Bleacher Report - Articles by Sports Affiliate

Was Michael Jordan Responsible For Drafting Kwame Brown? David Falk Says No

Sports Affiliate — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 13:05:41 -0500

This morning on the Junkies Radio show based out of Washington DC, David Falk threw out the notion that the Washington Wizards drafting Kwame Brown was not Michael Jordan’s decision. Falk was there to promote his new book, The Bald Truth, by the way.

Jordan, then the Washington Wizards President of Basketball Operations, has always been reported to be the man who made the decision. David Falk went on to mention that Jordan wanted Elton Brand and that it was others in the Washington Wizards front office that who to draft Brown.

The front office thought that Brown would be a great marketing effort because Brown would be the first high school player to be drafted in the NBA. Instead of drafting Brown, Falk said that Jordan wanted to trade the pick for Brand. We all know what happened thereafter.

The Sports Affiliate still believes that Brown was probably the worst decision the Wizards ever made. Forget all previous draft picks and trade. This was a once in a lifetime opportunity to draft a player who will carry your franchise for the next 10 years. In that 2001 NBA draft class you had, Brown, Tyson Chandler, Pau Gasol, Eddy Curry, Jason Richardson, Shane Battier, Eddie Griffin, Desagana Diop, Rodney White, and Joe Johnson.

The story here is who is telling the truth. We don’t believe that Jordan has ever made a statement that he was responsible for drafting Brown. The story goes back to July 16, 2001 as Sports Illustrated reported Ian Thomsen reported that the decision was made by Jordan over a one on one game between Brown and Chandler. The one on one game between the two saw Brown “dismantle” Chandler, for which Brown had a 15-pound weight advantage. Brown then proceeded to walk over to Jordan:

"If you draft me first, I'll never disappoint you."

On June 27 the pick was made by the Wizards.

Again, who made the decision here? The Wizards have blamed Jordan for the pick because of the bitter break up. Was it Abe Polin? Was it Susan O’Malley? Was it Wes Unseld?

Someone needs to look into this. Jordan’s general manager skills have repeatedly been questioned over the last couple of years. Jordan was said to have influenced the trading of Richard “Rip” Hamilton for Jerry Stackhouse. In 2006, Jordan with the Charlotte Bobcats drafted 6’7” Adam Morrison and passed on Rookie of the Year Brandon Roy and Rudy Gay.

Jordan’s best move was probably in 2007 where he traded their eighth pick for Jason Richardson. As of 2008, player personnel moves are believed to be made by head coach Larry Brown. We will never find out the truth unless someone admits it.

I would have loved to have been in the war room in the summer of 2001 to see who was in charge. How things could have changed with Brand playing with Gilbert Arenas a couple of years later. How things could have changed with a now-developed Chandler. Then again, the Wizards wouldn’t have had their best transaction and perhaps one of the biggest steals of ever trading Brown for Caron Butler.

But why should we believe in Falk? He is by far probably Jordan’s biggest confidant as he is his agent. Why would Falk put Jordan to shame? Why wouldn’t Falk just let that subject alone when asked?

Someone needs to get deeper into this, as a Washington Wizards fan that would pay $4,000 for season tickets, I want answers. Those agonizing nights of watching Brown literally do nothing on the court. Those agonizing nights of me losing my voice screaming at him from behind the visitor’s bench.

Manchester United vs Fulham FA Cup Preview

Sports Affiliate — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 09:01:58 -0500

Cristiano Ronaldo with Manchester United prepare for their match against Fulham in the FA Cup Sixth Round. With a victory Manchester United will get close to the quintuple of titles. Fulham is 10th in the league with 34 points. The winner will advance to the final round at Wembley Stadium.

Manchester United has won 11 straight games and lost one game in 29 games. Manchester United is a -1/2 goal favorite at -120, as Fulham has a goal advantage in the odds +1/2 at -110. The over and under is 2 goals with the over at -140 and under at +110. These odds are from Betus.com.

My prediction, a Manchester United victory of course. It will take huge mistakes for Manchester United not to win. That was a fluke goal on Newcastle’s part, scoring on Edwin Van der Sar for the first time in 1311 minutes.

We might see Van der Sar rested again as Manchester United prepares for Inter Milan next week. Ben Foster will another oppourtunity to shine again. Take Manchester United 2-1. The game should be a good game. We shall see advance to the next round as they shoot for the quintuple.

Check out our highlights page for goal highlights from the game. We usually have the highlights posted a couple of hours after the conclusion of the game.

Super Bowl XLIII Pick Latest Spreads Odds and Lines

Sports Affiliate — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 17:36:19 -0500

The spread for Super Bowl XLIII between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Arizona Cardinals is currently at 6.5.

The Steelers are favored by 6.5 points.

The over and under is currently at 46.5. The lines float between -1000 if you take the Steelers to +10.5 and +700 if you take the Cardinals -10.5.

The over 57.5 can be taken for +280. The under 31.5 can be taken for +450.

What to take…what to take—that is the question. Let's take a look at the analysis and trends.

Let's start with the interesting facts. One thing on my mind is whether Kurt Warner a Hall-of-Fame quarterback?

Perhaps after Sunday he'll be lock. Ben Roethlisberger faces former Steelers offensive coordinator, Ken Whisenhunt. Roethlisberger, whose career was in limbo just a year ago after a motorcycle accident, can join Tom Brady as the only other quarterback to win two Super Bowls by age 26.

On the other hand, you have Kurt Warner who is 37 years old. He had another stellar regular season, passing for 30 touchdowns and 4538 yards. Since 1947, the Cardinals have won only one playoff game.

The Cardinals some say have had a distinct advantage having played in the NFC West. They made the playoffs with a 9-7 record.

The matchup will put the Cardinals passing attack against a Steelers defense that did not allow a 300-yard passer all season. Warner threw for 300 yards six times this season.

In last season’s matchup, Warner’s prime target, Larry Fitzgerald caught 10 passes for 120 yards. A couple of questionable résumés for both offenses.

Hines Ward is nursing a sprained knee and Anquan Boldin is dealing with a hamstring injury.

Combined, these teams have scored 48.4 points per game. The Cardinals have a slight edge in their passing attack, while the Steelers have an edge in their rushing attack.

Defensively, the Cardinals have allowed 26.6 points per game, while the Steelers have only allowed 13.9 points per game.

The Steelers' defense clearly has the advantage.

Here are the trends:

Pittsburgh is 7-1 ATS in its last eight games.

Pittsburgh is 8-1 SU in its last nine games.

The total has gone OVER in four of Pittsburgh's last five games when playing Arizona.

Arizona is 4-1 ATS in its last five games

Arizona is 4-1 SU in its last five games

The total has gone OVER in five of Arizona's last six games

The total has gone OVER in four of Arizona's last five games when playing Pittsburgh

The lines will probably stay stable throughout the week.

I think this game will be closer than everyone thinks. I'm taking the Cardinals +6.5 and the OVER 46.5.

NFC Championship Free Pick Cardinals Vs. Eagles Spreads, Odds, Lines

Sports Affiliate — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 21:43:27 -0500

The spreads for the NFC championship game between the Philadelphia Eagles and the Arizona Cardinals have been released, with the Cardinals at four-point underdogs. Who would have thought that these two teams would be meeting in the NFC Championship game? The winner goes to the Super Bowl of course.

The over and under for the NFC Championship game is 47 points. The Eagles and Cardinals last met on Thanksgiving Day. The Eagles routed the Cardinals 48-20. The Eagles are on a late-season high, as the Cardinals are on a late-season low.

Here is my pick for the NFC Championship. I'm taking the Cardinals and the four points. The Cardinals are 7-2 at home this season. The Eagles defense will have to shut down Larry Fitzgerald and Kurt Warner. Anquan Boldin has returned to practice also. The Cardinals held Michael Turner to 42 yards and DeAngelo Williams to 63 yards, they were the No. 2 and No. 3 rushers. The Cardinals will have to shutdown Brian Westbrook. Westbrook has just 74 yards on 38 carries in the playoffs.

In the last six games the Cardinals are 4-2 against the spread. At home they are 7-3 against the spread in the last 10 games. Their record against the Eagles is not that great, they are 2-7-1 against the spread. But this is the playoffs. When playing at home the total has gone OVER in six out of their last eight meetings.

The Sports Affiliate’s free pick for the NFC Championship is take the Cardinals +4 and take the OVER 47.

Check out our free pick page to see our pick for the AFC Championship Game.

NFL's 2008-2009 Playoffs Spreads, Odds Lines | The Sports Affiliate

Sports Affiliate — Sat, 10 Jan 2009 14:47:45 -0500

NFL Playoff Spreads have been released. We are down to eight teams for the playoffs. No surprises so far, but I really thought the Atlanta Falcons and Indianapolis Colts would advance. The Colts loss to the Chargers was a close one. The Chargers should give Darren Sproles a bonus.

The spread for the Baltimore Ravens vs Tennessee Titans game has the Ravens as three-point underdogs. I have the Titans going all the way to the Super Bowl in my pool.

We will see what Ed Reed and the Ravens defense can do against the Titans rushing offense. Can the Titans defense defend against Joe Flacco ? This will be a close game. Their last meeting was a 13-10 victory by the Tennessee Titans.

The betting line for the Arizona Cardinals vs the Carolina Panthers have the Panthers as 10 point favorites. The 10 points is a big spread but I think the Panthers will pull it off. In the Cardinals' seven losses this season, they have been on the road, in a different time zone.

In those seven losses, they have loss to teams on an average of 18.43 points. With the exception of the Vikings, the other six teams have been on the Eastern Standard Time Zone. That is a trend. They will possibly be without Anquan Boldin, which will be huge.

The spread for the Philadelphia Eagles vs the New York Giants has the Eagles as four-point underdogs. Every week the press is giving a team the moniker of “Last year’s Giants”. I have heard that the Eagles could be last year’s Giants.

Just when you thought the Giants were the top dog they lose a couple of players and drop a couple of games. You see the Eagles blowing teams away and then they get blown away. Who do you take? Will McNaab bring his game?

The betting line for the San Diego Chargers vs the Pittsburgh Steelers has the Steelers as six-point favorites. Without a doubt the Steelers has been a top team all season. Perhaps the most rounded team in the NFL. They are similar to the Titans, tough defense, not a fancy offense.

The Chargers have surged back, they are playing like they are supposed to be. Sproles, Sproles, Sproles, just give him the ball, don’t risk injuring LaDanian Tomlinson further.

Here are my free picks for the 2008 2009 NFL Playoff.

Tennessee -3

Panthers -10

Eagles -4

Steelers -6

Yes, each of the favorites should win and cover.

NFL Playoffs Odds Spreads Lines | The Sports Affiliate

Sports Affiliate — Thu, 01 Jan 2009 16:28:15 -0500

NFL Playoff odds spreads lines have been released, it is interesting to see odds makers giving points to home teams. Three home teams are given points, I don’t think I have seen this before. Isnt the home team supposed to get better odds? But it is probably the fact that the teams that are in the playoffs simply due to the fact that they won a weak NFL division.

The Atlanta Falcons are -2 vs the Arizona Cardinals. Do the Arizona Cardinals deserve to be in the playoffs? The combined record of the rest of the NFC West is 13-35. We shall see. I like the Atlanta Falcons in this game.

The Arizona Cardinals seemed to have laid back in the past three weeks. They are 1-2 in their last three games, losing to the Minnesota Vikings 14-35 and New England Patriots 7-47. I like the Falcons in this game. The Falcons have been a surprise team this year with Matt Ryan and Michael Turner. Michael Vick who?

The lines for the Indianapolis Colts vs San Diego Chargers is pickem. The Colts should be a three point favorite for this game. The San Diego Chargers again just slipped into the playoffs because they won the division over the Denver Broncos.

Winning division games helps. The Chargers are 5-1 in their division. The Colts have won their last 9 after a slow start. The Colts are a team that no team wants to face. I like the Colts in this game.

The spread for the Baltimore Ravens vs Miami Dolphins is three points. The Dolphins are three point underdogs. The Dolphins and Ravens were surprise teams this year. The Dolphins were 1-15 last year and the Ravens were 5-11 last year.

These two teams are pretty similar. Both teams success are due to new quarterbacks. Chad Pennington for the Dolphins and Joe Flacco for the Ravens. Im taking the Ravens and their defense. Ed Reed has been phenomenal this season; he will probably be the difference maker in this game.

The Philadelphia Eagles are three point favorites against the Minnesota Vikings. The Vikings are coming off a slow start also but after a quarterback change, Gus Frerotte has led the Vikings back into contention. The Eagles on the road are 3-4-1. The Vikings are 6-2 at home. I'm looking for the Vikings to win this game.

The Eagles are up and down this season. Adrian Peterson should have a good game for the Vikings. The Vikings also have the top ranked rushing defense. The key will be containing Brian Westbook. I still like the Vikings.

Here is a summary of The Sports Affiliate’s picks for the NFL playoffs | Falcons -2, Colts pickem, Ravens -3, Vikings +3

Tyler Hansbrough Top 12 ACC Greatest Of All Time | The Sports Affiliate

Sports Affiliate — Wed, 24 Dec 2008 22:16:30 -0500

Tyler Hansbrough has had an outstanding Atlantic Coast Conference career with the University of North Carolina, but can he be considered part of the Top 12 Greatest ACC players of all-time.

We must consider the players that have passed through the ACC, such as Michael Jordan, James Worthy, David Thompson, Bobby Hurley, Christian Laettner, Ralph Sampson, Phil Ford, Danny Ferry, Grant Hill, Tim Duncan, JJ Redick, Kenny Anderson, Dennis Scott, etc. The list goes on and on with the storied history of the ACC

In the top 12 some of these players can be consider, but some of these cannot be considered. What factors to do we consider? Career Stats? ACC awards? NCAA Awards? Team Championships? Team ACC Championships? Life in the NBA?

Consider Hansbrough’s career:
2006, 2007, 2008 ACC All-Conference Team
2006 ACC Freshman of the Year
2008 ACC Conference Player of the Year
2008 Sports Illustrated and Sporting News National Player of the Year

In his first three seasons he has averaged 20.1 points per game (PPG) and 8.7 rebounds per game (RPG). Here is how he stands with some notables:

Christian Laettner 16.6 PPG, 7.8 RPG
Michael Jordan 17.7 PPG, 5.0 RPG
Danny Ferry 15.1 PPG, 7.0 RPG
Ralph Sampson 16.9 PPG, 11.4 RPG
Tim Duncan 16.5 PPG, 12.3 RPG
Grant Hill 14.9 PPG, 6.0 RPG
Len Bias 16.4 PPG, 5.7 RPG
Kenny Anderson 23 PPG, 5.6 RPG

There are two lists currently floating around the net now, unfortunately they are about five-six years old. Hansbrough was probably graduating from Middle School at that point in time. Here is ESPN Magazine’s top five greatest ACC players of all-time:

1. David Thompson
2. Michael Jordan
3. Christian Laettner
4. Ralph Sampson
5. Phil Ford.

Honorable Mention:
Tim Duncan
Len Bias

For the 50th anniversary the ACC announced their 50 Greatest ACC players of all-time. It does not include an order but here are the 50:

Kenny Anderson (Georgia Tech, 1990-1), Shane Battier (Duke, 1998-2001), Len Bias (Maryland, 1983-6), Elton Brand (Duke, 1998-9), Tom Burleson (NC State, 1971-4), Len Chappell (Wake Forrest, 1960-2), Randolph Childress (Wake Forest, 1991, 1993-5), Billy Cunningham (UNC, 1963-5), Brad Daugherty (UNC, 1983-6), Charlie Davis (Wake Forest, 1969-71), Walter Davis (UNC, 1974-7), Johnny Dawkins (Duke, 1983-6), Juan Dixon (Maryland, 1999-2002), Tim Duncan (Wake Forest, 1994-7), Len Elmore (Maryland, 1972-4), Danny Ferry (Duke, 1986-9), Phil Ford (UNC, 1975-8), Mike Gminski (Duke, 1977-80), Horace Grant (Clemson, 1984-7), Matt Harpring (Georgia Tech, 1995-8), Dickie Hemric (Duke, 1952-5), Art Heyman (Duke, 1961-3), Grant Hill (Duke, 1991-4), Bobby Hurley (Duke, 1990-3), Antawn Jamison (UNC, 1996-8), Bobby Jones (UNC, 1972-4), Michael Jordan (UNC, 1982-4), Albert King (Maryland, 1978-81), Christian Laettner (Duke, 1989-92), Jeff Lamp (Virginia, 1978-81), John Lucas (Maryland, 1973-6), Tom McMillen (Maryland, 1972-4), Larry Miller (UNC, 1966-8), Rodney Monroe (NC State, 1988-91), Jeff Mullins (Duke, 1962-4), Barry Parkhill (Virginia, 1971-3), Sam Perkins (UNC, 1981-4), Mark Price (Georgia Tech, 1983-6), John Roche (South Carolina, 1969-71), Wayne “Tree” Rollins (Clemson, 1974-7), Lennie Rosenbluth (UNC, 1954-7), Ralph Sampson (Virginia, 1980-2), Charlie Scott (UNC, 1968-70), Dennis Scott (Georgia Tech, 1988-90), Ron Shavlik (NC State, 1954-6), Joe Smith (Maryland, 1994-5), David Thompson (NC State, 1993-5), Buck Williams (Maryland, 1979-81), Jason Williams (Duke, 2000-2) and James Worthy (UNC, 1980-2).

So here is The Sports Affiliate’s top 12 greatest ACC players of all-time.

1. David Thompson – Three-time ACC Player of the Year. ’74 NCAA Championship Ring.
2. Christian Laettner – Four NCAA Final Fours.
3. Michael Jordan – If he didn’t have a successful NBA career would he be in the Top 25 greatest players of all-time? He did win a ring in his freshman year with a game winning shot.
4. Phil Ford – Only player in ACC with 2000 points and 600 assists.
5. Ralph Sampson – Three-time ACC Player of the Year
6. Tim Duncan – Player of the Year in 1997. Second all-time in blocks in the NCAA.
7. Grant Hill – First player in NCAA history with 1900 points, 700 rebounds, 400 assists, 200 steals, and 100 blocked shots.
8. Bobby Hurley – NCAA career assists record with 1076. Final Four MVP in 1992.
9. Len Bias – Two-time ACC Player of the Year.
10. JJ Redick – Two-time ACC Player of the year.
11. Kenny Anderson – Averaged 23 points, 7.0 assists per game.
12. Brad Daugherty – Two-time first team All ACC. No 3. In ACC history in field goal percentage.

There is not one person that would disagree that David Thompson is THE greatest ACC player of all-time.

Again Jordan wouldn’t be on the list if he didn’t have a prolific NBA career. The rest is arguably between the greatest Duke and UNC players. I would throw in some Maryland players, such as Juan Dixon in the top 25.

Ralph Sampson was a beast. The dude was a big guy; it was too bad his bad knees couldn’t hold up. He would have lasted longer in today’s time if he had access to the medical resources today.

Tim Duncan I think is a sleeper only because he was a quiet player. I put Kenny Anderson in the top 12 because this guy was a baller, although he only played two years I didn’t hold it against him. Part of the Lethal Weapon 3 at Georgia Tech, that team probably could have taken Georgia Tech to the next level had they stayed together another year.

Would you put Hansbrough in this class? Is he one of the ACC greatest players of all-time? Is he in the top 12 ACC greatest players of all-time?

I guess we will probably have to wait till the 60th Anniversary or the 75th Anniversary edition of the ACC greatest players of all-time. We will probably have to wait till Hansbrough turns pro. He is projected to be a late first rounder or the 21st pick by NBA Draft.net.

- The Sports Affiliate

NFL Spreads Odds Lines | Week 17 | The Sports Affiliate

Sports Affiliate — Wed, 24 Dec 2008 22:13:01 -0500

NFL Spreads Odds Lines for Week 17 of the NFL season has been released, this is the final week of the regular season.

In the NFC it is pretty much playing out in terms of the playoff picture. The AFC is a little murkier.

The Eagles are 1.5 point favorites over the Cowboys playing at home and coming after a tough loss to the Redskins.

The Saints are 3-point underdogs against the Panthers at home.

The game I will least likely watch—the Chiefs vs the Bengals—the Bengals are 3-point favorites.

A game that could have meant more but will probably be reserves vs. reserves is the Tennessee Titans -3 vs. the Indianapolis Colts +3.

For free NFL Picks check out The Sports Affiliate

Manny Pacquiao Vs. Oscar De La Hoya: Spreads, Lines, Odds

Sports Affiliate — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 23:23:27 -0500

Oscar De La Hoya faces Manny Pacquiao tonight, here are the latest odds:

Oscar De La Hoya (-180)
Manny Pacquiao (+150)

There is a six-year age difference for this match.

De La Hoya is his lowest weight in eight years. As for Manny Pacquiao, he has only fought once over 130 pounds.

There is talk as to the favorable outcome for this match: De La Hoya wins in one minute; De La Hoya and Pacquiao go 10 rounds/30 minutes and wins in a decision (boring match); or De La Hoya and Pacquiao go 12 rounds and it ends up being a draw.

My take—De La Hoya will give what the crowd wants…hopefully. I'm paying $55 for a fight, so it better be worth it. Don't stop the fight; let De La Hoya knock Pacquiao out like a good old fashion fight. Don't stop the fight because De La Hoya is putting on a “clinic.” Just let him do his thing. Does Pacquiao have a chance? If he does, it is but small.

Betus is offering an excellent promo for this fight. Deposit $300 and get $100 in bonuses $75 Sportsbook and $30 casino. Play with the house's money…

Ravens-Dolphins: Free Week Seven Picks Spreads and Predictions

Sports Affiliate — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 18:10:46 -0400

Free 2008 NFL Picks for Week Seven Baltimore Ravens vs Miami Dolphins Week Seven Spreads Lines and Predictions

Oct. 16, 2008

Here are the latest spreads and lines along with our free pick and prediction for the NFL Week Seven game between the Baltimore Ravens and the Miami Dolphins.

Baltimore Ravens +3 (-120) vs Miami Dolphins -3 (Ev)

• Breakdown and Analysis
o The Ravens are ranked 28th in the league with 15.6 points per game and it 25th in total offense averaging 302 yards per game.
o The Dolphins' Ronnie Brown leads the league with seven TDs.
o The Ravens defense has held opponents to 235.2 yards per game and 17.4 points per game.
o The Ravens have not allowed more than 13 points per game when playing at home, on the road they have allowed atleast 23 points per game.
o On the road the Ravens have allowed an average of 27.4 points, 304.6 total yards, and forcing only five turnovers.
o The Dolphins' offense has found some light; they are averaging 357.4 yards per game.

• Trends:
o The Ravens are 4-2 ATS in their last six games.
o The Ravens are 6-16 ATS in their last 22 games.
o The Ravens are 1-9 ATS on the road in their last 10 games.
o The Dolphins are 3-21 SU in their last 24 games.
o The Dolphins are 3-8 ATS in their last 11 games at home.
o When playing the Ravens the Dolphins are 10-2 ATS in their last 12 games.
o When playing at home the Dolphins are 5-2 against the ravens in the last 7 games.
o The total has gone UNDER in 5 out of 7 games when these two teams have met.
o The total has gone UNDER in 5 out of 6 games when these two teams play in Miami.

Pick – Take the Dolphins and the UNDER 36.5. I don’t see the Ravens winning on the road. The Dolphins will try to rattle the Ravens defense with the Wildcat. I thought that the Wildcat would be tamed last week, but apparently not.

Elite XC's Oct. 4 Fights: Previews and Predictions

Sports Affiliate — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 02:17:04 -0400

Elite XC Predictions Oct 4 2008

Oct. 3, 2008

Last month, I made the greatest prediction of ALL TIME!! I called the Rashad Evans vs. The Iceman fight. I'm pretty sure the payout was sweet to whomever read my prediction for that fight.

But anyway, what an exciting weekend for MMA, sort of. This weekend is the CBS Elite XC event, with headliner Kimbo Slice vs. Ken Shamrock and the comeback of Andrei Arlovski, one of my favorite fighters. So this week’s event should be pretty interesting and exciting.

Gina Carano vs. Kelly Kobald

I don’t know much about these women fighters, only that Gina Carano is HOT! In her last fight, she claimed she was out of shape and 15 lbs. overweight but somehow managed to KO her opponent.

Since that last fight, she has worked on her conditioning and managed to make weight. Gina is well rounded in jiu-jitsu and kickboxing. I see her dominating this fight, but she keeps this standing up against Kelly Kobald.

Prediction: Gina Carano (-600) KO in second round.

Anderi Arlovski vs. Roy Nelson

Anderi “The Pitbull” Arlovski has finally brought his name back into the MMA. There's really not much to say about Arlovski, just that he is a BADASS. Arlovski had an amazing win versus Ben Rothwell in Affliction.

Although the fight showed a slow and sloppy Pitbull, he still came out strong and with a KO. Anderi will come into this fight better conditioned and a lot faster. I see him coming in fast against Roy Nelson and winning this in the first round with a KO.

Prediction: Anderi “The Pitbull” Arlovski (-500) 1^st round KO

Jake Shields vs. Paul Daley

Jake Shields is the first Welterweight Champion in Elite XC, and he is going up against Paul Daley. Both are extremely tough fighters. Jake Shields has a strong jiu-jitsu background, and Paul has a strong boxing background.

Both fighters have their advantages. Jake Shields will take this fight to the ground and control Paul Daley throughout the match. Jake Shields wins in submission

Prediction: Jake Shields (-600) 2^nd round submission

Kimbo Slice vs. Ken Shamrock

This is probably the most talked-about fight ever, since it was announced a while back. Finally, Kimbo Slice gets a real MMA fighter to test his streetfighting skills. Although, Shamrock has not won a fight since his days when UFC had no rules.

It's hard not to pick the guy with experience, but let's face it: Ken Shamrock is old. If Ken is smart enough, he will take this fight to the ground, but since Kimbo is all muscle, it would be hard for the 44-year old Shamrock to shoot at him.

I see Kimbo avoiding Shamrock’s takedowns and keeps this match standing up. Kimbo will knock out Ken Shamrock in the first round.

Prediction: Kimbo Slice with first-round KO.

The Sports Affiliate - Check out our Free Foootball Picks

Argentina defeats Brazil, advances to Gold Medal game

Sports Affiliate — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 18:48:07 -0400

Argentina took an early lead over Brazil in the Olympic semi finals game and closed the game 3-0. Lionel Messi played a brilliant game. They will face Nigeria in the Gold Medal Game.

I picked Argentina to win the Gold at the beginning of the Olympics. Brazil just didn't have it today. They were shorthanded when the game ended. Two fouls on Javier Mascherano, Liverpool will be excited to have him on the pitch.

Ronaldinho still seemed a little slow and timid, but showed signs that he maybe fit. It may take him another week or two to get his groove back. Messi on the other hand, I can't say enough, he is in mid-season point. I guess he has something to prove after missing some games last year due to injury.

The story behind the game is Brazil has yet to win a Gold Medal in the Olympics in Soccer given their dominance in the World of Soccer. Argentina will have the opportunity to win a gold in two consecutive Olympics, it's been 40 years since someone repeated at the Olympics. The Nigerians look impressive, this should be an excellent match.

Here are the highlights courtesy of MightyFootball.com

That second goal looked to be a hand or a shoulder ball… but at that point it didnt matter.

Argentina just played better today.

US Men’s Olympic Basketball Team Crushes Germany

Sports Affiliate — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 23:08:23 -0400

The U.S. Men’s Olympic Basketball Team dominated the Germany National Team, 106-57.

Dirk Nowitski is contemplating retiring from international basketball and will concentrate on winning an NBA title.

The US Team was lead by Dwight Howard who had 22 points on nine of 10 shooting and 10 rebounds.

Can anyone beat the US team ? The original Dream Team is and will always be the best team perhaps ever formed bu this team may be a close second.

The next generation of players are now making their mark. A mature Kobe Bryant and Lebron James are at their prime. This team will probably stick together for the next Olympics until another generation comes along.

I dont see the U.S. losing a game until the Olympics in 2016.

Michael Phelps is a Beast, Wins Record Eighth Gold Medal

Sports Affiliate — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 00:16:15 -0400

Michael Phelps is not human.

He is perhaps one of the world's greatest athletes. I would suffice to say to put him in the same class as Michael Jordan and Tiger Woods.

I’ve been debating if an average person were to train for four years straight, if that was your job, would you be able to compete with Jordan, Woods, and Phelps?

Phelps is definitely not an average guy. His body is not average. A short guy in the best shape, training it up would probably never be able to beat Phelps.

You would need to have those long arms and long torso to compete. So the answer is NO. These guys are genetic freaks.

Place a bet today with Betus.com

Looking for a Texas holdem game ? Check out my poker tournaments. A daily NL Texas Holdem tournament is available @ 9:35 PM EST (21:35). Look for The Sports Affiliate Open. The password is: all-in

I’m still looking for people to join my NFL Pick’em Pool. Each week I will be rewarding $25 Bodog credits for the one who picks the most correct. Click here for details.