Manny Being Manny: Blowing Off The Troops

The Boston Redsox visited the White House on Wednesday before taking a side trip to visit wounded soldiers at the Walter Reed Medical Center.

However, Manny, Theo Epstein, and Julian Tavarez were no-shows, they decided to opt out.

Sox CEO Larry Lucchino Chimed in:

"It wasn't a mandatory event. I think Manny's going to find out from his teammates today that he missed something. It was an exceptional day because after the White House of course we went back to Walter Reed, we had done that after the '04 championship and I think it's a good balance to the day. ...

"I don't think we'll make a big issue of it [those who didn't make the trip]. If we had chosen to make an issue of it, it would have been a mandatory appearance for people. Some of our players don't support America."

"Spring training is a very congested time, and as you might imagine, I don't want to offer any excuses, I can just see people making different value judgments. I'm not going to make a big deal out of it."

Rockets Breakdown: Lifting Off

Over the last month, the Rockets have blasted off from landlocked mediocrity into a playoff orbit. Since Tracy McGrady is the team’s most dynamic playmaker, lets use Houston’s 112-100 victory over Miami to find out jut how far McGrady can pilot the Rocketship.

McGrady: 8-19 FG, 1-4 3FG, 6-7 FT, 3 REB, 10 AST, 1 TO, 2 STL, 23 PTS

First Half:

The Rocket offense was firing on all cylinders in the opening period with McGrady as the focal point.

McGrady was posted against a fronting Dorell Wright where he caught an over-the-top entry pass, turned, drew a double, and found Luis Scola on the baseline for a layup.

The next two possessions, McGrady would curl off down screens to the left wing where he would catch, fire, and shoot. One possession netted a basket and the other netted a plus-one.

McGrady drove right off a screen and calmly sank a 20-footer.

McGrady missed an alley-oop attempt.

The Rockets tried curling McGrady off a weak-side screen, but when McGrady curled to the basket and drew a double, his pass to a cutting Yao was over his head out-of-bounds.

A simple pass along the perimeter found Alston open for a three-pointer.

McGrady worked with Luis Scola on the left wing, passing to Scola, faking a handoff, cutting hard to the basket, then breaking off and floating out to the baseline. With Dorell Wright thoroughly confused, McGrady was able to catch and sink a 20-footer.

McGrady’s bricked a pull-up three in early offense.

McGrady exploded by Wright along the baseline and when Miami sent help, Yao Ming was all alone under the basket for a layup.

Twice McGrady didn’t have any room to penetrate after using screens so he brought the ball out and made two perfect entry passes leading to Yao baskets.

McGrady curled around a weak-side screen, caught a pass, drove to the edge of the paint and passed it out to Rafer Alston in the corner. Passes along the perimeter were too quick for the scrambling Heat and McGrady found himself reacquainted with the ball for an easy 20-foot jumper.

McGrady tried to drive and dish to Alston in the left corner but because Jason Williams didn’t have to collapse on help, the pass out was a harmless one.

McGrady drove parallel to the basket along the free throw line where he drew a crowd and found Luis Scola for an open 18-footer which was missed.

McGrady hit a wide open three towards the end of the quarter.

McGrady totaled 14 points and 5 assists for the first quarter, prodigious numbers to be sure. With McGrady playing so effectively (combining with Miami’s miserable defense), the Rocket offense exploded for 41 points. The most impressive fact was how those points and assists were totaled.

• With McGrady curling off screens to unleash automatic jump shots.
• With McGrady penetrating and looking to dish.
• With McGrady moving without the ball to free himself for open jump shots
• With McGrady making snappy decisions with the ball instead of standing around having the game bog down.

McGrady was less effective in the second quarter as he reverted to his habit of catching the ball and waiting a few seconds before deciding what to do with the ball.

Still, McGrady was patient on screen/rolls with Yao, and if nothing opened up, T-Mac was willing to bring the ball out and feed Yao in the post.

He tried to drive and dish down low but Miami collapsed their defense and knocked the ball away.

McGrady opened up for another catch-and-shoot on a down screen but he missed the jumper.

McGrady drove and found Luther Head wide open in the corner but Luther Head missed the open three.

McGrady dunked in a lob.

If McGrady hesitated too much in his decision making, he was willing to move without the ball to get open, made generally good decisions, and was generally unselfish.

Second Half:

In the second half, McGrady’s habit of holding the ball too long became an obvious detriment to Houston’s harmonious offense. The most glaring body of evidence came early in the third quarter when McGrady used a cross-screen to set himself on the left box. After receiving the ball, McGrady waited five second; one, two, three, four, five, before launching an ill-fated step back jumper. Ugh!

Miami had their bigs show aggressively on screen/rolls in the second half, stringing McGrady out. With McGrady’s screen/roll game neutralized, he reverted to attacking in early offense to try and get points. Two such adventures drew fouls on Miami, one resulted in a contested brick, and another resulted in a missed three in transition.

McGrady tried to attack the basket when isolated on Dorell Wright, but his layup attempt was moving away from the basket and was well off.

McGrady missed three standstill jumpers with no rhyme or reason in the Rockets offense.

McGrady tried to drive along the baseline but he got cut off by Miami’s help. His desperate pass to the corner was intercepted.

McGrady did have one impressive layup, a lefty drive with his right hand where McGrady switched hands at the basket to complete the layup. He also made a beautiful bounce pass against a scrambling Heat defense to Carl Landry for a dunk. McGrady had a second impressive assist when he pumped Wright out of his boots, drove, and found Landry cutting again for a dunk.

Most of McGrady’s assists in the second half were extremely lucky. On one play, a Heat player threw the ball right at T-Mac at halfcourt. All he had to was catch it and throw it to Yao who was still under the basket for an easy assist.

It should be noted that I mentioned nothing about McGrady’s defense in either half. That’s because it was consistent throughout the game. McGrady rarely got himself out of position on defense before plays started, but T-Mac was more willing to move his hands than his feet on penetrations. Since McGrady was matched up mainly on Dorell Wright, his deficiencies were rarely taken advantage of.

So what conclusions can be made about McGrady?

• When he’s able to step into his jumpers, T-Mac is an explosive jump shooter.
• McGrady is generally unselfish and looks to pass first on his penetrations.
• McGrady is an excellent passer out of screen/rolls.
• When Rick Adelman had McGrady zigging before he caught the ball, or zagging after he caught it, the Rockets offense got whatever it wanted.
• When Miami adjusted to McGrady’s screen/roll game, he lacked the wherewithal or the extra gear to adjust.
• Though he half-heartedly went through screens, McGrady shied away from contact at all costs.
• McGrady is a below-average defender who’d get carved up guarding the league’s best wings (thank goodness for Shane Battier!).
• McGrady forced too many shots when Miami took away his first options.
• The Rocket offense sputtered when McGrady wasn’t aggressive but it stagnated altogether when he was taken out of the game.
• With Bonzi Wells no longer in Houston, the Rockets will have to depend on McGrady’s playmaking even more.

What about the rest of the Rockets?

Yao was too soft attacking the baskets and too slow to provide help defense when the Rockets perimeter was breeched. Still, his fadeaway jumpers are indefensible by anyone under seven-feet tall.

Rafer Alston was in control of the offensive throughout, and he hit a good amount of his three-pointers to keep the offense moving. Since he did everything required of him, it’s no surprise the Rockets scored 112 points.

Shane Battier made Dwayne Wade work hard for every shot and chipped in with four assist, five boards, and 12 points.

Carl Landry cut hard and finished strong around the basket.

While the Rockets have precious few individual defenders (McGrady, Yao, Alston, and Scola can’t guard their shadows, and they all start), the ghost of Jeff Van Gundy still resonates throughout the Rockets facilities and their team defense is exceptional.

Can the Rockets make the playoffs? If they all stay healthy, absolutely. Yao’s size, McGrady’s playmaking, and the team’s defense are attributes that few teams can overcome. However, McGrady and Ming’s injury history causes me to think twice about whether or not they’ll make it to the finish line unscathed. An injury to either of them will put the Rockets in the lottery.

Can the Rockets win a playoff series? Probably. Nobody has the size to match up with Yao Ming, and few teams have the defensive discipline or the individual defenders to hang with McGrady.

Still, Yao’s alarming habit of having his hooks blocked by the most minuscule of defenders, the Rockets paucity of good individual defenders, and McGrady’s softness and unwillingness to take the ball to the hoop when it matters most will leave the Rockets underdogs in every series. Which leads to the next question.

Can the Rockets go all the way? Absolutely not. T-Mac lacks the creativity and the will-power to lead Houston over the most elite teams in the West. The Rocketship will run out of fuel in the second round at latest.

Stunning

Are you kidding me?? Duke lost to Miami. Looking to bounce back from a tough loss to Wake Forest, the Devils once again stumbled against conference foe Miami. A bit of history was made to as this was Miami's first win against the Devils in 45 years.

Miami made six of eight free throws in the final 41 seconds to preserve the upset. Duke's Nelson sank a layup with 2 seconds left to make the score 94-92, but McClinton sank two clinching free throws before Nelson hit a meaningless 3-pointer at the buzzer.

In a bit of another news down tobacco road, UNC dominated NC State. Now Duke and Carolina are tied in conference record. I look forward to the showdown at Duke in early March. The game presumably sets up which team will be a first seed in a tournament bracket. Considering the first two rounds would be in Durham and Charlotte respectively, the game is that much more important.

I for one have a tip for Coach K after the Miami game: The showdown against UNC is still a week away. Worry about your own team coach.

Erick Blasco's NBA Midterm Grades

With the season halfway over, it’s time to see which teams are passing this season’s tests with flying colors, and which teams still need to do more homework.

The grades aren’t only based on performance, but on expectations as well.

For example, the Sonics and Timberwolves are taking remedial classes to help them for the future, while the Mavs and Spurs are taking the most rigorous championship-level courses in a quest to become valedictorian.

Atlanta Hawks: B+

After a decade of futility, the Baby Hawks are finally growing up and knocking on the playoff door. Considering their youth and inexperience, that fact alone makes this season a successful campaign. Still, that youth and experience does pop up when you look at their 6-17 road record. Acquiring Mike Bibby shows that the team is serious about making the playoffs and he should provide stability for when his teammates get flustered away from Atlanta.

Boston Celtics: A+

We all knew they’d be good, but nobody expected they’d be this good! Credit Doc Rivers for getting his stars to defend and for implementing a totally unselfish gameplan; Pierce, Allen, and Garnett for playing completely unselfish (and beautiful to watch) basketball; Kendrick Perkins for improving his defense; James Posey for getting in shape; the young kids for playing with purpose and confidence; and Danny Ainge for mortgaging the future on a very realistic chance of bringing home a championship.

Charlotte Bobcats: F

The Bobcats have clearly gone backwards this season. Raymond Felton and Emeka Okafor have regressed, and Sam Vincent hasn’t nurtured the ‘Cats the way Bernie Bickerstaff did. The trust, the confidence, and the effort aren’t there.

Chicago Bulls: F

The Bulls got tired of Scott Skiles’ fascist tendencies early in the season and quit on him when they started to lose. Ben Wallace is washed up, Ben Gordon thinks he’s a star but isn’t, Luol Deng’s been hurt, Kirk Hinrich’s been terrible, and the only players who play with any heart are Joe Smith, Tyus Thomas, Andres Nocioni, and Joakim Noah. It’s been a complete and total failure.

Cleveland Cavaliers: C-

It isn’t hard to expect that the Cavs would struggle with such an inept supporting cast. They still need a point guard, a creative wing scorer, and a more consistent power forward. Too often it’s been LeBron James against the world. Mike Brown can only do so much with his roster: namely get them to defend, rebound, and hope LeBron James is spectacular.

Dallas Mavericks: D+

The regular season is always a joke for Dallas. Their flaw is the collective fragility of their key players, the reason why they melt when an opponent turns up the pressure. They still lose focus often, and get flustered easily, forcing Avery Johnson to waste time outs to coddle his team, get them to take deep breathes, and convince them that the sky isn’t falling. They fancy themselves as championship contenders, but they don’t have the psyche to go the distance—Unless a proven Warrior like Jason Kidd provides Dallas with a much needed spine.

Denver Nuggets: B+

Carmelo Anthony’s growth, the time needed for Carmelo and Allen Iverson to mesh, and J.R. Smith’s improved three-point shooting have the Nuggets playing inspiring ball. The team’s penchant for one-on-one play and their lack of defensive toughness still spells an early playoff exit.

Detroit Pistons: B+

The commitment to defense is back (except for Antonio McDyess’ late rotations), and the offense has been opened up some with more and more screens for Rip Hamilton to run through. Will Flip Saunders revert back to one-on-one basketball when the playoffs start?

Golden State Warriors: A

For such a full throttle team, the Warriors are remarkably consistent. Baron Davis thrives and is unselfish as the team’s ringleader, and Monta Ellis’ electric early-offense drives to the hoop offset the punch lost when Jason Richardson was traded to Charlotte. Plus, Don Nelson has his Warriors playing with a swagger that intimidates weak-hearted opponents.

Houston Rockets: C+

The Rockets got off to a not-so-surprising tough start, but have surprisingly turned things around. The point guard situation has been resolved with Rafer Alston the only healthy body remaining. The team still has Jeff Van Gundy’s defensive mindset infused in the back of their brains, and they’re becoming much more comfortable with Rick Adelman’s offensive system. Still, the team is one major injury away from reverting to also-ran status.

Indiana Pacers: C-

The Pacers are right about where they were projected to be, but the team still needs to get rid of Jermaine O’Neal, Jamaal Tinsley, Troy Murphy, and commit to a full-fledged rebuilding process. At least Mike Dunleavy has developed into an impressive and heady player.

Los Angeles Clippers: D+

Their season was over before it began with Elton Brand down for the duration. Still, the team is a veteran-laden team with no hope of competing for a playoff spot. The Corey Maggette situation is still a distraction, Sam Cassell trade rumors are a distraction, Tim Thomas is still a bonehead, and the team doesn’t know if they should keep the core and build around Brand for next season, or if they should blow things up. The Clippers are back to being their hopeless, inept selves.

Los Angeles Lakers: A+

All their young players are playing with supreme confidence. Derek Fisher’s presence has taken the pressure of Kobe and has allowed the kids to develop. And Kobe’s finding the balance between facilitating to a point of passiveness and being aggressive to the point of alienating his supporting cast. No playoff team from last year has improved themselves more than the Lakers.

Memphis Grizzlies: C-

The Grizzlies are just as bad as people expected them to be. At least the team has an opportunity to find out whether or not Rudy Gay can be their go-to scorer. Since the team is blowing up the roster to get young athletic talent or expiring contracts, expect Mike Miller to be shipped out before year’s end.

Miami Heat: F

Has any team disappointed more? Blame Pat Riley the GM for believing that Pat Riley the coach could succeed with one injured superstar, one has-been superstar, and one role player who does the most when less is needed of him. The youngsters can’t play in the league and the veterans are washed up. And this is the same team that won a championship less than two years ago?


Milwaukee Bucks: D

With all the offensive firepower on the roster, you would think the Bucks would be closer to a playoff spot than they are. The team has too many scorers, not enough role players, and not enough toughness. Plus, they’re chumps on the road with a league-worst 23 losses away from the Bradley Center.

Minnesota Timberwolves: C+

The Wolves play hard all the time and have evolved to a level where they can knock off any team at home that doesn’t take them seriously. Randy Wittman has made a player out of Sebastian Telfair and Al Jefferson is the goods. The team needs a go-to wing scorer but the future is definitely bright in the Twin Cities.

New Jersey Nets: D+

With Jason Kidd, Richard Jefferson, and Vince Carter as talented as they are, and with the playoff pedigree Kidd and Jefferson bring to the table, the fact that the Nets are seven games below .500 is a disappointment. The team has lacked an edge the entire season and has begun their rebuilding process about 6 months too late. Kidd is on the way out and it’s past time for Carter to join him.

New Orleans Hornets: A+

They showed signs as early as last year, but David West and Chris Paul have developed into stars. Byron Scott and Doc Rivers will fight it out for coach-of-the-year.

New York Knicks: F

The Knicks are still the league’s laughingstock. From Stephon Marbury’s poisonous personality, to Isiah Thomas’ hypocritical and delusional statements (the Knicks can compete for a championship, ha!), the Knicks are the definition of fail.

Orlando Magic: A-

Hedo Turkoglu is playing with supreme confidence, Rashard Lewis provides the Magic with supreme spacing, and Dwight Howard is the league’s supreme young center. If only the team had a supreme point guard and played supreme defense, they would be able to do some supreme things in the postseason.

Philadelphia 76ers: B

Andre Miller always puts the Sixers in the best position to succeed. Considering their offensively putrid front court, and all the youngsters inhabiting the roster, that the Sixers are within reach of the postseason is mighty impressive.

Phoenix Suns: C-

With Shawn Marion grumbling, the Suns had lost their edge. Instead of overwhelming overmatched opponents, the team had relaxed and regressed to the point where the rest of the West had caught up to them. With Shaq on board, can the Suns succeed while radically altering their style of play, and their half court sets?

Portland Trail Blazers: A+

The rest of the NBA has caught up with them, but the Blazers play hard, smart, and disciplined. Brandon Roy is a superstar and Greg Oden’s return next season will only make the team that much more formidable. LeMarcus Aldridge and Travis Outlaw need to get tougher, but the future of the Blazers is bright. They’ll make the playoffs next year, and will be legit contenders the year after.

Sacramento Kings: B

Considering how mismatched their roster is, that the Kings are shouting distance of .500 is impressive. Kevin Martin is a star who can be built around, now it’s up to management to trade Brad Miller and Ron Artest for more pieces of the future.

San Antonio Spurs: C-

Is it a question of the Spurs saving their energy for the postseason, or have age and injuries taken their toll? Either way, the Spurs haven’t come close to playing championship-caliber basketball since 2007 came and went. Their rotations are confused, Tim Duncan’s trademarked bank shots are coming up empty, and the team hasn’t gotten any intangibles from Robert Horry, Fabricio Oberto, Matt Bonner, and Francisco Elson. If the Spurs don’t start peaking by the end of March, this may be yet another year the Spurs can’t repeat.

Seattle Supersonics: D+

The Sonics have too many duplicates on their roster that need to be let go. One of their point guards, Damien Wilkins, one of their power forwards, and one of their project big men need to be purged. And while the sky is the limit for Kevin Durant, his frailty is such an overwhelming obstacle to just how good he can be. Have the Sonics put themselves in a better position for next year? Doubtful.

Toronto Raptors: C+

The Raptors are right about where they should be. Since they’re soft, they’ll lose to any physical team they play. Since they’re unselfish, they’ll beat any poor defensive team they play. Since they’re strictly a jump shooting team, they’ll lose to any team better than them, beat any team worse than them, and they’ll split with teams on their level based on whether their jumpers are falling or not. Adjust the curve for being in the Eastern Conference, and you have a team hovering five games over .500.

Utah Jazz: C+

Kyle Korver’s sweet shooting masks the team’s desperate need for another creative shooter. A more athletic big is also imperative. The Jazz are fine at home, but their flaws are exposed in their unsightly 12-16 road record.

Washington Wizards: B-

They overachieved with Arenas out, but injuries and the NBA have figured out that the team lacks muscle inside, that depth is a huge concern, and that the team is purely a jump shooting team. Caron Butler is the only next level player on the roster.

Kyle Kendrick Gets Traded To Japan

Good to see professional athletes still have a sense of humor. High five Brett Myers.

Another Blow For The New England Patriots

They trademarked 19-0, but I wonder if they trademarked 19-0*. If not, they should have. I know that's the way I would have remembered it. The New England Patriots cheated and they got caught red handed. Unfortunately, the cheating didn't start in 2007.

They may not have won Superbowl XLII, but they may have stole another one. Among the 2007 escapade, allegations emerged that they had recorded the St. Louis Ram's practice sessions before the 2002 Superbowl.

The Patriots won the game 20-17 in the Superdome. Now that victory is tainted and it may turn out to be a very expensive win.

A law suit filed on behalf of former Rams player Willie Gary wants the Patriots, team owner Robert Kraft and head coach Bill Belichick to pay 100 million dollars for their dirty deeds.

Unfortunately for the Pats, there strategy can't include stealing the opposing parties work, in law, thats protected by the work product doctrine.

NFL Offseason Roundup: Atlanta Falcons

Record: 4-12

2007 Season: This was a season for the Falcons to forget and began with the Vick drama. The Falcons were never really a very good team and without Vick's heroics their record pretty much reflected the talent level. The Falcons did win four games, and do have a decent defense. However, the 2007 season is forgetable at best.

2008 Projections: The Falcons need help and they need it quick. QB was a revolving door last year, so look for the Falcons to spend a high draft pick on the position. Also, Dunn isn't getting any younger. Although the team does have Norwood, they could take a serious look at McFadden. On defense, the Falcons also need help. Hall is an excellent cover corner, but can anyone name the other CB. I thought so. The Falcons could also use more push up front. Look for them to address these issues in the draft.

2008 Season: Going to be a long season in hot-lanta. The QB will need time to develop and I doubt the Falcons will secure many free agents. The running game could keep them in a few games, but I not thinking many.

Projection: 4th NFC South

The Rocket Verse The Juice

Roger Clemens. I want him to be innocent so bad, he is a legend, he is a hero. Seven Cy Young Awards, over 350 wins, and... Steroids?

The Rocket came from humble upbringings, you know how your grandfather walked uphill to school both ways? Well in high school, Roger ran 2 miles to school and back every day, no lie. His father passed away when he was 9 years old and he was raised by his mother and his grandmother. His mother worked 3 jobs, but couldn't afford to send any of her children to college. The Rocket found the answer, Baseball. Our American past time. It's what every little boy dreams of.

Money, fame, a model wife, and great kids, he has it all. Well, except that Brian McNamee and Congress want to taint his record with HGH and Steroid allegations. It's what keeps BIg Mac McGuire out of the Hall of Fame and so many others. Will it keep one of the best pitchers of all time out too?

I can complain about the fact that Mitchell, whom prepared the Mitchell Report, is a Director on the Board of the Boston Redsox. I can point to the coincidence that so many key Yankee players were named, while David Ortiz, or any other player who contributed to the 2 Boston Redsox World Series Championship's were not named. I can go on and on, but in the end, did the Rocket use steroids?

A few Congressman have pointed out the evidence against Clemens is extremely weak. I sure hope they are right.

The hearings have convinced me of two things, McNamee is a scumbag and Congress has no place in baseball.

NFL Offseason Roundup: St. Louis Rams

Record: 3-13

2007 Season: Injuries, Injuries, Injuries. Bulger was in and out, and the loss of Steven Jackson for most of season didn't help. Once upon a time stalwart Orando Pace finally might be done, and unfortunately the defense didn't get any better. Furthmore, aging verterns Holt and Bruce aren't getting any younger. The Rams were hammered by division rival Seahawks, and look horrible most of the other game.

2008 Outlook: Fortunately they play in the NFC West where anything is possible. They also have the 2nd overall pick and Chris Long would look mighty good a Rams uniform. There is also other free agents to be had on defense include Haynesworth (TEN) and the corner market is very strong this year. Bulger and Jackson should be back to full form next year, but the Rams must find someone to protect Bulger. Jordan Gross of Carolina would look mighty good.

2008 Season: I still think the Rams have the pieces to win. Jackson is an all pro and Bulger still has something left in the tank. The defense has always been bad, but what changed was the Rams ability to put up points. Look for this to change in the coming year, and if the O-line is upgraded...watch out.

Projection: 3rd NFC West

NFL Offseason Roundup: Miami Dolphins

It's never too early to start the NFL offseason. In an immense undertaking, I will be taking a look at each of the 32 teams and evaluating talent and examining potential upgrades. The teams will be examined in Draft Order. If only some coaches read this stuff:

Record: 1-15

2007 Season: It was a dismal year. The Dolphins looked pathetic most of the time and had the worst season in franchise history. However, there were some bright spots. The aging defense held things together, and the running game was looking good until the loss of Ronnie Brown early on. Provided Brown returns from injury, the running game will be a bright spot in the '08 season. The Dolphins are also hoping Tenn Ginn Jr. takes a big step forward in '08.

2008 Offseason: The head coach is out and Bill Parcels and his goons have already began the slash and burn tactics. Last year's number 1 reciever and quarterback are gone. That is not to say that is bad thing. The Dolphins need help in all areas of the game. Their defense is old, the O-line is weak, and the QB is still young. That is not to say that the Fins can't upgrade. Potential free agent acquisitions could strengthen the O-line and players such as Pro Bowler Allen Faneca or former 1st round pick Jordan Gross from Carolina woould look good to Dolphins fans. The defense is old, but potential draft picks could solidfy this. The corner market is strong with free agents Samuel (NE) and Asomugha (OAK) potential free agents.

2008 Season: It will be a long hual for the Fins. The QB still needs time to throw the ball, but the Fins could remain competitive on the legs of Brown. If they upgrade the defense via free agency and the draft it could be a top 10 unit next year. The Dolphins are not helped with the schedule as they play 2 games against powerhouse New England.

Projected: 4th AFC East:

History in the Making

It looked like another long day for the Carolina Tar Heels. Coming off a loss to the powerhouse Blue Devils, Carolina looked to be on the verge of defeat at the hands of the Clemson Tigers. The Tigers dominated regulation and forced multiple turnovers. Tigers' player Cliff Hammonds scored 31 points, and the Tigers tallied 17 offensive rebounds. The dominating performance put the Tigers ahead by 11 with three minutes left in regulation.

But if there are two things you can count on in Carolina, it's delicious pork BBQ and the Tar Heels beating Clemson at home. As if by a miracle, the Heels tied the game in regulation eventually forcing double OT. Hansbourgh ended the night with 39 points, and led the Heels back from the jaws of defeat in a game that looked to end one of the greatest streaks in college sports history.

Despite Clemson's efforts, the game still made some history. Clemson has now lost 53 straight in Chapel Hill. Coming off a loss to Duke, and absent Lawson, Carolina needed every trick in the book to keep the streak alive. Although the night ended like any other when Carolina plays Clemson, the effort by the Tigers did prove one thing to Carolina fans: It's better to be lucky than good.

Duke-UNC Condensed Game

UNC's Ty Lawson, who didn't play, averages 13.6 points per game. Duke won by eleven. There's an excuse for Tar Heel fans. And with Blue Devils trading 3's for 2's, I'm not sure if it would have made a difference had Lawson been on the court. At 20-1, the Dookies are off to their best start ever, and while they don't have much of a presence in the post, they may be on their way to a national champiship anyway.

National Signing Day: Saban Shines, Clemson Loads Up and the Cane's Look to Return to Greatness

First the Super Bowl, then Super Tuesday, and finally there was National Signing Day. For months college football head coaches have drooled and fought over the best high school talent across the country. The most touted of them all, Pennsylvania QB Terrelle Pryor, hasn't made up his mind yet, but there were plenty of solid athletes who did.

RB Julius Jones, the overall No. 2 prospect, decided to head to Alabama after eyeing Oklahoma and Florida State. Jones' speed should make him a playmaker for Nick Saban and the Tide whose recruiting class was one of the best, if not the best, in the nation. Bama boasts WLB/WR Mark Baron (6'2, 210, 4.5), WLB Jerrell Harris (6'3, 215, 4.5), and DT Marcel Dareus (6'4, 275, 4.95) to name a few.

Speaking of Florida State, the Seminoles got something they badly needed: a quarterback. EJ Manuel (6'5, 215, 4.6) has been on his way to Tallahassee for some time now and must have Jimbo Fisher foaming at the mouth, recalling his days of tutoring JaMarcus Russell. Manuel's dual-threat ability is just what the 'Noles needed in order to keep Bobby Bowden ahead of Joe Paterno as the winningest coach, unless Terrelle Pryor (6'6, 225, 4.4) decides to go to Happy Valley, that is. Southern California zaped five-star CB TJ Bryant (6'0, 185, 4.45) right out of Bowden's backyard.

Bowden's son, Tommy, recruited one of the nation's best classes for Clemson, most notably five-star DE Da'Quan Bowers (6'4, 265, 4.8) and five-star RB Jamie Harper (6'0, 227, 4.4) who will become even better as CJ Spiller and James Davis take him under their wings.

The Gators got help in their secondary where help was definitely needed. Will Hill (6'3, 203, 4.3) and Dee Finley (6'3, 205, 4.55), the nation's two top safeties, are headed to Gainesville to fill the void left by Reggie Nelson. OL Ricky Barnum (6'3, 260, 5.4) and WLB Ramon Buchanan (6'1, 195, 4.5) decommitted suddenly and are headed to Michigan and Miami, respectively. The Gators still wound up with a top-notch class.

Despite a gloomy season, Notre Dame held its on, signing several top defensive prospects and the No. 2 QB, Dayne Christ (6'5, 227, 4.6) whose arm-strength and name should make Touchdown Jesus proud.

But it was Randy Shannon's Hurricanes that arguably came out on top. The Cane's signed 12 ESPN 150 prospects. Arthur Brown (6'1, 225, 4.5), Sean Spence (6'1, 200, 4.69), and the already mentioned Ramon Buchanan look to return the Cane's to defensive dominance, along with top DT Marcus Fortson.

Tyree on "Rome Is Burning"

GIANT THRILLER: Manning Poised, Giants Determined and Plaxico Was Right

I didn't see this coming. The much ballyhooed New England Patriots were supposed to win this game and go down in history as arguably the best team ever. We all sat there and watched as they struggled, but in the back of our minds everyone, even Giants fans, just knew that Tom Brady, being the clutch player that he is, would somehow someway rally the Patriots back.

That never happened.

Instead, it was Eli Manning, as awkward as he is, who looked poised in the pocket. And that scrambling, 32-yard pass to David Tyree will make highlight reels from now until the end of time. You can't help but wonder: how did the Patriots blow it?

Well, the easy answer is they got too cocky. No one will ever forget Plaxico Burress' controversial prediction, or the way Brady found it hysterical. Talk about eating your words.



But if you really want to know how the Patriots blew it, the answer is that none of its stars were able to shine. None. I imagine, though, that Brady might have been able shine and rally his team had his offensive line actually shown up. Those guys must've been on that trip with Tony Romo and Jessica Simpson. There is simply no excuse for the way they played on Sunday, and with the way Michael Strahan, Justin Tuck and Osi Umenyiora were able penetrate and keep Brady rattled, they sure didn't look like pro-bowlers. Randy Moss was irrelevant. Junior Seau didn't do anything. In an usual form, Bill Belichick failed to make adjustments during the game to give Brady more time, and I won't even mention the decision to go for it on 4th & 13 halfway into the third quarter on the Giants' 32-yard line with a pro-bowl kicker in the Super Bowl with a tight 7-3 score. Trash-talking Rodney Harrison gave up that famous 32-yard third-down conversion pass to Tyree. And I forget whoever blew the coverage on the very basic pass play from Manning to Burress that ended up being the game-winning touchdown.

And, oh yeah, those three points turned out to be the difference in the game.

I was rooting for the Patriots, and at kickoff, I found myself in a room full of Giants fans. It wasn't a problem, though. I just knew the Patriots would pull it out, and I'd be the only one in the room celebrating. Then I was going to go home and cut the sleeves off of all my sweatshirts a la Belichick.

Turns out I was the only one in the room not celebrating, and the sleeves of my sweatshirts remain intact.

And with that, the Giants are Super Bowl XLII champions, while the Patriots are 18 and 1, 19 and no.