And it hit me, I had put my heart into Memphis. As you all know I'm from Oklahoma, and I ride or die with my Sooners or Cowboys through thick and thin.

But damn...I bought into CDR-uh and his slasher style. I saw the potential greatness of D. Rose. I liked the versatility of Antonio Anderson. I liked the grittiness of Dorsey, Taggart, and Dozier. I liked the 300+ pound big man Pierre Niles, who was super tattoed up, with "Memphis" on his forearm.

I liked them sooooo much I totally forgot about their fatal flaw. Its kinda like some women who come into your life - smoking hot, cute face, slim waist, nice "assets", and is independent. Gotta love it. But....she's a smoker, or is ridiculously dumb, can't cook at all, or find out that she had an orgy with the entire basketball team (walk-ons too). You know, the type of things that could prevent you from going all the way with her.

Well, I forgot about that with Memphis, and we all saw their fatal flaw Monday night.

They can't shoot free throws when it counts. Regardless of what Rev. Calipari told us all season, when it counted, it didn't happen.

And for that, I feel like I was at the altar waiting for my wife and she never showed up...

Gotta get ready for the NBA Playoffs, NFL Draft, NBA Draft, The 2008 Olympics, and an intriguing MLB Baseball Season. I'm gonna take 48 hours and recover. Please leave some comments or e-mail me at ed@edthesportsfan.com with your thoughts about the game and other user suggestions you'd like to see for the website. Thanks.

-Ed.

Will the real Derrick Rose please stand up...

MEMPHIS v. KANSAS (Just as I predicted...)

X-Factors: Sherron Collins & Antonio Anderson could be huge Monday Night

Yeah, just for the record, I now think that Kevin Love is more like David West than Psycho-T. I got my big white boys that the press love to hype confused. Also, I actually had Tennessee vs. Texas in the Championship. Shows what the hell Ed knows. Seriously, this had to be the year that all those people at your job who just follow enough basketball to say, "North Carolina looks really good this year" probably won your office pool. All of us aficionados of the game would say, I'm not picking ALL 4 #1's to get to the Final Four. Its happened...never. Yet ESPN showed that over 400,000 PEOPLE picked the Final Four correctly yet out of the 400,000, ZERO picked the correct the Sweet 16 and Elite 8. You know what that means?

That people guessed the pool. They went to all the favorites and picked the #1's to win. Folks who have no business winning won because they "didn't" know the history. I'm sorry for you guys who picked Louisville, Pittsburgh, USC, and others. You see who I picked...Regardless, this is why March Madness is greeeeeaaaaat!!!

On to the analysis...

The Big Men Battle: Darrell "I'm on the brink of being the next Chris Bosh or Earl Barron" Arthur, Darnell "I'm from Oklahoma but I did the smart thing and signed with Kansas" Jackson & Sasha "I could be the next Sla-va Med-ve-den-ko" Kahn vs. Joey "Ben Wallace is my hero" Dorsey, Robert "Can I please have a double cheeseburger" Dozier & Shawn "Thank God I transferred from Iowa State" Taggert (plus Pierre Thomas, "who ate Dozier's double cheeseburger" he gotta be 300+ lbs)

The Battle of "I play hard when I want to or Hope this helps my draft status" Swingmen: Chris Douglas-Roberts aka "CDR-uh" vs. Brandon "Let His Adrenaline" Rush

The Chi-Town Step Out Battle: Sherron "I look like Clinton Portis" Collins vs. Derrick "Did you see Darren Collison's face when he had to guard me" Rose...

Here's the thing with the matchup, at first glance both teams seem evenly matched. But take a look at the potential matchups:

• G - Russell Robinson (6'1")/Sherron Collins (5'11") vs. Derrick Rose (6'3")
• G - Mario Chalmers (6'1") vs. Antonio Anderson (6'6")
• G/F - Brandon Rush (6'6") vs. Chris Douglas-Roberts (6'7")
• F - Darnell Jackson (6'8") vs. Robert Dozier (6'9")
• F - Darrell Arthur (6'9") vs. Joey Dorsey (6'9")

The Darren Collison face...

Now...after seeing the "Darren Collison" face on Saturday night. You know, the "Do you see me getting DESTROYED on national television by CDR-uh and D. Rose. I wanna dig a hole and bury myself" look? Who guards Derrick Rose? Chalmers, Robinson, and Collins are all way to small to guard him. Plus, Anderson (who is very underrated and will play in the NBA) will have 5 inches on whoever guards him because now look...Kansas has to put their best offensive player, Brandon Rush, on CDR-uh. If you haven't noticed, Brandon isn't the biggest fan of defense. I'd say this could be an issue in the 2nd half and the guard play will make the difference as both Kansas and Memphis' big men will cancel each other out in the end.

CDR-uh will deserve the MVP but they'll give it to Rose because that's how the media does it.

Turn on your Three 6 Mafia or B.B. King music...

Final Score - Memphis 85, Kansas 80

Oh, and the play of the game and momentum changer as far as I'm concerned, courtesy of my boy, Mr. CDR-uh



-Ed.

CDR = Chris Deserves Respect

CDR, come out and get your respect bro...

Did I miss the memo?

You know the memo that Derrick Rose is the best player on Memphis Tigers? The media has been saying that Derrick Rose is the best player on Memphis all week. Excuse me? Didn't Chris Douglas-Roberts just make 1st-Team All-American? Let's do a comparison based on numbers:

Chris Douglas-Roberts: 18 ppg, 4 rpg, 2 apg (55% FG, 42% 3PT, 71% FT)

Derrick Rose: 15 ppg, 4 rpg, 5 apg (48% FG, 35% 3PT, 70% FT)

Gotta go CDR baby, D. Rose don't let 'em do you like that!

Now, I do understand that Rose has more upside but isn't CDR (from Detroit, 313 stand up) a lock to be like Rip Hamilton with more athleticsm. Maybe even Caron Butler, because CDR is a great defender. Derrick Rose probably compares to be a Baron Davis/Dwyane Wade hybrid who can go to the rack, rise, and dish the ball and make players better.

But he ain't there yet, AND i might even add that Dorsey is probably the 2nd most important player on their squad behind CDR. I'd say Rose is more X-Factor than anything, as he's capable of being a solid contributor or blowing up and getting you 30 and 8.

Don't trip, Derrick Rose is the man. I'm pulling for him to go to Indiana in the '08 Draft. Come on ping pong balls!

Be that as it may, I'm picking Memphis over UCLA. The Bruins carpet ride is coming to an end and Walton, Jabbar, and Toby Bailey aren't walking thru those doors.

By the way, say what you want about Toby but he was the man at UCLA...

Going Back To School - When their rookie season ends, Kevin Durant and Jeff Green are going back to school. The decision to attend summer school means Durant and Green will not play with the Sonics summer league team in Orlando. -- The Seattle Times

(Ed stands up and gives a standing ovation to KD & JG, you should too.)

-Ed.

Introducing The Best #00 Since The Chief...

Kenny likes Mr. Arthur - The questions is how much will UNC love him Saturday night...

**Mr. Soul On Ice, Kenny Masenda is back to grace Ed The Sports Fan with some more of his thoughts. Be sure to check him out at http://www.kennymasenda.blogspot.com/. Thanks again everyone for commenting on the site and showing love. Stay posted for more posts and news on Ed The Sports Fan, later. -Ed.**

Well, we all know what time it is: The Final Four, where for once, all the number one seeds are in it to win it. Honestly, there may not be a "favorite", because all of the teams have a strong case to win it.

Some people feel its UCLA's time, and for good reason.

Some people say Memphis is due, and if anyone saw how they BLASTED the Michigan State Spartans and Texas Longhorns last weekend, its hard to argue against them.

You have North Carolina, who has been playing extremely well all tournament. (And ya'll know Ed now likes Psycho-T...)

Then you have Kansas, who has gotten back to the Final Four for the first time since 2003, and...if you're a "conspiracy theorist" you may believe the 20th anniversary of them winning their last national title (against Oklahoma, Ed is bashing his head against the wall as we speak...) just may mean they are due as well, thus this being their year. One huge factor will be the play of one of their most talented players, Darrell Arthur.

While his numbers don't scram at you like a Tyler Hansbrough, Joey Dorsey, or a Kevin Love, Arthur can be pretty effective himself. With strong defense, great interior presence, and all-around solid effort, he is the complete package. He also has championship experience, having been the star of the now four-time, defending Class 4A State Champion South Oak Cliff Golden Bears in Dallas, TX. one thing you can count on is this man will not be intimidated at all by playing in front of a huge crowd. Arthur will give Hansbrough all he can handle on Saturday night, and if the Kansas Jayhawks are able to get by North Carolina, a huge part of that will be due to the play of Arthur.

He hasn't had a particularly strong tournament to this point, but when the competition reaches its peak, like it will be on Saturday night, look for #00 (Arthur, that is) to rise to the occasion and play a huge factor in the outcome of this matchup.

Be easy.

Soul On Ice

Psycho-T vs. David West..WHAT??!?

Cover boy Psycho-T vs. Mr. Reliable David West. Hmmm...Ed what are you thinking??

First off, congratulations to UNC, Kansas, UCLA and Memphis in making the Final Four. In lieu of the constant breakdown of the Final Four participants I will attempt to give you bits of information that you may not know about the 4 teams in the tournament and I'll give you a prediction as well. Not that it'll be correct or anything...

I have been in the doghouse about UNC because I personally felt that they were underrated (weak non-conference schedule, the ACC being down this year) and wouldn't make it this far.

Boy was I wrong.

Well, after watching UNC a little more closely I've come to the conclusion that Tyler Hansbrough will be a good pro. I'm not saying perennial all-star and hall-of-famer, but I had a revelation...

Tyler Hansbrough is the next David West. Go ahead, laugh away. Get it out your system.

You don't believe me? Check what ESPN Analyst Chad Ford said about David West in the '03 draft:

Ford's Take: "Not a bad pick. He's kind of a shorter version of P.J. Brown. But why not take a flier here on Brian Cook? Cook is taller, a more well-rounded player, and could help stretch defenses with his perimeter skills. West will be a solid player. But at No. 18 you could get so much more."

BRIAN COOK???!?!?


USA Today's Roscoe Nance: Like many power forward prospects of NBA drafts past, West is another athlete trying to shed the "undersized"label. He measures just 6-8 with shoes, a far cry from the 6-10-plus that many of the NBA's newest 4-men are coming into the league at. Because West is not an outstanding athlete, it could be hard for him to compensate. That, coupled with mediocre performances in workouts this month, is a sign that he may slip in the draft.

Doesn't that sound a lot like Hansbrough and what he'll be facing?

I think Hansbrough is a better athlete than people think. He'll make up for a lot of his shortcomings with his hustle, and his jumper has come a long way from when he was a Freshman. I think he's a 15 and 8 kinda guy when he hits his prime. Maybe more, maybe less. At best he could evolve into a David West type, but he'll automatically be waaaaay better than Mark Madsen.

These are just my thoughts, don't hate me Amerikkka...

-Ed.

YouTube of the Day - If you haven't seen Stephen A. Smith (my guy) get heckled at the 2006-07 Drafts, take a minute and enjoy it...