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

Video of the Day: A Real American

It's weird that someone took the time to make this.

Serious or Delirious: The Pittsburgh Penguins

One of the highest rated teams going into the NHL season was the Pittsburgh Penguins. So far this season they haven't quite lived up to the hype as they have a very mediocre record of 8-10. Will their uninspiring play continue or will the Pens start playing the way they should be? It's time to find out if the Pittsburgh Penguins Serious or Delirious.

Serious

• The Pens have an amazing mix of young talent combined with veteran leadership. Crosby and Malkin are arguably the best one-two punch in the league, while young players like Ryan Whitney, Jordan Stall, and Ryan Malone can provide consistent play in different areas of the game. Throw veterans Mark Recchi and Gary Roberts into the mix and the Pens have one of the most dynamic rosters in the league.
• They got off to an even worse start last year and managed to finish fifth in the east. Having a bad start will in no way help them when it comes to playoff time, but if they can turn things around and string together some victories they'll be alright.
• Even though they've had some horrible efforts this season, they're still one of the funnest and most exciting teams to watch. The only problem is they haven't been able to play that way consistently. Finding a balance and lines that work won't be a problem for a team with this much talent.
• Any team with a roster like the Penguins is vulnerable to go through some growing pains. This team is still relatively new, and in some cases it takes seasons for guys to learn how to play with each other. There's still over 60 games left, so obviously there's plenty of time to turn things around.
  

Delirious

• No player on the Pens is at the peak of their career. Think about it. Crosby, Malkin and the other young guys are still learning and their best years won't be for a few seasons. And guys like Recchi and Roberts played their best hockey years ago, and their skills have diminished.
  
• Marc-Andre Fleury doesn't seem to be the answer in net. When he was chosen first overall in the 2003 draft, Pittsburgh hoped that he would be able to do for them, what Martin Brodeur has done for the Devils. That doesn't seem to be the case now, as Fleury's play has been slightly above average at best. Fleury's skills haven't developed the way Pens fans hoped they would have, and they'll need a better option in net if they want to be among the leagues elite.
  
• Michel Therrien simply isn't that great of a head coach. Therrien's constant line shuffling and goalie switching has hurt the team tremendously as it's hard for them to find consistency. Therrien isn't a coach who seems like he can lead a team deep into the playoffs. The Pens should consider looking for a coach with a proven track record, and a reputation for improving a team with highly skilled players. If their season continues like this, Therrien will be on the unemployment line.
  
• A team with this much fire power should be among the league's top five in scoring, but they're currently 12th overall and if they can't keep the puck out of their own net, they'll have a hard time winning games with an average offense.
  

Final Verdict: It may be closer that some think, and this could easily go either way but the Pens are serious. They over achieved last season and they're under achieving this year. Once they find some consistency in net, and their offense heats up (which it will), they'll be tough to beat. The Pens are still a few years away from being serious Cup contenders, but they're still in the upper echelon in the Eastern Conference.

-Joe Osborne

Video of the Day: Randy Moss the Business Man

Tuesday's Top Ten: Washed Up Athletes

10. Donovan McNabb- He used to be among the best QB's in the league, and was also one of the league's most exciting players. It now appears that his best years are long behind him, as he's extremely injury prone, and very inconsistent. McNabb will probably be best remembered for not being able to win the big game, and of course, Chunky Soup commercials.

9. Sergei Fedorov- Once the flashiest player in the league, he is now lost in obscurity playing for the Columbus Blue Jackets. Fedorov was one of the league's top players in the nineties, but as soon as he left the Red Wings his production decreased significantly. The last two seasons he's had 42 and 43 point seasons.

8. Roy Jones Jr.- He was at one time the best pound for pound fighter in the world after excelling in several weight classes. His career dropped off after being beat up twice by Antonio Tarver. He's lost three of his last five fights and hasn't beaten a big name in a long time.

7. Steve Francis- Stevie Franchise was one of the best scorers in the NBA. Then he got traded by Houston and he became one of the biggest babies in the league, he got injured a few times, and POOF, his talent was gone! Francis is trying to resurrect his career in the place where it all started, but the Rockets have a log jam at point guard, and he's running his mouth too much.

6. Sammy Sosa- Slammin' Sammy once hit 60 homers three seasons in a row. Then he forgot how to speak English in front of congress. He was once the most loved player in the game and one of it's best power hitters, but now is reduced to a laughing stock. Don't do drugs kids.

5. Gary Payton- Payton talked a lot of smack and he could usually back it up. The 'Glove' was among the league's best point guards, and a shoe-in to make the NBA all defense team year after year. Now he's an unemployed player looking for work. Payton should have retired long ago instead of going out looking like a chump.

4. Randy Johnson- The 'Big Unit' has become a hurting unit the past few seasons. Johnson used to be the league's most intimidating pitcher and is one of the best lefthanded pitches in the history of the game, but now people barely realize he still plays. After he sold out to the Yankees his career took a turn for the worse. It's time for this future hall of famer to hang 'em up.

3. Shaun Alexander- That big contract the Seahawks gave him is really paying off now isn't it! He's averaging around 61 a yards game and has a measly two touchdowns this season. And he was even worse last year! He was the MVP two seasons ago, but now he's nothing more than an over paid injury waiting to happen.

2. Mike Piazza- Piazza will retire as the best hitting catcher of all time. He's no longer catching anymore and he's the DH for Oakland. This past season he hit only eight home runs and had just 44 RBI's. One thing you can never take away from Piazza is that he has one of the best mustaches not only in the history of baseball, but in the history of men.

1. Shaquille O'Neal- Instead of a Shaq attack, Shaq looks like he could have a heart attack at any moment. The once dominate force looks like he can barely jump, and he's averaging just 6.8 boards a game this season. Without having any game close to the basket, there not much else the guy can do. He can always retire and resume his acting career. Rumor has it there's a script in the works for Kazaam 2.

Also receiving consideration: John Stamos, Freddie Prinze Jr., and any dog that lost a fight in Michael Vick's backyard.
-Joe Osborne

Video of the Day: Top 10 'Stunt' Dunks

Question of the Week

This is something new that I'm gonna try on this site. I'll ask a simple question, then if you want, go into the comment section and leave your response. So, basically it will be an open forum, and I'll even reply to some of the answers. Readers are also encouraged to leave a response to answers given by other readers. Here's this weeks question:

If you could change one thing about one of your favorite sports, what would it be, and why?

Video of the Day: The Next Bob Costas

It's tough not to feel bad for the guy. It's also tough not to laugh really hard.

Straight Eight:2008 Can’t miss NCAA prospects

-By Weekend Columnist Gilles Gallant
2007 was a big year for NCAA freshmen. Greg Oden and Kevin Durant basically had a one year audition for #1 pick in the 2007 NBA draft. Both were highly touted coming out of high school and both were the first victims of the NBA age limit rule. Now the floodgates have opened up for NCAA recruiters to get the “next one” who’ll be forced to fulfill one year of college and bring their program back to respectability before making the necessary leap to the NBA. A bulk of the prospects being mentioned today all have the talent level to make the leap to the NBA but how much impact when they get there is another question. So I’ve ranked the top 2008 Freshmen coming into the college game. It will make you forget about Greg “One leg longer than the other” Oden and Kevin “I average 20 points in my sleep” Durant. So screw 2007. It’s in the past. We’re moving on. This is the real year of the Freshman.

8) Kyle Singler (Duke) NBA Comparison – Mike Dunleavy Jr. (With a hint of Dirk Nowitzki)

One and done - No

The Oregon native and biggest recruit for Duke this year will have some big holes to fill in the lineup. After losing Josh McRoberts last year to the draft, their frontcourt has virtually no one taller than 6’9’. Singler could see some time at the PF spot but he’s a perimeter guy with a sweet shot. Coach K will expect him to stretch defenses this year as they play small ball. He has play making abilities and shooting touch that separate him from other players, accompanied with a high basketball IQ. Even though he is one of the better prospects, don’t expect him to carry his team to the Final Four as Duke’s talent level really drops off after Singler. Could be another crappy year for the Dookies but if they get another solid recruit next year, it could be enough to put them back in contender status. Look for Singler to get ACC rookie of the year.

7) Donte Greene (Syracuse) NBA Comparison: Rashard Lewis

One and done - Yes

Syracuse hasn’t been this excited for a prospect since Carmelo Anthony. And again, they will praise him as the savior of Syracuse. However, until the recruiting process last year during the multiple High School All Star games, he was barely mentioned in the breath of this list of prospects. That is of course until the MacDonald’s and Jordan Classic games where he got game MVP in both. I’m still not sold on his consistency. One minute he seems to be making 3’s flawlessly and driving to the bucket and dunking with authority. The next he’s hardly visible on the court. It sounds a lot like Julian Wright Syndrome from Kansas. Look for the Orangemen to make the NCAA tourney as their bench is quite more solid than last year. Greene will be drafted in the top 10 next year, book it.

6) Kousta Koufos (Ohio State) NBA Comparison: Zydrunas Ilgauskas (with more mobility)

One and done? - No

Ohio State’s Coach Thad Matta has got a premium on centers or something. After a one and done with #1 pick Greg Oden, he gets a top 3 Center in the NCAA. Koufos wasn’t really mentioned much in the recruiting process like other prospects mentioned but exploded on to the scene this past summer. At the Under-18 European Championships playing for Greece, he led the tourney in points, rebounds and blocks and was named tournament MVP. Look for him to lead Ohio State to at least to the NCAA tourney.

5) Eric Gordon (Indiana) NBA Comparison – Baron Davis

One and done: Yes

If this guy was 3 inches taller he would be #1. At 6’4” the size advantage does scare scouts off, but now that I’ve mentioned the bad, let’s talk about the good. This guy is a total package, hybrid player. He has skill sets of many different players with the strength of Ron Artest, the shooting of Mitch Richmond, and the speed and quickness of NFL running backs(which he some what resembles). He could lead Indiana deep into the NCAA tourney with maybe even making the Elite Eight. David Stern will be calling his name come June. He may even get drafted in the NFL just in case. The Houston Texans definitely need a running back but they’re not that educated on the position (see Reggie Bush).

4) Kevin Love (UCLA) NBA Comparison – Wes Unseld/ Elton Brand

One and Done – Depends on if he wins a championship

Love could easily be the freshmen to lead UCLA to its next NCAA title. He’s got basketball genes with his father playing in the NBA and is a big-man with the type of intangibles that will change games he plays in. He constantly is a factor on the floor on the college level but the question scouts will ask is can he sustain that in the NBA? (I’m not quite a scout but isn’t that really what any one of them wants to know?) He is playing in an ideal situation where the bench is deep and the starters all have talent enough to be considered as NBA prospects. He has the best outlet pass I have ever seen which helps to ignite the fast break. On most NBA draft sites he’s ranked in the low teens but that will change once he leads UCLA to the Final Four. He gets drafted in the top 10 if he stays in the draft.

3) Michael Beasley (Kansas State) NBA comparison – Carmelo Anthony

One and Done – Yes

Symbolic to a beast on the offensive end, this guy can do it all. Drop-step hooks, fade-away jumpers, dunks in traffic. He’s got a big personality to go with it as he regularly talks smack to other players about how he’ll dunk on them but the best part is that he actually backs it up. Questions about his intensity surface as some games he looks bored because of the talent around him. He can rebound ferociously for a player his size at 6’9”. His draft status will circulate based on how far he carries his team but his sidekick Bill Walker (OJ Mayo’s High School teammate) will help carry the load with some Vince-Carter-like dunks as well. Kansas State could very well make the sweet sixteen or they could flame out and not even make the NCAA loser tourney, the NIT. Beasley will be a star in the NBA; it’s only a matter of time. But according to him, he already is.

2) OJ Mayo (USC) NBA Comparison – Gilbert Arenas

One and Done? – What do you think?

This guy could’ve been playing pro ball when he was in grade 11. He is scary good because of his ability to create his own shot. He is advanced beyond his years in ball handling but his point guard skills are questionable. Some feel he looks for his shot or the highlight play too much instead of the simple pass. He’s a scout’s dream for size, strength and talent in the point guard position but will he put it all together? We’ll if he can only keep his hands on the ball instead of punching people. Trouble just seems to follow this guy. He’s been reported to have punched 3 different teammates in the last 3 years along with an altercation with some students that made him transfer to another school. USC will be an ideal fit as he can be in the spotlight and handle the rock the whole time. He’ll average 30 points a game this year and USC games will all of a sudden get a huge boost in TV ratings. Basically doing what Lebron didn't have to (silly ol’ Stern). Right now it’s just a countdown to get him in the greenroom at Madison Square Garden and hear his name to be drafted.

1) Derrick Rose (Memphis) NBA Comparison – Gary Payton (with the hops of Steve Francis)

One and Done - Yes

He will be the best point guard in the NBA in 5 years. If you don’t know, then now ya know. His jump shot may have a little hitch, but that will improve as he matures and practices more. On the defensive end or on the fast break, he maintains a high intensity and makes the plays that win ballgames. He is a defensive hawk and has great point guard skills with blinding quickness that will separate him even on the NBA level. Memphis’ program will help him develop his PG skills even more, as in the past he’s been relied on more to score. His quiet personality and his leadership have been questioned….until the dying moments in the game where he makes a killer steal and soars for the dunk. You could say his play speaks for itself and he will make a Memphis a front-runner to make an NCAA title run in a weak C-USA conference.

Honorable mention:
DeAndre Jordan - Texas A&M
Blake Griffin - Oklahoma
JJ Hickson - NC State
Austin Daye - Gonzaga
Jeryyd Bayless - Arizona

All in all, the top three ranked players could shift at some point during the year due to impressive play or an injury. Freshmen regularly get left off the pre-season All-American teams by the press writers but it’ll be hard to keep them off the list by the end of the year. It should be an exciting season and an even more thrilling NCAA tournament as the talent in college keeps beefing up.

Friday's Fives

The following is the top and bottom five sports related things of the week.

Top Five

1. NHL 2007 Hall of Fame Class: Earlier in the week the NHL inducted possibly it's best class ever into the hockey Hall of Fame. Hard hitting defense man Scott Stevens, play maker Ron Francis, Al MacInnis, who has one of the hardest shots in the history of the game, and perhaps the best captain ever, the great Mark Messier.

2. The Return of Ricky: Ricky Williams is once again back in the NFL as he'll receive his second, second chance with the Dolphins after being suspended for smoking marijuana. It seems odd to me that a guy gets suspended for longer than a year for smoking pot, but a steroid user only receives four games. Considering the effects of each, the NFL's politics seem backwards.

3. Vincent Lecavalier: The Lightning center has scorched the league for 15 points in his last six games, and he now leads the league with 29 points.

4. UFC Signing: This week the UFC inked the 'African Assassin' Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou. He's well known to hardcore MMA fans for his explosive knockout power, and he makes the stacked light heavyweight division even better.

5. The Boston Celtics: The Celtics on this list could be a trend all season if they keep playing like this. They're 7-0 so far this season, and their 'Big Three' has been unstoppable. We'll see how good they really are after a Western Conference road trip.

Bottom Five

5. Golden State Warriors: Last years dramatic playoff upset of the Mavs seems like a distant memory after an 0-6 start to the NBA season. The Warriors are the only winless team in the league and have lost four times at home.

4. San Francisco 49ers: So much for everyone's favorite sleeper pick going into the season. The 49ers were shut out 24-0 by the Seahawks on Monday night, and have averaged a league low 11.5 points per game. Their record stands at 2-7, and former first overall draft pick Alex Smith doesn't look like the answer at QB.

3. Indianapolis Colts: How's this for a rough week. They lose their second game in a row after Peyton Manning throws six interceptions, then a few days later their best defensive player Dwight Freeney gets injured for the season. Should we just gave the Patriots their Super Bowl rings now?

2. Jiri Tlusty: I'm usually a big fan of nude celebrity scandals. That's because it's usually women. Nude pics of the young Maple Leafs forward surfaced on the Internet a few days ago. Imagine how bad he's gonna get it from the boys in the locker room. In related news, has anyone seen the Paris Hilton video yet?

1. Barry Bonds: The final nail was put in Bonds's coffin after he was indicted of perjury. After all that's happened, Bonds's home run record seems more artificial than the stuff he was injecting into his body. People can say all they want about a witch hunt, but the bottom line is Bonds lied in court, and this proves without a doubt that he knowingly took steroids. Bonds's records and stats should be erased. I think it's fair to say that people won't care either way, just like when he set the record.

Somewhere in the Middle: So it looks like A-Rod will be back in pinstripes after agreeing to outline a 10 year $275 million dollar deal with the Yanks. The deal doesn't really seem to make sense, but either way it will be the richest deal in baseball history. It looks like A-Rod can go back to being the Yankees scapegoat for another 10 years!

Have a great weekend, and check in tomorrow to see who makes the list as the top prospects in college basketball this year.
-Joe Osborne

Video of the Day: One of the Best Commercials Ever

UFC 78 Preview and Predictions

UFC 78 is this Saturday night in New Jersey. The card is headlined by Rashad Evans vs. Michael Bisping, who are the winners of the Ultimate Fighter reality series seasons two and three. Most fight fans don't consider this fight to be of main event quality, but both fighters are undefeated in their MMA careers and have shown some excitement inside the octagon. Both fighters are relatively small for the 205 pound division, and each posses skills that could put them over the top. The winner of this fight will be catapulted towards the upper echelon of the division, while the loser could be downgraded to mid-card status and maybe consider a switch to the 185 pound weight class.

Although the main event may be considered somewhat lackluster, the under card has potential to be one of the best in recent UFC history. If you're a fan of stand up fighting then you won't want to miss Houston Alexander take on Thiago Silva. Both have several knockouts on their resume, and Alexander has shown he's one of the most explosive fighters in the UFC. Don't blink or you could miss something. Next up is UFC veteran Karo Parisyan vs. Ryo Chonan. Chonon is a relatively unknown in North America, but he's provided plenty of great fights in Pride. Parisyan could be considered a bit of a stepping stone for some of the top fighters in the 170 pound division, but he'll be hard to beat if his conditioning is top notch. In a lightweight battle, Spencer Fisher will take on Frank Edgar. Fisher is well known to fans as a tough stand-up fighter with a great chin while Edgar is primarily known for his work on the ground. Fisher has openly challenged Edgar to stand with him, so it should be interesting to see if he takes the bait.

The other fights on the card are: 155 lbs.- Joe Lauzon (15-3) vs. Jason Reinhardt (18-0), 185 lbs.- Ed Herman (13-5) vs. Joe Doerksen (39-10), 170 lbs.- Chris Lytle (24-14-5) vs. Thiago Alves (12-3), 155 lbs.- Marcus Aurelio (14-5) vs. Luke Caudillo (12-8), and 170 lbs. - Tamdan McCrory (8-0) vs. Akihiro Gono (27-12-1).

Main Fights Predictions

- Frank Edgar (7-0) vs. Spencer Fisher (20-3) - Fisher by stoppage in the 2nd Round.(Excitement Level: 4/5)

- Karo Parisyan (17-4) vs. Ryo Chonan (14-7) - Parisyan by split decision. (Excitement Level: 3/5)

- Houston Alexander (8-1) vs. Thiago Silva (11-0) – Alexander by KO in the 2nd Round. (Excitement Level: 5/5)

- Rashad Evans (10-0-1) vs. Michael Bisping (14-0) – Evans by unanimous decision. (Excitement Level: 2/5)

This UFC card is opposite of the past few cards, due to the fact that it lack superstar names and no titles are on the line. Those cards have been somewhat of a disappointment as the big names haven't lived up to the hype and fans didn't see the results they wanted. On paper UFC 78 doesn't seem all that extravagant, but it does have potential to be a fantastic card. Maybe this time around the fans will be surprised again, but this time in a good way. Have fun watching the event and remember that anything can happened inside the octagon.

Video of the Day: UFC 79 Trailer

This will be one of the most anticipated fight cards in UFC history.

Serious or Delirious: Paying A-Rod $300 Million

It's common knowledge that Alex Rodriguez and his agent Scott Boras will be looking for a ten year contract worth $300 million or more. I decided to look at both sides of the argument to see if paying A-Rod that much money is Serious or Delirious. Let the debate begin!

Serious

• Over his career A-Rod's stats are arguably among the best of all time, and he doesn't appear to be slowing down. This past season he had his highest home run total (54) since 2002 and his highest RBI total ever(156). He also finished the season with an impressive .422 on base percentage which is .33 points higher than his career average. Those stats combined with higher than average speed and an ability to wear out pitchers easily make him baseball's best offensive player. Plug him into any line-up and it will improve drastically.
  
• Whoever the big spender is, they won't have to worry about A-Rod's durability. In the past seven season's he's only missed an average of five games a season. Since most of his salary would be guaranteed money, as long as he played to his highest capabilities, the team will get what they paid for.
  
• From a marketing stand point signing him could be huge. A-Rod would guarantee more ticket sales and higher television ratings for any team he plays for. If Major League Baseball was smart they would market him as 'The Face of Baseball'. Baseball hasn't had a 'Face of Baseball' since Ken Griffey Jr. left the Mariners. Having A-Rod as it's main man would generate lots of revenue for whatever team he signs with.
  
• There's a very good chance that A-Rod could break the all-time home run record. As one of my readers pointed out last week A-Rod has 517 career home runs at the age of 32, while Barry Bonds didn't hit his 500th until he was 36. If A-Rod breaks the record he won't do so under a shadow of steroid conspiracy, and his legacy and the team he did it for would forever be remembered.

Delirious

• As good as he is during the regular season, A-Rod has been just as bad during the playoffs. He's proved to be extremely inconsistent during the playoffs, and his numbers have been horrendous. So basically he's proved that he has what it takes to help a team reach the playoffs, but once their there, he's a write off. He still had plenty of time to make up for his lack of post season success, but for $300 million you'd think you'd be getting a proven, clutch playoff performer.
  
• When A-Rod signed with the Rangers seven seasons ago to become the richest baseball player ever, the Rangers became one of the worst teams in the league for several seasons. Having one superstar player on your roster won't make a huge difference in the win/loss column. Unless he signed with a team like the Red Sox and Mets, that team won't have a whole lot of left over money to maintain or go after other proven talent. Baseball isn't like basketball where one player can control the course of a game. A roster needs more than one good player, because he'll only have four at bats a game, then the rest is up to the other players on the team.
  
• A-Rod isn't necessarily the best liked player in baseball. Whether it's yelling at a third basemen try to catch a pop fly, his reputation for dividing a clubhouse, or for the many other reasons, there's no guarantee that fans in any city will like him. His arrogance and narcissist personality don't make him easy or fun to cheer for.
  
• If A-Rod's numbers start to go south, and they will with age then you're stuck paying him all that money. The last time A-Rod signed a huge 10 year contract like he's supposed to this winter, it blew up in the Texas Rangers face. They ended up trading him after only three seasons, and still needed to pay a huge chunk of his contract. Is the risk worth the reward?
  

Final Verdict: Delirious! There's no way you can justify paying this guy $300 million. Is A-Rod a great player? Yes, he's one of the best of all-time, but halfway through a ten year deal he'll be 37 and his best year will be behind him. Baseball's most clutch player David Ortiz made a little more than $13 million in 2007. Is A-Rod worth more than double than Big Papi? I don't think so. The team that signs A-Rod could very easily find themselves closer to the basement that to a Pennant Race. Add all this to the fact that he's known around the league as a playoff choker, and the dollars don't add up.

Video of the Day: Mascot Madness

Tuesday's Top Ten: Worst Team Names

With last weeks announcement that the Tampa Bay Devils Rays will change their name to the Rays, I thought it would be a good idea to look at the worst team names in sports. Here we go!

10. San Diego Padres: Padre is Spanish for Priest. It just doesn't seem all that intimidating. It makes me wonder if a team from Boston might change their name to the 'Boston Catholic Priest'. That probably wouldn't work out. Not there anyways.

9. New Orleans Saints: The name Saints isn't actually that bad, it's just ironic that New Orleans has one of the highest murder rates in the US. They're really contradicting themselves with that one.

8. Columbus Blue Jackets: What kind of a name is this? Is everyone in Columbus a big fan of wearing 'Blue Jackets'? I guess Blue Jacket was actually the nickname of a war chief in the 1700's, but it still makes me wonder if blue is the most popular jacket color in Columbus.

7. Green Bay Packers: I guess they named their team after a popular profession in their area. It's still odd to name your team after people who packs dead animal parts for minimum wage. Why not just name the team the 'Green Bay Customer Service Representatives'?

6. LA Lakers: Why would they name their team after a guy who works on a lake? It just seems like it would be a boring job. I suppose someone doing that job would be a weird loner. I can actually think of a guy on the Lakers who could be considered a loner, and no, I'm not thinking of Luke Walton.

5. Anaheim Ducks: A lot of teams chose animal names for their teams. For some reason Anaheim decided to choose one of the wimpiest and most disrespected animals on the planet.

4. Cleveland Browns: This is the laziest team on earth. They name themselves after a horrible color, and then make that color their logo. Yes, their logo is the color brown. I feel sorry for the people in their marketing department.

3. Tie-Boston Red Sox & Chicago White Sox: What's up with sports teams naming themselves after generic items of clothing? Socks are probably the most boring piece of clothing a person can wear. Here's an idea - The 'Boston Green Jogging Pants'. Seriously. That makes more sense that naming your team after a pair of socks.

2. New Jersey Nets: When they were choosing their name it was between the Nets or the Basketballs. This name took zero effort and zero creativity to come up with. It's like a baseball team calling themselves 'The Bases', or a hockey team calling themselves... Well, 'The Nets'.

1.Tie-San Francisco 49ers & Philadelphia 76ers: Does anyone honestly know what a 76er or a 49er is? Is it was simple as adding an 'er' to the end of a couple numbers? If that's the case why isn't their a team called the 69ers? Just imagine the logo!

Also receiving consideration: Arizona Gaylords, Vancouver Cabbage Eaters, and the Detroit Tight Leather Pants.
-Joe Osborne

Video of the Day: Dan Marino Snaps

Friday's Fives

The following are the top and bottom five sports related things of the week.

Top Five

1. Adrian Petersen- This guy is the best rookie to come into the NFL for a long time. On Sunday he broke the league's single game rushing yard total with 296 yards. So far this season he's averaged close to 20 carries a game for 6.6 yards a carry. Imagine how good he'll be when the rest of the Vikings Offense comes around.

2. Sidney Crosby- Sid the Kid is now on an incredible 15 games point streak. Last years NHL leading scorer will get even better this year when the rest of the Pens start to pick it up.

3. Boston Celtics- So much for all the haters saying they won't live up to the hype. The team is 3-0 to start the seasons, and the teams 'big three' have gelled better than Pat Reilly's hair. How long before Boston fans start to talk about another possible undefeated season?

4. Curt Schilling- This week he accepted a $8 million contract for the up-coming season with the Red Sox when he could have got close to double somewhere else. It's refreshing to see that some guys still put winning first.

5. UFC Match Makers- The UFC announced two big fights for up coming PPV's. BJ Penn will take on Joe Stephenson in January, while former WWF Champion Brock Lesnar will take on former UFC Heavyweight Champ Frank Mir in February. It should be fun to see Lesnar's transition from the wrestling ring to the Octogon.

Bottom Five

5. Roger Clemens- It was announced this week that Clemens will accept a job with the Houston Astros, but there's still no word on whether or not he'll actually retire from pitching. Why won't this guy just retire like normal people do instead of tarnishing a Hall of Fame career.

4. Toronto Maple Leafs- After another brutal week the Leafs have now allowed a league high 62 goals. Outside of Maple Leafs fans, I'm sure Canadian sports fans are sick of all the attention the Leafs get from Canadian Sports Media. For a below average team they're on the cover of the sports page way too much. How about putting some good teams on Hockey Night in Canada for a change?

3. The California State Athletic Commission- UFC Lightweight Champion Sean Sherk's steroid suspension appeal has been put on hold for a ridiculous third time. The CSAC needs to get their act together, because it's holding up one of the UFC's most exciting divisions.

2. Miami Heat- So far this season they're 0-4 and have only managed a measly 82.75 points per game. Shaq is having a rough time too, only getting around 13 points and 6 boards a game. Dwayne Wade couldn't come back any sooner.

1.Don Shula- Sure, Shula's Dolphins are the only team in the history of the NFL to have an undefeated season, but that doesn't give him the right to say the Patriots will deserve an asterisks if they go 16-0. Sounds like a major case of sour grapes to me.

Somewhere in the middle- Baseball's Tampa Bay Devil Rays have officially changed their name to the Tampa Bay 'Rays'. In other news, The Kansas City Royals have changed their name to the Kansas City Dave's and the San Diego Padres will now be the San Diego Herbert's.

Have a great weekend!
-Joe Osborne

Video of the Day: The Next Basketball Phenom

And you thought Lebron was good at a young age!

The Best Job in Sports

If there's one certainty in professional sports, it's that pro athletes have it pretty damm good. Getting paid obscene amounts of money to do something that you love to do and be envied by millions. Where do I sign up? Being paid to play sports would be incredible, but what's the best job in professional sports? Being a starting point guard in the NBA? Nope. How about hitting lead-off and playing center field for the New York Yankees? Not even close. Maybe it would be playing on the top line of the Pittsburgh Penguins? Ice Cold. The best job in all of professional sports is being a third string quarterback in the NFL, and here's why.

-The first reason is obviously money. How much money could a guy who never plays get paid though? A lot. The majority of third string QB's are probably making somewhere around the league minimum. This is how the league minimum salary breaks down:
-Rookies and first-year players $275,000
-Second-year players $350,000
-Third-year $425,000
-Fourth-year $500,000
-Fifth- through seventh-year $585,000
-Eighth- through tenth-year $710,000
-Eleventh-year and longer $810,000
The average salary in the United States is $26, 036. Standing on the sidelines looks pretty good compared to any nine to five.

-Speaking of standing on the sidelines, that's another perk to being a third string QB. Fans dish out millions of dollars each year to attend games and watch them on TV. All the while, third string QB's get to chill out on the sidelines and get an unbelievable view and perspective of the game.

-It's not all fun and games for third stringers. Professional athlete's are expected to be in tip top shape, so these guys are pretty much being paid to exercise daily, and have a fit body. Imagine getting paid hundreds of thousands of dollars to go exercise with world class trainers using state of the art equipment and facilities. It's really not fair.

-Some of you are probably thinking you'd love to be Lebron James or Alex Rodriguez for a day. Why? You could never go out in public, you'd barely have anytime to yourself, and you'd constantly have the pressure of an entire franchise and city on your shoulders. How are these guys supposed to relax and live a normal life? They probably can't. Being a third string QB you'd be able to live a pretty normal life. You could go out and people wouldn't recognize you, you'd have a ton of time to yourself, and the last time I checked the NFL pays pretty good. So basically you'd be a rich guy who's in great shape with a lot of free time on your hands. Plus imagine being able to brag to your friends that you're an NFL QB.

Next time your at work complaining about your job , instead of thinking 'I was I could win the lottery and quit my job' you should be thinking to yourself 'I wish I was Matt Gutierrez'. Who's Matt Gutierrez you ask? He's a guy that gets paid $275,000 a year to stand on the sidelines and watch the New England Patriots play football. Now that's the best job in sports.
-Joe Osborne

Video of the Day: Roy Jones Jr. The Conclusion

Part Five

Serious or Delirious: Major League Baseball

No other sport in the world provides as much drama (good and bad) as Major League Baseball does. Last week I reviewed the positive and negative of the NHL, and this week i'll determine whether or not Major League Baseball is Serious or Delirious.

Serious

• MLB's on-field product is great. Unlike other sports, they haven't needed to make drastic rule changes to improve the quality of the game. Sure, watching a nine inning game is boring for some, but the game has remained fun and exciting for those who watch it for what it is.
• Year after year MLB produces amazing crops of new talent. Sports like hockey and football usually only have a few standout rookie and sophomore players, while in baseball younger players seem to reach elite levels faster. This can be attributed the baseball's minor league system which is the best in all professional sports.
• Since baseball introduced the wild card it seems like as long as you can get into the playoffs, you have a great chance of going all the way. It doesn't matter if your payroll is $200 million or $50 million. It seems like every year there's just as many small market clubs in the mix as there are big spenders.
• Baseball fans are arguably the most passionate in all of sports. What other sports do you hear about fans getting attacked due to their loyalties to their favorite team-http://blog.masslive.com/redsoxmonster/2007/10/file_this_under_ridiculous_sox.html

Delirious

• Baseball has way too many games in it's regular season. How are fans supposed to stay interested for an entire 162 game season and then the playoffs. Playing baseball late into October is way to long.
• Unlike in other sports, baseball doesn't have one player who stands out as 'The Guy'. The NBA has Lebron and the NFL has Manning, but baseball doesn't have a player who is recognized as the best in the world. Some would say it could be A-Rod or it should have been Bonds but their both generally disliked by the public which makes them hard to promote to fans.
• Why is baseball still having problems with steroids? Baseball has been battling steroid allegations for years now, and what have they done about it? Absolutely nothing. It seems like there's a story each week about someone getting busted. I'm sure just as many NFL players have used steroids, but we never hear about it. Baseball has to officially put an end to this and stop dragging on all these investigations.
• Baseball needs a salary cap. It's almost impossible for low market teams to even bid for marquee talent. While some teams are stacked from one to nine, other teams look like a triple A team. A salary cap made the NFL the worlds best and most popular sports league, while the NHL is improving because they added one.

-Final Verdict: MLB is completely delirious. Sure, the on field product is good, but there's way too much negativity and bad press going on off the field. They didn't properly manage the steroid problem a few years back and now they're screwed forever. Also having such massive gaps between team payrolls ruins things for the fans. The Marlins spending $25 million a season is just as bad as the Yankees and the Red Sox spending over $200 million. The best thing baseball can do is find a better way to manage team and player salaries and find some type of resolution to the whole steroid mess.
-Joe Osborne

Video of the Day: Roy Jones Jr. Continued

Part Three


Part Four


Check back tomorrow for the conclusion of: Roy Jones Jr.-Beyond the Glory