3/31 - 4/06: This Week in the NBA

The Wizards' doctors said Gilbert could have been playing last Monday. Way to be wrong and ruin my expectations, not that the Wizards-Lakers game was bad or anything. It doesn't matter, because now that there's a three-way tie for the seventh spot in the West, there will be plenty of excitement to finish out the season.

Monday, March 31st:
Denver @ Phoenix - The Nuggets' offense has been incredible of late, but their defense leaves something to be desired. To win in the Valley of the Sun, Camby and Martin are going to have to slow down Amare, who has led the Suns in scoring in 23 of their last 24 games.

Tuesday, April 1st:
Boston @ Chicago - Can you believe these two teams were both considered title contenders at the start of the year? Boston has completely lived up to their expectations and will post a 60+ win-season for the first time in twenty years. Meanwhile, the Bulls are 29-44. Ouch!

Golden State @ San Antonio - The Warriors' two home wins against the Spurs won't mean anything in this game. The Spurs are just a loss away from losing home court advantage in the first round. Man the west is crazy, remember a week ago -- the Spurs were falling apart after losing 4 straight. Now they're contenders again.

Phoenix @ Denver - It's hard to separate from Dallas and Golden State when you play a back-to-back with the Suns. At least the Warriors will be expected to lose in San Antonio. Denver will need either Kenyon Martin, J.R. Smith, or Linas Kleiza to step up after playing this team a second time.

Wednesday, April 2nd:
Golden State @ Dallas - The Mavericks need this win in the worst way. Dirk's probably not coming back until the playoffs and tough wins are going to be rare. The Warriors are on a back-to-back after playing in San Antonio, so they should be vulnerable. But if Dallas couldn't beat this team on Sunday, with Josh Howard scoring 36, how will they beat them in this game?

Thursday, April 3rd:
Chicago @ Cleveland - You sort of have to feel for TNT right now, the schedule makers really let them down this year. Nine Bulls games. Eight Heat Games. Just four Celtics games. Waah, waah, waah, waaaaaaaaaaaaaaah.

Houston @ Portland - The Rockets are safely in the playoffs, but their seeding is really up in the air. They need to make mincemeat out of Portland if they intend to get home court in the first round. The Blazers are more focused on Greg Oden's practices than are for this game.

Friday, April 4th:
San Antonio @ Utah - Utah's final six games are against the Spurs, Hornets, Mavericks, Nuggets, Rockets, and Spurs again. They're fortunate that Denver has to go through the same tough conference as they do, because they're just a couple losses away from falling to ninth place. Their games on ESPN always seem to be blowouts, and since their playing the Spurs, you know the margin of victory will be wide.

Dallas @ LA Lakers - If Gasol is back, the Mavs should be a stone cold lock to drop this game. Dallas probably wishes they had Devin Harris about now. Kidd's a better passer, but Harris could at least provide some offense. There's no way Kidd can average 20 a night in Dirk's absence.

Saturday, April 5th:
Orlando @ Cleveland - The Cavs need just a couple more wins and they can lock up the #4 seed. If the season ended today, Washington and Cleveland would meet in the playoffs. AGAIN. Arenas better back by the time the playoffs come around, otherwise I'm going to get really sick of watching Cleveland maul the Wizards for a third straight year.

Sunday, April 6th:
Golden State @ New Orleans - Last time these two teams played, #8 Golden State beat #1 New Orleans in New Orleans by 13 points. Now that's parity. Both teams need this game for playoff seeding. The Warriors' bad losses against the Bulls, Nets, Pacers, T'Wolves, Hawks, Bobcats, and Kings are going to come back to haunt them.

Dallas @ Phoenix - The Mavs have a fairly easy final five games (after this game of course). If they can win all five, they might be able to salvage this season. It's excusable to go out in the first round with the west as deep as it is, but not making the playoffs... Even without Dirk, that would really, really sting.

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MLB opening week: the best week of sports

Why is it the best week of sports? Because it's the only time of the year when the Florida Marlins have a full stadium; it's the only time the Pittsburgh Pirates, and Tampa Bay Devil Rays (or Rays if you're PC), and Kansas City Royals are relevant; it's the only time the New York Yankees are in last place.

The baseball season engulfs more than half of the calendar year -- and for teams like the Devil Rays and Nationals, the final 140 games of the season are going to be pretty grueling. So let's enjoy the Giants, Reds, Twins, Pirates, Marlins, Nationals, Royals, and Orioles while they still have a respectable record: 0-0.

And no Roger Clemens is-he-coming-back saga, no Barry Bonds chasing-the-record saga, no Mitchell Report looming over players' heads. If Julio Franco makes it back to the big leagues, he'll be the first player since Minnie Minoso to play at age 50. No MLB Extra Innings for Dish Network owners (which sucks), but other than that, '08 should be a great year of baseball.

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6/11/2005 - The end of Kid Dynamite

Following a pair of losses to Lennox Lewis and an unknown Danny Williams, Mike Tyson set on the comeback trail for the last time. His opponent: Ireland's own Kevin McBride. Tyson was nearly 39 years old and was well past his prime. He had donned a new tattoo that covered the left side of his face, citing that he hadn't liked the way it looked.

Nine days before his bout with McBride, Tyson indicated that the end was near. "My whole life has been a waste--I've been a failure. I just want to escape. I'm really embarrassed with myself and my life. I want to be a missionary. I think I could do that while keeping my dignity without letting people know they chased me out of the country. I want to get this part of my life over as soon as possible. In this country, nothing good is going to come of me. I'm so stigmatized, there is no way I can elevate myself."

Tyson's motive for fighting, much like Evander Holyfield's in his latter years, was for money. He had either spent or lost all of the $300 million he earned over his career and had declared bankruptcy in 2003. For this fight, Tyson earned $5 million.

Iron Mike was confident that defeating McBride was going to lead him to a heavyweight title bout. "I'm going to gut him like a fish," he told reporters. "He's just a tomato can."



Kevin McBride matched Tyson blow for blow. The sellout crowd at the MCI Center watched as the stepping stone in Tyson's comeback attempt turned the tables. Mike turned to desperation to keep his career alive. He headbutted the Irishman, opening a gash over his opponent's right eye, and tried several times to break McBride's arm.

Tyson's career ended in the sixth round. McBride finished with a flurry of hits that Tyson could barely withstand. The former prodigy who took out Michael Spinks in under two minutes couldn't even retaliate. With seconds remaining in the round, McBride shoved the former IBF champion to the mat. Tyson sat against the ropes for a few seconds, perhaps seeing his illustrious career before his eyes. Then he slowly got up as the closing bell dinged and lumbered back to his corner.

Tyson didn't return for the seventh round. Two of the judges had him leading the fight, but he had seen the writing on the wall, he knew the days of contending for a title had past him. "This is it," he told referee Joe Cortez. "It's finished." Right then and there, Tyson walked away from boxing forever.

He later told Jim Gray, "I don't have the guts to fight anymore. My heart is not in it anymore. I don't want to disrespect the sport I love." "If I can't beat Kevin McBride, I can't compete in this sport anymore."

Even in retirement, Tyson couldn't enjoy a breath of humility. McBride later accused Tyson of biting his nipple during the fight. "I didn't realize it at first but he had his teeth around it. I just felt a strange sensation and then realized what he'd done. He could not get up high enough to bite my ears -- good (thing) he wasn't a midget, otherwise he would have bitten something else."

With the loss of Mike Tyson, boxing lost its best promoter and its star attraction. "I'm not the kind of guy you feel sorry for, I'm just not that kind of guy," he said afterwards. "I don't want people to look up to me. I know who I am. I've done things I am not proud of in my life. I don't want nobody looking up to me. I'm just an isolated guy. People think they know me but they don't know me."

Who knows how Tyson will live out the remaining years of his life. With Mike Tyson, it's hard to tell where rock bottom is.

From a Stool, Tyson Ends It
Tyson's love for the fight game turns to disgust

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NBA in Europe? I wouldn't bet on it...

David Stern recently stated that he thinks an NBA team could be in Europe as soon as ten years from now. He's also gone on record that he envisions a five-team European division being a serious possibility in a decade as well.

If you're in Birmigham and you're psyched that NBA is coming to town, don't be. Forget about it. It's not happening in ten years, it's not happening in twenty years. There are just too many logistics to work out with a continent that's at least seven hours away by plane. Just think how grueling an East coast trip would be for the Lakers or Kings -- they'd be on a plane for half a day.

What about the players? Making someone move from Minnesota to Boston is a rough transition by itself, but imagine being traded to Düsseldorf or Dublin. Or what about the American television ratings for the European teams? If you think there's a disconnect with the San Antonio Spurs, what until the Paris Pipesmokers play in the NBA Finals.

Each major sport has talked about expanding to other countries for years and years. The NFL has done out-of-country games for twenty years and baseball has done them for at least seventy years. There's nothing wrong with trying to expand the league, but the idea of putting one team -- let alone a whole division -- in Europe is a pipe dream. The fact is that it can't happen until intercontinental flying becomes less of a chore. And seeing as American Airlines just cancelled 300 flights because the planes we have today have issues, NBA Europe is in the way distant future.

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1/01/2007 - Boise State out-thrills Oklahoma

2007 began with a bang as the Boise State Broncos upset the Oklahoma Sooners 43-42 at the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl. OU was favored by over a touchdown against the WAC champions, yet struggled just to keep the game competitive. When they finally did take the lead, Boise State retaliated with several remarkable, unforgettable plays.

Even though they were undefeated, the Broncos' regular season success was downplayed because they played in the unheard of Western Atlantic Conference, whereas the Sooners played in the highly touted Big 12. Boise State made everyone believers quickly when they jumped out to 14-0 start, thanks to two big Oklahoma turnovers. By halftime, Boise State was up 21-10.

With eleven minutes left in the third, Oklahoma quarterback Paul Thompson was looking at 3rd and 10. He evaded Boise State defenders and launched the ball deep down the middle of the field, where it was easily picked off by Gerald Alexander. Boise State bailed out Oklahoma with a three-and-out, except Thompson was no better on his next possession. He had a first down pass deflected which was once again intercepted, this time for a touchdown. With 8:05 left in the quarter, Boise State led 28-10.

The Sooners punted on their next set too and were well on their way to losing in a blowout. They then got a huge break as Marty Tadman, who had intercepted Thompson just minutes before, failed to catch the punt and neglected to tell his teammates to back away. The ball hit the leg of a Boise State player and Oklahoma recovered. Two plays later, Adrian Peterson ran 8 yards to the end zone to cut the deficit to 11.

After producing a field goal, Oklahoma trailed 28-20 with 2:40 left in the 4th period and the ball on their own 23. Thompson was excellent on the drive and went 5-5 for 68 yards, capped by a tipped completion to Quentin Cheney to make it 28-26. The Sooners were held up as the went for the 2-point conversion, first by a pass interference call and then by an illegal shift of the offense. With the ball on the 7, Thompson found Juaqin Iglesias in the center of the end zone to knot it at 28.

The Broncos and quarterback Jared Zabransky took over. Zabransky had a big first half but had thrown for just 22 yards in the second stanza. His first pass of the drive drifted behind the intended receiver and was intercepted by Marcus Walker, who tight-roped the sideline for 33 yards and the TD. The Sooners' 35-28 advantage was their first lead of the game and came with just 1:02 left in regulation.

Zabransky regained the ball and drove into Sooner territory before a costly sack set them back. 18 seconds remained and Boise State was looking at 4th and 18 from midfield. In an incredibly gutsy call, Zabransky completed it to Drisan James two yards short of the first. Still on his feet, James lateraled to Jerard Rabb who found the sideline and streaked 35 yards for the game-tying touchdown.

The ensuing punt took up the remaining 7 seconds and the game headed to overtime.

Adrian Peterson opened the extra session with a 25-yard touchdown run on the Sooners' first play. Boise State took over and once again held their life by a thread. Near the goal line on 4th and 2, WR Vinny Perretta took the snap in place of Zabransky, moved towards the right and found TE Derek Schouman for the touchdown. Rather than kick the extra point and send it to double overtime, coach Chris Petersen decided to go for the win. On the 2-point conversion, Zabransky ran a Statue of Liberty play with a fake pass to the outside while dishing it to RB Ian Johnson, who coasted in for the winning score.

After the game, Ian Johnson proposed to his girlfriend/cheerleader Chrissy Popadics who promptly accepted (what a shame to see the Popadics name disappearing). The 13-0 Broncos became another team to finish undefeated and not get a shot at the national title. To be fair, Oklahoma would've never played Boise State if not for the BCS. It's still a shame that a system is in place where a Cinderella has no shot at wining a national title.

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Webber's career ends exactly like Penny's

Only a half-dozen weeks into his comeback attempt with the Golden State Warriors, Chris Webber will officially hang up his basketball this afternoon. The 35 year-old played just nine games with the high-scoring Warriors before missing the last twelve games due to a nagging knee injury.

The synergy between the careers of Chris Webber and Penny Hardaway is really astounding. Webber was drafted by the Orlando Magic back in 1993, but was traded for Hardaway later in the draft. Both excelled early on with their new teams: Hardaway teamed with Shaquille O'Neal and reached the Finals in just his second year; Webber averaged 17.5 PPG and was named the Rookie of the Year.

Chemistry issues forced both players to endure losing seasons. Webber couldn't ingratiate himself into Don Nelson's small ball offense and forced a trade to Washington after one season. Hardaway didn't appeal to Brian Hill's way of coaching and forced him out when Shaq left join to the Lakers.

Injuries then proceeded to ruin their hopes of ever winning a title. Both players had microfracture knee surgery, which until recently was a death sentence for a player's versatility. Hardaway never recovered. He bounced from Phoenix to New York and failed to resemble the Penny Hardaway of old. Injuries hurt Webber even before his microfracture surgery in 2003. In 2002, C-Webb's Sacramento Kings took the LA Lakers to seven games in the Conference Finals; they might have won had Peja Stojakovic not been completely ineffective due to a bum ankle. Sacramento was even better the following year and probably would've gone to the Finals, but Webber went out with an injury and cost his team a shot at the title.

After that, Webber and Hardaway bounced to a couple teams. Hardaway was traded back to Orlando for Steve Francis only to be waived instantly. Webber was shipped to Philadelphia with Allen Iverson and then to Detroit in 2007. By July 2007, both players were out of work. Hardaway hadn't played in two years and Webber's immobility made him very undesirable.

So how fitting was it that these two players, intertwined from day one, ended their careers in the same year in identical fashion: reuniting with old teammates only to resign in failure. Hardaway rejoined Shaquille O'Neal on the Miami Heat and looked slower and less athletic than ever. Penny was waived only a few weeks in, effectively ending his career. On the other side, Webber tagged on to Golden State where he was reacquainted with Don Nelson. Nine games and 3.9 PPG later, the C-Webb experiment came to a close.

Webber has a much better shot than Penny at getting into the Hall of Fame. Hardaway's later years of mediocrity ruined his career averages (15.2 PPG and 5 APG isn't Hall of Fame worthy). Webber's career average of 20 points and 10 rebounds certainly makes him considerable, but his lack of a championship ring will cost him. If Shawn Kemp, who was just as good a player in the 90's, can't get in, it won't bode well for C-Webb.

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4/21/1980 - Rosie Ruiz: the marathon bandit

Bill Rodgers' fourth straight win in the men's field of the Boston Marathon was overshadowed by Rosie Ruiz, a 26 year-old Cuban immigrant who won it on the women's side. Ruiz posted the fastest time in the 84-year history of the event, completing the 26.2 mile run in 2 hours, 31 minutes, and 56 seconds. Remarkably, her time was nearly twenty-five minutes faster than her finish in the New York City Marathon, which she had raced in to qualify for the Boston Marathon.

The anomalies didn't stop there. The women who finished second and third hadn't seen her at all, nor did any of the other race participants. As far as anyone knew, this was only the second marathon she had ever run, and she finished with the course record.

Ruiz stepped to winner's podium beside Rodgers and was garnished in the traditional laurel wreath. People's suspicions were immediately elevated. She did not have the body of a long-distance runner; she was hardly sweating and didn't appear at all exhausted. Analysts quizzed Ruiz on the finer points of running and she supplied very basic answers. Only a few hours after winning the medal, rumors of a fraud began to percolate.

"I ran the race. I really did," said a teary Ruiz, who vowed to take a lie-detector test if she had to. "When I got up this morning, I had so much energy."

Thousands of still photos and video footage were examined, with Ruiz appearing only at the very end. It didn't take long for spectator-witnesses to unveil the truth. Ruiz had hopped on the subway and re-entered the race during the last mile. It turned out she had pulled the same stunt in the New York City Marathon as well. With no evidence that she had completed the entire race, Ruiz's victory and wreath were given to Canadian Jacqueline Gareau.

A week after the news of Ruiz's disqualification, Gareau ran the final 200 yards of the Boston Marathon in a pair of jeans. Bill Rodgers was one of a few hundred people to congratulate her at the finish line. Ruiz refused to give up her first-place medal, so Gareau was given a bigger one.

Many wonder if Ruiz intended to finish first. In her post-race interview, Ruiz had said, ''I really didn't expect to win. I came across in 2:31, that's all I have to say. I know I ran the course. I did the best I can. What else can I say? How would you feel? I just wanted to finish. I didn't know I was the first woman until I crossed the finish line. To be sincere, this is a dream."

Had she finished anywhere other than first, Ruiz would have gotten away with it like she did in New York. No one knows for sure what her motive was. Rosie never admitted to any wrong-doing or that she didn't deserve the medal. In the end, Rosie Ruiz is maybe the most identifiable female runner in American history. Her merits don't deserve it, but her story certainly does.

Ruiz's fraud inspired many security changes

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3/24 - 3/30: This Week in the NBA

Monday, March 24th:
Phoenix @ Detroit - Great offense meets great defense. Whenever these two play each other, it's always a blowout. Last time they met, Detroit won by 30 in Phoenix. However, the Suns have won seven in a row. If Shaq's presence is really going to be a factor down the stretch, Phoenix should fare better in this game.

LA Lakers @ Golden State - This is as good a time as any for the Warriors to play a back-to-back with the Lakers: No Bynum, no Gasol. Hopefully Nellie won't play his starters the whole way like he did against Houston. Golden State needs to collect as many wins as possible with Denver creeping behind them.

Tuesday, March 25th:
San Antonio @ Orlando - When San Antonio played in Orlando last year, the Magic won on a last-second, game-winning, ally-oop dunk from Dwight Howard. No, this game won't be nearly as good, but it's a chance to see two of the best bigmen in the league. How about Rashard Lewis? Orlando's $110 million free agent signing has yet to score 30 in a single game. Money well spent?

Wednesday, March 26th:
Phoenix @ Boston - This matchup would certainly make a highly entertaining and highly rated NBA Finals. The Celtics have proven themselves to be the beast of the league with their sweep of the Texas triangle. Phoenix has been better of late but has yet to attain a quality road win with Shaq. The Suns get major dap if they can win in either Beantown or the Motor City.

New Orleans @ Cleveland - A face-off between Chris Paul and LeBron James, two of the four big MVP candidates. It's too bad Houston's win streak took the attention off of New Orleans. Paul deserves serious consideration as does Byron Scott for Coach of the Year. The Hornets are a flat out better, more well-rounded team. The Cavs will need an MVP performance from LeBron to win.

Thurday, March 27th:
Dallas @ Denver - Dallas is only a feet inches ahead of #9 Denver in the loss column, and no Dirk spells big trouble. This is as good a time as any for the Mavs supporting cast to step up. This is a must-win game for Denver. If they're going to get into the playoffs, they need to clean up at home, especially against a Dallas team without Dirk Nowitzki.

Friday, March 28th:
Phoenix @ Philadelphia - It was not long ago that the Sixers went in to the Valley of the Sun and utterly embarrassed the Phoenix Suns. This is a revenge game for Phoenix. How about Mo Cheeks for Coach of the Year? Sans Webber and Iverson, the 76ers were once a dozen games under .500, and now they sit safely in the playoff picture.

New Orleans @ Boston - Normally at this time of the year, the Hornets would be in desperate need of wins to make a late playoff push. This year they're healthy and at times they have been just as impressive as the Celtics. You can't understate how important it is for the C's to be relevant. Just look how they filled the badly-attended New Orleans Arena when they visited there a week ago (a game they lost by the way).

Saturday, March 29th:
Phoenix @ New Jersey - Yeah, another Phoenix game. But when these two teams played in East Rutherford last year, the result was the fourth-highest scoring game of all time.

Golden State @ Denver - BIG, BIG game for both of these teams. Only one of these teams can get in the playoffs (assuming Dallas rights the ship). If you like offense, hate defense, and love three-pointers, this is the game for you! Over-under 10 three-pointers attempted by Stephen Jackson...

Saturday, March 29th:
Houston @ San Antonio - If you hate offense, love defense, and think the Warriors/Nuggets game is bad basketball, this is the game for you. The Rockets need major contributions from the role players in every game from now on. Alston, Landry, Battier, Scola - who among them will step up against the defending champs?

Mavericks @ Warriors - How ironic would it be if the Warriors, who play Dallas twice in the span of a week, prevented Dallas from making the playoffs. Well, it'd be ironic if it was Dallas forcing the Warriors out of the playoffs and not the other way around, because Golden State beat them last year... Anyway, these are huge games for the Mavs without Dirk Nowitzki.

Washington @ LA Lakers - Agent Zero is back baby! Last year, Arenas went for 60 in Los Angeles. With rumors of him heading to LA next year, this could be the last time we ever see Kobe Bryant and Agent Zero go mono y mono. This is a huge measuring stick for the now-healthy Wizards, who are trying to establish themselves as a contender.

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12/07/2006 - Kidd and Nash duel in classic

Most people would say that the 2OT Mavericks-Suns game in March was the best game of the 2007 season, and it may very well have been. That doesn't mean that there weren't other contests worthy of recognition. Take this game for instance. Steve Nash and Jason Kidd: the best two point guards in the league, two of the biggest antagonists of the new ball, and two of the most exciting players to watch, met each other down in East Rutherford.

The end result? How about one of the five highest scoring games in NBA history. The Nets and Suns put on a show, a game that most of you never got a chance to see. TNT decided that Detroit/Dallas would be the better game and left the telecast exclusively to people with season packages or the YES network. Detroit beat the Mavs 92-82 in a borefest. The Nets/Suns score was higher after only three periods.

So I'll spare you all a spoiling synopsis in return for three hours of some of the best basketball you'll ever see.



Here's a link for this game in higher quality. I don't embed it because it has ads and it'd be a smaller screen.

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4/25/1976 - Monday saves the American flag

On the 100th anniversary of their very first game, the Chicago Cubs were in Los Angeles to face the Dodgers. Before the Dodgers went to bat in the bottom of the fourth inning, two protesters ran onto the field and prepared to set fire to an American flag. That was when Cubs center fielder Rick Monday swooped in and picked up the flag, receiving a standing ovation from the crowd.

"If he's going to burn a flag, he better not do it in front of somebody who doesn't appreciate it," said Monday, who spent six years in the Marines. "I've visited enough veterans' hospitals and seen enough guys with their legs blown off defending that flag."

The flag rescue put Rick Monday on the map. May 4th was declared "Rick Monday Day" in Illinois, and he was suddenly relevant to the population outside the sports world. The image of him swiping the flag was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize and is still recognizable more than thirty years later. Major League Baseball declared it one of the league's 100 greatest moments. In 2006, the U.S. Senate honored Monday for the thirtieth anniversary of the event.

Monday gave the flag to Dodgers pitcher Doug Rau before the game resumed. When LA made the trip to Wrigley Field a month later, Al Campanis presented the flag to Monday, who has owned it ever since. Monday was traded to the Dodgers later that year and remains in the organization as a radio broadcaster.

"From time to time, people ask, 'are you upset because you spent nineteen seasons in the major leagues and you're known for, primarily, stopping two people from burning the flag?' If that's all you're known for, that's not a bad thing at all."

As for the protesters, they were identified as 37 year-old William Errol Thomas and his 11 year-old son. Thomas was arrested for trespassing and given three days in jail and a year of probation. The man claimed he was protesting the mental incarceration of his wife, who was locked up in Missouri. That testimony and other information about him is rather uncertain. Many major publications have incorrectly identified him as "William Errol Morris," and no one knows if his claim was accurate or even where he lives, or if he's even alive.

Video: Rick Monday Saves American Flag
Captain America and the search for Thomas

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10/25/2000 - Stern punishes Joe Smith signing

Remember how everyone complained about the Bill Belichick Spygate incident, how the NFL didn't come down hard enough on the Patriots? Well I imagine that if Roger Goodell gave the same punishment that David Stern dished over the Joe Smith signing, no one would've said a word.

The NBA had just uncovered the tactics Minnesota used to sign the former #1 pick. In a nutshell, Minnesota gave Smith three consecutive one-year contracts that when combined weren't even worth $8 million. However, he would receive a $40-80 million "signing bonus" that wouldn't count against the salary cap. It's the basketball equivalent of cheating on your taxes.

David Stern, a former lawyer himself, wasn't pleased. He released Smith from his contract, fined the Timberwolves $3.5 million, and took away five first round draft picks (two were later returned). Smith played with the Pistons for a season before heading back to Minnesota in 2001. Still, the under-the-table signing was a crippling transaction for a franchise barely in the playoff spectrum. The T'Wolves never collected enough young talent and Garnett never had anyone around him.

Timberwolves Heavily Penalized for Secret Deal

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A colluded conspiracy

The MLB Players Union is looking into the possibility that all thirty baseball teams have colluded to ignore Barry Bonds. The all time home run king is not retired, yet only two weeks from opening day, he can't find work.

Major League Baseball is far too competitive for there to be collusion, and too disingenuous to be so moral. Other steroids users like Eric Gagne, Gary Bennett, and Howie Clark, players who are now average at best, have no trouble finding work. Bonds' circumstance is a little different.

If you sign Bonds, you get 25-30 home runs and the best on-base percentage in the sport. However, he's 44 years old and is best suited to play in the American League. Of those AL teams, find one that's going to give him the $15-20 million he's demanding. Then ask if you can tolerate the media that's going to follow him and the man himself. Then throw in the possibility that the $15-20 million you spend on him could go down the drain if he's convicted of these perjury charges, and that he's a noted steroids user.

Again, the killer is the money he's asking for. Julio Franco can play at age 49 because he's working for peanuts, but no one is going to throw Bonds a bone on that salary. We may eventually see him if an American League team gets really desperate, but the odds are stacked against him.

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8/21/2005 - Lawrence Phillips, road maniac

NFL reject Lawrence Phillips, once the star running back of the '95 Nebraska team (widely considered the greatest team of alltime), was a very troubled individual. Ten years earlier he was in the news for assaulting his ex-girlfriend by dragging her by her hair and slamming her into a mailbox. On August 21, 2005, Phillips was already in trouble with the law. He was wanted by the police for two counts of domestic assault and a separate case of domestic violence.

That night, Phillips played a pickup football game with several teenagers. Phillips got in a heated argument when his team began to lose and accused his high school opponents of cheating. He dejectedly stormed off the field, but not for long. Minutes later he returned to the gridiron in the driver's seat of a black Honda. Phillips rammed the automobile (which was stolen) directly at the flock of players. Three men, aging 14, 15, and 19, suffered minor injuries and were taken to the hospital.

Phillips was arrested, charged, and convicted of seven different counts of assault. He is currently serving a 20-year prison sentence. Just my opinion, by a person who lacks the control to slam his car into a herd of children doesn't deserve the right to earn a million dollars playing football.

No coach ever solved Lawrence Phillips

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6/26/2001 - Lloyd McClendon steals first

Lloyd McClendon wasn't pleased when he was ejected from a game versus the Brewers. He had witnessed two questionable calls by first base ump Rick Reed not go his way, and the strain of coaching the last-place Pirates might have compounded his frustration. McClendon threw his hat in outrage, picked up first base, and exited the field to a standing ovation with the base still under his arm. When he got to the dugout he heaved the base down the steps and went back to the clubhouse. The umpires decided not to go after McClendon to retrieve the base and wisely replaced it with a new one.

"(Reed) wasn't seeing the calls at first base, so I figured I might as well take it with me," said McClendon. "All I ask is that we get our fair shake. I think we’ve been taken for granted, and I'm tired of it."

The Pirates trailed 6-4 in bottom of the 11th but kept the game alive with a two-out two-run homer by Aramais Ramirez. In the 12th, Rob Mackowiak singled to center to score Dmitri Young and award Pittsburgh a 7-6 win. Afterwards, Lloyd was dealt a $1000 fine.

The Pirates should have never fired this guy. If you're going to be a perennial loser like the Pirates, the least you can do is have a manager who actually cares when they lose. When was the last time Jim Tracy left the dugout and stole first base? Besides, it's not like management gave him anything to work with. Maybe if they actually signed free agents and didn't let Schmidt and Giles go they could have gone somewhere.

Pirates rally in 11th, snatch victory in 12th

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The Eight Worst ESPN Cliches

There are millions of in-game sports cliches that you hear every day, like "he's got the hot hand" or "he's really seeing the ball well" or "they've got them on the ropes." But they've become so common that hearing them isn't that big a deal, they just slip past us (or me at least).

The cliches that I can't stand are the ones used in pre/post-game analysis -- the ones used to summarize a game by saying that one team gave up, or one team tried harder, or one team quit on their coach. The cliches that the pundits use to generalize something, so they can get away with not watching the game. These are the cliches that shouldn't be said once, yet they're repeated day after day. These are the eight worst sports cliches heard on ESPN everyday:

8. "This kid is going to be one hell of a player."
Most analysts are quick to pronounce prodigies like Greg Oden or LeBron James as future greats, which is understandable. However if you ever go back and watch any old sports game, you'll notice how prevalent this cliche really is. Harold Miner, Christian Laettner, Ryan Leaf, Brian Bosworth, and J.D. Drew were billed as rising stars. Oops. That's why I don't take draft experts seriously; apparently everyone from Pervis Ellison to the janitor sweeping garbage off the floor has a bright future.

7. "He has been re-energized since the trade."
You want to tell me Randy Moss was "re-energized" after his trade to New England? Fine, I'll buy it. Just don't use the phrase for every successful trade. LeBron James was apparently "re-energized" following the Ben Wallace/Larry Hughes trade, which was b.s., because LeBron had back-to-back triple-doubles in the two games leading up to the trade. Kobe Bryant wasn't re-energized by the Pau Gasol trade either. Just because a team is a losing, it doesn't mean that the players are half-assing and deprived of energy (most of the time). If a trade is good, it's makes the team better -- it doesn't energize them.

6. "What was going through your mind?"
Every postgame interview following a game-winning play or missed game-winner is followed by the question, "What was going through your mind?" Why even ask, what insightful answer is the player going to give? Let's say Adam Vinatieri kicks a potential game-winning field goal. As the ball approaches the goal post, do you think he's thinking, "I wonder if I left the oven on, maybe I should call my wife and tell her to take the roast out." No, he's thinking, "Go in, go in, go in, go in..." and the other team is thinking, "Miss, miss, miss, miss..." Do we really need to hear that repeated in an answer?

5. "He's the most underrated player in the league."
I'm not saying that there isn't a "most underrated" player in each sports league, but this title has been placed on hundreds of athletes. Fred Taylor, Marvin Harrison, Manu Ginobili, David West, Placido Polanco, and Roy Oswalt have been labeled the most underrated. Who is rating these people badly? Harrison is a future Hall of Famer, how is he being underappreciated? Same thing with Ginobili and West, they can't be that underrated if they continue to make the All-Star team. There is a difference between unheralded and underrated. Besides, a player can't be that underrated if you know about him enough to say he is.

4. "He out-coached the other manager."
I believe that a coach can do a better job drawing up plays or rallying his team than his/her opponent. That being said, the winning team doesn't always win because of the brilliance of the coach, it is because of the players. Don't tell me the Giants won the Super Bowl because Tom Coughlin out-coach Bill Belichick, or that the Pats lost because Belichick did a bad job of coaching. Also, this sentiment should never be said of a baseball manager. They are completely hands-off and sit in the dugout while the players are out winning and losing the game. The Red Sox didn't sweep the Rockies because Terry Francona's coaching brilliance was too much for Clint Hurdle. They won because they spent $143 million on pitching and hitting.

3. "They've really gotten inside their heads."
This beauty isn't heard all that often, but when it is, it's wrong 1000% of the time. This is one of the best examples of pundits just assuming something and rolling with it, even though it's entirely nonsensical. There are reasonable explanations why the Colts consistently lose to the Patriots, or why the Cavaliers have done well against the Celtics. Getting inside their opponents' minds isn't one of them. I heard a ton of this during the Warriors upset of the Mavericks. Don Nelson wasn't just using the experience he gained when he coached the Mavs, he was using his Jedi mind powers to get inside Avery Johnson's head and intimidate him. Earth to Jon Barry, failure does not equate to being psyched out. Sports is simple, but it isn't that simple.

2. "They just wanted it more."
After spending three hours watching college football or Major League Baseball, there's nothing more infuriating than hearing the game summarized in one line. They just wanted it more? Really, it's that simple? I guess that's why Patrick Ewing never won a title, he just didn't want it bad enough. Maybe if he put some sweat into it he would have won something.

1. "They lost because they're mentally weak."
Taking the number one spot is a gem that is both ubiquitous and inane. In the sports world, you can't fail repeatedly without being labelled "mentally weak." Phil Mickelson, Peyton Manning, Alex Rodriguez, and Donovan McNabb are just some of the athletes to be labelled "mentally weak." How incredibly pompous is it to assume that because an athlete fails he is either afraid of the spotlight or stupid? Oddly enough, Lefty and Manning stopped being mentally weak once they won it all. And yet the experts said they couldn't win because they were mentally weak (quite a paradox isn't it).

It's bad enough that the mental competence of one athlete is called into question, but now you hear entire teams being labelled as mentally weak. That's right, everyone on the Dallas Mavericks is an idiot. This phrase is used so often that it's made the word choke obsolete. I can handle bad analysis and inaccurate predictions, but don't tell me that my team keeps losing because they're mentally weak. Anyone who uses this phrase should have their head on a pike.

So there you have it, the eight worst cliches in all of sports (yeah I know, ten is a rounder number). Now you can play the InHistoric drinking game when you watch ESPN! Except when someone uses one of these cliches, instead of taking a swig, you angrily throw the entire bottle at the TV screen.

Oh, and an honorable mention to Spygate, which itself has become cliche thanks to its endless coverage on ESPN. Seriously, stop showing Spygate coverage and let the story die.

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1/03/2007 - Saban lies his way into Bama job

Every coach who went to another job or owner who moved a team had to have done a considerable amount of lying along the way, it comes with the territory. But no one in recent history lied as excessively as Nick Saban did when he took the Alabama job. Even to the last minute he denied having any interest at all, only to accept the job less than a day later.

When Alabama fired head coach Mike Shula in November 2006, Saban instantly got offers from the Crimson Tide. Saban, then the coach for the Miami Dolphins, turned down a $40-50 million contract to coach 'Bama, saying "No, I’m interested in staying here [in Miami]." Still rumors persisted that he was indeed interested.

On December 26th, a week before accepting the Alabama job, Saban categorically denied being the least bit curious about coach the Crimson Tide. "I don't know how many times I've got to respond to rumor and innuendo," Saban said. "I have no control over that. I've stated what my intentions are and they really haven’t changed, so I don’t know what the issue is. And I don’t know why people keep asking about it. What they talk about over there is their business. But what’s happening here is my business and our business, and that’s what we’re focused on."

That week the Dolphins finished the season 6-10. It was the first time in Saban's thirteen years of coaching that he finished with a losing record, and some believed his urge to return to college, where he won a championship with LSU, was stronger than ever.

By January everyone knew a decision was going to be made soon. Alabama declared that they planned on hiring a coach by January 5th, whether it was Saban or not. Saban asked Dolphins owner Wayne Huizenga for the two to meet on January 3rd at 10 AM. There they would at last put to rest what was in Saban's future.

"I want to make it perfectly clear. This press conference is about the Miami Dolphins and it's about the Miami Dolphins Football team," Saban told reporters. "It's not about any other individual and whatever is out there. We're talking about our football team here. The focus is how we can improve our team."

When the 3rd came and went, Saban was in Tuscaloosa, having accepted an 8-year $32 million deal with Alabama. Saban became instantly detested in south Florida. The search "Nick Satan" can still be linked articles about him leaving. Just goes to show folks, lying makes you unpopular. Same goes to you Bobby Petrino.

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8/09/2005 - He fell from the sky

In the 8th inning of a White Sox-Yankees game, eighteen year-old Scott Harper got his 15 minutes fame. Much like Patrick Lawler, the guy who didn't know he had a nail in his skull for four months, Scott Harper will not be known as Scott Harper. He'll be remembered as the guy who dove 40 feet off the upper deck of Yankee Stadium.

Harper's fall crashed him into the safety net behind home plate. The local YES telecast rattled as the net vibrated the camera line. Everyone in the stadium watched as the kid, who was visibly shaken up, began to climb up the net towards the middle section of Yankee Stadium. Harper received a thunderous ovation from the crowd when he reached the seating area and was forcefully pulled away by security.

Harper left the stadium in a stretcher and was taken to a local hospital. When he was released the next day, Scott got a knock on his door from the police. Harper pleaded guilty to reckless endangerment and received three years of probation. Even worse, he was permanently banned from all New York Yankee home games.

Scott told the police that he wanted to test if the net could hold him and that he was pretty drunk at the time. "It was just like a stupid dare," said one of the friends who went to the game with him. ESPN decided not to air the clip of him falling when they learned it was intentional. George Steinbrenner called the stunt, "the only exciting thing that happened today," noting that the Yankees lost 2-1.

His plunge was not the first time a fan jumped onto the safety net; Stephen Laurenzi pulled the same stunt back in 2000. Three weeks after his dive, Harper was pulled over for speeding in a residential area. He was again arrested, this time for the possession of marijuana. That was the last of his 15 minutes of fame.

Teen Who Fell From Yankee Stadium Deck Arrested

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1/02/1982 - The Epic in Miami

What began as a blowout between the Chargers and Dolphins turned into maybe the greatest playoff game in NFL history. For four quarters, both teams put on the highest-scoring playoff game ever and broke a plethora of records along the way.

San Diego's prolific offense, led by coach Don "Air" Coryell, was thought to be the greatest of all time. QB Dan Fouts passed for over 4800 yards, three receivers collected over a thousand yards, running back Chuck Muncie led the league in rushing, and James Brooks produced almost 2000 all-purpose yards.

The Chargers demonstrated their record-setting prowess in the first quarter. A botched kick return and interception set the Chargers up with easy scores. Only thirteen minutes in, San Diego had opened up a 24-0 lead.

Facing a deficit that no team had ever come back from in a playoff game, Don Shula substituted Don Strock in at quarterback early in the second period. Starter David Woodley was struggling and had only produced one first down. Strock frequently replaced Woodley during the regular season and tandem became known as "WoodStrock."

Strock, a lifetime backup, had the greatest performance of his career, throwing for 4 touchdowns and 403 yards. He revitalized Miami by producing a Uwe von Schamann field goal on his first possession. The Dolphins then recovered a fumble when Fouts lost the ball on a sack. Strock continued to move the ball and found Joe Rose in the endzone coming out of the two-minute warning.

In the final minute of the half, Rolf Benirschke missed a 55-yard field goal, giving the Dolphins the ball at their own 37. It didn't appear that Miami had enough time to capitalize with a touchdown. However with 6 seconds left, on the San Diego 40, Strock completed a 15-yard pass to Duriel Harris, who lateraled it to Tony Nathan before hitting the ground. Nathan took it the remaining 25 yards, leaving the Orange Bowl crowd in complete hysteria. Thanks to the "hook and lateral" play, Miami trailed by only seven at the half.

"I was standing next to Charlie Joiner on the sidelines," said Fouts, remembering the play. "We weren't happy. But in a sick way, we kind of admired it."

The Dolphins carried the momentum into the second half. Strock completed his thirteenth pass in a row -- a 15-yard touchdown to Joe Rose that tied the game at 24.

After not scoring for more than twenty minutes, the Chargers were suddenly against the ropes. Dan Fouts, who himself had a sensational game, regained the advantage for San Diego with a 25-yard TD to Kellen Winslow.

The leading receiver in the NFL, Winslow would have to leave the game due to an injured shoulder, a pinched nerve, and dehydration from the humidity.

Miami answered with a pair of touchdowns to make it 38-31. Strock was driving the Dolphins deep into San Diego territory with under five minutes to go in regulation. Miami was set to either run out the clock or make it a double-digit game with a field goal. On 2nd and 8, the ball was knocked out of the hands of running back Andra Franklin and onto the turf where Pete Shaw recovered it for the Chargers.

Under sixty seconds to go -- Dan Fouts fakes a pass, steps forward, and aims for the right side of the goal area. The pass is intended for Winslow, who can't get to the ball in time. But James Brooks darts out from behind Winslow and catches it in the corner of the goal. The extra point is good, and we're locked up at 38.

San Diego's defense couldn't stop Don Strock, who continued to push the ball into Charger territory. A huge break came when one of Strock's throws was intercepted, however the ball came out as the defender hit the ground, allowing Miami to regain control. It would've been ruled an incomplete pass if it happened today, but in 1982, it was good for an unconventional eleven-yard gain.

That and a few other key completions set up von Schamann with a 43-yard field goal to win the game. Winslow, against the urges of his teammates, hobbles onto the field. The snap to von Schamann is high, the kick is a little low, and Winslow manages to sky high enough to just get a hand on the football. "It was the biggest thrill of my life," said Winslow. "I felt like I scored three touchdowns."

San Diego won the coin toss for the overtime session. Winslow rejoined the offense intermittently before being treated by the trainer. He caught two monster passes on the drive that gave the Chargers two new sets of downs. That set the stage for Rolf Benirschke, who had not missed all season from within thirty yards. He lined up to attempt a 27-yard chip shot. The snap was good, the hold was good, but Benirschke's kick sails to the far left and the game continues.

Eleven minutes into the overtime, von Schamann got his second chance to kick the game-winner -- this one from 34 yards. Yet once again, his kick was far too low and was deflected for the second time in the game.

With double overtime looming, Fouts led the Chargers down the field and positioned Benirschke for a 29-yarder, the contest's fourth attempt to end via field goal. At last, the kick was good, and the fourth longest game in NFL history came to a climactic close. Kellen Winslow had to be helped off the field by a pair of teammates.

Eleven different single-game records were set by Miami and San Diego. Both Strock and Fouts passed the record for completions in a game, both QB's passed for over 400 yards (the first time that had ever happened), and Winslow -- who had the best performance of his gritty, Hall of Fame career -- recorded 13 catches for 166 yards.

"I've never felt so close to death before," Winslow said afterwards. "That's what Muhammad Ali said in Manila and that's how I felt out there at the end."

David Woodley returned as the starter for Miami the following season and led them all the way to the Super Bowl. Along the way, the Dolphins reconvened with the San Diego Chargers and avenged themselves with a 34-13 win.

After the "Epic in Miami," the fatigued Chargers travelled to Cincinnati where they met the Bengals in the AFC Championship Game. The "Freezer Bowl" proved to be too tough for San Diego, who had their season end in below-zero weather.

Rolf Benirschke's Comeback from Ulcerative Colitis
Chargers Dolphins 1981 playoff game

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March Madness belongs to the NBA

Many people consider March Madness to be the greatest time of the year sports-wise. However last year's NCAA tournament was dry, stale, and failed to produce a single upset (and no, VCU beating Duke wasn't an upset). Maybe it's because the tournament is starting later and later, but the NBA's schedule is far more appealing. Take a gander at the awesome games rolled out for this week:

Monday, March 17th:
Boston @ San Antonio - Sam Cassell's first real test as a Celtic comes in a potential Finals preview. The Spurs have dropped three in a row and fell from first to sixth in the span of a week. San Antonio is just 7-12 in their last 19 games against above-.500 teams.

Cleveland @ Orlando - Don't think the Orlando Magic aren't pissed that they've been left out of the "Eastern Conference contenders" list. They may have a guard problem, but the front court of Turkoglu, Lewis, and Howard is as formidable as any in the East. The winner in this game becomes the East's bronze team behind Boston and Detroit.

Tuesday, March 18th:
LA Lakers @ Dallas Mavericks - The Mavericks have won five (make that six) in a row and have clobbered every bad team since the Kidd trade. The Lakers will be without Pau Gasol, and if the Mavericks want to solidify themselves as a contender, they need to win this game, especially after that close loss to the Lakers two weeks ago. Kobe does have a history of torching the Mavericks though...

Boston @ Houston - A Spurs/Rockets back-to-back is a tough obstacle for Boston. However the Celtics have what appears to be an enormous advantage on paper. Since Yao went out, Houston has been insanely lucky. David West was injured, Dirk Nowitzki was suspended, and Pau Gasol was hurt. However they can't avoid a healthy Kevin Garnett, who will be the Rockets' biggest challenge to get to 23 in a row. The streak could end on Tuesday.

Wednesday, March 19th:
Denver @ Philadelphia - Allen Iverson makes his return to the city of brotherly love after a decade in a Sixers jersey. The love stops there though. Phili has all but secured a postseason spot, while #9 Denver is desperate for any win they can get. The Nuggets need a strong finish or they can kiss their postseason chances goodbye.

Houston @ New Orleans - If Houston survives the Celtics, winning in New Orleans will be the next difficult task. The Rockets have fared very well against the Hornets though, and if David West is absent again -- which it appears he will be -- their odds of winning go up. This could be the first appearance of "Birdman" Chris Anderson in two years, though that's still to be seen.

Detroit @ Cleveland - Is Cleveland really a contender in the East? This is their only real shot at proving it before the playoffs begin. As long as Flip Saunders isn't completely brain dead, Detroit's going to force the newly acquired Cavs to make shots instead. However if Cleveland has any chance of winning, LeBron (like always) will need to play amazing. Something's got to give.

Thursday, March 20th:
Boston @ Dallas - Boston finishes off their brutal three game Texas road trip in Dallas, where the Mavs will either be depressed or energized after the loss or win against LA. If Boston manages to win in San Antonio, in Houston, and in Dallas, you can pretty much lock them to be in the Finals.

LA Lakers @ Utah - The Lake show heads to Utah, where the Jazz have the best home record in the league at 28-3. Gasol is scheduled to sit for another game, meaning that Kobe Bryant will have to single-handedly carry the club to victory over Jerry Sloan's hostile defense. Big ups to LA if they can pull off this stunner. No Andrew Bynum for at least another month.

Friday, March 21st:
Houston @ Golden State - By now, Houston has probably forfeited their winning streak. If they haven't, a win in Oakland would give them 25 in a row, not to mention respect as a legitimate threat. The Warriors have something to play for too, and a raucous Oracle Arena might give the Warriors the edge. Don't expect to see a whole lot of Dikembe Mutombo in this one.

Saturday, March 22nd:
Boston @ New Orleans - The Celtics will be mighty glad to return to New England following this harsh west coast swing. The Hornets are the only team Boston has yet to play, who will come out on top?

Houston @ Phoenix - Mutumbo on Shaq is a tradeoff. But Amare? He'll be poised to score 30 without Yao Ming guarding the paint. The Suns have too many weapons. McGrady will have to have a great game for them to have a realistic shot at winning number 26 in a row, or 1 in a row, or whatever they're on.

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1/08/2004 - Rose comes clean

Peter Rose was undoubtedly one of the greatest baseball players of all time. His 4256 hits are the most ever and the way he played the game made him the most popular player of his era. They called him "Charlie Hustle" for his enthusiastic play; he ran to first on walks and always slid head-first. He was the ultimate prototype for what an athlete should be.

However his achievements were overshadowed by his gambling afflictions. In 1989, he was banned from Major League Baseball for allegedly betting on the game and was thus ineligible for the Hall of Fame. For over a decade the debate raged whether or not Rose should be eligible for the Hall. Those who opposed agreed that if and when Rose ever admitted to gambling he would be forgiven. It didn't exactly turn out that way.

After 14 years of steadfast denials, Pete Rose finally revealed that he had indeed bet on baseball with the release of his book "My Prison Without Bars." As dedicated as he was on the field, Rose was always more infatuated with gambling. The only part of the Dowd Report he denied was the accusation that he bet on the Reds daily. Three years later, Pete redacted the denial and admitted that he bet on the Reds to win, "every night."

Rose's perception didn't improve by coming clean. Many felt that he came off as unapologetic for his brazen admission after a decade worth lying and that doing it through a book was a cheap way to make a buck. The timing of it was criticized as well because it came just days before the 2004 Hall of Fame inductees were to be announced. The main criticism was that Rose was not repentant enough. What people really wanted was an apology. He gave the truth but made it clear that he loved gambling more and wasn't going to change anything, which was more truthful than anything else he could say.

When the Hall of Fame vote came around, Rose received even fewer write-in votes than usual. Barring reinstatement from the commissioner, it's clear that Rose will never be a Hall of Famer. He broke the rules and suffered the punishment. In an age where everyone is cracking down on everything, Rose and his illegal gambling aren't going to slip through the cracks.

Still lying after all these years

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How 'bout them Rockets?

For the first time ever, the Houston Rockets are living up to the expectations that everyone set for them. 65 games into the season, Houston now has the number one spot in the Western Conference, thanks to an insane 21-game winning streak.

There are justifications on how this team has won this many games in a row, even without All-Star Yao Ming. Only 7 of the 21 games have been on the road, and their road opponents were Indiana, Milwaukee, Minnesota, Cleveland-pre trade without four key players, Dallas without Dirk Nowitzki, Atlanta, and New Orleans. The 20-pt victory over the Hornets was their only really impressive road win. The teams with a winning record that they've faced at home are Golden State, Denver, Cleveland (again sans four players), Portland, and New Orleans without David West.

I don't think it's unreasonable to say that the Rockets have had a pretty easy schedule over the past month and a half. But that doesn't mean this accomplishment is any less remarkable. With Yao injured, Mike James and Bonzi Wells traded, Steve Francis benched, and rookies and Dikembe Mutombo filling in, the Rockets have posted the second-longest winning streak in NBA history (the longest is LA's 33-game winning streak back in 1972). Rick Adelman is now the favorite to win Coach of the Year and T-Mac is an MVP candidate (albeit a weak one).

Houston's next five games will have them staring defeat in the face like never before: Lakers at home, Celtics at home, at New Orleans, at Golden State, and at Phoenix on a back-to-back. The odds are stacked for their winning streak to come to an end this week, but that doesn't mean I won't be watching.

The Rockets' appear to have luck on their side though; Pau Gasol sprained his ankle in New Orleans on Friday and is unlikely to play in Houston.

By the way, kudos to ABC for actually having watchable, interesting games on Sunday. http://www.bloggernity.com

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