Bleacher Report - Articles by Richard O'Neal

Stephen Jackson Requests Trade to Contender

Richard O'Neal — Sat, 29 Aug 2009 12:20:02 -0400

Last season, the Golden State Warriors were known for their high scoring games and offensive fire power.

They might be losing one of the primary pieces to their scoring attack.

Stephen Jackson has reportedly requested a trade to a contender, preferably the Cleveland Cavaliers or any of the NBA's three Texas teams; the Houston Rockets, San Antonio Spurs and Dallas Mavericks.

"At this point, I'm 31 years old. I have four or five years left," Jackson told Dime Magazine on Friday. "I want to be in a situation where I can continually be in the playoffs and get another ring. So that's where my mind is at now."

While Cleveland would be his best chance to win a championship, there is one team that stands out that would give him the combination of not only getting to the playoffs consistently, which is one of his requests, but also giving him the chance to continue to put up big numbers.

That team is the Houston Rockets.

It's no secret that the Rockets badly need a scorer who can provide in other categories as well and Jackson fits the bill perfectly. The team needs someone who they can consistently rely on to stay healthy in the regular season and in the playoffs. The Rockets could also use a guy who the fans would want to come and see due to the loss of All-stars Yao Ming and Tracy McGrady.

While the Trevor Ariza signing was nice, Ariza has not established himself as a dominant scorer who can create his own shot, Jackson has.

The potential starting lineup of Brooks, Jackson/Ariza, Battier, Scola and Anderson could be very tempting while bringing Lowry, Taylor, Budinger, Mensah-Bonsu and Dorsey off the bench.

Jackson is also a Houston native, growing up in nearby Port Arthur, Texas.

Jackson averaged 20.7 points last season while posting 5.1 rebounds and 6.5 assists, excellent numbers for a guard/forward. He also played multiple positions last year while Monta Ellis was recovering from off season surgery and a long suspension.

Jackson played every position but center last year, which was a major reason for the boost in statistics.

He has career averages of 15.4 points, 3.8 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 1.3 steals.

Information from this article was gathered from ESPN.com and NBA.com. Quotes were used from Dime Magazine.com.

Billy Gillispie's Latest Alcohol Charge Reveals Sobering Truth about Drinking

Richard O'Neal — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 11:10:34 -0400

As if spurning Texas A&M to coach Kentucky only to be fired due to an inability to consistently win wasn't bad enough, now Billy Gillispie has put himself at an all-time low.

ESPN.com reported Gillispie was arrested yesterday morning around 2:45 a.m. ET in Kentucky and charged the former coach with drunken driving. Gillispie also refused to take a breathalyzer or blood alcohol test, WLEX-TV in Lexington reported.

This marks the third time Gillispie has been arrested for alcohol-related charges, his other two charges coming back in 1999 and 2003.

The third charge certainly can't bode well for Gillispie, who still has a lawsuit going on against the University of Kentucky over a contract dispute. He is in the process of seeking at least $6 million back from the seven-year contract he agreed to in 2007.

The school has since counter-sued, stating Gillispie never actually signed a contract with the school.

My Take on the Arrest News

Normally, I wouldn't report on these types of stories but drunken driving, not only by athletes and celebrities but by all Americans, is becoming a dire situation in our nation that needs to be addressed.

What can be done about driving under the influence? Should the penalties be more severe?

Sure, there are campaigns and ads across America that are there to make Americans more aware of the importance of keeping drunk drivers off the streets, but is it doing enough?

To make matters worse, we are seeing more and more cases of repeat offenders with drunken driving, not less. What does that tell America about the people who are caught and say they have learned their lesson, only to go do the same thing again?

About.com reports that alcohol-related deaths due to driving under the influence have increased in 17 states over the past five years. There's no need to state the obvious of how alarming that should be to Americans.

Athletes and celebrities are watched constantly and should be setting an example, but many choose to do otherwise. What is really frustrating is that they have more than enough money to call a cab, call a friend, or hire a driver to pick them up from where they are...yet they choose not to, thinking they are invincible. Senseless.

Gillispie's latest arrest is a scary reminder that there is a problem in the U.S. that can't be solved by ignoring the problems that many of the athletes, celebrities, and normal American citizens have.

Let's just hope we can make this better soon, before we have to hear about another gut-wrenching story on the news.

Statistics were used from ESPN.com and About.com

Concerns and Surprises For the Jacksonville Jaguars 2009 Preseason

Richard O'Neal — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 16:26:09 -0400

Normally when a team goes 0-2 in the first two preseason games, many questions are asked and suggestions are thrown out just about as much as the old tape from the cleats of its players.

Not so much in Jacksonville.

The Jaguars lost their opening preseason game to the Miami Dolphins 12-9 in a rain-soaked slug fest and were on the receiving end of a last-second loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 24-23 last weekend, and not one person has pressed the panic button.

Although the game against Miami didn't produce much in terms of offense for either team, it showed that the Jaguars are gelling as a defensive unit, which was a big question coming into the season with a new defensive coordinator.

The Tampa Bay game provided more positives than negatives with a huge boost from receiver Troy Williamson and a late comeback attempt from backup quarterback Todd Bouman.

Let's dive into some of the upcoming things to watch for and the key position matchups for the remainder of the preseason.

What to Watch For

Will Troy Williamson Emerge? Williamson has come on very strong during training camp and preseason. He had four receptions for 74 yards in the first game and a shocking 147 yards off of three receptions against Tampa Bay with 74 of those yards coming from an excellent touchdown pass from David Garrard on the first offensive play of the game.

Williamson has been heavily criticized for his inability to catch the ball over his five-year career. The trade by the Jaguars for Williamson back in February of 2008 could pay off if he can develop into a reliable second or third option for the team.

Tra Thomas and Sean Considine Return to Philly. The two veterans have already brought a great deal of leadership to the team and will both most likely be starting come September 13. Heading back to Philly this week will surely bring a great deal of emotion and excitement to both players as they spent 11 and four years there, respectively.

Key Position Matchups

—Defensive tackle will be important for the Jaguars because so much of their defensive strategies revolve around getting to the quarterback and putting pressure on the opposing offense, as well as stopping the run. Rookie Terrance Knighton was selected in the third round to provide a boost to the front line and the emergence of Atiyyah Ellison could prove to be very beneficial for the Jaguars, especially with question marks surrounding two-time Pro Bowler John Henderson and whether he can return to his previous form. Derek Landri could also help out if he is able to take bigger role in the rotation.

—Wide receiver is a complete transformation for the Jaguars, not only in terms of personnel but how the position has been played for the offense. For the past couple of years the Jaguars have had big receivers that were supposed to be reliable deep threats for Byron Leftwich and David Garrard, that has since changed to a much smaller, speedy crop of young receivers that can still bring a deep threat to the offense. The addition of Torry Holt will be great for Garrard, but after Holt, the Jaguars have no one that has stepped up to be the second go-to guy in the Jaguar offense.

Which wideouts will step up? Mike Sims-Walker was doing well until an ankle injury sidelined him a couple of weeks ago. Mike Thomas has been battling a hamstring pull and Tiquan Underwood and Jarett Dillard have performed well but both had a case of the dropsies.

Someone needs to step up and fast.

—Offensive line is arguably the biggest concern for the team. The line fell apart last year due to injuries and inconsistency, which is why the Jaguars picked two offensive linemen with their first two draft choices. First round pick Eugene Monroe is behind due to holding out (missed two weeks of training camp). Will Tony Pashos be better than he was last year after having a down year? Are players like Vince Manuwai fully healed from the injuries they suffered last year? A lot of questions need to be answered for the Jaguars to have a successful season running and throwing the ball.

The Jaguars could have a solid year ahead of them, provided that they address these concerns appropriately.

Parting Notes

—Final two preseason games are at Philadelphia on 8/27 (7:00 p.m.) and at home against Washington on 9/3 (7:30 p.m.).

—The Jaguars recently signed Ernest Wilford to a contract, giving him the chance to compete for a roster spot. The six year 6'4'', 235-pound veteran will be playing to earn a spot as a tight end, a position that is somewhat new to him since he previously played wide receiver in his earlier years with the Jags. Wilford had a down year with the Miami Dolphins, with only three receptions for 25 yards in 2008.

—Jaguars receiver Mike Walker has changed his last name to Sims-Walker to honor his father, Michael Sims, who died from colon cancer late last year.

Jets-Ravens: QB Sanchez Shows Rookie Jitters in First Monday Night Game

Richard O'Neal — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 08:47:27 -0400

The lights were on, the field was ready, fans were in their seats, and the cameras were rolling; it was time to see what New York Jets rookie quarterback Mark Sanchez could do against one of the league's top defenses.

The night would prove to be pretty rough for the new guy.

In his debut as the starting quarterback (for the time being) playing in his first Monday night football game, Sanchez went a measly 3-for-8 for 43 yards with one touchdown and one interception.

Embarrassingly enough, the interception came just 47 seconds into the game, when Sanchez forced a pass down the middle that was picked off by Ravens defensive tackle Haloti Ngata and taken back 25 yards for a touchdown.

"Not obviously the way you want to start. I thought I was doing the right thing; I felt Ray come free on the right side from the protection," Sanchez said.

"I was checking it down to the flat, perfect. Haloti just jumped right in front of the ball and made a really athletic play."

Sanchez nearly threw another interception later when he threw a pass right into the hands of a waiting Ray Lewis, only to be dropped.

Sanchez would settle in a bit later and moved the offense down field, throwing a 16-yard screen pass to running back Leon Washington on a third down that would be one of the most effective plays on the drive.

The rookie quarterback from the University of Southern California would not achieve any end zone success until he threw a 19-yard touchdown pass to Washington on what would be his last play in the game.

Several Ravens defensive starters had already been removed from the game at that point.

Although the night could be described as a rough outing for Sanchez, Jets' head coach Rex Ryan tried to be positive about the situation.

"I'm proud of the way he responded," Ryan said of Sanchez. "It ain't going to be perfect; sometimes you have these type of nights. You've got to give credit where credit is due, and most of that goes to their defense."

The Ravens would go on to win the game by one point, 24-23.

Monday night's game proved to be a very meaningful test for Sanchez and undoubtedly provided a learning experience that he won't soon forget.

Portions of this story were taken from the Associated Press and ESPN.com

Tarvaris Jackson Should Be on Jaguars' Radar as Vikings Departure Looms

Richard O'Neal — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 13:21:47 -0400

It's no secret the Jacksonville Jaguars need a capable backup quarterback. Well, they may have just found their man.

Charley Walters of the St. Paul Pioneer Press in Minnesota reported the Minnesota Vikings are expected to either trade or release newly demoted quarterback Tarvaris Jackson by Friday.

Jackson was competing for the Vikings' starting quarterback position with fellow teammate Sage Rosenfels until Minnesota officially brought in veteran Brett Favre yesterday. Favre signed a two-year, $25 million deal.

For months Favre had been mulling over whether or not he would sign with the team, putting Jackson and Rosenfels in an awkward position.

It has been said the Vikings will try to acquire a future draft pick for Jackson; they would be lucky to receive a seventh rounder. The Jaguars would surely like to be able to pick up Jackson without having to trade anything for him, so they will most likely try to wait and see if the team releases him before they pursue his services.

Jackson would provide the Jaguars with a young player with a strong arm, something that they are lacking after starting QB David Garrard.

The Jaguars have made it clear Garrard is their main guy right now, but he isn't getting any younger, and the Jags need an insurance policy in case Garrard gets hurt.

Jackson has passed for 3,442 yards with 20 touchdowns and 18 interceptions while averaging a meager 76.5 percent QB rating in his three seasons with the Vikings. He started 25 games in his tenure and was taken in the second round of the 2006 NFL Draft out of Alabama State. He has good size at 6'2", 232 lbs. and could excel, if needed, in the Jaguars offense.

Fantasy Football: To Retire or Not?

Richard O'Neal — Sun, 16 Aug 2009 21:49:55 -0400

Every year at this time, I get a fiery desire in my stomach. That competitive nature comes back and the sports talk begins: Football season is near, which means fantasy football is about to start. For some reason, this year seems different to me. I find myself contemplating on whether or not I should even sign up this year. Should I hang up the keyboard and mouse or go another year?

I started playing with a Yahoo! Sports fantasy football league back in 2002 and quickly found that it was an exhilerating experience. I've been there ever since and done it every year. To date, I've compiled a 91-64-2 record with an 81 percent winning percentage and have captured five league championships, with the 2008 season being my most recent two.

My Wins and Losses from 2002-2008

2002: 6-7-1 (League Title)

2003: 10-3

2004: 11-2-1

2004: 10-4 (League Title)

2005: 7-4

2006: 4-9

2006: 8-4 (League Title)

2007: 3-11

2007: 8-5

2007: 6-8

2008: 10-4 (League Title)

2008: 8-3 (League Title)

In the real world, players and coaches alike tend to stay on a little too long and overstay their welcome, tarnishing their legacy; ahem, Brett Favre!

There are things about the essence of fantasy sports that add an enjoyment factor to the competitive edge that many bring to the leagues. Fantasy drafts are always fun because of the research and analysis that goes into each pick; the potential for a person to select a gem or a huge bust is often intriguing. No one knows exactly how their team is going to perform due to all the factors that weigh in on making the draft pick and when.

People probably cried themselves to sleep when Tom Brady went down in Week 1 last season while I was feeling just fine with my Drew Brees pick. Or they bought in to the hype of Derek Anderson, only to be disappointed. Let's not even get into the Larry Johnson or Marc Bulger failures of last season, two guys that have been reliable in the years past.

Although the uncertainty can be stressful, it can also be rewarding.

Let's also get one thing straight, I don't do fantasy leagues for money, that's not my cup of tea. I'm in it for the competition and the desire to win.

Maybe from 2008 to 2009 I've shifted from my usual competitive sports nature to someone who just likes to watch football and leave it at that.

The game of fantasy football has taught me a lot. It's taught me to watch for things in games that I didn't watch before, it's taught me about stats that I didn't care about and it's taught me to better appreciate teams that I previously had no interest in.

With the season getting under way in just a few weeks, my decisions will have to be made very soon...but hey, there's always fantasy basketball right?

Blog Transcript From First Half Of Houston Cougars Scrimmage

Richard O'Neal — Sun, 16 Aug 2009 15:05:07 -0400

Doing things a little different here. I thought it would be beneficial to Houston Cougars fans to post my blog transcripts from the first half of the their first scrimmage of the 2009 training camp. Enjoy!

August 15, 2009 John O'Quinn Field at Robertson Stadium 11:30AM

It's a bright and sunny day here in Houston...VERY hot.

Case Keenum is looking good in warm-ups. All of his passes have been on target. I'm excited to see him in action this season!

Another guy that looks sharp is Cotton Turner, a red shirt sophomore out of Sugarland, TX.

Wide out Tyron Carrier was a little hard to find, he has his jersey so tucked up in the front that you can't see his jersey.

Coach Sumlin has his guys ready to go today. I don't think they'll disappoint these fans. Speaking of fans, I think there's a couple hundred out here in the 90+ degree weather.

Still haven't seen a bad pass from Keenum yet.

Grass is green, sun is out and it's time for some football!

First Series—The scrimmage started out with two runs by Bryce Beall and a completed Keenum pass to number 82 Chance Blackmon.

Run by Beall for eight yards.

Keenum incomplete pass.

Keenum sacked. Turnover on downs. The offense came out a little flat.

The first-team defense has looked pretty solid so far. OH BIG HIT! These guys are hitting hard today! I almost jumped out of my seat.

Second Series—Cotton Turner is showing some butterflies out there with some bad passes. Three and out.

Third Series—WR James Cleveland is doing some solid work out there. Two back-to-back big gains, hooking up with Keenum.

Bryce Beall almost broke one for a touchdown. Offense is driving down the field.

On third and two, Charles Sims stopped for no gain. Fourth down on the 5 yard line.

FG. 3-0, first-team offense.

Apparently new athletic director Mark Rhoades is in attendance today. I think he is down on the sidelines.

A little FYI for you, Houston's Major League Soccer team, Houston Dynamo played here last night and the field still looks great (great job field crew). The Dynamo share Robertson Stadium with U of H.

Fourth Series—TOUCHDOWN! No.5 Charles Sims on a run from five yards out. 3-7 in favor of the second-team offense.

Fifth series—First unit is back out. Carrier looked very explosive in his first catch. This guy has some serious speed! I want to see what he can do in the open field.

Wow, wide receiver Patrick Edwards is fast as well, just caught one and raced for about 15 yards up the middle. I really like Houston's offense, they started out a little rusty but they've really come along.

Sims almost scored again.

Keenum almost threw a touchdown...just out of reach. Second and six.

Beall just got stood up at the line of scrimmage. Third and one.

TOUCHDOWN! Keenum scores from three yards out on a sneak. 10-7 in favor of the first-team offense.

It's been really refreshing to watch coach Sumlin. He seems to have a very relaxed and laid back approach but he has the respect of this team.

Sixth Series—They are in the hurry-up offense.

Turner sacked on second and one. Third and six coming up.

Pass completed to Tim Monroe for a first down.

Defense has gotten a little soft on the first and second teams...must be the heat.

FG attempt. It's good, about a 30-yarder. 10-10.

Special teams work.

There are two players in front of me doing up-downs. You former players know what I'm talking about...guess they blew an assignment out on the field.

Wow, the punter just punted it about 60 or 70 yards! Definitely got the attention of the crowd.

Well guys, that wraps it up for me. It's halftime. Thanks for tuning in.

Overall, the scrimmage was a very good experience. Today was also Fan Appreciation Day so people brought their kids and made it a family affair.

I still hold true to my feelings that the Cougars are going to be special this year.

When reporters asked Coach Sumlin what he liked most about the scrimmage, he replied with a sense of relief. "I didn't see injuries. Any time you can get 100 snaps and not get anyone badly hurt, you are good and getting better. Obviously, we got a lot of snaps for some young guys and did some situational work. "

The Cougar offense generated 455 yards of total offense, 386 through the air and 69 on the ground.

Defensively, the Cougars played pretty well in the scorching heat. They produced eight tackles for losses and five sacks with two forced fumbles.

Keenum ended the afternoon on a solid note, going nine of 11 for 111 yards and a score on the ground while Turner led all quarterbacks going 12 for 21 and 140 yards and a score on the ground. Sophomore Bryce Beall run for 32 yards on six carries.

Houston starts their season on Saturday, September 5th at 4:00PM at home against Northwestern State.

Conference USA Season Preview: Expect Plenty of Fireworks

Richard O'Neal — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 23:53:12 -0400

In a conference that is well known for its offensive firepower, the upcoming 2009-2010 college football season will not disappoint in Conference USA.

The 2008 season separated the pretenders from the contenders and this season should be much of the same with East Carolina, Southern Miss, Houston and Tulsa being at the top of the East and West divisions, respectively. Here are last year's standings.

2008 Standings

East Division West Division

East Carolina 9-4 (6-2) Tulsa 10-3 (7-1)

Memphis 6-6 (4-4) Rice 9-3 (7-1)

Southern Miss 6-6 (4-4) Houston 8-5 (6-2)

UAB 4-8 (3-5) UTEP 5-7 (4-4)

UCF 4-8 (3-5) Tulane 2-10 (1-7)

Marshall 4-8 (3-5) Southern Methodist 1-11 (0-8)

Games That Will Decide the Conference

October 21st—Tulsa @ UTEP This is my shocker pick here, but I think UTEP could be a trap game for Tulsa. I say Tulsa goes down 49-44 in a shootout, making Houston the winner of the West division.

November 7th—Houston @ Tulsa Tulsa will have a new quarterback in junior Jacob Bower, but he will still put up big numbers in the no-huddle spread offense. It's all about revenge in this one; Tulsa wins another high scoring matchup between these two teams, 56-52.

November 28th—Southern Miss @ ECU The East will easily come down to these two teams and I see ECU taking care of business in a hard fought game 28-24.

*Notable Games: 10/31 Southern Miss @ Houston, 11/15 ECU @ Tulsa and 11/28 Tulsa @ USM. I say Tulsa could easily wind up losing one or both of these games, making it a smoother cruise for my pick.

Conference USA Title Game

December 5th ECU @ Houston—In my U of H Predictions article I said Houston would go either 11-1 or 10-2, so I see them having the home field in this contest.

Due to ECU's ability to play solid defense I see this being a somewhat lower scoring affair, in Conference USA standards, but Houston wins a close one 31-28 and takes home their first conference title since 2006 under Art Briles.

Players to Watch For

Conference USA is filled with stat sheet-filling studs this year. Here are some of the key names to be aware of and their stats from 2008.

ECU senior quarterback Patrick Pickney, 6'0" 198 lbs. 2,675 passing yards, 13 touchdowns and seven interceptions, with a 131.29 QB rating and a 60% completion percentage. Interesting Fact: Pickney will be a sixth year senior in his final season.

Southern Miss senior running back Damion Fletcher, 5'10" 177 lbs. 1,313 rushing yards, 10 touchdowns. Intersting fact: Fletcher hasn't registered a single fumble in his entire career at Southern Miss.

Southern Miss sophomore quarterback Austin Davis, 6'2" 210 lbs. 3,134 passing yards, 23 touchdowns and eight interceptions, with a 128.67 QB rating and a 57.5% completion percentage. Interesting fact: Davis threw for over 3,000 yards and 20 touchdowns as a freshman for Southern Miss.

Houston junior quarterback Case Keenum, 6'2" 210 lbs. 5,020 passing yards, 44 touchdowns and 11 interceptions with a 159.91 QB rating and a 67.4% completion percentage.

Interesting fact: Keenum received the Conference USA Freshman of the Year award in 2007 and the Offensive Player of the Year Award in 2008. He has been tabbed to win the player of the year award again and is a Heisman Trophy candidate in 2009.

Memphis senior running back Curtis Steele, 6'0" 185 lbs. 1,223 rushing yards and seven touchdowns. Interesting fact: Steele is only the fourth Tiger to rush for over 1,000 yards in a season.

Tulsa junior quarterback Jacob Bower, 6'3" 242 lbs. Providing he can fight off fellow quarterback G.J. Kinne, Bower would be a first year starter this year and is intriguing because he will put up huge numbers in Tulsa's high-octane offense. See last year's starting quarterback (4,059 yards and 46 touchdowns).

Conference USA should be an action-packed and interesting ride this year for folks looking to see plenty of competition and high scoring games. Tulsa and ECU cracked the top 25 rankings last year and this year could have the same result with Houston coming into the mix, as well.

Stay tuned for a good year.

Breaking News: Cleveland Cavaliers To Sign Leon Powe

Richard O'Neal — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 08:57:45 -0400

Several sources have reported that Leon Powe will sign a two-year deal with the Cleveland Cavaliers Tuesday, provided that team doctors are satisfied with the status of his injured left knee.

The potential signing comes fresh from the recent press conference in which LeBron said that he will likely not sign an extension with the team because he would like to leave his options open.

If Powe's knee is cleared, he would add a solid presence to the Cavs' bench. He would most likely be a replacement to the departed Joe Smith.

Powe tore his ACL in Game 2 of the Boston Celtic/Chicago Bulls playoff opening series last season. He had reconstructive surgery, his third, and had been rehabbing in L.A.What's intriguing about this is that Powe is not expected to be back until around the All-Star break, which would mean he would be out for at least half the season but apparently it's a risk the Cavs are willing to take.

The 6'8" power forward from the University of California averaged 7.7 points and 4.9 rebounds before going down with the season-ending injury last year and provided a big boost to the Celtics front court when superstar Kevin Garnett went down with a knee injury that would plague him for the remainder of the season.

Portions of this article were gathered from Hoopsworld.com

Report: Free Agent Von Wafer To Sign with Greek Club Olympiacos Piraeus

Richard O'Neal — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 15:05:31 -0400

The unfortunate series of events that has come over the Houston Rockets' organization just got a little worse.

Reports on Hoopsworld.com and Eurobasket.com are saying that free agent Von Wafer will sign with Olympiacos, a wealthy team based in Greece. This coming hours after the team announced that they agreed to a two-year deal worth around $12 million with Linas Kleiza.

The disheartening news comes as another blow to the Rockets' organization, as they were already looking for help on the offensive end with the huge losses of superstars Yao Ming and Tracy McGrady.

Wafer, an undrafted free agent from Florida State, quickly excelled to have a breakout year for the Rockets off the bench and more than capably filled in for the oft-injured McGrady. He averaged just under 10 points a game last year at 9.7 and held a .390 shooting percentage from the three-point line.

Wafer became a fan favorite and was expected by many to be back in a Rocket uniform in the 2009-10 season. It has been speculated that when the Rockets picked up rookies Jermaine Taylor and Chase Budinger via trade in the draft, it all but ended Wafer's short tenure with the team.

The New York Knicks were among the other potential suitors for Wafer's offensive services, but, when they courted other veteran free agents, Wafer decided going overseas was his best available option.

Wafer will receive more of a chance to showcase his offensive capabilities with the Greek club. He is one of several NBA players that have opted to take their skills overseas in search of a larger contract and more playing time.

Wafer had 14 games last season in which he scored 15 or more points, his highest total coming Jan. 13 against the Los Angeles Lakers, when he scored 23 points.

University Of Houston Cougars 2009: Schedule and Predictions

Richard O'Neal — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 10:22:18 -0400

The 2009 college football season looks to be a very interesting one. Especially for the University of Houston Cougars as they come loaded with talent on offense and an aggressive, young defense that will be looking to get to the quarterback easy and often.

In head coach Kevin Sumlin's second season look for the Cougars to put together a solid campaign filled with high scoring games and maybe even an upset or two. With two powerful and potentially ranked Big XII teams in Oklahoma State and Texas Tech, the season looks to be challenging. I see the Cougars winning one out of those two games.

Check out my predictions below to see exactly where I think Houston will stand by the end of the regular season. Keep in mind...this could get pretty bold.

September 5 NORTHWESTERN STATE 4:00 PM

Cougars take their season opener with ease in this one, 55-7. Look for Case Keenum to put up some big numbers here. W

September 12 at Oklahoma State (FSN) 2:30 PM

I think Oklahoma State will be too much for U of H in Stillwater, OSU wins in a 44-38 shoot out. Case Keenum puts up big numbers again but gets sacked multiple times. L

September 19 BYE WEEK

September 26 TEXAS TECH (ESPN) 8:15 PM

Big upset here as U of H gets a huge win at home that moves them back up in the polls. The key here is the Cougars have Tech at home, I see a 49-42 victory in an offensive onslaught. W

October 3 at UTEP 7:05 PM

Even though U of H is on the road in this one, I say they get the victory 38-35 over UTEP. Keenum's experience leads the Cougars to victory. W

October 10 at Mississippi State TBA

Tough one to call here because you don't see too many U of H matchups with SEC teams. Because of the tough SEC defense, I say it's a somewhat low scoring affair but the Cougars take the victory 27-14. W

October 17 at Tulane (CBS C) 2:30 PM

Cougars win this one 45-14 in the Superdome. The Cougar offense runs and passes all over the Tulane Green Wave defense. W

October 24 SMU (CBS C) 6:30 PM

SMU is starting to get back on track but they can't get the upset against the Cougars, U of H takes it 42-35 in another barnburner. W

October 31 SOUTHERN MISS (CSS) 12:00 PM

The Southern Miss defense will be tough against U of H in this one but the Cougars squeak by at home, 28-24. W

November 7 at Tulsa (CBS C) 6:30 PM

Tulsa will have a new quarterback in junior Jacob Bower but he will still put up big numbers in the no-huddle spread offense. It's all about revenge in this one, Tulsa wins another high scoring matchup between these two teams, 56-52. L

November 14 at UCF 12:00 PM

This could be a rebound victory for the Cougars or it could be a two game slide as they go into Orlando. I still think U of H gets a hard-fought win at Orlando 31-28. W

November 21 MEMPHIS TBA

Memphis has the talent in their skill positions on offense, but I think their newly rebuilt offensive line holds them down here on the road against the Cougars attacking defense. Cougars take it 35-31. W

November 28 RICE TBA

U of H and Rice is always an intriguing matchup, especially over the past two years with the teams putting up over 200 points against each other. This time the Owls don't have Jarrett Dillard or Chase Clement to keep them in the game. Cougars get the revenge victory 5 miles down the road at Rice Stadium, 56-35 in another high scoring offensive battle. W

* Conference games italicised and underlined

* Home games in ALL CAPS

The Cougars wrap up the season with their best since 2006 with former coach Art Briles going 10-2 and 7-1 in the conference taking the conference championship over East Carolina, 28-21 and going to a major bowl game.

Bold predictions? Of course, but this is a special team that has the offense to overshadow a young defense and take them their first major bowl in the BCS era.

Good luck Cougars.

Inside The Coach's Head: University of Houston Coach Kevin Sumlin

Richard O'Neal — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 16:46:02 -0400

It's apparent that there's a new atmosphere in Houston.

University of Houston head coach Kevin Sumlin is quickly becoming a well-known figure on campus with the increasing expectations of the Cougar football program. After assembling a solid 8-5 record in his inaugural season with the Cougars, it is widely expected that UH will be in the top 25 when the official preseason poll is released within the next few weeks.

Coach Sumlin knows that now is the opportunity to capitalize on the youth movement that UH has put together, coming off a very solid recruiting class to add to the assets that the team has at it's skill positions with junior quarterback Case Keenum, sophomore tailback Bryce Beall and sophomore receiver Tyron Carrier.

Sumlin talked about his talented offense in the Conference USA Football Media Day.

On star quarterback Case Keenum—"He's a leader, a great guy off the field and a great quarterback. If he can put up those types of numbers (from last year) again this year, I think he's a guy that needs to be in the Heisman conversation." Of course, Sumlin is referencing to the 5,020 yards and 44 touchdowns that Keenum threw for last year while maintaining a 159.91 quarterback rating on his way to being named Conference USA Offensive Player of the Year.

On runningback Bryce Beall—"Bryce Beall led us in rushing last year as a true freshman with around 1,200 or 1,300 yards and he'd probably have more if I was smart enough to start him the first three games." Sumlin said with a laugh.

On receiver Tyron Carrier—"Tyron had a tremendous season for us last year with over 1,000 yards and he's a tremendous kick returner; he's really developed. He is an Olympic qualifier in track with tremendous speed and we look for him to get better."

Coach Sumlin also talked about the challenges that he feels the offense faces coming into the season.

"I think our challenge will be how our front comes together; how our offensive line comes together just because we've lost a couple of guys, Sebastian Vollmer went in the second round this year (to the New England Patriots) so we've got to replace some offensive linemen and as our O-line comes along that will really dictate our success on offense."

Sumlin spoke with confidence about his young team and their potential to play at a high level on both sides of the ball. He made sure to address the issues with his front four on defense.

"On our defensive front, we're really replacing four starters up front but nobody plays just four guys. We had a bunch of guys that rotated in there. Our strength (on defense) will be our linebackers. Matt Nicholson will be back for his senior year, Marcus McGraw, who led us in tackles as a true freshman last year, will be back for his sophomore year and C.J. Cavness will be back as well, so our three linebackers will be our strength. We've got to replace our two safeties in the back end; we have some experience at corner but I think our defense will improve. We have some guys in our new system, younger (faster) guys with a little bit more energy, but I think our leadership will come from our linebackers and they have great support."

The impression that one can take from Coach Sumlin's thoughts are that the defense will be young, full of energy and ready to get after the quarterback but they will have to be careful due to a lack-of-experience, especially in their secondary.

Tune in with me next week as I dive into the offensive and defensive personnel for the Cougars and wrap it up with my 2009-2010 season predictions.

Case Keenum Could Help University of Houston Win Conference USA

Richard O'Neal — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 16:04:01 -0400

The University of Houston Cougars football team will be entering the 2009-2010 season with lofty expectations. Luckily, they have one of the top quarterbacks in the nation to help them meet and or even exceed those expectations.

The Cougars are coming off an 8-5 season in which they saw many highs in head coach Kevin Sumlin's second season. The Cougars had eight games in which they scored 40 points or more, including a 70-30 drubbing of then top 25 ranked Tulsa. They would go on to defeat Air Force 34-28 in the Armed Forces Bowl in December.

Earlier this week, U of H was picked as the preseason favorite to win Conference USA, narrowly defeating East Carolina by an 11-10 count.

Conference USA media also released its All-Preseason Team, in which several well-known Cougars were named to the list. The preseason first team included star quarterback junior Case Keenum, sophomore receiver Tyron Carrier (1,026 yards and 9 touchdowns), sophomore running back Bryce Beall (1,247 yards and 13 touchdowns) and senior defensive back Brandon Brinkley (74 tackles and 4 interceptions).

The second team All-Preseason squad featured sophomore receiver Patrick Edwards, senior center Carl Barnett, sophomore linebacker Marcus McGraw and senior punter Chase Turner.

The best news of all came when Case Keenum received Conference USA Preseason Offensive Player of the Year honors.

In the 2008-2009 campaign, Keenum lead the nation in total offense with 403.2 yards per game and was second overall in passing yardage totaling 5,020 yards with 44 touchdowns and 30.54 completions per game. Some have even gone on record as saying that Keenum is a Heisman Trophy candidate.

This season is sure to provide plenty of sparks and will hopefully bring UH their second conference title in the last five years, their last conference title coming back in 2006 with coach Art Briles.

Coach Sumlin will look to build on his success as a coach and gain the attention of big-time recruits. He put together a very solid recruiting class in the offseason, and provided that he utilizes the abundance of talent that area Houston high schools have to offer, he will do it again during this recruiting season.

Be sure to look out for my next article where I will give my prediction for the upcoming 2009-2010 UH Cougar football schedule.

Top Five Reasons the Jaguars Won't Sign Michael Vick

Richard O'Neal — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 15:03:16 -0400

I've sat back for a couple of weeks now to let all of the talks about Michael Vick's situation and where he will end up come to a boil on the collective pot. Now, it's time to clear this up once and for all--Michael Vick will not be signing with the Jacksonville Jaguars. Vick had one of the strongest arms in the NFL, had dazzling 4.3 speed and attracted any array of fans before the dogfighting incident. He would probably still sell seats, which Jacksonville desperately needs right now but he won't be a Jaguar. Don't get me wrong, I wouldn't mind seeing him in a teal and black uniform with the number 7 and the name Vick etched on the back, but it won't happen. Let's dive into my five reasons why.

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Emeka Okafor For Tyson Chandler Trade Finalized

Richard O'Neal — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 17:37:43 -0400

Marc Stein, of ESPN.com, has reported the New Orleans Hornets and Charlotte Bobcats are in serious trade talks for a deal that would potentially swap Hornets center Tyson Chandler for Bobcats power forward/center Emeka Okafor.

The trade could be comprised of several different scenarios: Trading the two centers straight up, involving Chandler/Okafor with other players included in the deal or even another team or two getting involved.

Nothing has been confirmed or ruled out at this point.

The trade could be seen as a good move for both sides or questionable at best, especially for the Bobcats. If Charlotte decided to do a straight-up trade for Chandler, criticism would surely come out of the rafters.

Okafor is a proven defender, young, and has improved his game each year of his five seasons in the NBA, so one would come to the conclusion that Charlotte should receive much more in return for a player of his caliber, injuries or not.

Chandler is coming off an injury-plagued season in which he was traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder, only for the trade to be rescinded due to Chandler failing a team physical.

Okafor averaged a double-double with 13.2 points per game and 10.1 rebounds, while also averaging 1.7 blocks per game and shooting 56 percent from the field.

Chandler averaged 8.8 points per game with 8.7 rebounds and 1.3 blocks while shooting 50 percent from the floor, but the former second overall pick missed 37 games last season, causing the Hornets to try dumping him off to Oklahoma City for financial reasons.

The move would give Charlotte size in the middle, which the Hornets are looking for, even though they have Nazr Mohammed. This would give them a seven-footer to anchor the middle.

New Orleans fans, meanwhile, should be drooling at the opportunity to pair All-Star point guard Chris Paul with Emeka Okafor. The two could provide an excellent tandem.

Emeka comes with a daunting price tag: A five-year deal with a $10 million salary that goes up a million plus each year until the 2013-14 season.

Jaguars Home Preseason Games to Be Blacked Out

Richard O'Neal — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 11:24:08 -0400

If you are a rabid Jags fan who is eagerly anticipating watching your favorite team play their first home preseason game on television, you will have to wait a little longer.

ESPN's Paul Kuharsky has just reported that the Jacksonville Jaguars' home preseason games will be blacked out due to a lack of ticket sales. Fans will not be able to see the games on live television nor tape delay.

Per NFL blackout rules, games that are not expected to sell out cannot be aired on local television, therefore FOX and local CBS Jacksonville network WTEV will not produce games for a tape-delayed response.

The following was quoted in Kuharsky's article: "The cost to produce the game is exactly the same whether it's in prime time or on tape delay at 11 or midnight," WTEV general manager Jeff Whitson said. "From a recouping-our-costs standpoint, advertisers are not going to get the same value and can't be charged the same. The economics of the game's whole plan change except for the expenses."

The production of each game costs the station approximately $80,000, Whitson said.

The Jaguars' home games will be played against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Aug. 22 and against the Washington Redskins on Sept. 3.

These blackouts are becoming part of a trend that is all too familiar to Jaguar fans.

Dating back to the earlier days of the franchise, home games have been blacked out, but Jags owner Wayne Weaver and local businesses have been doing everything that they could up to this point to keep blackouts from becoming a common theme for local fans.

Local stores such as supermarket chain Winn-Dixie would buy tickets from the organization and give them away through various contests.

Weaver even had 10,000 stadium seats sectioned off to try to better the situation, but the fact remains that the organization is not selling out the stadium and season ticket sales are at an all-time low.

The Jaguars announced earlier this week that they would offer two new ticket packages—Half-Packs and Value-Packs—to provide more flexibility and affordability to fans. The Half-Packs start at $200 for five games with a two-month payment plan when paid by a credit card.

The Four-Seat Value-Pack starts at $50 per seat and includes a free meal with each ticket purchase, as reported on Jaguars.com.

This is all proof of the desperation the franchise is showing in a slowing economy to bolster their fan base and sell tickets at a better rate. Surely fans won't find a better deal around the league for ticket prices right now.

With much hope, these lowered prices and great deals will be capitalized on by Jaguar fans who would hate to lose their franchise to a large market in search of a team, such as Los Angeles.

Rumors have been going around the league for the past couple of seasons that the Jaguars, Bills, or Saints could move to L.A. in the future, provided they build a stadium.

Let's hope Jacksonville is the team that stays put for many years to come.

No Jaguar fan wants to see the above picture on their television screen when Jaguars' home games are on.

Some information and quotes were used from ESPN columnist, Paul Kuharsky's article on the Jaguars' blackout status.

Carlos Boozer, Lamar Odom Teaming Up with Dwyane Wade in Miami?

Richard O'Neal — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 14:18:22 -0400

NBA All-Star Dwyane Wade has made it clear he wants to see the Miami Heat organization make improvements to its roster before he signs a long-term extension.

He may want to get his pen ready.

Several sources and Web sites have reported the Heat are the frontrunner in the Carlos Boozer trade sweepstakes and now are one of two main teams that have recently reached out to Lamar Odom since the Los Angeles Lakers took their three-year, $27 million offer off the table.

ESPN is reporting the Heat could sign Odom, who has expressed an interest in returning to Miami, trade for Boozer (who had a heavy interest in coming to Miami before he opted to stay in Utah) and then re-sign Boozer in the summer of 2010 without using any of their cap space, since they would own his Bird rights.

Things could get very interesting because for Odom to go to Miami, he would have to take considerably less money than he would be receiving from Los Angeles. Word has it that the Lakers, Jerry Buss in particular, became quite annoyed with Odom's camp after the organization upped its offer from $8 million a year to $9 million, and Odom's agent responded by firing up talks with the Mavs and Heat.

Heat center Jermaine O'Neal's huge $23 million contract will be up at the end of next season, so it would be intriguing to see if he re-signed for significantly less to stay with a potential championship contender.

They could have a starting lineup with Chalmers (PG), Wade (SG), Beasley or Odom (SF), Boozer (PF) and O'Neal (C). They could bring Haslem off the bench and have a solid rotation.

Moves like this could add even more firepower to the Eastern Conference, which has seen the additions of Shaquille O'Neal, Rasheed Wallace, Ben Gordon, Charlie Villanueva, Jamal Crawford, and Vince Carter to teams that were in contention or very close to it (probably excluding Detroit in this case).

Miami has also been in talks with signing All-Star guard Allen Iverson, but he is also rumored to go to the Los Angeles Clippers.

If Miami pulls off these scenarios, it would all but shore up Wade's demands for improvement and increase the chances of bringing a second title to South Beach.

Adenhart, Gatti, McNair and Tyson: A Tough Year For Sports Fans in 2009

Richard O'Neal — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 14:29:32 -0400

This year has been undoubtedly tough for athletes and sports fans around the United States. With July coming to an end in the next couple of weeks, we have just passed the half-way point for the year and tragedy has struck the lives of millions. Although we could go into many different cases, and believe me it was very tough to narrow them down, three stick out in my mind as being tragic cases that could have been prevented. The deaths of Anaheim Angels pitcher Nick Adenhart, professional boxer and former champion Arturo Gatti and retired NFL warrior Steve McNair have all sent shockwaves through the professional sports community. The nation also felt especially saddened for Mike Tyson and his family as they dealt with a tragedy of their own.

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Tracy McGrady to Wear No. 3 Jersey Next Season

Richard O'Neal — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 15:39:00 -0400

In a surprising announcement, Tracy McGrady has changed his number from No. 1 to No. 3 in support of his "Three Points Darfur" initiative. As reported by Houston Chronicle sportswriter, Jonathan Feign, an official announcement is expected this week.

Trevor Ariza, the newest Houston Rocket, will wear McGrady's former No. 1 jersey, although he couldn't don the uniform in his press conference last week due to details being worked out.

This isn't McGrady's first time wearing the No. 3 jersey, as he wore the number back in his high school days at Mount Zion Christian Academy High School in North Carolina. McGrady has stated that he will wear the number to promote his Darfur Dream Team campaign and "Three Points" documentary.

http://www.doublewidemedia.com/2009/3-points/

According to Feign, The Darfur Dream Team enlists athletes to help raise funds for Darfur refugees to be educated in a sister school program, in conjunction with schools in the United States. The documentary "Three Points" follows McGrady on his trip to Sudan and Chad in the summer of 2007.

Available Centers the Rockets Should Be Looking At

Richard O'Neal — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 11:28:04 -0400

The Rockets have found themselves in an extremely dire situation and they need a center quickly. Although they tried (and failed) to bring in some of the better free agents that were available, i.e., Marcin Gortat, Rasheed Wallace, Charlie Villaneuva, Antonio McDyess and others, there are still some guys available that could provide a boost to a team that needs a quality center with size who comes at an affordable price. Let's look into a couple of those options.

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Rockets Receive NBA Injury Exception

Richard O'Neal — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 10:42:58 -0400

HOUSTON -- If Rockets fans have hope of Yao Ming returning during the 2009-2010 season, this may put a damper in their hopes.

The league granted the Houston Rockets an injury exception yesterday that would save the team approximately $5.7 million, money that they ultimately used to sign free agent Trevor Ariza to his five-year, $33 million contract.

General Manager Daryl Morey said that although the Rockets were given the exception, he wasn't completely ruling Yao out for the season at this point. Morey also revealed that the team contemplated applying for the disabled player exception with star Tracy McGrady but felt that they had a better chance of receiving the exception through Yao's status.

Yao tried to keep Rockets' fans in high spirits yesterday, releasing a statement reported by the Associated Press: "I am optimistic about the future and I will return to playing basketball when my foot has fully healed," Yao said in a statement released by his agent Wednesday. "My focus is on selecting the best treatment option for my injured foot and committing myself to do what I can to ensure a complete recovery."

Yao is expected to announce his decision within a week, choosing which treatment he will receive on his fracture foot and how long the recovery will take.

Yao suffered a hairline fracture in his left foot back on May 8 in Game 3 of the Western Conference Semifinals against the Los Angeles Lakers. Before the injury, he was averaging 19.7 points, 11.3 rebounds and 1.3 blocks per game in the series and was carrying the team on his back. The team would go on to force a Game 7 without Yao, eventually losing.

The Rockets' team doctors released a statement saying that Yao's foot has not responded well to the treatment program and is still not healed.

The Rockets are still in need of a center, preferably one with size due to their tallest player being only 6-9. The Rockets tried to sign free agent Marcin Gortat but were unable to offer enough money, leading him to accept an offer from Dallas earlier in the week.

What the future holds for the Rockets is uncertain but at least they know that if Yao returns they won't have any issues from his standpoint. "The Rockets have kept me informed of what they are doing and why. I support them in their efforts to make our team as good as possible," Yao said in a statement released through his agent, John Huizinga.

Jazz Reportedly Got Trigger-Shy in Tracy McGrady-Andrei Kirilenko Trade Talks

Richard O'Neal — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 20:51:31 -0400

In an unexpected turn of events, it was reported today that the Houston Rockets almost had a deal in place that would have sent injured Rockets All-Star Tracy McGrady to the Utah Jazz for small forward Andrei Kirilenko.

It was confirmed and reported by both teams, but, apparently, the Jazz backed out of the talks due to McGrady's "health situation" and "contract status."

What's funny is that the Jazz were well aware of both before the talks began.

According to Tim Buckley of the Deseret News, the trade talks were even a surprise to Kirilenko's agent, Marc Fleisher.

"I know nothing about it," said Fleisher. "I haven't heard from anybody in the Jazz office that they're going to trade Andrei...They've given me no indication of that."

Obviously, since McGrady is due to make $23 million in his last contract year with the Rockets and Kirilenko is set to make $16.4 million next year and $17.8 million in the 2010-11 season, the Jazz would have to include another player or two in order to match up with McGrady's hefty salary. This move could also save the Jazz up to $18 million in two years by dumping off Kirilenko's contract.

The move could be called questionable at best because McGrady doesn't seem like the type of player that would mesh well with Jazz Coach Jerry Sloan's hard-nose style and the team's philosophy. The Jazz have also been fierce playoff rivals over the years with the Rockets, having eliminated the Rockets in both the 2007 and 2008 playoff series.

Although trade talks have ended, for right now at least, what would this move show for Houston?

Richard Hamiton a Houston Rocket?

Richard O'Neal — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 15:42:07 -0400

Much has been made about the UConn reunion of Richard Hamilton and soon-to-be new Pistons Ben Gordon and Charlie Villanueva. Although Gordon and Villanueva will be teammates, it's not at all certain that Hamilton will be around to join them.

The Pistons have agreed to a five-year deal worth between $55 and $60 million for Gordon, and former Bucks forward Villanueva will receive a five-year deal worth as much as $40 million.

Signing Gordon presents a huge problem for the Pistons; they already have Hamilton and Rodney Stuckey as their guards. Although Stuckey could possibly play at point guard, and Hamilton could play at small forward while Gordon plays at shooting guard, it's not a highly likely scenario, leaving Hamilton as the odd man out.

Hamilton, who averaged 18.3 points last season, had trouble adjusting to the sixth man role that former Pistons coach Michael Curry placed him in, so creating the same scenario for him can't bode well.

It's not guaranteed that Ben Gordon would want to come off the bench, either, possibly creating friction between the two stars (a scene that was very apparent last season between Hamilton and Allen Iverson).

This opens up a perfect opportunity for the Houston Rockets to step in and make a deal for Hamilton, which would bring Houston a much-needed scoring threat from a guard/forward who can create his own shot off the dribble.

The Rockets could offer Tracy McGrady's expiring contract to the Pistons in exchange for the 10-year pro; they had already shown interest in McGrady before last year's trade deadline, but a deal couldn't be reached.

With the potential signing of Marcin Gortat and the potential trade for Hamilton, it would mean the Rockets are committed to building toward the future, and they could let Ron Artest walk, saving them a great deal of money.

Hamilton is a superstar player that leads quietly and gets the job done night in and night out, and would be a perfect player in the Rockets' offense. He could start at the shooting guard position with a potential starting five of Brooks, Hamilton, Battier, Scola and Gortat.

It remains to be seen what the Rockets will do, but this makes sense for both sides.

Why Would the T-Wolves Trade Jefferson?

Richard O'Neal — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 10:33:40 -0400

It's safe to say that NBA fans have been hearing some pretty outrageous trade rumors over the past few weeks. From Rajon Rondo on the trade block to Ray Allen on the trade block, to even the "possibility" of the Mavs getting Chris Paul from the Hornets...

All I can say is "yeah, right."

Now the Amare Stoudemire rumors are surfacing again. I heard one the other day that almost made me cringe: Amare for Al Jefferson and one of the Minnesota Timberolves' first-round draft picks.

Why on Earth would the Wolves even consider doing this trade? I understand that Amare is a great player, but he comes with baggage that Jefferson doesn't have, and the two guys' skills aren't exactly equal, anyway.

Al, along with Gerald Green, Ryan Gomes, Theo Ratliff and draft picks, was included in the 2007 blockbuster trade that brought Kevin Garnett to Boston. It was known even then that Jefferson was to be the cornerstone of the Minnesota franchise.

And how's this for character? Though he could've gotten a max deal recently, he chose not to, citing that he "had not proven himself yet." That says a lot right there.

Jefferson has since put in a large amount of extremely hard work to become the franchise player the Wolves envisioned him being. He averaged a career-best 21 points, 11 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks per game while starting all 82 games of the 2007-08 campaign.

The 2008-09 season was looking ust as promising for Jefferson, as he immediately began improving upon his career season. He was averaging 23 points per game along with 10.9 boards and 1.7 blocks before he went down with a torn ACL in a game against New Orleans.

It was reported at the beginning of this week that he is ahead of schedule on his rehabilitation and looks to be ready for the start of the 2009-10 season.

Amare, meanwhile, is coming off a pretty tough season, one in which he publicly stated that he was frustrated with his role in the Phoenix Suns offense and was declared out for the season after suffering a detached retina, something he had surgery on in the previous offseason. He was the subject of many trade scenarios as the Suns organization looked to drastically cut back on the team salary.

Although both players are very good, Jefferson stands out as the player that a team should covet, not look to move. Jefferson is a humble, hardworking, and soft-spoken player who is dedicated to playing team defense and crashing the boards. Stoudemire has been criticized for not playing enough defense and not grabbing the amount of rebounds that he is capable of getting (as evidenced by his mere 8.1 boards per game average last season).

Stoudemire is also set to make $15 million next year, while Jefferson is set to make $11 million. Jefferson's contract is longer, but while Amare's is up in a year, he will be looking to make even more money than he is making right now, not less.

I don't see why this move would make sense for the T-Wolves. They already have the player that they can build (and are building) their franchise around. Pulling the trigger on this trade would be a setback for a team that has been at the bottom of the NBA standings for years.

Bottom line: Don't jump at the opportunity to get Amare, Minnesota. You have a franchise player who is already mature enough to carry your organization. You wanted a replacement to KG, and you have it.

Would Iverson Be a Good Fit in Houston?

Richard O'Neal — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 16:54:25 -0400

There has been an intriguing question that has been floating around on many NBA websites: Where will Allen Iverson end up? When I think of the potential places, Houston comes up as one that could potentially suit the 12 year veteran. Let's look over some of the most important factors.

PROS

Potential Starting Position: Iverson has gone on record stating that he doesn't want to come off the bench and be a sixth man. The Rockets need someone who can create their own shot and lift the team's offense, therefore taking pressure off of Yao to carry the scoring load from the inside.

Iverson still has plenty of game left in him...he just needs a team to give him the minutes to prove so. Re-sign Wafer and make him the sixth man, with Iverson starting at the two spot.

McGrady's Done: I wrote an article early on in my Bleacher Report career, click here saying that T-Mac's tenure in Houston is done. There are countless rumors going around about McGrady going and the Knicks so the Rockets are in need of a compliment to Yao and his inside abilities. Even if the Rockets held on to McGrady, he isn't scheduled to be back until sometime in January, which doesn't do the Rockets much good.

The Big Three: The combination of Yao, Artest and Iverson would be very nice. Artest is a defensive minded player who has the ability to be a great scorer but tends to have a horrendous shot selection at times, rather than taking it inside or creating high percentage shots for himself.

Yao's abilities speak for themselves...he is an exceptional player who has problems staying on the court. This past season was great until their playoff series against the Lakers, who knows what would have happened had he not been injured.

CONS

Salary: What would the Rockets be able to offer Iverson and what would he be willing to take to come to a contender? If he was willing to take the MLE (mid-level exception), then the situation could possibly be a nice one, if not then it's not going to work, especially while T-Mac's salary is still on the payroll and Artest still isn't re-signed yet. Iverson still thinks he is worthy of top player salary so it could be tough.

Does he fit the Rockets' scheme? The Rockets have made it well-known that they are a defensive-minded team and while Iverson contributes a very nice amount of steals, he is an offensive-minded player. Would his defensive shortcomings hurt the team? The Rockets have a team mentality and Iverson hasn't exactly shown that he fits that mold based on his history.

Where would Shane fit it in? Assuming that the Rockets re-signed Artest, with the starting five being Brooks, Iverson, Artest, Scola and Yao, where would Battier play? Although he probably wouldn't complain about coming off the bench, the Rockets need his knack for shutting down scorers. If Artest left for another team, they could put Battier at the three spot and that would help alleviate the problem.

Can Rick Adelman control Iverson's ego? Iverson has had a problem with every coach he has played under in the NBA. Coach Larry Brown was the only one who was able to control Iverson's ego to the point that isn't wasn't as much of an issue. How would Adelman handle Iverson?

Ultimately, I don't think the Rockets will pursue Iverson but there are clear cases as to why though could/would, just as there are cases that would lead them to stay away. Either way, it will be interesting to see where he winds up.

If I Hear or See Brett Favre's Name One More Time…

Richard O'Neal — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 14:43:57 -0400

There once was a guy who made a legacy for himself playing quarterback for the Green Bay Packers. I’m sure you’ve heard of him. That same guy took the Packers to two Super Bowls, winning one.

There was a time when I didn’t mind seeing his name in the news, but that time has passed.

ESPN’s obsession with this guy has gone far enough and it needs to be changed before both parties ruin their respective reputations more than they already have.

ESPN has established itself as the report-all network for the coverage of this player. I’m surprised that they haven’t broken away from any sports coverage to let fans know that he just finished using the bathroom or that he paid $1.50 for a Cherry Coke from the vending machine.

They report on everything else, from him sending X-rays to Minnesota team doctors, to his family purchasing 25 to 30 hotel rooms for the Vikings-Packers game on Nov. 1.

Would anyone else besides me like to tell them how ridiculous this has become?

I would also like to be one of the first to go on record by stating that I have lost all respect for Chris Mortensen and Ed Werder, who are the two main culprits in reporting all of this pointless mess.

Anytime you see a headline on ESPN’s website, know that you are going to see one of their names attached to the article. It’s gotten to the point where I will actually click on the stories just so I can see how badly readers are talking about them and the fact that they report on everything he does.

It’s pretty sad to see a 16-year career (Should we give credit to the full 18?) of consistency, hard work, and dedication get washed away due to bad decisions, indecisiveness, and an itch to play past his prime.

Do us all a favor and go spend time with your family; they have waited long enough. Don’t sign with Minnesota.

Lakers-Magic: Superman, Are You Serious?

Richard O'Neal — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 09:14:38 -0400

Let's face the facts here—if Dwight Howard plays like he did last night, the series will be over in three more games.

Last night's absolute drubbing of the Orlando Magic by the Los Angeles Lakers sent a message to the Magic fans and their organization with a 100-75 defeat.

For Magic fans, the worst part had to be looking at the box score and seeing Howard's numbers from the field, a disheartening 1-for-6. If not for getting to the charity stripe and going 10-for-16, his bottom line would have been even scarier.

The Magic as a whole didn't fare much better, going 23-for-77 from the field and shooting a horrendous 29.9 percent.

If the team has any interest in getting back on track, it will have to start with Howard taking his high-percentage shots and hitting them more efficiently. He will continue to occupy the double-teams down low, so he could have an advantage by kicking the ball out to Hedo and Rashard, who will need to hit the shots they are accustomed to hitting to get the offense in sync.

It isn't a secret that Orlando lives and dies by their three-point shooting, so there is no need to change the philosophy that got them to where they are right now. They just need to execute and play smart.

This is just one game, and the Magic aren't used to being on this big of a stage—but they need to regroup quickly or there will be trouble in Game Two. One of the most important factors to pay attention to is the Magic players stating that they were not ready and didn't match the intensity of the Lakers. Orlando needs to realize the importance of having intensity, shooting well consistently, and showing the Lakers that they will not back down.

If the Magic can't do that in the NBA Finals, we will be talking about how Kobe won his first championship without Shaq. Dwight Howard has to realize that he is the leader of this team and if he wants them to win, he will need to set the tone from the second the ball is tossed in the air.

McGrady's Time Is Almost Up

Richard O'Neal — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 09:19:56 -0400

Do you hear that Rockets fans?

That’s the sigh of relief Houstonians are letting out after the Rockets got out of the first round of the playoffs, and proved they belong with the elite in the Western Conference. The Rockets’ success in the playoffs has all but sealed the fate of injured star Tracy McGrady.

McGrady, who had surgery back in February, was often seen on the Rockets bench in street clothes during their two series’ and could only watch as his teammates won without him. As a team, this is great for the organization, but for McGrady it must certainly spell trouble.

McGrady has taken heavy criticism, especially over the past several years, for never taking a team past a first-round playoff series. Although the Rockets lost to the Lakers in Game Seven of the Western Conference Semi-finals, that was seemingly all it will take to doom McGrady’s stay with the team.

This is a mere certainty for a couple of reasons. Not only is McGrady getting older, but he is owed $20 million for each of the next two seasons. Also, he is showing his frail body can’t hold up to the grind of an 82-game season. The Rockets were actually looking to trade him a couple of months back but found no takers.

As the NBA playoffs draw to a close, the Rockets have proven they no longer need McGrady to get out of the first round, and by pushing the Lakers to the brink of elimination, they just about proved they don’t need him to win it all.

Jaguars Stick to Plan with the Draft

Richard O'Neal — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 08:25:19 -0400

The Jacksonville Jaguars were faced with a dilemma during Saturday’s NFL Draft: Go with the popular vote or stick to their original philosophy of BAP?

The Jags chose to keep their sound philosophy by taking University of Virginia offensive tackle Eugene Monroe with the eighth overall pick in the 2009 draft.

The pick came down to Monroe or Michael Crabtree, the highly coveted receiver from Texas Tech, who was very high, if not the highest, on the Jags' value board and the Jags went with Monroe, opting to go after a receiver in the later rounds of the draft.

If you ask the Jags, as soon as the Rams chose tackle Jason Smith from Baylor, it was obvious who they were going to take.

Taking Monroe and fellow tackle Eben Britton from Arizona should instantly solidify the huge holes that the Jags had in their offensive line, as well as providing depth, which the Jaguars severely lacked last year.

The Jaguars also did a fantastic job of drafting at the wide receiver position by taking Mike Thomas (Arizona), Jarrett Dillard (Rice), and Tiquan Underwood (Rutgers).

Thomas and Underwood bring much-needed deep speed to a receiving core that struggled with consistency and production for the last several years.

Dillard brings his distinct ability to catch the ball in traffic, and pretty much anywhere else for that matter, leading the nation in TD catches in his senior season.

The Jaguars selected defensive tackle Terrance Knighton from Temple with their third pick with the hopes that he will replace Marcus Stroud and team up with John Henderson to put pressure on the opposing quarterback.

The Jaguars also moved up in the third round to take William & Mary defensive back Derek Cox, who will bring solid tackling skills to a secondary that struggled to tackle well last season.

The Jags took quarterback-turned-tight end Zach Miller with their sixth round pick and selected Liberty running back Rashad Jennings in the seventh round, which will hopefully turn out to be a very valuable addition to the Jaguars' offensive backfield after the recent departure of former Jag great Fred Taylor.

The Jaguars have clearly shown an initiative to get better on both sides of the ball and clean up their clubhouse with quality football players, on and off the field.

Gene Smith has shown himself to be the smart choice as General Manager of the team and it will be interesting to see what the Jags do next year as a result of the smart moves by the organization.

AFC South 2009 Preview

Richard O'Neal — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 16:42:31 -0400

Retirements, trades, free agency, and drafting: These are a few of the main changes that have occurred during the offseason for the AFC South. So what does it mean for the division? Will it continue to be one of the stronger divisions that it has been known for over the past few years or will it take a step back?

Indianapolis Colts: The retirement of Tony Dungy was a major blow to the Indianapolis Colts, though it was inevitable. New coach Jim Caldwell will lead the Colts into the new era and hopes to keep them at the same playoff-caliber level that they were under Dungy—good luck filling those shoes. It will be interesting to see how the addition of former UConn Huskie, Donald Brown works out for the Colts and their running game.

Jacksonville Jaguars: The Jags made a smart decision by bringing in new GM Gene Smith to clean house. He started by letting veteran Mike Peterson walk via free agency, along with long-time Jag Fred Taylor and continued by getting rid of Jerry Porter, Matt Jones, Kalif Barnes, and Drayton Florence.

Now is the time to rebuild and look to a strong 2009 campaign and with Gene Smith at the helm, it’s a great possibility. The Jags had a very strong draft, choosing to go for the BAP philosophy. It might take a year or two, but I definitely see the Jags being a major player in the division.

Houston Texans: Last year was a solid one for the Texans and at 8-8. They might be turning the corner in the division. (See my 2009 Prediction column) The Texans will be the sleeper in the division due to the other stronger teams but watch out, Houston will turn some heads. Mario Williams and Steve Slaton will look to build on breakout seasons and Matt Schaub will look to stay on the field to team up with Andre Johnson in the endzone. These aren’t your Texans of old.

Tennessee Titans: It will be very interesting to see what direction the Titans go in. Will they still be one of the league’s premier teams or will the departure of Albert Haynesworth cause the team to collapse under its own weight? The Titans really didn’t do too much in free agency and other than getting Kenny Britt, had a relatively quiet draft.

The biggest problem that they have now is Vince Young coming out with the “play me or trade me” comment a few days ago that is putting pressure on the organization. The running game will still be solid, but will Kerry Collins be the same safe-decision making, low turnover quarterback that he was last year?

With Haynesworth departing to Washington how will the defense respond? These two big questions will be the difference between dominance and mediocrity for the Titans.

All in all, I see it coming down to the Colts and Titans for the division again because the Jags and Texans still have some growing to do, Nonetheless it will be a very entertaining season in the AFC South division.