Bleacher Report - Articles by Matt Reagan

Calipari Says Goodbye To Memphis and Becomes Kentucky's New Coach

Matt Reagan — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 19:51:29 -0400

Former Memphis coach John Calipari has agreed to become the next coach at Kentucky. A news conference is scheduled for tomorrow to introduce the team's new coach.

The signing was first reported by ESPN's Andy Katz who received this text from Calipari;

" I am accepting the UK job! Go Big Blue, coach Cal."

He will become the highest-paid coach in the country with a deal reported in the $35-40 million range over eight years.

The news continues to get worse for Memphis fans as people close to the team say that they will lose star recruits Xavier Henry and DeMarcus Cousins.

According to ESPN both players were interviewed at the McDonald's All-American game today and said they would re-open their recruiting and sign elsewhere.

Cousins has yet to sign a letter of intent and Henry, according to CBSSports.com, has an opt-out clause allowing him to sign with another team without penalty if he chooses.

It would definitely seem that both players committed to play at Memphis because of Calipari, and will probably end up in Kentucky blue when it's all said and done.

Sources have told CBSSports.com that Tyreke Evans will enter the NBA Draft and Wesley Witherspoon will likely transfer to Kentucky.

Shawn Taggart won't return to Memphis because he has already graduated.

Combine that with the fact that Robert Dozier and Antonio Anderson have exhausted their eligibility, and it's possible the next Tigers coach could inherit a roster featuring only Doneal Mack (8.7 points per game), Roburt Sallie (5.8 ppg), Willie Kemp (2.9 ppg) and Pierre Henderson-Niles (2.4 ppg), meaning Memphis could go from dominating Conference USA to missing the NCAA tournament in a matter of 12 months.(CBSSports.com)

NFL Mock Draft 2009: The Real Deal Express 4.0 (Mar. 30)

Matt Reagan — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 19:59:45 -0400

1. Detroit Lions Matthew Stafford, QB, Georgia

Taking Smith will be tempting here but with the amount of money on the line the Lions will try to get the franchise QB they so desperately need and with the deep OT talent grab one later.

2. St. Louis Rams Jason Smith, LT, Baylor

With Orlando Pace moving on the Rams select the heir apparent in the athletic Smith to take over and solidify the O-line.

3. Kansas City Chiefs Eugene Monroe, LT, Virginia

After trading for Cassel and Vrabel, the Chiefs take Monroe to protect their new investment at QB and pass on Curry.

4. Seattle Seahawks Aaron Curry, OLB, Wake Forest

The Seahawks are ecstatic when Curry who is the best defensive player in the draft falls to them and they get their replacement for Julian Peterson who was recently traded.

5. Cleveland Browns Brian Orakpo, DE, Texas

The Browns were last in the NFL in sacks last season and land the best pass rushing DE in the athletic Orakpo.

6. Cincinnati Bengals B.J. Raji, DT, Boston College

The Bengals were terrible against the run in '08 and adding Raji will help the run defense as well as the pass rush.

7. Oakland Raiders Michael Crabtree, WR, Texas Tech

Al Davis wets his pants when the best WR drops to him and adding Crabtree with Russel and McFadden will give the Raiders one of the best young offenses in the NFL.

8. Jacksonville Jaguars Mark Sanchez, QB, USC

Sanchez has been rocketing up the draft boards and is just to talented for the Jags to pass up even though they have other pressing needs.

9. Green Bay Packers Everette Brown, DE, Florida St.

The Pack's defense struggled last year in big part due to a lack of a consistent pass rush and Brown could play DE or OLB as they transition to the 3-4.

10. San Fransisco 49ers Andre Smith, LT, Alabama

At this point everyone knows about Smith's struggles but the 49ers desperately need a tackle and Smith has too much upside for them to pass on.

11. Buffalo Bills Malcom Jenkins, CB, Ohio St.

Jenkins erased any doubts about which position he will play with a great pro day. He improved his 40 time and is a lock to be the first CB taken.

12. Denver Broncos Aaron Maybin, DE, Penn St.

After a sub par combine Maybin lit it up on his pro day improving dramatically on his 40 time and the Broncos desperately need pass rushers after finishing close to last in sacks in '08.

13. Washington Redskins Michael Oher, LT, Mississippi

The Redskins need help on the O-line and the athletic Oher should step in and start from day one for them.

14. New Orleans Saints Chris "Beanie" Wells, RB, Ohio St.

Wells dramatically improved his 40 time at his pro day and the 6'1", 235-pound RB ran a blistering 4.38 solidifying himself as the top RB in the draft. The Saints get a steal here as Wells could wind up going higher due to his size/speed combo and will form a devastating one-two punch with Reggie Bush.

15. Houston Texans Brian Cushing, OLB, USC

The Texans need help at OLB and add the workout freak Cushing who has great speed and coverage ability.

16. San Diego Chargers Knowshon Moreno, RB, Georgia

Despite his sub-par 40 time the Chargers are rumored to be in love with Moreno and see him as the eventual replacement for LT.

17. New York Jets Josh Freeman, QB, Kansas St.

The Jets will be tempted with Maclin still on the board but can't pass on the strong armed Freeman as they look to find the QB of the future.

18. Chicago Bears Jeremey Maclin, WR, Missouri

The Bears get the play maker at WR they need in Maclin. He slipped some what due to an injury at the combine but has top 10 talent and will give Chicago the big play threat opposite Devin Hester they need to open the offense up.

19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers Robert Ayers, DE, Tennessee

Ayers fits the Tampa Two defense better than Tyson Jackson would and gives the Bucs a young pass rusher to rebuild their D around.

20. Detroit Lions Eben Britton, LT, Arizona

With their second pick in the first round the Lions get their LT to protect QB Matthew Stafford for the next 10 years.

21. Philadelphia Eagles Darrius Heyward-Bey, WR, Maryland

The Eagles struck gold last year with WR DeSean Jackson but still need help and DHB will give QB Donovan McNabb a big and fast play maker to stretch the field.

22. Minnesota Vikings Percy Harvin, WR, Florida

The Vikings add another play maker in Harvin to play opposite WR Benard Berrian.

23. New England Patriots Rey Maualuga, ILB, USC

The Pats continue to rebuild their LB corps and add the hard hitting Maualuga to play next to last years NFL Defensive Rookie of the year Jarrod Mayo.

24. Atlanta Falcons Tyson Jackson, DE, LSU

The Falcons need help at DE and DT and Jackson has the size and diversity to line up at either position.

25. Miami Dolphins Clay Matthews, OLB, USC

Parcells loves his LB's and Matthews can line up inside or out and rush the passer.

26. Baltimore Ravens Hakeem Nicks, WR, UNC

The Ravens need to give stud second year QB Joe Flacco some more weapons and the sure-handed Nicks would give him a great down field target.

27. Indianapolis Colts Evander Hood, DE, Missouri

The Colts need a DT and Hood had great workouts and would fit in nicely as a penetrating tackle in the Colts 4-3.

28. Philadelphia Eagles Brandon Pettigrew, TE, Oklahoma St.

Pettigrew is an excellent run blocker and will also make a nice replacement for L.J. Smith. He along with DHB will give McNabb the most weapons he has had in Philly.

29. New York Giants Kenny Britt, WR, Rutgers

Britt will get to stay home and suit up for the G men and give Manning the big target WR he has lacked since losing Burress.

30. Tennessee Titans Peria Jerry, DT, Mississippi

After losing DT Albert Haynesworth the Titans grab Jerry and hope he can someday fill the big mans' shoes.

31. Arizona Cardinals Donald Brown, RB, Connecticut

Arizona is losing RB Edgerrin James and Brown is a hard runner with good speed who can be the every down back that the Cards lack.

32. Pittsburgh Steelers Vonte Davis, CB, Illinois

Davis slipped due to attitude concerns but the Steelers are thrilled to find a CB with his talent with the last pick of the first round.

Chicago Bears Offseason Analysis: The Defensive Line

Matt Reagan — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 21:21:21 -0400

The Chicago Bears' D-line had an inconsistent year in 2008 and are looking to rebound in '09.

The centerpiece of the unit is DT Tommie Harris, who had made three consecutive Pro Bowls before missing out following the past season. Harris was the Bears first round draft pick out of Oklahoma in 2004.

He became the first DT to make three consecutive Pro Bowls in Bears history and was signed to a contract extension before the 2008 season making him one of the highest paid players at his position in the NFL.

Harris had his best season in 2007 when he was second in the NFL in sacks for DTs with eight. He had an up and down 2008 season missing a couple games due to injury but still managed to record five sacks and 37 tackles.

In order for Chicago to return its defense to elite status, Harris will need to regain his dominate form that he has shown in previous seasons.

Finding a player to play next to him so he isn't double teamed is key for the Bears. That player could be Marcus Harrison who was drafted from Arkansas in the third round prior to last season.

The 6'3", 310-pound DT has good size for the position and played well as a rookie last season. Harrison isn't the pass rusher that Harris is but he did show good burst into the backfield recording a couple sacks and is a stout run defender.

DT Anthony Adams went from being on the practice squad to starting eight games last year for the Bears. Adams was a second round draft pick by the 49ers in 2003 and responded with his best season in the NFL recording 49 tackles for the Bears last year before going down with an injury.

Adams has a good shot to start at the nose tackle next season next to Tommie Harris. Bears coaches were impressed with his hustle and play making ability and he has good size at 6'0", 307 pounds.

The Bears' other DT Dusty Dvoracek has been marred by injuries since being drafted out of Oklahoma in the 2006 draft and has only played in a total of 13 games for the Bears.

His first two seasons were completely wiped off the board due to injuries and it seems that he is another player in the long line of Bears players who just can't stay on the field. If Chicago takes a DT in the upcoming draft or signs someone in free agency Dvoracek could find himself in the unemployment line.

The Bears DEs are led by starters Alex Brown and Adewale Ogunleye.

Brown was picked in the forth round of the 2002 draft and has been the most consistent end on the team over the past few seasons. Brown has been the iron man on defense playing in 115 consecutive games for Chicago.

He has been in the top 10 in tackles for the Bears every year and has recorded 37.5 sacks during his seven year career. The 6'3", 260-pound Brown has appeared in two Pro Bowls and had a good year in '08 totaling 42 tackles and six sacks.

Brown's partner in crime is Ogunleye who lines up on the left side. Ogunleye wasn't drafted and signed as a free agent with the Dolphins in 2000.

The Bears acquired him in a trade in 2004 for WR Marty Booker and a draft pick. Ogunleye was coming off a monster '03 season in which he finished second in the NFL with 15.5 sacks. Although he hasn't quite achieved that number of sacks with the Bears, he does lead the team over the past five seasons with 35.5 sacks.

He has a propensity for recovering fumbles and has recovered eight of them since 2004 leading the team.

The Bears third DE is Mark Anderson who they acquired in the fifth round of the 2006 draft from Alabama. Anderson burst onto the scene as a rookie leading the team with 12 sacks which was the third highest total for a rookie in NFL history.

Anderson replaced Brown as the starter prior to the '07 season and his numbers declined to only five sacks. Last season was a very disappointing one for Anderson who lost his starting job back to Brown and finished with only a single sack.

The Bears' jack of all trades on the D-line is DT/DE Israel Idonije who was acquired as a free agent by Chicago in 2003.

Idonije is a special teams ace who enjoyed his best season in Chicago last year tallying 23 tackles and 3.5 sacks. He is a versatile player who can play outside at end or come inside and play tackle on the Bears defense.

Chicago's biggest offseason addition on the D-line wasn't a player but a new coach so far in coach Rod Marinelli.

He was a highly-respected defensive line coach with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 1996-2005 before spending the last three seasons as head coach of the Detroit Lions. Marinelli groomed future hall of famers Warren Sapp and Simeon Rice in Tampa and his passion and knowledge on the D-line is a welcome addition in Chicago.

His first task since coming to Chicago has been to work with the young Mark Anderson and try to get him back to the level he played at as a rookie in '06.

So far the Bears D-linemen have been impressed with their new coach and DE Alex Brown had this to say;“When we come out on the field, we’re going to give him everything we’ve got. Not to say we didn’t do it previously, but I believe that you’ll listen a little more.

"You won’t question as much when it’s somebody that’s been through it and has done it and produced the type of defensive linemen he’s able to produce.”

Hopefully Marinelli will be able to light a fire under the talented but under achieving linemen.

The Bears will probably be looking to add another player or two to the D-line in the upcoming NFL draft. With four of the top 99 picks a young pass rusher will most likely be drafted with one of them.

With more pressing needs at WR and on the O-line, I would venture to guess that Chicago will use one of their two third-round picks on a DE. Look for Tommie Harris to have a bounce back season and with the core of DE's that the Bears have they should be in good shape for the 2009 season.

I would bet on second year player Marcus Harrison winning the starting DT spot opposite Harris, but Anthony Adams will definitely challenge and at the very least see a lot of playing time.

All together Chicago has a lot of talent on the D-line and with the addition of Marinelli should be in good shape to improve and get back to the domination that Bears fans have come to know.

This article was part five of an eight part series that my fellow writer Joey Garcia and I have taken turns writing. The Chicago Bears Offensive analysis has already been written and if you missed any of them give them a read I have provided the links below.

Syracuse-Oklahoma: What the Orange Must Do To Advance

Matt Reagan — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 16:43:18 -0400

With Syracuse's win over Arizona St. on Sunday, the Orange are back in the sweet 16 for the first time since 2004.

The Oklahoma Sooners are up next and will present a big challenge. Probable National Player of the Year, Blake Griffin, has had a monster tournament so far averaging over 30 points and 15 rebounds a game.

If Syracuse is going to beat the Sooners several things will factor into the equation.

First and foremost the Orange will need to continue their strong guard play led by PG Jonny Flynn and SG Eric Devendorf. Both players had outstanding Big East Championship performances with Flynn winning the MVP and Devendorf becoming the all time leading scorer in the tournaments history.

Flynn has been simply brilliant as of late directing the Orange attack. He has limited his turnovers and has run the offense to near perfection. He seems to have a great grasp on when he should involve his teammates and when he needs to take over and score himself.

The much maligned Devendorf is a big shot specialist whose key threes propelled Syracuse to their win over ASU. Devendorf is the player who people love to hate, but his outside shooting and ability to drive the lane key the Oranges' offensive attack.

He has scored at least 20 points in four of the last five games for Syracuse and will probably need to get close to that for the Orange to advance.

The "X factor" in the Oranges' back court would have to be reserve SG Andy Rautins. He provides instant offense off the bench and also has a knack for knocking down big shots.

After going 0-6 from three in the first game against Stephen F. Austin, Rautins responded with a strong performance against ASU and scored 17 points while dishing out five assists. He continues to improve as a passer and plays inspired defense in the 2-3 zone.

Devendorfs' and Rautins' outside shooting will be key in opening up the inside for the Oranges' big men.

In the low post C Arinze Onuaku and PF Rick Jackson will have their hands full with Griffin.

Onuaku seems fully recovered from the tendinitis that shelved him for a number of games during the middle of the Big East schedule. The two combined for 25 points and 11 rebounds against ASU.

The "X factor" in the front court has to be SF Paul Harris.

Harris is a streaky player who grabbed 16 rebounds against SFA, but only went for four points and seven rebounds against ASU. Harris seems to play big in bigger games and came through with 29 points and 22 rebounds against UConn in the six OT thriller during the Big East championship.

If the Orange are going to win Harris is going to have to be the Windex man on the boards and will be challenged immensely by the 6'10", 255 pound PF Blake Griffin.

Another player to watch off the bench for Syracuse is reserve PF Kristof Ongenaut. Ongenaut doesn't put up gaudy stats but his hustle and willingness to do the dirty work inside are key for the Orange. At the very least his five fouls will come in handy in trying to slow down Griffin.

The biggest factor in the game against Oklahoma will undoubtedly be how the Sooners decided to attack the vaunted Orange 2-3 zone.

Syracuse has been playing much more inspired defense as of late and their nine wins in their last 10 games reflects this.

Griffin will most likely get his points but the key will be limiting the outside shooting from the Sooner guards.

Freshman Willie Warren is their best guard and averaged 14.7 points a game during the regular season. Warren shoots 38 percent from three and has the best chance of doing some damage against the Orange 2-3.

Syracuse needs to do a better job of finding shooters and making sure they contest their shots. Oklahoma doesn't possess any shooters that have shot better than 35 percent from three besides Warren.

If Syracuse can bait them into launching 25 to 30 shots from three they should be in good shape. But if the Sooners can knock down some early threes, containing Griffin inside is going to prove even more difficult.

I like Syracuses' chances against the Sooners due to their lack of strong guard play.

The Orange are no stranger to facing dominate big men as they have faced UConn center Hasheem Thabeet several times and Pittsburghs' big man DeJuan Blair.

I think they can allow Griffin to get his 25-30 points and still win the game. If they can limit the Sooner guards scoring and get strong play from their guards they should be able to negate a big performance from their star big man.

I look for this to be a close game and feel that PG Jonny Flynn will have an epic performance.

This is going to be a game where he will need to score and Flynn is almost unguardable when he decides to drive to the hoop.

If the Orange do advance to the next round a potential match up with No. 1 seed UNC is looming.

North Carolina, unlike Oklahoma has stellar guard play led by PG Ty Lawson and SG Wayne Ellington. The Tar Heels have the inside/out combination to give the Orange fits.

If Syracuse is going to advance to their second Final Four in the last six seasons, they are definitely going to have their work cut out for them.

They should have a little extra motivation as a win over the Sooners would give Hall of Fame head coach Jim Boehiem his 800th. But as the NCAA's have shown, strong guard play more times than not can get you into early April and a date to cut down the nets in Detroit.

Chicago Bears Offseason Analysis: The Wide Receivers

Matt Reagan — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 23:39:57 -0400

The running joke around the NFL has been the Chicago Bears, the place where WR's go to die.

This has been true in the past to some point, but hopefully things are slowly changing in Chicago.

A good example of this statement occurred when the Bears signed WR Mushin Muhammad prior to the 2005 season.

Muhammad was coming off a season in which he was arguably the best WR in the league in 2004.

He caught 93 passes for 1,405 yards and 15 touchdowns. His yardage and TD catches were tops in the NFL. After signing a contract to become a Bear, Muhammad topped 800 yards receiving just once while totaling only 12 TDs in three full seasons.

Mushin decided to go back to Carolina following the 2007 season and proceeded to catch 65 passes for 923 yards and five TDs in 2008.

Bernard Berrian was drafted by Chicago in the third round of the NFL draft in 2004 and was the best WR the Bears had in a long time.

In 2007, which was his last year in a Bears uniform, he had his best season, catching 71 passes for 951 yards and five TDs. His 951 yards receiving were good enough to rank him 13th all-time in Bears history.

He led the team in catches 10 times that season and receiving yardage in eight of them. Berrian had the best season in 2007 for any Bears receiver since 2002, when Marty Booker went for over 1,000 yards receiving.

He seemed to be peaking, and many times it takes young WRs three or four years to really breakout.

So with the conventional wisdom of GM Jerry Angelo, it seemed time to let Berrian walk. Chicago failed to match division rival Minnesota's offer following the 2007 season and Bernard was a Viking.

For good measure, Berrian decided to rub Angelo's nose in it, and when the Vikings came to Chicago on Nov. 31, he tied an NFL record by catching a 99-yard TD pass. Berrian has continued to blossom for the Vikings and led the NFL last season with an average reception of 20.1 yards.

Bernard also did something last year that not even Minnesota future Hall of Famers Randy Moss and Cris Carter ever accomplished. He caught three TD passes that were over 80 yards.

Why Angelo ever decided we didn't need Berrian anymore is beyond any sane thought. If it wasn't bad enough that we lost our best young WR, we get to have the pleasure of him torching us twice a year with our division rival Minnesota.

So that pretty much brings us up to speed with the recent history of the WR position in Chicago.

Before the start of the 2008 season, Angelo decided to make up for the loss of Muhammad and Berrian by bringing back former Bear WR Marty Booker and signing Brandon Lloyd.

Lloyd ended up having the better season of the two (if you could call it that), and finished with 26 catches for 364 yards and two TDs. Booker caught only 14 passes for 211 yards and two TDs.

To say that these two guys didn'y exactly set the world on fire would be the understatement of the year.

Following the season, both were released, and that brings us to our current group of WRs in Chicago.

The Bears are currently led by WR Devin Hester, whom they drafted in the second round out of Miami in 2006.

He was originally drafted as a cornerback and played there before switching to WR before the 2007 season. Hester is the most electrifying returner in the NFL and scored 12 kick return TDs in his first two seasons with the Bears.

After making the switch to WR in 2007, Hester caught 20 passes for 299 yards and two TDs despite having a limited role.

In 2008, which was his first season as a full time WR, Hester improved, posting 52 catches for 665 yards and three TDs. Hester began to emerge during the second half of last season, catching 25 passes for 347 yards in the final six games after compiling 26 receptions for 318 yards in his first nine contests.

His production improved after he gained a firmer grasp of the Bears' offense. If the Bears are going to be successful this season, Hester's continued improvement will be the key.

Without a true deep threat, emerging RB Matt Forte will face wave after wave of eight-man fronts.

When asked of his continued development he said, "It is important for me to play like a No. 1 receiver, that’s my biggest goal. I feel like I have the ability to play as a No. 1 receiver, and I’m feeling real good and confident."

As of today, last year's third round pick from Vanderbilt, Earl Bennett, will be given every chance to start opposite Hester. Bennett had a tremulous rookie year in which he failed to catch a single pass.

Bennett had an outstanding collegiate career and finished as the all-time leader in SEC history, with 236 receptions in just three seasons.

He is the only player to ever catch more than 75 passes in three consecutive seasons in the SEC. Bennett finished tied for second in Commodore history with 20 TD catches, and owns three out of five of their largest receiving yardage games ever by a WR.

Bennett was also named a second team All-American after his junior year when he decided to leave early and join the NFL.

His continued development will also be key, and when asked about his disappointing rookie season he had this to say, "When I first got [the playbook], it was a challenge I must say."

“It was by far the most plays I’ve seen in my life. But right now I feel like I’ve got a good grasp on it. I feel real comfortable with the playbook. I could just about play any position on the field.”

Among Chicago's best pass catching options last season were the TEs Greg Olsen and Desmond Clark.

Olsen was second on the team in receptions behind Forte with 54 catches for 574 yards and a team-high five TD receptions. Olsen was the Bears' first round draft choice in the 2007 draft out of Miami.

In 2007, he and Clark combined for 936 receiving yards, which was a Bears record for TEs. Olsen is a huge target at 6'5", 255 pounds and appears to be on the verge of becoming a regular at the Pro Bowl.

Clark signed with the Bears as a free agent in 2003 and has been one of the most consistent targets for Bears QBs since his arrival. He leads all NFL TEs over the past two seasons with a 13.2 yards per catch average, and he surpassed the 3,000 yard mark in 2007, something that only 10 other active TEs can claim.

His importance to Chicago can be summed up by the fact that, since his arrival in 2003, he has led the team in receptions and TDs, while ranking third in overall catches.

The Bears havn't had this kind of production from a TE since Mike Ditka manned the position some 40 plus years ago.

Besides the TEs and the projected starting WRs, the Bears are pretty thin.

Rasheid Davis will return as the slot receiver; he had a decent season last year, catching 35 passes for 445 yards and two TDs. Past Davis are a group of unknowns who have bounced around various practice squads in the NFL.

With the looming lack of OTs, the Bears will probably be looking for a tackle in the first round of the upcoming draft. Prior to this crisis, they were thought to be strongly considering a WR and could still go that route.

If Jeremey Maclin were to fall to the Bears at 18 he would be hard to pass up.

Other names floating around are Darrius Heyward-Bey and Hakeem Nicks. Both are big receivers and DHB is an absolute speedster who ran a 4.25 40 at the combine.

Chicago was in North Carolina last week for Nicks' pro day and are rumored to be very high on the sure-handed receiver. Former Bears offensive coordinator John Shoop is currently holding the same position at UNC and has been in contact with Bears scouts pertaining to Nicks.

If Chicago waits until their second round pick to address the WR position, the pickings may be slim. Kenny Britt and Brian Robinske are projected to go late first or early second, and if one of them were to fall to 49th Chicago would be ecstatic.

Beyond them, there is a rather large drop-off at the position and the Bears could find themselves in another situation like last year with Bennett.

With Troy Holt still looking for a new team, he seems like someone who would draw interest from Chicago, but Angelo seems to be moving toward youth, and the 32-year-old Holt probably isn't in his plans.

Whether it be through the draft or free agency, Chicago will most definitely be adding some players to their WR corps.

Up next in the eight-part series, my partner Joey Garcia will be breaking down the Bears' QBs. If you missed the first two parts of the series I would encourage you to give them a read. I have provided the links to them below.

Part 1, The Bears offensive line analysis

Part 2, The Bears running backs analysis

Syracuse-ASU: Orange Roll Over Sun Devils

Matt Reagan — Sun, 22 Mar 2009 20:48:15 -0400

Miami, Florida--The Syracuse Orange rolled into the Sweet 16 with an impressive 78-67 win over the Arizona St. Sun Devils.

The Orange took the lead for good a mere two minutes into the game and never looked back. The lead ballooned to 39-24 with minutes remaining before halftime when ASU regrouped and went on an 8-2 run to close out the first half.

Syracuses' 2-3 zone baffled the Sun Devils who found themselves trailing 41-32 at the half.

With just over 13 minutes remaining in the game, a two point jump-shot by Andy Rautins put Syracuse up 57-42 and ASU looked to be on the ropes. A 17-7 Sun Devil run cut the score to 61-57 with just over five minutes remaining.

With the Orange needing a strong counter jab, big shot specialists Rautins and Eric Devendorf answered the bell.

After a three from Rautins it was Devendorf's turn and he came up huge knocking down back-to-back 3's to put the nail in the coffin.

What was a four-point lead was suddenly a 70-59 Orange advantage.

"Coming into that timeout when we were up four points, it's easy to get rattled," SU guard Jonny Flynn said. "We were up. We'd had a big lead. But Coach Boeheim really sat us down and said, 'Look at the score, look at the time. We're winning the game.'"

Syracuse finished off the game by hitting eight of 10 free throws in the closing minutes.

In attendance at the game was a familiar former Syracuse player who had a knack for hitting some clutch shots himself. After the Rautin's three that began the onslaught, Gerry McNamara who was sitting behind the Orange bench cheered in approval.

"It was a big shot," McNamara said. "That was definitely the turning point."

The Orange were led by the by the hot shooting from guard Devendorf who finished with 21 points including five for 11 from three-point range.

Reserve guard Andy Rautins also had a big game finishing with 17 points and five assists.

Super-soph point guard Jonny Flynn only attempted six shots deciding to defer to his hot shooting teammates and finished with 11 points and seven assists.

Down low center Arinze Onuaku and power forward Rick Jackson combined for 25 points and 11 rebounds.

Arizona St. was led by Rihards Kukskis who almost single handily kept his team from getting blown out in the first half finished with 20 points and hit six three pointers.

Shooting guard Ty Abbot also had a strong game scoring 20 points and went six for 10 from three-point range.

Sophomore sensation and Pac-10 Player Of the Year James Harden continued his dismal tournament performance and finished with only 10 points. Harden missed all five of his three-point attempts and finished 2-10 from the field.

In his first-round game against Temple, Harden shot an ice cold 1-8 and finished with nine points

During the regular season, the probable first team All-American averaged 20.4 points, 4.2 assists, and 5.6 rebounds, but seemed completely lost going against the zone defenses of the Owls and Orange.

Harden is a potential lottery pick in the upcoming 2009 NBA draft and most likely played his last collegiate game.

Syracuse improves to 28-9 and has won nine out of their last 10 games with the sole loss coming against Louisville in the Big East Championship game.

Up next for the Orange is Blake Griffin and the No. 2 seed Oklahoma Sooners.The game will tip at 7:27 p.m. on Friday in Memphis.

If Syracuse beats the Sooners it will give Hall of Fame head coach Jim Boeheim his 800th career win.

Apparently Syracuse's pending trip to Memphis and the Sweet 16 wasn't the only good news on Sunday.

In an interview with Syracuse Post Standard writer Bud Poliquin, Flynn was asked the question that all of Syracuse has been waiting on pins and needles to hear.

Will you be returning for your junior year? Flynn responded, "I'm coming back to Syracuse next year, I'm coming back. There is no as of now, I'm coming back."

With only one senior on the team in reserve PF Kristof Ongenaet leaving, a stellar recruiting class coming in, the return of former starting guard Scoop Jardine, and the addition of transfer power forward Wes Johnson, to say Syracuse will be loaded next season is like saying the economy is in a slump.

But let's stay focused on the upcoming game against Oklahoma. Hopefully we will have all summer to dream about how Orange can repeat and win another national championship in 2010.

Chicago Bears Offseason Analysis: The Offensive Line

Matt Reagan — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 21:05:43 -0400

Over the course of the next two weeks, I and my esteemed colleague and writer Joey will be taking turns analyzing the different positions on the Chicago Bears.

We will write about the offensive line, QB's, RB's, and WR's. On defense, which will come after the offense preview, we will look at the defensive line, linebackers, secondary, and finally the special teams.

In this article, which is the first in the eight-part series, I will be analyzing the Bears offensive line or lack thereof.

With the retirement of starting left tackle John Tait along with the loss of starting right tackle John St. Clair to the Cleveland Browns, all of the sudden, offensive line is the biggest area of concern for the Bears.

The Bears currently have three offensive tackles on the entire roster in Chris Williams, Frank Omiyale, and Cody Balogh. These three players have a combined one NFL start between them with Omiyale starting one game at left tackle for the Carolina Panthers last season.

At the guard position, the Bears return starters Josh Beekman and Roberto Garza. Beekman is entering his third season with Chicago and was a fourth-round draft pick in 2007.

Garza is entering his ninth season and has started for the Bears since 2005. Garza has been very dependable and has started the last 32 games in a row for Chicago.

The only player who has started more games on the offensive line is their centerpiece and center Olin Kreutz. He is in entering his 11th season and has been to six Pro Bowls, and he has started an amazing 86 consecutive games including 115 out of 116 games.

He is one of only nine Bears players in history ever to make six or more Pro Bowls. He also has the longest tenure with Chicago, having been on the team since he was drafted in 1998.

The Bears offensive line has allowed 99 sacks over the past three seasons, which ranks 13th in the NFL.

As it stands today, Chicago will return three starters on the line and have two new faces steeping in at the tackles. One of them will most definitely be last year's first-round pick Chris Williams, who missed most of last season due to back surgery.

Williams is a 6'6", 312-pound left tackle who attended Vanderbilt and was their first player in 23 years to be named first-team All-ACC. Durability was not a problem for him in college as he started 33 consecutive games and gave up only one sack his entire senior season.

Frank Omiyale was acquired by Chicago on Feb. 27 and signed to a four-year contract. He is a 6'4", 310-pound lineman entering his fifth season from Tennessee Tech. Omiyale is a versatile player who can play OG or OT and has been penciled in as the starter at RT with the failure of Chicago to resign former starter John St. Clair.

“We’re disappointed that John left,” added offensive coordinator Ron Turner. “He was a good football player and we were all looking forward to having him back. But we’ve just got to move forward and get guys settled into their positions.”

With the unexpected retirement of starting LT John Tait, it seemed a foregone conclusion that Chicago would not let St. Clair walk, but in the end, they decided not to match Cleveland's offer.

So, with the NFL draft coming up at the end of April, the Bears seem to be changing course with the No. 18 pick in the draft.

Many people, including myself, thought they would target a WR with their first pick, but now it looks like they are forced to take a tackle at No. 18.

Some of the top tackles who should be available at No. 18 are Eben Britton and William Beatty. Britton is a 6'6", 310-pound OT from Arizona. He decided to turn pro after his junior year and has the size, strength, and athleticism to succeed at either tackle position in the NFL.

Beatty is a 6'6", 291-pound OT from Connecticut who is equally adept at run blocking as well as pass blocking.

One other player who has dropped like the girl with herpes on prom night is OT Andre Smith. Once considered a possible No. 1 overall pick, Smith's draft projection has fallen into the teens due to a disappearance at the Combine and a subpar Pro Day.

Whether or not he falls all the way to No. 18 will be unclear until Draft Day.

Of these three players, I like Smith the best because Chicago is looking primarily for a RT. Smith has struggled with pass rushers, but he is a bulldozer in the running game.

At 6'5", 340 pounds, he has the talent to develop into a top-notch tackle in the NFL. Although he has a high "boom or bust" potential, at No. 18, he would be worth the gamble.

If Smith is gone, I think Britton would make the second-best choice. He plays with a nasty streak, and he is good at cutting off pass rushers.

Beatty is a little slow and tends to play with a lack of passion unlike Britton. In Chicago, we like to have our big men play aggressively, and Britton seems to fit the mold more than Beatty.

If the Bears decide to wait until the second round to address the offensive line, a couple of players who should be there at No. 49 are Duke Robinson and Phil Loadholt.

Both players are from Oklahoma, but of the two, I like Robinson better.

He is a 6'5", 329-pound OL who played OG in college but has the size and athletic ability to play RT in the NFL. He does struggle somewhat with speed rushers, but if he plays on the right side, he can avoid many of those encounters. He is a pancake machine who plays with a nasty demeanour and absolutely dominates as a run blocker.

Loadholt is a 6'8", 332-pound monster who teamed with Robinson to form one of the largest left sides in the history of NCAA football. He is a decent pass blocker, but like Robinson, he sometimes struggles with speed rushers. Loadholt might have more potential at tackle in the NFL but lacks the aggressive play of his teammate.

With the need for tackles, GM Jerry Angelo has stated that Chicago will be looking to add one or two veterans and to draft at least one tackle if not more in the draft.

The veteran free-agent additions will most likely come from players on other teams who will be released in the coming months.

There's not much left in free agency at this point and bringing in a big name such as Orlando Pace seems unlikely. Pace has strongly been considering retirement after being cut by the Rams and has been injury-plagued the last few seasons. He would be nothing more than an expensive Band-Aid at this point, and the Bears need to focus on the future not the past.

With rookie phenom RB Matt Forte entering his second season, Chicago needs to address the offensive line in order to keep the best offensive threat they have rolling into the future.

Up next in the off-season analysis, my partner Joey will be addressing the running backs on the Chicago Bears.

2009 NFL Mock Draft: The Real Deal 3.1 Round Two Only (Mar. 17)

Matt Reagan — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 01:29:07 -0400

This mock draft is the second round of the mock draft titled: 2009 NFL mock draft express 3.0 (Mar. 16). If you have not read it, I would suggest you do so you can see what players were drafted already and to what team.

For both mock drafts I used CBSSPORTS.com as a basis of what round players are projected to be picked. This is a link to round one.

Let's get started:

33. Detroit Lions Alphonso Smith, CB, Wake Forrest (5'9", 193, 4.47)

The Lions are desperate for help after losing both starting CB's and the play making Smith would step in to a starting spot and help begin to rebuild their shaky secondary.

34. New England Patroits Clint Sintim, OLB, Virginia (6'3", 249, 4.72)

Sintim will fit in nicely with Mayo and Maualuga to give the Pats the best young LB core in the AFC. Sintim will play OLB and recorded 13.5 sacks last year which was the most for any LB's in the nation. He should provide them with a big time pass rush off the edge of their 3-4.

35. St. Louis Rams Brian Robiske, WR, Ohio St. (6'3", 209, 4.46)

Drew Bennet was a bust and Torry Holt has left the building. Robnske is the son of an NFL coach, has great size, speed, hands, and runs great routes which is exactly what the Rams need.

36. Cleveland Browns Aaron Maybin, DE, Penn St. (6'4", 249, 4.78)

Maybin will make the switch to OLB where he projects better but he can also be used at his college position of DE as a third down pass rusher.

37. Seattle Seahawks Josh Freeman, QB, Kansas St. (6'6", 248, 4.91)

Seattle gets a steal here as Freeman falls to the top of round two. It isn't an immediate need as it is the best value. Plus Hasselbeck is getting older and didn't play well last year so they have the QB for the future.

38. Cincinnati Bengals Robert Ayers, DE, Tennessee (6'3", 272, 4.77)

The Bengals finished second to last in sacks with 17 last year and Ayers has been shooting up after dominating the top tackles during the Senior Bowl.

39. Jacksonville Jaguars Ron Brace, DT, Boston College (6'3", 330, 5.48)

The Jags found out the hard way that their D can't operate without a big body next to Henderson and Brace would step in and help them forget about losing Marcus Stroud.

40. Oakland Raiders Mike Thomas, WR, Arizona (5'8", 195, 4.30)

Al Davis resisted his fast WR in the first round, but Thomas is just too fast and runs great routes. He is a little short but a true threat to score whenever he touches the ball and he is a superb returner.

41. Green Bay Packers Le Sean McCoy, RB, Pittsburgh (5'11", 198, 4.48)

The Packers just couldn't let McCoy fall any further and snatch him up. McCoy has a nice size/speed combination and will form a nice one/two punch with Grant.

42. Buffalo Bills Jared Cook, TE, South Carolina (6'5", 246, 4.49)

Cook blew away the combine with his size and speed and would really open up the passing attack with Evans and newly added T.O. Edwards would suddenly feel like Romo did when he had T.O. and Witten.

43. San Francisco 49ers Louis Delmas, FS, Western Michigan (6'0", 202, 4.52)

The 49ers were second to last in turnovers and adding the play making Delmas will help out their secondary.

44. Miami Dolphins Alex Mack, C, California (6'4", 311, 5.12)

The Dolphins need some interior line help and the talented Mack can play C or OG making him a value pick for Parcells.

45. New York Giants Sen Derrick Marks, DT, Auburn (6'2", 306, 5.00)

Robbins was banged up last year and Cofeild was great but adding Marks would give the line some youth and a devastating three man rotation.

46. Houston Texans Patrick Chung, SS, Oregon (5'11", 212, 4.49)

The Texans are weak at safety and adding Chung would give them a good player to build around and he would start from day one.

47. New England Patriots Sean Smith, CB, Utah (6'4", 214, 4.49)

Smith is a huge corner who has good speed and can play safety. Adding him would help ease the loss of Samuel. Smith could end up at FS because they could use help in the secondary.

Either way, Smith is a bigtime player and should help solidify the pass defense.

48. Denver Broncos Conner Barwin, OLB, Cincinnatti (6'4", 256, 4.59)

With the Broncos switching to the 3-4 they need big and fast pass rushers on the edges and Barwin fits the bill. His stock has been on fire as many believe he is just scratching his potential.

49. Chicago Bears Duke Robinson, G, Oklahoma (6'5", 329, 5.32)

Robinson is an absolute beast who plays with an extreme mean streak as he absolutely blows his opponents of the line creating huge holes. With the ability and size to play RT he makes perfect sense for the Bears who want to give star RB Matt Forte a line to be proud of.

Putting him next to last years no.1 pick Chris Williams or sliding him over to RT should keep Chicago playing smash-mouth football for years to come.

50. Tampa Bay Bucs Michael Johnson, DE, Georgia tech (6'7", 266, 4.68)

Johnson slipped due to his lack of toughness but he does posses an imposing frame and good speed. He is a classic boom or bust prospect but the Bucs need a DE and Johnson is a good value here.

51. Dallas Cowboys Juaquin Iglesias, WR, Oklahoma (6'1", 210, 4.44)

With T.O. finally set packing the Cowboy's land the play making Iglesias who will take his old spot and team with Roy Williams and Jason Witten to get the Boy's offense rolling again.

52. New York Jets Andre Brown, RB, North Carolina St. (6'0", 224, 4.47)

Even though RB Thomas Jones had his best year he is going to be 32 and the Jets could use the hard running Brown as a one/two punch. Brown has great size and speed and should be the feature back of the near future.

53. Philadelphia Eagles William Moore, FS, Missouri (6'0", 220, 4.50)

Eagles find their heir apparent to Brian Dawkins in the play making Moore who has the ability to step in and start.

54. Minnesota Vikings Max Unger, C, Oregon (6'5", 309, 5.26)

The Vikings get first round talent in the second to replace long time center Matt Birk. Unger also has the size to play Guard if needed.

55. Atlanta Falcons Jamon Meridth, RT, South Carolina (6'5", 304, 4.99)

The Falcons need a RT to pair with LT Baker and the athletic Meridth would give QB Matt Ryan two young bookends to protect him.

56. Miami Dolphins Pat White, QB, West Virginia (6'0", 197, 4.55)

The Dolphins were the best at running the wildcat and White would make that formation deadly. They also need help at WR and returner, so White looks like he will feel right at home.

57. Baltimore Ravens Louis Murphy, WR, Florida (6'3", 203, 4.32)

With the emergence of QB Joe Flacco, the Ravens need to get him some weapons and Murphy is the big fast target that can help take their offense to the next level.

58. New England Patroits Kraig Urbik, OG, Wisconsin (6'5, 328, 5.27)

With Neal and Mankins both becoming free agents after the season the Pats can't afford to pay them both so Urbik comes in and fits the mold that they like in their linemen. Medium sized, mobile, and good pass blockers.

59. Carolina Panthers Paul Kruger, DE, Utah (6'4', 253, 4.83)

With Peppers being franchised this year he will hit the open market next season and the Panthers are thin at DE anyway so grabbing the best available DE is good business for Carolina.

60. New York Giants Marcus Freeman, OLB, Ohio St. (6'1", 239, 4.67)

Every year the Giants wait to the later rounds to draft a LB and they havn't panned out. By adding Freeman the Giants will get a player who has good lateral quickness and speed to chase down opposing RB's.

61. Indianapolis Colts Jarius Byrd, CB, Oregon (5'10", 207, 4.58)

Marlin Jackson is coming off a season ending injury and Byrd would give the Colts some depth. They really wanted a WR here but none are worth taking.

62. Tennesee Titans Fili Moala, DT, USC (6'4", 305, 5.07)

After losing Haynesworth, the Titans need a DT and Moala was once considered a possible number one pick before having an up and down senior year. He has all the tools to dominate he just has to be more consistent.

63. Arizona Cardinals Herman Johnson, OG, LSU (6'7", 364, 5.50)

Johnson is an absolute monster and the Cards are thin in the interior. He should be able to blow holes through opposing defenses and jump-start Arizona's rushing attack.

64. Pittsburgh Steelers Mike Mickens, CB, Cincinnati (6'0", 184, 4.49)

Townsend is entering his 12th season and the Super Bowl champs are suddenly thin at CB. Adding the play making Mickens should improve their shaky CB position.

2009 NFL Mock Draft: The Real Deal Express 3.0 (March 15)

Matt Reagan — Sun, 15 Mar 2009 01:41:07 -0400

I have done two previous mock draft's and have spent a lot of time explaining why each team needs this player or that player.

What I am going to do this time is pick a player per team and leave one comment.

If most of you are like me, I don't need to hear for the thousandth time that Andre Smith missed the combine, or Crabtree broke his foot, or that Darrius Heyward-Bey is the fastest player. We all know much of this by now, and probably too much!

So in this mock, Id like to call it an express mock draft, I will list the teams by pick, the player they choose, where they went to school, their height, weight, and 40 time

Let's get started:

1. Detroit Lions Matthew Stafford QB, Georgia (6'2", 225, 4.81)

With the Lions getting five-time Pro Bowler Julian Peterson, they will pass on Curry and select the rocket-arm QB to rebuild the team around himself and stud WR Calvin Johnson.

2. St. Louis Rams Jason Smith, LT, Baylor (6'5", 309, 5.09)

Orlando Pace officially retired and Smith, who is the most athletic and gifted LT, looks like the second coming of All-Pro Ryan Clady and will step in and start on day one.

3. Kansas City Chiefs Aaron Curry, OLB, Wake Forest (6'2", 254, 4.54)

Just because they got Vrabel, who is on his last legs, doesn't mean Curry can't come in and dominate in the 3-4.

4. Seattle Seahawks Eugene Monroe, LT, Virginia (6'5", 309, 5.12)

With Walter Jones nearing retirement, adding the Jones clone makes perfect sense. After Walter retires Monroe will be the LT of the future.

5. Cleveland Browns Brian Orakpo, DE, Texas (6'3", 263, 4.63)

The Browns pass rush was absolutely terrible last year, and the dynamic Orakpo is a terror off the edge and would improve their pass rush immediately.

6. Cincinnatti Bengals Michael Crabtree, WR, Texas Tech (6'2", 215, 4.52)

With Johnson and Coles getting old the Bengals get a player once considered a top four lock in Crabtree to slide right into their lap.

7. Oakland Raiders B.J. Raji, DT, Boston College (6'2", 337, 5.12)

Everyone loves Crabtree to the Raiders, but Raji is a beast and hands down the top DT in the draft will anchor the middle for years to come.

8. Jacksonville Jagurars Michael Oher, LT, Mississippi (6'5", 309, 5.34)

The Jags are desperate for help and probably over pay Oher at this point, but his rise and the fall of Andre Smith at least get them the help they need.

9. Green Bay Packers Everette Brown, DE, Florida St. (6'2", 256, 4.66)

The Pack had nothing close resembling a pass rush, and Brown is athletic enough to make the switch to outside 3-4 OLB and create pressure on opposing QB's.

10. San Francisco 49ers Mark Sanchez, QB, USC (6'2", 227, 4.93)

Coach Singletary stated at the end of the season that QB is his No. 1 priority. Sanchez can make all the throws, will be able to sit behind Shaun Hill, and be able to stay in sunny California, where he grew up.

11. Buffalo Bills Tyson Jackson, DE, LSU (6'4", 296, 4.94)

The Bills are another team with a weak pass rush and Jackson is quick enough to play DE and strong enough to go inside to DT.

12. Denver Broncos Malcolm Jenkins, CB, Ohio St. (6'0", 204, 4.51)

Jenkins 40 time hurt him and scouts began to discuss a move to safety, but both starting CB on the Broncos are on the wrong side of 30 and Jenkins is a play maker that would start for them somewhere.

13. Washington Redskins Andre Smith, RT, Alabama (6'4", 332, 5.42)

With the mega signing of Hanyesworth on the D-line, Smith's slide would land him in position to be the anchor of the O-line that the Skins build around.

14. New Orleans Saints Vonte Davis, CB, Illinois (5'11", 203, 4.40)

The flamboyant Davis would give the Saints a true No. 1 corner and a new starter from week one.

15. Houston Texans Clay Matthews, LB, USC (6'3", 240, 4.62)

Matthews has been shooting up the boards and has the ability to play all three LB spots as well as put his hand down and rush off the edge.

16. San Deigo Chargers Chris Wells, RB, Ohio St. (6'1", 235, 4.51)

With L.T. signed for two more years, Wells will be the heir apparent, but will also let L.T. carry the ball less because Sproles isn't a feature back.

17. New York Jets Jeremy Maclin, WR, Missouri (6'0", 198, 4.45)

Maclin injured himself and has fallen out of the top 10 due to injury concerns, but the Jets are desperate for WR help, and the play-making Maclin should start immediately.

18. Chicago Bears Darrius Heyward-Bey, WR, Maryland (6'2", 205, 4.25)

Chicago was sweating it out as the dynamic DHB will give them a nice compliment to put opposite Hester, and Orton will have to decide which WR has single coverage so he can get the ball to him.

With two receivers that have to be accounted for, opposing defenses will put eight men in the box at their own risk to try and slow emerging star RB, Matt Forte.

19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers Brian Cushing, OLB, USC (6'3", 243, 4.68)

The Bucs let Brooks and June go as free agents so Cushing is as big of a need for them as there is.

20. Detroit Lions Peria Jerry, DT, Missisippi (6'2", 298, 4.98)

With the trade of Redding to Seattle and Shaun Rogers long gone to Cleveland, the Lions need a DT and Jerry is the second-best available and should start day one.

21. Philadelphia Eagles Knowshon Moreno, RB, Georgia (5'11", 216, 4.58)

Injuries to Westbrook have left the Eagles thin at RB, and Moreno would be a nice change-of-pace back to compliment the aging Westbrook.

22. Minnesota Vikings Percy Harvin, WR, Florida (5'11", 192, 4.39)

Harvin will pair with Berrian and give the Vikings even more speed to surround Adrian Peterson.

23. New England Patroits Rey Maualuga, LB, USC (6'2", 249, 4.81)

The Pats struck gold with Mayo last year and traded Vrabel, so adding the hard hitting Maualuga is more than a need. He wouldn't have slid if he didn't have injury concerns.

24. Atlanta Falcons Brandon Pettigrew, TE, Oklahoma St. (6'6", 283, 4.80)

Falcons TE's caught 19 passes all year and Pettigrew would provide QB Matt Ryan with another big target. Also, his blocking would make RB Michael Turner even more dangerous.

25. Miami Dolphins Larry English, DE/OLB, Northern Illinois (6'2", 255, 4.82)

Parcells loves his LBs, and English can play DE or OLB and would be a perfect fit in the 3-4.

26. Baltimore Ravens Darrius Butler, CB, Connecticut (5'11", 183, 4.41)

After losing Chris McAllister and Samari Rolle's age, the young ball hawk would fill an immediate need and keep one of the best defenses rolling.

27. Indianapolis Colts Evander Hood, DT, Missouri (6'3", 300, 4.88)

Hood is another player who is rising and would be a great fit in the Tampa 2 because he gets deep penetration into opposing backfields and can rush the passer.

28. Philadelphia Eagles William Beatty, LT, Connecticut (6'6", 307, 5.16)

They already lost their two starting tackles, so landing Beatty was a must and he will be an automatic starter.

29. New York Giants Kenny Britt, WR, Rutgers (6'3", 218, 4.50)

A Plaxico clone and the weapon they need to get their passing game rolling again.

30. Tennessee Titans Hakeem Nicks, WR, UNC (6'1", 212, 4.51)

Nicks would give the Titans the big, sure-handed target they sorely lack and should start at WR for them.

31. Arizona Cardinals Donald Brown, RB, Connecticut (5'10" 208, 4.45)

Brown has leap frogged McCoy after a great combine, and he is the workhorse back the Cards thought they were getting when they signed James.

32. Pittsburgh Steelers Eben Britton, LT, Arizona (6'6", 309, 5.14)

The Steelers had one of the worst lines in the NFL last year and Britton played LT and RT, and could possibly play inside, giving them the best bang for their buck.

Here is the link to round two of this draft http://bleacherreport.com/articles/140366-2009-nfl-mock-draft-the-real-deal-31-round-2-only-march-17

Syracuse-WVU: The OT Orange Still Winning on Fumes

Matt Reagan — Sat, 14 Mar 2009 04:28:20 -0400

NEW YORK: The Syracuse Orange dug deep and somehow found the strength to beat the West Virginia Mountaineers 74-69 in OT.

After regulation ended the Orange would only need an extra five minutes to finish off West Virginia, not the extra 30 minites it took them to beat UConn less than 24 hours before.

Many people questioned whether the Orange would have anything left in the tank after their epic six-overtime win over UConn, which lasted three hours and 46 minutes.

Well, the tank appeared not to be totally empty but the red warning light was definitely on.

Somehow, the Orange dug deep and played inspired ball throughout the game, and if they were tired, they must have been great actors.

The game would seesaw between the two teams, as neither team led by more than 10 points in the first half.

Syracuse found themselves leading by seven points with 22 seconds left following an Andy Rautins three pointer.

WVU came right back with a three of their own from Darryl Bryant. His shot cut the lead back down to four and left only three seconds remaining.

Last night's almost hero, Eric Devendorf, then took a long inbounds pass and drained a 65-foot shot at the buzzer. This time there was no question if he got it off in time and the Orange went into the break up 36-29.

The second half played much like the first, with both teams jockeying for leads.

WVU opened the scoring and erased the Orange's seven-point lead with a 13-2 run that left them up four.

For the rest of the half, the two teams stayed neck-and-neck, and the Orange had a two-point lead with five seconds remaining.

After fouling Devin Ebanks he went to the line and knocked down both shots, sending the game into overtime at 63.

In overtime, the Orange wasted no time looking to get that lead they couldn't against UConn and Paul Harris scored on a lay-up seconds in.

With Syracuse clinging to a three-point lead with seven seconds left, WVU's Bryant attempted a game-tying three that was blocked by Devendorf.

Flynn grabbed the loose ball and found the streaking Devendorf all alone for a lay-up that would give them a five-point lead, but more importantly, the win.

Syracuse once again was led by the masterful court general Jonny Flynn, who scored 15 points and dished out 11 assists.

Flynn's back court teammate, Eric Devendorf, also played huge, scoring 23 points on 4-of-8 shooting from behind the three-point line.

Reserve forward Kristof Ongenaet continued to be the Orange glue that held it together and contributed six points, 10 rebounds, four steals, three assists, and even a block for good measure.

WVU was led by freshman PF Devin Ebanks, who scored 22 points to go with six rebounds.

DA Sean Butler also had a great game for West Virginia and finished with 21 points and six rebounds.

With the win, Syracuse improves to 26-8 and has won seven consecutive Big East games.

Up next for the Orange are the 27-5 regular season champion Louisville Cardinals at 9 p.m. Saturday night on ESPN.

This has the makings of a nightmare game for the Orange, because of the Cardinals' obsession with constant full-court pressure.

Not many people besides myself predicted that the Orange would make it this far.

With the seven overtime periods, they have played in the the last two nights, they are five minutes short of playing an extra game altogether.

So I would guess that even fewer people will pick them to beat Louisville on Thursday.

I will be one of those people, because this team is a team of destiny.

And I might just find some company from a certain group of UConn Huskies.

Syracuse-UConn: The Greatest College Basketball Game Ever Played

Matt Reagan — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 14:48:54 -0400

The Syracuse Orange outlasted the UConn Huskies Thursday night in Madison Square Garden, 127-117, in six overtimes.

The game lasted an incredible three hours and 46 minutes.

The two teams would go back and forth all night with neither managing a lead larger than five points in regulation.

UConn's PG Kemba Walker was in the right place at the right time and put back a last-second shot with 1.1 seconds left in regulation to tie the score at 71.

Orange SF Paul Harris then threw the inbound pass, which was tipped by a UConn defender and landed in the hands of Orange SG Eric Devendorf.

Devendorf shot from about 28 feet out and swished the three as the buzzer sounded, seemingly giving Syracuse a 74-71 victory.

The referee who was closest and making the call threw his hands in the air signaling the shot was good. Devendorf proceeded to jump atop the scorers bench and bang his chest in celebration of the last-second victory.

But not so fast.

The refs decided to look at the shot on replay and see if he got it off in time. Seeing the replay, it looked inclusive because the ball might have been still on the very tip of his finger.

With there being a lack of conclusive evidence, the original call should have stood and the game should have been over.

But it was not and the game would be sent into overtime.

Six overtimes, to be precise.

At the end of the first OT, Syracuse found themselves down by two points with seconds remaining. Flynn juked and weaved his way through three Huskies defenders and made a circus pass to find PF Rick Jackson all alone under the hoop.

With all the defenders stuck to Flynn, Jackson had an easy, uncontested dunk to tie the score at 81 and send the game into the second OT.

In the second OT, UConn found themselves with the ball and the score tied at 87, with less than 30 seconds remaining.

They decided to run the clock down and then go for the win. Huskies' PG Kemba Walker tried to sink the game-winner but missed, and SF Stanley Robinson corralled the rebound but blew the put-back. The Huskies grabbed the miss and threw it back outside to Walker for another shot but it was blocked by the Orange.

Walker then gathered in his own miss and launched an off-balance three that missed, sending the game into the third OT.

In the third OT, Syracuse found themselves down by three with under 20 seconds remaining. Orange SG Andy Rautins calmly drained a three from the top of the key, tying the score at 98.

UConn's PG A.J. Price then attempted a three with 11 seconds left and missed. Huskie PF Jeff Adrian grabbed the rebound and proceed to shoot a little eight-foot turn-around as the buzzer sounded for the win, but the ball rolled of the rim sending the game into the fourth OT.

It would be Paul Harris who would get the chance to play the role of hero.

Once again with the defense draped all over him, Flynn found the open Harris alone under the hoop with the game tied at 104. Harris then missed the layup but got his own rebound to attempt the game-winning, last-second shot once more, but he was blocked at the buzzer by UConn's PF Gavin Edwards, sending the game into the fifth OT.

In the fifth overtime, Flynn calmly swished two free throws to tie the game at 110 with 20 seconds remaining. UConn then, in succession, missed three last-second attempts, sending the game into the sixth and final OT.

Rautins decided the Orange had played enough and drained a three to start the period, giving Syracuse their first lead in OT.

That would prove to be the straw that broke the Huskies back, as the Orange would go on to outscore them 17-7, thus ending the second longest game in the history of college basketball, 127-117.

"I've got no words," Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim said after the three hour, 46-minute game. "I have never been prouder of any team I've coached."

The Orange were led by Flynn, who scored 34 points, dished out 11 assists, and had six steals.

Paul Harris had a monster game, scoring 29 points and hauling down a season-high 22 rebounds.

Devendorf and backup Rautins also gave big contributions. Devendorf finished with 22 points and Rautins scored 20 off the bench.

The Huskies were led by A.J. Price, who scored 33 points and dished out 11 assists.

Stanley Robinson played big, scoring 28 points and pulling down 14 rebounds.

Hasheem Thabeet had a monster game down low, scoring 19 points, blocking seven shots, and grabbing 14 rebounds.

Syracuse never had a lead in OT until Rautins' momentum-changing three.

The two teams combined to score 222 points, a Big East record.

The six OTs were the second most in NCAA history.

The three hour and 46-minute game was the longest game in Big East history.

Eight players would foul out and Syracuse had to play the sixth OT with a walk-on in the lineup who had scored a total of four points the whole year.

With the win, Syracuse improves to 25-8 and will face the Mountaineers of West Virginia Friday at 9 p.m.

Syracuse has now beaten UConn three straight times in the Big East Championship and has won four out of the last five meetings between the two teams in tournament play.

Andy Rautins' father, Leo Rautins, tipped in the game winner for Syracuse in the 1981 triple-overtime game that was the previous record for the longest game in the league's history.

"The triple-overtime game was an unbelievable game," Boeheim said after the game which began at 9:30 Thursday night and ended in the wee hours of Friday morning. "I think it'd be hard to top this game."

Well, Jim, I guess you just did!

Syracuse vs. Seton Hall: Orange Sink Pirates' Ship

Matt Reagan — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 01:01:57 -0400

New York—The Syracuse Orange came into their "second home", Madison Square Garden, continuing their rejuvenated play by easily beating Seton Hall 89-74.

The game wasn't even as close as it appeared. The Orange had leads of over 20 points late in the second half. The Pirates played a decent first half, however, and found themselves trailing by only five, 31-36, at the break.

The tide of the game turned when Seton Hall's Brandon Walters was called for an intentional foul after smacking Orange player Kristof Ogenaut in the head to prevent a dunk on a breakaway.

Both teams got in the middle of the ensuing scrum and Orange guard Eric Devendorf along with Pirate guard Eugene Harvey were assessed technicals.

The Orange found themselves up 46-44 before the technicals, and decided enough was enough. Over the next several minutes they went on an 18-3 run and stretched the lead to 64-47.

They would continue to pound the Pirates. They stretched their lead to 23 points with just over five minutes left to play, 81-58.

The Orange were led by sophomore PG Jonny Flynn. Flynn put on a performance reminiscent of former Syracuse legend Sherman Douglas.

Flynn was clearly in the zone, seeing the entire court and finding open teammates for shots. He also drove the lane, seemingly spliting Pirate defenders at will, with a dizzying array of crossovers that left bodies littered all over the court.

Flynn finished another masterpiece with 19 points and 11 assists. Jonny also took care of the ball extremely well, finishing with only a single turnover, in 35 minutes of play.

Syracuse also got a great performance from SG Eric Devendorf, who finished 5-9 from the three point line, scoring 19 points.

Arinze Onuaku and Kristof Ongenaet also had solid games. Onuaku scored 15 points, blocked three shots, and hauled down seven rebounds. Ongenaet scored a season high 12 points. He had three rebounds, five assists, and two blocks coming off the bench.

Seton Hall was led by SG Jeremy Hazel, who had a game high 27 points, as well as three rebounds.

The only other player the Pirates got a meaningful contribution from was PF Robert Mitchell, who scored 15 points and hauled in 12 rebounds.

Seton Hall struggled to shoot over the Oranges' 2-3 zone, finishing a cool 9-27 from behind the three point line. In contrast, Syracuse ended up shooting 9-18 from deep range.

WSTM channel 3 in Syracuse, New York caught up with Orange PG Jonny Flynn at Madison Square Garden and asked him the all important question on everyone's mind. Flynn had this to say, "As of right now I am coming back next year."

I would take it with a grain of salt. Hopefully the Orange still have a lot of basketball to play this year, and anything can happen. Although, it's a lot better than him saying that of as of right now he is going to the NBA.

As I said in my last article, after the huge signing of DaShonte Riley, the 6'11" center from Michigan, the Orange don't actually have an extra scholarship to give him.

It doesn't take a genius to figure out that someone has already informed the coaches of their decision to leave early. With Flynn, at least right now saying he is coming back for his junior year, it only solidifies my opinion that this mystery player who is leaving is SG Eric Devendorf.

To further this thought, in an interview by the Syracuse Post Standard, Orange coach Jim Boehiem reported that Eric was planning on leaving after last season before he injured himself, and ended up red-shirting.

Devendorf is going to graduate in May and is also a recent father. It looks like he may give the NBA a shot, or go over-seas to earn a living.

Up next for the Orange are the Connecticut Huskies, who are the three seed, and ranked fourth in the country. Back on February 11, the Huskies defeated the Orange 64-49 on their home court.

The crowd for tommorrow's game should be decidedly orange colored, due to the large alumni fan base in New York City, and it's proximity to Syracuse.

With their victory over Seton Hall the Orange have now won five games in a row, and seven out-of-their last eight.

Tip-off is set for 9 p.m. Thursday night, and should make for an interesting re-match between the two teams.

1985 Chicago Bears: The Greatest Team Ever

Matt Reagan — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 00:19:32 -0400

Ronald Reagan was president, Tina Turner's What's Love Got To Do With It was the song of the year, a gallon of gas cost $1.20, and the Chicago Bears were the greatest team to ever take the field in the storied history of the NFL.

I know the doubters are going to say, "What about the 1972 Dolphins? They were the only team to ever finish the season undefeated."

I understand this, but the 1985 Bears were simply the greatest team ever, and here's why.

The collection of players Chicago put together not just on defense, but also offense, made them one of the most talented teams ever assembled.

The Bears steam-rolled their way through the regular season with a 15-1 record. But what most people don't remember is the season started off a little shaky.

Chicago actually found themselves trailing, of all teams, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 17-28 at halftime of their first game of the season. After a tongue lashing by coach Mike Ditka, Chicago responded with an inspired second half in which the offense came alive and the infamous 4-6 defense was born.

Tampa would not score another point, and the Bears offense, led by RB Walter Payton, won the first game of the season, 38-28.

It was on this sunny day in Florida that a championship team was born.

The '85 Bears were led on offense by a "punky QB" from BYU named Jim McMahon. Jim would ascend to cult status as he guided the team, who seemingly "never has a franchise QB," to the greatest season ever. McMahon would end up going 11-0 as a starter that year as he split some starts with fellow QB Steve Fuller.

But RB Walter Payton was the gas that fueled the offensive car.

Payton had a huge season, rushing for 1,551 yards and nine touchdowns while also leading the team in receiving with 49 catches for 483 yards and another two scores.

Following closely behind bruising FB Matt Suhey, Payton enjoyed one of his finest seasons in the league and was voted NFL Offensive Player of the Year.

The Bears also had a pair of dynamic WRs in Dennis McKinnon and the track star Willie Gault. Gault led the team in receiving with 704 yards and McKinnon was tops in touchdowns with seven.

Chicago also had WR/KR Dennis Gentry, who ended up leading the NFL in kickoff returns with an average of 25.9 yards.

Now let's take a look at the '85 Bears' vaunted 4-6 defense.

Chicago's defense was coached by Buddy Ryan, who was also the creator of the 4-6.

But the defense was led by MLB Mike Singletary, who was the NFL Defensive Player of the Year. Mike was the heart and soul of the greatest defense ever assembled and finished the season as the Bears' leading tackler.

He formed the centerpiece in the Bears linebacker corps, with Wilbur Marshall and Otis Wilson manning the outsides. Wilson finished with 10.5 sacks and Marshall recorded six, but it was the Bears defensive line that did the most damage rushing the QB.

DE Richard Dent led the NFL with 17 sacks and would be named Super Bowl XX MVP. Dan Hampton, who played opposite him, recorded 6.5. The interior of the line was anchored by the 350-pound William "The Refrigerator" Perry, who tallied five sacks in his rookie year, and fellow DT Steve McMichael, who sacked opposing QBs eight times.

That's a total of 26.5 sacks for the starting defensive line alone in 1985.

The Chicago secondary was led by SS Dave Duerson and CB Leslie Frazier. Hard-hitting Gary Fencik manned the FS spot and Mike Richardson played the other corner.

The starting secondary would combine for an astounding 20 interceptions.

All together, the Bears would place five players from their defense in the Pro Bowl.

Singletary, Dent, and McMichael would also be named first-team All-Pros.

After finishing the regular season 15-1, with their sole loss to the Dolphins in Miami on Monday Night Football, 24-38, the Bears would go on to outscore their opponents 91-10 en route to winning Super Bowl XX over the New England Patriots.

They destroyed the Pats 46-10, with the only 10 points they would give up in the entire playoffs coming as a gift from the Bears' second string defense. At the time, the 36-point win was the largest in Super Bowl history.

Chicago finished with an 18-1 overall record and allowed only five of the teams they faced that year to score more than 10 points in a game.

They had the greatest running back in NFL history, Walter Payton, the '85 Offensive Player of the Year.

They had the best middle linebacker in NFL history and 10-time Pro Bowl player Mike Singletary, the '85 Defensive Player of the Year.

And they even had the 1985 Coach of the Year, Mike Ditka.

But, most importantly, they had the greatest team in the history of the NFL. They were the 1985 Chicago Bears.

R.I.P. Sweetness. Although you wore No. 34 on the field, you will always be No. 1 in Bears fans' hearts!

Syracuse-Marquette: Orange Clip Golden Eagles' Wings in OT

Matt Reagan — Sat, 07 Mar 2009 18:39:43 -0500

The Syracuse Orange continued their stellar play Saturday and knocked off 13th ranked Marquette on the road, 86-79 in overtime.

The game was a tale of two teams seemingly heading in opposite directions, as the Orange have won four in a row and five of their last six games to finish the regular season in the Big East. In comparison, Marquette has dropped four games in a row, losing to Connecticut, Louisville, Pittsburgh, and now Syracuse to end its regular season.

The Golden Eagles found themselves down by seven points with less than five minutes remaining in regulation and fought their way back to a one-point lead. The Orange's Rick Jackson was fouled with 13 seconds remaining and hit one of two foul shots to tie the game at 73.

Jerel McNeal then missed a last second three sending the game into overtime.

It was all Orange in the extra period as they pulled away and out-scored the Eagles 13-6. Marquette had their chances trailing by three points late. After a missed three by McNeal there was a tie-up for the ball and the Eagles retained possession.

Following the inbounds pass, McNeal ran into PG Jonny Flynn and stepped out-of-bounds turning the ball over to the Orange. Flynn and guard Andy Rautins went 4-4 from the free-throw line in the final seconds to ice the game for Syracuse.

Syracuse was led behind the dynamic play of PG Jonny Flynn who scored at will against the Marquette defense. The sophomore point guard finished the game with 22 points and six assists.

Reserve guard Andy Rautins came off the bench to score 20 points, and it was his key three point shot in overtime that gave Syracuse an 82-79 advantage that they would not relenquish.

PF Rick Jackson also had a huge game inside and bullied his way to 18 points and eight rebounds.

Marquette was led by SG Jerel McNeal who scored 25 points.

Guard Wesley Matthews also had a strong effort finishing with 14 points and 12 rebounds.

With the loss Marquette drops to 23-8, 12-6 Big East. The Eagles finally had their taste of the top teams in the league finishing the season with losses against four top 25 teams in a row.

With the win Syracuse improves to 23-8, 11-7 Big East and is peeking late after a tremulous earlier stretch in which they played seven out of 10 games against top 25 teams in the conference.

The Orange look to be back to full strength after injuries to C Arinze Onuaku and SG Andy Rautins earlier in the season.

The win in Milwaukee wasn't the only one for the Orange, as they beat out Marquette for the services of Dashonte Riley, a 6'11" center ranked No. 33 overall in the class of 2009 by ESPN.

Riley is an extremly good shot blocker and rebounder and will be a perfect fit in the middle of Syracuse's 2-3 zone. Whats even sweeter for Orange fans is his decommitment from Georgetown and his desire to play for Syracuse.

What's interesting about this signing is that Syracuse doesn't have an extra scholarship available right now. So I guess they know something we don't and I believe that is the pending departure of SG Eric Devendorf and/or God forbid PG Jonny Flynn.

Rumors are flying around that Devendorf, who is graduating in May, will make a stab at the NBA or more likely go over-seas to earn a living next year.

The Marquette game was packed with NBA scouts who came to see Flynn play and he has already stated he would go if he were a lottery pick.

I don't see him going in the lottery this year but if he comes back, Syracuse will be on the short list for winning the NCAA championship in 2010. With a stellar recruiting class coming in next year ,and the return of basically the top six or seven players, Syracuse would have probably their deepest team ever.

Up next for the Orange is the Seton Hall/South Florida winner in the second round of the Big East tournament which starts on Tuesday.

Since Syracuse finished sixth in the league, they will have a first round bye and will begin play on Wednesday.The Orange should be in good shape to continue their winning streak against either team because they already blew out Seton Hall, and beat South Florida on the road earlier in the season.

The Chicago Bears Ultimate 2009 NFL Draft Rounds 1-7

Matt Reagan — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 21:43:24 -0500

Chicago, as of right now, owns one pick in each round for a total of seven picks.

What I would like to focus on are the players that they should take for each of those picks. In order to make this as realistic as possible, I decided to use the CBSSports.com player rater, which is updated on a regular basis.

Each player that I will choose for the Bears will be based on their predicted round of selection.

(I understand that many players will see their stock rise and fall in the upcoming weeks as we get closer to the draft, but I based my picks on their projected round of selection, according to CBSSports.com as of March 6, 2009.)

All of the players are rated and have a predicted round of selection, which currently changes due to players rising and falling.

I have identified the Bears most pressing needs as WR, DE, OL, DB, and QB.

I will use this as a guide when selecting players I feel would be a good fit and fill a need for Chicago. I will also list each player’s height, weight, and 40-yard dash time after their name.

So, let's take a look at the first pick in round one, which is No. 18 overall.

With the 18^thpick in the 2009 NFL draft the Chicago Bears select …

Darrius Heyward-Bey: WR, Maryland (6'2", 210, 4.25)

Heyward-Bey is the 19^th rated player on CBSSports.com and would fill a huge need for the Bears.

He absolutely blew away the NFL combine, running the second fastest 40-yard dash time this decade.

Not only did he impress scouts with his sprinter like speed, he ran crisp routes and caught the ball extremely well. His straight line speed makes him too fast for even most NFL corners to handle off the line of scrimmage.

He has great hands is dangerous in the open field, and is a threat to score from anywhere at anytime.

DHB is a great deep threat who stretches the field and has great size. He should be able to work the middle of the field as well as go deep.

Putting him opposite Devin Hester at wideout would form a great combination, because opposing defenses will have to choose which one to double.

As both players’ speed is ridiculous, defensive coordinators are going to be spending late nights in the office trying to figure out how not to get burned deep by either of these burners.

His raw speed alone will open up holes for RB Matt Forte and should help TE Greg Olsen find seams in the defense much easier.

Heyward-Bey alone should improve the Bears offense from opening day.

With the Bears 2nd round pick they select …

Jarron Gilbert: DE, San Jose State (6'5", 288, 4.81)

Gilbert became a YouTube sensation after jumping from standing still out of three-feet of water and landing on a deck.

His stock has been on the rise since the combine and his ability to play DE or DT is just what the Bears need.

He has an amazing first step, still has room to grow, and is extremely athletic. At 6'5", he can get great penetration into the backfield where he recorded 22 tackles for loss last year.

He possesses great upper body strength and could develop into a three down player as he is versatile enough to move inside on passing downs.

The Bears had a terrible year in 2008, when it came to getting consistent pressure on the QB.

Gilbert would be a great addition and should be able to free-up DT Tommie Harris on the inside to make more plays. The passrush is definitely a major area of concern for the Bears.

Gilbert is a young player on the rise who seems to be just scratching the surface of his potential.

With the Bears 3rd round pick they select…

Phillip Loadholt: RT, Oklahoma (6'8", 332, 5.49)

Loadholt is a massive player who played LT in college, but projects as a RT in the NFL.

He really excels as a run blocker as he racks up pancake blocks by the dozen, and is an absolute beast who possesses great strength and mauls his opponents.

Loadholt also has a nasty-streak which is important when playing such a psychically demanding position. He has good agility for a man his size and is an intimidating presence on the O-line.

With the imminent retirement of LT, John Tait and the loss of RT, John St. Clair to free agency, the Bears definitely need to address the O-line.

With last year's first round pick, Chris Williams, set to man the left side, adding Loadholt to play on the right would give Chicago a nice pair of young bookends for the future.

Loadholt should be able to blast open holes for RB, Matt Forte and keep the best offensive weapon the Bears have rolling for years to come.

With the Bears 4th round pick they select…

Sherrod Martin: CB/FS, Troy State (6'1", 198, 4.48)

Martin had a strong showing at both the combine and his pro day.

The product from Troy possesses a great size/speed combination and is a play maker.

He has great deep speed and is a fierce hitter. He played FS in college but may switch to CB in the NFL. Martin is a good blitzer and is also a stout run defender. He was a gunner on special teams and loves to hit.

The Bears pass defense ranked 30^th in the league last year.

Some of that can be attributed to injuries to CB, Nathan Vasher and FS, Mike Brown, but the lack of a consistent pass-rush didn't help matters either.

With Brown being cut the need for a player who can play CB or FS should be very appealing to the Bears.

Martin has the size and hitting ability to play FS and has the speed and coverage ability to play corner.

His addition, wherever it may be, would upgrade the Bears secondary and give them another young player to build around.

With the Bears 5th round pick they select…

Stephen McGee: QB, Texas A&M (6'3", 225, 4.61)

McGee is another player whose stock has been on the rise after a good combine and pro day.

He suffered a torn labrum during his senior year and only started three games, but appears fully recovered from his injury.

McGee is a tough player who has a good arm and can make all of the throws in the NFL. He has outstanding speed as he recorded the second fastest forty time at the combine for QB's.

He is a mobile QB who can make plays with his feet when plays breakdown and tends to elevate his play in big games. He upset Texas twice during his career.

McGee displays the leadership qualities you would want in a QB and was voted permanent team caption before the start of his sophomore season.

With Rex Grossman finally set packing, the athletic McGee would make a welcome addition in Chicago.

Starter Kyle Orton, played well the first half of 2008, but the jury is still out on him as the QB of the future.

With an undrafted QB behind Orton, McGee should not have much trouble landing a roster spot.

Adding a QB that can get outside and run would provide the Bears with an added dimension that the offensive has lacked for quite some time.

With the Bears 6th round pick they select…

Kory Sheets: RB, Purdue (5'11", 208, 4.39)

With Sheets blazing forty time at the combine, he could see himself get drafted a little higher than here, but CBSSports.com still has him projected in the sixth round.

Sheets has good size and tremendous speed for a RB his size.

He hits the hole quickly, has good moves in the open field, is a strong goal-line runner, and has the ability to drag defenders for extra yardage.

Sheets has good hands and frequently catches passes out of the backfield. He finished as Purdue's all-time leader in rushing touchdowns with 48.

After hitting the jackpot in the second round last year with RB, Matt Forte, and the release of back-up RB, Kevin Jones, the Bears would benefit from adding the multi- dimensional Sheets.

The Bears really never found someone to compliment Forte as he carried the ball over 350 times last year.

Adding Sheets would allow the Bears to keep his carries down and hopefully keep him fresh for a run in the playoffs.

With Sheets being a strong runner and a good receiver, he fits exactly what Chicago looks for in an RB.

Adding him in the sixth round, if he were still there, would be an absolute steal for the Bears.

With the Bears last and 7th round pick they select…

Kevin Ogletree: WR, Virginia (6'1", 198, 4.38)

Ogletree's size and speed combination allows him to be physical of the line and get separation deep.

He has good hands, can adjust to poorly thrown passes, and can make the catch over either shoulder, while attacking the ball in the air.

He is strong enough to break tackles and has the speed to turn the short pass into a long run.

With the Bears releasing WR's Marty Booker and Brandon Lloyd, they are desperately thin at the position.

Adding Ogletree along with DHB would give Chicago two big and fast young receivers to rebuild, probably, the weakest WR corps in the NFL.

Matt Forte would see less eight-man fronts with some WR's who have to be accounted for deep on every play.

With Chicago unlikely to add anyone of significance at the position in free agency, they can't have enough young talent at the position.

So, there it is: My 2009 Chicago Bears ultimate NFL draft.

The Dallas Cowboy's Cut Terrell Owens

Matt Reagan — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 00:33:00 -0500

The Dallas Cowboys have severed their ties with troubled wide receiver Terrell Owens and cut him late Wednesday night. Owens signed a four year 34 million dollar contract last year with the Cowboys, but will now be looking for work with a new team.

Included in that contract was a guaranteed 12 million dollar signing bonus. This is now the third team that Owens has left under bad terms.

Owens came into the league in 1996 with the San Francisco 49ers and played his first eight seasons there before being traded to the Philadelphia Eagles. Owens had a short two year stay in Philadelphia where he constantly feuded with teammates in particularly QB Donovan McNabb.

He signed with Dallas and has played for the Cowboys for the last three seasons before wearing out his welcome. Owens has caught 951 passes for 14,122 yards and 139 touchdowns during his thirteen seasons in the NFL.

Syracuse-Rutgers: Orange Continue To Cruise

Matt Reagan — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 01:12:12 -0500

The Syracuse Orange completed a season series sweep Tuesday night with another blowout win 70-40 over the Rutgers Scarlett Knights. The Orange didn't wake-up until the second half when they outscored Rutgers 51-20.

Syracuse found themselves trailing 19-20 at the half after apparently forgetting that they had a game tonight.

Paul Harris led the Orange with 18 points and nine rebounds, but it was his thundering dunks early in the second half that sparked the team. On one play Harris went above the rim to slam down an alley-oop from Jonny Flynn. If that wasn't spectacular enough Harris decided he didn't need Flynn and threw and caught the ball himself for a dunk that sent the crowd of 21,233 into a frenzy.

Andy Rautins came off the bench to score 11 points on three-of-four shooting from three point range. Jonny Flynn scored only seven points, but dished out a game high ten assists.

Shockingly enough, the Orange's starting back court comprised of Flynn and SG Eric Devendorf combined for only 10 points, yet they won by 30.

Carrier Dome favorite Kristof Ongenaet had his third solid game in a row and scored a season high 10 points to go with six rebounds. Kristof is the only Orange senior and played his last game in the Dome as it was senior night.

Rutgers was led by former McDonald's All-American PG Mike Rosario, who finished with 16 points and five rebounds.

The Knights actually pulled out to a nine point lead in the first half with a score of 14-5, but a win over Syracuse just wasn't in the cards for them.

With the loss Rutgers falls to 10-20, 1-16 Big East. Rutgers only conference victory this season came against 0-16 DePaul at home.

Syracuse finished the game shooting 54.9 percent from the field, and Rutgers finished a cool 25.4 percent.

With the win Syracuse improves to 22-8, 10-7 Big East and has won their last three conference games by a combined 84 points. They seem to be peaking at the right time and have won their last four out-of-five games with the sole loss coming to no.11 Villanova 86-89.

Thanks to a Cincinnati loss to South Florida, 59-70, the Orange are tied for sixth place in The Big East and will have a first round bye in the up-coming conference tournament.

Up next for the Orange is a Saturday afternoon season finale against no.13 ranked Marquette (23-6, 12-4 Big East) on their home floor.

Tip-off is at 2 p.m. and the Golden Eagles will be without PG Dominic James who broke his foot against UConn. Marquette still has to play No. 3 Pittsburgh before they face the Orange on Saturday and have already dropped consecutive games to UConn and Louisville.

Syracuse-Cincinnati: Orange Crush Toothless Bearcats

Matt Reagan — Sun, 01 Mar 2009 22:44:27 -0500

Syracuse, N.Y.—The Cincinnati Bearcats came into the Carrier Dome Sunday looking to make a statement for the upcoming NCAA tournament. Unfortunately for the Bearcats, it wasn't exactly the kind of statement they were hoping for.

On paper, the two teams were thought to be a close match with both coming into the game with identical 8-7 records in the Big East. But after Sunday's game, there was little question as to who was the superior team.

The Orange absolutely destroyed the Bearcats, 87-63, in front of 25,139 fans.

Syracuse jumped out to a 19-4 advantage to start the game. The Bearcats scored only two field goals in the first ten minutes and found themselves in a hole from which they would not be able to dig out.

The Orange's 2-3 zone completely baffled the Bearcats, who were out of the game down 40-17 at the break. Included in their first half fiasco was an embarrassing performance from three-point range, as they finished 1-for-17.

Syracuse was led by PG Jonny Flynn, who scored 17 points and dished out seven assists. Every Orange starter finished in double figures, with Paul Harris dropping 16, followed by 13 each from Eric Devendorf and Rick Jackson.

Syracuse reserve and crowd favorite, Kristof Ongenaet, continued his inspired play, pulling down a game-high nine rebounds and contributing seven points in 19 minutes.

The Orange played outstanding basketball from start to finish and were up by as much as 32 points late in the second half when they stretched the led to 74-42.

Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim said after the game; " In this league you don't win games by a lot, I don't care who you play, rarely do you. You have to play tremendous defense and good offense to do that. In these two games we have played tremendous defense and really good offense, too."

Cincinnati was led by reserve guard Dion Dixon who scored 18 points to go along with five rebounds. No Bearcat starter scored more than 11 points as they finished a frigid 37.5 percent from the field.

Bearcats center Anthony McClain was charged with a flagrant foul in the first half after taking out Paul Harris on a breakaway dunk and was subsequently ejected.

In contrast to Cincinatti's dismal shooting performance, Syracuse finished a blazing 30-for-60 on field goal attempts for the game.

With the win over Cincinatti, the Orange have won three out of their last four games and improved to 21-8, 9-7 Big East.

Syracuse PG Jonny Flynn stated; " This should be a good statement for the selection committee. I think this shows how good we can be or how good we are going to be when we start playing like this on a consistent basis."

Up next for the Orange is Rutgers—Tuesday night at 9 p.m. in the Carrier Dome. The Scarlet Knights come in with a 10-19 record overall, 1-15 Big East.

Syracuse has now won their last two games by a combined 53 points after defeating St. Johns 87-58 on Tuesday.

The 'Cuse seem to be peeking at the right time and hopefully won't overlook Rutgers as they eye their season finale with a trip to Marquette. It has all the makings of a trap game, but luckily they get to play in the Dome, where they have only lost three times this season.

During halftime of Sunday's game, Syracuse retired the jersey of Billy "The Bullet" Gabor, who played for the Orange back in the '40s. Gabor was an All-American for the Orange and an NBA all-star for the Syracuse Nationals, a team he led to a championship title in 1955. He was the first player to score 1000 points at Syracuse, and still remains in the top 30 of all-time.

His No. 17 will now hang from the rafters with former Orange greats, like Dave Bing, Sherman Douglas, Derek Coleman, Pearl Washington and Billy Owens, the latter of whom had his number retired last season.

Why Percy Harvin Will Never Be a Chicago Bear

Matt Reagan — Sun, 01 Mar 2009 01:01:17 -0500

The Chicago Bears own the 18th pick in the up-coming 2009 NFL Draft, and are possibly looking to pick a wide receiver. Various names have floated around including: Jeremy Maclin, Darrius Heyward-Bey, Kenny Britt, Hakeem Nicks, and Percy Harvin.

Realistically they have a shot at all of them, with the exception of Maclin, who will be gone by the time they pick.

I like three of the receivers that remain and can't stand the last one, Percy Harvin. Harvin would make a terrible fit on the Bears roster, and here's why.

First of all, Harvin is a tweener who sometimes is a wide receiver, sometimes a running back, and a lot of the time he is sitting on the sideline injured. The Bears already have another player (Devin Hester) who is trying to become a true wide out, and we don't need another project at the position.

We need someone who is a wide receiver and has been all his life.

There is no doubting that Harvin has rare speed and gamebreaking ability, but he also is a Prima Donna.

He was suspended in high school for unsportsmanlike conduct, inappropriate language, and improper conduct with an official during a game in which he threw a temper tantrum and was ejected.

Coaches in high school and college have said that he has a sense of entitlement and frequently talks down to them. He has also been known to act like a baby when he receives tough love from his coaches.

Harvin believes that he is seldom in the wrong and people should just bow-down to him.

Harvin grew up in the notorious Virginia beach neighborhood that was also home to Lawerence Taylor, DeAngelo Hall, and Michael (let's kill some pitbulls) Vick. To say that these players have had character defects, would be putting it mildly.

I am not trying to stereotype anyone, but clearly it's something to be concerned about.

We all know Harvin as an exciting play maker, but let's take a look at what he doesn't do on the field. He is not a good route runner, and struggles to break even arm tackles at times. Everyone envisions Harvin as this dynamic return specialist in the mold of Devin Hester.

He is not.

In fact, he never returned a kick at Florida. Not one!

So the argument that he could at least take over kickoff duties and let Hester concentrate on catching passes is ludicrous. There has to be a reason Florida never let him return a kick.

Percy has also had huge problems staying on the field. He has suffered hamstring, neck, ankle, and foot injuries during his time as a Gator.

As a life-long Bears fan, the last thing we need is another Mike Brown who teases us with his ability, but ends-up spending more time watching than playing. Harvin has struggled to fit in with his teammates and many of them would tell you that they plain just don't like him.

Bears GM Jerry Angelo has made questionable character issue picks in the past, and they have come back to bite him hard.

Cedric Benson and Tank Johnson both ended-up having numerous run-ins with the law and were subsequently released. Benson was the No. 5 overall pick 2005 and we got absolutely nothing in compensation for him.

He also was aloof with teammates, and believed he should have been handed the starting spot over veteran Thomas Jones before ever taking a snap.

Remind you of anyone?

The last thing that the Bears should do is draft Harvin. With his job possibly on the line this year, Angelo will not choose to bet the house playing with that stacked deck. Another busted No. 1 pick, especially due to character issues, will put his head on the chopping block.

So please Angelo, take the advice of someone who has bleed Bears blood for longer than you have even been a GM and cross Harvin of your draft board.

Don't worry, you won't be the only one, plenty of teams see Harvin's true colors. Let some other team fall in love with him and become their headache.

We don't have room for another player who thinks his shit don't stink and can reportedly walk on water.

NFL Mock Draft 2009: The Real Deal 2.0, Feb. 28

Matt Reagan — Sat, 28 Feb 2009 00:10:13 -0500

1. Detroit Lions: Matthew Stafford, QB, Georgia

In my first draft I had the Lions taking Jason Smith, but as the draft nears I think they will go with Stafford. He has a cannon for an arm and a huge upside as long as he learns to make better decisions.

With Dante Culpepper returning, Stafford won't be rushed into action. If the Lions keep the pick they might as well go with Stafford and look for a tackle later on.

2. St. Louis Rams: Jason Smith, OLT, Baylor

Smith is just too good for the Rams to pass on. The former tight end has great foot work and possesses the agility and athleticism to excel at left tackle in the NFL. "J. Smooth," also has the nasty temperament that is key to protecting the QB's blindside for years to come.

3. Kansas City Chiefs: Aaron Curry, LB, Wake Forrest

Curry had an outstanding combine and is probably the surest thing in the draft. He is a complete linebacker who can play inside or out and has rare athleticism. The Chiefs need a cornerstone to build around and Curry is it. He has excellent football intelligence and is a fierce hitter. A future Pro Bowl pick.

4. Seattle Seahawks: Eugene Monroe, OLT, Virginia

With Walter Jones nearing retirement Seattle finds the heir apparent in Monroe at left tackle. He is the most NFL ready lineman and will step in and start from day one. Monroe is a better prospect than D'Brickshaw Ferguson who the Jets took fourth-overall in 2006.

He is strong enough to run block and nimble enough to excel as a pass protector.

5. Cleveland Browns: Brian Orakpo, DE, Texas

The Browns desperately wanted Curry, but unable to move up they decide to take the sack master Orakpo instead. He is the best pure pass-rusher to come into the NFL since the Cowboys selected DeMarcus Ware. He could end up playing linebacker. Orakpo is extremely strong and bench-presses over 500 pounds.

6. Cincinatti Bengals: Michael Crabtree, WR, Texas Tech

Crabtree slid a little due to his foot injury, but pairing him with Ocho-Cinco will make fans forget about T.J. leaving as a free agent. He is an outstanding prospect who was the only player to win consecutive awards as the nations top wideout.

He has top-notch hands and run-after-the-catch-ability. Has all the skills to develop into a Pro Bowler.

7. Oakland Raiders: Jeremey Maclin, WR, Missouri

Al Davis nearly sets fire to the Raiders war room as his head explodes after failing to trade-up and grab Crabtree. Cooler heads prevail as they regroup and select the dynamic Maclin who is a multipurpose freak catching and returning the ball. A true threat to score from anywhere at anytime. Maybe the biggest playmaker in the draft.

8. Jacksonville Jaguars: B.J. Raji, DT, Boston College

Ever since they lost tackle Marcus Stroud, the Jag's defense just hasn't been the same. John Henderson has battled injuries and pairing him with the disruptive Raji is just what the doctor ordered. At 330 pounds he is an outstanding run-stuffer and also gets good penetration into the opposing backfield.

9. Green Bay Packers: Everette Brown, DE, Flordia St.

The Pack failed to mount any consistent pressure on the quaterback for most of the season. Brown has great speed of the edge and registered 13.5 sacks as a Junior last season. Pairing him with Aaron Kampman should boost their pass-rush and get the Packers defense headed in the right direction.

10. San Francisco: 49ers Mark Sanchez, QB, USC

New head coach Mike Singletary stated that quaterback was a major need at the end of the season. Shaun Hill played decent but is more of a back-up talent wise. He will allow Sanchez time to develop. Mark played in a pro-style offense at USC and preformed well at the combine, showing good accuracy and arm strength.

11. Buffalo Bills: Aaron Maybin, DE-OLB, Penn St.

With the Bills biggest needs being end and linebacker, Maybin fits the bill as he has the potential to play either position in the NFL. He has a devastating first-step and possesses raw pass-rush ability that can't be taught. He has a high ceiling and might only be scratching his potential.

12. Denver Broncos: Tyson Jackson, DE, LSU

Jackson is the one of the most versatile lineman in the draft and could play end or tackle. At 295 pounds, he has exceptional strength and never gets injured. The Broncos need help at both positions and Jackson could play end and switch to tackle on passing downs.

13. Washington Redskins: Andre Smith, OL, Alabama

Smith fell due to questions of his weight and his disappearance from the Combine. He is the consummate, " Boom or Bust " prospect who has top five talent. With the signing of Albert Haynesworth, the Redskins decide to roll the dice on the other side of the line.

Might end-up being a better guard on the inside where he can use his enormous size and strength to maul opponents.

14. New Orleans Saints: Malcom Jenkins, CB, Ohio St.

Jenkins slipped due to the pedestrian 4.5 he ran at the combine. Although he is a play-maker, there are questions if he should play cornerback or safety. Since the Saints could use help at either position, Jenkins would help improve their shaky secondary.

15. Houston Texans: Peria Jerry, DT, Mississippi

After re-signing Dunta Robinson, the Texans turn their attention back to the D-line they have already so-heavily invested in. 2007 first-round pick Amobi Okoye has been inconsistent, and Mario Williams faces never-ending double-teams. Jerry has a non-stop motor and lives in opposing teams backfields.

He should be able to step in from day one and give the Texans one of the most dynamic, young lines in the league.

16. San Diego Chargers: Michael Oher, OT, Mississippi

If L.T. is ever going to regain his form the Chargers desperately need to address the O-line. They lack a good right tackle and right guard Mike Geoff is a free agent. The athletic Oher would form a nice book-end with left tackle Marcus Mcneill. Like Andre Smith, he's another " boom-or-bust " player with all the tools.

17. New York Jets: Vonte Davis, CB, Illinois

The Jets struck gold with 2007 first round pick Darrelle Revis, but have failed to find a good corner to play opposite him. Davis is a Prima Donna, but possesses outstanding size and quickness for a corner.

He has top 10 talent, but character questions will cause him to fall into the middle of the draft. If his head doesn't get too big he could form one of the best corner combos in the AFC with Revis.

18. Chicago Bears: Darrius Heyward-Bey, WR, Maryland

With the Bears unlikely to add anyone of significance in free agency, DHB is too talented to pass on. At 6'2", 205 he is the big target that Chicago sorely lacks. Heyward-Bey absolutely tore-up the combine posting a 4.3 time in the 40-yard dash.

Only one wide receiver has run faster at the combine this decade. He is a game-breaker and pairing him opposite Devin Hester will have opposing defensive coaches buying Rolaids by the pound.

19. Tampa Bay Buccaners: Brian Cushing, OLB, USC

With Derrick Brooks and Cato June being let-go, the Bucs need outside linebackers to say the least. Cushing has great awareness and toughness to man the outside for Tampa. He has the ability to play inside or out and is also good in coverage.

20. Detroit Lions: Lames Laurinaitis, ILB, Ohio St.

After taking Stafford with their first pick, the Lions decide to get a "QB" for the other side of the ball and take Laurinaitis. Detroit will be switching to the Tampa Cover Two and having a leader at the mike position is a must.

Laurinaitis is extremely smart and has an absolute passion for the game.

He is versatile enough to play all three linebacker positions and has the coverage skills necessary to play the Tampa 2.

21. Philadelphia Eagles: Chris "Beanie" Wells, RB, Ohio St.

After signing tackle Stacey Andrews as a free agent, and losing back-up running back Correll Buckhalter, the Eagles take the bruising Wells. He possesses excellent size and run strength and would be a great change-of-pace back to pair with Brian Westbrook.

Beanie is reminiscent of former Buckeye Eddie George and is a good receiver coming out of the back-field.

22. Minnesota Vikings: Percy Harvin, WR, Flordia

The Vikings need help at wide receiver and Harvin is a game-breaker. Although he has questionable character, he is a dynamic player who is one touch away from a touchdown. He also has the ability to run the ball out of the backfield and Minnesota could really use his offensive production.

23. New England Patriots: Clint Sintim, OLB, Virginia

After signing Fred Taylor, running back isn't as big a need and the Pats could use another young play-making linebacker. After hitting a home run with Mayo last year, and losing Mike Vrabel to the Chiefs, Sintim would fit in nicely in the 3-4.

He is an excellent pass rusher having recorded 11 sacks last year, which was tops in the nation for linebackers. He reminds a lot of scouts of Shawne Merriman, and is also good in dropping into pass coverage.

24. Atlanta Falcons: Brandon Pettigrew, TE, Oklahoma St.

Matt Ryan had an outstanding rookie year, but lacked a good pass-catching tight end. Pettigrew is a huge target at 6'5" and an excellent blocker. Not only will he help the passing game, but his blocking should make Michael Turner even more dangerous.

25. Miami Dolphins: Rey Maualuga, ILB, USC

Rey slipped a little after a sub-par combine which he failed to finish after injuring his hamstring. That's fine with Parcells because the Dolphins need an inside linebacker. Maualuga is a fierce, hard-hitting bowling ball who runs through opponents.

He will give Miami the presence in the middle they have been missing since losing Zach Thomas to the Cowboys last year.

26. Baltimore Ravens: Alphonoso Smith, CB, Wake Forest

The Ravens would have jumped all-over Maualuga if he were there, but without any linebackers worth taking, they decide to fill another need and take Smith. With Chris McAlister departing as a free agent, and Samari Rolle's age, the ball-hawking Smith is just what the Ravens need.

He finished his career with 21 interceptions, 40 passes defended, and plays his best in big games.

27. Indianapolis Colts: Knowshon Moreno, RB, Georgia

The Colts finished second-to-last in the NFL in rushing last year beating out only the Cardinals. Joseph Addai has been inconsistent and injury-prone, and Moreno is the complete back the Colts lack. He is a strong runner who is elusive and possesses good pass-catching ability out of the back field.

He runs well in space and would feel at home in the Colts wide-open offense.

28. Philadelphia Eagles: Eben Britton, OT, Arizona

With Jon Runyan and Tra Thomas most likely leaving as free agents, the Eagles desperately need a tackle and Winston Justice isn't the answer. Britton has played both right and left tackle in college and is a massive, strong, and competitive player.

With Beanie Wells and Britton, McNabb will see that the Eagles are serious about improving the offense.

29. New York Giants: Kenny Britt, WR, Rutgers

The Giants need a replacement for Plaxico and Britt is the strong and physical wide-out who will fill his shoes. Despite only playing three seasons at Rutgers, Britt finished as the all-time receiving yardage leader in Big East history.

So you say, big deal, the Big East? Well the receiver he eclipsed was a pretty good one maybe you have heard of him? Larry Fitzgerald.

30. Tennessee Titans: Hakeem Nicks, WR, North Carolina

After losing Haynesworth, the Titans wanted a tackle but none are worth taking here. Nicks has great hands, runs crisp routes, and the Titans lack a true No. 1 receiver. Nicks set 14 school records as a Tar Heel despite leaving after his junior year. He attacks the ball in the air and would give Tennessee a nice down-field target.

31. Arizona Cardinals: LeSean McCoy, RB, Pittsburgh

About the only thing lacking in the Cardinals offensive attack was a consistent running game. They finished last in the NFL in rushing and Edgerrin James is not expected to return. Back-up J.J. Arrington signed in Denver and Tim Hightower isn't a franchise back.

McCoy played in a pro-style offense at Pittsburgh and has great vision and a knack for making big plays. He would step in and start from day one for the Cards.

32. Pittsburgh Steelers: Andy Levitre, OG, Oregon St.

Levitre played left tackle in college but projects as a guard or possibly center in the NFL. He is versatile enough to play any of the positions on the offensive line and is smart and strong. The Steelers need some help on the O-line and the versatile Levitre would help out and most-likely find a starting spot of the bat.

Syracuse-St.John's: 'Cuse Paint The Big Apple Orange

Matt Reagan — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 00:33:18 -0500

New York City, New York. Syracuse brought their A game to Madison Square Garden Tuesday night and absolutely dismantled St. John's 87-58, in front of a mostly Orange- friendly crowd. Playing for the first time this season in their "home away from home," the Orange got a big win led by PG Jonny Flynn's 21 points and eight assists.

After a dissapointing home-loss to Villanova on Sunday, (86-89) Syracuse rebounded in grand fashion leading The Red Storm from start to finish.

The victory improved Syracuse to (20-8, 8-7 Big East,) but more importantly gave Hall-of -Fame Coach Jim Boeheim his 31st season in which the Orange have won at least 20 games. Boeheim surpassed legendary North Carolina coach Dean Smith who finished his career with 30.

Syracuse dominated The Red Storm in the paint outscoring them 56-30. Leading the way inside were PF Rick Jackson who scored 15 points, and C Arinze Onuaku who bullied his way with 14 points. For only the second time in seven games, Onuaku finished the game scoring in double digits.

He has been limited to say the least, from a tendinitis flare-up in his knee. His lack of low post presence has negatively impacted the Orange who before this game had dropped seven out of 10 and had fallen from the Top 25.

St, John's was led by G-F Paris Horne who came off the bench and scored 17 points. But they just coulden't get it going against the Orange making only seven field goals in the first half, and failing to score during the last 3:46. An 8-0 run put Syracuse up 39-18 at the half. Their hot shooting continued as they ended-up shooting a torrid 64.9 percent for the game.

Sophomore PG Jonny Flynn seemed to score at will with an array of ankle-breaking dribble drives to the hoop. Whether he was scoring or setting up his teammates, Flynn was an absolute terror on the hollowed floor that is Madison Square Garden. Eric Devendorf stuffed the stat sheet contributing 17 points, six assists, four rebounds, two steals and a block.

But, most importantly the usually turn-over prone SG finished with a single give-a-way.

Syracuse has three regular season games remaining with Cincinnati and Rutgers at home, before ending the season with a road-trip to Marquette. The win in the Garden Tuesday night also snapped a five game road losing streak for The Orange.

As long as they take care of business at home, a regular season ending loss to The Golden Eagles should't put Syracuse on the proverbial bubble. They would have a record of (22-10, 10-8 Big East,) before entering The Big East Tournament.

The talk recently of Syracuse being a" bubble team," has been premature to say the least. Besides their Big East record, The Orange had key road victories against No. 15 Kansas, (who just beat No. 2 Oklahoma 87-78,) and No. 4 Memphis. They also beat Florida who is a tournment team and is currently 21-7.

Syracuse has now beaten St. John's nine out of the last 10 times they have played.

A road win in The Big East is pretty impressive no-matter who the opponent is. Just ask No. 1 Pittsburgh, who lost to the Providence Friars 81-73. Besides maybe DePaul, who is 0-14 in leauge play, wins on the road aren't easy to come by this year, and 29 point wins are about as rare as an Orange four-leaf clover.

The Bynum-less Lakers Continue To Roll As They Defeat the Hornets 115-111

Matt Reagan — Sat, 21 Feb 2009 18:26:40 -0500

Los Angeles, California. The Lakers defeated the Hornets 115-111 in overtime Friday night led by Kobe Bryant's 39 points. Bryant scored 11 points in the extra period as the Lakers held-off a furious come-back by New Orleans.

L.A.'s 16 point third quarter lead evaporated behind the hot shooting from Rasual Butler, who went 6-8 from behind the 3 pt. line. Butler led the Hornets with 31 points, but it was a questionable decision from PG Chris Paul that probably cost New Orleans the game.

With 20 seconds left in regulation, Paul decided to drive to hoop with a three-point lead, instead of pulling the ball back out and making the Lakers foul. Two foul shots from the Hornets would have given them a 100-95 lead, and most likely a win.

In stepped Lakers PG Derek Fisher, who positioned himself between Paul and the basket and drew an offensive foul. Seconds later, with the defense draped all over him, Bryant found the open Fisher, who calmly drained the game tying 3 from the top of the key sending the game into overtime.

Hornets coach Byron Scott said, " The last thing I said in the huddle was, don't give up any 3s. But we gave a 3 to Fisher. We just have to put it past us and forget it."

Despite the hot shooting from Butler, and Paul's outstanding performance,( 21 points, 16 assists), Bryant was too much for the Hornets to handle.

Lamar Odom continued his stellar play with 12 points, 17 rebounds and 5 assists. Pau Gasol also had another strong performance scoring 20 points and pulling down 12 rebounds.

New Orleans had won a league tying 13 consecutive games in OT before the loss. With the win the Lakers retained their NBA best, 45-10 record and paid back the Hornets for a previous home loss on Jan. 6, 115-106.

Since Lakers center Andrew Bynum went down with a torn MCL on Jan. 31, L.A. has gone 8-1. Included in those games were wins against the defending NBA champion Celtics in Boston, a defeat of the Cavs in Cleveland, and on Friday night at home, the Hornets.

Bynum's replacement Lamar Odom has averaged 14 points and 16 rebounds a game, since being inserted into the starting lineup.

The announcers on ESPN brought up an interesting question during the game Friday night. They were discussing if the Lakers were a better team without Andrew Bynum. Certainly Odom has taken his play to another level since becoming a starter, but a better team without Bynum? I would have to unequivocally say no.

He is clearly one of the best young big men in the NBA and is still only 21 yrs. old. However, I would argue that the Bynum-less Lakers of 2009 are definatly better than the 2008 team who lost to Boston in the finals. They have seemed to answer their preceived "lack of toughness" that plauged them in their loss to the Celtics.

But, the key in the new found grit has been Andrew Bynum for the most part. It will be interesting to see if Odom continues his dominating play once Bynum returns and he goes back to being the 6th man in the rotation.

One thing that Odom provides when he starts, is the ability to rebound the ball and start the fast-break by dribbling up-court. For a 6'10" forward, he has exceptional ball-handling skills, but I would take the two seven footers,(Bynum and Gasol), starting, and the best sixth man in the NBA, (Odom), coming of the bench any day to the alternative.

To say that the Lakers are better without Bynum makes for nothing more than interesting conjecture.

NFL Mock Draft 2009: The Real Deal 1.0 Feb. 18

Matt Reagan — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 19:46:01 -0500

1. Detroit Lions: Jason Smith, OT, Baylor.

Getting Stafford with a shoddy O-line makes no sense. Look at what Jake Long meant to the Dolphins last year and Smith is the most athletic left tackle in the draft.

2. St Louis: Eugene Monroe, OT,Virginia.

They missed out on Long last year and they can't afford not to get a replacement for Orlando Pace. Monroe will anchor their left side for years.

3. Kansas City: Matthew Stafford, QB, Georgia.

Thigpen was OK, but more of a back-up talent wise. The Chiefs have to get a franchise quarterback, and Stafford is their man. He has a cannon for an arm and great field vision.

4. Seattle Seahawks: Michael Crabtree, WR, Texas Tech.

Seattle has the worst WR's in the league, even worse then the Bears. Crabtree is a special player who reminds me of Larry Fritzgearld who is the best wide receiver in the Game.

5. Cleveland Browns: Aaron Curry, LB, Wake Forrest.

Curry is the safest bet to become a consistent Pro Bowler and an absolute play making, tackling machine.

6. Cincinatti Bengals: Brian Orakpo, DE, Texas.

The Bengals were last in the league in sacks with 17. Orakpo is the pass rush monster the Bengals sorely need.

7. Oakland Raiders: Darius Heyward Bay, WR, Maryland.

Al Davis's insanity continues as he takes DHB way to high because he beats out Maclin for the fastest 40 time. Someone tell Al he could of had him at 30. The madness continues in Raiderland.

8. Jacksonville Jaguars: Jeremy Maclin, WR, Missouri.

The Jags jump all over the Raiders mistake and grab the player they wanted all along. Maclin is an absolute stud who has great hands and mind numbing speed. A true threat to score from anywhere.

9. Green Bay Packers: B.J. Raji, DT, Boston College.

The Pack are making the switch to the 3-4 and Raji would be the perfect fit in the middle as he dominates teams interiors for years to come.

10. San Fransisco 49ers: Mark Sanchez, QB, USC.

The 49ers need a quarterback and get to keep the California Kid at home. Sanchez will benefit from staying in a fair weather state, but might need a little time to adjust.

11. Buffalo Bills: Everette Brown, DE, Florida St.

The Bills need a better pass rush and Brown is one of the best. He will help out their secondary with his non-stop motor toward the quarterback.

12. Denver Broncos: Ray Maualuga, LB, USC

The Broncos were terrible against the run and get one of the best linebackers in the Draft.

13. Washington Redskins: Andre Smith, T, Alabama

Smith slid due to questions of his lack of ability to handle the speed rush and his weight concerns. The Redskins get a steal at this point because their O-line is in shambles.

14. New Orleans Saints: Malcom Jenkins, CB, Ohio State

The Saints need help at corner and Jenkins is the best cornerback in the draft and will start from day one.

15. Houston Texans: Vontae Davis, CB, Illinois

Texans need help at corner, especially if Dunta Robinson leaves and Davis will also start from day one.

16. San Deigo Chargers: Knowshon Moreno, RB, Georgia

With L.T. slowing down and Darren Sproles testing free agency, the Chargers get their heir apparent to Tomlinson.

17. New York Jets: Percy Harvin, WR, Flordia

The Jets need a receiver who can go deep and change games. They get their man in the dynamic gamebreaker Harvin.

18. Chicago Bears: Kenny Britt, WR, Rutgers

Britt will run in the low 4.4's and at 6'4", 215 pounds, is the type of big play receiver the Bears need to compliment Devin Hester. A Randy Moss clone.

19. Tampa Bay Bucceners: Tyson Jackson, DL, LSU.

Jackson played end at LSU, but could easily make the switch to defensive tackle in the NFL. The Bucs need D-line help and get the most versatile player available.

20. Detroit Lions: Peria Jerry, DT, OLE Miss.

Good teams are built in the trenches and after nabbing the best left tackle, they grab one of the top defensive tackles.

21. Philadelphia Eagles: Michael Oher, T, OLE Miss.

The Eagles are happy when the athletic Oher falls to them at 21. They have an aging O-line and desperately need fresh legs.

22. Minnesota Vikings: D.J. Moore, CB, Vanderbilt.

The Vikings could use some help at corner and Moore would be a good fit to replace Cedric Griffin.

23. New England Patroits: Chris Wells, RB, Ohio State.

The only missing piece to the best offense in the NFL is a franchise back. With Brady coming back from an injury, the Pats are going to run more and Wells is a workhorse, if he can stay healthy.

24. Atlanta Falcons: Brandon Pettigrew, TE, Oklahoma St.

Matt Ryan gets another weapon to play with and Pettigrew is the top tight end.

25. Miami Dolphins: Brian Cushing, LB, USC.

Parcells loves his linebackers and Cushing would fit nicely in the 3-4 with Joey Porter on the opposite side. They will form a dangerous pass rush duo.

26. Baltimore Ravens: Aaron Maybin, DE, Penn St.

With the Ravens possibly losing two or three linebacker's, the young Maybin would make the switch from end and be a pass rush force for years to come.

27. Indianoplis Colts: Hakeem Nicks, WR, North Carolina.

With Marvin Harrison in his twilight, Peyton Manning needs a new target and Nicks would fit in nicely with Reggie Wayne.

28. Philadelphia Eagles: Lesean McCoy, RB, Pittsburgh.

Brian Westbrook is getting up there in age and mileage and McCoy would make a nice change of pace back while he waits to takeover the starting spot in a few years.

29. New York Giants: James Laurinaitis, LB, Ohio State.

The Giants would like a replacement for Plaxico, but adding Laurinaitis would bolster a thin linebacker group and keep their defense dominate.

30. Tennesee Titans: Clint Sintim, LB, Virginia.

With Keith Bullock getting up there in age, and no wide receivers worth taking, they settle for the play making abilities of Sintim.

31. Arizona Cardinals: Clay Matthews, LB, USC.

The Cardinals wanted one of the top running backs, but none fell so they take an insurance policy in case Dansby decides to leave. Matthews may also play some defensive end making him even more attractive.

32. Pittsburgh Steelers: Eben Britton, T, Arizona.

With both of their tackles set to hit free agency, the Steelers grab the underrated Britton to help rebuild their line.

Chicago Bears: What Free Agents To Attack

Matt Reagan — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 22:27:54 -0500

The other day I wrote an article discussing what the Bears should do to rebuild this team through the upcoming NFL Draft in April. I would like to discuss how the Bears can fill some needs through free agency.

Now after finding out that Mike Brown is officially gone and John Tait appears to be ready to retire, the holes are becoming deeper and deeper every day. With John St. Clair an unrestricted free agent, and last years number one pick, Chris Williams limited playing time due to injury last year, it seems are offensive line is suddenly an alarming area of concern.

I guess the one positive from all this movement is that the Bears are going to have some extra cash to spend to fill these holes. But now comes the hard part. Determining who to spend this new found wealth on and why?

Realistically, the Bears should be able to get one top shelf free agent, two or three mid-level free agents

So lets look at the top shelf guys first. Players such as Julius Peppers, Albert Haynesworth, T.J. Houshmandzadeh, Nnamdi Asomugha, Terrell Suggs, and Ray Lewis are the big name superstars.

Now some of these guys don't really fit the Bears needs like Lewis and Haynesworth. They already have Tommy Harris and Brian Urlacher at those positions and signed to large multi-year contracts.

As for as Houshmandzadeh, who many fans are clamoring for, he always had Chad Johnson opposite him and Carson Palmer throwing him the ball. Last time they tried to take Muhsin Muhommad away from Carolina after he had a monster season, we all saw the results once he suited up on Solider Field.

He also had a great receiver, Steve Smith playing opposite of him, and Jake Delhomme was in his prime. The other similarity between these two players is their age of 31 when the Bears courted them.

I don't think T.J. is the answer. He has never been a true number one by himself and isn't a spring chicken anymore.

So that leaves Asomugha, Suggs, and Peppers. The lack of a pass rush can be looked at from two sides of the coin. Either lack of pressure from the D-line causes the QB to have too much time and picks the secondary apart, or the secondary is so bad that the QB is completing the ball so quickly the pass rush is nullified.

I think the second scenario is the Bears biggest problem. They definitely have more talent on the line than in the secondary. With new D-line coach Rod Marinelli re-vamping their schemes, I think we will see tangible improvement in the pass rush.So I think our man should be Asomugha. He has supplanted Champ Bailey as the top cover corner in the league and is an absolute shutdown, play making terror on the field.

Suggs is a great player, but it isn't a foregone conclusion that he will be able to make the switch from LB to DE in the Bears 43 scheme.

Peppers is a pass rushing stud, but he will want A-Rod type money, and we couldn't even consider that unless we dumped half of our current line. So Peppers may be nothing more than a pipe dream for us Bears Fans.

Now lets look at the second-tier players that are free agents. Vernon Carey, Jordan Gross, Max Starks, Jovan Haye, DeAngelo Hall, Dunta Robinson, Antonio Bryant, and Darren Sproles.

Gross is a mauling RT who possess a nasty demeanor and was a key clog in the Panthers stellar rushing attack last year. Although RT's aren't as sexy as LT's, they also come much cheaper. Bookending Gross with Williams would elevate our line play into the future.

Hall is another play maker the Bears sorely lack and although he was bounced around the league a little last year, it wasn't to long ago that he was considered one of the best at his position. He could be signed at a reasonable rate and maybe all he needs is a good change of scenery.

Haye is another interesting prospect who has grown up playing the Tampa 43 the Bears use and he is a good penetrator who can also rack up some sacks. Either lining up next to or rotating in for Harris would give the line a formidable boost.

Darren Sproles would make a perfect compliment back with Forte, but with the success of fellow teammate, Michael Turner, he might get a little pricey.

Antonio Bryant might make a decent fit and come in a lot cheaper than some of the other options that have been floating around. He had a great year for Tampa Bay and proved he could be a number one on his own.

Now if some of these other players sign elsewhere, players like Starks, Robinson, and Carey would also make good second choices in my mind. All are young and have room to grow talent wise.

So Jerry, it's time to convince the higher-ups to get out the checkbook and get us some players. Maybe they could take a page from the Blackhawks and decide to loosen the strings and spend.

But most importantly, spend wisely!

Help Wanted: Need Bears Fans to Help Rebuild Our Beloved Team

Matt Reagan — Sun, 15 Feb 2009 14:46:09 -0500

I Know it seems like an eternity ago, but the Bears went 15-3 and made it to the holy grail that is the Super Bowl. This was only two seasons ago, Bears fans, and we need to right the ship.

Ron Rivera should have never been let go and Bob Babich should have been sent packing with the rest of his defensive coordinators.

When Ron was running the show the defense was one of the top five in the league year after year. Here's a news flash, it's not anymore and hasn't been since our almost magical Super Bowl season of 2006.

It looks like we are stuck with the coaches we have now, but I do love the signing of Rod Marinelli. The man built the Tampa Bay D-line, and turned Sapp and Rice into future Hall of Famers.

I am going to focus on the upcoming draft, and I need you fellow Bears fans to offer your input so we can get this team back to a Super Bowl contender. Are you with me?

Let's start with the NFL draft coming up in April. The Bears say they think they have their QB of the future in Kyle Orton. Wouldn't you feel better if they knew? I am not ready to give up on Orton until I see what he can do with some weapons around him.

I don't want to draft a QB in the early rounds even if one falls to us, because we have more pressing needs at the moment. What is wrong with developing a "win now attitude," something that seems to be a foreign language to Angelo.

What the Bears need to focus on in the first round is a play maker who can score from anywhere, and do it often. One person who comes to mind is WR Jeremy Maclin. He is an absolute game changer and caught over 100 balls for over 1,000 yards last year for Missouri.

He is 6'1, 200 pounds, has great hands and mind-numbing speed. He should clock a low 4.3 at the combine. The only problem I see with him is that he's so good he might not be there when the Bears pick at 18.

Maybe it's time to try something different and instead of always trading down every year, we trade up and grab a top notch play maker. I don't know if Angelo knows that this is allowed. Maybe he needs a little refresher course in the rules of drafting.

Many so called draft experts have the Bears taking Percy Harvin if Maclin is gone. I love Harvin; he too is a game-changer, but don't we have a Percy Harvin clone in Devin Hester?

I see them as the same player, undersized, multiple positions, returners, and blazing speed. So lets cross him off the list.

We want to win now so a project like Darius Heyward-Bey, who only is a sophomore and only had 600 yards receiving last year, doesn't get my juices flowing.

Some of the LB's that could be available such as Brian Cushing, James Laurinaitis, or Clay Matthews would be interesting, as adding one of them would vault our LB's toward the top of the league. Urlacher, Briggs, and Cushing would look pretty good to me.

Another player I love, but might not be there, is Vontae Davis. Yeah, he's got some minimal baggage, but he is definitely a top-shelf corner and probably would go before Malcolm Jenkins on pure athleticism alone. If he were available, it would be tough not to look at him.

The player I love and has been a steady riser in the draft boards is Kenny Britt from Rutgers. This kid can play and after a slow start due to an injury, ended up having a monster season.

Though only a junior, he finished with the most receiving yards in Big East history. He finished with 87 catches for 1,371 yards and seven touchdowns. He is 6'4", 215 pounds and reminds me of Randy Moss.

He would be a perfect complement to Devin Hester on the other side and allow him to go deep more often while Britt worked the middle. I haven't seen one draft that had the Bears taking Britt, but he has been eyeballed by the Giants a few picks later. I like him much more than DHB or Hakeem Nicks.

If the Bears wait to the second and third rounds to get a play maker, then they will get less athletic, more project types to choose from. If we need a true number one WR, then we need to pick one in the first round.

Then in the second round we could get someone like DE Robert Ayers to address the pass rush, or T Phil Loadholt to shore up the aging O-line. I also like Macho Harris, he is another play-maker the Bears sorely need.

If Tyson Jackson slips into the middle of the second, as some are projecting, he would be a great pick because he can play DT or DE. He would look scary next to Harris in the middle.

I know we also need a FS to replace Mike Brown, but the second day is where Angelo really works his magic when it comes to the secondary. Dereck Pegues from Mississippi State is another player that the Bears should look at because he is a play maker and can play corner as well as his prime position of safety. He has great hands and has the ability to score any time he touches the ball. He is also an outstanding returner. With all the problems the Bears have in their secondary, a player as versatile as Pegues would be a great addition.

We also need to pick up a compliment back to go with Matt Forte.

Devin Moore from Wyoming is a sleeper who is moving up and has Chris Johnson type speed. He would give the Bears the two headed attack that is so important in the NFL today. Look at what the Giants did with Jacobs, the power back, and Ward the speed back. Moore would be a perfect compliment to Forte. We need someone to help keep his carries down, and Moore has that blinding breakaway speed allowing him to take it to the house on any play.

So that's my two cents for what it's worth, Bears fans. Now it's time for you to please help out and offer your suggestions so we can get our team back on top!

Syracuse-Georgetown: Orange Come Through with Must-Win in OT

Matt Reagan — Sat, 14 Feb 2009 21:03:10 -0500

Syracuse, N.Y.: In a battle between two teams whose seasons were on the brink, the Orange just put their foot on the Hoyas's head and pushed themselves up, while Georgetown continued to sink.

Before the most-attended college basketball game of this season, Syracuse excited the crowd of 31,841 with an excellent offensive performance.

Led by Jonny Flynn's 25 points and career high 13 assists, the Orange out-gunned the Hoyas on Saturday 98-94 in OT.

Eric Devendorf's torrid shooting also continued as he chipped in 23 points on 5-of-9 shooting from behind the three point stripe. His most glaring stat though was the one turnover he committed in 43 minutes of play.

The biggest difference for the Orange, was the finally healthy Arinze Onuaku, who had been playing a limited role, but was clearly hindered from his knee problem.

The knee looked great today as Onuaku scored 15 points and hauled down 13 rebounds (his first double-double in over a month.)

Chris Wright led the Hoyas with 25 points before fouling out late in regulation. Center and freshman sensation Greg Monroe, also came up big for the Hoyas, scoring 15 points and pulling down 11 rebounds.

In a game that loomed so large for both teams, there wasn't a shortage of physical plays and fouls which climaxed when Senior Kristof Ongenat was ejected after an altercation between himself and Dajuan Summers.

"What can you say, We play hard," said Onuaku after the game.

Coming in to today's game Syracuse had lost five out of their last seven and Georgetown had dropped five of six.

"Obviously this is a difficult stretch, but I think we played (today)," said coach John Thompson III (probably played their way into the prestigious NIT).

With the loss, the Hoyas drop to 13-10, 4-7 in the Big East. And with the victory, the Orange improved to 19-7, 7-6 in the Big East.

After a nice week off, Syracuce will get its next chance to avenge an earlier loss, when the Villanova Wildcats come to the dome on Sunday, Feb. 22. Back on the seventh, the Wildcats became the second team to score over 100 points against the Orange in one season during the Jim Boeheim era with a 102-85 beatdown.

The break comes at a crucial stretch for Syracuse because it will allow time for Andy Rautins and Onuaku to fully recover from the rash of injuries that have been plaguing them over the last several weeks.

But don't worry too much, Hoyas, the NIT isn't that bad. Just ask the Orange, who have had the pleasure of being invited the last two years.

Fantasy Baseball: A Look At The Top Ten Players

Matt Reagan — Sat, 14 Feb 2009 02:18:30 -0500

1. Alex Rodriguez- 3B, Yankees ( 2008, 104R, 35HR, 103RBI, 18SB.)

Steroids or not, he is still the best five-tool player in baseball and will have Damon, Jeter, and the newly acquired Mark Teixeira in front of him. Always has a high batting average and is near the leauge lead in HR, RBI, and runs. No one seems to fill the box score quite like ARod. Should be a lock to lead the AL in RBI's with the bats he has in front of him. He will be motivated to prove his detractors wrong and claim another MVP.

2. Albert Pujols-1B, Cardnials(2008 100R, 34HR, 116RBI, 7SB.)

Pujols is a machine who hits for power, runs, R.B.I.,and percentage. Mr. Consistent has hit over .300, scored at least 99 runs, driven in at least 100 R.B.I.'s, and hit no less than 32 HR's every year since he was a rookie in 2001. No other player in history can say the same.

3. Hanley Ramirez-SS, Marlins (2008 .301BA, 125R, 33HR, 67RBI, 35SB.)

A 30/30 guy already, who hits for average and scores runs by the truckload. Look for Cameron Maybin to lead-off, and Ramirez to drop down in the order to the 3 spot. A 40/40 season seems to be looming in the near future.

4. David Wright- 3B, Mets (2008 .302BA, 115R, 33HR, 124RBI, 15SB.)

Could un-throne Arod for the best 3B. An extremely talented hitter who had an MVP type season. Hits for power and scores plenty of runs. Imagine if he decides to start stealing bases again?

5. Jose Reyes-SS, Mets (2008 .297BA, 113R, 16HR, 68RBI, 56SB.)

Wright's partner in crime who is an absolute terror on the base paths. Reyes was the best hitter in the N.L. over the last three months of the season in 2008. He doesn't hit for power, but his steals, runs scored, and good batting average make him a fantasy stud.

6. Grady Sizemore-OF, Indians (2008 .268BA, 101R, 33HR, 90RBI, 38SB.)

Best lead-off hitter in the game and one of the top three OF's. Grady hits for power, scores runs, and steals bases with the best of them. Another 30/30/ lock. He should also improve on his .268 average.

7. Miguel Cabrera-1B, Tigers (2008 .292BA, 85R, 37HR,127RBI, 1SB.)

His raw power behind the plate is tough to match. Will be near or at the top of HR's RBI and total bases. He had a slow start after switching to the AL last year, but once he adjusted he tore the seams off the ball.

8. Josh Hamilton-OF, Rangers (2008 .304BA, 98R, 32HR, 130RBI, 9SB.)

Josh's rise from the ashes finally paid off in 2008 when he was the best player in the AL before the all-star break.If the season ended in July he was your MVP. He ran out of gas down the stretch but still posted eye-popping numbers. Hit for power and average all year. Look for him to get even better and make another run at the AL MVP.

9. C.C. Sabathia-SP, Yankees (2008 17-10, 2.70 ERA, 251K.)

Gotta have a pitcher in the top ten and why not the best pitcher in baseball, on potentially the best team. What he did after going to the Brewers and putting them on his back, as they rode him into the playoffs, was nothing short of stunning. He is a lock for 18-21 wins, a low E.R.A., and a ton of K's.

10. Jimmy Rollins-SS, Phillies (2008 .277BA, 76R, 11HR, 59RBI, 47SB.)

Forget 2008. Jimmy had a bum ankle and never really had a chance to repeat as MVP. He will bounce back and get his average, runs scored, and steals back closer to what we expect from him. One of the most balanced players in the game.

Lakers-Cavs L.A. Continues Their Domination Over East's Best

Matt Reagan — Sun, 08 Feb 2009 20:29:01 -0500

What a weekend it has been for the Lakers. After beating Boston 110-109 in overtime, and snapping the Celtics 12-game-win-streak Thursday night, the Lakers rolled into Cleveland where the Cavs havn't lost since last April.

Winners of their last 23 games at Quicken Loans Arena, they finally ran-out of gas against the red-hot Lakers and fell 101-91 on Sunday.

Lamar Odom followed his big game against Boston with an even bigger 28-point, 17-rebound performance.

Sparking the Lakers' third quarter turnaround in which they outscored the Cavs 31-16, was Odom who chipped in 15. Lamar then put the exclamation point on his performance with a devastating put-back dunk off a miss to end the third.

The Lakers went from being down 10 at the half, to having an 82-77 lead to start the fourth quarter. With Kobe having a sub-par game, (due to being sick and undergoing I.V. treatment), Pau Gasol helped pickup the slack and scored 18 to go along with 12 rebounds.

Cleveland's fans were pumped up and provided a playoff-like atmosphere. Although the game was billed as a showdown between the league's two best players and teams, the Lebron vs. Kobe match up never really lived up to expectations, due to Bryant's sickness, and an overall poor game form James. Lebron went only 5-20 from the field, finishing with 16 points.

The Cavs were led by Zydrunas Igauluskas who scored 22 points.

The Lakers finished their six-game road trip a perfect 6-0 and return to L.A. to face the Oklahoma Thunder on Tuesday night. With this win, the Laker's now hold the league's best record at 41-9, and have clearly answered any questions pertaining to what kind of team they will be minus their 21-year-old budding star center, Andrew Bynum, who is out with a injured knee.

Lakers-Celtics L.A. Completes Sweep Over Celtics In O.T.

Matt Reagan — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 23:55:30 -0500

Boston, Massachusetts. The Los Angeles Lakers nipped the Boston Celtics 110-109 in an overtime classic Thursday night.

In an extremely physical battle, the Lakers answered any questions concerning their "lack of toughness," as they quieted a belligerent crowd in Boston. Chants of " beat L.A." echoed through the Garden, but in the end the Lakers were the last team standing.

Kobe Bryant led the Lakers with 26 points and 10 rebounds while Pau Gasol chipped in with 24 points and 14 rebounds. Replacing the injured Andrew Bynum, who was lost with a MCL tear, Lamar Odom came through big with 20 points.

The Celtics led almost the entire second half but the momentum seemed to sway in the Lakers favor after Kevin Garnett fouled out with just over four minutes left in regulation. The Celtics got 22 from Ray Allen and 21 for Paul Pierce, but their lack of Garnett's physical post play down low was sorely missed at the end of the game.

With this win, the Lakers have assured themselves home court advantage should they finish tied with the Celtics and meet in the NBA finals again in June. After L.A.'s convincing win over the Celtics 92-83, on Christmas day, few believed that without Andrew Bynum the Lakers would pull out the win in Boston.

Next up for the Lakers is a showdown with Lebron James and the Cavs. After Kobes'( 61 point,) and Lebrons' (52 point,) shooting clinics against the Knicks, a showdown between the leauge's two biggest superstars should provide plenty of highlight reel material come Sunday.

Syracuse-West Virginia: Orange Snap Skid With Impressive Win Over Mountaineers

Matt Reagan — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 22:08:45 -0500

Syracuse, N.Y. The Orange snapped a three game Big East slide with an inspired 74-61 win in the Dome Wednesday night.

Eric Devendorf and Jonny Flynn combined to score 44 points and Paul Harris snapped out of a slump with 14 points and 13 boards. Syracuse played inspired defense, forcing West Virginia to commit 12 turnovers and, more importantly, shoot just 35 percent from the field.

Syracuse defenders seemingly had a hand in the face whenever the Mountaineers attempted a three-point-shot. They ended up only seven for 27 from long range for the game. The Orange didn't exactly light it up from three either, finishing just three of 14 from long range.

The difference came on the boards, where Syracuse out-rebounded West Virginia 40 to 30, led by Harris.

Flynn and Devendorf continued their dominance, and have combined for an astounding 106 points in their last two games.

This was a must-win for the Orange, as they improved to 18-5 on the season.

Next up is surging Villanova, who beat Pittsburg last week. Keep an eye on Paul Harris in that game, as he torched them for a career-high 28 points in a Syracuse win last year.