A Decade of Class and Professionalism

As we wind down this decade, I wanted to write a column on an athlete that was my personal favorite these past 10 years. There is one player in the NBA that I have enjoyed watching, really since he entered the league back in 1996 - his name is 'Walter' Ray Allen.

You must be saying to yourself....why?!? There is no flash, no fancy dunks, no tattoos, no exotic Sportscenter highlights. Well, there you have it...you probably just answered the question, why? For more than a decade, Ray Allen has represented the game of basketball and the NBA with style and class. It's no surprise that David Stern has more often than not used Ray Allen for the league's public service announcement spots on television. You won't find Ray Allen's name in the police blotter or on TMZ. You will find Ray Allen in Springfield, MA when he decides to retire.

For a guy who dabbled in Hollywood himself, with a starring role in He Got Game, he'll still tell you his favorite movie is Schindler's List. Back in 2008, before a game vs. the Washington Wizards, Ray Allen insisted some of his teammates join him on a field trip he has taken many times before...a trip to the U.S. Holocaust Museum. He first did it when he was in Milwaukee when the Bucks' owner Herb Kohl was a donator to the Museum. After one of his trips, one of his friends, as they were walking out, said, 'Well, what about slavery?' To which Allen replied, 'That was slavery. This Museum is a lesson for all of us.'"

Without waxing too poetic about how "perfect" Ray Allen is off the court, let's talk about what the quiet superstar has achieved on the court. First some background: my interest in Ray Allen started when he was at UCONN. I was fascinated at this small-framed, 6-5 shooting guard who had a jump shot that was carved out from the heavens above. It was smooth and silky and perfect enough to land him BigEast Player of the Year and All American status. He landed in my hometown of Milwaukee in 1996 as a rookie and I knew then, this was going to be 'my guy.' While everyone else was claiming Jordan, Karl Malone, Pippen, or Iverson, I choose Ray.

This decade started off with a bang for Ray Allen. Aside from being part of Olympic Gold in the 2000 Games in Sydney, in the 2000-01 season, Ray Allen helped lead the Milwaukee Bucks to the Eastern Conference Finals. Although the Bucks lost a heartbreaking Game 7, I was happy 'my guy' in the small market, finally had his chance to shine on center stage. Yet, midway through the 2002-03 season, something terrible happened to me. It's one of those painful moments in sports that many of us go through --- 'my guy' got traded. It was like a kick to stomach. I remember it happened during All-Star Weekend and to this day, I'll never understand why. Ray Allen was not just shipped out of town, but he was exiled to the Pacific Northwest, to the Seattle Supersonics. This meant I now had to stay up until 10:30pm (Eastern) to watch the smoothest jump shot in the league. No way would I be able to keep this up. They say time heals all wounds...and eventually I stopped staying up late watching Sonics games. It was too much effort and more frustrating than anything to see him playing for another team.

Flash forward to the final 'trimester' of this decade and Ray Allen was freed of the small market doldrums when he was traded to the storied Boston Celtic franchise in 2007. His time had come, his chance was now and Ray took advantage of this opportunity immediately. Surrounded with two future Hall of Famers (Kevin Garnett & Paul Pierce), Ray Allen and the Boston Celtics achieved greatness by winning an NBA title in the 2007-08 season. How fitting that in the clinching Game 6 of the NBA Finals, Ray tied an NBA record with 7 three-pointers. Arguably the greatest 3-point shooter the game has seen, took center stage and let fans outside of Milwaukee and Seattle witness just how smooth he was and under appreciated he'd been for most of his career.

Ray Allen. He's a gold medalist, a 9-time all-star, and an NBA champion. Over the past decade, his game and his personality have been as consistent and stoic as his jump shot. You won't find too many kids on the playgrounds today or in the high school gyms trying to be "the next Ray Allen" but that's OK. He's been my guy and when youngsters today ask why, I'll probably just give a simple answer: Why not?

Frat House or Brat House?

In college athletics, the term "coaching fraternity" is thrown around about as much as Mark Mangino's 2nd chin. Fraternity typically means a brotherhood of people in the same class, or in this case, profession. Well, with the college football season winding down the college basketball season ramping up, it occurred to me there is a glaring difference in these two 'frat houses.'

The fraternity that makes up the college football coaches feels about as warm as a Charlie Weiss Christmas card to Pete Carroll. There is so much angst and tension amongst college football coaches starting day one at conference media days and it runs right on through the bowl season. No one likes each other and hand shakes at midfield after games are quicker than you can say B-C-S. Think about the 'fraternity' of coaches in the S.E.C. First of all, it's clear NOBODY is inviting Lane Kiffin at Tennessee over for a July 4th picnic next summer. Kiffin, in just one season, has figured out how annoy his fellow S.E.C. coaches about as much as 'Rocky Top' aggrevates visiting fans at Neyland Stadium. How about Nick Saban and Les Miles? You think those two are hitting the links after the bowl season? Urban Meyer and Mark Richt? I don't see any trips to the Bahamas with the wives anytime soon. How about Pete Carroll and Jim Harbaugh? Or Pete Carroll and Rick Neuwiesel? Charlie Weiss? You get my point...

College football coaches don't like each other. Recruiting is big business and every recruit they don't get means one of their 'fraternity brothers' did. That's so not cool bro! The pressure to win is unbearable and for many of these guys there just isn't any benefit or value-add in making friends within their fraternity.

Conversely, in college basketball, you won't find a more tight knit group of guys, that can often be seen dining together at their annual "family reunion" known as the Final Four. Guys like Jim Boeheim and Mike Krzyzewski have been very close friends for decades. Jim Calhoun and Roy Williams have both won a couple national titles and you get the sense that both guys have probably told war stories at a hotel bar many-a-summers on the AAU tournament trail. Even the youngsters...the Jamie Dixon's, Jay Wright's and Tom Creen's of the basketball fraternity were welcomed in with open arms by the "senior class" of coaches. When Jay Wright landed at Villanova back in 2001, he found his bunk in the BigEast 'frat house' and quietly went about his business. Coaches in college basketball are seemingly happier people and handle the pressures of winning in stride.

Perhaps it's no coincidence college basketball coaches end their season with the "big dance." A dance? Well that sounds fun. Sounds like a bunch of friends getting together for good times. Conversely, college football coaches end their season praying that the statistical data entered into a computer will allow them to compete for a national title. No dancing, just computing.

So let's see....dancing or computers? Which frat house would you chose?

City of Brotherly Love...And Second Chances

The city of Philadelphia has always been known as a tough, rugged sports town. It's not for the faint of heart if you are a visiting fan or even Santa Claus (as noted in 1968 when Eagles fans boo'ed ol' Saint Nic during a halftime performance.) They've boo'ed their own native son, Kobe Bryant during the 2002 All-Star game in Philadelphia. Donovan McNabb has been criticized, just as Randall Cunningham was throughout his career.

Yet as unforgiving and rambunctious these fans have been over the years, the city has shown in the past few months, a kinder, gentler side can and does exist. There is no better proof of this than Michael Vick and Allen Iverson.

Both guys, ironically from the same area (Hampton and Newport News, Virginia), are trying to rebuild their image and career with the help of a fan base that has been known to run guys out of town with not so much as a cheese steak from Pat's or Gino's to take wit' em.

Mike Vick was left for the dogs (sorry, pun intended). After spending time in prison for two years, Vick not only had to convince NFL owners that he was a changed man morally, but that his skills as a quarterback could still be harnessed. Most owners didn't think the risk/reward factor was worth the aggravation.

However, it was Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie who stepped up and signed Mike Vick. Lurie put his reputation on the line with a rabid fan base that tends to analyze every off season transaction like a Goldman Sachs broker on Wall Street. At first, the city was divided on this move, however, once the season began and the initial "shock and awe" wore off, Eagles fans were snatching up Vick jerseys in stores and online and screaming for Andy Reid to incorporate #7 into the offense a lot more. Keep in mind, just 5 years ago Vick and the Falcons were the Eagles nemesis in the NFC Championship game....a game which Philadelphia won.

Although his play has been limited in his return, Mike Vick can be proud of at least one accomplishment. He has won over the support of a fan base that is as welcoming as Bill O'Reilly at a Ludacris concert.

And then there is 'the Answer.' Allen Iverson was shipped out of Philadelphia back in 2006 after overextending his stay with the very franchise he kept on the map for 10+ seasons. Iverson's act had worn thin in the media and we all know how he felt about 'practice.'

After a failed experiment in Denver with Carmelo Anthony, the organization and it's fan base decided they didn't want him anymore. The Nuggets sent Iverson to Detroit where those same sentiments rang loud and clear after only a few months coming off the bench. With no where to go and feeling unwanted in summer of 2009, the Memphis Grizzlies decided to offer him a 1-year contract. Iverson humbly accepted. After a cup of coffee and two refills (3 games), Iverson was cut by the Grizzlies. So there he was....future Hall of Famer. All 180 pounds (soaking wet) blowing in the wind wondering if this was how it was all going to end. A storied career cut short in Memphis?

But wait...that same city who gave Mike Vick another chance, wanted to rescue their once proud face of the franchise, and allow him to go out with some dignity. So the 76ers welcomed Iverson back with open arms and an immediate spot in the starting line-up, where he belongs. In his first game back, fans in Philadelphia sold out the arena and greeted him with a standing ovation. Life in the NBA felt good again for Allen Iverson. This was home. This was family.

Two great athletes, who were practically begging for a second chance, found one in the same place - the city of Philadelphia. The fans checked their attitudes at the turnstiles and have been very gracious to Vick and Iverson. While the rest of the country may think Philly fans are rude and obnoxious, these two stars understand why it's still called the 'city of brotherly love.'

Things I'm Thankful For In Sports

I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving and had the opportunity to spend it with either good friends or family. This time of year always delivers some fantastic match-ups in the world of sports. It used to just be the NFL that took center stage around Thanksgiving, but now we are treated to some big time college football games, early season battles between power conferences in college hoops, and the usual NBA and NHL schedule of games. So, I woke up this morning after Thanksgiving and thought, "what am I thankful for in the world in sports?" I felt compelled to share....

I'm Thankful For:

- Teams like TCU and Cincinnati for keeping the BCS system a complete mess

- Les Miles and his on-field interviews and post-game press conferences (Love hearing the Midwest accent down South)

- Matt Barkley only being a freshman (and being humbled in his first season, which hopefully motivates him for next season)

- The Pac-10 for finally being more than just USC and 9 other schools (Although, I kinda miss those days)

- Tim Tebow finally leaving Florida after this year (This blog is a better blog just by mentioning Tim Tebow's name)

- Paul Johnson coming to Georgia Tech and Josh Nesbitt for being as tough as any player in the country, and having another year of eligibility.

- Chris Johnson of the Titans for giving Adrian Peterson a good debate as to who's the best running back in the NFL

- Aaron Rodgers toughness (sacked more than any other quarterback and has yet to miss a game)

- Jay Cutler proving that karma does exist. (Good things happen to good people and bad things happen to....Jay Cutler)

- The NFL Redzone Channel (it's like handing the remote control to someone and letting them find the best moments in the best games)

- The Atlanta Hawks making an early statement that they could contend with the top teams in the East.

- Rick Sund trading for Jamal Crawford

- Josh Smith taking one 3-pointer all season

- Brandon Jennings saving basketball in Milwaukee

- Tyreke Evans, Johnny Flynn and Ty Lawson keeping the NBA in good hands at the point guard position for the next 7 years

- That I don't live in the NYC/NJ area as an NBA fan.

- The Suns and Nuggets giving the Lakers a fight in the Western Conference

- March Madness: which reminds us just how exciting a college football playoff could be.

- Big Monday on ESPN: Big East basketball never fails to disappoint.

- John Calipari taking the Kentucky job, setting up a ruthless in-state recruiting war with Rick Pitino

- Tyler Hansbrough finally leaving UNC and taking his off-balance-falling-down-hook-shot, wide-eyed, always bleeding, get all the calls, to the NBA, where he will be the perfect fit for Larry Bird's Pacers.

- The Atlanta Journal-Constitution's columnists Jeff Schultz and Mark Bradley for continuing to inspire me

- Sportsradio 790 The Zone for continuing to entertain me

Finally, I'm thankful for all you supporting me with this "hobby" of mine. Expressing myself about various sports topics is something I've always wanted to do, even if it's just for fun. I have enjoyed everyone's feedback and commentary to various columns. The beauty of sports is its unscripted every day. Every year produces new storylines and more importantly, thought provoking ideas for the Monday Morning Point Guard.

Happy Holidays,

Andy Rosenberg

Time for The Irish To Head East

Notre Dame football isn't special anymore. There I said it, now let's work off this premise for the basis of the following column...

For the past decade plus, Notre Dame football has had their own set of rules. They choose to remain independent, rather than be affiliated with a conference. They have their own television contract with NBC, and have their own set of rules to earn an automatic bid for a BCS bowl game (must finish in the top 8 of the BCS standings). All that being said, for the past decade plus, Notre Dame football has been irrelevant.

Aside from their yearly rivalry games with Michigan and USC, Notre Dame isn't exactly tackling an imposing schedule year after year. Each season appears to be a mix-mash of random opponents, who more often than not, aren't even ranked in the top25. This year it was Nevada, Purdue, Washington State among others. Next year it's Tulsa, Western Michigan and a few service academy schools as always.

I'm sure the NBC contract is a nice cash cow for the university, however, being part of a conference isn't so terrible when you gain a share of it's television revenue and access to bowl games that agree to take teams from certain conferences. If you are lucky enough to be in a conference that sends two teams to a BCS bowl game, your university just doubled it's postseason football earnings.

So, isn't it time for Notre Dame football to join a conference? Since their basketball program is part of the BigEast, let's start there. Big East football is a BCS affiliated conference and most of the marquee teams end up on an ESPN at some point throughout the week. Is the competition good enough for Notre Dame? Hmmmm...let's see. Notre Dame played Pittsburgh this year and lost. Notre Dame played UCONN this year and lost. As for Cincinnati, well, Notre Dame football doesn't even deserve to be mentioned in the same breath as Cincinnati football right now. Throw in games versus West Virginia and Rutgers, on top of their yearly traditional games with USC and Michigan and suddenly Notre Dame's schedule is looking respectable. Guess what, Notre Dame could lose to USC and Michigan every year and still earn a BCS bid by winning their conference title in the BigEast. This proposition sounds more logical and perhaps an easier hill to climb versus their current "special rules."

Notre Dame football needs a makeover in a big way. They need to re-brand themselves and be part of something special again. Removing the 'independent' tag is a great place to start.

It's Not the Length of the Contract, But The Tempature of the Seat

They are the head coach for different sports in the State of Georgia. They both started their season with reasonable expectations. Right now, one is exceeding those expectations and one isn't living up to them. Welcome to the world of Georgia football coach Mark Richt and Atlanta Hawks head coach, Mike Woodson.

Mark Richt has a contract that runs through December of 2013. Mike Woodson has a contract that runs through Memorial Day. Through 11 games, Mark Richt is 6-5. Mike Woodson was 9-2. Is it possible that the coach without the contract is feeling a lot more comfortable on his seat than the one with a guaranteed paycheck for the next four years?

Richt has been under fire pretty much all season long for being too loyal to his friend, defensive coordinator, Willie Martinez. He's been called 'too nice and too soft', which, if you believe in the statement, "a team takes on the personality of their coach", doesn't bode well for the Bulldogs in the present and perhaps the future.

Georgia looks like a program that forgot how to reload, and that typically falls at the feet of it's head coach. This is a program that lost two first round draft choices, in quarterback Matthew Stafford and running back Knowshon Moreno. Momentum can be a tricky thing to maintain. The fact that the Georgia Bulldogs have been trotting out a senior without any leadership skills is troubling. The fact that the Georgia Bulldogs will now have to start a quarterback next year who has never taken a college snap in a meaningful game is troubling. What are the expectations for next year? New quarterback, new learning curve? That word 'momentum' is going to rear its head again, but for all the wrong reasons.

That brings us to the $64,000 question: is Mark Richt on the hot seat? My personal assessment is, the seat is very warm. Mark Richt has earned the right to come back next year and prove that this season was an aberration, not a trend. However, he has certainly put himself in a tight spot. He is sitting on a very warm seat with a very young quarterback next year.

Back in Atlanta, Hawks head coach Mike Woodson probably wishes he had a contract that ran through 2013. His team is off to a phenomenal start, yet he's coaching with zero job security. To Coach Woodson's credit, he has remained focused and made this season about the team, not his own personal situation.

One difference between Woodson's situation and Richt's is that Woodson has always had to play the hand (rosters) he's dealt. For years the dealer (Billy Knight) wasn't very kind to him. Finally, two summers ago there was a 'dealer' change and suddenly Woodson is playing with a full house. The problem now is he's not sure if the pit boss is going to ask him to leave or comp his room.

Two jobs in two different sports. Two completely different contract situations. One seat is getting hot, one seat is getting cold. Yet at the end of the day, the one thing they both have in common - the pressure to keep winning.

Where Did The Green Grass Go?

With the firing of Charlie Weiss at Notre Dame as inevitable as him having a 2nd dessert at Thanksgiving next week, this opens up a coaching carousel frenzy, the likes we haven't seen since the Alabama job became vacant a few years ago.

Coaches are competitive people by nature. They seek out challenges and want to win at the highest level and, the dirtiest little secret --be in the spotlight while doing it all. How many coaches have left a quality job that provided them a solid foundation, for greener pa$tures and more exposure?

Rich Rodriguez comes to mind. He had it pretty good in quiet, serene Morgantown, West Virginia. He gave it all up for a program where winning a national title is the expectation every year.

George O'Leary...remember him? Georgia Tech fans do. He had things cookin' for the Yellow Jackets in Atlanta. He knew how to beat Georgia, he won National Coach of the Year in 2000, was scooping up talented kids in the fertile Atlanta recruiting landscape, but success and stability wasn't enough. He wanted more and that led him to chase a dream of coaching at Notre Dame. If not for that "typo" on his resume about his experience, he would have landed in South Bend. Now he's on the hot seat in Orlando at Central Florida. I didn't know there was a hot seat at Central Florida.

How about the guy who won a six SEC titles and a national championship down in Gainesville? The ol' ball coach, Steve Spurrier, resigned abruptly in 2002 from the Florida Gators. It was only a matter of time before he caught the NFL carrot dangling in front of his face all those years. Of course, it didn't hurt to have Daniel Snyder's deep pockets holding the stick at the other end.

My advice to Brian Kelly, who is the King of Cincinnati right now...Don't Do It! What's wrong with winning the BigEast every year and playing in a BCS bowl game? Expectations are high, but manageable.

College coaches get bored with success in one place too long apparently. We see it all the time in college basketball as well. Mike Montgomery made Stanford basketball a perennial top25 program every year. He recruited smart, talented California kids who bought into his system. Yet for reasons unknown, he left this stable, consistent program for......get ready........the Golden State Warriors! Fortunately for Montgomery he had a mulligan in his back pocket and was able to jump at the job opening across the bay at Cal-Berkley, where he now has the Golden Bears in the top20.

We all know the Rick Pitino mess with the Knicks and Celtics and Bill Donovan's 15 minutes of fame with the Orlando Magic.

Bottom line, there is no shame in getting comfortable with quality of life or managed expectations by a fan base (which more often than not, these coaches set) . Sometimes the dream job many of these coaches are looking for is right in front of them...it's the one they currently occupy.

Falcons, Ryan Need a New Catch Phrase

The Atlanta Falcons are the franchise with the slogan, "Never had back to back winning seasons." So please excuse this cynical writer if he understands why there is no one on Madison Avenue willing to take the phone call from Falcon's owner Arthur Blank, who insists it's time for a new tagline!

The Falcons are coming off a dream season in which they went 11-5 with a rookie head coach, general manager and quarterback. The team made a monster off season acquisition by signing future hall of fame tight end Tony Gonzales. They bring back a pro bowl running back and wide receiver in Michael Turner and Roddy White. Then, of course, there is the cerebral 2nd year quarterback, Matt Ryan. Hmmmm....cerebral. Sounds good on paper. I'm guessing that means he watches a ton of game film. Some 'experts' have even said he reminds them of one of the Mannings. At this point, I'm guessing they mean little Eli.

Matt Ryan was crowned "the next big thing" by many NFL experts. Heck, he even landed a national endorsement deal with Gillette. Unfortunately, right now the only close shave for Ryan is whether or not he can lead this team to a winning record in consecutive seasons.

In four of his last five games, Ryan has thrown at least 2 interceptions (a total of 10 over that span). The problem is many of those interceptions have been at critical moments in a game. For a guy who studies tons of game film, you have to scratch your head at these stats. Most of those passes were overthrown balls too. If he's as smart as everyone around him says he is, then you can only assume he will get better and learn from these mistakes.

The Falcons started the season 4-1. Since then, they have lost three of their last four. More troubling, they have won only one road game this year. If this losing trend continues, can you say 8-8? That doesn't smell like a playoff team, and more importantly to the marketing department, it means another season with the same tagline, "Never had back to back winning seasons."

An In 'Depth Analysis'

Regardless of sport, one of the primary roles of a general manager is to create a roster that has depth. In the NBA, where there are only 12 active roster spots, it's virtually impossible to have success without it.

Through the first 3 weeks of the NBA season, the Atlanta Hawks have shown off their new 10-man rotation like a child with a new toy Christmas morning. Sometimes all it takes is one key off season trade or free agent signing such as Jamal Crawford to change the complexity and depth of a team. Crawford joined the Hawks this summer, in a trade that was more like stealing candy from baby, when General Manager Rick Sund shipped the enigmatic combo of Acie Law and Speedy Claxton to Golden State, for the career 19-point-per-game guard, Crawford. Talk about showing off a new toy...Sund is still grinning ear to ear over this maneuver.

Jamal Crawford enables Hawks' head coach Mike Woodson to have a leader and bonafide scorer on the floor with the team's second unit. Throw 14 year veteran Joe Smith into the mix, along with ZaZa Pachulia, Mo Evans and rookie Jeff Teague, and the Hawks have a steady collection of players off the bench that Woodson has confidence in to give the starters a breather.

Just a few years ago the Hawks bench was more like two chairs, as it consisted of really two guys: the departed Josh Childress and ZaZa Pachulia. These two reserves combined probably couldn't average the 17 points per game Jamal Crawford is currently putting up for the Hawks.

The last two seasons, the Hawks bowed out in the playoffs to opponents who had a deeper bench. To the Hawks credit, they made the appropriate changes this offseason, and if last Friday night's win in Boston was any type of barometer, it looks as though this season's team has the depth and experience to hang with the contenders in the East.

Early Observations from the Association

The NBA season is only a few weeks old, but there are already some great story lines developing:

We are seeing this year's crop of NBA rookie point guards, not only get quality minutes, but stuffing the stats sheet.

Although he's been exiled to Sacramento, rookie Tyreke Evans is off to a monster start for the Kings this year. With the team's leading scorer, Kevin Martin out for awhile, look for Evans scoring to increase even more. Johnny Flynn in Minnesota is making Timberwolves fans forgot about Ricky Rubio, at least in the here and now. Flynn has already taken away minutes from the teams off season free agent signee, Ramon Sessions. In Denver, speedster Ty Lawson is taking every advantage of learning the ropes behind Mr. Bigshot, Chauncey Billups. Lawson not only has earned quality minutes with the second unit, but Nuggets coach George Karl has allowed Lawson to play alongside Billups at times throughout the game. The Milwaukee Bucks, who are on the verge of falling off the map of relevancy in the NBA, appear to have found a future star in Brandon Jennings. The 20 year rookie, who bolted for Europe right out of high school last year, has been very impressive for the Bucks, giving this lifeless franchise a pulse. Finally, here in Atlanta, head coach Mike Woodson is going against his own traditions, and including point guard Jeff Teague into the everyday rotation off the bench.

Other quick observations:

Steve Nash and Phoenix Suns appear to be back on track out West. The Suns are off to a 6-1 start and there is already internal chatter that the team is in a much better place now that Shaquille O'Neal is no longer on the roster. Conversely, in Cleveland the Cavs are a very pedestrian 4-3 after seven games and many are wondering if the pairing of Shaq and LeBron was a mistake.

New York/New Jersey basketball is an absolute mess. The Nets and Knicks are a combined 1-13 so far this year. This is quite the price to pay for two franchises who sacrificed it all for a shot at King James or Dwyane Wade next summer. With no behind-the-scenes hand shake deal done for either prize recruit, these two clubs may be staring at years of ineptitude. The Nets, however, have nice pieces in Devin Harris and Brook Lopez, along with potential shiny new digs in Brooklyn.

My team to keep an eye on out west is The Oklahoma City Thunder who are a respectable 3-3 right now. Kevin Durant is a superstar in a very small market. He is surrounded by two potential future All-Stars in point guard Russell Westbrook and forward Jeff Green.

Early surprise team out East is the Miami Heat. D.Wade, and his 28 ppg, keep the Heat hot and competitive on any given night. If Jermaine O'Neal stays healthy and Michael Beasley keeps his head on straight, Miami will give teams fits again this year.

Don Nelson and Allen Iverson. Two guys who's best days are long behind them. Nellie has created an absolute mess in Oakland with the Warriors, shuffling rotations and minutes like a deck of cards. It's time for a fresh voice and new leadership in the Golden State. As for 'A.I.', signing with Memphis clearly wasn't 'the answer.' What's sad is nobody wants this career 27 ppg scorer on their roster, particularly the contenders. Iverson is like the guy in science class who comes over to your table to mess up your CHEMISTRY experiment. If the contenders don't want him and the bad teams know he won't maintain a positive attitude through all the losses, then perhaps retirement is 'the answer.'

Again, it's early, but all indications are pointing towards Lakers/Celtics 2.0 next June. Both teams had huge off season additions with Ron Artest joining the purple and gold and Rasheed Wallace donning the green shamrock in Boston.

Look, we all know that the NFL rules the roost, but the NBA is still healthy and ratings are up on all the national broadcasts. If the first few weeks of the NBA season is any indication as to how this season will unfold, you can bet 'amazing will happen' in a city near you.

Who Moved My Cheese?

It has to be tough for the humble, hard working people of Green Bay, Wisconsin. This is a town of a meager 100,000 people. Of those 100,000 people, nearly 70% of them watched the one blue collar employee, who clocked in for work every day for 16 years without missing a shift, show up in a purple uniform and shut the 'Green Bay Packing Company' down.

Brett Favre is no longer one of them. He's no longer the automatic "Employee of the Month" September through January. Brett Favre is more like that big shot corporate executive from New York City who flies into some small market to announce that the factory is about to close. On Sunday, Favre took center stage and told 72,000 fans this isn't personal, this is all about business. The business of winning football games. If you are under performing, you will be stomped on by your competition. That's exactly what happened to the Green Bay Packers on Sunday. It was a hostile takeover by their neighbors across the border.

For any organization to succeed, it needs strong leadership. Brett Favre on Sunday showed why at the age of 40, the Minnesota Vikings wanted him to be their CEO on the field. The ability to perform on the big stage, under pressure, is the trait of a winner. This past summer, the Minnesota Vikings quietly posted an ad which stated, "CEO Needed. Must Know How To Win." Well, once Brett Favre's resume landed on Vikings coach Brad Childress' desk, the interview process was over....job filled. Tavaris Jackson, "we'll keep your resume on file for 6 months, should the position re-open again."

The Packers, on the other, decided to promote from within. They wanted to go in a younger direction and decided the CEO-in-waiting, Aaron Rodgers, was ready for the large corner office with the great view. The only problem is, when they hired him, his resume said: "2005-2007: Held Clip Board." Sure, Aaron Rodgers watched how a great CEO performed from a far. However, leadership isn't as easy as watching and mimicking. More often than not, you just either have it, or you don't.

The Packers, under Rodgers are in danger of missing the playoffs for the second straight season. The shareholders of the Green Bay Packers are starting to get restless. If this football factory doesn't start producing winning seasons soon, you can bet there will be some personnel changes.

The famous business author/motivator Dale Carnegie once said, "People rarely succeed unless they have fun in what they are doing." Brett Favre returned to the blue collar town where he developed his work ethic. His stay was short, his mission accomplished and he had tons of fun doing it.

Saturday Stress, Sunday Calm

On a personal note, sorry for long time between updates. Closing on the sale of my house and purchase of condo and the prepping and moving and getting settled in can turn into a month long process. I'm back now and ready to express my opinions and welcome your comments as always. Please be sure to tell a friend or six, about my blog. Thanks for all your support!

So we are about 2 months into the college football season and it's already been quite a roller coaster of emotion for many of us. What I find so compelling about the college football system (although flawed in so many ways) is the way it sucks you in and forces you to develop a rooting interest, to win or lose, for teams all over the country.

As many of you know, I'm a USC alum, so yes, I follow the PAC10 conference closely, however, a game between Alabama and Tennessee can have a much greater impact on my world. This is a direct result of the system we have been dealt. College football is no longer just about winning your conference games. By mid-October, it's about hoping every team that is above you in the rankings loses.

To me, this is what's so great about Saturdays versus the NFL on Sundays. I am provided the opportunity to spread my hatred for various teams over a far greater landscape each season. As a PAC10 guy, I spend more time on Saturdays hoping Tim Tebow and the Gators lose than I do the Oregon Ducks. I was sick to my stomach last Saturday night when Alabama escaped with a win over Tennessee. I'm waiting for Colt McCoy and Longhorns to get caught looking ahead one week. Kirk Ferenz at Iowa...you're a cute little story, but please, do us all a favor and lose!

That's three conferences, with multiple teams I find myself rooting hard against. Conversly, on Sundays, during the NFL season, I really couldn't give two flips about what the Vikings or Giants are doing. Sure I'm a big Packer and Falcon fan, but I'm not making it appointment television to see if the Eagles lose a game in the NFC this week. The passion just isn't the same. In college football, every week is an elimination game (especially if you play in the Pac10 or Big10, where there is no conference championship game). This creates unbelievable angst for fans. Couple that with the need, the hope, the desire for some team across the country in a completely different conference to lose, and you can see how Saturday's can force any die hard college football fan to start drinking the hard stuff.

It's really quite simple. Once the first BCS rankings come out, all bets are off. I no longer care just about conference games or an upcoming rivalry games. I care about what the #1, #2 and #3 team in the country is doing.

Saturdays are supposed to be a day of rest for many. Yet for those of us with a team ranked in the BCS Top10, there is nothing relaxing about it. With apologies to the NFL, we'll kick our feet up and exhale on Sundays.

Conference Championship Values

For the past few years, the debate has raged on as to whether or not the BigTen and Pac10 football conferences should add more teams to their league so they can have a Conference Championship game.

The other three power conferences, the Big12, A.C.C. and S.E.C. all have one. The obvious reason for creating this game is to generate even more money for the conference (although of late, the ACC championship game has been about as crowded as an Air Supply Reunion concert).

We've seen in the past, these conference championship games give some schools the added boost they needed in the BCS computer, by stamping one more quality win onto the resume. Conversely, we've seen some undefeated teams get burned via an upset to a lesser opponent, thus crushing their national championship hopes.

As we are about a week away from the Florida/LSU matchup, I began to wonder - does the conference championship dilute the regular season just a little bit? When you take a conference and split it up into two divisions, in theory, any game out of your division won't affect your ability to still get to the conference championship game. This coming Saturday is the perfect example: Florida plays in the SEC East and LSU plays in the SEC West. Both teams are undefeated, yet the loser of this game can still win their division and get to Atlanta for the title game, where they could meet again, and this time post a 'W' and perhaps propel themselves into the national title game. In other words, they can afford a conference loss and still be in the hunt for the BCS Championship.

Conversely, a team like USC, in the PAC10, can't afford to lose one game all year long in conference play. One conference loss, more often than not, knocks them out of the national title race. Imagine if there were two divisions in the PAC10 (say a North and South division). Assume USC played in the South, and Washington played in the North. USC loses to Washington, but could still win the South and make it to the PAC10 Conference Championship game and face a very stout Oregon Ducks team. Would a win in that game be enough to propel them into the National Championship? I don't' know the answer to that, and sadly, neither does college football.

It's almost as if the NCAA likes the fact that every conference DOES NOT have a title game. The way it stands now, as soon as a USC, Penn State or Ohio State loses, they get eliminated from national title contention. Then it becomes as clean and simple as tabbing the SEC and Big12 Conference Championship winners for the BCS Title game. If the PAC10 and BIGTEN had their own conference title game winner, would that not muddy the waters even more?!?

The debate will rage on. Perhaps the simple solution is that all major BCS conferences must have a title game and those winners all get an invitation to a playoff tournament. (Sounds eerily familiar -- it's called college basketball!)

Making His 'Mark' on 'Broadway'

New York City - bright lights and the home of Broadway shows. How appropriate, since one of the great unscripted productions in recent years is unfolding just across the river at Meadowlands Stadium. He's a 'giant' rising star yet his name isn't Eli. His name is Mark.

Rookie Mark Sanchez has landed the leading role as quarterback for the New York Jets, and so far the reviews have been nothing short of spectacular. Sanchez has helped lead the Jets to only their fourth 3-0 start in franchise history.

For years....no, decades, the New York football Giants have dominated the pro landscape in the tri-state area. The taste of Super Bowl success is still fresh in the mouth for many Giants fans. Jets fans got a small appetizer plate of Brett Favre last season, but in the end, it just tasted old and was tough to swallow. Eli Manning has had the exclusive rights to the 'star quarterback' label for the past 5+ seasons in the New York area, but it appears times are a changing.

Mark Sanchez, quite frankly, is everything Eli Manning isn't. He's got charisma, good looks and grew up in sunny southern California. Manning is a tad nerdy, doesn't exactly reek of charm, and grew up on the bayou in southern Louisiana. However, the one difference that matters right now is Super Bowl rings. Scoreboard Manning.

It's rather ironic, however, that Jets fan are enamoured with Sanchez. I'm not sure any of them even knew who he was 12 months ago. You have to imagine that many football fans in the New York City area didn't exactly have access to a lot of USC football games last year. Aside from perhaps the thrashing they put on Ohio State in 2008, I would bet that most Jets fans didn't even know how good this kid was going to be. USC coach Pete Carroll obviously did, and that was crystal clear the day Sanchez announced he was leaving school to turn pro. Carroll looked like someone just told him Reggie Bush's parents house had shown up on his credit report.

There is certainly some added value that has to be placed on a draft prospect who learned a pro-style offense, while still in college. (Ask Matt Cassell - he learned, but never took a snap at USC.) It also doesn't hurt to draft a kid who is used to winning. Winning breeds a positive attitude, an expectation of success.

For now, Jets fans can go toe-to-toe with their in-state rivals. They have their guy. They have their franchise quarterback. This is Broadway at its best. The lights are on, the stage is set, and the 'theater' is packed. Finally for Jets fans, when the curtain goes up, their leading man, Mark Sanchez, will be ready.

Rising Out of the Pac

It's the conference with the complex. They play their games in a timezone three hours behind the rest of the country. Most media members and fans East of the Mississippi don't watch their games, but rather use the 90 second highlight package on Sportscenter to formulate their opinions. These are the problems that face Pac-10 football. However, the new crop of coaches out West, gives hope to a conference that is begging you to stay up late to watch their games.

Granted, the coaching fraternity down South are 'brands' familiar to us all. Saban, Meyer, Miles, Richt and yes even Spurrier -- to name a few. These guys keep the SEC balanced and competitive year in and year out. However, if you take a closer look at the Pac-10's coaches today, I think you'll see that the future is very bright for this conference. This creates balance and parity, which is something the Pac-10 has lacked quite frankly over the past 7 years.

We all know about the success Pete Carroll has had at USC, however, look up and down the coast and you'll find creative, energetic, rising stars.

The Washington Huskies brought in Steve Sarkisian from USC. He's 35 years old and already made his mark on the proud Husky program. Sark brings his pro-style offense and ideas to Seattle and it looks like Washington will be back in the mix consistently sooner rather than later.

Stanford's Jim Harbaugh, only in his third season as the fiery head coach, has improved every year he's been with the Cardinal. You have to believe Harbaugh is in it for the long haul in Palo Alto, after all, he just had a $70,000 private luxury bathroom constructed for himself.

Just across 'the Bay', we all know about Jeff Tedford's consistency with the Cal Bears. Tedford has won 4 bowl games in a row at Cal and this year appears to be well positioned to win the Pac-10 conference with Heisman hopefull Jahvid Best running through Pac-10 defenses.

Chip Kelly takes over an Oregon program that Mike Belotti kept at a very high level of respectability. Expect Oregon to light up the scoreboard with Kelly's spread offense, keeping the Pac-10's reputation as a pass-happy league in tact.

From Eugene over to Corvalis, you'll find Mike Riley quietly churning out quality and consistency with the Oregon State Beaver program. Over the past three years Oregon State has posted one 10-win season and two 9-win seasons. With Jacquizz and James Rodgers running the ball this year for Riley's club, expectations are once again high for the Beavers.

Last, but not least (well, maybe so), there is UCLA's Rick Neuheisel. Things appear to be headed in the right direction over in Westwood for the Bruins. In only his second year, Neuheisel has already travelled across country and defeated the Tennessee Volunteers at Neyland Stadium and has UCLA sitting at 3-0. Neuheisel has all but guaranteed he will turn this program around, and more importantly, compete with the Trojans in the nasty LA recruiting wars.

Get to know these names. They may not have the cache' as the one's previously mentioned down South, but if you pay attention to what's happening out West, you'll see these programs start to rise out of the Pac.

New Villain for an Old Rivalry

Jay Cutler signed with the Bears this off season. He comes to Chicago with a swagger and a 'prima donna' attitude that has even some fans in Chicago soured upon his arrival. This 23-year old brat lands in the Windy City after spending his first three seasons with the Denver Broncos, in the fairly tame AFC West.

He's now thrown right into the middle of the NFL's oldest rivaly, Bears vs. Packers. It's quite fitting that this ego-maniacal quarterback is under center in Chicago just one year after another ego left Green Bay. Cutler is perfect for this division and even more fitting for this rivalry. For Packer fans he will be way too easy to hate. Let's be honest, it was kind of tough the past couple of seasons to get the blood pressure boiling for the Wisconsin cheeseheads with Rex Grossman and Kyle Orton under center for the Bears.

Not anymore. The Bears have brought in one of the great arrogant, "I haven't achieved jack squat, but I'm a superstar," quarterbacks in the league. The NFC North needs this. Cutler has one of those faces that make you feel like he just hit on your girlfriend at the local bar.

The Packers have already experienced the satisfaction of beating Cutler. Quite frankly, they didn't just beat him...they cast a spell on him so badly, he threw a career-high 4 interceptions in his season opening loss at Lambeau Field. Packers 1, Cutler's Bears 0.

These two teams will meet again December 13th at Soldier Field in Chicago. Cutler walked away from round one with a bruised ego. Welcome to life in the 'black and blue' division.

Has To Be A Better 'Option'

Georgia Tech's head football coach Paul Johnson insists on running the option on offense. This typically leads to slow, methodical, plodding drives. This offense also tends to rely on 'the homerun ball' to get points on the board. This past Thursday night vs. ACC rival Clemson was no different.

For the first quarter of play, apparently coach Johnson had one of those giant STAPLES red buttons, because Tech fans everywhere were saying, "That was easy!" The Yellow Jackets had an 82-yard TD run, an 85-yard punt return for a TD, and a fake field goal which led to a 34-yard TD pass from the kicker to Demaryius Thomas.

Then....the red button broke.

For the remainder of the game, Georgia Tech struggled to get anything cooking on offense, while their defense simultaneously wore down. When your offense is based upon three yards and a cloud of dust, it presents a number of challenges as a game unfolds:

When time becomes a factor, can you move the football? Are you equipped to run the 2-minute drill consistently at the end of the game, particularly with a quarterback who throws fewer balls than Yankee closer Mariano Rivera. For that matter, what happens when this team falls behind by more than two touchdowns at any point during a game this season? When you need a quick score, you must be able to throw the football.

Looking at the bigger picture, will Paul Johnson ever recruit a capable pocket passer, who can lead a team 80 yards in 2 minutes? Tech Quarterback Josh Nesbitt was average at best in the game winning drive which lead to a field goal. Prior to that, he was throwing most of his passes into the 'big booster' seats. Time will tell if running the option will affect recruiting. The obvious challenge is attracting star wide receivers to this style of offense, but what about the quarterback position? Will Paul Johnson only be able to recruit the athletic, 'run-first' type of player, while neglecting to go after the traditional skilled marksmen?

For now, Coach Johnson will evade his critics as long as the Yellow Jackets keep winning. They dodged a bullet, defeating Clemson Thursday night. Clemson isn't Miami or Florida State. The Hurricanes host Georgia Tech next Thursday night. Miami will be faster on defense and more capable on offense. Paul Johnson doesn't care. His philosophy and style won't change. So get ready south Florida, the forecast for next Thursday calls for consistent clouds of dust.

Thoughts From Campus

Right on cue, I woke up Saturday and the air in Atlanta was a little cooler and crisper. Things just felt right. The sound of ESPN's Gameday show was the perfect music to get my day started.


I went out to lunch for the earlier games to have a beer and some wings at the local sports bar (Taco Mac). After lunch, I made the grocery store pit stop to load up on snacks for the 3:30pm games. My personal interest was in the USC game to watch true freshman quarterback, Matt Barkley. Fortunately, I have two flat screen TVs in the same room, so I was able to watch the Georgia/Oklahoma State game at the same time.


I took a break to grab some dinner with friends and made it home to catch most of the Virginia Tech/Alabama game. My long day ended around 1:30am when the Washington/LSU game ended.


Here now are some random thoughts from the first week of college football:


Coach RichRod had a tough week with the media, however, once Saturday arrived, he was able to put all that behind him and showcase a few of his prize recruits, particularly two freshman quarterbacks named Tate Forcier and Denard Robinson. It's no surprise under Coach Rod that this offense is clicking early. The Wolverines will be back sooner than later.


Georgia's loss at Oklahoma State begs the question: how does a program under Mark Richt (one of the best quarterback mentor's in America) look vulnerable with the loss of Matthew Stafford? If Georgia wants to be considered an 'elite' program, they need not miss a beat when they lose guys to the NFL. Coach Richt might want to take a page out of Pete Carroll's plans and go with the freshman, Aaron Murray. If the Dawgs lose a few more games with Cox under center, it might be time to throw Murray into the deep end and sink or swim the rest of the way.


Speaking of Pete Carroll, his true freshman quarterback, Matt Barkley looked poised in his first game as a Trojan. The 18-year old phenom from the quarterback factory that is Mater Dei High School in Santa Ana, California, was a humble 15 for 19 for 233 yards with a TD in his debut. More importantly, he had zero interceptions and no fumbles under center. It certainly helped that Coach Carroll was able to utilize his stable of running backs most of the game, which kept the pressure off Barkley. Next week, however, is a much bigger stage for Barkley as the Trojans travel to 'the horseshoe' to take on Ohio State. I look for more of the same from USC -- keep the ball on the ground with Joe McKnight, Stefon Johnson, Allen Bradford and CJ Gable.


Who is going to be the first coach to smile after a win? Charlie Weiss at Notre Dame or Paul Johnson at Georgia Tech. Geez...talk about bitter beer face. Weiss looks like a guy who just found out his gastro-bypass procedure didn't take. Some guys have different ways of motivating their kids. Apparently Weiss and Johnson's theory is never let them think they're doing well. Time will tell if this shtick gets old or shows signs of success.

Regardless of what you think about Bob Stoops, you have to feel terrible for his Heisman Trophy winning quarterback Sam Bradford. Bradford left the game with a shoulder injury and could be out up to 4 weeks. This kid could have left college after last season and been a first round draft pick, but decided the college experience was more rewarding at this time in his life. Let's hope he gets a chance to finish out this season.


What are the Florida Gators really accomplishing by opening their season vs. Charleston Southern and Troy at home? They might be better off scrimmaging against themselves for another two weeks. When the BCS computer processes all the data at the end of the year, I think teams should be penalized for scheduling multiple cupcake games. I can understand opening your season with ONE 'warm-up' game, but the Gators scheduled three of these games. Yes, throw in a scrimmage against Florida International on November 21st and the trifecta is complete. In all, they only play 4 road games all year and 3 of those games are @ Kentucky, @ Miss State, and @ South Carolina. It's the 300 pound gorilla in the room - no one wants to talk about what a joke the Gators 2009-10 schedule is this year.


Finally, a quick comment on the ACC this year. Not to overstate the obvious, but Miami and Florida State need to step their game up this year. It's critical to the ACC conference that these programs return to glory. We keep reading about Randy Shannon's great recruiting classes at Miami, well, now it's time to produce. Over at Florida State, Coach Bowden needs to show that he still has 'it' and isn't sticking around just to pad his wins for the record books. Virginia Tech doesn't look as good as projected. Tyrod Taylor isn't the answer. You wonder if Coach Beamer thought he might catch lightening in the bottle and find the next Michael Vick.

It was certainly an eventful week one to the college football season. We are all guilty of making quick generalizations about programs off of just one week. This was just my "knee-jerk" reaction to things I saw this past Saturday. We won't know who the contender and pretenders are until probably October 15th. Until then, we can only watch, enjoy and hope that these next few months feel like an eternity...

Back, Back, Back, Back, Goes....Roddick?

Well, our modern day evil empire, known as ESPN, has now gobbled up the US Open tennis championship. Is nothing sacred to this network which now carries the NBA, NFL and way too many RedSox/Yankee baseball games?

For 25 years our summers came to a close with the start of the US Open on USA Network. It was a fixture in households across America, particularly over the past 17 years with John McEnroe as their lead analyst. The best moments were always the ones under the lights. Tennis in Flushing, Queens with the rowdy New York crowd, as night fell, was and still is a thing of beauty. The energy in the old Louis Armstrong stadium carried over to the epic coliseum that is now Arthe Ashe Court. Ask guys like Andy Roddick, Andre Agassi and Jimmy Connors what impact the "hometown" crowd had on them in many-a-nights throughout their US Open career.

So when I read that ESPN had bought the rights to this sacred event which USA Network had covered with style and class, my first thought was, please don't let Chris Berman or Stuart Scott anywhere near this major championship event! Chris Fowler, the man with one of the best gigs in sports, has been covering tennis for ESPN of late and he's in a word, serviceable. He's definitely not Ted Robinson, the best voice in tennis today. (Come to think of it....are there "voices" in tennis today? I'll have to check on that one.) The only saving grace by ESPN was their hiring of John McEnroe to call their primtime men's matches. Good 'ol Johnny Mac will be paired with his brother Patrick in the booth. That's tolerable.

However, there was still nothing quite like laying awake in bed, well past midnight, watching a classic Roddick or Agassi five-setter. Ted Robinson and John McEnroe were the narrator's to those unscripted moments. Those moments might be duplicated this year, but the soundtrack won't be the same...

Big Mouth in The South

Sorry for the long time off between columns. I write to you this morning from my home in Atlanta. I mention this because I was suppose to be on a flight to Boston today, for a weekend of fun and Fenway. However, Hurricane Danny put a major damper on those plans. Trip cancelled, tickets wasted and frustration peaking!

In an effort to put that aggravation behind me, I wanted to talk about something completely different this morning. With the smell of college football in the air, school pride is about to invade offices all across America.

I work for a commercial real estate firm in the South. I went to school out West (USC). Being a Pac-10 guy in an office filled with SEC alums goes together about as well as Bobby Petrino and Falcons fans. I am the guy from the "soft" conference out West, with the pass-happy offenses and the cupcake schedule. Of course I disagree with that entire assessment, but that's a topic for another day. Conversely, I'm surrounded by SEC alumni and fans who mistake passion for performance. This passion can have quite the adverse effect on co-workers.

There is an old line how nobody in Atlanta is from Atlanta. There are plenty of guys in offices all around this 'transplant town' from New York, New Jersey or the Midwest. They moved down South with an open mind when it came to finding a local college team to root for on Saturdays. In Atlanta, the University of Georgia is the natural choice (over Georgia Tech). However, every office has one guy or three or ten, who is so over-the-top about Georgia football, that they make it almost impossible for the 'transplants' to root for their 'Dawgs. Instead, it has the reverse effect. Georgia fans can be so obnoxious and in-your-face about their program, that human nature takes over and you begin to wish failure upon their team. Mix in an Alabama alum or a Gator gusher, and suddenly college football in the South is about as easy to digest as a habanero stuffed burrito.

So brace yourself, as the office becomes a four-month long tailgate filled with Bulldogs, Gators and Tigers. Choose your side and run your mouth. After all, it's football season in the South!

Two Comebacks - One To Root For

It's been quite the eventful preseason for the NFL thus far. Over the past week we have seen the Eagles sign Michael Vick and now the Minnesota Vikings have officially signed Brett Favre.

I have to be honest, I'm rooting for the guy who just spent two years in prison over the guy who spent 2 years holding press conferences.

Michael Vick ran a dog fighting ring and did some horrible things to animals, however, he's apparently come out a reformed man and better person. Brett Favre ran Packer fans through the ringer the past 2 seasons and apparently he's come out a Minnesota Viking.

I can forgive Michael Vick. He paid his debt to society and learned from his mistakes. As a lifelong Packer fan, I can't forgive Brett Favre. He learned nothing from his mistakes with the Jets.

Vick wants to quietly blend back in with the Eagles and be 'one of the guys'. He doesn't want the spotlight and will accept the role Andy Reid provides him. Brett Favre doesn't care about "blending in" and certainly isn't in Minnesota to make friends.

Both players return with questions about their diminished skills. The big difference here is Michael Vick can still un-tap some of that athleticism in his 29 year old body. Brett Favre is 40 years old and the only thing he may be able to un-tap is that bottle of vicodin.

I will admit, both teams are better today than they were they day before they signed these guys. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if these teams crossed paths in the NFC playoffs. If they do, I'll be rooting for convicted felon not the convicted phony...

What Lies Ahead

Now that the shock and awe has worn off most of us, we can only now begin to wonder as to what lies ahead for Michael Vick and the Philadelphia Eagles.

It's not breaking news to say that the Eagles are taking a major risk with this signing. However, the risk is not a financial one or a question about skill-set, but rather a plain and simple 'distraction'. The Eagles can spin this anyway they want to, but the bottom line here is every player is going to be asked about Michael Vick all season long. We've already seen the sound bites from players being asked how he looked in his first practice. This is only the preseason.

What's going to happen at the Eagles home opener? Judging from the initial reaction from Eagles fans, it appears to be split down the middle in terms of support and opposition. Sadly, as we've seen in Atlanta, often this difference of opinion is divided by racial lines. I can't imagine what the atmosphere might be like in the stands at Lincoln Financial Field.

If the Eagles think there are distractions at home, wait until they go on the road. Imagine the game on October 18th in Oakland. Those fans aren't obedient when the boring, bad teams come to town, imagine the antics, the verbal assaults, the props we will see from Raider Nation when Vick and Eagles hit Oakland. December 13th at New York: I imagine Giants fans taking a different approach. They might go after McNabb with antagonizing expressions like, "Donovan, you're a bum! Vick will have your job by next season!"

And then their is the big one. The game on December 6th in Atlanta. This will be the most anticipated game of the season for Falcon fans and Michael Vick. The media storm in Philadelphia leading up to that game will be of epic proportion. That game is week 13 on the Eagles schedule. Their season will have taken so many twists and turns by the time they even arrive in Atlanta.

If McNabb has one awful game in Philadelphia prior to December 6th, Eagles fans will be calling for Vick to be their starter. There is the possibility of an injury to McNabb prior to week 13. Let's not forget, McNabb is 33 years old and it's not too far fetched to assume he could miss a start or three throughout this season.

Bottom line is every week there will be a new story line, a new distraction and a new set of reporters from an opposing team asking questions about Vick. McNabb will be looking over his shoulder waiting to hear weekly heckles from fans in the expensive seats, at home and on the road, calling for his benching.

It's rather ironic that we are right at the start of hurricane season, because, the "storm" surrounding this controversial signing is going to last for 17 weeks...

What If...

Performance enhancing drugs, sadly, has become part of the fabric of sports today. Whether it's steroids in baseball or an NBA player taking an over-the-counter substance that elevates his testosterone, drugs and sports seemingly go hand in hand.

As we head into the weekend of the PGA Championship, and Tiger Woods is going for his 15th major championship in golf, I began to wonder the ultimate, "What if?" What if the greatest golfer of our generation tested positive for 'performance enhancing drugs'? Would that not go down as one of the biggest scandals, and more importantly, ignite one of the greatest debates in sports history?

The burning question we would have to ask ourselves - did taking performance enhancing drugs, well, enhance his performance? Golf is certainly a little different sport when you talk about having a "competitive edge." In a game that relies so much on accuracy and finesse, is there even a drug out there that could improve your play? Aside from the obvious, which is having the ability to hit a longer tee shot by taking some form of human-growth-hormone (HGH)substance, I'm not sure there is any significant advantage. We've all seen John Daly in his prime, rip 300+ yard tee shots, but that didn't necessarily translate to success in in the sport.

The PGA just last year implemented an "anti-doping" drug policy for the tour. PGA Tour commissioner Tim Finchem, who also serves as chairman of the World Golf Foundation, said the policy includes a list of banned substances, and methods for each golf organization to carry them out. The list of banned substances includes anabolic agents, hormones, stimulants, narcotics, beta blockers and masking agents.

If it was discovered Tiger was taking a stimulant or some form of masking agent, what happens to the record books? Golf is a game of individual records and achievement. In team sports like baseball, when Manny Ramirez is found to have taken steroids, you can't really take away the RedSox World Series' titles. However, in an individual sport like golf (much like many Olympic events) you can certainly strip a player of his achievements.

Would we have a record book filled with asterisks? Would the PGA go back and recognize the runner-up in each major that Tiger won, as the new "champion?" And what about those jugs? Tiger's name has been permanently inscribed on them! Oh, and how about the small issue that in golf, you are paid winnings based on what place you finish. Would Tiger have to give money back? Could runner-ups file a claim for earnings they were "cheated" out on?

You get the picture. Doping in the game of golf could be one big huge disaster, but again, ONLY if you agreed that these drugs had a direct impact on a player's success.

Fortunately, this is all one big "What if?" Tiger clearly doesn't need any performance enhancing drugs to win golf tournaments. He already has his competitive advantage and it's something you won't find over-the-counter or in a back alley - it's called mental toughness.



** Disclaimer - Please note I am not insinuating, nor do I have any information, that suggests Tiger Woods takes any performance enhancing drugs.

The Sun Came Up...The Yankees Won

As the the Yankees/RedSox series gets forced down our throats once again this weekend, it made me once again realize two things: (A) it's too easy to root for the Yankees and (B) it's too easy to hate the Yankees. Quite a unique dichotomy.

First off, if you aren't from New York, and you're a Yankee fan, you're a nothing more than a front runner. That being said, Yankee fans are rooting for a $200 million machine. Me, on the other hand, being a native of Milwaukee, is cheering for an $80 million, less impressive, machine. It's like going to a drag race, and one guy has a Ferrari and the other guy has a Dodge Charger. Sure at the beginning of the race, you feel a small glimmer of hope...the car looks like it has some muscle....but the reality is the Ferrari is going to leave it in the dust.

Welcome to the baseball standings. All the Ferrari's are in first place with their big payrolls: Yankees ($200 million) Tigers ($115 million) LA Angels ($113 million) Phillies ($113 million) Dodgers ($100 million) and finally in the NL Central, you have the gritty Dodge Charger named the St. Louis Cardinals clinging to a one game lead with their $77 million payroll. However, if they look in their rear view mirror, they will see that $134 million Ferrari called the Chicago Cubs.

I don't mean to single out the Yankees and pick on them (although as stated before, it's too easy), but should we really be impressed that the Yankees have the best record in the American League? Is that an accomplishment? When you go out to eat, doesn't the restaurant that has the bigger budget to buy fresher, quality ingredients, usually put out a better product? The Yankees went shopping at the grocery store last Winter and came home with some Teixeira, a side of Sabathia and a little Burnett for dessert. That's a hell of a meal!

Baseball is slowly going back to a league of the "haves" and "have nots." There are going to be a handfull of organizations that will out spend everyone else, and those are the fans that will still have hope past July 1st. At least in the NFL and NBA, small market teams like the Buffalo Bills and Sacramento Kings have the ability to be competitive. It's a level playing field, with everyone working off the same payroll budget.

Can you imagine if the NBA were like major league baseball with no salary cap? There is no question, Mark Cuban, owner of the Dallas Mavericks, would have all the toys on his team. You're starting lineup for the Dallas Mavericks would be Chris Paul and Kobe Bryant, LeBron and Dirk, with Dwight Howard in the middle. Think about how ridiculous that would look. Now go watch the Yankees....

Too Quiet of An Exit...

Since I started this blog a few months ago, I thought long and hard if I wanted to write a column on this person. He's one of the NFL's Top 20 Rushers of All Time. He's been called the #1 "Good Guy" in sports by Sporting News magazine. He's been honored numerous times for his off the field charitable contributions (Homes for the Holidays Progam). More importantly, he's been one of my best friends over the past 10 years. His name is Warrick Dunn.

If you have paid any attention to the game of football over the past decade, I'm sure you are well aware of Warrick Dunn and what makes him uniquely special, on and off the field. Without going into too much detail, I met Warrick back in 1997 while in Tampa Bay on business. At the time I was working for Motown Records and he and I happen to both be at the same radio station down there. Warrick had some interest in the music industry so we decided to stay in touch. This business connection blossomed into a friendship that has been so important to my life.

As you know, Warrick lost his mother (a Baton Rouge police officer) back in 1993, in a tragic act of violence by a group of cowards. You never really understand how an event like this can impact one's world....until it happens to you. In 2002, I lost my mother to cancer. There is no blueprint in life for dealing with the loss of a loved one, however, there is comfort in having a friend to talk to, who can share with you their journey to recovery, and provide you with hope and encouragement, "You'll get through this. Keep your head up. She's in a better place." I was truly blessed to have Warrick in my corner at the right time in my life.

I felt the background on our friendship was important to this column. I wanted to give full disclosure to the bias commentary I'm about to share with you:

With training camps well underway, I began to wonder how many people even realize that #28 Warrick Dunn is not on the practice field with any of the 32 teams around the league. Warrick is 34 years old. If he decides to play another season, he would be the oldest running back in the league. I told him the other day, "If you choose not to play again and retire, you need to make a big 'to-do' about it. I want to see you on ESPN, holding a live press conference crying." Unfortunately, that's not Warrick's style.

For a man who spent so much of his professional career giving back to others, I can only hope for one afternoon this Fall, the league, the media, the Buccaneers and the Falcons give something back to him -- respect and recognition.

We may never see another 5 foot 8 inch running back endure 12 years in the NFL and finish in the Top20 in Career Rushing Yards (10,967 to be exact). Warrick was a 3-time Pro Bowl selection and in 2004 won the Walter Payton Man of The Year Award, for his work off the field. Again, call me biased, but this looks and feels like a Hall of Fame career to me. So it really pains me to see him bow out so quietly. He deserves better than this. He deserves more than ending up on the scroll across the bottom of a Sportscenter telecast.

If Warrick decides to officially notify the league office he has retired, it will probably be done from his cell phone while he's on a golf course somewhere in Georgia or Florida. There will be no no media, no former teammates, no spotlight and no tears. No one will be around at that moment to show their respect for his remarkable career and thats a crying' shame....

Beer, Pizza and "The Game"

It's been an interesting week in sports, primarily in the baseball world. I was going to write a column on steroids in baseball, tainted world series games, and just my overall thoughts on what's considered "cheating" in America's past time. However, I think steroids have become so common in baseball that it's not really a compelling story anymore. Instead, I've decided to vent about something that happened to me last weekend in downtown Atlanta.

I went to this new pizza place with some friends to have, what else, beer and pizza. When it comes to food, there isn't a more classic "guys night out" than beer and pizza. However, there is one other component that typically makes the "beer and pizza" experience perfect -- watching "the game."

My buddies and I pack into a booth, order our food and I immediately look over to the bar and noticed, of the two flat screen TV's in this fine establishment, NEITHER of them had the Braves game on. So.....I politely ask the hostess, "can you have them turn the Braves game on?" She said, "no problem." 5 minutes later, nothing. I ask our waiter, "can you see if the bartender can put the Braves game on?" Waiter says, "sure bro." 5 minutes later, nothing again. Mind you, the Braves are playing the team I grew up following, the Milwaukee Brewers. It's after 8:00pm, and I've already missed some of this epic battle (Ok, I'm embellishing the story...it wasn't that epic). By now I'm getting a little annoyed. I decided to approach the bartender, "excuse me, can you throw the Braves game on one of the TVs? It's either on Channel 17, 646, or 649." You see what I did there - I tried to make his life a lot easier. The less complicated for him, the better for me. We've all been there: there is nothing worse than watching a bartender (who doesn't follow sports) scroll through all 500 channels trying to find the game you want. Occasionally, they will stop on a channel that is the same sport and turn to you, "is this is?" (As the TV displays women's college softball.) Unless Chipper Jones is taking the female hormone drugs Manny was on and grew a ponytail.....NO, THAT'S NOT IT!!!

This particular bartender had to use some sort of Bat-phone to apparently get clearance on changing the channel. Finally, 3 minutes later - victory. The Braves-Brewers game was on the TV above the bar, as I devour my beer and pizza.

With that tragic story as the backdrop, here is my gripe: if Atlanta wants to be taken serious as a "sports town" - I should not be able to walk into a pizza joint on a Friday night, downtown, and have to ask for the bartender to put on the Braves game (three times!). This is the difference between the South and Northeast and even the Midwest. If I were at a pizza joint in Boston, New York, Chicago, or Philly, there would be no doubt that all TV's would be set on "the game."

Which by the way, that's another difference between Atlanta and Northern sports towns. I had to clarify with the bartender, "can you put on the BRAVES game?" In cities up North, it's just "Hey Tony, throw the game on!"

Atlanta is a town of over 5 million people now. It has all four major sports franchises, an ACC school in Georgia Tech and an SEC school in University of Georgia. There should not be a pizza joint, bar, pool hall, pub, burger spot without a game on a television after 7pm on a Friday night.

The city "too busy to hate" need not become, "the city too busy to change the channel."

An Old Tree Finally Fell...

It's 8:00 pm Eastern time as I write this column. At last check, Brett Favre retired about 2 hours ago and is still retired. When I heard this news, my first reaction was, "does anyone even care at this point?" It reminded me of the old expression: If a tree falls in the forest and there is no one there to hear it, does it make a sound? This is what's become of Brett Favre's legacy - he's nothing but an old tree in the forest that just got chopped down and no one was there to hear it fall (aside from perhaps Chris Mortensen), and no one really cares.

This novelty of anticipating another season from this future Hall of Fame quarterback wore off on me about three retirements ago. I grew up in Milwaukee and while it's not Green Bay, you are pretty much born with green and gold in your blood. It's a blue collar town and what better franchise to claim than one started by Curly Lambeau in 1919 with a $500 donation from a meat packing company.

Here is why I should care (but, don't):

If you are like me, and were born after 1970, you didn't exactly get to experience the 'glory days' this franchise once saw. I probably didn't start to follow the Packers until about 1980 when I was 9 years old. That team was led by quarterback Lynn Dickey,along with guys like James Lofton, Eddie Lee Ivory, and Paul Coffman. For my first two decades on this earth, I had absolutely nothing to get excited about with this NFL team which I was designated to follow, by the mere fact my parents gave birth to me in Wisconsin. By the time I was in high school, I thought this had to be a cruel joke. Every winter my right of passage was watching miserable, losing pro football. All I knew was there was some teenager just like me in Washington DC or San Francisco whom every September had a little extra pep in their step, a fire in their heart, as their teams opened up a new season of promise. I'm thinking, this can't be my lot in life is it? It has to get better. Right? Right Don Majkowski? Please tell me there is more! Please tell me Vince Lombardi and Curly Lambeau didn't leave us with this broken down product!?!

Flashforward to 1992, I'm a senior in college at University of Southern California in Los Angeles. I'm surrounded by college kids from Dallas to Denver, Chicago and of course, at that time, LA Raiders and Rams fans. From 1989-1991, Sunday's around the dorms or college apartments were like a trip to the dentist for me. Until week 2 of that 1992 season.... It all changed when quarterback Don Majkowski got benched in a game vs. Tampa Bay. The Packers were getting crushed and head coach Mike Holmgren decided to put in newly acquired quarterback from the Falcons, Brett Favre. Aside from completing his first pass to himself, not much registered with me as this Favre kid came in to clean up Majkowski's mess. Week 3 rolls around and Majkowski had to sit out with an injury and Favre got the start. Down 23–17 with 1:07 left in the game, the Packers started an offensive series on their own 8 yard line. Still at the quarterback position, Favre completed a 42 yard pass to Sterling Sharpe. Three plays later, Favre threw the game–winning touchdown pass to Kitrick Taylor with 13 seconds remaining. The next week Favre started against the Pittsburgh Steelers in what would become the beginning of the longest consecutive starts streak for a QB in NFL history.

Well lookee here!! This was it.....I had my guy! We had our guy! The Green Bay Packers had a hero they could rally behind. We had a gun-slinging, blue collar, Southern talkin', unshaven, tough as nails quarterback leading our team. For 15 years, I was that teenager who grew up in Washington DC in the 80's. I was the kid that was born into the great tradition of the 49ers and Joe Montana. Now it was my turn. My time. My Favre! He quickly became a legend. He was the most popular athlete in any sport in the state of Wisconsin.

So what happened?

March 4th 2008 happened. I will never forget where I was. I happened to be, of all places, in the state of Wisconsin. I was in downtown Milwaukee for business sitting in a restaurant called Mason Street Grill watching Brett Favre announce his retirement from the NFL. The entire place was quiet, shocked and quite honestly, a little misty eyed. Our hero, who brought us so much joy for so many years, was hanging up the cleats, gracefully.

Gracefully. Hmmmmm.... Did I just say that word? Gracefully. Little did I know at the time, that word would only be appropriate for about 4 months time. By July of that summer, there were rumblings that Favre possibly wanted to return to the Packers. He was having second thoughts and knew he still had something left in the tank. Well fast forward to the 2008 season, and our hero was wearing green, but not green and gold....green and white - the color of the NY Jets jerseys. What's wrong with this picture? Let's see............LIKE EVERYTHING! I'm not going to bore you with too much detail about his season with the Jets, because when we look back on his career, his one season in New York will be nothing more than a mosquito flying smack into a windshield on the highway - quick and forgettable.

By the time the 2008-09 season ended, the Brett Favre quotation frustration began. We heard everything from: "I'm retiring" - "I'm thinking about playing" - "I don't' have it anymore" - "I have nothing but great things to say about the Packers organization." - "I want to kick their ass in a Vikings uniform." (ok, I made that last one up, but you get the picture). By the Summer of 2009, I didn't even know who Brett Favre was anymore. Could this possibly be the same hero I hung my hat on to for 15 years? This man was a traitor to 5.5 million people (approximate population of the State of Wisconsin according to me). How dare he not only erase the memories I had of that tearful press conference in April 2008 by sporting a Jets jersey for a season, but now he wants to seek revenge on the team I grew up with? The team he took from the depths of Lake Michigan to the top of world!

Well, I slowly grew tired of his indecisiveness. I didn't even care about his next soundbite on Sportscenter. I grew numb to his antics and started to distance myself from my hero. I began to speak negatively about him. It became therapeutic to let people to know how I felt.

It's one thing in sports to feel betrayed by an organization when your favorite player is traded. You still have the ability to root for "your guy" on his new team. Then, of course, there is the pain you feel when "your guy" leaves your club as a free agent. That one stings, but you subconsciously gravitate towards someone new on the team. That tends to pacify you for a season or two. But there is nothing, I mean nothing, in the Sports Fan Loyalty Rule Book about how to deal with a living legend who retires, un-retires to play for another team, retires again, then un-retires and wants to play for your division rival to seek revenge on the team you cheered for, for 15 glorious years with him as the leader! Oh, and then retires again.

Finally, today, I have closure. Brett Favre "says" he is staying retired. I don't believe him and sadly, I don't care. He can hold another press conference, and Chris Mortensen can cover it, but I will be no where to be found, deep in the forest, at peace.

Just Married...Honeymoon....Reality

Since we are about 7 weeks away from the upcoming 2009-2010 NFL season, I started to think about the expectations for a few teams. Typically, expectations come from previous success or major off-season moves. There were a few surprising success stories last year for some rookie head coaches, as well as first year quarterbacks. In sports we like to call these, "honeymoon" seasons.

Early success in sports is always watched with a careful eye. We are never sure if this is a preview of things to come, or something we just chalk up as beginners luck or an aberration. Last season was a terrific "honeymoon" for rookie head coaches Mike Smith of the Falcons, Tony Sporano of the Dolphins and the Raven's John Harbaugh. Ironically all three teams exceeded expectations by finishing with an 11-5 record. The Ravens and Falcons accomplished this feat with rookie quarterbacks. Again, "honeymoon" seasons for Matt Ryan and Joe Flacco.

These three teams are now thrown into the pressure cooker. These teams have to prove to their fans and to themselves that last year was no fluke. Consistency is critical in the NFL. In a league loaded a parody, only a few teams have been able to maintain that level of consistency, namely the Steelers, Patriots and Colts. When you go from zero expectations to immediate success, the spotlight shines brightly on a franchise.

Success is never guaranteed based on one honeymoon season. Ask Jim Mora Jr. In 2004, his first season as head coach of the Falcons, he led the team to an 11-5 record and an NFC Championship game. Things were peachy in Georgia. The team had a swagger, the city was an NFL town once again. and....expectations were high the following year. Well, sadly, that next season (2005), the Falcons finished 8-8 and missed the playoffs. In 2006, the team took another step backwards and went 7-9, and Jim Mora, Jr. was fired by team owner Arthur Blank, and that honeymoon season of 2004 seemed like a decade ago to fans and undoubtedly to Jim Mora, Jr.

Keep in mind, without a "honeymoon season", we wouldn't have the expression "sophomore slump." Those two phrases almost go hand in hand. Matt Ryan, Joe Flacco, Tony Sporano are all hoping and praying privately to avoid a colossal disastrous 2nd season with their respective teams. In a sick and twisted way, many sports fans welcome the sophomore slump -- as long as it's not their guys. It brings a sense of calmness to their world. No one wants to see "the other guy" suddenly realize their team has a future superstar or reason for hope.

As a resident of Atlanta, I would be shocked and disappointed to see a sophomore slump from Matt Ryan. He's too bright and spends too much time studying film to improve his craft. However, this is a city whose pro sports divorce rate is pretty high - one year it's a beautiful marriage, but 12 months later its like your bags have been packed for you and left curbside in front of the Georgia Dome. All you can do is hope and pray that next year, you find that special draft pick or meet that new coach and think about how wonderful your honeymoon will be....

Precision over Power - Greatest of a Generation

Tonight in Atlanta, the Atlanta Braves retired the jersey number of Greg Maddux. If there was ever a quiet superstar it was this guy. I don't want to bore you with a bunch of stats, because I'm sure Maddux wouldn't want to be remembered by numbers. However, it's worth noting his 4 consecutive (yes, consecutive!) Cy Young Awards, 8-Time All Star Selection, World Series title in 1995, and 18 Gold Glove Awards. In 1995, Maddux went 19-2 with an ERA of 1.63. Let me repeat that: He went 19-2! We might never see that again in baseball!

What's always been so fascinating about this "under appreciated" superstar is that he wasn't a power pitcher. His "out pitch" was never the 95 mph fast ball. Maddux's out pitch was placing the ball exactly where the batter wasn't comfortable hitting it. His skill-set was all about command. He painted corners better than anyone over the past 20 years.

Maddux was also one of those guys that you could sense wasn't comfortable being a "superstar." Even tonight during the ceremony for retiring his jersey number, you could sense he wanted to just get it over with fairly quickly, which ironically, was like the way he pitched. Maddux was notorious for throwing a very quick game. If you went to see him pitch at 7pm, you were home by 9:30pm. His performance was masterful, but you never really left the park feeling "wow'd!"

In sports we have a tendency to get caught up in over-valuing a guy's greatness in the present. Ironically for Maddux it is just the opposite. His value in the present was never over-valued, but rather undervalued. However, 10 years from now we will all look back and realize we witnessed something remarkable. We will never see another pitcher win 4 straight Cy Young Awards or win at least 15 games for 17 straight seasons. More importantly, we will never see the number 31 worn again in Atlanta.

Greg Maddux, the "professor," as he was called by many, received a standing ovation Friday night at Turner Field. Ironically, on a night he didn't pitch, Braves fans will drive home and appreciate what they saw...