Remember Anfernee “Penny” Hardaway? When I say that name now what you, I and everyone else think of is a sub par basketball player who somehow makes 15 million dollars a year. People even try to insult him by calling him the “nickel” instead of “penny”. I never quite understood how this was an insult, if my nickname was “g-spot” and people started calling me “million dollar man.” that’s an upgrade in cash, therefore its an upgrade in a nickname.
I am going to love the World Baseball Classic. It doesn’t really matter what happens, it’s going to be awesome.
Even if the Dominican Murders’ Row easily reduces all opposing pitching to a series of puddles or the American staff is as untouchable as LeBron at the trade deadline, just seeing The Grand Old Game seasoned with this type of international flavor is sure to be special.
By David J Cohen
The reserves for the 2006 NBA All-Star Game were finally announced Thursday night. Now the rosters are set for the game where the NBA’s elite come together to put on one entertaining show. This game, unlike all-star games in Major League Baseball and the National Football League, has meaning to the players chosen to participate. The label of “all-star” is still an honor to NBA players. This means that it is actually important to ensure the most deserving players are chosen to represent their conferences.
Of course, our world isn’t perfect. Every year there are players watching this game that should be playing in it. This year is no exception. A serious case can be made for Milwaukee Bucks guard Michael Redd in the East and Denver Nuggets forward Carmelo Anthony in the West to be participants in this year’s game. However, there is one player left out this year that without a doubt should be an all-star. He can be argued as an MVP candidate. He has carried a team projected to finish last in its conference on his shoulders. He has led a team of second-string players into position to be a playoff team. And he has accomplished all of this while simultaneously adjusting from the college game to the pros at its most challenging position. He is New Orleans/Oklahoma City point-guard Chris Paul.
The Nebraska Cornhuskers have always been known as a football school, in fact a powerhouse. As the third winningest college football program of all time, Nebraska has had its share of high points. You could mention the five national titles, the three Heisman Trophy winners, or the the 270 straight sell outs at Memorial Stadium in Lincoln. Nebraska has a great tradition and is usually one of the top programs in the country every year.
The Huskers have also had their troubles though. I will tell you about this decade of football in the Husker Nation!
by Matt Wells
Recently, I analyzed and summarized the moves made by the American League teams in the current free agency period. Some teams made the “winners” list; the rest were less fortunate.
Now, I analyze the moves made by the 16 National League teams. Once again, there will be winners, losers, and neutrals. Let’s see where your team ends up…
By David J Cohen
Thought-provoking. Insightful. Those are the kind of words that come to mind when I think of the great Chinese philosopher Confucius (551 BC – 479 BC). Those are the same words I now associate with the “nuggets of wisdom” Ron Artest has bestowed among us all through the years. It just took some time to find them. With these in my possession I travel to a place no soul should ever go. I venture into the mind of Ron Artest.
A runner is thrown out by a step. A season ends. A team celebrates. The fan unleashes a smiling scream, his thirst for truth within the confines of sport measuring beyond naught, his more optimistic idea of human nature at least temporarily satiated.
Champagne adorns the clubhouse, on walls, soaking into the carpet, for all eternity. It will never dry. A manager accepts validation for his dedication, a player due adulation for an unforgiving occupation. An owner wipes away betraying tears. Commentators, live, attempt valiantly to trap a moment with words. Some succeed.
The sun sets earlier in the day; darkness accentuates winter, enveloping its essence. A hot stove flickers, belches, than burns. Amid the burning tumult, a team is delivered, forged and steadied, easily identifiable. We keep the game alive, us alone, carrying a tattered torch, at times expressively through will.
One day, nature scoffs at the calendar, and the air belies any tangible temperature. It feels lighter, looser; our mind automatically triggers a specific response. The mind searches for definition, until one magic word produces an exacting, all encompassing correlation.
Baseball, even in the winter we still think of Baseball.
The Ice melts. Days are counted, sped up, part of something greater than just game.
Finally, the pitchers and catchers report, our rhythm returns from the down turn of an infinitely epic crescendo, rising and flying again.
Ken Griffey’s bat waggles behind his head, a composer’s instrument of ultimate athletic expression, grace.
Nomar readjusts his batting gloves, Derek Jeter smiles while living the life we imagine, somewhere, sometime, Ernie Banks’ requests two.
Some fool analyzes his favorite team.
The Super Bowl is over. We still have the Pro Bowl, but who can really get into that? The end of the football season means that the baseball season is upon us. Those of you fantasy owners know that baseball is probably the toughest of all fantasy sports. The long season will often take a painful toll own fantasy owners. It becomes difficult to keep up with all of the little changes that teams make over the 6 month season. In order to be a winning manager, you must stay active all season, make quality free agent pickups and trades, and keep track of match-ups your players will face. However, none of this will mean anything if you can’t draft the right players in the beginning. Fortunately for you, that’s what I’m here for.
Now that everyone understands the power of Penn State Football again, maybe it’s time for college basketball fans to realize the Nittany Lions are, maybe for the first time, in the midst of a serious rebuilding stage. Penn State, who just finished a stretch where they played five consecutive ranked opponents, finally came through in the end and defeated a top-notch program, while boosting the hopes and future of their program as well.
We’re a little over three months into the baseball’s free agency with not much more time to go. All 30 teams have made at least one move, which is expected in the business. Some, however made much better moves than others.
Without further ado, the winners, losers, and neutrals in 2005-06 free agency. All 30 teams will be analyzed, however (for length’s sake) the first part of my analysis will encompass the 14 American League teams only.