Bleacher Report - Articles by Shawn Makhani

The Fall of A-Fraud: Rodriguez Used Steroids With the Yankees

Shawn Makhani — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 11:59:04 -0400

As a Boston Red Sox fan, I can't help but have a smile on my face this morning. Waking up to reports that A-Rod used steroids with the Yankees is the perfect way to start this wonderful day (along with a nice brew from Starbucks).

I think back to 2004. What would've happened had that trade actually gone down? Manny wouldn't have launched rockets over the Monster, Papi wouldn't have played go fetch with opposing fielders, and the Yanks probably would've won three or four titles.

Instead? My Red Sox are the class of the AL, while the Yankees rot in their own pool of lucrative contracts and terrible chemistry. But they seem happy, don't they?

It's kind of like how the Blazers secretly wish they drafted Kevin Durant, but to save face they say the love the fact that they can play Greg Oden for five minutes a night before he gets into foul trouble.

All the while, they're watching Kevin Durant blossom into a superstar. Yeah, it's like that.

I find it funny how far Rodriguez has fallen. Just a few years ago, this was the guy that everyone, and I mean everyone, looked up to.

Sure, he was a jerk off the field. Jordan was a jerk off the court. But he was the best. You knew every time he had the ball in his hand, something amazing would happen.

That's how it was with A-Rod. Every time he stepped up to the plate, opposing pitchers shivered on the mound.

Then came the steroid allegations. The whole "I only used them in Texas" bit. Everyone sympathized with him.

"Oh sure, he did them, but at least he's sitting down to say he did". Fine, maybe he's a decent guy for at least sitting and admitting to his mistakes.

But then panic ensued. A-Rod played the "let me have surgery and return to my team and play my guts out when they're struggling and people aren't showing up to the games" card.

So much for that. A new report from the New York Daily News, from excerpts from Selena Roberts' book, states that A-Rod was juicing while with the Yankees, and that pretty much everyone knew. The report also states:

1. Yankee teammates had the most wonderful nickname for A-Rod that I can guarantee will be on a Red Sox shirt in the next week or so.

2. Jose Canseco thought A-Rod had been using since high school, since A-Rod could lift just as much as the King Kong-looking ball player.

3. A-Rod's high school teammates knew he was on steroids.

And probably the most disturbing fact to me:

4. A-Rod tipped the minimum 15 percent at Hooters.

So in two months of this MLB season, A-Rod has gone from hero to decent to downright zero (I had to rhyme, I'm sorry). A-Rod is making Barry Bonds look like a nice guy right about now.

How do you think Bonds feels? I'll bet you he's already putting together money to buy A-Rod one hell of a Christmas gift.

It's no secret that A-Rod has never been liked as a teammate. Just ask Michael Young of the Rangers. Ask any member of the Yankees right now, even former best friend Derek Jeter.

This just validates everything they've said about him. These past two months have brought out so many negative things about the former MVP.

He's done so many things wrong, he makes Allen Iverson look like a role model. Here are the four top things I think A-Rod's done wrong:

1. A-Rod has made the Brian Cashman the most regretful man in the world. More so than Bernie Madoff. More so than Barry Bonds. More so than Darth Vader at the end of Return of the Jedi.

-Note: I watched Return of the Jedi again last night and I think it's pretty obvious that Vader regrets joining the Dark Side at the end when Luke is getting fried by Palpatine. I mean, I know you can't see any regret on his face, but just the way the camera zooms in and the way he tilts his head. You know, you saw it too. I don't know what's more sad: the fact that I notice regret on a man wearing a full mask and no signs of facial expressions or the fact that I watched Return of the Jedi for the 14th time...

Cashman has to regret making A-Rod the highest-paid player. Did he not see how teams got better when A-Rod left? Cashman should've let A-Rod walk last summer. The Mariners got better.

The Rangers are maybe a year away from contending and have the best farm system in the league. Had Cashman let A-Rod walk and go to the Dodgers, he could've seen A-Rod ruin the lives of Manny and Joe Torre. Imagine that.

2. A-Rod has ruined the Yankees for this season. The Yankees have enough media surrounding them this season (as they do every season). This just makes their lives so much more difficult. They're sick and tired of talking about Rodriguez.

Here's another thing to think about. A-Rod ruined his friendship with one of, if not the, most respected players in baseball: Derek Jeter. Jeter is to baseball what Tim Duncan is to the NBA and Brady/Manning are to football.

People hate them (unless they're fans of the team), GM's regret every day that they didn't jump on this guy when they had the chance, yet they are full of class and are some of the nicest people in the game today.

When you ruin a friendship like that, you know there's something wrong. He's just a crappy teammate, maybe even a crappy person. Hell, he makes Manny Ramirez look like a saint.

3. Yankees fans know that Theo Epstein is the happiest man alive today, all because of their wonderful third baseman. As stated earlier, had A-Rod actually been traded to the BoSox, things would be so much different.

The Sox wouldn't have won two titles. Gotten close, sure. Just like the Yankees did. Isn't it ironic that the year the Yankees signed A-Rod, the Sox completed the biggest comeback in sports history? I think not.

Theo is jumping for joy right now. Every time a new report comes out, the Sox have a parade. By the way, how many more "A-Roid" and "A-Fraud" shirts do you think will be made now? 15,000? 20,000?

4. A-Rod only tips the minimum at Hooters. I swear, when I read this, I gasped. I was almost as shocked as I was at the end of The Departed. I mean, seriously?

This is the same guy who was seen leaving a strip club with some woman, the same guy who was getting freaky with Madonna, and he can't tip well at HOOTERS?!

Every man in America knows you tip well at Hooters. It's a law!

It's like how girls know they can't give out their phone numbers on a friend's birthday outing, or how when they go to a bar or a club, they have to give their girlfriends the "is this guy who's all up on me hot or not?!!!" eyes. It is a LAW!

With this new report, in my mind, the Yankees are done. They're already being hounded by media for the struggles of CC and Marky Mark and the fact that the new Yankee Stadium could actually be the new Coors Field.

All those questions and topics become moot. The first question out of every reporter's mouth will have something to do with No. 13.

How many Yankees will have a Kenny Rogers moment? I'll put my money on CC, Burnett, Joba, Cano, Hank Steinbrenner, and Cashman. This whole situation is kind of like when Toulour tries to steal the diamonds from Linas in Ocean's 13.

That whole mission and crew is screwed if he gets away with them. A-Rod is stealing whatever pride and focus the Yankees have this season. Too bad there's no Danny Ocean to save them.

Trust No One: The True Meaning Behind A-Rod's Steroid Scandal

Shawn Makhani — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 02:06:41 -0500

"I did take a banned substance. And for that, I am very sorry and deeply regretful."

Just days after allegations surfaced that Alex he had used performance enhancing drugs, Alex Rodriguez, perhaps baseball's best player today, admitted to ESPN's Peter Gammons that he did knowingly take steroids during his tenure with the Texas Rangers, from 2001-2003.

Rodriguez did what Bonds, Clemens, and McGwire (among others) have failed to do-be a man and admit fault.

But there's much more to take from this than the fact that A-Rod did steroids. True, he was supposed to be the one to bring legitimacy to the record. Now? Now all faith is lost. Even as a fan who's disliked A-Rod since the day he left the Rangers, he held a place in my heart as the man who would truthfully be the home run king and unseat the much maligned Barry Bonds.

What we need to take from this is that any one single player, no matter now good or how poor, could have been or be using performance enhancing drugs. Who can we really trust now?

Yes, it is unfair that A-Rod's name was leaked from a supposedly confidential filing that should've been destroyed. But look, what's done is done. In all honesty, nothing can surprise me now.

Release the names of the 103 other players who tested positive for banned substances. Sure, no legal ramifications would come of this, since MLB didn't establish any punishments until the 2004 season.

But now that the poster child for baseball has been removed from the throne, it should only be fair that the others be brought down with him. Let's see how bad this really is.

I think Rodriguez made an interesting statement during his admission. He spoke of the era being "loosey-goosey", essentially a very laid-back society where the use of performance enhancing drugs was a way of life, condoned by other players in the organization.

I mean, just look at who was on the Rangers with A-Rod. Juan Gonzalez and Rafael Palmeiro. Two known steroid users. How could A-Rod escape that? It just gets you thinking. How many St. Louis Cardinals were juiced? How about Chicago Cubs' players? The Giants?

As I said earlier, no names that may be released will surprise me now. It's more a feeling of fear. Fear for the legitimacy of the game as a whole, not just the home run record.

Think of some of the names that could be released. Players who we admire, who we think "naw, they would never take PED's". Albert Pujols, anyone? David Ortiz? Man-Ram? Lance Berkman? David Eckstein?!

Okay, probably not Eckstein. And sure, maybe Papi and Pujols and the others are innocent. But hey, we all thought A-Rod was innocent, too. Hell, he told Katie Couric he didn't take PED's. You just don't lie to Katie Couric. The truth will come out.

Another year, and another steroid scandal. Forget about the feel good stories. No Tampa Bay Rays, no Josh Hamilton. It seems like this has been the case for some time now. McGwire, Sosa, Palmeiro, Bonds, and now A-Rod. Some of the biggest names in the game, names that changed the way baseball was seen across the country, have all be tarnished.

Alex Rodriguez's case could be the worst. Sure, swiftly accepted the allegations in order to retain some character points with the fans. But there's a story bigger than A-Rod now.

No one can be trusted. Not one player, no matter how good they are or how much we like them. The poster boy has fallen, and with him goes down the integrity of the MLB. Rodriguez will keep the A-Fraud label for as long as he lives, but not for the way his teammates see him.

No, A-Fraud will now be known as the liar that was supposed to save baseball.

NFL Week 17 Picks

Shawn Makhani — Wed, 24 Dec 2008 06:44:05 -0500

All Good Things Must Come to an End

Unfortunately, that time of year has arrived. The last day of the NFL season is a mere five days away. But we knew this day was coming. After all, there are so many signs that the best 17 weeks of the year are slowly coming to an end. Santa Claus has been cloned and is invading malls across America. The NHL is getting more and more highlights. The Yankees are buying every free agent possible. Brett Favre is talking about retirement. About 83% of all commercials have the word "gift" in them or have a red ribbon attached to a product.

As much as we wish we weren't in this position, we have to face reality that we'll be stuck watching a fight between three teams (Lakers, Celtics, Cavs) in a mediocre NBA season until the draft. God help us.

Now for the picks (winner in caps):

St. Louis @ ATLANTA:

Matt Ryan is my new favorite player. What a story for this kid and this franchise. After the Ron Mexico/Bobby Petrino incident, I don't think anyone wanted to work or play for the Falcons. Arthur Blank lucked out here getting Mike Smith and Matt Ryan. Regardless of how the Falcons do in the playoffs, this has been one hell of a season.

NEW ENGLAND @ Buffalo:

Bill Belicheck should get the Coach of the Year award (although that award will probably go to the Dolphins' Tony Sparano or Atlanta's Smith) for leading his team to the brink of the playoffs without arguably the best quarterback in the game today. Get excited, Lions fans. We're just a few months away from your front office grossly overspending for Matt Cassel.

Note: There's been a lot, a LOT of talk recently about whether the Patriots should trade Tom Brady and keep Matt Cassel. To those who agree with that idea, I say that you should lay off the recreational pharmaceuticals. Look, don't get me wrong, Cassel has done a marvelous job. But you're talking about Tom Brady. This is a guy who won a Super Bowl with Reche Caldwell and David Givens as his receivers. People forget that Brady won those Super Bowls with a less-than-stellar offense, and that Cassel inherited a 16-0 team with one of the best offensive lines, two of the best receivers in the game, and an easy schedule. Franchise Cassel, and trade him away before the pre-season once we realize that Brady is perfectly okay.

KANSAS CITY @ Cincinnati:

If Tyler Thigpen is not the starting quarterback of this team next year, it will be one of the stupidest decisions by whoever the new GM will be. Keep Herm Edwards and let him build on this. Just let him. He may have a pretty decent quarterback in the making.

Detroit @ GREEN BAY:

I wanted to pick Detroit so badly. I actually typed Detroit in all caps before realizing that they're playing in the cold, at a place where they haven't won since 1991. Yes, Aaron Rodgers and the Packers have been bad. But one season after having a 16-0 team, wouldn't it just be cool to see an 0-16 team? I say yes.

TENNESSEE @ Indianapolis:

My boy Vince Young will light up the second string Indianapolis defense and have all the pride in the world before he realizes that he lost his job to a 35-year old quarterback who still wants to be a country music star. What's the over/under on Kerry Collins disappearing again?

Note: Peyton Manning is the NFL's MVP leading the NFL's hottest team into the playoffs. In a league where momentum is everything, why isn't anything talking about the Colts as the Super Bowl favorites?

New York Giants @ MINNESOTA:

I wish I had the heart to bet against Minnesota and Tarvaris Jackson, but I can't help but think that maybe he's getting better. Besides, the Giants should be resting their players, and I just have to think that Adrian Peterson will have a big game. Minnesota locks up the NFC North with the win.

Note: According to ESPN.com, guns were found in Plaxico Burress' home. Think this'll cause a distraction for the G-Men going into the playoffs?

Carolina @ NEW ORLEANS:

My gut is telling me Carolina, but my heart is telling me to pick fellow-Austinite Drew Brees and the Saints. When will these guys actually live up to expectations and make the playoffs again? In a season where everything that we wished for or imagined has actually happened (a winless team, everyone outside of New England hoping Brady would go down, a feel good story in the Dolphins/Falcons), why can't we have someone keep every fan in NO watching this game on the edge of their seats as Brees ALMOST breaks Dan Marino's record? I say Brees get's 401 yards (he needs 402), and has his last pass picked off by Chris Gamble. It's just been that kind of season.

Cleveland @ PITTSBURGH:

Romeo Crennel has perfected the Art Shell face, Braylon Edwards is turning into a smaller version of T.O., Cleveland's golden boy Brady Quinn is getting sucker punched. Bill Cowher, good luck.

Oakland @ TAMPA BAY:

Monte Kiffin will not go out with a loss. Is there anything really else to say about this game?

Chicago @ HOUSTON:

We're about two months away from the "Houston is the sleeper team of '09!" talk. Wait...weren't they also the sleeper team of '08? Here's my theory. Whenever someone names a team a "sleeper" team, wait about three years before they shock everyone. It happened with the Arizona Cardinals too. Well, thats not to say that the Cardinals are shocking anyone. But you know what I mean.

Washington @ SAN FRANCISCO:

The 49ers could also join the Texans as the "surprise" team of '09. Only difference is that the 49ers might actually surprise people. Assuming they hire Mike Holmgren as GM, Mike Singletary as head coach, get Matt Cassel as quarterback, and find a reliable number one receiver.

Note: How many people think Jim Zorn did another "hip hip hooray" chant after he found out he was keeping his job next year?

Jacksonville @ BALTIMORE:

This will be a close game up until about 2 minutes left, when Maurice Jones-Drew will break off back-to-back 75+ yard runs and break the hearts of Ravens fans everywhere.....oh who am I kidding. Only one team would allow that (ugh Romo). Ravens win easily.

MIAMI @ New York Jets:

Brett Favre's last game. Mark my words. Favre is done after this year. He'll go back to his little farm in Mississippi and film about 25 more jeans commercials and force a fake smile on his face while dropping back to throw. I can't pick against Chad Pennington going back to NY and sticking it to the Jets' fans. The Dolphins are another one of those stories (the Falcons are the other) you just don't want to see end. The Fish win and get into the playoffs.

DALLAS @ Philadelphia:

The only reason I'm actually picking the Cowboys to win this game is that I don't trust Donovan McNabb when he throws the ball 86 times a game. Only in Philly will you see your franchise quarterback and one of the best head coaches in the game get booed in their last games in the city.

Seattle @ ARIZONA:

Does anyone even care? We know the Cardinals aren't getting out of the first round of the playoffs. I'm picking them to win just because I like Larry Fitzgerald.

Denver @ SAN DIEGO:

Philip Rivers is having the quietest season of any quarterback in the NFL, and he's also having the best. He leads the league in quarterback rating, is fifth in yards, and first in touchdowns. If it weren't for a terrible defense and a maybe washed-up L.T., Rivers would be the prime candidate for MVP. Maybe that whole nice guy attitude works for him.

Note: Philip Rivers will not be a nice guy to the Denver secondary. Or to Jay Cutler.

Playoff Predictions:

So, now the playoffs, assuming my Week 17 predictions are correct, should look like this:

AFC:

Wild Card:

No. 5 Indianapolis over No. 4 San Diego

No. 6 Baltimore over No. 3 Miami

Divisional:

No. 1 Tennessee over No. 6 Baltimore

No. 5 Indianapolis over No. 2 Pittsburgh

AFC Championship:

No. 5 Indianapolis over No. 1 Tennessee

NFC:

Wild Card:

No. 6 Dallas over No. 3 Minnesota

(I really, really, don't trust Tony Romo right now, but I really, really, really don't trust Tarvaris Jackson in a playoff game either.)

No. 5 Carolina over No. 4 Arizona

Divisional:

No. 1 New York over No. 6 Dallas

No. 5 Carolina over No. 2 Atlanta

NFC Championship:

No. 5 Carolina over No. 1 New York

(I had a lot of trouble with this pick. In all honesty, this could go either way. But I'm terribly frightened of seeing a Manning vs. Manning Super Bowl.)

Super Bowl:

Indianapolis over Carolina.

Cowboys Fail Again in December: Different Season, Same Story

Shawn Makhani — Wed, 24 Dec 2008 04:47:20 -0500

"..."

"Wade Phillips just lost his job."

"Wow."

"I am no longer a Cowboys fan."

"Utter embarrassment for a city that is used to failure."

"[expletive deleted] you and your [expletive deleted] Cowboys. They lost me money tonight!"

These were just six of the 35 or so text messages I received after the Cowboys "game" on Saturday night.

Once again, my beloved Cowboys faltered in December, in a game in which winning was entirely possible. The defense played great up until the two-minute warning, essentially negating any mistakes—and there were a lot—that Tony Romo was making.

Yet another December, and yet another putrid performance by the Cowboys.

Willis McGahee breaking off the 77-yard run in the fourth quarter wasn't the heartbreaker. What killed all Cowboys fans was Le'Ron McClain's 82-yard touchdown right after the Cowboys had pulled within two!

Tony Romo had actually showed signs of life in the final four minutes, and when that happened, the defense collapsed.

Of course, all this had to happen on a night which brought back so many memories, so many great players into one stadium. How embarrassed do you think Jerry Jones feels? Wait, sorry—I'm talking about the only owner other than Al Davis who has no soul.

Those last few minutes were not the only reason the Cowboys lost the game, though.

Romo threw two unjustifiable interceptions to Ed Reed. He also failed to realize that he has another excellent receiver playing opposite Terrell Owens in Roy Williams. Plus, Romo overthrew an easy touchdown to Miles Austin, something that could only happen in December.

I've sat by my Cowboys year-in and year-out. Don't get me wrong, that will never change. But when Romo was elected to lead this team, I—like many other Cowboys fans—suddenly had a light in my eye.

Oh, how you toy with us, Tony. We've sat through treacherous quarterbacks, from Quincy Carter to Drew Henson to Chad Hutchinson. Hell, we put up with Drew Bledsoe.

You gave us hope, Tony, and now you're tearing us down. You're like Britney Spears a year ago. Hey, at least she's back.

Romo, you're proving to all Cowboys fans that you may not be the quarterback we thought you were.

Now, the Cowboys are one win away from the postseason. Even I don't think they deserve it.

Can they get there? Perhaps. It'll take a win in Philadelphia against a team that always kills the Cowboys in December, and a fanbase that yells and curses more than Samuel L. Jackson.

I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that even if the Cowboys do win in Philly, there is no possible way they exit the first round of the playoffs. I don't care who they play.

Beware, fellow Cowboys fans. We're six months away from Jerry Jones signing Plaxico Burress to "help the team." Six months away from Wade Phillips still having a job. And 12 months away from another Cowboys collapse.

What The....? Through Week 10, NFL Stills Leaves Our Jaws Dropped

Shawn Makhani — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 07:45:14 -0500

I have a bold prediction for the end of the season. Let me preface this by saying that most of my predictions are horribly wrong. For instance, I had the Jaguars and the Cowboys in the Super Bowl. Wrong. I had LT winning the MVP. Wrong. I had New Orleans winning the division. Wrong. I had John McCain getting tired of the phrase "my friends". Wrong. You see where I'm going with this?

But I am 115.6 percent sure that this prediction will come true. I predict that Minnesota, San Francisco, Kansas City, Detroit, and maybe Seattle and St. Louis will suffer from Matt Schaub Syndrome, otherwise known as MSS.

MSS is a widely known disease that plagues NFL GM's. Symptoms include wildly spending on a free agent quarterback that backed up a Pro Bowl quarterback and performed admirably enough to keep his team in the running while said quarterback was injured, debt, and eventually, hatred by hometown fans. Of course, Matt Cassell will be the distributor of MSS this offseason to one of those six teams.

Like Schaub, Cassell is backing up a Pro Bowl quarterback and has kept the Patriots in the thick of the AFC East race. Like Schaub, Cassell will get a lot of money thrown at him from these teams in the offesason, eventually landing with one.

Here's the difference: Cassell might actually be good. Watching him play, you just sense that he has that instinct. Whether it be because he learned from two Heisman Trophy winners or because he learned from one of the greatest quarterbacks ever, he looks like he has the tools to be a solid quarterback. It'll be interesting to see which team grabs him up first. On to the Week 10 best and worst:

Five Best:

1) Kerry Collins

Where was this guy all season? Collins hadn't thrown for more than 200 yards in a game all season, or more than one touchdown in a game all season. Finally, in a game when his team needed him to step up and use his arm against a dominant defense, he did just that. That's veteran leadership for you.

The Bears completely stuffed LenDale White and Chris Johnson, and forced Kerry Collins to beat them with his age-old arm, and he did just that. This season we are truly seeing the value of having a decent backup quarterback. Take notes, Jerry Jones.

2) Matty Ice

I just love this guy. I have established a new man crush. Matty Ice is right up there with Jack Bauer and Barney Stinson. He just looks so calm, so poised, so natural sitting back in the pocket. The Falcons struck it big with this guy. How lucky were they?

After years of top five quarterbacks failing (David Carr, Joey Harrington, Alex Smith), here comes a guy, asked to lead a franchise that's been completely stripped from top to bottom. Most would falter under that pressure. Not Matty Ice! He's got the Falcons right in the thick of things in the NFC. They might as well give him the rookie of the year trophy now.

Note: Jerious Norwood is FAST.

3) Adrian Peterson

Talk about redeeming yourself. Peterson calls for the ball on a 4th and 1, fumbles, and then rumbles for the game winning touchdown. Brad Childress should buy Peterson whatever he wants for Christmas, because he just saved his job. Peterson runs so well. All that talk about how he runs upright and how it would be hurt him in the NFL is all jibberish now. This just makes me dislike him even more for going to OU instead of UT.

4) Peyton Manning

Manning has not looked the same all season long. Maybe it's the injury. Maybe it's because his team isn't as good as it has been in years past. Maybe it's because Eli is taking the spotlight and Peyton is jealous. Whatever the case may be, Manning played what I think is his best game of the year.

He turned two Big Ben interceptions into 10 points and may have saved the Colts' season, keeping them in the AFC race for one more week. This was definitely a must win, and as always, Peyton delivered

Note: No matter what happens, Peyton will always be the better Manning brother. Until Eli makes something better than the United Way skit Peyton did on SNL a few years back, Peyton is on top.

5) New York Giants

Is it just me, or are the Giants the least talked about defending champs in the history of sports? All season long, people have been talking about everything BUT the Giants. Brett Favre and the Jets, Matt Cassell, Drew Brees, Matty Ice, Madonna, Britney Spears, etc. I mean seriously, what do these guys have to do to get recognized?

They're quietly sitting atop the NFC East (which was supposed to be the toughest division in football-so much for that thought) at 8-1, comfortably looking at another first round bye. I'm sure they don't mind the fact that no one even whispers their name.

I'm halfway hoping that everyone jumps on the Giants bandwagon, the Giants lose their last seven games, and Tony Romo puts up 35 touchdowns in seven weeks and the Cowboys win the division. Let's get on it people!

Five Worst

1) Buffalo Bills

What just happened to this team? Why is MarShawn Lynch running like Cedric Benson? Why is Trent Edwards doing his best impression of David Carr? The Bills were in position to win the AFC East, and now have lost three games in the division and are in last place. Maybe they really do want to move to Toronto...

2) Detroit Lions

I promised that I would always have them in the "five worst" until they show even the slightest bit of life. Yeah, it's not looking too good. With news that Ford Motors might run out of cash in 2010, the Lions and the city of Detroit are just in disarray. Things can only go up from here, Lions faithful. Have faith.

3) Green Bay Packers

This may have been the first game that Ted Thompson might have thought "if only Brett were here...". Only one offensive touchdown. Aaron Rodgers throwing for only a net of 110 yards.

Even with Gus Frerotte's three picks, the Packers still couldn't get their offensive moving. They had a chance to go into a tie with the Bears for first place in the division, but now they sit at third place as the Vikings are on the rise. Here's a suggestion: Aaron Rodgers, send a text to Brett Favre. HELP!!!!

4) St. Louis Rams

I really have nothing to say about the Rams now. At least the hit a field goal? At least Trent Green got to play? At least...at least...at least there's always next year.

5) Houston Texans

Another prediction gone wrong. I had the Texans at least competing for a playoff spot. With Matt Schaub on the sidelines and Sage Rosenfels reminding Texans' fans of David Carr, all hope is lost for this team (and maybe Gary Kubiak).

And finally, a new piece I'd like to add. Every week, new observations are made. Whether they be positive or negative, they give us insight on how this NFL season is turning out to be one of the greatest in recent memory. Here are ten of my observations:

1. When one of your leaders comes out and says your team quit on game day, you've got more problems than figuring out who your starting quarterback is. I'm talking to you, Cleveland Browns.

2. The Jets vs. Patriots game will be the best of the week.

3. The Panthers are better than people give them credit for.

4. Ditto goes for the Dolphins.

5. Big Ben is hurting more than people think.

6. Joe Flacco is giving the Ravens their first taste of what an offense really is.

7. When all is said and done, Drew Brees will still win the MVP award.

8. Brett Favre doesn't have the emotion he displayed when he was with the Packers.

9. The following teams are in a must win situation: Green Bay (vs. Chicago), New Orleans (@ Kansas City), Pittsburgh (vs. San Diego), Dallas (@ Washington).

10. Quietly, Philip Rivers is becoming one of the best quarterbacks in the game.

Five Keys To A Successful Texas Rangers' Offseason

Shawn Makhani — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 06:39:15 -0500

In my graduating high school class, we had to have a senior quote underneath our picture in our yearbook. One of my friends' quotes basically summed up the attitude of Texas Rangers fans all across America:

"If you're reading this, the Rangers still haven't won the World Series."

At first, I laughed. But as I thought about it, I couldn't help but to think how accurate that statement was. Could it be possible that, in 20 years, the team I grew up watching, the first team I saw play live, will still have not won a World Series?

What scared me more was the answer to that question: It's very possible.

Long term, we don't know what will happen. Jon Daniels won't be the GM forever, and Tom Hicks won't be the owner forever (thank the Lord). But in the mean time, here are my five keys for the Rangers to get back to a respectable level and have a successful offseason.

1) Resign Josh Hamilton

It's not every day a player like this falls in your lap. During the past few years, the Rangers have made some stupid trades involving young pitchers that have gone on to be very, very good (John Danks, anyone?).

When the Rangers gave up Edinson Volquez for Josh Hamilton, no one thought Hamilton would be this good. No one thought he'd be in the running for the Triple Crown. No one thought he'd launch THAT many home runs at Yankee Stadium.

(Note: Being at that home run derby would've been the greatest feeling in the world. Here is a guy who has gone through so much adversity, so many problems in his life, someone who overcame everything, launching home runs all over the place. Every single person was cheering for this guy. Can you just imagine how he felt? I mean, wow. I don't care what the final count for home runs were. Josh Hamilton was the clear winner.)

Jon Daniels made a great decision to give up a young arm for Hamilton. And by bringing in Johnny Narron to be there for Hamilton, the Rangers made sure Hamilton was comfortable. Hamilton quickly became a leader on this team (along with Michael Young), and the Rangers need to keep it that way for as long as possible.

Locking this guy up would insure the Rangers of having a steady leader alongside Ian Kinsler, not to mention a yearly MVP candidate

2) Sign Ben Sheets

Do I really need an explanation here? The Rangers, as always, have a need for pitching. When you have Vicente Padilla as your top pitcher, you know you've got issues. The Rangers need a proven front-line starter. Yes, Sheets has battled through injuries in the past. But he's also rebounded from those injuries quite well.

Do I expect Sheets to be as good as he was in Milwaukee? No. The Rangers can score runs with the best of them, but they need pitching that can keep opponents from scoring as well. Sheets will bring that, as well as leadership, to the rotation.

3) Trade two of the four catchers

For the first time in recent memory, the Rangers have some decent trading chips that wouldn't be as detrimental to the team as, say, trading away John Danks was (yes, I'm still bitter). Here's a look at some of the rumors swirling around:

Yankees looking at Gerald Laird and Jarrod Saltalamacchia possibly for Philip Hughes or Ian Kennedy
Red Sox looking at Gerald Laird or Taylor Teagarden possibly for Clay Bucholhz/Michael Bowden
Marlins looking at Max Ramirez for Scott Olsen
Rangers looking at Matt Cain, but one of four catchers + Chris Davis would be required

Here's a message to Jon Daniels: do not, I repeat, DO NOT trade Taylor Teagarden. Please. For the sake of all the hearts of Texas Rangers' fans, do not trade Teagarden. Theo Epstein is pushing for him. I don't care what he offers. Trade Ramirez, trade Laird, or trade Salty. But do NOT trade Teagarden.

With that being said, I think the best deal that has reportedly been offered is from the Yankees (Hughes would be better than Kennedy). Trading for Matt Cain would be a horrible idea, simply because we would have to give up Chris Davis. Davis can and will be a staple at the corner infield spot for a while. Laird is almost certainly gone, with many teams in the running for him.

Saltalamacchia reportedly would love to play for Boston, but I feel the Rangers need to retain at least Salty or Laird just for their experience. Plus, can you imagine the platoon at first base once Justin Smoak gets called up? Salty and Smoak? Sounds like a good old Texas barbecue. All Daniels needs to do is make sure he gets back some decent pitching and perhaps an offensive player, which ties in to my next key.

4) Figure out the infield

To me, other than third base, I felt that the weakest position last season for the Rangers was the outfield. Josh Hamilton played both right and center, with Brandon Boggs, David Murphy, and Marlon Byrd occupying whatever was left. Murphy should be a mainstay in the outfield, but an upgrade is needed over Boggs and Byrd.

Whether that be through a trade from above, a free agent acquisition (Pat Burrell?), or within the organization (Nelson Cruz?), the Rangers should shore up that last outfield spot.

5) Find a cleanup hitter

With Milton Bradley leaving for free agency, the Rangers are losing a valuable asset at the cleanup spot. Common wisdom would be to move Josh Hamilton down to No. four, but as the old saying dictates, if it ain't broke, don't fix it.

Hamilton flourished in the third spot, and should be kept there. This position needs to be addressed through a trade because no one within the organization is capable of reproducing what Bradley did there last year.

Nelson Cruz, if called up, might fit well, but I still think he's a tad streaky. A top-of-the-line hitter isn't necessary, because the Rangers have enough powerful hitting as it is.

Someone like a Pat Burrell (who would also help the outfield as mentioned above) would fill this spot admirably.

With the Angels losing Mark Teixeira (maybe) and K-Rod (definitely), the Rangers have to be optimistic that their time is coming. Vlad and Lackey could be gone next year, and that team isn't getting younger, either.

Now is the time for Jon Daniels to make some smart moves, shore up the pitching, and not trade any of the valuable assets that the Rangers have saved up.

Hey, you never know, maybe they can prove my friend wrong.

Breaking News: Tears Of Cowboys Fans Flood The City Of Dallas

Shawn Makhani — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 08:23:29 -0400

Yes, it's official. The city of Dallas will soon cease to exist. The tears from the soon-to-be-famous flood that wiped out the city are the cause of news that Tony Romo's apparent "sprained" pinkie is actually broken, keeping him out up to four weeks.

Now I know how Patriots fans feel. Sure, Romo isn't out the whole season like Brady. But we can basically eliminate Dallas from any talk of the Super Bowl. Although you can guarantee a victory at St. Louis next week, the next two are against Tampa Bay and the Giants, two defenses that should make Brad Johnson wish he retired when he had the chance.

Has there any been any worse news to wake up to on a Monday morning? The Dow can drop 800 points, I could be so broke that I'm best friends with MC Hammer, and my girlfriend could be cheating on me. But Romo is out for a month? Shoot me now.

As any Cowboys fan would, I thought to myself: how the hell did this happen? What could go so wrong that all hope for the season would be lost? Here's my opinion: it all happened within a week. Seven days. That's all it took.

This was definitely the worst week the 'Boys could've envisioned coming into this season. Almost as bad as the CBS show entitled "Worst Week", although not as bad as "The Mentalist" Seriously. "I'm not psychic...I just observe people" is the tag line (or something like that). You can't observe people that well, you're just creepy. End of discussion.

The first thing that occurred was our good old pal, Mr. TO. First off, let me state that Cowboys fans love him. Terrell Owens, despite the character, has a place in every Cowboys' fans heart. But kind of like that hot girl you're dating who says that getting together with the boys to watch football is lame, one wrong phrase can turn us against you. Now on to my point:

Right after the Cincinnati game, we got the classic Terrell Owens "I never get the ball" speech, except this time he decided to bring a higher being into the conversation, essentially stating that when he gets the ball, God is happy.

Listen TO, we love you, but subtly stating that Tony Romo is pissing God off by not throwing you the ball is probably the reason God injured Romo. This is all your fault.

God is angry with you for all your whining and your dropped passes. He's angry with you because God is a Cowboys fan, and naturally, he picked you as his starting wide receiver on his fantasy football team. Now he's losing in his league to Steve Jobs and Tom Brady. This is the punishment you get. You think he hasn't had enough of your crap? Try getting the ball when Brad Johnson is quarterback.

Later in the week, reports out of Dallas stated that Adam Jones had gotten into another "altercation". Not disciplining Jones was a HUGE mistake. He's had his chances to rebuild his image.

Even if the fight wasn't violent (which, according to Jones, was much more violent than described in the media), some action was required by Jerry Jones. A one game suspension, without pay, would've sufficed. Even after Jones apologized, teammates said that they didn't feel it was sincere. Jones is ruining the chemistry of this team, and as cliche as it is, it definitely matters.

Look at the past teams who've won championships: The Celtics, the Red Sox, the Giants, the Spurs, the US Men's Swimming Team, the Patriots, the Red Wings. The key for all these teams? Chemistry! Pacman is bringing unwanted attention to the Cowboys (as if they need more).

It's like giving the paparazzi a key to Paris Hilton's apartment/condo/house/living space. She doesn't need more attention, and quite frankly, we don't want to hear about it.

First of all, the nickname "Pacman" was a tip off that this guy is trouble. When I think of Pacman, I think of a cute little yellow mouth gobbling up white pixels at local burger joints and in hand held gaming devices, pleasing people of all ages all over the world. Anyone ruining the nickname of a classic like that is definitely no good. Soon we'll be seeing some troubled individual nicknamed "Sonic". Or even worse..."Barney".

So now we sit and wait. Cowboys fans all across Dallas are floating in their tears. Romo out, Brad Johnson in. How much do you think it'll take to get Troy Aikman to leave Joe Buck and come back to the 'Boys for one more year?

NFL Week Five's Best and Worst

Shawn Makhani — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 08:49:26 -0400

You know, as a sports fan, this time of year should make you forget about everything else. The NFL is occupying your church time, the MLB playoffs are thrilling for once, and the NBA is just a few weeks away.

But with all this comes the realization that February is steadily approaching, meaning your Sundays will be filled with actually doing your homework or shopping with your family. It's this time of year that makes me just as sad as it does happy.

The NFL is a tradition, an event that makes you forget about whatever problems you have and allows you to take an entire day to sit in your favorite chair and escape life.

But now? We're sadly getting into basketball season, meaning the downhill portion of the NFL season. You know those Monday Night Football commercials where the guy looks all depressed because it's Tuesday, only to have a voice tell him not to worry because Monday is coming up? They should make one for the NFL offseason, except use James Earl Jones' voice.

Can you imagine how glum that man would look? The poor man standing at the water cooler, tears running down his face, with Darth Vader making things worse, probably stating something like "There is no escaping the power of the NFL..." Jeez, where is Luke Skywalker when you need him?

Week Five's Best and Worst

Five Best

1) Miami Dolphins

When you line up Chad Pennington at wide receiver for two-straight games and STILL fool people, especially a defense like the Chargers, you know you have luck on your side. Personally, I have a theory. It's all Bill Parcells. Apparently, when you mix two inhabitants of the same habitat together, you double your win total and are able to run trick plays that should only work in Madden. The Tuna and the Dolphins. Sounds like a Discovery Channel documentary.

2) Ben Roethlisberger

How good is Ben Roethlisberger? Seriously. He's taking hits every time he drops back. Good thing he's not going all Kimbo Slice on us. He's single-handedly keeping the Steelers on top of the AFC North.

For some odd reason, he reminds me of Spider-Man—always injured, loses some fights, but in the end, he'll prevail and be the hero of the town. One key difference though: I'm 99.999 percent positive that, if I was stuck in a dark alley, I'd much rather fight Spider-Man than Roethlisberger. Big Ben is like four-times the size of Spidey. And besides, I have half a mind to think that Tobey Maguire can't actually fight...

3) Washington Redskins

The Redskins remind me of Leonardo DiCaprio in The Departed (my favorite movie, by the way). No one expects him to succeed, Martin Sheen and Marky Mark put him down the whole movie, but suddenly out of nowhere, Leo turns the corner and shocks everyone (I'm trying not to give away the movie).

At the beginning of the season, everyone discounted the 'Skins, and people were right for about a week. And now? Now they're in second place in the killer NFC East. It's not funny anymore. I think Jim Zorn was just playing a big joke on the entire NFL. You think he and Dan Snyder got together before the season began and decided to just play games with us?

Beating Dallas and Philly in two straight weeks put the Redskins in the drivers seat for the rest of the season. Now, the 'Skins are poised to go 7-1, and I'm pissed. Besides, I don't think a coach who ever tells his players to yell "hip hip hooray" after a victory deserves to win.

4) Matty Ice

I liked Matt Ryan a lot in this draft, and I think Atlanta made the wise decision of selecting him (not like they had a choice). But the "Matty Ice" nickname fits him perfectly.

How frozen were Packers fans after the showing he put on? How good is he making Roddy White look? And I'm willing to go out on a limb and say he's going to have one hell of a broadcasting or GM career when he's done.

Have you seen how clean cut this kid is? He says all the right things, presents himself in the right way, which is everything that the Falcons needed from a PR standpoint. I feel that someone needs to employ Vanilla Ice to re-create his ever so famous "Ice Ice Baby", simply for Matty Ice and make sure it's played every time he steps out on the field.

Word to your mother.

5) Kyle Orton

Why didn't the Bears start Orton earlier? Why have we thought that Devin Hester was the Bears' secret weapon, when in reality it's been Kyle Orton? Maybe Lovie Smith was just waiting until Brett Favre left the division to unleash Orton. You know, wait until no one really cares about what goes on in the NFC North, and then WHAM.

Sure, the Bears played the Lions. But come on, this is a team that trusted Rex Grossman in the Super Bowl. Whenever their quarterback does well, you have to give them credit. Remember when Orton was silently pacing on the sidelines with the clipboard while Rex Grossman helped other teams win?

And then when Lovie Smith named him the starter, Orton said he deserved it? Way to back it up, Kyle. Now only if you can get the Bears to the Super Bowl and help Chicago fans forget about baseball...

Five Worst

1) San Diego Chargers

Maybe the Chargers have those losses to the Panthers and Broncos on their mind. Maybe the injuries are catching up with them. Maybe it's just Norv Turner. Whatever the reason is, something is terribly, terribly wrong.

The Chargers should've beaten the Dolphins. Plain and simple. I think Philip Rivers needs to go back to being his bad-boy self. Sure, he's having the best year of his career, but clearly it's not helping.

Maybe the whole "I'm gonna stop trash talking, I've matured" thing isn't working out. I can't wait for the next Broncos-Chargers game. Can you just imagine what Rivers would say to Jay Cutler if the Broncos win?

"Hey Jay, great game man...You've got a strong arm, and your hair looks better than ever. Best of luck in the future, my friend." Yikes.

Side note: LaDanian Tomlinson's pantry must be full of Chunky Soup, because he hasn't conquered a hard day at work in a while (no, facing Oakland's D is not a hard day).

2) Detroit Lions

I think I'm just going to have the Lions in my five worst for good. You know, make a template for my document with the Lions fixed somewhere in this section? Every week, something seems to go horribly wrong for them. This week, they were reassured that the future isn't going to look too good.

Dan Orlovsky came in the game and threw a ball too high for a very tall Roy Williams, which was returned for a touchdown. They have basically forced the firing of their head coach and the departure of Roy Williams. Thank God the city of Detroit has the Red Wings.

3) The Cowboys' defense

This was supposed to be an easy win for the Cowboys. Carson Palmer is having one of the worst years of his career, yet he almost led the Bengals to victory. The Dallas defense needs to get better, and fast, otherwise there is no shot at the NFC East Division Title, much less the playoffs.

I feel that they're putting too much pressure on themselves. All offseason, they've been touted as the best team in the NFC. People forget that this secondary is below average, to say the least. Whenever you have Roy Williams as your starting safety, you've got a problem.

I know he's injured, but we Cowboys fans blame everything wrong about our defense on him. It's all his fault.

By the way, I was upset at the end of this game, not because the Cowboys won on a lucky catch by Patrick Crayton (who apparently can catch balls that bounce off teammates' hands with one hand, but can't catch a wide open pass in a playoff game), but because Chad Ocho Cinco didn't catch a touchdown and fulfill his promise of kissing the star.

Remember the last time an opposing player messed with the star at Texas Stadium? Yeah, Mr. Owens ended up on our team. We were so close to an Ocho Uno-Ocho Cinco receiving tandem. So close.

4) Seattle Seahawks

Poor Mike Holmgren. I bet he's regretting that he didn't retire at the end of last year. He would've finished his career back home in Green Bay, against Brett Favre, in front of the Lambeau crowd that loves him.

Now? Now he's watching Matt Hasslebeck cringe underneath defenders. Deion Branch has been injured so many times that I wouldn't be surprised to see him on an episode of Grey's Anatomy (which I'm told is based in Seattle).

The Seahawks had an easy road to the postseason—just win eight games,and you're good to go. Doesn't look like it's happening. And how much do you think Matt Hasselbeck wishes he was his brother right now? Let's compare the two.

Matt went to the Super Bowl. Tim is married to Elisabeth Hasselbeck. Matt plays for one of the best coaches in the NFL. Tim is married to Elisabeth Hasselbeck. Matt is an NFL starter. Tim is married to Elisabeth Hasselbeck. See where I'm going with this?

5) Philadelphia Eagles

This one should be self-explanatory. When you're on the goal line, whether it be against the Bears, the Redskins, or the local pee-wee football team, you have to score. Pass the ball. Play action. Jump over the offensive line. Quarterback sneak.

There are so many options, yet the Eagles just can't seem to score when they're within three yards of the end zone. Something is wrong with this team, as well as McNabb.

Let's be real, as a Cowboys fan, I'm delighted that they lost. But again, as a Cowboys fan, I wish they would've beaten the Redskins. If the Redskins continue this hot streak of theirs, we can thank the Eagles. And Roy Williams, of course.

Five Games to Watch Next Week (in no particular order):

1) New England @ San Diego
2) Chicago @ Atlanta
3) Jacksonville @ Denver
4) Carolina @ Tampa Bay
5) Green Bay @ Seattle

NFL: Thoughts About the First Sunday

Shawn Makhani — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 04:48:06 -0400

Note: As the school year began, I failed to render my NFL predictions. Thus, they have been listed below as I had predicted before the season started, with the teams' current records after yesterday in parenthesis.

Last week, waking up on Monday was the best feeling in the world, knowing that in just four short days, the NFL season would be upon us. And after the Giants beat the 'Skins on Thursday night, I could feel tremors of psychitude rock my body (a la Barney Stinson) because the first Sunday of NFL season was almost here.

Now, that Sunday has come and gone, and it made for one of the most exciting opening weekends in recent memory. Here's a look at what occurred on the most glorious day of the year.

Five Best

1. Chicago Bears

Yes, maybe the Bears don't belong as the best team from Sunday. But take into account the fact that no one had them winning on Sunday. And I mean no one outside of Chicago. Hell, even people in Chicago didn't have them winning.

Every major analyst put the Bears' chances of winning this game at slim to none, and the reasons they gave were valid ones: Kyle Orton is starting, Matt Forte is a rookie, and their receivers could be outplayed by a local high school team. But what did the Bears do? They relied on that old Bears formula: run and run.

Matt Forte brought back thoughts of Walter Payton, as he was the first rookie to start at running back since the great No. 34, and ran all over the Colts for 123 yards and a TD.

Orton managed the game well, which is all Lovie Smith asked for, and improved to 13-6 as a starter. If the Bears keep using this formula, which propelled them to the Super Bowl in 2006, the league better watch out.

2. Atlanta Falcons

Do I need to write an explanation? Matt Ryan, the rookie from Boston College, starting his first game. A new head coach. New running back. New team attitude. And what do they do? They put up 34 on the Lions.

Sure, it's the Lions. But 34 points?! Matt Ryan's first pass of his NFL career was a 62-yarder to Michael Jenkins. Oh, and let's not forget about Michael Turner, who destroyed the Lions' defense, going for 220 yards on 22 carries.

The Falcons won't have many games like this, but the future has to look good for Atlanta fans.

3. Buffalo Bills

A trendy pick for that last wildcard spot in the AFC, it wasn't the fact that the Bills beat the Seahawks; it was how they beat them. This game wasn't even close.

Roscoe Parrish returned a punt for 63 yards, Trent Edwards controlled the game well and didn't commit any turnovers, Marshawn Lynch ran well, Lee Evans was excellent, and the defense was solid.

If the Bills play like this all year, there's no question they could lock up that last wildcard slot.

4. Donovan McNabb

Finally healthy for the first time in what seems like ages, McNabb, playing without his top three receivers, went all crazy on the St. Louis defense, throwing for a ridiculous 361 yards and three touchdowns, including a 90-yarder to Hank Baskett.

Being a Cowboys fan and watching that game, I could feel my stomach quivering and my heart beating fast, kind of like when you see the girl you're crazy about talking to the star quarterback of the football team. You've got to be scared.

5. Jake Delhomme

Another quarterback coming off an injury, Delhomme played extremely well against what is supposed to be a stacked San Diego defense. Delhomme went for a respectable 247 yards against the Chargers, and threw the game winning touchdown as time expired.

The Panthers can't win like that every week, but they sure played well against a possible Super Bowl team.

Five Worst

1. New England Patriots

The Patriots played extremely well. Randy Moss showed last year wasn't a fluke. Then again, the Patriots might not want to think about last year. Not because they lost the Super Bowl, but because the man who led them there, the all-mighty Tom Brady, went down awkwardly with a knee injury, taking the Patriots' playoff chances with him.

Every single person in Gillette Stadium stopped breathing at that moment. I mean every single person. Without Brady, the Patriots are a middle-of-the-pack team in the AFC, if that.

Brady's injury hasn't been fully examined yet, but from the look of it, it is not good. Eric Mangini is walking around with the biggest smile on his face right now, as his team is now the favorite to win the AFC East. But watch out for the Buffalo Bills. This should be an interesting battle.

2. Houston Texans

Maybe the Texans couldn't handle all the hype. Maybe they're not as good as people have been giving them credit for. Maybe they just had one bad week and could go 15-1 the rest of the year. Whatever the case, the Texans did not look good.

Matt Schaub looked awful, especially during his two interceptions. There are two kinds of interceptions, in my mind. First, there are the ones that are brought on by pressure on the quarterback or the receiver running the wrong route/failing to catch the pass.

Then there are the stupid interceptions caused by the quarterback over/under throwing the receiver or making a stupid, stupid throw. Schaub's interceptions were the latter.

In what was supposed to be his breakout year, Schaub is off to a bad start. The running game was what we thought it would be: terrible. What was surprising was the Texans' defensive front, which was supposed to be their strong suit. Mario Williams and the Texans allowed 138 yards and three TD's to Willie Parker, and couldn't get through a weak Steelers offensive line.

Houston has got to play better if they even want to have a shot at improving on the 8-8 record they held last year.

3. Jacksonville Jaguars

Last season, David Garrard threw three interceptions. The entire season. On Sunday against the Titans, he threw two!

Yes, the injury to Jerry Porter had something to do with it, as Garrard was forced to work with Matt Jones and Dennis Northcutt. But the running tandem of Fred Taylor and Maurice Jones-Drew was supposed to take the pressure off Garrard and open up the play action pass. There goes that idea.

The Jags' running backs were held to 33 yards total (Taylor had 18 and Jones-Drew had 13). The Titans' defense definitely came to play. They shut down the running game and forced Garrard to beat them. The Jags will be better, there's no doubt about that, but only if the running game gets back on track in the next few weeks.

4. Cincinnati Bengals

The Ravens came into the game without their top running back and with a rookie quarterback. The Bengals came into the game with one of the best quarterbacks and two of the best receivers in the game. On paper, the Bengals should've won this game. Until we realize that these are the Bengals.

Carson Palmer had one of the worst games of his career, throwing for a measly 99 yards. Yes, the Ravens defense has been great for years. But 99 yards? And what about that defense? They couldn't tackle Mark Clayton on a WR reverse that went for a 42-yard score, not to mention Joe Flacco (yes, the quarterback) going for a 38-yard score...on the ground.

No one expects the Bengals to contend, much less be any good this year, but this game has to be a cause for concern for Marvin Lewis.

5. Colts' Defense

Year after year, the Colts' defense gets much better. Dwight Freeney and Bob Sanders are healthy. The Colts were opening up their season in the brand new Lucas Oil Stadium.

However, the defense faltered, allowing 123 yards rushing to rookie Matt Forte. Freeney was held to only two tackles on the night. The Colts are lucky that Peyton Manning's knee held up, but they have to get this defense on track if they want to hold off the Jags.

Five Games to Watch Next Week

1. Dallas at Philadelphia

First real test for possible NFC champ.

2. San Diego at Denver

Growing rivalry between Philip Rivers and Jay Cutler.

3. Buffalo at Jacksonville

Bills could upset the Jags and prove they're real. Or they'll get crushed.

4. Atlanta at Tampa Bay

Matt Ryan and Michael Turner against one of the best defenses. Can they prove last week wasn't a fluke?

5. Pittsburgh at Cleveland

The battle for AFC North begins now.

Projections

AFC East

1. New England Patriots (1-0)

2. New York Jets (1-0)

3. Buffalo Bills (1-0)

4. Miami Dolphins (0-1)

These predictions were before Brady's injury. If he's done for the year, pencil in the Jets to be first, the Bills second, and the Pats third.

AFC North

1. Pittsburgh Steelers (1-0)

2. Cleveland Browns (0-1)

3. Baltimore Ravens (1-0)

4. Cincinnati Bengals (0-1)

AFC South

1. Jacksonville Jaguars (0-1)

2. Indianapolis Colts (0-1)

3. Tennessee Titans (1-0)

4. Houston Texans (0-1)

AFC West

1. San Diego Chargers (0-1)

2. Denver Broncos (0-0)

3. Oakland Raiders (0-0)

4. Kansas City Chiefs (0-1)

NFC East

1. Dallas Cowboys (1-0)

2. Philadelphia Eagles (1-0)

3. New York Giants (1-0)

4. Washington Redskins (0-1)

NFC North

1. Minnesota Vikings (0-0)

2. Green Bay Packers (0-0)

3. Chicago Bears (1-0)

4. Detroit Lions (0-1)

NFC South

1. New Orleans Saints (1-0)

2. Carolina Panthers (1-0)

3. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (0-1)

4. Atlanta Falcons (1-0)

NFC West

1. Seattle Seahawks (0-1)

2. Arizona Cardinals (1-0)

3. St. Louis Rams (0-1)

4. San Francisco 49ers (0-1)

Super Bowl: Cowboys over Jaguars.

MLB Midseason Update: Standings, Team MVPs, and Postseason Predictions

Shawn Makhani — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 16:07:31 -0400

Now that I'm awake after sleeping following the five-hour torment that was the All-Star game, I thought I'd run through my end of the season predictions, forecasting the standings, team MVPs, and, of course, postseason predictions.

(Team MVP in parentheses)

AL East

1. Boston Red Sox (J.D. Drew)

2. Tampa Bay Rays (Evan Longoria)

3. New York Yankees (Alex Rodriguez)

4. Baltimore Orioles (George Sherill)

5. Toronto Blue Jays (Roy Halladay)

The Red Sox simply have too much firepower to let first place slip away. Jason Varitek can't keep hitting this poorly, and David Ortiz will be back on July 25, hopefully with no lasting pain in his wrist.

Even if that occurs, look for the Sox to go out and acquire Mark Teixeria or Matt Holliday (who would make a spectacular replacement for Manny after the year). If Drew can keep up his hot streak, the Sox should be in prime position to return to the postseason. He's been keeping the team going, earning him the MVP nod.

The Rays will hold off the Yankees down the stretch. I believe they will make a move within the next few weeks to acquire a right-handed outfielder (Xavier Nady or Jason Bay). Brian Cashman's reluctance to give up Ian Kennedy will cost his team a postseason spot and his job.

AL Central

1. Chicago White Sox (Carlos Quentin)

2. Detroit Tigers (Curtis Granderson)

3. Minnesota Twins (Justin Morneau)

4. Cleveland Indians (Cliff Lee)

5. Kansas City Royals (Joakim Soria)

The White Sox pitching staff and surprising offensive outburst from Quentin should keep this team afloat in the disappointing AL Central. Paul Konerko should rebound from a horrific first half.

The Tigers will climb into second, but it's too little too late. Granderson is the player who makes this team go, which is why he's my MVP. Minnesota should drop to third, but that could change if they acquire Adrian Beltre (which has been rumored). Matt LaPorta should be called up to get the Indians out of the dweller, giving Cleveland a killer tandem in LaPorta and Sizemore.

AL West

1. Los Angeles Angels (Francisco Rodriguez)

2. Texas Rangers (Josh Hamilton)

3. Oakland Athletics (Justin Duchscherer)

4. Seattle Mariners (uh.....)

The Angles are the clear frontrunners in this division and should have no problem winning it. Their pitching staff makes up for their lack of offensive production. If this team can add a bat (How long have we heard that?), they could oust the Red Sox as the best team in the AL. Holliday,Teixeria, and Adam Dunn have all been rumored.

My hometown Texas Rangers will begin their steady climb to a dynasty by finishing second just for this year. Okay, so my dreams are high. But with numerous pitchers returning from injury and the offense playing the way it is, look for the Rangers to make a surprise push to second place (unless GM Jon Daniels trades Milton Bradley, in which case I will publish a petition to have Daniels fired).

Ian Kinsler should get the MVP over Hamilton, but Hamilton's numbers (during the season and that outburst at the Home Run Derby) plus his story are too good to pass up.

NL East

1. New York Mets (David Wright)

2. Philadelphia Phillies (Chase Utley)

3. Florida Marlins (Hanley Ramirez)

4. Atlanta Braves (Chipper Jones)

5. Washington Nationals (see Seattle Mariners)

The Mets are on a nine-game winning streak entering the break, and look for it to continue. The team is heating up, and Fernando Tatis has resurrected his career while replacing the injured Moises Alou.

Ryan Church will (hopefully) return, and if not, look for top prospect Fernando Martinez to be called up now that Juan Rivera is off the market (although a trade is still a possibility). The Phillies' pitching staff and Ryan Howard's gazillion strike outs should doom this team.

NL Central

1. Chicago Cubs (Aramis Ramirez)

2. Milwaukee Brewers (CC Sabathia)

3. St. Louis Cardinals (Dave Duncan)

4. Houston Astros (Lance Berkman)

5. Cincinatti Reds (Edinson Volquez)

6. Pittsburgh Pirates (Nate McLouth)

The Cubs' subsequent move for Rich Harden after the Brewers acquired Sabathia solidifies their spot as division winners. An easy second half schedule and the play of Sabathia (Ryan Braun and Ben Sheets could also be choices for MVP) will help the Brew Crew claim second place.

The Cardinals are lucky to be at No. 3 and eventually will fall, as I don't see them making a splash big enough to move past Milwaukee. Dave Duncan gets MVP honors for the ridiculously good job he's done turning relievers into starters. Pittsburgh should move all the way down after they trade Bay and Nady.

NL West

1. Los Angeles Dodgers (James Loney)

2. Arizona Diamondbacks (Brandon Webb)

3. San Francisco Giants (Tim Lincecum)

4. San Diego Padres (Adrian Gonzalez)

5. Colorado Rockies (Brian Fuentes)

This is easily the hardest division in the majors to predict. Every team is hovering around .500. Three of the five have the talent to run away (LA, Arizona, and Colorado), but no team is showing that they even deserve to make the postseason.

But as the Rockies showed last year, two good weeks at the end of the season can propel you to the World Series. My guess here is that James Loney and the Dodgers catch on fire, beating out the Diamondbacks.

Tim Lincecum and the Giants have shown spurts of promise, and if they can put together some offensive pieces, they might be back on top in a few years. Brian Fuentes gets my nod as MVP for the Rockies simply because I feel he will be the most talked about name NOT moved.

Postseason Predictions

Well, if you've stuck around to read the whole article, you'll probably read this last section as well, since you've had nothing better to do. Here are my predictions for the 2008 postseason:

Divisional Series:

Boston Red Sox over Chicago White Sox

Los Angeles Angels over Tampa Bay Rays (WC)

Championship Series:

Boston Red Sox over Los Angeles Angels

Divisional Series:

Chicago Cubs over Los Angeles Dodgers

New York Mets over Milwaukee Brewers (WC)

Championship Series:

Chicago Cubs over New York Mets

World Series

This selection is tearing me apart. I absolutely love both of these teams. The history surrounding the Cubs and the World Series is a story everyone around the world knows. But the Red Sox have been absolutely dominant in the Word Series their past two trips, sweeping both the Cardinals and Rockies.

Ultimately, I think the baseball Gods will grant the wishes of Cubs fans all across the world, as the Cubs will win at Wrigley, behind dominating pitching performances from Carlos Zambrano, Rich Harden, and Ryan Dempster.

Seattle SuperSonics: Three Reasons Why They Should Draft D.J. Augustin

Shawn Makhani — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 17:21:38 -0400

The Seattle (for now) Sonics are facing many, many problems.

For one, they don't know whether they'll be the Seattle Sonics anymore. Hell, they don't know if they'll be the Sonics anymore. Currently, the city of Seattle and the Sonics are in court, fighting over whether the team has the right to leave the lease they have on Key Arena and move to Oklahoma City.

Secondly, the Sonics have roster issues so bad, it makes Donnie Walsh's job look like a piece of cake. Kevin Durant and Jeff Green, last year's first round picks, are the only sure things on this roster.

Ray Allen and Wally Szczerbiak were traded. Earl Watson and Luke Ridnour should not be starting point guards. Chris Wilcox has shown some glimpses of promise, as has Nick Collison (when he's not injured).

The Sonics need something to spark this team. If they do move to OK City, they need more than Kevin Durant to draw fans. Remember, Durant was brought in to replace memories of Ray Allen.

By trading the fourth pick in the draft, the Sonics can move down and safely select D.J. Augustin out of Texas. By drafting Augustin, the Sonics will be addressing three major issues facing their team going into the 2008-2009 NBA season.

1) Finally, no more watching Luke Ridnour or Earl Watson attempt to run an offense

Let's be brutally honest here—Ridnour and Watson are not the first names that come to mind when you think of elite point guards. Yes, Watson did a great job of dishing out the ball, averaging 6.8 apg last season. But Watson didn't have that "it" factor that point guards have.

Take Chris Paul, for example. Paul was able to put the team on his back and do everything coach Byron Scott asked of him. He was a distributor, he was a scorer, he made everyone around him better. More importantly, he led his team to a surprising run in the playoffs, eventually losing to the San Antonio Spurs.

Paul launched himself into the upper echelon of point guards. Putting his name in the same sentence as Steve Nash is not unusual any longer.

D.J. Augustin has done that. After Kevin Durant left Texas for the NBA, D.J. Augustin carried the Longhorns on his back. I know—I saw him play every Saturday.

Augustin made A.J. Abrams better. He made Damion James better. Augustin was the leader of the Longhorns squad. He took the big shot when necessary, and he passed the ball when necessary.

Without Augustin, I can honestly say Durant would not have been as good as he was. Augustin has that determination to be the best point guard in the land. He's got the shot, and he sure as hell can be a leader.

(By the way, the Boston Celtics have just won the NBA Championship. Total domination of the Lakers.)

2) By trading down, the Sonics can either acquire more picks or a decent player(s) in return

Another logical reason for trading down and drafting D.J. Augustin would be that the Sonics can shore up other parts of their team. The Sonics have a pressing need for a shooting guard (Durant and Green should stick to playing forward) and a center if Collison/Wilcox don't pan out.

With a rotation of Augustin, Durant, and Green, the Sonics have a good core to build around if/when they move (or if they stay).

Yes, I understand they could trade down and draft someone like Eric Gordon or Russell Westbrook. But that would ruin the whole purpose of this article.

3) Chemistry, chemistry, chemistry

How many times have we seen chemistry play a huge part in a team's success? Just look at the countless examples: Jordan and Pippen. Chris Paul and David West. Tony Parker and Tim Duncan. Steve Nash and the Suns (pre-Shaq, of course). The Big Three for the Celtics. Chemistry is as big a factor as any in the NBA.

By drafting D.J. Augustin, the Sonics are not only helping his development, but also that of Kevin Durant. These two played together for a year and helped turn around the Texas basketball program. They built a very strong bond as college teammates and friends. They can adjust to each other, they can adapt to each other. They play off each other's strengths.

The Sonics have a great chance here to shore up their future with two guys who've already established a relationship with each other, which in turn should make the entire team better.

I know the idea seems very far-fetched. The Sonics are entertaining offers for the fourth pick, but chances are that Augustin is not the guy they want (although I'm sure Durant would love it if they drafted him).

But as a Texas Longhorn, nothing would make me happier than to see these two together again—and I'm not the only one. Ask the other 50,000 members of the Longhorn student body.

Road trips to Oklahoma City, anyone?

Terrell Owens Inks Four-Year Extension with Cowboys

Shawn Makhani — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 16:38:12 -0400

Jerry Jones has given the Dallas Cowboys 34 million more reasons to smile.

Early Monday afternoon, it was announced that Pro Bowl WR Terrell Owens signed a four-year, $34 million extension with the Cowboys, solidifying his spot in the blue and white until 2011. Entering the final year of his deal, the Cowboys made TO one of the four highest paid receivers in the game, along with Randy Moss, Javon Walker, and Larry Fitzgerald.

But the most exciting thought for Cowboys fans is knowing that Owens won't be throwing a selfish, greed-filled tantrum during the offseason demanding to get paid, as he did when he was with the Philadelphia Eagles.

The last thing the Cowboys need is a distraction from Owens. The 'Boys enter the season having not won a playoff game in 11 years, dealing with Tony Romo's off the field escapades with Jessica Simpson, and the whole Pacman Jones situation. Making him happy and keeping him in a Cowboys uniform was a big priority for the Cowboys.

Owens has proven to be a model citizen based on his standards, and has backed up his paycheck by leading the NFC in touchdown catches the past two seasons. The active leader in touchdown receptions, TO is 35 years old but has the fitness regimen of a 25-year-old man.

One thing the Cowboys can count on this season is TO delivering for the team. He's returned to the top as one of the NFL's best receivers, and has turned a young man from Eastern Illinois into a Pro Bowl quarterback and the face of America's Team.

Cowboys fans, getcha' popcorn ready.

Other Thoughts

•With the semi-reinstatement of Pacman Jones, the Cowboys will get a good look at the former Pro Bowl CB/KR, acquired in a trade with the Tennessee Titans this offseason. Along with seeing if the kid can still play, Jones will get a chance to mesh with his teammates.

Cowboys fans are hoping that the team and coaching staff can spray some of the good boy dust they've sprayed on former trouble makers Tank Johnson and Terrell Owens. If his good behavior holds up, Commissioner Roger Goodell could fully reinstate the dynamic player by September 1.

•Terence Newman has no right to call out Roy Willams. Sure, everyone and their mother knows that Williams can't cover a granny with a walker. But he's made his living by knocking the crap out of ball carriers and receivers who like to go across the middle.

Williams' game has helped the Cowboys to consistently have one of the best run defenses over the past few years. He doesn't need to change anything, in my opinion.

What will help him, however, is the addition of Dave Campo as the Secondary Coach. Campo returns to the Cowboys after servicing the Jacksonville Jaguars. With Campo's help and maybe a little friendliness from Newman, Roy Williams will at least develop some skill in covering those receivers who run right past Newman.