Bleacher Report - Articles by TJ Zwarych

CFL: Injuries Plague Riders For Second Straight Season

TJ Zwarych — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 17:30:47 -0400

We all know how bad the injury situation for the Riders was last year. After a season where the team had perhaps the most and worst injuries a team has ever had in one year, the Riders were happy to move forward to this season.

It was hopefully going to be a fresh start, where the Riders could have a season with all their players healthy, and fight there way to the Grey Cup. Well, so far, that hasn't worked to well.

The Riders currently lead the league in injured players (13) and players on the 9 game injured list (9). There are a few teams tied for second in the injury category and 11, but no one has as many as the Riders.

The amount of injuries isn't necessarily the worst part for the Riders, but who the injured players are. The last two games the Riders have played were the first back to back games this season with the same starting offensive line. That is due to Wayne Smith, Belton Johnson and Jordan Rempel, who are all currently on the nine game injured list as well as other offensive lineman such as Gene Makowsky being injured from time to time.

The Riders offensive line has been heavily criticized this season, but it isn't that surprising considering Wayne Smith, Belton Johnson, and Jordan Rempel were all expected to be starters before the season began.

The offensive line isn't the only part of the offense that has been hampered with injuries. Wes Cates missed the first few games of the year with a shoulder injury, and has just recently shaken all the rust off.

Neil Hughes is a another running back down with injury. The local boy has missed the entire season so far and is currently on the nine game injured list.

The injuries to the receiving core haven't been as bad as last year, but bad none the less. Star slot back Andy Fantuz has had a nagging hamstring injury which has caused him to miss the last 3 games, and by the looks of things, that won't stop until after the Riders' bye week.

Dave McKoy is a another receiver who is down with injury. He has missed the entire season so far and is currently on the nine game injured list. Before the season, McKoy was expected to be a starting wide out, and many believed he was going be a star in the future.

The defensive side of the ball is missing key players as well. S

tarting middle linebacker Rey Williams had some ligaments torn in his knee in the loss against BC, kept on playing and is now on the nine game injured list and might miss the rest of the season. Leron Mitchell who was expected to be the Riders' starting safety, got injured in training camp which has forced James Patrick to leave his natural position to play at safety.

The Riders have been a very unlucky franchise in the last few years injury wise. Hopefully for the Riders, (I'm having Deja Vu right now) their injury situation will clear up near the end of the season. Also hoping that Fantuz will get back to full health, Mitchell will be back at safety, the original offensive line will be back in time to start a few games together before playoffs and Rey Williams will be able to play at least half the time.

I cannot see all of these things happening, but for the Riders' sake, I hope at least half of them can.

NBA Beasts Of The East: Orlando Magic Edition

TJ Zwarych — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 14:06:00 -0400

Orlando Magic

The Orlando Magic did a good job improving their team for this season, but I think these moves hurt them in the long run. First, let's focus on this season. The biggest losses for the Magic this off season were Hedo Turkoglu, Courtney Lee and Rafer Alston. The biggest of course was Hedo Turkoglu.

Hedo signed with the Toronto Raptors which really hurt the Magic. They were hoping to get him back, but he ended up signing with the Raptors because well, they could pay him a lot more money. Alston and Lee both left to New Jersey, as they were shipped away for Vince Carter, which brings me to the additions.

Vince Carter is hated by many, many people, but not Magic fans. Carter more then makes up for the scoring and ability to make clutch plays that the Magic lost with the departure of Turkoglu. Carter has only had two seasons under 20 ppg, and those were his rookie season and the year with the Raptors where he just decided he didn't want to play anymore.

Which is the biggest problem with Carter, when he is sick of playing somewhere, you will definitely know.

Vince Carter's attitude is the reason I say this was a bad move long term for the Magic. Courtney Lee is an up and coming player who has shown many flashes that he could be a future star. Vince Carter could decide halfway through the year that he doesn't want to play anymore, and in that case, the Magic would be screwed.

What I think will help the Magic the most this season, isn't really an addition. A healthy Jameer Nelson is the most important piece of the Orlando Magic puzzle. Nelson is a fantastic up and coming point guard, but had his year decimated last season do to injury.

Should Nelson stay healthy this campaign, the Orlando Magic will have a great season, and go far in the playoffs.

The Magic also added Matt Barnes and Brandon Bass. Both of these are very key additions and should help them be a contender again this year. These two and Vince Carter could fit in nicely with Dwight Howard's Magic. Bass and Barnes finally give the Magic some more size at PF to help Dwight Howard with some of the rebounding responsibility.

With these new players and the one's they have, the Magic will be a serious championship contender for the second straight year.

Toronto Raptors Doing Everything They Can to Keep Chris Bosh, But Is It Enough?

TJ Zwarych — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 15:46:50 -0400

It has been made clear to fans that the chances of Chris Bosh staying in Toronto after his contract is up is slim. Despite this, Raptors GM Bryan Colangelo is doing all that he can to make him stay. Should recently acquired Sonny Weems stay with the Raptors and not go to a D-league team, they would have a full fifteen-man roster.

Out of those 15, only three are returning players from last season: Chris Bosh, Jose Calderon and recently resigned Andrea Bargnani. The Raptors had a season that ended up much below expectations last year with only 33 wins. Colangelo has done all that he can to change the image of this team, make them better, and to make sure Bosh remains a Raptor for years to come.

Bosh has been the face of the franchise ever since (the much-hated by Raptor fans) Vince Carter left Toronto in one of the most lopsided trades in NBA history. In his career, Bosh has averaged close to a double-double with 19.3 ppg and 9.2 rpg.

In 2008-2009, Bosh had his best scoring year of his career and second best rebounding year. The last four years, he has had just over 22 points per game and has stayed consistent.

It has been rumored that he doesn't want to stay a Raptor because Toronto is a small basketball market, and he wants to go play in a larger, more winning market. The hopes of Toronto fans and Bryan Colangelo is that if the Raptors can put a winning product on the court and win a few playoff series, that Bosh will want to stay with the Raptors.

Out of all the changes made by the Raptors this summer, the one that is by far the most significant is the signing of former Magic swing man Hedo Turkoglu. Last season, Turkoglu averaged 17 ppg, 5 apg, 5 rpg and 1 steal a game. With the addition of Hedo, the Raptors found that playmaking wing player they've been desperately seeking since Vince Carter left.

Other significant additions include Jarrett Jack, a solidified point guard who can back up Jose Calderon; DeMar DeRozan, a high-flying rookie they acquired in the draft; Reggie Evans, a rebounding machine; and Marco Bellinelli, a young swingman with a great outside shooting stroke.

Although the Raptors have made a lot of changes, one worry of Raptor fans is that they didn't move forward, just sideways. They got a lot of new players, but did they necessarily get better players? Let's weigh the changes.

Key Aquisitions: Hedo Turkoglu, Demar Derozan, Jarret Jack, Reggie Evans, Marco Bellinelli, Rasho Nesterovic

Total PPG from last year: 48.9

Key Losses: Shawn Marion, Anthony Parker, Joey Graham, Jason Kapono, Kris Humphries

Total PPG from last year: 43.4

So based on last years stats, the acquisitions that they have made are better scorers then those of who they gave up, and that doesn't even count what DeRozan will score this year because there were obviously no NBA stats for him from last year since he is a rookie.

Personally, I think the Raptors have moved forward with these moves and will be a better team this year then they were in years past. This is the best Raptor team I have seen since the pre-Vince Carter Being A Baby Era, and I would not only expect them to make the playoffs this year, but possibly, if they are on a roll at the end of the season, to win a first-round playoff series.

Hopefully for the Raptors, Chris Bosh will see the effort Colangelo and the gang have put in to make this team a contender and will want to stay in a Raptors uniform. If he stays, the Raptors can continue to move forward while building their team around Bosh in hopefully becoming NBA champions in the years to come.

Looking Forward: Top Five Players to Watch in 2009-10 NBA Season

TJ Zwarych — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 14:34:12 -0400

With the 2008-09 season having come to close, and with the draft not yet here, there isn't to much to talk about in the NBA. That's why I figured it would be a good time to talk about who I think will be pleasant surprises for their teams in the upcoming NBA season.

5. J.J. Redick

Now I'm obviously not going to say you should expect J.J. to be a star player for the Magic this upcoming season, but I think he will be a much bigger piece in their puzzle.

He demonstrated in the playoffs he can do more than just shoot, as he did a much better job than anyone expected him to do while guarding Kobe Bryant, and we also found out he could pass the ball.

There were quite a few instances in which Redick made beautiful dishes that caught the defense off guard. He even managed to make a wonderful fastbreak dime while falling to the floor. He will be a long way off all-star status, but with the bright spots Redick showed in the playoffs, I think he will improve greatly this offseason and have a very good season next year.

4. Louis Amundson

Amundson is a huge fan favorite in Phoenix and is a great young player getting better. He shows many similar traits as Anderson Varejao of Cleveland. He isn't afraid to throw his body around, and if there is a loose ball anywhere near him, clear the way if you don't want to be hurt.

Amundson averaged 4.2 ppg, 3.6 rpg, a block and half a steal a game in only 13 minutes per game. With the aging of Shaq and improvement of skills this offseason, Amundson should get more playing time and could be a key part of the Suns' success.

3. Chris Kaman

Kaman already is a solid player for the Clippers, and the hope of him being even better for next season is based on staying mostly injury free and the drafting of Blake Griffin.

Griffin is supposedly going to be a star in the league early, which may draw double teams, leaving Kaman open. Kaman averaged 12 ppg and eight rpg last season, and I would expect those points to go up at least three or four per game in 2009-10.

2. Aaron Brooks

Brooks had a fantastic postseason and looks as though he will be a great up-and-coming point guard in the league.

Brooks had an average season as a starting point guard in the league this year, but it was still better than anyone was expecting, except the Rockets.

Although his season was nothing special, his postseason was beyond normal as he almost lead his Rockets over the eventual NBA Champion Lakers with 17 ppg and around three rebounds and assists per game while only averaging 2.23 turnovers a game.

Brooks showed flashes of stardom this postseason and will wreak havoc for teams who aren't expecting it out of him come next year.

1. Rajon Rondo

Rondo was one of the playoff's best performers this postseason, as he was by far the biggest reason the Celtics were in as long as they were.

He averaged 16.9 ppg, 9.7 apg, 9.7 rpg, 2.5 spg and under three turnovers per game. Those numbers are all star-like, being almost a triple double.

His production from the regular season to the postseason went up a insanely, and I would expect that to keep up next year. His points probably won't be as high because Kevin Garnett will be back and taking some of that, but his assists will probably be even higher.

Rondo is going to be a fantastic player in the NBA for years to come, Hall of Fame-like, and I think that next year will only be the start of it.

Raptors Playing Great, But at What Cost?

TJ Zwarych — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 22:36:00 -0400

The Toronto Raptors are finally playing as a team and up to their full potential as they beat the Orlando Magic, and are currently on a five game winning streak. Raptors fans should be rejoicing, their team is playing great, they took down a conference power house, all is good...right?

Wrong.

The Raptors are playing great, but it is doing more bad for them than good. They have no chance of making the playoffs, so all they are doing by winning these games is lessening their chances at Blake Griffin or whoever will be the top players in this year's draft.

If there were no draft lottery, the Raptors would currently sit at the ninth pick in this year's draft. Had this been a five game losing streak and not a five game winning streak, they would sit with the seventh pick with the potential of a few other twenty win teams creeping ahead of them in the standings.

Now I'm not saying they should go blowing games because that's just dumb. Personally I would like to see the lottery changed into every team who doesn't make the post season having an equal chance, but that is a different issue.

What I think the Raptors should do is try out their younger or more inexperienced players. Give guys like Ukic, Mensah-Bonsu, and Patrick O'Bryant more minutes.

Being a Raptor fan, I did find myself cheering as they went on to beat the Magic and their first five game winning streak of the season, it isn't the best outcome for the team. The way the Raptors are playing, they could quite easily slip out of contention for a top 10 pick in next year's draft, which would make them not as good next year, which would make it more likely that CB4 leaves in 2010.

Dwyane Wade Comes Up Huge Against Bulls

TJ Zwarych — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 23:51:04 -0400

MVP! MVP! MVP!

Dwyane Wade had a beyond huge game tonight as the Miami Heat came out victorious in double overtime over the Chicago Bulls.

Wade made clutch play after clutch play tonight. First, he hit a three-point buzzer beater to put the game into overtime. Then in double overtime he stole the ball and hit a running three-point buzzer beater to win the game.

I am one of those people who doesn't think Kobe, or LeBron, but rather D-Wade should be the NBA MVP this season. Why you may ask? THE NUMBERS DON'T LIE!

In a 130-127 win over the Bulls tonight, Wade had 48 points, 12 assists, 6 rebounds, 4 steals, and 3 blocks! This has to be one of the single greatest games by a player this season. Wade has had 40 points or over now in 4 out of his last 6 games. These are truly MVP-numbers.

Although Wade's game was more than stellar, he wasn't the only Heat player who contributed. The Heat had 6 players in double digits, led by two rookies with 18 (Michael Beasley) and 17 (Mario Chalmers). Udonis Haslem lead the team in rebounds with 8.

Ben Gordon had a huge game in a loss tonight with 43 points, 3 assists, 3 boards, a steal, and a block. He was really making it rain tonight as he hit 8 out of 11 three-point shots. John Salmons also had a great game with 29 points and 8 rebounds, and Derrick Rose played great with 23 points and 9 rebounds

If Dwyane Wade and the Miami Heat continue to play like this they will be a serious contender in the playoffs.

Winnipeg Blue Bombers Release Quaterback Kevin Glenn

TJ Zwarych — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 23:29:32 -0400

The Winnipeg Blue Bombers announced today that they released former East Most Outstanding Player finalist Kevin Glenn.

Glenn is an eight-year veteran who has spent time with three teams, the Saskatchewan Roughriders, the Toronto Argonauts and the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.

However, he spent less than one day with Toronto after being traded their by Saskatchewan only to be traded later that day to Winnipeg.

Kevin Glenn was an all-star in the 2007 season where he was also the East finalist for Most Outstanding Player. He spent three season with the Riders completing 170 of his 222 passes for 2213 yards, 13 touchdowns and 9 interceptions.

In Winnipeg he completed 1327 of 2292 passes for 18,091 yards, 96 touchdowns and 78 interceptions.

It is unknown where Glenn will go next but I would think the top contenders on who would want him are the Saskatchewan Roughriders, the Hamilton Tiger Cats and the Montreal Alouettes.

The Roughriders, because with two young up and coming quarterbacks in Dalton Bell and Darian Durant as your possble starters for this season, it would be good to have a veteran quarterback who has proved he can get it done if those two QBs don't work out.

The Hamilton Tiger Cats because they always have quarterbacking woes and they seem to like to try and load up on them so why wouldn't they sign him?

The Alouettes because there is no telling how much longer Anthony Calvillo will be in this league. He is getting older and with this age you must assume come injuries. If that were to happen, Glenn would be a much better than average backup to have if anything were to happen.

Calgary and Toronto are also possible situations if they are looking for a solid backup to have behind the previous two Most Outstanding Player award winners in Kerry Joseph and Henry Burris.

North Carolina and Tyler Hansbrough Have a Happy Senior Day Beating Duke

TJ Zwarych — Sun, 08 Mar 2009 19:35:12 -0400

North Carolina secured first place in the ACC today as they knocked off the Duke Blue Devils, who are now second, 79-71.

Tyler Hansbrough scored 17 points and 8 rebounds today in his final home game. With his family, countless UNC fans, and Michael Jordan all in attendance for that game, he must be a happy man. He was named Chevrolet Player of the Game, along with Duke's Jon Scheyer who had 24 points, 5 assists, and 4 steals on 7-7 shooting.

It was a close game all the way through as there was seven lead changes. North Carolina's biggest lead was 10, while Duke's was a three-point lead back in the first half. Along with Hansbrough's 17 points, North Carolina had four other players in double figures. Ty Lawson almost had a triple-double with 13 points, 8 rebounds, and 9 assists.

Scheyer led Duke with 24 points, and Kyle Singler had 23, but Duke still came up short as they only had five players who scored. That was the difference in this game: North Carolina had five players in double figures; Duke only had five that even got a basket. And for one of those players, Lance Thomas, it only was one basket as he finished with two points.

Had Duke won that game, they would have been tied with UNC as the top seed in the ACC. Since UNC won, they are first, and Duke is currently second. With that win, I think it's safe to say that UNC has locked up a number one seed in the NCAA tournament, and Duke only has a very slight chance at it—even if they win the ACC tournament.

Utah Jazz Hand The Toronto Raptors Their Fifth Straight Loss

TJ Zwarych — Sun, 08 Mar 2009 19:15:55 -0400

Two teams going in opposite directions continued that today. The Jazz matched their longest win streak since 1999 with eleven straight wins as they handed the Toronto Raptors their fifth straight loss in a 109-101 game.

Deron Williams has been leading his team lately and did not stop that trend tonight as he had 25 points and eight assists. Kyle Korver also had a big game with 20 points and 8 rebounds coming off the bench.

Chris Bosh had a huge game for the Raps with 30 points and 10 boards, but it wasn't enough. For the most part their starters got it done; Bargnani had 20 points and 8 rebounds, Parker had 16 points and 7 assists, and Calderon had 10 points and 11 assists.

Pops Mensah-Bonsu, a new signing for the Raptors, gave them 7 rebounds tonight after a career-high 10 on Friday. He seems to be a good signing.

After the game, Bosh was quoted as saying, "I'm just looking at the next game. I don't care to define a loss anymore. They are the best team in the league right now, but it really doesn't matter who we play, we are trying to win games." He really doesn't sound too happy with the way his team is performing lately, and you really can't blame him.

The Raptors tried to put together a fourth quarter comeback at the end of the game—which they seem to be trying to do a lot. Calderon wasn't even on the floor at the time. Like always, the Raptors got real close as they brought it within one point around the seven minute mark in the fourth quarter, then came up short.

Jay Triano must not be happy with his team's performance, but you have to wonder, how much time does he have left? I think if they want a playoff run late this season, they need to change coaches quick. If not, and they are looking for a high draft pick this offseason, stick with him—but I think he has to be gone in the summer.

Boston Celtics' Rajon Rondo: Underrated and Underappreciated

TJ Zwarych — Sun, 08 Mar 2009 16:08:02 -0400

Rajon Rondo is a fantastic young point guard who I think doesn't quite get his due. He's a great player who helped his team to an NBA Championship in only his second year in the league.

When people think of the Boston Celtics, they think of the "Big Three": Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, and Ray Allen. Why not add Rajon Rondo to that? You could always make it the "Big Four," no? You know, "the more the merrier," right?

So maybe he isn't quite in the category of that trio of teammates, but you get my point.

Rondo currently sits at fourth in the league in dimes per game, with only future Hall of Famers Chris Paul and Jason Kidd, plus an on-fire Jose Calderon, posting more than his 8.4. He is also fourth in the league in steals (1.92 per game) and one of only three players averaging more than 1.5 steals and eight assists per game.

He often gets criticized for not being "an NBA-caliber shooter," but Rondo is averaging almost 12 PPG this season on better than 51 percent shooting.

Rondo is also arguably the best defending point guard in the league. Night in and night out, he has to compete with, in just the Eastern Conference, the likes of Devin Harris, Mo Williams, Mike Bibby, and Derrick Rose. Yet he shuts them down.

Now, Rondo isn't known as a scorer, but on a team like the Celtics, he does what he needs to do. For example, in a March 6 win over the Cavaliers, Rondo only six points, but when you have Pierce with 29, Powe with 20 and Allen with 17, he contributed plenty with his 10 assists, two steals and minimal two turnovers. Also in that game, counterpart Mo Williams had only two assists and four turnovers.

And in a victory that necessitated high scoring (over the Nets on March 4), Rajon Rondo helped the Celtics to 115 points as he had 20 points, five assists, five rebounds, a steal and only two turnovers. He also forced All-Star point guard Devin Harris into six turnovers and only 33 percent shooting from the field.

I'm not saying Rajon Rondo should be MVP by any stretch of the imagination, but I really think he should get consideration for the All-Star game next year. One need only look at his team's record and his role on said team to realize he's one of the league's premier point guards.

Dwyane Wade is a Legitimate MVP Candidate

TJ Zwarych — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 23:20:35 -0500

Most of the year, Kobe and Lebron have seemed to be in a two pronged race for the MVP, with D-Wade and Dwight Howard being more of an after thought. Well Kobe and Lebron are obviously the two best players in the league, but I don't think anyone is more valuable to their team then Dwyane Wade.

Last year, the Heat were a terrible team at best with Dwyane Wade being injured most of the year. They finished with only 15 wins and ended up at the cellar of a weak Eastern Conference.

This season however, is a different story. The heat currently sit 5th in the East and are quickly approaching the Hawks for fourth. Wade is having a fantastic season as he is averaging a career high in points per game (29.2), steals per game (2.2), blocks per game (1.4) and almost a career high in assists per game and rebounds per game with 7.4 apg and 5 rpg.

Wade and his Heat did a great job of spoiling Shaqs return to South Beach on Wednesday (March 4th), with a big win over the Suns 135-129. In a very high scoring game, Wade lead his team to victory with 35 points while tying a career high in assists with 16.

When you almost single handedly turn around a team like Wade did this year, you definitely need to have a lot of consideration for the MVP award. Wade is the NBA's leading scorer and is in the top ten in 21 positive statistical categories (www.nba.com/playerfile/dwyane_wade/career_stats.html).

With a healthy Wade, the Heat have improved leaps and bounds this season and will be a serious contender for a championship.

CFL: Saskatchewan RoughRiders Look Good Going Into Playoffs

TJ Zwarych — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 12:36:02 -0500

It was a tough ride but the Saskatchewan Roughriders locked up a home playoff game and they look as though they will have a near full roster with most of their starters back for the first time since early season.

The Riders have two players this season who are finalists for CFL awards and they are Gene Makowsky for outstanding lineman, and Weston Dressler for rookie of the year.

Makowsky is up against Scott Flory, now I do not know much about Scott Flory because I don't really follow Eastern teams offensive linemen, so I do not really know who will win that category, however I do think Weston Dressler will win the rookie of the year category over Prichae Rodriguez.

The statistics are pretty similar as Dressler has 24 more yards receiving then Rodriguez but Rodriguez has 1 more touchdown. The reason I think the award should go to Dressler because of his determination and will to win. He was the Roughriders' entire passing game when their other receivers went down.

At the start of the season he was there fifth receiver. He was behind Matt Dominguez, Andy Fantuz, Adarius Bowman and DJ Flick. He was the Roughriders' only receiver over 1000 yards and he made dozens of unbelievable catches throughout the season.

Going into their playoff game this weekend, it looks as though the Roughriders will have Matt Dominguez, Adarius Bowman and Wes Cates will be playing after a scare with his ankle last game.

Michael Bishop will be the starting quarterback for the Roughriders this weekend and I think that will be a good thing. Personally I still think Darian Durant is our best at that position, but hopefully Bishop will bring a good veteren presence and will lead the Riders to victory.

If he doesn't, I hope Miller will not hesitate to put Darian Durant in. I understand we want a specific starting quarterback, but I don't think that we need to choose one guy and stick with him no matter what. If he plays bad, I do not think we should stick with him.

I think with all of there players back the Riders will keep winning and be in every game, hopefully returning as the Grey Cup champions.

Raptors-76ers: Toronto Starts Season Strong with Win in Philly

TJ Zwarych — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 16:02:23 -0400

This article is also posted at hoops4life.com, an NBA fan site, and tosports.ca

Well, the season is finally here and the Raptors started it out with a big 95-84 win against the division rival Philadelphia 76ers. Jermaine O'Neal played a great game in his start with the Raptors, and the Raptors' defense was also great.

"I feel really good,'' O'Neal said. "I said from the time I got here that I wanted to be part of the team and bring playoff-type intensity every night. We have to treat every game like a playoff game.''

He sounds happy to be in Toronto, and when you decide you want to come to Toronto instead of Cleveland to play with LeBron and the Cavs, he must really feel strongly about the Raptors organization.

After starting out cold and only scoring 18 in the first quarter, the Raptors soared in the second quarter, scoring 33 points and taking a 51-45 lead at half time. They did not look back. Their defense did not look like the Raptor defense of old as they held a Sixers team, who has many offensive threats, to only 84 points.

Chris Bosh had a fantastic start to the season as he went off for 27 points, 11 rebounds, and four assists. Jermaine O'Neal and Jason Kaponowere were the other two highest scorers for the Raptors, Kapono with 15 and O'Neal with 17 and also eight rebounds.

The leading scorer for Philly was Andre Iguodala who had 15 points and six assists.

Toronto Raptors Hope to Steal Atlantic Division in 2008-2009

TJ Zwarych — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 14:26:08 -0400

If the Toronto Raptors were to win the Atlantic divison this coming season, it is fair to say that it would be a “steal”.

Boston is the clear favorite to win the division this year, and ultimately the Eastern Conference. Of course, this will probably happen with the big three still intact.

The Celtics will be again a championship contender; however, they aren’t the only team in the Atlantic division looking good this year.

With the aquisition of Jermaine O'Neal, the Raptors have added a player who when healthy is one of the best forwards in the game. They now have a very confident Jose Calderon who should do beautifully, as he is finally the definite starter on this team.

Chris Bosh is one year stronger and more experienced, and Andrea Bargnani looks to have a bounce back year. I predict he will not only have a better performance than 2007-2008, but better than his rookie season as well. You add Anthony Parker who is a very solid player, and high flying Jamario Moon to the equation, that is a very solid main six.

I would say right now that the biggest question for the Raptors is their bench, which I still think will be strong. You look at the downside and you see a lot of unknown young players who you aren’t sure will produce. However, they are young, which usually means they will improve. If all these young players produce, they should have no problems.

I am expecting Kris Humphries and Joey Graham to have increased roles on the team this year. Without Rasho Nesterovic, if Jermaine O’Neal goes down (knock on wood), they will really look to Humphries for some desperately needed rebounding.

If he stays healthy, Jermaine O’Neal will be huge for the Raptors as he will bring a big rebounding presence in the middle who can also score.

This will help primarily by relieving Chris Bosh of double teams, which will allow him to score a lot more and be banged around a lot less inside. This will hopefully allow him to stay healthy for a full season. If Bosh continues to get double teamed a lot, Jermaine O’Neal is a fantastic second option!

For all the fantasy fanatics out there, I would really watch Jason Kapono. I think he will be a great pickup this season as teams will give all of their defensive attention trying to stop Bosh and O’Neal inside. This will leave Kapono open for a lot of open outside shots and when open, we all know he won’t miss very many.

All of these components could lead the Raptors to steal the division title from the Celtics and hopefully right to the NBA Finals for the first time in their history.

Roughriders Snap Losing Streak in Tight Game

TJ Zwarych — Sat, 04 Oct 2008 07:26:21 -0400

Finally the Saskatchewan Roughriders are back on track.

After a fantastic game in Regina against the Calgary Stampeders, the Saskatchewan Roughriders broke their three game losing streak while popping themselves into a three-way tie for first place in the Western conference with their 34-37 win. Also with the win, the Riders clinch a playoff spot.

Many (including me) thought that the losing streak would continue while playing the first place team in the Western conference with the injury woes and some recent questionable coaching and play calling.

Michael Bishop started the game for the Riders and boy did he play good. He went in and out of the game because of numbness in his arm but while he was in he went 20-27 for 242 yards and a touchdown.

Durant came in for a few plays and did his job going 2-4 for 43 yards. Like usual, Weston Dressler was Michael Bishop's favorite target as he caught seven passes for 128 yards. Chris Getzlaf also had a great game getting his first start and his first touchdown with five catches and a touchdown.

Even without their top two runningbacks, the Roughriders still managed to do fine running the ball as rookie Hugh Charles had seven carries for 45 yards and Neal Hughes in his first game back had nine carries for 29 yards and two touchdowns.

The Stamps went with an air attack as Smilin' Hank went 29-45 for 311 yards, two touchdowns and an interception by James Johnson which eventually lead to a Neal Hughes touchdown which would end up sealing the game for the Riders. Jofferey Reynolds only had five carries which he took for 25 yards while Burris had 13 carries for 41 yards and a touchdown.

Although the injuries aren't good, there is some brightside coming out of them with the possible emergences of Chris Getzlaf (five catches 47 yards and a touchdown), Hugh Charles, (seven carries for 45 yards) and Stevie Baggs (forced fumble, two tackles and defensive player of the game).

The future of center Jeremy O'Day is uncertain going into next game as he hurt his knee, but the Roughriders can hopefully expect star tailback Wes Cates and receiver DJ Flick back for the next game.

Saskatchewan Roughriders Fall Short of Another Fourth Quarter Comeback

TJ Zwarych — Sun, 14 Sep 2008 09:12:27 -0400

The Saskatchewan Roughriders drop to 8-3 after another very thrilling fourth quarter to the BC Lions. The Lions win the first of the home and home in a bad offensive struggle for the Riders.

If losing isn't bad enough, to make things worse for the Riders, during the opening kickoff, Roughriders defensive back Brandon Lynch broke his leg, making that the sixth broken leg for the Roughriders already this season. That's just over an average of one every two games!

It was really a defensive battle as there was only one touchdown in the first half and that belonged to Charles Roberts getting his first touchdown as a BC Lion. After a good start for Luca Congi going 3-3 for the Riders on field goals, the Lions lead 11-9 at the half.

The Roughriders had a terrible third quarter as they didn't score a point as the Lions hit one field goal set up by a Barron Miles interception to put the Lions up 14-9 at the end of the third.

However, we all know how the Roughriders can come back in the fourth quarter and instantly start out great and it leads to a victory right? I mean, they will surely do it again as soon as the fourth quarter starts right? Wrong. The very first play of the fourth quarter, quarterback Buck Pierce throws a 43-yard pass to Paris Jackson to take the lead 21-9.

After letting up another touchdown was when the Riders finally woke up and started playing. The Riders answered back the very next drive as Michael Bishop lead them through an 89-yard drive capped by a six-yard touchdown pass to Canadian slotback Adam Nicolson, which made it 21-16 Lions. But the Lions would not let this game slip away, with 3:24 left to play, Buck Pierce through a 77-yard pass to Geroy Simon to make it 28-16 Lions.

But just when we think all is lost, the Riders keep tugging at our hearts to give us false hope. With 2:35 to go, Bishop throws a 60-yard bomb to slotback Michael Palmer. The Riders capped the drive off with a touchdown plunge by Wes Cates on third down to bring the Riders within five with 1:46 left to play.

The Riders tried a short kick but didn't get it so it was there turn to try on defense. The Lions went two and out capped by an eight-yard sack by Maurice Lloyd to put the Riders back on offence.

So the Riders had one more chance, a possible game winning drive with just over a minute left at there own 36-yard line. Could they do it? No. Bishop was sacked twice and he fumbled the ball so the Lions went on kneeling and won the game.

"We knew it was going to be tough and we didn't play the way we should've early on," said a defeated Rider Ken Miller after the game. "We took penalties and threw behind our seocndary. We can't rely on fourth quarter comebacks."

Although they lost, I would like to throw a congrats to Wes Cates, who became the first rusher to break the 1,000 yard mark this season and to Maurice Lloyd who one defensive player of the game with one sack and a forced fumble.

Shaq to Retire in 734 Days—Can he Make It That Long?

TJ Zwarych — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 14:28:27 -0400

This Article is Also Posted at Hoops4life.com, an NBA fan site.

While watching ESPN's Pardon the Interruption today, I found out that Shaquille O'Neal is planning on retiring in exactly 734 days. Meaning two more seasons. We all know Shaq is one of the most dominant players ever to play the game, but can he really make it two more years?

Shaq's played on four different teams winning championships on two of those teams and has been a truly dominant player always. But he is getting old. Shaq is 36 right now and is hurt almost constantly. Shaq played only 61 games last year, 40 the year before, and 59 the year before that. But Shaq has never really been the guy to stay healthy a full season.

Although having had the worst season scoring wise of his career last season, there is some upside for Shaq. While he was with Phoenix, he averaged more rebounds per game (10.6) then he has since 2003-2004 back when he was with LA. Maybe Shaq can still get it done.

If Shaq really does play two more seasons, he might be able to get a championship with a new team that he is looking for, saying that is why he still wants to play. With him, the Suns will be a major contender in the West but they have to do it fast with Shaq and Steve Nash aging.

Personally, I think Shaq will be able to get it done if he stays but will not be his self of old. He will be a good big body in the middle who is slightly above average at the center position.

Best NBA Point Guards for the 2008-09 Season

TJ Zwarych — Mon, 01 Sep 2008 16:50:26 -0400

This article is also posted at hoops4life.com, an NBA fan site.

Every team needs a good point guard. Arguably the most important position in basketball, the point guard is relied on to distribute the ball and shoot from the outside.

What makes a really good point guard is doing those two things, playing defense, and—if you're really lucky—driving the lane. Now, without further ado, the list:

5. Steve Nash

Nash is a fantastic offensive point guard—but unfortunately, he's getting old.

He is one of the league's top three free-throw shooters, and there is no one better at distributing the ball into tight places. Unfortunately, this two-time MVP just cannot play defense.

Projected Stats: 17.3 ppg, 10.7 apg, 3.3 rpg

4. Devin Harris

Harris is a fantastic young point guard who will enjoy a great season with New Jersey this year. He will have a full season to play with the Nets, who should do better with their new acquisitions.

With new players like Yi and Lopez to pass the ball to, Harris will have a career year. Harris is a very good defender and will have a breakout year offensively.

Projected Stats: 18.6 ppg, 8.3 apg, 3.4 rpg, 1.7 spg

3. Andre Miller

Many people will think this is too high for Andre Miller, but Miller has been underrated his entire career. He will have a great season this year with Elton Brand in Philly—if Brand is healthy, he is still one of the top forwards in the game.

Many people think Miller won't improve considering he is 33, but I think he has a few good years in him yet. Miller is a great defender and isn't afraid to get inside to get boards. He should have one of his best years this season.

Projected Stats: 19.1 ppg, 7.9 apg, 4.5 rpg, 1.5 spg

2. Deron Williams

The top two spots here were obviously locks for Deron Williams and Chris Paul—it was just a matter of deciding what order to put them in. It seems like Paul always has better stats, but for some reason Williams dominates Paul whenever they play.

I'm not sure whether it's because the Jazz match up well against the Hornets, or just the dynamic between these two. Either way, both point guards will be elite guards in the league for their entire careers.

Projected Stats: 20.7 ppg, 11.1 apg, 3.7 rpg, 1.3 spg

1. Chris Paul

Paul is a fantastic young point guard, who some say will eventually be one of the best ever.

His stats also show it. He is right up where Magic, Stockton, and Isiah were at this point in their careers.

Paul is one of the league's top guards on both side of the court. He is a 20-point scorer and also led the league in assists last season. On defense, although not necessarily a lock-down defender, he lead the league in steals.

Projected Stats: 22.6 ppg, 11.7 apg, 3.6 rpg, 2.7 spg

Since there are so many great point guards in the league right now, this was a hard list to make. Therefore, there are many honorable mentions:

Honorable Mentions: Chauncey Billups, Rajon Rondo, Jose Calderon, Jeryd Bayless, Raymond Felton, Mo Williams, Derrick Rose, OJ Mayo

Very Honorable Mentions: Tony Parker, Jason Kidd, Baron Davis

Roughriders Improve Quarterback Situation With Trade

TJ Zwarych — Sat, 23 Aug 2008 16:17:22 -0400

It was announced today that the Roughriders quarterbacking core just got a whole lot better with the addition of former Toronto Argonaut Michael Bishop for a conditional draft pick in the Canadian Draft.

The Riders offence looked very bad in their last game against the Eskimos and a big part of it was the lack of talent at quarterback. With their best quarterback in Darian Durant injured, the Roughriders had to turn to Stephen Jyles and Marcus Crandell who both cannot get the job done.

This will probably mean that Marcus Crandell will be released as Bishop will probably become the main man as the Roughriders will have a great one two punch combo of Darian Durant and Michael Bishop. Either one will be suitable as the starter and the other will make a fine backup.

This season, Bishop hasn't had a fantastic year as he has thrown 42 passes while completing 19 of them for three touchdowns and one interception. Although not great, his quarterback rating is still better than those of Marcus Crandell and Stephen Jyles.

Being 32, Bishop won't be the long term savior at the quarterback spot for the Riders as that spot clearly belongs to Darian Durant, but Bishop will help in the short term as he will be the starter as Darian Durant will be right behind with Bishop on a short leash.

NBA Predictions: Best Shooting Guards For The 2008-2009 Season

TJ Zwarych — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 16:51:43 -0400

This article is also posted at hoops4life.com, an NBA fan site.

The shooting guard position has produced many of the best players ever such as Kobe Bryant, Michael Jordan, Clyde Drexler, Jerry West etc. One of the best ever, Kobe Bryant is still currently playing. Shooting Guards are often the best scorers and shooters on their team, hence the name. Shooting guard, or scoring guard.

5. Brandon Roy

Roy is a great player who is young and already a fantastic leader. He was an all-star for the first time last year after winning rookie of the year the year before that.

Roy is the leader of the youngest and most promising team in the league. With Lamarcus Aldridge and Greg Oden to feed the ball to, Brandon Roy will have a great year.

Projected Stats: 18.5 ppg, 6.9 apg, 5.7 rpg, 1.3 spg

4. Joe Johnson

Johnson is a fantastic player in the middle of his prime. He is one of the best shooters in the league and can create his own shot or hit the open jumper off the pass. Johnson is one of the leagues premier scorers and will have a great year with Bibby being there for the full season this year.

Projected Stats: 24.2 ppg, 3.6 apg, 4.7 rpg, 1.5 spg

3. Kevin Martin

Once again, another fantastic up and coming player who is the new face of the Sacramento Kings. With Artest gone, Martin is the star of that team and will have a great career. Last year, Martin was a top 10 scorer in the league and will only get better. Projected Stats: 26.5 ppg, 4.6 apg, 4.3 rpg

2. Dwayne Wade

Wade was not originally on this list because I was going to do a separate article for combo guards. But, with the injury status of Monta Ellis, I decided to put in Wade in this one and can the combo guard article. We all know how great Dwayne Wade is and what he can do when he is healthy. Wade is one of the top players in the world, but has had some rank injury problems. As long as he stays healthy, he will be in the running for MVP. Projected Stats: 27.2 pprg, 7.1 apg, 6.3 rpg, 2.4 spg, 1.1 bpg.

1. Kobe Bryant

Much like my small forward article, the number one shooting guard was quite an obvious choice. Kobe Bryant was the MVP last season and is one of the best players to ever play the game. Enough said.

Projected Stats: 27.6 ppg, 7.3 apg, 6.7 rpg, 1.4 spg, 1.1 bpg

Honourable Mentions: Michael Redd, Manu Ginobilli, Tracy Mcgrady

NBA Predictions: Best Power Forwards for 2008-2009 Season

TJ Zwarych — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 17:48:59 -0400

This article is also posted at hoops4life.com, an NBA fan site.

Power forwards are often the most intense and athletic players on a team. They are usually the ones who are tall enough to play center, but are too skilled, quick, and good at shooting.

For example: KG. He is tall enough to play center, but is a better shooter than most centers. He is a lot quicker than most centers, and he can play great defense against small, quick forwards.

Now, without further ado, let's take a look at the players I think will be the six best power forwards in the 2008-2009 NBA season.

6. Dirk Nowitzki

Dirk is a great player nearing the edge of his prime. Although very talented, he will not have the team he once had this season. The Mavs will be on the playoff bubble this season, and Dirk will be one of the only things keeping them there.

With Josh Howard being an emerging star, this will slowly decrease the amount of touches Dirk will get, even though he is still a great player.

Projected Stats: 22.6 ppg, 10.1 rpg, 0.7 bpg

5. David West

West went to his first All-Star game last year, and I can guarantee it won't be his last. He is a great player who is finally emerging as the star he is capable of being. West came into his own last season and will only improve.

And hey, having the best point guard in the league getting you the ball helps, too.

Projected Stats: 23.1 ppg, 8.3 rpg, 1.5 bpg, 1.3 spg

4. Chris Bosh

Bosh is one of the best players from one of the best drafts in NBA history. Many think his scoring averages will go way down this season since they have another great forward/center in Jermaine O'Neal.

This, however, is not true. With O'Neal in there, it will simply limit the times Bosh gets double-teamed from the post, creating easier scores. And when he does get doubled, look for his assist averages to skyrocket.

Projected Stats: 23.1 ppg, 8.9 rpg, 4.6 apg, 1.8 bpg, 1 spg

3. Kevin Garnett

KG is flat out one of the best players ever to play in the NBA. Now, KG's stats might not be as high as these other players next season, but when you have two other scoring All-Stars in Allen and Pierce on your team, sometimes it is hard to rack up the points.

And stats aren't everything. Although they might not be as good as some, what he brings to his team in emotion and intensity trumps all.

Projected Stats: 17.7 ppg, 11.2 rpg, 4.3 apg, 2.3 bpg, 1.4 spg

2. Amare Stoudemire

Stoudemire is a fantastic player who is in the same position as many of these players. They have a good center, which means less double teaming from posts, and if teams do double team them, their assist numbers go up.

Also, among many forwards on this list, Stoudemire has a great pass first point guard who can feed him the ball very easily.

Stoudemire is a fantastic young talent who is already a veteran player and is only 25. He is strong, athletic, and is starting to be able to shoot a decent jumper. Stoudemire can guard any player from sf-c and IS the best player on the Suns.

1. Carlos Boozer

Now, many people will think this will be way too high up for Boozer. Well, I would have to disagree with them.

Boozer is a fantastic player on a fantastic team who I think will have a breakout year. He is a big guy who isn't afraid to get dirty inside and grab rebounds.

With good chemistry and a great two-man game he will get going with Deron Williams, Boozer will have a stellar season.

Projected Stats: 25.6 ppg, 11.3 rpg, 1.6 bpg, 1.7 spg

NBA Predictions: Best Centers for the 2008-2009 Season

TJ Zwarych — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 11:29:32 -0400

This article is also posted at hoops4life.com, an NBA fan site.

Center in the NBA can be one of the most dominant positions. If you get a big guy inside who can bang around and grab boards, you have a great piece to start a team with. But if that big guy can bang around, grab boards, block shots AND score, you picked yourself a good one.

The NBA has seen many great centers in it's time like Hakeem Olajuwan, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Shaquille O'Neal, Wilt Chamberlain and Bill Russell. Now that's a good list of players. That however is the past. I mean, O'Neal still plays but is nothing like he used to be. Today's NBA has many good centers as well. Most of the time now, players can play either center or power forward.

Great centers include Tim Duncan, Yao Ming, Dwight Howard, Tyson Chandler, Shaquille O'Neal, Jermaine O'Neal, Andrew Bogut, Greg Oden, Andrew Bynum and many, many others. Here is a list that I think will round up the top 5 centers in the NBA this coming season.

5. Greg Oden - Portland Trail Blazers

Oden will have a fantastic season this year in his first season playing in the NBA. He should have the starting center position down pat as Aldridge will now be able to go back to his natural position at power forward. Oden is a great young center who looks fantastic. He is very good with both hands and can grab rebounds and block shots. He won't have too much trouble scoring the ball either. Projected Stats: 14.8 ppg, 10.6 rpg, 1.8 bpg

4. Tyson Chandler - New Orleans Hornets

Chandler will have a much improved season this year with the Hornets as his chemistry with Chris Paul will blossom into something we haven't seen from them before. Chandler will not be their primary scorer but he will pick up his defense to a new level and be a strong defensive player of the year candidate. Projected Stats: 12.9 ppg, 13.6 rpg, 2.6 bpg

3. Yao Ming - Houston Rockets

Yao will have a Yao like season this year and he will be a West all-star. Injuries won't be as big of a factor this year and he will help finally lead the Rockets past the first round. With Artest there, teams won't be able to double down on him as much. With Yao, Artest and McGrady, the Rockets will have a good season. Projected Stats: 19.4 ppg, 11.2 rpg, 1.5 bpg

2. Tim Duncan - San Antonio Spurs

Although getting old, Timmy D will still get it done. He will still be a solid, consistent center that brings passion to his team everyday. Duncan still is and will be the heart and soul of the Spurs until he retires. As Parker gets more experience and he progresses into a better player, Duncan will get more feeds inside from Parker getting open and finding him. Projected Stats: 21.7 ppg, 10.9 rpg, 2.0 bpg

1. Dwight Howard - Orlando Magic

In my mind, Dwight Howard will eventually emerge as one of the greatest centers to ever play the game. Howard is one of the strongest, the fastest and the highest jumping center in the league. He can score inside and has been recently working on his jump shot. Howard is a block machine and grabs boards at will. He will have his best season yet. Projected Stats: 22.8 ppg, 15.1 rpg, 2.6 bpg

Looking Forward: All-NBA Under 25 Team

TJ Zwarych — Sat, 09 Aug 2008 18:57:04 -0400

This article is also posted at hoops4life.com, an NBA fan site.

The NBA looks as if it's at one of the strongest levels it has ever been at—and it's only going to get better. With the 2003 NBA Draft producing fabulous young stars such as Lebron James, Carmelo Anthony, Chris Bosh and Dwayne Wade, the NBA has only good things to come.

Here is a list of 12 players—five starters and seven bench players—who I think would make the best team of players under the age of 25 in the NBA:

Starting Lineup

PG - Chris Paul (Age 23)

Paul had a fantastic season last year, and looks as if he will only get better. He led the league in assists and steals last year, and was still a great scorer.

Paul is the best player on one of the best teams in the league, and is still only 23. Some say Paul will turn out to be the best point guard since Stockton or Magic—and I can't disagree.

SG - Brandon Roy (Age 23)

Roy isn't one of the top five players on this team, but he is the best shooting guard. He is a fantastic leader and is the best player on the up-and-coming, soon to be great, Portland Trail Blazers.

Roy is a great scorer who can also distribute the ball. He is a physical player who plays great defense, and fits in well on this team. He was voted to his first All-Star game last season.

SF - LeBron James (Age 23)

If anyone argues that Lebron shouldn't be on this list, they are just dumb. There is really no point of me describing him. He is a top-three player in the league who can guard any position. We all know who he is—anything else I can really say?

PF - Chris Bosh (Age 24)

Bosh has developed into one of the best players in the league. He is an annual All-Star lock, and is the star of the Raptors.

Bosh entered the league in arguably the deepest draft ever—2003, when he was chosen fourth overall. Many thought it was a three-player-deep draft consisting of LeBron, Darko Millicic, and Carmelo Anthony. Boy were they wrong, eh?

Bosh is a fantastic player on both sides of the ball, and if he puts on more muscle, he could be the next KG.

C - Dwight Howard (Age 22)

Dwight Howard is an absolute beast. A double-double lock. A 20-point scorer who on a good day can grab as many rebounds as points.

Howard looks as if he will be the next Shaquille O'Neal but with more touch and athleticism. Howard is already one of the best players in the league and will only get better. He will be one of the greatest centers ever to play the game.

Bench Players

Deron Williams

Runs the Jazz offense—a fantastic player who rivals Paul for best point guard in the league.

Monta Ellis

One of the most versatile and athletic players in the league. He is the best player on the G-State Warriors and will only get better. He plays decent D, can shoot, and is overall great.

Kevin Martin

Great young player and future of the Kings. At age 23. Martin is already one of the league's best scorers.

Kevin Durant

Great young scorer and defender, who just has to pass the ball a bit more—although I don't blame him for not passing last year, because there wasn't anyone to pass to on his team.

Josh Smith

Again, one of the league's most athletic players. Smith is a fabulous defender who can block shots with ease and grab boards. He can get to the rim without difficulty, but needs to improve his outside shot.

Carmelo Anthony

Just missed out on the starting five, because they needed another guard. Melo is one of the league's best scorers, but is too selfish.

Al Jefferson

Originally not on this list, but after much debate was put on. A great offensive threat who can rebound the ball and is the heart and soul of the T-Wolves.

Honourable Mentions

David Lee, Lamarcus Aldridge, Andre Iguodala, Luol Deng, Ben Gordon, Emeka Okafor

Matt Dominguez: Happy Trails to a Rider Great

TJ Zwarych — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 18:46:47 -0400

It was announced today that one of the greatest receivers ever to play in a Saskatchewan Roughrider uniform has probably played his last CFL game. Wide Receiver Matt Dominguez, who tore his ACL in the last game against the Calgary Stampeders, is out for the year and has already announced that he will likely retire after this season.

The 31-year-old has had a great career with the Riders while being a fan favorite and a leader. He won his first Grey Cup last season with the Riders, and has also played with the NFL's New York Jets and Denver Broncos for short periods of time.

Matt has played six seasons with the Riders, but has not lived up to his full potential because of injuries. His best season with the Roughriders came in 2006 when he had 72 receptions for 1,169 yards and five touchdowns.

Dominguez was on pace for his best year ever last season as he led the CFL with 45 catches for 761 yards after 10 games before he had ongoing knee problems which put him out for the year.

Dominguez was a leader on and off the field for the Roughriders and will be deeply missed.

Roughriders Have One Down, and One to Go!

TJ Zwarych — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 17:13:51 -0400

Wow. 6-0. It's the first time they have ever done it, and just...wow.

The last time they were even 5-0 it was 1934 when they were the Regina Roughriders rugby team!

I have no idea how, but the Riders pulled out a 22-21 win in Calgary over the Stamps last weekend. Now they are going to have to do it again this weekend.

It might be easy since they will be at home and might have kick returner/receiver Weston Dressler and star defensive back James Johnson back. Unfortunately, they will be without full back Neil Hughes and star receiver Matt Dominguez.

The Roughriders are a very deep team, but this is really pushing it. Countless stars on the team have gone down!

Dressler, who looks to be one of the best returners in the league, has been out since that BC game. Fantuz is out for three to six weeks yet, and there's no telling when Dominguez will get back. Chick and Durant are out till late August (maybe a bit longer for Chick) and Flick will be out for the entire season. I mean come on people! This is ridiculous!

The one thing keeping the Riders in every game this year is their running game, otherwise known as Wes Cates. Cates is a top back in the league this year and as long as he doesn't get injured (knock on wood) the Riders won't be in too bad a position.

Though he is fantastic, he will have a tougher time running this game against the Stamps since he will have to go through Juwan Armour. Armour is now back aftering being kicked out of the game for "physical abuse of a referee."

It will be a tough game for the Riders.

Personally I think Crandell sucks. He is a good backup but he is not starting material. However, I think the Roughriders will roll as soon as Chick, Durant, and Fantuz return. Obviously all injuries hurt, but these three I think are the most significant.

In my opinion, Fantuz is our best receiver. He is huge, quite fast, and has great hands. With him there our receiving core will be 100 times better. Chick, our best d-lineman, will help us massively!

The Riders have had a huge problem pressuring quarterbacks this year as they have only had eight sacks this season.

The addition of Dek Bake has helped, but with Chick back it should improve a large amount.

And finally we need Darian Durant back. Crandell isn't very good and it is clear that Durant is much better. He is faster and can read defenses better. He also makes better decisions. Even when Durant gets back, he will still be a backup.

But that will mean Crandell will be on a short leash, so if he plays badly: Hello future of the Roughriders, Darian Durant.

BREAKING NEWS: This news was not availible when i first wrote this article, but Matt Dominguez has torn his ACL and will retire after the season, also, James Johnson will not play in this game but should be back by the August 21st game against the Eskimos.

Who Will Be the Team to Beat in the NBA This Season? Part II

TJ Zwarych — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 16:20:57 -0400

This article is also posted at hoops4life.com, an NBA fan site.

Well, now that the Eastern Conference is finished, we move on to the more skilled conference—the wild West.

The injury-depleted Lakers took the West last year, as they made it all the way to the Finals before losing to the Celtics. Here is a list of who I think will be the three best teams in the West next season:

1. New Orleans Hornets

The Hornets finished second in the West last year and show no signs of slowing down. They acquired lockdown defender and three-point specialist James Posey, and they have an emerging star post in David West, who had a breakout season last year, going to his first All-Star game.

They have a fantastic starting point guard in Chris Paul, who some say is the best point guard since Magic and Stockton. Last year, in his third NBA season, Paul led the league in steals and assists. He's a great scorer and he can also get his teammates involved, as they have a great chemistry.

Speaking of chemistry, there is none better then between Paul and center Tyson Chandler. Paul hooked up with Chandler on countless alley-oops. Chandler is also one of the premier defenders in the league playing above the rim.

They are one of the youngest teams in the league, and with last year's experience, they should do better. Throw in fantastic three-point shooters Peja Stojakovic and Morris Peterson, you are set to have a great season.

2. Los Angeles Lakers

MVP, MVP, MVP. It would be impossible for the Lakers to have a bad season as long as they have a healthy number 24, Kobe Bryant. Kobe was the MVP of the league last year and is straight-up the best player in the league. He is clutch, can slash inside, can shoot the three—he is just unstoppable.

Although Kobe is amazing, the Lakers are not a one-man team. They had some bad injuries last season, but if they are healthy, they will be even better then last year. Too bad the Hornets will be better also.

The Lakers are full of stars and role players, and really have the make of a great team. This year, they will have European star Pau Gasol for the full season instead of just half. They should have a starting center with Andrew Bynum staying healthy. They also have Lamar Odom returning.

This would create a backcourt of Kobe and Derek Fisher and Jordan Farmar trading off, with a huge frontcourt of Pau Gasol, Andrew Bynum, and Lamar Odom.

The Lakers aren't short on role players, either. They also have three point specialist Vladimir Radmanovic, a great scorer in Sasha Vujacic, and slashers Trevor Ariza and Luke Walton. I cannot see them finishing worst then second, and maybe even repeating as first over the Hornets.

3. Utah Jazz

The Jazz don't have quite have as star-studded of a starting lineup as these other two teams, but it's still pretty damn good! And out of all of these teams, they probably have the most balanced bench, as they have a solid backup at each position.

Their starting lineup will consist of Deron Williams, a fantastic young point guard, Ronnie Brewer, a young up-and-coming slashing guard, Andrei Kirlenko, a great defensive forward, their best scorer and rebounder Carlos Boozer, and a center that is an outside threat in Mehmet Okur.

It's still a drop off from starter to backup, but they are still good at every position. They have Brevin Knight backing up Williams, Ronnie Price and Kyle Korver replacing Brewer, Harping or again Korver replacing Kirlenko, Milsap replacing Boozer, and Jarron Collins or again Milsap replacing Okur.

With the same core as last year, the Jazz look to continue their greatness at home and play better on the road.

Honorable Mentions:

Portland Trail Blazers: Full of potential, but need a year or two more to bloom.

San Antonio Spurs: Will still be good, but won't improve.

Houston Rockets: T-Mac one year older, injuries will hurt.

Phoenix Suns: Still can't get it done on D.

Dallas Mavericks: Still a playoff contender, but they aren't on top anymore.

Denver Nuggets: Too much controversy, trade rumours involving most of their players, won't get it done.

Who Will Be the Team to Beat in the NBA This Season? Part I

TJ Zwarych — Sun, 27 Jul 2008 07:32:00 -0400

This article is also posted at hoops4life.com, an NBA fan site.

Congratulations to the Boston Celtics on winning an NBA championship in 2007-08. Will they be the team to beat again in '08-09?

We don't know yet, but I don't really think so.

They will obviously be a great team. They won a championship last year, and they have everyone returning except James Posey. (Personally, I think they should have picked up Maurice Evans to replace him.)

The Celtics will still be a fantastic team, but the Big Three are now one year older and slower—although I still think they have a few more competitive years in them yet.

Here's a list of teams that I think have a great shot at being the team to beat in the NBA this season, in order of who I think will be the best:

Eastern Conference

1. Boston Celtics

Despite losing Posey and the Big Three's hunger for that first championship, you know that they will still do well. I wouldn't have them ranked this high if they were in the Western Conference, but in the East they are still number one.

You can't expect them to drop far in the standings as long as they have Allen, Pierce—and most importantly, Garnett.

Garnett is one of the best players to ever play the game, and did not show any hint of slowing down last season. Pierce is a lifelong Celtic who can grind out clutch wins and is one of the best in the league in creating his own shot, And Allen, despite some inconsistency in the playoffs, still has one of the best shots in the game.

Another reason they are up here is young developing point guard Rajon Rondo. Rondo has shown many signs of improvement in his first two seasons in the league, especially in his mid-range jumper. It's still not great but it has gotten a lot better from year one to two.

This will be his third year in the league. He is already one of the premier defensive guards in the league, and he looks as if he will only get better.

2. Orlando Magic

Two words, one name: Dwight Howard.

Howard is a monster, and will lead this team to be one of the best in the league next season. Last year, Howard carried the Magic to the third seed in the East and Round Two of the playoffs.

The Magic gained some very useful playoff experience last season, and they look as if they will only get better in '08-'09.

They lost shooting guard Maurice Evans to free agency, but got a better replacement in Michael Pietrus. Pietrus is a great, young, high-flying guard who has some playoff experience with the Golden State Warriors. He should add some more firepower to this already explosive team.

Rashard Lewis looks to bounce back after a slightly under-achieving season, and Hedo Turkoglu looks as if he will keep on improving after his breakout year. Young guard Jameer Nelson also looks as though he will improve on his very good season with the Magic last year.

This will create a starting lineup of Nelson and Pietrus as guards, with a very big corps of forwards and posts in Lewis, Turkoglu, and Howard.

3. Toronto Raptors

The Raptors obviously wouldn't be able to finish third, considering they are in the same division as the Celtics. So the Pistons will still finish third in the East, but will have a worse record than both the Raptors and the Sixers.

With O'Neal and Bosh in the middle, the Raptors should do great. Every time Bosh got the ball down low last season he would immediately get double-teamed. With O'Neal helping out on the low block, he creates space for Bosh to get to the hoop one-on-one. And if Bosh still gets double-teamed, it creates a wide-open Jermaine O'Neal.

Add in ball control point guard Jose Calderon and Anthony Parker in the middle of his prime, future starts Jamario Moon, and Andrea Bargnani, and the Raptors should do great!

Honorable Mentions: Detroit Pistons, Cleveland Cavaliers, Philadelphia 76ers.

Maurice Evans Signs with Hawks to Fill Void Left by Josh Childress

TJ Zwarych — Sat, 26 Jul 2008 16:49:07 -0400

This article is also posted at hoops4life.com, an NBA fan site.

Shortly after the news broke that former Atlanta Hawk Josh Childress was going to play in Europe, the Hawks signed guard/forward Maurice Evans.

Evans played with both the Magic and the Lakers last year. He did much better with the Magic as he played on average 10.2 more minutes a game. Now he will be expected to fill the spot at sixth man that Josh Childress left when he moved to Europe.

Last season with the Hawks, Childress averaged 11.8 ppg, 4.9 rpg, 1.5 apg, 0.9 spg, 0.6 bpg, and 1.75 tpg. Childress was a key player on the Hawks squad as he played 76 games, playing about 30 minutes a game while never once starting.

Evans started 47 of the 68 games he played with the Magic last season but didn't start any of the seven he played with the Lakers. He played about 24 minutes per game with the Magic but is expected to get a bit more playing time as a Hawk. Expect his minutes to be bumped up to about 30 (similar to Childress' playing time).

Childress and Evans are very similar players as they are both very athletic, both run the floor hard, and are both rock hard defenders.

I am guessing Childress will be more than a sixth man now that he isn't playing in the NBA. He probably left because he wanted to be the star.

Evans should fit the bill to keep the Hawks as a bottom playoff team. Here are his stats from last season: 8.9 ppg, 2.9 rpg, 1.1 apg, 0.6 spg, 0.53 tpg.

Evans agreed to a three-year contract worth about $7.5 million.

NBA: Which Team Would You Rather Play for, the Celtics, or the Blazers?

TJ Zwarych — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 13:37:10 -0400

This article is also posted at hoops4life.com, an NBA fan site.

Well, it would clearly be absolutely awesome to play for any team in the NBA, but what team would be the best to go to? On one hand, you just got your first ring playing with the Celtics as you were the best team in the league last year. You finally got that ring and you have a very legitimate shot at repeating.

Or, you are on a fantastic up-and-coming squad with multiple up-and-coming stars. You don't have that ring yet, but the future is looking very good. But do you really want to wait?

With the Celtics, you would already have that one ring in the bag. You would have won a championship, and no one could take that pride from you. You would be playing along side three of the best players in the league in KG, Pierce, and Ray Allen.

KG is a Hall-of-Fame lock, being one of the best defenders and best post players to ever play in the NBA. It wouldn't be like last year would be your only shot at winning it all either. The Celtics are still the exact same team minus James Posey.

Posey was one of their best defenders, but they still have time to replace him. The season is far from starting. They still have time to make their team better, and even if they don't make any new changes to their team, they still wouldn't go from best team in the league to missing the playoffs. They still will be a legitimate contender for the championship for the next few years.

The Trail Blazers, on the other hand, look like they have the potential to be one of the best dynasties ever, but no one can predict the future. Some say they think the Trail Blazers will win it all next year despite their youth and inexperience, and can pull it through with talent and athleticism. Although unlike last year I think that they will make the playoffs, I don't think they will be able to win a championship.

The Blazers look like they have the team that could win a handful of championships in the next few years, but no one can say for sure. No one can predict a nasty injury to a star, or players wanting to go to different cities for money or family reasons.

If you want the championship guaranteed, you would get that in Boston. (In the playing for Boston scenario, you'd have been there last year too)

I think that if you are a young emerging player in the league I would go to Portland, because it seems very unlikely that they won't do fantastic in the years to come. But if you're an older player, you never had a ring before last year, and you won't play many more years, then Boston.

What would you choose?

CFL: Saskatchewan Roughriders Keep Rolling in Win Over Montreal Alouettes

TJ Zwarych — Sun, 20 Jul 2008 09:25:45 -0400

The Saskatchewan Roughriders are the only remaining undefeated team in the CFL and they are now 4-0!

Although the game was delayed almost an hour, the weather in Regina during the game was beautiful, and as a Rider fan, so was the fourth quarter.

Darian Durant won his second straight start against the pass-loving Alouettes. Durant showed that despite making some rookie mistakes (he isn't a rookie, but pretty close) he can pull tough games out.

Durant went 23-34 for 353 yards, three touchdowns, and two interceptions. Both interceptions were caught by former Roughrider Reggie Hunt, who played his first game since becoming a Montreal Alouette.

With the loss, the Alouettes drop to 2-2 but are still first in the Eastern Conference.

Anthony Calvillo had a great game, completing 29-41 passes for 352 yards, four touchdowns, and two interceptions.

Both interceptions came in the fourth quarter with one of them going to Lance Frazier (who gave me his glove after the game—thanks Lance!) to set up the game winning score, and the other one being caught by Anton McKenzie on a last-second Hail Mary attempt.

This is the first time the Roughriders have been 4-0 since 1970, 11 years before Frazier was born.

''I haven't been 4-0 with any team since my sophomore year in high school,'' Frazier said. ''That was 1997. This is huge and it's very emotional. Nobody gave us a chance and we're OK with that. We loved being the underdogs last year and look how that turned out."

After Frazier's key interception in the fourth quarter, Darian Durant had a one yard touchdown plunge to put the Riders ahead.

If the Roughriders keep rolling like this, they will be a hard team to beat.

The only three teams the Roughriders haven't played yet are the Calgary Stampeders, the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, and the Toronto Arogonauts. They play Kerry Joseph and the Argos next week, and the Stamps the week after.

This team is for real—the way the Argos are playing as of late, it doesn't look like they can beat the Riders. The real test will be former Rider Henry Burris and the Stamps', who will be coming in Week Six.