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check out the poll -->

2007-12-17T14:24:00.000-08:00

i just got a 'gig' writing for http://theloveofsports.com

help me come up with a clever nickname--would love any suggestions not included in the poll also

the holiday season/exams/trying to find a (paying) job has kept me busy these last few weeks, but I'll certainly take up blogging again in the near future

Fantasy Desperation, Part Deux

2007-11-22T02:05:00.001-08:00

Welcome back to the only place that re-allows you to fantasize about winning fantasy football, completely guilt-free. I trust you have already checked on Matt Schaub’s and Kolby Smith’s availability, so let’s now look to some potential free-agent wide receivers, tight ends, kickers, and defenses that could help stabilize unrealized future playoff dominance. I know that once my players saw I meant business with my latest transactions…well, let’s just say that my recent fantasy practices have been nothing to laugh at.

Best available Free Agents

Wide Receiver
1. D.J. Hackett/Deion Branch
2. James Jones
3. Kevin Walter/Andre Davis
4. David Patten
5. Bernard Berrian
6. Ike Hilliard
7. Justin Gage
8. Arnaz Battle
9. Terry Glenn
10.Devin Hester

9-1-1
1. Drew Carter
2. Keenan McCardell
3. Amani Toomer
4. Nate Washington
5. Various Jacksonville/Seattle receivers (Reggie Williams, Dennis Northcutt
Nate Burleson, Bobby Engram)

If you haven’t heard, the Seattle Seahawks have adopted a very pass-heavy offensive mindset. This greatly increases the value of their starting wideouts. While this is normally Deion Branch and D.J. Hackett (as listed on the depth chart), both have been plagued by injuries this season. Burleson and Engram have both had big games in relief. Check on injuries/matchups to see which would best fit your team.

For some reason, I see James Jones available in a lot of fantasy leagues. He shouldn’t be. Favre is a man.

Kevin Walter and Andre Davis have both seen a decrease in receptions with Texans star Andre Johnson back from injury, but as long as Houston’s running game remains laughable, Texans wideouts get an extra boost of fantasy value. It should be noted that Kevin Walter is listed as the team’s second starting wideout behind Johnson, which should mean more opportunities than Davis.

David Patten has emerged as a reliable #2 behind Colston in New Orleans. His numbers haven’t been as spectacular the past few weeks, but he should be good for at least a couple more touchdowns this season.

Berrian has averaged near 80 yards a game this season, though it seems a lot of his catches come on long bombs from Grossman. Well, since sexy Rexy is back in the starting role, you can expect a few more of those.

Ike Hilliard has embraced his new crafty veteran quarterback, Jeff Garcia, and developed good chemistry. Galloway is often injured, which leads to more receptions for Hilliard.

Justin Gage is more of an emerging fantasy option as Vince Young struggles to throw the ball in an accurate fashion. He had one of the most impressive touchdown grabs I’ve seen all season, balancing entirely on his helmet for a split second while he reached for a bobbled ball in the endzone before snaring it in.

Arnaz Battle has led the 49ers in receptions on multiple occasions this season, despite being regarded as a third option behind Darrel Jackson and TE Vernon Davis. To be fair, the 49ers offense is pathetic.

I keep hearing that Terry Glenn will be back in 1-2 weeks. Well, if he is, he would have great fantasy potential in a monstrous offense.

Devin Hester has been under the radar the last few weeks. He probably isn’t going to catch many more touchdowns this year (I think both of his came with Griese in the lineup, and Berrian is clearly the long-ball favorite of Grossman), but he could always take one back on a punt or kick return. 6 points is 6 points.

I’m not going to take a lot of time to go through the 9-1-1 guys. Drew Carter has the better hands of the second-tier of receivers (Steve Smith being tier 1) on the Carolina Panthers, Keenan McCardell is a nice redzone target, Amani Toomer is a solid veteran with great concentration, and Nate Washington will see an increase in PT as long as Holmes remains sidelined.

Tight Ends
1. Vernon Davis
2. Alex Smith
3. Eric Johnson
4. Leonard Pope
5. Jeff King
6. L.J. Smith

Tight End really isn’t important enough to go into 9-1-1; you’re rarely going to have a tight end that catches multiple touchdowns or has a 100 yard game and isn’t named Antonio Gates. I won’t be including 9-1-1 for defenses or kickers, either, but I’ll try to include enough so that you’ll have options.

Vernon Davis is a great football player. Despite not living up to rumors of a “break-out” season, and despite the struggling San Francisco offense, Davis has tremendous upside. He is one of the fastest tight ends in the game, maximizing potential yards-after-catch.

Alex Smith (not the bumbling idiot who lobs the ball around in San Fran, the TE from Tampa) has become somewhat of a favorite redzone target for Jeff Garcia.

Eric Johnson benefits from having a great quarterback. Brees’ play has been amazing through the middle weeks of the season.

Leonard Pope is a beast—this 6’8” monster exploded for two touchdowns a week ago, but rarely averages more than a handful of targets a game.

Jeff King is one of the most consistent parts of the Carolina passing game, but don’t expect him to catch many touchdowns. Don’t expect anyone from Carolina to catch many touchdowns.

I hate L.J. Smith for the same reason I like honey-nut cheerios with vanilla ice cream. My arbitrary feelings notwithstanding, he is a decent fantasy option now that he is healthy.

Defenses
1. Indianapolis
2. Tampa Bay
3. Kansas City
4. Arizona
5. Cincinnati
6. Anyone who plays against the Dolphins, Jets, or Falcons

If you don’t have a reliable defense at this point, it’s going to be best to try and plug and play one defense at a time, with high regard to weekly match-ups.

Kicker
1. Jason Hanson
2. Kris Brown
3. Mason Crosby
4. Sebastian Janikowski
5. Robbie Gould
6. Shayne Graham
7. Phil Dawson
8. John Kasay

One of the worst things you can do in fantasy football is fall in love with a kicker, defense, or tight end, and just keep waiting and waiting for them to perform. Be liberal in switching kickers, and NEVER carry more than one on your team. The best piece of advice I can give you at this point is to DROP Adam Vinatieri, Nick Folk or Stephen Gostkowski if you have been riding their wave of PATs to this point. You want to focus on kickers whose redzone offense or running game struggles, making their team one-dimensional near the goal line. Those are the guys who are going to get field goal opportunities.

Please feel free at ANY time to post ANY questions about who to start, sit, whether potential trades are worth the investment, or other inquiries you might have. Comment here, e-mail me at erickfore@gmail.com , or feel free to send me an IM—Doctor Ummer

Fantasy Desperation

2007-11-20T22:41:00.000-08:00

Welcome to the first installment of my fantasy that I know anything about fantasy sports.

It’s true—I am a relative newcomer to the fake world of real sports. Before this season, I had participated in one fantasy football league and one fantasy basketball league—mind you, both with auto-draft enabled. After dominating the regular season in my fantasy NBA league, I was robbed of the championship when Gilbert Arenas and Tracy McGrady both went down with injury, but still managed to snag the bronze trophy. I’ve also been involved in a number of “pick-em” pools during March Madness and the NCAA tournament, mostly initiated by the fact that I started my collegiate career in Chapel Hill, NC. In my last year at UNC I scored a whopping 84% and, like most faithful Tarheels, predicted UNC over Illinois in the championship game. This year, by week 10 in the NFL, I had already defeated 24 other schmoes in a Yahoo! public “survival” football league. I’ve successfully swept (that is, won in all 3 of) my fantasy football leagues on at least 4 separate occasions this season, and currently sit no worse than 4^th in any league.

Yes, I know, how very prodigious of me.

At this point, that pathetic attempt at a fantasy highlight-reel is the best I can muster. Don’t be dissuaded, however. After you heed my forthcoming brilliant advice and go undefeated from here out in your fantasy leagues, you’ll be a believer. Let’s start with the…

NFL

Between injury, impending suspension, and just plain counter-production, your fantasy roster might not look as solid as you had hoped at one or more positions. When you gambled your first-round pick on superstars like Peyton Manning, Marvin Harrison, Steven Jackson, Steve Smith, or any number of people named “Johnson” on the Bengals or Chiefs, you would have never guessed that none of them would rank in the fantasy top 5 at their position. Cadillac, his partner-in-crime from Auburn (Ronnie Brown), Dirty Frank, and Deuce-Deuce are all done for the season. Harrison and LJ, in the meantime, don’t even have a timetable for return, and the full extent of their injuries is clouded with implications of chronic pain and doctor-patient confidentiality. Huh?

Have no fear—despite the trade deadline already having passed in most leagues and with the playoffs approaching fast, it’s not too late to solidify your post-season berth or maximize potential off-the-bench production. There are a number of great free-agents available, and included is a full breakdown at every position.

I’ve divided each category into two tiers—the first being guys who can put up consistent winning numbers and worth a look to anyone who doesn’t have Tom Brady or LaDanian Tomlinson. The second, “9-1-1,” is more geared towards players who really should be used for emergencies only, and probably not for more than a week or two, largely dependant on the match-up.

Best available Free Agents

Quarterback

Matt Schaub
David Garrard
Jay Cutler
Marc Bulger
Jeff Garcia

9-1-1

6. Kurt Warner
7. Jason Campbell
8. Kellen Clemens

In all honesty, there hasn’t really been a shortage of serviceable quarterbacks this year. Those who rode the Drew Brees-train through his initial 1:9 touchdown-interception ratio and 0-4 start have since been highly rewarded with a 15:4 ratio. A lot of quarterbacks’ numbers have since suffered a very Brees-like slump, though largely due to various injuries.

Matt Schaub came back in week eleven with a bang, lighting up the questionable New Orleans defense for nearly 300 yards, 2 touchdowns, and no turnovers. With Andre Johnson, one of the most explosive wide-outs in the NFL, back in action and with continued deficiencies in the Texans running game, Schaub is clearly the free agent with the biggest potential for monstrous numbers.

David Garrard has yet to throw an interception this season, and continued his great decision-making in his return against San Diego in week 11, throwing for 2 touchdowns with no picks or fumbles. Unlike Schaub, guys like Garrard and Jeff Garcia are models of consistency. Both are beneficiaries of strong running games and while they may not put up 30 fantasy points in a week, you can count on their abilities to manage a game and limit turnovers.

Jay Cutler, Marc Bulger, and Kurt Warner are all in similar situations. All boast talented groups of receivers with ability to get big yards after the catch. Of this group, Cutler has the best arm though Bulger and Warner have better receiving duos, and while Cutler’s gun-slinger mentality will lead to occasional questionable throws, Bulger and Warner are actually more prone to turning the ball over.

Jason Campbell and Kellen Clemens are largely unproven. The young Redskins’ QB has had extreme highs and extreme lows, most recently coming off his biggest game to-date, netting over 350 all-purpose yards and throwing for 2 touchdowns. In contrast to these numbers, he also threw an interception, lost a fumble, and the Skins lost the game. Clemens, on the other hand, a second-year QB, put up less impressive numbers but led his Jets team to a victory over the powerhouse Steelers.

Runningback

1. Cedric Benson

2. Kolby Smith

3. Warrick Dunn

4. Chris Brown

5. Justin Fargas

6. Fred Taylor

7. Chester Taylor

8. Maurice Morris

9-1-1

1. Brandon Jackson
2. Reuben Droughns/Derrick Ward
3. Captain Blaze-a-lot Mc Smokin’ the Fatties (aka Ricky Williams)

Ok, so you’re probably either thinking to yourself, “What is this guy smoking that he has ‘Boo-Boo’ Benson at the top of any list?” or maybe “How does he have Chester as the lesser of two Taylors…did he not see ole Chesty drop the mega-bomb on Oakland’s face?” Well, unfortunately for those of you who scrambled to snag a piece of the Chester, don’t expect him to be anything but a one-hit-wonder. According to rotowire.com, Adrian Peterson (original) has already started running again, and is expected to start again by December 2. The same source reports that the offensive coordinator of the Bears is convinced that Cedric Benson didn’t get enough carries during their recent loss to the Seahawks, despite exploding for 63 yards on his first two carries. Couple that with the fact that the “new AP” (Benson’s backup, Adrian Peterson for the Bears) managed a meager 11 yards on his five carries (despite finding his first paydirt), and Benson should see plenty of opportunities for respectable fantasy numbers to close out the season.

I commented briefly on Larry Johnson's injuries earlier, and it seems previous reports that Johnson may be out with a foot fracture (vehemently denied by the Chiefs) may have some truth to them. After Priest Holmes' abrupt retirement, Kolby Smith (who has only had 10 carries all season for 19 yards) will get most of the carries going forward.

In Atlanta, for whatever reason, the Falcons continue to give sixty-two year old Warrick Dunn the bulk of their carries over speedster Jerious Norwood. He continues to put up respectable numbers—barely, but very consistently. Don’t ever expect him to go Ches-Tayl style and bust for over 150 or 3 TDs, but he should be good for at least 80 all-purpose yards a week.

Before Week 11, Chris Henry for the Titans had scored a rushing touchdown in back-to-back games. Despite this being in relief for LenDale White, and despite terrible numbers from all Tennessee running-backs over the weekend, you can count on Chris Brown getting any carries that would’ve gone to Henry, since Chris H. will most likely serve a 4-game suspension to close out the season. Brown is a much better option catching passes out of the backfield than White, so he could be a threat through the air as well. He caught 4 passes for 61 yards against the Broncos, though the Titans were playing from behind the whole game.

Somehow, Justin Fargas has worked his way into a starting role in Oakland, while a mostly-healthy LaMont Jordan and certainly serviceable Dominic Rhodes keep the bench warm. Fargas isn’t a bad start as a #2 back on any team.

The only reason I have Maurice Morris at the bottom of this list is because he is in a similar situation as some of my 9-1-1 backs. Even though he has been extremely productive since Shaun Alexander has been out with various physical ailments, and even though he may be the most skilled back with the best offensive line of the bunch, the Seahawks have clearly adopted a pass-first offense. This will limit Morris’s carries, and even if he proves to be the Seahawks back of the future, not starting a healthy Shaun Alexander (MVP 2 seasons ago, if you recall) is simply not justifiable. Ryan Grant for the Packers and Brandon Jacobs for the Giants are both nursing injuries and may be out this week—you can look to Jackson or Droughns for relief.

Ricky Williams…there just isn’t much to say yet. He should see a decent number of carries, but who knows what type of shape he is in? He hasn’t played football in years, and his propensity towards supplemental recreational smokeables does not mix well with professional sports.

Part 2 of Fantasy Desperation will contain information about potential free-agent Wide Receivers, Tight Ends, Kickers, and Defenses that could help lead your team to victory. Check back tomorrow.

A Few Things --

2007-11-13T20:23:00.001-08:00

**Anyone can now post comments on this blog. I didn't realize there was a setting that, by default, only allowed those with blogspot/gmail accounts to comment on my posts. Sorry.

**Stephon Marbury is going to Miami. Think about it--the Heat are desperate for offense right now (for those of you who didn't catch tonight's game, the Charlotte Bobcats dominated the Heat, 91-76), and that is, in fact, the extent of Marbury's game. Offense. If Marbury, Wade, Hardaway, Ricky Davis, and Shaq are all on the same team, the Heat would easily be a contender in the East. You heard it here first.

**Jeff McInnis play for the Charlotte Bobcats has been very encouraging. Particularly his shot-clock recognition tonight, but I like his display of "basketball IQ" in general. I was worried that letting Brevin Knight go only to have McInnis (widely regarded as having less talent) come in and play an identical role would be detrimental to the team, especially on the offensive end, but that has not proven to be the case at all. He's averaged over 5 assists the last 3 games, and three different times tonight McInnis was forced to throw up prayers as the shot-clock buzzer sounded. He converted on two of them (one a running floater over Big Daddy himself)!

Check back for more on the Bobcats victory later.

Marbury Facing Dishonorable Discharge

2007-11-13T17:41:00.000-08:00

Take a recent look around the NBA’s Eastern Conference and headlines are anything but scarce. The Boston Celtics and their new “Big-3” are still undefeated. Dwyane Wade has yet to make his highly anticipated return from two off-season surgeries. The Wizards and the Bulls are underperforming, and LeBron still has absolutely no supporting cast to speak of. Residents of Charlotte, NC are celebrating a resurgence of talent in professional basketball. Most recently, rumors surrounding Stephon Marbury of the New York Knicks, aka “Starbury,” have been plentiful as well.

To outsiders, this talk of trade or buy-out possibilities is perplexing. Marbury has yet to record less than 10 points and 5 assists in a game this year, and is averaging only 2.4 turnovers a game-- well under his career rate. He’s shooting a more-than-respectable 44.4% from behind the arc, and has converted near 90% of his free-throw opportunities.

A source close to the situation told me that Marbury’s production has been overshadowed by all the “excess baggage” his negative attitude and selfish demeanor have created. “Everything that’s associated with him,” including his demands for catering to his family and friends, has been a “pain in the @#$.” “(The coaches) probably feel like Nate (Robinson) or (Mardy) Collins would do better.”

Marbury’s reportedly missing shoot-around after being told he would not be in the starting lineup certainly adds substance to these remarks on his personality. In contrast to the uncertainty of his future, Marbury will certainly be fined by the Knicks for his going AWOL.

Bobcats Hope to Improve on 3-3 Record

2007-11-13T15:41:00.000-08:00

Heat severely struggling without D-Wade

Following previous starts of 1-5, 2-4, and 1-5 in their first three years, the Bobcats are off to, for them, a blistering pace. Sure, fans of other franchises might laugh at the celebration of a .500 winning record, but there is every reason for Bobcats buffs to feel elated.

For instance, tonight, the ‘Cats face off against divisional rival Miami in Charlotte Bobcats Arena. Stats.com reports that even though Dwyane Wade, following shoulder and knee surgeries, was cleared to play on November 2, 2007, he is not interested in rushing back and aggravating his injuries, a la Amare Stoudemire. The Heat are off to their worst start since the ‘03-‘04 season, Wade’s rookie year and prior to the trade for Big Diesel, when they started 0-7. This year they boast a Bobcats-like 1-5, with their single win coming against the Knicks in a tight game on Sunday.

Tonight the Bobcats should be able to remain competitive without much trouble. This season Shaquille O’Neal is averaging 4 rebounds less than his career average despite seeing an increase in playing time. In addition, he is averaging career-worsts in points, FG%, assists, and fouls per game, and is therefore unable to stay on the floor during critical situations.

The Bobcats have certainly had extreme performances through six games--on both ends of the spectrum. The highs: hard-fought victories over Milwaukee and Miami by a combined total of five points to open the season. The lows: allowing Phoenix, sans Amare, and an inexperienced 76ers team to blow the ‘Cats up for an average victory of 31.5 points. Another win and another loss bring us to tonight’s competition against the former champs, who look less than playoff-worthy.

After all is said and done, the Bobcats will certainly need a more consistent overall effort from their bench, especially with Jason Richardson’s poor shooting % and struggle to fit into the new system. Walter Herrmann has yet to see significant playing time despite going on a statistical tear to end last season. This is probably due to his atrocious 2-for-13 from the field over the first six games, though he has been a perfect 4-4 from the foul-stripe. Matt Carroll, after starting slow in the first two games, has reached double-digit points in the last four. Jermareo Davidson, Jared Dudley, and Ryan Hollins have all shown sparks of ability, but are all shooting under 45% and are all averaging minutes in the same ballpark as Herrmann--just over 10-a-game.

Alleviating the pressure on the Bobcats starting-5 will be crucial as the season wears on. Emeka Okafor, Raymond Felton, Gerald Wallace, and Jason Richardson all struggled with various injuries last season, and the loss of two key role-players to season-ending injuries in Sean May and Adam Morrison has only increased the burden on their shoulders. Sam Vincent must establish a more regular rotation if we are to continue our winning ways. Tune in to News 14 Carolina at 7pm and check back for a summary of the game afterwards.

Yao and T Mac -- Kind of a Big Deal

2007-11-11T19:18:00.000-08:00

Bobcats Defeated in the Closing Seconds

It’s great to see Raymond Felton back on the floor for the Charlotte Bobcats. After an embarrassing 94-63 loss to the struggling Philadelphia 76ers in which Felton sat out, we can especially appreciate Felton’s unique ability to run this new up-tempo style of offense. It was largely due to his intense speed up-the-floor and ability to dish the ball into impossible spaces that helped him lead the North Carolina Tarheels to a national championship in 2005. Coincidentally, the Tarheels also led the nation in multiple offensive categories, including points and assists per-game.

This year, according to queencityhoops.com, the Charlotte Bobcats lead the NBA in only one category: turnovers.

Felton’s abilities and overall contributions to the team were certainly apparent on Sunday night, despite a low-scoring event. In his second game back after a knee-injury (suffered when childhood soccer-player Steve Nash’s crafty, yet errant footwork left Felton on the court, writhing in pain), Felton helped the Bobcats stay close in a game with an elite Western Conference team, the now 6-1 Houston Rockets.

The final outcome was not necessarily what Charlotte fans were hoping for, as the ‘Cats were eventually defeated in closing seconds, 85-82.

Jason Richardson’s only points in the second half certainly came at a crucial moment. A drive to the hoop and a lay-up with about a minute left in the fourth quarter gave the Bobcats a two-point-lead, 80-78.

Unfortunately for the ‘Cats, Tracy McGrady wasted no time galloping back up the court, and with only 54 seconds left, McGrady drove and scored off the glass, was fouled by Okafor, and sank the freebie. 81-80, Rockets on top.

This is where things started to get a bit hectic and out-of-control for the Bobcats. Two of their three wins this year have come as a result of ice-cold free-throw shooting in the late seconds of the game by the Bobcats point-guards. With only :38 seconds left to play, it seemed history would repeat itself, as Felton, once again, stepped up and knocked down two to give the Bobcats their final lead, 82-81.

After a stellar defensive series by the Bobcats, Rafer Alston, who is struggling from the field this year (31.8% FG, 20.8% 3-PT), was forced to take a long three, which found rim but no net. To the Bobcats dismay, Yao Ming pulled down the biggest rebound of the game, and the Rockets retained possession. It was all Emaka Okafor could do to rake across Yao’s arms to keep him from getting an easy lay-up, thus fouling himself out of the game. To the chagrin of ‘Cats fans everywhere, the seven-and-a-half foot center hailing from China is one of the premier free-throw shooting big-men in the game. At one point, Yao even took a technical-foul-shot for the Rockets (which he sank). Needless to say, Yao converted both shots, resulting in the final lead-change of the game, Rockets up 83-82 with only twenty seconds left to play.

The Bobcats have habitually had trouble converting game-winning and game-tying shots, largely due to the lack of a pure-scorer on the team. Jason Richardson was brought in for that exact reason, but due to his poor shooting night (6-17 in the first half, 1-4 in the second), he did not get a chance to stroke the J as the clock wound down. Instead, Gerald Wallace puttered around on the perimeter before driving in and pushing off on Tracy McGrady, badly missing the basket and causing an offensive foul and a turnover. The end result was two more converted foul-shots, an 85-82 lead for the Rockets, and, with no timeouts left for Charlotte, a desperation full-court heave that proved fruitless. How truly heartbreaking.

Bobcats lovers should not feel but so deflated at this loss: a number of statistics that had previously been alarming for the Bobcats inspired confidence tonight. The team average of 64.4% from the foul-line was drastically improved upon. The Bobcats as a team shot over 93.3% tonight (that’s an ‘A’!), only missing a single shot from the line. Houston, on the other hand, stayed consistent to their season-average, and hit 85%. Charlotte’s league-leading rate of turning the ball over (near 22 per game) was also held in check—the Bobcats committed only 13 giveaways while forcing the Rockets to a total of 20. In addition, the Bobcats bench finally showed some life—Matt Carrol exploded for a season-high and team-high 17 points on 60% shooting and 3-of-4 from downtown. He also contributed an assist and was a perfect 2-for-2 from the stripe.

Why, then, was this game a close contest, and how did the Rockets squeak out a victory? It’s actually very simple. Superstars.

The Bobcats simply had no answer for Yao Ming, who shot a remarkable 13-15 from the field and was perfect from the line, netting a season-high 34 points, 8 rebounds, and contributing 4 assists. When you add Tracy McGrady to the mix, who is famous for his last-second scoring ability, and who previously single-handedly led the Rockets in the greatest comeback in NBA regular-season history, the Bobcats were doomed. McGrady, in addition to converting a three-point play in the closing seconds, had 26 points and matched Yao’s totals in rebounds and assists.

The stellar play from these Rockets in the closing seconds could not be matched by the play-makers for the Bobcats. Gerald Wallace, Jason Richardson, and Raymond Felton went a combined 15-43 from the field, scoring only 42 points and shooting under 35% for the game. Gerald Wallace’s end-of-game antics were unimpressive, but not necessarily the wrong call. Given Jason Richardson’s continued inconsistency and Okafor having fouled out, Wallace was probably the best overall athlete and shot-creator on the floor, despite being known for his defensive prowess. Personally, I would’ve liked to see the shot given to Carroll, as he was the only Bobcat’s player who shot over 50% for the game.

However, team-leaders (albeit in-progress) must be given these opportunities. As the face of the franchise, Gerald Wallace must be given a chance to convert big shots late in games in order to develop confidence and leadership on a very young team, especially if we hope to be contenders in the East.

After an impressive performance against one of the best teams in the West, you can expect the Bobcats to continue their best season to-date. At 3-3, the Bobcats trail only the 5-2 Orlando Magic in the Southeast division. Charlotte's next two games come against divisional opponents Miami (on Tuesday) and Atlanta (on Wednesday).

Let's just hope that Dwyane Wade doesn't decide to make his long-awaited return against the Cats in Charlotte, or the 'Cats may be in for another disappointment at the hands of the NBA's best.

Appeal 4 Real?

2007-11-08T21:31:00.000-08:00

Blatant Manipulation of the System?

Just a quick thought before sleep--

You would think that the Titans organization would dissuade RB Chris Henry from appealing his 4-game suspension, since if he served it now he could be back for the last few weeks of the regular season. I’m speculating that members within the management realize that, since Chris Brown (the OTHER-other Titans running-back) is still on-the-mend and since he previously showed such production, if it would be wiser to keep Henry playing for now, let Chris Brown heal, and then slip him back in for Henry pending any later suspension. In any event, either of them would be #2 to LenDale White, who, despite a nagging toe injury, has posted three straight 100-yard games.

Come playoff time, with the most dangerous scrambling quarterback and three very serviceable running-backs in their arsenal, the ever-fresh legs of the Titans will surely pose the most serious of threats to the best run defenses in the league.

my heart is broken

2007-11-06T14:06:00.000-08:00

Damn you, News 14 Carolina. I retract all of my previous praise and publicly scold myself for trusting you to show tonight's Charlotte Bobcats home game against the Phoenix Suns. My grief can best be expressed through a monologue given by Michael Scott in a moment of terrible sadness

"... it feels like somebody took my heart and dropped it into a bucket of boiling tears... and at the same time, somebody else is hitting my soul in the crotch with a frozen sledgehammer... and then a third guy walks in and starts punching me in the grief bone... and I'm crying, and nobody can hear me, because I'm terribly, terribly... terribly alone."

Undefeated

2007-11-05T15:48:00.000-08:00

The Charlotte Bobcats had never been able to boast an undefeated record. Wins on opening night had been impossible to come by for this young franchise which, this year, celebrates its fourth in existence. That all changed Friday evening, when two free throws by beloved former Tarheel and starting Bobcats point-guard, Raymond Felton, sealed a win over the Milwaukee Bucks, 102-99. Ladies and gentlemen, for the first time, at 1-0, the Charlotte Bobcats! Emphasis on the 0.

If one had a short memory, one could argue that with only a tenth-of-a-second left on the clock, Felton’s two freebies to go from a 100-99 lead to a 102-99 lead on the Bucks meant very little to the outcome. In case you missed a gem last season in a match-up between largely irrelevant eastern-conference teams, take a short walk down Bobcats’ memory lane.

Unfortunately, the home-opener for the Bobcats was not even televised outside of the Charlotte area. There was nothing to be done for non-local Bobcats fans except sit, eyes glued to a virtual game-channel, watching the box-score fill up and the minutes count down. But, what is this?? News 14 Carolina to the rescue!!

This terrible injustice of not showing the home-opener is countered by the fact that, this year, fans with basic cable in various parts of North Carolina will be able to watch fifty games from the comfort of their living-room. This is the second year of the Bobcats’ contract with this newly-created, all-North Carolina, all-news, all-the-time channel 14. Fans and followers of the Bobcats, then, had to wait to see their team until Sunday afternoon, amidst the madness of the biggest football game ever, ever. Well, since that game was largely un-remarkable and played out just how it should have considering the Colts’ missing key personnel, some eyes turned to News 14 Carolina to check on the ‘Cats down in Miami.

Those eyes may have been baffled by what they witnessed—could this be another time, another place? Shaquille O’Neal and Penny Hardaway? Are you sure this isn’t the Orlando Magic circa 1995, or maybe that “Blue Chips” movie with crazy-Gary-Busey-look-alike Nick Nolte? Once the shock of seeing these legends died away, it was plainly apparent that the two superstars are only mere shadows of their former selves. In fact, the Miami Heat were absolutely anemic on offense…until the fourth quarter. And that’s really the important one, isn’t it?

With 1:04 left in the game, a small and fiendish elf by the name of Chris Quinn drove the lane and dished the ball to the Heat’s newest player, Ricky Davis. He hit a three-pointer, the only Miami player to do so in this game, tying the score at 86. From the one-minute-mark and on, it once again came down to the confident free-throw shooting of Bobcats point guards. Two Miami turnovers ensured that McGinnis and Felton’s combined 4-for-4 from the line in the last sixty-seconds were enough to seal the victory. Even with a last second, long two-pointer by the Heat’s Udonis Haslem, the Charlotte Bobcats emerged victorious, 90-88. Ladies and gentlemen, still undefeated, at 2-0 and alone atop the NBA’s Southeast division, the Charlotte Bobcats!

Charlotte fans are still waiting to be pinched awake. The Bobcats have never led the division at any point, during any season. How long will we be able to ride the glory of a dominant and undefeated ball-club? Thankfully, the Southeast Division is unanimously considered the weakest in the NBA. Gilbert Arenas only hits buzzer-beaters, so as long as the Wizards are down by more than three, they’ll stay winless. Miami is severely struggling for points with D-Wade still out indefinitely…they signed Penny Hardaway for crying out loud! And the Bobcats have never finished with a worse overall-record than the Atlanta Hawks, though the Hawks have also (like the ‘Cats) greatly improved over the off-season. The most formidable divisional opponent is the Orlando Magic, who, with the addition of Rashard Lewis, has matched the Bobcats win total of TWO on the season, and lurks just a half-game behind in the standings with one loss. All in all, this year’s Charlotte Bobcats team should be in serious contention for a wildcard spot in the NBA playoffs.

The biggest glaring weakness for the Bobcats is depth in the post. Primo Brezc looks like the new Jake Voskuhl, constantly stumbling clumsily around the court and seemingly unable to hang onto any ball that is thrown or falls his way. However, those who can remember 7-footer Ryan Hollins in limited action last year were pleasantly surprised to see that he has put on 75lbs of solid muscle. Apparently he was in touch with Barry Bonds in the off-season. According to www.queencityhoops.com , the Bobcats play some of their most efficient defensive basketball with Hollins on the floor, and just as well on the offensive side with McGinnis in the game. Seriously, Bobcats lovers and stat-heads alike, check that site out.

Raymond Felton and Emeka Okafor, both averaging double-doubles through their first two games, are the X-Factors here. With Adam Morrison and Sean May gone for the season, Bobcats’ head coach Sam Vincent is playing previously injury-plagued Okafor at center much more than he’d like. If Collins can continue to perform, especially with Brezc’s shortcomings, some of the pressure would be alleviated, giving us a decent rotation down-low. Felton needs to continue to look for his teammates since, with the addition of Jason Richardson, he will be playing less combo-guard this year. It’s a good sign to see his shot falling early since his field-goal percentage was unacceptable last year (38.4%, 33% from 3-point-range), but expect him to average substantially less than his current 22.5 points-per-game and 57.1% from downtown.

This marks the first great start to the first great season of the NBA’s newest franchise. Unfortunately, with the explosive Phoenix Suns visiting the Arena and the Orlando Magic playing against the laughable Minnesota Timberwolves tomorrow, Bobcats fans must hold their breath as they hang on tight to their first-ever division lead.

David Carr Faces Titanic Defense this Sunday

2007-11-02T21:31:00.000-07:00

As Adam Jones seeks early reinstatement to the NFL, other members of Tennessee's defense step up their game, but stay out of the spotlight

Adam "Pacman" Jones meets with Roger Goodell today hoping to convince the commissioner of the NFL to shorten his year-long suspension for off-the-field issues. If Jones gets his wish, he would return to the lineup (Titans willing) on November 19th, a Monday-night game in Denver. Since this outcome is highly unlikely given "Pacman" Jones' continued questionable extra-curricular activities, Jeff Fisher and the Titans must not succumb to the media-stir and focus solely on their opponent this week. On Sunday they will be at home for their week-9 matchup, putting their 5-2 record and much-improved defense (ranked 5th overall in yards-per-game allowed in the NFL) on the line against David Carr and the Carolina Panthers.

So how did the Titans replace Jones who, last year, led the league with 12.6 yards-per-punt-return (taking three to the endzone), had four interceptions (taking one of those back as well), 62 tackles, a sack, and a forced-fumble?

Well, it has started with their defensive line, led by Albert Haynesworth, which has allowed an NFL-best 64.3 yards-per-game rushing. Haynesworth, who last year was suspended an unprecedented five games for his on-the-field face-stomping antics (which, for Andre Gurode, center for the Dallas Cowboys, meant thirty stitches in the face and a consult with a plastic surgeon) has turned his image and his team's defense around. Consider Haynesworth very lucky to even still be employed, since his violent disregard for appropriate behavior and proper anger-management could have meant the loss of an eye or even a life. Haynesworth stayed wise throughout the media-frenzy, apologizing profusely but otherwise keeping his mouth shut, graciously serving his suspension. This year, he has let his big game do the talking, contributing two of his team’s fifteen sacks and plugging gaps like few others in the league.

On the second level lurks un-sung Tennessee line-backing hero Keith Bulluck, who has matched Pacman's four-interception total from last year in only the first seven games of this season. Bulluck, in his ninth season (all with the Titans), has only missed one game in his illustrious, albeit un-glorified, career. As a prominent veteran voice in the locker-room, he is as important an individual as any in keeping this defense focused.

At safety, Chris Hope and Vincent Fuller (who doesn't even start) have, between them, deflected four passes, grabbed three interceptions, returned two for touchdowns, and forced one fumble. In a pear tree.

Punt-return duties have fallen to rookie wide-receiver Chris Davis out of Florida State, and while he lost two fumbles early on, Fisher stayed with him and has allowed Davis to put his stamp on many aspects of this team. In addition to being the sole member of the Titans to return punts this year, Davis has five receptions this season for 38 yards and two rushing attempts for 19 yards.

What does all of this mean, exactly, for the Carolina Panthers, who, at 4-3, stand atop the NFC South?

Statistically, the best part of the Panthers offense, their running game (ranked tenth in the NFL), doesn't look so hot when matched up against Tennessee's top-ranked run-defense. While Deangelo Williams and Deshaun Foster combine for formidable numbers, neither has established himself as the go-to back. Williams posted his second-career 100-yard rushing game in Arizona two weeks ago on the way to a 25-10 win over the Cardinals, but it was Foster last week who had the Panthers' sole touchdown in a loss to the Colts. Much of the pressure, then, will likely fall on the shoulders of David Carr, who, as former quarterback for the Houston Texans in the AFC South, is surely familiar with the Titans' D'. Let's hope this figurative pressure doesn't affect Carr's back, where he is still recovering from very literal compression fractures. Carr will get the start over Vinny Testaverde, who suffered an injury to his Achilles tendon when an offensive lineman was tripped up and landed on Testaverde's foot just before halftime last week.

All of that said, you are talking to a die-hard Panthers fan here. With Vince Young on-the-mend and desperate to disprove the curse that so-often accompanies those the year after landing on the cover of "Madden," beating the Titans in Tennessee will be no easy task. To the Panthers' credit, all of their wins this year have come on the road. In contrast to their 0-3 home record, the Panthers are undefeated outside of Bank of America Stadium this season. As anyone who follows the Panthers is well-aware, the key to keeping Carolina's offense from stalling out is to look for Steve Smith early and often. Surprisingly, Smith's stat-line shows that, in the Panthers' wins this year, he is only averaging .5 more receptions and 15 more yards than in the losses. This is primarily due to his insane performance against the Texans in week-2. In a 34-21 loss at home, Delhomme and Smith seemed to be the only Panthers playing with heart and desire, and they connected for 153 yards and three touchdowns on eight receptions. Excluding this game and the week-3 win over Atlanta in which Delhomme went down (Smith had one reception for 10 yards and one rush for 6 yards, clearly not enough touches for the Panthers' best offensive player), Steve Smith averages seven receptions for 100 yards and 1.0 touchdowns in Carolina's wins and 3.5 receptions for 25 yards and 0.0 touchdowns in the losses. This makes it easy to see how vital Smith is --he must be an integral part of the Panthers' offensive gameplan. Otherwise, Williams, Foster, and Carr will be heavily frustrated in Carolina's first-ever trip to Nashville.

Despite Tennessee’s loss of defensive personnel and despite some injuries and questionable quarterback play, the Titans have managed to improve drastically on their 2-5 start last season. Unfortunately, the AFC South, which houses the undefeated Colts, 5-2 Jaguars, and 3-5 Texans franchises, is one of the best in the NFL. Worrying about divisional matchups, however, must be pushed to the back of the Titans’ minds this weekend since Vince Young will have his hands full with Dan Morgan and Julius Peppers. The Titans are favored here, but if Carolina can shut down the run and David Carr can finally pull his career together, then with the help of the Panthers’ offensive-line, barring any face-stomping, they will squeak out a victory. Go Panthers, and dare I say, RAWWWWWWWWRRRRRRRRRrrrrrrr!!!!!

E4's NFL Playoff Predictions

2007-11-01T03:55:00.001-07:00

With a mammoth of a matchup impending, most people are debating whether the Colts or the Patriots are more likely to steamroll through the regular season undefeated (and ergo win their head-to-head this Sunday). Who's better: Tom Brady or Peyton Manning? Which receiving corps is better: Moss/Stallworth/Welker or Harrison/Wayne/Clark? What we do know is that this Sunday the men will be separated from the boys as we witness what may be a preview of the AFC championship game. Sweet holy gracious. My loins are tingling.

Yes, it's time to switch things up to football. It isn't my favorite professional sport because deep down somewhere in my soul, it seems sort of barbaric and sometimes unnecessary in the same ways as boxing. A few months ago a friend said something funny to me: "A 'sport' where the object is to punch your opponent in the head until his brain bleeds just seems a little ridiculous." Good point. But I digress.

You're gonna get everything you could ever want in this post: my picks to go to the 07-08 NFL playoffs, my projected records for those teams (as well as current records going into week 9), and even bubble teams who may squeeze out a berth. Say that out loud. Squeeze out a berth. It sounds gross.

AFC

(1) New England Patriots
Currently: 8-0 Projected: 16-0

This team seems unstoppable. Right now all systems are go, and there is only room for improvement with a defense and a running-back corps that has been somewhat plagued with injury. Also: the AFC East is absolutely terrible, with a combined mid-season record (not including the Patriots) of 4-19.

(2) Indianapolis Colts
Currently: 7-0 Projected: 15-1

Unless Dungy and Belichick start benching a whole heap of their starters ("whole heap," see: Cool Runnings (1993)), these are the only two "elite" teams in the league. I use that word sparingly. The Colts have improved from last year's Superbowl team, and we may be witnessing the best inter-conference rivalry of the decade. They will have some tough divisional games, but superior coaching and game-management will carry them to victory on Manning's shoulders.

(3) Pittsburgh Steelers
Currently: 5-2 Projected: 12-4

The Steelers aren't actually the third-best team in the AFC, but they will have the third best record as their schedule includes the Dolphins, Bengals, Browns, Jets, and Rams in the next 8 weeks. Aieee. They will, however, lose to New England and at Baltimore to close the season.

(4) San Diego Chargers
Currently: 4-3 Projected: 11-5

A relatively weak division will allow LT and the resurging Chargers to have a much more impressive second-half. They'll lose to Indianapolis and at Tennessee.

(5) Baltimore Ravens
Currently: 4-3 Projected: 9-7

Boller looks solid enough to, even if McNair remains sidelined, allow the re-energized defense of Ed Reed, Ray Lewis, and the Batlimore Ravens win some more games for them, though they've lost a step since winning the superbowl, and won't be able to pull their magic off against the three especially high-powered offenses they will face before the season's end (SD, NE, IND, back-to-back-to-back, ouch). I also have them losing in Pittsburgh to the Steelers this weekend. Expect the Ravens to squeeze out...wait, no, none of that. Expect them to...migrate...to the playoffs. Do Ravens even migrate? Someone get back to me on that.

(6) Kansas City Chiefs
Currently: 4-3 Projected: 9-7

With Damon Huard and Tony Gonzalez finally on the same page, Dwayne Bowe having a breakout year, and Larry Johnson exhibiting the qualities that earned him the title of a work-horse back, KC should round out the playoff teams for the AFC. They will lose to the obvious Chargers and Colts as well as the Packers this weekend and at Detroit near the end of the season.

Bubble Teams:

Tennessee Titans-- I made a wager before the season started that Vince Young, perhaps due to the dreaded "Madden Curse," would have more interceptions that passing TDs this season. So far: 3 TDs, 6 INTs. Booyah.

Jacksonville Jaguars-- With the newest setback being the steroid-allegations and likely 4-game suspension of DT Marcus Stroud, the Jaguars suffer a second serious blow to the heart of that defensive-minded team. With Garrard already out with an ankle injury, it will be hard for the Jags to regroup in time to save their season.

Denver Broncos-- Travis Henry, do more passing and less puffing. Contact high? Yea right.

NFC

(1) Green Bay Packers

Currently: 6-1 Projected: 13-3

Though the AFC isn't the dominant force it was in recent memory, the NFC has still somehow managed to take a step back. Surprisingly, not among those teams under-performing this year, is the Green Bay Packers. Brett Favre is partying like it's 1999, and with a great defense that can give him a chance to win nearly every game, they will lose losing only at Detroit and at St. Louis near the end of the year.

(2) Dallas Cowboys

Currently: 6-1 Projected: 13-3

The Cowboys offense can almost be included in the same sentence as the Colts' and the Patriots'. Their defense on the other hand...not so much. They will lose in New York at the Giants in two weeks and Brett Favre will flex his old-school gun-slinging skills and show Romo how it's done when he and the Packers come into Dallas the week after Thanksgiving, thus giving Green Bay the tiebreaker.

(3) Seattle Seahawks

Currently: 4-3 Projected: 11-5

Flying under the radar, Matt Hasselbeck is quietly putting together another very solid season in a league where starting quarterbacks are dropping like flies. Shaun Alexander could be playing better and he will do so as the season wears on and he gets back to 100% health. Seahawks will lose at Carolina and also to Baltimore.

(4) Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Currently: 4-4 Projected: 10-6

The NFC South has to be one of the most disappointing conferences in the NFL. Where are the Saints from last year, and why can't the Panthers keep a healthy Quarterback (at least four have played minutes this season)? One man is laying everything on the line for his team, and that man is Jeff Garcia. His wife is incredibly hot, and I can't promise that isn't making me biased. They will lose at New Orleans and to the Panthers at the end of the year.

(5) Detroit Lions

Currently: 5-2 Projected: 10-6

Not the Patriots, not the Colts, but the Detroit Lions get my vote for most talented group of wideouts in the NFL. Kevin Jones is proving to be a force between the tackles, and John Kitna is benefiting from "miracles" on the field. (See: mysterious vanishing concussion) They'll get Kitna's promised ten wins but only that many, as they will lose to Green Bay, Dallas, San Diego, and the New York Football Giants.

(6) New York Giants

Currently: 6-2 Projected: 10-6

If you can conveniently forget that atrocious game in the rain in London, Eli Manning is looking like a new man this year, and Plaxico Burress is one of the most valuable players in the league at this moment. They should extend their current 6-game win-streak to 9, but as so many Coughlin-led teams end up, swinging the other direction to end the season, losing the next three to Chicago, Philadelphia, and Washington, before splitting their last two, winning at Buffalo and losing to New England.

Bubble Teams:

Carolina Panthers-- If they can consolidate their running game and Carr can play like he should be capable (as a former #1 pick overall, just before everyone's favorite UNC alum Julius Peppers), the Panthers could be a surprise late playoff hopeful. Not that they will do anything if they do get into the playoffs.

Washington Redskins-- In an extremely tough division, Jason Campbell breathed fresh-air into an offense that under performed last year. Well, until he played New England last week. Portis hasn't been the same since he got that ludicrous contract, and I maintain that Betts will be getting the bulk of the carries by the end of the year. With receivers going in and out with injuries (whether physical or mental *cough*Santana Moss*cough*), Campbell will have to utilize Chris Cooley if he wants a chance. Because Chris Cooley is on my fantasy football team.

New Orleans Saints-- Probably about as good a shot as the Panthers. Though their record is worse, and even without Deuce, they might be the best team in the NFC South. Let's see if Brees, after starting off with a horrendous 1-9 touchdown-interception ratio, can build on his much-improved 8-1 ratio over the last three games (all wins).

All right, thanks to any faithful readers who actually made it through all of that, because I know I barely did. That took for-damn-ever.

--E4

To Mike Brown: Please Stop Wasting My Time

2007-10-31T23:43:00.001-07:00

Okay, that sounds a little selfish, but what I am *witness*ing is an amateur coach hiding his mediocrity behind the best thing to hit the NBA since the 3-point-line. That’s right; I’m talking about the coach of the Cleveland Cavaliers, Mike Brown, and his terrible mis-handling of the greatest raw talent professional basketball has ever seen. Whoa, those were some bold statements…let me clarify a few things.

First of all, I am NOT in any way saying LeBron James is a) a greater star than Michael Jordan, or b) that he is even currently, hands-down, the best player in the league. What I am saying, though, is that his super-human strength, speed, and immense natural basketball ability (on top of the fact that I’d rank him top-five in the NBA in passing) in combination with his larger-than-life image and monstrous international influence makes him the most important player in the NBA. We have a chance to see a legend blossom before our eyes and truly *witness* an event like nothing since His Airness shared with us his powers of flight (that’s levitation, holmes) and fearless leadership, and remember, no one really saw that one coming. I have no doubt that King James will emerge as one of the most explosive and versatile athletes to ever grace the game of basketball, regardless of who his coach is, but if we are to truly see an entity that lives up to the hype-of-the-millennium, we’ve got to get someone behind the reins who has a little more experience and a little more freedom to be creative.

I probably could not point out one specific act of coaching Mike Brown has committed that has been deplorable (unless you consider contentment with self-mediocrity deplorable like I do), and a very small part of me sympathizes with the fact that, because he is a new coach, and because he is coaching LeBron James, there is very little room for error. I just feel like every substitution, every play-call (and in clutch moments, let’s face it, Brown slaps Bron-Bron on the rear and says, “Go get me a basket, hoss,” but who can blame him?) is standard text-book coaching. Specifically, I am angered this particular evening by the fact that he perpetually pulls his superstar out of games with 3 fouls in the second quarter, 4 fouls in the third, and entirely too early at the end of the games when trailing. I remember a game from the NBA Finals last year, either game one or two, when Brown benched James with the Cavs down less than ten points with a minute left in the game and the ball. No, I’m not kidding. That was in the playoffs. The playoffs? Playoffs??

Most recently, I want to point to the second quarter of the Cavs season-opener at home tonight against Nowitzki’s Mavericks. Down 18 points with 6:27 left in the half, LeBron James drove baseline and cut under the front of the hoop, gets the basket to fall, but gets called for a ridiculous offensive foul against Dirk (who, may I point out, was very clearly in the protected area) giving LeBron three fouls for the game. Mike Brown immediately sent him to the bench, and left him there for the rest of the half. Are you kidding me, Mikey B? You’re down 18, on the borderline of the game getting out of control, and your second best player (can Larry Hughes somehow possibly be the second best player on a team? What have the Cavs come to?) is 0-5 from the field and has 0 points, and you put your only sure-fire offensive weapon (well, James also had 0 points at that point) on the bench. Yes, fouling out of a game is bad, but what Mike Brown hasn’t seemed to learn is that losing the game is worse. Seriously, what do you have to lose? By not playing your best player so you could play him later, you dug yourself into a deep enough hole that he didn’t even have a chance to bring the game back for you at the end, which you also removed him from pre-maturely!! Which brings me to my next point!

Mike Brown must have missed that Lakers game on opening night with Kobe’s miraculous (albeit ultimately fruitless) comeback from 12-down with 90 seconds left to tie the game. The Cavs, while down 14 with 1:44 to play in tonight’s game, finally ended their own suffering by taking their last possible spark of hope, the only royalty in the Eastern Conference, King James, and plopping him on the bench. Please, give me, give the fans, give LeBron himself a chance to see if he can perform a miracle in Cleveland. I want so badly to BE A WITNESS.

Nothing I have seen from Mike Brown or his coaching staff has shown an inkling of creativity or innovation, and I am sick of seeing an inexperienced, clearly in-over-his-head coach ride on the coattails of an amazing player who is probably too nice to say anything, seemingly unnoticed. Well, Mike Brown, you are on my radar. Shape it up, show me your A-game, and let the King reign over this team’s destiny.

NBA Opening Night, 07-08

2007-10-30T23:56:00.000-07:00

The opening night of the NBA was everything I could have ever hoped for. I laughed, I buried my face in my hands, I pumped my fist in the air, I jumped off the couch and yelled at the TV, I wept uncontrollably…well, I wanted to when Shane Battier hit the game-winning three with 2.5 seconds left on the clock, all after Kobe’s Lakers came back from twelve down in the last ninety seconds of an emotional game. Ahhh, the familiar feeling of my heart nearly exploding at 1:30 in the morning—yes, the elusive beast that is the NBA season has finally arrived.

Those last 2.5 seconds were rather anti-climactic, as is so often the case when a team goes to the foul line for two shots, but is down three points—I’ve watched my fair share of professional basketball and have never seen the “make-one, miss-one and tip it in” technique executed successfully, and I’m starting to wonder if I ever will.

Houston over LA, 95-93.

In case you didn’t catch the game: Houston Rockets at LA Lakers

Kobe Bryant looked very much like Kobe Bryant. 45 points, 8 rebounds, and 4 assists later, the Lakers have their first loss of the 07-08 season. His mediocre 18-27 from the foul line shouldn’t leave any cause for concern—he is nursing a sore shooting-wrist and, remember, he was 12^th in the NBA in FT% last season (by the way, that 27 is a career-high for him in FT attempts). I still can’t understand what the Lakers are trying to do at center; they have created some two-to-three-headed demi-monster in former number-one overall pick Kwame Brown, young stud Andrew Bynum, and obscure weird-looking European (scratch that, apparently he's just from Texas...you can understand why I was confused, though) Chris Mihm. I had heard all summer that Bynum was the new hot thing in LA, but didn’t I hear that last summer as well? This kid is only just barely twenty years old, and while he appears the beast, I doubt he’ll establish himself over the other two. Ronny Turiaf’s scary grill is going to give me nightmares. LAL fans really should feel slightly re-assured as the Lakers, who were missing their not-very-arguably second best player in Lamar Odom (surgery on his left shoulder, out 1-2 weeks), basically lost themselves the game when, in the third quarter a fumbled rebound off of a McGrady miss was tipped off of Kwame Brown’s hands, through Luke Walton’s, and up into the Lakers own basket. There’s your two-point swing right there, and two of T-Mac’s 30 points. Yao Ming looked stronger than I’ve ever seen him, especially to start the season, where’s he’s looked soft and hesitant before. I saw a strong, sure-footed, emotional, big-time center, ready to bring his A-game. He, along with T-Mac, played a team-high 40-minutes, while Yao scored 25 points on 9-16 from the field, grabbed 12 boards, 3 blocks, and went 7-8 from the foul line. He chipped in a respectable 3 dimes, but was also among the team-leaders with 4 turnovers. All-in-all, I don’t see much change in either team from last season; the Rockets look a little faster and I love seeing McGrady and Yao playing well and playing at full-health. Since Houston hadn’t won a season-opener on the road since 1985, they can celebrate for now. The Lakers…I’m just not sure what to make of them. Is this squad going to have any longevity with Bryant trade-rumors circulating from every person on the Lakers management staff? Give me a break, dump or get off the can!

Portland Trailblazers at San Antonio Spurs
&
Utah Jazz at Golden State Warriors

Oden-less Portland struggles against defending champs, 106-97, Spurs win
Utah handles the Warriors in Golden State, 117-96

My second-ever NBA fantasy live-draft started at 8pm tonight, so—I can’t lie—I didn’t catch much of the first hour or so of the championship-ring ceremony and first quarter. I can’t say I was disappointed to miss part of what seemed like a pretty lopsided game throughout—the Blazers shot a good overall percentage from the field (47.1%) but were clumsy with the ball, netting 17 turnovers. When Jarret Jack fouled Tony Parker in the lane with 8:16 left in the first quarter (Portland’s last lead, 8-6), the reliable (and newly-married) San Antonio point guard knocked the two freebies down and never looked back. San Antonio’s largest lead was 16, but their 9-point victory was very indicative of how the game went. Tim Duncan remains a shoe-in for 20&10, though I was surprised at how easily LeMarcus Aldridge scored on what some say is a defensive player-of-the-year candidate. Whether it’s a testament to Aldridge’s nasty game or Tim Duncan being another year older, Aldridge and Duncan still both led their team in scoring with 27 and 24. What was surprising was the discrepancy in their rebounding—Timmy-D pulled down 13 and LeMarcus only contributed 3. Other notables for the Trailblazers: Martell Webster went 9-15 from the field (3-6 from three-point-range) and racked up 21 points, playing nearly 40-minutes. His big game was somewhat surprising; considering Travis Outlaw’s productive first half, Nate McMillan (N.C. State alum), coach of the Trailblazers, showed him very little love in the second half and as the game wound down.

Golden State got whooped at home tonight by the Utah Jazz, led by Carlos Boozer who came up with 32 points and 15 rebounds. Kirilenko, despite conveying his distaste for his current team over the off-season, played 40 minutes and had an impressive all-around game with 9 points, 9 rebounds, 8 assists, and 5 blocked shots. He is, after all, one of only seven players to ever record a five-by-five (five points, rebounds, assists, steals, and blocks in a single game), and he has accomplished that feat three times, but not since January of 2006.

That’s everything for now: just a few of my thoughts and some insights on opening night of what looks to be a great forthcoming NBA season. I’ll write about my reflections on NBA fantasy studs, downers, and sleeper-picks after a few more games have been played.

--E4