The Hague Sports

Eastern Divisions

2008-08-19T20:15:00.002-05:00

All right, it's the final divisional breakdown as we head east where both Super Bowl teams played in Super Bowl XLII. The NFC East had three teams in the playoffs and the Patriots had no competition in their division.

AFC East: Spygate this, Spygate that. It was all we heard about as the Pats made a run at perfection. New England will be at it again as always and now they'll be even more determined to get revenge after falling to Eli and the Giants. They want to put all that behind them and as far as the division goes, they take just about every category.

Chad Pennington changes teams but stays in the division. He's now behind center for the Miami Dolphins. Trent Edwards made a lot of noise during his rookie year and will very likely flourish into an incredible athlete. We all know there's a new signal caller for the Jets but despite his greatness, he's not the best at the position in the division because he's got a new offense to learn and well, there's a man named Brady. He takes it.

Ronnie Brown will be taking hand-offs from Pennington but he needs to stay healthy and consistent. The Jets have Thomas Jones who's done well and Marshawn Lynch showed ton of potential his rookie year but the best running back goes to New England's Lawrence Maroney.

No offense to the other teams, but Moss and Welker....enough said. Pats win WR battle.
Best D? New England added veteran John Lynch. Enough said.
Best Coach? See above.

The AFC East order will be something like this: (can't actually decide order between Jets and Bills though)
1. Patriots
2. Jets
3. Bills
4. Miami

NFC East: Last year Americas Team (that would still be the Dallas Cowboys) won the division after sweeping the New York Giants who went on to win it all. That being said, this division is not going to be easy. Philly is never an easy opponent and they will want want revenge after being the only team in the division to not make the playoffs.

This is an extremely competitive division. Just look at the quarterbacks. McNabb has struggled as of recently and hasn't been able to be 100% healthy. Jason Campbell still has a lot to prove because he's young, and who knows, maybe Colt Brennan will make an appearance. That leaves Eli and Tony.

Romo needs to get over the playoff hump as Eli got out of the shadows of his older brother. He looked more confident than ever and he earned it. Romo was confident all throughout the 'Boys 13-3 season but it will take much more confidence to have that much regular season success and will take more than confidence for a playoff victory. My heart and my head disagree on this one. I hate to do it but I hope to be proven wrong. Eli gets this category.

The Eagles have a heck of a running back but don't use his in such a way. Brian Westbrook is used mainly as short route wideout. I'd go as far as to say that Westbrook is the true leader of the team but that's a discussion for another time. That leaves Brandon Jacobs, Clinton Portis and Marion Barber. Barber is entering his first year as the full time starter. Portis has his good and bad days, which isn't exactly good because it shows inconsistency and Jacobs, well he's a beast. He had no problem filling in for the recently retired Tiki Barber. Osi Umenyiora said Marion Barber is the hardest running back in the division to bring down. He's the most aggressive, throws an elbow or stiff arm and is the most mentally prepared. He wants to win and he wins the running battle for the NFC East.

The Receiving squad does not go to the Eagles. The Skins have a lot of talent which includes former Sooner Malcom Kelly and a bunch of receivers about the same height and speed. Yeah, not quite enough versatility in the squad so they're out. That leaves T.O and Witten against Burress and Tyree (did you see that catch) and the Giants. Shockley left for the Saints and Kevin Boss took over and had not trouble filling his shoes. As for the Cowboys, Patrick Crayton has to step up and catch, unlike that playoff game against the G-Men. They came up big when the 'Boys could not so unfortunately, it goes to the New York Football Giants.

Defense wins championships. Yeah, it's true. As the folks in the Big Apple who put Brady on his butt constantly. The Skins brought in veteran Jason Taylor to beef up their D. The Eagles? Well McNabb might just lead the team in tackles, and that's not good for the Eagles defense. They're out. The Cowboys have added Adam "Don't Call Me Packman" Jones and drafted Mike Jenkins in the draft. That will be huge. I know they didn't do well against Denver as they made Cutler look like a quarterback who wore one digit number higher on his jersey but it's nothing to sweat. Just remember, it's pre-season. As long as T-New can stay healthy, the Cowboys will as well. They added veteran Zach Thomas who brings leadership and Tank Johnson has matured. I think the D in Big D will hold nothing back and get quarterbacks on their backs. The Cowboys win this category.

Everybody thought Tom Coughlin's job was at stake last year and it was, but what a difference a year makes, or at least a Super Bowl. The head coach signed an extension and will be there for quite some time. Not only is Jim Zorn in his first year as the Redskins head coach but his first year as a head coach. The Former Rams assistant may be good but too early to give him this category not mention, he's working under Danny Snyder.

Regardless of what happens in Dallas, Wade Phillips has to watch his back. Jason Garrett is getting paid a head coach's salary to be the offensive coordinator/assistant head coach and has many years in front of him. If the Boys advance far in the playoffs or even Super Bowl, many teams are once again going to be offering him big bucks and Jerry will have a decision to make. If they don't succeed, Jerry might want to make a coaching change, so either way Wade, be ware of Garret.

Alright, best Coach goes to Andy Reid. Unfortunate for him though, he doesn't win the games. The players have to do that on the field.

The division outcome will be the same as last year:
1. Cowboys
2. Giants
3. Redskins
4. Eagles.

WSH 8/18-8/24

2008-08-18T09:21:00.005-05:00

8/18/1986 - Jim Kelly signs with the Buffalo Bills for $75 million deal for 5 years
8/18/1987 - The Tyler Rose, Earl Campbell, retires from NFL
8/19/1995 - Mike Tyson returns to the ring and knocks out McNeeley in 38 seconds
8/20/1920 - Officials meet in Akron, OH to form American Pro Football League
8/20/1920 - Boston vs. Cleveland game postponed at Fenway to allow Indian players to attend Ray Chapman's funeral in Cleveland.
8/20/1974 - Brooklyn pitcher Dan Bankhead becomes first black to homer in his first at bat
8/20/1985 - Dwight Gooden becomes first NL pitcher to strike out 200+ in 1st 2 seasons
8/21/1922 - Curly Lambeau and the city of Green Bay granted NFL franchise
8/21/1947 - Maynard Midgets of Williamsport, PA win first Little League World Series
8/22/1934 - Red Sox pitcher Wes Ferrell hits 2 HRs to deafeath the Chicago White Sox 3-2 in 12
8/22/1946 - MLB approves a 168-game schedule, but later rescinds it
8/23/1988 - Mike Tyson and Mitch Green battle it out at 4 A.M. in Harlem
8/24/1919 - Cleveland pitcher Ray Caldwell is flattened by a bolt of lightning
8/24/1979 - NFL fans choose old Patriots logo over new
8/24/1989 - Pete Rose is suspended from baseball for life for gambling

The North

2008-08-14T10:24:00.003-05:00

The AFC and NFC North divisions are full of teams with quarterbacks out to prove themselves. Kyle Boller is trying to replace Steve McNair and Aaron Rodgers is trying to replace the guy before him. We also have older quarterbacks trying to prove they still have it and they're not too old to be playing the game as Jon Kitna is getting phone calls from Rex Grossman. No, it's really not worth listening to that conversation. Let's break down these divisions.

AFC North: Kyle Boller has had snaps before for the Ravens and former Heisman winner Troy Smith is behind him. Neither quarterback is dynamic and they team doesn't have the greatest recieving squad. Big Ben is still out to prove he's an elite quarterback and will do everything it takes to lead the steel city to the big dance. In order for this to happen, he must beat out Carson Palmer and the Bengals. Oh yeah, remember the name Derek Anderson? He had a great year for the Browns and will be out to prove it wasn't just a fluke year. It's a toss up, but if it comes to numbers, Carson Palmer is the best quarterback in this division.

When it comes to running backs in this division, they're all plagued by the same thing: injuries. Jamal Lewis has battled them his whole career. The former Raven will continue to do so as he's in the second year with the Browns. The Bengals are always hurt or in prison. Rudi Johnson isn't consistent enough to be the best in the division. This leaves Willie Parker and Willis McGahee. McGahee once refered to himself as the best running back in the NFL. Yeah, that's ridiculous. He's not even the best in this division. Willie Parker at least seems to be less fragile and more consistent.

The best receiving battle is between Hines Ward's Steelers and Chad Johnson, (no, I'm not referring to him by saying his number in Spanish) TJ Houshmandzadeh and the Bengals. The Steelers also have a solid tight end in Heath Miller. Joe Jurevicius being injured hurts a Browns receiving squad that has a lot to prove. IF (yes, big IF) Chad can keep from whining, he can help turn this Bengals team around and start winning. The Steelers have a good receiving squad but the Bengals have a little more potential. That's why they take this category.

The best defense has to go to the Steel curtain, even if that's no longer their name. The Ravens have guys like Ed Reed and Ray Lewis but they're getting up there in age. The Steelers are getting more experience and still have plenty of years left. Best coach goes to Romeo Crennell wins the Coach of the Year for the division for turning this team into what it is today, but the Steelers some how sneak away with the division as the Bengals find themselves distracted in the locker room and off the field issues. The order of the division will be:
1. Steelers
2. Browns
3. Bengals
4. Ravens

NFC North: Tarvaris Jackson is still a year or so away as is Aaron Rodgers. Rex Grossman was never there but neither was Kitna. Wow, that makes it hard to choose. If there were still 6 divisions, there would be another quarterback to choose from, but there's not. That being said, oh shoot, I have to say Kitna. Don't say that too loud though.

The running back isn't even open for discussion. When you run for a record of 296 yards in one game, you've earned it. Oh, did I mention he's a rookie? Did I mention he's from East Texas? Adrian Peterson it is.

Let's just hope for the Lions' sake they have a good squad after drafting 10 straight receivers in the first round of the drafts. They must never have gotten the memo saying they can take other positions until this year. Lions win this category, but not because it's dynamic. It's because the rest isn't.

Do these teams know they have to play both sides of the ball? This is an easy category though. Lovie Smith's genius defensive mind has built this squad and managed to keep Lance Briggs and Brian Urlacher. That's two categories the Bears win: defense and coach, but not division.

However, the Bears aren't going to win this division. Adrian Peterson and the Vikings will. They're still a young and developing team. Don't get your hopes up too much though Minnesota. Just because someone from Sports Illustrated predicted them to win it all doesn't mean it's going to happen. In fact, quite the contrary. Just remember the SI curse before the Super Bowl. The division will finish in this order:
1. Vikings
2. Packers
3. Lions
4. Bears

The Return of WSH

2008-08-11T20:33:00.002-05:00

Alright, so I missed a couple editions of Weekly Sports History but don't say I didn't warn you. This week, I'm coming Live the great Northeast (New England to be more specific, New
Hampshire to be even more specific) although, by the time you read this, it won't be live. Alright, I'll shut up. Here you go:

8/11/1919 - Green Bay Packers football club.
8/11/1951 - 1st color baseball game (Braves vs Dodgers) telecast (WCBS-NYC)
8/11/1951 - NY Giants (NFL) beat Ottawa Roughriders (CFL) 38-6 in Ottawa
8/11/1993 - Red Sox Roger Clemens pitches 2,000th strike out (Danny Tartabul-NY)
8/12/1969 - Boston Celtics sold for an NBA record $6 million
8/12/1974 - Nolan Ryan strikes out 19 and walks only 2 as Angels top Red Sox, 4-2
8/12/1994 - 1st NFL game on Fox network (exhibition - SF vs Denver)
8/14/1936 - 1st Olympic basketball game (Berlin)
8/16/1976 - St Louis Cards beat San Diego Chargers 20-10 in Tokyo (NFL expo)

So there you have it. There were a number of things for the first two days but activity in sports on the rest of the dates for the week seem to drop. Possibly coming soon to WHS: birthdays and passing in sports.

Brett the Jet

2008-08-07T06:22:00.004-05:00

Alright, now you want to talk about it? There's finally a news worthy story in this whole Favre extravaganza. He's headed to the Big Apple to play for the J-E-T-S Jets, Jets, Jets. That's going to be weird on so many levels. The Jets have plans to release Pennington which means Favre will compete against Kellen Clemens and Erik Ainge, rookie out of Tennessee.

The weird part isn't picturing the 38-year old quarterback in green, it's picturing him outside of Green Bay. Now he'll be on the Madden cover as a Packer while playing for the Jets. It's going to be interesting seeing him in the same division as Tom Brady.

Favre doesn't seem like a big city guy. He seems more like the small local town legend. That's one reason he was such a good fit with the Pack. He went from the smallest NFL town to the largest city in the US.

Here are some of the credentials of the trade from ESPN:
"According to the NFL Network, if Favre takes 50 percent of total snaps with the Jets in 2008, the fourth-rounder becomes a third-round pick. If he gets 70 percent of the snaps and the Jets make the playoffs, it becomes a second-round pick; and if he gets 80 percent of snaps and the Jets make the Super Bowl, it becomes a first-round pick."

No offense to the Jets but that Super Bowl thing, not happening this year. Winning the division, nope, not this year. There's another team that seems to be pretty good that they'll have to face.

Can someone explain something to me? Why in the world was there ever talk about Favre going to Minnesota? I know he wanted to but it wasn't up to him. The Packers weren't going to be willing to trade him to a team in the division. Come on. Did you really think he would end up a Viking?

Speaking of the Vikings, they open up against the Pack so that whole retiring his jersey thing is going to have to wait another year or two. Could be another year until he decides whether or not he'll play in the '09 season.

I just like to wish Brett and the Jets good luck, and we'll more than likely see you next year. One thing though Brett, don't drag it out like this year. Hopefully you can get along with Mangini.

Heading South

2008-08-06T00:01:00.007-05:00

Why do birds fly south for the winter? Quite possibly because that's where football belongs and that's where we're going. Let's break down the AFC and NFC South.

AFC SOUTH
The AFC features the Colts, Jags, Titans and Texans. Don't be surprised if the Texans improve but be shocked if they get second in the division. Is there any question as to who has the best QB here? Yeah, he's been on a few commercials. Colts take this in a landslide.

Fred Taylor and Maurice Jones Drew head up that two headed running game for the Jags. Just as you think Taylor is getting old, he plays yet another year and plays well. Jones-Drew has been a favorite in many fantasy drafts and that's not changing any time soon.

Dominic Rhodes has returned to the Colts, the team he won a Super Bowl with but will be taking the second spot to Joseph Addai. Addai has been making noise and the addition of Rhodes can't hurt.

This gives the Jags competition in this category so they won't be able to easily run away with Who else is there to give the two competition? The Titans are stacked with young guys like Lendale White and Chris Henry. They've shown potential but don't quite have what it takes. As for the Texans, they've got Ahman Green, who as well all know is reaching the peak of his career and Chris Brown who has potential, but, no, not happening. I give the running game category to the Jags, but the Colts come in a close second.

Receiving squad. Who's got the best? Once again, between the Jags and Colts. Texans have Andre Johnson, and he's extremely talented but that's all they've got. Titans Wideout Derrik Mason needs to hang it up as well. Neither Johnson nor Mason are anywhere near guys like Marvin Harrison and Matt Jones. Oh who am I kidding. Colts take this in a landslide. Not even close.

The Colts have a great secondary thanks to Bob Sanders but Dwight Freeny must stay healthy in order for the team to be productive. That's a BIG IF. Albert Hayneswoth and the Titans can't agree on a deal but he's all they'd have. The Texans D has stepped up tremendously. Who ever thought Mario Williams would have that type of year? The best Defense in the AFC South goes to the Jacksonville Jaguars.

This division has some great head coaches. Jeff Fishcher has been with his team since before they were the Titans. Tony Dungy built a Bucs team that won the Super Bowl and later won his own with the Colts. Gary Kubiak helped the Broncos win back in the Elway-era and Jack Del Rio has a brilliant defensive mind. Best coach of the division goes to Dungy.
The order will be:
1. Colts
2. Jaguars
3. Texans
4. Titans

The NFC South
Remember that old washed up quarterback that should have retired a long time ago? Yeah, he's still playing. He's with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, a team that is literally stacked at the quarterback position. Some how, with all those QB's, they can't seem to settle with one and whoever they go with won't win the best QB in the division.

It's most likely going to be Garcia in Tampa. Delhome is still in Carolina but let's hope he stays healthy so they don't go to that other really, really old quarterback that happens not to be on the Bucs roster. Vinny Testeverde was sitting on his couch watching old game film when he got a call from the Panthers. Let's just hope it doesn't come down to that again.

Matt Ryan from Boston College will be under center for the Falcons. Hopefully Atlanta fans don't expect a running back who takes it from center because Ryan is a pocket passer. So when it comes to picking the best at the position in this division, oh yeah, obviously Drew Brees is in New Orleans. It goes to him.

There are some good running backs in the south. Reggie Bush and Deuce McAllister are marching for the Saints. Cadillac Williams is in Tampa along with former Heisman winner Michael Bennett and Warrick Dunn who returns to the team that drafted him. Deshaun Foster jumped ship for San Fransisco and leaves the reigns to DeAngelo Williams.

The Chargers running back from last year recently signed with Atlanta, and if he plays like he did in the past, there's no contest, Atlanta wins, but there's only one problem. It's not LT. It's his back-up. Michael Turner is a talented young RB who can get the job done and will help the team significantly, but they don't have the best running game in the division. That goes to the Saints.

Joe Horn and Michael Jenkins lead the Falcon receiving squad. Two former Cowboy receivers lead the way for Tampa. Joey Galloway and Antonio Bryant will play right along side Michael Clayton and Ike Hilliard. Alright, Antonio Bryant isn't leading the way for anything.

The Saints have added TE Jeremy Shockey. Last time we saw him he was up in the booth with some friends at the Super Bowl instead of on the side line with his team. Oh well. The overrated tight end will join Sean Payton, his former offensive coordinator from New York. Shockey and Marques Colston are the leaders in the Saints receiving squad.

Don't forget the Panthers. They've got a guy named Steve Smith. Smith hasn't been getting along with teammates, but whoever is behind center will be sure to look his way. Because of how quick Smith is, the Panthers win this category for the division.

Guys like Will Smith (no, not that one), Julius Peppers, Derrick Brooks, John Abraham help lead the defense for their teams. That being said, without going into much detail, Bucs win the defensive battle. That's my story and I'm sticking to it, at least for now.

Best head coach? Sean Payton. He'll turn things around after a disappointing year last year. Fox and Gruden are good too, but Payton takes it.

The division order at the end of the season will be:
1. Saints
2. Panthers
3. Buccaneers
4. Falcons

AFC and NFC West Preview

2008-08-02T20:11:00.003-05:00

Manny will be Manny but he didn't get the trade to Green Bay he asked for. He's playing for Joe Torre in Los Angeles. (After Torre's name, I almost type "New York.") Pudge will be united with A-Rod, his former Texas Ranger teammate as will Mark Tiexiera and Gary Matthews Jr. What's that? The Rangers gave up someone good? Let's just hope they hold onto Young, Hamilton and Kinsler. Please, don't let them go. Oh, and Ken Griffey Jr. has made a new home in the windy city.

If you want to read up on a certain QB situation going on in Green Bay, you've come to the wrong place. There are other places to get your fill as far as that goes. Speaking of Brett, what's John Madden doing these days? If He does come back, will he still be on the Madden cover?

Don't go out and buy the fantasy football magazines. They may help you with the draft but that's just about it and you can get that on just about any website. Who knows, maybe this one some soon as well.

Alright, if people are having fantasy football drafts it's because football season is around the corner. Teams are at camp and the Hall of Fame Game is just about here. We had the Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony today and it brought up so many memories. Whether it's from watching Darrel Green match up against Michael Irvin (I hated the fact that Canton was filled with so many seas of red.) or from when I was there two years ago to see Troy.

Alright, enough already, let's start the season preview with the first two divisions. Let's go west.

AFC West:
Talk about a week division. Cutler, Coyle, Russel and Rivers are the QBs. Rivers has the most experience and he's pretty young but takes the cake on this one. There's no question who the best RB is here. Ladanian had 35 touchdowns a couple years ago, an insane amount. Larry Johnson is behind him, but not right behind him. In fact, LT runs way with it.

San Diego pretty much owns the division. They've got the best QB, best RB, and with last year's addition of Chris Chambers, they've got the best receiving squad. Rod Smith retired from the Broncos and Jerry Porter left the Raiders. Antonio Gates and Tony Gonzalez are arguably the best TE's in the league and they both so happen to be in the same division. They also both played college basketball.

The defensive battle is a toss-up between San Diego and Denver. The Chargers bright spot is Shawne "Lights Out" Merriman and Denver's secondary lead by Champ Bailey is top of the line. However, since I seem to be in San Diego, I'll stay there. I'm saying the Chargers steal yet another category in the division with the best defense. They're pretty darn good.

I'll give the Broncos a win in one categorie, best head coach. Mike Shanahan has two Super Bowl rings and has been there building that team from scratch for a long time. Norv Turner just doesn't have it on him. Herm Edwards is a great coach and is in the middle of rebuilding. Lane Kiffin is young but ambitious but has nothing to work with right now. I think he will rebuild the team but right now he's just picking up the pieces. The Divisional order at the end of the 2008-09 season may just be the following:

1. SD
2. Den
3. KC
4. Oak

NFC West
Why is it the west is so week. NL West, AFC West, NFC West. The NBA Western Conference is solid, but they did lose. Anyway, that being said, I don't think I can give this division to anyone. The Cardinals? No, they are who we thought they were last year. Have they ever been good? The one bright side on the entire team is Edgerrin and he's getting old. SF? Not a chance, Alex Smith still hasn't shown me anything to think that he's worthy of anything. He's still young and has plenty of room for improvement, but we'll see. They've got Frank Gore so that's something. They drafted Vernon Davis a couple years ago, and he'll probably be good, but give him time. At least another year. Seattle lost the Sonics and Sean Alexander. In his place they got a running back out of Notre Dame. Julius Jones lost his starting position in Dallas and headed west.

So with all that, the best QB in the division goes to Matt Hasselbeck, mainly because his competition consists of Bulger, Smith and Leinart/Warner. Hasselbeck has had his good and bad days, but lately, not as many good, but he gives the Seahawks the W on this one.

Many teams are going to the two back system now a-days but not so much the teams in this division. The four main RB's here are Frank Gore, Edgerrin James, Julius Jones and Steven Jackson. I'll give it to Jackson. Jones is too inconsistent and James is on the edge of his career. (I'm sorry, that was bad) Gore finishes in a close No. 2.

That's about the only category the Rams will finish in first for the division. Their receiving squad is getting old as former LA Ram Isaac Bruce retired this off-season. The Seahawks are in decent shape with guys like Bobby Engram, Deion Branch and Nate Burleson. Arizona is in decent shape as well with Anquan Boldin and Larry Fitzgerald. Since the Niners can't participate in this competition, I say it's between the birds, the hawks and cards. I'll flip for it. Alright, it's tails which means Seattle.

Every defense in this division is weak. Basically you have to go with the lesser weak of the teams. Arizona doesn't have anyone to play defense and San Fransisco wishes they had Arizona's defense while the Rams never got the memo about the other side of the ball. Well the Seahawks do have a guy like Julius Peppers. I know, one guy doesn't make the team, he makes the D. They do have a few other bodies to get in the way of the runner so they'll be alright in the West.

What coach has been with his team the longest? Holmgren, alright, give him the best coach of the division. Whisenhunt might be there some day but not today. Mike Nolan is still too young. Scott Linehan? Well, you know, no not a chance.
The order of the NFC West will go something like this:
1. Sea
2. SF
3. Stl.
4. Ari.
Put them in any you wish, but I guarantee you one thing, I got the teams right.

WSH 7/21-7/27

2008-07-22T22:39:00.005-05:00

Not much happened in the world of sports at this time of the year but a lot has happed on July 27. I will never forget the bombing in Atlanta.

7/21/1921- Indians (9) and Yankees (7) hit a record 16 doubles
7/21/1975 - NY Met Felix Milan hits 4 singles; erased by Joe Torres 4
7/23/1994 - Longest baseball rain delay (3:39) as Giants beat Mets 4-2 in NYC
7/24/1941 - Red Sox Lefty Grove, 41, wins his 300th game
7/26/1933 - Joe Dimaggio ends 61 game hitting streak in Pacific Coast League
7/26/1950 - Dodgers' Jim Russell is 1st to switch-hits HRs twice in a game
7/27/1946 - Boston Red Sox Rudy York hits 2 grand slams in 1 game, gets 10 RBIs
7/27/1959 - William Shea announces he plans to have a baseball team in NYC in 1961
7/27/1984 - Reds' Pete Rose collects record 3,053rd career single (vs Phila)
7/27/1993 - NY Met Anthony Young wins ending his losing streak at 27 games
7/27/1996 - Bomb explodes at Atlanta Olympic Park, 1 killed, 110 injured

Brother In-Law vs. Brother-In-Law

2008-07-22T21:15:00.010-05:00

Not only were they teammates but were the face of the Miami Dolphins. Not only were they the face of the franchise but they were brothers-in-law.

Jason Taylor married Zach Thomas' sister Katina who later filed for divorce. Things went down hill for Taylor and Thomas from there. It went down hill for the two both off and on the field.

The Miami Dolphins went 1-15 last season and the two defenders just weren't performing. Shortly after their season ended, officially, (meaning all 16 games were played) Thomas headed for Big D to play for the Dallas Cowboys. He expressed excitement in playing for America's Team. The former Texas Tech Red Raider would return to the Lone Star State for his football playing career.

Thomas was a member of the Dolphins longer than anyone else but after he left he handed the torch to Jason Taylor.

Taylor wanted to separate himself from the Thomas family completely after losing Katina and Zach. He wanted to make his name known outside of football so he joined Dancing with the Stars. As if a 1-15 season wasn't embarrassing enough.

Dolphins VP Bill Parcells wasn't happy with the veteran defense end and questioned whether or not he was committed to playing football. Drama got worse between Parcells and Taylor and even more so for Taylor and Thomas. To get back at his former teammate, Taylor joined headed to the Nation's Capitol to play for the Washington Redskins. (The longest running tenure Dolphin is now Rickey Williams.) Now he and Thomas are true rivals. The two will even be wearing the same No. 55.

Yeah it got that ugly. Now the two will meet twice a year in a brutal rivalry match.

At his press conference, Taylor pointed to a Lambardi trophy and said he wanted to help the Skins win another. Yeah, like that's going to happen. As if being on Dancing with the Stars wasn't embarrassing enough.

Favre/Weekly Sports History

2008-07-13T13:41:00.005-05:00

Brett Favre may just be the most unpredictable quarterback in the history of the game, at least the most indecisive. When you think he's going to hang it up, he decides to play another year and vise versa. When he finally did hang it up, drama continues once again for the 38-year old quarterback.

He calls his GM and asks to play again. His GM tells him they'll talk about it later (not such a great sign for Favre.) Apparently he later asked to be released, and was denied. The Packers organization says he's welcome on the team but the spot isn't guaranteed.

Regardless of what you think of Brett Favre, you have to admit this isn't his most classy moment. He shouldn't be doing this to his team. The quarterback is the most important position and if the team doesn't know who it's captain is going to be they're not likely headed in the right direction.

The NFL is only a couple weeks from starting camp and drama surrounds the Packers. There's nothing wrong having in itch to play the game you love but there is a problem with taking a while to decide whether or not you're coming back, then deciding to retire and later changing your mind and deciding you made the wrong decision in the first place. You're only bringing your team down. Brett Please, make up your mind. By the way, if you don't want your streak to end due to injury, don't return. You're on the Madden Cover this year.

That being said, it's time for the second week of Weekly Sports History. It's a short one, but here it is:

07/15/1876 - Baseball's 1st no-hitter, St Louis' George W Bradley no-hits Hartford
07/16/1941 - Joe Dimaggio goes 3 for 4, hitting in his 56th straight game
07/16/1941 - NY Yankee Joe DiMaggio's 56-game hitting streak ends in Cleveland
07/17/1902 - Orioles forfeit to St Louis having only 5 players available to play they then forfeit their franchise back to the AL
07/18/1960 - Baseball's NL votes to add Houston and NY franchises
07/19/1933 - 1st time, brothers on opposite teams homer in the same game. Red Sox
Rick Ferrell homers off brother pitcher Wes of Cleveland who also homers.
07/20/1858 - Fee 1st charged to see a baseball game (50›) (NY beats Bkln 22-18)

Weekly Sports History

2008-07-07T13:36:00.005-05:00

I'm going to start something new and we'll see how it goes. I love sports history and I was thinking of starting something titled Weekly Sports History where we review what took place at the current time of the year in the world of sports for a period of a week at a time like you see below. I apologize because I may miss a couple weeks here or there, but hey, this is the first so here you go:

July 7, 1997 - Tiger Woods wins golf's Western Open
July 8, 1900- 1st night baseball, league game (Zanesville at Grand Rapids)
July 8, 1918 - Babe Ruth's blast over the fence in Fenway scores Amos Strunk, the Red Sox win 1-0 over Cleve, prevailing rules reduce Babe's HR to a triple
July 9, 1877 - 1st Wimbledon tennis championship is held
July 9, 1997 - Mike Tyson is banned from boxing, for biting Holyfield's ear
July 10, 1914 - Boston Red Sox purchase Babe Ruth from Baltimore Orioles
July 11, 1914 - Babe Ruth debuts as a pitcher for Boston Red Sox, he beats Cleve 4-3
July 11, 1988 - Mike Tyson hires Donald Trump as an advisor
July 11, 1989 - President Ronald Reagan sportscasts All Star Game
July 12, 1928 - 1st televised tennis match
July 12, 1959 - NBC uses cameras to show catchers signals during ankee-Red Sox game
July 13, 1985 - NY Yankees retire Roger Maris (9) and Elston Howard (32) uniforms

Teamless in Seattle

2008-07-06T22:44:00.006-05:00

The protests and chants didn't help keep them in the northwest. The Seattle Supersonics (or not so super) are moving to Oklahoma City. OKC was hoping to keep the Hornets but they returned to New Orleans. Now Okla. has been awarded a team of its own. Let's all hope they do something the Hornets didn't do when they moved: change their name.

I've stated before how I hate the name New Orleans Hornets, but just as equally, I hate the sound of the Oklahoma City Supersonics. It's way too long for one, but Oklahoma Sonics sounds bad also. Maybe I don't have any suggestions right off hand but I have a few suggestions as to what not to name them.

Some teams get their names from the history of their state or city, but, well, it's in Oklahoma. (No offense to the state directly to my north.) There have been many Indian tribes to settle in Oklahoma. Maybe that would be an option. Oh wait, they don't want to offend a tribe like the Apaches.

What do you name a team playing in a state whose state bird is a scissor tail flycatcher, whose state game bird is the wild turkey and whose beverage is milk? Wow, that's complicated. Hey the state mammal is the American bison. I know it sounds lame, but come on, do you really want to be the Supersonics?

Thank goodness the Chiefs changed their name when they moved. The Kansas City Texans just sounds off for some reason. NBA teams should do the same when they move.

As for Seattle, I think it's a shame they're losing a huge piece of history. To Shawn Kemp and Gary Payton retiring their jersey numbers in a city other than Seattle is just weird. I'm sorry Seattle. At least you still have the Mariners, Seahawks and Starbucks. Oh yeah, the Space Needle is pretty cool too.

Save the Sonics, change their name.

American Pastimes

2008-07-03T18:49:00.012-05:00

Apple pie, stars and stripes, hot dogs at a ballgame and sports in general are just a few things that make America what is today. After all, baseball has been referred to as Americas Pastime.

Whenever tragedy strikes, sports are there to ease minds. They don't take away problems entirely, but when in the middle of turmoil, they are often a form of comfort.

After the attacks of Sept. 11., it was appropriate for the NFL to take a break, and when it returned the following week, the country was coming together. It wasn't all because of sports, but they did have a huge part to play in it.

After Hurricane Katrina, the city of New Orleans needed nothing more than the return of the Saints and it helped unite the Big Easy.

Many of the greatest moments in American History are sports related. Whether it's Jackie Robinson breaking the color barrier, the Miracle on Ice or the 92 Dream Team, sports bring people together, uniting them as one. Apart from that 92 Dream Team, when else would you see Larry Legend and Magic on the same team?

Few athletes, such as Pat Tillman, have turned down millions and walked away from the game they love to put their lives on the line for their country. How can we not be grateful for such a selfless act?

As we celebrate our nation's independence, let's remember those that have come before us and shed their blood for our freedom. Let us not take their sacrifice for granted but let us enjoy the things these sacrifices allow us to enjoy: the world of sports.

Breaker Boys

2008-06-27T19:57:00.007-05:00

Believe it or not, I have read a few books in my lifetime. Believe it or not, they're not all about sports, but yeah, a good chunk of them are. Sue me. The sports books are the most enjoyable books I've read. I've had to read textbooks for school and, well, those aren't exactly entertaining, but they are way too expensive. I've also read books like Green Eggs and Ham and Bears on Wheels and I did in under a week.

Why am I telling you this? That's not important.

ESPN's David Fleming wrote Breaker Boys and I enjoyed every moment of it. If I didn't know any better, I'd think he was there to witness it. He did tremendous research to tell the story of the 1925 Pottsville Maroons and how they were robbed of the Nation Championship for playing against the Four Horsemen of Notre Dame. League officials didn't like the fact the Maroons played the Fighting Irish, the Championship eventually went to the Chicago Cardinals, the team Pottsville beat in the NFL Championship.

Breaker Boys really gives you a great taste of true football history and I'd recommend this book to anyone, football fan or not. It gave me a great appreciation for the game.

Pottsville Maroons' 1925 Championship Trophy
Here are a few images of the Maroons' 1925 championship trophy. The placard below the trophy reads, "The 1925 Pottsville Maroons were not awarded a trophy by the NFL so they made their own! This football was sculpted from a single chunk of anthracite coal mined near Pottsville. The surviving members off the team presented this trophy to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1964." It is on display in the Hall of Fame's Pottsville exhibit.

Dead Times

2008-06-27T11:00:00.004-05:00

For the last week and a half or so my inbox has been flooded with emails asking me why I haven't written anything for such a long time. People want my input on the NBA finals, NBA draft,MLB standings and who's going to represent their teams in the All-Star Game. Of course, they also ask about NFL off-season moves.

The NBA draft was crazy. Twelve freshman picked an 14 trades in the first round as Love and Mayo were swapped. A Trojan for a Bruin?

That being said, Who are these people sending me these emails? I don't know. I can't keep track of them when they're real, nevertheless when they're fake. Alright, please, I don't ask you about who sends you what.

It's a dead time right now in sports. I love baseball, but is that enough to carry us through? We're not even to the All Star Game yet, basketball is over and it's still a long time untilfootball season. This doesn't mean I won't watch hours of Sportscenter, NFL Live, and Baseball tonight. It helps though. I'm going through withdraws and if you can't have the best, you might as well settle for second best.

I'm already anxious for fantasy football draft and am debating between a couple names, but that doesn't fill the void because as I found out last night, no one is the site to respond to my trash talk.

Ok, I'll stop rambliing. I just want to ask something. Do you feel a void and what are you doing to fill it? Man, I wish I had ESPN Classic. I do have an NFL Films DVD. Maybe I'll pop that in.

Generational Sports

2008-06-14T00:02:00.010-05:00

With Fathers Day approaching, I thought it would only be appropriate to talk about the impact dads have on sons in the world of sports. It might be a long shot but what the heck. Here we go.

Growing up, I remember watching sports with my dad and from time to time, we'd be watching an athlete whose dad played before him and my dad would talk about the greatness of that athlete. Now athletes I grew up watching have sons coming up.

My dad grew up watching people like Bob Griese, Bobby Hull, Archie Manning, Calvin Hill, Bill Walton, (just had to throw that one in there.) Ken Griffey Sr. and others. Together we've watched theirs sons come after their fathers. Some don't live up to their fathers accomplishments while others surpass what their fathers did before them on the field or court.

I grew up watching people like Phil Simms, John Elway, Howie Long, Patrick Ewing along with a few others whose names aren't coming to mind. These former athletes have sons either in the pros or up and coming. I don't often think of Chris Simms as being Phil's son, but when I do, it's weird. It wasn't that long ago that Phil was handing the ball off to Ottis Anderson and throwing to Mark Ingram.

Jack Elway has committed to Arizona State. Chris Long is getting ready to start his NFL career with St. Louis Rams and Patrick Ewing Jr is completely following his fathers footsteps as he's at Georgetown wearing No. 33. Try not to be too freaked out if he plays with John Starks Jr. of the Knicks.

We've seen Ken Norton Sr and Jr as well as the Earnhardts. Many people have forgotten that Bary Bonds' dad Bobby played baseball before him and there are definitely reasons for that. I very vaguely remember Tony Dorsett and we've watched his son's career come about. Don't remember Anthony? Yeah, it was short lived. Nothing like his father.

It's been hard to not enjoy these games and athletes over the years and I look forward to what's to come in the future, and to seeing what current athletes will have sons playing in the big leagues. I don't know what we'd do without the world of sports. Most of us discovered the greatness at a young age thanks to our fathers who in one way or another helped point us in the right direction and for that and so much more, I'd like to say thanks. Oh yeah, to all fathers everywhere, especially my own, Happy Fathers Day.

Chipping away at 24

2008-06-13T22:48:00.007-05:00

If there was an unlucky number for the Celtics going into Thursday night's game, it's got to be 24. It was 24 years ago that LA beat Boston, they're playing against the MVP who wears 24 and lead his team to a 24 point margin. You think that's a stretch? What about the thought of the league rigging it's games?
On June 10, 1984 the Los Angeles Lakers beat the Boston Celtics in game seven of the NBA Finals. Fast forward to 24 years later. On June 10, 2008, the LA beat Boston in game three of the NBA finals in an 87-81 final.

Now Fast forward two days after that. The Lakers were at home trying to tie the series at two games apiece. If you turned it off at halftime, you'd assume they did just that. Garnett and company were cold. They were missing easy layups and two footers.

It was a game of two halves. Paul Pierce told his Celtic teammates not to look at the score but just concentrate on doing what they do to win. They did just that and slowly began to chip away at the 24 point deficit.

Kobe Bryan finished the night with 17 points and 10 assists. He hit six of his 19 field goals and went 0-2 from three. Pierce lead the game in points with 20.

Bryant told a group of reporters in a press conference the Lakers are aware of their situation and the series isn't over. Pierce is well aware of this also and he said he doesn't want to get overexcited.

"I don't want to get overjoyed," Pierce said. "I want to go out there to try and win Game five on Father's Day and then I'll be able to breathe. Right now, I'm waiting to exhale."

Game five on Fathers Day will be in LA. If you're a Lakers fan, that has to make you nervous. Your team is expected to win at the Staples Center and here come the Celtics threatening to finish your team off on your court. The Lakers may take that one, but probably not game six.

That's pretty embarrassing for any Laker fan. This is the match-up everyone wanted and now it may just five games. Six max. Yeah, sound rigged to you? No, that's too much of a stretch.

Strahan hangs it up.

2008-06-11T23:09:00.003-05:00

People were quick to point their fingers at Brett Favre saying he intentionally went to the ground and allowed Michael Strahan to set a new record to become the all-time single-season sack leader. The two will meet again in five years in Canton as they get inducted into the Hall.

It seemed as though Strahan had Favre's number. Not only did he get that sack on him but Favres last game was against the G-men in Lambeau. The Former Texas Southern DE played his enitre NFL career of 15 years with the New York Giants and will be go out riding into the sunset. He saved the best for last as his team knocked off the undefeated New England Patriots in what might be considered the biggest upset in Super Bowl History. It'll be interesting to see him in the booth.

That Super Bowl caps off a great career. Without it, the defensive end might would likely have been a first ballet Hall-of-Famer but not without debate. Now, no debate is necessary. He'll get in we'll see his bust right next to the man he sacked to become a record holder.

Bears backs

2008-06-10T22:29:00.008-05:00

The Bears have had two of the finest running backs to ever play the game in Gayle Sayers and Walter Payton. They might be the only great backs to ever wear a Bears uniform. Neil Anderson was good, not great. Curtis Enis was a major bust as was Rashaan Salaam. Thomas Jones may have been on his way to greatness (not Sweetness) before getting traded to the Jets.

Maybe when they heard they had Adrian Peterson on their team, they were thinking it was someone else with that name who happens to play the same position in the same division. That's about all that makes sense. Why else would they think they were set with Cedric Benson?

When drafted fourth overall by the Bears in 2005, Benson broke down crying. He said he was tired of being compared to Ricky Williams. Well now it's looking like the comparisons are legit, and not because of where they went to school. They're both pretty much done.

Benson was waved by Chicago after being arrested a second time in just over a month. He ran a red light and was arrested for a DUI. Benson claimed he had a few drinks over dinner and that was it. He claims he didn't get drunk nor commit any crimes.

"Though I strongly believe that I am not guilty of any crime, I realize that the public and the Bears organization hold me to higher standard." Benson said. "Though my local attorneys will continue to work hard to prove my innocence, I confess to using poor judgment. Please accept my deepest apology."

Poor Decision? That might be the biggest understatement ever. He should have known that after his May 3rd arrest he was going to be under a microscope. Who knows, someone else might soon give him another job and another chance for an early first round pick out of Texas to play again. Sound familiar? Stop your crying.

Game one: The Return

2008-06-06T22:27:00.005-05:00

Prior to game one of the NBA finals, Doc Rivers told his team they had no reason to be congratulated because they were right where they expected to be but not where they wanted to be. Inspiring isn't it?

What was even more inspiring was the return of the long time Celtic himself. Paul Pierce was so hurt he had to be carried off by two teammates. He then came back and carried his team with two straight three-pointers. He came back with a little of a limp, but not enough to avoid the questions.

Was Pierce faking it? Of course this is going to be a question by opposing fans but really, what good would it do? Would it really give the team that much of an emotional lift? Could it possibly hurt the team by mentally draining themselves trying to find a replacement?

If he were to fake it, shouldn't he do it in game seven or was he worried there wouldn't be a game seven. He could have waited until it was more poetic. Think of it as a Disney Movie. Paul Pierce gets hurt before returning for the game winning shot in a renewed rivalry.

Well now the script is out and Kobe is going to have to improvise. It wouldn't be the first time. The MVP makes it look so easy, but in game one, he was out of character. He didn't look like the same guy we saw all throughout the season and post-season.

Phil Jackson told Michel Tafoya the teams were off to a slow start as they still trying to figure each other out and things would be different. That was early in game one and things did take a turn, for the worst. Both teams went cold in the fourth quarter but luckily for ratings and fans in general, the first three and a half quarters were great. Several lead changes occurred and the hype wasn't too much after all.

Hopefully the series will surpass the hype in the remaining games. Phil Jackson is going for his 10th NBA Finals victory, more than any head coach in the history of the league. He's currently tied with Red Auerbach. That should give the Celtic some more motivation if they need any.

Big D for Drama

2008-05-30T19:02:00.004-05:00

If you listen to the media concerning the Cowboys, you'll likely get the impression that Big D stands for Drama. Roy Williams is getting criticism, appears to be losing confidence, and changed his number to 38, which he wore at OU. Adam Jones is trying to get reinstated. Questions are surrounding Greg Ellis and Terry Glenn told the Fort Worth Star the team asked him to sign a waver insurance policy in case of injury. Glenn didn't seem interested and never signed it.

There's also talk about whether or not Anthony Henry will be moved from corner to safety. Talk about changes. It should be interesting to the least. The media is going to love Hard Knocks now that it's returning to Cowboys camp.

Forget all the off the field stuff for right now. The Boys have to get over a huge hump by winning at least a playoff game, something Wade Phillips has never done as a head coach. The NFC east will be tough again, especially since the team from New York out of the division won the last game of the year.

Honestly though, how bad could it be? We faired well in the draft. We added Zach Thomas. We could probably use help on the D-line since losing Fergy, but we're doing alright as far as I can see, but then again, I might be mistaken. If you're measuring based on Romo singing at Wrigley then it's pretty bad. If you're measuring it based on his girlfriend singing anywhere, it may be even worse, but that's not how you measure the success of a football team.

You measure by progress on the field, so we still have several months until then. In the mean time, we'll wait and see and hope all the right personnel moves were made in order for success to happen.

Josh Hamilton

2008-05-28T16:14:00.005-05:00

Josh Hamilton has returned to MLB and is making a name for himself and it's a name the Tampa Bay Rays won't be forgetting any time soon.

Tampa made Hamilton the number one overall draft pick in 1999, taking him right out of high school. The then Devil Rays paid him nearly $4 million but he never played
a game for the organization as he failed to make the roster.

One might say that wasn't the only thing the outfielder failed. Shortly after this, he was suspended for three years for failing a drug test. Once reinstated, he was eligible for the MLB Rule 5 draft which sent him to the Reds where he spent one season before landing in Texas.

Yes Hamilton is making a name for himself. The Astros saw him hit a complete cycle which included two home runs and five RBI in a 16-8 win.

Hamilton was ejected from a game after arguing a balls and strikes call against the Indians. It didn't seem to phase him much though because the next day they would travel to Tampa as Hamilton would take on the team that drafted him.

He told the Dallas Morning News he was looking forward to seeing his old teammates from the minors, but he was looking forward to fishing more and to seeing his friends from the Winning Inning, a Christian baseball academy in Florida. The Rays took the first game of the series, but game two would be different.

Game two saw Hamilton hit a grand slam in the eight inning to seal up a Ranger victory. Josh, was the fishing more exciting than the homer?

Yeah, don't count on the Rays forgetting the name "Josh Hamilton" any time soon. In fact, his name might be heard a lot more often now, making it hard for anyone to forget. Don't be surprised if he ends up representing the Rangers in the All-Star Game.

Where is the line?

2008-05-22T23:47:00.008-05:00

When it comes to sports, one must ask "where's the line?". No, I don't mean line of scrimmage or goal line. No, I'm not referring to the three point line or free throw line, and no, not the foul ball line. The line to which I'm referring is the line defining what's a sport and what isn't.

You can hate me if you want, but hear me out first. There are many things that take so much athletic skills it's not even funny. I couldn't even do some of these things if I tried dreaming it. I just think it's time to define that line.

Let's jump right in. Most people would admit the fact dancing is not a sport. You don't go to your daughter's ballet rehearsal and say "I'm watching little league athletes.". What they do is so hard physically and maybe even mentally. I wouldn't know, but I do know I couldn't do nearly half of what they do. However, ballet is not a sport. It's a competition.

If you think dancing is a sport, then what about karaoke? People really get into that and start dancing. If they're good, not only are they dancing, but they're singing as well, and as far as I'm concerned, that takes talent.

So if dancing isn't a sport, what about dancing on ice? That would be ice skating. No, I can't skate. I've tried and likely won't ever try again. Since I can't even stay up on skates and move, I definitely won't try a 360 triple axle (Is there even such a thing?) because it takes too much athletic talent and well, I have no interest. Figure skating is a competition, not a sport.

Again, I'll get down to the grinding in just a moment. Cheerleading and gymnsatics also fall under the same category and here's why: You can't consider your competition a sport if the winner is decided based on pure opinions of other people. The judges' moods may very easily determine who wins and loses. I love the NBA, and I enjoy watching the slam dunk contest, but it's a competition not a sport. Which dunk was nicer depends on the judges.

One might argue that refs and umps are the judges. The reason this argument is invalid though is because they call it how they see it, not how they want it (Tim Donaghy is an exception). The refs don't get together in a huddle and decide how many points to award the running back if he crossed the goal line. They're there to determine whether or not he did, and if so, his team will get six points. The amount of points he's awarded is not up for discussion.

Another reason I can't consider these things a sport is because a lot of it is also determined by looks. You're not going to become a Cowboys Cheerleader if you're anywhere near overweight. If the captain of the squad finds you less attractive you can be out. The same is true of figures skating, although, not necessarily to the extent. I don't think Sasha Cohen would have had nearly as much success as she did if she wasn't attractive. People get all dressed up in costumes, makeup and jewelry and that gives them a little bit of a boost because it makes them look that much more attractive.

Also, if music plays a part in it, it really can't be considered a sport. A dancer, figure skater and cheerleader will do the routine based on the song. You won't hear Chad Pennington blaming his interception on the fact he didn't hear a Whitney Houston song in the background.

Perhaps the line is a little fuzzy, but at least it's some what visible. We just need to be able to recognize the difference between a sport and a competition.

Fantastic Four

2008-05-21T22:55:00.003-05:00

If game one means anything, we'll be watching Boston and LA in an 80's rematch. The Spurs have the oldest team but some would say most experienced. The Celtics have a lot of experience, but not together. They play great as a team but haven't been together as long as the other three teams.

The Spurs were up by 10 and the Lakers largest lead was four points and it came right at the end as LA escaped the Staples Center with the win.

The two teams have been here before. They've played in the playoffs five times in about since 1999 and the Lakers won three. The Lakers have only one player over 30 while the Spurs have one under 30, but age hasn't stopped San Antonio as they try to defend the title. Robert Horry has seen both sides of the angle. He's been on one of the two teams since '99 when the two have met in the playoffs.

Only eight teams have one the NBA finals since 1980 and that includes all four of the final four teams still alive. Boston however, hasn't won since the 1985-86 season. Kevin Garnet came over from Minnesota in attempt to win his first ring. Looks like he made the right choice. Paul Pierce and Ray Allen are also chasing their first championship ring.

The Pistons have been together for a long time. They've been in the conference finals every year since 2003, beating the Lakers in the NBA finals in 2004 and fell short to San Antonio the following year.

Regardless of who wins, we won't see a franchise win it's first ever but we might see players like Garnet and company win their first. We might see the Spurs win back-to-back championships for the first time in franchise history. Kobe Bryant might win his first without the Diesel. What about the Pistons? Any firsts there? The last time they won, it was under Coach Larry Brown. Well, no, that's not it. There's go to be a first somewhere for them. There's a first time for everything and we'll see what it is for the 2008 NBA Finals.

Vick and Williams: The Dream

2008-05-21T13:55:00.008-05:00

Michael Vick and Ricky Williams wanted to do one of those NBA Playoff commercials, but were unable to share a cell. They were communicating through hand written letters and decided that when they got out, they would finish it even though the NBA turned them down because they've never played in the NBA. Surely they'll find some reason for it. Anyway, a prison guard found what they wrote and here's the script they'll be practicing:

Yeah, so what if I gave up on a dream? I've got news for you. That dream, it was your dream, not mine, but I still accomplished it by becoming a professional athlete, and guess what, it wasn't worth it. There's something out there in this world bigger and better than these so called dreams. Even if it doesn't last long, it's still worth it. You have to learn to dream bigger than big dreams. The dream is yours.