Bleacher Report - Articles by Ronald Manbaum

Antonio Cromartie: From Rookie Sensation To Utter Frustration

Ronald Manbaum — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 21:36:10 -0400

I want Antonio Cromartie to do well. I really do. I remember vividly the cornerback that burst onto the scene his rookie season making Chargers fans swoon over his unlimited potential.

I recall him intercepting Peyton Manning three times in one game as a rookie. One of those interceptions was so impressive that I think I spent the next two weeks re-watching the clip on YouTube.

I even ignored his regression last year accepting as fact that the only reason we weren't seeing the same Cromartie was because of an injured hip. After four games this year, I am no longer certain that the injury was as significant as it appeared last year.

Yesterday, Cromartie posted a message on Twitter blaming the zone defense employed by Norv Turner and the Chargers for his struggles against the Steelers. I am almost willing to buy the excuse, but even I can't put all the blame on Norv Turner or Ron Rivera for this one.

Honestly, if there is one coach in all of the NFL who is able to get the absolute least out of his players, it is Norv Turner. He has proven this over and over again, and continues to do a phenomenal job doing exactly what he does best—lowering expectations, starting slowly, and then relying on team talent to bail him out.

Luckily for Norv, the Chargers have had an overabundance of talent the past few years.

However, with injuries taking a toll again on San Diego, it becomes less and less likely each season that Rivers, Tomlinson, Gates and the rest of the Chargers can do anything to bail Turner out of trouble.

As for Cromartie, a zone may start you 10 yards off the line of scrimmage, but it doesn't make you lose track of your man as often as Cromartie does. Even the most basic move leaves Cromartie turning in the wrong direction, resulting in either an easy completion or Cromartie's new speciality, defensive pass interference.

Cromartie remains incredibly gifted, and he may yet develop into the superstar he seemed poised to be as a rookie, but only time will tell.

Right now, the Chargers may not be able to afford having him as a starting cornerback.

Was Rick Reilly's Rant on Michael Jordan's Hall of Fame Speech Full of Hot Air?

Ronald Manbaum — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 10:44:53 -0400

This post is really about Rick Reilly's reaction to Michael Jordan's Hall of Fame speech, and not so much about the speech itself.

Every once in awhile I like to torture myself by reading a piece written by Reilly. Reilly, of course, used to write the back page article for Sports Illustrated, and now writes for ESPN.

In the interest of full disclosure, he's also an award-winning sports writer who people seem to generally love. Admittedly, I like about 15 percent of his articles, but I generally find him terribly annoying.

I could be wrong, but he seems like he's that annoying guy who's always smiling while he talks or writes because he thinks he's much more funny and probably a tad bit smarter than you ever could be. That's just my perception though, and I could of course be wrong.

Anyway, Reilly decided to tear into Michael Jordan for his Hall of Fame speech in an article titled, "Be like Mike? No thanks." Here is the intro, and you can read the rest of the piece here:

Michael Jordan's Hall of Fame talk was the Exxon Valdez of speeches. It was, by turns, rude, vindictive, and flammable. And that was just when he was trying to be funny. It was tactless, egotistical, and unbecoming. When it was done, nobody wanted to be like Mike.

And yet we couldn't stop watching. Because this was an inside look into the mindset of an icon who'd never let anybody inside before. From what I saw, I'd never want to go back.

Here is a man who's won just about everything there is to win: six NBA titles, five MVPs, and two Olympics golds. And yet he sounded like a guy who's been screwed out of every trophy ever minted. He's the world's first sore winner.

In the entire 23-minute cringe-athon, there were only six thank yous, seven if you count his sarcastic rip at the very Hall that was inducting him. "Thank you, Hall of Fame, for raising ticket prices, I guess," he sneered.

By comparison, David Robinson's classy and heartfelt seven-minute speech had 17. Joe Montana's even shorter speech in Canton had 23. Who wrote your speech, Mike? Kanye West?

Did he really actually COUNT the number of times each person said thank you? Apparently Rick Reilly spends his free time judging acceptance speeches by how many times a person says thank you (and actually counting them to ensure accuracy). It looks like the more famous you are, the more you need to say thank you.

It really couldn't be more obvious from the jump that Reilly has a big axe to grind. I watched the speech today (although I read the article a couple weeks ago) and it never felt "rude, vindictive, or flammable."

Just to see if I was too biased against Reilly, I even had a few friends watch the speech, these were people who could care less about Michael Jordan, and they also found nothing in it to be any of those things either.

Not that Jordan's speech wasn't from the heart. It was. It's just that Jordan's heart on this night could give you frostbite.

Nobody was spared, including his high school coach, his high school teammate, his college coach, two of his pro coaches, his college roommate, his pro owner, his pro general manager, the man who was presenting him that evening, even his kids!

Since I don't want to pick apart ever single aspect of the article, I will comment that I'm not sure exactly how he went after some of these people. He thanked his college coach (Dean Smith) once, which I suppose is somewhat of a flammable comment.

He also made a reference to Smith leaving him off the cover of Sports Illustrated, and how that motivated him to be better.

I thought it was funny, but even if it wasn't, I don't know that Michael Jordan's inability to deliver a joke like Chris Rock somehow makes him a terrible person.

The whole speech is prefaced on the theme that Jordan wanted to tell people something they didn't already know about him. That "something" was how he developed, and maintained, his competitive drive from his childhood throughout his entire career.

He was thanking most of the aforementioned people for the motivation they provided, and he also pointed out that sometimes they were doing it knowingly, and sometimes they weren't.

He was also pretty clearly trying to be funny, and most of the people he was supposedly being rude to had huge smiles on their faces. That includes the the person that made Jordan's high school team the year he was cut.

In the end, after you read the whole piece it becomes pretty clear that the entire article seems to be trying to point out to the world that Michael Jordan didn't treat Rick Reilly with the respect Rick Reilly deserves.

It's also trying to show that Michael Jordan is a world-class jerk. Which, assuming that's true, kind of makes me respect Michael Jordan all the more.

If he was a jerk he did a great job hiding it, and that's probably not the easiest thing to do. He was an ambassador for the game, always handled himself professionally, and was a great role model for children.

If the guy is truly as big of a jerk as Reilly implies, than he should be applauded for showing so much restraint throughout his career. He certainly hid it pretty well for 20 years, while Kanye West, the man Reilly compares to Jordan, can't hide it for 0:20.

The rest of the article is about how Jordan made people cry in practice, and was probably a little too cold-hearted on the basketball court. Which honestly is pretty old news, and I'm sure anyone that even remotely followed Jordan throughout his career already knew this about him.

Although just to show you what a hard-hitting reporter he is, Reilly delivers this news like he just broke the story of the Watergate break-in. The article concludes with this brilliant little story:

Jordan owes a roomful of apologies. But it'll never happen. I know firsthand.

Before his second comeback (with the Washington Wizards) I was the first out with the story by a month. Jordan and his agent, David Falk, denied it, said I was crazy, practically said I was smoking something.

Then, after a month of lies, Jordan admitted it was all true. I saw him in the locker room before his first game back and said, "You wanna say something to me, maybe?"

And he said, "You know you don't get no apologies in this business."

So I wouldn't hold your breath.

They called it an "acceptance" speech, but the last thing Jordan seems to be able to do is accept it's over. In fact, Jordan hinted that he might make yet another comeback at 50.

I just hope Comeback No. 3 doesn't come with a speech.

Because then I'm really screwed.

OMG! I usually don't use terms like "OMG," but this is such an amazing story that it had to be done. Rick Reilly broke a story a month early, and Jordan AND his agent wouldn't confirm it!!! They called him crazy!

Where is this quote, because quite frankly everything else in the story has quotes, and usually when people don't use quotes it's because they're exaggerating for effect.....Maybe he did call him crazy, but you know what, after reading this article, I'm pretty sure Reilly is sitting perilously close to the edge of insanity.

Why exactly does Jordan owe Reilly an apology anyway? He wouldn't confirm he was coming back to the NBA?

Oh, I sent Rick Reilly an e-mail the other day telling him he was a moron, and I asked him to confirm or deny it. He hasn't confirmed it yet. I'm assuming he owes me an apology next time I see him.

I hope my kids don't end up like him.

(And, for the record, I'm a Denver Nuggets fan, and I've never been a fan of the Chicago Bulls.)

George Karl: Was He Right to Criticize Officials Following Game Five?

Ronald Manbaum — Thu, 28 May 2009 17:25:28 -0400

Following Game Five of the Lakers/Nuggets series, George Karl took it upon himself to say out loud what Nuggets' fans have been wondering about for a while. Is NBA officiating engaged in some home cooking?

Phil Jackson thought so after Game Four in Denver, and George Karl feels the same way after Game Five.

According to Karl, the Lakers "got the benefit of the whistle" throughout the fourth quarter, and the disparity in the fouls in the fourth quarter tends to back him up.

Through three quarters on Wednesday night the Lakers and Nuggets were tied. In fact, they were tied at the end of each of the first three quarters.

What about the number of fouls through three quarters? They were even as well.

So what happened in the fourth quarter?

The Lakers managed to pull away and win by nine, 103-94. They also managed to get fouled 12 times in the fourth, while the Nuggets only picked up four.

According to Karl, "[e]very player in my locker room is frustrated, from guards to big guys. Gasol goes after at least 20 jump shots, 20 shots to the rim. and gets one foul; our big guys have 16. Nene has six fouls, three or four of them don't exist."

Well, at least one of them certainly did not exist. Nene's sixth and final call was perhaps the most obviously incorrect. After sliding into defensive position, Gasol stuck out his arm and pushed Nene to the ground, falling on top of him. The whistle would once again go against the Nuggets though.

While other calls were just as bad, some certainly stood out more than others. How about that call that went against Chauncey Billups for leading with his right leg on a layup? Those were three points down the drain for the Nuggets.

Meanwhile, in the fourth quarter, Lamar Odom led with his right arm as he went over Chris Andersen—the Birdman—for a dunk. Is one any more an offensive foul than the other?

Karl has a point though. The Nuggets, after spending far too much time early in the fourth quarter relying upon Kenyon Martin jump shots and three point shots, managed to dig themselves an early 11 point deficit. After trimming the deficit to four, Carmelo Anthony and the Nuggets repeatedly attacked the rim, and each and every time there was contact, the officials chose not to blow the whistle.

They were hardly so generous on the other end.

At times it felt like the officials were making a concerted effort to avoid calling the defense for fouls against Kobe Bryant or Anthony in the fourth quarter. Instead, they decided they would just make every call that involved neither of the aforementioned players against Denver. Perhaps this would throw us all off since neither superstar was getting special treatment.

Who knows what goes through their incompetent minds though. I just know it looked like Kobe got hit a couple times going into the lane, and it looked like Carmelo got hit a couple times going into the lane and neither one drew more than one, or maybe two calls, in the fourth quarter.

Meanwhile, every other Laker that even got inside the three point line was able to draw a foul.

The NBA routinely states they review calls and the officials have a 97 percent accuracy rate. After seeing how many calls have been missed in the playoffs, I'm going to have to assume they enter the playoffs at 100 percent, because as far as I can tell they have been a lot closer to 50 percent than 100 percent in the playoffs.

Oh, and Game Four in Denver, let's just say the Nuggets may have received some home cooking of their own that night. Maybe the NBA thinks they need to control the outcome, or at least influence it, to make the crowds happy, but they're wrong.

With Bryant, Anthony, Pau Gasol, and Chauncey Billups, the series would be just as entertaining without the officials often making themselves the most noticeable people on the court.

Sound Familiar? Infractions May Follow John Calipari's Exit

Ronald Manbaum — Wed, 27 May 2009 22:13:17 -0400

As reports of major infractions accumulate for the University of Memphis' men's basketball program, you have to wonder what this means for Kentucky Wildcats fans.

The reactions will probably run the gamut from self-congratulatory glee for those fans that thought Calipari was an outlaw—unfit to hold the reigns for a school like the University of Kentucky—to unwavering defenses of Calipari up until the point where actual video surfaces of Calipari sitting down and taking the SAT test for the suspected cheater.

There seems to be three things you can expect when you hire John Calipari though, and those can be spelled out quite easily:

Your team will achieve a level of success that it hasn't had in years

The last team Calipari coached will suddenly be under NCAA investigation for major infractions

Coach Calipari will be just far enough removed from the entire situation at the old school to keep his name clean, while the fans at his "new" school will be angry that anyone would suggest he would ever "knowingly" cheat

At this point the allegations include most seriously, that while John Calipari was the Head Coach at the University of Memphis, there was "knowing fraudulence or misconduct" involving an unknown players' SAT scores.

(Derrick Rose, anyone?)

If the allegations are proved, it looks as though Memphis will join Massachusetts in having to forfeit all the games from the best year in their school's history.

This means that those 38 wins along with the Final Four appearance will be stripped from the record book. It also will continue to raise questions about how Calipari was able to take two programs from good to great in such a short amount of time.

Maybe Kentucky fans can pin their hopes on the fact that Coach Cal only commits violations at schools that start with the letter 'M'?

Many college basketball fans have suspected, and outright accused Calipari of running dirty programs. These allegations, if proved, will just continue to throw gas on the fire.

Hopefully, for the sake of the kids that won those 38 games and the integrity of the game, the allegations are nothing more than that.

But I doubt it.

If I was a Kentucky fan, my biggest fear right now would be what's going to happen in the months that follow Coach Calipari's retirement, resignation, or dismissal; Because you know what comes next. And if you don't, refer to the list above.

NBA Officiating: Is It as Bad as It Seems?

Ronald Manbaum — Mon, 25 May 2009 15:37:04 -0400

The only thing consistent about NBA officiating is how utterly inconsistent it is. I drifted away from the NBA several years ago, somewhere around the time Michael Jordan first retired. However, I began watching again last year, and I have been paying close attention ever since.

As the playoffs progress, though, I find myself asking more and more often, "Why did I come back in the first place?"

I know quite a few people who put the tinfoil on their head and spout off year after year about how the NBA playoffs are fixed. I haven't joined them in their lunacy (yet), but after watching the games for the past year, NBA officials seem to be going out of their way to provide the ammunition for those that think the games are fixed.

I am 90 percent certain the games are not fixed. Instead, I would argue that the officiating is just plain awful. It is so bad that almost any conspiracy theorist can point to five to ten calls each game that make it painfully obvious that the game is rigged.

The problem, however, is that they fail to mention the other twenty calls that leave the viewer absolutely befuddled. Those calls show no bias—they're just bad calls.

Dwight Howard is called for a foul on LeBron James at the end of Game Three, on one of the cleanest blocks I have ever seen. Yet the conspiracy theorists rejoice because they have their clearest evidence yet of a plot by the NBA to fix games. Even the NBA would likely admit they missed that one, but that's usually where they stop.

They shouldn't.

They should come out and admit that the officiating in the NBA right now is bad—in fact, it's horrendous.

No other sport can match the level of ineptitude that the NBA showcases by their officials on a nightly basis, and on such a big stage. At least if they admitted it I could hold out hope that it might improve down the road, because right now it seems hopeless.

Maybe the NBA could just get rid of the officials and let the players call their own fouls. It can't be any worse than what I'm seeing now...

Another problem I am having with these playoffs are the technicals. They seem willing to call a technical if someone even looks at an official the wrong way after a possession.

For a group that misses as many calls as they do, it's amazing how on the ball they are for most technicals. Although, lately it seems the more obvious the technical, the more likely they are to miss it.

In the past three games, they missed Mo Williams throwing a ball approximately 10 feet and hitting Dwight Howard after a hard foul, and Dahntay Jones placing both hands on Kobe Bryant's lower back and launching him into a different zip code, and on and on it goes.

One of the unfortunate consequences of all these technicals—and maybe this is just me—is that it seems that every hard foul is followed by two minutes of watching a player rolling around on the ground like he just lost a leg. Of course, after the obligatory two minute-nap on the floor the player jumps up with no signs of any injury.

I guess if the NBA wants their games to play out more like soccer, where players spend as much time crying on the ground as they do playing the game, they're doing a great job of making that happen. Maybe the officials could start handing out yellow and red cards to really drive the point home.

Another problem is that the amount of fouls being called differs from game to game and half to half all too often.

So, what's happening?

Game Three of the Denver/Dallas resulted in 50 more free throws than were shot in Game Two. Game Three of Cleveland/Orlando saw 35 more free throws shot than in Game Two.

This is not happening night after night (although it is almost every night), but there have been way too many instances in these playoffs where the officials change how they are calling a game half to half, and game to game in far too many instances.

I come down on the side that NBA officials are just horrible, and not influencing the outcome of games intentionally. Could they please just try to be consistent? Consistently bad, consistently good—I could care less right now. Just be consistent.

If they don't, the tinfoil crowd is going to win, if they aren't already. At least the Magic are up 2-1 right now, because if the Cavs and Lakers end up in the finals, the conspiracy theorists will have yet another feather in their cap.

As we all know by now, the conspiracy theorists' crown jewel, the ultimate proof that the NBA is fixed, may be right around the corner. Kobe v. LeBron: If the final series boils down to those two players, and those two teams, it will provide yet more ammunition to prove just how fixed the NBA is.

Oh, and LeBron James averaging one foul per 48 minutes doesn't help either.

Denver Nuggets and George Karl Gift Wrap Game One

Ronald Manbaum — Wed, 20 May 2009 00:19:39 -0400

The Lakers pulled off a big victory in Game One on Tuesday, and the Denver Nuggets gave away a game that could easily have ended with a very different result.

Outside of a phenomenal effort by Carmelo Anthony, the Nuggets seemed to struggle the entire game. Chauncey Billups had an uncharacteristically poor performance, struggling to make shots, and missing three early free throws that matched the total number he had missed in the first two rounds. The Nuggets missed 12 overall, finishing Game One at 23-35 from the line.

Nene and Kenyon Martin both had better performances than the back-court for Denver, scoring 14 and 15 points, respectively. Although they played well inside, they did struggle to keep the Lakers off the glass on the defensive end. Martin also had a costly foul late in the game on Kobe Bryant, that resulted in two free throws and a two point lead for the Lakers. In the end though, it wasn't Nene, Martin, or Billups' sub-par game that cost Denver Game One, it was George Karl's decision to keep Anthony Carter in the game that snatched defeat from the jaws of victory.

Carter's miscues late in the game were numerous, yet Karl stuck with him to the bitter (at least for Denver fans) end. He missed an open jumper late, committed a horrible turnover, seemed completely unable to bother Bryant defensively, and although all those things hurt Denver late, perhaps the biggest problem was the shift in momentum that followed after J.R. Smith was removed in favor of Carter, with about five minutes remaining.

Simply put, when Carter entered the game, the Lakers were able to focus more on containing Anthony and Billups, and they were able to create match up problems on the defensive end as well. Carter isn't big enough to bother Bryant's shot, and he offered almost nothing on offense. In the end, Karl's decision to go with Carter over the sometimes erratic J.R. Smith was the safe play, but not the smart one against the Lakers; it may have cost the Nuggets Game One.

Carmelo Anthony: The Best Player in The NBA Not Named LeBron?

Ronald Manbaum — Tue, 12 May 2009 21:11:00 -0400

The short answer to that question is a resounding NO, but that may be changing.

The draft of 2003 will be remembered for many things. First and foremost though may be Joe Dumars descent into madness when he skipped over Carmelo Anthony, Dwayne Wade, and Chris Bosh to select Darko Milicic. At the time it seemed like the risk was not going to be worth the reward, and six years later that has proven to be undeniably true.

While LeBron James has clearly been at the head of that class, and the NBA in general, Dwayne Wade, along with Kobe, are often right with LeBron in the discussion of the NBA's elite superstars. Which begs the question, where does Carmelo fit in?

Imagine the possibilities if Carmelo had matured with Chauncey Billups at point starting in his rookie season, imagine if instead of having a leadership role thrust upon him, and all the pressures that go with it (especially in the far superior Western Conference), he had Rip Hamilton and Ben Wallace to share the spotlight with. Dwayne Wade had Shaq starting in his second year, and Carmelo had, well, Marcus Camby and still has made the playoffs in Denver year after year.

That's not a knock on Camby by the way, who is a great player in his own right, but developing your talent with Shaq sitting on the block drawing double and triple-teams is an easier proposition than taking over a team from Day 1.

The point here is not to disparage Wade, but while Wade has clearly been elevated to the NBA elite you still hear the familiar "overrated" tag being thrown around when the discussion turns to Carmelo Anthony. Although the Nuggets playoff run seems to be quieting some of that criticism, even now you hear the argument that it is Chauncey Billups arrival in Denver, and not the great play of Anthony, that has somehow made the Nuggets turn the corner.

Oddly, you rarely hear the criticism heaped upon Wade that his assent to the NBA elite was hastened by the addition of Shaq to the Heat.

Even this year, a year where Carmelo was suffering through injuries his numbers compare favorably to Wade's. Wade shoots a lower percentage than Carmelo from three, yet a higher percentage of his shots come from behind the arc than Carmelo who has often been labeled a "gunner." Almost 16% of Wade's shot come from behind the arc, yet he only shot 31% (a career high) from deep.

Fourteen percent of Melo's shots come from behind the 3 point line, while shooting a substantially better 37%. Wade shot forty-nine percent from the field overall, the second highest number of his career, and better than Carmelo's forty-four percent, but Carmelo did shoot forty-nine percent the year before.

Wade easily outpaces Carmelo on assists, but Wade has the ball in his hands much more often with the opportunity to create scoring opportunities for his teammates. That certainly is not a knock on Wade, he is a far superior ball handler, but nevertheless Carmelo has shown an ability to create when he has the ball heading to the basket. Anyone watching the Denver series against Dallas, or even New Orleans, can attest to the fact that Carmelo has shown the ability to create for teammates off the dribble.

On the other hand, you could argue that Carmelo gets more rebounds and that slightly offsets the fact that Wade has more assists. However, that can be attributed to the fact that Melo is more often in a position to grab a rebound because of his position underneath the basket.

Defensively, Carmelo has never shown the committment that Wade and LeBron have thus far in their careers, but this year there has been a greater degree of dedication on that side of the ball. Carmelo's new found enthusiasm for defense (with admittedly the more than just occasional lapse that plagues almost all NBA players) has helped the Nuggets reach the second round for the first time in fifteen years.

In the end, Wade's play-making ability and defense does make him a better player overall, but the gap isn't as mammoth as many would lead you to believe. Now that Carmelo has a secondary player in Billups, the way Wade had in Shaq, we may be seeing the maturation of Carmelo as a complete player. And, that may be the reason that sooner or later when someone asks you, "Who is best player in the NBA not named LeBron?", your answer will be Carmelo Anthony.

A.J. Smith Responds to LaDainian Tomlinson's Desire to Remain a Charger

Ronald Manbaum — Sun, 25 Jan 2009 00:25:36 -0500

Recently LaDainian Tomlinson spoke out regarding the rumors circulating that his time in San Diego may be coming to an end. On his website, LT had this to say:

"I feel that I need to make it very clear that I have NO intentions of leaving San Diego. San Diego is where my career started and where I'd like it to end. I have nothing but love and the utmost respect for this team, the players, and the Spanos Family. Me being traded is completely out of my hands. I have ABSOLUTELY no control in that decision making. All I can do is wait and see how it all plays out. As for now, I am a Charger and will be until I am told otherwise..."

A.J. Smith, after an inquiry regarding Tomlinson's statement had this to say in response:

"My first reaction was we both have similar feelings. I have no intentions of leaving San Diego. San Diego is where my GM career started and where I’d like it to end. I also have nothing but love and the utmost respect for this team, the players and the Spanos family. I have absolutely no control over how long I will be with the Chargers."

Whether you think the Chargers should retain Tomlinson or not this type of response certainly wasn't necessary. Considering Tomlinson's ties to the Chargers, and his desire to remain with the club, mocking his response was probably not the most tactful way of handling the situation.

Tact, however, has never been one of Smith's strong suits.

San Diego should try remembering that it wasn't that long ago that a certain player was willing to sit out an entire year rather than play for the Chargers.

San Diego has never been a hot spot for free agents, and although free agents tend to drift toward where the money is, San Diego should be cautious about how it treats its fans and players.

Mocking a player like Tomlinson, who has given so many great years to this once hapless franchise, and who has arguably done just as much to turn around the Chargers as A.J. Smith has—is an absurd way of handling the situation publicly.

Smith, in his tenure with San Diego, has been given a lot of credit for pulling off the deal that brought in Philip Rivers (and more) in exchange for Eli Manning. However, the Chargers wouldn't exactly be floundering with some obscure Quarterback if they chose to take another route.

Drew Brees wasn't a bad option, and when Drew Brees departed, just like Michael Turner, the Chargers got nothing in return.

Ultimately, football is a business, but a big part of that business is keeping your fan base happy. Will Chargers fans forget about this whole Tomlinson situation if they choose to get rid of him and still make a run at the Super Bowl? Probably.

If Phillip Rivers was a bust, do you think Chargers fans would be dying to get rid of A.J. Smith after seeing what Drew Brees has done in New Orleans? Probably.

It wasn't that long ago that Chargers fans were foaming at the mouth after the departure of Rodney Harrison and Junior Seau. Winning will cure a lot of unhappiness, and the Chargers have been putting a winning product on the field for a few years now. It's certainly made it easier to forget about the departure of those two Charger legends.

Speaking of Harrison, he was asked about the issue recently and spoke about how Smith handled his departure, "I’m the same guy that was cut after being there for nine years...I’m the same guy that saw Junior Seau get cut. I’m the same guy seeing LaDainian Tomlinson go through the same thing. So does it surprise me? No. Am I disappointed? Very, because he shouldn’t have to go through it.”

In the end the Chargers can do whatever they want in regard to Tomlinson. That's the General Managers job, but it should also be part of their job to act as ambassador for the team when dealing with a volatile situation like this involving one of the classiest players in the NFL.

Somehow this whole situation made me think of a quote from Star Wars: Episode VI, where Obi-Wan says in regard to Darth Vader, "he's more machine now, than man. Twisted and evil." I'm not sure why this popped into my head, but A.J. seems so detached and cold at times when dealing with players that he almost seems, well, like a machine.

Hmmm, maybe he is a machine. The Spanos certainly have enough money to build one.

Is Andy Pettitte an Insurance Policy the New York Yankees Can Live Without?

Ronald Manbaum — Sat, 24 Jan 2009 01:42:19 -0500

The news out of Houston is that the Astros will not be attempting to bring Andy Pettitte into the mix for 2009. The more shocking aspect of the news reported in the New York Post is that Yankee fans are still wondering whether Pettitte will be in pinstripes next year or not this late in the offseason.

Pettitte, coming off a 14-14 season, has yet to give any indication regarding why the negotiations up to this point have stalled. The 36 year old brings with him an impressive resume, and a winning pedigree that should help balance out a rotation that features two hired guns in CC Sabathia and A.J. Burnett, one starter coming off an injury riddled 2008 (Chien Ming-Wang), and Joba Chamberlain.

The last few season the Yankees weakness has been a lack of starting pitching. Brian Cashman has too often felt the need to risk it all on the chance that a youngster (or laughably Carl Pavano), would suddenly materialize into a bona fide No. 4 or 5 starter.

Working in the youngsters is necesary for the Yankees long term success, but rolling the dice when you're the New York Yankees is never necessary.

However, it seems to be a difficult proposition trying to untangle exactly who is holding up the contract in this case. Reports have indicated that Pettitte has turned down the Yankees' $10 million offer, and there have been reports that the Yankees pulled the offer off the table.

If Pettitte is refusing the Yankees generous offer, especially after the support he was given after the revelation that Pettitte was involved in MLB's steroid scandal, then you can't fault the Yankees if they move on without him.

It's hard to fathom that Pettitte, coming off a subpar year, would be seeking much more than $10 million to pitch at the back end of the Yankees rotation. It's also hard to imagine that the Yankees would in any way be reluctant to leave the offer on the table with the remaining options being Phil Hughes and Ian Kennedy.

Hughes is an injury-prone youngster who has shown flashes of stardom, but not enough to make many fans secure in his long-term ability.

The other option, Ian Kennedy followed an impressive 2007 with an equally unimpressive 2008. In doing so Kennedy has diminished his trade value, and left many questioning whether he's cut out for the Big Apple.

The Yankees have an impressive rotation. However, much of that rotation comes with a significant injury risk. A.J. Burnett isn't in a contract year, so don't be surprised if he ends up on the disabled list at some point in 2009.

Joba Chamberlain and Phil Hughes are also no strangers to the DL, and Wang is coming off a season that saw him appear in only 15 games.

In the end, signing Pettitte is more of a necessity than a luxury. When you have invested as much money as the Yankees have, it's foolish not to have a backup plan. If money is the issue the Yankees should be willing to increase their offer slightly, regardless of whether Pettitte actually deserves more than $10 million.

(He doesn't, but like most free agents, he's holding all the cards...)

Seeing Andy Pettitte, Jorge Posada, Mariano Rivera, and Derek Jeter open the new Yankee Stadium would be fitting considering all they've given to this franchise, but more importantly, if the Yankees open the season without Andy Pettitte, they could be looking at another stressful season if one or two of their highly regarded starters misses significant time due to injury.

Analyzing an Analysts Top 25: Doug Gottlieb

Ronald Manbaum — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 20:58:27 -0500

I'm going to preface this by saying I think Doug Gottlieb, along with Jay Bilas, are the best analysts that ESPN currently have sitting behind a desk. With that being said, Gottlieb has always had some sort of axe to grind with Syracuse, and although it's amusing, many Syracuse fans get tired of the act.

Last weekend Gottlieb was praising Syracuse as one of the few teams that had all the pieces to be a Final Four team. According to Gottlieb, they had the coaching, the size, the perimeter threats, and the talent to make the final round.

However, apparently a loss to the previously top seeded Pittsburgh Panthers was enough to send Syracuse spiraling out of Gottlieb's Top 25 this week from 9th to outside the top 25 with one loss.

Notably jumping ahead of Syracuse was Notre Dame, a team Syracuse destroyed on the same day Gottlieb declared this Syracuse squad could make the Final Four, and Memphis, a team Syracuse beat on Memphis' home floor.

Meanwhile, North Carolina jumped back up to the fifth position and Wake Forest, Gottlieb's previous number one, moved down to the number four spot. Apparently the only thing that matters is what you did the previous game for Gottlieb's rankings.

Saint Mary's has risen all the way to 13th in the rankings, behind impressive victories against, well anyone?

Providence and Oregon aren't bad out of conference wins for St. Mary's, but a loss to a subpar UTEP team certainly has to be a concern going forward.

In general I have no problem with rewarding St. Mary's for a strong season thus far, but it seems to fly in the face of whatever logic is behind Gottlieb's rankings.

If he's ranking based on talent, then it's fine to have North Carolina first, but would he really have St. Mary's 13th?

If he's not ranking on talent, but on performance, would he place North Carolina over Wake Forest? Both teams have a questionable loss, but Wake Forest took the first meeting between the teams.

As usual, I'll note that I put very little weight on rankings in general, but it's always fun to see what is, or in some cases obviously isn't, running through the minds of my favorite ESPN analysts.

Girls Team Wants To Forfeit Game It Won 100-0

Ronald Manbaum — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 11:07:32 -0500

On January 13th, The Covenant School of Dallas pulled off an improbable victory against The Dallas Academy, winning 100-0.

It seems the debate about running up scores has become more heated over the past few years, and some states have even suspended coaches at the high school level for doing so. It's a strange thing though, because at times there wasn't much the winning team could do.

Once you empty your bench, you have to finish the game. It's more insulting to the other team if you stop trying, so a blowout is going to happen from time to time.

However, good sense flew out the window for The Covenant School as they continued to press and left their starters in this girls high school basketball game well into the fourth quarter.

I guess the shine of 100 point victory was more important than sparing the other team the humiliation of a lopsided defeat.

After a well deserved public backlash following the game, Covenant has issued statements admitting it was a shameful event, and that they would prefer to forfeit the game.

It's a nice sentiment, but it's rather shocking that nobody had a similar thought while the game was being played.

Covenant head coach, Micah Grimes, wouldn't comment on the game, but I'm sure more than anything else he was disappointed that his team could only muster a paltry 12 points in the fourth quarter.

After averaging almost 30 points in each of the first three quarters, the real embarrassment must have been not being able to really ratchet up the defense and win by more than 100.

A 100 point win is nice, but I'm sure his team's inability to win by 101 or more is probably keeping him up at night.

In the end the real victim is Micah Grimes. It's certainly not the Dallas Academy girls who were invited by Mark Cuban to attend a Mavericks game in his suite.

I can only hope Covenant is running wind sprints as I write this, so they can really tune it up if there is a rematch.

Need Some Fantasy Hockey Help? Try the Thrashers

Ronald Manbaum — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 15:01:09 -0500

When you start looking for some fantasy hockey help at the All-Star break, the last place you would probably start with would be the Atlanta Thrashers. Outside of Ilya Kovalchuk, I doubt many people would think Atlanta has much to offer at first glance.

However, if you're in search of some players that may come at a fair price, Atlanta isn't a bad place to start. Now, depending upon whether it's a keeper league or not may make prices vary from league to league, but it's still worth checking out the Thrashers' roster.

Bryan Little (C): Little is showing flashes this year of why the Thrashers made him the 12th overall pick back in 2006. His 20 goals this year while missing several games due to injury place him ahead of fantasy stars like teammate Ilya Kovalchuk, Eric Staal, Evgeni Malkin, and Patrick Elias.

Due to his age in a keeper league, Little may not come cheaply, but in other formats you may be able to catch other owners sleeping on this young star who should continue to put up numbers in the second half.

Todd White (C): The 34-year-old White may not be able to keep up the blistering pace he's on so far, with 44 points in 48 games, but he's playing on a talented line and should continue to get a decent number of assists the rest of the year.

Rich Peverley (C): Peverley is the new kid on the block. So far he's looked outstanding playing alongside Kovalchuk, and with Kovalchuk suddenly scoring the way he was expected to before the season began, Peverley may be a hidden gem.

His numbers in the minors were solid, and so far he's put up eight points in five games for the Thrashers.

At Left Wing you have Slava Kozlov. Kozlov seems to have resurrected his old self this year with 42 points in just 46 games.

In keeper leagues, Kozlov's price probably won't be high due to his age, so if you're in need of a solid LW, and you don't want to pay too much, Kozlov could be a nice pick up going forward as the race heats up to determine the champion in your league.

Finally, you could take a run at Kovalchuk. He's putting up points again at a nice pace, and seems to be clicking with Peverley. The price for Kovalchuk may not be at its lowest point of the year, but he's worth the risk if you think the chemistry with Peverley is for real and not a two or three game fluke.

Keep in mind that the Thrashers players come with a downside. Most of them are not going to get you an advantage in the +/- category, although Little has been on the positive side for most of the year.

The Thrashers porous defense will make sure of that. If you're looking for offensive upside though, you may want to give one of the aforementioned players a try.

As far as the rest of the Thrashers go, proceed with caution.

Monday Night Meltdown: Orange Fall to Pitt, 78-60

Ronald Manbaum — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 17:58:45 -0500

The Syracuse Orange did their best to overcome an ugly first half by trimming what was once a double-digit deficit to three before the half last night in Pittsburgh. However, any momentum gained during the comeback could not be sustained by the Orange as they fell to the Pitt Panthers last night 78-60.

Syracuse continues to make a name for itself with some of the worst free throw shooting in the country.

Even with Levance Fields improbably missing four technical foul shots for the Panthers, and DeJuan Blair throwing up an airball on another, the Panthers still managed to outshoot the Orange from the charity stripe.

Although Orange fans probably cringe at the name charity stripe lately, as free throws have been anything but charity for the Orange.

Leading the charge at the free throw line was Arinze Onuaku, with an unimpressive 0-5 tally. Following a blistering performance against Luke Harangody over the weekend, Onuaku seemed to struggle to contain Pitt's Blair who finished the game 20 points and 12 rebounds. Rick Jackson had similar problems as both players finished the game with just nine points.

The story for the night though was the technical fouls called against the Orange.

Paul Harris was assessed a technical foul after blocking a Sam Young shot in the first half, and Rick Jackson was also assessed a technical after shoving Blair following a dunk.

Jackson appeared to be lashing out in frustration after a shot to the face by Blair on the dunk attempt wasn't called by the officials.

Although Fields missed all of the free throw attempts, the play by Harris was especially costly as foul trouble limited his playing time in the second half, and may have forced the Orange to play more zone they intended to coming in to the game.

The game was marred by questionable officiating, but in the end Syracuse never established an identity against Pittsburgh, and the Panthers using that to their advantage wearing down the Orange with with aggressive play around the rim and a balanced scoring attack led by Sam Young's 22 point game.

Syracuse-Pittsburgh: Breaking Down Big Monday

Ronald Manbaum — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 01:01:11 -0500

The Pittsburgh Panthers have a well-earned reputation as a hard-nosed bunch that plays a disciplined and efficient style of basketball. Jamie Dixon's squad rarely beats itself, and after losing the top spot in the rankings after a loss to Louisville, they should be well prepared for their only matchup against the Orange this year.

The Panthers enter the game Monday night with only one loss and are averaging a healthy 78 points per game. Unlike prior Pittsburgh teams, these Panthers have had no difficulty putting the ball in the basket and are averaging their highest point per game total of the past five years.

It's no longer just a matter of putting up points against a stifling Pittsburgh defense; you now have to worry about their offense burying you as well. With only three players currently averaging double-digit scoring, led by Sam Young's 18 points per game average, Pittsburgh does an excellent job spreading the wealth around.

Young is the Panthers' best all-around player, and in addition to his 5.5 rebounds per game, he is shooting 36 percent from behind the three-point line. Combine that with the inside presence of super sophomore DeJuan Blair, whose 12.8 rebounds per game sit just below Luke Harangody for the Big East lead, and the Orange have little to look forward to following a fast-paced game against Notre Dame on Saturday.

Although commentators have been quick to point out that no win is easy in the Big East, the Orange are going against the grain of late in trying their best to disprove that notion. Syracuse dismantled a talented Notre Dame team on Saturday with a 19-point win, while three days earlier the Orange were guilty of sleepwalking their way through a 17-point loss to Georgetown.

After last week's showing, it will be interesting to see which Syracuse team shows up for Big Monday. The Panthers are one team that can never be accused of taking a night off, and if Syracuse makes the mistake of not putting forth their best effort on Monday, they could be the victims of a second lopsided defeat in three games.

The game should be close, and it could come down to which team can keep its big men on the court. If Blair or Young see limited time on Monday, the Orange should be able to control the inside and open up the court for deep threats Andy Rautins and Eric Devendorf. Likewise, if the Panthers can get Arinze Onuaku or Rick Jackson in foul trouble, the Panthers should be able to dominate in the paint.

Assuming each team plays well, and foul problems are avoided by both teams, the Orange should win a close game, 77-72.

Norv Turner: The Man, the Myth, and the Mediocrity That Follows

Ronald Manbaum — Sun, 18 Jan 2009 21:14:21 -0500

When Marty Schottenheimer left the Chargers two years ago following a 14-2 season, the hope was that the next coach could capitalize on inheriting one of the NFL's most talented rosters, and give the Chargers the one thing that eluded Schottenheimer, a victory in the playoffs.

If that is the lone standard for judging the success of Norv Turner as the Chargers Head Coach, then he has been a resounding success so far.

The Chargers reached the AFC Championship game in his first season, and were able to beat the Colts this past season in the first round of the post-season before bowing out against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

However, if a playoff victory is the only standard being applied to Turner by the Chargers, then the expectations are far too low.

Following a 14-2 season the Chargers rallied to an 11-5 mark in 2007 after a disappointing start, and they finished this past season at 8-8. The demise of the Chargers has been shocking considering the lofty expectations.

Certainly injuries play a role in the Chargers record, but in the end, there is little in Turner's track record as a head coach to indicate that he is the coach to bring this team to the Super Bowl.

In his time with the Raiders Norv was able to turn around a 4-12 team by going 5-11 in his first season, and then back to 4-12 in his second year with the team before being dismissed.

His seven seasons with the Redskins were a mixed bag, with his first two seasons resulting in losing records, and the subsequent five years resulting in only one trip to the post season.

Although certain players, notably Philip Rivers have shown marked improvement during Turner's time with the Chargers the team as a whole seems to be struggling to maintain the same level of discipline that they had under Schottenheimer.

It may be the case that an injury plagued season for the Chargers that left them without Shawne Merriman for all but one game, and a hobbled LaDainian Tomlinson, was too much to overcome for the Chargers.

However, there is little doubt that even without Merriman that this team was far too talented to rely upon an unlikely collapse by the Denver Broncos to make the playoffs.

Injuries and the excuses that come with them can only pacify a fan base for so long, and although a playoff victory or two will make many forget about a string of upsetting regular seasons, one more disappointing year will have even the most die hard Chargers fan jumping ship.

The jury is still out on whether Norv is the coach who can lead the Chargers to the Super Bowl, but considering the uninspired play of this team the past two years, and the return of Tom Brady to the Patriots next year, the window is closing on the Chargers opportunities.

Ultimately, the question that may be the most important, and can never be answered is whether Norv Turner, a coach with a mediocre track record was the right fit two years ago for a team that was seemingly on the verge of greatness.

For The Orange Its a Matter Of Focus and Free Throw Shooting

Ronald Manbaum — Sun, 18 Jan 2009 17:04:30 -0500

After an upsetting defeat at the hands of Georgetown earlier in the week, Syracuse returned Andy Rautins to the lineup, and the rest of the team returned from their nap in a match-up against Notre Dame on Saturday.

Syracuse came out firing on all cylinders defeating Irish 93-74 on Saturday. Balanced scoring and a defensive effort left Luke Harangody suddenly looking less like a player of the year candidate and more like the third best big man on the floor, allowed the Orange to improve to 17-2 for the year.

This Orange team still has faults, and for the Orange to be a final four contender they need to improve their focus, and maybe just as importantly their foul shooting.

It's not every day you see 30,000 people stand and cheer for a seemingly meaningless free throw, but it happened on Saturday at the Carrier Dome. After missing his first six attempts from the charity stripe Arinze Onuaku was able to deliver on his final attempts bringing a round of applause that usually only follows the most spectacular of plays.

The free throw shooting still needs to improve, but Syracuse fans can only hope that Onuaku finds the form that allowed him to make 15-23 free throws during a stretch in November. If you remove that miraculous streak from Onuaku's resume you're left with a free throw shooting percentage that may start to approach single digits.

In addition to free throws though this Syracuse team needs to learn to focus, and maintain that concentration for forty minutes of basketball.

Doug Gottleib aptly noted following the game that the Orange appear at times to be an entire team plagued with ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder). It's an accurate portrayal for a team that has the talent and coaching to reach the final four, but seems to get in its own way far too often.

In one glaring example of the team's ability to lose focus was a three play stint in the second half Saturday where Syracuse allowed Notre Dame to trim a 17 point game to 8 in a matter of two minutes.

After extending their lead to 17, and appearing to take control of the game Syracuse had three possessions that seemed to be totally out of character for a team that had played so well for the first 27 minutes of the game.

Eric Devendorf pulled up from ten feet behind the three point line with a defender in his face. Paul Harris rushed a three point shot after making an uncontested three just minutes before, and Johnny Flynn attempted a difficult drive to the basket which seemed to turn the momentum in Notre Dame's favor.

Each of these plays can be forgiven, but it's the tendency for this Syracuse team to string together these sorts of plays that is a cause for concern. Syracuse did regain their compsure and pulled away in the end, but it's moments like this that will not only cost Syracuse games, but possibly a shot at the final four.

Will an Arizona Win Spell Doom for the Ravens?

Ronald Manbaum — Sun, 18 Jan 2009 16:39:20 -0500

If you believe in conspiracy theories you probably already considered this one. If the Arizona Cardinals defeat the Philadelphia Eagles today (they are currently up 21-6 in the second quarter), does the NFL do whatever it can to make sure the Steelers make the Super Bowl?

Do they already have the plan in place? Maybe, but maybe not. Maybe professional sports are on the level and Baltimore Ravens fans have nothing to worry about.

However, the Pittsburgh Steelers are a legendary franchise with a fanbase that extends far beyond Pennsylvania, and a Baltimore Ravens versus Arizona Cardinals Super Bowl isn't likely to excite sponsors or a lot of fans.

It has some interesting storylines that the NFL could focus on—the resurrection of the Cardinals and Kurt Warner, a rookie QB named Joe Flacco that is having an absolutely amazing year—but in the end those stories probably won't be enough to offset the name recognition that the Steelers bring to the game.

The Steelers being in the Super Bowl ultimately means more viewers, and more money for everybody. If the Ravens and Cardinals both win the NFL will be looking at a Super Bowl which could feature two teams that are for the most part ignored by the national media.

If you believe that this type of collusion is possible between the NFL and the officials, then you're probably already questioning an out of bounds call in the Arizona Cardinals game.

Following yet another touchdown by Larry Fitzgerald the Cardinals appeared to have recovered a kickoff, but the officials called the ball out of bounds, thus ending yet another chance for the Cardinals to lengthen their lead before the half.

If the officials make a few questionable calls you may start believing. I don't think it's possible for that sort of collusion to take place, but maybe you will.

Analyzing an Analysts Top 25: Jay Bilas' Odd Rankings

Ronald Manbaum — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 23:25:06 -0500

Each week ESPN releases their very own weekly power poll, and each week Jay Bilas' selections seem to drift further into madness.

Bilas is probably the premiere analyst on ESPN so I'm not quite sure how to explain this very odd occurrence.

I would expect such things from Dick Vitale, who amazes me each week just by the fact that he's able to rank any teams beyond Duke and North Carolina. I look at it as a personal victory for Dickie V whenever Duke isn't occupying the top spot, because I can only imagine the torture he goes through casting a vote for someone else.

Nevertheless, I am at a loss to explain the logic Jay Bilas must use to post his rankings.

North Carolina loses to Boston College, a far inferior team, and they retain the top spot. I can certainly understand the logic behind leaving North Carolina in the top spot because even after the loss to Boston College it's easy to still consider UNC the favorite to win it all.

UNC loses to Wake Forest, an understandable loss by anyone's definition, and it's time for them to give up the top spot. In fact they fell all the way to No. 4.

I guess it may fall under a cumulative effect, but if losing to Boston College isn't enough to make UNC fall, why would losing to a tremendously talented Wake Forest team knock you out of the top spot. What flaws were exposed by Wake Forest that were not evident against a mediocre Boston College team.

In yet another noteworthy moment of madness UConn gets torched by Georgetown on their home court and drops only six spots for Jay Bilas. Syracuse gets torched by Georgetown in D.C. and they drop from twelve to outside the top 25. It really just doesn't add up.

In the end the AP and Coaches poll mean very little, and polls by ESPN's analysts mean even less. I just expected a bit more from Jay Bilas.

Syracuse vs. Notre Dame: To Zone or Not to Zone?

Ronald Manbaum — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 20:39:53 -0500

Entering the season there were expectations that this Orange team would be one of Syracuse's more talented defensive teams. Some fans even dared to dream that that the Orange would move away from the zone defense that Jim Boeheim has made so famous to primarily play man defense.

However, those hopes and dreams have been shattered as Syracuse has struggled in man-to-man, and hasn't fared much better in zone lately either. At this point it seems Syracuse fans will have to deal with a little bit of both.

Unfortunately, a little bit of both tomorrow could spell doom for the Orange.

Wednesday, Syracuse saw their defense shredded by a Georgetown team that barely shoots 35% from long range. Syracuse tried to play man, tried to play zone, and neither defense did much to stop the hot shooting Hoyas.

Notre Dame, unlike Georgetown, comes into the Carrier Dome on Saturday shooting a healthy 42% from deep, and features a trio of three point shooters that are the envy of most teams in the country.

Kyle McAlarney, who shoots forty-eight percent from behind the arc, Ryan Ayers, who shoots 42, and Tory Jackson, who shoots 42% (on only 26 attempts) should be salivating at the thought of facing a zone defense, regardless of who plays it.

McAlarney has unlimited range and in this game he could extend the Syracuse zone to its breaking point. By pulling out the guards to cover the three point shooters the middle should open up and the Notre Dame big men should have a field day down low. The combination could be lethal for the Orange.

Syracuse could hope for an off day from McAlarney, but they would be better served playing a healthy dose of man-to-man, and hoping that the Syracuse big men can neutralize Luke Harangody, and limit McAlarney's open looks. It's unlikely that Syracuse, or any other team can shut the pair down, but by playing man defense, Syracuse gives itself its best shot of pulling off a victory.

Syracuse has a floor leader that can match Tory Jackson's athleticism and of late they've had their own version of Kyle McAlarney. If Andy Rautins can return Saturday at full strength Syracuse should be able to counter McAlarney's 17 point per game with their own sharpshooter.

McAlarney certainly has a better track record over the course of his career for the Irish, but few Orange have shown the play-making ability and deep touch that Rautins has since entering the starting lineup in December.

The biggest question may be how Arinze Onuaku plays on Saturday. Onuaku has had a tendency to disappear against the other superstar big men in the Big East, and he needs to come up big to help the Orange offset some of the damage that Luke Harangody is bound to do.

If he can play well, and the Orange can make some free throws, fans should see a good game on Saturday, and Syracuse should pull this one out.

Syracuse Falls to Georgetown, Time to Panic?

Ronald Manbaum — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 14:03:04 -0500

Georgetown has done it again. They dismantled UConn when the Huskies were sailing along, and have now added Syracuse to the scrap heap rolling over the Orange 88-74 on Wednesday night.

The battle begun with both teams being ranked in the top 15 for the first time since 2001, and finished with only one team looking like they truly belonged there. However, Syracuse fans should focus on the bright-side rather than dwell upon an upsetting defeat.

Syracuse suffered a scare when Andy Rautins appeared to have injured the same knee that left him on the bench for all of last season. However, the post-game prognoses seems to be positive, and Rautins isn't expected to miss any time and should be back on the court for the Notre Dame game this weekend.

Losing Rautins would be a tremendous blow to this Syracuse squad. After Eric Devendorf sat out with a brief suspension earlier this year Rautins was inserted into the starting line-up and has been on fire ever since. Defeating Georgetown with Rautins would be a difficult task for Syracuse, without Rautins, Syracuse's primary outside threat, the likelihood of a comeback after a fast start by Georgetown became all the less likely.

Syracuse fans can, however, take solace in the fact that the Georgetown they faced last night isn't likely to show it's face again. Georgetown is at best an average shooting team from three point land, featuring only one deep threat that hits over 37% from three point land, but last night Georgetown was hitting at an amazing 57% clip. Part of the blame lies with a Syracuse defensive effort that was lackluster at best, but regardless this is a Georgetown team that won't see too many days over 40% from outside.

In the end, Syracuse fans are probably wary of a collapse and the dreaded bubble tag being placed upon them again, but in the Big East, a conference that goes 10 deep with NCAA tournament contenders, a loss like this is to be expected from time to time. As long as they don't pile up, Syracuse should be fine.

The biggest concern right now, bigger than the loss to Georgetown, is the poor free throw shooting that has plagued the Orange. If they make some last night, the margin in defeat would be substantially less, and the momentum shifts in the game could have been handled better. Can Syracuse improve upon their woeful shooting from the foul line? That's probably the biggest question this team has to answer right now.

If they don't improve, it could mean a difficult time protecting leads and a harder time building them.

Ultimately, with a healthy Andy Rautins, and a vastly improved Rick Jackson at the power forward slot, Syracuse seems primed to compete almost every night even if they didn't yesterday.

AL East Restructuring Would Restore Competitive Balance to Baseball

Ronald Manbaum — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 18:36:55 -0500

There are currently five teams in the American League East. In most years, you are lucky to have two of them competing for the title. Every once in a while, you see an upstart team like Tampa Bay make a run at the division, and once in a very great while (like this past year), you may actually see a team take the title from the Yankees or Red Sox.

Ultimately, to allow the fans of those three franchises (Toronto, Baltimore, Tampa Bay) some minuscule hope of making the playoffs, MLB should change the American League East to a three-team division with the third team changing from year to year. The two constants would be the Yankees and Red Sox.

With fans outside of Boston and New York clamoring for a salary cap, and little hope of that happening on the horizon, perhaps the time for a different solution is in order.

Now, I don't expect this change to happen, nor do I necessarily endorse the change. It's just a random thought that would try to keep the Red Sox and Yankees from continually controlling the AL East and leaving the other three teams constantly on the outside looking in.

The Orioles, Blue Jays, and Rays could shuffle in and out of the AL East, and they could otherwise spend their time in the AL Central, NL Central, or the NL East. Although scheduling would become more complicated, I'm sure MLB could find some computer program that could easily shift around the schedule to allow for a balanced schedule that sees the Yankees and Red Sox playing each other around 40 times a year.

Maybe the rivalry loses some of its luster, but maybe a team like Baltimore and Toronto could make a run at the playoffs. The Blue Jays have a talented roster, one that may have been able to compete if not for the treacherous schedule that befalls any member of the American League East.

In the end, you could throw Toronto into the National League East once in a while, and do the same for the Orioles and Rays. We already have interleague play, so the shock wouldn't be too severe. It certainly wouldn't be as odd to see now, as it would have been 15 years ago.

I'm not sure that the rest of Major League Baseball (especially those members in the NL East, NL Central, and AL Central) would be excited about the idea, but maybe by increasing the number of times the Yankees and Red Sox play, the Wild Card will be out in the open and everyone else will have an increased shot at taking that avenue to the playoffs.

Or, we can just keep it the same, and that's probably for the best. The spending is bound to cripple the Yankees eventually, and the Red Sox haven't been so out of control yet that they deserve to be punished so severely.

San Diego Chargers: Always Trying to Fix What Isn't Broken

Ronald Manbaum — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 23:18:33 -0500

It is hard to even imagine the San Diego Chargers without LaDainian Tomlinson. Yet the speculation in San Diego is that the Chargers could cut ties with the 30-year-old running back who has helped lead the team from mediocrity to the cusp of the Super Bowl.

The Chargers are certainly in the discussion when any conversation arises about the league's elite teams and they have been a popular choice to make the Super Bowl over the past few years. However, those predictions have failed to materialize.

Injuries have derailed LT's season the past two years, but the Chargers would be mistaken to think they will get better by releasing one of the greatest running backs of this generation.

The Chargers are a team that seem to have lost their identity since Marty Schottenheimer departed two years ago. AJ Smith has done a great job placing talent on the field, but at some point the finger pointing needs to reach back to the man pulling the string upstairs.

Marty seemed perfectly equipped to take a franchise without an identity and instill in the players a "can do" attitude that turned these perennial losers into an astoundingly talented and capable team. However, as is well documented, Marty seemed unable to take the team over the hump due to his conservative play-calling that often left the Chargers relying upon the final two minutes to win or lose.

The Chargers appear to have lost some of that attitude and attention to detail since Marty left. What motivates these Chargers? Norv Turner? Recently dismissed Defensive Coordinator Ted Cottrell? Ron Rivera?

It seems the only thing that motivates these Chargers is the impending doom of missing the playoffs. Two seasons ago it took an abysmal start for the Chargers to find the spark to make the playoffs and make their run into the AFC Championship game.

Is that enough for Charger fans? This team has too much talent to rely upon a Broncos collapse, or a sudden bout of inspired play to reel off a string of victories.

This year it took a 4-8 start for the Chargers to find that "spark." At what point do you question AJ's decision to hire Turner, and Turner's inability to motivate the players. Is winning in the playoffs enough?

Marty seemed able to get the most out of this team, but couldn't win the big games. Norv seems unable to get anything out of the team, but they rise to the occasion in the playoffs. What's the better option?

How about door number three? The Chargers need to fix what's broken, and it's not LT, and it's not Merriman; it's the puppet masters.

AJ's removal of leaders like LoRenzo Neal and Donnie Edwards have left the Chargers with a lack of leadership, and Norv Turner seems to be doing just enough to keep his job, but since when is that good enough?

Taking a Look at the North Carolina Tar Heels: The Last Place Team in the ACC

Ronald Manbaum — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 10:36:10 -0500

Though it's early in the conference schedule for most teams, some really big names are turning up at the bottom of their conferences. Which of these teams do you think is at the bottom?

Wichita State? Seton Hall? North Carolina? Indiana?

The correct answer: all of them.

After months of hearing about UNC's possible undefeated season, they are falling far below expectations, opening 0-2 in the ACC.

After days of hearing about how the Boston College game would serve as a wake-up call for the suddenly sleeping giant, they fell again to Wake Forest.

Wake Forest is no easy pass—far from it. However, all the sportswriters must be trying to catch their breath after an opening that leaves them behind every team in the ACC in the conference standings (and in a tie with Georgia Tech).

You would think with the best player in College Basketball, and the most talent in the NCAA, the Tar Heels would tear through their schedule. The predictions of the possibility of an undefeated season were understandable, but probably not wise.

The voters at ESPN that left the Tar Heels at number one in their weekly power poll after the Boston College loss will probably keep them at number one after this loss. Some people are just stubborn, and the talented Tar Heels are still an easy pick to win it all, but not as easy as they were two weeks ago.

Are the Tar Heels in trouble? No. At least not yet—they still have a great PG, and it takes an opponent's best shot to knock them off. Losing to Boston College is hard to explain, but Wake Forest is capable of beating anyone right now. Anyone that thinks differently will probably see their team on the losing end of a 30 point game.

However, it's nice to see the drama back in the NCAA title picture, as the unbeatable monster is suddenly no lock.

Chargers Can Lose Just Fine on Their Own: Do They Really Need the NFL's Help?

Ronald Manbaum — Sun, 11 Jan 2009 21:53:08 -0500

If ever a team seemed snake-bitten, it was the 2008 San Diego Chargers. A terrible call against Denver cost them one game, and the poor officiating seemed to keep on coming as the season progressed.

San Diego fans must have entered the game hoping for a change of luck, and to see the breaks go their way once this year, but it wasn't meant to be.

The Chargers were defeated by Pittsburgh today 35-24, and deservedly so, the Steelers played a great game.

Oddly, the Chargers seem extremely capable of losing on their own terms, so why does the NFL seem to want to provide as much as help as possible to ensure they lose?

Perhaps with the Giants out of the picture the NFL just wanted to make sure one of the NFL's elite made the Super Bowl.

Maybe the Chargers really are snake-bitten, or maybe biased Chargers fans are seeing things that others aren't when it comes to the officiating this year.

The first pass for the Chargers was completed for a touchdown from Phillip Rivers to Vincent Jackson. Jackson caught the ball with a Steelers defender wrapping his arm around Jackson's left arm.

There was no penalty called, but Jackson did make the catch to give the Chargers an early 7-0 lead.

However, later in the game in one of the more pivotal moments of the game Ben Roethlisberger threw deep and the Chargers cornerback locked onto the Steelers receiver's arm as they hit the ground on what may have been an uncatchable pass anyway, and of course the penalty was called.

The Steelers took the ball at the Chargers one-yard line, and the fate of the game was sealed.

In yet another questionable call, the officials seemed ignored a roughing the passer call.

Following a Chargers first down after taking over possession at their own one-yard line, Phillip Rivers was tossed down directly in front of the official and even though myself, and the announcing team of Phil Simms and Jim Nantz felt the hit was excessive, the officials let it go.

It certainly looked like it worthy of a 15-yard penalty, but it wasn't called.

It's only a couple of plays but both had a tremendous impact on the game, and the calls really never seemed to go the Chargers way.

Vincent Jackson's catch for the Chargers early in the game was reviewed and properly overturned, yet an interception by the Steelers that looked like it should have been overturned was ruled a catch.

These calls have gone against the Chargers all year, and it seems almost fitting that it ended with so many questionable calls impacting the outcome.

In the end, the Steelers appeared to be the much better team, and the Chargers would have lost.

Yet the question from day one, and still living in many Chargers fans minds is what could have been if the Chargers were allowed to lose the games themselves, without the NFL's assistance.

All any fan can ask is that their team be given a fair shake, and the Chargers haven't had many of those this year.

College Hoops' Most Overrated and Underrated: Who Tops the List?

Ronald Manbaum — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 09:28:22 -0500

This article is going to look at a couple coaches and players that sit atop the most overrated and underrated list.

Most Overrated Coach: Coach K, Mike Krzyzewski

Coach K is a good coach, hell, he may even be a great coach, but he is absolutely overrated. I doubt another coach in the history of sports has done less with so much talent.

Billy Donovan had similar talent to what Duke brings in every year and he won titles both years. This in and of itself doesn't mean Coach K is overrated, but it does speak to the shocking lack of titles that Coach K has sitting on his mantle.

Coach K also has the added benefit of keeping many of his McDonald All-Americans for three or four years. With that additional benefit it becomes mystifying how he hasn't accomplished more.

At this point, I would call Coach K the greatest recruiter of the modern era in college basketball, but certainly not the greatest coach.

Most Overrated Player: Tyler Hansbrough

Rick Reilly recently wrote what I would generously call a non-sports fan's take on the hatred that seems to consume many people regarding Tyler Hansbrough.

Whether Reilly admits it or not, the criticism is warranted because in the end Hansbrough on any team other than UNC wouldn't get the generous treatment he has received now for four years at UNC.

Hansbrough's patented move seems to be hurling himself wildly into his defender's body and putting up a shot he miraculously makes quite often. However, had it been called properly early on as an offensive foul it may have short-circuited his game.

Instead he's been encouraged to continue to break the vertical plane, and instead of "no-calls" Hansbrough typically has a foul called on the defender.

Would he be a good player regardless? Yes. Would he be the same player, absolutely not.

Now Reilly also says part of the hatred is the fact that Hansbrough out-hustles every other person on the court, which just isn't true. There are a plethora of players in the country that hustle 100 percent of the time. However, none of them can combine that hustle with an absolute inability to not act like a spaz while doing so.

So, if you combine being spastic with hustle, Tyler wins hands down. If you judge strictly by hustle, well, then you have a debate.

Most Underrated Coach: John Beilein

Beilein may be the one coach who could go back in history and take down the Gene Hackman-coached, Jimmy Chitwood-led Hickory High School basketball squad made so famous in Hoosiers.

The backdoor cuts and the style of play he employs are extremely impressive, and right now based on pure coaching ability few coaches if any have shown an ability to get more out of their players.

At this point he seems poised to return Michigan to its glory years, but we'll see. Michigan has started fast before, and finished poorly, so the case remains open.

Either way, the Beilein experiment will be an interesting one to see if his coaching style translates to an elite program that can recruit "superstars" who may not buy into the system the way players did a West Virginia. So far, so good, though...

Most Underrated Player: Tyrese Rice

In spite of a Boston College loss to Harvard last night, I'm still leaving Tyrese Rice on my list as the most underrated player in college basketball. He doesn't get much love nationally, but if Rice had a better supporting cast he would be in the discussion whenever the topic arose regarding the best players in the nation.

Cleveland Indians Make Splash By Signing Carl Pavano

Ronald Manbaum — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 16:19:54 -0500

The Indians made quite a splash in the free-agent market recently by signing Carl Pavano to a one-year deal for $1.5 million. I suppose the risk of signing Pavano is fairly low since the Indians are only on the hook for $1.5 million if Pavano misses all his performance bonuses, but even $1.5 million is probably overpaying for a guy that just took a $40 million, four-year vacation.

It looks like the Indians philosophy' this offseason is to hedge their bets. I mean, when you sign Kerry Wood and Carl Pavono in one offseason, you are asking for trouble. Perhaps they could throw Mark Pryor and Mo Vaughn into the mix for good measure.

As long as the Indians do not make the same mistake that Brian Cashman made over and over by penciling in Pavano in their starting rotation from day one of the year, they should be fine.

I am quite certain each and every Yankee fan is laughing at the fact that the Indians signed Pavano, but I wouldn't be shocked if he rebounded nicely. It's a low-risk, high-reward deal, and I'm sure Pavano will do just enough this year to get one more big contract before going on the disabled list for another four years.

A.J. Burnett, one of Pavano's closest friends, has probably counseled him well on the benefits of taking that route to fame and undeserved fortune.

As long as the Indians are willing to cut ties with Pavano after this year, regardless of how well he performs, they have made a very wise acquisition that could pay significant dividends this year.

Fantasy Hockey Advice: What To Do with Injury-Prone Superstars

Ronald Manbaum — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 15:50:46 -0500

Ask anyone who plays fantasy hockey to name a few players that appear to be made of glass and the same names will probably come out of everyone's mouth.

Gaborik, Semin, Connolly, and Havlat.

Sure, there are more, but 4 out of 5 fantasy hockey players agree that all of these players come at the cost of your sanity.

So, what do you do with these players? If you are in a standard one year league, you are better off avoiding them like the plague. If you are playing in a keeper league, low-ball the owner until they're on your team. If that doesn't work, just ignore them until the price drops; and it will, once that owner starts to realize the pain that comes along with owning any of these infamous china dolls.

Alexander Semin is going to bring you to tears at least twice a year—and not just tears from laughter because he fights like a girl. But when he is playing, he is capable of producing at least a point per game, and owners eat that up. Tim Connolly is the one out of the aforementioned four players that I probably wouldn't make any noise trying to acquire; but Havlat, Gaborik, and Semin are all certainly worth the risk in a keeper league, IF, you can get them cheap.

Eventually each one will play a full season, or at least a long stretch without getting injured. Now, during that time you are going to be tempted to hold on to Semin or Gaborik in the hope that they actually play a whole season. You may even be in the process of doing so right now with Martin Havlat.

DO NOT DO THIS!

Trade for them when their stock is low, and sell when their stock is high. If you can. There is always some sucker willing to bet the house on this being the year they won't get hurt, and when they are on fire, sell HIGH.

Even knowing all of this beforehand, I took the risk on Semin—and overpaid—earlier this year, only to see him drop two days later. Well, with any luck, he gets it going again, and if he does—I'm going to trade him. I promise.

It's my New Years Resolution actually.

Note: Even as I write this I'm holding onto Martin Havlat - I know he's going to make it through the whole year this time, I just know it.

How Did the San Diego Chargers Beat the Indianapolis Colts? Ask the Punter

Ronald Manbaum — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 14:59:07 -0500

I, like many other sports fans, probably overlook the importance of the kicking game at times. The placekicker can certainly walk away, basking in glory after a game-winning kick, but the punter never will. Mike Scifres may have changed that following the Colts dismissal at the hands of the San Diego Chargers this past Saturday.

Even NBC repeatedly recognized the contributions of Scifres, with John Madden astutely pointing out the importance of repeatedly pinning the Colts deep in their own territory and naming Scifres as one of the co-MVP's of the game.

Scifres had more of an impact on the game than Peyton Manning, LaDainian Tomlinson, Bob Sanders, or anyone else, including the Chargers' diminutive running back, Darren Sproles. Scifres booming leg and amazing accuracy left the Colts repeatedly within their own 10 yard line to start their drives.

With the Chargers' secondary appearing lost all too often this year, forcing the Colts to play even slightly more conservative due to their proximity to the goal line was a tremendous advantage for San Diego, and it was probably the biggest reason why the Chargers were able to dominate the game and come away with a victory in overtime.

Scifres has been consistent all year, but delivering to that extent in the playoffs showed exactly how important an unheralded position can be at one of the most crucial times of the year.

It is unlikely Scifres has this great of an impact against the Steelers, because punters rarely seem to leave such a substantial mark on a game as Scifres did last weekend, but right now, if any punter in the league is capable of doing so, it's him.