Thursday Morning Picks

By Bryan Jeon

Season: 118-58
Last week: 11-5
Brandon Funston (top Yahoo! expert): 115-61

Week 12 Recap: What did Brett Favre do on Thanksgiving? Just complete 20 straight passes against the Lions and toss 3 TD passes, breaking Dan Marino’s career record for most games with 3 or more TD passes with 63…Kurt Warner outdid Favre in passing yards (484, 381) but threw two picks and lost a fumble in the endzone in an overtime loss to the 49ers…The Denver Broncos are known to have a solid offensive line. Add the Kansas City Chiefs to the list. With Larry Johnson out for his third consecutive game and Priest Holmes retired, rookie Kolby Smith rushed for a week-high 150 yards and 2 touchdowns…The Pats looked vulnerable on SNF, the first step in breaking down an undefeated team. Tom Brady threw under 3 TD passes for the first time this season, finishing with just one. He now has 39, just 10 shy of Peyton Manning’s single-season record with 5 games to play.

Week 13 Picks:

Thursday:
Dallas (10-1) over Green Bay (10-1) – In a probable preview of the NFC Championship, the Boys’ offense will prove too much for Favre and Co.
Sunday Morning:
San Diego (6-5) over Kansas City (4-7) – The Chargers will avenge their 30-16 loss to the Chiefs in Week 4. LaDainian Tomlinson rushed for 132 yards in that game, one of just two 100-yard rushing games for him this seaon. The Chiefs have lost four straight and Smith will get his second NFL start with Johnson out for his fourth straight game.
Houston (5-6) over Tennessee (6-5) - The Titans’ 3-game losing streak has booted them out of the Wild Card and Vince Young’s magic seems to be fading. Remember the Titans’ wild win at Houston in Week 7, 38-36? Expect them to be on the other end in this contest with a healthy Andre Johnson and a solid Ron Dayne in place of the injured Ahman Green, both of which did not play in the first meeting.
Jacksonville (8-3) over Indianapolis (9-2) – One of my two big upset picks this week. Indy may have won their Week 7 match up, 29-7, but David Garrard will have plenty of motivation to play well, as he was knocked out of that game and went on to miss three more with a sprained ankle. How much of a difference is he than Quinn Gray? In that game, Gray threw two picks, lost a fumble and was sacked for a safety.
Washington (5-6) over Buffalo (5-6) – The Skins will have emotions running high with the death of Sean Taylor early this week. It also helps that Marshawn Lynch and backup Anthony Thomas are out of this contest, and Fred Jackson will start his first career game. He has just 9 carries this season in his first playing year. 
San Francisco (3-8) over Carolina (4-7) – The Panthers have lost five straight, are 0-5 at home and last week, had Steve Smith’s 22-yard run lead the team in rushing. David Carr was benched in favor of rookie Matt Moore mid-game after starting the game with seven straight incompletions and eventually throwing two interceptions. They were in a state of panic without 44-year-old Vinny Testaverde and unfortunately, play this one at home as well.
Minnesota (5-6) over Detroit (6-5) – So much for the Vikings having the worst pass ‘D’ in the NFL. They pick off Eli Manning four times and return three of them for touchdowns in scoring as many points on defense as the Giants did on offense. They don’t need to create nearly as many turnovers to avenge a Week 2 overtime loss in Detroit, 20-17.
Miami (0-11) over NY Jets (2-9) – When the Fins lost in New York, 31-28 in Week 3, who would have guessed they would still be looking for their first win when they met nine games later? John Beck will get his third consecutive start, as he has improved in his last game against Pittsburgh, and Jesse Chatman is good to go, as the city of Miami will have something to cheer about for one week. But really, if they don’t win this one, it could really happen.
St. Louis (2-9) over Atlanta (3-8) – Even with the absence of Marc Bulger, the Rams will get their first win at home.
Philadelphia (5-6) over Seattle (7-4) – There are those that say had Donovan McNabb played against the Pats instead of A.J. Feeley, they would have won the game. The way I see it, they wouldn’t have played the way they did with the mediocre McNabb in, and I would have gone with the Hawks if McNabb were good to go in this game. Andy Reid, we want a QB change!
Sunday Afternoon:
Tampa Bay (7-4) over New Orleans (5-6) – The Bucs won the first meeting in Week 2, 31-14, but will have to rely heavily on their ‘D’ to force Drew Brees into making mistakes if Jeff Garcia can’t go. 
Cleveland (7-4) over Arizona (5-6) – The Browns now own a Wild Card spot in the AFC and can feasibly win the division with an easy schedule remaining (they currently don’t play anyone with a .500 record or better) and trailing Pittsburgh by just one game, who has New England and Jacksonville left.
Denver (5-6) over Oakland (3-8) – The Broncos won the first meeting in a 23-20 overtime win and have some good stuff coming to them. They get starter Travis Henry and backup Selvin Young back, as both were out the week before with injuries. Daunte Culpepper, who is the only Raider QB to win this season is likely out, putting Josh McCown in, who passed for 73 yards in the Week 2 contest.  
NY Giants (7-4) over Chicago (5-6) – The Cowboys virtually clinched their division when the Giants fell to the Vikings last week. Manning needs to shape up to lead this team against the Bears and the return of Derrick Ward behind him sure would help him out.
Sunday Night:
Cincinnati (4-7) over Pittsburgh (8-3) – Pittsburgh is 6-0 at home, beat the Bengals 24-13 in Week 8 and look to coast against their underachieving division rival. They don’t call it the Upset Special for nothing. The Steelers have played in 3-point games the last three weeks, and Santonio Holmes is out. Rudi Johnson is back for the Bengals, scoring his first rushing touchdown of the season last week against a stout Tennessee run ‘D’. If the Bengals offense doesn’t click, they don’t have a shot.
Monday Night:
New England (11-0) over Baltimore (4-7) – The Pats play their third straight game on primetime and shouldn’t come across any surprises like they did against the Eagles last week. The Ravens offense is horrid, their defense is not nearly as dominant as it was last year and they are on a 5-game losing streak, going from being an AFC Wild Card to last in their own division. Not good news against the Pats, who face very few obstacles remaining in their bid for a perfect season.

The NBA’s Best Centers

By Chris Le

The highly anticipated Greg Oden era is delayed one more year, and the Shaquille O’Neal era appears to be dwindling faster than Dane Cook’s appeal. But in Oden’s absence and Shaq’s decline, there still remains a handful of true game-changing centers.

Reviewing the list, however, I’m surprised at the abundance of one-dimensional players that occupy the center position. Most fall into one of two categories: (1.) Offensive monsters who are barely passable defenders, or (2.) defensive stalwarts with the scoring prowess on par with Dennis Rodman. From top to bottom, considering its lack of major depth, center may be the weakest position in the league. This ain’t our fathers’ NBA, when the five spot was the glamour position with Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, Willis Reed and Nate Thurmond ruling the paint.

1. Yao Ming – Last year, Yao (25.0 ppg, 9.4 rpg, 2.0 apg, 2.0 bpg) developed into the best center in the league, showing flashes of utter dominance with his post game and shooting touch. Too bad he missed most of the season. If he wishes to keep his perch at the top, he must remain healthy, and most of all, get out of the damn first-round.

2. Amare Stoudemire – The poster-boy for knee microfracture recoveries (particularly Oden), STAT came back from the usually long-affecting surgery and made the All-NBA First Team. Expect his quick recovery to improve even more significantly this season. I wouldn’t be surprised if he returns to his 2005 form and averages over 25 points a game. There are some who believe Stoudemire should top this list.
3. Dwight Howard – Prediction: the Orlando Magic will make the playoffs and Howard will top this list by next season. Judging from the FIBA and preseason games, he has developed a post game and 15-foot range. Yikes. He was scary enough when his only offensive move was dunking. This kid has no ceiling. And since I’m in a prediction-y mood, here’s one more: Howard will average at least 20 points, 13 rebounds, 2.5 blocks and shoot just under .600 from the field.
4. Shaquille O’Neal – Shaq can’t be Superman anymore, and it’s becoming more and more apparent each year. The injuries keep increasing, while his stats, minutes and games played go down. Yet, he’s still 7’1” and 325 pounds (to be generous), which means he’s still incredibly effective even when marginally in shape and healthy. Good thing he has D-Wade; I don’t think the Big Diesel can carry a team on his own any longer.
5. Marcus Camby – In 2007, the reigning Defensive Player of the Year played some of the best basketball in his life. The blocks (3.3, tops in the league) and rebounding (11.7, 5^th in the NBA) were there as usual, but he dished out a career high 3.2 assists a night. Plagued by injuries his whole career, Camby played in 70 games, the second highest GP in his 11 years as a pro. Should he stay healthy, he will continue to be a defensive monster.
6. Tyson Chandler – Getting out of Chicago appears to be the best thing that ever could’ve happened to Chandler’s game. After one year with the New Orleans Hornets, he immediately made an impact, particularly with his rebounding. He was second in the league in rebounds per game (12.4) and led the NBA in offensive rebounds (320).
7. Ben Wallace – Not quite what he was in Detroit, Big Ben still made the All-Defensive Second Team, thanks in large part to his 10.7 rpg (6^th in the NBA), 2.0 bpg (10^th), and 1.4 spg (10^th). And usually offensively challenged, he dished out a career-high 2.4 assists. But with an ankle sprain, Wallace starts the season on the injured list.
8. Mehmet Okur – The prototypical European center who’s short on defense and athleticism but heavy on offense. Having shot .356 from beyond the arc in 2007, opponents must respect his range, which means defending centers often times have to go out of their comfort zone. With Deron Williams and Carlos Boozer on his side, it makes life for opposing teams pretty hard.
9. Eddy Curry – In his second season in a Knicks uniform, he finally lived up to his potential. His presence is mainly felt on the offensive end, posting 19.5 ppg on .576 shooting from the field (good enough for 4^th in the league). For the sake of New York fans and Isiah Thomas, let’s hope Curry progresses even more in the coming years.
10. Zydrunas Ilgauskas – I think people tend to undervalue Z’s importance to the Cleveland Cavaliers, which is easy to do with LeBron James as his teammate. But at the start of every game, the Cavs consistently feed the ball down-low to Z and try to get him going early. If he does, everything else flows a lot easier, particularly for LeBron. His 11.0 ppg in ’07 is a little disappointing, but he probably possesses the best mid-range jumper of any center in the game.

Honorable Mention: Emeka Okafor, Andrew Bogut, Nenad Krstic

College Football Recap

Stats of the Day:

• 6/11 – 6 times the No. 2 seed was upset this season when Kansas lost at home to No. 4 Missouri, 36-28, and the 11th time that an unranked team knocked off a top-5 team when No. 1 LSU was upset by Arkansas, 50-48 in 3OT. Just last week No. 2 Oregon lost to Arizona, and it was LSU’s second loss as the top-ranked team this season, the previous to Kentucky in 3OT. The Big 12 race was so tight, Kansas (11-1) goes from the only undefeated team in a major conference to not even winning their own conference after one game.
• 22 – Rushing touchdowns Florida quarterback Tim Tebow has this season, tying Chance Harridge of Air Force in 2002 for most by a quarterback. Tebow threw for 3 touchdowns and rushed for 2 more in the No. 12 Gators’ (9-3) season finale win over Florida St (7-5), 45-12. The sophomore has a bowl game to break the record and looks to become the first underclassman to win the Heisman.
• 126 – Passing touchdowns Hawaii quarterback Colt Brennan has in his 3-year career, breaking the record for career TD passes set by BYU’s Ty Detmer in 1991, who had 121. Brennan threw for 495 yards and 5 TDs in No. 15 Hawaii’s 39-27 victory over No. 19 Boise State (10-2) to make the Warriors the only undefeated team in the nation. Next up for No. 12 Hawaii (11-0): Washington (4-8) for a Sugar Bowl bid against the SEC champion.

Upset of the Day: #1 LSU (10-2) 48 – 50 Arkansas (8-4)
Heisman hopeful Darren McFadden sure knows how to play in a big game. The junior back ran for 206 yards and 3 TDs and passed for one more as the frequent QB for the Razorbacks. Against four ranked teams this year, McFadden has rushed for 539 yards and 4 TDs for averages of 135 yards per game and 5.4 yards per carry.
Next up for No. 7 LSU: SEC Championship against No. 14 Tennessee for a Sugar Bowl bid.
Scare of the Day: #18 Tennessee (9-3) 52 – 50 Kentucky (7-5)
With the fate of an SEC title shot in their own hands, the Vols went to 4OTs to beat Kentucky after a failed 2-point conversion. Because of the ridiculous rule that records statistics in overtime, the two quarterbacks combined for 15 TDs and 5 INTs while ten different receivers caught at least one touchdown pass. In overtime, there was an interception, a blocked field goal and just one of four 2-point conversions successful, the only proving to be the game-winner. Next up for No. 14 Tennessee: SEC Championship against No. 7 LSU for a Sugar Bowl bid.
Surprise of the Day: #3 West Virginia 66 – 21 #20 Connecticut (9-3)
Tebow and McFadden had high-level performances to make their case in the Heisman race. Pat White didn’t disappoint. The junior QB put on a scoring clinic, passing for a touchdown and rushing for a season-high 186 yards and two scores, as the Mountaineers had 517 yards of rushing.

Top Five in the BCS Standings: (Final week of the regular season.)

1. Missouri (11-1, 7-1 Big 12) – Sat. @ 5p PT Big 12 Championship vs. #9 Oklahoma (10-2).
2. West Virginia (10-1,  5-1 Big East) – Sat. vs. Pittsburgh (4-7).
3. Ohio State (11-1, 7-1 Big Ten) – Regular season done.
4. Georgia (10-2, 6-2 SEC) – Regular season done.
5. Kansas (11-1, 7-1 Big 12) – Regular season done.

Thursday Morning Picks

By Bryan Jeon

Season: 107-53
Last week: 13-3

Week 11 Recap: Brett Favre…When is that old, washed-up guy going to have a bad game? Even when throwing for under 300 yards for the first time in four weeks (218 yards), he throws for 3 TDs and 0 INTs. Is that his off day? There are those talks coming up again of him returning next year. He sure has erased a lot of doubt from the critics earlier in the year…Adrian Peterson doesn’t play, but backup Chester Taylor rushes for 164 yards and 3 touchdowns on 22 carries (7.5 YPC) to be the weekly leader, which makes me wonder, is the Vikings offensive line that good? Peterson leads the NFL with 6.4 yards per carry while Taylor is second with 5.6 YPC…Peyton Manning is playing like he wants to be forgotten. His 163 yard day with 0 TDs and 1 INT makes it three weeks in a row that the Colts have either lost or won an ugly one. In that span, Peyton has 3 passing TDs, 8 INTs and a fumble lost while getting sacked 7 times. In the first 7 games, he had 13 TDs , 3 INTs and was only sacked 5 times. And then there’s the Pats up to no good again. You know Randy Moss got those 4 1st half TDs just to show up Terrell Owens, who had 4 TDs earlier in the day. The Pats are flawless. They put up a touchdown in each of their first seven scoring drives! That’s into the fourth quarter! And they score 56 points while taking out Tom Brady and Moss early in the fourth and with Bill Belichick electing to punt on 4th-and-inches on the Buffalo 30 when the game was all but over because of the respect he had for Bills coach Dick Jauron. I really see Belichick doing that when they face the Jets in Week 15…A great pick ‘em week, personally. My first office pool win, and I’m on fire. I lead all five Yahoo! “experts” as well as Yahoo! users with a comfy 4-game lead over Michael Silver and Brandon Funston.

Week 12 Picks:

Thursday:
Green Bay (9-1) over Detroit (6-4) – The Lions will lose their straight game to a balanced offense of Brett Favre passing and Ryan Grant running the ball.
Dallas (9-1) over NY Jets (2-8) – Look for T.O. to put on another show at Texas Stadium in the Cowboys’ tuneup against Green Bay next week.
Indianapolis (8-2) over Atlanta (3-7) – Warrick Dunn needs 26 rushing yards to reach 10,000 in his 11-year career, a feat only 21 running backs have accomplished. (Question: Who are the 2 active players in this club?) Manning needs to shape up if he wants to leave the Georgia Dome with a win. (Answer: Arizona’s Edgerrin James with 11,115 yards and Jacksonville’s Fred Taylor with 10,117 yards.)
Sunday Morning:
Seattle (6-4) over St. Louis (2-8) – I thought St. Louis’ offense was back but after putting up just 13 points against the pathetic 49ers, I have to go with Matt Hasselbeck and the new pass-first Seahawks in a drubbing like in Week 7 when Seattle won 33-6.
NY Giants (7-3) over Minnesota (4-6) – Match up to watch: the Vikings rushing game (177.9 YPG, no. 1) against the Giants rush ‘D’ (91.3 YPG, no. 7). I say the Giants contain Taylor enough to win.
Jacksonville (7-3) over Buffalo (5-5) – With Marshawn Lynch out, the Bills will be just a prep game against the Jags, who get a rematch against the Colts next week.
New Orleans (4-6) over Carolina (4-6) – After winning four straight, the Saints have lost two in a row, including last week to Houston, 23-10. Look for them to bounce back against the Panthers and their unstable offense, who have lost four in a row and scored just 44 points in those 4 games.
Tampa Bay (6-4) over Washington (5-5) – Jeff Garcia may be in for a big day, as the Skins ‘D’ has allowed 4 passing touchdowns each to Donovan McNabb and Tony Romo, resulting in a 2-game losing streak.
Cleveland (6-4) over Houston (5-5) – Like the Packers, the Browns are for real. They’ve put up at least 27 points in each of their last 5 games, four of them for wins. My only concern is their defense, which has made the last three games be decided by three points, two of them in overtime. They sure are a fun team to watch though, and Derek Anderson is putting up big numbers. He has more passing yards than Ben Roethlisberger, more touchdown passes than Favre and a better passer rating than Manning. I’m hoping they grab one of the Wild-Cards if they don’t win the AFC North outright from the 7-3 Steelers.
Tennessee (6-4) over Cincinnati (3-7) – Vince Young threw for a career-high 305 yards and rushed for a season-high 74 yards in last week’s loss to Denver. Perhaps he heard the critics who were beginning to whisper sophomore slump to each other.
Sunday Afternoon:
Denver (5-5) over Chicago (4-6) – If Travis Henry and Selvin Young are unable to go, Andre Hall will look to be the third 100-yard rusher for the Broncos this season. He picked up 89 yards last week on 7 carries. Ironically, it’s been the Bears ‘D’ and not Rex Grossman as the reason why Chicago’s been losing lately.
Kansas City (4-6) over Oakland (2-8) – The Chiefs offense is in limbo. Brodie Croyle, taking over the starting job for Damon Huard, has just 331 passing yards, 1 TD and 1 INT in 2 games. With Larry Johnson still nursing his foot and Priest Holmes retired, Kolby Smith, the rookie out of Louisville who has just 10 carries for 19 yards on the season, will start Sunday. Tony Gonzalez hasn’t been seeing his usual number of balls as apparently, Chiefs fans get excited about a Croyle to Dwayne Bowe connection. K.C.’s last win was in Week 7 when they beat Oakland, 12-10. Look for another ugly one, as Oakland has lost six straight.
Arizona (5-5) over San Francisco (2-8) – The 49ers won in Week 1, 20-17, but that was when Matt Leinart was starting, threw for a career-low 102 yards, and Leonard Pope tied for the team-high with 22 receiving yards. The Kurt Warner to Larry Fitzgerald tag team is in full force, as the 49ers have lost eight straight and scored just 9 total points in their last two contests.
San Diego (5-5) over Baltimore (4-6) – It has been five weeks since LaDainian Tomlinson rushed for over 100 yards in a game. He has done that just twice this season. Baltimore has lost four straight and before last week’s 30-point explosion against Cleveland, scored only 28 points in the three games prior. Look for them to put up no more than a touchdown or two.
Sunday Night:
New England (10-0) over Philadelphia (5-5) – This game is just not fair without McNabb. I mean, the Pats would have been only 18.5-point favorites had McNabb played as opposed to the current 22-point line. The Pats really are as perfect as a professional sports team can get. Expect an encore of last Sunday night’s performance.
Monday Night:
Pittsburgh (7-3) over Miami (0-10) – The Fins will have to wait until Week 13 against the Jets for their first win, whose only two wins are against Miami and Pittsburgh in an overtime win last week. They need to regroup quick though with John Beck, who had just 109 passing yards in last week’s NFL debut, and a dinged Jesse Chatman. Patrick Cobbs, who has 11 carries for 37 yards on the season, will get the nod if Chatman can’t go. Oh yeah, and Ricky Williams is going to be the backup.

Boxing’s Resurrection

By Chris Le

Sunday marked the second installment of television’s best program, HBO’s Mayweather/Hatton 24/7 series (Sundays 10pm). The first series was made popular by chronicling the journeys of Oscar De La Hoya and Floyd Mayweather Jr. toward their mega bout this past May, which unfortunately failed to meet the lofty expectations. Pundits deemed the fight one that would “save” boxing, instilling enthusiasm in a sport that was all but dead. A split decision later, boxing was still on life support, and I was about ready to pull the plug. I almost gave up on the sport that I loved the most.

Then, in the last few months, boxing gave us three potential fights of the year – and reason to be fans again.

It all began with the Pride of Wales, Joe Calzaghe’s unanimous decision win over the game Mikkel Kessler. It’s not often that we have two men as skilled as Calzaghe and Kessler throwing caution into the wind and letting go as many punches as they did. The heart displayed by both men was enough to make you proud to be a boxing fan. Calzaghe’s victory puts him in line to move up to light heavyweight to challenge the ageless Bernard Hopkins, whose tactical counterpunching is Calzaghe’s perfect foil.

Then there was The Contender finale which saw Sakio Bika stopping Jaidon Codrintong in the 8^th round, providing the boxing world with an all-time great action fight. The ebb and flow nature of the bout coupled with the free-swinging, almost wild style of Bika harkens back to Rocky Graziano and his legendary meetings with Tony Zale. It was as if it were the 50’s and 60’s again, the golden age of boxing.

And last week, we witnessed a back and forth battle with rising superstar Miguel Cotto grinding out a decision over Shane Mosley. It’s been a while since I’ve seen a rough and tough bout fought at such an elevated skill level. Every punch executed with textbook precision and nary a wasted motion. It was high-class boxing that could not have been produced with lesser fighters.

And on December 8, the boxing year ends with Floyd Mayweather Jr. squaring off against Ricky “The Hitman” Hatton, a match up that has the ingredients to top all of the aforementioned fight of the year candidates. During the bout’s promotion, as seen in 24/7, Mayweather displays the level of confidence and arrogance present in any great fighter – but in his own manner of dirty-mouthed, bling-filled braggadocio. The antithesis of Mayweather, Hatton is as blue-collar as he is friendly, as humble as he is tough. In essence, the least Hollywood famous person you’ll ever see. One is everything the other isn’t. And neither would have it any other way.

If their bout is as entertaining as their preflight jeering and as tense as their mutual distaste for the other’s lifestyle, it will be one of the best in years. In my estimation, the fight has extreme potential because the only thing that is more contrasting than their personalities is their fighting styles.

Watch out for my analysis of each fighter and, of course, my prediction in the coming weeks.

The NBA’s Best Shooting Guards

By Chris Le

The choice for number one on this list was one of the easiest picks I’ve made so far. Kobe Bryant is so undeniably far ahead of every other two-guard (and everyone else regardless of position, by the way) in the league skill-wise, it’s almost comical. But it’s not due to a lack of talent. In fact, looking at the list I just compiled, the collection of athletic freaks with their particular skill sets is impressive, possibly more so than any other position. I can’t help thinking, though, how few true game-changers there are. Sure, every single one of them can put up 45-50 on any given night, but how many are key cogs on championship teams? I’m thinking shooting guard is the position in which a team can have a weakness and still succeed.

But I digress. This is supposed to be about who the best shooting guards in the league are, not the most valuable player. And even though Kobe was an easy pick at number one, the rest of the list was surprisingly difficult to assemble. Joe Johnson is rarely seen–and discussed–since he plays for the Hawks. And who knows how Ray Allen and Jason Richardson will perform in their new surroundings. There was a lot to take into account. But without further delay, my list:

1. Kobe Bryant – There’s not much to say that you don’t already know. He’s the game’s most complete player with a matching insatiable will to win. However, to truly reach the level of Michael Jordan, the standard-bearer for every player, Kobe must devote himself to defense as much as he does to offense. Until then, he’ll have to settle for the title of game’s best shooting guard. Unfortunately, that’s about the only title he’ll have for a few years.

2. Dwayne Wade – D-Wade should be back to his havoc-wrecking form after a shoulder injury limited the Miami Heat superstar to only 51 games in 2007. With dangerous slashing ability and a developing defensive game, Wade is (aside from Kobe) the most well-rounded guard in the league. The only thing he lacks in his arsenal is a long-range game—and even that is coming along nicely. He should put up MVP-type numbers this upcoming season.
3. Vince Carter – I don’t think Vinsanity can ever be the featured player on a team, but he’s still one helluva dynamic player (25.2 ppg, 5.2 rpg, 4.2 apg). He, Jason Kidd and Richard Jefferson are a lethal combination and a poster waiting to happen. The New Jersey Nets faithful are hoping this trio will be enough to reach the Finals. (I don’t think it is.)
4. Richard Hamilton –The more I watch Rip play, the more I appreciate him. Others may be flashier and more physically gifted, but it’s impossible to find more than a handful that work harder. He is the NBA’s version of the Energizer Bunny, running all over the court and around and through screens for nearly 37 minutes a game. Also, if someone has a better mid-range game, I haven’t seen him.
5. Michael Redd – He may be streaky, but I’ll take him on my team any day. Because when he’s hot, few people on the planet can find the bottom of the net quicker than the Milwaukee shooting guard. He has increased his scoring every successive year he’s been in the league and averaged a career-high 26.7 ppg in 2007. Watch out in 2008.
6. Joe Johnson – I hope being the centerpiece of an offense and a lucrative contract was worth playing for the Atlanta Hawks. He may not be winning, but he’s put up huge numbers (25.0 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 4.4 apg) thus far. I wouldn’t be surprised to see this trend—the Hawks losing and Johnson going crazy statistically—continue.
7. Ray Allen – I wonder who’s happiest to be playing in Boston with their new teammates: Ray Ray, Kevin Garnett or Paul Pierce? Whoever it is, I’m sure they’ll all be smiling in 2008, especially Allen who will be open all day, with KG drawing double-teams down low and Pierce garnering attention on the other wing. That sweet stroke of his is going to be dangerous in Beantown.
8. Manu Ginobili – When his game is on-point, his impact is significantly greater than his ranking indicates (just look at the 2005 NBA Finals). He’s always the X-factor, the game breaker that could decide a game or series. But the thing is, he’s just not consistently at his best. He disappeared at times in last season’s postseason and had more of an impact coming off the bench. Still, he has the capability to explode on opponents at any moment.
9. Jason Richardson – Like many in the Bay Area, I was severely disappointed that Golden State let J-Rich go. For a while, he was the face of the franchise and played a vital role in what was the Warriors’ playoff method of madness. I thought there’d be some loyalty. I guess not. But that aside, the Bobcats are hoping he can ignite the same fire witnessed in the Warriors in Charlotte. I’m not sure if Richardson alone can do that, but I can guarantee he’ll improve upon his modest 2007 numbers (16.0 ppg, 5.1 rpg, 3.4 asp)
10. Ben Gordon – More comfortable with his shot than with his driving game, he’s somewhat of a one-dimensional scorer. But it’s one damn good dimension. Like most streaky shooters, when he’s on his game, he can make it rain.

Honorable Mention: Kevin Martin, Brandon Roy

Rollins Wins NL MVP

By Bryan Jeon

On Tuesday, Philadelphia’s Jimmy Rollins edges Colorado’s Matt Holliday for the NL MVP, becoming the second Phillie in a row to win the award, joining Ryan Howard from last year.

My NL MVP: Matt Holliday, .340 with 120 R, 36 HR, 137 RBI, 11 SB
MLB – Jimmy Rollins, .296 with 139 R, 30 HR, 94 RBI, 41 SB

Analysis: Rollins became the first player ever to have 30 homers, 30 doubles, 30 steals and 20 triples in one season and the first NL shortstop in 34 years to play in every game. His fielding was also phenominal, committing just 11 errors and owning a .985 fielding percentage, resulting in a Gold Glove to go with his Silver Slugger award. Rollins and Holliday were both a part of their team’s exciting come-from-behind division win, but the year goes to Holliday in a close one over Rollins. The NLCS MVP won the batting title, led the NL in RBI and wasn’t much of a liability in left field himself, committing just three errors en route to a .990 fielding percentage. And he capped off the magical season fittingly with a head-first slide for the winning run in extra innings in the wild-card tiebreaker against San Diego.

On Monday, New York’s Alex Rodriguez won his third MVP and first since 2005, missing a unanimous selection, as two of the 28 votes went to Detroit’s Magglio Ordonez. A-Rod was just the fifth player in the last 75 seasons to lead the majors in runs, home runs and RBI, the last being Roger Maris in 1961.

My AL MVP – Alex Rodriguez, .314 with 143 R, 54 HR, 156 RBI, 24 SB
MLB – Alex Rodriguez

Analysis: As with Peavy, this selection was a given, as A-Rod led all of baseball in three of the major categories. He earned a $1.5 million bonus with the win and has a new 10-year contract to reach Barry Bonds‘ record seven MVPs.

On Thursday, San Diego’s Jake Peavy became the 12th-ever unanimous NL Cy Young after leading the league in wins, ERA and strikeouts, with Arizona’s Brandon Webb the near-unanimous runner-up.

My NL Cy Young – Jake Peavy, 19-6, 240 K in 223.1 IP, 2.54 ERA
MLB – Jake Peavy

Analysis: The easiest pick thus far, Peavy became the just fourth pitcher in the last 40 years to lead the NL in wins, ERA and strikeouts in the same year, joining Randy Johnson (2002), Dwight Gooden (1985) and Steve Carlton (1972). He was the only pitcher in all of the majors to have a sub-3.00 ERA and also owned the lowest WHIP (1.06).

On Tuesday, Cleveland’s C.C. Sabathia comfortably beat out Boston’s Josh Beckett for the AL Cy Young Award.

My AL Cy Young – C.C. Sabathia, 19-7, 209 K in 241 IP, 3.21 ERA
MLB – C.C. Sabathia

Analysis: I thought John Lackey could have made a stronger case against Josh Beckett, but to compare with Beckett with Sabathia, the Indians ace had 40.1 more innings pitched while sustaining a better ERA. Beckett being the only 20-game winner in baseball doesn’t mean anything when five other pitchers won 19 games, including Lackey, who had a league-best 3.01 ERA.

On Monday, the Rookies of the Year were announced. In the American League, Boston second baseman Dustin Pedroia won in a landslide over Tampa Bay right fielder Delmon Young. In the National League, Milwaukee third baseman Ryan Braun edged out Colorado shortstop Troy Tulowitzki.

My AL Rookie of the Year – Delmon Young, 65 R, 13 HR, 93 RBI, 10 SB, .288 AVG
MLB – Dustin Pedroia, 86 R, 8 HR, 50 RBI, 7 SB, .317 AVG

Analysis: Pedroia finished 10th in the AL in batting average, but Young commanded a respectable .288 average. His 93 RBI are something I can’t look past, and he should not be penalized for having 125 more at-bats than Pedroia. MLB should have had a much closer race than this one-sided display, as I feel Young was left out even more so because his Devil Rays were the worst team in baseball. Last time I checked, being a fan favorite, having a solid October and doing that with a broken hand all didn’t add points to a regular season award.

My NL Rookie of the Year – Troy Tulowitzki, 104 R, 24 HR, 99 RBI, 7 SB, .291 AVG
MLB – Ryan Braun, 91 R, 34 HR, 97 RBI, 15 SB, .324 AVG

Analysis: Close race statistically and if the award was all on offensive categories, I’d nudge Braun over Tulowitzki as well, having a much higher batting average. However, Braun committed 26 errors at the hot corner to Tulo’s 11 while manning shortstop. In a close one, I’d have another reversal of finishes, with Tulo being the year’s best NL Rookie.

College Football Recap

Stats of the Day:

• 5 – times the No. 2 seed was upset this season and the 10th time that an unranked team knocked off a top-5 team when Oregon lost to Arizona, 34-24. The last time a No. 2 seed went down was BC two weeks ago to Florida St, 27-17. The new No. 2 seed is Kansas, who has a showdown with No. 4 Missouri next week with a chance for a Big 12 title game at stake.
• 20/20 – Rushing and passing touchdowns Florida quarterback Tim Tebow has this season, the first player in Division I-A history to do so in the same season. The sophomore star threw for three and rushed for one in the Gators’ 59-20 victory over Florida Atlantic, giving him 26 passing TDs and 20 rushing TDs on the year. Next up for the Heisman favorite and #12 Florida (8-3): Florida St (7-4) in the season finale for both teams.

Upset of the Day: #2 Oregon (8-2) 24 – 34 Arizona (5-6)
It was over when Heisman favorite coming into the game, Dennis Dixon, went down in the first quarter with a knee injury that knocked him out of the game and the rest of the season, ending the Ducks’ chance at a national championship and Dixon’s shot at the Heisman Trophy. Brady Leaf came on in place of Dixon, going 22-of-46 for 163 yards, 0 TDs and 2 INTs, one of them returned for a touchdown. Next up for #9 Oregon: at UCLA (5-5). 
Upset-A of the Day: #4 Oklahoma (9-2) 27 – 34 Texas Tech (8-4)
As when Dixon went down for Oregon, the game was over when Sam Bradford suffered a concussion in the first quarter making a tackle on a turnover, knocking the nation’s leading passer out of the game and ending the Sooners’ hopes of a national title as well. The Red Raiders reeled off 27 consecutive points and led 34-10 in the third quarter before hanging on for the victory. Graham Harrell went 47-of-72 for 420 yards and 2 TDs as well as a rushing TD while Michael Crabtree had 12 receptions for 154 yards and a touchdown. Next up for #10 Oklahoma: Oklahoma St (6-5). A win would put the Sooners in the Big 12 title game.
Scare of the Day: #16 Hawaii (10-0) 28 – 26 Nevada (5-5)
With Colt Brennan on the sidelines recovering from last week’s concussion, Tyler Graunke led the Warriors with 358 passing yards and 2 TDs, as they needed a 45-yard field goal with 11 seconds left in the game to come from behind and win it. Hawaii joins Kansas as the only unbeaten teams in the nation and also sets up a big showdown next week. Next up for #15 Hawaii: #19 Boise St (10-1) in the conference finale for both, as they both stand at 7-0 in the WAC. A win from either team would give them the WAC title and possibly sneak them into a BCS bowl game, which requires a top 12 finish.

Let’s hope Brennan can go for next week’s game. His punishing hit from last week:

Top 5 in the BCS Standings:

1. LSU (10-1, 6-1 SEC) – Fri. @ 11:30a PT Arkansas (7-4)
2. Kansas (11-0, 7-0 Big 12) – Sat. @ 5p PT #4 Missouri (10-1)
3. West Virginia (9-1, 4-1 Big East) – Sat. @ 12:30p #20 Connecticut (9-2)
4. Missouri (10-1, 6-1 Big 12) – Sat. @ 5p PT at #2 Kansas (11-0)
5. Ohio State (11-1, 7-1 Big Ten) – Done for season

Bay Area Blues

By Chris Le

I’ve lived nearly all of my life in the Bay Area, and I’ve loved every minute of it. Everything about it makes me smile: the weather, even though it isn’t always as sunny and warm as Southern California, the diversity, the chill atmosphere and of course, the culture (though I’ll admit the whole Hyphy Movement was pretty ridiculous. See right). However, like the weather lately, things have been cold and gloomy—especially the outlook of our beloved sports teams.

Was it really that long ago that the San Francisco Giants and Oakland Athletics were viable contenders? Do I have to look that far back in the history books to see when the San Francisco 49ers and the Oakland Raiders were in the middle of legitimate dynasties? And the Golden State Warriors must have been decent fairly recently, right?

Okay, admittedly, the golden days of Bay Area football and basketball are about as far gone as Amy Winehouse on drugs, but the point is, the Bay has seen its share of success. I don’t think it’s been this low, however. Ever.

The San Francisco 49ers

Why the Bay Area is sad: They have set a new low for offensive impotency. Frank Gore, who led the NFC in rushing a year ago, Vernon Davis, who is stronger than most linebackers and faster than most secondaries, and Alex Smith, who drastically improved upon his rookie outing, have all fallen short of expectations, and even worse, seem to have regressed from last year. And the offensive line is as easy to get through as the U.S. border. It’s bad when getting a first down is a reason to celebrate. To boot, there appears to be a miscommunication (tension?) between Smith and head coach Mike Nolan.

Bright spot: Patrick Willis is an absolute stud on a defense that is slowly getting better, though it still isn’t great.

The Oakland Raiders

Why the Bay Area is sad: Zero stability at quarterback and running back, key defensive lapses. Despite some early season flashes of hope, they possess a 2-7 record, the same slate in 2006 at this point in time. They were baaaad last year; they’re almost as bad this year.

Bright spot: This year’s number one overall pick, JaMarcus Russell, has been promoted to backup quarterback and is this much closer to actually playing.

The Golden State Warriors

Why the Bay Area is sad: After a historic playoff run in which they ended their postseason drought of over a dozen years, the Warriors have started the season 0-6, giving up119.6 PPG and losing by 11.8 PPG, both tops in the league. Or is it bottom? The organization traded away Jason Richardson, a beloved key player.

Bright spot: The season is still young and hopes are still high. More importantly, the players still believe. Team captain Stephen Jackson is set to return from a 7-game suspension. And good or bad, you gotta love those Warriors fans.

The San Francisco Giants

Why the Bay Area is sad: They were bottom-dwellers in a traditionally horrid division. Inexplicably spent top dollar on Barry Zito only to have him stink it up with an 11-13 record and a 4.53 ERA. The organization let go of Barry Bonds, who was honestly loved in SF and our only true superstar in athletics. In hindsight, this might’ve been a good move.

Bright spot: It’s not looking good.

The Oakland A’s

Why the Bay Area is sad: Finishing with a 76-86 record, 18 games behind the division leader, the A’s were almost as bad as the neighboring Giants.

Bright spot: A possible move to Fremont, CA. Yikes.

The California Bears

Why the Bay Area is sad: Entering the year with possible national title hopes and having tremendous early season success, the Bears find themselves at 6-4. Goodbye National Championship, farewell Rose Bowl game, and adieu to DeSean Jackson’s Heisman hopes. A wholly disappointing season.

Bright spot: Uh, a possible early-mid December bowl game? Freshman RB Jahvid Best could develop into one of the most dynamic players in the nation.

–

The forecast isn’t looking too good. The futures of our Bay Area sports franchises only offer the slightest glimmer of hope. So small that it’s advisable not to put too much emotional investment in these teams. As loyal sports fans and Bay Area natives, however, we must. Perhaps we can take solace in the numerous other offerings this great location provides. But, damn, all I really care about is sports.

Sunday Morning Picks

By Bryan Jeon

Season: 94-50
Last week: 7-7

Week 10 Recap: Brett Favre hits another milestone – 60,000 passing yards in his career, joining Dan Marino as the only players in NFL history to do so. Favre is now just 1,105 yards away from throwing for the most ever. He is also now just one game away from tying Marino’s record of most games (62) with at least three touchdown passes. In the Packers’ 34-0 romp over the Vikings, they also managed to knock rushing leader Adrian Peterson (1,081 yards) out of the game with a torn knee ligament. A.P. fantasy owners must be kicking the dirt, as I wouldn’t be surprised if he missed much more than one game. That also makes it extremely difficult now for him to break the rookie rushing record held by Eric Dickerson (1,808) with the 1983 Rams…All in all, a wacky day that saw the St. Louis Rams get their first win of the season on the road against the red-hot New Orleans Saints and Peyton Manning throw 6 INTs and Adam Vinatieri miss a game-winning 29-yard field goal.

Week 11 Picks:

Sunday Morning:
Cleveland (5-4) over Baltimore (4-5) – Week 4: Cleveland 27 – 13 Baltimore. Things could get uglier the second time around with a Ravens offense that has scored just one touchdown in each of their last two games.
Jacksonville (6-3) over San Diego (5-4) – San Diego knows they got away with one against the Colts last week but will not find the same luck against a Jacksonville club that is in the top 5 in the NFL.
Philadelphia (4-5) over Miami (0-9) – 26-year-old rookie John Beck out of BYU, will make his NFL debut against an Eagles offense that still has a lot to improve on despite their win over the Redskins last week.
Oakland (2-7) over Minnesota (3-6) – No Adrian Peterson, no shot of winning for the Vikes. Daunte Culpepper will find a way to get it done, as his time is running short with JaMarcus Russell ready to make his debut.
Indianapolis (7-2) over Kansas City (4-5) – Boy, did Peyton Manning and the Colts really get shaken after the Patriots visited them two weeks ago. Look for them to right the ship today against the Chiefs.
Green Bay (8-1) over Carolina (4-5) – The Pack have put together another 4-game winning streak and Brett Favre will look to make it 4 games in a row with over 300 yards passing at Lambeau Field.
Tampa Bay (5-4) over Atlanta (3-6) – Byron Leftwich has just one start while Joey Harrington has led the Falcons to all three of their wins, yet Leftwich will be the starter. I don’t understand what first-year coach Bobby Petrino is doing here.
New Orleans (4-5) over Houston (4-5) – The Saints should bounce back from their loss to the Rams last week. I feel like the Rams will have a decent second half of the season. New Orleans has put up an average of over 30 points per game in their last five contests.
Arizona (4-5) over Cincinnati (3-6) – Cincinnati was fortunate to play a terrible Ravens team that committed six turnovers while having no touchdowns to show for it. They won’t be able to get away with that against Kurt Warner and the Cardinals.
NY Giants (6-3) over Detroit (6-3) – Last week saw the start of the decline of the Lions. After the first half of the season that saw their win total double from last season, Detroit faces the Giants, Cowboys, Chargers and Packers twice. I predict an 8-8 finish for Rod Marinelli and his squad.
Sunday Afternoon:
Pittsburgh (7-2) over NY Jets (1-8) – Ben Roethlisberger is really gelling with his receivers this year, as the Steelers have put up an average of over 30 points per game in their last four games after their bye week.
Dallas (8-1) over Washington (5-4) – Dallas should blow away the ‘Skins in the first of two meetings between the two teams.
Seattle (5-4) over Chicago (4-5) – With Rex Grossman back, look for bad things to happen. You know the story by now.
St. Louis (1-8) over San Francisco (2-7) – Week 2: St. Louis 16 – 17 San Francisco. Look for a totally different game this time around. The Rams offense is back, folks. One win to show for it, but the fireworks will be flying today against the hapless 49ers, whose offense has regressed, as they ride a 7-game losing streak.
Sunday Night:
New England (9-0) over Buffalo (5-4) – Week 3: New England 38 – 7 Buffalo. Same score, another 4-touchdown game for Tom Brady?
Monday Night:
Denver (4-5) over Tennessee (6-3) – Denver lost at home on Monday Night Football just three weeks ago when Green Bay won a thriller on the first play of overtime. The Broncos will get their redemption against the Titans, who will soon see that they need Vince Young to pass the ball to win games.