WNBA Playoff Time

...boring!

Big Ben leaving Motown?

According to a source (which will remain confidential) of mine, the Wallace household appears to be getting ready for a move. The home is filled with cardboard boxes & whatnot and definitely appears to be in moving mode. It seems unlikely that it is a move to a new home in the Detroit area that just happens to come as his contract with the Pistons expires...

...take it for what it's worth, I just figured I'd share.

There is also a lot of talk about Kevin Garnett coming to Detroit...coincidence? The current rumor is a Ben Wallace sign-and-trade with Carlos Delfino for KG.

WNBA: The NBA's Ugly Little Sister

Why is the WNBA everywhere the NBA happens to be?

Too often do I go to NBA.com or official team pages and see things referring to the WNBA, why is this? We know the league exists, ok? Is constantly advertising the WNBA during the NBA playoffs going to get people to watch? No, it's not. Cut it out...NBA fans aren't going to think "Wow, more basketball to watch.", they're thinking "Women's professional basketball, I'll pass."

I don't have a problem with the league itself or the players (I'm sure I'll be labeled a sexist woman-hater), I have a problem with it "tagging along" with the NBA wherever it goes...for example: I subscribe to the NBA Playoffs Video Podcast and as soon as the WNBA season started and there were less NBA games to recap, I started seeing WNBA recaps and discussion...whoa! What part of "NBA" + "playoffs" means WNBA regular season? Maybe if it was called the "Professional Basketball Podcast" or "Funded By NBA Teams Podcast"...I was expecting more time dedicated to each game, not something else entirely.

I don't go to Mark Cuban's blog and tell people to come to my site because if people like his blog then they should go to mine too...cause iyts liek a blog too1!111!!

The WNBA fan base is as big as it's going to get, it doesn't really interest anyone besides female athletes and some casual females and lesbians...maybe people with serious gambling problems watch too, I don't know. For something that is supposed to be appealing for women to watch, no female I know is interested in it, they'd rather watch the NBA.

Congratulations on your 10th season, and a "hello" to whoever your fans are.

Kobe plays defense?

Can someone explain to me how Kobe Bryant (and Jason Kidd) made the All-Defensive 1st Team despite not getting a single vote for Defensive Player of the Year...just wondering how that works since technically, the top positional players in the DPOY voting should make that team.

2006 NFL Draft

Round 1:
#1 - Houston Texans: Mario Williams DE, N. Carolina St.
The Houston Texans ruined a draft day surprise by announcing their contract agreement with Mario Williams the night before. The Texans had better hope he's worth the money and that they didn't make as big of a mistake as everyone says they did.
#2 - New Orleans Saints: Reggie Bush RB, USC
Due to the Houston Texans taking Mario Williams, the Saints followed with an announcement of their own: they would be taking Reggie Bush. Now the Saints have a solid veteran and the top overall player in the draft at RB.
#3 - Tennessee Titans: Vince Young QB, Texas
Vince Young steps into a starting role in Tennessee, he might start slow, but he has a very big upside.
#4 - New York Jets: D'Brickashaw Ferguson OT, Virginia
The Jets chose to protect the QB, whoever it may be at any given time.
#5 - Green Bay Packers: AJ Hawk OLB, Ohio St.
The Packers went with the "safe pick" in Hawk, and he's definitely what they need on defense...although it may be their offense that actually needed help.
#6 - San Francisco 49ers: Vernon Davis TE, Maryland
They have bigger problems than any team in the league and it'll be a long time before you see these guys in the playoffs.
#7 - Oakland Raiders: Michael Huff CB, Texas
If you've noticed in the past, the Raiders like to draft DBs
#8 - Buffalo Bills: Donte Whitner S, Ohio St.
Yeah, ummm...
#9 - Detroit Lions: Ernie Sims OLB, Florida St.
The Lions need to watch the "Concussions to go" stat on the scoreboard, but a nice fit otherwise.
#10 - Arizona Cardinals: Matt Leinart QB, USC
What more could Leinart want? He's got two great WRs, a top RB and he's going to play this season when Kurt Warner gets his yearly 6 game injury.
#11 - Denver Broncos (Trade w/STL): Jay Cutler QB, Vanderbilt
#12 - Baltimore Ravens (Trade w/CLE): Haloti Ngata DT, Oregon
#13 - Cleveland Browns (Trade w/BAL): Kamerion Wimbley DE, Florida St.
#14 - Philadelphia Eagles: Brodrick Bunkley DT Florida St.
#15 - St. Louis Rams (Trade w/DEN(via ATL)): Tye Hill CB, Clemson
#16 - Miami Dolphins: Jason Allen S, Tennessee
#17 - Minnesota Vikings: Chad Greenway OLB, Iowa
#18 - Dallas Cowboys: Bobby Carpenter OLB, Ohio St.
#19 - San Diego Chargers: Antonio Cromartie CB, Florida St.
#20 - Kansas City Chiefs: Tamba Hali DE, Penn State
#21 - New England Patriots: Laurence Maroney RB, Minnesota
#22 - San Francisco 49ers (via DEN): Manny Lawson DE, N. Carolina St.
#23 - Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Davin Joseph OG, Oklahoma
#24 - Cincinnati Bengals: Johnathan Joseph CB, S. Carolina
#25 - Pittsburgh Steelers (Trade w/NYG): Santonio Holmes WR, Ohio St.
#26 - Buffalo Bills (Trade w/CHI): John McCargo DT, N. Carolina St.
#27 - Carolina Panthers: Deangelo Williams RB, Memphis
#28 - Jacksonville Jaguars: Marcedes Lewis TE, UCLA
#29 - New York Jets (via DEN): Nick Mangold OC, Ohio St.
#30 - Indianapolis Colts: Joseph Addai RB, LSU
#31 - Seattle Seahawks: Kelly Jennings CB, Miami Fl.
#32 - New York Giants (Trade w/PIT): Mathias Kiwanuka DE, Boston College

Round 2 started with several pick for pick trades and one that sent Javon Walker to the Denver Broncos for a 2nd round pick(37th overall).

Round 2 picks (ESPN.com)
Round 3 picks (ESPN.com)

Starting Early

Wow, the 2006 NFL draft is technically starting a little early this year, Mario Williams IS a Houston Texan as of tonight when he agreed to a six-year, $54 million contract ($26.5 of that guaranteed). I'd say that this would anger the Houston fan base...if they had a fan base. This an unexpected outcome indeed, even after the news broke that Mario Williams could be the first pick two weeks ago. I had my "what if"s about it, I talked about it, and nobody thought it was possible. Apparently the impossible has just happened.

Will this go down as one of the biggest draft mistakes in NFL history or will it pay off? I guess only time will tell. Another question would be that even if this backfires in the Texan's faces, will it be as bad as the Chargers drafting Ryan Leaf?

The New Orleans (or wherever they're playing this season) Saints are reportedly prepared to take Reggie Bush with pick #2 and stated that they're not interested in trading, but will entertain offers.

Now whose 2006 NFL mock draft hasn't been effectively destroyed?

Kobe is no MVP

Kobe, Kobe, Kobe...I would like to know why so many people are calling for Kobe Bryant to be the 2005-06 NBA MVP. "Kobe scored 81 points in a game"...so what? That makes him the MVP? That put him in the lead for the scoring title and nothing else.

It seems like all people care about anymore is scoring, and that team play like the Pistons, Spurs & Suns is "boring". I hear people giving Kobe credit for "leading the Lakers into the playoffs"...ummm, they have the 7th spot in the west, that's not much to celebrate. It's already bad enough that people are praising him for scoring 40 points in losses. The only thing the Lakers have to thank for their playoff slot are the Jazz, Sonics, and Timberwolves for having horrible seasons. It almost makes me forget that Phil "The Zen Master" Jackson is coaching this team.

Scoring the most points in the NBA is never a reason to award anyone the most valuable player award, that's why there's a scoring title. Although players have won the MVP and scoring titles in the same season before (it's been done nine times by five players; Pettit +2, Chamberlain +2, Abdul-Jabbar, McAdoo, & Jordan +3), the award is for playing unselfishly, having a positive impact, and being a leader on the court for a winning team, not simply for scoring.

The last time the MVP was awarded to a player not on one of the top teams in the league was in '88 (Michael Jordan).

Fact: Kobe Bryant is not and will never be Michael Jordan. The only number Kobe will have over him is total points scored in a career because if Kobe plays as long as Jordan did, he'll have played seven seasons longer than Jordan (didn't go to college and probably won't retire and come back twice). Well, he'll beat him in turnovers too.

I've never really understood why every big scorer gets the Jordan comparison. Vince Carter, Grant Hill, Anfernee Hardaway, and many more haven't filled the shoes so why keep comparing?

Like it or not, Steve Nash and Chauncey Billups are the top candidates for MVP this season, and statistically, it's pretty even. Nash is having a slightly better season than last year with 3 more points per game, but averaging 1 less assist per game. He's also succeeding despite the injury problems that Phoenix has had this season. Winning your division without your top scorer is pretty hard to do. Since he's the reigning MVP and put up just about the same numbers, he should get it, right?

Well, there's a player named Chauncey Billups who led the Pistons to the top record in the NBA and is a threat to Nash's possible back to back MVPs. Chauncey is having a career year in points, assists and 3 point percentage. While the stats are nearly identical, there is one significant difference: Nash has 3 more assists per game than Billups, but is 3rd in the NBA in turnovers while Billups is 48th in the league in turnovers and #1 in assists per turnover.

While Billups poses the biggest threat, Nash deserves it more. The Phoenix Suns succeeded without Amaré Stoudemire, who only played 9 games, and Kurt Thomas, who missed 30 games. Meanwhile Shawn Marion, Raja Bell, Boris Diaw, Leandro Barbosa, James Jones, and Eddie House all had career years...and don't forget that they played without Joe Johnson and Quentin Richardson who were traded in the offseason.

The voting should go like this:
1. Steve Nash
2. Chauncey Billups
3. Dirk Nowitzki
4. Kobe Bryant
5. LeBron James
6. Dwayne Wade

So Nash gets MVP...and Kobe goes home with the scoring title and a first round exit from the playoffs.

Friday Rundown

At 12:01am on Saturday (it's new, new, new scheduled time) you'll see the beginning of several NFL players switching teams. Before that happens, you'll probably see Daunte Culpepper traded to the Raiders, Dolphins, or Jets with Oakland being the most likely option. Daunte is done in Minnesota since the sex boat won't be setting sail this year and because Brad Johnson made him look like Andre Ware. The fact that he's injured with an uncertain future and wants out is only secondary. If Daunte goes to Oakland, look for Drew Brees to be signed by the Dolphins. With his recent shoulder injury hampering his throwing ability he'll be just what Miami needs, another half-assed quarterback. Look for Patrick Ramsey to be traded the Jets since I guess Washington seems content to not have a reasonable backup for Mark Brunell, an aging QB (13 seasons) that had his highest career numbers in years. They should sign a QB since Brunell isn't getting any younger. While the subject is old guys, the Cardinals let Josh McCown go and are going to ride Kurt "I'm always injured for half the season" Warner into the ground. John Kitna should be available, he would be a great option for any team in need of a QB as would McCown.

Terrell Owens...Denver, Dallas, Denver, Dallas...he will definitely help out either team if he keeps his mouth shut, which he should if he ever wants to play in the NFL again. He will make Jake Plummer or Drew Bledsoe the fantasy football stud that Kerry Collins was supposed to be with Randy Moss. Antwaan Randle El will be the most sought after WR and I expect him to leave Pittsburgh. Isaac Bruce might bring veteran experience to a new team, the Panthers, Lions, Texans, Buccaneers, and Redskins are all currently interested in signing him.

Edgerrin James may be affordable to the Colts now, but he should definitely shop around first. If Edge leaves Indy, that could be Jamal Lewis' next stop and he'll come at a discount for the terrible season he had last year. Michael Bennett will most likely go to Arizona seeing that he almost went there in a trade this past season.

Other news:
Tony Parker had a big game yesterday with a game-high 29 points, too bad it took an injured Steve Nash and Leandro Barbosa (Nash's backup) to do it. I'm sure Eva Longoria was celebrating somewhere doing her annoying #1 thing with her finger and that stupid smile on her face. #1 what? Is she talking about herself, the Spurs #1 bandwagoner?

With the release of the Barry "Is that a baseball question? Is that a baseball question? That's not a baseball question last time I checked, you want to talk baseball?" Bonds "steroids edition" of Sports Illustrated (March 13) and it's excerpt from the upcoming book, Game of Shadows, Bud Selig has stated that he will read the book and then decide if he will suspend Bonds...I hope he's already reading an advance copy and that he's a fast reader.

If you haven't seen Failure to Launch yet (and why would you?), not only are you missing out on wasting 2 years of your life and $7, but also an added "bonus". In the movie starring Matthew McConaughey and Sarah Jessica Parker, whose face looks like football leather, there's a scene in which former NFL star Terry Bradshaw's bare ass shows up on the big screen. Most of America can't stand the look or sound of him so who would want to see that? I guess he wanted to show off his favorite body part, he's made a career as an NFL commentator speaking out of it.

NFL CBA BS

Everything looked bad, then it looked good, then really bad, and now there's a possibility it will turn out good...all you have to do is wait to see some of your favorite players be officially released quicker than a Detroit autoworker as teams try to get under the cap. However, unlike the autoworker, most of them will find new jobs fairly quickly since there are several teams in desperate need of talent. If the cap doesn't get the $10 million expected increase, the work may be temporary and at lower pay, like the autoworker's next job.

If you've watched any sports show in the past week, you know what's going on with the NFL (if not, read about it here). Getting rid of the salary cap is possibly the worst thing the NFL can let happen. Without a cap, teams like the Cowboys, Giants, Redskins, and Seahawks will all be the NFL's version of the Yankees...but they'll actually be winning championships. Meanwhile, the rest of the teams will consider their season a success if they do as "good" as the 2005 Texans. If you're from any of the 4 aforementioned cities (or currently on their bandwagon) you may think it's a good thing because your team will be a winner, but with no real competition, what's the point? Are you really going to be satisfied when your teams of all-stars roll over a practice squad equivalent roster while nobody watches? I hope you said no.

If you said yes, I guess you should just ditch all your loyalty (or what's remaining) and jump on the Seattle bandwagon right now in advance for when every top player can be bought by Paul Allen's (the 7th richest man in the world -Forbes) Seahawks. It will all come down to what the "rich" owners are willing to spend for a winning team and will be just like the MLB where talent can be bought with a pile of money. All the Johnny Damons of the NFL will flock to Seattle faster than Kellen Winslow Jr. on a motorcycle. Once the cap is gone, I doubt it will be back, which is interesting since the salary cap is what has made the NFL the most popular sport in the country.

So now we're waiting for Wednesday/Thursday to see what is going to happen. That's another thing, who set the time at "12:01" anyways? Do we have to take everyone back to elementary school and teach them how to tell time all over again? 11:59:59..12:00 that's when we get the switch from PM to AM (and AM to PM). I know, who cares, right? How about just for some common sense? If you want it to be Thursday, just say Thursday.

Kirby Puckett 1961-2006

A hall of famer and one of the most popular players of all time, RSBS sends their condolences.