2008 UFC Preview

2007 was a groundbreaking year for the UFC. It was the year of the upset, full of fresh faces, and the invasion of Pride. It was also a year of extreme highs and extreme lows. Rampage Jackson, Anderson Silva, and Roger Huerta made their presence felt with exhilarating performances, while we also witnessed the decline of Chuck Liddell, and the very ugly fallout of Randy Couture. The last few UFC Pay Per View events have been very weak, but UFC 79 on December 29th should make up for that. 2007 will go out with a bang with two of the most anticipated matches ever. The UFC will hope to carry that momentum into 2008, which is shaping up quite nicely. Let's take a look at some of the matches that we will see, and some that we might see.

Fights that we will see

B.J. Penn vs. Joe Stevenson: The two lightweights will get it on at UFC 80 for the vacant lightweight title. Penn is one of the best pound for pound fighters in the world, while Stevenson has been quickly climbing the ladder since he won The Ultimate Fighter 2. Don't be surprised to see this fight stay on the ground, but that doesn't mean it won't be entertaining. Penn has stated that he would like to be the first UFC fighter to hold both the lightweight and welterweight titles. He'll accomplish one of those feats, and live up to his nickname, 'The Prodigy', with a win over Joe Daddy.

Brock Lesnar vs. Frank Mir: This is probably the biggest UFC debut ever. The former WWE Champ will take on the former UFC Heavyweight Champ at UFC 81 on Super Bowl weekend. Personally, I think Lesnar will be a boring fighter. He's primarily a wrestler, and wrestlers tend to be boring MMA fighters. I'd imagine he's working hard on all aspects of his game though, so hopefully he proves me wrong. The winner of this one will be a win or two away from a title shot in the wide open Heavyweight division.

Tim Silva vs. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira: It's not signed yet, but it appears these two will fight for the vacated Heavyweight Championship at UFC 81. Silva is no stranger to UFC fans, while Nogerira only has one UFC fight under his belt. Nogerira is regarded as one of the world's top heavyweights after a very successful run in Pride. This fight has great potential if Silva can get back to being the headhunting fighter that he used to be.

Anderson Silva vs. Dan Henderson: Finally! The UFC got this one right, by convincing Dan Henderson to drop down to 185 lbs to take on Silva. When Pride folded, Henderson held both the Light Heavyweight and Middleweight Championships, so he'll be a real threat to beat The Spider. Since entering the UFC, Silva hasn't had much competition, and has walked through everyone he's faced. Henderson is a great all around fighter, with Olympic quality wrestling skills. This will be a great MMA fight.

Rampage Jackson vs. Forrest Griffin: It was recently announced that these two will be the coaches on The Ultimate Fighter season 7, which begins airing in April, then they will fight for the Light Heavyweight title. There's no reason why this fight won't be great. Although Rampage is the better all around fighter, Forrest loves to swing for the fences, and he rarely disappoints his fans. No one thought he could beat Shogun, and he proved all his doubters wrong. Rampage actually got the living crap kicked out of him by Shogun, so this fight could easily go either way. Having these two as the coaches of TUF 7 should help bring some renewed life to one of televisions best reality shows.

Fights that should happen

- The winner of George St. Pierre/Matt Hughes vs. Matt Serra (This fight will most likely take place in Montreal in April if GSP beats Hughes)
-The winner of B.J. Penn/Joe Stevenson vs. Sean Sherk

-Mauricio 'Shogun' Rua vs. Keith Jardine
-Roger Huerta vs. Kenny Florian
-John Fitch vs. Karo Parisyan
-Rich Franklin vs. Travis Lutter
-Tito Ortiz vs. Rashad Evans

So, as you can see the early 2008 line-up is looking pretty good. As we've learned from 2007, nothing is ever for sure. If this time last year I told you that two of the UFC's titles would be vacated, and Matt Serra, Anderson Silva, and Rampage Jackson were the champions of their weight classes you'd probably tell me I'm nuts. Well, the UFC is nuts and that's what makes it so great. What happens next weekend at UFC 79 will go a long way to determining some of the groundwork for 2008. Make sure to check back this time next week for my preview and predictions for that event. Feel free to leave comments on who you think will win some of these future fights, plus what you hope to see in 2008.
-Joe Osborne

Go Play Somewhere Else

Trade demands. We hear them all the time. Athletes sacrifice looking like huge babies for a chance at playing in a better situation. Some athletes choose to speak up when they're not happy, while others decide to suck it up and play out their contract. Here's a few players who's lives and careers could improve drastically if they'd demand a trade and end up on another team.

Alexander Ovechkin: The Russian Assassin is the most exciting and explosive player in the NHL, but the team he plays for is among the worst in the league for attendance. When the Caps are on the road, they sell out arenas because real fans want to see Ovechkin play, but people in Washington just don't care. Both Ovechkin and the NHL would greatly benefit if he were playing in a major hockey city. The NHL promotes Ovechkin as one of the 'faces' of the league, it's just too bad he plays on a pathetic team, who probably shouldn't even have a franchise.

Andre Iguodala: Iggy is expected to be 'the man' on the Sixers, but he's much better suited to be a second option. The Sixers are in rebuilding mode, and it appears they will be for awhile. Carrying this lousy team on his back will only result in bitterness, and a low shooting percentage due to taking the majority of the teams shots. Imagine Iguodala flying down the wing playing with one of the league's best point guards, and having someone else to attract double teams. He'd be an even bigger highlight machine than he is now.

Jason Bay: The Pittsburgh Pirates have been rebuilding their team for the past 15 years. Well, it appears that way. People don't even know who Jason Bay is because he's playing for one of sports most insignificant franchises. Bay has shown over the past few seasons that he's one of the games most complete players. His career would benefit immensely if he played for a team where he could be surrounded by talent, and have some decent protection. Try to name three other players on the Pirates. It's not easy!

Lebron James: Carmelo has A.I., Nash has Marion and Amare, Pierce has Allen and Garnett, Lebron has... Anderson Varejao? All the major contenders in the league have more than one perennial all-star, but that's not the case with the Cavs. They've had a few years to surround King James with some talent, and they've done a horrible job at doing so. Donyell Marshall, Larry Hughes, and Drew Gooden are just a few of the 'big' names they've added in the Lebron era. People jumped for joy when Varejao returned to the court this season to give Lebron help. Give me a break, Varejao isn't even as good as Kris Humphries of the Raptors. The bottom line is Lebron will need some talent around him if he wants to win championships. Kobe realized he can't get it done all by himself, and Lebron will realize that too. Lebron probably won't demand a trade anytime soon, but it's hard to imagine him in a Cavs uniform once his contract expires.

Carson Palmer: Palmer is the third best passer in the league, and not too far behind Brady and Manning. His stats don't necessarily show this though, because he plays on one of sports most unstable franchises. Palmer is a classy guy with a great work ethic, but he shares a locker room with a bunch of bone heads who can't keep themselves out of handcuffs. Palmer has the potential to be a future legend, but he'll have to be in another uniform to do so.

Grimace: How's is Grimace supposed to get any attention when he's riding the coat tails of Ronald McDonald? The only time he's in the spotlight is when he's named as an accomplice in one of the Hamburglar's crimes, or when he's rumored to be in a gay relationship with Patrick from Sponge Bob Square Pants. There's plenty of fast food restaurants that don't have a mascot. Grimmace should look to branch out before he ends up on death row after being blamed for a murder committed by the Hamburglar.
-Joe Osborne

Tuesday's Top Ten: Best Goal Scorers in the NHL

Nothing gets a sports fan more excited than a highlight reel goal. Well, maybe a game breaking touchdown does, or a monster home run, or maybe a posterizing dunk, or... The point is, fans love goals. The NHL changed the rules so we'd see more of them. What makes a goal so exciting is that it can unexpectedly happen in a split second, or we can see it develop and already know the result before the puck hits the net. Let's see who makes my list of the top ten goal scorers in the NHL.

10. Jaromir Jagr: His production may be a little off this season due to nagging injuries, but he's unstoppable at 100%. This is Jagr's 17th season in the NHL. In all of those season except his rookie year he has scored 30 or more goals. That's incredible, and the definition of consistent.

9. Martin St. Louis: The 5'9'' winger seems to always be in the right place at the right time. He has 30 or more goals the past four seasons, and he appears to be well on track again this year with 12.

8. Marian Hossa: He seems to go largely unnoticed due to playing with flashier players with big personalities, but make no mistake about it, he's one of the best in the league. He scored 45 goals last season as well as 45 in the 2002-2003 season. He's probably the best player in the league at scoring goals off of face-offs.

7. Sidney Crosby: Uneducated hockey fans would expect Sid the Kid to be higher on this list, but he's actually more of a play maker than a sniper. He's still great at putting the puck in the back of the net though. Watch his highlights and you'll see he can score anyway or anyhow. From his knees, on his back, batting pucks out of the air. He'd be higher on this list if he was more selfish.

6. Jarome Iginla: A real force on the ice, and very hard to stop. Iginla is a true power forward that has scored 35 goals or more five seasons in a row. Imagine how much better he'd be if he had some actual offensive talent around him.

5. Henrik Zetterberg: So far this season he's the NHL's most improved player. No one scores prettier breakaway goals. He has so many tricks up his sleeve, and routinely embarrasses goalies. He has 24 goals in 33 games this season, which is phenomenal by today's standards.

4. Vincent Lecavalier: This guy can score from anywhere on the ice. He has pin point accuracy when he's in close, or he can rip one from the blue line. He led the league with 52 goals last season, and is only showing signs of getting better with 22 so far this season.

3. Alexander Ovechkin: Possibly the league's most exciting player, playing on one of the lousiest teams, Ovechkin is a one man gang on the ice. No player in the league does so much by himself. In his first two seasons he's scored an impressive 98 goals. He's so good at creating scoring opportunities for himself and will only get better.

2. Dany Heatley: The Senator's sharp shooter has scored 50 goals two seasons in a row. He's an incredible finisher, with close to a 20% shooting percentage this season. He makes things look remarkably easy. A goalie will know what he's gonna do, he'll do it anyways, and score.

1. Ilya Kovalchuk: This man can do it all. He has the accuracy of Heatley and the moves of Zetterberg. When he's breaking down the wing, it's practically a given that he's gonna snap the puck top shelf and score, and goalies have no answer for him. He leads the league with 26 goals so far this season, and has scored 202 in five full seasons. It's rare that a player who gets between 70 to 100 points a season to have more goals than assists. Kovalchuk always finishes the season with more goals. He's a pure goal scorer, and he's better than anyone else in the league at doing it.

Close but no cigar: Joe Sakic, Evgeni Malkin, Pavel Datsyuk, Rick Nash, Daniel Alfredson.
-Joe Osborne

Jim Rome is Burning

Video Courtesy of ESPN

Friday's Fives

Top Five

1.Steve Nash: In his last five games the Suns point guard has averaged 15.4 assists and has been perfect from the free throw line. On Wednesday night against the Jazz he had 29 points, 11 assists, 6 rebounds, and 1 chipped tooth. This guy is good, not too mention pretty damn tough.

2. Joffrey Lupul: After scoring just two points in his last eight games, he had three goals and three assist on Tuesday night against the Penguins.

3. Detroit Red Wings: Detroit is very quietly having another great season. They lead the league with a 22-6 record and in their last 10 games they're 7-1-2. By the way, how good are Henrik Zetterberg and Pavel Datsyuk? These two guys embarrass goaltenders and defensemen on a regular basis.

4. New England Patriots: After a few close calls against the Eagles and Ravens, the Pats got back to normal by laying the smack down on the Steelers. They were clicking on all cylinders, and look well on their way to a perfect season. I feel bad for the Jets this weekend. Actually, I don't, it should be fun watching them get their asses handed to them.

5. Portland Trail Blazers: Yes, the Blazers have made the good part of this list. The team has now won five games in a row, including wins against Utah and Golden State. If they can keep this core group of young players together they have a very bright future, and Greg Oden is still waiting in the wings.

Bottom Five

5. Pittsburgh Penguins: How mediocre have they looked this season? They've looked pathetic their past few games, especially in an 8-2 loss to the Flyers. To make matters worse, their starting goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury is injured and will be out for six to eight weeks. Ouch!

4. Detroit Lions: Speaking of bad teams, what the hell happend to the Lions? They started the season 6-2, but have now lost five games in a row. It looks like they'll have to wait another year to not make the playoffs. By the way, how many life's does Matt Millen have?

3. Penny Hardaway: Shaq's first sidekick was cut this week by the Miami Heat so they could make room for Luke Jackson. Who? Has any athlete in recent memory had a bigger fall then Penny? He was easily as big as Lebron before injuries derailed his career.

2. Bobby Petrino: What a chump this guy is. Petrino did his best Nick Saban impression and quit on his team to go back to college. What makes Petrino worse is that he quit on the Falcons with three games left in the season, only 13 games into a five year contract. Why would anyone want a coach with zero integrity?

1. Roger Clemens: Well, it looks like Barry Bonds won't be the only legend who might have trouble getting into the Hall of Fame. It appears Rocket Roger had his rocket fuel injected directly into his ass with a syringe. No big shock, it just gives people another reason to hate him.

Somewhere in the Middle: Is anyone really surprised that John Rocker was included on the list of steroid users? The guy would do a full sprint from the bullpen to the mound every time he was called in to pitch. Good for him though for being able to keep his name in the news.

Have a great weekend!

-Joe Osborne

The Mitchell Report Named Names - Here They Are!

The long awaited Mitchell Report was released today naming a lengthy list of former and current Major League Baseball players that have been linked to performance enhancing drugs such as steroids and HGH. The most prominent name on the list was Roger Clemens who reportedly began using steroids at the end of the 1998 season. The list also included current Yankees pitcher Andy Pettitte, and All-Star second basemen Brian Roberts of the Baltimore Orioles.

Other players included on the list:Barry Bonds(obviously), Gary Sheffield, Troy Glaus, Gary Matthews Jr., Rick Ankiel, Jay Gibbons, Mo Vaughn, David Justice, Paul Lo Duca, Eric Gagne, Glenallen Hill, Gregg Zaun, Rondell White, Hal Morris, Todd Hundley, Larry Bigbie, Lenny Dykstra, David Segui, Kevin Brown, Mike Lansing, Wally Joyner, Jeremy Giambi, Benito Santiago, Denny Neagle, Ron Villone, Fernando Vina, Todd Pratt, Jack Cust, Matt Williams, John Rocker, Paul Byrd, F.P. Santangelo and Randy Velarde.

As you can see the list included some pretty big names. Whether you care or not about steroid use, the fallout from this is gonna be huge. Should Clemens not be voted into the Hall of Fame now? What about the records players have set and awards they have won? Let the debates begin. This is a big huge mess for Major League Baseball. My advice for commissioner Bug Selig - Retire! That probably won't happen, but whatever happens, Major League Baseball and these players will be in the headlines all winter long.

-Joe Osborne

Blackhawks and Panthers Combine Teams to Become 'The Black Panthers'

In a cost saving move, The Chicago Blackhawks and Florida Panthers of the NHL will merge their teams into one, and will now be known as 'The Black Panthers'. The newly formed team also announced that they have traded for Donald Brasher, Georges Laraque, Jerome Iginla, Jamal Mayers, Ray Emery, Anson Carter, and Kevin Weeks. The team also announced that former NHL goaltender Fred Braithwaite will come out of retirement to serve as a third goaltender. “This is a groundbreaking day for the NHL,” said newly appointed head coach Rev. Al Sharpton. “When Black Panthers are in town, questions will be answered and there will be a price to pay.” To fill the remainder of their roster, the team has invited players from the NBADL and members of the Wu-Tang Clan to an open tryout.

At The End Of The First Quarter

The 2007-08 NBA season is now a quarter done, and needless to say this season has provided plenty of intrigue and excitement. No one has broken any records, scored 81 points, or ran into the crowd to fight fans, but there has been plenty of competitive games, breakout player and teams, and breathtaking highlights. Here's a few observations from the season so far, and a look ahead to what we can look forward to.

-The Bulls should have traded for Kobe Bryant. The team is 7-12 and looks extremely disoriented. The team has been manhandled by their competition so far this season, and with the exception of beating the Pistons twice, they've only managed to beat lottery bound teams. They should have pulled the trigger when they had their chance, as the Lakers probably won't be trading Kobe anytime soon. If the Bulls miss the playoffs they should consider some major front office shake ups for letting Kobe slip through their fingers.

-Dwight Howard is the best center in the league and will be for a long time. In his fourth NBA season, Howard's tremendous potential has reached fruition as he's now one of the NBA's best players. Howard does exactly what a center is supposed to do, and he does it better than anyone else. He leads the league in rebounds, he blocks shots, and he shoot for a very high percentage. Howard is just as important to the Magic as Lebron is to the Cavs or Nash is to the Suns.

-The Celtics are the best team in the league. Before the season started a lot of people doubted the Celtics, and didn't consider them a serious contender. Well, a 17-2 record should erase any doubts anyone had. Skeptics will say that they've had an easy schedule so far, but so what, they're 17-2. The 'Big Three' have done an excellent job sharing the ball, and the team has put defense first. Baring any major injuries, the good times will continue to roll in beantown.

-The Knicks suck. No team in sports is a bigger waste of talent. The team has so much individual talent, but as a team they're horrible. The team is filled with selfish players who play one on one basketball, and has a head coach who's legacy is tarnished night after night. There's two things the Knicks don't understand- team work, and the concept of rebuilding. Instead of trading away draft picks for Eddy Curry and Zach Randolph and building the team around ball hogs like Stephon Marbury and Jamal Crawford the Knicks should have started from scratch. And oh yeah, they should fire Isiah Thomas.

Other observations in brief: The Warriors are very fun to watch, the Rockets are a very average team, the Heat won't make the playoffs unless they can swing a major deal, the Hornets and Magic look great, the Raptors have a very deep bench, and Chris Kaman is the most underrated player in the league.

Here's who should start in the All-Star Game based on their stats and contribution to their teams so far this season.

EAST WEST
C- Dwight Howard C- Marcus Camby
F- Lebron James F- Shawn Marion
F- Kevin Garnett F- Carlos Boozer
G- Jason Kidd G- Baron Davis
G- Paul Pierce G- Steve Nash

The season is still young, but unlike most other sports the NBA seems somewhat easy to predict. Even though some things are a given, I'm sure there's still a few surprises in store and plenty of on and off court excitement to come. Enjoy the second quarter of the season, and I'll be sure to take another in-depth look at the league at the All-Star Break.

-Joe Osborne

Tuesday's Top Ten: Wide Receivers

Going into the 2007 NFL season all the talk was about running backs. In the majority of fantasy drafts the top ten spots were reserved for running backs, but few have lived up to their hype. With only three weeks remaining in the regular season, wide receivers have stolen the spotlight and the highlights away from the majority of the leagues over rated running backs. Wide receiver is easily the flashiest position in any sport, so let's take a look at the Top Ten receivers in the NFL.

10.Andre Johnson: The Texans receiver might not be the most recognizable name in the NFL because of injuries, and because he plays for the Texans, but his production speaks for itself. Last season he led the league in receptions, and in six games this season he has 617 yards and six touchdowns. If he can stay healthy he'll be one of the league's top receivers for years to come.

9.T.J. Houshmandzadeh: He's probably the most underrated player in the league because he shares the field with the mouthiest showoff in the league. To the surprise of many, Houshmandzadeh leads the league in receptions and is fourth in touchdowns. Put him on most teams and he'd be their best receiver.

8.Torry Holt: One word - Consistency. Year after year, Holt is always among to top receivers in all the important categories. I think it's fair to say that his best years are behind him, but he still gets the job done by staying off the injured list, and with excellent speed and top notch route running.

7. Marvin Harrison: Just because he's been injured doesn't mean he should be excluded from this list. Last year he was second in both receiving yards and touchdowns. Harrison is also fourth all-time in receiving yards and third all-time in receiving touchdowns. He hasn't made much of an impact this season, but it looks like he'll be back just in time for the playoffs.

6. Larry Fitzgerald: The fourth year receiver gets better every season. This season he is fifth in both yards and receptions. Fitzgerald uses his size and jumping ability to out play secondaries, and would be higher on this list if he had a better quarterback to play with.

5. Braylon Edwards: After two so-so seasons, Edwards is tearing it up for the Browns. Edwards makes phenomenal catches week after week and is making opposing defenses look foolish. He's currently sixth in receiving yards and third in touchdowns.

4. Reggie Wayne: Batman, as he's known throughout the league is a machine. He's done an incredible job while Marvin Harrison has been out, and is now the top receiver on the Colts. He catches balls in traffic better than anyone in the league and is the ultimate team player, which is something you can't say about most guys on this list.

3. Chad Johnson: Ocho Cinco has a bigger mouth than anyone in sports, but he can back in up. Last season he led the league in yards, and he's fourth this year. He also sets crazy blocks and has a reputation as one of the toughest receivers in football. His touchdown celebrations aren't as good as they used to be, but no defense wants to play against him.

2.Terrell Owens: After a slightly above average season last year, T.O. Has regained the form that makes him one of the best of all-time. He's done less talking and more playing, and he's been next to unstoppable. He currently leads the league in receiving yards and is second in touchdowns. He's also fourth all-time in receiving touchdowns and it doesn't look like he's gonna slow down anytime soon.

1. Randy Moss: This man can do in all. He's the top deep threat in the NFL,he can catch balls in traffic, he runs short routes with excellent precision, and he's a great blocker too. Moss has unmatched athleticism as he can out jump anyone in the league, not to mention he can out run almost anyone in the league. Moss had three games left to beat Jerry Rice's record of 22 receiving touchdowns in a season. He leads the league with 19, and is second in yards. Moss also has the fifth most touchdowns ever for a receiver, and stands a chance of breaking some records if he stays healthy and has Tom Brady throwing him the ball.
-Joe Osborne

Video of the Day: Lil' Penny

Rumor has it Lil' Penny fell into a dark lifestyle and began hanging out with Gargamel from the Smurfs and Grumpy Bear from the Care Bears. Soon after he was murdered over drug debts.

Video of the Day: Can you smell what the Rock is cooking?

Friday's Fives

Top Five

1-Detroit Tigers: When everyone else was busy talking about Johan Santana, The Tigers were busy pulling off a blockbuster deal for Miguel Cabrera and Dontrelle Willis. Cabrera is easily one of the top hitters in the game, while Willis has shown that he can be dominant. The Tigers now look like the favorite to win the AL Central. It's great to see a team not worry so much about prospects, and worry about the present.

2-Allen Iverson: The Answer fell off the radar a little bit when he was traded to Denver, but he appears to be on his way to one of his finer seasons. Earlier in the week he scored a league season high 51 points, and last night he filled the score sheet again with 35 points, 12 assists, and 6 steals. I'd sure hate to choose between him and Zydrunas Ilgauskas.

3-New Jersey Devils: Has anyone noticed that the Devils are currently riding an eight game win streak, and are tied for third in the East? Not bad for a team that was wrote off by so many 'experts'.

4-Detroit Pistons: The boys from the Motor City have won five in a row, including four wins in five nights this week. The streak should go to six games after they play the Bulls tonight.

5-Toronto Maple Leafs: Yes, that's right, the Leafs have made this list. Everyone's favorite punching bag (including mine) have now won four games in a row. It should be interesting to see who their next scapegoat will be when they start loosing again. Sorry Leafs fans, it's just hard for me to mention them without taking some kind of cheap shot.

Bottom Five

5-Colorado Avalanche: I thought Joe Sakic and Co. were supposed to get back towards the top of the conference this year. Not the case. The team has lost seven of it's last ten games. I wonder if Peter Forsberg is available yet?

4-Charlotte Bobcats & L.A. Clippers: Both teams have been ravaged by injuries, and both have lost seven in a row. It doesn't appear as if the Bobcats will ever be good, and the Clippers could be a season or two away from once again being the laughing stock of the league.

3-Reggie Bush: Is it fair to say that Bush is the most overrated player in the NFL? He is yet to live up to his hype, but maybe the Saints just aren't using him right. Bush's fumble in the final minutes of last Sunday's game against the Bucs cost his team the game, and maybe a playoff spot.

2-Sean Sherk: The California State Athletic Commission decided in their final hearing that the UFC Lightweight Champ did indeed have steroids in his system the last time he fought. So what does the UFC do? Absolutely nothing. Doesn't it set a bad precedent to not punish someone, especially a champion for being guilty of taking steroids? Sherk should be stripped of his title and suspended for a year. Using steroids in baseball is one thing, but they shouldn't be tolerated in a sport where the objective is to physically hurt your opponent.

1-Baltimore Ravens: What a bunch of babies. The Ravens are still crying about the refs from Monday's loss to the Patriots. Was it the refs who threw a late 4th quarter interception to let the Pats back in it? Was it the refs who couldn't stop New England's last minute drive? Was it the refs who called a stupid time out to cost the Ravens the game? Nope, it was the bitter, and washed up Ravens.

Somewhere in the middle: Did anyone see in the Redskins-Bears game last night when the fan ran onto the field? Usually when this type of thing happens, the camera's always cut away, but not this time. Why is it that when a fan runs on the field, they never choose to show it on TV? Everyone wants to see it, and it's always worth a good laugh. Props to the NFL Network for showing us fans what we want to see.

Have a great weekend!
-Joe Osborne

ESPN Fantasy Football Focus

Video Courtesy of ESPN

Video of the Day: Big Fight This Weekend

I almost forgot that boxing still existed. Like most big fights, there's a ton of hype leading up to this one. It seems to me like most people just don't care about boxing any more. There's hardly any big names, and the fights seem to never live up to their expectations. With the emergence of the UFC, boxing desperately needs to find some new superstars if it hopes to compete.

Video of the Day: Top College Prospects

Video Courtesy of ESPN

Tuesday's Top Ten: Best Ways To Get Fired

I know I always do a sports related top ten, but I thought I'd change things up with some suggestions of good ways to get fired from your job. You might find some of them funny, and you might be offended, but that's the idea! Behold, the top ten best ways to get fired from your job!

10. Refuse to adhere to your works scent policy by wearing large amount of cologne. When people complain, demand that your work reimburses you for the money you spent on the cologne. If they refuse, threaten to commit suicide.

9. Begin renting out the office for sex addicts anonymous meetings. If meetings become a success, begin renting out the office for large, inter-racial orgies.

8. Find an interesting way to spread an STD. While your at it, spread a virus to all the computers because computers can't have sex.

7. Replace your bosses Advil with ecstasy. When they become high, call the police and accuse them of sexual harassment.

6. On casual day, show up to work completely naked with a fake tattoo of a large arrow pointed towards your crotch. Accuse male and female co-workers of desperately wanting to be impregnated by you, and repeatedly yell 'you wish biatch!'

5. Gather all of your co-workers into one area and do your best impressions of Michael Richards, Don Imus, Tim Hardaway, and Mel Gibson. When people accuse you of being a racist bigot, threaten to commit suicide.

4. Introduce several of your co-workers and their kids to crystal meth. Since they're probably unfamiliar with the drug, you can over charge them

3. Fake your own death by having a friend call in to say you were the victim of a violent hate crime. When people show up to your funeral, jump out of the casket and yell “You just got punk'd!”, then yell at them for not bringing 'funeral gifts'.

2. Make all new employees take part in a violent gang initiation. Initiation includes a brutal beating, a robbery and arson at a local thrift store, a week long coke binge, and the final test - public urination in front of an elementary school.

1. Break into your bosses email and send out penis enlargement emails to the entire office and his clients. Also, change your bosses voice mail message claiming he is now running the penis enlargement hot line.

Feel free to leave a comment on something you think would be a good way to get fired. Happy Hanukkah!

-Joe Osborne

Video of the Day: Jim Rome is Burning

Video courtesy of ESPN

Straight Up Made Up

Sean Taylor's murderer to be suspended and fined by the NFL

Shortly before the start of yesterday's games, NFL commissioner Roger Goddell announced that the person or persons responsible for the murder of Redskins safety Sean Taylor would be fined and suspended by the NFL. “I've made it clear since day one that off field conduct such as steroid use and murder are completely unacceptable. Whoever is responsible for the death of Sean Taylor can expect to receive a hefty fine and lengthy suspension”. When the suspension and fine is handed down, Goddell can expect to hear from the executive director of the NFL Players Association Gene Upshaw, who says he will attempt to eliminate or reduce any suspension or fine. “Come on now. Where in the NFL rule book does it say that murder violates league rules? It's not like these guys are illegally video taping other teams or doing elaborate touchdown celebrations. Plus, from what I know the suspects have never been in trouble with the league before, so it would be a first time offense.” Reaction to Goddell's decision to penalize the murderer(s) was mixed among members of the media. “It's part of the culture down there” said former Cowboys receiver Michael Irving, while ESPN's John Clayton disagrees, “Murder has no place in the NFL. That type of thing should only happen in places like Harlem or Compton...Or even in third world countries”. No word yet on whether of not Adam 'Pacman' Jones was involved with the murder, but the league plans to investigate.

Jump ball specialist ranks #1 in early NBA mock drafts

While OJ Mayo and Michael Beasley are stealing the college basketball headlines, Simon Winchester, who is a senior at Maryland Technical College in North Baltimore is dominating one area of the game, and NBA scouts are noticing. “Winchester has won almost 90% of jump balls so far this season” says an NBA scout who asked not to be named. “That type of thing is so valuable. Whoever gets first ball in an NBA game can make a huge difference.” Although Winchester leads the nation in jump ball percentage, other area's of his game such as scoring, rebounding, defense, dribbling, and endurance need some major work. “Small things like scoring ability and rebounding come with time and experience” said the scout. “But having the ability to win jump ball's give you a huge advantage. You have to wonder how things would have worked out in the Finals last year had Lebron James been able to secure the first possession for the Cavs. I guess that's just not part of his game.” NBA scouts and executives are also impressed with the jump ball czar's level of maturity as he was recently promoted to weekend shift supervisor at a Baltimore Arby's. “Simon's success on the court has translated to success in the fast food business” said Arby's manager Paul Deluney. “If things don't work out with the NBA, he has a very bright future here at Arby's.” Continuing his pace will all but assure the first overall selection in the NBA draft for Winchester, and his manager at Arby's think he'll be just fine. “As long as he takes things one jump ball at at time! Hahaha!”

Tampa Bay Rays to hire new locker room attendant

The winds of change are rolling through Tampa Bay. First a new name, and new uniforms, now the team is looking for a new locker room attendant. “One thing we really want to instill with our new look team is a winning attitude”, says team president Matt Silverman. “It all starts from the ground up, and this is the type of thing that will help us compete with the Sox and Yankees”. The job was posted today on local grocery and convenience store bulletin boards, and the successful candidate will have to be qualified with at least three years of janitorial experience. “We want someone who's had success and lots of experience. Also a great attendance record and a good personality are must haves.” Rays Center Fielder Carl Crawford says the hiring could be the first step in the right direction. “This just shows management is taking things seriously. We're used to having a dingy looking locker room, but all that is about to change. Rumor has it that management is looking into buying a Dirt Devil vacuum. Having a big name like that associated with the team will show immediate results.” The team also announced that the new attendant will have state of the art supplies to use such as Mr. Clean and Windex cleaning products. In other news the Rays have put all their proven talent on the trade block in attempts to lower their team salary.
-Joe Osborne
*The above stories are completly fictional and intended solely for humor.

Video of the Day: Miami Dolphins Rap Song

Video of the Day: New UFC 79 Trailer

Gonna be crazy!

Friday's Fives

Top Five

1. George St. Pierre: UFC fans everywhere were extremely disappointed when it was found out that Matt Serra injured himself and wouldn’t be able to fight Matt Hughes at UFC 79. That disappointment didn’t last for long, as the next day GSP stepped up, and will take on Hughes for the Interim Welterweight Title. This will be the third time they fight, with each fighter holding a victory over the other. UFC 79 now appears to be one of the best cards ever and with a victory GSP will once again be on top of the 170lbs division.

2. Devin Hester: Add two more touchdown returns to Hester’s resume. He was the difference maker last Sundays Bears win, and is the brightest spot on an underachieving team. In 27 career games, Hester has 10 kick returns for touchdowns. That’s unheard of.

3. Robert Luongo: The Canucks goalie has three straight shutouts. He hasn’t allowed a goal in almost 200 minutes and will hope to keep his streak alive on Sunday night against the Wild.

4. Dallas Cowboys: After Thursday night’s big win over top conference rival Green Bay, the Cowboys have now won six games in a row and look to be well on their way to home field advantage throughout the playoffs. ‘America’s Team’ is now 11-1, and is second in the NFL in total offense with 390.9 yards per game.

5. Orlando Magic: The Magic have the second best record in the NBA at 14-3. They’ve won 4 in a row, and Dwight Howard looks unstoppable. It should be fun to watch them play the Suns tonight. Good riddance Grant Hill.

Bottom Five

5. Ottawa Senators: So much for being the best team in the NHL. The Sens have lost five in a row and things won’t get any easier when they take on the Rangers on Saturday afternoon.

4. Ricky Williams: Here’s his season stats- Six rushes for 15 yards, and one fumble… Oh yeah, he also got injured and is out for the rest of the season. Nice comeback Ricky! The Dolphins are pathetic, but to their credit their the best 0-11 team in the NFL.

3. New York Knicks: On Thursday night the Knicks had the most embarrassing loss in the history of their franchise losing 104-59 to the Celtics. No need to mention anything else.

2. Hockey Fight: A bench clearing hockey brawl broke out between two hockey teams in Ontario. The problem was that it was eight year old kids fighting. For those who haven’t seen it, here’s the footage- http://portal.thescore.ca/video/Player.aspx?vid=724.

1. Sean Taylor: The Redskin Safety was well on his way to being one of the best safeties in the league. Taylor was murdered earlier in the week at the young age of 24. It’s gotta be tough for a team to take the field after something like this happens to a teammate. Sometimes the world of sports can seem almost fictional or like a fantasy, but when something like this happens it brings everyone back to reality. It would be nice to see the Redskins rally around this tragedy and put a nice run together in memory of their fallen teammate.

Have a great weekend!
-Joe Osborne

Video of the Day: Dennis Rodman Interview

Part 1


Part 2

Attention Hockey Fans!!!

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Video of the Day: Jerry Rice is a Prick

Serious or Delirious: Running up the Score

In most sports when a team has an insurmountable lead they either put their starters on the bench, or slow things down and try to run out the clock, or in some cases both. When the New England Patriots have a huge lead they'll continue to shove their dominance down their opponents throats, while their starters pad their stats. In recent weeks running up the score has been a hot debate. Today I will determine if running up the score is Serious or Delirious.

Serious

• Professional athlete's are paid ridiculous amounts of money to give a 100% effort, and to put on a show for the fans. Just because a team has a big lead does it mean they should slow things down and not try as hard? Not at all. If I dish out a few hundred dollars to go to a sporting event, I want to see these guys giving it their all, no matter what the score is. Fans don't pay money to see no-named back ups play.
  
• When Patriots owner Robert Craft gives out millions of dollars a season to a guy like Tom Brady it's not so he can play two and a half quarters then spend the rest of the game on the bench. An owner wants to get his money's worth. If Tom Brady was benched whenever the Patriots had a big lead, he probably wouldn't be well on his way setting the most touchdown passes in a season record.
  
• Remember the old saying from when you were a kid – 'It doesn't matter if you win or lose, it's how you play the game'. Well, that's not true in pro sports. Winning is everything. A team should try to beat the living crap out of another team. What are they supposed to do? Get a comfortable lead then take it easy on the other team out of respect? I don't think so. Athletes are there to compete their hardest for their teams.
  
• There are many historic comebacks in the history of sports. During those comebacks, teams have come back to win when the other had a big lead. This is a great example of why teams should run up the score. Why risk putting your back ups in to make mistakes and cause an embarrassing loss? As we all know momentum can play a major role in any sporting event, and teams should try their hardest not to give it to the other team.

Delirious

• So what happens if the Patriots decide to leave Brady in when their up by 24 and he breaks his arm and is done for the season. Running up the score would look pretty stupid then wouldn't it? Major injuries to the sports best players happen everyday, and teams should take every precaution to see that they don't happened. Leaving your best players in the game when it's nearly impossible for the other team to come back is extremely risky.
  
• Athletes with huge ego's don't like to be disrespected. In baseball if a team is running up the score, the pitcher throws at the hitter. In basketball, a flagrant foul. In hockey, a dirty check. Running up the score gives the losing team extra incentive to try to hurt the one's who are laying down the beating. A bench clearing brawl or slapping match in basketball can be fun to watch, but usually it makes the sport and the players involved looks bad.
  
• Ever get excited to watch a big game, then the next thing ya know... Bamm! it's 46 to 10! What's the fun in that? Whether you beat a team by 1 point or 30 points it still looks the exact same in the standings. What's the point of humiliating another team beyond believe? Coaches, players, and fans remember things, and most likely it could come back to bite ya. There's a thing that used to exist in sport, but I forget it's name??? Oh yeah! Sportsmanship.

Final Verdict-Both sides present very valid arguments. The bottom line is, if your team is getting beat worse than a gay man starring at Tim Hardaway in a shower, the players and the coaches aren't doing their jobs. There's absolutely nothing wrong with running up the score in professional sports. If a team is willing to risk injury, then it's their right to do whatever they want as long as they don't break the rules. Teams who complain, or result to dirty tactics to teams who are blowing them out simply need to suck it up, and get better. Mercy rules exist in tee-ball, not the big leagues. Running up the score is SERIOUS!
-Joe Osborne

Video of the Day: The Real 'Ocho Cinco'

Tuesday's Top Ten: Best Wrestlers of All-Time

Growing up it wasn't the NFL, NBA, MLB or even the NHL that was the top sport in my house. The 'sport' I'm talking about isn't even considered a sport by most. That's right I'm talking about sports entertainment, or in other words, professional wrestling. Nothing else on TV had more excitement, drama, or cliff hangers than the good old WWF. Things have changed in recent years though. Maybe because the product is different, or maybe because I'm older. Either way, let's take a look at the top ten wrestlers of all-time.

10-Sting: Sting is the best wrestler ever to have never competed for the WWF. He was one of the only guys to stick out in the early days of WCW. His 'Crow' gimmick where he would descend for the arena rafters is one of the best in the history of wrestling. Sting still competes today for TNA, and is one of the only 'old guys' still wrestling that doesn't resemble an old washed up wrestler than can barely move.

9-Mick Foley: Foley AKA Cactus Jack, AKA Mankind, AKA Dude Love put himself through more pain than any wrestler ever. He wasn't the most technical guy, but he had that underdog mentality that fans loved to cheer for. Being thrown off the top of the cage in the Hell in a Cell match by the Undertaker is one of the most memorable moments in the history of wrestling. Even though he was great, that 'Socko' things that he had going was one of the dumbest things ever.

8-The Ultimate Warrior: The man from parts unknown had the best entrance ever. There isn't too much you can say about the Warrior because he rarely spoke, but he appeared to gain strength towards the end of the match when his opponent would hit him in the face. Oh yeah, large amounts of steroids may have also helped.

7-Bret 'The Hitman' Hart: The Excellence of Execution will probably best be remembered from his WWF fallout at Survivor Series in Montreal, but he should be remembered as one of the best champions ever. Hart was a successful tag team champ as a member of the Hart Foundation, then moved on to singles competition to have runs as both the Intercontinental and World Champion. Hart also had great feuds with Shawn Michaels, Stone Cold Steve Austin, and even his late brother, Owen Hart.

6-The Undertaker: The Undertaker has possibly the best gimmick ever. The dead man was actually kinda scary to see for small kids. Not only does he have the best gimmick, but he also paved the way for a number of 'gimmick' matches including the casket match, body bag match, first blood match, and of course the hell in the cell. The Undertaker was also involved in some of the best story lines ever, including a feud with his brother Kane. It was sad to see Paul Bearer turn them against each other like that.

5-Shawn Michaels: The Heartbreak Kid is one of the best performers ever, and all it cost him was a friendship with Marty Jannetty. His career took off shortly after kicking Jannetty's head through a mirror in the barbershop, and he hasn't looked back since. Michaels excelled as both a 'good guy' and a 'bad guy', and will forever be despised by Bret Hart fans everywhere. HBK was the top guy when the WWF was playing second fiddle to the WCW, and his popularity was probably at it's highest when he was the leader of DX. Michaels also competed in the first ladder match with Razor Ramon which will go down as one of the best matches ever.

4-Rick Flair: WOOOO! That Nature Boy! Flair made WCW and is the best showman in the history of the sport. Like HBK, Flair succeeded as both a bad guy and a good guy. Flair is also one of only a few wrestlers to be both WCW and WWF World Champion. Flair has feuded with the best, and was the leader of the original 'stable', the Four Horsemen.

3-Stone Cold Steve Austin: Austin 3:16 was born when he defeated Jake the Snake and won the King of the Ring. Stone Cold was something the wrestling world had never seen before. A bad ass that fans could cheer for. He was a man with no friends or allies, and would come out of no where and drop a stone cold stunner on someone. Stone Cold helped lead the way back to prominence for the WWF when WCW was on top. He was one of the most marketable stars in the history of wrestling, and also one of the the best on the mic. I wonder if he would have had the same success had he remained 'The Ringmaster'.

2-Hulk Hogan: The Hulkster was the first true wrestling superstar. Hogan was the first wrestler to cross over as a star in mainstream entertainment and he helped pave the way for everyone that came after him. Hogan was a hero to millions, and made many believe in saying their prayers, and taking their 'vitamins'. Hogan was also responsible for making the WCW a major success. No one could have seen it coming when Hogan turned on his millions of fans to become Hollywood Hogan and join the NWO. That was the best face turn ever in wrestling. Hogan's in ring skills were less than spectacular. His finishing move was an atomic leg drop, but I guess he made it believable.

1-The Rock: Easily the most electrifying man in the history of the sport. The Rock had a perfect combination of wrestling skills, acting skills, star appeal, and no one..... and I mean no one could get it done on the mic like The Rock. No one was as close to being as funny, and no one could whip a crowd into a frenzy like he could. The Rock turned a simple move like an elbow drop into one of the most famous wrestling moves ever, 'The People's Elbow'. Watching The Rock put someone in their place was hilarious, and he's the first wrestler to be taken serious in Hollywood. Can you smell what The Rock is cooking?

Close but no Cigar: Triple H, Kurt Angle, The Macho Man, and John Cena.
-Joe Osborne

Video of the Day: Crazy Shot

Straight Up Made Up

Lebron records triple double despite being quintuple teamed for majority of game

The Cleveland Cavaliers earned a hard fought 111-106 victory over the Indiana Pacers yesterday, despite the fact that Lebron James was quintuple teamed by the Pacers for the majority of the game. “The strategy going in was to put all of our players on Lebron whether he had the ball or not” said Pacers coach Jim O'Brien. “While it seemed to be working at times, covering him with five players just wasn't enough, and unfortunately due to NBA rules we're not allowed having a sixth man on the court. That could have been the difference maker”. The decision to quintuple team Lebron could become a popular trend this season, as the Cavaliers roster is now mostly made up of members of a local Knights of Columbus group. Cleveland GM Danny Ferry says the new look Cavs roster makes plenty of sense. “What's the point of paying NBA caliber players to be on your team when you have a guy like Lebron? The guys from the Knights of Columbus make almost all of their wide open layups, and all we have to do is give them a small donation at Christmas. We're saving a ton of money, and we're still winning ball games.” James doesn't seem to mind the extra attention he's getting on the court, saying this is something he'll have to go through if he wants to be the best of all time. It wasn't all good news for the Cavs however, as Herb Palmer, a 64 year old power forward, and a member of the Knights of Columbus for 17 years, was on the receiving end of a violent charging foul by Pacers center Jermaine O'Neal. He was brought to the hospital and pronounced dead at the scene. The Cavs will hope to continue their winning ways when they take on the Boston Celtics tomorrow night.

Fan plans to laminate ticket stubs

August 7th at Camden Yards in Baltimore was just an ordinary day at the ball park for most fans, but not for 37 year old Patrick Spence, who is a produce manager at a local grocery store. While most were enjoying the opening game of a three game set with the Seattle Mariners, Patrick was attending his first ever ball game, and describes the events that led up to it to be 'freakish'. “Me and my common law partner we're just walking down the street close to Camden Yards, and a guy offered us two tickets for twenty dollars. It came out of no where! A complete stranger offered us these tickets for a great price. I was blown away, and just said 'what the hell, let's do it'". It wasn't much of a game as the Orioles lost 10-3, but Patrick is now a lifetime fan. “The highlight of the game for me was when Melvin Mora came close to hitting a home run. As soon as it came off his bat, we all thought it was gone. I was memorized and had feelings of excitement I've never had before. The ball ended up being about 10 feet short and was caught by the right fielder, but still, it was pretty crazy”. Following the game Patrick couldn't contain his excitement, and apparently is still on cloud nine. His common law partner suggested he have the ticket stubs that have been on display on their fridge laminated, and Patrick agreed. “I haven't decided if I want to get them laminated at a big box store like Staples or a locally owned place. I guess it depends on price and quality of service. I'll have to ask around I guess.” Patrick plans to attend more baseball games in the future and says if things go well with the laminating, he'll consider having the ticket stubs framed.

Strahan mistakes fan for Alfonso Ribeiro

During the fourth quarter of a lopsided game against the Minnesota Vikings, Giants defensive end Michael Strahan found himself in a foul mood sitting on the bench, when something in the crowd suddenly drew his attention. “Hey, isn't that that guy... You know, Carleton from the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air? He's right there in the first row wearing a red jacket.” he said to teammate R.W. McQuarters. “Oh, you mean Alfonso Ribeiro.” responded McQuarters. “There's no way that's him, that guy is like 50 years old”. After hearing the argument Assistant Special Teams Coach Thomas McGaughey made his way over and agreed with McQuarters than the fan was not Alfonso Ribeiro. “Nope, Carleton was much shorter, and I'm sure he'd wear something better than a pullover Starter jacket”. Strahan then began to doubt his original thoughts that the man was actually Alfonso Ribeiro, but was still not completely convinced. Strahan began to analyze the man's facial features, when suddenly the man noticed he was being starred at. The excited man waved to Strahan, and it was at that point he realized that the man was not Alfonso Ribeiro. Strahan gave the man an awkward half wave, and an up-nod as he thought of what could have been. “Wow, that really blew my mind. That guy looked so much like Carleton. He should go on one of those reality TV shows.” Strahan then attempted to find a camera to take a picture of the man but was unsuccesful.

-Joe Osborne
*The above stories are completly fictional and intended solely for humor.

Video of the Day: The Best of Mike Tyson Talking

This video contains abrasive language, so if you're offended by swearing you should probably loosen up a bit and learn how to laugh.

Top Story lines of the NBA season

-By Weekend Columnist Gilles Gallant
The decline of Shaq and the uphill battle for the Heat

The Miami Heat have looked like they’re running around in slow motion. For the first two weeks of the season, the 2006 champs remind me of the year after the Lakers won their 3rd championship. Shaq was injured at the beginning of the year and the Lakers struggled to make the playoffs. The only difference is Shaq is 36 years old now and is not a game changing dominant force he used to be. Dwyane Wade is no question a top 5 player in the league when healthy. However, his reckless style of play is to his disadvantage. It gives him an edge which separates him from other talent but makes him more probable for injury because of the pounding. If Wade’s return can rejuvenate Shaq to becoming a third of what he was, they should sneak into the playoffs

The Celtics Trio and will they sustain it

As one of the “Haters” that predicted the Celtics couldn’t make it work, I’m still not jumping ship. But I will admit this, they are F*#%n’ good. However like any basketball preacher will tell you, legends are born/made in the playoffs and the NBA finals. As seen in their first loss of the season against Orlando, a team can make the Celtics run out of gas. This means they are beatable which then leads to weakness. Two facts people are neglecting is Boston right now has played most of their games at home so far and the talent imbalance between conferences make the trio look more daunting in the East. So instead of facing a weekly task of Grizzlies, Jazz, Warriors that KG is used to, he instead see teams in the East like Atlanta, Charlotte, New Jersey with an occasional dose of the Raptors and Pistons to provide competition. Their road success and bench play (or lack thereof) will tell the tale of whether they flame out in the first round or make the Finals. No Wonder KG is a leading candidate for MVP.

Marbury and the Knicks – Blow it up and start over

When will this team be euthanized and start over? I’ve been wondering for a long time and it’s sad to say it will get worse before it gets better. Although the Knicks have dumped some considerable assets from their payroll (Jalen Rose, Steve Francis, Allan Houston, Anfernee Hardaway), for every move that seems to right the ship, another bone-head one follows. Zach Randolph and Eddy Curry are not the answer to the Knicks woes and when your point guard has a bigger head than the garden he plays in, you’ve got a problem. Some would say it isn’t a good idea to cut ties with Marbury, but as a general manager you have to ask yourself if this player is making your team better. The Knicks are currently 2-9 and not one bright spot has emerged. Pity, with all the talent you could almost have two NBA starting lineups

Kevin Durant – Buzzer beaters and many more where it came from

The Sonics only hope at revenue and points on the scoreboard, Kevin Durant has looked as good as advertised. It’s amazing to think a 19 years old, frail 6’10’’ ball of basketball talent is making an impact in the game. When Lebron came in, it was a different story as he was already in NBA physical shape but Durant looks like the wind could catch him the wrong way and float off. Is it just me or does he look like a more talented and coordinated version of Manute Bol? Either way, the kid has got game and he has proven in the first 12 games of the season that he will only improve. Barring injury he should easily run away with the Rookie of the Year award.

Who will start in the all star game?

Tim Duncan won’t be starting in NBA All Star game? Man, the organizers of the balloting almost screwed that up. Thankfully they have changed their minds and have shifted Duncan back to power forward in Western Conference balloting. Originally he was listed as a center which would’ve made him bumped for…..the country of China. That’s right; the whole country of China will be on Yao Ming’s side and would have snubbed the best player of the A.J. (After Jordan) generation his rightful spot. The real question now is could Iverson challenge Nash or Bryant for their spot? All three players are performing at a high level so it could lead to someone getting bumped on the other end of the PG/SG spectrum looking for their first all star berth, for example Deron Williams or Chris Paul.

The NBA is now in an every other day grind with teams looking to get some wins early to establish themselves as contenders. Which teams emerge will be interesting. The Hornets and Magic are hot and the Heat and the Bulls have looked out of sync. The usual forces are going strong like Phoenix, Dallas, San Antonio (coincidentally?). Questions for the weekend are who do you want in Dunk Contest this year and who will win? Since it’s usually reserved for younger players, my bet is on Sean Williams from the Nets if he enters. Enjoy your weekend.

Friday's Fives

The following is the Top and Bottom Five sports related things of the past 7 days.

Top Five

1. Brett Favre/Packers: In two games this week Favre threw for 599 yards, six touchdowns, no interceptions, and a combined 127.5 QB rating. The Packers are on a six game winning streak, are third in the league in total offense, and sixth best in points allowed. This is easily the feel good story of the NFL season, and yes, the Packers are for real.

2. Jimmy Rollins: It seems like a guy has to hit 50 home runs to win an MVP award. Not the case with Rollins who won the National League MVP this week. Check out these stats- 212 hits, 30 home runs, 20 triples, 94 RBI's, 41 stolen bases, plus a Gold Glove at Shortstop. Now that's a complete player.

3. Michael Beasley: Has anyone seen this kid play? The Kansas State forward averaged 29.3 points and 15.3 rebounds in three games this week. Wow, and we all thought Kevin Durant was good.

4. Phoenix Suns: The Suns have set the league on fire lately as they're currently riding a seven games win streak. Nash, Amare, and Marion are the best threesome in the NBA (sorry Celtics fans). The Suns currently lead the league with 108.1 points per game. Big shock there.

5. Marcus Camby: This guy is a rebounding machine! Camby doesn't get noticed as much because he plays on a team with Allen Iverson and Carmelo Anthony but in his last three games he had 58 rebounds. Camby currently leads the league with 15.3 boards and 3.4 blocks per game. The Camby man can.

Bottom Five

5. Minnesota Twins: The Twins are one of the cheapest teams in baseball. They let their most exciting player, Torri Hunter sign with the Angels, and now it looks like their best pitcher, Johan Santana, who happens to be the best pitcher in baseball, is on the trade block because they don't want to pay him what he deserves.

4. Gilbert Arenas: Agent Zero is on the shelf for three months after re-injuring the same knee that caused him to miss time last year. So much for all that smack he talked before the season, and so much for the Wizards playoff hopes.

3. Detroit Lions: After a strong start the Lions have now lost three in a row. Whatever happened to that dynamite offense we seen in the first few games of the season? The Lions are now in a must win situation for the rest of the season if they hope to make the playoffs.

2. New York Knicks: This team is in rough shape. A coach who doesn't know how to coach, an owner who doesn't have a clue, drama around every corner, and to top it all off- an eight game losing streak! I think it's easy to say that the Knicks have been one of the worst and most dysfunctional sports franchises of the past few years, and most of the blame is on the shoulders of Isiah Thomas.

1. Michael Vick: The former NFL QB was back in the news again this week after he 'surrendered' to police to go to prison a few weeks early. The stupid thing about this is that people in the media were giving him credit for 'doing the right thing', just like they did when he 'apologized' . I guarantee Vick would still be involved in dog fighting if he hadn't been busted.

Somewhere in the Middle: So it looks like Lil' Romeo, son of Rap mogul Master P will be playing division one basketball at USC next year. If his ball skills end up being as bad as his rapping he'll end up with splinters in his ass all next season. I wonder if Lil' Romeo resents Lil' Bow Wow because he got to star in that horrible basketball movie about ten years ago. Probably not.

Have a great weekend!
-Joe Osborne

Video of the Day: Mr. T Singing About Mothers

I guess this is kinda sports related. Either way it's one of the funniest things I've seen in awhile.

Dream Fights

The following is a list of fights that any UFC fan would love to see. Some of them don't stand a chance of ever happening because of weight class restrictions, but some on this list have a realistic chance of going down sometime in the future. Let's get ready to rumble!

Mauricio 'Shogun' Rua vs. Anderson Silva: This fight would probably never go down because the two train together and are good friends. Silva has discussed the possibility of moving up to 205 lbs., and he probably will if he can beat Dan Henderson in March. If Silva is the best all around striker in MMA, then Shogun isn't too far behind. Both have beaten the crap out of opponents in the past and will continue to do so in the future. For those who don't know much about Shogun, he's considered one of the best in the world, and he holds a devastating victory over Rampage Jackson. This would be one of the best fights ever.

Randy Couture vs. Rampage Jackson: Couture has had some of his best fights at 205 lbs, while Rampage is in his prime. Both fighters are accomplished wrestlers, and are great with their hands. If Couture can make his way back to the UFC, this would be a fun fight to watch. There's no clear number one heavyweight contender, and the same goes for the light heavyweight division. Why not give them a boat load of money and have a real champion vs. champion showdown?

Andrei Arlovski vs. Wanderlei Silva: Arlovski has been on the shelf as of late trying to figure out his contract situation, while Silva is preparing for the fight of his life against Chuck Liddell. Both fighters love to stand, and someone would get knocked out for sure. Even though Silva has fought at different weight classes before, he probably won't be moving up anytime soon as there's plenty of good fights at 205lbs.

Rich Franklin vs. Forrest Griffin: Even though he got his ass handed to him twice by Anderson Silva, Franklin is still a very good fighter. He should consider in move up to 205 lbs. Griffin is on top of the world after a victory against Shogun, and is awaiting a possible title shot. Even though their styles contrast a bit this would still be an exciting fight to watch.

Matt Hughes vs. Josh Koscheck: These two guys have many things is common. They're both in the same weight class, they both lost to George St. Pierre, and for the most part they're very disliked by fans. Why not lock these two grappler's in a cage and see who's better? This fight could very well happen in 2008, depending on what happens between Hughes and Matt Serra next month.

Kevin Bacon vs. Cecil Fielder in a last man standing match: This match would result in a double disqualification as Bacon would expose himself to the crowd, and Fielder would refuse to even stand up out of his wheel chair.

Sure, most of these fights probably will never happen, but it's fun to think about it. Let me know in the comment section who you think would win these fights, and also tell me of some fights you'd love to see. Happy Thanksgiving to any Americans visiting the site today, and make sure to check back tomorrow for Friday's Fives and a video that will have you laughing well into the weekend.
-Joe Osborne