BASKETBALL

In the NBA, the major match-ups of the season were revealed.  The series will open with none other than LeBron James/Dwayne Wade/Chris Bosh and the Miami Heat.  Their first contest:  An away game against the defending Eastern Conference Champion Boston Celtics.  This is very interesting.  The Celtics are still LOADED, and will be a tough competitor.  And remember, all the pressure is on the Heat to not only succeed, but to CRUSH the competition.  If they beat the Celtics, nobody will care, but they need to beat the Celtics by at least 10 points to prove a point that they are the team to beat.  And, if the Heat lose, get ready for the criticism to begin.

The other opening night game features Kobe Bryant and the defending champion LA Lakers vs. a rejuvenated Houston Rockets team, who hope to have a healthy Yao Ming.  Another prime-time match-up will take place December 2nd, when LeBron James travels to Cleveland in a Miami Heat jersey.  The Heat should destroy the Cavs, but it will be fascinating to watch the LeBron backlash in Cleveland.  And you can definitely believe the Cavs will be playing their best ball.

Of course, the most anticipated match-up the NBA puts on Christmas day.  This year, that game is no surprise.  It’s the triple-headed monster that is the Miami Heat traveling to Los Angeles to take on the Lakers and the now underdog Kobe Bryant.  Everyone wants to see if Kobe can win his 6th title, and more importantly, win it against a Goliath of a competitor.  People think the Heat have an unfair advantage with all that talent, and that Kobe is the superstar who led his OWN team to 5 championships.  That game will be purely exhilarating.

Elsewhere in the NBA, LeBron James has taken out a full page in the Cleveland newspaper thanking Akron for all of their support.  This has raised ire from Cleveland fans.  LeBron is from Akron and that’s where he played his High School ball, but he has been a hero to Cleveland, not just Akron, and Cleveland residents feel they are owed a sincere amount of gratitude for their support.  Thanking just “Akron” feels like a slap-in-the-face, and an obvious admission that he didn’t like playing there — at least not towards the end.

FOOTBALL

Finally, in the NFL, it looks like an era is officially closed.  Yesterday, Brett Favre retired for good.  Sure, this is the third time, and they were all “official” or “final” or whatever he said at the time, but this one feels real.  Favre had all the leverage in the world heading into training camp.  Vikings coach Brad Childress said he would be as patient with Favre as necessary.  But Favre, coming off surgery, decided he wasn’t able to play yet another season.  Then again, many are speculating that Favre didn’t want to do training camp and may simply be on-call.  They think he’s waiting for the Vikings to flounder at QB and come begging for him to play, at which point he would happily throw on a uniform and jump right under center.  But, for now, it looks like the Brett Favre era has come to a close in the NFL.

FOOTBALL

In the NFL, Peyton Manning’s contract is about to expire.  Currently, Manning is the highest paid player in the NFL, and rightly so.  Over the last few seasons he has solidified his dominance as the best and smartest quarterback in the game.  Now, Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay is dead set on making Peyton Manning the highest paid player in the NFL… again.  Manning is 34 years old, but Irsay wants to make sure that Manning shatters any and all records in a Colts uniform.  Plus, the Colts are annual super bowl contenders with Peyton at the helm.  Given the Colts horrible stint in the 90s, you can’t let your team go into a downward spiral if it’s avoidable.  Most notably, Manning’s age isn’t really a huge concern given the recent success of older quarterbacks Brett Favre and Kurt Warner.

Elsewhere in the NFL, some controversy in New York.  The Jets star cornerback Darrelle Revis established himself as one of the premiere cornerbacks in the NFL last year.  He was just a rookie, but many think he may be the best cornerback in the game.  Revis… is one of these people.  Well, even though Revis is under contract for three more years, he is holding out from camp saying he wants a new contract.  On one hand, you can side with Jets management.  Revis signed a contract and has to honor it, because it could go the other way too — if he had underperformed, he still would have gotten paid.  On the other hand, Revis knows how valuable he is to the Jets and is grossly underpaid for his skill level.  Either way, Revis is threatening to skip games if they don’t bring him a new contract.  What will the Jets do?

HOCKEY

Former heart throb Mike Modano has signed a one year contract with the Detroit Red Wings.  Once upon a time Mike Modano was the face of the NHL.  A fantastic player, he was the “hot hockey player”, the good-looking guy the NHL could put on magazine covers to get a female audience.  He has since dropped down the ranks, but now the Red Wings are hoping he still has some magic left in him.  He will be a reserve player for Detroit, but ideally can provide mentorship to some of their younger players.  And — he’s still quite attractive.

FOOTBALL

In the NFL, some of the training camps were in full effect.  And in Denver, not everything got started on the right foot.  In just their first day of practice, Denver’s two top running backs went down to injury.  Knowshon Moreno and Correll Buckhalter suffered injuries requiring them to be carted off the field.  This is a horrible way to start the season.  There is no report how long they will be out for — whether it will be a week or two or substantial time where they would miss games.  this is good news for their recent waiver wire pick-up Kolby Smith, however.   He suddenly finds himself at the top of their depth chart.

In college football, it looks like former Oregon quarterback Jeremiah Masoli is going to get a second chance.  The former Oregon Duck was kicked off the team because of two serious run-ins with the law.  Masoli has the skills and talents to be successful, however, and is still pursuing a substantial college career — with his eyes on the NFL as well.  That second chance is coming from the SEC’s renovated Ole Miss team.  Ole Miss had a strong season last year, and having Masoli on their depth chart may help them get to the next level — perhaps even a BCS Championship appearance.  Then again, Masoli is only joining the team as a walk-on, there is no guarantee that he will play.

BASKETBALL

NBA TV is preparing an hour-long special where they will reveal the marquee games of the upcoming NBA season.  Sure, everybody plays everybody in the NBA, but it’s always interesting to see when they will air certain games.  For example, Christmas always has a slew of riveting games, primarily for the gossip and dramatic story lines that lay underneath.  This year, you can be sure that LeBron’s return to Cleveland, and Kobe’s first match-up against the triple-headed Miami monster will be prime-time match-ups.

BASEBALL

A major trade in in the air.  The Houston Astros have been on the down swing for quite awhile now.  They haven’t exactly been playoff contenders, and currently they’re 14 games out of first place.  Therefore, they were able to get rid of their star pitcher Roy Oswalt.  So where would he go?  To the city that appears to be the prime destination of pitchers looking for a championship ring.  Not the Yankees — the Phillies.  Yep, Philadelphia did their annual “Add a star pitcher to the rotation in hopes of another World Series appearance.  Oswalt joins the all-star line-up that includes ace Roy Halladay and Cole Hamels.  Expect to see Philly go deep in the playoffs.

FOOTBALL

And in the NFL, former college superstar Tim Tebow has finally come to contract terms with the Denver Broncos signing a 5-year deal.  Tebow is expected to compete with Kyle Orton for the starting job.  Many experts criticized Broncos coach Josh McDaniels for drafting Tebow not only in the first round, but also ahead of Notre Dame quarterback Jimmy Clausen and Texas QB Colt McCoy.  But McDaniels saw promise in Tebow’s work ethic and drive and thinks he can mold a star quarterback.  Congrats to Tebow.

Elsewhere in the NFL, former NY Giants hero David Tyree is making headlines again.  To refresh your memory, Tyree was responsible for the now classic “Helmet Catch”, which led to the NY Giants upsetting the undefeated New England Patriots in the Super Bowl three years ago.  The Giants recently let him go, but they’ve decided to sign him to a 1-day contract so Tyree can retire as a New York Giant.   Tyree will forever be remembered as a hero in New York.

BASKETBALL

In the NBA, Team USA is trying to find their perfect new national team.  They  invited many of the NBA’s rising stars, but cuts need to be made.  And yesterday, they shed 4 players from the roster.  First up, Tyreke Evans, last year’s rookie of the year.  Evans missed the last two practices and just didn’t have his heart in it.  Then, JaVale McGee, the up-and-coming big man for the Washington Wizards. He’s good, but apparently expendable.  Next up, Gerald Wallace, the star of the Charlotte Bobcats.  He played poorly in the scrimmage, and didn’t have stats up to par.  Finally, OJ Mayo of the Memphis Grizzlies.  He’s looked sluggish out there and doesn’t appear to be in tip top shape.  The roster is now at 15, with 3 more to go.

SOCCER

MLS decided to host an exhibition game that pitted the all-stars of the MLS against the mighty Manchester United.  They drew a crowd of 70,000 people.  Now that’s excitement for American soccer.  However, this may not have been the best idea.  Manchester United absolutely crushed the MLS All-Stars, scoring a healthy 5 goals against them.  The bad news:  The MLS has a long way to go before it gains international respect.  The good news:  To draw a crowd of 70,000 for an exhibition game only means that interest in the sport is growing at a healthy rate.  Manchester United 5, MLS All Stars 2.

BASKETBALL

Finally… some very sad news.  Recent NBA journeyman Lorenzen Wright was found dead yesterday.  He had been reported missing 10 days ago, and now the Memphis police department said they found an unidentified body near a wooded area 15 miles south of downtown Memphis.  It turned out to be Wright.  Throughout the day, over 200 people came to the scene to mourn including former NBA star Penny Hardaway.  He said, “I cried. The emotions hit me immediately. It’s just sad because we lost a good person and a brother”.  This is very hard news for everyone involved.

FOOTBALL

In the NFL, it appears that after much searching Terrell Owens has finally found a team.  Many teams publicly said they weren’t interested in Owens, but one team saw the benefit of having the former superstar on their squad.  Now, Terrell Owens will be a Cincinnati Bengal.  This is a smart pick-up for the Bengals, because, essentially, they have nothing to lose.  Sure Owens can be a nuisance in the clubhouse, but the Bengals have chemistry woes anyway.  Moreover, now Owens will play opposite another superstar in Chad Ochocinco.  This pairs two of the biggest loudmouth, diva receivers in the league.  During this decade, Owens and Ochocinco were responsible for almost every memorable touchdown celebration.  Having these guys on the same team could be very entertaining.

Elsewhere in the NFL, there has been on a lot of media stir over rookie Dez Bryant’s refusal to carry Roy Williams shoulder pads.  This is typically part of the rookie hazing ritual, but Bryant said he wouldn’t do it.  Then again, most likely, if quarterback Tony Romo asked him to carry shoulder pads, he would do it.  Roy Williams is Bryant’s direct competitor and will probably take his job.  Not carrying his shoulder pads sends a clear message that he is coming for him — that he is here to compete for the job.  Bryant has said he wasn’t familiar with the hazing ritual, but this is more covering his tracks than anything else.

SOCCER

Finally, in some soccer news, Argentina started off their World Cup campaign red hot.  They had a new head coach in former Argentinian superstar Diego Maradona, but he was criticized for selecting an older roster to compete in the tournament.  Well, his critics were silenced when Argentina won their first three World Cup games, and even the first game of the second round against Mexico.  Maradona looked like a hero, and Argentina was a heavy favorite to get to the championship.  Then… came Germany.  Argentina was spanked by the Germans and went home in embarrassing defeat.  With that loss, Maradona’s National Coaching Stint comes to an end.  He was fired yesterday.

BASKETBALL

In the NBA, it looks like a former superstar may have found a new home.  Yes, Tracy McGrady was once thought of as a superstar.  He was the man in Toronto, moved to the Orlando Magic, then signed a big contract with Houston.  He and Yao Ming were supposed to battle the Lakers and Spurs every year for a championship.  Well, McGrady was plagued by injuries during his time in Houston (as was Yao), and he just sort of crumbled there.  Last season, he went to the Knicks and actually looked pretty good.  Many thought if he found the right place, he could be an interesting spark off the bench.  Now it appears that that right place is Chicago.  They have all the pieces in place to sign him, and sources say that’s where he will go.  The favorites in the East now are Miami, Orlando, and Boston, but Chicago is putting together a nice package hoping to cause havoc in the post-season.

FOOTBALL

And in the NFL, the Dallas Cowboys have signed Dez Bryant to a five-year deal.  According to reports, the star rookie receiver has been a golden child — showing up to practice early and doing everything he’s been told.  Well, yesterday he had his first backlash.  Apparently, the rookie declined to carry fellow receiver Roy Williams shoulder pads.  That is a rite of passage in NFL training camps — rookies do grunt work and go through a hazing process.  Bryant has said, “I was drafted to play football, not carry shoulder pads”.  While this may be true, not going thru the rookie “team grunt” process is a big no-no.  Williams has said he needs to move to Phase 2 of hazing now, and we’ll see what that looks like.

CYCLING

Finally, in an exciting day in the cycling world, we had a winner for the Tour De France.  Unfortunately, the American hero, Lance Armstrong, wasn’t standing atop the podium.  In fact he finished in 23rd place, a far cry from the 3rd place finish in 2009 after coming out of retirement.  When asked how he felt, Armstrong replied, “I need a cold beer”.  This year’s victor — none other than the three-time champion Alberto Contador from Spain.  This has become custom for Contador as he is poised to take Armstrong’s spot in the sport as the world’s best cyclist — an amazing feat of athleticism.  Congrats to Contador.

BASKETBALL

In the NBA, it looks like LeBron’s forming of a superteam… is contagious. The latest news now is that Chris Paul, New Orleans’ superstar point guard, wants a trade prior to the beginning of the season.  The Hornets are clearly Chris Paul’s team and one would think he would want to get strong pieces in play to make a championship run.  After all, the Hornets were the #2 seed in the West in 2008.  They CAN put together a good team, but reports indicate that Paul wants out.

So where would he go?  Apparently, Paul’s first choice is to join Amar’e Stoudemire in New York, and recruit Carmelo Anthony in 2011 to form their own superteam to compete with the Miami Heat monster that is Dwayne Wade/LeBron James/Chris Bosh.  He said he’d also like to go to Los Angeles, Orlando, or Portland.  Basically, he’s saying that he wants a better team with more help to win a championship.  And obviously — there is fan backlash.  For starters, Paul still has 2 more years left on his contract.  At least LeBron was a free agent and could do whatever he wanted.  Paul is essentially saying, “Get me outta here!!!”.  It will be very interesting to see how this plays out in the coming weeks.

BASEBALL

Alex Rodriguez blasted his 599th home run against the Kansas City Royals.  This is a tremendous feat, and there are only a few players that have hit the 600 mark on home-runs.  However, it seems that baseball world really isn’t that interested.  Why?  Because just last year, A-Rod admitted that he used performance-enhancing substances.  Once you come out with that, it seriously diminishes your accomplishments.  Therefore, while 600 homers is impressive, baseball fans can’t get behind it to cheer.  It’s most likely that A-Rod’s 600th shot will be celebrated with a quiet whimper.  NY Yankees 10, Kansas City 4.

FOOTBALL

Finally, in the NFL, two star rookies have signed long-term contracts with their respective teams.  The Cleveland Browns signed Texas quarterback Colt McCoy to a 4-year deal.  McCoy will most likely study from the bench this year, but the Browns have big plans for him in his second season.  And of course there’s a chance we see him later this year.  Meanwhile, the Dallas Cowboys have signed their much touted receiver Dez Bryant to a 5 year deal worth $11.8 Million.  Bryant will be an explosive weapon in Tony Romo’s offense, and gives them three solid receivers (Bryant, Miles Austin, and Jason Witten).  Watch out for the Cowboys next season!

BASEBALL

In baseball, the biggest stories come when Washington Nationals phenom pitcher Stephen Strasburg takes the mound.  People come out in droves to see this kid, even though the Nationals aren’t exactly the best team.  Now ESPN is starting to broadcast unimportant Nationals games, such as last night’s game against the Cincinnati Reds.

The story of this game centered around the Reds’ clutch hitter Johnny Gomes.  Gomes needed just one more home-run for the 100 Home Run mark.  He publicly stated he hoped it would happen against the Nationals so he could hit one off the ‘kid’ (i.e. Strasuerg).  Would he get his wish?  Well, Gomes got two opportunities against Strasburg and, um, struck out both times.  Strasburg even whipped a 99mph fastball right by Gomes for a Strike 3 call.  This kid truly is phenomenal.  So how many years before he winds up on the Yankees?  Washington 8, Cincinnati 5.

BASKETBALL

In the NBA, the Los Angeles Clippers are starting to rebuild.  They’ve been plagued by injuries and bad management the past few seasons, but they are about to roll out a solid line-up come opening day.  They have last year’s #1 draft pick Blake Griffin, as well as Eric Gordon, Chris Kaman, and some solid rookie draft picks.  Now, they’re thinking of adding veteran, and former superstar Tracy McGrady to the mix.  McGrady is definitely past his prime (primarily due to severe injuries), but his leadership and guidance could be the glue that gets the Clippers in the playoffs.

Finally, some very interesting news from the Golden State Warriors camp.  They just signed undrafted rookie Jeremy Lin.  Why is this special?  Well, Lin is the first Asian-American player to play in the NBA for quite a while now.  Furthermore, he played his college ball at Harvard — not exactly a locale for many pro NBA athletes.  The Warriors must see something in Lin’s style that they feel could benefit the team.  Lin said, “I understand there are not many Asians in the NBA and there are not many Ivy Leaguers in the NBA.  Maybe I can help break the stereotype.”  Hopefully, Lin is a success.

FOOTBALL

In college football, the mighty USC Trojans have taken a huge hit this off-season.  They lost their head coach, Pete Carroll, and then got in trouble with the NCAA for recruiting violations.  And many believe Pete Carroll jumped ship for the NFL because he knew the glory days were over.  Then we saw their former offensive coordinator, Lane Kiffin, come running back.  In his lap… a school with a 2-year suspension from post-season play.

The main controversy is over the recruiting of Reggie Bush.  Bush was an absolute superstar at USC, and now the Trojan organization is trying to completely shed themselves of that era.  They gave illegal benefits to Bush and also O.J. Mayo in their basketball program.  To try and show their remorse, they’ve returned Reggie Bush’s Heisman Trophy.

While the 2-year suspension is bad, the severe restriction of scholarships over the next few years will truly damage USC’s program.  They fired their current athletic director and hired Pat Haden, but without scholarships, the best-of-the best won’t want to play at USC because they can’t go there for free.  USC disappeared during the 1990’s, had an amazing resurgence this decade, but are now poised to go to the bottom of the ranks again.  This opens the door for a new power in the PAC-10.  Watch out for Arizona, Cal and Washington.

HOCKEY

In a follow up story from the hockey world, it appears that the NHL is rejecting the incredible 17-year, $102 Million offer the New Jersey Devils offered Ilya Kovalchuk.  They said it was an attempt to circumvent the league’s salary cap.  This is accounting ‘cuteseyness’, but at the end of the day, offering that deal and breaking it up into various payments for different years was New Jersey’s attempt to keep a great player not only for his whole career — but even past it.  He was going to get paid until he was 44.  Assuming he only plays to his mid to late 30s, that’s practically 6 years where he wouldn’t be on the roster (and his salary wouldn’t count against the cap that year)  This kind of thing is very bad for the league.

BASEBALL

Finally, in baseball — the end of an era.  Lou Piniella is retiring as manager of the Chicago Cubs.  Piniella has been coaching for nearly 40 years.  He’s 66 years old, has five trips to the World Series, and proudly owns 3 World Series Rings.  Piniella said he just can’t handle the grind any more.  When he says grind, he doesn’t mean actually managing the game — that’s easy on the body.  He just can’t do all the traveling anymore.  Remember, baseball is a long 162-game season, and you’re on the road for half of that.  Piniella is done with it and wants to focus on spending more time with his family.  Congrats to Lou for a great career.