CC why people hate the Yankees?

Okay so let me get this straight. The New York Yankees, the original Evil Empire (hard to use that term because Larry Lucchino of the Red Sox coined it), just threw the fattest contract at a pitcher in MLB history just days after asking New York taxpayers to fork over more than $100 million in tax dollars for their new stadium? The moment I learned this, I thought of some of my friends that live in New York who are NOT Yankees fans that will be seeing their tax money in part end up in Sabathia's suddenly-oversized pockets.
Now it's known that anyone who signs with the Yankees, especially when their offer is the largest, is automatically deemed a sell out. But when you preach about the importance of playing close to home, playing somewhere where your family is comfortable living, and THEN end up taking the ridiculous dollars, that is truly something to despise.
Sabathia gets credit for being a workhouse last year, for consistently taking the ball on three days rest when the Brewers' rotation was depleted. But now that is all a distant memory. Sabathia has done what sadly was inevitable anyway, but with the dwindling economy, and the knowledge of the Yankees' request for more taxpayer money for their billion-dollar stadium, this has simply pushed me farther away from the game I grew up loving.
I feel secure in saying I'm not alone here.

Hasselbeck sits, cites “conflicting emotions”

I don't care that Seneca Wallace threw 3 touchdown passes on Sunday, nor that former Patriot Deion Branch found the end zone twice. Because the lasting image from Seattle's choke-job on Sunday was Wallace getting decked by an untouched blitzer, fumbling to end a half-hearted comeback effort by the now 2-11 Seahawks. Wallace has, is, and always will be a backup.
Naturally, Matt Hasselbeck sat this one out. His presence likely could have been the difference maker. Instead, the proud Boston native cited an earlier back issue as a means for not having to go against his secret favorite team, the one his father played for in the 70s.
As the Patriots now coast through the rest of their schedule and a gift AFC East title, this is the game we will look back on as the one that got away. The grueling images of Seattle allowing a 4th-and-goal, go-ahead touchdown after having outplayed New England all day. Wallace putting the ball on the turf at crunch time. And most of all, bald number 8 wearing civvies on the sideline.
There is little doubt it was predetermined he wouldn't go in this one. Heaven for bid he took a few hits on Thanksgiving day in Dallas. His absence is eerily reminiscent of the Patriots' opponents last season, when seemingly every week the team it was facing was without several key players.
Lucky for us, that won't be an issue next week when the Patriots travel to Oakland to take on the NCAA Raiders, a sad-sack team in utter disarray. JaMarcus Russell's injured ankle will be a blessing, if anything, as he is prone to some of the worst throws possible.
The overrated Cardinals follow in Week 16, and then the Bills, who haven't found the end zone against a team other than the Chiefs in nearly a month, to close out what once was a promising regular season for Patriot-haters like myself.
Hasselbeck, you got your wish.

Additions of Colvin, Seau raise more than just eyebrows

This is suspicious and disgusting at the same time. Rosevelt Colvin is suddenly cut from the Houston Texans before their dreadful season begins and goes unemployed for three months. Junior Seau, who was never believed to be retired (although ESPN will spin it to make you believe he was, and thus his return is somehow courageous), jumps immediately when Bill Belichick calls and asks "How high?" Seau, the ringless one, clearly has had a desire to return to the Patriots, as Colvin likely did too. I am beginning to wonder if Belichick, who is no stranger to not just bending the rules, but completely shattering them, paid them under the table to avoid signing with other teams in case New England needed them.

Colvin is a very dirty player, who like many before him, has presented a mirage of half-decent numbers thanks in large part to his knowing the opposition's plays before they are run. Seau, meanwhile, is one of my most despised athletes ever. And yet both are back in New England trying to create last year's "magic". Seau was certainly sitting by the phone twittling his thumbs and stroking the large framed photo he has of Belichick sitting by his bed. If either of these washed-up, just-in-it-for-an-easy-ring slimeballs has any impact on the Patriots' stretch run, it should make fans everywhere sick.

In other Patriot-related news, proud Boston native and closet Patriots fan Matt Hasselbeck is conveniently sidelined for this week's game, as is the Seahawks' All-Pro left tackle Walter Jones. That means Seneca Wallace will be called on to slay the demons known as the Patriots this week. Funny how that works. Good luck, Seatte, you'll need it. Actually, "miracle" would be a better word.

Goodell's “International Series” aides Patriots

Let's say you're the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and you glance ahead to your schedule opponents for next season. You know you're playing the AFC and NFC East in addition to the regular brutal slate of divisional games in the NFC South. Tough sledding. At least one of your toughest games, against the New England Patriots, is at home – right?
Wrong. Because greedy, money-hungry commissioner Roger Goodell needs extra pocket cash so once a year, a team gets shafted out of a home game and gets to “host” an opponent overseas. Unfortunately for football and the Buccaneers' fans, their toughest opponent will no longer have to face the Bucs on their home turf, but rather at a “neutral” site. And let's face it, with the Patriots and their never-ending horde of bandwagoners, there's never such thing as a “neutral” site.
So to sum up, the Patriots don't have to play one of their toughest road games so the commissioner can make a few extra bucks he doesn't need. Conveniently when selected two teams, he miraculously picked this matchup, instead of, say, the Detroit Lions, who could probably play on the Moon while their opponents have no oxygen masks and still not have an advantage.
My opinion of it, Patriots-biased or not, is that this idea royally sucks. Not only does one team have to forfeit a home date, but their opponent gets one of their road games played at a neutral site. The Dolphins, they of 1-15 infamy in 2007, and the Saints, they of missing out on the playoffs yet again, have been victimized by it. Now it's the Buccaneers turn. Advantage, as usual, Patriots.

Primary reasons why people hop the Sox bandwagon

What prompts someone to pull for the Boston Red Sox? Before delving into that question, let's clarify this: There is no such thing as a Red Sox fan that isn't a fan of all Boston sports. If you are supporting one entity, then you may as well support them all, because your face is already covered in dirt. So none of this, “Well I've always loved the Sox but the Cowboys are my NFL team.” No no no, please don't try and get classy and save face.
The “B” [for Bandwagoner] hats are selling like hot cakes these days. Is it because people once felt sorry for the Red Sox because of the curse? (No need for caps on “curse”, it doesn't warrant it). Is it because they feel the pain of Boston always being inferior to New York, whether it's the Yankees or the city itself being far more prestigious than anything Boston ever will? Maybe it's just a fad, and people tend to love fads. The point is, there is no acceptable answer.
That said, here is a closer look at some of those sad-sack excuses people come up with in regards to their undying support of the Red Sox:

The “curse”. Can't hear that one enough, can you? 86 years when they couldn't win a World Series. The ball through Bill Buckner's legs in the '86 series? Bucky “F***ing” Dent? Who knows? Who cares? There is a false sense of “lovable loser-ness” here that doesn't belong (much more suited to the Chicago Cubs). That always wins over some slimy hearts.
The underdog mentality garnered from being slapped around by the Yankees for years on end. Again, underdog is going overboard. Title or not, the Red Sox always had money to spend and seasons to remember. No one likes the Yankees; I can't stand them. But they are the standard of excellence in baseball, with 26 World Series titles to boast and countless daggers into the hearts of Boston fans (no complaints from me about the latter).
The fad. The hats are pretty basic. But then again, cigarettes are pretty nasty. And yet people smoke to look cool, or because it's a habit they can't kick. The Red Sox gain so much media attention thanks to their personal sports network, ESPN. Media attention is the primary reason for the grisly fad that doesn't figure to fade anytime soon.
“Red Sox Nation”. Another media creation. I don't pay much attention to Raider Nation, as entertaining as Black Hole in Oakland is. But any time a group of sports fans utilize this label, it diminishes their credibility greatly. Especially when the title was crowned by a television station, and not even the fans themselves.
Hatred of the Yankees. Might seem repetitive. I can't stand the Yankees, but I would stand behind them under an attack of whining Red Sox fans who are envious of the prestige and glamor of New York. The Giants are Super Bowl champions, and the Jets are on their way. The Mets and Rangers are always competitive. And New York, simply put, is the city that never sleeps. And for good reason. It is one of the best places to be in the world, with everything in every facet of life and culture to offer. Many hypocritical Bostonians end up moving there, like people from all over the globe. When it comes to sports, like it or not, New York is the cream of the crop. And the dislike for the Yankees (and this is what really gets my goat) automatically steers people to pull for the Red Sox, as if it's “If you're not cheering for one, it's the other.” This small-mindedness can again be largely attributed to the overdose the media provides of these two organizations.
You need to feel good about yourself. Sometimes sports act as an escape for us. We wrap ourselves up in our teams. If they win, we win. If they lose, we get down as if we lost. Like the countless Lakers and Cowboys supporters, it's always a safer bet to back a team that constantly wins. Therefore we (well, not me, speak for yourselves of course) are more likely to be satisfied. With that little psychoanalysis comes the striking reality that this is the poorest excuse yet. You really can't hold an intelligent sports conversation with someone like that because it is hard to really take them seriously as a sports fan.

Completing the monopoly: Bruins rising

Figures, doesn't it? Actually, not to me. I don't consider myself much of a gambler, so betting $1 on the Boston Bruins at 50/1 well before the hockey season started was a minimal investment with a nice potential return. I know very, very little about hockey, except that one thing was evident: The Bruins play in Boston, so they will get enough breaks to have a chance to win.
So far, I am looking pretty smart, for a change. All the Bruins have done is rack up 32 points, tops in the Eastern Conference and one shy of the San Jose Sharks' NHL-leading 35. I couldn't tell you much about the Bruins other then that their goaltending is considered among the game's elite. I believe they have a number of big-time fighters on their team, so foul play, as per usual with Boston sports, is likely a factor. I know that the Red Sox didn't win it in 2008, so A.J. Burnett is a likely candidate to end up there to make sure that doesn't happen again in 2009. For now, the Celtics are running away with a pitiful Eastern Conference in the NBA, and in case they slip, the Bruins likely will get enough luck on their side to more than make up for it.
Me, I am predictably disgusted, but hardly surprised. I don't really follow hockey enough to invest the same energy I do into baseball and football, but if a Boston team is winning, I'll take notice. If the Bruins do in fact rise to prominence and win the Stanley Cup, I will feel vindicated in one sense. There was little rhyme or reason why the Celtics became so dominant last season, and even less if the Bruins do the same this year. Except for the obvious theory that there is a higher being watching over Boston sports.
The $50 would be a nice “Sorry for your troubles” pocket cash if the Bruins complete the Boston sports monopoly, but it would continue a despicable trend of absurdity in the first decade of the 21st century. Canadian teams are supposed to rule hockey when the de facto powerhouse Red Wings slip, but Boston has the kind of charmed existence that automatically supersedes that. When the Bruins stand on the Fenway Park field before the Red Sox season opener in April hoisting the Stanley Cup trophy, it will put the cap on the complete takeover of sports. A scary thought indeed.

The 5 Most Enraging Moments Of Boston's Sports Decade

Throughout the enduring pain of Boston's sports gods smiling down on them this decade, there have been many moments that stand out for the frustration and anger they created. For every lucky break or inexplicable comeback they had, the sports world suffered just a little bit more. Take, for example, the infamous Tuck Rule. Now at the time, Boston sports had not gotten on their karmic run, so who knew then that the Notorious Raiders' misfortune would become the Patriots' everlasting treasure. Looking back on it, Oakland was cheated and the Patriots actually cheated. That unfortunate event, as well as Drew Bledsoe's untimely injury in Week 2 of that season, changed everything for the worse. A look back (and hopefully, not forward from this point on) at the 5 most grueling and despised moments in Boston's recent run in sports, in no particular order:

Game 5 of the 2007 ALCS. The end does not justify the means here. The Rays may have won the series in 7 games, but lest we forget that Game 5 may have emotionally and psychologically drained them for the World Series, in which they came out flat against an inferior but rested foe in Philadelphia. The 7-0 meltdown suffered by Tampa Bay was one of the most painful things I've ever watched. It figured Boston was back at their old cheap tricks, coming back from a deficit in a series to prove their place in baseball lore. The Rays (and the fans) had to gut out such a gruesome thought until Matt Garza finally turned out the lights on Boston's 2008 season in Game 7. But the days between Games 5 and 7 were terrifying, to say the least.


Game 4 of the 2008 NBA Finals. As if the Red Sox and Patriots' successes weren't enough, the Lakers got to experience what many past victims of those aforementioned clubs had in Game 4 of the NBA Finals last season. A complete and utter choke job only explainable by means of divine intervention ensued, as the Celtics erased a 24-point deficit to rally for a command 3-1 series lead. They went on to win in 6 games to make it a grisly trifecta in sports titles in the present decade. Perhaps the worst part about the Celtics' title run was that very few people saw it coming. Alas, that's how it always seems to be, doesn't it?

Super Bowl XXXVIII. So many little things that could've changed the game but didn't. Either it was the two failed, ill-advised two-point conversion attempts by Carolina, or it was their kicker, John Kasay, kicking the kickoff following the game-tying TD out of bounds, setting up a short field for Tom Brady to claim to be a hero by leading a truly-defining, 47-yard drive to set up a field goal. When Carolina took a short-lived, 22-21 lead in the fourth quarter, it was the first time we had the pleasure of even seeing the Patriots trail in a game in over two months to that point. The Panthers gave up a touchdown and never led again. Adam Vinatieri, who gets props at least for bolting to the rival Colts after the '05 season, got to experience deja vu and hammer the final nail in the Panthers' coffin.

Marlon McCree's fumbled interception, 2006 Divisional Playoffs. This is the one that killed me to almost no end. Even though it paved the way for Peyton Manning's heroics the following week in the championship game, the annual Patriots charade should never have gotten that far. Tom Brady was picked off for the third time in the game, but McCree carried the return like a loaf of bread, only to be stripped by prehistoric receiver Troy Brown. IT gave the announcers and media a chance to laud a “truly selfless” effort by the overrated Brown, when really the focus should have been on McCree's utter stupidity, as well as Marty Schottenheimer's constant postseason failures. Mercifully, Schottenheimer's career ended after this debacle, but the Patriots luck did not. Predictably, the botched interception set up the tying touchdown and ultimately the 24-21 victory, which the classless Patriots followed up by mocking the Chargers at midfield after the final seconds ticked off.

May 13, 2007. This was possibly the worst of them all because it involved my beloved Orioles being victimized by the Boston terrorism. The Orioles were well on the verge of taking two out of three at Fenway Park, leading 5-0 in the bottom of the 9th. Jeremy Guthrie had pitched lights-out to that point, and got the first out of the inning before catcher Ramon Hernandez mishandled an infield pop-up that ignited a brutal 6-run rally by the Red Sox. The horrendous nightmare culminated with Julio Lugo hitting a ground ball to the right side of the infield. Former Sox hero Kevin Millar made an errant flip to pitcher Chris Ray at first, allowing the winning runs to score. I immediately wen to the gym and took out my frustrations on the punching bag.

Manning's 2004 trumps Brady's 2007*

Again, notice the asterisk. Tom Brady may have thrown 50 touchdown passes to set a single-season record* in 2007. Peyton Manning held the legitimate previous mark at 49, breaking Dan Marino's mark that had stood for 20 years. But there are some facts worth noting that in this Patriots-hater's mind make Manning's record-breaking season a more impressive one.
Consider, first of all, that having the class that he does, Tony Dungy sat Manning in the fourth quarter of a number of blowouts to let backup Jim Sorgi take some reps. Bill Belichick, meanwhile, not only usually left Brady in, but once even brought him back out to throw one more scoring pass just to rub it in Miami's face because the winless Dolphins got to within 21 points.
Unlike when New England went for the jugular with nothing on the line other than a record in the final game against the Giants (who won the only matchup between the teams that mattered last season), Dungy pulled Manning after just one series of the Colts' season-finale in Denver. Sitting on 49 against a defense that just two weeks prior had been scorched for 45 points by a sub-.500 Chiefs team, Manning easily could've topped 50. Even with Marino's record gone, Manning should have figured it wouldn't be safe with cheaters still on the loose. But still, Dungy is a class act and wanted to make sure his top-notch players were healthy when the Colts met the Broncos again the next week in the first round of the playoffs.
Brady undoubtedly knew what plays the Jets were running in the 2007 opener, and it wouldn't be much of a shock if he caught some illegal video footage of some of the other opponents the Patriots played. There were games, like the aforementioned Miami contest and a game against Washington the following week in which, despite a massive lead, Brady was still in slinging it against a hapless, defeated foe. Brady connected with Wes Welker in the Washington game for a score to make it 45-0 in the fourth quarter. The pint-sized Welker, beneficiary of double- and triple-teams on Randy Moss all year, spiked the ball like he had just won the Super Bowl (something he will hopefully never experience). What did Marvin Harrison and Reggie Wayne do after a touchdown? Hand the ball to the official, even if the score put the Colts ahead in the fourth quarter.
All told, Brady maxed out with 50 scoring tosses. Manning probably lost more than a game's worth of action to rest because many of the Colts games that year were out of reach early. No need to rub it in, right? But had slimy Belichick been pulling the reigns, Manning's record would probably still be standing in the mid-50s.

More obnoxious fans: Patriots or Steelers?

Good Will Hunting, Jason Bourne and Entourage whole-heartedly support the New England Patriots, cheating, scumminess, and all. Of course, that's easy when it seems that 97% of the popular universe hails from the New England area. But the Steelers may smoke the Patriots in that department – literally. That's because they have the D-O-Double Jizzle in their corner, the one and only Snoop Dogg. Rumor has it that Billy Madison, Adam Sandler, is a Steelers supporter as well.

The Patriots are more of a “woodwork” team. That means that due to their recent success* (notice the asterisk), many of their so-called “fans” are still coming out of the woodwork (I actually met a guy who claimed to be a die-hard because he just ordered a Matt Cassel jersey over the Internet). The Steelers, admitted cheaters due to excessive steroid use during their reign of terror in the 70s, at least are more steeped in tradition that the team that was almost shipped off to Hartford by Robert Kraft prior to the turn of the 21st century.
These teams have met many a time in recent years, with much at stake every time. The Steelers are still trying to figure out what they are more steamed over, the cheap film the Patriots had of their sideline from the 2001 championship game or Deion Branch gloating to the all the Terrible Towel wavers after the 2004 title game. They played last year during the Patriots run at imperfection, when rookie safety Anthony Smith of the Steelers virtually guaranteed a win. The result, an inevitable 34-13 drubbing.
Pittsburgh is a blue collar, hard-nosed town. They haven't had much to cheer for in the last 15-20 years with their Pirates. The Penguins came up just short last year, while the Pitt football and basketball teams have been competitive if not glorious. But it's all about the Steelers. The terrible towels alone make them an easy target for fans of anyone else, especially their division rivals. The difference is, the Patriots should be despised by all. Especially their so-called “fans”.

Patriots' Welker only benefiting from Moss' presence

Maybe the most misleading stat in the history of football is that New England Patriots' receiver Wes Welker is the first player in NFL history to catch at least six passes in his team's first nine games of a season. Let's forget that he has a paltry 9.4 yards per catch, one touchdown, and his longest gain this year is 27 yards. Welker is among the most overrated receivers in football. All he does is run five-yard patterns out of the slot, which are usual open because defenses are so afraid of lackadaisical Randy Moss they usually assign two or three defenders to him.
Welker getting yardage is like taking any generic fast player and throwing him quick passes that any Average Joe could catch, and because the Patriots' lineman are generally holding and cut-blocking, he can pad his stats with so-called yards after the catch.
One friend of mine claims that although Welker and Moss may not be the most dynamic one-two punch in football, they complement each other better than anyone. I then compared that theory to an over-sized bully and his pint-sized sidekick. The sidekick can still command respect and get his licks in on the helpless victim because he is protected by his mammoth partner-in-crime.
Of course, no one even remembers that Welker was once a member of the Miami Dolphins. He did very little to command any respect of his own, which only furthers my claim that he is hardly anything special. But with Brady last year and Moss still around this year, Welker can reap all the benefits and claim he's the real deal.

Maybe Boston would prefer it this way -- without Brady

When Tom Brady went down for the season in Week 1, I was thrilled – not that he was injured, but simply that his Golden Boy aura finally experienced a little gray. I was ready to start focusing elsewhere, not wondering whether the Patriots would torment the league with their cheating the way they have this entire decade since that fateful day when Drew Bledsoe went down in 2001. But for Boston, the kings of charmed stories, it just seems to keep getting better for them. Matt Cassel, a nobody, leading a ball-control offense for a team now inexplicably in first place in the AFC East. With about a dozen running backs out, an undrafted free agent putting up 100-yard games. And a defense with a number of veterans gone still keeping teams under 20 points. No, the nightmare isn't over. It's just continuing.
New England may have had the best of both worlds after Tom Terrific tore up his knee. They could either have a down year and claim a freebie with Brady out, or have another playoff season and let smarmy Bill Belichick stick it to his critics that the sum is greater than the whole of its individual parts.
If the Jets can't avenge a disgraceful Week 2 loss in New England this coming Thursday, the ridiculous saga of Boston sports will continue with the Patriots at 7-3 and in first place in a crummy division who's deficiencies are masked by overachieving teams having winning records. Buffalo and Miami are not legitimate contenders, and the Jets are teetering on the brink. With everything that should have knocked the Patriots out like a wave of anesthesia, the legend and the lore keeps growing with every lucky win they get.
We can't say for sure if they still know the plays the opposition are running, although in today's contest against Buffalo it sure looked that way. Now it's up to the Jets, they of ratting out the Pats last year, to relieve the football fans of more Patriots-related suffering. Enough is enough.

Dirtbag Wilfork let off the hook by Goodell

This is why people should hate the New England Patriots, and why commissioner Roger Goodell may truly be a Pats fan. He let the NFL’s scummiest player out of a possible suspension despite what is one of the most disturbing pieces of video footage from the 2008 NFL season. Jay Cutler can now commiserate with the likes of J.P. Losman, Jason Witten, Brandon Jacobs and Michael Turner, all four of whom Wilfork was fined substantially for cheap shots on last season. Following a Denver turnover, Wilfork was seen not only pummeling the Broncos quarterback to the ground, but utilizing an elbow to his helmet that left him wobbly. The footage was not in HD, but the violent and malicious intent was as clear as day. As a football fan, that hit even made me feel a little queasy, although hardly as bad as Cutler felt lying face-down on the turf.
Rodney Harrison may be out for the season, but the despicableness of Patriots players is very much alive in the mean spirit of Wilfork. Somehow, some inexplicable way, Goodell let Wilfork off easy. Adam Jones goes to a few too many strip clubs and is banned from the NFL. Wilfork throws an elbow that could jeopardize a player’s health and merely has to cough up a few chump-change dollars.
In a season where we should all be rejoicing that Tom Brady is out for the season (not rejoicing that he is injured, but simply the fact that the Patriots have to try and win without their Golden Boy), New England has again benefitted from a pathetic schedule and weak division to get out to a 5-2 start.
And it’s because of the consistent inhumane acts of players like Wilfork that one day, the tables should truly turn on the game’s biggest cheaters. One can only hope so, no thanks to Goodell.

Time to reflect on the 2008 MLB season

Now that the Tampa Bay Rays are in the World Series, it’s no longer necessary to mention that they are the biggest surprise team in baseball in 2008. However, as the World Series is upon us now, let’s take a look back at the biggest other surprises, and busts, from this past season. I will also dole out my awards for the best individual performances.

Top Surprise Teams (Besides Rays)
- Minnesota Twins (88-74). The Twins were supposed to tank after dealing Johan Santana to the Mets for a very little haul and watching Torii Hunter depart in free agency. Instead, they battled the White Sox down to the very last day for the AL Central title, falling just short in a one-game playoff. Justin Morneau had an MVP-caliber year to help ignite an offense that on paper should still be one of the weaker ones in baseball. Their rotation, spearheaded by up-and-comers such as Scott Baker, kept them in many games, key because their bullpen still ranks as one of baseball’s best.
- Florida Marlins (84-77). Like the Twins, the Marlins greatly overachieved in a 2008 that was supposed to be a rebuilding year for them. Thanks to outstanding offensive years from the likes of Hanley Ramirez and Dan Uggla and great pitching from youngsters such as Ricky Nolasco, the Marlins were able to hang in despite a shaky bullpen and very little fan following. They ultimately came up short, but Fredi Gonzalez’s squad has paved the way for a breakout year in 2009.
- St. Louis Cardinals (86-76). The Cardinals used a patchwork starting rotation for virtually the entire year, yet Tony LaRussa’s team overcame that in addition to a two-week injury to all-world hitter Albert Pujols to stay in the hunt into September. The world champs of two years ago were also without the services of their ace Chris Carpenter for virtually the entire season, but utilized overachievers such as Todd Wellemeyer and Braden Looper to stay afloat.

Top Disappointments
- Detroit Tigers (74-88). Like many so-called “experts”, I had this team winning the World Series. Instead, they not only missed the playoffs, but finished in last place (behind even the Royals) in the suddenly weak AL Central. Their pitching was awful, especially their bullpen, while a lineup considered by many as the best in baseball never really got going on a consistent basis. By the time the dust cleared from a shocking 0-7 start, it was too late.
- Seattle Mariners (61-101). For some unknown reason, your truly had this awful club picked to win the AL West in 2008. Instead, they achieved the dubious feat of not having a single pitcher win 10 games. Starting pitching was a weak point in a surprising 2007 campaign, and the trade for Orioles ace Erik Bedard was supposed to fix that. Instead, Bedard pitched only 15 games for a team that lost a disgraceful 101 games.
- Arizona Diamondbacks (82-80). Yes, the Rockies could easily be on this list instead of the D-backs. My NL pick for the World Series, the D-backs showed that a great starting rotation can’t overcome a horrendous bullpen. With Brandon Lyon blowing saves left and right, many a great effort from Brandon Webb and Dan Haren were wasted. The offense never fully flourished, and instead of running away with a subpar NL West, Arizona ended up barely finishing over .500. The team that ended 2007 with the National League’s best record took a step backward in 2008.

Awards
- AL MVP: Dustin Pedroia, Boston Red Sox. It pains me to give this to a Boston player, but Justin Morneau faltered greatly down the stretch for the Twins, and Carlos Quentin’s idiotic self-inflicted wrist injury cost him a chance for the award. Pedroia was the spark plug all year for a Red Sox lineup constantly enduring injuries. He hit .326, narrowly missing the batting title to Minnesota’s Joe Mauer, and tied Ichiro Suzuki for the league lead in hits with 213. Pedroia played in 157 games and also led the league with 118 runs scored.
- NL MVP: Albert Pujols, St. Louis Cardinals. Perhaps missing two weeks due to injury only enhanced Pujols’ case as the NL’s top player. He still finished second in batting average (.357) and on-base percentage (.462) and fourth in homers (37) and RBIs (116). The Cardinals offense went as Pujols did, as he once again proved that no one in as feared and respected at the plate than he is. Chase Utley, Lance Berkman, Hanley Ramirez, and Ryan Howard all deserve consideration, but Pujols deserves the trophy.
- AL Cy Young: Cliff Lee, Cleveland Indians. Lee will also easily grab Comeback Player of the Year, as he bounced back from an injury- and ineffectiveness-plagued 2007 campaign to post an astonishing 22-3 record and 2.54 ERA while earning the start for the American League in the All-Star Game. He almost single-handedly turned a forgettable season for the Indians into a late-season push to .500.
- NL Cy Young: Tim Lincecum, San Francisco Giants. I changed my mind about taking Brandon Webb, who won 22 games but faltered a bit down the stretch when his team was still in contention. Lincecum went 18-5 with a 2.62 ERA and a league-leading 265 strikeouts. His win and ERA totals were good for second in the league behind Webb and Johan Santana, respectively. Lincecum’s dominance prevented the Giants from being an utter laughingstock this year, as the baby-faced ace was perhaps the lone bright spot in yet another miserable season by the Bay.
- AL Rookie of the Year: Evan Longoria, Tampa Bay Rays. Even though he missed more than a month with a fractured wrist, Longoria was one of the main reasons the Rays went from worst to first in 2008. He led all major-league rookies with 27 home runs and all AL rookies with 85 RBIs for baseball’s best team and was outstanding defensively at third base. Chicago’s Alexei Ramirez should finish a close second, while Boston’s Jacoby Ellsbury will also garner some votes.
- NL Rookie of the Year: Geovany Soto, Chicago Cubs. Soto appeared in 141 games for the National League’s best team, posting impressive numbers, especially for a backstop. He led all rookies with 86 RBIs while hitting a solid .285 and clubbing 23 homers. He was as valuable as anyone for the 97-win Cubs in 2008. Cincinnati’s Joey Votto also had an outstanding rookie season and deserves consideration.
- AL Manager of the Year: Joe Maddon, Tampa Bay Rays. This one is almost self-explanatory. The Rays remarkable turn-around and run to the top of the AL East standings was baseball’s best story in 2008. Maddon got the most out of a roster that, on paper, wasn’t anything dynamic. Seemingly every move he made turned out well, and his “9=8” slogan seemed to energize his team throughout the season.
- NL Manager of the Year: Lou Piniella, Chicago Cubs. Yes, normally it would be hard to fathom Sweet Lou, manager of the talent-loaded, high-payroll Cubs, getting the nod. But in a year in which no other team took center stage quite like the Cubbies, Piniella deserves the award. He kept his team focused and competitive despite endless talk of the curse, and guided the Cubs to their most wins since 1945. Chicago was one of the most exciting teams to watch, and that’s no coincidence.

Boston-hater haters rejoice, and attack yours truly

I deserve it. All my Boston-bashing has come back to bite me yet again, as your beloved Red Sox have completed another amazing comeback en route to a World Series title. I was left speechless, even a tad bit queasy. I knew subconsciously it was possible, but I couldn’t grasp it as reality. Until it actually happened, that is.
J.D. Drew, the great one, a hero yet again. A team with no business being in the playoffs succumbing to Fenway magic. It was bound to happen. So let’s give credit where credit is due, wherever credit is due. Perhaps it is time for me to stop fighting it and instead embrace it as cold-hard fact. After all, I have long-searched for happiness in sports. My Orioles have been in the toilet for years, and the Ravens’ best years are long behind them.
The Patriots are hurting this year, and the Bruins aren’t exactly the cream of the crop, but no worries. The Red Sox and Celtics are not only picking up the slack, they’re capturing hearts and places in history with each passing day.
I avow you this right now. If miraculously, somehow, the Red Sox don’t win these last 2 ALCS games behind Josh Beckett and Jon Lester, I will not bash Boston and say “Just kidding!” about this recent rant. Rather, I will simply express pure shock that this unimaginable comeback didn’t lead to a third world title in five years for the Nation. That a team winning solely with momentum and confidence, and not sheer talent, is in the World Series instead of the best team baseball has seen in years.
The two aces are still left to go for Boston, and I would really be surprised if a Boston fan told me he/she was concerned about their team’s chances at this point. Even down 3-2, how could you be worried? Tampa Bay will help your team out even if they are not doing enough themselves to get by.
I’m not a rocket scientist, nor do I claim to be one. But I envision a bounce-back start from Beckett, followed by a classic dominant performance by Lester in Game 7 so send Beantown into yet another frenzy.
Red Sox Nation, start preparing for the victory parade.

Shhh – NFC South quietly making waves

You know that division where every team is at or above .500? The one with all the hoopla, the top-notch quarterbacks and such? Okay, the NFC East has lived up to its hype for the most part. The division boasts the defending Super Bowl champions and everyone’s consensus Super Bowl pick for this season. In addition to the Giants and Cowboys, the Redskins have been an early-season surprise at 4-2 while the Eagles are treading water at 3-3.
But the East isn’t the only NFC division with an impressive resume through six weeks. Thanks to the upstart Falcons, the South also has three teams with winning records and a fourth at 3-3. The Buccaneers, Falcons, and Panthers are all 4-2 thanks to solid quarterback play and strong defenses. The Saints, another chic Super Bowl pick this year, have been their usual Jekyll-and-Hyde selves, hanging in despite a boatload of injuries.
Let’s face it, sexiness sells. The NFC South is hardly “sexy”. The Bucs and Panthers in particular are hard-nosed, grind out it teams who rarely achieve style points for their success. Even with a dynamic player like Steve Smith, Carolina has never won pretty. The Falcons have garnered more attention in recent years for their disgraced former star quarterback than anything they’ve done on the field. Fortunately, it’s been a new young sensation at QB that’s helped Atlanta regenerate excitement.
You’d be hard-pressed to find someone who truly believes this year’s NFC Super Bowl representative will come from outside the NFC East. The North and West are clearly a cut-below. But lest we forget that it was just a few years ago that the NFC South produced back-to-back Super Bowl teams and then a title game representative the next. While they have won a total of just one playoff game since 2005, perhaps it’s time to start giving them some props again.

Big Brother was watching Sox in Game 1

Did you see that Game 1 of the ALCS? Well someone above certainly did, and he was donning the famous “B” cap. The 2-0 Red Sox victory was sprinkled (maybe “tainted” is a better word) with the kind of breaks that have no business being the determining factor in a championship series. Mark Kotsay, the team’s obligatory in-season pickup-for-nothing, was inevitable right at the heart of that. The left-hander hit a check swing double off James Shields in the 5th inning to set up the game’s first run. He almost duplicated the feat in his next at-bat but was thwarted by a great effort from Rays’ shortstop Jason Bartlett.
Then, of course, was Dice-K getting lucky, just as he has all year. The Rays hit themselves out of a game-tying inning in the 7th before Evan Longoria aided reliever Justin Masterson with a double play ball in the 8th. Of course, sandwiched in between was a ball glancing off the glove of left fielder Carl Crawford to plate the much-needed insurance run.
The Red Sox, as usual, got more breaks last night than a Kit Kat bar, while the Rays could only scratch their collective heads. Considering that there is no team with that kind of karma, this bad movie will have a predictable ending yet again in 2008. Unfortunately, the final victim will be the Philadelphia Phillies and their die-hard fans, starving for a championship for the first time since 1980. The Phillies are no match for the Red Sox, and bitter memories of Super Bowl XXXIX will arise and once again haunt city of Brotherly Love.
The final word is this. Since that matchup is obvious, it will be Brad Lidge choking again in the postseason at the hands of a David Ortiz walk-off home run. The rerun will air sometime next week during the Red Sox’s final frontier.

Ponder this theory on Dice-K

Okay, so you, the reader, have to make a decision now. The decision is regarding Japanese pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka of the Boston Red Sox, whether or not he is one of the greatest pitchers of all time.

I am one of the top Red Sox haters, but I am starting to wonder after Game 1 of the ALCS. If Matsuzaka isn't perceived as great, he has at least earned the nickname Jam Master (Dice)K. I can't figure out myself how he constantly gets out of jams. I am aware he has good stuff, but so did Sandy Koufax and Walter Johnson. Like all greats, they were human, they had bad outings that they wanted to erase from their memory. But no, not Dice-K. No matter how bad he pitches, he is bailed out.

This is a guy that walks about 5 batters per game, yet continues to defy logic. Watching his games make me sick, especially game 1 of the ALCS, because it's a tease. You think you are about to rally, and then the opposing hitter psyches himself out and swings at an awful pitch to strand the runners. The Rays had 1st and 3rd with 0 outs needing just a ground ball or adequately deep fly ball to tie the game, yet came up empty. They ended up, predictably, being shutout.

So is this one of the all-time greats weaving his magic? Or just the baseball gods once again doing everything in their power to help the Red Sox? That is for you the reader to answer.

ESPN hoping (dying, actually) for Sox-Dodgers Series

If only the world were truly perfect were ESPN… But oh, it can be. Even though Golden Boy Tom Brady is shelved for the year, the Red Sox-Dodgers World Series that is seemingly inevitable will fill up countless hours of airtime. America’s heartthrob sports city against Tinsel Town and all its glory. Manny against the Sox. Nomar and Lowe against the Sox. Joe Torre matching wits with Terry Francona yet again, almost like a renewal of the Yankees-Sox rivalry.
Boston versus L.A. in sports is equivalent to Boston over L.A. Red Sox over Angels. Celtics over Lakers. Harvard over USC (okay, not in sports, but in things that matter, like academics). Besides the obvious sports storylines that this World Series will feature, it will also feature all the Red Sox fans in the celebrity community making their presence felt on both coasts. I can picture it now, Matt Damon and Ben Affleck flaunting their David Ortiz jerseys in the faces of so-called Dodger fans like Alyssa Milano (yea that’s lame, but can you think of any real Dodgers fans)?
It’s almost as if this matchup should’ve been a sure thing since Day One. It’s almost as if the pro-Boston media getting its juicy stories to air supersedes the once-pure aura of sports. This decade has been all about Boston sports, a kind of divine intervention not seen in professional sports. Do the gods feel bad about the Curse and all that stuff? Doesn’t seem to be working for the Cubs.
The Red Sox-Dodgers world series would be nothing more than a sideshow with no desirable winner. Even a Dodgers victory would somehow be diminished in the wake of Boston’s seven other pro titles in the 2000s. And Manny getting another ring would hardly be a settling feeling.
World Are-You-Serious 2008 here we come.

Naturally, Yankees help Sox-- ESPN should be all over it

I've stopped reading ESPN.com, much like I've stopped watching ESPN TV. That's easy in Canada, where they don't have it. While the Yankees were busy parading their history and their tradition in front of my hapless Orioles, lost in the fold was some simple math. Like the number one, Boston's magic number for clinching a playoff berth.

While the schedule makers clearly aired in not making the Yankees' final home game against the Red Sox, the extra insult came in that a Yankees lost would have allowed Boston to clinch a playoff berth prior to their season-ending seven-game homestand. While I don't condone that fact, it is, at this point, inevitable. It would have been much better to have the Red Sox celebrate quietly in the confines of their individual homes rather than tomorrow night at Fenway Park once they get through dismantling the woeful Indians.

So as usual, Red Sox bandwagoners have something to be happy about. This time, they can thank the Yankees for winning and allowing their team to clinch at home in front of the so-called greatest fans in baseball (try telling that to the Wrigley die-hards).

ESPN and its undying Boston-New York bias did not get around to mentioning this in its 12-hour Yankees memory-lane trip today, but given the opportunity it most certainly would have. In an age where the baseball gods are smiling down at the Red Sox 24-7, this is a new low for inconvenient truths.

Dolphins, Saints know stormy times lie ahead for Texans

The 2004 version of the Miami Dolphins and 2005 version of the New Orleans Saints can probably relate to what this year’s Houston Texans team is going through already. With Hurricane Ike ravaging the gulf of Texas, and Reliant Stadium banged up as a result, those two clubs cringingly think back to recent seasons in which they were focused on Mother Nature than their next opponent.
The ’04 Dolphins had their first two home games moved around because of Hurricane Jeanne. Their opener was moved up a day to Saturday, and their second home game was played in a monsoon on a Sunday night. Amidst all of their football troubles that year, the natural disasters helped contribute to a miserable 4-12 campaign.
The Saints ’05 season was much more well-documented, as Hurricane Katrina destroyed New Orleans before the regular season began. The SuperDome was wrecked, and the Saints played their home schedule in three different locations: Baton Rouge, San Antonio, and one “home” game at Giants Stadium in New Jersey. The end result was a 3-13 record and controversy that owner Tom Benson wanted to move the team to San Antonio on a permanent basis.
While those two teams did follow up those nightmarish seasons with winning records the next year, the Texans may be in for a rough go of it this year. Even if their home opener against Baltimore is the only one affected by Ike, their season had already begun on a sour note with a 38-17 drubbing at the hands of the Steelers. Combine that with playing in the AFC’s toughest division, and the off-field distractions could prove to be too much for a team that has still never had a winning season in its six-year history.

Classless Red Sox buying their way back atop East

What is it with all of these also-ran teams willingly handing over solid veteran players to the Boston Red Sox for virtually nothing? Are most baseball general managers just green with envy over Theo Epstein? The same can be said about teams' quick willingness to help out the New York Yankees as well.

When most teams in most sports suffer injuries or ineffectiveness, it's up to the bench players or minor league players to step up and fill the voids. But with deep deep pockets, the Red Sox and Yankees have an easier solution -- just go out and buy a player because something isn't going their way.

J.D. Drew whines about back spasms, and so naturally Mark Kotsay is in Boston within days. Tim Wakefield needs a cortisone shot, so the Red Sox pick up rabid HGH user Paul Byrd. Hideki Matsui goes down for the Yankees, and Xavier Nady comes by and hits another 15 home runs down the stretch.

It is a crying shame the Tampa Bay Rays didn't go out and stock up at the trade deadline, and in some ways kudos to them for showing class and not abusing the system like the financial demons above them did. But it is coming back to bite them now, as they will be buried back in second place in the American League East within a matter of days.

O no: Osi's injury hampers Giants repeat hopes

Can you imagine the New York Giants defense without Michael Strahan AND Osi Umenyiora? Unfortunately, that nightmare scenario is now a reality for the defending world champions. For a team that showed off its depth during its incredible championship run last year, their two Pro Bowl ends missing could spell doom for Big Blue.

Can the Giants get pressure on opposing quarterbacks like they did last season with Justin Tuck as their premier pass rusher? I for one would have to say no. It is truly a shame, as Umenyiora is not only one of the top ends in the game but also one of the most likable players as well. He was expected to become the defensive leader after Strahan's retirement, but now newly-compensated coordinator Steve Spagnuolo will have his hands full trying to gameplan without his two top guns from a year ago.

Rays' Friedman whiffed at deadline, paying price

Tampa Bay Rays GM Andrew Friedman has assembled quite a collection of young talent. A team that never won more than 70 games before this year and is now 73-47 is a remarkable story. The Rays are baseball's darlings. But they are suddenly looking more human, day by day.

When Carl Crawford and Evan Longoria landed on the disabled list within a week, it began to expose the roster a little bit. Even more so it highlighted the team's failure to land a big-time bat at the trade deadline. They made a solid pickup in Chad Bradford off waivers to bolster their bullpen depth, but their lineup looks far inferior to that of the league's elite. The blame falls completely on Friedman.

Xavier Nady looked like the ideal fit in Tampa Bay's weak outfield, yet he ended up with the Yankees, who hardly needed another fat contract on their $200M payroll. Ken Griffey and Jason Bay were possibilities, but those pipe dreams quickly faded. Raul Ibanez's name was rumored in the past few days, but no deal was struck. The Rays are now leaning on the likes of journeymen like Eric Hinske and Gabe Gross to help fill the lineup void left by Crawford and Longoria. Carlos Pena and B.J. Upton are hardly reliable as the lineup's mainstays.

The sad part in all this is not just that they missed out on possible key additions, but rather that they have as deep and talented a farm system as anyone to dip into to try and win this year. They decided to play coy with several of their top farmhands and stick with the bats that they had. Considering they have one .300 hitter in their lineup, that wasn't a wise choice.

The Pirates are an utter disgrace, may they continue to suffer

It's official: I hate the Pittsburgh Pirates. At about 8:30 EST I stopped feeling sorry for their pathetic trek of 15 straight losing seasons when they effectively handed the New York Yankees a playoff berth with the trade of Xavier Nady and Damaso Marte for a box of pizza (okay, technically four garbage prospects, but what's the difference?)

The Yankees once again get what they want, and didn't have to bat an eyelash to do it. The Tampa Bay Rays desperately needed Nady's bat. A plethora of other teams could've used Marte's left arm. Did the Pirates actually take the time to see if they could get quality players for these two? No. Instead, they shipped them off for nothing to the Evil Empire. Surely, it's another "rebuilding" phase for the despicable franchise. The Yankees, meanwhile, will rally around their near-$200 million payroll but claim they truly had to dig deep for this one. With a few players on the disabled list, that only left about $150 million worth of talent on the field. However did they make the postseason in that case?

The (expletive)-burgh Pirates are to thank for that.

From one Yankee-hater-turned-Pirate-hater to you, I propose this question. Now that their top man is off the table, do the Tampa Bay Rays turn their attention to Ken Griffey? Regardless, the Yankees got their way. In the end, that seems to be all that really matters.

In Rod They Trusted

Not a day seems to go by in today’s NFL when there isn’t a me-first wide receiver grabbing headlines, whether it’s demanding to be more involved in the offense or demanding a new contract or else. From the Terrell Owenses (at least pre-Cowboys) to the Anquan Boldins of today’s game, it’s quite easy to lose sight of their great production on the field because of their whining and selfish antics off it.

But then there’s Rod Smith.

Smith was always one of my favorite receivers. When he formally announced his retirement today in an emotional press conference, it was a good reminder that there are some players at his position that have it all yet can keep it all in perspective. A lifetime Denver Bronco after joining the team as an undrafted free agent in 1995, Smith tallied some impressive numbers in his 13-year career. His franchise records include 849 receptions, 11,389 receiving yards, 68 touchdown catches, and 31 100-yard games. He is a proud owner of two Super Bowl rings as well.

I hardly have a voice when it comes to Hall of Fame votes, but Rod Smith merits one. While his numbers may not look dazzling, his consistency and loyalty to the Broncos organization was. A 13-year career spent with one team, a pair of championships, and countless clutch plays should be rewarded with a trip to Canton. Best yet, no one will ever accuse him of being an attention-grabber, a pain in the rear, or a distraction to his football team. He quietly caught passes first from John Elway, then Brian Griese and Jake Plummer before missing all of last year with a hip injury. He handled himself with class, and yet his name rarely surfaced in discussions about the game’s top pass catchers.

No matter.

As Smith pointed out in his retirement news conference, all he ever wanted to do was win. And win he did. In the process, he made quite a name for himself, even if it was in fact a quiet one.

Come on Brett, now it's starting to get ridiculous

Don't get me wrong, I admire Brett Favre. He is one of my favorite players. It's really hard not to root for him, I suppose unless you are a fan of one his NFC North rival teams. But with the season he had last year, leading the Packers to the NFC championship game, it was as close to going out on top as he was going to get. The Packers probably would've been steamrolled by the Patriots in the Super Bowl anyway.

When Favre announced his retirement at an emotional press conference back on March 6, the media, fans, and everyone alike was taken by storm. NFL Network ran endless hours of Favre-related programming to honor the future Hall of Famer. As shocking as the decision was given the Packers' success last year, it was time to move on to the Aaron Rodgers era while fondly reflecting on the magical career of one No. 4.

But here we are in July, with training camp right around the bend, and it appears as if Favre may not be done after all. In fact, he has apparently asked to be granted his release by the Packers in the case that he does come back and the team plans to move on without him.

So forget Favre's usually thumb-twiddling of "should I stay or should I go?" This situation is much more fragile considering the Packers had already named Rodgers their new top gun. The franchise is now in a tenuous position. Ted Thompson probably does not want to be known as the general manager to part ways with Brett Favre, but it turns out he just might. And Favre's selfishness and indecision is a major migraine for Green Bay's front office.

I for one want to remember Favre for the tremendous year he had last year as the icing on a magical career. With all of the adversity he has overcome on and off the field in his 17 years in the league, it is hard not to marvel at him. Even as he has become more outspoken in recent years, he is still as beloved a player as anyone in the game. But if he were to backtrack on this decision and end up playing somewhere else, it would not only be painful to watch, but disturbing in many ways. The sight of Favre in another uniform would mark an ugly ending to a wonderful relationship between him and the Packers. Aaron Rodgers has already borne enough burden this offseason before even getting the opportunity to prove himself as an NFL quarterback. Mike McCarthy went out and drafted Brian Brohm to help the youth infusion at QB in the post-Favre era. But now the third-year head coach has this distraction hanging over him and his young team. Why? Becuase Brett Favre apparently decided he not only feels like playing again, but that he is also more important than the well-being of the Packers organization.

Remember him? Former Super Bowl winner again taking a back seat

He may be the most unceremonious Super Bowl winning quarterback this side of Trent Dilfer (and perhaps Mark Rypien). But Brad Johnson, who guided the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to a 48-21 rout of the Oakland Raiders in Super Bowl XXXVII, has had an above-average career that currently has him holding a clipboard for Tony Romo in Dallas. He will be entering his 17th NFL season in 2008 after being drafted in the 9th round of the 1992 Draft by the Minnesota Vikings. He is among the most accurate passers in NFL history, becoming the first player to complete over 60% of his passes in 12 straight seasons. Yet he has always taken a backseat role to flavors of the month despite his steady production. First it was Randall Cunningham in his 1998 renaissance year. Then it was Jeff George in a 2000 season in Washington gone awry. Tavarais Jackson helped give him the boot in his second stint in Minnesota before Johnson became Romo's backup this past year.

So perhaps it was only fitting that Johnson's performance in 2002 was overshadowed by the Buccaneers' dominant defense. He almost assuredly will never be a starter again in the league, but if Romo succumbs to injury, the Cowboys would be in steady hands with Johnson.

Johnson had a potentially promising career with the Redskins before injury and ineffectiveness in 2000 led to George taking over at the helm. Johnson left as a free agent in 2001 to join the Bucs, but a one-and-done in the playoffs had many questioning if he was capable of taking Tampa Bay deep into the playoffs. But Johnson flourished in Jon Gruden's first season as head coach, and was as instrumental to their Super Bowl run as their vaunted defense.

Alas, he will not end up in Canton. He may not even be remembered by the casual football fan when his career officially ends. But he'll always have his Super Bowl ring and a place in the history books.

Minus fanfare, D-Backs could still slither to top of NL

They certainly aren't baseball's sexiest team. Considering they have Randy Johnson, how could they be? But despite their pedestrian 40-37 record, the Arizona Diamondbacks still may be better equipped to make a run at the NL pennant than the recent fan-favorite, the Chicago Cubs. They have last year's NL Cy Young winner and last year's AL All-Star starter heading their starting rotation, perhaps the most lethal 1-2 punch in baseball. They have two of the top up-and-coming outfielders in Chris Young and former first-overall pick Justin Upton. While the Cubs possess a much deeper lineup, their pitching, namely their starting pitching, is a cut below Arizona's. Johnson, Doug Davis, and Micah Owings round out the D-Backs' starting staff.

I am sticking to my guns of my preseason pick of Arizona as NL champions. Yes, it's early. Yes, the Cubs are the darlings of the Midwest, a team starving for a championship for 100 years now. The Cardinals and Phillies will have a say. But last year's league-runner up, Arizona, could be best-assembled to compete in a playoff series. While I have whiffed thus far on my AL pick, the Detroit Tigers, I will stand by the Diamondbacks. Very quietly, they could snake their way to National League supremacy.

Interleague Play has lost its luster

I am saying enough with interleague play. It was a novelty for the first few years, and then again when they rotated it so teams could play teams from other divisions in the opposing league. But really, all it does it highlight the major discrepancy between the quality of American League teams and National League teams. When I see Kansas City beating up on Arizona and the Tigers regaining life against the Dodgers, I realize that while those NL teams are considered solid in their respective league, they are a cut below the majority of American League teams.

Interleague play, in addition to feeding the top AL teams easy wins against NL bottom feeders, also can spoil some of the potential World Series matchups. In the old days you knew the only AL-NL showdown you'd see was the World Series, a pair of teams with no past history on a collision course for destiny. Now, it's not the case. The last three years have featured World Series matchups that played out in the regular season.

I'd rather see the AL teams beat up on the AL teams and the NL teams beat up on the NL teams all the way up until late October. But I also want a salary cap, and world-class commissioner Bud Selig doesn't figure to take that path either.

Real fans don't need to wear paraphernalia

Maybe it's just frustration stemming from the countless baseball hats with the dreaded "B" logo on it (technically stands for Boston, but actually stands for Bandwagoner). A few years prior, the "NY" Yankees hats were seemingly the only sports gear people wore, with an occasional Lakers jersey or Cowboys t-shirt mixed in.

Which brings up an interesting question. Ever talked to a Kansas City Chiefs fan? How about a Cleveland Indians supporter? As crazy as it sounds in this Boston/New York universe that we are victims of, there are, in fact, fans of some of those other sports organizations. While the Tony Gonzalez jerseys and Grady Sizemore tees are scarce, it doesn't mean that those teams, like many others, aren't well followed and supported. Most sports fans are not spoiled by their teams' success and have to stick with their teams through the rough patches (I should know, I support Baltimore sports teams and follow the Blue Jays rather closely up here in Toronto).

The fact of the matter is, as many knowledgeable sports fans as there are, many do not have to flash their teams' logos to prove to others that they are fans. As many fashionable logos and jerseys as there are out there, sometimes sports paraphernalia is as much a fashion statement as anything else. And that's where one can separate the paraphernalia from the true fans.

While it seems like most all sports teams outside of Boston aren't allowed to ever win championships, there is an occasional ray of hope. Every now and then I'll spot a Steelers' Super Bowl XL hat or a Florida Gators National Championship shirt. Of course, Steelers and Gators fans are certainly more hardcore than the average team. It's just that not every one of them needs to show it off.

Fantasy race: LT vs. AP

LaDainian Tomlinson and Adrian Peterson have flat out separated themselves from the rest of the running backs in the NFL. Peterson took the league by storm last year in his first year, just like Tomlinson did six years prior as a rookie.

If these two phenomenal running backs were to in fact race, it would be a dream matchup. It isn't that they are the two fastest backs in the league. That may in fact be far from the truth. But if one were to apply a guantlet of defensive players to them, it would simply be dazzling to watch them maneuver their ways to the end zone.

Tomlinson does it with his vision as much as he does with his speed and power. Peterson's cut backs top that of even Fred Taylor. Both can catch the ball out of the backfield, but LT is more adept at it than Peterson.

For them to start at midfield and dash to the end zone would be exciting, to say the least. Tomlinson would get there primarily on the strength of his initial burst, while Peterson would be more likely to utilize his patience, then draw defenders one way just to juke them back another way. The end result would have the two mild-mannered backs high-stepping into the end zone just a few split seconds apart. In a dead sprint, Tomlinson might win. But any time these two backs go head to head, it would be worth the price of admission.

Just think back several months to their only encounter. Peterson stole Tomlinson's thunder and Jamal Lewis' old rushing record by ripping LT's Bolts for an NFL-best 296 yards. What will they have in store when their teams meet again in 2011? It's a shame we will have to wait that long.

Now the Patriots are snitches, too

The team that Eric Mangini ratted out, much to the delight of many NFL fans, now has its own personal snitch. Nick Kaczur, and offensive lineman, helped the feds bust his supplier after Kaczur was arrested for illegal possession of a painkiller.
Kaczur is the third Patriots player to be arrested on drug charges since the Super Bowl, a time that the NFL’s dirtiest team on the field is starting to have their noses covered in off-the-field business. After Willie Andrews and Kevin Faulk were caught with marijuana, Kaczur was caught with painkillers. As a true Patriot, he turned into the golden boy all of a sudden, cooperating with the feds to save face. Maybe the feds simply didn’t want to smear the Patriots’ “good” name.
Or maybe it’s yet another heartwarming story, a Boston athlete doing a good deed. Of course, being a spy is nothing new to the Patriots. Kaczur surely was well-prepared seeing as how he learned from the best in Bill Belichick.

Can Detroit or L.A. reign supreme as top sports city?

Boston has had their little run. The Patriots videotaped their way to the top. John Henry increased the Red Sox budget by more than $100 million so they could slay the Yankee dragon, which is all that Red Sox fans really care about anyway. And the Celtics traded for Kevin Garnett because the rest of their roster was atrocious.

People (at least those from Boston, anyway) will claim Boston is the top sports city right now. Maybe. But where there is a king, there are always princes waiting in the wings.

Who could the next king of the sports nation be? Will it be Detroit, the Motor City, with the Pistons and Red Wings leading the charge? How about Los Angeles, the City of Angels, with the Lakers, Angels, and Ducks all among the elite teams in their respective sports.

I am leaning more towards the latter. Unfortunately, even with the Yankees slipping (no complaints here), New York can never be overlooked. But Los Angeles boasts one of baseball's best teams in the Angels, who appear the have the best chance to overtake Boston in the American League, and another solid team in the Dodgers as well. In basketball, the Lakers have always been thought of as an elite team, especially with their early-decade dynasty. They are back on top again, frontrunners to win their fourth championship in nine years. And then you have the Ducks, winners of the Stanley Cup a year ago and playoff entrants once again in 2008. Even the Clippers have dug themselves out of their usual doldrums the past few years, and it's getting easier and easier to overlook the fact that L.A. hasn't had an NFL team since the Rams and Raiders left following the 1994 season.

The tossup between Detroit and Los Angeles may ultimately come down to the NBA Finals. The Red Wings are comfortably ahead of the Penguins and figure to coast to the title. The Pistons are locked in a tie with the Celtics and their luck of the Irish, and would almost certainly be facing the Lakers should they win the Eastern Conference. The two teams met in the finals in 2004, which was won by the Pistons. The Pistons, by the way, are in the Eastern Conference finals for the sixth consecutive year. Pretty impressive.

Ted Kennedy will recover, hit winning homer for Sox

It's not like the Red Sox need a 76-year-old U.S. Senator to help their baseball team, either on or off the field. They have purchased a pretty handy team to stick it to the Yankees. They have two cancer survivors (which bests the Patriots, who only have one stroke survivor), and they are trying to tug at more heartstrings by claiming they took a chance on overweight and over-the-hill pitcher Bartolo Colon when no one else wanted him. But when discussing the Red Sox and all their karma and good fortune, you can't help but wonder what Boston native Ted Kennedy, recently diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor, could do for their spirits.

My first thought was that he will throw out the first pitch (a perfect strike right down the middle, I might add) at a World Series game, which will be pitched by fellow cancer survivor Jon Lester, and of course won by the Sox. But then I realized that would just be too easy and, frankly, boring.

Kennedy will, in fact, not only miraculously recover from the tumor, but then sign a one-day contract and smack a game-winning home run for Boston. That will turn the last of the unturned stomachs of those who have to endure the Red Sox winning on an almost-daily basis and provide yet another great, inspiring story for ESPN to air to honor one of their beloved Boston teams.

Just wait until the so-called "pennant" race in the AL heats up. You thought being reminded 75 times that Jon Lester is a cancer survivor was annoying. How about when lifelong Bostonian Ted Kennedy finds his way into the mix?

Trading Tejada bringing good karma for Orioles

As an Orioles fan, I was absolutely thrilled the day the Orioles finally dumped the excess baggage that was Miguel Tejada, shipping him off to Houston in a six-player deal. I was so sick and tired of his negative attitude. Not once did I ever feel sympathy for a guy who supposedly was a great player stuck on a bad team. His involvement in the Mitchell report, lying about his age (which came out after he had left Baltimore), and his constant pouting never prompted me to feel bad for him.

The day he left, the Orioles clubhouse became more unified, thanks in large part to a youth infusion that was boosted by the arrival of Adam Jones in the Erik Bedard deal with Seattle. Bedard is a fantastic pitcher, but even he was a bit of a sourpuss, mostly keeping to himself.

The Orioles are 22-19, and I am not drinking the Cool-Aid and feeling false hope. The O's are notoriously fast starters and slow finishers, but it's more the fact that they are a young team with very few expectations that leads me to believe they are playing a little over their heads right now. Nevertheless, first-year manager Dave Trembley has the O's playing hard every game, and there is no doubt the team chemistry is much improved. The thing that has impressed me about this year's Orioles, believe it or not, is how they've handled themselves in defeat. They have kept most of their games close and have battled back on a number of occasions. They have also managed to stay upbeat and have, to this point at least, avoided any major losing streaks.

As the season progresses the Orioles will be tested more and more. They may crumble as they seem to do almost every year, but at least they will stick together. Even if they fall apart.

NFL needs to keep applying pressure to solve Patriot games

While it's annoying to see U.S. Senators sticking their nose into NFL business, I can live with Pennsylvania Senator Arlen Specter keeping the heat on the Patriots to keep digging into their shady past (and present). The NFL Network recently aired some footage of some of the game tapes former video assistant Matt Walsh turned over to the league, and it only enhanced the scumminess of an already pitiful situation. And so where to begin?

The one excuse that bothers me the most is that these tapes are useless and have no bearing on the game. Bill Belichick has been doing this ever since he got to New England in 2000, so this is just another dirty habit of his. My question keeps being, if the tapes aren't used for any advantage, then why need them in the first place? And even if halftime adjustments aren't able to be made using the tapes, what about the games against division rivals, when the Patriots would play them a second time that same season?

It always puzzled me how nobody receivers like David Patten, David Givens, and Troy Brown consistently got so open over the years. If they weren't pushing off, they simply knew where to be in advance. And 15 second-half screen passes in Super Bowl XXXIX against the Eagles? I don't care if Jim Johnson walked over to Bill Belichick and told him he was going to blitz every play, that's simply not right.

Unfortunately we will never know how and when those tapes were used, but more answers are sure to come. The Rams feel cheated and feel that their Super Bowl XXXVI loss to New England ruined their once-formidable enterprise. That's why it's good to see Specter and NFL officials prying as much as possible to get to the bottom of this. The Patriots keep trying to brush it off and say the issue is dead, but when I see Willie McGinest giving lame half-denials in interviews (this, by the way, the same McGinest who once faked an injury to grant New England an extra timeout in a critical game against the Colts), I can't help but wonder if the players knew about and ultimately benefitted from these spy tactics.

So Mr. Specter and the NFL, keep applying the pressure. Unlike the Super Bowl, the Pats won't have an easy out against this all-out blitz.

Who tops list of NFL's biggest dirtbags?

Whenever I think the word "dirty" in the NFL I immediately think of Rodney Harrison. It's hard to imagine how most football fans don't readily agree that Harrison is the most hated player in the game. It started for me in 1999 when Harrison took the cheapest of cheap shots at Trent Green, taking out his knees, ending his season and ultimately, changing the course of history for that Rams team. Of course, Harrison plays for the Patriots, who have a plethora of bottom-feeders.

Meanwhile, I don't want to even include Pacman Jones and Chris Henry in this discussion. They are troubled individuals, to say the least, and their problems off the field are far too well-documented to even get into detail here.

Joey Porter has always been a player I've loathed, from his foul mouth to his even fouler antics. Somewhere between him ruffling up every pregame warmup by the opposing team, spitting in William Green's face, and shoving Todd Heap so hard he missed half the season with an ankle injury I guess I conjured up some negative feelings toward Porter.

Leonard Little can't not draw your ire considering what he did in 1998, when he drove drunk and was in an accident that resulted in a woman's death. Little served four months in jail, but apparently that didn't seem to teach him a lesson, as he later incurred another DWI arrest.

And of course, without rambling on too much here, I can't omit Kyle Turley from this list. Turley recently blew up on Dan Lebatard's radio show, dropping an F-bomb directed at fellow former NFLer Robert Smith. Turley was a hothead during his playing days. He will be most remembered for ripping off and throwing Damien Robinson's helmet during a 2001 game, then later erupting at Mike Martz and threatening to kill him after Martz cut him from St. Louis.

Now that I've aired out some of my dirty laundry players, I'd like to hear your thoughts of who some of the most hated players in the game are.

Are the Rays for real?

It’s hard for me not to call them the Devil Rays. The team name they carried from 1998 to 2007, a 10-year stretch when they incurred nine last-place finishes and never won more than 70 games in a season. A team that fed the Yankees and Red Sox double-digit wins each year yet always seemed to beat up on my team, the Orioles.
But now they are simply the “Rays”. A new name, and apparently a new feeling surrounding the team. Their bullpen is much improved, complementing a strong young starting rotation. Their lineup isn’t exactly Murderers Row, but is filled with up-and-coming players like Evan Longoria and B.J. Upton.
Of course, they don’t throw money at players like the Red Sox and Yankees do, and never once has a baseball god even batted an eyelash towards the Rays. So it’s almost impossible to think they have a real shot in the AL East.
But maybe one day, when the Red Sox actually have something go wrong for them, or when the Yankees finally miss the playoffs after their annual mediocre start, the Rays will stand up and be counted for as an American League playoff contender.
The talent is there, but there is a ways to go. The Rays are making more and more believers every day.

OUCH! Take a look at some Japanese baseball collisions

Maybe they play the game harder over in Japan. Or maybe just differently. Or maybe they're just plain clumsy. But if you watch this video of some of the best (or worst) baseball collisions in this video from Japan, you see a contrast in style to the American game.

At any rate, this video, which I happened to just find while perusing YouTube, is enhanced by this great Japanese song. The video is about eight minutes long, which is asking a lot to watch the whole thing, but if you're in a hurry, my favorite collision happens at about the 4:19 mark.

So without further ado, here you go:

Dungy aims to finish his coaching career where it started

The scenario doesn't seem to play out for guys like Tony Dungy, even though he is one of the most revered men in all of football. Dungy had his fair share of heartbreak in Tampa Bay as a head coach. After all, he built a championship team, only to see his successor Jon Gruden reap the rewards. He has also dealt with his own personal tragedy, with his son James taking his own life in 2005. Yet Dungy has found inner peace within his faith and has stayed strong through it all.

So imagine this. Dungy standing on the podium in the middle of Raymond James Stadium, hoisting the Lombardi Trophy in his final game as head coach in the city where his legacy began. After turning the Buccaneers from laughingstock to powerhouse, Dungy gets to ride off into the sunset a la John Elway and Jerome Bettis, and do so in the same place his journey began.

The Colts have as good a shot as anyone to win it all in 2008, and even if they fall short next year Dungy will retire as a world champion regardless. But the Colts want to show everyone they were not a one-hit Super Bowl wonder. Dungy, who became the first African-American head coach to win a Super Bowl, could find his own poetic justice if his team captures Super Bowl XLIII in Tampa Bay next February.

I hope the Red Sox repeat... their 2006 season

You couldn't have been fooled by the title. Certainly, you all remember the way the Red Sox's 2006 season unfolded. The first half was similar to last year and this year, with the very real possibility of another World Series title. But then came the downfall.

Injuries started piling up, some of the bizarre variety. David Ortiz came down with an irregular heartbeat and missed some time. Jon Lester was diagnosed with cancer after complaining of back pain. Josh Beckett was getting rocked in his first season in the AL. Before you knew it, Eric Hinske was a regular in the lineup and Devern Hansack had cracked the starting rotation. While the Yankees were busy with their annual sob story ("oh, we showed SO much character bounding back from a .500 start to reach the playoffs with a $200 million payroll, isn't it just heartwarming?"), the Tigers swept America's hearts with their surprise playoff berth and subsequent run to the World Series. The Red Sox were home for October.

So could that dream become a reality again in 2008? Curt Schilling is out until at least July. Mike Lowell, Sean Casey, and Josh Beckett have already spent time on the disabled list. At times even during a 17-12 start, the Red Sox have, dare I say, looked beatable. Yet we all know that come the second half, they have the almighty powers above on their side, which is the toughest foe of all to beat.

But before this recent high the Sox have gone on, believe it or not (I'm still trying to convince myself, actually) Boston baseball fans suffered a few late-season meltdowns. So I for one will be keep my fingers crossed that history does indeed repeat itself. And that would mean that the word "repeat" does not get uttered once we reach October.

Giants' White House visit brings smiles

It was a typical day for Boston sports. Another baseball god smiling on the Red Sox and pissing on the Blue Jays. The Celtics clobbered the Hawks. The Bruins were probably issued a pardon from the NHL and somehow found out they weren't technically eliminated from the playoffs.

But then I saw this.


And it certainly brought a smile to my face. I remembered back to that oh-so-happy evening of February 3, 2008, when the Patriots' run at history* was mercifully denied by yet another Manning. Imagine soon-to-be-former President Bush giving a speech on sportsmanship with Tom Brady and Bill Belichick standing behind him, about to present him with a "190" jersey to symbolize going 19-0. Throw that into the mix with everything else going on right now in Boston sports and it could make enough people sick to represent a national outbreak of the Ebola virus.

But because of Eli Manning and David Tyree's heroics, an otherwise-downtrodden late April evening serves as a reminder that indeed, cheaters never prosper (at least since 2004, anyway) and sometimes nice guys DO finish first. Thank you, Giants.

Does Hart to Indy equal Alexander to N.E.?

The Colts definitely need depth at running back, and they got a pretty solid back in the 6th round in Michigan's Mike Hart in the draft. The Colts were rumored to be interested in Shaun Alexander, but now maybe that interest has diminished. Hart is a productive player who should fit nicely into the Colts system. So guess who the other team rumored to be interested in Alexander the Not-So-Great is? Of course, the New England Patriots.

Alexander appears way past his prime, but things have a funny way of working out for players like that in New England. Since the Patriots couldn't rub it in to the Dolphins by stealing either Zach Thomas or Jason Taylor, they may try and rejuvenate Alexander's career to prove a point. Belichick will never let the media and fans' animosity over Spygate go, so he will keep going for players like Alexander to show off his so-called genius "system".

I hope for Alexander's sake he maintains some integrity and goes to a team with a young running back core to mentor them while still providing productive yardage, but for a guy entering his ninth season and still without a Super Bowl ring on his finger, he may take the easy way out and pull a Junior Seau.

At this moment I still have a lot of respect for Shaun Alexander, but that could all change with one quick bolt to the Patriots.

Seau's return to the Patriots would be pathetic

A return to the New England Patriots by Junior Seau, who is currently unsigned, would be nothing short of pathetic, and also quite hypocritical. Seau, who has long craved a Super Bowl ring, is still in search of his first one. Surely he assumed he could get one the easy way by signing up with the Patriots, but it hasn't worked out that way. Now with the Patriots drafting a pair of linebackers this past weekend (let's face it, even their sixth-round pick, Bo Ruud, will probably end up in Canton seeing how as his coach will alert him of all the opponents' plays before they are run), a return by Seau would only spot him a part-time role. For a guy who rants on about his passion for the game, he might even be, dare I say, selling himself short.

Seau is 39, but he may be able to find more playing time elsewhere. Let's say a team like Indianapolis came calling. Last I checked the Colts were pretty good but could use some help at linebacker, and it's not as if a guy like Seau couldn't live with playing for Tony Dungy. But obviously he is so in love with Bill Belichick's "system*" that such a scenario is unlikely. Love for the game? Or just love for the quickie ring?

If Junior comes back as the senior citizen that he is, it would be nothing short of weaseling, a way to just put in enough reps to try and get that long-awaited ring the easy way. Seau, who once retired for a few days after Miami cut him and no one wanted anything to do with him, would lose the last ounces of respect that anyone should even have for him now. If he really was the heart and soul of the Chargers all those years, what a weak heart and soul that was. Seau was part of some pretty awful teams, including a 1-15 squad in 2000, but that doesn't mean he deserves a ring any more than the next guy. Going to the Patriots should not make anyone root for you, because you are part of the problem.

If Seau returns for his 19th season, it would be just the opposite of heartwarming. It would be a pathetic rouge to make one last run at it for the most hated team in football.

Prise du jour: Reed Johnson goes all out vs. Nats

This is simply an appreciation of one of the finest catches I've seen. Reed Johnson, the scrappy center fielder for the Chicago Cubs, went all out in left-center to take extra bases away from the Nationals' Felipe Lopez in a tie game in the 5th inning on Friday.

Johnson is hardly known for his bat but earned a reputation as a throw-your-body-around type gamer with the Toronto Blue Jays. His catch against Washington was one of the finest you will see by an outfielder, between the distance he had to cover and the full out extension he had to make to reach the ball.

Here is the clip of that amazing catch, with broadcast calls courtesy of WGN Radio. Enjoy.

Chiefs come up big in Draft with Dorsey, Albert

The Kansas City Chiefs in my mind had one of, if not the, strongest drafts this past weekend. While losing Jared Allen hurts, they utilized the pick they acquired from the Minnesota Vikings and selected one of the best offensive lineman in the draft, this after they took a major step toward replacing Allen by selecting perhaps the best defensive lineman in the draft. Defensive tackle Glenn Dorsey and offensive guard Branden Albert will be plugged in immediately to the Chiefs lineup, as Kansas City has a major uphill climb after losing its last nine games in 2007.

For a team that has so many holes to fill, the Chiefs also added a top-notch cornerback in Virgina Tech's Brandon Flowers in the second round, then plucked Jamaal Charles, a running back from Texas, in the third round. After Ty Law was cut and Priest Holmes retired, depth at the cornerback and running back positions was extremely thin.

The Chiefs had 12 draft picks overall, and it would be no surprise if all of them were with the club come opening day. The Chiefs could have as many as eight new starters next year after a tumultuous end to last season.

Additionally, I will admit that often times you can't grade a draft class until after the ensuing season, but the Chiefs' success, or lack thereof, should be evident even sooner, considering the fact that many of these rookies could be asked to contribute right off the bat. My expectation is that like many young teams, the Chiefs will go through growing pains early and often, but the more experience their youngsters get, the stronger they will become as a team. If Dorsey, Albert, and Flowers can adjust quickly, the Chiefs rebuilding process should go smoothly. If not, there could be some lean years ahead in Kansas City.

Great teams draft for talent, not need

If you look at the track record of NFL teams that draft well over the recent years, it's because they don't simply draft for need, but rather the best available player out there. Sometimes that doesn't ring true, but why pass up a great player at one position just because you need a bigger upgrade at another position? As a Ravens fan, I got used to this. Ozzie Newsome has made his mark at doing just that, and with a plethora of Pro Bowl players his track record speaks for itself.

The Ravens aren't the only good example, but a good one nonetheless. They have always seemed to need offensive players, especially a quarterback, but still go for defensive talent because it's available and can help their team. They didn't necessarily need a tight end in 2001 because they still had Shannon Sharpe, but found a gem at the end of the first round in Todd Heap. They also didn't particularly need a safety when they were starting to rebuild in 2002, but they found a superstar in Ed Reed. Add defensive tackle Haloti Ngata to the list and it's no wonder they always seem to field a top-notch defense.

I will eschew discussing the Patriots because just about everything they do is shady. Instead another good example is as recent as last year's draft. The Minnesota Vikings had a 1,000-yard rusher in Chester Taylor and a lot of glaring weaknesses elsewhere on their offense and also with their pass defense. Yet Adrian Peterson was simply too good to pass up, and now Minnesota boasts one of the most dominant offensive players in football and a much more feared offense, even without a true quarterback.

Teams sometimes have needs that are simply too glaring to pass up, but more often there are players available that are simply too talented to pass up. Let's say you have a poor defense and a strong offense, especially on the offensive line. But by the luck of the draw one of the top offensive line prospects becomes available. What do you do, especially if you feel that the offensive lineman is more of a sure bet than the defensive player you covet? My opinion is you with the offensive lineman. A great player is a great player, no matter what you need.

Mild prediction: AFC champion will come out of South in '08

It would be a great injustice to one of the strongest divisions in recent memory in the NFL if it did not produce next season's AFC Super Bowl representative. Call it a prediction, or maybe just wishful thinking that the Patriots don't cheat their way to a fifth* big game appearance in eight years. Just consider that the last-place team, the Houston Texans, finished at 8-8 last year, something that has happened only a handful of times since realignment. The division produced the two AFC Wild Card teams, as three clubs, the division-winning Indianapolis Colts, Jacksonville Jaguars, and Tennessee Titans, all reached double-figures in wins. The combined winning percentage of the four teams in the division was .656, the best-ever in the NFL history.

This offseason, the Colts, as in the norm with them, stood pat in free agency, mainly keeping intact a team that has won at least 12 games each of the past five seasons, a first in the NFL annals. The Jaguars addressed one of their weaknesses by upgrading the wide receiver position, while the Titans also made significant additions to an average offense. The Texans are like the forgotten step-child, a franchise that has never posted a winning season in its five-year existence but who made significant strides to reach .500 last season.

Like the NFC East, the AFC South has four playoff-caliber teams that will duke it out over the course of the season. The Colts have won the division five straight years, but the Jaguars are hot on their coattails, and the Titans don't figure to go quietly either. The biggest issue for the Jaguars and Titans will be first overcoming the Colts before they can think about overcoming some of the other top teams in the conference.

My semi-prediction, if you will, is that either the Colts or Jaguars will represent the AFC in Tampa Bay in next year's Super Bowl, but don't be surprised if the Titans make a run at it. The Texans are solid, but at least a year or two away.