Super Bowl 43 Preview - The Final Chapter

Super Bowl XLIII does not have shine of predecessors. There is no unbeaten team, no dynasty, no marquee players that hog the spotlight and create stories for the media. The economic situation in the US and Canada has led to less than stellar ticket sales on the secondary markets. Big businesses aren’t throwing their weight behind parties anymore or committing millions to 30 second TV spots. Most fans seem to already be looking forward to the draft in April or the 2009 season which will feature a re-loaded Patriots team, a ton of new coaches and a Super Bowl in Miami.

Although the interest in this game may be down generally, it may turn out to be one of the best games this decade. Whether the 5 time champion Steelers add a record 6th Lombardi trophy in their cabinet or if the Cardinals are triumphant and mark an end to a losing streak dating back more than 50 years, it will probably come down to the last minute and a gutsy play that wins one team the championship.

The Steelers come in with one of the best defenses in football. Led by NFL defensive player of the year James Harrison and all around animal Troy Polamalu, this version of the Steel Curtain will attack the QB, drop random linebackers defensive lineman into pass coverage and will not allow many points (only three this season did they give up 21 or more points, going 2-1 in those two games). The Cardinals had one of the most explosive offenses in the NFL in 2008. A rejuvenated Kurt Warner at QB made a connection with his wide receivers Larry Fitzgerald, Anquan Boldin and Steve Breaston. Although, the running game was almost non-existent in most contests, Edge James and Tim Hightower still have the ability to break big runs and create problems for defenses. If the explosive offense and steel curtain defense cancel each other out, what happens then???

The Steelers offense is very inconsistent. They have been injury riddled all season – RB Willie Parker, WR Hines Ward and QB “Big Ben” have all missed time this season. During the AFC Championship game Hines Ward went out injured and the Steelers offense was never the same. Big Ben likes when he is forced to scramble and improvise, this either leads to the big play TD or a huge loss. It could be the make or break for the Steelers championship hopes.

The Cardinals defense at first glance hasn’t been close to Super Bowl worthy, but in different parts of the season, their pass rush, run stopping and pass defense has all been outstanding. They just need to put it all together one last time. The front seven is excellent with the likes of Karlos Dansby and Bertrand Berry and the secondary is improving with Rogers-Cromartie, but look for the Steelers to try and exploit Roderick Hood deep.

Now that the players have been factored in what about the intangibles. The Cards have the “no one believes in us” theme, the Steelers have the playoff experience. The Steelers will probably have the crowd support, while the Cards have no expectations to live up to.

What does all this talk amount to…a great game and my prediction;
Steelers 24 vs. Cardinals 17
MVP: LaMarr Woodley (2 sacks, a turnover and 7 tackles)


Snack of the Week
Didn’t think you could get through the Super Bowl without a snack of the week did you. There are always lots of fried foods and finger foods at parties during the big game, but I need something a little more filling…

Chili

Make it spicy, include some sausage, lots of beans (the magical fruit) and you have a dish to call your own. Make sure to wash it down with an ice cold beeeeeer (Labatt only please).

Interview Me!

Media day at the Super Bowl was on Tuesday and it is a big three ring circus. The star players are put in front of podiums so the contingent of writers, entertainment reporters, kids and transvestites can get a sound bite or be lucky enough to ask a question. The lesser known players (ie. back up lineman, special teamers) spread themselves out in the middle of the field basking in the sun and waiting for the 2 hour period to be completed. These can sometimes be better stories, but you’ll never hear them since all the main stream media is concerned about is Kurt Warner’s wife and faith or Hines Ward’s health.

If there was a media day with all the athletes, managers and owners these are the top 5 who would have the biggest podiums and largest scrums…

#5 Dana White

The UFC President doesn’t pull any punches during interviews. He tells it exactly how it is, and he is not afraid to throw in the F bombs whether it is a press conference or national TV interview. Mr. White has had several public disputes with his fighters where he lets them know that it is his way or the highway. They will try and fight back, but when you have as much clout as Dana, you can pretty much do as you please. A refreshing change from button up commissioners like Bud Selig and Gary Bettman, who only give the “political” answer to questions lobbed at them by the media, Dana White will have no difficulty giving you an answer to each and every one of your questions, just make sure you are ready for it.

#4 Sean Avery

The self proclaimed “bad boy of hockey” is never at a loss for words. From his most recent run in with the press where he gathered reporters together to tell them about other NHLers and “sloppy seconds”, and then walked away telling the press to “enjoy the game” was a stroke of genius –even if it put him out of the league. A couple of his other notable rants include belittling the leagues marketing campaigns, making fun of the French players including, calling Martin Brodeur “fatso” and admitting to playing with dolls on an ESPN magazine show. This character comes in at number 4.

#3 Chad Johnson

Mr. Ocho Cinco is a showman and could easily take top billing on the Barnum & Bailey billboards. From guaranteeing wins and berating defenders, he is as boastful as they come. Most memorably Ocho had a list of all the defensive backs he would be facing posted in his locker. After each game the media would gather as he crossed another one of his list and then start his tangent on the next victim. Besides his locker room antics, his on field celebrations have gone down in history as some of the greatest ever.

#2 Charles Barkley

During his playing days or since joining the media, Charles Barkley has never censored himself. He will make comments on the state of the league, other players, fans – it is no holds barred with Chuck. One of the most (in)famous quotes from Charles is the “I’m not a role model”, where he told parents that he is simply an athlete and not someone your children to look up to. More recently Charles has become a sideshow during the All-Star weekend by racing 67 year old NBA referee Dick Bavetta and whenever he steps on the golf course and unleashes that swing that doubles as a corkscrew.

“I don't think of myself as giving interviews. I just have conversations. That gets me in trouble.” And that is why Charles comes in at #2

#1 Shaquille O’Neal

O’Neal has given himself so many nicknames not even he can keep track anymore. When he speaks, the media listens because it will no doubt be something funny, charming or off the cuff and it will make headlines. Whether he is cursing on live TV, making fun of one of Craig Sager’s awful jackets, talking about his relationship with Kobe or speaking about himself, it will be something that fans want to hear. Although you would think Shaq is a well rounded, educated and worldly man, one of my personal favorite quotes that he ever gave was when he was asked if he had visited the Parthenon during his visit to Greece - “I can’t really remember the names of the clubs that we went to.” Classic!

This quote shows why he keeps them coming back for more - “But can’t nobody (mess) with me. I’m like toilet paper, Pampers and toothpaste. I’m definitely proven to be effective.” Shaq certainly is effective with his verbal diarrhea and that is why he is #1!

Others receiving votes: Allen Iverson, Bob Knight, Mike Ditka, Herm Edwards, Brian Burke, Joey Porter, Joe Namath, Mark Cuban, Floyd Merriweather, Lou Pinella, Ozzie Guillen

Who Called It!

I think a pat on the back is in order! That funny haired looking man in the back is Steelers kicker Jeff Reed...

Check out the full gallery of pictures at http://kissingsuzykolber.com

Bend it like Beckham

The three things most North American sports fans know about soccer is that the rest of the world calls it futbol, the name David Beckham and the team Manchester United. They may in fact have heard of the last two because Beckham starred for United for so many years, before making a much publicized move to Real Madrid. Then in an even more publicized move, Beckham came to America to promote the game to a new fan base by playing for the LA Galaxy of the MLS.

Although the experiment of bringing a high profile European superstar to the MLS has been met with mixed reviews, Beckham has done his job. At every stadium they are at near capacity when his club comes to town, even though the Galaxy are near the bottom of the standings. He has sold more jerseys in the last two years than almost every NBA player combined and has had no problem being the face of the league. He has earned every penny the MLS is paying him.

All this praise, but it isn't enough for Beckham. He yearns to play for a top ranked club in Europe, against the best competition and to continue to play for his country. He still has lots of skill, pace and the determination to play against those players and succeed. This has been demonstrated nicely during his recent loan to Italian powerhouse AC Milan. Beckham was supposed to come of the bench, play sparingly and basically use the time in Milan to keep himself in shape so he could be called on for international duty and be at his best for the beginning of the MLS season in April. As it turns out, Milan had other ideas. He has started all 3 games for Milan and scored his first goal in his 3rd match. Although, Beckham is slated to return to LA after completing his loan on March 6th, there is good reason to believe that AC Milan won't want to let him go and that Beckham may realize he has done all he could to help the MLS and stay in Italy to continue his pro career. Beckham lit the match, the fire is burning for professional soccer in America and now he can disappear into the night.

David Beckham's old club, Manchester United is also in the news recently, not for a Wayne Rooney red card, a Ronaldo car crash or a post-game team orgy, the team shirt sponsor AIG has decided against renewing their deal for the 2010 season. This is a smart move on AIG's part as I don't think many taxpayers would be happy to see the bailout money being spent on advertising on the chest of the EPL club. This leaves a gaping hole to fill on one of the most recognized uniforms in all of sport. Manchester United has already said they have several companies that they are considering to replace AIG has the shirt sponsor, but let me throw my ideas out to the blogosphere...1) Nike - it makes perfect sense, they already produce the jersey why not have two swooshes just to make it obvious? 2) Co-Operative Insurance - they have a huge office in Manchester and why not go from one insurance giant to another 3) Barclay's - is this too obvious? 4) Bimbo.

The choice will come down to dollar's and cents, and it will probably be a strange sight to see something other than AIG on the kit, but I'm sure the club couldn't be happier as now all the die hard fans have to spend $100 on a new jersey come September...

Super Bowl XLIII Preview

With two weeks until Super Bowl XLIII in Tampa Bay, we will take a daily look at the factors that will affect the game.

#6 Kickers

Most people think of kickers as the small foreign guy at the end of the bench. In reality, he is now the large foreign guy at the end of the bench.

The kickers, even though mocked by media, teammates and fans are one of the most important players on the 53 man roster. They provide points when offenses stall and very often decide close games. During the season, many games come down to the final seconds with the only thing between a team and a victory is a field goal from that "weird little kicker".

In championship games kickers are very important. Even though Vegas has the Steelers as 7 point favorites, this game could very well come down to either a Jeff Reed or Neil Rackers field goal. So who would I like to have on the field in the final seconds of Super Bowl XLIII? Give me Neil Rackers! Rackers has the stronger leg, is more accurate from over 40 yds, and slightly more accurate overall. This might have something to do with Reed playing on one of the worst fields in the NFL and Rackers kicking in a (almost) dome stadium, but I am going with Rackers anyway.

Being a kicker isn't easy, if the game does come down to the final seconds and you are out on the field, you know you are walking off the field either the hero or the goat...as long as you don't have Tony Romo as your holder, than it is his fault.

Super Bowl XLIII Preview

With two weeks until Super Bowl XLIII in Tampa Bay, we will take a daily look at the factors that will affect the game.

#3 Jersey Colour

I'll let the AP say it, as reported on si.com;

PITTSBURGH (AP) -- The Pittsburgh Steelers will wear their white road uniforms against the Arizona Cardinals in the Super Bowl, just as they did when they defeated Seattle for the NFL title three years ago. The Cardinals, as the home team, chose to wear their red home jerseys in the Feb. 1 game in Tampa, Florida.

In the 2006 Super Bowl, the Steelers had the option of wearing their black home jerseys, but elected to wear white after playing and winning three road playoff games in as many weeks. This will be only the third time in their seven Super Bowls the Steelers will wear white. They also wore white while defeating Minnesota in the 1975 Super Bowl.

What does this mean...probably not a whole lot. The Cards may be trying to play a little psychological game with the Steelers having them wear the white jersey's, but it doesn't seem to affect them as they keep winning big games no matter the ensemble.

If I were GM...

This segment will ask one superfan to answer questions about their favorite team, to prove once and for all that fans are indeed smarter than the General Manager's of professional sports teams.

Today, BLT asks Vancouver Canucks superfan Bones about his team, here is what he would do if he were GM...

Well where do we begin?

How about, oh I don't know, WINLESS IN SEVEN AT HOME??
Great job guys...an all-time Canucks record for futility at home. And don't give me any of that "1 point for a shootout loss" nonsense. A loss is a loss and it's been SEVEN STRAIGHT at the friendly (?) confines of GM Place. I didn't know that GM Place would be in need of a government bailout too!

Okay what needs to be done?

Lets work from the goal out.
Goaltending - nothing. Leave Louie alone. But give the guy some dang support! LaBarbara was an upgrade on Sanford. Apparently he's excellent at riding the pine. And he has a cool mask with Metallica on it.

Defence - Oh. Ma. GAWD. What's going on here? Bieksa looks like he sliced his calf again. Edler is making 'Nuck fans want to bring back Robert Nordmark. Willie "Long Stick" Mitchell seems to have traded in his extra long shaft for a Cosom hockey stick (with the super curved blade that you get from standing on it and folding the stick over). It's a mess on the blueline.

Forwards - Sundin will be coming around (nice goal the other night), the Sedins had a fine game too. The 2 headed monster named Burrler or Kessows needs to continue to play in your face nasty hockey. And Taylor Pyatt still has beautiful eyes. Good lord he scored against the Blue Jackets too! Raymond was bumped upstairs for Wellwood (good move)and patience is wearing thin on this very talented kid who's signature move... "Raymond goes wide on the defenceman" has been used more times than the teenage "yawn-strectch-put your arm around your date" move. Time to learn how to cut into the middle of the ice Ray Ray.

Coaching/management - Coach V and Gillis are still the men. I'm not too concerned with them. It's on the players. And I don't see Gillis firing Coach V mid-season either. If anything happens, it will be the offseason.

Suggested move - Ideally, Mark Streit from the Isle. They're cutting costs (aren't they always?) and the Canucks depserately need a puck moving defenceman and PP QB. I bet Bieksa would fit in nicely there on the Island.

Alternatively, Mathieu Schnieder from the A-T-L (for a draft pick) or possibly Jay Bowmeester. JB would be an excellent aquisition actually (seeing JB is a FA this summer, FLA will move him by the deadline...so we'd have to submit a larger package...perhaps Bieksa and Raymond??) I'd also suggest Tomas Kaberle from the Laffs, but I don't know if I could handle another ex-Laff on the team.

If all that fails, we could ring up Paul Reinhart.

In the end, yes, the Nucks suck right now. But it's not the end...not by a long shot. With 33 games to go, the Canucks CAN pull themselves out of this funk.

Obama-mania

Today was the inauguration of the 44th President of the United States. Special for alot of reasons, but it brings up some questions I had never thought of before, if you have an answer, let me know...

• Does he get a new mattress or does he have to sleep on the same one as Bush?
• Does he have to sell all of the stuff he had in his old house or does he put it the U-Haul Storage facility for 4 or 8 years?
• Do they get new dishes?
• Do you think Bush left him a love note and a chocolate on the pillow?
• Was there a 6-pack left in the fridge?
• Do you think the old presidents play mean practical jokes or haze the new president?

So many questions, so few answers...

Super Bowl XLIII Preview

With two weeks until Super Bowl XLIII in Tampa Bay, we will take a daily look at the factors that will affect the game.

#2 Super Bowl Tickets

This may be the average fans best chance to see a live Super Bowl game since 2002. For those of you with short attention spans that was the first game post 9/11 and featured the high scoring St. Louis Rams, with Kurt Warner and the New England Patriots, who were making their first appearance in the championship game since 1985.

Tickets that year were easy to come by since large corporations were staying away amid security concerns and major financial and manpower cuts. This allowed many fans to get into the game paying well below face value for seats. A similar trend is occurring this year, where many corporations and companies that have taken clients or executives to the game in the past are forgoing the trip due to the economic situation, and even if they did have the money for the trip are holding off due to perception. Look for the average fan to once again be able to get into the stadium for a lot less $$$ than normal.

How does this affect the game you ask, have you ever met an Arizona Cardinal fan? No, didn't think so. Have you ever met a Steelers fan? Obviously, yes. The fans of the black and gold are known to travel to see their team play. During the regular season this year, RFK Stadium in Washington was overrun with Steeler fans. The Redskin players were very upset by this. On the other hand, the Cards had trouble selling out their playoff games. Given the chance to purchase tickets, the Steelers fans will show up in great numbers and when it doesn't cost them nearly as much as they thought to get into the game, look for Raymond James Stadium to have an overwhelming Pittsburgh feel to it.

A home game never hurt anyone, except maybe the Giants...

Super Bowl XLIII

With two weeks until Super Bowl XLIII in Tampa Bay, we will take a daily look at the factors that will affect the game.

#1 Super Bowl Parties

The Super Bowl city turns into one big party in the week leading up to the game. Corporations take "business" trips, fans of the participating teams travel to be a part of the celebration, and celebrities arrive to be seen.

In the past several players have been caught up in the nonsense around the Super Bowl. Most notably are Eugene Robinson of the Atlanta Falcons who was caught soliciting a prostitute the night before the game and Raiders center Barret Robbins who took off to Tijuana before the game and never came back. So who will be this year's Eugene Robinson and how will it affect their team?

From the Cardinals we can rule out Kurt Warner, but after his hissy fit on the sidelines Sunday maybe Anquan Boldin is the player that will let out a little steam. Another potential distraction for the Cards could be Edge James. He is going back to Florida, where he will be among family and friends and you know he is gangsta with that grill for teeth!

For the Steelers, I could see WR Linus Sweed who was almost the goat over the weekend after that dropped touchdown pass in the second quarter, he is a rookie who played at the University of Texas and therefore he might be down for attending one of those "rap" concerts that the likes of Diddy is throwing during the week. The other obvious selection on the Steelers is kicker Jeff Reed. The man dyed his hair platinum blond because the Steelers made the playoffs and he is KICKER! They are weird, trust me.

Happy Birthday Muhammad Ali

Over the weekend - January 17 to be exact, it was the birthday of one of the greatest sportsmen that we have ever caught on film. Muhammad Ali turned 67 years old.

This forum cannot accurately describe his boxing career, his personal life, or his recent battle with Parkinson's. I urge you to take the time to read his autobiography, there are a few on the market and learn more about him growing up in Louisville, Kentucky, the road he took to get to the Olympics, his fight against the US government during the Vietnam War and of course his actual boxing career.

Ali was involved in some of the biggest fights the boxing world has ever seen. He never shied away from a fight and during his ban from the ring during the War, he even challenged George Foreman to a fight at the boxing club he was training at instead of taking the millions to do it at a stadium.

Outside of boxing, Ali is recognized at the grandfather of rap. He constructed poems that put down his opponents, made predictions about his victories and promoted himself. Some of his most famous;

"I've seen George Foreman shadow boxing and the shadow won."

"I don't always know what I'm talking about but I know I'm right."

"The fight is won or lost far away from the witnesses, behind the lines, in the gym, and out there on the road; long before I dance under those lights."

"Inside of a ring or out, ain't nothing wrong with going down. It's staying down that's wrong." "He who is not courageous enough to take risks will accomplish nothing in life."

"Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee."

"You give 100 percent in the first half of the game, and if that isn't enough in the second half you give what's left."

"If winning isn't everything, why do they keep score?"

"I'll beat him so bad he'll need a shoehorn to put his hat on."

"If you even dream of beating me you'd better wake up and apologize."

"I'm so fast that last night I turned off the light switch in my hotel room and was in bed before the room was dark"

I was never one to believe that being in the same room with someone famous could give you the chills, make you feel proud, or ignite a fire inside you that will make you a better person, Ali changed all that the day he showed up a Toronto Argos game. It might have been a promotional stunt to get people in the seats, but he makes you want to be stronger and find purpose in the things you do.

One last Ali quote to finish off -

"The service you do for others is the rent you pay for the time you spend on earth."

NFL Championship Weekend Preview

No one was waiting for these picks, seeing how good I have been the last couple of weeks, just call me Bill Simmons. Just in case though, here are my thoughts on the AFC and NFC Championship games.

Philadelphia vs. Arizona

Both teams surprised last weekend with wins. Philadelphia went into arch rival Giant Stadium and beat the defending Super Bowl champions. Arizona defended their home turf and for the first time in franchise history advanced to the championship game.

Copy and pasted from my last two weekends are my thoughts on the Eagles, "coach Andy Reid will blow a game with a missed call, whether it be a time-out, challenge, or QB sneak" and QB Donovan McNabb will finally blow up and make the mistakes he was committing until week 11. However, the real "swing vote" player in this game for the Eagles on the offensive side of the ball is Brian Westbrook. He has been averaging 1.9 yds per touch and if he can get loose and create offense for the Philadelphians look for them to book their plane tickets to Tampa. On defense, can the Eagles corners keep up with weapons of the Cardinals. Asante Samuel likes to jump routes, but he will have to play more at home when facing these wideouts.

Onto the other birds - the Cardinals - will close the roof to University of Phoenix Stadium to ensure the full effect of home field advantage is in place. If QB Kurt Warner gets time in the pocket and is able to scan the field and find his two big time players in WR Larry Fitzgerald and WR Anquan Boldin it will be a good day for the team in red. On defense, look for Cards to play things safe, unlike Jim Johnson's Eagles - they will play straight up and keep everything in front of them and rely on McNabb to make the bad read and poor decision.

In the end - Kurt Warner has promised his kids a puppy if he wins the Super Bowl, you can't bet against the power of the puppy...

Pick;

Arizona 27 vs. Philadelphia 13

Baltimore vs. Pittsburgh

A rookie QB has won two playoff road games and everyone is waiting for the now famous "unibrow" to collapse under the weight of expectations. Pittsburgh keeps preserving and winning the tough, hard fought football games that their defense keeps them in and the offense just does enough.

The key to this game for the Ravens will be the health of some of their main men. LB/DL Terrell Suggs, WR Mark Clayton and WR Derrick Mason, all have bumps and bruises due to the fact the Ravens had their bye week early in the season and haven't had a chance to rest any of their sores. The weather will be bad and ball security will be big for QB Joe Flacco and the tandem in the backfield.

The Steelers defense is stingy, led by defensive player of the year James Harrison, the offense has turned it around in recent weeks by finding their running game behind a healthy "Fast" Willie Parker (on a sidenote, he killed my fantasy team this year) and that big o-line.

This game will be a hard fought game with few points that will come down to big plays. Is Flacco able to hit Clayton on a deep pass or can Ben drop one into the lap of Nate Washington? Look for the Steelers to hold court and advance to Tampa.

Pick;

Pittsburgh 13 vs. Baltimore 7

Snack of the Week

Since the games are at 3pm and 6:30pm this week, the snack of the week has to alter its course slightly. You can't just have something to tide you over until dinner, you need something of substance.

Grilled Cheese Sandwich

Processed cheese is yummy, there is no arguing that point. All you can argue is if it actually qualifies as a food. Once toasted and warm, dipped in ketchup, it is very satisfying. Served with some potato chips (see, snack of the week during the wild card weekend preview) and a glass of chocolate milk and you are in for a treat.

Weezie Baby!

It was 9 o'clock last night and my partner in crime and I decided it was about time to head over to the ACC. The doors to Lil' Wayne's I Am Music tour opened at 7pm, but we made the executive decision that neither one of us had any interest in seeing any of the 4 opening acts - one of which took the stage before the doors even opened to the public (huh?). Wayne was scheduled to take the stage at 9, but has been notoriously late (shocking!) to meet his fans. In fact, in Montreal the evening prior he was over an hour later than expected. So needless to say, we were not concerned. After getting a couple of sodas and taking our seats at 9:30pm, we had just enough time to take off our winter gear when the lights dimmed and the bass started to pound and out popped Weezie baby!

The sound system boomed and the capacity ACC screamed and shrieked with glee when the New Orleans native took the stage. He opened the show with a bang - the familiar beat of one of The Carter III's best songs - Mr. Carter came out the speakers. The crowd happily sang along with each word and that would be the theme for the night. Even though Wayne has put out enough material in the last 3 years that would take most musicians an entire career to produce, the fans that paid up to $250 from scalpers for tickets, rapped and sang along with all of his songs, whether they were from his commercial albums or his mixtape efforts.

With so many songs in his repertoire and being featured on so many tunes in the past year, it was a good fit to bring T-Pain out to have a "feature off". While Weezie did push-ups and T-Pain did some calisthenics, they had a nice back and forth going through the catalogue of features each has been on. The announcement at the end of the spot is what should have fans of the rapper and his feature buddy excited - the T-Wayne album. Even though the "best of both worlds" concept has failed in the past, expect some monster radio play from this record when it drops.

After a couple of wardrobe changes and going backwards through his catalogue of albums, the highlight of which was "fireman" complete with pyrotechnics, he resumed doing songs off of the album he is touring to support. "La La", "Mr. Officer", "Shoot Me Down" were all part of the second half of the show, during which he brought out Keri Hilson (one of the opening acts) and Drake who is a R&B cat from Toronto now on Wayne's Young Money record label, to sing some hooks. He finished the show on a high note with "A Milli" and then the lights went on and people started to file out of the building. No encore was kind of disappointing, but according to a source both the ACC and Lil' Wayne's management knew the show was running late and just played "A Milli" as the last song instead of using it as the encore as he has done in other cities.

The show definitely entertained and kept my attention for the hour and a half he was on stage. Even though Wayne controlled the crowd, he still has much to learn about "stadium show" production. Some flames, a spotlight and black backdrop don't cut it when face value of the ticket is $90. He needs to take some cues from Mr. Kanye West on set production and crowd interaction. Would I go again? Hell yeah!

Peace!

Your Toronto Raptors!

On Sunday and Monday the inevitable happened - the Toronto Raptors lost both ends of a home and home against the defending NBA champion Boston Celtics. When you looked at the schedule two weeks ago you assumed those two losses were coming, but then the Celtics 19 game winning streak came to end, they lost 7 of 9 including a game to the Charlotte Bobcats, so did the Raptors had a chance, well they were supposed to.

On Sunday at ACC the Raptors allowed the Celtics to get into paint and score at will. Not even Jose Calderon who returned from injury, for 3 quarters, could control Rajon Rondo who posted numbers better than his season averages in points and assists. The key to stopping the Celtics is to not allow Rondo to drive and then distribute the ball to Pierce and Allen who can hit wide open jump shots. The teams that beat Boston recently, stopped Rondo by putting big, athletic players on him on the defensive end instead of guards. Raptors coach Jay Triano did not believe in this theory and allowed Calderon and Soloman to get beat off the dribble all day.

Monday in Boston was a different story. The Raptors shot well, committed less turnovers and played tight defense and actually led going into the 4th quarter in front of a shocked Garden crowd. Then the game started to fall apart for Toronto. Turnovers, missed shots and a hot Paul Pierce allowed the Celtics back into the game. Eventually the game would reach overtime where the Raptors turned it over on the first three possessions of the OT period. Unfortunately, in the short 5 minute extra time this was too much to overcome. The one good point to come out of the overtime was that the Raptors did not stop hustling. Down 4 with 10 seconds remaining Jason Kopono stepped in front of the inbounds pass and actually got the ball back behind the 3 point arc, but an off balance shot clanged off the basket, rebound to Boston and the clock expired. Not sure this kind of work was something we would have seen under Coach Smitch.

What is the best way to fix a season that has "lottery pick" written all over it - blockbuster trade! NBA.com had this beauty today bringing a Canadian basketball God to Toronto;

Steve Nash, Leandro Barbosa and Robin Lopez to Toronto, while Phoenix would acquire Jose Calderon, Andera Bargnani, Anthony Parker, Jason Kopono and maybe even Jamario Moon (to equalize salaries) from Toronto.

Now, this would bring some more cache to Toronto and most casual observers of roundball in Canada would love this to happen. Unfortunately, this would another Bryan Colangelo miss. Steve Nash is an aging guard with health problems. He was at his best in a "Seven seconds or less" offense, which isn't something the Raptors currently run. What the Raptors currently need is a back-up guard incase Calderon goes down - like he has, by giving him up and acquiring Nash, Toronto would still be searching for that missing piece when Nash inevitably misses games.

From the Raptors side, they are giving up on the number one pick in the draft after only two and a half seasons. Bargnani was mostly mis-used by the former coach and since Triano has taken over his game has improved. There is something to selling high, but Andrea is still rising.

The Raptors have a tough schedule to finish out January with games against Chicago (twice), Atlanta, Detroit and Phoenix among others, the All-Star break can't come soon enough.

Lebron to the Browns???

For all of those New Yorkers waiting for 2010 when Lebron James becomes a free agent, you might have to share him according to these photos...

http://lebron2010.com/?p=362

Actually, these are leaked photos, supposedly from a State Farm commerical due to air around the Super Bowl.

I wonder if NFLshop.com will make me one of those...

Top 10 Actresses of 2009

Unfortunately I was not part of the research committee that put this list together, but felt the readers needed to know what to be on the look out for in 2009.

Actresses to Know in 2009

Going to Cooperstown

Today the Baseball Writers Association of America (BBWAA) announced its 2009 Hall of Fame inductees. The ceremony to introduce the new members will take place in Cooperstown, NY at the end of July. This year the honour was bestowed on two players - Rickey Henderson and Jim Rice. Several big names were once again left on the outside looking in, the closest to entering the hall but just shy this year were slugger Andre Dawson and pitcher Bert Blyleven.

Rickey Henderson is a no brainer as a HOF inductee. Some of the accolades that Henderson received over his career included the 1990 AL MVP, 10 time all-star, career leader in steals, single season leader in steals (130), career leader in lead off home runs and did it all over 25 seasons. Some might not consider him the modest player to ever grace the field, but whatever he bragged about he backed up.

Jim Rice gets into the HOF on his very last try. The BBWAA gives players 15 years to try and get into the HOF and Rice used them all. He is the third player to get into the all on the last ballot, for those trivia buffs the other two are Red Ruffing (1967) and Ralph Kiner (1975). Rice accolades include being the 1978 AL MVP, 8 time all-star and finished his career with .298 average, 382 HR and 1451 RBIs.

Now some may argue that Rice's numbers merit being in the HOF and I am not here to dispute that. The boys over at Baseball Prospectus have that market cornered - check out their article on ESPN.com today. I am of the opinion that players should have only one opportunity to enter the Hall. Give writers a ballot with all the eligible names and two boxes, yes and no. If a player receives 75% of yes votes, than he gets a plaque. This would eliminate alot of the writers letting players hang around until their is a "soft" class and allowing a star player, but not a super star player to receive the honour when they probably shouldn't. The hall of fame should be for the elite, not the very good.

This type of ballot would also ensure that writers make decisions on players closer to end of said players careers when they can be better judged. I watched Rickey, Mark McGwire, Harold Baines, David Cone all play, but I never saw Jim Rice play in his prime so how can I really judge if he is hall worthy. I can tell you that Baines in my mind is not a HOFer, but he got votes this year and will probably get votes until his 15 years runs out. Is he probably the grand father of the DH and a very good major leaguer in his day, yes, does that mean he should be on the wall next to Willie Mays, no. So then why do we put his name on the ballot every year when the only guy voting for him is the Chicago sports writer who is being nostalgic and was too close to the situation.

This year we got a Blue Jay into the HOF, next year hopefully an Expo in Andre Dawson and probably Blyleven even though for the last 5 years, he didn't seem worthy.

Kanye West x Louis Vuitton

Was going to write an NBA post today, but I feel I'll have more to say after the Raptors play the Boston Celtics for two straight games.

Instead you are left with this...a preview of the new "sneakers" designed by Kanye West for his Louis Vuitton collection which drops in June. No details available on what the price tag will be, but my guess is that not too many people will be wearing them. As for the actual shoes themselves - a progressive idea that matches the classic white shoe that hip hop heads favor and the growing trend of boat/deck shoes. The deck shoe was starting to gain momentum last summer and look for everyone to be wearing them in the summer of 2009. Mr. West has also added a couple of nice touches on the heel and the fringe laces. Classy...

This is one of six Kanye shoe designs and look for more fashion from Kanye as he will also make his own clothing line "Pastelle" more readily available.


Snack of the Day
Since yesterday's NFL games were at 4 and 7, you probably didn't have time for snacks, instead you had dinner on the couch in front of the TV. With today's Raptors contest and the two NFL games at 1 and 4, it is time to indulge.

Sunflower Seeds

Generally this isn't a very good indoor snack, but all you need is an empty dish or water bottle to place the shells in. If you are feeling lazy (as it is a Sunday), just eat the sunflower seed whole. Contrary to popular belief, this will not make a plant grow in your stomach, the only concern is choking. Another word of caution - stay away from the flavoured seeds, BBQ, all-dressed are BAD, stick to the salted.

NFL Divisional Playoff Weekend Preview

Before we get into the preview ramblings, if you are a betting man - this is a little tidbit for you from ESPN.com Tuesday Morning Quarterback Gregg Easterbrook;

"Home teams in the NFL divisional round are the surest thing in sports. Since the current playoff format was adopted in 1990, home teams in the divisional round are 55-17, a .764 winning percentage.

A week later in the championship round, the home advantage dissipates. Since 1990, home teams in conference championship games are 21-15, a .583 winning percentage. That's only a tad better than the rate at which home teams won all games over the same period. (So far this season, home teams are .554.) In the championship round, nobody's had the previous week off and the Super Bowl is just one W away. Players leave everything on the field in championship contests."

Now on to game previews...

Arizona vs. Carolina
Last week the Cardinals surprised everyone with a great defensive performance that shut down the Falcons running game. Carolina has a running game every bit as good , so can Arizona do it again? It doesn’t look good. Arizona plays awful when they come east, combine that with a physical game last week and one of their biggest weapons, Anquan Boldin being injured and all signs point to the Panthers victory.

Look for everyone to be ga-ga over Panthers RB DeAngelo Williams and his sidekick rookie RB Jonathan Stewart, they will break a couple of big runs and make the highlight reel, but the star of the game will be the Panthers secondary led by Chris Gamble and Ken Lucas and the rock solid linebacker core Jon Beason and Thomas Davis and get a monster pass rush day from Julius Peppers.

Enough of the name dropping, my pick,
Carolina 27 vs. Arizona 20

NY Giants vs. Philadelphia
The Eagles have been playing lights out football, while the world champion NEW YORK FOOTBALL GIANTS have stumbled across the finish line. This leads to the Eagles bandwagon pulling into the Meadowlands with a full load.

The Giants probably benefitted more from the week off than any other team. It allowed them to get over the fact that they haven’t been playing well and re-set their mind for a run at another Lombardi trophy.
As for the Eagles, I refer back to last week’s post when I said that coach Andy Reid will blow a game with a missed call, whether it be a time-out, challenge, QB sneak.

Eli Manning comes through in Super Bowl form – throwing touchdowns, as does Donovan McNabb – puking in the huddle.

My pick,
NY Giants 24 vs. Philadelphia 13

San Diego vs. Pittsburgh
If I thought the Eagles were on a roll, not sure what to call the Chargers run. Led by diminutive RB Darren Sproles the Bolts out-schemed the Colts to win in the opening round. Pittsburgh fight off injuries and a concussion to QB Big Ben Roethlisberger enjoyed the week preparing.

As for advantages – the one most pundits are talking about right now is special teams. Chargers punter Mike Scrifes was unbelievable versus the Colts, but if that is your big advantage you are in for a long day. No LT, means no more January football for the Chargers.

My pick,
Pittsburgh 24 vs. San Diego 10

Baltimore vs. Tennessee
The Ravens defense of 2008 is being compared to the history making squad of 2000 when they won the Super Bowl in spite of their offense. This year QB Joe Flacco and the 3 headed monster at tailback have decided to stand up and be counted. Tennessee on the other hand, is mimicking that 2000 Ravens team more and more. Excellent defense, but little scoring. So, if I had to choose between two great defenses and then a bad offense and a good one, my pick will be the good one – the Baltimore Ravens.

Look for Ravens WR Derrick Mason to have a steady game despite playing with a separated shoulder and a couple of big plays from Michael Clayton on the other side of the line. The Titans will try to keep up by controlling the clock and running Chris Brown and LenDale White, but in the end, Ed Reed and the Ravens defense will prevail.

My pick,
Baltimore 35 vs. Tennessee 21

BCS Un-messed

With Florida winning the national championship last night, there isn't much to argue about who is the national champion (except if you are Utah and undefeated on the season).

Own your piece of history - the Urban Meyer t-shirt...

http://e-shirt.com/cat_details.php?CatProduct=16&txtProdID=11264


NFL Weekend Preview coming later tonight...

BCS Mess

Thursday night is the NCAA Bowl Championship Series championship game between the Oklahoma Sooners and Florida Gators. The games participants were decided by a mix of a computer program, media and coaches voting to decide who are the two best teams in the NCAA. Want to know what the real formula is? Don't lose late in the season! The top 5 teams will all end with one loss, which leads to the debate of who is really the best team.

The teams that lost at the start of the season have time to work their way back up the polls, while teams who lose late in the year, like in a conference championship game, have no opportunity to gain the places back with more impressive wins. This year, that means Alabama (before they lost in their bowl game), Texas, USC and the undefeated Utah Utes all could have clamis to the shiny trophy.

Many, if not all college football fans, those in the media, coaches and players dislike the BCS system. It leaves too much power in the hands of a computer program and coaches that vote for themselves even though they shouldn't (see Mack Brown) to decide the best squad each January. What can be done about it though - Barack Obama even wants a college playoff, so let me help him out (lol) and offer my own version of the BCS playoff formula.

Most would like to see a static number of teams in a bracket style tournament, think "March Madness" for football. The big issue with this scenario is how many teams enter the bracket? Is it four, eight, or even twelve? Since there will always be that odd year that has five, nine or thirteen teams that could be deserving of being in the playoffs having a static number of entrants will not work.

My vision has only those teams with 0 or 1 loss enter in a bracket style tournament, and it doesn't matter if they come from a non-BCS conference. The seedings will be determined by the last poll. The tournament will start the week after the conference championship games. In this version the games would have played out as follows;

Round 1
Oklahoma - BYE
Florida - BYE
Texas vs. Boise State
USC vs. Utah

Round 2
Oklahoma vs. USC
Florida vs. Texas (fixed)

Round 3
Oklahoma vs. Florida

and voila - we have the same title game with three weeks of great football. As for the game going on Thursday night, my pick;

Florida 35 vs. Oklahoma 17

All-Star Games

Three of the four major sports (if you still include hockey as the 4th major sport) are in the middle of All-Star season. The NHL just announced it's starting line-up for the game in Montreal in February. The NBA is two weeks away from announcing it's starting line-up for the gala in Phoenix. The NFL announced the 2008 Pro Bowl starters a few weeks ago. What do all these games have in common besides being boring, high scoring and a mecca for athletes getting in trouble - they are always controversies on who is named to the teams.

This year is no different. The NHL has only 4 teams represented in the starting line-up. Two of the 10 starters for the NBA festivities will be from China. This is possible because of ballot stuffing from the basketball crazy Chinese. Therefore two players will be snubbed and the media will be angry at the process of choosing the stars. The NFL might be the most messed up. Five to seven of the starters are usually unknown to fans (the offensive and defensive lines) and therefore end up being chosen on reputation not on performance, for example Jason Peters of the Buffalo Bills. Peters held out all of training camp to get a better contract, showed up on Saturday before the first game on Sunday - missed that game and then got owned the rest of the season and was even pulled from at least two games for poor performance. That sounds like an all-pro to me!

So after some deep thought, it is pretty obvious that the fans can't be trusted to pick the all-stars. The next logical choice would seem to be coaches and players. This is a little better as they obviously know who has been playing well and poorly as they watch film on each other, but there is still room for error based on voting for teammates or friends.

So the solution you ask - let's go retro! Have a team of all-stars chosen by coaches and players (the best option) play the championship team from the previous year. This does a couple of things. It rewards the championship team for their performance, it showcases the "team" concept as some players that would never be on an all-star team get to play in a high profile game and it minimizes the number of fringe all-stars. What I mean by this is instead of naming 30 NBA all-stars you would only name 15. This would make it easier to narrow done the best of the best and then instead of arguing as we did last season if Jose Calderon was an all-star, there wouldn't even have been a discussion because he was the 8th to 10th best PG and only 3 or 4 would be named in my vision.

Another solution - don't play the game. Name the teams, give the players their bonuses and go home.

K-os - Astronaut

A new track from Toronto artist K-os has hit the web. In anticipation of his new album Yes! being released in March 2009 the relunctant superstar will begin promotion and his first stop was Okayplayer homepage where he dropped this track - Astronaut. Click on the link to have a listen;


"http://www.okayplayer.com/news/Audio-k-os-Astronaut-.html">

K-os stays pretty underground with his music releases and besides a couple of b-sides and remixes he hasn't been heard from since the release of 2007's Atlantis Hyms for Disco which produced the smash single "Sunday Morning".

This song doesn't stray far from his successful formula. It is an upbeat song with some fun lyrics and this will be a radio anthem across all the formats. What he does bring in this song is a little bit of Kanye West's 808 and Heartbreak, with some autotune or voice-altering device. It works and I don't think his fans will be upset with him for using this now trendy style.

Also, check for his first official radio single 4,3,2,1 that is making it way onto radio stations.

MVP?

Instead of waiting until the middle of the offseason like some sports (baseball) the NFL announced the 2008 MVP yesterday and the winner in a landslide - Peyton Manning of the Indianapolis Colts. Manning wins his third MVP award of his career tying him with another QB, Brett Favre for the most all-time.

The MVP is normally given out to the best player on the best team or the player who is deemed to be indispensible to their squad. In other words if you removed player X from the team would that team collapse.

Arguably, the two best teams this season were the Titans and Giants. The Giants didn't have any "stand-out" performances this year and are winning as a team, much like last year's Super Bowl champions. The Titans have one player who made the list, a rookie running back, who didn't win the offensive rookie of the year award, but gets an MVP vote over the player that did. So if the best player on the best team isn't winning the award that leaves us with the most indispensibe.

We'll examine the top 3 finishers in voting;

3. Michael Turner, Atlanta Falcons running back. Turner signs in the off-season as a free agent with the Falcons because he wanted a chance to be the "man" after backing up LT in San Diego. He will get his chance because the Falcons were a terrible team that needed help in every area. The Falcons turn the franchise around by hiring a fresh faced GM and coach and drafting a QB who nobody thought was the smart pick and turns out to be a steady, strong armed game manager who wins the rookie of the year. Turner ends up finishing second in rushing on the season and the Falcons make the playoffs. Now Turner was obviously a key member of the team, but if the Falcons had Jerious Norwood and Warrick Dunn running the ball would they have been worse off? The real MVP of the Falcons was Matt Ryan. If he doesn't play well under centre, the Falcons are not a playoff team and might have been drafting right behind the Lions in April.

2. Chad Pennington, Miami Dolphins quarterback. The player who finishes second in MVP voting didn't even have a team just weeks before the season. Pennington who was battling for the starting QB job with the New York Jets was cut in August to make room for Brett Favre. No one could argue that at the time, it seemed like the right move. Pennington was immediately scooped up by the Dolphins to try and breath some life into the team that went 1-15 the year before and went through 7 starting QB's. This is a player that has become indispensible to his team. Without him the Dolphins would have been forced to play unproven QBs and changed them every couple of weeks like the SF 49ers did. He is a leader who has been to the playoffs before and knew what it took to get a team to follow him.

1. Peyton Manning, Indianapolis Colts, quarterback. After missing training camp because of off season knee surgery, Manning returned week one and struggled and the Colts lost. It took him and the Colts to mid-point of the season before the Colts found their way. Once he did, the Colts took off and finished the season on a 9 game winning streak. Manning didn't finish statisically anywhere near the top in the major passing catagories, but everyone thinks that if you take Manning off the field and replace him with back-up Jim Sorgi the Colts stand no chance of winning - therefore making him indispensible and making Manning the MVP. On paper that looks like a good argument, but the best comparison might be the team this actually happened to this year - the New England Patriots. MVP QB Tom Brady gets hurt in the opening minutes of the first game of the season and unproven back-up QB Matt Cassel must play the entire season. After week 1 many pundits didn't give the Pats a chance to win. Cassel who had been learning the Pats offense for the past few season while on the bench, leads the Pats to 11 wins and unfortunately for them are only the second team to ever win 11 games and not make the playoffs. The Colts would be in a similiar circumstance if Manning got hurt. Jim Sorgi would lead the offense. He has been learning the Colts schemes for too many seasons not to be productive. Although he wouldn't be Manning, he could lead the Colts to the playoffs and similar results. So is Manning really the MVP?

My MVP voting card would have looked like the following;
1. Chad Pennington
2. Adrian Peterson
3. Matt Ryan

Egad...can't believe I just named Chad Pennington MVP of the NFL...

Here is how the AP voted...

Player Team Votes
Peyton Manning Colts 32
Chad Pennington Dolphins 4
Michael Turner Falcons 4
Adrian Peterson Vikings 3
James Harrison Steelers 3
Philip Rivers Chargers 2
Chris Johnson Titans 1
Kurt Warner Cardinals 1

NFL Wildcard Weekend

The NFL Wildcard weekend is upon us. Don't be fooled when you sit down on Sunday to watch the games and notice that two of the four games are already finished. The NFL splits the games into Saturday and Sunday to make certain that they take up my whole weekend and the laundry, grocery shopping and that trip to Bed, Bath and Beyond doesn't happen. Let's get the preview and fearless predictions...

Remember these are my personal opinions, aren't based on facts or any kind of statistical analyst.

Atlanta at Arizona
A game nobody would have predicted at the star of the season. The Atlanta Falcons were in serious trouble, a QB in jail, a coach that quit on the team in mid-season last year. The Arizona Cardinals were a franchise that always seemed to be on the cusp of "making the jump" to a playoff team. Both teams turned on a dime and open the playoff weekend.

This game should be decided on the offensive side of the ball. With two teams that like to put up points and don't mind letting the scoreboard light up. Look for Matt Ryan, the NFL offensive rookie of the year to stand in the pocket and find his star receiver Roddy White who was one of the breakthrough performers of the year (also the star of my fantasy team). When Atlanta coach Mike Smith isn't letting Ryan air the ball out, he will control the clock with the ground and pound of Michael Turner and Jerious Norwood. If Atlanta does a good job of moving the chains and keeping the Arizona offense off the field they should be in line for a game next weekend.

Although the offenses will be on display, the x-factor will be the Falcons pass rush. If they can put enough pressure on Warner and disrupt the passing game of the Cardinals, they do not have it in them to run the ball.

Pick: Atlanta 35 vs. Arizona 24

Indy at San Diego
Two of the hottest teams in the NFL face off in the best game of the weekend. The Colts have won something like 23 in a row and the TV faces are all handing the league MVP to Peyton Manning. The Chargers won the win and in game against the Broncos last weekend and get a chance to host a playoff game even though they are 8-8 on the season and the first team in NFL history to start the season 4-8 and make the playoffs.

Look for the Colts to be sneaky and instead of letting Manning throw the ball all over the field they will hand the ball to Addai and Rhodes and chew up the field and clock. Rivers and the Chargers are holding their collective breath at the moment with injuries to Tomlinson and Gates. If those two guys don't go on the weekend they shouldn't even play this game. Just let the kick-off happen, make San Diego give up a safety and give the Colts the extra time to rest.

Pick: Indy 28 vs. San Diego 24

Baltimore at Miami
Two more of the biggest surprises of the 2008 NFL season. The Ravens defense is back to the form that took them to the 2001 Super Bowl in Tampa and the offense is breath of fresh air with rookie QB Joe Flacco and the multiple formations. The Dolphins hired Bill Parcells and then an unknown coach in Tony Sparano and go from 1 win to the playoffs, a great story and it gives hope to Detroit Lions fans everywhere.

The Dolphins will be fired up to show the league they deserve to be in the playoffs ahead of the Patriots. Chad Pennington wants to rub salt in the wounds of Jets fans and Ricky Williams just wants to blaze after a victory. The wildcat formation worked during the season because of the element of surprise and teams not having enough time to prepare. The Ravens have seen it already this season and now had another week to learn the 12 plays the Fish can run with Ronnie Brown under centre. The Ravens have had success because of the defense for years, and although they are getting help this year, look for Ray Lewis, Suggs and Ed Reed to control the game. Two more picks for Reed is not out of the question.

Pick: Baltimore 17 vs. Miami 10

Philadelphia vs. Minnesota
The Eagles killed Fox's dream of having "America's team" in the playoffs last weekend with a great performance, even though the only thing talking heads could mention was how bad the Cowboys played. The Vikings took the NFC North title because no one else wanted it. Both teams are coming into the game on a high note and this should be exciting for whoever shoes up at the Metrodome (there was still 10-15K tickets available as of Thursday).

The Eagles have many factors working against them in this game. McNabb will probably throw up on the sidelines after eating too many bratwurst on Saturday night. Andy Reid will no doubt throw a challenge flag at the wrong time, call time-outs at the wrong time and mess up the play calling in critical situations. The Vikings do have a handicap of their own in Tavaris Jackson, but they do have Adrian Peterson aka Purple Jesus. The Vikings defense is also top notch especially in the middle with the brothers Williams and they should be able to control Westbrook and McNabb.

Pick: Philadelphia 17 vs. Minnesota 31


Snack of The Day
You can't watch without snacks, here is what I recommend for you to enjoy whilst watching the games.

Ruffles Regular Potato Chips

This is the classic. You can't question this choice when you break it out. Eat them alone, use some dip, just enjoy them all.

First Post!

Hello World!

I would like to introduce the world to my Blog - BLT Sandwich Shoppe.

The Shoppe will explore the world of sports, music, entertainment and of course food. The cornerstone of blog will be the "daily special" a musing or lesson of the day.

Enjoy!
BLT