Bleacher Report - Articles by Ryan Winn

The 10 Most Snakebitten Careers in NFL History

Ryan Winn — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 18:41:05 -0400

To be snakebitten is to run into misfortune or bad luck, leading to failure or reduction in production. In the history of football, countless players have run into bad luck one way or another and have since fallen of the map.

For many professional football players, their careers end before they even begin. First-round picks get paid unthinkable amounts of money before touching the field, and before they can prove themselves, their careers abruptly end.

For those men, their misfortune pushes them under the "bust" label.

For these 10 men, football seemed to be giving them an avenue for the rest of their lives, until the proverbial snakebite nipped their careers and, subsequently, any future records, in the bud.

10. WR Warren Wells—Detroit Lions, Oakland Raiders

Breakout season: 1969—47 rec., 1,260 yards, 14 TD

Drafted in the 12th round out of Texas Southern by the Detroit Lions in 1964, Warren Wells was never expected to become a No. 1 receiver, which may be why they were not nearly as affected as Wells himself by the next turn of events.

Wells got his first taste of luck's dark side when he became one of only two football players drafted by the Selective Service to join the Army at the height of the Vietnam War in 1966. After serving two years, he was given an honorable discharge and shifted his focus back to football.

He signed with the 1967 Oakland Raiders, joining a crop with the likes of George Blanda and Fred Biletnikoff.

Wells worked well in Oakland as a deep threat, averaging 21.5 yards per reception his second year back in football, and was named to the 1968 AFL All-Star team. He upped that average to 26.8 in his career-best 1969 season, starting in all 14 games.

Wells accumulated 11 TD in 1969, but his career was ended when his alcohol and women problems led to legal problems and charges, capping off a bad luck career for the electrifying wideout.

9. RB Christian Okoye—Kansas City Chiefs

Breakout season: 1989—370 car., 1,480 yards, 12 TD

Dubbed the "Nigerian Nightmare," Christian Okoye never even played football until 1984, and three years later, he was drafted out of Azusa Pacific University in California in the second-round.

Okoye's first two years in the league were productive (1,133 yards in two seasons) but injury plagued, as he missed 11 total games with multiple injuries.

In the healthiest season of his career, Okoye broke through in 1989, leading the league in carries and yards, earning him selections to the Pro Bowl and the All-Pro first team.

The next season, a reoccurring knee injury limited him to 3.3 yards per carry, and the rest of his career was limited due to his knee injury, delegating the bruising back to goal-line duty in 1992.

Okoye called it quits after the '92 season when practice took a toll on him and he no longer found joy in the game.

Despite playing only six seasons with 1,000-plus yards only twice, Okoye was elected to the Chiefs' Hall of Fame in 2000.

8. DL Keith Millard—Minnesota Vikings, Green Bay Packers, Philadelphia Eagles, Seattle Seahawks

Breakout season: 1989—18 sacks, one INT, one fumble recovered

Coming out of Washington State, Keith Millard couldn't find an NFL team that wanted his talents, so he joined the Jacksonville Bulls of the USFL to start his football career.

Millard ranked second in the league in sacks (12) and was named to the All-USFL team. His superb performance, which fell just half a sack shy of Reggie White's totals, led him to first-round pick status, and the Minnesota Vikings scooped him up at No. 13 in the 1984 draft.

He started at defensive end, where he led the team with 11 sacks his rookie year and took the quarterback down 10.5 times his next year. He made his biggest contribution, however, at defensive tackle.

In 1989, he set an NFL record for most sacks by a defensive tackle, with 18, winning the NFL Defensive Player of the Year award and his second Pro Bowl nomination.

The next season, just four games in, Millard tore his ACL trying to sack Vinny Testaverde, cutting him down at the prime age of 28. Missing the rest of that season and the following year, Millard was picked up by Green Bay, played just two games, and then set sail for Seattle.

After his record-setting '89 season, Millard went on to record seven total sacks over the remaining three years of his career before his knee got the best of him, and he retired from the NFL.

Since retiring, Millard served as a coach in the since-folded XFL and is currently the defensive line coach on the Oakland Raiders.

7. QB Neil Lomax—St. Louis/Phoenix Cardinals

Breakout season: 1984—4,614 yards, 28 TD, 16 INT

Owning 90 NCAA records by the time he was done at Portland State University, Neil Lomax was drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals early in the second-round of the 1981 draft with the hopes of becoming a franchise quarterback.

It took Lomax four years to get the full-time starting gig, but when he got it, he shined with it.

In 1984, Lomax completed 61.2 percent of his passes, good for 4,614 yards, currently No. 12 on the all-time list of single-season passing yards. His performance, leading the downtrodden Cardinals to a 9-7 record, earned him his first Pro Bowl appearance.

The next season, Lomax's production took a small hit, throwing for 3,214 yards and 18 TD, but what was worse was his team's 5-11 record.

After the '85 season, Lomax developed a nagging hip injury that would force him to be a spectator for some portion of time the remainder of his career.

Despite having one more Pro Bowl season in 1987, Lomax was forced into early retirement due to an extremely arthritic hip. He played one more season in 1988, but quit the game in 1990 and had hip replacement surgery in 1991.

With his career limited and cut short, Lomax was never able to reach his full NFL potential, but his collegiate accomplishments were honored when he was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1996.

6. RB Robert Edwards—New England Patriots

Breakout season: 1998—291 car., 1,115 yards, 9 TD

When Pro Bowl running back Curtis Martin split for the New York Jets, the New England Patriots found themselves searching for a replacement.

Drafted No. 18 overall out of Georgia, Robert Edwards was expected to be the running back of the future in New England, and he didn't waste much time introducing himself to the league.

In his rookie season, Edwards burst onto the scene with a 1,000-plus yard season on the ground, while also collecting over 300 yards through the air.

Following his inaugural season, Edwards blew out his knee at a rookie flag football game in Hawaii, barely escaping a leg amputation below the knee. Due to the severity of the injury, doctors told Edwards he may never walk again, much less play football.

Despite the harsh news, Edwards worked to get back to the playing field in 2002, joining the Miami Dolphins' depth chart. In his first game back from injury, Edwards scored two touchdowns against the Detroit Lions. However, the rest of his year wasn't as glamorous, and he was cut after the season.

His days in the NFL over, Edwards played surprisingly well in the Canadian Football League, rushing for over 1,000 yards in each of his first two seasons. In 2008, Edwards was cut by the Toronto Argonauts, and he is still looking for work.

5. RB Ickey Woods—Cincinnati Bengals

Breakout season: 1988—203 car., 1,066 yards, 15 TD

When Ickey Woods ran in for a touchdown and did his patented Ickey Shuffle, certain people would rehash the old saying, "Act like you've been there before." Unfortunately, in Woods' case, those visitations would be limited.

Drafted out of UNLV in the second-round by the Cincinnati Bengals, Woods announced himself with authority in his rookie season.

Woods ran for 1,066 yards with 15 scores his first year in the NFL, including 228 yards and three more trips to the endzone in the playoffs, as Woods carried his team to Super Bowl XXIII.

It seemed all roses for Woods in the future, but his second-year took a downward spiral when he tore his ACL in the second game of the season. He would miss the rest of that year and most of next season, but seemed poised for a classic comeback tale going into the 1991 season.

However, the injury bug got him again, this time injuring his other knee during the preseason, and he was forced into retirement at 26-years-old.

Now, Woods is the head coach of the Cincinnati Sizzle of the Women's Football Alliance.

That snakebite must really hurt.

4. LB Dan Morgan—Carolina Panthers, New Orleans Saints

Breakout season: 2004—109 tackles, 2 sacks, 2 INT

Leaving the University of Miami with the school and conference records for most career tackles, Dan Morgan looked like a sure thing at the linebacker position. In need of a defensive game-changer, the Carolina Panthers rolled the dice on Morgan with the 11th overall pick in the 2001 draft.

In his rookie year, he started 11 games for the dreadful, 1-15 Panthers, and he missed half of the season in his sophomore campaign to injury.

His third season highlighted a trip to Super Bowl XXXVIII, where he recorded 18 tackles—a preview of things to come in the following season.

In 2004, Morgan finally broke through as the talent Carolina had thought he would be, and despite playing only 12 games, he collected over 100 tackles on his way to his first and only Pro Bowl.

Morgan had one more productive season in him (78 tackles in 2005) before the wheels came off on his career.

Morgan missed 15 games in 2006, and was placed on injured reserve in 2007 with a torn Achilles heel. The multitude of injuries led to his release from Carolina after the '07 season, but another team still had faith in him—the New Orleans Saints.

However, frustrated by the slow recovery from his ankle injury, Morgan retired before the 2008 season kicked off.

Completely healthy and ready to play, Morgan came out of retirement to give it another shot. However, he strained his calf muscle in the team's mini camp, and with the injuries piled up, Morgan called it quits for good on June 8, 2009.

3. RB Chuck Foreman—Minnesota Vikings, New England Patriots

Breakout season: 1975—280 car., 1,070 yards, 13 TD; 73 rec., 691 yards, 9 TD

For most snakebitten players, injuries or self-deprecation did away with hopes and dreams of NFL glory. For Chuck Foreman, the perfect aim of a Buffalo fan blew his chance at setting history.

Foreman entered the league with high expectations, being drafted No. 12 overall by the Minnesota Vikings in the 1973 NFL Draft. He made an immediate impact with his pass-catching skills out of the backfield, collecting over 1,000 all-purpose yards and being named to the Pro Bowl in each of his first five seasons.

In December of 1975, Foreman ran out of luck. Having his best year in his career, Foreman and his Vikings entered the final game of the regular season against OJ Simpson and the Buffalo Bills.

Both Simpson and Foreman were chasing Gale Sayers' record of 22 total touchdowns, and the harsh elements paved the way for a ground attack.

Late in the third quarter, the Vikings leading 28-6, and Foreman with three touchdowns already to put him at 21 total, the Vikings were hellbent on getting their man into the history books.

However, Buffalo fans wanted to see their hometown hero Simpson get the record.

As a pass toward him was thrown out of the endzone, Foreman was pelted in the eye by a snowball, sidelining him for a few plays.

Dazed and confused, Foreman did return to score his record-tying touchdown, but he was pulled for the rest of the game with blurred vision.

The very next drive, Simpson scored his 23rd TD of the season on a 54-yard reception, earning him the record.

To add insult to injury, Foreman saw his conference rushing yards lead vanish the next day when Jim Otis ran for 69 yards—a whole six yards more than Foreman.

One more Pro Bowl season was all Foreman had left in the tank, and he was traded to New England in 1980, where he retired following the season.

2. SS Sean Taylor—Washington Redskins

Breakout season: 2006—114 tackles, 1 INT, 3 FF

The saddest and arguably most unlucky player of them all has to go to former Washington defensive force Sean Taylor.

Taylor was drafted No. 5 overall in the 2004 draft by the Redskins out of the University of Miami, and his hard-hitting style of play was expected to make an immediate impact.

He started 13 games his rookie season, racking up 61 tackles, and four interceptions, giving fans something to be excited about for the future.

However, his play was surrounded by off-field issues. Taylor was arrested for DUI in 2004 and armed assault in 2005 before he let his play make up for his character issues.

In 2006, he broke onto the scene with 89 of his patented vicious hits, earning him a spot on his first Pro Bowl team.

In 2007, he was on his way to another Pro Bowl year, having five interceptions through nine games of the regular season. He had his first taste of bad luck when he had been injured for two weeks, and he went back home to Miami to rehabilitate.

While at home, he was fatally gunned down by intruders, thought of to have no intent for killing Taylor other than malicious harm during a break-in.

Following his murder, the Redskins' defense honored him by playing their first play since the tragic incident with 10 men instead of the usual 11, and Taylor was posthumously elected to his second Pro Bowl.

Had it not been for the cruel twist of fate that cut him down in the prime of his life, Taylor may have become one of the best safeties in the NFL.

1. RB Billy Sims—Detroit Lions

Breakout season: 1980—313 car., 1,303 yards, 13 TD

When it comes to bad luck, no one took, and continues to take, the brunt of it like Heisman Award winner and No. 1 overall pick in the 1980 draft—running back Billy Sims.

Sims shed the bust label before anyone could try and pin it on him by exploding for 1,303 yards and 13 TD on the ground and 621 yards and three TD through the air. He was elected to the Pro Bowl his rookie year—and also won NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year—and followed suit the next two seasons.

In 1983, he took a small dip in production due to his absence in a few games, but he still ran for over 1,000 yards and scored seven times. It was expected to be a mere bump in the road of a glorious collegiate career, but that career was about to be cut short.

After completing half of the 1984 season with 687 yards, Sims had his knee blown out in a game against the Minnesota Vikings, effectively ending his NFL career at 29-years-old.

As if his luck hadn't already worn out, Sims lost millions of dollars through bad business deals and investments and had a divorce from his wife.

Any hopes of holding on to a legacy and having people remember him for his playing days came to a screeching halt in 1989, when the Lions set out to replace Sims with another Heisman-winning running back.

They drafted Hall of Fame running back Barry Sanders, donning Sims' No. 20 and all but extinguishing any memory of the last promising talent in Detroit's backfield.

Not Done Yet: New England Patriots Still Looking For Defensive Help

Ryan Winn — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 21:40:48 -0400

Apparently the Super Bowl-favorite New England Patriots are not done shopping yet.

According to Michael Lombardi of NFL.com, the Patriots have about an 80 percent chance of landing veteran defensive end Kevin Carter. Also according to foxsports.com the Patriots have also had a meeting with another veteran defensive end: Vonnie Holliday.

This news comes within days of their trade for former Oakland Raiders linebacker/defensive end Derrick Burgess and within the same offseason as their massive overhaul of the secondary.

Carter, most recently a member of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, is a two-time Pro Bowler with 104.5 career sacks, although the most sacks he has had in a season within the past five years is six, back in 2005.

Holliday, a former Miami Dolphin, has 55 career sacks with three and a half of those coming last year for the AFC East champions.

With the rumor mill spinning, two predominant questions come to the forefront—which player should the Patriots sign and what would a signing of either one mean to the team?

When head coach Bill Belichick was asked why the team traded for wide receiver Greg Lewis, his simple answer was, "He kicked our butts every time we played him."

With that philosophy, it would be reasonable to expect Holliday to be New England's main target. Facing him twice a year since 2005, Belichick watched Holliday garner eighteen tackles and half a sack against his team.

However, when Carter played with Holliday on the Dolphins in 2005 and 2006, Carter sacked Brady twice and had a total of 15 tackles in four games against the Patriots.

If stats and Belichick don't lie then expect to see Carter suit up as a reserve defensive end this season.

Regardless of who signs with the Patriots, a roster shakeup could be in order. With Burgess, the addition of another defensive end puts the team at an overload in the position.

Returning linemen Richard Seymour, Ty Warren, Vince Wilfork, Mike Wright, and Jarvis Green join three rookies in camp this year, and Pierre Woods and Tully Banta-Cain have been seen playing hands-down in camp.

If signed, the new player will add a new wrinkle in the Patriots' preseason. The rookies will have a rougher hill to climb to make the roster, returning players with have something to prove, and the depth on the defensive line will allow Belichick to come up with new ways to use his improved linebacker and defensive back corps.

If the Patriots make another move to improve the defense, thought to be the only weakness, albeit a strong weakness, on the 2009 squad, they could be doing their next shopping trip at a jeweler.

New England Patriots Acquire Derrick Burgess: The Scary Get Scarier

Ryan Winn — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 19:08:41 -0400

In a move sure to send 31 other NFL teams searching for a safe rock to hide under, the New England Patriots traded undisclosed draft picks to the Oakland Raiders in exchange for veteran pass rusher and two-time Pro Bowler Derrick Burgess.

The trade effectively puts an end to any remaming rumors concerning the Patriots and Carolina Panthers' defensive end Julius Peppers. At the same time, the Pats had to make a roster cut by releasing oft-injured offensive lineman Al Johnson.

Entering the preseason, the only flaw apparent to Pats backers was their lack of depth at linebacker. Now, with the acquisition of Burgess, they have a guy who can play both on the line and off his linemen.

The 31-year-old has recorded 47 sacks in his seven-year career, and led the NFL in sacks with 16 while with the Raiders. Coincidentally, 2005 was his first year with the Raiders, having spent the first three years of his career with the Philadelphia Eagles.

Burgess also adds some durability to a group of oft-injured players around New England. In his career, Burgess has played in 10 games or more all but once, as he missed 15 games in 2002.

Adding a pass-rushing talent like Burgess adds an unexpected wrinkle to the Patriots' camp battles. Now, incumbents Eric Alexander, Pierre Woods, and Shawn Crable, along with re-signed linebacker Tully Banta-Cain, have a bigger obstacle to get through.

For players like Alexander and Woods, members of the Patriots for three and four years, respectively, this trade will spark a camp battle ending in the loser's release.

Crable, hobbled again in just his second year, has precedent on his side, as the Patriots have been known to be patient with young talent when it comes to injuries, like in the cases of Laurence Maroney and Chad Jackson.

Banta-Cain, brought in to solidify a pass rush, now has a greater talent vying for the same role. Earlier, it looked like he would see an increased role, but now Patriots fans should prepare to see Banta-Cain in limited action yet again.

Burgess, a "tweener" between linebacker and defensive end, will be expected to fill the role of recently-traded Mike Vrabel. Age should not be a concern with Burgess, as Vrabel had his best season statistically in 2007 with 12.5 sacks at 32 years old.

It will be interesting to see how—if the Patriots' offense is as explosive as everyone thinks it is—Burgess will perform when pinning his ears back and bull-rushing the quarterback every week.

For example, in his personal best season in 2006 and his 11-sack season of 2005, Burgess's greatest games took place when his last place Raiders team held a big lead. In a 38-17 victory over Buffalo in 2005, Burgess had both of the team's two sacks. In 2006, he racked up two more sacks in Oakland's 22-9 victory over Arizona.

The change of scenery could also play a part in future success, as in those two seasons, the Raiders won a combined six games.

With Burgess aboard, it is just short of a guarantee that the Patriots will win more games this year alone.

Top 10 NFL Preseason Storylines

Ryan Winn — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 13:00:38 -0400

It's hard to believe, but the world is just a week away from watching one of the most intense, pulse-pounding, and life-altering four-week spectacles in all of the world: Preseason football. Not convinced? Ask a fifth-round pick's opinion of it, and chances are you will hear the same description. If the prelude to America's sport fails to grab your attention, take a look at these 10 storylines, grab a cold one, flip on NFL Network or your local station affiliate, and prepare to be entranced.

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New England Patriots Work Out Cleo Lemon: ESPN's Creation Dies

Ryan Winn — Sun, 02 Aug 2009 13:48:11 -0400

Two weeks after Harvard professor Henry Louis Gates, Jr. was arrested for breaking into his own home, another severe case of mistaken identity took place on the grounds of Gillette Stadium.

After former Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick was conditionally reinstated by NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, a media tornado touched ground on the NFL shield, asking the question on every football fan's mind: Where will Michael Vick end up?

It was all speculation until a landmark turn in the summer's biggest story—Vick was reportedly close to signing with a team.

Which team could it be? Someone in the UFL? Will he be traveling across the northern border to the CFL?

No, neither of those would generate much interest. ESPN wanted to entice its viewers, and to do that, you must try to meet Aristotle's six elements of drama. Vick signing with the New England Patriots would certainly accomplish this:

Plot—A convict free from the shackles of federal prison looking to redeem himself in the only business he knows.
Theme—In order to turn his life around, the convict works out for the NFL's rehabilitation team in New England.
Character—Vick, Bill Belichick, and Goodell, three extremely different personalities, mesh together to create a storyline for six months that's good for the whole family.
Diction/Language/Dialogue—Key phrases such as "wouldn't rule him out" and "close to signing" push the mystery to its breaking point.
Sound/Rhythm—In a way only Belichick can do it, the Patriots seem to want Vick while not wanting him at the same time.
Spectacle—According to ESPN's reports, Vick is spotted working out for the Patriots.

If you were to ask a Magic Eight Ball if Vick would end his search strapping on a Patriots helmet, it would probably tell you all signs point to yes. However, like any good drama, you would never be able to predict this ending.

It turns out, much to the dismay of the Worldwide Leader in Sports, the Patriots were actually working out, and are close to signing, former Dolphins starter Cleo Lemon.

If watching from a distance, it is understandable why someone would mistake Lemon for Vick. After all, their skin tones are similar, the media put the image of Vick with the Patriots in everyone's head, and who wouldn't like to see a story of this magnitude end after all the Favre firestorm.

There is only one, glaring problem with this: Lemon is right-handed, and Vick is left-handed.

One would assume that, in a workout for a position that primarily focuses on throwing the ball, these spectators would have seen at least one pass.

In fact, Vick was known to have been in Virginia in a bankruptcy court hearing the same day it was reported he was in Foxborough.

It should come to no surprise that ESPN would throw out any report on a matter such as this regardless of validity. During this same time, as Minnesota Vikings quarterback Tarvaris Jackson was reported to have strained his MCL.

Before breaking the news, the ESPNEWS anchor said with a gleam in his eye, "In news that is sure to begin more Brett Favre speculation, Tarvaris Jackson suffered a knee injury in practice today."

Roughly five seconds later, he told the world Jackson would miss two weeks—of training camp. Why would the Vikings rush to the Rolodex for Favre's number with this development? Apparently, only the news network knows.

Perhaps Vick does end up signing with the Patriots, and perhaps the NFL and ESPN will get the drama they seem to so desperately want.

Next time, just make sure you are doing a story on the right guy.

Antwaan Randle El: The Freshman Who Changed a Program

Ryan Winn — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 23:04:22 -0400

If you graze through Indiana University football's history books, chances are you won't be blown away.

You won't find a National Championship, many Rose Bowl appearances, or a Heisman Trophy winner. The names Trent Green, Adawale Ogunleye, and Anthony Thompson may not ring a bell.

What you will find is a freshmen year so spectacular, it would change the landscape of the the University to its present day strategy.

The Beginning of a Legend

In 1997, prized recruit Antwaan Randle El, an athlete by every sense of the word, had hit a crossroads. A senior at Thornton Township High School in Harvey, Ill., his baseball skills had allowed him to be drafted by the Chicago Cubs 424th overall.

Despite being surprised he was drafted so high, Randle El chose college over Chicago. His college of choice was Indiana University, a Big Ten school known more for its basketball program, bicycle races, and Biz sinking than a football powerhouse.

Recruited for both football and basketball, Randle El was on his way to a starling four-year career at IU before hitting a speed bump.

Due to a low SAT score, he sat out his first full technical year at Indiana as a partial academic qualifier. However, thanks to his all-world athleticism, head coach Cam Cameron was willing to give Randle El a chance to take the field at Memorial Stadium immediately.

"Many of you are familiar with Antwaan, and he has a chance to win the starting quarterback job," Cameron said at Big Ten Media Day.

"We are going to play him somewhere and we'll find that out in the next four weeks. He could be our starting flanker, our punt returner or our starting wide corner. He could be a lot of things. We need him and Jay [Rogers] to play at a high level."

In the 1998 season opener, Randle El took the field, entering as a redshirt freshman and leaving a legend in the making. He completed 22 of 29 passes for 385 yards and three touchdowns, while running for 82 yards on 23 carries and scoring three more touchdowns in a 45-30 victory over Western Michigan.

Best Clutch Performance—Oct. 17, 1998

After some sub-par performances the next few weeks, Randle El took his 2-3 Hoosiers on a wild ride in their homecoming battle with Iowa. The previous year, Randle El watched on the sidelines as Iowa stomped the Hoosiers 62-0 in Iowa City, but in 1998, he would get his chance to reverse the fortunes.

Trailing 14-0 in the fourth quarter, Randle El had his eyes set on history. As the quarter began, Randle El had his team backed up on its own one-yard line. Thanks to a key seven-yard rush on a third down, Randle El led his team to a 99-yard touchdown drive, but it ended with a missed extra point.

After Indiana intercepted a pass in field goal range, another kick was missed, keeping the Hoosiers down by a point. Taking over on their own 25 with 1:58 to go, the Hoosiers turned to their freshest face for help.

Driving his team down to the eight-yard line, Randle El looked up to see just 14 seconds left on the clock. He took the snap, ran around right end, and took it into the end zone.

His two-point conversion pass put the Hoosiers on top 14-7, and they would become the first team in Big Ten history to lose to a team by 60 plus in one season and beat them the next year.

Following the game, Iowa head coach Hayden Fry could not help but give Randle El credit where it was due.

"Their quarterback is one of if not the most exciting quarterbacks I've seen in this conference in years and years and years," Fry said. "He's extremely gifted, talented, he's got an excellent arm, throws the ball well, but he's probably as good an option quarterback as anyone in the country."

Postseason Accolades

After finishing the season 4-7, Randle El could not help but be disappointed about missing out on the postseason. His individual performance, however, did not go unnoticed.

After setting an IU record for rushing yards by a quarterback in a single season with 873 and throwing for 1,745 yards with six touchdowns, Randle El was named Big Ten Freshman of the Year.

He then went on to play for Bob Knight and the basketball team, and he was highly regarded as a lock-down defender for the storied program.

His Legacy

Randle El would go on past his freshman year to compile on of the greatest collegiate careers in history—and not just in Indiana.

During his senior season, he received some consideration for the Heisman Trophy, though he finished sixth.

Randle El was the first player in Division I history to pass for 40 career touchdowns and score 40 career rushing touchdowns, was the Big Ten Player of the Year in 2001, and was named the first-team All-American quarterback by the Football Writers Association of America.

He also finished fifth on the NCAA's all-time list for total yards from scrimmage, becoming the first player in history to accumulate 2,500 total yards in four consecutive seasons.

The Hoosiers attempted to find a replacement for Randle El's abilities by putting Kellen Lewis into the same position for a few years before being dismissed, and recently recruited Edward Wright Baker fits the same mold—both in skills and in number of names.

As a new college football season begins, kids fresh out of high school will make their presence known. Fans wil hearken back to days of freshmen athletes that broke records, helped win national championships, but the way Randle El took control will never be forgotten.

How he left the school will leave him forever immortalized, but every great ending has a new beginning, and it was how he began his career that shook the world of IU football for the foreseeable future.

MLB's 10 Most Pivotal Deadline Deals in Recent History

Ryan Winn — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 21:38:20 -0400

As the 2009 MLB trade deadline looms near, contenders and pretenders alike have half the key in the ignition to make a trade for a player or a few players that could make or break their season. The hub for these players rest on MLB's down-trodden, as they try to unload contracts of their star players for players they hope will be future stars. Their current stars are lip-licking opportunities for teams looking for a shot at glory, and a look through recent history shows how a team can be affected, either short-term with a deep playoff run or long-term by failing miserably, with one swap.

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With This Ring: Cubs-Freddy Sanchez Marriage Could Break Curse, Bring Pennant

Ryan Winn — Sun, 19 Jul 2009 23:29:35 -0400

Have you ever tried to put together a 1,000-piece puzzle?

It's a head-scratching and sometimes heartbreaking proposition.

Just when you start getting some pieces falling into place, you can't seem to find the heads, hands, and legs to paint the picture taunting you on the box.

After a while, reality sets in that no matter how many times you try to jam the pieces together, you know something is missing; you just can't find the piece.

If someone down the street had that one face piece you so desperately needed and was willing to give it up for a few grass and cloud pieces, would you make the deal?

That's the dilemma the Chicago Cubs are facing for the next two weeks.

Some whispers have floated around about Toronto Blue Jays' pitcher Roy Halladay.

Not only would you have to give up a few body pieces for him, but is a team with the fourth-best ERA (3.77) and the third-best batting average (.245) in the National League really in need of another starting arm?

If it's not pitching, it must be batting, right?

Bingo.

The Cubs' offensive woes are well-documented, and they currently sit in the bottom of the NL in runs scored (13th), batting average (14th), and on-base percentage (14th).

One offensive surge that has recently been made available for trade is Pittsburgh Pirates' second baseman Freddy Sanchez.

After all-out rejecting the Pirates' multi-year offer, Sanchez is expected to hit the trade block immediately. Bringing him onto the Cubs would be an automatic injection of offensive production for a team that needs it more than anyone in their own division.

If Sanchez brings his .313 batting average to the club, he would automatically be put on top of the team's batting average leaders list; shortstop Ryan Theriot's .295 average is currently the highest for any player with at least 50 games under his belt.

Sanchez, an everyday second baseman, would put the struggling Mike Fontenot back into the role he flourished in last year—utility man off the bench. In that role, "Little Babe Ruth" hit .305 with nine home runs and 40 RBI.

Forced into the every day spot after Mark DeRosa split for Cleveland, Fontenot has seen his production drop to a .243 average with 30 RBI.

Although Sanchez may only be a rental player for the '09 Cubs, his recent production in the waning months of the season shows Sanchez's best days are still in front of him.

Over the past three years, Sanchez has an average of .278 in July, .352 in August, and .313 in September.

So, knowing Sanchez's production and the lack thereof from the Cubs, it is a must-consider situation for the North Siders.

The only questions remaining are: What do we have to give up, and where do you put Sanchez in the lineup?

The first question should be a relatively easy one to deal with. The Pirates are notorious for giving away star players for mid-level prospects, and it's tough to see them changing their colors before a trade with Chicago.

Just a month ago, they traded their most promising star, center fielder Nate McClouth, to the Atlanta Braves for three minor leaguers.

So a trade for a disgruntled veteran should fetch even less than that.

When acquired, the Cubs have options of where to place Sanchez. Over the past three years, he has batted in every spot in the lineup, but has played the majority of the time in the No. 3 spot.

That won't do, as Derrek Lee has been on a tear in the spot, and Aramis Ramirez and Milton Bradley are poised to jump in at any time.

Sanchez has also seen considerable time in the No. 2, but Theriot has remained productive there and fits the mold well.

In the No. 6 spot, Sanchez has batted .440 in 84 AB over the past three years, and in relation to the Cubs, that may be where he is best suited.

Sitting behind Lee, Ramirez, and Bradley gives Sanchez a chance to really boost his RBI numbers, as Bradley has really struggled with RISP, hitting .188 on the year in that situation.

In other words, where Bradley fails, Sanchez can succeed, as he has hit .333 in that situation this year.

Adding Sanchez can round out the lineup in the way they had wanted to do this past offseason, only this time they would replace left-handed players with a productive one.

The piece is out there; will the Cubs finally finish the picture in October?

The 10 Best and Worst One-Game Careers in MLB History

Ryan Winn — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 12:42:31 -0400

Throughout baseball's rich history, there as always been one goal for every young boy to have picked up a bat or a ball—make it to "The Show."

"The Show" is, among baseball players and purists, code for Major League Baseball.

Although there are three other professional levels in baseball, making it to the big leagues is the gold standard for baseball success. Of all the players that have made it to their ultimate goal, 1,480 have appeared in only one game.

This list takes a look at who made the best, and the worst, of their one shot at glory.

The Best

5. PH Dutch Schirick, St. Louis Browns—Sept. 17, 1914

0/0, 1 BB, 2 SB

Even though he had only one AB and never played defense, Schirick earns his spot in history not because of his glove, arm, or even bat—he should be remembered for his swift feet.

In the middle of a 12-2 loss to the Washington Senators, Schirick was given a chance at his one and only MLB plate appearance.

He drew a walk, but that wasn't enough for him. He proceeded to steal second base, and then made his way over to third.

His two steals in that game gives him the most steals out of anyone with a one-game career, and his effort to make the best of his chance earns him a spot on this list.

4. RHP Chris Saenz, Milwaukee Brewers—April 24, 2004

6 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 3 BB, 7 K

Called up from AA to make an emergency start against the division rival St. Louis Cardinals, Chris Saenz did everything his big-league ball club could have wanted him to do and more.

Things got off to a strong start for Saenz, as he struck out leadoff hitter Bo Hart swinging. After loading the bases with two walks and a single, Saenz got a break when Edgar Renteria hit a home-run ball—only it went to the deepest part of the field for the third out.

After the scary start, Saenz settled down and went through the next 14 batters without allowing a hit. He didn't do anything flashy, and he didn't show dominating stuff—he just pitched efficient baseball.

With a two-run lead and the tying run at the plate, Saenz forced an inning-ending—and perhaps career-ending—double-play for his last pitch of the game.

He later suffered a sever arm injury, forcing him to have Tommy John surgery in September of 2004. It just so happened to be the last year on his contract, and he was unceremoniously non-tendered, and he hit the free-agent market.

Saenz then signed with the AA-affiliate of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, but he walked 31 batters in 46 innings, leading to his release. He is still looking for a team to give him another shot.

3. 3B Ed Irvin, Detroit Tigers—May 18, 1912

2/3, 2 3B, .667 BA, 1 E

While the NFL strike is well documented, the players strike that took place in MLB in 1912 is by far the more interesting.

When Ty Cobb was suspended for jumping in the stands and attacking a handicapped fan who was yelling racial slurs in New York, the members of the Detroit Tigers protested by refusing to play.

As the Tigers headed into Philadelphia to play the A's, manager Hughie Jennings was ordered to fill out a replacement team. He did so by fielding eight replacement players from a neighborhood in North Philadelphia.

Irvin was one of those eight, and he was the only one to make the best of his time.

In an expectantly woeful effort, the Tigers lost their first game against the A's, 24-2. Irvin was the only one of the replacement players to field a hit, and, in fact, he recorded two triples.

While no other players recorded a hit, two members of the coaching staff, Deacon McGuire and Joe Sugden, were forced to play, and each recorded a single.

His fielding, according to replacement pitcher Allan Travers, was not as good as his hitting.

"I was doing fine until they started bunting." said Travers. "The guy playing third base had never played baseball before."

The regular Tigers returned for the next game, and Irvin's career was effectively ended.

2. RHP Kid Keenan, Cincinnati Kelly's Killers—Aug. 11, 1891

CG, 6 H, 0 ER, 4 BB, 5 K

Of the 78 players whose only game pitched was a complete one, Kid Keenan has to be the unluckiest.

Despite going the distance, striking out five batters, and working out of jams to make sure none of the runs scored would be on his hands, Keenan wound up on the losing side of the equation.

Playing his first major league game at just 16 years old, Keenan seemed poised to have a major league victory under his belt before becoming an adult. His surrounding teammates seemingly wanted anything but that to happen.

While Keenan did not give up an earned run, a whopping total of nine runs were scored while he was still in the game.

Perhaps Kennan should have seen it coming. When the season reached its conclusion, eight players had committed over 20 errors, with their shortstop, Jim Canavan, accounting for 85.

Cincinnati lost to the Boston Reds, 9-3, and Keenan's sparkling, complete game landed him in the "L"column.

1. RF John Paciorek, Houston Colt .45's—Sept. 29, 1963

3/3, 4 R, 2 BB, 4 RBI

John Paciorek, called up for the roster expansion in September of 1963, got his one chance to play with the best on the last game of Houston's disappointing, 66-96 season. He was placed in right field, and he forced the 3,889 Houston faithful to learn who he was.

Batting in the seventh spot in the lineup, Paciorek stepped up for his first professional at bat in the bottom of the second, facing off against Mets pitcher Larry Bearnarth. He drew a walk, his first of two, and was promptly driven in by John Bateman's triple into right field.

In his next AB, it was Paciorek's turn to drive in the runs.

With his team down 4-2 in the fourth, Paciorek put a single into left field, driving in two runs, tying the game.

The addition of the 18-year-old sparked the Houston club to the most runs scored all season, as Pacioreck would go on to drive in two more runs and score three more times in a 13-4 blowout victory.

Despite his sparking 1.000 batting average in his MLB career, Paciorek could never reach the pinnacle again. After having back surgery in 1964, his batting average never reached near .300 in his next six years of minor league baseball, with his best season being with the Single-A Reno River Sox, a year in which he hit .275 with 17 home runs.

He was able to live vicariously through his family, as his brothers Tom and Jim each had extended careers, but his one turn in the major leagues, as short as it may seem, puts him in the limelight as the greatest one-game career in MLB history.

The Worst

5. RHP George Goetz, Baltimore Orioles—June 17, 1889

9 IP, 12 H, 4 ER, 2 K; 0-4, 4 K

While George Goetz's pitching line was just good enough to earn him a victory in his only game over the Louisville Colonels, he earned his spot in infamous lore.

His nine innings pitched was actually not good enough to earn him a complete game, which was not too shocking at the time. His performance at the plate is considered bad in every time period, however.

Each of the four times he stepped to the plate, Goetz went down on three strikes. His four strikeouts is a category-high, and that is reason enough to put him on our list.

4. RHP Chris Haughey, Brooklyn Dodgers—October 3, 1943

0/3, 0 BB, 3 K; 7 IP, 5 H, 3 ER, 10 BB

Like many people in this time, Chris Haughey made his MLB debut when the regular players were shipped off to WWII. What seperates him from the rest that not just that he only played one game—it's that he did so poorly.

On his 18th birthday, and the last game of the 1943 season, Haughey was set to take the mound against the Cincinnati Reds.

His performance on the mound was erratic at best with his category-high 10 walks, and a poor performance from his defense extenuated his poor play by plating three unearned runs, and the Dodgers ultimately lost, 6-1.

If Haughey wanted to help himself at the plate, he didn't show it. Haughey struck out each time he stepped up to the plate, the ultimate form of batting futility.

Haughey ended his one-game career with a .000 BA with three strikeouts and a 3.86 ERA.

3. P Lewis, Buffalo Bisons—July 12, 1890

3 IP, 60.00 ERA, 13 H, 20 ER, 7 BB, 1 K

Prepare yourself for smallest player bio of all-time, as this pitcher for the 1890 Buffalo Bisons must have entered the witness protection program following his performance.

He is known only as Lewis, and it's not known how old he was, what hand he used, or if he was human or an actual bison.

His statline, however, speaks volumes about his abilities as a baseball player.

He did have a hit in his five plate appearances, but after walking seven, giving up three home runs, and 20 runs—all earned—in just three innings of work, he made his mark.

Needless to say, his Bisons lost to the Brooklyn Ward's Wonders, 28- 16.

2. RHP Chris Mabeus, Milwaukee Brewers—May 29, 2006

1.2 IP, 21.60 ERA, 4 H, 4 ER, 3 WP

It's not often a relief pitcher can have the wheels come off so badly that he is deemed useless on the major league level afterward, but Chris Mabeus pulled it off in his first and only stint.

Coming in for the bottom of the seventh inning, Mabeus breezed through this first three outs, surrendoring only one walk in a scoreless inning. He even struck out the first batter he face in the eighth before the wheels came off.

Mabeus gave up a basehit, followed by a home run. He proceeded to walk the next batter, then advance him to second on a wild pitch. He wasn't done yet, as he threw yet another wild pitch to advance the runner to third.

After he eventually walked the batter he threw so wildly against, Mabeus saw a run score off a fielders choice ground ball.

However, he let the ball slip yet again, and the runner moved over to third before being driven in on double to the left-field corner.

Mabeus had watched four runs score, three pitches escape the catcher, and the deficit balloon to 10 before he was pulled.

Little did he know that when relief pitcher Joe Winkelsas replaced him, he would never play in the majors again.

After his debacle against Pittsburgh, Mabeus reviewed his short MLB career, and he is now retired from the game.

1a. Joe Cleary, Washington Senators—Aug. 4, 1945

0.1 IP, 189.00 ERA, 5 H, 7 ER, 3 BB, 1 WP

Filling in for players departed for WWII, Cleary came in during the fourth inning of game two of the Senators' double-header with the Boston Red Sox.

That was the only highlight of his day.

Cleary faced only nine hitters, and he allowed eight of them to reach base, seven of which were allowed to cross home plate. The awful performance set a MLB record for the highest ERA for a player with a recorded out.

However, as woeful as it may appear, his play did pave way for one of the strangest, yet most inspiring, one-game careers in history.

Needing someone—anyone—to replace Cleary, the Senators turned to Bert Shepard.

Shepard pitched five innings, gave up one run, and struck out two. His statline doesn't seem impressive until you consider one amazing fact:

He played with one leg.

Shepard served as a fighter pilot serving in the war, and he had his leg amputated after his plane was shot down in Germany. After returning to the United States, Shepard was focused on resuming his baseball career.

Despite being a career minor leaguer, Shepard impressed Senators owner Clark Griffith enough to be hired as a pitching coach for the 1945 season. Desperate for fresh pitchers in their fourth consecutive double-header, the Senators sent Shepard out to pitch.

All of a sudden, his stats seem a little better, no?

They certainly dwarf those of Cleary, who, after his early exit, would be the last Ireland native to pitch in a major league game.

The 10 Best and Worst One-Game Careers in NFL History

Ryan Winn — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 00:29:39 -0400

Making it into the NFL is hard.

Becoming a full-time starter in the league is even harder.

Of all of the players who have been fortunate enough to fulfill their dreams and make it to the big stage, 1,167 have only appeared in one game.

Most of those players appear on special teams, filling in for an injury. Others were thrown into the offensive and defensive lineups.

Here is a look at 10 offensive players who made the best, or worst, of their one shot at glory.

The Best

5. WR Martin Nance, Minnesota Vikings: Dec. 21, 2006

Four REC, 33 YDS, one TD

A two-time 1,000-plus yard receiver at Miami University, Ohio, Nance was an undrafted free agent, signed by the Buffalo Bills after the 2006 NFL Draft. After being waived on Aug. 28, 2006, right before the season was about to kick off, Nance signed with Minnesota.

Nance didn't get to see the field until the final game of his rookie season against the St. Louis Rams, but he made the best of it in a 41-21 loss.

Nance hauled in four catches, the most by any one-game career player, and his touchdown makes him one of just three of such players to do so.

He was released after the 2008 preseason but was signed by the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sept. 10, 2008. He won a Super Bowl ring on the Steelers' Super Bowl XLIII practice squad and was re-signed following the game.

4. WR Randy Burks, Chicago Bears: Dec. 5, 1976

One REC, 55 YDS, one TD

Drafted in the eighth round out of Oklahoma State by the St. Louis Cardinals, Burks quickly changed teams to the mediocre Chicago Bears.

Teetering around .500, the Bears were given a gift walking into the home of the 2-10 Seattle Seahawks, and they did as expected by blowing the home team out of the water.

With the score already 27-7, Chicago put in a slew of backups, including QB Virgil Carter and our man Burks. The two didn't waste much time getting to know one another, and Carter hit Burks for a 55-yard touchdown pass, sealing the victory at 34-7.

The 5'11" Burks never saw the field again after his big play, and he faded into NFL obscurity following the '76 season.

In one swoop, however, Burks is the current leader in receiving yards for players with one career game on their record.

3. QB Tony Robinson, Washington Redskins: Oct. 19, 1987

11-18, 152 YDS, two INT

Robinson is your average, everyday, prison to professional sports to prison story.

After the players went on strike before the 1987 season, the Redskins needed a quarterback. After seeing their fair share of pedestrian talent, Washington negotiated with a Tennessee jail to release former Volunteer quarterback Robinson until the strike ended.

As if playing in your first (and only) NFL game after being incarcerated wasn't enough pressure for a quarterback, Robinson made his debut on Monday night against the rival, 3-1 Dallas Cowboys.

Robinson was thrust into the game when Washington's starting quarterback, Ed Rubbert, was injured after just two passes.

For a jailbird, Robinson managed the game well, completing 61 percent of his passes and converting 19 first downs en route to a 13-7 victory over Dallas. He was passed over by the previous year's starting QB, Jay Schroeder, the following week against the New York Jets.

After the players union crossed the picket line, Robinson was shipped back to prison in Tennessee and never played on an NFL gridiron again.

2. RB Vincent Alexander, New Orleans Saints: Oct. 4, 1987

21 CAR, 71 YDS, one TD

In another case of a man taking advantage of the players strike, Alexander, a former fullback at Southern Mississippi, joined the '87 New Orleans Saints. This team was coached by the one man who doesn't want to talk about playoffs, Jim Mora.

After New Orleans gained a measly 23 total yards rushing in Week Two, the Saints gave the bulk of the carries in Week Three to Alexander.

He took full advantage of his opportunity, carrying the ball a category-high 21 times and scoring the category's only rushing touchdown. He also grabbed two receptions for 15 yards in his team's rout of the Los Angeles Rams, 37-10.

The Saints would go on to a 12-3 record, but despite his solid game in Week Three, Alexander would not see the field again.

1. RB Lance Ball, Indianapolis Colts: Dec. 28, 2008

13 CAR, 83 YDS, 6.3 YPC

In a game that meant very little for his team's or his opponent's (the Tennessee Titans) playoff hopes, Ball put up the best results out of anyone with a one-game career in NFL history.

After starting running back Joseph Addai hauled in a 55-yard TD pass and rushed once for four yards, the Colts decided to not take a risk with their injury-prone running back right before the playoffs.

Enter Ball.

He had been a part of the practice squad for the St. Louis Rams and the Colts for two seasons, but he was called up for Week 17 on Dec. 28.

That just so happened to be the same date he was expected to play.

The Colts gave it to the former University of Maryland star halfback a team-leading 13 times, and thanks in large part to a 23-yard burst, Ball racked up a category-leading 83 rushing yards.

Despite fumbling the ball once, Ball's ground control paved the way to a dominating 23-0 victory over the Titans—a game in which the Ball-led Colts won the first down battle 21-8.

Ball has re-signed with the Colts for the 2009 season, and perhaps his performance at the end of 2008 will be reason enough to give him another shot.

The Worst

5. QB Steve Bradley, Chicago Bears: Oct. 18, 1987

6-18, 77 YDS, two TDs, three INT, three SCK

While several players made the most of their opportunity during the 1987 strike, Bradley can be counted as one of the players who didn't.

Although Bradley actually leads the category in touchdown passes, he is also third in interceptions thrown and second in times sacked.

His paltry 33.3 completion percentage, minus-three yards rushing, and his -2.1 adjusted yards per attempt in his one and only game certainly don't help his case either.

Bradley's two touchdown passes actually gave the Bears a 17-3 lead, but then the wheels came off.

His performance against the Saints was so bad that Sean Payton—yes, current New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton—was put in to play for him.

Payton couldn't make up for Bradley's implosion, and the Bears lost their first game of the 1987 season, 19-17.

4. RB Allen Nichols, Pittsburgh Steelers: 1945

10 CAR, five YDS, one FMB

Although it's not known exactly when he played, or how he affected the ballgame, there is no question from a simple look at the numbers that Nichols had a rough go of it in his only NFL game.

Averaging only a half-yard per attempt and coughing up the ball once in that same game begs the statement:

Stick to your day job.

3. Will Cureton, Cleveland Browns: Nov. 9, 1975

10-32, 95 YDS, one TD, one INT

In the midst of an 0-7 start, the '75 Browns were desperately looking for a quarterback to lead their team from the dark hole that was their season.

In Week Eight against the Detroit Lions, the Browns were able to scratch Cureton's name off the list.

Cureton completed just 31 percent of his passes and was sacked twice for a whopping total of 21 yards lost. His rough play set the Browns back in a game they could have won, as the Lions managed only 15 first downs in that game themselves—just two more than Cleveland.

Cureton's lone touchdown pass came in the fourth quarter with the team already down 21-3, and the Browns lost the game 21-10, falling to 0-8.

The poor performance is all Cureton has to remember from his time on the professional level.

2. Ed Baker, Houston Oilers: Dec. 17, 1972

4-10, 47 YDS, zero TD, four INT

As the backup quarterback for the lowly 1972 Houston Oilers, Baker had to be wondering when his time would come to captain the team.

In Week 14, Baker got his wish.

They just weren't the circumstances he was hoping to have.

In one of the biggest beatdowns in NFL history, Baker entered a game against the Cincinnati Bengals in which his Oilers never really had a chance.

Baker's play didn't help things, however.

He completed 40 percent of his passes, with the same number of passes ending up in his receivers' hands as they did in the defense's—four.

When the smoke cleared, Baker would have a 61-17 loss to hold as a memento as his only NFL experience.

1. QB Tom O'Malley, Green Bay Packers: 1950

4-15, 31 YDS, six INT; -9 YDS Rushing

Again, thanks to the lack of box score data from a half-century ago, it is not clear exactly when O'Malley had this horrendous game.

I'm sure he wouldn't have it any other way.

O'Malley was a rookie for the Gene Ronzani-coached Packers team, but the rook didn't do much to impress his coach in his lone game played.

It is safe to assume that the Packers, who went 3-9 in 1950, lost the game that O'Malley was thrust into the lineup. His woeful performance gave him the category lead in turnovers and placed him second on the list in least amount of yards rushed.

The numbers speak for themselves: Anytime you complete more passes to the other team than your own, you have earned your spot in infamous history.

13-Year-Old Evan Berry Commits to Tennessee: Progress or Problem?

Ryan Winn — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 17:17:04 -0400

As puberty begins to run its course and adolescence starts its full swing, 13-year-old Evan Berry has already decided where he wants to play big-time college football.

Berry, the younger brother of current Tennessee safety Eric Berry, told Yahoo! Sports that he plans to follow in his brother's footsteps and play for the Volunteers after he graduates from Creekside High School in Georgia.

"Yes, I committed to Tennessee," Evan said. "It's the only college I know right now, and it seems the best for me. My dad went there and my brother is there now. I know I can do the same things there. I have a real friendly relationship with the coaches there. I know I don't know them too well, but I know I will have plenty of time to get to know them."

How could this be good for anyone?

There is absolutely no problem with a child setting dreams. Most young boys dream of suiting up for their favorite college on Saturdays, and only a very select few are able to actually do so.

An even smaller number get to do it for free.

While the University of Tennessee has had no official comment on the verbal commitment yet, one would assume that Berry, just like everyone else who makes a verbal or signed commitment, would be entitled to a free ride.

How many high school freshmen already know free college is in their future?

The Young Get Younger

Berry's commitment is not the first example of a just-turned-teenager committing to a college in the past few years.

Last year, Michael Avery, a then-eighth grader, made a verbal commit to play basketball for the University of Kentucky, and he was offered a scholarship without one high school game played.

Avery's father Howard recalled the recruitment as a surreal moment.

"We talked for a while and he said, 'I like your son. In fact, I like him so much I want to offer him a scholarship here at Kentucky.' I was like, 'You're joking, right?' He said, 'Nope. I'm serious. I really love the way he plays,'" said Avery.

Last year, Washington State made program history by locking up defensive end Aaron Dunn, a 6'6" then-sophomore in high school, to play for the Cougars.

Earlier this year, reports surfaced about David Sills, a mere 12-year-old, who was already receiving interest to play quarterback at a big-time school.

How young is too young? According to legislation passed by the NCAA this January, children are considered eligible for recruitment by grade seven. Joe D’Antonio, chairman of the NCAA Division I Legislative Council, said he fears for the future of college recruiting.

"It’s a little scary only because—we talked about this—where does it stop? The fact that we’ve got to this point is really just a sign of the times," said D'Antonio.

Freshman Frenzy

Perhaps the strangest facet of the recent commitment is the amount of support and excitement coming out of the Tennessee faithful.

On the blog site "3rd Saturday in Blogtober," a user known only as "colts18" wrote a quick blurb on Berry's decision, and he ended his blog on a positive note.

"It’s a few years away before either (or both) of these guys will be suiting up in orange and white, but just the thought of it is very exciting to say the least," wrote the blogger.

The "both" being mentioned refers to Evan and twin brother Elliot, who has not made a decision on what college he would like to attend.

The fact that his commitment is not being seen with skepticism from the Tennessee fanbase is strange, especially considering all the criticism Lane Kiffin has taken since arriving as the program's new head coach.

After the uproar that came out after Tennessee signed convicted criminals, it would be reasonable to believe that some sort of outrage would come from offering a spot on the roster to a 13-year-old from a moral, if not a fear for their team, standpoint.

Perhaps it is due to the success of older brother Eric in a Vols uniform. In comments on a thread on VolNation.com, a user known as "volfreak1964" expressed his excitements over the news.

"This is Awesome I just Hope that Eric STays one more year [sic] !!!" said the user.

While it's easy to be excited for a young man's commitment to his future, it's surprising to see such little disdain for the direction of the program.

It was a shock to the system when Kiffin was hired, as he is merely a few years older than the players he preaches to. Is Kiffin, with the pressure of keeping the program afloat, setting a bad principle for college football's future?

Chicago Bulls Offseason Report: Why No Amaré Stoudemire Talks?

Ryan Winn — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 15:27:20 -0400

This Bulls offseason is like a "Twilight Zone" episode.

It wasn't long ago rumors swirled about the Bulls grabbing high-profile players like Tim Duncan, Kevin Garnett, or Kobe Bryant every offseason. Every trade deadline, Chicago would turn it's eyes to disgruntled big men looking for a change of scenery.

This offseason, the trade winds have died.

The Bulls' problems remain the same, but everything else seems to have changed.

Remember back in the good old days of the NBA trading deadline, when the Chicago Bulls were rumored to be in the mix of trading for Phoenix Suns power forward Amaré Stoudemire?

Now, that is all but a distant memory. But why?

The latest rumor, and near-done deal, for Stoudemire was between the Suns and the Golden State Warriors. A trade was about to go down Thursday night, when Davidson star Stephen Curry dropped to the Warriors at No. 7, shaking up the trade tables.

This is the time for the Bulls to jump on the train.

The Suns have acknowledged they are not championship contenders. So much so that they are willing to part with their best player for Andres Biendres, Brandan Wright, and Marco Bellinelli; three players who averaged 28 points per game combined for Golden State last season.

Stoudemire alone averaged 21 points per game.

Judging by this deal that was nearly completed on draft day, its obvious that Phoenix is not looking for players to help them win now. Instead, their motivation for trading is to shed some unwanted poundage during beach season.

The Bulls, meanwhile, nixed a potential deal at last year's trade deadline that would have sent Tyurs Thomas, Joakim Noah, and Drew Gooden to Phenix for Stoudemire. The idea was to send two young big men and an expiring contract to the Suns for a bona fide superstar.

Now, the Bulls are offreing nothing.

They are offering nothing when they clearly have the resources to pull it off.

Chicago drafted two athletic, versatile forwards in Wake Forest's James Johnson and USC's Taj Gibson in Thursday's draft. The selections help the overall depth of the front court, but they still lack star power and a consistent producer in the post.

This is where Stoudemire comes into play. The Bulls have a bevy of expiring contracts and young, talented forwards at their disposal. Center Brad Miller, one of those expiring contracts, and he would fit in well with Phoenix's scheme. Stoudemire on the other hand, is an instant upgrade over Miller in the center position.

Thomas, a key cog in the previous trade dealings, can now be seen as expendable with the acquisition of a similar, if not better, forward James Johnson.

A few trade proposal's come to mind, like:

Chicago Bulls trade Miller, Thomas, and Taj Gibson to Phoenix Suns for Stoudemire

Chicago Bulls trade Miller, Joakim Noah, and Thomas to Phoenix Suns for Stoudemire

The impending issue with any trade for Stoudemire would be the upcoming 2010 free agency battle. Chicago would love to see Chris Bosh or Dwayne Wade don a Bulls uniform in 2010, but Stoudemire may be their best bet.

Playing in a fast-paced offense with a dynamic talent like Derrick Rose would certainly boost Stoudemire's numbers, and the assumed success the team would have with him would also play a part in his decision to stay for a championship or leave for money.

No matter what he would decide to do, a player like Stoudemire demands a hefty paycheck. There would be no conceivable way, without dismantling the core of the roster, to keep both he and guard Ben Gordon.

Gordon has wanted out of Chicago for quite some time, but Bulls GM Gar Forman has stated it's priority No. 1 to sign him. That's all well and fine, but it does not rule out the possibility of a sign-and-trade deal:

Chicago Bulls trade Miller, Gordon, and Thomas to Phoenix Suns for Stoudemire

The Bulls still need a post presence to contend for a championship. If this true, then why have talks for Stoudemire faded into oblivion when he is our best chance at putting together a winner?

The 10 Worst New England Patriots of the Decade

Ryan Winn — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 17:19:12 -0400

The New England Patriots have, in the minds of many, cemented themselves as the team of the decade.

In that time, there have been some hallowed names to grace Gillette Stadium’s field; Tom Brady, Tedy Bruschi, and Troy Brown have no doubt become legends of New England lore, and the list obviously doesn’t stop there.

What goes up must go down, and the rule of the ying and the yang has played it's part in the formation of the first dynasty of the new millennium.

For all of the great players, there have also been some major disappointments. Belichick is the master of masking the weaknesses of his players and using each player for his strengths. As such, it may be hard to recall specific players who underachieved.

In this collaborative effort between B/R New England Patriots writers Ryan Winn and Erik Frenz, look for statistical analysis from the latter and anecdotal, further analyses from the former

This list sets out to do justice to some of the unsung zeroes of the dominating decade in New England.

10. WR Bam Childress—3 receptions, 32 Yards, 0 TD

Erik Frenz: Childress only ever played in three games, recording five catches for 39 yards, before Bill Belichick nixed him. Childress was never heard from again.

Ryan Winn: An undrafted free agent, it was hard to not root for a player with the work ethic of Childress. However, unlike the Ray Ventrone's and Gary Guyton's of the world, Belichick could not find a reason to keep him on the roster. A career practice-squad player and preseason MVP, Childress turned into one of the worst receivers in the league once the games counted.

9. WR Bethel Johnson—30 receptions, 450 yards, Four TD

Frenz: We all know Tom Brady as a quarterback who can make any receiver look pretty good. Brady had a tough time making Bethel Johnson look more than mediocre. Surely, his fade into obscurity has much, if not all, to do with his change of uniform.

Johnson was a threat in the kicking game, averaging over 28 yards per return in his rookie season, and in the mid-20’s every year after that, which is why he lands at number 10 on the list.

Winn: Johnson was a very fast athletic machine. However, it was his hands that ran him out of New England. He had his moments of glory, such as two big kickoff returns against he Colts and a touchdown catch in the playoffs against Tennessee, but he had a reputation of having stone hands and an awful work ethic.

8. FB Marc Edwards—82 carries, 237 yards, 3 TD

Frenz: Edwards was yet another player who filled in sparingly at running back during their first Super Bowl run.

A second-round pick out of Notre Dame who showed promise in his second year in the pros, the Patriots felt comfortable picking him up at the beginning of the 2001 season.

His lead blocking was never the problem; he helped open holes for Antowain Smith that put him over the 1,000-yard mark, and gave him 12 rushing touchdowns, but every time he carried the ball, he got stopped short and fumbled the ball three times on a meager 51 carries.

Winn: Edwards will always have a place in my heart thanks to his banging attitude, but there is no question he was merely a small, insignificant piece the Patriots '01 Super Bowl run.

When you have as many fumbles as touchdowns in a season (3), you deserve to be on this list.

7. SS Artrell Hawkins—65 tackles, 1 sack, 1 interception

Frenz: Hawkins never had a true chance to start in his first year as a Patriot in 2005; he was a strong safety, and sat behind Rodney Harrison on the depth chart.

When his opportunity came in 2006, though, he failed to deliver. He registered a meager 54 tackles, one interception, and two forced fumbles in 12 starts. His short nine-year career came to an end immediately following that season.

Winn: I, personally, would have placed Hawkins a bit higher on this list. If I could find a stat for catches allowed, he is one of the players I would love to research. Hawkins brings no fond memories, only ones where I am shaking my head with a hand over my eyes.

Hawkins lasted only two season in New Engand, and as a veteran defensive back, you have to be pretty bad on the field to not be in Belichick's rolodex.

6. RB J.R. Redmond—164 carries, 527 yards, 3 TD

Frenz: From the late 90’s spanning into 2000, the Patriots had a bit of a controversy at running back stemming from the free agent departure of future Hall of Fame running back Curtis Martin.

As a third-round pick in the 2000 draft, it was thought Redmond might help bring some consistency back to the position. Such was not to be the case, however, as Redmond average a paltry 3.2 yards per carry and one touchdown on 125 carries in his rookie campaign.

He showed no signs of promise in 2001, the team’s first Super Bowl season. After being given one more chance in 2002, he carried the ball four times for two yards, and was unceremoniously handed to the free agent guillotine without a second thought.

Winn: My only memory of Redmond was his three-straight catches on the final drive of Super Bowl XXXVI. He made a great play stretching out of bounds to stop the clock before Brady hit Troy Brown for the longest play of the drive.

That's it. Those catches are all Redmond has to his credit in a Patriots uniform. In fact, it's odd to see that Redmond, being a third-round running back, had more touchdown receptions (2) than rushing touchdowns (1) in his Patriots career.

5. LB Chad Brown—32 tackles, 0 sacks, 0 interceptions

Frenz: The expectations that Chad Brown brought with him as a career sack specialist in Pittsburgh and Seattle were monumental. A former first-team All Pro, Brown recorded at least six sacks a season for four seasons before being injured midway through 2004, and released after the season

The monumental disappointment he became was a huge surprise to everyone, especially considering the hype surrounding him. He recorded a meager 31 tackles in 15 games (five of them starts) in 2005.

After a hiatus with the Steelers, where he only played in nine games, he felt he hadn’t completely destroyed his image yet, so he made one last return effort in the undefeated regular season of 2007; in two games of work, he delivered one tackle.

Winn: Talk about a buzz kill. Looking to solidify an already strong, Super Bowl winning linebacker corps, Chad Brown, and his career 78 sacks before coming to New England, was expected to make the 2005 Patriots a scary defense.

The only thing scary was his play. Starting just five of the 15 games he played in, Brown never seemed to catch Belichick's system, and he was, thanks to the collective will of Patriots fans, cut after one season. Let's not even discuss his "comeback" attempt.

4. WR Reche Caldwell—61 Receptions, 760 yards, 4 TD

Frenz: Caldwell was a free agent pick-up that the Patriots had hoped Tom Brady would make look better. Deion Branch had recently departed, and New England was searching for his heir apparent.

He led the team in receiving yards, but only picked up a measly four touchdowns during the regular season. Then, of course, came that infamous-in-New-England-but-famous-everywhere-else AFC Championship game, where Caldwell dropped two sure catches, one of which would have been a touchdown to seal the lead and possibly the game.

New England fans will always remember his deer-in-headlights look as he approached the sideline after those drops.

Winn: Reche "Headlights" Caldwell was an interesting prospect. Despite the massive size of his eyes, Caldwell could never seem to get his hands on the ball. With the departure of Brady's best receiver and friend, Deion Branch, the Patriots needed a way to make it up to him with a great receiver.

Caldwell wasn't the answer. The good news is, after they saw a guy like Caldwell wasn't the answer, the Patriots picked up Wes Welker and Randy Moss the next offseason.

When you are most famous for what you dropped in an AFC Championship game, you have to be considered one of the worst to don a team's jersey.

3. P Ken Walter—38.6 yards per punt average, 2 punts blocked

Frenz: You’d have to be a pretty bad punter to make it onto a 10 worst players list; Walter definitely fits the bill.

In terms of yards per punt, Ken Walter’s average consistently landed him among the league’s worst; he was the second worst punter in 2003, by a slim .3 yards to dead last. His best statistical season (2001) landed him in the bottom six.

To his credit, he didn’t see very much time on the field; he ranked 31st in the league in attempts in 2001 with a meager 49, and ranked 18th in 2003 with 76 attempts. Still, his job was to give the Patriots good punts and he consistently failed to do so.

Belichick must have been content with his punter, because even in the midst of two Super Bowl runs, he never made a move at that position.

With so few weak spots on the team, one might have thought that they would address one of the few potential weaknesses that the team has. Such was not the case, and Walter served three years on the Patriots before skipping boat to Seattle.

Walter made one last return to the team in 2006, where he was miserable yet again, averaging a pitiful 36.9 yards per punt. That average was good for dead last in the league that season, and thus was the last we ever heard of Ken Walter.

Winn: Erik couldn't have said it better—Walter was probably the worst punter in this team's history. He was known best for holding for Vinatieri's game-winning kicks, but after seeing the way he punted, Patriots fans were just happy to see him not pull a Lucy-to-Charlie Brown on Adam.

He came back to fill in for the not-so-often injured position in 2006, but he had an average lower than any year in his career (36.9) that year. He signed with Seattle for a few games in 2007, but he is, rightfully so, out of football now.

2. Chad Jackson—13 receptions, 152 yards, 3 TD

Frenz: Jackson was hailed as a second coming of Deion Branch after being drafted very early in the second round. Coming out of Florida, Jackson had the sure hands and speed to go off for major yardage week in and week out. He had spent his junior year as a Gator tearing apart defenses, with 88 receptions for 900 yards and nine touchdowns.

He never panned out for the Patriots in the NFL, making only 13 receptions in 12 games in his rookie year, though three of those catches were touchdowns. In 2007, he was unceremoniously buried underneath an influx of new talent in Donte Stallworth, Wes Welker, and—of course—Randy Moss.

That was the last New England fans ever heard of Jackson; he was a victim of a desperate cap-clearing spree initiated to re-sign important defensive talent, along with Moss.

Denver picked him up in free agency, but even in the high octane passing offense that featured Pro Bowl quarterback Jay Cutler, he still only played in four games, and recorded only one reception for 19 yards.

Winn: The name Chad Jackson gives me a flashback to draft day, 2006. My brother had called me right before I stepped into work to tell me the Patriots drafted the talented receiver out of Florida in the second round.

What a steal, I thought.

Turns out, it was Jackson who did the stealing—of everyone's time and patience.

When he made a great-dip-and-dive touchdown against the Vikings, I thought Jackson had finally broken through. I could not have been more wrong, and Jackson was not even able to grab one catch in the record-setting 2007 season.

1. Deltha O’Neal—30 tackles, 3 interceptions, 0 forced fumbles

Frenz: I can recall countless times in the 2008 season that I sat at my television screen, screaming bloody murder at Deltha O’Neal.

He possessed great speed as a cornerback in Cincinatti, but his speed diminished over time. By the time he got to New England, he was nothing more than a short and slow corner with knowledge of the game.

He was too small to provide support in the running game, too short to cover the prototype receivers in the AFC, and too slow to do practically anything else.

I remember a specific quote from Wendi Nix during the Chargers’ 30-10 drubbing of New England, where she said, “The Chargers figure they can take advantage of 6’5” Vincent Jackson being covered by 5’11” Deltha O’Neal.”

And that was the story of his entire season. He registered three interceptions, which looks respectable on paper, but people who watch the Patriots know that two of those were deflections that went off another receivers’ hands.

He doesn’t appear on the Patriots roster on NFL.com, and let’s hope it stays that way.

Winn: Seriously, could there be anyone else in this spot?

In case you were wondering, this is the other player I wish had a statline telling me how many catches he gave up. The aforementioned game against the Chargers was the absolute worst performance in the history of sports.

O'Neal was, by far, the worst defensive back during the Patriots dynasty. He was so bad, that he was benched in favor of rookie Jonathan Wilhite in the middle of last season.

After the benching, it's hard to remember if O'Neal even played. His stat sheet shows 16 games played, but, thankfully, his presence was rarely known as the playoff stretch came about.

Baby Bears: Chicago Cubs the Biggest Whiners in MLB

Ryan Winn — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 01:55:12 -0400

Break out the pacifiers, Cubs fans.

No, not for yourselves. After 101 years of seemingly infinite disappointment, crying over this team would be a severe overreaction. Instead, take them out and toss them into the Cubbies' dugout; they need some sort of soother.

When looking at the Cubs' struggles this first half of the season, it's tough to figure out what went from from 2008-2009. Is it the absence of Aramis Ramierz? Could it be a failed offseason? Is it just a slump with an inevitable end?

It may be a combination of all those things, but the real answer stands out so painfully obvious that it's a shock nobody has thrown this out into the realm of discussion.

The '09 Cubs are a bunch of babies.

Just as their team name denotes, this team has an awful lot of growing up to do before it can do any real form of intimidating.

Uncle Lou Piniella has gone from the fiery, brash, get-the-job-done uncle to the uncle that tries so hard to please those around him that he'll do anything for them.

Instead of a new Huffy, this uncle is making sure everyone is comfy.

He allows Carlos Zambrano to dictate what color jersey he wears, because he is "comfortable" in the alternate blue uniforms.

He refuses to move Alfonso Soriano, a sub-.230 hitter, from the coveted leadoff spot, because he is "comfortable" in that spot.

The whole team is obsessed with something you usually wouldn't expect when standing just inches away from a 90 MPH fastball, wearing cleats, and standing around in 88 degree weather with 90 percent humidity.

Outfielder Milton Bradley has been disastrous from the start of the season. A pair of injuries and a weak bat have forced Bradley's numbers to a dismal level. Apparently, he may just be hitting from the wrong side.

"In spring training, my home runs were from the right except one. It depends on how you get your at-bats and how you get comfortable," said Bradley last month.

Despite their need of being comfortable, the team has played anything but.

After losing their second-straight game to the Detroit Tigers and their third-straight game overall, the Cubs have gone from a team that simply could not hit to a team that can't get their runners around the horn.

Chicago has left 32 runners on base in their three-game skid.

But it gets worse.

In Wednesday's game alone, the Cubs had runners at first and second base with no outs six times, loading the bases in that situation once. I lost count in Tuesday's game.

The result of those specific chances was one run—a near-double-play ground ball with one out that Mike Fontenot beat out, securing their second run of the game.

That's some bad baseball. Surely, a great manager of Pieniella's status would recognize that.

"I don't want to talk about missed opportunities," Cubs manager Lou Piniella said in the midst of this 0-32 slump.

What do you want to talk about? The great performance of Kevin Gregg on Tuesday? Milton Bradley's temper tantrum in the dugout after striking out in that sixth aforementioned opportunity?

If there were any time to publicly call out your players, like you have in year's past, it would be now. If your team had converted on one of those chances, it's at least a tied series.

If, by some divine intervention, you convert on half of those chances, you have a chance to break out the brooms on the road against a division leader.

Instead, you take the route of babying your players.

If you call out Bradley's .200 average with runners in scoring position and two outs, will the next bat he tomahawks into the dugout be at your head?

If you look at your leadoff hitter's laughable 70:24 strikeout-walk ratio and decide to move him down a few spots, will he hop his way out of Chicago?

If you happen to wear white jerseys in a game Zambrano pitches, would the Gatorade machine be replaced with your midsection?

When Piniella took over as Cubs manager in 2007, he made it clear that the team was going to be running his way. Two years later, he sits on the bench with his hands tied as his prima donna players have run a mutiny over the clubhouse.

The "Sweet Lou" act worked when things were going their way last year, but this Cubs team, thanks largley to the acquistion of MLB's version of Terrell Owens in Bradley, can't keep the fire going on their own.

It was understandable to be stubborn on Soriano in 2008, as his numbers were usually on the better side of things. This year, as his numbers have stayed consistently low for two months, Piniella said he would "consider" moving him out of the leadoff spot.

As of June 25, a leadoff hitter he remains.

Last year, when Japanese import Kosuke Fukudome fell off the wagon and the honeymoon was over, Piniella sent him a message to wise up by benching him. This year, he has watched Fukudome bat .150 in June, a far cry from his .338 average in April.

His biggest punishment this year has been a move from the third to sixth spot in the lineup.

It's time to get tough with these players. After all, if you never ween them off of thumb sucking, research shows they will suck forever.

Patrick Kane Graces NHL 10 Cover: Chicago Blackhawks Re-Enter Mainstream

Ryan Winn — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 18:12:01 -0400

Although it was already a forgone conclusion around video-game forums, EA Sports has officially announced that Chicago Blackhawks winger Patrick Kane will be the cover athlete for their upcoming game, NHL 10.

Kane will be the first Blackhawk to be placed on the cover in the United States since EA began their NHL series in 1991. Tuomo Ruutu was on the cover of NHL 07, but that particular cover was only for retail in Europe.

The representation of Kane comes at a crossroads for the league. With viewer ratings through the roof for the Stanley Cup Playoffs and a return to relevance for a large-market, Original Six team in Chicago, the NHL's popularity in America seems to be growing.

Popularity of a sport can only be boosted by a popular video game. Preceding the ratings boost was the release of NHL 09, a game which garnered the Best XBOX 360 game from IGN, Best Sports Game from Gamespot, Best Team Sports Game from Spike TV—total, the series has accumulated 19 Sports Game of the Year awards over the past two seasons.

NHL 09 had Calgary Flames defenseman, and Candian-born, Dion Phaneuf, a safe bet considering the rabid Canadian following hockey already has. NHL 10 will be going a different direction this year, playing to the growing, cult-like American following.

Kane will be the first American player to grace the game's cover since John Vanbiesbrouck was featured in NHL 97.

The announcement also comes after the Blackhawks made an amazing turnaround, both in the standings and in attendance numbers. Forbes magazine called the Blackhawks comeback season the "Greatest Sports-Business Turnaround Ever," after leading the league in attendance in 2009.

"I am not familiar with this kind of massive turnaround that occurred in a blink of an eye," says Marc Ganis, president of Sportscorp, a sports-business consultancy in the Forbes article. "It's arguably the most remarkable turnaround in the history of sports in the United States."

From the Blackhawks' improvement on the ice to Kane's appearance on what is sure to be one of the most popular video games from EA in a while, Chicago's hockey team is entering the light of relevancy in America again.

What To Look For In NHL 10

NHL 10 will be using Kane to market the new emphasis being placed on finesse and skill players, as Kane will never be mistaken for a banger. However, the inner-Pronger in everyone will be set free in the new first-person fighting feature and post-whistle scrums and penalties.

One-on-one battles are also emphasized in the game, where a kick-pass along the boards can set up a goal and an intimidating check against the glass can lead to mistakes.

Look for fans to start banging on the glass as all this goes on. NHL 10 plans to have the fans play an increased role in the process of a game, making home-ice advantage relevant.

NHL 10 will be released September 15, 2009.

Apocalypse When?: How the New England Patriots Dynasty Will End

Ryan Winn — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 22:47:11 -0400

After Rodney Harrison clutched his second interception and mockingly flapped his arms, flying around Alltel Stadium, it was confirmed.

After Bill Belichick and his father Steve were bathed with Gatorade, there was no doubt.

Any shadow of doubt is forever put into light by NFL Films, showing Willie McGinest holding a mock copy of the next day's Patriots Football Weekly, with radio play-by-play announcer Gil Santos putting a stamp on Super Bowl XXXIX.

"Back-to-back, three out of four! Yes, it's a dynasty."

The New England Patriots, led by future Hall of Fame quarterback Tom Brady, are this decade's dynasty. Any other claim can be refuted with strong statistical information. The question is not whether they are or not.

The question is: When will it end?

Conventional wisdom points to 2010 as the last possible year for the Patriots to be put in that realm. After all, logic calls us to group NFL dynasties by decade. The Packers had the birth years of the '60s, the Steelers ruled the '70s, the 49ers took the '80s as their own, and the Cowboys became America's team in the '90s.

Even in sports other than football, decades have their mark. Basketball saw the Bulls become bigger than the league from 1991-1998, and no hockey team has been more dominant than the Red Wings the past 10 years.

With the second decade of this century approaching us much too quickly, the prognosticators are questioning the longevity of the Patriots' dominance.

Brady is coming off a Million-dollar-man type of surgery. Key players such as Tedy Bruschi and Randy Moss are watching their teeth grow long. How long can Belichick keep it up, at least before getting bored with winning?

Patriots fans are all pushing the bill that the 2009 season is theirs, and it probably is. They argue the dynasty has not reached its climax yet.

They would rather look at the here and now, not the inevitable future.

As George Harrison once wrote, all things must pass.

How will the Patriots' time in the spotlight come to an end?

Patriots Go the Way of the Bulls

Think back to the summer months of 1998. Michael Jordan has just hit his final shot of his Chicago career, winning his Bulls a sixth NBA championship.

It's a bittersweet moment for Bulls fans everywhere, as their celebration took the form of both a birth and a Jewish funeral—the joy of something new coming to town filled the city, as they knew they were celebrating the life of their dynasty.

They knew it was coming to an end.

Sure enough, Jordan and head coach Phil Jackson retired. With them went Scottie Pippen, Dennis Rodman, Steve Kerr, and several other key role players.

Why would the Patriots dynasty end any differently? Only they know when enough is enough, but eventually, Brady and Belichick will be satisfied with their accomplishments. Whether it's on a high note of a championship like the Bulls, or on a low note, they will leave the league.

It's tough to see either Brady or Belichick leaving with the other still on the team. They have meant too much to each other's careers, and they, at least from the naked eye, look like they mean too much to each other's personal lives.

The world knows that as long as the Patriots have Belichick and Brady, they are always a legitimate contender. The converse of that would be that without the two, they would be pretenders.

When one of them leaves, the other, along with the core of the dynasty, will leave with him.

Brady Joins the Greats, but Not in a Hall...Yet

What do Jordan, Roger Clemens, and Brett Favre all have in common? They have all retired as one of the, if not the, greatest to play their respected sport, only to come back on a different team.

Prepare to add Brady to that list.

When the three men above decided to come back, the diagnosis for what appeared to be insanity was a love for the game and an intense drive to win. Brady fits that mold.

He told Peter King of Sports Illustrated that he wants to play until he's 41, because he "doesn't like anything else." Forced by his brain to retire, Brady will fall into the same trap so many have fallen into. He will want to play again, but it won't be in a Patriots uniform.

The safest bet, assuming they still can't find a franchise quarterback, is on the San Francisco 49ers. Growing up in San Mateo, California as a fan of the local team, idolizing the man he has been compared to throughout his NFL life, it would be safe to assume Brady would love a chance to see himself in red and gold.

He won't last long, because he won't want to stay long. After a brief un-retirement, Brady will fade into the sunset, and Patriots fans, now rooting for a mediocre team, will not lose an ounce of respect for him.

Unless, of course, he comes back a Jet.

It Officially Ends

The foregone conclusion is that both Belichick and Brady will, one day, be enshrined in pro football's Hall of Fame. Due to Brady's comeback, he will have lost the chance to be enshrined with his coach in the same year, but it will happen.

When their busts are bronzed and sitting next to them on the stage in Canton, Patriots fans will swallow the bitter pill of reality that neither of them will be back. They will celebrate the years they spent, but watching them speak on stage will make them yearn for those years back.

Somewhere around this time, the Patriots bring Brady back to Foxborough, and his No. 12 is retired.

Belichick is honored before 70,000 standing and applauding fans in another game.

The true Patriots, Troy Brown, Tedy Bruschi, and others, are brought in for another celebration of the dynasty years. The nostalgia lasts for a few months and then wanes into the back of northeast America's minds.

Maybe the Patriots won't go this route. Perhaps in the middle of the playoff run in 2012, the Mayans will be proven as prophets, and the world will come to an end.

At the very least, Patriots fans won't have to see their own world crash down around them.

Chicago Cubs Flirting with History: Time to Press the Panic Button?

Ryan Winn — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 17:10:39 -0400

The Chicago Cubs' offense has been called a lot of things over the past few months—scary, awful, woeful, and laughable. When looking at the statistics, people may be missing one word from the Cubs 2009 batting performance:

Historic.

Heading into Friday's tilt with the cross-town rival White Sox, the Cubs, as a team, were hitting .212—that's a tabulation of every Cubs player that has had a single at-bat this year, including the ghost of Cubs' past, Aramis Ramirez.

When you take away the stats of Ramirez and Jake Fox, their top-two hitters average-wise but with a combined total of 27 games played, their average slips to .198.

That type of number can lead you to believe the 2009 Cubs batters are the worst in history.

In actuality, you would not be too far off.

In fact, the worst batting average in baseball history is .207, "achieved" by the 1888 Washington Senators. The worst in this century was done by the 1910 Chicago White Sox team, posting an average of .212.

Perhaps the most agonizing things for the North Siders is that the Cubs' starting rotation has the league's best ERA, with only Rich Harden (4.53) the only starting pitcher with an ERA over 4.00.

It's simply a miracle that they are at .500, considering the previously stated offensive woes combined with the somewhat pitiful performance from the bullpen.

Thus far, the only pitcher from Chicago's bullpen with an ERA under 3.00 (minimum 15 IP) is Angel Guzman (2.70). Everywhere else, the Cubs have some scary-bad numbers to look at.

Former bullpen ace Carlos Marmol has K/BB ratio is only +1. Closer Kevin Gregg has given up a .248 batting average with a lucky-number of runs and walks, 13. Neil Cotts had as many walks as strikeouts. The short-lived Cubs bullpen pitcher has an astronomical ERA of (not a typo) 135.01 after his 1/3 of an inning of work for the major league club this season.

As these stats were being tabulated, Derek Lee and Geovany Soto went back-to-back with the deep ball to tie the White Sox, proceeding Alfonso Soriano's walk-off single in the ninth.

Maybe it's a turnaround point. Maybe, and more likely, it's simply a small spike in production in a down year.

Prior to that point, the Cubs had one run through seven innings after scoring the same amount of runs in the loss the previous day, looking much like they have throughout the year. As it is, the Cubs sit at 31-31, a far cry from where they were at this point last season.

The numbers don't lie—as of now, this Cubs team is among history's worst.

Three Things Chicago Blackhawks Must Do to Follow in Penguins' Footsteps

Ryan Winn — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 21:53:34 -0400

A young team, which many say is on the verge of a dynasty, takes the league by storm on the shoulders of their mix of veteran leadership and young, first-overall talent.

Just when they started to gain respect, and just when analysts actually gave them a fighting chance for the Cup, they ran into a wall known as the Detroit Red Wings. The tired cliches and sentiments come out at the end—you have to lose to know when to win, better luck next year.

Sound familiar?

The 2008 Pittsburgh Penguins and the 2009 Chicago Blackhawks, when looked at from a mere story sense, are one in the same. Each have a kid-prodigy drafted first overall, a similar (if not better) young sidekick, but lacked some essential playoff experience.

How, then, does Chicago follow in Pittsburgh's footsteps and step over Detroit to the promised land?

No: 1 Cut Your Losses

The biggest storyline of the '09 Cup Final was former Penguin star Marian Hossa's search for a championship with Detroit. Hossa left Pittsburgh, for less money, to play for Detroit.

The Penguins lost Hossa and Gary Roberts after last season, a year in which they won the Eastern Conference Finals and took Detroit to six games.

The next year, they...well...let's just say their plane back to Pittsburgh is 35 pounds heavier.

This season, the Blackhawks have a slew of veteran players hitting the free agent market, including goaltender Nikolai Khabibulin and center Samuel Pahlsson, unrestricted. Other key role players, such as Ben Eager, Dave Bolland, and Cam Barker, are entering the market restircted.

For the Blackhawks to move on, they can't be caught up by past emotions. Despite the great season this group of players had, Pittsburgh showed that losing core players does not necessarily mean a championship is not attainable.

No. 2: Lock the Youth

Want an easy way to make a Blackhawks fan's heart drop? Bring up the simple fact that Patrick Kane, Johnathan Towes, and Duncan Keith are restriced free agents following next season.

With the expected drop in the '09-10 NHL salary cap, the Blackhawks are preparing to face the inevitability of losing such key contributors as Khabibulin and Pahlsson.

Martin Havlat is expected to be their No. 1 offseason priority, as well as keeping at least a few of their many restricted free agents. Without much money to spend on their own team, much less on outside free agents, it may be time to restructure and have their supreme young talent sign new contracts.

Keith, Kane, and Toews are essential to the Blackhawks' future success, and, although losing them as RFA's would entitle the team to some compensation, nothing can replace what they bring to the team.

Pittsburgh knew this before making their championship run, locking up their top-three young players (Evgeni Malkin, Sidney Crosby, Marc-Andre Fleury) to deals ending no earlier than 2014.

Locking up the young corps will provide something a young team will need for sustained success: stability.

No. 3: Mind the Net

Watching the 2008 Stanley Cup Finals with the 2009 version was like watching two different Pittsburgh goaltenders. One year, Fleury sits on a puck that slides in, and he makes a sprawling effort to secure a championship in the next.

For Chicago, they (most likely) will actually have a different goaltender next season, with Cristobal Huet replacing the aging free agent Nikolai Khabibulin.

Most Chicago fans think back to the five goals allowed effort in Game Four of the Western Conference Finals, a game in which the Red Wings turned Huet into french toast.

However, if Game Five was any indication, the Blackhawks will be in good hands. In a game in which the Wings poured the shots on early and often, Huet came up huge, stopping 44 shots, including an unbelievably-underplayed-in-highlights kick save to send the game into OT.

The Blackhawks have Huet inked until the 2013 season, a far cry from any other goalie that played a single minute of action. The Blackhawks' potential Fleury-esque goaltender could be Corey Crawford, who played 16 minutes in the Game Four debacle, allowing only a five-on-three goal.

In Rockford this past season, Crawford had a 2.59 GAA, stopping 91 percent of the shots he faced. Considering head coach Joel Quenneville trusted him in the playoffs, look for Crawford to fill the gap should Huet falter.

The 13 Best Sports Innovations We Take for Granted

Ryan Winn — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 11:38:14 -0400

Throughout the history of sport, changes have been made and technology has advanced to better the game being played—whether for the safety of the athlete or the pleasure of the spectator. When watching a bone-rattling hit against the boards, we think back to times when hockey players, for reasons beyond logic, played without helmets. When we watch someone crush a ball 500 feet over a wall only 350 feet away form where he stood, we thank the baseball gods for the evolution the baseball has made since the days of colonies. Some changes, however, have gone seemingly unnoticed by both parties. They have been accepted as parts of everyday life. The fact stands that, without these seldom mentioned innovations, the way we know sports today would be drastically different.

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The NFL's Top 10 History-Changing Trades

Ryan Winn — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 22:06:57 -0400

In the NFL, a trade is the least-used form of transaction. During an offseason, each team focuses on signing players already untethered from all ties rather than swapping players currently on the roster.

When the NFL Draft rolls around, teams make several trades for picks but usually wait until the later rounds to avoid the uncertainty that comes with dealing with such high value.

Some trades were made because the player refused to play for the team that drafted him, and some were made because the player did not like his contract.

However, there have been bold moves by uncompromising front office executives, with or without the consent of the player and team, that have shaped the NFL as we know it today.

10. Patriots Give Brady the Keys, 2002

New England Patriots receive: 2003 first-round pick

Buffalo Bills receive: QB Drew Bledsoe

After the Patriots won their first Super Bowl title, one huge question loomed over the ensuing offseason: Would New England keep their franchise quarterback in Drew Bledsoe, or trade him and risk it with a young gun in Tom Brady?

Head coach Bill Belichick chose the latter and traded up with that pick to grab defensive lineman Ty Warren, a key piece to their front seven to this day.

Owner Robert Kraft was saddened by the trade that day.

“Let me speak as a Patriots fan,” said Kraft. “Drew Bledsoe is a special player. I have great respect for all he has done for this franchise, not only for his contributions on the field, but also his contributions off the field. He gave our fans some of the greatest memories in the franchise’s history, and there will always be a special place reserved for him in the hearts of Patriots fans. For many reasons, and at many levels, this was a difficult trade to make.”

Brady's play for the better part of the decade, including two more Super Bowl rings and a record-setting year, eased much of that pain.

9. Atlanta Gets Their Dirty Bird, 2001

San Diego Chargers receive: WR Tim Dwight, No. 5 overall pick, third-round pick, second-round pick in 2002.

Atlanta Falcons receive: No. 1 overall pick

The Chargers had said if they could not reach a deal with Virginia Tech QB Michael Vick before the draft, they would trade the draft's top selection. They felt that their man, TCU running back LaDainian Tomlinson, would fall as low as No. 5, which was where Atlanta stood.

The Chargers did in fact take Tomlinson, who went on to set the record for most touchdowns in a season with 31 in 2006.

The Falcons wanted a franchise quarterback to replace the aging Chris Chandler, and head coach Dan Reeves had high hopes for Vick.

"We think he's an exceptional young man," Reeves said of Vick. "He's a great football player, but he's an exceptional young man who I think will set this franchise up for a long time to come."

History goes to show that Reeves was a bit off base with his comments.

8. Mike Ditka Breaks the Bank, 1999

New Orleans Saints receive: No. 5 overall pick

Washington Redskins receive: No. 12 overall pick, third-round pick, fourth-round pick, fifth-round pick, sixth-round pick, seventh-round pick; first-round pick in 2000, third-round pick in 2000

New Orleans head coach Mike Ditka wanted Texas running back Ricky Williams so badly that he took a look at his '99 draft board and decided it was expendable.

The Saints traded away their entire allotment of picks in that draft, along with two picks in the following year's draft.

Williams turned out to be a Pro Bowl-type player before leaving for the Miami Dolphins and later heading off to the Caribbean for marijuana freedom. Ditka had been much criticized for the blockbuster trade, and his time in New Orleans did not last long after that.

Meanwhile, the Redskins traded the pick from New Orleans to Chicago for bust QB Cade McNown. In fact, the Redskins only used three of the picks from New Orleans on draft day, trading for future picks.

7. Rams Get Some Horns, 1998

St. Louis Rams receive: RB Marshall Faulk

Indianapolis Colts receive: Second-round pick, fifth-round pick

With fears of disrupting team chemistry, Colts GM Bill Polian traded Faulk to the seemingly hapless Rams, turning the page on the running back situation by selecting Edgerrin James in the first round in that year's draft.

Faulk was the center stone in the Rams' "Greatest Show on Turf," where he eclipsed Barry Sanders' record for all-purpose yards (2,429 yards) and won Super Bowl XXXIV over the Tennessee Titans with the title of NFL Offensive Player of the Year.

Faulk went on to win NFL MVP in 2000 and then took his team back to the Super Bowl in 2001, losing to the New England Patriots.

6. Moss Points Toward New England, 2006

New England Patriots receive: WR Randy Moss

Oakland Raiders receive: Fourth-round pick

Thought to be over the hill, Randy Moss wanted to completely reverse his fortunes. In his trade from Oakland to New England, Moss did so in several ways:

Flipped his jersey number from 18 to 81
Took a pay cut to play with the Patriots
Went from perennial losers in Oakland to consistent winners in New England

He also changed his fortunes on the field. He went from a virtual unknown in Oakland to a 23-touchdown receiver in New England, setting a new NFL record, and helped the team to the first ever 16-0 regular season.

Had it not been for the trade, Moss would have left his best days in Minnesota. Playing in New England rejuvenated the career for the "Freak" and reshaped the record books.

5. Vikings Raid Their Roster in "The Trade," 1990

Minnesota Vikings receive: RB Herschel Walker, two third-round picks, fifth-round pick, 10th-round pick

Dallas Cowboys receive: LB Jesse Solomon, LB David Howard, CB Issiac Holt, RB Darrin Nelson, DE Alex Stewart, first-round pick, second-round pick, sixth-round pick, first-round pick in 1991, second-round pick in 1991, second-round pick in 1992, third-round pick in 1992, first-round pick in 1993

Considered the most lopsided trade in NFL history, this transaction still stands as the most players/picks ever used in a swap.

Cowboys head coach Jimmy Johnson felt that only a blockbuster trade would help his team and thought about trading WR Michael Irvin to the Los Angeles Raiders before Raiders owner Al Davis basically talked him out of it.

Instead, Dallas traded heralded running back Herschel Walker for a treasure chest of draft picks, two of which brought in RB Emmitt Smith and SS Darren Woodson, two cogs to the Cowboys' dynasty of the '90s.

Walker lasted only two more years in Minnesota and actually returned to Dallas in 1996. His best year in Minnesota came in 1991 with 825 yards and 10 TD, as Smith went on to be the NFL's all-time leading rusher and a Hall of Famer.

4. Packers Get Their Gunslinger, 1992

Green Bay Packers receive: QB Brett Favre

Atlanta Falcons receive: No. 19 overall pick

After being drafted by Atlanta in the second round of the 1991 NFL Draft, Brett Favre had a rough start to his career. Favre's first career pass was intercepted for a touchdown, and his rookie season's stat line was unimpressive: 0-4, 0 YDS, 2 INT.

However, Packers GM Ron Wolf liked what he saw in film enough to cough up a first-round pick for Favre. That pick turned out to be RB Tony Smith from Southern Mississippi.

In Favre's first game in a Packers uniform, he threw a pass that was deflected and caught by himself—a sign of things to come in the ensuing 16 years.

Favre went on to win three consecutive NFL MVP awards, won Super Bowl XXXI, and started every game from Sept. 20, 1992 to Jan. 20, 2008. Meanwhile, Smith went on to play three meaningless years in Atlanta.

Favre is a record holder in nearly all of the NFL's passing records, including yards, touchdowns, and, notoriously, interceptions.

Favre came back from retirement to play an injury-plagued season with the New York Jets, and it is not known if Favre will ever completely retire from the game.

3. New England Misses Out on the Greatest, 1985

San Francisco 49ers receive: No. 16 overall pick, third-round pick

New England Patriots receive: No. 28 overall pick, second-round pick, third-round pick

After an amazing season at Mississippi Valley State, WR Jerry Rice impressed San Francisco 49ers coach Bill Walsh. It was not enough to impress over half the league's teams, though, so Walsh saw his opportunity at No. 16.

The Patriots traded the pick to the defending champs, who promptly took Rice. Meanwhile, the Patriots would take center Trevor Matich with their pick from San Francisco.

Rice would go on to win NFC Offensive Rookie of the Year, but it would take him three years to win a championship, which he did in an impressive manner.

Rice caught 11 passes for 215 yards and one TD, helping the 49ers edge the Cincinnati Bengals, 20-16, in Super Bowl XXIII, earning him Super Bowl MVP honors. Rice would go on to win two more Super Bowls and retire as the league's leader in reception yards.

Even more impressive, with no other rushing or passing yards to impose, his 22,895 yards still placed him second all-time in all-purpose yards. Rice would play for three other teams in the twilight of his career and is enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, arguably known as the greatest receiver of all time.

2. San Francisco Plunders for Backup Gold, 1987

San Francisco 49ers receive: QB Steve Young

Tampa Bay Buccaneers receive: Second-round pick, fourth-round pick

After drafting Vinny Testaverde first overall, Tampa Bay declared Steve Young, leader of consecutive 2-14 teams, a bust. Already having a Super Bowl-winning quarterback on their team, Bill Walsh and the 49ers decided to trade for the struggling young QB.

The trade turned out to be a gold mine. When Joe Montana went down with an injury in 1991, Young took his chance and ran with it. Young finished his first year in San Francisco with the league's highest passer rating (101.8), but the team missed the playoffs with a 10-6 record.

The following year, Young was nearly traded to the Los Angeles Raiders with Montana coming back, but with Montana still injured to start the season, Young remained on the roster.

Young went on to be selected to his first Pro Bowl and won the league's MVP that year, but the team lost to their biggest rival in the Dallas Cowboys one game away from the Super Bowl.

Young would see Montana traded to the Kansas City Chiefs the next year and would win his lone title in Super Bowl XXIX. He set several NFL all-time records, including highest career quarterback rating and most rushing TDs by a QB, earning him an enshrinement in the Hall of Fame.

1. Jets Lose a Coach for the Decade, 2000

New England Patriots receive: Head coach Bill Belichick, fifth-round pick in 2001, seventh-round pick in 2002

New York Jets receive: First-round pick, fourth-round pick in 2001, seventh-rounder in 2001

While the deal did not go down as a straight-up swap, the legendary transaction between the Jets and the Patriots goes down in the record books as one of the most one-sided (and strangest) transactions in NFL history.

On the same day Belichick was set to succeed Bill Parcells as the Jets' next head coach, he wrote in his resignation on a scrambled piece of paper. The Jets were dealt another blow below the belt when Belichick was announced as the Patriots' next head coach.

To make sense of the fiasco that was the process, the Patriots gave their first-round pick as well as several late round picks for the following year to the Jets in exchange for their new coach and a few picks.

Despite all the negative media and the loss of a top pick, Patriots owner Robert Kraft felt confidence in the future of his team.

"For a No. 1 draft choice, we can bring in a man that I feel certain can do something, rather than the uncertainty of a draft choice," Kraft said after shaking hands with Belichick on a five-year deal. "And it wasn't even close when I thought about it that way."

The pick given to Jets turned out to be DE Shaun Ellis, and Belichick turned out to win a Super Bowl the next year. It only gets more lopsided.

Since joining New England, Belichick has won a total of three Super Bowls, coached the league's only 16-0 team, owns the NFL record for longest winning streak at 21 games, and has the best winning percentage since 2000.

Perhaps the change from a last-place team to a dynasty had something to do with the respect he garnered from his players.

"Any time you give up a first-round draft pick, that's something you obviously don't want to do," said QB Drew Bledsoe, who was traded just two years later by Belichick but lobbied for him after the trade. "But to get a coach of the caliber of Bill Belichick, it's probably a worthwhile thing to do."

It turned out to be the best thing the franchise could have possibly done.

Honorable Mentions

Los Angeles Rams trade RB Jerome Bettis to Pittsburgh Steelers
New York Giants trade QB Philip Rivers to San Diego Chargers for QB Eli Manning
Denver Broncos trade RB Clinton Portis to Washington Redskins for CB Champ Bailey
Baltimore Colts trade John Elway to Denver Broncos

Randy Wells: The Unluckiest Man in Baseball Has an In-Team Enemy

Ryan Winn — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 22:47:58 -0400

Somebody order the Cubs a crate of four-leaf clovers, and deliver immediately to right-hander Randy Wells. You better act fast, because if we don't give him something to hang hope on, he might tell Carlos Zambrano that the new drink dispenser in the dugout is actually Kevin Gregg.

In his fifth start of the season against the Braves, Wells pitched magnificently through seven innings, allowing one run on two hits.

He had been flirting with a no-hitter through six-and-two-thirds, and the only thing keeping him away from a journey toward a perfect game was a hit batter that, thanks to the magic of replay and sound, actually hit the barrel of Yunel Escobar's bat.

Then, the wheels nearly came off in the eighth. After giving up a lead-off home run and Derek Lee's error, Wells gave way to Carlos Marmol, who promptly gave up two runs.

Heading into the bottom of the ninth with a 5-3 lead, the Cubs turned to their closer Gregg.

Let's stop right there and rewind to May 16 against the Astros.

Randy Wells had pitched six innings, giving up four hits and no runs. The Cubs entered the bottom of the ninth, and Kevin Gregg entered the 4-0 game, a non-save situation.

Before Wells could pop the bubbly on his first major-league victory, Gregg gave up the lead, and the Cubs gave Gregg a very undeserved win off a walk-off RBI single from Alfonso Soriano.

Now we return to Tuesday night's contest.

Gregg got a long fly-ball out on Brian McCann. Then, Garret Anderson reached on a dropped third strike, giving Jeff Francoeur a chance to tie the game with one swing.

Gregg gladly gave him a chance to be the hero with a fat fastball which was crushed to straight-away center field.

Randy Wells was robbed of yet another victory. One look at his game log, and you can't believe his luck.

In his first start, Wells gave up only two runs through seven innings, and the Cubs lost 2-1.

Next time around, Wells gave up three runs through seven more innings. Cubs lost 3-1.

His start after the aforementioned Houston game, Wells pitched only five innings, but gave up no runs. The Cubs blew his chance at a win yet again, losing 3-2.

Now, Wells watched his near-no-hitter turn into a 6-5 loss in 12 innings in Atlanta.

It looks like the only way Randy Wells will ever get his first victory is if Lou Piniella allows Wells to pitch nine innings.

One thing is for sure, Randy Wells will be contemplating slipping a mickey into Kevin Gregg's drink the next time he starts.

On the other hand, perhaps he should put it in Jim Hendry's.

2009 NBA Mock Draft: Lottery Picks, Movie Character Edition

Ryan Winn — Sun, 31 May 2009 16:16:29 -0400

Each year, the NBA awards the 14 worst teams in the league with an opportunity to throw their names in a hat and see if they can claim the top spot in the draft. It's a golden chance to rebuild a shattered franchise, and the decision made by the club will impact the team for years.

Luckily for the 2009 lottery class, they have been given an opportunity to select fictional characters. The idea behind the bold move was to give coaches more tape on their prospects. It's also seen as an opportunity to grab a talent that somehow always hits the big shot at the buzzer and makes the most incredible plays.

Let's take a look and see how the lottery teams have molded their future this year:

1. Los Angeles Clippers—Buddy, Air Bud

Once again, Clippers fans have reason to hide in shame. Though there's an obvious superstar candidate at their fingertips, they take a chance on an unproven, raw, yet skillful canine.

Los Angeles has already worked out a deal with their top pick, including an unprecedented guaranteed seven snack packs per year for six (or 42 dog) years. Godspeed, LAC.

2. Memphis Grizzlies—Michael Jordan, Space Jam

The Grizzlies pick their jaws off their floor (literally) long enough to get this selection in. Not only did Jordan fend off the Monstars with all odds against him, but he proved to be the only player in history to dunk from half-court. His supreme talent and leadership skills ought to push Memphis to a few rings.

3. Oklahoma City Thunder—Neon Boudreaux, Blue Chips

The Thunder need a big man to complement Kevin Durant, and Boudreaux, despite allegations of a recruiting violation, can lead the team to glory. Only problem is his shooting from the free-throw line, which could lead to teams hacking him.

It's a controversial move to take him no matter what, as word on the street is he has already began to question if Durant could win a ring without him.

4. Sacramento Kings—Jesus Shuttlesworth, He Got Game

Having so many voids to fill, the Kings elect a pure shooter to help rebuild the team. Shuttlesworth was the most sought-after high school recruit, and his tough upbringing due to his father's incarceratio, molded his character as a leader.

5. Utah Jazz (via trade with Washington Wizards)—Lewis Scott, Celtic Pride

For whatever reason, Utah really felt Scott gave them the best chance to upend Boston for a championship, so they dealt all their other picks away for him. Only a freak kidnapping could keep him from impacting this team.

6. Minnesota Timberwolves—Scott Howard, Teen Wolf

A Timberwolf inside and out, Howard has supreme athletic ability when game time rolls around. His ferocious play and intimidating stature should give Minnesota something to build on.

Check out how he does flips over defenders for dunks. How could the powers that be not take this "guy"?

7. Golden State Warriors—Kenny Tyler, The Sixth Man

The Warriors seem to be in need of divine intervention to get them back on the right track, and, for some reason, Tyler seems to defy all the odds. His seemingly extraterrestrial play leaves most in awe.

8. New York Knicks—Kenyon Stone, Coach Carter

With a pick that aroused a chorus of boos, the Knicks are taking a gamble on Stone. He was offered a scholarship to only Sacramento State and fathered a child before graduating high school, raising character concerns.

9. Toronto Raptors—Saleh, The Air Up There

Wary of current big man Chris Bosh taking off in 2010, the Raptors take the tallest man available. Coming from Africa, Saleh is a bit raw, but his incredible size should pay some sort of dividends. Besides, its not like he will be bolting for an acting career any time soon, right?

10. Milwaukee Bucks—Bill Murray, Space Jam

Playing for the same team as the sensational Jordan, Murray was said to be too old with skills too inferior to make it to the NBA. However, there is no question that Scott Skiles likes defensive tenacity, and that fueled this selection.

11. New Jersey Nets—Quincy McCall, Love and Basketball

In a rough neighborhood like New Jersey, why not get a guy with a softer side to help lead your team? It could really help in the stereotype department.

12. Charlotte Bobcats—Bobby Joe Hill, Glory Road

After he made history at Texas Western, the Bobcats take Hill to help bring a winning attitude to the team. Having played for Don Haskins, Hill should have no problem meeting the demands of Larry Brown.

13. Indiana Pacers—Jimmy Chitwood, Hoosiers

The Pacers take the route of selecting a hometown hero with a crisp shooting stroke to help them for the future. He is a little raw for this spot, but the Pacers could not pass on the PR buzz.

14. Phoenix Suns—Billy Hoyle, White Men Can't Jump

With Steve Nash and Brook Lopez already on the floor, the Suns look to make history by having the most white players on the floor at a time since 1960.

How The Chicago Blackhawks Made A Grown Man Cry

Ryan Winn — Thu, 28 May 2009 17:29:11 -0400

As Game Five ended in the Western Conference Finals on Wednesday night, I had a tear welling up in my eye.

I have been drawn to tears by several sporting events in my life, happy and sad. I remember emotions overflowing when Michael Jordan hit his final shot over Byron Russell.

I let the tears flow when the Patriots' perfect season came to an abrupt halt.

I had to wipe my eyelids when the Hoosier faithful stormed the field with me after beating Purdue on a field goal.

I can even imagine myself buckling down to the floor when the Cubs finally come out on top.

Never did I have to bite my lower lip as hard as I did Wednesday over a hockey game. Although I fought it back, it easily could have come out.

Perhaps it was because the constant moving I've done in my life made it tough to follow all four major sports. Maybe it was because hockey was the one sport I never tried to play.

Most likely, it was because Bill Wirtz let my favorite player, Tony Amonte, test free agency, took the team off of television, and did everything possible to keep anyone living outside of Chicago (and those in it) from enjoying his hockey team.

"It" is my love of the Chicago Blackhawks vanishing, causing me to almost completely lose touch with an organization I truly liked when I was younger. The well-documented torment brought forth by Wirtz came in the prime of my idealization period, and the Blackhawks, outside of scarce highlights on ESPN, were nearly the odd team out as I grew up.

Then I found a girl who had the largest passion for sports I had ever seen in a female, my girlfriend Kymberly. I met her at Indiana University, me coming form just outside of Ann Arbor, she from just outside of Chicago.

The No. 1 team in her life was the Blackhawks, and I rolled my eyes upon hearing this. I knew of Patrick Kane being the Rookie of the Year, Jonathan Toews being the youngest captain in team history, and Nikolai Khabibulin being dubbed the "Bulin Wall."

But, thanks to the souring taste in my mouth from the previous ownership, I was completely turned off. Then, Bill Wirtz died, followed by Kym teling tales of celebrations her friends had over the news.

With the news of the organization getting a second chance with a new owner, I decided to give them a second chance, myself.

From the first game, I was entranced. I fell in love with Duncan Keith's scrappy play, Martin Havlat's gliding moves, and Patrick Kane's baby face. I got a Keith shirt, wore it as many times as I could watch the 'Hawks from Indiana, and became a full-blown fan again as they marched for the playoffs.

I found a way to watch games on the computer and watched every minute of every playoff game. I found myself screaming at refs again. I was dancing to "Chelsea Dagger." I let out a deafening "YES" after every goal again. I ran around the staircase in my basement three times and collapsed to the floor—like MJ after winning his fourth ring—when Kane scored his series-clinching hat-trick goal against Vancouver.

I was a fan again.

With Kym by my side, I watched Game Four of the Blackhawks-Red Wings series, and was as depressed as anyone could be. I knew the series was over, but I rooted for my boys.

That's when I realized I was way too attached. I called them my boys. I previously only said that about the Patriots, Cubs, and Bulls. The Blackhawks were back on the list.

As Game Five rolled around, my stomach turned as always. My Red Wings fan family was in a separate room, and I sat alone on the edge of my seat. With Kym on the phone as she drove form work, I described to her the great save Christobal Huet made to force OT and told her for the umpteenth time how bad I wanted them to win.

Then, Darren Helm slammed the door in my face with an OT goal, and I turned the TV off and sat in the dark. I called Kym again after getting a text message reading ":(" and told her I wanted to cry. She laughed as if I was kidding.

I wasn't.

When I attended a game against the New York Islanders this season, the scoreboard told me that hockey never left Chicago, but it has returned. I never fully understood what that meant until that moment of silence in my basement.

Now I'm in too deep. I'm hooked, and I'm afraid I'll be tweaking out come November.

When that time comes, I'll be sure to have the Kleenex nearby.

How Jake Fox Will Fit In with the Cubs

Ryan Winn — Wed, 27 May 2009 18:54:33 -0400

The recent call-up of Cubs' power-hitting prospect Jake Fox has fueled plenty of speculation about how he will fit Chicago's mold. With Derek Lee and Micah Hoffpauir occupying his comfort zone at first base, it would appear that Fox is a square peg squeezing into a round hole.

However, there is one area Fox may cover perfectly while he enjoys his time in the majors—go-to pinch hitter.

When Lou Piniella took over as Cubs manager, he brought in Daryle Ward, an OK hitter working as a liability on the field. Ward worked as a pinch hitter for the Cubs' division championship teams.

In 2007, Ward fit the spot perfectly, hitting for a .268 average in 21 pinch hitting attempts with four RBI and a .423 OBP. 2008 was unkind to Ward, however, as he hit for a lousy .145 average in 55 attempts, with two HR and nine RBI and a .294 OBP.

After Ward left the game, Pinella turned to another left-handed bat as his No. 1 pinch hitter, Micah Hoffpauir. Hoffpauir has had 10 pinch-hitting chances thus far, grabbing four hits and three RBI in those chances.

However, a slew of injuries to the team, especially to Derek Lee, has forced Hoffpauir out of the role and onto the field at most times this season. The Cubs found themselves mired in an eight-game slump, including a six-game road stretch where they scratched across five runs.

Enter Fox.

Plenty of Cubs fans had been screaming his name for offensive production, and they aren't without validation. In AAA Iowa, Fox hit for a .423 average with 17 HR and 50 RBI...in 30 games. Fans scrambled to find a place on the roster to place Fox.

Standing in the box before 30,000 cheering fans, Fox made his 2009 debut as a pinch hitter. The result was a drive off the right-center field wall, bringing in a much-needed third insurance run.

There is no reason to not keep Fox in the spot in which he came through on Wednesday. Fox has been a liability on the field in Iowa, committing three errors in those 30 games and 52 in his career in the minors. With a Gold Glove winner in Lee and a capable backup in Hoffpauir, there is no need to have him on the field at all.

Hoffpauir certainly fits the strategy involved in matching up against right-handed relievers in those pinch-hitting situations, but why can't Fox also be used there?

With the failing of Joey Gathright, Aaron Miles, and other left-handed players so desired by the Cubs in the offseason, is it possible that a right-handed hitter is actually the best fit for the Cubs?

Piniella stated before the Cubs' win Wednesday that he plans to use Fox in pinch-hitting situations and as a DH when Interleague Play starts, and it would appear the Cubs have finally found a right peg for 2009.

Chicago Blackhawks' Injuries Paving Way for Make-or-Break Offseason

Ryan Winn — Wed, 27 May 2009 01:56:33 -0400

After a 6-1 drubbing at home in Game Four of the Western Conference Finals, the Chicago Blackhawks made one thing clear: Without winger Martin Havlat and goaltender Nikolai Khabibulin, Chicago is not a championship team.

To add salt in the wounds of 'Hawks fans, both players are hitting the free-agent market when the Blackhawks' season comes to an end.

Although they head into Game Five on the brink of elimination—the league's best story close to its final chapter—Game Four's beatdown provided the best sample case possible for the "what if we let them both go" scenario coming this offseason for general manager Dale Tallon.

With neither player practicing the day before the fifth game, it looks like Tallon may have another chance to see what it could look like next season. If Game Four is any indication, however, it won't be pretty.

Several key contributors other than Havlat and Khabibulin have their walking papers ready as well. Defensemen Matt Walker and Aaron Johnson are also set to be unrestricted free agents, and Kris Versteeg, Ben Eager, Colin Fraser, Troy Brouwer, Dave Bolland, and Cam Barker are all set to be restricted free agents.

For a young team like the Blackhawks, playoff experience is important. However, one bad offseason can derail a franchise and keep it away from the playoffs for several years.

If Havlat and Khabibulin, the two best veteran players on the team, hit the streets, it could end up being a make-or-break offseason for Chicago, whether they pull a miracle and win a championship, or flame out as expected tonight.

Money Matters

Letting go of Havlat and Khabibulin would make the most sense economically. Havlat has the largest cap hit of the team's forwards ($6 million). With the team's future in the hands of fellow forwards Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews, perhaps an injury-riddled veteran is not needed in their future plans.

Khabibulin and Cristobal Huet cannot be on the same team, as they have a combined cap hit of $12 million. With Huet locked up for four years and Khabibulin barely making the team in the first place, perhaps the Bulin Wall is out and Hip, Hip, Huet is in.

Numbers Game

If both players are let go, the Blackhawks lose a huge chunk of their success in 2008. Havlat led the team in the regular season with 77 points and a +/- rating of +29. He also currently leads the team in playoff points with 15.

Havlat's biggest hindrance in the past had been injuries, but he played 81 games in the regular season, and it took a shoulder from Niklas Kronwall to knock him out (pun intended) this season.

Khabibulin played only one more game than Huet in the regular season, and had better goals allowed average (2.33 : 2.53) and save percentage (.919 : .909), as well as a record of 25-8, compared to Huet's 20-15 mark.

Khabibulin missed only one playoff game going into Game Five, but it was a game in which his backup allowed four quick goals, prompting the team to use young Corey Crawford, previously a resident of the locker room.

What To Do

Heading into the Conference Finals, few picked the Blackhawks as a contender for a Stanley Cup, and injuries to two of their best players have nearly eliminated their chances.

Looking into the offseason, the Blackhawks are going to be forced to make a tough decision.

They thought Huet would be the goalie to push them into the playoffs, but after a sub-par regular season and a dismal postseason, his contract becomes a heavy burden on the team. Even if the Blackhawks don't want him, who would?

Khabibulin is 36-years-old, and not much is known about his lower-body injury. Huet is slightly younger at 33, but that also means his game will most likely only decline, if anything.

Havlat has taken a beating against Detroit, but when healthy, Havlat makes the Blackhawks a much more dangerous team. Being the most expensive free-agent-to-be at his position other than Minnesota's Marion Gaborik, Havlat will be looking to cash in on his recent success, something the Blackhawks won't be able to afford.

There should be no reason why he won't search for his biggest contract, and it probably won't be coming from Chicago. As painful as it will be, letting Havlat go is the only thing Chicago can do. Plus, with the signing of 2008 first-round draft pick and fellow winger Kyle Beach to a three-year deal, the message may have already been sent: Havlat is welcome back in Chicago, but only for a bargain price.

Khabibulin's age and recent injury is something to worry about, but Huet's play against Detroit in his first start of the postseason was much more worrisome. However, Tallon dug his own grave with this one, signing him to a fat, four-year contract. Moving Huet's contract should be top-priority with Havlat presumably gone, as Khabibulin will certainly still be Chicago's best chance at returning to the playoffs.

The Big Picture

With Havlat cashing in on a career year and a much too expensive two-goalie system, something has to give for the Blackhawks. Chicago should let Matt Walker and Aaron Johnson go, but keeping their laundry list of RFA's, namely Versteeg, Barker, and Bolland, could still hurt the Hawks' cap space.

With the NHL salary cap expected to decrease next year, it is inevitable that some corners will have to be cut. Cutting ties with some RFA's, while letting some UFA's walk away, would open up some much-needed cap space being filled by unmovable players such as Brian Campell ($7.14 million cap hit, largest on team) and Cristobal Huet ($5.63 million cap hit).

Here is how I see, for better of for worse, the Blackhawks' free agents panning out:

Kris Versteeg

Cam Barker

Dave Bolland

Cap space spent: $3.75 million

Out

Martin Havlat

Nikolai Khabibulin

Matt Walker

Aaron Johnson

Colin Fraser

Ben Eager

Troy Brouwer

Cap space saved: $15.5 million

Obviously, this is only counting what the players are currently making, and pay raises or pay cuts would change the scenario. Khabibulin ($6.75 million) is the biggest wildcard, but letting him go clears enough space to make free-agent acquisitions and avoids trouble with a lowered salary cap.

Although the series will either be officially ended or prolonged for another day tonight, the Blackhawks will have to face a very challenging offseason—with or without a ring.

How they handle the situation could be the difference between a dynasty in the making and a one-year wonder.

The 20 Sexiest Women in Sports Movies

Ryan Winn — Thu, 21 May 2009 18:14:05 -0400

Every guy loves a sports movie, and Hollywood knows it. While the muscular, half-naked men representing the athletes grab the woman's attention, there have been several women to grace the silver screen that alone would force men to buy the DVD—preferably on Blu Ray. In the mood for a sports flick, but not for the inspirational storyline that goes with it? Flip through the 20 sexiest women in sports movies, and get your Blockbuster card ready.

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Cubs' Killers: Chicago's Biggest Rivals by Position

Ryan Winn — Wed, 20 May 2009 22:08:07 -0400

Cubs fans know what it's like to have fear.

The fear of a playoff sweep. The fear of a fan interfering with a ball. The fear of the $6 beer spilling in the bleachers.

Some players, more than others, strike that same fear into Cubs fans every time they take the field. As they look to break the infamous 101-year curse, the Cubs are extremely thankful there is no team like this.

Starting Pitcher—Chris Carpenter, St. Louis Cardinals

Past three seasons against Cubs: 2.87 ERA, 1-2, five games

Although the Cubs have the advantage in wins against him, his ERA shows how hard of a time the Cubs have had when Carpenter is on the mound. He struck out 25 Cubs, while walking only six and giving up only two home runs in five games.

Chicago hitters only have had a .225 average against him, and Carpenter has had a .273 batting average against Cubs pitchers.

Relief Pitcher—Trevor Hoffman, Milwaukee Brewers

Past three seasons against Cubs: 0.00 ERA, 7/7 saves, nine games

Not many teams have had success against Hoffman, but the Lovable Losers have been an utter failure. Not only have the Cubs never come back to win a game when Hoffman enters, but they been struck out 11 times, compared to five hits for a .161 average.

Now, "Hell's Bells" is on a division rival, so Cubs fans can only hope they are leading going into the ninth inning against the Brewers this season.

Catcher—Russell Martin, Los Angeles Dodgers

Past three seasons against Cubs: .333 average, one HR, nine RBI, 54 AB

Martin has taken the league by storm as one of the best hitting catchers, and he has not spared the Cubs in that time. Although catchers are not usually known for their hitting prowess, Martin had a .403 OBP.

What he is known for best is calling a game behind the plate, and Cubs fans know how bad he has been to them in that area (see: 2008 playoffs).

First Baseman—Prince Fielder, Milwaukee Brewers

Past three seasons against Cubs: .302 average, 13 HR, 33 RBI, 172 AB

Fielder represents the second Brewer on this list, and it's no coincidence. Over the past three years, the Cubs and Brewers have developed a heated rivalry, and Fielder represents the biggest reason why. He has scored 33 runs, has had a .616 SLG, and an OBP of .398.

Second Baseman—Chase Utley, Philadelphia Phillies

Past three seasons against Cubs: .385 average, three HR, eight RBI, 65 AB

He has not faced the Cubs as much as some of the division rivals, but since he became an everyday player in Philadelphia, he has torched the Cubs.

His high batting average joins an astounding .453 OBP, .662 SLG, and seven doubles. The only thing the Cubs have been able to take solace in is his ability to strike out; Cubs pitchers have gotten Utley on strikes 17 times.

Shortstop—Edgar Renteria, San Fransisco Giants

Past three seasons against Cubs: .316 average, three HR, 10 RBI, 57 AB

The Cubs have not had too much trouble against shortstops the past few years, but Renteria has given the Cubs fits. He has amassed a .391 OBP, .526 SLG, and has drawn six walks.

Third Baseman—David Wright, New York Mets

Past three seasons against Cubs: .354 average, three HR, 15 RBI, 65 AB

Just as he has done against the rest of the league, Wright has given the Cubs nightmares. Thanks to his 16 walks, his OBP is an a very high .470, and he has scored 13 runs in the time span.

Left Field—Carlos Lee, Houston Astros

Past three seasons against Cubs: .331 average, 13 HR, 28 RBI, 148 AB

You say the words "Cubs Killers", and Lee should be the first name to pop in your mind. He has a .385 average OBP, thanks to two things—He strikes out often (17 times), and most of his hits (13/49) go over the fence.

Not mentioned on the stat sheet is his number of go-ahead or game-winning dingers ... something Cubs fans know about all too well.

Center Field—Nate McLouth, Pittsburgh Pirates

Past three seasons against Cubs: .267 average, five HR, 14 RBI, 116 AB

Not many center fielders have given the Cubs too many problems, but McLouth has been the exception. Of his 31 hits, 14 have been for extra bases, and his .393 OBP has helped him score an amazing 22 times. In simpler terms, when McLouth plays, he usually scores.

Right Field—Jermaine Dye, Chicago White Sox

Past three seasons against Cubs: .311 average, five HR, 14 RBI, 61 AB

The lone American League player on the squad, Dye is the AL version of Carlos Lee—terrific numbers overall, scarier times when in the clutch.

Nine of his 19 hits have gone for extra bases, accounting for a killer .623 SLG. When the two clubs meet each year, Dye usually represents the winning run for the Sox.

The Top 10 Candidates for 2009 NFL Comeback Player of the Year

Ryan Winn — Wed, 20 May 2009 18:15:40 -0400

Last season, Miami Dolphins quarterback Chad Pennington rebounded from his release from the Jets to take a one-win team to the playoffs, running away with the NFL Comeback Player of the Year award.

With the 2009 season approaching in a matter of months, the NFL has a great share of marquee players starting anew. These players have gone though injuries, to themselves or to the teammates they rely on, or have been cast off as useless to their former teams—and they are poised to a comeback.

10. Joseph Addai, RB, Indianapolis Colts

Once considered the steal of the 2006 draft, Addai has had injuries and inconsistent offensive line play hinder his production. Last season, Addai failed to reach the 1,000-yard mark for the first time in his three-year career (544 yards), averaged a small 3.5 yards per attempt, and had only five touchdowns on the ground.

With spell-back Dominic Rhodes and his 538 yards out the door and healthy legs, Addai could be poised for his biggest year yet. A change at head coach and offensive coordinator could signal an increased role for Addai, but the offense will still run through Peyton Manning.

9. Joey Galloway, WR, New England Patriots

Galloway used to be the top threat on whichever team he played for, but at the age of 37 and coming off an injury-plagued year in which he accumulated only 13 receptions for 138 yards and no scores, Galloway was let go by Tampa Bay.

New England, synonymous with taking up players thought to have lost a step and turning them into Pro Bowl players, signed Galloway to a one-year deal in the offseason.

Galloway is expected to be what Donte' Stallworth was for the record-setting 2007 Patriots—stretching the field, opening up places for Randy Moss and Wes Welker to roam.

While Stallworth's numbers (46 receptions, 697 yards, three touchdowns) in Foxboro do not jump off the page, it may be more of a Stallworth problem than a problem with that particular spot at receiver. If Moss and Welker draw massive attention from defenses, look for a big year from Galloway.

8. Michael Boley, LB, New York Giants

Boley took the league by storm in 2007, racking up 109 tackles, three sacks, and four forced fumbles with the Falcons. In 2008, however, Boley was held without a sack and totaled only 73 tackles.

Boley signed with the Giants this offseason, and with the talent the Giants have in the front seven, Boley could be looking at a career year. A rebound from a year like last by surpassing his current career-high numbers would be cause for Comeback POY consideration.

7b. Daunte Culpepper, QB, Detroit Lions

When you are the conductor of an 0-16 offense, up is the only way to go. Culpepper was the league's most-feared quarterback before a knee injury sent his career downward. He is not expected to be the future of this team, but he is expected to help groom No. 1 pick Matt Stafford while in Detroit.

He has a prototypical wide receiver in Calvin Johnson, and a year under the system can only bode well for him. He must know that he will most likely be gone after this season, and a huge year would increase his value tenfold.

Last season, Culpepper threw for 786 yards and four touchdowns in five games in Detroit. Perhaps Culpepper has learned to play without his mobility, and 2009 will finally be the year he returns to form.

7a. Vince Young, QB, Tennessee Titans

It's a shot in the dark, but it can be argued that Kerry Collins is not the right man for the Titans offense this year. Collins replaced Young last season when the young QB went down with injury, and with a 7-0 start, head coach Jeff Fisher decided to go with the hot hand.

This year, with a number of key Titans defenders leaving, Collins' weakness at quarterback may be exposed, and they would be looking to their former No. 3 overall draft pick.

Young only played in three games last season, and if he can return to the form he had in his rookie season, with a large amount of maturation during the past few years, he could be the comeback story of the year.

5. Torry Holt, WR, Jacksonville Jaguars

After the glory years of Holt's Super Bowl years passed him, and the Rams had slipped to two straight No. 2 overall selections and hired a defensive-minded head coach, Holt was cast off to free agency.

Holt grabbed 64 balls for 796 yards and four touchdowns last season, far from what his fans had grown accustomed to. Jacksonville scooped him up, and he gives them their first real threat at WR since the days of Jimmy Smith and Keenan McCardell.

With David Garrard also looking to bounce back this year, look for Holt to eclipse the 1,000-yard and 10-touchdown mark in his first season in the AFC.

4. Derek Anderson, QB, Cleveland Browns

After a spectacular season in 2007, Anderson had himself and the Browns in the national spotlight, and both crumbled in 2008. With the firing of his coach and the hiring of a new one, Anderson looks to bounce back to his '07 form.

Last season, Anderson struggled through 10 games with 1,615 yards and nine touchdowns.

New coach Eric Mangini has said it will be an open competition for the quarterback position, but Anderson should win it with his experience and prototypical size. Star wide receiver Braylon Edwards looks to be staying in Cleveland, which bodes well for Anderson, but dealing with the loss of TE Kellen Winslow will be a tough thing to overcome.

3. Shawne Merriman, LB, San Diego Chargers

After being busted for steroids and having his knee explode, the once most-feared defensive player in the NFL has fallen under the radar. Coming back to a playoff team once again loaded with depth, Merriman could be on his way to a Comeback POY award.

Merriman had 39.5 sacks in three seasons before a two-tackle season in 2008, and he could be dancing his way back into the spotlight.

A 10-sack season would easily give him the award, but with rookie Larry English joining the team as an edge rusher, that may be a tough thing for him to accomplish.

2. Chad Ochocinco, WR, Cincinnati Bengals

The player formerly known as Johnson (and soon to be just a symbol), Ochocinco has finally been given permission to have his outrageous name, and he finally is getting a healthy Carson Palmer back in the stable.

Chad only had 53 catches for 540 yards and four touchdowns last season, a far cry from his 93-catch, 1,440-yard, eight-touchdown season in '07. The quarterback that made him a household name is returning from a slew of injuries, and with T.J. Houshmandzadeh in Seattle, Ochocinco has all the spotlight he could possibly want.

Although the NFL would be reluctant to give any awards to the man who singlehandedly pushes every one of its envelopes, a big year from him would be quite a comeback.

While a big year from him would be impressive, he relies far too much on another player to not have him be mentioned...

1b. Carson Palmer, QB, Cincinnati Bengals

If Palmer has a big year with players other than Ochocinco, it would be impossible not to give the award to Palmer. He threw for just 741 yards and three touchdowns before blowing out his elbow; this following a 4,131-yard and 26-touchdown season in 2007.

The Bengals are not the same team without Palmer, as evidenced by his best receiver's numbers and the team's overall record.

The perennial Pro Bowl quarterback insists he is 100 percent healthy, and if it is true, Palmer could have one of the biggest years of any QB in the league.

1a. Tom Brady, QB, New England Patriots

Would there be anyone else in the top spot? Not only is he in the top two for quarterbacks in the league, but a drop-off from 50 touchdowns to zero is certainly a reason to put someone on the comeback player watch list.

He comes back to a reloaded offense, including a couple of well-known receivers that are grinning ear to ear to see him come back. Brady is playing with an intense amount of pressure, as the entire New England area is hinging its championship hopes on his shoulders, but no one has been better at handling pressure than Brady.

The big question for Tom Terrific is whether his knee will hold up, but word out of New England is that his knee is actually stronger than ever.

Any number of touchdowns over 25 will be impressive, but with the record his team is expected to have at season's end, he is a near certainty for the award this season.

Chicago Blackhawks' Speed and Other Myths Debunked

Ryan Winn — Sun, 17 May 2009 18:17:02 -0400

Going into the Western Conference Finals showdown between the Chicago Blackhawks and the Detroit Red Wings, a single underlying theme was presented: How will the young speed of the Blackhawks match up with the experience of the Red Wings?

Because this theme tilts largely toward Detroit, the overwhelming pick was Detroit in five/six games. In order to make this a more intriguing series, analysts broke down the 'Hawks, trying to find a way the younger team can overcome the defending champions.

In the Game One victory for Detroit, the key points for Chicago to win proved to be myths.

Chicago Has the Speed to Keep Up

Verdict: Debunked

Throughout the game, Detroit found themselves on 2-1, 3-2, and 4-2 rushes into the Chicago zone. Created mainly by turnovers, the Red Wings were constantly charging, keeping the 'Hawks on their toes.

Dan Clearly's game-tying goal in the first was a perfect example of this. After Chicago defenseman Brent Seabrook had the puck bounce over his stick on his blue line, Cleary took off with one defender next to him and trailing Red Wings charging up the ice.

A wrist shot to the upper-right corner tied the game and gave the momentum back to the home team.

Chicago, meanwhile, did not show they had any speed whatsoever, constantly trying stretch passes up the ice, which Detroit easily disposed of.

If Chicago has any chance of stealing one in Detroit before heading home, they need to refine their forecheck to get the puck in their zone, and create pressure when the Red Wings try to get into theirs.

Only with turnovers can the Hawks show any form of speed to beat Detroit, and they have shown that they are not any faster, and perhaps even slower, than the defending champions.

Duncan Keith and Brent Seabrook Can Hold the Line

Verdict: Debunked

The first line of defense on Chicago was thought to be talented enough to slow down the constant attack of the Red Wings. In Game One, the pair was played as fools.

Both players were tagged with unnecessary penalties in the first period, had a minus-2 rating for the game, and combined for a total of zero takeaways and five hits, all of which were credited to Seabrook.

On a wrap-around goal from Johan Franzen in the second period, Duncan Keith failed to get a pass to Seabrook behind the Chicago net, allowing the playoffs' leading scorer to get an easy chance at a goal.

The bad defensive play also translated in their own zone, such as the aforementioned Cleary goal.

Seabrook was credited with an assist when his shot bounced to a wide-open Kris Versteeg, but he and Keith played poorly enough to hurt the Blackhawks more than help.

Nikolai Khabibulin Can Withstand the Detroit Flurry

Verdict: Validated

Despite giving up four goals, Khabibulin was a bright spot for the Blackhawks in Game One. He made 38 saves, several of which were outstanding, and kept his team in the game throughout.

He took the lower part of the goal away from Detroit, but his verdict can change to debunked easily if Detroit simply looks at the tape.

Both goals from the outside, not including the one redirected, beat Khabiulin on his glove side and up. Throughout the playoffs, he has shown a sever lack in stopping shots in this area, although he did swat a few away, namely from Marian Hossa.

Overall, it was the play of Chicago's defensemen that led to the loss, not the play of the goaltender.

The Youth of Chicago Allows Them to Play Loose

Verdict: Debunked

The young men form Chicago could not have looked more tentative in their first taste of Conference Finals play, and coach "Q" knew it, letting his captain and his No. 1 overall pick play only about 15 minutes of Game One.

Jonathan Towes and Patrick Kane had a minus-3 rating, Adam Burish was 3-of-12 on faceoffs, and the inexperience of the Blackhawks streamed from every pore on their beardless faces.

The inexperience showed all over the stat sheet. Despite watching Detroit give the puck away 11 times to their one, the Blackhawks had the puck taken away 11 times, compared to the four times they took it away themselves.

They also found a comfortable seat in the penalty box, sitting double the time Detroit did (12 minutes: 6 minutes).

Stats do not tell the whole picture from Game One, however, as the Red Wings simply outplayed the young Blackhawks in every way. Detroit showed they had better stick play, board presence, and overall poise than Chicago, and the result is a 1-0 lead.

Perhaps the beatdown will prove to be a learning curve for Chicago going into Game Two, as they were shown they can not get by on skill alone.

Kevin Gregg Proving Jim Hendry Haters As Prophets

Ryan Winn — Sat, 16 May 2009 19:16:12 -0400

When your closer has a 6.06 ERA, six saves, a 2.88 average against, and one blown save, you may wonder when he is going to turn a new leaf. After all, he may have been groomed in your minor league system for a while, or he was a big-name free agent acquisition.

In this case, Cubs fans are asking, "We traded for this guy?"

The Kevin Gregg acquisition, which sent AA pitching prospect Jose Ceda to Florida, was never popular in the windy city. Gregg did lead the NL in blown saves last year, and with the dumping of Bob Howry, Cubs fans were optimistic for a bullpen without a scapegoat.

It is becoming increasingly obvious that Gregg has in fact become the scapegoat for 2009.

In Saturday's tilt against the Houston Astros, young pitcher Randy Wells had pitched six-scoreless innings (his second-straight superb performance), and the Cubs were entering the final frame leading 4-0.

Despite it not being a save situation, manager Lou Pinella decided to use his closer in this spot because he hadn't pitched since May 12.

Crack! Lance Berkman launches a towering shot into the bleachers—no big deal, still a three run lead.

Smack! "Cub Killer" Carlos Lee matches him with another shot out of the park. 4-2.

Bloop! Two more runs come in on a single to center field. Still, nobody out.

Luckily for Gregg, Sean Marshall worked out of the jam for the final out, and Alfonso Soriano lofted a game-winning single, driving home 31-year-old rookie Bobby Scales, half an inning later, pushing their winning streak to five games.

Gregg's season has been inconsistent, leaning toward the bad side. He seems to work his best stuff when pitching back-to-back days, holding a 1.80 ERA and converting both saves in this situation.

However, when having two days rest, Gregg has been abysmal. In this situation, Gregg has an ERA of 11.57, blowing his lone save of the season, and walking six batters—double the amount he has walked on zero days rest.

When Gregg does close the door, he gives fans a mild heart attack in the process, averaging 20 pitches per save. In one outing this year, it took Gregg 35 pitches to record two outs in a 10-0 loss to Arizona.

A high pitch-count usually means walks and base-runners, and his numbers, as mentioned above, show it.

Despite having the third-worst ERA in the bullpen (above only Neal Cotts and the sparingly-used David Patton), he ranks in the top 10 on the club in salary, earning $4.2 million for his services, the highest-paid relief pitcher on the team.

Meanwhile, Ceda, formerly the Cubs' No. 4 prospect and currently the Marlins' 10th rated prospect, has been optioned back to minor league camp, but his high-90 mph fastball is expected to hit a major league park near you soon.

Former Cubs closer Kerry Wood is not performing much better. Wood has a 6.00 ERA in Cleveland thus far, with five saves and one blown opportunity.

Where do the Cubs go from here? Carlos Marmol is the obvious first option, but Pinella likes him in the eighth inning, and he usually does not budge when his mind is made up (See: Soriano leading off).

After Marmol, nobody jumps out as an immediate fix, making it Gregg's job to lose.

Unfortunately for Cubs fans, if he doesn't lose his job, they may lose their season.