When something is predictable why do we watch it?

I had the privilege of growing up during the peak of the World Wrestling Federation (now referred to as World Wrestling Entertainment) and World Championship Wrestling (WCW).  My dad got me into wrestling at a young age with a few VHS tapes featuring superstars like Razor Ramon and Shawn Michaels.  I enjoyed wrestling, but two guys flying around in tights wasn't as captivating as it sounds.

It wasn't until I was home one summer day that my world became absorbed in wrestling.  I happened to go to a Pay Per View channel that for some reason was coming in crystal clear (my dad later explained to me what a black box was), and saw Hulk Hogan turn heel, joining Scott Hall and Kevin Nash in the formation of the nWo (New World Order).

What happened next for the WWE and WCW was what would be called the Attitude Era.  This was the best era in wrestling history, and also the worst.  It involved wars between the two companies, gave birth to several iconic superstars like The Rock, Sting, and Stone Cold Steve Austin, and ultimately led to the fall of one of the companies (WCW).

It also brought about what wrestling purists consider to be the deterioration of the product.  The companies became focused more on the entertainment aspect rather than technical wrestling.  Fans of the sport argue back and forth about this topic, but the bottom line is this was a move that needed to be made in order to thrust the WWE into the 21st century.  If they hadn't shifted the focus to entertainment, who knows if the WWE would be around today.

Since the boom of the Attitude Era, the WWE has unfortunately been mired in mediocrity.  People my age (24) and older, who saw this form of entertainment at its peak, rarely tune in unless they are dragged in by a friend or the return of a legend.  The WWE takes for granted the fact that there is no competition from another company.  When your the only show in town, no matter how bad you are, people will tune in.  It is a shame because unless the WWE is hit in the ratings (they average anywhere from 3-6 million viewers a week for Raw) or at the box office (every arena is sold out), the product will continue to slowly deteriorate.  Fans can boo John Cena and chant "Boring" during commentator versus commentator matches all they want, but that wont change any of the problems that plague the WWE.

Predictability 

One of my biggest gripes about wrestling post Attitude Era is how predictable the outcomes are.  The best thing about the WCW versus WWE was that both companies were always trying to out do one another in the unpredictability department.  The events were live, going up against each other, with each company strategically planning commercial breaks, when their stars would come out, and main event matches.  Now you don't even need to tune in to know what is going to happen.

Fans of the WWE, without having watched any of the build up to this past weekends Wrestlemania, could have probably predicted accurate outcomes of 90% of the matches.  I'm sorry but there is no juice to a HHH versus Undertaker match when you know the Undertaker is going to win.

One of the best moments I have witnessed in my life was when the New York Giants, who were 14 points underdogs, defeated the 18-0 New England Patriots in the Super Bowl.  The outcome couldn't have been scripted better.  Unfortunately with the WWE, we all know the Undertaker will never lose a Wrestlemania match, ever.

HHH and Undertaker by all accounts had the best match at Wrestlemania, but how could you honestly buy into it knowing who is going to win?  No one should watch or invest any emotion into any sport or television show if they know what the outcome is going to be.  We shouldn't have to deal with four weeks of  build up and interviews of everyone in the company talking about what wonderful competitors and ambassadors to the sport the Undertaker and HHH are when they all knew the Undertaker was going to win.  This kind of flawed logic only exists in the realm of the WWE.

Wrestlemania

This years Wrestlemania was the worst of all time.  A week that is supposed to celebrate the rich history of the WWE was made into a spectacle.  Drew Carey, yes that Drew Carey, was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame.  Is there a bigger slap in the face to the members of this Hall of Fame and the fans of the WWE?

Drew Carey's WWE history consists of participation in a Royal Rumble match in 2001.  After the two clowns in the ring eliminated each other, Drew stood alone in the ring awaiting the arrival of the next entrant.  Kane comes out, and after refusing a monetary bride from Carey, Carey hops over the top rope and drops to the floor, eliminating himself.  That is the kind of career (appeared at one event!) worthy of the WWE Hall of Fame?

As for the actual event itself, if you thought Carey being inducted was the worst part of the week, you were wrong.  The matches were an absolute joke.  The 8 man tag match, which like every match that involves The Big Show, lasted a little over 5 minutes.  As predictable as the WWE writers are, we all knew the outcomes of the Edge, Randy Orton, Jerry "The King" Lawler, and Undertaker matches, so why bother discussing them?

For some reason Snooki of Jersey Shore fame was involved in a match.  Having Snooki involved in a match in Wrestlemania is the equivalent of the NFL allowing Justin Bieber to quarterback a series for the Green Bay Packers in the Super Bowl.  It was a complete atrocity.  They already had enough star power with The Rock and Stone Cold Steve Austin, did they really have to bring in one of the most disgusting human beings on earth?

Incorporation of Legends

This is the hardest subject to critique.  It is something that lures myself and many of the people who have tuned the WWE out back in, but it is everything that is wrong with the company.  The embracing of the WWE Legends is intricate in the branding and promotion of the business.  Many of the Legends transcended wrestling.  Everyone knows who Hulk Hogan is, same with The Rock.  These are superstars who laid down the foundation that the WWE is built on.  The problem is the WWE doesn't know how to correctly utilize these assets.

The worst thing that writers and executives at the WWE can do is what they allowed to happen this past month, and worse, what they are going to allow to happen over the next 12 months.  The Rock came back to the WWE to a rousing ovation and a mountain of press.  Surprisingly not brought back to promote Fast Five, The Rock was named guest host of Wrestlemania.  This would give us four weeks of promotions and a budding feud with John Cena, the WWE's biggest star, in what would culminate in The Rock interfering with Cena in his title match at Wrestlemania against the second biggest star in the company, The Miz.

The following night on Raw, Cena called out The Rock and challenged him to a match.  The Rock would accept, but the match was set for next years Wrestlemania!  Why would the WWE allow themselves to be held hostage by a match like this?  The answer is simple.  They continually push aside young talent in favor of the Legends, who give them a temporary boost in the ratings and sales of merchandise, but in the long run damage the overall product.

The Legends should be utilized in development or analyst roles.  Stone Cold Steve Austin being the coach/mentor on Tough Enough is a great idea.  Booker T, although a bit out there, provides insight and analysis as a commentator you don't get from Jim Ross or Michael Cole.  Having someone like The Rock guest hosting a PPV event is a great idea, but having him get involved when he can't commit more than a month of his time is asinine.  The reason The Rock had to schedule the match for a year from now is because he has movie obligations and more than likely wont appear in a WWE ring until next January at the earliest.  What other profession would allow someone to headline their biggest event while not having to work for ten out of twelve months leading up to it?

Say what you want about John Cena, but he is the best talent in the WWE.  No one shoots like he does, and very few wrestle as well as he does.  Now he is being relegated to essentially eleven months worth of warm up matches in anticipation of the Wrestlemania bout with The Rock.  I would expect Cena to get a title shot against The Miz within this time period, and probably win the World Championship, but what happens when the build up to Wrestlemania intensifies?  Anything John Cena does from now on will be done with the specter of The Rock looming over him.

Wrestlemania 28 is in Miami Florida, The Rocks home town.  You don't have to be Nostradamus or Paul the Octopus to predict the outcome of the match.

All clips courtesy of YouTube and copyright of World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc.

The Chicago Bulls are a year ahead of schedule

The Chicago Bulls are not the best team in the Eastern Conference.  As a matter of fact, they aren't the second best team either.

The Bulls astonishing record of 56-20, tops in the East, can be attributed to the stellar play of their young, talented, and selfless point guard Derrick Rose, and their defensive oriented first year head coach Tom Thibodeau.

They are all but guaranteed the top seed in the East, meaning decisive games 5 and 7 in any series will be played at the United Center.  However, this young team is a year ahead of schedule, and wont be able to capitalize on that home court advantage.  A team like the Boston Celtics, and to a lesser extent the Miami Heat, know how to win those tough road games.

Derrick Rose, then who?

Of the teams that pose the most trouble to the Bulls, lets take a look at their potential lineups during crunch time, and rank the players in order from best to worst as far as who can take the game over/make a big shot.

Boston Celtics - Paul Pierce, Ray Allen, Kevin Garnett, Shaq, and Rajon Rondo.

Miami Heat - Dwyane Wade, LeBron James, Chris Bosh, Mike Bibby, and Eric Dampier.

Chicago Bulls - Derrick Rose, Luol Deng, Kyle Korver, Carlos Boozer, and Joakim Noah.

If you had to rank those groups in order of best to worst, they would fall in that order.  The Celtics and Heat each have 3 players who are capable of taking a game over on their best nights, the Bulls have 1.

As of right now, Derrick Rose is undoubtedly the MVP of the league.  His skills exceed everyone of the above players except for LeBron.  But now, as opposed to seasons past, LeBron has teammates he can trust and leverage the burden onto.  The Celtics have three hall of fame players (four if you count Shaq), all of whom know what it takes to win in the playoffs.  Rose does not have that caliber of a teammate yet, and when the pressure intensifies, he will realize it.

Kyle Korver and Carlos Boozer have distinguished histories of no showing during the playoffs.  Utah Jazz fans will fondly remember the days of Boozer not showing up until around games 4 or 5 in a series, and Korver (career 36% from 3 in playoffs) bricking numerous 3 point shots that could have swung games.  Either of them has not played any defense worth mentioning.  Korver gets torched off the dribble, and Boozer is eaten alive in the paint by elite forwards.

Of all the players on the Bulls other than Rose, Luol Deng is the only one who has the potential to carry this team.  Very underrated, Deng is a player who usually has his best offensive and defensive games when he is matched up against the NBA's elite.  His 11% career 3 point shooting in the playoffs is cause for concern, but he doesn't have to be effective offensively to win them games.  He is a defender who does not back down from the challenge of covering a Paul Pierce or LeBron James.

Missing though is his counterpart, a player as intricate to a championship team as an elite perimeter defender, a forward who can score at will.

Coach Thibodeau, the wild card

Tom Thibodeau is the X factor for the Bulls.  It is no surprise that since he has taken over as head coach that they are one of the best teams in the league, and are in position to win the Eastern Conference.  

A student of Jeff Van Gundy, Thibodeau teaches defense first and foremost.  In the 2000-2001 season, as an assistant for the Knicks, Thibodeau helped guide them to holding 33 consecutive opponents to less than 100 points, an NBA record.  Teams he has been a part of have finished in the top 10 in defense 15 times, culminating in his masterful job of shutting down Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers in the 2008 NBA Finals.

Defense is a hard thing to teach, especially in todays NBA, where star power supersedes team play.  Luckily for coach Thibodeau, he has happened onto a team where its star couldn't be more selfless, and the group around him, when playing cohesively, can compliment each other as good as any team in the league.

Coach Thibodeau also happens to have been a part of this current Celtics team.  He will know how to exploit their weaknesses defensively, which will give the Bulls a chance to beat them.  As for the Heat, no game plan or system can corral LeBron or Wade when either of them is on.  The Heat have quietly righted the ship after their post All-Star break losing streak, and sit in the #2 seed.  They'll more than likely have to go through New York, Orlando/Boston, and Chicago, barring any upsets, to reach the finals.  That is a tall order for a team with no bench, but when you have two of the top five players in the league on your team, the Eastern Conference Finals is the minimum expectation.

Watching the Bulls play, there isn't a team in the league that plays better together.  Each player trusts each other, and they aren't burdened by having a ball hog like Kobe Bryant or LeBron James, who can completely stall an offense.  However this a team with only one legitimate threat.  Boozer, Korver, and Deng, are all capable of averaging 20 points a night in the playoffs, but what about when the money is on the line?  When all the chips are on the table, would you trust one of those three to make a game deciding play?

Derrick Rose is going to be relied upon like LeBron James circa his Cavalier days.  When it is crunch time for the Bulls, there isn't a player on the court that will be guarded more closely, and relied upon more heavily than him.  With the lack of a swing man who can score on pace with Rose, and take over a stretch of a game, the Bulls will have a hard time beating any elite teams.

They are a year ahead of schedule.  Their run in these playoffs will be gravy, a great learning experience for their first year coach and young nucleus of talent.  Though if the Bulls want to be taken seriously, they have to find a legitimate perimeter scorer.  Otherwise these young Chicago Bulls will not overcome the aura of Michael Jordan's Bulls teams.

MLB 2011 Regular Season Over/Unders and Predictions

American League East

1) Boston Red Sox's - UNDER 94.5
The Red Sox's spent this winter doing what the Yankees did in 2009, spending half a billion dollars to secure prime talent and make a serious run at a World Series title.  Adrian Gonzalez and Carl Crawford are perfect additions to the already patient and potent lineup.  With depth at every position, the only questions are in the rotation and bullpen.  Josh Beckett, John Lackey, and Dice K have a lot to prove health and velocity wise.  Johnathan Papelbon and Daniel Bard are anything but sure bets to lock down games.

2) New York Yankees - UNDER 90.5
Eerily reminiscent of what they did in 2008 when they went with youth in the back end of the rotation, only this time going with veteran pitchers, the Yankees are prime for a down year.  After foolishly putting all their eggs into the Cliff Lee basket in the off season and not getting him, the Yankees have brought in veterans like Bartolo Colon, Freddy Garcia, and even Eric Chavez, to help round out an already old team.  The Yankees will sneak into the playoffs thanks to their offense, but how far they go will be determined by where they are and what they do at the trading deadline.

3) Tampa Bay Rays - UNDER 84.5
After a wild spring training (Evan Longoria had his car stolen, then the following week an AK47) the Rays are in trouble.  They traded arguably their best big game pitcher in Matt Garza to the Cubs, and are banking on Johnny Damon and Manny Ramirez being able to lift the offense, both of whom are way past their primes.  Lets not forget the biggest indictment against this team, they think Kyle Farnsworth can close games.

4) Toronto Blue Jays - OVER 77.5
Amazingly, the Blue Jays were competitive last season, due in large part to the absurd amount of home runs they hit.  They managed to unload the worst contract in baseball, Vernon Wells, to the Angels, which is the equivalent of having a winning season.  This team will have a hard time duplicating the offensive success they had last season, and will struggle to compete in what is hands down the best division in baseball.

5) Baltimore Orioles - OVER 70.5 - 

Buck Showalter's arrival in Baltimore was much needed, but it wont catch everyone off guard this season.  The Orioles wont be a push over in the East, but along with winning games, they have to work hard to reclaim their ballpark and fan base.  That is a tall order for a young team that is short on arms.

American League Central

1) Detroit Tigers - OVER 83.5 
Their offense is loaded, but it will be Justin Verlander who will carry this team.  The work horse pitcher is in line for a Cy Young caliber year, and will help Detroit reach the playoffs.

2) Minnesota Twins - UNDER 86.5 
Picking against the Twins is a foolish thing to do since they always have remarkable second half runs and end up in the playoffs, but this will be a down year for the club.  Justin Morneau's health concerns make it hard to see this being a good offense, and their ace Francisco Liriano is prime trade bait for a contending team.  Twins take a year off and regroup for a run in 2012.

3) Chicago White Sox's - UNDER 85.5 
The bottom line with the White Sox's is if Jake Peavy is healthy they will contend, but that is a BIG if.  Without Peavy to backup Buehrle, this is a .500 team at best.

4) Kansas City Royals - UNDER 68.5 
The A.L. version of the Pittsburgh Pirates, this franchise is an absolute joke.  The only player worth watching is their closer Joakim Soria, who will most likely be traded sometime in the near future.

5) Cleveland Indians - UNDER 69.5
The only good thing about the Indians is that most of America fondly remembers them from the Major League film franchise.  Other than that, and much like every other professional team in Cleveland, this team is a disaster.

American League West

1) Texas Rangers - OVER 87.5 

The Rangers will miss Cliff Lee, but the experience the young pitchers on the staff got last year is invaluable.  They know they can slay a Goliath team like the Yankees, and that they have enough talent offensively to beat opponents during bad pitching stretches.  The offense, led by Josh Hamilton, will carry this team to the playoffs.

2) Oakland Athletics - OVER 81.5 

A lot of analysts have hopped on the A's express.  With their young pitching, many have them penciled in for a surprise win of the West.  I can't see it.  A lineup thats biggest threat is Hideki Matsui is not going to the playoffs.

3) Los Angeles Angels - UNDER 84.5 

Back to back bad seasons for a team managed by Mike Scioscia?  Hard to believe.  This team is not talented.  The rotation is a mess with the implosion of Scott Kazmir.  The Angels used to own the West and overachieve because they executed the fundamentals better than anyone in the business, and ran with the best of teams.  With both of those attributes evaporating, this is a below .500 club.
4) Seattle Mariners - UNDER 67.5 

It will be a long, painful season for the Mariners.  This is a team that needs to look long and hard at its core, and realize they have missed the window for competing with Felix Hernandez and Ichiro Suzuki on the team.  Both should be used at the trade deadline to stockpile top prospects Seattle can pair with their young pitchers to make a run within the later part of this decade. 

National League East

1) Philadelphia Phillies - UNDER 96.5 

When Cliff Lee signed with the Phillies, everyone immediatley penciled them in for a World Series title this year, the next, and the year after that.  With arguably one of the best rotations in history, it will be tough for teams to beat them in series throughout the year and in the playoffs.  However, the lineup has suffered an enormous hit with the loss of Chase Utley for potentially the entire season.  With an aging Ibanez, Rollins, and Oswalt, and an ailing Lidge, they wont be the runaway juggernaut everyone expects.  Look for Phillies to make a big second half push that puts them into the drivers seat in the N.L.

2) Atlanta Braves - OVER 85.5 

The Braves have a plethora of young arms in their rotation, and the perfect blend of youth and veterans in their lineup and bullpen to compete for a National League crown.  Dan Uggla was a smart addition, and Fredi Gonzalez is an excellent manager who should seamlessly take over for Bobby Cox.

3) New York Mets - OVER 75.5 

The Mets ownership is in dismay and is probably better off selling the team.  However they have quietly assembled a front office that wont put fans in the seats, but will enable this team to make smart trades and acquisitions to set themselves up for a World Series run later in the decade.  They'll play .500 ball this year due to their offense and solid fundamentals, which for Mets fans may be as good as getting to the playoffs.

4) Florida Marlins - UNDER 80.5 

Losing Dan Uggla to division rival Atlanta, and their manager Fredi Gonzalez to the same club, make it a down year for the Marlins.  They have a ton of studs in the rotation, and arguably the best all around player in baseball in Hanley Ramirez anchoring their lineup.  They may surprise, but without Gonzalez managing them, a disaster bullpen, and no legitimate threat behind Hanley, this team doesn't have what it takes to compete on a serious level.

5) Washington Nationals - UNDER 70.5
I still don't understand the Jayson Werth signing.  The money they paid him could have been spent on bringing in 5-6 veterans to blend in with the talented youth.  The Werth move will set this franchise back another 5 years, that's 5 years closer Stephen Strasburg gets to leaving for a big market club.

National League Central

1) Chicago Cubs - OVER 80.5 

There has to be a year before I die when everything aligns for this cursed organization.  This is year one of the process.  The Cubs didn't make any noise during the off season other than trading for a pitcher who is one of the best in the league, Matt Garza.  He never backed down from the Red Sox's or Yankees, and will be a stud for the Cubs.  After the disaster with Jay Cutler and the Bears in the NFC Championship game, this city is ready to rally around the lovable losers.  It wont end in a World Series Championship, but they'll show signs of progressing toward being an annual contender. (This is the team that will blow the bank for Albert Pujols in the off season.  He will get A-Rod money and then some from the Cubs, and if they can sign him they will instantly be World Series contenders.)

2) Milwaukee Brewers - OVER 84.5 

The Brew Crew are the trendy pick to win the N.L. Central, but I am not buying it.  Greinke is a complete head case, and the rest of their pitching is suspect.  Prince Fielder is in a walk year and will put up monster numbers along with Ryan Braun, but the bottom line is the pitching will not be there when needed and the Brewers will miss out on the playoffs.  They know they can't keep Prince so don't be surprised if they move him at the deadline.

3) Cincinnati Reds - UNDER 83.5 

Last season everything broke right for this team.  I can't trust a team managed by Dusty Baker to put together back to back playoff seasons.  They'll be fun to watch with their offense, but the young pitching has regressed and wont keep them in contention this season.

4) St. Louis Cardinals - UNDER 86.5 

I would have picked the Cardinals to win this division had Adam Wainwright not gone down for the year.  This team seems to have a lot of bad vibes around it.  I don't think La Russa will be back after this season, and more importantly I don't think Albert Pujols will be either.  Carpenter, if healthy, will be a piece they can deal at the deadline to acquire players for a run in the future.

5) Pittsburgh Pirates - UNDER 64.5 

The way the Pirates are run is a crime.  They exist solely for big market teams to pry away their young talent, and also as a development team for veterans looking to rehab and catch on with a contender at the trade deadline.  Utter Disgrace.

6) Houston Astro's - UNDER 74.5

The definition of what happens to a small market team when they load up for a big run and miss out.  The days of Clemens and Pettitte pitching them to a World Series berth seem like a distant memory.  It will be a long, long time before this team competes.

National League West

1) San Francisco Giants - OVER 86.5 

Pitching, pitching, and more pitching.  It is what won them the World Series, and what will carry this team as far as they can go.  I have concerns about the lineup and worry about there being a hang over, but when your team has 3 above average pitchers and your in the N.L., you'll win your division easily.

2) Colorado Rockies - OVER 85.5 

With Tulo, Gonzalez, and Jimenez, the Rockies have a young trio that will allow them to compete on an annual basis over the next 5 years.  They can easily overtake the Giants in this division if the pitching behind Jimenez solidifies, though we are probably a year or two away from that happening.

3) San Diego Padres - UNDER 81.5 
Losing Adrian Gonzalez, a fan favorite, and the only threat in the lineup, for what was essentially deemed a pack of balls and some bats, means the Padres are back to being viewed as the Padres.  Their young pitching will carry them for bursts but they'll have a hard time scoring runs.  Could they have kept Gonzalez they may have been on the verge of a nice 5 year run of competing in the N.L. West, now they'll be cellar dwellers.

4) Los Angeles Dodgers - UNDER 82.5 

If one team is worse off financially than the Mets, it is the Dodgers.  This is a team that wont be able to add any pieces for a legitimate run and with Don Mattingly at the helm, they could be in for a long year.  I see Don being a complete bust as a manager, eventually being fired, and becoming a broadcaster.  He is over hyped as a player, and unfortunately the same has happened to him as a baseball mind/manager.

5) Arizona Diamondbacks - UNDER 72.5 

They have a very talented nucleus of position players led by Justin Upton, but the pitching is a long way off.

American League MVP

David Ortiz - Big Papi will benefit enormously from all the attention paid to everyone else in the lineup.  The slugger who put the city on his back before will do it again, and help Boston win the AL East.

National League MVP

Albert Pujols - The best player in baseball puts up a monster season for a team that struggles to contend and conducts a fire sale at the trade deadline.  Pujols contract talks wont slow him down one bit.

American League Cy Young

Jon Lester - Lester is prime for a dominant year.  The lefty ace of the Sox's, aided by a dynamite lineup, will win 20 games easily.

National League Cy Young

Roy Halladay - The best pitcher in baseball dominates the N.L. yet again.  Halladay will be able to pad his numbers against the many inferior teams in the N.L. and approach 20 wins by August.

American League Division Series

Red Sox's over Rangers - Sox's will easily handle Rangers, who's pitching implodes without a legitimate ace.

Yankees over Tigers - Yankees gut out the series win in what will be a tall order facing Verlander twice.

National League Division Series

Phillies over Giants - Phillies extract revenge on the Giants, easily handling them with lights out pitching by Halladay and Lee.

Cubs over Braves - The Cubs magical run continues with an upset of the young and talented Braves.

American League Championship Series

Red Sox's over Yankees - The rivalry is renewed in an epic series, with many of the games painfully exceeding 4 hours.  Red Sox's win because their lineup is able to decimate the Yankees 3rd and 4th starters.

National League Championship Series

Phillies over Cubs - Not ready to abolish the curse yet, the Cubs go down in miserable fashion against the Phillies.

World Series

Red Sox's over Phillies - Usually great pitching beats great hitting, but not this time.  The veteran Sox's lineup is able to work the pitch counts of the Phillies vaunted pitchers and wins the series in 6.

World Series MVP 

Adrian Gonzalez - Not many people got to see this prime talent since he played in San Diego and Padres games are rarely shown in prime time.  By October his shoulder should be fully healed and he will offensively propel the Sox's to their 3rd World Series title in 8 years.

Statement losses are just as telling as statement wins

Tonight’s Boston Celtics vs. New York Knicks game was shaping up to be a statement win for the Knicks.  Touting a 6-2 record against teams above 500 since the Carmelo Anthony trade (1-6 against teams below 500), the Knicks at one point held a 15 point lead in the third quarter and were cruising to a much needed win.  However as Boston nipped away at the lead, the new Knicks showed no leadership and poise down the stretch, resulting in a statement loss 96-86.

Leadership:  There hasn't been any since the trade.  It seems as if Amar'e Stoudemire, who built up so much good will over the first half of the season, has taken a back seat to Melo and Chauncey Billups, both in the huddle and on the court.  

The Knicks offense late in games is everyone dribbling 30 feet from the basket and hoisting up awful jump shots.  There are nights like against Memphis where 20 3 point shots will go in and you win comfortably, but those are rare.  It is easy to point the finger at Melo and the new company for the lapses on offense, but it is all coaching.

The most noticeable problem since the trade is that D'Antoni isn’t able to coral his star players when he needs to.  D'Antoni had no problem coaching a selfless superstar in Steve Nash, but he is having a real rough time coaching two selfish superstars in Melo and to a lesser extent Amar'e.  The way those two are allowed to act on the court is a direct reflection of what little control he has, and it rubs off on everyone on the team.

If the two superstars are allowed to pout after every contested shot, and not be required to play defense, other players will start to think they are entitled to the same rules (where has Landry Fields gone to?  His defense has gone out the window since Melo arrived).

Poise:  Both of the Knicks star players lose their composure late in close games.  They still don't know who should be controlling the ball, who should be the featured piece, and who should defer.  These are things everyone knew going into this trade that would take weeks if not months to figure out.  

Melo forces his shots late and picks up way too many cheap fouls on the defensive end to be relied on as the featured piece.  This Knicks team thrived early in the year when Amar'e was scoring big and being ferocious in the paint.  Since Melo has come he has forced Amar'e into the passenger’s seat and a, "stand back and observe” role late in games.

Amar’e is too good a talent to be relegated to this.  The Knicks would benefit greatly if he stepped up and shouldered the burden of being the Knicks late game go to guy. 

He can handle it.

Trouble:  The Knicks barring a Met-esque collapse are a lock for the playoffs, but what they'll do in them is up for debate.  Right now you would have to think they don't stand a chance against any of the top 4 teams in the East.  They need to use these playoffs as a learning experience for their young players, and build on it for a serious run over the next two seasons.  

They have a month to get things together, but with no definitive leadership and absolutely no poise when the game is on the line, it will not happen.  Knicks fans can only hope (barring a miraculous playoff run) management wakes up and makes a coaching change.  

D'Antoni is a great guy and a good coach, but he isn't the right fit for this team, or any team with title aspirations.

Knick's players needs to speak up before the sun sets

Team records since the Carmelo Anthony trade:

New York Knicks: 7-6

Denver Nuggets: 8-2

On February 21, 2011, it was made official.  The New York Knick's were back.  Fresh off the All-Star break in which they limped in a measly 2 games over 500, they unloaded the majority of their roster to acquire Carmelo Anthony from the Denver Nuggets, a player they coveted since he made public his desire to play in the bright lights of New York City.

Instantly making the Knick's a contender, the fans salivated for his debut, a Wednesday night matchup against the Milwaukee Bucks in which the Knick's escaped with a 114-108 victory.  None the less the message was delivered.  This was a team to be feared.

NBA analysts and fans began to say they could stack up favorably against the Miami Heat in the playoffs.  After beating LeBron, Wade, and company the following Sunday, the coronation was under way.  This was a team that two seasons ago was the laughing stock of the league, now they had a 3-5 year window to be a championship threat.

They won the game against the Heat in large part to the most important player involved in the trade, Chauncey Billups, who exploited the Heat’s Achilles heel, their awful point guards.

Billups received little if any publicity in being lumped in with Melo.  A Denver native, there were talks of him wanting to be bought out before his arrival.  However he has come to New York with open arms like the professional he is.  Billups is the key to this trade leading to a championship.  His leadership (2004 NBA Finals MVP) and toughness are unmatched.  They will be the two qualities needed to carry the Knick's if they are to make any type of run in the playoffs the next two seasons.

After the exhilarating opening week, reality began to set in.  The overall struggles since the trade can be attributed to one thing, the coaches stubbornness to teach defense.  They don’t play any, and will not play any with Mike D’Antoni coaching the team.

Prior to arriving in New York, D’Antoni coached the Phoenix Suns, a team with the most prolific offense in the league.  Between 2003-2008, his style of coaching led Steve Nash to back to back MVP awards, and developed a slew of above average guards and post players into top 25 talents, including Joe Johnson and Amar'e Stoudemire.

They spent three years chasing a title with pure offense, they never got it.

The next move the Knicks need to make is not bringing in a center, or low post defender, it’s bringing in a defensive minded coach.  Look at the teams at the top of each conference, they all preach defense before anything (Chicago, Boston, Los Angeles, San Antonio, heck even Miami).

Amar’e has provided leadership and a spark to the city and team no one knew he had.  Chauncey is along for what he hopes to be a championship ride, the facilitator of the group, willing to give the spotlight to the highly talented duo.  Carmelo has come with expectations from fans and media personnel to restore the Knicks to glory.

There haven’t been any rumblings yet, everyone fooled by D'Antoni's nice guy persona.  A quick playoff exit this year followed up by another subpar performance next year and you can bet the players will be calling for a veteran coach who teaches defense, and rightfully so.

A couple of thoughts on Super Bowl XLV

Ravens vs. Steelers

Polamalu – 2 tackles*

Jets vs. Steeler

Polamalu – 4 tackles, 1 assist*

Steelers vs. Packers

Polamalu – 3 tackles*

*No sacks, no interceptions, no forced fumbles.

It is hard to attack someone who plays in the secondary because if you just glance at a box score you would think half the shut down players in the league stunk.  Darrelle Revis in the Wild Card round box score simply shows 1 tackle, making no mention that he held Reggie Wayne, who is one of the best receivers in the league, to 1 catch for 1 yard.  To simply look at Troy Polamalu’s end game results and say he had a bad post season is not fair, however if you watch ESPN or saw the playoffs games you know he was a non factor.

Troy Polamalu made a polarizing play in the regular season against the Ravens when he flew around left tackle, leapt into the air, sacked Joe Flacco, and forced a fumble that eventually led to the Steelers winning the game and securing a #2 seed.  His leap over the Titans offensive line to tackle Kerry Collins literally as he got the snap was another example of his ability to make game altering, season defining plays.  We still see those plays shown to this day on SportsCenter, plays that occurred months ago.

I don’t doubt for a minute Troy was hurt worse than we know.  I just ask the question, what impact did he have on these playoffs?  His presence wasn’t felt in any of the games.  The Defensive Player of the Year should impact meaningfully playoff games.  I remember some key plays involving Polamalu this Post Season, none of them impactful.

a)      Against the Ravens, Troy was steam rolled by Ray Rice for a Raven’s touchdown to tie the game at 7.

b)      Against the Jets, the only time Simms or Nantz mentioned his name was on a sideline shot he delivered to a Jet late in the fourth quarter when the game was practically over.

c)       Against the Packers, Polamalu, whether it was scheme or his own wild ways, was playing 25 yards off the ball the entire game.  On Greg Jennings first score instead of delivering a bone crunching hit he leads with his forearms and to no one’s surprise Jennings hangs on.  On Jennings second TD that gave the Packers a 28-17 lead and all but ended the game, Polamalu bit on an inside route with a linebacker playing right below him and left Jennings wide open in the corner for the score.  Jennings would complete the trifecta for one more catch over Polamalu that lead to the Packers getting a field goal to go up 31-25 and force Big Ben to drive the length of the field.

The Packers assaulted teams with short slant routes and ESPN’s Steve Young when asked what happened to Troy said that he was 25 yards off the ball to prevent that.  Utter nonsense.  The Packers would run 5, 10, maybe 15 yard slant routes at best, but I don’t recall one 25 yard slant route all playoffs.  Troy could have easily been positioned 10 yards in and had a greater impact on the game.  If scheme was the reason he was 25 yards off the ball shame on Dick LeBeau for not making an adjustment as the Packers only had one big pass play which was Jennings in the slot for the opening score.

As much grief as the secondary deserves, the Mendenhall fumble was the game changer:

Down 17-21, the Steelers have just scored 14 unanswered and are in the midst of a drive that I think would have led to them taking the lead.  Mendenhall takes a handoff on Green Bay’s side of the 50 and is immediately met by Clay Matthews who forced the ball loose and changed the momentum of the game.

You could tell by the body language and the deterioration of Green Bay’s secondary that they were about to break, but the heart of the defense, when the soul (Charles Woodson) was lost to a broken collar bone, saved his team’s season.  With Rodgers in the midst of another one of his disappearing acts (this time due to an abnormal amount of drops by his receivers), his defense, like it did against Chicago courtesy of Raji, bails him out with a huge take away that would eventually lead to a Packer touchdown.

Mendenhall had a phenomenal game against the Jets to propel the Steelers to the Super Bowl, but no one in Pittsburgh or the NFL will remember that.

It was a great game, could have been an all timer had Big Ben driven down and made it interesting, but none the less great job by the Packers.  When presented with a turnover the Packers turned each one into 7 points.  Rodgers completed what was one of the all time great post seasons by a quarter back, erased all the demons of Favre, and brought a championship back to title town.  Their team is young enough to be a threat for the next 5 years and Rodgers ascension amongst the elite quarter backs will only grow as Brady and Manning age.

As for the Steelers, an admirable fight from 21-3 down ends in defeat.  It will be interesting to see what happens to this team in the coming years because a lot of people took hits in this game.  Big Ben isn’t going down in the books as an immortal, Polamalu will have a search party after him until training camp, and Mendenhall had one of the all time gaffes that cost his team the game.

You never know when you’re going to get back into this game, just ask Dan Marino.

Notes from the memo pad:

Amazing that Rodgers in just 3 seasons has been able to replace a legendary quarter back. In transitions that take years and sometimes decades, he has already done it at the age of 27. I think this makes Favre’s transition back into Packer world a lot easier than it would have been had Green Bay not won a title for awhile.

The Charles Woodson collar bone injury was sad to see. When asked to address the team at the half, knowing he had a broken collar bone, Woodson reportedly broke down. A class act his whole career, robbed on the snow job/tuck rule, it is great to see him finally, albeit with one hand, hoist the Lombardi trophy.

Tomlin made a boneheaded choice going for that 53 yard field goal.  Suisham is an awful kicker he wouldn't have made anything over 40 let alone 50.  Amazing the Steelers made it so far and he didn't cost them.


Steelers have a great set of linebackers, none of which can cover.  They have loaded the team up with 3 pass rushing linebackers and one in Timmon's who can cover, but not for any length of time.  Would be interesting to see if they jettison one of the veterans and bring in a young stud who can pass cover better than he blitzes.

For those counting Rodgers has as many Super Bowl wins, one, as Favre.


3rd and 10 Steelers about to get the ball back down 3, Rodgers hits Jennings on the Packers bread and butter slant route. At 10 yards he cut and since this was Polamalu's side of the field, Troy was 15 yards away. He eventually swooped in after Jennings picked up another 10 or so yards to make the tackle but the dagger had been delivered.

The referees needed to swallow the whistle on the last kickoff.  The unnecessary roughness call on #57 was a disgrace.  In the heat of the moment you sort out the scrum and let the men play.  The minute that flag landed on the field you knew the Steelers would not come back.  The epic drives for immortality never include penalties that back the team up.


Whoever was in charge of the halftime performance and overall production for that matter should be relieved of their duties. No ones microphones were properly set, half the lighting during the Black Eyed Peas performance was out, and the "Sounds of the Super Bowl" segment was a bomb. Sounds of the game need to be meaningful, I want to hear Tomlin after Ben's pick 6, or Rodgers when his team is on the verge of blowing a 21-3 lead, not Matthews shouting wildly as he hugs a teammate.

Super Bowl XLV

As a diehard pigskin fan that treats every football Sunday as a religious experience, I find the Super Bowl to be a time to commemorate what was a great season. In the two weeks leading up to the biggest game of the season in the NFL, I find myself saddened knowing that it will be another 6 months before I see these men of the gridiron return to the field (with the pending labor issues possibly longer). With that being said, dust off your team’s jersey, stuff yourself with the finest finger foods and enjoy what should be decreed a national holiday, Super Sunday!

Packers -2.5 over Steelers

You have heard the analysis for the past two weeks, but it really is this simple. Indoors on a fast track the Packers will be all the Steelers can handle and then some. The Steelers defense when spread out cannot compete (see Patriots) on a high level. The Packers will have to run sometimes to keep the Steelers honest but at the end of the day I see them putting up 30 points easily with Rodgers and the quartet of receivers having a stellar day.

One could argue the Steelers defense being more rugged but the Packers blend of tackles led by Raji, powerful linebackers that include the real defensive player of the year Clay Matthews, and strong secondary that has 3 top tier players (Woodson, Shields, Williams) make them overall the better unit. The Packers exotic blitzes will be able to confuse the Steelers patchwork offensive line and control the tempo of the game. If the Packers spread out the Steelers the blitzes they deploy will be rendered useless. The Steeler linebackers make a living rushing the quarterback, not playing pass coverage.

The only way the Steelers can win this game is the same way the Bears almost pulled out an all time playoff stunner, if Rodgers gets whacked by Harrison.  If you recall in the second half of the NFC championship game Rodgers was delivered a helmet to helmet blow by Julius Peppers and disappeared after. Peppers has been quoted as saying he was stunned that Rodgers got up, and NFL people have said if Harrison gets that kind of look Sunday he will deliver a blow that requires Rodgers being helped off the field. Bailed out by Hanie’s inexperience the Packers held on.

Come Sunday if Rodgers is delivered a blow and folds like he did in Chicago the Steelers will win the game, but that is the only way.

Final – Packers 34, Steelers 20

Super Bowl MVP – Aaron Rodgers

Barring one of the defensive players having an all time game (even then it’s rare, ask Justin Tuck) there is no way Rodgers doesn’t get this award.

Super Bowl Goat – Troy Polamalu

If you have watched the playoffs you have seen a shell of the Troy Polamalu we all know and love (as a big of a disgrace as Yao Ming being the starting center for the NBA’s Western Conference All Stars is the fact that Polamalu got the Defensive Player of the Year award). His whiffs on Ray Rice and Casper impersonation against the Jets (with the exception of a hit on the sidelines) makes me think he is banged up worse than we know.

The time off between the AFC Championship and the Super Bowl may be just what the doctor ordered, but I'll have to see it to believe it.

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For the gamblers out there looking to cash in on the big game, here are 5 can’t miss bets.

Christina Aguilera OVER six seconds on the word “brave” during the national anthem

There isn’t a better way to get fired up for the game than the anticipation of the final word of the national anthem.

OVER 44.5 points scored

Two offenses that feature explosive, game breaking wide receivers, this one is easy.

OVER 2.5 FOX mentions Brett Favre during the game

If this bet was up for every Packer game for the rest of my life I would bet the over.

Steelers player WILL do the “belt” celebration during the game

A defense that is arrogant and plays with swagger.  Any type of negative play or a turn over especially will draw the belt. If the Steelers go up big they may bring a belt out onto the field ala Clinton Portis in his Denver days.

John Kuhn OVER 5.5 yards rushing for the game

I expect the Packers to have a few critical short down conversions they need to make and handing the ball off to Kuhn on each of them.

Everyone have great Super Sunday!