Remember the Celtics

Joni Mitchell was famous for singing a song titled “Big Yellow Taxi.”  Among the lyrics in the song are “You don’t know what you got ’till its gone.” Why in the world would I open a basketball related post with something that has nothing to do with basketball?  It is simple really.  I have made a distinct effort to catch as many Boston Celtics games as I possibly can so far this season because I don’t want to realize how great I had it as a fan when it is gone.  So much so, that I have made the Boston Celtics a priority in my life. And I promise you, this trend will continue throughout the season, much to the dismay of my girlfriend.

I don’t quite know how to explain this in rational terms because I can be an irrational person.  But I will do my best to try.  Maybe I have a greater appreciation for the Celtics because I have seen what happens when I take things for granted.  Case and point: After the Red Sox won the 2007 World Series, I fully expected them to be contenders for the crown year after year.  I took for granted the successes of 2004 and 2007 thinking that the famous curse was broken and the Sox were infallible.  I don’t need to say anything more about the Sox because we all know they haven’t won a playoff game since 2007.

The New England Patriots haven’t won a Super Bowl since 2005 after winning 3 in four years.  As Patriot fans we felt it was our God given right to win Super Bowls with Tom Brady as our quarterback.  The New York Giants punched that notion right in the mouth when they beat the Pats in Super Bowl XLII after the Pats put together an undefeated season up until that point.  Since then Bernard Pollard, and the Baltimore Ravens, respectively, have reminded Pats fans not to take anything for granted.

Maybe being a fan of the Red Sox and Pats has made me realize that there is a certain window of opportunity in the life of a franchise that is their golden era.  Maybe I am realizing that for the first time in my lifetime, the time is now for the Celtics.

Maybe I am so into the Celtics this year because, I have been an avid fan since before the Pitino years.  I didn’t have the luxury my brother had of following them during the Bird years.  I didn’t have the luxury of following the Celtics when they had Bill Russell and Bob Cousy running the show like my father did.  I wasn’t around to see Red light a victory cigar at the end of every win.  The only memories I have of Red Auerbach coincide with a time when Dino Radja was the star player, when Sherman Douglas was the point guard in the last games played at the Boston Garden, when Walter McCarty was considered a viable third option to score, and Red was the president of a last place team hoping to win the draft lottery to land Tim Duncan.

Maybe I am so into the Celtics this year because they boast (depending on how Rondo pans out) a lineup where every member of the starting five is Hall of Fame bound and a bench that is better than some starting fives in the NBA.  Maybe I am so into the Celtics this year because last season’s loss in game 7 of the NBA Finals to the rival Lakers left such a bitter taste in my mouth.  Maybe watching them win banner 17 was so fantastic that I want to enjoy banner 18 as well.  Maybe in a way I feel robbed that Kevin Garnett went down with a knee injury that essentially stole a year and a half of his career. Now he is fully healthy and looking great.

Whatever the case may be, I am bleeding green this year more than ever.  The team is playing like a well oiled machine when it wants to.  When they are motivated, the opponents don’t have an ice cube’s chance in hell in competing with this squad. The way these Celtics are playing basketball is poetry in motion.

I urge the casual basketball fan to jump on the wagon now.  There will never be another team like this.  The 2010 Boston Celtics have the deepest roster in memory.  They are beyond fun to watch with Garnett’s unmatched  intensity, Ray’s beautiful jump shot, Pierce closing in on being one of the greatest Boston athletes of all time, Shaq’s presence, and Nate Robinson’s antics.

I don’t want to look ahead to the future.  I want to live in the now because what we have in the Boston Celtics right now, may be the best we have it for years to come. Five Hall of Famers on the same court chasing Banner 18.  I know what I have got right now, and it isn’t gone yet.

The Miami Heat are a Joke

I would like to preface this post by saying that I am fully aware the regular season in the NBA means absolutely nothing and I also fully expect the Heat to get a top 3 seed in the playoffs.

I really want to avoid writing about the Miami Heat.  I swore I would do my best to not care what happens in South Beach all season. But with all that has unfolded 17 games into the season, I am like a kid in a candy store that simply can’t help himself.  I have made no bones about my dislike for LeBron James.  Maybe because he is also 25 years old and he gets to play basketball for a living and I get to come home from a day of work and write about him.  I, also, like Cleveland and the rest of America love that the Heat aren’t exactly off to a smooth start.  Back in July when this “team” was first assembled, many thought the Heat would win 73 games and cruise to a NBA title.  Now they are three losses away from ensuring that one of Michael’s greatest records stays intact at least for another season.

Sean recently posted Michael Jordan commercially slapping LeBron James in the face.  In that very commercial, Jordan is quoted as saying, “Maybe this is my fault. Maybe I led you to believe it’s easy when it wasn’t.” Jordan basically says that he worked every single day, as hard as he could, to be as great as he was.  The Heat clearly aren’t from the Jordan blueprint.

This is a direct contrast to what Chris Bosh recently said about the Miami Heat as a team.  When asked about head coach Erik Spolestra, Bosh said, “He wants to work. We just wanna chill.”  Really Chris? Has anyone who ever wanted to win a title ever uttered those words?  After a loss to the Celtics on their home court, LeBron told the media, pointing to the stat sheet, “For myself, 44 minutes is too much.” Granted my basketball playing days are limited to CYO basketball but I can never remember saying I played too many minutes. Seriously LeBron? You played too much? Do you want some cheese with that wine? Over the course of a year you have gone from an icon to nothing more than a baby who, in all honesty, is yet to really do anything notable when it comes to the game of basketball.

Even Dwayne Wade has joined Wine Fest.  After getting out to a 5-4 start, Wade was quoted as saying, “We are the best 5-4 team in the league.” Is there such a thing as a good 5-4 team?  I found myself most disappointed in Wade as I expect more out of him.  I have always viewed Wade as a hard nosed player who worked hard on his game going back to his days at Marquette.  LeBron gets no such sympathy from me as he is a diva in the worst way.  And Chris Bosh? Well, he has shown that he should have stayed in Canada where he flourished because nobody was paying attention.

LeBron has continued to make news for all the wrong reasons.  The other night in Dallas after a timeout LeBron bumped his head coach on the way to the bench.  He is quickly gaining the reputation as an uncoachable player.  It is only a matter of time before LeBron will have gotten 2 head coaches fired in less than a year.  At the time of this writing, news broke that “the Heat are frustrated with Erik Spoelstra.” Chris Broussard of ESPN broke the story, the same guy who broke the news that LeBron would sign with the heat.  The same guy that is from Ohio and covered LeBron since his high school days.  Basically, this is a move by LeBron’s awful public relations crew looking to pass blame onto someone else.  Are you surprised?

This debacle is nowhere near Spolestra’s fault.  Wade and James are the same exact player in that they both need the ball in their hands to be productive.  Chris Bosh is not willing to mix it up in the paint.  The Heat don’t have a big man, a point guard, or a bench.  They have three diva superstars that admit they don’t want to work on their games and would rather “bring their talents to South Beach and chill.”  LeBron has complained that coach Spolestra isn’t letting him be himself after Spolestra chewed out LeBron for not taking pre game warmups and practices seriously.  Spolestra is essentially Sean Penn in Dead Man Walking. Everything is going against him and none of it is his fault.  Every team needs a glue guy and the Heat’s (Udonis Haslem) is done for the season.

People will argue that LeBron never asked for all this attention.  At that notion I laugh like Heath Ledger in the Joker role.  LeBron proclaimed himself as King James as a freshman in high school.  Everyone loves to compare him to Jordan whether it is fair or not.  But LeBron asked for that.  The problem is he is not even close to being in the conversation as the greatest to play the game.

The Heat may be the most interesting team in the NBA. They have the big names, the glamour, and the huge target on their backs.  The problem is that don’t have what it takes to be contenders.  Until they put all their personal agendas aside, they will continue to be the car accident you can’t look away from. The Heat will continue to hang onto mediocrity in the Eastern Conference and face an untimely exit in the second round of the playoffs.

The Rest of the Week 12 Picks

After a great Turkey Day, Matt and I were tied at 2-1…  Here is the rest of the week 12 picks.

I’ve already said everything that needed to be said…let’s finish it…

Packers @ Falcons

Scottie: Falcons

This might be the best matchup Sunday has to offer being a precursor for the NFC Championship. Matt Ryan and the Falcons are flying high as he continues to prove that he is deserving of being in the conversation of elite quarterbacks.  He matches up against another good young quarterback in Aaron Rodgers.  Rodgers is yet to lead his team to victory in any kind of close game and I believe that trend will continue here.

Matt: Packers

I’ve said it many times throughout the year, I love this Falcons team.  Matt Ryan doesn’t lose at home, and the Packers are the most banged up team in the NFL.  But, I’ve sat in front of my computer for the last five minutes trying to think of who is going to block Clay Matthews and I’ve yet to come up with a name.  Matt Ryan can’t win a game if he’s one the turf the whole time.

Steelers @ Bills

Scott: Steelers

The Bills have actually been playing great football over the last month.  The problem here is that they may have played themselves out of having the number one pick in April.  However the Bills will get back to their losing ways Sunday against the strong Steeler team.

Matt: Steelers

The Bills may make this game more competitive than it looks on paper, but I still think that the Steelers have way to much offensively and defensively for the Bills to keep up.

Panthers @ Browns

Scottie: Browns

I have admittedly been high on the Browns since they upset the Patriots a few weeks ago.  Even with Colt McCoy out on Sunday, I still think they have enough to beat the lowly Panthers.  Jake Delhomme’s best days are far behind him but his only responsibility is to hand the ball to Peyton Hillis and get out of his way.  I think he can manage.

Matt: Browns

The games that I hate picking the most are the ones between two bad teams.  I’d be better of flipping a coin to determine the winner because it’s anyone’s guess who is the best of the worst.  Anyways, I think that Peyton Hillis will run all over the Panthers defense, which equates to a Browns victory in Cleveland.

Jaguars @ Giants

Scottie: Jaguars

MJD has his mojo back and despite David Garrard’s best efforts to lose the game last week, The Jags still came out on top.  Eli Manning has lost his top 2 recievers to injury and their once rock solid back field is now questionable.  Ahmad Bradshaw has fumbled away the starting job to Brandon Jacobs.  I expect the Giants offense to struggle to move the ball and the Jags to sneak away with the win.

Matt: Giants

As Scottie said, MJD is back running like a monster again, but I’m not sure he can carry an entire team to victory in the Meadowlands.  Even without Hakeem Nicks, the Giants passing attack will find success against a porous Jags’ secondary, and Brandon Jacobs will surely be rejuvenated after finally getting to start again.

Vikings @ Redskins

Scottie: Vikings

It seems that whenever a coach is fired mid-season, the interim coach provides a spark that enables a team to rattle off a few wins.  We saw it in Dallas when Wade Phillips was canned in favor of Jason Garrett.  The Vikings hated playing for Brad Childress and I feel they will step up for Leslie Frazier. It doesn’t hurt that the Redskins stink.

Matt: Redskins

I almost always side with the team that has a new coach in a situation like this.  But, in this case I’m going against the guys in Purple.  Brett Favre has been a cancer to that organization this season, first essentially eliminating any hope that this team had of making the playoffs and then running the head coach out of town.  Now, Leslie Frazier is supposed to come in and restore order?  Brett Favre runs this team, and as long as he is there it’s tough for me to pick the Vikes.

Titans @ Texans

Scottie: Texans

The Titans are a mess.  Vince Young has the maturity of a 13 year old girl and that has created chaos in the locker room.  It is true the Texans can’t defend my grandmother but I am still waiting for Matt Schaub and Andre Johnson to show up this season.  Arian Foster will continue to do work and the Texans will win this ball game.

Matt: Texans

Both of these teams are desperate for a win.  Both teams started off the season very strong, looking like locks to at least contend for a playoff spot, and now both teams are essentially in must win situations.  So what’s the difference in this game?  I’m sticking with Matt Schaub over Rusty Smith.

Chiefs @ Seahawks

Scottie: Chiefs

I have done nothing but disrespect the Seahawks all year.  While I will still pick against them it is worth noting that the Seahawks are division leaders and are in line for a playoff spot.  Making the playoffs a reality will be difficult losing Mike Williams, but with or without him I’d expect Jamaal Charles to run all over the field on Sunday setting up Thomas Jones touchdowns.

Matt: Chiefs

The Seahawks are a tough team to play in Seattle, but without Mike Williams (who is doubtful to play with a foot injury) I’m just not sure if Seattle has the offensive weapons to be able to score enough to keep up with Kansas City.  I’m sticking with Jones and Charles in this one.

Dolphins @ Raiders

Scott: Raiders

The Dolphins are in disarray without a true starting quarterback and no Brandon Marshall.  The Raiders have exceeded many experts’ expectations this season, but I have always felt they had an outside shot at a playoff spot.  Darren McFadden has arrived and the defense is playing really well.

Matt: Dolphins

Brandon Marshall is doubtful.  Chad Henne is terrible.  Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams are missing.  So why am I picking the Dolphins?  Because you simply can not trust Oakland.  One game they come in and look like the best team in the league, and the next week they forget how to run the ball and just try and throw bombs to DHB.  The Dolphins may not be better, but they are more consistent, so I’m going with Miami.

Rams @ Broncos

Scott: Rams

When I pick the Broncos they lose by 30.  When I pick against the Broncos they win by 30.  The hell with it! I have been a closet Rams fan this year because I love watching young teams.  I also think Steven Jackson will have a big day against a weak Broncos D.

Matt: Broncos

The Broncos got smoked by the Chargers last Monday, and should still be licking their wounds.  Apparently, Josh McDaniels just got fined 50k for some videotaping incident thing (I’m not really sure, but I don’t care enough to look into it), so I’m expecting the Broncos to rally around their coach and bounce back from a tough loss.

Eagles @ Bears

Scott: Eagles

Mike Vick passed the test last week against the tough Giant defense.  This week he faces another stiff test with the stingy Bears defense.  I think the Eagles are a really scary team because they are the fastest team in football and there is no way to defend all the weapons they have.  It also helps the cause that the biggest baby of a quarterback since Dan Marino (that being Jay Cutler) is opposing the Eagles and he is good for 3 picks and 7 sacks.

Matt: Bears

Unlike 99% of the nation and 100% of ESPN commentators (not to mention my roommate who is a die hard Eagles fan), I’m not sold on the Eagles yet.  Call me dumb, crazy, idiotic, etc, but I’m not ready to anoint this Eagles team as one of the two or three best teams in the league.  Over Philly’s last three games, they beat up on the Giants, Redskins, and Colts.  The Colts have Scottie playing wideout, the Redskins already beat the Eagles once this season (it is very difficult to sweep an inter-division foe), and the Giants beat themselves.  Julius Peppers will wreak havoc on the Eagles’ offensive line, and the Bears d is among the stingiest in the league.  I am hoping that Jay Cutler doesn’t lose the game for his squad, because I see the possibility for a Bears’ victory at Soldier field.

Buccaneers @ Ravens

Scott: Ravens

Rahiem Morris’ boys get a look at some real NFL competition this Sunday as they travel to Baltimore.  While I do love what the Bucs have done this season, I can’t in my right mind go against the Ravens.  I expect Josh Freeman to have a tough time against the Ravens D, Ray Rice to run wild, and Ray Lewis to decapitiate someone coming over the middle.

Matt: Ravens

Similarly to what Scottie said, the Bucs get a chance to matchup against one of the best teams in the NFL.  I like what Raheem Morris is doing down there in Tampa, but Baltimore is already at where the Bucs are trying to get to.

Chargers @ Colts

Scott: Colts

What Phillip Rivers has done this season with no name receivers has been downright amazing.  He gets a legit weapon back in Vincent Jackson just in time for a showdown with Peyton Manning and the Colts.  ButI don’t care what miracles Rivers has pulled this season, I’ve learned to never go against Peyton Manning especially after a loss.

Matt: Colts

Again, Scottie said it all.  If the season ended today, the Colts would be on the outside looking in, in terms of the playoffs.  The Chargers are on a short week after beating up on Denver last Monday, and traveling to ice-cold Indy can’t be fun.  This game will be a shootout, but I can’t see Peyton losing two in a row.

49ers @ Cardinals

Scottie: 49ers

Last week I admitted I have severely overrated the 49ers all year.  My problem was i fell too much in love with Mike Singletary, Frank Gore, and Vernon Davis.  An old roommate in college use to pick teams to win solely based on one player.  I turned into that roommate over the last 12 weeks and I feel awful about that.  With all that being said there is not a shot in hell the 49ers lose to the Cardinals on Monday night.

Matt: 49ers

So after 11 weeks you expect me to pick against Mike Singletary…no shot.  Singletary is fighting for his job, and if it takes him suiting up and playing some linebacker for the 49ers than he’ll do it.

Week 12 – The Mattyoshow Review

In this segment I will provide a weekly review for the previous weekend’s Patriots game, as well as my prediction for next weekend’s game.

-The New England Patriots got off to a slow start in Thursday Thanksgiving Day battle in Detroit, finding themselves in a 17-10 hole going into halftime.  But, a reestablished focus combined with a fiery halftime speech from Tom Brady amounted to a 35 point second half and a blowout of the Detroit Lions.  Much has been made this season of the Patriots young defense not being able to stop the bleeding when teams began piling on points.  Well, on Thursday their defense did just that.  After allowing 17 first half points, the defense tightened up, essentially shutting down Calvin Johnson, and subsequently allowing only 7 Detroit points in the second half.

-It seems that in every edition of the Mattyoshow Review, I can not mention the defense without bringing up two names, Jerod Mayo and Devin McCourty.  Jerod Mayo had yet another game where his effectiveness can not be measured in terms of stats.  Although he posted a good stat line (8 tackles, 4 assists), Mayo was seemingly in on nearly every play.  Detroit’s run game was surprisingly effective early in the game, but once the defensive line settled down and started plugging holes, Mayo began to shine.  He stuffed a few runs at the line of scrimmage, and then when the Lions began to abandon the run game, Mayo made nearly every play on the underneath passing routes that the Lions ran.  Countless times Mayo and teammates would crush Nate Burleson and Brandon Pettigrew on catches that they made over the middle.  That’s what is needed and expected from a middle linebacker, and Jerod Mayo continues to deliver.  This guy deserves serious consideration for defensive MVP.  As far as I know, Devin McCourty has missed only one defensive snap the entire season.  It is for a good reason because McCourty is one heck of a football player.  As the season progresses and McCourty becomes more comfortable in the Patriots’ defensive scheme, his personal statistics are beginning to pile up.  McCourty recorded two interceptions against the Lions, which gives him 5 interceptions in his last six games.  The more I am afforded the opportunity to watch McCourty play, the more I see a shutdown corner in the making.  This kid is a special football player, and defensive rookie of the year might be one of many awards McCourty will win in his career.

-Prior to Thursday’s game, Tom Brady had thrown for over 300 yards only one time this season (week 10 @ Pittsburgh).  But, on Thursday Brady looked like the 2007 version of himself as he surgically picked apart the Lions defense en route to a 21 of 27 effort for 341 yards and 4 touchdowns, not to mention compiling a perfect passer rating.  Brady did a great job spreading the ball around, completing passes to seven different receivers.  What may have been more impressive than that was his reliance on his two top receivers, Deion Branch (3 catches, 113 yards, 2 touchdowns) and Wes Welker (8 catches, 90 yards, 2 touchdowns).  There has yet to be a game that both Branch and Welker had very good numbers, but Thursday proved to be the day.  Brandon Tate dropped a couple of key passes, which hurt the success of some drives, but Branch and Welker stepped up to pick up the slack.  Hopefully, their joint production will continue throughout the remainder of the season.

-Fred Taylor was active for Thursday’s game, but didn’t see any time on the field.  Thankfully, the Patriots didn’t need him.  BenJarvus Green-Ellis capitalized on the few carries that he got (12 carries, 59 yards, two touchdowns), finding his way into the end-zone twice.  I was wary of how much work BJGE would get with Taylor returning, and in the first half he very rarely saw the football (mainly because the Pats were forced to pass as they were down), but in the second half when he was called upon to ice the game and punch the ball into the end-zone, Green-Ellis delivered.  Looking ahead, a backfield consisting of BJGE, Danny Woodhead, Fred Taylor, and the occasional Sammy Morris sighting could be very effective complimenting Tom Brady and the passing attack.

-NEXT WEEK’S PREDICTION: Patriots 20 – Jets 10

Jordan Steps Up And Gives Lebron A Media Facial

The only thing better than this would be to have Jordan actually putting Lebron in a “timeout” and scolding him like the child he is.  Nobody disrespects Jordan and something tells me when Jordan saw this whole Lebron saga soap opera that showed him picking Miami on live primetime TV that it made MJ a swirling dervish and when the Lebron’s commericial aired #23 went even more ballistic.  Normally I’m not a fan of people getting back at each other through the media but I have to say job-well-done to Jordan here.  I hope he is just as disgraced as I am that the NBA has become full of a bunch of pre-madonnas and overall just a ridiculous square dance.  The NBA and Lebron sucks….Long live the real king!

 

EDIT: I’ve been informed that this commercial came out before Lebron left Cleveland.  Sue me.  Either way, anyone who likes to smack Lebron in the nose deserves praise.  Who’s next on the list that consists of Jordan and Delonte?

Week 12 NFL Picks: Scottie vs. Matt – Turkey Day Edition

Thanksgiving may be my favorite holiday of the entire year.  I can think of very few times more amazing where it is expected that you over indulge on food and watch football all day…pure harmony.  Anyways, I would much rather hang out with my friends and family over the next few days than sit here writing posts, so until Sunday we are only giving you this Turkey day edition.  After going 11-5 last week, I now have a record of 90-70 (.563 winning percentage) for the season, while Scottie went 12-4 which puts him at 89-71 (.556 winning percentage).  It’s too close for comfort on my end…let’s do it…

Along with Matt, Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday of the year.  There is nothing better than being around family and today is a celebration of just that.  I am truly thankful for all my family and friends.  Without them I would probably be face down in a ditch somewhere.  I am also thankful for the opportunity to whoop Matty’s behind.  So let’s get to it.

 

Patriots @ Lions

Matt -Patriots

The lone Lion that scares me in this game is Calvin Johnson.  But, I think that even if Johnson goes for 200 yards and 3 touchdowns, the Pats would still manage to win the game.  The return of Fred Taylor bolsters that Pats’ rushing attack, and against one of the worst run defenses in the NFL, that spells victory for New England.

Scottie -Patriots

Much like the Browns game, this is a trap game.  The Pats are playing the Jets in 10 days.  If they get caught looking ahead the Lions will burn the Pats with one of the more explosive offenses in football.  The Pats’ secondary has been swiss cheese lately and I expect Calvin Johnson to have a big day.  However the Lions are still the Lions and the Pats are still the Pats.

Saints @ Cowboys

Matt -Cowboys

The New Orleans Saints are in for a dog fight.  There are few teams in the league that I would not want to play more than the Cowboys.  After their surprising win against the Giants two weeks ago, the Cowboys beat the Lions down and are now on a roll.  A team this talented can’t be held down for an entire season, and it looks like they are in the middle of breaking out.

Scottie – Cowboys

The Cowboys are among the most talented teams in the league.  They clearly gave up on Wade Phillips but have shown they are willing to play for Jason Garrett.  The Saints haven’t impressed me at all this year and I think they are in trouble in Big D.

Bengals @ Jets

Matt -Jets

I can see it now.  The Bengals are up 5 with 10 seconds left and then all of a sudden Cincinnati forgets how to tackle and lets Santonio Holmes run 80 yards for a touchdown off of a quick slant.  The Jets have somehow squeaked out wins in three consecutive games, and I don’t see Cincinnati being good enough to stop that trend.

Scottie -Jets

To quote Terrell Owens, the Bengals are just terrible.

What to Look For…

Thursday’s matchup between the Patriots and the Lions looks to be a tale of two teams headed in different directions.  The Lions, with a record of 2-8, are in last place in the NFC North and it seems that any hope of them making the playoffs has now dispersed.  The Patriots, with a record of 8-2, are tied for first place in their division as well as the best record in the NFL.  Super Bowl aspirations are becoming more prevalent for this team, even with how youthful this team is.  But, as we have seen time in and time out this year, games that look like sure wins on paper often prove to be better matchups than anticipated.  On Thanksgiving day, when you plop down in front of the television at 12:30pm, here is what you should look for…

-The biggest “x-factor” in this game is Calvin Johnson.  When you look in the dictionary under the word “man,” Calvin Johnson’s picture should be there.  At 6’5”, 236 pounds Johnson is bigger than any defensive back that the Patriots have by far, and he is equally as fast.  It has to scare Belichick when the Lions essentially have a tight end lined up on the outside that can outrun any defensive back that he has.  The Pats’ pass defense hasn’t been great this season, but they have done enough to win.  I would love to see McCourty matchup against Johnson for the duration of the game, but so far this season Kyle Arrington has drawn the short straw and had to matchup against the opposition’s number one wideout.  What to look for: How the Pats’ corners matchup against Calvin Johnson.

-The Detroit Lions have one of the worst run defense in the entire NFL, giving up an average of over 130 yards per game.  Fred Taylor is active for Thursday’s game, so we will finally get to see the Patriots backfield at full health (minus Faulk).  BJGE has filled in for Fred Taylor better than any of us could have expected, but the amount of carries he gets have been anything but consistent.  I am very interested to see how the workload is dispersed between Taylor, Green-Ellis, and Woodhead, but I’m assuming that BJGE’s production will take the biggest hit.  What to look for: How efficient the Patriots run game is against one of the league’s worst run defenses, especially with all of their running backs back to full health.

-Tom Brady is listed as questionable for Thursday’s matchup with a bad foot and shoulder.  Brady is continuously listed on the injury report with shoulder issues, but this is the second week in a row he has listed as questionable with a foot injury.  After such a short turnaround, it will be interesting to see how truly healthy Tom Brady is.  I’m not suggesting that there is any possibility that he won’t play, but watching him plant his foot and drive into throws may give us an indication of how healthy he is.  What to look for: How Tom Brady plays after a short week and an injured foot.

-With such a bad record and few things left to play for, Thanksgiving is like the Lions’ Super Bowl.  Very few times, if any, each season the Lions play for a national audience, so it has to be expected that they will come out with guns blazing on Thursday.  For some of the younger players (i.e. Ndamukong Suh, Jahvid Best, etc.) this game is the first time that they have played in the NFL for a national audience, and others (i.e. Calvin Johnson) would love to prove to the country how truly great they are.  If the Patriots come out flat, the Lions could very well throw up 14 quick points and have the Pats in a huge hole that will be touch to get out of.  What to look for: How the Patriots deal with the extreme emotion that the Lions will bring to the table.

-THIS WEEK’S PREDICTION: Patriots 34 – Lions 24

Rating the 2010 NBA Draft Class

It is hard to believe that is has been over a month since the 2010-11 NBA season has started but we have already seen some impressive statistical and team performances. Some players have exceeded expectations while others have come far from reaching them. That being said; let’s take a look at this year’s rookie class to see how they have fared in their specific situations.

First Round

1. Washington: John Wall (Kentucky) – PG

Wall is the only plug-in-and-play guy in the whole class. Injury is the only thing that will take him out of the lineup for the Wizards. He may turn the ball over, but his speed and quickness are unmatched and if it wasn’t for Blake Griffin missing last season, he would be a shoe-in for Rookie of the Year honors.

2. Philadelphia: Evan Turner (Ohio State) – SG

Turner was put in a tough situation with head coach Doug Collins backing Jrue Holiday at the point and incumbent Andre Iguodala already at the two, but Thaddeus Young and Jason Kapono have fallen out of favor at the three and Collins is now using Turner and Iguodala on the wings with Andres Nocioni coming off the bench. Do not be surprised to see Turner start from here on out, and while he may have some off nights, he will be Wall and Griffin’s greatest threat as a sneak ROY pick.

3. New Jersey: Derrick Favors (Georgia Tech) – PF

Favors is young and raw but extremely talented and has put up good numbers in limited action so far. The Nets are committed to working him in slowly as Kris Humphries is proving to be an Avery Johnson favorite at the 4 and Troy Murphy is working his way back from injury. It will probably not happen this year, but Favors and Brook Lopez could eventually form one of the most imposing front lines in the league.

4. Minnesota: Wes Johnson (Syracuse) – G/F

Johnson has found his way into the starting lineup but with Michael Beasley, Kevin Love and even Darko Milicic playing well, he is not being relied upon to score. Johnson has an all-around game but he is needed more for his defense at this point. It will be intriguing to see how the backcourt rotation works out when Johnny Flynn and Martell Webster return from injury.

5. Sacramento: DeMarcus Cousins (Kentucky) – PF/C

Cousins has proven the two things that made him the No. 5 overall pick. He is a load to handle down-low on the offensive end and he is still a little immature. Reports that he has clashed with the coaching staff has already surfaced and thusly, his playing time has fluctuated. Still, he has the best offensive skill set of any big in this year’s class and will put up numbers as long as he is getting 20+ minutes a game. If he puts it all together he could be the dark horse for the top rookie honors.

6. Golden State: Epke Udoh (Baylor) – PF

Udoh was a somewhat surprising pick for the Warriors, but his defensive prowess and shot-blocking ability is something that Golden State is lacking. A broken left wrist has sidelined him since training camp but if he can get healthy, he may be able to find some minutes in the Warriors’ thin frontcourt.

7. Detroit: Greg Monroe (Georgetown) – C

Monroe was a great pick by the Pistons, but it is a tough situation for the former Georgetown-product to find himself in. Detroit has already had problems with its top players not seeing eye-to-eye with head coach John Kuester and the coach has not come anywhere near settling on a rotation. If the Pistons ever put it together, they could challenge for a playoff spot in the East, but the chances of that are not looking good. Ben Wallace is still starting at center and Tayshaun Prince is an elder statesman, while Charlie Villanueva, Jason Maxiell and Austin Daye are all blocking Monroe from seeing playing time. A skilled passing-big man, if there is ever an injury to Wallace or a trade, Monroe could see a lot of time and have an opportunity to grow up fast.

8. Los Angeles Clippers: Al-Farouq Aminu (Wake Forest) – SF

Aminu has gotten the chance to start on the woeful Clippers as the youth movement is now fully in affect in L.A. He fits in well with the up-and-down style and should continue to get plenty of run. He may be inconsistent, but if the minutes continue he could find his way on to the All-Rookie first team.

9. Utah: Gordon Hayward (Butler) – G/F

10. Indiana: Paul George (Fresno State) – SF

11. New Orleans: Cole Aldrich (Kansas) – C {Traded to Oklahoma City}

All three of these guys were phenomenal collegiate players but are not getting much run right now. Jerry Sloan is notorious for not playing rookies but if anything happens to veteran Raja Bell, Hayward could play. Same applies with George and Danny Granger, who has had an injury history. George has an A+ skill set and would be an all-around player is he gets the minutes. Aldrich will have the toughest time seeing the court as foul troubles continue to plague him. He was just sent to the D-League this morning.

12. Memphis: Xavier Henry (Kansas) – G/F

Henry is another one-and-doner but has played well in limited minutes for the Grizzlies. With O.J. Mayo, Mike Conley and Rudy Gay in front of him, there is no chance at starting, but he could etch out a role as the sixth-man on the this team. So far he really has not done much other than score, but the rebounds, assists, steals and blocks could come with more consistent minutes.

13. Toronto: Ed Davis (North Carolina) – PF

14. Houston: Patrick Patterson (Kentucky) – PF

15. Milwaukee: Larry Sanders (VCU) – PF

16. Minnesota: Luke Babbitt (Nevada) – SF {Traded to Portland}

17. Chicago: Kevin Seraphin (France) – PF {Traded to Washington}

It is very odd that five forwards went all in a row an none of them are seeing any time. Davis is the only one out due to injury and could see some time with the Raptors after a possible rehab stint in the NBDL. Either way Davis, along with the rest of this crew with use this season to learn from the bench before they see any meaningful minutes.

18. Oklahoma City: Eric Bledsoe (Kentucky) – PG {Traded to Los Angeles Clippers)

Bledsoe became the primary beneficiary of Baron Davis’ injury as he stepped into the starting lineup for the “bearded one.” Bledsoe was really overshadowed by John Wall at Kentucky and showed he can run the point after Davis and Randy Foye went down. With Foye back and Davis scheduled to return at some point, Bledsoe will probably lose a lot of minutes, but for an awful Clippers team, he should get plenty of burn this season.

19. Boston: Avery Bradley (Texas) – G

Bradley got hurt before the draft which allowed him to slip a bit to the Celtics. People forget that he was a higher high school prospect than John Wall. He played in his first game last night against the Hawks and did look a little slow and timid, but he should work himself back into shape. Either way, he will probably not find his way into the rotation, but will be successful in the league some day.

20. San Antonio: James Anderson (Oklahoma State) – SG

Anderson can really score, but finds himself deep on the bench of a talented Spurs team. Should anything happen to Manu Ginobili or George Hill, he could see some time and get a chance to show what he can really do.

21. Oklahoma City: Craig Brackins (Iowa State) – PF {Traded to New Orleans} {Traded to Philadelphia}

22. Portland: Elliot Williams (Memphis) – G

23. Minnesota: Trevor Booker (Clemson) – PF {Traded to Wizards}

24. Atlanta: Damion James (Texas) – F {Traded to New Jersey}

25. Memphis: Dahntay Jones (USF) – SG {Traded to Dallas}

26. Oklahoma City: Quincy Pondexter (Washington) – G/F {Traded to New Orleanes}

27. New Jersey: Jordan Crawford (Xavier) – SG {Traded to Atlanta}

28. Memphis: Greivis Vasquez (Maryland) – G

29. Orlando: Daniel Orton (Kentucky) – PF/C

30. Washington: Lazar Hayward (Marquette) – SF {Traded to Minnesota}

Another stretch of players who have either not had an impact so far this year or had a chance to get serious minutes. Jones was starting for the Mavericks in the preseason but has not seen much of the floor thus far. Crawford is an offensive sparkplug but is stuck behind fellow J.Crawford, Jamal. Vasquez has returned from injury and could find his niche as the backup point guard to Mike Conley. Hayward is just a basketball player, and in Minnesota anything is possible.

Second Round

31. New Jersey: Tibor Pleiss (Germany) – C {Traded to Oklahoma City}

32. Miami: Dexter Pittman (Texas) – C

33. Sacramento: Hassan Whiteside (Marshall) – C

34. Portland: Armon Johnson (Nevada) – PG

35. Washington: Nmanja Bjelica (Serbia) – SF {Traded to Minnesota}

36. Detroit: Terrico White (Mississippi) – G

37. Milwaukee: Darrington Hobson (New Mexico) – SF

38. New York: Andy Rautins (Syracuse) – SG

Whiteside slipped out of the first round due to a thin frame and suspect competition at Marshall, but he is a superb shot-blocker and is a good project. Pleiss is still overseas and while Pittman is on the frontline depleted Heat, he still hasn’t seen any time. Johnson is on a good Blazers team, but stuck in a crowded backcourt. Bjelica is still overseas while White is done for the season with an injury, Hobson is out of job and Rautins is stuck on the end of the New York bench.

39. New York: Landry Fields (Stanford) – G/F

Fields is this year’s second round surprise. The swingman blossomed in his senior year at Stanford and has found a starting role for the Knicks. He has played very well and rebounds great for someone his size, but it is still in question if he can keep this up for an entire season.

40. Indiana: Lance Stephenson (Cincinnati) – G

41. Miami: Jarvis Varnado (Mississippi State) – PF

42. Miami: Da’Sean Butler (West Virginia) – SF

43. Los Angeles Lakers: Devin Ebanks (West Virginia) – SF

These four player have some serious talent but for one reason or another have not seen time. Stephenson is still very young and the Pacers seem to have decided to let him learn from the bench this year. Varnardo is possibly the best shot-blocker in this year’s draft but is having trouble finding a job. Butler was a sure-fire first round talent, but his knee injury in the Final Four against Duke pushed him down. If he can get healthy he could contribute this season, while his WVU teammate Ebanks landed on the Lakers and will probably only see garbage time this season.

44. Milwaukee: Jerome Jordan (Tulsa) – C {Traded to Portland}

45. Minnesota: Paulao Prestes (Brazil) – PF

46. Phoenix: Gani Lawal (Georgia Tech) – PF

47. Milwaukee: Tiny Gallon (Oklahoma) – PF

48. Miami: Latavious Williams (NBDL) – SF

49. San Antiono: Ryan Richards (England) – C

50. Dallas: Solomon Alabi (Florida State) – C

51. Oklahoma City: Magnum Rolle (Louisiana Tech) – F

52. Boston: Luke Harangody (Notre Dame) – PF

53. Atlanta: Pape Sy (Senegal) – SF

54. Los Angeles Clippers: Willie Warren (Oklahoma) – G

55. Utah: Jeremy Evans (Western Kentucky) – SF

56. Minnesota: Hamady N’diaye (Rutgers – C

57. Indiana: Ryan Reid (Florida State) – F

58. Los Angeles Lakers: Derrick Caracter (UTEP) – PF

59. Orlando: Stanley Robinson (Connecticut) – SF

60. Phoenix: Dwayne Collins (Miami) – PF

Not much to go over on the tail end of the draft. Prestes, Richards and Sy are all foreign projects, while Latavious Williams made history by being the first NBDL player to be drafted. Rolle was a project for Indiana but they were forced to cut the big forward to get down to 15 players. Harangody has done well in very limited minutes for the Celtics but should not play a big role for Boston. Caracter couldn’t hack it at Louisville because of personal issues but has a pro game. Sherron Collins for the Bobcats and Jeremy Lin with Warriors are two of the better free agent signings, but will still have trouble seeing the floor.

So there is the 2010-11 draft class. It may be early and there could be some serious surprises, but isn’t that why we watch? O and remember, this guy is still a rookie.

Bye Bye Victor; Hello Mediocrity?

Since the end of the 2010 Red Sox season, the biggest move Red Sox management has made was buying FC Liverpool.  The Sox haven’t even been linked to any of the big name free agents or trade targets that have been floating around this season.  At the beginning of the offseason, I assigned a value to Victor Martinez that I thought they should sign him at and not go any higher.  I believed that value to be 4 years for $60 million.

Today, the Detroit Tigers announced a deal in the range of 4 years for $50 million.  The Sox were not willing to go higher than $42 over 4 years.  Maybe I overpriced Victor in my head but it drives me bananas the Sox weren’t willing to at least go to $55 million.  Victor offered consistent offensive production from both sides of the plate, from a position that doesn’t generally put up solid offensive numbers.  I truly believe the Sox won’t offer Adrian Beltre anything that he would honestly consider.  To be honest, I don’t want the Sox to overspend on Beltre and would prefer they move Youk across the diamond and go after Adrian Gonzalez, Prince Fielder, or even Albert Pujols.  As it stands right now, the Sox lineup is weak.

With all that being said, there are some positives in the deal.  The Red Sox will get 2 first round picks in compensation from the Tigers.  No one drafts better than Theo, so I can’t wait to see who they land in the draft and how those prospects develop.  But that is the problem, I can’t wait.  I am impatient and crave success.  To me the Sox are third best in the American League East and that is not acceptable to me.  Expect Jarrod Saltalamacchia to be the starting catcher come April with Jason Varitek backing him up.

Victor Martinez will be 32 in December and by the end of this contract would be 36.  Catcher is one of the hardest positions to fill adequately in baseball.  Victor is head and shoulders above all major league catchers except Joe Mauer and Buster Posey offensively.  I fail to understand why the Sox wouldn’t be willing to go the extra mile for Vic.  I understand them being concerned with his age as catchers tend to decline around the age of 33-34.  The problem is they could easily move him to DH the last two years of the contract.

David Ortiz will only be here one more year after the Sox just picked up his option.  While I am on that subject I find it curious that the Sox were willing to pick up Ortiz’s option of $12.5 million and not give Victor his money when Victor offers more production.  The Rangers declined Vladimir Guerrero’s option for $6 million (half of what the Sox picked up Ortiz’s for), and Vlad offered comparable numbers to Ortiz.

If the Sox don’t make any moves that make this team better, the ownership is in real danger of losing its market share in this region. Once upon a time Boston was all about the Red Sox.  Now the Patriots are the toast of the town.  The Celtics may soon pass the Red Sox in popularity as well.  Hell, considering the Bruins are the only underdog in the city, they may pass the Sox due to everyone loving rooting for an underdog.  The bottom line is if the Red Sox are the 3rd best team in their division.  They need to make moves to be more competitive on the field and to generate interest in the ball club.  If the owners insist on guiding their efforts to their new asset, FC Liverpool, they are in real danger of doing what was once deemed impossible.

The pink hats will turn in membership card they bought for $25 because they though it was the cool thing to do.  The casual fan will tune in sporadically through out the season.  Fenway Park’s sellout streak will end.  NESN’s ratings will continue to plummet.  No one will truly care about the Sox because the ownership and management don’t seem to care either.  If this keeps up a once proud fan base will be no more.  Red Sox Nation will be no more.

Week 11 – The Mattyoshow Review

In this segment I will provide a weekly review for the previous weekend’s Patriots game, as well as my prediction for next weekend’s game.

-Whew!  That game was much closer than it had to be, but what else could be expected when the team on the opposite sideline is led by arguably the greatest quarterback to ever play.  Peyton was sent out their with his top three wide receivers (Wayne, Garcon, and Collie), but lost Collie by the end of the first quarter, and the tight end Tamme couldn’t seem to catch anything meaningful (even though he finished the day with 7 catches for 60 yards, he had a few key drops in the red zone). Interceptions by Devin McCourty, Brandon Meriweather, and James Sanders were all wonderfully timed, proving to be huge momentum changers (McCourty and Meriweather) and game sealers (Sanders).  The secondary was exposed a bit as Manning through for almost 400 yards and 4 touchdowns, but came up with big plays when needed.

-What more can be said about Jerod Mayo that already hasn’t been.  This guy is playing like a flat-out animal.  On Sunday he racked up another 11 tackles (with 4 assists) which gives him 120 combined tackles on the season, according to NFL.com.  Mayo seemed to be in on many more plays than the stats imply, making stops on almost every crossing route that the Colts tried to run.  The Colts, who tallied up a surprising 20 carries, but only amassed 71 yards.  That lack of rushing production was due in part to Mayo’s effectiveness, but also to the play of Vince Wilfork, Gary Guyton, Jermaine Cunningham, and Brandon Spikes.  It was an all around solid effort to slow the Colts’ rushing attack.

-I was very disappointed with the Pats’ inability to pressure Peyton Manning.  Granted, the Colts give up the fewest sacks in the NFL, so getting to him and putting him on the ground isn’t easy, but it’s not impossible either.  Cunningham and Banta-Cain couldn’t seem to generate a consistent enough pass rush to disrupt Manning’s rhythm.  That being said, James Sanders’ game sealing interception (on a drive where the Colts looked destined to score and win the game) was caused by pressure put on Manning by Tully Banta-Cain.  So, to be optimistic, I guess it could be said that the pass rushers have very good timing, but they need to do a better job more consistently reaching the qb.

-186 yards and 2 touchdowns is a stat line that you expect from Colt McCoy or Josh Freeman, not Tom Brady.  But, as we all know stats can often be very deceiving.  On Sunday, Brady delivered passes with pin point accuracy, connecting on 19 of his 25 passes.  Brady spread the ball around to six different receivers.  Noticeably missing from the stat sheet once again was speedster Brandon Tate.  Wonderfully showing near the top of the stat sheet was Wes Welker (5 catches, 58 yards, 1 touchdown), who grabbed his first touchdown since week 2 and has performed well in the second consecutive game.  I have made a big deal out of Welker’s ineffectiveness since the Moss trade, and I’m not ready to abandon my stance on that just yet.  Tate still needs to become a bigger part of this offense before Moss will become a distant memory.  But, Welker’s revitalization is something the certainly has me excited for the upcoming weeks.

-NEXT WEEK’S PREDICTION – Patriots 34 – Lions 24