Bleacher Report - Articles by Benjamin Williams

Did the Detroit Tigers Just Play the Most Important Game of the Season?

Benjamin Williams — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 20:02:25 -0400

On August 3rd, the Detroit Tigers defeated the Baltimore Orioles 6-5 with the heroics of a couple players. But before I get into this, let's back it up one more day.

On August 2nd, Jim Leyland called that day's game against the Indians the most important game of the season (for reasons pertaining to the bullpen and getting it set up right). Te Tigers promptly fell flat on their face in losing 11-1.

Detroit's road record fell to 7-17 since mid-June. They've been in first place since May, but their grasp on first is tenuous at best. Their bullpen was completely depleted in the Indians series that saw 7 extra innings played over the weekend.

Given no time off, they began a three game series with the Orioles yesterday, with their ace Justin Verlander taking the mound. I'm sure that manager Jim Leyland was looking forward to a game where the bullpen could take the night off. Unfortunately, events rarely follow the ideal script we would like them to.

Justin Verlander gave up a leadoff homer to Brian Roberts, followed by three singles and two doubles before escaping the inning in a five run hole.

At this point, Leyland must've been really itching for a cigarette. Knowing that the Tigers would have to rely on their bullpen for the majority of this game must have weighed heavily on Leyland's mind after the top half of the first inning. As recently as last year, I would've guessed at this happening as well.

But this is 2009, and this is a different Tigers team. Last year's team would've packed it in after giving up five runs before taking a single swing at the ball. Last year's Justin Verlander would've struggled tremendously after an inning like that by picking up the pace and getting visibly frustrated.

So how did the Tigers respond? The offense got three of those runs back immediately in the bottom half of the first inning, then was able to tie it up in the 5th inning. Verlander slowed himself down, and proceeded to dominate the Orioles by allowing just three hits in the following seven innings. And Clete Thomas thrilled the home crowd with a 426-foot blast over the center field wall on a 1-2 count with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning.

So, what can we take from last night's game? Well, this is an opinion article, so I'm going to give you my opinion. That game could be the turning point to this season.

Tigers fans might possibly be able to look back at this one and say "this was when the Tigers started to establish some consistency."

"This was when the Tigers grew a backbone and started to fight back against adversity."

"This was when rookies Rick Porcello and Ryan Perry started to tap into their potential and become vital parts to this team."

"This was when Miguel Cabrera, Carlos Guillen, Curtis Granderson, Brandon Inge, Placido Polanco, and that deep starting rotation put this team on their collective backs and made a deep run into the playoffs."

The schedule isn't going to get much easier the rest of the way, with series against Minnesota, Boston, the Angels, and Tampa Bay on the near horizon. That said, if they can come out of this month and still be in first place, you have to like their chances against their divisional foes in September with the pitching and defense that they possess.

I just hope that by the end of the year Tigers fans aren't saying "well, at least we were competitive until August!"

Who's To Blame For Fedor Deal Not Getting Done?

Benjamin Williams — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 18:55:35 -0400

I'm writing this article from work. It's a lazy Friday here at my job, and with the manager out in the field, I knew that I would be able to get away with closely monitoring the UFC news conference that Dana White was holding at 11am PDT. I was constantly updating several sites, looking for what many others were holding out hope for; a signed contract between Fedor Emilianenko and the UFC.

I've really been reading every possible story I could find on this hot topic in the days preceding the hyped-up news conference. I certainly didn't believe the LA Times article (really, who at that company actually follows MMA?) from a few days ago that claimed that Fedor and the UFC were finalizing details on a contract. In fact, I had serious doubts leading into today that anything would get done at all. I guess I was right.

So, who can we blame for this?

There's a few suspects we can point fingers to; Dana White, Fedor's management team (Vadim Finkelchtein in particular), Fedor himself, Michael Jackson's doctor, Osama Bin Laden, and Santa Claus. Most people will point their fingers at Dana and Vadim, depending on what side of the fence they stand on, but I offer up a different view. I say that we should blame Fedor himself.

I know some of you are already preparing a nasty comment, but please hear me out.

I certainly don't think you can blame Dana White here. The UFC conceded every aspect of the negotiations with the exception of agreeing to a co-promote with M-1. M-1 doesn't have anywhere near the clout that the UFC currently has. One simply has to look at the buy rates.

The last three events that Fedor headlined here in the states (PRIDE 32 in 2006, Affliction 1 in 2008 and Affliction 2) combined didn't do 300,000 PPV buys. UFC 100 alone did 1.5 million buys. There's no reason that Dana White should essentially hand over half of the company just for one heavyweight fighter, regardless of how good that fighter may be.

Dana White offered Fedor what is rumored to be a $30 million contract as well as conceding to let Fedor compete in sambo events and let him promote M-1 on his clothing. That is a staggering offer considering the UFC's history of contract negotiations. There's simply no other fighter in the world that would get such an offer from the UFC.

At the same token, I don't necessarily think that Vadim can be faulted here either. Fedor is the only bargaining chip that M-1 has in negotiations with the UFC, and as a businessman, you have to try to get as much as you can out of any deal. The writing is on the wall for M-1; they will either have to stay small-time like Strikeforce in order to make ends meet, or they go the way of Affliction and spend lavishly until the investors get tired of losing millions.

This is how this entire situation becomes Fedor's fault. During today's news conference Dana White stated that Fedor didn't want to fight the best fighters in the world. Normally, I would just shrug this off as "Dana being Dana", but this time there's some truth to that statement.

Fedor will not make the kind of money that the UFC offered anywhere else in the world. All Fedor had to do was put his foot down (preferably not someone's throat while outside of the ring) and tell Vadim to get it done, and that clearly didn't happen.

Fedor nation will surely burn me at the stake for this next paragraph, but I don't see anyway around it. If Fedor and his management team don't let go of the idea of co-promotion between the UFC and M-1, his reputation will take a serious hit.

There's no one left for him to fight anywhere in the world (unless you want to count 'roided-up Josh Barnett). It's clearly obvious that beyond Fedor, the next six to eight best heavyweights in the world reside in the UFC (in no particular order: Brock Lesnar, Frank Mir, Randy Couture, Minotauro, Shane Carwin, Cain Velasquez, Cheick Kongo, Cro Cop, etc.)

At some point I would hope that someone is able to get into Fedor's circle and talk some sense into him. It's simple for Fedor; sign the UFC contract, become filthy rich, and have the chance to beat Brock Lesnar and secure his place as the greatest heavyweight of the world, and of all-time.

Michigan Wolverines 2009 Preview: The Resurrection

Benjamin Williams — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 16:45:46 -0400

The very first article I wrote for Bleacher Report was a preview of the 2008 edition of the Michigan Wolverines' football program.

I've been a die-hard Michigan fan my entire life, and while I like to think that I am unbiased in my writing, I will admit that I had some blinders on. I definitely wasn't the only college football fan or expert that didn't see this coming, either.

Michigan turned in one of their worst seasons in decades. They finished the year with a 3-9 record, and a conference record of 2-6. Their 33-game bowl streak vanished, and they finished the year with a horrific loss to Ohio State, not to mention ugly losses to Penn State and Michigan State as well.

Many people have wanted to blame this squarely on coach Rich Rodriguez's shoulders...and that's simply not fair.

Last year's team saw their all-time leading passer (Chad Henne) and rusher (Mike Hart) graduate, along with one of the greatest offensive linemen in Big Ten history (Jake Long) and a dynamite college wide receiver (Mario Manningham).

When you combine a huge turnover with a completely new scheme on offense, what you have concocted is the perfect storm for disaster, and that's exactly what happened in 2008.

So, what's the outlook for 2009? If I can liken this to a weather report, I would say partly cloudy with a greater chance for sunshine than for rain. The Wolverines will be better this season, due to a few simple truths:

1. They have been in the spread system for one full season. The pro-style attack, previously employed at Michigan, is vastly different than Rich Rod's version of the spread, and it takes a different type of player to operate it.

Many players last year were playing a role that they weren't suited for. Players and coaches are gearing up for this season with a higher level of confidence and trust in one another, having gone through the "growing pains" of last year.

2. Improved QB situation. Want further proof of how different the spread is from the pro-style attack that Big Blue ran prior to last year? Look no further than to the departures of QB's Ryan Mallett (Arkansas) and Steven Threet (Arizona St.), last year's starting QB.

Once again, Michigan goes into 2009 with virtually no starting experience at the most important position on the field. Despite that, this year doesn't feel as uncertain with the arrivals of Tate Forcier and Denard Robinson.

Both freshmen will be given every opportunity to win the starting spot in their first years at Michigan. Nick Sheridan did start four games last year, and figured to have an advantage heading into spring, but a broken leg derailed his progression.

Still, being the only QB on the roster with starting experience does give him a chance to hold off the incumbents. Of course, there's a good chance that these QB's will simply be "keeping the spot warm" for the arrival of Devin Gardner in 2010, who has the potential to be a collegiate superstar.

3. More experience on offense. Returning starters is one of the biggest indicators of improvement for every team in the nation.

Last year, Michigan returned one starter on offense, a sure recipe for disaster when integrating a new offensive attack. This year they return 10 starters. That alone should make a huge difference in how efficient and tested this offense is going into 2009.

The entire offensive line returns, as well as some incoming freshmen for depth. Not only are all of the skill positions intact, but there's actually some impressive depth at both running back and wide receiver.

Brandon Minor spearheads the rushing attack with his strong finish to last year, and he'll have some help from a healthy Carlos Brown, Kevin Grady, Michael Shaw, and the newest addition to the backfield, Vincent Smith.

The starting trio of Greg Mathews, Martavious Odoms, and Darryl Stonum will give the QB's some varied weapons to throw at, while incoming freshmen Je'Ron Stokes, Terrence Robinson, and Roy Roundtree could push for some playing time.

4. Stronger pedigree across the board on defense. While most experts knew that the Wolverines' offense would be a work in progress in 2008, no one predicted that the defense would perform as poorly as it did.

There were some dubious records claimed by last year's defensive squad, the most telling one being the most points allowed in Michigan history (347).

With the talent that Michigan had on the roster, this equated to the resignation of Scott Schafer and the hiring of Greg Robinson.

Robinson will have to deal with losing six starters, but I believe that this year's defense actually has more talent and depth than last year's squad. The scheme is going from 3-3-5 to 3-4, but don't be surprised to see the 4-3 thrown into the mix to provide a different look.

The combination of Max Martin and William Campbell will make it difficult on opposing running games, and, along with end Brandon Graham, will have the potential of being one of the best defensive lines in the conference by season's end.

The linebacking corp. looks very deep as well, with the maturation of Obi Ezeh and Jams Mouton, along with the hybrid safety/linebacker role of Steve Brown.

The secondary looks to be much improved over last year, as the highly touted Boubacar Cissoko steps in at cornerback opposite Donovan Warren, going into his third year as a starter.

5. An easier schedule. I'm not the biggest proponent of a weak non-conference schedule, but this year's relatively easy matchups couldn't come at a better time for the Wolverines.

This team should go into their matchup with Michigan St. no worse than 3-1, and could quite possibly be 4-0. A start like this will go a long way into boosting the confidence of this young team, and could help to push them towards making it back into the bowl season.

Add it all together, and you have a team that should be vastly improved in 2009, and if everything falls their way, could make some noise in the conference title run.

Prediction: 7-5 overall, 4-4 conference, with an eye to the sky for 2010 and beyond.

MLB Starting Rotation Superlatives for 2009

Benjamin Williams — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 16:57:33 -0500

It's late February, and Spring Training is well underway. This also means that the experts are over-saturating us with predictions, projections, and rankings. So, naturally, I'm going to add my own lists. I'm going to do it a little differently than simply ranking the top 10 based on best to worst, however. That's been done. I'm going to do more of a word-association type list, and the categories will change for each unit that we breakdown. Today's list will deal with the starting pitching. I will be picking one team's rotation for each category. Here are the categories: Most Potential Most Injury Prone Scariest For Hitters Scariest For Fans If They Lose Him... Most AARP Members Who Are These Guys? Deepest The Worst The Best Enjoy!

Begin Slideshow

Tiger by the Tail: Previewing the 2009 Detroit Tigers

Benjamin Williams — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 18:56:00 -0500

I have to share a recent and recurring nightmare I've had with you all...

It starts out so well. My beloved Detroit Tigers have brought in a huge superstar to go with a team that was just one year removed from a World Series appearance. All the experts are raving about the Tigers and the baseball world is simply trying to figure out who the Tigers will be playing in the Fall Classic.

And that's where this nightmare begins. The Tigers stumbled out of the gate in 2008 with an 0-7 record (six of those being at home), and simply never recovered. If the season could be described in two words it would be "Murphy's Law". Stars had disastrous years (Justin Verlander and Gary Sheffield), stalwarts went down like lame horses (Jeremy Bonderman and Carlos Guillen), and the "future" wasn't realized for various reasons (Joel Zumaya and Dontrelle Willis). If it weren't for Miguel Cabrera and Armando Galarraga, the Tigers would've been closer to 100 losses than 90 losses.

I still wake up with a feeling of despair every now and then.

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Herein lies the beauty of the greatest sport in the world; each spring optimism is rejuvenated, much like the flower blossoms that signal the beginning of a new baseball season.

I'm pulling a card here, and it's called "let's forget last year." The perfect storm of destruction is all behind us now. There's simply no possible way that the same type of bad luck can haunt this team two years in a row (only the Cubs can claim otherwise).

Early returns of spring training have been overwhelmingly positive for every major player on this team. Until I hear otherwise, I will assume that everyone is not only healthy, but will produce their career means, at the very least.

Let's take a look at the different areas of this team. As it is with every team, success starts with pitching.

Starting rotation

This is what early projections look like:

1. Justin Verlander

2. Armando Galarraga

3. Jeremy Bonderman

4. Edwin Jackson

5. Dontrelle Willis/Nate Robertson/Zach Miner

We've all seen what players like Verlander, Bonderman, and Willis can do when they're right—which are numbers that can put them in the Cy Young talk. Out of these, Verlander is the most sure bet. He's simply too talented to have a repeat of last year. I have the most confidence in him returning to '06 and '07 form, especially with new pitching coach Rick Knapp in the fold for tutelage. Bonderman's health issues have been addressed, and he should be able to regain his form as well (provided that he develops his changeup and the confidence to throw it).

Willis is a huge question mark. Manager Jim Leyland has been impressed so far this spring, and D-Train is an eternal optimist, but last year did nothing to regain the trust of the fan. Willis will need to show drastic improvement immediately to have any chance at gaining a spot in the rotation. If he falters, Robertson or Miner will step in to the backend of the rotation.

There are a lot of similarities between Galarraga and Jackson. Both had very strong seasons that weren't quite expected. While Jackson was the more celebrated prospect, Galarraga really came out of nowhere (acquired from the Texas Rangers). Both also faltered a little bit towards the end of 2008, which can most likely be contributed to fatigue on both sides. At age 27, the hope is that Galarraga will fully realize his potential and be an innings-eater this season. Jackson, who was acquired from the Rays last year, fills a huge spot in the rotation. His power arm will fit in nicely with this staff.

Of course, the more rabid fans are just chomping at the bit until Rick Porcello graces the mound at Comerica Park. Leyland will not rush Porcello, but it's hard to hold back on this kind of potential. If the rotation experiences the issues from 2008, don't be surprised if Porcello is called up to fill the ranks. As it stands, he should be joining the rotation in 2010 at the latest, and that is great news for Tigers fans everywhere.

At the very least, the starters should be able to shave at least a half run off of last year's team ERA. The starters should also get deeper into games, helping to preserve the relief pitching over the course of the season.

Bullpen

There is no question that relief pitching was a flat out train wreck for Detroit in 2008. The bullpen blew 28 saves last year; had they converted just half of those, they would've had the same record as the White Sox and Twins did. Injuries to Todd Jones and Joel Zumaya robbed this team of two huge pieces, and they simply couldn't be replaced. Combine that with Fernando Rodney having his worst season since 2003, and there's your recipe for disaster.

Todd Jones has since retired. Zumaya has progressed as well as can be expected (and he still has his velocity, thankfully). Rodney is in a contract year; one can only hope that alone will bring out better production from him. The Tigers also brought in Brandon Lyon from Arizona this offseason. Lyon had a tremendous start to 2008, at one point going 24 appearances without allowing a run. The second half of the season wasn't nearly as kind though as he eventually lost the closer role.

Here's another if coming. IF these three produce average numbers, the Tigers pen will be light years ahead of last year's. Competition breeds competence, so the hope here is that one of these three will grab the closer role by the horns and run with it, while the other two take the seventh and eighth inning roles and create a suddenly strong endgame for the Tigers.

Middle relief should be provided from the remaining players: Clay Rapada, Bobby Seay, Zach Miner (should he lose the competition for the starting spot), Freddy Dolsi, and Macay McBride. Truthfully, none of these names really inspire a ton of confidence, but if all goes well with the starters and the back-end of the bullpen, these pitchers won't be needed all that often. (I am crossing my fingers too, don't worry!)

In terms of farm system help, there are a couple names to remember: Ryan Perry and Cody Satterwhite. These two are looked upon as the future of the Tigers bullpen. Both could contribute at some point this year, but are more likely to not be major factors until 2010.

Defense

Another big letdown was the defense for the Tigers last season. Detroit committed the fifth most errors in the league. Before you shrug off the importance of defense, know that last year's World Series teams were both in the top 10 defensively.

Many players played out of position last year, and there was simply no continuity. Cabrera came in as a poor defender and was moved to first base. Cabrera's arrival forced Inge into a utility role before Inge settled in as the catcher. Guillen started the season at first base, but was moved to third base. Injuries to Granderson, Polanco, and Guillen forced other players to step into roles that they weren't comfortable with.

Luckily General Manager Dave Dombrowski put some emphasis on improving the team's defense in the offseason. The acqusition of Gerald Laird not only shores up the catcher spot, but it also allows Brandon Inge and his highlight reel glove back to third base. Edgar Renteria and his limited range at shortstop were allowed to walk, and he was replaced by Adam Everett—another very gifted defender. Guillen moves out to left field, which isn't really any better or worse than last year's solutions out there.

This isn't a superior defense by any stretch, but all this team needs to be in the field is average for it to make a huge difference from game to game.

Offense

The only real bright spot last year for the Tigers was their hitting, and even that underachieved a great deal. Many experts pegged Detroit to threaten the 1,000 run mark; they fell short with 821, which was still good for fifth-most in the league.

Injuries again played a huge role in the offensive production, as Sheffield, Granderson, Guillen, Polanco all missed time. Players like Pudge Rodriguez (who was traded midseason), Inge, Renteria, and even Cabrera and Magglio Ordonez all didn't quite perform to what was projected.

Here's what the lineup for 2009 should look like:

1. Curtis Granderson

2. Placido Polanco

3. Gary Sheffield

4. Miguel Cabrera

5. Magglio Ordonez

6. Carlos Guillen

7. Gerald Laird

8. Brandon Inge

9. Adam Everett

There's not too many teams that can match up with the Tigers 1-6 spots. Each of those guys are a handful for opposing pitching staffs when healthy. Spots 7-9 do raise some questions.

Remember what I stated early on during this article about forgetting last year? Well, I'm applying again right now. If you take a look at 2007 numbers for hitters' 1-6, you will see some monster numbers. Take a look:

Granderson: .302 BA, 122 runs scored, 84 extra base hits, .913 OPS, 26 SB

Polanco: .341 BA, 105 runs scored, 200 hits, 30 K's

Sheffield: 107 runs scored, 84 walks, 25 HR's, 75 RBI's (missed 29 games)

Cabrera: .320 BA, 34 HR's, 119 RBI's, .965 OPS (with Florida)

Ordonez: .363 BA, 117 run scored, 216 hits, 54 doubles, 28 HR's, 139 RBI's, 1.029 OPS

Guillen: .296 BA, 21 HR's, 102 RBI's, 13 SB's, .502 SLG

That's top notch production right there. Various issues for each player contributed to lower production in 2008. Realistically, I don't expect any of these six to match what they did in 2007 (except for maybe Granderson and Cabrera). But I do expect most if not all to be closer to these numbers than the 2008 numbers.

As far as the rest of the lineup goes, it's not as bad as it may look. Laird is a competent hitter who most people think may have been affected by the miserable summers in Texas as a catcher, leading to his tailoff in production in the second half of previous seasons. Detroit summers are not nearly as bad, and Leyland will do as much as possible to keep Laird fresh by inserting backup Matt Treanor at regular intervals.

Inge hasn't come close to matching his numbers in 2006, when he put up .253/27/83. But he really hit rock bottom last year, going .205/11/51. A tumultuous spring had a lot to do with this, as he was uprooted from third base, a position he loves and plays with pride. His return to third, along with some tweaks to his mechanics (watch his hands people, you will see a noticeable difference) should lead to numbers that approach the 2006 line.

Everett was definitely not brought in for his offense. But he may be able to bring something back to Motown that hasn't been seen in ages; the bunt single. Having him at the bottom of the lineup will put pressure on opposing pitchers to get him out before getting back to the top of the lineup. I see the potential for some tight pitching here, and some walks issued.

As far as the bench is concerned, OF Marcus Thames, IF Ramon Santiago, and C Matt Treanor are locks. Players such as Jeff Larish, Brent Clevlen, Mike Hessman, Michael Holliman, Ryan Raburn, and Clete Thomas will fill in the gaps and cover any injuries that may occur. Better than average bench here, which is critical for Leyland's style of providing consistent rest for his regulars.

Overall

The Detroit Tigers were humbled by last year's nightmarish season. The sense of entitlement that infected the clubhouse has been crushed, and players have come into spring looking healthy, fit, and motivated. The players aren't the only ones feeling the heat; Leyland was not given a contract extension, and he fully acknowledges that a repeat of last year will result in him being out of a job.

This team has a lot of question marks, but it also has a lot of potential. It's really the only team in the league that people can see either losing 90 games or winning the whole thing.

IF the starters can eat some innings, IF the bullpen can stay healthy and regain it's edge, IF the defense is merely average, and IF the offense can stay on the field, you've got a serious contender here.

What I do know is that IF all those things come true, I will sleep much better at night.

Big Ten Basketball Predictions: Who's Got What It Takes?

Benjamin Williams — Wed, 24 Dec 2008 07:20:24 -0500

I would be the first to tell you that while I'm a huge sports fan. But I have somewhat lost track of Big Ten college basketball as a whole. I typically know who is doing well and who is struggling. But until this season, Big Ten college basketball has not really been a priority for me while checking scoreboards.

My mindset has completely changed this season. The rebirth of a couple programs (Michigan and Minnesota), as well as the continued excellence of others (Michigan State and Purdue), has kept me enthralled in the early goings of this season.

With conference play just around the corner, I thought I would take a crack at throwing some predictions out there for everyone to enjoy (or get physically ill over—guess it would depend on what team you support). For entertainment purposes, let's go backwards!

11. Indiana Hoosiers (Overall: 7-22; Conference: 2-16)

It's going to be an ugly year for the Hoosiers and their fans, but coach Tom Crean has the credentials and the passion to get this turned around quickly. This may be the one and only season we see Indiana at the bottom of the heap.

10. Northwestern Wildcats (12-17; 3-15)

If this team was playing in last year's Big Ten, I would give them a shot at winning 7-9 games. This year...not so much. Northwestern has improved, but it won't be enough to make any serious noise in the Big Ten this year.

9. Iowa Hawkeyes (14-17; 4-14)

This team hasn't really played anyone outside of Boston College and West Virginia in non-conference play, and they lost both of those games. Another team that should get better in the coming seasons.

8. Penn State Nittany Lions (17-12; 6-10)

Penn State is one of the harder teams to predict in this conference. I'm not too confident in this team getting ONLY six conference wins; in fact, they have an outside shot at getting to the Big Dance.

7. Illinois Fighting Illini (20-9; 8-8)

Here is where we really start to see how much stronger the Big Ten is this year. Illinois should win 20 games in total....yet they won't even sniff the Big Ten regular season title.

6. Minnesota Golden Gophers (21-7; 9-7)

Is Tubby Smith closing in on another Coach of the Year award? If this prediction holds true, it would be hard to give it to anyone else. No one predicted that Minnesota would be so good so fast. Perhaps Smith should get more credit than he's received.

5. Wisconsin Badgers (22-8; 13-5)

Wisconsin has had a history of proving people wrong when it comes to preseason predictions. Coach Bo Ryan could possibly be the best coach in the league. Does any coach in the country get more out of his players?

4. Michigan Wolverines (23-8; 13-5)

Speaking of potential coach of the year winners, or coaches getting the most out of their players, John Beilein has worked a minor miracle in Ann Arbor. This team was bad last year, winning only 10 games. This year? How about victories over UCLA and Duke?

3. Michigan State Spartans (23-7; 13-5)

The Spartans are the model of consistency for the Big Ten. Every coach can only hope to have the success and respect that Tom Izzo has earned during his tenure here. This team could make some serious noise in the NCAA tourney—which wouldn't surprise anyone.

2. Ohio State Buckeyes (24-5; 13-5)

I honestly don't know how Thad Matta is able to recruit so many big men to Ohio State, but here he goes again this season with B.J. Mullens. The trick is to getting these stars to stay longer than one season. The Buckeyes have a lot of talent all over the floor this year and could challenge for the top spot in the conference.

1. Purdue Boilermakers (25-6; 14-4)

This is the deepest, most talented team in the league, yet they are only a hair better than teams two through five. Don't be surprised to see this team making reservations for Detroit come March.

In closing, I believe that the top seven teams should make it to the Big Dance. If Penn State can pull off some upsets, they could make it eight.

Happy Holidays everyone!

US Sports: What To Watch For in 2009

Benjamin Williams — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 11:49:59 -0500

Let me first say that I do not pretend to have the ability to see in the future ala Nostradamus. I honestly have a hard time figuring out what I'm going to do from one minute to the next.

That said, I figured that it wouldn't be too difficult to make some predictions for 2009. Here we go!

1. Ohio State will get blown out in a BCS game....again.

Okay, this one wasn't too hard. Despite the year that they had with a true freshmen at the helm, they are in for a rude awakening in a couple more weeks. Texas feels that they were completely robbed of their chance to play for a National Championship, and it's safe to say that they will have some pent up frustration to release on the football field.

2. An 11 win team will NOT make the playoffs in the NFL.

Now, I haven't officially looked this one up, but I'm fairly certain that this has never happened before....until this year, that is. Miami will beat the Jets this week, Baltimore will handle Jacksonville at home, and New England will take care of business versus Buffalo.

With the Colts having already locked up one wild card spot, that leaves you those three teams vying for just two more spots. From what I can tell, New England looks to be the odd team out. After last year's near perfect season, winning 11 games this year and not making the playoffs would be very painful.

3. The Big 10 will send more teams to the Big Dance than the ACC.

I know this one will raise some eyebrows, but hear me out. The Big 10 has looked damned impressive with some huge non-conferences wins: Ohio State over Notre Dame, Minnesota over Louisville, Michigan State over Texas, Purdue over Davidson, and Michigan over UCLA and Duke. The ACC is very top heavy, and will prove fatal to the middle-tier teams of that conference when it comes time to picking teams for the tourney.

4. The Detroit Lions will be the most important team in the NFL come April.

And this is only because they will have the No. 1 pick in the NFL Draft. There will be plenty of franchise-level players to choose from, but I will say this—if the Lions draft Michael Crabtree, the fan base will completely revolt. Early projections are leaning towards one of the many gifted quarterbacks getting drafted into purgato.....uhh, into service by the Lions.

5. Sidney Crosby will reach the next level of stardom....but will have to wait for the Cup.

The comparisons to Wayne Gretzky will never cease, and one can only hope that he's able to handle that for the rest of his career. If he does, and can also avert the injury bug, then we're likely to be entertained and awed by Sid the Kid for another 10 plus years. That said, the cup will still reside in Hockeytown when the dust settles in 2009.

6. The Boston Celtics will finish with 70 wins for the season... and not win the NBA Championship.

Ooh boy, another prediction that could get some heat. The Celtics are well on their way to having the greatest regular season we've ever seen. Too bad they will have to face LeBron James in the Conference Finals in the East. After barely escaping the Cleveland Cavaliers in seven games last year, King James will prove to be unstoppable this time around, and will ensure that Beantown does not get to celebrate another NBA title.

7. The Chicago Cubs will completely implode in 2009.

A part of me would love to see the Cubbies win it all sometime soon, so that we can stop hearing about curses. When I look at their roster, I don't see too many players that I'd bet money on them both staying healthy and productive.

With several teams making some big moves in the National League, I wouldn't be surprised if the Cubs not only miss the playoffs, but are out of contention for a spot before the trade deadline. Oh, and Lou Piniella will probably be crazier than ever, which will only make matters worse.

8. The top two men's tennis players will not be the same two it has been for the past three years.

Roger Federer is a future Hall-of-Famer, and when his career is said and done, he should have the title of the greatest tennis player in history. Many experts believe that he will regain is form and challenge Rafael Nadal to the No. 1 spot.

I believe that Federer's years of dominating the sport officially came to end this year, and in 2009 another will pass him for good—Novak Djokovic. With Nadal and Djokovic being as young as they are, they should be able to start a rivalry that has the potential of being as strong as the Andre Agassi-Pete Sampras rivalry was at the international level.

9. MMA will officially overtake Boxing as the #1 combat sport in the USA.

Boxing has been suffering from a slow painful death over the past few years, and the nail in the coffin could come as early as this weekend. The UFC has put together what could be it's best card in their history. If just two of the three main event fights become epic, there's a great chance of the public seeing the UFC as an organization bent on putting together the best events possible, while boxing continues to have it's fighters only looking for the biggest possible payday.

10. This list will end with an even number of predictions.

There, I will at least get one of these right!

In Joe Dumars We Trust?

Benjamin Williams — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 09:06:20 -0500

Rewind back to the late spring of 2008. The Detroit Pistons saw another strong season end in disappointment. The fans saw another Rasheed Wallace meltdown and another disappearing act by Chauncey Billups.

This time around, Joe Dumars (Pistons President of Operations) vowed that changes would be made, citing complacency as a major factor for the team's failures in the playoffs for the past three seasons.

The rumors spread like a brush fire in Southern California, with players like Baron Davis, Tracy McGrady, and Carmelo Anthony being linked to the Pistons. For weeks different players were thrown into the rumor mill...and for weeks, the Pistons didn't make a move.

Joe D. promised change, but would not compromise the team's chances of competing both today and tomorrow.

This season tipped off with the roster virtually unchanged. Fans grumbled a bit, but at the same time were reminded of how much worse things could be when taking a look at the local football team. The assumption was made that no changes would be made until February, at the earliest.

Dumars is nothing if not unpredictable. Just a handful of games into the season, the promised shake-up occurred, as the Pistons sent Chauncey Billups and Antonio McDyess packing to Denver in return for Allen Iverson. (McDyess was bought out, and returned to the Pistons a month later.)

For a couple days after completing this blockbuster deal, the Pistons were the talk of the league. While fans wanted change, they were left wondering, "Was this the best that Joe D. could do?"

The media's take on the trade is still undecided.

From a financial standpoint, this move was a slam dunk. The cap relief that will be attained at the end of the year from Iverson's expiring contract (as well as Rasheed Wallace's) will help to position the Pistons for a big free agent this next offseason, or for the summer of 2010, when many of the biggest names in the league will be available.

The competition aspect of this trade is still very much in the air. While it's still early to completely rule on how this trade has turned out, the early returns have been mediocre at best. The Pistons have lost a lot of stability on both ends of the floor, while gaining more athleticism and firepower on the offensive end.

Overall, has Dumars made the right moves with this team? The facts supporting Joe D. are indisputable: The man has brought a championship and consistency to this franchise. The only really bad decision he's made since his tenure began was the drafting of Darko Milicic in 2003, and he was able to parlay that into Rodney Stuckey in the 2007 NBA draft.

If nothing else, Joe Dumars has earned the right for some patience and trust in his decisions. It's definitely too early to count out this year's team, and the potential of luring a big-time free agent in the near future should keep fans from abandoning their loyalties should a step back be taken in the playoffs this year.

Does Andy Roddick Have "It" Anymore?

Benjamin Williams — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 21:14:58 -0500

It seems like it was such a long time ago when Roddick won the U.S. Open in 2003. Andy had his breakthrough that year with his U.S Open and two Masters Series victories. After winning his first career Grand Slam event and attaining the No. 1 ranking in the world, it seemed like the next logical question was "how many more Major titles would Roddick win?" In hindsight, the more appropriate question is "will he win another Major title?"

Andy Roddick, despite possessing the most devastating serve in the history of tennis, has simply not been able to put it together to punctuate a two week run with another Major title. Now, at the age of 26, questions and doubt from the media will begin to surface.

With the dominance of Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal over the past few years and the rise of Novak Djokovic, many feel that 2009 could be Andy's best chance to win any additional Slams. Federer is facing the same type of questions as Roddick, but will most likely bounce back from the most disappointing year he's had in quite some time.

With Djokovic still not as consistent as he will eventually become, the time is now for Roddick. There are too many "young guns" on the rise on the ATP tour that will make their own respective leaps into tennis stardom sooner rather than later. Roddick needs to cement his legacy in tennis' history before the competition leaves him in the dust.

In many ways, Roddick's career is quite similar to one of the great legends of boxing - Joe Frazier. For Frazier, his brilliant career is somewhat overshadowed by Muhammad Ali and George Foreman. Roddick has had a great career in his own right, but he has been trumped by Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal. Hopefully that is where the comparisons will end for Andy, as Smokin' Joe lost the heavyweight title to Foreman and was never able to regain it.

Roddick will be able to start 2009 with a clean slate in terms of injuries, which will certainly enhance his chances to have a great year. 2008 saw Andy suffer through a gamut of injuries (back, shoulder, neck, and ankle) that quickly derailed the strong start he'd had to that year.

Andy Roddick will also be starting the year with new coach Larry Stefanki. Stefanki has had a successful coaching career, helping players like Marcelo Rios and Yevgeny Kafelnikov reach No. 1 during their careers.

Under new tutelage, Roddick could have a resurgent year that sees him get closer to the top spot in the rankings. With some continued good health and perhaps a bit of luck, there's a decent shot for Andy to set the tennis world on fire all over again.

Detroit Red Wings Make a Statement: Cup Still Goes Through Hockeytown

Benjamin Williams — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 19:20:15 -0500

We've all heard the same word that seems to follow the defending Stanley Cup champions the following season - hangover. For the past 10 years, the lack of success of the Stanley Cup champions in their following season have only strengthened the ideology behind the "hangover."

Even this year, despite the Red Wings having the third best record in hockey, the "hangover" stigma has dogged them since the first dropped puck of the season. Detroit has not found any consistency on defense or in their goaltending.

Their offense and extremely dangerous power play unit has allowed them to outscore their opponents in most games, something that Wings fan aren't used to seeing. Last years' team won with stifling defense and strong goaltending.

Despite the defense not finding its rhythm to this point, they have just one fewer point than they did last season after 31 games.

There's really just one reason for people associating the Red Wings with a "hangover," and that is the amazing start of the San Jose Sharks. Without their performance to this point of the season, this article wouldn't be written.

They are on pace to set multiple records this year, including most wins in a season and most points in a season. They have won often, and they usually win big. They are amongst the league leaders in offense, defense, differential, and penalty killing. They've also not lost a single game at home in regulation and had only lost three times in regulation overall. Unreal statistics with 30 plus games into the season.

Games in December typically do not have a whole lot of meaning in the NHL, but Thursday's match-up between San Jose and Detroit at the Joe Louis Arena could give us tremendous insight into both of these teams.

Would San Jose prove that they could play with the big boys, or would they capitulate under the pressure as they have in previous postseasons? Would the Red Wings show why they won the Cup last year, or would they continue to look disjointed and disinterested?

After Detroit's 6-0 whalloping of San Jose, it seems safe to say that the Wings have sent a strong message to San Jose and the rest of the NHL: If you want the cup, you're going to have to take it by force. At the same time, this was the second game of a back-to-back for the Sharks, and their fourth game in five days.

So what should we take from Thursday's results? It's still too difficult to tell at this juncture. A game like this could really catapult the Wings into one of their patented hot streaks that typically separates them from the rest of the league. It could also bring the Sharks crashing back down to earth.

More than likely, the path should reside in the middle of the two possibilities. The Red Wings should be able to establish more consistency in their defense and goaltending, and most would agree that the Sharks would not be able to maintain their absurd level of play for an entire 82 game season.

With two more match-ups remaining between these two juggernauts, only one thing is for certain: there's two more opportunities for further statements to be made by both teams.

Floyd Mayweather Jr. Is What's Wrong With Boxing

Benjamin Williams — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 08:51:57 -0500

Is boxing a dying sport? Many, including boxers like Joe Calzaghe, sure think so. Fighters like Joe Calzaghe are also a big part of the reason for boxing's problems.

It was very hypocritical for Calzaghe to make the statements that he did on ESPN, for Calzaghe is also guilty of dodging the best fighters in the world by beating up on Europe's best (I tried my hardest not to laugh at "best," but failed miserably).

But Calzaghe is chump change compared to Floyd Mayweather Jr., the self-proclaimed "greatest boxer ever." Mayweather has been skillfully dodging quality opponents more effectively than he dodges punches in the ring. Miguel Cotto's camp tried to get Mayweather to the negotiating table, but "Pretty Boy" was busy lining his pockets with WWE appearances and various other schemes.

Cotto was knocked out in one of the better fights of the last couple years against Antonio Margarito. Speaking of Margarito, Mayweather's camp has dodged Margarito's for a couple years now. After seeing what Margarito did to Cotto, we can almost assuredly kiss that matchup goodbye.

Now we have Manny Pacquiao coming into the picture. His dismantling of Oscar De La Hoya earlier this month caught the boxing world by storm (although I'm not really sure why—I predicted that Manny would win in under 10 rounds). Manny's camp said that they would fight Mayweather at 140 (which Mayweather fought at as recently as 2005). I'm sure Mayweather will find a reason to dodge this one as well.

Supporters of Mayweather have claimed that at 31, with a 39-0 record, Floyd has nothing left to prove. There's many ways to refute this, but the best one is by comparison to the true "greatest fighter of all time"—Muhammad Ali.

Ali had fought better fighters than Mayweather even before he turned 30, yet he saw fighters like Frazier, Norton, and Foreman out there and decided that he did in fact have something to prove well into his 30s. Ali's return brought on the best time period in boxing, with some of the most memorable fights in boxing history.

I'm not questioning Mayweather's ability in the ring in any way. But facts are facts. The only question is if he will ever make the conscious decision to step into the world of greatness that only a handful truly have. Mayweather could provide some historic moments of his own if he would "man up."

Boxing is slowly losing the fight popularity contest to the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) because of fighters like Calzaghe and Mayweather. The best fighters dodge each other, and even when there's a decent fight scheduled, the undercard will be a bad joke. Did any of you see the undercard fights for the Pacquiao-De La Hoya fight? Every fight ended in two rounds or less. Most of the PPV telecast was talk filler.

Many people I've talked with were very bitter over the cost of the Pacquiao-De La Hoya card, and being the sports fan that I am, I couldn't defend boxing this time around.

In fact, when was the last time we saw a boxing card similar to the UFC card coming up at the end of the year? I honestly can't think of any boxing card in the last decade that even comes close to what's scheduled at UFC 92.

Until boxing makes some critical changes (the list of changes that needs to happen is extensive, but for another time and article) and puts its foot down against the fight-dodging fighters, boxing is going to continue its march towards futility.

Who Would the Detroit Lions Beat?

Benjamin Williams — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 13:15:20 -0500

0-14. After going 7-9 last year (albeit 1-7 in the last 8 games) and going 4-0 this preseason, did anyone see this coming? It's funny (or sad) to think about, but I actually thought they had a shot at a winning record this year if certain things went their way. When you look back, the only thing that has gone right is the firing of Matt Millen, and even that took several years longer than it should have. So, in honor of the Detroit Lions' historic season, I offer up a list of possible teams that they would possibly be able to beat. That said, I wouldn't hold my breath on the Lions winning these games either.

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Shoe Thrower to The Texas Rangers? Stay Tuned

Benjamin Williams — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 07:06:10 -0500

By now I'm sure most of you have either seen or heard about the shoe-throwing incident in Iraq. The event certainly set our media ablaze with the spectrum of emotions ranging from outrage to satire (mostly satire).

George Bush showed many of us if nothing else....he still has good reflexes.

Now most of us would be furious if someone hurled a couple shoes right at our heads while verbally insulting us. Most of us would have shouted insults right back. Most of us would even gather those shoes and throw them right back.

But George Bush is no ordinary man, by all means. Bush is the President of the United States of America, for another month. After President-Elect Barack Obama is sworn in, Bush will step down from the role he has held for eight years and return to Texas with a legacy in tow (legacy is open to interpretation). Bush has taken the high road here, even recently stating that he bears no enmity towards the shoe thrower.

What will Bush do with his free time? Well, I know at least one thing he's going to do: contact his beloved Texas Rangers, and have their people contact the shoe thrower (Yes, I'm purposely not using the shoe thrower's actual name, mainly because I fear I will misspell the name and get a loafer hurled in my direction)! Did you see that guy's accurate throws? One has to think that he could at least pitch the seventh inning in relief for the Rangers, given their recent history of atrocious pitching. The Rangers could even put a picture of Bush in the glove of the catcher, for added motivation!

Think about the marketing aspect for the Rangers. Every now and then they could have a promotion that gives the first 10,000 fans a plush shoe with the shoe thrower name's inscribed on it. They could sell nachos in a container shaped like a shoe at concession stands. How about a new slogan? "Just Shoe It," or "Fear the Shoe." The possibilities are endless!!

This just in—it looks like the Rangers were too slow to act, as the Yankees just signed the shoe thrower to a three-year, $20 million deal. Looks like a bargain compared to the Burnett deal...

Michigan Wolverines Basketball: Return to Relevance?

Benjamin Williams — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 09:33:20 -0500

Quick, can anyone tell me when was the last time Michigan's basketball team made headlines in November and December? Yeah, I couldn't remember either.

But that's exactly what this year's team has done. And given the last four months of purgatory that the football program banished the fans to, it couldn't possibly come at a better time.

Here we are, mid-December, and the Wolverines have already put together a very impressive resume for an NCAA berth, with statement wins over perennial powerhouses UCLA and Duke.

After the victory over UCLA, I was still skeptical. UCLA was rated too high to begin the season in my opinion, and they were just as young as Michigan, if not younger. But after taking it to the Blue Devils the second time around (Duke won the previous meeting on a neutral court), there's no way to dismiss the Wolverines now.

With their only other loss being at a notoriously hostile Maryland, it would appear that Michigan has made their strides faster than anyone has anticipated.

It all starts with coach John Beilein. It's very hard to imagine where this team would currently be without Beilein. The players have definitely bought into his system on both ends of the floor. The Princeton-style offense UCLA had no answer for has just as much to do with their early season success as the 1-3-1 zone that befuddled Duke.

Beilein has also been able to bring in his type of players. Freshmen Stu Douglass and Zack Novak have both made significant impacts in the wins over UCLA and Duke, respectively.

Lastly, the maturity and growth of the two stars of this team has really been evident just 9 games into this season. Manny Harris and Deshawn Sims have looked the part of first team All-Big Ten players. They are combining to score 50% of their teams' points, and have shown some amazing versatility as well.

One more note—it was amazing to see the excitement of the Maize Rage and the entire crowd itself during that Duke game. Home court could really make a difference for them this season. Teams may once again fear coming into Crisler Arena, which feels like a return to normalcy after the past ten years of mediocrity.

For what it's worth, I feel that Michigan (barring injury, of course) can make some serious noise in the Big Ten. I see 10 conference wins being very manageable, and a trip to the Big Dance will be virtually guaranteed if they can accomplish that.

Anyone else think that Sims and Harris would look good in football uniforms?

Michigan Football: Winds of Change

Benjamin Williams — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 13:50:34 -0400

1998.

It's hard to believe that it's been more than 10 seasons since the University of Michigan Wolverines have won a National Championship (it's really hard for me to believe it, I was there at the 1998 Rose Bowl against Washington State, and I still can remember most of that amazing day).

Even harder to believe when you look at the long list of talented UM stars that have been able to make a successful jump into the NFL.

I think it's safe to say that Lloyd Carr, while being a solid coach on his own merit, would not have lasted as long as he did without that championship run. Conversely, the sudden passing of Bo Schembechler may have helped hasten Carr's resignation.

The intimidation and swagger that the Maize and Blue took into every game more or less vanished after the first two games of last season (losses to Appalachian State and Oregon....AT HOME). Lloyd Carr is a smart man, and he seemed to know that it was time to step aside—his coaching staff's methods had been proven to be a bit behind the times.

Out with the old, and in with the new.

Although Rich Rodriguez's departure from West Virginia was about as smooth as new sandpaper, he brings with him something that hasn't been seen at Michigan in nearly 40 years—innovation.

His vaunted offense is the stuff of nightmares for opposing head coaches (just ask Charlie Weis). The conditioning program is headed by a man with an MMA background that was also rumored to have wolves for pets (seriously, I wonder if any of the players have had the gall to defy this man at any point of their workouts?).

It's a drastic change from the previous regime, and there's already been defections for those who have not been able to keep up (I don't think I need to name names—*cough*Boren*cough*cough). The players that have stayed are now in the best shape of their lives.

Some of the change isn't as positive, however. Graduation and early entry into the NFL really stripped the offense of its experience—only one starter returns (OL Schilling). There's a lot of talent at the RB spots, and I expect this team to rely heavily on the running game in the early going.

Fortunately, the defense will not have the same growing pains as the offense. The entire defensive line and both starting corners return to give this team some stability. Other players have emerged at the LB and S spots during the spring, making the defense one of the best in the Big Ten in 2008.

Despite the uncertainty of the offense, I am more excited about the beginning of this season than I have been in years. In fact, I think it's been about 10 years, to be exact.