We’re nine months from first kick and I’ve already got a complaint about the new Philadelphia MLS team.  Philadelphia Union?  Hell, even a simple FC Philadelphia sounds better.  I’d also settle for Philadelphia Athletics or Philadelphia 1776.  Unfortunately, the massholes already took Revolution but surely there’s a better name than Union.  When I watch the beautiful game, I don’t want to be reminded of hard work, The Jungle, or Frank Sobotka.
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By Ryan McGowan

Mariano Rivera notched his 500th career save last weekend against the Richmond Braves New York Mets.

Back in the 90’s, or even as recently as 2003, such an event would have been greeted in Red Sox Nation with snotty, sarcastic dismissals and whiny, insecure hating.  New England would have made a collective litany of excuses as to why this event was irrelevant, as to how Mo was overrated, and how 500 saves wasn’t anything to be proud of.

Thank God we’ve grown up as a fan base.  Now, at least, we can fully accept and appreciate Rivera for being what he is—the greatest closer of all time.   No strings attached, no questions asked.
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Our show happens during the NBA draft so we intersperse all our discussion with the latest draft picks. You can download this week’s podcast directly (running time 90 mins) or subscribe to the feed.

If you use iTunes, just click here and then click subscribe and iTunes will take care of the rest.

This week’s topics include:

• Who are three people who’ve never been in my kitchen
• Mark Sanchez’s sloppy seconds
• That’s not how you spell Drew, Jrue
• 30 days for Donte Stalworth
• Where’s Manny’s remorse?
• USA soccer upsets Spain
• Who will have a longer career: Blake Griffin or Tyler Hansborough?
• Allen Iverson Practice rap remix
• NBA Draft talk with Trevor Freeman
• Corrections with Stat Boy

Trivia question of the week:   Who was the only NBA champion to coach in the Super Bowl? (Answer after the jump.)

Continued

by Trevor Freeman

Ahhhh…..the NBA Draft is almost upon us. The convergence of college and pro that makes for some of the most riveting television of the year. While this year’s draft is considered to be the worst one in years (mainly because a staggering amount of college stars opted to stay in school), it should still be an experience that requires the setting of Tivo and the purchase of Yuengling. As is a yearly tradition, we have put together our mock draft. We begin with a franchise that is desperate for a true superstar…


With the first pick in the 2009 NBA Draft the Los Angeles Clippers select…
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By Diane M. Grassi

“See the USA in your Chevrolet…,” was once as much a theme song for the American leisure lifestyle as it was an advertisement for one of General Motor’s (GM) most celebrated automobiles. And not to be overlooked is the relationship that the auto industry, and more specifically GM, has forged with Major League Baseball (MLB) over the past many decades.
Continued

Lots of hating on the Lakers and some soccer talk. You can download this week’s podcast directly (running time 90 mins) or subscribe to the feed.

If you use iTunes, just click here and then click subscribe and iTunes will take care of the rest.

This week’s topics include:

• Amway blows / reasons to root against the Magic
• Hating on the Lakers / Best run franchise in the NBA?
• Defending Courtney Lee
• Cristiano Ronaldo / What if American sports had transfer fees
• Sodomy in Florida middle school = wrong
• Summer ballpark road trips

With the NBA offseason nearly underway, here’s a look at the three biggest issues the Warriors need to address this summer:

1. Point guard

Bill Walsh used to say that it was better to get rid of a player one year too early, rather than one year too late. Golden State, renowned for being a progressive organization, is way ahead of the curve on this one. Continued

Oakland doesn’t get much publicity as a sports town, but the capital of the East Bay is one of the few cities in America to house a team in each of the three major sports (Take that, San Francisco! You too, hockey!). But faced with the prospect of losing two-thirds of its teams, Oakland is now in the middle of a sporting crisis. Continued

Summer is nearly upon us, which means three things are about to heat up: the weather, the A’s, and trade rumors surrounding Oakland’s best player. This year, that player is Matt Holliday, who’s been an Athletic for a grand total of 57 games.

Despite being free of Colorado’s purple jerseys and dinosaur mascot, Holliday appears less than thrilled to be spending his contract year in Oakland. In his brief time here, he’s followed the basic formula of an old Clint Eastwood western: Continued