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.

Chad for Anquan: Why not?

Swapping disgruntled wide receivers Anquan Boldin for Chad Johnson could be so simple. At the same time it could fail to erase any headaches the Arizona Cardinals and Cincinnati Bengals are feeling right now. Boldin and Johnson are among the game's top wideouts, but both are unhappy with their current squads. Boldin has never come across as a super-selfish, me-first kind of player. He has quietly put up big numbers for a team that is often out of playoff contention by October. Johnson, on the other hand, is as showy and attention-getting as almost anyone in football. His numbers speak for themselves, but unfortunately so does Johnson, sometimes too much. He has clearly wore out his welcome in the Queen City.

So why not simply swap the two players? Okay, maybe it really isn't actually that simple. But what if it is? What if both players are just craving a change of scenery? Both are dynamic receivers, so it's not as if either team would be losing much. Both are going to be big salary cap hits anyway, so why not? Boldin has kept his name out of police blotter, always a good sign for karma when you're headed to play for the Bengals. Johnson has never gotten into legal trouble either, but he has clearly damaged team chemistry for a team in desperate need of it. In Arizona he could team with Larry Fitzgerald to give the NFL one of its most potent one-two punches at receiver in ages -- maybe even ever.

In today's NFL, nothing is really that cut and dry. A simple swap of two frustrated receivers can't simply occur at the snap of a finger. But it's worth considering. Both players want out, and their teams could use to rid themselves of the distraction.

Alexander's release sign of the times

It's amazing how fast things can change in the NFL. Just two years after being named the league's MVP with a then-record 28 touchdowns for the NFC champion Seattle Seahawks, Shaun Alexander is unemployed. He was released today after eight years with the club. He leaves as their all-time leading rusher.

It was somewhat apparent this would happen when the Seahawks signed a pair of free agent running backs this offseason in the Cowboys' Julius Jones and the Lions' T.J. Duckett. But for one of the faces of the franchise, it was hard to imagine this day would actually come. At least so soon, anyway.

The man who graced the cover of Madden '07 will now be waiting by the phone for an offer from another club. There's no doubt he will find work quickly. But the shock will still remain.

Loyalty no longer exists in the NFL, if it ever did at all. Alexander was not only one of the most successful players in franchise history, but also one of the most well-liked and well-respected. But injuries hampered him the past two years, as he failed to top 1,000 yards after doing so the previous five seasons. And just as Ricky Watters was bumped out the door by Alexander, Alexander is being bumped out by Jones and Duckett.

Number 37 will likely be number one on a lot of teams' priority list, at least ones who need a running back. Where ever he ends up he does not figure to be the presence he once was in Seattle, where he once sat among the league's elite backs. The soft-spoken and oft-smiling Alexander is yet another victim of a vicious cycle. But heck, if Jerry Rice can be cut by the 49ers and Zach Thomas by the Dolphins, Alexander can be just as abruptly sent packing by the Seahawks. While his salary cap number made it a somewhat logical decision, it is still unfortunate to see the former MVP depart the Pacific Northwest.

Brewers: Without Sheets, less Parra to ya

I've grown tired of picking the same team every year and watching them unravel the same way at the end each time. I used to pick the Kansas City Chiefs for the Super Bowl almost every year under Dick Vermeil, and despite a top-notch offense they never even won a playoff game. I've started a similar trend with the Milwaukee Brewers, who at least finally broke the .500 barrier last season in narrowly missing the postseason for about the 50th straight season (actually it's only been since 1982, which just feels like 50 years because the Brewers haven't made the playoffs in my lifetime).

The Brewers have at least one bonafide superstar in ace starting pitcher Ben Sheets, who has been absolutely lights-out thus far. Prince Fielder and Ryan Braun are certainly stars-in-the-making for a potent Brewers lineup, but Sheets is the key for Milwaukee if they are to have any shot at a rare NL Central title. Sheets has spent far too much time on the DL the last three seasons, crippling an otherwise-mediocre Brewers rotation. This year's current staff also includes 2006 NLCS MVP Jeff Suppan, David Bush, and youngsters Yovani Gallardo and Manny Parra. The return of Gallardo brings much hope, but once again it's all about the Benjamin.

The prospect of Sheets being a dominant ace in a playoff series for Milwaukee is enticing because the rest of the Brewers' rotation is certainly competent to hold up its end and make them a legitimate title contender. They have no problem scoring runs, although holding leads is a concern with a shaky bullpen. But if Sheets is on his game, none of that would even matter. When healthy and thriving, Big Ben might be the best pitcher in all of baseball. For a franchise that hasn't played October baseball in 25 years, not having him out there is basically a death sentence.

Drafting first overall not such a priviledge anymore

Tim Couch is out of football. David Carr might as well be. Drafting number one these days is not only a risk, it's also a headache. The amount of guaranteed money teams are forwarding to the top pick is ludicrous considering these players have never played a snap in the NFL.

There's no exact science to guarantee that the first pick will be a success in the league. Sometimes they are an instant success, sometimes it takes time. For players like Couch and Carr, it's somewhat unfair considering they were thrust under center for poor teams from the get-go. For players like defensive end Courtney Brown, they simply never have the impact at the pro level that they did in college. For players like running back Ki-jana Carter, they simply can't stay healthy enough to be a factor.

If you are the Miami Dolphins, you have some options at number one. But trading the pick will be tough because no one wants to take on the process of negotiating a fat contract for an unproven player. In a draft with no clear-cut top pick, Bill Parcells is in a tough spot.

Jake Long, Matt Ryan, Darren McFadden. There are some big-time prospects with big-time question marks. They will demand money, and almost certainly get it. If they don't, they simply will holdout, because it's what almost everyone does these days. Then when they do play, they have a mountain of expectations to live up to. Generally it takes a special type of player to live up to that hype. For a franchise like Miami, they are hoping to hit the jackpot.

It would making picking first well worth their while.