30 Dec 10 Say What? Terrence Willams Will Be a Top 5 NBA Player.

Jim McIsaac/Getty ImagesWhen you think of all around players you think of Larry Bird, Magic Johnson,Scottie Pippen, Lebron James. Those Guys could play Point Guard, Shooting Guard,Small Forward, Power Forward at an All Star level. They were great at passing,scoring, Chicago Bears jersey
rebounding. Is there another out there that could be like the players I just mentioned? I think Nets G/F (Guard/Forward) Terrence Williams will be a top 5 player in the league in a couple of years and after his career is over he will be one of the best all around players in league history.Williams has athleticism beyond belief, he is a great scorer when he gets near the basket, and passing ability that you would usually see out of a top ten point guard. Now he does need to work on some things like free throw shooting 3 point shooting. All things that he can improve on, because if you do remember Lebron James had problems with his free shooting (as a matter of fact, he still does) and 3 point shooting, which Lebron has worked on, and has become better at it.Terrence Williams is a good perimeter defender. As a matter of one eastern conference scout said He going to be a good player,. He might be a [point guard] and he can guard anybody."Kiki Vandeweghe has confidence in the rookie, he said His ceiling is probably unlimited, but it up to how hard he going to work and how much he going to work at his game.Last night Terrance Williams showed off his passing ability with 14 assists to go with his 14 points. Williams was showed to grow more mature duringCincinnati Bengals jersey
the season, after showing some immaturity at the beginning of season he made a comment on twitter pretty much stating that he wished that the Nets didn't draft him (he didn't say that specifically but it was pretty clear what he meant).I think Williams will be a superstar in two or three years. Whether he's playing point guard, shooting guard, or small forward, there is a bright future Terrance Williams

29 Dec 10 Miami Heat Vs. Boston Celtics Playoff Preview

Elsa/Getty ImagesWritten by Andrew Ryan of Bangthebook.com original post here , your home for free nba playoff picks !Miami HeatHow They Got Here: In the most accurate sense possible, the Heat got here firmly on the back of G Dwyane Wade. He averaged well over a quarter of Reebok Chicago Bears #6 Jay Cutler Realtree camo Jersey
the team points per game, putting up 26.6 of them on the normal night. Miami also made it to this point by playing strong defense, as 94.2 points per game allowed and a 43.9 percent opposing shooting percentage were both good enough for #2 in the NBA.Player To Watch: Wade. Period. At times, he feels like a one-man wrecking crew for the Heat and really has been that way since the team won the NBA Championship several seasons ago. If for whatever reason, Flash is off of his game, Miami is finished.X-Factor: It not normal that you call your second leading scorer an X-Factor, but F Michael Beasley has some real superstar capabilities. He may be asked to be the man in Miami next year if Wade leaves town, and what better way to proclaim himself to the world than by taking over in the playoffs? We don know if itll happen or not, but Beasley can be the difference maker for the Heat.Key To Victory: Someone aside from Wade is going to have to do some damage at some point. We fully expect to see D-Wade scoring 30-35 points on a nightly basis, but somehow, another 60-65 points need to get on the board. If someone else can do that, Miami will succeed. If not, it will fail.Boston CelticsHow They Got Here: Saying that Boston got here by default just doesn Reebok Dallas Cowboys #82 Jason Witten Realtree camo Jersey
sound right, but at times, the Atlantic Division champs really looked like an average team in a miserable division. Age may be catching up to this team, especially in the starting five, where only G Rajon Rondo wouldn qualify for basketball version of AARP. Still, this is a team that plays great defense and has a ton of veteran leadership which can carry it through the toughest of situations.Player To Watch: No matter how old he is, the lifelong Celtic, F Paul Pierce is the man to keep an eye on. Scoring 18.3 points per game this year was rather par for the course, but what makes Pierce special is his ability to take over a game. He shoots 41.4 percent from beyond the arc and hardly ever misses a free throw, two things that really makes him lethal down the stretch in close games.X-Factor: Many already accept G Rajon Rondo as one of the best point guards in the NBA, and he going to have to prove it once again against the Heat over these next couple of weeks. The Kentucky product dished out 9.8 assists per game against just over three turnovers per game, and if that ratio stays above 3-1, the C are going to be hard to beat.Key To Victory: HC Doc Rivers just has to manage this team properly to get out of the first round of the playoffs. The veterans shouldn allow a game that Wade takes over to ruin their spirits, because inevitably, it going to happen. This series won be a sweep. The question is whether or not the Celtics can rebound from that. Rivers is the key to winning.The Final Word : We just don believe in Reebok Dallas Cowboys #9 Tony Romo Realtree camo Jersey
the Heat right now. One man can win an NBA Championship, as F LeBron James proved in Cleveland over the last few seasons. Unless there a Herculean effort coming from somewhere aside from Wade for Miami, the Celtics should survive in a relatively tight series, setting up the much anticipated showdown with the Cavs.Celtics in 6

28 Dec 10 Shaq and Howard: The Only Great Centers Left

Doug Benc/Getty ImagesA good center is tough to come by, especially come playoff time. Centers currently vying for an NBA titles are the likes of Andrew Bynum, Zydrunas Ilgauskas and um... Kendrick Perkins. Shaq is still in there after 18 seasons and Dwight Howard is too. These are the only two centers in today playoffs that even make my top 15 centers of all time.League-wide, only two other active players even make my all-time top 29 centers list.This list was made by me, using a formula I created where I took each of Reebok Arizona Cardinals Larry Fitzgerald Realtree camo Jersey
these players' best season ever; added rebounds + assists (times 2) + steals (guessed on the ones before 1972 player defense stats*) + blocks (*) -(minus) turnovers - (minus) personal fouls + total points/(divided by)minutes played. This gave me the top 180 stat producing per-minute performers ever. THEN - I made a list of title wins and Finalsappearancesand listed the 180 by that.Then I added the numbers on each chart and divided by two and these were the results. This gives props to players best individual seasons plus their career success. Yes, it took a while, but if this gets kids interested in awesome players of the past, then I'm glad. I'm 34 and remember some of the old school players and yet I am the same age asDuncan, Jamison andPierce and younger than Shaq, Fisher and Nash. This is an unbiased comparison. Stats and wins speak for themselves. If you are not happy with it, you do the math. I did!29- Chris Kaman Had a breakout year for the crappy Clippers, but is on his way up, and already in the 20, 10 club.28- Rik Smits This 74 man could shoot, his problem was not taking it to the hole, with authority.27- David Lee Seems like he is N.Y. only good center since Patrick. He is a 20, 10 guy too, and then some.26- Dikembe Mutombo This defensive minded, 72 player retired last year as one of the greatest centers ever, at least defensively. Offensively he was off and on.25- Vlade Divac Was an integral aspect to title contender L.A. Lakers in 1991 and later for the Kings. The big guy could pass, shoot and play defense; ok maybe his defense was kind of suspect.24- Roy Tarpley Was really, really productive for the Mavs in the 80 but kept on doing drugs. If he hadn (or hadn got caught) he would be higher on the list because he would have played for longer.23- Bill Laimbeer Would the Bad Boys of Detroit have been so bad without big Bill? I don think so. He was a championship caliber player, twice around, who could shoot the graceful three or Reebok Baltimore Ravens #5 Joe Flacco Realtree camo Jersey
clobber anyone coming into the lane. At 611 and 260 he was perfect for the job.22- Dan Issel He was only 69 but played with ferocity and tenacity, something bigger men should do. His mental skills made up for his physical shortcomings.21 - Brad Daugherty The 70 was kind of soft, but productive, leading a Cavs team where he shared the production with great power forward Larry Nance.20- Jack Sikma This guy could do it all, but he played on sub-par teams. He tried hard in every game, something which many modern centers fail to do.19- Willis Reed A consistent player in all aspects for the Knicks. He led them in 1970 and 1973 in the finals to the tune of a finals MVP in 73.18- Ralph Sampson If he hadn gotten so injured he would have been one of the greatest ever. He saw some success before he was injured, as he teamed with second year player Olajuwon to make the 1986 finals. Remember who tipped in the last send shot against the Lakers to get to the finals? Sampson! They eventually lost to Parish and the Celtics.17- George Mikan- He accomplished more than any other center (aside from Russell and Jabbar) when it came to winning titles, but it was in the early 1950. After properly analyzing him in context of all-time centers, according to my formula, the 610 center land here.16- Artis Gilmore This 73 giant was an awesome offensive and defensive threat throughout his career. Too bad he never won anything with it.15- Nate Thurmond He was the only guy who could compete in the Russell, Wilt years. They both gave him proper respect for his defensive abilities and scoring touch, too bad current NBA fans don.14- Alonzo Mourning Through sickness and in health, Alonzo played hard. He was often unbelievable at blocking shots despite being undersized (69 and a half). He could score in many ways too, and he helped Shaq and Wade win one for Miami in 2006.13- Dwight Howard Has the potential to be one of the greatest ever, but will he? Is he assertive enough like Superman one? We shall see soon enough.12- Bob Lanier One of the great big men of all time who played for bad teams throughout his career. Everything a center should be, except a champion.11- Alvan Adams This guy wasReebok Baltimore Ravens #27 Ray Rice Realtree camo Jersey
only 69 and completely overlooked by NBA fans. Why? Maybe it because he played for Phoenix in the 1970. If they would have beaten the Celtics in the 1976 NBA finals he would be better known. He was a true hustler.10- Robert Parish He played more NBA games than anyone ever, winning four NBA titles along the way. Was never the first option, but that is what happens when you play with Bird, McHale and Jordan on your title teams 1981,1984,1986 and 1997 (he was really old by then and backed up Luc Longley and Bill Wennington).09- Bill Walton One of the greatest passing big men ever who had the drive in college and the NBA to win titles. He led the Blazers to a title in 1977 and then kept getting injured. As a backup he won a couple titles with the Celtics too.08- Patrick Ewing The best center to never win a title. Patrick could do it all. He was a beast on defense and offense, he was a strong leader, but for some reason he never won a title. I blame Jordan.07- Moses Malone He was the needed component to win a title in 1983 for the 76rs. With just Dr. J they couldn get over the hump. With Moses Malone, they beat the Lakers 4-0. This guy was a rebounding machine and a scoring champion who was intimidating because of his sullen attitude.06- David Robinson When he came into the league he put up astounding numbers. He could run the floor, fast, at 71 and 255 pounds of pure muscle. Robinson scored over 70 in a game once and blocked shots like a madman throughout his career. He won two NBA titles, with Duncan at PF, in 1999 and 2003.05- Bill Russell At 69 and 225 pounds he dominated defense in the 1960. He was better than Wilt on defense and won more titles than anyone ever. He was truly an amazing player. If compared to an all-time pool of players, especially ones from the 80 on, he ranks on my list here. If he played today he would be too small to play C, but hed be a good SF.04- Kareem Abdul-Jabbar It blows my mid how today NBA fans so often forget to mention Kareem as one of the greatest ever. Wow! He was 72 265 pounds and could stop anyone shot and his sky hook was totally and completely unstoppable. Even when he was old he won NBA titles. He finished with six rings; five with L.A. and one with Milwaukee, where he teamed with Oscar Robertson.03- Hakeem Olajuwon One of the most amazing players of all time. This guy had, finesse, power, speed, shooting ability and he was a defensive mastermind. He was only 610 but if he was over 70 hed be better than Shaq or Wilt. Played during the Jordan era and won a title the two years Jordan was out, that says something about MJ. Olajuwon is so under appreciated by today fans, but I guarantee he would be the best if he played today.02- Shaquille ONeal Knowing the Lakers would have never won it in 2000, 2001 and 2002, and the Heat would have never won it in 2006 and the Cavs in 2010, without Shaq, he Reebok Baltimore Ravens #52 Ray Lewis Realtree camo Jersey
is obviously ranked here for a reason. At 71 320 pounds, Shaq is one of the few big men who ever actually used their physical skills to the utmost degree. Lost in the Finals in 1995 and 2004 but could help Cleveland win it all this year, as a role player, but hey, he's in his 18th season, give him a break. 01- Wilt Chamberlain He averaged 50.4 points per game once and scored 100 in one game. Averaged 25.0 rebounds a game for his career. This is way too amazing. With these numbers (1960) he could be the greatest center ever, even if he played in today NBA.

27 Dec 10 Yo, Philadelphia 76ers, Draft Evan Turner

Philadelphia 76ers GM Ed Stefanski has made some questionable decisions since taking over for Billy King two years ago. He gave Elton Brand $82 million, Andre Iguodala $80 million and hired Eddie Jordan, who has almost 100 more losses than wins in his coaching career (257-343).On Tuesday night, the basketball gods popped ping-pong balls into place for Stefanski, securing the second overall pick in next month's NBA Draft. Had the Sixers rode the magic carpet all the way to spot #1 in the lottery, they'd Pittsburgh Steelers jersey
be compelled to select freshman phenom John Wall, regardless of current PG Jrue Holliday's undoubtedly bright future. Wall is simply too good pass on, this year's can't-miss talent who will help Washington's box office as much as their roster next season. With trigger-happy Gilbert Arenas' career in muddy waters, the Wizards will be overjoyed to welcome in a new team leader.That leaves Stefanski and the Sixers with a few options. They can draft Georgia Tech PF Derrick Favors, Kentucky C DeMarcus Cousins, trade the pick, or select Ohio St. SG Evan Turner.Favors (6'10'', 246) and Cousins (6'11'', 270) are 18 and 19 years old, respectively, and flat-out beasts. Both would help the Sixers front court immensely, where Brand, Samuel Dalembert and Mareese Speights are frankly not cutting it with the big boys of the Eastern Conference (Orlando, Boston). While a strong case could be made for drafting either big man, my money is on 2010 National Player of the Year Evan Turner.With outstanding averages of 20 points, San Diego Chargers jersey
9 rebounds and 6 assists per game, Turner was the best player in the nation last season and flashed his superstar potential on a nightly basis, leading the Buckeyes to a 29-8 record and Sweet 16 berth in a tough Big Ten Conference. Listing all of the awards he took home after his junior year would extend this article by a few pages. Unlike Favors and Cousins, he has three years of college basketball experience and is ready to contribute immediately.Turner has been compared to silky-smooth shooting guards like Brandon Roy and Joe Johnson. At 6'7'', he's an ideal height for an NBA two-guard and with a little work in the weight room, he'll be able to stand strong defensively with the elite talent the league has to offer.When you look at the current make-up of the Sixers roster, Turner fits in swimmingly. Based on the opportunities given him last year, Holliday appears to be the point guard for many years to come. Despite being overpaid, Iguodala is a talented scorer who is better suited for the SF position than the SG. San Francisco 49ers jersey
Thaddeus Young, though undersized to play the four, can combine with Mareese Speights, Jason Smith and Brand to complete the front court. Several NBA teams have been successful without a true center; outside of Dwight Howard, there aren't a whole lot of dominant ones.Simply put, Evan Turner is going to be a sensational player. His addition, along with the hopeful signing of Doug Collins as new head coach, will have the Sixers moving in the right direction.If the GM passes on Turner and he goes on to have a terrific rookie season for New Jersey or Minnesota, Stefanski's job will be gone faster than a DeSean Jackson fly route.

26 Dec 10 Big 4 or No Big 4, Boston's Potential 18th Ring Belongs to Rajon Rondo

Elsa/Getty ImagesRemember that infamous scene in The Godfather following Don Corleone's death, that instantly propelled Michael to become the Godfather of the Mafia?Well if you don't, your missing out on a special movie. Fortunately for you, though, that exact scene has been reinvented, but this time in the form of Rajon Rondo and the Boston Celtics.Two years ago, if you were to tell me that Rajon Rondo would become one of the most recognized point guards in the game today, I would have laughed in your face with such intensity that anyone would have thought Denver Broncos jersey
I had gone completely mad."There's no way Rajon Rondo will outdo Derrick Rose," stated most people, and unfortunately for Boston fans I tended to agree.Now though, the tides have changed, and quite frankly they've changed for the better. For those out there that predicted Rajon Rondo's rise to fame, I suggest you become a fortune teller, because you've done a damn good job of going against the grain and predicting something that most people felt was simply impossible.Aside from reliving the past, though, the present and of course the future is the matter at hand when considering the 2010 Boston Celtics.It was a playoff run that was unexpected. Seemingly out of gas, out of muscle and more importantly out of confidence, the Boston Celtics were written off like a used stereo and deemed by many to possibly fail against the Miami Heat in the opening round of the 2010 Playoffs.But boy, how things changed. Normally when we consider the Boston Celtics, we focus on the big picture. Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen and Paul Pierce, and realistically Rajon Rondo is simply a side dish to these three great players that tend to hog the spotlight.So how did things change so drastically in a short space of time to make people truly believe that Boston had a Big 4 at hand, instead of an impressive trio?Well, a lot of factors combined, but perhaps the most telling was the fact that Rajon Rondo kept it simple and applied a little elbow grease on his way to bigger and better things this postseason.When the going got tough, Rajon Rondo got going and although other players such as Paul Pierce, Rasheed Wallace, Ray Allen and Nate Robinson contributed, Rajon Rondo kept the arsenal together.Stats aside and effort, when thinking of Rajon Rondo, he has always Detroit Lions
been a hated player in the eyes of many fans. Often arrogant, a little blunt and cocky, Rajon Rondo became one of the many players to let his mouth do the talking while his impressive play took a backseat.After analyzing the Orlando Magic series, it seemed that Rajon Rondo became the true team leader. Paul Pierce summed it up best in saying "Instead of Rajon relying on us, we now rely on Rajon and we have to give him the ball."Perhaps Paul Pierce's statement is best summed up by watching Rajon's off the floor steal against Orlando in Game 3, as every ounce of that play showed grit and determination to post another two points on the board.It's not a statement that has convinced everybody just yet, and it certainly hasn't convinced Rondo haters, but it has proven to motivate Rajon immensely.I guess he's a typical Boston Celtics player. He recognizes he has potential, he utilizes it, and gets the job done. Sure he is no Larry Bird or Bill Russell just yet, but the way he is going his story makes for a promising future.Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen, Paul Pierce and Kendrick Perkins all contributed to wins, but Rajon Rondo stepped up. His jump shot has improved, his skills have improved and more importantly his leadership has improved.Forget the old Rajon Rondo, this is the new No. 9 and this year's possible ring against the Los Angeles Lakers is for the most part due to his hard work.He's no Mafia leader, hell he isn't even Italian, but he makes a damn good teammate for a few old timers.Love him or hate him, Rajon Green Bay Packers jersey
Rondo simply does what's right by the family. Maybe, just maybe, his mob will take home some silverware. And this time, the Celtics didn't carry Rajon, Rajon carried the Celtics.Ryan Cook is a Featured Columnist for the Bleacher Report . He is also an NFL writer for Real Sports Net , and Green Bay Packer writer for Fan Huddle and PackerChatters .

25 Dec 10 Pacers Search for Point Guard Cure: Jose Calderon Could Be the Vaccine

Doug Benc/Getty ImagesThe Indiana Pacers are an organization that has been in disarray since the "Malice at the Palace." They fell out of contention in the Central Division and NBA's Eastern Conference not too long after.From the days of Reggie Miller, Mark Jackson, Dale Davis, and Rik Smits and being championship contenders, the Pacers have dramatically fallen off the radar of the NBA to a being a team that barely can finish .500.In 2006-07, the beginning of their demise, the Pacers had to suffer through one of their worst seasons in franchise history, Reebok Washington Redskins #98 ORAKPO Realtree camo Jersey
finishing with a 35-47 record. This record was the worst record they've collected since the 1988-89 season when they finished with a 28-54 record.Gone from the good old days are franchise icons like executive Donnie Walsh, coaches Rick Carlisle and Isiah Thomas, players Mark Jackson, Reggie Miller, Rik Smits, Dale Davis, Jermaine O'Neal, Ron Artest, and Al Harrington. In their place are Troy Murphy, Danny Granger, and a team of average NBA players.The Pacers last season finished with the worst record they've had since the 1988-89 season, an abysmal 32-50. Far from the record most Pacer fans remember and expect from their team.Team President Larry Bird on August 4th stated the organization was looking for point guard help and that the front office is not resting until that position is filled. Point guard has always been one of the most important positions to fill in the NBA.The point guard acts as a quarterback on the offensive end and is the first line of defense on the other end. Usually the championship teams always have a good veteran point guard leading their teams. Boston has Rajon Rondo, the Lakers have Derek Fisher, the Jazz have Deron Williams, the Mavericks have Jason Kidd and so on."You like to see if we can get something done, especially at the point position," Bird said. "We're talking to a lot of teams; there are some teams interested in what we have. We told people we weren't going to be in any hurry to do something."Currently, more than 20 free agent point guards have found a new home this offseason, and with the cream of the crop already signed, it appears the Pacers will need to trade for the point guard help they seek.Young point guards Darren Collision and George Hill are unavailable and the rumored All-Stars Chris Paul, and Tony Parker are probably not a realistic option for the Pacers unless they trade their best player, Danny Granger, in the process.Right now, probably the best available point guard for trade would be Jose Calderon out of Toronto.Calderon's contract still has two years left on it, paying him an average of around $9 million a year. However, Calderon's outside shooting and ability to control the offensive end lends itself perfectly to Jim O'Brien's system. He is a pass first point guard who can shoot the three.So I'm going to propose a deal for both sides:To Toronto: TJ Ford and Mike Dunleavy.To Indiana: Jose Calderon, Traded Player Exception (worth roughly $10 million), and Marco Belinelli.Why Does This Work for Indiana? Reebok Pittsburgh Steelers 43 Troy Polamalu Realtree camo Jersey
They get that point guard they've been coveting. They also get money to work with and a first round pick. Losing Dunleavy hurts initially, but with the likes of Rush, Jones, and Lance Stephenson to fill the void at shooting guard and Granger and George filling the void at small forward, the move can be done. This is also not saying the Pacers could use the Trade Player Exception.2010-11 LineupCalderon/PriceRush/D. Jones/Belinelli/StephensonGranger/GeorgeMurphy/Hansbrough/McRobertsHibbert/Foster/S. Jones+ 10 Million Trade Player Exception from TorontoWhy Does This Work for Toronto?They get salary relief as a result and end up getting roughly $20 million in expiring contracts. Couple that with the roughly $12 million in expiring contracts with Evans, Banks, and Belinelli, the Raptors could be big players in the Free Agent market next year.That all depends though on how Toronto is received in the NBA's inner circle amongst its players. If the players feel this organization is going nowhere, they will not cross the border to play here full time. Toronto's 2010-11 LineupJack/Ford/BanksDeRozan/Barbosa/WeemsDunleavy/KleizaJohnson/Davis/EvansBargnani/Dorsey/Alabi/AndersenHowever, what I stated above Reebok Green Bay Packers 21 Charles Woodson Realtree camo Jersey
is just a fantasy prediction, the reality of the situation is that unless a trade is made, TJ Ford remains Indiana's only true veteran option at point guard.His relationship with Jim O'Brien is strained and in the end, it may take some time to mend fences and make up so the Pacers can start their return to glory sooner, rather than later, if at all.

24 Dec 10 Path to Redemption? Ron Artest Raffling Off Lakers Championship Ring

Christian Petersen/Getty ImagesRon Artest is actually going through with what many thought was an idle promise to raffle off his championship ring and donate the proceeds to charity.Artest is doing something that actually impresses me. To put that in context, let's get something out of the Reebok San Francisco 49ers #21 Frank GORE Realtree camo Jersey
way immediately.I don't like Ron Artest. Nothing that follows is even remotely connected to is abilities on the court. I have almost no respect for him as a human being.I have not liked Ron Artest since his freshman year at St. John's. I don't like the man who admitted getting drunk before games as a Chicago Bull.I don't like the man who smashed a $100,000 TV camera at Madison Square Garden.I don't like the man who publicly asked his coach for a month off from the Pacers early in the 2004-05 season to promote a music album he had produced.I really don't like the man who acted like a complete punk in an altercation with Ben Wallace, and ended up charging into the stands like a deranged lunatic at the Palace of Auburn Hills.The man who, after returning from a year-long suspension, publicly requested a trade from the Pacers since he didn't think playing for coach Rick Carlisle could maximize his potential to be a star, is someone deserving of contempt.How one player's actions can so completely destroy aReebok Washington Redskins #98 ORAKPO Realtree camo Jersey
franchise is sickening. Artest is that player. His role in the destruction of the Indiana Pacers should not be forgotten by anyone who wants to embrace the lovable Ron-Ron after this past season.I won't even mention his arrest for domestic violence in 2007, or that the Kings, so desperate to be rid of this madman, gave him to the Rockets for essentially nothing (sorry, Bobby Jackson, but it's true).He is a loose cannon, and a thug. He is also likely crazy.Anyone who saw that touching, but sad, rambling rant of a press conference Artest conducted after the Lakers won the 2009-10 championship knows that Artest is suffering from some kind of mental illness.Anytime someone takes a podium and thanks their psychiatrist for helping them win a basketball championship, you know something is wrong.Ron Artest has recently been seeking help in dealing with his inner lunatic. That is commendable.Artest is working to reduce the stigma attached to mental illness, particularly in the world of sports.That is also commendable.Now Artest is preparing to raise what will likely be a sizable amount of money and donate that money to charities that increase mental-health awareness.These three things almost bother me.Why?Because now I'm going to have to respect Reebok Pittsburgh Steelers 43 Troy Polamalu Realtree camo Jersey
the man a bit more than I did. I still don't like him. He's got such a long history of being an awful man, that it will take a lot more than this to compensate for his past.No, I don't like him, but I'm starting to respect the man.The beneficiaries of the auction will be announced on October 27, the day after the Lakers receive their rings. The raffle drawing itself will be on Christmas Day

23 Dec 10Chicago Bulls Week in Review: 2-1 in Texas for First Time Since 1998

Coach Thibodeau's watchful eyeJonathan Daniel/Getty ImagesThe Chicago Bulls began their annual "circus trip" this past Tuesday, finishing the Texas part of the trek on Friday.For the first time since Michael Jordan's 1998 team, the Chicago Bulls finished 2-1 in Texas, with victories Reebok Arizona Cardinals Larry Fitzgerald Realtree camo Jersey
over the Houston Rockets, the Dallas Mavericks and a loss to the San Antonio Spurs.A curious pattern emerged during those games in Texas. In each of the contests, the Bulls were leading at halftime, only to lose their lead in each game during the third quarter.In total, the Bulls were outscored a combined 91-43 during the third period. That averages out to a little over 30 points for the opposing team, versus a little over 12 for the Bulls.In two of the games (Houston and Dallas), the Bulls were able to overcome their third-quarter woes to pull out victories. Not so with San Antonio. Although the Bulls fought hard, the deficit was too much for them, playing the second of back-to-back games on Tuesday and Wednesday against a well-rested, red-hot San Antonio team.HighlightsDerrick Rose continues his MVP worthy season, thus far, by being aggressive and carrying much of the load while Boozer is out. Rose was 36-for-64 (56 percent) from the field during those three games, including 7-for-12 (58 percent) from downtown.Kyle Korver also continues his strong performance, with 11-of-22 (50 percent) shooting from the field, including 6-for-11 (55 percent) from 3-point land.Ronnie Brewer shot over 66 percent from the field and has seen his minutes increase. He continues to get more comfortable out on the floor.C.J. Watson was instrumental in the Dallas win and seems to be settling down in his role, which is good considering his struggles early on. Before this week, C.J. appeared to be forcing a lot of Reebok Baltimore Ravens #5 Joe Flacco Realtree camo Jersey
shots instead of playing his game.Taj Gibson started off slowly but finished with a bang on Friday against the Mavericks, scoring 17 points and grabbing 18 rebounds, a personal best.FocusFree throws...free throws...free throws. The Bulls shot an abysmal 40-for-65 (62 percent) from the free-throw line. Come on, guys. This is an area that must be addressed. The importance of making free throws cannot be stressed enough, particularly in close games.The Bulls cannot allow themselves to continue having third-quarter meltdowns. Too much energy wasted while playing on the road.Luol Deng and Keith Bogans struggled somewhat this week. Deng shot 16-for-48 (33 percent) and Bogans shot 2-for-10 (20 percent) from the field. They'll need to pick up their play this coming week, but considering their solid play thus far this season, I don't expect that to be an issue.ConsensusAlthough the Bulls are 2-1 to start the "circus trip," they could easily have been 3-0. With four games left on the trip, beginning with the Lakers on Tuesday night, the Bulls will need to continue their aggressiveness on the boards and with drives to the basket.If the Bulls can improve their free-throw percentage, they should be more than competitive. The Bulls face the Lakers, Suns, Nuggets and Kings this week to wrap up their road trip. All of these games are very winnable for this Bulls team, provided they stick to their game plan.The refs also need to start giving Rose more respect. Period. Of the top 13 scorers in the Reebok Baltimore Ravens #27 Ray Rice Realtree camo Jersey
NBA (Rose is currently fourth), Rose has the least amount of free-throw attempts per game. It's an atrocity when guys like Russell Westbrook and Kevin Martin are averaging 9.3 and 9.2 free throws per contest while Rose averages only 5.5 per contest.Let's hope that the Bulls can continue their solid play, obtain a winning record from the trip and put this annual "circus trip from hell" to rest.

Philadelphia 76ers Summer League Game 2

Jeff Gross/Getty ImagesToday at 5 o'clock EST, the Philadelphia 76ers' summer league team took on the Boston Celtics, rolling to a 86-69 victory. The 76ers showed great improvement on the defensive end with 10 total steals, mostly coming from the outstanding perimeter defense set up by Evan Reebok Minnesota Vikings #69 Jared Allen Realtree camo Jersey
Turner, Jrue Holliday, and Jodie Meeks. The entire team played well, not one player standing above the rest. However, Philadelpia got off to a slow start, being down 15-3 at one point, but eventually caught fire and clearly outplayed the Celtics. Meeks and Marreese Speights both played extremely well combining for 30 points (Meeks with 18, Speights with 12). Speights also collected a team-high 11 rebounds to have his first double-double of the summer. Meeks looked tremendous on defense and on transition offense, really showing that he has stepped up and improved greatly from last year. This is his second consecutive game with 18 points, which was a game high. Holliday played well and showed high energy, but didn’t rip up the stat sheets like he did yesterday. With a modest Reebok New England Patriots #12 Tom Brady Realtree camo Jersey
10 points and five assists, he didn’t play up to the expectations after an impressive 23 point and 8-assist game. However, Holliday did run the team well and played some great on the ball defense holding Boston’s Oliver Lafayette to seven points. He did have the play of the game however, throwing a perfect ally-oop pass to Speights, who made an outstanding one-handed catch and jam. It would be nice to see Holliday improve his play in the last few games of the Summer League. Turner improved his game today, scoring 13 points and creating four assists. He looked best in transition scoring six of his 13 on the fast break. Turner showed high energy, and really made a difference on this much improved perimeter defense. Off the bench, there were some names that impressed me, especially point guard Mike Green of Butler, and big man Cedric Simmons. Green showed great pace and speed off the bench, combining his natural point guard abilities with his shooting range to score nine points, and grab three steals. He played impressive defense, especially for a smaller guy (6'1"). Simmons played tremendous, bringing something off the bench that might land him a spot on this team. He scored 10 points and grabbed seven boards in just 16 minutes of play. Reebok New Orleans Saints #9 Drew Brees Realtree camo Jersey
Talk about your high-energy guy. A local kid, Jason Love, who played his high school ball at Abington Friends, scored eight off the bench as well. Overall, the game was frustrating to start with, but ended up great in the end for the 76ers. Philadelphia shot well today, shooting 46 percent from the field and 78 percent from the chairty stripe. I’m looking forward to the rest of the week for the 76ers, to see what young guys can make the team, and how the expected stars

Cliff Lee Unexpectedly Signs With the Philadelphia Phillies

Jed Jacobsohn/Getty ImagesI'm not sure how to start this article. I could start it with Lee, Halladay, Oswalt, or even Hamels. Obviously, this article will start with Cliff Lee, but as a Phillies fan I like to imagine all the possibilities.That's my problem, I'm a dreamer. I occasionally mistake dreams for reality, and free agent signings like this Reebok Pittsburg Steelers #83 Heath Miller Realtree camo Jersey
blur my perception.Maybe I've seen Inception too many times. Maybe I'm stressed out during finals week. Maybe Ruben Amaro is amassing a team ready for inter-galactic play.Maybe Ruben Amaro Jr. plays poker every week with a deck of Phillies playing cards, and he's getting tired of a faceless ace of spades (Every playing card joke is fair game right now, who knows how long the Phillies will keep four aces). According to sources, Cliff Lee has turned down offers from the Yankees and Rangers. This leaves Philadelphia as the only "logical" destination for Cliff Lee.*Cliff Lee has signed a 5 year deal worth 100 million.This deal is unprecedented. No team ever in the annals of time has had a starting rotation as talented as the Phillies. While this might be a slight exaggeration, I believe 29 lineups will not sleep easily tonight as they imagine a series against the Phillies' starting rotation.Ruben Amaro Jr. is playing a game right now that no one else has attempted before. It sort of makes sense in a twisted way; starting pitchers are on the mound every 5th day and do not interfere with other starting pitchers, so why not maximize the team by gathering as many dominant starting pitchers as possible.What do you think about the Cliff Lee signing?What do you think about the Cliff Lee signing?Amazing, Arizona Cardinals jersey
few moments have made me happier in life70.3%Where is all the money coming from1.6%Cliff Lee is not a right-handed bat1.6%Who cares, Philadelphia sucks! (secretly I'm terrified)3.1%Maybe spitting on Cliff Lee's wife was a bad idea, Yankees fans23.4%Total votes: 64Money will come off the books next off-season in the form of Brad Lidge, Jimmy Rollins, Roy Oswalt, and Raul Ibanez. Joe Blanton is probably gone as soon as possible, and Raul could be traded this off-season as well if the Phillies can find a taker. Ultimately, Ruben may not have gotten approval for the deal unless he could unload enough money. Roy Oswalt could potentially be on the trading block though he does have a no-trade clause.Philadelphia is more attractive than Texas and New York City. Lee spurned pinstripes coated with money and the South coated with money for.... a cheese steak. Lee is taking less money than either of the other offers because he enjoyed the environment.He liked all his teammates, he loves Charlie Manuel, and he apparently buys into the Phillies and Philadelphia Atlanta Falcons jersey
culture. This can't help but establish Philadelphia as a social butterfly, popular with all MLB free agents and envied by other teams.I'll be honest, I was beginning to forget about the Fightin' Phils. San Francisco convincingly beat the Phillies in the NLCS playoffs and Michael Vick has turned a young Eagles team into Super Bowl contenders.But Ruben Amaro Jr. seems to be living in a dream world and I'm just glad he's sharing it with me.

20 Dec 10 NFL Week 10 Picks: Atlanta Given Slight Edge Over Baltimore on Thursday

Kevin C. Cox/Getty ImagesThe NFL is back on Thursday nights, as the Baltimore Ravens get ready to go on the road to take on the Atlanta Falcons.The Ravens remained tied for the AFC North lead after beating the Dolphins 26-10 at home this past Sunday. The Falcons sit all alone on top the NFC South after Reebok Green Bay Packers #52 Clay Matthews Realtree camo Jersey
holding on to beat the Buccaneers 27-21.The oddsmakers don’t seem to think there is a whole lot that separates these two teams, as the current NFL odds have the Falcons favored by one point over the Ravens at home.Baltimore (6-2)While the Ravens had no trouble beating the Dolphins last week, the score could have been much worse than the final outcome.After giving the Dolphins a little bit of life going into half up just 13-10, the Ravens defense shutdown the Miami offense the rest of the game. The Ravens outgained the Dolphins 402 to 289, dominated time of possession and forced three turnovers while not turning it over once.Quarterback Joe Flacco completed 20-of-27 for 266 yards and two touchdowns, and Ray Rice finished with 190 yards of total offense, leading the Ravens in both rushing and receiving. The Falcons have been great against the run this season, allowing just under 96 yards a game, so Rice may have to do more of his damage in the passing game than on the ground.The Ravens defense is playing at a very high level again this season, as they come in ninth in the NFL allowing just 310 yards per game, but could have their hands full this weekend against a Falcons team that always plays wellReebok Indianapolis Colts 18 Peyton Manning Realtree camo Jersey
at home.Atlanta (6-2)The Falcons are a perfect 4-0 at home this season, and the offense is really coming along after a disappointing performance at Philadelphia in week 6 when they scored just 17 points.The Falcons got another solid performance from running back Michael Turner, who had 107 yards and two touchdowns on 24 carries, and has now rushed for 228 yards and four touchdowns in his last two games.Quarterback Matt Ryan completed 24-of-36 for 235 yards and a touchdown. The big concern for the Falcons has to be the health of wide out Roddy White, who came in and out of the game with a knee injury. White is listed as questionable for Thursday, and without him, it is going to be very tough for Atlanta to win this game.Defensively the Falcons held LaGarrette Blount to just 46 yards on 13 carries, just one week after Blount rushed for 120 yards and two touchdowns against the Cardinals. Atlanta also forced Bucs quarterback Josh Freeman into two interceptions and allowed Tampa Bay just 278 yards of total offense.Looking at the OddsBoth teams are going to be tired with only three days to recover, but both teams did receive a bye the previous week.This will be the third straight home game for the Falcons, who Reebok Minnesota Vikings 28 Adrian Peterson Realtree camo Jersey
haven’t had to travel since Week 6, and they will also get an extra day of preparation while the Ravens must waste a day to travel.Still, Baltimore is an elite football team and there is no question that a veteran team like the Ravens can come in and win with little time to prepare.If you are looking to make some money this NFL season, check out what our expert NFL handicappers have to offer in their weekly NFL picks.

19 Dec 10 Sidney Rice, Bernard Berrian and the Minnesota Vikings Quit on Brett Favre

Figure 1 Sidney Rice looked ashamed in Chicago after quitting on FavreMost Minnesota Vikings players deserve blame for giving up on the team during their 27-13 loss to the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field on Sunday, but primary blame belongs with the starting wide receivers for hurting team morale Reebok Minnesota Vikings #69 Jared Allen Realtree camo Jersey
by refusing to even play under suspicious circumstances overseen by unpopular head coach Brad Childress.In addition to providing poor play calling, Childress has allowed the starting wide receivers, Sidney Rice and Bernard Berrian, to leave quarterback Brett Favre with no capable wideouts for most of the season. Rice hasn’t played at all after procrastinating on hip surgery and Berrian appears to have more interest in beauty pageants than football.The Vikings’ Vice President of Player Personnel, Rick Spielman, tried to solve the problem by trading for All Pro wide receiver Randy Moss, the NFL’s best deep threat. But head coach Brad Childress unilaterally waived him after only four games because he complained publicly about the team’s poor play calling.Third wide receiver Percy Harvin has had a good year, even while enduring numerous health problems and disagreements with Childress over play-calling, but he and his backup Greg Camarillo are slot receivers and not true wide outs.The remaining wide receivers, Greg Lewis and Hank Baskett, are rejects from Childress’ former Philadelphia Eagles team and mainly special team players. Childress deserves blame for not acquiring any real backup depth at the flanker and split end wide out positions.Figure 2 Bernard Berrian looked to be having a good time in Las Vegas with friend, instead of Favre, during week 4 byeThis week, Childress finally reported that Rice was close to ready. Rice said he opened it up Thursday in practice but admitted Friday he was sore as was listed as questionable. Still, the Star Tribune’s Judd Zulgad and Chip Scoggins expected him to play against the Bears.Yet on Saturday, the Vikings did not place Rice on Reebok New England Patriots #12 Tom Brady Realtree camo Jersey
their 53-man roster. Childress said, "We went through yesterday morning to see how he came back from Friday's practice…we had our mock game yesterday morning and just talked to him. He didn't feel like he was able to go yet."Perhaps, considering the season was on the line, Childress could have done more than just talk, like try to convince him to play or have him get a medical diagnosis.At first it was reported Rice decided he was too “sore” to play. Many fans tried to tweet him on his twitter page because they couldn’t believe he would sit for just that. At game time, the Vikings claimed he was not in “game shape,”whatever that means.On Saturday, my tweet was the following: “Favre has 2 broken bones (in his ankle) and you can’t play because you were sore???” I got no response, even though I restrained myself by not even mentioning that the 41-year old Favre had tendinitis and other arm problems and had played in nearly 300 straight games.Childress has let Rice mismanage the injury all year. Rice didn’t even disclose the hip injury publicly until six months after it occurred in February. Then, he said he would be ready for training camp in late July and after that date fell through, he said he would be ready at the start of the season.Figure 3 Starting wide receivers Rice with Berrian and Harvin enjoying Favre struggle with their backups in ChicagoChildress claimed he didn’t even know about the severe injury until the summer. Childress should communicate more with his players since he likely could have drafted or signed a replacement, more to his liking than Moss, much earlier.After finally deciding he needed surgery in August, Rice said he would miss at least half the season. Yet, Vikings fans are still waiting after the tenth week.Now, if Rice is not activated within eight days by Wednesday of next week, he must miss the entire season. The injury and its severity should have been reported promptly and truthfully so Favre could have stayed in Mississippi, and fans and gamblers could have given up on the season.Berrian has claimed to be generally healthy even though it may be hard to believe that from his play. He didn’t suffer a groin injury until last Friday in practice. He was also listed as questionable going into the Bears game and was in uniform on Sunday.However, just before the game, he decided the groin problem wouldn't allow him to play. Favre said he Reebok New Orleans Saints #9 Drew Brees Realtree camo Jersey
thought Berrian tweaked the injury on the first catch in pregame but Berrian denied that. So just when did the injury become serious?Childress’ explanation provided more questions than answers. "He was set to go, we had him up and I knew it was bugging him a little bit…Whether it was the conditions or he got tight, cold, tweaked it again, I'm not exactly sure. He just said, 'I can't go.' "Figure 4 Childress is unable to motivate Vikings players to play hard or injuredFans needed a better answer than Childress provided. As fans complained on Berrian’s Twitter page, he became suspiciously defensive: "Don't ever question my heart or toughness…played plenty games injured. U just don't hear bout it. N warmup had nothin 2 do w/it."Questions about Berian’s effort started long before the Bears game. Earlier this season, KFAN’s Dan Barreiro said Berrian had turned to the celebrity life, including beauty pageants. Brad Childress even allowed Berrian to go to Las Vegas during their Week 4 bye after Favre asked him to stay and view tape.A friend of mine said he heard Berrian say that football is just a job. Favre, who gives it everything he has while injured, doesn’t deserve wide receivers with this kind of attitude and who sit out crucial division games while leaving their quarterback to take a beating. Moreover, if all the players felt the way Berrian apparently does, why should the fans care?Harvin, who was also listed as questionable for the Bears game, played despite a recurrence of migraines last week and ankle problems, but he re-injured his sprained left ankle during a fourth quarter kickoff return. By the end of the game Harvin could be seen laughing with Berrian, who was sitting next to Rice on the bench.It must have been real funny for the Vikings three main wide receivers to watch their ineffective backups provide little support to Shiancoe and running back Adrian Peterson as they dropped balls and fell down, the offensive line as it broke down leaving Favre open to hits, and the defense and special teams following the collapse of the offense.Figure 5 Zygi Wilf is blowing the Vikings season by not firing ChildressThe sight of the Vikings two starters and eventually all three main wide receivers on the bench was disconcerting to fans and likely discouraged team morale. Like Judd Zulgad and Chip Scoggins said after the Bears game, the Vikings are not going to cut it with Greg Camarillo, Greg Lewis and Hank Baskett as their wide receivers.Certainly, injuries are a gray area. Perhaps Rice and Berrian had a good excuse. Perhaps, they were still seriously injured. Or perhaps they didn’t want to take any chances or endure pain like Favre and Harvin do.But the Vikings won’tbuy their excuses. Spielman has refused to extend the contract of Rice because injuries have not allowed him to prove himself over a long enough time period. Berrian underperformed last year due to an apparent hamstring injury and is certainly gone after this year’s lack of performance.Although Childress has accepted blame for the team’s poor play, the ultimate responsibility rests with owner Zygi Wilf. He has continually refused opportunities to fire Childress and solve the team’s major problems: poor play at the wide receiver positions, poor team morale and predictable play-calling.According to the Star Tribune reporter Judd Zulgad’s article "Childress Powerful Because Structure is Shaky," Childress is powerful because Wilf has appointed no general manager.Moreover, the article said, after talking to several players last week about Childress, that Wilf left Childress in control and with full knowledge of which players had given Wilf unfavorable reports about him. Vikings players say they can't voice their feelings for fear of being waived like Moss.Wilf should have realized the seriousness of Reebok New York Giants #27 Brandon Jacobs Realtree camo Jersey
what the Vikings players were saying after they had to score 17 unanswered points with under four minutes remaining just to beat the lowly Cardinals at home. Every Vikings player asked if their rally was motivated by a desire to save Childress’ job answered that they did it “for each other.”This week they didn’t even appear to try to play for each other, especially the wide receivers Rice and Berrian.Yet Wilf is still not hearing the players after saying Childress’ job is safe.Wilf’s continued refusal to fire Childress likely cost the Vikings a loss against the bitter division rival Chicago Bears and now threatens an even more devastating loss at home to the hated Green Bay Packers.Barreiro said the coach must go if the players don’t want to play for him. Yet Zygi Wilf continues to allow Childress to stay even after he saw how the previously one-win Dallas Cowboys beat his hometown favorite New York Giants after firing their head coach.Fans will likely quit on the Vikings if Zygi Wilf won’t at least try to save the season by firing Childress immediately.

18 Dec 10 Donovan McNabb Signs New Deal With Washington Redskins

Jonathan Daniel/Getty ImagesI hate to say I told you so, no wait I love to say I told you so.Michael Smith of ESPN is reporting that the Washington Redskins and Donovan McNabb have reached an agreement on a contract extension.The Skins are keeping the Pro Bowl quarterback in D.C. at Reebok Green Bay Packers 21 Charles Woodson Realtree camo Jersey
the tune of five years for $78 million with a reported $40 million being guaranteed.I have said all along that the media was blowing the benching way out of proportion and that he would be back next season. Also I'm one of the few people who took Donovan at his word when he said he was 100 percent sure he'd be a Redskin next season.He said this only two days after his benching.Still the talking heads were so sure he was gone they were already calling the trade a disaster and saying how terrible this was.Well apparently it was all for nothing and it would appear with this contract that the Shanhans and McNabb have burred the hatchet, this is if there ever was one to bury.

17 Dec 10 Brett Favre: Would It Hurt or Help His Legacy If He Walked Away Today?

Favre says he needs to "re-evaluate" things. Should he Reebok Denver Broncos #15 Tim Tebow Realtree camo Jersey
finish the season or call it a career now? Let me know.Matthew Stockman/Getty ImagesThings are not going well in Minnesota, as the Vikings continued to slide after being trampled by the Green Bay Packers on Sunday 31-3.If you are reading this column you've probably already read a hundred others about Brett Favre already. For a guy I used to play against in Madden '94 on my Super Nintendo, he is sure getting a lot of headlines in 2010.First it was his announced retirement, then his comeback announcement. Since then it's been about alleged photos to Reebok Green Bay Packers #12 Aaron Rodgers Realtree camo Jersey
a sideline reporter, his mostly lacking play this year, his suffering of more injuries than a bus crash and his determination to tell me that nothing beats Wrangler comfort.After this latest loss to his former team, Favre stated that he needed to "re-evaluate" his career from here. Coming from Favre this could mean anything, but speculation today has many thinking that Brett might be considering walking away before the end of the season.While he isn't likely to throw his pads and jersey into the stands on his way out like Vince Young didto the Titans on Sunday, if Favre left right now there would likely be some fans who label him as a quitter.If he stays, there would also likely be fans who feel he has overstayed his welcome, and would be better off on the bench or even at home.Personally, I'm mixed on the topic. I was one of those people who felt Favre didn't need to come back in 2009, only to end up eating my words as Brett put up a career year. I hesitate to make any kind of call on him, as he never does what I think he'll doReebok Green Bay Packers #52 Clay Matthews Realtree camo Jersey
and never seems to be done when I think he is, and who knows what he means now by "re-evaluate"?So I want to know what each of you think. Would it possibly tarnish Favre's legacy and career if he walks away before the season ends, or would it do more damage if he were to continue to tape himself up and play?

16 Dec 10 Tampa Bay Buccaneers Face Impressive Ravens: What Are Their Chances?

Ray Lewis and his defense stand between the Bucs and victory on Sunday.Kevin C. Cox/Getty ImagesNo patsy, no pushover, no softie, no cupcake. The Baltimore Ravens are a 100 percent certified bunch of bone-crushers, bullies and probably are looking forward to their post-Thanksgiving meeting with those youthful, upstart Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday in the city named after Cecilius Calvert, the second Lord Baltimore. The Ravens are as far from a "nobody" as you can get in the NFL. And the Bucs stand accused week after week of Reebok Pittsburg Steelers #83 Heath Miller Realtree camo Jersey
scoring victories over a dandy collection of NFL "nobodies." The Ravens are somebody. At the same time, they can be a confusing team. Consider these tidbits: They lost to a lowly Cincinnati Bengals team in Week 2, 15-10, a team the Buccaneers disposed of. There you go, somebody got beat by nobody. It happens in the NFL, and fortunately, the Bucs haven't lost to a "nobody." These "somebody" Ravens beat Cleveland at home by a touchdown in week three, 24-17. These "somebody" Ravens barely beat the "nobody" Bills, 37-34, in Week 7. There are also some resume-builders in the Ravens' win column, like the 17-14 win at Pittsburgh in Week 4, a one-point squeaker in Week 1 over the probably playoff-bound Jets, 10-9. So which Raven team will be on the field Sunday? If it's the Bengals bunch, these Bucs have a chance. If it's the guys who lost at Atlanta, 26-21, these Bucs have a chance. If it's the guys who gave up 34 points to then-winless Buffalo, these Bucs have a chance. This will be no doubt the biggest challenge for Reebok Arizona Cardinals Larry Fitzgerald Realtree camo Jersey
the Buccaneer coaching staff. Superb preparation is a must. Buccaneer special teams will have to be extraordinarily special. Don't expect any 80-yard drives against this Ray Lewis-engineered defense. Oh yes, then there's that lad named Ray Rice. Come on, run defense, meet the challenge and give Ray-Ray the Frank Gore treatment. That will be a supreme challenge and will let everyone know if Raheem Morris has come up with a run-stopping scheme. The warm-up for the Ravens last week was a thumping of Carolina,a team that is being bullied by virtually everyone, including the Buccaneers. So what are the chances? The oddsmakers love the Ravens. They're anywhere from a touchdown favorite and has high as 11. Fact is, the Bucs will have to win the turnover game. They'll need Reebok Baltimore Ravens #5 Joe Flacco Realtree camo Jersey
some help from Joe Flacco, who is solid but also beatable, and the Tampa secondary could fool him. So while you recover fromyour turkey hangover, ponder the possibilities. A road win in Baltimore will be very very hard to come by. But then, who figured this team formed around a bunch of NFL infants would be 7-3 going into Lord Baltimore's city?

Bills vs. Steelers: Steve Johnson's Drop and Reaction To What Everyone's Saying

Karl Walter/Getty ImagesI've had nearly a full day to digest the Buffalo Bills' excruciating 19-16 overtime loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers.I've read all the reactions to"The Drop." I've read all the analyses on the wildest game I've ever attended in Ralph Wilson Stadium, and one of the mostunpredictableafternoons I've seen during my time as a Bills fan. I scour the web and read everythingbecause thenI feel that I can form moreastute opinions. And becausemy thoughts are plentybut short,I've got a quick hitter version of nfl jerseys
Seen and Herd this week.... —First, what a football game. The first halfled many to believe we were in for another embarrassing home lossthat would end with a score like 23-3, but theentire second half was nothing but high drama. —I realized thatSteelers fans really do travel well, but are moreeasily noticeableamongst the home crowds because just about all of them wavethose Terrible Towels. —That was the loudest I'veever heard Ralph WilsonStadium. It was partially becauseof the rabidPittsburgh fans, but mainly because the Bills fans were out in full force andreally brought the noise. —The Steelers are definitely a good football team, but if they continue to shoot themselves in the foot (10 penalties for 107 yards), they'll have a hard time beating the upperechelon of the AFC. —Although Rashard Mendenhall had 151 yards, found holes and broke some tackles,he had 16 of his36 rushes go forthree yards or less, two of which were for negative yardage. —Kyle Williams deserves Defensive Player of the Year votes.His stats against the Steelersagain proved he is worthy.The guy had 10 total tackles, eight solo, two sacks, three tackles for loss, three quarterback hits andforced a handful of holdingpenalties.He's apparently "undersized" for theposition, butWilliams is an animalout there, and I'm not sure there's a center in the league that cancontain hisconsistent penetration. —Torell Troup is far frombeing the next Kyle Williams, but because the Bills coaching staff canrely onTroup to spell Williams without much drop off in production, Williams is fresh the whole ballgame. Role player. —Since the pinnacle of their criticism from Bills fans and the media a month ago, DonteWhitner and Chris Kelsay have turnedin three straightsolidefforts. Whitner will never be the game changerTroy Polamalu is, but I'm starting to believe he actually matters on this team. —I'mupset Dwan Edwards could be out for a while,because he was having a career year, but now players who will be a more considerable part of the Bills future, Alex Carrington, Arthur Moats and Antonio Coleman will gain much needed experience. —The Bills sacked Ben Roethlisbergersix times? I'mas shocked as you are. Karl Walter/Getty Images—Paul Poslusznyisn't cutting it as an impactmiddle linebacker in the NFL. I've tried to defend him long enough.He's not big enoughto play inside and isn't fast enough sideline-to-sideline to move outside. He's the classic tweener. —Now to the catch. What a toss by Fitzpatrick that came after a fantastic callby Chan Gailey. They set upthat play all afternoon and the Steelers were totally fooled.When theball hit Stevie's hands Ijumped so high I nearly fell over the front of the upper deck (my seats are in the first row)and then when I saw the ballon the ground, I landed where I had my muddy boots all afternoon and just sat there. Total dejection. —If you're looking forhow or why it happened, good luck. He flat-out dropped the pass. That's it. Because I was at the game and couldn't see up-close replays, I thought a lot of his five drops were actually passes defended, but upon further review his hands did betray him on each incompletion. Maybe it was the cold?- Unless Johnson elaborates on his tweet after the game, we'll never know if he was directing it at God or at the fans. Either way, this guy is very religious New Orleans Saints jersey
and probably would have been thanking the Lord had he made the catch. Also, haven't you ever "blamed" God for misfortune in your life, especially in the heat of the moment? I know I have. You don't necessarily mean it, but it's what comes out. Exactly what happened here. Lay off him. —The OT drop will live in infamy for Bills fans,but Johnson'sdrop on the slant route thatPolamalucaught inchesbefore it hit the groundin the fourth quarter was just as bad.That slant has beenthe Bills go-toplay in the red-zone. Rick Stewart/Getty Images—If you're one of many who want Steve Johnson to tone down his personality after his humbling experience or are dismissing him now, you're crazy. We've been irrelevant for a decade, and although he's another figure in Bills heartbreak history, he'splayed a huge role in the Bills' offensive resurgence, has an extremely bright future andcan bring theattention to Buffalothat we've missed since the 90's. He must keep his "swagger." —I'm as angry with the drop as you are, but you've got to feel for the guy. —Don'tforget Lee Evans' one-catch outing. His drop in OT would have brought the Bills to the 10-yard line and essentially ended the game.He's a vet and is making millions more than Johnson.Keep that in mind.- How about Chris Kelsay's sack of Big Ben on the half yard-line? And the fumble that ensued. Just the Bills luck the ball that returned right to Roethlisberger and he wasn't in the endzone for a game-ending safety. If only. —Ifonly Leodis could have crossed "the Moats." —When C.J. Spiller returns,McKelvin needs to stay as the team's primarykickreturner. Sure he's fumbled more than we'd like, but so has Spiller, and Leodis understands thatrunning full speed, straight ahead is more important than making guys miss East-West. Spiller willlearn eventually. Rick Stewart/Getty Images—National media "experts," the Bills do not have a bad offensive line. There are much more porous units in the NFL. —I never want to hear "The Bills need a quarterback with a strong arm for those windy and snowy days in Buffalo." It'salmostDecember and the Bills haven't hadanymore games affected bybad weather than contests inChicago, GreenBay, New England,East Rutherford, Pittsburgh or Philly.Yes, thelast games against Cleveland or NewEngland couldbe cold and might feature snowfall, butthese national media guys don't know what they're talking about in reference to Western New York weather's effect onBills games. It rarely happens. Maybe once a season. —Ryan Fitzpatrick is the man. I'll take a few errant tosses with him. For every one of those, we get a picture-perfect toss between coverages. Imagine what he can do with another year under Gailey and an entire offseason and preseason as the starter. He'll also serve as the ideal mentor for whatever QB Buffalo drafts in April. —This football jerseys
loss numbed my emotions so much that Iwasn't angry or upset walking back to the car. In true eternal optimist form, I was encouraged that the Bills played a top-tier opponent, didn't fold when they got down, fought back and made it a game. —The 2-9, 2010 version of the Buffalo Bills is light-years ahead of a team that finished 6-10 last year. This team plays so hard and never stops fighting. We haven't seen that in our football team in quite some time. —Keep your head up, Steve Johnson. Keep your heads up, Bills fans. There's light at the endof this tunnel. We're on our way up.

Rex Ryan and the Jets Want Respect? Earn It Monday Night in Foxboro

Andrew Burton/Getty ImagesThe best place to be is when expectations are high.That's what Rex Ryan said to his New York Jets in training camp on HBO's Hard Knocks. Well now those expectations are about as high as they've ever been for the Jets and their fanbase.At 9-2, and fueled by Jets 6 Sanchez Jersey
all the preseason talk about a Super Bowl, Jets fans that have been starving for a Super Bowl since 1969 are not only wishing for a victory against the Patriots in Foxboro this weekend, but are expecting it.Go to any Jets message board. Talk to any Jets fan. It's obvious that the entire fanbase expects a win on Monday Night in the hardest of environments: on the road at Foxboro where Tom Brady hasn't lost in 25 regular season games.But guess what? Brady and the Patriots' last home loss was to the Jets and that impressive win streak at home drops to five games if you include last season's playoffs in which the Patriots lost 33-14.These Patriots, especially against the Jets, are not nearly as invincible at home as most like to make them out to be.And every Jets fan knows it.That's why Rex Ryan and the Jets must deliver on Monday night. Let's forget about the implications of losing. Sure the Patriots would be in first place in the AFC East and in the fast lane for the No. 1 seed in the AFC Playoffs.But this game means way more to the Jets than it does for the Patriots and their fans for the simple fact that it has exponentially greater meaning to the Jets franchise and its fans than it does for the Patriots and their fans.Why? Because the Patriots won three Super Bowls in the past decade and have either come in first place or tied for first place in the AFC East throughout the last decade.Even if it is kind of grating for Jets fans to admit, the once moribund Patriots have far surpassed the Jets in franchise lore in the past decade.Cheatriots, Bill Belicheat, etc...we've heard them all. All futile, jealous and purposeless attempts to minimize the Patriots success over the past decade.The only remedy for that bitter feeling Jets fans have had in their chests the past decade—"You feelthatsting, big boy, huh?That's pride FUCKIN' with you!"—is a win on Monday night.Sweep the Patriots in 2010 and let them know that Rex Ryan's Jets are here to stay for the next decade. No longer will they run roughshod over the AFC East.And the reason for this bravado? Because we—and by we I mean all Jets fans—know that at this very moment our team is more talented than this Patriots squad. They can't contain our offense because they don't have the defense to stop Tomlinson, Keller, Holmes and Edwards. And we can contain their defense because we have the best cornerback tandem in the entire NFL.Is that the way it will go down on Monday night?Perhaps not.The Jets have been struggling lately and the Patriots have been running on all cylinders. Nobody can doubt that. As much fun as it is to create a circular argument whenever somebody brings up the Jets' weak schedule by 4 Brett Favre White jersey
mentioning the Patriots loss to the Browns, the fact still remains that the Patriots have been awfully more impressive than the Jets over the past couple of weeks.But the common retort from Jets fans has been that everybody must wait until the roster "clicks." To be sure, the Jets have shown the propensity to defeat opponents while dominating one or two facets of the game throughout the season, but they have hardly ever played a complete game. The exceptions might be Weeks 2 and 4 against the Patriots and Bills respectively.But that was up to nine weeks ago.Never mind the fact that Patriots, Steelers or Ravens fans can hardly point to as many examples of their teams playing as good of games as the Jets played against the Patriots and Bills in those early weeks.This is about the Jets' ability to win a Super Bowl.They will never come close to such a thing unless they perform in all facets of the game. To be certain, they won't beat the Patriots in Foxboro this weekend unless they perform in all facets of the game.Who will win on Monday night?Who will win on Monday night?Jets13.8%Patriots84.8%Tie game?1.4%Total votes: 289We all know that this team can beat the Patriots wherever and whenever if the Jets play at their best because when Rex Ryan said this team could beat any team playing at its best on Hard Knocks we took it to heart.We also know that if the Jets win this game on Monday Rex Ryan's Jets take a 3-1 lead in the head-to-head matchup between the two teams.If Rex Ryan really wants to kick Bill Belichick's ass, he'll win this game because then us Jets fans can say that he's kicked Belichick's ass in two seasons as the head coach.And if the Jets "click" and beat the Patriots? Well, then they'll have earned the respect of the entire NFL. Not only that, but they will have solidified themselves as favorites in the AFC and favorites to represent the AFC in the Super Bowl.They will also prove that a Jets squad playing at its best will beat any other team playing at its best.Ryan said this was the case way back in the summer and Jets fans believed him, but now he and his team have a chance to earn the respect they clamor for and justify the faith of their fans in the process.Letting them down Jets 6 Sanchez Jersey
won't eradicate fan support, but winning on Monday will go a long way towards justifying the fanbase's belief in the team's ability to defeat any other team in the NFL and eradicate the rest of the NFL's questions about this Jets team'slegitimacy.

NFL Week 14 Picks: Green Bay at Detroit and Tampa Bay at Washington

Kevin C. Cox/Getty ImagesIt was a strong week for our NFL picks last week—the Falcons mounted a late comeback to win and cover and the Rams didn’t need any late heroics to put away the lousy Cardinals. Here’s hoping that the momentum carries over to these Week 14 NFL picks and odds:Green Bay (-6.5) at Detroit (Sunday, Dec. 12, 1 p.m. EST)Green Bay has won five of its last six games, covering the spread in the last four. The one loss was at Atlanta, one of the tougher road venues in the NFL. In short, the Packers are playing solid football right now. Aaron Rodgers has been strong and the team is playing with confidence on both sides of the ball.The Lions, on the other hand, haven’t won a division game in a very long time; it's been even longer since they have beaten the Packers. Furthermore, the Packers have covered seven of the last nine meetings between the two.While there are some promising things going on in Detroit, they are few and far between. A lot of their issues are getting more and more significant as the season goes along—with their QB issues being chief among them.There isn’t a meaningful part of this game in which Detroit has an edge, and Green Bay’s edge on defense is particularly significant. Green Bay has a whole lot to play for with their playoff fate dependent on a few more wins down the stretch.This means nothing at all to the Lions. Zip. Zilch. It’s just another game between now and the end of the season for them. The line is available at Packers -6.5 and -7, according to NFL odds. I would like the Packers at -7, but I love them at -6.5.I expect Aaron Rodgers to have another solid day—with flashes of brilliance—and I don’t think Detroit has nearly enough weapons right now to answer the challenge.Tampa Bay (-1) at Washington (Sunday, December 12, 1 pm ET)It has taken me a long time to take this Tampa Bay team seriously. Surprisingly, it wasn’t until they lost their last two games that I realized they are no joke. They played both Atlanta and Baltimore tough, and are doing a lot of things right. This is a team with a lot of heart.The Redskins, on the other hand, don’t know the meaning of the word heart. They have one win in their last five games, and that win came against a Tennessee team that has even more issues than do the Redskins. The only thing Washington is at or near the top of the league in is drama. Beyond that they don’t resemble a good team in any way.Tampa Bay has covered the spread in 10 of their last 11 road games so there is no issue with them on the road. Josh Freeman has been surprisingly good, while Donovan McNabb has been a bit of a train wreck, throwing for 15 interceptions and just 12 touchdowns.I could go on and on, but the point is this: I really, really don’t like the Redskins, and can find all sorts of reasons to like the Bucs, especially at this price.

Pittsburgh Steelers Willie Parker Ben Roethlisberger

The terrible towels flew inside Heinz Stadium, as Bill Cowher's Pittsburgh Steelers hosted Jeff Fisher's Tennessee Titans in their 2005 season opener.The Tennessee Titans had first possession of the ball, and took it down the field with ease.
Titans' quarterback Steve McNair appeared Vikings Brett Favre jersey
confident and ready to make some big plays in the game, as he found Ben Troupe open in the red zone, and threw for a touchdown. The Pittsburgh Steelers dominated the rest of the football game winning 34-7. Second year players Ben Roethlisberger and Willie Parker were both on their marks and played near perfect games. Roethlisberger finished his game with 9 out of 11 passes completed and 218 passing yards, resulting in two touchdown passes. Parker ended with 161rushing yards and a touchdown.The Pittsburgh Steelers' offensive line blocked well for their quarterback, giving him the time he needed to find open receivers. They also created plenty of openings for Parker. Defensively, the Steelers made several big plays when the Titans were in the red zone 4 Brett Favre White jersey
ready to score, including a fumble and an interception.Steve McNair finished with 18 out of 26 completions and 235 passing yards, resulting in one touchdown pass and one interception. The Titans lost possession of the football four times on turnovers. Their defense also missed many key tackles.

San Francisco 49ers Seattle Seahawks Gerardo Sandoval

Newsflash: The 49ers only won four games this season. Newsflash: The Seahawks are on their way to the Super Bowl.These two facts have been enough for San Francisco Supervisor Gerardo Sandoval to flip-flop his support for the home team, and put forth a resolution suggesting that the city of2010 pro bowl Vikings 4 Brett Favre jersey
San Francisco adopt the Seahawks as they make their run to the Super Bowl. In making this resolution Sandoval has very efficiently insulted the 49ers team, coaches, front office, staff, and owner along with the fans. He has also very quickly making a mockery of rooting for the home team. All this after an elaborate "Faithful" marketing plan the 49ers put into action last off-season.Sandoval said: "Who can possibly have anything against the Seahawks? ... (They're) as benign as an empty tin can. I don't understand why anyone would think it's a big deal." The fact that the city would be abandoning the 49ers is bad enough, but the 'Hawks are a NFC West opponent. That is a big deal, not an empty tin can, if you ask me. Clearly, Sandoval has no concept of being loyal or faithful to a team. Real supporters do not jump off the bandwagon when a team hits a rough spots, especially after 20 years of winning.Sandoval's comments go beyond football and rivalry. In adopting the Seahawks, the city of San Francisco would essentially be raising a big finger towards every player that has ever performed community service, every donation the team has made to the city, and a glorious history of success between football and the community.Fortunately for the city, the team, and 6 Super Bowl Champions jersey White jersey
fans everywhere Sandoval's policy will be going to an evaluation committee and will not be back before the Super Bowl. The damage however, has already been done. For all the latest news and resources about the 49ers please visit 49ersparadise.com - you can also contact Bryan Hersh from there.

San Francisco 49ers Sleeper Prospects

As mentioned last week in my San Francisco 49ers draft prospectus, many football Web sites talk about well-known prospects, but very few profile the small-school, late-round prospects who are unknown to casual fans. In order to buck that trend, I have undertaken the task of 6 Sanchez Purple AFL50th jersey
bringing these players to the forefront, all of whom could be good fits for the 49ers. I have received several profile requests over the past few days. So many, in fact, that I cannot fit them all into one column or even two. So what I'm going to do is discuss two or three players per column from various positions up until the draft. Let's get started.1. Kevin Kolb, QB, Houston:Kolb started four seasons at Houston, passing for almost 13,000 yards and 85 touchdowns in his career. He has very good size (6-foot-3, 220 pounds), good enough arm strength, and though he is not a speed demon, he is mobile enough to make plays with his feet.Some people think he is an excellent quarterback worthy of a first-day (likely a second-round) pick. These people point out Kolb's lightning-quick release, plethora of starting experience, and excellent pocket awareness (such as sliding around the pocket to buy time -- think Tom Brady and Peyton Manning) as reasons for this.Others feel Kolb is a second-day pick, and that he is a raw product with poor mechanics and spotty accuracy. They also think the shotgun system he played in at Houston will hurt him in the pros. If you ever saw Houston play while Kolb was there, you know it was anything but a conventional pro-style offense. There were plays where Kolb took a snap from the shotgun while he was moving laterally. Yes, you read that correctly -- the center would snap the ball while moving sideways.To be honest, he reminds me a little bit of Alex Smith when the current 49er starting QB came out of Utah. They both played in offenses that have no comparison in the pros -- offenses that rely on intelligence and sound execution of the game plan more than athletic ability. Both have above-average speed for the position, but neither is going to outrun very many people. Now, obviously the Niners don't need a starting quarterback, but if Kolb is available on the second day, they could justify selecting him. After all, teams need a solid backup quarterback who can step in throughout the season if something happens to the starter; it's just smart business. 2. Courtney Taylor, WR, Auburn:There is no question that Taylor has just about all the measurables you could look for 4 Brett Favre Purple jersey
in an NFL receiver. He is nearly 6-2 and weighs 204 pounds, he's fairly quick (4.5 40-yard dash), very athletic, and he has above-average hands, but other than apparently being the inspiration for Trapjaw on the original Masters of the Universe cartoon, Taylor has never really done anything noteworthy. He played in 50 games during his career at Auburn, catching 153 passes for 2,098 yards and nine touchdowns. That's an average of just three catches for 41 yards per game and a touchdown every five and a half contests. Granted, Taylor did play behind some talented players in his time in Auburn, but it's not like any of them (Ben Obomanu, Anthony Mix and Devin Aromashodu) have succeeded in the NFL. Because of this, I have reservations about how much he could help out an NFL team. He just wasn't effective for the Tigers, and there doesn't seem to be any real reason for it. Then again, the same things were said about Willie Parker, the running back for the Pittsburgh Steelers. He barely played at all when he was at the University of North Carolina, but now he's one of the top backs in the league. Talent can be overlooked for a variety of reasons, and unless you're privy to the goings-on of a college football team, you may never know the true reasons. The good folks at NFLDraftCountdown have this to say, "(Taylor) was not always utilized in college and still has some upside...Clutch on third downs...Has a lot of experience."Taylor will likely be taken in the third or 43 Polamalu white jersey
fourth round by a team that needs a receiver with decent size, but I doubt he'll ever be anything more than a situational player in the league. There are several other receivers the 49ers could take who would be better players in the pros, two of whom I will talk about next time.Question? Comment?

Jacksonville Jaguars "Jaguars: To thine own selves be true"

All right, Jacksonville Jaguars fans, you can start breathing again. Your team has survived quite a fright from the frankly scary Pittsburgh Steelers to live and play another day.But it wasn't pretty. Close, yes. But definitely not pretty. Jacksonville 31, Pittsburgh 29 was no determined pursuit by discounted underdog a la New England-New York Giants in Week 17; this was no back-and-forth tug of war between equally matched teams, like last year's Seattle-Dallas wild-card game. The truth is, this game was a single fortuitous run by David Steelers 36 Bettis Jersey
Garrard away from going down as one of the all-time great choke jobs.Sure, a 'W' is a 'W', and the Jaguars will be the ones advancing for the privilege (snicker) of going to Foxborough for the divisional game. If you're a Jags enthusiast, you can't help but be concerned, though; if there were ever a moral loss, this was it.Seriously, 19 unanswered points in the fourth quarter? What happened? As soon as the under-the-radar Jags suddenly produce a blip on the screens, they barely make it through the flak? Who was it out there on the field dressed in Jacksonville colors for the game's final 20 minutes?In short, what happened to the formula that had the Jaguars sneaking up to the stratosphere of the power-poll elite? To wit: Coaching smarts - where were they? After doing the "chopping wood" thing all season, Jack Del Rio suddenly got loopy late in the Pittsburgh, unfortunately falling in love with his low-watt QB and the running game.Trouble could be sensed for the Jaguars immediately on the possession after the first Pittsburgh TD (on a fourth-and-12 play wherein Santonio Holmes was incredibly open). The first three plays called on Jacksonville's answering series went wobbly pass incomplete, wobbly pass short and incomplete, sack, punt. Jack, you're on the road with a possibly tenuous 11-point lead: Why aren't you taking the home crowd out of the game again, pounding the run with your two studs?(Was anyone else mentally writing the "run it up the middle for no gain" portion of this week's Gregg Easterbrook column over at The Worldwide Leader in [American] Sports as the fourth quarter went down?)Going to the pass on second down on the next drive resulted in an interception. And how about the very poor challenge call right before the two-minute warning? And how about not trying to get the next play off before the two-minute warning? For a while, it looked as if the best decision Del Rio made in the second half was to take the delay-of-game penalty before the game-winning field goal.Jack, Jags - It's not as if you haven't been here before. Act like it. Who needs a passing attack at all? Um, the Jaguars do. If the running game fails (see below), Garrard & Co. are going to have to perform quite a bit better in a playoff situation. After being given seemingly free rein to take it to the air in the fourth quarter (see above), Garrard went 2 of 7 passing for 19 yards, with one disastrous pick and one sack. Troy Polamalu read the man like a book. A page turner, in fact.While Garrard has been receiving quite a bit of favorable press during the Jaguars' brief blip on the radar for his low turnover ratio, an important thing to remember about this QB is that the less often he throws, the better he is. Garrard's overall quarterback rating for the regular season was 102.2. In games when he totaled 30 or fewer attempts, it's 107.6. With 25 or fewer, representing five games, Garrard's rating goes up to 110.0 and his accuracy just over 65 percent.Statistical trends can't really explain away Garrard's terrible performance in this one, though, of 9 of 21 for 140 yards, two interceptions and one TD. Jacksonville faithful are praying it really was the turf. Running attack? What running attack? Coming into the game with a superstar two-headed monster of Fred Taylor and Maurice Jones-Drew -- the second-most prolific running game in the league over the regular season, we were reminded -- the Jaguars totaled a lowly 135 yards on the ground, 32 of which came with Garrard's miracle scamper. Bad surface or no, Taylor has to manage better than 3 yards per carry. Secondary? What secondary? While guys like Justin Durant, Jeremy Mincey, Grady Jackson and Rob Meier tormented Ben Roethlisberger with constant pressure (even as Paul Spicer was mostly neutralized throughout) rarely seen by Pittsburgh. On third down, however, the secondary simply wasn't dependable: The Steelers went 7 of 14 in converting on third down, keeping them in the game. Roethlisberger and his receivers tormented Reggie Nelson, Terry Cousin, Brian Williams and Scott Starks.Tell you who's going to complain about the surface next week: The above trio must face Randy Moss and Wes Welker on field turf made hard like a parking lot in a New England cold snap. What about the head games? One of the great untold stories is the excellent trash-talking going on from the Steelers' side late in the game. As Al Michaels put it, Cousin and Williams started "getting chippy" ("losing their cool" might be another valid expression) about midway through the second TD drive.What followed was a barrage of dagger-type penalties, mostly of the utterly unnecessary 4 Brett Favre Purple jersey
variety: Stuff like pass interference and illegal contact gave the Steelers good field position time and again. Had Mike Tomlin and friends known the head game with the Jaguars would be so easy to win, they would've started the yammering on the opening kickoff.For now, you may breathe that sweet oxygen, Jags fans: Your team has escaped the proverbial bullet. Enjoy it while it lasts, though, because there may well be quite a few blue in the face down Florida way on Saturday.The best hope against the mighty New England Patriots just could be to stick with the game plan. It's just sane enough to work.RealFootball365.com: The voice of reason all year-round.

Jacksonville Jaguars "Can Marcedes Lewis become a tight end Mercedes?"

This could be the year Jacksonville Jaguars fans finally learn to spell Marcedes Lewis' name.It's not "Mercedes," as in the high-end automobile, but "Marcedes." Yet based on his performance during the Jaguars' recent mini-camp, the 6-foot-6, 265-pound UCLA product could be emerging as a Mercedes 4 Brett Favre White jersey
among tight ends.The reason is new Jags offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter, who as a college coach always saw tight ends as more than blocking sleds with hands. And in Lewis, Koetter thinks he may have not just a go-to guy on short patterns, but a potential deep threat.While Lewis may not be Terrell Owens -- his 40 times prior to the 2006 draft ranged from 4.7 to a shade over 4.8 -- he is one of those players who seems faster during games than in time trials. Moreover, as a former Bruin basketball player, he has the ability to elevate over most of the league's defensive backs."We're going to look for vertical opportunities," said Jacksonville coach Jack Del Rio at the end of mini-camp. "We're going to throw to the tight ends."Three of them, at last count -- Lewis, George Wrightser and Jermaine Wiggins, a free agent from Minnesota. Wiggins caught 46 passes with the Vikings last season, while Wrightser had 39 receptions for 353 yards and three touchdowns for Jacksonville.By comparison, Lewis' 13 catches for 126 yards and a single touchdown (against Buffalo, on a 1-yard pass from David Garrard) look rather anemic. But he may be the most "vertical" of the three, and only his subpar blocking kept him from spending more time on the field. It's a facet of the game that Lewis -- described as "extremely coachable" -- has been working on.Lewis was the 2006 John Mackey Award winner as the nation's best tight end and went to Jacksonville as the 28th pick of the first round. As a UCLA senior, he set a school tight end record with 58 receptions, accounting for 741 yards and 10 touchdowns, and was named to the first team of several All-America teams. He scored 21 receiving touchdowns in his UCLA career, second only to J.J. Stokes.Koetter, whose last Arizona State squad (with TE Zach Miller a key component) was second in the nation in total offense, liked what he saw of Lewis so much that the Jaguars ran a lot of four-receiver sets during mini-camp, some of Steelers 6 Super Bowl Champions jersey
them with two tight ends.Hamstring pulls suffered by Lewis and Wrightser hampered the process a bit, but Koetter still got a chance to see what his big guns could do on downfield routes. Maybe way downfield.Got an idea or a topic that you would like to see explored? Tell us all about it by e-mailing us at feedback . Keep track of the Jacksonville Jaguars and the rest of the NFL

Hey, Buffalo Bills fans, take this!

Amid all of the Lane Kiffin-Al Davis hype, here’s a quick reminder for some readers out there: The do have a game this week.The Raiders will be traveling to Orchard Park, N.Y., for a Week 3 contest with the Buffalo Bills, who will be sporting their electric blue throwback jerseys to further rile up a home crowd that, well, hardly needs any riling.Buffalo is coming off two straight wins to kick off the 2008 campaign, and is looking to push its record to 3-0 and remain atop the now-up-for-grabs AFC East. Oakland, on the other hand, is attempting to win two 2010 pro bowl Vikings 4 Brett Favre jersey
straight, after suffering a 27-point loss against the Denver Broncos in Week 1 and rebounding to top the Kansas City Chiefs last Sunday, 23-8. The Raiders currently sit (uncomfortably) second in the AFC West.While all the buzz in Oakland, around Oakland or anywhere within a 50-foot radius of a Raider fan is how 79-year-old team owner Al Davis plans to deal with second-year head coach Lane Kiffin, the focus in Buffalo is rightfully on Week 3. The Bills are currently 9?-point favorites to top Oakland, which, if prognosticators are correct, would be the first time in a decade. Buffalo last beat Oakland back in 1998, 44-21, in a Week 15 shootout; since, they’ve lost contests to the Raiders in 1999, 2002, 2004 and 2005. Keep in mind, in ‘04 and ‘05, the Raiders were a combined 9-23, meaning roughly 22 percent of their wins over a span of two years were thanks to Buffalo.Still, that’s no reason for the vast majority of Bills fans to think Sunday should be a rerun of the past. The Bills are 2-0, for the first time in six seasons. Fans are at an all-time high.With that, I went over to BuffaloBills.com and took a glance at their message boards and came back with some interesting threads that need addressing. And a bad stomachache.Not to ruin the fun, but Oakland can beat Buffalo on Sunday, despite what some overly optimistic fans have to say.? Thread 1: “Trent Edwards = Tom Brady” (Posted Sept. 17 at 11:04 a.m. EST)Ummm. OK, so this post title says the 24-year-old Edwards (seven career victories) is equal to (not kind of like, or similar to -- but equal to) Tom Brady (three-time Super Bowl champion, four-time Pro Bowler, two-time All-Pro and 2007 NFL MVP). So I opened it up. The case: The pair of quarterbacks have similar “on-the-field demeanor,” “great pocket presence” and “underwhelming college careers.” While, granted, some objected to the premature comparison, this certainly can’t bode well for Oakland if it’s even one-third true, right?Of course. But if Derrick Burgess and the Raider D-line played like they did last week, I can put a stamp of guarantee on the fact that Edwards will look nothing like Brady. The Raider ‘D’ brought down Kansas City’s passers (there were three of them) five times last week, with Burgess, Kalimba Edwards, Gerard Warren, Kirk Morrison and Thomas Howard all notching a sack apiece. Burgess alone could have had three sacks by himself if he had so much as tied his cleats a little tighter.If D-coordinator Rob Ryan brings the heat like he did in Week 2, expect that thread to fall deep into the message board archive.? Thread 2: “I smell a blow out” (Posted Sept. 17 at 3:41 p.m. EST time)Here are three lines from the post that say it all:1. “Buffalo just keeps scoring points and Oakland has no answer AT ALL … NOTHING!”(Author’s side note: CAPS MEAN BUSINESS.)2. “It gets crazy by half time, and J.P. Losman is playing clean up!” 3. “Buffalo 47, Oakland 9. I am not sure how Oakland got nine points, but I didn’t want to sound disrespectful.”Apparently, the players comprising Oakland’s roster are inferior athletes who drool on themselves and roll over when the tough gets going. This poster makes the Buffalo Bills (… haven’t made the playoffs in nine years) look like back-to-back-to-back-to-back Super Bowl Champs who can hit the “on” switch and devour any NFL franchise alive.The fact of the matter is, Buffalo beat two winless teams that have been decimated by injury, one of which let San Francisco put up 33 points (!!!) on them last week. I’ll be the first to admit, with an injured Justin Fargas, ailing Darren McFadden and slowly developing JaMarcus Russell headlining Oakland’s offense, the Raiders won’t be a scoring machine Sunday. Not even close. But the Bills won’t put up 47 points, either. The Raider ‘D’ will be stingy. That is, if the defenders can suck up their drool and remember they have a game Sunday and helmets are required. And “I smell crap” would be a better title for this thread.? Thread 3: “Raiders man up” (Posted Sept. 18 at 2:43 p.m. EST time)The post: “The Raiders’ D is about as vanilla as it gets, if we can beat their man schemes it could be a huge day for the offense … A guy like Roscoe (Parrish) could have a break out day in the slot … Should be fun. I think we can hang 31 on them.”Only 31 points? Much more conservative. As for the slot matchup, I’ll take Stanford Routt.? Thread 4: “Thanks to Bills, Kiffin will be fired! Sorry!” (Posted Sept. 18 at 8:44 p.m. EST time)The post: “Yeah, I know that is disrespectful, but the Bills will blow out the Raiders. Sorry, come on! Say ‘sorry’ with me.”The reality: Control your ego, buddy. Thanks to Al Davis, Kiffin 6 Sanchez White Jersey
will be fired. Come on, say it with me, Bills fans! “Senile!” “Senile!”? Thread 5: “Prediction Time” (Posted Sept. 18, 10:18 a.m. EST time)Thread maker: “Bills: 27, Raiders: 13.”Next seven predictors: Bills 30, Raiders 7 … Bills 24, Raiders 13 … Bills 41, Raiders 10 …Bills 38, Raiders 10 …Bills 47, Raiders 9 … Bills 31, Raiders 9 …Bills 37, Raiders 10.Total: Bills 275, Raiders 81Mine: Raiders 23, Bills 21.Wait, let me try that one again. I mean business.MINE: Raiders 23, BILLS 21.Anthony Carroll can be contacted at (259)