Boise State Broncos Are Sublime, but Still Doomed of BCS Dismay

Its unfortunate college football relies on a fraudulent BCS system to dictate which teams are worthy of playing for the national title. If there weren’t any corrupt computer systems in existence that literally cripple the rectitude of collegiate sports and ruin it for a plethora of major universities, Boise State likely would have been in the national title game last season.

Much buzz is heard on a small campus in a tiny community that represents the state of Idaho. It's a region that has no professional sports, but has much to embrace this season, at least from the football standpoint. In this age, Boise State’s unbeaten seasons and ideal bids to major bowl games aren’t a mirage when the program is powerful, hungry, and en route to mastering glory on the national stage.

As the underdogs of college football, in a town that prides itself on football, the third-ranked Broncos are capable of dominating. Many of its supporters are optimistic and curious to observe whether or not the largest university in Idaho can assemble another undefeated season and bid for the national title game.

However, here in America, we hate to anoint the unpopular and smaller universities.

But in this situation, we must realize that the Broncos are ferocious, even if the school seems a bit unworthy of contending for a national title invitation. It's a date many wouldn’t permit since Boise State has a favorable schedule in the WAC Conference, a conference which receives no love.

It would explain why Kellen Moore is ultimately ignored and underestimated by the folks running a treacherous formula to create hysteria. The game is loathed for the way it awards the legitimate winner.

If there is a bigger tease in sports or the most popular sport in the country, it's because of the negligence that the nation offers to the Broncos. The nation discounts an elite school that is, by far, the most captivating team in the country.

A few years ago, amid an awe-inspiring upstart, the Broncos employed the trickery and capped a breathtaking win in the Fiesta Bowl upset over Oklahoma on a Statue of Liberty two-point conversion.

Remember that?

The truth is, of course, that Boise State is a football-caliber team, the dark horse of college football.

Or is the university really a legitimate threat and belong on the national scene? I’ll be generous and kindhearted in admitting that Boise State has to legitimize themselves, before possibly being crowned the national champs at the end of an unpredictable season.

This perplexingly leaves us caught in a riddle as we restlessly wonder how it all might unfold.

And essentially, the odds are immense. Fans are looking at the glamorous dream that they might end up in a position where they can merit national prominence and represent an insignificant conference that never earns enough splendors.

From an assessable viewpoint, the Broncos are convenient for penciling in and predicting to win the conference. As advertised, it’s a well balanced team that could stun a dubious nation and possess the hardware.

Because it seems logical to believe in a sublime school with heavy expectations, the Broncos are obligated to silence critics for their athleticism, size, and depth that no one evaluates.

But as long as there is a flawed method that determines a team’s fate and doesn’t implement an eight-team playoff system, Boise State will unfortunately be doomed to never appear in a title game. Considered as the third best team in the nation, Boise State is still regarded as a minority, a pariah in the game. In three consecutive seasons, the Broncos have consummated perfection by finishing 12-0 in the regular season, good enough to qualify for a national title. But that isn’t the way an asymmetric theory views it. Boise State has appealed aggressively to diverge the format to an unbiased formula and cease any nepotism.

The BCS mathematically dismisses a program in spite of the prejudiced disposition and deranged computer systems that are very confounding and inaccurate and is referred as the Bowl Chaotic System.

Apart from the insanity in an erratic industry, the Broncos have a remarkable track record. They have won 64 of its last 66 games in the Western Athletic Conference. The season-opener is looming quickly, with 21 of 22 starters returning from a 13-0 team that has a light schedule.

It’s a boon whenever a team is fortunate enough to entertain an unchallenging schedule with an undefeated season on their minds. Still, it's a scenario that hasn’t served the Broncos well in prior seasons.

The real test comes in a Labor Day showdown against 10th-ranked Virginia Tech in a neutral site. It's a substantial meeting that could break or make the Broncos. For the time being, the Hokies are probably the team on the schedule equipped to knock off Boise State. Then, we’ll really see how dominant the Wild Horses are.

The other decisive date is Sept. 25 at home against No. 24 Oregon State, a contest Boise State is favored to run away with in a cupcake win. That brings us to a part of the schedule that isn’t nearly as competitive or excruciating. It's still up in the air whether Boise State's complete dominance is enough supremacy to bypass mortals of a conference like the Big Ten, Big 12, or Pac-10 where there is massive depth and competitiveness.

The irony here is critics, skeptics, and even people who aren’t football knowledgeable clearly know that Boise State is sitting in a position of uncertainty, despite their ability and talent, which is enough to win every game without putting up a fight.

There’s no doubt it’s a sublime football program.

Besides, the Broncos have a prolific star anchoring the program to perfection. He is a famous star on the campus of Boise State, without any question, and he is the leader of a team seeking a respective bid to the national stage.

Moore is the most endearing quarterback in the state, if not in the conference, and could be a Heisman candidate this season. In fact, this year, Heisman hype is surrounding the left-handed passer.


As a starter, he is a mere 27-1, and suffered the lone loss in a heartbreaking defeat to TCU. But most importantly, he’s very accurate and efficient. As a true freshman, he set an NCAA record and completed 69.4 percent of his passes. Last season alone, he had the best touchdown ratio in the nation and pass attempts.

With all of this, he was sacked just five times. If this is the case, why wasn’t he voted in as a Heisman candidate? Like before, the Broncos are BCS-busters and lethal. They are groomed by coach Chris Petersen, who has installed a credible program and has recruited cleverly in his tenure to bring in some of the top prospects in the country. So, is this the year Boise State finally avoid the torture of BCS dysfunction? Is this the year Boise State isn’t victimized of BCS unfairness?

That’s a good question.

If the Broncos gallop and finish the season unbeaten, it would be fair for them to be in the national championship game.

Manny Ramirez: The Pathetic Thing Is, White Sox Believes in the Dysfunctional Thug

Soon enough, on a playground in a neighborhood called Mannywood, the Manny Being Manny theme will cease, and what was formerly referred to as Dodgertown will earn back its honest name. So now, the Dodgers are finally getting the message, as a disappointing stint in Los Angeles is ending so miserably. For once, the locals are not ignorant or naïve, realizing that he’s a worthless sleaze and a franchise saboteur.

It figures, when he shamefully turned his back on the Red Sox and became such a pitiful quitter that John Henry and Theo Epstein knew they had to deal the cancerous slugger. It wasn’t long ago when he spread a poisonous disease inside the Red Sox clubhouse, abandoning a team on the field and barely retrieved balls in the left field because of laziness and wobbly knees.

Now he has joined the White Sox, a team granted property rights to claim Ramirez, who was placed on waivers last week.

The White Sox accepted the persona of a moody and narcissistic left fielder and the remaining $3.8 million on his contract. It’s very fascinating that he lands in a place with the ill-tempered Ozzie Guillen, the controversial manager who has a reputation of lashing out on issues with profanities, and isn't timid to use the race card without grasping common sense.

Manny probably can provide enough productivity if assigned to the designated hitter role. That has, indeed, been a problem for the Sox, in contention during an intense pennant race, even though Ramirez has been on the disabled list three times in the final year of his two-year, $45-million deal.

This wasn’t a healthy marriage in Hollywood, but a dysfunctional relationship that became a circus in a town famous for its entertainment and dramatic presentations, mirroring the McCourt divorce battle over team ownership. Such is the cinematic script that arrived to the city and released the repugnant feature called the Scummy Mannywood Script. It seemed pathetic that a community was so naïve to actually advocate performance-enhancing drugs and welcome in a fraudulent, arrogant outfielder who really isn’t an outfielder, but a foolish clown with nothing worth displaying unless he performs one of his outrageous stunts.

Being labeled as the purest and most dangerous hitter in baseball until the scandal surfaced, he was credited with inspiring a cheerless clubhouse and restoring a substandard baseball culture in 2008. He was welcomed and greeted with warm receptions by an ignorant crowd in Dodgertown, seizing the spotlight in an atmosphere that validated a tainted legacy and honored the then 36-year-old designated hitter by selling his wigs at concession stands.

He was supposedly the best and purest hitter until the scandal broke, and even then, the Los Angeles crowds adored him though he was serving a 50-game suspension after pumping his body with a female fertility drug.

Then there were injuries, declining production, and many acts of petulance. During his last appearance as a Dodger, while pinch hitting, the rebellious slugger was ejected for arguing with home plate umpire Gary Cederstorm when it appeared the ball missed the plate by a few inches, but was called a strike.

It’s very sad knowing that his final game in a Dodger uniform ended so grimly, when he had already missed 33 starts this season, while being benched for underachieving and nursing injuries like a right calf strain.

Now, wigs are no longer sold, no longer are there standing ovations for the sleaze with dreadlocks, and no longer are No. 99 jerseys the hottest item in the Los Angeles Basin.


It's bad enough he landed in Chicago—the South Side, for that matter—and a franchise with postseason aspirations. But given the pattern of Manny’s late surges, he could presumably benefit the White Sox. As a rental player, he has built a reputation for helping teams in pivotal moments.

He could be an essential piece on a franchise needing a minor resurgence and add some depth in the batting lineup. He is a horrible fielder who won't need to field as a DH.

But if anything, Manny Being a Dope is the wrong criminal to trust in, a horrid suspect guilty of contaminating the game, and refusing to address the fans regarding his performance-enhancer bust. If anything, he is likely to clash with Guillen in the dugout or clubhouse, ugly altercations that could damage chemistry and self-assurance.

If anything, it’s hard to envision him complying with orders because of his reputation for behaving as an arrogant and self-centered buffoon, and it’s easy to imagine all the unnecessary conflict with Manny and Ozzie in the same clubhouse and dugout. Their actions are similar in many ways, with egos greater than the team itself. If the White Sox were planning on the postseason, then Kenny Williams should have avoided taking on Ramirez’s contract.

But now, he’s one headache residing in the South Side of Chicago, a powerful burden who could even jeopardize the uncertain job statuses of Williams and Guillen.

Possessing Ramirez is like owning a raggedy hand-me-down vehicle.

And in after thought, he’s an erratic slugger with enough power in his bat to maybe thrill the White Sox by hitting the ball efficiently until he begins weeping for a larger contract. If he doesn't get what he wants, he’ll decide to quit, of course. But it’s a gamble Chicago took, right?

Manny is without a doubt, washed-up, old, useless, and bound to cause dysfunction in Chicago.

Just Not the Right Fit: Boxers Should Learn a Lesson from Playing the MMA, Like James Toney

Champion boxer James Toney decided to call it quits from the sport to endure a career in Mixed Martial Arts. He would face Randy Couture in his debut, and boy did he get it handed to him. Toney was getting beaten so bad that they had to call the fight done early. This was the first time something like this happened to him.

In the MMA, if you all you are going to do is be a punching-machine, you are not going to find a lot of success. You have to learn many other things, which is way it is obviously called Mixed Martial Arts. A lot of boxers should learn a lesson from going to the MMA.

Many thought folks coming from the WWE will not succeed in the Octagon. However, they did. Some proof can be Bobby Lashley, who has had some success, and Brock Lesnar as well. Both know how to wrestle despite “acting” back in the ring with the Worldwide Wrestling Entertainment.

But boxers, on the otherhand, need to learn a lesson: you can’t succeed by just punching in the MMA. Despite all the training you do, you have to do a lot more to cut it and be truly ready. It quite surprises me, though, that it is just boxers that succeed. Players from other sports have, too (except Jose Canseco).

Look at Michael Westbrook. Westbrook was a wide receiver for the Washington Redskins, and was mostly well-known for beating the snot out of his teammate, Stephen Davis, during a practice. Westbrook didn’t have the heart in him for football, and now years later, he is an MMA fighter and has had a lot of success.

Or you can take a look at Herschel Walker. He is well-known as one of the best running backs in football history playing in the United States Football League, and also playing in the National Football League for the Dallas Cowboys. Walker, now nearing his 50′s, can still pound it. This time, he is not pounding linebackers and cornerbacks, he’s pounding his opponent in the Octagon! At 6’1″ and 220 pounds, Walker can still bring it. He is currently 1-0 and is looking for his next fight this Fall.

And yet, despite all these players’ success, boxers can’t seem to cut it through. MMA president Dana White didn’t have confidence in Toney winning the fight.

“James Toney picked this fight, and he got a fight,” UFC president Dana White told ESPN.com. “Toney lasted longer than I thought he would. It’s unfair to put a guy in there with one discipline, even if he’s trained for several months.”

Couture didn’t even let Toney lay a punch on him!

“I wanted to give James Toney the total mixed martial arts experience,” Couture said.

Toney much reminds of what happened to Kimbo Slice. Slice is well-known for his streetfighting, and is known for his crazy power-punches. I consider Slice more of a boxer. Everyone fantasized him and overhyped him in his MMA debut. But he found no success, and was a bust. After spending three years in the Octagon, Slice decided to call it quits and move his fighting skills to the ring. Boxing.

“I feel like a baby all over again,” the 36-year-old Slice said. “I’m thinking about this at night. I’m gonna be a problem in the heavyweight division. I’m going to be coming in with a bad demeanor. I want to see what it’s like to break some ribs, break a jaw with one punch.”

Slice appreciated that Dana White gave him the opportunities. But then again, like most punching-machines, they just aren’t suitable for the MMA. They just aren’t. Despite how good Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao are in boxing, I don’t think they can last very long if they were to be in the MMA.

“This is a career move,” he said. “I love fighting. I like to knock people the [expletive] out. I love engaging. Maybe some people think I’m crazy.”

You aren’t. If I were Slice, I probably would have done the same thing. He just wasn’t the right fit. With Slice moving to boxing, I think the hype will come back to him and I think he can finally bring it. I believe Slice can be a legend in boxing if he can put his mind to it. But then again, at 36, he only has less than a decade to prove so.

“He could easily be at the same level as guys the Klitschkos have been fighting,” said New Jersey fighting promoter, Gary Shaw. “Maybe I’m wrong, maybe he’s coming to boxing too late, but I don’t think so. He’s not a beaten-up athlete. He’s a natural, with that bob and weave like Mike Tyson.”

Slice couldn’t keep up with the folks in the MMA. His knees were too balky and he wasn’t fast enough to be on top with the guys in the MMA. Along with that, Slice has been squatting 315 pounds. In the ring, all he has to do is punching, especially since he is in the heavyweight class. If Slice is successful, he can make the money in the range of what Mayweather makes per fight.

“That’d be nice,” he said. “But unfortunately I’m still a little squirrel, in a big [expletive] world, looking for my nut.”

“I’ve always said he could be a world champion,” said Shaw, who was an executive at Elite XC, the promotional outlet which staged Slice’s first four MMA bouts. “I believe in that more than ever. This is not the era of Tyson, Holyfield and Lennox Lewis.”

Boxers like Slice and such can learn a lesson from the MMA: they just aren’t the right fit. If all you want to do is just punch, then you need to pick a new career in the fighting category. It’s just that simple. If you are a boxer who wants to go into the MMA, you need to train a lot and learn a lot more than just the punching focuses of the game.

James Toney and Kimbo Slice know why they aren’t the right fit for the MMA. If I were Toney, he should go back to boxing. It’s the right thing to do. Many boxers who are considering going into the MMA right now should quickly consider what they are going into.

Let’s just hope they know what’s coming.

Let’s hope the MMA will see the last of the likes of people like James Toney.

Hoosiers' Football Plans To Prove Naysayers Wrong

It has always been known that the Indiana Hoosiers sports programs are mostly known for their high-class basketball team. They have had a rich history with them, winning multiple NCCA championship titles and with the likes of Bobby Knight and such. But the school's football program has been known for very little.

IU has had their moments in football, most recently going to the Insight Bowl back in the 2007-08 season, led by Kellen Lewis and James Hardy. But since then, Indiana has played some pretty mediocre football. Many stars have gone on defense, like Greg Middleton, Jammie Kirlew, and Ray Fisher.

However, the offense is stacked. The offense will be the big reason of why the Hoosiers can have success this year. Many of the naysayers think IU will finish somewhat of the same season they had in the last two previous ones. I for one am not going with the crowd. I am not a follower, and neither are the Hoosiers. With a commitment to excellence, Indiana can succeed and reach to a bowl game. Bowl games can accept teams as low as a 6-6 record, and that is all IU needs. But they can win much more than that, easily.

First of all, Indiana is led by Ben Chappell. Chappell showed that he is capable of starting and being a productive Big Ten quarterback last year, completing over 62-percent of his passes, throwing for 2,941 yards along with 17 touchdowns and only 15 interceptions. This went for a 126.43 rating, which would equal a 81.5 rating in the National Football League. Looking for a bigger year and trying to be one of the Top Five quarterbacks in the Big Ten (up there with Terrelle Pryor and such), Chappell will have to go all-out in the Hoosiers' hopeful passing attack. Chappell was also selected as one of the possible nominees for this year's Johnny Unitas award.

Chappell is going to have a lot of help, with a rushing attack led by Bryan Payton and having two awesome receivers in Tandon Doss and DaMarlo Belcher. Both are well over 6'3" tall, and can really be trouble for defenses and those small cornerbacks. Both had pretty decent seasons last year, and are in for some solid ones and hopeful breakout ones this year. Everything seems in place for the Hoosiers.

Indiana can reach a solid record. They open up easy against Towson, and then head on over to face Western Kentucky. Both are relatively easy wins right off the bat. Akron may be a tough one, but I see Indy getting out of there. The big test will be against Michigan in Week Four. I will take a leap, as IU prevails. They came close last year, but there was a call that called a lot of controversy. I think IU will bring revenge there.

So that is 4-0 right there. Surprising to some, but next week I see the Hoosiers getting steamrolled by Terrelle Pryor and the Ohio State Buckeyes. Then they face Arkansas State with a win, followed by two close wins to Illinois and Northwestern. At 7-1, IU will go on a losing-streak however, with losses to Iowa, Wisconsin, and Penn State. It won't matter what they do against Purdue in the last week as they are 7-4. But I see the Hoosiers winning the Battle of the Old Oaken Bucket. In my prediction, Indiana ends with a 8-4 record.

Many of you readers could say I am far-fetched, but I am not. This is the year where the Hoosiers will be known for both sports: football and basketball. It's time to realize that Hoosiers' football is back again and ready to roll like a few years ago.

Watch out naysayers.

It's time that you are proven wrong.

Tiger's Divorce Helps Game, However Woods Has Been In Decline

It was an unhealthy marriage that diminished the untouchable game of Tiger Woods, with havoc and tension diagnosing a precarious relationship in shambles. Every once in a while in a sport, a well-known athlete struggles finding rhythm and loses swagger when burdens of the personal life evoke countless interruptions, which publicly affects the well-being of a well-respected icon.


It took a car accident to literally bring out the truth of his malicious sex scandal and infidelity. Had he not slammed his Cadillac into a fire hydrant and a neighbor’s tree, all citizens would be unconscious of Woods’ extramarital affairs and the disturbing text message one of his mistresses sold to the U.S. Weekly for six figures. In the aftermath of his shocking affairs with damn near every bimbo in existence, at roughly the same time that he had fallen from grace, we wanted to believe Woods vowed to family values as much as we wanted to believe he was beyond any transgressions.

What a shame we, as Americans, are seeking an explanation now that Tiger and Elin are divorced. As he tries to remove himself from all the dreaded corruption, everyone is raving about his brand for the future curious to know if he can ever win multiple majors. However, of course, he returns to the golf course as a single man relieved of all the drama and is able to return to normalcy and suddenly end the humiliation that once upon a time seemed inevitable.

For a long time, his self-imposed absence lessened the fun in golf and turned a captivating sport back into a pedestrian event. The cynics doubted the helpless golfer, once described as the world’s greatest golfer on the planet to ever enthrall the casual fan with his ripple effect and extraordinary accomplishments. Such as the old times, he has somewhat found his swagger and finally feels relieved, managing to play with mental toughness and poise. Therefore, the supporters and consumers of Tiger are exhilarated to watch the embattled golfer return to prominence at the Barclays.

His faultless legacy and image are almost tarnished, including a marriage in tatters before the divorce settlement was publicly finalized. For once, however, Woods is focused on sustaining more titles in major events, seeking to surpass the all-time great Jack Nicklaus’ record-setting 18 major titles and still believes he’ll shatter the record to become the winningest golfer of all-time.

Four days after the divorce was finalized in Florida, he told ESPNNewYork.com that he “absolutely” is certain he’ll surpass a historic milestone in one of his epic masterpieces, if he ever has another breathtaking moment in sport that the spectators admire for its craft and mastery.

“I look at it this way,” Woods said. “[Ben] Hogan won all nine of his [majors] at my age and older. I think for every kid out there, the goal is to get there. That is the benchmark in our sport, and that’s still my goal.”

There is talk everywhere about the sudden resurrection of Tiger, subsequently for releasing all the agony and headaches over the course of the year. Ever since he was involved in his minor car accident as the media publicly invaded his private lifestyle and detached, he has lived a double-life for the ugliest sex scandal in sports.


On the verge of reclaiming invincibility and being labeled as the world’s greatest golfer again, despite being marked as the world’s greatest disgrace for shamefully breaking vows and family values, all while verified as the world’s greatest role model by running an educational center for children, he’s eluding the pre-scandal and brilliantly is creating shots.

All of a sudden, his body language is an indicator that he’s the fierce competitor everyone is accustomed to. All of a sudden, his facial expression is an indicator of mental toughness, escaping the embarrassing sins and avoiding further misery in his personal life. So maybe he can bypass the trauma of a morbid relationship capable of returning to championship form, although the prime of his career seems to be in decline.

He hasn’t won a major tournament to finish winless for the worst drought of his career, as mental lapses badly delayed Woods an opportunity of curing agony and restoring humanity. If this is the end of Tiger, it has consummated in a horrid ending as the world's greatest golfer suffered adversity and encountered unfamiliarity in his drastic downfall, rarely advancing atop the leaderboard and went 0 for 4 in majors and winless in eight tries since an eight-month intermission to rehabilitate from reconstructed knee surgery.

That said, he has been unsuccessful and hasn’t duplicated a 91-hole epic showpiece, such as when Woods managed to outlast Rocco Mediate in the U.S. Open a couple of years ago. At 34, Tiger is granted with visitation rights to see his two children, a 3-year-old daughter and a 19-month old son. Among other things, Elin in likelihood will earn nine-figures in profit, a devastating blow for a man who deeply had been desiring to salvage his family, but clearly his ex-wife never pursued on compromising to repair an unglued marriage.

It was evident that Tiger, an iconic athlete all of us believed was the more spotless professional in the world, is arguably a sex-addict and can qualify for a profession in Hollywood by presumably becoming the next porn star. The fact is, Eldrick Woods enduring a recovery is very unlikely even if he trails the leaderboard at -4 under and blames his faltering on putting at Ridgewood Country Club. Even if a slew of drama is slowly fading out of the equation, he could still have trouble on the fairways.


Without Nordegren by his side, he surely can concentrate heavily on mending woes and reestablishing into usual form. Ever since a disgraceful plethora of affairs involving cocktail waitresses, pancake house waitresses, porn stars, and young women in VIP rooms, his demeanor and mindset on a strategic sport reached a point of frailty. In addition of his sickness and extramarital affairs, he had been treated for a mental illness twice in order to save the scrutinized golfer of self-destruction.

Then, months later, he staged a rehearsed news conference to disgust us of his elusive and unauthentic speech and tried to sound sincere but instead was disingenuous in the public announcement and disgracefully wasted 13 minutes of national coverage. Worse of all, he tried redeeming and expressing sorrow in a Nike commercial during the launching of a foolish gimmick, promoting a product with the voice of his father in the background.

And with the travails of Tiger, we understand his state of mind to some degree, but it still doesn’t justify he’ll ever win again. As of now, it seems minimal on a day he shot seven pars and two birdies, dropping to -8 under and losing sole possession of the lead. In the first round, he finished atop the leaderboard and performed his usual fist pump in felicity.

But on this day, the possibility of winning shifted instantly and now he’s in position to stumble again, toss his iron stick, and engage in obscenity by the third day. It wasn’t until Friday afternoon that Woods gazed at the greenery and tipped his cap without lifting his head, frustrated how it all finished badly. And yet, as it turned out, he relapsed on four bogeys on his last eight holes and crumbled in the second round and, as a result, carded a two-over par 73. There wasn’t anything delightful on finishing the round tied for 14th, currently four strokes behind Jason Day, the golfer sitting atop the leaderboard. But as we know already, golf is a sport based on momentum and rhythm.

“I didn’t putt well at all,” Woods said. “I didn’t have the speed at all on the greens. I was leaving it way short or blowing it by the hole.”

As for Day, he’s a 22-year old Australian and has battled with mononucleosis but is currently in contention in an erratic event. But moreover are the struggles of Phil Mickelson, who is unlucky and recklessly double bogeyed on his final hole, a dreadful downfall crippling his chances of gaining control.

Aside from that, Woods is focused but it doesn’t mean he’ll win it all. This would be a horrid ending if he wins never again, and it would be difficult to cement a blemished legacy and repair an image without a major title in the near future. In the meantime, he is still Eldrick. He is not Tiger.

Patrick Ewing Jr. Signs with Knicks: Can It Really Be Like Father Like Son?

NEW YORK—The New York Knicks signed a familiar face and a face that brought back memories a decade ago. They signed Patrick Ewing Jr., again. As a start out of Georgetown, the Knicks signed him to a deal. Terms of the deal were not announced, according to the reports.

Ewing Jr. was drafted by the Sacramento Kings as the 43rd overall pick of the 2008 NBA Draft. After a series of transactions, Ewing Jr. was acquired by a team where his father became a star: The New York Knicks. However, he would play in the Development League and he missed all of last season due to injuries.

During this year's Summer League with New York, Ewing Jr. averaged 4.8 points per game. The Knicks look to give him another shot and hope to develop him into a hopeful star like his father once was, who is now an assistant coach for the Orlando Magic and making Dwight Howard into a star.

The more elder Ewing would have a Hall-of-Fame career, most notably with the Knicks and ended his career with the Seattle SuperSonics and the Magic. He would also be elected as an eleven-time All-Star. In my opinion, Ewing stands as one of the Top 20 players in the history of the National Basketball Association. I also rank him the number one player to never win a ring.

The signing of Ewing Jr. brings the Knicks' roster to 15 players, which is the maximum. With this, New York's roster is all set and ready for the regular season on paper.

But it brings to a prediction: Can the Knicks make Ewing Jr. develop like his father? Can the "Father Like Son" scenario really work here in Madison Square Garden Arena? It's a really good possibility. Ewing Jr. is raw and has only been in the NBA for two years. For real, he is actually entering his second year of professional basketball.

Playing with the Knicks is a great way to start off. The 26-year-old can make a difference, despite his small size at power forward: 6'8" and 240 pounds. He has great athleticism. Now it most probably will be for sure that he won't be a Hall-of-Famer and not develop into what his father was, unless if there was some sudden miracle. But he can be an important contributor and maybe one of the best bench players. A Sixth Man of the Year award sometime in his career could definitely be in the making.

Who knows? Maybe he can be one of the Top 100 players of all-time. Maybe he can go as far as Top-50. Ewing Jr. really does bring a lot of hope, however. When he played the D-League Knicks' affiliate, the Reno Bighorns, Ewing Jr. flourished with 16.8 points, 8.9 rebounds, and 3.1 assists in 30 games playing with them.

Ewing Jr. could really be something special in my opinion. I like his chances. But right now, it's too early to tell and I am getting ahead of myself.

But there is hope. And a lot of it.

Johnny Damon Needs To Return Home: Boston Is Where The Heart Is

If you’ve wondered why a former baseball team is calling and begging, why the large-market Red Sox franchise is finally targeting the hitting specialist in a return that seems very valuable and useful in the friendly confines of Boston, it’s because he had been classified as a hero in a place where the enthusiastic fans idolize and worship baseball.

Suddenly, Johnny Damon knows he needs the Red Sox, but he is rebuffing interest where he ripened as a savior in a town that is accustomed to winning and, more than anything, snapping one of the more dreadful curses in recent memory.

Suddenly, the Red Sox need Damon, a bygone caveman who once resembled the Geico creatures from its commercial ads.

But Damon is leaning towards remaining a member of the Detroit Tigers. He has no desire to return to Fenway Park, arguably the friendliest and oldest ballpark in America, a structure that sells out a capacity crowd nearly in every game. It would be a return to the team he called home, the team with the wildest celebration of the last decade. It was a decade when the Red Sox cured lapses of hopelessness and snapped an unpleasant curse.

Damon helped the team’s cause and infatuated a fervid baseball town.

If he can return to his former locale, this is a precept of considerably good fortune, welcomed back to aid his former team in pursuit of a postseason chase. Never mind that he left the town behind for its bitter rival the New York Yankees, abruptly departing a population that adored and empowered him. Never mind that he was viewed as an enemy for representing pinstripes and sadly erasing all the indelible moments of 2004, the historic moment in sports when the Red Sox trailed 3-0, but came back to defeat its nemesis the Yankees in the ALCS.

In the end, however, it didn't matter. The Red Sox had captured their first World Series title in 86 years.

These days, the fans are willing to forgive the past betrayal and welcome Damon back to Beantown with loud cheers and warm receptions. The most recent news is that the Red Sox placed a waiver claim on Damon, the famous savior that once relived the dinosaur age, and caused vital damage in a mesmerizing postseason in the last decade.


It’s telling that he has a no-trade cause that specifically reveals the Red Sox as potential contenders of claiming sole possession of the outfielder. What seems plausible is that Damon, once known as the villainous icon, unfavorably for the heartbreaking departure that angered the Green Monster devotees in Boston, is that he will return in a Red Sox uniform.

All he would need to electrify the crowd sitting in the Monster seats or the coziest ballpark seats is productivity.

What we do know is that Damon’s recent comments on how the Yankees organization and fans treat players respectively is inanely insulting to Red Sox Nation, filled with animosity and disgust.

His penchant for neglecting the Red Sox is surely creating much buzz and drama these days, comfortably abandoning his former club when they are trying to amiably welcome him back.

As confusing as it seems, the Red Sox' strategy is to lure the temperamental outfielder back into the organization where he can elevate his legacy, all while catering to Boston’s postseason surge.

Thus far, Beantown's team is devoid of a World Series title and robust outfielders, and can fittingly add some depth on a depleted roster by snatching Damon from the inferior Detroit Tigers, a team that is under .500 and 10 games out of the AL Central picture. It’s time for everyone to realize that in a depressed town, where the auto industry has taken a drastic plunge, where unemployment rates have increasingly risen, and where the Tigers aren’t close to contending, Damon shouldn’t be hesitant on opting to leave Motown.

The thing is, he represented Boston as the renaissance man for his timely hitting and presence in the outfield and was resilient as a clutch performer in arguably the greatest series in baseball history, an event that epically cemented the beauty of the game. Damon’s accomplishments should have never been overshadowed, subsequently by his uncivil departure, leaving a beloved town in anguish for an archenemy.

Whatever else is on his mind, he’s leery about putting on a Red Sox uniform and distraught by the way he was treated in his return to Boston when the boorish fans serenaded unpleasantly. With all apologies, a large cult would be amped because of his return and once again applaud the savior of a classic rebirth, one that has become indicative of a cultural standpoint that baseball is the realm of all humanity.

He who was once known as Johnny Demon can now be characterized as Johnny Damon, only if he accepts the offer and erases the images of pinstripes by pleasing the citizens of Red Sox Nation.

An American trait is to view sports teams as a brand, with iconic symbols. Damon was such an icon as he refined his style and game, produced wins and fueled the hearts of fans. He benefited the Red Sox with aggressive base running and solid hitting.

The elements that define the culture of Boston baseball are Curt Schillings’ bloody sock and Damon’s fluffy beard and wild hairstyle, a stylish fad at the time.

Those days are gone when Damon was superstitious, and wouldn’t shave off his hair or beard, which resulted in a breakable curse and a title many believe should be asterisked for the recent revelations of Manny Ramirez and David Ortiz steroid scandals.

Either way, the Red Sox won it all that year and now are prepared to embrace the return of Damon.

What is obvious, of course, is that Boston is hindered by defensive flaws and uncontrollable injuries. Without the explosiveness of Jacoby Ellsbury, the Red Sox are degenerating in the outfield. Mike Cameron isn’t as effective, but signed with Boston to qualify for an outfielder’s position.

If Damon comes back to home sweet home, it’s a smart move. If he comes back, the Red Sox benefit by adding a veteran bat to solidify the batting order and enhance the productivity of each at-bat. If he comes back, it cures all the outfield woes and installs a sense of belief.

If he mends an awful relationship and comes back by accepting the fans that endeared him, then Damon will be greatly forgiven.

Michael Jordan Re-Unites With Kwame Brown: Hopes to Make Adjustments to His First Ever Acquisition

CHARLOTTE—Back in the 2001 NBA Draft, things were going all good for the Washington Wizards. And it was all hype for them as they held the number one pick and had the biggest name in basketball: Michael Jordan. As head of basketball operations, it was up to Jordan to decide who Washington should draft.

A brief workout was held and at the end, MJ had to decide between two high-school prodigies: Tyson Chandler and Kwame Brown. So, hence, the Wizards held a one-on-one game between the two. At the end, the result was easy: Washington had to pick Kwame. Brown destroyed Chandler in the one-on-one, and it was official: The Wizards would draft Kwame Brown as the first pick of the 2001 NBA Draft.

This decision would not only turn out to be Jordan's first basketball decision as a non-player, but also his first mistake. And it was a huge, risky, and very costly mistake. At the end, the Wizards learned that they passed on players like Chandler, Pau Gasol, Joe Johnson, and many others. Jordan couldn't make that mistake again.

Now go seven years later: Michael Jordan is back at being the big-shot guy of being head of a team. This time, it was the Charlotte Bobcats. Since Jordan joined the team a few years ago, the Bobcats have slightly increased in wins each year. And the 2009-10 season was the first team they made the playoffs, and it showed a bright future with them with Jordan also now as owner of the team.

But he made a move that shocked some fans. After a decent off-season, news was announced just a couple of days ago that the Bobcats have signed free-agent center Kwame Brown to a contract. The 28-year-old Brown is now in Charlotte, which is his fifth team in his nine-year career. He started out with Washington, and we know how bad that turned out. Then he moved on to play a few seasons with the Lakers, eventually getting trades to the Memphis Grizzlies and then getting cut. Then he played two seasons with the Pistons and now he is here with Charlotte.

Many wouldn't even think Jordan would make such a decision to sign a player that could have ruined his chances of owning a team or being a general manger, etc. Brown's best season was 10.9 points and 7.4 rebounds per game. That is not what you would want to expect as a number one overall draft pick's best season, obviously. Brown struggled with Jordan in his years with Washington.

Read When Nothing Else Matters by Michael Leahy and you know what I am talking about. Brown would always cry during practices and was always put under pressure a lot. Jordan would put him down many times and sometimes he would go as far to calling him the term of the word, "faggot." But Brown wants to put up with Jordan again, according to his agent in Mark Bartelstein.

"He really wanted to take the challenge of playing again for Michael and playing for a top coach like Larry Brown," Bartelstein said. "I think it says a lot about Kwame that he wanted to go to Charlotte. The last few years have been difficult for him, but I think he's really excited to go there and try to create a new chapter in his career. He wants this opportunity to go back and prove something."

But Brown will definitely help the Bobcats at the center position. Brown wants to change himself and be what he was expected to be with Jordan. He has a lot of time left to turn around his career. It may sound crazy, but hey, anything is possible.

"Michael was very much a part of this," Bartelstein said of Jordan. "He wanted this to happen and he wanted to give Kwame another opportunity.

"There's been so much written about the fact that this was Michael's first pick [as an executive] and so much criticism directed at both of them when it didn't work out. When that happens you can do one of two things. You can run from all that, or you can use it as motivation. What better way to try to turn your career around than to go back to where it all started?

"There were a lot of easier places Kwame could have gone, a lot of safer places. I think this says a lot about his competitive instinct and fire that he wanted to take on this challenge."

So Jordan and Brown re-unite. I really think Jordan and Charlotte can help make adjustments to Kwame's basketball skills. He can really improve and resurrect his career. Jordan is giving him a second chance for a shot at greatness. A shot at changing himself. No doubt Kwame is going to take full advantage of this and he is going to receive a lot of playing time.

All the negativity gone towards him. All the pain, the suffering. The hating.

He can change it all.

And show what he was thought out to be.

Matt Leinart More Celebrity Bust Than Football Benefactor

The terrible convergence in sports is ultimately fixated on appearance and sex apparel, rather than the game itself for the exposure of athletes who are mentioned for semblance and celebrity.

So now, we’re confronted by arguably another bust in football, and he’s not your ordinary bust, but a celebrity bust.

This is the age when sports figures are discovered in tabloids either with a significant other or sadly for extramarital affairs.

What he is, obviously, is a celebrity bust ever since departing from USC as a high-profile quarterback, a talented star who was supposed to blossom as a valuable product on the pro level.

But as it turns out, Matt Leinart isn’t the authentic sensation and hasn’t measured up to standards, disappointing many in the desert for underachieving.

The aura of Leinart makes me cringe, just as his presence on the field poses trouble for the Arizona Cardinals, who are without a reliable quarterback since veteran Kurt Warner announced his retirement at the end of last season. There are mortals swirling within the team, and frankly, everyone affiliated with the Cardinals are worried about the status of Leinart.

At least, they should be.

What we have long suspected is the truth when Leinart sorely disappointed in a downfall performance on Monday night in a 24-10 loss of the Tennessee Titans, and as much as the folks in the blistering hot desert believe in the subpar leader, he’s not nearly described as an NFL conductor.

Sadly enough, he’s not obsessed emerging as the greatest quarterback of all-time, but he’s willing to RSVP and notify the host of parties and attend a festive celebration where paparazzi normally pesters noble athletes and snap photo shots.

Across the past decades, a modern generation has literally lost the meaning of sports and has barely exceeded expectations for ill-advised priorities, caring more about earning the largest profit and becoming famous, ironically downsizing the beauty of sports.


Such is when Leinart, who is supposedly the next franchise quarterback, had too much fun during the offseason a few years ago. The drama, then, wasn’t a wise choice and created a minor ruckus for which he wasn’t spending ample time studying film, but caught on cameras in a hot tub with a beer and four chicks.

There comes a point in life when Leinart must realize that earning the most challenging and important position in the country’s most popular sport is fondly a rigorous task.

If he ever anticipates leading the Cardinals on a convincing run in a weakened NFC West division, then Leinart will have to carefully consider avoiding his Hollywood disposition. With much uncertainty, the young passer is forlorn and still inexperience, and isn’t adapted to the NFL level.

Now, as he’s hearing the negatives, he is bombarded regularly of faltering on the biggest stage.

In reality, this is a murky situation, when Leinart is suffering and struggling to deliver, badly illustrating awful signs of his symbolic style since advancing on the NFL level. For now, however, Leinart is enigma.

Still, in the meantime, he’s visibly struggling to discern the coach’s system with deficiencies in his problematic footwork and flaws in his throwing motion. It’s very common, though, when a quarterback is ineffective for making the transition from college to the pros.

But in this situation, Leinart isn't focused on football and instead is evolving into the next celebrity bust by exposing weaknesses and no strengths. For waiting in the wings, Leinart's wait was over when Warner retired on good terms in January.

As he enters as the next franchise quarterback, he’s expected to follow the footsteps of an all-time great, but hasn’t done so well in the early start of his redemption period, a time when the stakes are higher and when he inherits the evidential expectations.

He enters the preseason as a memorable Heisman Trophy winner from Southern California, but the blueprint to success would be to commemorate his accomplishments on the NFL level.

With all the glamour and popularity that entails, the pressure is challenging and alarming for an embattled maestro who really hasn’t proven to be a maestro and he’s nowhere near establishing as an impressive quarterback.

If he doesn’t duplicate or ripen as a prolific pass thrower, the fans in Arizona clearly becomes victims of inferiority and ambiguity, facing a state of unfamiliarity after Warner led the Cardinals to Super Bowl glory only to fall short against Pittsburgh.

It wasn’t exactly what coach Ken Whisenhunt had in mind, when the team selected Leinart, 27, who was drafted in 2006 under former coach Dennis Green and was listed as the next stud at the position even when a few skeptics doubted his abilities to transcend in the pros.

There are times when a franchise is inevitably hopeless once a decorated athlete retires and there is no steadfast replacement to alleviate the outrageousness and fear, harming the team’s self-motivation and confidence.

Here’s all you need to know about the inconsistent and unintimidating Leinart.

Of late, he isn’t meeting a convincing agenda in the National Football League, unable to replicate similar attributes that he once had in college. If he teeters improving his struggles, the Cardinals will always be in a flux. But perhaps, there are some executives upstairs, really confident that he can eventually vanquish his endless insufficiencies.

“Matt has had the chance to watch Kurt and see how he approaches the game and work with one of the greatest quarterbacks of all-time. I like the fact that we have competition at every position, including quarterback,” said general manager Rod Graves. And I like the fact that Matt has the chance to prove all critics wrong."

Yeah, but he’s not anywhere near the word “great.” He’s near the word “bust,” a word heard often these days.

For now, I dare say, he is spelling doom and has the numbers to prove it. He was a miserable four-of-six for 28 passing yards with the longest completion of 11 yards and was out rivaled by Tennessee’s Vince Young, whose numbers weren’t identical, finishing nine-of-13 for 128 yards.

In his travails, he lapsed in five starts and was placed on injured reserve with a broken collarbone, as the starting job had been handed to Warner, who secured the position for poise and athleticism.

All of this after Leinart stumbled to replicate a flawless season in 11 consecutive starts, throwing for 2,547 yards and 11 touchdown passes with 12 interceptions. As a product of a renowned university, he certainly isn’t employing enough effort or thrilled about anchoring a football team, like during his college career when he led the Trojans to triumph.

And most of this is abnormal for a guy with excellent precision, mobility and an intellectual understanding for the game.

Yes, it’s only preseason.

But this is surprising to observe the unusual body language of a Leinart. So while he hasn’t matured or adopted the leadership role, he is recognized as celebrity bust and fittingly took on a profession that he lacks fondness in studying and mastering. The lack of enthusiasm is not normal for a quarterback, especially when they have been waiting willingly or competing for the starting job.

In his fifth season, he is still finding his way in the game, and closely scrutinized by Whisenhunt.

By the time Whisenhunt arrived from Pittsburgh as Green’s successor and filled the coaching vacancy, he was hired seemingly to develop and install a workable playbook and improve Leinart’s abysmal style of play.

But even if his image are traces of Warner’s legacy and the demands are heavy, the Cardinals are simply hopeful that he can take command, not be a resemblance of Warner, but an exemplary quarterback in the league.

In other words, he is the man conducting the offense, the man calling the snaps and the man of smart decision-making. Either way, though, Derek Anderson, the former quarterback of the Browns, seems more worthy of earning the starting job and singed as a backup plan after the Cleveland Browns had released the Pro Bowler.

But in the meantime, Whisenhunt said Leinart has earned the right.

Doing so, he will have to mature faster, leave behind the celebrity civilization and realize how dangerous cameras are, just as appearing in tabloids with four hotties can elicit a distraction and abate a promising performance on the turf.

At this time, when he’s bickering about facing third-and-long and weeping about the Titans blitzing so much, it’s simple to realize that Leinart is under a tremendous amount of pressure and isn’t physically or mentally prepared for the task.

To be straightforward, he never was ready to be an NFL quarterback. But at best, he is a celebrity. It’s good to know he can smile on candid camera, but not on the turf.

Are Elite Point Guards Needed For Playoff and Championship Success

Elite point guards are fun to watch because they can dictate the tempo of a game. With their ability to handle the basketball, drive to the hoop, shoot from the outside, and their solid defend.

Yet, is it a reality in the NBA that having an elite point guard isn't necessarily that beneficial for success in the playoffs?

Are role playing point guards the better fit for a team?

In the last 10 years the Los Angeles Lakers have won four championships, the San Antonio Spurs three, along with the Boston Celtics, Miami Heat, and Detroit Pistons.

The starting point guards for those teams have been Derek Fisher, Tony Parker, Chauncey Billups, Jason Williams, and Rajon Rondo.

Only Billups was considered as one of the better point guards in the league primarily for his ability to defend and hit big shots. What about the opponents in the Finals for the teams that won championships? Eric Snow, Jason Kidd, Fisher, Billups, Jason Terry, Snow, Rafer Alston, and Rondo.

Out of all the point guards on teams to make the Finals, Kidd and Billups were the only two that could be considered elite.

Starting with Derek Fisher, who has played 14 seasons including two stints with the Los Angeles Lakers, a short time with Golden State Warriors, and a season with the Utah Jazz.



He's never been an elite point guard even though he's won five championship rings in his career. For his career he have averaged 9 points, 3.2 assists, 2.2 rebounds, 1.1 steals, on 40.2 percent shooting, 37.3 percent from three, and 81.2 percent from the free throw line.

What has helped Fisher thought be part of teams that have gotten to the Finals as well as winning those five rings is his knack for clutch shooting and his ability to defend. Any scoring that Fisher did was just an added bonus for the Lakers.

The championship teams of the Lakers include the likes of Shaquille O'Neal, Kobe Bryant, Ron Artest, Trevor Ariza, and Pau Gasol.

For Tony Parker, it was a little bit different. He's not known for his defense, which is about average for a point guard. He was counted on as more of a change-up for the Spurs offense.

The reason is Parker is lightning quick and could lead the break very well for the Spurs. He allowed the team to run. He was the second leading scorer for the Spurs behind Tim Duncan.

In the three championship this decade for the Spurs, Duncan, Manu Ginobili, Stephen Jackson and Bruce Bowen played major roles in the championships. With Jackson only being around for one of the championships.

Parker has averaged 16.6 points, 5.6 assists, 3.1 rebounds, a steal, on 49 percent shooting, 31.2 percent from three, and 72.8 percent from the free throw line.



Another example of that is with the Boston Celtics and winning their championship this decade. The Celtics had Rondo who is a great defensive point arguably the best in the NBA right now.

Rondo, like Parker, was used more as a change of pace because of his athleticism. Rondo could get into the open court more easily than the likes of Ray Allen, Kevin Garnett, and Paul Pierce.

This is one of the reasons why Rondo is able to get to the rim so much. His major weakness though is his shooting from outside 12 feet. Rondo has one of the worst jumpers in the NBA, which was exploited in the Finals by the Lakers especially in game seven.

Rondo basically disappeared from the late first quarter until the closing minutes of the game. Rondo disappeared because Bryant had dared him to shoot from about 15 feet out and Rondo missed the shot badly.

When the Celtics won the championship, Rondo was the fourth option offensively. He helped get Pierce, Allen, and Garnett the best looks possible and he played his role extremely well that the Celtics were able to defeat the Lakers in six games.

In his young career so far Rondo has averaged 10.7 points, 6.8 assists, 4.4 rebounds, on 48.9 percent shooting, and 63 percent from the free throw line.

When the Miami Heat won the championship they had Jason Williams running the point. Again, a role player for the season and in the playoffs!



Williams in his career has been known for his flashiness and ability to set up teammates. That's what the Heat counted on him to do to help Dwyane Wade and O'Neal.

In his career, he has averaged 10.8 points, 6 assists, 2.3 rebounds, 1.2 steals, on 39.9 percent shooting, 32.8 percent from three, and 81.3 percent from the free throw line.

Billups the only elite guard to make the list that won a championship. It had less to do with his passing ability as a point guard but more to do with his defensive abilities and hitting clutch shots.

He also got help from Richard Hamilton, Tayshaun Prince, Rasheed Wallace, and Ben Wallace. The Pistons strength was its defense as the likes of Billups, Prince, and both Wallace's played huge roles in defeating the Lakers in five games.

Billups in his career has averaged 15.4 points, 5.6 assists, 3 rebounds, a steal, on 41.6 percent shooting, 38.8 percent from three, and 89.2 percent from the free throw line.

Again, on those championship teams and those Finals teams, there were no point guards by the name of Paul, Williams, or Nash.

Even looking at the 1990s when the Chicago Bulls and Houston Rockets combined for eight of the 10 championships, neither team had an elite point guard. The point guards on those teams were Steve Kerr, B.J. Armstrong, John Paxson, Kenny Smith, Sam Cassell, and Scott Brooks.



Bulls had Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen. The Rockets was Hakeem Olajuwon. Yet, none of the point guards on the Bulls or Rockets were elite.

The two other teams that won championships in the decade were the Spurs and Lakers. The point guard again for the Lakers was Fisher and the point guard for the Spurs was Avery Johnson.

Fisher was a role player with O'Neal and Bryant leading the way. As was Johnson for the Spurs. The Spurs two most important players were David Robinson and Tim Duncan. However, Johnson came up huge for the Spurs because the New York Knicks were daring him to take 15 foot jumpers and he was making them.

The teams that made the Finals were the Lakers, Trail Blazers, Suns, Knicks, Magic, Supersonics, Jazz, and Pacers. As for the point guards on these teams they were elite in the 90s at least for most of the Finals appearances.

This list includes Magic Johnson, Terry Porter, John Stockton, Kevin Johnson, Greg Anthony, Penny Hardaway, Gary Payton, and Charlie Ward.


Of this group that got to the Finals, five of them were elite point guards and three were role players.

In the 70's, the 10 championship teams were the Milwaukee Bucks, Lakers, Knicks, Celtics, Golden State Warriors, Trail Blazers, Washington Bullets, and the Supersonics.



Of those teams, the point guards were Oscar Robertson, Flynn Robinson, Walt Frazier, Jo Jo White, Butch Beard, Lionel Hollins, Tom Henderson, Gus Williams, and Magic Johnson.

In the group, only Robertson, Frazier, and Johnson were elite point guards. The rest were role players for their respective teams.

The Celtics dominated in the 60's. Here's a look at the championship teams in the decade. Bob Cousy, K.C. Jones, Mal Graham, and Em Bryant. The 76ers and Knicks were the only two teams to win a championship in the 60's as well.

Point guards on those teams were Frazier and Wali Jones. Cousy in the first championship was elite but the following three seasons he became a role player. Jones was a role player, and Graham and Bryant were more of bench players than anything because John Havlicek could handle the ball for the Celtics.

For the 50's era, the Celtics started their dominance at the tail end of the decade.

The Minneapolis Lakers started out the NBA's first decade by winning three straight titles and four out of the first five. The Rochester Royals, Syracuse Nationals, Philadelphia Warriors, and the St. Louis Hawks twice also won championships.

For the teams their point guards were Slater Martin, Bobby Wanzer, George King, Jack George, Jack McMahon, and Cousy.



First decade in NBA history didn't see too many elite point guards.

Only two could be considered elite that won championships that was Cousy and George. Also during this time it truly was based on the dominance of big men with the likes of George Mikan, Wilt Chamberlain, Bob Pettit, and Bill Russell.

What do the last two decades prove?

It is beneficial to have a shooting guard that can handle the ball and make plays the chance of a championship is better. In the last 17 out of 20 seasons, the shooting guard was one of the best players on the team.

When a team had a big man, it was 15 out of 20 seasons that the center or power forward was one of, if not the best, player on the team that led the team to a championship.

For small forwards, 10/20 the small forwards was amongst the better players on the team.

Finally, for point guards only one out of the 20 seasons was there a point guard that could be considered elite amongst the best players to lead their team to a championship.

The reason why it has been difficult for a point guard to lead their team to a Finals appearance or championship is because of unselfishness. A point guard's primary responsibility is to distribute the ball first and score second. It's difficult for them to change their mindset to score first and then get teammates involved.



In the playoffs, defenses get tighter and are more willing to dare a point guard to score, which goes away from a point guards first instincts which is to get his teammates involved in the offense.

Yet, there's a reason why out of the position players, the shooting guard has been the most successful. A shooting guards main purpose is to score and pass second. The opposite of what a point guards responsibilities are and hence why the shooting guards have had more success.

Even going by the two teams being predicted to win the championship for the 2010-2011 season, neither team has an elite point guard. Both point guards on those teams are going to be role players.

If the last two decades are any indication of how the NBA has gone, elite point guards are not necessary for playoff success or for winning a championship.

The Bulls and Lakers combined over the last two decades have won a total of 11 championships without an elite point guard.

Original article can be found here http://bleacherreport.com/articles/441239-are-point-guards-really-needed-for-playoff-success-and-championships

Mammoth-Sized, Versatile Brandon Jacobs Could Be the Best Running Who Ever Lived

Now let me ask you a question. When is it ever in your life you have ever seen a running back at the size of 5’11″ to 6’1″ and 225-240 pounds? You probably have seen some like that before. That’s when somebody gives the name of that running back a power-back. We have seen them with the likes of Franco Harris, Larry Csonka, Jim Brown, Jerome Bettis, Jamal Lewis, Earl Campbell, and many many others.

But when have you ever seen a running back with the numbers like these: 6’4″ and 260 pounds, 4.56 seconds in the 40-yard dash? I have never seen that before. That is probably the fastest player I have seen who has a size like that. And what makes it scarier is that he is a running back. Imagine how those defensive ends feel? Worse: linebackers and safeties. The worst: cornerbacks. Everybody is afraid to tackle him. The man’s name is Brandon Jacobs, and he is the mammoth-sized, versatile running back for the New York Giants.

I remember when I first saw him in Week One of the 2006-07 NFL season. It was the Giants against the Indianapolis Colts. The big headline of that game was Peyton Manning against his little brother, Eli Manning. It would be called the Manning Bowl. But I saw something else in that game. I saw Brandon Jacobs. He and Tiki Barber were both sharing the ball in that game and Barber was doing excellent as usual. But then Jacobs came up. When I first saw him, I thought he was a guy who switched positions or somebody that just tried this year. But he’s been a running back for a while now. I mean, he was huge! Jacobs would end the game with eight carries for 54 yards and one touchdown. This would go for a 6.8 yards-per-carry average. He would continue to impress that season, and ran for a total of 423 yards, nine touchdowns, and a 4.4 yards-per-carry avearge.

After the Giants lost to the Philadelphia Eagles in the playoffs that year, Tiki Barber would announce his retirement. This came to a shock to many, as Barber would retire at a young age. He had a few more years left, but it was his decision that he retired early. This would mean that Jacobs would have to carry the load for the 2007-08 season. He filled in well for Barber, rushing for 1,009 yards and with four touchdowns. This would also include five yards per carry. Along with this, the 10-6 Giants pulled off the biggest upset of the year by beating the 18-0 New England Patriots, 17-14.

Jacobs would enter 2008-09 season with great hopes and expectations. The Giants played great and had the best rushing attack in the NFL that season, which included the Earth, Wind, and Fire combination of Jacobs, Derrick Ward, and Ahmad Bradshaw. Jacobs would finish with 1,089 yards and 15 touchdowns with five yards per carry. Ward would also rush for over 1,000 yards. However, the Giants’ abruptly ended to the Philadelphia Eagles, 23-11.

Ward would leave to play for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He would have a disappointing season. I couldn’t argue the same for Jacobs. Jacobs ran for 835 yards with five touchdowns along with 3.7 yards per carry. It came to a really disappointing season many expected more out of him. But it didn’t go so swell.

I didn’t hear from Jacobs since. But, however, just about a week ago the New York Giants-New York Jets pre-season game came up. They had a little segment with Sport Science and showed how strong Brandon Jacobs really is. They say that when Jacobs runs into an opponent, it creates over 2,000 pounds of force! It just showed how strong Jacobs really is. At full speed, he created 5,000 pounds of force! The numbers were crazy and were probably off the charts for any running back in football history. The ESPN analysts started discussing this on the Monday Night Countdown. At 6’4″ and 260 pounds, the guys expected way more from him. To have the numbers he had in the 2009-10 season, it was just unacceptable.

And it brings me to the point: Brandon Jacobs could be the greatest running back who had ever lived. Why? Well, when have you ever seen a running back so fast, strong, and have a size like that? He is one of the most unique backs I have ever seen and I have never seen somebody like him. At 28 years old, Jacobs could play for four more solid years and two years under rest. I can see him ending his career at 34 years old, where most backs usually retire when there is nothing left. And when you end with these estimates, Jacobs could end his career with at least 10,000 career rushing yards if he can produce well for these next seasons.

He may not be the best, but he could be one of the best power backs. He’s entering a new season with high expectations. He could be one of the greats, the legends. He could really be something very special. Jacobs is a Giant.

It’s time he’s finally acted like one, permanently.

Hope For the Future: Why the Indiana Pacers Shouldn’t Yet Give Up On Lance Stephenson

There’s no doubt Lance Stephenson is talented.

On the court he’s a prodigy with enough skill to be considered part of the future of the Indiana Pacers. Off the court he seems like just another thug.

He’s made headlines recently, with online journalists and bloggers going nuts with the recent news of him assaulting his girlfriend, which is extremely serious.

That bit of news led people to dig deeper, and not only are his recent troubles coming to light and bringing him attention, but negative aspects of his character have surfaced from his days in high school and college as well.

Many of the journalists and bloggers weighing in on these issues have voiced a belief that the Indiana Pacers general manager, Larry Bird, would do well just to release the troubled player.

Since becoming the general manager of the Pacers, Bird has seen his fair share of troubling times, some of the toughest in the team’s history.

Of course, in a small way, he has only himself to blame for some of it. He is the one responsible for drafting or bringing in players such as former Pacers Stephen Jackson, Jamaal Tinsley, Ron Artest, Shawne Williams, David Harrison, and a few others.

All of those players, while with the Pacers, affected the team and its chemistry (and more importantly the win-loss column) with their attitudes and off-the-hardwood issues. They were talented, no doubt, but they also brought numerous headaches.

Only three of them have reformed themselves to some degree. Tinsley is now a productive backup point guard for the Memphis Grizzlies, Stephen Jackson is a starter and key component for the Charlotte Bobcats hopes of building a winner under Larry Brown, and Ron Artest is a defensive force and leader at small forward for the defending NBA Champion Los Angeles Lakers.

Artest, especially, seems to have conquered his demons, and was one of the keys to the Lakers championship, hitting clutch threes down the stretch in the Game 7 of the Finals against the Boston Celtics.

Williams and Harrison aren’t faring as well. Shawne was arrested just a month ago, and David is trying to redeem himself with the China Basketball League.

Stephenson almost seems destined for the same path as those two.

Dime Magazine has said he could be a future NBA star, labeling him “Born Ready” when he was only 17 years-old. Now 19, Stephenson is facing a very tough situation.

He performed great in the Summer League, and was initially projected by many to possibly be the Pacers starting point guard this season. However, Indiana made a trade with the New Orleans Hornets for Darren Collison and James Posey for Troy Murphy.

Collison is sure to be the starter for the Pacers this year, based on his performance last year replacing superstar point guard Chris Paul. This meant Stephenson would at best be helping out off the bench as a great combo guard.

Then came his arrest.

Since that arrest, there have been frequent calls to just cut him. That might be the most politically correct thing to do, but I think it would be a mistake.

Unlike players like Stephen Jackson and Jamaal Tinsley, who were adults in their 20s when they had their issues, Stephenson is and was just a kid. In my honest and humble opinion I believe Indiana should just keep him.

I know, I know it’s a gamble, but I believe it’s a gamble that could pay off.

Stephenson has all the talent in the world you want in a player. I won’t condone his actions, as I believe hitting a woman is despicable, but there have been many players and many people throughout society who have gotten a second chance after doing even far worse.

Everyone makes mistakes, and Stephenson has made his fair share of them, granted. However, I feel there is hope for him. I believe he can be redeemed. I believe he can turn his life around, and in the process, possibly turn the Indiana Pacers future around.

My suggestion would be that Lance be required to get some counseling, and hope that helps him to make the transition from troubled youth to mature adult players like Stephen Jackson, Jamaal Tinsley, and Ron Artest seem to have made.

They made those transitions after they left the Pacers. I’m hoping Stephenson can make it while still with Indiana.

If he were older, I would say just cut him and take your losses. Yet, he’s far too young to give up on.

David Kahn, the president of basketball operations for the Minnesota Timberwolves said he wouldn’t have gone after and traded for Michael Beasley, due to his past issues, if he were in his mid-20s. In the same way, if Lance were five or six years older I could see not giving him a shot. However, he’s again, just a kid, and deserves another chance.

He brings hope for the future for the Indiana Pacers because of his talent, and could easily develop into a great sixth man soon, and possibly a star in seasons to come. While that potential shouldn’t give him a free pass, it should grant him some consideration.

He’ll need to work for it, absolutely. As teammate Sebastian Telfair has said, he needs to “Man Up” about his behaviour. There will have to be accountability, but I’m of the opinion that accountability shouldn’t be just getting rid of him.

Grant him the chance to work through these problems and show exactly why Larry Bird thought he was a steal in the draft. Perhaps he’ll prove that correct, and Bird will look back on his decision (to keep Stephenson), and say it was a good one.

Check Yourself Before You Wreck Yourself: LeGarrette Blount Needs to Calm Down Before He Ruins His Career

Just two short years ago, during the 2008-09 College Football season, LeGarrette Blount had it all going for him. He was the star running back for the Oregon Ducks, who had aspirations of possibly being a star running back in the NFL one day.

During that 2008-09 season, he had rushed for 1,002 yards along with a school record 17 touchdowns. He did all this, including averaging 7.3 yards-per-carry, while sharing the backfield with teammate Jeremiah Johnson, who was the featured back and who also eclipsed the 1,000-yard mark for the year with a team high 1,201 yards.

This led many to believe, as many still believe today, that Blount had the talent to succeed even in the NFL. However, recent incidents, along with his troubled past, might just prevent him from ever succeeding not only in the NFL, but in life in general. Simply put, LeGarrette needs to calm himself down before his career is over.

Coming out of Taylor County High School in Perry, Florida, Blount wasn’t considered all that great a back. Rivals.com and Scout.com both considered him a two-star recruit despite the fact he had rushed for 1,000 yards three times as a four-year starter for Taylor County High.

He wasn’t highly recruited, and while he attempted to attend Auburn University and tried to get an athletic scholarship, he was never offered one, and wasn’t able to qualify academically.

This led him to head to East Mississippi Community College in Scooba, MS, where racked up two impressive 1,000-yard seasons as one of the nation’s best junior college athletes.

One of his career highlights was a 273-yard performance along with three touchdowns in a win over Northeast Mississippi Community College as a freshman.

He was ranked as the No. 1 junior college prospect by The Clarion-Ledger after his first season, and received Junior College All-American honors.

Within another year he was considered by most to be one of the nation’s highest ranked junior college prospects at any position, and was named the No. 1 junior college running back by Rivals.com in their Junior College Top 100 from that year.

Now proving his mettle, he was highly recruited by many schools, yet decided to try and fly high with the Ducks, where Oregon coaches said Blount reminded them of Reuben Droughns.

Even with his stellar first year with the Ducks, though, there were troubling signs. He had some quarrels with veteran head coach Mike Bellotti that earned him a suspension for the first quarter of a November loss to the California Golden Bears for “not following team rules.”

After the season had ended his troubles with Bellotti didn’t end, and the head coach suspended him indefinitely on February 10 for “failure to fulfill team obligations.”

When the Oregon Ducks got rid of Bellotti and brought in new head coach Chip Kelly, this was a boon for Blount, who was reinstated by Kelly after it had been determined he’d responded well to Bellotti’s suspension and had improved.

With the new season about to unfold, Blount and his team felt good. He was on the watch lists for the Walter Camp Award, as well as the Doak Walker Award, and there seemed nothing that could stand in his way. It seemed he was destined to eventually be an NFL running back. Using basketball jargon, you could say it was a “slam dunk” or in boxing parlance, it was a “knockout” that he was headed for stardom.

Then, of course, Blount “knocked” himself out of the running for those awards and possibly even a career, when he decked Boise State defensive end Byron Hout after a 19-8 loss to the Broncos.

It was the season-opener for the Ducks during that 2009 season, and Hout had jawed incessantly to the Ducks and Blount during the game. He continued his antagonistic provocation after the game, and when he came up to Blount running his mouth some more and touched him on the shoulder, LeGarrette blew a gasket and literally knocked him out, as you can see in the photo to the right.

This might not have drawn a great deal of notice if the game hadn’t been on national TV. As it was, the video of the incident became an instant viral classic on the Internet, leading the sports news universe for days.

The gist of it was he was suspended for the entire season by coach Kelly. Yet, many in the media expressed doubt as to whether this was justified, and voiced the opinion that Blount should have simply received a few games suspension in order to cool his jets, so to speak.

In the end, after numerous apologies from Blount, including an apology letter published in the Oregon school newspaper, the Oregon Daily Emerald, he was reinstated for the November 14 game against the Arizona State Sun Devils.

Releasing a statement prior to the game, Blount thanked his coach, saying that he, “cares enough to offer me this second chance.” He further said he hoped to “prove to people that their lasting impressions of me are not what they saw in Boise.”

He didn’t get much of a chance to prove anything in the game against Arizona State, nor in the game against the Arizona Wildcats that followed, sitting on the bench because his replacement, LaMichael James, had been playing so well already that year.

He did get in on the action during the Ducks final game of the year against their hated rivals, Oregon State. Coming in to relieve James when his team trailed by 9 points, he quickly scored on a 12-yard run to bring them within two.

He would end the game with 51 yards rushing, and was a huge help in getting a 37-33 win for the Ducks against the Beavers that earned them a berth in the 2010 Rose Bowl against Ohio State.

Even then his future was in doubt, as he went undrafted in the NFL Draft.

However, one team took a chance on him, the Tennessee Titans. They signed him to a contract, and he is currently battling for a third-string running back position along with Stafon Johnson and Dominique Lindsay on the team behind behind starter Chris Johnson and backup Javon Ringer.

Struggling so far in camp, Blount displayed to the world that his anger issues aren’t yet completely in check.

Expressing his frustration during practice, he put on another “boxing” exhibition, punching his teammate this time. Luckily the man was wearing a helmet at the time, or Blount might have knocked him out as he did Byron Hout.

However, such an action is no laughing matter.

In fact, such behavior could easily get him cut from the team, and worse, could prevent him from every drawing any interest from another team. Franchises love talented players, and will sometimes look the other way when it comes to character flaws of their superstars. However, if the talent is marginal, they’re not likely to put up with many character issues.

I have only this advice for LeGarrette Blount. CALM THE HELL DOWN!

My father always told me to think about the consequences before I made any moves or took any action. Apparently Blount’s own father never told him the same, or if he did, it still hasn’t sank in.

Punching a teammate, especially after the incident he was a part of just over a year ago, won’t endear him to Titans coaches, and will only make him look terrible. He needs to get his anger in check quick or he may see himself on the outside looking in.

If he truly wants to make something of himself, and succeed, even to a minimal degree in the NFL, and not be a total failure in his career, he needs to calm down and start thinking about his actions as they pertain to his future.

Check yourself, LeGarrette, before you wreck yourself!

Roger Clemens Lied on Final Strike: No Sympathy Whatsoever

What exactly was Roger Clemens thinking when he testified and told a fib to Congress in Capital Hill? As much as we want to believe that the Steroid Era has suddenly vanished, we’ll never forget all his rehearsed and inglorious lies, inexplicably and simply covering the truth and denying to confess of his wrongdoings.

With some serious explaining, now is the time Mr. Clemens may want to consider telling the truth and nothing but the truth, to avoid further dishonesty and public humiliation. Amid the most embarrassing twist, all we want is the truth, but apparently the feds and their grand jury uncovered the specifics. There’s no sympathy for the seven-time Cy Young winner who fabricated his accomplished career and, still to this day, lives a lie ever since juicing his level of performance for an advantage in a competitive sport.

What is exactly mind-blogging is that an infamous crisis is getting worse, epically for the dirtiness it displays, sabotaging the beauty of the game. The despicable crime labels Clemens as a fraud, a lying dumb-ass who is apathetic of a damaged legacy that smeared his credibility long before honesty surfaced. His steroid scandal, which ruptured the irreparable image of Clemens, who is perceived as a hopeless, unworthy right-hander, poses as a disgrace in a sport deteriorating and falling into oblivion.

It was 2½ years ago when Clemens declined in a congressional hearing as a national audience watched it nationwide on television, that he ever used performance-enhancing drugs. Huh! In the end, you were hoodwinked, cheated and fooled. How does it feel to be lied to? How does it feel to be betrayed? Trust me, I know how it feels.

And to believe that Clemens never used an unlawful substance, and even advocated that it’s acceptable to tatter the integrity of the sport in general is foolishness. It turns out that he’s the equivalent of my ex-girlfriend, a pseudo and betrayer for erroneously committing fraud on a game he truly relished and mastered before revelations manifested clear evidence of drug usage.

At this point, the man formerly known as the Rocket is unsurprisingly the Big Fat Liar, perhaps the biggest liar sports may have ever witnessed in this decade, if ever. If Clemens committed such a sickened crime, and instead of being deceptive and secretive, he’d release much tension and guilt by unleashing the truth. That’d seem very rational to avoid further nonsense and clear his name of guilt. But this happens when someone is self-indulgent, arrogant or ignorant, subsequently for getting caught and accused of furtive sins.


Any notion that baseball was tainted years ago Clemens was considerably one of the best pitchers at the time, of course, taking the mound as a sham and failing to be a purist or expose his artistic competitiveness without injecting himself with contaminated juice. I’ve never been so befuddled and disappointed. I’ve never felt so cheated and betrayed in my life, trusting in Clemens for pitching fiercely and performing with diligence in effortless outings.

What? He relied on juice all along. What appeared real was unreal. What seemed legit was dirty. No wonder the ball was usually covered with nasty dirt nearly following every pitch. He tried to hide the truth, a mistaken idea by Clemens, sadly adding horror and anxiety on Thursday when indicted on six counts for lying under oath. All he simply had to tell the world is that he was guilty and wrongly opted to be a drug dealer, rather than a spotless pitcher. Now that he’s naïve and still acknowledged he never pumped his body with steroids or HGH, troubles are stemming from allegedly falsifying.

Clemens has taken a rapid fall from grace, and he’s a fallen star quicker than Tiger Woods or LeBron James, losing his claim to all-time greatness among elite pitchers. Didn’t he realize it’s risky and dumb to lie under oath? Didn’t he know that is perjury? Is he really that offended with the accusations and recent charges? Then, state the facts, Roger. No false statements, but the truth. It’s time he finally succumbs to reality, but ever since the Mitchell Report revealed Clemens’ name, he hasn’t spoken in clarity or helped his own cause by spinning the story.


According to the Big Fat Liar, he “Misremembers” ever been injected with the substances. Ummm! If he had sense and pride, Clemens in all likelihood wouldn’t be facing prison time, but at worse, would have only been tainted and portrayed as a fraud. For years, ultimately, we worshipped his longevity, talent and work ethic, blinded by the possibilities of cheating and the likelihood of lying. He was famously the best pitcher admired in a corrupted age of baseball, amid the rejuvenation of the game during the baseball-saving season, the summer of ’98 when the feats and incredible milestones of Sammy Sosa and Mark McGwire were relevant.

For years, sadly, we believed in Clemens until he disappointed us, lied to us and tricked us. And to make matters worse, he never had the courage or audacity to admit to immorality. Let’s face it, the performance-enhancing drugs helped him infamously win two World Series championships and 354 games. Common sense tells us that he took advantage of enhancing his game with the exception of drugs, obviously when his numbers suddenly ascended later in his career.

Ever seen a pitcher’s numbers improve late in his career? Not unless it was Clemens. More noticeably, his ERA skyrocketed greatly and he began pitching efficiently, having solid control of his command and velocity. And years later, he tried to prove his innocence and purity, which degenerated when baseball released the Mitchell Report. In the meantime, his legacy is smeared because of ignorance, and even his freedom is endangered because of lying.

“Let me be clear. I have never taken steroids or HGH.”

Not even a fool believes Clemens.

In 23 major-league seasons, he was deemed as arguably the greatest power pitcher the game had ever seen, but in recent years, has plunged and likely faces 15 to 21 months in prison. This is no surprise -- after all -- we are living in the Steroid Era, a time when the horrid crisis is badly ruining and bruising the game, such as Barry Bonds, the arrogant slugger who ostensibly lied under oath as well. If there’s one player loathed more in this country for wrongly surpassing Hank Aaron’s home run record on a night when he captured the tainted milestone, it’s a moody and overbearing Bonds.

As for Clemens, the grand jury is claiming that he lied 15 times under oath. If so, then he may jeopardize his lifestyle and may have to serve harsh time, based on the power of law enforcers. Sure, he has every right to claim his innocence, but the evidence revealed the explanation of a dubious situation.

In the aftermath of the release of the Mitchell Report, he’s still not confessing or apologizing for deceiving, not only the game, but congressional investigators and Congress. All along, I believed his former training Brain McNamee, who stated in the report that he injected Clemens on a cycle period with steroids and HGH between 1998 and 2001. Nevertheless, on Twitter he’s refusing to unleash what really transpired in that time span. So apparently, he hasn’t learned or simply doesn’t care.

“I never took HGH or Steroids. And I did not lie to Congress,” Clemens wrote. “I look forward to challenging the Governments accusations, and hope people will keep an open mind until trail. I appreciate all the support I have been getting. I am happy to finally have my day in court.”

Why, so he can lie repeatedly? What support is he getting? Who is endorsing the Big Fat Liar? Oh, his attorney Rusty Harden.

“The problem is nobody ever talks about what he should have done if he didn’t do it,” Harden said. “And he didn’t do it and he’s adamant about that and always has been. Today is just another continuing part of that saga…Roger is looking forward to his day in court. He is happy this has finally happened. We have known for some time this was going to happen. We’ll let everything get taken care of in court.”

Between the PED headlines and extramarital affairs, including an alleged affair with country signer Mindy McCready, his clean image is pathetically damaged and his credibility is lost. As of recently, he’s delusional and continues to deny all reports or any negative news that unveils. If his name was mentioned 82 times in the Mitchell Report, what makes us think he’s not guilty, what makes us think he never endangered his image or what makes us think he has chances of being enshrined into the Hall of Fame for falsification and lagging on issuing a statement when the accusations were publicized?

If he tried to publicly spin the story and former friend Andy Pettitte’s testimony, what makes us think he’s telling the truth? Come on, use common sense. In front of your eyes, he tricked the game of baseball and all populace, after vowing to be a power pitcher legitimately. When he appears in court, Clemens may wear his immaculate face again and try persuading the court system that he’s not guilty.

“The indictment of Roger Clemens comes as no surprise to me,” said Victor Conte, founder of BALCO. “In my opinion, the case against Clemens is far stronger than the case against Barry Bonds. Brain McNamee is an eyewitness who will testify against Clemens and there appears to be strong physical evidence against him as well. I believe Roger Clemens is in a lot of trouble.”

Yes, he is in much trouble.

He’s looking at prison time. I guess that means NO Cooperstown.

The Rocket has exploded, eternally.