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Orton doesn't look good for Sunday 03:00:51 pm , 11-20-2009 Kyle Orton missed a third consecutive practice Friday because of a sprained left ankle and has only an outside chance of playing Sunday when the Denver Broncos and San Diego Chargers meet with first place in the AFC West on the line. Broncos backup Chris Simms again took first-team practice repetitions, as he has all week in the absence of Orton, who was injured during last week's 27-17 loss at Washington. This would be Simms' first start since 2006. Listed as questionable, Orton will be put through a workout before Sunday's game and how he performs will determine whether he plays, coach Josh McDaniels said Friday. If Kyle is completely able to do what we're going to ask him to do in the game plan, and can do it at a level that allows us to be successful, then we could give him an opportunity to play, McDaniels said. If he's not capable of playing at that level, or doing some of the things that we need him to be able to do, then you go with the guy who practiced.

NFL Picks of the Week: Week 11 03:00:37 pm , 11-20-2009 Here are my projections for Week 11:   Miami: 17 vs. Carolina: 7. -Miami shuts down the Panthers offense and comes out with a win.  Indianapolis 20 vs. Baltimore 24. -Baltimore hands Indianapolis their first loss of the season behind the play of Ray Lewis and the Ravens' defense. Washington: 10 vs. Dallas: 31 -Dallas gets back on track by defeating Washington. Cleveland: 6 vs. Detroit: 17 -With what could easily turn out to be one of the most boring games this season, Cleveland's offense continues to struggle. Possible Brett Ratliff sighting this week?  San Francisco: 20 vs. Green Bay: 21 -San Francisco continues to come up short when it matters, as Aaron Rodgers and the Packers defeat the 49ers. Buffalo: 14 vs. Jacksonville: 35  -Maurice Jones-Drew vs. one of the worse run-defense teams in the league. Enough said. Pittsburgh: 42 vs. Kansas City: 7 -Pittsburgh just got swept by the Bengals. They're going to want to take that anger out on the Chiefs. Expect a blowout.  Seattle: 17 vs. Minnesota: 27 -Red-hot Minnesota continues their win streak behind Adrian Peterson's hard-nose running. Atlanta: 14 vs. New York Giants: 28 -New York wins their first game since starting 5-0. New Orleans: 34 vs. Tampa Bay: 17 -Division match-up that could be closer then you think, as New Orleans continues to struggle.  Arizona: 28 vs. St. Louis: 9 -St. Louis got close to beating the Saints last week...don't expect a repeat. San Diego: 31 vs. Denver: 34 -Always a fun, close game to watch. Denver comes out with their first win since starting out the season 6-0. New York Jets: 24 vs. New England: 17 -Here's the upset of the week. Mark Sanchez comes up big vs. the Patriots. Cincinnati: 24 vs. Oakland: 0 -I love Cincinnati. In the past, I've hated them. Their team is very good this year, and they're up against the Oakland Raiders, who are starting Bruce Gradkowski at quarterback. The Bengals should come up with a big win. Philadelphia: 20  vs. Chicago: 10 -Philadelphia gets a much earned win vs. a slumping Chicago.  Tennessee: 17 vs. Houston: 20 -On a close Monday Night Football game, Houston comes up big against the red-hot Titans.

Pat Fitzgerald: A Better Fit at Northwestern than at a Big Time Program 03:00:34 pm , 11-20-2009 The annual rumors concerning potential major NCAA football coaching vacancies have started, and Pat Fitzgerald's name has come up often in connection with Notre Dame. This isn't terribly surprising considering that Fitzgerald is a young coach that has been successful at Northwestern in the Big 10. However, I have a hard time seeing him leave. This isn't just the usual comments about his loyalty, although Fitzgerald is a Northwestern alum that seems to bleed purple. He recently signed a seven year contract extension that could keep him in Evanston for the foreseeable future. There was also his recent quote in a Chicago Tribune article, where he said, I think I've made my intentions and my feelings about Northwestern crystal clear, when commenting on the situation. He also said that his previous love for the Irish died a long time ago. I'm sure that won't stop the speculation. However, I just don't feel that Fitzgerald is a good fit at a top tier football program. While I'm a big fan of Fitzgerald and hope he stays at Northwestern for a long time, let me be realistic for a moment. His record at Northwestern is only 26-22 so far (14-17 in conference), with a season high of nine wins. That simply wouldn't cut it at a major program. Notre Dame coach Charlie Weis is on the hot seat with a 6-4 record. Ron Zook was fired after three years at Florida despite a 23-14 record. John Cooper was let go at Ohio State after an 8-4 season and a record of 111-43-4 as the Buckeye coach. Frank Solich was 9-4 in his last season at Nebraska and had a 59-11 record there, yet was fired before the Alamo Bowl in 2003. I could keep going, but I think you get the point. Expectations for major football programs are ridiculously high. Bowl games are taken for granted and conference championships, maybe even national championships, are expected. While that's not necessarily fair, it's a fact of life at many programs. At this point in his career, Fitzgerald simply doesn't seem like a good fit for a major program. He has led some competitive Northwestern teams, but they have yet to have a truly great year under Fitzgerald. If I were the athletic director at a major program, my goal would not be to replace a winning coach with another coach with a similar record. Fitzgerald is in a very good place at Northwestern. His team is going to back-to-back bowl games for the first time since 1996 and the program seems to be on the rise. He also has job security because of the extension he signed in June as well as very reasonable expectations at NU. At Northwestern, making a bowl game is a solid year and a 10vwin season might earn him a parade. All of that would be gone at a major program. While his salary would increase substantially, he could be on the way out the door if he didn't go to a BCS bowl relatively soon. Even back to back BCS bowls to open his Notre Dame career has only bought Weis five years at Notre Dame. A move to a bigger program for Fitzgerald simply doesn't make a lot of sense for either party.  If that's the case, he'll probably be patrolling the sidelines at Ryan Field for several more years, if not longer. Northwestern fans are happy to have him and will appreciate him far more than a larger program like Notre Dame ever will.

Trent's Touchdown - Six Games to Watch in Week 12 03:00:25 pm , 11-20-2009 With births to conference championship games and outright claims to the top spots in other conferences on the line, Week 12 looks like a winner. So, let's skip the preamble and get right to the games. 1) No. 10 Ohio State at Michigan -12:00 on ABC While this one looks like a cakewalk for Ohio State, this one gives me pause. As much as I hate it when people say that records don't matter in rivalry games, this one transcends the records. Both have something to play for, just one is more important than the other. Ohio State is playing for the outright championship of the Big Ten and, more importantly, respect. Yes, they are going to the Rose Bowl, but no one thinks they can beat any Pac-10 team. They are a team being carried by their defense. Every Buckeye fan out there, while not admitting it, just hopes that Terrelle Pryor doesn't do anything stupid when he has his hands on the ball. I mean, look at the series they played in the OT win against Iowa, three straight dives into the heart of the line. Yes, Tressel really trusts Pryor. Michigan is playing to get out of the cellar of the Big Ten and, most probably, for Rich Rodriguez's job. After starting 4-0, they have gotten smacked around by all comers, wining only one of their last seven games. I like Tate Forcier and I like the enthusiasm of the team, but Michigan still makes dumb mistakes. I think Rodriguez really needs to take the training wheel's off here and just let Forcier air it out. They have nothing to lose. Michigan has played well at home all year, so they can keep it close. I just think the Ohio State defense is too good for Michigan. Ohio State wins this one, while I get deluged with Ohio State is for real” stories before they douse their drawers against Oregon in the Rose Bowl. 2) No. 11 Oregon at Arizona -8:00 on ABC Speaking of Oregon, they get to take one more step to securing the Pac-10. Personally, I like Stanford, but the Duchess like Oregon. As any married man knows, the secret to a successful marriage is to always listen to your wife. Anyhow, the Oregon offense is pretty simple to figure out. It's run, run, run, and then beat you with the play action pass. It's just a question of stopping it. I don't know why they bothered to reinstate LeGarrette Blount, since LaMichael James is one of the better running backs in the nation. Look for the Ducks to keep doing what they do. Arizona is in a very good spot. They win out and they go to the Rose Bowl. However, they need to stay consistent on offense, something they couldn't do against Cal last week. The problem is there is a big question mark at running back, as Nic Grigsby has a bit of a shoulder problem. While Arizona is undefeated at home, they really haven't had any quality wins (minus Stanford). Oregon knows how to get up for the big games and they know just how important this one is. I think they go into Arizona and win it, but Arizona sticks around for most of the game. 3) No. 25 California at No. 17 Stanford -7:30 on Versus Talk about two teams on two different sides of the spectrum. Cal has absolutely no quality wins, while Stanford slapped around USC and Oregon in back to back weeks. God I love Stanford right now. The blue-collar Stanford Cardinals are showing they are not a team to be taken lightly. They also know how to go for the kill when they have the shot, going for a two-point conversion up 27 in the fourth quarter against USC. Andrew Luck keeps plugging along, knowing the offense doesn't rest on his shoulders. All he needs to do is get the ball to Toby Gerhart and he is all set. They have a competent defense that doesn't get lit up, so they are all good. Cal is one team I don't understand. They can't beat a good team, yet they keep getting into the top 25. Their best player is on the sideline after nearly killing himself trying to get into the end zone. We'll be lucky if we Jahvid Best before the opening game next year. Shane Vereen is an admirable back up, but he isn't Best. Pardon the pun, but Best is Cal's best shot at winning. Stanford wins this one, by doing what they always do. I don't even think Cal keeps it close, but it's worth watching just to see Stanford dismantle another team and keep their hopes of a Pac-10 Championship alive. 4) Virginia at No. 23 Clemson -3:30 on ABC I'll admit it; this is pure and utter homerism (even if I've never been to South Carolina or know anyone who has been there). This is the game every Clemson fan has been waiting for since 1991. Well, technically, that would be in 2 weeks against Georgia Tech, but they need to beat Virginia first. Let's forget about the Virginia offense completely. They can't move the ball against a high school team, and Clemson is one of the better defenses in the country, leading the nation in interceptions. This game hinges on the ability of C.J. Spiller making plays and giving Kyle Parker piece of mind that the game isn't on his shoulders. Throw in a big play by Jacoby Ford and you pretty much have yourself a victory. It'll be fun to watch for about two and a half quarters, which is usually where Clemson decides they've had enough and decide to just win it and be done with it. 5) No. 8 LSU at Mississippi -3:30 on CBS Remember when everyone (including me) was saying how Jevan Sneed was for real? That was 14 interceptions ago. However, out of the limelight, Ole Miss has been able to put together a fairly good record. If I was a LSU fan, I wouldn't be sure if I was more scared of Jefferson or Lee starting at quarterback. Listen, I could go into some spiel about how LSU needs to work the run, but it's all a lie. This game will come down to the LSU defense stopping Dexter McCluster. If they do that, they put the game in Sneed's hands and as scary as that sounded at the beginning of the season, it would make me downright giddy now. LSU wins this, but the game is ugly in the fact that it turns into a defensive struggle. LSU just needs to pray that if Lee does start, that he doesn't make too many mistakes. 6) Harvard at Yale -12:00 on Versus Come on people, this is The Game. The Game! Basically, it's an excuse for the alumni of two Ivy League schools to drink all weekend, but that's a whole different story. Extra Point 7) Let me throw in my two cents about the Mark Mangino debacle at Kansas. I want to preface this by saying that we don't know all the evidence and I don't want to come off like an idiot like Obama and the whole Gates incident. Also, I've always liked Kansas because of their underdog status. That being said, if this is true, this is the weirdest thing I've heard in a while-but not completely shocking. With the amount of control coaches have over players in college football, something like this was bound to happen. If this was one or two players, you can write it off as sour grapes, but this is a whole host of players with similar stories. This doesn't just affect Mangino though. This will affect his assistant coaches and coordinators, not to mention the legacy of Bill Snyder at Kansas State. There is a fine line between hard-nosed disciplinarian and out of control behavior. No matter the outcome, Mangino is toxic after this. No team is going to touch him. If he did cross the line, let's hope he learned his lesson.

Bengals-Raiders: Bo Knows Raiders Have Dominated This Series 03:00:25 pm , 11-20-2009 Bengals and Raiders fans: grab a five hour energy drink, your favorite fur coat, and an eye patch and get ready to relive the most exciting three games in series history. (Writer's note: males are only allowed to wear fur coats if they are crazy, old, have dementia, or are near death, all of which describe Raiders' owner Al Davis, pictured below). And when I say get ready to relive the three most exciting games in history, I'm slightly exaggerating. These two teams never play in exciting games against each other. It's like watching two blind people play tennis, only less fun. However, after a week of looking, I think I've found three fun games. Fact to impress drunk people with: Bengals all-time leading scorer Jim Breech spent 13 of his 14 career NFL seasons in Cincinnati. The one that wasn't in Cincinnati: Breech's rookie year of 1979, which he spent with Oakland. All-Time Series: Raiders lead 17-8 in regular season (will be 17-9 after Sunday) and 2-0 in the playoffs. Lets get to the countdown: 3. Sept. 13, 1992, at Cincinnati Bengal legends Harold Green and Derek Fenner (pictured) both scored touchdowns in this game, but it almost wasn't enough for the win. A one-yard touchdown run by Marcus Allen late in the fourth quarter tied the game at 21 and sent it to overtime. Most teams hate overtime, but not the Bengals, because their kicker at the time was Mr. NFL record for overtime kicks Jim Breech. Breech nailed a 34-yard field goal in the sudden death period, sending the Bengals and rookie head coach Dave Shula to 2-0. And yes, you read that correctly, Dave Shula started a season 2-0. And it would have been 3-0 if not for this game, involving this person that I really want to do this to. Result: Bengals 24, Raiders 21 2. Dec. 28, 1975, at Oakland The Bengals traveled to Oakland in 1975 for only the third playoff game in franchise history. The mighty Raiders had gone 12-2 in the regular season, but Bengals fans had high hopes for this game. Why? Because one of the Raider's two losses came at the hands of Cincinnati. Not to mention, the Bengals themselves had finished the regular season with the highest winning percentage in team history (.783) with an 11-3 record. Unfortunately for Cincinnati, for three quarters, the Bengals looked a lot like the 2009 Cleveland Browns Early in the fourth quarter, Cincinnati found themselves trailing 31-14. Game over? Not so fast, my friend. Ken Anderson threw fourth quarter touchdown passes to Issac Curtis and Charlie Joiner to cut the Raider lead to 31-28. On Oakland's next possession, JaMarcus Russell wasn't the quarterback-or born yet for that matter-but the Raiders still executed a Russell-like drive by going three-and-out. The Bengals then got the ball back with a chance to win or tie. Or neither. Cincy would go four-and-out and watch their franchise playoff record fall to 0-3. Result: Raiders 31, Bengals 28 1. Jan. 13, 1991, at Los Angeles This game put Tecmo out of business and ruined Nike's sweetest ad campaign ever. And we have Kevin Walker to thank. In the second half of a tantalizingly close game, Walker ended Bo Jackson's football career with a tackle that damaged Bo's hip. This game was also exhibit A for why Bo was unstoppable in Tecmo Super Bowl. In the three quarters preceding the injury, Jackson had racked up 77 yards on six carries. We can probably all agree that if Bo doesn't get injured, Tecmo Super Bowl would have sold six billion copies, and the Madden franchise would have never started. No Madden means Playstation 2 would have never existed, which means Playstation 3 wouldn't be here, which means that X-box would be a cool name for a dog, but not a video game machine, and everyone in the world would be dead. So, Kevin Walker single-handedly stopped the apocalypse, amazing. Lets get back to the game though. After Jackson went out with his team up 10-3, the Bengals came back and tied it in the fourth. However, the Raiders would score 10 more points to win the game. The most embarrassing part of the loss is that Jay Schroeder was the Raider quarterback at the time. Say that again: Jay Schroeder. There are paper plates with more talent than Schroeder. Result: Raiders 20, Bengals 10

Humor: We Know What Happened During The France-Ireland Clash 03:00:24 pm , 11-20-2009 It was a day like any other. Or not so.  Thierry Henry handled the ball, crossed a ball that was headed by William Gallas into the back of the net to launch France into the 2010 World Cup and eliminate Ireland from contention. Or is that only what they want us to see. Was it FIFA, the ones who staged the match with a seeded draw, wanting Ireland to meet the French and bring all the media's attention to football by having a controversial goal scored late? Was it the French who demanded that the last game and all its drama be held in Paris to attract more media spotlight to its capital? Or maybe it was all shot in a Hollywood studio! Were the Irish in on it too? Does Henry's apology come from his heart or is it all scripted? Ahh! We saw Henry coming down the bus. What was he doing talking with Ireland's assistant manager Marco Tardelli? They were laughing and smiling! They must be in on it!  Look at Henry's photo. Thierry The Cheat Henry. And he has his two arms raised up in the air! That's good. At least he knows he's the bad guy in this story. It was all part of a great deal concerning the biggest countries in the world. For sure the United States know about it. Or maybe it was all part of Saddam's plans to ruin the world. Other theories however, include some who believe it was all-how can we put it? A coincidence. Ha, if they only knew! Ladies and gentlemen, we are in front of a new world order. Conspiracy lies among us. Maybe we are among those who are on it too.  No, it's not just another game. It's the sign of the times! Is it 2012 already?!

Canadiens and Wild Suffer the Same Problem: Farm Team Development. 03:00:24 pm , 11-20-2009 A lot of teams in the NHL still have a hard time finding and drafting the right prospect. Or maybe it's simply because they don't have the tools to make them grow into stars? There is a plethora of talented prospects that never make a real impact at the NHL level for some reason. Reasons can range from lack of effort, disgruntled youth, overrated player, size, competitiveness.   Sometimes the assessment of a junior player is just completely off the mark. And other times, the development system is to blame.   There have been many first round busts through the years regardless of what spot they are drafted. But I noticed a familiar pattern between two teams. Both teams have had prospects over the years coming up the ranks, only to crumble at the NHL level, stay stuck in the minor leagues, or provide only marginal contributions once at the NHL level.   I'm talking about the similarities between the Montreal Canadiens and the Minnesota Wild. For some reason, many experts thought for many years that Montreal had a awesome prospect pool just waiting to explode into NHL stardom.   In fact, Montreal was ranked No. 2 on the prospect depth chart by Hockey's Future for years...until this season. They recently realized all that talent and «depth» has apparently vanished, and Montreal dropped to No. 14.   Montreal is, in my opinion, in much better shape than the Wild where there is a dearth of depth. It's simple really, for those two teams, the rank in the draft does not matter, whatever hot prospect they will get will only provide marginal contribution to their respective teams.   At some point, for a head scout and general manager, you want those «talented prospects» to take over the team and steal the veterans spot and ice time. And for most teams, that's exactly what happens. Chicago, Colorado, Pittsburgh, Los Angeles, Washington, Anaheim...I could keep going on and on. But the fact is on almost every roster in the NHL, the core is made up of young players in their early 20's, drafted and developed by their respective teams.   For the sake of this comparison, I'll say right now that out of the bunch, Mikko Koivu and Tomas Plekanec are probably the best two. And both are still on the team that drafted them. And both provide about the same offensive numbers. So I'm not going to mention them further.   Now, look at Montreal. The inability to develop young players has forced Bob Gainey's hand over the years to sign veterans to fill a hole. And not only Gainey, it's been the same story for years, this is what has plagues the Canadiens since the mid 90's.   First round draft picks should, at this point, be at the top or near the top of their teams scoring chart. But the reality is very different. Were they all bad choices? Doubtful. Because if you follow junior players and the drafts year after year, you hear about those prospects and scouts are often unanimous. Pro scouts use the same tools and criteria for their analysis and when the scouting reports come out, not always, but often the reports say about the same thing.   So where does it go wrong? Why is Montreal forced to sign established players for their top line? Why is the Wild in the same position? As I mentioned, it's an inability to develop their talented prospects. I'm not saying these players are bad, just that they never reached expectations and especially, they never show the potential that a first or second round pick should.   Chris Higgins was a big disappointment for Montreal's management and was shipped away to New York where he continues to struggle. Mike Komisarek showed lot of promise, but decided to leave after a horrible year. Andrei Kostitsyn is lost in translation and seems to be regressing. Maxim Lapierre and Guillaume Latendresse make an interesting and dynamic duo but are not scaring any defence out there. Kyle Chipchura feels like a career minor league player.   You probably already all forgot about David Fischer, the first choice in 2006 and Cory Urquhart, second round of 2003, picked 21 spots before Maxim Lapierre. Same goes for Duncan Milroy. And as time passes, I feel Matt D'Agostini is fading away as well.   We'll never know if Ryan McDonagh could eventually replace Komisarek. Max Pacioretty is struggling badly and is not showing much signs of becoming a dominating power forward so far. Mikhail Grabovski, Alexander Perezoghin and Marcel Hossa all left after disappointing seasons.   All those prospects were regarded as «top line talent», «potential stars», «40 goals scorers» or, «defensive stud». So...what happened? Their development was botched. That's what. By being unable to develop their talent in the AHL or juniors, we've lost those «potential stars» in the making.   The result? An average team with average players who need to fill holes with more talented players through trades or free agency.   Now look at the Wild. Have you seen James Sheppard? The Wild have been waiting for him to progress and break out but he's been going the opposite direction. To his defence, Sheppard is an offensive minded player and has been forced into a defensive system for years. I'm afraid this has effectively slowed if not stopped his development.   Maybe he was brought to the NHL too quickly? The 9th overall pick is 2006 has managed only 44 points in 180 NHL games. He had 225 points in 187 games in the juniors.   And how about Benoit Pouliot? The fourth overall pick in 2005, just one spot before Carey Price. The Wild thought they had a real sniper there. I remember Trevor Timmins talking about him and saying if Pouliot had been available at the number five spot, he was to become the new Montreal Canadiens top prospect. Thank the hockey god he was picked fourth overall. Pouliot is an effortless skater but again, is not developing into an NHL caliber player. He's struggling even worse than Sheppard with only 65 games in the NHL so far for a weak 18 points.   Patrick O'Sullivan was thought to be a first round pick but dropped quickly thanks to family problems. So scouts thought the Wild could have a real steal drafting him in the second round...only to trade him away for Pavol Demitra before his first NHL game.   AJ Thelen anyone? What? Don't remember him? Can't blame you. The 12th overall pick in 2004 has been playing in the East Coast league for the last three seasons. He's not even fit for AHL duty, that says a lot.   And what about Pierre-Marc Bouchard who, like James Sheppard, tore up the junior league with 235 points in just 136 games!? He's managed 267 points in over 400 NHL games so far. After draft day, scouts said the Wild drafted a potential star and point per game player, maybe the best forward available in the draft after Rick Nash.   But when Bouchard reached the NHL, scouts suddenly said he was too small and would've benefited from at least another year in the juniors and maybe one in the American league. Pierre-Marc Bouchard unfortunately never reached the same level of excellence. And I have to agree with those scouts. He was brought up to the NHL too soon.   It's easy to look at scouting reports and the ISS ranking and determine who will be the top 10 picks next year. But even getting the first overall draft spot is no guarantee that player will eventually lead your team in any way (see Alexandre Daigle in 1993 as reference, or Patrik Stefan in 1999)   Earlier this summer, general manager Bob Gainey decided not to renew Don Lever's contract. Everybody was shocked. Lever had been coaching Montreal's farm club, the Hamilton Bulldogs, for since 2005 and was said to be a genius at developing young players. The Bulldogs even won the Calder cup in 2006-07 after an incredible year.   But after a quick assessment of his younger players, Gainey probably noticed that none of the players Lever developed were actually good enough to build the team around, so he was forced to get those players elsewhere.   And the fact that, in Montreal, coaches have to speak some french to talk to the media, and Lever doesn't, probably weighted a lot and he was replaced with Guy Boucher who should be, in a few years, the Montreal Canadiens new coach and again, is said to be a magician with developing young players.   So getting a high draft pick is no guarantee of success. Even the best player available can become a bust if not developed properly. Confidence, skill, size, experience and also a feeling of urgency is important.   Skill, you either have it or don't. Size comes with time. Confidence and experience comes from playing in all situations. And as for that feeling of «urgency» will come once the prospect feels he's good enough to steal a roster spot from a veteran.   All that comes from developing at lower levels before reaching the NHL. It takes time and a good system in which to develop those prospects. And my feeling is that both Montreal and Minnesota have been in the same boat for years. The prospect pool is there, the talent is there, now all they need to do is find a way to get those guys from minor leaguers to NHL stars.   And it all starts with the farm team system...

Pivot Points: Gasol's Return Is More Memorable Than His CSI Performance 03:00:24 pm , 11-20-2009 Los Angeles Laker coach Phil Jackson alluded to the point that he felt Pau Gasol's appearance on CSI: Miami could have contributed to his recent hamstring injury. When pressed for an explanation, Jackson offered the theory that all the standing around that Gasol did on the set caused his legs to stiffen and tighten up, and when his part called for him to pull a person from a car, he could have been injured then. After viewing Gasol's small piece on the show, Jackson surmised that Pau would be better off sticking with his night job, and after witnessing the clip myself, I am inclined to agree. His talents are much better suited to the hardwood as his return from an 11 game absence can surely attest. His grand entrance had all the drama and tension of a made-for Hollywood moment and Gasol didn't fail to disappoint. With the pulsating noise of a crowd chanting his name in the background, Gasol proceeded to score eight points in a little over one minute and give the impression that he had never been away. His seamless transition back into the line-up contributed to a thrashing of the defenseless Chicago Bulls in a game that wasn't as close as the final score indicated. The Lakers had their mojo back, and the offense and defense finally appeared to play in a rhythm-laced unison. All of the qualities that the Lakers lacked were present in Gasol's return. Their post defense was much improved as the combination of Gasol and Andrew Bynum dominated the smaller Bulls, and at times, seemed to play keep-away amongst themselves. The spacing on offense was much better which highlighted Gasol's perimeter passing that led to three assists and helped set up numerous others. Derrick Rose did score 20 points but his shooting percentage was horrible and this was in no small part due to the help defense that Gasol was able to offer after the Laker guards had been beaten off the dribble. Pau's presence translated to his teammates to, as Kobe was able to return to his facilitator role, and came a rebound and two assists shy of a triple-double. Ron Artest was able to play defense more aggressively without fear of getting beat baseline, and Lamar Odoom's return to the bench helped spark a unit that had been otherwise dismal. Pau's active 24 point, 13 rebound night looked much better than the way he finished up his stint on CSI as a dead body on a cooling board, and it bodes well for the Lakers in the immediate and distant future. Gasol's performance on CSI was drab and dull and hopefully will be forgotten the moment the show hits the airwaves. His acting was so bad that he had a hard time convincing viewers as a dead body. His heroic return to the basketball court on the other hand was a grand performance, worthy of an Emmy for best returning player and the timing of it couldn't have been better for the Lakers. We should appreciate the fact that Jackson was so frank in his critique of his star seven footer's television performance, and we should also appreciate the fact that he along with Gasol, realizes his time is much better spent on a basketball court.

Let's Make a Deal: Chicago Cubs-Philadelphia Phillies 03:00:23 pm , 11-20-2009 It's closing in on Thanksgiving and baseball circles are starting to heat up with discussion about players moving from one city to another. The wonderful part of being a fan at this time of year is the speculation that comes with rumors, whispers, and just throwing junk at the wall to see what sticks. In the spirit of discussion, I present to you an idea for discussion: the Cubs should explore trading third baseman Aramis Ramirez to the Phillies. First, let's walk through the foundation of why this deal would even be a consideration for either side. From the Phillies perspective, this could be a bold gamble to get them back to a third consecutive World Series. Adding Ramirez to a predominantly left-handed lineup would give the Phillies a batting order that rivals the best of all-time. With Jimmy Rollins leading, Chase Utley, Ryan Howard, and Raul Ibanez are the heart of the order. Putting a consistent 100-RBI guy like Ramirez in the middle of that from the right side of the plate would be incredible. The Phillies are actively entering the market for a new third baseman after not renewing ties with Pedro Feliz. However, the free agent market at third is soft and could force a team like the Phillies to over pay. Adrian Beltre leads a class that includes Mark DeRosa, Feliz, and not much else. The Phillies showed a willingness to trade aggressively by bringing in the right players in the blockbuster deal to acquire Cliff Lee this past summer. A trade for a marquee player like Ramirez isn't out of their imagination. Other trade options for Philadelphia could include Colorado's Garrett Atkins, but Ramirez is a former Silver Slugger who undoubtedly brings an elite bat to the plate. From the Cubs perspective, it would be naive to not begin looking into the future. This coming season is the last year that Derrek Lee and Ted Lilly are under contract, and the new ownership group has not committed to GM Jim Hendry. It's also the final year of manager Lou Piniella's contract. Another reality the Cubs need to deal with is that Ramirez has a player option after the 2010 season. If he feels that his services are worth more than $16 million on the open market, he could opt out and become a free agent in another weak class. If Lee, Lilly, and Piniella are on their way out, Ramirez might see the changing clubhouse dynamic as enough of a catalyst to try the market and leave Chicago. There's a very real possibility that Ramirez could be gone after the coming season. The Cubs are also trying to keep up with the Cardinals, who continue to push the envelope in the division. With a soft farm system and some awful contracts weighing down the major league club, the Cubs would have to be open to adding some younger, less expensive talent to the mix. With those factors in mind, let's make a deal! The Phillies are such a deep organization. There are a number of routes the Cubs could pursue if they wanted to explore a trade with Philadelphia. One would be to explore a deal that centers around a major league player or two, while the other would be an effort for the Cubs to stockpile prospects. If the Cubs were to make an offer centering around major league players, there are two players I think the Cubs could, and should target. One is left-hander Cole Hamels, the other is outfielder Jayson Werth. Hamels had a rough season after being named the World Series MVP in 2008, and lost some favor with the fickle fans of Philadelphia when he made a comment about wanting the World Series to be over. He's still young, and has great experience on his resume. Werth will need a new deal after 2010, but would bring a legitimate 30 homer, 30 steal guy to the Chicago order. Remember when Hendry sold Chicago on Soriano being that guy in the Cubs' order? Yeah... about that... Werth could come in and replace Milton Bradley in right field for significantly less money and, with a long-term extension, could be a corner outfielder for the Cubs for the better part of the next decade. The other route the Cubs could pursue in a trade of Ramirez would be a bounty of prospects. Obviously, the top tier of the Phillies farm system has been fairly well documented since the rumors began swirling around a potential Roy Halladay deal in July. Back then, the Phillies weren't apparently willing to move Kyle Drabek as part of a package for the former Cy Young winner. If the Cubs didn't ask for Hamels, Drabek would likely be part of the equation. Other possibilities would include pitching prospect Jason Knapp or outfielder Domonic Brown. It would be a bold step for the Cubs to consider moving Ramirez, but bringing in a package of top prospects, or younger major leaguers with small contracts, could be another step in changing the organization's culture from huge contracts to the right mix of players. Disclaimer: I'm not saying I would dump Ramirez for nothing, or that I'm even a fan of the idea of moving the best offensive player on the team. However, there is historical precedent for trades between Philadelphia and Chicago changing the history of the two franchises. The young third baseman the Cubs picked up named Ryne Sandberg turned out pretty well. I look forward to the discussion this idea brings.

The Reason for This Season: Indianapolis Colts Rookie Review 03:00:23 pm , 11-20-2009 At what point could we have it? The conversation that every diehard Colts fan salivates for? Is Peyton Manning the best? ...Ever...to throw footballs...on Sundays...? Right now it's too early; in fact, I wouldn't be too surprised if I was chastised for jinxing the Colts and their Golden Boy. However, there is one reason Colts fans should be especially excited this year. These Colts might be banged up, but they are playing with an energy never before seen in Indy. For the first time in my memory, the Colts are young-very young. Sure Manning is still there holding everything together while steering his team to a so-far unblemished record. But Colts rookies are contributing in ways unseen since, maybe, 2006, when the Colts had their last money draft . All these players have contributed or are still contributing, with Antoine Beathea being arguably the best bargain Bill Polian picked up in the seventh round. He had a perfect read on Tom Brady in the Colts-Pats game for a nice interception, by the way. This year the Colts are again getting the type of production they need out of their rookie studs. Austin Collie has been a consistent contributor and Pat McAfee is a good punter who should improve as time goes on. Donald Brown has also been good on offense and, barring a Week Seven injury against the Rams, I think he'd have received more carries lately. (His injury was especially brutal since I started him in fantasy and he ripped off a 40-yard run on the play he was hurt...) However, the two rookies I am most impressed with have to be Jacob Lacey and Jerraud Powers. Yeah, I know they got torched by Brady and Randy Moss, but they came out strong in the second half and helped the defense take away the big play. This was key to the win on Sunday. The defense only let up 10 points in the second half, something which has been somewhat overlooked this week. I would also like to point out that most rookies get blown up by Moss. On the 4th-and-2 play that will live in infamy, guess who had the big stop on Kevin Faulk to turn the ball over? Powers, stepping up on the biggest play of his young career. At the end of the day, I would have to say that maybe the thing that I'm happiest about right now, even with Manning playing at his most incredible, is the play of the Colts' rookies. They are the guys who could be key if Manning and the Colts do what they should do this season... Win the whole thing. And at that point... You can start the conversation about that Peyton guy.

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