Nikki Giavasis loosely connected with Chris Benoit

Nikki Giavasis sure gets around....last week I wrote how she had a child with alleged murderer Bobby Cutts, Jr.....and how she had a child also with former Cleveland Cavalier Shawn Kemp.....well now Giavasis is loosely connected to wrestler Chris Benoit.....according to the Hollywood Gossip blog, Giavasis was one of the "hot girls" who took part in Wrestlemania XX in which Benoit won the WWE title.....

Hollywood Gossip

Rating the College Football Preview Magazines

By the end of May, I am thirsting to read a football magazine....to me, Memorial Day is not the unofficial kick-off to summer, but the un-official kick-off to football....the college preview magazines start hitting the stands....in about a month, all the magazines are out on the shelves.....so today I am going to give my ratings of the various college football preview magazines - believe me, I am one of those whackos who buys all of them.....

Lindy's - this is always the first magazine to hit the stands, so I always pick it up...it feels great just to get a college football magazine in my hands....most of the times Lindy's disappoints in their coverage, but this year's edition has improved....there are depth charts of all the teams....they also added the rankings of all the different positions which was nice...there are no cheerleader shots though this year....if Lindy ever decides to move back the publication date, his magazine will get eaten alive by the big boys of Street and Smith and The Sporting News....for $6.99 the magazine serves its purpose....overall I give the magazine a C.....

Athlon Sports - Athlon puts together a quality magazine year-in and year-out....what is nice about Athlon, they sell magazines specific to the various conferences....so if you want to read more about the Mountain West teams, Athlon is the magazine for you....Athlon always includes its 6-8 pages of cheerleader photos with its obligatory shot of the Southern Cal Song Girls.....(boy do I love those Song Girls).....anyway, Athlon is solid for $6.99.....overall I give them a B-.....

The Sporting News - I love TSN previews....they always do a quality job in its analysis and make the magazine reader friendly.....there are never any cheerleader shots though.....but I guess, if you want that, just pick up a Playboy....this year though, their analysis was more fast and to the point instead of detailed....plus they don't give any rundown on the I-AA teams - which blows....it too is $6.99.....overall I give them a B.....

Street and Smith's - I love what they did by going back to the "old school" covers with the players wearing facemask-less helmets....I felt like I was 7-years-old again reading my dad's Street and Smith with Ken McAfee on the cover....Street and Smith gives you a rundown on I-AA, Division II, and Division III teams....everything is easy to read.....the only thing that keeps it from being an A+ is that they focus more on the big named teams....for instance, if you want to read about the UAB Blazers, there is only a half page rundown.....overall, for $6.99 it is the best.....I give it an A....

Phil Steele - this is the freakin bible of previews....you have to pay a few shillings more at $8.95, but it is worth it....Phil gives detailed previews of all I-A teams.....he also provides betting trends and newsworthy articles....the only drawback is that there is so much information he uses a small point size so it is not reader-friendly for some people with bad eyes - but who cares!!....if you have a wife or girlfriend who allows you to buy only 1 college football preview magazine a year, this is the book to buy....I give Phil an A+....

A couple of links to check out - Orlando Sentinel's Sarah Talalay has a blog called "The Business of Sports".....on Thursday, she interviewed Miami Dolphins owner Wayne Huizenga....Huizenga talked about various topics including his new coach Cam Cameron bypassing Brady Quinn in the draft...."I knew on Wednesday [before the draft] he wasn't going to take Brady Quinn. He told me why he wasn't going to take him, but he said, 'if you tell me to take him, I will.' I said, 'No I'd never do that. You guys pick the guys.'"....

Sarah Talalay

Former Ohio State quarterback and Heisman Trophy winner Troy Smith did not back down when NFL commissioner Roger Goodell did not fully answer Smith's question...."The question-answer session at the NFL rookie symposium got a little testy when Troy Smith pressed NFL commissioner Roger Goodell about why Goodell doesn't talk about the league's positives"....

USA Today

Coming Monday - Through the "Izes" of a Legend
Earlier this week I had the pleasure to interview Newark Star Ledger sports columnist Jerry Izenberg...our interview focused on his personal experiences with legendary Green Bay Packers head coach Vince Lombardi...so check back Monday for part one of a two part series...

College Football at its Best - Nebraska Cornhusker Football

Stiles Points features the Nebraska Cornhuskers as its second team in the College Football at its Best Series....writing about the Huskers is 45-year-old Jon Johnston of Corn Nation blog....Jon is known as "Corn Blight" and is a native Nebraskan and University of Nebraska-Lincoln alum ('87)....Jon wrote "I'm at the upper end of demographics in the blogosphere . Age gives me a unique perspective not found in most other sports blogs. I've written in the computer industry for 18 years and have been blogging about the Huskers for three. Corn Nation will turn one year old in August."....make sure you visit Corn Nation

Corn Nation

Q1. Oklahoma used to be the Huskers big rivalry. Now that those two schools don't play every year, who is Nebraska's hated rival? What are your feelings about the rivalry?
Colorado is our biggest rival, although I wish it were still Oklahoma. There was a level of mutual respect with Oklahoma that doesn't exist with Colorado. With regards to my feelings about the rivalry - Colorado has the beautiful Rocky mountains which makes it one of the most beautiful states in the US. Nebraska is geographically uninteresting to most people - the I-80 interstate stretch that people drive through Nebraska is on the Platte River Valley, possibly the flattest and most boring stretches of land in the US. Buffalo fans stand on their mountains looking down on Nebraskans as if the people in Boulder were personally responsible for the creation of all that natural beauty. They see us as boring as the land on which we live and we are continually reminded of such.

Yet when it comes to football, Buffalo fans barely support their team even in winning seasons. Even then, their behavior is boorish as was evident in the 2005 game when two full student sections were ejected from the game for continuing to throw stuff onto the field after being asked several times to stop. So, for us and Colorado, it isn't just about a football game. It's about a way of life. We see ourselves as having a high level of pride, a good work ethic, and an honest streak. Colorado fans? Well, they have the Rockies.

Q2. What is the greatest Nebraska football game that you have seen - whether it be in-person or on television? Explain the game and why it was so great.
Ouch. If I were 20, this would be easy, but I'm not. I'm also not one of those people who makes a list of favorite things - it's too restrictive, but I know the Internet loves lists. There are a lot of different reasons for great games - I suppose most people would pick a blow-out like Nebraska over Florida in the '96 Fiesta Bowl, but the close games are the most memorable. The Texas loss in '98 was one of the best game I ever saw in person because Texas had Ricky Williams, who was one of the greatest college backs ever. It'd look like we'd stop him for three yards, and it would be five. And he'd pound, and drive, and then they'd throw over the top. It was a 20-16 loss for the Huskers, ending a 47 home game winning streak, but it was a great game.

The 1982 Nebraska-Oklahoma was another great one in person. Scott Strasburger intercepting a pass with 26 seconds left to seal our 28-24 win. I was on the field for that one when the goal posts came down. Nearly got killed when I fell down underneath them as they were being torn down, but that's a whole huge story in itself.

The '97 Nebraska-Missouri game was incredible - most people remember the 'flea-kicker' play at the end when the ball was kicked up into the air and caught for a touchdown on the last play of regulation. What struck me about that game was the last minute of regulation. Nebraska won that game solely because of the will of quarterback Scott Frost. It's the most gorgeous single minute of Husker football ever. I wasn't there, but a good friend was. He said that when we scored at the end of regulation, a Mizzou fan looked at him and asked "Don't you have some cows to tend to or something?"

Q3. If you had to start an all-time Nebraska football team, who would be your first pick and why?
This one is easy. It's Tommie Frazier (photo). Without hesitation, he is the greatest college quarterback to ever play the game. He finished with a 33-3 record as a four-year starter. He played in three national title games, winning the MVP of two of them. He won back-to-back national titles 1994 and '95 for the Huskers as they beat Miami in the 1995 Orange Bowl 24-17, and then crushed #2-ranked Florida 62-24 in the 1996 Fiesta Bowl. The 75-yard touchdown run he made in the '96 Fiesta Bowl is symbolic of Frazier's career (you can find it on youtube). When you thought you had him stopped, you didn't. He remains the greatest Husker player in school history.

Q4. Since 1970, who are the five greatest players to wear a Nebraska uniform and why?
That's a hard list to compile as there are a lot of great ones in that time frame. I'll go with the following:
Turner Gill - Watching Turner Gill play football was like watching poetry in motion. Whether he was running, throwing or getting hit -, everything he did was with agrace and poise that was magical. Mike Rozier and Irving Fryar were bigger names, but Gill was pure beauty to watch as a player. He spent many years in the Nebraska program and I never, ever heard a bad word said about him.
Dave Rimington - Rimgington (photo) was so good at center they named the award for the best college center for him. He won the Outland Trophy in '81 and '82, and in 1982 also won the Lombardi. All-American in '81, '82 and was named the Big Eight Offensive Player of the Year in 1981 - the only time a lineman was ever given the award.
Tommie Frazier - I've already explained Tommie above.
Johnny Rodgers - Rodgers played on the '70 and '71 Nebraska national title teams - the 1971 team is widely recognized as one of the top teams in college football history. Rodgers won the Heisman Trophy in 1972, and was an All-American in '71 and '72. Rodgers 72-yard punt return in the 1971 Nebraska-Oklahoma Game of the Century is a highlight that every Husker fan knows. Rodgers is known as one of the greatest returners in college football history.
Rich Glover - Glover played on the '70 and '71 national title teams as a defensive lineman. Glover won the Lombardi and Outland in '72, was All-American in '71 and '72. He was the Big Eight defensive player of the year in '72, and in the 'Game of the Century' he made 22 tackles. My favorite story about Glover is that he was playing so well that coach Bob Devaney stormed over to his defense and said "Would one of you SOB's like to give Rich Glover some help?"

Q5. Make your case why Nebraska football, as a whole, is the best football program in the country?
Nebraska's Memorial Stadium has a phrase that fans see when they walk into the stadium - "Through these gates pass the greatest fans in college football". Maybe a cliche, but what is serves as a reminder to Nebraskan fans who they are and sets a high standard of behavior that Huskers fans try to uphold. One tradition is to applaud the opponent, no matter the outcome. I was there in 1982 when Florida State beat us in Lincoln and we gave them a standing ovation.

Success on the field is well-known as Nebraska is one of only four schools to have won 800 games, the other three being Michigan, Texas, and Notre Dame. In terms of an overall program, Nebraska is known for student-athletes' academic success. Nebraska leads the nation in Academic All-Americans (243) over Notre Dame (185), and leads the Big 12 (243) over Texas (96). Nebraska is a leader in student athlete graduation rates. Fan support is better than anywhere in the nation as Nebraska's home sell-out streak started on November 3rd, 1962 and will reach a span of over 45 years this coming season!

There is no place like Nebraska!....

I want to thank Jon for his time - it is much appreciated....Oklahoma will be the next team that will be previewed...

Tossup - Biggio or Thomas? -- Pacman or Tank?

Today Stiles Points takes a different twist....while watching Pardon the Interruption (PTI) last night on ESPN, I decided write down the questions for the Tossup segment and give my take.....Tony Kornheiser and guest host Dan LeBatard took their shot, now it is my turn....

Tossup - Who has the brighter NFL future - Pacman Jones or Tank Johnson?
Pacman is by far the better athlete and had a bigger impact on his team.....but he is in a lot more hot water than Tank.....I don't expect neither knucklehead to change their ways, but at least Johnson is only suspended for eight games and could get a new beginning since being cut by Chicago....

Tossup - What's a bigger milestone - Frank Thomas hitting 500 homers or Craig Biggio (photo) getting 3,000 hits?
I have never been a big fan of Frank Thomas....he was always moody and sullen during his prime....then he switched to designated hitter the last part of his career...plus, Thomas is basically a mercenary who sales his services each year to a new team....if he stayed with the White Sox his whole career, I think more people would be paying attention....but he is up in Toronto - no one cares....Biggio is the dirt-dog type player I love....he came in as a catcher, moved to second base, then to centerfield, and is now back at second base....he is a hard-nosed player who is a definite first ballot Hall of Famer.....Biggio gets the nod here......

Tossup - Who will play better golf this weekend - Michelle Wie or 12-year-old Alexis Thompson?
I never heard of this Thompson kid, so I have to go with Wie.....Wie oozes with talent, but right now she is a head case with two bad wrists....she needs to clear her head and heal properly if she wants to finally win a women's tournament let alone a men's tourney.....

Tossup - What is the bigger boast - New York Knick David Lee saying the Knicks will make the playoffs or Detroit Lion quarterback Jon Kitna (photo) saying the Lions will win 10 games?
They both made big boasts, but realistically there is a better chance of Kitna being correct....an NFL team can turn it around faster than any other team in other sports....a 4-12 NFL team could win 10 games the next season.....plus, the Lions now have Calvin Johnson and a stable of running backs to go along with second year offensive coordinator Mike Martz....the Knicks however, are stuck in a salary cap quagmire under the hot spotlight of New York City.....it is possible the Lions could meet that lofty goal put forth by their quarterback...

New York Post’s Pete Vecsey runs through the top 20 players for Thursday’s NBA Draft....”Instead of mucking up a mock draft, Jim Clibanoff, President of ClibHoops, a scouting service subscribed to by most NBA teams, has provided his insights on the Top 20 prospects. He has watched each of these players multiple times throughout their careers.”...

Pete Vecsey

The Portland Oregonian reports that even the state legislature is giving their opinion about who the Blazers should select in the draft....”It's nice to see 26 members of the "74th Legislative Assembly of the State of Oregon recommend that the Portland Trail Blazers choose Greg Oden of Ohio State University as the # 1 pick in the upcoming National Basketball Association draft." .....

Portland Oregonian

All the talk on the west coast is about the Lakers trying to keep Kobe happy....but the Phoenix Suns may have something up their sleeve.....”The fact that such prized prospects would agree to work out for Phoenix indicates that their agents believe Phoenix is in the mix.”.....

Paul Coro - The Arizona Republic

The Chris Benoit murder-suicide still has people in disbelief....”But away from the limelight, the 40-year-old Fayette County resident was struggling with family issues he couldn’t defeat.”...

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Chris Benoit Involved in Murder-Suicide - Possible Steroid Use

It is being reported by the Associated Press that professional wrestler Chris Benoit was involved in a murder-suicide on Monday....allegedly Benoit strangled his wife, then smothered his seven-year-old son before hanging himself....authorities are investigating if steroids were involved in the incident...steroid use can cause an angry outburst called "'roid rage"

ESPN - Chris Benoit

College Football At Its Best - Ohio State Buckeye Football

Today is the first in a series of profiles of traditional college football programs throughout the country....I contacted various bloggers who bleed for their favorite school and asked them if they would participate...so far over 12 bloggers have agreed...I appreciate all the time and effort all the bloggers put into this series...Our first profile is of Ohio State....Sean Sheehan is a 22 year-old graduate at Ohio State University...he has lived and died with Buckeye football for his entire life, and started blogging about Buckeye sports a little over a year ago...his site, AroundTheOval is a top site...

Around The Oval

Q1. First question - real simple - Woody or Tressel? And why?
Woody. Tressel may eventually reach Woody's level, but he's not there yet. In my mind, at least, he's not even that close. Hayes won three national championships; Tressel will have to do at least that much before people start arguing about him vs. Hayes. Just as important to Woody's legacy are his off-field contributions. Outside of the OSU community, people know Hayes mostly for tearing up markers and punching a Clemson player. But OSU fans appreciate him for teaching classes, for visiting hospitalized children every week, and for talking with students. True, Hayes had a temper, and it was endearing in a way (rumor has it that he bought cheap watches just so he could stomp on them in practices to make a point), but underneath that, he was a good person focused on turning good football players into good men. Tressel behaves like a father in a 1950s sitcom: he teaches, he sets a good example, but he's reserved. It's not a bad thing, especially as it seems to have rubbed off on the players and kept them off of police blotters and the front pages of newspapers, but it's not real exciting. Hayes was more like a slightly crazy grandfather: he wanted to be a positive influence, but he was going to do it his way and to hell with anyone that didn't like it. That's more entertaining than Tressel's approach, and combined with Woody's results, it's enough to get him the nod easily over Tressel.

Q2. What is the greatest Ohio State football game that you have seen - whether it be in-person or on television? Explain the game and why it was so great.
That’s got to be the 2003 Fiesta Bowl, the national championship game. The 2002 Ohio State team wasn't much for easy wins, instead preferring to test the hearts of Buckeye fans everywhere. The Fiesta Bowl was more of the same. The thing I remember most from the game was how nervous I was for its entirety. The Buckeyes couldn't (or wouldn't) win easy during the season, and they certainly didn't start in the championship game. Some plays stand out: Craig Krenzel's many runs and subsequent pinata-esque beatings, Maurice Clarett chasing down Sean Taylor to take back an intercepted ball, the defensive pass interference (or defensive holding, depending on which picture of the Miami DB grabbing Chris Gamble you're looking at) that kept OSU alive. Mostly, though, I remember feeling nervous for an entire game, then feeling elated as Ken Dorsey's pass hit the ground. The game, like the season as a whole, proved that things were different from the John Cooper years, and that the Buckeyes weren't going to fold in big games (not a word, Florida fans). Plus, winning a national championship was kind of a big deal.

Q3. Why do Ohio State fans hate Michigan? Do you think Ohio State takes the rivalry more serious than Michigan?
There's a bit of the chicken and the egg to this question: are they a bunch of arrogant jerks with a holier-than-thou attitude and the ability to ignore their own faults while eagerly pointing out the faults of others and that's why I hate them, or do I hate them and therefore believe they're a bunch of arrogant jerks? I'm guessing it's more of the latter than I'd like to admit, though both sides have a tendency to apply stereotypes to each other. Wolverines see Buckeyes as a bunch of stupid criminals, while Buckeyes see Wolverines as snobs with an over-inflated sense of their importance. More important to the hatred from the Buckeye side, I think, is John Cooper's abysmal record against that school up north. For thirteen years, otherwise successful season were regularly ruined at the end. The Wolverines nearly ruined my formative sports-watching years, and I've never forgiven them for it.

I think OSU fans take the rivalry more seriously than Michigan fans, but I’d argue that that’s because they take college football in general more seriously. In my experience, the average Michigan fan has the ability to approach the sport of football, and therefore the rivalry, rationally. There are plenty of hardcore Michigan fans out there that have college football ranked (correctly) as the most important thing in life, but I get the feeling from at least some Michigan fans that they understand that football’s just a game, that one game – even a rivalry game – doesn’t matter that much in the great scheme of things. There are OSU fans like that out there, but I think they make up a smaller percentage of our contingent. Ohio State fans, and Ohioans in general, are obsessed with football. It’s very difficult to be a casual Ohio State fan. Either you don’t follow Buckeye football at all, or your year is made or ruined by the outcome of the Michigan game; there’s not much middle ground. Some Michigan fans seem to be able to say things like “well, at least there’s still the Pistons/Red Wings/Tigers,” while the football team is far and away the most important team to Buckeye fans.

Q4. Since 1970, who are the five greatest players to wear an Ohio State uniform and why?
In alphabetical order:
Eddie George – He’s a Heisman winner and the OSU record holder for single season rushing yards and touchdowns. His restaurant here in Columbus is pretty good, too.
Archie Griffin – He’s the only person to win the Heisman twice, which makes him the best college football player ever. And since college football is the greatest thing ever, it stands to reason that Archie Griffin is the greatest person ever.
Orlando Pace – He made the pancake block popular. He didn’t give up a sack in his last two years at Ohio State. He finished fourth in the Heisman voting in 1996. He was drafted first overall. That’s pretty good.
Troy Smith – It’s a little early to know Smith’s place in Buckeye history, but he did win a Heisman trophy, putting him in pretty elite company. More importantly, he is one of only two Ohio State quarterbacks to beat Michigan three times, and he did it with a total of 1,151 yards and nine touchdowns.
Chris Spielman – He’s Ohio State’s career leader in solo tackles and a Lombardy Trophy winner, but most Buckeye fans will remember the way he did everything: with maniacal intensity. The guy never took a play off; he was the ideal combination of talent and effort.

Q5. Make your case why Ohio State football, as a whole, is the best football program in the country?
What sets Ohio State apart from the other programs is consistency. A few schools (like Notre Dame) might have a richer history, and a few schools (like Florida) might be more successful today, but no school in the country can compete with the consistent success the Buckeyes have had. They’ve won at least one conference championship in every decade since the turn of the 20th century, and they’ve been in a national championship race almost as regularly. The Buckeyes have consistently been in the national eye over the past century, and that, coupled with the team’s success under Tressel, makes Ohio State football the best program in the country....

I want to thank Sean for his time and for participating....Nebraska is the next college football program that will be profiled...

Five Good Questions with . . . Rob Ward of NBA Draft Blog

Today’s Five Good Questions is with Rob Ward of NBA Draft Blog.....if you want the latest on the NBA Draft, you have to go check out his site....

NBA Draft Blog

Q1. What is up with all the talk that Kevin Durant's stock has dropped over the last month? What has he done to merit this?
Despite the talk, Durant's stock has not dropped. He has been considered a lock to become the second pick in the upcoming draft since the end of the college season and he still is. However, scouts and GMs have been able to evaluate Durant more thoroughly recently and his flaws have become more obvious. Durant desperately needs to gain upper body strength. He was unable to bench press 185 pounds even one time in recent testing of draft prospects. Basketball skills and bench presses are two different things, but the NBA is far more physical than anything Durant has experienced.

He needs to add more muscle to his 200-lb frame, and he won't reach his potential until that happens. Durant's reputation has been built on his scoring ability, but scoring in the NBA is much harder, especially when you are at a physical disadvantage. That was the case with last years #3 draft pick, Adam Morrison. He was a scoring machine in college, but was bullied in his rookie NBA season and struggled physically. The opinion of most scouts is that Durant is a solid prospect with actual superstar potential, but his physical deficiencies are a concern.

Q2. What is the lowdown on Yi Jianlian? I have seen him being predicted to go as high as the third overall pick and as low as the 12th.
International prospects are often afforded the luxury of being evaluated differently than American prospects, especially NCAA prospects. The hype begins for the international player when scouts get excited over grainy video of him dominating inferior competition and continues when they invite him in for a private work-out and get to see him shooting uncontested jump shots in an empty gym. The NCAA player is on display 30-35 times a year against skilled competition. Scouts are able to over-evaluate and become too familiar with a college player's game-time flaws, whereas the international player is too often evaluated with a tape measure.

That being said, Yi Jianlian is an interesting prospect. He is a legitimate 7'0", runs like a deer, and has an impressive mid-range game. A star on the Chinese national team, he has played very good in international tournaments and has even outplayed many NBA players from around the world. In addition, he has been training in Los Angeles for over a year, specifically to be prepared for the NBA. Like too many big men today, he shies away from contact and plays too far from the basket. This is also a concern because if he wants to play on the wing he must improve his 3-point shooting ability. I like this prospect, but he is a bit risky because he hasn't played against American competition on a high level. Nevertheless, I have him going #4 to the Memphis Grizzlies in my mock draft.

Q3. Who are some "sleeper" picks? Which players are "under the radar?"
This draft appears to be very deep, with potential stars at the top, starters in the middle, and contributors throughout the first round. There also appears to be plenty of potential sleepers available. Some have fallen because they have size or athleticism issues, some have come out of school too soon, and some just do not have enough hype at the right time. I prefer sleepers that have been productive in college, or internationally, and are ready to play immediately. There are roughly 450 players in the NBA and only a small number are All-Stars, the rest fill roles. Here are a few sleeper prospects that can contribute now:
Alando Tucker: 6'6, 210, SG/SF, Wisconsin – Few players have been as productive in NCAA play the past few seasons as Tucker has been. He’s mature, strong, and fundamentally sound, but he's a bit small for his preferred Small Forward position in the NBA and that might knock him out of the first round.
Taurean Green: 6'0, 180, PG, Florida - Three of his teammate will go in the lottery, but Green is overlooked because he is so small. The team that drafts him will get the starting point guard from the current two-time NCAA championship team. He has leadership and three-point shooting skills, and is the son of a former player. If he was a few inches taller he'd be a top-ten pick.
Marc Gasol: 7’1, 280, C, Spain – I have Gasol going #20 in my mock, but I seem to be alone in my opinion, as most other scouts do not have him in the first round. The problem for many others is his terribly slow foot speed and lack of athleticism. I am not concerned with that. I like his size (he's huge), strength, and maturity for his age (22). Rarely does a prospect come with this combination of size and solid fundamentals. He’s a different type of player than his brother, the Memphis Grizzlies Pau Gasol, but I think he will be an NBA starter soon.

Q4. There was talk that Jeff Green was having second thoughts about staying in the draft. In the end, he decided to stay and forgo another year at Georgetown. Did he make the right decision? What type of NBA player do you see him as?
All players would be better if they stayed in school as long as possible, but that sometimes hurts their draft status. Green is a lottery prospect already so it wouldn’t matter either way. He is one of the most game-ready prospects in the draft. Talented and unselfish, I see him as a contributor that will help on both sides of the court. He's a reliable scorer, a sound rebounder, and a determined defender. He's probably not a future star, but should be a very good starter for a long time.

Q5. Finally, I have to ask you about Greg Oden. What type of NBA career do you expect from him? Will he be as good as Jabbar and O'Neal? What part of his game is best suited to the NBA?
As good as Jabbar or ONeal? No, that wouldn't be fair to those two legends that have worked so hard for their lofty places in NBA history. We shouldn’t project anyone past his near future. Oden has all the tools to become an excellent player in the NBA, perhaps even the best center in the league soon. I don't, however, believe that he will become a scoring machine. His game is evolving and I would love him to aspire to become fundamentally dominating like Tim Duncan, rather than an overpowering offensive force like Shaquille O’Neal was in his prime. Oden has great character and has an impressive basketball IQ. He can change the game on defense with his superb shot-blocking and rebounding skills and will keep opponents uncomfortable with his improving low-post offense. I project him as a future All-Star that will make the Portland Trailblazers a formidable team almost immediately, but lets not put him in the Hall-of-Fame just yet.

I want to thank Rob for his time....it is much appreciated....

The Sunday Baker's Dozen

The Sunday Fact - The first Japanese-born player to play Major League Baseball was Masanori Murakami who played for the San Francisco Giants in 1964.

The Portland Oregonian's Jason Quick writes how Kevin Durant wowed the Trail Blazer brass with his recent workout.... "Portland General Manager Kevin Pritchard was so impressed with the 6-foot-9 freshman forward from Texas, he said the workout might have been the best he's watched at the Blazers' practice facility in Tualatin."

Jason Quick

Seattle Post-Intelligencer reporter Gary Washburn writes that maybe the Sonics will end up with Greg Oden...."While Greg Oden was wowing the Seattle media with his bright smile, keen sense of humor and engaging personality, the possibility of him becoming a Sonic increased with developments in Portland."

Gary Washburn

The Washington Post's Ivan Carter writes about the importance of a big-time center in the NBA....."The team with the top pick, the Portland Trail Blazers, hasn't publicly stated its intentions, but basketball history suggests that the franchise would be foolish to pass onGreg Oden, who has been compared to a young Ewing."

Ivan Carter

Dallas Morning News reporter Chip Brown writes how former Texas star Kevin Durant will hit it big with endorsements.... "At 18 years old and still too antenna thin to bench press 185 pounds, national player of the year Kevin Durant didn't even have a driver's license until two weeks ago. In the world of product placement, however, those story lines can be developed."

Chip Brown

Terry Hutchens of the Indianapolis Star writes about the funeral of Indiana football coach Terry Hoeppner.... "The silent one came after the service as the more than 80 current players -- wearing their IU jerseys -- lined both sides of a passageway through which Hoeppner's funeral procession drove as the IU Marching Hundred played the Indiana fight song. As Hoeppner's hearse drove past, the players raised their helmets in a salute to their coach, who died Tuesday of complications following an 18-month battle with brain cancer."

Terry Hutchens

Michael Murphy of the Houston Chronicle writes how Houston Cougar basketball player Sam Anderson unselfishly ended his career by donating a kidney to his cousin.... "Sam Anderson never hesitated. Not for a moment. The walk-on forward for the University of Houston knew the decision most likely would end his basketball career, but Anderson knew the man at the other end of the phone — his cousin, Steven Anderson, 46 — was desperate for help, and that's all that mattered."

Michael Murphy

Chicago Sun-Times reporter Joe Cowley writes that Sox pitcher Mark Buehrle may be switching Sox..... "According to a source close to the situation, negotiations between the Sox and Buehrle's camp have been exhausted, with Williams believing he has no choice but to trade the left-hander, who is the face of the ballclub."

Joe Cowley

New York Daily News sports columnist Mike Lupica gives his weekly thoughts on various sports topics.... "For a couple of gripping hours last Sunday afternoon, as Tiger Woods was trying to come back against a career golf plodder named Angel Cabrera, we were once again reminded that Woods is the biggest star in sports."

Mike Lupica

New York Times' John Branch writes about Wimbledon which starts tomorrow... " . . . as Wimbledon begins Monday, the chatter is not so much about whether the top-seeded Federer will win again, but what it really means if he does."

John Branch

John Maynard of the Miami Herald writes how Shaq is taking on another challenge - childhood obesity..... "O'Neal's mission: to transform the lives of six obese children -- none of whom can run a mile -- into fit, active kids with a healthful outlook on life."

John Maynard

The Boston Globe begins a seven part series on the life of presidential hopeful Mitt Romney

Boston Globe

On Friday I wrote about Nikki Giavasis and Shawn Kemp and how their name came up when the pregnant woman from Canton, Ohio went missing....on Saturday, authorities found the body of Jessie Marie Davis....the father to her unborn child - Canton police officer Bobby Cuttts Jr. was arrested and charged.....Cutts is also the father to one of Giavasis' children...

Jessie Davis Murder - Akron Beacon Journal

The following is a timeline of the case....

Jessie Davis Murder - Akron Beacon Journal

Five Good Questions with . . . Norm Maves of The Portland Oregonian about Oregon State Baseball

The Championship Series of the College World Series begins today at 7:00 p.m. (EST) on ESPN....the best of three series is a rematch from last year when Oregon State beat North Carolina....last week I previewed the Tar Heels....today, Norm Maves of The (Portland) Oregonian provides the lowdown on the Beavers....I want to thank Norm for taking the time to respond during a very busy week in Omaha....

Q1. Oregon State is going back to the championship series - a year after winning the whole thing. How would you compare this year's team to that of last year's?
You really can't compare this year's team with last year's -- six position starters, two starting pitchers (Dallas Buck and CWS MVP Jonah Nickerson) and the best closer in the school's history (Kevin Gunderson) left after the 2006 season. The players who filled the spots give it a brand-new look. Last year's team had more power from Cole Gillespie, Shea McFeely and, in the CWS, first baseman Bill Rowe, but the offensive production came with bigger numbers from fewer people. This year's team distributes the offense wider, but thinner. It doesn't have a lot of big innings, but picks teams to death one and two runs at a time. That's good enough because one of the three things the 2006 and 2007 teams have in common: good pitching.

Nobody but Casey and pitching coach Dan Spencer knew that the pitchers coming back were pretty talented, too. The addition of freshman Jorge Reyes and the development of left-hander Joe Paterson and some very good coaching has made this a well-rounded, effective staff -- just like last year. The other similarity is in team speed. The last three OSU teams have been very, very fast. They don't always use it to steal bases, but it puts pressure on other defenses to play clean defensive games. The third similarity is defense. This OSU team hasn't made an error since the regionals and led the country for most of the year; last year was just as good.

Q2. What are the strengths of this team? What areas are they weak at?
I mentioned most of the strengths of this team in the previous question, but one unmentioned strength is team chemistry. Shortstop Darwin Barney and catcher Mitch Canham, the two holdover starters from last year, are extraordinary leaders, and the entire team is focused and headed in the same direction. This makes them a much more dangerous team than the sum of the parts. Right now the weaknesses are few, but during the year the Beavers were occasionally hurt by a lack of power and would occasionally get burned by a left-handed pitcher. Arizona State, for instance, limited them to three hits in two consecutive games -- a one-hitter and a two-hitter -- but all that seems to have been cured. They've hit .333 with five home runs and 22 runs in three CWS games, so Oregon State is peaking at the right time.

Q3. What type of coach is Pat Casey? Does he manage "by the book" or is he a "gut-type" of manager?
Pat Casey looks like a by-the-book coach, but he will throw it away now and then. He likes the bunt and the left-right matchup page and uses it effectively, but I've seen him change his starting lineup based on who hits best in pre-game hitting. He will also bench a cold hitter and give up a matchup just to get a hot hitter into the lineup, and occasionally green-light a hot hitter to swing away in an obvious bunt situation. He's also patient: he created a huge offensive weapon in freshman second baseman Joey Wong, a left-handed hitter, by sticking with him when it was apparent he was overmatched against left-handers early in the year. But the experience got Wong, a superior defender, the stick time he needed to solve the problem. He's now hitting .417 in the CWS and .350 in 10 playoff games.

Q4. What Oregon State players should people keep an eye on not only in the championship series, but possibly in the majors?
According to the draft, the players to watch are relief pitcher Eddie Kunz (supplemental to the Mets), catcher Mitch Canham (supplemental to the Padres) and shortstop Darwin Barney (third player, fourth round, Cubs). Kunz is 6-5 and 250, throws in the mid-90s and is a pure power pitcher in the mold of Lee Arthur Smith, Armando Benitez, Goose Gossage (if you're old) or Dick Radatz (if you're REALLY old). Canham is 6-2 and 215, a left-handed power hitter and a terrific athlete behind the plate. He's excellent to second base. Barney is small (5-10, 170) but has extraordinary range and phenomenal baseball instincts. He could also wind up at second base, but he'll have to be a dependable two-hole hitter if he's going to make it. Wong will take over at shortstop the next two years and will probably be drafted as high or higher than Barney in 2009. If Reyes (6-2, 170) continues to develop as a pitcher, he should wind up as a first-round draft choice. Want a longshot? Joe Paterson, left-handed middle reliever, San Francisco Giants. Just a hunch.

Q5. What is up with the team going fishing before the games? Can you explain this a bit?
Fishing? Are you kidding? We're from the Northwest, where just about everybody fishes. Bass, trout, cod and all the salmon you can fit on a hook. Oregon and Washington -- where most of the players come from -- are very outdoorsy places. Just about everybody is a fisherman or hunter, hiker, camper, mountain climber or bicyclist and most are combinations of many of the above. Oregon State is on the Willamette River and 45 miles from the Pacific Ocean, so you can practically cast a baited hook out of your dorm window and catch breakfast. OK, that's an exaggeration, but fishing is a big part of the Northwest tapestry. The fishing thing in Omaha is just one of the many activities the people who run the CWS offer for off-day activities, and yesterday happened to coincide with a victory. These guys know how.

Once again, I want to thank Norm for his time....here are some other previews of the World Series...

ESPN

The Charlotte Observer's David Scott writes how Carolina head coach Mike Fox has adapted his style of coaching now that he is in Division I...

David Scott

The (Portland) Oregonian sports columnist Rachel Bachman writes how the World Series is a hot ticket around Omaha....

Rachel Bachman

Here are two interesting links which appeared on ESPN.com about Rosenblatt Stadium and the World Series going to other venues....

David Albright

Elizabeth Merrill

PROBABLE LINEUPS:
North Carolina Tar Heels
Batter (No.) Pos. AVG HR RBI
1. Reid Fronk (7) LF .319 11 56
2. Tom Fedroff (16) RF .342 5 40
3. Josh Horton (12) SS .335 9 53
4. Tim Federowicz (19) C .339 4 64
5. Dustin Ackley (13) 1B .403 9 72
6. Chad Flack (34) 3B .251 7 46
7. Kyle Seager (10) DH .314 2 30
8. Seth Williams (27) CF .289 9 42
9. Garrett Gore (4) 2B .325 22 7
Pitcher (No.) ERA W-L SV SO
Alex White (6) 4.74 6-6 0 81

Oregon State Beavers
Batter (No.) Pos. AVG HR RBI
1. Chris Hopkins (20) CF .260 22 5
2. Joey Wong (1) 2B .288 0 19
3. Mike Lissman (3) DH .325 10 61
4. Mitch Canham (11) C .321 10 57
5. Darwin Barney (6) SS .301 4 53
6. Jordan Lennerton (37) 1B .313 8 48
7. Scott Santschi (21) RF .280 1 10
8. John Wallace (35) LF .267 1 24
9. Lonnie Lechelt (15) 1B .223 2 11
Pitcher (No.) ERA W-L SV SO
Jorge Reyes (23) 3.00 6-3 0 61

Shawn Kemp - One of the mothers of his children - Nikki Giavasis

Currently in northeast Ohio there is an unfortunate incident ongoing where a pregnant woman named Jessie Davis has been missing.....one of the possible suspects is Canton, Ohio police officer Bobby Cutts, Jr who is the father of the child that Davis is carrying.....Cutts also has three other children with three other women....one of those women is a hot looking model named Nikki Giavasis (photo below), who is also from northeast Ohio....

To take it a step further, when Cutts and Giavasis broke up, Cutts went to her apartment, but when she did not answer, Cutts then broke down the door....and who was inside with Giavasis - none other that former Cleveland Cavalier Shawn Kemp....

Back in 2001, Giavasis admitted that Kemp was the father to her second child....she was interviewed by WEWS and stated, “"I could have cared less about his (Kemp) money, I loved him and he said he loved me," she said. "Getting pregnant, I wouldn't say I regret it because I love my son and he deserves a good life." At that time, in 2001, she was getting $2,500 a month from Kemp for child support, but wanted more....

If you want to check out more about Nikki Giavasis, here is her website....

Nikki Giavasis

Five Good Questions with . . . Erwin Ong of TennisServedFresh with a Wimbledom Preview

Today we have another preview of Wimbledon....Erwin Ong from TennisServedFresh gives us his preview of the big tournament....throughout Wimbledon, you can get Erwin's updates on his website at

Tennis Served Fresh - Wimbledon

Q1: I know you monitor the new trends in tennis wear. What isyour opinion about the tradition of players having to wear white at Wimbledon? What did you think about the white sports coat worn by Federer last year?
I have to admit it took me a few rounds to warm up to Roger's blazer last year. My initial thought was that he agreed blindly to a stylist's (or, gulp, publicists's) suggestion. The delivery was much more awkward than in concept (a blazer paired with tennis shorts and shoes -- yikes!). Instead, I argued for a button-up cardigan: much sleeker, much easier to pair with on-court attire, and the "RF" crest would have worked just as well. Ralph Lauren does it all the time. In the end I did enjoy the jacket. I'm all for mixing up what you wear on the court. Wearing white is a great tradition that we should keep around.

First, there's so much change going on with Wimbledon in the last few years: the players no longer need to bow/curtsy after every match, men's and women's winners get equal prize money, they've installed HawkEye technology on the show courts, and Centre Court will get a retractable roof. With all this going on, it's nice to have some things stay constant: strawberries and cream, Henman Hill, and tennis whites.

Second, I'd rather not leave it to players to find colors that complement the green grass. (My eyes are still adjusting from all the weird colors worn on the red clay courts at the French.) White is clean and appealing to the senses. And for us tennis fashionistas, consider Wimbledon our version of "Iron Chef": each player has to come up with a well-designed predominantly-white ensemble. So out of the closet come the accent colors, the accessories, the varying cuts, fabrics, and patterns of dresses. It's awesome. This year, look out for Roger's purple-trimmed shirt (with gold shoes), Serena's halter dress with an aqua trim on the hem (which she'll accessorize with a new Wilson racket laid with 22-carat gold leafing), and Stella McCartney's design for Maria Kirilenko: a sleeveless top with a point collar and ruffled front. Reebok designed a new dress for Mauresmo (part of a new collection), and adidas has also shown pictures of Ana Ivanovic's dress.

Q2: Andy Roddick traditionally plays well on grass as he was the runner-up twice at Wimbledon. What does he have to do this year in order to break through at Wimbledon?
Andy Roddick, along with every other ATP player NOT named Roger Federer, will have a huge uphill battle to win this year's title. All Roddick can do is play his game and hope for the best. His game works well on grass, he's still improving under the tutelage of Jimmy Connors, and he turned around his dismal first-round doubles loss at a Challenger (!) tournament with a title at the (Stella) Artois last week. He'll come into Wimbledon with confidence, which will be his best weapon against Federer.

Q3: Who are some "grass-court sleepers" with the gentlemen and ladies who can possibly make some noise at this tournament?
For those unfamiliar, Wimbledon seedings do not follow ATP Entry rankings. with the re-jiggering, 11th-ranked Czech Tomas Berdych was bumped to 7th, which means he wouldn't face anyone ranked higher than him until the quartefinals; I expect to see him through the second week. Australian (and 2002 men's winner) Lleyton Hewitt benefitted with a bump up to 16th seed, steering him clear of trouble until the 4th round; I expect him to make the second week as well. Up until Andy Murray's (photo) wrist injury two weeks ago, I would have expected the Scot to shine on his home court this year. Alas, the United Kingdom needs to wait until 2008 to crown a hometown hero, since Andy likely won't recover in time. On the women's side, I expect Slovakian Daniela Hantuchova to quietly get through the second week while the world continues to roll out the red carpet for the Serbians (Ana Ivanovic and Jelena Jankovic).

Q4: Being that Roger Federer is so dominant on the grass surface, do you think he is "ripe" to get picked off by someone in this tournament? If so, who could be that someone who does "the impossible?"
The only person that can beat Roger is Roger. If he's done rueing his loss in the French Open finals ("I couldn't care less how I played the last 10 months or the last 10 years. At the end of the day, I wanted to win that match.") and he's done wearing his clay insecurities on his Nike sleeve, then Wimbledon is a lock.

Q5. What's your predictions for the gentlemen and ladies champions and why?
As I'd said, I don't foresee anyone upending the folks we've generally seen at the top. Roger Federer will march his way through another title. While he might have been hampered with a thigh injury (forcing him to withdraw from last week's Wimbledon tune-up in Halle), he should be roaring to go. And he still has an edge over EVERYONE on grass, meaning, his weaknesses, which were so grossly exposed on clay, disappear on this surface.

And for the women, Justine Henin will take the crown again. She has put herself together after both missteps in her health, private life, and her dealings with the tennis public. While the bigger babes like (Ana) Ivanovic, (Jelena) Jankovic, and Serena might give her some trouble, Henin will be able to match them pound for pound. For men's doubles, I'm choosing (Daniel) Nestor and (Mark) Knowles (photo) over Mike and Bob Bryan. For women's doubles, Serena and Venus, who took a wildcard (and won this tournament in 2000 and 2002) likely won't win this time around.

I want to thank Erwin for his time and we will hear back from him as Wimbledon rolls on....

Five Good Questions with . . . Rick Vach of Tennis-X about Wimbledon

June 25th, the grass courts at Wimbledon will be open for another year....today one of our resident tennis experts, Rick Vach of the website Tennis-X, gives us his thoughts about what is going to go down at the All-England Club....

Tennis-X

Q1. Now that the clay court season is over, Rafael Nadal has to play the next two majors on surfaces (grass & hard court) that favor Roger Federer. What has Nadal done over the last year to improve his game on grass?
The better question is, what has Wimbledon and the ATP done to improve Nadal's game on grass and hardcourt? A lot. The grass is so slow nowadays in Wimbledon's effort to product more rallies, it plays like a hardcourt. Some of the hardcourt events are so slow, they play like a fast claycourt. Nadal is right at home in the new "Let's-slow-everything-down" scheme of things. Pete Sampras would have a problem if he were playing Wimbledon these days -- he'd see a lot more passing shots go by. That's why Roger Federer plies much of his trade at Wimbledon from the backcourt, which is ruining the grasscourt game.

I long for the days when Goran Ivanisevic and Mark Philippoussis served people off the court. Those were two guys with mediocre volleys who still came in all the time because when the lawns were slick, even crappy volleys worked wonders (see: Bjorn Borg). Players were encouraged to volley. Now even Tim Henman says he can't serve and volley at Wimbledon. Grasscourt play has been sanitized to the point where Tim Freaking Henman, the guy event organizers have wanted to see win all these years, says All England Club officials have screwed up the lawns and changed grasscourt tennis. Nadal has lightning-quick hands and feet and a champion's mentality, and that's all he needs to beat Federer on grass or hardcourts. With today's surface changes he can get away with a less-than-outstanding serve, and scamper around the baseline to win on the clay-like, high-bouncing slow lawns.

Q2. After that embarrassing performance by the American at Roland Garros, what do you expect from the top United States men, Roddick, Blake, and Fish, at Wimbledon?
There is no reason why Roddick and crew won't go deep at Wimbledon. As Roddick showed by his fourth Queen's Club title in a row last week, his confidence is always high on the grass and he's a pretty good bet to square off against Roger Federer in the final or semis. Blake is not great on grass but could go deep, same with Ginepri. Fish has no excuse not to go deep with his serve-and-volley skills. Grass is the surface for the wham-bam American-type game. On the women's side, no reason not to put Venus and Serena Williams among the title favorites, but the U.S. women's threat stops there.

Q3. The Williams sisters seem to thrive on grass and Sharapova already has a Wimbledon title under her belt. However, on the ladies side, is this tournament Justine Henin's to lose being that she never won at Wimbledon?
The world No. 1 Henin is not the favorite some think she is, though she is coming off a runner-up effort last year to Amelie Mauresmo. Depending whether the conditions are wet (as they have been in the run-up to Wimbledon) or dry this year, Henin will have a shot, but will have to deal with a lot of firepower to reach another final. So many of the top women just bang the ball off the forehand and backhand sides with little want for slice or volleying or dropshots or touch (Mauresmo was a refreshing departure last year), and that makes it a craps shoot on grass -- hard to call.

Q4. On the gentleman's side, can anything stop Federer at Wimbledon?
Injury maybe? Bronchitis? Mirka dumping him for Rafa? Two weeks of rain? Federer lost a couple claycourt matches to lower- (much lower-) ranked players during the beginning of the claycourt season as he was trying to mentally come to terms with breaking up with coach Tony Roche. Some outside influence or injury or bad clams or too-tight Nike underwear would have to come into play for Federer to exit Wimbledon without a title.

Q5. I have read there will be no roof at Wimbledon this year as they continued to refurbish the holy ground of tennis. What is your opinion about refurbishing Wimbledon? How do you feel about the traditions, such as players wearing white? When is that roof due, 2009? When did they start construction, 1984? No hurry All England Club Committee, try and finish it before you guys finish your term, or pass on. No, they do things slowly at Wimbledon, that's part of the scene and tradition -- there don't seem to be many traditions that hold up today in tennis, besides fans getting violently drunk during US Open night matches, so thumbs up to Wimbledon tradition.

Seeing players in white is a nice break from a lot of that ugly-ass Euro-wear (see: Tommy Robredo, who many times looks like he wears just whatever is clean) you see during the claycourt season. Note to European players: orange and black and blue and purple are colors, but aren't necessarily meant to be worn together. Yes, Wimbledon traditions such as all-white are wonderful I expect to most fans and players -- except for Frenchman Gael "Force" Monfils, who for two weeks has to refrain from dressing like a red and black Air Jordan shoe. And if Roger walks out on court in another crazy-ass suit coat and tennis shorts, more power to that -- except maybe this year he should wear black socks with his tennis shoes to complete the today-I-forgot-to-wear-pants look.

I want to thank Rick Vach for his time....we will hear from him again at the mid-point of Wimbledon....

Kobe Bryant - Is he bipolar?

I have come to the conclusion that Kobe Bryant is bipolar.....he does not know what he wants....he has mood swings.....first he wants to be “the man”....now he is crying that he needs help.....then he wants to leave the Lakers.....no wait, he changed his mind - now he wants to retire a Laker.....hold up, he just met with owner Jerry Buss and he now demands a trade....

It was determined by the “experts” and analysts on Sports Center and the sports talk shows that the Lakers should not trade Kobe because they would not get anyone in return of marquee value....that is true....Kobe is 28-years old, in his prime, and is one of the five best players in the game....but these analysts did not take into account the distraction that Kobe brings to the team.....

Kobe Bryant is another Terrell Owens - he is a cancer on a team....he is an egomaniac who wants all the attention and accolades but will not accept any blame if his team loses....a logical choice would be for him to be traded to Chicago....the Bulls have enough young players to pull off the trade, yet still keep enough quality players to help Kobe...but will that move take the Bulls to the next level?....I question that.....

I wrote in a previous blog entry that Kobe has not proven that he could carry a team through the NBA playoffs....LeBron James, who plays with less talent around him than Kobe does in L.A., was able to will the Cavs into the NBA Finals....yes we all know that Kobe has three rings - but those were because Shaq was the anchor on those championship teams.....

To me, Kobe is another Kevin Garnett or Tracy McGrady....a flashy player who can score a ton of points, but cannot win in the playoffs....maybe the dysfunctional Kobe would fit in well with another dysfunctional organization like the Knicks or Sixers....

This Associated Press article explains about a video that someone shot of Kobe blasting the Lakers....

Kobe video

Los Angeles Times sports columnist Bill Plaschke writes how Kobe has used the Laker fans....

Bill Plaschke

In an article written on May 31st, N.Y. Post reporter Marc Berman writes that a Kobe deal to the Knicks is unlikely....

Marc Berman

Terry Hoeppner Dies

TERRY HOEPPNER

1948 - 2007

National League All-Star Team

Yesterday I gave my selections for the American League All-Star game....today I take my shot at the National League....

Catcher - Russell Martin, Los Angeles - the kid is quietly doing the job (.288, 7, 41)
First base - Prince Fielder, Milwaukee - Pujols may be da man, but this year Prince is da king (.290, 25, 54)
Second base - Chase Utley, Philadelphia - quickly becoming the best in the business (.320, 12, 54)
Third base - Miguel Cabrera, Florida - David Wright gets all the press, but Cabrera may be the best player in the league (.332, 16, 51)
Shortstop - Jose Reyes, New York - Reyes is the most dynamic player in the game (.318, 3, 32, 37 sb)
Outfield - Matt Holliday, Colorado - no one outside of the Rockies knows about him (.363, 12, 53)
Outfield - Ken Griffey, Jr, Cincinnati - Junior is having a nice season (.287, 18, 43)
Outfield - Barry Bonds, San Francisco - I may not like him, but the game is played at his house (.287, 14, 31)
Starting pitcher - Jake Peavy, San Diego - the best pitcher in baseball (8-1, 1.82, 103)

The reserves are....
Catcher - Bengie Molina, San Francisco (.295, 6, 33)
First base - Albert Pujols, St. Louis (.305, 16, 45)
First base - Dmitri Young, Washington (.333, 7, 34)
Second base - Freddy Sanchez, Pittsburgh (.296, 1, 23)
Third base - David Wright, New York (.281, 12, 37)
Shortstop - Hanley Ramirez, Florida (.322, 8, 21, 22 sb)
Outfield - Carlos Lee, Houston (.299, 11, 55)
Outfield - Aaron Rowand, Philadelphia (.325, 10, 38)
Outfield - Alfonso Soriano, Chicago (.294, 11, 23)
Outfield - Eric Byrnes, Arizona (.307, 10, 35)

Starting pitcher - John Smoltz, Atlanta (R) (8-3, 2.84, 76)
Starting pitcher - Cole Hamels, Philadelphia (L) (9-2, 3.47, 104)
Starting pitcher - Brad Penny, Los Angeles (R) (8-1, 2.18, 61)
Starting pitcher - Ben Sheets, Milwaukee (R) (7-3, 3.31, 61)
Starting pitcher - Oliver Perez, New York (L) (7-5, 2.93, 76)
Starting pitcher - Matt Morris, San Francisco (R) (7-4, 3.21, 48)
Starting pitcher - Brandon Webb, Arizona (R) (7-4, 3.14, 90)
Closer - Takashi Saito, Los Angeles (R) (1-0, 1.61, 19 saves)
Closer - Francisco Cordero, Milwaukee (R) (0-1, 2.45, 25 saves)
Closer - Trevor Hoffman, San Diego (R) (2-3, 2.08, 19 saves)
Closer - Brian Fuentes, Colorado (L) (0-0, 2.01, 18 saves)

Analysis - The National League have a bunch of "clump" players....and by that, I mean there are many quality and deserving players clumped at one position....take for instance shortstop....I went with Reyes and Ramirez, but could have easily taken Edgar Renteria (Atlanta), Jimmy Rollins (Philadelphia), J.J. Hardy (Milwaukee)....the same could be said at first base where Derek Lee of the Cubs and Todd Helton of the Rockies was left off....the Cubs have only 1 representative and I went with Alfonso Soriano because he is starting to swing a hot stick and he is capable of stealing bases, which gave him the nod over Lee....

It was a lot easier getting left-handed pitching in the National League compared to the American League....I have four southpaws, with Oliver Perez being one of the last players to make the team....I went with Perez because #1 he is a southpaw, and #2 last year this time he was down in the minors wondering if he would ever get his head straightened out - and he did....the one player I love on this team is Hanley Ramirez....most people don't know about him....but he was Boston's prize prospect who they traded in order to get Josh Beckett....it looks like it worked out for both teams....

The statistics were through Sunday, June 17th

American League All-Star Team

There are less than 2 weeks left to vote in this year's All-Star Game....voting ends Thursday, June 28th....so I figure this is the best time to give my selections for this year's 30 man roster.....today I am focusing on the American League and tomorrow it will be the National League....here are my starters....

Catcher - Jorge Posada, New York - he is one of the leaders in hitting (.349, 8, 41)
First base - David Ortiz, Boston - even though Papi is usually a D.H. he gets the nod here (.332, 11, 42)
Second base - Placido Polanco, Detroit - how can you deny a guy hitting over .340 (.345, 1, 33)
Third base - Alex Rodriguez, New York - he is having a monster year (.306, 25, 68)
Shortstop - Derek Jeter, New York - he is up there in average, hits, and leadership (.335, 4, 31)
Outfield - Magglio Ordonez, Detroit (photo) - Mags is up there with A-Rod for MVP (.365, 13, 61)
Outfield - Ichiro, Seattle - this guys never slows down (.342, 5, 32, 25 sb)
Outfield - Vlad Guerrero, Anaheim - every year he is predicted to slow down because of injuries - yeh right (.333, 12, 61)
Starting pitcher - Chi Chi Sabathia, Cleveland - fans don't pick pitchers but he would be my man to start (9-2, 3.19, 96)

Now for the reserves.....
Catcher - Pudge Rodriguez, Detroit (.300, 7, 39)
Second base - Brian Roberts, Baltimore (.306, 2, 17, 22 sb)
Second base - B.J. Upton, Tampa Bay (.320, 9, 31)
Third/First base - Kevin Youkilis, Boston (.329, 8, 33)
Shortstop - Orlando Cabrera, Anaheim (.336, 3, 37)
Outfield - Torii Hunter, Minnesota (.312, 14, 54)
Outfield - Alex Rios, Toronto (.292, 15, 39)
Outfield - Grady Sizemore, Cleveland (.286, 11, 32, 20 sb)

Pitchers
Johan Santana, Minnesota (L) (6-6, 3.19, 105Ks)
Brian Bannister, Kansas City (R) (3-3, 2.91, 28)
Dan Haren, Oakland (R) (8-2, 1.64, 84)
Chad Gaudin, Oakland, (R) (6-1, 2.85, 53)
Erik Bedard, Baltimore (L) (4-4, 3.64, 112)
James Shields, Tampa Bay (R) (6-1, 3.30, 85)
John Lackey, Anaheim (R) (10-4, 2.53, 71)
Justin Verlander, Detroit (R) (7-2, 2.79, 68)
Josh Beckett, Boston (R) (9-1, 3.39, 68)
Akinori Otsuka, Texas (R) (1-1, 2.10, 4 saves)
Francisco Rodriguez, Anaheim (R) (0-2, 2.51, 21 saves)
J.J. Putz, Seattle (R) (0-0, 1.19, 19 saves) - photo
Bobby Jenks, Chicago (R) (2-2, 2.52, 17 saves)

Analysis - The All-Star team is comprised of 30 players, but it was still difficult to pick the most deserving....the most difficult part of selecting the pitching staff was to find quality southpaws after Sabathia.....the Orioles Eric Bedard made the team because he leads the A.L. in strikeouts and is a left-hander....Santana is not having a Santana-like year, but I needed another lefty...Andy Pettitte is deserving with his 2.93 era, but just missed out...some may wonder why Fausto Caromona did not make the team....he has more wins than Santana, but they both have similar ERAs - plus Santana has more strikeouts and is a southpaw...Texas and Kansas City do not deserve anyone on this team....I was going to take Mark Texiera as the Rangers representative but he is banged up....Kelvim Escobar and Jeremy Bonderman lost out because of the K.C. and Texas representatives....it looks like A-Rod will have to play the entire game at third....Youkilis is a nice pick because he provides diversity being that he can play either third or first...

I know I went with 3 second basemen, but Roberts and Upton are truly deserving even though I could whack one of them from the team because I have a Baltimore and Tampa representative also on the pitching staff.....many people do not realize that James Shields is throwing some solid ball down in the Sunshine State for the D-Rays.....the last spot was between Grady Sizemore, Manny Ramirez, Joe Mauer, and Mike Lowell....the nod went to Sizemore because he can hit and has speed if needed late in the game....

Note - Statistics were based on Saturday, June 16th

The Sunday Baker's Dozen

Denver Post sports columnist Mark Kiszla writes how Tiger Woods may be on the verge of fatherhood, but the memory of his dad is still there on Father's Day...

Mark Kiszla

Washington Post reporter Les Carpenter writes how former Cleveland Brown Bernie Parrish is fighting for better pensions for retired NFL players....

Les Carpenter

Boston Globe sports columnist is excited that he can listen to the great Vin Scully on his XM radio...

Bob Ryan

Los Angeles Times sports columnist Bill Plaschke is at the U.S. Open and hoping a guy named Bubba who scratches his back with his putter wins the thing....

Bill Plaschke

Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel sports columnist writes how Barry Bonds' chase for The Record has slowed down....he only wishes it was over already....

Tom Haudricourt

Newark Star-Ledger reporter M.A. Mehta writes about the legendary blow-up between Billy Martin and Reggie Jackson....

M.A. Mehta

New York Daily News reporter Michael Daly writes how "big time" businesses are using government subsidies to move back to Ground Zero...

Michael Daly

New York Daily News reporter Thomas Zambito writes that Michael Jackson was almost swindled out of his money by friends and family....

Thomas Zambito

Former Atlanta Brave Dale Murphy tells Atlanta Journal-Constitution's Carroll Rogers he believes Barry Bonds took something to help pump upp his homerun numbers....

Carroll Rogers

Miami Herald sports columnist Dan Le Batard writes how baseball's "childish" acts are just part of the game....

Dan Le Batard

Indianapolis Star sports columnist Bob Kravitz writes how Indiana University athletic director Rick Greenspan had to make a difficult decision about the university's football program...

Bob Kravitz

Boston Globe reporter Stan Grossfeld writes how former Red Sox slugger Mo Vaughn is working to help provide low-income housing to people in need....

Stan Grossfeld

St. Louis Post-Dispatch baseball writer tell how Oakland Athletics managing partner Lew Wolff is rooting against his childhood team this weekend....

Rick Hummel

Five Good Questions with . . . Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic about the Diamondbacks

Today "Five Good Questions" is with Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic....Nick is the D-backs beat writer for the paper...

Q1. A few years back the Diamondbacks began a youth movement in which they purged themselves of many veterans. Arizona is near first place about 10 games over .500. How come the youth movement was so successful so fast?
First of all, you have to give a lot of credit to the previous regime that was in place before Josh Byrnes & Co. took over in Nov. 2005. GM Joe Garagiola Jr. and his staff – in particular scouting director Mike Rizzo – did a fantastic job in the draft to stock the system and then held tightly to those coveted young players. Players like Conor Jackson, Carlos Quentin, Stephen Drew, Micah Owings, Justin Upton (who’s tearing up Double A), et al, are all homegrown. Then Byrnes came in and kept the team moving in the same direction, making trades for affordable, younger players like Orlando Hudson and Chris Young and beefed up the pitching staff with trades for Livan Hernandez, Doug Davis and Randy Johnson. The pitching in particular is probably the biggest reason they’ve been able to stay above .500 this season.

Q2. Arizona is the hottest team in the National League and did well on their east coast swing in which they played the N.Y. Mets. However,over the weekend the D-backs have had problems with the Boston Red Sox. What did you learn about the Diamondbacks and are they ready to "play with the big boys"?
It’s hard to really tell much from three games, particularly when Brandon Webb wasn’t one of the starting pitchers – and we all know how important he is to the success of this team – but it did appear as if they were a notch below the Red Sox, who, remember, were playing without the designated hitter. The Diamondbacks lineup doesn’t have the top-to-bottom depth of the Red Sox, and their bullpen had some trouble in two of the games. I’m sure the Diamondbacks are hopeful that their players like Drew and Quentin will be bigger threats as they get more at-bats and experience.

Q3. Who are a few quality players on the team that many people on the east coast have not heard about just because they play in Arizona?
Two young pitchers come to mind: Micah Owings and Tony Pena. Neither get a whole lot of pub, but both have done quite well thus far. Owings, who was a combined 16-2 in the minor leagues last season, has a 3.76 ERA. Although he has all of 52 2/3 major league innings under his belt, looking at the way he attacks hitters and his mound comportment, you’d think he were a 10-year veteran. Nothing fazes him. And he’ll throw pretty much any pitch in any situation. Pena is a guy whom the club converted from a starter to a reliever before last season and he really took to it right away, dominating in the minor leagues before getting a second-half callup. He has been close to overpowering pitching the seventh or eighth inning for Bob Melvin this year, effectively mixing his mid-90s fastball and hard slider. I absolutely agree with the club’s long-term vision of him as a closer.

Q4. What areas must the Diamondbacks improve upon during the season? Do you think they will be active before the trade deadline? If so, who would be someone that the team covets?
Their offense has been hit or miss all season. They’ve got to get more production from guys like Quentin and Drew. They’ve got to stay healthy, too. Quentin, Tracy, Drew, Chris Young – all have had injuries of varying degrees throughout the season. They need these guys healthy and productive. It’s really tough to tell whether they’ll be active at the deadline. They could probably use another solid reliever, but they may feel they have some guys in Triple-A – Medders at the moment, if they can get him straightened out – who can help out eventually. Another bat would help, too, but I just don’t see that kind of trade happening.

Q5. Living on the east coast I have to ask, why did the organization change team colors from purple to red? What do you think of the switch?
The team listed a few different reasons, including television stations having trouble matching their graphics colors accurately to the team jerseys, but I think it had a lot to do with the club’s new ownership group wanting to kind of put their stamp on the organization. Since Jerry Colangelo was forced out in Aug. 2004 and Ken Kendrick and Jeff Moorad have been running day-to-day operations, there have been all kinds of changes, including the team president, the GM, VPs, the PR director, and I kind of lump the color change in with all that. I like the switch. Granted, they look a whole lot like some other teams in baseball, like Houston, for example, but I think they’re pretty sharp.

Q5a. One extra question, what is your opinion about Barry Bonds and "The Record"?
You know, I just sat here and wrote an answer ripping Bonds, then read it and decided I wanted to defend him, at which point I just deleted both answers and started again. I guess I don’t feel strongly about this. It’s a really tough situation, one of those where it seems like any opinion is valid. I can see both sides. A lot of guys were doing steroids and he still hit the home runs. Then again, if there’s so much evidence (granted, no known failed drug test) against him, it’s hard to consider it a clean record. I guess I’m just glad that I’ve got about seven years before I’m eligible to vote for the Hall of Fame. Plenty of time to make up my mind.....

I want to thank Nick for his time....he has been traveling across the country the last two weeks with the D-Backs playing in New York then heading home for a week then coming back to New York for a series with the Yankees....