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2008-07-01T17:13:00.008-04:00

After propelling the US Open to its highest ratings in years, Tiger Woods is out for the rest of the season with an ACL injury. Simply put, without Tiger Woods, the PGA tour is in trouble. Not only was Tiger its best player, but, perhaps more importantly, its biggest draw. The diehard golf fan watches for great shots and dramatic finishes, but the casual fan watches (or used to watch) for Tiger. Will you still watch golf without Tiger?

After reading the first NBA rookie rankings, it just occurred to me that Greg Oden, after missing his would-be rookie season to knee surgery, is eligible for the rookie-of-the-year award next season. I know knee surgery is a serious, often career-altering event, especially for a 50-year-old looking man, but Oden is still primed for a rookie-of-the-year level campaign. Playing for a talent-laden Trailblazers team, Oden will not have to worry about double teams to start the season and can get comfortable offensively at the NBA level. Defensively, Oden will become one of the best big men in the league from day one. Who’s the rookie-of-the-year favorite – Oden, Derrick Rose, or Michael Beasley?

The ESPY award nominations were just released today and the nominees for best team are the Boston Red Sox, New York Giants, Boston Celtics, Detroit Red Wings, Kansas men's basketball and Tennessee women's basketball. One ridiculous omission from the list - the New England Patriots. Maybe they didn’t win the Superbowl, but they still went 18-1, including 18 wins in a row going into Superbowl Sunday. After record-setting performances from both their all-universe quarterback Tom Brady and superstar wide receiver Randy Moss, the Pats were one fourth-and-long conversion from the most difficult team feat in sports- a perfect season. Historically, they’re easily one of the best 3 teams in NFL History - but somehow they’re not the best team of 2008? Who was the best NFL team in 2008 – the New England Patriots or the New York Giants?

NBA Mock Draft 2008

2008-06-25T17:59:00.004-04:00

With the NBA draft only 24 hours away, it’s time for a Mock Draft. The draft is always unpredictable and impossible to forecast, but I’ll do it anyway. Here are my NBA 2008 draft predictions:

Chicago Bulls – The Bulls claim they are undecided as to whom they will select with the first pick –Derrick Rose or Michael Beasley. They’re lying. Rose, the talented freshman point guard out of Memphis will be the first name called by Commissioner David Stern on Thursday. Not only are his talent and leadership undeniable, his character has never been questioned. Oh, and he’s a Chicago kid, born and raised. What’s not to like?

The Pick: Derrick Rose

Miami Heat – Despite reports that Miami is not sold on Michael Beasley’s personality and have fallen in love with O.J Mayo, there is probably no way that the Heat actually draft Mayo with the second pick and leave the freakishly talented Beasley on the board. With that said, the second pick of the draft will be Michael Beasley…the only question is who will make the pick. If Miami is able to trade out of the pick (likely to the Supersonics), then another team will draft Beasley, if not the Heat will (maybe even reluctantly) pick Beasley and reap the rewards of a future All-Star.

The Pick: Michael Beasley

Minnesota Timberwolves – The best player available is O.J Mayo and the Timberwolves are too bad to think about their “needs” on draft day. The ‘Wolves are years away from playoff contention, so this pick is an easy one… just like that decision to not trade Garnett to the Celtics for nothing. Wait…

The Pick: O.J Mayo

Seattle Supersonics – Although the Sonics want to move up to the second pick and draft Beasley, they would be content staying at 4 and drafting a point guard. Two possibilities are Arizona’s Jerryd Bayless and UCLA’s Russell Westbrook. Every year, drafts seem to be affected by current events in the NBA and with the Celtics winning the championship with Rajon Rondo at the helm, the Sonics will probably select Westbrook, whose aggressive, but sometimes reckless, play is Rondo-esque.

The Pick: Russell Westbrook

Memphis Grizzlies – Kevin Love is an NBA-ready power forward right now. His rebounding, passing, and midrange shooting will allow him to step on the floor and contribute from day one. There are questions about his overall long-term potential. I can’t say I’m sure he’ll lead a team to a championship, but he does all the little things it takes to win every night and would a great addition in Memphis.

The Pick: Kevin Love

New York Knicks – The Knicks were praying for the first or second pick in this year’s draft, but since that never happened they’re stuck with the 6^th pick in the draft. Luckily for them, there are clearly two tiers of top ten caliber players – the first 3, and then everybody else - so there is really no disadvantage drafting 6^th as opposed to 4^th. Many experts expect the Knicks to select the Italian teen, Danilo Gallinari, because of the hire of new Italian coach Mike D’Antoni. Although, Gallinari would make a lot of sense here, the Knicks really need a floor general for the future. D’Antoni, who made a name for himself winning all those games in Phoenix behind Steve Nash, understands more than most the importance of a good point guard. Jerryd Bayless would be the best point guard available at this point in the draft, so picking him here would be a good start to the P.I.J (post Isaiah joke) era in New York.

The Pick: Jerryd Bayless

Los Angeles Clippers – Eric Gordon makes a lot of sense here. He’s a shooting guard who can handle the ball, attack the basket and shoot from everywhere on the floor with confidence. Despite the late season struggles with his jump shot at Indiana, he is still one of the best pure shooters in the draft. The Clippers believe they can compete for a playoff spot next season and this pick would go a long way towards those aspirations.

The Pick: Eric Gordon

Milwaukee Bucks – Reports are that the Bucks are extremely interested in West Virginia’s Joe Alexander. He’s a 6-8 forward who can play both inside and out. There are questions about his defense, but offensively he could develop into a very dangerous player.

The Pick: Joe Alexander

Charlotte Bobcats – The Bobcats need another talented big man to match-up with Emeka Okafor in their frontcourt. Brook Lopez would be the best big man available at this point in the draft. I’m not sold on his NBA potential, but Lopez did have an impressive year last year at Stanford.

The Pick: Brook Lopez

New Jersey Nets – The Nets are likely to take the Italian 19 year-old talent Danilo Gallinari. He can play many different positions on the floor and is a tough player, often the biggest concern when drafting European players. He shoots well, gets to the free throw line, and is mature beyond his years. Quality pick.

The pick: Danilo Gallinari

Worst Athletes-turned-Artist Creations

2008-06-24T18:12:00.003-04:00

On Sunday Night in New York City, Shaquille O’Neal was asked (probably jokingly) to step to the mic and freestyle. Never one to shy away from the spotlight, one minute later, Shaquille O’Neal, NBA great and future hall of famer, became ShaqFu, embarrassing rapper and YouTube joke.

Why do so many athletes feel the need to release music? What? Is there not enough garbage on the radio already? It seems like every week, another athlete makes a trip to the studio and 3 minutes later (I’ll never believe any of these could have taken longer than that) we get hysterical songs worthy only of my top 5 worst athlete-turned-“artist” creations.

5) As you may have heard, the NBA has a bit of an image problem. As it turns out, NBA fans don’t appreciate being attacked in the stands they paid 200 dollars to get into, and they don’t like hearing about choked coaches and night-club shootings, so, somewhere along the line, NBA athletes were pegged as a bad people. I don’t think this is the case, but it’s hard to argue when players like Allen Iverson seemingly do all they can to convince me it is. In 2000, the NBA set out to fix their image problems, laying down the foundations for future programs such as a league wide dress code and a zero-tolerance off-court conduct policy. They put together a committee of “image experts” and sent out letters reminding players to make good decisions. Probably too busy in the studio to read the letter, Jewelz, aka Allen Iverson, produced his first single called “40 Barz.” I’m not an image expert, but this CAN NOT be what Commissioner David Stern would consider good for his league. Oh, and by the way, in case you were wondering, this song has no chorus because “this type of murda don’t need no hook - just forty [expletive] bars from the mouth of a crook.” Someone once said there are only two ways out of the hood – music or basketball. If that’s true, let’s just say AI should be especially thankful for that crossover.

4) Before playing second fiddle to the Diesel in the Lakers 2000-2002 three-peat, Kobe Bryant found time to make an album of his own in 1999. Never heard about it? Neither has anyone else because Columbia Records decided not to release the album, which says a lot about how bad the album actually was. It was Columbia, after all, that decided to release that Mariah Carey album “Glitter” that sold 7 copies and gave the singer an emotional breakdown…literally. Unfortunately, one of the songs did escape Columbia Records’ quality control patrol and gave us “K.O.B.E.” The song featured the equally-talented Tyra Banks and a catchy chorus - “K-O-B-E, I L-O-V-E you.”

3) Most athletes just can’t accept it when their careers are over and they do all they can to stay on the sports pages long after we no longer want to see them. Most try to remind us about their past by trying out for teams they can’t make and attempting feats they can’t do. But all-time great boxer, Roy Jones Jr., found another way to keep his name in the headlines when he released “Y’all Must’ve Forgot.” The song documents his career, moment-by-moment, in an anything-but-clever way. For example, that time Jones beat Percy Harris – “The ‘best pound for pound’ is mine/ Hit Percy Harris with four hooks at one time/Y’all must’ve forgot!” Or the time he knocked out Virgil Hill – “Will there be another Roy Jones? Probably not/ Stopped Virgil Hill with a body shot/ See, y'all must’ve forgot!” There’s nothing else to the song - no chorus, no bridge, just bad story telling. Please don’t make another one, Roy. We haven’t forgotten – but we really want to.

2) Athletes making music is by no means a recent evil. Even legends make the mistake of attempting to translate athletic success into music success. The Great Mohammad Ali, in the worst moment of his professional life, had an album of his own filled with bad songs and a worse album title – “Ali and His Gang vs. Mr. Tooth Decay” The funniest song on the album, “Who Cracked the Liberty Bell?” is an all-time favorite.

1) When he wasn’t punching fans or wearing out locker room welcomes, Ron Artest found enough time to create an album. Although, he claims it was a year in the making, one listen makes it clear this was made overnight. Failing to make music he’d find on MTV one day, he, instead, created a song of PBS interest and Nickelodeon complexity, that only has a place on Comedy Central.

The number one worst athlete-turned-artist creation is “I Like My Song” by Ron Artest. The hilarious chorus (“I don’t care if you don’t like my song, I like song, I like my song”), hysterical concept, and the thought of the studio conversation before they decided that this song was worth making, gives this song the number one spot.

Greatest Sports Injuries

2008-06-19T18:50:00.009-04:00

Former Cardinals Kicker Bill Gramatica -
Injured not kicking a field goal.... but celebrating one

A week ago, the Yankees lost starting pitcher Chien Ming Wang, leaving Manager Joe Girardi with just 2 healthy pitchers from the 5 pitchers slated for the rotation and leaving GM Brian Cashman with the difficult job of finding replacement arms on a slow and barren pitching market. Wang, out for at least 3 months, was injured, not while on the mound or in the batter’s box, but running the bases. No, there’s nothing else to the story. No collision at the plate, no headfirst slide, and no unlucky fall. He was just running…and then he couldn’t.

The same professional athletes that perform seemingly superhuman feats on a daily basis, somehow always seem to have trouble with the stuff the rest of us do daily. Here’s a couple of my favorites…

Remember what happened the last time you sneezed? Probably not. Chances are, you sneezed, got a tissue, and continued on with the rest your life. But Sammy Sosa, a member of the exclusive, 6-person 600 home run club, can distinctly recall such time because he somehow managed to pull a muscle in his back, sneezing in the clubhouse before a game. Seriously? He made a career hitting 98mph fastballs, but it was a sneeze that took him out of the lineup?

Ever ironed a shirt and complained it took too long? Well you wouldn’t be alone. Braves Pitcher John Smoltz had the same complaint, and so he came up with a solution. First, he’d put the shirt on, and then he’d iron it while he was wearing it, so he didn’t have to worry about putting it on. Well, unfortunately, his iron (and mine and probably yours too) was hot and he burned his chest. Don’t believe me, I have proof.

And finally, my favorite sports injury of all…

A little while ago, I bought a DVD of the Godfather, but couldn’t open it by hand, so I got a knife to open it and enjoyed the greatest movie of all-time. Simple enough. But pitcher Adam Eaton, apparently a movie lover himself, he, too, had to open those tricky DVD wrappers and so he, too, went and got a knife. But not just any knife – he went and got the sharpest knife he could find and back he came with a paring knife (I’m pretty sure it looked something like this), ready to open this DVD once and for all. To make a long story short, an ambulance ride, a couple stitches across the chest, and an embarrassing story later, he still hasn’t seen that movie.

The Next Jordan?

2008-06-18T18:03:00.009-04:00

22 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist and 4 turnovers. That was it. No awe-inspiring dunks, no crowd-quieting fadeaways, no last-second jumpers, and no patented one-man scoring runs. Just referee complaints, utter disbelief, and visible disappointment. On a Boston night when his team could most use the killer instinct from the self-proclaimed “Black Mamba”, it was left out in L.A, probably somewhere near the Lakers’ pride, heart, and defense they forgot to pack. There was a title on the line last night and the Celtics knew it, but somehow the Lakers never got the memo. After every “expert” picked Kobe to propel his team to their first post-Shaq championship, here we are, 2 weeks later, and into another offseason 24 goes, missing that same Shaq whose flight out of L.A.X his black card probably paid for.

Remember all the pre-Finals talk about which iconic shooting guard was better – Kobe or Jordan? Well that’s died down a bit over the last 12 hours, but, don’t worry, soon enough some journalist, trying to get attention, will claim that 24 is indeed better than 23. Do me a favor- when that article comes out, don’t even read it. Last night, Kobe’s Lakers lost by 39 points in a decisive NBA Finals game. 39 points! That was, as it turns out, the 2nd worse loss in Finals history (of course, the largest was given by Jordan to the '98 Jazz), making even more history for the team whose Game 4 efforts already gave them ownership of the record for biggest blown-lead in Finals history.

Can you imagine Michael Jordan sitting on the sidelines, towel over his head, watching a Gatorade shower for the opposing coach? Can you imagine his Airness scoring only 3 points on 3 technical free throws in 20 minutes because James Posey’s defense was too good? Neither can I.

Don’t get me wrong. Kobe’s the best player on Earth and it’s not even close. He’s an all-time great and, far and away, the best player SINCE Jordan. But can we stop the Kobe/MJ talk now? Forever?

Should I swing a heavy bat for bat speed?

2008-06-18T11:52:00.002-04:00

So how many of you use a donut for bat speed? Or perhaps you are swinging a heavier bat? The theory here is good, thinking that by swinging a heavier bat you will train your muscles with greater resistance, and the end result will be greater bat speed. The idea is good, but the end result is usually altered swing mechanics, along with a lot of strike outs. The reality is if you want to increase bat speed to swing fast, then swing fast. But drive this movement from your hips, not from ripping your torso or trying to swing the bat as fast as possible. We teach all our ballplayers to use their glutes to fire the hips, which will fire the torso and will generate hand speed, which leads to bat speed. The formula is simple, pop the hips, then you will pop the ball.

Dana Cavalea is the CEO of Major League Strength (www.mlstrength.com), a sports performance company whose mission is to educate ballplayers, coaches, and parents on all aspects of sports performance training.

Welcome to the Shea Circus

2008-06-17T17:10:00.004-04:00

This was their plan? After hours of secret meetings, careful deliberation, and crafted press releases, this was their plan? In the “massacre” that was the firing of Willie Randolph, the New York Mets proved once again why they are, and will forever be, Baseball’s biggest joke this side of Kansas City. Somewhere in that “Running a Baseball Franchise for Dummies” book that seems to guide the Mets front office, it must state that one “cannot, for any reason, fire a manager after a win” and, somewhere near there, it probably says something about not doing it at 3:14 in the morning. But, like the cowards they are, in the middle of the night, they humiliated a man, tossing he, his pitching coach, his first base coach, and his shattered dignity on the next plane back to New York City.

If the Wilpon family wanted to fire Randolph they had ample opportunity to do so throughout the season and no one would have questioned it. All season the Mets had underachieved and a managerial change was not only acceptable but expected - just not like this. Whatever happened to professionalism and decency? To make a man travel 3000 miles and win a pointless game, just to be fired later on that same night is neither professional, decent, nor, sadly, unexpected. And they even had General Manager Omar Minaya do their dirty work for them and then left him on his own to fend off the press. The circus that these ring-leading Wilpons have created has put on yet another, unentertaining show and I promise it won’t be the last – soon, they’ll send Minaya a message in commemoration of his 4^th year in Queens … “Happy Anniversary, you’re fired too”

Death, Taxes, and Tiger Woods

2008-06-16T18:14:00.003-04:00

Every high school has that guy. You know, the guy you claim to hate because you secretly want to be exactly like them. That guy who’s seemingly great at every sport, everyone seems to love, and never seems to be trying hard at any of it. You survived all this knowing that one day, you’d leave high school and they’d be just as small as you in that larger, post-graduation world you were entering. And most of the time that high school prodigy, as you had hoped, fades away into the background and gives you no further reason to envy. But every now and then, that guy just gets bigger and makes the larger world just as jealous as you were in high school. Tiger Woods is that kid and he’s made the rest of the PGA tour those band-playing guy kids on the sideline, jealous of the real athletes.

Coming into this US Open, he hadn’t played a full course in 2 months, but there he was standing on another 18th green, having another victory conversation with Bob Costas, and collecting another trophy for the showroom. He’s become as dominant as any athlete can get and somehow it appears he’s getting better. Yet, no matter where you go, you’ll always find people rooting against him. Why do you root against Tiger? It’s basically like rooting against Superman – you know no matter how much you cheer for the bad guy that guy in the cape with the super powers always wins. Like Superman, Tiger loves a good show and so, every now and then, he’ll add some plot twists. Like an underdog? He’ll play even with some washed up 45 year-old for 5 days. Enjoy a good rivalry? He’ll let Phil Mickelson win a couple majors. Need a good comeback? He’ll go have surgery on his “injured knee”. Family values? He even gets married and has a child.

Don’t root against Tiger – it’s pointless. It won’t make you feel any better, I promise. Wanna feel special? Go to a Marlins game – you’ll be the only one.

Throwdown of the day Friday the 13th!

2008-06-13T11:30:00.001-04:00

Throwdown Posted from Takkle.com

Can the Rays bend it like Beckham?

2008-06-10T18:24:00.007-04:00

Tim Beckham, the #1 player on the Takkle Top 100 and #3 in baseball america was the #1 overall pick in the 2008 MLB first year player draft. Beckham hit .500 with 31 runs batted in and 16 stolen bases this year. There are many pundits, including famed GM Billy Beane of Moneyball fame, that claim drafting a player out of high school has much more risk associated along with it, and if you are going to use a number one pick you should choose a player who can provide value and become a MLB ready asset in 3-5 years. Not to mention you are going to have to pay a pretty penny in a signing bonus in order to sign this player. Note: Beckham should receive a $4-6 million signing bonus as #1 overall draft pick from the 2007 draft, David Price received 5.6 million. Teams have until Aug 15th to sign the players they have drafted.

The ceiling for Beckham is quite high as I have heard comparisons thrown around to the Upton brothers (B.J. and Justin) who have made quite a splash in the MLB and both were drafted out of high school. Justin was drafted with the first pick in the 2005 draft and played a large role in the 2007 post-season for the Diamondbacks. This is Justin's first full season in the major's and some say he may be better than his brother. B.J was the second overall pick in 2002 and is a major asset to the Tampa Bay Rays where he sits in the heart of the lineup. B.J., like Beckham was a shortstop out of high school but was converted to center field last year where he has overcome the position change shortcomings with his athletic ability covering a great deal of ground with his speed and holding runners with 11 OF assists last season.

If Beckham is anything like the Upton brothers it seems as though it will be a great pick for the Rays. If Beckham can contribute at SS or 2b the Rays will be a good team for a very long time. The Rays have been spoiled in past years with their draft choices and the culmination of their draft choices have finally paid off with a stellar young pitching staff and the second best defense in baseball to go with a powerful speedy offense. Baseball prospectus has the Rays winning 90 games this year, that prediction does not sound far fetched. With B.J Upton, Evan Longoria, David Price, Scott Kazmir, Scott Shields, Carl Crawford and Matt Garza and Tim Beckham the Rays have a young and talented team with plenty of upside for years to come.

With younger players having a larger impact on major league teams and veteran's performance declining it seems as though there is a shift in power and there could be a growing trend to draft high school players. 9 of the 30 players drafted this year in the first round were high school athletes.

The Nate Miles saga

2008-06-10T12:35:00.007-04:00

The Nate Miles saga may be coming to a conclusion.

The well-traveled swingman graduated from North Carolina’s Patterson School last January with intent of attending UConn. But due to a convoluted transcript – Miles has attended five high schools and missed time to deal with his sister’s cancer – the NCAA has yet to grant him eligibility due to a dispute as to whether he has completed enough core classes.

But Miles, who is originally from Toledo, was back on campus in Storrs this past week for an official visit. His hope, according to published reports, is to be granted eligibility in time to enroll for the second summer session at UConn, which starts June 23.

"The visit went well," Sean Patterson, Miles’ legal guardian, told the Hartford Courant this week. “He met with all the people he needed to, all the people that are going to be part of his future, I think, mostly, it was good for UConn. They got a chance to see what kind of kid he is and they like him. It was important for him to get in front of them and show them what kind of person he is."

UConn officials seem to be confident that he will receive the okay from the clearinghouse and will be a member of the Huskies this winter.

Johnny Coy, a Class of 2008 small forward who signed with Arizona State, now has a decision to make. Coy, who is a third baseman for Benton High School in St. Joseph’s, Mo., was drafted in the 7th round of last week’s Major League Baseball draft by the Philadelphia Phillies. Seems like everybody in St. Joseph’s wants to know what Coy is going to do, and so to probably does Sun Devils coach Herb Sendek.

"Everywhere I go, people ask me what I'm going to do,” Coy told the St. Joseph’s News Press. “Everybody throws out their opinion about what they would do if they were me."

The Sun Devils recently sweetened the pot. Arizona State baseball coach Pat Murphy and Sendek contacted the Coy family this week by phone to inform Coy he could play baseball for the Sun Devils, if he honors his basketball scholarship and spurns the Phillies. Arizona State is one of the most storied programs in college baseball. Although Coy has until the middle of August to sign a Major League contract, he said he will make his decision known by July, when he is scheduled to report to ASU.

Improve Your Chops for Bat Speed

2008-06-09T11:51:00.004-04:00

As we patrol weight rooms nationwide, ballplayers love to use med balls, and they love to mimic their swing with them, always chopping and rotating. This is great, but in-season it often leads to overuse injuries due to all the swinging that is taking place in conjunction with med ball training. The cure for creating balance in the body, especially around the core, is the Med Ball Lift. The med ball lift is the opposite action of a chop, and helps to balance out the left and right side, while at the same time giving the obliques and muscles between the ribs a great stretch. In addition, those magical hip flexors also get a benefit -- they get loose!

Takkle Top 100 Baseball 1st round 2008 draft recap

2008-06-05T18:15:00.009-04:00

The #1 player in the Takkle Top 100, Tim Beckham, was chosen first overall by the young and talented Tampa Bay Rays. By most experts opinion Beckham had the most upside and is a 5 tool athlete. Beckham is an athletic, supremely talented player with potential above average defensive ability at the Major League level. His actions are smooth, fluid and easy.

Coming in with the 3rd overall pick the Kansas City Royals chose Eric Hosmer, a power hitting first basemen out of American Heritage HS in Plantation, FL. He features a rare combination of natural hitting ability and exciting raw power, made even more interesting because he hits from the left side of the plate. He has present strength on a large 6-foot-4 inch frame, and also handles the glove very well at first base. Hosmer is one of the top hitting prospects in the draft and has drawn comparisons to Casey Kotchman.

The Top 100's # 2 player, Kyle Skipworth slipped to the 6th position in the draft as the Marlins got a great offensive catcher with a large upside in the power category from the left side. Skipworth's quality left handed stroke put him on the radar last summer, and it alone has kept him there to this point. His move to the zone is short, quick and easy - allowing him to consistently get the good part of the bat to contact. His defense could use some work, but that should get better with time as he has a good arm and an okay glove behind the dish.

The next player to go in the draft was Aaron Hicks, #9 in the Top 100 rankings and went 14 to the Minnesota Twins who are notorious for finding value in the draft. Hicks is an immense natural talent, with quick twitch actions and overall life in his body to spare. He is one of the rare players with five tool potential. While he is still learning to put all of this ability into play, he is far from just a raw talent.

Going 15th in the draft to the Los Angeles Dodgers was Ethan Martin, #6 in the Top 100. The Dodgers intend to turn him into a pitcher. He has the potential to move quickly up the ranks.

At #16 in the draft was Brett Lawrie, Lawrie was chosen by the Brewers. Lawrie is #25 in the rankings and may have gone earlier in the draft if it wasn't for the fact that he plays in Canada. A pure hitter with an intelligent and advanced approach to the game. The ball really gets off his bat with great life from gap to gap, thanks to his combination of strength and bat speed. He has yet to find a home defensively. Some still give him a chance to stay behind the plate, where his value would be best, especially in a young talented organization such as the Brewers.
The next team in the draft to take a high school ball player is the 24th position by the Philadelphia Phillies. Anthony Hewitt, #22 in the Top 100. A live bodied, athletic player with excellent tools nearly across the board. He plays shortstop at present, though most see him making the move to the outfield. He runs very well, and throws well enough to allow him to run his fastball into the low 90's.

At number 28 in the draft the New York Yankees went with Gerrit Cole, # 7 in the draft. Some think he dropped this far due to his representation by Scott Boras. Of course you see the Yankees flex their financial muscle and scoop up a top prospect. There is no question that Cole's stuff is among the best in the 2008 class. His fastball has reached into the mid 90's, and he has shown a biting breaking ball in the low 80's along with a developing changeup. Opinions vary on the quality and repeatability of his mechanics and arm action. As a result, there is some debate as to whether his future will be at the front of a rotation or the back of a bullpen.

Finally, at number 30, the last pick in the first round of the 08' draft is Casey Kelly by the Boston Red Sox. Kelly, son of former Yankee 2b Pat Kelly, is ranked 5th in the Top 100. A naturally gifted athlete that makes parts of the game look very easy, especially with the glove. Also a highly sought after quarterback, making his arm strength quite an obvious asset. He has power potential, along with the makings of a solid right handed stroke at the plate. He may have fallen this far due to the fact that he is a highly sought after two sport athlete where has committed to play football for the Tennessee Volunteers.

Thanks to Baseball Factory for providing thorough and insightful scouting reports on the Takkle Top 100.

For the full results of the draft you can check them out here.

Throwdown of the Day 6-4-08: Most Unusual SI Cover

2008-06-04T16:44:00.000-04:00

Throwdown Posted from Takkle.com

Bridges - Key to a strong core

2008-06-03T14:16:00.003-04:00

Hey Guys. The new cool word on the training block is CORE. What is core? Your core is the bridge between your upper and lower body. Now we must bridge the gap between our training! The core is composed of your abdominal muscles, lower back, shoulder blades, and glutes. Most people think doing crunches gets the core, but this could not be further from the truth. Crunches lead to strong flexion strength, but not the stability we are looking for. When we train the core, we want to make the middle of our body as strong as possible and stable, as we move our arms and legs. So, when we swing, we want our core to engage, to protect our lower back, and help us drive the ball! The best exercise we have found for beginners so far is the Core Bridge. This exercise is simple, can be done anywhere, and really does the job! Give it a try and let us know how you feel!

Baseball and Hamstrings

2008-05-30T14:20:00.002-04:00

So we are going to continue the theme of freeing up your body so you can move. The next phase we are going to look at is to keep the hamstrings loose! The number 1 lower body injury over the years for baseball players has been the hamstrings. If you keep your hip flexors loose, your hamstrings will automatically become looser. With this being said, we loosen our hips first, then the hammys. Often times ballplayers are doing hamstring curls, both seated and laying down, but this just makes the hammy’s tight. If you feel you have to do these, then you must follow each set up with Inverted Hamstrings. Keep your hamstrings loose, as well as your hips, and combine this with good glute activation and core work, and you will be on your way to good health! We will go over the core next!

Brennan is the latest in a long line Garden City All- Americas

2008-05-28T12:14:00.003-04:00

The Garden City (N.Y.) High girls' lacrosse program -- which has produced 14 All-Americas and won 11 Long Island titles in the last 14 years -- is the Goliath of an area where lacrosse is king.

But even by those lofty standards, Trojans senior Erin Brennan is special. The University of Pennsylvania-bound attacker is putting the finishing touches on an already stellar career with a senior campaign for the ages. Through 14 games, Brennan has led the two-time defending state champion Trojans to a 13-1 record. With 82 points she is on pace to break Garden City's record for points in a season set by former Virginia star Amy Appelt. As this season winds down Brennan already is beginning to feel a bit nostalgic.

"This season has been a little bittersweet," Brennan said. "I've been playing with these girls for so long and we've had so much success that it's going to be hard to see it end. But we still have a lot to play for this year."

What separates Brennan, who is the top-rated attacker in the Sports Illustrated/TAKKLE Girls' Lacrosse player rankings, from the other talented players across the country is her unselfishness. Of her 82 points through the first 14 games, 37 have come off assists. In a recent game against Long Island power Shoreham-Wading River, Brennan had assists on all three goals the Trojan scored in overtime in a tight 18-15 victory.

"She really understands the team game and has made herself into a terrific player," Garden City coach Diane Chapman says.

Other top attacks

Shannon Smith, West Babylon (N.Y.) High

Smith is a goal scorer in the purest sense of the word. A member of the U.S. U-19 squad last summer who already with 70 goals this season, the Northwester-bound Smith is a one-woman offensive show. She will be a force at the next level.

Chelsea Robinson, Lakeland High (Putnam Valley, N.Y.)

The Virginia signee is only 5-4, but don't let her size fool you. She is a tenacious attacker whose quickness creates scoring opportunities for herself and teammates. She may have the best first step of any attacker in the country.

Casey Ancarrow, John Carroll School (Bel Air, Md).

Teammate Alyson Carey, the top-ranked overall player in the SI/TAKKLE top 100, may get all the headlines, but Ancarrow -- who will play at James Madison -- is be the backbone of the team. A rare two-way star who was as valuable on the defensive end as she was while attacking, Ancarrow helped lead John Carroll to its second straight Interscholastic Athletic Association championship -- a league many consider the toughest in the country.

Hip Flexors and Rotation: Unleash Your Power

2008-05-27T12:13:00.003-04:00

In our last post we discussed tight hip flexors, and a simple stretch to release them! In this post I am going to tell you why this is important. If you think about the hip flexor, which is just above your quad, it is a muscle that connects the upper and lower body, much like what the core does. But this specific muscle, when it gets tight, can really cause problems when a ballplayer goes to hit and throw. The reason is a tight hip flexor will restrict rotation, thus you are a battling yourself in an attempt to get your trunk to rotate. If this is the case, and trunk rotation is slowed down, then this rotation is forced. Forced rotation is not only slower, but it also leads to injuries. If trunk rotation is resisted, and therefore slow, it will place extra stress on the hip flexors/ abdominals and, when throwing, the shoulder! In this video you will see this motion is explosive. If something is holding this motion back, like tight muscles, we are swinging and swinging, but our bat speed isn’t getting any better. The same is true for pitching and throwing in general. It is important to UN-RESTRICT YOUR RESTRICTIONS!

Syracuse brings home their 9th NCAA lacrosse D-I Title dethroning Johns Hopkins

2008-05-27T10:00:00.005-04:00

Foxboro,MA - In front of a crowd of approximately 50,000 fans in Gillette stadium; the third seeded Syracuse lacrosse team brought home its 9th title in the past 25 years by taking down last years champion, fifth seeded Johns Hopkins. In a battle of perennial lacrosse powerhouses, Syracuse dominated for most of the game even though the score showed a close game at 13-10. The Orange out shot Hopkins 46-38 on their road to victory capped by an incredible behind the back goal. The Orange tied Hopkins for most NCAA titles in D-I history with 9.

The win was important for two reasons. Defensemen Kyle and Tom Guadagnolo lost their brother Aaron in a motorcycle accident last Tuesday and the whole team was overwhelmed with emotion. Kyle played spectacular holding attacker Steven Boyle to one goal.

Also on a less important note the Orange athletic teams needed a good shot in the arm as last year the lacrosse team didn't make the tournament for the first time since 1982. The basketball team has not made the NCAA tournament in the past two years as it may be reeling from a hangover from its 2003 championship. And as far as the football team is concerned they have been mired in a horrible slump for the past decade as the new coach Greg Robinson has been busy recruiting and getting his players into the system over the past four years.

Lacrosse's popularity has been increasing throughout the years and its great to have two perennial powerhouses year after year with the occasional underdog making it to the finals (see University of Delaware in 2007). It will be great to see some of the players from the Takkle Top 100 play next year for these two teams next year and hopefully meet again at Gillette Stadium for the 2009 championships. #7 on the top 100, John Greeley will play for Johns Hopkins next year. Monday drew a crowd of just under 50,000 and a 3 day record setting total of 148,000 is a great sign of the direction lacrosse is heading.

SI's Top 25 High School Athletic Programs: Are you one of them?

2008-05-22T14:57:00.006-04:00

Sports Illustrated recently launched its uber popular feature of Top 25 High School Athletic Programs yesterday. Coming in at number one is Punahou, the have won 16 state titles in sports ranging from boys' air riflery to girls' canoe paddling to wrestling to girls' water polo; in addition to their utter dominance, 12 seniors received Division I athletic scholarships. Since 1958 they have brought home 368 Hawaii championships. Some of the past and present impressive athletes include Michelle Wie and Barack Obama. Obama was actually part of the 1979 basketball state championship team.

This year Punahou has highly touted Manti Te'o who won the Hawaii Gatorade player of the year is regarded the best player in his position (LB).

Coming in at number two is perennial powerhouse Mater Dei. After leading the football team to the state quarterfinals, quarterback Matt Barkley, who will follow Mater Dei alumnus Matt Leinart's path to USC, became the first Gatorade Football Player of the Year who was not a senior. Forwards Travis and David Wear, twins who committed early to UNC, starred for the state hoops title winners. Mater Dei has 19 graduating seniors who have recieved division I scholarships this year which is a great testament to their school with an enrollment of 2,300 students.

Coming in at number four is Cy-Fair HS out of Cypress Tx. Cy-Fair has the Gatorade Womens National Player of the year, Nneka Ogwumike, who averaged 18.2 points, led the Bobcats to a 39-2 record and the girls' state title. Also, a Cy-Fair graduate is youtube phenomenon and member of the Takkle Top 100, Sam Mcguffie who will attend Michigan next year. He has dazzled viewers with his blazing speed and quickness and sheer athleticism and will be alot of fun to watch on Saturday's come this fall. For the remainder of the top 25 check out Sports Illustrated for a comprehensive review of Punahou and the rest of the top 25.

Day 1 of Training - Hip Flexor Stretch

2008-05-21T13:39:00.014-04:00

Hey Guys, back again. Since I have given you a background on the Major League Strength philosophy from the mental perspective and character standpoint, it is now time to start entering the world of training.

I would really like to encourage all of you to ask questions about your particular needs, and also to create debates/discussions on things you have heard that you might question. There are so many myths out there these days on the internet, and from some of the people we come across, so I ask you to tell us your concerns here on Takkle, and we will do our best to answer all your questions and help make you a better baseball player!

In regards to training, the starting point is always assessing the athlete. Each athlete is different, so we must treat each as an individual. In our many assessments of athletes and their movement, we find some common points between baseball /softball players in regards to restrictions. The #1 common theme is that they possess tight hip flexors, which lead to tight hamstrings. This, in conjunction with a weak core, is the starting points of our program, but also the starting point to many injuries ballplayer face. Here you will find a simple hip flexor exercise that you should do each day to loosen up. This will be the starting point for our Takkle community. It’s simple but it works! In our next posting we will breakdown why this was important, and how it relates to our sport, and then give you some other stretches. The key is flexibility first, strength second. This is a sure fire recipe for success.

Ok ... talk to you guys soon!

-Coach Cavalea

Why is Tyler Fiorito #1 in the SI/Takkle Boys Lacrosse Top 100?

2008-05-20T13:48:00.004-04:00

In a recent game against highly-touted St. Paul's of Baltimore, McDonough School (Owing Mills, Md.) goalie Tyler Fiorito showed why he is considered the best high school lacrosse player in the country.

With his team clinging to a one-goal lead in the third quarter, a St. Paul's attacker broke free in front of the crease and wound up for what looked like a certain game-tying goal. But Fiorito -- who his coach Scott Corrigan calls "the best goalie he has ever seen at this level" -- raised his stick and his team with an amazing save, preserving the lead for the Tigers, and shifting the momentum. The Eagles went on to win 9-6.

"It's a scary thought to think of where'd we be right now without him," Corrigan said. "There's just no way to measure how much he means to this program."
But Fiorito, a Princeton commit who is the nation's top lacrosse player in the Sports Illustrated/Takkle Top 100 rankings, shies away from individual accolades. Corrigan, who coached current University of Virginia goalie Bud Petit when he was in high school, calls Fiorito's instincts "unmatched," but what has really impressed him is the way he has become a vocal leader for the defense.

"It's to the point where I don't even have to worry about the defense that much anymore because I know Tyler's got it," Corrigan said.
Blue Chip Lacrosse head scout Jake Reed says that Fiorito guided a team that had at best average talent last year through the toughest lacrosse league in the country -- the Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association A Conference -- and into the playoffs. With last week's win against St. Paul's, the Eagles appear to be on the verge of making the playoffs again.
"Last year, we had a lot of young guys on the team, especially on defense, that really lacked experience, but I think they've improved greatly this season," Fiorito said. "I think that I am as proud of their development as I am of anything I've done this year."
Princeton is next for Fiorito, and Corrigan knows that he is going to leave a void -- and not only on the field.

"I'm definitely going to miss him when he's gone," Corrigan said. "I trust and respect him, so much so that I let him babysit my kids."

Other Top Goalies

Steve Rastivo,Ward Melville (East Setauket, N.Y.) High
The Penn State signee is widely considered to be the second-best goalie in the country. A bit flashier in the cage, Rastivo is quick and constantly in motion. An excellent vocal leader as well, Rastivo has made Ward Melville into a power in New York's Suffolk County's Division I.

A.J. Fiore, Ithaca (N.Y.) High
Fiore, a Cornell commit, seems a little awkward in goal at times, but he is effective. He is not nearly as athletic as Fiorito or Rastivo, but he is fearless and makes all the saves that he should make.

Live the lifestyle

2008-05-19T13:19:00.007-04:00

Hey Guys. Just checking in with this week’s blog to address something that is very important to me, as well as the success of all the athletes we work with. That something is a slogan that we reiterate time and time again to our athletes: “ Live the Lifestyle.”

What “Live the Lifestlye” means is if you want to be an athlete, act like it -- in all aspects of the word. What you do off the field is just as important as what you do on the field. Treat your body as if it is a high performance machine, feeding it with only the best food and always giving the machine enough rest. Living the Lifestyle is the first step to obtaining on-field success because it will ensure that your body is prepared for the battles ahead. Those that choose to party and drink have also indirectly chosen to fail on the field as well as choosing to let their teammates down because they are going to be playing short staffed since you have failed to give your best effort.

I understand for some this might sound a little too serious, but the fact is, if you want a college scholarship -- or to go pro with your career -- this is the kind of sacrifice that is needed. Playing at the next level is hard enough, but if you choose to live a lifestyle short of rest, with poor food quality, and continuing to choose hanging out over getting your work in both academically and from a sports training standpoint, you are never going to make it. Many great players never make it because they can’t stay on track and keep their Lifestyle in check.

This is not easy, but it pays huge dividends down the road. I am fortunate enough to work with future Hall of Famers everyday, as well as some great young players through Major League Strength, and the ones that display great character are the ones winning achievement awards such as MVP’s, Collegiate All-Americans, as well as going on to receive great jobs at an early age. What “Living the Lifestyle” does is provide you a foundation for success and this will not go unnoticed. With that being said, analyze your life, and make sure you have yourself in check, and are working towards the goal of “Living the Lifestyle.”
See ya soon!

Coach Cavalea

Ebanks Headed to West Virginia

2008-05-19T13:12:00.002-04:00

Devin Ebanks, the highly-rated St. Thomas More Prep guard, ended his recruitment drama this weekend by announcing that he would become a Mountaineer.

According to a report on SI.com, during halftime of his game at the IS8 tournament in Queens, the former Bishop Loughlin star stepped out of the lay-up line, took the microphone and simple said “West Virginia” before stepping back into line to complete the drill.

Ebanks had originally signed with Indiana last year before the Kelvin Sampson phone call scandal broke. Once Sampson was forced out, Ebanks asked out of his letter of intent, and reopened his recruitment. Memphis was also thought to be in the hunt, but in the end, it was the thought of playing for West Virginia coach Bob Huggins that brought Ebanks into the fold.

"Coach just said he likes tough kids who have that New York pedigree," Ebanks said.

Ebanks will join fellow New York products Darryl “Truck” Bryant of St. Raymond’s and Kevin Jones of Mount Vernon in Morgantown next year. Jones was in attendance at the IS8 tournament.

The J’Mison Morgan era at LSU was short but sweet

2008-05-15T18:40:00.001-04:00

The J’Mison Morgan era at LSU was indeed a very short one.

The 6-11 center out of Dallas was granted a release from his national letter of intent on Monday and is now expected to sign on with UCLA. The opportunity for more playing time at UCLA with the departure of Kevin Love seemed to play a heavy role in Morgan’s decision.

Morgan’s mother, BianCa Morgan, told the Los Angeles Times that UCLA "now feels right."

Indeed, ever since the Tigers hired former Stanford coach Trent Johnson, the Bruins have had their eye on Morgan. UCLA was originally one of four finalists for Morgan, who chose LSU over the Bruins, Alabama and Kansas last November. According to the Riverside Press Enterprise, UCLA assistant coach Donny Daniels left a message for Morgan hours after longtime LSU coach John Brady was fired in early February, and members of the UCLA staff continue to pursue Morgan throughout the Tigers search for a replacement.

Johnson told the Monroe, La., News Star that he had no idea if J’Mison had made a decision as to where to go next, saying it was not yet a done deal that he would be suiting up in Westwood next year.

"I don't know if he's going to UCLA, per se," Johnson said. "He's just been released. It's a difficult time for kids to make decisions."