Concussions: A Crash Course

By John Butler

Great players in any sport separate themselves from the rest with their ability to play smart. Knowledge of the game and its inner workings allows the greats to outsmart the game plan intended to halt their success. The upper echelon of athletes relies on their brain just as much as their brawn. So what is a prolific athlete to do when concussions begin to take a toll on his career?

Sidney Crosby of the Pittsburgh Penguins is in what should be the prime of his career. At age 24, he has already accomplished a career’s worth of achievements, which includes an NHL MVP trophy and an Olympic Gold Medal. His NHL future now lies in jeopardy because he has suffered a series of concussions. Now the player who led the NHL is goals scored for 2010 has only seen the ice in eight of his team’s 60 games this season. Not only are the side effects of the injury affecting his yearly statistics, but his place in NHL history as well.

Crosby isn’t the first hockey player whose career has been threatened by long lasting concussion symptoms. Eric Lindros, Marc Savard and Chris Pronger are just a handful of players whose careers have been drastically altered because of the side effects of concussions experienced on the ice. Due to the nature of the game we have become accustomed to hockey players coping with this type of injury. However, it is becoming more common in other sports like never before. The number of concussions in the NFL went up 21 percent from 2009 to 2010. That number continues to rise. Even the NBA, the least physical of professional contact sports, gets its share of head injuries. Rookie of the Year candidate Kyrie Irving recently returned to the court after suffering a concussion in early February. Like Sidney Crosby, Kyrie Irving’s Cleveland Cavaliers depend on him to be a long term leader of the franchise. For these two players and so many others, the threat of concussions places the roll of “franchise player” in jeopardy every night.

Improvements have been made to equipment that is meant to keep professional athletes out of harms way. Rules have been implemented to ensure the safety of players when they appear to be defenseless against a crushing blow. The NFL has gone as far as hiring independent doctors to monitor players who experience head trauma during the game. Despite these strides to improve, very little has changed as a result.

Quite frankly, players are bigger, stronger and faster than ever before. Nothing positive can occur to the human body when you have athletes with such great physical strength attacking each other on a nightly basis. There has never been an NFL running back with the size and speed of Brandon Jacobs. Trouble always lies ahead when he meets a middle linebacker head on in the open field. As talented as Michael Jordan was, he would never imagine running over opposing players with the brute strength of LeBron James. Now LeBron does it to literally anyone who gets in his way.

As much as we want to protect the players who are putting their mental health at risk on a nightly basis, everyone loves the hard hitting, bone crushing appeal that is professional sports. On one hand we create a villain out of a player whose style puts his fellow athletes at risk of brain injuries. However, we turn around and admonish a player who appears scared to hurt someone. Let’s face it, athletes today are too strong to endure intense physical contact and walk away unharmed every time. Until we as fans are willing to trade in hard hits for love taps, concussions will jeopardize the careers of Sidney Crosby and many athletes in the years to come.

Thunder's Dynamic Duo

By John Butler

The idea of a sidekick has been working its wonders for years. Batman never fought crime without Robin. Imagine Jerry Seinfeld’s antics without George Costanza adding his two cents. And has anyone ever caught Jack Nicholson at a Lakers game without white bearded Lou Aldner sitting by his side? The same partner in crime mentality has taken place throughout the history of the NBA. Sure we have examples of guys like Scottie Pippen and Michael Jordan who defeated evil villains known as the rest of the league to win 6 championships. But we also have stories like Kevin Garnett and Stephon Marbury who were unable to overcome the kryptonite of greed and succeeding in a small market. So how will the NBA duo of Oklahoma City’s Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook play out?

Durant and Westbrook are often overshadowed by the big market tandems of Carmelo Anthony and Amare’ Staudamire in New York and Wade, LeBron and Bosh in Miami. But according to the numbers that never lie, Oklahoma City is the best team in the NBA with a 25-7 record. It’s been argued that Durant, in his fifth NBA season, and Westbrook, in his fourth, don’t have enough NBA experience to take their team to the next level. But the duo has already taken OKC to the playoffs the last two seasons, which includes a trip to the Western Conference finals. The next level for them is the NBA Finals.

Kevin Durant has a very friendly demeanor. He’s a superstar that sees his teammates as more than just the other eleven players on the roster. Durant really is “one of the guys.” But does that mentality blur the lines as to who is the superstar and who is the wingman? It certainly does, but only when the true wingman feels he isn’t getting paid what he deserves. The front office of the Oklahoma City Thunder eliminated that potential problem when they resigned Westbrook to a five year $80 million contract.

Russell Westbrook gets a bad rep for his style of play. He feels like he can beat you one on one every time and his 18.5 shot attempts per game proves it. Some say that a handful of those shots should be passes to Kevin Durant, but that high number of attempts results in 22 points per game. It alleviates the pressure placed on Kevin Durant to score. After all, isn’t it the role of the sidekick to give the super hero the extra boost needed to come through in the clutch? That’s exactly what these two did on Sunday night when Durant scored 51 points and Westbrook added 40. It’s this dually fueled scoring machine that has allowed their team to be successful.

So when the dust clears will the OKC dynamic duo of Durant and Westbrook be able to fight the evil villains of the NBA? Will they stand victorious against the powerhouse squads like Miami and New York? How long will the pair be satisfied with fighting crime in a small market before one of them goes to LA or Chicago? It’s up to those two guys if they will be the quintessential Batman and Robin or Cheech and Chong and watch their legacy go up in smoke.

My Favorite Athlete TV Appearances

Philadelphia Phillies center fielder Shane Victorino will be guest starring on “Hawaii Five-O” tonight. While his personality is meant for TV, he’s got a long way to go before we can call his guest appearance one of the best in television history. Here are some of my personal favorite athletes to try their luck on TV over the years.

5. Mike Tyson



Sure they called him Frederick Tatum on “The Simpsons”, but lets be honest with ourselves. He was a boxer and a convicted felon who was a splitting image of Iron Mike! It’s just a shame though that we never got to see the end of that fight between Tatum and Homer Simpson.

4. Hulk Hogan



Shane Victorino isn’t the first guy to try acting in the tropics. I know a lot of people are going to be mad at me for calling Hulk Hogan an athlete, but Hulkamaniacs went wild for “Thunder in Paradise” in the nineties. (No matter how unrealistic it was)



3. Chris Webber



I would have never thought that Chris Webber had a dark side. That was until he was arrested for murder on an episode of “New York Undercover.”



2. Peyton Manning



Rumors of Peyton Manning being Mr. Funny Guy were questioned until his appearance on Saturday Night Live. Who can forget his United Way skit?



1. Julius Erving


Who else could get Dr. J to hang out in a trash can but The Grouch? Shane Victorino has some big shoes to fill on “Hawaii Five-O” if he thinks he can do better than Julius Erving on “Seasame Street.”

Professional Rationalist Presents: Fan Amnesia

Life has become so fast paced. With technology everywhere, we have a tendency to want it all and want it right now. We want our favorite movies downloaded to our iPhones in seconds. We want to be able to buy car insurance in less than five minutes. And who doesn’t want to get rock hard abs with P90X in less time than it takes to watch an episode of “Dexter?” The same is true when it comes to athletes. We want record breaking NBA stars, Super Bowl winning quarterbacks and hockey players who can win a Stanley Cup in the blink of an eye. When athletes are able to give us these feats we love them more than life itself. We call them the best of all-time, despite the fact that they have only been on the radar for a week (Ask Jeremy Lin). And as soon as they are not performing at that top-notch level that we instantly grew accustomed too, we curse their names and toss them to the side like the first iPod shuffle or a Billy Blanks cassette tape (Ask Allen Iverson). The success of an athlete used to be determined by what they have accomplished in their body of work. Now their place in history is fickle, determined by the question, “What have you done for me lately?”

New Is Better Theory
There is this new equation that many misguided sports fans are using to determine the greatness of a player these days. The younger player is greater than the older player. People who follow this equation go around saying LeBron is better than Kobe. Or the Colts should trade Peyton Manning and draft Andrew Luck. Are people who follow this formula actually saying LeBron’s inability to get one championship is greater than Kobe’s ability to win five? Do they really believe that Andrew Luck, a guy who has never taken an NFL snap, is better than the same Peyton Manning who brought Indianapolis a championship? We currently live in a world where veteran athletes are penalized for being great for so long. People get so tired of seeing the same person perform at a high level of success that they just have to vote for the younger guy.

Peter Pan Theory
Fans feel that sports are a magical land where athletes never grow old. They are under the false pretense that the playing field is protected from ailments like arthritis, back aches and tendonitis. The stars of the game are supposed to remain 25 and in the prime of their career forever. So when a guy like Tim Duncan averages a career low of 13 points per game people begin to wonder why. They call him a bum and the two words dreaded by every athlete, “Washed Up.” Newsflash everyone! He’s not washed up, his roll has shifted. After 14 seasons and over 1000 NBA games your body begins to take a toll. If he went out every night and tried to score 20 points, he wouldn’t make it past the All-Star break. So what does he do? He coasts his way through the season, cuts down on the minutes played and makes sure he’s ready for the games that really matter…The Playoffs. No one called Kareem Abdul-Jabar washed up when he paced himself to 20 NBA seasons. We didn’t expect 2001 Cal Ripken to hit with the same precision he did in 1989. But today’s fan has no use for over the hill players hogging up the trainer’s table. They are ready to close the casket on the careers of guys like Derek Jeter and Sidney Crosby.

The Hype
We all know the story. An athlete is just a run of the mill jock until they go on a media captured hot streak that propels them into the greatest of all-time category. That is, of course, until someone else comes along and steals their media coverage. Eli Manning’s 2007 Super Bowl victory was considered a fluke by many. He was considered a guy who just got lucky. A 2012 championship and he’s called a guaranteed Hall of Famer. All the while people forget about Ben Roethlisberger who has also won two Super Bowls. Unlike any period in sports before, media coverage dictates which athletes get the love. Blake Griffin, for example, is a starter in this year’s NBA All-Star game because his dazzling dunks are on SportsCenter’s Top Ten Plays every night. Ask a number of fans and they will tell you he is one of the greatest guys to ever play above the rim. Meanwhile, people forget that the likes of Vince Carter who gave you dunk contest performances during the game! I’m excited as the next guy about the recent success of New York Knicks guard Jeremy Lin, but if there is a game where he doesn’t score a ton of points, the media is going move on to the next one.

My advice to any athlete who is currently enjoying a reign at the top is to soak it all in. Embrace the moment. Steal every penny you can from the memorabilia deals and endorsements, because soon you will start to play like an “old guy.” A new YouTube sensation will come along with a cooler highlight reel than you. At which your career is back to the drawing board as you try to figure out “What can you do for them lately.”

Excel-LIN News

A few weeks ago I traveled to Washington Dc to see monuments, memorials, and all the other sights that let you know that some dead person did some pretty big and important shit. While there I observed the Martin Luther King monument. It was a moving experience. All types of people, reading his words on the walls of his monument, crying, and singing old hymns that I had only heard in movies like The Color Purple and Glory.

Two weeks later, I've noticed a shift in the worlds landscape. The best power forward in the NBA is white. An Asian player born and bred in America is now an adjective and he has started to do exactly what MLK did: inspire others to achieve greatness.... Even with the use of a piano. Check out the Jeremy Lin of the piano.

New York Knicks: Bright Lights, Dim Championship Hopes

The Sixers were riding high on a six-game winning streak until last week’s loss to the Knicks. Many feel like the Knicks brought Philly back to reality when they outscored them 24-15 in the first quarter. But the reality is the Knicks showed their true colors. Entertaining team to watch? YES. NBA championship contender. NOT EVEN CLOSE.

You would think that the Knicks would be one of the favorites to come out of the Eastern Conference. They have one of the top NBA performers in Carmelo Anthony, perennial all-star Amare’ Staudamire and recently acquired Tyson Chandler, who was a key contributor to the Mavs championship run last season. But these individual talents just don’t seem to mesh. Despite being the team’s starting power forward, Amare Staudamire doesn’t rebound better than an average guard. I understand that a history of knee injuries makes it difficult to sky the rim for boards, but if Elton Brand can do it-- no one other than Greg Oden has an excuse. Amare is not the only guy on the team who should receive the blame for a dismal 6-5 start. Who would have ever thought that Carmelo’s calm, cool and collective demeanor would also be his weakness? Sure he nailed jump shot after jump shot on Iguadala in the second half Wednesday night, but it took a trash talking session and a double technical for him to get into the game. His lack of intensity on a nightly basis, along with the inability to play defense almost cancels out the tremendous scoring ability that he possesses. In fact, Tyson Chandler seems to be the only guy on the roster who can spell the word defense. Sure he will end up being one of the league leaders in blocked shots, but that’s only because of the amount of help defense he will be forced to provide.

Generally these are the types of issues that are solved by the leadership of a head coach. Most good teams are orchestrated by a guy who can tell the star that he needs to step it up. They have a leader at the helm who preaches defense during timeouts. While most teams have someone on the bench who is looking to take their game to the next level, the Knicks have Mike D’Antoni on the sideline refusing to change his ways for the sake of improvement. D’Antoni is convinced that the run and gun offense is the way to go. Don’t get me wrong, some teams like the Suns and most recently the Clippers have garnered some success playing that style of basketball. There is just one thing that separates those two teams from the Knicks however; they have a point guard! With Baron Davis out of action until at least the end of January, the Knicks have been starting rookie Iman Shumpert. Sorry D’Antoni but it is neither fair nor rational to expect a rookie picked 17th in the draft to play at the same level as a Steve Nash or Chris Paul.

So the Knicks may have stolen a victory over the Sixers last week. Spike Lee and his notorious courtside antics had the opportunity to enjoy his hometown team. Being the great director he is, Spike should be able to envision the Sixers and his Knicks meeting up in the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs as a 4 seed vs. 5 seed matchup. He should also realize that last week’s game was a few Sixers baskets away from being a New York tragedy. And if the Knicks don’t commit to defense, step up the intensity and hire a real coach then I don’t see this story ending happily ever after for Spike Lee or any other Knicks fan.

It's Tebow Time, But for How Long?

If I told you an NFL quarterback had just ten touchdowns, a meager 1,054 yards passing and a mediocre QB rating of 87.9 through ten NFL games, you would call him a NCAA Division II coach in the making. Instead, many refer to a guy with those identical numbers as the savior of a franchise. A superstar in the making. The best quarterback in Denver since John Elway. But before we crown Tim Tebow the next franchise player of the Denver Broncos, let’s take a close look at what he has and hasn’t accomplished.

Despite being unorthodox and lacking proper mechanics, no one can deny the fact that Tebow is winning right now. He has his team sitting atop the AFC West and riding high on a five game winning streak. But as you take a look at those wins, you begin to see the story unfold. Only two of the five teams he has defeated in those W’s have a winning percentage over .500. They narrowly escaped with a victory last week against the now 2-10 Vikings and it is very possible that not one of them will make the playoffs. I get the fact that a win is a win but do we know how Tebow will perform against the elite NFL teams?

A lot of Tebow’s early success is due to his determination and ability to block out the naysayers. Whenever a reporter questions his abilities in a post- game interview,he manages to give a picture perfect response, filled with colorful language about “teammates” and “faith.” The question remains: how long can he remain beloved by Tebow-maniacs? Based on a mid-season poll among current NFL players, he has already been voted the most overrated. Even the team’s owner and Hall of Famer John Elway is leery of throwing praise Tebow’s way. Will the fans have his back if the team hits a losing streak? How long before wide receivers get fed up with running deep routes only to find out that the quarterback can’t reach them? It will be a very tough task for Tebow to overcome these types of obstacles in a league where the life expectancy of a starting quarterback is getting slimmer than Terry Bradshaw’s hairline. How many more games can he win going a ridiculous 2/8 for 69 yards like he did against Kansas City?

I do think he has intangible qualities necessary to lead a championship caliber team however. He plays hard, he’s a leader and all the other good stuff you see in Nike commercials. If the Broncos can continue to improve their already tenacious defense and develop a Terrell Davis-like running back, the only thing they will need Tebow to do is not turn the ball over. In fact, lack of turnovers may be the one statistical category in which he excels with just one interception this year. He reminds me of a struggling quarterback who found a way to get his team to the 2006 Super Bowl despite not being the most talented QB; Rex Grossman. No one would dare pick Rex in the first round of a fantasy draft, but the truth remains that he had enough talent around him where all he had to do was not screw up. As long as Denver’s defense doesn’t mind spending a lot of time on the field and the kicker is ready to boot three or four field goals a game, the Broncos and Tebow can emulate the success of the ’06 Bears.

The level of success that Tim Tebow will reach is completely up to him. Will he continue to develop his passing game? Will he learn to not take so many crushing hits while running the option? Will he work with his coaches to develop a system that showcases his talents as opposed to exposing his weaknesses? His best statistical years may be behind him on a football field at the University of Florida. He may never have more NFL passing yards than Tebowing.com page views. And that’s exactly why football fans are excited to see just how successful Tim Tebow can become.

NBA Is Back, But 76ers Return

This year on December 25th, hoop fans will be able to un-wrap the gift of a salvaged NBA season. No more guessing as to whether or not LeBron will participate in a charity game. No more watching Euroleague Basketball to catch a glimpse of NBA talent. We will finally get to see NBA competition once again. Although this is something we should all be Tebowing over, Sixers fans in particular should look at this year as the beginning of something special.

The key to any successful franchise is its ownership. Take a look at the NBA squads that have been successful, and an ownership with a proven track record will surely follow. Just look at the overzealous Mark Cuban and what he has done with the NBA Champion Dallas Mavericks. That type of passion is something that has been missing from the Sixers’ front office since the departure of Pat Croce. It appears as though new Managing Owner Joshua Harris is going to bring that back to the city. During this stagnant off-season he has already vowed to bring Dr. J back to the team in some capacity, added esteemed Jeff Capel to the coaching staff and gave Hip-Hop, the mascot, a pink slip. Just wait until he can begin to make moves with the roster! This is a guy that knows this team needs to make changes from top to bottom and he’s not afraid to do it.

We can all play fantasy owner and dream up trades that would make the Sixers an instant contender (Elton Brand to any team is my favorite) but the current roster may not perform all that bad in a shortened season. The Sixers won’t be faced with the challenge of adapting to a new head coach like the LA Lakers. Nor will they have to worry about vital rookies adapting to a new system like teams who had lottery picks in this summer’s draft. Barring any unforeseeable blockbuster trades, the Sixers will be heading into this season with the same group of guys that finished last year on a hot streak. Add the fact that a 66 game schedule, with only 18 of those against the Western Conference, the Sixers are sure to luck up and avoid playing some of the top Western Conference teams this year. The last time the Sixers played a shortened season (1999 NBA Lockout) they improved from the 14th spot in the Eastern Conference to a six seed in the playoffs. Fans of the storied franchise can only hope for similar results come this season.

We can also look forward to a breakout season from point guard Jrue Holiday. Last year he averaged 14 points and 6 assists per game in just his second year in the league. His numbers were significantly better after the All-Star break and I see no reason for that success not to continue, especially under the tutelage of head coach and former All-Star point guard Doug Collins. If he can get the job done at the point without the help of a single All-Star on his team, it’s no telling what Holiday can do once he is surrounded by the right talent.

Now don’t get me wrong. I’m not ordering that we clean the rafters and make room for a championship banner anytime soon. Sure there are a lot of questions left unanswered as we prepare for this unique season to unfold. We don’t know if Andre Iguodala will finally earn his $90 million contract. It’s uncertain if Elton Brand will spend more time on the floor than the kids that sweep the court. Hell, we still don’t even have a mascot! One thing is for certain- as the franchise works its way back to the top of the Eastern Conference, this season will serve as an early milestone for how it will all come together.

Living in a Lockout

As we the fans prepare ourselves for an NBA lockout, take a look at how some of your favorite players are keeping busy...

10. Dancing


As if changing his name to “Metta World Peace” wasn’t enough, Ron Artest tried his luck on “Dancing with the Stars.” I don’t know what’s more impressive, the fact that he has a few moves or the fact that he was able to perfectly imitate Hulk Hogan’s mustache.



9. Job Hunting


What does the NBA millionaire, who was arrested for riding a motorcycle while concealing a gun inside of a pool stick case, do when he does not have a job? How about apply for a full time gig at a furniture store. Watch out college kids because Delonte West is on the prowl and looking to steal your job.

8. Spiking


Kevin Love is a California native. So, what else would you expect him to do during the lockout besides pick up volleyball? Kev competed, well if you can even call it that, in the Manhattan Beach Open this past August.

7. Coaching


Luke Walton, or should I say Coach, has decided to take his talents to Memphis. The LA Laker has decided to take an assistant coaching position with the University of Memphis basketball team until the lockout ends.

6. Planking


Gilbert Arenas and Dwight Howard must be staging some type of protest. The NBA will forfeit a season over their planking bodies.

5. Kickin’ It


We knew Kobe grew up in Italy and speaks fluent Italian, but I didn’t know he had a penalty kick in him as well?



4. Bluffing


“Celtic Pride” Paul Pierce played his cards right and made it deep into the World Series of Poker in Las Vegas. Let’s just hope he’s betting on the NBA resuming play this year.

3. Blazin’


It’s not that most NBA players don’t already smoke the ganja. It’s just that Portland Trailblazer Marcus Camby got caught.

2. Ballin’


Some guys are “Doing the Right Thing” and using their down time to remain competitive. While some are playing overseas, the likes of Carmelo Anthony, LeBron James and Chris Paul recently played a Philly vs. Baltimore game for charity at the Palestra in Philadelphia.

1.Interning


What better way to spend your off season than interning at “Funny or Die” with Will Ferrell? That’s how NBA All-Star Blake Griffin is spending his time during the lockout. Who says a guy that dunks over a Kia can’t be funny? Check it out for yourself.

Lil' Blake from Blake Griffin

MOVIE OF THE WEEK: Gunnin’ for That No.1 Spot

I’m not gonna lie. I’m pissed off about this NBA strike. The season is supposed to be
starting in a little over a month and there has been no progress. Blake Griffin is interning and some guys are playing overseas, but there is no guarantee about the future of your favorite NBA superstars.

Despite not knowing the future of your favorite players, you can find out how some
of them got to the most elite level of basketball in “Gunnin’ for That No.1 Spot.” This movie takes you on a journey with today’s NBA stars (Kevin Love, Tyreke Evans and Michael Beaseley to name a few) during their high school days as they prepare to play at the world renown Rucker Park in New York City.

Although the film isn’t quite the replacement for an NBA season, it certainly is better
than listening to Commissioner David Stern ramble on about why the NBA isn’t in
action.

Vicious Money

By Selena Williams. An avid boxing fan who also contributes to the boxing bible
"Ring Magazine", Ms. Williams writes with a passion that makes many believe she should actually be inside the ring.

Sixteen months ago, “Pretty Boy” Floyd “Money” Mayweather stripped Shane Mosley of his WBA Super welterweight title in a unanimous decision win for Pretty Money…I mean Money Mayweather. Fast forward to now; Money Boy is now going up against the equally matched and skilled fighter Manny Paquiao!!!!

Shit, I WISH! After fighting Hatton, Marquez, and Mosley he’s fighting Victor Ortiz and not Manny Pacquiao? Really? C’mon Son! The only reasonable argument would be for Mayweather to become the WBC welterweight title holder, before fighting Pacquiao.

But on a serious note: this Saturday, the former 5-division champ and #1 pound-for-pound boxer Floyd “Money” Mayweather (41-0, 25KOs) will face Victor “Vicious” Ortiz (29-2-2, 22KOs) in Las Vegas, Nevada at the MGM grand ballroom for the WBC welterweight title. Mayweather is reportedly making $50million but wanted $100mil and was turned down. Ortiz will be making $2-$2.5 million on this fight, which is a come up from his last fight of $400,000.

Ortiz is a great young southpaw fighter who has speed and the ability to counter-punch. At 24, he gained the WBC welterweight title when he defeated Andre Berto after 12 grueling rounds. Personally I think it’s way too soon to put him in the ring with such an advanced boxer such as Mayweather. Ortiz needs a few more fights under his belt as the title holder before I can legitimately say that he has a good chance at winning. I’m not discrediting his skill, I think if he stays calm, counters, sticks and moves, and takes it to the body, he may cause some difficulties for Mayweather, but not enough to defeat his strategic opponent. In order for Ortiz to win he’ll have to sit Mayweather down...on the canvas.

Mayweather on the other hand, isn’t getting any younger and with the layoffs after his fights I’m pretty sure it’ll catch up with him. Until then, I think it’s safe to say he still has it. I predict he’ll win this fight in simple Mayweather fashion…he’ll outbox the shit out of Ortiz! Unless Mayweather lost some of his skills during his 16 month hiatus while talking to 50cent on that money phone, I don’t see him loosing.

Personally I think that this fight is just a warm-up of what’s to come (hopefully) with Mayweather and Pacquiao. Ortiz is southpaw and so is Pacquiao, Ortiz hits pretty hard and…well… Pacquiao hits harder. All I know is after this fight, there shouldn’t be any question who Mayweather should fight next.

2011 NFC Preview

By Cory Young. A freelance blogger, and self - proclaimed fantasy football maven, was once an aspiring sports journalist out of Temple University. He was disheartened by the newspaper industry to profit from the internet. Fearing the worse, he sold out and joined the corporate life. Like The Million Dollar Man Ted Dibiase said, "Everybody has a price."

Finally the NFL owners and players have quit their bitchin’ and the lockout has been lifted. What does that mean for you? Another season of beer, wings, HDTV’s, fantasy football and losing your paycheck on that 3-team teaser when all you needed was that damn Texans DB to bat the ball NOT into the hands of Mike Thomas (bet that happened to you too)! Anyway, all of these media-types have been telling me to get ready for some crazy free agency/training camp/preseason Royal Rumble where the last man standing gets Nnamdi Asomugha and a shot at the WWF title or something. Wait... the Philadelphia Eagles sign Nnamdi Asomugha...WHAT...the EAGLES got Nnamdi!? Ok, now it’s on!



NFC East: You know I rep Philly, and journalism is supposed to be objective, but the Eagles are unabashedly my pick. You heard they got Nnamdi right? *Clears Throat* You heard they got NNAMDI right!? To quote something I saw on Twitter, “It’s like we are playing franchise mode in Madden with the Salary Cap OFF.” Remember Madden 04-05 when Mike Vick was like 97 speed and basically illegal to use? Oh yeah, that’s their WHOLE offense in 2011. I know I know, the NFL isn’t a video game...until you have Vick, Jackson, Maclin, McCoy, and Rodgers-Cromartie on your squad. My bad I forgot Nnamdi - ok ok I’ll stop saying his name. Speed kills, and they’ve got plenty of it.



The Redskins have John Beck...’nuff said.



The Cowboys and Giants are left to battle it out for second place in the NFC East, and since the Cowboys are chronic chokers, I’m gonna take NYG here. They have a solid young WR corps with Hakeem Nicks and Mario Manningham, and aside from Eli Manning’s fumblitis and Miracle at the Meadowlands Pt. 2, they handled Vick and the Eagles pretty well throughout last season.



NFC North: The remnants of the NFC Black-and-Blue division shapes up to be another boring fight between the Packers and Bears for division supremacy. The biggest acquisition in the division is former Eagle and Redskin Donovan McNabb, traded to the Vikings, but well past his prime. McNabb is in no shape to lead Minnesota to the Super Bowl...or even the playoffs. Without a go-to WR after losing Sidney Rice, the Vikings are my pick for doormat of the NFC North. McNabb, just hand the ball off to Peterson and watch him bulldoze everyone in his path. It’s the smart thing to do.



The Green Bay Packers, reigning Super Bowl Champs, have a tall task ahead of them if they want to repeat. With 90% of their squad injured last year, Aaron Rodgers and Greg Jennings “put da team on they back doe" and took the pack to the promise land. With most of the team coming back healthy this year, I think the Pack has a solid chance of overtaking the Bears and winning this division. However, I can’t see them repeating and taking the title a second year in a row.

Who thinks Stafford-to-Megatron should be the new Daunte-to-Randy? I do...but if Matt Stafford doesn’t tell his shoulder to get it’s mind right, the dreams of all Lions fans will be flushed down the...ehh...actually they’re already in the toilet so it would just be par for the course. On a serious note, the Lions have genuine potential with that battering ram of a D-Line - led by Ndamukong Suh and Kyle VandenBosch. That being said, these guys will still fight to stay out of the cellar this year.



Oh, I have to write about the boring ass Bears too? Sorry, but for an 11-5 team they were extremely underwhelming last year...sounds like a nice descriptor of Jay Cutler’s career so far too, right? That dude has been criminally average since he came in the league with the Broncos - am I supposed to be impressed by a guy who has a nearly 1:1 Td-Int ratio for his career? Combine that with Chicago, the recently anointed “Land Receivers Go to Die,” and don't see how the Bears repeat as division champs.



NFC South: This is the division to watch for the next five or so years - the prolific Saints offense, the balanced attack of the Falcons, and the Bucs with their QB “All I Do is Win” Josh Freeman. With the addition of Julio Jones to compliment Roddy White, and Ray Edwards to bolster an already motor-heavy D-Line, I think the Falcons have what it takes to crown themselves division champs again. I wish I had the stones to pick the Bucs to come in second over the Saints, but if there is one thing I’ve learned it’s never count out Drew Brees. Unless he’s playing in a road playoff game against Marshawn Lynch.

No other division looks as hotly contested as this, and if Cam Newton is all the Panthers think he is, then a very talented team will be routinely missing the playoffs in this division for years to come.



NFC West: Kevin Kolb, Kevin Kolb, Kevin Kolb, Kevin Kolb! *Obligatory ‘Black & Yellow’ Hook* The Cardinals just gave Kevin Kolb 5.7 million dollars per career touchdown to rescue them from a division in which the winner went 7-9....SEVEN AND NINE! Seattle looks to rebuild its squad with the Tarvaris to Sidney Rice combo that made Minnesota so successful..............ok I can’t go on with the charade that anyone cares about the NFC West anymore! Somebody is going to come out of that division...I’ll leave it at that.



Of course I like the Eagles to come out of the NFC after fleecing the rest of the league this offseason and Vince Young dubbing them a “dream team.” I fully expect the Packers to be in the NFC Championship along with the Eagles. With a much improved defense I can’t see the Pack taking home that George Halas Trophy in January. Are the Eagles the Miami Heat of Football? Nope...there won’t be a squad full of Mavericks ready to take them down at the finish line.

NBA Is Amazing.. NBA is fantastic.​... NBA Where amazing happens.. NBA is freaky

The NBA has had several cool slogans over the years to accompany the stellar basketball plays the players perform on the court. Dunks, crossovers, blocks, and look away passes have brought fans out of their seats and left them wanting more. It looks like Nicki Minaj wants to reward the players for all of their hard work. Instead of jumping out her seat to cheer a good play, she has had decided to put the ballers in a seat and give them lap dances. If she gave out dances to Steve Nash and Chris Paul, who knows what Michael Jordan and Wilt Chamberlain would have gotten from her, while they were in the prime of their careers.

NBA Hardware Predictions

As the NBA season comes to a close, its time for me to weigh in on who deserves this year’s hardware.

MVP: Derrick Rose


Sure, LeBron is putting up MVP-caliber numbers, but some of his votes are being taken away by his own teammate Dwyane Wade. Kobe can’t possibly have a shot seeing as though his points per game total (25.2ppg) is his lowest since the 2003-2004 season. The most deserving winner of this award would be Derrick Rose. Sorry Kevin Durant, but Rose has improved in points, rebounds, and assists per game, not to mention that he has the Chicago Bulls sitting atop the Eastern Conference for the first time since the departure of Michael Jordan. Better luck next year KD. Without question, Derrick Rose should be taking home the MVP award in just his third NBA season.

Coach of the Year: Doug Collins


No, I didn’t pick Doug Collins because I’m from Philly. I picked him because anyone who takes a team from a 27-55 season last year to fighting to be a potential fifth seed in the NBA playoffs deserves to be “Coach of the Year”. Still don’t agree with me? Add the fact that he is doing all of this without a single all-star on the roster.

Sixth Man Award: Jason Terry


The Dallas Mavericks’ second most valuable player behind Dirk Norwitzki should easily pick up his second career “Sixth Man of the Year” award at the end of this season. He leads all bench players in scoring with 16.3 points per game. His scoring average is not an inflated number like the guys who get in the game at the end of quarters and try to rack up points. “The Jet” has the ability to take over a game down the stretch. No player in the league is more deserving of this award than Jason Terry.

Defensive Player of the Year: Dwight Howard


There has been very little competition for this award in the past few years. It seems like the voting committee alternates between giving it to a guard who racks up a bunch of steals or a big man that gets a lot of blocks. I’m predicting that the coaches will go with a big man once again and give this award to Dwight Howard for the second straight year.

Most Improved Player: Kevin Love


Last year Kevin Love only started 22 games. This year he became an NBA starter, made his first “All-Star Game” appearance and recorded 53 straight double-doubles. If that is not most improved then I don’t know what is. The next step for Kevin Love…get the hell out of Minnesota!

So What Do You Think?


Did I hit the nail on the head or did I miss the boat on this one? Let us know in the comment section.

Professional Rationalist

Skeletons in the Closet

We all have at least one skeleton in the closet. That one person that we wish we never would have slept with. For some ladies it might be the guy who lets her ride the subway for free everyday. For some guys it could be the girl at the bar who tried too hard to get you drunk and succeeded. No matter how many skeletons you have it can’t be worse than NBA basketball player Delonte West, who for the past few years has been alleged to have slept with former teammate LeBron James’ mom!

What could Delonte’s excuse possibly be? I really care about her? Was it revenge for LeBron taking too many shots? In my opinion, his best bet would be to get the band together and give the only excuse possible…

SPORTS: Dunk's Away

My knees hurt me every day. Sad to say, I don’t have a dunk in my past to show for my aches and pains. Unless you count the windmill and 360 dunks that I threw down on the nerf hoop attached to my bedroom door. ESPN columnist Rick Reilly may be able to take me in a nerf dunk contest. This video illustrates that he has no regard for his body.


Rick Reilly's Monstrous Slam Dunk - Watch more Sports

It turns out that white men can jump. Checks out this player from a small college in Illinois throw it down.



Blake Griffin can do more than dunk the ball. He can also act. In the clip below he plays the role of Mars Blackmon as he attempts to help a tight end from USC get drafted in next month’s NFL draft.

Hey Beer Man

Somethings were meant to be together. Peanut butter and jelly, Batman and Robbin, the hot dog and the bun, as well as chicken and grease. Most people would include Philadelphia sports fans and beer to this list because of our behavior at games. Passion for your local sports' team can be taken to an entirely level when alcohol is involved. It's not our fault that we care about our teams' wins and loses more than the average fan. Maybe that's why Philly is now home to the fastest beer dispenser in the world. With the help of this new invention, fans can get a beer back in their seats much faster. Even Philly fans can't boo that.

Ballllinnnnnnnnn

My knees are shot. To make matters worse the weather is heating up along the east coast which lets me know that Spring is just around the corner. To many of us, spring is the first chance we have to get back onto the blacktop and live out our hoop dreams. After watching last nights NBA Allstar game, many of us are waiting desperately for the next warm day so that we can get on the court. That even goes for broken down ballers like me that have knees like Greg Oden, Penny Hardaway, and Sam Bowie. While we wait for the weather to break, get inspired by this young hooper who has visions of being an allstar in the near future.

Coming off the Top Rope!

I used to love wrestling. So much so that the Professional Rationalist and I used to jump off the top rope (steps or couch), use the figure four leg lock, and drop the leg on one another just like Hulk Hogan. I can still hear our mothers and grandmother telling us to sit down before someone breaks their neck. He was no match for me since I was older but the little rascal sure had heart. I was a WWF guy but still supported other federations. At school on Monday, the cool girls always knew who won the big matches from Saturday. They all wanted to be Ms. Elizabeth. Ric Flair is the reason that I dream of having all white hair. He had a sense of style and charisma that made us all go "WOOOOOOO" when we heard his theme music. Man those were the days. Wrestling is nothing like it used to be however. For example, I would never imitate the guys in this video. They are making a mockery of the sport of wrestling. Andre the Giant is rolling over in his grave. No one should ever dance in the ring. Someone needs to let Jake the Snakes' pet loose on these two fools.

The Super Bowl EVERYONE is Really Waiting For

Now that the Super Bowl is set, the nation can decide if it will become cheese heads or if they will be singing black and yellow. However, there won’t be much debate when it comes to Super Bowl Sunday’s real big game, The Puppy Bowl, where in my opinion, everyone wins. I always wanted a dog. As a kid, I noticed that many of the characters that I was enamored with on television had trustworthy dogs at their side. Asto, the Deputy Dog, Snoopy, Odie, and Scooby Doo all would have taken my childhood to another level. I would daydream about playing fetch with my dog, having him or her bring me the newspaper, wrestle with it in the snow, and sleep with it at my side. Then reality set in. I realized that I would have to walk it in inclement weather, pick up its shit, my full sized bed wasn’t going to be able to hold us both, and living in a row house in a city made having a cat much more realistic. While they may be a pain at times, the nation will collectively, “AWWWWW” as one puppy after another makes big plays in this year’s Puppy Bowl. Click the link below to see last years MVP (Most Valuable Puppy).