Lorenzo Cain's Unbelievable Leaping Catch

During last night's Brewers/Reds affair, Milwaukee outfielder Lorenzo Cain made an outstanding play on a ball hit by Ryan Hanigan.

Not only does he sacrifice the body, he leaps into the scoreboard portion of the padded wall with no regard for human life:

By Ben Chew with No comments

Ndamukong Suh Nearly Decapitates Jake Delhomme

Although this video has already made the rounds on ESPN, I figured that posting it here is still pretty worthwile.

During this weekend's Lions/Browns preseason game, Lions rookie defensive lineman Ndamukong Suh nearly decapitates Browns quarterback Jake Delhomme on an illegal hit:



So, I guess the experts were wrong when they said Suh didn't have a mean streak, huh?

By Ben Chew with No comments

How Big League Baseball Can Learn From The Little Guys

Lies, performance-enhancing drugs and questions about putting asterisks on historical records has become baseball’s reputation thanks to the spawn of the Steroids Era in Major League Baseball in the 1980s.

Jose Canseco was one of the best baseball players during the 1980s and 1990s. Years later, he wrote a book about his steroid use and the widespread use of it throughout baseball clubhouses everywhere.

Barry Bonds is the current owner of the baseball home run record, but came out stating that he never “knowingly” took PEDs during his illustrious career.

Roger Clemens recently got indicted on perjury charges after he was accused of lying about his steroid use. “The Rocket” has won the most CY Young awards ever with seven.

All three of these players are only a tiny shred of the list of players who have used steroids during their baseball career. The temptation of cheating and using PEDs for personal gain has become an epic dilemma that will haunt baseball forever.

Major League baseball needs a change and a new fresh outlook. They need to reclaim the pureness and camaraderie that it inspired before the steroids era tainted the sport.

The answer: the kids.

The 2010 Little League World Series wrapped up on August 29th, 2010 as the international champions, Japan, defeated the United States champions, Hawaii. The team from Tokyo celebrated at the pitcher’s mound after their win by collecting dirt from the mound as souvenirs of their great achievement.

That moment was a reflection of how the game has regained some inspiration and dignity. The sport was appreciated for all the blessings the players received because of it.

An appreciation that has been lost in the big leagues.

All the kids in the tournament happily ran around the outfield making diving catches and miraculous snags of groundballs around the diamond not for the sake of popularity or to increase their own value, but for the sake of helping the team.

There were no players worried about their stats or records they could accomplish. They had one goal in mind through each game they played; they are playing for more than themselves, they were playing for their country.

That understanding was felt by each player of each team.

The best players from all the squads were always the most quiet who led by example and their play, not by their statistics and contract earnings. They didn’t use their baseball ability to become bigger than the sport; they used it to enhance who they represented.

A team essence was felt in each and every game they played. Whether it was the team from Texas, who all sported eye black like young phenom Bryce Harper, or the team from Taiwan, who had a pitcher-by-committee rotation; each team understood that they needed each other to play unselfishly to become champions.

Major League Baseball needs to regain that unselfishness the league once exemplified.

The majors were once a great league that defined what baseball was all about. Baseball is one of the ultimate team sports and past players knew that their output was important for the success not just for the team, but for the legacy of the sport.

Being great was never about records, money nor doping to gain an advantage.

Now, the legacy of baseball has become tainted with selfish players and cheaters looking for a way to hold all the records and make the millions of dollars.

What was once the sport labeled “America’s Pastime” has now become “America’s Worst Crime”. An injustice created by a sport that was born in the United States when the Major League formed in 1901.

The Little League teams have always looked up to the stars in baseball as their heroes and inspiration as they hope to one day be like them.

Maybe it’s time the Major Leaguers emulate the Little Leaguers.

By Norcal JW with No comments

Roger Clemens' pleas fall on deaf ears in court of public opinion

As reported in multiple media outlets, a federal grand jury indicted former New York Yankees pitcher Roger Clemens on charges of making false statements to Congress about his use of performance-enhancing drugs.

The indictment charges Clemens with one count of obstruction of Congress, three counts of making false statements and two counts of perjury in connection with his testimony before a bipartisan House committee in February 2008.

Clemens’ fall from grace began when his name was mentioned 82 times, second only to Jose Canseco, in the Mitchell Report on steroid use in baseball. In the report, Brian McNamee, hired by Clemens in 1998 to be his personal strength coach, stated during the 1998, 2000, and 2001 baseball seasons, he injected Clemens with Winstrol, a synthetic anabolic steroid derived from testosterone.

And although former teammate and Yankees starting pitcher Andy Pettitte corroborated McNamee’s statements and testimony before the House oversight committee, Clemens vehemently denied his use of steroids; a stance the seven-time Cy Young Award winner maintained when summoned to formally respond to the stinging accusations.

In a Washington federal court on Monday, Clemens pleaded not guilty to all six counts of perjuring himself before Congress. Subsequently, United States District Judge Reggie Walton set a date of April 5, 2011 to begin the proceedings of a trial that could culminate in a crash landing for ‘The Rocket’.

If convicted on all six counts, Clemens could face up to 30 years in prison and a $1.5 million fine, although 15-21 months would be the more likely sentence under United States sentencing guidelines.

However, even if exonerated in federal court, the man who amassed 354 wins and 4,672 strikeouts during a stellar 24-year career will always have a verdict of guilty rendered against him in the court of public opinion.

Therefore, this is a far cry from a case of innocent until proven guilty or guilty until proven innocent. This is a classic demonstration of guilty even if the charges can’t be proved in a court of law; with the ultimate result being a wanton lack of appreciation for what Clemens accomplished on the field by baseball writers and fans alike.

Don Sutton, Gaylord Perry, Phil Niekro and even Yankees great Whitey Ford pitched with surgical precision on the mound during their respective careers, but they were equally notorious for illegally ‘doctoring’ and/or ‘loading’ baseballs to achieve extremely favorable results.

Yet all four hurlers were inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame while their history of subterfuge is considered virtually laughable in the annals of baseball. And these are proven cheaters of the game.

But, despite the absolution of the aforementioned transgressors, the reality of the situation for Roger Clemens is he will never find true justice because the court of public opinion has already convicted him with no possibility of a retrial.

His name will no longer receive the adulation and respect it did less than five years ago and the doors of the Hall of Fame will remain closed to the 11-time All-Star for as long as they remain locked to the likes of Pete Rose.

However, when it comes to casting judgment on ‘The Rocket’, anything short of a confession, a conviction in a court of law or the discovery of irrefutable evidence that Clemens used performance-enhancing drugs should be considered a prejudiced and premature conclusion.

Unfortunately, hypocrisy has blinded those within the circles of Major League Baseball to the fact that it has cheated justice throughout history as much as the individuals it has disowned for allegedly cheating the game.

Click here to read the original article on Examiner.com, which includes relevant links and a special video report on the plea made by Roger Clemens in federal court.

By RMM with 1 comment

Baseball Manager Freak-Out #2,110: Gives Fan First Base After Tirade

Obviously as you can tell, I am in-depth follower of the State College Spikes out in Pennsylvania.

Recently, manager Gary Robinson was not happy with a call made by an umpire and proceeded to freak out to the nth degree.

After taking it out on the umpire who made the call, Gary decided to take first base and that's where the fun begins:

By Ben Chew with No comments

Fantasy Drafthelp: Football Training Camp Updates

These are the following revisions to our draft board in FANTASY FOOTBALL DRAFTOLOGY 2010 since it went to press on August 1 (anytime a player is listed as making any kind of move, other players in the proximity on the board should be assumed as rising or falling one spot per move accordingly):

QB UP
Jake Delhomme: from off the board to 18
Matt Cassel: from off the board to 26

QB DOWN
Matt Leinart: from 15 to off the board

RB UP
CJ Spiller: from 29 to 21
Jahvid Best: from 34 to 27
Arian Foster: from 41 to 28
LaDainian Tomlinson: from off the board to 33
Leon Washington: from off the board to 37
Mike Bell: from off the board to 44

RB DOWN
Knowshon Moreno: from 10 to 13
Ben Tate: from 42 to off the board

WR UP
Terrell Owens: from 35 to 28
Jacoby Jones: from 50 to 39
Mike Williams: from off the board to 51
Nate Burleson: from 48 to 41
Chris Chambers: from 58 to 43
Bernard Berrian: from 59 to 32

WR DOWN
Larry Fitzgerald: from 4 to 8
Sidney Rice: from 7 to 58
Vincent Jackson : from 17 to 21
Percy Harvin: from 29 to 40
Donnie Avery: from 64 to off the board

By Rick Morris with No comments

The Case for Joe Girardi to Leave New York Yankees

Prior to the opening stanza of a three-game series with the Chicago White Sox, New York Yankees manager Joe Girardi addressed recent speculation surrounding his interest in the Chicago Cubs’ managerial position.

Girardi, a native of East Peoria, Illinois, is in the final year of a three-year, $7.5 million contract with New York and has already become the fourth most successful manager, behind Ralph Houk, Billy Martin and Clark Griffith, among the 17 former Yankees players who have been elevated to the position.

So while Girardi is attempting to lead the Bronx Bombers to a second consecutive World Series Championship, the Chicago Cubs are contemplating how to fill the void left by Lou Piniella, who retired on August 22 to care for his ailing mother.

And under the ownership of the Ricketts family, members of the Forbes 400, it appears that the Cubs would be willing to open the coffers in a concerted effort to lure Girardi away from the Big Apple.

With this stark reality in mind, Girardi, a graduate of Northwestern University, towed the company line in final comments to the media this season regarding his pending free agency; but the former Cubs catcher fell short of going on record with an unequivocal declaration that New York is where he wanted to manage next season.

"I'm going to talk about it for a few minutes today and that's going to be it. As I've said all along, my responsibility is to the Yankees. I was hired by the Yankees to do a job, we're in a division race, a very tight division race, and my job is to prepare this team to play every day. That's what I'm focusing on."

"I'm happy with my contract situation”, Girardi continued. “I feel I'm fortunate to be one of 30 managers with a contract right now managing in the big leagues. There are people in this organization that have done a lot more for this organization than I have that don't have contracts (for next season). We're not worried about it for next year. I'm worried about right now."

The task at hand, guiding the Yankees to World Title #28, may be in the forefront of Girardi’s mind but, championship or not, once New York’s season officially comes to an end there is no doubt that the 2006 National League Manager of the Year will give the Cubs every opportunity to present their case.

Essentially, Chicago is where Girardi was born and raised, where he went to high school and college, and where he spent the majority of his professional baseball career.

In addition, the Cubs' organization not only has an apparent willingness to compete with the Steinbrenner conglomerate for Girardi's services but the wherewithal to outbid them as well.

Finally, the Chicago Cubs haven’t won a World Series Title in 102 years and have been dubbed “The Lovable Losers” due to this distinction. As manager of the Cubs, Girardi would have the chance to make baseball history and achieve iconic status in the Windy City by ending the longest championship drought in North American professional sports today.

Never would one man be appreciated, beloved and celebrated more by one city for winning a single championship than for racking up multiple championships in another.

Basically, unless he wins in excess of four World Series Titles, Girardi will always be considered a spoke in the wheel of a New York franchise on virtual cruise control whereas he would be largely viewed as the main cog in the Cubs’ drive to end a century long dry spell the moment he becomes their skipper.

These are the factors that should weigh heavily on Girardi’s mind when he emerges as the hottest managerial free agent within the next couple of months; and the Chicago Cubs should be able to present an extremely compelling argument for Girardi to take the road less traveled and leave the New York Yankees in the absence of a critical firestorm.

In all likelihood though, Girardi won't leave the secure confines of the Yankees clubhouse for one that will require a few years to rebuild and retool. However, stranger things have happened in the annals of baseball.

Click here to read the original article on Examiner.com, which includes relevant links and a special video presentation regarding the Chicago Cubs’ managerial possibilities.

By RMM with 1 comment

Where the New York Mets Went Wrong This Season

With a 3-0 victory over the first-place Atlanta Braves on July 11, the New York Mets entered the All-Star break with a record of 48-40; leaving them four games back in the National League East race and only one game behind the Colorado Rockies and the Los Angeles Dodgers in the Wild Card standings.

But since that particular point in time, the Mets proceeded to drop 24 out of their last 40 contests to fall to fourth in the division, nine games south of the front-running Braves, and seven games behind the Philadelphia Phillies for the National League Wild Card.

And even though there are still 34 games left in the season, there isn’t a preponderance of evidence demonstrating that New York can make a miraculous run to their first post-season appearance since 2006.

As with last season, there are many factors attributable to the Mets’ failure to be in the thick of the playoff hunt going into September; and the burden of blame can be placed squarely on the shoulders of front office and player personnel alike.

5. The mid-season meltdown of Mike Pelfrey

In the first half of the season, ‘Big Pelf’ appeared to be a viable National League Cy Young candidate as he emerged as the anchor of New York’s starting rotation.

But in five July starts, Pelfrey went 0-3 with a 10.02 ERA in a month where the Mets lost 16 of 25 games. During that span, the Mets went from second in the division race to fourth and from 2 games behind the Braves to 6.5.

Although Pelfrey has regained his form in recent weeks, going 3-2 with a 1.82 ERA in August, his July swoon was a significant contributor to a Mets’ free fall that has essentially taken them out of playoff contention.

4. Home is where the victories are

The Mets have pulled a Dr. Jekyll/Mr.Hyde-like performance at home and on the road this season.

New York is tied for seventh in home victories (38) in the National League while tying for fourth (40) in road losses.

If the Mets had simply broke even away from Citi Field at this juncture, translating to a 33-33 record, they would trail Atlanta by only two games in the division and would be tied with Philadelphia in the National League Wild Card standings.

3. The unfulfilled promise of Jason Bay

After a 2009 season that saw him earn a third All-Star selection, hit 36 home runs and 119 RBI’s, and be named one of the 50 greatest current players in baseball by the Sporting News, Bay signed as a free agent with New York to the tune of $66 million over four years.

And as the biggest fish they landed this past off-season, the Mets were expecting Bay to infuse significant power into the lineup that rivaled his previous six seasons where he averaged 26 home runs and 99 RBI’s per year.

Instead, Bay, a career .278 hitter, has seen his average dip to .259 and his home run (6) and RBI (47) production plummet to their lowest levels since 2003. In addition, Bay’s slugging percentage (.402) is the lowest it’s been in his entire career.

Bay has been on the 15-day DL since July 30 after suffering a concussion in a game against the Los Angeles Dodgers and Mets’ manager Jerry Manuel doesn’t expect his starting left fielder to return this season.

2. Team hitting has been offensive rather than on the offensive

Out of the 16 teams in the National League, New York is 13th in runs scored (517), 14th in hits (1,069), 13th in doubles (209), 13th in home runs (96), 13th in total bases (1,636), 14th in RBI’s (492), 14th in batting average (.248), 14th in on base percentage (.314) and 14th in slugging percentage (.379).

This is a crying shame considering the Mets’ pitching staff is fifth in the league in ERA (3.65) after being looked upon as a team weakness entering this season.

1. Mets’ front office watches the trade deadline come and go

There are certain points during a baseball season where the action or inaction of the front office can mean the difference between a team playing meaningful baseball in September and October or merely playing out the string.

And when the Mets’ front office decided to stand pat with the trade deadline (July 31) looming, they essentially gave up on the season while New York still had the chance to become one of the surprise stories of the 2010 season.

Instead, all that remain are questions about exactly where the organization is headed. And for a demanding baseball market like New York, this is simply unacceptable.

Click here to read the original article on Examiner.com, which includes relevant links and a special video presentation to lift the spirits of Mets' fans.

By RMM with No comments

Send in the Links (8/27/2010)

-> Bad News for Stephen Strasburg (No Guts, No Glory)
-> Fan gets Banned From Minor League Stadium For Life (Out of Bounds)
-> Pour Out A Little Liquor for BallHype (NESW Sports)
-> Really, Hank Steinbrenner, Really? (Unathletic Mag)
-> Scottie Pippen Gets A Statue, An Awesome Bronze Statue (That NBA Lottery Pick)

Today's Moment of Awesome: You're Going the Wrong Way!



(Courtesy of The Score)

By Ben Chew with No comments

Thrillist Quickens Pulse of Fantasy Football Fans in NYC

From August 22 to August 24, men’s lifestyle e-mail newsletter and website, Thrillist.com, lived up to the first six letters of its name by hosting a next-level fantasy football extravaganza at New York City’s multimedia nerve center Pulse.

Sponsored by Mike’s Hard Lemonade and Yahoo!, ten lucky sweepstakes winners and their fantasy football league rivals conducted their respective drafts within the luxurious confines of Thrillist’s Ultimate Draft Suite, where food, drinks and merriment were in abundance and fantasy football took center stage in the heart of midtown New York.

The guests of the Ultimate Draft Suite were treated to numerous amenities that included:

- A commissioner’s podium where thought-provoking and trash talk-inducing draft selections were officially announced ala Roger Goodell

- Drafting via Yahoo!'s stratospherically high-tech fantasy football game, in addition to advice guides courtesy of Yahoo!

- Yahoo! fantasy football experts on hand that patiently answered any and all drafting questions

- Cheerleader waitresses who served refreshing beverages, tailgate-worthy sustenance and rousing cheers

- Hot shaves in between picks, courtesy of King of Shaves

- Old-school inspirational gridiron videos which contained slow-motion footage and pulse-pounding musical scores

On the final evening of the three-day event, New York Giants wide receiver Ramses Barden made an appearance to mingle with the drafters and offer his expertise on what thousands of fantasy football die-hards consider the single, most important time of the year.

Founded in 2005 by University of Pennsylvania graduates Adam Rich and Ben Lerer, and based out of New York City, Thrillist has become a virtual city guide for men in the 21- to 34-year-old demographic with editions in New York and twelve other cities in the United States (Atlanta, Austin, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Miami, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Seattle, Washington D.C.) and an international edition in London.

The upcoming schedule for the increasingly popular men’s newsletter includes stops in the Midwest and on the West Coast where Thrillist will bring the Ultimate Draft Suite to Chicago and San Francisco, respectively, for a reboot of the Suite-est draft experience in existence.

Click here to read the original article on Examiner.com, which includes relevant links and a special video presentation featuring pictures from Thrillist’s Ultimate Draft Suite.

By RMM with No comments

Chad OchoCinco Gets A Cereal

In the annals of athletes endorsing food, Bengals wide receiver Chad OchoCinco might be the most colorful.

Ochocinco recently struck a deal with PLB Sports to help him market a cereal to be sold in the Cincinnati area.

We get more from CNBC's Darren Rovell:

Watch out world. Chad Ochocinco is getting his own cereal. The flashy Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver will be on boxes of "Ochocinco's," sold exclusively at Cincinnati-area Kroger's and on the Web site of the company that markets the cereal, PLB Sports beginning Sept. 7.

Ty Ballou, president of PLB Sports, said that a successful run would be to sell 100,000 boxes, but if the Bengals make it to the Super Bowl, he could imagine hitting the 1 million mark.

PLB Sports has been making athlete food products 14 years. Its most famous product was Flutie Flakes, named after Buffalo Bills quarterback Doug Flutie, which sold nearly three million boxes. Next was Kurt Warner's Crunch Time Cereal, which sold 300,000 boxes a decade ago when St. Louis Rams quarterback came out of nowhere and brought the team to the Super Bowl.

The only question that I have left is will the Chad Ochocinco's get soggy in the milk or will they just be fined by the National Football League for uncerealike conduct?

(Courtesy of Sports Biz with Darren Rovell)

By Ben Chew with No comments

Who Would Be The Real Number One: Stephen Strasburg or Bryce Harper?

In sports, sometimes a down-on-their-luck team can get that once in a lifetime chance to draft a franchise player.

The San Antonio Spurs had a horrendous 1996-97 season turn out to be a blessing in disguise as they won the lottery and drafted Tim Duncan.

The Dallas Cowboys are sometimes known as “America’s Team”; but if they didn’t go 1-15 in 1988, they never would have gotten UCLA star quarterback Troy Aikman.

The Cleveland Cavaliers was a league worst 17-65 and valued at $222 million in 2002-03. They got the number one pick the next season, drafted Lebron James and were valued at $467 million by December 2009.

Striking it rich with a franchise player is similar to getting hit by lightening, because it rarely occurs.

For the Washington Nationals, they were hit with it not just once, but twice.

After recording their third straight losing season in 2008, the Nationals were able to use their 2009 number one pick to select power-pitcher Stephen Strasburg. Then after another losing season in 2009, they used the 2010 number one pick to draft 17-year-old phenom Bryce Harper.

Although the Nationals lucked out and got two of the most hyped amateur baseball players in recent years, who would be the best selection if both players were in the SAME draft?

Strasburg as the number one overall can be validated by what he has done since being drafted.

In a little over a year, he’s already up in the big leagues.

Strasburg has a 5-3 record with a 2.91 ERA and an amazing 91 strikeouts to 17 walks in just 68 innings. At the age of 22 and with hardly any time needed in the minors, the former San Diego State pitcher has begun to establish himself as one of the games premier pitcher.

While the public is beginning to see Strasburg live up to the hype, Harper’s ceiling just might be higher.

After his GED following his sophomore year of high school, Harper played baseball at the Junior College levels. Playing for Southern Nevada, Harper had a .447 batting average while blasting 31 homeruns and driving home 98 RBIs in only 66 games.

Staggering totals from a kid who is facing men who are in their early 20s, but is too young to buy cigarettes.

The other concept within this question is which is more valuable: a position player or a pitcher?

Despite only being able to usually go once every five games, pitchers determine the outcome of games and can control another team. Even if a team can put up runs, they still have to be able to pitch as well.

When it comes to pitching well, Strasburg can do that with his repertoire of pitches.

His four-seam fastball can reach triple digits alone and is devastating to hit. He also has a two-seam fastball with the same speed, but opposite movement, of the four-seamer. Add in a wicked curve ball that dips quickly with good speed and a deceptive change-up, and its understandable why Strasburg has 91 Ks in 12 starts.

Pitchers may control a game, but hitters play day in and day out. An everyday hitter will bat anywhere from three to four times a game on average. Aside from hitting, they can pick up their team with miraculous catches or throwing out an opponent on defense.

When it comes to getting a player who can perform everyday, it doesn’t get any better than Harper.

Harper’s stats may be hard to measure because he plays for a junior college, but the fact that he should be in high school and still has those staggering numbers at collegiate level is unimaginable. He will also be entering the majors at 17, allowing him to develop in the minors then join the majors at a young age.

Seeing the finished product that Harper could become can be summed up in one word: scary.

So which one would it be: the hard throwing Strasburg or the all-around hitting sensation Harper?

While Strasburg’s pitching ability is probably more valuable than Harper’s hitting, the choice would have to be the everyday player Harper. Also, Harper is much younger than Strasburg (he is 17, Strasburg is 22) and so the younger hitter will have more time to develop.

Lucky for the Nationals, they don’t have to choose.

They have both.

By Norcal JW with 1 comment

And Down The Stretch They Come, The Winner Is My Wife Knows Everything

One thing that I do know about race horse owners is that they love to come up with creative names for their horses.

Watch this horse race from Monmouth Park where the two lead horses were named, "My Wife Knows Everything" and "The Wife Doesn't Know".

Obviously, the race announcer enjoyed calling this one:

By Ben Chew with No comments

German Soccer Reporter Takes Ball To The Head

In the world that is television sports coverage, the one cardinal rule as a reporter is to make sure that you always watch your back for flying objects.

German soccer reporter Jessica Kastrop maybe should have learned that rule as evidenced in the below clip where she takes a soccer ball to the back of the head:



(Courtesy of Gawker.TV)

By Ben Chew with No comments

Another Japanese Baseball Wall-Climbing Catch

Previously on Outside the Boxscore, we showed you an impressive wall-climbing catch that happened during a Hiroshima Carp/Yokohama Baystars game.

Well, we had another similar impressive catch occur in a recent match-up between these same teams.

Watch as Carp outfielder Amaya Soichiro do his best Spiderman impression:



(Courtesy of Big League Stew)

By Ben Chew with No comments

Yankees Brett Gardner Safety PSA: Save Your Family, Ditch the Star Wars Figurines

New York Yankees outfielder Brett Gardner is not really a house-hold name but being from the great state of South Carolina, that gave him this ability to film that rather awesome PSA for the Department of Homeland Security.

Essentially, he's teaching kids about safety and learning to be quick in certain hazardous incidents. Did I mention that the background to the video has an image of his head in space?

It does and it is awesome:



(Courtesy of The Sports Grid)

By Ben Chew with 1 comment

Fantasy Drafthelp: College Football Team Draft

Suggested League Guidelines

Take 6 owners and conduct a 7-round standard draft. Points will be assigned at four intervals: when the September 26 Associated Press poll is released, when the October 31 Associated Press poll is released, when the December 5 Associated Press poll is released and when the final BCS poll is released after the national championship game. The September 26 poll accounts for 20% of the total score (with the exception of the bonus points, which are mentioned below), the October 31 poll accounts for 20% of the total score, the December 5 poll accounts for 20% of the total score and the final BCS poll accounts for 40% of the total score.

For the first three polls, scoring is as follows: 1st place (50 points), 2nd place (45 points), 3rd place (43 points), 4th place (42 points), 5th place (41 points), 6th place (38 points), 7th place (37 points), 8th place (36 points), 9th place (35 points), 10th place (34 points), 11th place (30 points), 12th place (29 points), 13th place (28 points), 14th place (27 points), 15th place (26 points), 16th place (22 points), 17th place (21 points), 18th place (20 points), 19th place (19 points), 20th place (18 points), 21st place (13 points), 22nd place (12 points), 23rd place (11 points), 24th place (10 points), 25th place (9 points).

Points are doubled in the final poll, since it accounts for twice the point total of each of the three previous ones. Additional bonuses are awarded for the following accomplishments: 25 points for winning the BCS Title Game, 10 points for earning a spot in the BCS Title Game, 10 points for a conference title (or piece of one), 12 points for winning a BCS Bowl Game, 6 points for earning a spot in a BCS Bowl Game, 5 points for winning a non-BCS bowl game, 10 points for having the Heisman Trophy winner on one of your teams.

2010 Draft Board

TOP TIER
1 Alabama
SECOND TIER
2 Ohio State
3 Boise State
THIRD TIER
4 Texas
5 Florida
6 TCU
7 Nebraska
8 Virginia Tech
9 Oregon
10 Iowa
11 Oklahoma
FOURTH TIER
12 USC
13 Miami
14 Wisconsin
FIFTH TIER
15 North Carolina
16 Georgia Tech
17 Pittsburgh
18 Arkansas
19 Florida State
20 LSU
21 Penn State
SIXTH TIER
22 Georgia
23 Auburn
24 Cincinnati
25 West Virginia
26 Oregon State
SEVENTH TIER
27 Utah
28 Houston
29 UConn
30 Notre Dame
31 South Carolina
32 Navy
33 Temple
34 Missouri
35 Stanford
36 California
37 Texas A&M
38 Arizona
39 Washington
40 Middle Tenn St
41 BYU

By Rick Morris with No comments

The Most Important Question In The Tangled Web Of The Brett Favre Saga

In the whole unraveling of the Brett Favre saga, many questions were tangled together since his Vikings lost to the New Orleans Saints in the NFC Championship game. Despite all the speculations, there is only one important conundrum that will be haunting Favre since he announced his return.

Can Favre be better than last year and bring the Vince Lombardi Trophy to Minnesota?

There’s one important understanding to this question: Favre must do more than last year in order for his second stint in Minnesota to have value. That means there’s only one ending for the Vikings or else bringing him back was pointless: a Super Bowl title.

The first place to look at is comparing last season’s opponents with this season.

When looking back on the 2009 season, the Vikings schedule appears quite lax in obtaining a 12-4 record. The team only faced off against five opponents who went to the playoffs and eleven teams who couldn’t even qualify.

This year, the mountain to climb back into the postseason has a bit higher of an incline. Minnesota will have half of their sixteen games against opponents who participated in the postseason last year. In their first eight weeks alone, they have to face six teams who made the playoffs in 2009.

Here’s a look at each team the superstar from the college of Southern Mississippi will face in 2010:

Week One: New Orleans Saints

New Orleans might be one of the worst passing defenses in the league (26th last season in passing yards allowed), but they were third in the league in interceptions (exactly how they beat Favre on his last pass in the 2009 championship playoff game).

Week Two: Miami Dolphins

The Dolphins was one of the worst defenses in the league, allowing 24.4 points per game last season. Despite that, they do well at pressuring the quarterback (tied for third in the league with sacks at 44) and hitting Favre is one of the most important things a defense can key in on.

Week Three: Detroit Lions

The Lions gave up the most points per game on average by any team in 2009. On top of that, they gave up the most passing yards and got beat by the deep ball the most as well. The other way to look at it though; they can only get better in 2010.

Week Five: New York Jets

His former team from 2008 was the stingiest defense in 2009, allowing the league best 14.8 points per game. They hit, they cover, and they are nasty.

Favre will have a big challenge in this one.

Week Six: Dallas Cowboys

After going up against the best defensive team, the Vikings go one to face the second best defense. The Cowboys only allowed 15.6 ppg and is one of the best at getting to the quarterback (seventh in the league with 42).

Week Seven: Green Bay Packers

Probably the game Favre has circled on his calendar, his former team doesn’t allow many points (18.6 ppg) and was the best last season at picking off the other team’s quarterback (30 interceptions).

Favre has got to be careful to not be his usual trigger-happy self.

Week Eight: New England Patriots

For the fourth straight week, the Vikings face a team that allowed less than 20 points per game last season (New England allowed only 17.8). This is always a smart, veteran team that might be trouble for Favre and his Vikings.

Week Nine: Arizona Cardinals

Favre will go up against the 2009 NFC West Champions this week and has to deal with a team that ranked in the top ten last year in interceptions (seventh with 21) and sacks (sixth with 43).

This won’t be a cake walk for the Vikings to get through.

Week Ten: Chicago Bears

Although not one of the elite defensive or playoff teams that the Vikings will have faced from the earlier weeks, the Bears are still a middle of the pack team in terms of a variety of defensive statistical categories. Favre will still need to play well to get by Chi-town.

Week Eleven: Green Bay

*See Week Seven*

Week Twelve: Washington Redskins

The Redskins are another team comparable to the Bears that the Vikings cannot sleep on. Washington is good at giving up little in the passing game (tied for eighth with 207.2 passing yards per game) and can hit the quarterback hard (tied for eighth with 40 sacks in 2009).

Week Thirteen: Buffalo Bills

The Bills are a rebuilding team in 2010, but they can play a little bit of defense as well. They were ranked sixteenth in points allowed on average last season (20.4), but this is a team that can change momentum with interceptions (second in the league with 28 in 2009).

Week Fourteen: New York Giants

The Giants may not have been a playoff team last year, but this was the same injury riddled team in 2009 who upset the Patriots in the 2007 Super Bowl and made the playoffs in 2008. They will be back at full strength this season and that might be trouble for Favre.

Week Fifteen: Chicago Bears

*See Week Ten*

Week Sixteen: Philadelphia Eagles

Another playoff team last year that the Vikings will face, the Eagles are always dangerous with the ability to make defensive plays and inflicting pain on the quarterback. They ranked fourth in the league with 25 interceptions and was tied for third in the league in sacks with 44.

Week Seventeen: Detroit Lions

*See Week Three*

Despite the hard road ahead, Favre is one of the greatest players of all time when it comes to rising to the occasion. Minnesota fans are breathing a sigh of relief knowing he will be back to lead the way.

Now, all Vikings fans can do is chant: “I think Favre can…I think Favre can”.

By Norcal JW with 1 comment

World Basketball Festival - A visual tribute to the celebration of the game (Videos)

With the pages of the book closed on the World Basketball Festival, it can be officially stated for the record that the inaugural four-day celebration of the performance and culture of the game was a rousing success by all accounts.

From hip-hop impresario Jay-Z and Team USA taking over Radio City Music Hall to Los Angeles Lakers superstar Kobe Bryant visiting Harlem’s famed Rucker Park for youth instruction to the United States World Championship Team scoring an overwhelming victory over France in front of a sold-out crowd at Madison Square Garden, there was a plethora of activity to spark the interest of casual fans while leaving passionate fans salivating at the prospect of the next event in 2012.

But as Team USA pushes forward in the Global Community Cup, where they will play three additional exhibition games against Lithuania, Spain and Greece prior to the commencement of the 2010 FIBA World Championship in Turkey on August 28, and before a cap is placed on coverage of the event, a pictorial and videographic odyssey into the realm of the World Basketball Festival must be taken that words simply won’t do justice.

So, without further adieu, click on the following links to begin the visual tour of the 2010 World Basketball Festival:

World Basketball Festival – Day 1

World Basketball Festival – Day 2

World Basketball Festival – Day 2: Team USA practices at Knicks training facility in Tarrytown

World Basketball Festival – Day 3

World Basketball Festival – Day 3: Kobe Bryant visits Rucker Park (Part 1)

World Basketball Festival – Day 3: Kobe Bryant visits Rucker Park (Part 2)

World Basketball Festival – Day 3: Kobe Bryant visits Rucker Park (Part 3)

World Basketball Festival – Day 3: Kobe Bryant visits Rucker Park (Part 4)

World Basketball Festival – Day 3: Kobe Bryant visits Rucker Park (Part 5)

World Basketball Festival – Day 3: Team USA vs. Team China scrimmage

World Basketball Festival – Day 4

World Basketball Festival – Day 4: Rudy Gay post-game interview

World Basketball Festival – Day 4: Tyson Chandler post-game interview

By RMM with No comments

Send in the Links (8/20/2010)

-> Roger Federer is William Tell (With Leather)
-> Don't Worry Cleveland Cavs Fans, John Mayer Got Your Back (That NBA Lottery Pick)
-> That Should Have Been A Web Gem (Bob's Blitz)
-> Joe Buck Thinks Tom Brady is Dreamy (Sportress of Blogitude)
-> LeGarrette Blount Still Punching People In The Face (No Guts, No Glory)

Today's Moment of Zen: Antonio Cromartie tries to name all of his kids



(Courtesy of Black Sports Online)

By Ben Chew with No comments

Michelle Beadle Gets "Pitchy", First Pitchy

It appears that everything all of a sudden is coming up Michelle Beadle this week as we get not one but two Beadle posts this week.

Recently, Michelle was given the honor to throw out the first pitch at a New Britain Rock Cats minor league affair and she nailed it.



Clearly, it was because of the Gunslinger Jeans.

By Ben Chew with 1 comment

Spanish Bull Jumps Ring, Injures More Than 40 People

Normally at Outside the Boxscore, we make creative jokes at the expense of people at periods of time.

However, this story is not joke. In Madrid, Spain during a bullfight at Tafalla Arena, one bull actually jumped over the ring and headed into the crowd injuring more than 40 people.

The video below is somewhat graphic but okay for work:

By Ben Chew with No comments

World Basketball Festival - Day 4: Team USA annihilates France; Puerto Rico humbles China

With a sellout crowd of 19,763 in attendance, the United States World Championship Team brought a satisfying conclusion to the four-day World Basketball Festival by trouncing the national team from France, 86-55, in the first game of an international doubleheader at Madison Square Garden.

After a slow start that saw them deadlocked with France after the first quarter, Team USA began gradually pulling away in the second quarter to close the first half with a nine-point lead.

The United States squad broke the game open with an early third-quarter run spearheaded by 33-year-old point guard Chauncey Billups, the oldest player on the team, who scored nine points in the stanza to help push Team USA’s advantage to 18 entering the fourth quarter.

The final ten minutes of the contest were completely academic as evidenced by France’s glaring lack of defensive intensity and failure to put up any kind of resistance to the hungry United States contingent. Team USA would outscore France 22-9 in the quarter to win their first official exhibition game by 31 points.

Although the United States squad registered a convincing victory over France, by any standard, the team was extremely measured in how much praise they heaped upon themselves individually and collectively.

“I give us a B-minus; it was alright”, Billups responded when asked to grade the team’s performance. “Our offense is a little behind the defense at this point.”

Rudy Gay, who led Team USA with 19 points off the bench, was even more critical of the team’s showing as well as his individual performance.

“I say a C-plus”, Gay said when posed a similar question about his efforts in addition to that of the team. “I think we could do so much more, we could be so much better”, Gay added. “We had lapses out there, and that’s what these games are for. That’s exactly what these games are for; to get that out of the way and we can learn from it. That’s the best thing we could get from this game, that’s why it’s an exhibition. Learn what we did wrong, watch that on tape and get better at it.”

In the second game of the afternoon’s doubleheader, Carlos Arroyo scored 16 points to lead Puerto Rico past China, 92-76, to officially bring closure to the inaugural World Basketball Festival.

Next on the docket for the 13 finalists for the 2010 USA World Championship Team is a trip to Madrid, Spain, where they will practice from August 17-20.

Subsequently, Team USA will play three world basketball powers in exhibition games, or “friendlies,” in preparation for the 2010 FIBA World Championship. In advance of the tournament, the United States squad will meet Lithuania on August 21 and Spain on August 22 in Madrid, and play Greece in Athens on August 25.

All of these “friendlies” are part of the new Global Community Cup, which will include all USA Basketball exhibition games played outside of formal international competitions. Along with the games, the Global Community Cup features a social responsibility element that will highlight USA Basketball’s commitment to giving back to communities in the United States and abroad.

Click here to read the original article on Examiner.com, which includes relevant links and a special World Basketball Festival: Day 4 video presentation.

By RMM with No comments

Michelle Beadle Plays Softball With The Jonas Brothers

For some reason, ESPN SportsNation's Michelle Beadle has been absent from these blog posts as of late but for you Beadlemaniacs, I present you this clip of her playing softball against the Jonas Brothers.

This battle has been ramped up ever since Michelle decided to talk a little smack with Jonas Brother, Nick. So, ESPN took on the Jonas Brothers softball team for supremacy.

Maybe, Beadle shouldn't have done all that smack-talking:

By Ben Chew with No comments

An Awesome New Dallas Cowboys Fight Song by Matthias

Normally, I am not a huge fan of these fan-made videos where some super-fan does some idiotic stunt to show how much they love their favorite team.

Well, one Southern California resident named Matthias is a huge fan of the Dallas Cowboys and has decided to dedicate his love through this fight song:



(Courtesy of NESW Sports)

By Ben Chew with No comments

Owen Wilson As A Washington Nationals Relief Pitcher in "How Do You Know"

Normally when someone sends me a trailer for a romantic comedy called, "How Do You Know", it would probably hit the blogopspheric trashcan in relation to this blog.

However, when actor Owen Wilson plays a Washington Nationals relief pitcher trying to vie for the love of Reese Witherspoon along with Paul Rudd.

Then the world has come full circle:

'How Do You Know' Theatrical Trailer @ Yahoo! Video

By Ben Chew with No comments

Sometimes Gary Busey Helps Your Fantasy Football Team

The brilliant marketing executives over at VitaminWater have created a brand-new viral video campaign featuring actor Gary Busey.

In this video called, "Time To Collect", Gary Busey plays "Norman Tugwater, Fantasy Sports Law" who informs us about the dangers of drafting Adrian Peterson.

Watch for a special cameo from Shaquille O'Neal:



(Courtesy of Out of Bounds)

By Ben Chew with No comments

World Basketball Festival - Day 3: Kobe Bryant visits Rucker Park; USA trounces China

The penultimate day of the inaugural Nike World Basketball Festival featured a special visit to Harlem’s famed Rucker Park by, arguably, the best player in the National Basketball Association and a closed scrimmage between the finalists for the United States World Championship Team and the national team from China at Madison Square Garden.

In the heat of a glorious summer morning, Los Angeles Lakers superstar Kobe Bryant graced the court of Rucker Park with his presence and put on his coaching hat to provide special individual and group instruction to an eager and wide-eyed collection of New York City youth.

Bryant’s appearance was part of the House of Hoops Chain Link Fundamentals, whose mission is to “empower youth ballplayers through access and instruction.” With thousands of young boys and girls across the country who do not have access to proper instruction, Chain Link has married the playground with specialized instruction to give kids the tools they need to succeed.

When asked for his thoughts on the concept of the World Basketball Festival and the opportunity for fans to experience the game on a global level in New York City, Bryant beamed, “I think it’s beautiful.”

“I spent a lot of years growing up in Italy and learning a different style of play”, Bryant added. “I think it’s important for kids here in America to be able to see how basketball is being played in Brazil, how it’s being played in France, how it’s being played in different parts of the world. So I think it just helps grow the sport the more you see it. They get a chance to observe and learn.”

After the two-time NBA Finals Most Valuable Player firmly established himself as the undisputed main attraction of the World Basketball Festival’s Day 3 morning program, all eyes turned to the Team USA hopefuls in the afternoon as they scrimmaged with the Chinese National Team at the ‘World’s Most Famous Arena’.

The scrimmage was broken up into 4 ten-minute quarters that saw Team USA outscore China by total of 48 points (20-11, 27-15, 35-8) to win the first three quarters. However, the United States offense went stagnant in the final quarter, which allowed China to eke out a one-point victory (17-16).

When all four quarters were taken as a whole, Team USA defeated China by a score of 98-51. Indiana Pacers small forward Danny Granger led all scorers with 22 points on 6 of 8 shooting from the field and 3 of 4 shooting from three-point range. Granger did most of his damage in the first and third quarters, where he scored 10 points in each stanza.

“That’s what I do during the season; that’s the way I play for my team. I just took the approach that I would score”, Granger said following the scrimmage. “A lot of times when I was playing before, I was kind of being passive and that’s not really my game. My game is to be a scorer, rebound and finish. So I just took that approach today and when I was open I let it go.”

With an exhibition game against the national team from France to conclude the four-day World Basketball Festival, the United States roster was trimmed to 13 when the decision was made to cut Jeff Green and JaVale McGee.

The roster must be pared down to 12 prior to the commencement of the 2010 FIBA World Championship in Turkey on August 28.

Click here to read the original article on Examiner.com, which includes relevant links and a special World Basketball Festival: Day 3 video presentation.

By RMM with No comments

Indian Pole Gymnastics

I don't even know what to say and think of this.

I'll let you see for yourself.

By RScott with No comments

2010 NBA Hall Of Famer, Scottie Pippen

The man known as the Robin to Michael Jordan's Batman, Scottie Pippen gets inducted into the 2010 NBA Hall Of Fame.

courtesy of(NBA.com)

By RScott with No comments

Karl Malone's 2010 Hall Of Fame Speech

In case you missed it, here on behalf of Outside The Boxscore, we present you with the newest inductee to the 2010 NBA Hall Of Fame, Karl Malone.

courtesy of(NBA.com)

By RScott with No comments

Blake Griffin And DeAndre Jordan Unveil The New L.A. Clippers Jerseys

Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan show off the Clippers new uniforms for the 2010-11 season. Blake shows off the home white, while Jordan sports the away red.

By RScott with No comments

The Legendary Ferris Wheel Shot

Andrew from The Legendary Shots makes a shot from the top of a ferris wheel at Alabama Adventure in Birmingham, Alabama.

The ferris wheel was 120 feet above the ground.

By RScott with No comments

Eli Manning Gets Jacked Up!

During last night's Giants/Jets preseason NFL affair, Giants starting quarterback Eli Manning took a relatively vicious shot from Jets defensive-end Calvin Pace.

Eli eventually left the game with a huge gash on his forehead which required twelve stitches:



(Courtesy of Mojo Hoops)

By Ben Chew with No comments

2010 USA Basketball Hope To Be Like 1994 Team In Every Way

When the 1994 basketball world championships kicked off in Toronto, the USA team entered with a totally different look than the Dream Team that took the gold in the Olympics in 1992.

Despite the change, they were still able to dominate and take the gold at the tournament.

It’s now sixteen years later, and the 2010 USA team hopes to strike gold like the ’94 team did.

The 2010 USA team will head to Turkey during the middle of August in hopes of winning the tournament, despite having no players from the team that played in the 2008 Olympics.

The 2010 team has similarities to the ’94 team with roster change, but they also hope they can be similar in another big way: winning the gold medal

Since the second “Dream Team” took gold in 1994, no other USA team has been able to capture first place in the world championships since. The 1998 and 2006 teams took home bronze medals and the 2002 team finished sixth in the tournament.

Team USA will hope that their streak of winless tournaments will end this year.

The hope for winning will have to be placed on the back of the team who, like the ’94 team, have no members from the previous USA team.

Just like the 1994 team following the 1992 “Dream Team”, the 2010 USA team has none of the superstars that were featured on the 2008 USA “Redeem” team that won gold during the Olympics in China.

What does that mean for the 2010 team?

No Kobe Bryant.

No Lebron James

No Carmelo Anthony

No Dwyane Wade

No Dwight Howard

With none of those superstars pledging to play for the 2010 USA team, the team decided to construct the team similar to how the ’94 squad was created: with young and upcoming players.

The biggest notable name on the 2010 roster is the addition of Kevin Durant. After leading the 2009-10 season in scoring and his Oklahoma City Thunder to its first playoff appearance since moving from Seattle, the 21-year-old will be asked to lead his country to a world championship gold medal.

Durant will not be the only young 20-year-old on the roster. The backcourt will feature young stars like 21-year-old Derrick Rose and 24-year-old Rajon Rando. The frontcourt will also have baby faces like 21-year-old Kevin Love and 23-year-old Rudy Gay.

Youth will be in team USA’s corner, but so will inexperience.

Luckily with all the youngsters they have, the team will feature players who are seasoned and established veterans. G Chauncey Billups and F/C Lamar Odom will lead and mentor the young stars similar to what Bryant and Jason Kidd did for the 2008 USA team.

The 2010 team will hope they can be the second coming to the 2008 team the same way the 1994 team followed the 1992 team.

The ’94 team was called “Dream Team II” after winning the world championships two years after the 1992 team won the Olympics. After being nicknamed the “Redeem Team” in 2008, the 2010 team can label themselves as the second “Redeem Team” if they can take home the gold in Turkey.

Despite the same path and pressure placed by the team before them, there is only one similarity that the 2010 USA team will want with its 1994 predecessor:

Winning the gold medal at the world basketball tournament.

By Norcal JW with 1 comment

Man Circling the Bases on Fire, That Was Easy!

It's not everyday that you get to see a guy engulfed in flames jog around a baseball diamond but that's exactly what the Savannah Sand Ants wanted you to experience.

As part of a post-game promotion, professional stunt-man Ted Batchelor was lit on fire and jogging around base paths for the minor league franchise.

Batchelor holds numerous Guinness World Records in relation to fire including the longest continuous body-burn without Oxygen:



I guess that gives a whole new meaning to the term, "Hot Corner".

(Courtesy of No Guts, No Glory)

By Ben Chew with 1 comment

World Basketball Festival - Day 2: Team USA hopefuls humbled by NYC experience

As reported here, the finalists for the United States World Championship Team assembled in New York for training sessions at John Jay College, the New York Knicks Training Center in Tarrytown and Madison Square Garden prior to participating in an international doubleheader to conclude the inaugural Nike World Basketball Festival.

After Friday morning’s practice at the Knicks training facility, Examiner.com was afforded an opportunity to gather the thoughts and feelings of several team hopefuls about what it meant to be a part of USA Basketball and the unprecedented World Basketball Festival in the Big Apple.

“It means a lot, man. It’s an honor to even be here, just playing with these guys”, said Chicago Bulls point guard Derrick Rose, one of four point guards (Chauncey Billups, Rajon Rondo, Russell Westbrook) vying for a spot on the roster. “Just being here; everybody’s great here,” Rose added. “It’s a good attitude that’s going around, a good vibe.”

Boston Celtics floor leader Rajon Rondo echoed the sentiments of his potential teammate and Eastern Conference rival; who are only two years apart in age, with Rondo being 24 and Rose set to turn 22 in October.

“You know, it’s definitely an honor, obviously, representing the country”, said the Celtics emerging superstar. “Not many people have the opportunity to do what I’m doing or the fourteen other guys on the roster. So it’s definitely a humbling experience and I want to take advantage of the opportunity. I’m just very blessed, really, and just happy to be here.”

Out of the 15 finalists for USA World Championship Team, Memphis Grizzlies small forward Rudy Gay is one of ten players under the age of 25, contributing to an average age of just a little over 24-years-old when the remaining hopefuls are taken into consideration.

However, in spite of his youth, the Grizzlies’ leading scorer was fully cognizant of the importance and significance of representing his country in the upcoming FIBA World Championship, a tournament the United States hasn’t won in 16 years, and of being part of a Festival brimming with activity in New York City.

“It means so much to one, be a part of it in New York City; two, having USA on your chest”, Gay said. “It just means so much to me. My family, they tell me how proud of me they are and for the family I have in the future, it’s something for me to teach my kids about to show them what I did.”

But for Los Angeles Lakers small forward Lamar Odom, a native of South Jamaica, Queens, the experience of playing for the United States in New York took on a special meaning that can best be summed up in one word: “Everything.”

“It’s fun”, Odom added. “You think about USA basketball. You think about summer time basketball in New York City. The culture of basketball, being able to wear this jersey while we’re here. Incredible time.”

The two-time NBA Champion, one of the elder statesmen of the squad at the ripe old age of 30, went on to describe what it was like to play in front of an audience at Radio City Music Hall.

“We literally got to play on the big stage, you know”, Odom chuckled. “When you’re in arenas you play in front of a crowd; in Radio City Music Hall we played in front of an audience. It’s different, you know; but it was cool. Something I would love to do again.”

Although Odom was able to visit to South Jamaica with his wife, Khloé Kardashian, during his last visit to the Big Apple, he intimated that time would not permit an opportunity for another trip to his old stomping grounds.

“Not this time”, Odom said. “The last time I was here, actually, I took my wife to 165th Street and Jamaica Avenue. I had to show her where I grew up and things like that. But this time I’m spending time in the City.”

So whether young or not-so-young, native New Yorker or not, the World Championship Team hopefuls are as captivated by playing for the United States in New York City as part of the World Basketball Festival as the fans are by their presence and watching them showcase their talents.

Click here to read the original article on Examiner.com, which includes relevant links and a special World Basketball Festival: Day 2 video presentation.

By RMM with No comments

World Basketball Festival - Day 1: Jay-Z, Team USA take Radio City Music Hall by storm

As reported here, New York City bore witness to the commencement of the inaugural World Basketball Festival, a celebration of the performance and culture of the game.

The four-day event officially began on Thursday, August 12 with the World Basketball Festival Tip-Off, where the finalists for the United States World Championship Team shared the Radio City Music Hall stage with one of the world’s greatest entertainers.

Following a one-of-a-kind, on-court showcase featuring the hopefuls who will be attempting to become the first United States squad to win the FIBA World Championship in 16 years, music mogul and multi-platinum selling recording artist Jay-Z turned the ‘Showplace of the Nation’ into his own personal playground to ensure that the World Basketball Festival hit the ground running.

And with stops at Harlem’s legendary Rucker Park for training and scrimmages by some of the national teams (Brazil, China, France, Puerto Rico), a scrimmage between Team USA and the Chinese National Team at Madison Square Garden and an international doubleheader at the ‘World’s Most Famous Arena' in the offing, the Festival is sure to leave an inedible impression on the Big Apple that won’t be forgotten.

Notable luminaries in attendance for the World Basketball Festival Tip-Off included: LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Carmelo Anthony, Chris Paul, Amar’e Stoudemire and long-time New York Knicks fan Spike Lee.

Tickets, which start at $15, for the Sunday, August 15 international basketball doubleheader at Madison Square Garden, featuring the USA Basketball Men’s National Team and three of the world’s best national teams, are available via Ticketmaster.com at thegarden.com, by phone at 1-800-4-NBA-TIX, and at the box office at Madison Square Garden.

Click here to read the original article on Examiner.com, which includes relevant links and a special World Basketball Festival: Day 1 video presentation.

By RMM with No comments

Fantasy Drafthelp: Mock Draft Recap

On last week’s 114th edition of THE FDH LOUNGE (Wednesdays, 7-10 PM EDT on SportsTalkNetwork.com), we gave over the entire show to THE FANTASYDRAFTHELP.COM INSIDER as we conducted our 7th annual FDH Fantasy Football Mock Draft show. It’s worth noting that we had conducted a previous mock draft – with accompanying analysis – in FANTASY FOOTBALL DRAFTOLOGY 2010, but this draft allows another look at this year’s landscape. This one involved some very special guests who have previously appeared on our program.

Here’s the format we used: it's 12 owners, 11 rounds, with 2 QB, 3 RB, 3 WR, 1 RB/WR flex, 1 TE, 1 K (D/ST was dropped due to time constraints with the broadcast). It is a "Draftmaster Format," where there are no transactions past the draft date and EVERY player selected would be used every week.

Scoring is as follows: 4 points per passing TD, 1 point per 25 yards passing, 1 point per passing 2-point PAT, 6 points per receiving or rushing TD, 1 point per 10 yards rushing or receiving, 2 points per rushing or receiving 2-point PAT, 2 points per “big play touchdown” (50 or more yards), 1 point per kicking PAT, 3 points per FG, with a 1-point bonus at 45 yards, a 2-point bonus at 50 yards and a 3-point bonus at 55 yards.

Here’s how the draw for our standard serpentine draft went:

1 Charles Latibeaudiere, co-executive producer of TMZ on TV
2 Russ Cohen of Sportsology and Card Corner Club
3 Jim Louderback, CEO of the Internet TV network Revision3
4 FDH Lounge Dignitary Nate Noy
5 FDH Managing Partner Rick Morris
6 FDH Entertainment Editor Samantha Jones
7 Joe Staszak, sportscaster at Fox 29 in Philadelphia
8 Evan Roberts, talk show host at WFAN in New York
9 FDH Lounge Dignitary Jeff Maslanich
10 FDH Senior Editor Jason Jones
11 FDH Chief NASCAR Correspondent Mike Ptak
12 FDH Senior Producer Steve Cirvello

Here’s how the draft evolved, with our analysis appearing between rounds:

ROUND ONE
1 Charles: Chris Johnson
2 Russ: Adrian Peterson
3 Jim: Maurice Jones-Drew
4 Nate: Ray Rice
5 Rick: Frank Gore
6 Samm: Michael Turner
7 Joe: Steven Jackson
8 Evan: Shonn Greene
9 Jeff: Andre Johnson
10 Jason: DeAngelo Williams
11 Mike: Drew Brees
12 Steve: Larry Fitzgerald

NOTES: There was only one real surprise, but it was a doozy, as Jet fan Evan rolled the dice on Shonn Greene in the first round. Will LT be satisfied with the microscopic role he would have to play to allow for Greene to attain that kind of production? Stay tuned.

ROUND TWO
12 Steve: Ryan Grant
11 Mike: Rashard Mendenhall
10 Jason: Randy Moss
9 Jeff: Reggie Wayne
8 Evan: Peyton Manning
7 Joe: Aaron Rodgers
6 Samm: Calvin Johnson
5 Rick: Roddy White
4 Nate: Matt Schaub
3 Jim: Miles Austin
2 Russ: Greg Jennings
1 Charles: Philip Rivers

NOTES: No RB for Jeff in his first two picks? Wow. Joe’s selection of Rodgers at this point put in point circumstances – exacerbated with Nate’s pick of Schaub and Charles taking Rivers – that quickly led to owners having to decide between taking a top QB earlier than they planned or passing on them altogether.

ROUND THREE
1 Charles: DeSean Jackson
2 Russ: Ryan Mathews
3 Jim: Tony Romo
4 Nate: Sidney Rice
5 Rick: Tom Brady
6 Samm: Marques Colston
7 Joe: Steve Smith CAR
8 Evan: Brandon Marshall
9 Jeff: Knowshon Moreno
10 Jason: Anquan Boldin
11 Mike: Jamaal Charles
12 Steve: Carson Palmer

NOTES: Nate proved – as he would emphatically repeat later – that he wasn’t concerned at all about whether Brett Favre will play this year. While Rick finished off what is conventionally thought to be the top tier at QB (with the exception of Favre), Steve still decided to hit that position at the end of the round. Charles proved to be a good bargain because of concerns about the potential role of Thomas Jones in KC. Knowshon Moreno is Jeff’s first RB? Better hope he’s going to be healthy!

ROUND FOUR
12 Steve: Dallas Clark
11 Mike: Chad Ochocinco
10 Jason: Cedric Benson
9 Jeff: Matt Forte
8 Evan: Beanie Wells
7 Joe: Pierre Thomas
6 Samm: Joseph Addai
5 Rick: Antonio Gates
4 Nate: Pierre Garson
3 Jim: Steve Smith NYG
2 Russ: LeSean McCoy
1 Charles: Michael Crabtree

NOTES: And there go the tight ends, as Steve starts with his pick right off the bat. Matt Forte, excessively hated-on because of his performance a year ago, was a great value for Jeff. Steve Smith aside, three of the last four picks of the round were big searches for upside.

ROUND FIVE
1 Charles: Brent Celek
2 Russ: Dwayne Bowe
3 Jim: Vernon Davis
4 Nate: Brett Favre
5 Rick: Jonathan Stewart
6 Samm: Jason Witten
7 Joe: Jermichael Finley
8 Evan: Tony Gonzalez
9 Jeff: Mike Wallace
10 Jason: Ronnie Brown
11 Mike: Vincent Jackson
12 Steve: Brandon Jacobs

NOTES: Nate put his money where his mouth was with Favre, getting the top QB2 in the league by far and depriving those who still were still waiting for their top hurler of the opportunity to pick him. The TEs kept flying off the shelves, with late gambles (Mike Wallace in terms of continued development and Vincent Jackson in terms of availability) existing alongside solid RB values (Ronnie Brown and Brandon Jacobs).

ROUND SIX
12 Steve: Robert Meachem
11 Mike: Kellen Winslow, Jr.
10 Jason: Terrell Owens
9 Jeff: Marion Barber
8 Evan: Mike Sims-Walker
7 Joe: Mario Manningham
6 Samm: TJ Houshmandzadeh
5 Rick: Donald Driver
4 Nate: Felix Jones
3 Jim: CJ Spiller
2 Russ: Donovan McNabb
1 Charles: Ahmad Bradshaw

NOTES: Terrell Owens? Marion Barber before Felix Jones? Mario Manningham before Hakeem Nicks? This was indeed the round for living dangerously, but it couldn’t obscure Rick’s sublime value in Donald Driver.

ROUND SEVEN
1 Charles: Kevin Kolb
2 Russ: Hakeem Nicks
3 Jim: Hines Ward
4 Nate: Ricky Williams
5 Rick: Eli Manning
6 Samm: Joe Flacco
7 Joe: Matt Ryan
8 Evan: Matt Leinart
9 Jeff: Chad Henne
10 Jason: Jay Cutler
11 Mike: Kenny Britt
12 Steve: Ben Roethlisberger

NOTES: Russ’s pick of Donovan McNabb late in the previous round as his QB1 triggered a strong run in this run on QBs as some owners went for their second one (Charles, Rick, Joe, Evan, Steve) and others had to scramble for their first (Samm, Jason and Jeff).

ROUND EIGHT
12 Steve: Arian Foster
11 Mike: Jerome Harrison
10 Jason: Dez Bryant
9 Jeff: Wes Welker
8 Evan: Cadillac Williams
7 Joe: Nate Kaeding
6 Samm: Thomas Jones
5 Rick: Reggie Bush
4 Nate: Steve Breaston
3 Jim: Clinton Portis
2 Russ: Matthew Stafford
1 Charles: David Akers

NOTE: Jeff’s selection of Wes Welker could go down as the best value in the draft if he is 100% healthy by Opening Day. Steve and Mike made high-upside picks on RBs who could be the lead backs for their teams. Joe was “That Guy” in taking the first kicker.

ROUND NINE
1 Charles: Derrick Mason
2 Russ: Jahvid Best
3 Jim: Santana Moss
4 Nate: Braylon Edwards
5 Rick: Ryan Longwell
6 Samm: Mark Sanchez
7 Joe: Devery Henderson
8 Evan: Jerricho Cotchery
9 Jeff: David Garrard [NOTE: Michael Bush was the initial selection, but in the process of coordinating the draft and the broadcast, it was not caught until after the draft that he needed one more QB, not RB. At that time, this pick was made.]
10 Jason: Matt Hasselbeck
11 Mike: Antonio Bryant
12 Steve: Johnny Knox

NOTES: Derrick Mason … Santana Moss … Braylon Edwards … how the mighty have fallen. Jahvid was the “Best” rookie value of the draft. The Antonio Bryant pick led to the joke about the Bengal spread and about how he’ll put such a bad taste in the mouth of the nickelback, he’ll think he’s listening to Nickelback.

ROUND TEN
12 Steve: Willis McGahee
11 Mike: Mason Crosby
10 Jason: Stephen Gostkowski
9 Jeff: Rob Bironas
8 Evan: Fred Jackson
7 Joe: Steve Slaton
6 Samm: LaDainian Tomlinson
5 Rick: Justin Forsett
4 Nate: Visanthe Shiancoe
3 Jim: Garrett Hartley
2 Russ: Owen Daniels
1 Charles: Donald Brown

NOTES: Joe and Rick got pretty good explosiveness upside in Steve Slaton and Justin Forsett, respectively. Nate just kept doubling down on the Vikings like there was no tomorrow.

ROUND ELEVEN
1 Charles: Jeremy Maclin
2 Russ: Robbie Gould
3 Jim: Alex Smith
4 Nate: Lawrence Tynes
5 Rick: Percy Harvin
6 Samm: Jeff Reed
7 Joe: Jacoby Jones
8 Evan: Matt Prater
9 Jeff: Dan Carpenter
10 Jason: Greg Olsen
11 Mike: Vince Young
12 Steve: Jay Feely

NOTES: The Jacoby Jones pick could be good, provided that he no longer has the hands of January Jones. Percy Harvin dropped further in this draft than he has in many others this year.

By Rick Morris with No comments

Ravens Offensive Lineman Joe Reitz Can't Jump

During last night's Baltimore Ravens/Carolina Panthers preseason affair, back-up quarterback Troy Smith scampered in on a quarterback draw for a touchdown.

Instead of celebrating himself, he gave the ball to offensive lineman and former college basketball player, Joe Reitz to celebrate.

Sadly for Reitz, he came up just a bit short on his celebration.

By Ben Chew with No comments

When Will Super Hero Tiger Woods Return?

With bulging muscles and mythical powers, the Marvel superhero and Norse god Thor has an aura that can scare anyone who opposes him. Anyone who tries to combat him is usually aware of power. His adversaries usually quake at the sight of him swinging his large, stone hammer.

Change the look of Thor into a person with a “cablinasian” background and morph the hammer into a golf club and what do you get?

The current number one ranked golfer in the world: Tiger Woods.

Since 1996 until 2009, he has been able to do the unthinkable: take over the sport of golf.

How has he magically been able to pull it off?

Well, conquering fourteen major championships to be second all time can help that assertion. Winning 71 PGA tour events to become third all time in that category can assist that claim. Becoming the youngest and fastest player to win a grand slam and to get to 50 wins in a career also adds evidence to that declaration.

Along with the comparison to the look and super hero-like characteristic that Woods has with Thor comes the similarities he has with Thor’s downfall. Both eventually lose their god-like power and intimidation factor to those they face.

Thor went from inheriting his father’s kingdom to being transformed into a mere mortal because of his arrogance as a god. He is forced to re-learn what it means to have power in order to become the super hero he once was.

For Woods, his began losing his reign on a thanksgiving night in 2009.

First came a late night car crash of Woods SUV on his own property. Then came rumors of a secret life filled with infidelity, which turned into actual accounts by more than a dozen women. Then came the problems within his family and a break from golf lasting about four months.

Since his return back to golf at the 2010 Masters in April, Woods has become insignificant. While his career and life is not a made-up comic, his aura and power over the golf world was nearly superhero-like and that’s what makes his 2010 season ironic to Thor’s downfall.

Although Woods has remained number one in golf rankings since 2005, he has looked anything but that way in 2010. He has finished fourth in both the Masters and U.S. Open, but all his matches have lacked that killer instinct to finish off a tournament that the Stanford graduate has always been equipped with since he became a pro golfer.

Along with the loss of his killer instinct is his lack of concentration. His accuracy has been abysmal on both his drives (currently ranked 163rd) and getting onto the green (166th). His putting average has also not been reflective of the Woods everyone remembers as he ranks 82nd this year in that category.

His latest tournament only helps to add to the fact that other golfers no longer fear him. At his last tournament at the Bridgestone Invitational, he finished with an atrocious eighteen over and a tie for 78th place. This tournament marked the lowest point of his career and that he has indeed fallen from golf supremacy.

With all that Woods has endured through this year, he still has a few tournaments this year to change his luck and performance this year. Along with that, he still has numerous years ahead of him to regain his reign over golf and possibly overtake Nicklaus’s record of eighteen majors.

Yet, with all the controversy and drama surrounding his play, personal life and future, the sound of the commentator from the old Batman television show comes to mind as the big question is presented:

Is this the end for Tiger Woods? Can he ever regain his power and become the dominant golfer he once was?

By Norcal JW with No comments