Bleacher Report - Articles by Todd Parmelee

Meet the Purdue Boilermakers

Todd Parmelee — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 14:16:19 -0400

Purdue University Boilermakers

Home Court: Mackey Arena in West Lafayette, Indiana

Record: 27-9 (11-7 in the Big 10). They were 5-5 away from home and 7-1 in games played at neutral courts.

Head Coach: Matt Painter in his fourth year, he succeeded Gean Keady. Painter played basketball at Purdue from 1989-1993.

Leading Scorers: E’Twaun Moore 14.0 ppg (34-percent from three), JaJuan Johnson 13.4 ppg (77 blocks), Robbie Hummel 12.8 ppg (39-percent from three, leads team in rebounding with seven per game).

In the Big Ten: Purdue finished with a 11-7 record in a tie for second place with Illinois. Michigan State won the Big Ten regular season championship with a 15-3 record. Purdue won the Big Ten Conference Tournament.

Individual Honors: JaJuan Johnson was a First-Team All-Big Ten selection, E’Twaun Moore was a Second-Team selection, Robbie Hummel was a Third-Team selection, and Lewis Jackson was named to the All-Freshmen Team. Chris Kramer and JaJuan Johnson were named to the All-Defensive Team.

Purdue runs a motion based offense and they average 69 points per game. Purdue allows just 59 points per game. It should be noted that Purdue shoots 70 percent from the free throw line.

Purdue is known for dominating team’s in the first half. On the year they have outscored their opponents by 242 points before halftime (1209-967). In the second half Purdue tends to struggle, as they only have outscored their opponents by 130 points (1259-1129).

Purdue has 540 assists to just 417 turnovers. Moore (111 assists) and Jackson (116 assists) lead the team.

Purdue has been outrebounded by its opponents 1248 to 1238.

Purdue has 259 steals on the year compared to 189 allowed by their opponents. Chris Kramer leads Purdue with 73 steals.

Purdue lives and dies by the three. In their nine losses Purdue shot just 28 percent (53 for 184). In their 27 wins Purdue shot 37 percent from behind the arc (185 for 497).

12-33 in 87-82 OT loss to Oklahoma Nov. 28 at Madison Square Garden.
2-13 in 76-60 loss loss to Duke at Mackey Arena in West Lafayette 76-60 on Dec. 2.
4-16 in 71-67 OT Loss to Illinois at Mackey Arena on Dec. 30.
9-22 in loss at Penn State 67-64 loss to Penn State on Jan. 6.
6-21 in 80-72 OT loss to Ohio state in Columbus on Feb. 3.
2-15 in 66-48 loss at Illinois (back to back loss).

7-25 in 87-78 loss to Michigan in Ann Arbor on Feb 26.
7-20 in 64-61 loss to Northwestern on March 4 at Mackey Arena.
4-23 in 62-51 loss to Michigan State on March 8 (back-to-back losses).

Keys to the Game: UConn’s ability to control the tempo of the game. In the first two rounds UConn has shown their ability to play well in the open court. Purdue is going to try to make this a half court game.

Also, look for Purdue to try to get UConn big man Hasheem Thabeet in foul trouble. UConn is the least fouled team in the country, but JaJuan Johnson is an interesting match up for Thabeet.

The Huskies will have to guard the perimeter and hold Purdue to around 30 percent shooting from three point range. Jeff Adrien needs to continue to hit the 17-foot straightaway jumpers if UConn is forced to play a half court game. A.J. Price, Craig Austrie, and Kemba Walker need to take care of the ball and limit their turnovers.

For more college basketball news and information go to HoopWriters.com

The Bracket Guy: A Real American Genius

Todd Parmelee — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 14:22:29 -0400

You are the Bracket Guy. You know, the guy that fills out 10 brackets and after the first day you pick just one.

You know, the one bracket where you are 15-1, not the one where you picked Binghamton over Duke for no other reason than just because you filled out 10 brackets.

You make fun of Joe Lunardi. You tell people he looks like “the kid from Leave it to Beaver,” but for the past four weeks you have checked his updates three times per day to see if Arizona was still on the bubble.

You claim to know every team’s RPI, Strength of Schedule, and record against the Top 50.

Yeah, you’re the guy that does not give a sh** about the economy, vilifies Billy Packer, and won’t vote again for President Obama because he has Virginia Commonwealth upsetting UCLA.

You never went to UCLA, but you used to have a man-crush on Jason Kapono and claim to have seen Tyus Edney’s game winner against Missouri in ‘95.

At work, you tell people that you were at the Valpo/Ole Miss game in 1998 where Bryce Drew hit the game-winning three-pointer, and you sat close enough to see Homer Drew design it.

Really, you were in Mrs. Finkelstein’s science class wearing your sweat-stained South Carolina hat while dissecting a frog.

You know, that South Carolina hat, the one you wore just because it said Cocks on it.

You got rid of the Cocks hat two years later when you were in college and finally realized how gay it was to be associated with anything to do with Cocks other than your own.

When you watch games at a bar, you brag to others about once having a sociology class with Lonnie Baxter and Juan Dixon. You only saw them there twice, once for the midterm and once for the final.

When you go to games, you buy your $300 tickets from StubHub just to sit in section 400, drink $9 light beers, and watch your team get Punk’d by Carolina.

Yeah, you’re the guy who tells people that you thought of the idea for Napster in college and Facebook while getting your MBA.

Yeah, you’re the bracket guy—a real American genius.

Feel free to email me at hoopwriters@gmail.com Make sure you check out my website, HoopWriters.com.

Countdown To The MMA's Greatest: The Top 5

Todd Parmelee — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 10:38:09 -0400

This is the final installment of the somewhat controversial Greatest MMA Fighters of All-Time piece. I spent several days researching these fighters and came up with the 33 greatest and no Kimbo Slice did not make this list.

Looking back at it, there were some changes I would make, but I stuck with my initial order. Also, I appreciate the feedback I have received (positive or negative feedback is welcome).

#33 Shinya Aoki

#32 Don Frye

#31 Pat Miletich

#30 Mark Kerr

#29 Igor Vovchanchyn

#28 Josh Barnett

#27 Sean Sherk

#26 Tim Sylvia

#25 Dan Henderson

#24 Ken Shamrock

#23 Tito Ortiz

#22 Frank Shamrock

#21 Urijah Faber

#20 Mirko Cro Cop

#19 Sakuraba

#18 Matt Hughes

#17 Lyoto Machida

#16 Wanderlei Silva

#15 Mauricio Rua

#14 Rickson Gracie

#13 Dan Severn

#12 Takanori Gomi

#11 Bas Rutten

#10 Mark Coleman

#9 BJ Penn

#8 Randy Couture

#7 Quinton Jackson

#6 Georges St. Pierre

#5 Chuck ‘The Iceman’ Lidell (6'2 205 pounds)

Liddell is one of the most feared striker in the Light Heavyweight division. Liddell, who has a 21-5 record, has noteworthy wins over Kevin Randleman, Vitor Belfort, Wanderlei Silva, Randy Couture, Jeremy Horn and Tito Ortiz.

Lidell is a future UFC Hall of Famer, who is still near the top of his game despite being 39 years old. .

An intriguing matchup which MMA fans are surely looking forward to is Liddell vs. Anderson Silva if Silva does indeed move up to the light heavyweight division for an extended period.

#4 Anderson Silva (6'2 185 pounds)

Silva is a long lanky fighter at 6'2 185 pounds that dominates fights with his striking skills. He is currently a seven-fight win streak and has absolutely obliterated the competition in the UFC’s middleweight division. Silva will move up to the UFC’s Light Heavyweight division in July.

The 33 year old has noteworthy wins over Rich Franklin, Dan Henderson, Jeremy Horn and Carlos Newton.

Silva has seen more success when fighting in the caged octagon as opposed to fighting in boxing style ring, like Pride. Two of Silva’s losses have come against less heralded Japanese fighters in Pride (Ryo Chonan and Daijui Takase.

#3 Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (6'3 231 pounds)

An excellent fighter on the ground known for his submission skills (he has won 19 fights via submission). Nogueira has fought mainly in Japan, in Rings and Pride, during his illustrious career where he has compiled a 31-4 record. He has noteworthy wins over Josh Barnett, Mirko Cro Cop, Mark Coleman, Tim Sylvia and Dan Henderson.

The 32 year old is the current UFC interm Heavyweight Champion.

#2 Royce Gracie (6'0 176 pounds)

The 42 year old UFC Hall of Famer who is synonymous with Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. He infatuated early MMA fans by defeating opponents much larger than himself (6'0 176 pounds). He has notable wins over Dan Severn, Ken Shamrock and Kazushi Sakuraba.

Gracie’s reputation was tarnished May when he tested positive for the steroid Nandrolone Metabolite. Overall it is difficult to rank Gracie because of his overwhelming influence in the sport.

The problem with making a list like this is whether or not Gracie in his prime would be able to compete against today’s MMA fighters, whom are better all-around then the competition back in Gracie’s heyday.

#1 Fedor Emelianenko (27-1)

This was a no doubter as Fedor has dominated the Pride heavyweight division for years. The problem is could he dominate the UFC heavyweight division? My answer is yes.

The former Pride Heavyweight champion has won an astounding 24 fights in a row. He has noteworthy wins over Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (2 times), Mark Coleman, Mirko ‘Cro Cop’ Filopovic, Mark Hunt and Semmy Schilt.

Emelianenko will square off against Tim Sylvia on July 19^th on the Affliction Banned card.

Rumors have been circulating in the MMA community about a potential matchup against Randy Couture, who is also ranked in the Top Ten. Hopefully, these rumors will come to fruition.

Once again I would like to thank everyone who followed this series and I look forward to reading your feedback. Also be sure to check out my blog http://1fighter.blogspot.com

Who is your top 10 of all time?

Countdown to MMA's Greatest: Part 5

Todd Parmelee — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 12:02:58 -0400

Finally I have reached the top ten, which I am sure will bring some controversy. I was thinking of changing the top ten the last couple of days but I have decided to stick with my original list.

In parts one through four I ranked the fighters in the following order:

#32 Don Frye, #31 Pat Miletich, #30 Mark Kerr, #29 Igor Vovchanchyn, #28 Josh Barnett, #27 Sean Sherk, #26 Tim Sylvia, #25 Dan Henderson, #24 Ken Shamrock, #23 Tito Ortiz, #22 Frank Shamrock, #21 Urijah Faber, #20 Cro Cop, #19 Sakuraba, #18 Matt Hughes, #17 Lyoto Machida, #16 Wanderlei Silva, #15 Mauricio Rua, #14 Rickson Gracie, #13 Dan Severn, #12 Takanori Gomi and #11 Bas Rutten.

#10 Mark ‘The Hammer’ Coleman(6'1 245 pounds)

Do not let his record fool you (15-8) because Coleman has always been known to fight against the best fighters in the world. He has notable wins over Don Frye (2 times), Gary Goodridge, Dan Severn, Igor Vovchanychn and Mauricio Rua. His losses have all come against, arguably the top fighters of all time (Fedor Emelianenko, Mirko Cro Cop, Antonio Nogueira). Coleman did have a brief period where he suffered a four fight losing streak against some fighters he should have won against (Takada, Pete Williams, Maurice Smith and Pedro Rizzo). By the way Coleman is a UFC Hall of Famer.

Coleman was due to fight Brock Lesnar in Minnesota at UFC 87, but had to pull out of the event due to a knee injury. The 43 year old can still fight, but the question remains for how much longer.

#9 B.J. ‘The Prodigy’ Penn (5'9 155 pounds)

Th 29 year old Penn is the current UFC Lightweight Champion. He has noteworthy wins over Renzo Gracie, Matt Hughes, Sean Sherk, Jens Pulver and Matt Serra. His overall record of 14-4-1. He is known for his Brazilian Jiu Jitsu skills.

Penn recently defeated Sean Sherk at UFC 84 and it is rumored that he will have a rematch against Georges St. Pierre sometime later this year.

#8 Randy ‘The Natural’ Couture (6'1 225)

The 45 year old Couture is a UFC Hall of Famer with a 16-8 overall record. Surprisingly, Couture still is near the top of his game.

He has notable wins over Jeremy Horn, Chuck Lidell, Kevin Randleman, Vitor Belfort, Tim Sylvia and Tito Ortiz. He operates an elite training facility for fighters called Xtreme Couture. He has held the UFC light heavyweight and heavyweight titles.

A lesser known fact about Couture is that his wife, Kim, lost in her MMA debut against Kim Rose in Las Vegas this past weekend. The event was the first ever combined MMA/boxing event.

As for her husband, Randy, who knows when he will fight again. Couture is supposedly starring in the Scorpion King 2, which will bypass theaters and go straight to DVD.

#7 Quinton ‘Rampage’ Jackson (6'1 205 pounds)

The 30 year old Jackson (28-6) exudes confidence inside and outside the ring. He made a name for himself in Pride, although he never was able to become the top dog in their light heavyweight division. Jackson, actually lost five times during his career in Pride. Surprisingly he has made a smooth transition into the Octagon becoming the UFC Light Heavyweight Champion. Jackson has one of the most memorable knockouts in MMA history, which occurred when he slammed Ricardo Arona to the ground

Two years ago, Jackson probably would not have even have cracked a Top 25 list now he is in the Top Ten.

Jackson had been vying to play Mr. T in the A-Team movie but the rumor is the role could be going to Ice Cube, which is a terrible choice in my opinion.

Jackson will be fighting Forrest Griffin at UFC 86.

#6 Georges St. Pierre (5'10 169 pounds)

The 27 year old St. Pierre has compiled a 16-2 record. He has noteworthy wins over Matt Hughes, BJ Penn and Sean Sherk

St. Pierre is the current UFC welterweight champion and is scheduled to fight Jon Fitch at UFC 87.

Countdown to MMA's Greatest: Part 3

Todd Parmelee — Sat, 21 Jun 2008 02:32:15 -0400

I am very excited about Part 3 because it includes three of my favorites of all-time (Cro Cop, Sakuraba and Wanderlei Silva).

The rankings so far have been: #33 Shinya Aoki, #32 Don Frye, #31 Pat Miletich, #30 Mark Kerr, #29 Igor Vovchanchyn, #28 Josh Barnett, #27 Sean Sherk, #26 Tim Sylvia, #25 Dan Henderson, #24 Ken Shamrock, #23 Tito Ortiz, #22 Frank Shamrock and #21 Uriaj Faber.

# 20 Mirko ‘Cro Cop’ Filipovic (6’2 220 pounds)
The 33-year-old is known as the king of the high leg kick. He was the most feared striker in the now-defunct PRIDE Heavyweight division. Cro Cop’s career took a nosedive, though, after he signed with the UFC.

If these rankings had been made before his move to the UFC, he could easily have made the top 10. Cro Cop, though, was never able to succeed in the UFC and has since returned to fight in Japan. The rules of the two different organizations may affect the fighters (i.e. fighting in a cage versus a ring).

Cro Cop has a career record of 23-6-2, with 16 of his victories coming by TKO or KO. He has noteworthy wins over Mark Coleman, Josh Barnett, Sakuraba and Wanderlei Silva.

Cro Cop is currently fighting in Japan in the newly formed Dream promotion, but he is recovering from an injury.

#19 Kazushi Sakuraba ‘The Gracie Hunter” (6’0 190 pounds)
A legend in Japan, Sakuraba has compiled a 24-11 record. He has noteworthy wins over Vitor Belfort, Ken Shamrock, Quinton Jackson, Royce Gracie, Renzo Gracie and Kevin Randleman.

Sakuraba is known for his unorthodox, yet highly exciting style. He has won 17 fights via submission.

In his prime, he was one of the most exciting fighters I have ever seen, as he went 12-1-1 from 12/21/97 to 12/9/2000. Four of those victories were against the Gracie family (Ryan, Royler, Royce and Renzo).

Sakuraba recently suffered a loss at Dream 4 to Melvin Manhoef. At nearly 38 years of age, Sakuraba should start to contemplate retirement.

#18 Matt Hughes (5’9 170 pounds)
Hughes has compiled a 43-7 record. Hughes falls in the rankings due to losing three out his last four fights. He has noteworthy wins over Sean Sherk, Frank Trigg, Royce Gracie, and Georges St. Pierre.

After losing to St. Pierre, Hughes lost badly in his last fight to Thiago Alves at UFC 84. He could possibly face Matt Serra next.

After the two straight losses, critics are saying that the 34 year old Hughes is washed up. This is unlikely the case, as I can envision Hughes, if he is careful, fighting successfully for four to five years before he should retire.

#17 Lyoto ‘The Dragon’ Machida (6’1 205 pounds)
This ranking may prove to be controversial, but if you look at Machida’s resume (13-0 record) he has to be considered in the top 20. He has noteworthy wins over Stephan Bonner, B.J. Penn, Rich Franklin and Tito Ortiz. Machida could crack the Top Ten list in the future if he continues his dominance in the cage.

Machida’s most recent win was against Tito Ortiz at UFC 84.

Up next for Machida, who knows in the stacked UFC Light Heavyweight division. Could he face the winner of Forrest Griffin vs. Quinton Jackson?

#17 Lyoto ‘The Dragon’ Machida (6’1 205 pounds)
This ranking may prove to be controversial, but if you look at Machida’s resume (13-0 record) he has to be considered in the top 20. What helps Machida is that he is probably in the midst of his prime at age 30.

He has noteworthy wins over Stephan Bonner, BJ Penn, Rich Franklin and Tito Ortiz. Machida could crack the top ten list in the future if he continues his dominance in the cage.

Machida’s most recent win was against Tito Ortiz at UFC 84.

Who knows who will be Machida's next opponent in the stacked UFC Light Heavyweight division? Could he face the winner of Forrest Griffin vs. Quinton Jackson?

#16 Wanderlei Silva (5'11 205 pounds)
The 31-year-old is one of the most feared strikers of all time, as he has won 22 fights by knockout. He has compiled a 32-8 record during his career.

Silva’s reputation took a hit though, as he went 5-5 over his last 10 fights. Silva is a former PRIDE Light Heavyweight champion.

Silva has noteworthy wins over Quinton Jackson, Ricardo Arona, Sakuraba and Dan Henderson.

Silva’s next opponent could be Chuck Liddell, a rematch from an earlier fight where Liddell defeated Silva.

Josh Hamilton: Defying The Odds

Todd Parmelee — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 20:39:05 -0400

With everything that has been going on in Major League Baseball off the field, it has been difficult for some fans to find someone to root for.

But Josh Hamilton is baseball’s feel-good story of the decade—maybe the last couple of decades — because he has battled both drug addiction and critics.

A close second would be Chipper Jones batting .419 midway through June. Yes, Chipper Jones a guy who is 36 years old and having a career year.

Jones is a story for another day, though, as it is Hamilton who deserves the spotlight. Spotlight like being on the cover of Sports Illustrated, which Hamilton graced on the June 2 edition.

This is the same Josh Hamilton who is four years removed from a crack cocaine addiction. Someone that had thrown away everything constantly chasing a high with little regard for his own life, baseball seemingly an afterthought.

You have seen stories like his on the television show Intervention. Josh Hamilton was one of those stories—except he was a guy that was throwing away Mantle-like talent.

Hamilton was the number-one pick of the Tampa Devil Rays in the 1999 Draft. Hamilton did not make it to the big leagues until the 2007 season with Cincinnati Reds. It was a season where Hamilton showed signs of brilliance (19 homers and 47 RBI in 90 games), but battled injuries.

In the offseason, the Reds traded Hamilton to the Texas Rangers for Edinson Volquez and Danny Herrera. Although the trade has strengthened Cincinnati’s rotation and their outfield was already deep, it has provided greater dividends to Texas. With Hamilton’s emergence and superstar-like stats, Texas is currently above .500 (34-33), after finishing last season 75-87.

The Rangers outfielder is having an MVP season this year, as he is amongst the league leaders in homeruns (17), RBI (71), batting average (.317) and runs (46). At this current rate, Hamilton will drive in 175 RBI—an astounding number.

Everyday Josh Hamilton continues to defy the odds—not just trying to become baseball’s first Triple Crown winner since Carl Yastrzemski, but by battling for his sobriety.

Boxing: Can Sergio Mora Advance From Contender to Champion?

Todd Parmelee — Sat, 07 Jun 2008 04:34:44 -0400

It is time for Sergio "The Latin Snake" Mora to stop being The Contender and become a champion. Tonight at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn., Mora will get his chance vs. reigning WBC Super Welterweight Champion Vernon "The Viper" Forrest (40-2-0).

Mora has an unblemished record at 20-0-1 with 5 wins coming by the way of knockout, but Mora has heard criticism of being just a pretender in the boxing world for reportedly dodging fights against top tier opponents like middleweight Jermain Taylor.

Many experts think the fight will go the distance, with Forrest holding on to the title via decision.

Forrest believes he is overlooked in the boxing world and has a chip on his shoulder. Forrest was once on the rise in 2002 after he defeated Shane Mosely two times. But in 2003, he ran into Nicaraguan Ricardo Mayorga, losing two times.

Forrest then missed two years of boxing as he recovered from shoulder surgeries. Since returning to boxing, he has won his last five fights.

After defeating Carlos Baldomir last July to win the WBC Super Welterweight title, Forrest has successfully defended his title once against Michele Piccirillo on Dec. 1.

Forrest believed after fighting Piccirillo he would be matched up against a top-tier Super Welterweight like Oscar De La Hoya, but he did not receive his wish.

Mora usually fights as a middleweight, but dropped down weight to take on Forrest.

Mora has the pressure of the The Contender series on his shoulders, as many of the competitors from The Contender have struggled in big fights (Peter Manfredo, Alfonso Gomez and Steve Forbes).

"For Sergio, it's do or die," boxing legend Sugar Ray Leonard said on BraggingRightsCorner.com. "It's a fight to determine his last hurrah."

"I'm ready. This is a big fight for me, not just a paycheck," Mora said on Braggingrightscorner.com. "I've never been this ready in my life, and this is not just an opportunity for fight for a title, because if that was the case I would have taken on Jermain Taylor."

Tonight, will Mora just be another Contender or a champion?

Kimbo Slice's Next Victim?

Todd Parmelee — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 17:01:15 -0400

Opponents Kimbo Slice could fight next (in no order):

Eric "Butterbean" Esch

Esch has been fighting in various MMA organizations and would seem to be a logical opponent for Slice. Butterbean, the former Toughman champion, has lost his last three MMA fights by submission. This would be a slug fest.

I would say that Butterbean is probably on Gary Shaw's radar. If Shaw picked Butterbean to fight Slice, it would drum up a lot of negative criticism.

Brett "The Grim" Rogers

Also fights in Elite XC. Says he would knock out Kimbo in the first round. Trust me, I am not doubting him. I feel this matchup will eventually happen within the next year.

Wesley “Cabbage” Correira

A match up with Cabbage sounds pretty logical when you look at the track record of the journeyman MMA fighter. Cabbage is 2-5 in his last seven fights. He fought in Elite XC before losing to "Bigfoot" Silva. This is a very probable matchup when you look at all the factors.

Ron Waterman

Another journeyman in the MMA world. Waterman is slated to fight on the June 14th Elite XC card. The fact that Waterman has excellent wrestling skills make him a difficult matchup for Slice.

Ricco Rodriguez

The list of journeyman heavyweights continues. Rodriguez is a former UFC champions that has fallen on hard times. He has lost his last two fights. What makes this matchup a possibility is the fact that Rodriguez has struggled recently and his ties to Elite XC.

Mark Kerr

A once promising MMA fighter who burst into the MMA world in the Vale Tudo Championship and Pride in the late 90's. Kerr has suffered some setbacks the last six to eight years.

Oleg Taktarov

Taktarov fought in the early UFC, seemingly took a 10 year hiatus from MMA and has recently been making a comeback. Taktarov has won his last two fights since returning to MMA in November with BoDog. He defeated Mark Kerr is last fight in YAMMA pitfighting (I have never heard of this organization).

Gary Goodridge

A strong striker with a weak chin. Goodridge has been around MMA for a long time. This would be an intriguing matchup and Goodridge does not seem to have permanent ties with any organization. Slice would definitely have a great chance to KO Goodridge.

Roy Nelson (IFL)

Nelson proclaimed at the IFL press conference at the Mohegan Sun Arena two weeks ago that he has an open contract. Nelson is the current heavyweight champion in the IFL.

Although he has an open contract, I do not think Gary Shaw would put Kimbo against Nelson at this point in Kimbo's MMA career. There are rumors circulating about a potential matchup between Slice and Nelson (http://www.cagetoday.com/kimbo-slice-vs-roy-nelson-a-real-possibility/)

"Mighty" Mo Siligia

"Mighty" Mo is a heavy handed K-1 fighter with some MMA experience (he has a 3-0 MMA record). Mo has a very strong chin and probably is equally as powerful as Kimbo. This would be a great fight; I would give the edge to Mighty Mo. The problem is Mighty Mo is on a five-fight losing streak in K-1. This match up probably wont happen, but it is one I would like to see.

Mark Hunt

Could Mark Hunt with stand the power of Kimbo? My answer is yes. Where the heck has Mark Hunt been since Pride was bought by the UFC? He lost on April 13th to Semmy Schilt in a K-1 match.

Mirko Cro Cop

Cro Cop is currently fighting in Japan and I believe he is recovering from surgery. It would be nice to see Cro Cop knock out Slice with a high leg kick. This matchup is very unlikely, though. Check out http://1fight.blogspot.com

Belmont Upset Falls Short

Todd Parmelee — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 14:39:23 -0400

In a day which has yet to see an upset, the 15th seeded Belmont Bruins almost pulled off an epic one versus the second seeded Duke Blue Devils.

Belmont clung to a 70-69 lead over Duke with less than 15 seconds remaining.

Duke's Gerald Henderson collected the defensive rebound and drove the length of the court with 12 seconds remaining. His lay up went through the net, giving Duke a 71-70 lead. Henderson led Duke with 21 points.

Belmont had a chance to tie it at the end of regulation after Demarcus Nelson's missed free throw. Belmont collected the defensive rebound and called timeout with 2.2 seconds to go.

After the timeout, Belmont inbounded the ball to Justin Hare with 2.2 seconds to go. Hare caught the ball at half court and let a desperation three pointer go as the buzzer sounded. The ball bounced off the rim.

Belmont head coach Ricky Byrd's team battled ACC power Duke to the very end, losing a 71-70 heart breaker.

The loss caps a great season for Belmont Bruins out of the Atlantic Sun Conference. Belmont finished the year as the Atlantic Sun Conference champions with a 25-9 overall record.

Alex Renfroe led Belmont with 15 points.

Earlier this year, Belmont defeated Cincinnati out of the Big East and Alabama out of the SEC.

Today against Duke, the 15th seeded Bruins, who had a "happy to be here" attitude, almost pulled off one of the biggest upsets in NCAA Tournament history.

Duke now awaits the winner of West Virginia/Arizona which will tip-off shortly.

MMA: Rumor Mill

Todd Parmelee — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 12:19:17 -0400

Sherdog.com is reporting that Fedor Emelianenko may join Affliction. No, Affliction is not a racy thriller, it is actually a MMA organization.

Fedor’s brother, Aleksander may also join the Affliction roster, as well as Matt Lindland. Other fighters rumored to join Affliction are Andrei Arlovski, Josh Barnett and Ben Rothwell.

Affliction and Oscar de la Hoya’s Golden Boy Promotions are purportedly joining forces. The first event, according to Sherdog.com, may take place June 28th in Las Vegas. The promotion may also land a deal with HBO, according to multiple internet sources.

Sherdog is reporting that Fedor never had officially signed on with M-1 Global. He had only agreed to it in a letter of intent. Before Fedor can officially become a free agent he would have to return the 1.5 million dollar signing bonus.

Fedor is also reportedly being strongly pursued by K-1 DREAM. Rumors are circulating of a Fedor vs. Cro Cop rematch to take place at K-1 Dynamite at the end of the year.

DREAM 4 Rumor Mill

Mirko Cro Cop Filpovic will be fighting Sergei Kharitonov at DREAM 4 which is scheduled for some time in June. The location of the event is also not set, as it could take place in Korea.

Kharitonov is a strong opponent with a 15-3 record in MMA. Kharitonov trains with the Russian Top Team, Fedor’s former team. Kharitonov defeated Semmy Schilt in a blood bath at Pride Critical Countdown on June 20, 2004.

For more MMA info go to: http://japanfight.blogspot.com and http://k1dream.blogspot.com . . . click on the ads

DREAM 1 Results: Cro Cop Wins

Todd Parmelee — Sun, 16 Mar 2008 11:55:36 -0400

I am glad to see Mirko Cro Cop Filipovic is out of the octagon and back in the ring. Cro Cop fought Tatsuya Mizuno last night in DREAM 1 (DREAM Heiwa). Cro Cop knocked out Mizuno early in the fight.

It looked like the Cro Cop we were used to watching in Pride. He quickly pounced on Mizuno using an arsenal of leg kicks to Mizuno’s body, knees strikes to the head and a barrage of punches which ultimately led to Mizuno’s demise.

The fight can be seen on youtube.com, check it out you will see (I put the link on the bottom of the article.)

From the information I gathered, Mizuno is a relatively new to mixed martial arts, previously fighting in Pancrase. He lost in Pancrase to Thiago Silva and Assuerio Silva.

The rest of the DREAM card featured a lightweight grand prix. I did not view the lightweight fights as I prefer fights in the middleweight, light heavyweight and heavyweight weight classes.

Cro Cop was originally supposed to fight Yoshihiro Nakao, but the opponent was changed to Mizuno, only days before the event took place.

Eventhough Mizuno is not the caliber of fighter Cro Cop is used to facing it was nice to see him just dominate his opponent. Cro Cop most likely gained confidence fighting in familiar territory, in front of a Japanese crowd.

Sherdog.com is reporting that HDNet is close to signing a deal with Fight Entertainment Group to air six of their events on HDNet. The DREAM 1 debut, which was held yesterday will be one of the reported events that is scheduled to broadcast on HDNet. The next DREAM which is purportedly may be broadcast on HDNet is scheduled for April 29th.

Eddie Alvarez

American fighter, Eddie Alvarez continued his MMA dominance by defeating Andre Amade by TKO in the DREAM Lightweight Grand Prix opening round. Alvarez is now 13-1 overall, with his only loss coming to Nick Thompson. Alvarez will fight Japanese fighter Tatsuya Kawajiri in the second round. The second round of the grandprix is rumored to take place May 11th at the Saitama Super Arena in Japan.

DREAM 1 RESULTS

Shinya Aoki vs Gesias Calvancante ruled a NO CONTEST due to an illegal elbow strike by Calvancante to the back of Aoki’s head
Tatsuya Kawajiri defeats Kultar Gill via Unanimous Decision in round two
Mitsuhiro Ishida defeats Jung Bu-Kyung via Unanimous Decision
Katsuhiko Nagata defeats Artur Oumakhanov via Unanimous Decision
Luiz Firmino defeats Kazuyuki Miyata via Submission in round one
Joachim Hansen defeats Koutetsu Boku via Unanimous Decision
Hayato Sakurai defeats Hidetaka Monmn via TKO in round one Ikuhisa Minowa defeats Lee Gwan via Submission in round one

http://www.sherdog.com/news/news.asp?n_id=11815

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vGoscyCqjFQ (CroCop Fight)

2008 National Champs: The Georgetown Hoyas

Todd Parmelee — Sat, 15 Mar 2008 04:56:34 -0400

The Georgetown Hoyas will make the Final Four and possibly win it all this year. Their play in the Big East Tournament has suggested this.

First of all, the Hoyas offense is running better than it has all season. They are incredible at passing the ball and finding an open man. Rarely do they have to force their shots. As a team they have 487 assists on 409 turnovers.

Against Villanova, Georgetown shot 17 for 28 from behind the three point line. They pulled away midway through the second half for a convincing 82-63 victory. The Hoyas won the game, despite Roy Hibbert being held scoreless.

In the semifinals of the Big East Tournament the Hoyas dominated West Virginia, winning the game 72-55. The Hoyas held West Virginia’s Joe Alexander to just 12 points on 5 for 16 shooting. Alexander had scored nearly 30 points per game during his previous five games.

More importantly, Roy Hibbert got back on track for Georgetown scoring 25 points and collecting13 rebounds. It was one of the best performances of Hibbert’s career, coming on the heels of one of his worst.

Georgetown, once again shot the ball well from three point range shooting 7 for 17. The Hoyas have several three point threats: Jonathan Wallace (45.5 percent), Chris Wright (50 percent), Jesse Sapp (40.3 percent) and Austin Freeman (37.8 percent). Do not forget about Roy Hibbert, who is shooting 100 percent from behind the arc this year. Hibbert hit a game winning three pointer versus UConn this year. On the year, Hibbert is a perfect three for three from beyond the arc.

As a team, the Hoyas are shooting 38 percent from three point range, while holding opponents to 29 percent. Overall, the Hoyas limit their opponents to just 36.4 percent from the field, ranking among the nation's elite in team field goal defense.

The Hoyas now will face the Pitt Panthers in the Big East Tournament Finals. Pittsburgh, the seven seed of the Tournament, will be playing their fourth game in four days. They are coming into the game playing their best basketball since they knocked off Duke at Madison Square Garden earlier this year.

The Hoyas are riding a hot streak heading into the NCAA Tournament. Going into the Big East Tournament Championship game they have won seven straight games since losing to Syracuse 70-77 at the Carrier Dome in Syracuse.

The Hoyas have necessary ingredients to contend for a National Championship: solid guard play, dominant big-man, and a deep bench. Stop one Hoya from scoring and there are four of five other guys capable of scoring double digits.

The Hoyas also have championship bloodlines. Head coach John Thompson III’s father won a National Championship with Georgetown in 1984. The 1984 Georgetown team was led by Patrick Ewing. Ewing's son, Patrick Ewing Jr., is the sixth-man on Georgetown. Ewing Jr. is not just any sixth man, he won the BIG EAST Conference's inaugural Sixth Man of the Year award and is a likely NBA Second Round Draft Pick.

Boston Celtics head coach, Doc Rivers is the father of Hoya backup guard Jeremiah Rivers.

Other Final Four Contenders

North Carolina, UCLA Bruins, Kansas Jayhawks, Louisville Cardinals, Tennessee Volunteers, Memphis Tigers.

Possible Contenders

Stanford, Drake, Pittsburgh, Notre Dame, Vanderbilt.

Likely To Be Upset

Duke, UConn, Xavier, Wisconsin, Indiana, Texas

Big East Men's Basketball Awards

Todd Parmelee — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 02:31:07 -0400

It is time to pay homage to the Big East Conference, undoubtedly the best in college basketball this year.

The following are projections of the Big East awards, which will be announced Tuesday, March 11th...

Player of the Year: Notre Dame sophomore forward Luke Harangody

Harangody looks like actor Gary Busey. Like Busey played in the movies, Harangody is also a prototypical tough guy, but on the inside for the Fighting Irish.

Harangody averaged 23.3 points per game in Big East play to go along with 11.3 rebounds (he had twelve double-doubles in conference play).

Most Improved Player: UConn junior guard A.J. Price

Price had a solid year for UConn averaging 16.1 points per game and 5.9 assists. More importantly, Price provided leadership for his team, which started the year 11-5 overall and 2-3 in Big East play.

Price struggled in 2006-2007 (9.4 points and 3.6 assists) and before the season questions surrounded whether or not he would even be UConn’s starting point guard.

Also receiving consideration was Sam Young of Pittsburgh. Young averaged 18.0 points per game this year, up from 7.2 points per game during his sophomore year.

Defensive Player of the Year: Connecticut sophomore center Hahseem Thabeet

Thabeet set a Big East record for blocked shots in conference with 94 (previously held by Alonzo Mourning). Thabeet’s shot blocking seemed to improve over the course of the year as he averaged more blocks in conference games (5.2) then he did out of conference (3.7).

Newcomer of the Year: Jonny Flynn of the Syracuse Orange

Flynn had a tremendous overall impact this year averaging 16.8 points per game and 4.8 assists in conference play.

Donte Green, Dominque Jones (South Florida), and Dejuan Blair (Pittsburgh) all received strong consideration.

Coach of the Year: Jim Calhoun, Hall of Fame coach for the University of Connecticut

With his team 11-5 overall and 2-3 in conference, Calhoun never lost faith in his team. Also up for consideration: John Thompson III (Georgetown), Rick Pitino (Louisville), Mike Brey (Notre Dame), Bob Huggins (West Virginia).

All-Conference Honors

Luke Harangody (Notre Dame), A.J. Price (Connecticut), Joe Alexander (West Virginia), Kentrell Gransberry (South Florida), Sam Young (Pittsburgh), Roy Hibbert (Georgetown), Jonny Flynn (Syracuse), Brian Lang (Seton Hall), Kyle McAlarney (Notre Dame), Deonta Vaughn (Cincinnati)

Also Considered for All-Conference

Scottie Reynolds (Villanova), Jerel McNeal (Marquette), Dominic James (Marquette), Hasheem Thabeet (Connecticut), Jeff Adrien (Connecticut), Draelon Burns (Depaul), David Padgett (Louisville), Terrence Williams (Louisville), DeJuan Blair (Pittsburgh), Donte Green (Syracuse), Dominique Jones (South Florida), Geoff McDermott (Providence), Anthony Mason Jr. (St. Johns), Paul Harris (Syracuse), Tory Jackson (Notre Dame).

All-Freshman Team

Jonny Flynn (Syracuse), Donte Green (Syracuse), Dejaun Blair (Pittsburgh), Austin Freeman (Georgetown), Dar Tucker (Depaul), Justin Burrell (St. Johns), Mac Koshwal (Depaul), Dominque Jones (South Florida), Jeremy Hazell (Seton Hall), Corey Chandler (Rutgers).

The Big East Tournament begins on Wednesday at the Madison Square Garden. A Georgetown win could vault the Hoyas into a No. 1 overall seed in the NCAA Tournament.

Trust me, I have not been on the Georgetown bandwagon until recently, but they deserve consideration for being the overall Big East champions. Their win over Louisville on Saturday was not controversial, seemingly a first for Georgetown.

Overall, Georgetown is 25-4 (15-3 in conference), the class of the best league in college basketball.

The UFC Needs to Change

Todd Parmelee — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 05:16:56 -0500

Do not get me wrong—I love the Ultimate Fighting Championship and mixed martial arts. I began viewing the sport in the mid to late 1990s. The early UFC’s "no holds barred," no weight classes, David vs. Goliath matches, were intriguing.

But over the years the UFC has become more mainstream, less underground, due to boxing-like regulations. The rule changes definitely had a positive impact on the sport as it has led to its increasing popularity. The problem is that the UFC’s production of fights and the compensation for fighters is sub-par.

Before Pride Fighting Championships was sold to its rival the Ultimate Fighting Championships last March, it was the most exciting MMA organization to watch. Pride events were showcased in large arenas like the Tokyo Dome to capacity crowds of 40,000 plus fans. Pride made fighters out to be warriors, and drums would beat.

They had more emphasis on the show aspect then just the fight. It was sort of like the WWE, but realistic. There were pyrotechnics, pre-fight ceremonies, and long fighter introductions. These elements made Pride events more dramatic and ultimately increased the mystique of the fighters.

For a while after Pride merged with the UFC there was a lot of debate over which organization was better. It seems that the rule changes between the two organizations allowed some fighters to be more successful than others. The transition between fighting in a caged octagon vs. a traditional boxing ring was just one of the major differences between the two organizations.

Mirko Cro Cop, one of the top heavyweights in Pride, struggled in the UFC, winning only one fight. Quinton "Rampage" Jackson, arguably only the third or fourth ranked light heavyweight in Pride, became a champion in the UFC. Conversely, when top UFC light heavyweight Chuck Liddell fought in Pride in 2003, he was dominated by Rampage Jackson.

The UFC could learn from the Japanese and increase the production quality of its events. Otherwise, their product could lose some of its fan base to the International Fight League and upstart e-promotions like M-1 Global and K-1 Dreams.

These promotions will most likely garner the interest of the Pride Fighting fan. It is also nice to see that the UFC will not have as big of a monopoly on the sport. K-1 is nearly as powerful as UFC. These promotions have already lured big named fighters like Cro Cop and Fedor Emelianenko.

Another problem with the UFC is that its fighters are poorly compensated for their fights. At UFC 82 (a great fight card with equally great fights) the fighters were compensated between $3,000 to $170,000, according to wikipedia.org.

Andre Arlovski received $170,000, while his opponent Jake O’Brien received only $11,000. You would think with the revenue that the UFC is generating that it could compensate its fighters more, but they are not. If they do not change their ways, they will inevitably lose more quality fighters to other organizations.

Dana White (President and part-owner of the UFC), has made changes in the past, which have ultimately helped the organization become more successful. But in order to take it to the next level, he needs to continue to make changes.

From Caron Butler to Chris Andersen: How Should We Handle Troubled Athletes?

Todd Parmelee — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 05:53:00 -0500

Sports at all levels give athletes multiple chances to succeed. Sometimes those chances payoff, other times they do not.

Chris "Birdman" Andersen rejoined the New Orleans Hornets yesterday. The 6'10" forward was suspended from the NBA in 2006 for violating the league’s drug policy. Will the Birdman become the next Ricky Williams?

Ricky Williams—the two-time Doak Walker winner, one time Heisman winner—has been suspended multiple times for violating the NFL’s drug policy. Williams had his contract renewed this past January with the Miami Dolphins, but he's been given far too many chances.

Take the University at Albany, for example. They have a top-flight lacrosse player named Mike Banks on their team. Banks is a former member of the street gang the Bloods in Norwalk, Connecticut. He spent five months incarcerated for shooting a man with a hunting rifle and burglarizing a home when he was 15.

Banks is currently on probation and will remain so until he turns 20 years old. The University at Albany took a chance this kid who had multiple scrapes with the law.

Caron Butler of the Washington Wizards was arrested 15 times before the age of 15 in Racine, Wisconsin. Butler spent two years at the University of Connecticut before he was drafted by the Miami Heat.

Butler has been named to two All-Star teams. More importantly, he has stayed out of trouble.

Where would Butler be today if he had been given a chance? If he were not able to turn his life around with basketball, he could be in jail.

Adam "Pacman" Jones is a guy that should not be given another chance. Problems seem to follow Jones, and the Tennessee Titans and NFL should part ways with him.

The fact of the matter, though, is that "Pacman" is immensely talented and some NFL team will give him another chance. Sometimes teams are better off with less talented players that will not cause distractions. Distractions and subsequent controversy can destroy team chemistry.

Last, but not least, Michael Vick should be mentioned. Vick is currently incarcerated at Federal Prison Camp in Leavenworth, Kansas. He is participating in a drug program, which most likely will speed up his release date.

When Vick is released from prison sometime in 2009, will an NFL team have the audacity to take a chance on the convicted felon? Jamal Lewis received a second chance. Shouldn’t Vick receive his?

Pro athletes should receive second and third chances when they face substance abuse issues, but not when their crimes are violent—this sets the wrong example.

For young athletes, like Banks and Bulter, organized sports provide an outlet for success. They have shown that second chances really do pay off.

For a great story on Mike Banks, check out Lacrosse Magazine.

http://laxmagazine.cstv.com/sports/m-lacros/spec-rel/022508aaf.html

NCAA Tournament Closes In: March Madness Can Be Cruel

Todd Parmelee — Tue, 04 Mar 2008 03:27:00 -0500

Weeks ago you were walking around with confidence, a new blow-out hair cut, and a popped collar—you were ready to go to the Big Dance.

Now with Selection Sunday less than two weeks away, you want to return that new shirt—unless you are a Cornell Big Red fan.

Cornell is currently brimming with confidence. So far, they are the only team invited to that Big Dance.

It’s March, the time of year to debate bubbles, brackets, and seeds. Should the Big East earn seven bids? Why is the ACC getting only three this year?

Last season the whining began in Syracuse when the Orangemen—I mean Orange—were seemingly the last team left out of the NCAA Tournament. Old Dominion, Stanford, Arkansas, and Illinois were the last teams in, earning No. 12 seeds.

But this year their will be no anxiety for Orange fans, as their team at 7-9 in conference—losers of five out of their last six games—have punched their ticket to the NIT.

Would you rather have a team such as Syracuse in the field, or Illinois State? After all, it is March Madness and some of the greatest memories that come to mind include Santa Clara defeating Arizona (1993), Old Dominion knocking off Villanova (1995), Valparaiso over Mississippi (1998), and Vermont over Syracuse (2005).

Nothing is worse, though, than when your squad loses to a Cinderella team. In the opening round of the 2005 NCAA Tournament in Worcester, MA, fourth seeded Syracuse fell to Vermont.

I would have expected Taylor Coppenrath or T.J. Sorrentine play hero for Vermont, but Germaine Mopa Njila? Njila shot nine for ten from the floor and finished with 20 points. He averaged only 5.8 points per game that year.

The hour and forty minute drive back to Connecticut that day was dominated by expletives, complaints, and hate.

A year later, UConn lost to George Mason 84-86 in the Elite Eight (2006). The 2006 UConn team featured four players that would be drafted in the first round (Gay, Boone, Armstrong, and Williams).

George Mason had one player, Jai Lewis, who was invited to play in the NFL—not the NBA.

March can be the cruelest month.

NCAA Tournament Bubble Watch: The Atlantic 10

Todd Parmelee — Sun, 02 Mar 2008 04:45:22 -0500

The Atlantic 10 Conference is probably the most difficult to figure out. When Selection Sunday occurs on March 16th, it is entirely possible that only one team will receive a bid.

Early in the year, the Atlantic 10 was everyone’s darling with UMass, Rhode Island and Dayton making a splash by defeating teams from the power conferences. Now, Rhode Island, UMass and Dayton are all on the cusp of missing the NCAA Tournament. What happened?

The Atlantic 10 Tournament will most likely be the most competitive out of all the conference tournaments. Can one of the bubble teams: UMass, Rhode Island, Temple, Saint Louis, Richmond or Dayton knock-off Xavier?

I) In the NCAA Tournament

Xavier: 26-5, 14-2 in conference, #6 RPI (last week #6), #9 AP

Xavier is the cream of the crop in the Atlantic 10. They have nearly gone unscathed in a competitive conference. Xavier has won 11 in a row since losing to Temple on Jan. 16^th.
The Good: 11 wins in a row in a very competitive, underrated conference. 80-65 win over Indiana, 79-66 win over Creighton, 103-77 win over Kansas State, 108-70 win over Virginia.
The Bad: 57-59 loss to Miami Ohio, 55-77 loss to Arizona State.
Outlook: If Xavier wins the Atlantic 10 Tournament they should be awarded with a high number two seed.

II) On the Outside Looking In

Dayton: 20-9 overall, 8-8 in conference, #36 RPI (llast week #35)

Dayton started off the year 14-1. They were one of the nation’s hottest teams. Since then, Dayton has struggle going 4-8 over their last 12 games.
The Good: 13 straight wins. 70-65 win at Louisville, 80-55 win over Pitt.
The Bad: Dayton has lost eight games since starting the year 14-1. A 56-67 loss to George Mason.
Outlook: Dayton needs to win their remaining conference games at St. Bonaventure and St. Josephs. This would put them at 8-8 in conference. They have a strong RPI ranking. They also may need to win some games in the conference tournament. Update: Dayton defeated St. Bonaventure on March 5th (78-73).

UMass: 21-9 overall, 10-6, #40 RPI (last week #39)

With their backs against the wall, UMass has won four straight games (Saint Louis, Rhode Island St. Bonaventure, Richmond).
The Good: 107-100 win @ Syracuse, 83-80 @ Boston College, 82-71 win over Dayton
The Bad: 77-89 loss to IUPUI, 68-75 Loss vs. Northern Iowa.
Outlook: UMass is most likely in the tournament. They have two games remaining (La Salle and at George Washington), before the conference tournament begins on March 12th. Update: UMASS defeated LaSalle 100-63 on March 5th.

Saint Joseph’s: 18-11 overall, 9-7 in conference, #55 RPI (last week #65)
The Bad: 66-71 loss to Holy Cross, 69-72 loss to Syracuse
The Good: 77-55 win over Villanova, Two wins over UMass (98-92, 81-77)
Outlook: A tough three-game schedule remains (Temple, Xavier, at Dayton). A home win over Xavier would be huge. Saint Joseph's dropped a tough one to Temple on March 2nd 56-57. Update: Saint Joseph's upset Xavier 71-66 on March 6th. The win could boosts Saint Joseph's over UMASS who has a similar conference record. Saint Joseph's defeated UMASS twice this year.

Temple: 18-12, 11-5, #58 RPI (Last week #66)

Outlook: A 2nd place finish in conference and 4 straight wins has Temple surging heading into the post season. Temple will most likely need to make it to the confernce championship game to receive at-large consideration. Temple played a tough non-conference schedule (Duke, Tennessee, Villanova, Florida, Providence). Their RPI ranking has been on the rise over the last two weeks.

III) On the Fringes

Rhode Island: 21-10 overall, 7-9 in conference, #68 RPI (last week #58)

Rhode Island started off the year strong (14-1), but since has cooled (7-8 in last 15 games).
The Good: Wins over weaker Big East teams (South Florida, Providence, Syracuse). 82-70 win over Dayton,.
The Bad: Rhode Island is slipping fast, losing five out of their last six.
Outlook: Rhode Island has one game remaining vs. Charlotte. Rhode Island is most likely NIT bound. Rhode Island is off the bubble and will need to win their conference tournament.

Saint Louis: 16-14, 7-9, #116 RPI

Outlook: Rick Majerus’ team will be in the NIT, unless they can win their conference tournament.

Richmond : 16-13, 9-7#120 RPI
Outlook: Richmond is very similar to Temple, except that they have a very poor RPI ranking. They are on this list only because of their strong record in conference. They will most likely find themselves out of the post season entirely. Update: Richmond defeated Fordham 58-53 on March 5th.

Bubble Watch: The Big 12

Todd Parmelee — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 05:43:45 -0500

The Big 12 Conference could receive as many six NCAA Tournament bids, because many of its bubble teams have strong RPI rankings between 31-43. Conference play has now been completed. Right now, Kansas, Texas, Kansas State, Oklahoma and Baylor are all projected to make the NCAA Tournament. Texas A&M is one of the last teams left out due to their struggles down the stretch. A first round loss in the Big 12 Tournament will seal their NIT fate.

I) Most likely in:

Oklahoma 21-10, 9-7 #25 RPI

Former Duke guard Jeff Capel overachieved with this team at the beginning of the season. The Sooners, though, have cooled-off in conference play and they are in trouble, despite having a strong RPI rating.

The Good: An 83-72 over Arkansas, 72-68 over Gonzaga, 88-82 over West Virginia, 77-71 and 92-91 against Baylor.

The bad: The Sooners have lost two-straight (45-62 @ Texas, 45-63 @ Nebraska). The loss to Nebraska definitely hurt, as that dropped the Sooners under .500 in conference play.

Outlook: The Sooners started off the season impressively: winning three-straight non-conference games over Arkansas, Gonzaga and West Virginia. Since then they have been streaky in conference play. They have a favorable schedule remaining, which includes two home games (Texas A&M, at Oklahoma State, Missouri). Even if the Sooners win two out of their last three, their fate will most likely be determined in the Big 12 Tournament. The loss of Blake Griffin is huge.

Update: The Sooners embarrassed Texas A&M on March 1st 64 to 37, strengthening their case for at-large consideration. Despite losing Blake Griffin to injury, Oklahoma knocked-off in state rival Oklahoma State 68-56 on March 5th.

Baylor 21-9, 9-7 #34 RPI

Head coach Scott Drew has brought back respectability to his program after the 2003 murder of Patrick Dennehy (and subsequent NCAA violations), who was killed by his former teammate Carlton Dotson.

The good: A 68-64 win over Notre Dame, 116-110 over Texas A&M, 80-74 over Texas Tech and 92-86 over Kansas State. They lost to Washington State 64-67.

The bad: Baylor recently had a four-game conference losing streak (Kansas, Oklahoma State, Texas, Oklahoma). 78-85 loss to Arkansas.

Outlook: They were not able to get it done vs. Texas and Kansas. Good thing the 85-95 loss to Division II Tarelton State does not count. The loss to Tarelton State shows that there is little parity in college basketball.

Outlook: Baylor has won two games in a row after losing four straight. They should win two out of their last three regular season games (Missouri, Texas A&M, and at Texas Tech).

Update: Baylor defeated Missouri 100-89 in a high-scoring game. Baylor lost to Texas A&M 57-71.

Kansas State 20-10, 10-6 #44 RPI

It would be nice to see Michael Beasley in the NCAA Tournament. The super-freshman is averaging 26.2 points per game and 12.6 rebounds. He will most likely be the 2^nd straight freshman to win National Player of the Year honors. Last year Texas’ Kevin Durant won the award after averaging 25.8 ppg and 11.1 rebounds. State also features Bill Walker who contributes 16.2 ppg.
The Good: The aforementioned Beasley. 84-82 at Oklahoma, 84-75 win over Kansas, 75-54 over Texas A&M.
The Bad: A 77-87 loss to George Mason, 77-80 loss to Oregon, 77-103 loss to Xavier, 59-68 loss to Notre Dame, 64-71 loss to Nebraska, 75-84 loss to Texas Tech. and a 74-77 loss to Missouri.
Outlook: Kansas State has found itself on the bubble after losing three in a row and needs to get back on the winning track. They will most likely get in the big dance, but right now they are looking like an No. 8 to No. 9 seed. Kansas State was unimpressive in non-conference play and they do not have any impressive wins.

Update: Kansas State lost to in-state rival Kansas 74-88 on March 1st. Kansas State defeated Colorado 78-72, ending a 4-game losing streak.

II) On the outside looking in:

Texas A&M 22-9 overall, 8-8 #47 RPI

It is hard to put a 21-7 team on the bubble, but after recently losing three-straight games and still facing a difficult schedule to finish the season, Texas A&M could be National Invitation Tournament (NIT) bound. Heralded 7'0'' freshman DeAndre Jordan has been disappointing this year averaging just 9.0 ppg and 6.6 rebounds. He also is one of the worst free throw shooters averaging around 41%.
The good: A 77-63 over Washington, 70-47 over Ohio State, 79-53 over LSU and a 80-63 over Texas.
The bad: Recently, lost three-straight to Texas 50-77, Oklahoma State 54-59 and Nebraska 59-65.
Outlook: Texas A&M has a difficult schedule remaining and they may regret not getting the job done against Oklahoma State and Nebraska. Texas A&M could be in trouble their next two games @ Oklahoma and @Baylor. They finish the season playing Kansas at home.
Update: A&M needs to get back on the winning track. They scored just 10 points in the first half vs. Oklahoma, losing the game 37-64. A&M has lost 4 out of their last 5 games. They defeated Baylor 71-57 on March 5th. Texas A&M has continued to play itself off of the bubble, losing 5 out of their past 7 games. If they get in to the NCAA Tournament, they will be one of the last times.

IV) Bubble has Burst

Texas Tech 16-14, 7-9 #61

Outlook: Pat Knight’s team is most likely NIT bound. They have one of the toughest schedules remaining (Texas, at Kansas, Baylor).

Update: Texas Texas upset in state rival Texas 83-80. The win pus the Red Raiders back into contention for an at-large berth. Texas Tech lost to Kansas 51-109 on March 3rd. Are you kidding me? Their RPI jumped 14 spots over last week.

Nebraska 18-11, 7-9 #RPI 101

The good: Nebraska has been hot lately winning 3-straight over Kansas State, Texas A&M, Oklahoma. A 62-47 over Arizona State and 63-51 over Rutgers.

The bad: Nebraska recently moved into the RPI top 100. They played a weak non-conference schedule with their only noteworthy wins against Arizona State and Rutgers (nothing to brag about there).

Outlook: With many of the Big 12 bubble teams struggling of late, Nebraska is surging. They have a favorable schedule, but two of the games are on the road (at Oklahoma State and Texas, Colorado. If Nebraska can win two out of their next three then make a splash in the Big 12 tournament they could find themselves worth of an at-large berth. Especially with other Big 12 bubble teams struggling.

Update: Nebraska is NIT bound after losing to Oklahoma State 63-77 on March 1st. Nebraska's come back fell short against Texas, losing 66-70 on March 4th.

Things to Remember:

RPI- Rating Percentage Index

Remember only 34 teams receive at-large berths.

Originally posted on Feb. 29th.

New York Mets' Starting Pitching is NL's Best

Todd Parmelee — Wed, 27 Feb 2008 09:56:43 -0500

On paper the New York Mets have arguably the deepest pitching rotation in the National League.

If their pitching can stay healthy the Mets will return to the postseason after their embarrassing collapse late last year.

Johan Santana is the best pitcher in the MLB. He is coming over to the National League and pitching in a pitcher-friendly ballpark (Shea Stadium) where he has had past success.

Past pitchers such as Andy Pettitte and Roger Clemens have had success making the shift to the National League. Santana could be the Mets first 20 game winner in some time.

Last year, he finished the season 15-13 with a 3.33 ERA. From 2004 to 2006, Santana averaged an 18-6 record, 2.75 ERA and 248 strikeouts.

It is hard to consider a guy that is only going to throw five to six innings a solid No. 2 starter. It’s also hard to put Pedro Martinez in the No. 2 spot when he has not pitched a full season since 2005. For the Mets, though, they can afford to have Pedro in this slot at beginning of the year.

His stats at the end of last year were not bad, 3-1, 2.57 ERA. He only pitched 28 innings in 5 starts. Do not expect Pedro to finish the season without a couple of stints on the DL.

John Maine had a breakout year last year finishing the year 15-10 with a 3.91 ERA. He only allowed 161 hits in 191 innings and he also had 180 strikeouts. Mets fans should expect more consistency down the stretch from Maine and a lower ERA.

Oliver Perez was pretty good overall last year finishing 15-10 with a 3.56 ERA. He struck out 174 batters in 174 innings pitched. He is inconsistent at times, exhibiting major control problems.

Having a good signal caller in Brian Schneider behind the plate should benefit Perez.

If Orlando 'El Duque' Hernandez is healthy and can get the Mets 20 starts, I am sure they will take it. Last year, he was 9-7 with a 3.72 ERA in 147 innings. If the Mets have to rely on Mike Pelfrey, then they are in big trouble. Pelfrey was unimpressive last year finishing 3-8 with a 5.57 ERA.

Down the stretch, though, Pelfrey did show improvement winning three out of his last five starts. Pelfrey does give up a lot of hits. Maybe he will be the biggest beneficiary of Schneider.

NCAA Tournament Bubble Watch, Pt. II: The ACC

Todd Parmelee — Wed, 27 Feb 2008 05:33:52 -0500

The ACC regular season is now complete and only three teams have locked up NCAA bids (North Carolina, Duke, Clemson). The Miami Hurricanes will most likely be the last ACC team that gets into the NCAA tournament. Virginia Tech has a strong conferenc record, but a weak RPI ranking. Right now, they would be one of the last teams left out of the tournament.

Teams, such as Maryland and Virginia Tech, will need to play themselves in the NCAA Tournament during the ACC Tournament, which begins later this week.

I) In the NCAA Tournament

Clemson 22-8 overall, 10-6 ACC #23 RPI

The good: The 2007 NIT runners-up, barring a complete disaster, will make the tournament. They defeated Purdue 61-58 and they went to overtime twice vs. North Carolina this year (88-90 OT loss and 93-103 2OT). Non-conference wins over Mississippi State, DePaul, South Carolina and Alabama.
The bad: 72-82 loss vs. Charlotte, 55-64 loss to Florida State, 72-75 loss to Miami.
Outlook: Clemson still has four conference games remaining: Miami and Virginia Tech at home and road match-ups with Georgia Tech and Maryland. Even if they go 2-2 in conference, Clemson will most likely receive and at-large bid based on the strength of their RPI ranking. They are a tough team that took the Tar Heels to the brink of defeat twice this year.
Update: Clemson defeated Miami 79-69 on Feb. 28th. Clemson now approves to 20-7, 8-5 in the ACC. Clemson came back against Maryland, down 12 at the half, to win 73-70 on March 2nd. Clemson took a step back losing to Georgia Tech 75-80.

II) On the outside looking in

Miami 21-9 overall, 8-8 ACC #26 RPI

The good: Miami is on a four-game win streak (Maryland, Duke, Virginia Tech and Georgia Tech). Their remaining schedule is favorable. They have some nice wins this year: Duke (96-95), Clemson (75-72), Providence (64-58), St. Johns (67-48), Mississippi State (64-58).
The bad: Miami won the non-conference games they were supposed to win this year with maybe the exception of a 70-76 loss to Winthrop. Early in ACC play they struggled losing to Boston College, Florida State and North Carolina State.
Outlook: Miami looks poised to return to the NCAA Tournament. Their remaining schedule is favorable: at Clemson, Boston College, Virginia, at Florida State. Winning 4-straight games strengthens their case, as well as their RPI ranking.
Update: Clemson snapped Miami's 4-game win streak by defeating the Hurricanes 79-69. With the loss, Miami falls into the 'On the outside looking in' category.

On March 1st the Hurricanes defeated Virginia 95-93. On March 6th the Miami Hurricanes defeated the Boston College Eagles 74-61.

Virginia Tech 18-12 overall, 9-7 ACC #57 RPI

The good: Overall conference record, but they do not have a noteworthy win. Their biggest non-conference win was against St. John’s. They lost to Butler 78-84 in OT and Gonzaga 64-82 in the Great Alaska Shootout. They defeated Maryland 67-66, 69-65 at Maryland. The Hokies have won three straight.
The bad: 61-66 loss at Penn State, 49-52 loss at Richmond, 69-72 loss at Old Dominion
Outlook: Virginia Tech needs to win one of their final games vs. Wake Forest or Clemson. They are in a precarious position, like Syracuse was last year, a strong conference record, but a relatively weak non-conference record. A win against Clemson would bolster their RPI. If the Hokies were able to get it done in the non-conference by beating Penn State, Richmond and Old Dominion they would be a lock. Update: Virginia Tech defeated Wake Forest 80 to 58 on March 4th.

Maryland 18-13 overall, 8-8 ACC #64 RPI

The good: 69-61 win over Illinois, 76-72 win over Charlotte (a team other ACC foes could not beat), 82-80 win over North Carolina.
The bad: Maryland struggled earlier this year losing to Ohio University (55-61) and American University (59-67). They also lost to Missouri (70-84) and needed overtime to beat Northeastern (a 74-72 Terps win).
Outlook: The 2002 National Champions are in grave danger of missing the NCAA Tournament as they have lost 2 straight to other ACC bubble teams (Miami and Virginia Tech). They have the weakest RPI ranking (66^th) of all ACC bubble teams. Two of their final three games are on the road (at Wake Forest, at Virginia, Clemson). Like other teams from the ACC in position for an at-large berth, Maryland’s fate will most likely be determined by their showing in the ACC Tournament.
Update: Maryland defeated fellow bubble team, Wake Forest, 74-70 on Feb. 28th. Best case scenarioMaryland ends the year with 20 wins and an at-large berth (10 seed). Maryland let one slip away against Clemson, losing 70-73.

III) Bubble has Burst

Florida State 18-13 overall, 7-9 in ACC #62 RPI

Florida State freceives consideration this week after fiinishing the season strong winning 4 out of their last 5 games. The Seminoles most likely will be NIT bound.

Wake Forest 17-12 overall, 7-9 ACC #84 RPI (Last week #62)

The good: They have won three out of their last four games. Included during this stretch was a 86-73 victory over Duke. Other noteworthy wins: 70-68 win over Miami, 79-62 over BYU, 56-47 over Iowa, 74-61 over South Florida.
The bad: 73-112 loss to Boston College, 64-71 loss to Maryland, 50-72 loss to Georgia.
Outlook: Without the win over Duke we probably would not even talking about Wake Forest being a bubble team. The problem is that they beat Duke and they are 6-6 in conference. Their remaining schedule is: Maryland, @ Georgia Tech, @ Virginia Tech, North Carolina State. Even with an 8-8 record in the ACC Wake is in trouble. They will need another big victory in the ACC Tournament over Duke or North Carolina. The Demean Deacons are most likely bound for the NIT.
Update: Wake Forest is in serious trouble after losing to Maryland 70-74 on Feb. 28th. They followed the lost to the Terps with a 79-87 loss to Georgia Tech. The Deamon Deacons will probably have to win the ACC Tournament in order to secure a bid on Selection Sunday. They fell 22 spots in the latest RPI rankings. Wake Forest is off the Bubble Watch after losing to Virginia Tech 80-58 on March 4th.

Remember: Only 34 teams receive at-large berths. This is a down year for the ACC. Are they worth of more than 4 or 5 bids?

Terms: RPI: Ratings Percentage Index

For more information on the selection process go to:

http://www.ncaasports.com/basketball/mens/story/9183455

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Selection_Sunday

Bubble Watch: The Big East

Todd Parmelee — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 10:55:39 -0500

The Big East has wrapped up its regular season and the conference tournament begins March 12th at the Madison Square Garden.

Syracuse and Villanova, both 9-9 in conference play, are still in consideration for an at-large berth. The two teams will square off on Wednesday. During the regular season the two teams split. Villanova won at Syracuse (81-71), while Syracuse won at Villanova (87-73). The winner of the game will face #1 seeded Georgetown. Both teams have been competitive against the Hoyas. Syracuse lost to Georgetown 61-64, then avenged the loss by defeating Georgetown 77-70. On the other hand, Villanova, the victim of a controversial call, lost to Georgetown 53-55 during the regular season.The Orange are a very talented team that has overcome injuries to Eric Devendorf and Andy Rautins. Paul Harris, Donte Green, and Jonny Flynn are one of the most dynamic threesomes in the Big East. Do the depleted Orange have what it takes to win 2 or 3 games in the Big East Tournament?

I) In the NCAA TOURNAMENT

Pittsburgh (22-9 overall, 10-8 in Big East) #24 RPI

They need to start winning again on a consistent basis after losing three in a row. This team should get in, but at 7-7 in conference play they still have work to do. They have had some major injury setbacks (Levance Fields).
The good: Victories against Duke 66-64 at MSG, 75-74 at Washington, 69-60 Georgetown.
The bad: Currently they are on a three-game losing steak, but the losses are to Marquette, Notre Dame, and Louisville. Losses at Rutgers 65-77 and Dayton 55-80.
Outlook: Pitt is in if they can finish 2-2. Levance Fields is back from injury and, once he can get back into game shape, they should be a force to be reckoned with. They have tough road matchups at West Virginia and Syracuse. Home games vs. Depaul and Cinncinati are must wins. Right now they are looking like an eight or nine seed, a very dangerous prospect for a one seed to face in the second round. The committee does seem to take injuries into consideration. A strong finish could bump Pitt into a five or six seed.
Update: Pitt defeated Cincy 73-67 on Feb. 27th. to improve to 20-8 and 8-7 in the Big East. The win also ended Pitt's 3-game losing streak. Pitt defeated Syracuse 82-77 on March 1st. Pitt followed the comeback victory over Syracuse with a 76-62 loss to West Virginia.

West Virginia (22-9, 11-7) #39

A tough matchup against UConn on Saturday in Hartford, Conn. West Virginia fell victim to Georgetown 57-58 earlier this year. It was a costly loss for the Moutaineers as they blew a six point lead with less than five minutes to play.
The good: 79-64 win vs. Marquette, 72-74 Loss to Tennessee, 57-58 Loss to Georgetown.
The bad: Three of last four games are on the road (UConn, Depaul, St. John's). Their one home game is against Pitt.
Outlook: Depaul and St. John's are very winnable games. A win vs. UConn or Pitt would be huge. Non-conference victories over Auburn and New Mexico State are not the quality wins the committee is looking for.
Update: West Virginia defeated Depaul 85-73 on Feb.27th. The Mountaineers lost to the Huskies 71-79 on March 1st. Joe Alexander scored 32 points (his 2nd straight game of 30 or more points) as West Virginia knocked-off Pitt 76-62 in Morgantown.

II) NIT Bound

Syracuse (19-12, 9-9 in Big East) #46

They were snubbed last year and this year they are in big trouble.
The good: 70-68 win on the road vs. Virginia, 91-85 win over Washington, 77-70 win over Georgetown, 72-69 win over St. Joseph’s.
The bad: 100-107 loss to UMass at home, 89-91 loss to University of Rhode Island at home, 78-89 loss at South Florida.
Outlook: Syracuse is NIT bound right now. They have home games vs. Pitt and Marquette. Their only road game is vs. Seton Hall. If they can win two out of three they are back in the mix.
Update: The Orange fell to Pitt 77-82 on March 1st. They have lost 5 out of their last 6 games. Syracuse's tournament stock is on the decline (Their RPI dropped eleven spots). The Orange got back on the winning-track by defeating the Seton Hall Pirates 85-73.

Villanova (19-11 overall, 9-9 in Big East) #56

It looked like they were about to turn the corner after they beat UConn last Saturday. A win over Marquette last night would have been big, but they lost. This team is full of question marks in the frontcourt. They also fell victim to Georgetown 53-55. This win would have made Villanova’s case much stronger. Let's face it, Georgetown has been the beneficiary of a lot of close calls this year.
The Good: 67-65 win over UConn, 78-56 win over West Virginia, 64-63 win over Pitt. Wins in three of last four games.
The Bad: Lost five straight games earlier in the season. Included in that stretch are bad losses to Rutgers, 68-80, and 55-77 loss to St. Joseph's.
Outlook: The schedule is in Nova’s favor as they play South Florida and Providence. They have a tough matchup at Louisville. Even if they win two out of three, they will still have work to do in the Big East Tournament.
Update: Nova lost to Louisville 54-68 on March 2nd. A win over Louisville would have been their 2nd in 8 days for a ranked a opponent. Nova' defeated South Florida 72-59 on March 5th.

Seton Hall (17-14 overall , 7-11 Big East) #87 RPI

The Good: A favorable conference schedule to finish the season (@ South Florida, @ St. Johns, Syracuse, and Rutgers). They could finish the regular season with at least a 19-12 overall record and 9-9 conference record. Notable wins: 74-60 over Virginia, 92-82 win over Louisville, 64-61 win over Cincinnati, 65-55 @ Princeton.
The Bad: Seton Hall has lost five of their last six games. Notable losses: 73-79 vs. NC State, 70-85 @ St Mary’s, 86-89, @ Penn State 86-89.
Outlook: As stated earlier, Seton Hall has a favorable schedule remaining. They could make a strong case for an at-large bid by winning three out of their last four.
Update: Seton Hall defeated South Florida 79-75 on Feb. 26th to improve to 17-11, 7-8 in conference. The best case scenario for the Pirates is that they finish the season 20-11, 10-8 in Big East. They then win a game in the conference tournament and raise the eyebrows of the selection committe. Right now they have lot of work to do. Seton Hall lost to St. Johns 62-65 on March 1st. The Pirates lost to Syracuse on March 5th.

Cincinnati (13-17 overall, 8-10 Big East) #112 RPI

A lousy record in non-conference play with losses against Belmont and Bowling Green. Cincy has compiled a good conference record of 8-6 and have drastically improved over the course of the season. A win over UConn and a win in the Big East Tournament may have Cincy in the Big Dance.
The Bad: 75-86 loss to Belmont, 67-69 loss to Bowling Green, 58-70 loss at St. John's.
The Good: 62-39 win over West Virginia, 62-59 win over Pitt, 58-57 win at Louisville.
Outlook: They struggled against non-conference teams, losing five straight at one point. At Pitt and at UConn. Home games vs. Depaul and Providence. Finishing 10-8 in conference will still have Cincy NIT bound.
Update: Cincy lost to Pitt 67-73. The Bearcats are now 13-14 overall and 8-7 in Big East play. The Bearcats will most likely need to win the Big East Tournament in order to get invited to the Big Dance. Cincy lost to Depaul on March 6th 54-60.

Terms: RPI=Rating Percentage Index

Things to Remember: There are only 34 teams that can receive at-large berths. Can it be justified that the Big East gets 7-8 bids (6-7 at large and 1 automatic)?

Already In the Big Dance: Georgetown, Louisville, Marquette, UConn, Notre Dame

For More in-depth information on the selection process go to: http://www.ncaasports.com/basketball/mens/story/9183455

Steroids and Baseball: Some Final Thoughts

Todd Parmelee — Thu, 21 Feb 2008 10:27:00 -0500

The ‘Governator’ - Yes, Arnold Schwarzenegger admitted to using steroids during the 1970's, while they were still legal.

Prior to roles as The ‘Governator’ (let’s face it this has been his best acting job to date) and ‘Terminator,’ Arnold was a seven-time Mr. Olympia.

He parlayed his bodybuilding career into an acting career.

Then used his fame to become the Governor of California. Would Arnold have become governor if it was not for his steroid use? No! He would have never have won the seven Mr. Olympias, nor blessed us with roles in movies such as Twins. Should this be grounds of putting an asterisk in the history books or should he just be impeached? The answer to the previous questions is no and no.

Rocky Balboa - Sylvester Stallone is 61years-old and he is in incredible shape. In May of 2007 he pled guilty to importing Human-Growth Hormone (HGH) into Australia. After watching Rocky Balboa and now knowing he had used HGH, I still can not believe he lost to Antonio Tarver at the end. Stallone was in much better shape.

Fans of his recent movies, should be able to ask for their money back.

Why aren’t Schwarzenegger and Stallone answering questions before Congress?

Brian McNamee- Where does Roger Clemens find his friends? Friends should be loyal and trustworthy. Why did McNamee inject Clemens with HGH then hold on to the syringes for seven years? Was he trying to do blackmail him? In 2001, when he supposedly injected Clemens, I was unaware that HGH and steroids were an issue in baseball. What I really want to know is what else did McNamee have in his closet? Does he know who really shot Kennedy?

I think everyone believes Roger Clemens lied, especially after he was implicated by his friend Andy Pettitte. Everyone, though, should also come to a consensus that McNamee is at least psychotic.

The Mitchell Report - The Mitchell Report was a failure. It only implicated a select few. What about ‘Slammin’ Sammy Sosa or even Jeff Bagwell? Chuck Knoblauch, are you f-ing kidding me? Even with steroids he could barely hit one over the fence.

Government and Asterisks - Baseball was at its low-point when the strike occurred in 1994. Arguably, thanks to steroids and HGH , the fans came back. In 1998 there was no better story in baseball than McGwire and Sosa smashing Maris’ home run record. Bonds then became the undisputed single-season home run king in 2001. It is a shame that our own government cares so much about HGH, Roger Clemens, Brian McnaMee and baseball. There are bigger things to worry about like stimulating the economy and getting our troops home safely from Iraq. I do not think their should be asterisks next to the records, it was just a part of an era.

Steroid Testing - Baseball has responded to the steroid allegations and beefed-up the sanctions. This should have been the end of the debate. Catching Guillermo Moto, Juan Rincon and Jay Gibbons, helps but where are all the big names? Rafeal Palmerio is the only one that comes to mind.

G-Unit - One final note—I would love to see 50 Cent called before Congress to answer allegations that he used HGH. I do not think, 50 Cent would be intimidated, but our Congressmen certainly would.

UConn Depaul

Todd Parmelee — Tue, 19 Feb 2008 17:13:24 -0500

Very good game . . .UConn won 65-60

Price is Right Now for UConn

Todd Parmelee — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 05:24:01 -0500

I am reluctantly deleting this article for personal reasons.

Calhoun's Creations: UConn Boasts Most All-Stars With 3

Todd Parmelee — Sun, 17 Feb 2008 00:29:22 -0500

I apologize but I took the article down.

UConn-South Florida: Austrie's Buzzer-Beater Spoils Upset Bid

Todd Parmelee — Sat, 16 Feb 2008 07:50:40 -0500

I apologize for taking down the story and look forward to writing about other sports on bleacherreport.com