Sports Blog » 2009 » April

The first round of the NBA playoffs are barely wrapping up yet rumors are already starting to fly about what players might be switching jerseys this off-season.  With the economy continuing to struggle and the salary cap going down for the first time since its inception, many teams will be looking to get creative when it comes to their roster.

One player possibly heading to a new city is the self proclaimed Most Dominant Ever, aka Shaquille O’Neal.  A lot of people think that his monster contract and diminishing skill set are untradeable, but his resurgent play this year has landed him on a few GM’s radars.  Shaq, through the use of his Twitter account, has made it known he is quite fond of Dallas and Mavericks owner Mark Cuban.

NBA sources say, however, the most likely destination for the Big Tweep is New Orleans.  Shaq has a large fan base in the south stemming from his days at LSU and the Hornets let it be known they wanted out of Tyson Chandler‘s contract when they traded him earlier this year (only to have it fall through due to health reasons).

The trade could work in both teams favors should it happen.  The Hornets would only carry O’Neal on their books for one season and he would bring proven playoff experience to a team that really needs it.  He would also sell a lot of tickets, which makes the deal interesting from a business perspective.  The Phoenix Suns would get younger and more athletic in their front court, and if healthy, Chandler paired with forward Amare Stoudemire would be one of the most tenacious big-duos in the NBA.

What do you think? Is the Big Aristotle worth the big bucks? Or is the big man a big waste of money at this point in his career?

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The NFL can be cruel to players on the north side of 30.  Just ask former Arizona Cardinals running back Edgerrin James.

That’s right, the Cardinals released the 30-year-old James on Tuesday, a move that was expected after he requested to be let go at the beginning of the free agency period.  After the team selected Chris “Beanie” Wells in last weekends draft, James became expendable and was finally given his request.

There were a few factors that played into the decision to send James his walking papers.  The Cardinals are still hoping to sign disgruntled wide receiver Anquan Boldin to an extension, as well as a few of their defensive stand outs, and James was due to make five million dollars this year.  The Edge was also frustrated with his increasingly shrinking role with the team last year after then rookie Tim Hightower saw his playing time rise throughout the season.

Now we will have to wait and see if James can land a gig somewhere else, which will be difficult considering most teams have shored up their needs through the draft and free agency already.  His age combined with his decline in production since going to Arizona from Indianapolis (he has not had more than 3.9 yards per carry in Arizona and last year he had the fewest rush attempts and yard in his entire career) are going to make him a tough sell to the few teams still looking for a back.

For people who still want to see him play and prove he still has gas left in tank, lets hope he can avoid the fate of Shaun Alexander, who just a couple years removed from a MVP season struggled to find work and rushed for a pathetic 24 yards last year.

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If you have been watching the NBA playoffs you probably feel like the Los Angeles Lakers and Cleveland Cavaliers are destined to meet in the finals.  The reason so many people feel this way is simple — it is the only logical conclusion based on everything that has happened from the beginning of the season to now.  Well, that and the fact that it is David Stern’s dream scenario (kidding … sort of).

One thing that may be less clear, however, is what team is going to prevail.  So for all of you who are unsure about who is going to win it all, here are 10 reasons why the Lakers will be hoisting up another championship banner into the rafters.

1.  Revenge factor:  It is becoming increasingly unlikely that they will see the Boston Celtics should they make the finals, but avenging last years embarrassing game six performance is surely on the mind of everyone in the organization.  There is no way they let what happened then (or 2004 for that matter) happen again.

2.  Kobe Bryant:  Lest we forget amid the flurry of props for Lebron James and Dwayne Wade that Bryant is arguably still the best player in the game and certainly one of its best finishers.  A player of his stature, someone who is already in the top 20 all time and might retire in the top 10, can accomplish a lot on will power alone.

3.  Phil Jackson:  Some people refuse to give Jackson credit because all of his titles have come with either Bryant or Michael Jordan at the helm.  I am not one of those people. Jackson is a calming influence with championship experience and that will come into play during the Lakers run to the finals.

4.  Lock-down defender:  To get through the gantlet of quality players in the playoffs you need someone who can play shut down defense.  The Lakes have Trevor Ariza and he is a flat out beast.  He can guard multiple positions, run the break and knock down the three point shot.

5.  Weaker west:  This is the year the almighty Western Conference finally took a step back.  It still took a better record to get into the playoffs than it did in the east, but no one can argue it is as strong as it was last year.  Even traditional arch nemesis San Antonio is playing with a hurt Tim Duncun and without Manu Ginobli.

6.  Twin towers:  Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum are one of the better front court combinations since Duncan/David Robinson won it all in 1999 (they did again in 2003 but Robinson had declined by then).  Bynum is coming off an injury, but if the two start clicking they can guard any front line in the NBA.

7.  Variety of styles:  The Lakers offense can play in half court sets or push it up-tempo.  Bryant and Derek Fisher execute Jackson’s heralded triangle offense to near perfection, making the Lakers the third highest scoring team in the regular season.  No matter who they play the Lakers will put plenty of points on the board.

8.  Team depth:  Part of what makes the Lakers so tough is the minimal drop off between the first and second units.  Their backup guards (Jordan Farmar, Sasha Vujacic and Shannon Brown) and big men (Lamar Odom, Josh Powell and Luke Walton) are very capable and could start on some teams.

9.  Cavaliers match-up:  Assuming both teams make it the Lakers are best equipped to handle King James.  No one player can guard James, but a combination of Ariza’s quickness, Odom’s length, and Bryant’s all-around defensive efficiency could slow him down better than any other team.

10.  Hunger:  A lot of people in the franchise have something to prove despite the fact that none of them would admit it.  Bryant wants to win a title without Shaq.  Jackson wants to surpass Red Auerbach for all-time championships as a coach.  Gasol needs to prove his toughness.  Odom needs to show he can play a variety of roles in a contract year.  The list goes on and on.

Find at Smarter.com:  Shop through a variety of Los Angeles Lakers’ gear.

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Now that Spring is in full swing and summer is just around the corner, it is the perfect time to start planning a camping trip. It is a great way to spend some time in the fresh air, get some much needed exercise, and have a good time with friends and family that doesn’t involve staring at a TV.

There are a lot of supplies and equipment you will need, but one of the most important decisions you will have to make is what type of tent to bring. And if you don’t have a lot of camping experience, the decision can be overwhelming. Luckily for all you future campers out there, I have put together a quick and informative buying guide that will help you throughout your tent buying experience.

Before you slap down your credit card take some time to consider these questions:

How many people will be camping with you? If you are going to be in the tent by yourself, obviously you do not need as much room as if the tent was going to host a family of four. Tents come in all sizes so don’t splurge for extra real estate if it isn’t necessary. Also consider who is going to be sharing the tent. Each person is different and requires different amounts of space. Cuddling up to your significant other is fine. Being smushed up against three of your smelly friends isn’t.

What type of environment will you be camping in? You may think a tent is a tent, but they are designed with various climates in mind. One thing to take into consideration is what the weather will be like when you’re camping. Camping in the desert in summer is not like camping in the mountains in winter. If there is going to be a lot of sun you are going to want UV protection. If there is going to be a lot of wind you are going to want a tent with multiple tie-downs. If there are going to be a lot of mosquitoes you are going to want full mesh covering to avoid bites. Wherever you plan to be, find out as much as possible about the climate and conditions so you can plan accordingly.

What type of materials is the tent made up of? The quality of materials can be very important and ties into the last question. You are going to want poles that are high strength aluminum, carbon fiber or other sturdy material. The last thing you need is for a gust of wind to snap apart your poles and send your tent flying off into the distance. The type of fabric is equally important because some materials are better at trapping heat or keeping moisture out. Also consider how heavy the tent is. If you plan on doing a lot of hiking you are going to want to keep the weight of your supplies down.

How easy is it to put the tent together? This may seem like a silly question, but a camping trip is supposed to be fun. Who wants to spend hours trying to put together a tent that requires an engineering degree to assemble? The goal should be to put together a stable shelter in as little time as possible. Not only will this free up more time to kick back and relax, it will save you the frustration that can come with not being able to pitch a tent.

As you can see, there are a lot of things to consider when buying a tent. Make sure to take time before your trip to select the tent that fits your needs and you will be able to avoid the headaches of having the wrong tent ruin your next vacation.

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This week in sports blogs and news:

• 12-Year-Old Girl Throws No-Hitter against Boys in Little League – SportsByBrooks
• Madden 2010 Cover Released – MaddenNFL
• Chiefs Trade Tony Gonzalez to Falcons – Fox Sports
• Darren O’Day’s First Day as a Ranger was interesting – Larry Brown Sports
• The All-Time NBA Pretty Boys, Part Tres – The Sports Hernia
• Top 7: Overhyped Cubs Who Fizzled – Joe Sports Fan

This week on the Smarter Sports Blog we covered:

• “I wonder if Carrie will take me back?” 
• Baseball Buying Guide: How to Buy a Baseball Glove
• Top 5: MLB Early Season MVP Candidates
• NFL Drug Tests: Percy Harvin and Brandon Tate Fail Tests
• Coaching Change: Mike D’Antoni to Coach Team USA?
• Fantasy Impact: 5 Fantasy Baseball Steals
  

One of the aspects I like about fantasy baseball the most is the seemingly endless amount of players that can be scooped up on the waiver wire early in the season. Most leagues require only one starter at each position (with the exception of the outfield and pitching), so in a standard 10-team league there is an abundance of players to choose from if your draft picks aren’t panning out the way you hoped.

This is great news if you are a bottom dweller in your current league because there is no reason to panic. For starters, the fantasy baseball season is a marathon, not a sprint. There are going to be plenty of ups and downs; be ready for them. It also means that there are a lot of good players you can add today that will make an immediate impact.

With that being said, here is a list of players available in most leagues that can start paying dividends this weekend. All players on the list are not nationally well known and available to pick up in at least 50 percent of mixed leagues (using ESPN for that).

Kurt Suzuki: The Cal State Fullerton alumnus is currently the 8th ranked fantasy catcher and owned in only 4.7 percent of leagues. He is third amongst catchers in batting average (.327) and seventh in runs (7), but don’t expect much out of him in the power department. Still, if you drafted a Mike Napoli type and don’t feel like waiting for Matt Weiters to be called up, Suzuki could fill in for you just fine.

Casey Blake: Even the casual Dodger fan might be surprised to hear that Blake is second (4) in home runs and fourth in RBI (11) for third basemen. Owned in only 12 percent of leagues, if you need an extra corner infielder he could be your guy. Buyer beware, though. Blake Dewitt eats into his at-bats and at 35 years old it is hard to predict how long he can keep this up.

Khalil Greene: Not exactly a household name, but if you need help in your middle infield you could do a lot worse than him. Greene is currently the 13th ranked fantasy shortstop and available in 81.9 percent of leagues. Take a look at these two middle infielder’s stat lines and tell me which one is Greene and which one is the much heralded Alexei “Sexy” Ramirez …

Player A: Average draft position – 211; HR – 2; RBI – 7; R – 9; OPS – .710
Player B: Average draft position – 69.5; HR – 0; RBI – 3; R – 4; OPS – .414

If you guessed Player A was Greene, kudos! One thing to note is Ramirez spends most of his time at second base, but retains eligibility at shortstop. You tell me who is the better value.

Nyjer Morgan: His greatest asset to a fantasy owner is his ability to steal bases, but unlike other speedsters (think Juan Pierre) he will get plenty of at-bats. He is currently the 12th rated outfielder, and while he is unlikely to remain that high for the entire season (or his .323 BA for that matter), if you are looking for steals without killing your average he could be your guy.

Paul Maholm: A teammate of Morgan, Maholm is currently the ninth rated fantasy pitcher and is amazingly owned in only 43.6 percent of leagues. If you are in a NL-only league he needs to be on a roster. Same goes for mixed in all but the shallowest of leagues.

And there you have five players that can immediately help your fantasy team. Who are some of your favorite fantasy sleepers?

Fans of basketball may be locked in on the NBA playoffs, but for USA Basketball Director Jerry Colangelo, it is never too early to start thinking about the next Olympics. Word on the street is he plans for New York Knicks coach Mike D’Antoni to take over Team USA if Mike Krzyzewski decides not to come back.

Coach K, who guided the US to gold in Beijing last year after the 2004 squad brought home the bronze, has said his status as coach for the next Olympics is yet to be determined and that he would be comfortable coming back in a different role. Krzyzewski has publicly stated before that while he loved his experience on the international stage, it did take a lot out of him.

The US players thrived under the 62-year-old Krzyzewki, but the transition to D’Antoni would probably be smooth considering he served as an assistant during the team’s time in China and is widely regarded as a players coach. He also has strong relationships with many of the players that would be in contention for one of the 12 final roster spots, such as 2008 gold medalists Lebron James and Kobe Bryant.

D’Antoni seems to be a great fit — the players love him and he has coached overseas before — but I remain skeptical over the potential move. For one, I wonder how well his “seven seconds or less offense” would work at the Olympic level. I’m also curious how well he can command the respect of the NBA’s best players. It is one thing for a player to like a coach. It is something else for a player to accept (and embrace) criticism from one. Coaching a team with that much talent is as much about managing egos and touches as it is drawing up X’s and O’s.

What do you think? Do you want coach K to return? If he doesn’t, who would you like to see roaming the sidelines?

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According to a report on the Fox Sports Web site, wide receivers Percy Harvin and Brandon Tate tested positive for marijuana during February’s NFL scouting combine. With the NFL draft just days away, the news could not have come at a worse time considering teams are finalizing their draft boards.

While it is difficult to predict how much this will affect their draft status, one has to think that this can only drive down their stock. This is especially damaging to Harvin, who was widely believed to be a first round pick and possibly the third wide receiver taken after Texas Tech’s Michael Crabtree and Missouri’s Jeremy Maclin. If he were to drop out of the first round, the mistake could cost him several million dollars.

The report also said that the pair of allegedly 420 friendly wide outs were the only “high profile” players to test positive for the drug, and if true they will have to enroll in the NFL substance abuse plan. While there maybe they will run into other notable NFL pot smoking alumni, such as ganja smoking Ricky Williams.

Harvin, who left the University of Florida as a junior, finished his college career with 1,929 yards receiving, 1,852 yards rushing and 32 touchdowns. Many NFL teams also thought that he would excel returning kickoffs and punts. Tate, who spent his college career playing in the ACC for North Carolina, left college with the NCAA record in kick return yards with 3,523. He was projected to be drafted anywhere from round two to four.

What do you think will happen to the players? Should the NFL care if their players smoke pot?

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We are only a handful of games into the 162-game marathon that is the Major League Baseball season, but it is never too early to start thinking about MVP candidates. Some of the players performing in the elite class are perennial all-stars and household fixtures. Others, however, are not well known nationally and are bursting onto the scene for the first time.

Can these players perform at their current pace for the entire season? Will any of them be in contention for the MVP trophy at the end of the year? History says no, but it is still fun to take a look at some early season favorites. Here are five players in no particular order playing MVP type baseball.

Miguel Cabrera: Cabrera has been a real offensive force for the Detroit Tigers and has helped them get off to a 7-5 start. Currently he is among league leaders in several categories — first in batting average (.489); tied for first in hits (23); and third in on base percentage and OPS (.538 and 1.326). Cabrera has shown the world he could hit like this before and it wouldn’t be a complete surprise if he stayed towards the top in these statistics for the entire year.

Ian Kinsler: As hard as it may be to imagine, being stuck on the Texas Rangers does have its advantages. Perhaps the biggest is the stadium itself, which has been known to be a hitter’s park. Kinsler, who is only in his fourth season in the majors, leads the league in OPS and slugging as he is in the top ten in on base percentage, batting average, stolen bases, RBI and home runs.

Kevin Youkilis: With big questions of whether or not his best seasons were behind him, all Youkilis has done is prove his naysayers wrong. He’s gotten on base better than anyone in the majors, leading the league with an impressive .559 on base percentage. And even though his power numbers are middle of the pack, by putting himself on base with such frequency he’ll make an impact in a lot of games this season.

Johan Santana/Zack Greinke: Everybody who follows baseball knows that Santana is a stud, but few outside of Kansas City realized how special Greinke is. Both have been dominant through three starts and will be in contention for Cy Young awards and possibly MVP hardware.

Greinke: 0.00 ERA, 1.05 WHIP, 3-0 record, .219 BAA
Santana: 0.46 ERA, 0.81 WHIP, 2-1 record, .157 BAA

And there you have it, five players off to incredibly hot starts. The list is sure to change throughout the year but no one can deny that these guys have performed great thus far.