Nuggets and Knicks all out brawl at MSG

Tonight (December 16, 2006) marked the second full out team on team brawl in the NBA in the last three years. The first was one I think we all remember between the Pistons and Pacers in Detroit, although that one was much more serious as it involved fans rather than just players. Tonight, the Denver Nuggets and New York Knicks got into a huge fight that will most likely warrant practically the entire rosters of both teams being suspended but in all honesty the damage has been done. The NBA is a league desperately trying to change its image and events like these certainly don’t help Stern’s cause. The commish is constantly inventing new rules every year in an attempt to reverse the horrible image that the NBA claims it has and after tonight, you have just got to wonder if its working.

The fight started after a very flagrant foul by Marty Collins on J.R. Smith and resulted in the ejection of a total of ten players. “According to the Knicks, the whole thing happened because the Nuggets still had their starters on the floor with 1:15 left and a 19-point lead. Denver won 123-100.” Maybe one of the worst excuses I have ever heard. I mean sure the Nuggets should have cut them some slack because you never try and embarrass a team especially on their home court but to start a fight like that, someone better have a much better excuse than that. The Knicks are bad and everybody knows it so frustration is bound to spill over onto the court but it seems to me like the NBA may have a much more serious problem than we thought…or maybe Stern has realized and we just haven’t caught up.

Either way, the only one that suffers because of these childish displays of immaturity by overly paid celebrity athletes is the NBA. Simple, right? Not if you ask David Stern.

By the way…Carmelo can throw one hell of a punch!

The Big Fight! Knicks-Nuggets Brawl 16.12.06

Sorry they must have taken it off youtube so heres another one.

Jay Williams is coming back!

Jay Williams is coming back and you can definitely count me as one of the many basketball fans who are happy about it. Years after the number 2 overall pick in the Yao Ming draft crashed his motorcycle and suffered several injuries that threatened the future of his NBA career, Jay Williams is making his comeback. This is a guy that was drafted by the Bulls back in 2002 and was expected to be their franchise point guard for years before his accident. A Duke alumni, Jay Williams is a born leader with the skills to back up his talk but that is only part of why I’m happy he is coming back. In a league where the commissioner (Darth Stern) has constantly preached image and described the current NBA image as “unacceptable” (I mean just ask anyone on the Pacers…Cough…Stephen Jackson…Cough), Williams brings his selfless, humble and team oriented style and personality back to the league he once called home (even though it was only for about a year). The league has begun to adopt players like Wade and James because they are players who put the team ahead of themselves and thats exactly the type of person Jay is. I mean he crashed his motorcycle after speaking to youths at a basketball camp about personal responsibility.

If anyone deserves a second chance its Jay.

Sports Mogul Inc.

Sports mogul is a sports simulation computer game that gives you command of an entire franchise’s day to day operation like all the regular general manager jobs (trades, free agents, lineup changes…) as well as giving you control of the front office. You can decide how expensive you want your tickets to be or whether you want to build a new stadium. Along with all the options the game provides, it also lets you choose which year you would like to start your franchise from. You want a young rotation of Clemens and Pedro? How about Babe Ruth and Hank Aaron batting 2-3? The game is made for baseball and football and you can buy them both at the official website. A free version of the 2005 Baseball Mogul is available for you to try it out. Great game so check it out…you won’t be disappointed.

By the way, the game is strictly a simulation and although it offers play by play simulation for games, there is no actual gameplay involved. Sorry…but trust me, the game is a lot of fun anyways.

Click Here for the Sports Mogul Website

WhatIfSports.com

I realize that this site has been around for quite sometime but unfortunately my site hasn’t therefore I feel obliged to let you all know about it. WhatIfSports.com is a sports simulation site that provides anyone with the ability of simulating possible outcomes of games between any sports team, past or present, in the NBA, NFL, NHL, MLB and NCAA Basketball leagues. They provide detailed scores and stats and the site even produces a full play by play so you know exactly what would have happened on each play of your fantasy game. WhatIfSports.com also gives users the ability to participate in fantasy leagues (costs money but definitely worth it) involving players from the last half century, pitting you against 23 other user controlled teams. Very cool site that you should definitely check out if you haven’t already.

Click Here for WhatIfSports.com Homepage

Cold Fx

Cold Fx is the main sponsor for the NHL All star game and is actually widely used by many players throughout the league. In fact, one of Cold Fx’s main promoters is Marc Messier, a recently retired legendary hockey player. He claims to have taken Cold Fx everyday, especially during the later stages of his career, in order to avoid getting sick or injured.

For those of you who don’t know, Cold Fx is a natural product that strengthens a person’s immune system and helps prevent or cure cold and flu viruses in the body. I have taken it on occasion (usually when I feel like I’m getting sick but just can’t afford to be) and have been very pleased with the results…which is usually me getting over a cold or flu virus in 2 to 3 days rather than 2 to 3 weeks. I highly recommend it for anybody who hates being sick!

Click Here for more information

Wanna work at EA?

Love sports? Love video games? Wanna work at EA? Check out this video which gives an in depth tour of EA’s facilities in Los Angeles.

EA Los Angeles Tour

3 Games with Spielberg?…We are gonna need more info!

Embarrasing moment for Lamar Odom

Lamar Odom sure wishes he could forget this moment in his basketball career and I’m sure he wishes that Phil could too. A simple inbounds play turns into a ridiculous turnover when Odom forgets to inbound the ball to his teammate before dribbling the ball on to the court. He must have flashed back to his street ballin days. Pretty funny.

Lamar Odumb

…And people say Kobe is selfish

The “Vote For Rory” Campaign

I have already written a post on this and you can find it in the NHL category so there isn’t really much more to say about it. The campaign supports the idea of voting a defenseman named Rory Fitzpatrick into the NHL All Star game as a starting defenseman. You can find more information or cast your vote at:

Official “Vote For Rory” Website

Cast your vote for Rory Here

Greatest Basketball Commercial Ever

I still remember the first time I saw this ad on televesion. I was absolutely mesmerized. The ad shows various people performing some of MJ’s most recognized manerisms and moves and is a perfect tribute to his legendary career. The ad is just a thing of beauty…from the music, which increses in rythm and intensity as the video pregresses, to the video which is just stunning. I know the ad is old but I think it was one of the greatest basketball ads ever. See for yourself.

Greatest MJ Commercial Ever

Shaq leading East centers in All Star voting???

Does anyone else think that it is completely ridiculous that Shaquille Oneal is leading all East centers with 522,815 votes to start in the NBA All Star game even though he has played only 4 games so far this season? Now I am a huge Heat fan but personally, as an even bigger basketball fan, I find it insulting to see him ahead of more deserving players…or at least players who have played more than 4 games this season. Oneal’s stats in those 4 games aren’t even All Star material as he averaged only 14 points and 7.5 rebounds per game. At some point, you have to look at what the All Star game is and what it means to so many players. I realize that the game and especially the entire weekend is probably little more than a couple of nice dunks and some laughs for most casual NBA fans but for me, and I’m sure many of you, the All Star game is the first highlight of the season. It rewards players for having terrific seasons and for some players it is as much as a reward as they will get throughout their entire career. I would feel terrible if someones only opportunity was stripped from them simply because some Shaq fans feel like seeing some more of the same again in this years All Star game. I understand they want to support their favorite player but, come on…he’s injured! Give someone else a chance.

Personally, I will be voting several times for Dwight Howard in an effort to offset the Shaq fans who have been flooding the All Star ballot with votes for a player that has already received his fair share of free trips. I hope that you choose to do the same so that we can transform the All Star game back to the meaningful game it was meant to be.

Spread the word.

Cast Your Vote For The NBA All Star Game Here

Getting rid of “The Answer” is the answer for both the Sixers and AI

Allen Iverson will never play another game for Philadelphia 76ers again and the only question anyone is asking is whether or not the Sixers will be better off without him.

Seriously?

Is it really that complicated a situation for everyone to understand that the answer is an emphatic YES. Theres no doubt that AI will be greatly missed in the city of Philadelphia and it is truly unfortunate that he wont be able to retire in the city he has called home for almost the entire duration of his NBA career but lets think this through clearly.

Philadelphia has been in need of a drastic makeover ever since they had their first trip to the NBA finals where Iverson carried that team on his back all through the season and playoffs. That was back in 2001! Thats 5 years that the Sixers have needed to be rebuilt and unfortunately the front office never realized it. Well it looks like they have now and with the impending Greg Oden sweepstakes just around the corner, it looks like they are ready to become serious competitors for the 40 year old looking 19 year old (I mean seriously, have you seen him?). Philadelphia is doing a smart thing by trying to rebuild the team around a very young, marketable and potential superstar. They already have Andre Iguodala (forgive my spelling), Samuel Dalembert and Kyle Korver which with the addition of Oden would give them a slid core of young talented players. Rebuilding is what teams do and thats all Philly is doing. Simple right?

Well what about Iverson…is this divorce better for him too?

The answer is an emphatic YES once again. Iverson is way too great a player to miss the playoffs as much as he has with the Sixers lately and the NBA needs a player like him to be involved in the highlight of their entire year. Iverson is 31 years old but that doesn’t mean that he cant still be the focal point of an offense nor does it mean that he cant be what I call a contributing superstar (like Mcgrady…still a superstar but doesn’t need to do it every night to win). A change of scenery never hurt anyone and I think it will certainly help Iverson provide the answer for another team.

It will definately be weird seeing him wear a different jersey in another city but its all for the best…trust me Philly fans.

By the way, I just wanna answer all those rumors that are circulating about AI maybe being headed to Miami.

NO CHANCE

…but it would be interesting if he did.

EA Sports vs. 2K Sports

The makings of the war for complete sports video game supremacy has been in the works for a long time. EA has had a serious stranglehold over the market for a very long time but with the rise of 2K and the slow but obvious decline of EA, the war is finally here. 2K seems to have finally ammassed a large enough market share of the sports video game industry to make their first real push into EA’s territory. So the question is, who will win?

EA has been here for far too long to be pushed out in one single blow. They own way too much of the market and have too devoted and loyal a fan base to be seriously hurt by 2K or anyone for that matter. Described as “the evil empire”, Electronics Arts has dominated the sports video game industry with titles in every sport including Madden, NBA Live, NHL and many others. They spend more money than anyone to develop and fine tune their games in order to ensure that their titles are the best available however, recent titles from EA have been less than perfect and have raised many questions concerning EA’s attention to detail. A number of bugs as well as a lack of original and innovative ideas have left their games open to a number of bad reviews. EA has avoided criticism for many years thanks in part to great game development but also thanks to a lack of competition. 2K’s arrival to the forefront of the sports video game industry has given EA’s games something to be compared to and the comaprisons have drawn mixed reviews. While some feel that the combined effect of EA’s loyal following and their practically unlimited supply of money is just too big a hump for 2K to overcome, others feel that 2K’s innovative ideas and different approach to the sports simulation concept (they are much more of a simulation while EA is more arcade) has already brought them this far and can only bring them further. EA released NBA Live 07 way before it was ready and was criticized for the many bugs and lagy online gameplay that plagues the game while NBA 2K7, although suffering from poorer graphics, benefits from its many different gameplay modes (including Street Mode) and all around better performance and was rewarded with better reviews. 2K’s games have begun to outperform EA’s and that is a serious threat to EA’s “monopoly”.

So the question is clear…which company will prevail?
Not really a fair question since chances are both will survive and most likely thrive in this lucrative industry.

So the real question is…where does your loyalty lie, EA or 2K?

LT

“He is the greatest runningback to ever wear an NFL jersey”

Thats how San Diego Chargers coach Marty Schottenheimer described his all star runningback during the post game press conference after the Chargers had defeated the Denver Broncos, 48-20 Sunday afternoon. LaDainian Tomlinson had his seventh consecutive multi-touchdown performance this week, scoring 3 TDs en route to breaking Shaun Alexander’s record of 28 from just one year ago. By the way, the Chargers have won 7 straight…coincidence?…don’t think so. LT is also on pace to break Paul Hornung’s single season scoring record of 176 points that has lasted for over 4 decades. Tomlinson currently has 174 points with 3 games remaining, ensuring that the record will definately be broken barring any unforseen circumstances.

Schottenheimer brought up a very interesting question. How great is LT? When history looks back on all the great NFL runningbacks of the last century, where will LaDainian’s rightful place be? Tomlinson is the best NFL back of his generation and deserves to be honored as such. He combines breakaway speed, a big/strong frame, great hands and agility with an understanding of the game that very few in the NFL can match. His career statistics (so far) are unprecedented. Through 6 seasons and 92 games, LT has racked up 8788 yards rushing, a 4.4 yds/carry avg and 98 touchdowns. He has also caught the ball 394 times for 2871 yards and 11 touchdowns while throwing for 126 yards and 6 touchdowns. He is leading the Chargers to a division title, a first round bye in the playoffs and a potential trip to the superbowl by displaying unbelievably great talent and even better leadership. He is piling up the statisitcs and breaking all the records and hes doing it without running his mouth to the media or tarnishing his image in the most ridiculous and obscene ways…and you have got too respect him for it.

I can only hope that when history looks back on LT, he will not only be remembered for his unbelievale accomplishments on the field but for the respect and admiration he drew from his fans and peers while doing it.

Sunday Night Football!

Tonight’s Sunday Night Football game features two of the best and hottest teams in the NFL with the Dallas Cowboys taking on the New Orleans Saints! This game has a lot of hype to live up to and judging by how long the Sunday NFL countdown crew (Chris Berman and co.) talked about Terrell Owens this morning…its hard to believe that the game can really live up to it (especially since theres nothing really riding on it). BUT, having said that, I highly suggest you take time out of your busy day to watch this game and here are several reasons why:

[1] Terrell Owens
Love him or hate him…and recent polls show that 94.3% of people HATE him (not counting you, Michael Irvin)…you have got to admit that he IS fun to watch. Ok fine, you dont have to admit it but its true. Even with all the dropped balls, the guy still finds ways to make plays and is damn fun to watch on the sidelines. Sometimes I find myself hoping that Romo throws a pick while trying to complete a pass to Terrey Glenn on a play that he was supposed to throw the ball to TO for a touchdown just to see Owens blow up on the sidelines. By the way, if that happens and you are privileged enough to see it live…give yourself a pat on the back because you will have just witnessed the start of Dallas’ collapse. What would Michael Irvin say then?

[2] Reggie Bush
In any other game, especially after the game he had last week, he would be number 1 on this list. But I guess Bush is getting used to not getting picked number 1 by now (couldn’t help myself…sorry Reggie). What can’t he do? He reminds me of a faster more agile version of Marshall Faulk because of his great hands and versatility. He’s a great runner, a great receiver and a great passer and offers the Saints so many possibilities when designing plays for him. Last week was no fluke and if the Texans didn’t already know what they missed out on, they do now.

[3] Bill Parcells
Who will he kiss next? Will he finally say something about TO thats more than 6 syllables long? Will he tell Romo to pass more than twice in a row before running the ball with Jones? Will he smile? Ok, I’ll admit some of those are more obvious than others but just once I would like to see Parcells answer a question about TO using the words Terrell, is, beneficial and team. Think it’ll happen tonight? Maybe if they win and Owens racks up 6 touchdowns and 368 yards receiving. Hey, stranger things have happened.

[4] New Orleans SAINTS
The feel good story of the year. Enough said.

[5] Drew Brees
I loved him in San Diego and I love him in New Orleans. He is quietly having the best year of any quarterback in the league and noone deserves it more.

[6] Al Michaels and John Madden
Their chemistry is undeniable. They both provide great insight into a complicated and … haha … I couldn’t even say it with a straight face and I’m TYPING it on my computer! Honestly, I have nothing against either of them…they are just funny as hell to watch.

[7] SNF
Sunday Night Football!

Wanna Screw Gary…Vote for Rory!

The new story spreading throughout the internet like wildfire is the “Vote For Rory” campaign. The campaign supports the idea of rewarding players who work very hard “behind the scenes” with a trip to the all star game and believe that the perfect representative for this message is Rory Fitzpatrick.

Fitzpatrick is a defenseman on the Vancouver Canucks in the NHL and to be frank, isn’t the greatest defenseman there is. In fact, his statistics definately do not merit a trip to the all star game however that is not what the campaign is all about. Anyone voting for Rory to start in the all star game believes in one of three things (and in some cases all three):

[1] That hard working nice guys deserve a break sometimes and that talent and statistics isn’t all that counts.

[2] That the NHL should abolish the all star voting system in favor of a more prestigious and accurate system similiar to that of the awards.

[3] You absolutely hate Gary Bettman and would love to see him and his new MY NHL embarrased by having such an undeserving no talent (but really nice) guy start at the all star game over superstars like Lidstrom, Pronger and Niedermayer.

Personally I’m in favor of all three and you can be sure that I’ll definately be casting my vote for Rory several times over the next couple of weeks. Good guys deserve to finish first once in a while…don’t you think?

By the way, you need to select Rory Fitzpatrick as the write in for the Western Conference and also make sure not to vote for Niklas Lidstrom, Chris Pronger or Scott Niedermayer to ensure that Rory has a chance of making it. Happy voting and good luck Rory…you’re gonna need it!

Official “Vote For Rory” Website

Cast your vote For Rory Here

A little something to sway your vote…lol just kidding.