The Score on Sports

The Score On: The UN Sung Hero

2009-03-22T14:37:00.000-07:00

Sam Young. Leading Scorer on Pitt (18.5 points per game). Yet, if there is one person on Pitt everyone knows it is Dejuan Blair. I ask myself why. Because when I look at Pitt, Sam Young is consistently better than Blair. Young, I feel is so much more valuable to the Panthers than Blair. Do not get me wrong Blair is really good; it is just that he is not consistently good like Young. One game Blair will go off, with 25 than the next game he will have 9, Young is Mr. reliable, always getting around 20 points. And it amazes me how little publicity Young gets as opposed to Blair who gets tons of coverage.
This is really a shame, but do not be surprised when Young is getting 20 points per game in the NBA and Blair is riding the bench.

JSO

UNC 2009 Champions?

2009-03-21T21:49:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone!

I think that the UNC Tar Heels are going all the way. With Ty Lawson back the Tar Heels are unbeatable. If you do not agree, just look at the stars in their line-up. Field general, Ty Lawson (16 points, 6 assists, two steals per game) at point, a well seasoned, 3 –time all American in Tyler Hansborough at center, and a viable option out on the wing in Wayne Ellington. On top of the excellent line-up it, they play all their games in Greensborough, UNC has basically punched their ticket to Mo town.

The most important thing in the tourney is guard play. If you compare the backcourt of UNC to that of the other No. 1 seeds it is NO CONTEST. Ty Lawson is one of the best guards in the country point blank, period. Plus when you add in Ellington to the mix there is no debate. Some people claim Dejuan Blair is the best center, they claim he will beast Tyler in the elite 8. Wrong! Tyler Hansborough is the toughest player in the NCAA. He will eat Blair for breakfast.

The famous saying Defense wins championships is not true. A great offense always beats a great defense. If you can take the ball down the court and put it in the basket consistently, that team is going to win that game.

This is why I like UNC as the champs. They have an offense full of weapons that will not be stopped. They are just too talented.

Is The AP Coaches Poll of the Top 5 College Football Teams A Joke?

2008-08-28T11:19:00.000-07:00

Is The AP Coaches Poll of the Top 5 College Football Teams A Joke?

I think that the AP Coaches Poll of the Top 5 Teams in College Football Poll is insanity!

Let’s take a look:

Poll Results
1. Georgia
2. Ohio State
3. USC
4. Oklahoma
5. Florida

There are so many problems with this, I don’t know where to start. My first question is why is LSU not in the top five? If I'm not mistaken, LSU won the BSC title last year. Just because Glenn Dorsey is gone doesn’t mean LSU should be No.7!!!! On the AP Poll, Missouri is in front of LSU for crying out loud!!! I think LSU should be the Number One till they are beaten.

My next issue is, how did Georgia get the number one ranking? What? If you beat HAWAII, a team that is the weakest conference in football, you get to be the number one ranking in the country? That makes no sense.

Also how did Oklahoma sneak in there? Who can name one player on the Oklahoma team? They are definitely not the number four team in the country.

And how on earth is FLORIDA, with the Heisman-winning QB, number 5!! Florida is the best team in the nation, cxcept for LSU. They have everyone coming back. Florida should be ranked #2 period, no discussion. This is what the AP Coaches Poll should look like:
1. LSU
2. Florida
3. Georgia
4. USC
5. Ohio State

Also my prediction for the BSC title game is Florida vs. Ohio State, and Florida is going to win. The reasons I chose Ohio State and not USC in the title game is that Ohio State is starting out ranked higher than Florida, and Ohio State will have more blow-out wins than USC because Florida is in an easier conference than USC. More blow-outs give Ohio State more points in the BSC standings.

What are your thoughts on the AP College Teams Poll? Leave me a comment and we can talk about it.

The Score On: Big Trades in the NFL This Off-season

2008-07-23T11:42:00.000-07:00

Jason Taylor and Jeremy Shockey finally get traded to new teams.
Who wins in these trades?
In the Jason Taylor trade, The Redskins got Taylor in exchange for their second round and sixth round picks in the 2010 draft. The Redskins definitely win. They get a player who has more sacks than the rest of the team combined. He has had 11-plus sacks per season in the last 3 seasons. His skill is not diminished since last season. He wasn’t a worse sacker; he just no longer cooperated with the Dolphin’s organization.
In the Jeremy Shockey trade, the Giants gave up Tight End Jeremey Shockey in exchange for the getting the Saints’ second and fifth round picks in the 2009 draft. Giants definitely win. One reason is because the Giants already have a great Tight End player for the future in Kevin Boss. Plus, the Giants get rid of a player who is constantly whining and nagging to the organization (Shockey). The last reason the Giants win is that the Giants get more young prospects in getting the Saints 2nd and 5th round picks in the 2009 draft.

Jerryd Bayliss Explodes In the NBA Summer League

2008-07-18T13:28:00.000-07:00

Jerryd Bayliss is doing great in the NBA Summer League, as I predicted by ranking him #3 in my Top Ten NBA Rookies post. Bayliss is one of the best players on the floor averaging 19 points a game. He has also had scoring highs of 28 and 36 points in the summer games. He has a great shot, but you can’t play off him because he will drive on you. The Blazers made a great deal in acquiring him from the Pacers. I predict that the Blazers with Bayliss, Roy and now Oden will make the Playoffs this year!!! Watch out for Bayliss to become a superstar.

Sport Guru, http://thescoreonsports.blogspot.com.

Brand Stabs But Clippers Shoot Back

2008-07-16T18:29:00.000-07:00

During the NBA off season, Elton Brand told the Clippers’ front office that if they went out and got somebody to help the Clippers win, then he would take a pay cut. The Clippers played along, and went out and got a ringer—none other than Baron Davis. Did Brand ante up and abide by the deal? No, Elton Brand went out and signed with the 76ers! In my opinion, Brand is a sellout. HE PUBLICLY SAID “I WILL TAKE A PAY CUT!!!!!!!!!” If he didn’t mean it, he shouldn’t have offered it up. This move really diminishes my opinion of Brand. He left the Clippers high and dry. A great move the clippers made to counter Brand leaving stab was for the Clips’ GM to go out and get Marcus Camby, and all they traded was the option to exchange 2nd round draft picks in 2010!! Talk about a one-sided trade. The Clippers look solid coming into this year with Gordon, Camby and Davis. Watch out for this team; it could be a sleeper!!!

The Score On Favre: Packers Must Show Farve the Bench

2008-07-16T16:17:00.000-07:00

The Packers have to sit Farve. He has crossed over the line from asset to liability. Farve does this every year—resign, come back; resign again, come back again. The Packers must sit Favre, because if they don’t and he starts, he will have at most 3 years. Then, after those three years expire, their QB of the future (Aaron Rodgers) will be an 8 year veteran, and will retire about 3 years after that. The best way to be rid of Farve is to sit hime, not start him and force him to retire, for good. This is the best option because it means he can’t go to another team where he could hurt the Packers. Let Farve get as mad as he wants; he can’t do anything about it. He will get so mad, he will retire and then the Packers will be rid of him. It’s sad to see one of the greats spiraling down in a tailspin of his own creation at the end of what has been an impressive career.

The NBA Draft: Dissected

2008-06-26T06:52:00.000-07:00

Here are my Top 10 Best Available Players in the NBA Draft. This is not a prediction on how the draft will pan out, because sometimes a team needs a player for a certain position, and doesn’t always select the best available player across all positions.

1. Michael Beasley, Kansas State. Beasley is the best player in this year’s draft. He is one of the most complete players that I have seen in a really long time. At 6 feet 10 inches, he this years best rebounder and one of the best scorers. He has the best outside shot for a big man in this draft. Beasley can score with his back to the basket, and while facing the basket. Michael is a new hybrid of a guard and forward. He is the best player in the draft.
GRADE: A++

2. Derrick Rose, Memphis. Rose is a contender for the title of best player in this draft. He is easily the best point guard in this draft. People who believe that he is not the best PG are delusional. Derrick Rose is a dream point guard because he is a great passer, good shooter, and is strong enough to get to the basket.
GRADE: A++

3. Jeryd Bayliss, Arizona. Bayliss is underrated in my opinion. I think that Bayliss has a great career in the NBA ahead of him. People say he isn’t as good as O.J. Mayo, but he is. Here is the breakdown. He is a great scorer, has a great outside shot, and can attack the basket well. He is a good defender who shuts down his man. Bayliss is a steal in the NBA draft.
GRADE: A

4. Russell Westbrook, UCLA. Westbrook is one of the best defenders and athletes in this year’s draft. He won Pac-10 Defensive Player of the Year. His defense will get him far, his offense is good, and he is working to make it better--a surprise, perhaps, but the right choice for #4 here.
GRADE: A-

5. O.J. Mayo, USC. Mayo has a lot of hype. Mayo is a great scorer. He drives really well and has a nice J. His big problem: he plays no DEFENSE! While he is great offensively, he lacks defensive skills. So he may score 30 but give up 25. But then again, who really does play defense in the NBA?
GRADE: A-

6. Eric Gordon, Indiana. Gordon is a great shooter. He is going to be like a Michael Redd in the NBA. He is a pure shooter, but can still get to the hole. Gordon is also a good defender. He is one of the best all around players in this year’s draft. The only problem is he is a little too short to play shooting guard and is not a true PG.
GRADE: A-

7. Donte Green, Syracuse. Green is the darkest horse in this draft. He is a great offensive player. He gets to the rim at will. He is a great driver, and has impressive range. He has very long wingspan. His main problem is he doesn’t have good shot selection; he shoots too many three pointers.
GRADE: A-/B+

8. Mario Chalmbers, Kansas. Chambers is a defensive god. He is hands-down the best defender in this draft. He is one of the best players who can get steals in a long time. I guarantee that if Chalmers gets 17+ minutes each game he will lead the NBA in steals. The only thing he lacks is some true point guard skills.
GRADE: B+

9. D.J. Augustine, Texas. Augustine is a great facilitator. He reminds me a lot of Steve Nash in that respect. He will be a catalyst for whatever team gets him. I think that Augustine is a dark horse in this draft. He is a great pick. The only reason why he won’t go in the top 10 is he is a little short. I think teams need to look past his 5’11’’ height.
GRADE: B+

10. Roy Hibbert, Georgetown. Hibbert is my number 10 for one reason… he is 7’2’’!!! He is a 7’2’’ center and good centers are rare. He is also an excellent shotblocker (he’d better be at that height). Hibbert has very soft hands for a big man, and has good post moves. His major weakness is he lacks speed and agility, but then again how many NBA centers have amazing speed and agility?
GRADE: B+/B

Tell me what you think before the draft. Watch the draft, Thursday, June 26, 2008 at 4p.m. PST/7 p.m. EST and then log back on to this blog and chat some more.

NBA Finals The Rivalry

2008-06-07T19:51:00.001-07:00

Ok, let me first start out by saying that the old Celtics vs. Lakers was different than this series. This is going to be a great series but, it is not going to be like the old time because there is no past between these particular teams and there are not going to be 6 hall-of-famers playing on the court.
I am sticking with my previous argument that the Celtics will win in six. As much as I want the Lakers to win, I just don’t think the match-ups work in their favor.
If you look at the match-ups it just doesn’t cut it for the Lakers. Here:

RONDO VS. FISCHER
Fischer is a veteran and has a pretty shot. Rondo is a scrappy defender who is young and quick, but inexperienced.
ADVANTAGE: N/A

KOBE VS. ALLEN
Kobe is the MVP of the league. An overall beast, and the best player in the NBA. Allen is probably the purest shooter I have ever seen.
ADVANTAGE: LAKERS

RADMONOVIC VS. PEIRCE
Paul Pierce is a dynamic small forward who takes it to the hole and can hit the jumper. Radmonovic is really the Lakers 6th man but got moved up when Bynum got injured. He is mediocre, but can hit the three. This is the biggest mismatch of the series.
ADVANTAGE: CELTICS

GARNETT VS. ODOM
KG is a beast. If he powers down in the post against Odom, Odom is fried. KG is also lethal because he has the deadly mid-range jumper. Odom is a good driver and rebounder, he has a decent three and a jumper that is a little better.
ADVANTAGE: CELTICS
PAU VS. PERKINS
Pau and Perkins are completely different types of players. Perkins is a power player who often backs down. Pau is finesse. It will be interesting to see who exploits the others weaknesses first. I think Pau will get it done.
ADVANTAGE: LAKERS

KEYS TO THE SERIES FOR THE LAKERS:
1. Kobe, Kobe, and Kobe. Kobe has to be HUGE in this series if the Lakers want a chance to win. He has to get his points but also make his teammates better.
2. BENCH SAVIOR!! The Lakers young bench has to come up huge for them to win. Even if the Lakers don’t match-up in the starting lineup they could make up by having the better bench.
3. Make KG a jump shooter. Odom has to make KG shoot the J. KG is much less affective when he is turned into a jump shooter.

KEYS TO THE SERIES FOR THE CELTICS:

1. LIMIT KOBE’S SCORING. There are not many ways to do this, but there are two. The first way to limit Kobe’s scoring is when Kobe is guarding Allen, the Celtics have to run Allen on a lot of screens. This tires Kobe and makes him less of threat offensively. That is what the Pistons did with Hamilton in 2004 and it worked out.
2. EXPLOIT PAUL PERIECE’S MISMATCH. Paul could have a field day against Radmonovic. He just is better that Vlad in every single way.
3. GET ALLEN HOT. Allen is the key to the series. When he is hot, the Celtics win. His shot changes the whole game. If he gets going early in the series the Celtics have a good chance of winning.

In conclusion I think, as much as it pains me to say it, the Celtics will win in six games. Even though the Lakers have some advantages against the Celtics, the artillery for the Celtics is just too much for the Lakers to handle.

NBA Finals

2008-06-07T19:51:00.000-07:00

2008-05-26T16:25:00.001-07:00

I will have no new blog entries for 2 weeks because i have final exams for school

sorry,
Sports Guru

Mayo Gets Baked

2008-05-20T19:06:00.000-07:00

O.J. Mayo, point guard from USC, is going to the NBA draft. That is not important. The real question is did he ever get money or gifts from a sports agency?
No duh it happened. He is O.J. Mayo, you are telling me agents don’t want a piece of him, here are the 3 reasons why I know it happened.
If you look at him he is always wearing designer clothes and has a FLAT SCREEN TV In his room! No regular college student can afford a big flat screen. When I mention this fact to SC fans, the say, his family could have given it to him. No, OJ comes for a poor family, that’s why he is leaving early to get his family money, so there is no way they could afford a big TV. So there is no other explanation than a sports agency paying for it.
The next reason is, this posse has recently formed around O.J. once he started getting good in high school. The main posse member was proved to be part of a sports agency. So is that not at all suspicious to you? If you answered no to that question than you are either a SC fan or just extremely naïve, for both of which I am sorry for you. This guy is obviously trying to b bribe o.J. into joining their agency.
My last reason is, O.J. is not a trust fund baby; he comes from a low salary family. Now, if you know your mom isn’t making rent, and some guy comes up to you and says, here take a couple grand, wouldn’t you take it? Obviously you would and its hard to believe O.J. didn’t.
I think The NCAA needs to get this under control (Agents paying players in college). In these situations I don’t blame the players, I blame the agents. I mean, if some guy came up to you and said I want to represent you and make you millions. Here is an incentive, two thousand dollars, to sign with us. That is hard to turn down, especially if they player is poor. The problem is that is what agents do; they specifically target poor kids who need the money.
I think that the NCAA shouldn’t punish the schools as much but make it a law that players can’t get paid in highschool, and have the agents get punished more. Because it isn’t the schools fault what the players do, and look Demar Drozen (SC’s #1 recruit/ best high school player in the country is saying he might leave if SC gets penalized too much.
In conclusion I think its obvious that O.J. took money and now USC will be penalized. That’s not what I think is right but once a player has left college what can the NCAA do. This really stinks for USC.

The Break Down: NBA Playoffs Analysis

2008-05-11T15:16:00.000-07:00

Let’s break down each playoff match-up, all the way to the championship.

Lakers vs. Jazz
The Lakers are the No. 1 seed. Kobe Bryant (MVP) is amazing in the playoffs. Then when you add Pau Gasol to the mix, and Odom as a back up, they are deadly.
The Jazz is a bruiser team, topped off with a finesse point guard in D. Williams. They are a force to be reckoned with.
I think these two teams match-up well. Pau against Boozer, the constant switch of Fisher, Vujacic, and Farmar against Williams, and Okur against Odom. Except for one mismatch concerning the league MVP. Kobe owns whomever the Jazz put on him. Ronnie Brewer gets burned, and so does everyone else who guards Kobe. For this reason alone, I think the Lakers are going to win in 4-1 against the Jazz

Hornets vs. Spurs
Hornets have CP3--they hands-down best PG in the league. Teams with a good point guard have a huge advantage in the playoffs, plus the Hornets have great team chemistry which I think is very important.
The Spurs are the Spurs. They are The Franchise. They have the most experience and they are just GOOD. Timmy D and Tony Parker are a dynamic duo.
This is going to be a good series: CP vs. TP, and Timmy D vs. David West. I think the X factor is Peja Stojavic. If he is hot, the Hornets will win. I think Peja will be hot, and Hornets will win in 6. I think that Chris Paul is just too good, and the Spurs are just a little too old.

Celtics vs. Cavaliers
Celtics have the 21st century BIG 3--Allen, Pierce, and Garnett. I mean, how do you lose with that? They are very good.
The Cavs have LeBron, and nothing else. You take away LeBron, and Cavs have no one. They are a good one-man team, but still a one-man team.
I think the Celtics will just overpower the Cavs. The Cavs just can’t take on the Big 3. The Celtics will win in 5. Simple.

Pistons vs. Magic
Pistons are very good and have a lot of experience. The only thing that worries me about the Pistons is that they are a little too old. Also, Rasheed Wallace is hot-tempered, and a streaky player, and that could prove to be problematic.
The Magic is a young team that has a lot of potential. They have Dwight Howard who is a beast, and Rashard who is a great No. 2 option.
I think this is going to be a long, drawn-out series, ending in the Magic winning in 7 games. I think that the Pistons just won’t be able to handle Dwight. He is just too good.

Lakers vs. Hornets
CP3 vs. the MVP. This is going to be a long series. Kobe and CP will even each other out, Pau will even out West, and Odom will even out Chandler. I think the X factor in this game is going to be the benches of the Lakers and Hornets. I think the Lakers’ bench will prevail. In 6 games, the Laker’s will take it.

Magic vs. Celtics
The Celtics are going to win in 5. The reason they are going to win in 5 is that the Celtics have someone who can stop Dwight Howard—Kevin Garnett (KG). The Celtics’ personnel is just too good for the Magic.

Lakers vs. Celtics
This is the classic match up--Celtics vs. Lakers. I think the Celtics will win in 6. Even though the Lakers having an amazing MVP in Kobe, the match-ups just work in the Celtics’ favor, except if Andrew Bynum comes back and is productive. With Bynum, I think the Lakers will win in 6. Assuming Bynum doesn’t come back, the Celtics have one too many all-stars. You can’t beat this Big 3.

CELTICS WIN!!!!!!!!

THE DRAFT: The Picks

2008-05-01T20:54:00.000-07:00

I am here today to analyze the 2008 NFL draft.

The First Five Picks of the Draft:

Let us take a look at the first 5 picks. Miami had a stellar pick with Jake Long. Great pick--Parcells is a genius at draft.

Rams pick Chris Long. Another great pick. This guy is a stud for years to come. I think he is the best player in this draft. Like I mentioned in a prior post, he is the TYLER HANSBOROUGH of football.

Atlanta picks Matt Ryan. I think this is genius for them. They have no QB, and why not get the #1 QB in the draft who is going to be a franchise player for years to come.

Next Raiders select Darren McFadden. AAH! What a waste of 4th pick good money lost. His name is bigger than his talent. I’m telling you this guy is Reggie Bush. Nevertheless, if he has to go to a top 5 team, Raiders are the right team.

5th Pick: Glenn Dorsey is a good pick by the Kansas City Chiefs. He is good value for the 5th pick. I like it--my previous comments stand about him.

The Other Five Smartest Picks in the Draft (not including the TOP 5 above):

1. The best pick by the Cardinals was Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie. He went 16th! Unbelievable! He is great a corner, and in my opinion was the best corner in the draft. The Cardinals needed that in their weak secondary. BEAST MOVE. No question.
2. Jets taking Vernon Gholston at 6th. The Jets have a weak defense, and this defensive end starts a good platform for building a defense. In my opinion, it was a great value for the 6th pick.
3. JOE FLACCO to the Ravens at No. 18. A complete beast. The best value for his pick number (18th). The Ravens NEEDED him. They have no QB. He is the answer to their prayers. Great pick.
4. DEVIN THOMAS, WR, to Redskins. Getting Devin Thomas in an all-defensive draft in the 2nd round is the amazing. WOW. Devin Thomas is a perfect addition to Santana Moss. WOW, great pick.
5. Eagles selecting DeSean Jackson 49th pick overall is awesome. The Eagles get a No. 1 option in 3 years at receiver.

The 5 Least Brilliant Picks in the draft:

1. Darren McFadden. Wow, I just can’t get over this. Running back isn’t the Raiders #1 need, so why get him when he might not ever be the most productive rookie RB. It just doesn’t make sense. There are so many other good players available (Dorsey, Gholston, Cromartie, Ellis, and ETC.). Not a genius move.
2. Bills drafted Leodis McKelvin at No. 11, the first corner drafted. HUH? I’ve never even heard of this guy. At best, he is the 3rd or 4th best corner in the draft but he was the first corner drafted. DUH?
3. Jonathan Stewart, running back, drafted by the Panthers. Bad move. Two words: INJURY PRONE. He is a good player; he just gets injured too much. In addition, he was not the best available RB (Rashard Mendenhall).
4. Steelers drafted Rashard Mendenhall. This is a bad pick not because Rashard isn’t good--au contraire I think he is the best RB in the draft. The problem is the Steelers already have Willie freak’n Parker plus a good prospect in Davenport. Why go for the RB?
5. Chargers drafted Canson Antoine, corner back. WHY? Chargers already have one of the best secondaries in the league. WHY get a corner? Get something, anything, else. They could have used a wide receiver, for example!

There was one thing that really stuck out in this draft that I have to point out. USC had 10 players drafted this year, and two of those (Sedrick Ellis and Keith Rivers) went in the first ten. That is very striking, I have it to admit. I was very impressed with USC’s players in the draft. I am especially excited about Sedrick Ellis. I can’t wait to see him play. HE has a bright future.

NFL Draft 411

2008-04-25T09:31:00.000-07:00

My Top 3 Quarterback Picks in the NFL Draft:

1. Matt Ryan, Boston College
Matt Ryan has a great NFL body at 6’5, 224 lbs and has tremendous accuracy. His throwing power needs a little work, but not much. The other thing that I really like about Matt Ryan is that he is a lot more mobile than he looks. He had a 40-yd dash time of 4.9s, which isn’t that bad, and he always gets the pass off. He led BC in all-time touchdowns with 54. This guy is the classic QB.
2. Joe Flacco, Delaware
Shocked? When I said Matt has a great NFL body, Joe Flacco has the PERFECT NFL body. He is also built! Matt Ryan is kind of scrawny for 6-5, but Joe Flacco is ripped! He also has one of the strongest arms I have ever seen! HE can chuck the ball 90 whompin’ yards. Watch for this guy to have a star-studded career.
3. Brain Brohm, Louisville
He has nice tall frame (6-3) and has deadly accuracy. The bottom line is, he should have left college last year for the NFL (which is not something I advocate very often). However, I think this guy has a bright future because of his accuracy. He is one of the most accurate QBs ever. I think he will have a career similar to Kurt Warner.

My Top 3 Running Back Picks:
1. Rashard Mendenhall, Illinois
OMG! Before everyone jumps on me, consider these things. All elite RBs in the NFL are 5-10/225 as is Mendenhall. Mcfadden is 6-1. In the NFL, you must be able to get yards after contact. Rashard does that very well, and that is one of McFadden’s weak points. Rashard is almost as fast as McFadden. Finally, Mendenhall doesn’t fumble 23times in college like McFadden. Rashard is the NFL player to watch.
2. Darren McFadden, Arkansas
One of fastest players in the draft, but he is a little too tall, and is weak and a bit too easily taken down, like Reggie Bush. Now I know everybody says Adrian Peterson is a little too tall. Yes, Peterson is, but Peterson eats screws and bolts for breakfast, he is as tough as nails. Peterson also has a passion to score that hasn’t been seen in a long time. McFadden will be a good, but not great, RB in the NFL. He will have a similar career to Reggie Bush.
3. Kevin Smith, Central Florida
Kevin Smith is a huge sleeper who has that Adrian Peterson spirit. I think he is the Next AP. He definitely has the potential. He is fast and TOUGH. He just does not go down. Simple as that.

My Top 3 WR Draft Picks:
1. Devin Thomas, Michigan State
He is quick, explosive, has great hands. He has a little height, which I really like, but still has great speed. I would compare Devin Thomas to Terrell Owens. He has a great future. He is the best wideout in the draft no question.
2. DeSean Jackson, Cal
Easily the fastest player in the draft. He is so explosive it scares me. He is duel threat, which is very good. He returned 6 TDs in his career. His hands and his toughness are a little bit iffy, but I think he is a great sleeper in the draft. I would compare him to Steve Smith.
3. Limas Sweed, Texas
Sweed has a big frame and could become a great receiver in the NFL. I know he will be a great jump ball catcher. He also must have glue on his hands. He is a stud. I would compare Sweed to Plaxico Burress.

My Top 3 Defensive Linemen:
1. Chris Long, Virginia
Three words describe this stud--strong, tough and powerful. This guy sheds tackles, never stops driving his feet, and never gives up. He is the Tyler Hansborough of football. The thing that I love about Long is his excellent fundamentals. Watch for this guy to have a long, heavily-decorated, career.
2. Vernon Gholston, Ohio State
He ran a 4.65 40-yard dash! He also tied Jake Long with the most reps at 37. This guy explodes off the line and just goes after the QB. He is a lean mean tackling machine. He is off-the-charts good. Watch out for this kid.
3. Glen Dorsey, LSU
Glen is an amazing player. He wreaks havoc in the backfield, dominating. My only problem is that he won’t flourish in a 3-4 defense. Without question he is the best defensive tackle in the draft.

My Top 3 OT’s in the Draft:
1. Jake Long, Michigan
Jake has already signed with Dolphins, and the Dolphins finally made a good choice credit Bill Parcells). This guy is a BEAST in the true meaning of it. He just out-powers his opponents with his HUGE frame. The thing that I love most is that he is versatile. He can play LT or RT. Best player in the draft.
2. Ryan Clady, Boise State
This is a big boy we are talking about. He is 6-6 and 310 lbs, a dude not to be messed with. As a great pass blocker and a decent run blocker, this guy has a future. He is probably the most athletic and quickest OT on his feet in the draft.
3. Jeff Oath, Pitt
He has excellent size and long arms. He is one of the most athletic OT’s in the draft. The thing that I like about him the most is that he hits hard the first time with a bang. You then know who the hammer is and who the nail is. The other thing I like about Oath is that he can recover well if he gets beaten. Give him a few years and he will be a star.

So tune in for the NFL Draft on Saturday and let’s see if the NFL scouts are savvy enough to snap up my picks! And hit comment at the end of this post and tell me if you agree or disagree!

--Sports Guru

UCLA: 0 for 3

2008-04-21T20:49:00.000-07:00

Westbrook, Love, Collison: Should I Stay or Should I Go?

As usual in the new era of college basketball, players leave college before they graduate. In most cases, this is stupid. One, because they need a degree, and two, because almost everyone leaves before they are ready. Westbrook, Love and Collison all should have stayed at UCLA and all for different reasons.
Russell Westbrook is a phenomenal athlete, but he is only a sophomore. He only averaged 12 points, 4 assists and 1.6 steal. Granted, he was Pac- 10 Defensive POY but his draft stock is low right now, and if he stayed just one more year, he would have had better numbers and had higher draft stock. He would have been the star of UCLA program that was rebuilding and would have beasted. It was the wrong move.
Kevin Love, Pac-10 Player of the Year, one and done, also left UCLA. Personally, I don’t think it matters when Love leaves for the NBA, because I predict that he will be an NBA bust. He is the latest in the line of left-too-earlies: Joakim Noah, Andrew Bogut, Sean May, and so many others. He will be a 7th or 8th pick and a waste of one in my opinion. He is a college player; he is not a NBA player. UCLA will miss him, and he will miss UCLA, because he will flounder in the NBA.
Darren Collison, is a great on-ball defender and is as quick as lighting. He has a great NBA career ahead of him, but he just should have stayed one more year. This year Darren was a preseason All-American. Then injuries struck and he was limited this year. HIS DRAFT STOCK WOULD BE SO MUCH HIGER IF HE HAD STAYED! However, he didn’t and he probably lost $5 million dollars in the process.

In conclusion, UCLA is dead, the talent has been sucked out of them, unless Jrue Holiday comes in and is the next MJ. Westbrook should’ve stayed, Collison should’ve stayed, and while it makes no difference with Kevin Love in terms of NBA, his presence would have mattered to UCLA.

Beasley Gets Snubbed As Player of the Year

2008-04-14T19:52:00.000-07:00

TYLER HANSBOROUGH. One of a select few to ever be a three-time, first team All-American. Now he gets player of the year. Is it right the right choice? Honestly, I don’t think it is. Tyler did have impressive numbers (22 points, 10 rebounds, and .9 assists), but they just aren’t impressive as Michael Beasley’s numbers (26 points, 12 rebounds*, 1.2 assists).
*Leads NCAA
Some people put up the argument that numbers aren’t everything. I completely agree, so lets look: Tyler Hansborough led the number one over all seeded team which included a point guard (Ty Lawson) who averaged 12 points, 2.7 rebounds, 5.2 assists, 1.6 steals, and was considered one of the best defenders in the whole NCAA to the Final Four. Hansborough also had the benefit of a Hall of Fame coach, Roy Williams. Williams has been to multiple Final Fours and has a career winning percentage of .807%! By contrast, Kansas State came into the tournament as a 12 seed, and it was the first time in a while that they have been in the tourney. Then Kansas State upset the number six team, USC! In my opinion, taking Kansas State, a second or third level team, to the second round of the tournament is a lot more impressive than taking North Carolina, a team that is stacked with players and coaches, to the Final Four and losing by 20, when North Carolina is considered the best team in the country. In addition, might I add, Beasley did all of this for Kansas State as a FRESHMAN.
The other argument that people make in support of Hansborough’s POY status is “It was easy for Beasley to get his numbers because he was his team’s only option, and it was harder for Hansborough because he had good players scoring around him, and he had to work harder for his numbers.”
Okay, there are two problems with this:
1. If you watch a Kansas State game, you see Michael isn’t the only option. There is a guy by the name of Bill Walker who is amazing. He puts up 16.3 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 1.9 assists per game, and you can tell if you watched a K. St. game he was a very solid option who had the ball in his hands a lot.
2. Hansborough had players around him who were talented and made him better, in the same way Chris Paul makes his teammates better. Therefore, it was easier for Tyler Hansborough to score because his teammates were better, and made him better. I guarantee you if Tyler was on Kansas State, his numbers wouldn’t be as good, both because of what I just mentioned and because the pressure of being the main option and knowing you’re one of the only good players is very hard to deal with.

A third reason I think Michael Beasley should be Player of the Year is his numbers are more impressive than the winner of last year’s POY, Kevin Durant; Beasley averages more points, rebounds, and ties Durant in assists. People say KD was one of the best college players ever. If Beasley has better numbers than KD, shouldn’t he be mentioned in that category, doesn’t he have a claim to Player of the Year?
In conclusion, I think Michael Beasley should have been Player of the Year because:
• his numbers are better, he was more impressive in the tourney,
• he was not the only option on his team (he shared the limelight and stats with Bill Walker),
• Beasley did better in this season than KD did in his season.

Now, I am in no way saying Tyler Hansborough isn’t a great player, because he, is. I am just saying he isn’t as good as Michael Beasley is. I THINK BEASLEY GOT SNUBBED FOR PLAYER OF THE YEAR!

--Sports Guru

IS SELF SMART?

2008-04-09T21:00:00.000-07:00

5, 4, 3, 2, 1! Kansas has won the National Championship! Bill Self wins his first national title after going 36-2. They finally pull off the big one! In addition, you’re telling me that Bill Self is going to leave KU, Rush, Chalmers, Arthur, Collins, and Kahn. Yes, he could, and for a team that did not even make the tourney (Oklahoma State). The bigger question is—is that the right move?
Personally, I think it is the right move. Let’s look at the facts here: Self just won a national championship. He has a team I compare to the Michigan Fab 5, and he has recruits coming in. Seems like a pretty good deal, except for a few things. First, one of his starters are not coming back. Mario Chalmers is the MOP, had an amazing tourney and his draft stock has never been higher--he is gone. Rush is also gone, and Kahn graduates. Kansas won’t have the same line up.
Second, a season following this one that ends with anything but a championship is a disappointment for Kansas. Self has raised the bar impossibly high for himself now, because if he doesn’t win the championship, or get close every year, Kansa fans and staff are going to rag on him.
The third consideration is that Oklahoma State is offering him about $10 MILLION guaranteed. In college basketball offers don’t come along like that everyday. Bottom line: that is a lot of money, and honestly, who wouldn’t take that?
Oklahoma State isn’t a premier program, but it has a lot of potential, and that’s when you take on a program--when they are a little down but have lots of potential. If Bill Self comes in, he will be a hero because when he comes, recruits will come, and then Oklahoma State they will have good players and they can really do some damage.
My bottom lines are:
• Its $10 million dollars! That is a lot of money--it’s a $5 million pay raise.
• Self would be taking on the program at the right time, when it is down but has so much potential.
• Finally, Self will get good recruits. because he won the national Championship.
HERE IS A PREDICTION: IF SELF TAKES THE JOB, OKLAHOMA STATE WILL GET TO THE SWEET 16 WITHIN 2 YEARS OF SELF TAKING THE JOB. I think he should go for it. If he fails, he will still have at least $10 mil in his pocket.

--Sports Guru

Who Knew? The Explosion of Stephen Curry on the NCAA Tournament Scene

2008-03-29T16:17:00.000-07:00

Unless you are a Davidson alum or live in Davidson County, North Carolina, you probably had no idea of who Stephen Curry was until Davidson played Gonzaga in the first round of the NCAA tournament. In that first game, Mr. Curry put on quite a show, scoring 40 points, shooting 14 of 22. Flying underneath the radar earlier this year at Davidson, Stephen Curry averaged 25 points, 4 rebounds and 2 assists as the Davidson Wildcats went 24-4, losing losing to Duke, North Carolina, UCLA, and Charlotte and going undefeated in the Southern Conference.

The Wildcats started their season by beating Emory University then faced a series of losses over a period of a few weeks to powerhouses Duke, North Carolina, UCLA, and Charlotte. After crossing that challenge, they won 24 straight games, due in large part to the man of the moment--Stephen Curry.

The short list of the things that I love about Stephen Curry:

1) He has the quickest release I have ever seen--it is literally so quick it is unblock-able;
2) He has a basketball IQ of 200+--he uses moves at the right time and knows what to do in an instant;
3) He is unselfish. He averages 3 assists and never takes a shot that isn’t called for;
4) He is CLUTCH. He made the big shot over Gonzaga;
5) He has one of the prettiest shots ever, shooting 44.8% from three-point land and 48% from the field.

Stephen Curry has had the one of the best tourneys in the history of the NCAA Tournament--40 against Gonzaga. 30 against Georgetown, 33 against Wisconsin. That is simply unbelievable. The only other select players to have three straight 30+ point tournament games are Oscar Robertson and Wilt Chamberlain! That is pretty good company if you ask me.

Stephen Curry plays the game with style, intelligence and determination. Some people compare Curry to Rip Hamilton, but he is more explosive and has a better shot in my opinion. Curry really is in a different world out on the basketball court. For example, he took on Wisconsin’s Michael Flowers (arguably the best defender in the NCAA) and just abused him. Curry did everything but insult Flowers’ mama.

There is one play that stood out to me in particular in the Wisconsin game: Stephen was on a fast break, got the ball at the three point line, stopped, gave a pump fake to the guy running towards him, sent the guy flying, then Curry set his feet waited a moment and sunk the three. I think Curry has raised the eyebrows of the people who decide the Player of The Year

This guy is unstoppable. I am going out on a limb based on this guy’s talent to predict that DAVIDSON WILL GO TO THE FINAL FOUR. It is remarkable that virtually nobody knew who this guy was until he put up 40 on Gonzaga. WHO KNEW?

--Sports Guru

Small Surprise for NBA MVP?

2008-03-25T09:20:00.000-07:00

Small Surprise for NBA MVP?

There are many candidates for Most Valuable Player (MVP) this year in the NBA. Right now Stephen A. Smith is saying Kobe Bryant and Bill Walton is saying Kevin Garnett for MVP. Others are saying LeBron James, but I think they are all wrong.

I have to admit these candidates' numbers are impressive, but my prediction for the MVP is a six foot, 175 pound point guard on the New Orleans Hornets a.k.a. Chris Paul(CP). CP is my pick for a few reasons. One reason is the numbers: 21 points, 11 assists and 2 steals a game. He may be small but this 22 year old is a BEAST! The second reason why Chris Paul should be MVP this year is that he has taken a team (almost single handedly) that didn’t make the playoffs last year and as of this posting (3/25/08) has them tied for first place in the West. That is nothing short of completely impressive.

People say that since Lebron is the best player in the NBA, he should be MVP. Well, he has amazing numbers (30 points, 8 rebounds, and 7 assists per game). However, one problem is that LeBron in the East. Put CP in the East he will put up 30 points 14 assists, and five rebounds guaranteed. The East in the NBA is like the National League in the MLB (not as good as the AL/West).

Then there are the Garnett fans who say KG turned a team with the worst record last year into a team with the best record this year. My response is three-fold. First, again is geographic--he too is in the East. Second, look at the extent of KG’s support staff: Ray Allen(18 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists); Paul Pierce( 20 points, 5 rebounds, and 4 assists); Raja Rondo (10 points, 4 rebounds, and 5 assists); and Kendrick Perkins (7 points, 6 rebounds, and 1 assist). Honestly, you if you can’t win MVP with that line-up you shouldn't even be talked about for MVP. Third, KG’s numbers aren’t that impressive. He is only averaging 18 points 9 rebounds and 3 assists per game in the eastern conference (East).

You also have the Lakers back in the spotlight with their MVP candidate, Kobe Bryant. Kobe (28 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists) is a solid number two MVP candidate, behind Chris Paul. The reason Chris Paul is MVP and Kobe is runner-up is because of the comparatively weaker supporting staff behind Paul compared to the supporting staff of Kobe. Kobe has Pau Gasol who is averaging 18 points, 8 rebounds and 3 assists (better numbers than KG) for the Lakers. Kobe also had Bynum early in the season who was looking Shaq-esque until the injury. Kobe also has Lamar Odom who averages 14, 10, and 3, plus Kobe has 2 key role players (Derek Fisher and Luke Walton). By contrast, who does CP have in his squad? David West, (19 points, 9 rebs, and 2 assists), a player that is breaking out this year, but isn’t always confident with his shot, Peja (16 points, 4 rebs, and 1 assist), a streaky shooter who is either on or way off, and two mediocre players at best in Tyson Chandler and Bonzi Wells. My second reason for ranking Kobe as the runner-up is that he brought a team to vie for first in the West from the number 8 slot last year. Chris Paul brought a team that is now tied for first from number 10 in the West last year.

My final reason why Chris Paul is the MVP this year is that CP leads a team that is tied for first at the age of 22. Kobe is doing the same at 29. When Kobe was 22, he wasn’t even mentioned as an MVP candidate.

For all these reasons, Chris Paul is my pick for the small surprise 2007-2008 NBA MVP...

Top Ten Freshmen in NCAA Basketball

2008-03-21T18:05:00.000-07:00

Here are my top ten freshmen in order:

1. Michael Beasley, F, Kansas State.
I choose Michael as the number one because if you look at the numbers he is averaging 26 and 12! This guy is an absolute stud. He gets tons of rebounds and is the top scoring freshman. Also, during the season he took an unranked basketball team and put them in the top 25. Here is an example of a way to think about how good Michael Beasley is, take him off the team and think how good the Wildcats would be. He also got Kansas State back in the tourney this year.

2. Eric Gordon, G, Indiana
Eric Gordon is number two but could be arguably No. 1. He was one of the two reasons Indiana is in the tournament. The other is D.J. White. Eric Gordon has one of the best shots I think I have ever seen. He shot about 36% from deep and averaged 21.5 points and 3.3 rebs. He took the Hoosiers to a level that they haven’t seen since there Championship since 1987.

3. Jerryd Bayless, G, Arizona
Anybody surprised with this pick? You shouldn’t be, this guy is absolutely amazing. Dropping 20 a game and shooting 46% from the field and 40% from deep. He has taken over the reins for Arizona, put them back in the tourney and made Arizona a respectable team once more. No doubt in my mind he is No. 3

4. Derrick Rose, G, Memphis
People might say his stats don’t match up to the other players who could be No. 4 but he has a presence that is not calculated in the stats. People also might say Memphis doesn’t play any good teams, well, against at the time the no.2 team in the country Derrick Rose had 23 points, 5 assists, 5 rebounds, and for steals. Pretty good game for a freshman. He is also a really good defensive player. Averaging 1.3 steals a game and shut down lots of key players who played against him for example: Chris Lofton, Tennessee guard, (averaging 16 points a game) against Memphis he had 7.

5. O.J. Mayo, G, USC
Everybody asks me why do you have O.J. Mayo at 5 that is so low he is so much better than that. Well his numbers look good averaging 20 points, 4 rebs, and 3 assists. His numbers are good but if you look at any game tape of O.J. and SC you see that when O.J. is in the offense stalls and it is just Iso for him. But when O.J is out the offense is flowing . I mean, I could also score 20 points if I took 27 shots a game like he did against Mercer.

6. Kevin Love, C/F, UCLA
I know what everybody who reads this is thinking. WHY IS KEVIN LOVE NUMBER 6? I will tell you why, this guy is so overrated I laugh sometimes. Yes, he may average 17 and 10 but people the way people talk about him you would think he averages 40 and 20. People also say he is the savoir of the UCLA program. STOP! The Bruins don’t need saving. UCLA has been to the last 2 final fours without him. The truth is he is not an athletic phenom and isn’t explosive at the rim. He gets blocked way too much at the rim. On the other hand, he has the best outlet pass I have ever seen and he does have great range for a big man.

7. James Harden, G, Arizona State
An absolute great all around player averaging 17 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 steals a game. He put Arizona St. back on the map. They were a bubble team for the tourney that didn’t get in but because of James Harden they were in consideration. I was debating to put James No. 6 and if the Sun Devils got in to the tourney I would have put him at No. 6. I think he is that good.

8. Donte Greene, F, Syracuse
Syracuse has had a tough time rebuilding after the loss of Gerry McNarma but Donte Greene averaging 17 points, and 7 rebounds in arguably the toughest conference in the country has really helped them. He had them in consideration for the tourney but got they got snubbed. This kid is the future of Syracuse. You can quote on this: Next year I guarantee Syracuse will be in the tournament because Green will be putting up 20 and 10 a night.

9. A.J. Ogilvy, C, Vanderbilt
An amazing freshman who averaged 17 points, 6 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks a game. He was a weaker conference but his team upset quite a few teams including No. 1 Tennessee and No. 18 Arkansas in which he had and excellent game which included 20 points, 6 rebounds, and 2 blocks. He is a stud in the SEC.

10. Patrick Patterson, F, Kentucky
A very tough physical player who averaged 16 points 7 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks a game. He almost single handedly put his team back in the tournament as the 11th seed in the East. He didn’t have a particularly tough schedule but did have 20 points and 3 blocks against Tennessee in a win.

These players above are my top ten freshmen. Other notables who didn’t make my top ten but would be contenders for my top fifteen are: Bill Walker, Jonny Flynn, Kyle Singler, Blake Griffin, and Austin Freeman

--Sports Guru